Wednesday, December 25, 2019

New Journalism - 2151 Words

Is New Journalism a literary genre? Analyse with reference to the literary techniques used in two examples of New Journalism. Word Count - 2231 I suppose the most common sense point at which to start is by defining New Journalism, or Literary Journalism, as Eisenhuth and McDonald (2007, p. 38) say it is called at the â€Å"upper end of the spectrum.† The Collins Concise Dictionary (1999, p. 995) defines New Journalism as â€Å"a style of journalism, using techniques borrowed from fiction to portray a situation of event as vividly as possible.† Wikipedia (2010) defines it as â€Å"a style of 1960s and 1970s news writing and journalism that used literary techniques deemed unconventional at the time.† The meaning of New Journalism has evolved†¦show more content†¦Interestingly, Capote, along with Mailer and many other authors, never agreed to their styles comparisons to Wolfes school of narration. Much to the contrary, many of these writers would deny that their work was generically relevant to other new Journalists at the time. In a 1966 Atlantic article, Dan Wakefield said that the non-fiction work of Capote elevated reporting to the level of literature. Although praising the work of Capote, this goes some way in saying that literature is better than journalism. This is evidence for what Capote said his critics felt: Combining literature and journalism is little more than a literary solution for fatigued novelists. (Plimpton, 1967, p. 16) Newfield (1967, p. 20) said that, â€Å"This new genre defines itself by claiming many of the techniques that were once the unchallenged terrain of the novelist: tension, symbol, cadence, irony, prosody, imagination.† Gay Taleses 1966 article for Esquire magazine, Frank Sinatra Has a Cold, was a very influential piece of New Journalism that gave a very detailed portrait of Frank Sinatra, without ever having interviewed him. Talese undertook huge amounts of research, as did many of the New journalists, including Capote with In Cold Blood. Unlike Capote, Talese did not invent facts of characters. His article is, therefore, an example of New Journalism that falls under the category of a journalistic genre, as opposed to a distinctShow MoreRelatedEssay on New Journalism2295 Words   |  10 PagesInverted pyramid. Unbiased news gathering. Objectivity in reporting. Professionalism. Routines that would regulate news reports, translating information to readers, regardless of geography. Journalism spent the better part of the 20th century routinizing the news, attempting to shed its seedy past of â€Å"yellow journalism† amid the challenges of new technologies, first the radio, followed by the television. Then came the tumultuous 1950s and 1960s. Suddenly, the same tides of changes that were sweepingRead MoreOnline Journalism : A New Form Of Journalism929 Words   |  4 PagesThe arrival of new media ha s significantly and drastically transformed the concept of journalism. Traditional journalism promotes authenticity, reliable sourcing and valid evidence through major media companies and the use of gate-keeping. This classic process is what provides factual information to their following about current world issues which also creates a trust with their audience. Citizen journalism is a new form of journalism that allows the general public to publish online. Citizen journalistsRead MoreYellow Journalism And Fake News1604 Words   |  7 PagesYellow Journalism and Fake News Throughout history, we have seen several instances of war and peace. These issues are all delivered to us as the common population by means of reports and news. This is the lens that has shaped the way that we see the world and the aspects of the world that have to do with war in our society. We as a community are shaped by the media that we encounter. This is important to note because in an age when media is a part of nearly everything that we do in our day-to-dayRead MoreNews Analysis : News And Journalism2007 Words   |  9 Pages All over the world, the news play an important role in the daily lives of everybody. If not exchanging information on the current issues, then there is the recap of what has transpired. This thus is the critical role played by the news industry collectively known as journalism. All over the world, the media has played a great role in making sure that the masses are up to date with what is happening. All the stakeholders work day and night to ensure the same. Various aspects come into play thoughRead MoreOnline Journalism : A New Wave Essay2132 Words   |  9 PagesAMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH AMITY SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION Cyber Media- Assignment Online Journalism: A New Wave Submitted By: Anubhuti Gupta Course: BJ MC Batch: 2012-2015 Enrolment No.: A2028712062 Introduction News-casting has been moderate to create different structures in reaction to the new settings gave by the web. One quickly creating structure, remarkable to the around the world web, is the weblog. This article audits the cases made by advocates of the structure and investigatesRead MoreJournalism Is Both Old And New. The Profession Has Been1098 Words   |  5 PagesJournalism is both old and new. The profession has been around for hundreds of years, but it is always changing and reinventing itself. With these changes, the question of what is right and what is wrong is not always clear, but journalists still must attempt to answer those questions. Reporters, editors and anyone else practicing journalism must be held to a high standard of ethics across the board. Journalists owe it to the public to practice this high standard of reporting, as journalists workRead MoreBreaking News : Journalism Is Still Alive769 Words   |  4 PagesBreaking News: Journalism is Still Alive Words can be powerful and heavy and most of all complicated. On the other hand, dictionaries cut everything short. The Merriam-Webster definition of journalism, for example, is especially simple and direct—the job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio. This definition fails to recognize though that just because something is written and published in a newspaper or on a news site does not mean thatRead MoreAndrew Stephens s Beyond News : The Future Of Journalism891 Words   |  4 Pagesperson can be objective because we have biases and a variety of conflicts that we bring to our jobs. Mitchell Stephens, author of Beyond News: The Future of Journalism offers an argument against objectivity. Stephens states that objectivity is impossible because as much as one may try to disappear from the work, there is a kind of meditation that takes place in journalism no matter what, (117). By selecting who to interview or which side of a complex political dispute to air, journalists are evaluatingRead MoreOnline Journalism and the New Media; Implications for Man ¡Ã‚ ¦S Social Development2777 Words   |  12 PagesINTRODUCTION The new media announces a new period of media development in the world over, it is the one that preaches the significance of new communications technologies. The new media is not just a kind of information technology but also part and parcel of the social being of man in this modern society. At the threshold of this fairly new millennium (2000 A.D.), there was a sporadic turn-around in the existing branches of the global media. This catapulted the world into a new information orderRead More1) What Ethical Principles Should a Reporter Follow in Reporting/Writing a News Story to Ensure It Meets the Standards of Professional Journalism?1454 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Nowadays, more and more people are place importance on journalism ¡Ã‚ ¦s ethics. It is because everything that a journalist writes or says, or neglects to write or to say, in some or other way has an influence on many people, and that influences can be good or bad. The principles of good journalism are directed toward bringing the highest quality of news reporting to the public, this fulfilling the mission of timely distribution of information in service of the public interest. Therefore

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Problems Of Intellectual Property Rights - 2654 Words

Professor Zili Yang Econ314 11.26.2014 Hyunsup Yoon The problems of Intellectual Property Rights In China Abstract After Deng Xiaoping’s reform and opening up policy in 1978, China recorded an annual average growth rate of 9.67 percent in China. This is approximately three times higher than the average annual growth rate of global economy which is 3.3% within the same period. Past 29 years, due to rapid growth rate, China ranked the 2nd in trade volume and size of economy. However, many side effects are appeared due to the rapid economic growth. This study will measure what is the current state of the world’s counterfeit goods market, why people violate the IPR protection and produce counterfeit goods, what is the problem of IPR law enforcements and how violating law and producing counterfeit goods in China influence the world. Introduction Both economically and socially, influence of China is substantial. Economic and social status of China is firm that it can not be oversighted. However, intellectual property rights have been rising issues in China. First step to solve the problem is realize there is one. It is critical to recognize which elements are violating IPR. Basic systematic error of IPR and counterfeit culture in China are main factors for the obstacles. Current state of the world’s counterfeit goods market â€Å"Carratu International estimates that the global counterfeit market, which already accounts for 9% of world trade, will double in size over the nextShow MoreRelatedThe Idea Of Intellectual Property864 Words   |  4 PagesThe idea of intellectual property has many correlations with the concept of the marketplace of idea. According to a common argument, intellectual property rights spark innovation, creating positive economic growth and benefits for all. Because the marketplace comparison is an economic one, there is a tendency to tie intellectual property with the marketplace of ideas. The key argument arises whether ideas- intangible resources, can be protected as property using the same concepts and social processesRead MoreEconomic And Social Status Of China1549 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction Not only economically but socially, influences of China has been substantial. Economic and social status of China are firm that it can not be oversighted. However, law related intellectual property rights has been rising issues in China. First step to solve the problem is realize there is one. It is critical to recognize which elements are violating IPR. Basic systematic error of IPR and counterfeit culture in China are main factors for the obstacles. Current state of the world’sRead MoreComputer Software Engineering : Stealing Intellectual Property And How It Hurts Legitimate Authors961 Words   |  4 PagesAssignment – 6 CSC 580 Advanced Software Engineering Stealing Intellectual property and how it hurts legitimate authors 1.Introduction of the intellectual property: Firstly, having intellectual property rights lays good foundation for the software industry. Indeed, the intellectual property rights means having the rights for the creation of his work. For instance, considering an example in the software profession if an individual develops a software code then the individual has the full authorityRead MoreLegal Liabilities of Board Members688 Words   |  3 PagesProtecting legal property rights As the global trend is that of delivering more and more services, as opposed to manufacturing or agricultural products, and also in the face of rapidly evolving technologies, content creators are faced with the need to better safeguard their intellectual property. Within the software industry for instance, this requirement is ever increasing in importance, especially since infringements of property rights could lead to severe institutional problems, not short of bankruptcyRead More Copyright and the Internet Essay examples1425 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"The printing press represented a supreme threat to the clergy’s monopoly on idea dissemination; moveable type was the fifteenth century version of Napster† (Copyright Website). Copyright laws were instated to protect authors of various intellectual properties, (literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, architectural) and give credit to the proper author. Over the years copyright laws have changed dramatically, because of the development of the internet. Before the internet in order to be caught plagiarizingRead MoreIntellectual Property Rights And Digital Pirating1364 Words   |  6 PagesINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND DIGITAL PIRATING Luke Telfer STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE The idea of intellectual property can be traced back to ancient Greece with the first known reference involving the protection of culinary recipes developed by chefs. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, â€Å"intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions; literary and artistic works; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.† The violation of intellectual property rightsRead MoreThe Economic Relations Between The Common People And Revenue Gaining People1596 Words   |  7 Pagesrevenue gaining people are a matter of extensive debate. These two sides stand on opposite ends of a scale, one side is burdened with numerous problems and suffer economic inflictions continuously, while the other sides prospers and benefits, becoming even more powerful. Much like there being two sides to legal cases, the matter of patents and intellectual property is an issue that also garners the views of scholars and others. It is rarely that one would find both sides of an issue benefiting from theRead MoreChinese Foreign Trade Relations : Intellectual Property Enforcement Context1164 Words   |  5 PagesChinese Foreign Trade Relations: Intellectual Property Enforcement Context I. Introduction American businesses are losing up to an estimated $60 billion each year in the global market from intellectual property violations. The problem continues to grow as more American companies invest overseas, and more products consist of intangible or intellectual property. American companies face more than just economic challenges: if losses of intellectual property rights continue to go unchecked, businessesRead MoreEthics And Technology : Controversies, Questions, And Strategies For Ethical Computing773 Words   |  4 PagesControversies, Questions, and Strategies for Ethical Computing by Herman T. Tavani is about intellectual property disputes. Tavani defines intellectual property as an intangible form of property that is protected by a system of laws through which authors and inventors are given ownership rights over their creative works and inventions. There are four legal frameworks for protecting intellectual property. The first of these is copyright laws. Copyright laws protect authors. An author can alsoRead MoreLegal Protection And Intellectual Property Rights1175 Words   |  5 PagesIntellectual property is defined in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as the creation of the mind. According to WIPO the work does not have to be literary in order to be protected. Names, images, symbols, designs..etc. are all protected. Intellectual property rights are mentioned in article 27 of the universal human rights act that gives the inventors and creators to benefit from their work. Those rights are obtained through registering patents, trademarks, and copyrights. There

Monday, December 9, 2019

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Risk for Devices-myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theCommonwealth Bank of Australia Risk for Personal Device. Answer: Review Of The Project Financial services refer to a range of financial services provided by various players in the financial industry. They include services provided by banks, insurance companies, and government-sponsored enterprises among others. In broad terms, institutions operating in the financial sector are regarded as highly sensitive especially with regards to the security of their systems. Financial service providers are virtually present all over the world even in remote areas to satisfy the financial needs of individuals, groups, companies and other institutions (Gustav Kabanda,2016). The intermediary role played by financial service industry in Australias economy is quite significant. Individuals, government agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations rely on this sector to either get funds when need be or dispose of excess cash which is then lent out to those who need it, technologists play a significant role in facilitating this transaction. Clients .Clients are the most important asset to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The bank is focused on establishing lasting cordial relationships with its various clients both depositors and debtors. The bank's clients include retail clients, institutional investors, financial sponsors, entrepreneurs, and corporations. Implementation of the project would mean that these clients needs attended to at any given time and with much efficiency (Felt,et al,2011) Employees. Employees are an important shareholder and an important asset to the bank. The company is focused on nurturing and developing the professional capability of their employees. The project might be limiting to employees to employees without such devices and an opportunity for those with the devices to enhance their professional prowess There are some legislation that would determine the ability of Commonwealth Bank of Australia to implement the project which includes Archives Act 1983, Privacy Act 1988 and Freedom of Information Act 1982 which were established as a necessity as a result of the risks that emanate from allowing employees to bring own devices at the workplace. If it can implement the project, the Bank will, therefore, be required to put in place certain control measures to ensure that it meets all legal obligations (Watkins, 2014). The bank would, therefore, be required to examine the implications of the project to both the business and its overall security. As per best standards requirements, commonwealth bank of Australia would be required to determine the implication of the project by analyzing an already existing real example, identify the existing regulations and legislation to facilitate compliance, put in place various support measures, both financial and technical and finally roll out the proj ect. The realization of this is solely dependent on the ICT department or the technological department of the Bank. Financial institutions are affected by many risks which can be categorized into. Credit risks Credit risks occur as a result of failure by debtors to pay what they owe a bank. Failure to pay can be as a result of inability by the debtor or unwillingness to pay. Credit risks are likely to affect Banks operations, its shareholders as well as its ability to issue fresh loans (Acharya, et al,2017) Legal risks Legal risks occur as a result of violation of legal standards set by government institutions as well as other regulatory bodies in which financial institutions are supposed to abide by. Legal risks affecting financial institutions include violation of security and fraud laws. Legal risks can have adverse effect towards the operation and the reputation of a financial institution like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Systematic risks Systematic risks occur as a result of changes in the value of an organizations assets. Systematic risks occur mostly a s a result of changes in the prevailing economic conditions such as changes in interests rates, changes in foreign exchange among others. Systematic risks can also have a significant impact on the operations of Bank (Acharya, et al,2017) With the possibility the occurrence of many risks therefore, any Financial Institution is therefore required to be aware of these risks among others so that it can put in place policies of identifying and addressing the risks before they can have a significant impact on their operations. Security Posture Modern organizations are faced with a myriad of challenges which continue to threaten their survival. While challenges can present an opportunity for an organization to put in place measures to avoid more devastating challenges, the emergence of serious challenges that can lead to ultimate incapacitation of an organization. Of major concern is the financial service sector whose data security is paramount especially due to the adverse effects that can result from any serious threat through infringement of banks systems and databases. Such data these would adversely affect not only the bank but also its various stakeholders who depend on the services offered by the bank (Shim, et al,2013)The management of Commonwealth Bank of Australia especially those in the IT department are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that such threats are mitigated. It is their sole responsibility to protect the Banks systems, data and the privacy of its clients by adequately managing the bank's fina ncial information. Amid the increasing level of competition in the Australian financial sector, the Bank has no option but striving at providing the best data security measures in the industry. Commonwealth Bank of Australia has been viewed to be way ahead of its main competitors in as far as information security is concerned. With the many strategies undertaken by the Bank, implementation of the project allowing employees to bring their devices to the workplace is likely to have huge implications on its operations because employees might have unauthorized access to some of its crucial information from their devices which might lead to loss, damage or manipulation of data. While the project might have both positive and negative implications, it will be necessary for the Bank to undertake sufficient research to find out whether the benefits surpass the negative outcomes (Thomson,2012). Monitoring is key in managing any sensitive data or information form an organization. By allowing employees to bring their own devices this practice which is highly encouraged at the Bank is likely to be affected. Among the implications of this project to the bank is the reduction of system security assurance. The bank will also be able to monitor the working of their employees because the use of personal devices makes it relatively hard for the management to distinguish when employees are using the devices for personal undertakings or work-related tasks. The project will also facilitate deviation from the banks secured use of sensitive information to the unsecured use of such information. It is also possible that such devices might be stolen thus risking the Banks sensitive information. The project also comes with an additional budget for the company, implication on its human resources, compliance regulations as well as legal obligations and liabilities. To regulate such implication s, Commonwealth Bank of Australia will need to put in place regulatory policies stipulating the terms of use of personal devices (Miller,Voas Hurlburt,2012). Reasons for implementing a BYOD Policy There are numerous reasons to why an organization can organization can adopt the use of a BYOD policy which include improving the real time productivity and engagement of employees because the policy makes them more satisfied and provide results from any location, creating a smarter and skilled labor force, to introduce a more flexible strategy at the work place, reduce hardware investment by a company among other benefits. Return on Investment is used to ascertain the cost reduction achieved by a project over certain duration of time. This method can be used by Commonwealth Bank of Australia to analyze the long-term impact of implementing a BYOD policy. Return on Investment is calculated as follows Net Profit / Total Investment * 100 Commonwealth Bank of Australia must, therefore, undertake an evaluation of the merits and demerits of the project and its overall implications on the Banks' goals and mission. This will then be followed by formulation of policies to regulate the use of personal devices and the general security of the Banks systems. The Bank may also hire the services of solution providers whose main responsibilities will be assessing the risks associated with the project, formulation of different projects to govern the project as well as coming up with control measures to facilitate implementation of these policies. Commonwealth Bank of Australia will, therefore, be required to notify their employees on what to expect upon implementation of the project regarding the privacy of their personal information which might need to be subjected to company monitoring (Pillay,et al,2013) Implementation of BYOD project will require the bank to consider its ability to remove the banks information from employees devices upon their departure from the bank, clarify on what devices, platforms, and networks that can be used in these devices including any associated prohibitions to use such devices, avail a procedure to address possible theft of these devices in order to protect Banks Information and clarifying on the consequences of any violations from employees regarding the use of personal devices. The bank should also establish its ability to access and have control over information belonging to it including the use of mobile device management system as well as identify support limitations resulting from these devices to ensure that they are addressed. Before implementing the Common program wealth Bank is also required to analyze how the project is likely to affect the various stakeholders and the bank at large and therefore it should solicit views from its employees, th e finance department, its legal advisers and finally its technological team (Ghosh, Gajar Rai,2013). The solution lies in the Banks ability to use smart policies and compliance; such policies would include an adoption of a formal mobile policy that stipulates consequences of violation, sufficient security measures use of training programs to solve mobile liabilities. A mobile policy would include ensuring that each device that is being used by an employee is remote wipe enabled. Although the process might require much time and resources, it will save the Bank a significant amount of resources that it might incur in an instance where these devices are used to break the law (Moyer,2013). Threats, Vulnerabilities, And Consequences Although highly considered for their useful functionality and high efficiency at the workplace, technological devices such as iPads, mobile phones, laptops, and ipads have come with numerous challenges that continue to affect not only employees but also their employers. Recent studies have shown an increase in the usage of usage of own smart phones and tablets for business with the number expected to keep rising (Morrow,2012). The number of Companies allowing employees to make use of their devices for business has also continued to rise with a recent research predicting that at least 38% of global companies will have implemented Bring Your Device into their operations. This is also a trend that has been witnessed 2017 which has recorded a significant increase in the level of usage of personal devices by employees at the workplace. This is to signify perhaps the Importance that some employers attach to the use of personal devices for business. However, adoption of BYOD Policy requires employers to shift their focus to remain updated on changes in technology as well as being mindful of data security and privacy issues (Lebek, Degirmenci Breitner, 2013). For the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the implementation of the project allowing employees to use their devices for business will, therefore, come with threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences for both the Bank and its Employees. As such, the Bank will find it necessary to focus on changes in technology and regularly address security and privacy issues arising a result of the project (Garba,et al,2015) There are various risks associated with the implementation of the project. By allowing its employees to use personal devices for official purposes, the Bank will commit itself to any violations committed by their employees through the use of personal devices, For any offense broken by their employees, Commonwealth Bank of Australia will be held responsible (Ghosh, Gajar Rai, 2013). A good example of such risks would be where a driver of the bank causes an accident because of using a cell phone while driving as it was the case of the COCA-COLA Company driver who hit a woman while on the phone in 2016. The cases of Employers being sued for employee use of personal devices have been on the rise in the recent past ( Bzur, 2013).There, therefore, some risks that Commonwealth Bank of Australia will be faced with as a result of implementing this project. Abstracted driving Distracted driving is one of the most common risks that result from the use of personal devices at work. The impact of this can be quite huge for a company. The use of mobile phones by drivers while driving can result in unwarranted legal battles as well as penalties due to injuries or deaths of road users. Risks associated with distracted driving is, therefore, one of the risks that Commonwealth Bank of Australia is likely to be faced with as a result of allowing employees to use their devices at work (French, Guo Shim,2014). Loss of devices with unsecured data Lost devices can pose risks not only for Companies but also for individuals. Due to the sensitivity of information handled by monetary institutions, loss of personal devices such as phones or tablets used by employees in their daily duties may lead to leaking out of secrets and sensitive information about the Banks Clients and employees. Such information may end up being used against the company in legal suits (Burt,2011). Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment at the workplace is one of the major risks of allowing employees to bring their devices. Sexting is the most common form of sexual harassment used by adults. It is the process where someone sends another person sexually explicit messages or photographs through mobile phones. Sexting is classified together with speaking inappropriately to a colleague at the workplace (French, Guo Shim,2014). However, unlike the use of inappropriate language at the workplace done orally, Sexting using personal devices at the workplace presents concrete evidence that can be used against the Bank. Content posted on social media The final risk that the Bank is faced with has to do with the content posted on social media using employees devices. It is a common practice by some companies that social media sites be blocked from the companys network; however, with the adoption of this project, it might be difficult to regulate what is posted on social media by employees. Some of the risks associated with social media might include racist comments posted on Facebook by an employee using a BYOD device or an inappropriate photo such as that of an employee trespass (Guan, 2012). All these can be used against the Bank in legal suits and therefore making the Bank liable for violation of the Law. Companies cannot afford to ignore the increasing rates of adopting BYOD that has been caused by the rise in the use of technology. By implementing the project, Commonwealth Bank of Australia will allow usage of employees devices such as smart phones, laptops, and tablets for official duties instead of company-provided devices. Among the information stored in such devices might include inventory, mobile schedules, photos and training videos among others to facilitate easy access of data. While the practice of allowing employees to bring their own devices at eth workplace is becoming a norm, there are many consequences that Commonwealth Bank of Australia might be subjecting itself to by implementation of the project (Mansfield-Devine,2012). Resentment by employees By implementing the project, the Bank will force its employees to incur extra costs to acquire the requisite devices for those who might not be having them. Requesting employees to purchase new devices for work purposes might, therefore, leave them unhappy. Additionally, the costs of usage and transportation are also likely to be pegged on employees (Scarfo,2012) It is likely that employees will be unwilling to shoulder this cost. Too much usage of personal devices for work-related tasks also makes them depreciate within a short period. Among the considerations that The Bank might be considered before implementation of the project will be determining who will be responsible for any repairs on the personal devices. Additionally, the issue of costs associated with the loss of the device while at work can also lead to resentment on the part of employees (Zahadat,et all,2015) Reduced productivity Another consequence of the use of personal devices by employees can be associated with their distractive nature. By using their devices at the workplace, employees are more likely to spend a considerable amount of their productive hours on social sites such as Whatsapp, Facebook Instagram, and Twitter. While the Bank desires to maximize profits, the implementation of the project will result in a distraction of employees from their primary duties which will directly affect their productivity. The small amount of time spent by one employee to send a text message to a friend or surf the web can collectively lead to wastage of so much time which will reduce the overall productivity of the Bank (Mitrovic,et al,2015) Little Control over the Device By allowing the use of personal devices, the bank will also have little control over them. Although the Bank might result in restrictions on the files that can be activated by the device there some employees as a result of their technological prowess might jailbreak such restrictions and gain access to restricted content (Wiech,2013). Data Security Risks Increased entry points for hackers The use of personal devices in the workplace increases the chances of hacking of an organizations systems. While hacking in a situation where all the Banks desktops are within its premises might be relatively difficult, having employees work from their mobile phones or laptops makes it possible to hack from multiple points thus making it easier for hackers to get hold of sensitive information from the bank (Downer Bhattacharya, 2015) Access to Unsecured Wi-Fi Accessing of unsecured Wi-Fi can be quite risky to the bank's data. Allowing use of personal devices would mean that employees will use the same devices that they use to access unsecured Wi-Fi Connections at restaurants, their homes or even at the Airport. Such unsecured networks can facilitate easy hacking of the Banks systems (Suby,2013). Discoverability of data This can be the case where there is a loss of the devices. Any loss resulting from theft or employees carelessness puts the employers data which is stored on the device at risk. Additionally, the project also means that the privacy of employees will also be at stake. For example, in the case of any legal proceedings, personal devices being used by an employee might b explored by the employer or a third party if need be. Some of the personal information that could be explored includes information contained in social media accounts, geographical location or even private photos. This could be against the wishes of the employee (Song, 2014). People leaving the Bank Sometimes employees might leave a company abruptly without prior notice. In such a situation where employees leave the Bank without notice, the management might not have time to remove the bank's information and passwords which might facilitate unauthorized access to the Banks systems by former employees (Vijayan Hardy,2015). Creation of a data classification scheme is the first step in the process of classifying data .It is then followed by the creation of security standards which set the appropriate practices of managing data. The following is an example of a data classification scheme Category 1: This category of data is available for public display, and may include a companys contact information. Category 2: This category represents internal data that can be accessed by Companys stakeholders such as an organization chart. Category 3: Under this category is sensitive organizations data whose leakage to unauthorized persons can significantly affect an organization. Example include a companys contracts with third parties Category 4: This category represents highly sensitive data such as customers account information. Its disclosure can lead to legal tussle for an organization Category 4: highly sensitive data that could put the company in legal of financial risk if disclosed, for example, customer account information and employee social security numbers. Data classification Risks Risk Mitigation Category 2 data loss, defective deletion employee education Category 3 data loss digital signatures, encryption, Category 4 Theft Authorization, digital signatures and biometrics Risks and Risk Mitigation for various data categories Conclusion In conclusion, BYOD Policy is a concept that has gained momentum in the recent past as per the recent statistics of the number of organizations that are embracing it. Commonwealth Bank of Australia intends to join the list of companies that use this policy by implementing its project that will require their employees to use personal devices to be used as the main devices for performing their work tasks. However, successful implementation of the program will depend upon an analysis of numerous factors as well as the inclusion of various shareholders within the Organization. Commonwealth Bank of Australia will, therefore, be required to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed project before its implementation as well as the various considerations and measures that will be laid out to facilitate successful implementation of the project. Among the considerations that the Bank will need to look at are the various laws governing the use of personal devices at the workplace by emplo yees to facilitate co0mpliance by both the employees and the management. However, the implementation of the project will come with many challenges that the company will be required to mitigate. The associated threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences will affect both employees and the management. Among the risks that the Bank will be faced with are legal liabilities in case of violation of the exciting laws regarding the use of personal devices by the employees, abstracted driving, increases of sexual harassment among employees, associated risks of social media content ,possibility of loss of devices with unsecured data resentment by employees, loss of productivity for employees and the bank and Managements loss of control over devices used by employees in performing their work tasks. The Bank will also be faced with many data security risks including the risk of its systems being hacked from multiple points, the risk of former employees of the bank being able to access the Banks c onfidential information and the risk of discoverability of data. References Gustav, A., Kabanda, S. (2016). BYOD adoption concerns in the South African financial institution sector. InCONF-IRM(p. 59). Acharya, V. V., Pedersen, L. H., Philippon, T., Richardson, M. (2017). Measuring systemic risk.The Review of Financial Studies,30(1), 2-47. Zahadat, N., Blessner, P., Blackburn, T., Olson, B. A. (2015). BYOD security engineering: A framework and its analysis.Computers Security,55, 81-99. Song, Y. (2014). Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for seamless science inquiry in a primary school.Computers Education,74, 50-60. Guan, L. (2012). Established BYOD management policies needed.Government News,32(2), 9. Bzur,A.,(2013).4 Risks When Employees Bring Their Own Devices to Work.Inc. Ballagas, R., Rohs, M., Sheridan, J. G., Borchers, J. (2014, September). Byod: Bring your own device. InProceedings of the Workshop on Ubiquitous Display Environments, Ubicomp(Vol. 2004). Moyer, J. E. (2013). Managing mobile devices in hospitals: A literature review of BYOD policies and usage.Journal of Hospital Librarianship,13(3), 197-208. Lebek, B., Degirmenci, K., Breitner, M. H. (2013). Investigating the influence of security, privacy, and legal concerns on employees' intention to use BYOD mobile devices. Suby, M. (2013). The 2013 (ISC) 2 Global Information Security Workforce Study.Frost Sullivan in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton for ISC2. Mitrovic, Z., Veljkovic, I., Whyte, G., Thompson, K. (2014, November). Introducing BYOD in an organisation: the risk and customer services view points. InThe 1st Namibia Customer Service Awards Conference(pp. 1-26). Burt, J. (2011). BYOD trend pressures corporate networks.eweek,28(14), 30-31. Shim, J. P., Mittleman, D., Welke, R., French, A. M., Guo, J. C. (2013). Bring your own device (BYOD): Current status, issues, and future directions. Smith, A. D. (2009). Internet retail banking: A competitive analysis in an increasingly financially troubled environment. Information Management Computer Security, 17(2), 127-150. Ghosh, A., Gajar, P. K., Rai, S. (2013). Bring your own device (BYOD): Security risks and mitigating strategies. Journal of Global Research in Computer Science, 4(4), 62-70. French, A. M., Guo, C., Shim, J. P. (2014). Current Status, Issues, and Future of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).CAIS,35, 10. Garba, A. B., Armarego, J., Murray, D., Kenworthy, W. (2015). Review of the information security and privacy challenges in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments.Journal of Information privacy and security,11(1), 38-54. Zahadat, N., Blessner, P., Blackburn, T., Olson, B. A. (2015). BYOD security engineering: A framework and its analysis.Computers Security,55, 81-99. Watkins, B. (2014). The impact of cyber attacks on the private sector.Briefing Paper, Association for International Affair, 12. Ghosh, A., Gajar, P. K., Rai, S. (2013). Bring your own device (BYOD): Security risks and mitigating strategies.Journal of Global Research in Computer Science,4(4), 62-70. Downer, K., Bhattacharya, M. (2015, December). BYOD security: A new business challenge. InSmart City/SocialCom/SustainCom (SmartCity), 2015 IEEE International Conference on(pp. 1128-1133). IEEE. Vijayan, J., Hardy, G. M. (2015). Security Spending and Preparedness in the Financial Sector: A SANS Survey. Morrow, B. (2012). BYOD security challenges: control and protect your most sensitive data.Network Security,2012(12), 5-8. Chin, E., Felt, A. P., Greenwood, K., Wagner, D. (2011, June). Analyzing inter-application communication in Android. InProceedings of the 9th international conference on Mobile systems, applications, and services(pp. 239-252). ACM. French, A. M., Guo, C., Shim, J. P. (2014). Current Status, Issues, and Future of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).CAIS,35, 10. Mansfield-Devine, S. (2012). Interview: BYOD and the enterprise network.Computer fraud security,2012(4), 14-17. Thomson, G. (2012). BYOD: enabling the chaos.Network Security,2012(2), 5-8. Felt, A. P., Chin, E., Hanna, S., Song, D., Wagner, D. (2011, October). Android permissions demystified. InProceedings of the 18th ACM conference on Computer and communications security(pp. 627-638). ACM. Wiech, D. (2013). The benefits and risks of BYOD.Manufacturing Business Technology. Zahadat, N., Blessner, P., Blackburn, T., Olson, B. A. (2015). BYOD security engineering: A framework and its analysis.Computers Security,55, 81-99. Scarfo, A. (2012, November). New security perspectives around BYOD. InBroadband, Wireless Computing, Communication and Applications (BWCCA), 2012 Seventh International Conference on(pp. 446-451). IEEE. Pillay, A., Diaki, H., Nham, E., Senanayake, S., Tan, G., Deshpande, S. (2013). Does BYOD increase risks or drive benefits.Melbourne, The University of Melbourne. Miller, K. W., Voas, J., Hurlburt, G. F. (2012). BYOD: Security and privacy considerations.It Professional,14(5), 53-55.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The mayor of casterbridge Essay Example

The mayor of casterbridge Paper The Mayor of Casterbridge-Thomas Hardy How The Mayor of Casterbridge reflects the social, historical and cultural influences of the period and place in which it is set and during which Hardy lived. The Mayor of Casterbridge was written in the second part of the nineteenth century by the novelist Thomas Hardy. He based it on Dorchester and how he remembered the town from his boyhood days during the 1840s. The story circles around a prosperous businessman, Michael Henchard, his shady past and his prosperous present. It shows the power of the corn trade in the early years and also the impact of a newfound belief in the period- Fate. In this essay I will be analysing the book and its contents to see how it reflects the social, historical and cultural influences of the era in which it is set. As a skilled architect, and having a great eye for detail, Hardy included large pieces of narrative about Casterbridge and the key buildings in his novel. His first, general description about the layout of Casterbridge came early on in the book: It was compact as a box of dominoes. It had no suburbs- in the ordinary sense. Country and town met at a mathematical line. From the centre of each side of this tree bound square ran avenues east, west and south into the wide expanse of corn-land and coomb to the distance of a mile or so. As Elizabeth Jane and Susan entered the town, Hardy added a bit of information about the houses on the main street: There were timber houses with overhanging stories, whose small-paned lattices were screened by dimity curtains on a drawing-string, and under whose barge-boards old cobwebs waved in the breeze. There were houses of brick-nogging We will write a custom essay sample on The mayor of casterbridge specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The mayor of casterbridge specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The mayor of casterbridge specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There were slate roofs patched with tiles, and tile roofs patched with slate, with occasionally a roof of thatch. Henchards house is also described, but with surprisingly little detail compared to accounts of other houses. It is described as dull red and grey brick, open front door and a very large garden. This building still exists today, even though it is now Barclays bank and there is no sign of a large garden at the back! Henchards yard is described as, flanked by hay barns with wooden granaries on stone-saddles including, a store house several floors high. Into which, if you looked, you could see, A closely packed throng of bursting wheat packs. In contrast, Lucettas house and its features are described in great detail, from the house itself: It was Palladian, and, like most architecture erected since the Gothic age, was a compilation rather than a design. It was rich but not rich enough. A timely consciousness of the ultimate vanity of human architecture. To the keystone of the door: Originally the mask had exhibited a comic leer, as could still be discerned; but generations of Casterbridge boys had thrown stones at the mask, aiming at the open mouth; and the blows thereon had chopped off the lips and jaws as if they had been eaten away by disease. The three mariners is described as: Built of mellow sandstone, with mullion windows of the same material, markedly out of perpendicular from the settlement of foundations. The bay window projecting into the street, whose interior was so popular among the frequenters of the inn, was closed with shutters. In a time where motorcars were practically non-existent, there were only a few limited and slow ways of getting to a destination. Sometimes they might have been seen on foot, sometimes on farmers wagons and sometimes in carriers vans. This was, of course, referring to Elizabeth Jane and Susans journey to find Henchard. The trip must have been rough, but they could afford no more. For those who were much wealthier however, they could afford to use such things as flys and gigs, which were horse drawn carriages. We see Elizabeth Jane using a fly to transport her belongings to High-Place Hall, something she would not have been able to do if she had not met Henchard; Farfrae had his own gig, which is mentioned several times throughout the novel and finally the carriage that was used on Henchards and Susans wedding day; a brougham. Susan Henchard entered a carriage for the first time in her life when she stepped into the plain brougham which drew up at the door on the wedding day. Because of this lack of transport, even distances that we think of as short, such as 35 miles, must have seemed enormous to the people of those days. Hardy does give us an example of this in The Mayor of Casterbridge; two lovers being split up when the male gets a job in another town. It ends up with the two acknowledging that they will probably never see each other again. Thirty-five mile! she murmured. Ah! tis enough! I shall never see ee again! The Mayor of Casterbridge reflects the customs of the time very accurately. It shows Elizabeth Jane waiting on tables in her hotel to earn the right to stay in one of the rooms with her mother. But we are told that in all but the most isolated tows this custom has almost died out. A curfew was still rung in the in the town, but not for the original reasons. Hardy tells us that now, at eight oclock it is rung for the shop owners to shut up shop and go home. We read that the town pump was a regular meeting place of the townspeople. Their own water sources, be they wells or streams were known to be less pure than the water from the town pump, so many people drank from there. The drinking of ale was a different matter altogether. In those days there was no imported beer, and there was very little selection, if any at all, so it was still the custom to brew ale in the pubs themselves. It was also known that people brewed their own beer at home and a favourite breakfast was freshly brewed ale and pigeon pie! But life in the town was not all drinking ale and going to the pub. Some of the bigger and more important customs of the time are reflected in the novel as well. Candlemass Fair was held on the 14th of February, and it was the main day of hiring of hands for the corn yards. Lady day was the day soon after (6th of April) when the current years contracts expired. If you hadnt managed to get your contract renewed or found a new job, this is the day that you were made officially unemployed. When we read about Henchard in the pub for the first time in 21 years, we see that the local choir and musicians from the church go into the three mariners every Sunday for a half pint of ale. When some one died, in this case, Mrs Henchard, there were a few customs that she wanted to be followed. She asked to be dressed in: My coffin clothes; a piece of flannel- thats to put under me, and the little piece is to put under my head; and my new stockings for my feet And theres four ounce pennies, the heaviest I could find, a-tied up in bits of linen, for weights-two for my right eye and two for my left. Bury the pennies, good souls, and dont ye go spending em, for I shouldnt like that. Finally, one of the customs written about in The Mayor of Casterbridge and which plays the biggest part in the whole story is the skimmity, or skimminton ride. Basically a skimmity ride is to name and shame a couple who had an affair or who were considered to have done something wrong. An effigy of each of the persons was placed onto a back of a horse and was paraded around for all to see. Even though this did happen in the story, in real life things of this sort were becoming less and less common. Of course in Hardys day there was no television, radio or computers and so their idea of entertainment is much different to ours. Even though there are only a few references to entertainment in the novel, it is surprising how much we have changed. Near the start of the story we hear Farfrae singing Its hame, and its hame, hame fain would I be, Oh hame, hame, hame to my ain countree! And it is made clear in the novel that this isnt a one off event. It was quite common to go down to the pub and sing or play music for entertainment; the better the voice the more attention that was paid to you. We also hear about a public hanging in Maumbury rings, an old roman Amphitheatre on the outskirts of Dorchester. Great crowds gathered to watch the spectacle and after the main event, articles of clothing, the rope and even strands of hair were put on sale for souvenirs, and were, by some people, believed to have magical healing powers. Like nowadays, people in the past have always enjoyed a good party with lots of dancing, fun and games, and this is shown by all of the preparations that Henchard made for his festivities; He advertised about the town, in long posters of a pink colour, that games of all sorts would take place here; and set to work a little battalion of men under his own eye. They erected greasy poles for climbing, with smoked hams and local cheese at the top hurdles in rows for jumping across the river they lay a slippery pole, with a live pig tied at the other end, to become the property of the man who could walk over there were also provided wheelbarrows for racing, donkeys for the same, a stage for boxing, wrestling, and drawing blood generally; sacks for jumping in. There are many references to costume in the story. The first is of Henchard as a young man of 21 whose profession and life was on the road, looking for work as a hay trusser: He wore a short jacket of brown corduroy, newer than the remainder of his suit, which was a fustian waistcoat white horn buttons, breeches of the same, tanned leggings a straw hat overlaid with black glazed canvas carried by a looped strap a rush basket, from which protruded at one end the crutch of a hay knife, a wimble for hay bonds, being also visible in the aperture. And as his character progresses through the story, his clothing changes to match his status in society. In the Kings Arms when he is first seen as the prosperous mayor of Casterbridge, his wealth was demonstrated clearly in his attire because He was dressed in an old fashioned evening suit, an expanse of frilled shirt showing, on his broad breast; jewelled studs, and a heavy gold chain. When he went to see Lucetta he dressed up in some of his finest clothes; He wore genteel cloth leggings with white buttons, polished boots with infinite lace holes, light cord breeches under a black velveteen coat and waistcoat; and he had a silver topped switch in his hand. But when he made the fatal mistake of predicting the weather, causing him to loose all of his belongings and money, he had to go from living in one of the biggest and cleanest houses in the town to living with Jopp in a small and less than hygienic cottage. He looked a far different journeyman from the one he had been in his earlier days. Then he had worn clean, suitable clothes, light and cheerful in hue; leggings yellow as marigolds, corduroys immaculate as new flax, and a neckerchief like a flower garden. Now he wore the remains of an old blue cloth suit of hid gentlemanly times, a rusty silk hat, and a once black satin stock, soiled and shabby. When we first see Elizabeth Jane she is dressed in modest clothes, dusty from her long journey to Casterbridge, but after she had met her father, and had the opportunity to see what money can buy, she started dressing in more elaborate clothes. We now see her in a black silk bonnet, velvet mantle or silk spencer, dark dress, and carrying a sunshade. In this latter article she drew the line at fringe, and had it plain edged, with a little ivory ring for keeping it closed. Henchard, instead of being cautious of spoiling Elizabeth Jane, eggs her on; Henchard gave Elizabeth Jane a box of delicately tinted gloves one spring day. She wanted to wear them to show her appreciation of his kindness, but she had not bonnet that would harmonise. As an artistic indulgence she thought she would have such a bonnet. When she had a bonnet that would go with the gloves she had no dress that would go with the bonnet. She had no sunshade to go with the dress.in for a penny in for a pound; she bought the sunshade, and the whole structure was at last complete. On her wedding day, Elizabeth Jane went for simplicity, showing how she had matured and had a chance to develop her style. She was in a dress of white silk or satin, he was not near enough to say which- snowy white, without a tinge of milk or cream. During the story there are few descriptions of the dress of the lower classes, but when the furmity seller was called into court for being drunk and disorderly we get a good account of the clothes worn. Attired in a shawl of that nameless tertiary hue which comes, but cannot be made- a hue neither tawny, russet, hazel, nor ash; a sticky black bonnet that seemed to have been warn in the country of the Psalmist where the clouds drop fatness; and an apron that had been white in times so comparatively recent as still to contrast visibly with the rest of her clothes. In Mixen lane there is also a special dress code of many of the women; (There was a) Frequency of white aprons over dingy gowns among the women around the doorways. A white apron is a suspicious vesture in situations where spotlessness is difficult. Hardys novel gives a good insight into the moral values of the time. Everything from the segregation of the classes to what was right and wrong in the eyes of the people of that time. When Elizabeth Jane and Susan enter the fair at the start of the story Susan makes her way over to talk to the furmity seller to see if she could get any information on the whereabouts of her husband, Mike. As she walks over, Elizabeth Jane tries to stop her saying, Dont speak to her- it isnt respectable! and after Susan returned to her daughter after paying the furmity seller for her refreshments, Elizabeth Jane reminds her mother again; It was hardly respectable for you to buy refreshments there. As they arrive in Casterbridge and look for lodgings, Elizabeth Jane comes across the Three Mariners, and even though it would have been too expensive to stay there if Elizabeth Jane had not been able to get a job, she insisted that she and her mother must stay there as, We must be respectable. As the plot progressed and Henchard met Susan at Maumbury Rings, he tells her that as an important businessman, Mayor and churchwarden, he would face disgrace if Elizabeth Jane found out about his past. Eventually Henchard told Susan that he would Meet you, court you and marry you and Susan agreed saying. I like the idea of repeating our marriage It seems the only right course. It appears that they thought that if they told of their past they would probably be ridiculed and snubbed by others, but they had to go through the whole process of courting again as it was counted as extremely suspicious if a man married, or even invited a woman into his house without going through the proper motions of meeting and courting first. Henchards affair with Lucetta, or Lucette as he knew her in Jersey would have posed certain ruin for him and Lucetta. Affairs in those days were total scandal and if people learnt about them, those involved would face a life of misery, being mocked by those around them. Nowadays a relationship that does not end in marriage is commonplace, but in those days it was very serious. Now you will, I am sure, perceive that the one condition that will make any future happiness possible for me is that the past connection between our lives be kept secret outside this isle. Even something relatively insignificant such as the Mayors daughter dancing with the farm manager (Farfrae) was a little out of the ordinary, it would have turned heads certainly. Peoples philosophies and their beliefs were certainly very different to what they are today. As I have said before, the era that The Mayor of Casterbridge was set in was a time of great change, and this was shown especially in the smaller towns of the country. New machines were introduced to make farming easier; the seed drill; Till then unknown, in its modern shape, in this part of the country, where the venerable seed-lip was still used for sowing. The new technology was for some, baffling; It might have been likened to an upright musical instrument with the front gone. That was how it struck Lucetta. Why, it is a sort of agricultural piano. When Farfrae started working for Henchard, he found in his books a mass of numerical fogs. Before his entry onto Henchards business, Henchard used to reckon his sacks by chalk strokes all in a row like garden-palings, measure his ricks by stretching with his arms, weigh his trusses by a lift, judge his hay by a chaw, and settle the price with a curse. But after Farfrae had spent a little time with Henchards company, he started measuring with weights and measuring rods, and recording all transactions on paper. This reflects what was happening all over the country at this time, farmers were abandoning all of their old ways to catch up with technology and produce better goods. We also see that even though newer technology was being developed, at the point of the visit of the royal personage- Prince Albert- we hear that the steam train had not yet reached Casterbridge, and travel by coach was the only way for the Prince to get to where he was going. Education was starting to affect both those who lived in the town and worked on the farm. Even though they still used sayings such as Im as clammy as a cockle snail. Such words as hag-rid and leery were replaced by indigestion and tired. You can see the impact of education on even the smallest of details in the story. At the start of the tale we read the sign outside of the furmity tent as Good Furmity Sold Hear. But when Susan returns to the fair about 18 years later the sign reads: Good Furmity Sold Here. And a definite improvement in spelling is shown. Peoples philosophies were changing as well. Even though education was beginning to make an impact, people in remote towns and villages still maintained some of their own beliefs and limited views. When Farfrae meets some locals in the bar, they comment on his homeland, Scotland, saying: Land of perpetual snow as we may say, where wolves and wild boars and other dangerous, animalcules be as common as blackbirds hereabout. Church and religion was still a major part of many peoples lives, but many of these people were starting to dabble in other beliefs as well. Henchard was the churchwarden, and he had also been religious enough to take a gospel oath 21 years before to give up alcohol, but when in trouble, he went to the weather prophet to try and sort out his problems. Witchcraft was not acceptable, but this did not deter people from trying to sort out their lives with it. Fate was becoming one of the major extra beliefs at the time. People were beginning to think that not everything was done by Gods will and that there may be some other omnipotent force controlling their lives as well. This force became known as Fate. This belief is reflected in Hardys writing very clearly, and he gives us many examples of Fate in the lives of the main characters. Just a few instances are the sale of rum in the furmity tent when Susan had taken Mike in there to avoid the ale and cider in the other tents; Susan returning to Mike just when he was about to marry Lucetta; Farfrae meeting Lucetta when he had gone to see Elizabeth Jane on Henchards permission; the effigy killing Lucetta when she had everything to live for and saving Henchard when he had nothing to loose; Newson turning up just as Henchard was getting closer to Izzy; finally Elizabeth Jane forgiving her father, but finding him half- an- hour after he had died. The whole plot relies on the belief of Fate. But even though all of these new beliefs were appearing, some of the older superstitions were being lost. New ideas were that nature was in fact, indifferent to man and his actions. To demonstrate this, sometimes Hardy wrote so that nature reflected the main characters feelings. We see this after Henchard has found out that Elizabeth Jane is not his own, and in a foul mood he goes for a walk next to the river. As he contemplates on the direction that his life is taking Hardy describes his surroundings, The whole way along here was sunlesswhite frosts lingered here. He also describes the river itself, The river- slow, noiseless and dark- the Schwartzwasser of Casterbridge. And adds that further down the river, The water roared down a back-hatch like the voice of desolation. But sometimes Hardy described the weather to be the exact opposite to what the character was feeling. Just after Henchard had left Elizabeth, and was very upset; The bright autumn sun shining in his eyes across the stubble awoke him the next morning early. In his tale Hardy includes a range of different historical notes that remind us of which era he was writing in, but he also included real events and incorporated real places into his story. In his original preface he tells us that three of the main topics in his story which were based on real events were the visit of a royal personage, the corn trade and the sale of a wife. The sale of the wife was, in my opinion, one of the most crucial points of the whole plot. If it hadnt happened, the whole life of Henchard as we know it would never have happened. Hardy got the idea from an edition of the Dorset County Chronicle between the dates of 1826-1830. The corn trade was also very important. In The Mayor of Casterbridge Hardy demonstrates the power of the corn trade by showing how it can give you all of the money you ever dreamt of, but also take it all away by having just one bad harvest. Henchard was at the peak of his life, he was Mayor, churchwarden and a successful businessman, but by the end of one bad year when he had gambled just a bit too much on the turnout of the weather, he had lost it all, his wealth, business and house. The corn trade continued to toy with farmers lives until the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. Up until then the Corn Laws had forbidden any importation of wheat or corn and so if it was a bad harvest there was a shortage of good bread. Because of this, before the Corn Laws had been repealed the corn trade ruled the lives of everyone involved. The Mayor of Casterbridge is a very accurate and detailed account of life in the 1840s. It is a valuable source of information about the era, and reflects the social, historical and cultural influences of the period in a descriptive, but entertaining and interesting way.