The Useless Morris Of Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ is more a story of romance than it is of horror. What makes it very unique is that it is an allegory of the love affair of the soul, the body and the heart. In the novel, the most important love affairs are that of Mina and Jonathan and Dracula and Mina. Jonathan is the fist person in the novel to encounter Dracula and is also the lover of Mina at the same time. When Jonathan leaves for Transylvania to help Dracula purchase an estate, Dracula becomes aware of Mina, and soon becomes obsessed with the purity and devotion of this woman to her ‘would-be’ husband.Later, the vampire, Dracula, because of his obsession with Mina, pollutes her by tempting her to drink his blood. Dracula want Mina for himself, not as a victim, but as his wife; but because of the devotion of Mina and Jonathan to each other, Jonathan pursues Dracula and frees his fiance from the curse of one day becoming the queen of the undead. In effect, the novel illust rates the duality of purity; the purity of Jonathan and Mina’s love and the purity of Dracula’s love for Mina.While it is unfair to say that it is only Jonathan who has a pure kind of love for Mina, Dracula’s love for her is actually pure as well, but on a darker level, hence, at this point the novel shifts from a bizarre love triangle to a battle between good and evil. In the novel, there is mention of a particular character named Quincy Morris who is the third person to court Lucy, the best friend of Mina who also becomes a victim of Dracula. Morris is the ideal picture of the American gentleman. He is an adventurer and later gives up his own life in the battle against Dracula.Morris is in the original version of the novel by Bram Stoker, however, in later versions of the story, as well as in film remakes, his character is not included. Upon reading the original version of the novel, it is clear that the role of Morris remains anchored on three basic and very minor concepts – minor paradox, accessory, and auxiliary, hence his inclusion from later versions of the novel. Very simply, Morris is like the sugar flowers on the cake, and without him the cake would still have its icing, hence, his role in the story is one that can be easily dispensed with without affecting the direction and the plot of the story.Initially, let us tackle his role in being the ‘minor paradox’; this means that Morris is not part of the major paradox of the story, and so in later remakes, especially those from Hollywood, based on the principles of a classic Hollywood narrative, Morris no longer appears for the basic reason that in a classic Hollywood narrative, only the major paradox or source of conflict is actually considered. This particular thesis could be validated in the context of the original version of the novel itself. It will be noted that Morris is first mentioned in the novel in the letter of Lucy to Mina on the 24th of May.(Stoker, page 87) Morris here is introduced as one of Lucy suitors, and she writes Mina to tell her about the suitors who came to her that day, of which Morris was one. (Stoker, page 90) Lucy, in her letter, describes the attributes of Mr. Morris, and more importantly, very discreetly refers to a tender infatuation for the man, in the lines, â€Å"Well, he did look so good humoured and so jolly that it didn’t seem half so hard to refuse him as it did poor Dr. Seward. † (Stoker, page 91) Of course, because Lucy was in love with someone else, she refuses the courtship of Morris.(Stoker, page 92) So, it is clear, even from this initial introduction given to the Morris character, that although he is part and parcel of an accessory conflict, he does not really figure in the major paradox. The refusal of Lucy is even a foreshadowing of the gravity of the role of this particular character. The subtle dismissal of Lucy of his courtship is an indication that although Morris goes on to d o some pretty significant things in the story, he does is not actually of any significant connection to any of the major characters, more so, to a second level character like Lucy.In this same chapter, Morris also writes a letter to a certain Arthur Holmwood, (Stoker, page 95) who is the suitor favored by Lucy. In his letter, he simply invites Holmwood to a drinking session with Dr. Seward. (Stoker, page 96) To this invitation, Holmwood obliges. Consider here that Seward is the doctor who runs the asylum right beside the estate purchased by Dracula, so Morris now begins to worm his way into the story. What is to note in the invitation of Morris, however, is the fact that the topic of their conversations was going to be his being rejected by Lucy.There is a certain level of pain in his letter which was supposedly from Lucy’s rejection, hence the lines, â€Å"There are more yarns to be told, and more wounds to be healed. † (Stoker, 96) This particular invitation propels the role of Morris to being worse, not just that he is a part of a minor conflict, but with this letter, he also becomes a nuisance or a distraction in the story, as he now manages to enter the main stream flow of the novel through Dr. Seward and Holmwood. His role as an accessory is validate more when he is sent by Holmwood to visit the ill Lucy who was then under the care of Dr.Seward. (Stoker, page 237) In effect, his role is not relevant to the general conflict because what he does, is he simply stands in for main character or is an auxiliary to the main characters. As an auxiliary character, the text offers more validations in this direction. In the chapter where Van Helsing reveals his intention of cutting off the head of the corpse of Lucy (Stoker, page 329) the only comment that Morris offers is, â€Å"That is fair enough† (Stoker, page 329) in agreement of the verbal proposition of Dr. Morris.It will be noted, that although this is the only line offered by Morris in this section, it would seem that he is the only one in agreement of the plans of Van Helsing, therefore, making him an auxiliary to the thoughts of the professor. Later, when they all go to do what Helsing had in mind, as revealed in the journal of Seward, Morris begins by simply ‘seconding’ the doubts of the two other men that they were with, that Helsing must have removed the body of Lucy prior to the operation that they were going through, so, here again, Morris is an adversarial auxiliary to Van Helsing, but with his statement, then becomes an ally of Helsing.(Stoker, 333) Of course, later, when the actual act of re-killing Lucy is completed, Seward, Holmwood, and Morris, all become allies of Van Helsing in his advocacy against the undead, thus, confirming the auxiliary role of Morris in this particular novel. What is ironic though, is that these three men all had intimate encounters with Lucy, what set’s Morris apart from the three of them is the fact that d uring the time when Helsing was proposing to ‘re-kill’ Lucy, he was the one who offered the least resistance.(Stoker, page 329) He was also in the group not because he loved Lucy like the other two chaps in the group, but because of his sense of adventure; quite a superficial reason, if perused properly. Finally, to further strengthen the argument that later versions of the novel would not have been any different even in the absence of Morris, it would help to consider his accessory role – one which, according to the definitions of literature, is simply a role that makes it easier for the major characters to move towards the plot and the climax of the story.A role which also, all the more becomes very unnecessary in the classic Hollywood narrative because the struggles of the main characters towards the resolution of the plot are actually given more value than the act of making these struggles easier, defeating the steady escalation of conflict in the story. Morr is does just this in the story, he hitches the escalation of the conflict, and offers periods of respite for the major characters – a role that should not exist if reader or viewer excitement was to be the main issue of consideration.Morris remains faithful to this accessorial role again when he offers to go along with the ‘vampire hunting’ group to visit the madman, Renfield, who is a henchman of Dracula, in Seward’s asylum. (Stoker, page 387) Here, he poses no threat or favor, but rather is a mere observer; however, this particular scene moves Morris closer to meeting Dracula and, consequently, his demise. In this particular section of the story, Morris also witnesses the madman along with Jonathan Harker, the fiancee of Mina, hence, bringing him into the inner boundaries of the story.Later, in Harker’s journal, he reveals another pivotal comment of Morris, when he narrates how Morris makes a comment about Renfield, â€Å"†Say, Jack, if tha t man wasn't attempting a bluff, he is about the sanest lunatic I ever saw. I'm not sure, but I believe that he had some serious purpose, and if he had, it was pretty rough on him not to get a chance. † (Stoker, page 394) Here, Morris becomes accessory to Helsing and Harker’s plot to pursue Dracula by actually fanning the flame of the supposed connection between Dracula and the madman.However, this could have easily been done by Seward which all the more makes Morris assertion quite useless, and besides, even in the absence of this assertion, Harker and Helsing would have pursued their stance anyway. Later, with the accident of Renfield, Van Helsing is called upon to visit the asylum to help – then, by some turn of circumstance, Morris follows suit along with Holmwood. (Stoker, page 439) This sets the stage for other events that further validates the accessorial role of Morris.In the later parts of the novel, Morris correctly offers to use horses instead of the m ore elaborate carriages that might attract attention (Stoker, page 467); he also, along with Holmwood, performed accessory operations like burning vampire nests; accessory to the operations of the major vampire hunter, Van Helsing (Stoker, page 478); Morris also ordered to talk to nobility to ensure the smoothness of their missions (Stoker, page 538), he also helped to defeat the gypsies with his bowie knife, (Stoker, page 597) and finally, he also validated the minority of his role by being the one to herd the horses during their mission to save Mina.(Stoker, page 562) In the end, after all these laborious participations in the story, Morris is killed, and the only apparent payment for his death is the fact that the birthday of Mina’s and Jonathan’s first child falls on the date of the death of Morris. This is such a pathetic way to go for a character in the story who had done so much to assist the major characters, however, because his role was merely to complicate p aradox, to auxiliarize, and to accessorize the major characters in the story, his role was very dispensable.In the classic Hollywood narrative, the role of Morris would translate into added expense, added complication, and added actors for the producers. In later versions of the novel, his role served to take away focus from the main characters of the story. In effect, Morris was not only a useless character in the story, because although he assisted in the fulfillment of many pivotal circumstances, his participation could have been easily taken on by one of the major characters.Another significant effect of the presence of Morris in the story is his diminutization of the role of Van Helsing; instead of fortifying the capacities of Helsing, he served to show that Helsing was bossy and was unable to do things on his own, therefore, staining the reputation of this particular major character.In conclusion, the exclusion of Morris from other more recent versions of the novel, whether in written or movie form, could only have worked for the better. His absence has made the story clearer and aimed at a more distinct direction. After all, his role in the story is simply to contribute minor paradox, be an accessory, and be an auxiliary to the major characters, not directly affecting or influencing the outcome of the plot or the turn of major events.His affiliation with Lucy does not even count, and neither does his accidental affinity to Jonathan and Mina; Morris was there as a part of a team that already existed, that may have well done just as good even in his absence. Works Cited Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Plain Label Books, 2001. 90-595. 26 Apr. 2009 .

Caferoma Case Study

Caferoma is a well known brand of coffee, promoted as an exclusive product with a strong and slightly bitter taste. The main problem is Caferoma's market share has declined by almost 30%. Let me Summarise the reasons for this change †¢ Consumers have become less loyal to the brand †¢ supermarkets are producing the similar products under their own label are selling at much lover prices †¢ Competing products have lower prices (30 to 40 %) †¢ Caferoma becoming less fashionable Brand image: not up to date s we can see from the chart 2 years ago Caferoma’s sales in Hotels was 30% but last year it was 25% in restaurants 2 years ago Caferoma’s sales was 10% but last year it was 15% In supemarkets 2 years ago their sales was 45% but last year it was 30% In specialist shops 2 years ago Caferoma’s sales was 10% but last year it was 25% Conducting the market survey we have the following results: Majority [m d r? t? ] people suppose Caferoma is old-fashio ned 70% of people think Caferoma has a good quality 60% of people consider that Caferoma is expensive little bit more than half of the respondents believe Caferoma is exclusive a less than half of people said Caferoma is value for money and almost a third of respondents think Caferoma is ecxiting. I can propose the following solution: Create a new coffee with a new taste and a new name for example „Cafferissimaâ€Å". To introduce the new coffee it will be good to have a limited edition (maybe coffee with taste of chilli). It is necessary to create a new package with an exclusive design for example in gold. Furthermore we give special introduction prices for both coffees.Most people want to try out new brands just to know how it tastes – this is our advantage. In order to bring the old brand back to life, will be a good idea to give small additional samples on the new coffee package of „Cafferissimaâ€Å". Moreover we need a new design of the logo, as the old on e is boring. There is no relation between this logo and the exclusive taste of the coffee. Maybe it could be similar to the package of Caferoma (golden, italic type). The next step will be a change of advertising. It is necessary to find the typical Italian style for old and young people.I think it would be great to have two different ads. One ad with an old woman, dressed very exclusively and the other one with a group of young people who are having fun, laughing and so on. But both ads will be made at the same place for example a typically Italien square. E-Mail To: From: Subject: RE:Caferoma decaffeinated; Premium Blend Date: 9th September Dear Mario, the first thing I have to mention is, that the „decaffeinated productâ€Å" is available in all supermarkets, but placed on botton shelves! Customers won't find the product as easy as other products.Most supermarkets sell their own brands because they make more money with it. I think that we can raise our profit by offering t he managers cash for displaying our product in a better position. Here some measures to improve the premium blend sales: As far as I can see, the price for the premium blend is too high and the packaging looks old-fashioned. Therefore we should reduce the price and launch a new packaging design. We should also start a new advertising campaign with focus on the brand's qualities. For instance some tasting sessions in big stores. Best regards

Technologies Affect on Communication Research Paper

Technologies Affect on Communication - Research Paper Example To begin with, it is important to note that traditional modes of communication such as telegrams, letters, use of human messengers to deliver messages, have continued to lose popularity save for special circumstances, even though they are still being used in societies that have not invested on modern infrastructure (Bucy, 2004). Cell phones for example have become a major necessity in the human life due to their mobility and portability, which in turn creates convenience. This is as opposed to the wired communication devices such as the landline telephones, which are static in nature by the virtue of the fact that a person waiting for an important call has to remain within an audible range, so as to receive a call once the telephone rings (Atkin, 2006). In this context, mobile technology has enabled people to call and reach their intended recipients from any location and during any time of the day, without having to interfere with their day to day activities. For example, a person wo rking in the field can reach his or her spouse by calling them on their mobile, may be to check on how they are doing or to pass an important message. They make it possible for parents to enquire and confirm on the safety of their children especially in these uncertain times when children are vulnerable to numerous physical and psychological threats in the society. By doing so, one can perform his or her duties without distraction, knowing well that their families are safe wherever they are. Cell phones have also enabled users to deliver themselves from tough predicaments such as mechanical breakdowns on their vehicles while on transit (Atkin, 2006). One only needs to call a towing company or an expert to come to their aid. Without these gadgets, such an occurrence would necessitate walking long distances in search of help, which could also be dangerous especially if it occurs late in the night when there are few motorists on the roads and when the chances of being attacked by armed gangsters are real. It is also observable that most of the mobile handsets in the current markets have built-in cameras, which enable users to record videos and take pictures of their surroundings. In light of this, a person can use his or her phone to record evidence or an occurrence such as an accident or criminals in action, which can later be used by insurance companies or security personnel in building their cases. This is an important aspect since it is not always possible to have security and traffic officers in each and every corner of the nation. Witnesses to such occurrences would be in an excellent position to explain the details to the officers, after they use the same cell phones to call the authorities as well as ambulances depending on the situation at hand (Atkin 2006). However, it is not always easy to communicate vocally through cell phones especially if a person is in a noisy environment. In addition, some details in a phone conversation may be delicate in nature such that they require a lot of privacy. For example, personal information such as bank and other financial details, access codes to important online accounts or even delicate family issues are not supposed to access the public. To counter this, mobile phones are equipped with short messaging systems, which enable one to send information in form of text (Bucy, 2004). The recipient needs only to access the message, read it and if it is too confidential, he has the option

A Strategic Analysis of Ryanair Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A Strategic Analysis of Ryanair - Case Study Example Starting out as a full service conventional airline in 1985, Ryanair changed its strategic direction in 1990s to become Europe's first low-fares, no-frills carrier. The company has taken advantage of the price sensitive customers and gained wide acceptance and recognition because of this strategy. Ryanair battled head-on with other traditional carriers and paved the way in the establishment of a new segment in the European industry. The early success of the budget airline, however, is threatened by the new challenges presented by its rapidly changing business environment. Thus, the main concern of Ryanair is how to sustain and maintain its position in the industry amidst these threats and challenges. In line with this, this paper will examine the current trends in the European airline industry and its implication for the budget airline sector specifically on Ryanair. This paper will primarily draw information from the case study prepared by Eleanor O' Higgins. In order to draw an adequate and accurate assessment of the situation of the industry, it will utilize various strategic management tools like PEST analysis and Porter's Five Forces Model. Another objective of this paper is an internal examination of Ryanair by identifying its strengths and weaknesses. Lastly, this paper will give an assessment of whether the business organization is meeting the expectation of the customers relative to its competitors. 2.0. External Environment Analysis: The European Airline Industry 2.1. PEST Analysis PEST analysis stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental. This strategic management tool is noted for its ability to capture almost all the variables in the environment where the business operates (Thomson 2002). The following section applies the PESTLE analysis of the European airline industry. Political The operation of the European airline industry is strongly affected by specific policies instituted by the government. Perhaps the most significant political transformation in the market where Ryanair operates is the governments' effort in integrating their economies through the creation of free trade unions that led to the establishment of the European Union. Through the European Union, budget airlines are given access to the numerous markets which increases their patrons together with the revenue that they generate. However, this integration also has adverse effects in the operation of budget airlines. It should be noted that the abolition of duty-free sales and the subsequent increase in airport's landing charges squeezed the margins of the players. Another policy which impacts the operation of Ryanair is the EU regulation which requires the refitting of used aircraft,