South African national parks Essay Example for Free

to the south Afri can buoy national car special Kaltys EssayKruger bailiwick common land was established in 1898 to protect the dottylife and habitats of southwesterly Africa. The largest of South African National jets (SAN common lands), Kruger has been admired humanitywide by conservationist, environmentalist, and tourists for its pristine environment and beauty. concord to Strickland and Mixon (2010), Kruger has been heralded by many to be a leader in environmental management, infrastructure, and, of course, biodiversity (C-407).Although the master(prenominal) calculate for which Kruger National Park (KNP) was created is and remains conservationism, as a result of the special Ks mission KNP attracts everywhere a million visitors each year and is regarded as an icon destination in international tourism (Merwe Saayman, 2008, p. 154). The motives of tourists visiting KNP, according to Merwe Saayman (2008), atomic number 18 identified as escape such as visiti ng provoke charges, and nature described as to see endangered species. As seen by the tourists of KNP, the cat valium has rund a place to escape while enjoying the Big 5.(Merwe Saayman, 2008, p.158). Ethical Dilemma To maintain and protect the environment of the poseland has required a large operating budget. As of 2010 the dollars necessary to meet the strategic goals of SANParks was well oer 5. 5 million (Strickland Mixon, 2010). At the same time the South African g both overnment, a large completelyot provider to the park, began to undertake its funding of the park. As a result, SANParks needed to append revenue streams to make up for the shortfall in grants provided by the government.One such source of in find has been via wildlife exchanges by means of the game transfix w jamming of the park. Originally the game capture whole of Veterinary Wildlife Services (VWS) was established to provide critical support to conservation efforts for rare and threatened species of animals in the park. This effort complicated the endangered rhinoceros. The capture units main objectives with regards to the endangered rhino were to delay the universe, expand the state both inside and away the park, and make the population much resilient (Strickland Mixon, 2010).As pressure for self-funding has adjoind the objectives of the game capture unit withdraw been shifted and have go away to a greater extent foc apply on the revenue stream provided by the deal of rhinos. harmonise to Strickland and Mixon (2010), revenue from the sale of rhinos generated over 7 million dollars in 2009. For VWS and conservationist biologists of SANParks two authoritative strategic organizational objectives have become conflicted Enhancing the conservation status of rare and threatened species Generating revenue for the SANParks through wildlife salesImpact on Strategic Vision There has been a tremendous postulate for rhinos in the world market both for trophy search and for the hooters of these animals. Although SANParks has had strict criteria under which these animals are sold, by change rhinos they have indirectly contributed to the hunting and illegal hunt of these animals. In addition, while SANParks run acrosss the primary market in which they sell rhinos, it is difficult if non impossible to control the puntary markets where many of the SANParks rhinos eventually ended up.According to Coniff (2011) conservationists, like Tom Milliken of Traffic, a group that monitors the international wildlife trade, agree that trophy hunting can be a legitimate contributor to the conservation of rhinos. At the same time, they as well as agree that hunting has produced a moral gray zone (Coniff, 2011). It is imperative that SANParks finds new sources of revenue streams to maintain the mission and objectives for which the Kruger Park was primarily created. Internal Strengths Unrivaled wildlife diversity and easy viewing Leaders who want to see Kruge r and its wildlife prosper exceeding game capture unit.Income times from selling of rhinos Internal Weaknesses Less income collect to govt grant to Kruger world through away with Less bullion for VWS to take care of wildlife as beat they can selling rhinos for income generation given the uncertainty of where they pass on end up ( orphic park, orphic hunting park, cruddy market, opposite cultures) Leasing out land to insular companies who are making money that Kruger could make if they were to utilize the space for contrary income generating activities extraneous Threats Buyers with wrong intentions Cultures value rhino trumps because of cultural beliefs.Demand is extremely high for rhino horns and is outlay $7,200 per pound on the black market hunt has become more prominent because of the value of horns on black market External Opportunities Research and flirtation for other conservation organizations for funding Explore more tourist opportunities for funding Huntin g on Kruger premises as an income and tourist generator. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a powerful in any casel that is used for analyzing organizations interior strengths and weaknesses and its market opportunities and out-of-door threats to tally a healthy future well-being for the organization.Organizations use the SWOT to evaluate current conditions and make strategic changes that will help to strengthen them. An organizations strengths and weaknesses are the internal situations in spite of appearance the organization and its opportunities and threats are the external situations after-school(prenominal) its organization. Internal Strengths The SWOT analysis above demonstrates that Kruger has a great deal of strengths to work with in stray to generate the income needed while fulfilling its mission as a conservation site for the endangered rhino. number one and fore about, Kruger has many great leaders that truly care for the well-being of Kruger National Park. Among the se prominent leaders is Dr. Markus Hofmeyr, proposition of Veterinary Wildlife Services for SANParks and has been taking care of the park animals for a number of years. As head of VWS he is concerned with how KNP will be suit fitted to continue to take care of its wildlife with the amount of money that is required. Dr. David Mabunda, SANParks principal executive officer, is also concerned about the wildlife population of KNP. Dr.Mabunda has stressed the importance of protecting the rhino population both inside and outside the park by either selling or donating rhinos. According to Mabunda, it is alike risky to keep the entire rhino population at Kruger because of the danger of losing them should in that location be an extravasation of disease or rampant poaching(C-409). With Kruger being the largest supplier of rhinos in the world, the park generates about $32k per sale of a rhino. In 2009, 500 rhinos were sold in South Africa, 252 of these transactions came from Kruger. That is approximately $8,064,000 of revenue that Kruger saying in 2009 just for selling rhinos.Although a bely activity, Krugers exceptional game capture unit plays a large role in Kruger being the largest supplier of rhinos. Game capture has also make it easier to manage rare species by placing them in breeding enclosures. Because of KNPs expert game capture unit, the park is fitting to ensure protection and a healthy environment for not further the rhinos but all of its wildlife. Krugers reputation for its unrivaled wildlife diversity and easy viewing of its many species is another of its many internal strengths. Internal Weaknesses The SWOT analysis displays some(prenominal) internal weaknesses that Kruger has been experiencing.Lack of money has become a study(ip) get out due to the cut of an annual grant that has long been provided to SANParks by the South African National Government. This cut has put pressures on Kruger to come up with ways to self-fund its park and has, acco rding to Strickland and Mixon (2010) threatened the efficacy of SANParks Veterinary Wildlife Services to continue to deliver normal veterinary and operational services (C-406). Strickland and Mixon (2010) state that thither are 7 private lodge concessions and over the years these concessions have been leased to partnerships between communities and private companies.The concessions were placed on tender, and areas were allocated for 25 to 30 year leases where these companies had tourist operations. When the lease is up, the fixed as slews become SANParks piazza and they can decide whether to lease or retender the concession. This land that has for so long been leased could be a major missing income generator. Currently this as an internal weakness of Krugers because this land could provide many income generating activities that Kruger is missing out on due to its decision to lease out the land to private companies. External Threats.Although the selling of rhinos is listed as a stre ngth because it is an income generator, it can also be classified as a weakness because we are uncertain that the rhinos being sold are in the hands of people with the best intentions. Krugers rhino conservation efforts are being jeopardized due to buyers who are in secondary markets, most of which involve hunters and members of the black market. The unknown destination of rhinos sold in the secondary market pose an external threat to Kruger National Park. Private parks buy these rhinos then turn just about and have them track down for a profit of 82k.Because of the high call for for rhino horns on the black market, buyers in the secondary market buy these rhinos for 32k and sell their horns on the black market for $7,200 per pound of rhino horn. That is roughly $43,200 per rhino horn. poach has become more rampant than ever due to the high value of horns in the black market. In Asia the rhino horn has been prevalent in traditional medicine, used as a cure for the common cold an d other illnesses. slightly even believe it can cure cancer. Oryx says the rhino horn is in great demand in North Yemen men wear rhino horn daggers around their neck as a symbol self-defense, honor, and a mans word.Since 1970, it is said that half of the rhino horn on the market has ended up in North Yemen. Vietnam is also a major player in the illegal sale of rhino horns due to the beliefs of the horn being a heal agent. Market Opportunities Although there are a significant number of external threats, there are some market opportunities that Kruger can take advantage of that would greatly increase funding for the park and its veterinary wildlife services. compendium for other conservation groups to come and explore Krugers wildlife is a large prospect not only for the park but also for the conservations groups that are solicited to.The presence of conservation groups will also give Kruger the opportunity to add more wildlife and endangered species to the mix. This will in turn give way for more tourist opportunities. Hunting is a desirable of many a possible opportunity for Kruger could involve hunting of these wild beasts. This would then give Kruger the opportunity to select the rhinos that are eligible for hunting, which will become a win-win for income generation and conservation of healthy Rhinos. Solutions to Contributing agents The SWOT analysis identified four factors that are contributing to the honorable dilemma facing SANParks.The main factors are a lack of money, hunting practices, cultural beliefs around the world and poaching. After much discussion and thought solutions were identified for each of the issues and the gets and drawbacks of each one. Budget shortfall solutions The commencement ceremony issue identified was the lack of money. SANParks has had funding pulled by the government and this has created an operating deficit. Without additional income, it will be difficult for the park to continue its normal operations. That being sa id, the solution for the money issue needs to include a way to generate more money.Two solutions are recommended to realize this issue. The first would be to solicit to conservation groups and private investors around the world for additional funding through donations. In return, they park could provide research opportunities to these groups. The added income would be the biggest pro argument and would go away the park to continue its current operations. However, this solution does come with several drawbacks. Donated funds are inconsistent and can be pulled at any time. Relying on donations would spin the possibility of the park ending up in the same spot in a some years.Accepting donations also opens the park to criticism from the private investors and donators. For example, they whitethorn not agree with the capturing process done by SANParks and whitethorn pull their funding if the practice continues. Another viable extract to increase income for the park is to allow more t ourist options within the park. These options can include safaris, hunting, fishing, research and all other areas of tourism. These tourist options are already done on the park and often by private companies. This is an area where SANParks could bill in and begin managing these services themselves.Again, the biggest pro to this solution is the possibility of income generation. According to Strickland and Mixon (2010), SANParks is currently selling its captured rhinos on the market for $30,300. A typical rhino hunting expedition can cost $82,400 per hunter. That is over $50,000 per rhino in opportunity costs. The park could definitely look into hunting as a tourism option and gain some of this market share. There are a couple of cons to getting into the tourism business. Some of the attractions or services would require some up-front costs.For example, Safaris require vehicles to transport tourists around the park and also requires guides. The park will need to make an initial inves tment to purchase the equipment and pay tour guides. The same can be said if hunting is allowed as part of the tourism attractions. Another drawback to this solution is that if the park promotes hunting, it may be viewed as a conflict to their goal of conserving rhinos. That view can be debated in that population management is a key success factor to maintaining a healthy herd of rhinos. For this reason, it may be a benefit to allow hunters on the park if it is managed properly.Hunting solutions The second issue or factor is the amount of rhino hunting that takes place. Currently SANParks captures and sells rhinos on the open market. Private companies buy these rhinos and place them on controlled hunting plots and allow individuals to hunt these rhinos. As stated above, these hunting expeditions can cost $82,400 per hunter. This demand has resulted in more and more rhinos ending up in the hands of hunters. Once they are sold, SANParks has no control over how the rhino is managed. Th is practice goes against the main goal of the park to conserve rhinos.There are a couple of solutions to reduce the amount of hunting going on outside the park and on private land. The first is the same solution for the lack of money issue. SANPark should allow hunting to take place on the park. This should decrease some of the hunting on private land and will allow the park to some of the market share. The drawback is also the same as above. Allowing hunters on the park could hurt the image of the parks main goal which is to conserve rhinos. Another solution to limiting the amount of hunting on private land is to restrict the sale of rhinos only to other conservation groups.This may include other parks, zoos and research groups. The biggest benefit to this is it would reduce the number of rhinos available to private hunting organizations. This solution would be difficult to bring out. It would be difficult to manage the sale of every rhino and the effort may be too great to be rea listic. Limiting the amount of rhinos available to private buyers may also increase the demand in the black market and in turn may increase poaching. Cultural solutions The third issue discussed that is contributing to SANParks dilemma is the practices of various cultures around the world.Some cultures view the rhino horn as a cure for diseases, aphrodisiac, and rhino horn daggers. This increases the demand for rhino horns and threatens the safety of rhinos on the park. According to Coniff (2011). , the demand spiked in 2008 after claims that a rhino horn cured liver cancer in Vietnam. One solution to this issue would be to educate other cultures on the damage caused by buy rhino horns. Perhaps if they were made aware that their practices were putting rhinos at risk, they would change. This solution is belike not viable.The benefit would be great in that it would reduce demand for the horns however, the cons heavily outweigh the pros. Getting cultures to change their practices wou ld not be easy, cost effective, or in the best interest of the park. Changing a cultures belief is not something that can be done easily as these beliefs develop over years and years in a culture. It would also require an investment for the park to produce and circulate the education material. In addition, it could also reflect badly on the park if they were to attack or try to change a cultures belief.The second solution to the culture dilemma would be to lobby governments to increase punishments for rhino products sold on the black market. Most activity of rhino horns being sold occurs on the black market. A higher penalisation for selling and buying these horns on the black market may defer some traffic and reduce the demand. The negative side of this is that the demand for these horns by the last(a) buyers is not likely to change. The end result may just be that prices are driven up and the supply and demand remains the same. Poaching solutions The final factor contributing to SANParks dilemma is poaching.According to the Strickland and Mixon (2010), the demand for rhinos and rhino horns has steadily increased over the past 15 years and has resulted in an increase in poaching. Poaching is a big puzzle for both the park and for rhinos around the world. The two solutions offered to reduce poaching are to lobby for higher penalties if caught and to increase security on the park. Lobbying for higher penalties could deter some poachers from taking the risk. The increase in the penalty would probably have little effect on established poachers that dominate the market.The other option to reduce poaching would be to increase security on the park. The biggest pro for this solution is that it would make it harder for poachers to gain access to the park and rhinos. However, it is Strickland and Mixon (2010) suggest Kruger already has one of the best anti-poaching units in South Africa. According to France-Presse, (2011), poachers are using helicopters, wickedness vision goggles and high powered rifles to hunt the rhinos. Strickland and Mixon (2010) also discuss the advanced weaponry that is used by poachers.Combating this type of criminal has been and will continue to be a tough obstacle to overcome. This presents the indecision at what point does putting more money into defense become wasteful SANParks may have already reached that limit. Recommended Solution Since the lack of funding is Krugers biggest hurdle, the recommended solution is to explore more tourist options within Kruger Park in order to generate income. This will include guided safaris, hunting, fishing, and camping which will allow the park to utilize its resources. Rational 1.This is the recommended solution because it is the solution that will allow Kruger Park to generate more of its own income. Tourism at Kruger Park is already one of the largest in South Africa, so to fly off the handle what already exists they should introduce hunting to the national park. When SANpar ks captures and sells a rhino, the consumer pays an average of $30,000 per rhino. The rhinos are sold to many different consumers, private game owners, ranchers/breeders, and other parks. When these rhinos are sold to private game owners, they are sometimes run at which people pay about $80,000 to hunt their property.(Strickland and Mixon C-407) The recommendation is to include hunting at Kruger Park and make a possible profit of $50,000 per rhino. Rational 2 By allowing these new tourist options, Kruger Park will in turn protect the rhino population and prevent more poachers from killing the rhinos for their horns, which is SANparks main goal, to protect the rhinos from extinction. SANparks should continue to sell to other protected parks so that the rhinos do not become extinct, due the risk of wide spread disease in certain parts of the world.Rational 3 This solution to solve the money deficit is also low cost, which is necessary to make a profit. Since Kruger Park already hosts safaris and camping, a lot of extra equipment should not be needed. The main objective to low cost solutions is to use the resources that are already in your possession. The park includes 7,722 square miles of conservation area that is already gated to control trespassing. The park is also known for the wide variety of species on the property 147 mammal species, 49 species of fish, 507 shuttlecock species, etc.. (Strickland and Mixon C-407) The park should utilize these great resources and generate its own income. Rational 4 Out of all the solutions presented, this solution is the most attainable. Since several cultures believe that the horns contain healing properties, or they make good weapons, or is an aphrodisiac, it would be difficult to convince a group of people that their culture is wrong. Although the horns are believed to be healing, they are really only made up of the same materials that our finger nails are made of and Amin, a research worker says, Youd do just as wel l chewing on your fingernails. (2012) While this may be true, it would be hard to convince a specific group of people that what their ancestors taught them is a lie, and therefore protesting against poachers and exhausting to raise awareness may, or may not work, and the rhinos will still be unprotected. But, with this solution the money earned from extra tourism can be filtered down to other contributing factors and help to solve those issues as well. Action Plan As Kruger Parks moves towards crack more options to promote tourism they will first need to look into their target markets as well as the current industry of rhino hunting and safaris.Looking at the competition it would seem logical for Kruger parks to focus on offering safari tours, camping, hunting, helicopter tours and educational exhibits in order to increase their tourist appeal. Now that Kruger is focusing on running these activities themselves it would make most financial sense to cancel all previous contracts wit h outside companies that were able to offer these concessions on their land. In offering these extra tourist options it will be necessary to increase their current marketing team to promote their parks and set up vacation packages working with airlines and resorts in the area.Kruger will also need to purchase Safari automobiles, a helicopter, and hunting gear. By keeping their park in the most natural state possible it will allow them to save money as opposed to setting up a zoo environment. One of their largest overhead costs may be the addition of more staff such as the marketing team, expert hunters, a helicopter operate and tour guides. Kruger may have to bring on an extra helicopter to support more rides a couple years down the line when they are been able to raise enough capital. Until then, they will be able to use their current revenue to finance these new additions in staff and marketing.If they will set up a dispirit cost hunting price to gain customers they will be able to raise prices when their name and brand get out to the consumers. Until then Kruger should increase prices of items not in the hunting packages such as equipment and trophy prizes that the clients will not think about till they are on property. The biggest risk Kruger may face would be spending all of their current revenue/assets on saltation into a new market and not seeing sufficient return in profits. If they are inefficient to compete with the current companies in this market it will be in a bigger hole than when they started.The good news is Kruger will be entering the tourist/hunting market after learning from competitors current prices and build off of their mistakes to enhance the experience for customers. Other risks may include activist groups coming at them for not caring for the Rhino. One way to make them happy would be offering hunting trips with darts so that Rhinos will not be killed. Kruger will be able to charge extra dart and trophy prizes on these trip whil e still offering lower prices. Luckily, many activists see the logic in controlling the Rhino population in parks.Friedman, Muir and Pelham Jones, of the Private Rhino Owners Association, said most state-run parks in South Africa were reaching the end of their productive carrying capacity and there was a need to remove surplus rhino (Carnie, 2012). It is a positive that they already have a pretty large fallowing, however, another potential risk may be losing some of their previous customers due to the change in their business model. Finally, they will need to keep a close eye on the supply and demand of Rhinos on their property because they do not want to run into the risk of losing to many Rhinos to their hunting business.Lindas References Coniff, R. (2011). Defending the Rhino. Smithsonian, 42(7), 64 Merwe, P. , Saayman, M. (2008). Travel motivations of tourists visiting Kruger National Park. Koedoe African Protected compass Conservation And Science, 50(1), 154-159. doi10. 4102 /koedoe. v50i1. 140 Strickland, A. , Mixon, W. (2010). Rhino Capture in the Kruger National Park. In Thompson, A. , Peteraf, M. , Gamble, J. , Strikland, A. (2012). Crafting and executing strategy. (18th ed. ). sensitive York, NY McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Jeffs Reference Carnie, T. (2012). Ian Player defends hunting the rhino. South Africa Cape Times News. p. 6.Marjories Reference Daniel Martin Varisco (1989). beyond rhino hornwildlife conservation for North Yemen. Oryx, 23, pp 215219 Matts References Coniff, R. (2011). Defending the Rhino. Smithsonian, 42(7), 64 France-Presse, A. (2011) Rhino Poaching Rampant. Windsor Star News. D6. Shannons References Rhino horn use Fact vs. fiction. (2012). Retrieved from http//www. pbs. org/wnet/nature/episodes/rhinoceros/rhino-horn-use-fact-vs-fiction/1178/ Bryson, D. (2012). Vietnam craves rhino horn costs more than cocaine. Retrieved from http//news. yahoo. com/vietnam-craves-rhino-horn-costs-more-cocaine-062134928. html.

Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations EssayI am release to look at chapter 8 of Great Expectations. There argon four main characters in this chapter. They are Pumblechook, gains , Miss Havisham and Estella. The tarradiddle begins when a poor orphan boy known as radar targets, visits a strange antiquated bird named Miss Havisham to play with a girl called Estella of his own age. Miss Havishams family is a very high-class family. The report card I result be looking at next is called The Darkness Out There. There are three main characters in genus Penelope spiffys short layer. They are Mrs Rutter, Sandra and Kerry.The story is more or less a immature girl who as helping of the school Good Neighbours Club visits an gray lady in her bunga starting time and meets a boy her own age on the way there. The story is based on the memories of the old lady about the Second World War, which she narrates to the two teenagers. In Great Expectations Uncle Pumblechook is portrayed as if he is a pompo us, self-important man. He tries to behave as a teacher, and uses every situation to teach wrap up something. He is very kindle in maths and keen to teach finish up And fourteen.Uncle Pumblechook is a poor, low class person but he attempts to depute that he is a rich, valued and well consider member of society. He gets upset by Estella when she talked to him in an unnegotiable way and insulted his dignity. She said it so finally, and in frequently(prenominal) an undiscussible way, that Mr Pumblechook, though in a condition of ruffled dignity, couldnt protest. His pomposity has well and truly been put in its place by a child. Pip is the one who is telling the story the narrator.It is easy for the author, Charles Dickens to show us what Pip is like. His role as narrator helps to reflect the thoughts and purportings of the author by Pip. Especially as Pip is thought to be based on the character of Dickens himself when he was a boy. Pip is treated with disregard and little respect as suits his low social class. He attempts to show that he is an important person, well behaved and well brought up but Miss Havisham and Estella respond to him in a oppose way making him feel rejected turn him down. Dont be ridiculous boy.Pips feelings were really hurt and scoot by Miss Havishams attitude and by Estella as well. Though she called me boy so often, and with a carelessness that was far from complimentary. But Pip resisted and tried not to be influenced by their attitudes. He was firm and enduring and tried to control his emotions, which show us that he is a very patient and mature for his issue age. Miss Havisham is described the first time she appears in the story as a strange, rich old lady who wants to seek penalize from all men. Pip is afraid of her but as the time pass, he gets used to her.Pip describes her as a skeleton, which not only describes her thinness but in any case shows how panic-struck and surprised he is of this strange lady the likes of which he has never met before. Miss Havisham always wears her wedding nip with bridal flowers in her hair and bright jewels, which sparkled, on her neck. This seemed very strange and shocking to Pip and to the readers I think I should like to go home. As well as her strange clothes, Miss Havisham also specifys strange remarks, which tell us about her state of mind. She asks Pip a very strange question, in a threatening way. You are not afraid of a woman who has never seen the sun since you were born(p)? She replies in a intimidating manner to her own question. What do I touch? Your heart, Broken. She signals these horrible remarks because of the blackest flash of her life, when her fianci didnt turn up for the wedding. Thats way she pacify wears her wedding dress in memory of the scandal she confront being deserted at the alter. Therefore she wants to revenge herself on all men, by good luck mens hearts. regrettably her latest victim is not a man.He is a young orphan boy who is relieve enjoying his childhood. Estella is very rude to Pip. She treats him as if he is her servant. Why? he is a common labouring boy. She criticises his behavior and tries to lower his value as a human being. And what bold hands he has And what thick boots. Pip responds in a mature way and describes her as a beautiful girl who has great dignity. I think she is very proud, He adds to that. I think she is very pretty. But he never forgot to strike back to his loss of dignity, by describing her as a rude girl. I think she is very insulting.We know promptly from this that Pip is attracted to her. That she is rude and insulting is obvious from every word she says. Estella means a star in Latin and her name reflects her characteristics such as great dignity and pomposity, which a star represents. She shows her cruelty to Pip by insulting him, humiliating him and by treating him as if he is a slave who belongs to her. You are to anticipate here, you boy. As a result of t he humiliation and remarks made by Estella and Miss Havisham, we notice that Pips view of himself changed as a result of the visit. I took the opportunity of being alone in the court-yard, to look at my coarse hands and my common boots. My opinion of those accessories was not favourable. They had never troubled me before, but they troubled me now, as blunt appendages. This visit had a big influence of the way Pip looks at himself maybe they succeeded in breaking his heart and achieved their aim. In The Darkness out There Penelope Livelys way of telling the story is contrastive from that of Charles Dickens.In Great Expectations Dickens uses the first person narrative to tell the reader the story. He tells the story as if he was one of the characters. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of Pip. In The Darkness out There, Penelope Lively uses third person narrative. She tells the story from different rases of view, and through different characters. She thus portrays a unaccented image of the scene in the readers mind, and makes the reader imagine and feel the situation, as if the reader is a part of the story.The purpose of Sandra and Kerrys visit to Mrs Rutters cottage is because both are members of a good neighbors club and their job is to go to the elderly to help them and look after them. The narrative opens by observing Sandra from the outside by describing her actions and full-grown a clear image of Sandras attitude. She would walk like this through the silken grass with the wind be the corn and the secret invisible life of birds beside her in the hedge The observation of Sandra from outside and the way the generator describes her makes the reader feels as if he or she knows Sandra or has met her before.She also tells us what Sandra is thinking. She would fall in savour and she would get a good job and she would have one of those new singers that do ziz-zag stitch and make an embroidered like coat. The way the writer observes Sandra from inside i s aimed to show her characteristics, and attitude and her behavior. This draws a clear image in the readers mind of who is Sandra, and what her personality is like. Although the story is written in the third person, at the start we view events from Sandras point of view.There are three characters in The Darkness out There, but it is mainly concerned with the get word of the old lady Mrs Rutter. The writer focuses on Sandra and she tells us about the other two characters from her perspective. The writer speaks on behalf of Sandra. There are many employments where the writer shows us directly the thoughts going on in Sandras mind. For example You didnt go by yourself through Packers end if you could help it. She thought of oily workshop floor of the lousy underside of cars.This shows the reader what Sandra first thought about Kerry, based on first impressions. Sandra meets Kerry while she is going to Mrs Rutter, she was shocked and scared by Kerry, but he thought that she saw him. The impression we get of Kerry is through how Sandra sees him Kerry Stevens, you stupid so and so and do that for , you give me the fright of my life. We also get the impression that Kerry is quite a a talkative person and volunteered to speak about his personal life and his future which Sandra is not interested in and looks down upon as she is planning to become a secretary.The impression Sandra gives of him when he jumps out from buns the hedge is that he doesnt add up too much. Sandra thinks of him as a stupid and childish person because he scared her and his ambitions only stretch to him becoming a mechanic. However, Kerry Stevens is confident and sure of himself with Mrs Rutter. He answers her questions about school proudly and confidently and replies by saying he is leaving the school in July and will have a job in the garage. Unlike Sandra Kerry doesnt seem to like Mrs Rutter I dont go much on herAs soon as he hears her story about the airman, he gets shocked and feel sorr y for the pilot. The boy said, I am not going near that old bitch again, He leaned against the gate, clenching his fists on an iron rung, he shook slightly, I wont ever forget him, that poor cover He feels disgusted and upset about what Mrs Rutter done, when she let a German pilot who was shot down, analyze because of lack of water and food. Out of revenge respond to his call when he screamed for help and left him to ruin without showing any sign of mercy or compassion.We learn about Kerrys character from his own words. deal Charles Dickens, Penelope Lively uses direct speech to establish a character. Sandras initial impression of Kerry was wrong. He had a sixth sense about Mrs Rutter and was a better person than she first thought. She made the mistake of mind by appearances. A mistake she was to repeat with the old lady. Mrs Rutter is introduced as a kindly old lady who seemed composed of circles, a cottage loaf of a women, with a face below which chins collapsed one into ano ther, a creamy smiling pool of a face in which her eyes snapped and darted.However, this soon changes when she tells Kerry and Sandra the story of the German airman who died at Packers End and how she left him to die in front of her without or trying to go on him. What is really disturbing about the way she tells the story is that she doesnt regret what she done and she doesnt show any sympathy to the dead pilot I thought , oh no, you had this coming to you, mate, theres a war on (p. 63) Mrs Rutter acted out of revenge as her young husband had been killed in the war by Germans.But after all these years, she still had no feelings of regret and remorse and is portrayed as a lonely and bitter woman. Penelope Lively also gives an indication of characterisation through her description of the setting. Sandras light-weight and frivolous personality is signalled by the summer flowers of ox eye daisies and vetch and cow parsley ? And the dark side of Mrs Rutter is hinted at by Packers End with light unawares shutting off the bare wide sky of the field

An Educational Workplace Challenge Essay Example for Free

An Educational Workplace Challenge EssayIt is our lately faith that God is compassionate and merciful, and mercy is what he bestows upon His subjects. He is generous and beautiful, and beauty is what he gives. That is how we should design the world, beautiful, with all its resources and contents, known to us or unknown. Qatar, our beloved, is also rich in natural resources. Be it merciful buds or wild flowers. All are blossoms, all are natural, all are beautiful accusation Qatars name. Let us all work together, caring for our little buds. Lets us plant them fat in the consciousness of our land.Let us nurture them with love and care to help them blossom into flowers alter with beautiful scents and filling their surroundings with beauty. Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Bin Abdullah Al-Missned. (Shafallah 2007) A picture says more than a thousand words. For an educational institution, the vision statement shows the picture of what the aim day will be at its best. On the one hand, the vision is the very basis for everything that the school, the management, the teachers, the students, their parents and the community, all work for.On the other hand, the mission is the factor to achieve this vision. The mission determines the strategies that will be implemented by the school management to achieve its goals and vision. lead takes a significant role in the achievement of this mission. This paper discusses workplace challenges and the influence of leadership in the achievement of successful school reforms. The Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs and its efforts to solve its major problems and improve the capital punishment of its educational programs will be discussed using the imaginations on leadership.Specifically, the paper will focus on the concept of parallel leadership and the roles of the school management and teaching professionals as leaders in influencing the schools needed reforms. The Workplace The School The Shafallah C enter for Children with Special Needs is a non-profit private school dictated in Doha City, Qatar, providing comprehensive services and care to individuals with departmental learning challenges, their families and the community.It was established in 1998 finished the efforts of community leaders who believe in the vitality and importance of the family and the childs role in the society particularly those children with extra needs. They want to provide the children with the best care, services and educational facilities that will enable them to adapt to the surrounding environment in order to live among others in the community, and eventually secure their future.The touch provides diagnosis, evaluation, school programs, training and development services for all children with all forms of disabilities from ages three to twenty-one years old. The goals and objectives of the school are To provide comprehensive educational, instructional, rehabilitation, social, vocational and recre ational services for children with special needs. To provide stand out and family counseling services to families of children with special needs, including individual and group therapy.To provide community awareness on dealing with children with special needs, as well as fostering acceptance and understanding of the nature of disabilities. To provide training opportunities through with(predicate) Shafallah Center and establishing an international entity specializing in this field. To serve as an advocate for public policy and legislative support of appropriate educational and vocational programs for children with special needs. (Shafallah 2007)School funds are generated from local and international grants and from incessant tuition and matriculation of the students. The school offers five (5) programs aligned for students depending on age and learning concentration. These are the Pre-school and kindergarten which enrolls students ages 3-5. The school unit 2 is for students aging 6-21 with mild and moderate challenges, its coursework are in pre-academic, academic and pre-vocational and emphasizes on social and daily life skills.Unit 3 caters to students with mild and severe intellectual and developmental disabilities from ages 6-21 its programs are aimed to gain independence and activities are centered on daily living, self care and basic communication including assimilation and leisure education. Unit 4 is designed for those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, ages ranging from 6-21. The program uses the model TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic Related discourse Handicapped Children) and other models tailored for these children.

Electromagnetic Bomb Essay Example for Free

Electromagnetic Bomb Essay become you ever been without electricity for more than an hour? One day? Three days? You never ensure how much you value electricity until you argon without it. As a society we depend on electricity to run everything from are refrigerator to our businesses to are motor vehicles. Technology is always progressing with new inventions in the lineament of the electromagnetic bomb this is no different. The electromagnetic bomb or microwave bomb is a nonher form of a weapon of mass destruction. The E-bomb carry offs advantage of how we rely so heavily on electricity. It is designed to not just disable but destroy electronic devices by sending out an electromagnetic heartbeat or an EMP. An EMP is a burst of electromagnetic radiation from an explosion, the resulting electric and magnetic fields merge with electronic systems to produce catastrophic currents and voltage surges. An EMP is a form of electromagnetic induction as this is the production of voltage . If an E-bomb were to explode it alters the magnetic flux lines of the earth meaning the North wont be as affected but the East, South and West forget experience the eye of the blast if you will.This would mean thousands of volts of electromagnetic energy from the highest positives to the highest negative polarities transferred via air and agency lines. This is an important weapon in withstand in a war as it stinker take out your opponents form of communication. This is a uncommon weapon of mass destruction because it does not directly take the lives of human beings, rather takes the things away that are essential for living.Even though the E-bomb is still considered to be in a research constitute if it were to be paired with a relatively small nuclear warhead that exploded in the atmosphere it could send out enough power to wipe out power coast to coast in the unite States. Like stated before even now this type of technology is still in a research phase but there is specul ation that the USA used one during the 1991 disconnection War. In basic principles An E-bomb is as complex as a radio (which is not very). electric current produces a magnetic field and changing a magnetic field can lead current. To give you an example a small radio transmission emits enough energy to send it to a receiver, what an E-bomb does is highly intensifies the current frying the semi conductor making it beyond repair. The E-bomb is considered a weapon of mass destruction, it does not kill humans directly but it causes drastic effects where it can destroy a society. An electromagnetic bomb acts in a finesse manner as separate nuclear war heads bring the power.This technology is a dangerous power to have and needs to be exercised only in the most extreme circumstances, which there shouldnt be as this world as a whole needs to strive for peace and leave the World Wars behind us. Lets clear something up right now, this technology is simple by deadly and can destroy a countri es foundation. Imagine if the USA had permanent power outage nationwide, what would that mean for the richest country in the world? What would that mean for the take a breather of the work that depends on trading the USA?When you take out a global player the unify States it affects them in an enormous way but every other country and there are a lot of them are now affected in a social and economical manner. Many countries in the developing world depend on the aid that is provided to them by the United States. If such a casualty were to happen to the US they would not be in any position to provide this aid anymore. So many products are manufactured in the USA on a daily basis that is traded to so many other nations that depend on these products.It affects other countries that now have to provide aid to the United States for them to rebuild their nation. If this was to happen a stalk market crash will occur and here comes another(prenominal) Great Depression. Where ever an E-Bomb g oes off it will completely wipe out the field of honors economy as every electronic device would need to be replaced including all data processor systems and motor vehicles. Think about how much data would be lost of a company kindred Microsoft or Apple was to completely lose their networks.It makes it very difficult to survive if there is no power to freeze and refrigerate and cook food or retrieve water. Think about how un-healthy it would be to have all the sewage back up and no where to put your garbage. The environment in the affected areas would take a drastic turn for the worse. Granted Nuclear warheads are deadly from the time they explode. An E-bomb will keep the buildings standing but no power to run them. An E-bomb is slow painful dying rather then a quick blast you are dead.

Group Dynamics Essay Example for Free

Group dynamics EssayTrait approach- a trait is something we are born with. Certain characteristics boast certain traits and these characteristics whitethorn make one player better suited to captaincy than an another(prenominal). Traits or personalities lead call for implementation and players in positive and negative ways. It can act surgery positively because if a person has a strong, slightly aggressive and determined personality then they can give the police squad an extra take away to win the game. However someone of this personality can get over aggressive if the team is losing consequently lowering other players morale and maybe causing arguments. Behavioural approach- this suggests that leaders display certain behaviours. This is divers(prenominal) to trait in that behaviours are learnt rather than something we are born with. Players, managers and coaches who lack certain skills can decide others and pick up reinvigorated skills and techniques. This will mostly have a strong positive affect on performance because if you are learning new skills then technically you are improving. On the other hand the new skills that are learned could not be very effective for a team/individuals style of play.Interactional approach- this combines trait and the environment influences. It looks at the need for different behaviour and leadership styles aquiline on the characteristics of the sort and the situation. If you have both type A and type B personalities on the huckster then this will have a positive affect on performance because you will have someone who can psych the team up and add some aggression to the team (type A) but you will also have someone who can clam things down and relax the team (type B). Stages of group developing Forming- this is the development of relationships within the group.This usually involves a player assessing where they feel they fit into a group mental synthesis based on other players strengths and weaknesses. It also gives player the opportunity to see if the belong in that group. If a player fits into a team well it will have a positive affect on performance because it will raise the morale of both the individual and the team. However if the player finds that he/she isnt adaptation into the team then their level of performance is likely to be low. Storming- sometimes involves conflict within the group as individuals attempt to establish their position and role in the group.It may involve confrontation among the leader and the player until different roles are established. This is more likely to have a positive affect on performance as players will be battling for positions therefore there will be a harder work rate from the team. On the other hand players may feel threatened and pressured by new players so they may be nervous in their performance incase they lose their position. * Norming- once the social structure has been established the group gains stability and becomes cohesive. Players start co-operating and work towards their common goal.This is extremely positive on the teams performance because they are becoming more cohesive meaning that they will work better together and the team can become more successful. Performing- this is the final tip and involves all the players working together towards their common goal. individually individual accepts their role and supports other group members accordingly. Again this is very positive for the teams performance because by this stage the team will be both task cohesive and socially cohesive. It will bring expectant success to the team as players will be both mentally and physically prepared with all(prenominal) other.

Reflective Essay NU-AGE

Reflective Essay NU-AGENU-AGE is a faculty that has had a profound influence of my understanding about the concept and self-perception about ageing. Having to learn how oftentimes more biology, intentstyle, clinical outlooks, technology, living conditions and solutions grass directly or indirectly alter how an individual age.Ageism in one major concern that was given much attention to in the module. Ageism was thought be the direct action of our society towards the ageing population(reference). For the past century, the institutionalisation and the idea of making the ripened population purposeless was a major concern to both the economy. Many had to opt for poor relief, begging, paid work when possible, charity, maturement food, use of common rights and help from family. Unequal access to improved occupational and private pension arrest been a concern to how the ageing population had access to an in lessen to support them through later flavour has contributed much to the o f the negative concept of ageing. This led the population to harbour a stereotypical view of the prevalence of aloneness at older people that their prevalence of illness and disease were more likely high and older workers are less efficient. Despite all these negative stereotypical views positive ideas and views have been acknowledged, but many a(prenominal) recognise that the ageing population have a perceived superior wisdom from experience.Health provisions and health has an undoubtedly profound aspect on how progression of ageing occurs. Research has shown that people in poorer parts of England lived on average 7 years less than those of in richer parts. This has been affiliated with the qualities of life the both regions face and the conditions they are assumed to face in much(prenominal) regions. The poorer regions are proposed to be subjected to adverse surround conditions, more stress and poorer diet. Richer regions are assumed to have the direct opposite qualities of those of the poorer regions. Research has proven that the genetic constitution of an individual has a profound effect on the progression of ageing of an individual, such as having the Age-1 gene. both these factors are known to contribute oxidative stress, metabolic stress and inflammation which known to affect the flight of steps of how ageing progresses and the prognostic implications in later life. It has been proven that diets low in calorific value and higher in unsaturated fats and omaga-3, such as the Mediterranean diet, showed marked decrease in the causes of mortality such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. Physical activity has been a key player in the progression of how we age. affable health has been shown to be related to how much an individual is involved in the arts and society. For example, risks of showing onsets of dementias have been shown to decrease with engaging in thought and social processes. (reference) This clearly shows us the ageing is plastic. This relates very potently to the Clinical Ageing and Health module I took this year in Biomedical Sciences, iterating much of what was cover but in a simplified coherent manner.Ageing affect individuals related to the ones ageing. Residents in the conduct homes haves generally shown that there are losses of formal association with members they have had earlier in life thus leading to increased prevalence to neurodegenerative disease and loneliness. This has been addressed by providing and involving the ageing population in the arts whereby bonding with those of a similar age, ethnicity and class which provides a strengthened emotional support, and social identities. wealthinessEngagement of the ageing population has been a paramount interest of discussion over the years. Establishments of capital information projects were one of the topics of interest that has been of great interest to me, especially one EX-BEX member shared his thoughts of how he thinks that life savings in the bank might non gain as much capital gains as when other forms of investment out-weighed the risks since equity has been rising for the past century.Through this module, I have truly come to grasp of the global scale of what society is expecting from ageing, how it is perceived and what we as the younger generation can employ to address issues in relation to the current ageing population and to the younger generation to age in a graceful manner. I have learnt that ageing is not a concept to be apprehensive about and that it should be regarded in a positive aspect to consider in life. Being an multinational student, I have come to experience thoughts and aspects of ageing in the UK and through other international students which I propose to implement in the Seychelles. Seychelles has had a graceful ageing population two decades ago, unfortunately the can no longer be said with confidence. Prevalences of age related diseases are rising and life-spans are de creasing. No strong investigation has been made to determine why such decline is occurring. I feel that it is my responsibleness as a Seychellois to lead the way to investigate and support the ageing population into the aspect of graceful and healthy. My hope is to promote the Seychelles as an example to the world that ageing is in our control and we should not fear it. My dream is to see the ageing population of Seychelles to be healthy, active and vibrant thus defeating the political theory and perception of ageism.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear | Analysis

The nozzle and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear AnalysisThe nozzle and the Pussy-CatIn this essay I will be analysing Edward Lears poem The Owl and the Pussy-Cat (App lay offix 1), first providing a technical stylistic analysis concentrating on sound patterning, secondly locating its graze in the hi invention of poetry for children, and thirdly how the poem envisages childhood. Written in December 1867 for the daughter of a close friend of Lear, it was first published in an anthology by Lear entitled Nonsense var.s, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets (1871). Since thence it has been published, illustrated, translated, and coiffe to music many times. In 2001 it was voted Britains favourite poem. Lear theatrical roles simple, but creative language to tell the enchanting story of the voyaging sweethearts the incongruous bird and cat.Comp travel three stanzas, each eleven tonal patterns dour, it consists of twin ballad quatrains and a three-line refrain, composed in a distinctive iambic metre. The hoar scheme is abcbdefe alternating between four and three dysphoric syllables per line, followed by the refrain eee consisting of two lines with sound bingle stressed syllable, and a final line with three. This furnish rhyme scheme not only gives the poem musical structure, but as well as coheres the very unalike founders of the story. The circleic parallelism of the refrains, in which all three lines end with the same stressed word, is a strict pattern in itself and foregrounds this part of the poem as it takes on an incantatory feel. Although the refrains argon not the predominate structure of the poem, they do add musical reinforcement. The regular metrical pattern is what gives the poem its rising measure (anapests) and sing nervous strain form and there is microscopical to disrupt the flow of the rhythm, or the story. The aim then is simplicity and repetition indeed the first instance of repetition occurs in the opening line, which blows the poems tit le talking to thereby reaffirming the focus of the poem. But in the first stanza, the most noticeable sound pattern is the compactness of /p/ sounds a phono logical parallelism that extends across the text with the words Pussy, pea, plenty and pound as well as occurring in wrapped and up. The recurrence of this plosive consonant emulates the plucking of guitar strings, which not only enhances the rhythm but also the visual effect of the serenading bird of night. trance the plosive /p/ in Pussy polar with the /b/ in beautiful is not quite alliterative, it is sonorous and seductive of music, reflecting the depth and passion of the owls endearments. Note, too, that Lear also uses punctuation to emphasize meaning the exclamation marks at the end of lines ten and eleven harbinger an expression of the owls feelings suggesting that the relationship is indeed more than just friendship.In addition to repetition and alliteration, Lear employs strong broad rhymes to reinforce sound, mea ning and rhythm, and they play an active part in the mood and purpose of this poem. Perfect end rhymes are the most noticeable, but there are also strong internal rhymes, namely occurring in every third line of each stanza, but also in the fifth line in the second and third ones. This mix of one and two syllable rhymes act as a sub-refrain bringing the song sound round and round again to our ears while the text becomes more and more whimsical. Sound and musicalness are further brought to our attention by the chiming end rhyme between sing and ring in lines thirteen and fifteen. The words are bright and short, as is the vowel sound, but followed by the consonant /ng/ the sound is extended, and the repetition of ring in the refrain helps to mimic the ringing of a bell where we whitethorn hear the onomatopoeic resonance of bong (from bong-tree). The third stanza culminates in a concentration of internal and same rhymes which conjure a visual and aural feast to match the wedding banque t itself, with the final lines evoking the who-o-o, who-o-o of an owl through the long vowel /oo/ in moon. All the qualities of song are present pleasure, ease of repetition, memorability, rhythm, rhyme and refrains. The apparent spontaneity of these elements emerge from very usanceal principles and Lears humourous organisation.Besides musicality, the other main feature of the poem is word-play with Lear incorporating occasional invented words bong-tree, Piggy-wig and the nonsense adjective runcible. As well as having a humorous effect, they introduce elements of spontaneous fantasy that punctuate the surreal journey of the anthropomorphised animals. Although these words appear made-up they solace remain, just, within our normal expectations of English. However, the fact that they do deviate from the poems surrounding simple language means they are foregrounded, thus, the reader/listener pays particularly attention to them because they are satisfying to say with bug out necessar ily having to sham sense. correct though runcible has no actual meaning (although it has since been popularly defined as a three-pronged fork curve like a spoon) it has a phonological playfulness with the rolling of the r in run followed by the two syllables in cible. The hyphenation of Piggy-wig actually incorporates the phonemes and meanings of two words, pig and wig, managng to succeed as an internal rhyme. While the inclusion of these words doesnt really add anything to the meaning of the phrase, they do at least sustain, and quite perchance strengthen the rhythm. It is not until the final stanza that the rhythm is disrupted slightly by the running over of line twenty-three into twenty-four without a pause. The effect of this enjambment is that we are hurried on to a pivotal stage in the story, the point at which a transaction occurs. The caesura at the word ring creates not just a pause, but also a brief tension as we await the pigs answer. Note, too, that the draw a bead on speech in these lines references traditional marriage vows reinforced by the stress on the words uncoerced and will. Furthermore, this transaction also brings the real world nearer to the pop. Without a ring the marriage cannot take place. all when the deal has been done can the tale, and thus the poem, continue as before. Once the regular rhythm resumes it drives the report onward, ending with feline and fowl dancing hand in hand, on the edge of the sandby the light of the moon. Imagery created by the moonlight (traditionally invoked as being romantic) means the enchantment of the scene dances on with the fantasy sweethearts and is where the reader/listener has to leave them.In spite of the whimsical narrative and word-play the poem is solidly anchored by the strong iambic gait woven through the traditional ballad form of tetrameter and trimeter. The rising rhythms move the poem along whilst being controlled by the full and stable rhymes, making it very satisfying. Lears e ndowment fund first saw the light of day in A Book of Nonsense (1846) containing a assemblage of his limericks and amusing illustrations which proved an immediate success with readers and critics. Lears work, along with that of Lewis Carroll, developed and popularised nonsense literature, especially with regard to their use of nonsense words, thus, it is often seen as a distinctively Victorian genre. But literary nonsense existed long before this and, as Styles points out in her essay about the history of poetry for children, can be traced back to the wildness of the nursery rhyme (Styles, p. 211). These ancient and traditional rhymes from the oral tradition, well-known(prenominal)ly known as Mother Goose rhymes, are a collection of measures, lullabies, rhymes and tunes offering humour, repetition and storytelling, although few were originally created or intended for children. Eighteenth century poetry considered suitable for children was mostly didactic or moralistic, and often mean-spirited. Its mind aims were concerned with saving the soul and creating good character and, like other childrens literature, mostly reflected the ideas that adults held about what children should be interested in. But as Puritanism waned and new ideas about childhood emerged, poetic collections written specifically for children began to appear. Tommy Thumbs Song Book (1744) was the first attempt to put nursery rhymes from the oral tradition into print, and two collections from William Blake in 1789 and 1794, although not specifically written for children, did capture the essence of childhood. Other volumes of child-centered poetry appeared in the early part of the 19th century, and even though poets at this time continued to follow in the same moralistic tradition there was a growing interest in childrens emotions and experiences. The mid and late nineteenth century producedStanzaan teemingness of poetry for children, including that of Lear, which coincided with the changing views on childhood. Although the roots of nonsense verse are earlier than the nineteenth century, this is the peak the most celebrated and notable examples appear. Lears limericks and nonsense rhymes were not just enjoyed by children, but also by adults, who found them a welcome relief from the restrictive teachings of the Church and Victorian society in general. These witty and humorous rhymes were fun to read aloud and easy to remember.But Lears work is not just high-and-mighty by his linguistic play it also included eccentric and comical drawings. Although his illustrations for The Owl and the Pussy-Cat are slimly conservative in that the animals are depicted quite realistically and appear expressionless, they do offer an instructive effect and would have greatly enhanced the impression of the poem at the time of publication. By contrast, the case-by-case illustration in 100 Best Poems for Children (Puffin, 2002) is unsophisticated and childlike. While the small brightly co loured painting does offer a modicum of interpretation, in the context of the anthology its purpose is more generic and there is very little for a child to linger over. The lack of illustrations implies that the value of the text is greater than the visual component, and that the anthology is aimed at the aged child who can read independently. Indeed, the publishers own website advertises it for an age group of eight to twelve years. Interestingly, Montgomery points out that the book includes rhymes for the (just) pre-schooler (Montgomery, p. 137) which suggests that the purpose of this anthology is not just for children to read alone, but also by parents, or in the classroom. Certainly part of the appeal and enduring popularity of The Owl and the Pussy-Cat is that it lends itself to group choral reading. The poems jaunty rhythm, playful rhymes, farcical words, and the enchanting tale it tells all conspire to grab a childs attention. Creative words and light hearted verse mean chil dren can explore language and enjoy words for their sound and the images they conjure without it necessarily having to suck sense. Although the story is reminiscent of fairytales, it is the nonsense words that distinguish the real world from make-believe. Whether the child believes that owls and pussycats really do sail away and get married in the moonlight is irrelevant a story, especially one told in the form of a poem or song, is understood by the child to be part of play and the imaginative world, not the real one. The rhythm and sound-patterns of the poem are more important than the potentiality reality or credibility of the tale being told. However, the prioritising of sound and rhythm over sense and realness does not mean that this nonsense poem is meaningless. Lear plays on the sound of words, but with or without the incorrect elements logic still exists and it is a perfectly coherent tale of romantic admire. Yet themes emerge in legal injury of different depths as wel l as in terms of being central or peripheral. The surface topic, the one most appealing to children, is a jolly tune about animal adventures hinting at love and a comedy of marriage. On another level it is a strange pairing of species and events set to a rather hypnotic rhythm. Deeper down still, both protagonists are carnivores and night hunters. The poem then is not just about innocent nonsense, but also something uncanny. Lear manages to achieve a balance between elements that seem to make sense and elements that do not a fanciful tale set against the solid foundations of traditional song, familiar everyday language and image unfamiliarly juxtaposed, conventional but also childish. It gratifies the childs appetite for the musical and for the strange. The organisation of the rhythms, rhymes, and nonsensical words gives the poem a whimsical, and yet compelling narrative than lodges in the mind of the adult as well as the child. All these elements contribute to making it entertainin g and memorable nonsense that delights the ear and the imagination.