Tescos strategy of expansion into China

Tescos strategy of expansion into China Present an insightful evaluation of the general strategy and one specific aspect of its international strategy. To do this you should analyse the financial strength of the business. You need to use recent data. You need to draw on an appropriate literature. Key issues for managers need to be clearly identified. You need to show how the specific strategy fits into the global plan. You need to set your report against the background of current global business challenges. You need to provide and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy. For example, Tescos strategy of expansion into China This report outlines the opportunities facing Tesco as a result of its international expansion strategy in Asia focussing on its current expansion in China. Layout Start with an executive summary. e.g. This management report sets out to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats associated with Tescos strategy of developing a strong presence in the retailing market in China. The specific strategy that is explored is that of developing four storey shopping malls. The move into China is part of a generic growth strategy by Tesco, particularly focussing on large emerging markets. The report shows that there are significant opportunities in a market that was worth  £600 billion in 2010. Challenges facing management involve making sure that all of the primary activities in the value chain are efficient and effective, and developing ongoing relationships in China to ensure a cultural fit between Tescos objectives, and strategies and those of stakeholders in China. Next introduce your organisation. 1.Tesco as an organisation Tescos scope Today Tesco is an international retailer of household goods, food, and clothing, as well as providing a delivery service and banking service in some markets. Tescos home market is the UK, but since 2005 the company has increasingly been developing its presence in new markets particularly continental Europe, the United States and Asia (including Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia and China). Tescos competitive strength Tesco is currently the worlds third largest international retailer after Wal-Mart and Carrefour. However, a recent report (2008, Global Retailing: Preparing for Change, IGD) forecasted that by 2012 Tesco will be in second position with an estimated growth rate of 12% compared with Carrefours 7%. Tescos strength rests in providing value for money offers supported by strong partnerships, and an effective supply chain. 2.Tescos strategies Tescos generic strategy Tesco has five main elements to its strategy. It is the first of these elements that this assignment focuses on in particular. The five areas are: 1.To be an international retailer 2.To maintain a strong core UK business 3.To be as strong in non-food as in food 4.To develop retailing service 5.And to put the community at the heart of everything we do. The retailing market in the UK has become saturated. Tesco is the leading player in this market account for  £1 in every  £7 of grocery sales. However, the potential to increase growth in the UK is limited faced by increasing saturation of the market and intense competition. Tesco is therefore increasingly focussing on the development of new international markets. This includes the development of Fresh n Easy stores in the US, and a range of new hypermarket formats in Asia. 2.2 Tescos strategy for China Tesco has targeted China as a particularly important growth opportunity. Tesco entered the Chinese market in 2004 by forming a 50:50 partnership with Ting Hsin Internal Group (with existing retailing outlets). Shenkar and Luo (p.319) argue that partner selection is widely recognised as a vital factor in Global Strategy Alliance success. They believe that benefits will only accrue through the retention of a partner that can provide the complementary skills, competencies, or capabilities that will assist the firm in accomplishing its strategic objectives. Ting Hsins competencies included existing experience in the Chinese market, and strong links with local and regional government. Ting Hsin was able to provide Tesco with know how in relation to local operating conditions (include local laws, and customer patterns). By 2006 Tesco was able to increase its stake in the partnership to a 90:10 relationship. In 2008 Tesco rebranded its stores as Tesco Legou (Happy Shopping) to localise the branding of the product. Fateh, K (2008. p.355) identifies the value for multinationals of developing hybrid international strategies combining global integration with host country focus. Tescos rebranding and focus on meeting the needs of local customers in China makes it possible to support locally developed products with the vast marketing and financial resources of Tescos headquarters office. 3 Tesco in China 3.1 Features of the market in China Currently grocery sales in China are worth  £600 billion (2010). There are 221 cities in China that are predicted to have more than one million inhabitants by 2025 compared with 35 in Europe now. It is urban dwellers in large cities that provide the target market for Tesco in China. In urban areas in China shopping malls have become particularly popular locations for supermarkets. In China there are fewer cars than in the UK (2 per 100 population). Tesco has already opened four lifespace shopping centres. A lifespace shopping centre is made up of four floors. The first floor contains the Tesco hypermarket. The other floors contain other shopping premises that may be leased to other companies to sell their goods often clothes and household items such as furniture. 3.2 Expansion in China Tesco is expecting to quadruple its annual sales in China between 2010 and 2015. The current strategy is to build 50 shopping malls in China by 2015 and to develop a further 30. 3.3 The advantages of the joint venture format Tescos partnership with Ting Hsin took the form of a joint venture set up for the purpose of ongoing cooperation (Stonehouse, G p.271). Ting Hsin already had 25 up market mall type stores in 25 locations. Tesco was therefore able to benefit from this substantial presence in the market in China. The benefits for Ting Hsin related to Tescos global buying power, reputation and the strength of finance that Tesco could bring to the table. 4.Tescos financial strength 4.1 Sales and profits Tescos 2010 Income Statement showed a sales revenue of  £57 billion from which it generated operating profits of  £3.4 billion. Tescos current strategy is that of growth. This growth strategy is built on sales growth. For the last ten years Tesco has generated operating margins in the UK of roughly 6%. However, sales growth in the UK is relatively slow. In the second quarter of 2010 sales growth in the UK was 5.3% (Tesco Income Statement, October 2010). 4.2 Tescos financial strength in Asia The first two Asian markets that Tesco entered since 2000 were Thailand and South Korea. Tesco is currently making operating margins in these countries of 5%. The table below highlights Tescos financial position in Asia: Sales and profits 2010 (Source: Tesco: Operating Report 2010) Asia Sales  £5,725m Asia trading profit  £228m Asia trading margin 4.6% Tesco is particularly interested in developing its presence in Asia. In the most recent annual company review (2010), the Chief Executive stated: Our important Asian markets in particular are emerging strongly from recession. In contrast, he pointed out that economic recovery in the UK is slow and steady. In the second quarter of 2010 Tesco reported the following figures for sales growth: UK 5.3% Group 8.8% Asia 27.7% 4.3 Tescos financial strength in China In 2010 Tescos sales in China were worth  £848m. The company reported that it was on the verge of breaking even in China. Tescos current strategy in China is to build 50 shopping malls in China by 2015 and to develop a further 30. 5 Tescos operations in China 5.1 Tescos focus areas Tescos original strategy involved focussing on three regional areas. These were city areas in which average incomes were relatively high and in which consumers were already exposed to international influences. The three areas were Shanghai as a hub for operations in Eastern China, Beijing in the North and Guangzhou in the South. 5.2 Core competences in China Tesco already source many products which go into its stores across the globe from Chinese manufacturers. It sources $1.1 billion of products from China a year. Tesco therefore has built strong relationships with local suppliers in China. Tesco has had many years of experience as a large retailer in developing supply contracts with suppliers in the UK. This is thus a core competence (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990) of the organisation. Core competences are those attributes of an organisation that give it a distinct advantage over competitors. Other core competences that Tesco has built in China include centralised distribution centres. These reduce the numbers of deliveries required to individual stores, thus resulting in substantial cost savings. Tesco has also developed own brand products for China the value brand, and Tesco Legou. Another core competence is that of developing relationships. This fits in with Tescos strategy of putting the community at the heart of everything we do (Tesco Strategy document). Tesco has 58 stores in 22 cities in China. The company employs 17,600 staff, 99% of whom are local to the store. Tescos experience of driving value through all aspects of the value chain (Porter, 1974) in the UK have been applied to its operations in China including the organisation of inbound and outbound logistics, supermarket operations, market research and customer service. 6 Management issues facing Tesco 6.1 Cultural complexity A key issue facing Tesco management in developing operations in China relates to levels of cultural complexity. Fateh (p.132) distinguishes between countries with low context cultures like the United Kingdom and countries with high context cultures such as China. The difficulty facing British managers in working in China is that some meanings and interpretations of events are not explicitly stated. This was an important reason for Tesco to create a joint venture partnership as a market entry strategy. By working with Chinese partners and Chinese managers Tesco has been able to deal with issues associated with cultural complexity and to develop strong networks of relationships within the local communities in which its stores have been sited. 6.2 Potential areas for difficulty Carrefour and other international supermarket chains operating in China have had difficulties in some areas with regards to gaining planning permission and licences to operate from local authorities. Initially Chinese government policy was to only allow Foreign Direct Investment in the sector in collaboration with a local partner. Although this requirement has since been relaxed Tesco has chosen to work closely with its local partner in order to develop strong community relationships and thus an ongoing licence to operate in the regions were its malls are cited. 7.Evaluation of the strategy 7.1 Break-even point Tescos has announced that it is currently at the point of breaking even in China (Financial Times, 2010). Today, Tesco recognise Asia as being the major area for its international growth strategy. This compares with ten years ago when the company was almost exclusively a UK retailer. The position is quite different today as shown by Tescos presence in Asia: Number of stores (2010) UK 215 Asia 186 Sales area space (ooo square feet) UK 31,285 Asia 28,838 Operating margins are slightly higher in the UK when compared with Asia (about 1p in the  £ higher), however, sales growth is much faster in Asia. Thailand and South Korea have already proved to be profitable markets for Tesco. 7.2 Competitive challenges The challenge facing Tesco in China is that it is a highly competitive market. Tesco is not the only company developing local partnership arrangements. Tesco has committed a substantial portion of its cash reserves and profits into investing in China. As shown in this report there are substantial economies of scale to be achieved by operating in central locations in Chinas thriving city areas. Key issues that managers need to face include ensuring ongoing strong relations with local partners and employees. Tescos competitive success rests in providing value for money products with relatively cheap prices. These competitive strengths go down well with Chinese consumers looking for value for money. 7.3 Credibility challenges Developing links in China requires working closely with local government authorities, and construction companies to develop new malls. It is essential that Tesco makes sure that the quality of workmanship on these new malls is to the highest planning and safety standards. It is essential in sourcing products from local suppliers to ensure that all products meet the same levels of safety standards that Tesco employs in its other outlets across the globe. The market in China is potentially the most substantial on the globe. Tesco already sources substantial quantities of its supplies from Chinese manufacturers. There is thus every possibility that Tescos international strategy of growth will yield high sales revenues and profits in China. Exemplar references. You need to reference all of the texts that you include in your work. E.g. Fatehi, K, (2008) Managing Internationally, Succeeding in a Culturally Diverse World, Sage, London. You also need to reference any information you get directly from company reports and websites. E.g. Tesco, 2010, Annual Report and Financial Statements.

School Speech by Chief Guest

Draft speech of Mrs. D. Purandeswari, MoS-HRD (HE) as Chief Guest on the occasion of the Annual Day of the Rainbow Concept School, Mahaboobnagar, A. P on 9th February, 2007 at 5. 30 p. m. It gives me immense pleasure to be here this evening and to address the young students of the Rainbow Concept School on the occasion of its Annual Day function of the school. The Rainbow concept School has been established by Dr. A. Madhusudhan Reddy very thoughtfully for an overall growth of a child and to integrate his academic excellence with his personality development.Education is not just the amount of information that is put into a child’s brain undigested, unrelated an unassimilated. The very essence of education is the concentration of mind and not mere collection or collation of facts. As Swami Vivekananda said: â€Å"Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man†. The concept of education is that it should help the formation of character expansion of intell ect and development of a positive view of the life. It is this man-making character which is the basic object of all education.A model school should be a mirror of the child’s personality wherein education should constitute the inner beauty. Rainbow Concept School. I understand strives to identify and nurture innate talents and abilities. Experimentation and creativity through interactive and scientifically developed activities, traditional values with modern knowledge and information, all-round development of the students without any discrimination or prejudices are the basic objectives of quality education.I am assured that these ideas form the core contents in educational pattern of the school which prepares the young generation to become leaders in whatever career they choose and to contribute positively towards self, family, society, nation and the entire world. I am pleased to know that Rainbow understands the need for effective communication and therefore offers intens ive coaching in both oral and written communication skills. This helps in expressing ideas clearly and effectively. Other activities like group discussions, elocution, seminars etc. , are conducted for the personality development of students.Innovative workshops, projects and guest lectures by eminent personalities are organized for the benefit of students. Finally works of art help one to relate with the world. The expressions denote the experience and the individuals outlook towards society. Rainbow lets students kindle the fire of creativity in them who are motivated to participate and display their talents in interschool and at various other competitions. Hobby clubs at Rainbows provide the for a for students to express and hone their skills and talent in a range of activities like painting, arts, music and dance, debate elocution stamp collection and so on.Students need some time to relax and rejuvenate. This helps in learning better and also keeps the mind and body healthy. Th is is done through sports and games. They help in keeping the body fit and provide mental relaxation. It is also very heartening to be informed that field trips are an integral part of education at Rainbow. Students are taken to places of historical importance, scientific interest, farms and fields to give them first-hand idea on various occupations. This enables students to see for themselves the productive processes of goods of our daily use.These trips are preceded by assigning them projects on the proposed place of visit, its significance and are followed by summarizing their individual experiences. This should provide a strong vocational bias to our educational system which is the need of the day. A school based on the rainbow model has to ensure that entire education should take place in natural surroundings in tandem with nature where a child should learn to identity plants, flowers and birds in the open air.This would be particularly attractive to a child who while leaving t he threshold of home and going to school for the first time needs a lot of inducement and persuasion for study. Nature, as Gandhiji used to observe frequently, has enough to fulfill man’s needs but not his greeds. This should be firmly implanted in a child’s mind so that he may constantly be aware that man has a special responsibility to protect Nature. Students should be made aware of their responsibility and duty towards protecting nature and prevent its wanton destruction which unfortunately seems to be rder of the day. Some simple practices like encouraging planting of trees periodically in their neighbourhood, watering the plants and nurturing them, digging pits for rain water harvesting should be taught. These and other would foster in a child caring and sharing attitude towards nature and life on earth and a deep appearance of the flora and fauna. To make education more attractive, the students of lower classes should be imparted education through play-way metho ds. They should be taught to identify various colours, sounds, shapes and objects.Exercises like clay-modeling, building sand castles, the playpen and other interactive methods should be adopted to make learning more interesting and attractive. In this context I would like to bring to your notice that this is how Tagore conceptualized and broughts up his famous Santiniketan (Abode of Peace) where the entire educational system was integrated from pre-nursery to the stage of Masters’ Degree and where the teaching was imparted in open air classrooms in natural surroundings. Poet himself used to take some nursery and pre-nursery classes and imparted education through music dance and drama composed by him.In some cases Tagore used to take part in the dramas and plays along with other children; at times he also used to personally supervise the works of painting and craft made by the children and put in a few words of encouragement for them. This instilled life in teaching as well a s learning and served as a big booster for uplifting the spirit of the children. Indeed Tagore made education joyful and playful for all children. Under Tagore’s watchful supervision, a friendly atmosphere was created for students to interact with their teachers and share a relation of mutual trust and affection.This led to a congenial environment conducive for teaching and learning. Coaching was provided through interactive teaching methods. The curiosity of the students was not suppressed but encouraged and students had the freedom to express their opinions and to seek their own answers subject of course to the correction by teachers wherever necessary. No wonder, this unconventional methodology gained quick recognition and due to Poet’s untiring efforts and zeal, Shantiniketan won international reputation and ere long it became the hub of foreign scholars interested in arious facets of our heritage and culture. The organizers of the Rainbow Concept School would do w ell to take a leaf out of Tagore’s book in shaping the future of their school. One of the basic drawbacks of to-day’s schooling is that tens of thousands of school-going children in India are penalized by an educational system that has largely failed to take into account their special learning needs. It is time we better understood the profile of students with learning difficulties. Sustained application of sound scientific knowledge in the classroom can make a difference.Such application can occur only if our schools had more teachers anchored in the knowledge of neurological functions that impact learning. Teachers can then assess their students' strengths and weaknesses in order to modify their instruction, so that all students benefit. Failure in school often portends low self-esteem as adults, and most certainly contributes to poor productivity in professional life. With its escalating needs for economic development, India cannot afford a future citizenry that has n't been given the scholastic consideration and opportunities it deserves in childhood.The reluctance of school administrators to train teachers in these areas is puzzling. What is worse is that students' failure permeates into the home. School authorities and teachers are seldom able to reassure distraught parents. Educators and psychologists occasionally offer diagnoses of dyslexia, or other learning disability, but seldom is a learning plan offered to the child or the parent that meets that child's specific requirements. This is because teachers often do not know how a child learns, and are over focused on what a child learns.Given the pressure on children to be all-rounded, it is perhaps a matter of time before most students experience a breakdown in learning. To be successful in school, students need to be good at many things at the same time regardless of their strengths or weaknesses. This leads to frustration, humiliation, and failure among many of them. An undue pressure on the child can adversely affect his capacity to learn, as well as his ability to take pleasure in academic work. We must not forget that education must and should be joyous, not onerous. I have earlier referred to the successful growth of Tagore’s Santiniketan as focal point of imparting true and meaningful education without tears. But the study of science and technology was not sufficiently emphasized in their educational curriculum. This was not because of any inherent defect or deliberate lapse in their educational planning but because when Santiniketan was set up more than a century back (precisely on 22-12-1901) the study of Science and technology was not assigned the overriding importance in our educational curriculum. The position has undergone a sea-change since then in view of the phenomenal and exponential advancement in science and technology.The organizers of the Rainbow Concept School cannot afford to ignore this development. We have to remember that all training and teachings should be basically centered round science and technology. The 21st Century is universally acknowledged as the â€Å"Knowledge Century† which means that Knowledge or brain power through an extensive study and application of science and technology should be reflected in a country’s competitiveness, advancement and human capabilities Human capabilities today are a function of the well-being of a people and the investment we make in human capital formation.The ability of a nation to make best use of its knowledge or brain power will ultimately determine its place in the comity of nations in he present century. In this context, lifelong learning is a high priority for all and is in fact fundamental to the development of a nation. It builds the base for economic and social development, and fosters the capacity of individuals to contribute to and benefit from, that development. It also sustains and enriches both individual and overall culture of a nation and b uilds mutual respect and understanding that ultimately transcends all national differences and barriers.The Rainbow Concept School has to keep in view this development if it really wants to come up as a focal point of professional excellence. And yet, I must, caution that professional excellence without accompanying human virtues may many prove disastrous. As the adage goes that knowledge without character and science without humanity portend dangerous signals for a valued-based democratic society. We must therefore ensure that the development of a knowledge society encouraging professional excellence does not directly or indirectly discards the basics of human excellence .In the beautiful and inimitable words of our philosopher-statesman Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, (I quote) Knowledge is not something to be packed away in some corner of our brain, but is what enters into our being, colour our emotion, haunts our soul, and is as close to us as life itself. It is the over – mastering power which through the intellect moulds the whole personality, trains the emotions and disciplines the will. UnquoteI am sure that Rainbow Concept School would go a long way in boosting the tempo of development and help our country to reach soaring heights of perfection which would enable it to become a powerhouse of intellectual endeavour and knowledge engine of the world without in any compromising the qualities human virtues of kindness compassion, sympathy and fellow-feeling. With these words, I have great pleasure in inaugurating the Annual Day Function of the Rainbow Concept School. Jai Hind.

The Importance of Freedom in Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† grabs its readers from the start and creates an unexpected twist at the end of the short story. Louise Mallard is given the news that her husband has died in a terrible train accident. To her surprise, he arrives home and â€Å"did not even know there had been one† (Chopin, 607). Upon the death of Louise who once believes she was a widow only to find that her husband is still alive, the confusion begins. The death of Louise is questioned by many critics as a state of shock, depression, and sadness. However, Mark Cunningham’s criticism of Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† states that her death was instead a discovery of freedom from the physical strains of her marriage with her husband and societal views†¦show more content†¦She was finally free, and therefore did not want to jeopardize it by expressing her feelings too soon. Upon looking out the window Louise saw that â€Å"there wer e patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window† (Chopin, 607). The blue sky symbolizes the sadness in her life from her marriage and the clouds piling over this blue sky represents the fact that the sadness in her life was finally fading away and her happiness was finally being reached with the passing of her husband. Louise, â€Å"whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky† (Chopin, 607) realizes that this blue sky is indeed a representation of, as Cunningham would argue, â€Å"control of her life fully, for there is no place for her in patriarchal society† (Cunningham, 53). Louise’s gaze of the blueness in the sky, is the true realization that she is free from all worries and can finally live as the dominant woman partner in the relationship. Mark Cunningham’s critical argument looked at Louise’s â€Å"new understanding of her marriage and her supposed sudden freedom from that marriage as well as the position of women in the late nineteenth-century† (Cunningham, 49). However, I feel it’s important to study the background surrounding why this marriage may have been so straining on Louise’s life. Chopin’s short story makes many referencesShow MoreRelatedThe Unique Style Of Kate Chopin s Writing1603 Words   |  7 PagesThe unique style of Kate Chopin’s writing has influenced and paved the way for many female authors. Although not verbally, Kate Chopin aired political and social issues affecting women and challenging the validity of such restrictions through fiction. Kate Chopin, a feminist in her time, prevailed against the notion that a woman’s purpose was to only be a housewife and nothing more. Kate Chopin fortified the importance of women empowerment, self-express ion, self-assertion, and female sexuality throughRead MoreKate Chopin s Literary Creativity And Women s Independence1097 Words   |  5 Pagesthe most influential feminist writers of the century. From Chopin’s literary rejection of The Awakening, the rejection sparked a fire in Chopin’s feminist side. Chopin began writing short stories that would become society’s lead in literary creativity and women’s independence. Kate Chopin’s biography is astonishingly intriguing and the importance Chopin plays to the feminist literature genre is exceptional. Critics either rave Chopin’s work or completely destroy it. Kate Chopin, born KatherineRead MoreEssay on Structural Technique in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin861 Words   |  4 Pagesshort story. Kate Chopin uses structural techniques to enhance â€Å"The Story of an Hour† from beginning to end. She follows formal structure to a certain degree, but occasionally strays to actual structure. Upon analysis of the organization of Chopin’s story, the reader understands the powerful meaning that is expressed in such a short piece. Initially, a short story begins with an exposition. This is the laying out of important background information, characters, and setting. Chopin’s story is onlyRead MoreA Dolls House And A Dolls House Essay1421 Words   |  6 Pages Henrik Ibsen one of his most famous literature works â€Å"A doll’s house† and Kate Chopin’s short story â€Å"The story of an hour† portrays to the Victorian era, when women didn’t have rights. Both authors were born in an era where women didn’t have rights, and that women faced many aspects in life, such as being submissive to their husband’s, they were viewed as possessions than as people, and live a life that they didn’t want to live during the Victorian age. Even though Ibsen did not live the life ofRead More Contrast of Irony and Style in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour1411 Words   |  6 PagesContrast of Irony and Style in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopins use of irony in her short story, The Story of an Hour, stands in direct contrast to the subtle manner in which she tells the story. Strong use of irony in a short story yields more honesty in a character. She achieves this quality by immediately setting the premise, that Mrs. Mallards fragile health would ultimately lead to her demise, upon receiving the news of her husbands death. Before an immediate assumptionRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin862 Words   |  4 PagesFiction Analysis: The Story of an Hour Kate Chopin’s short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, is about one married woman’s true hidden feelings of being married in the 19th century. The story was published in 1894, a time where it was unacceptable for women to express their wants and needs as a woman. Women were not seen equal to men and did not have the same privileges as men such as voting. Therefore, some of her literary works were considered controversial. It wasn’t soon until the late 20 centuryRead More Womens Repression in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Essay711 Words   |  3 PagesKate Chopins The Story of an Hour is a great story that conveys an important message about life and how difficult it can be for women, particularly in previous centuries. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when this story was written, women were quite often mistreated and had to live restricted lives that lacked opportunity. Generally, women weren?t liberated during the 19th century. Traditionally , women did all the hard work in the house and had no opportunities to make their own living orRead MoreComparing the Yellow Wallpaper Story of an Hour1255 Words   |  6 PagesGilman and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin are two short stories that can today be categorized as feminist works of fiction. The main characters are females who are struggling for freedom from their husbands. Although the characters situations differ and the women react differently once they are aware of their suppression, the authors use similar motifs, imagery and themes. Both Gilman and Chopin use irony and the themes of repression of women in marriage and the importance of freedom to suggestRead MoreEssay about Symbolism in â€Å"The Story of an Hour†671 Words   |  3 Pagessymbols and imagery used by Kate Chopins in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† give the reader a sense of Mrs. Mallard’s new life appearing before her through her view of an â€Å"open window† (para. 4). Louise Mallard experiences what most individuals long for throughout their lives; freedom and happiness. By spending an hour in a â€Å"comfortable, roomy armchair† (para.4) in front of an open window, she undergoes a transformation that makes her understand the importance of her freedom. The authors use of Spring timeRead More The Differences in Josephine and Mrs. Mallard of Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour760 Words   |  4 PagesThe Differences in Josephine and Mrs. Mallard of Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour Free! Body and soul free!, Mrs. Mallard kept whispering. One persons ultimate freedom may be seen as a tragedy to another. Kate Chopin illustrates this idea in The Story of an Hour. The story is set in the nineteenth century. Chopin uses the death of Mr. Mallard to show the reader Mrs. Mallards deep feelings. In the story, Josephine and Mrs. Mallard are sisters. Although the women come from the same

Essay on Everyday Use by Alice Walker - 1097 Words

Sarah Benesh Dr. Susan Dauer English 1102 2 Febuary 2011 Analyzation of â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker In 1972, Alice Walker published â€Å"Everyday Use† in a collection of short stories In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black women. As better known â€Å"Everyday Use† stood out of the collection, it has become one of few short stories about the conflict black Americans faced after the Civil Rights Movement; The struggle to maintain traditions, whilst embracing new-found freedom, and where the two worlds collided. Discussing the reoccurring themes, symbols and motifs through the narrator’s perception, and actions will reveal if the character, and ultimately the reader himself has grown or remained static in affect of the conflict. As†¦show more content†¦This upsets the Narrator, Mama, she makes reference to Maggie being able to put them to everyday use, and she can always quilt more; while Dee adamantly protests. Mama makes a move to recover the quilts and Dee pulls them away and Ma ma thinks to herself â€Å"They already belonged to her† (Walker 456). In Mama’s perspective, the point of the quilts was the tradition of quilting, not the quilts themselves. She views Dee as someone to wants to act out the movements of appreciation of their culture, instead of passing it on. In the act of retrieving the quilts from Dee’s grip, and returning them to Maggie, Mama reveals herself as an unknowing, round character that can re-act differently than what is expected of her. Mama stands up for the true traditions in the face of her daughter, although her daughter believes herself to be the all knowing one. As well as the theme of old black world verses new, we come across the motif of names and re-naming within the short story. Just as Dee comes home dressed in African styled clothing, she re-names herself â€Å"Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo† to represent her full transformation into a true African woman. Her boyfriend’s name â€Å"Hakim.a. barber† also hints to the fact that he also took up the Muslim faith in an attempt of reform. Mama makes an effort to educate Dee on her name; how it was passed through generations and holds value in itself. Dee dismisses this fact, and it reveals Dees ignorance of the lineage of strong women she was bornShow MoreRelatedEveryday Use By Alice Walker852 Words   |  4 Pagescomes or belongs to one by reason of birth. In â€Å"Everyday Use†, by Alice Walker, the theme of the story can be considered as the meaning of heritage or even the power of education. Alice Walker uses many symbols and motifs such as the following: quilts, education, knowledge, Asalamalakim, and the renaming of Dee. In the story, African heritage and knowledge takes a major role. The African heritage plays a major role in the story, â€Å"Everyday Use†. Alice Walker emphasizes the meaning of heritage by havingRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1372 Words   |  6 PagesEverday Use† research paper In â€Å"everyday Use,† Alice Walker tells a narrative of a mother’s frustrating relationship together with her two daughters. At this facet, â€Å",Everyday Use†, tells that how a mom little by little refuses the cursory values of her older, successful daughter at the aspect of the useful values of her younger, much less lucky daughter. On a deeper outlook, Alice Walker takes on the theme of heritage and its norms as it applies to African-Americans. Everday Use, is set insideRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1102 Words   |  5 Pagespoem â€Å"Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers† can be read similar to Alice Walker s short story Everyday Use† both are compared by the women’s ways of showing their strengths and how they identify their values, expressions and strength. Advertised in the general outlines of the plot, both literary themes talks of a quest for freedom, the characters identity and self-expression. Adrienne Rich â€Å"Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers† Alice Walker â€Å"Everyday Use† Comparison Paper Analyzing the two types of literatureRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1372 Words   |  6 Pagessociety as a whole, but more specifically in the African American Community. Alice Walker gives slight insight into   what being forced   to assimilate is like. She says in her short story Everyday Use: She will stand hopelessly in corners homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe. Statements such as these are a regular occurrence in her works. Walker often speaks on the ever so disheartening topic of cultural assimilation and theRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker996 Words   |  4 PagesIn the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, the author describes different ideas about one’s heritage. Culture and heritage is at the main point of the story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker as symbolized by the quilt. The bond that Mother and Maggie share is brought by their common talent to make works of art like quilts. Dee does not have similar capacity because she does not appreciate manual labor nor believes in her heritage. The idea of pride in culture, heritage, and family is the mainRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1721 Words   |  7 PagesIn her short story â€Å"Everyday Use,† Alice Walker summarizes the representation of the beauty, the conflicts and struggles within African-American culture. â€Å"Everyday Use† focuses mainly between members of the Johnson family, consisting of a mother and her two daughters. One of the daughters Maggie, who was injured in a house fire and has living a shy life clinging to her mother for security. Her older sister is Dee, who grew up with a grace and natural beauty. â€Å"Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicerRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1655 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"everyday Use,† Alice Walker tells a narrative of a mother’s frustrating relationship together with her two dau ghters. At this facet, â€Å",Everyday Use†, tells that how a mom little by little refuses the cursory values of her older, successful daughter at the aspect of the useful values of her younger, much less lucky daughter. On a deeper outlook, Alice Walker takes on the theme of heritage and its norms as it applies to African-Americans. Everday Use, is set inside the late ,60s or mid ,70sRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1735 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker and â€Å"Brownies† by ZZ Packer are two different short stories with different lessons but both talk about the topic of race. Both stories talks about the time in the 20th century when slavery just ended but racism are still active between African Americans and Caucasians. Walker described a story about a single African American mother who is waiting for her daughter to arrive from college. Packer described a story about these African American fourth graders who are inRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1111 Words   |  5 Pagestheir culture. Alice Walker highlights and distinguishes the dissimilarities and clichà © of country African American women with the actualities that make up their lives. Characterized by short, compound sentences, with long adjectives and use of literary elements, her style is eloquent co nversational and authentic. Alice Walker’s short story, Everyday Use is stylistic, ironic and narrates profound interpretation of unique views and approaches to African-American culture. Walker’s use of characterizationRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1725 Words   |  7 Pages17 April 2017 Everything is Not What it Seems Sometimes people forget that heritage has to do with truly understanding their past. Many often misrepresent it, especially the younger generations who just accept its presence. Alice Walker’s short story, â€Å"Everyday Use,† revolves around an African American family that consists of three women, who are very different from each other. The story begins with Maggie and Mama waiting in the yard for Dee, the main character, to visit from Augusta. Dee is