Analysis of the Main Theme in Sidney Sheldon’s Tell Me Your Dreams Essay

Sidney Sheldon’s book, â€Å"Tell Me Your Dreams† carries a dark theme. It focuses on how the central character, Ashley Patterson, represents the seemingly well-adjusted, successful and attractive young working professional.   Deep inside though, she is experiencing stormy emotions.   A product of   traumatic childhood experiences, she is a walking disaster, ready to explode.   She is proof that parental abuse can strongly affect an individual’s future behavior and life.   The power of parental nurturing cannot be underestimated, and lack of respect by a parent for a helpless child can produce trauma, shattered dreams and disastrous results which the child carries into adulthood. Ashley Patterson’s troubled personality is introduced at the very start of the novel.   Her paranoid state is immediately presented in the novel’s first few lines: Someone was following her.   She had read about stalkers, but they belonged in a different, violent world†¦ She was trying desperately hard not to panic. But lately her sleep had been filled with unbearable nightmares and she had awakened each morning with a feeling of an impending   doom (Sheldon, 1998, p. 3) Described as an intelligent and attractive woman who has been living in Cupertino, California for three years at the start of   the story, Ashley Patterson, daughter of a famous heart surgeon Dr. Steven Patterson, seems to have many good things going for her. Looks, however, can be deceiving.   Not all that looks well on the outside – like an innocent and beautiful appearance, reflects what is on the inside. Ashley gets involved in a series of brutal murders, specifically men who were stabbed and castrated.   As far as the police authorities were concerned, truth can be hard to find and later, as they were to find out, hard to believe. Eventually, the authorities find the same DNA in each crime scene, trace it to her, and Ashley is arrested and placed under psychiatric investigation. While undergoing therapy Gilbert Keller, Ashley’s dark past is gradually revealed.   Ashley admits that her co-workers, the outgoing and merry Toni Prescott, and the shy and lonely painter Alette Peter are not real, when she says to Dr. Keller: Don’t you understand? They’re not real. They’re my imagination (Sheldon, 1998, p. 308). When Dr. Keller suggests bringing the three women fact-to-face with each other and tells Ashley, â€Å"You have to get to know one another. It’s the only way you’re going to be cured† (Sheldon, 1998, p. 308), he confirms the main character’s multiple personality disorder. Dr. Keller’s calming presence symbolizes peace in Ashley’s world of chaos and pain.   He soothes Ashley when he explains to   her the presence of her other personalities Toni and Alette by saying, â€Å"you must remember that Toni was born out of your pain, to protect you.   The same is true of Alette† (Sheldon, 1998, p. 344).   At this point, and as the story progresses, readers are able to see how Ashley’s painful past – including a father who sexually assaulted her and a mother who did not appreciate her – had caused her personality disorder, leading to her crime. She remembers how her mother was scolding her for singing while they were in a car, which leads to an accident (Sheldon, 1998, p. 349). Her worst and repeated memories of her father saying â€Å"You’ll like this† followed by â€Å"an image of the man getting into bed beside her† followed by a scream to stop (Sheldon, 1998, p. 327) depicts just how haunting and traumatic child abuse in the physical or sexual sense can be. This highlights   the duality of the human psyche.   Ashley’s father may be famous and enviable and he may have obtained the respect of his colleagues and the general public, but to his own daughter he is a monster. Ashley Patterson’s guilt is confirmed in the story when her split-personality character says, †I’m not a dangerous criminal. I’m a normal woman. And a voice inside her said, Who murdered five innocent people† (Sheldon, 1998, p. 291).   With this, the novel’s main theme – of serious parent-child conflict can be highly traumatizing. Parental abuse carries grave consequences like behavioral problems and sometimes, the effect – like youth violence — is irreparable. I chose this theme because it is one that is being experienced in an alarming way in different countries. It is a universal problem that requires concerted action – by therapists, family members, police authorities, social workers, the community-at-large, and so on. What interested me about the novel’s plot is the dramatic revelation, through Ashley’s therapist, of her multiple characters. Then, there is also the gentle and positive reassurance provided by Dr. Keller, which gives an encouraging portrayal of the medical community, and how it sees a   breakthrough when patients who are victims of abuse seem to make progress or attempt to let go of their hurts and pains. The most important character in â€Å"Tell Me Your Dreams† is Ashley Patterson. All the unfolding events and issues revolve through her, and she serves as a symbol of others who suffer a disorder but who deserve to be treated not as inferior beings but as individuals who need understanding and help.   On the other hand, her father symbolizes the demented   minds of those who may appear respectable from the outside but who are capable of causing tremendous harm with their acts. The context, or the place and time where the story takes place, begins in Cupertino, California, a sleepy corner of the world but one which is bustling with corporate activity.   The context helps highlight the dual personalities of several characters in the novel, like Ashley Patterson and Dr, Steven Patterson. The story also takes readers from London to Rome to Quebec City to San Francisco in Bedford, Cupertino, as if pointing out how fast and varied modern-day developments go. The context, or multiple settings, also parallels the multiple personalities of the main character and their different activities at different points in time. Ashley Patterson’s multiple personality disorder is discussed by Dr. Salem, readers gain a better understanding of a disorder which is real.   It is described as â€Å"a condition where there are several completely different   personalities in one body. It’s also known as dissociatve identity disorder. It’s been in the psychiatric literature for more than two hundred years. It usually starts because of a childhood trauma. The victim shuts out the trauma by creating another identity† (Sheldon, 1998, chap. 12).   Ã‚  The author leaves an encouraging note in his book that say that some cases of multiple personality disorders are treatable.   Unfortunately, this was not the case with Ross Carlson, a teenage boy diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder. As the news goes: In the summer of 1983, the bodies of Rod and Marilyn Carlson were found beside a road in Douglas County, Colorado. Both had been shot execution-style in the back of the head. Ross Carlson, their teenage son, was later charged with the murders†¦ Eventually, therapists identified as many as 10 personalities residing within Carlson. His attorneys later argued that Carlson’s parents were abusive people who forced their twisted religion on their only child, causing him to develop the diverse characters as a defense mechanism†¦. The six-year drama ended in 1989 when, at age 25, Ross Carlson died of leukemia (â€Å"Multiple Personality Disorder,† para. 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ross Carlson is the real-life counterpart of Ashley Patterson. In both cases, the truth hurts – that people who are your family and who are   supposed to nurture and protect you can be capable of inflicting the greatest harm.   The two cases – one portrayed in a novel based on real life, and the other a real-life incident – show that family upbringing and genuine care, concern and nurturing from parents are the best guarantees for a child’s future.   The two cases stress that people afflicted with Multiple Personality Syndrome are, after all, human beings who, in the first place, just needed to love, to be understood, and to heal.                                     References Larson, B. (n.d.). Multiple Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 19, 2008, from http://pullingdownstrongholds.com/deliverance/multiple_personality_disorder.htm Sheldon, S. (1998). Tell me your dreams. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Business Research Project Essay

Last week our team was requested to identify a company that has faced or is currently facing problems or situations that can be addressed by research. We chose Blockbuster as our research project, we analyzed the company and identified the company’s bankruptcy as our research problem. Based on that, we set our research hypothesis as the possible causes or reasons that lead the company to bankruptcy. According to that hypothesis we formulated our research questions. In order to go ahead with our investigation and find out if any of the independent variables proposed in our research is related to the bankruptcy of Blockbuster, we have to identify who is going to be our population and our research sample. Let starts first by understanding what populations and a sample are. In statistical terminology a population can be understood as a determined or specific set of things or units that are going to be investigated or studied, while a sample or population sample can be described as a subset or portion of the total units comprising the population. In other words the population is the group of elements or objects to be studied or investigated and of which inferences are made, that later will be tested to be finally accepted or discarded. By sampling a representative portion of the population is selected to be tested the results and conclusions about the population are drawn. Our investigation is limited to Puerto Rico area, so our targeted population will be Blockbuster customers in Puerto Rico. Our sample will consist of 24 puertorrican Blockbuster users selected utilizing the random sampling method. Once we have identified the sample we need to determine which data collection method will be used to obtain information. The collection and analysis of information is extremely important and there are four basic ways in which data can be collected. The first one is to obtain the data from a previously published source, this one is possible when someone has already collected and published the data needed. The second method is to perform an experiment to obtain the data. By this method a specific experiment is  designed and performed by the researcher under specific and controlled conditions. The third method is performing a survey, this method consist of selecting a sample and delivered them several question and record the information given by respondents. The last method is the observation, by this method the researcher observes behavior of the population in their natural environment and records the findings. As our data collection method we chose the survey that will be delivered to the selected sample of Blockbuster customers in Puerto Rico. Our survey will contain several questions to be answered and will consist in to parts. The first one will have multiple choice questions and the second one will have question that will require the opinion of the respondent. This method will allow us to have and insight on what was the real reason behind Blockbuster’s bankruptcy, and the closure of its video stores. This surveys will be sent by email to the personal email address of the respondents. They will have 7 days to answer it and send it back by email. Once the responses are received the answer given in the multiple choice question will be tabulated and the others will be recorded and analyzed. Reference University of Phoenix. (2014). Week Three Statistics: Statistic for Business and Economics 11th Chapter 6. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, QNT/561PR website. University of Phoenix. (2014). Week Three Statistics: Statistic for Business and Economics 11th Chapter 7. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, QNT/561PR website. University of Phoenix. (2014). Week Three Statistics: Business Research Methods 11th Chapter 10. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, QNT/561PR website. University of Phoenix. (2014). Week Three Statistics: Business Research Methods 11th Chapter 11. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, QNT/561PR website. University of Phoenix. (2014). Week Three Statistics: Business Research Methods 11th Chapter 12. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, QNT/561PR website.

ONE PAGE PER QUESTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ONE PAGE PER QUESTION - Essay Example This war spread like wildfire throughout the world even reached the neutral states, newly independent countries in Africa, Asia etc. When the President Truman passed an anti-communist policy, the war between the Soviet Union and USA began. The name â€Å"cold war† is used because it did not feature any direct military action because both sides possessed nuclear weapons and the use of these arms from either side was a guaranteed destruction for both. The cold war ended in 1945 after the Berlin wall was broken down, the Soviet Union was defeated by collapsing into several independent states. One side had a vast army and the other had the most powerful weapon, the A-bomb and soviets had no idea about the total number of those bombs. We could believe for some time that the world is safer now that the cold war is over, but now that we have a multi-polar society. The current prevailing issues are more hazardous than the one in which we were aware of the enemies and there were a constant negotiation to solve the issues but now it only takes a bomb attack and lots of false accusations to set the world on fire which would end nobody knows where. 2) World War II began in 1939 when the Great Britain and France declared a war on Germany and invaded Poland. The invasion in Poland did trigger the war on Germany, but the overall causes of the war are very complex. Following are the events that lead toward the Second World War: Treaty of Versailles: in 1919 Lloyd George from England, Orlando from Italy, Clemenceau from France and Woodrow from US had a meeting to discuss the damages that occurred after World War I. in this meeting it was also planned that how Germany should be made to pay for starting the war. Woodrow Wilson formed a treaty based on 14 points, George Clemenceau and Lloyd George strongly agreed to them. Germany had been expecting something like it but they were unhappy with

Thomas Hobbes Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thomas Hobbes - Article Example Hobbes eventually died in Hardwick in 1679 at the age of 90 after he was attacked by paralysis. He will always be remembered for his political philosophies and this indifferent way of commenting (on philosophical fronts) from others. Hobbes developed his own political analysis and philosophy, which he documented in the form of a book published in 1651 with the title of Leviathan. His arguments in the said publication were illuminating. It is so very simple in the daily happenings of a man who is a selfish and greedy organism, always ready at war with other men (organisms of his type) for his own well being and benefit. His suggestions are that people have turned very selfish in their normal way of living and they lead a unkind life towards other humans which they should not do in the first place. Everyone does not follow the path set by good men of past, which is much to his dislike. He does not like the attitude possessed by the people who follow the sovereigns as if they are Gods or more than them. Fear of death, according to him, is one such thing, which brings to our notice that makes them follow the sovereigns in any possible way they can. A worldly leader cannot in anyway represent people's attitudes; but the same according to him is happening day in day out in this world. The person having authority lets his commands rule, which Hobbes does not quite approve of in any way. His other books also suggest the same ideologies, which are there in his hit one, Leviathan. These suggested his interest in gathering some analysis on political philosophies as well as some comparisons with the ways in w hich leaders and sovereigns have lived their lives and as a consequence ruled over people. Other theorists also followed in the same fashion as Hobbes did. They studied his analyses and thus made their own in the light of what Hobbes had already said. Amongst them were included big names like J.L.Stephen. C.H.Hinnat, T. Surrell. Hobbes was not very happy with the teachings of Aristotle and remarked them as being mistake in doctrine. He ridiculed the English universities of their dull approach towards their curriculum. In reality, he owed both to Aristotle as well as the English universities because he laid the foundation of his beliefs courtesy through Aristotle and these varsities. Hobbes pays importance on the topic of virtue. According to him, virtue develops the respect amongst people so that they can live within the pre-set moral laws and follow them in conformance. Virtue provides an incentive or benefit from which the person can benefit as long as he is alive. It is an ever-lasting impression on one's personality. Thomas Hobbes suggests that the impulses that one has within him/her every now and then should be controlled so that a person's personality does not effect drastically or at other times, quite swiftly. Moral strength is the key for a person and he/she should not let loose on this very asset of his/her. Controlling desires is also an advantage that one has over other of his fellow human beings. One should never let his/her desires get the better of him/her under any circumstances whatsoever. Hobbes has been in the forefront like Locke, Kant and Mill in introducing within people the importance of virtue. They term it as of similar importance as people tie themselves to their mind and

E-Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-Business Management - Essay Example The highly dynamic and competitive characteristics of e-businesses offer to generate revenue streams in various ways. As Dave (2003) noted, â€Å"all electronically mediated information exchanges, both within an organization and with external stakeholders supporting the range of business processes†, organization needs improved e-business technologies in order to formulate a sustainable business strategy. Innovation among e-businesses usually occurs through new exchange and transaction mechanisms not found in traditional organizations. Due to lack of geographical boundaries, virtual markets are reachable to a huge number of people and products. It is also economically viable for firms to outsource their services quickly and cheaply to the developing countries. Over the last few decades, the dynamics of highly competitive global industry have forced organizations to rethink and re-evaluate the way they design competitive strategies in accordance with the fluctuating demand and d iverse technologies. According to Robert Grant (2005), â€Å"When the external environment is in a state of flux, the firm itself, in terms of its bundle of resources and capabilities, may be a much more stable basis on which to define its identity†. ... Strategic Application of E-CRM and E-Marketing According to Lee-Kelley, Gilbert and Mannicom (2003), â€Å"e-CRM refers to the marketing activities, tools and techniques, delivered over the Internet (using technologies such as Web sites and e-mail, data-capture, warehousing and mining) with a specific aim to locate, build and improve long-term customer relationships to enhance their individual potential.† The adoption of e-commerce has long-term impacts on business profitability. Larger customers reach and existing customers’ base has potential for increasing revenues. Additionally, electronic service greatly reduces the operational costs such as staff, transport and materials reducing the purchasing costs. It also helps to improve communication and relationships with workforce, suppliers and customers. Complex business processes get simplified and standardized increasing the speed of access to information. Integrated business processes improve reliability, accuracy and also shorten the delivery time. After the advent of World Wide Web, firms are using digital technologies such as intranets, extranets, online purchasing and e-government services to promote sales. Companies experienced increase in their stock prices by adapting to the internet. For instance, the web store of North West Supplies is online since 2002. In the first six months of website launch, the company had increased sales by ?20,000 through application of pay per click advertising. In order to reduce further advertising costs, the company redesigned its website and implemented Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The improvements in website design and marketing methods added to the NWS brand value increasing the annual turnover from ?250,000 to ?350,000. For

London Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

London - Case Study Example Project managers should ensure they select tactics, which will work in favor of the organizations’ goals and objectives. During the 2012 London Olympic Games, the challenge was to ensure maximum participation and revenue for the organizations responsible for managing the events (President and Fellows of Harvard College, 1). A good pricing strategy enables organizations to utilize their resources effectively. The organizations are able to achieve this by ensuring that all available capacity is utilized effectively without unnecessary wastage. This reduces the operation cost since the fixed cost decreases with the increase in units of output. In 2012 London Olympic Games, organizers of the event were able to ensure that all capacity was utilized by selling all tickets for available seats to interested individuals and that no seats were left vacant (According to President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2. The sales of tickets accounts for twenty percents of total revenue for Olympic Games organization. When setting prices for the company’s products, marketers should ensure that their products are accessible to as many people as possible. This will help to make the products and services popular and enable them maximize their market share. They should target clients from different classes by setting different prices for different groups’ people. In 2012 London Olympic Games, the organization responsible for coordinating the games tickets at affordable prices to ensure as many people as possible attended the games (President and Fellows of Harvard College, 3). They had estimated a total of 7.9 million people would attend the function, and so they prepared tickets for the estimated group. Setting prices for the products also requires the company to ensure that their target groups are not locked out of the organizations products. During the London Olympic Games in 2012, organization which was

Business communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Business communication - Essay Example The primary motive of this venture is to increase the customer trust and erase the fear from the passengers. This report has also evaluated a press release to convey the current activities to their stakeholders. Malaysian airline is the major airline operator of Malaysia whose primary hub is Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Strydom, 2005). This airlines company was established in the year of 1937 with twin engine and 8-seater aircrafts. Throughout the years, the airline has grown widely to fulfil the demand of consumers from all over the world (Malaysia Airlines, 2012). During the year of 2014, the company has experienced two major crashes which have degraded the global reputation and its financial condition (The New York Times, 2014). The organization therefore needs to put in strong efforts to design a strategic plan which will help them to rebuild their global reputation and financial position. This paper will carry out a situational analysis in order to evaluate the internal and external business environment of Malaysian Airline and to assess their capabilities, resources and customers. The SWOT analysis of Malaysian Airline System will help in understanding the external opportunities and threats as well as the internal strength and weaknesses of the organization. This analysis will provide further assistance to the organization to evaluate new market strategies (Piercy and Giles, 1989). The airline has faced a financial loss of around $170 million in the year of 2012 and 2013. This reduction in profit margin of the organization has adversely affected the sustainability of the organization. In the year of 2014, the Malaysian Airlines has faced two major mishaps such as the shot down of their MH17 aircraft and disappearance of the MH370 aircraft. These disasters have decreased the reputation of this airline in the global market (CAPA Centre for aviation, 2015). Political environment of various regions has a great

China's Renminbi Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

China's Renminbi Paper - Essay Example This paper will discuss whether the China’s currency stands overrated, and give reasons behind its low value against the US dollar. It will also point out the likely consequences that rise with a 20% revaluation of China. Question 1: Value of China’s currency China’s currency familiarizes itself with many sanctions. This proves the currency to be different from other currencies like the US dollar, with considerations to capital flow (Saturn, 2008). In 2005, China felt pressure being mounted on her concerning its currency. This made China to unwillingly make changes to its exchange rate policy. Critics claim that China’s currency is overvalued. Their reasoning is that China’s government is decisively maintaining the value to make huge profits from trade. The currency’s recent rate floats between thin bands around a published equivalence in opposition to a basket of other currencies. If its equivalence acts to be too cheap, then China’s currency stands at a high value; the National Bureau of Economic Research quotes that: "once putting together vague plus serial links which they take accountability for, there is small numerical proof that China’s currency is overvalued." When currency rates at a high value, it portrays the countries willingness to take part in foreign trade, at the current exchange rate. This puts China in a position of selling more goods with its currency than they can purchase with a corresponding sum of US dollar. Undervaluing the currency makes exporting goods from China cheaper and allows them to control a large trade surplus with the US. Also, it depicts China as an economical country to locate labor and manufacture goods. This leads to the decision that China’s currency it not overvalued. Question 2: Reasons behind the currency’s low value against the dollar The currency’s current value against the US dollar stands at around 2%. This means that 8 RMB is equivalent to 1 dollar. This, in the view of the US government, rates the currency to be lowly placed. China decided to absorb foreign currencies into circulation, the funds, mainly invested in US Treasury bonds. This brought a secured but low-return investment. It also followed an accumulation of US dollars around 1 trillion in foreign investment in 2007. The main reason behind China’s decision to place its currency at a low value circulates around what it stands to benefit from its trade partners; these being the likes of US. Through exports to US, with the current value of China’s currency, China gains more through sells. This comes with its own risks because it stirs the feeling of exploitation to US (Saturn, 2008). China takes the risk of facing harsh sanctions and tariffs from US. If the exchange rate instability goes up, then the value of these assets would also become unstable. The increased instability of financial trade puts pressure to the steadiness of the financial system, and makes monetary policy objectives much difficult to reach. US, on the other hand stands to be exploited with China which seeks to benefit from it. The value of the dollar stands to go down because of low market deficit. Question 3: Risk of the 20% revaluation for China’s currency The government of China in the recent days has engaged in ideas of revaluation of its currency. It main idea revolves around investing abroad. China’s main trading partners are not only western countries. It also trades with Japan, and other Asian and

Netflix in 2012 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Netflix in 2012 - Case Study Example The five forces model has been rated in the table as shown. Netflix Company currently experiences medium entry barriers. The company does not experience much of the entry barriers. However, the company receives low cost of switching powers concerning the capital requirements thus enhancing financial stability. Besides, Netflix seems to be one of the leading movie rental companies with decline in the identity and loyalty to subscription (Thompson 140). The organizational returns are mainly linked to customers’ returns that have bargaining power in terms of the quantity of order, while most customers are not willing to make streams as before. The above is because most customers have found alternatives to watching movies. The organization experiences different types of competitors from all corners of the world including Amazon and blockbusters who deal in similar products. As in the case above, Netflix needs to redefine the strategy and offer the best video on demand based on customers experience (Thompson 147). The company experience high level of competitiveness splitting along two main service provisions, pay TV distributors and cash technological companies. For instance, the organization experiences Apple cash balance leading to a decline in sales from 11.84 to $77.37 in Nov 2011. It has also been facilitated by low switching cost of consumers (Thompson 140). The organization experiences high bargaining power of suppliers with the quality in content-based as part of the organizational key input. Otherwise, there is no specific substitute for movie contents. Therefore, suppliers are limited to high-quality contents (Thompson 140). As from the year 2000, the movie industry has experienced quite a big mode of transition from technology to electronics and multiple consumer opportunities. For instance, current

Online AP Classes Are Big Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online AP Classes Are Big Business - Case Study Example A system that allows one not to pay attention to major courses is disadvantageous for educational purposes. The AP classes have increased failure rates in schools. Many students are taking the AP classes in High schools. At the same time, statistics indicate that there is a growing number of students who fail their exams in high school. Thus, it is an indication that the AP system does not target or maximize on the students rate of learning. The learning outcomes are rather weak preventing the students from getting the maximum knowledge intended (Fandl & Smith 2013). Students undertaking the AP classes are at a disadvantage when joining college. Joining college entails students achieving a certain criteria of minimum requirements. The AP students are at a disadvantage as majority of the students fail to pass the exams. Thus, they cannot match the students who attended normal classes. The AP classes tend to cover much content in class in a short time. The students fail to have a natural interaction with the instructors. The teachers cannot help develop each students according to their capabilities. The online classes are flexible and convenient. Online classes would be helpful for college students who have to keep their day job. It offers the student a chance to learn during free time. The free time could be during odd hours like late in the night. One could easily log in the schools website and access scholarly materials or submit an assignment. The online classes are pocket friendly. One could save on certain expenses such as transportation on a daily basis. It requires a computer and constant internet to take part in learning. There are colleges that would provide their students with free internet (Bourne & Moore 2004). Online classes would allow the students to take additional courses. The classes are flexible and accommodating requiring only a few hours of attendance. A student

The Books and School Essay Example for Free

The Books and School Essay In the first few pages of the book, Bloom highlights the importance of reading and studying literature and at the same time mentions one’s limitations about conducting this exercise. He writes, â€Å"The Biblical thee-score years and ten no longer suffice to read more than selection of the great writers in what can be called the Western tradition, let alone in all the word’s traditions. †(Bloom, 1995, p. 17) The best of the literature, finds new perspectives with the passage of time. New interpretations are introduced; many additions to the old ones are done, as per the demands of the time. The fable of the yesteryears becomes the reality of the day as for some characters in works of famous writers. They have the all-time appeal, as they transcend all secular limitations, and establish for themselves a unique place in the history of literature. Bloom dives deep in to the ocean of literature and tries to collect and introduce the pearls of wisdom to his readers. How did he achieve it and what were the implications? The re-examination of the world of literature afresh†¦ â€Å"Originally The Canon meant the choice of books in our teaching instructions, and despite the recent politics of multiculturalism, the Canon’s true question remains: What shall the individual who still desires to read attempt to read, this late history? †(Bloom, p. 17) asks Bloom and seems to grope for the answer. He attempts to dive deep in to the ocean of literature Age-wise the Autocratic Age, the Democratic Age, and the Chaotic Age. Any literature has time-value but there is a branch of ‘literature’ that transcends limitations of time. And more reading doesn’t mean more knowledge. Why should anyone attempt to possess all knowledge? The limitations of human existence, prima-facie, negate such possibility, even if one intensely wishes! I am reminded of a real-life incident. The question asked to a candidate for a high-profile selection post, was â€Å"Who is the Finance Minister of Spain? † Obviously the Interview Board Member was trying to corner the candidate. The bold candidate answered the question with a counter-question, â€Å"Sir, may I know from you who the Sports Minister of Nigeria is? I frankly say, that it is not necessary for me or anyone to acquire such superfluous general knowledge. It has nothing to do with one’s efficiency or productivity related to work. † What you do is not important; how you do what you do is important. Similarly, what you read is not important; how you read what you read is important-rather what you assimilate is the crux of the reading exercise. Presently, when the world is deeply impacted by the materialistic civilization, the industrial and internet revolution lays the real fear of the reading habit getting minimal- reading, just out of necessity and no more the soul pleasure! Bloom’s sincere efforts to re-kindle the passion for reading as for authors like Shakespeare, Austen and Dickens, is laudable and it is the need of the time , to come out of the web of dreary and mechanical life. Having said that, he poses the well-meaning question related to the Canon, â€Å"What shall the individual who still desires to read attempt to read, this late in history? A maestro of Classical Music takes interviews for the prospective candidates for judging their potentiality as for the inborn musical talents. He just asks them to sing a line or two, and he is able to judge their intrinsic worth. Bloom’s opinions about the quality of literature are somewhat similar. He is fascinated by the literary world created by Shakespeare. To him he is the be-all and end-all of the canon that he defines for the Western world, the standard by which one judges all literature. Bloom rightly opines that human mind has limitations as for acquiring the knowledge. When one transcends the mind-barrier it is altogether a different world and it is not possible to describe that state through verbal communications. Because, it is the final stage of experiencing, this is beyond then realm of words. Shakespeare, according to Bloom is the master psychologist- he has tackled each type of psychological situations and given answers through his characters. It is therefore, not necessary to read the psychological texts with the hope of finding anything new, after having read Shakespeare. This holds well, according to Bloom, in the religious contest as well. Shakespeare’s understanding of the religious tenets is so perfect! But not so about spirituality, admits Bloom candidly! An elegy for the Canon, Bloom does three types of classifications for the literature: The Autocratic Age, The Democratic Age and the Chaotic Age. Bloom makes rather the controversial statement that all great writing can end up sounding rather too similar. To select 26 authors of the vast multitude of literature should be a tough task for Bloom, but to the lucky ones in his team, he has rendered yeoman service. He has done a fine survey of classical literary traditions. Many have found it so rewarding to read these authors, in the light of the critical assessment done and fresh light thrown by Bloom. He has made the flowers of literary taste bloom in the desert. (Those who were hitherto disinterested in classical literature) Two issues immensely influence any author. The influence of Nature and the influence of the works of other authors! This process can be termed as literary sparks generated out of friction. One idea gives rise to several ancillary ideas, sometimes more profound and brilliant than the original idea. Through the introduction to various authors, Bloom has succeeded in inspiring the readers as well and that created the chain reaction in them to read more and more. The authors probably wrote one more book by such inspiration and the readers read another book! Both are the comparable processes of the literary genius latent in an individual. Therefore, those who have read the Western Canon of Bloom have admitted that it has been the most rewarding experience of their lives. No contradictions can be made as for Bloom’s observation about the impact of the materialistic civilization, ruthless competition, where moral boundaries are often violated and he asserts that such a process does destroy literary study in the name of socio-economic justice. One who creates literature and the one who loves literature have peculiar types of hearts, which a normal secular individual would find it difficult to understand. Such literary giants may have to pass through derision and even opposition. And finally a stage of willing acceptance would not be far off. There are ample examples of such developments if one goes through the history of mankind over the last few centuries. Bloom is however is too much obsessed about Shakespeare. No doubt, he is brilliant among the brilliants, but Blooms overreacts as for the glory that Shakespeare was, is and will be! Well, that is Bloom’s personal opinion, and one need not agree with it. An author writes true to his convictions. He doesn’t write to please someone. Reading Bloom’s book should be the beginning of the literary saga for any individual, not the end! It should never be! Conclusion: Bloom is a highly evolved individual, and he seems to have crossed the last hurdle of the mind-barrier. He has repeatedly knocked the portals of spirituality, but he has not entered it. He has, however, succeeded in taking certain potshots at it. If he were to cross it, his perspective about the entire mass of literature, would have changed, and he would have understood the meaningfulness and meaningless of the literary classics. But from his intellectual level, he has given the best possible explanations and views about the Western Canon. ============= Works Cited: Bloom, Harold: Book: The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages: Paperback: 560 pages Publisher: Riverhead Trade; 1st Riverhead Ed edition (September 1, 1995) Language: English ISBN-10: 1573225142 ISBN-13: 978-1573225144