Confirmation Names vs. Carpathia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Confirmation Names vs. Carpathia - Essay Example Vicky chooses the name Barbara after letting a boy read her palm; St Barbara is described as the "patron saint of those in danger of sudden death." The legend of Saint Barbara begins when her faith in Christianity strengthens; her father becomes furious and beheads her. Soon after, a lightning bolt strikes down her father. This event led to her being canonized a saint, who grants protection in time of danger from thunderstorms, fires, and sudden death. Saint Barbara is commonly characterized as standing by a tower with three windows, carrying the palm of a martyr in her hand. Lippo's choice of saints' names for each of his characters is a symbol of their personalities. In Kercheval's "Carpathia", there is an ironic reference in relation to the Titanic ship. The icy water symbolizes the relationship between the father and the mother in reversed roles. The first note of this reversal is observed when the survivors are mostly women and children, and "only 2 sailors for each boat." In the second paragraph, it is glaring how the father feels, as he "stood looking at the icy water where, if he had been on the other ship, he would be." The father then proceeds to exclaim his choice of what he would have done if he were on the boat, as he exclaims, "They should have put the men in the lifeboats." The mother, disturbed, "was the one drowning." Both short stories reflect internal conflicts. At first in Lippo's "Confirmation", the characters reflect themselves with the saints on the outside. However, the internal workings go much deeper. The woods represent the things "off-limits" to the nuns, but to the characters (both the saints and children) to them it is their own sanctuary. The Saints had all suffered martyrdom. Carpathia's the internal conflict presented in the relationship with the mother and father. Both of them are disgusted with their choices and the events that had taken place. However, if the roles were to be reversed, according to the wish of the father, mother and her unborn child would not have survived, for "She was pregnant" and it felt like "she was the one drowning." The father would rather have them be in the icy waters and he be saved. The conflicts are resolved. This is because in Lippo's, the conflict is resolved in the lasting closing paragraph about Magdalene, who was the secret patron whose spirit, they believed, watches over them from the trees. The characters involvement with the saints and the church, the forest and themselves, provides them a sanctuary. From the very beginning, the nuns had made the woods "off-limits" and "Magdalene, the whore." Nevertheless, the characters went into the woods, even before mass because "She was the saint who turned the flesh Divine." The confirmation was not a mere event to give names but a sacramental event in both the woods and the church, which both "studied the saints." The conflict is not resolved in Carpathia. There are many emotional events taking place at the same time. The father had openly expressed his choice that the mother should have drowned. "Confirmation Names," and "Carpathia" seem to be stories of two extreme opposites; they are closely linked to unearth a similar central conflict. Confirmation signify's new beginning, a life of prospects and adventure whilst Carpathia

Influence of Mergers on Firm Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Influence of Mergers on Firm Performance - Essay Example The result of a merger may therefore have a positive or negative influence on a firm’s productivity. This paper draws on theory and evidence in evaluating the extent to which mergers influence the performance of firms. Influence of Mergers on Firm Performance Mergers increase market power of firms, which is the ability to influence the price and supply of a commodity in the market without affecting customer loyalty (Peterson, 2002). The merging firms within a particular industry are able to establish a monopoly that is capable of controlling the quantities and prices of commodities produced. On the other hand, as DePamphilis (2002) observes, merging increases the competitive advantage of firms over competitors. A market leader results from mergers so long as government policy favors a monopolistic market and hence with the perspective of market power, mergers can be considered to have a positive influence on a firm’s performance. Organizational effectiveness can also be accomplished through mergers that pool resources from the merging organizations to form one firm with a strong resource base. A firm that has success to sufficient resources is capable of maintaining a competitive advantage. ... This allows the firm to have sufficient time to test the applicability of emerging inventions; hence it can not incur heavy losses. Moreover, merging firms enjoy the economies of scale due to the combined production (Sudarsanam, 2004). Mergers increase the new firm’s market share as a result of the amalgamation of the different levels of market share existing before the merger. In other words, firms do not lose their customers after the merger. A successful merger requires that each firm accounts for its input in to the merger, including its human resources and customers. A greater market share resulting from the merger leads to economies of scale, increased turnover and hence increased profitability (Bruner & Perella, 2004). Tax reduction has significant implications on a firm’s profitability. Each firm submits tax as a single entity depending on the level of profits. When a firm’s external environment is unfavorable and makes losses yet it continues paying taxe s, a merger comes in hardy to save it from collapse. Merging with a larger profit making company enables the loss making firm to continue producing while the larger firm enjoys a tax advantage. This may not be a favorable merger for the loss making firm and hence it may not have any positive impact on performance (Sudarsanam, 2004). Mergers develop a positive outlook of the new organization with regards to the stock market. The larger organization has the capacity to maintain stock stability than the original smaller firms. This stability is significant in maintaining the confidence of investors in the stock market, which on the other hand translates to a strong capital base that is necessary for a firm’s long term strategic