Ask the Dust by John Fante - 13686 Words

BookRags Literature Study Guide Ask the Dust by John Fante For the online version of BookRags Ask the Dust Literature Study Guide, including complete copyright information, please visit: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-ask-the-dust/ Copyright Information  ©2000-2012 BookRags, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gales For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and†¦show more content†¦Their mutual love and hatred for one another, and for themselves, provides an intensely dark comedy that exposes their inner conflicts, their racial bigotry and their low self-esteem, as they struggle to survive in a contrived culture to which neither will ever really belong. John Fantes description of Los Angeles during the depression--of gaunt faces and lost humanity--is haunting and riveting, as told through the eyes of a young man who is not altogether stable. The smog, traffic, dust, grime and shallow lifestyles of southern California were already present in 1939, making this story relevant still today. The earthquake scene in the story is just as realistic as it might be today, complete with military intervention and the emergence of human kindness in the face of disaster. Camilla, Arturo, Sammy, Vera and Hellfrick are all non-entities in the bustle of L.A. culture, but all are profoundly human in their suffering, confusion, and vices. All are battling a poor sense of self-worth and struggling to survive in an indifferent world. Arturo Bandini takes us through this story in intimate first-person, exposing us to his mood swings, his astute observations and his growth as an author and a man. In the Alta Loma Hotel in the Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles, writer Arturo Bandinis hotel room window opens onto the ground level, a smog and sand-choked base of a palm tree as his view. Arturos train of thoughtShow MoreRelatedEssay about Down The Rabbit Hole1657 Words   |  7 Pagessize, stature, money, responsibilities, social status, etc. It is an internal function that although illusive, has been described through out time as compassion, self awareness, connectivity, emotional maturity, or inner strength. In John Fante’s novel Ask The Dust the main character Arturo Bandini takes us down the rabbit hole of transformation through his explorations and internal conflicts that while sometimes ignorant, self absorbed, and immature metamorphosis him from boy to man. This is an

Porter s Five Forces Industry Based Model - 1523 Words

Porter’s Five Forces Industry based Model The five forces examines the dynamics within an industry. Understanding the competitive forces, and their underlying causes, reveals the roots of an industry’s current profitability while providing a framework for anticipating and influencing competition and profitability over time. Understanding the structure of its industry is also essential to effective strategic positioning. Threat of Entry/ Entry Barriers The threat of entry, analyzes how easy it is for competitors to enter the market and potentially capture the market share. Mohegan sun is located in Uncasville, Connecticut. Majority of their market share is from New England; New England is a part of the Northeastern in the United States,†¦show more content†¦A new company will be forced to catch up with competitors and perhaps might win over the current competitors. Another issue for Mohegan sun is, some competitors might not need state license to operate within the same region. It will be difficult for a new entrant to gain a large market share and become a major player in such short time as a result of the barriers mentioned above. But Gambler might be looking forward to having closer options than Connecticut. According to the province journal, In December 2014, the Mohegan Sun casino posted its best consistent monthly slots performance in three years. A rare positive note for Connecticutà ¢â‚¬â„¢s tribal casinos since the recession. Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino both have repeatedly laid off workers as business declined. New entrants such as MGM and Wynn are new rivals of Mohegan sun. Wynn might open a $1.7 billion casino location across the river from Boston. MGM is also planning for a casino location at Springfield. This can affect the market share of Mohegan sun because of the new entrants locations. With that being said, it is too soon to determine the outcome of the casino landscape. There is a probability that casinos in the New England region will struggle for smaller shares of regional economic share as new facilities come online. The goal of companies within the casino industry, in this case Mohegan should be toShow MoreRelatedThe Five Forces-General Assumption1099 Words   |  5 PagesThe five forces – general assumption The threat of the entry of new competitors Profitable markets that yield high returns will attract new firms. This results in many new entrants, which eventually will decrease profitability for all firms in the industry. Unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents, the abnormal profit rate will fall towards zero (perfect competition). * The existence of barriers to entry (patents, rights, etc.) The most attractive segment is one in which entryRead MorePorters Five Forces1036 Words   |  5 PagesAssignment 1 Describe Porter’s Five–Force model and how it is helpful when developing one’s international strategy. Do you see any limitation to Porter’s modeling techniques? Michael Porter s Five-Force model, as described and illustrated in â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces: A Model for Industry Analysis (Article from QuickMBA.com)†, goes beyond the traditional industry competitive analysis that would just compare Rivals, both current and potential, to include Suppliers and Buyers and also Product or ServiceRead MoreHow Can A Company Measure Its Competitive Advantage?1561 Words   |  7 Pageslower cost through â€Å"price, or providing a higher quality through differentiation that costs more than the competitors product. In fact, companies that compete in the same industry and core business, such as Sony, Samsung, and Philips in the audiovisual industry, or Nike, adidas, and Puma in the clothing manufacturing industry, should understand the nature of the market and analyze the key factors that differentiate each one from the others. a company gain a competitive advantage in the market if:Read MorePorters Five Forces1364 Words   |  6 PagesI ntroduction The porter forces model was first developed in 1979 by Michael .F. Porter of the Harvard as structure for assessing and evaluating the competitive position and power of an organization, the model is grounded on the concept that there are five forces which ascertain the competitive intensity of the market (Porter, 2008). Figure 1.1 shows a diagram of the five forces model, (Flesicher, 2007) Porter’s five forces model is quite useful and it provides a number of benefits , its mostRead MoreHow Competitive Forces Shape Strategy1236 Words   |  5 PagesMicheal Porter wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review that he titled, â€Å"How competitive forces shape strategy†. In this article Porter discusses the different aspects of an industry that effects how profitable that a company may be, and how to strategically look at the industry to position a company. This article redefined the way that business owners and managers looked at their industries, and how they increased their profitability. Micheal Porter defines five competitive forces that shapeRead MoreMichael Porter s Five Forces Of Competition For Starbucks1473 Words   |  6 PagesMichael Porter s Five Forces of Competition for Starbucks This Michael Porter s five force analysis of Starbucks coffee shows the intensity of the five strengths of the firm, and the bases of these powers. Starbucks coffee s prosperity shows its viability in tending to these outside elements in its industrial surroundings. However, this five forces investigation highlights current industry conditions that force present and developing concerns significant to Starbucks Coffee s business. FollowingRead MoreHow Can A Company Measure Its Competitive Advantage?1561 Words   |  7 Pageslower cost through â€Å"price, or providing a higher quality through differentiation that costs more than the competitors product. In fact, companies that compete in the same industry and core business, such as Sony, Samsung, and Philips in the audiovisual industry, or Nike, adidas, and Puma in the clothing manufacturing industry, should understand the nature of the market and analyze the key factors that differentiate each one from the others. A company gains a competitive advantage in the market if:Read MoreThe Usefulness And Limitation Of Porter s Five Forces Framework1523 Words   |  7 PagesThe usefulness and limitation of Porter’s Five Forces Framework Introduction Porter’s five forces is a framework, which was developed by Michael Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979, was widely used in different industries for structural analysis and corporate strategy formulation (Wu, 2012). Porter’s five forces model is considered to be a basic idea to analyze the rules of competition in an industry and stress the important elements for the purpose of achieving a long-termRead MorePorter s Five Force Analysis1465 Words   |  6 PagesMichael Porter s five force analysis of Starbucks coffee shows the intensity of the five strengths of the firm, and the bases of these powers. Starbucks coffee s prosperity shows its viability in tending to these outside elements in its industrial surroundings. However, this five forces investigation highlights current industry conditions that force present and developing concerns significant to Starbucks Coffee s business. Following are the five forces of Michael Porter s model. These five forcesRead MoreTh e Usefulness And Limitation Of Porter s Five Forces Framework1498 Words   |  6 Pages The usefulness and limitation of Porter’s Five Forces Framework Introduction Porter’s five forces is a framework, which was developed by Michael Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979, was widely used in different industries for structural analysis and corporate strategy formulation (Wu, 2012). Porter’s five forces model is considered to be a basic idea to analyze the rules of competition in an industry and stress the important elements for the purpose of achieving a long-term

The Seven Sacraments by Rogier van der Weyden Early Northern Renaissance Free Essays

Rogier van der Weyden was one of the foremost artists from the Netherlands. During the Renaissance, religious themes were prevalent. Europe, was predominantly Catholic and the Church was a huge patron of the art that was produced. We will write a custom essay sample on The Seven Sacraments by Rogier van der Weyden: Early Northern Renaissance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Northern Europe was different from Italy, the center of Renaissance art, in that it was more ornate the art produced in this area eventually was known as Baroque. The painting The Seven Sacraments by van der Weyden is typical of the art produced in the area. The subjects of the painting The Seven Sacraments, painted in fourteen forty-five, are baptism, confirmation, and penance on the left; the Eucharist in the center; and ordination, marriage, and extreme unction are on the right. The Catholic Church believes in the seven sacraments while the Protestants believe in only baptism and marriage. The religious subject is what makes this painting characteristic of the artistic period of the Renaissance. However, it is typically Northern in that the colors are bright and vivid and they painting is extremely realistic. An example would be that the dying man in the right of the painting is realistic in his body. During this time artist studied the human body at great lengths so that they could produce it realistically. They even studied cadavers so that they would be familiar with the inner and outer elements of the body. The setting for The Seven Sacraments is a large open cathedral. The Crucifixion is displayed in the center while there are angels on each side. Christ is hung above the other figures to symbolize his dominance in the lives of mankind. The angels represent the ever present being sent from heaven. The wedding on the left is not only a literal sacrament, but it also symbolizes the union of Christ and the Church on the day that Christ returns. The dying man on the right symbolizes the guarantee that life will end and man will have to face the unknown. The Seven Sacraments by Rogier van der Weyden is a good example of the early Renaissance painting from Northern Europe. Weyden’s focus on emotion and grief made him the most famed painter of the time when he died. After his death, many artist went on to make the Renaissance the most popular period of art. How to cite The Seven Sacraments by Rogier van der Weyden: Early Northern Renaissance, Papers