FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF ORANGE TELECOM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF ORANGE TELECOM - Essay Example Its brand Orange Business Services caters to the telecommunication needs of multinational companies and is very successful at that (Orange Telecom, n.d.). Orange grew tremendously over a short spell in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. It started off as a mobile phone brand and moved on to become one of the leading providers of broadband, content and other related services worldwide. Orange competed with brands like Intel and L’Oreal for the title of World’s most powerful brands by Millward Brown Optimor in 2010 and reached the 50th rank after climbing 14 spots from 2007. Markets like those in Luxemburg and Tunisia have acceded to the kingdom of Orange and this accounts for the huge increase in the customer base of Orange. Orange Telecom’s presence in Africa and Middle East is quite noticeable and includes 19 countries with 60 million customers and 16,700 employees (Orange Telecom, n.d.). Orange France had 80,000 employees at the end of 2010. Orange has a strategic plan called Conquests 2015 under which it will develop a new organizational model in order to improve even more in areas involving well bei ng of employees, economic performance and satisfaction of customers. The prime reason behind this plan is to position Orange as the number one telecom operator in France in terms of customer care (European Network for Women in Leadership, 2011) Profitability Ratios: The gross profit margin for Orange Telecom is showing a rather fluctuating trend from 2006 to 2010. The profitability decreased as it was 59.49% in 2009 and fell to 58.68% in 2010. This fall can be attributed to the fall in revenue as well as the increase in cost of sales in 2010. As seen in the horizontal analysis (appendix), revenue percentage growth is negative in 2009 and 2010 as a result of which gross profit decreased in both the years and so did the gross profit margin. The overall trend for the operating profit margin has been

Human Resource Management suggestions for National Lewis and Clark Personal Statement

Human Resource Management suggestions for National Lewis and Clark Corporation - Personal Statement Example Let me begin by mentioning something about human capital investment. I wish to suggest that for the purposes of increasing productivity all management members should undergo a two hour per day month-long management training. I feel this is necessary to bring an overhaul in the various departments of this corporation. By the same token the recruits who will have to undergo a full time month long trained this, I feel will prepare them fully for the challenges ahead. In connection with that, the recruitment should be done twice a year at the head office to cut on the costs that incurred in intermittent recruitments in various branches of our corporation. It is also my wish to point out that matters of remunerations are of high importance. A workplace staffed by well paid employees is a productive workplace; and that brings a competitive advantage to the firm. We should therefore review the package we offer to each category of our worker to bring it up to the national standards. This wil l motivate our labour force to deliver better services hence more productivity.

Gas Laws Lab Essay Example for Free

Gas Laws Lab Essay Introduction: In this lab we are going to investigate behavior of gas by working with a molecular model. Factors that effect gas behavior our pressure, temperature, volume and the number of moles. We are going to keep to variables constant and record the relationship or change in the remaining factors. Independent variables: Temperature, number of moles, volume Dependent variable: Pressure Controlled variable: apparatus used (computer program downloaded from the internet), volume and number of moles Question: What is the relationship between pressure and temperature of a gas filled container with constant volume and number of moles? Hypothesis: temperature and pressure are directly related. As temperature increases pressure increases. Pressure is directly proportional to temperature when the number of moles and volume are kept constant. Procedure: Log on to the Internet and visit heinnemann.co.uk/hotlinks and enter the express code 4266S. Click on weblink 3.2 the simulation on the right will appear. In this simulation one can set the parameters as per desire. For this experiment we need to set the volume and number of moles constant. Three trials are done for accuracy. For the first trial, we need to set the volume constant. The volume will remain set to the default value. Then pump 100 heavy species particle in the container and keep them the same until the next trial. The temperature will automatically go to 300K, remove heat to lower the temperature to 150K. Record the pressure produced. Add 50K each time, before taking another reading until the temperature reach 500K. Record the change in pressure with simultaneous temperature in a table. Before starting the next trail hit the reset button. Before starting the second trail change the depth of the container to 3.4nm. Measure the depth with a ruler (the ruler is given as a tool for measurement). Pump 100 more heavy species in the container to make a total of 200 particles. Increase the temperature as done before with similar intervals and record the pressure in form of a table. Hit the reset again and start the final trail. For the third trial, increase the depth of the container to 9nm and pump in a total of 300 heavy species particle. Record the temperature and pressure in a table. The uncertainty in this experiment for temperature is +0.5K and for pressure is +0.5 Pa. Use the tables to graph the data to show the relationship between temperature and pressure. Conclusion and Evaluation: From the data collected and the graphs processed we can make out that pressure is directly related to temperature when the number of moles of particles and the volume of the container is kept constant. We know that as temperature increases the particles gain more energy and collide at a faster rate with each other and the wall of the container. As the number of collisions increases, the more the particles exert force on the walls of the container. The force that the particles have on the walls is known as the pressure. All the 3 graphs have a linear relationship and the slopes of their lines are the coefficient of the temperature because temperature is directly related to pressure. As shown by the graphs temperature is directly proportional to pressure. In other words keep the volume and the amount of gas constant and change the temperature (by heating or cooling) and observe the change in pressure (Pressure law: P=const*T). The lines are not straight and a line of best fit is used. The unevenness of the lines on the graphs shows that there are slight errors involved in the experiment. The errors included are systematic, analytical and random. As the pressure was fluctuating the value noted was randomly chosen. The temperature was sometimes a point higher or lower, which again caused the pressure gauge to give a slight of value. Also the uncertainty in the measurement of volume showed that there were some errors also included while taking the measurement of the container. Suggestions for improvements: The lab was precise because of the number of trials done but it could be accurate by reducing the errors made in the experiment. Try to hit the raise the temperature of the container in the simulation accurately if that is not possible try setting the default temperature to the desired value and record the pressure. This would allow the pressure gauge to be more accurate. When taking measurement of the container for volume with a ruler try to avoid the parallax error, which is created by not looking at the measurement perpendicularly. Take the mode value from all of the values produced by the pressure gauge and wait a minute or two after setting the temperature and before noting the temperature. This helps to get a more accurate reading because the particles get enough time to settle. By recording the pressure value after giving certain breaks in the experiment will help the lines on all the three graph to be less uneven and more accurate.

Internship report

Internship report Introduction My two-month internship in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation was a worthwhile experience as it helped me gain considerable and Professional knowledge about the way Moroccan diplomacy is exercised by carrying out different ministerial tasks and witnessing the way work is done in the ministry from translating documents to writing reports. My interest in International Studies and Political Science as an area of study goes back to my high school when I was keen on studying Philosophy, History and Geography. Although when I went to university I picked English Studies as my major, my growing interest in International Relations was reawaken after my three years of taking English Studies at Hassan II University, when I went to study Political Science at Beloit College under the PLUS Scholarship. The internship that I took in the ministry corresponds to my carrier interests and school major; it was also an opportunity to compare my experience as an intern at the Office of Tammy Baldwin in Beloit, Wisconsin that dated back to 2008 with my current internship in the ministry. My internship report is divided into four main sections; the first one is concerned with giving brief information about the ministry and its missions, the second one is concerned with duties and tasks that I was assigned to do in my internships, the third one is devoted to the knowledge and experience that I learned and finally the fourth section includes my critical assessment of my internship in the ministry by identifying the things that I want to change if I am to work in the ministry and comparing it to my previous internship in the USA. The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is one of the four ministries in Morocco in which the ministers are directly appointed by the king. It is concerned with the foreign policy of Morocco and managing its diplomatic relations with foreign countries and non-state actors like the UN. The current Foreign Minister is Mr. Taieb Fassi Fihri and his secretary general is Mrs. Latfia Akherbash. The ministry undertakes various operations that can be summarized into six missions: The first one is to drive the diplomatic action of Morocco by representing its interest at the international level, insuring the development of international cooperation and coordinating the foreign relations of Morocco. The second point is to serve as the official representative of the monarchy in front of foreign countries and international and regional organizations, therefore any communication or agreement between a foreign country and Morocco must first go through the ministry before reaching its direct destination in the kingdom. The third mission is to be involved in the preparations of conferences and meetings at the international level and represents the monarchy in those manifestations. The fourth missions are to conduct negotiations of agreements, conventions and treaties that have political and diplomatic character and to coordinate the economical, political and social engagements of Moro cco. Moreover, with the exception of treaties, the ministry has the power to renew or reject any argument if it is deemed to not be in the interest of the kingdom. The fifth mission is to afford the protection of the rights of Moroccans living abroad and foreign citizens taking refugee in the monarchy, in addition to that the ministry also coordinates the activities of the public services situated outside of the country. Finally the ministry has the responsibility to inform regularly the government about the status of Moroccos foreign relations. As far as the structure of the ministry is concerned, it is divided into two main sections: the direction of bilateral relations and the direction of Multilateral relations and global cooperation, the former directions is further divided into five divisions according to geographical locations such as Arab and Islamic Affairs Division , African Affairs Division, and American Affairs Division†¦.while the second direction is concerned with Moroccos relations with non-state actors, international organizations and multilateral cooperation. This direction contains many sub-directions like Protocol, Cultural and Scientific Cooperation Direction†¦My assigned department was the American Affairs Division which is divided into two main services: Political Affairs Service and Bilateral Cooperation Service, I was assigned to the Political Affairs Service practically in the American and Caribbean section. The way the American continent is divided in the ministry is based on linguistic ra ther geographic criteria, where Central and South America speak Spanish and Portuguese while in North America and the Caribbean it is English that dominates as the official language. As a result, two sections exist within the department of American Affairs one concerned with the region of Northern America and the Caribbean and the other concerned with Central and South America. The Political Affairs Service is mostly involved in the political and diplomatic aspects of Moroccos foreign policy in harmony with its relations with the American continent. it was interesting to notice the that Morocco before starting or renewing any relation with a country a huge emphasis is put on the Sahara issue which represent the national cause number one in the ministry. The main tasks of the direction are the diplomatic and political negotiations of bilateral accords and the coordination of the exterior engagements that can be economic, commercial or social. The Tasks That I Accomplished In The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs And Cooperation Mr. Abderrahim Errehali, who is responsible for the political affairs of the Americas, was my supervisor who introduced me to the personnel that work in the division, the most prominent characteristics that I noticed in the American Affairs division is the hierarchical structure that the ministry follows where the director of the American division, Mr. Fouad Yazourh, is at the head of the department followed by chief of the Political Affairs Division, who is my supervisor, and with an equal status is Mrs. Farida Loudaya Who is the chief of the Bilateral Cooperation Service, then followed by Mr. Mostafa Rezzouk. And finally the hierarchy ends with the personnel and the secretaries. The main tasks that I was assigned to do in my internship tend to fall on clerical duties that vary from translating documents to writing reports. One of the most frequent tasks that I was asked to do during my internship in the ministry was to translate documents mainly from English to Arabic or to French and vice versa, the task is of an immense importance to the ministry especially within my department, Since the monarchy has special relations with the US and it is crucial to make its points of view understood in America and vice versa. The documents that I was assigned to render, include official correspondence with various embassies of Northern America and Caribbean countries, conferences reports and the framework of future conferences The translation was a rewarding experience because it did not only make me sharpen my English vocabulary but also my French and Arabic ones, especially in the domain of diplomacy. the internship was also an opportunity to have an experience in mak ing formal translations by paying attention to the salutations and giving each political figure his own respect, a point which has to do with cultural difference between Arabic, French and English that must be carefully considered to avoid any misinterpretations and fatal errors . One of the most frequent tasks that I was assigned to undertake are conducting research and summarizing official documents and reports, the research process was an enriching activity as it was an opportunity me to learn much information about issues that demand thorough understanding in the ministry. I made research about various subjects like the speech that Obama delivered in Cairo in June 4, 2009, the economic crisis and its effects on governance and the new American ambassador Mr. Samuel L. Kaplan in Rabat†¦ It is also very important to be aware and have a critical analysis of the international events that does only have to do with Morocco but also with different countries in the world. For instance, in my department the expulsion of two Canadian diplomats by Russia in and its aftermath was an important event to write a report about and impart it to the director. hence, One of the tasks that are crucial in the ministry is to be updated of any report or article that mention Morocco, mainly from the American think tanks, and during my stay I was asked to prepare summaries about the main points mentioned about the kingdom in the human trafficking report published by the UN, the Economic Freedom Index published by the Heritage Foundation and also about two reports that appeared in the International Crisis Group website: one about the issue of Sahara and the other about the issue of Algerian armament. Furthermore, I was also asked to write congratulatory letters to congratulate particular countries for the celebration of their national days, my colleague in the office introduced me to the way congratulatory letters are written and I drafted three congratulatory letters for Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Saint Kitties. He also showed me other kinds of letters that are usually drafted in the ministry: like a letter to congratulate a particular country upon such events as winning elections or to express condolences for a sad event. In the second half of my internship I asked my supervisor if I can work on a project or an issue that is related to the American Department and he assigned me to do some research about the Free Trade Agreement between Morocco and the USA. In order to get access to the archives my supervisor introduced me to Mrs. Houda Zemmouri, the person responsible for the FTA agreement in the department, who provided me with access to the archives and showed me the summaries of the seminar â€Å"Maximizing Trade with the United States† that was held in Casablanca in 9 and 10 June, 2009. Mrs. Zemmouri advised me to make a general research about the FTA while paying attention to the current performance of the Moroccan economy and contrast it with similar Middle Eastern countries that signed free trade agreements with the USA, particularly Egypt and Jordan. The aim of utilizing comparison is to find Moroccos strong and weak points and culminating it by drawing recommendations in respect of the comparison results so that Morocco would efficiently benefit from the agreement. As far as my research methods are concerned, I relied on the documents from the archives that were provided to me by Mrs. Huda Zemmouri who was very accommodating and ready to lend a hand, I also relied on the internet, mainly the website of the FTA that provided the agreements articles online. In addition to that, the websites of the Moroccan newspapers such as La Vie Economique and L`Economist, were very useful. I began my research by giving a historical perspective of the US-Moroccan relation that dated back to 1978, when Morocco was the first country to recognize the independence of the United States, a fact that was mentioned by President Obama in his Cairo speech. Then I talked about the implementation of the FTA, its rules and how they are meet and my last part was devoted to contrast the performance of Morocco with the ones of Egypt and Jordan upon their signature of Free Trade Agreements and b ased on the comparison I made a conclusion by stating the importance of the FTA for both Morocco to make its economy more competitive and for the USA to take advantage of what Morocco offers and make an example to lead the MAFTA that is schedule to start in 2012. In the end, I presented my finished work to my supervisor who took a look at it and ask me to make some alteration to the final version. The Knowledge I Obtained From My Internship It was very interesting to notice the use of language in the ministry, although the official language in Morocco is Arabic, the language that is still frequently used in the office is French with some differences from one department to another, and what I have noticed is that whenever a letter from the US embassy is sent to the ministry that is concerned with the parliament or the place it is very important to follow the formal correspondence with Arabic equivalent. However, when the letter is directed to some other ministries, like Ministry of Finance, it is very important that a French translation must accompany the letter while the use of Arabic is rare, a thing that I also noticed when I was delving in the archives of the FTA between Morocco and USA where I seldom come across an Arabic document whereas there was a plethora of French files. When I was working on the project I noticed the way conference summaries were executed, mostly in French, with the first page being dedicated to the headings (subject, date) and the center is a summary of the main points that were discussed in the conference while the last page includes the names of the participants and their titles, phones and emails. Working on the project was very valuable because it made research an issue of utmost importance to Morocco and gain knowledge in it. For instance, the project added to my learning that the FTA was signed in 2004 but did enter into force until 2006 due to the issue of Moroccos concern about its economy and society to meet some US standards that are delicate to the kingdom, mainly the copyrights laws (TRIPS) and the consequences of the inflow of US agricultural products on Moroccos economy such as wheat and meeting the WHO SPSS requirements. It is interesting to notice that Morocco is the fourth country to sign an agreement with the US, upon the initiation of the FTA with the USA the volume of bilateral trade exchange between the two countries experienced an increase. The targeted industries in Morocco are textile, leather and agriculture. Furthermore, Morocco signed many free trade agreements countries with 54 countries. In my comparison I noticed that Morocco compared to Jordan and Egypt has higher labor cost in addition to its reliance on European countries to buy fiber in contrast with the geographic proximity of Egypt and Jordan to cheap fiber suppliers such as: India an Turkey. I learned a lot of information by reading various reports that are published by different US think tanks like World Heritage and International Crisis The issue of Sahara is vital to Moroccos foreign policy as it the national cause number one that the morocco is working to solve through diplomatic means by persuading countries to not recognize RASD or to suspend their recognition for countries that already have relation with Polisario. in my internships I went into discussions about the subject and the countries that recognize the Polis Rio while none of the major powers recognize it, of the 46 countries that recognize RASD, most of them come from Africa and Latin America particularly in the Caribbean where the only country that has never recognized RASD there is Bahamas and among those who recognized RASD only Saint Lucia and Dominica canceled their recognition in 1989 and Dominican republic in 2002. In addition to that, of the four 4 countries that does not recognize RASD were in favor three of them voted in favor of the Algerian proposal in 2006 a fact which portray to the need of more diplomatic relations. The fact that Caribbe an countries recognized RASD did not hinder Morocco from establishing political and economic and cultural relations with the Caribbean. For instance, as afar as cultural cooperation is concerned, there is a program that is funded by the ministry that grants scholarships to Caribbean students to study in Al Akhawayn University. However, Morocco did only cut its diplomatic relations with two major countries in the region Cuba in 1980 and Venezuela in 2009 due to their recognition of RASD and establishment of its embassies in their countries. The wide concern in the United States over the rise of the radical left in America particularly in Venezuela and Bolivia was also a shared concern for Morocco, leftist government mainly those forming alliance with Hugo or what is called the populist left in contrast with the center left of Brazil and Chile as they have the potential to support polisario. I gain enormous knowledge of the Caribbean countries during my internship, although the region is geographical small with 17 countries. The most striking point that I learned, apart from the fact of being the highest place that support polisario, is the way it constituted, as many countries in central America and South America are also included in the area. Like Belize, Surinam, cooperative republic of Guyana which are belong to that area fro historical, linguistic and cultural reasons as most of those countries speak English and tend to have a rupture with the Spanish countries in Central and South America. In addition to Venezuela that has strong presence there. The region is untied under one regional organization called CARICOM (Caribbean Community) where only 2 countries are not included: Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The Vienna convention: The two major incidents that marked the Ministry was when Ben abdellah was asked to come to Morocco and the case of Norwegian embassy and its complicity in the abduction of the two children of the former athlete Mr. Sekkah Benefits of Translation the nature of working in public administration particularly in the ministry The way diplomatic relations are conducted: length and time that treaties and agreements take, signing treating between two countries is very demanding process that takes a long time due to the aim of the two countries to avoid any misunderstanding that would jeopardize their agreement, and this is why the process of translation is a huge where the main task is to compare the original document and its translation to see if there are any words that might alter the meaning of the treaty. The courses that helped me in the process: US-Maghreb Relations: FTA, Piracy, The Elements That I Want To Alter In The Ministry My internship in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation was a rewarding; however my experience in the ministry could have been more beneficial and effective if certain conditions were provided. First, the AUI should provide student who are willing to intern in the ministry with contact information of Alumni student working in the ministry so as to make the incoming interns aware of the nature of the work they should be expecting and provide them with sources to answer questions they have about their internship. Second, it would more effective if student know of their assigned department ahead of time so that they will not be surprised by their department on their first day in addition to make them avoid going through the transfer. Third, taking particular classes before doing an internship will be helpful, mainly the courses of Moroccan Foreign Policy and Research Methodology as many of the assigned task are related to doing research and writing reports and summaries. Concerning the nature of work in the ministry I would make a list of think tanks and Particular newspapers to be checked out daily, Preparing some daily work that can be done daily like looking for articles that mention Morocco in newspapers. The personnel should have some seminars of latest innovations in computer and Information technology to keep them updated of what is new in this domain, therefore enhancing their performance. To improve my research and writing report skills Comparison The main points that I noticed in comparing both my internship experience in the USA with the one in Morocco has to do with the extensive of use such tasks as translation while they are quite absent in USA. In both instance I notice the importance of the media and checking it on daily basis to look for article that mention Tammy Baldwin and those that mention morocco Responding to phone calls Writing support letters, organizing the archives, faxing newspaper articles and call sheets, searching for grants and bills The constituent call sheet Emails accounts Clothes and formality Conclusion The internship was a golden opportunity to broaden my experience in diplomacy and moroccos foreign policy by witnessing how diplomacy is exercised in the ministry. I learned valuable information and gained a professional experience that is relevant and directly related to major.

Wings :: Essays Papers

Wings Calvin Coolidge once said, The chief business of the American people is business. This statement is as true today as it was when Coolidge said it because America is largely defined by the nature of the businesses that drive its economy. One of the major economy driving businesses in America is Boeing, an aircraft production company with plants all over the United States. The aircraft produced by Boeing are used for military and commuter services. The Boeing 747 commuter jet has become the symbol of the company, and a great symbol of what America is all about. Diversity, efficiency, and creativity are terms used to describe America, but now they are being used by the Boeing Company to describe the Boeing 747. Nothing on the surface of the Boeing 747 would lead one to believe diversity could be related to it in any way at all, but if one considers the production and the materials of the airplane itself, it is easy to realize that the Boeing 747 is, in fact, diverse. People from all over the world with parts from all over the world produce the Boeing 747 in factories located throughout the United States. Just like America, the Boeing 747 has a tradition of resiliency because of the hard work and dedication of the people who fuel its production. Diversity allows continual change for the better to take place; America and the Boeing 747 are no exception to the rule. Speed and efficiency have been the most important attributes of any means of transportation produced in the United States since the Industrial Revolution, and considering the fact that the Boeing 747 is capable of delivering hundreds of passengers to a desired location on time, one could safely say that the Boeing 747 is quick and efficient. For the most part, people in America and on the Boeing 747 are there because they have goals and destinations that they want to reach as quickly as possible. The Boeing 747 and America provide Americans and foreigners alike with the opportunity to get where they want to go without wasting time. Any decrease in the speed and efficiency Americans have come to expect from the Boeing 747 would mark the beginning of the end of its wide spread use and existence. Perhaps the most important factor going in to creating something like the Boeing 747 is creativity itself.

COLD War and the Arms Race Essays -- Essays Papers

COLD War and the Arms Race When President Truman authorized the use of two nuclear weapons in 1945 against the Japanese in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, the nature of international security was changed irreversibly. At that time, the United States had what was said to have a monopoly of atomic bombs. Soon thereafter, the Soviet Union began working on atomic weaponry. In 1949, it had already detonated it first atomic bomb and tensions began to heat up between the two countries. With the information that the Soviets had tested their first bomb, the United States began work on more powerful weapons1, and a fight for nuclear superiority had begun. In the 1950’s, the United States "announced a policy of massive retaliation - a doctrine whereby the United States might respond with nuclear weapons to any Soviet challenge anywhere in the world," (Weapons and Arms Control) Despite America's doctrine and huge lead in the arms race, it achieved little success and did not threaten or suppress the Soviets from continuing to create nuclear weapons. After the Korean War, it was believed that the United States’ nuclear build-up had played a key role in achieving armistice. At this time, early in President Eisenhower's term in office, he had announced his policy of nuclear superiority. During this time period of nuclear build up, the Soviet Union began to find ways to overcome deficiencies in their strategic technologies2. Not soon after Eisenhower made his policy known, Russia became the first country to successfully test ICBMs, or Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. These tactical nuclear weapons are land based rocket propelled vehicles capable of intercontinental range in excess of 4000 nautical miles.... ... (US), Inc., 1991. Weiler, Lawrence D. The Arms Race, Secret Negotiations and the Congress, Iowa: The Stanley Foundation, 1976. Glynn, Patrick. Closing Pandora's Box "Arms Races, Arms Control, and the History of the Cold War". New York: HarperCollinsPublishers, Inc. 1992. "Russian Officials Say They Couldn't Keep Up with SDI." Funet Russian Archive. < http://www.funet.fi/pub/culture/russian/politics/sdi.russian.officials> "Cold War Hot Links." David Price's Home Page. <http://www.stmartin.edu/~dprice/cold.war.html> (4 May 1998). "Salt II Treaty." ACDA Government Treaties. <http://www.acda.gov/treaties/salt2-1.htm> McKean, Colonel Joel M. Salt Two Ratification Issues. Washington D.C.: National Security Affairs, 1978. "Bipartisan support for START II." Council For a Livable World. <http://www.clark.net/pub/clw/clw/startqu.html>

How Does John Stienbeck Create Tension in Chapter 2 Essay

Chapter two consists with George and Lennie starting work at a new farm. They meet the other ranch workers and the boss’s aggressive son Curley, and also his wife who comes into the bunk house and flirts with George an Lennie. As soon as Lennie glances at Curley’s wife, he is instantly attracted to her and George is worried by this. George makes Lennie promise to meet him by the pool if there is any trouble. For example , in weed when Lennie felt the little girls dress. Another character they meet is slim, he is in charge of the horses and also he is a man with natural authority. There are two separate styles of writing in of mice and men; descriptive style and dialogue. The dialogue in ‘Of Mice and Men’ is very realistic. Steinbeck tried to imitate the way the ranch workers spoke. He could have had George say (page35)’ I have seen women like this before, but I have never seen one as worse as a woman that has been put in jail.’ As it is , he h as George say ‘ I seen’ em poison before , but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.’ The language of Steinbeck’s characters is written down in a way that allows you almost to hear the characters speaking and also their actions. Steinbeck spells words that reflects how illiterate some of the characters are. He also spells words like that, to reflect how they sound in the mouths of ordinary people not how the words appear in a dictionary. One of the techniques Steinbeck used was to leave the beginning and end off words. For example Steinbeck writes â€Å"an† for â€Å"and†, â€Å"jus† for â€Å"just†, â€Å"gonna† for â€Å"going to do something..† Steinbeck tends to start a chapter in a descriptive style, he often incorporates the natural beauty of the setting and the fertility of the land. (chapter 1) ‘ a few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to hillside bank.’ whereas in this chapter, a description of the bunk house is given, it lacks comfort. ‘ Inside the walls were whitewash ed and the floor unpainted.’ This is a starch contrast with the previous scene. The detailed description of the setting is always the place in which the action happens. In the novel tension is created through a series of ominous signs. I have noticed a particular order in which it is created in . Anger , then a calmer atmosphere which is then broken by anger , rage or confusion. Tension, anxiety and rage is created when Curley ( the boss’s son) enters the room. ‘he glanced coldly’ this suggests that he is unfriendly and a threat. ‘ he stiffened his fists†¦his glance was at once calculating and pugnacious.’ when Curley stiffened his firsts, this showed that he was looking for a fight , the readers already know that he is an aggressive character and confronts people with this. ‘ He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at’em because he aint a big guy.’ The readers suddenly realise that there would be a future problem with Lennie and Curley, further on in the novel. Curley seems set on proving that he is a big man, in all but size. His success in the past as a boxer is an obsession, so every person Curley meets is a possible opponent. He sees life and everyone he faces as a competition. Curley’s authority on the ranch triggers tension as most of the ranch hands are frightened of him and do not want to confront him as there would be trouble. During chapter two, my sympathy fell towards the stable buck, Crook. He is a victim of racial prejudice. the way Candy gossiped about Crook to George and Lennie was unjust ,they would normally refer to Crook as ‘the nigger’. Nowadays that is a racial offence. They way Candy said that Crook has no respect he was the lowest of the low. ‘Nice fella too. Got a crooked back where a horse kicked him. The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that.’ Despite Crook being discriminated against, he is a proud, independent and intelligent as he reads a lot. But none of these admirable features stop the boss from giving him ‘hell’. As he is not a respected character and he has no authority.