Abstract KenzaburoOe's novel entitled "A Personal Matter" is a personal narrative of the travails that he and his family went through during post-World War II Japan, a period wherein the country's citizens are experiencing suffering as a result of their nation's defeat in the war. This paper discusses an emergent theme that dominates the novel, which is the fatalistic attitude that the protagonist of the novel, Bird, assumes. Remarkably, the novel illustrates Bird's shift from being fatalistic to being an individual in control of himself and the course of his 'fate.' The discussion in this paper analyzes how this transition happens in "A Personal Matter," and how, through the theme of fatalism and concept of destiny, Oe's novel reflects Japanese society at a time when society is still struggling from a downfall politically and economically, to the detriment of the country's people. In effect, this paper argues that Bird's transition from being fatalistic to being a decisive individual reflects his eventual subsistence to asserting his control over his life, trusting and being himself in the midst of complexities in life that he faces.
From the Paper "These insights about Bird's transition from being fatalistic to decisive become apparent when accounts of his previous behavior and attitude about his son's health problems are analyzed. In the first chapter of the novel, it is evident that Bird is at a crossroads, experiencing internal struggle as he seeks to reconcile his want to become free and live life as a bachelor and need to become a good father and husband for his family. Oe characterizes Bird as a stubborn and happy-go-lucky individual, whose ultimate goal in life is to travel in Africa, and is currently experiencing the distress of being a "family man": "Was he being forced to say good-by, in spite of himself, to the single and final occasion of dazzling tension in his youth? And what if I am? There's not a thing in hell I can do about it!" (3). This last utterance by Bird demonstrates his fatalistic attitude in life, where he passively accepts life as fate presents it to him, an individual who believes that can do nothing to change his fate, since it is already pre-determined."
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the book, "A Personal Matter", by KenzaburoOe. Specifically, it discusses how the name "Bird" represents the characteristics of the main character and describes how his name corresponds to the actions he takes throughout the novel. It looks at how "Bird" is the perfect name for a character that flits from person to person, flies away when times are hard, and dreams of migrating to Africa to get away from his troubles at home. Bird is not ready for fatherhood or a family, and so he abandons the "nest" for revelry and excess until he finally takes responsibility for his actions and sheds his childhood nickname forever.
From the Paper "Many of Bird's characteristics match those of the birds he is named after, from his appearance to the way he takes flight after he leaves his baby at the new hospital. He is flying away from his troubles, and acting as if he ignores them, they will disappear on the wind. This not only represents how Bird is like his namesakes, who fly away on the wind, it shows how immature he is, and how he may be 27 years old, but he is really still a boy. He would rather fly away than take responsibility for his "vegetable" son, and the only thing that gives him pleasure is running away from responsibility. Even his movements mimic that of a bird. He is often tentative, awkward, and gawky, just like an ungainly bird on land. He even reacts to adversity like a bird ? regurgitating up his whiskey like a bird regurgitates dinner for their young."
From the Paper "Teach Us To Outgrow Our Madness is a collection of four short novels by Kenzaburo Oe which focus on the disillusionment of Japanese characters whose traditional values have been blasted away just as certainly as Hiroshima and Nagasaki:
Oe's early heroes have been expelled from the certainty of childhood, into a world that bears no relation to their past. The values that regulated life when they were growing up have been blown to smithereens . . . ' what confronts them now, the postwar world, is a gaping emptiness, enervation, a terrifying silence like the eternity that follows death (xv).
This does not mean that the characters in these stories are without hope, although that hope is hardly rooted in the real world. So alienated from that real world is the protagonist in..."
From the Paper " This study will examine the character of Bird and the point of view of the narrative in Kenzaburo Oe's novel A Personal Matter. Specifically, the study will explore the legitimacy or believability of the transformation of Bird from a self-centered and frightened man to one who is determined to be take his place in conventional society and to be responsible to his wife and handicapped child. There are certainly descriptions and scenes in the book which highlight the horrors in life, but the book overall has a thoroughly comic point of view. This comic perspective informs us that the transformation of the protagonist should perhaps not be taken with complete seriousness.
In part, Oe is exploring in this book what it means to be Japanese (or simply human) in the wake of World War II, a time when conventional definitions of reality had crumbled. Bird.."
Abstract This paper examines the growth in online education across Canada and relates this growth to the growing demand placed upon the higher education industry by Canada's increasing population. It explains how Canada's rapid population growth is largely due to its liberal immigration policies and serving the educational needs of its burgeoning population is a challenge that online education seems more than capable of answering.
The writer points out that online education (OE) is delivered exclusively via the Internet or, alternatively, in tandem with or completely through the use of email or other Internet related technologies. The writer concludes that there is a definite mandate to expand OE across Canada as a way to not only service the needs of a growing population but also to deliver higher education solutions to remote populations in need of these services.
From the Paper "Across North America and certainly in Canada, the rise in online education programs is roughly comparable to the increase not only in secondary education participation but also the overall number of college/university programs being offered. Online degrees and online education programs, although equivalent in many respects to traditionally formatted distance programs, are differentiated from other distance programs in that they are strictly delivered via the Internet whereas distance programs can be delivered in various other media formats. However, although the format may differ the overall concept is the same: to increase the educational options available to learners who seek or need alternate access options relevant to their education needs."
Abstract The paper makes reference to Michael Porter's article "What is Strategy?" published in the Harvard Business Review in which he states that , "operational effectiveness (OE) means performing similar activities better than rivals perform them," while strategic positioning means performing different activities from one's competitors. The paper comments that while it might seem to be in an organization's interest to do things cheaper and better, the question is relative (.i.e cheaper and better than what competing organizations and what level of product value?) The paper, in discussing marketing strategies, is a reminder to marketers that no matter how good the marketing idea, one must take into consideration operational efficacy, for fear of diluting a strong brand name or reputation or simply taxing a company's finite economic resources.
Outline:
Summary and Analysis of Porter
From the Paper "But choosing a unique position, however, is not enough to guarantee a sustainable advantage. A competitor can reposition itself to match a superior performer by copycatting, like J.P. Penny did with Sears, or straddle customer segments in its marketing strategy" to match the benefits of a successful position while maintaining its existing position" like a luxury line offering a value line (such as Continental Airlines offering 'Continental Lite' (Porter, 1996, p.67). But there are always trade-offs, as straddling can create inconsistencies in image or reputation, dilute finite resources like labor and capital ,and also from limits on internal coordination and control "
