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?You Gotta Have Wa?, 2002.
Discusses Robert Whiting's book which considers the differences between American and Japanese cultures from a perspective of the game of baseball.
986 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
In his book "You Gotta Have Wa", journalist Robert Whiting considers the differences between Japan and the United States in terms of how they play baseball, a game originating in the U.S., adopted by Japan and today a highly popular form of entertainment in Japan. This paper examines Japanese and American culture and society, the differences between the two countries and how these differences are reflected through the way both nationalities play the game of baseball.
From the Paper
"In Japanese society, there are certain signs and symbols differentiating between private and public space. Every society makes some distinction between these two spheres, but the underlying meaning of this difference and the ways in which the difference is enforced differ from one society to another. The Japanese view of public and private spheres is bound with ideas about religion, historical developments, and attitudes toward the place of the individual in society. The Japanese view also contrasts sharply with that of the Anglo-American tradition, indicating a number of differences in the way the two types of society are constructed and the ways in which the individual relates to those societies."
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"You Gotta Have Wa" by Robert Whiting, 2001.
Discusses differences between U.S. & Japan in terms of how they play baseball. Effect of traditions, cultural lviews, behaviors.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 1 source, $ 31.95
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From the Paper
"In his book You Gotta Have Wa, journalist Robert Whiting considers the differences between Japan and the United States in terms of how they play baseball, a game originating in the U.S., adopted by Japan, and today a highly popular entertainment in Japan. Americans may know that baseball has become popular in Japan, but most have little idea that the game is played differently there or that there are many American players who have found second careers by playing in Japan, all of which Whiting explains. Whiting develops his discussion against the background of the concept of wa, which is a Japanese reflection of social harmony, and the differences Whiting finds between Japan and the U.S. indicate different values placed on social harmony and different ideas about public, private, group, and individual. The contrasts are developed in the book as Whiting ..."
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?Wa?, 2004.
An investigation into the concept of 'wa' in the Japanese business culture.
1,032 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how "Wa? means any of the following: harmony, peace, tranquility, and balance. In this paper, ?wa? is studied in the context of the business environment, applying this in discussing the basic principles present in the Total Quality Management (TQM) principles, conceived by W. Edwards Deming.
From the Paper
"Japanese business culture is evidently an example of a society that subsists to the principles of TQM. Looking into the cultures of businesses in Japan, cooperation and harmonious relationship is preferred over competition and individualism, respectively. Sen Nishyama?s article on the ?wa? culture of Japan shows that ?[a] strong sense of group cohesiveness? exists, where ?each worker feel responsible for the quality of the final product coming off the line.? In this passage, the customer-driven principle is adhered to; furthermore, employee compensations are given in order to motivate and encourage employees to perform their best and continue cooperating with the other members of the organization."
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Lester Electronics and Shang-wa Electronics, 2006.
Analysis of the Lester Electronics company and the Shang-wa Electronics company and whether a merger of the two makes sound business sense.
2,475 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 5 sources, $ 97.95
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Abstract
This paper considers the case of Lester Electronics and its relationship to the supplier Shang-wa Electronics. The paper considers whether a deal between the two companies makes sense in the context of other business alternatives. The paper considers the players, the situation and the options and determines that a merger between the companies makes sense.
From the Paper
"Lester Electronics, Inc., is a U.S.-based distributor of consumer and industrial electronic components, with annual revenues of $500 million. Since 1978, Lester has had a close partnership with Shang-wa Electronics, a Korean manufacturer of capacitors with $60 million in revenues. This partnership has consisted of yearly agreements for Lester to purchase a minimum of $1 million wholesale from Shang-wa, in return for rights to exclusivity. In recent months, informal discussion between the principals - Mr. Bernard Lester, CEO and founder of Lester, and Mr. John Lin, founder and CEO of Shang-wa - has involved the possibility of a $60 million joint venture in a yet-to-be-determined Asian country that would be designed to combine Lester's management expertise with Shang-wa's manufacturing efficiencies to produce components in the growing market for capacitors."
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Gotta Love The New Technology, 2008.
A creative writing story about technology in the future.
1,147 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 39.95
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Abstract
This creative writing paper describes an evening in the life of a man in the future - a world full of new technology. The writer describes all the new "machines" that enhance and lengthen life. The paper is very creative and all the "equipment" used by the protagonist is invented, for example the music chip that is installed in his brain with space for up to a billion songs. The paper concludes by questioning whether so much technology is really a good thing.
From the Paper
"Talking about From Scratch reminds me - I check the T.G. Quick-Meat Cloner to see how the steak is doing. Perfect. It's grown to almost 30 centimeters of prime rib steak. I put it in the Cloner three days ago, timing it perfectly so that it would be just the right size for tonight. Man, am I going to impress my fiancee with my culinary skills - it's hard to mess up a steak so fresh it was only born three days ago! I'm so glad I decided to go with the Tissue Genesis Quick-Meat Cloner."
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'The River Between', 2006.
A review of 'The River Between' by Ngugi wa Thiong.
1,083 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 0 sources, $ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper takes a look at Ngugi wa Thiong's book, 'The River Between'.
According to the paper, the book tells the tale of two rival communities, Kameno and Makuyu, which face each other and are separated only by the Honia River. The paper further discusses how these two villages are in a constant battle over conflicting myths of leadership, which have been the basis of their arguments for many generations.
From the Paper
"But the missionaries had not as yet penetrated into the hills, though they sent a number of disciples to work there," (p. 28) writes Ngugi, when explaining the newcomers. Leader of this "Livingstone" missionary is a local Gikuyu evangelist named Joshua, whose background is questionable. According to the story, he arrived in Siriana and accepted his new religion after hearing a hellfire and brimstone sermon based on the readings of Isaiah, "the white man's seer', but which is apparently spurious and embodies an anachronistic concept of the realm of the dead." (p. 13)"
"Ngugi concentrates on this indigenous minister's emotional acceptance of Christianity and how this new religion can be distorted and authoritarian. "These strong words frightened Joshua and shook his whole body; shook him to the very roots of his being. He became baptized and it was only then that he felt at peace and stopped trembling" (p 29). When released from fear, Joshua spreads the religion."
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"The River Between", 2002.
An analysis of Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o's book on two tribes, "The River Between".
1,278 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 0 sources, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper introduces and discusses "The River Between" by Ngugi wa Thiong'o which tells the tale of two rival communities, Kameno and Makuyu, which face each other and are separated only by the Honia River. The paper describes how these two villages are in a constant battle over conflicting myths of leadership and religion, which have been the basis of their arguments for many generations. The paper shows how Ngugi focuses on the impact of Christian missionaries on the balance of African culture.
From the Paper
"The inhabitants of the Kameno ridge have indigenous cultural traditions such as polytheism and circumcision, while those of the Makuyu ridge had already succumbed to Christianity and British colonization. This story is mainly about the conflicted relationship between two villages representing traditional African beliefs on the one side and Christianity on the other. In this novel, a mission-educated character tries unsuccessfully to synthesize the Christian worldview with the Gikuyu, even as he comes to understand the completely destructive force Christianity will have on his indigenous culture."
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"Devil on the Cross", 2002.
An examination of the use of oral styles in this novel by Ngugi wa Thiong?o.
1,065 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 0 sources, $ 37.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper shows how Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong?o in his novel "Devil on the Cross" uses at least five different oral styles that contribute volumes to the complexity of his seminal work. These styles are each analyzed by quoting various lines from the work. Each oral style is examined for what it contributes to the novel.
From the Paper
"The narrator begins and ends the novel with a unique oral style, as the ?Prophet of Justice,? providing poignant social and existential commentary: ?The voice of the people is the voice of God,? (p. 8). This particular narrative oral style becomes evident again from Chapter Ten onwards, at the close of the novel. Throughout Devil on the Cross, Ngugi wa Thiongo; speaks directly to the reader, acting as a third-person omniscient point of view. The narrator thinking and talking to himself forms a second key oral style in Ngugi?s work. This voice is more subtle and literary than the Prophet of Justice?s oral style. A third distinct oral style is used for Waringa, the protagonist of Devil on the Cross. From the time she tells her story to the stranger at the beginning of the novel till the end after her character?s transformation, Waringa?s oral style is central to Ngugi's novel. Throughout the description of the Devil?s Feast, Ngugi employs a religious, biblical tone, filled with allegory, allusion and symbolism. The oral style is preachy and if read aloud would fill an auditorium (or a cave). Finally, the oral style hearkening to African song is used to evoke a sense of timelessness, rhythm, and mythology. Any Kenyan novel must be filled with verse in order to truly capture Kenyan cultural history and heritage."
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"The River Between", 2008.
A review of the novel "The River Between" by Ngugi wa Thiong'o.
1,780 words (approx. 7.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 57.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses Ngugi wa Thiong'o's novel, "The River Between", a
fictional story of a love affair in a rural village disrupted by the rivalry between non-Christians and Christian converts. The paper looks at how Ngugi examines the historical impact of colonialism on Kenya and the difficulties of political leadership in a land torn by social and cultural divisions. The paper looks at Thiongo's emphasis on the importance of political and social tolerance in response to human flaws and corruption in society.
From the Paper
"Through the plot, theme, and dialogue of his novel, Ngugi reveals that the protagonist Waiyaki encountered difficulties as a political leader because of a variety of political, social, and cultural factors. Two of the most difficult issues he had to deal with were the traditional tribal practice of female circumcision and the tribal divisions inevitably produced by British colonialism, which imposed European culture, social values, and religion on Kenya."
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Language and Culture, 2008.
This paper compares two articles on the cultural significance of language; "Decolonizing the Mind" by N'gugi wa Thiong'o and the "Intellectual Savage" by Jamake Highwater.
1,088 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 0 sources, $ 37.95
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Abstract
The paper examines two articles, "Decolonizing the Mind" by N'gugi wa Thiong'o and the "Intellectual Savage" by Jamake Highwater. The paper explains how the articles discuss how language becomes the means through which a cultural reality is transmitted, thus controlling language is one means by which colonial usurpers can control self-imagery and self-awareness. The paper is of the opinion that both articles do a commendable job of highlighting the inter-relationship between language and culture.
From the Paper
"In her article, "Decolonizing the Mind," N'gugi wa Thiong'o writes about her childhood speaking Gikuyu in her native Africa. In particular, she devotes time to recollecting how, as a small child, she listened to tales about how the weak hare could outwit the beasts of prey - the lion, the leopard, and the hyena - and stay alive in a hostile world. Not to be overlooked, she comments at length upon the different types of human beings who emerged in anthropocentric tales and how some were cruel, selfish and opposed to all that might foster a stronger community, and how others were kind, giving and individualistic; in assessing the narrative, it is evident that Ngugi wa Thiong'o is comparing the beasts of prey with colonizers eager to take over her native land. More than that, those stories impressed upon her the power of language - its cadence, rhythm, inflection, its suggestive power - and how language could bind a community together. Later though, this harmony would be broken when Englishmen took over the school system and made it a serious penalty for any child to be speaking the native Gikuyu language instead of the alien, oppressive English of the colonizers."
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"The River Between" and "Nectar in a Sieve", 2008.
A review of "The River Between" by Ngugi wa Thion'o's and "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya.
1,408 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 46.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how, in the novels "The River Between" and "Nectar in a Sieve", the characters are doing things that have application to people and cultures everywhere else on the planet. The paper describes the culture clash between the people of Makuyu and Kameno in "The River Between" and conveys the hopelessness of the terrible grinding poverty in "Nectar in a Sieve".
From the Paper
"What a reader finds immediately profound and dramatic about The River Between is the symbolism of the two mountains (ridges) laying "side by side" with a river running between. In the story, the two cultures are dead set against one another, with opposing religious beliefs and values. The culture living on the Makuyu ridge subscribes to the Christian beliefs, having been affected and greatly influenced by the British colonial indoctrination; but the tribe living on the Kameno ridge - where the story's protagonist, Waiyaki lives, wants to continue the old cultural traditions (like polytheism and circumcision). In fact Waiyaki is anxious for his circumcision to happen, notwithstanding the hideous feelings a reader gets as the author describes what it is like to be circumcised."
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Just a Poor Farm Girl, 2004.
This paper reviews and analyzes the novel "Minutes of Glory" by Kenyan author, Ngugi Wa Thiong'O.
2,073 words (approx. 8.3 pages), 0 sources, $ 65.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper details the plot and main characteristics of Beatrice, the main character in "Minutes of Glory." This paper discusses the issue of class distinction in Kenya. This paper examines Beatrice's lack of self esteem, which is limited due to her beliefs about herself. Beatrice longs for dignity and respect, but because of her background, she has had no access to education or training, the only place she can work is in a bar, where she hopes to sell her body to affluent men. This paper explores the intense relationship between Beatrice and the unnamed truck driver. The writer contends and explains how class distinctions, both in the novel and in society in general, can become so embedded and accepted in the shared consciousness of a culture, that people believe those distinctions define who they really are.
From the Paper
"The class system is designed to perpetuate and maintain the upper classes. That the problem is one of class distinctions is shown by what happens to the man with the lorry whom Beatrice eventually chooses to be her lover. The man has no name in the story--to show that he too is a nobody. He is a nobody who has worked hard and been able to rise to some level of financial success, however. He owns a "lorry" and is tremendously proud of it. He keeps it locked so no one will steal it from him. His clothing is decent. Nevertheless, he is not accepted by the "big-shots" (neuveaux riche) at the Treetop who come to "dine"(dining is something the upper classes do-ordinary people just eat) and fraternize with other big-shots. Although he tries over and over again (every Saturday) to gain their acceptance, he is continually and openly rejected as not good enough for their company. Beatrice can relate to this, of course, because she has had the same experience."
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"A Grain of Wheat", 2004.
A brief analysis of the symbolism of Christianity in "A Grain of Wheat" by Ngugi wa Thiong?o.
1,132 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 0 sources, $ 39.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at how Ngugi portrays Christianity in "A Grain of Wheat". It asks whether he is overly critical and whether he explores some positive aspects of the European religion. It also examines what the specific Biblical references mean in the context of the story.
From the Paper
"A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong?o poses some interesting questions for the reader in terms of the way it deals with religion. First of all, it is a mythological, magical realist work of postcolonial fiction set in the real world of Africa, detailing both African and European characters' perspectives on Kenyans' struggle for independence from Britain. Given this theme and stylistic device, it might be assumed that the text takes an extremely negative view of the religion of the colonialist, British oppressors. However, the plot theme of the book seems to exemplify the gospel narrative of Jesus, a man wrongly accused of crimes he did not commit, and the grain of wheat of the title refers to the gospel narrative of John."
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African Relationships, 2002.
An examination of the relationships of three African couples in "So Long a Letter" by Mariama Ba, "The Collector of Treasures" by Bessie Head, and "A Meeting in the Dark" by Ngugi wa Thiong?o.
767 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 27.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses and analyzes the above short stories. It looks at the marital relationships of the couples in each of these three works. The writer?s focus is on the issue of change and how it can alter a relationship. The paper analyzes each of the African couples and highlights how they are examples of changing African relationships. In conclusion the paper argues that these characters illustrate African culture in vivid detail and portray women as having no rights or rights to feelings. It argues that culturally these relationships seem unacceptable to our western standards and that African women are beginning to recognize this too and stand up for their rights.
From the Paper
"Garesego and Dikeledi have a typical African relationship. The man has all the power and does whatever he pleases, even abuses his wife if he chooses. The wives have no power, and that is why so many of them end up in prison for killing their husbands, they have no other alternative in their unhappy and abusive lives. "To this day, women still suffered from all the calamities that befall an inferior form of human life" (Head 59). Garesego does not take responsibility for his family and his actions, and leaves Dikeledi with three children while he carouses and enjoys himself. Dikeledi admits she has never been happy in her life, and her marriage was no exception. Their relationship, and the contrasting relationship of her next-door neighbors, shows how culture clashes in modern Africa."
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Decolonizing the Mind-Politics of Language in African Literature, 2000.
A look at how Nguii wa Thiong's ?Decolonizing the Mind? illustrates the politics of language in African Literature.
710 words (approx. 2.8 pages), 1 source, $ 25.95
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From the Paper
"Thiong?o goes into great detail in describing his oversimplified view of the correlation between language and culture. He claims that language is a carrier of culture, and uses the example that in Sweden and Denmark, English is only used to communicate with those who cannot speak their language. However, in Britain, the English language is not only a means of communication, but also a carrier of its culture and history. For Africans, there is no relationship between their acquired language?English, and their African culture. Thiong?o defines culture as a product and a reflection of human beings communicating with one another in the very struggle to create wealth and control it?a product of the history which it in turn reflects. "
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