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Marketing

Introduction

A marketing plan shows the marketing efforts of an organization. It represents the company’s marketing strategy for a certain period. It should be made including the employees so that they can feel confident about attaining the company’s objectives.The marketing plan mostly includes a well-defined description of the company’s competitors, the demand for the services and products of the organization and also the strengths and weaknesses of the company.

A marketing plan’s purpose is to show the management of a business the business current market position. The marketing plans made have a life of one to five years. This is because there are changes that are expected within the years, with the way technology is advancing markets are expected to evolve. The employees may leave and customers may be lost while others are gained. It shows what will be done so that the organization can attain its objectives. The business plan is more confused as a marketing plan but it is not the same thing because the business plan represents what the organization is about and its goals. The location of the company, staff, financing strategies and also the vision are included in the business plan. This means that the business plan is the constitution of the business, it then leads to the development of a marketing plan.

The Four Seasons Hotels in Europe has adapted the marketing strategy of using social media. The social media is where almost everyone resides, everybody is exposed to the social media and hence information is well spread. The company uses the social media to engage in conversations with their customers, tell them about new products, thank them for using their services and also advertise their current services. The company has ensured that all their consumers get their brand online, they have websites about them where customers can read their magazines and they have a manager who works on the website.

The Four Seasons Hotels since 1998 it has been named as one of the best top 100 company to work for. In the year 2012 the company’s revenue was 5.6 billion euros and its operating income was 526 million euros and by the end of the financial year its profit was 80million euros. The company properties include 3,500 hotels which are in five continents. It also runs properties for real estate owners which earn them three per cent of the gross income and also 5 per cent of the profits from running the properties. The Four Seasons Hotels has sophisticated venues whereby people meet for business meetings; there are also luxurious receptions that are intended for parties holding a capacity of about 600 people. There are also gardens that are attractive especially because they can be viewed from the rooms.

Global trends shape the world and help to focus on the challenges that may be experienced in the future. Global economies are interconnected and hence leading to companies working with the government. There are six long term developments when it comes to global trends that can be used to shape the world. These are demographic shifts; this is the increase in population of the youth, urbanization and also the growing middle class. This leads to reshaping both the world and the society. The other long term development is the increase in technology innovation which leads to a smart mobile world. There is also the government which leads to enhancing the ties with the private sectors. There are also the emerging markets that lead to increased global power. There is also the global banking and lastly cleantech which is a competitive advantage. These trends are the same in the world.

The Four Seasons Hotels plans to continue adding to its portfolio more hotels and resorts. Its plan in the next five years is to expand in other countries where they are doing well and also where they have not established themselves. It plans to invest in countries like China and India and Moscow. The company also intends to go out and get more experienced and well known staff especially the chefs so as to increase their number of customers. The company also hopes with the growth in technology innovation their advertising using the internet will continue to bear fruits. The company plans to continue communicating with their customers using the social media.

The company has faced competition since its inception and when starting in London its main competitors were Claridge and The Connaught but Four Seasons Hotel discovered that the two hotels were treating their customers according to their social class. The Mandarin hotel which after the Four Seasons Hotel was opened decided to use $ 110 on a new project. The hotel has 115 rooms which are near the landmark shopping centre; the two companies compete in their fabrics and furniture too. The Mandarin with its developments of having spas and Chinese art aims at attracting the tourists with disposable income. The company gets its customers for the fine food and the good services they offer their customers which include picking them with Rolls-Royce limousines at the airport. The Four Seasons Hotel also has tried to gain the higher market share and has gone to extent of hiring designers so as to match with the culture of their customers and has worked on having the best modern spa and also providing the best services.

The competitors Mandarin boasts of its heritage and this is what it has over the Four Seasons Hotels. The sales manager is quoted saying that the hotel like to have chocolate sauce on their vanilla. The changes in the market however will lead to the hotel having more modern facilities other than the historic ones. The Four Seasons Hotels does not plan to emphasis on the historic features like its competitors. The hotel strengths is its modern facilities where they include ballrooms

The Four Seasons Hotels strengths are that they access certain things before they invest. The first thing is what is the strength of the market and second is the quality of the site that is proposed. The third one is the investor with whom to work with. They ensure they are committed and have the same objectives just as them. The Four Seasons hotels base its business model on four pillars which are service, quality, and culture and also brand. The company is dedicated to making sure they commit business in a way that they will comply with the law.

The Four Seasons Hotels at its fifth decade continues to grow in size and also in recognition all over the word. They are developing a global luxury brand. They have grown in all continents except one that is Antarctica. They offer exceptional luxury services to their customers worldwide hence building an international brand.

The Four Seasons Hotels has made it their goal to involve all their employees and customers in achieving their goal of preserving the environment when providing their services.

Market segmentation is a marketing term that refers to the company dividing consumers according to their needs. This is the reason why the Four Seasons Hotels has different services which are stated in their brochures, the spas mostly attract women and hence made to suit their needs.

Researching on the needs of most consumers which can be categorised on age and sex is a competitive advantage that will enable a company to defeat their competitors once they implement them.

The company has been able to have a strong management team and has also applied technology in providing their services. Their financial position is quite strong. The company has been able to continue growing and they owe that to their strong brand name which has attracted investors and customers all over the world.

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Literal narration of stories adopted from various angles makes literature interesting in its core value of themes, traits, and scenes. The film adapted from the ‘A Once Crowded Sky’ novel by Tom King that described a hero and legend who in the eyes of many had his flaws and failures. The novel written in one of the most interesting literal styles derives its meaning from the storyline of legendary life that is well depicted through Ultimate in his actions of bravery and strength to save lives. The film adapted from the novel brings a small twist in the life and legendary acts of the hero Ultimate who in this case in is in a mission to save lives. Within the film, a different but yet similar hero is seen as also described in the novel who by al means outlives his critics to become a legend and hero. The true definition of a hero is brought out through the novel and the film that derive a fascinating story of a legend who sought to fight a battle of bravery.

The narration about Ultimate in both the film and the novel strikes a huge difference in presentation and actions. The hero is first presented as a legend who overcomes his fears by living in his present and future moments (Burke 7). One of the binding elements that define the legend is that he is perceived as a person who by his virtual and beliefs is able to accomplish anything. The definition of the legend in the film takes a twist when he is confronted by a situation that demands self-loss of both personality and belief. The character presentation in the various genres about Ultimate varies and navigates through key aspects of narration and visual presentation (Kinsella et al., 12). It is true to say that the legend retains his virtual, strength, heroic portrait, as well as the dominant trait of bravery that makes his name relevant through the various genres.

The presentation of Ultimate holds a vital aspect of legendary view as it holds good sentimental elements that crate the hero from scratch to the dominant person he is presented to be. In the novel, the author creates a character who is unique, clever, and brave to take on the title of a hero (Burke 17). Within the film, the same traits are upheld only at this time there is a degree of creativity and visualizations. One of the ways to define Ultimate in the film is that he is full of vigor and always seeking to straighten the paths that hold people captive. He goes beyond his character to assume a dominant figure who seeks to break the chains of fear that had glued people to their past. It is through the actions shown by Ultimate that the true meaning of the legend in the film is revealed (Tapaswi et al., 13). Compared to the film, Ultimate is also an epidemy of history in the novel as he carries what links the past failures to the future. However, the novel allows the audience to see a different figure who is bold and intellectual and always seeking to twist the past into a brighter future through his imagination and actions.

Within this novel, the legend assumes many roles, traits, and feelings that are all aimed at making him accomplish his goals. One of the underlying and defining elements of Ultimate in both the novel and the film is that he acts with bravery and this makes him a legend who fights fear by confronting that which he and the people fear the most in the society (Kinsella et al., 8). Many perceive his actions as a means to earn unworthy praise but there are those who see him as their hero in a time of need. In the same respect, the film a s key genre in presenting Ultimate derives its creation from the actions of Ultimate that portray a person who is full of energy and strength. In the same respect, the novel creates a legend who through his bravery overcomes anything and all obstacles that had for ages impended life in the society (Tapaswi et al., 10). Through the way the hero is described in the novel, the audience is able to learn the various traits and virtual that form this strong figure. In the same way, the various aspects of the hero are brought out within the aspect of derived energy and positivity.

One of the underlying facts about Ultimate in both the film and the novel is that the figure compels and carries a considerable amount of respect and praise. Seen as the legend foretold in the legendary stories, the people praise and honor him even for the much that he had achieved. The narration given within the novel brings a new twist into what and how the legend is presented that makes his story worth revealing (Burke 4). The film does not dwell much in the past life of the legend but rather presents his present life as a hero. The actions shown by Ultimate within the film and the novel are mode centered on the key acts of bravery which even goes beyond the true definition of a hero. While it is not so certain about Ultimate’s intention in the beginning, his actions going forward reveal that he means well for the people (Kinsella et al., 5). The description given affirms that a legend has many flaws and always acts on what his mind beliefs.

As seen in the film, Ultimate lives in the present and always seeking to outdo his flaws that come in many forms. Still in the same manner, Ultimate derives what he perceives as life of happiness that many beliefs that he acted in this manner to hide his pains (Tapaswi et al., 8). While it is true that the legend is constantly seeking reunion with his past glorious life, he keeps his failures a secret when pursuing his glory and victory. The film thus connects Ultimate’s life to what the society believed in building a hero who would overcome and outlive the failures and fears that overshadowed his past (Burke 11). Within the same values, Ultimate is presented as a hero who in his own capacity acted with humanity and compassion that was derived from what many saw as a hidden trait. Many would not expect a legend who was in pursuit of his glory and heroism to act in a manner that would show humanity as Ultimate did in the film. He is described a s a sobber, strong, and positive minded legend who builds his life around the value of moving to the top in the heroism ladder.

There are also similarities in the way the legend is described in the various genres. The common story behind Ultimate is that he is a hero who is rooted within his strong belief that he can overcome anything (Kinsella et al., 6). There is similarity in themes, traits, and description of Ultimate that define what the legend in his true colors. The audience is able to see a different figure who is rooted in the value for life and lives within his means to show concern to derive the right path of heroism. In one of the most fascinating ways, the legend is depicted as a figure who is dominated by love but still fiercely fighting to outshine his flaws (Burke 9). Through such a description the, novel, film, and comic attains an incredible narration of a true hero and legend who outlived his flaws and mistakes.

Conclusion

Various genres and film adaptations are some of the best ways to depict and narrate the life of a legend. In many occasions, heroes are depicted as person who overcame their flaws and lived a life of seeking glory within what many would term as weaknesses. Ultimate in the film and the novel is brought out as a legend who lived through a dark past and pursues to outlive his fears in all ways possible. In an account of perceived flaw, Ultimate seeks to rewrite his past by taking up risky mission and this proves that he is a true legend for his people. The depiction of the legend in the film is particularly fascinating and carries some interesting sentimental elements that define many heroes and legends. To add more on this, the hero who lives through bravery and some flaws does not focus on his past rather keeps his eyes on accomplishing the many demands that surround his life. In a more concerted view, the narration of Ultimate keeps getting sweeter as the audience is able to appreciate the key traits that define his journey into becoming a society hero and legend.

Work Cited

Burke, Liam. The Comic Book Film Adaptation: Exploring Modern Hollywood’s Leading Genre. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2015.

Kinsella, Elaine L., Timothy D. Ritchie, and Eric R. Igou. “Zeroing in on heroes: a prototype analysis of hero features.” Journal of personality and social psychology 108.1 (2015): 114.

Tapaswi, Makarand, Martin Bauml, and Rainer Stiefelhagen. “Book2movie: Aligning video scenes with book chapters.” Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition. 2015.

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Literary analysis of the novel Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Introduction

The novel, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, is a novel set during the Cultural Revolution in China. It is about the life of two teenage boys affected by the idea of communism in China. The Cultural Revolution is a movement led by Mao Zedong against the capitalist societies in the country. Mao led the Communist Party of China in the revolution that focused on enforcing communism in China. The revolution could achieve this objective by changing the traditional culture of China and enhancing the capitalist culture in the society. Analysis of the characters and the setting of the gives details of the effects of Cultural Revolution in China as well as the development of communism. Change in forms of administration from capitalist to communist forms affect different issues in society. The Cultural Revolution of China forces the two characters in the book to look for re-education. The novel uses some themes to show the effects of political systems and negative ideologies on the society. China suffered from the false ideologies of communalism brought about by the Cultural Revolution.

The first part of the novel is a narration by a character that the book has not mentioned. Luo and the Little Seamstress narrate the other part. This mix up of styles in writing helps in understanding characters and their actions. The author does not give real names to the characters, which gives a clearer understanding of the novel. An attempt by the reader reveals to study the characters reveal what the author intends to pass using them. The author gives a real name to one character only, Luo. Luo represents how disintegration of traditional culture affects the society. He takes away the virginity of Little Seamstress and impregnates her (Dai 176). The narrator shows the capabilities of human beings to survive using Luo. The narration by Luo indicates that he was open to other ideas from other people through his talent of storytelling. The background of the novel sheds some light on the history of China. China was so conservative at the time and not open to outside ideas, which contributed to political and economic redundancy. For instance, the government did not allow intellectuals and students to read western literature works out of fear that the scholars would use the knowledge they obtain to oppose the government.

Communism, re-education and the Mao regime

Communism is a social movement that aims at removing different classes in the society and creating one acceptable social class. The novel shows the effect of the Cultural Movement on the lives of many people. Mao led the revolution that affected different people including the military. It destabilized the laid down structures of the Chinese society at that time. Education and political sectors felt the effect of this revolution as the novel depicts. Communists regarded the political elites who were against their propositions as enemies of the state. It is for this reason that the communists sent the two characters to the village because their fathers were enemies of the state. The re-education centers served as centers of preventing the intellectuals from criticizing the Mao regime. Vices such as forced labor and cultural stereotypes characterized China’s life before and after the revolution.

The ruling class of China was corrupt and suffered from political illiteracy. For instance, they believed that the only way of having a communist society was to suppress the intellectuals who would oppose the movement. Personal interests took precedence over the interests of the majority. The novel shows that Mao’s goal in the revolution was to gain power and influence over the country. The government sent the young intellectuals to the remote villages to force them take the idea of communism. The remote villages did not have communication resources and other facilities, which forced the intellectuals to adopt communism (Dai 120). The two teenagers pass through a difficult life during the re-education sessions in the villages. They struggle they pass through in the village demonstrates the effects of education, love and friendship in solving various issues.

The government had recognized the effects and influence of education among the young people. It knew that the educated people would use their knowledge in opposing communism during the Mao regime. The issue of re-education explains the disintegration of the Chinese society during the period. In my opinion, the benefits of communism will become a reality if people apply knowledge and intellectual capabilities in different systems of the society. Lack of knowledge and information leads to failure of any system of government. Those behind the regime did not struggle to show its importance, but rather wanted to suppress the ideas of others including the intellectuals. This is the reason why the regime was not successful even after the death of its leader. Brooke’s describes the importance of a free mind and knowledge in all areas of governance.

Theme of love

The theme of love emerges as the novel develops. Luo falls in love with Little Seamstress and later impregnates her. Luo had tried to share with Seamstress what he discovered after reading books from outside China. Love and friendship unite Luo with the tailor’s daughter during the re-education session. They support each other in carrying out different tasks in the camp. Love lures Luo into taking care of Little Seamstress and protects her from the dangers present in the re-education camps (Dai 68). Friendship helps the characters in discovering hidden treasures of information in books. The two young teenage boys share what they discover with the beautiful daughter of a tailor. In his article, Brooke Allen argues that the discovery of love among the characters makes them realize the meaning of personal choice, which was against the communist ideas. Love motivates the characters to share what they have and to go through the difficulties in the re-education camps (Brooke 24).

Conclusion

Traditional forms of communism have not been successful in achieving their demands. This is because they base their actions on false ideologies and neglect the views of other people. The novel uses China to show how such false ideologies affect the society. Those behind communism ideas prevented criticism by subjecting the intellectuals to a difficult life in the villages. However, the characters discover milestones of knowledge from outside sources while they are in the re-education camps. The background of the novel gives details about the historical background of China. China suffered from the problem of lack of knowledge and conservative nature of people during this period. The people were not open to outside ideas and knowledge. Love, friendship, and knowledge are the best approaches to solving problems affecting societies. Different scholars have echoed the same views concerning communism in China. Allen’s article expresses the same concerns. Therefore, knowledge, power and friendship are responsible for the performance of any system of government.

Works Cited

Brooke, Allen. “A Suitcase Education.” New York Times Book Review, 9/16/2001, p 24. Print

Dai, Sijie. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. New York: Anchor Books, 2002. Print.

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Martin Gardner’s Argument for the Objectivist View of Art

Aesthetics is one of the most complex issues that ancient philosophers discussed. While some schools of thought argue that what formed beauty or its lack thereof, one school of thought roughly classifies them into two groups; subjectivists and objectivists. Subjectivists deem all opinions of beauty to be purely subjective, while objectivist maintains objectivist criteria in determining the aesthetic value of art.

Martin Gardner is one of the recognized proponents of the objectivist theory and maintained that the criterion of the beauty of the art being objective was endurance. While this approach hardly applies to new works of art, it is reasonably useful and convincing when scrutinizing older ones.

The importance of Martin Gardner’s argument in the objectivist view of art is that individuals, for all their differences, have the same needs and are members of similar species. As the author himself writes it, human beings “share a common human nature, with common needs,” supposedly including the aesthetic ones (Vaughn, p. 338). As a result, a person may rank art as less or more aesthetically valuable, depending on whether it satisfies the needs of its audience.

According to Martin Gardner (1966), the kind of encounters that people deem as stylish tends to have an unmistakably pensive, quick, and passionate character. As far as Gardner is concerned, enthusiasm for workmanship is a rather intricate and serious kind of tasteful experience when things are different in reality. In current day-to-day existence, there is a huge emotional difference.

When there is an unmistakable sort of tasteful mindfulness the comes from the view perspectives that people hold about the world. Gardner recognizes craftsmanship from design as far as experience is concerned. Gardener says, “some level of tasteful receptivity is appeared by the calm impact that engineering applies on our feelings…”

Overall, all factors considered, workmanship is more remarkable other than designs and components. Gardner’s subjective and objective perspective concerning psychological qualifications is, to some degree humiliating. According to him, what propels an objective way of thinking is not a significant for a tasteful experience.

The inspiration emanates from the possibility that the world is autonomous by how people address it; as such, our encounters tend to place us in contact with the world exactly as it is. Nonetheless, the inspiration is not applicable for distasteful experiences as a person barely acquires information in any stylish experience.

Works Cited

Vaughn, Lewis. Philosophy here and now: Powerful ideas in everyday life. Oxford University Press, 2013.

Phil. 1000

Fall 2019

Instructor: Chris Wells

Marx: The German Ideology Handout I

Ideology and Economic Determinism

Initial Critique of “Enlightenment” as material change brought about by the progress of our ideas, i.e., identifying the problem and setting the tone for where we’re going: “Hitherto men have constantly made up for themselves false conceptions about themselves, about what they are and what they ought to be. They have arranged their relationships according to their ideas of God, of normal man, etc. The phantoms of their brains have got out of their hands. They, the creators, have bowed before their creations. Let us liberate them from the chimeras, the ideas, dogmas, imaginary beings under the yoke of which they are pining away. Let us revolt against the rule of thoughts.”

I. “Life Determines Consciousness”

You’ve been sold a story so far in this course. More likely than not, you’ve been sold the same story throughout your non-academic life: Our lives are guided and governed by our ideas, by our reason, and that these thoughts and choices are free. We don’t have to mean this abstractly. Why do you think the political positions you may hold are correct? Perhaps more intimately, why do you believe that the ethical or religious beliefs you hold are correct? Why do we believe humanity has improved in some manner throughout history? The answer, almost always, circles back to the contention that our ideas guide our action, that our ideas determine history, that historical events, historical progress, and historical development track the progress and development of new ideas.

Marx, emphatically, challenges this claim. In order to understand what Marx thinks we are, how history moves, how and why change happens, in order to determine why you think what you think, why you are who you are, we must realize the answers to these questions have nothing to do with the force of the better argument or the proximity of our beliefs to truth. The answers to these questions have everything to do with how life is lived, economically, by human beings.

A. Marx states: “Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.”

Put simply to begin: The ideas of any time (“consciousness” here) are determined by, formed from, the concrete modes of life of that time and place, as that way of living, of “expressing life,” is actually lived by concrete people. Our ideas are reflections of our activity, not the other way around. So, in attempting to understand who and what we are, and why, we must as Marx puts it “ascend from earth to heaven,” not from “heaven to earth.” This claim is meant to indicate nothing religious. What Marx is saying is that to study human beings, to understand them, requires beginning on the ground, through empirical analysis of what they do and how they live (“earth”). We do not begin by conjuring up ideas about human beings, mere abstractions (“heaven”), that we then claim are true representations of human beings.

B. More clearly: What do we mean when we say “What we do” or “How we live?”: Marx is very specific here. When he says that the mode of human life existing at a time and in a place determines what living there and then are and think, he specifically means that the form of economic activity through which human beings secure the means of their survival determines who and what they are, as well as what they think, believe, and value.

“As individuals express their life, so they are. What they are, therefore, coincides with their production, both with what they produce and with how they produce.”

“Economic activity” here can be as simple as the manner through which we secure our sustenance, our shelter, or survival. However complex our economies and economic activity may become, securing these things is really always what guides and motivates that activity. In the absolute simplest form this is human beings gathering food, building themselves shelters, fending off nature in order to survive. In our context, this is an intricate process of wage and salaried labor, wherein you contract out your time and effort in order to receive monetary compensation, which will itself be used to purchase goods and services (sustenance, shelter, comforts) on a market based in (relatively free) exchange (as well as all the behavior and activity you must participate in in order to do so, like sitting in a college classroom); it is all the production of these goods and services. When we say we, and our ideas, thoughts, and beliefs, are produced by our “activity,” this is what Marx has in mind. The form of economy in which we participate shapes and determines our lives.

Marx often uses the term “mode of production” to name the form of economic system.

C. Therefore: “The nature of individuals thus depends on the material conditions determining their production.”

“Material Conditions”: This term does a lot of work for Marx. With it, Marx is capturing all of the economic activity human beings engage in in that place and at that time. Further, though, he’s capturing the conditions of those people’s lives: What divisions between people are created by this form of economy (for example, classes)? To what resources and to how much do individuals have access in this society? To what degree is that access to resources equal or unequal? Further still: What is lived life like for these people? What are the concrete conditions of their lives? How is labor divided up between them? Who does what kind of labor, and how do they end up doing that labor?

This set of conditions determines not only how our lives will go (which it does do), but also who we will be, what we will think, what we will value, what we will desire. It will determine everything we think and are.

II. Ideology and Ideological Reflexes:

A. Ideology

“We set out from real, active men, and on the basis of their real life-process we demonstrate the development of the ideological reflexes and the echoes of this life-process. The phantoms formed in the human brain are also, necessarily, sublimates of their material life process[.]”

“The production of ideas, of conceptions, of consciousness, is at first directly interwoven with the material activity and the material intercourse of men, the language of real life.”

We like to think that we are in control of what we think, of the thoughts we have, of the things we believe, and of the reasons why we believe those things. We like to think that our perspective, our worldview, our personality, our commitments, our values are freely determined, decided upon actively and purposefully, on our own. We like to think that new ideas are our making or doing, that ideas can be innovative and independent. We like to think that the ideas and beliefs we hold are a testament to who we have freely made ourselves as individuals. We like to think that whatever humanity is, or even our smaller communities are, they are so because we determine, decide, and will them to be so. All of this is very much in line with Kant’s concept of Enlightenment, both at an individual and at a human level.

Marx agrees you’d like to think that. But this is wishful thinking, a fairy tale. For Marx, all ideas, concepts, beliefs are produced by the material conditions and modes of production of a given society. Said more plainly: Ideas are simply reflections of the way people actually, concretely, live, i.e., of the way they produce the means of their survival. Economic activity generates ideas. You have those ideas, and those specific ideas because they make sense of they way you (have to) live.

More bluntly: Human beings do not posit their ideas freely. Human economic activity determines those ideas for them, in the reflection of the mode of production. What we think is a reflection of what we do.

More pointedly: The ideas we hold, the scope of the things we can think, the things we believe are, effectively, intellectual justifications for the mode of production and material conditions in which we live. Our ideas are generated to make sense of life and what that life is like, as we live it.

Marx’s term for these ideas, as they are determined by and represent their mode of production and of life is “ideology.”

B. “Ideological Reflexes”: When struck the right way, your joints (like your knee) will cause motion in your limbs, and they will do so without anything conscious, controlled, or free on your part. Just as you do not choose your reflexive movements, Marx’s point is that you do not choose your ideas (or, further, which ideas are even possible or possibly convincing to and for you); your ideas are reflexive products of the life you live and the society/economy in which you live. As you do, you will think.

For Marx, the boundaries of what you will think, the concepts available to you in the first place, are set by and limited to the existing ideology of the time, place, and context.

C. What’s Encompassed by Ideology?

What’s Encompassed by “Ideology?”: We’ve been a bit abstract to this point. Let’s be more concrete: We mean, “mental production as expressed in the language of politics, laws, morality, religion, metaphysics, etc. of a people.”

For Marx: Any and all moral beliefs, regardless of their specific claims are intellectual reflections of and justifications for the economy and form of life out of which they arise. The same is true for any and all political claims, positions, and platforms. The laws of any time and place are direct products of, and facilitators for, the modes of production at that time and in that place. All religion is a reflection of the economic conditions under which human beings live. All notions of human nature – of what we even are – are shaped by the intellectual needs of a way of life.

III. Economic Determinism:

It follows, then, that you (so to speak) are an ideological reflex of the conditions in which you live. You are determined by forces outside of yourself. As Marx puts it elsewhere, you are the “plaything of alien forces.” Your perspective, your worldview, your consciousness are the products of, are fashioned by, the material conditions of your society. Depending on your reading of Marx, the claim here may well be that you are determined all the way down.

Let that sink in: Everything you have ever valued, every plan you have ever set for your life, everything that feels meaningful to you, everything you desire, you hope for, or you pursue is shaped for you, from the outside. Further, the nature of your relationships, of who you care for, of who you are attracted to, of what you think of as meaningful human interactions and what you want out of them, are the effects of forces beyond yourself. Do you believe in god? You do so because the economic system in which you live necessitates that you do so. And all of this functions to provide justification for the mode of life in which you find yourself.

Key: If these claims about ideology are true, then it cannot be our ideas, the new or better argument, that motivates, guides, or produces material change, that move history forward, that guide what we’ve called “progress.” Why not? First, crucially, the thoughts we think, the ideas, arguments, claims we make, the beliefs we hold, and the values we appeal to are bounded to the context in which we live. In a sense, we cannot clearly see beyond our own world to a world that does not yet exist. We’re epistemologically limited in being determined by the material conditions in which we live. What we think will always mirror back the basic premises of the economic system and form of society in which we live. Second, if this is true this creates a problem for “positive” claims, for Marx. We don’t mean “positive” as we often use it here; rather, we mean the kind of thinking we use when we posit some idea or claim. We can describe the world in which we live. We can (as we’ll see) criticize the world in which we live. We cannot think and argue beyond that world. To do so uses the ideology of the present in order to imagine something other than the present. Marx’s claim is that, in doing so, we will simply restate the premises of the existing world, since we are using the justifications for that world to make arguments for changing that world.

Transition to Next Time: The only thing that change the world, for Marx, is concrete changes in our activity, in what we do, in the material conditions and mode of production of a society. History develops and moves as forms of economic activity change, on the basis of new circumstances and conditions, new active possibilities, and new technology.

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Institutional Affiliation:

Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King played a significant role in ensuring that African Americans were treated equally. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929. He was the middle child of Michael King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He had an older sister known as Willie and a younger brother called Alfred. Their father was the strictest disciplinarian while their mother had a gentler hand. The two characters, therefore, evened each other out. Every parent wants to make sure that they protect their children from any harm and evil that exists in the world and King’s parents were no different. It was, however, impossible to ignore the wave of slavery that was sweeping across the United States at the time.

Martin Luther King was an influential church minister. Among his many responsibilities as a church minister was the fact that he was the leader of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (Garrow 15). In his capacity as the leader of the conference, they collaborated with many other religious organizations from across the country. One of these organizations called upon him for help concerning the grave matter of racism that had plagued their town. This led to Dr. King penning one of his most famous works, ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’ when he was arrested for taking part in the protest against racism (Reddick 23).

Dr. King and his co0mpatriots were concerned at the legal segregation of African Americans. I the shops, they had different sections that were reserved for them. Even their children could not go to the amusement parks as they were reserved for the white people. This led to the young black children developing an inferiority complex quite early in life. To address this, Dr. King and those with him organized peaceful protests.

Many people criticized the peaceful march including the leaders of the church who claimed that the black people were in too much of a hurry to gain freedom. These things took time. Dr. King equated their indifference to complicity in the issue of racism. The most unfortunate part was that the segregation of African Americans was legal. This was even though the constitution claimed to advocate for the freedom and equality of all Americans. The matter of police brutality came up during the protest as well.

Dr. King’s crusade against racism bore fruit as African Americans finally got equal rights including the right to vote in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dr. King was hover assassinated in April 1968, but his inspiration and strong belief live on in the hearts of many. His story was not just about race. It is about the courage to speak up even when others remain silent when there are more powerful forces than you at work.

Everyone should know about Dr. King’s work because he was a great believer in his convictions and stood up for them. He stood up for what he knew what the right thing and when others called to him for help, he took heed and aided them in their quest (Shamir 35). Equality does not just come about because the constitution says that it should be so. In everyday life, we must still fight for the rights especially of those who are weak, oppressed or those who cannot speak for themselves. History will remember us and judge us for either our action or inaction.

Works Cited

Garrow, David J. Bearing the cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the southern Christian leadership conference. Open Road Media, 2015.

Reddick, Lawrence Dunbar. Crusader Without Violence: A Biography of Martin Luther King, jr. NewSouth Books, 2018.

Shamir, Boas, Michael B. Arthur, and Robert J. House. “The rhetoric of charismatic leadership:A theoretical extension, a case study, and implications for research.” Leadership Now: Reflections on the Legacy of Boas Shamir. Emerald Publishing Limited, 2018. 31-49.

Marx’s Concept of History

Student’s Name

Institution

Date

Marx’s Concept of HistoryMarx’s history exploration is centered on his discrepancy concerning the means of production for example land, technology as well as natural resources that are crucial for the manufacture of substantial goods. Moreover, it encompasses the social relations of manufacture that is the social interactions through which individuals arrive into as they attain besides using the available means of production and organized together they entail the method of production. According to Marx, in any specified society the method of production typically changes, and as a result, the European cultures had advanced from the outdated method of production to a capitalist way of production. Therefore, this regarded as Marx’s theory of revolution (Marx & Engels, 2002). The capitalist mode of production is adept of remarkable growth since the capitalist has the capability and the inducement to, reinvest profits in the new technologies.

Therefore, Marx regarded the capitalist class as the utmost revolutionary in history since it was able to revolutionize the means of production continually. Generally, Marx held that the means of production transforms more swiftly compared to the relations of production. Therefore according to him the mismatch amid base plus superstructure is a significant source of social conflicts besides disruptions. Individuals incline to sell their labor-power once they consent to reimbursement in return for whatsoever task or work they accomplish in a specified period. Thus after vending their labor power, they get some money for survival.

The individuals who sell their labor power for survivability are termed “proletarians,” while those who buy it are the individuals who own some land and technology for production and are referred to as capitalists. Exploitation is evident in this aspect as the capitalist took advantage of the livelihoods of the poorer, working class to work for them for hourly wages in the factories or on the land (Cohen, 2000). The wealthy in the society were the individuals who possessed factories and land, and thus they would then control all the components of the society. In his thought what Marx wanted to comprehend better was how a lot of individuals could be in abject poverty in a world where wealth was abundant, and thus his answer was straightforward: capitalism.

The members of the aristocracy, as well as the church, are the one who possessed these means of production, and in the industrial society, the aristocracy was replaced by the capitalists who were moreover recognized as the “bourgeoisie.” These individuals owned businesses with the goalmouth of making some profit, and the working class was thus supplanted by the proletariat, who are the individuals who labored for wages. Marx thought that this structure was intrinsically unfair and under capitalism, he held that the workers would become destitute and more impoverished and after that, they would experience alienation (Cohen, 2002). Consequently, isolation is evident as the workers becoming more dissociated from, or secluded from their work, and this resulted in a sensation of powerlessness. In replacing this alienation besides the thrilling social class organization, Marx supposed that capitalism had to end and after that be replaced by a socialist system that would make all individuals equal and thus have all the individuals needs to be covered.

In Marx’s work with Engels, “the Communist Manifesto,” Marx elaborated that, “the proletarians had zero to lose but their cuffs for they have a world to win” (Marx & Engels, 2002). Through his utterances, he had called for a workers’ revolution whereby the proletarians would stand up against the bourgeoisie and hence ousting capitalism. However, to his despair, such revolutions happened in various countries, for example, China and Russia but it never occurred in the more industrialized countries of that period like Germany and Britain.

References

Cohen, G. A. (2000). Karl Marx’s theory of history: a defence. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Marx, K., & Engels, F. (2002). The communist manifesto. Penguin.

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Professor

Course

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Literary analysis of “Blankets” by Craig Thompson

Introduction

Authors use various literary techniques to create emotions in their stories. Many comics and graphical novels use a combination of text and images to create different emotions. This is a difficult aspect for many authors of comics because many are usually about superheroes. Comics about superheroes mainly focus on the accuracy of the images for readers to view the heroic acts of these characters. This is so because there are very few comics that have other themes apart from the one mentioned above. Emotions are essential in any story that seeks to connect readers and the characters. Many authors use expressive words to create emotions in the novels. Emotion adds value to stories, especially romantic ones. Various authors try to write romantic comics but most of them portray the lustful fantasy theme. Blankets by Craig Thompson is a unique book because it is a comic novel with passionate artwork. The story reveals the life of the author through the events that take place from his childhood to his adult life. The author uses abstract images, excellent transition between panels and integration to add value to his work. He also uses black and white images because he believes that negative space can also communicate to the readers. On the other hand, the story telling techniques convey aspects such as realism, personal emotions and the journey of self-discovery. Thompson’s artwork conveys the emotions in the novel. He uses abstract images because his interest is on the emotions depicted and not the accuracy of the images. The analysis of Thompson’s artwork and literary techniques reveals the emotions in Blankets.

The plot of the novel Blankets by Craig Thompson does not play a major role in the story. The emotions in Blankets are the main focus in the book. The artwork creates a deeper meaning of the story and has an immense impact on the reader. His panels link various emotions in the story. He also uses minimal text to create realism and give readers a fast-paced read. The pictures in the panels have expressive brush strokes that depict the emotions in the novel. They flow from one panel to the other, so they intertwine various events in Craig’s childhood. The drawings also show Craig’s inner isolation from the world. The panels that show Craig’s classmates criticizing him in grade school and he looks like he could bury his head underneath his desk are an example of his alienation from the world (Thompson, 32). Thompson uses dark shadings around Craig to separate him from his classmates. This shading depicts Craig’s alienation from his peers. Thompson also uses curvy brushstroke lines between Craig and Raina to show their connection and the love that alienates them from the rest of the world. At the beginning of Craig and Raina’s relationship, the artwork creates a warm, fuzzy and cozy snuggling, but as their relationship matures, it shows a sexual relationship between them (Thompson, 423). Thompsons depicts Craig’s inner demons using dark shading and sharp jagged lines (Thompson, 60). These are the distractions that minimize his chances of enjoying the glory in heaven.

Thompson also uses abstraction to depict the characters in the novel. He does not focus on the accuracy of his drawings, so he uses dots and lines for representation and easy reading. He uses simple and rounded images for the minor characters, but for Craig, who is the major character, Thompson uses distinct shapes and angular lines to distinguish Craig from the other characters. He also uses these aspects to show Craig’s awkwardness and isolation. Craig has a square chin narrow face and lanky arms and legs. He also has a triangular nose that is well–rendered and three dimensional. He also represents Raina as a beautiful character for the readers to see her from Craig’s perspective. Thompson also uses subjective images for readers to understand how much Craig loved Raina. For instance, Craig thinks the ski camp’s game room is chaotic and frightening, but the presence of Raina makes him comfortable (Thompson, 118). Craig also thinks the choir’s melodies are fake and empty, but Riana makes it bearable (Thompson, 151). The panels that show Craig’s childhood have images of a young boy to show the difference between those that portray his current life.

Thompson also uses black and white as an artistic technique in his novel because he wanted to portray various aspects using the negative space. The story took place during winter when there was tons of snow, so Thompson thought that the negative white space would be suitable for depicting the snow. Negative space is also a form of communication because the absence of images on a page gives readers a clue of what is happening in the novel. The book also has various scenes where Craig and Riana bond in the snow, so the negative space creates the snowy aspect. At the end of the book, there is a panel that lacks shading and shows Craig seated in his old room with Jesus’ picture and a cross. This panel is different from the rest because it shows that Craig is no longer part of the setting. It shows the change in Craig’s life where he decides to leave his parents’ religion follow his dream. Thompson also uses negative space to show how Craig painted over the mural on Raina’s wall. He uses integration to show how the mural disappeared from the wall after Craig painted over it. The series of panels create a visual expression of the disappearance of the mural and they also show how Craig is continuing with his life after the break up.

Thompson also uses various literary techniques in his novel. He tries to blend the images with the words of the characters, so he uses tone to create a relationship with the readers. The tone in the novel is personal and intimate to bring out raw emotions. It also helps readers acquire a personal relationship with the novel. He uses flashback to show the impact of Craig’s childhood on his teenage life. He blends panels of Craig’s childhood experiences with those of his current life to help readers understand Craig’s life. He also uses metaphors to create wild imaginations in his story. Thompson uses various imaginations of Phil and Craig to create the light-hearted nature of childhood. For instance, the two brothers think of their bed as a ship voyaging through a stormy sea. Their animals are their shipmates and their bed sheets are their sails (Thompson, 406). Thompson also uses humor to show Craig’s memories of his childhood. The panels about the urine fight are humorous because the parties involved in the war have Spiderman and Batman t-shirts. These t-shirts depict a superhero fight between the two boys. They use pillows as their defense weapons against the urine passing out of their genitals. The two boys enjoyed the urine fight until when their mother walked in and instilled some church and adult morals. She forced them to take a bath and this marked as a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. It also makes them realize the things that are socially unacceptable in the adult world. There are also panels that show how the boys covered themselves in spit because there was immense heat in the room. This is a humorous act because readers try to imagine the amount of spit that could relieve one from the discomfort of excess heat. This also shows various aspects of the innocence of the childhood. They did this to make their parents give them a fan that would save them from the heat. Personification is also evident in the story of the stormy sea. Craig uses their teddy bear to act as their enemies. They threw on the floor to symbolize the death of their rivals.

Thompson also portrays various features of the Fundamentalist Christians through contrast. Craig’s peers alienated him because of his parents who were poor and also Fundamentalist Christians. His peers followed the values of the pop culture. He uses this aspect to differentiate the poor and the rich in his story. Craig’s peers were not as religious as his parents taught him. His parents constantly criticized him because he did not follow the ways of the Fundamentalist Christians. They were also poor, so Craig’s life could not blend with that of his peers. Craig’s consolation comes from his art and God. The two opposing forces in Craig’s life enhance the internal conflict that creates difficulties in his adolescent life. The conflict was immense because the pop culture and the Christian values were different. The Church condemned Craig’s art and imagination, which are two things that help Craig find peace. He decides to stop his art because it distracted from his religion. He burnt all his art work but still felt the urge to draw. This makes him find ways of making his artwork acceptable. He makes drawings of cartoons that glorify the Almighty (Thompson, 141). He again realizes that these drawings did not offer him the inners satisfaction of an artist. Raina came into his life and inspired him to follow his true calling of being an artist. Raina’s letters gave him wild imaginations that made him masturbate for the first time, but his religious faith did not give him a chance to repeat the act.

Thompson also utilizes Bible verses to depict Craig’s struggle to figure out his life. Craig reads the Bible and implements its morals. For instance, he read the passage where the sick woman touched Jesus cloak to get healed. Jesus noticed and asked, ‘Who touched me?” this question popped up in many occasions in the novel. When Craig was in the guest room, the animals taunted him and asked the same question. The same question also popped up Craig struggles between his religions and his lust for Raina. The bible verses help the readers to relate with the religious aspects that create conflicts in Craig’s life. He also uses imagery to explain why he left the Bible. When Craig was a child, he had immense for his religion but as he grew older, he realized that his religion kept him away from his passions. The act of leaving the Bible represents his departure from childhood and entry into adulthood. However, Thompson also creates irony when he says that a Bible verse in Ecclesiastes encouraged him to leave the Bible.

Conclusion

Comics or graphical novels use pictures and images to tell a story. The panels in these books should be elaborate and should also have a story behind the pictures. Panels are the main features in comics and graphical novels. The transitions between is also vital because it also helps readers to relate to the vents in the story. Blankets by Craig Thompson is a unique novel because the author plays around with the literary techniques to depict the emotions in the story. Flashbacks also link the events in Craig’s current and childhood life. Thompson also adds humor into his story to make readers enjoy and also relate to childhood innocence. The images are also in black and white for emphasis and use of negative space to tell a story. The white space also depicts the winter season because white is the color of snow. He also uses abstract images to contrast the characters in his story. For instance, Craig’s image is different from that of the other characters and his childhood images are also different from his adolescent ones. The story also highlights some Christian values. Craig explains the things that are forbidden in his religion such as art.

References

Thompson, Craig. Blankets: A Graphic Novel. Marietta, Ga: Top Shelf, 2003. Print

Being a manager takes a great deal of hard work, dedication, and persistence. Many corporations emphasize the importance of leadership, as well as problem solving and technical skills. The manager I interviewed shared the importance of putting people first, creating meaningful relationships with the customers, and providing support to the employees and the communities they live and work in. The company that I will be referring to will be called Bank X. Bank X is one of the top five largest banks in the U.S., and it has over 3,100 branches primarily in the Midwestern United States. The company holds about $419 billion in assets, and provides banking, investment, mortgage, trust, and payment services products to individuals, businesses, governmental entities, and other financial institutions. 

            The current position of the person I interviewed is Assistant Vice President, but I will refer to her as Mrs. Manager. Mrs. Manager has been employed with Bank X for six years, but has twenty-one years overall of banking experience. When she began working in the banking industry she started out as a teller, and has received promotions to get her to her desired position of management. Mrs. Manager explained what helped her get to her current position and becoming knowledgeable was being able to learn and work in various banking roles. She felt it was necessary for her to understand all the different positons to get her to become successful in managing her staff.

            Mrs. Manager demonstrated a positive and warm attitude, and I immediately felt comfortable in speaking with her. She explained that her company provided her with the resources and tools to have a meaningful career. She felt it is her duty to share these same resources with her team so they understand and exemplify the company’s core values. Her goal is to have them become as knowledgably as she is which will help advance them to their desired position within the company. The only way the she will be successful is by making her team successful.

            Mrs. Manager gave me a few examples of what her responsibilities are. One of her responsibilities is to actively coach her team. The way she does this by having one on one coaching sessions with every employee. She does this on a weekly basis, and she will focus on what successes and weaknesses they had the prior week. She will also sit in on customer interactions, so that she is able to give feedback on areas that need improvement. She also uses these interactions to praise the employees for their hard work. A second responsibility is identifying the financial needs of the customers. Customer’s turn to her and her team for financial advice, so it is important that her and her team are asking the right questions and providing the correct answers to help their customers. A third responsibility of Mrs. Manager is making sure everyone follows banking laws and regulations. Everyone employed at Bank X has compliance training monthly, and it is Mrs. Manager’s job to ensure her team is compliant with all the trainings.

            A manager should take the time to get to know his or her employees and that is something Mrs. Manager does. Her employees all have different personalities, and she takes the time to get to know all the employees. She doesn’t like to micromanage and gives her employees the space they need to do their job. However, she does hold each one of her employees accountable by having coaching on a weekly basis. This helps her uncover any weaknesses or successes. She has found success in working individually with each employee because she uncovers how she can specifically help each employee individually.  She can motivate her employees by giving them a purpose. She makes them understand they are all a valuable part of the team. She gives them confidence by showing that she has full trust that they will do their best job possible.

The tools Mrs. Manager uses to keep herself organized are her calendar, email, and binders. One thing she likes is how her calendar will sync up to her email to receive reminders of appointments or meetings. Her binders help her keep track of employee coaching forms to track were any progress is needed. She also uses these coaching forms as way to hold accountability by having each employee point out what success they have had or in what areas they need improvement. By them understanding what is working and what is not working Mrs. Manager can offer her help and support to attain their desired goals. Another way she feels her staff can be successful and confident is by having the knowledge they need to do their job accurately. Bank X offers many trainings on products and services through there intranet site. They also have live conference calls and computer tutorials for hands on customer practice scenarios. Mrs. Manager encourages her team to participate in as many trainings possible because she knows this will help her team with their success.

            Staying updated on products, services, and policies is part of their job. Bank X has gone through many changes, so it is important to keep up with all the changes. A few years ago, Bank X went through an acquisition, so her team had to adapt to the new products and services. Mrs. Manager said it was a challenge at the beginning, because it took several months to learn a new system, products, and expectations. Although this change was challenging, she never let it affect her management style, and she made sure she was always available to help her team adapt to the new changes.

            One the changes that came with the acquisition was new company expectations and goals. Not only did her employees expectations and goals change hers did too. With their previous company the team’s goals consisted of having to open a certain amount of checking and savings accounts, bringing in new money, and offering home improvement loans monthly. Bank X has monthly goals that consist of meeting a certain amount of lending applications, credit cards, online banking enrollment, mortgage referrals, and investment referrals. With Bank X came more responsibility and at first her team didn’t feel so enthusiastic. It was her job to assist her team in becoming confident and comfortable with this new change.

            Employees like to feel valued, and they like to feel appreciated for their hard work. Mrs. Manager empowers and motivates her employees, by allowing them to make their own decisions without needing her approval for every situation. Her employees have the information that they need to understand exactly and precisely what they do at work every day. Incentives are always motivation boosters, and she also likes to use incentives to show appreciation. Some of the perks she offers are lunch, an extra day off, or a gift card. She also regularly acknowledges outstanding performances, but she always wants her team to know how much she appreciates them.

            When talking about ethics Mrs. Manager states that all employees must follow Bank X Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. Each employee has to attest to these guidelines annually and out of the all the years she has been in banking she has never faced an ethical issue. Bank X offers employees to report any issue to their ethics line. One of the most important responsibilities as a Bank X employee is speaking up when someone has concerns. Bank X wants their employees to feel comfortable reporting suspected ethics violations, illegal conduct, sexual or other forms of harassment, discrimination, inappropriate workplace behavior or any other serious issue. As a manager and leader Mrs. Manager demonstrates the behaviors she expects to see from her entire team. She helps everyone around her to learn how to do the right things by showing them what the right things are.

            What I learned from interviewing Mrs. Manager is that she is a great leader. In speaking with her I could clearly see that she enjoys her job and want to see success in every single team member. Managers develop their own management style that helps their team become motivated, successful, and enthusiastic. I uncovered that she leads with integrity and sets the expectation of day-to-day responsibilities about goals and performance. Ongoing conversations are important to have within a team and the company. Open, honest dialogue about performance, development and career growth supports the company’s core values and Mrs. Manager meets all these standards. By keeping the lines of communication open between managers and employees, that builds trust and helps each employee to reach their full potential.

            In chapter two we learned about leadership practices. There was a list of ways a leader can help their team in becoming successful. Of all the management functions, leadership is perhaps the most critical. Organizations that have great leaders have been found to outperform their peers. Leadership means offering strategic direction to the organization. Mrs. Manager displayed great leadership qualities. She seems very knowledgeable, she keeps her team on track by sharing ideas and giving feedback, and most of all she is an effective listener. Being a manager is not easy, and it has its challenges. It takes a person who is passionate and knows how to help not only themselves, but their team to grow and develop to the best that they can be.

            As a manager one has to learn to multitask because he or she is not just responsible in meeting his or her own goal, but they also have to worry about the success of the team. Thankfully she has all the tools and resources needed to help her in making decisions, staying organized, and training her team. It takes time and dedication to learn how to achieve the goals you set, and how to inspire others to follow you and do the same. Every manager has their different way of doing things, whether it’s through rewards, allowing more freedom within job roles or getting stuck in to the job alongside your employees. Each approach works differently for everyone, but each type of leader has taken time to figure out their style. Sometimes a manager will have to make difficult decisions, or maintain positivity even when you don’t really believe it. This is where a leadership mindset will be the difference between average and exceptional leadership. In situations like this it is your leadership that defines whether you succeed or fail. Ultimately, there are many different styles of leadership, but it is up to the manager to figure out what will work for the team.

A List Of Key Words And Phrases To Know When Traveling To China For Business

Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u Greetings PAGEREF _Toc377990048 h 1Basic courtesies PAGEREF _Toc377990049 h 1Personal pronouns PAGEREF _Toc377990050 h 1General words and phrases for travelers PAGEREF _Toc377990051 h 2Important phrases when travelling by plane PAGEREF _Toc377990052 h 2When travelling by train PAGEREF _Toc377990053 h 3Useful words and phrases in shopping situations PAGEREF _Toc377990054 h 3When staying at a hotel PAGEREF _Toc377990055 h 4Directions in Chinese PAGEREF _Toc377990056 h 4Good byes PAGEREF _Toc377990057 h 5

GreetingsNihao – Hello/Hi!

Wănshàng hăo – Good evening

Xiàwŭ hăo – Good afternoon

Wŏ bútàihăo – I’m not doing well

Wŏ hĕnhăo, xièxie – I’m doing great, thank you

Basic courtesies

Kĕnéng – maybe

Búyòngxìe – You’re welcome

Xièxie – thank you

Qĭng – please

Shì – yes

Bù – no

Personal pronounsTā – he

Wŏmen – we

Wŏ – I

Tā – she

Tā – it

Tāmen – they

Nĭ/nín – You

General words and phrases for travelersXiāngzi – suitcase

Hùzhào – passport

Hăiguān – customs

Lǖyóu – tour

Lǖyóu shŏucè – guidebook

Qiānzhèng – visa

Tuōyùn – check in luggage

Shŏutíxíngli – carry-on luggage

Xíngli – luggage

Xiāngzi – suitcase

Lǖxíngshè – travel agency

Lǖxíng dàilĭrén – travel agent

Piào – ticket

Guānguāng tuán – tour group

Wŏ shuō yīngwén – I speak English

Wŏ de zhōngwén shuōde bùhăo – I am not fluent in speaking Chinese

Wŏ zài zhăo jiŭdiàn – I am looking for the hotel

Wŏ mílù le – I am lost

Duì, wŏ zhīdào – Yes, I know

Wŏ bù zhīdào zài năr – I do not know where it is

Duìbuqĭ. Wŏbùzhīdào – I am sorry. I do not know

Wŏ bù dŏng – I don’t understand

Fēicháng gănxìe – I appreciate it

Qĭng nĭ zài shuō yícì, hăoma? – can you repeat, please?

Important phrases when travelling by planeFēijī (airplane)

Dēngjīpái – boarding pass

Fēijīchăng – airport

Dānchéng piào – one-way ticket

Wáng făn piào – round-trip ticket

Tóudĕngcāng – first class

Jīngjìcāng – economy class

Shāngwù cāng – business class

When travelling by trainWŏ yào măi yìzhāng qf Shànghăi de huŏchēpiào – I would like to purchase a ticket to Shanghai

Duōshăoqián yìzhāngpiào? – How much does the ticket cost?

Zhĭ yào dānchéng de – Just one-way

Useful words and phrases in shopping situations

Xìnyòng kă – credit card

Guì (expensive)

Shòuhuòyuán (salesclerk)

Dà (big)

Xiăo (small)

Yŭyī (raincoat)

Xiànjīn (cash)

Yīfu (clothing)

Zhūbăo (jewelry)

Qiánbāo (wallet)

Qúnzi (skirt)

Xiézi (shoes)

Duō dà hào de? (What size?)

Zhè gè duōsháo qián? (How much does it cost?)

Wŏ néng fù xiànjīn háishì xìnyòngkă? (Can I pay cash or credit?)

Zhè jiàn yŏu xiăohào de ma? (Do you have this in size small?)

Zhè shuāng tài jĭn le. (This is too tight.)

Wŏ kĕyĭ tuì zhè gè ma? (May I return this item?)

Duì, mĕijiàn dōu dă wŭ zhé. (Yes, everything is 50 percent off.)

When staying at a hotelShuāngrén fángjiān (double room)

Uìfáng (to check out of a room)

Tănzi (blanket)

Kòngwèi (vacant)

Kōngtiáo (air conditioning)

Jīedàiyuán (concierge)

Fàndiàn qiántái (reception desk)

Lǖguăn (hotel)

Dàtīng (lobby)

Fángjiān (room)

Directions in ChineseJìn – close

Yuăn – far

Qiánmiàn – in front of

Pángbiān – next to

Hòumiàn – behind

Dōng – east

Fùjìn – nearby

Nán – south

Xī – west

Bĕi – north

Zuŏ – left

Yòu – right

Zài guăi jiăo – at the corner

Zài lù kŏu – around the block

Wàng zuŏ guăi – turn left

Wàng yòu guăi – turn right

Yìzhízŏu – keep going straight

Good byesHuítóu jiàn – See you soon

Zàijiàn – Goodbye

Míngtiān jiàn – See you tomorrow

Xiàge xīngqījiàn – See you next week

Zhù nĭ hăoyùn! – Good luck!

Mànzŏu – Take care

Găitiān zàiliáo – Talk to you soon