Play Production In The Greek & Elizabethan Eras Essay Example for Free

Play Production In The Greek Elizabethan Eras Essay The contemporary Greek play was an amalgamation of several artistic tools like pictures for example the one shown below which conveyed strong message to the audience. There were numerous other scenic elements used in the Greek theater. When a crane was used (called machina in Greek), it gave an impression of an airborne actor. A wheeled wagon was also common in the Greek playhouses and it made it possible for the audience to view dead characters. Openings in the ground, for example trap doors, were vital as they were used to elevate people onto the stage. Pictures like the one above, pinakes, were used to demonstrate a scenes backdrop. Satyr plays were very common in the Greek playhouses just as were the tragedies. Phallic props were used in such plays to symbolize fertility in of the Roman and the Greek god of wine- Dionysus. Elizabethan acting was not any near ‘naturalistic.’ The repertory of the Elizabethan era was extremely divergent from that of the present as was the demands on Elizabethan actors compared to the present day’s actors. Elizabethan theaters in two weeks could frequently present â€Å"eleven shows of ten dissimilar plays†. Playhouses would not show again the same play two days in a row. The Elizabethan Era was moment that reflected the atmosphere and values of the 16th century through the application of fashion. It was a phase where a lot of uniqueness and originality was manifest and was used to produce fresh styles of dress. The style in Elizabethan England at this time replicated the worth and principles of the era. The physical theatre spaces, sets, Costumes, Lights, Who would be in the audience Much may not be available to talk about the performance space for the Greek plays. This because all that is available for consultation is basically the works of literature. However, the Greek performances took place in theaters which could be subdivided into three: Athenian, Graeco-Roman and Hellenistic. In the Elizabethan era the theater consisted of theater not only as a form of art but also as a form of institution as well. There was originality then as evidenced in dressing styles and the costumes. However, the Elizabethan playhouse never made use of prolific or lavish scenery, but as an alternative the stage was left largely exposed with a few key props, the chief visual appeal on stage was in the costumes. Costumes were habitually brilliant in color and visually enchanting. Costumes were expensive, nonetheless, so generally players wore fashionable clothing in spite of the time interlude of the play. Intermittently, a lead character would be dressed in a conventionalized edition of more historically accurate apparel, but secondary characters would nevertheless remain in fashionable attire- (Bracewell, N. 1999). The Greek theaters were filled with Athenians who formed a majority of the judges (audience). There was an extremely large audience who were won by the playwrights through distribution of small gifts and flattery as well. Dealing with rowdy (in the strict sense of being extremely loud) was a challenge the playwrights had learned to deal with through performance of some outrageous and interesting act to draw the attention of the spectators. What might be the topic of a play in theater?   What was not acceptable as a topic for a play? The Greek plays circulated around tragedies, comedies or satyrs. This was also the case with Elizabethan era whose plays got much support fro the queen. In the Greek era women were forbidden from acting thus all the actors then were men. In terms of the experience, in relation to the Elizabethan era, the religiosity of the community or the individual played a major role. However, most of those who went to the theaters enjoyed dancing and playing other games like cards. In the Greek era, it was quite a motivating factor that every day of performance there had to be at least totally different issue or subject matter of performance. It would therefore motivate audience who crowded the Athenian theaters to have their full experience. In this era too, the experience of an individual was wholly or jointly dependent on the social class of the community or individual. The higher caste would have their best when it comedy while the lower class individuals were little more violent- (Ruben F. 2006).

Understanding Logistics Performance Measurement And Importance Commerce Essay

Understanding Logistics Performance Measurement And Importance Commerce Essay Probably the first attempt to define logistic performance was made by Chow et al. (1994), and they presented some measures for measuring logistics performance. Since then, most of the literature on logistics performance appears to focus on models and frameworks (Clarke and Gourdin, 1991; Mentzer and Konrad, 1991; Rao and Grenoble, 1991) and on managing different aspects of logistics (Larson, 1994). Logistics performance may be thought as a subset of the larger notion of firm or organizational performance. For Instance, Gleason and Barnum decided to distinguish between effectiveness and efficiency. They defined effectiveness as the extent to which an objective has been achieved, while efficiency was defined as the degree to which resources have been used economically [journal of logistics management. Simply put, efficiency is doing things right, while effectiveness is doing the right thing [journal of logistics management, 42, pp. 3, 4]. Sink and his colleagues defined seven dimensions in order to illustrate the notion of what performance means: they are effectiveness, efficiency, quality, productivity, quality of work life, innovation and profitability/budgetability [journal of logistics management 43, pp. 266-7]. Performance measurement in the logistics functions, like all the business functions, begins at the individual metric level. However, there is forceful need for a method with which to evaluate the existing metrics as there is great abundance of metrics already in existence Logistics performance Indicators: Complex process of logistics is divided into activities which carried out at high quality will not automatically turn a process into a high standard one but they offer chance. The logistics system has the following areas with quality concerns: Logistics facilities, Logistics process and sub processes Human services, organization, management. If we talk about the quality of logistics beyond the three areas mentioned above, then we have to involve the performance and productivity indicators . Quality of logistics facilities: These facilities include: Delivery Facilities warehousing facilities packaging facilities material handling facilities Quality indicators of logistics facilities: Load capacity and performance Modern design Suitability to jobs Maintenance background Man-facilities relation (environment protection) Good-facilities relation (specialties of goods, unit load, packaging, etc.) Ways-vehicles relation Performance-price relation Relation of expected life and price of facilities Specific energy and lubricant costs Specific performance costs Specific maintenance costs Reliability Featurelessness (failure rate,) Longevity (general overhaul cycle, life span) Restorability (av. Restoring time, total break-down time) Storability, transportability Quality indicators of Transport ways Capacity, length, network, way leading (curves, slope etc.) Easy to survey, surface, illumination speed, sensibility to weather, comfort Information, signs Safety, help (telephone, helicopter etc.) Quality indicators of logistics process(es) Optimum combination of jobs (tasks) and facilities Optimum packaging and load unit Optimum logistics chain Optimum route and time Minimum transfer of goods Minimum warehousing time and event Organizing and managing logistics activities in environment-friendly way Capacity supply/capacity demand Appear time/ordered time Damage events/total activities (packaging also) Missing volume/total volume (packaging also) Error delivery/total delivery commitments Physical processing time Performed commitments/ demanded commitments Number of customers/year Logistics performance measures can be categorized into two categories such as qualitative and quantitative measures. Qualitative measures include such as customer satisfaction and product quality etc., and quantitative measures include such as order-to-delivery lead time, supply chain response time, flexibility, resource utilization, delivery performance, etc. Quantitative metrics of supply chain performance can be classified into two broad categories: Non-financial and financial. In fact, in the late 1880s the main emphasis was on financial measures such as return on investment (Christopher, 1992; Schermerhorn et al.,, 2000). However as the second progressed during 1980s, the world market changed and companies began to lose market share to overseas competitors who were able to provide higher-quality products with lower costs and more diversity. To re- capture the competitive edge, companies not only directed their strategic focus from low-cost production to quality, flexibility and short lead time, as non-financial measures (Bower Hout, 1988; Rushton Oxley, 1989; Stewart, 1995). . One of the studies conducted on performance measurement clearly suggests that each entity or company on the supply chain needs to adopt a more balanced perspective in its performance measurement and management approach. It is also suggested companies can measure more adequately non-financial indicators in addition to the financial ones (BSC). Companies need to recognize more the importance of drivers of strategic future performance as represented by the indicators within the internal process perspective and the learning and growth perspective. As it is, it would appear that though these non-financial drivers of growth indicators are recognized as important, they are often overshadowed by the financial indicators. Moreover, managing a given supply chains overall performance necessitates the coordination of measures across the different entities on the supply chain. In nutshell, requires all entities on the supply chain to adopt a common balanced perspective in their performance measurement and management in order to facilitate the overall performance and competitiveness of the entire Business logistics performance metrics could also be classified as Operational performance metrics Day to day technical representation adherence to developed schedule ( important to give time and location dimensions for quality assurance) Ability to avoid complaints(means minimizing the possible complaints) Achievement of defect free deliveries Inventory carrying cost(Levy (1997) Information carrying cost (Steward (1995) Tactical performance metrics Efficiency of purchase order (using economic order quantity and other approaches) Cycle time Booking in procedures Cash flow Quality assurance methodology Capacity flexibility Total transportation cost Strategic performance metrics Rate of return on Investment (is the ratio of money gained or lost (whether realized or unrealized) on an investment relative to the amount of money invested) Total cash flow time lead time against industry norm, Quality level Cost saving initiatives supplier pricing against market(Gunasekaran et al. (2004) Customer query time Importance of performance Measurement The importance of performance measurement cannot be denied as one of the manufacturing and management consultant said that you get what you inspect, not what you expect. (Melnyk et al. 2004) It has also been affirmed that organizations would gain competitive advantage, through logistics, when they seek and achieve excellence in the twin peaks of cost and service leadership (Christopher (1992, pp. 8-10). Similarly, another states that in operations strategy, organizations can compete not only on productivity, but also by giving perceived value through innovation and quality (Garvin (1992, pp. 126, 204, 321). Metrics are required to evaluate work done and to direct the activities, since what we measure indicates how we intend to deliver value to our customers Performance measurement can be defined as the process of quantifying the efficiency and effectiveness of action (Neely, Mills, Platts, Gregory, Richards, 1994). Pressures (severe competition, globalization, and rapidly changes in customer requirements) are significantly driving force to organizations in order to re-focusing on utilizing of people and resources based on organizational objectives. Organizations need to provide a performance measurement system to evaluate the resource utilization so that they can strategically manage and properly control to achieve their objectives and goals. it has been pointed out that performance measurement is vital part of controlling process in order to take action for ensuring desired results. (Schermerhorn and Chappell ,2000) Case Example: Many people are surprised how Wal-Mart is able to charge such low prices and continue to make a profit. There are several factors in their business model that contribute to this ability, but a big one is their ability to adapt to an ever-changing global marketplace and running an efficient supply chain system. Moreover, the giant retailer is implementing the most advanced technological solutions and measures to be efficient market player. This ability requires a flawless logistical system that allows product to be shipped anywhere at a moments notice. Wal-Marts commitment to improving operations, lowering costs and improving customer service is making it efficient and effective retailer. However, Wal-Marts success lies in its ability to drive costs out of its supply chain and manage it efficiently. Wal-Mart is considered to be a supply chain-driven company that also has retail stores. Running the whole business model on the low prices strategy and low cost transportation enables Wal-Mart to sell its products at the lowest possible prices. Wal-Mart operates each of its stores like a small company. Trained store managers manage one store at a time, one department at a time, and one customer at a time. Wal-Mart has implemented advanced logistics solutions like RFID (radio frequency identification). These solutions assist in maintaining lower costs, identifying out-of-stocks and increasing sales. Wal-Mart has successfully established Distribution centers (DC) instead of warehouses, cross-docking technology and automated replenishment also reduce inventory carrying costs. (Anonymous, 2007) Conclusion: The logistics challenge is that organizations have to be more responsive, with high levels of flexibility in delivery. The emphasis should be on processes and performance rather than on functions and profit. The competitive battleground will be in the fields of quality, productivity, speed and innovation. Progress towards performance excellence will be aided greatly by relevant and integrated measurement frameworks and models (Christopher (1994). It has been proclaimed that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and expresses it in numbers; you will know something about it (Lord Kelvin, 1996) Realizing the importance of performance measurement in logistics, many big market player are trying to be more efficient by investing huge resources in latest financial as well as non financial tools Moreover, logistics costs take 18-23% of total production costs (in a wider sense even 40%).For this reason production companies are going to make these activities more effective and efficient. Big companies have third partners (forwarders) make it. A forwarder can comprehend and optimize a longer interval of logistics chain. The share of distribution and production logistics is not right. The border is not sharp. In the case of quality the question is how and not where.

Employee Management Procedures

Employee Management Procedures Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference one can be able to analyze employee relation approach. According to the unitary approach, members of an organization have to have objectives, goals and values for the organization to be successful. This explains why organizations have goals and mission statements as they give guidance to the employees. The unitary approach is very important as it helps to promote the team culture in an organization and ensures that there are good employee relations within an organization. The pluralistic approach supports the fact that there are different employees with different values and perspectives. The pluralistic approach is very important as it helps in conflict resolution in an organization. The unitary and pluralistic frames can be used as a point of reference to guide employees who have a wrong perception about the relation of employees in the organization. Through the frames, managers can be able to manage people whose interests coincide with the interests of the organization. For example with the unitary frame of reference, one can hardly find conflicts since with the reference frames managers can be able to identify the sources of conflicts and therefore know how to control and avoid them. Reflect and explain how changes in trade unionism have affected employee relations The trade union plays a very important role to employees. Its main aim is to protect the rights of the employees inters of pay and the working conditions. The union has come in order to help employees in an organization. It has played a role in ensuring good employee relations in an organization in several ways which may include: It helps to prevent conflicts between employees as it acts as a communication channel between the employees and management. This helps the employees to stay informed and thus helps to prevent conflicts that may arise between the managers and the employees. The union makes bargaining arrangements to the employees which may help the employee and thus may help to prevent conflicts among employs. This is due to the fact that conflicts may arise among employees who might be doing the same job and one gets more salary than the other. This has an impact on employee relations in an organization. Through unions, one can have lay representatives who help to communicate managerial shortcomings which may help to prevent irresponsible managers which may help to prevent conflicts in an organization between employees and the managerial sector. The union has taken many measures to ensure that there is a good balance between the managers and the employees and thus help to prevent conflicts since it is the main source of conflicts in organization. Using a real life example of your choice, explain within context the role of the main players in employee relations issue you have chosen There are different players in an organization who play different roles in an organization to ensure that there is good employee relations within an organization. The main players in employee relations in an organization are the managers, the employees and the organization. They are the ones that contribute to good or bad employee relation in organization. For example for the case of a disciplinary issue whereby an employee has done an action that is illegal according to the rules of the organization. This issue will lead to an employee relation problem in an organization. In this case, the employee is the main contributor of the issue since he did what he was not supposed to do since it is illegal according to the organization. The other employees will have an issue with this and it may lead to conflicts within the organization. They will therefore play a role of taking the issue to the manager. The manager will then take an action according to the rules of the organization or the contract. His main role will be to ensure that the same issue does not arise again by punishing the employee accordingly. The organization plays a very important role since it is the one that come up with rules and regulations that will govern the conduct of the employee and employee relations within an organization to ensure there is harmony within the orga nization and that people are responsible for their actions. All the players of employee role relation should therefore coordinate to make sure that there is good employee relation in an organization for the well being of the organization as a whole since it is the employees who will determine the performance of the organization. Task 2 Discuss and evaluate the procedures that should be followed by an organization when dealing with different conflict situations Conflicts arise in organizations due to the different perceptions on different matters in an organization. In dealing with conflicts in an organization, there are procedures that should be followed in dealing with the conflict. This is to ensure that managers are able to solve the conflict with fairness without favoring some employees. There are different kinds of conflicts in an organization and this is very important in solving a conflict. This is the first step that all managers need to understand in solving a conflict in an organization. There are several factors that need to be understood in solving a conflict in an organization. One firstly has to understand the situation leading to the conflict. There are different conditions that lead to the rise of conflicts and it is important for manager s to understand them in order to know how to solve them. After understanding the condition leading to the conflict one should then find out the effect of the conflict to the organization which may be either positive or negative. This will help the manager to weigh the effect of the conflict. One should then understand the stages of the conflict process. Conflicts have different stages and the stage of the conflict is very important to be known in order for the manager to know how to solve the conflict. After understanding all these, one can then find ways of dealing with the conflicts. One can assess the different ways of dealing with the conflict and choose the best way according to the situation at hand. Discuss and reflect on the key features of employee relations in recent UK conflict situation of your choice Conflicts may arise among employees in an organization due to many features. Conflicts have different features depending on the type of conflict. An example of a conflict in employee relation in an organization may be: For the case whereby in a department where there are several employees and one employee does not to do some tasks just because they think that it is not right according to their culture to do some tasks. In this case the employee may be using others such that they are the ones that do most of the task. This case will lead to conflicts among the employees in the organization due to cultural differences. The conflict may be due to the fact that other employees feel that they are doing so much while they also have their cultures that they may be having and may want to follow. In this case this conflict may lead to many effects which may include reduced performance at the workplace and lack of cooperation among the employees. IN solving this kind of conflict, there are procedures that should be followed by managers to ensure that the conflicts are solved in harmony. One should also refer to the requirements of the organization by the employees. There should be rules that should be set to govern employees when it comes to cultural differences. Evaluate the effectiveness of procedures used in the chosen conflict situation, making recommendations for areas found lacking and identifying areas of good practice. Following the right procedure in solving the conflict in the situation above is very important for effective solving of the conflict. This is due to the fact that it is very important to understand the source of the conflict in order to know how to solve the conflict. The manager should understand the reason why the conflict arise which in this case is cultural differences and the condition leading to conflict situation in an organization. The manager then needs to assess the effect of the conflict to the organization. One should then identify he stage in the conflict process. With understanding all these one can then indentify the best way of dealing with the conflict which in this case will be negotiating. What I would recommend in this case is negotiating with the employee to change his habits in order to be able to relate with other employees well. The areas that might be lacking in this case are specifying the conduct of an employee as far as cultural differences is concerned. In this case the area of good practice would be that everyone should respect everyones culture and should compromise in some cases for the sake of the work involved.

jane goodall :: essays research papers

Jane Goodall was born in London, England in 1934. This British ethnologist who is still alive today has laid claim to many great accomplishments, traveled far distances and experienced many things no woman ever has. As a young girl Jane spent her days in England studying local birds and other creatures, reading books on zoology and dreaming of one day travelling to Africa. Jane's childish fancies were turned into reality when a close friend invited her to Kenya in 1957. Only a few months after her arrival 23 year old Jane met Dr. Louis Leakey. Even though Jane had no academic credentials, Leakey chose her to conduct a long-term study of the chimpanzees in Tasmania's Gombe National Park. Even though Dr. Leakey's decision was frowned upon by many, he believed that Goodall's patience, independence and persistence to understand animals made her a good candidate for the job. He also believed that Jane's mind; uncluttered by academia would yield a fresh perspective. Even though her research contract was intended for the period of 10 years, critics believe she would last no longer than three weeks. By 1962 Jane Goodall had proved them wrong when her research was advancing greatly. It was around this time that National Geographic sent photographer and filmmaker Hugo van Lawick to document her work. The two were married in Tasmania on March 28, 1964. By 1965 Jane earned her Ph. D in ethnology, the eight person in the history of Cambridge University to earn a doctorate without first taking a B.A. Not long after Jane returned to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve on Lake Tanganyika, Tasmania. For nearly 10 years Jane studied chimpanzees. Her profound scientific discoveries laid the foundation for all future primate studies. Jane's discovery that chimpanzees made and used tools amazed the world. This one ability was once believed to separate humans from animals. A gap which was closed over the years of Jane's research as more and more similarities between humans and chimpanzees were discovered, Chimpanzees and humans differ by only just over one per cent. I watched, amazed, as she (Lucy, a chimpanzee) opened the refrigerator and various cupboards, found bottles and a glass, then poured herself a gin and tonic . Jane recorded this experience and many other discoveries in her three books; In the Shadow of Man (1971) a book documenting the life of chimpanzees, Innocent Killers (1971) about spotted hyenas, whose predatory behavior had been wrongly researched.

Post-graduate Traveling Fellowship Recipient Essay -- Environmental Ec

Post-graduate Traveling Fellowship Recipient "With every step, you are met by the most bizarre and wonderful forms," she told me. I have never heard someone talk about nature in the way that my host mother in France did. She has not been able to return to what she calls "the jungles of Madagascar"-her birthplace-but images of wild and beautiful greenness have never left her mind. In Madagascar, there are two hundred thousand different species of living things; ninety-three percent of them are endemic to this island. Wide-eyed lemurs and bright red Fody birds can be found nowhere else in the world. Nature has made of Madagascar an isolated and thriving sanctuary for flowers, frogs, and monkeys different from those created elsewhere. This island is a place of magic and wonder. Yet while the baobob tree-locally called the monkey bread tree-once dotted the landscape of Madagascar, it is rapidly being deforested to make way for agriculture. Indeed, each year, thirty percent of Madagascar's land is burned or reburned. This practice not only threatens the habitat of unique wildlife; it is turning the country into an eroded and uninhabitable wasteland. The need for subsistence in this poverty-stricken nation has led many people to conceive of the immense natural resources of the island for their economic value alone. Yet if forestry and agricultural practices are to be sustainable, and if the magic and wonder of Madagascar are to be preserved for future generations, the Malagasy will need to conceive of their natural environment in a different way. Only through direct contact with environmental reality can students develop a real appreciation and understanding of nature that leads to a sense of stewardship and a desire to protec... ...n Antananarivo, these university students will assume director's roles and the program will thus expand to include more interested children. Upon my departure, these directors will completely take over and urban environmental education in Antananarivo will continue. Through public service, I have come to see the role of teacher as a creator of possibility. Through my proposed urban environmental education program in Antananarivo, Madagascar, I hope to create the opportunity for urban kids to have frequent and direct contact with ecological processes through which experience they might come to see their environment in a new and more sustainable way. In the end, my hope is to create the possibility that my host mother's children and her grandchildren might one day see "the jungles of Madagascar" where she was born and experience the magic and wonder she describes.

Heart of Dracula Essay -- Character Analysis, Dracula, Hearth of Darkn

Within Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the reader is introduced to two â€Å"men†, a term that is applied loosely, whom come to represent the realization of the dying days of the Victorian Era. Heart of Darkness’ Kurtz comes to be the representation of the realization in that he sees what is required from him, as well as the rest of humanity, in order for them to survive. Dracula, in contrast, is the idealization of what has to be done in order to survive. Furthermore, Dracula comes to represent the next step, in almost evolutionary terms, in that he starts to attack England on its home soil, going to so far as to transplant his own soil onto England. This reverse colonization by Dracula is the resultant action he takes based on the fact that he was able to do that which Kurtz is seemingly unable to do, sacrifice the last of his humanity to become a monster. By examining the character of Kurtz, we see that he comes to represent the degenerating institution of colonialism. Jonathan Dollimore remarks that Kurtz â€Å"embodies the paradox which degeneration theory tries to explain but only exacerbates, namely that civilization and progress seem to engender their own regression and ruin† (45). We can see this through the fact that Kurtz goes into the Belgian Congo in order to strengthen the European world, yet is ultimately unable to do so as he comes face to face with the realization of what he must do in order to succeed and survive the degeneration of the world he has known. To do this, Kurtz’s monstrosity, or as close as he comes to monstrosity, stems from the fact that the society which he is a part of and represents is dying a slow death. Therefore, his final words of â€Å"The horror! The horror!† can be interpr... ...gue of Vampirism. Stoker plays upon the irony of England, at this time one of, if not the largest, colonizing countries, being colonized, not by another country but by an intangible immigrant. Dracula’s intent is not of material wealth or power, but of controlling the people and using them as livestock. We can see this when Dracula tells Jonathan Harker that he â€Å"[has] come to know your great England, and to know her is to love her. I long to go through the crowded streets of your mighty London, to be in the midst of the whirl and rush of humanity, to share its life, its change, its death, and all that makes it what it is† (Stoker 19). Kane reaffirms this by contending that Dracula is an example of â€Å"invasion literature† acting upon the readers on England by playing with â€Å"a considerable variety of fears regarding the state of England and the English themselves† (9).

Of Mice and Men †Did George have any alternative than to shoot Lennie? Essay

Of Mice and Men tells the story of two men, George and Lennie, who seem to be uncannily paired in a society of loners. Lennie is very tall, and very muscular with massive strength, but also appears to have a major learning handicap. George is shorter, and far less strong, but has the greater intelligence of the pair. Their companionship is rare, and even though George sometimes threatens Lennie that he will walk off and leave him, George never does. George sometimes becomes frustrated with Lennie and momentarily believes he would be better of with out him, so he could stay in one place for longer and spend his â€Å"fifty bucks at the end of the month on what ever he wanted†. They do seem to rely on each other for more than companionship however. Lennie relies on George because of his lack of intelligence, and George carries on the companionship because of the thought that Lennie would die if he were not there to care for him. Lennie also craves a parent figure, someone to care for him, and someone to one day give him something soft to touch and some rabbits to look after. The reward George has for this is hard to see, but eventually you see why they are together. Lennie represents company and security to George. There was also a promise George gave to Aunt Clara, a character that is talked about little and never seen, that he would look after Lennie, and that promise seems to mean a lot to both characters. At the end of the novel, George is still looking out for Lennie. Lennie never hurt anyone due to being mean or cruel, just out of not knowing his own strength and out of defence when he was afraid. George knows this. But in the society in which ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set, the penalty for a death is death, and anyone who is weak, crippled or old with no use any longer was killed. This is shown clearly when Candy’s dog, his best companion was shot. This is almost foreshadowing of what is going to happen. There are three pairs on the ranch, Curley and his wife, George and Lennie, and Candy and his dog. Curley’s hand is crushed by Lennie, and Lennie later kills his wife, ending in Lennie’s death. Candy’s dog is shot when the other men believe he has no more use on the ranch. After all that Candy and his dog had been through and all the years of loyal service that his supposed best friend had performed for Candy, when pressured into a decision, he chose to defy his loyal companion and make the decision on when he should die. Candy later is angry that he did not kill his dog himself. George has the same belief than Candy, when he killed Lennie he seems to oppose that belief. George knows that in this society, when they find Lennie they will hang, bludgeon, beat and torture him to death. George does not want this tale to end in a painful death for his lifelong companion, and therefore he does not want Curley and the group of other ranch hands to find him alive, because the consequences will be far worse. George realises that the other options are to send Lennie from his side into a mental institution where he would be a danger to himself and a danger to others, or to run to the next town again, to complete the cycle once more and to have again someone else killed and to again have to run from another gang. George realises that they are both not options he is willing to try. George also realises that Lennie will one day realise that they will never have their own land, and the dream of providing for themselves will never come true. â€Å"All kin’s a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there† (p. 54). There will never be any rabbits to tend to and if George and Lennie remain together they will never have enough money, because they are always on the run. George did not kill Lennie out of spite, not because of his thoughtless, innocent, act had dashed George’s hopes of having a small farm. Simply because the other options were so much worse. Lennie died believing that one-day they would have their own farm, with rabbits and alfalfa and enough to live on for them both. A happy place, with the sun and the rain and no one to boss them around. Just a place where they would belong. And Lennie died believing the dream that many other men had died dreaming of. But there are two sides to the story, and people also believe that George should have tried to spare Lennie’s life. Due to his apparent lack of loyalty to Lennie and his selfishness he chose to take Lennie’s life. It is significant to the story how George decides to kill his friend. He does not even give Lennie a chance to get away from his pursuers but instead he shoots him in the back of the head just like what had been done to Candy’s dog. This shows how, after all of the loyalty and love that both of these creatures had given to their respective â€Å"friends†, both of the superior creatures decide that they don’t need them any more and choose to end the dominated creatures lives in a less than honourable manner. However in Candy’s case it was more a cause of not being able to stand up to the other men on the ranch, but in George’s case, it was George either trying to spare Lennie, or to give up on the companionship because of greed and the belief that the universal dream was obtainable without Lennie behind his back. When the other men find George, he manipulates the situation further, telling them that he murdered Lennie out of self-defence when he wrested the gun that Lennie supposedly stole from him. He rids himself of any blame for the killing. Slim senses George’s feeling of remorse over the situation. However, the book ends with Carlson wondering why George is upset, once again demonstrating that the other men cannot comprehend the bond of friendship between George and Lennie. Although Steinbeck is not trying to say that you can never trust the people that you call your friends, he is saying to be careful of those who call you a friend but only think of themselves while saying it. I, however, do not believe that George killed Lennie out of greed, I believe that the remorse George shows towards Lennie’s death is valid and enough proof of that. I imagine George in two ways at the end of this novel. My wish is that George somehow gets enough money to buy his farm with Candy, and they live the dream. The probable ending is that George continues living, trying to scrape enough money to one day have his farm, but gives up hope, realises the dream will never happen and follows the other men, spending his fifty bucks in the cathouse and drink, to drown his sorrows.