Marketing Financial Services Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Financial Services - Assignment Example Al, 1995). Marketing of the financial service is quite a recent phenomenon even in developed nations of the world. The financial services industry plays a vital role in safeguarding the prospects of economic development around the globe (Ennew & Waite, 2006). The banking sector is increasingly faced with issue of service quality. Since it is quite difficult to differentiate between money and the financial services, banks are therefore continually working to enhance the service quality so that the competitive edge can be maintained. However, the most critical factor associated with improvement of service quality is determination of the service quality characteristics that are considered as important by consumers. It also becomes important to consider the elements of the service quality that are important for different group of consumers (Stafford, 1996). It has been found that the service has increased worldwide significantly in general terms. However, the financial services have expe rienced a less encouraging future. The reason behind this has been the market saturation that has led to search for the growth opportunities. To enhance the growth opportunities two approaches seem to be viable. ... The most important thing to be considered is that M&S lends the consumers’ savings to other M&S customers in the UK. The money is lent in the form of personal loans or through M&S Credit Card (Marks and Spencer, n.d.). It was in the year 2004, when M&S Money became part of the HSBC Group; however it continued to operate under M&S Money brand. The company has around 1500 employees. It is headquartered at Chester where the group actively supports its local community. It endeavors to focus its effort both voluntarily and financially on schools and charities. The company has wide range of products catering to wider group of people all around the globe. The insurance products of the company have won many awards. Other products include loans and saving products. Its mission is to cater to the needs of various groups of people by providing them financial solutions that are both simple and underpinned by the core values of Marks and Spencer which are quality, value, innovation, servic e and trust. The company’s most attractive product has been the credit card which allows the customers to shop for 15 months with no interest to pay. Travel money is another product of M&S where 0% commission is levied on foreign currency and on foreign travelers’ cheque. Loans such as personal loans and car buying loans are also few of the other products of the company. SWOT Analysis The company is the best loan provider in the UK and provides several other products. It is the top choice of most of the customers in the country (Docstoc, 2010). M&S Money has received various awards. Recently in the year 2011, the company received award for the best travel insurance providers and the best pet insurance provider. It also received Defaqto 5 Star Rating in

Personality Analysis Essay Example for Free

Personality Analysis Essay Most people understand personality as the image that people display and project to the outside world. However, personality is more than this and includes even the psychological experience that is hidden inside us (Ewen, 2003). The word personality is a derivative of a Latin word-‘persona’ who’s meaning is ‘mask’ (Ewen, 2003). Personality analysis can therefore be referred to as the comprehensive investigation of all the aspects relating to personality. For many years people have tried to explain behavior as well as what it is that makes a person. In an attempt to offer explanations, personality theories have been advanced some of which are the existential/humanistic and dispositional theories. Just like many other theories, these personality theories are fallible and they cannot be proved. These theories have their similarities as well as their differences. Dispositional theories of personality try to explain personality using innate tendencies. These are the tendencies that individuals are born with and they can be hereditary or not. Dispositional theorists believe that genes play a big part in determining one’s personality. Words and phrases are mostly used to reflect this theory (Weiten, 2010). For example when one says that someone is kind-hearted. These theories are also known as trait theories and trait theorists’ assumption is that physique does not determine behavior but that the stable personality traits are the ones that determine behavior. Personality traits are described as stable qualities that one displays in all the situations. These theories were advanced in reaction to a personality theory known as type personality theory which linked human physique to certain temperaments or personality characteristics. Several people are associated with the development of trait theories and examples include Gordon Allport, Lewis Goldberg, and Hans Eysenck but the person who originally introduced the trait theories was known as Carl Jung (Nicholas, 2008). Carl Jung is the one who introduced the idea of temperaments and his theory purported that one is either born an introvert or an extrovert and that this cannot be changed. Gordon Allport described personality as a combination of both mental and physical personality aspects (Nicholas, 2008). He described personality as a dynamic organisation meaning that the aspects of personality keep on changing throughout an individual’s life in response to situations (Nicholas, 2008). These personality changes occur only to a certain degree and the personality remains relatively stable over time. Allport’s trait theory also portrays personality as naturally deterministic. This means that behavior, personality and thought are influenced and controlled by a mechanism that is inborn. In development of his theory, Allport categorized all the words contained in the dictionary that describe personality traits into central traits, cardinal traits and secondary traits (Nicholas, 2008). The cardinal traits are those that dominate in the whole life of an individual. People who exhibit these traits are rare and people tend to associate these people with these traits. Central traits on the other hand are less dominating compared to cardinal traits. They are the characteristics that constitute the foundation of an individual’s personality and are commonly used by people to describe others. For instance when one says that someone else is intelligent they are describing those people using the central traits. The last personality characteristics are secondary traits. These are the traits that manifest depending on situation and are sometimes related to preferences or attitudes (Ewen, 1998). Lewis Goldberg and Costa McCrae among others expanded the theory of Fiske D. and this led to development of the big five model. The personality traits attributed to this theory are classified under five categories. One is extraversion where some people are social and outgoing. The second one is conscientiousness where individuals display high levels of organization and thoughtfulness (Oliver, Robins Pervin, 2008). The third is openness where individuals display insight and imagination. The fourth category is agreeableness where individuals are trustworthy, kind, and affectionate. The last one is neuroticism where individuals with this trait tend to be anxious, sad, moody and emotionally unstable (Oliver et al. , 2008). Based on this theory, individuals who have traits such as extraversion and agreeableness will get along well with people while people with neuroticism traits will not get along with people. Hans Eysenck built on Jung’s idea by approaching the idea of temperaments from a mathematical point of view. Since his theory is built on the work of Jung, then this theory also assumes that a part of personality is genetically determined. Jung said that though it was impossible for an introvert to change to an introvert, depending on the situation one can modify their behavior (Boeree, 2009). He created a test that was used to determine people’s traits. Based on his theory there are several personality characteristics. One of these is introversion and extraversion where extroverts are outgoing and introverts are reserved. The other personality trait is emotional stability/neuroticism where individuals with a high level of neuroticism exhibit nervousness and emotional instability (Boeree, 2009). The last personality trait is psychoticism where people find it hard to deal with the reality (Boeree, 2009). These personality traits determine how individuals interact with others. People who are extraverts tend to get along well with people as they are outgoing while introverts are not social and may be viewed as unfriendly. Another thing is that people with psychoticism do not relate well with people as they tend to be hostile and manipulative. Humanistic personality theories approach to personality is phenomenological. This phenomenological approach focuses on the subjective experiences of individuals. The leading theorists associated with humanistic theories are Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. These theories are known as humanistic because their emphasis is on the unique characteristics of people. According to these theories, all people have an inborn tendency to become self-actualised and that self actualization serves as the main force that drives behavior (Mitterer Coon, 2008). This self-actualisation is an ongoing process where one naturally grows towards fulfilling their potential. Humanistic theorists acknowledge the uniqueness of personalities as people’s perceptions of the world are unique to them. These perceptions are reflected in the way people behave. According to these theorists, people’s perceptions are not determined by their personality traits, their reinforcement history, or their ego development (Mitterer Coon, 2008). They further say that by nature people are good. Carl Rogers’s humanistic personality theory portrays personality as being composed of structural components. These components include self, self-regard, self-ideal, and self-concept (Mitterer Coon, 2008). Of these components, Rogers says that the main component is self and it consists of concepts, ideas, perceptions, and values that define an individual (Mitterer Coon, 2008). According to him, a person’s behavior and perception of the world is influenced by their self-concept. In addition, he says that in addition to self-concept every individual has an ideal self and that happiness and fulfillment are increased if the ideal self is closer to the self concept (Mitterer Coon, 2008). He further says that a phenomenal field is composed of both an individual and their world and that reaction to the world involves the individual as a whole and not merely parts of the individual (Mitterer Coon, 2008). Maslow’s humanistic personality theory is similar to that of Rogers. Maslow just like Rogers believed that individuals have a tendency to grow towards self-actualisation. In addition, just like Rogers’s theory Maslow’s theory views individuals as beings whose approach to current issues and perceptions is subjective (Engler, 2008). According to Maslow there are several characteristics associated with people who have gained self-actualisation. One of these is awareness meaning that these people are very much aware of the meaningfulness of life and that due to this they are usually constantly enjoying life. The other characteristic is that they are reality centered and this means that they are usually concerned with issues in their environment. Acceptance is the other characteristic and it means that these people accept their environment as well as what cannot be changed. Lastly these people exhibit a sense of humor that is not hostile meaning that they do not joke about others as they consider this offensive (Engler, 2008). All the above theories in one way or another attempt to give an explanation of human behavior. They all acknowledge that personality characteristics affect the way people behave in different situations. It is the differences in personalities that make people to react differently to the same situation. Each theory has a number of personality characteristics which are attributed to them and these determines how individuals interact with others so that some people tend to get along well with people while others do not. References Boeree, G. (2009). Trait theories of personality. Retrieved 1 May, 2010 from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/genpsytraits. html Engler, B. (2008). Personality theories (8th ed. ). USA: Cengage Learning. Ewen, R. B. (1998). Personality, a topical approach: Theories, research, major controversies and emerging findings. New Jersey: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Inc. Ewen, R. B. (2003). An introduction to theories of personality. New Jersey: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Inc. Mitterer, J. O. Coon, D. (2008). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior (12th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Nicholas, L. (2008). Introduction to psychology (2nd ed. ). Cape Town: UCT Press. Oliver, P. J. , Robins, R. W. , Pervin, L. A. (2008). Handbook of personality: Theory and research. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Weiten, W. (2010). Psychology: Themes and variations (8th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Prefabricated Components in Warehouse Buildings

Prefabricated Components in Warehouse Buildings The Malaysian construction industry is undergoing changes from an industry which employs conventional method to a mechanized and systematic system which utilizes the latest technologies. Prefabrication technology is a new construction method in the construction industry. This is vital for the future growth of the industry, given the trend towards global competition. Prefabricated systems have been introduced in Malaysia by the application of pre-cast concrete in beam-column elements. Since the demand of building construction has increased widely, it is necessary to improve the construction method, which fasten up the building construction process. Various types of building system are available in Malaysia. In general, IBS is a methodology which drives local construction industry towards the adoption of an integrated and encourages the application in the construction industry to produce and utilize pre-fabricated components of the building at work sites. Efficiency of construction process will be enhance, thus allowing a higher productivity, time, quality and cost efficiency (Abdullah et al, 1998). The advantage of using prefabricated system in industrial building is derived from a piece-by-piece model approach, wherein standardization plays a significant role in achieving economies of scope from the many variations allowed. This is a specific implementation of prefabrication; the distinction being that the structures follow an assembly, disassembly, part replacement, re-assembly sequence as required during their lifecycle (A. Abdallah, 2007). Prefabrication is the assembling components that made in a factory or manufacturing before deliver the components to the construction site. After completed the selected components in factory, the components will transported to the construction site where the structure is located. Prefabrication systems which introduce by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) were succeeded and applied the prefabricated technology into the construction industry. Prefabrication is define as the structure construct with minimal additional site work which the components are produce in factory, assembled and position to form the structure (CIDB, 2003). 1.3 Aim A study into the usage of prefabricated components in warehouse buildings throughout the past 10 years. 1.4 Research Question Is there an increase of the usage of prefabricated components in the past 10 years? What are the problems facing in prefabricated components for the usage in warehouse buildings? How does the usage of prefabricated components that give benefits to warehouse buildings, does it reduce the construction time and construction cost? 1.5 Objective To evaluate the problem of prefabricated components usage in warehouse buildings. To investigate the aspects of prefabricated components for warehouse buildings. To investigate the level of acceptance in the usage of prefabricated components in warehouse buildings. 1.6 Scope of study This research is basically covers the scope of the usage of prefabricated components in warehouse buildings. The efficiency of prefabricated components is measured by the time and cost efficiency. Furthermore, the usage of prefabrication components will be investigated to study the efficiency. Last but not least, prefabricated components manufacturer will be interview to analyze more detail and accurate data to the efficiency of the usage of prefabrication components. To understand the usage of prefabricated components and the level of application in the construction industry. Research will cover on the efficiency of prefabrication components. Besides that, analyzing the time and cost efficiency of prefabrication components usage in a construction projects. Other than that, this research may take a comparison between prefabricated components system and other types of building construction systems. Data analysis will be carried out for the comparison. 1.7 Problem Statement With the ongoing construction trend in Malaysia, that is still very comfortably using labour intensive and low technology methods of construction such, this has initially lead towards low productivity and inefficiency of work at construction site. The highly dependency on conventional building system and unskilled foreign workers has definitely contributed to low productivity of work, although they may be cheap, but they are not efficient and cause high wastage. The quality of work has also been terribly affected due to unskilled working method that causes delay in construction projects. After completion of works, defects, structural failures and design inadequacies are some of the tell-tale sign of the current construction scenario that will always occur. In the end, these will lead to decreased in quality and waste of time in construction projects. Since the demand of building construction has increased rapidly, it is necessary to innovate the construction method, which speeds up the building construction process. In general, prefabricated system that will reduce in construction time and cost, for instance, time is money. But prefabricated system is not always applied in the construction projects, conventional construction method are still preferable in the construction industry. Without understanding the benefits of prefabricated system, it included different types of components that can be used during a construction projects. Adoption of prefabricated system in construction industry is to produce and utilize pre-fabricated and mass production of the building at their work sites. This will help to enhance the efficiency of construction process, thus allowing a higher productivity, quality, time and cost saving. Although the prefabricated systems has promised to solve and improved the current construction method and scenario in Malaysia, but the this method has been low in gaining popularity, partly due to lack of awareness and coordination among the relevant parties. This will also lead to the low popularity of the usage of prefabrication components. Performance and quality in construction will be improved that the obligation of implementing Industrialized Building System, as well as to minimize dependency on unskilled foreign labours in construction site (Kamar; Adbul Hamid; Ghani and Rahim, 2007). In conclusion, it is hoped that the prefabricated technology can bring out the tremendous potential towards productivity improvement as it encompasses aspects of standardization, highly controlled and quality pre-fabrication components which complements the various programs to increase productivity and quality control through the adoption of prefabricated systems which can lead to the increase productivity of prefabricated components. 1.8 Research Methodology The research methodology included the qualitative and quantitative research. A qualitative research is subjective in nature and it emphasizes meanings, experiences, description and so on. The qualitative research is applying in the survey for which have an attitude scale and measurement. For the quantitative research, it is objective in nature and it defined as an inquiry into a social or human problem which is based on testing a hypothesis or a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analyzed with statistical procedures, in order to determine whether the hypothesis or the theory hold true. A primary data collected can be variable because it is obtained from different respondents. The case study is used when researcher is required to support the arguments and hypothesis. The results commonly are obtained from an analysis of person, a group of person or a particular project. Those examples of primary data collection such as interview, survey and case study. Secondary data is the data collected using desk study approach that is called secondary data because this data commonly obtained from other sources (Naoum, 1998). This data can be collected from other resources such as institution which the data are not stored in the library. Other examples are such as books, articles and journals which are published online and book store. An interview is a process of face to face discussion among the researcher and the related parties who is able to provide data and information to researcher. Such parties can be the professional person, manufacturer, developer and others. The best way of conducting an interview is able to obtain the data accurately and information which supported strongly that are raised up by the researcher. Whereas, the case study is a process of inspection and investigation that is carried out by the researcher in a place that are able to gain data and information to the researcher. Besides that, a case study that are conducted will be able to obtain the results and information accurately and conduct survey successfully. 2.1 Introduction Since the demand of building construction has increased widely, prefabricated systems have been introduced in the construction industry. The construction method has to be innovated, which will speeds up the building construction process. Prefabrication System which introduced in Industrialized Building System (IBS) that will reduce in construction time and cost, thus the quality of work will be improved by using this system. The advantages of using prefabrication system in industrial building are derived from a piece by piece model approach (A. Abdallah, 2007). The choice of prefabricated components comes from the primary requirement to use automation tools both in the factory and on site. Efficiency of construction process will be enhance, thus allowing a higher productivity, quality, time and cost efficiency. However, the challenges often occur in the efficiency of work, quality of work, are of productivity and the delivery of work. The construction industry is still applying labour intensive and low technology methods for construction which initially lead towards low productivity and inefficiency of work at construction site. The intensive use of foreign unskilled workers and low technology equipment has eventually affected the quality of work which results in defects, structural failures and design inadequacies of the construction projects. As a result, this has lead to unproductive practices and initially contributes to the late delivery of work. Therefore, a new system must be replaced which has better advantages in terms of improving productivity, indoor quality, improvement of work durability and efficiency and overall cost reduction. The Prefabrication System which introduced in IBS with the promise of improving productivity rate and lowering construction costs are able to implement in the construction industry. In other word, the awareness of current trends and latest construction technology and innovation is essential. This is a system  which the building components are prefabricated in factory or at site, with the usage of minimum in-situ construction to assembled and form the structure (Trikha, 1999). In short, Prefabrication System which introduced in IBS is a construction method that offers economization of design, site work and materials, provides shorter construction time, saving in labour, better quality control, immunity to weather changes and the most importantly, the cost factor. It has been proven successful in some countries, namely Singapore, England, and the United States (CIDB, 1998). In Malaysia, the shorter construction time offered by IBS seems to be the panacea for the housing demand in Malaysia. It is hoped that the widespread understanding on the prefabrication system can further help to develop and promote prefabricated system as an innovative construction method in Malaysia. 2.1.1 Definition of Prefabrication System Prefabricated system which introduce in industrialized building system can be defined in which building components are mass produced in factory or at site under minimal wet site activities and strict quality control. With the objective of maximizing production output, minimizing labour resource and improving quality which the process is an investment in facilities, equipment and technology. Building system is also defined as a various interconnected element that assembled together to enable the designated performance of a building (Warswaski, 1999). Prefabrication system that produce building components either in factory or at site with the specification of dimension and standard size which will be transported to the construction site and assemble to form a building (Chung Kadir, 2007). The structure that is construct using a technique in which the components are manufactured in a controlled environment, positioned, transported and assembled with the usage of minimal additional site works (CIDB, 2003). Prefabricating system generally follow an industrial production procedure that takes place in prefabricated plant. Thus high quality of building components can be reliably obtained under a more controlled production environment. Since standard sizes are commonly produced in prefabricating concrete, the repetitive use of formwork permits a speedy production of components at a lower unit cost. These forms and plant finishing procedures provide a better surface quality than it is usually obtained under field conditions. Prefabricated components may be assembled much more faster than conventional cast in-situ components, thereby reducing in construction time. The prefabricating process is also sufficiently adaptable, thus special shapes can be produced economically (Ahmed Abdallah, 2007). Prefabrication can be defined as a manufacturing process, generally taking place at a specialized facility, in which various materials are joined to form a component part of a final installation (Tatum, 1987). These prefabricated components often only involve the work of a single craft. Any component that is manufactured offsite and is not a complete system can be considered to be prefabricated. Quality control and minimal on site activities can be achieved which the building components are produced either in factory or at site (Trikha, 1999). The prefabricated system includes the industrialized process by which building components are fabricated, planned, transported and assembled on site (Junid, 1986). According to CIDB (2009), building system in which structural components are manufacture in factory, on site or off site, assembled and transported with minimal additional site works to form a structure. Prefabricated system also defined as construction system which built using prefabricated components by mechanical equipment, formwork and etc that delivered to construction site for erection and assembly after it is complete manufacture in factory (Abdul Rahman and Omar, 2006). Parid Wardi (1997) asserted prefabricated system which uses industrialized production techniques either in the components that is produced or assembly of building. The definition of prefabrication system is varies depending on IBS. Several authors may define the system as process or as techniques. The following table below (refer to Figure 1) is highlights the categories of definition. Besides, there are ontology position either can be terms as a approaches, products, innovation, improvements, modernization and new technology. The issue has been discussed in construction industry since the industrial revolution change the ways of human living and economic activities. Since the concept of improvement and quality take place in industry, the invention and innovation become significant to industry. 2.2 Aspects of Prefabricated Components The CIDB has put more efforts to encourage all of the construction company to utilize the prefabricated systems as new development method in order to improve buildings quality and enhance labours performance. Since the utilization of prefabricated systems is low in construction industry, advance research and improvement should be carry out to enhance and promote a valuable aspects of prefabricated systems (CIDB, 2003; CIDB, 2007). It is encourage using prefabricated systems as a construction method in the construction industry. Since prefabricated systems provide numerous aspects such as reduction of unskilled labours, less wastage, less volume of site materials, increased environmental and construction site cleanliness and better quality control (IBS Digest, 2009). Besides, the aspects of prefabricated systems can be discussed in term of time, cost and quality in construction industry. Faster completion of construction project can be achieved due to the usage of standardized prefabricated components and simplified installation process (IBS Roadmap, 2003-2010). Therefore, duration of construction period is able to reduced and saved due to speedy construction and installation. Usage of prefabricated systems is able to achieve a lower construction costs due to the reduction of construction waste and prefabricated building components from manufacturers. It is able to reduce construction waste as the building components are fabricated off-site and assembled on-site with minimum labour usage. Concurrently activities are obtained when the prefabricated components are manufacture off-site while other construction work can be conduct in construction site. Hence, the usage of prefabricated systems is able to speed up the construction work in the term of time. With the utilization of prefabricated systems, a better quality control can be achieved and produce a higher quality of construction. The dependency on foreign labours will be diminishing due to the requirement of specialist skilled labours during installation of prefabricated components (IBS Roadmap, 2003-2010). In the prefabricated systems application, the construction time and cost can be reduced by the usage of prefabricated components as the components are manufactured off-site and be delivered to construction site for assembling. Reduce on the usage of foreign labour can be achieve due to the requirement of specialist skilled labour for the installation. Hence, a higher quality and improvement in performance of construction can be achieved. 2.2.1 Characteristic of Prefabricated Components The overall cost for a construction project that uses offsite work can be less than a traditionally stick-built undertaking in current construction industry. This can be caused by a variety of factors in the usage of prefabricated components. The labour for onsite work may be reduced due to the requirement of specialist skilled labours during the installation of the building components (Carl et al, 2000). Severe onsite conditions and weather problems can lead to construction delays, onsite interference and worker congestion can be avoided, increasing productivity and lowering costs of construction project. The onsite construction duration can be substantially shortened through the usage of prefabricated components. Other project works can be completed before going to the site and this will lead to construction schedule decreased. Overall project safety can be improved through the usage of prefabricated components in the construction project. Prefabricated components were installed piece by piece with minimum used of labours, while conventional method needs more labours in order to complete the construction cycle for example, formwork fabrication and formwork installation, reinforcement bar fabrication and reinforcement bar installation and etc (Indra Gunawan, 2005). Prefabricated components that manufacture offsite will improve in quality. Controlled factory and production conditions and repetitive and activities, along with automated machinery can lead to a higher level of quality that can be achieved onsite. Usage of prefabricated components can potentially decrease environmental impact of the project that is partly due to reduced onsite construction duration and a decrease in the usage of labour requirements. The common characteristics of prefabricated components are: Cost efficiency Time saving Higher Productivity Reduce remittance by foreign worker Quality control Reduce waste of construction material 2.2.1.1 Cost Efficiency Usage of prefabricated components will result in cost savings due to a greater productivity and less wastage of materials during the production of the building components which manufacture offsite and deliver to site for assembling. Besides, prefabrication components also can reduce construction cost in site supervision which most of the output are similar, skilled labour required on-site for installation, wastage of materials, formworks, scaffolding, and etc. The usage of system formwork made up of aluminum, steel, scaffolding and etc will provides a considerable cost savings (Bing et al, 2001). 2.2.1.2 Time Saving Usage of prefabricated components reduced the construction duration in which most of the products and components are completed offsite in factory before deliver to site. Besides, it can reduce the duration of construction work onsite that conduct by labours. Prefabricated components for on-site construction and off-site assembly can perform as parallel activities, which the operations are not affected by the weather condition. Prefabricated components are standardized and the installation procedures are simplified. Therefore, the usage of prefabricated components will result in reduce of construction time. Prefabricated system which give faster construction time because of the construction element that manufactured in factory and foundation work can occur at site in the same time. This provides earlier occupation of the building, thus reducing interest payment or capital outlays (Peng, 1986). 2.2.1.3 Higher Productivity Prefabricated components that produce in factory or manufacture offsite are more productivity compare with the conventional construction method. The components are assembly on-site which result in better productivity. In addition, it is also convenience for site management and site inspection for the prefabricated method which the components are installed on the construction site. Hence, it will reduce in construction time as well as reduced the wastage of materials. Local construction industry is driven towards the adoption of an integrated in the construction industry to produce and utilize prefabricated components of the building at the work sites. This will help to enhance the efficiency of construction process, allowing a higher productivity, time, quality and cost efficiency (CIDB, 2004). 2.2.1.4 Reduce Remittance by foreign worker In Malaysia, the conventional construction method is highly dependency on the unskilled foreign labours that are easily to employ from the neighbor countries such as Indonesia, Philippine, Vietnam and Myanmar. The utilization of prefabricated systems can reduce the dependency on foreign labours especially the semi skilled and the unskilled labours due to simplified construction method at the construction site. The lesser labours involved in the construction will result in shorter duration of construction time. The prefabricated components are usually standardize prefabricated in factory or off-site and delivered to the construction site for assembly, construction time will be reduce by using this method compare with the conventional cast in-situ method. The Government aimed to achieve 100 percent usage of IBS and to reduce to 15 percent or approximately 50,000 of foreign workers in the construction industry by 2010. With the current foreign workers totaling 227,000, the remittances of foreign workers amounted to about 7.5 billion. It is expected that the Government would be able to reduce the remittances with the full implementation of IBS (Bernama.com, 2006). According to the IBS Digest (April June, 2005), a comparative productivity study has been conduct between projects that built using precast technology and conventional method. Three project sites are studied which two using precast technology and one using conventional construction method. Prefabricated or precast structural components were installed piece by piece with minimum used of labours, while using conventional method required more labours in order to complete the construction cycle, for example formwork prefabrication and formwork installation, reinforcement bar fabrication and reinforcement bar installation, concrete placement and formwork dismantle (Indra Gunawan, 2005). 2.2.1.5 Quality Control Better performance and component fit between parts for prefabricated system, which the components required more accurate profile and dimension of components that manufacture in factory. Prefabricated components that manufactured in factory can easily be control and monitor in factory for critical factors such as temperature, stripping time, and etc. Quality is the main factors in prefabricated system, the components that are manufacture off-site are better in quality control. A Quality Assurance Department is to ensure that there is a complete quality procedure and maintained regularly will be well set-up by manufacturer to ensure strict compliance throughout the manufacturing processes (NSL Eastern Pretech, 2005). It is much easier to control the quality in the prefabrication factory compare with casting at site. Prefabricated components which produced higher quality of components attainable through specific selection and the use of advance technology with strict quality assurance control (Din, 1984). 2.2.1.6 Reduce Wastage of Construction Material Prefabricated components that are prefabricated in factory or off-site will reduce the wastage of construction material and this will provide a safety working platform for the workers in construction site due to the reduction of construction debris, site worker and materials. Fewer mistakes, misalignments and deviations will be made by applying prefabricated system in construction industry, this will result in less waste reduces costs spend on materials, handling, dumpster and etc. With the reduction of construction material wastage, this will lead to the decrease in overall construction cost. IBS components offer minimal wastage, because the components such as precast columns were being prefabricated off-site. The entire component has been manufactured on the required sizes. Besides, the repetitive use of the construction material, for example, steel system formwork provides considerable are cost savings (Bing et al, 2001; Thanoon et al, 2003). Higher degree of precision and accuracy in the production of prefabricated components with the utilization of machine will lead to reduction of material wastage (CIDB, 2003). 2.3 Types of Prefabricated Components usage in Warehouse Buildings The composite construction method and fully prefabricated construction method was adopting into current IBS construction projects. The concept of partial industrialized system is derived from the composite nature of full industrialization, and is used to describe a manufacturing strategy that selectively uses some industrializing aspects (Nurul A.H. et al, 2005). Nurul A.H. et al (2005) also stated that, the fully prefabricated construction method will involve on the manufacture, assembly and connect concept. All of the designed fabrication components of the building will be manufacture off-site, assembly off-site and be delivered to the stated site on planned period. Both of the type of construction method is specifically aimed to increase productivity and quality of work. There are various types of prefabricated components that has been designed and manufacturer for construction project. There are factors that need to be considering on the adoption of the prefabricated components in the usage of warehouse buildings. The components which are commonly used in local warehouse buildings construction are: Steel framing systems Panel system 2.3.1 Steel Framing Systems Frame system may be defined as the structures that carry the loads through their beams and girders to column and finally to footing or pilecap. In such system, the skeletal structures will help to reduce the number and sizes of load carrying members. The important feature is the capacity to transfer heavy loads over large spans. Therefore, it is used in the construction of bridges, parking lots, warehouses, industrial buildings and etc (Junid, 1986). Frame system is a system that use beam and column as the main structure member due to the function that support all of the building weight. The walls have to be light for easy installation to support the building (Badir et al, 1998). In the development of construction industry, the usage of light steel trusses increased due to cost effective which profiled steel portal frame and cold-formed channels system as alternative choice for traditional hot-rolled sections. It is commonly used with precast concrete slab, steels columns and beams. Steel framing systems have always been the popular choice that used widely in the construction of skyscrapers (CIDB, 2003). The framing system is prefabricated in factory and delivery to the site with stated schedule. It is erected to the final location by using machinery, such as mobile crane and be join by special bolts, plates and welded with the structure. The products of steel framing systems (refer to Figure 2) are included steel beams and columns, portal frame, roof trusses and etc (IBS Survey, 2003). These systems especially steel beams and columns are commonly used in construction industry in order to speed up the construction works. 2.3.2 Panels system Panel system may be defined as the structures that carry load through large floor and wall panels (Junid, 1986). This system probabaly would be the most widely used prefabricated system which employed planar or panel-shaped elements for floor slabs, vertical supports, partitions and exterior wall. Depending on the scale of projects, some panels may be fabricated at site for easy transportation. Other panel systems available are such as wood, plastic, light weight metal and ferrocement materials. In panel system, loads are distributed through large floor and wall panels where walls support the building weight. This system is applicable to building which functionally require a large number of walls such as apartment house, hotel and hospital. This system is not applicable to buildings with large spans or many stories (Badir et al, 1998). According to Junid (1986), panel system may be defined as those structures that carry the load through large floor and wall panels. The panels can be made in various forms and materials and are normally prefabricated at factory. Concrete panel systems are extensively used in Europe for high rise building for ease of construction purpose. In Malaysia, this system is slowly gaining popularity in terms of low rise buildings. The products of steel wall panels (refer to Figure 3) are included lightweight steel wall panel, metal wall panel and etc. There are another different concept in classifying the building (refer to Figure 4) that the components shold be used as a basis for building classification hot-rolled steel sections which consists of frame system, panel system and box system (Majzub, 1977). 2.4 Issues of Prefabricated Components usage in warehouse buildings The adoption of prefabricated system which introduced in industrialized building system is still very low in construction industry. Particularly, there are issues regarding to the usage of prefabricated components in warehouse buildings. The implementation of prefabrication system in loca

Communicating Through Numbers in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay

Communicating Through Numbers in Beloved      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Humanity uses numbers as a way to communicate beyond words, evoking ideas more readily than words alone are able to. All religions and cultures have significant numbers that communicate an essence or idea more quickly and completely than words can. It is in this manner that Toni Morrison uses numbers in Beloved. Significant numbers occur starting with the first symbols of the text and the words on the pages before the body of the text starts.    124. The first thing to appear, and we already have a significant number. Sethe has four children. The third one is dead. Numbers 1, 2, and 4 remain. Another number that stands alone in its significance is twenty-eight. Twenty-eight is the length of the menstrual cycle, the lunar month, and the duration of Sethe's happiness: "Sethe had had twenty-eight days - the travel of one whole moon - of unslaved life. From the pure clear stream of spit that the little girl dribbled into her face to her oily blood was twenty-eight days" (95). Sethe has lived twenty years of sorrow, for twenty-eight days of pleasure, and spends another eighteen suffering before Paul D and Beloved brighten her life again. "Those twenty-eight happy days were followed by eighteen years of disapproval and a solitary life....Was that the pattern? she wondered. Every eighteen or twenty years her unbelievable life would be interrupted by a short-lived glory?" (173). This symbol is significant, and twenty-eight appears o nly within this context.    Many numbers occur that are significant even though they are not recurring themes throughout the book. Howard and Buglar "[ran] away by the time they were thirteen years old" (3), the traditional age of manhood ... ...tion" (695). This seems precisely what is happening when Sixo dies.    As we see, numbers play an enormous role in Beloved. They communicate concepts in a sort of psychic shorthand, adding a deeper subtext to many events. The way in which the numbers are used is universal, using symbols common to all of humanity. It is universal comprehension like that which gives Beloved the power it has, its genius, and its beauty.    Works Cited Gaskell, G. A. Dictionary of All Scriptures and Myths. (New York: The Julian Press, 1960) p. 695 Herder Dictionary of Symbols. Trans. Boris Matthews. (Wilmette, Illinois: Chiron Publications, 1993) Mackey, Cameron. Interviews with. Haverford College, December 1995. Morrison, Toni. Beloved. (New York: Plume, 1988) Schimmel, Annemarie. The Mystery of Numbers. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993)  Ã‚  

Frostbite Chapter 9

Nine I DIDN'T SEE DIMITRI FOR a while after that. He'd sent a message later that day saying that he thought we should cancel our next two sessions because of the rapidly approaching plans to leave campus. Classes were about to end anyway, he said; taking a break from practice seemed like the reasonable thing. It was a lame excuse, and I knew that wasn't the reason he was canceling. If he wanted to avoid me, I would have preferred he made up something about how he and the other guardians had to up Moroi security or practice top-secret ninja moves. Regardless of his story, I knew he was avoiding me because of the kiss. That damned kiss. I didn't regret it, not exactly. God only knew how much I'd been wanting to kiss him. But I'd done it for the wrong reasons. I'd done it because I was upset and frustrated and had simply wanted to prove that I could. I was so tired of doing the right thing, the smart thing. I was trying to be more in control lately, but I seemed to be slipping. I hadn't forgotten the warning that he'd once given me- that us being together wasn't just about age. It would interfere with our jobs. Pushing him into the kiss†¦well, I'd fanned the flames of a problem that could eventually hurt Lissa. I shouldn't have done it. Yesterday, I'd been unable to stop myself. Today I could see more clearly and couldn't believe what I'd done. Mason met me on Christmas morning, and we went to go hang out with the others. It provided a good opportunity to push Dimitri out of my head. I liked Mason- a lot. And it wasn't like I had to run off and marry him. Like Lissa had said, it would be healthy for me to just date someone again. Tasha was hosting our Christmas brunch in an elegant parlor in the Academy's guest quarters. Lots of group activities and parties were occurring throughout the school, but I'd quickly noticed that Tasha's presence always created a disturbance. People either secretly stared or went out of their way to avoid her. Sometimes she would challenge them. Sometimes she would just lie low. Today, she'd chosen to stay out of the other royals' way and simply enjoy this small, private party of those who didn't shun her. Dimitri had been invited to the gathering, and a bit of my resolve faltered when I saw him. He'd actually dressed up for the occasion. Okay, â€Å"dressed up† might have been an exaggeration, but it was the closest I'd ever seen him come to that. Usually he just looked a little rough†¦like he could spring into battle at any given moment. Today, his dark hair was tied at the back of his neck, as though he'd actually tried to make it neat. He wore his usual jeans and leather boots, but instead of a T-shirt or thermal shirt, he had on a finely knit black sweater. It was just an ordinary sweater, nothing designer or expensive, but it added a touch of polish I didn't usually see, and good God, did it fit him well. Dimitri wasn't mean to me or anything, but he certainly didn't go out of his way to make conversation with me. He did talk to Tasha, however, and I watched with fascination as they conversed in that easy way of theirs. I'd since learned that a good friend of his was a distant cousin of Tasha's family; that was how the two of them knew each other. â€Å"Five?† asked Dimitri in surprise. They were discussing the friend's children. â€Å"I hadn't heard that.† Tasha nodded. â€Å"It's insane. I swear, I don't think his wife's had more than six months off between kids. She's short, too- so she just gets wider and wider.† â€Å"When I first met him, he swore he didn't even want kids.† Her eyes widened excitedly. â€Å"I know! I can't believe it. You should see him now. He just melts around them. I can't even understand him half the time. I swear, he speaks more baby talk than English.† Dimitri smiled his rare smile. â€Å"Well†¦children do that to people.† â€Å"I can't imagine it happening to you,† she laughed. â€Å"You're always so stoic. Of course †¦ I suppose you'd be doing baby talk in Russian, so no one would ever know.† They both laughed at that, and I turned away, grateful Mason was there to talk to. He was a good distraction from everything, because in addition to Dimitri ignoring me, Lissa and Christian were chatting on in their own little world too. Sex appeared to have made them that much more in love, and I wondered if I'd get to spend any time with her at all on the ski trip. She did eventually break away from him to give me my Christmas present. I opened the box and stared inside. I saw a string of maroon-colored beads, and the scent of roses floated out. â€Å"What the †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I lifted the beads out, and a heavy gold crucifix swung from the end of them. She'd given me a chotki. It was similar to a rosary, only smaller. Bracelet-size. â€Å"Are you trying to convert me?† I asked wryly. Lissa wasn't a religious nut or anything, but she believed in God and attended church regularly. Like many Moroi families who'd come from Russia and Eastern Europe, she was an Orthodox Christian. Me? I was pretty much an Orthodox Agnostic. I figured God probably existed, but I didn't have the time or energy to investigate. Lissa respected that and never tried to push her faith on me, which made the gift that much weirder. â€Å"Flip it over,† she said, clearly amused at my shock. I did. On the back of the cross, a dragon wreathed in flowers had been carved into the gold. The Dragomir crest. I looked up at her, puzzled. â€Å"It's a family heirloom,† she said. â€Å"One of my dad's good friends has been saving boxes of his stuff. This was in it. It belonged to my great-grandmother's guardian.† â€Å"Liss †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said. The chotki took on a whole new meaning. â€Å"I can't†¦ you can't give me something like this.† â€Å"Well, I certainly can't keep it. It's meant for a guardian. My guardian.† I wound the beads around one wrist. The cross felt cool against my skin. â€Å"You know,† I teased, â€Å"there's a good possibility I'll get kicked out of school before I can become your guardian.† She grinned. â€Å"Well, then you can give it back.† Everyone laughed. Tasha started to say something, then stopped when she looked up at the door. â€Å"Janine!† My mother stood there, looking as stiff and impassive as ever. â€Å"Sorry I'm late,† she said. â€Å"I had business to take care of.† Business. As always. Even on Christmas. I felt my stomach turn and heat rise to my cheeks as the details of our fight came rushing back to my mind. She'd never sent one word of communication since it had happened two days ago, not even when I was in the infirmary. No apologies. Nothing. I gritted my teeth. She sat down with us and soon joined in the conversation. I'd long since discovered she could really only talk about one subject: guardian business. I wondered if she had any hobbies. The Badica attack was on everyone's mind, and this drove her into a conversation about some similar fight she'd been in. To my horror, Mason was riveted by her every word. â€Å"Well, decapitations aren't as easy as they seem,† she said in her matter-of-fact way. I'd never thought they were easy at all, but her tone suggested that she believed everyone thought they were cake. â€Å"You've got to get through the spinal cord and tendons.† Through the bond, I felt Lissa grow queasy. She wasn't one for gruesome talk. Mason's eyes lit up. â€Å"What's the best weapon to do it with?† My mother considered. â€Å"An axe. You can get more weight behind it.† She made a swinging motion by way of illustration. â€Å"Cool,† he said. â€Å"Man, I hope they let me carry an axe.† It was a comical and ludicrous idea, since axes were hardly convenient weapons to carry around. For half a second, the thought of Mason walking down the street with an axe over his shoulder lightened my mood a little. The moment quickly passed. I honestly couldn't believe we were having this conversation on Christmas. Her presence had soured everything. Fortunately, the gathering eventually dispersed. Christian and Lissa went off to do their own thing, and Dimitri and Tasha apparently had more catching up to do. Mason and I were well on our way to the dhampir dorm when my mother joined us. None of us said anything. Stars cluttered the black sky, sharp and bright, their glitter matched in the ice and snow around us. I wore my ivory parka with fake fur trimming. It did a good job keeping my body warm, even though it did nothing against the chilly gusts that seared my face. The whole time we walked, I kept expecting my mother to turn off toward the other guardian areas, but she came right inside the dorm with us. â€Å"I've been wanting to talk to you,† she finally said. My alarms clicked on. What had I done now? That was all she said, but Mason picked up on the hint immediately. He was neither stupid nor oblivious to social cues, though at that moment, I kind of wished he was. I also found it ironic that he wanted to fight every Strigoi in the world but was afraid of my mother. He glanced at me apologetically, shrugged, and said, â€Å"Hey, I've got to get, um, somewhere. I'll see you later.† I watched with regret as he left, wishing I could run after him. Probably my mom would only tackle me and punch my other eye if I tried to escape. Better to do things her way and get this over with. Shifting uncomfortably, I looked everywhere but at her and waited for her to speak. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a few people glancing over at us. Recalling how everyone in the world seemed to know about her giving me the black eye, I suddenly decided I didn't want witnesses around for whatever lecture she was about to unleash on me. â€Å"You want to, um, go to my room?† I asked. She looked surprised, almost uncertain. â€Å"Sure.† I led her upstairs, keeping a safe distance away as we walked. Awkward tension built between us. She didn't say anything when we reached my room, but I saw her examine every detail carefully, as though a Strigoi might be lurking in there. I sat on the bed and waited while she paced, unsure what I should do. She ran her fingers over a stack of books on animal behavior and evolution. â€Å"Are these for a report?† she asked. â€Å"No. I'm just interested in it, that's all.† Her eyebrows rose. She hadn't known that. But how would she? She didn't know anything about me. She continued her appraisal, stopping to study little things that apparently surprised her about me. A picture of Lissa and me dressed up like fairies for Halloween. A bag of SweeTarts. It was as though my mother were meeting me for the first time. Abruptly, she turned and extended her hand toward me. â€Å"Here.† Startled, I leaned forward and held my palm out underneath hers. Something small and cool dropped into my hand. It was a round pendant, a small one- not much bigger than a dime in diameter. A base of silver held a flat disc of colored glass circles. Frowning, I ran my thumb over its surface. It was strange, but the circles almost made it look like an eye. The inner one was small, just like a pupil. It was so dark blue that it looked black. Surrounding it was a larger circle of pale blue, which was in turn surrounded by a circle of white. A very, very thin ring of that dark blue color circled the outside. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. I hadn't expected anything from her. The gift was weird- why the hell would she give me an eye?- but it was a gift. â€Å"I†¦ I didn't get you anything.† My mom nodded, face blank and unconcerned once more. â€Å"It's fine. I don't need anything.† She turned away again and started walking around the room. She didn't have a lot of space to do it, but her shorter height gave her a smaller stride. Each time she passed in front of the window over my bed, the light would catch her auburn hair and light it up. I watched her curiously and realized she was as nervous as me. She halted in her pacing and glanced back toward me. â€Å"How's your eye?† â€Å"Getting better.† â€Å"Good.† She opened her mouth, and I had a feeling she was on the verge of apologizing. But she didn't. When she started pacing again, I decided I couldn't stand the inactivity. I began putting my presents away. I'd gotten a pretty nice haul of stuff this morning. One of them was a silk dress from Tasha, red and embroidered with flowers. My mother watched me hang it in the room's tiny closet. â€Å"That was very nice of Tasha.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. â€Å"I didn't know she was going to get me anything. I really like her.† â€Å"Me too.† I turned from the closet in surprise and stared at my mom. Her astonishment mirrored mine. If I hadn't known any better, I'd have said we'd just agreed on something. Maybe Christmas miracles did happen. â€Å"Guardian Belikov will be a good match for her.† â€Å"I- † I blinked, not entirely sure what she was talking about. â€Å"Dimitri?† â€Å"Guardian Belikov,† she corrected sternly, still not approving of my casual way of addressing him. â€Å"What†¦ what kind of match?† I asked. She raised an eyebrow. â€Å"You haven't heard? She's asked him to be her guardian- since she doesn't have one.† I felt like I'd been punched again. â€Å"But he's†¦assigned here. And to Lissa.† â€Å"Arrangements can be made. And regardless of the Ozera reputation†¦she's still royal. If she pushes, she can get her way.† I stared bleakly into space. â€Å"Well, I guess they are friends and everything.† â€Å"More than that- or possibly could be.† Bam! Punched again. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Hmm? Oh. She's†¦interested in him.† By my mother's tone, it was clear that romantic matters actually held no interest for her. â€Å"She's willing to have dhampir children, so it's possible they might eventually make an, um, arrangement if he were her guardian.† Oh. My. God. Time froze. My heart stopped beating. I realized my mother was waiting for a response. She was leaning against my desk, watching me. She might be able to hunt down Strigoi, but she was oblivious to my feelings. â€Å"Is †¦ is he going to do it? Be her guardian?† I asked weakly. My mom shrugged. â€Å"I don't think he's agreed to it yet, but of course he will. It's a great opportunity.† â€Å"Of course,† I echoed. Why would Dimitri turn down the chance to be a guardian to a friend of his and to have a baby? I think my mom said something else after that, but I didn't hear it. I didn't hear anything. I kept thinking about Dimitri leaving the Academy, leaving me. I thought about the way he and Tasha had gotten along with each other so well. And then, after those recollections, my imagination started improvising future scenarios. Tasha and Dimitri together. Touching. Kissing. Naked. Other things †¦ I squeezed my eyes shut for half a second and then opened them. â€Å"I'm really tired.† My mom stopped mid-sentence. I had no idea what she'd been saying before I interrupted her. â€Å"I'm really tired,† I repeated. I could hear the hollowness in my own voice. Empty. No emotion. â€Å"Thanks for the eye†¦um, thing, but if you don't mind †¦Ã¢â‚¬  My mother stared at me in surprise, her features open and confused. Then, just like that, her usual wall of cool professionalism slammed back into place. Until that moment, I hadn't realized how much she'd let it up. But she had. For just a brief time, she'd made herself vulnerable with me. That vulnerability was now gone. â€Å"Of course,† she said stiffly. â€Å"I don't want to bother you.† I wanted to tell her it wasn't that. I wanted to tell her I wasn't kicking her out for any personal reason. And I wanted to tell her that I wished she were the kind of loving, understanding mother you always hear about, one I could confide in. Maybe even a mother I could discuss my troubled love life with. God. I wished I could tell anyone about that, actually. Especially right now. But I was too caught up in my own personal drama to say a word. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out and tossed it across the other side of the room. There was a burning, agonizing pain in my chest, and I had no idea how it could ever be filled. It was one thing to accept that I couldn't have Dimitri. It was something entirely different to realize someone else could. I didn't say anything else to her because my speech capabilities no longer existed. Fury glinted in her eyes, and her lips flattened out into that tight expression of displeasure she so often wore. Without another word, she turned around and left, slamming the door behind her. That door slam was something I would have done too, actually. I guess we really did share some genes. But I forgot about her almost immediately. I just kept sitting there and thinking. Thinking and imagining. I spent the rest of the day doing little more than that. I skipped dinner. I shed a few tears. But mostly, I just sat on my bed thinking and growing more and more depressed. I also discovered that the only thing worse than imagining Dimitri and Tasha together was remembering when he and I had been together. He would never touch me again like that, never kiss me again†¦ This was the worst Christmas ever.

Character Analysis of Mrs. Mallard versus Young Bride essays

Character Analysis of Mrs. Mallard versus Young Bride essays Mrs. Mallard from The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Young Bride from The Hand by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette I thoroughly enjoyed reading these two particular short stories because they portrayed two married women at different points in their lives. Mrs. Mallard seems to be portrayed as an older woman and of course, the newly married bride is portrayed as being young. In The Story of an Hour, the story seems to present the idea that Mrs. Mallard has been unhappy for quite a long time and ready to be set free. The Hand reflects on the feelings or emotions that a young bride may go through being newly married to someone, especially someone she has only known for a matter of a month and two weeks. Mrs. Mallard seems to be a very troubled individual. The story unfolds her character as she is made aware that her husband, Mr. Mallard, was killed by a terrible railroad disaster. She had grown up in a time that divorce was scrutinized and was not an option for anyone and was expected to put her true feelings aside, and act as a wife should in that day and time. Mrs. Mallard begins to feel as though she must portray that she is distraught with her husbands death. She wept and sought affection from a loved one like any other happily married woman would portray to feel. As Mrs. Mallard sat alone in her room, she began to feel warm inside and set free. She feels as though she had been kept in a cage her entire marriage, and for once the door was opened and she could roam free like a bird. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: free, free, free! (11; all page references are to the class text, The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature, 5th ed.). She had felt so repressed for so many years, because she had lived a lie. ...