Horizontal Integration And Conglomerate Diversification Marketing Essay

Horizontal Integration And Conglomerate Diversification Marketing Essay 1: Define and distinguish between the following pairs of grand strategies: Horizontal integration is a grand strategy based on growth the acquisition of similar firms operating at the same stage of the production-marketing chain. (Pearce, p. 218) Vertical integration is the grand strategy based on the acquisition of firms that supply the acquiring firm with inputs or new customers for its outputs. (Pearce, p. 220) Horizontal integration acquires more entities within the same level of the supply chain where vertical integration acquires entities up and down the supply chain to control the entire production and distribution process from raw materials to final consumer. Conglomerate diversification is the grand strategy that involves the acquisition of a business because it presents the most promising investment opportunity available. (Pearce, p. 221) Concentric diversification involves the acquisition of a second business that benefits from access to the first firms core competencies. (Pearce, 221) Concentric diversification seeks synergies between its acquisitions where conglomerate diversification does not. Newell Rubbermaid is an example of a large conglomerate that has begun to look for more concentric diversifications in the last 10 years divesting businesses that are not good fits for the overall portfolio. Product development is the growth strategy that involves the substantial modification of existing products that can be marketed to current customers. (Pearce, p. 216) Innovation is a grand strategy that seeks to reap the premium margins associated with creation and customer acceptance of a new product or service. (Pearce, p. 216) Innovation is truly difficult to make profitable. It requires a significant amount of research, time, and financial resources. Many more companies practice product development and use the term innovation. Joint venture is a grand strategy in which companies create a co-owned business that operates for their mutual benefit. (Pearce, p. 230) Strategic alliances are contractual partnerships where the companies involved do not take an equity position in one another. (Pearce, p. 232) Strategic alliances can be between companies with similar customer bases that can benefit from each others resources such as a distribution network. Joint ventures are much more complicated and longer term. Each entity has rights and ownership into one common business. This is much more common when US firms begin to do business in countries like China and Mexico. 2: What are three ways a firm can incorporate the advantage of speed in its business? Speed to market, or rapid response to customer requests has become a major source of competitive advantage in the global market. We live and work in an environment where everyone wants everything now. The customer has an unmet need and does not want to wait for your firm to provide a product that meets their need. This can be an important market strategy if the firm in question can quickly adjust products or processes to meet the customers needs fast. First, customer responsiveness. All customers have dealt with frustrations related to delays or slow service. The same holds true from business to business. Quick response with useful solutions, information, and products can become the basis of a competitive advantage especially if the firm can consistently deliver faster than the competition. Second, product development cycles. There are automotive companies that have worked to streamline product development taking a new product from concept to production within less than 9 months. Todays marketplace thrives on newness, and products may only last for a year or two from launch to grave. Being efficient at product development is a key strategy. Third, speed in delivery or distribution. Firms that can get you what you need, when you need it (even when its tomorrow) will have a competitive advantage. A key example of this is the Batesville Casket Company. Funeral homes across the country do not stock all designs and styles of caskets, yet they can meet with a client at 5pm on one day and have their exact custom order delivered before noon the next day anywhere in the country. This is done through an intricate network of distribution centers that stock one of everything. When one item is pulled from the distribution center, manufacturing begins to make the replacement. 3: How does market focus help a business create competitive advantage? What risks accompany such a posture? Market focus allows some businesses to compete on the basis of low cost, differentiation, and rapid response against much larger businesses with greater resources. Focus lets a business learn its target customer in greater detail and develop personal relationships that will differentiate the smaller firm or make it more valuable to the target customer. Market focus may also be an advantage because it will reduce the number of competitors in a market. For example, if your firm sells and delivers floral bouquets, you may compete with large global firms like 1800Flowers or FTD. By focusing on the needs of the local market that the large firms have ignored, your firm may be able to gain an advantage over the larger firms. The risk of market focus is that you attract major competitors that have waited for your business to prove the market. They let you be the guinea pig, and now that the market seems to be agreeable, they will swoop in and begin taking customers and market share. Your firm may also risk being bought out or taken over by a larger firm that wants to expand and fill out its portfolio. The greatest risk is assuming that it is focus alone, and not some combination of price, differentiation, or rapid response that is creating the businesses success. 4: When would multi-industry companies find the portfolio approach to strategic analysis and choice useful? Portfolio approaches provide several contributions to strategic analysis by corporate managers. First, they allow for the transfer of competitive advantage of professional management across a broad array of businesses. They help convey large amounts of information about diverse business units and corporate plans in a simplified format. They illuminate similarities and differences between business units and help convey the logic of corporate strategies for each business with a common vocabulary. The portfolio approach simplifies priorities for sharing corporate resources across diverse business units that generated and used those resources. They provide a simple prescription that gives corporate managers a sense of what they should accomplish and a way to control and allocate resources between them. (Pearce, p. 283) Multi-industry companies would find this approach useful when it is not clear which business provides the greatest revenue or generates the largest market share or financial gains for the company. The portfolio approach is a systematic way to compare common criteria across all businesses in the portfolio. Case Study Exercises: 1: How would you describe VWs new advertising strategy? Volkswagens new advertising strategy is to regain American interest in the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagen held strong market position in the 1970s based on the success of the VW Beetle and Transporter. Sales were strong until the introduction of the VW Rabbit in the US in the early 1980s. The Rabbit was popular but known to catch fire or have other mechanical problems, giving the Rabbit and VW a reputation for poor quality. After severely declining sales in the 1990s, Volkswagen hired Crispin Porter and Bogusky to completely rebrand the Volkswagen in 2006. Crispin had a strong history of creating memorable marketing and advertising campaigns that turned around several major US brands like Burger King and MINI. Crispin started the strategy by defining the new target market, and determining what the perception was in the 18-30 yr old male audience. Crispin Porter and Bogusky used a strong web based campaign to attract the target audience, and added enough edge and controversy to get people of all demographics talking about Volkswagen. The strategy of using the web and a German dominatrix type blonde named Helga that the user could interact with on the GTI website, gained in popularity but offended and alienated woman who were also VW customers. Many believed the campaign degraded or looked over women as a target market. The strategy worked for a short period of time but was unable to overcome the mixed product message that Volkswagen was sending with offerings ranging from expensive luxury cars to econo-friendly hatchbacks. Now, four years later, VW Americas is still struggling to improve sales and gain market share. 2: What appear to be DHLs most important competitive advantages? Are they best suited to a mature industry or a growth industry? Which way would you characterize the U.S. parcel market and the global parcel market? DHLs most important competitive advantages are its global presence, strong parent company financial support, and willingness to have face to face relationships with its customers. DHL holds a commanding 40% market share in Europe and Asia, but struggles to gain over a 7% market share in the US. This is primarily because the competition, FedEx and UPS, have spent decades and billions of dollars building delivery networks and infrastructures and huge economies of scale. DHL wants to become the next FedEx or UPS in the United States in order to further strengthen their overall global footprint. In order for DHL to continue to be successful in the future, they have to be successful in the US. DHL has a strong global delivery system but lacks in US domestic delivery. This became most evident in November 2008 when DHL ceased all US domestic shipping operations. The US parcel market is a mature market because over the past 40 years the market has developed a structure and market leaders that are serving the needs of nearly all customer groups. This market saturation and duration do not leave a lot of room for a new start up to gain any ground. The US geographic is much more spread out than DHL is use to dealing with in Europe. This dynamic adds complexity and requires a larger structure to manage. DHL is much better suited to a growth industry than a mature industry. A growth industry has the opportunity for many competitors to develop the market at the same rate without one being at a disadvantage over any others. DHL has a strength in developing relationship with customers that works well in a growth market, where relationships are key to expanding the market. 3: What does eBays corporate or multi-business strategy for the twenty-first century appear to be? Ebays corporate business strategy is to be a company that provides services for all the kinds of activities that people perform on the internet: trade, communicate, shop, search, and entertain. (Pearce, p. 299) Investors, however, are struggling to see Ebay as more than an online auction site. Over the past 5 years, Ebay has purchased what seems to be a hodge podge of companies with little common connection. PayPal seemed to be a logical fit, as a means to facilitate buyers and sellers on the Ebay auction site. But, Skype and others seem to be farther stretches for the investment community to understand. If you look at ebay as a company that is in business to facilitate trade then the acquisitions make more sense. Time will tell if the online auction giant can gain the trust of the investment world and change their mind about who Ebay is and what it does. Strategic Management Plan: 1: Using one (or a combination) of the 15 grand strategies outlined in the text, write long-term objectives for your selected company that exhibit the seven qualities of long-term objectives: Acceptable Flexible Measurable Motivating Suitable Understandable Achievable. In order to increase value creation for shareholders, Cooper Tire and Rubber Company will improve global cost structure and increase targeted profitable growth. Global Cost Structure Sourcing and LCC Manufacturing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 35 45 % of Manufacturing in LCC à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Meet Demand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower Global Cost Structure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduce Complexity Short Term Goals à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ramp Up CKT 6 million tires (China) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Expand at CCT +2 million tires (China) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Offtake agreement with Mexico à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Offtake agreements at other locations Long Term Goals à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Analyze expansion of existing LCC facilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify and evaluate potential JV partners à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Analyze Greenfield options in LCC Manufacturing Cost Reductions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 10 15 % reduction in addressable cost base à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continue with high quality manufacturing Programs to achieve à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Process efficiency improvements à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Complexity reduction and management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Automation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Distribution Targeted Profitable Growth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Total Company = 6 to 7% CAGR à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Global Net Sales = > $3.6 billion > 60.9 million units Programs to achieve North America Channel Alignment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Grow in all Channels, Growth not equal in all channels à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Continue Support of Independent Dealers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Align organization and strategy to each channels needs Asia Grow TBR and PCR Truck and Bus Radial (TBR) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focus TBR on Tier 2 and 3 Products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continue to develop retail sales à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focused growth in fleet sales Passenger Car Radial (PCR) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Build in areas with greatest car parks (east coast) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Shift production used for export sales to domestic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Elevate the brand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continue to develop retail sales Europe Focused Growth Targeted approach with resources geared toward priorities Existing Cooper Strengths PLUS Brand focus Highly focused sales by product segment Greater channel focus 2: In 2 pages or less, describe the grand business strategy or strategies that you will select to seek sustained competitive advantage. Why did you select this strategy or strategies? Cooper Tire Rubber Company has chosen to use new product development and joint venture as grand strategies to seek competitive advantage in the global replacement tire industry. Product Development is used to prolong the product lifecycle or build on the reputation of the brand. Cooper Tire plans to do strengthen this as a strategy by adding resources and enhancing regional technology centers in Asia and Europe. Additional organization of resources into continuous product and process improvement teams through the use of LEAN and Six Sigma techniques will aid the product development process. Cooper must also modify the research structure to improve research knowledge base. Advanced Technology and Shelf Technology combined with computer modeling and simulation will help with a focused development effort leading to fewer iterations and faster product development. Cooper can also utilize external resources by leveraging vendors and academic institutions to provide innovations and technological advancements in tire construction and materials. By applying a stage gate process, Cooper will enhance decision making process, and align it with global goals. Joint Ventures occur when two or more capable firms lack a necessary component for success in a particular competitive environment. Cooper Tire has a strong market share in the US and looks to continually expand into new global markets. Cooper Tire has two active joint ventures in China. Coopers joint venture allows them easier entry into the Chinese domestic market while creating a supply in a low cost country. The Chinese replacement tire market is increasing at a 17% year over year rate, which is a great expansion opportunity for Cooper. As Cooper uses the joint ventures for the production of tires, they are also focusing on building retail distribution in areas with greatest car park (along Eastern coast). These strategies will help to expand the Cooper business and global market share.

How do Bennett and Chaucer present women in ‘The Outside Dog’ in ‘Talking Heads 2’?

The main female characters in these two texts are Alison in ‘The Miller's Tale' and Marjory in ‘The Outside Dog. ‘ However, it may also be possible to consider the prominent feminine qualities in Absolon, and also Tina, the dog in the Talking Heads 2' monologue. It can also be said that Stuart's victims are presumably female. Alison, in ‘The Miller's Tale' is largely presented as the stereotypical young wife, which follows the genre of the tale itself. The Miller says, ‘fair was this yonge wyf,' so the reader immediately sees her as the attractive and beautiful stereotype, which is intensified by the fact that the Miller does not give her a name until line 258, effectively objectifying her as a character, giving her no individuality. Also, the repetition of this title reduces her own personality and makes her seem almost like the property of her husband. Alison's two-dimensional image is furthered by Chaucer's frequent references to colour, in this case, black and white. The colours usually describe what she is wearing, for example, ‘a bamcloth eek as whit as morne milk' and ‘of col-black silk. ‘ Chaucer sees Alison, and possible women in general, as a contrast of black and white; the white of her apron is contrasted to the black of her hair and eyebrows. White is traditionally seen as a pure colour and black's a dark, mysterious colour. This shows that on the surface Alison may be beautiful, but she is not so pure and loyal to her husband at the end on the tale. Chaucer may be generalising this to all women, suggesting they can ‘put on a front' and be something they are not. However, the simple, plain nature of the two colours presents her as a two-dimensional character with little depth. In the same way, the character of Marjory is presented as being quite weak and obedient towards her husband. It is obvious to Marjory that her husband is guilty for the murders, but she does not say anything to the police, and she hides his slacks, which would have been crucial evidence, ‘I sneaked in and got a bin bag and fetched them inside. Marjory seems quite a passive wife, and accepts what her husband tells her, often without questioning him directly, ‘He took the van over to Rawdon last night. Said it was Rawdon anyway. ‘ The distrust here is evident, but as she is not presented as a particularly strong character, this distrust is not voiced, or acted upon. This may suggest generally that women are the weaker, more passive sex, and should be obedient towards their husbands, in the same way that Marjory is. Marjory's obsession with cleaning says a lot about the ‘role of women' in the home. She is portrayed as the hardworking housewife, which seems to be her main and most important role, ‘the police said not to touch anything but I wasn't having the place left upset like that so I set to and cleaned down†¦ ‘ This is also emphasised by the way Stuart considers the role of his wife. He says, ‘You're lucky I do it at all' when talking about washing his own clothes. Like in ‘The Miller's tale,' the female character is presented as the typical wife, However, Marjory is the stereotypical obedient wife. The physical description and physiognomy of the character of Alison is extensive, and Chaucer seems to be parodying poetic portraits of the subjects of courtly lovers. He uses similes to compare Alison to the domestic and everyday where the courtly poets would have chosen exotic and valuable comparisons. For example, she is repeatedly compared to animals, such as ‘Winsinge she was, as is a joly colt. ‘ These descriptions, although they sometimes express positive qualities, such as her liveliness, may also portray a negative image of the ‘yonge wyf. ‘ For example, it may be inferred here that she is quite immature. Alison's outward appearance is concentrated on, and as a reader we do not learn a lot about her personality and characteristics, suggesting that she has little more than her looks in her favour. For example, ‘as any wezele hir body gent and small. ‘ This portrays Alison as being slim bodied in appearance. Chaucer presents women as being an object of sexuality, and the tale may be predominantly for the amusement of a male audience. This compares to Marjory and Stuart in ‘The Outside Dog' as Marjory is used as a sexual ‘object' by her husband, seen in the tome and language used, ‘he wakes me up and he has another go. The tone here is quite dismissive, with no feeling involved, but Marjory also seems quite resentful of her husband, as she is treated like it is her duty as a wife to obey her husband. She does not refer to Stuart by name, and by repeatedly using the pronoun ‘he,' she shows him no recognition, intensifying her resentment of her husband, and the distant relationship the two characters have. Chaucer uses strong adjectives when presenting Alison as a sly lover, she is said to have a ‘likerous ye' portraying her as being provocative and sexy. She is also described as a ‘wench', which is a very uncomplimentary term for a woman. This contrasts to her appearance and wealth. Her willingness to commit adultery is seen in her encounter with Nicholas and at first her seeming unwillingness to engage in any such behaviour with Nicholas, ‘I will nat kisse thee, by my fey! ‘ However, within five lines of the tale, she has ‘changed her mind' and has been persuaded by Nicholas. This portrays her as having few morals or determination, and almost ‘teasing Nicholas. ‘ Overall, the character of Alison is not one in which a reader can sympathise with, as she is largely portrayed in a negative light. However, I feel that a reader is more likely to sympathise with the character of Marjory, as Bennett does not portray her as being a particularly ‘bad' or blameworthy character, and we may feel sorry for her because of the treatment she encounters by her husband. It also works in her favour that the text is written in the form of a monologue, therefore the reader is essentially encouraged to relate to the character, as she describes events from her own point of view. However, like with Alison, as a reader we do not really agree with her actions, and may feel that she should be more of an active, rather than passive character. The character of Absolon is given very feminine qualities by Chaucer. His description is very precise and extensive in detail, for example, ‘crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon. ‘ His description is rather unusual for a man, and strictly contrasts to the strong, manly portrait of the Miller. Absolon's character is largely mocked and treated as a figure of fun due to these effeminate qualities that he possesses. This again portrays femininity in a bad light, diminishing the importance and status of women in society, particularly in the period in which Chaucer wrote the tales. The fact that the dog in Bennett's monologue is female may also portray women in a negative manner. Dogs are typically viewed as being obedient towards their ‘masters. ‘ This suggests that the master-servant relationship should be extended to the husband and wife, as Marjory is in competition with Tina for her husband's recognition, ‘That dog's not inside is she? ‘ The victims in this monologue are also women, which again presents women as being ‘helpless victims' and open to abuse from men. Again, the underlying theme of the passive nature of women is explored, as Stuart takes advantage of this.

A Streetcar Named Desire – A Tragic Hero

There are nine types of heroes in this world, each of them with their own unique stories, plots, cliches etc. Among those is the classic tragic hero, one who is destined to fail no matter what. In a Streetcar Named Desire, the tragic hero is Blanche Dubois, an aging Southern Belle living in a state of perpetual panic about her fading beauty. In this essay it will be discussed what makes Blanche a tragic hero and how she compares to a typical tragic hero.A typical tragic hero is first and foremost, born of noble stature. This gives the hero something to fall from, so they can â€Å"fall from grace† (Avril Lavigne, Nobody's Home). Blanche Dubois born in Laurel, Mississippi, to a wealthy family. She is a former schoolteacher who had been evicted from Belle Reve (a family home) after being declared a woman of loose morals. This was because years earlier, Blanche's husband committed suicide after she expressed her distaste on his sexuality. She later had many affairs trying to numb her grief on the death of her husband.The second condition for a tragic hero is what is called Hamartia, a tragic flaw that causes the downfall of the hero. Blanche's tragic flaw is that she is dependant on men, so much so that she makes choices and does things that are morally questionable. She manipulates and lies to potential suitors to make herself seem more attractive and younger-which in her mind is the only way a man will love her. She does this with Harold â€Å"Mitch† Mitchell and it seems to be working until Mitch is informed of all the lies he's been fed, at which point Mitch breaks up with Blanche and leaves her vulnerable for Stanley to rape.The reversal of fortune, peripeteia, is when the fortunate hero is down on his luck. In Blanche's case, she loses Belle Reve, her husband is a homosexual and dead, she is evicted from her own town and is losing her beauty. She used to be a wealthy and beautiful Southern belle with a loving family and kind husband but her luc k changed directions and she lost everything she held dear.One of the most obvious conditions of a tragic hero is nemesis, the fate that  cannot be reversed. In other words, no matter what the hero tries or does their fate is sealed. Blanche's fate is inevitable, all people can do is watch as she falls deeper and deeper into her delusions and misconceptions of reality.In the end of the tragedy, the audience should be left feeling pity or fear after witnessing the downfall of the tragic hero, catharsis. This is because the punishment dealt to the hero is not wholly deserved, the punishment far exceeds the crime. Blanche was a sad and confused woman who was looking for comfort and someone to take care of her.She lied and manipulated people to try and get the happy life she wanted but that did not mean she deserved to be raped, abandoned by her own sister and publicly humiliated. Blanche herself said â€Å"It [deliberate cruelty] is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion and it is the one thing I have never, never been guilty of.† (Williams, Scene 10 Pg 126)Anagnoririsis is the recognition or discovery made by the tragic hero, the point in time when the hero realizes what went wrong and why. Most other tragedies like Hamlet and Mcbeth feature this but this does not happen to Blanche.In the end Blanche was sent to a mental institution, she never gained any knowledge of what truly happened and why. In this way, it could be said that Blanche is not your typical tragic hero because she does not meet this point but that is not a bad thing. Blanche is a unique tragic hero who will never know what went wrong as she has submerged herself in her own little world.A typical, yet unique, tragic hero, Blanche did her best to be happy, her only goal. Unfortunately for her, she did not go about the right way of doing it. The wrong people were angered and others tried to force Blanche to face reality.Blanche was unable to let go of the walls that protected her from th e harsh truth, and so she fell from grace. The final scene in which Blanche utters her most famous line â€Å"†¦I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.†, is the sad culmination of Blanche's vanity and total dependence on men for happiness.A typical tragic hero is first and foremost, born of noble stature. This gives the hero something to fall from, so they can â€Å"fall from grace† (Avril Lavigne, Nobody's Home). Blanche Dubois born in Laurel, Mississippi, to a wealthy family.She is a former schoolteacher who had been evicted from Belle Reve (a family home) after being declared a woman of loose morals. This was because years earlier, Blanche's husband committed suicide after she expressed her distaste on his sexuality. She later had many affairs trying to numb her grief on the death of her husband.The second condition for a tragic hero is what is called Hamartia, a tragic flaw that causes the downfall of the hero. Blanche's tragic flaw is that she is dependant on men, so much so that she makes choices and does things that are morally questionable.She manipulates and lies to potential suitors to make herself seem more attractive and younger-which in her mind is the only way a man will love her. She does this with Harold â€Å"Mitch† Mitchell and it seems to be working until Mitch is informed of all the lies he's been fed, at which point Mitch breaks up with Blanche and leaves her vulnerable for Stanley to rape.The reversal of fortune, peripeteia, is when the fortunate hero is down on his luck. In Blanche's case, she loses Belle Reve, her husband is a homosexual and dead, she is evicted from her own town and is losing her beauty. She used to be a wealthy and beautiful Southern belle with a loving family and kind husband but her luck changed directions and she lost everything she held dear.One of the most obvious conditions of a tragic hero is nemesis, the fate that cannot be reversed. In other words, no matter what the her o tries or does their fate is sealed. Blanche's fate is inevitable, all people can do is watch as she falls deeper and deeper into her delusions and misconceptions of reality.In the end of the tragedy, the audience should be left feeling pity or fear after witnessing the downfall of the tragic hero, catharsis. This is because the punishment dealt to the hero is not wholly deserved, the punishment far  exceeds the crime. Blanche was a sad and confused woman who was looking for comfort and someone to take care of her.She lied and manipulated people to try and get the happy life she wanted but that did not mean she deserved to be raped, abandoned by her own sister and publicly humiliated. Blanche herself said â€Å"It [deliberate cruelty] is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion and it is the one thing I have never, never been guilty of.† (Williams, Scene 10 Pg 126)Anagnorsis is the recognition or discovery made by the tragic hero, the point in time when the hero realizes w hat went wrong and why. Most other tragedies like Hamlet and Mcbeth feature this but this does not happen to Blanche.In the end Blanche was sent to a mental institution, she never gained any knowledge of what truly happened and why. In this way, it could be said that Blanche is not your typical tragic hero because she does not meet this point but that is not a bad thing. Blanche is a unique tragic hero who will never know what went wrong as she has submerged herself in her own little world.A typical, yet unique, tragic hero, Blanche did her best to be happy, her only goal. Unfortunately for her, she did not go about the right way of doing it. The wrong people were angered and others tried to force Blanche to face reality.Blanche was unable to let go of the walls that protected her from the harsh truth, and so she fell from grace. The final scene in which Blanche utters her most famous line â€Å"†¦I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.†, is the sad culminat ion of Blanche's vanity and total dependence on men for happiness.

The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros - 913 Words

Marriage is recognized in the society like one men and woman union for a legal contract. Marriage has a numerous of definitions: legal and moral provision for generation among human kind. This word can represent more than its definition. Marriage for many artists symbolize hate, passion, oppression, euphoria that have been serving as the focus point of many literary works. One example is â€Å"Linoleum Roses â€Å",one of the vignettes that made up â€Å"The House on Mango Street†, a coming-of-age novel by Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros. Cisneros in this specific vignette reveals the inherent oppressiveness of all marriages, which by their nature rob people of their independence. Sally is not even eight grades and she gets married. Her husband is a marshmallow salesman that she meets at a school bazaar. She moves to another state where is legal their marriage. Sally tells Esperanza about her house and domestic objects that she owns. Sally says that she is in love, but Esperanza believes that Sally just gets married to escape. Sally s husband gives her money to buy things, and she enjoys this aspect of being married. Sally claims to be happy, except when sometimes her husband gets angry and one time he kicked a hole through the door. Her husband doesn’t let her go out, talk on the phone, see her friend or even look out the window. Sally spends her day sittings at home, looking around at the pretty things she owns: the towels, the toaster, the alarm clock and the drapes. TheShow MoreRelatedThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros1132 Words   |  5 Pageslives. In the collection of short stories, The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, she focuses on a young Hispanic girl named Esperanza Cordero who grew up on Mango Street. As she is changing and maturing, she writes down her experiences about discrimination of gender, sexual orientation, and more. Esperanza s transformation from a young and innocent girl to a mature woman is displayed through her self-realization and experiences that help Cisneros reveal how one s own experiences can lead toRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros1297 Words   |  6 Pagesto think of a story to create, most of the advice given to them is â€Å"write what you know.† This was perfect advice for Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros, who draws upon her coming-of-age events throughout her childhood and adolescence in â€Å"The House on Mango Street.† Drawing from life stories, h er alter ego â€Å"Esperanza† describes everything from the house she lived in, to the hair on people’s heads. These personal stories show a stark contrast for any reader of a different culture, and confirmRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros1854 Words   |  8 Pages The Street That Changed a Life The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, displays a great emphasis on culture and people helping form a young girl into a young lady. The main character, Esperanza, has to navigate a mentally and physically challenging life growing up in a poor, Hispanic neighborhood while still learning how to mature and rise above the poverty that surrounds her. Thus, the question arises: in what way and to what extent does close human interaction change Esperanza’s lifeRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros886 Words   |  4 PagesThe House on Mango Street is a novel by Sandra Cisneros. The novel is acclaimed by critics and used in schools all around the world. â€Å"The House on Mango Street† is about a young Latina girl who is about the age of 12 when the novel begins. Sandra’s novels have sold over two million copies. Sandra was born on December 20, 1984, in Chicago, Illinois. In 2016, President Barack Obama presented her with the medal of ‘Nat ional Medal of Arts’. Title: The House on Mango Street Author: Sandra Cisneros TheRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros2004 Words   |  9 PagesIn The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, twelve-year-old Esperanza Cordero must navigate through the trials and tribulations that one can associate when encountering young adulthood. The author Cisneros, utilizes her unique writing style of vignettes to illustrate the narrative voice of Esperanza in her text. A major theme that can be seen as the most prominent thus far, is on the feminist role of Esperanza as a female in her Latin American culture. The House on Mango Street is an overallRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros753 Words   |  4 PagesWhen you look at the cover of the book, The House on Mango Street, you see bright colors and a fun font. The first vignette that Sandra Cisneros writes is about Esperanza, a young Latino girl wishing that she had her own house, a house with trees and white fences. The way that Cisneros writes screams â€Å"little girl.† Howe ver, as you dive deeper into the book, the subject of each vignette gets darker. Slowly, we start to see the dangers of growing up as a young Latino girl in a Chicago neighborhoodRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros1688 Words   |  7 PagesThe House on Mango Street, a novella by Sandra Cisneros, revolves around the idea of a developing Latino girl facing the difficulties of transitioning to a young mature woman. Esperanza moves into a house on Mango Street, where she meets many diverse influential people as she attempts to discover her true identity and understanding of the world. While doing this, she encounters the struggles of her community, socioeconomic class, and heritage. Esperanza’s opposing view of herself slowly adjusts asRead MoreThe House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros766 Words   |  3 Pagesliterary analysis on â€Å"The House on Mango Street† by Sandra Cisneros. This story takes place in the center of an over populated Latino neig hborhood in Chicago, a city where many of the poor areas are ethnically segregated. This novella uses two main symbols shoes and trees. Later in the literary analysis I will explain what these mean to the main characters. There are three main characters in the novella Esperanza, Sally and Nenny (short for â€Å"Magdalena†). The House on Mango Street tells the life of EsperanzaRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros1087 Words   |  5 PagesRiaz Salehi The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, portrays the life of a teenage girl named Esperanza living on Mango Street. Though Esperanza lives in a diverse city, pre-existing stereotypes are affecting how others(women?) are perceived and treated. Esperanza starts to see how to change her community and the negative view of herself by taking the wrong actions of other women and connecting them to her own life experiences. To begin with, Esperanza always saw this great distinctionRead MoreThe House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros2190 Words   |  9 Pagessociety centuries after its foundation. One of the books I feel perfectly touches on ethnicity in America specifically is Sandra Cisneros The House on Mango Street. Cisneros tells a coming of age story through brief episodes of a girl named Esperanza her life varying from things about her family, neighborhood, and different dreams and goals that she has. The House on Mango street is a personal and touching look at what it means to be a minority/immigrant in America as well what it means to grow up