Marketing Communications Plan To Launch A New Brand Marketing Essay

Marketing Communications Plan To Launch A New Brand Marketing Essay DESCRIPTION Hydra is to be launched as a premium brand for still unflavored and flavored water. It would be available in two sizes of 750ml and 330 ml each. The bigger bottle is to be made available in sports pack and the smaller in a screw cap. Along with unflavored water, Hydra offers four water plus flavors which are orange n cherry, ginger n lemon, mint n herbs and just grape. The flavored bottles would be available as Hydra! to differentiate them from unflavored. COMPETITION ANALYSIS The bottled water industry is essentially a part of the soft drinks sector which also includes carbonated drinks, still drinks, juices and other dilatable; representing a total customer value worth  £219 billion (Leijh, 2006). The image of carbonates, the biggest player of this sector, has been on a decline due to growing health concerns and the manufactures consequently try to reinvent their offerings in order to attract the consumers. Thus the traditional boundaries between carbonated drinks, water and juices and being dropped as newer blends hit the shelves every day. The competition therefore in this industry is immense and proactive. Offerings in the market which provide the value of quenching thirst must be regarded as indirect competition. These will include carbonated drinks, juices, milk, energy drinks, still drinks and even sparkling water; across all flavors. Some of the indirect competitors identified are Pepsi, Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, Britvic, Cresta, Tango, Sunkist, Lucozade, Tropicana, Nesquik and Scheweppes Tonic. The direct competition comes from other bottled water brands which target the same market as Hydra. These brands provide almost the same value that is, still unflavored and flavored water to the same market segments. The brands identified as direct competition for further analysis are Vittel and Aqua Pura. The Vittel brand belongs to the Perrier family owned by Nestle while Aqua Pura is an own label production from Well Well. Both these brands offer still flavored and unflavored water. MARKET SEGMENTATION The bottled water market in the UK posted strong positive growth and total value of  £ 1.4 billion in 2007 (Data Monitor Industry Profile, 2008). The volume of sales has also been constantly increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.7% from 2 billion liters in 2003 to 2.5 billion in 2007. Data monitor study also reveals that still unflavored water consists of 48.4% of total sales in this industry and still unflavored consists of 12.2%. A study of 24000 samples by Livingstone (2004) reemphasizes the large number of still water drinkers over sparkling. Figure 1 shows the dominance of still water in this market. Figure : Changing youth drinking habits Figure : Dominance of Still waterThe youth market segment in this industry has also been increasing in importance for the brands. Livingstone (2004) charts an almost 20% increase in use of bottled water in 11-19 years old over 1997 to 2004. This is shown in Figure 2. The communication strategies of the brands also reflect responding to this. Nestle Waters launched Vittel Red, aimed at young men and women through an edgy branding approach (Haymarket Publication, 2006). Aqua Puras Activa and Revive are two sub brands aimed at targeting the youth. Salazar (2007) states how demographics affect the usage of bottled water across UK. Women constitute the majority of bottled water drinkers. Around 45% of 18 to 34 year old women and 44.6% of 35 to 54 year old women consume bottled water. Mens percentages of the 18 34 age groups drank 35.3% and those in the age group from 35 to 54 consumed 34.5%. In addition, according to WQA surveys (cited in Salazar, 2007), some 47% of 18 to 34 year olds do not think that their water is safe; therefore 41.4% of them consume bottled water regularly. TARGET MARKETING In the value exchange approach to marketing, Gabbott (2004), states that the brand should identify target segments based on the meaning and viability of the product for the target. Targeting includes identifying specific group of consumers with similar preferences for whom the product is most meaningful and appropriate. This analysis identifies three target segments for the bottled water brands in study. Sports Active Both Aqua Pura and Vittel have sports cap available and are leading sponsors of sporting events. While Aqua Pura sponsors the UK Athletics and the great run programme; Vittel has been a sponsor of London marathon since the past 8 years. It would be interesting to note that Vittel even has marathon training and hydration tips from expert Jamie Baird on its web site. Vittel also launched a new drink Vittel +Energy with performance enhancing ingredients (refer to Figure 3) Go For It Guys/Girls Livingstone (2004) identifies lifestyle and fashion driven drinkers as Go-For-It target. These are active young males and females who are heavy internet users and fast food consumers. Both the brands provide sleek bottle options for this group. To target this group, Vittel operates as a lifestyle water option with edgy branding. Its David Bowie commercial was primarily targeted at this target group. Aqua Pura on the other hand attracts this group through its sub brands Activa and Revive. Figure : Vittel +energy Source: food manufacture(2003), ebsco publishingChildren Both the companies target children as one of the important target groups. With smaller bottles available which can fit into the school lunch boxes, to tie ups with Warner Bros and Looney Toones; Vittel strives to create a full fledging division for child consumers only. Aqua Puras Champions programme (Aqua Pura, 2008) is again a children specific programme through which it spreads the message of everyday healthy hydration along with the help of school teachers. MARKET POSITIONING To study the market positioning of the bottled water industry, it is essential to identify the broad values that the consumer demands and the values that are provided by the existing market players. The basic value demanded and supplied in this industry is that of quenching the thirst. As King (2002) points out, there has been a lot of weight placed on research and development to enhance this value supplied. Lots of research and marketing has been focused into development of water + options from vitamins to oxygen to new flavors being introduced. As the basic value is served by all the market players, differentiation is possible only through value additions and brand development. To develop a brand positioning map for this study, the brand appeal (premium, sophisticated urban, young) and the value differentiation (regular flavored) are chosen as the attributes. The positioning map thus developed is shown as Figure 4. URBAN TESCO VOLVIC VITTEL HYDRA FLAVORED REGULAR AQUAPURA HIGHLAND SPRING PERRIER SOPHISTICATED EVIAN FIGURE 4: MARKET POSITIONING MAP OF LEADING BRANDS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN OBJECTIVES The objectives of this plan are identified below. To create brand awareness. The target market has to be made aware of the existence of the brand. This is to be achieved through a mix of both above and below the line activities. Seventy five percent of the target market is to be made aware over the time plan. To achieve market penetration. This is to be done through a combination of aggressive below the line and pricing strategies. Fifty percent of the target market is to be penetrated over the time plan. To create brand promotion. Hydra is to be promoted aggressively and to be established as an active and urban brand of bottled water. Establishment of Hydra! as a definitive sub-brand. TIME PLAN Exploratory Research 3 weeks Concept Development and Creative Idea 4 weeks Market Tests 1 week Integrated Communications Above-the-line Strategies 12 weeks Below -the-line Strategies 26 weeks Exploratory Research Focus group interviews to be for product development and buyer behavior research. Concept Development and Creative Idea The brands communication concepts are developed internally, media planning and budgeting is carried out. External services are hired to create communications. Market Tests Tests are carried to check the response, validity and effects of communications designed. Integrated Communications Validated communications are issued through above-the-line and below-the line. Monitor and Evaluation The feedbacks generated by the communications are to be monitored consistently. Evaluation of the plan is to be done constantly and tight control is to be maintained. TARGET SEGMENTS The broad target market for this brand is everyone who wants to quench its thirst. But through the segmentation process, a few segments have been identified to which to which this communication plan is to be targeted. These are identified below Young urban professionals. Below 35 years of age, city dwellers male or female. Sports enthusiasts. Children from the age 8-16 Age group 16-22. Market influence leaders Through behavioral segmentation, target segments identified include Experiences, Innovators and Early Adopters. ABOVE-THE-LINE STRATEGIES The brand Hydra will be launched through an aggressive above-the-line communications campaign. A strong pull and profile strategy is to be realized through above-the-line. The advertisements to be used for the campaign must be first used to introduce and recall the brand, differentiate it from the competition, inform the consumers of the values in exchange and persuade their buying decision. Media Planning Keeping in mind the huge size of target audience and relative concentration in certain centers, the media to be used to deliver the communications has been decided. It is only after this that communications are developed to be broadcast through these sources. The media selected for Above-the-line communications are Television, Print, Outdoor, In Store, and Internet. Television Television is the most common medium for mass advertising. For Hydras launch two TV commercials are to be created. It is aimed to promote Hydra as an individualistic, stylized and aspirational sports and lifestyle brand through these commercials. The first TV ad should kick start the campaign and to be followed by other mediums. The second TV ad is to be launched after two weeks of the first commercial. Spots to be bought include lifestyle and sports channels at prime time and evening. Print The print campaign for Hydra will begin simultaneously with the television commercial appearing. The print ads will be complementary to the message of the television ads. The print media to be used is newspapers (The Sun, Guardian) magazines (Mens Health, Womens Health, OK!) and tabloids (Daily Mirror, The London paper). Full back page advertisements in daily tabloids twice a week for first four weeks and medium sized ads three days a week thereafter, are to be placed. Medium sized advertisements in newspapers are to be placed five days a week for the first two weeks; each day for a new flavor (regular plus four). The burst at the launch is to be followed by two ads a week. The magazines ad is to be accompanied with a reader competition as well. Outdoor and In Store Banners, logo and ads are to be placed in public transport systems, high streets, shopping centers and inside the store at points of sale. Internet Internet is to be very strategically used in order to communicate with the target. The market influencers of the World Wide Web are to be targeted through community web sites, blogs, interactive gaming and social networking sites. The web site of Hydra is to include an interactive game where the player would need to keep his level of Hydra high. The game would also be linked to facebook as one of its applications. Video blogging and YouTube channels are also to be used to promote the brand. Hydra ads on the internet would be seen in portals, news and lifestyle sites. BELOW-THE-LINE STRATEGIES It is imperative too design relevant below-the-line communication strategies for the success of the launch of Hydra. Below-the-line communications of Hydra would be a mix of pull and push strategies. These are to be carried over a period of 26 weeks and then reassessed. Sales promotion, organizing and sponsoring events, effective public relations, effective distribution and personal selling are effective techniques used. Sales Promotion In the initial period of launch, sales promotion activities are essential. The aim of aggressive sales promotion would be to make the target market try the product. It is planned that discount coupons offering fifty percent discount to be accompanied in the print ads. It is also planned to have discount coupons for every individual flavor on different days. This would help promote each flavor equally. Different discounts are also planned for department stores and convenience stores. Also, bulk buys in six packs would attract discounts. Through sales promotion, Hydra is to be pushed to the consumers. Events The profile strategy calls for sponsoring events as it helps establish and sustain the brand. It is worthwhile to sponsor only if the brand identifies with the event. With Hydra being an active lifestyle and sports brand, sponsorships of sports and other events would come naturally. It is planned to start with sponsoring corporate sports meets and move on to sponsor international sporting events and other events such as a music festival. Sponsorships and events are a part of the pull strategy. Public Relations Effective PR has to be maintained while launching the brand. It would require liaisons with different press and news agencies. News releases for the brand should be prominently featured. The influence leaders of the society need to be targeted. Print articles regarding health, hydration and fitness are to be released in different publications. Personal Selling The largest buyers of the bottled water industry are the departmental stores. Water is also sold through other merchandisers, convenience stores, news agents, tobacconists, some restaurants, kiosks and vending machines. Personal selling is required to effectively create and maintain strategic relationship with the channels. It is a classic part of the push strategy. Although the sales person would not be selling directly to the end user, its job would be all the more important as it would be dealing in larger quantities with larger parties. INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH LOCATION After the launch of Hydra in the United Kingdom, it is to be launched in the international market as well. It would be done after closely monitoring the performance of the brand in the UK. To launch the brand internationally, the first step is to decide on the new market. Hydra would look to venture into different European markets keeping in mind the proximity to the UK, geographically and culturally. It would look forward to launch the brand in Ireland and France first and then expand to Germany, Spain and Poland. OBJECTIVE After establishing the brand in the UK, the objective of Hydra would be to repeat its local success in the international market as well. In the Irish and the French markets, Hydra would still be an unknown entity. Therefore the first objective is to introduce the brand and create brand awareness. The second objective is to establish Hydra and Hydra! as lifestyle brands. Overall the objective is to culturally fit in the new market. STRATEGIES Ireland and France have been chosen as markets for international launch because they do not differ much from the UK in terms of culture. In terms of market segmentation, the target segments for Hydra are the same as that in UK and so will be the positioning of the brand. Therefore it is planned to go forward with the same communications plan tuned out with local language.

“Lord of the Flies” †novel by William Golding (1954) Essay

In this essay I will be comparing the three approaches to the incident of Piggy’s death. This is a very significant moment in the ‘Lord of the Flies’ and symbolises how outcasts are treated in a broken down society. I will be comparing the novel by William Golding, with the film by Peter Brook and the film by Harry Hook. The original book was written directly after World War 2, which had a great influence on how Golding decided to plan and write his book. The original book is the true ‘Lord of the Flies’, and the films are adaptations of the original novel. The film that was made in 1961 by Peter Brook was a very close interpretation of the original novel. The characters are the same, the setting is same, and the whole story loosely follows the same pattern as the book. Brook used thirty boys, aged eight to fourteen with non-acting backgrounds, as they all came from a randomly picked London school. He took them to an island off Puerto Rico for 3 months, in which time he filmed this masterpiece, which was ground breaking at the time and closely followed the book. It was original and daring, and was filmed in black and white with restricted amount of equipment. In contrast, the second film produced by Harry Hook in 1994, which was based on the same idea, but was set in different situations. The audience he was attracting needed much more action and adventure, which the old version doesn’t show and would probably be laughed at by Hook’s audience. The film needed to be original, which it was to his audience, but he cleverly used the book and the other film as a basis on which to build his ideas. The film, ‘Lord of the Flies’ by Harry Hook was filmed in colour, with American actors playing as army cadets with ‘mod cons’ such as army knives and watches. Changes such as including adults in the story and use of strong language add a twist to the original novel, and which isn’t portrayed in the 1961 version. It moves completely away from Golding’s original narrative, and his initial intentions. The opening shot is similar in the three versions of ‘Lord of the Flies’, but also has differences. The differences between the two films become evident at the opening of the scene. As the thundering waves are hurled against the sharp, jagged rocks with the darkness and savagery within them, the scene becomes clear. Brook turns to the boys walking along, you just know that something is going to happen. In the Peter Brook film, the coastline is the main feature, with the boys looking small, walking along. The faces of the boys are not so easy to depict until they get close enough. Ralph, Piggy and SamnEric, are looked down on by the camera, with the commanding rocks and the roaring sea all around. However, the boys don’t seem to be put off by this and look positive and intentional in their visit. In comparison, the Hook film shows the shot to be not so dark and suspicious, but more religious and sacrificial. The background noise of the crashing waves is substituted with choral singing. This time, we only see Ralph and Piggy approaching the rocks. Piggy is wearing full cadet uniform and appears not to be having problems with his sight. The boys are at the same level, and the darkness and savagery seems to be lost from this film. Both films have followed the idea of the book, Hook’s version more loosely than Brook’s film. Neither mentioned how much Ralph was injured or his ragged appearance as in the novel, â€Å"Ralph went first, limping a little, a spear carried over one shoulder.† The films left this out because it may well have not appealed to their audiences, as the hero doesn’t look perfect, especially with the later film. Hook also left out SamnEric in the advancing bunch. Golding, who wrote the original ‘Lord of the Flies’, starts this scene by retelling some of the plot. He reminds the reader how such a beautiful island has been effected by society, and how individuals can ruin things for everyone. â€Å"The sky and the mountain were at an immense distance, shimmering in the heat; and the reef was lifted by mirage, floating in a kind of silver pool half-way up the sky.† This little interlude reflects on the past, and will maybe add more impact to the incidents to come. Golding also mentions fire, which reminds the reader of how Jack stole the glasses off helpless Piggy, to use for their own comfort and as a aid for a cooking fire. The first sign of conflict between Jack and Ralph is when they meet. They start to argue and quarrel, and tension is built up within this period. This is the same with all three texts. Ralph intentions are clear as he approaches, but Jack wants none of it. In the novel, Golding has built up the tension with words he uses, â€Å"Ralph’s temper blazed out†. The sentences are short, and not very descriptive. The main feature of the scene, the fight, is portrayed similarly in all three texts. They attack each other vigorously, and the real conflict and anger between the two groups is apparent. In the film, by Brook, the camera can be used to aid the build up of tension as well as the dialogue. The short camera angles used reflect Goldings’ staccato language. The camera looks up to Jack, and down to Ralph. He appears in a definite commanding position. The camera follows Jacks face, which appears dark against the rock, and is hidden whenever Ralph speaks to hide his thoughts. He wears a mask to hide his face, which is savage and evil. Prior to the fight, the camera sways to Jacks barbarous face, with him holding his spear, with only the point showing. This shows the wildness and spite within Jack. This is shown similarly in the Hook film, but Jack doesn’t wear a mask, so we see more of his face. However, Hook has decided to use stronger language to convey the anger between the two boys. Hook chose similar camera movements and patterns to Brooks’ film, as they seemed to show the positions of the characters well and would appeal to his modern audience. Ralph and his gang are portrayed as the lower, weaker force, and Jacks rabble are shown as being in control. The main feature, the fight, is depicted equally in the three texts. Both sides seem angered, and in Hook’s film, the loss of society is also shown. Ralph, usually the well-balanced, even-tempered individual, is lowered to such means as fighting. On the other hand, that is Jacks usual way of settling things. Roger has a strong influence on Piggy’s death and plays a significant role, in all three interpretations of the ‘Lord of the Flies’. Roger is first introduced into the scene in the novel, when he starts to toss rocks at Ralph. His physical appearance is kept a secret and is only released when he pushes the lever, â€Å"Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever.† Roger is introduced earlier on in Brook’s film. What we see of Roger is a godly figure, with his face outlined to the sky. Hook shows us a close up of Rogers’ face from below. He is painted with black paint around the eyes and mouth, which looks like deep hollows in which evil is to be found. He is a symbol of evil and power and as a slight grimace creeps along his face, the audience is shocked by this terrifying image. His intentions become clearer as the scene advances. A longer period of time is spent on him, so does the amount we see of him. When the camera shows us his hand going towards the lever, the anticipation is built up, with the climax of him releasing it with great force, pounding down onto Piggy’s head. Roger is not so well shown in Hooks film. Most of the time he is hidden by the cliff edge and the other savages, but once the stone is released, Rogers’ face is no longer mysterious, but is clear. This makes the audience feel suspicion and fear towards Roger. Piggy is the main character in the scene, and is based on the character first developed in Golding’s novel in both the book and the films. Piggy has similarities and differences in the films, but the main ‘feeling’ of Piggy’s character is conveyed quite well. In Peter Brooks film, Piggy is uneasy about the situation, poised on the steep rocks which seem to fall into hell. He is wearing full uniform, showing his intentions to keep rules. The camera is overhead, and makes us feel pity for Piggy who is helpless. In the build up to the death, the camera focuses on short close-up shots of Piggy’s face to show his hopelessness and anxiety. Piggys’ voice is blurred by the natural sounds of the roaring of the sea crashing against the rocks. Ralph forgets what he came for, and Piggy knows this. This has an effect on the audience to feel empathy for Piggy. Harry Hook has changed Piggy’s character, to fit his wants and his audiences wants. He doesn’t make Piggy as disabled as Brook does in his film. He allows Piggy to be able to see fairly well and able him to stand on the same level platform as Ralph. Piggy isn’t left out or forgotten during the fight, and can be seen in the shots of the fight, standing in the background. In the book, Piggy seems extremely scared and worried of what was about to happen as he clings onto the steep sided rock face. â€Å"‘Am I safe?’ quavered Piggy. ‘I feel awful-‘†. Brooks’ film is better on picking up on the idea that Piggy is supposed to be very disadvantaged. Piggy’s emotions are shown well in all three texts, as a close up in the film, or as strong description in the novel. The murder is the main feature in the scene we are studying. It has a strong impact on the audience in all of the texts and is transmitted differently in each. In the novel, Piggys death is compared to a pig after his death, which is rather ironic, â€Å"Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed.† The language used here is very severe and looks as thought Golding doesn’t really care about what has just happened to Piggy. After this there is a silence all around, until it is disturbed by a little speech between Jack and Ralph, followed by Jack throwing his spear at Ralph, which then leads him to run away, with spears coming at him from all directions. This isn’t shown in either of the films, and in Brooks’ film, nothing is said, and Ralph just flees. Brook has a lengthy build up to his death scene in his film. Hints are dropped all the time, with the camera continually looking at the rough sea and jagged rocks, then at Piggy’s confused face. Brook supports Golding’s language, with only a few minor changes. In the build up to the climax, the camera continually switches between Piggy and Roger, with longer shots to Roger as we get ever closer to the climax. Also, the noise of the jeering boys gets louder, and sounds more and more like air raid sirens, which adds to the effect of anticipation. This is obviously significant because it indicates the society the boys have just left, and shows the links to situations of which Golding has just witnessed before he wrote his novel, and of the tragedy of war. However, this is something that Brooks audience may not clearly remember so wouldn’t be so obvious in his film. The final shot of Roger is of him pushing down on the lever as with Golding’s novel. The face looks emotionless until the rock is released, when a wide, evil smirk smears across his face. The camera stays still to make Roger look as though he is pushing harder, as he moves out of the shot. We see the rock rolling down, and then we see Piggy’s viewpoint of the rock above, coming straight, bang down onto his head. Immediately as the rock hits Piggy, the jeering comes to a halt, and all is left is the roaring sounds of nature. All, including Jack seem shocked, but Roger is not. The camera switches between the characters showing their disbelief of that which Roger had just done. To end the lengthy scene, Brook has a shot of Ralph looking in commiseration down to Piggy. The camera is then just left still as Ralph scurries over the rocks. Harry Hook has changed the death scene in his film to suit his modern audience. Brook has kept close to the language with Piggy’s speech, and has only changed a few parts to suit more to his audience. In the shot where Roger releases the rock, the director shows the shot from Ralph’s point of view. As the rock falls, Ralph shouts â€Å"NO!† in a slow motion speech. Piggy is oblivious to the situation due to his eyesight. He says nothing, and just falls flat onto the rock and lies there in a pool of blood. This loosely follows the original text by Golding. Golding described how Piggy was knocked into the water and got washed away, whereas there was no sight of this in Hook’s film. â€Å"You’re not gonna get away with this† says Ralph after the death. Jack thinks logically and says that Ralph was on his own, which he most definitely was. The speaking is then terminated by the boys throwing stones at Ralph as he speeds away along the beach. All three versions of the ‘Lord of the Flies’ are interpreted differently, but use the same original story line written by William Golding. All are effective, but some are more so than the others. Personally, I think that Peter Brook directed the best film. This is because it was more appealing to the audience at that time, it was more successful and it follows the book much closer than the other film, which was directed by Harry Hook. However, I do like the book for the detail and originality within it. To me the text vividly describes the sights of horror and the dramatic feelings of loss and grief felt by the societies at this particular time of World War 2. At the time the book was written, which was just after the war, total communities had witnessed such devastation as was described in the book. They could relate directly to the savagery and the way the murder was committed in cold blood. I feel the book also cleverly puts the characters into stereotypes of the tim e, showing how certain communities and their structures can be so easily destroyed.

The Great American Literature

Both, Samuel Clemens, widely known as Mark Twain, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, the premier writer of the twentieth century's Roaring Twenties, focus their writing on American society. They both masterfully handle their novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Great Gatsby, exploring the major societal issues, such as the stratification of classes, concept of American identity to contemporary ethics. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is frequently referred to as a social commentary–Clemens's sardonic view of society guised as an innocent adventure novel.Through careful observation Twain gained insight into the heart of humanity and then regurgitated this knowledge into a wry attack on the immorality he saw in society. That society was intrinsically wrong, Twain had little doubt. Atrocities were committed every day, and not just by the ‘white trash' of the South. The well-to-do Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, the ‘respectable' Sherburn, and the powerful middle cl ass all have sullied pasts. Huckleberry Finn also focuses on the indifferent attitude the citizens have toward their crooked deeds, not just the deeds themselves.â€Å"You didn't want to come. The average man don't like trouble and danger. You don't like trouble and danger. But if only half a man†¦ shouts ‘Lynch him, lynch him! ‘ you're afraid to back down–afraid you'll be found out to be what you are–cowards–and so you raise a yell†¦ and come raging up here. † (Clemens 118) This speech can be applied to more than that particular instance; however, Clemens uses it to expose the protection society provides through sheer numbers. When everyone else is doing it, even if everyone else is wrong, the easier route is to follow along.The majority rules, and the actions of the many set the precedent, amending ethics and demanding conformity. The deliberate callousness of the hard-hearted invades the novel through other characters as well, nam ely the Duke and the Dauphin. Ironically, the American families described see nothing wrong in the killings (even ‘amen-ing' a sermon on brotherly love), indicative of the moral break-down in society. As Clemens conjectures in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, unscrupulous scruples have become normalized by a culture swiftly headed down the river.Fitzgerald's characters display similar corruptness in The Great Gatsby. Each character symbolizes a different cultural category, from the lower orders to the nouveau riche to the old-moneyed class. Fitzgerald exposes the faults inherent in each group, and forces readers to become aware of their own imperfections. Just as the characters in Huck Finn drift through Huck's life as he drifts along the river, so the characters in The Great Gatsby drift aimlessly through life, their restless hearts never satisfied or content.Due to the characters apparent disconnectedness from American society, they feel no remorse for immoral actions. In a culture so ethically depraved, right and wrong drown in a sea of relativity (Clarke, 2004, p. 135). The upper class's bored indifference towards life is exemplified in Daisy's comment, â€Å"You see I think everything's terrible anyhow†¦ And I know. I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything† (Fitzgerald 22). Fitzgerald takes the Buchanans and applies them to the whole Upper Class, the stratified social club that writes society's rules and then duplicitously violates them behind closed doors.The Great Gatsby alludes to the fact that money corrupts, questioning â€Å"whether dramatic inequalities in wealth [constitutes] a moral issue† (McAdams, 2005, p. 116). The Buchanan's treacherous affairs and subsequent lack of repentance parallel the Grangerford's and Shepherdson's shameless feud. The characters not only commit atrocious acts but see nothing wrong with their actions. In a society that demands conformity and shrouds iniquitous deeds in pie ty, authors such as Twain and Fitzgerald penetrate America's fabricated lie and wave the banner of morality and individualism.Undoubtedly, both Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby could be called the great American novels, both are very symbolic. Nevertheless, I believe that The Great Gatsby is the novel that not only describes but also teaches a lot. In particular, I believe that the American Dream is simply that; a dream and F. Scott Fitzgerald is the best in proving it. Through the tragedy of Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows us what happens when fantasy and reality are brought together. Despite seemingly having everything, Gatsby has nothing.His material wealth cannot compensate for what he lacks emotionally. Like Jay Gatsby, the American Dream will always fail when it is shattered by reality. References Clarke, Richard A. (2004). Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror. Free Press. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. (1993) . The Great Gatsby, Wordsworth Editions Limited, McAdams, Dan P. (2005). The Redemptive Self : Stories Americans Live By. Oxford University Press, USA. Twain, Mark. (2001). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. University of California Press.

Heinrich Himmler s Right Hand Man And One Of The Holocaust

Heinrich Himmler, Hitler’s right hand man and one of the Holocaust’s most powerful people, was one of the men responsible for the systematic oppression of Jews, centralized concentration camps, and the organization of The Final Solution. Early and Personal Life Heinrich Himmler was born on October 7, 1900 in Munich, Germany. Born to a Roman Catholic family, his parents were his father, Joseph Gebhard Himmler, a school teacher, and his mother, Anna Maria Himmler. He had two brothers, Gebhard Ludwig Himmler and Ernst Hermann Himmler. In 1913, Himmler’s family moved to Landshut, Germany, where Heinrich attended secondary school (USHMM). Though he was a very intelligent child, Heinrich had a very patriotic side. He aspired to serve in as an officer in World War I, and in 1918, dropped out of high school to pursue his dreams. He served as an officer cadet in the Eleventh Bavarian Regiment, but the war ended before his training could be completed (Jewish Virtual Library). Afterwards, Heinrich went back to school to graduate in 1919. He later studied agriculture at Munich Technical University, where he earned his diploma in 1922. While he attended college, he became a part of a nationalist fraternity, where he was e xposed to nationalist articles and literature (called và ¶lkisch), which was deeply rooted in racism (USHMM). These works focused primarily on keeping the German race pure and creating more living space for Germany, this is where his hate for JewsShow MoreRelatedThe Ss And The Nazi World War II1117 Words   |  5 PagesHitler’s â€Å"dirty work.† In 1929, Heinrich Himmler took control of the SS as Reichsfuhrer. Himmler was the second most powerful man in Germany during World War II. Given overall responsibility for the security of the Nazi empire, Himmler was the key and senior Nazi official responsible for conceiving and overseeing implementation of the so-called Final Solution, the Nazi plan to murder the Jews of Europe. The soldiers of the SS were groomed to perfection by Himmler. In the latter years of the warRead MoreAnalysis Of David Irving s Hitler s War Essay1508 Words   |  7 PagesThese actions of subverting the authority of science and academia is whe re the Holocaust revisionists come into the picture. Many of the most prominent revisionists derive their authority from their title as historians. Perhaps the most famous of these people is David Irving. David Irving was a renowned historian in his knowledge of Nazi Germany. He published multiple books that were incredibly detailed looks into World War II. Of his works, he is well known for Hitler’s War, The Destruction of DresdenRead MoreHitler and the Third Reich Essay2208 Words   |  9 PagesDuring the Holocaust six million Jews died at the hands of a despicable man; Adolf Hitler. While many perished in the extermination camps, malnutrition, disease, execution and medical experimentation were other methods of the Jews annihilation. In 1933, before WW II there were approximately nine million Jews living in Germany. By the end of WW II six million Jews had died. In this paper the researcher will attempt to give accurate accounts as to how Adolf Hitler came to power, why he killedRead MoreThe Holocaust Of Auschwitz And Buchenwald From 1944-19451633 Words   |  7 PagesCountless events in the world have been caught in history books but between the ones that have held to the memory of people is the holocaust. The Holocaust was a very disturbing event that triggered an eye-opener for individuals about how harsh humans can be. The purpose for this is since the vast number of victims and questions as to what was the actual motive behind the need to defeat a whole community. Holocaust is an organized, state financed torment and slaying of approximately six million JewsRead MoreAdolf Hitler And The Holocaust2948 Words   |  12 Pagesthe Holocaust. In the â€Å"Final Solution,† concentration and extermination camps were implemented in an attempt to rid of the Jewish population entirely. Such a task, genocide, would not be done easily. By the end of World War II, over six million Jews had been killed. However, not merely Jews were subject to m ass murder, but nearly five million non-Jewish people. Out of all of these deaths, a range from 1,885,889 to 2,045,215 were in the concentration camp system. Furthermore, approximately one millionRead MoreThe Victimization of The Jewish Culture Essay1409 Words   |  6 Pagesantisemitism emerged; consequently, German â€Å"spirit† clashed with Jewish culture (William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, 2011). The Holocaust is a noteworthy event of Nazi agendas starting out as a local anti-Jewish activity in the early years and reaching its apex as a government-sanctioned racial and religious cleansing project. Many leaders such as Joseph Goebbels, Heinrich Himmler, and Adolf Hitler lead the German movement prior to joining the Nazi Party. Adolf Hitler had immense power in that he hadRead MoreThe Perpetrators : Killers, Victims, Or Both?2367 Words   |  10 Pagesmass genocide came to be known as the Holocaust (a Greek-origin word meaning â€Å"sacrifice by fire†), the Nazi’s Final Solution for the total annihilation of anyone deemed inferior to the Aryan race, including gypsies, homosexuals, and Slavic groups, but most of all, the Jewish people. From 1938-1945 during World War II, before Allied Powers intervened, 10 million victims were murdered; 6 million of those were Jews (â€Å"Holocaust†). Another huge outcome of the Holocaust were a set of criminal trials calledRead MoreThe Holocaust : The Most Tragic Events Of History2183 Words   |  9 PagesThe Holocaust was one of the most tragic events in history. Although, many may deny the horrifying events that took innocent lives away evidence of the medical experiments are able to prove that it did. On January 19 ,1933 The Nazi’s invaded G ermany. When dictator Adolf Hitler came to power he took many innocent lives by discriminating against the Jews, Gypsies, Jehovah s witness, Polish, socialist, Russians, and homosexuals. During the World War II, numerous German Doctors conducted inhumane andRead MoreA Paradox Of Innocence : An Essay3669 Words   |  15 Pageshappening around us or in this case right next-door. As a nine-year-old boy, Bruno has no idea that his father was running a mass concentration camp right next door to his house and exterminating Jews including his new friend Shmuel. Instead, Bruno acquired an irreproachable friendship due to his innocent way of thinking that allowed for him to ignore society’s prejudices against his Jewish friend Shmuel. This essay will provide information regarding the Holocaust and hash treatment of the Jews withinRead More The Holocaust and the Cultivation of Bigotry and Hate Essay4506 Words   |  19 PagesThe Holocaust and the Cultivation of Bigotry and Hate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1933, the Jewish population of Europe was about 9.5 million people. The number represented more than 60 percent of the worlds Jewish population at that time, estimated at 15.3 million. So how could two out of every three European Jews be dead by the end of World War 2? The answer to this question lies in the hands of Adolph Hitler. Adolph Hitler has helped destroy the lives of millions of families around the world, but how was he