Saturday, December 28, 2019

Essay on Risk and Rational Decision Process - 598 Words

1. Is a rational decision process likely to produce the best outcomes when a situation is risky or uncertain? Is an intuitive, behavioral process best used under risk or under certainty? Explain. 1. During the rational decision process, I feel that an uncertain situation is better. The decision maker may not know all the alternatives, the risks associated with each, or the consequences of each alternative, however I feel that sometimes when you don’t know all the facts of something that you work harder to try and come up with the best solutions. Not having the answers can allow the decision making process to go many ways. Of course it will probably be harder for everyone to agree on things, seeing as they don’t have and certain answers,†¦show more content†¦I think that everyone wants to follow their own instincts, even if it may not be the best decision. This is why most companies have groups of people that all had to make the decision together. Like I said in question 1, sometimes one person’s intuition is different from the people that they are working with. Of course when using intuition sometimes a person’s rationality and, logic are missing. Using intuition now might seem like a good idea, but sometimes in the long run it can end up in disaster. 3. Reconsider the case presented in question 2. How might the company make use of EMB in making its decision? 3. The company could use EMB by using â€Å"Fact based evidence† to gather all the evidence or facts to help them choose the right product. Instead of using intuition they would use solid facts and evidence that they gathered form learning and experience. They can use their experience to help guide them in the right direction. Choosing the right product should be based off of experience and knowledge. They should look at all of the risks, and draw backs of each product when making the final decision. The company needs to choose the product that will help the company in the long run, and do well in the market. The use to EMB instead of intuition may help then more because they aren’t following there gut instincts, they are making the decision based of cold hardShow MoreRelatedMaps Of Bounded Rationality : Psychology For Behavioural Economics960 Words   |  4 Pagesintuitive thinking and how it guides our decision-making. Although primarily aimed at the field of psycho logy, it is an interdisciplinary article with applications in economic theorising. Kahneman attempts to differentiate between two systems of thought, one of intuition (system 1) and one of reasoning (system 2), and argues that many judgements and choices are made intuitively, rather than with reason (a slower and more deliberate process). Intuitive decision making, which encompasses heuristics, althoughRead MoreThe Rational Thinking Is Very Powerful Word1464 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The Rational Thinking is very powerful word as it help us in making a decision which is appropriate. As in rational thinking there is logical and reasonable thinking and the decision maker is free from all the restriction such as sentiment. So the decision is made on the basis of original facts and knowledge not on the sentiment. As all the people have the ability to make the logical decision to every problem but they face a sentiment due to which they usually take decision without thinkingRead MoreThe Psychological Study Of Decision Making Began After Theories1306 Words   |  6 PagesThe Psychological study of decision making began after theories were introduced in order to understand an individual’s thought process when faced with decisions. The aim of these theories were to examine whether or not humans are rational decision makers by introducing probabilities and the evaluation of risk. This essay will evaluate The Expected Utility Theory, The Prospect Theory and other potential influences to decision making. As well as state both the strengths and weaknesses of them, in orderRead MoreImportance Of Complex Business Environments And Its Role Within Executive Leader Decision Making1152 Words   |  5 PagesChapter One: Rational Decision-Making in Complex Business Environments There are many obstacles executive leaders need to overcome when presented with the challenge of effective decision-making in a business environment. These obstacles include multiple alternatives available to a problem that have a high probability of a successful outcome, the inability to determine the successful outcome of a decision, lack of information available to formulate a decision, irrelevancy of past practice as a guideRead MoreDifferent Crime Scripts Of Acquaintance And Decision Making Processes Adopted By Offenders1534 Words   |  7 Pageslargely unreported, sexual offending by adult acquaintances is a highly prevalent crime (Silva, 2004). This review will look at how crime scripts , through a rational choice perspective, aids in the situational prevention of crime. Furthermore, it will analyse the literature concerning this crime, identifying the modus operandi and decision making processes adopted by offenders, defining the different crime scripts of acquaintance rape illustrated in previous empirical literature. This review willRead MoreThe Simulation Exercise On Foreign Policy Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesstudents how to make decisions in the U.S foreign policy. The members of the cabinet are instructed by the president to use one model in their decision making process. The secretaries follow a Bureaucratic Politics model, each Cabinet member instructed to make a particular decision based on his/her organizational agendas. The President is free to follow whatever process he find it appropriate. Several situation updates during the exercise according to the crisis atmosphere of the decision making. In theRead MoreThe Contributions Of The Endowment Effect Essay1600 Words   |  7 Pagestheory provided new insight into the decision-making process, and went further than previous theory, the utility theory, to explain how decisions are made. Tversky and Kahneman describe prospect theory as a decision between gains and losses, or prospect and gam bles as it is referred to in their 1979 paper. With every choice we make there are probabilities of losing and probabilities of gaining. In terms of gaining, prospect theory states that people are risk averse. This means that when there areRead MoreDecision Making Of A Public Policy929 Words   |  4 PagesDecision-making in Public Policy has evolved into two camps: the camp that favors decision-making based more on techniques derived from mathematics, economics, and management science; and the camp that favors decision-making based more on politics. The former is often referred to as ideal decision-making, while the latter is referred to as real decision-making. Decision-making in management science is taking into account suppositions that complex issues can be broken down into littler parts thatRead MoreRationality Vs. Rational Rationality1257 Words   |  6 Pages(comprehensive) plans. This seemingly rational model, however, does not always guarantee that we make the rational choice. Argued by Ernest Alexander, rationality in planning implies that valid assumptions are made based on analyzing all relevant informations.(Brooks 2002) However, neither ‘valid assumptions’ nor ‘all relevant informations’ is likely to be accessible in a real world scenario. In a democratic society, public engagement is an inevitable step in the planning process. Especially in the U.S., mostRead MoreUsing Tools For Decision Making1447 Words   |  6 PagesUsing Tools for Decision Making Organizations and its employees have to make decisions on a daily basis. Regardless of the organizational level - from the CEO to the receptionist – at some point in their careers most employees are faced with an organizational or personal dilemma. Whether the situation is personal or professional, individuals should first identify the root cause of the dilemma as part of the decision-making process; verify the real problem before attempting to generate a solution

Thursday, December 19, 2019

New England As A Refuge For Puritans Essay - 1984 Words

Each group of early English settlers brought its own set of values and aspirations to the Americas. In various regards, some were more successful than others in establishing and maintaining their desired way of life. In building my own colony, I would seek to ensure the greater good rather than give in to the corruptive influence of materialistic desires. Colonial America can be divided into three distinct regions of concern: New England, the Middle Colonies, and the South. New England was a region with some aspirations of profit, but these aspirations were largely overshadowed by a desire to reform or purify English religion. Massachusetts was founded by John Winthrop as a refuge for Puritans escaping persecution. The Puritans were successful in promoting education, creating a sense of social cohesion, establishing a centralized form of government, and fostering a strong work ethic. However, the Puritans were limited by their demand for uniformity and assimilation. Only members of t he Church, male members specifically, had any decision-making power. Religious fervor readily fed into hysteria when others failed to engage in traditional practices or beliefs, leading to many exiles and even death. The Puritans also failed to pass on their ideals to future generations. Younger Puritans did inherit a strong sense of work ethic, but it was more oriented towards profit than proving their salvation. The colony thus could not achieve its long term goals. Rhode Island was founded byShow MoreRelatedColonial New England and Religious Tolerance Essay881 Words   |  4 PagesColonial New England and Religious Tolerance Throughout the seventeen hundreds, thousands of immigrants came to the New England region, seeking refuge from European persecution. These early colonist yearned for a domicile were they could indulge in religious freedom, a heavy contrast to the strict religious persecution they experienced in their native countries. Aspirations such as these hold the initial sentence in the statement: â€Å"The New England colonies were founded upon the promiseRead MoreImpact of the English Reformation and the Restoration on the English Colonies1729 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical and religious identity in all of Europe, and England in particular, gave rise to the English Reformation and subsequently the Restoration era in the 16th and 17th centuries. While the onset of both the English Reformation and the Restoration era had a prominent impact on the colonies in the New World in regards to religious freedom, they differed in that the Restoration Colonies were embarked upon and driven by economic hunger. In England, clashes between Catholics and Protestants, broughtRead MoreTheme Of Nature Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter1016 Words   |  5 Pageswriter contrasting the Puritan view and critiquing Puritan life. Hawthorne gives an enormous importance to the individual in nature in The Scarlett Letter in that the story takes place in Boston which Hawthorne describes as a little town, on the edge of Western wilderness† in the middle of an immoral forest (Hawthorne 55). Hawthorne contrasts the natural elements such as the forest, flowers, sun, and water contrast the weed-filled, sunless, and parched world of the Puritans. THE FOREST In TheRead MoreThe New England Of North America960 Words   |  4 Pagestraveled from England, coming from the same ethnicity, what they were seeking varied greatly; their economic, political, religious and social differences were drastically different. Those who migrated here had specific motives which led to different economies. The New England Settlers were in search of religious freedom whereas the Virginians were in search of profit. New England was founded for religious purposes. (Doc. A) The Puritans were seeking religious freedom from England. Puritans believedRead MorePuritanism And The Puritan Movement1177 Words   |  5 PagesMagenheimer D period 11/4/14 Synthesis Paper Puritanism in New England Puritanism first started with a movement in Protestantism in England and later colonial America. It was during the reign of Elizabeth when many Protestants returned after leaving England during the time of Bloody Mary who had been killing many Protestants. The movement drew support from people of all walks of life. Towards the end of Elizabeth’s Reign and throughout James I’s reign a new generation of religious thinkers began to articulateRead More New England And The Chesapeake Region Before 1700 Essay738 Words   |  3 PagesNew England And The Chesapeake Region Before 1700 Although New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled largely by the people of English origin, by 1700 the regions had evolved into two distinct societies. The reasons for this distinct development were mostly based on the type on people from England who chose to settle in the two areas, and on the manner in which the areas were settled. New England was a refuge for religious separatists leaving England, while people who immigratedRead MoreA Series Of Religious Reform Essay1258 Words   |  6 Pagesand were destined to go to heaven were known as â€Å"visible saints.† In England, King Henry VIII broke his ties with the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s. Some English religious reformers wanted a total purification of Christianity. They became known as â€Å"Puritans† and some weren’t happy with the slow progress of the Protestant Reformation. A tiny group of puritans called Separatists broke away entirely from the Church of England. One group of Separatists in Holland dealt with years of toil, povertyRead MoreChapter 3 : The British Atlantic World1657 Words   |  7 Pagespopulation decline and have some political power. The colonies were mostly autonomous and part of the South Atlantic System, which brought them economic growth. Colonies to Empire, 1660 - 1713 England governed its colonies loosely before 1660, but after 1660, when the monarch was brought back, England tried to reinforce order in the colonies and allied with Native Americans to fight against other European countries. The Restoration Colonies and Imperial Expansion Charles II (reigned 1660 - 1685)Read MoreThe American Colonies : How They Shaped Societies And Politics1242 Words   |  5 Pagespractice their beliefs openly without detriment of some sort. The New World was new and had endless possibility and opportunity to get away from such oppression and pursue a life free from prosecution. Granted there was also money to be made and competition with Spain and France to discover the New World which made it promising for the wealthy and aristocrats to invest also. Many colonies were gifts or granted to aristocracy by royalty in England at the time and a few were started by religious groups seekingRead MoreThe Beginnings Of English America1121 Words   |  5 Pagestheir lives would change for the better when they stepped foot onto this new land. But what they did not realize was that things would not be so easy at first. There were some major similarities and differences between Europe and America. But compared to America, everyday life was c ompletely different than that in Europe. When the protestant pilgrims landed in America in the year of 1620, this was the beginning of a new journey for many Europeans. Those who were fortunate enough to make the trip

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Digital Marketer Model Communication Industry †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Digital Marketer Model : Communication Industry. Answer: Introduction This report focuses on the application of relevant marketing concepts by special F1 collection- product advertised in a luxatic blog by Ray-Ban and Scuderia team. It is a racetrack product meant to give an experience of an F1 excitement will lower chances of injury. The main focus of this report is stipulated on a number of activities including; steps in writing a marketing plan, SWOT and competitor analysis, mission, financial and marketing objectives of the product launched, formulation of a marketing strategy with an emphasis on digital marketing and communication plan, current action plans designed to achieve the set objectives, and lastly implementation and control of the marketing plan. Application of these concepts is meant to positively favor marketing strategy and digital communication which widens the market field thereby creating a reliable and steady market for F1 collection-product. F1 collection is a product unveiled by Ray-Ban and Scuderia Ferrari team. It is aimed at giving a good rush as same as that of a racetrack. It is designed with a high art of technology. The team is meant to apply the marketing concepts such as marketing business plan and promotion services to be highly competitive and fit in the marketing field. Its model is also meant to reach a target of funs such as Italian Formula 1 team. To achieve this, following the marketing concepts and proposed ideas is very significant to the achievement of the set goals. A marketing plan is a document that outlines a business effort in marketing and advertising for a given year. It describes business engagements and activities involved in the achievement of the set objectives, within a set limit of time. The following are steps that guide a marketing plan (Disanza, 2016). Situation analysis: This refers to the outlook of a current state of a company. It includes an overview of strength, opportunity, and weakness of an organization. In the case of F1 collection-product, this analysis can be applied to assess the strongholds of the Ray-Ban and Scuderia team, identify a new opportunity to market the product and to analyze the challenges encountered (Westwood, 2010). Target audience: After identifying the target customer, it's good to write a description of the information gathered. Therefore, this concept can be applied in the case of marketing F1 collection product where a description of the audience of the target can be written down for reference. Marketing goals: This section includes drafting of marketing goals. That is inscribing what one expects to achieve. The goals should be measurable such that one can determine failure or success. Referring to the ad of the F1collection product in the luxatic blog, this is applicable where goals of achieving the best design of F1 collection product can be drafted and measured to determine whether they would be achievable or not. Strategies and tactics: In this part of the plan, one determines the methods and relevant ways to advertise the products and identify outreach tools as well. In the ad of the F1 collection product, strategies such as advertising the product in different media can be applied. This can be done in conjunction with the identification of the correct outreach tool such as digital communication to ensure that the audience of target achievable. Marketing budget: This refers to the evaluation of the cost to be incurred while marketing one's products. The budget should display a good balance such that it can give a positive impact on sales and also conserve the startup fund (Steenkamp 2017). With the F1 collection-product marketing, the budget Evaluation is applicable where luxatic has been chosen to be the most convenient site for advert bringing forth a positive outcome and conserving the initial start fund. This combined analysis involves evaluating the market structure regarding strongholds, weaknesses, competition and opportunity gaps to have a firm stand in the market (Pherdamrod, 2016). Projecting to the F1 collection-product, the analysis can be applied. For example, the blog gives a hint of the team stronghold where it explains that the Ray-Ban and Scuderia Ferrari collection includes an exclusive package with a special Ferrari engraving feature that pleases fans from Italian formula 1 team. Regarding competition, analysis of the methods of advertisement by other teams and partnerships can be done to create an attractive, unique module of marketing. For example, the F1 collection product advert can be branded with unique titles such as the topmost luxurious F1 collection product. Such prominent titles are competitive and give a team a firm stands in the market. A mission is a statement that describes what an organization is willing to do to achieve a set objective. With the F1 collection product, there are some activities Ray-Ban and Scuderia Ferrari team can apply to achieve their objective, For example, securing clients payments, unique adverts, and digital communication such as online marketing, can define their mode of operation and catch attention from the audience of the target. Marketing and financial objectives achievable within six months of launching Marketing objectives are aims and target a team, or an organization is willing to achieve. Within the first six months of F1 collection-product launch, the following objectives can be achievable. Increase in sales is one of the marketing objectives where F1 collection product shift from small scale to large scale levels due to increased demand brought by uniqueness and improved quality of the F1 collection product in the luxatic blog. Secondly, within the six months of the product launch, there is a likely hood of targeting new customers. With the prominence of the advert in the luxatic blog and taste of the product by many customers, a chance to target new customers is applicable since as the product spreads the more, there is a likely hood to reach internal customers. Also, within the first six months of the product launch, building of brand awareness is achievable since many blogs can be joined with social sites such that people can like the advert pages and spread brand awareness. Financial objectives are monetary aims set by a team to be achieved within a given period. Within the first six months of the F1 collection- product launch, three financial objectives can be achievable. This includes the growth of revenues where profits rise with a given margin. It is applicable in F1 collection product in that; constant sales widen the market, therefore, influencing revenue collection. Secondly, a diversified revenue base is another financial objective a team can achieve within the first six months of product launch. In the case of the F1 collection- product a diversified revenue base can be achievable. To achieve it, the team should apply diversified marketing where the product is marketed in both local and international regions to reap maximum profits from these regions. Lastly is the growth of earnings where a team obtains income from different charges of the product. For example with the F1 collection product, delivery charges can be included in marketing which can also be merged by minimal charges implicated on after sale services. By applying this, high growth in earning is achievable within the first six months of the product launch. Marketing mix strategy and digital marketing communication plan Marketing mix strategy refers to set of critical methods of marketing which are controllable. A company or a team of businessmen use it to give the required response to the targeted market. It includes all activities that a company can do to facilitate demand for its products. For example, the marketing mix can be executed through, promotion of the product, pricing, and distribution of the product. In promotion, marketing communication methods and tactics, appear on the promoting heading. The promotion heading can consist of special offers, public relations, and animated advertising. With the F 1 collection product, this strategy can be applied. Where the promotion heading Ray-Ban and Scuderia Ferrari F1 collection includes other features such as fair trade and secure payment slides, animation of the F1 collection product pictures and communication strategies such seller-customer interface( Andrew, 2017). When it comes to pricing, the display price covers the stipulated final amount the user is expected to pay for the product. The pricing is usually standard such that its value to a customer and the seller is maintained as well. It can apply to the F1 collection- a product where the displayed price is customer friendly as well as profitable to the Ray-Ban and Scuderia- Ferrari team (Sexton 2016). Regarding place, it refers to the distribution of the product to reach the targeted customer. Placement of the product, guides on which channel is most suitable to distribute the product and also support other strategies concerning the marketing of the product (Barker 2014). This strategy applies to the F1 collection product where the choice of a channel for distribution is guided by the luxatic blog. Digital marketing communication plan is a marketing genre where marketing of products and services is communicated through technologies such as the internet, mobile phones, and street screen displays. The communication plan describes the objectives an organization wants to achieve through the information it sends. It is composed of tools of communication, the targeted recipients, and the goals to achieve (Killian, 2015). The use of this plan in F1 collection product can be applied where the Ray-Ban Scuderia Ferrari team can include the use of street screen display of the product and also advertise it in other blogs that include features such as E-commerce business. By doing this, the desired objective is achievable since the digital communication is equipped enough to reach all recipients of interest (Royle, 2014). Action programs designed to achieve marketing and financial objectives To achieve marketing and financial objectives, some action programs must be put in place. It includes details of a company describing tactics and strategies to use for the achievement of the marketing objectives (Mintz, 2013). A detailed mission statement is one of the action programs that need to be set properly to guide activities meant to take place to achieve the desired objective (Broady, 2013). For example, the mission statement should address three dimensions that is technology to be used, customer groups to be served, and customer needs to be addressed. These dimensions guide the activities to engage in by reminding each department of an organization what it oughts' to do in its daily activities to achieve the set objective. Combining these three dimensions result in the achievement of the main objective (Campbell, 2016).Applying this concept to the marketing of F 1 collection-product is achievable, where online marketing is the technology used.It can also be found that the customer group in the target are legend star drivers of the high model cars. Ray-Ban and Scuderia team also seems to address the need for racing cars. Advertising sales and promotion is another action program designed to achieve the marketing and financial objectives. On the other hand, advertising is a form of marketing communication which involves a the visual or audio display of the product on the sale through mechanisms such as broadcast notices. Sales and promotion involve creating awareness of the product in market through methods such as direct marketing and public relations (Mc Neil, 2015). Referring to the case of F1 collection product, advertising and promoting the product can create sales, whereby the awareness created in the blogs are prominent enough to attract potential customers. The luxatic blog has utilized this action by visual advert and appealing display concerning the F1 collection product. Therefore the financial and marketing objective is achievable (Wegen, 2016). Implementation and control of a marketing plan Implementation of marketing plan refers to the practice of an idea or a plan usually guided by a preliminary thinking to ensure the action in hand happens. Control of marketing pan, on the other hand, refers to the process of surveying the stipulated plan as it goes on and rectifying where necessary. Implementation and control of a marketing plan are actions which must ensure that the set objectives are achieved. The role of implementation as a function is always aimed at organizing and directing people by preparing set of activities and people responsible for them. For example to the F1 collection- product, Ray-Ban and Scuderia Ferrari team can delegate duties to marketing stuffs whereby they can carry activities such as roadshow promotions and organizing customer relations by educating them on the importance of using the product (Hollensen 2015). On the other hand, control of marketing plan involves some activities. To start with, it is aimed at evaluating and monitoring the marketing activities happening in a company. It also involves submission of records to the management gathered from deviations encountered in marketing. The process of implementation of marketing plan involves some activities. The strategy set by the managers must be very considerate to the utilization of resources, both human and material. It should also focus on proper use of the available capital. Regarding human resource, it should involve logical selection of personnel, engage training and evaluation of the employees. In the controlled marketing planning, the activity includes assessing the profit margin generated by the product and giving a recommendation of the finding. It also includes control of efficiency that is, ensuring maintenance of the intelligence possessed by the mangers and marketing executives (Mullin, 2014). Regarding the F1 collection product, Ray-Ban and Scuderia team should apply both control and implementation marketing plan strategy to enhance achievement of the set objective. Conclusion For a business to have a good prowess in marketing, it should try to apply marketing concepts proposed such as strategic marketing plan. Therefore the Ray-Ban and Scuderia Ferrari team should increase their engagement in these marketing concepts to enhance achievement of their objectives. References Andrews, J. C.(2017). Advertising, promotion, and other aspects of integrated marketing communications. Nelson Education, 777-880. Baker, M. J. (2014). Marketing strategy and management. Palgrave Macmillan, 12-20. Broady-Preston, J. (2013) Changing Marketing Concepts: Contemporary Theories and Paradigms in Services Marketing. Marketing Library and Information ServicesII:. Global Outlook, 23-42, 23-42. Campbell, A. . (2016). Mission and business philosophy. Elsevier, 104-115. DiSanza, J. R. (2016) Business and professional communication: Plans, processes, and performance. Pearson, 78-99. Wegen, W. C. (2016). The Use of Sina Weibo and Twitter by International Luxury Hotels. Tourism. Culture Communication, 16(3), 137-145. Hollensen, S. (2015) Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education., 89-71. Killian, G. . (. 2015). A marketing communications approach for the digital era: Managerial guidelines for social media integration. Business Horizons, 58(5), 539-549. McNeil, A. J. (2015). Quantitative risk management: Concepts, techniques and tools. . Princeton university press, 13-14. Mintz, O. . (2013). What drives managerial use of marketing and financial metrics and does metric use affect performance of marketing-mix activities?.. Journal of Marketing, 77(2), 17-40. Mullin, B. J. (2014). Sports Marketing 4th Edition. Human Kinetics., 445-446. Phadermrod, B. C. (2016). Importance-Performance Analysis based SWOT analysis. International Journal of Information Management., 112-118. Royle, J. . (2014). The digital marketing skills gap: Developing a Digital Marketer Model for the communication industry. International Journal of Information Management, 34(2), 65-73. Sexton, D. E. (2016). The Relationship of Marketing and Finance. Accountable Marketing: Linking Marketing Actions to Financial Performance, 137-140. Steenkamp, J. B. . (2017). Global Marketing Mix Decisions: Global Integration, Not Standardization. In Global Brand Strategy. Palgrave Macmillan UK., (pp. 75-109). Westwood, J. (2010) How to write a marketing plan. Kogan Page Publishers., 50-62.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Symbolism In ‘The Glass Menagerie’ Essay Research Paper Example For Students

Symbolism In ‘The Glass Menagerie’ Essay Research Paper I have a poets weakness for symbols. So states Tom Wingfield, narrator and major character in Tennessee Williams timeless play The Glass Menagerie. Through the eyes of Tom, the viewer gets a glance into the life of his family in the pre-war depression era; his mother, a southern belle desperately clinging to the past, his sister, a young woman too fragile to function in society, and himself, a struggling young poet working at a warehouse to pay the bills. Williams, through his remarkable use of symbols, is able to effectively express the theme of The Glass Menagerie : That of hopeful aspirations followed by inevitable disappointment, having dreams which are destroyed by the harsh realities of the world. We will write a custom essay on Symbolism In ‘The Glass Menagerie’ Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Symbols are a major part of this play, as Tom, the narrator, is a poet, and admits he has a weakness for symbols. One major symbol presented in the story is that of the fire escape, a symbol that has a different meaning and function for each character. For Tom, it is a means of escape from fire, not the type of fire that was considered in its building, but the slow and implacable fires of human desperation. This is especially true of Toms apartment. His mother, devastated after her daughter Lauras failure to cope in business college, becomes obsessed with finding her a gentleman caller so that she can marry and be well supported. When this caller finally comes, and it seems like it was meant to be, as they dance and kiss, he announces he is engaged, and dashes their hopes. The ever-fragile Laura, temporarily drawn out of her dream-world shell of her glass collection and the victrola, draws further back into herself. Now a terrible desperation fills the apartment, and Tom decides he m ust escape the suffocating environment to follow his own calling. The fire escape to him represents a path to the outside world. For Laura, the fire escape is exactly the oppositea path to the safe world inside, a world in which she can hide. Especially symbolic is Lauras fall when descending the steps to do a chore for her mother, after leaving the security of the apartment. This fall symbolizes Lauras inability to function in society and the outside world. For Amanda, the fire escape is symbolic of her hopes and dreamshopes and dreams that a gentleman caller will arrive to marry her daughter and leave her well supported. This is the way Jim comes into the apartment, at the time when Amandas hopes have been peaked. It is symbolic that Laura does not want to open the door when Jim arrives. It shows her reluctance to let an emissary from the world of reality, symbolized by Jim, invade the comfortable non-existence of the apartment, and her insecurity in dealing with the outside world . Another recurring symbol in the story is that of the glass menagerie itself. This represents Lauras hypersensitive nature and fragility. The first time the menagerie is mentioned in any detail in a symbolic manner is when Tom and Amanda have a heated argument near the beginning of the play. Tom ends it by calling Amanda an ugly babbling old witch, and struggles to put his jacket on, intent on leaving. When he cannot put the coat on properly, he becomes frustrated with his clumsiness, and flings it across the room, breaking some of the glass collection. Laura cries out as if wounded. This shows how fragile Laura really is, and how she reacts when even the small balance of her apartment is shifted. Williams also makes the use of this symbol apparent on stage. When Amanda sits down to discuss Lauras future with Tom, the legend Laura appears on screen, and the music that begins playing is The Glass Menagerie. The most prominent use of this symbol comes at the turning point of the story, when Jim is left alone with Laura. The conversation turns to Lauras glass collection, when she remarks glass is something you have to take good care of., again showing her fragility. More parallels are drawn between Laura and the glass collection with the introduction of the unicorn. Jim says Poor little fellow, he must feel