The Fall Of The House Of Usher Setting Essay - 694 Words

In the short story, quot;The Fall of the House of Usher,quot; by Edgar Allen Poe, setting is used extensively to do many things. The author uses it to convey ideas, effects, and images. It establishes a mood and foreshadows future events. Poe communicates truths about the character through setting. Symbols are also used throughout to help understand the theme through the setting.Poe uses the setting to create an atmosphere in the readers mind. He chose every word in every sentence carefully to create a gloomy mood. For example, Ushers house, its windows, bricks, and dungeon are all used to make a dismal atmosphere. The quot;white trunks of decayed trees,quot; the quot;black and lurid tarn,quot; and the quot;vacant, eyelike†¦show more content†¦The fissure divides the house. Roderick and Madeline die, destroying the family. The narrator says there is a quot;wild inconsistency between [the masonrys] still perfect adaptation..and the crumbling condition of the individual stones.quot; This is also symbolic. The stones represent the individual people of the Usher family, and the entire mansion stands for the whole family. The quot;wild inconsistencyquot; makes the reader aware that something later in the story will make the inconsistencyquot; clear or consistent. From far a way, no one knows that the House of Usher is in despair. The quot;fabric gave little token of instabilityquot;-- or the mansion itself did not tell of the turmoil it concealed. The story takes place in autumn, a season associated with death. When the storys tension is about to reach its crescendo, a storm comes up, a quot;rising tempest.quot; This is a symbol for the quot;tempestquot; brewing in Roderick Ushers mind. Poes use of foreshadowing is just enough to clue the reader into what will happen, but not enough to give it away.Character traits are displayed through how the setting affects, influences, and reveals the characters. The narrator is affected by the gloomy atmosphere of the Usher mansion. He is quot;sucked inquot; to Ushers quot;dream world,quot; the world he created after living alone in his dismal house for years. Ushers houseShow MoreRelatedSetting in The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe881 Words   |  4 Pages Setting in The Fall of the House of Usher Dark Romanticism was very popular in 19th century America. It is literary genre that emerged from Romanticism and Transcendentalism. Tenets of Transcendentalism included finding God in nature, and seeing beyond the physical world. Dark romanticism examines the conflict between good and evil and the psychological effect of sin and guilt in the human mind. One very famous Dark Romantic writer is Edgar Allen Poe. Poe is very well known for his many poemsRead MoreEdgar Allen Poes Use of Gothic Setting in The Fall of the House of Usher764 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poes Use of Gothic Setting in The Fall of the House of Usher The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe has a gothic horror story setting. Gothic means that the author emphasizes the mysterious, the horrible, the ghostly and the fear that can be aroused in the reader. Everyone knows that a gothic story or a ghost story will often have a setting that will be in an old, decaying mansion far out in a desolate countryside. The mansion will be filled with cobwebs, strangeRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe946 Words   |  4 Pagesthis he uses repetitive symbolism. In the â€Å"Fall of the House of Usher†, the narrator gets a letter from an old friend saying that he needs his help. When he arrives he starts to hear voices that eventually cause the house to fall and results in the death of usher and Madeline. Poes â€Å"The fall of the House of Usher† portrays a melancholy setting and utilizes a motif of the supernatural, however, the symbolism conveys the evil of the people and the house which ultimat ely revealing Poes overwhelmingRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado, By Edgar Allen Poe971 Words   |  4 Pagesbe studied for centuries more to come. Such stories as â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† are classic examples of Poe’s dark and eerie work. Even though these two stories share similar elements they over all are quite different. With these works, Edgar Allen Poe help establish the dark romantic era of the 19th century. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† are two of Poe’s very well-known short stories and are still being referenced to this dayRead MoreThe American Gothic in The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe1539 Words   |  7 PagesEuropean counterpart, American Gothic has its own distinct features that make it particularly American. These features include setting, language, style and essentially the subject of the text which concerns American history and fears. Throughout this essay I am going to examine these particularly American elements evident in Edgar Allan Poes The Fall of the House of Usher. A work of Gothic fiction be it American or European can be identified by specific common features of the genre. A Gothic taleRead MoreExamples Of Realism In The Fall Of The House Of Usher733 Words   |  3 Pages One of the spookiest experiences of Yovanys life was when he had a nightmare at the age of ten. The nightmare took place in an ancient and eerie house, where there were several frightening dentists. They captured him and secured him in a sturdy chair. After tying him down to the chair, the dentists severed his arms and began to examine his teeth. Yovanny could not do anything to conquer the evil dentists and escape with his life. This scenario is related to Magical Realism because his nightmareRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher - Literary Analysis Essay1196 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Fall Of the House Of Usher is a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe in 1839. The short story is complexly written, with challenging themes such as identity and fear. Poe utilises m any elements of the Gothic Tradition such as setting and supernatural elements to create a more mysterious story, and uses language to his advantage, employing adjective filled descriptions of literal elements that also serve as metaphors for other parts of the story. In The Fall Of The House of Usher, Poe exploresRead MoreThe Fall House Of Usher And The Lottery By Shirley Jackson913 Words   |  4 Pages In most stories, the setting creates a backdrop for events to come, sometimes the setting dictates the theme as well as behavior of some of the characters. Between Edger Allan Poe’s The Fall House of Usher and Shirley Jackson’s The lottery, both writers were meticulously keen on using setting as a driving force behind the narrative and also set the tone for the theme. Whilst both stories ended with tragedy of the protagonist, both writers chose different moods to ease the reader into the atmosphereRead MoreUnity of Effect: the Fall of the House of Usher974 Words   |  4 PagesENG1120 G 7 February 2013 Unity of Effect: The Fall of the House of Usher Throughout Edgar Allan Poe’s career he was one of major author’s to write about the theory of composition. Throughout this piece he wrote about the unity of effect, stating that it should be how an author decides what effect he/she wants to create in the reader’s emotional response, then how to proceed by using creativity to achieve this particular effect. Once choosing the certain effect that one truly desires, the authorRead MoreArgumentative Essay On The Fall Of The House Of Usher1169 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fall of the House of Usher(The House of Usher), as the short story incorporates every trope of modern horror, important among these is the setting. A nameless narrator receives a letter from his boyhood friend, Roderick Usher, asking the narrator to visit. The narrator goes, and finds his friend in bad mental condition with his sister’s health failing. When his sister dies, they bury her in the house. After this act, the boyhood friends are in mo re trouble than when they began. In The Fall of

The Tragedy Of Oedipus Oedipus Rex - 928 Words

It is the tragic combination between Oedipus’ irrevocable circumstances as well as his flawed character that makes Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus Rex† a quintessential example of Greek drama. His circumstances, which are set by the Gods, are profound and beyond anyone’s control; either he must be killed or there will be great consequences. His parent’s rejection of the oracle set by the gods, the degrees of separation from his origin, and his flawed sense of pride is the complexity of the plot as well as what makes Oedipus the complex main character. There is an apparent clash between his sense of pride, known as hubris, and the pre- established circumstances that brings Oedipus’ to his tragic decline, known as catharsis. In the case of â€Å"Oedipus Rex†, his decline to tragedy began at birth. Apparently, the gods already knew that Oedipus is flawed by his sense of pride. This is one example of the relationship between man and God in ancient Greek culture, gods were all knowing and have great influence on humans. It is indicated in the play that Oedipus’ parents made the first mistake by not following through with the oracle. It is indicated in a dialogue between Oedipus and the Shepherd: Shepherd: It was said that the boy would kill his own father Oedipus: Then why did you give him over to this old man? Shepherd: I pitied the baby my king/ And I thought that this manShow MoreRelatedOedipus Rex as Aristotalian Tragedy1506 Words   |  7 PagesSophocles modeled his play Oedipus Rex on Aristotles definition and analysis of tragedy.Since according to Aristotles definition, A tragedy is an imitation of action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished artistic ornaments, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not narrative with incidents that evokes pity and fear of a persons emotions. Also Aristotle identified the basic six parts a tragedy as being plot, characterRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of Oedipus Rex1161 Words   |  5 Pages Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex exemplifies the psychological conflicts that arise as an individual undergoes a drastic realization of character, ultimately leading him on a search to recover his true identity, and along the way bringing to light the darkest demons of his past. The play unfolds through a calamitous tone, which foreshadows the impending downfall of the ruler of Thebes, Oedipus, and the consequences that this downfall will bring to him and all of those around him. The calamitousRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus Rex And Shakespeare s Othello And Oedipus 2344 Words   |  10 PagesThe definition of a tragedy is a narrative poem or story that describes the downfall of a good man. Both Othello and King Oedipus Rex Fall into this class of literature, even though they were written by two totally different authors and in two utterly different time periods. These two works share several comparisons to every different, while having an honest quantity of variations similarly. Pride is characterized as one of the seven deadliest sins. Most pleased individuals will never see themselvesRead MoreTragedy In Oedipus Rex And Antigone By Euripides784 Words   |  4 Pagesfamously known Greek tragedies; Oedipus Rex and Antigone by Sophocles and Medea by Euripides that not only have the common genre of tragedy, but share the same motifs; homicide, suicide, and suffering. What is intriguing about these commonalities is that these playwrights, Sophocles and Euripides, use them. Homicide is an act when a human permanently harms another leading in death and these plays like to use it quite a bit. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, the main character Oedipus (king of Thebes) realizesRead MoreEssay on The Heart of Tragedy Based on Oedipus Rex600 Words   |  3 Pagesto describe what makes a great tragic play. Using the Oedipus Rex by Sophocles as the basis for his book, Aristotle goes into great detail about plot, character, and much more, breaking up the components of a tragedy. Since Oedipus Rex had a huge part in the creation of Aristotle’s book, it fulfills many of the Greek philosopher’s requirements for a tragic play. According to Aristotle, plot is one of the most important components of a tragedy. It must have a clear beginning, middle, and a cascadeRead MoreIs Oedipus Rex a Story of Tragedy or Fate? Essay1272 Words   |  6 Pages Oedipus Rex a play by Sophocles can be looked at in two ways as or as not a tragedy of fate. Author Lionel Trilling states that much ingenuity has been used to show that it is not a tragedy of fate and those critics use Poetics by Aristotle to back their claim, â€Å"the protagonist of a tragedy should be a man worthy of respect and admiration but have some discernible weakness or fault of character to which his tragic disaster may be attributed. In some important sense, that is, he is to be thoughtRead MoreDramatic Tragedies: Oedipus Rex and Hamlet Essay714 Words   |  3 Pagescreated plays similar in nature such as; â€Å"Oedipus Rex† and â€Å"Hamlet†. Both plays were consistent of dramatic tragedy. Sophocles wrote about the typical Greek tragedy that consisted of an ill-fated doom for Oedipus. Shakespeare wrote about Kingdom of Denmark where all things fell apart and death was imminent. Each story consisted of a queen that was important to the outcome of each play. Gertrude was the queen in â€Å"Hamlet†, and Jocasta was the queen in â€Å"Oedipus Rex†. Gertrude and Jocasta were both widowsRead MoreOedipus Rex As Tragedy : The Philosopher Must Be Crazy845 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus Rex as Tragedy: The Philosopher Must Be Crazy Throughout the ages many scholars have agreed with Aristotle s assessment of Oedipus Rex (the Athenian tragedy written by Sophocles) as the truest form of tragedy; however, modern viewers might remark that it is unworthy of such praise and instead should be exemplified as the proof that an addition to Aristotle s ideal of tragedy itself is required: the element of timelessness. Throughout history, many have believed that man s ability to produceRead MoreOedipus Rex Is A Greek Tragedy Written By Sophocles1177 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. Sophocles, through writing this work along with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus, became a legendary tragedian, and went off to produce several other works. This classic tragedy held great influence over Aristotle’s six components in his work, the Poetics, more specifically, over the component of plot and character. The birth of Oedipus Rex since spurred countless famous interpretations, including on es by the father of psychoanalysis himself, SigmundRead More Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex Fulfills All of the Requirements of a Tragedy1088 Words   |  5 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus Rex Fulfills All of the Requirements of a Tragedy Throughout Poetics, Aristotle describes what traits a tragedy must have to be successful. To support these choices, he makes use of a small analysis of many tragedies, including many of Sophocles’ plays; Oedipus Rex is one of the plays mentioned in Aristotle’s Poetics. Some of these traits include a successful plot structure, recognition scenes, and a correct choice for its hero. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles fulfills all of

Impact of Cuban Trade Embargo Free Essays

string(121) " of exports and re-exports that also must appear in line with the licensing policy of the Department of Commerce† \(U\." The Impact of the Cuban Trade Embargo By: Natalie Bell 2/25/09 [pic] International Business Law BLAW 4320 [pic] Cuba, the largest island nation in the Caribbean just ninety miles off the coast of Florida, experienced many difficult struggles through its extensive history. It was the last major Spanish colony to gain independence, following a lengthy struggle that was begun in 1868. It was in 1898 when the U. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Cuban Trade Embargo or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. intervened during the Spanish-American War that it finally overthrew Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. The United States and Cuba concluded a Treaty of Relations in 1934, which, among other things, continued the 1903 agreements that leased the Guantanamo Bay naval base to the United States (CIA World Factbook). In the time before 1959, the United States had maintained strong ties with Cuba. Many Americans had many various business investments there, and the country was a special place for tourists from around the world. Since the fall of the U. S. -supported dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959, it was Fidel Castro who has mainly led Cuba throughout the years. It was in Febuary 19, 2008 when Fidel Castro finally ceded power to his brother Raul Castro. Since the majority of Cubans were born after the 1959 revolution, most of the Cuban people have known no other leader. President Fidel Castro outlasted no fewer than nine American presidents since he took power in 1959 (Castro:Profile). Relations between the United States and Cuba deteriorated rapidly as Fidel Castro and the Cuban regime moved toward the acceptance of the one-party communist system. Cuba seized the assets of American citizens and U. S. irms including farms, factories, hotels, bank accounts, and real estate without compensation. It was finally on April 16, 1961 when Fidel Castro declared Cuba a socialist state. Cuba’s Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was brought to other countries throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Castro maintained close relations with the Soviet Union and worked jointly with the goals of Soviet communism by funding and provoking violent rebellious activities, as well as using military intervention in other countries, until the fall of the U. S. S. R. in 1991 (Castro: Profile). In response, the United States imposed an embargo on Cuba in October 1960, and, broke diplomatic relations on January 3, 1961. This began the over forty-year period of tension between the U. S. and Cuba, beginning with President Kennedy’s failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1963 and the Cuban Missile Crises (CIA World Factbook). Since 1961, Cuba portrayed many difficulties as the result of the U. S. embargo and the embargo had a great effect on both nations. It was in 1963 that the United States passed the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, under the authority of the Trading with the Enemy Act. The Act was enacted in 1917 to restrict trade with countries that are hostile to the United States. The law gives the President the power to oversee or restrict any or all trade between the U. S. and its enemies in times of war. The purpose of the law was to isolate Cuba economically and politically. It banned all trade and financial transactions between Cuba and the U. S. , and froze all U. S. held assets of the Cuban government and of private Cuban citizens. It also prohibited almost all travel to Cuba by researchers, student groups, journalists, athletes, and those traveling to see immediate family members (Schaffer 268). After the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990’s, the U. S. Congress wanted to pressure Cuba for democratic change. First in 1992, the U. S. Congress approved the Cuban Democracy Act, restricting Americans from vis iting the island, banning family remittances, and prohibiting foreign subsidiaries of U. S. ompanies from doing business with Cuba. Following a few years later, on March 12, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, also called the Helms-Burton Act. After this law was signed, it further toughened the Cuban sanctions. It imposed penalties on foreign companies doing business in Cuba, it permitted U. S. citizens to file lawsuits against foreign investors who made use of the American-owned property that was seized after 1959 by the Cuban government, and it denied an entry visa into the U. S. to such foreign investors. It was a very controversial because this included many Mexican, Canadian, and European businessmen who did business in Cuba (268). The passage of the Helm-Burton Act caused a worldwide protest, primarily in Mexico, Canada, and the European Union, who argued that the Helm-Burton Act violated international law. A protest was filed with the World Trade Organization by the European Union, but was suspended when the Clinton Administration reassured that the law for visa restrictions under Title III of the Helm-Burton Act would not be enforced against citizens in third world countries. The Act calls for the trade sanctions between the U. S. and Cuba to end as soon as Cuba agrees to have a democratically elected government, abide by human rights conventions, opens its prisons to international inspection, returns Cuban citizenship to Cuban exiles living in the U. S. , and makes progress in returning expropriated property to its rightful owners (268). Today, there are many laws, rules, and regulations that derived from the U. S. sanctions against Cuba. Presently, most commercial imports from Cuba are illegal by law but remain listed under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA). Under the Act, the sale of certain items, including medicine and medical supplies, and agricultural commodities have been approved for export by specific regulations. According to the Act, â€Å"The Department of the Treasury is responsible in issuing licenses that are used to export these goods on a case-by-case scenario and authorizing Cuban travel-related transactions that are only relating to marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, and servicing of exports and re-exports that also must appear in line with the licensing policy of the Department of Commerce† (U. You read "Impact of Cuban Trade Embargo" in category "Papers" S. Treasury Department). The only sectors in which U. S. citizens may sell and service products to Cuba include agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices. The Treasury Department will is also be able to consider requests for specific licenses for humanitarian travel, educational exchanges (that are at least 10 weeks in length), and religious activities by individuals or groups that are associated with a religious organization. However, any U. S. citizen or corporation that is subject to U. S. law and engages in any travel-related transaction in Cuba violates the regulations. The Act specifically states that, â€Å"The Cuban Assets Control Regulations affects all U. S. citizens and permanent residents wherever they are located, all people and organizations physically in the United States, and all branches and subsidiaries of U. S. organizations throughout the world† (U. S. Treasury Department). If the regulations are not followed, then it may result in both civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States (U. S. Treasury Department). Today, traveling to Cuba also has many rules and laws that make traveling to the Cuba very complex. In 2004, President Bush’s Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba placed a further reduction on the restrictions on family visits to Cuba. Visits by Cuban Americans to family in Cuba are permitted only once every 3 years instead of once every year. No humanitarian exceptions are given if there is any of a family illness or crisis going on in Cuba. Visits are restricted to two weeks and strictly limited to immediate family as defined by the U. S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which eliminates the right to visit cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, or more distant relatives (LAWG). Only if a traveler receives a license, then a valid passport will be required for entry into Cuba. The Cuban government requires that travelers obtain their visas before they arrive to the country. If there are attempts to enter or exit Cuba illegally, or there is in any kind of aid in helping Cuban nationals or others escape Cuba then punishment is served by stiff jail terms. Entering Cuban territory, territorial waters or airspace, which include being within 12 miles of the Cuban coast, without any prior permission from the Cuban government may result in arrest or other enforcement actions by Cuban authorities. According to the U. S. Department of State, most immigration violators are subject to prison terms that range from four years for illegal entry or exit to as many as 30 years for certain cases of assisting Cuban migrants to attempt to leave Cuba illegally (U. S. Department of State). Family remittances or money sent to Cuba also have specific rules and regulations that must be followed by the people residing under U. S. law. According to the U. S. Department of State, â€Å"U. S. ersons aged 18 or older may send money to members of the remitter’s immediate family in Cuba of up to $300 per household in any consecutive three-month period, regardless of the number of members of the remitter’s immediate family residing in that household. † The law also states that no member of the household can be a prohibited official of the Government of Cuba or a prohibited member of the Cuban Communist Party (U. S. Department of State). Other laws that are also a part of the on g oing U. S. embargo with the Cuban government involves the use of money in Cuba that U. S. travelers are limited to spend during their stay in Cuba. U. S. people traveling to Cuba to visit their family or traveling for other purposes can spend no more than $50 per day on non-transportation-related expense in Cuba, and up to an additional $50 per trip to pay for transportation-related expenses in Cuba. However, professionals such as journalists, photographers, or any other kind of licensed travelers may spend additional money for their professions that are directly related to what they need in order to fulfill their work (U. S. Department of State). It is also interesting to know that U. S. citizens and permanent resident aliens are not allowed from using their credit cards, personal checks, or travelers’ checks that are drawn from U. S. banks in Cuba. U. S. credit card companies do not accept any kind of vouchers from Cuba, and, at the same time, Cuban shops, hotels and other places of business do not accept any types of U. S. credit cards (U. S. Department of State). Today, the U. S. Cuban embargo has become one of the most controversial issues upon many countries throughout the world. There have been many advocating for a change of the current policies towards Cuba for some time now. The sanction has continuously been condemned and voted against by almost all nations throughout the world. For the 16th consecutive year, the U. N. General Assembly recommended that the U. S. ended the embargo. In 2006, a total of 183 member nations of the U. N called on the U. S. to end the sanctions with Cuba (Sierra). In 2007, the 192-member General Assembly passed the measure by 184 votes to four, with one abstention (U. S. Urged). According to Remy Herrera, â€Å"The normative content of this embargo and its rules, which the U. S. intends to inflict on the international community with its unilateral sanctions is a violation of the spirit and letter of the United Nations Charter and of the Organization of American States, and of the very fundamentals of international law† (Herrera). This excessive extension of the territorial jurisdiction of the U. S. , Herrera adds, â€Å"Is contrary to the principle of national sovereignty and to that of non-intervention in the internal choices of a foreign state, s recognized in the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice† (Herrera). According to Richard Schaffer, even the Vatican protested Helms-Burton, claiming that it increased economic suffering of the Cuban People. Many trade groups have also argued against the law because they believed that economic engagement actually would promote freedom in totalitarian countries. The U. S. firms that are h oping to engage in the business activities in Cuba also seek an ending to the U. S. trade sanctions (Schaffer 269). According to U. S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, many feel that the lifting of the travel restrictions to Cuba, family remittances, and trade exchange are necessary and are some of the most important issues in the policy changing process that the U. S. needs to undergo in order to have better relations with Cuba (Pelosi). Ironically, surveys of the American public opinion show that the vast majority of Americans favor ending sanctions as well, and recognizing the government of Cuba (Schaffer 269). According to a recent poll from USA Today that took place between February 21- 24, 2008, 61% of 2,021 adults nationwide favored re-establishing U. S. diplomatic relations with Cuba, 29% opposed, and 10% of the people were unsure (PollingReport). Over Forty-five years of communism have left the island nation an economic ruin and the U. S. embargo had many diverse effects on Cuba. According to a BusinessWeek article by Geri Smith, â€Å"The Cuban government has always referred to the embargo as a ‘blockade,’ a word that has a more sinister tone than ‘embargo’† (Smith). Cuba went through many difficulties as the result of the U. S. embargo since 1961 and suffered much more since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country faced a severe economic downturn, which really caused the Cubans’ living standards to significantly fall. The disappearance of Soviet aid following the collapse of the USSR forced the government to introduce tight rationing of energy, food, and consumer goods, as well as the withdrawal of the former Soviet annual subsidies that were worth $4 billion to $6 billion (Country Profile: Cuba). Since then, it has taken action with limited reforms in order to increase enterprise efficiency and improve some of their economic problems which included their serious shortages of food and goods. Due to the economic problems and domestic inefficiencies that Cuba faced during the 1990’s, President Castro allowed a few steps towards a more market-oriented system. In 1993, the U. S. dollar was accepted by Cuba and allowed to circulate throughout the nation. Because of their lack of basic necessities and few consumer goods, Cuba’s economy persisted with the help of Canadian, European and Latin American investments. Essentially for Cuba, the nation also developed closer relations with China and Venezuela. China invested in Cuba’s nickel industry and provided Cuba support in the form of trade credit, technology, and investment capital while Venezuela provided supply to cheap fuel (Smith). Since late 2000, Venezuela has been supplying about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for this oil with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela, including 20,000 medical professionals (CIA WorldFactbook). After market factors improved, in 2004 the U. S. dollar transactions in Cuba were banned and a 10% tax was imposed on the dollar-peso conversions. According to the CIA World Factbook, Cuban exports total $3. 31 billion and their major exports include Sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, and coffee partners. The countries that Cuba mainly exports to include the Netherlands (21. 8%), Canada (21. 6%), China (18. 7%), Spain (5. 9%) (CIA WorldFactbook). On the other hand, Cuban imports have totaled $10. 86 billion and consist mainly of petro leum, food, machinery and equipment, and chemicals. The countries that Cuba mainly imports from include Venezuela (26. 6%), China (15. 6%), Spain (9. 8%), Germany (6. 4%), Canada (5. 6%), Italy (4. 4%,) the U. S. (4. 3%), and Brazil (4. %) (CIA WorldFactobook) Today, Cuba has two currencies in circulation, which include the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC). The Cuban peso (CUP) is specifically for the Cubans, while the convertible peso (CUC) is strictly for tourists and foreign businessmen. According to a BBC News article by Michael Voss, â€Å"The average Cuban salary of 400 pesos a month is worth about $16, yet almost everything available in the shops has to be paid for in the convertible pesos (CUC’s)† (Voss). â€Å"Why has the economy moved to convertible pesos when workers are paid in the national currency? † declared one of the students in the article. You need to work for two days just to buy a toothbrush† (Voss). The problem with the dual currency is one of the biggest challenges that negatively influences the Cuban economy. Cuba faces many hardships because of the economic problems throughout the country. Many of the effects have caused an increase in prostitution, corruption, black marketeering and desperate efforts to escape in search of a better life (Country Profile: Cuba). Many Cubans had enough with the hardships and risk their lives to escape from the country. Thousands have tried to escape through the sea in a waterborne exodus to Florida, but many have drowned. Castro: Profile) According to the BBC News article, Castro: Profile of the Great Survivor, â€Å"Even his own daughter Alina Fernandez prefers a life of exile as a dissident in Miami to rule under her ‘despotic’ father† (Castro: Profile). According to the CIA World Fact Book, illicit migration to the U. S. , using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or air flights, is still a continuing problem. The U. S. Coast Guard seized 2,8 64 people trying to cross the Straits of Florida in the year 2006 (CIA WorldFactbook). Cuba has also been fraudulent with the UN’s top human rights forum, over specific rights abuses. The UN has insisted that Cuba allows for freedom of expression and to release imprisoned protesters who have protested against the government (Country Profile: Cuba). The U. S. has caused Cuba many economic damages because of the U. S. embargo. According to U. S. congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, â€Å"The over-45-year US economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba has translated into over 89 billion dollar losses for the U. S. † (Pelosi). According to the article, The Effects of the U. S. Embargo Against Cuba, the direct economic losses for Cuba by the U. S. embargo would exceed 70 billion dollars. The damages were estimated by calculating amounts of Cuba’s potential earnings and unnecessary losses since the institution of the U. S. embargo in 1961. The embargo negatively affected all of the sectors in Cuba, which also directly imposed on the major driving forces of the Cuban economy, which included tourism, foreign direct investments (FDI) and currency transfers (Herrera). Cuba became very limited in having access to technologies and various resources because of the obstacles that were forced by the Unites States. According to a Business Week article, â€Å"Trade and investment open up economies to new ideas. Cell phones, the Internet, and other high-tech communication technologies are detrimental to closed-minded bureaucracies† (Farrel). Since December, 2001, when food and agricultural products were allowed to be exported to Cuba, over $2 billion dollars worth of goods were earned by U. S. firms and shippers (LAWG). According to the article, The Travel Industry’s Push to Unlock Cuba, loosening the restrictions could boost the U. S. economy in the long term by as much as $1. 6 billion annually and create as many as 23,000 new jobs (Unlock Cuba). In this way, Cuba has the potential for economic growth if the U. S. nds or even loosens their trade sanctions. This can also further ease the hardships and economic issues of poverty in Cuba. Relations between the United States and Cuba are hoping to improve in the future, especially because Fidel Castro retired his control over Cuba. Many hope that Cuba will be open for business and that there may be signs of new beginnings of chang e on the economic front under Raul Castro (Smith). Some, however, are more skeptical of the idea. According to a recent poll from USA Today that took place between February 21- 24 of 2008, only 37% of 2,021 people felt that the situation for people in Cuba would get better. A majority of 51% felt that the situation for people in Cuba would stay the same, 6% felt that it would get worse, and 6% felt they were unsure (PollingReport). Fortunately, Raul Castro has introduced a series of reforms since taking over as president from his brother Fidel in February and has already taken steps on improving certain services for the Cuban public. The new leader started focusing on some of the most-mentioned problems, such as spotty public transportation and the low wages paid by the government to private farmers (Smith). According to the article, Cuban Leaders Plan More Reforms, these reforms have also included the removal of some restrictions on the purchase of electrical goods such as mobile phones, microwave ovens and DVD players. According to the article, Cubans have been reported to take out 7,400 new mobile phone contracts in the 10 days since the restrictions were eased. The country has also lifted a ban on its people staying in hotels previously reserved for foreigners (Cuban Leaders). It will be interesting to see if more market-oriented steps will take place with the Raul Castro’s new regime. Another major issue that will be crucial for many U. S. businesses as soon as the embargo ends in the future is the growing interest in the tourism sector of Cuba. According to an article by Sucharita Mulpuru, Americans represent only a small part of the nearly 1. 2 million visitors who come to Cuba every year, mainly from Canada, Spain, France, Germany, and Britain (Mulpuru). Tourism continues to inspire high hopes among many investors. In the article, Enzo Alberto, the Canadian-Italian CEO of ICC, a major investor in the island’s Internet infrastructure states, â€Å"I believe that Cuba could be to America like Hong Kong is to Asia,† (Mulpuru). Many countries pour nearly $2 billion into the economy, outstripping revenues from sugar and other core crops such as tobacco (Mulpuru). According to the article, A Warmer Climate for Trade with Cuba, the industry argues that the island nation is a potential source of needed revenues that would be able to boost both the travel business and the U. S. economy while opening to tourism and foreign investment in Cuba. As a result, this will also boost the economy as well as the currency reserves of Cuba. Unfortunately, all of this potential to help both economies and many people in both nations will not end until the U. S. rade embargo ends and the Cuban government loosens its stranglehold on the economy. It will be interesting to see how the U. S. embargo will be affected by the policies of the future elected president of the U. S. Of the three leading Presidential candidates, only Democratic contender Senator Barack Obama has stated that he would be willing to sit down and talk with Rau l Castro’s government, as long as human rights are on the agenda. On the other hand, Senator Hillary Clinton stated said she would not do so until Cuba started to implement economic and political reforms, while Senator John McCain has kept President George W. Bush’s policy and states that â€Å"talks are off† until Cuba begins a â€Å"transition to a free and open society† and releases all political prisoners (Smith). According to the Associated Press, the presidential candidates are expected to lightly discuss the question of lifting the embargo during their campaign. According to their article, Five-decade U. S. Trade Embargo with Cuba Expected to Outlast Fidel Castro, there is a great deal of sensitivity on the issue, especially in states with high populations of Cuban immigrants such as Florida (Associated Press). The entrepreneurs of the U. S. ave seen their foreign competitors take advantage of opportunities in Cuba. U. S. businesspersons can only hope that the trade and travel restrictions will be lifted eventually, so that they can tap the potential markets in Cuba especially in the tourism and agricultural sectors. This is very unlikely to happen soon because of the ongoing disputes between many in regards to the Cuban embargo. The impact of the Cuban embargo caused many diverse effects for both nations, but with new policies and politicians that are developing for the future, this story can be the end of an old era. Works Cited ACN Cuban News Agency. 2007, May 2). â€Å"Nancy Pelosi Says U. S. Blockade of Cuba Should be Lifted. † Retrieved April 24, 2008, from http://www. cubanews. ain. cu/2008/0425nancypelosi. htm Alomso, Cynthia C. â€Å"The Travel Industry’s Push to Unlock Cuba. † BusinessWeek. 27 August 2003 Associated Press. Five-decade U. S. Trade Embargo with Cuba Expected to Outlast Fidel Castro. 20 February 2008. Retrieved on April 24, 2008 from http://www1. whdh. com/news/articles/national/BO73631 BBC News. (2008, February 19). â€Å"Castro: Profile of the Great Survivor†. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://news. bbc. co. k/2/hi/americas/244974. stm BBC News. (2008, April 12). â€Å"Cuban Leaders Plan More Reforms†. Retrieved April 24, 200 8, from http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/americas/7343883. stm BBC News. (2008, February 26). â€Å"Country Profile: Cuba†. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1203299. stm BBC News. (2008, April 24). â€Å"Cubans Snapping Up Mobile Phones†. Retrieved April 24, 2008, from http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/7364791. stm BBC News. (2007, October 30). â€Å"U. S. Urged to End Cuba Embargo†. Retrieved April 24, 2008, from http://www. bbc. co. k/caribbean/news/story/2007/10/071030_cubaun. shtml CIA World Factbook. Cuba. (nd). Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu. html Farrell, Christopher. â€Å"The Case Against Embargoes† BusinessWeek. 25 April 2005 Herrera, Remy. The Effects of the U. S. ‘Embargo’ Against Cuba. 7 October 2003. Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://www. alternatives. ca/article876. html Latin America Working Grou p (LAWG). Top Ten Reasons For Changing U. S. Policy Toward Cuba. (nd) Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://www. lawg. org/docs/new_member_packet. df Magnusson, Paul. â€Å"A Warmer Climate For Trade in Cuba. † BusinessWeek. 16 June 2000 Mulpuru, Sucharita. â€Å"In Cuba, History’s Joy—and Curse. † BusinessWeek. 3 Feb 2003. Pew Hispanic Center. Cubans in the Unite States: A Profile. 25 August 2006. Retrieved from http://pewhispanic. org/files/factsheets/23. pdf Polling Report. Cuba. Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://www. pollingreport. com/cuba. htm Plummer, Robert. â€Å"How Cubans Heal Their Economic Ills† BBC News. 3 January 2007. Schaffer R. , Earle B. , Agusti F. (2005). International Business Law and Its Environment. Ohio: Thomson-Southwestern West. (6e). Sierra, J. A. Economic Embargo Timeline. (nd). Retrieved on April 22, 2008 from http://www. historyofcuba. com/history/funfacts/embargo. htm Smith, Geri. â€Å"Cuba Under the Other Castro? † BusinessWeek. 24 February 2008 Smith, Geri. â€Å"When Will Cuba Be Open for Business? † BusinessWeek. 29 February 2008 U. S. Department of the State. (http://www. state. gov). Retrieved on April 22, 2008. U. S. Department of the Treasury. â€Å"Cuba: What You Need To Know About The U. S. Embargo†. 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Effective Business Communication for Solutions - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theEffective Business Communication for Data Solutions. Answer: The communication audit process refers to the research methods that are used for the identification of the current strengths and the weaknesses of the internal and the external communications that exist within the concerned organization. The following essay deals with the communication of audit of a company that deals in data management software, Data Solutions. The essay deals with the qualitative significance of the three problems that have been highlighted in the communication audit of the concern and attempts to provide the recommended actions that might help the concern to solve the concerned problems The company in the recent times has been facing various issues that pertain to their communication audit that was held in the recent times. One of the various problems that is being faced by the concerned company is the wrong choice of the appropriate communication channel that is chosen by the employees of the organization with regards to the audience and the context of the addressal. The correct method of the communication is generally dependent on the situations that the employees might face at the organization. The lack of the proper communication among the employees of the organization might lead to the gap in the communication within the organization thereby leading to the various problems within the organization. The other major communication issue that the organization faces relates to the partial and the limited nature of the communication that takes place within the organization. The surveys that had been conducted revealed the fact that there were certain groups of the emp loyees who did not receive the proper communication from the authorities within the organization. This might lead to the conditions within the organization wherein the goals of the concerned organization would not be met. The miscommunication within the organization might affect the success rate of the concerned organization. The organization also faces the problems related to the ineffectiveness of the inter-organizational meetings. The ineffectiveness of the various inter-organizational meetings might lead to the serious consequences within the concerned organizations. The ineffective meetings might result in the conditions that deal wherein the implementations of the considered strategies that were discussed in the meeting might be stalled. This might also result in the conditions wherein the future growth of the company might be hampered due to the communicational issues that are prevalent within the company in discussion. In order to solve the three major issues that are faced by the company, a few recommendations might be stated. In order to deal with the issues related to the improper choice of the communication channel, the concerned management might be advised to arrange for the training of the concerned staff on the need for the effective communication. The concerned management might arrange for the various educational seminars or presentations that would help the concerned workforce of the organization have a clear notion of the benefits and the proper ways of the communication. The employees must be trained on the ways of the communication that might be apt for certain known conditions and audience. The communication style followed by the workforce must be aligned to the type of the audience that is being addressed through the concerned communication. The issues pertaining to the partial and the limited communication might be addressed by concerned management by implementing compulsion on the u se of the official communication handle of the concerned organization. The concerned management must encourage and urge all the members of the workforce to use the official communication handle of the organization in order to communicate with the other members in the work-related matters. The management might also urge the concerned staff to keep all the communication documented for references in cases of any discrepancy within the organization or among the members of the same team. This might help the organization to achieve the set goals within the set timeline. The third issue that the company has been facing pertains to the issue of the ineffectiveness of the various inter-organizational meetings that are organized. The concerned management might be advised to ensure the fact that the minutes of the meeting is communicated to the related members of the workforce of the company. The staff members must be made aware of the strategies that were decided in the concerned meetings. Th is might help the organization to achieve the goals that it had set for the concerned time period. Thus, from the above discussion it might safely be concluded that Data Solutions need to implement the required changes in order to solve the various problems that the company has been facing in the matters pertaining to the communication gap that is existent in the concerned company. This might help the company to motivate the staff in delivering the best of their capabilities which would aid the progress of the concerned organization, Data Solutions.