Investment in Libyan Oil Industry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Investment in Libyan Oil Industry - Case Study Example But owing to reforms being undertaken in the country and improvement in relations with other nations, opportunities are now being explored to take up investments in the country and take advantage of the emerging situation. Libya on its part appears to be making all the right moves. Colonel Qaddafi too has expressed his opinion in favour of reforms together with the vision of applied socialism and popular democracy. Multinational companies and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are now being given encouraging signals to invest in the country. Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem, supported by Seif al-Islam, the son of Col Qaddafi has started the reforms process. The ban put on the imports of Libyan oil and some exports to Libya in 1982 by some nations has also been subsumed in the emerging scenario. Libya has the largest reserve of crude oil, but despite such a great wealth and a population of just about 6 Million the country could not progress much during all these years (The Economist, 2007). With the improvement in geo-political equations and a conducive atmosphere for investments, the oil sector seems to have become quite attractive in Libya. The main intention of the study is to develop a better understanding of the manner in which Libya has charted the reform course for itself in the past and the investment opportunities being presented to the world. The oil is sector is one which offers huge opportunities from a long term perspective. During the study an effort would be made to analyse the process of reform in Libya. In addition some of the major oil companies will also be analysed to explore how these companies are preparing themselves to take on the global players. In particular the study will try to seek answers to the following key objectives. To analyze the economic condition of Libya and how the sanctions have impacted the economic condition of the country. To study the oil industry of the country and the levels of competition amongst the oil companies. Determine the factors assisting the upward movement of Libyan economy in the rect past. To identify the behavioural patterns of some of the oil majors, investment bankers, etc. During the course of the study efforts would be made to evaluate how these investors respond to the introduction of economic reforms and how the oil industry in general is being affected by these reforms. Analyze some of the fast developing economies and compare their growth vis--vis the economy of a country like Libya. This will be an effort to point out some areas which require attention in order to open up the investments on a larger scale. Oil exploration is more of a technical field requiring skilled workers and managers. During the study an effort would be made to study the HR scenario in the country in general for taking up the challenge of increased activities in the fields of oil exploration etc. Scope of the Report Scope and context of this study will include; 1. Analysis of an overall picture of the Libyan economy and its oil industry particularly after the new regime has come into effect 2. Analysis of some of the major oil companies in Libya. 3. Growing curiosity about the Libyan market and the interest of many

Team Ground Rules and Guidelines Essay Example for Free

Team Ground Rules and Guidelines Essay Members should be on time with assignments and responsibilities agreed to. If they are not going to be on time, post a message ASAP stating late or absent. They should check the Learning Team Forum every day for questions and late/absent notices. Lastly, communicate when you are having trouble or struggling and need assistance. Expectations for Time Management and Involvement (Participation, communication with the team, accessibility, etc) Communicate, communicate, communicate! If you will be absent or out a particular day of that week communicate on Monday of each week when you will be out. If a member is struggling or needs assistance, ask right away. Always check the learning team ‘A’ forum everyday to see if there are questions or help needed. I think we need to step-up a team secretary\admin posting sections, assignments, and updates, etc. If no one volunteers, I will be happy to do it. What to do if a team member cannot be reached or isn’t participating to the satisfaction of the team? Again, communication is key. If we do not here from a member by Wednesday 6pm on their contributions each week, we divvy up the sections that need a volunteer. A time line and due dates should be set for each task. If someone has misses a deadline then a message is posted and we finalize the missing assignment. Also, a message is posted to professor Rita Solomon-Moore, as she should be our corporate boss and he needs to know when a member is slacking so credit is assigned appropriately. Special Considerations What do you, as a team, agree will make this team experience different from past team experiences. I have only been a member of 2 previous teams now which was a horrid experience in the first team because we went from 4 assigned members to two actual participating members and I felt I pulled most of the weight on the team of 2. So, it was not a team, but just a group of members. The 2nd team was better, but didn’t follow our charter. I hope that this team builds on the definition of a team – â€Å"a group of people organized to work together†. Communication is key allowing a group of people to work together. So, if there is no communication from a member for 3 consecutive days within the Learning Team A forum, we send a note to that member. If there is no response for a day, we notify the professor.

Climate Change

Climate Change Historically, only natural factors were believed to have affected the earths climate. However, during the 18th Century, scientists began to attribute human activities to changes in climatic patterns (U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). Subsequently, much scientific evidence has linked the activities of human beings to the concentration of greenhouse gases being significantly increased in the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change. Despite the evidence presented, many skeptics still believe that climate change is a naturally occurring heating and cooling cycle of the earth and that the extent to which human activities have contributed to it are being exaggerated (Hudson, 2009). However, based on the scientific evidence presented and the effects that climate change has already had and is predicted to have on planet earth, my position is that climate change is a real and eminent danger which could seriously affect our welfare on planet earth. In its Declaration on Clima te Change 2009, The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) captured the essence of my viewpoint in proclaiming that â€Å"climate change poses the most serious threat to our survival and viability and that it undermines our efforts to achieve sustainable developmental goals and threatens our very existence†. The world has already started to experience the effects of climate change in various ways which affects all aspects of livelihood. Therefore, if serious efforts are not made to reverse the effects of climate change, planet earth is in serious trouble. Climate change has already affected and continues to threaten the survival of terrestrial beings. In order to ensure survival here on planet earth, human beings as well as animals have basic requirements, water and food being of paramount importance. According to AOSIS (2009) water resources will be seriously compromised and food production will be affected as a result of increased inundations, erosion and salt water intrusion, which are all directly linked to climate change. Costello et al. (2009) purport in their article entitled â€Å"Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change,† that as a result of the rising temperatures associated with climate change in tropical and subtropical areas, half of the worlds population could face severe food shortages. For example, as a result of ocean acidification and increased temperatures, many coral reefs will be killed off. This could cause serious food shortages since coral reefs serve as nurseries for many fish, which approximately one billion people depend on as a source of protein (Black, 2009). Another way in which climate change affects the survival of human beings is that it has also been linked to an increase in various health problems. Costello et al. (2009) also explicitly stated that â€Å"climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century†. They also went on to say that â€Å"the effects of climate change on health will affect most populations in the next decades and put the lives and wellbeing of billions of people at increases risk†. For example, the spread and transmission rates of malaria by mosquitoes are accelerated by increased temperatures. The hotter the climate the faster mosquitoes multiply (Costello et al., 2009). Thus, it can be seen that increases in food and water shortages as well as negative health effects are a direct consequence of climate change. Therefore, if human beings are unable to have adequate amounts of food, safe drinking water and mainta in good health, then survival will become very difficult. Climate change also affects the ability of countries to achieve sustainable growth and development. The United Nations (2004) in its Brundtland Commission Report defines sustainable development as ‘the ability of the present generations to meet their current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy theirs. In light of the fact that climate is drastically affecting the ability of human beings to continue to adequately sustain themselves without further destroying the planet, sustainability will be more difficult to achieve. Black (2009) addresses climate change as it relates to development in his BBC News article entitled Bank Urges Climate ‘Action Now citing the point put forth by the World Development Report 2010 that â€Å"development will get harder, not easier, with climate change†. Development is one of the main ways in which governments are able to provide jobs and generate revenues. The resources found on planet earth are respo nsible for providing jobs and government revenue which all contribute to development. Climate change poses a serious threat to natural resources on sea and land with the intensification of natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. According to AOSIS (2009) tropical storms have become more frequent and stronger. As a result of this, tremendous damage has been done to infrastructures such as international airports, homes hotels and road networks, which in turn puts a serious strain on governments financial resources and in turn hinders sustainable growth and development. For example, in 2004 hurricane Ivan wreaked havoc on Grenada and has left the country still struggling to recover. As a result of the destruction of most of the nutmeg crops the government was forced to turn to tourism as the countrys main income earner which is proving to be very difficult since balancing conservation of already strained natural resources with economic development is a very difficult task (Kelly, 2008). Also, the continued effects of climate change such as water shortages which the island is currently experiencing directly affect sustainable growth and development efforts since water is not only required for human consumption but for construction and other purposes. The fact that climate change affects the ability of human beings to survive as well as their ability to preserve the planet for use by future generations extends to a more serious matter which is that it could potentially threaten our very existence. Already, rise in sea levels have threatened the disappearance of entire populations. This is clearly exemplified in Bangladesh where, according to Shukman (2009) salty water could reach so far inland that the cultivation of staples which are essential for human survival could become very difficult. Coupled with this the occurrence of cyclones has left thousands homeless, killed many more and has caused widespread destruction and flooding. The very existence of 20 million people is being threatened as a result of climate change. Moreover, entire islands have already disappeared in Maldives, Kiribati and other Pacific Islands (AOSIS, 2009). In November 2006, at the United Nations negations on climate change held in Nairobi the vice preside nt of Kenya Moody Awori captured the essence of the seriousness of the climate change matter when he commenced the talks by stating that â€Å"climate change is rapidly emerging as one of the most serious threats humanity will ever face.† The evidence has shown and continues to show that he is absolutely right. Therefore, it can be concluded that the effects of climate change are a global crisis extending to the entire sphere of planet earth affecting the ability of human beings to survive, be sustainable and inevitably even exist. A plethora of events have taken place and continue to occur which underscores the urgency of the effects of climate change. The extreme weather patterns which are currently being experienced as compared to previous events can be emphasized using numerous examples from all over the world. What is most astonishing about this matter is that human beings contribute to its cause. It is quite ironic, that in our quest to improve and revolutionize the quality of our lives here on earth that we are the underlying cause of the destruction of the very earth that is our source of survival. Therefore, it is definitely apparent that urgent steps need to be employed in order to combat the problems caused by climate change. Human beings need to make an extra effort to correct t he error of our ways since our ability to survive and continue to exist here on earth critically depends on it. References Alliance of Small island States (AOSIS). (2009). Declaration on climate change 2009. New York. Black ,R. (2009). Bank urges climate action now. BBC News. Retrieved from https://angel.sgu.edu/Angel/section/default.asp?id=ASSSCI405%2D1%2D1%2D2010 Black, R. 2009. Climate targets will kill coral. BBC News. Retrieved from https://angel.sgu.edu/Angel/section/default.asp?id=ASSSCI405%2D1%2D1%2D2010goto Costello, A., Abbas M., Allen A. et al. (2009). Managing the health effects of climate change. Lancet and University College London Institute for Global Health Commission. Hudson, P. 2009. What happened to global warming? BBC News. Retrieved from https://angel.sgu.edu/Angel/section/content/default.asp?WCI=pgDisplayWCU=CRSCNTENTRY_ID=4D18682A8C7842578219AA7690673288 Kelly, A. (2008). Will tourism wreck Grenadas environment while rescuing its economy?gardian.co.uk. Retrieved from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/31/grenada Shukman, D. (2009). Seas threaten 20m in Bangladesh. BBC News. Retrieved from https://angel.sgu.edu/Angel/section/default.asp?id=ASSSCI405%2D1%2D1%2D2010 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). 2004. Sustainable Development -Concept and Action. Retrieved from http://www.unece.org/oes/nutshell/2004-2005/focus_sustainable_development.htm U.S Environmental Protection Agency. (2010). Climate change basic information. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html

Elizabeth Bishop And Her Poem filling Station Essay example -- essay

Elizabeth Bishop and Her Poem "Filling Station" Elizabeth Bishop's skill as a poet can be clearly seen in the thought- provoking poem entitled Filling Station. She paints the different language levels of poetry with the skill of an artist-- she seems to have an eye for detail as she contrasts the dark and dim reference of a filling station to a more homey, pleasant atmosphere. Bishop aptly arranges her words and expressions through the language devices of voice and metaphor. In Filling Station, Bishop uses tone of voice brilliantly, through the use of phonetics, to create the poem's initial atmosphere. The opening seems to be offering a straightforward description of the filling station: "Oh, but it is dirty!/ -this little filling station,/ oil-soaked, oil-permeated/ to a disturbing, over-all/ black translucency". A closer inspection of the passage reveals quite a visual oil-soaked picture. This is created in large part by the oily sounds themselves. When spoken out-loud the diphthong [oi] in oil creates a diffusion of sound around the mouth that physically spreads the oil sound around the passage. An interesting seepage can also be clearly seen when looking specifically at the words "oil-soaked", "oil-permeated" and "grease- impregnated". These words connect the [oi] in oily with the word following it and heighten the spreading of the sound. Moreover, when studying the [oi] atmosphere throughout the poem the [oi] in doily and embroidered seems to particularly stand out. The oozing of the grease in the filling station moves to each new stanza with the mention of these words: In the fourth stanza, "big dim doily", to the second last stanza, "why, oh why, the doily? /Embroidered" to the last stanza, "somebody embroidered the doily". Whereas the [oi] sound created an oily sound of language throughout the poem, the repetitive [ow] sound achieves a very different syntactical feature. The cans which "softly say: /ESSO--SO--SO--SO" create a wind-like blowing effect from the mouth. Each SO allows for a sort of visual metaphor to be seen-- cars or the personified "high-strung automobiles" as they pass on by. Not only are [oi] and [ow] sounds effectively used in this poem to create a unique tone but so is th... ...can be that small part in us that still searches for hope and normalcy. We each need a "comfy" filling station. And although judgmental onlookers, or as Bishop writes the "high-strung automobiles", may only want to see the dirtiness of an individual character, a family or situation, they need to realize that if they look deep enough, light will shine through. "Somebody loves us all" if we are only to give the thought and time. Afterall, even an automobile needs oil every once in a while to continue down its path. In conclusion, it can be clearly seen that Elizabeth Bishop in the poem Filling Station has wonderfully played with different levels of language like voice and metaphor. The reader becomes actively involved in questioning their own filling station and the care they give toward it. Is he or she the station, one who drives by the station or one who gives to the station? Bibliography Bishop, Elizabeth. "Filling Station." An Introduction to Poetry. Eds. Dana Gioia and X.J. Kennedy. Eighth Edition. New York: HarperCollins College Publishers, 1994.

Essay --

800 words - Christiana Aiyeola Priority Seats Are Like Marmite; You Either Love Them, or You Hate Them. The number of people that see priority seats is ever growing every day. These seats are located the front of most buses asking regular passengers to relocate the other seats nearer the back of the bus. The debatable subject about it is, ‘Are they really needed? Wouldn’t we already give up our seats for the elderly?’ So I ask; Priority seats - Manner or Menace? Whether or not you believe that priority seats are needed to tell us what we already know; those who regularly take the bus to school or work will have undoubtedly experienced sitting in a priority seat. There is a certain feeling of nervousness that you experience, as you carefully keep an eye on the front door, steadily waiting on the edge of your seat, expecting the arrival of an OAP. Next, one of two things happens – one enters, or one doesn’t. Either way you are left pondering one question: ‘Why did I ever sit here in the first place?’ If a senior member of the public does enter you are forced to transfer all of your belongings elsewhere; if one doesn’t, your trip is ruined anyway since your peaceful journey has been interrupted by your constant watch of the front door. The truth is, even though priority seats are not made to make you feel guilty, they accomplish his by just existing. They are supposed to guarantee a safe and comfortable journey for all. Instead, they do the complete opposite by ensuring that those who do not harbour some sort of disability or are not of old age have to suffer from disapproving looks from other passengers as well as an indecisive inner conscience. This is unacceptable. Are we are better off without them? The British public are not s... ...ere so much kerfuffle over one seat you ask? Simple - there is a bigger more philosophical idea behind the priority seat. Yes, it does sound ridiculous - though it makes sense. Society has created yet another item that was supposed to be put to good use, but has been spoiled by those who have chosen to take notice of its correct purpose. Can we ever create an item solely to have a good function? Priority seats have a good idea behind them, but until we become a more civilised society, they will never show their true colours. Our solution is simple: we teach our kids manners when they are young, so that soon there will be no need for priority seats. In my opinion, I think the future is pretty bleak for them as they are the result of much conflict, though I can’t decide whether we need them. It all goes back to the main question; Priority seats – Manner or Menace? Essay -- 800 words - Christiana Aiyeola Priority Seats Are Like Marmite; You Either Love Them, or You Hate Them. The number of people that see priority seats is ever growing every day. These seats are located the front of most buses asking regular passengers to relocate the other seats nearer the back of the bus. The debatable subject about it is, ‘Are they really needed? Wouldn’t we already give up our seats for the elderly?’ So I ask; Priority seats - Manner or Menace? Whether or not you believe that priority seats are needed to tell us what we already know; those who regularly take the bus to school or work will have undoubtedly experienced sitting in a priority seat. There is a certain feeling of nervousness that you experience, as you carefully keep an eye on the front door, steadily waiting on the edge of your seat, expecting the arrival of an OAP. Next, one of two things happens – one enters, or one doesn’t. Either way you are left pondering one question: ‘Why did I ever sit here in the first place?’ If a senior member of the public does enter you are forced to transfer all of your belongings elsewhere; if one doesn’t, your trip is ruined anyway since your peaceful journey has been interrupted by your constant watch of the front door. The truth is, even though priority seats are not made to make you feel guilty, they accomplish his by just existing. They are supposed to guarantee a safe and comfortable journey for all. Instead, they do the complete opposite by ensuring that those who do not harbour some sort of disability or are not of old age have to suffer from disapproving looks from other passengers as well as an indecisive inner conscience. This is unacceptable. Are we are better off without them? The British public are not s... ...ere so much kerfuffle over one seat you ask? Simple - there is a bigger more philosophical idea behind the priority seat. Yes, it does sound ridiculous - though it makes sense. Society has created yet another item that was supposed to be put to good use, but has been spoiled by those who have chosen to take notice of its correct purpose. Can we ever create an item solely to have a good function? Priority seats have a good idea behind them, but until we become a more civilised society, they will never show their true colours. Our solution is simple: we teach our kids manners when they are young, so that soon there will be no need for priority seats. In my opinion, I think the future is pretty bleak for them as they are the result of much conflict, though I can’t decide whether we need them. It all goes back to the main question; Priority seats – Manner or Menace?

Altruism: Research perspectives from Current psychology Essay

Altruism which can also be termed as selflessness is a principle of practice that concerns the welfare of others. This is one of the traditional virtues that were upheld by several cultures, secular views and religious traditions. This is a malleable notion that is understood differently in many disciplines although the common denominator of all the definitions is the ideology of unidirectional helping character. Within the clinical setting, altruism is a value that nurses as professionals poses. Despite the enormous changes within the society and the ways in which training and education for nurses is delivered, nursing is highly underpinned by the beliefs and values of the profession. The values that have been evaluated as altruistic include care for others, academic performance and self-control. Altruism is the key characteristic that all nurses and the health professionals are expected to have (Puka, 1994). The definition of altruism biologically is the behavior that individual poses and increases fitness of another person while at the same time decreasing the fitness of the actor (Pallone, 1999). In this particular sense, it is totally different from the philosophical perspective whereby an action is only said to be altruistic if it was done with a conscious intention of helping another person. Within the nursing and health care fraternities, there are no restrictions to an altruistic act which is just but an act of helping an individual who as a problem or caring for others (Puka, 1994). The nursing and healthcare professionals possess the responsibility of being altruistic. This means that as professionals they have an ethical obligation give others what they need without any form of self-interest (Johnson, Larkin, & Saks, 1995). Most nurses who are altruistic will always make decisions totally that are in the best interest of the concerned patient. By being altruistic the nurses and healthcare professionals are being patient advocate, hence they will be practicing good ethics of nursing. During a moral code situation, the adrenaline of the nurses and healthcare professionals and in a life-saving mode. At this particular point they feel good being a nurse who can save the world as an individual, but when things doesn’t go right this particular feeling is put into a test and one keep asking him or herself questions(Johnson, Larkin, & Saks, 1995). Many new nurses have very hard time while making decisions concerning life and death. In most cases it takes a lot of maturity to get wisdom, knowledge and certitude. Ethics in the healthcare and nursing profession is what it always drives the process of making decisions whether good or bad. Altruism as one of the most critical code of ethics should always be involved in any other decision that is made (Johnson, Larkin, & Saks, 1995). Nurses are also put in a fix that they have to always respect the cultural beliefs and the values of others. Just because nurses sometimes think they know the right thing to do, does not actually make it totally right. It is altruistic for the nurses and other health care professionals to honor and respect the wishes and beliefs of the patients. It is unfortunate that they decisions that are made by the patients and their families are mainly driven by either grief of total lack of understanding (Puka, 1994). Conclusion                      Altruism as part of ethics practiced by nurses encompasses the interpretation of an individual. It is based totally on the values and morals that individuals possess. Although the Nurse Practice Act have very good guidelines for how individuals should act it does not absolve individuals from making personal decisions concerning the issues at hand. References Pallone, N. J. (1999). Altruism, narcissism, comity: Research perspectives from Current psychology. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers. Johnson, T., Larkin, G., & Saks, M. (1995).  Health professions and the state in Europe. London: Rutledge. Bailey, P. A., Carpenter, D. R., & Harrington, P. A. (1999).  Integrating community service into nursing education: A guide to service-learning. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co. Puka, B. (1994).  Reaching out: Caring, altruism, and prosocial behavior. New York: Garland. Source document

Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay

After the publication of The Scarlet Letter in the year 1850 Nathaniel Hawthorne was recognized as one of the most significant writer in the United States. He has the ability to write like a â€Å"romancer† able to probe the inner mysteries and also as a realist who can describe to the reader the American character and experience (Gollin, par. 1). This means that in the early to the middle-part of the 19th century Hawthorne as writer can be depended upon as a guide, able to show how America was shaped by the forces of religion, migration, and other forces unique to the New World. Hawthorne is not a religious writer but the reader can get more from his work when it comes to the study of religion and religious men than by reading a religious treatise. The following will examine the man and the writer as he became instrumental in how the world came to view and understand nation building the American way. Biography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804. He came from a family of Puritans. His father was a sea captain who died when he was four years old and so his mother brought him up together with his two sisters. For a few years he lived in Raymond, Maine but he was forced to go back to Salem so that he can prepare for college. It was at this time that he knew he was going to be a writer but at the same time realized that it would be difficult to earn a living writing full time (Golin, par. 2). He would always complain about the fact that he was forever forced to spend time and energy to make money to buy bread rather than to devote a great deal of his time doing the thing that he really loved. However, circumstances prevented him from doing so, especially when he decided to marry and raise a family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But when he had the means and the opportunity to write, Hawthorne began to show his brilliance as a man of letters. Even his early works like Young Goodman Brown and Twice-told Tales gained approval from critics (Golin, par. 3). Nonetheless, Hawthorne still could not find a way to make writing novels a full-time job. He was forced to gain political appointments so he can have a decent source of income from working in places like the Customs House. Yet since he was a political appointee he was at the mercy of those who are in power. In 1849 he was dismissed and he fought to be reinstated. (Golin, par. 7).   He was rejected once more but this failure became a stepping stone for him because it was also during this time that he completed The Scarlet Letter, a novel that would catapult him to fame.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was The Scarlet Letter that made him famous as a writer who chose to express himself in the genre of romance. He was a unique writer in the sense that he spoke against the excesses of the Puritan tradition (Idol & Jones, p. 471). But what made his works so penetrating and so influential was the fact that he was an insider. He was no ordinary journalist who merely investigated the character flaws of the Puritans, he was one of them, the descendant of one of the most feared and respected Puritan. Moreover, he lived in Salem, the infamous location of the Salem witch trials.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He would later learn about the intimate details of the paranoia that swept the region and he would also come to know his ancestors who ruled the area with an iron fist. His embarrassment to be associated with them and the horrors that he discovered forever influenced his writing style and the type of subject matter that he would like to deal with in his future writings. His inspiration for doing so was described clearly in one of his autobiographical works and there he revealed his desire to remove the stain that embellished the Hawthorne name and he wrote: He was a soldier, legislator, judge †¦ he had all the Puritanic traits both good and evil. He was likewise a bitter persecutor, as witness the Quakers, who have remembered him in their histories †¦ His son, too, inherited the persecuting spirit,and made himself so conspicuous in the martyrdom of the witches, that their blood may fairly be said to have left a stain upon him (Woodberry, p. 124). By writing about the Puritans and the good as well as the bad things they did provided a way out for Hawthorne, a type of healing for the soul and the emotions. It can be argued that he was not very proud of his heritage but by writing about it he can have the ability to rectify some of the damages created by his ancestors. His ancestors thought that everything they did was righteous, but Hawthorne, writing generations later would like to set the record straight that although the Puritans help build a New World their religious views can sometimes do more harm than good. The Scarlet Letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Everything that he knew and everything that he felt he poured out in the writing of The Scarlet Letter. This is perhaps the reason why this novel is considered a masterpiece. In the second chapter of the tale Hawthorne was able to capture the imagination of the readers when he brought them to a place where severe punishment was given to those who disobeyed the law no matter how trivial it may sound in the hearing of modern men. Hawthorne said that a lazy servant, a disobedient child, a person with different religious views, and even an â€Å"Indian† who may have behaved not in accordance to the customs of the land can receive punishment that should have been reserved only for criminals and not those who simply wanted to exercise their God-given freedom to live and pursue happiness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hawthorne then explained why the people living in that particular village acted so harshly and he wrote: â€Å"Meagre, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders, at the scaffold. On the other hand, a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself† (Hawthorne, Chap. 2). In the opening scene a woman named Hester Prynne emerged from prison clutching her baby in her arms and with a scarlet letter A embroidered on her bosom, symbol of ignominy according to the norms and values of old Massachusetts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The readers felt the harshness of the sentence but pity turned to anger just as quickly when they discovered that a woman like Hester Prynee could not commit the sin of adultery without a partner. Aside from that the emergence of Hester’s husband – who apparently abandoned her – added another reason as to the need for clemency. But there is more. The adulterous partner was a respected clergyman who was so full of hypocrisy that he even joined with the inquisitors to force out from Hester the name of the man who committed adultery with her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Hester did not answer the clergyman as well as those who condemned her to a life of shame and misery the story reached another level of complexity. The woman considered to be the most sinful in the village has transcended her accusers by becoming more righteous than them because she chose to love her enemies. Hester’s actions mirrored the one felt by Hawthorne. He was not anti-religious or anti-God. One can even argue that Hawthorne believed in God and the Bible but he simply could not accept why men of shallow thinking was given the power and the influence to teach the Word of God without learning first compassion and wisdom. Instead of learning the intricacies of the law and the knowledge on how to dispense of punishment in the most cruel and inhumane manner, these ministers should have learned wisdom and love first. By doing so they could have been better servants of God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is not hard to see Hawthorne’s allusion to another famous Bible story when an adulterous woman was brought to Jesus to be judged. The woman was brought to Jesus simply because the Nazarene had earn the reputation for being merciful to the point that the religious leaders of his day interpreted his actions as heresy and a blatant demonstration of unfaithfulness to the Jewish religion and to their traditions. By bringing the woman who was caught in adultery, they sought to trap Jesus and to force him to act in accordance to the Law and if he refused then he will be condemned like the woman in front of her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this point one can appreciate the complexity of Hawthorne’s writing. He was not simply giving an indictment against the Puritans, he was also trying to show them how it should have been done, not using the author’s righteousness but using the same Bible against them. The Pharisees who was trying to trap Jesus was the ancient version of the Puritans who could not see the big picture, they can only saw the legal aspect, not the person in front of them. And so going back to the Bible story and Jesus this is what the religious leaders said to him: They made her stand before the group  and said to Jesus, â€Å"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say? (John 8:3-5, NIV) Once again the woman was alone standing in the crowd of men. Where was the man who committed adultery with her? Where was the man who committed the act of adultery with Hester? The religious leaders did not wish to punish the woman because they sincerely believed that she should be punished but they went to great lengths to humiliate her simply because they wanted to uphold an ancient tradition, to preserve a way of life. Furthermore, there is a deeper lesson that the author wanted everyone to know: the community must abide by the rules and regulations because those who will not participate or those who will not consent are considered to be as guilty as the sinner. But Jesus was not afraid of the religious leaders, their accusations, and their condemnation. Jesus instead allowed them to see the big picture that all of them are guilty of secret sins. It may be big or small but if the community focused on punishment rather than in building each other up then they will simply destroy the way of life that they so cherish. They can stone the woman but the one who will cast the first stone must be blameless because the moment he would hurl the first stone his neighbor will turn on him for he too deserved to be punished. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The brilliance of Hawthorne can be seen in so many levels. He was a gifted writer able to describe and analyze the way the Puritans had shaped the New World. But instead of simply criticizing them for their legalistic ways he also offered a way out for them by creating indirect references to the Word of God and when he used it as a basis for his writings he was not only able to rectify the misdeeds of the past, he was also able to show there is a better way to build a new nation. Works Cited Gollin, Rita. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† In The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 5th Accessed 21 July 2010 from http://college.cengage.com/english/lauter/ heath/4e/students/author_pages/early_nineteenth/hawthorne_na.html Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"The Scarlet Letter.† Accessed 21 July 2010 from http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/scarletletter/ Holy Bible. â€Å"The Gospel of John.† The New International Version. Accessed 22 July 2010   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%208&version=NIV Idol, John & Buford Jones. Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Contemporary Reviews. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Woodberry, George. Nathaniel Hawthorne. SC: BiblioBazaar, 2008.