All Quiet On The Western Front, By Erich Maria Remarque

In regards to war, famous pacifist revolutionary, Mohandas Gandhi, had suggested that wars are instigated for reasonable intentions, but the short-lived outcome is not worth war’s deplorable and irreversible effects. A historical example supporting Gandhi’s belief is World War I, which was fought between the Central Powers and Allies and infamous for its devastating repercussions and savage warfare that occurred from 1914 to 1918. In his historical fiction novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque describes the traumatic and deadly war conditions of WWI from the perspective of a German soldier named Paul Baumer, who provides readers with firsthand insight on war’s atrocious nature. Nonetheless, war’s violence did not deter nations and soldiers from partaking in World War I for nationalistic and social elevation reasons, in spite of its inevitable detriments to human mentality and nature, as well as its substantial economic damages on nati ons. Prior to and during World War I, nations and soldiers were compelled to join the war to gain nationalistic pride and elevation of social status, as both parties desired to gain superiority over others. To begin, nationalism is defined as having pride and loyalty toward one’s culture, ethnicity, and subsequently, one’s country. Historian John Keegan noted the development of a nationalistic feud in Europe that began with Germany, who resented Britain and France for having colonized a vast amount of territories. InShow MoreRelatedAll Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1714 Words   |  7 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front written by Erich Maria Remarque is a narrative describing World War I from a German soldier s perspective. The story is narrated by Paul Baà ¼mer and predominantly revolves around the experiences of him and his comrades Kemmerich, Katczinsky, Kropp, Mà ¼ller, and Leer. The novel begins with Paul Baà ¼mer and his friends in a che erful mood as extra rations are being allocated to them due to the missing soldiers. During this event, Baà ¼mer introduces and describes the variousRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1469 Words   |  6 Pagesjoy and happiness in life. Through the experiences that the soldiers encounter, their humanity is compromised. Thus, as war strips soldiers of their innocence, they start to become disconnected from themselves and others. In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque illustrates the negative effects war has on a soldier’s humanity, through his use of Paul’s books and the potato pancakes by revealing the soldiers loss of emotion that causes them to become detached from society. Through theseRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front, By Erich Maria Remarque732 Words   |  3 Pageshistory, war between man has been nearly inevitable. The impact of war has always been devastating on all aspects. However, loss in war is mostly se en within the loss of land, wealth and the numbers of lives lost. There are few accounts of the true losses felt from war, the loss felt by the survivors and the true cost of human life. In the excerpt from All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, illustrates the impact on human life and question what the cost of human life was impacted. WhileRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque800 Words   |  3 Pages All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque was the war novel that changed what ‘war novel’ meant. No longer would war be a fantasy for the growing generation, but a real-life death trap. World War I came with many innovations to warfare: machine guns, poison gases, trench-style warfare. While these technologies were supposed to improve warfare, it made war longer with more casualties. In All Quiet on the Western Front war is not looked up to, it is looked down upon from the perspectiveRead MoreAll Quiet On The Weste rn Front By Erich Maria Remarque2100 Words   |  9 Pagesthoughts, feelings and experiences. All Quiet on the Western Front written by Erich Maria Remarque, which takes World War I as background, is the great war novel which talks about the German soldiers extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the hopeless of these soldiers about the â€Å"future† – the time the war would have ended. All Quiet on the Western Front is narrated by Paul Bà ¤umer, a twenty-years-old German soldier who fights in the French front in World War I. Paul and his classmatesRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1292 Words   |  6 PagesGermany flourished on the nationalism in the early 1900’s of its people. Ready to encounter an attack at any moment and any time. People forget the decision of war until they are in the flame of its fire. In the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque explains his experience of the war in World War 1 through a character Paul Bumer. Bumer was a kind and sensitive man. Back in school he used to write poets. Pual’s Bumer teacher brainwashed him and other students who where his classmatesRead MoreAll Quiet And The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1249 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"We are forlorn like children, and experienced like old men, we are crude and sorrowful and superï ¬ cial, I believe we are lost† (Remarque 123). World War I is a tragic event that occurred in 1914 to 1918. Paul Baumer and the rest of the soldiers in the novel of â€Å"All Quiet in the Western Front† by Erich Maria Remarque are lost; they are broken from the fist World War, they don’t know anything aside from War, and they have lost their innocence during the years of maturation. When the young men heardRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1482 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is a tale about a group of young gentlemen in Germany who decide to join the army, and fight in World War I for their country. The boys become interested in fighting for their country after their schoolmaster informs them about the importance of this war. With much excitement, the young men have high expectations of what they want the war to be like. Throughout the course of the novel, the attitudes and opinions of the boys chan ge asRead MoreAll Is Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1051 Words   |  5 PagesNathan Brown Quarter 2 Book Report American History My second quarter book was called â€Å"All is Quiet on the Western Front† by Erich Maria Remarque. This book as about a man named, Paul Baumer who is fighting for Germany in World War 1. He and a bunch of his friends from high school join an army voluntarily. They heard their teacher (Kantorek) in class giving patriotic speeches. After joining the army, Paul and his friends soon come to a conclusion that joining the army was not what they thought itRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque1222 Words   |  5 PagesSelf-Learning Lessons There is no doubt that when war occurs, every single human being is affected by it even if it is just a little. In the novel, â€Å"All Quiet on the Western Front† written by Erich Maria Remarque, a group of teenage men, who also appear to by classmates, are in the German army of World War I because they have chosen to leave their adolescence at home and school for grown up work at the army. Throughout this fictional novel, they face many challenges that result in them not seeing

The Movie Noah Directed By Darren Aronofsky - 2152 Words

The movie Noah directed by Darren Aronofsky is advertised as a representation of the biblical story of Noah and the flood. After watching this movie and reading the story in the Bible, it is evident that there are some differences between the film and the story in God’s book. The film does not only use the Bible as a point of reference, but other historical books as well. The Epic of Gilgamesh or The Book of Enoch potentially influenced the production of the movie. Aronofsky’s interest in these sources is understandable as he is an atheist and most likely did not want to rely on biblical text alone. The story of the flood is well known throughout the world and it has affected many people groups. There are many accounts written on the story because of this reason. The Bible has a written account of this story in Genesis, the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Enoch do as well. The biblical account of Noah is the true, real story that was written by God. If one compares the film to the Bible there are many differences and similarities between the two mediums. Some of the similarities are evident, and some are more difficult to uncover. The Book of Enoch explains that Noah’s grandfather is Methuselah. This is shown in the movie, but is not as prominent in the biblical version, however it is still said. Knowing this information, gives the viewer and reader a reference point of where Noah originally came from. One very noticeable parallel is how Noah and his wife were blessed

Cost Analysis Free Essays

string(90) " cost analysis in order to illustrate to the reader the meaning of cost-benefit analysis\." Table of content Introduction: Financing decisions and investment decisions are considered to be two of the most vital decisions that corporations have to take. Cost analysis is one of the factors that should be taken into consideration while evaluating financial and investment decisions. This paper reviews the concept of cost analysis, how it is used in decision making, and how firms usually involve cost analysis in evaluating different projects. We will write a custom essay sample on Cost Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Furthermore, the paper discusses some of the main concepts that are derived from cost analysis such as cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. In addition, some of the advantages and disadvantages of cost analysis will be discussed. Moreover, the concept of intangible cost analysis will be introduced. Then, the results and findings of the research paper will be illustrated. Finally, few recommendations that are based on the results and findings will be made. Literature Review: Due to its high importance in the decision making process, cost analysis has been discussed in many books by several authors who illustrated different aspects of cost analysis. In his book â€Å"cost-benefit analysis,† E. J. Mishan discussed in depth the concept of cost-benefit analysis, which is a form of cost analysis. Professor Mishan focused on some of the key concepts that are related to cost-benefit analysis. The author started his book with few examples of cost analysis in order to illustrate to the reader the meaning of cost-benefit analysis. You read "Cost Analysis" in category "Papers" Then, Mr. Mishan illustrated the economical aspect of cost-benefit analysis and showed how opportunity cost could be related to cost-benefit analysis. Furthermore, Mr. Mishan tried to show how cost-benefit analysis is limited and can be used partially in the decision making process. A notable section of Mr. Mishan’s book is certainty equivalence. In this section, the author developed an assumption that â€Å"enables us formally to rank a number of alternative uncertain benefits without first reducing each to a certainty equivalent. In his article â€Å"Ways to Deliver More for Less,† Harry E. Roberts, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Boscov’s Department Stores, discussed how cost analysis can be used to reduce IT spending. Mr. Roberts discussed how the IT budgeting has changed over time. The author suggested ways to enable Information Technology, which is a cost center rather than a profit center, to â€Å"deliver more than what is expected and at a lower cost than what was budgeted. † Then, Mr. Roberts suggested that a revision for different costs, such as variable costs, fixed costs, and payroll costs, should be made. The author concluded his research by emphasizing on the fact that â€Å"every dollar invested on a cost item must deliver as much value to the business as its highest-margin product or service. † Cost Analysis: Definition According to The U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, cost analysis can be defined as â€Å"the process of obtaining cost breakdowns, verifying cost data, evaluating specific elements of costs and examining data to determine necessity, reasonableness, and appropriateness of the costs. Both financing and investment decisions are highly affected by cost analysis as corporations usually pay a great deal of attention to the different types of costs that are involved in the different projects that will be taken into consideration either to raise funds or to invest surplus funds that a corporation has. Sometimes cost analysis is perceived as a tool that is used only to reduce costs. In contrast to this point of view, cost analysis is believe d to be a tool that helps management to choose the best possible solution or project among many different alternatives. In their article â€Å"â€Å"Using Cost Analysis In Evaluation,† Meg Sewell and Mary Marczak believe that cost analysis methods and uses are â€Å"complex, require very sophisticated technical skills and training in methodology and in principles of economics, and should not be taken lightly. † Three Types of Cost Analysis: Three of the main concepts that are derived from cost analysis are cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. These three methods are usually used simultaneously in order for corporations to evaluate different decisions or projects. Some of these methods might seem simple and easy to use; however, they should never be ignored or taken slightly as they can be of great benefit in determining the right decisions. Cost Allocation: Cost allocation is the simplest among the three concepts that were mentioned earlier. Sewell and Marczak stated that cost allocation refers to â€Å"setting up budgeting and accounting systems in a way that allows program managers to determine a unit cost or cost per unit of service. Furthermore, Sewell and Marczak illustrated that in many corporations, cost allocation is used to provide â€Å"some of the basic information needed to conduct more ambitious cost analyses such as cost-benefit analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis. † Therefore, it can be concluded that cost allocation is a prerequisite to both cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. Example: The following table shows the monthly cost allocation for 3 different projects It is important to note that firm s usually allocate their costs based on previous experience and estimation. However, firms should expect costs to change, which can be due to financial crises, inflation, or other factors, and try to adapt their cost allocation systems in such a way that it will handle the new changes. Based on the costing method that the company uses, such as activity-based costing, a more detailed cost allocation system can be structured in order to determine the unit cost as precisely as possible Once costs have been identified and allocated, more advanced cost analysis methods, such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis, are used. Cost-effectiveness Analysis: According to Sewell and Marczak, the concept of cost-effectiveness analysis holds that â€Å"a certain benefit or outcome is desired, and that there are several alternative ways to achieve it. † However, cost-effectiveness analysis should not be used separately during the process of evaluating projects or decisions as it will favor the cheapest option. Instead, cost-effectiveness analysis should be used along with cost allocation and cost-benefit analysis in order to provide more precise and more informative outcomes. It is important to mention that cost-effectiveness is a comparative tool that compares the cost of separate projects and favors the least expensive one. If we only used cost-effectiveness to decide which machine to buy, machine 1 will be favored by cost-effectiveness since it will generate products cheaper than machine 2. However, this is not necessarily the correct decision since cost-effectiveness analysis fails to take into consideration certain criteria such as the time each machine requires to generate the product and the quality of the generated products. Cost-benefit Analysis: According to smbtn. com, cost-benefit analysis can be best described as â€Å"An analysis tool that measures the results or benefits of a decision compared with the required costs. † Cost-benefit analysis is perceived as a powerful tool that management usually use whenever a â€Å"buy-or-build† decision needs to be taken. Buy-or-build decisions are usually taken when a firm faces a situation where it has two options: (1) To buy or outsource a certain part of its business (2) To internally manufacture or perform a certain part of its business. Cost-benefit analysis can assist in taking buy-or-build decisions as it will illustrate the benefits and costs that are expected if buy decision or build decision is taken. Cost-benefit analysis consists of several tools, such as benefit-to-costs ratio, that are used to analyze and compare benefits and costs that are involved in a certain project. According to Sewell and Marczak, benefit-to-costs ratio is â€Å"the total monetary cost of the benefits or outcomes divided by the total monetary costs of obtaining them. Despite the fact the cost-benefit seems to be the most powerful tool to analyze costs and taking cost related decisions, it should be used along with other tools such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost allocation. Using cost-benefit analysis separately from other tools can result in misleading decisions that can cost management dearly. If the benefits-to-costs ratio is greater than 1, then the project should be analyzed further, compared to other projects and taken into consideration as a potential project that the firm can invest in or use to raise funds. Advantages of Cost Analysis: Cost analysis can be of great help for management as it can be used as a tool in the decision making process. Some of the most important advantages of cost analysis are: Cost analysis can clarify all costs that are involved in a certain project. Cost analysis will draw attention to costs that may not be obvious at first. Consequently, allowing managers to take more precise financing or investment decisions. Cost analysis can help management prioritize tasks and processes when budgets are limited. It is believed that managers can distribute budgets more effectively when all costs are identified; therefore, it will be possible to get the most out of available resources. Disadvantages of cost analysis: On the other hand, cost analysis is not always sufficient by its own for management to make decisions. Some of the facts that cost analysis cannot provide information about are: _As Sewell and Marczak mentioned, cost analysis cannot always tell â€Å"whether the least expensive alternative is always the best alternative. _† Cost analysis by its own is not always enough to determine the best alternative. Usually, other criteria that cannot be determined by cost analysis, such as time, have an effect on the decision making process. Cost analysis is very complex and requires great deal of skills and expertise. Cost analysis requires not only background in finance and accounting, but also economic and decision making skills. It is common nowadays for organizations to outsource cost analysis if it cannot be done effectively in-house. According to _Sewell and Marczak, â€Å"sometimes costs and monetary values are considered less important than other, more intangible values or program outcomes. † Intangible cost analysis: Despite the fact that corporations frequently use cost analysis in evaluating the different decisions that have to be made, intangible cost analysis is not always taken into consideration. In his book â€Å"Intangible Management: Tools for Solving the Accounting and Management Crisis,† Ken Stanfield described intangible cost analysis as set of processes that â€Å"[allow] executives to identify, measure, and reduce costs that the organization has always been aware of, but has not been able to previously measure and control. Intangible cost analysis allows corporations to increase efficiency and productivity as well as decrease costs. According to Stanfield, in contrast to old cost analysis methods where tangible costs were the most important selection criteria, modern cost analysis methods favors alternatives, decisions, or projects â€Å"with the lowest total real cost (tangible costs + intangible costs). † Some of the intangible costs that should be taken into consideration are knowledge costs, time costs, and relationship management costs. Many organizations started to take intangible costs more seriously and established departments that are dedicated to deal with such costs such as knowledge management department. Intangible cost analysis is more complex than tangible cost analysis due to the fact that it depends on estimation skills and past experience. Therefore, possessing intangible cost analysis skills can be considered as a competitive advantage as it will result in better cost management and lower incurred costs. Results and Findings: Cost analysis is one of the most sophisticated concepts in business, and many economists wrote several books about it. The following points illustrate the results and findings of the research paper: Cost analysis consists of multiple tools and techniques that are usually used simultaneously to reach the best decision possible. Cost analysis not only allows firms to find ways to reduce costs, but it also suggests methods that can be applied to turn a cost center into profit center. It is vital for decision makers to be aware that cost analysis consists of tools that can estimate costs, which might differ from costs that will be incurred in reality. Intangible cost analysis should not be taken slightly as it has a great affect on the business of any company, especially on the long run. Cost analysis fails to take into consideration some factors such as time and quality Cost analysis needs advanced skills and is considered to be a competitive advantage for firms that have employees specialized in it. Recommendations and Conclusion: Using multiple cost analysis tools, which is due to the fact that the use of only one or few tools will result in misleading decisions Pay great attention to intangible cost analysis as it can make the difference between success and failure. Take into consideration factors that cannot be quantified and analyzed such as time and quality. Due to the fact that cost analysis has become a vital part of the decision making process, firms have to ensure that they possess the required cost analysis skills or outsource to specialized cost analysis firms. In conclusion, it is vital to emphasize on the fact that cost analysis is just one tool that can be used in the decision making process. Financing decisions and investments decisions are so critical that many tools and selection criteria have to be used while analyzing and evaluating these decisions. Nowadays, the world is facing a financial crisis that is affecting all companies; consequently, firms are starting to analyze costs to determine how best to protect themselves. Bibliography Mishan, E. J. Cost Benefit Analysis: An Informal Introduction, 1982. Ramji, Al-Noor, Linda Reino, Harry E. Roberts, eds. , Inside The Minds: Ways To Reduce It Spending : Leading Executives On Managing Costs, Negotiating Pricing Reducing Overall Technology Expenditures. United States of America: Aspatore, 2004. Sewell, Meg and Mary Marczak. Using Cost Analysis In Evaluation. The University of Arizona; available from http://ag. arizona. edu/fcs/cyfernet/cyfar/Costben2. htm; Internet; accessed 1 November 2008. Stanfield, Ken. Intangible Management: Tools for Solving the Accounting and Management Crisis. Academic Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2002). The U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement: Federal Assistance Manual. Washington, D. C. , 1998; available from http://www. osmre. gov/fam/defin. htm; Internet; accessed 16 November 2008. How to cite Cost Analysis, Papers