Les Miserables Essay -- essays research papers

In his novel, Les Miserables, author Victor Hugo makes a strong statement about society being the cause for evil in man. Les Miserables is based on a poor man, Jean Valjean, who was arrested for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving baby. Valjean is sentenced to 20 years for his crime, and, when he is released, he is shunned for his past, which he has more than paid for. Society turns him out at every turn for his past crime, and will hear no excuses for his deed. With this scenario, Hugo shows the cruelty of a â€Å"civilized† world that would cause a man to suffer unending prejudice for stealing a single loaf of bread to feed a small child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the ill treatment continues, Valjean becomes more and more bitter toward society. He probably would have been pushed too far, and would have lashed out against his aggressors, if he had not been shown kindness by the church. Valjean was taken in by a kindly Bishop, who fed him and offered him a place to stay. Valjean, however, had already fallen partially from the light of reason and when all the others were asleep he stole the silver dinner ware and fled into the night. This act again can be blamed on society for Valjean, realizing that because of his criminal record he would probably never again be able to obtain a job and support himself, saw stealing the silverware as his only choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Had he not been caught and returned to the Bishop, Valjean probably woul... Les Miserables Essay -- essays research papers In his novel, Les Miserables, author Victor Hugo makes a strong statement about society being the cause for evil in man. Les Miserables is based on a poor man, Jean Valjean, who was arrested for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving baby. Valjean is sentenced to 20 years for his crime, and, when he is released, he is shunned for his past, which he has more than paid for. Society turns him out at every turn for his past crime, and will hear no excuses for his deed. With this scenario, Hugo shows the cruelty of a â€Å"civilized† world that would cause a man to suffer unending prejudice for stealing a single loaf of bread to feed a small child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the ill treatment continues, Valjean becomes more and more bitter toward society. He probably would have been pushed too far, and would have lashed out against his aggressors, if he had not been shown kindness by the church. Valjean was taken in by a kindly Bishop, who fed him and offered him a place to stay. Valjean, however, had already fallen partially from the light of reason and when all the others were asleep he stole the silver dinner ware and fled into the night. This act again can be blamed on society for Valjean, realizing that because of his criminal record he would probably never again be able to obtain a job and support himself, saw stealing the silverware as his only choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Had he not been caught and returned to the Bishop, Valjean probably woul...

Supply and Demand of Pepsico

Week 03 Course Paper – Supply and Demand If the price for PepsiCo brands increase so does the supply. This is because as the price increases, PepsiCo has an incentive to supply more to meet the demand. This creates a positive supply curve. If PepsiCo competitors can produce their products for less and sell them for less money, than consumers will start to purchase competitor products as substitutions (Case, Fair, & Oster, 2009). The demand for PepsiCo brands is the price in which consumers are willing to buy at a given price. If the price of Pepsi products stay low and all other things are unchanged then the demand will remain the same or rise. If the price of Pepsi products goes up then demand will go down. PepsiCo is a consumer product company that operates in highly competitive markets and to continue demand for their products they must continue to improve products to offer what the consumer wants. PepsiCo must monitor the market and respond to changes in consumer wants quickly or their competitors will respond first taking away some of the demand for PepsiCo’s products. PepsiCo has several brands that it produces including Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, Quaker, and Gatorade. These brands offer quick snacks and convenience, which has historically been a preference for consumers. PepsiCo is innovating ways to keep foods and snacks convenient while making them healthier. This is in response to consumers wanting healthier options. All of these actions coupled with marketing strategies keep the consumer demand rising for PepsiCo brands (PepsiCo, 2011). There are several substitute products for PepsiCo brands. Such substitutions as Coke for Pepsi, Tropicana Orange juice for Sunkist orange juice, or Gatorade for PowerAde are made when their price is lower than PepsiCo brands. Complementary goods for PepsiCo brands would be Quaker oatmeal and Toast, Mug Root beer and vanilla ice cream, and Aunt Jemima pancakes and Butter. These products are consumed together; however, the same company does not necessarily produce them (PepsiCo, 2011). ? References Case, K. , Fair, R. , & Oster, S. (2009). Principles of Microeconomics (9th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. (Original work published 2002) PepsiCo. (2011). Retrieved January 16, 2012, from http://www. pepsico. com/Index. html

Why Some Cells Commit Suicide

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a naturally occurring process in the body. It involves a controlled sequence of steps in which cells signal self-termination, in other words, your cells commit suicide.   Apoptosis is a way for the  body to keep checks and balances on the natural  cell division  process of mitosis  or continued cell growth and regeneration. Why Cells Undergo Apoptosis There are several instances in which cells may need to self-destruct. In some situations, cells may need to be removed to ensure proper development. For example, as our brains develop, the body creates millions of more cells than it needs; the ones that do not form synaptic connections can undergo apoptosis so that the remaining cells can function well. Another example is the natural process of menstruation that involves the breakdown and removal of tissue from the uterus. Programmed cell death is necessary to start the process of menstruation. Cells may also become damaged or undergo some type of infection. One way to remove these cells without causing harm to other cells is for your body to initiate apoptosis.  Cells may recognize viruses  and gene mutations and can induce death to prevent the damage from spreading. What Happens During Apoptosis? Apoptosis is a complex process. During apoptosis, a cell triggers a process from within that will allow it to commit suicide. If a cell experiences some type of significant stress, such as DNA damage, then signals are released which cause mitochondria to release apoptosis-inducing proteins. As a result, the cell undergoes a reduction in size as its cellular components and organelles break down and condense. Bubble-shaped balls called blebs appear on the surface of the cell membrane. Once the cell shrinks, it breaks down into smaller fragments called apoptotic bodies and sends out distress signals to the body. These fragments are enclosed in membranes so as not to harm nearby cells. The distress signal is answered by vacuum cleaners known as macrophages. The macrophages clean away the shrunken cells, leaving no trace, so these cells have no chance to cause cellular damage or an inflammatory reaction. Apoptosis can also be triggered externally by chemical substances that bind to specific receptors on the cell surface. This is how white blood cells combat infection and activate apoptosis in infected cells. Apoptosis and Cancer Some types of cancers persist as a result of a cells inability to trigger apoptosis. Tumor viruses change cells by integrating their genetic material with the host cells DNA. Cancer cells are usually a permanent insertion in the genetic material. These viruses  can sometimes initiate the production of proteins that stop apoptosis from occurring. An example of this is seen with papilloma viruses, which have been linked with cervical cancer. Cancer cells that do not develop from viral infection can also produce substances that inhibit apoptosis and promote uncontrolled growth. Radiation and chemical therapies are used as a mode of therapy to induce apoptosis in some types of cancers.