Fairy tale story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Fairy tale story - Essay Example the prime minister’s son, the King organizes a contest between the gardener’s son and the prime minister’s son. Thus, both of them are asked to undertake a journey to a far destination and whoever returned first would be given the hands of the princess. On his unpleasant journey to the destination, the gardener’s son helps a woman in rags, with whose support he heals the sultan of another city. In return, he gains the bronze ring which contains a djinni who can grant all his wishes. With the help of this bronze ring, he gains a magnificent sailing ship with goods of gems, gold, etc and attractive sailors on board. When the gardener’s son meets his opponent in distress, he helps him on condition that he would make an imprint upon his back with the bronze ring heated in fire. In the course of the story, the prime minister’s son comes back home first in a ship offered by the gardener’s son and claims the princess as his bride. However, th e gardener’s son soon reaches back to the country in a gold ship who tells that the prime minister’s son is merely a slave to him. When the prime minister’s son denies this, the gardener’s son shows the trademark of his bronze ring on the back of the prime minister’s son.

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay Example for Free

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay The key to a good book is a great plot. The plot determines all the events in the story, from the first word, down to the last period. Ernest Hemingway is considered as a giant in the literary world. His book, A Farewell to Arms is a testament to his literary genius. A Farewell to Arms seems at first to be a love story. It is, but most importantly, the novel is a story about war, and the tragedy it brings. In his work, Freylag’s pyramid of narrative structure is clearly shown. Exposition The novel opens with a description of the place where the main character, Frederic Henry or simply called â€Å"Tenente† stayed. He is the narrator of the story. Hemingway illustrates late summer giving details like falling leaves turning into dust. Troops marching and flashes of fighting in the mountains create an atmosphere of doom to the reader. Hemingway prepares the setting by making a contrast of peace in nature and the disturbance brought about by the soldiers; a smaller picture of the bigger chaos that nations are facing in war. The characters are also established early in the novel. The narrator is an American volunteer ambulance driver. In the early part of the novel, he is introduced by a friend to Catherine Barkley, who is the focal point of Henry’s love in the story. Both are the main characters of the story. Others include, Rinaldi, the friend who introduced Henry and Catherine. A typical Italian male. The priest, Helen Ferguson, and other ambulance drivers also make up the characters that made World War I alive for the reader. Rising Action The novel is divided into five books. In the first book, Henry and Catherine are introduced and their relationship begins. The next few books follow the injury of Henry, and his growing relationship with Catherine while convalescing in a hospital in Milan, far from the action. Catherine becomes pregnant and Henry was forced to go back to the front, leaving her. Upon coming back, a retreat was ordered, were all officers were killed but Henry was able to escape. He was marked as a deserter and having found Catherine, travelled by boat to Switzerland. Here, Henry and Catherine lived a quiet life until she goes into labor. All these events, consist of the bulk of the novel. Hemingway had set many problems for Henry and Catherine. He wanted to show that Henry as a hero, was always stoic in adversities. Catherine’s burden started upon being pregnant but was not too much dwelled upon by Hemingway until the final book of the novel. Several conflicts were shown by Hemingway. The most apparent was Henry’s struggle with the tragedies of war. Henry’s friend was shot to death by Italians upon retreat; the killing spree of officers; Henry’s life as a deserter; the difficult escape to Switzerland by a rowboat . All these were the trials of Henry during the war, and what is ironic is that, he wasn’t in danger of the enemy, but of his comrades, of the soldiers that he had been fighting at the same side. These conflicts build up, highlighting the biggest conflict, the Climax. Climax Upon Henry and Catherine’s successful escape to Switzerland, Catherine goes into labor. The labor is long and painful for Catherine. After a Cesarean operation, the baby is stillborn; and Catherine haemorrages and dies. The Climax is the culmination of events which create the peak of the conflict. The above-mentioned scene is considered as the climax because, after all the efforts of Henry and Catherine went through to be together, all has been wasted in Catherine’s death. Falling Action After Catherine died, Henry was left alone with the doctor. He feels helpless and doesn’t want any gestures of comfort. The offers of the doctor to bring him to his hotel fell on deaf ears. After the peak of the climax, events that follow constitute the falling action. In his novel, Hemingway skillfully illustrates the unbearable grief and emptiness left upon the passing away of a loved one. The downward slide of Freylag’s pyramid accurately shows the feeling of the main character upon losing his love. Denoument The conclusion as its name suggests brings an end to the story. In A Farewell to Arms, after Henry went out and left the hospital, he walked back to the hotel in the rain. It is a sad ending that leaves a heavy heart to the reader. The novel is concluded by the image of Henry walking in rain. Rain usually represents gloom and sadness. In his conclusion, Hemingway shows the main character, the hero, no longer stoic but very much in pain. Works Cited Hemingway, Henry. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1957. Print.

Analysis of Shell Oil Company

Analysis of Shell Oil Company Shannon Davison Abstract Companies face a number of opportunities and challenges in as far as their growth is concerned. An analysis of the Shell Oil Company reveals a number and therefore a consideration of the same in their strategies is necessary. This paper looks at a number of issues surrounding this company in as far as its performance as a business is concerned. The Analysis of Shell Oil Company One of the household names across many countries of the word when it comes to oil and oil products is the Shell Oil Company. Undeniably, Shell Oil Company is one of the largest oil multinational companies controlling huge market share not only in the United States of America, but the world as well. The Shell Oil Company which is a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch origins is headquartered in Houston, Texas (Pirog, 2007). Shell Oil Company together with its consolidated and equity companies is arguably the America’s largest producer of natural gas and oil. Besides production, Shell Oil Company markets natural gas and gasoline as well as petrochemicals. In the United States of America, Shell Oil Company significantly contributes to economic growth and development not only due to the large market spectrum and production, but job creation as well. This is because the company has absorbed approximately 22, 000 employees in the U.S America are approximately 22, 000 Shell Oil Company emp loyees in the U.S. of America (Pirog, 2007). This paper provides a descriptive analysis of Shell Oil Company in relation to production, marketing competitiveness and challenges affecting the energy sector. Roles of the Firm Apart from its normal business of selling oil and oil products, Shell Oil Company and its subsidiaries participate in various community development initiatives, environmental mitigation initiatives both in the United States of America and the subsidiary countries. This acts in their favour in terms of making their presence within the communities they work more significant and relevant. Furthermore, they are able to meet their moral obligation of ensuring that the communities they work with are at home doing business with them. For instance, Shell initiates environmental conservation programs in vulnerable oil producing nations including but not limited to Niger Delta and Nigeria (Pirog, 2007). The programs facilitate the restoration of degraded environmental ecosystems. This is in tune with what is going around across many other organizations and individuals who are out to ensure that the environment is kept safe from degradation in order to promote human life. The initiatives theref ore promote environmental conservation stewardships and biodiversity through sensitization, research activities and reduction of pollutants. On the other hand, the company provides competitive global transport fuel to 10 million customers daily. The customers are served through the 44,000 fuel stations spread in over 70 countries of operations. Equally, Shell’s products and services are designed to fulfill various business needs, encompassing chemicals to shipping and construction to aviation industries among others. Overall, Shell is a globalised group of energy and petrochemicals companies producing, marketing and enhancing sustainable environmental conservations. Globally, the company has employed approximately 92, 000 people in more than 70 subscribing countries and territories (Rexler, 2010). Moreover, Shell Oil Company has significantly capitalized on the technological advancements in bid to foster innovative approaches for sustainable energy production and marketing. However, the Shell Oil Company has also experienced challenges in equal measure in bid to accomplish the outlined goals and objectives. Therefo re, the newly appointed CEO Ben van Beurden in together with the company’s top management team brainstorm on potential solutions to the problems affecting the company and its subsidiaries. Among the challenges that they have to wrestle with include the stiff competition that is mounting up day after day, suppressive environmental and other policies given the nature of the problems that the company is dealing in, availability of alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind which is a threat to the marketability of its products, political and legal challenges within the countries they work in and cultural challenges, among others. Shell’s Recent Past Supply and Demand Impacts Although Shell Oil Company has greatly influenced global Oil production and marketing as well as transport, construction and aviation industries, but the last four decade-scenarios technically put the giant company in jeopardy. Hennchen (2011) attributes this to emerging issues in global oil trends as far as production, competitive product sales and marketing (136). Shell Oil Company and its subsidiaries use these scenarios in projecting future trends in relation current and emerging challenges. The projections underpin insightful outlines of the company’s future growth and development strategies. The scenarios have actually been into play since the early 1970s aimed at forecasting the future demand of refinery sectors. Ideally, Shell Oil Company among other players has been significantly affected by the inevitable changing global trends in economic status, population, geopolitics, climatic changes and resource stressors. The World over, there is a global economic liberation t aking shape thus the increasing demand of energy. Increasing number of developing countries is an implication of growing demand of Oil and oil products. To this effect, dwindling crude oil stocks in the producing countries has significantly affected global supply of the commodity. Moreover, the situation was fanned by the intrigues emanating from Oil Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) union. On the other hand, global climatic change has negatively affected oil production and refinery processes. Climatic changes eventually leads to global warming caused by significant rise in temperatures as well industrial gasses emission into the atmosphere (Rexler, 2010). Many oil producing countries are greatly predisposed to environmental degradation owing to poor harvesting methods and greenhouse gas emissions among other factors. For instance the Nigerian based Shell has been accused of indulging into fraudulent and corruptible deals thereby negatively affecting the performance. Major stakeholders in the vital commodity have therefore been compelled into adopting strategic development analysis. Therefore, stakeholders have prompted all the stakeholders concerned with the vital commodity into making strategic planning and development for a favorable business environment. The External Review Committee proposed various strategies to revive the economically vital sector (Uytrecht, 2013). Two energy scenarios are apparently at the foreplay namely; the scramble and unrest in oil producing countries hence less attention to better policies, probably until the supply would have tightened. Secondly, there is likelihood of outlined blueprints to address economic challenges in relation to energy, security and environmental pollutions. Basically, this could easily be facilitated by clean energy development technologies, carbon dioxide sequestration and trade and financial incentives to player countries thus reduced environmental degradation. Such initiatives would definitely enhance sustainable growth and development both in energy sector and industrial expansion. The strategies would h elp in tackling the World’s dwindling oil stocks which eventually might affect the Shell’s production levels. Today, Saudi Arabia is apparently unwilling to disclose to the world the total value of her exploitable crude oil despite having prior insinuation that it has the largest active oil fields. Definitely, Shell Oil Company depends on a seemingly depleted stock from Mexico, Cantrell and the U. S of American oil reserves among others (Sperling and Gordon, 2009). Poor cooperation amongst the oil producing countries coupled with high cost of extraction and high demand from developing nations result into global oil disaster. In addition to these, adverse policies among countries involved and unfavorable political atmospheres are also a great hindrance. Shell Market Share and the Price elasticity of Demand Price elasticity of demand (PED) is defined as the economic responsiveness of how the quantity of goods or services demanded changes in relation to the prices. The price elasticity of demand is usually affected by several factors, including time, availability of substitute, nature of commodity, uses of goods/services among others (Pirog, 2007). Similarly, the price elasticity of Shell Oil company products and services are dependent on the aforementioned factors. Given the structural changes in the world oil markets in the last ten years, the competitiveness of oil and its products have significantly influenced the balance between supply and demand. There is an apparent increase in oil supply emanating from unconventional oil reserves hence less elasticity of Shell Oil products. The price elasticity of Oil and oil products become elastic when a small change in prices produces a large change in demand. Shell Oil Company, one of the major players of oil and petrochemical products in not only the United States of America, but in the world greatly influences the price elasticity of demand of the vital commodity. The Shell’s profit margins are affected by the price elasticity of demand since costs usually change with the sales. At elastic price, the demanded shell products and services can be obtained by reducing price thereby raising sales. The company would therefore make remarkable returns through the economies of scales. The global change in oil production over the last four decades has significantly affected the price elasticity of demand. The price elasticity of commodities tends to fall over prolonged time duration. The â€Å"price inelasticity of oil and oil products over a short period of time could be attributed to high prices† (Sperling and Gordon, 2009). However, the elasticity would gradually become elastic in the long run following strategic planning and regulative mechanisms. To that effect, sustainable global oil production could easily be achieved by adopting modern technological advancements in refining and marketing crude oil as proposed by the ERC. On the other hand, highly competitive products are usually less affected by the price elasticity of demand. This is because the products would remain in high demand despite the presence of substitute goods and services from other companies. Additionally, the price elasticity of oil products can easily be affected by a reduction in the consumption of such goods and services, perhaps owing to economic downtown and loss of jobs. To that effect, the price e lasticity of Shell Oil company products and services has been significantly affected by the economic meltdown in the Euro zone and the U.S. of American economic recession. The presence of OPEC in the market could also influence the price elasticity of demand owing to stringent measures. Although oil and oil products are usually less elastic due to relatively marginalized choices, but there are sometimes when the price elasticity of demand become vulnerable owing to global economic situation and trends in the production (Rexler, 2010). However, natural gas is rarely affected by the price elasticity of demand because it barely has alternatives. Petrol and other oil products that many consumers use are also least affected by the price elasticity of demand. The Costs of production Today, the world’s increasing demand in oil is attributed to fast developing economies as occasioned in China and India. Industrialization process basically implies increased consumption of energy thus oil products. Pirog (2007) argues that developed countries are yet to â€Å"change their oil consumption habits† despite the global changing trends in oil supply (14). Therefore, several factors come into play to affect the cost of producing oil in different countries. For instance, varying cost of extracting crude oil in different counties greatly influences companies’ capacity to efficiently produce high quality and cheap oil products. In the United States of America, the federal government usually provides production patents to major players in the oil industry. Ultimately, Oil companies with production patents greatly influence the prices of oil hence the production costs. The price of oil products in some parts of the U.S. of America has been a function of domestic crude oil production, for instance in North and South Cushing. Consequently, the average cost of one barrel of crude oil basically fluctuates at around $101.50 thus the prevailing situations in Cushing. In fact, this is a measure of local production in relation to average pipeline inflow capacity per day. On the other hand, the updated crude oil cost in Oklahoma depicts a tightening regional demand thereby outstripping the supply. However, the cost of crude oil is likely to remain unpredictable until the completion of the American-Canadian Keystone XL pipeline project in 2016 or 2017 (Rexler, 2010). The global demand in oil and technological advancements also affect the cost of producing oil. The OPEC’s strategic planning and policies predetermine the global oil production costs hence the prevailing prices. Although the counties subscribing to OPEC control about 80% of the world’s oil reserves, but they only produce a third owing to high cost of extraction. The unprecedented failure of OPEC to effectively strategized oil production cost has significantly impacted on global oil prices. The cost of oil production is also influenced by the availability and cost of water. Competitive Advantage and Entry Barriers Shell Oil Company and its subsidiaries enjoy remarkable portion of the world’s oil market owing to its competitive advantage over other oil producing companies. The recent ERC report describes Shell’s strategic plans in addressing production and marketing issues currently facing the energy sector (Sperling and Gordon, 2009). Shell’s active involvement in environmental conservation, community development initiatives and strategic planning basically give the company a cutting edge over other oil producing companies. According to ERC, Shell’s production and sales has significantly increased owing to the competitive brands of oil products released into the market. In addition, Shell’s top management embraces collaboration thus business integration. Shell closely works with research institutions, NGOs and other companies to plan and strategize for a sustainable oil production and marketing across the world. The sustainable oil production requires technologically innovative ways of extracting and processing crude oil to meet market’s growing demand for oil and oil products. Alternatively, business patent apparently enjoyed by the Shell Oil Company puts it on a better position than other oil producing companies. This is because politics usually take center stage in influencing business laws and policies. In addition, business patents usually bar new business ventures from getting into the market thereby hindering free and fair business completion. There are other business barrier s controlling the restricting competitive venture into energy sector (Uytrecht, 2013). For instance, large startup capital as well as resource ownership usually limit the number of businesses in the vital energy sector. The federal government of the United States of America issue patents, copy ownership and restriction waivers only after the fulfillment prerequisite terms and conditions set up in laws and regulations. The market segment exposed at the oil production and marketing could thus be described by the monopolistic structure (Uytrecht, 2013). This is owed to the barriers imposed by the major oil payers in collaboration with federal government of the U.S. of America. Therefore, Shell Oil Company apparently enjoys oil business patents thus the exclusive right to use, sell, develop and explore more energy resources, preferably through research. Shell Product Substitutes According to the case study, the majority of clients usually find no difference in motor oils hence minimal alternatives. However, critical analysis reveals various differences in motor oils based on the manufacturers’ standards and performances (Hennchen, 2011). Informed customers may therefore prefer one oil product to another based on the combustion rate, additive content and uses. Oil and oil products have fewer substitutes despite significant variations in customers’ distinctive preferred properties. For example, propane has been extensively used in almost 200,000 vehicles in the United States of America. However, propane is not considered a good substitute for gasoline since it is harvested as a byproduct when refining natural gas and petroleum (Uytrecht, 2013). Alternatively, hydrogen has been proposed as a possible replacement for gasoline thus alleviates the already strained energy sector. Similarly, ethanol has been proposed for use in Brazil and the United St ates of America to provide alternative fuel energy source. In conclusion, Shell Oil Company plays a significant role in the production and marketing of oil and oil products not only in the U.S. of America, but also globally. Being present in a number of countries across the world, its business is of high value and is therefore expected to meet different opportunities and challenges at the same time. As such, both the opportunities and challenges need to be met with a number of heightened strategies in order to deal continue running a profitable business. Apart from the core business, Shell Oil Corporation actively participates in making strategic planning and development programs. The strategies would help in solving various challenges currently impacting on the vital energy sector. Eventually, the sector would register an effective, efficient and sustainable global oil production, marketing and environmental health. As has been seen in the analysis, corporate social responsibility is also a key consideration that this company needs to keep to speed with as it is happening given the numerous advantages that it is bound to reap from the same. There are different challenges that this company is facing and these can be tagged on both external and internal factors. References Hennchen, E. (2011). The role of oil mayors in supporting sustainable peace and development in Nigeria: the case of Royal Dutch Shell. Barcelona: School for a Culture of Peace (UAB): Institute for Social Innovation (ESADE), 1(2), 133-145. Pirog, R. (2007). The Role of National Oil Companies in the International Oil Market. CRS Report for Congress, 1-20. Rexler J. (2010). Beyond the oil curse: Shell, State power, and environmental regulations in the Niger Delta. Stanford Journal of International Relations, 12 (1), 1-6. Sperling, D. Gordon, D. (2009). Two billion cars: Driving toward sustainability. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Uytrecht, M. U. (Ed). (2013). Transforming refinery economics technology and catalysts to maximize margins. Shell Global Solutions, 1 (3), 1-16.

Implications of Research on Bilingual and Polyglot Aphasia :: Essays Papers

Implications of Research on Bilingual and Polyglot Aphasia Research conducted on bilingual and polyglot aphasics has brought interest into the field of linguistics mainly because of its contribution to L2 research, especially in providing explanations for the organization of distinct languages in the brain. Since there exists such a variation between individual cases, the most important thing to come out of this research is a set of factors involved in these aphasia cases as well as theories emerging from research. Some of these factors include: the language environment in which the aphasic recovers, influence of the L1, language mixing, brain lateralization for language, and the question of whether structurally similar languages follow a similar pattern of deficits and recovery. The main pathological implication—determining what is missing or misplaced inside a bilingual or polyglot aphasic’s brain—also shares importance with determining how different languages are structured in the brain. The history of research on bilingual aphasia into the 20th century begins with the work of two Frenchmen at the end of the 19th century by the names of Ribot and Pitres. Ribot wrote his paper, Les maladies de la memoire, in 1881 (Lebrun 12). Pitres, using seven polyglot aphasic patients as the basis for his work, published Etude sur l’aphasie des polyglottes in 1895 (Lebrun 11). Ribot’s conclusion about recovery in polyglot aphasics is known as Ribot’s rule, which basically states that L1 will recover more than any L2’s. Pitres’ rule, built off of Ribot’s, takes a different approach in saying that the language used most often â€Å"pre-morbidly†(i.e. before the onset of aphasia) is the one which will be regained the fullest, irregardless of that language being an L1 or L2. Various individual cases have cropped up which match both theories, so further research has attempted to explain variances in recovery of specific languages through other means. Also, after Pitres, the research focus became more one of examining deficits in syntax and morphology in an attempt to explain brain construction, and less of an analysis of â€Å"interesting language recovery† in these patients. Examining Theoretical Issues Another important component of the study of polyglot aphasia came with the distinction between compound and co-ordinate bilingualism, as examined by Lambert and Fillenbaum (1959). Although the state of being a â€Å"bilingual† is a hazy one, the distinction between the two concepts comes with the context of acquisition.

The Trail of Tears Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

The Trail of Tears I walked into the room on New Year’s Day and felt a sudden twinge of fear. My eyes already hurt from the tears I had shed and those tears would not stop even then the last viewing before we had to leave. She lay quietly on the bed with her face as void of emotion as a sheet of paper without the writing. Slowly, I approached the cold lifeless form that was once my mother and gave her a goodbye kiss. I looked around at everyone in the room and saw the sorrow in their eyes. My eyes first fell on my grandmother, usually the beacon of strength in our family. My grandmother looked as if she had been crying for a very long period of time. Her face looked more wrinkled than before underneath the wild, white hair atop her head. The face of this once youthful person now looked like a grape that had been dried in the sun to become a raisin. Her hair looked like it had not been brushed since the previous day as if created from high wispy clouds on a bright sunny day. Being my twin, Dylan gave me a slight look into what I looked like at the present time. The area around my brother’s eyes looked as though he was having a bad day with allergies. His face was as grim as a gargoyle’s, its stone eyes reflecting forever the scream that would never issue forth from its throat. Gazing upon my sister, it was as though she had been replaced by her complete opposite. Where once her face had been covered with smiles all of the time, her face was now contorted with grief, and it looked like she would never smile again. Her look could only be described as a small child who has lost a toy in the sand box. The machines to my right gave a loud hum as they continued to monitor my mother’s heartbeat, pulse,... ...that the body was in, once the contents of the room left, the room was no longer important. Once the room was empty, we no longer wanted to be there or associated with it. The same goes for the body; it was not that we really needed the body but the soul that was contained therein. The body was wanted but not really of great importance because of what was gone. Therefore, the lesson was that the body was a container for the soul and not all that important. If we had no need for the body to be happy, then the soul was what made us happy. We did not need the body and were reminded that the soul went on to another place which gave us reason to stop grieving and move on with our lives. Works Cited: Mckay, D. (2004, February 20). I ask myself why? Post Poems.com Retrieved February 21, 2004, from http://www.postpoems.com/ cgibin/displaypoem.cgi?pid=304934

Little Women Essay -- Literary Analysis, Louisa May Alcott

â€Å"Captured the nuances that still move me to laugh and cry† (Delamar xiii). Louisa May Alcott is such a wonderful woman who was known not only as a great writer, but also a fighter for justice and advocate of human rights. No matter how many difficulties Louisa faced in her life, she had succeeded in achieving her dream. She wrote one of the greatest books of her era, Little Women. She participated in anti-slavery activities, and was a non-official feminist. She worked hard for fans and neither for fame nor money. Louisa May Alcott is example for all of the people in the world. Louisa May Alcott was born in a poor but full of love family. She grew up with the kindness of her father and loveliness of her mother. Louisa May Alcott’s father was a writer, and a great influence on her. Her mother was a pioneer in the women’s suffrage and abolitionist movement. Louisa showed interest in writing when she was the child. She used her father’s dictionary and philosophy book to study when no one saw (Delamar 3-5). Her family moved many times, and only when she got fourteen, she had her first personal room (Shealy xix). Louisa May Alcott and her three sisters got education at home by her father. In spite of her poor and hard life, she tried to overcome hardships. When Louisa May Alcott turned seventeen, she was such a beautiful woman, who was tall and charming. She had great blue eyes and brown hair. However, she would never get married because she thought that a woman could take care of herself without a man’s supports (Delamar 34). Because of her difficult life, she began to work at an early age. She worked as a governess, a seamstress, and a teacher. When she was fifteen, she taught some of her younger playmates. During her teaching and... ... appetite, and all her sicknesses teased her, she continued work. She was not able to write by her right hand, but she forced herself to learn how to write by her left hand. Louisa May Alcott worked on Jo’s Boys, and she knew that it would be her last story (Delamar 136). On March 4, Louisa May Alcott came to visit her sick father for the last time, and he died on that same day. Two days later, she followed her father without any regret. She left behind a wonderful work; all her books, letters and journals are part of American history (Matteson). In spite of hard life, she achieved everything she wanted. Louisa May Alcott is analogy of perfect and free woman. She proved that hard working can help to achieve dream. People read her book up till now. â€Å"One thing she gained was something she never dreamed of – Louisa May Alcott achieved immortality.† (Delamar 142).

Kalpana Chawla: The First Indian-American Astronaut

‘Kalpana Chawla' ( July 1 , 1961 – February 1 , 2003 ) was an Indian-American astronaut and space shuttle mission specialist of STS-107 ( Columbia ) who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earth's atmosphere . Early Life Chawla was born in Karnal , Haryana , India . Her interest in flight was inspired by J. R. D. Tata , India's first pilot. Education Chawla studied aeronautical engineering at the Punjab Engineering College in 1982 where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. Thereafter she moved to the United States to obtain a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from University of Texas ( 1984 ). Dr. Chawla earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering from University of Colorado in 1988 . That same year she began working for NASA ‘s Ames Research Center . Kalpana Chawla became a naturalized USA citizen, and married Jean-Pierre Harrison, a freelance flying instructor. Chawla held a certified flight instructor's license with airplane and glider ratings, and has commercial pilot's licenses for single and multiengine land and seaplanes. NASA Career Dr. Chawla entered NASA's astronaut program in 1994 and was selected for flight in 1996 . Chawla's first mission to space began on November 19 , 1997 as part of the 6 astronaut crew that flew the Space Shuttle Columbia Flight STS-87 . Chawla was the first Indian-born woman in space, as well as the first Indian-American in space. (She was the second person from India to fly into space, after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma who went into space in 1984 in a Soviet spacecraft. ) On her first mission Chawla travelled over 6. million miles in 252 orbits of the earth, logging more than 375 hours in space. During STS-87, she was responsible for deploying the Spartan Satellite which malfunctioned forcing two other astronauts to go on a spacewalk to capture the solar satellite. A five-month NASA investigation blamed the error on the flight crew and ground control. She was fully exonerated (although this did not stop some reporters from making direspectful comments about her involvement in the mishap in the days after her death in the explosion of the final Columbia mission). After being selected for a second flight, Chawla lived at the Lyndon B Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas , undergoing extensive training. Chawla's mission got delayed in July 2002 when NASA engineers identified three cracks on the shuttle's second engine's liquid hydrogen flow liner. Over six months later the shuttle was cleared and she returned to space in the ill-fated STS-107 mission. Chawla was dedicated to the scientific goals of SPACEHAB/FREESTAR microgravity research mission, for which the crew conducted nearly 80 experiments studying earth and space science, advance technology development, and astronaut health and safety. Personal Characteristics Chawla was a strict vegetarian . On her mission, she carried a white silk banner as part of a worldwide campaign to honor teachers, as well as nearly two dozen CDs, including ones by Abida Parveen , Yehudi Menuhin , Ravi Shankar , and Deep Purple . She went to her first rock concert, a Deep Purple show, in 2001 with her husband. â€Å"Kalpana is not necessarily a rock music aficionado,† her husband said of a Deep Purple show they went to in 2001. â€Å"But (she) nevertheless characterized the show as a ‘spiritual experience. † The administrator for the Hindu temple in Houston where Chawla attended when her schedule permitted said â€Å"She was a nice lady †¦ and very pious. â€Å"DeathKalpana Chawla died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster which occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, with the loss of all seven crew members, shortly before it was s cheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107. Memoria Shortly after her last mission, India renamed its first weather satellite ‘Kalpana-1' in her honor. She died a hero and a role-model for many young women, particularly those in her hometown of Karnal where she periodically returned to encourage young girls to follow in her footsteps. Her brother, Sanjay Chawla , remarked â€Å"To me, my sister is not dead. She is immortal. Isn't that what a star is? She is a permanent star in the sky. She will always be up there where she belongs. â€Å"