Cognitive Ability free essay sample

Any company needs a system of control and measurement. This is all the more true in the food industry, wherein the expected output is not only about taste or profitability, but also on several factors that could cause a multitude of praise or problems such as quality of service, effective controls, innovative product mix, brand image, etc (Profitable Tips For All Restaurant Owner, by Kevin Moll). Although the restaurant operations group, central office, administrative support, and upper management are all expected to be calibrated and to work in harmony, this type of business requires a funnel point, or local management whose role to act remotely on behalf of, but in full calibration with, upper management in terms of policy implementation, achieving store targets, local marketing, and other operational tasks. This funnel point is the Restaurant Manager (Ninemeier, Jack D. ; Hayes, David K. (2006). Restaurant Operations Management: Principles and Practices. Upper Saddle River, N. J: Pearson Prentice Hal). In recent years, it has been a recurring problem of the Shakey’s Philippines operations team that some of the Restaurants have not been meeting its target Quality, Service, Cleanliness, and Hospitality (QSCH) Score and Profitability Goals (Based on the 2012 Audit Scores). Although several initiatives have been rolled out to coach each employee’s performance, the consistency of the store’s QSCH scores and the achievement of target profitability have been directly linked with the performance of the respective Restaurant Manager (Store QSCH Score is included in Restaurant Manager’s total Performance Appraisal rate). Although coaching initiatives and continuous improvement programs have been launched and maintained, the problem resurfaces when attrition happens. Whether the attrition is expected or unexpected, the fact is that new talent coming in, either from the outside or from within, will always face the same pitfalls and challenges, plus problems that have been newly developed or caused by the failure of the previous local management handling the store; this causes the aforementioned coaching and continuous improvement initiatives to be re-implemented and relearned, ending and beginning this loop again with attrition, even slowing down the effectiveness of improvement initiatives. The process of learning and relearning, which is highly dependent on the Restaurant Managers’ cognitive ability, makes the difference when dealing with this loop(Schmidt, Hunter, and Outerbridges (l986)  causal model of job performance); it defines how much the Restaurant and, consequentially, the store itself can progress from the loop and continuously improve on its operational performance. This study aims to understand the significance and relation of the Restaurant Managers’ cognitive ability on the achievement of store objectives, and to address such problems. Background of the study Schmidt, Hunter, and Outerbridge’s causal model of job performance suggests that cognitive ability is the most important cause of job performance and that the relationship between ability and performance is stable over time (Development of a Causal Model of Processes Determining Job Performance, Frank L Schmidt and John E. Hunter). Though there is a lack of studies that specifically discusses the impact or effect of Restaurant Managers’ cognitive ability on the store performance, the scope of the universal model developed by Schmidt, Hunter, and Outerbridge could be used for restaurant industry. There are three factors to consider, before discussing the relationship between the Restaurant Managers’ cognitive ability and the performance of the stores the Managers respectively handle: 1. The Restaurant Manager’s Duties and Responsibilities needed to be accomplished, as well as targets to be achieved; 2. The Restaurant Manager’s Personal and Technical Competencies needed prior to placing any candidate, external or internal, into this position; 3. The current average and modal store performance in a given sample population versus the scores of the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) tests taken by the Restaurant Managers who run the stores in the sample population. The first two factors are found in the Restaurant Manager’s Job Description, which differs from company to company, while the third factor will be based on actual data from the sample population within a prescribed performance appraisal period alongside the last known IQ test scores of the respective Restaurant Managers. The first two factors are what will be used to describe, respectively, the current deliverables expected from all Restaurant Managers, and who the ideal Restaurant Manager should be as well as the capabilities in running store operations effectively. From the analysis of this information we can further elaborate the significance of measuring cognitive ability for prospective Restaurant Managers for screening purposes, as well as current Restaurant Managers for continuous improvement and internal screening purposes. The third factor shall be used to analyze the current relationship between the Restaurant Managers’ cognitive ability and their respective store’s performance. The analysis will include possible trends to further reinforce or debunk any possible relationships. Objectives of the study †¢ To identify the relationship of Restaurant Managers’ cognitive ability and achievement of store objectives †¢ To determine the acceptable level of applicant’s IQ in hiring or promoting Restaurant Managers †¢ To recommend either changes or retention in assessment tools to accurately determine the cognitive ability of prospective Restaurant Managers Significance of the study This study, if used in similar contexts, may be used as follows: †¢ To improve company selection processes, either to reinforce or debunk current practices of measuring job applicants’ Intelligence Quotients; †¢ To create more focused people development strategies, either more or less focus on increasing employees’ cognitive abilities; †¢ To reinforce or debunk the relevance of cognitive abilities on employees’ job performance, to gauge employees’ and applicants’ capabilities to take on certain responsibilities; and †¢ To properly plan and create succession plans and manpower requests within organizations. Scope and limitations For the purpose of this study, the Job Description, performance data, and IQ test scores to be studied will be those of the Restaurant Managers of company-owned Shakey’s branches, covering Manila areas only. It shall not include data from Franchisee-owned branches and the Restaurant Managers running these branches. This study shall also cover data from Restaurant Managers who have run their respective, company-owned stores for at least one year. This is to ensure the integrity of the data, and factor out possible cultural and functional adjustment periods brought about by new-hire status, lack of experience of newly-promoted Managers, newly-built store locations, and other similar scenarios. As such, data from Restaurant Managers of company-owned stores within the sample population whose tenure is less than the period prescribed in this study shall not be included. The IQ test results to be considered shall be those taken using the proprietary internally-developed IQ test only, and will not include results from any previous IQ tests. It must be noted that this test is used on all Restaurant Managers screened either for hiring or for promotion within all locations of Shakey’s Philippines, and its norms have been based on the current manpower of the company, across all levels and departments. Therefore, this IQ test is, for the purpose of this study, valid. Convenient Sampling Method shall be used for this study, both due to logistical limitations, as well as evening-out the sample population. It should also be noted that this study shall also take into context several factors that could have an effect on the success or failure of any given establishment aside from the Restaurant Manager’s cognitive ability, such as personal competencies, values, and the working experience of the Restaurant Manager. Whichever outcome and results may arise, this study does not denote that the store’s performance is solely or definitively dependent on the Restaurant Manager’s cognitive ability. The definition of Cognitive Ability is taken from Dr. Pascale Michelon, (Author of Max Your Memory and the Founder of Memory Practice). Cognition is how a person understands the world; it is a set of abilities, skills, or processes that are part of nearly human action. Cognitive abilities are the brain-based skills we need to carry out any task, from the simplest to the most complex. Dr. Michelon states that cognitive ability has more to do with the mechanisms of how we learn, remember, solve problems, and pay attention rather than with any actual knowledge. It refers to the individual’s capacity to comprehend, think, reason and solve problems (What is a Cognitive Ability/What are Cognitive Abilities and Skill, 2006). The hospitality sector is known to have the highest employee turnover rate among all other industries (The Economic Times, Highest Attrition in Hospitality and Aviation Sectors Survey, April 2012). The Human Resources (HR) departments of companies in this sector are required to hire talents who can adjust immediately to their new working environment and possess the ability to learn, continue, and finish the tasks left by the person previously holding the vacated post in the soonest possible time, with minimal training and supervision provided (Copyright 2003-2006  www. iBizResources. com). This also holds true in Shakey’s Philippines where Restaurant Managers leave the company either for opportunities outside the country or because of better offers from competitors. Shakey’s Philippines has an estimated 8% turnover rate for the Restaurant Manager employees in 2012 (Data Collected from Shakey’s HROD). Given this situation, it is important for Shakey’s Philippines, as with any other company facing similar dilemmas, to implement programs and initiatives that will counter the negative effects of this attrition. To better understand the impact of a Restaurant Manager on an organization in the Food industry, analysis of the Restaurant Manager’s job scope is needed. The main duties and responsibilities of a Restaurant Manager of Shakey’s Philippines are as follows: 1. Oversee overall operations of the restaurant including personnel management, stocks and inventory management, maintenance management and other administrative function 2. Develop and implement Local Store Marketing strategies, and ensure proper implementation of company wide marketing promotions 3. Ensure proper implementation and compliance to company controls and standards 4. Solve problems and decide on critical issues concerning but not limited to customer complaints, employee related conflicts, administrative cases, store accidents, decreasing sales due to strong competition, equipment breakage, delayed delivery of raw materials, etc. 5. People Development For Restaurant Managers to effectively carry out these responsibilities, certain abilities are required to be identified in prospective internal and external candidates. The Qualifications and Skills of a Restaurant Manager of Shakey’s Philippines are as follows: 1. Ability to set goals and implement sales building initiatives to ensure achievement of the target sales 2. Ability to use benchmarking and trade area awareness as analysis tools. Can analyze sales trends and performance. a. Has the ability to identify business opportunities within his trade areas b. Has the ability to study competitors within his areas and implement improvements to ensure his store is at par with his competitors, c. Is constantly calibrated with the best practices of the industry, which are to be implemented and practiced in the respective store 3. Ability to plan, direct, monitor, organize, control the restaurant financial resources. a. Has the ability to conduct profit and loss analysis and easily spot discrepancies in financial reports. b. Can determine factors affecting contributing to high cost efficiently. c. Can implement action plans and preventive measures to ensure a sound operational cost d. Can manage restaurant cost to acceptable level, and can create ways and means in managing cost. 4. Can implement and monitor quality standards in the store. Has the ability to consistently achieve an excellent QSCH Audit Result. 5. Ability to develop team capabilities. a. Has the ability to energize and inspire his team, and work towards the common goals. b. Has the ability to train his management team on various restaurant system (inventory, cash control, workforce planning, etc) 6. Ability to develop and implement effective local store marketing that boost sales and build brand 7. Has the ability to develop and implement effective merchandising techniques All these qualifications and skills are most likely to be present in people with higher cognitive abilities, based on Dr. Michelon’s abovementioned definition of cognitive ability. Cognitive ability plays a major role in learning new systems and operations, as well as making correct actions in each problematic situation that people encounter at their respective workplace. This particular ability helps newly hired employees perform well in their recently acquired roles, enabling them to hit the ground running (Development of Causal Model of Processed Determining Job Performance, Frank L Schmidt, John E. Hunter). Schmidt, Hunter, and Outerbridge’s Causal Model of job performance suggests that cognitive ability is the most important cause of job performance; that it is the primary determinant of job performance, and that the influence of this ability either remains stable or increases over time. Further analysis has suggested that cognitive ability retains its influence on the employee well-past the initial stage of employment, when incumbents are learning how o do their jobs, and is still a major contributing factor for job performance measurement among more senior job incumbents. Cognitive ability enables incumbents to acquire and apply job knowledge, and is also related to the employee’s ability to solve novel problems and to make appropriate judgement in situations where routine procedures do not apply; this will be most important in situations where the employee must learn new procedures or techniques, or where novel problems or job demands require sound judgement c alls from the employee. It is necessary, then, to hire Restaurant Manager replacements with high levels of intelligence; without the ability to adapt quickly towards their new working environment, new-hires’ and employers alike will be facing problems such as losing profitability to lost opportunity cost. This is especially true in Shakey’s Philippines, as it is so for all restaurant companies, whose profitability is dependent on their Restaurant Managers’ performance.

The Battle Over Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93 and How to Win It

The Battle Over Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93 and How to Win It Ok, I Think I Understand Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93, Now Tell Me About Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93! PayPal is the most frequently used payment gateway, which provides security and effortless processing of payment in many currencies, and offers easy payment option utilizing Debit and Credit cards. Therefore, in the event you already have the PayPal account then it will be more simpler for you to pay us. Total User Interface Our site's system is quite user-friendly, with automatic functions to keep a soothing experience. Our payment system allows you to create a paypal account directly from our site if you don't have one, and that means you need not need to visit several sites and take the headache of preparing numerous accounts. Moreover, our service is entirely legal and legitimate If you're looking for reviews, we've included an open feedback section within the heart of the site. It's the platform from which you are able to leap into your proofs and justifications of your viewpoint. Professional Writing Help Our platform is generated for fast and simple fixes together with long-term guidance. The cost of an essay depends upon the quantity of effort the writer has to exert. Writing and reworking your own writing is the point where the change happens, and it isn't quick, states Blackburn. Birmingham is possibly the most thoroughly segregated city in the usa. David McKenzie did the extraordinary study. Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93 at a Glance You can have each of the excellent ideas on the planet and in the event you can't communicate, nobody will hear them. As you continue to stick to the writing procedure, you will notice how Mariah uses critical reading skills to evaluate her very own prew riting exercises. It's underscored by a lengthy time he has spent to compose The Virtuoso. Actually, there soon appeared lots of `Joke' tunes in country dance collections including Walsh's, of all of the colours of the rainbow. The Appeal of Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93 Clips of the film can be located at Reduser.net. To observe how asking questions will be able to help you opt for a topic, have a look at the subsequent chart that Mariah completed to record her questions and answers. This cover may interest you, and you might consider global warming for a topic. By writing a minimum of twice weekly, it makes a flow. It might not be this year or next calendar year,'' he states. In the long run, the case wasn't pursued further. When at the start of the calendar year, every day and as close to the start of the class as possible. Introducing Essay Writing Jock Mckenzie Page 93 Stereotypes could be accurate or inaccurate. The most important male character in nearly every movie has lots of typical bad boy characteristics. Many elders also exhibit a feeling of calm. Next month, that number might be in half. Since 1999 the amount of homicides increased during four decades. Increase the amount of practicing medical employees and so forth. Increase the amount of persons connected to a main care provider. It gives me a comprehension of how individuals may react upon this certain matter. Terrible Taste is all about aliens that come to earth with the aim of turning humans into food. The lessons from fiction can get an effect on the actual world. Freewriting may not appear to fit your thinking procedure, but keep an open mind. All of us want to continue being young and lovely, but I think aging also has some positive aspects. At the basis of every great conventional satire is an awareness of moral outrage or indignation. It isn't an act of aggression.

Research Paper on Learning Theories Essay Example

Research Paper on Learning Theories Essay Learning theories present the conceptions of learning process. They describe the acquisition, processing, and retaining of information. Learning is an unobservable process of the cognitive structures reorganization. This process aims to acquire new knowledge, skills, attitudes or to alter existing. As a result we have lasting changes in behavior with a purpose of personal accommodation to the environment. The idea of transformative learning theory, being very old, claims that to learn, student must listen, follow, imitate, rehearse and apply. The knowledge taught in schools is presented as an object external to cognition. In addition, the teaching methods are largely designed to facilitate the learning usually in two preferred ways: verbal and visual. Currently, there are three main trends: the transformative learning theory, behaviorism and constructivism. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Learning Theories specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Learning Theories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Learning Theories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer According to behaviorism, learning is a change in behavior caused by stimuli from the environment. Burrhus F Skinner (1904-1990) was an American psychologist who developed this approach and took it as a fundament for his pedagogical practice. Learning can be achieved by the use of rewards called â€Å"positive reinforcement† and punishments called â€Å"negative reinforcement.† This procedure is called â€Å"operant conditioning†. Skinner criticized the traditional teaching methods based mainly on negative reinforcement and suggested replacing them with positive reinforcement. Cognitive psychology that has developed from the 60s, gradually superseded the behaviorist theory. Cognitive psychologists try to understand what happens in the black box of the human psyche. The subject does not merely assimilate raw data: it selects and formats. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) affirmed that in his intellectual development child goes through different stages: sensorimotor intelligence (birth to two years) pre-logical or symbolic intelligence (two years to eight years) concrete operational intelligence (seven years to twelve years) operative or formal intelligence (from twelve), which gives real access to abstraction: a child is able to reason about a problem making assumptions a priori. According to Piaget, this sequence is both genetically determined and depends on the subject’s activity on the environment. For those who writes their research paper on learning theories it is also important to mention historic-cultural approach of Russian psychologist Vygotsky, who believed that thought and consciousness are determined by the activities carried out with congeners determined in a social environment. The researches must also explain the theory of transformative learning, which describes how individual revise and reinterpret meaning. If you are eager to write a first-class research proposal on learning theories you have to study free sample research papers on the subject. They will demonstrate you the structure of proper scientific work and give you an idea how decently present your thoughts on paper. These free examples may be especially useful for the beginners, who are about to write their first research paper. CAUTION! As far as you know all free research paper samples and research proposal examples on Learning Theories are 100% plagiarized!!! At EssayLib.com custom writing service you can order a custom research paper on Learning Theories topics. Your research paper will be written from scratch. We hire top-rated Ph.D. and Master’s writers only to provide students with professional research paper assistance at affordable rates. Each customer will get a non-plagiarized paper with timely delivery. Just visit our website and fill in the order form with all paper details: Enjoy our professional research paper writing service!

Eye Grabber Examples For College Essay Writing

Eye Grabber Examples For College Essay WritingEye grabber examples are almost always needed when you are writing a college essay. It is easy to forget that you are writing for an audience and that you need to come up with ideas that are relevant to the topic. The eye grabber examples will help you make sure that your essay does indeed meet this criteria. These tips will help you get the information that you need to meet the standards for essay writing.Always be on the lookout for ideas that are interesting and not commonplace. Your readers are just as likely to find a new idea in a standard textbook that they have never heard of before. Be creative and do not limit yourself to one particular subject or topic. Always keep in mind that there are many other people reading the same essay that you are, and it is important that you make yours unique.Do not ever choose an essay topic based on the title or first few words of the paper. Remember that the purpose of the essay is to state your opinion on a specific subject or type of person. The students at your college want to read a piece that is relevant to the topic. This is why a big part of the essay is what you choose to write about. It is crucial that you avoid any form of filler words.Look at the topics that you have written about and search for trends or common terms that are used in the entire piece. These types of terms could be eye grabbing for the readers, but you also want to look for a list of questions that might come up after you use them. You can find these questions in your sources, or they can come up in the real world when the reader gets to your essay.The last thing that you want to do is to copy the essay from another source. When you are looking for eye grabber examples, keep in mind that they are abig part of the essay, and you want to make sure that they stand out from the rest of the essay. Find opportunities to take some of the information from other sources and include it in your own writing. It is important that you remember that there are lots of different ways to write a college essay. With that being said, there are still a lot of ways that you can find eye grabber examples. The key is to continue to look for ways that your essay can stand out from the rest of the same type of essay that you are looking at.One of the best sources that you can use to find these ideas is the internet. There are lots of websites and magazines that can offer you great tips and tricks that can help you be able to be a better writer. This is the perfect way to find ideas that you would otherwise not have found. All of these tips and tricks are good for writing a great essay.Finally, remember that it is only through your essay that people will get to know who you are. The essay is the main event, and the eye grabber examples are a vital part of the essay. When you are looking for essay topics, remember that it is not enough to simply read one book or listen to one teacher. You have to take the time to get as much as possible and learn from the experience.

The Best Tips For Writing A One Page College Essay

The Best Tips For Writing A One Page College EssayOne of the keys to a great college essay is to have clear directions. A number of bad essay examples are filled with over the top language and you must avoid these. The best way to do this is to find good college essay examples online, which can be downloaded.Many times a writer will try to cram too much information into one paragraph. They will often fall back on lots of words to describe a subject. One word per paragraph is recommended but you should not rush the piece or try to get it to make sense in one short paragraph.It is important to write out the main point of your essay and then include supporting facts. Most good essay examples will contain some supporting facts that are in line with the main points. The supporting facts should be included after the main point. This helps to provide more depth to the essay.You will find that many college students do not focus enough on their paragraphs. The most important paragraph is the first paragraph. You should also make sure that your paragraph has the best ending possible. If it is not the best ending, it will not be read.Also make sure that your paragraphs are at the same chapter level as your essay. It is OK to go above or below the chapter level. The idea is to keep it within the same general topic.In addition to having the best ending possible, the paragraph should also follow the structure that is used by the essay that you are writing. The essay examples that you find online will tell you how to format your paragraphs. This is very important because it will help to give the reader some direction.Another way to make your paragraphsbetter is to start with an idea. This will give you something to start the paragraph with. You can do this by just describing an idea for a sentence.A paragraph in any essay is simply a sentence. It is your opportunity to express yourself. The best way to do this is to start with a good idea and build on that.

Apps For Writing College Papers

Apps For Writing College PapersThere are many types of apps for writing college papers that a student can use. These include everything from word processors to resources for writing through the internet, to application tools.Writing applications for the first time is scary. But many experienced writers have learned how to use such resources to create websites and the other types of applications that make their writing more effective. Approximating an academic paper with new ideas, templates, and software will help the student to focus on a specific aspect of the subject matter instead of trying to memorize the entire process.Students who are not familiar with any one kind of writing can read different books to find out what they need to do. This will enable them to know what they are going to write about and what type of essay they should write. Many teachers or mentors will also point out certain topics, keywords, and styles that are good for college papers.Writing college papers sh ould be done in a balanced manner. There are many web resources that will allow students to choose from these, or other, writing applications for writing. However, some apps can work very well for writing without the students needing to worry about how it is written. It may simply require being specific in all that they say.The school needs to have a specific type of writer, so this means that the student needs to choose their writing as well. Whether a computer application, a writing app, or an electronic resource, there are many that cater to particular writing styles. It may be helpful to know a bit about this so that they know what kind of apps to look for when looking for college papers to write.Writing with a computer is one option. A number of students have gotten this down to the basics and have been able to utilize such a device to write their papers in a way that is more effective. Another thing to consider is that such an app can take the place of writing out loud. Theref ore, if a student feels that they do not like writing in front of an audience, this may be the answer.The process of creating apps for writing is not too difficult, but it does take some practice. Those who are interested in getting better at this style of writing should join a writing class. They can learn the tools needed to get their writing from one to another.

Great Gatsby Analysis Essays

Great Gatsby Analysis Essays Great Gatsby Analysis Paper Great Gatsby Analysis Paper The descriptions of individual characters and settings convey ethical and moral judgments of a society. In the Great Gatsby, the descriptions of the Eggs, the â€Å"valley of ashes†, Gatsby, and the Buchanans all convey the judgment that the upper class of the society are shallow, empty and hollow and therefore, lacking morals and ethics and because of this, that the American dream has failed as citizens have become obsessed with the material aspect of the American dream rather than the spiritual aspect. Firstly, one of the settings described in the Great Gatsby is the contrast of West and East Egg. The descriptions are highly symbolic and convey that the upper class of the society is lacking in morality and ethics because it has been corrupted by material wealth and power that comes from this wealth. In the novel, West Egg and its citizens represent the newly rich, while East Egg and its citizens represent the old aristocracy. East is symbolic of wealth and corruption, west of morality. In the story, east is symbolic of wealth and the corruption it causes. In the east, having money is having power, and that power corrupts. Indeed, in the east, few truly take responsibility for their actions. Early in the story, Jordan Baker is nearly suggested in the newspapers to have moved her ball from a bad lie in the semi-finals of a golf tournament. Witnesses later said they might have been wrong, no doubt with the encouragement of Jordans money. Also, when Daisy ran into Myrtle, she didn’t stop the car. : In the corrupt East, people don’t take responsibility for their actions. The west, on the other hand, is symbolic for morality. The west was known for its values and its work ethic. Nick refers to the place as the warm center of the world. Nick later talks of the west as the place where â€Å"houses are called by the name of the family†. With all of its morality, the west was still unfashionable, people (eg. Gatsby and Nick) wanted to move to East Egg drawn by the wealth and care-free attitude. However, as Nick says, â€Å"we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly inadaptable to Eastern life. This means that Nick and Gatsby will never get there because they lacked taste. Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich (west eggers) as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and taste. Gatsby, for example, lives in a monstrously ornate, gothic mansion, wears a pink suit, drives a Rolls-Royce, and does not pick up on subtle social signals, such as the insincerity of the Sloane’s’ invitation to lunch. In contrast, the old aristocracy (east eggers) possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and elegance, epitomized by the Buchanan’s’ tasteful home and the flowing white dresses of Daisy and Jordan Baker. What the old aristocracy possesses in taste, however, it seems to lack in heart, as the East Eggers prove themselves careless, inconsiderate bullies who are so used to money’s ability to ease their minds that they never worry about hurting others. The Buchanan’s exemplify this stereotype when, at the end of the novel, they simply move to a new house far away rather than condescend to attend Gatsby’s funeral. Gatsby, on the other hand, whose recent wealth derives from criminal activity, has a sincere and loyal heart, remaining outside Daisy’s window until four in the morning in Chapter VII simply to make sure that Tom does not hurt her. Ironically, Gatsby’s good qualities (loyalty and love) lead to his death, as he takes the blame for killing Myrtle rather than letting Daisy be punished, and the Buchanan’s bad qualities (fickleness and selfishness) allow them to remove themselves from the tragedy not only physically but psychologically. This shows that the upper class of the society has no morals or ethics because they have been corrupted with excessive materialistic wealth. This conveys the materialistic excesses the 1920s and the decline of the American dream. Secondly, the road from West Egg to New York City exemplifies decay. It is a valley of ashes, a place of uninterrupted desolation. It is where the rich dump their troubles and this conveys that the rich are immoral and unethical because they’re living in luxury using the valley of ashes as a â€Å"bin† whilst the lower class people living in the valley are poor and living in poverty. It is described as; â€Å"a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens, where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air† (p. 27) The valley was first introduced in chapter 2. Described as a gloomy land created by the dumping of â€Å"industrial ashes,† the valley acquires a sense of decay. It seems as if the rich, men like Tom Buchanan and Gatsby dump their â€Å"ashes† (their troubles) in the valley, with nothing but concern for themselves. This connects with the rest of the book, as Tom and Daisy are seen as a â€Å"reckless† couple, and one that only care about themselves. The eyes of Dr. Eckleburg symbolize in this chapter advertising and materialism gone mad, one of the central themes of the plot. Fitzgeralds description of the drawbridge and passing barges makes an allusion to the River Styx, a mythological river which one crosses to enter the realm of the dead. This descriptions shows that this is a place of poverty and troubles where troubles â€Å"dumped† by the rich eggers to rot and die; the valley was the place of murder (Myrtle getting run over by Daisy, chapter 8). The murder was also the result of two rich men, Tom (had an affair with Myrtle) and Gatsby (let Daisy drive). So, the valley of ashes does in fact represent a place of decadence; a place where the rich dump their â€Å"ashes† (or troubles). The novels only non-wealthy characters live in the valley of ashes; it is the grim underside to the self-indulgence of the Eggs, and of New York City. George Wilson, Myrtles dejected husband, seems almost already dead â€Å"walking through her husband as if he were a ghost. † (p. 28) and made of ashes: ashen dust veiled his dark suit and pale hair. This dust that is around and the fact that Wilson is ghostlike portrays how desolate and dead the valley of ashes is. Everything is grey and covered by ashes and in contrast to the rich vibrant colours in East and West Egg, the â€Å"valley of ashes† can be seen as a very grim place where people live in poverty even though they live right next door to people with more wealth than th ey need (the eggers) This can be related back to the failure of the American dream because even though there is great wealth in the society, it has not been distributed evenly and people are still in poverty. Fitzgerald represents poverty as lying beneath wealth and providing the wealthy with a dumping ground. It is what the wealthy wish to avoid seeing at all costs. Through the descriptions of the â€Å"valley of ashes,† we see how immoral the rich upper class are to just dump their troubles there without thinking about what it might mean for the people living there. They are only caring about their personal comfort. Thirdly, through the descriptions made of Gatsby, we see the immorality of the society at the time through the illusion of Gatsby’s dream and how the original spiritual aspect of the American dream has gone and made way for xcessive materialism. He stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he ha d vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness. (p. 16) In our first acquaintance with the green light, we see Gatsby reaching out for it, almost, in a way, worshipping it. We find out later that this green light is at the end of Daisys dock, and is a symbol for Gatsbys dream and the hope for the future. Green is the color of promise, hope, and renewal so it is fitting that Gatsbys dream of a future with Daisy be represented physically in the novel by this green light. Later, in the final chapter of this novel, Fitzgerald compares Gatsbys green light to the green breast of the new world (115), comparing Gatsbys dream of rediscovering Daisy to the explorers discovery of America and the promise of a new continent. However, Gatsbys dream is tarnished by his material possessions, â€Å"the colossal significance of that green light had vanished forever,† (p. 90) The means corrupt the end, and Gatsbys dream dies because of Daisy, Gatsby, and Toms carelessness and superficiality, as does Gatsby for the same reasons. At the end of the first chapter, we see Gatsby reaching out for the green light, a symbol for the hope and promise of the future, almost in the attitude of a worshiper. This is the first suggestion Fitzgerald gives us that Gatsbys quest for Daisy is more than just a physical endeavor, but a spiritual one as well. Also in this chapter, we see Gatsby, after the car accident, looking over Daisy from her yard, trying to protect her. His watch over her window is compared to a vigil, and while Nick talked to Gatsby that night, he sensed that his presence was ruining the sacredness of the moment. However, Gatsbys vigil was over nothing Daisy was never in her room that night much like Gatsbys dream is over a nonexistent person. The Daisy he met and fell in love with years ago is not the same person anymore, and as much as Gatsby thinks that he can repeat the past, in the real world it is proven to be impossible. On one level, Fitzgerald gives us Gatsbys dream as a spiritual quest, but on another level, we find out that this is yet another reason why his dream fails. His faith is misplaced, because the object of his quest is nothing more than Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby is also associated with moonlight/starlight and artificial light. For example when Jordan is talking about Gatsby with Nick, Gatsby is described as dispensing, â€Å"starlight to casual moths,† The starlight/moonlight is representative of the fantasy/illusion or unreachable quality of Gatsby’s dream, this quote is saying that his dream is unreachable and doomed from the beginning because he wants Daisy (the â€Å"casual moth†) who is attracted to artificial light which is representative of the material means that he hopes to attract Daisy. There is a lot of proof of this in chapter 5 when Daisy and Gatsby meet for the first time, Gatsby describes the front of his house as, â€Å"catching the light,† (p. 7) the front of his house faces Daisy so he is trying to attract Daisy with his vast material wealth which is represented by the artificial light. Even though Gatsby is an, â€Å"ecstatic patron of recurring light,† he is giving lots of light to attract Daisy, we know his dream is doomed from the start because Dais y has, â€Å"snapped out the lights,† (p. 17) Therefore, Fitzgerald is saying that the spirituality of the American dream is misplaced because of our obsession with material wealth, which creates a sort of national delusion and this conveys an immoral judgment of the society. Fourthly, the descriptions of the Daisy convey an immoral and unethical judgment of the upper class in society by showing the shallowness, hollowness and idleness of them. When we first meet Daisy at the Buchanan’s mansion, she is described as; â€Å"Buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon†¦their dresses were rippling and fluttering. † This quote establishes the fact that Daisy is shallow and hollow because they are so purposeless that they just sit there and go where the wind â€Å"blows them. † This is reinforced when it says, â€Å"sometimes she and Miss Baker talked at once†¦their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire. (p. 17) And when Daisy remarks that, â€Å"I’ve been lying on the sofa for as long as I can remember. † (p. 16) This conveys the idleness and purposeless way of life the Daisy follows. The description of Daisy’s voice also conveys the hollowness and shallowness of Daisy. For example, Nick says that, à ¢â‚¬Å"her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened-then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret†¦her voice glowing and singing. † (pg. 19) and â€Å"as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again. † (p. 14). These suggest the hollowness of Daisy Buchanan because although her voice and her stunning beauty draw people in. When they â€Å"lean in† to hear what she actually has to say, they hear â€Å"nothing† because she is empty and hollow. Also, a lot of Daisy’s descriptions are associated with white light. In the Great Gatsby, white represents emptiness or hollowness. This is associated with Daisy a lot because she is empty and hollow, for example Nick describes Daisy at Daisy’s house, â€Å"They were both in white,† (p. 13) and â€Å"white dresses† (p. 17). Another theme that Daisy is associated with is materialistic wealth. For example, Nick says that, â€Å"Her voice is full of money. †(p. 115) She is attracted to money, she is not pure, she is yellow (has a dazzling appeal) eg. â€Å"two rows of brass buttons on her dress gleamed in the sunlight. † We see that the only reason that she is attracted to Gatsby is because of his great material wealth. We know this because Daisy tells Gatsby that he, â€Å"resembles the advertisement of the man,† (p. 114). This statement confirms that Daisy does not like Gatsby for himself, but for the wealth and superficial illusion he represents. Daisy is associated with darkness/twilight, for example she is at the beginning of the novel, she says â€Å"why candles? † and then, â€Å"snapped them out with her fingers. †(p. 17) also while Gatsby is watching for Daisy in case Tom acts violently to her, she, â€Å"comes to the window†¦then turned out the light. † (p. 140) This is symbolic of Daisy’s â€Å"snapping out,† or destruction or Gatsby’s dream because she is turning off the light on Gatsby’s dream and not giving him a chance of fulfilling, therefore the dream is doomed from the start. Daisy is also representative of the American Dream and because she has snapped out the light on Gatsby’s dream, it shows the disintegration of the American Dream. This shows the immorality of Daisy who is representative of the upper class in society because she is so obsessed with materialistic aspect of the American dream rather than the spiritual aspect. Lastly, we can say that Tom Buchanan, who is another representative of the upper class, is also hollow because of the descriptions given of him. For example, at Tom’s house when Nick first goes over, he suddenly exclaims, â€Å"If we don’t look out, the white race will be utterly submerged. It’s scientific stuff; it’s been proved. † (p. 18) This racism and utter nonsense shows the shallowness of Tom because not only does he make racist remarks, he doesn’t know what he is talking about when he says that, â€Å"it’s been proven. † Tom’s beliefs are hypocritical but lack moral caliber, compassions and idealism. In the same section, Tom is described as, â€Å"hovering restlessly around the room,† (p. 15). This shows like Daisy, he seems to want to do something but is unsure of what to do. Also, we notice that Tom is associated with words of movement (â€Å"shifting and moved by â€Å") and this can again be seen in relation to Fitzgerald’s description of him and his wife as wealthy drifters. What is interesting about Tom’s cruel body is that normally cruel is referred to a person and not to a body. Fitzgerald doesn’t write that Tom is cruel but that his body is cruel, suggesting problematically a separation between his body and his character, as if Tom’s cruel sensuality may assert itself despite his will. The fact that Tom’s cruel body comes so close in the text to the description of his muscles almost bursting through his clothes suggests that the purely animal, physical part of his nature (his cruel body) is capable of bursting out instinctively at any moment, as indeed it does. In fact Tom bruises Daisy’s finger and breaks Myrtle Wilson’s nose in a rage. This shows the hollowness of Tom because he can’t control his violence or actions. Tom never considers living up to the standards he expects of people around him. For example, he doesn’t want Gatsby to take Daisy away from him going to great length to â€Å"investigate him,† while he is oblivious to the double standard in his practice of maintaining sexual relationships with other women, like Myrtle. Therefore, Tom has values, but they’re conveniences, easily disposed of as the whim takes him and he is only physically powerful. This shows the shallowness, hollowness of the upper class and conveys the judgment that they are lacking in ethics and morals.