Strategic Operation Management Free Essays

To be able produce professional managers capable of fulfilling strategic roles within business and government enterprises the need for the practice of operations management cannot be forgone. Operations management is very important in business operations since it forms the heart of the organisation by controlling the system of operation. Operations management deals with the design, operation, and improvement of the systems that create and deliver a firm’s primary products and services. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Operation Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now Like marketing and finance, operations management is a functional field of business with clear management responsibilities. Guinness Ghana limited is a company in which produces alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages such as Guinness and Malta Guinness respectively. In a business entity like Guineas Ghana limited the use of operations management is very necessary in every fabric of the company’s activities. Guinness Ghana Limited uses operations management to ensure and sustain efficiency and effectiveness in the organisation. Efficiency in Guinness Ghana is concerned with how well resources such as human expertise and inputs are put in use irrespective of the purpose for which they were deployed in the company. The company through its activities ensures that the primary objective for its establishment to make profits and maximize shareholders value is realized. The company reduces its cost of production by ensuring that tangible and intangible resources are not over stretched or wasted in the organisation. This is a situation where the company carries out effectively its objectives to be the market leader using minimum resources to achieve maximum output. The measures of effectiveness and efficiency in Guinness Ghana leads to labour productivity, yield, capacity fill working capital utilization and the efficiency of production systems. Guinness Ghana Limited also makes good use of its products and services management through operations management. Product (or service) management includes a wide range of management activities, ra nging from the time that there’s a new idea for a product to eventually provide ongoing support to customers who have purchased the new product. Every organization conducts product management, whether it’s done intentionally or unintentionally. Guinness Ghana through this module provides a wide overview of considerations in developing and managing its product. How a product is eveloped or managed depends very much on the nature of the organization and its products, Guinness Ghana uses it core competences in the areas of manufacturing, branding, marketing through wholesale and retail outlets to gain competitive advantage in the market place. Quality management is also a very important aspect of operations management in every organisation. Guinness Ghana is very critical about i ts products developed for the customer in the market place. Quality management is crucial to effective operations management, particularly continuous improvement to match the consumers taste and preference at all times. More recent advancements in quality, such as benchmarking and total quality management, outsourcing and reengineering have resulted in advancements to operations management in Guinness Ghana Limited. The company through its reengineering and benchmarking activities has always earned the leadership in the market. Benchmarking serves as a first class internal auditing process which the company uses to diagnose its weaknesses and identify ways of turning them into strength to increase itscustomer base in the market place. Management Control and Coordinating Function cannot be forgone in operations management especially in a company like Guinness Ghana Limited. Management control and coordination includes a broad range of activities to ensure that the company’s goals are consistently being met in an effective and efficient fashion. Basically, organizational coordination and control is what the company uses to take a systematic approach to figuring out if it is actually doing what it wanted to be doing or not. Some of the major approaches to the company’s organizational control and coordination include product evaluation, product distribution, advertising and promotion, sales and service and product development. For instance, product distribution in Guinness Ghana is done through retailers and other small distribution outlets organized by the company to ensure that its products reaches the consumer within an arms length. The company also uses advertisements as a major instrument to reach the customer and reorient the perception of customers about its products. In this increasingly expanding and competitive marketplace, the company ensures its products and services are prominently in the minds of their customers and clients. This occurs as a result of ongoing advertising and promotion by the company. Facilities management is also a necessary function and its importance on operations management for Guinness Ghana is needed. Effective operations management in the company’s activities depends on a great deal of effective management of facilities, such as buildings, computer systems, signage, lighting and plants and machinery. Facilities management in Guinness Ghana is very important since the company may be engaged in a batch or mass production depending on the demand circumstances on the market. In a case high demand which could necessitate higher or mass production, facilities needs to be managed in producing large quantities of products which must be standardized to meet the market demand at specific period. Well managed facilities like plants and machinery in the company help in production speed, lower per unit cost, ease of manufacture and control and the efficiency in the company’s production process. Inventory control and management is one importance of operations management that Guinness Ghana limited uses in its operations. Managing and controlling the inventory of the company is very critical. Innovative methods, such as Just-in-Time inventory control, are some of the major instruments used by the company to save costs and move products and services to customers more quickly. Generally the importance of operations management on businesses is embedded in every aspect of the organisations activities and therefore has critical role to play in ensuring that organisations achieve their objectives and goals. How to cite Strategic Operation Management, Papers

Police and City Preventive Patrol free essay sample

This experiment started in October 1972 and continued throughout 1973. This was administered by the Kansas City Police Department and evaluated by the Police Foundation. Patrols were varied within 15 police beats. Routine patrol was eliminated in five beats, labeled â€Å"reactive† beats. Normal routine patrol was maintained in five â€Å"control† beats. Patrol was then increased by two times in five â€Å"proactive† beats. Questions This experiment asked the following questions: Would citizens notice any changes in the level of police patrol? Would different levels of visible patrol affect the number of crimes recorded or the outcomes of victim surveys? Would citizen fear of crime and attendant behavior change as a result of differing patrol levels? Last but not least, would their degree of satisfaction with police change? Major Findings The findings for this experiment were rather interesting. Citizens did not notice the difference when the level of patrol was changed. The most intriguing statistic was that the increased or decreased levels of patrol had no significant effect on resident and commercial burglaries, auto thefts and other crimes that are considered to be prevented by random, visible police patrol. We will write a custom essay sample on Police and City Preventive Patrol or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also, the rate at which crimes were reported to the police did not change in any important way across the experimental beats. The fear of crime was not affected, nor was citizen satisfaction with police. Implication These findings suggest that routine preventive patrol in police cars has very little value in preventing crime, as well as making citizens feel safe. The overall implication from this experiment is that resources originally used to preventive patrol could be used to help other crime control strategies. S. A. R. A. Model What is the S. A. R. A Model? Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment is a problem-solving model frequently used by law enforcement. The problem-solving approach is a methodical process for reducing the impact of crime and disorder problems in a community. This problem-solving technique can be applied to all different kinds of problems. Scanning The main idea behind scanning is to identify the problem. The main questions associated with the scanning portion are as follows: Describe the problem, with specifics. How did the problem come to attention? Who is affected by this problem? How do you know there is a problem? Based on what is known, create a hypothesis. What do you think is causing the problem? Analysis The analysis portion deals with learning the problem’s causes, scope, and effects. Data and information is collected to understand the factors that contribute to the problem. This information is reviewed to identify trends or patterns involving incidents, locations, and persons. Response In this phase there are two basic objectives. One is to select a response, and the second is to implement the response. The key to Response stage is to promote a creative and spontaneous free flow of ideas. This should be centered on attacking the problem at its most vulnerable point. Assessment In the final phase, they evaluate the effectiveness of the response that was implemented. In making the assessment, current results are compared to the former problem. Conclusion The S. A. R. A. model is widely applicable to problems faced by many neighborhoods and has produced excellent results for hundreds of communities across the United States. It establishes a collaborative, systematic process to address issues of community, safety, and quality of life. Community-Oriented Policing What is it? Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to efficiently address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. Community policing is comprised of three parts: these are, community partnerships, organizational transformation and problem solving. Community Partnerships This is comprised of partnerships between law enforcement and other individuals and organizations that serve to create solutions and increase community trust with law enforcement. Organizational Transformation This is the creation of organizational management, personnel, and structure that supports community partnerships and aids in proactive problem solving. Problem Solving This component focuses n engaging proactively to identify the problem and to quickly come up with ways to response to the specific problem. My Personal Preference The policing model that I feel works the most effective is the S. A. R. A model. One of the reasons why I chose this model over the others is because this model takes a deeper look into the problem that is at hand. Some of the other models main focus is to stop crime during the act, which is great, but in order to have a safer community is to fix the problem of crime at its’ roots.

Chicana Feminist Writer Gloria Anzaldua

Chicana Feminist Writer Gloria Anzaldua Feminist Gloria Anzaldua was a guiding force in the  Chicano and Chicana movement  and  lesbian/queer theory.  She was a poet, activist, theorist, and teacher who lived from September 26, 1942, to May 15, 2004. Her writings blend styles, cultures, and languages, weaving together poetry, prose, theory, autobiography, and experimental narratives. Life in the Borderlands Gloria Anzaldua was born in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas in 1942. She described herself as a Chicana/Tejana/lesbian/dyke/feminist/writer/poet/cultural theorist, and these identities were just the beginning of the ideas she explored in her work. Gloria Anzaldua was the daughter of a Spanish American and an American Indian. Her parents were farm workers; during her youth, she lived on a ranch, worked in the fields and became intimately aware of the Southwest and South Texas landscapes. She also discovered that Spanish speakers existed on the margins in the United States. She began to experiment with writing and gain awareness of social justice issues. Gloria Anzaldua’s book Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, published in 1987, is the story of existence in several cultures near the Mexico/Texas border. It is also the story of Mexican-Indian history, mythology, and cultural philosophy. The book examines physical and emotional borders, and its ideas range from Aztec religion to the role of women in Hispanic culture to how lesbians find a sense of belonging in a straight world. The hallmark of Gloria Anzaldua’s work is the interweaving of poetry with prose narrative. The essays interspersed with poetry in Borderlands/La Frontera reflect her years of feminist thought and her non-linear, experimental manner of expression. Feminist Chicana Consciousness Gloria Anzaldua received her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas-Pan American in 1969 and a master’s in English and Education from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972. Later in the 1970s, she taught a course at UT-Austin called â€Å"La Mujer Chicana.† She said that teaching the class was a turning point for her, connecting her to the queer community, writing and feminism. Gloria Anzaldua moved to California in 1977, where she devoted herself to writing. She continued to participate in political activism, consciousness-raising, and groups such as the Feminist Writers Guild. She also looked for ways to build a multicultural, inclusive feminist movement. Much to her dissatisfaction, she discovered there were very few writings either by or about women of color.   Some readers have struggled with the multiple languages in her writings – English and Spanish, but also variations of those languages. According to Gloria Anzaldua, when the reader does the work of piecing together fragments of language and narrative, it mirrors the way feminists must struggle to have their ideas heard in a patriarchal society. The Prolific 1980s Gloria Anzaldua continued to write, teach, and travel to workshops and speaking engagements throughout the 1980s. She edited two anthologies that collected the voices of feminists of many races and cultures. This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color was published in 1983 and won the Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award. Making Face Making Soul/Haciendo Caras: Creative and Critical Perspectives by Feminists of Color was published in 1990. It included writings by famous feminists such as Audre Lorde and Joy Harjo, again in fragmented sections with titles such as â€Å"Still Trembles our Rage in the Face of Racism† and â€Å"(De)Colonized Selves. Other Life Work Gloria Anzaldua was an avid observer of art and spirituality and brought these influences to her writings as well. She taught throughout her life and worked on a doctoral dissertation, which she was unable to finish due to health complications and professional demands. UC Santa Cruz later awarded her a posthumous Ph.D. in literature. Gloria Anzaldua won many awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts Fiction Award and the Lambda Lesbian Small Press Book Award. She died in 2004 from complications related to diabetes. Edited by Jone Johnson Lewis

Democracy Debate in Herodotus

Democracy Debate in Herodotus Herodotus, the Greek historian known as the Father of History, describes a debate on the three government types  (Herodotus III.80-82), in which proponents of each type tell whats wrong or right with democracy. 1. The monarchist  (supporter of rule by one person, be it a king, tyrant, dictator, or emperor) says freedom, one component of what we today think of as a democracy, can be given just as well by monarchs. 2. The oligarch  (supporter of rule by a few, especially the aristocracy but could also be the best educated) points out the inherent danger of democracy mob rule. 3. The pro-democracy speaker (supporter of rule by the citizens who in a direct democracy all vote on all issues) says in democracy magistrates are held accountable and are selected by lot; deliberation is made by the entire citizen body (optimally, according to Plato, 5040 adult males). Equality is the guiding principle of democracy. Read the three positions: Book III 80. When the tumult had subsided and more than five days had elapsed, those who had risen against the Magians began to take counsel about the general state, and there were spoken speeches which some of the  Hellenes  do not believe were really uttered, but spoken they were nevertheless. On the one hand Otanes urged that they should resign the government into the hands of the whole body of the Persians, and his words were as follows: To me, it seems best that no single one of us should henceforth be ruler, for that is neither pleasant nor profitable. Ye saw the insolent temper of Cambyses, to what lengths it went, and ye have had experience also of the insolence of the Magian: and how should the rule of one alone be a well-ordered thing, seeing that the monarch may do what he desires without rendering any account of his acts? Even the best of all men, if he were placed in this disposition, would be caused by it to change from his wonted disposition: for insolence is engendered in him by the good things which he possesses, and envy is implanted in man from the beginning; and having these two things, he has all vice: for he does many deeds of reckless wrong, partly moved by insolence proceeding from satiety, and partly by envy. And yet a despot at least ought to have been free from envy, seeing that he has all manner of good things. He is however naturally in just the opposite temper towards his subjects; for he grudges to the nobles that they should survive and live, but delights in the basest of citizens, and he is more ready than any other man to receive calumnies. Then of all things he is the most inconsistent; for if you express admiration of him moderately, he is offended that no very great court is paid to him, whereas if you pay court to him extravagantly, he is offended with you for being a flatterer. And the most important matter of all is that which I am about to say:he disturbs the customs handed down from our fathers, he is a ravisher of women, and he puts men to death without trial. On the other hand the rule of many has first a name attaching to it which is the fairest of all names, that is to say Equality; next, the multitude does none of those things which the monarch does: offices of stat e are exercised by lot, and the magistrates are compelled to render account of their action: and finally all matters of deliberation are referred to the public assembly. I therefore give as my opinion that we let monarchy go and increase the power of the multitude; for in the many is contained everything. 81. This was the opinion expressed by Otanes; but Megabyzos urged that they should entrust matters to the rule of a few, saying these words: That which Otanes said in opposition to a tyranny, let it be counted as said for me also, but in that which he said urging that we should make over the power to the multitude, he has missed the best counsel: for nothing is more senseless or insolent than a worthless crowd; and for men flying from the insolence of a despot to fall into that of unrestrained popular power, is by no means to be endured: for he, if he does anything, does it knowing what he does, but the people cannot even know; for how can that know which has neither been taught anything noble by others nor perceived anything of itself, but pushes on matters with violent impulse and without understanding, like a torrent stream? Rule of the people then let them adopt who are foes to the Persians; but let us choose a company of the best men, and to them attach the chief power; for in t he number of these we shall ourselves also be, and it is likely that the resolutions taken by the best men will be the best. 82. This was the opinion expressed by Megabyzos; and thirdly Dareios proceeded to declare his opinion, saying: To me it seems that in those things which Megabyzos said with regard to the multitude he spoke rightly, but in those which he said with regard to the rule of a few, not rightly: for whereas there are three things set before us, and each is supposed to be the best in its own kind, that is to say a good popular government, and the rule of a few, and thirdly the rule of one, I say that this last is by far superior to the others; for nothing better can be found than the rule of an individual man of the best kind; seeing that using the best judgment he would be guardian of the multitude without reproach; and resolutions directed against enemies would so best be kept secret. In an oligarchy however it happens often that many, while practising virtue with regard to the commonwealth, have strong private enmities arising among themselves; for as each man desires to be himself the lea der and to prevail in counsels, they come to great enmities with one another, whence arise factions among them, and out of the factions comes murder, and from murder results the rule of one man; and thus it is shown in this instance by how much that is the best. Again, when the people rules, it is impossible that corruption should not arise, and when corruption arises in the commonwealth, there arise among the corrupt men not enmities but strong ties of friendship: for they who are acting corruptly to the injury of the commonwealth put their heads together secretly to do so. And this continues so until at last some one takes the leadership of the people and stops the course of such men. By reason of this the man of whom I speak is admired by the people, and being so admired he suddenly appears as monarch. Thus he too furnishes herein an example to prove that the rule of one is the best thing. Finally, to sum up all in a single word, whence arose the liberty which we possess, and who gave it to us? Was it a gift of the people or of an oligarchy or of a monarch? I therefore am of opinion that we, having been set free by one man, should preserve that form of rule, and in other respects also that we should not annul the customs of our fathers w hich are ordered well; for that is not the better way. Source: Herodotus Book III

Computers and the law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computers and the law - Essay Example An attempt to address these problems in the Act was implemented in controversial amendments, which came into force in October 2008 through the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2006 . With regard to the unauthorised access and attempted intrusions this could constitute an offence under the Act of the conduct satisfies the requirements as follows: 1) Unauthorised access to computer material (Section 1 of the Act); 2) Access to computer material without authorisation with intent to commit or assist the commission of offences (Section 2 of the Act); and 3) Modification of computer data without authorisation (Section 3 of the Act). With regard to the current factual scenario, it is evident that there have been attempts to hack the Macrobox system without success so far. Accordingly, whilst there has clearly been an intention to commit the office, there does not appear to have been actual access to the computer system or computer material. ... Accordingly, if we apply this to the current scenario, whilst the access to Macrobox’s computer and servers were not successful, the attempt to hack will constitute a criminal offence under Section 3 of the Act. With regard to potential penalties, the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2006 provides for criminal liability on the following basis to be included in the Act for the Section 3 offence: 1. On summary conviction a prison sentence of up to 12 months and a fine not exceeding the statutory minimum; or 2. On conviction on indictment, imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or a fine or both (Section 36(6) of the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2006). Additionally, as the forum users have been trying to encourage others to hack Macrobox, this also potentially falls within incitement offences, which have now been removed from the Act and inserted into the inchoate offences section of the Serious Crime Act 2007. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that the encoura gement on online forums to hack Macrobox’s computer systems could also constitute a potential offence under the Terrorism Act 2000. Section 2(e) of the Terrorism Act provides that an act of terrorism includes any act which is â€Å"designed seriously to interfere with or seriously disrupt an electronic system† if the act is undertaken with the objective of furthering a political, religious or ideological cause. In the current scenario, it is evident that the attempts to hack and interfere with Macrobox’s computer systems and servers were as a result of the disclosure on public forums that Macrobox is a major software supplier for Staffordshire

World Heritage Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

World Heritage Sites - Essay Example In most cases the places that have been highlighted as world heritage sites usually have a special physical appearance or culture that is associated with it. The places are usually designated as those that have a special significance to humanity. The selection process of these places is usually a rather complicated one majorly due to the fact that there are several places that may all be proposed for inscription as a world heritage site. The body that elects those sites that are to be listed as the world heritage sites is the United Nations General Assembly. At the same time the list of all the heritage sites of the world is maintained by the International World Heritage Programme which is under the UNESCO. There are certain special conditions under which these sites may receive funds say for maintenance and upgrade from the World Heritage Fund kitty. There are certain countries that have had the chance to have several sites listed. An perfect example in this case happens to be Italy . It is to be noted that the country has close to 47 sites that have been inscribed as world heritage sites.... It is to be appreciated that as a result of the world heritage sites program there are some countries that have benefitted tremendously as a result of this .The main reason for this is because these sites automatically become tourist sites. Over the years these sites have always attracted large numbers of people who are marveled by the features they entail or at the same time there are those that visit the sites with the intention of getting to know more about them. The nomination process that has been set forth is quite a rigorous one especially for the country that wants some of its sites to be listed therein. For starters the country in question must first take an inventory of all its natural properties and cultures which it perceives to be of importance. In actual sense this is called coming up with the Tentative List. After this is done then the nomination process begins. It is to be noted that a country is not supposed to nominate a site or culture that is not in the Tentative List. After this is done those sites that have been selected are then to be placed in the Nomination File. After this is done there are bodies that evaluate the file and make their recommendations to the World Heritage Committee. These bodies include the World Conservation Union and The International Council of Monuments and Sites. The Heritage committee then meets once a year and this is the time when it makes the decision of whether to inscribe particular sites or not. Preservation and Development It may be asked that who owns the site once it has been inscribed as a world heritage site. In actual sense it is the property of the country that it is

Go Tell It On A Mountain - Sum Essay -- essays research papers

Part One- The Seventh Day: 1. Summary- The story starts by introducing the active role of church in John’s and his family’s life. Various activities occur on Sunday in church, such as school, hymns, and preaching. On the morning of his birthday, he wakes up to lay in bed, pondering on his past birthdays and events. He falls asleep to wake up late and head to breakfast. Roy’s hardheaded personality is introduced here through an argument with his mother. The argument was based on their father, and his abusive behavior. After breakfast, John is assigned to sweep the front room, which is just one of his many labors around the house. He takes a pause to think of what kind of birthday this is, where no one even remembers it. But his mother comes through and gives him some change to get a gift for himself, so he runs out to the city. On his way there, rage fills him and he daydreams about the white folk in the city looking at him with respect. Respect of him because he’ll own the city. Reality strikes him and he realizes that the people don’t even notice him. After using the money for a movie, he arrives back at home finding out that Roy had been in an incident. His father, aunt, and mother have a dispute and then the next day John heads to church early to open up and clean up. Him and Elisha (a brother and preacher of the church) have a talk. John is told to think about being saved, just as Elisha had been saved. Part Two- The Prayers of the Saints: Florence’s Prayers 1. Summary- This next chapter focuses on John’s aunt, Florence. It begins with Florence at church, she is sorry for her sin yet doesn’t remember how to pray. A few nights before, she had received a threatening message repeatedly and even saw death. The story then jumps back to her youth, where she worked as a servant-girl. She lived with her mother and younger brother, Gabriel. Florence had been a child hood friend with John’s mother, Deborah. Gabriel would be the “apple of her [his mother] eyes';; he would be sent to school, fed more, and treated more specially. For this reason, Florence would resent her brother; she wanted to learn far more than her brother ever did. The story jumps back to John and what he sees in church for a brief moment, then goes in to talk about Florence’s husband... ... confusing chapter of the book. From what I read, it seems that John is on the threshing floor with all these emotions and events going through his head. At first he hears voices, but it’s confusing to tell whom it is coming from. The second set of voices came from above that sounds like his family. As John cries for help, his father comes to the rescue. The assistance is rejected because john does not want to be like his father. Then his father attempts to lead him up the road, but John resists. John thinks for a while and found out how the devil is toying with John. Elisha comes to the rescue by talking with John. This talk raised John’s faith and found his place before the Lord. His mother is happy and smiles, but yet John wants to make sure no one forgets. He tells Elisha, that no matter what happens, he was saved. He explains how he went to the valley and was saved. Elisha tells him that God won’t forget him, and leaves him with a kiss on the forehead. The story ends with a picture perfect scene with the sun out and all. But yet, his father does not smile at John when smiled at him, that is one thing I don’t understand about the ending. Go Tell It On A Mountain - Sum Essay -- essays research papers Part One- The Seventh Day: 1. Summary- The story starts by introducing the active role of church in John’s and his family’s life. Various activities occur on Sunday in church, such as school, hymns, and preaching. On the morning of his birthday, he wakes up to lay in bed, pondering on his past birthdays and events. He falls asleep to wake up late and head to breakfast. Roy’s hardheaded personality is introduced here through an argument with his mother. The argument was based on their father, and his abusive behavior. After breakfast, John is assigned to sweep the front room, which is just one of his many labors around the house. He takes a pause to think of what kind of birthday this is, where no one even remembers it. But his mother comes through and gives him some change to get a gift for himself, so he runs out to the city. On his way there, rage fills him and he daydreams about the white folk in the city looking at him with respect. Respect of him because he’ll own the city. Reality strikes him and he realizes that the people don’t even notice him. After using the money for a movie, he arrives back at home finding out that Roy had been in an incident. His father, aunt, and mother have a dispute and then the next day John heads to church early to open up and clean up. Him and Elisha (a brother and preacher of the church) have a talk. John is told to think about being saved, just as Elisha had been saved. Part Two- The Prayers of the Saints: Florence’s Prayers 1. Summary- This next chapter focuses on John’s aunt, Florence. It begins with Florence at church, she is sorry for her sin yet doesn’t remember how to pray. A few nights before, she had received a threatening message repeatedly and even saw death. The story then jumps back to her youth, where she worked as a servant-girl. She lived with her mother and younger brother, Gabriel. Florence had been a child hood friend with John’s mother, Deborah. Gabriel would be the “apple of her [his mother] eyes';; he would be sent to school, fed more, and treated more specially. For this reason, Florence would resent her brother; she wanted to learn far more than her brother ever did. The story jumps back to John and what he sees in church for a brief moment, then goes in to talk about Florence’s husband... ... confusing chapter of the book. From what I read, it seems that John is on the threshing floor with all these emotions and events going through his head. At first he hears voices, but it’s confusing to tell whom it is coming from. The second set of voices came from above that sounds like his family. As John cries for help, his father comes to the rescue. The assistance is rejected because john does not want to be like his father. Then his father attempts to lead him up the road, but John resists. John thinks for a while and found out how the devil is toying with John. Elisha comes to the rescue by talking with John. This talk raised John’s faith and found his place before the Lord. His mother is happy and smiles, but yet John wants to make sure no one forgets. He tells Elisha, that no matter what happens, he was saved. He explains how he went to the valley and was saved. Elisha tells him that God won’t forget him, and leaves him with a kiss on the forehead. The story ends with a picture perfect scene with the sun out and all. But yet, his father does not smile at John when smiled at him, that is one thing I don’t understand about the ending.