Operation Management Essay Example for Free

Operation Management Essay Hard Rock uses these ten critical decisions of operational management; â€Å"Service and product design, Quality management, Process and capacity design, Location, Layout design/Job design, Supply-chain management, Inventory management, Scheduling and Maintenance†. These practices give the Hard Rock Cafe an edge in meeting new and growing needs of the restaurant, and entertainment industry. The service and product design Hard Rock sells is not just food, it’s a statement and a storied culture that has changed with time as we do as people. The â€Å"living on the edge† crowd of the 1980s can still live a little on the edge today in a Hard Rock restaurant, casino or even in a rock concert. The company is selling the feeling of still being a rebel. Hard Rock Cafe has grown into a successful industry that was once limited to a twenty something budget to grow with the wallets of the generation that gave birth to it. The quality management has been a key factor providing an environment that people want to continue to come back to. High quality products such as gourmet food, quality merchandise, and excellent service have kept the Hard Rock from dying. The individual sight managers alongside with the overall operation managers are responsible for maintaining the high quality products and environment that people expect to find there. Hard Rocks process and capacity design along with location selection are chosen based on high population areas with specific geographic requirements to ensure a large volume of customers. The location chosen requires a high capacity facility that is capable of serving its large number of customers. This is accomplished not just by size but by layout design and the efficient flow of  product and delivery of that product. That product flow along with a good human resources and job design are a crucial part of managing a Hard Rock. The management of the supply-chain and inventory/material is another essential part of Hard Rocks success. Managers have to purchase the correct equipment and supplies needed to efficiently produce the high quality products and take into account how much inventory is required and when to restock. This takes good data analysis and continually requires review to ensure proper inventory of supplies at all times. Lastly, managers need to take into account intermediate and short-term scheduling along with when to perform maintenance on equipment and facilities. Planning on high business times of the year managers can schedule preventative maintenance during the slower parts of the year. In the same way they can schedule part time employees to accommodate the influx of customers during busier parts of the year. Works Cited Professor Barry Render, J. H. (2013). Case Analysis on the Hard Rock Cafe. Trident University.

Shakespeares Merchant of Venice Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares Merchant of Venice Essay The persecution of specific races has always been existent, and throughout history, the Jewish religion has suffered most from it. They were convicted of heresy, and often killed because of their beliefs. Such is the kind of racial discrimination toward Shylock, the Jewish character in The Merchant of Venice. Some believe that the character as a greedy, coldhearted villain, which is not the case. In Shakespeares play, The Merchant of Venice, Shylock was a victim of years struggle against discrimination toward his religion. One of the most persistent charges against Shylock was that he was cruel and bloodthirsty. Antonio says in act 4 scene 1 that it is impossible to soften his Jewish heart. Bassanio constantly calls him a cur and insults him; how can he call Shylock coldhearted when he and many other characters constantly jeer at Shylock. This also added reason for Shylocks revenge. He wasnt a bloodthirsty miscreant, but a Jew fighting for revenge against years of being spet upon, being treated like a dog, being a victim to Christianity. In his I am a Jew speech, he gives these precise reasoning, saying to bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge (Act 3, Scene 1). He doesnt seek revenge personally against Antonio, but against the Christians that have jeered at him and his religion for so long. He explains how since he is a human like any other Christian, he may seek revenge like any other Christian has. The constant repetition in his speech is the word: revenge. Shylock is accused of being bloodthirsty and barbarous, when his quest for revenge differed none from the vengeance any other human would seek and deserve. Another reason Shylock was criticized was for not showing mercy toward Antonio. In no way was Shylock impelled to let Antonio off easily. On the contrary, the agreement had been made very straightforwardly. Shylock says in act 4, scene 1, Wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice? Shylock uses a metaphor to describe the discriminatory acts against him as a serpents sting. He had been stung before by this, and now, when he has a chance for revenge to slay the serpent, he would not back down and let the serpent sting once more. But unfortunately, the serpent evaded his sword on a technicality, and in fact did sting once more. Portia accuses Shylock of  seeking the life of a citizen as an alien, and tells Shylock Downand beg mercy of the Duke (Act 4, scene 1). Through only a mere technicality did Antonio escape death, and now Portia taunts Shylock and makes him beg forgiveness? The merciless evil is more evident in the heart of the Christian characters than in Shylock. Shakespeare then tries to compare the Jew with the other characters by having Antonio forgive Shylock. This is how Shakespeare tries to cleanse the image of Christianity, but in sooth, Antonio won the case by a mere technicality, and ridicules Shylock by forgiving him. Shylock was also portrayed by some to be remarkably greedy and stingy . Antonio and Bassanio are shocked at the fact of paying interest which Shylock demands. This creates the illusion that Jews began charging interest before Christians did. This, of course, it outright false. Interest was not started by one faith, but by several intelligent people, whether Jewish or not. Nowhere is it recorded, but most likely, Christians themselves were the first to incorporate this charge. And if Shylock were truly that greedy, would he not have accepted the bribe from Bassanio of three times the debt? Bassanio was foolish to believe that Shylock would be tempted with mere money over a life-long revenge that was about to take place. Not only foolish, but very discriminatory to think Shylock was greedy because he was Jewish, and he could just buy Antonios life back from the peril it had encountered. Shakespeares play, The Merchant of Venice, portrayed the image of Jews to be greedy, merciless, and coldhearted. Shylock is thought by many to have been a villainous creep because of this, when in fact he was a victim of racism. This and many other discriminatory works truly ruined the image of Jewish people and created a stereotype. This stereotype is the cause of hatred toward the faith. In the holocaust, Jews were killed for the mere fact that they were Jewish. The Nazis measured peoples noses because it was assumed that Jews had long noses, and if they didnt pass, they were sent to camps and/or executed. This stereotype is now inevitable. Too much hatred has developed, because of these horribly discriminatory pieces of work, to change the life-long struggle for the Jewish people.

Poaching Elephants for Ivory

Poaching Elephants for Ivory Poaching of elephants has been present from the past 1000 years. However it increased considerably in the 1970s and consequently the elephant population of the world registered a sharp decline with statistics showing that the number of elephants in Africa declined from 1.3 million in 1980 to just 400,000 in 1990 (Ivory trade threatens future of African Elephants). Sudan and the Central African Republic have also registered a decrease in their elephant population. The crucial factor which results in the poaching of elephants is ivory trade. Therefore to save the dwindling elephant population of the world, cutting the demand for ivory in the world became necessary. The first attempt against ivory trading was made in 1975 with the advent of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which placed elephants under the list Appendix II species (White gold: The ivory trade ban). These are the species that, though not threatened by extinction, are at risk of being endangered. This did not ban ivory trading and was just a means of regulating it. However it failed to achieve its purpose as the killing of elephants not only continued but increased as the demand for ivory in the international market increased. Thus in 1989 CITES was forced to revise its position in context with elephants. As of 1990 the elephants were removed from Appendix II and rather placed under Appendix I (a species threatened by extinction) by which the killing of elephants was illegalized and a full ban was imposed on ivory trading (White gold: The ivory trade ban). After the ban was put under practice ivory trade was nearly eliminated because publicity surrounding the issue turned public sentiment so far against the ivory trade that it nearly eliminated the demand for ivory worldwide; most poaching stopped abruptly in response. After the imposition of the ban the number of poached elephants in Kenya was reduced to 500 in 1993 from a huge 3500 in the 1980s (White gold: The ivory trade ban). Also because the demand for ivory had decreased, the price of ivory per pound also decreased from $125 to $5 (White gold: The ivory trade ban). This reduction in price made the poachers lose incentive and poaching of elephants diminished. Another act, The Botswana Conservation and Management of Elephants Act of 1991 (The Conservation and Management of Elephants in Botswana) also helps protect the elephant population. By the application of strict rules by the government of Botswana, which includes the setting up of anti-poaching units, poaching is prevented on a large scale within the country. As a result the elephant population of Botswana is not only stable but is experiencing an increase. There are many points in favor of the ban being continued. These arguments are based on the profitability of live elephants to the countries they are in and on animal rights. Elephants provide a lot of benefits both to the countrys economy in which they reside and also to the natural habitat of other wild life. Some countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya thrive on the tourism brought about by the presence of elephants in their lands. Zimbabwe has earned a net total of $424 million and Kenya has earned a net of $100 million on account of the attraction their elephant population created for the tourists (White gold: The ivory trade ban). Thus, as ivory trade involves the hunting and killing of the elephant population of these countries, it has a detrimental effect on the tourism industries without which these already poor countries will lose significant amounts of money and a major contributor to their gross domestic product (GDP). The former chief executive of the Zimbabwe Council for Tour ism, Paul Matamasia, stated in regards with poaching: Without wildlife, we do not have a tourism industry to talk of (Zimbabwes Wildlife Threatened by Poachers). Another benefit of elephants is that they help change woodlands into grasslands, an action which helps provide habitats for the varied wildlife. Thus if the elephant population is reduced due to ivory trade it indirectly has an adverse effect on the habitats of other animals. This was exemplified in the 1970s in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya when a decrease in elephant population led to a decrease in the population of other animals such as zebras (Why Ivory Trade should be banned). The other main argument presented in favor of the ban is that of animal rights. The indiscriminate slaughter of the elephants is necessary in order to acquire ivory as it cannot be obtained while the elephant is alive. After it has been killed the process of extracting ivory involves the poacher to cut into the head of the elephant because roughly 25% of the ivory is contained in the head. This brutal killing of elephants just to take their tusks is a violation of animal rights and of the law as elephants are considered to be an endangered species and according to The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 ESA prohibits everyone, private person and federal agency alike, from taking endangered wildlife. The regulations extend this to threatened animals. Take includes harming a listed species. Harm: in the definition of take in the Act means an act which actually kills or injures wildlife. Such act may include significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or inj ures wildlife by significantly impacting essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering (The Endangered Species Act). However some argue that the ban is wrong and should not be imposed. There is a debate regarding the endangerment of the elephants with one side claiming that they are not endangered at all. This side argues that rather than being in danger of extinction, the elephant are experiencing a rise in their population. The advocates of this viewpoint cite the examples of Kruger National Park and Botswana. In Kruger National Park the population of elephants increased from 7000 in 1994 to 12000 in 2005. Also in Botswana the elephant population is not only increasing but the authorities registered a threat of overpopulation. The number of elephants increased from 54700 to 60935 (White gold: The ivory trade ban). The ban imposed on ivory trade by CITES requires the elephant population to be below 2000 to qualify. Thus these advocates claim that the ban has been wrongly imposed and should be lifted as the population exceeds that stated by law (White gold: The ivory trade ban).. It must be noted however that this increase in population of the elephants only registered after the ban had been imposed in the first place and can be directly attributed to it because after it was imposed the poaching incidents were reduced to negligible amounts. As far as the problem of overpopulation is concerned it can be justified to still put the elephants under Appendix I of CITES in order to protect the population from falling to such low level that it will become too late to save elephants from extinction; as the old clichà © goes: prevention is better than cure. The primary party opposing the ban is the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which includes 12 countries including Botswana, Tanzania and Namibia. The reason SADCs opposition of the ban is the loss of revenue it had from ivory sales. It argues that due to the ban these countries cant even trade in legitimate ivory which is obtained after the elephant dies a natural death. These countries also claim that the population of elephants in their territories is much greater than the level at which a species is considered endangered. In fact these countries claim that they lack the area and resources to cater for the growing population of the elephants (White gold: The ivory trade ban). This, they claim, poses a threat to their human population as elephants come in conflict with the villagers and are responsible for destroying many crops. Another argument they present is that allocating areas especially for elephants is indirectly very costly as they need that area to grow crops and as agriculture serves as a main form of livelihood it is very difficult. Jon Hutton summates the problem by saying: Crops give survival. Elephants dont (White gold: The ivory trade ban). SADC further says that the ban should be lifted so that these countries can sell up to a collective stockpile of $8 million dollars (White gold: The ivory trade ban) that is collected from elephants that died a natural death. These countries claim that the revenue generated from these trades will be used to conserve the elephant population by building better places for them to live in. In response to the argument that legal ivory and stockpiles should be allowed to be traded and that elephants should rather be placed under Appendix II by CITES, it can be inferred from a similar situation that this is not a good solution. In the past, in response to the appeal by Botswana, CITES placed elephants under Appendix II rather than Appendix I in 1997 which allowed a one off trade of ivory with Japan. However this gave way to increased poaching activity in the area as the demand for ivory tusks was restored which acted as a stimulant for the poachers which led to a considerable decrease in elephant population. A complete ban was soon placed afterwards to stop the poaching as illegal advantage had been taken of a lenient decision. This just helps reinforce the idea that a ban is the only solution to protect the elephant population and if lifted gives rise to illegal trade in ivory which is difficult to tell apart from legitimate trade because while DNA testing has been intro duced it is very costly and it will be very difficult to test each batch of ivory. If we consider the argument of the destruction of existing crops and too little space for practicing agriculture we can see that lifting the ban is not the only solution and neither is the killing of elephants a good option as it might aggravate the situation rather than making it better. Much better and effective answers exist in the form of relocation of elephants. The relocation of elephants from overpopulated areas to areas where they exist in very few numbers is a very feasible solution as it answers both the problem of overpopulation in some countries and dearth of elephants in others and will help reach equilibrium between the two. This idea was used in 2001 when some elephants were transferred from Kruger National Park in South Africa to Mozambique. Will Travers, a member of the Born Free Foundation, said: Translocation as a management option, rather than culling, is going to be increasingly used (Worlds Biggest Elephant Relocation Begins) The argument that the revenue generated will be used to help the elephant population is impractical on two bases. Firstly for most of the countries the amount earned from legal ivory trade is much lower than the amount earned by tourism. Thus harming the elephant population for lesser revenues is not a good option. Secondly most of these countries are developing countries and the amount required to increase the living standards of the elephant population will be too high and cannot be fulfilled alone by revenues generated from trade of ivory tusks which is detrimental to the elephant population in the first place. By carefully considering the arguments presented by both the advocates in favor of the ban and those who are opposed to it and by considering the statistical evidence presented in this essay, it can be firmly concluded that the ban on ivory should remain and is the only barrier standing between live elephants and the extinction of a species. Any other scenario, whether it was a nonexistent ban or a lenient one, has proved damaging to the population of elephants in the world. When a ban had not yet been imposed the numbers of elephants was dwindling at a worrying rate while when a little leverage was allowed to some countries for legitimate trade the consequent rise in demand of ivory and the increase in poaching pushed the elephants one step closer to being wiped of the globe. Also the killing of elephants for ivory is a very atrocious crime as the life of a living being is much more important than the benefits it can provide in death and the conservation of a species is much more es sential than monetary benefits. Thus a full ban is the only answer and the protagonists of the group who think that the ban should be lifted should reconsider their arguments.

The Knights Of The Round Table :: essays research papers

The Knights of the Round Table were noble in their actions. Sir Launcelot is a prime example of nobility of the Round Table. Throughout his life, Launcelot was unselfish, caring, and faithful to the knighthood. Launcelot was the greatest mounted warrior and was respected by all. The Knights of the Round Table were noble people.Sir Launcelot was a faithful knight. He was devoted to his work of adventure and helping the disturbed by his pledge to the knighthood. Many women throughout the kingdom craved Launcelot because of his courage. When asked, "Why is it you do not take to yourself a wife?" (p.561), Launcelot replied, "But married I will not be, for then I will have to attend my lady instead of entering tournaments and war, and riding in search of adventure." (p.561) Sir Launcelot has always had an interest in Queen Gwynevere, but he never fully persued her.Sir Launcelot proved he was not selfish in many ways throughout the story. After Launcelot defeated Sir Tarquine, he resisted the idea of looting his castle for all of Sir Tarquine's wealth. When Launcelot arrived at the castle of Tintagil, he killed the two giant guards and again he resisted in stealing their wealth. Each time, he gave the riches to the prisoners whom were captured in the castle. These occurrences show that Launcelot did not wish personal riches for himself, but wanted to complete his duties as a Knight of the Round Table by not being selfish.Sir Launcelot proved he was caring throughout the story in many ways. Launcelot defended a woman who was being attacked by Sir Percy. Launcelot killed the man responsible for this thievery saying, "For shame that a knight should so degrade his high calling." (p.561) Launcelot also showed his compassion with Sir Kay. Launcelot killed three knights who were about to attack Sir Kay. Launcelot said, "You're lives will be spared if you yield Sir Kay." (p.562) While Sir Kay slept that night, Launcelot switched his armor with Sir Kay's and rode off to fight Sir Kay's enemies to give Sir Kay a clear ride back in Launcelot's armor.

Essays --

What is word stress? To understand what word stress is, you need to understand that words are made up of syllables, some of which are stressed when they are pronounced. When we pronounce the syllables of a word, we employ the use of a variety of features. The stressed syllable in a word consists of five features. These features are: ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable is longer ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable is louder ïÆ'Ëœ The pitch of the stressed syllable usually deviates from the pitch of the other syllables. This makes the pitch of the stressed syllable higher than the others. ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable is said clearer, than the other syllables. This makes the sound of the stressed syllable purer. ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable requires the use of larger facial movement. Rules related to word stress As it relates to ‘rules’ that govern word stress in the English language, it is hardly believed that there are actual ‘rules’, due to the fact that deviations are commonly found. There are, however, certain ‘patterns’, in word stress, in English. With reference to the story of The Hare and the Tortoise, we can find certain word stress patterns. The narrative of The Hare and the Tortoise is one that is very simple, as it relates to the words used, so, there can hardly be found any words with more than two syllables. Despite this fact, there are word stress patterns that can be found in the story. Let us look at some examples. 1. Word stress rule: A word is normally stressed on the first syllable, unless there is a reason to put the stress somewhere else. (Reasons include suffixes like –ity or –ion and prefixes like -con or –dis.) Some examples of this rule that can be found in the story are: making, tortoise, being, ever, anywhere, mocking. Here, the first syllab... ...and when at last he did wake up the tortoise was near the goal. The hare now ran his swiftest but he could not overtake the tortoise in time. The voice moves to a higher pitch at the highlighted sections of the text, for emphasis. This draws attention to the idea surrounding the specific word, which may make the thought group clearer. The change of the pitch can also convey shades of meaning. It can place even more emphasis on the superlative of a word, for example the word â€Å"swiftest†, in the text. This word is already in a superlative form, however, the heightening of the pitch, while pronouncing this word in the sentence can make the speed at which the hare was running, seem to be even more extreme. Reading the passage with the emphasis on the selected words, can make the story seem more interesting and exciting. It can also make the text easier to understand. Essays -- What is word stress? To understand what word stress is, you need to understand that words are made up of syllables, some of which are stressed when they are pronounced. When we pronounce the syllables of a word, we employ the use of a variety of features. The stressed syllable in a word consists of five features. These features are: ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable is longer ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable is louder ïÆ'Ëœ The pitch of the stressed syllable usually deviates from the pitch of the other syllables. This makes the pitch of the stressed syllable higher than the others. ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable is said clearer, than the other syllables. This makes the sound of the stressed syllable purer. ïÆ'Ëœ The stressed syllable requires the use of larger facial movement. Rules related to word stress As it relates to ‘rules’ that govern word stress in the English language, it is hardly believed that there are actual ‘rules’, due to the fact that deviations are commonly found. There are, however, certain ‘patterns’, in word stress, in English. With reference to the story of The Hare and the Tortoise, we can find certain word stress patterns. The narrative of The Hare and the Tortoise is one that is very simple, as it relates to the words used, so, there can hardly be found any words with more than two syllables. Despite this fact, there are word stress patterns that can be found in the story. Let us look at some examples. 1. Word stress rule: A word is normally stressed on the first syllable, unless there is a reason to put the stress somewhere else. (Reasons include suffixes like –ity or –ion and prefixes like -con or –dis.) Some examples of this rule that can be found in the story are: making, tortoise, being, ever, anywhere, mocking. Here, the first syllab... ...and when at last he did wake up the tortoise was near the goal. The hare now ran his swiftest but he could not overtake the tortoise in time. The voice moves to a higher pitch at the highlighted sections of the text, for emphasis. This draws attention to the idea surrounding the specific word, which may make the thought group clearer. The change of the pitch can also convey shades of meaning. It can place even more emphasis on the superlative of a word, for example the word â€Å"swiftest†, in the text. This word is already in a superlative form, however, the heightening of the pitch, while pronouncing this word in the sentence can make the speed at which the hare was running, seem to be even more extreme. Reading the passage with the emphasis on the selected words, can make the story seem more interesting and exciting. It can also make the text easier to understand.

Rhetoric in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Essays -- Rhetoric, Ju

Cassius, Brutus, and Antony use rhetoric successfully in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, albeit each differently and for different causes. Each of these men uses his skills in rhetoric to convince each other and at some points the entire population of Rome to follow his beliefs. However, each of these men has different motivations to do so, as well as different characteristics and general worldviews. Cassius uses rhetoric successfully to persuade Brutus to come over to his cause—killing Julius Caesar. Cassius is a sharp minded politician whose motivations are personal and not always in the interest of the state of Rome. He uses rhetoric as his means of convincing others to help him reach his cause and goal. Cassius uses many tactics to convince Brutus, one of which is underscoring his connection and close friendship with Brutus and trying to make Brutus guilty by implying that he is not maintaining his end of the friendship well enough: â€Å"[Brutus, y]ou bear too stubborn and too strange a hand / Over your friend that loves you† (I.ii.39-40). Cassius then moves on to flattery in his persuasion: I have heard Where many of the best respect in Rome (Except immortal Caesar), speaking of Brutus†¦ Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes. (I.ii.65-70) Moving on from flattery, Cassius attempts to make Brutus feel flawed and in need of help: â€Å"And since you cannot see yourself / So well as by reflection, I, your glass / will modestly discover to yourself / That of yourself which you yet know not of† (I.ii.75-78). Here, Cassius paints himself as able to help Brutus with these flaws. Finally, Cassius exploits Brutus’ one mention of fear so that Brutus will choose to act on this fear: â€Å"[Brutus:] I do fear, the people choose Cae... ...en, and lovers† (III.ii.13-14) and appearing superior to and more wise than the plebeians who are his fellow citizens rather than his friends, Antony instead makes it clear that these people are above all his friends through his actions, such as standing at their physical level, and his words, such as the opening line of his speech. All three of these men attempt to persuade people, but they each do this uniquely. Although each Cassius, Brutus, and Antony use rhetoric in different ways in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, each of these men, who hold different characters and worldviews, use their skills in rhetoric to convince others to support them and their ideas at some time in the play. This is a powerful example of the fact that in Julius Caesar the power of rhetoric is stronger than the will of humans. Works Cited Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Literacy, Love, Loss and Arda Essay

Literacy is important in keeping the history of the Middle-earth. This is to ensure that the future generations could get a grasp on what has happened to the different races; ie Man, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Hobbits, Trolls, Goblin-men, Uruk-hai, among others. History and recorded accounts of significant events is especially important to the wizards. This is shown in the part when Gandalf the Grey desired to know more about the ring in Bilbo’s possession. He immediately took the initiative to set out for the right thing to do. He asked Bilbo to leave it, and transfer to Frodo, the one who would be tasked to carry the ring to Rivendell, and later on, to the Crack of Mount Doom. He went to research for records. Fortunately, he found accounts from Isildur. â€Å"It has come to me†¦ the One Ring. It shall be an heirloom of my kingdom. All those who follow my bloodline shall be bound to its fate for I will risk no hurt to the Ring. It is precious to me, though I buy it with great pain. The markings upon the band begin to fade. The writing, which at first as clear as the red flame, has all but disappeared. A secret now that only fire can tell. † (Tolkien) With the history kept intact in that library, he was able to think of the best thing to do – to destroy it. In the mines of Moria, they had to pass a tunnel but there was a door with inscriptures above it. Frodo was able to read what was written there, and asked Gandalf what was the Elvish word for â€Å"friend. † When Gandalf uttered Mellon, the door opened (Tolkien). This showed that being able to read and write got the Fellowship moving. This also reflects that if nobody was educated, it could have been that they were not able to enter that door. This goes down to the truth that the earlier people had educated themselves also as evident in that password, which was made by them. Inside the mine was the kingdom ruled by dwarves. However, they found him already dead, as what was carved on the surface of his tomb. The language of the dwarves – Dwarvish – was helpful in this stage, because Gimli would not have known that Balin was already dead if it was not for the writings. Reading and writing is important to all the creatures of the Middle-earth. It is the most powerful tool to drive back to history of a village, or to a well-known person. It is also used to conceal secrets to treasured places. It is significant also to inform relatives and the society that a respectable lord has died. Most important of it could be its usefulness in terms of transmitting message from day-to-day activities. 2. What is the role of romantic love in the Lord of the Rings? How big a part does it play, and just what is this part? Give examples. The most famous romantic love story exposed in the Lord of the Rings could be that of Aragorn and Arwen. This was exaggerated in the adaptation of the novel into movie. â€Å"I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone†¦ I choose a mortal life†¦ It is mine to give whom I will†¦ like my heart. † These lines of Arwen, possibly coming from the deepest portion of her heart reflected the utmost devotion and truest affection in her heart for Aragorn. This love for Aragorn influenced her to make the biggest and most daring decision ever – to give up immortality, which has been a precious gift to the race where she belonged. She opted to be mortal and loved Aragorn, who also loved her so much. Their love for each other was so powerful that gave them inspiration to head on with their lives. Later near the end of their journey, they had a child, who was seen by Arwen when she was walking towards a life that never ends. This made them strong against the dark force enwrapping Middle-earth and the loneliness that kept on haunting them (Tolkien). Smeagol also had this passionate affection with the One Ring. He stayed in the dark Misty Mountains all by himself, but never thought of leaving the ring to somebody. He felt in love with the beauty and power the ring was giving him – unnatural long life. When he lost it, he tried to recover it. He followed the trails of the Fellowship tasked to bring his â€Å"precious† to Mount Doom. He succeeded in getting it from Frodo’s hands, but unfortunately, he ended falling into the fire of the mountain, where the ring was forged. At the end of the Return of the King, Sam was seen with his own family. He married Rosie, and had children afterwards. Even after Frodo had fled to the Undying Lands, Sam remained loyal to him by taking care of the book given to him by his friend. No one could blame him for that because they had gone to a perilous journey that truly tested their friendship.