Apply the Post-Modernist concepts of intertextuality and pastiche to Shaun of the Dead. The WritePass Journal

Apply the Post-Modernist concepts of intertextuality and pastiche to Shaun of the Dead. Introduction Apply the Post-Modernist concepts of intertextuality and pastiche to Shaun of the Dead. IntroductionREFERENCES:Related Introduction This essay is going to investigate the concepts of intertextuality and pastiche of Shaun of the Dead. To do this, the two concepts will be briefly explained and how, although the film is completely made up of references to different films, it is still wholly original because of this. â€Å"Intertextuality is the shaping of texts meanings by other texts. It can refer to an author’s borrowing and transformation of a prior text or to a reader’s referencing of one text in reading another. The term â€Å"intertextuality† has, itself, been borrowed and transformed many times since it was coined by poststructuralist Julia Kristeva in 1966. As critic William Irwin says, the term â€Å"has come to have almost as many meanings as users, from those faithful to Kristeva’s original vision to those who simply use it as a stylish way of talking about allusion and influence† (Irwin, 228).† â€Å"The literary term pastiche is used in two slightly different ways, and the concept can be found in other arts, not just literature, ranging from architecture to film. In the first sense, a pastiche is a form of homage which is accomplished through imitation. In the second definition, a pastiche is a medley of items which are imitative in origin. The term can be used in a derogatory or complimentary way, depending on the work under discussion. The origins of the word lie in an Italian word meaning medley, a reference to a type of cake or pie which is made from a broad mixture of items. The idea behind either form of pastiche is that it integrates themes, ideas, concepts, and characters which have already been seen and used before. These items are integrated in a new work because the author finds them interesting, compelling, or useful; a pastiche is not plagiarism or outright imitation, but a more complex literary concept.† (Smith, 2011). Shawn of the Dead was a 2004 film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. It was billed as a ‘British romantic zombie comedy’. The main plot of the film is that a man (Shawn) decides to turn his life around by winning his girlfriend back and fixing the relationship with his mother. Unfortunately he also has to deal with the whole community coming back from the dead to eat the living. Shawn of the dead is jammed packed with references to other films, most of which can be found in the following part of this essay. Firstly, in the opening credits, during the company logo, ‘figment’ by S. Park is playing. This is the same music that was playing during the airport scene in Dawn of the Dead. (Shawn of the Dead is obviously paying homage to Dead of the Dead in the similar film title reference as well). In Day of the Dead a zombie staggers into the screen shot and as a nod to this Shawn of the Dead has a shot of Shawn staggering across the floor after waking up. Pete, Shawn’s flatmate answers his mobile phone with the line, â€Å"Hi Dom.† Peter Serafinowicz (who portrayed Pete in the film) was also in BBC series Spaced (starring Simon Pegg) where he frequently used the same line. As Shaun walks to the corner store, he passes a road sweeper. On the operator’s radio, you can hear a report of how a space probe named Omega 6 entered the atmosphere several days early over the southwest of England and broke apart over a heavily populated area. This ties in with Night of the Living Dead, in which a space probe breaks up in the atmosphere and causes the dead to return to life. Throughout the film we see multiple references to a made up pizza chain called ‘Bub’s Pizza’. This is a reference to the smarter than average zombie Bub from Day of the Dead. One of the stars of Dawn of the Dead (1978), Ken Foree, is referenced in the place where Shawn works: Foree Electric. Shawn walks past a sign for Weston Park. This sign is in Crouch End in London. It is the same place that the BBC series Spaced was set and was also where Simon Pegg resided in 2004. They pay tribute to Ashley J. Williams, who played Bruce Campbell. hero from the Evil Dead Trilogy. This is during the scene when Shawn calls a staff meeting. He mentions that the manager and ‘Ash’ have both phoned in sick. There is an exclusive seafood restaurant called Fulci’s in the film at which Shawn tries to make a reservation for. This is a nod to Lucio Fulci, the famed Italian horror director. Ed, Shawn’s best friend, is known for his hilarious impression of Clyde, the orang-utan from Every Which Way But Loose with Clint Eastwood. The zombie in Shawns back garden, Mary, worked at Landis Supermarket. This is a reference to John Landis who is the director of the horror film An American Werewolf in London. As Shawn and Ed are watching news reports on the television they come across a reporter who speaks the same lines as the reporter in the Night of the Living Dead (1968) There is a poster of a bleeding cartoon schoolgirl in the background of the scene where Shawn and Ed get attacked by the one armed zombie. This is a stylized recreation of a scene from Battle Royale, a Japanese film. At one point, Ed warns Shawns mum over the phone, â€Å"Were coming to get you, Barbara.† This line is a reference to a line from the beginning of George Romeros seminal zombie movie Night of the Living Dead (1968). We hear ‘Zombi’ by Goblin, in the scene where Shawn and Ed try to work out how to rescue Liz and Barbara. This music was featured in Dawn of the Dead. When Shawn and Ed get to the idea of seeking refuge in the Winchester pub, a delighted Ed exclaims, ‘Yeah, boy!’ this is a reference to Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flay. As they are making their way to the Winchester, Shawns mum falls behind and gets attacked by a zombie. She screams for help and Shawn rushes to help her jumping on a small trampoline and using it to propel him through the air. This is the same shot that was used near the end of Sam Raimi’s film, Army of Darkness. It was also a popular mode of transport in the computer game ‘Zombies ate my neighbours’ in which you have to bounce from back garden to back garden in order to kill the suburban zombies. On the way to the Winchester, there is a brief reunion of characters from the television series The Office, when Shaun’s group encounters Yvonne’s group. Lucy Davis (Dianne) and Martin Freeman (Declan) played Dawn and Tim on the popular BBC series, and their relationship was a central plot of the show. Noel calls Ed on the phone and refers to him as Noodle. This is the name of one of the teenagers on Spaced. The Mexican standoff at the Winchester pub is straight out of Reservoir Dogs, with the characters holding broken bottles and corkscrew rather than guns, (with the exception of David who is holding a rifle). Shawn exclaims, ‘Stop pointing that gun at my mum!’ in Reservoir Dogs Chris Penn yells, ‘Stop pointing that gun at my Dad!’ Liz’s friend David’s death scene is almost identical to that of Captain Rhodes in Day of the Dead. In the scene where Shawn and Liz escape from the Winchester’s pub cellar via an elevator platform is a direct tribute to Day of the Dead which also heavily features an elevator platform. The way in which Shawn drops the ‘hand box’ after activating the elevator is done in exactly the same manner used by Bill McDermott (Played by the actor Jarlart Conroy) in the Day of thr Dead. The choreographed pool-cue beating of the zombie in the Winchester pub, which was synchronized to the Queen soundtrack, is a carefully referenced homage to the balletic assault on the homeless man in A Clockwork Orange, (1971) The line. ‘get behind me’,   when they were fighting off the zombies in the pub is a direct take of Han Solos line in Star Wars (1977) Shaun berates Ed for calling the creatures zombies (which they are, of course). This may be referring to the fact that many zombie movies (including Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Resident Evil (2002) never mention the word zombie at all. More likely this is a reference to Danny Boyle director of 28 Days Later (2002) and his insistence that it isnt a zombie movie. When Shaun finds his zombie house mate in the shower he utters the words Join us in a half whispered tone. This is a reference to the first two Evil Dead films where the zombies are always asking Ash (also mentioned in the department store) to join us. The scene in which Shaun and Liz leave the basement via the lift through the hatch into smoke and orange light, turning as they do so, is a direct reference to a scene in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980) when Lando leaves the Millennium Falcon to rescue Luke. Towards the end of the movie when the soldiers arrive to save Shawn and Liz the logo on the side of their trucks read ‘Biohazard’ This is the same name that the Japanese use for the uber popular zombie video game Resident Evil, which is also very heavily featured in Simon Peggs BBC series, Spaced. Liz flicks through the channels and we hear a report refuting the news that the zombie attacks may have been caused by rage infected monkeys. This is a direct reference to the Danny Boyle film 28 days later. When Shawn and Liz are watching television after the zombie attack they come across a zombie game show called ‘fun dead’. In the background the shopping centre music from the Dawn of the Dead can be heard. Finally, the end credits of the film features the song ‘The Gonk’ by H. Chappell. This again is the shopping mall music for the Dawn of the Dead but remixed by Kid Koala. There are many more references of intextuality and pastiche in this film and as Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have said in interviews that the film has many levels that you have to see to understand. â€Å"Shaun of the Dead.   Like Dawn of the Dead, this film follows what happens in the event of a zombie epidemic.   However, Shaun of the Dead is done in a more light-hearted and comical way.   That raises the question as to whether it is parody or pastiche.   Shaun of the Dead has all the elements of the zombie invasion film.   However, it is handled in a very different way, with comedy.   Shaun of  the  Dead is a classic example  of parody, given Jameson’s definition, â€Å"Now parody capitalizes on the uniqueness of these styles and seizes on their idiosyncrasies and eccentricities to produce an imitation which mocks the original† (1963).   Shaun of  the Dead takes those things  that are specific to almost every zombie film and makes light of it.   The film could be thought of as pastiche, as Jameson writes, â€Å"Pastiche is blank parody, parody that has lost its sense of  humor† (1963).   Since Shaun of the Dead is meant to b e humorous, it cannot be a pastiche.† REFERENCES: Irwin, William. Against Intertextuality. Philosophy and Literature, v28, Number 2, October 2004, pp.  227-242. S.E. Smith. (06 April 2011). In Literature, What is Pastiche?. Available: wisegeek.com/in-literature-what-is-pastiche.htm. Last accessed 13th April 2011. Anon. (2004). Shaun of the Dead Pop Culture References. Available: shaunofthedead.com/plot/pop-culture/. Last accessed 18th April 2011 B, Nick. (2007). What was once for theory is now used for postmodernism. Available: http://ryancallander.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/group-project/. Last accessed 5th April 2011. Apply the post-modernist concepts of intertextuality and pastiche to shaun of the dead. REFERENCES: Apply the post-modernist concepts of intertextuality and pastiche to shaun of the dead. Introduction This essay is going to investigate the concepts of intertextuality and pastiche of Shaun of the Dead. To do this, the two concepts will be briefly explained and how, although the film is completely made up of references to different films, it is still wholly original because of this. â€Å"Intertextuality is the shaping of texts meanings by other texts. It can refer to an author’s borrowing and transformation of a prior text or to a reader’s referencing of one text in reading another. The term â€Å"intertextuality† has, itself, been borrowed and transformed many times since it was coined by poststructuralist Julia Kristeva in 1966. As critic William Irwin says, the term â€Å"has come to have almost as many meanings as users, from those faithful to Kristeva’s original vision to those who simply use it as a stylish way of talking about allusion and influence† (Irwin, 228).† â€Å"The literary term pastiche is used in two slightly different ways, and the concept can be found in other arts, not just literature, ranging from architecture to film. In the first sense, a pastiche is a form of homage which is accomplished through imitation. In the second definition, a pastiche is a medley of items which are imitative in origin. The term can be used in a derogatory or complimentary way, depending on the work under discussion. The origins of the word lie in an Italian word meaning medley, a reference to a type of cake or pie which is made from a broad mixture of items. The idea behind either form of pastiche is that it integrates themes, ideas, concepts, and characters which have already been seen and used before. These items are integrated in a new work because the author finds them interesting, compelling, or useful; a pastiche is not plagiarism or outright imitation, but a more complex literary concept.† (Smith, 2011). Shawn of the Dead was a 2004 film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. It was billed as a ‘British romantic zombie comedy’. The main plot of the film is that a man (Shawn) decides to turn his life around by winning his girlfriend back and fixing the relationship with his mother. Unfortunately he also has to deal with the whole community coming back from the dead to eat the living. Shawn of the dead is jammed packed with references to other films, most of which can be found in the following part of this essay. Firstly, in the opening credits, during the company logo, ‘figment’ by S. Park is playing. This is the same music that was playing during the airport scene in Dawn of the Dead. (Shawn of the Dead is obviously paying homage to Dead of the Dead in the similar film title reference as well). In Day of the Dead a zombie staggers into the screen shot and as a nod to this Shawn of the Dead has a shot of Shawn staggering across the floor after waking up. Pete, Shawn’s flatmate answers his mobile phone with the line, â€Å"Hi Dom.† Peter Serafinowicz (who portrayed Pete in the film) was also in BBC series Spaced (starring Simon Pegg) where he frequently used the same line. As Shaun walks to the corner store, he passes a road sweeper. On the operator’s radio, you can hear a report of how a space probe named Omega 6 entered the atmosphere several days early over the southwest of England and broke apart over a heavily populated area. This ties in with Night of the Living Dead, in which a space probe breaks up in the atmosphere and causes the dead to return to life. Throughout the film we see multiple references to a made up pizza chain called ‘Bub’s Pizza’. This is a reference to the smarter than average zombie Bub from Day of the Dead. One of the stars of Dawn of the Dead (1978), Ken Foree, is referenced in the place where Shawn works: Foree Electric. Shawn walks past a sign for Weston Park. This sign is in Crouch End in London. It is the same place that the BBC series Spaced was set and was also where Simon Pegg resided in 2004. They pay tribute to Ashley J. Williams, who played Bruce Campbell. hero from the Evil Dead Trilogy. This is during the scene when Shawn calls a staff meeting. He mentions that the manager and ‘Ash’ have both phoned in sick. There is an exclusive seafood restaurant called Fulci’s in the film at which Shawn tries to make a reservation for. This is a nod to Lucio Fulci, the famed Italian horror director. Ed, Shawn’s best friend, is known for his hilarious impression of Clyde, the orang-utan from Every Which Way But Loose with Clint Eastwood. The zombie in Shawns back garden, Mary, worked at Landis Supermarket. This is a reference to John Landis who is the director of the horror film An American Werewolf in London. As Shawn and Ed are watching news reports on the television they come across a reporter who speaks the same lines as the reporter in the Night of the Living Dead (1968) There is a poster of a bleeding cartoon schoolgirl in the background of the scene where Shawn and Ed get attacked by the one armed zombie. This is a stylized recreation of a scene from Battle Royale, a Japanese film. At one point, Ed warns Shawns mum over the phone, â€Å"Were coming to get you, Barbara.† This line is a reference to a line from the beginning of George Romeros seminal zombie movie Night of the Living Dead (1968). We hear ‘Zombi’ by Goblin, in the scene where Shawn and Ed try to work out how to rescue Liz and Barbara. This music was featured in Dawn of the Dead. When Shawn and Ed get to the idea of seeking refuge in the Winchester pub, a delighted Ed exclaims, ‘Yeah, boy!’ this is a reference to Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flay. As they are making their way to the Winchester, Shawns mum falls behind and gets attacked by a zombie. She screams for help and Shawn rushes to help her jumping on a small trampoline and using it to propel him through the air. This is the same shot that was used near the end of Sam Raimi’s film, Army of Darkness. It was also a popular mode of transport in the computer game ‘Zombies ate my neighbours’ in which you have to bounce from back garden to back garden in order to kill the suburban zombies. On the way to the Winchester, there is a brief reunion of characters from the television series The Office, when Shaun’s group encounters Yvonne’s group. Lucy Davis (Dianne) and Martin Freeman (Declan) played Dawn and Tim on the popular BBC series, and their relationship was a central plot of the show. Noel calls Ed on the phone and refers to him as Noodle. This is the name of one of the teenagers on Spaced. The Mexican standoff at the Winchester pub is straight out of Reservoir Dogs, with the characters holding broken bottles and corkscrew rather than guns, (with the exception of David who is holding a rifle). Shawn exclaims, ‘Stop pointing that gun at my mum!’ in Reservoir Dogs Chris Penn yells, ‘Stop pointing that gun at my Dad!’ Liz’s friend David’s death scene is almost identical to that of Captain Rhodes in Day of the Dead. In the scene where Shawn and Liz escape from the Winchester’s pub cellar via an elevator platform is a direct tribute to Day of the Dead which also heavily features an elevator platform. The way in which Shawn drops the ‘hand box’ after activating the elevator is done in exactly the same manner used by Bill McDermott (Played by the actor Jarlart Conroy) in the Day of thr Dead. The choreographed pool-cue beating of the zombie in the Winchester pub, which was synchronized to the Queen soundtrack, is a carefully referenced homage to the balletic assault on the homeless man in A Clockwork Orange, (1971) The line. ‘get behind me’,   when they were fighting off the zombies in the pub is a direct take of Han Solos line in Star Wars (1977) Shaun berates Ed for calling the creatures zombies (which they are, of course). This may be referring to the fact that many zombie movies (including Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Resident Evil (2002) never mention the word zombie at all. More likely this is a reference to Danny Boyle director of 28 Days Later (2002) and his insistence that it isnt a zombie movie. When Shaun finds his zombie house mate in the shower he utters the words Join us in a half whispered tone. This is a reference to the first two Evil Dead films where the zombies are always asking Ash (also mentioned in the department store) to join us. The scene in which Shaun and Liz leave the basement via the lift through the hatch into smoke and orange light, turning as they do so, is a direct reference to a scene in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980) when Lando leaves the Millennium Falcon to rescue Luke. Towards the end of the movie when the soldiers arrive to save Shawn and Liz the logo on the side of their trucks read ‘Biohazard’ This is the same name that the Japanese use for the uber popular zombie video game Resident Evil, which is also very heavily featured in Simon Peggs BBC series, Spaced. Liz flicks through the channels and we hear a report refuting the news that the zombie attacks may have been caused by rage infected monkeys. This is a direct reference to the Danny Boyle film 28 days later. When Shawn and Liz are watching television after the zombie attack they come across a zombie game show called ‘fun dead’. In the background the shopping centre music from the Dawn of the Dead can be heard. Finally, the end credits of the film features the song ‘The Gonk’ by H. Chappell. This again is the shopping mall music for the Dawn of the Dead but remixed by Kid Koala. There are many more references of intextuality and pastiche in this film and as Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have said in interviews that the film has many levels that you have to see to understand. â€Å"Shaun of the Dead.   Like Dawn of the Dead, this film follows what happens in the event of a zombie epidemic.   However, Shaun of the Dead is done in a more light-hearted and comical way.   That raises the question as to whether it is parody or pastiche.   Shaun of the Dead has all the elements of the zombie invasion film.   However, it is handled in a very different way, with comedy.   Shaun of  the  Dead is a classic example  of parody, given Jameson’s definition, â€Å"Now parody capitalizes on the uniqueness of these styles and seizes on their idiosyncrasies and eccentricities to produce an imitation which mocks the original† (1963).   Shaun of  the Dead takes those things  that are specific to almost every zombie film and makes light of it.   The film could be thought of as pastiche, as Jameson writes, â€Å"Pastiche is blank parody, parody that has lost its sense of  humor† (1963).   Since Shaun of the Dead is meant to b e humorous, it cannot be a pastiche.† REFERENCES: Irwin, William. Against Intertextuality. Philosophy and Literature, v28, Number 2, October 2004, pp.  227-242. S.E. Smith. (06 April 2011). In Literature, What is Pastiche?. Available: wisegeek.com/in-literature-what-is-pastiche.htm. Last accessed 13th April 2011. Anon. (2004). Shaun of the Dead Pop Culture References. Available: shaunofthedead.com/plot/pop-culture/. Last accessed 18th April 2011 B, Nick. (2007). What was once for theory is now used for postmodernism. Available: http://ryancallander.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/group-project/. Last accessed 5th April 2011.

261 Intro to Am Literature since 1945 Professor Ramos Blog

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An Analysis Of The Genesis 22 Religion Essay

An Analysis Of The Genesis 22 Religion Essay The chapter begins with a pattern of introduction that usually suggests a new wave in the trend of events. And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abrahamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. In verse 20, the same introduction is used in stating that Abrahams brother Nahor had been born children by Milcah. It is known from the onset that God is testing Abraham. The primary aim of the test is to teach Abraham that obedience and commitment are vital to keeping covenants. Obedience to covenant obligations brings guarantee of the fulfilment of Gods promises and fresh bestowal of the blessings that go with covenant keeping. God calls Abraham to take his son Isaac, whom he loves very much to a land which he will show him and offer him for a burnt offering (verse 2). The practice of human sacrifice in ancient near-eastern society is here revealed. In verse 3, Abraham obeys Gods command without any grudges, rising up early in the morning and taking along with him the persons and materials needed to perform the sacrifice. His response to Gods call Behold, here I am shows Abraham has entrusted his future and life into Gods hands. He makes himself totally available for Gods purpose. The prophet Isaiah showed a similar attitude in his vision. Abraham surrenders totally to God knowing he was going to be the founding father of Israel. An important truth is learnt about what happens when Gods word is followed-up with obedience in verse 4. He lifted up his eyes and sees the place of the sacrifice from a distance. He did not need God to speak again for him to ascertain the place. Revelation and divine knowledge and insight follow obedience to the word. Verse 5 shows Abraham leaving his servants behind in the Journey and moving on with Isaac. It seems true worship is a personal thing that often involves the individual going beyond the point where most people can or are willing to go. His faith is unshaken in his confession that he and the lad will go, worship and come back. He understands this is a test and so far, he seems to be doing well. Isaac, the object of the worship is not oblivious of the happenings around him. He is aware a burnt offering is to be performed but does not see any lamb for it. This makes him curious, and even though he was later bound up by his father for the sacrifice, he did not resist ( 7-10 ). Abraham demonstrates his faith once again in God by assuring Isaac of Gods providence ( verse 8). In some way, the whole story is allegorical. Isaac is portrayed as a type of the Christ to come, for as Jesus carried his cross to the place of his crucifixion so Isaac carries the wood for the sacrifice demanded by God(22: 6). Abraham is seen often assuming the status of a god-figure. Twice he is called upon, both by God and Isaac and he responds, here I am'(1). His response with this phrase is reminiscent of the revelation of God(Yahweh) when He speaks to Moses( Ex. 3:14). In Jesus confrontation with the Pharisees, the same title he uses pitches him against them because they taught of him as a blasphemer equating himself with God. This same statement by Abraham is not only indicative of his total availability to God. It in some way makes the parallel of Abraham as a God-figure tenable in the same way that Isaac, the object of the sacrifice is representative of the true lamb in the new testament, Jesus Christ. Isaac carries the wood for the burnt offering ( 6 ), as Christ carries his cross. The place of the sacrifice in the land of Moriah( verse 2) is later seen in the mountain of Jerusalem where Solomon eventually built the temple of the Lord (2 Chron. 3: 1). It plays on the Hebrew word to see (raa) used by Abraham in verses 8 and 14 as to provide. The fact that Abraham was the first to offer a sacrifice there when he eventually offered the ram caught in the ticket shows that he first instituted true worship to God. He was the first to worship God there. It took Abraham three days to find the place of worship. This is probably a half-way point of the entire journey to and fro that would take about seven days. In verse 9, Isaac is bound by Abraham, ready to be slain, yet he does not resist even though his father had already told him that God will provide a lamb for the sacrifice. He is a type of the Christ described in Isaiah 53: 7 who as a lamb brought to the slaughter, opened not his mouth. Abrahams reply to Isaacs question that God will provide himself a lamb for the sacrifice (verse 8) is an act of his faith in God. He had earlier obeyed Gods command to go somewhere to sacrifice his son. Now, he has to assure his son that the object of the sacrifice will be provided. In verse 10, Abraham demonstrates his faith totally by stretching forth his hand with the knife to slay the lad. God sees Abrahams heart that he truly fears him and speaks through his angel from heaven. God is pleased with Abrahams willingness to entrust all his future into his hands. Verse 13 shows Abrahams faith yielding fruits. He had told his son that God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering. Now, the Lord has indeed provided. He sees a ram caught in a bush by its horns and uses it for the sacrifice. Abraham later calls the name of the place Jehovah-jireh, acknowledging that God had indeed seen to or provided. Verses 15- 18 is a re-affirmation of covenant promise by the same angel of the Lord that spoke earlier on. God gives his word through his angel in promise to Abraham that he will bless him and multiply his seed as the stars of the heaven because he has obeyed his voice, trusted him and was willing to sacrifice for covenant. His seed shall posses the gate of their enemies and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through them. Covenant promise earlier made demands obedience and faithfulness. Now faithfulness in that covenant walk has brought more assurance of more blessings. In verse 19, Abraham returns to his servants and they go and dwell in Beersheba. The underlying theme in the story is the fact that human sacrifice which was a core part of societal life is here seen to be abolished and replaced with animal sacrifice. Infant sacrifice was customary to the nations that dwelt about Abraham and would later become an important practice in Israel (2 Kings 16: 3). Israels realization that the first born belongs to the Lord resulted in their seeking alternative sacrifice that would redeem the first born. Abraham pioneers Israels change from the practice of the other nations through Gods direction to redeem his son by the ram. In verses 21 to 24, the writer notes that Abraham receives news of the children that have been born to his brother Nahor through Milcah. Perhaps the news of multiple bodily fruitfulness is a sign of the promise by the angel of the Lord. The children born to Nahor are Huz, Buz, Kemuel, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. Rebekah, the wife Abrahams servant would later choose for Isaac is the daughter of Bethuel mentioned here. Kemuel is the father of Aram. Nahors concubine Reumah also bore him four children by name Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah. This part of the chapter completes the geneology to the second generation of the children of Terah, besides the children born to Abraham by Keturah (25: 1-6). Abraham had fathered Isaac. Now, the younger brother Nahor has twelve children; eight by his wife Milcah, and four by his concubine Reumah. Jacob, Abrahams grandson would later have the same number of children by his wives and concubines. Out of the twelve children born to Nahor, three would become names of places or nations. In Genesis 10: 23, Uz is mentioned as a son of Aram. It is the homeland of Job (Job 1: 1). This is probably northern Edom. The country of Buz is the homeland of one of the friends of Job (32: 2). In Genesis 24:15, Bethuel is seen as a personage. Buz is home to one of Jobs friends ( Job32: 2). Hazu (and Bazu) are mentioned by the 7th century Assyrian king Esarhaddon. In short, Abrahams entire family is blessed even though his youngest sibling Ur, who had fathered Lot had died in Haran. Conclusion Faithfulness is key to keeping covenants. Afterwards, blessings follow. God is faithful. The question is; are we ready to walk in faith with him as Abraham did?

Google in China Essay

Google is the fastest growing Internet search engine company. Google’s mission is â€Å"to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.†(International Business: Competing in the Global marketplace, pg 148-149) They have a mantra of â€Å"Don’t be Evil.† Google started this mantra to be the main message to show consumers they would not compromise the integrity of its search results. This case reviews the situation under which Google was required to censor its content and chose to launch its new search engine site. The case explains the role of the Chinese government and its regulations in the Internet market which had a negative effect on Google’s operations in China. In 2000, Google started a Chinese language service. This service was operated from the United States. Chinese authorities blocked the site in 2002 because China censors information to their citizens. This block surprised Google’s managers. This was a challenge the managers did not plan on. If they done their research of the Chinese Government and culture prior to launching the Chinese language service, they would have known the block would be inevitable and they could have tailored their service to the Chinese regulations, culture, and laws. Google knew China was an advantageous business and they would need to adapt their service in order for it to be acceptable and profitable. Google also had to move the Chinese operations to China. Operating from the United States caused slow connection speed and hinder their operation and growth. This was a good move because it enabled Google to employee Chinese citizens who would be able to help understand and adapt to the Chinese laws, regulations, and censorship demands. Google managers made a mistake by not researching their target market. However, they acted quickly in learning and correcting this mistake. Google still offered Chinese citizens a better search engine, but it was not without censorship. The Google search engine offers more results than its competitors, Yahoo, Microsoft’s MSN, and China’s own company, Baidu. Google states Chinese consumers will â€Å"get more information on their site, though not quite all of it.† (International Business: Competing in the Global marketplace, pg 148-149) In 2006, Google had 30 percent share of China’s internet search engines. Baidu had 40 percent. This left another 30 percent split between Yahoo and Microsoft’s MSN search engines. These percentages are good, especially when one considers Yahoo and Microsoft had entered the Chinese search engine market prior to Google. Baidu has several advantages over Google that are mostly associated with it being a Chinese based company, the search engine has â€Å"competence in pinpointing queries in the Chinese language† (Yin & Yulin, 2010, p. 4). Government relations with China are precarious for businesses effectiveness. Google did not have a clear understanding of what they would be involved in. China has become more supported and self-assured due to its increasing economic significance. They are more reluctant to be pressed by Western governments or companies into changing its long term regulations and censorship. Because of this aspect, China does not yet comprehend global strategies and the importance of global public relations. This causes them to be more rigid in their international business dealings. All-in-all, Google has been able to grow successfully in the Chinese search engine market and maintain the number two spot (behind Baidu) in China despite their lack of early research on the Chinese culture, governmental regulations, and laws. References International Business. Competing in the Global Marketplace, Seventh Edition, Chapter 3: Differences in Culture ISBN: 9780073381343 Author: Charles W. L. Hill copyright  © 2009 McGraw-Hill, a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.