Discuss how Death of a Salesman comments on American society and Essay

Discuss how Death of a Salesman comments on American society and values - Essay Example In the story, we see Willy as a desperate man in terms of financial and family relationship success. He is constantly in argument with Biff and is always troubled by his inability to earn more money as compared to his brother Ben. Biff and Happy, at their thirties, are still unable to achieve financial success and are characterized by adolescent behavior. This is in contrast with their cousin, Bernard, who became a well- respected lawyer. Linda is depicted as a sympathetic wife who suppresses her disappointment with their family financial and relationship status. The story culminated in Willy's suicide. The story illustrates how deep-seated is the dream of financial success in American society. The pervading aspiration is to achieve financial success. Willy dreams of making more money like his brother. He still retains his belief that his sons are capable of such success too. However, the story also illustrates how failure to achieve such success can affect the psyche of a person. This is shown by Willy's suicide. His act is the mark of a failed man, but, more importantly, it shows the disparity between his aspirations and his actual achievements. From the story, one can see the implications of the concept of the American dream.

Production, Costs and Profits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Production, Costs and Profits - Essay Example However, after a certain level of output the marginal revenue product of labor starts diminishing with each additional unit of labor/worker. This means with each additional worker, although the output is increasing, but at a decreasing rate, i.e., negative marginal returns. If this continues, there might come a point at which output actually starts falling with addition of variable factor labor. Under such, if the capital has reached its limit/full capacity, the manager of the restaurant should consider adding a new grill and French fry machine as adding workers will only add to the costs and will not solve the problem (Rittenberg & Tregarthen, 2009, Chapter 8). Q: 2: Marginal Decision Rule: The marginal decision rule says that the optimal point is the one in which the marginal utility of the next unit is equal to its marginal cost. This rule was applied in this case when deciding how much labor and capital to use. Initially, the industries operating in the maquiladoras were very lab or incentive and only about 9% skilled labor was required to operate the existing setup. But then as the industry became more capital intensive, then more skilled labor were required and the percentage increased to 12% (Lucinda, 2001). Benefits: Although the capital and skilled labor were increasing in the Maquiladoras, but proper training was being given to them so that they can do the work properly and the marginal product rises instead of declining. Maquiladoras have benefitted US a lot. It has increased the business in the border areas. Moreover, it has created jobs for the people. Many manufacturers have also relocated in these areas. Due to this, the areas which were facing double digit unemployment have now generated enough jobs to reduce this unemployment. Moreover, the infrastructure has also developed in the areas where Maquiladoras are located in the US (Lucinda, 2001). Q.3 A generic drug company is one that produces drugs that are identical in essence (not literally) to branded drugs in dosage, strength, quality, intended use and performance characteristics. The chemical formulation is also similar and the name is often kept after the chemical name for marketing without much advertising. The generic drug industry, though still highly regulated, was given some relaxations under the Drug Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 after which the industry boomed. The fact that the generic drug companies do not have to invest much on the research and development as compared to branded drug companies is the single most important factor for the success of these companies. For any drug company, R & D is a huge investment that it makes in order to keep coming up with new and better drugs for the healthcare industry and forms a significant part of the overall manufacturing and marketing of a particular drug. Thus, the companies that simply take the chemical formula of branded drugs without investing on R & D themselves save on their costs and are a ble to sell the drug at a significant discount from the price of an identical branded drug. Thus, a cheaper drug with similar properties will obviously sell more. Secondly, with generic drug companies allowed to make identical drugs, the patents are unable to protect branded drug comp

Company analysis for Zara

Company analysis for Zara Strengths Zara is a very powerful brand and influential in overseas markets as America, Asia, Europe and Africa (according to article Best Global Brands 2010, 14 Sep 2010).Zara needs 2 weeks to design a new product and to bring in stores by meeting costumers preferences, meantime its competitors need 6-8weeks(chapter11-The strategy of international business). Competitive advantage of Zara is because didnt transfer all production to low cost countries, but kept most of them in Spain and Portugal where wages are lower than Western Europe. With this, it cuts shipping costs, and has more flexibility to answer the consumers demands for new products in quick way because of location than its competitors that have factories in low cost countries. According to a statement by Louis Vuitton Zara is Possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world. The company applied Instant Fashion in order to meet costumers demands by new designs and new trends in manufacturing and distribution, also by keeping prices low. Zara used group of designers instead of individuals in comparison with GAP, HM and others. Zaras stores are company owned, and it is vertically integrated retailer. It does designs, production and distribution by itself and controls everything. In comparison with competitors it doesnt promote its designs via fashion shows, but is delivering they direct to costumers through the stores to understand their need, thats why the company doesnt do advertising (article-the Secret of Zaras Success, Store Magazine, fall 2004). Another advantage is that the company has one of the highest numbers of products in the world that produces annually 11.000 and its key competitors 2000-4000.The company keep low inventory in stock because each new product is supposed to be sold within 10 days, if not is replaced after 2 weeks. By this measure the company keeps low cost of inventory. Every store in Spain is supposed to be visited on average 3 times a year, but Zara 17 times(according to article Zara a Spanish Success Story, CNN, 15 June 2001). Also this year the company will enter Australian market. The company has a core concept in information technology to support its international logistics system and online selling where return and exchange is the same as the store system(Wikipedia). Also in some location people can buy Zara products by IPod, I Phone application. Zara model have more flexibility in production sales, and stock management and its stores managers report back every day to designers in La Coruna for sells which shows a nice coordination between departments in order to meet costumers needs(Zara website). Zara is part of Spanish group Inditex is expanded worldwide in 77 countries with 5000 stores. Net Income was increased by 42% for the first 9 months of 2010 and share price 57.60 euro (Inditex Group). The company has Strong relationship between wholesalers, stores, management and costumers. Also, the use of the highest quality of materials for clothing. Zara revenue for 2009 was 7.071 billion Euros and operating profit is 15% higher than HM and GAP, but working capital is the lowest(Wikipedia). Weaknesses Zara is one of the largest clothing retailers in the world and this can cause its weakness in different parts of business, and is too difficult to control. The company is global but has presence in 77 countries (Wikipedia).Also Zaras greatest advantage lies in  its ability to provide the most interesting cutting-edge items, risk free.  Normally the more cutting edge the design, the greatest the risk. Clothes do not always last long (Zara 2.0- Fashion index.com). Zara has a reputation for new design product development and creativity, but is the risk that their innovation may stumble in future. Costs of doing business with Albanian stores, while the Zara is located in La Coruna Spain. Although ZARA has a successful business model it also have some weaknesses which could limit its scalability and ambitious growth. ZARA constitutes around 80% of Inditex business (8 companies) which means a failure in ZARA can put the whole group at a risk (Inditex group). Advertisement is becoming an important part of the business and it reflects directly to the sales. Zaras in-store advertisement model may not work going forward (Zara). Another weakness for the company in Albanian market is that, most of people are low income and could be difficult for the Zara to keep the growth. Opportunities Merge with Inditex group has created more possibilities to invest in emerging markets (Wikipedia). Zara stores are located in 77 countries and are lot of opportunities to invest and expanding the market as in India and China (Inditex). Albania is a nice opportunity for the company to open stores because people like high fashion brands. New location and stores offer the company opportunities to exploit market development. Grow into new markets/consumer segments Albanian Consumer Taste Albanian consumer view ZARA as fashionable house. If ZARA needs to grow in Albanian it needs to address specifically the Albanian needs and perception of fashion. Threats The biggest threats are its competitors as HM, GAP and Benetton and new entries in market that want to recapitalize their profits in new markets as Albanian.  Rising production cost because of labor and raw materials. As economic crisis is striking back costumers are trended to spend less. Imitation of companys logo by people that do not have permission to use it. Increase in Euro Rate An increase in Euro rate will increase the consumer selling price, consequently Zara will lose price advantage against relative competitors outsourcing in Albanian lek. Zara sales are increasing 25% over the past 5 years it has become one of the worlds fastest growing retailers, and to keep this growth has to invest in emerging markets. Zara strategy is growth through diversification with both horizontal and vertical integration, and brings new fashion (Zara website). The company controls all distribution channels, and invests a lot in Real Estate business in order to buy prime locations for new stores. This risk for Zara because its net cash flow is less than its competitors. Although ZARA has a successful business model it also has some weaknesses which could limit its ambitious growth, Inditex over dependence on ZARA (Wikipedia) Zaras business model is based by bringing new designs models in market every two weeks. For countries like Albania, where people are less fashion forward, it may be a challenge for Zara to sustain its presence. Other threat for the company in Albania is the politic stability that is still fragile because of disagreements between two main political forces. Petrol prices are very expensive in comparison with other countries and will affect the cost of products by increasing their prices. Situational Analysis (TOWS) Weaknesses and Threats (WTH) The weaknesses of Zara is to be part of Inditex group which has 8 companies and means failure of one of them can put Zara at a risk too(Inditex group). The company has to find a strategy in order to overcome weaknesses and developed them into strengths. As you see from the chart the direction shows the strength- opportunity position (so). The strategy is to reduce the competitive threat by developing in market flexible new designs in order to meet costumers preferences on time. Weaknesses Opportunities (WO) Another weakness of Zara is raising production costs in Spain and Portugal with introduction of Euro in 2002. Products became more expensive for export. To overcome this Zara started to invest globally and new mergers in order to keep prices down as its competitors. If Zara enters in Albanian markets, it doesnt have experience with Albanian laws and their culture for clothing but could overcome those barriers by creating franchise with local partners. Strengths Threats (ST) One of the greatest threats to Zara is the continuing an appreciation of the Euro against other currencies this means higher prices for the buyer and less competitive posture. To reduce threats of competition and exchange rate Zara has built factories in North Africa and emerging markets. Economic crisis that started in 2008 and still goes on has obliged costumers to spend less on clothing items, and the company must bring new designs with affordable prices in order to handle this situation. Strengths Opportunities (SO) In order to be a successful retailer Zara has to build on its strengths and to take advantage of opportunities by using its RD. It brings in market each year 11.000 new products more than its competitors and this evident by its growth rate by 25% each year. In order to keep that growth rate Zara is investing its profits to buy new real estate location, technologies and to open new plants in low costs countries. Internal strengths 1) Strong Rd and designers. 2) Strong sales and global network. 3) Efficient products. Internal Weaknesses 1) Strong reliance in Europe. 2) Rising costs in Spain because of Euro. 3) No experience with Albanian laws. External opportunities-O 1) Growing market demands for fashion. 2) Will open new stores in Australia in 2011. 3) Low costs products to cope the competition. SO- Strategies 1) To develop and produce new designs with different prices. 2) To go global by using its RD and capital. 3) Increase efficiency by using new technologies in production. WO- Strategies 1) To develop existing products for different price model. 2) To cope with rising costs in Spain and Portugal by building new plants and stores in emerging markets. 3) To stay in touch with new technologies. Threats-T 1) Exchange rate risk, devaluation of euro in relation to other currencies. 2) Competition from HM, GAP, Benetton act. 3)Economic crisis ST-Strategies 1) To reduce the effect of exchange rate by building plants in countries outside the euro area. 2) Meet competition with advanced designs. 3) Bring new designs in market with lower prices. WT-strategies 1) Overcome weaknesses by making them strengths. 2) Reduce threat of competition by developing flexible product lines. 3) Engage in joint operation with other firms.TOWS Matrix for Zara Marketing Strategy Zara marketing strategy for Albanian market will include the use of targeted print media advertising and direct selling to Tirana and Durres area. The company will also use a website to keep costumers in touch with new designs and to sell products online.  In order to be successful as a new Zara store in Albanian market we have to beef up our relationship with corporate headquarters. Also we have to put our franchise in position to provide the highest quality of clothing in Albania market by bringing new brand and new designs. Our marketing strategy is to communicate this to our customers and to build a good relationship with them. Target Markets The potential customers for Zara are: Albanian costumers of Zara products: Market research suggests that there are approximately 50% of populations which are trended by fashion. All products for our franchise that would be able to handle the quantities of Zaras shipments and are in their target market. Inditex group wholesalers: This market serves as a safety for our import business. By maintaining relationships with Spanish wholesalers we have an alternative market with established distribution channels. As Zara moves in Albanian market need to be more aggressive in order to target this audience. Positioning Zara will position as the high end quality fashion distributor in Albanian market. Zara will only sell the highest quality of designs and recognizing that fashion is a commodity.   The company will leverage their competitive edges to achieve the desired positioning (Inditex group). We have established relationships with Zara, and Inditex group, in order to sustain our competitive edge. Our franchise has received affirmation of the demand for their product in the form of requests from Zara for larger product shipments. Our designs will be superior because of the larger average size of the Zara products 11.000 a year and low price and shipping cost will be less because Albanian market is too close from Spain. Strategies The single objective is to position Zara in our market as the premier in fashion field, and to create customer awareness in connection with designs offered, and to build good relationship to costumers in order to have their loyalty. The message that our store seeks to communicate is that our name is synonymous with the highest quality Zara designs available in Albanian market.   This message will be communicated through a variety of methods.   The first method will be the use of printed sales material.   The material will detail all of the different products that Zara sells. Another method of communication is through the development of strategic relationships with buyers and sellers of our (Zara) products.   As we are aware a nice communicative relationships with our clients is essential for our business.   Our franchise will also use advertisements, in TV, radio, newspapers, magazine and Email to increase brand awareness.    The use of the website will allow different people around Albania to view a lot of information regarding Zaras products in our store, their production methods, and other information. Marketing Mix Marketing mix is comprised of the following approaches to pricing and distribution, advertising and promotion and costumers service. The product can be distributed throughout the Tirana and Durres area. Several different methods will be used for advertising and promotions; we will use the same advertising methods as I meant it above. With regard to promotion we will offer as discount price, rebate Zara credit cards and other methods in order to keep loyal customers and to get new ones. Customer service is our priority in order to build good relationship with them.

Levinas on the Border(s) :: Teaching Education

Levinas on the Border(s) ABSTRACT: This essay explores my own situation of teaching philosophy in a more or less traditional undergraduate setting but in a way that is especially relevant to the theme of this Congress, namely, the theme of "philosophy educating humanity." In my case, I teach philosophy but from a perspective that is non-traditional and which undercuts the standard questions originating from and orienting around a "philosophia perennia." Specifically, I teach philosophy of religion from the perspective of Jewish philosophy, and even more specifically, from the perspective of the French Jewish philosophy of Emmanuelle Levinas. Moreover, I teach philosophy in an educational environment that is representative of the greater global community because I teach at the University of Texas at El Paso, situated on the border that separates the United States and Latin America. Finally, my teaching situation is one that is further marginalized because of the precarious nature of my academic position, name ly, trained outside the traditional borders of philosophical faculty and working at first as a part-timer and only recently as a full-time, non-tenure track teacher of philosophy and humanities. Hence, I offer my experience of doing work of successfully teaching philosophy "on the borders" in the hope that others gathered here will be challenged to think differently about their own way of educating others. What follows is about teaching the philosophy of Levinas, on the Mexico/USA border, on the border of a traditional discipline of philosophy (the philosophy of religion), and on the border of academia--as a non-tenure-track, non-traditionally trained Lecturer in Philosophy and Humanities at the University of Texas at El Paso. The relevance of these three interrelated themes for the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, whose theme is "Philosophy Educating Humanity," should be at least initially obvious, but a few preliminary remarks should clear up any confusions about my title. Most important of all, my scope is broader and deeper than the stated regional or academic limits. I contend that how I do what I do where I am at, and with whom I teach and learn has inter-national and inter-cultural significance which justifies inclusion of my remarks in an international Paideia forum. As a non-Jew with a degree in Religious Studies, I teach the philosophy of Levinas, a French-Jewish philosopher, in a relatively traditional Program of Philosophy to Spanish-speaking-Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and Anglo-Americans. Moreover, I do so in the predominantly Christo-centric and conservative cultural climate of the border region of El Paso, USA and Juarez, Mexico.

LAN-Based Voting System

3.0 Employee Registration System for Mustang Security Agency Inc. The proposed system was used to correct the deficiency that the manual filing process has. The system gives an accurate result. It also provides printable information of the employees and also on their previous assigned companies.3.1 System Overview The following were the different modules of the proposed system and its capabilities with regards to registration process.Registration Module This module allows the staff of the HR to register the new applied security guard.Client Module This module allows the HR to register the companies that asking for their service.Employee Track Record Module This module allows the HR to save the employment record of the security guards on their assigned companies.3.2 System Objectives The following were the different deliverables that the system had: Provided an accurate search result.The proposed system has a module that gave an exact result when it comes in searching employee informa tion.Printable Employee Information The employee registration system generates a printable employee information.Every employee has unique employee ID The system provided a unique employee ID for easily tracking of records.The System has image capturing The system had a image capturing features for easily identifying the employees.3.3 System Scope and Limitations The system was bounded with different deliverables that defined the scope and limitations of the system.The system included the following functions: Printable Employee InformationThe system can print the information and employment track records of theemployees..Image Capturing Features The system used an image capturing features to identify the employees easily.The system doesn’t cover the attendance monitoring and payroll of the employees it only serves as registration system to easily find files of the employees.3.4 Physical Environment Resources The following were the different physical resources to be used in the development of the proposed system.Hardware Specification The following were the different hardware used both in the development and implementation of the proposed system.Computer Server 1 GB memory Webcam Switch/Router UTP cablesSoftware Specification The system used several softwares both for the development and implementation of the system.Visual Basic 6.0 This software was used for the main design of the system interface.Microsoft Access This software was used for the database of the system.3.5 Architectural DesignThe researchers used different architectural designs in both developing and in implementing the proposed system. These designs helped the researchers in coming up with an accurate a reliable system. The Dataflow Diagram was used to identify the different flows of data in every process of the system in order to come up with an accurate result. This diagram was used to depict the main flow of the system which was used to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed system. En tity Relationship Diagram (ERD) was used to determine the relationship between entities and database attributes.This was used to  identify the data needed in the database and the different primary keys and foreign keys. The Data Dictionary was used to identify the different data structures needed in the database. These data allowed the researchers in properly normalizing the database and in designing the database accurately. System flowchart was used to determine the overview of the system’s flow, the different reports and different output displayed that verifies it with the data flow diagram.4.0 Design and ImplementationAfter the researchers gathered pertinent data and used several instruments, the development of the proposed system was done accurately and correct. The data flow diagram was used to guide the researchers in identifying the main flow of the data. The respondents were asked to accurately input data to the system particularly with. This was a common problem wi th manual entry of employee information. The system was developed using a carefully designed entity relationship diagram, it was considered as the back-bone of the system.The database structure followed as specified to guarantee the accuracy of data during entry. The researchers followed what was specified. During the completion of the system, it was tested to identify if the needs and set deliverables were met. The main problem that the researchers had encountered in the system was the integration of the webcam device.

Importance of Home in the Wind in the Willows

WillowsThere’s No Place Like Home: An Analysis of Two Characters’ Journeys in â€Å"The Wind in the Willows† As discussed in this course, classic children’s literature often involves some kind of journey for a character, in which they temporarily leave home, only to discover a self-truth and a new appreciation for that which they often took for granted. Kenneth Grahame’s â€Å"The Wind in the Willows† is no exception. The two animals that most notably go through a transformation as a result of leaving home are Mole and Toad. While their reasoning and experiences along the way differ, they both prove changed characters, and for the better. The Wind in the Willows† begins with a busy Mole, caught in his spring-cleaning daze, and within the first paragraph he has decided to leave the work behind as â€Å"something up above was calling him imperiously† (Classics of Children’s Literature, pg. 637). Mole’s home is undergr ound, and as soon as he breaks the surface, the nature around him is described as very positive with words like â€Å"sunlight†, â€Å"warm†, â€Å"caress†, and â€Å"happy† (pg. 637). He takes in his surroundings and is pleased to â€Å"be the only idle dog among all [the] busy citizens† (pg. 637).He quickly comes across the river, something that he’s never seen before, and makes friends with Rat, a loyal and happy member of the River Bank. The experience on a boat is grand, and Rat doesn’t have to say much to convince Mole that venturing out was the best idea: â€Å"Absorbed in the new life he [Mole] was entering upon, intoxicated with the sparkle, the ripple, the scents and the sounds and the sunlight, he trailed a paw in the water and dreamed long waking dreams† (pg. 639). Rat goes on to teach Mole all the necessary â€Å"animal etiquettes,† different things about the inhabitants of the Wild Wood, and how to do river tasks, like rowing.Even though he fails in first attempts to fit in, Moles spirits are easily lifted by the comfort of his friends. Mole stays with Rat through the summer and continues learning and growing as a character. The pair goes to visit another friend, Toad, who is all too eager to travel and go on a journey with his horse drawn carriage. The night before they are supposed to leave, Mole says that he’ll do whatever Rat wants, but asks, â€Å"Shall we run away to-morrow morning, quite early-very early- and go back to our deal old hole on the river? † (pg. 647). Here, he mentions home for the first time, and seems to miss it.However, Rat declines, which suggests that Mole has not learned all he needs to and is not ready to return. The journey with Toad comes to a quick end, and Mole and Rat go back to the river. However, Mole does something out of character when he decides to set out on his own to meet Badger, an â€Å"important personage† (pg. 650). Agai nst Rat’s previous warnings, Mole goes into the Wild Wood and becomes afraid of noises and unfamiliar sights. Rat quickly comes to his rescue and says that even Toad â€Å"wouldn’t show his face here alone,† which suggests that Mole has become braver.After meeting Badger, Mole and Rat decide to return back to the river and Mole is very excited, â€Å"eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked† (pg. 663). When they begin their journey back, Mole feels summoned â€Å"like an electric shock† and he realizes where he is. â€Å"Now, with a rush of old memories, how clearly it stood up before him†¦the home had been happy with him, too, evidently and was missing him, and wanted him back† (pg. 665). Mole wants to see his old home, but at first Rat doesn’t think it’s a good idea and convinces Mole to move on. Emotion overcomes Mole, and he sobs.At this point, home is everything to him, and he finally does deserve to go back. Rat realizes that the trip back is very important to his friend, and they turn back to find Mole’s old dwelling place. They find it and begin making a fire, welcome in some friends, and eventually settle down to dinner. It is a splendid time, and Mole, upon going to bed, realizes â€Å"how much it all meant to him, and the special value of some such anchorage in one’s existence†¦[however] he did not at all want to abandon the new life and its splendid spaces†¦it called to him still, even down there, and he knew must return to the larger stage† (pg. 671).It is in this moment that Mole appreciates his home, but realizes that he has changed for the better, and is ready to go back up and out to see what great, new experiences await him. Toad is not so easily moved by his home/away/home journey. Before he is introduced officially in the story, Rat says that Toad is â€Å"always good-tempered, always glad to see you, always sorry when you go,† and goes on to add â€Å"perhaps he’s not very clever†¦it may be that he is both boastful and conceited† (pg. 644-645). There are many instances when Toad is a bit too proud, whether it be talking about his house or his heroic deeds at the end of the story.The fact that Toad is wealthy seems to go along with him being obsessed with the latest craze, as he can afford to indulge in them. However, because of his boastful attitude and unawareness of consequences, it seems fitting that when he becomes infatuated with cars and driving, he never really succeeds at mastering it. Toad is more than happy to leave his fine estate for â€Å"the open road† (pg. 646). Travel and the like excite him, and it seems that he takes his home very much for granted at this point. Later on in the story, his friends, in hopes that he might be cured of his â€Å"poop-poop† daze, hold him under house arrest.This sheds a negative light on his home, making it a prison from which he escapes. Toad’s version of freedom is finding a new car, dressing the part and driving like a maniac. He even steals several cars (stooping to a new low) and crashes them. Toad’s freedom, his escape, is reckless and irresponsible and therefore it is essential that he come to a resolution to change. When Toad is finally placed in jail, he begins to reflect on his mistakes, calling himself a â€Å"stupid animal† (pg. 684). He even thinks about Toad Hall and his friends and there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel: â€Å"the cure was almost complete† (pg. 85).Not quite. Toad lucks out quite a few times, and several people take pity on him-the jailer’s daughter, the engine driver, the driving couple-even though he doesn’t really deserve it. Grahame uses these people to remind the reader that Toad isn’t all-bad, he’s just going through some kind of crisis. He even says that ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s when he’s at Toad Hall with his friends that he’s â€Å"at his best† (pg. 686). It is also interesting that as soon as Toad starts to think about how clever and amazing his actions are, karma finds him and he is once again running away from a pursuit.He is much like a child, throwing tantrums and being stubborn. When Toad ends up in the woods, he is finally finding his way back, feeling free in the wilderness. After being rescued from the river by Rat, Toad is excited to reveal all his adventures and cleverness. He even pledges to â€Å"lead a quiet, steady, respectable life†¦just as [he] used to in the good old days, before [he] got restless† (pg. 710). This proud moment is put on hold when he learns that Toad Hall has been seized. Suddenly, when he realizes his home is in danger, a fire is lit inside Toad, and he is ready to fight for it.Toad seems to have come to a breaking point, and the fact that he has to win his home back makes the ch ange in him more obvious. Although Toad, after the battle, still wants praise and to give speeches and sing songs (on his behalf), there is finally a complete turn around. Toad has a few last conceited moments, but it is only between him and his home. He sings to a room with empty chairs, which shows just how important the home was to his transformation. It was the last thing that would see him in his old ways, and the thing in which he would build a new life and character.At earlier instances, the reader may not be convinced of Toad’s change, but Grahame assures us saying, â€Å"He was indeed an altered Toad! † (pg. 724). Both of these animal characters in â€Å"The Wind in the Willows† have human qualities of wanting something more, something new to spark interest and passion. Grahame, through Mole and Toad, has shown the benefits of leaving home at some point so that it might be better appreciated upon return. Change is necessary to both these characters, and results in them both being much happier and satisfied with their lives.