Systems anlysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Systems anlysis - Essay Example This paper is divided into two sections. In the first section it discusses about point of sale systems and second section presents an analysis of a communication system. For this paper, I have chosen mobile communication system, which are increasingly used in every walk of life. Part1: Point of Sale (POS) Systems Point of Sale (or simply POS) system is widely used in retail shops or stores, normally placed at the checkout/cashier counter in the store, or a place where such transactions can take place in this type of environment. Basically, traditional cash registers are replaced with a computerized POS terminal. However, it is a great deal more complex than the cash registers for the reason that the POS system can have the capability to keep track of orders placed by the customers, carry out transactions via debit and credit cards. At the present, point of sale systems have the capability to connect to other systems in a network, and are widely used to deal with inventory. Normally, a point of sale system is based on a personal computer, which encompasses I/O devices and application-specific programs for the specific surroundings in which it will work. Additionally, there are a wide variety of POS systems which are used in different environments. The functionality and processed included with a POS system depends on the nature and functionality of the business. For instance, a point of sale system for a restaurant should contain a list of all menu items which are stored in a database. In addition, this database will be used by the POS system operator to query for information in many ways. In fact, a large number of business organizations and industries use POS terminals that have a point of sale for instance a help desk, comprising lodging, restaurants, museums, and entertainment. In the past few years there have been huge developments in the field of information technology. As the Internet is increasingly used in every walk of life in the same way, point of sal e terminals is now supported through the Internet, which provide an excellent support for remote training and operations management, and keeps track of inventory all through geographically-dispersed locations (Rouse, 2011; POSmatic, Inc., 2013). In addition, POS terminals can be applied to physical POS software and hardware comprising however not limited to touchscreen display, electronic cash register systems, barcode scanners, scales, receipt printers and pole displays. As discussed above, POS systems offer a large number of advantages for all the businesses and industries. The uses and applications of POS systems vary from business to business. Different organizations use different POS systems. In fact, at the present POS systems are used in a large number of different organizations and industries varying from hotels, restaurants and hospitality businesses, casinos, nail/beauty salons, stadiums, and the most important area of its implementation is the retail environments. In simp le words, if something can be traded for financial rate a POS System can be utilized (POSmatic, Inc., 2013; Rouse, 2011). An organization can get a number of advantages of POS systems. Some of the major advantages of POS systems are outlined below: Decrease Shrinkage: In view of the fact that inventory rates and quantities can be maintained in a synchronized manner, hence getting an understanding of shrinkage becomes trouble free. In addition, today’s point of sale systems encompasses a wide variety of functions regarding inventory and receiving. In fact, if

International Business and operations Management Essay

International Business and operations Management - Essay Example In China there are many existing domestic firms (over 8,000) engaged in the production and sale of agricultural equipment while a substantial number of international reputable firms have made major inroads into the Chinese farm machinery market. To understand international business ventures, Peng et al (2009) through their unified international business framework suggest two approaches in understanding international business frameworks. These are the institution-based view whereby the foreign venture firms aims at developing an understanding of the local business environment; and the resource-based view in which the firm utilizes its competitive advantage like superior technology or products to gain a foothold in the local markets. China as one of the fastest developing emerging markets provide a highly developed potential market for agricultural equipment due to its large population and lowly mechanized farming methods hence is a viable entry point into the Asian region market. International strategic management mainly encompasses firms engaged in cross-border trade globally that usually take advantage of local resources in diverse geographical locations to enhance their productivity and returns. Lessard (2003) has identified four strategic frameworks that distinguish these international firms: geographic span of the particular industry; the pull of the specific locations including the markets, resources, and the competitive edge; upholding of the international strategy; and the extent of global incorporation including the localized spread. The western and northern parts of China however have not greatly enjoyed the rapid growth experienced in other regions of the country. The government has therefore consequently provided incentives to foreign firms interested in expanding in these regions in form of lowered statutory requirements and other inducements as well as providing a high-quality communication and

The Concept Of Marriage In Sikhism Religion Essay

The Concept Of Marriage In Sikhism Religion Essay Sikh is a Punjabi word that means in the Punjabi language is disciple. According to another school of thought, the word Sikh derives from Seekh which means learner. Sikhs are the disciples of God who follow the writings and teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus. The wisdom of these teachings in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is practical and universal in their appeal to all mankind. A Sikh is any person whose faith consists of belief in One God, the ten Sikh Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures and teachings of the Sikh Gurus. Meanwhile, he or she must believe in the necessity and importance of `Amrit, the Sikh baptism. According to Sikh code of conduct Rahit MaryÄ dÄ  : A Sikh is any person whose faith consists of belief in one God, the ten Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures of the Sikh religion. Additionally he or she must believe in the necessity and importance of amrit (the Sikh baptism ceremony.)  [1]   The religion was founded by Guru Nanak who was born in 1469 and began in the Punjab, the upper part of the Indus Valley at the beginning of the 16th Century CE. When India and Pakistan became independent, this region which is the historic homeland of the Sikhs has been divided in two. Lahore, the ancient capital of the Sikhs, is now in Pakistan, while Amritsar, the site of the most famous and important Sikh holy building the Harimandir (Golden Temple), is in India. By the time, the last of the ten living gurus (Gobind Singh) died in 1708, Sikhism had developed a distinct and separate identity, as the succession of nine gurus who followed Guru Nanak each made contributions to and refined the tradition. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, decreed that his successor should be Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji, the collection of holy writings of the Sikhs. The Akali and Singh Saba movement propagated the Sikh beliefs and rituals. These movements fold all Hindu custom from Sikh community. They realized the problem and significance of Sikh Identity. These movements make popular Anand Marriage ceremony.  [2]   Marriage Marriage is named differently in different cultures and at different places. It is called wedding, Shadi, Viyah or Nikah. This ceremony is called Anand Karaj in Sikhism. Marriage is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all othersIn other words marriage is an act of taking girl as wife by her husband from the house of her father-mother. Marriage is the central, cardinal institution of natural society.  [3]   Further, the basic unit of society is the family, not the individual, it starts the reproductive cycle of human life. Marriage is an institution in which a mating gets social approval and the pairing of men and women are regulated. All known societies today, have the custom of marriage. Marriage is an essential ingredient of any society, and it is just like as religion in the society. Marriage and the family changes from place to place, religion to religion, caste to caste, tribe to tribe and moreover from time to time. So it is really a hard task to find out a universal definition of marriage. Some of the definitions of marriage focus upon legal aspects of marriage, while others center upon the social aspects of marriage but in almost all definitions of marriage the stress is upon the union of male and female. The marriage ceremony is a special step for couples which require serious thought in any society. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom make a public commitment to honor and support each other in their lives together as wife and husband.  [4]   Marriage institution is the most oldest and natural institution. During the last few thousand years of our cultural history, marriage and extended family has been the basis of our social structure. According to Lal Singh, Marriage is an oath taking ceremony of two souls desirous of physical, intellectual and spiritual union.  [5]   According to Promila Kapur, Marriage is a Sanskara and as such it is a sacrament and a religious bond which cannot be broken under any circumstances. Ideally, it aims not only at the individuals biological, emotional, social and spiritual fulfillments and development through union with a person of the opposite sex, but also at the development, fulfillment and welfare of the family, and through it of the society and mankind.  [6]   In general terms, marriage is described as the union of a man and a woman to live together as husband and wife according to the standard set out in the Holy Scriptures, which is socially permitted, legally agreed and religiously allowed. Marriage as more of a religious ritual than a social in east or legal affair like that in west and is considered a sacred institution in most cultures and religious traditions. Marriage is a spiritual identity, not just a love affair between two people. Marriage in Sikhism is regarded as a sacred bond of mutual help in attaining the heights of worldly life and spiritual bliss. It is a unity of mind and soul. It is a means to attain spirituality and not an end in itself. The real goal of marriage in Sikhism is union of both souls with Almighty Lord.  [7]   Marriage in Sikhism and its Developments The Sikh Gurus had a very high regard for the state of marriage, and they themselves entered into matrimony. They insisted that marriage is not merely a civil or social contract, but that its highest and most ideal purpose is to fuse two souls into one so that they may become spiritually inseparable. The concept of Sikh Marriage is explained by Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs that marriage is an attempt of uniting the individual soul to the Universal Soul. They are not to be called husband and wife who only sit together; rather they are husband and wife who have one spirit in two bodies  [8]   The Sikh Marriage ceremony is called Anand Kiraj literally (anand means bliss and Kiraj means occasion or ceremony) Blissful Occasion. The anand marriage ceremony was initiated by the third Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Ram Das. Varias Guru Bilas and most of the history do not properly dilate on the subject of Sikh marriage in old times. Various Guru Bilas are in poetry and in language that is not quite easy to be followed by everyone. The first serious attempt at the revival of the Anand marriage ceremony was made during the time of Ranjit Singh by Baba Dyal, founder of the Nirankari movement. The second attempt was made by the Namdhari Guru Baba Ram Singh who also adopted the Anand ceremony, but with a major difference. The third and the most important attempt at the widespread propagation of the Anand form of marriage were made by the Singh Sabha movement. The marriage ceremony as propagated by the Singh Sabha resembled the Nirankari rather than the Namdhari version of the Anand marriage. Sikh Marriage Ceremony In Anand Karaj, four lavan (name of Hymns) are recited from Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh Holy Book), and with each Lavn, the boy followed by the girl, circumambulate (goes around) Guru Granth Sahib. The Anand Kirraj Ceremony can be conducted in boy home or in Gurdwarain the presence of Sri Guru Gant Sahib. The couple to be married will be sitting in front of Guru Gant Sahib on flour and the family and friends will set down. Customly Asa the var is recited and then the welcoming hymns is recited. The Granti make it sure that the couple have agreed to the marriage require them and their parents stand up. The rest of congregation remains seated. Then the advice or instruction is given by the Granthi. Usually it is the summary of the Sikh philosophy of marriage and married life. He asks the couple to aspire for a truly religious life devoted to God and to get initiated into the order of the Khalsa. Through the sweetness of their manners and behavior they should ingratiate with their in-laws. Loyalty and fidelity to each other are the highest virtues. Adultery is strictly forbidden. Here the Granthi recites hymns of Guru Gobind Singhs and Guru Amar Das and Guru and even Baba Fareed Shalok. The bride and groom bow to Siri Guru Granth Sahib in acceptance of the instructions. Then the marriage Lavan reads the Granthi which are composed by Guru Amar Das, the forth Sikh Guru. The four lavans are reading and with each lavan the couple is rotating the Siri Guru Granth Sahiband at the end of rotation to the Siri Guru Granth in acceptance. The four lavan and rotation is basically the four promises. In last everybody (congregation) will stand up and the Granthi will read the concluding prayer. After this the Granthi reads the Ardas which summary is that the God is unique..Also Karah Parsad is distributed to congregation. Usually it is first offer to the couple and then to others people of congregation.  [9]   Sikh Marriage Act In 1908 A.D Tikka Ripudaman Singh was member of Imperial Legislative Council who sent the bill to the Imperial Legislative Council. After Tikka Singh, S.Sunder Singh Mahajitha became the member of the Council. On August 27, 1909 A.D S Sunder Singh presented the Anand Kirraj Bill to the Councile. He told to the council that Ananad marriages were already practiced by Sikh community since last 30 years. The Bill was sent to Select Committee, and its members were Mr. Sinha, Sir Herbert Rezli, and S. Sunder Singh Majithia. On September 10, 1909, the Select Committee placed the Bill before Council with its recommendation. Meeting of the Council was held on October 22, 1909, and Anand Marriage Act 1909 was passed.  [10]   But it is strange that in India today magistrates issue the marriage-certificates on the forms of Hindu Marriage Act. A young Sikh from Patiala Banta Singh said in his statement, it was like giving a Hindu in Pakistan a Muslim marriage Certificate. The Hindu polytheistic and Muslim or Sikh Monotheistic civilizations simply do not add up. It was therefore obnoxious and sinister of the Indian government to replace an enactment with one that insulted its important minority by way of statutory manipulation.  [11]   Sikh Marriage Act (Anand Kirraj) was submitted by The World Muslim Sikh Federation to government of Pakistan in 2007 A.D. The Government of Pakistan has accepted demands from Sikh community to registered their marriages under the Anand Karaj ceremony and introduced Anand Marriage Act in line with the Anand Marriage Act 1909 that was passed by the British in the subcontinent one hundred years ago. The 1909 Act extended to British India (Indian Sub Continent) now India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.  [12]   The Sikh Marriage Act does not explain the Sikh Marriage Ceremony (Anand Kirrraj) but just explain that the marriage ceremony conducted under Sikh religion and sacrosanct among the Sikhs called Anand Kirraj is valid and the Government of Pakistan, through the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee shall issue appropriate marriage certificates under the Sikh Anand Marriage Act. Statement of the Problem: Most of the articles on Sikh Rituals are non Scholar writings. There are a very little scholarly writings on Sikh marriage ceremony especially in Peshawar. But I have tried my best to get the academic books, journals, articles and some reports on the issue that I am going to address. Sikhism has often been described by scholars as a way of life and is the worlds fifth-largest and youngest organized religion. There is a dearth of writings on Sikh rituals and customs. So, it can be best understood by studying the life of the people professing it. Sikhism is close to Islam in some very basic beliefs and there is currently a need for more comprehensive study on rituals (as Marriage) practices by Sikh community. Marriage is the most celebrated life event but different religious communities use distinct symbolic tools to legitimate the institution of marriage. It is possible to urge that living in same city but with different religious practices distinct the social practices. Research Questions What is the impact of local culture of Peshawar in the performance of Sikh Marriage ceremony? What is the relation between marriage and religion; and what is the position of Sikhism in this context? Is there currently a need for more comprehensive study on Marriage practices by Sikh community in Peshawar? How far is the practices of modern issues (such as monogamy, polygamy, hypergamy, exogamy, endogamy, abortion and divorce) in Sikhism and what are its boundaries in the religion? Literature Review: This is a religious study of one religion of the world. Unfortunately Sikhism has been ignored in the study of religion. There is very little scholarly literature available in Sikh rituals (especially like marriage ceremony). But no research has been conducted on the topic. There is a book Ethical issues in six religious traditions, Edited by Peggy Morgan and Clive Lawton which discusses ethical issues in Sikhism but it is not a comprehensive study just discusses the one aspect of rituals in Sikhism. The books are available on Indian culture and tradition which also provide some writings about Sikh religious ceremonies. Like Sources of Indian Tradition Compiled by W. M. Theodore de Bary, Stephen N. Hay, Royal Weiler, Andrew Yarrow . This book describes the civilizations of India and provides an understanding of the intellectual and spiritual traditions which are remain alive in India today. Somewhat attention is given to religious and philosophical developments in earlier times which still form part of the Indian heritage and have experienced a considerable revival in the nineteenth and twentieth century. On the other hand, attention is also given to political, economic, and social trends. Another vocal and brief book is written on Sikh village of India Information and Behavior in a Sikh Village Social Organization Reconsidered by Murray J. Leaf. This is a social analysis of a village the Sikh religion in Indian Punjab. Like most anthropological village studies and this study makes upon the attention of social scientists is based not so much on the content of theory, method, or fact alone but rather on a broader and more general consideration of the pattern of relationships among them. This describes the society or culture in general. Understanding Faith series book by Professor Frank Whaling that deals in various customs in Sikhism. Its another part Understanding Sikhism by W. Owe. Cole that describe shortly the importance of family in Sikhism and tells about the essentials of Sikh marriage ceremony. The Anand ceremony was started by The Third Guru, Guru Ram Das and composed by the fourth Guru, Guru Amar Das. There are so many books on Teachings of tenth Guru of Sikhism which of course will help me on writing on Anand Kirraj. The Sikh code of conduct that is Rehat Meryada is published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). It is accepted as an authoritative statement of Sikh conduct and is used by Sikhs as the standard guide also discusses the essentials and features of Anand Kirraj. The International Bibliography of Sikh Studies brings together all books, composite works, journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, project reports, and electronic resources produced in the field of Sikh Studies until June 2004, making it the most complete and up-to-date reference work in the field today. There is feminist article about Sikh rituals which tried to feminize the Sikh funeral and marriage rituals Why Did I Not Light the Fire? The Refeminization of Ritual in Sikhism by Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh. Encyclopedia of Sikh religion has also briefly introduces of the Anand Marriage ceremony. The article was published after two years of passing Sikh marriage Act in 1911 in Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation British India by Courtenay Ilbert which evaluates the acts of the Indian sub continent of period British rule. This will help me to know the history of Sikh marriage Act 1909. Jeevan Deol wrote on The minas and their literature, that is published by American Oriental Society which discuss the validity of marriage between Mians and Khalisa sect of Sikhism. Objectives of the Study: Main purpose of my research is to have a better understanding of different religious communities of Pakistan and their rituals particularly. For this purpose I have selected the Sikh religion and particularly the marriage ceremony in Sikhism in the Sikh community of Peshawar. My research will also bring a useful case study for the students of comparative religion as well as social groups who are eager to learn about this traditions, culture, rituals and such other legal bindings. . It will clarify the Sikh traditions attitude to the marriage institute (practices) Methodology: This research will be conducted drawing from both qualitative and quantitative methods. Firstly library research through content analysis and document analysis on Marriage in Sikhism will be considered, upon which background to the thesis will be laid. This will in essence not exclude the recently published materials (journal articles and newspapers) that critically analyze the Sikh Marriage System in the Sikh Community of Peshawar. The research will also be consisted upon direct surveys in the Sikh community of Peshawar and in its surroundings which will be very useful to understand the problem. Similarly the various surveys conducted in the topic will also be under consideration. Chapterization: Chapter One This chapter will take into account the background of the studies, statement of the problem, objective of the study, significance of the study, research methodology, research questions, and review of the literature. Chapter Two In this chapter I will briefly highlight the introduction of Sikhism, its historical background and its customs, traditions (as Polygamy, Endogamy, Hypergamy, Dowry, Divorce and Abortion) and particularly some rituals and its developments as Anand Kirraj. Chapter Three This chapter will examine the marriage in Sikh community (Anand Kirraj) of Peshawar and the Marriage Act of 1909 of Indian Sub-continent (Pakistan). Chapter Four Data Analysis and Conclusion

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass Essay -- Narrative Fred

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass Metal clanks against metal as the chains rub on old scars issuing in another day of toil in the heat with head-down and blood streaming as each new lash is inflicted. This is usually the picture envisioned when one thinks of slavery. While often this is an accurate depiction, there are also many other forms of slavery. The Webster’s Dictionary describes slavery as, â€Å"submission to a dominating influence.† Everyone has influences that shape who they are and what they do, but a problem arises when a person’s entire life is spent abiding under a certain, destructive influence. Often this is done willingly and a sort of addiction occurs in maintaining the hold the authority has in one’s life. It gives the person identity; all they need to do is live under the power they have created for themselves and make up the rules as they go along. Yet in doing this, they rob themselves of true freedom in knowing right from wrong and choosing the right. In fac t, in this regard Fredrick Douglass is one of the freest men in his narrative. In the life story of Fredrick Douglass we not only see an African American man struggling against the oppression of slavery, but also many white masters struggling against their enslavement to reputation, power and religion. First we see what it is to be a slave to reputation. Throughout the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass it is obvious that what others think matters a great deal to the slave holders. Although this may not make sense since they still do atrocious things to their slaves, there is a certain persona they want to convey to others. Mr. Covey was a harsh, cruel man, and everyone knew and respected him for being such. C... ...nd his white masters as free, but that can only be true if using one definition of freedom. Although seemingly free these white men also struggle under oppression. It is not forced upon, conversely they willingly and purposefully lock on the chains of slavery which dominate their lives. They conform their lives to something that gives them a sense of meaning and identity, using their freedom to choose slavery. Meanwhile, Douglass is free to live an entirely different lifestyle. Perhaps one of the most powerful quotes in his narrative is when Douglass states that â€Å"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence (28).† He is not willfully bound under the dominion of anything; he is free to be himself and thus know real right from wrong. In this he shows his true freedom.

History of Manila City Jail Essay

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology supervices and controls all district, city and municipal jails. It has been claimed that effective management is based on one’s leadership, management skills and experience at managing critical issues; i. e, public relations, having good policy and procedures. To lead, one must be concerned with ethical and moral development of one’s organization and employees. It is imperative to define and know the agency’s policies in order to do what is right for the right reason. Another factor forming a significant part of tangible programs is sound policies and practices. There is need to focus on agency output in order to measure the target results and its effectiveness. The existing jail conditions in the country neccessitate an honest to goodness assessment to find out if their objectives are met. I need to determine the effectiveness of escorting the inmates in their court hearings and other purposes inside our penal system. There is need to conduct thorough assessment on this variable so as to provide a clear picture of inmate’s safety or problem with the end in view of finding solution for it if there are any. Due to different management of local BJMP and existing condition of penal system in the Philippines. The researcher choose Manila City Jail to be subjected of his researched work as he had his â€Å"on the job training† at Manila City Jail, where pertinent data are easily obtainable. The local BJMP in Manila City Jail managed to create effectiveness of escorting the inmates for their safety and security. This provides direction for their organization to identify their objectives in the performance of their duties. The idea of escorting the inmates is to provide safety and security for their court hearings and other purposes. A program should give all the employee’s an understanding of how their job contributes to the accomplishment of organization’s mission and vision. On January 2, 1991, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology was established under Republic Act 6975 as a line Bureau under the Department of Interior and Local Government. The Jail Bureau is the upgraded version of its forerunner, the Office of Jail management and Penology of the defunct PC/INP. As mandated by law, the BJMP shall operate under the reorganized Department of interior and Local Government. Starting from scratch with 500 personnel in 1991 the BJMP weaned from its mother PC/INP as a mere component, to become a full-pledge bureau, directed to supervise and control all district, city and municipal jails. At present, Director Rosendo Moro Dial, CESO III serves as the Jail Bureau’s Chief.

Little Red Riding Hood Essay

One of the funniest of all games played by Freudian literary critics is that of finding sex symbols in old fairy tales. It is a very easy game to play. Freud is said to have once remarked that a cigar sometimes is just a cigar, but psychoanalysts who write about fairy tales seem incapable of seeing them as just fantasies intended to entertain, instruct, and at times frighten young children. Bruno Bettelheim’s analysis of Little Red Riding Hood (LRRH), in his book The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (1976) is a prime example of Freudian symbol searching. But first, a brief history of this famous fable. The story began as a folk tale that European mothers and nurses told to young children. The fable, in its many variants, came to the attention of Charles Perrault (1628-1703), a French attorney turned poet, writer, and anthologist. He published one version in a 1697 collection of fairy tales-a book that became a French juvenile classic. Perrault opens his story â€Å"Le Petit Chaperon Rouge† (Little Red Cape) by telling about a pretty village girl who is called Little Red Riding Hood because she loves to wear a red cape and hood given to her by her grandmother. Her mother hands her some biscuits and butter to take to the sick grandmother in a nearby village. Walking through a wood, LRRH encounters a friendly wolf who asks where she is going. After she tells him, the wolf says he’ll go there too, but by a different route and they’ll see who gets there first. The wolf arrives ahead of the girl, devours the grandmother, then crawls into bed. When LRRH shows up he simulates the grandmother’s voice, telling her to put the biscuits and butter aside and climb in bed. LRRJ undresses and does as she is told. A famous dialog follows: â€Å"What great arms you have, grandma! The better to embrace you, my child. ‘What great legs you have! The better to run with, my child. What great ears! The better to hear with. What great eyes! The better to see with. What great teeth! The better to eat you with. † The wolf then gobbles up LRRH and the story ends! I have been told, though I strongly doubt it, that French children find this ending amusing, and are not in the least disturbed by it. Andrew Lang, who reprinted Perrault’s version in his Blue Fairy Book, severely criticizes Perrault for choosing a version with such a gruesome ending. When the German brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm later published in 1812 their collection of more than 200 traditional fairy tales, many taken from Perrault, they gave the story a less grim ending. In their version (you’ll find it in the Modern Library’s Tales of Grimm and Andersen), LRRH’s mother gives her cake and a bottle of wine to take to the ailing grandmother. LRRH is not afraid of the wolf when she meets him in the forest. He persuades her to pick some flowers to rake to her grandmother. While she is doing this (disobeying her mother who told her not to dawdle) the wolf hastens to the grandmother’s house, finds the door unlocked, enters, and promptly eats the grandmother. When LRRH arrives she is surprised to find the door open. She thinks it is her grandmother in bed because the wolf has pulled a nightcap over his face, and sheets over his body. LRRH stands beside the bed while the familiar dialog occurs about the wolf’s body parts. The wolf then springs out of bed and eats LRRH. He now goes back to bed and falls asleep. A passing hunter hears the wolf’s loud snores. He goes inside to investigate and is about to shoot the wolf until he realizes it may have eaten the grandmother. So he pulls out a knife and cuts open the wolf’s belly. Both LRRH and the grandmother emerge as unharmed as Jonah when he was vomited out of the whale’s belly. LRRH brings some big stones into the house to put inside the wolf, who is still asleep. When he awakes and tries to get away, the heavy stones drag him down and he drops dead. The hunter skins the wolf and takes the skin home. The grandmother can hardly breathe, but she feels much better after eating the cake and drinking some wine. LRRH says to herself, â€Å"I will never again wander off into the forest as long as I live, when my mother forbids it. † The tale is short and simple. Its obvious moral is that children should obey their mothers when they walk through dangerous areas, and to beware of seemingly friendly strangers. I suppose it is the linking of LRRH’s beauty and innocence with her grisly experience that has led to her capturing the hearts of so many adults everywhere, especially in Germany, France, Sweden, and England. â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood was my first love,† declared Charles Dickens. I felt that if I could have married Little Red Riding Hood, I should have known perfect bliss. † Bruno Bettelheim devotes eighteen pages of his book on fairy tales to LRRH. [1] In his eyes the girl is not as innocent as she seems. She is at the nymphet stage when her premature â€Å"budding sexuality† is creating deep unconscious conflicts between her id (animal nature) and her superego (conscience), as well as between her allegiance to what Freud called the â€Å"pleasure principle† and the â€Å"reality principle. † Unconsciously, she wants to be seduced by her father. The wolf’s eating her represents that seduction. The red color of LRRH’s hood, according to Bettelheim, symbolizes her unconscious sexual desires. He sees the gift of the hood by the grandmother as representing a transfer of sexual attractiveness from an old sick woman to a young healthy girl. The grandmother is a symbol of the little girl’s mother. When the wolf ears the grandmother it represents the little girl’s wish to get rid of her mother so she can have her father all to herself. In Grimm’s version, Bettelheim sees the hunter as another father symbol. When he cuts open the wolf’s belly it indicates â€Å"the idea of pregnancy and birth,† thus coming â€Å"too close for comfort in suggesting a father in a sexual activity connected with his daughter. † Bettelheim, of course, is not the only Freudian to read dark sexual meanings into the story. Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, in The Forgotten Language: An Introduction to the Understanding of Dreams, Fairy Tales, and Myths (1951) is also convinced that LRRH is experiencing unconscious sexual impulses and really wants to be seduced by the wolf. The red cape symbolizes her menstrual blood as she enters womanhood. When the mother warns her not to leave the path or she might fall and break the wine bottle, it represents the mother’s fear that her daughter might lose her virginity by breaking her maidenhead. â€Å"The male is portrayed as a ruthless and cunning animal,† Fromm writes. The sexual act becomes a â€Å"cannibalistic act in which the male devours the female. † Fromm sees this as an expression of a deep antagonism toward men by frigid females who do not enjoy sex. The male wolf is â€Å"made ridiculous† by showing â€Å"that he attempted to play the role of a pregnant woman, having living beings in his belly. The stones that LRRH puts in the wolf’s stomach are â€Å"symbols of sterility† that cause him to collapse and die. The stones â€Å"mock his usurpation of the pregnant woman’s role. â€Å" â€Å"The story,† Fromm concludes, â€Å"speaks of the male-female conflict; it is a story of triumph by man-hating women, ending with their victory, exactly the opposite of the Oedipus myth, which lets the male emerge victorious from this battle. † Jack Zipes, who teaches German at the University of Minnesota, is the author of The Brothers Grimm (1986), a two-volume edition of Grimm’s stories, a collection of French folk tales, and other books on folklore. One of his books is titled The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood (1983, updated in 1993). The book is a marvelous scholarly history of the LRRH fable and its many versions and interpretations. Zipes covers all the oral variations that preceded Perrault, as well as the many retellings by writers from the Grimm brothers to 1993. Some of the oral tales are even more morbid than Perrault’s version. In several versions the Wolf slices up the grandmother and pours her blood into a bottle. LRRH then eats and drinks what she thinks is meat and wine before the wolf eats her. In other versions LRRH escapes by telling the wolf she has to go outside to relieve herself. Thirty-eight variations of the tale are reprinted in Zipes’s anthology, along with a raft of illustrations from books and advertisements. At the back of the book he lists 147 published versions of the story, including retellings by Walter de la Mare and James Thurber, as well as comic parodies, poems, plays, recordings, musicals, and films. His bibliography of critical references runs to 153 items!