Monday, December 30, 2019
Character Analysis of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1148 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/02/06 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Did you like this example? In the novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, details the story of 2 men, who appear to be polar opposites living in the Victorian era. During Victorian times, lower-class citizens, who lived in crime ridden, impoverished areas, were regarded as a degenerate form of life. On the other hand, affluent members of the upper-class were considered fully evolved, functioning members of society. Stevenson analyzes these Victorian concepts by following the story of a quintessential man of riches, as well as a criminal, who repulsed almost everyone around him. The former, Dr. Henry Jekyll is an admired doctor, from a nice part of London, and is known for his civility. The latter, is Mr. Edward Hyde. Hyde is suspected to have committed two murders, and appears to be pre-human. Stevenson accentuates these menââ¬â¢s differences throughout the story, by juxtaposing the settings they are commonly found in. However, at the end, we learn that Hyde is a part of Jekyll. As a young scientist, Jekyll attempted to split the good and evil in him, into two independent people. He was only partially successful, but he managed to separate his evil into a new persona, Hyde. Stevenson complicates Victorian concepts of degeneration and crime by painting the criminal Hydeââ¬â¢s setting as opposite to Jekyllââ¬â¢s, but at the end suggests that they both exist within each other. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Character Analysis of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" essay for you Create order Stevenson represents conventional English ideals, by highlighting Dr. Jekyll as a reputable, charitable doctor. He is a well respected, wealthy person, who lives in a fancy house, in the new town of London. Mr. Utterson calls one of the rooms in Jekyllââ¬â¢s home the ââ¬Å"Pleasantest room in Londonâ⬠(Stevenson 44). While most of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde takes place at night, the scenes involving Dr. Jekyll almost all portray a form of warmth and friendliness. This alludes to Victorian conceptions regarding the upper-class, who were viewed as completely separate and above those in the lower-class. Many claimed that rich ââ¬Å"white British males such as [Jekyll were] at the pinnacle of an evolutionary hierarchyâ⬠(Danahay 18). Stevenson emphasizes the good sides of Dr. Jekyll, to confirm Victorian concepts of the bourgeoisie class. The upscale location and lifestyle Dr. Jekyll is associated with in the book represents how Jekyll strives to appear to others. Stevenson depicts Victorian crime stereotypes, by illustrating Hyde as an animal like creature, who dwells in impoverished, rundown areas of London. Hyde, who is all of Dr. Jekyllââ¬â¢s evil, personified into a single entity, has done many horrible things. He trampled a young girl, and murdered a man, without feeling any remorse. Edward Hydeââ¬â¢s character parallels the setting he was placed in. In the novel, Hyde is frequently associated with the dilapidated door, on the back of Jekyllââ¬â¢s house. The door juts out into an alley, and all the windows are boarded up. Hyde also often resides in the slums of London, which Utterson refers to as ââ¬Å" a district of some city in a nightmareâ⬠(Stevenson 49). Not only does Hyde himself appear to others as a repulsive, horrible character, but he spends his time in neglected, corruption prone areas, highlighting his reputation as a primitive being. Placing Hyde in decrepit settings allows Stevenson to evoke Victorian ââ¬Å"theories of both evolution and degeneration in his descriptions of Mr. Hyde as a kind of monkeyâ⬠(Danahay 20). Edward Hyde represents the lower-class, living in 20th century England, and how they were considered primitive compared to the upper-class. Stevenson purposely places Hyde in battered settings, to accentuate qualities that people in Victorian times were ashamed of, and tried to suppress. Despite Stevenson spending most of the book differentiating Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, at the end he demonstrates that Jekyll isnââ¬â¢t entirely above Hydeââ¬â¢s actions. Dr. Jekyll is unhappy with manââ¬â¢s dual nature, and attempts to separate his good and evil in search of inner peace. He has high expectations, set by himself and others, that he feels he needs to live up to. Consumed by his rich lifestyle he craves to let out the immoral part of him. Jekyll states that if his personalities could be ââ¬Å"housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that was unbearableâ⬠(Stevenson 77). The doctor feels repressed by the standards society has created for him, and is constantly trying to be perfect to live up to his reputation. In the form of Hyde, he has no conscience to repress his negative thoughts, and can act on his urges, without trepidation of repercussions from those around him. While Dr. Jekyll is in the form of Hyde, he looks and acts like a de generate. However, there are certain attributes of Hyde that oppose Victorian evolutionary concepts. For example, he has a very eloquent vocabulary, and a luxuriously furnished home, which one would not expect from a murderer like Hyde. There are also certain attributes of Jekyll, that he has to keep hidden, to sustain his esteemed reputation. Although on the surface Dr. Jekyll models Victorian expectations of the upper-class, his ââ¬Å"veneer of gentility . . . concealed so much of what was really going on in Victorian bourgeois societyâ⬠(Danahay 24). As shown through Hyde, Jekyll, along with the rest of the upper-class, is not as perfect as he appears to be. This is because the evil Mr. Edward Hyde is merely a suppressed part of the affluent Dr. Henry Jekyll, and is carrying out actions that Jekyllââ¬â¢s conscience would have otherwise quelled. To be successful in Victorian London, Dr. Jekyll needs to maintain his morals, his friendships, his job, and his wealth. Living in a consta nt state of repression, he let out Hyde, who commits the sins Jekyll suppresses, because they would put his reputation on the line. Throughout the story, Stevenson separates the lifestyle of Jekyll and Hyde, but in the end, he shows that they are not independent of each other. When Dr. Jekyll originally attempts to separate the evil inside of him, he succeeds in one way, because the bad side of him exists as a person. However, externalizing Hyde does not make Jekyll himself wholly good, as he is often perceived to be. Victorian London appeared impeccable to outsiders, due to its seemingly wealthy, successful population. What many people didnââ¬â¢t acknowledge were the extremely poor, run down, crime infested slums of London, hidden by the cities faà §ade of perfection. Similarly, Dr. Jekyll is constantly concealing negative parts of his personality, hiding behind a mask of prosperity and achievements. When Jekyllââ¬â¢s evil side is let out to the world, he can release his true thoughts as Hyde, without fear of backlash from society. Despite a clear juxtaposition in setting between the two characters, they arenââ¬â¢t as separate as they are portrayed, because Hyde will always exist within Jekyll, and Jekyll will always exist within Hyde.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
A History of Oppression the Mistreatment of Australian...
Mistreatment of Australian Aboriginals Cases of oppression are very much present within our worldââ¬â¢s history, and even in most societies today. Being rich in history, Australia is a large example of oppression in our world. Not only can we find koala bears and kangaroos in the continent of Australia, but also the worldââ¬â¢s oldest existing culture of aboriginal people (Aboriginal Australia - EmbraceAustralia.com). For nearly 50,000 years, Australia has served as home to these ancient indigenous people (Aboriginal Australia ââ¬â EmbraceAustralia.com). Australiaââ¬â¢s natives have been victims to oppression in many ways and for various reasons for nearly 200 years. Theyââ¬â¢re land had been taken over by European settlers, and later on they facedâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Many strongly believed in this policy for the ââ¬Å"protection of future generationsâ⬠, not knowing that they would end up with the ââ¬Ëstolen generationsââ¬â¢ of all the assimilated indigenous children (Armitage). Prejudices, Government Policies and non-existent legal rights are just a few of the methods of oppression the Aborigines have faced. The very first method of oppression against the Aboriginals was the removal of their ownership of land and properties, when the white settlement first began. This lead up to the abuse of aboriginal labour and poor working conditions. The effort to ââ¬Ëprotectââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëintegrateââ¬â¢ natives into white society with the Assimilation Policy during the mid 1800ââ¬â¢s is possibly one of the most severe methods of oppression used in this issue. Even throughout the First World War, Aboriginals were banned from joining the army to fight for their rightful homeland . The Australian Government did not have many Aboriginal Rights until the 60ââ¬â¢s and 70ââ¬â¢s. Before 1962, Indigenous natives did not have the right to vote and four years later, in 1966, poor working conditions that applied solemnly to the aborigines were finally prot ested and acknowledged. It was not until 1967 that the Commonwealth Referendum obtained permission to create new laws and rights regarding indigenous people. Some even believe, although highly doubtful, that the spread of new diseases by the Europeans was an attempt at potential genocide towards the natives.Show MoreRelatedExploring Loss Of Culture And The Social And Political Outcomes Based On Inequality And Mistreatment920 Words à |à 4 Pagesunderstanding of different ways of living ââ¬â for example, before and after the arrival of Europeans: how that has affected the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sense of connectedness to the land they live on. Students will recognize how being taken from your ancestral land, and removed from your community would create a disconnectedness with ââ¬Å"White Australiaâ⬠and that Aboriginal Australians are still affected by past experiences today (Price Rose, 2012). Main teaching activities Students will be exploringRead MoreIs Shared Sense of History Possible in Australia?2353 Words à |à 10 PagesIs Shared Sense of History Possible in Australia? There are many issues in Australia, the most longstanding of all being between the communities within the country. The country has witnessed many wars and internal conflicts that can be termed as cultural wars. Notwithstanding these wars and the social disintegration, the Australian communities still lived within the same borders. There is therefore a debate on whether the same kind of political and social integration can exist despite these historicalRead MoreLin Onis : A Renowned Indigenous Sculptor From Melbourne Australia1974 Words à |à 8 PagesAustralia. He is of Scottish and Wiradjuri descent, which is one of the largest aboriginal groups in New South Wales. Belonging on the vigilant side to the Yorta Yorta people. His lifeââ¬â¢s work of paintings and sculptures has been praised for their technical competence and their bold association of indigenous and Western styles. Onus was an inspirational figure for his family, friends, colleagues and the wider Australian community. Onusââ¬â¢s usual procedure of working involved, synthetic polymer paintRead MoreLin Onis : A Renowned Indigenous Sculptor From Melbourne Australia1974 Words à |à 8 PagesAustralia. He is of Scottish and Wiradjuri descent, which is one of the largest aboriginal groups in New South Wales. Belonging on the vigilant side to the Yorta Yorta people. His lifeââ¬â¢s work of paintings and sculptures has been praised for their technical competence and their bold association of indigenous and Western styles. Onus was an inspirational figure for his family, friends, colleagues and the wider Australian community. Onusââ¬â¢s usual procedure of working involved, synthetic polymer paintRead MoreHistorical Drama Film 12 Years A Slave 3107 Words à |à 13 Pagesalmost every societyââ¬â¢s history and in past times was not seen as an inhumane practice. In fact slavery was practiced right here in Australia and for the purposes of this essay in the North-West of Australia. Not only did a systematic method of slavery exist in Australia it continued to exist long after it was abolished across British empire and many other countries in the rest of the world. Slavery has left a nasty scar on the history of the world and predates written history records. Slavery takesRead MoreThe Indigenous People Of Australia1905 Words à |à 8 Pagessuch as the Racial Othering of the Jewish people under the Nazi Regime (Fozdar, Wilding Hawkins 2009, p. 5). These differences have then used to justify the poor treatment of the Other, and establish the norm as superior to the Other, and the oppression of the Other (Fozdar, Wilding Hawkins 2009, p. 5). As the British colonists were of Anglo-Saxon descent, they generally had light/white skin, accompanied by blonde hair and blue eyes, which was in stark contrast to the dark skinned and dark haired
Friday, December 13, 2019
Chapter 20 The Dementorââ¬â¢s Kiss Free Essays
Harry had never been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. We will write a custom essay sample on Chapter 20 The Dementorââ¬â¢s Kiss or any similar topic only for you Order Now Harry and Hermione brought up the rear. Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Harry could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Harry went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Harry had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this. ââ¬Å"You know what this means?â⬠Black said abruptly to Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. ââ¬Å"Turning Pettigrew in?â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re free,â⬠said Harry. ââ¬Å"Yesâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ said Black. ââ¬Å"But Iââ¬â¢m also ââ¬â I donââ¬â¢t know if anyone ever told you ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢m your godfather.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, I knew that,â⬠said Harry. ââ¬Å"Wellâ⬠¦ your parents appointed me your guardian,â⬠said Black stiffly. ââ¬Å"If anything happened to themâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Harry waited. Did Black mean what he thought he meant? ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle,â⬠said Black. ââ¬Å"Butâ⬠¦ wellâ⬠¦ think about it. Once my nameââ¬â¢s clearedâ⬠¦ if you wanted aâ⬠¦ a different homeâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harryââ¬â¢s stomach. ââ¬Å"What ââ¬â live with you?â⬠he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. ââ¬Å"Leave the Dursleys?â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course, I thought you wouldnââ¬â¢t want to,â⬠said Black quickly. ââ¬Å"I understand, I just thought Iââ¬â¢d ââ¬âââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Are you insane?â⬠said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Blackââ¬â¢s. ââ¬Å"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?â⬠Black turned right around to look at him; Snapeââ¬â¢s head was scraping the ceiling but Black didnââ¬â¢t seem to care. ââ¬Å"You want to?â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"You mean it?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, I mean it!â⬠said Harry. Blackââ¬â¢s gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harryââ¬â¢s parentsââ¬â¢ wedding. They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches. Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out. The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Harryââ¬â¢s mind was buzzing. He was going to leave the Dursleys. He was going to live with Sirius Black, his parentsââ¬â¢ best friendâ⬠¦. He felt dazedâ⬠¦. What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the convict theyââ¬â¢d seen on televisionâ⬠¦! ââ¬Å"One wrong move, Peter,â⬠said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrewââ¬â¢s chest. Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then ââ¬â A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight. Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop. Harry could see Lupinââ¬â¢s silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake. ââ¬Å"Oh, my ââ¬ââ⬠Hermione gasped. ââ¬Å"He didnââ¬â¢t take his potion tonight! Heââ¬â¢s not safe!â⬠ââ¬Å"Run,â⬠Black whispered. ââ¬Å"Run. Now.â⬠But Harry couldnââ¬â¢t run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. He leapt forward but Black caught him around the chest and threw him back. ââ¬Å"Leave it to me ââ¬â RUN!â⬠There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupinââ¬â¢s head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanksââ¬â¢s hair was on end again; he was backing away ââ¬â As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harryââ¬â¢s side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other. Harry stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermioneââ¬â¢s scream that alerted him ââ¬â Pettigrew had dived for Lupinââ¬â¢s dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light ââ¬â and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang ââ¬â Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap. ââ¬Å"Expelliarmus.â⬠Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Lupinââ¬â¢s wand flew high into the air and out of sight. ââ¬Å"Stay where you are!â⬠Harry shouted, running forward. Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ronââ¬â¢s outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass. There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest ââ¬â ââ¬Å"Sirius, heââ¬â¢s gone, Pettigrew transformed!â⬠Harry yelled. Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harryââ¬â¢s words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds. Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron. ââ¬Å"What did he do to him?â⬠Hermione whispered. Ronââ¬â¢s eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didnââ¬â¢t seem to recognize them. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t knowâ⬠¦.â⬠Harry looked desperately around. Black and Lupin both goneâ⬠¦ they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢d better get them up to the castle and tell someone,â⬠said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. ââ¬Å"Come ââ¬âââ¬Å" But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in painâ⬠¦. ââ¬Å"Sirius,â⬠Harry muttered, staring into the darkness. He had a momentââ¬â¢s indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was in trouble ââ¬â Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. They pelted toward it, and Harry, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean ââ¬â The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why ââ¬â Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head. ââ¬Å"Nooo,â⬠he moaned. ââ¬Å"Noooâ⬠¦ pleaseâ⬠¦.â⬠And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. He spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating his insides, fog starting to obscure his vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling themâ⬠¦. ââ¬Å"Hermione, think of something happy!â⬠Harry yelled, raising his wand, blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, shaking his head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢m going to live with my godfather. Iââ¬â¢m leaving the Dursleys. He forced himself to think of Black, and only Black, and began to chant: ââ¬Å"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!â⬠Black gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death. Heââ¬â¢ll be all right. Iââ¬â¢m going to go and live with him. ââ¬Å"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!â⬠ââ¬Å"Expecto ââ¬ââ⬠Hermione whispered, ââ¬Å"expecto ââ¬â expecto ââ¬âââ¬Å" But she couldnââ¬â¢t do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Harry and Hermione, and were getting closerâ⬠¦. ââ¬Å"EXPECTO PATRONUM!â⬠Harry yelled, trying to blot the screaming from his ears. ââ¬Å"EXPECTO PATRONUM!â⬠A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him. At the same moment, Harry felt Hermione collapse next to him. He was aloneâ⬠¦ completely aloneâ⬠¦. ââ¬Å"Expecto ââ¬â expecto patronum ââ¬âââ¬Å" Harry felt his knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding his eyes. With a huge effort, he fought to remember ââ¬â Sirius was innocent ââ¬â innocent ââ¬â Weââ¬â¢ll be okay ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢m going to live with him ââ¬â ââ¬Å"Expecto patronum!â⬠he gasped. By the feeble light of his formless Patronus, he saw a Dementor halt, very close to him. It couldnââ¬â¢t walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside. ââ¬Å"No ââ¬â no ââ¬ââ⬠Harry gasped. ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s innocentâ⬠¦ expecto expecto patronum ââ¬âââ¬Å" He could feet them watching him, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering him. Then it raised both its rotting hands ââ¬â and lowered its hood. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouthâ⬠¦ a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle. A paralyzing terror filled Harry so that he couldnââ¬â¢t move or speak. His Patronus flickered and died. White fog was blinding him. He had to fightâ⬠¦ expecto patronumâ⬠¦ he couldnââ¬â¢t seeâ⬠¦ and in the distance, he heard the familiar screamingâ⬠¦ expecto patronumâ⬠¦ he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his armâ⬠¦ they werenââ¬â¢t going to take himâ⬠¦. But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harryââ¬â¢s neck. They were forcing his face upwardâ⬠¦ He could feel its breathâ⬠¦ It was going to get rid of him firstâ⬠¦ He could feel its putrid breathâ⬠¦ His mother was screaming in his earsâ⬠¦ She was going to be the last thing he ever heard ââ¬â And then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighterâ⬠¦ He felt himself fall forward onto the grassâ⬠¦. Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The Dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around himâ⬠¦The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing awayâ⬠¦ Something was driving the Dementors backâ⬠¦ It was circling around him and Black and Hermioneâ⬠¦. They were leavingâ⬠¦. The air was warm againâ⬠¦. With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lakeâ⬠¦ Eyes blurred with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it wasâ⬠¦ It was as bright as a unicornâ⬠¦ Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it canââ¬â¢ter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it backâ⬠¦ raising his hand to pat itâ⬠¦ someone who looked strangely familiarâ⬠¦ but it couldnââ¬â¢t beâ⬠¦ Harry didnââ¬â¢t understand. He couldnââ¬â¢t think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted. How to cite Chapter 20 The Dementorââ¬â¢s Kiss, Essay examples
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Ethical accountability of accountants - Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Discuss about the Ethical accountability of accountants. Answer: Introduction Ethics constitute a vital part of any organization and profession as it conveys affinity of an organization or a profession has with moral values. Accounting is a profession that requires extreme precision and hard work as it deals with the financial assets of individuals and organizations. Although following maintaining ethical standards is not obligatory for accountants, it does hold an important place in the profession. The report deals with the ethical aspects of accounting and tries to provide logical and valid argument in favor of the need for ethics in accounting. In addition, the report elaborates on the role and function of accountants and their accountability to any individual or organization. The report tries to justify that accountants do need to be ethical because the profession demands complete transparency. Role of accountants Accountants are entrusted with the task to collect, record, analyze, calculate and check the accuracy of the financial statements and statistics for an organization, an individual or a company. Overall, the accountant has three primary roles to perform that include collection of financial data, entering the data collected and generating report. The data mainly relates to the finances of any company. Apart from collecting financial data, the accountant also has the responsibility to establish and monitor control procedures. The accountant is also responsible for ensuring that all the financial statistics of a company are published within the given time. Accountants also collaborate with financial professionals belonging to the major sectors like management, government accounting, internal auditing and public accounting. They provide financial data to governmental organizations, nonprofits, tax professionals and others. In addition, accountants given financial advice to the company or firm they work for and help those manage and recover from any financial crisis. Hooks and Stewart (2015) hold the view that the role of an accountant has changed with time and it is now more driven towards profit than disseminating information. The growing competition has compelled companies to better their financial records. This has thus resulted in the elevated importance of the role of accountants in producing concrete and sound financial reports for organizations, believes Shuttleworth (2014). According to the author, accounting has acquired a significant role in the functioning of an organization especially post globalization. Accounting professionals have the daunting task to provide authentic information to the public regarding the financial status of both private and government agencies. This requires them to be genuine and honest. They are bound to implement sound moral decision in all the activities they perform related to accounting (Durocher, Gendron and Picard 2015). They are trusted with the unique responsibility to give professional services to clients while presenting an ingenuous and correct estimation of the financial health of a company or an organization to the public. In order to carry out this task, accountants have to consider certain ethical principles that ensure nothing is hidden from the people. Chawla et al. (2015) argue that accounting ethics is essential in understanding the greater role of the accountants in matters of finance. They further point out that ethics in accounting has been marginalized in the study of management further escalating the issues relating to frauds in accounting. Ethics in accounting ensure upholding of public trust and companys reputation. The ethical codes are set by certain organizations that act as watchdogs of public trust invested upon accountants. Integrity, confidentiality, competence, and behavior are some of the parameters that fall under the ethical code of conduct for accountants. Voss (2017), views that ethical values in accounting comprise an important part in the implementation of economic entities. He further adds that these standards of ethics also help in presenting consistent monetary information used by the stakeholders when taking significant decisions. Numerous cases of fraud engulf the world of accounting thus confirming the paramount need for accountants to be ethical. The later section shall shed light on this issue (Theguardian.com 2018). Accountants need to be ethical A look at the financial frauds and scandals of the last few decades expose the pity picture of the ethical standards followed in the accounting profession. McCann, Offoha and Bryant (2015), highlighted the deterred reputation of the accounting profession while drawing upon scandals such that of Enron and others. They stressed on the issue of the coverage of ethics as an important subject for management students. In the recent years, there has been a significant rise in the importance of ethical studies in professional accounting. Students pursuing management and accounting studies have to understand the value of ethics before taking up accounting as a career. According to Bhasin (2016), the absence of strong ethical guidelines and stern laws in accounting profession lead to the breach of moral code of conduct. He however argues that accountants often succumb to the pressure of higher authorities who want them to manipulate data for companys profit. In cases like this, it comes down to the individual who is in charge of the task whether he or she would put the ethical values at stake to save their job. Ethics hence must not only govern how an accounting professional should perform the job, but it also must administer the way organizations function. A company comprises various departments that oversee its daily functions and apply high-level expertise to make sure it is leading the market race. In a pursuit to achieve targets within deadline, the management often resolves to unethical ways by forging data and statistics. The accountants are the ones who assist managers forge figures and analysis so that they can be ahead of their rivals. However, in doing so, accountants break the trust of the public who put faith in the company or organization they work for. In a very recent case of breach in accounting ethics, the US-based firm Deloitte compromised the security of millions of its stakeholders when in 2017; its cyber security was hacked (Fortune.com 2018). This brought forward the firms failure to adhere to the ethical code of conducts that includes confidentiality and professional competence both of which, the company failed to maintain. In the views of Mirshekary and Carr (2015), ethicality in accountants and accounting firms is cannot be induced forcefully as it needs a personal sense of morality. However, some might argue that rather than asking accountants to follow ethics or be ethical, one should ask the firm or organization to implement strong ethical guidelines. It is but also true that accountants face ethical and professional dilemmas in their workplace when they are left with no choice but surrender. The ethical framework formed by the Association of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) amongst other demand every accountant and accounting firms to comply with the ethical codes. With an understanding of these frameworks, the accounting professionals can make better decisions and help uplift the professions reputation (Mirshekary and Carr 2015). This summarizes that rather than asking whether accountants need to be ethical or not, the question must be framed as un der what circumstances they need to be ethical. Conclusion In the end, it can be stated that accountants must always follow the ethical code of conduct set by the regulatory bodies. However, the circumstances under which they break the ethical codes must also be scrutinized. Accountants are not the antagonists or trust-breakers always, they face dilemmas that are difficult to comprehend. Sterner and stricter rules must be framed for the organizations and companies to follow and even sterner laws against the breach of these rules. The report presented a logical argument in favor of the accountants need to be ethical. The roles performed by the accountants and the companies have been mentioned in the report as well. Further, the report highlighted cases of accounting fraud that furthers the need. References: Bhasin, M.L., 2016. 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