Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Recruitment Process of Nuvista Pharma Ltd Essay Example
Recruitment Process of Nuvista Pharma Ltd Essay Executive Summery Effective recruitment, selection and retention are critical to organizational success. They enable companies to have high performing employees who are satisfied with their jobs, thus contributing positively to the organization. On the contrary, in-effective recruitment methodology, selection and retention would result in mismatches which can have negative consequences for an organization. A misfit who is not in tune with organizationââ¬â¢s philosophies and goals can reduce output, productivity, customer satisfaction, relationship and over all quality of work. Training a wrong hire can also be expensive. Effective recruitment is therefore not only the first step towards organizational excellence, but important cost control mechanisms as well. INTRODUCTION The human resources are the most important assets of an organization. The success or failure of an organization is largely dependent on the caliber of the people working therein. Without positive and creative contributions from people, organizations cannot progress and prosper. In order to achieve the goals or the activities of an organization, therefore, they need to recruit people with requisite skills, qualifications and experience. While doing so, they have to keep the present as well as the future requirements of the organization in mind. Recruitment is distinct from Employment and Selection. Once the required number and kind of human resources are determined, the management has to find the places where the required human resources are available and also find the means of attracting them towards the organization before selecting suitable candidates for jobs. All this process is generally known as recruitment. Some people use the term ââ¬Å"Recruitmentâ⬠for employment. We will write a custom essay sample on Recruitment Process of Nuvista Pharma Ltd specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Recruitment Process of Nuvista Pharma Ltd specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Recruitment Process of Nuvista Pharma Ltd specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These two are not one and the same. Recruitment is only one of the steps in the entire employment process. Some others use the term recruitment for selection. These are not the same either. Technically speaking, the function of recruitment precedes the selection function and it includes only finding, developing the sources of prospective employees and attracting them to apply for jobs in an organization, whereas the selection is the process of finding out the most suitable candidate to the job out of the candidates attracted (i. e. , recruited). Background of the Company The pharmaceutical market of Bangladesh very much dynamic and competitive and is comparable to those of developed countries. It is a matter of great pleasure that this sector successfully fulfils major portion of local demand of pharmaceutical products and at the same time it is moving forward to explore the international market for chemicals and pharmaceuticals products. The contribution of pharmaceuticals companies in Bangladesh to the national economy is encouraging. The investment in this sector is increasing which speaks about the potentiality in this sector. This sector satisfies the demand of the local market and also goes for export to explore the international market. Nuvista Pharma is one of the well-known performer in Pharmaceticul Industry in Bangladesh. Organon (Bangladesh) Limited has been operating in Bangladesh since 1964. Until 30 June 2006, it was a subsidiary of Organon International, a renowned global bio-pharmaceutical company, concentrating on gynecology, anesthesia, fertility and neuroscience. On 1 July 2006, Organon International divested its entire stake in Organon (Bangladesh) Ltd. o local management. Subsequently the name of the Company was changed to Nuvista Pharma Limited in December 2006. Nuvista Pharma Ltd. markets a specialized range of products, comprising mainly hormones and steroids. It manufactures tablets, capsule and injections at its own manufacturing facilities in Tongi, Gazipur, and also imports finished medicines from Organon International. The company in every other respect remains the same. It contin ues to import world renowned and trusted Organon brands for the benefit of millions of people in Bangladesh. Nuvista Pharma Limited also continues to source the highest quality APIs from The Netherlands, other European sources, Japan and the USA to ensure the highest quality of its manufactured medicines. Through the commitment to womenââ¬â¢s health care, it has contributed significantly to three areas of vital importance: Contraception, Fertility and Menopause. It has some of the most innovative prescription medicines for Anesthesia, Male Hormone Therapy and Corticosteroids, products that contribute to the health of people and their quality of life. In Bangladesh, Nuvista Pharma Limited is the market leader in: Commercial Segment ofà Contraception Plain Corticosteroids Synthetic Oxytocin Progestogens Anabolic Steroids Anti Spasmodics Haemostatics Fertility Anesthesia Hormone Therapy (both Female Male) Nuvista Pharma Ltd. employs modern technologies in its production and quality control facilities to meet international and local standards and regulations. The Company produces a specialized range of specialized world-class products, mainly hormones and steroids. A Quality System of global standards is maintained with the assistance of international consultants. Development is a continuous process at Nuvista Pharma Ltd. New equipment and machinery are regularly purchased to increase capacity and improve quality. In 2005, a new 4-storied, state of the art, Quality Assurance and Quality Control building was constructed. In 2007 the tablet facility was upgraded to further strengthen the cGMP status. Major projects are currently in hand to significantly develop and improve the overall manufacturing facilities of the Company. Recruitment Selection: Recruitment is defined as, ââ¬Å"a process to discover the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting that manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an efficient workforce. â⬠Edwin B. Flippo defined recruitment as ââ¬Å"the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organization. â⬠Recruitment is a ââ¬Ëlinking functionââ¬â¢-joining together those with jobs to fill and those seeking jobs. It is a ââ¬Ëjoining processââ¬â¢ in that it tries to bring together job seekers and employer with a view to encourage the former to apply for a job with the latter. In order to attract people for the jobs, the organization must communicate the position in such a way that job seekers respond. To be cost effective, the recruitment process should attract qualified applicants and provide enough information for unqualified persons to self-select themselves out. Thus, the recruitment process begins when new recruits are sought and ends when their applications are submitted. The result is a pool of applicants from which new employees are selected. Selection is the process of choosing from a group of applicants those individuals best suited for a particular position. Most managers recognize that employee selection is one of their most difficult, and most important, business decisions. This process involves making a judgment -not about the applicant, but about the fit between the applicant and the job by considering knowledge, skills and abilities and other characteristics required to perform the job Selection procedures are not carried out through standard pattern and steps in this. Process can vary from organization to organization some steps performed and considered important by one organization can be skipped by other organization Recruitment and Selection Process in Nuvista Pharma Ltd. Recruitment and Selection Policy: Recruitment and selection decisions significantly affect the Companyââ¬â¢s ability to meet its business planning needs and strategic objectives. It is important to invest time and energy into recruiting high caliber staff. The process is two-way; not only are appointment committee members assessing the best person for the position but applicants are also deciding whether the Company is an organization they wish to work in. The costs of a poor selection decision are substantial and often extend over many years. The Company is committed to a systematic approach to recruitment and selection in order to attract, select and appoint the best staff through a fair and merit based process. Senior managers are accountable for ensuring compliance with the Companyââ¬â¢s recruitment and selection policy and processes. It is essential that all staff involved in these processes be given the opportunity to become fully familiar with them. This will maximize their effectiveness and ensure that the Company recruits quality staff on a consistent basis. It will also ensure that recruitment and selection practices reflect our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and the framework of relevant employment legislation. Companyââ¬â¢s recruitment and selection process is the best way to achieve success in the business world. According to Dr. Stuart Greenfield, contributor to the American Society for Public Administration, implementing more effective processes to recruit candidates and select the best and the brightest will improve oneââ¬â¢s ability to meet oneââ¬â¢s organizationââ¬â¢s human resource needs. Scope This policy and procedure applies to continuing appointments and normally to fixed term appointments in excess of one year, but may be appropriate in other circumstances. Purpose â⬠¢ To ensure a consistent, fair and merit based approach in accordance with Equal Opportunity Policy and relevant employment legislation To meet or exceed business planning needs and strategic objectives â⬠¢ To maximize the effectiveness of the Universityââ¬â¢s recruitment and selection practices. Recruitment Process The recruitment process in Nuvista Pharma involves identifying the vacancies, preparing the job description and person specification, advertising, managing the response, short-listing, arranging intervi ews, conducting interviews, decision making, convey the decision and appointment action. This means that a lot of time and resources have to be invested before the right candidate is selected. This Process starts with the Job analysis. After Job analysis, they find out the job description that they search from Job incumbent A job description must be returned with the ââ¬ËApproval to fill vacancyââ¬â¢ form. Posts will not be advertised without a Job Description. The purpose of job descriptions is to provide clarity as to the scope, purpose, content that the post covers and the range of competence required to be able to fulfils the post. They go through the Job advertisement, CV collection, Initial Scrutiny, Interview Calling and short listing the Candidates. Job Advertisement: For job advertisement they specially consider the pre sated format of web advertisement. They take the service of Job websites like www. bdjobs. com www. prothomalo-jobs. com. In case of paper advertisement, they only go for it when they hire Sales Representative for their all depose in all districts. From Job advertisement they get huge responses from the required candidate. They collect the CV from this website and through mail. CV Collection: The recruitment process includes a written test to judge particular skills of a candidate. A lot can be judged about the candidate from his CV. A proper presentation of his CV in an organized and refined manner speaks a lot about the individual. His mindset and attitude can be judged according to his CV. After collecting the CV they take a scruitining process in CV evolution. Better, experienced and candidates with specific skills and attributes are short listed initially for the interview. Interview Call: Next come to the interview, which is an important and crucial part of the recruitment process. They call the interview via phone. This is also a Telephonic Interview. The HR Department calls the candidate for interview from the pre selected CVââ¬â¢s. From the Telephonic Interview, they also make a judgment. For interview they select an Interview committee for take interview properly. Concerns like the location of the interview, the time table, the structure of the question strategy, style of taking the interview are decided beforehand so that nothing is left out and all the issues are properly addressed. Short List: After a successful Interview session, they make a Short List of successful Candidates from which they call the candidates for further selection process. Selection Process Selecting a suitable candidate can be the biggest challenge for any organization. The success of a organization largely depends on its staff. Selection ofà the right candidate builds the foundation of any organizations success and helps in reducing turnovers. Though there is no fool proof selection procedure that will ensure low turnover and high profits, Nuvista Pharma Ltd generally follows the following steps ââ¬â Viva: This is generally the starting point of any employee selection process. Pre selected applicants are called for the Viva. The Interview team consisting the HR Dept Representative, Department Head, and others managers are taking the Viva of pre selected successful candidates from interview. Final Viva: It helps them in obtaining more information about the prospective employee. It also helps them in interacting with the candidate and judging his communication abilities, his ease of handling pressure etc. The HR Directors Specific Department Heads taking the final viva of the successful candidate. After successful completion of Final Viva, the successful candidate finally selects by the company for further process. Application Form A candidate who passes the final viva and is found to be eligible for the job is asked to fill in a formal application form. Such a form is designed in a way that it records the personal as well professional details of the prospective employee. Checking References Most application forms include a section that requires prospective candidates to put down names of a few references. References can be classified into former employer, former customers, business references, reputable persons. Such references are contacted to get a feedback on the person in question including his behavior, skills, conduct etc. Credit Checks Nuvista checks the financial condition of a prospective employee. If a person faces the burden ofà heavy loan or debt, it would want to know that. Physical Examination If all goes well, then at this stage, a physical examination is conducted to make sure that the candidate enjoys sound health and does not suffer from any serious ailment. Job Offer A candidate who clears all the steps is finally considered right for a particular job and is presented with the job offer. An applicant can be dropped at any given stage if considered unfit for the job. Only after successfully clearing all the hurdles, an applicant can enjoy the feeling of being selected for a particular job in Nuvista Phrama Ltd. Conclusion Workforce planning is vital if a business is to meet its future demands for staff. It allows a business time to train existing staff to take on new responsibilities and to recruit new staff to fill vacancies or to meet skill shortages. Successful businesses realize one of their most important assets is their workforce. Developing a strong, capable employee roster requires a recruitment and selection process that identifies strong candidates both inside and outside the company.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Why You Should Not Eat at Fast Food Restaurants Essay Example
Why You Should Not Eat at Fast Food Restaurants Essay Example Why You Should Not Eat at Fast Food Restaurants Paper Why You Should Not Eat at Fast Food Restaurants Paper How many of you eat fast food more than three times a week? Do you eat It because it tastes good? Do you eat It because Its cheap or because Its fast and convenient? Do you know where they get It from, or how they cook It or what they use to cook It? On the other hand, not all fast food Joints are bad for you; the most Important thing to keep In mind Is to know what you are eating and making smart decisions. Do you ever wonder how clean the kitchen Is or the cooking conditions that take place? There are three types of fast food dangers; Illness, obesity and fast food uncial danger. BODY . Illnesses caused by fast foods (M. Mutant) A. Food Poisoning 1. Food poisoning is one of todays most visible fast food scares. 2. Food poisoning comes from two main causes a. Unsanitary cooking conditions b. Improperly cooked food II. Obesity from eating too much fast food (Dateline) A. Obesity is a growing concern that affects all age groups but is more effective on people who eat fast food meals several times a week. B. Making smart choices 1. Drink water instead of soda 2. Choose healthier side items 3. Opt for small portions or split the meal 4. Skip heavy condiments such as mayo or ketchup C. Supervise Me is Ill. Fast food financial dangers A. Many people dont realize the fast food financial danger that can quickly take over their wallet. B. The average cost for a single person can range up the 5-7 dollars; however these costs can quickly escalate when eating at these fast food restaurants multiple times a week. 1. Make fast food meals a treat and not a convenience 2. Avoid requesting larger sizes that add more to the bill 3. Use coupons and special deals to enjoy your treat at a lower cost C. If you eat a Bldg Mac twice a week thats $12. 00, at the end of the month It will be $48. 00 and at he end of the year It come out to be around $576. 00. Conclusion so In conclusion remember Tanat tenure are over 2 restaurants In ten United States and many hungry people are unaware of the fast food dangers that lurk inside the wrappers and under plastic lids of these convenient meals. Fast food dangers come in several forms, but health and budget conscious consumers can easily avoid these traps of the fast food industry with common sense. So the next time you pull into a fast food Joint, think about your health and if you really want to eat something that you are unsure of and if it fits your budget.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
How To Prepare A Good Resume And CV
How To Prepare A Good Resume And CV How To Prepare A Good Resume And CV ââ¬Å"If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your resume and claim them as achievements,â⬠said professor Mason Cooley. His witty observation highlights this basic truth: the effective resume and CV writing requires careful thought and attention. The following tips can help produce a quality resume or CV. Know The Difference It is important to know the difference between a resume and a CV (curriculum vitae). While resumes are commonly required by companies from job applicants, certain positions require a CV. Both documents are a written summary of a personââ¬â¢s background, but there are three main differences between the two: length, content, and purpose. First, a resume is a brief summary of a personââ¬â¢s background, education and work history. It usually is one page in length, and at most two pages. A CV is more detailed and therefore longer. For a younger professional a CV may only be 2-3 pages. As he/she gains more experience, the CV may increase to 10 pages or more. Second, a resume and CV will differ in contents. A resume will usually be limited to education, work experience, and credentials. A CV may include these as well, but will also have teaching experience, awards, publications, presentations, and any other career-related achievements. Finally, the two documents serve different purposes. A resume is a concise summary of education and experience focused on presenting a personââ¬â¢s qualifications for a specific job. Because of this, resume editing is often necessary to tailor it to the particular job sought. A CV is a detailed overview of life accomplishments often focusing on academic history, experience and research. As such, CV writing is often required if a person seeks a position in higher education, research, or medicine. Additionally, if a person applies for an international position, a CV is most often required and not a resume. Include Needed Information Since these documents will form a prospective employerââ¬â¢s first impression, a person needs to include the proper information for each type. For a resume, this includes the following: name and contact information, education, and work experience. Arrange the information in each section chronologically. An applicant should also prepare a cover letter to send with the resume. It serves as a written record of what is sent, to whom it is sent, and who sent it. A CV is much more detailed. It should include personal information such as marital status, age, date of birth, number of children, personal interests, and a professional photo. It should then detail the candidateââ¬â¢s academic background, beginning with high school. A person should also include research experience, teaching positions, grants, honors, awards, fellowships, publications, presentations, scholarly or professional memberships, licenses, certificates, and all other related information. The details in each of these sections should also be arranged in chronological order. Prepare and Polish Finally, prepare the written products with careful CV and resume editing. Maintain uniformity in style, font, and formatting throughout the documents for an appealing finished product. A person should proof-read the writing thoroughly to insure proper spelling and grammar. Free online grammar editing tools are a great help in this task. Considering a resume and CVs importance, a person may consider employing the services of a company like for assistance. Contact us today at toll free at 800-573-0840 to see how we can help.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 23
Case Study Example As a director of the company, my first action will be to have a formal talking with Fred about his actions and the consequences of his actions to the company. I will also emphasize of ethical values and respect for others which is the greatest level of integrity in any organization. As part of his working condition terms, one fundamental obligation to the company is to demonstrate high level of integrity and follow the channels of airing his views instead of causing intentional delays and errors in his work. I will lastly consider raising his salary in order to ensure that he is also motivated (Yin 34). In order for the bank to justify its responses on the allegations forwarded to the EEOC by Ruth, it has to provide evidence that there were not discrimination in the dismissal of Ruth Wittman on the basis of her color or any other wrongful basis. The first document that the bank should present to the EEOC is the absenteeism record of Ruth; this will also help in shading light on the allegations that she was constantly absent and tardy. Another document that the back should provide is the record of all other employeesââ¬â¢ absenteeism as well as job allocation scheme. Another vital document that the bank should submit is the 54 separate counseling occasion of Ruth as well as other counseling occasions of her colleague in order to justify that its actions were legal. If I were the EEOC District Director, I would first analyze the presented documents about the absenteeism and tardiness of Ruth Wittman. I would then compare it with other employees of the bank and note the frequency of the absence and tardiness of other employees as well. I will also demand the bank to prove that it followed the legal procedure for dismissal of an employee. This will include the provision of a warning letter and being given the dismissal letter within the required period of time before administering the dismissal process. If the dismissal was done in an illegal way, I
Monday, February 3, 2020
Chinese Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Chinese Film - Essay Example Not to mention the skills that Chinese are known for, such as the most popular martial arts. China as the leading country in terms of the highest population in the world is one great reason for people in the West to capture their market for greater profitability. Reports reveal that China is now the second film market in the world and projected to be the number one in the years to come. This most populous nation is expected to grow 17% in the year 2015. Potentially, China has around 1.34 Billion movie goers and this number is surely to affect the worldwide film market. Other countries, especially the US flock their investment in China to garner the Chinese population thereby assuring their projects and films to get the most profit (Guardian News, n. p.). There have been a lot of films that are made in China that toppled the worldwide cinema market. The latest hit that smashed the top charts is Ang Leeââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Life of Piâ⬠. This movie has generated approximately $570.9 mi llion revenue in the worldwide ticket sales. It has surpassed the other movies in the current film stream, such as ââ¬Å"Les Miserablesâ⬠and ââ¬ËDjango. Unchainedâ⬠. ââ¬Å"Life of Piâ⬠is expected to seize various awards as the movie is proven to be a global hit. It gained positive reviews with the most number of nominations, which reached about 11 Oscar nominations (Miller). ââ¬Å"Life of Piâ⬠is a two hour film derived from the best selling book of Yann Martel. Ang Lee is able to create a marvelous work of art out converting the narrative epic story into an awesome myriad of picturesque effects. The movie centers on Piscine ââ¬Å"Piâ⬠Patel who got stranded in a boat with a Bengal tiger named ââ¬Å"Richard Parkerâ⬠in the middle of Pacific ocean after their ship got shipwrecked in Marianas trench - the worldââ¬â¢s deepest body of water. Pi is traveling along with his father, mother, and brother Ravi in a cargo ship bound for North America where they are supposed to sell their accompanied zoo animals. During the typhoon, Pi made it to a rescue boat along with a set of other supposed to survivors ââ¬â one hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and Richard Parker. Due to the animal competitions in the boat, only Richard Parker lasted as the other survivor with Pi. As Pi and Richard Parker stayed for days in the boat, they have established their own territories. Along their trip, they encountered various marvels such as being flocked with a school of flying fish, being toppled over by a looming whale, a calm night ocean filled with luminous jellyfish, ravenous storms, intense heat and hunger, and the carnivorous island. These scenes were magnanimously portrayed with great effects that can leave any viewer open mouthed. The realistic and colorful effects, such as the sky reflection on the ocean, the clear marine activities passing through their boat, the shift from rain and sunny weather creates a tangible impact that anyone wo uld stick to the rest of the film. There is also the use of 3D effects which harnessed the result all the more. The movie creates an eerie feeling as the nature is made closer to the viewers. Pi and Parker made good companion to each other as they clamored towards survival. Parker, being a threat to the life of Pi, makes Pi alert all the time. As he said in the movie, his fear for his companion made him alert, thus making him survive. Pi shared his experiences where anyone would embrace their faith and believe in miracles and
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Advantages of using CNG
Advantages of using CNG Appeared like a monster for the first time in 1999 and threatened all Egyptians, it was huge, dangerous and cruel. So the Egyptian government declared the war against it, and started to take serious actions. Now its 2009 but no change, its still there darkening the skies of Cairo from October to December causing a lot of environmental and health casualties. Apart from the gray looking skies and awful smell spreading in cities, the Monster causes Respiratory problems. Mahmoud Abdel Majeed, head of Abbasiya Chest Diseases Hospital, said, People suffer from breathing difficulties, coughing and sometimes respiratory failure which requires artificial respiration. Adding that children and the elderly were the most at risk. Most of you now know who the monster is, its the BLACK CLOUD. Funny enough that its not a natural phenomenon but it is mainly caused by us!! According to some statistics its said that 40% of the pollution is from the burning of rice straws, another 23% from vehicle fumes as Cairo now has about 4.3 million vehicles in its streets. Factory emissions also cause 23% and 6 % from burning of wastes. We need solutions! One of the solutions is to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a fuel for cars instead gasoline. Natural gas cars are not different from gasoline fuelled cars except that the natural gas cars are fuelled by CNG not gasoline. And its mechanism is so simple; when u start your engine, the CNG enters a regulator that reduces the pressure before entering the fuel-injection system. The gas is then mixed with air and injected into the cylinders of the engine where its ignited by a spark plug resulting in an explosion which is used to drive the piston. CNG is not only good for the environment but also as for individuals there are other benefits. Using CNG is a new revolution which has economical, environmental and technical pros, yet not all people use CNG as a fuel for their cars for different reasons. CNG is quite economical; its about third of the price of regular gas, good news for the low paid and taxi drivers. Also people who own a natural gas car will have some tax incentives; the government makes them pay fewer taxes as a reward for contributing in protecting the environment from pollution. Further more, the cost of maintenance of natural gas cars is very low in long term compared to that of gasoline cars. From all sides, CNG is quite more economical than gasoline. The main advantage of using CNG as a fuel is because its environmentally friendly. Since it is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, as methane burns cleaner than petroleum fuels. According to a report by the Air Pollution Research Department at the National Research Center in Cairo, it was found that, compared to petrol, CNG has a vital potential to reduce carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide concentrations in exhaust released from electronic fuel-injection and well-carbureted engines by an average of 73 percent and 66 percent, 39 percent and 31 percent and 21 percent and 19 percent, respectively. With these figures, CNG became a friend to the environment and people as well, since it causes no or less negative health effects than the petroleum or gasoline. Using CNG also has some technical advantages. CNG gives a high compression ratio, which means that most of the fuel is burnt. The advantage of high compression ratio is that it gives the engine a higher horsepower ratio resulting in a high performance engine. One of the best things about CNG is that u can convert your car to be natural gas fuelled. The conversion process is an easy process; it is simply fitting storage tanks in the trunk of the vehicle and installing injection nozzles in the engine. After this u will have a bi-fuel vehicle! Bi-fuel vehicles have the capability to switch between using gasoline and other fuel like CNG manually or automatically to run the car, what do we need more!! But what makes some people refuse or afraid to convert their cars to natural gas cars? Well, like everything in the world, CNG has some disadvantages too. First, the conversion process can be costly as he/she will have to buy the conversion kit and pay for the mechanic who will convert it. Yes CNG is cheaper in price, but this is when you refill your car but when it comes to conversion, it can be costly. Another disadvantage is
Friday, January 17, 2020
Building a Fire to Fight Nature Essay
Jack Londonââ¬â¢s title for the story ââ¬Å"To Build a Fireâ⬠starts the reader off with a very basic idea; building a fire. Almost anyone can build a fire. All it takes is a match and some kindling. Londonââ¬â¢s story is about more then building a fire, though. This story is about a manââ¬â¢s belief in himself, self-confidence and even arrogance, to such an extent that he doesnââ¬â¢t recognize the power of nature around him. Londonââ¬â¢s story is more like a ââ¬Å"Man against Natureâ⬠story. Londonââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"To Build a Fireâ⬠casts a clear image that in the ever long-lasting battle between man and nature, nature is not a force that should be reckoned with. The authorââ¬â¢s characters are even very general. The main character of the story is never given a name except to be called a ââ¬Å"chechaquaâ⬠or newcomer in the land. ââ¬Å"The constant struggle of Man against the natural world and physical forces which threaten to undo him at any moment is expressed greatly by this story.â⬠(Colin) This is not a story about one individual person or one isolated incident, but a story used to illustrate a larger continuous gamble or battle between man and nature. London spends the first few paragraphs setting the physical scene. The setting is in Alaska along the Yukon River. It is close to the end of winter but the sun is still not yet in the sky. It is mentioned that this does not bother the man. The rest of the setting is described around the man and the places he has passed on this current journey and where else the trail leads in other directions. The description of the scenery is one of the most intriguing aspects of this story. London had a way of almost making the reader feel cold for the man in the story just by his descriptions of the surrounding territory. ââ¬Å"The Yukon lay a mile wide and hidden under three feet of ice. On top of this ice was as many feet of snow. It was all pure white, rolling in gentle undulations where the ice jams of the freeze-up had formed. North and south as far as his eye could see, it was unbroken white..â⬠(Charters, 910) The scene is set as beautiful, peaceful and cold. The harshness of this physical setting begins to become more and more clear as the storyà progresses. Later the man notices that his spit is cracking and freezing before it reaches the ground. He remembers that at fifty degrees below zero spit will freeze when it hits the ground. ââ¬Å"Undoubtedly it was colder than fifty below.â⬠(911) This also means that there is at least 107 degrees of frost if it is truly 75 degrees below freezing. To increase the readers awareness of the cold, London describes how the mans breath is freezing on his whiskers and beard, the man is also chewing tobacco and with the temperature as cold as it is his cheeks and lips are numb and his spit tends to just end up on his beard and freezes in seconds. This man must be out of his mind to be out in the wilderness in these extreme climate conditions. ââ¬Å"Seeing a man that oblivious to the dangers of traveling alone in colder than fifty below weather, walking on ice, and making a fire under a snow covered tree should be enough to substantiate that he was not unlucky but just plain stupid!â⬠(Wilson) The man starts to grow this ââ¬Å"crystal beard of the color and solidity of amber.â⬠(912) The surroundings are beautiful, peaceful and cold but the man did not see the danger that nature could bring upon him. That it was too cold out to travel or that it could get worse ââ¬Å"was a thought that never entered his head.â⬠(912) The man had a native of the land with him. ââ¬Å"At the manââ¬â¢s heels trotted a dog.â⬠(911) No name is ever given to the dog in the story. Another way for London to keep the story general and the focus on the theme. The dog is a big, native Husky, a brother to the wild wolf it had the instincts to respect nature. The dog knew the temperature was too cold to be traveling but stayed at the manââ¬â¢s heels. The dog plays a dual role in this story. He plays the manââ¬â¢s conscience and natures voice and personification. ââ¬Å"Often a dog can reflect the same personality and character traits as itââ¬â¢s owner. Dogs are extremely intelligent creatures and will reflect and behavior that they are exposed to for lengthy periods of time.â⬠(Feinson, 127) The man treats the dog the same way he treats nature; with no respect. The dog is just a tool, a sled dog and later considered expendable to possibly save the manââ¬â¢s life. The man treats nature much the same way. The dog also shows atà the end how nature moves on. The dog stays to watch the man as he dies and once the dog realizes the man is dead he runs off to the cabin where there are ââ¬Å"other food providers and fire providersâ⬠(921) The protagonist in the story is the unnamed man. Heââ¬â¢s a ââ¬Å"newcomerâ⬠to this area of Alaska and it his first winter. He is on his way to a cabin at a claim where he will meet up with ââ¬Å"the boys.â⬠London refers to him as a man without ââ¬Å"imaginationâ⬠but, ââ¬Å"quick and alert in the things of life.â⬠(910) It is this lack of imagination that makes the man unable to believe or heed the warnings of the veteran Alaskan men who told him not to travel alone when it is fifty below. One needs to have a second person to try and start a fire if the first person should fail. But, the man in the story is over confident. He stops once and makes a fire without a problem to thaw his face so he can eat his lunch. The man doesnââ¬â¢t notice how much the dog wants to stay at the fire. He doesnââ¬â¢t respect the instincts of the native animal. The trail follows along a creek, which is frozen but has natural springs along it that create small pools of water with thin ice and coatings of snow to cover them up. The man almost prides himself on how well he can spot these warning signs of possible danger. He also is increasingly happy with the pace he is keeping. The man soon falls into one of natureââ¬â¢s little traps, a small pool of water, and has only a few minutes to build a fire and get warm and dry before he freezes to death. He tries to stay as calm as possible but in his haste doesnââ¬â¢t pick a good spot to build a fire. He realizes too late when the heat from the fire he has just built starts to melt the snow in the tree branches above him and drops down smothering the fire. ââ¬Å"A man alone in the wilderness coupled with stupidity is a deadly combination. To deal with nature takes skill and know-how, this man seems to have neither, he was doomed from the moment he went off alone.â⬠(website) When it is 75 degrees below freezing one person doesnââ¬â¢t have a second chance to build a fire. The temperature is just too cold and exposed parts of the body will start to freeze. The man still believes in his strength to overcome the power of nature and continues to try and build a fire. He doesnââ¬â¢t succeed and at the end accepts his fate and falls asleep thinking about the next day when ââ¬Å"the boysâ⬠would find him. Theà story is an illustration of what can happen to a person that doesnââ¬â¢t respect nature and its power. ââ¬Å"This is the story of a manââ¬â¢s struggle against nature, trying to survive against impossible odds in a universe indifferent to an individuals fate.â⬠(909) The man was so confident in himself that he traveled with nothing but his lunch and a few matches and birch bark to start a fire. ââ¬Å"He has also been warned not to travel alone in such cold, but he goes anyway, with only his dog and confidence for a companion.â⬠(Synopsis, 220) He has no company, or supplies for the possibility he may confront some type of danger. Whether the danger be with another animal or with his surroundings. The short version of the story was originally published in the Boy Scouts of America Handbook. Any Boy Scout might remember the story form when they were a kid and the lessons that were taught from it when they were younger. They were taught to respect nature for what it is, what it can do, and of course, to always be prepared. If you arenââ¬â¢t, nature will take itââ¬â¢s toll, and what a deadly toll it can be.
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