Religion #4 African American Spirituals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion #4 African American Spirituals - Essay Example The religious life included ring shouts spirituals and chanted sermons. The spirituals in particular resemble an amalgam of evangelical hymns, black traditional songs and black southern folk music. As the spirituals can not be attributed to any specific author, they represent the communal voice of the slaves who trust their faith in God. The call-and-response pattern followed in the spirituals, speaks that there is a dialogue between them and God. This indicates their innermost hopes for spiritual as well as physical freedom. The interpretational meaning of the spirituals is a decoded message for freedom from slavery. The author provides several examples to prove his argument, showing the Biblical connotations that most of the spirituals have. With the spirituals the African Americans are looking for awakening, to keep the faith both in God and in their hopes for freedom at last. In the article Harvey has listed several spirituals, illustrating the direct relationship between the slave who is singing and God. In the example of spirituals a double meaning can be felt. The word â€Å"home† can be interpreted as safe place, however it may also mean â€Å"Heaven†. He aven is the place where everyone is free, thus the meanings of the spirituals is converted to reinforce the dream for a free country. The African American spirituals can be related to other humanitarian course materials such as anthropological, ethnographical and sociological. The emergence of spiritual churches combines purely ethnographic description together with the song texts and other ritual, religious gestures. One of the general questions that anthropology seeks to answer is â€Å"Why people behave the way they do?† So we can relate this anthropological quest and why to explain why African Americans found shelter for their minds and souls in the spirituals. On another note, cultural anthropology studies the beliefs and cultural practices of people.

Financial Analysis of Target Corp. and JCPenney Research Paper

Financial Analysis of Target Corp. and JCPenney - Research Paper Example Presently, headquarter of the company is situated in Minneapolis. The company has been ranked 22nd by the Fortune magazine within its list under the category of â€Å"World’s Most Admired Companies†. Also it has been titled as the 23rd by Forbes magazine within its list under the category of â€Å"America’s Most Reputable Companies†. There are many subsidiaries of the Target Corporation: Financial and Retail Services (FRS), Target Sourcing Services (TSS), Target Commercial Interiors, Target Brands and Target.com. Target had declared its expansion into Canada and has plans to inaugurate around 100 to 150 stores over there by the year 2013. The total revenue of the company during the year 2010 was $67.4 billion (My Target, 2010). Background of J. C. Penney Company, Inc J. C Penney Company, Inc., better known as JCPenney is one amongst many big retailers in the Unites States. The company operates with its 1100 departmental stores situated all around America a nd Puerto Rico. JCPenney also has sites on the internet for its trading in the retail sections of home furnishings and apparels. The company is headquartered in Plano, TX and has 150000 associates. The company offers a wide variety of brands inclusive of private brands, national brands and exclusive brands to more than 50 percent of the American people. The company depicted annual revenue of $17.8 billion during the year 2010 (JCPenney, 2010). Calculation of Ratio for Target Corporation and J. C. Penney Company, Inc Ratios Target Corporation (in millions $ except number of shares) J. C. Penney Company, Inc (in millions $ except number of shares) Book Value Per Share Ratio = (Total shareholder equity – Preferred equity) / Total outstanding shares (15487-0) / 704038218 = 0.000022 (5460-0) / 237000000 = 0.000023 Current ratio = Current asset / Current liabilities 17213 / 10070 = 1.71 6370 / 2647 = 2.41 Net Profit Margin on Sales = Net Earnings / Sales 2920 / 67390 = 0.043 389 / 17759 = 0.022 Earnings per Share = (Net income- Dividends on preferred stock) Average outstanding shares 2920 / 704038218 = 4.00 (Diluted earnings per share) 389/ 237000000 = 1.64 (Diluted earnings per share) EBITDA per share = EBITDA / Outstanding shares 7336 / 704038218 = 10.4 1343 / 237000000 = 5.67 Debt/Equity Ratio = Long term debt / Common stock equity 3954 / 3370 = 1.17 3099 / 4043 = 0.77 Interpretation and Description of the Findings From analyzing the book value per share ratio of a company, not many facts can be interpreted. Book value is rather the accounting value of the shares of a company. This value is considerably different from the market value of the shares. Book values are determined on the basis of the company’s retained earnings and costs whereas market values are determined on the basis of expectations of investors. On comparing the book value and the market value of the company’s shares, inferences can be derived as to whether the company’ s stock is overvalued or undervalued. The only situation when book value can be useful is when the market value of the company’s stock is lower than the book value of the stock. This situation seldom arises but if this arises, then the investors anticipate the company to be undervalued and are attracted to buy. The market value of Target Corporation is $51.19 and the book value would be approximately $22. This