Principles and practice of Human Resource Management Essay

In 21st century, the organization which considers its employees as an asset rather than cost has competitive advantage. The term suggested for employees is human capital. It refers to productive potential of one’s knowledge and actions. In today’s knowledge economy, efficient management of human capital ensures success for the organization. This tells the importance of human resource management. It is about managing human capital in the same way as asset management or financial management. Actually human resource management acts as a medium of exchange between employees and organization. Employees offer knowledge, abilities, skills, efforts, time, motivation, commitment and performance to the organization in return for job security, empowerment, generous pay for performance, training, promotion and trustful relationship. Thus human resource management is considered as a matching process that is matching organizational goals with employees’ needs in order to satisfy both optimally. The more formal definition of human resource management is the activities undertaken by the organization to attract, develop and maintain an effective workforce within an organization. (Daft, 1982) Thus attracting an effective workforce for an organization, developing it to its potential and finally maintaining it are the three main goals of the human resource management. And all the strategies are developed by the human resource department for attaining these three goals and these strategies tend to be organizational wide in order to support the overall corporate strategy. The skills required for attracting the workforce includes human resource planning, job analysis, forecasting, recruiting and selecting; skills for developing the workforce includes training and performance appraisal; and skills for maintaining the workforce includes wages, salaries, benefits and termination. Organizations especially perform human resource management in order to tackle the issues related to human resource proactively rather than reactively. ( Price , 2007). Having developed the concept of human resource management, we will now talk about the different approaches taken by the organization for pursing HRM. Read more:Â  Managing The Human Resources The first approach is hard HRM developed by Michigan business school and the second one is soft HRM developed by Harvard business school. (Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna, 1984) Both approaches are opposite as they are based on different sets of assumptions. (Storey 1992) Soft HRM has humanistic edge in managing employees while hard HRM considers employees as resources which have to be managed in the same way as capital equipments and raw materials. That is hard HRM is bit more technical and mechanical in its approach which involves in obtaining as cheap labor as possible that should be fully exploited. Soft HRM advocates unitary perspective which means employees and organization needs and interest are coherent which leads to mutual goals, influence, respect, rewards and responsibility. The outcome is therefore employee commitment and organizational success (Walton 1985). On contrary, pluralist perspective sees differences in employee and organization goals as a cause for conflicts and problems. Management’s task is to induce the appropriate behavior in workers so that their actions accomplish the company’s goals, not their own. This paves the way for showing direction and coercion by management. This perspective underlies hard HRM. .( Price , 2007) Mc Gregor in 1960 gave Theory X and Theory Y about the nature of employees. Theory X depicted employees who dislike work and try to avoid it when they can. People have to be coerced to work and have to be closely directed and regulated thus leading to tight managerial control. On the other hand theory Y depicted employees who like to work and exercise self direction and self control if they are committed to the goals and objectives. In this case there is loose managerial control and management’s function is to foster individual growth and development. Apparently soft HRM is associated with theory Y which emphasizes employees’ commitment through trust, open communication, training and development and autonomous work environment. This will produce employee behavior which is self directed and this is the main reason for organization’s competitive advantage. Whereas hard HRM contingent to theory X, focuses on quantitative, calculative and strategic aspects of managing HR as for any other factor of production. The practices of hard HRM consist of strict performance appraisal, supervision and external control over individual’s activities. Now we will examine how soft and hard HRM approaches lead to different kinds of activities and outcomes at different stages of human resource lifecycle. The first stage is of attracting the potential employees. This requires human resource planning by forecasting HR needs and matching the individuals with expected job vacancies. The soft HRM will seek to forecast needed employees in order to complete a work unit or finding the best mix of employees for the team in order to elicit commitment from team members by setting of good team norms and strong cohesiveness. Whereas hard HRM will look to minimize the need for additional employees and will try to reduce the head count. This will lead to incomplete work unit. The job vacancies will not be fully matched with potential employees, which will lead to incomplete work outcomes or delays in achieving goals deadlines. However hard HRM is best suited in condition of financial crisis and economic recession. In these conditions companies are incurring losses and they cannot afford hiring of new employees. Hard HRM is helpful in minimizing external hiring and shifting and relocating existing employees within organization. This will make existing employees loyal because they were not laid off by the organization when downsizing is the only option that remains during financial crisis. (Fombrun, 1984). The recruitment and selection is the most important process in hiring of employees. It requires analysis of both job applicants and job itself. We have to look for desired characteristics in applicants so that he must make a good match with particular job requirements. If his skills, education and experience are not adequate for the specific job then it will lead to frustration and confusion. The result will be poor performance, job dissatisfaction and high turnover. Both soft and hard HRM approach will provide realistic job preview and job description so that employees can judge their potential for a specific job. However soft HRM approach will be more insightful as it will look into the hidden personality traits, attitudes and beliefs of the applicants so that they can be better integrated into overall corporate culture, norms and values. Whereas hard HRM will only look to match the applicant’s skills with the technical specification of the job. Soft HRM give more attention to the human processes such as communication, sharing of knowledge, cohesiveness and trust among employees. Interviews, paper pencil test etc are the most common selection devices and are used by both approaches. However soft HRM approach has additional selection devices such as personality test, psychological test, case studies and different types of surveys. The second stage in HR lifecycle is development of effective workforce which includes training and performance appraisal as the two most important activities. Soft HRM approach will be more inclined towards training for individual advancement and career development. Soft HRM will go for various types of training techniques such as on the job training, class room training, computer assisted instructions, conferences and case discussion groups. Employees will be made to learn multiple skills so that they can be rotated among various jobs in order to reduce monotony and introduce variety. Hard HRM will see training as an expense. It will usually design job which leaves little room for showing discretion and creativity. The job is monotonous and set rules and procedures are there to perform the job. So training is limited to learning those specific job procedures which limits career advancement. This reduces employee motivation and cause job dissatisfaction and high turnover rate because of increase in monotony. The practice of hard HRM is most suitable in assembly line work. However it will fail in work demanding creativity and originality and whose environment is more unstable and uncertain, for example, film industry. While considering the activity of performance appraisal, hard HRM is more stringent in its appraisal process. The poor performance is mostly attributed to individual’s lack of ability and no consideration is given to various external factors influencing the individual’s performance. External factors are outside individual control and includes pathetic work environment, work place conflicts, distrust, no sharing of information and resources, bad relations and poor communication with top management. (Drucker , 1954 ) On the other hand soft HRM gives objective feedback on employees’ performance. It also uses the technique of 360 degree feedback that uses multiple raters and self rating to enhance the reliability and credibility of feedback in the eyes of employees. Multiple raters can include customers, co workers, supervisors and subordinates. Employee is also given a chance to explain his point of view and give explanation if his performance is not up to the standard. At the end of the appraisal top performances are also rewarded with bonuses, recognition and promotion. The feedback style of soft HRM is such that employees are motivated to improve their performance further. It enhances employees’ self efficacy by making clear role expectations and removing role conflicts and role ambiguity. This approach is therefore best suited for organizations whose culture encompasses total quality management. TQM stresses for customer satisfaction by providing better quality product or services through dedication to training, continuous improvement and teamwork. The third and last stage in HR life cycle is maintaining of workforce so that they continue to work for the organization over the long run. This stage consists of four activities such as rewards management, industrial relation, occupational health and safety and termination. In soft HRM approach rewards are such that it recognizes individual’s accomplishment as well as teamwork. Rewards are administered in such a way that it promotes collaboration and cooperation among employees so that they work as a unit for the overall goals of the organization. The focus is on creating the synergy so that different department of organization works coherently and in alignment of corporate strategy. Ivancevich, 2003). Soft HRM approach also gives rewards which increases intrinsic motivation of employees. Intrinsic motivation to work comes from the internal satisfaction and honor one feels when he completes some meaningful work which makes the difference for the organization. These types of rewards increase employees’ sense of meaningfulness, competence, progress and choice. Intrinsic rewards which increase intrinsic motivation are important for increasing employees’ commitment to organization’s goals and mission. The hard HRM has tight control over rewards. Apart from basic salary, less effort is made to recognize individual performance. However calculated yearly bonuses are given when year end profit target is achieved. In other words no effort is made in hard HRM’s reward system to increase employees’ commitment to work. The main problem is that hard HRM follows corporate strategy in rewarding employees and no analysis is done about employee’s needs and desires. Soft HRM is good enough as its rewards system makes a best fit between employees’ needs and rewards. Moreover the other organization dynamics which affects rewards system is employees’ perceived equity of rewards. If the distribution of rewards is not considered equitable by employees then motivating effects of rewards will vanish. There will be feeling of cognitive dissonance in employees and to remove this feeling, he will either alter his inputs to the work or will demand changes in rewards. The soft HRM approach dealing with human processes designs reward system to improve employees’ perceived equity while hard HRM fails to do so. According to Herzberg, working conditions, pay, good company policy and interpersonal relationships are called hygiene factors and their presence removes job dissatisfaction. The hygiene factors are well cared by soft HRM approach. The hard one fails to provide hygiene factors because its main objective is to accomplish a task in most economical terms as possible. It is only the soft HRM approach that has clear and functional policies and procedures about occupational health and safety. (Noe, 2003). Soft HRM approach looks to build long term relationship with employees. It opens all channels of communication such as upward, downward and lateral. Moreover grapevine and management by objective techniques are also used by managers to delve deeper into employees’ problems and requirements. Hard HRM only uses formal and hierarchical communication channel. This is also the cause for many communication breakdown and distortion. The most important feature of soft HRM is of mentoring and socialization which greatly helps in building cooperative and trustful corporate culture and environment.

Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Reassurances relate to the unit theme of the ordinary and how does he use ordinary objects within his artworks to create works with depth, meaning and beauty? Innovative and experimental in approach, contemporary American artist Robert Reassurances (1925-2008) has long been considered the pioneer of the modern art world, spanning his late 20th to early 21 SST century artistic career to the blurring and challenging of boundaries and distinctions between the artist, the art world and the audience.By his combination exploration of multiple art forms Including painting, sculpture, photography, performance and screen-printing, much of Raucousness's practice exemplify the artist's long held aim of transitioning subject matter to ordinary and found materials, as means of questioning the alienation of everyday life in the approaches of the prominent artists and art styles of his time.Particularly in a period of abstract expressionism where personalization and highly emotionally charge d works fuelled belief In the artist's conceptualization being key to the appreciation of their respective works, It Is by Raucousness's deliberate confrontation of the disconnect of the artist's personal and circadian realities that enables his works to retain avian-garden in meaning and definition of artistic beauty, easing the audience's ability to interpret his works due to its universal theme of the ordinary.Reassurance's ability to manipulate and appropriate mundane and Images of popular culture beyond Its contextual limitations notably lies In his creation of the art form ‘combines', the hybrid of painting and sculpture that broke conventions of the artist's canvas. In challenge of the recognized doctrine of medium specificity (an element supported and endorsed by many art critics of his time), Robert Reassurances explicitly Juxtaposed both the AD and AD forms in such combines, providing the meta-narrative to his works through the now theoretically limitless plane.Exemp lified by one of his first combines, ‘Monogram' (1955-1959), the compilation of a stuffed goat breaking through a found car tyro upon a painting transcends into a manifestation of the artist himself, where despite the absurdity of the objects incorporated, their combination symbolism deciphers the works overall meaning and beauty. Where Raucousness's emerging sexuality (I. E. Bisexuality) became subject to criticism during the rand sass's, ‘Monogram' translates such themes by appropriation of the goat as a scapegoat, re-conceptualizing the goat to its religious and Christian counterpart.The tightly fitted tyro transcends into an illustration of society and its demands, drawing upon the imagery of the needle eye in reflection of Raucousness's inability to conform to the artistic demands of the mid 20th century art world, where the AD canvas base becomes appropriation of the ‘grazing land' Reassurances both symbolically destroys and feeds off ambitious style of abstr act expressionism, playing to his desire to â€Å"respect abstract expressionism enough not to copy it†, instead manipulating the vividness of the style's powerful strokes and mark-making to a thesis of violence integrated with the personal sphere as symbolizes by the bed.Using the methods of combines and its resulting concept of frames dimensions, Reassurance's ‘Bed' reverts the physical deed's customary purpose by being hung upon the wall as the canvas, confirming the object's re-conceptualization and subsequent transfer of meaning into the representation of intimacy and the personal world. By the practice of combines, Reassurances exposes a lost and neglected path of interaction between the artist, the art world and the audience, effectively proposing and confirming the exponential possibility of art and its purpose in the world as a result of the incorporation of the themes and identities associated with the ordinary.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 78-80

CHAPTER 78 Sophie felt a wild excitement as she cradled the cryptex and began dialing in the letters. An ancient word of wisdom frees this scroll.Langdon and Teabing seemed to have stopped breathing as they looked on. S†¦ O†¦ F†¦ â€Å"Carefully,† Teabing urged. â€Å"Ever so carefully.† †¦ I†¦ A. Sophie aligned the final dial. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered, glancing up at the others. â€Å"I'm going to pull it apart.† â€Å"Remember the vinegar,† Langdon whispered with fearful exhilaration. â€Å"Be careful.† Sophie knew that if this cryptex were like those she had opened in her youth, all she would need to do is grip the cylinder at both ends, just beyond the dials, and pull, applying slow, steady pressure in opposite directions. If the dials were properly aligned with the password, then one of the ends would slide off, much like a lens cap, and she could reach inside and remove the rolled papyrus document, which would be wrapped around the vial of vinegar. However, if the password they had entered were incorrect, Sophie's outward force on the ends would be transferred to a hinged lever inside, which would pivot downward into the cavity and apply pressure to the glass vial, eventually shattering it if she pulled too hard. Pull gently, she told herself. Teabing and Langdon both leaned in as Sophie wrapped her palms around the ends of the cylinder. In the excitement of deciphering the code word, Sophie had almost forgotten what they expected to find inside. This is the Priory keystone.According to Teabing, it contained a map to the Holy Grail, unveiling the tomb of Mary Magdalene and the Sangreal treasure†¦ the ultimate treasure trove of secret truth. Now gripping the stone tube, Sophie double-checked that all of the letters were properly aligned with the indicator. Then, slowly, she pulled. Nothing happened. She applied a little more force. Suddenly, the stone slid apart like a well-crafted telescope. The heavy end piece detached in her hand. Langdon and Teabing almost jumped to their feet. Sophie's heart rate climbed as she set the end cap on the table and tipped the cylinder to peer inside. A scroll! Peering down the hollow of the rolled paper, Sophie could see it had been wrapped around a cylindrical object – the vial of vinegar, she assumed. Strangely, though, the paper around the vinegar was not the customary delicate papyrus but rather, vellum. That's odd, she thought, vinegar can't dissolve a lambskin vellum.She looked again down the hollow of the scroll and realized the object in the center was not a vial of vinegar after all. It was something else entirely. â€Å"What's wrong?† Teabing asked. â€Å"Pull out the scroll.† Frowning, Sophie grabbed the rolled vellum and the object around which it was wrapped, pulling them both out of the container. â€Å"That's not papyrus,† Teabing said. â€Å"It's too heavy.† â€Å"I know. It's padding.† â€Å"For what? The vial of vinegar?† â€Å"No.† Sophie unrolled the scroll and revealed what was wrapped inside. â€Å"For this.† When Langdon saw the object inside the sheet of vellum, his heart sank. â€Å"God help us,† Teabing said, slumping. â€Å"Your grandfather was a pitiless architect.† Langdon stared in amazement. I see Sauniere has no intention of making this easy. On the table sat a second cryptex. Smaller. Made of black onyx. It had been nested within the first. Sauniere's passion for dualism. Two cryptexes.Everything in pairs. Double entendres.Male female.Black nested within white.Langdon felt the web of symbolism stretching onward. White gives birthto black. Every man sprang from woman. White – female. Black – male. Reaching over, Langdon lifted the smaller cryptex. It looked identical to the first, except half the size and black. He heard the familiar gurgle. Apparently, the vial of vinegar they had heard earlier was inside this smaller cryptex. â€Å"Well, Robert,† Teabing said, sliding the page of vellum over to him. â€Å"You'll be pleased to hear that at least we're flying in the right direction.† Langdon examined the thick vellum sheet. Written in ornate penmanship was another four-line verse. Again, in iambic pentameter. The verse was cryptic, but Langdon needed to read only as far as the first line to realize that Teabing's plan to come to Britain was going to pay off. IN LONDON LIES A KNIGHT A POPE INTERRED. The remainder of the poem clearly implied that the password for opening the second cryptex could be found by visiting this knight's tomb, somewhere in the city. Langdon turned excitedly to Teabing. â€Å"Do you have any idea what knight this poem is referring to?† Teabing grinned. â€Å"Not the foggiest. But I know in precisely which crypt we should look.† At that moment, fifteen miles ahead of them, six Kent police cars streaked down rain-soaked streets toward Biggin Hill Executive Airport. CHAPTER 79 Lieutenant Collet helped himself to a Perrier from Teabing's refrigerator and strode back out through the drawing room. Rather than accompanying Fache to London where the action was, he was now baby-sitting the PTS team that had spread out through Chateau Villette. So far, the evidence they had uncovered was unhelpful: a single bullet buried in the floor; a paper with several symbols scrawled on it along with the words blade and chalice; and a bloody spiked belt that PTS had told Collet was associated with the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei, which had caused a stir recently when a news program exposed their aggressive recruiting practices in Paris. Collet sighed. Good luck making sense of this unlikely melange. Moving down a lavish hallway, Collet entered the vast ballroom study, where the chief PTS examiner was busy dusting for fingerprints. He was a corpulent man in suspenders. â€Å"Anything?† Collet asked, entering. The examiner shook his head. â€Å"Nothing new. Multiple sets matching those in the rest of the house.† â€Å"How about the prints on the cilice belt?† â€Å"Interpol is still working. I uploaded everything we found.† Collet motioned to two sealed evidence bags on the desk. â€Å"And this?† The man shrugged. â€Å"Force of habit. I bag anything peculiar.† Collet walked over. Peculiar? â€Å"This Brit's a strange one,† the examiner said. â€Å"Have a look at this.† He sifted through the evidence bags and selected one, handing it to Collet. The photo showed the main entrance of a Gothic cathedral – the traditional, recessed archway, narrowing through multiple, ribbed layers to a small doorway. Collet studied the photo and turned. â€Å"This is peculiar?† â€Å"Turn it over.† On the back, Collet found notations scrawled in English, describing a cathedral's long hollow nave as a secret pagan tribute to a woman's womb. This was strange. The notation describing the cathedral's doorway, however, was what startled him. â€Å"Hold on! He thinks a cathedral's entrance represents a woman's†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The examiner nodded. â€Å"Complete with receding labial ridges and a nice little cinquefoil clitoris above the doorway.† He sighed. â€Å"Kind of makes you want to go back to church.† Collet picked up the second evidence bag. Through the plastic, he could see a large glossy photograph of what appeared to be an old document. The heading at the top read: Les Dossiers Secrets – Number 4o lm1 249 â€Å"What's this?† Collet asked. â€Å"No idea. He's got copies of it all over the place, so I bagged it.† Collet studied the document. PRIEURE DE SIGN – LES NAUTONIERS/GRAND MASTERS JEAN DE GISORS 1188-1220 MARIE DE SAINT-CLAIR 1220-1266 GUILLAUME DE GlSORS 1266-1307 EDOUARD DE BAR 1307-1336 JEANNE DE BAR 1336-1351 JEAN DE SAINT-CLAIR 1351-1366 BLANCE D'EVREUX 1366-1398 NICOLAS FLAMEL 1398-1418 RENE D'ANJOU 1418-1480 IOLANDE DE BAR 1480-1483 SANDRO BOTTICELLI 1483-1510 LEONARDO DA VINCI 1510-1519 CONNETABLE DE BOURBON 1519-1527 FERDINAND DE GONZAQUE 1527-1575 LOUIS DE NEVERS 1575-1595 ROBERT FLUDD 1595-1637 J. VALENTIN ANDREA 1637-1654 ROBERT BOYLE 1654-1691 ISAAC NEWTON 1691-1727 CHARLES RADCLYFFE 1727-1746 CHARLES DE LORRAINE 1746-1780 MAXIMILIAN DE LORRAINE 1780-1801 CHARLES NODIER 1801-1844 VICTOR HUGO 1844-1885 CLAUDE DEBUSSY 1885-1918 JEAN COCTEAU 1918-1963 Prieure de Sion? Collet wondered. â€Å"Lieutenant?† Another agent stuck his head in. â€Å"The switchboard has an urgent call for Captain Fache, but they can't reach him. Will you take it?† Collet returned to the kitchen and took the call. It was Andre Vernet. The banker's refined accent did little to mask the tension in his voice. â€Å"I thought Captain Fache said he would call me, but I have not yet heard from him.† â€Å"The captain is quite busy,† Collet replied. â€Å"May I help you?† â€Å"I was assured I would be kept abreast of your progress tonight.† For a moment, Collet thought he recognized the timbre of the man's voice, but he couldn't quite place it. â€Å"Monsieur Vernet, I am currently in charge of the Paris investigation. My name is Lieutenant Collet.† There was a long pause on the line. â€Å"Lieutenant, I have another call coming in. Please excuse me. I will call you later.† He hung up. For several seconds, Collet held the receiver. Then it dawned on him. I knew I recognized that voice! The revelation made him gasp. The armored car driver.With the fake Rolex. Collet now understood why the banker had hung up so quickly. Vernet had remembered the name Lieutenant Collet – the officer he blatantly lied to earlier tonight. Collet pondered the implications of this bizarre development. Vernet is involved.Instinctively, he knew he should call Fache. Emotionally, he knew this lucky break was going to be his moment to shine. He immediately called Interpol and requested every shred of information they could find on the Depository Bank of Zurich and its president, Andre Vernet. CHAPTER 80 â€Å"Seat belts, please,† Teabing's pilot announced as the Hawker 731 descended into a gloomy morning drizzle. â€Å"We'll be landing in five minutes.† Teabing felt a joyous sense of homecoming when he saw the misty hills of Kent spreading wide beneath the descending plane. England was less than an hour from Paris, and yet a world away. This morning, the damp, spring green of his homeland looked particularly welcoming. My time in France is over.I am returning to England victorious.The keystone has been found.The question remained, of course, as to where the keystone would ultimately lead. Somewhere in the United Kingdom.Where exactly, Teabing had no idea, but he was already tasting the glory. As Langdon and Sophie looked on, Teabing got up and went to the far side of the cabin, then slid aside a wall panel to reveal a discreetly hidden wall safe. He dialed in the combination, opened the safe, and extracted two passports. â€Å"Documentation for Remy and myself.† He then removed a thick stack of fifty-pound notes. â€Å"And documentation for you two.† Sophie looked leery. â€Å"A bribe?† â€Å"Creative diplomacy. Executive airfields make certain allowances. A British customs official will greet us at my hangar and ask to board the plane. Rather than permitting him to come on, I'll tell him I'm traveling with a French celebrity who prefers that nobody knows she is in England – press considerations, you know – and I'll offer the official this generous tip as gratitude for his discretion.† Langdon looked amazed. â€Å"And the official will accept?† â€Å"Not from anyone, they won't, but these people all know me. I'm not an arms dealer, for heaven's sake. I was knighted.† Teabing smiled. â€Å"Membership has its privileges.† Remy approached up the aisle now, the Heckler Koch pistol cradled in his hand. â€Å"Sir, my agenda?† Teabing glanced at his servant. â€Å"I'm going to have you stay onboard with our guest until we return. We can't very well drag him all over London with us.† Sophie looked wary. â€Å"Leigh, I was serious about the French police finding your plane before we return.† Teabing laughed. â€Å"Yes, imagine their surprise if they board and find Remy.† Sophie looked surprised by his cavalier attitude. â€Å"Leigh, you transported a bound hostage across international borders. This is serious.† â€Å"So are my lawyers.† He scowled toward the monk in the rear of the plane. â€Å"That animal broke into my home and almost killed me. That is a fact, and Remy will corroborate.† â€Å"But you tied him up and flew him to London!† Langdon said. Teabing held up his right hand and feigned a courtroom oath. â€Å"Your honor, forgive an eccentric old knight his foolish prejudice for the British court system. I realize I should have called the French authorities, but I'm a snob and do not trust those laissez-faire French to prosecute properly. This man almost murdered me. Yes, I made a rash decision forcing my manservant to help me bring him to England, but I was under great stress. Mea culpa. Mea culpa.† Langdon looked incredulous. â€Å"Coming from you, Leigh, that just might fly.† â€Å"Sir?† the pilot called back. â€Å"The tower just radioed. They've got some kind of maintenance problem out near your hangar, and they're asking me to bring the plane directly to the terminal instead.† Teabing had been flying to Biggin Hill for over a decade, and this was a first. â€Å"Did they mention what the problem is?† â€Å"The controller was vague. Something about a gas leak at the pumping station? They asked me to park in front of the terminal and keep everyone onboard until further notice. Safety precaution. We're not supposed to deplane until we get the all clear from airport authorities.† Teabing was skeptical. Must be one hell of a gas leak.The pumping station was a good half mile from his hangar. Remy also looked concerned. â€Å"Sir, this sounds highly irregular.† Teabing turned to Sophie and Langdon. â€Å"My friends, I have an unpleasant suspicion that we are about to be met by a welcoming committee.† Langdon gave a bleak sigh. â€Å"I guess Fache still thinks I'm his man.† â€Å"Either that,† Sophie said,† or he is too deep into this to admit his error. Teabing was not listening. Regardless of Fache's mind-set, action needed to be taken fast. Don'tlose sight of the ultimate goal.The Grail.We're so dose.Below them, the landing gear descended with a clunk. â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon said, sounding deeply remorseful,† I should turn myself in and sort this out legally. Leave you all out of it.† â€Å"Oh, heavens, Robert!† Teabing waved it off. â€Å"Do you really think they're going to let the rest of us go? I just transported you illegally. Miss Neveu assisted in your escape from the Louvre, and we have a man tied up in the back of the plane. Really now! We're all in this together.† â€Å"Maybe a different airport?† Sophie said. Teabing shook his head. â€Å"If we pull up now, by the time we get clearance anywhere else, our welcoming party will include army tanks.† Sophie slumped. Teabing sensed that if they were to have any chance of postponing confrontation with the British authorities long enough to find the Grail, bold action had to be taken. â€Å"Give me a minute,† he said, hobbling toward the cockpit. â€Å"What are you doing?† Langdon asked. â€Å"Sales meeting,† Teabing said, wondering how much it would cost him to persuade his pilot to perform one highly irregular maneuver.

Several authors have conceptualized change as a planned, sequential Essay

Several authors have conceptualized change as a planned, sequential process. What are the strengths and the limitations of these - Essay Example Technology has made it necessary for organizations to embrace change a great deal. The planned and sequential change has its own strengths and limitations. Types of organizational change Irgens, E. J., 2009. Institutional Bridging: Change Projects as Creators and Carriers of Knowledge. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 7(2), pp.162-171 According to Irgens (2009, p.168), there are various types of change that can occur in an organization. There is the mission change, which occurs when an organization changes its goals. This is driven by the market trends and the current technological advancements. The strategic changes mainly focus on the fundamental key issues of the strategic planning of the organization. Operational changes may also occur and they result into a transition of the manner in which organizational tasks and operations are carried out. This type of change also includes structural changes. Technological change is another critical aspect in any organization. It inc ludes the change of the technological infrastructure, such as the software, hardware, other technological resources including the personnel and anything related to technology. Furthermore, the change in organizational culture is a significant element in any organization. ... International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 23 (5/6), p. 546. According to Bamford & Forrester (2003, p.546), by carrying out change in a sequential and planned process, the following benefits can be obtained. First and foremost, it leads to an effective communication which ensures that all the stakeholders and the departments in an organization are effectively informed of the reasons for change and why it is important for them as individuals and the organization at large. This leads to a successful implementation of the changes that are to be conducted whether operational, strategic, cultural, and technological among others. The models also ensure that effective education, training, and upgrading schemes are devised. This is very important especially when the process is effectively and efficiently planned as it makes the staff ready and prepared to take up the change. With the necessary training and development of skills among all the stakeholders, readiness to take up the process is cultivated among them. Moreover, when the change is conducted in a planned and sequential manner, the resistance from employees is countered. If this change is abrupt, it is certain that there would be a lot of resistance coming from employees. Its sequential and planned approach alleviates the organization from this dilemma. Besides, it alleviates fears that come with it. Quite often, change is associated with fear. People want to remain the way they are. They are happy and contented as they are. Abrupt changes can mean substantial amount of fear in an organization. As such, conducting it in a planned and sequential manner is welcome and highly appropriate for any organization. Pavlak, A., 2004. Project Troubleshooting: Tiger Teams for Reactive Risk

Housing & Habitability Swimming Pools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Housing & Habitability Swimming Pools - Essay Example In a case where the lead-based paint has been chipping away for some time, there is already a risk of long-term exposure. However, both long-term and short-term exposure carries considerable health risks. Exposure to lead affects the brain, the central nervous system, and the blood cells. Exposure to high levels of lead can lead to convulsions, coma, and even death. Children and fetuses exposed to lead-based paint can experience delays in physical and mental development, lower IQ levels, shortened attention spans, and increased behavioral problems. In addition, children are more vulnerable as lead is easily absorbed into their bodies, and their developing tissues are more sensitive (EPA). In this situation, the children exposed to lead-based paint in this dwelling should have a blood test to determine their level of lead exposure, and the dwelling should be cleared of lead-based paint by professionals (EPA). The presence of cockroaches in this situation create an additional hazard to the occupants of the dwelling. The antigens released by cockroaches increase the risk to those who suffer from asthma. In addition, cockroaches are carriers of disease-causing germs (AFHH).

Enhancing quality and safety clinical practice in wards Thesis

Enhancing quality and safety clinical practice in wards - Thesis Example The expertise as well as experience of the nurse is also essential in dealing with the difficult situation and cases demanding critical care and preclusion of accidents. The safety of the patient is of utmost significance and therefore it becomes essential for the hospital management not to suffer with the downturn of experience and efficient nursing staff. Health care is the key to high-quality life, beneath the health care facilities safety of the patient dwells. Health care results portray the kind of care that has been provided and the extent of professional understanding for the quality care. According to Institute of Medicine (IOM), "patient safety is indistinguishable from the delivery of quality health care" (Aspden, 2004). Further, the level of health services in a given condition is directly proportional to the health outcomes. Harteloh (2003), revealed that "Quality [is] an optimal balance between possibilities realized and a framework of norms and values." The positive outcomes of quality health care encompass attainment of apposite personal care, manifestation or expression of health-supporting approach, health-associated eminence of living, judgment of the individual being appropriately cared for along with managing symptoms properly (Mitchell, 2004). In the present scenario, conceptual components of quality are given privilege as compared to other deliberate markers indicating that a profound safety in quality care, success of the care, patient focused approach, well-timed, proficient, unbiased and reasonable predisposition. Safety in health care is the underpinning parameter that leads to the assembly of all other aspect of quality care (Committee on the Quality of Health Care in America). Quality care is the most essential component of the health care. Quality care encompass the patient safety which is the most imperative of all the components of the health care facility. Considering the

Strategic Audit for the Body Shop Research Paper

Strategic Audit for the Body Shop - Research Paper Example The company, from the very beginning, tried to present itself as the leader in corporate social responsibility. Throughout its history, the company fought against human right abuses, and abuse of animals and plants. Environment protection was an important part of the agenda of the company. As a result, the company gained a large number of environmental friendly customers in America and Europe, and this helped develop a standard image in Asia and Middle East too. The company always promoted five core values which are as follows. 1. Against animal testing The company claims that it will not purchase any ingredient that is tested on animals for cosmetics purposes. In addition, the company campaigns against cosmetics tests on animals. Instead of testing on animals, the company depends on human volunteer trials like skin patch tests. In 1986, the company joined the ‘Save the Whale Campaign’ along with Greenpeace. In 1990s, the company conducted a number of campaigns against animal testing. 2. Protecting the environment The company, throughout its history, has supported all activities aimed at environmental protection. In 2001, the Body Shop joined Greenpeace in the effort to raise awareness of the global warming. In addition, in its environmental policy, the company promoted the idea, ‘reduce, recycle, and reuse’. The company’s policy of recycling, and encouraging customers to refill their products by reusing bottles won the heart of many environment-friendly customers around the world. 3. Human rights Throughout its history, the company fought for human rights. To illustrate, in 2000, the company started ‘Make your Mark’ campaign with their 3,000,000 customers signed up. The program intends to address human rights issues, especially in neglected areas. Undoubtedly, the Body Shop gets a lot of publicity in the effort to promote human rights. An example of this company’s human rights efforts is the fight for the rights of Ogoni people in Nigeria that won the wrath of Nigerian government. 4. Support Community Trade Through this program, the company collects ingredients and accessories from small producers around the world, especially from underprivileged societies. The company ensures fair prices, and this money goes back to the society to improve their lives’ basic needs like water and education. Presently, the company has trades with more than 42 community trade suppliers in more than 26 nations around the globe. To illustrate, as stated i n The Body Shop International values Report (Living our values, 2009), its palm oil comes from Columbia, coconut oil from Samoa, timber from Russia, Peppermint oil from Norfolk, cocoa butter from Ghana, Soya oil from Brazil, beeswax from Africa, and Footsie Roller from India. However, one has to doubt if the step will help such communities become independent as they tend to be totally dependent on the company for survival. 5. Self-esteem Te Body Shop always advocated the promotion of self-esteem especially in women. According to the company, it is about respecting oneself, looking after body and soul, and being proud of what one is. In 1998, there came a publication named ‘The Body and Self Esteem’ that was meant to raise awareness on the issues of

Concept of Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Concept of Power - Essay Example Resource dependence theory is based on the fact that organizations inevitably depend on resources and their mobility and as result in turn depend on suppliers of those resources (Pfeffer, 2003)On the other hand institutional theory is based on the argument that organizations aren't particularly concerned about task expediencies but about expediencies that arise from the strategic cultural environment of the organization, along with meeting demands put forward by lending and professional institutions. Finally the population ecology theory emphasizes the ways and means through which organizations' structures and forms are influenced ((Hannan M. T., 1989)). For example changing nature of the organization has less influence on such structures than the birth and death of organizations. In the ordinary sense of the word 'power' enables those who exercise it to dominate over those who don't have it. This explanation seems to be rather simplistic though still the conventional organizational theories have a much wider acceptance in modern management theories. Power is a dynamic concept with a degree of fluidity and much less transparency. In other words the concept of power acquires a newer and more articulate dimension in the modern unconventional organizational theory than hitherto was known. The concept of power has many nuances including that it's associated with responsibility. Thus organizational power can be extended to include corporate responsibility as well.Resource dependence theory invariably supports these power dynamics in its articulation of a strategic supplier dominated organizational environment. However it must be noted here that modern writers on unconventional organizational theory tend to speculate on politicized organizational environments in or der to give a revolutionary interpretation to the evolving structures and cultures. Power is rooted in the organization's dependence on resource providers who might not hesitate to manipulate the organizational outcomes by imposing their weight on its structures and forms. Thus power as a concept in the modern sense of the organizational context is a barometer of organizational strengths. In other words organizational power isn't a simple aggregation of 'individual powers' as such. It has a much wider significance and impact on the organizational outcomes.The theoretical premise of power is derived from the fact that suppliers of resources have a strategic link with the organization. Therefore it is the suppliers who exercise political control over the organization (Ulrich, 1984)The authors identify and address the implications of anti-management theories within the organizational context so that a particularly significant hidden feature of the organization is brought to the surface . Notwithstanding the counter argument that organizations do not seek intentionally to

Multinational corporations - debate the positive and negative aspects Essay

Multinational corporations - debate the positive and negative aspects of multinational corporations - assess the potential impact on global business in the Arab World - Essay Example The operations of multinational corporations mainly originate from developed countries and extend beyond their own countries, and cover both developed and less developed economies. Multinational corporations play a crucial role in globalisation. They contribute to both positive and negative impact on economies involved in international business. Anti-corporate people argue that multinational companies reduce competition and enterprise while pro-corporate people claim that multinational corporations improve the economic development of underdeveloped countries. In most cases, multinational corporation originate from developed and the emergent economies and enter underdeveloped and other developed countries, causing negative and positive impacts in such economies. Generally, multinational economies cause more advantages than disadvantages, and can be considered as an important element of a globalised world. One of the advantages of multinational corporations is that it reduces unemployment in host countries. Noland (2007) suggests that multinational corporations could reduce these unemployment rates and improve businesses. Unemployment in less developed economies world has led to impoverishment, discontent, militancy and repression. Multinational corporations can come into play by providing opportunities of employment for the host countries; hence increasing the welfare and standard of living for the local communities. Through economic integration, multinational corporations are able to transfer and disseminate technological knowledge and innovation as well as information and capital into their host countries. The local capacity of building the economy in less developed countries is uncertain. Foreign multinational corporations entering the local markets of such countries may bring in knowledge, information, technology, capital and innovation to build the economy and reduce uncertainties experienced by businesses in the local

Challenges Faced by Trade Unions in Organizing Migrant Workers in UK Essay

Challenges Faced by Trade Unions in Organizing Migrant Workers in UK - Essay Example A good example of how labour unions have shaped the politics of the United Kingdom is by considering the Labour Party. The political party started off as just a trade organization but grew so much to the point that it ended up forming the government for many years. Trade unions are necessary in the United Kingdom because; the help in the selection and recruitment of workers. They do this by ensuring that the process of selection and recruitment of workers is done in an open manner and that people are hired based on their academic qualifications or merits (McGovern, 2007). This ensures that nepotism and corruption does not take place when people are being considered to be hired. Trade unions also help in settling industrial disputes in the United Kingdom in a manner which is rational. Trade unions act as mediators between workers and their employers in case here is any dispute regarding payment, benefits or working conditions. Trade unions represent the workers and allow a sitting fro m which they can negotiate the issues in question with the employers making sure that both the workers and their employers are satisfied by the decision they arrive at. In their functions, trade unions in the United Kingdom are expected to uphold social responsibilities because these unions are considered to be part and parcel of society. Making sure that there is industrial peace is one such social responsibility that is expected of trade unions not only in the United Kingdom but also in other countries (McGovern, 2007). Trade unions should ensure that there is industrial peace by ensuring that workers strikes and demonstration do not occur (Nickell and Salaheen, 2008). They should do this by making sure that all disputes between workers and their employers are settled in a civil manner which will not disrupt the country. In the United Kingdom, trade unions that are specifically meant for workers who are migrants. Such workers unions specifically cater for the needs of workers who are not citizens of the United Kingdom. Other trade unions have also started taking concern of the issues that migrant workers are facing (Mc Govern, 2007). One advantage that the United Kingdom is that it has a huge supply of labour especially from workers who come from outside the United Kingdom. According to a survey done by the by Labour Force Survey (ONS), growth in employment in the United Kingdom (CIPD, 2013). From the year 2002 to 201e number of United Kingdom workers employed remained the same for the period of the ten years. At the same time, the number of migrant workers who were employed during this time increased. This conclusion was arrived at because despite the fact that the number of United Kingdom born workers hired did not steadily increase the overall number of workers hired by 1.7 million workers (CIPD, 2013). In these ten years, the number of migrant workers grew from nine percent to 14 percent of the total workforce signifying that migrant workers play a huge function the United Kingdom's economy (CIPD). However, this workforce from migrants is comprised mostly of people from Europe. This is as a result of immigration laws that have been put in place b the United Kingdom government limiting immigration of the number of non European Union immigrants. This law was introduced in the year 2010, and it was later implemented fully in the year 2011. Employers in the United Kingdom were seriously opposed to this law. They were also supported by trade unions and business organizations because they felt that it would result in negative consequences to the country's economy. One reason why such a

Organizational Structure of a Hospital You Know Essay Example for Free

Organizational Structure of a Hospital You Know Essay INTRODUCTION: For this assignment I’m choosing, Fortis Hospital at Noida, India and Krishna Nursing home at Chitradurga, Karnataka India. Fortis hospital at Noida, India is a part of Fortis healthcare group and mainly focuses on orthopaedics and neurosciences. It’s a medium sized hospital with 300 bedded facilities and about 250 full time staff. Its organisational structure has low vertical and high horizontal distribution. THE HORIZONTAL DISTRIBUTION is as follows, 1) 37 medical departments which covers different specialities.2) Other departments such as HR, marketing, finance, engineering and nursing. 3) Social specialisation, example doctors.4) Functional specialisation, example technicians and nurses. VERTICAL STRUCTURE is as follows, 1) Zonal director at the top. 2) 43 departmental heads who work under Zonal director. 3) There is team under each department which report to departmental heads. Organizational structure of fortis hospital ZONAL DIRECTOR United HR medical director Head eng marketing sales Finance head Nursing matron Team Hr Doctors Eng team Marketing team Finance team Nursing team Centralisation: Head of department control all departments and they report to the Zonal director. Each individual in the organisation has limited autonomy and financially it is highly centralised and functionally it is moderately decentralised and it has high level of standardisation of administrative task and the recruitment process is very much formalised, whereas doctors have low level of formalisation and everyone follow standard operating procedure. Hence in summary, Fortis hospital is multi-speciality hospital of medium size and its structure has high horizontal complexity but low vertical complexity and it is moderately formalised and there is not much direct impact on centralisation and has moderately flexible structure and decision making is highly formalised and moderately decentralised at operational level.(http://www.hindubusinessline.com; www.fortishealthcare.com; www.hoovers.com) In contrast to the above mentioned complex structure second mentioned hospital is Krishna Nursing Home which is a small 50 bedded multispecialty hospital with a simple structure with the director at the top who is in charge of everything and there are heads of recruitment, finance and medical director who report to the director. It is mainly a vertical structure with director who has full decision making power, hence the structure has minimum decentralisation. The other staff has no autonomy.This hospital works basically on loyalty and trust and personal relationship and caters to a small population in the village Chitradurga, India. This structure is compatible with small hospitals like this. But disadvantage is that it is highly dependent on the director and is individual centric (www.healthcaremagic.com) If we compare the 2 structure in relation to, 1) Central Peripheral relations: Fortis is much bigger hospital and has separate division for each department and there is decentralisation and semi-autonomy for each department and the purchaser and provider divisions are separate. Whereas Krishna Nursing Home has no decentralisation and no autonomy for the departments and all decisions are taken by the director. 2) Links with other organisational groups: Fortis has links and tie-ups with many other smaller hospitals which refer cases to them and also has link ups with various insurance companies. Whereas Krishna Nursing Home has no tie-ups with any other hospitals and works alone and caters to a small population. 3) Internal structure: Hierarchy, as mentioned above Fortis hospital has minimal vertical but complex horizontal distribution of power so it has a flatter organisational shape which helps in effective communication and decision making and has widened collaborative links between various departments and divisions resulting in internal linking and average spans of control whereas Krishna Nursing Home has vertical structure and is fully hierarchical based and there is no internal linking between departments (Merson et.,al, 2006). CONCLUSION: Both these hospitals has completely different organisational structure but both are successful because the targeted population for both are different. While, Fortis targets higher and wider range of population and focuses on specialised services, hence has complex organisational structure. Whereas Krishna Nursing Home caters to a small population and  provides basic services and hence has a simple vertical hierarchical structure. REFERENCES: ‘Fortis Healthcare signs pact with US hospital’ online. Available at: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2000/10/18/stories/021851e 3.htm. (Accessed on 7 January 2013) Krishna Nursing Home (online). Available at: www.healthcaremagic.com (Accessed on 8 January 2013). Merson et.,al (2006) ‘International Public Health’, 2nd Edition, Jones and Bartlett publishers, pp;558-593. (online) Available at: www. Fortishealthcare.com.(Accessed on: 7 January 2013). (online) Available at: www.hoovers.com (Accessed on: 7 January 2013).

Deer hunting with dad Essay Example for Free

Deer hunting with dad Essay Some of us have had that life changing experience spent with our fathers or mothers. The bond between a father and son can be something truly magnificent whether it is a small or a large event. The accumulation of memories is what makes a relationship so special and deep, and what keeps a parent and child so close throughout life. Such memories become embarrassing stories in front of new dates, toast at weddings, eulogies at funerals, and lifelong memories of someone who might just not be around any longer. This is an account of the single most incredible bonding moment I have ever had with anyone, and fortunately it is a memory of the coolest man I have ever met, my father. For twenty years I have been gathering memories of my father and while some are bad, ninety nine percent of them are great ones. The one funny thing about memories is that you never realize they are going to be memories until long after the occurrence takes place. For instance when I was very young, if I were to misbehave in public my father would take me on what we now call spankin walks where I would be lead out the door by the wrist while my father spanked my lil bottom until his message was clear. At the time it was not such an enjoyable walk, but now I can look back and laugh with an appreciation for how I was raised. Unable to predict the magnitude of such an experience, at the age of twelve my father took me deer hunting for the first time ever. It was late October and as a high school football trainer, he finally had a Friday evening off and wanted to make the most of it. We drove south to my uncles farm in Owen County, Kentucky, and stayed the night in his very primitive trailer to stage an early morning hunt. That morning my father and I headed into the woods with our muzzle loading rifles; his was a hand made replica of a Kentucky Long Rifle and mine was a $100 starter rifle. We took our spots in a tree stand we built the Saturday before. The stand was perfect for two people; sitting back to back we could each see our respective ends of the fields as well as a decent distance into the woods on the opposite side of the stand. Most of the morning went by without any action at all, but I grew to learn just how squirrels prepared for the winter. As the afternoon approached, my Dad asked me if I was ready to go back to the trailer for lunch to which I replied in a lil while, Im not too hungry yet. About twenty minutes later in a blur came a deer out into the field in front of me, so I shouldered my gun, took aim and fired. My father was half asleep and with no warning of my shot he almost fell out of the tree stand. When he turned and looked he saw the same magnificent eight point buck that was just as scared as he was. The deer took to running and Dad spun around his gun and took a desperation shot at the sprinting whitetail but his bullet found the side of the ridge instead of his moving target. With the deer out of sight we began to look at my gun and to see why the weapon had malfunctioned when I pulled the trigger. Upon further investigation, we found that after the hammer struck the cap to ignite the spark, the spark did not ignite the powder that was lodged in the barrel resulting in a misfire. Disappointed and disgruntled we made our way out of the tree and began the journey back to the campsite. Upon returning to the trailer, my Uncle and his three friends were waiting to hear a success story after hearing several shots coming from our area of the farm. After explaining the event we began to disassemble my gun and figure out the reason for its malfunction. At the bottom of the barrel we found a small piece of cloth that my father left in the barrel after cleaning the weapon. At that point I do not know who was more disappointed, Dad or me, since my golden opportunity was spoiled. I placed no blame on him, but I could tell his guilt would haunt him regardless. Since that day Dad has lost interest in deer hunting for reasons unknown to me, but he did spark a passion in his son to succeed at a task that I have yet to master. Eight years later I still have not had an opportunity at a trophy like the one that eluded us that day, but I have tried every fall and winter since then. The drive that I have to go into the woods for hours on end every season might have subliminal reasons that I have not truly thought about until I began to brainstorm for this project. I have begun to realize  I might be trying to put a perfect ending on a nearly perfect afternoon with my father. Like any other memory, this one had no significant meaning until much later in life when the misfortunes can be laughed at due to a much deeper meaning of the tale. It is a story I can be proud of when it is recited in front of dates, at my wedding, or, God forbid, in a eulogy. Its a story that is only a portion of the memories that I have accumulated over the years. It is a story that I will never forget and will always recall when I need it. Since then my father an I have become closer and this experience will bond us together for the rest of our lives. I can only hope that my father can provide such a memory for my twelve year old younger brother.

Michael Ondaatjes Coming Through Slaughter

Michael Ondaatjes Coming Through Slaughter Michael Ondaatje, the first Canadian writer to win the prestigious Booker Prize in 1992, is celebrated as a contemporary literary treasure. In his works he attempts a re-evaluation of history by focusing on relations between the margins and the centre, the personal and the public. As such his works readily lend themselves to post-modern and post-colonial approaches to literature. In addition, Ondaatjes distinctive appeal is that of an experimental practitioner and stylish expert in creating sensuous and sensual effects. Ondaatje draws heavily from his personal experience of being at the intersection of cultures, which enables him to attempt a special review of reality. Born in Sri Lanka, the former Ceylon, of Indian/Dutch ancestry, he went to school in England, and then moved to Canada. His multicultural roots and upbringing in multicultural society has provided him with a special insight into diverse positions and views. Acknowledged as one of the worlds foremost writers, Ondaatjes artistry and aesthetics has influenced an entire generation of writers and readers. Although best known as a novelist, Ondaatjes work also encompasses memoir, poetry, and film, and reveals a passion for defying conventional forms. From the memoir of his childhood, Running In The Family, to his Governor-Generals Award-winning book of poetry, Theres a Trick With a Knife Im Learning To Do (1979), to his classic novel, The English Patient (1992), Michael Ondaatje casts a spell over his readers. His works are characterized by a bleakly evocative narrative and minimalist dialogue, blending documentary and fictional accounts of real characters. The present paper attempts to trace and evaluate Ondaatjes explorations of identity as retrieved from history and memory. The focus is on Coming Through Slaughter, in which Ondaatje recreates the forgotten story of Billy Bolden, transforming it with such ingenuity that it occupies the space between history and memory, reality and imagination. The no vel explores the themes of alienation and infidelity that so often lead an individual to self-destruction, a typical element of the modern lifestyle. First published in 1976, the novel Coming Through Slaughter is a fictionalized version of the life of the New Orleans jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden. Charles Buddy Bolden (September 6, 1877 November 4, 1931) was an African American musician. He is regarded a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of rag-time music which later came to be known as jazz. The novel covers the last months of Boldens sanity in 1907 when his music becomes more radical and his behavior more erratic. Ondaatjes concern however is not as much with the actual life story of Bolden as with the world of the time, where, as he says, There was no recorded historyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦History was slowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(2,3).The novel portrays this historical figure in a way that draws on his actual life, but as Cynthia F. Wong succinctly points out, Ondaatje blurs the generic distinctions between poetry and prose, factual verisimilitude and fictional reconstruction (289) in order to explore the novels central theme. The novel comprises of a series of events strung together as snap shots demanding from readers to imagine and retrieve the self of Bolden from them. Ondaatje artistically and beautifully narrates the tale of the protagonist Buddy Boldens descent into his own hell. A blues musician, Bolden was unsurpassed in his time as his work influenced the music of several later generations. However in his time he struggled to transcend lifes miseries even as he frequently lapsed into despair, loneliness, and subsequently, madness. In this novel, Ondaatje touches the issue of infidelity with gossamer perfection and adds new dimensions and understanding to it. He raises pathos to such poetic heights that his genius matches with that of the great Greeks and does not falter when compared with greatest Bard of Elizabethan era- Shakespeare. There are no kings, no queens and no princes. There is nothing halo about the mega character. Neither there are gods nor ghosts to guide the hero. However, there is wisdom of the blood feeling on the hair tips and a wild passion that guides. The milieu depicted in the novel is lewd and lascivious. As he writes, By the end of Nineteenth century, the Storyville district of New Orleans had some 2000 prostitutes, 70 professional gamblers, and 30 piano players.(3) But it had only one man who played the cornet like Buddy Bolden he who cut hair by day at N. Josephs Shaving Parlor, and at night played jazz, unleashing an unforgettable wildness and passion in crowded rooms. The world that Ondaatje portrays is inhabited by people living at the margins of society; pimps, whores, barber, musicians playing in bars, etc. Through such a portrayal, he recreates the exciting world of jazz, as he describes how whores lay naked on the stage amidst a rendering of wild, loud and vibrant music- sensuous and passionate in the background. There is no talk of morality or other rules governing civilized society. Ondaatje takes us to the places where there are over 100 prostitutes from pre-puberty to their seventies (2). Music players are barbers. It is a dead crowd where money is the most living thing. They are neither Titans nor war wrecks or winners, but blacks pulsating with vigor, strength, passion and promiscuity. Ondaatje thus gives a presence to people who have always been deprived from occupying the historical space. The novel is explicitly about Boldens identity as expressed in his music, but implicitly, it is about his identity as a black man whose musical insistence on freedom is thwarted by worsening racism in New Orleans at the beginning of the twentieth century. Yet as Ondaatje observes, many interpreted Boldens subsequent crack-up as a morality tale of a talent that debauched itself. But his life at this time had a fine and precise balance to ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (7). Ondaatje portrays Bolden, an American of African ancestry as a tragic artist, a man whose musical genius isolates him from friends and family and eventually leads to his insanity. The black-white racial conflict however does not become the focus of the novel. Rather structured like jazz music, the novel presents a fragmented, multi-voiced, episodic narrative that draws even an unwilling reader into its passion. In this ordinary world, Ondaatje takes up the issue of infidelity. There are no accusations, no cold revenge, no plotting, no cursing, no murdering; but silent suffering- an ache in the soul-a sublimation and pouring out of the heart in the art i.e. music. As Ondaatje portrays, the cruelties of external world pervade the personal one too. Shakespeares Hamlet could rightly aver, Frailty- thy name is woman. But here both men and women are frail. Why so? Not an easy question to answer. In an unjust world where the primary struggle is that of survival, pure bonds of love are impossible to forge. Infidelity has remained curse of all ages, civilizations and tribes. Wounds and woes of infidelity lead to unbearable pain that becomes difficult to express. Why one falls in bondage, why seeks solace in this bondage, one does not realize. Why man and woman wish to break this bondage? Perhaps no one can ever describe. Buddy has learned that Tom Pickett is having an affair with his common-law wife , Nora Bass. Pickett is an extremely handsome pimp in the city of New Orleans. Boldens wife, Nora, was formally part of Picketts business endeavors. After Pickett boasts about his relationship with Nora, Bolden doubts the stability of his construction of Nora, If Nora had been with Pickett. Had really been with Pickett as he said. Had jumped off Boldens cock and sat for half an hour later on Tom Picketts mouth on Canal Street. Then the certainties he loathed and needed were liquid at the root (75). What emerges in the novel thus is the murky world at the very rag and bone shop of society where alcohol and sex make up for pain and love, and music exudes ineffably from the fabric of blasted lives. Boldens musical progress is differentiated from that of his contemporaries and followers as clear and even transcendental, particularly at the point where he becomes irretrievably insane. But why such a talented and pure spirited man should linger on in the mental asylum for all his life and die anonymous. Herein lies the true ache of novel and its genuine pathos. Buddy is neither killed or murdered nor crucified but is slaughtered on the altar of infidelity. When Bolden meets Robin Brewitt, Ondaatje observes that he nearly fainted (27); he loses control of his senses, and, perhaps in more romantic terms, his heart. The early stages of Boldens relationship with Robin are marked clearly by an ongoing loss of control or, more accurately, by the loss of the balance that characterized his life with Nora. Robin seems to represent an alternate other for Bolden a second chance, as it was, for his constructing a kind of truth for himself. It is stated repeatedly that even though Bolden has numerous women throwing themselves at him, he truly loves Nora. However, after Bolden runs from New Orleans, he finds himself without Nora. As Ondaatje portrays, Bolden does not really love Robin. Robin is his outlet. She blurs into Nora- and Nora is not his. He is completely alienated and devastated- devoid of everything- including his kith and kin. Only a slow and anonymous death is his destiny- a destiny of every modern man. The story is told in many fragme nts and many voices: Actual accounts of Boldens life and performances, oral history, lists of songs, biographical facts, narrative, dialogue, interior monologues, psychiatric reports, bits of poetry and lyrics, the authors own voice through which Ondaatje weaves a series of brilliantly improvised sets. There are blues, there are the hymns, there is rhythm, there is free jazz, there is melody, soul, mood, wild aggression with notes flung out in pain and hurt and it all creates an atmosphere, an environment. New Orleans whores, pimps, drugs, booze, clarinets and cornets, jazz and jazzmen, ship builders and photographers and love and lunacy. Buddy also breaks the boundaries of love; he sacrifices his wife and children in order to pursue something more with Robin. In the Parade on fifth morning, Buddy gives his last performance. In the Liberty-Iberville concert, during the performance, Bolden is fascinated by a dancing girl who follows the rhythms and dances to his tunes intoxicatingly. Boldens self is completely immersed into music, so much that he even forgets the audience. The mounting tension between Bolden and the girl is reflected in the prose of the passage as run-on sentences break into fragments and then continue to the climactic point of Boldens complete immersion into music: In fact, the following passage reads much like a metaphor for the act of sex. Boldens love life is revealed when he describes the beautiful dancer as a culmination of his lovers. Then with the gorgeous dancer at the parade who pushes him to further limits leading to his destruction: All my body moves to my throat and I speed again and she s peeds tired again, a river of sweat to her what her head and hair back bending back to me, all the desire in me is cramp and hard, cocaine on my cock, external, for my heart is at my throat hitting slow pure notes into the shimmy dance of victory . . . feel the blood that is real move up bringing fresh energy in its suitcase, it comes up flooding past my heart in a mad parade, it is coming through my teeth, it is into the cornet, god cant stop god cant stop it cant stop the air the red force coming up cant remove it from my mouth, no intake gasp, so deep blooming it up god I cant choke it the music still pouring in a roughness Ive never hit, watch it listen it listen it, cant see I CANT SEE. Air floating through the blood to the girl red hitting the blind spot I can feel others turning, the silence of the crowd, cant see (131-32). Thus the instrument and the player become one. Diffusing himself, rather melting himself, blowing out himself through the cornet, his body, nerves, veins, sperms and aches of the soul find release. The whole scene is so built; the pitch of the music is raised to such sublimity that everybody is purged of his or her sin. The pathos of the jazz turns lyrics into hymns. The dancing girl appears to be a nymph and Buddy becomes the mystic piper. The appearance of a dancing woman who reminds him of both Nora and Robin releases his latent insanity, which is manifested in a stroke that he suffers while playing his cornet. Bolden spends the rest of his life in an asylum in nearby Jackson, returning to New Orleans only for burial in 1931. It is devastating to watch him confined, suffer abuse and gradually slip into madness. Jon Saklofske recognizes that Ondaatje rescues Buddy Bolden from historical obscurity by elevating and complicating the musicians largely forgotten history with a self-conscious and largely fictional synthesis of memory and imagination. The liberties Ondaatje takes in Coming Through Slaughter with his subject to achieve this re-presentation and the ownership of the portrait that results, exposes this type of authorial activity as a problematic appropriation. As a collector, Ondaatje becomes the owner and an essential part of this transformed and personalized image of Bolden. Further, Saklofske rightly argues that Ondaatje preserves Boldens presence, actively confronts historical exclusivity, and interrupts his own authority over his subject. Although his interaction with actual historical figures decreases with successive novels, Ondaatjes personal encounter with the impersonal machine of history continues, asserting itself repeatedly as a successful strategy against destructiveness or authoritative exclusion. Ondaatje tells of Buddy Boldens descent into his own hell, unwittingly or self-created, we do not know, but, in the process generating a level of art and beauty unsurpassed in the postmodern era. It is a story of despair, madness, loneliness, of the viciousness of life affecting high art, of art struggling to transcend lifes miseries, not always successfully, but ultimately a tale of aching lyricism. Ondaatjes language is innovative and appropriate and his strong theme is rich with universal implications. Ondaatje uses technique of Repetition with regards to the title. Twice in the book, Ondaatje includes references to a town north of Baton Rouge called Slaughter, through which Buddy passes twice. The most concrete theme is the idea of the setting as slaughter. The acceptance of promiscuity is a major cause of conflict and downfall. Ondaatje includes a description of the mattress whores who have been kicked out of Storyville for showing evidence of having sexually transmitted disease s. They are literally rotten. Promiscuity also seems to rot Bolden. By the time he has had his gratuitous fun in Storyville, married Nora, abandoned Nora, and had an affair with another woman, Bolden has lost his passion for jazz and is obsessed with sex. I desire every woman I remember (99), he says while he is isolated outside New Orleans. Ondaatje thus explores the connection between creative talent and self-destruction. He however does not try to answer any questions for his readers. He gives the facts, filling in where needed, and lets the reader decide what to think. After Boldens return to New Orleans, he is driven into deeper madness than before until he eventually experiences a climactic breaking point during a parade. Some say it was the result of trying to play the devils music and hymns at the same time. Others say it was from too many general excesses. Whatever the cause, Ondaatje makes it clear that, for Bolden living in New Orleans in the early 20th century, the road to anonymity was much more difficult than the road to fame. To sum up, Ondaatje attempts to retrieve the story of Buddy Bolden which lies hidden beneath layers of time. He draws as much from history, as from memory, re-mixing facts with fiction, reality with imagination, even reinventing the self of Bolden by mixing him with what he terms in the postscript as personal pieces of friends and fathers. In the novel thus, Ondaatje grapples with the intertwined notions of history, memory and identity portraying how memory affects history, to preserve, as also to distort. Identity as such has to be retrieved, reinvented and restructured from the obscure and impersonal discourse of history. The novel however leaves that task to the readers. Works Consulted: Deshaye, Joel. Parading the Underworld of New Orleans in Ondaatjes Coming Through Slaughter American Review of Canadian Studies. ( December 22, 2008). Emmerson, Shannon.Negotiaing the Boundaries of Gender: Construction and Representation of Women in the Work of Michael Ondaatje. A Thesis in The Depanment of English Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts at Concordia University. Canada ,November 1997. Ondaatje, Michael. Coming Through Slaughter. London: Bloomsbury,2004. Saklofske, Jon. The Motif of the Collector and Implications of Historical Appropriation in Ondaatjes Novels. Comparative Cultural Studies and Michael Ondaatjes Writing. West Lefayette :Purdue Univesity Press,2005: 73-82. Vander,Kristin Coming Through Slaughter: The Destruction of a Man, Catapult. Vol.2, Num.4:2003 Wong, Cynthia F. Michael Ondaatje. Asian American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Source Book. Ed. Emannuel S. Nelson. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Zepetnek,Steven Tà ¶tà ¶sy de. Comparative Cultural Studies and Michael Ondaatjes Writing. West Lefayette:Purdue Univesity Press, 2005.

The Cuban Missile Crisis: Eyeball to Eyeball :: American America History

The Cuban Missile Crisis: Eyeball to Eyeball Eyeball to Eyeball: America, Cuba and The Soviet Union America and The Soviets again using other countries for their own warfare Excitement was high for Cuba, when Fidel Castro overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in January 1959. With a heady mixture of nationalism and left - wing ideologies US became very cautious for its southern comrades Central and Southern America and perhaps herself. When Castro took over Cuba, the US lost valuable investments in the sugar and tobacco crops of Cuba. Fearing the spread of communism into Americas' backyard the US Government imposed a strict economic blockade hoping to starve Castro into US policies. In desperation Castro turned to the soviets for balance of powers to weigh up the balance of communism ideologies. In February 1960, Castro signed a trade pact with the Soviets, which eventually led to close diplomatic relations. At this time the US Government became more worried that a communist superpower had ventured so close to her borders. By authority of Eisenhower, Cuban Exiles that were in the US at the time were given aid. At the same time the CIA began to train selected groups of the exiles to re - enter their homeland and over - throw Castro's Government. When Kennedy was sworn into parliament in 1961 he took over the proceedings with hesitation for his states security. He advised a plan to invade Cuba once again after Eisenhower's two other invasions failed. This invasion was known well as the Bay of Pigs. In April Kennedy received reports that the invasion failed which boosted Castro's prestige and embarrassed Kennedy of his new presidency. When the Bay of Bigs disastrously ended it built up confidence for the soviets and Castro and lowered Kennedy into a worriment of what's to happen next. Early 1962 Khrushchev was convinced of Kennedy's weakness after the capture of Gary Powers and that they had ceased to carry out U-2 reconnaissance missions over the Soviet Union for the capture. A while after the Vienna Summit the Soviets formed yet another policy with Cuba of 'Brinkmanship' seeing how far the Americans could be pushed before reacting. Although this strategy was a dangerous one the Soviets were thinking of the opportunities that could arise from this. One was the advantage of an east - West balance that the Soviets could start to infiltrate the Americas with their ideologies.

Good Use - How to Use the Language Properly :: Teaching Writing Education Essays

Good Use - How to Use the Language Properly What is good use? It can be a number of things for different people. The English professor has a entirely different definition of good use than the mathematician or the businessman. The problem arises how does the ordinary person know what is good use and what is not. What is the meaning of good use, the noun and verb agreeing or is it something more than that? One can read excerpts from old authors on their thoughts and beliefs, but do these thoughts and beliefs withstand the test of time. I would like to touch on a few of these authors and reflect my own thoughts. I would like to start the trek through history with John F. Genung. Genung thought that good use had a standard which every writer should follow. The standard is only one word. The word is "PURITY." As Genung states "the writer must see to it he keeps the mother tongue unsullied." The use of one word to describe "good writing" is crazy. It takes more than just 'PURITY' to have good writing, sure it may help, but there has to be more to it than just that one thing. My reasoning for this is there would not be tons of textbooks if "good use" were that simple. I know in grade school or even high school, students are taught how to use the language correctly. If all it took to have "good writing" was purity in our writing, then how would we know if it was good usage or not. Genung expressed that the mother tongue must be kept unsullied, that can not happen with new words being added to the language. New word of thought of and used in our language all the time, and they are used in good wri ting. This is the point that I disagree with Genung. The word "unsullied" in his article is rarely used in society today, does he have bad usage because it is no longer pure to the mother tongue? I don't think so. I read the article "Justin's links to the underground" it was written by a man who works at MIT. To be honest, I really don't recall what the article was about. This is for good reason, the article was cleverly crafted. There was no capitalization in the article, the lower case "i" had me, all I wanted to do is go and correct his paper because it was very irritating to me.

A New Forest To Conquer :: essays research papers fc

The following is a story that I hope to someday tell my grandchildren. I want it to serve as a means of instilling in them the courage and dexterity that I have somehow found within myself to make it through this wonderful and sometimes very painful journey. Once upon a time, high, high up in a tree, there was a bird’s nest and in that nest there was a special, little egg . The mother bird worried and fussed and fussed and worried over her little egg, saying, â€Å"Oh my, this little egg cannot possibly be big enough for my baby bird.† Finally, the mother bird’s wait and worry over the little egg came to an end and her baby hatched. Unfortunately, the egg had indeed been far too small for her baby bird; the little bird was terribly sick from not having enough room to grow. Not sure how to care for the little one, which they named Polly, the mother bird and father bird took their new baby to the Great Owl . Thanks to the Great Owl’s wisdom and patience, th e little bird lived, but, despite his tender care, Polly’s wings would not grow. The mother bird refused to believe that her darling baby, that she had worried and waited for, for so long, would never fly. As Polly grew, her mother worked with her everyday, in hopes of teaching her daughter to fly. Eventually, their hard work paid off and, although she was a little slow and awkward, Polly finally learned to fly. As she grew bigger and surer of herself, Polly wished to play with the other birds her age. She tried to fly and play with them, but they did not want her in their games. They teased and mocked her and said she was too slow. Polly wished the other birds understood how hard she had had to work, just to be able to fly at all. But that did not matter to the other birds; they only wanted the strongest, fastest birds for their games . So, Polly went home, heartbroken, and made up her own games to play. When it came time for all the young birds to begin school, Polly had no choice but to join them. Afraid that her sensitive little daughter might be hurt by the other young birds, Polly’s mother offered to let her go to a special school, but Polly refused. A New Forest To Conquer :: essays research papers fc The following is a story that I hope to someday tell my grandchildren. I want it to serve as a means of instilling in them the courage and dexterity that I have somehow found within myself to make it through this wonderful and sometimes very painful journey. Once upon a time, high, high up in a tree, there was a bird’s nest and in that nest there was a special, little egg . The mother bird worried and fussed and fussed and worried over her little egg, saying, â€Å"Oh my, this little egg cannot possibly be big enough for my baby bird.† Finally, the mother bird’s wait and worry over the little egg came to an end and her baby hatched. Unfortunately, the egg had indeed been far too small for her baby bird; the little bird was terribly sick from not having enough room to grow. Not sure how to care for the little one, which they named Polly, the mother bird and father bird took their new baby to the Great Owl . Thanks to the Great Owl’s wisdom and patience, th e little bird lived, but, despite his tender care, Polly’s wings would not grow. The mother bird refused to believe that her darling baby, that she had worried and waited for, for so long, would never fly. As Polly grew, her mother worked with her everyday, in hopes of teaching her daughter to fly. Eventually, their hard work paid off and, although she was a little slow and awkward, Polly finally learned to fly. As she grew bigger and surer of herself, Polly wished to play with the other birds her age. She tried to fly and play with them, but they did not want her in their games. They teased and mocked her and said she was too slow. Polly wished the other birds understood how hard she had had to work, just to be able to fly at all. But that did not matter to the other birds; they only wanted the strongest, fastest birds for their games . So, Polly went home, heartbroken, and made up her own games to play. When it came time for all the young birds to begin school, Polly had no choice but to join them. Afraid that her sensitive little daughter might be hurt by the other young birds, Polly’s mother offered to let her go to a special school, but Polly refused.

Sylvia Plath Poetry Notes

Sylvia Plath Plath’s poetry depicts her quest for poetic inspiration and vision: In her early poems, like ‘Black Rook’, Plath sees inspiration as transcendent, something that would announce itself to her from the external world. Plath’s language implies that she awaits a visitation of beauty, like the Annunciation by the angel in the Bible. Plath longs for an occasional ‘portent’ or ‘back talk from the mute sky’. She doesn’t believe in religious epiphany; but she uses Christian language as an analogy to convey her longing.Her longing is for even brief moments of revelation from things, nature or the universe: ‘As if a celestial burning took possession of the most obtuse objects now and then—Thus hallowing an interval otherwise inconsequent’. Throughout the poem ‘Black Rook’, Plath uses ‘fire’ and associated words as an analogy for poetic inspiration or vision. See the extended no te on this point in Imagery below. In ‘Black Rook’, Plath is resigned to the fact that inspiration involves a ‘long wait’. The euphoria of inspiration is ‘rare, random’ and brief.By the time Plath Wrote ‘Finisterre’ four years later, she had ceased to seek or discern enlightenment or any transcendent reality in nature and the universe: ‘Our Lady of the Shipwrecked †¦ does not hear what the sailor or the peasant is saying – She is in love with the beautiful formlessness of the sea’ [Finisterre] . Instead, she discerns: ‘Black admonitory cliffs’ and ‘Souls, rolled in the doom-noise of the sea’. Plath’s perception of the world is therefore very bleak. In the poem ‘Mirror’, the poet’s quest for beauty and vision has turned inwards. She gazes inwards towards the self.She seeks despairingly for enlightenment through self-examination. What she finds appals her: ‘A woman bends over me, searching my reaches for what she really is†¦ tears and an agitation of hands’. In ‘Pheasant’, Plath declares her atheistic stance: ‘I am not mystical. It isn't As if I thought it had a spirit. It is simply in its element. ’ However, Plath shows that not all her poems are bleak. She experiences the aesthetic beauty of nature. She enjoys the beauty of a natural creature in its environment: ‘It unclaps, brown as a leaf, and loud, Settles in the elm, and is easy. ’In ‘Elm’ Plath probes her subconscious, and states she is saturated with self-knowledge. Plath experiences harrowing visions within the inner self. Plath invents a demon in her subconscious that gives her a very self-destructive vision: ‘I am incapable of more knowledge. What is this, this face So murderous in its strangle of branches? — Its snaky acids kiss. It petrifies the will. These are the isolate, slow faults That kill, that kill, that kill. ’ [Elm] In ‘Poppies in July’, Plath seems so emotionally exhausted that she has given up the rational pursuit of the truth or any kind of vision.She longs for drugged relief, for a ‘colourless’ state: ‘Where are your opiates, your nauseous capsules’. In ‘Child’ Plath has lost the capacity to find beauty for herself: ‘this troublous Wringing of hands, this dark Ceiling without a star’ But she feels a desire to provide visions of wonder and beauty for her infant’s eye: ‘I want to fill it with color and ducks, The zoo of the new’ [Child] Plath explores her own depression. Plath is exhausted and aimless: ‘not seek any more in the desultory weather some design†¦ this season of fatigue’ [Black Rook]Plath predicts her own fading away, destruction or ‘effacement’: ‘I'm no more your mother than the cloud that distils a mirror to reflect its own slow effacement at the wind's hand’ [Morning Song] Plath uses a bleak landscape to portray her own despair: ‘This was the land's end: the last fingers, knuckled and rheumatic, Cramped on nothing. Black Admonitory cliffs, and the sea exploding With no bottom, or anything on the other side of it, Whitened by the faces of the drowned. Now it is only gloomy, a dump of rocks†¦ Bay of the Dead’ [Finisterre] Plath reveals intense grief: When they free me, I am beaded with tears’ [Finisterre] Plath confesses her deep anguish: ‘She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands’ [Mirror] Plath is very self-critical: ‘I trespass stupidly. Let be, let be. ’ [Pheasant] Plath’s fears becomes ever more nightmarish: ‘I am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me’ [Elm] Plath reveals that she is inflicting suffering on herself: ‘Is it for such I agitate my heart’ [Elm] Plath confesses the trau matic effect of electric-convulsive treatment: ‘I have suffered the atrocity of sunsets.Scorched to the root My red filaments burn and stand, a hand of wires’ [Elm] Plath confesses that isolation and lack of love haunt her: ‘I am inhabited by a cry. Nightly it flaps out Looking, with its hooks, for something to love’ [Elm] Plath reveals that she is becoming powerless to deal with her illness: ‘Its snaky acids kiss. It petrifies the will’ [Elm] Plath has moments when she longs to escape her mind through drugs: ‘Or your liquors seep to me, in this glass capsule, dulling and stilling’ [Poppies]

El Tonto Del Barrio Essay

A cursory look at the conclusion of El Tonto Del Barrio would show that there are no clear winners or losers in the story. There are reasons for this perception. Romero Estrada might be a little â€Å"touched† or an oddball, but his relationship with the community of Golden Heights Centro could be considered cordial and harmonious, even mutually beneficial. As the author aptly puts it, there appears to be an agreement, albeit unwritten, between Romero and the community for him to clean the sidewalks in exchange for the people looking after most of his needs. For instance, the barber (Barelas) gives him an occasional haircut, the produce market provides him with fruit (although overripe), and the Tortilleria contributes bread and a viand called â€Å"menudo. † Even his occasional beer in the evenings is usually free. Both parties are clearly satisfied with the unwritten agreement as evidenced by the fact that Romero is a respected citizen of Golden Heights Centro in spite of his mental state and has in fact fitted well into the life of the community. The peace is however disturbed with the arrival of Seferino, Barelas’ son who has just graduated from high school and is about to enter Harvard University. Seferino raises the issue of Romero’s dignity and starts paying him for his labor, an arrangement which his father opposes without success. Barelas fears that paying Romero might prove damaging to Romero’s stability and unduly injure the harmonious relationship that exists between him and the community. As it turns out, Barelas has correctly read the situation. The salary that Romero receives from Seferino finally gets into his head and radically alters his outlook and consequently his behavior. He starts feeling self-important. A mere couple of weeks into his new arrangement with Seferino and Romero is already applying for credit with the grocery store. Seferino interprets his action as a sign of growing self-confidence and boasts to his father that he has done right with Romero. However, on the fourth week Romero shocks Seferino with his demand for a wage hike. When he is turned down by Seferino, the trouble in Golden Heights Centro begins and the peace is shattered, as Barelas has predicted. Romero gets mad at Seferino for turning him down and severs his arrangement with him. Very soon after, behavioral changes are observed in him. He continues to sweep the sidewalk but excludes the portion fronting the barber shop. He withdraws into himself, becomes irritable, and neglects his hygiene. He even starts disturbing the peace by the rather high volume of his television, stops traffic in the streets, and pulls at the passing women’s skirts as he sits by the curbside. The Romero of old – cheerful, helpful, and peaceable – ceases to exist. The disturbing change in him forces the townspeople to consider having him confined in a mental facility for fear that he might harm himself. They want Barelas to initiate a petition for the purpose. However, Barelas refuses to give in to their demand. Just as he has disagreed with Seferino in altering the state of things in the community because he knows that money will corrupt Romero, he also disagrees with the plan of the townsfolk because he believes that the day will come when Romero will revert to his old cheerful and helpful self. It turns out that Barelas is again accurate in his reading. When Seferino leaves for Harvard, Romero miraculously returns to his old self. He goes back to his self-assigned task of sweeping the whole sidewalk and resumes singing with gusto. In other words, because of the departure of Seferino, the old Romero is back, peace reigns once more in the community, and the residents of Golden Heights Centro are once again secured in the company of a crazy on whom they could depend. As to the question whether there are clear winners or losers in the story, the answer is yes, there is one clear winner in the person of Barelas, the town barber. He is the only character in the story who has accurately predicted that paying Romero will corrupt him. He is also alone in his belief that Romero will revert to his old personality in due time.

Meeting at Night and Parting at Morning Commentary Essay

In the two poems, â€Å"Meeting at Night† and â€Å"Parting at Morning†, Robert Browning tells about the meeting of two lovers at night who are in love with each other. In order to meet the woman, the man undergoes a long journey through the sea and land. However, even after all this trouble, he must be secretive because they are not allowed to see each other. The second poem, however, tells of the very next day, when the man leaves the woman and seems to move on. Browning structures these two poems in order to give the reader a better understanding of the meaning of the poem. At the beginning of the poem, the man seemingly recounts his journey, briefly describing his surroundings as he passes them, noting any possible significance they may have to him. Browning incorporates alliteration at the end of each line in this poem, as he passed through â€Å"the long black land† and saw the moon â€Å"large and low,† creating the image of the environment which the man passes through. The use of the word â€Å"long† describes his lengthy trip on land, while the moon lying â€Å"large and low† in the sky tells of the time of his travel, the moon is low because he is traveling late into the night. Browning employs the ensuing alliteration serves the purpose of describing the journey through the senses. The â€Å"pushing prow† of his movement and â€Å"the slushy sand,† which absorbed each step describes the purpose the man walked with as he walked across the â€Å"sea-scented beach. † Browning is able to paint the man’s expedition through these alliterations. An interesting note of structure I found in this poem is that each stanza could be read from the last line up to the middle line (as opposed to the regular way of reading). By doing so, the reader can understand the poem better as the man reaches his ultimate destination of love in the center of each poem. In the first stanza, the woman is described with a synecdoche through her hair as â€Å"fiery ringlets from their sleep† and â€Å"startled little waves that leap. † This could mean that her hair was her most defining feature, according to her lover (the man). In the second stanza, the woman is described as a â€Å"voice less loud† and a â€Å"quick sharp scratch† coming from within the house. This can be inferred through Browning’s use of soft, feminine words. The use of the words â€Å"less loud† could possibly allude to the fact that the two lovers are not allowed to see each other, making this meeting a secret one. The â€Å"quick sharp scratch† resembles that of a small, peephole in the door which the woman looks through in order to ensure the identity of the man. When reading â€Å"Meeting at Night† the reader must also consider the poem â€Å"Parting at Morning† as they relate to one another. Although they can both be read separately, reading them together leaves the reader with a different understanding, as â€Å"Parting at Morning† provides a different ending, a different resolution to the two lover’s secret meeting. The use of anaphora in this short, one stanza poem indicates excitement in the man as he looks on to â€Å"a path of gold† leading to â€Å"a world of men† as â€Å"the sun looked over the mountain’s rim. This could indicate that the man was moving forward from his time with the woman and looking forward to setting sail onto lands unknown, with the promise of gold. This is due to the fact that it was general sailor’s belief that women were bad luck on ships, and therefore was generally unwelcome. The words â€Å"cape,† â€Å"sea,† and â€Å"strait† evoke images of the sea, as they are all bodies of water, and therefore allude to the man being a sailor (which wasn’t as specified in â€Å"Meeting at Night†).