Learning A New Language Education Essay

I love linguistic communication because it carries beauty and idea. Like many non-English talkers, I have begun analyzing English rather tardily in 7th grade.A To most non-English talkers, larning a new linguistic communication, English, is both fresh and disputing. Many pupils may research English with the wonder toward a new linguistic communication and civilization ; nevertheless, they may lose their involvement because of inappropriate and stiff instruction attacks, or an unfamiliar/ insecure sense towards a new linguistic communication or culture.A My induction of English survey originated from my compulsion to literary aestheticism. It was a bit-by-bit aesthetic pilgrim's journey to the glorious castle of western literature, when I started from ABC on, so read simple transitions, subsequently moved onto the beautiful essays and poesy and at last plunged into the classics by literary Masterss. A A Learning a new linguistic communication is non an easy occupation particularly for adolescents or grownups who have passed their critical period of linguistic communication acquisition. Language larning ever takes forbearance ; furthermore, it needs good schemes, motive, and a good teacher to assist pupils to get the better of the sense of disaffection toward a new linguistic communication or civilization. And as an English-major, it happens all the clip that my relations and neighbours would inquire me inquiries such as: â€Å" what do we make to larn English good? A What are your schemes? . My reply is ever: â€Å" oh, English acquisition takes merely forbearance and pattern. â€Å" A Though it ‘s true that English larning takes great forbearance and difficult working, I wish I could offer them more effectual ways and portion my experiences with them.A But I ca n't because IA cognize how to larn English, but I ca n't state people the rules and the grounds why we learn English by utilizing certain schemes or attacks. When I came to college and majored in English Literature at University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia, the literature and the lingual classs helped me a batch in understanding my early linguistic communication acquisition experiences. The joy of reading English and composing English Inspired by the strong inner call of self-exploration and the will to assist my friends reinforced my already deep love for English linguistic communication as a whole. It convinced me that I would be willing to do painstaking attempts whatsoever every bit long as I could maintain bettering my bid of this absorbing linguistic communication. I am confident that my abilities, competency, and public presentation rank manner above my academic GPA which was low due to household fortunes that I went through during my undergraduate surveies. This is apparent by having a scholarship from the Saudi Arabian authorities to prosecute my alumnus surveies at your college. After my graduation, I worked with Alamiah institute for computing machine and engineering in Saudi Arabia as an English instructor for two old ages and eight months.I started working with them from 03/2007 until 11/2009.The foremost six months they gave me courses from the teacher preparation plan, which gave me an overview of learning methodological analysiss, larning psychological sciences, and practical training.A A In category, some instructors shared with me their instruction experiences, their point of views towards the current instruction system and tendencies, whereas other instructors shared with me their doctrines of life.A Thankss to their attempts, I have come to recognize that learning is non merely the bringing of cognition, but besides the attempt to portion with, to impact, or to assist people. A My aspiration is to prosecute a alumnus plan at Nazareth College because it offers the flexibleness needed for an in-depth apprehension of learning English. I have browsed through your web site and noticed that your TESOL plan has a strong focal point on intercultural communicating and on the interaction of societal behaviour and linguistic communication usage. I am besides eager to work under the counsel of the distinguished module members of Nazareth College such as Dr.Rui Cheng whom I had met before I applied for TESOL plan. I am convinced that the installations of TESOL plan at Nazareth College will be really utile for dedicated engagement in research undertakings. I believe that a alumnus plan in TESOL at Nazareth College will assist me make my ends. I am certain that I will be able to utilize my possible to the fullest if I have the chance to come in your plan. Your plan provides classs that cover methods of instruction, rating, and stuffs development, every bit good as engage in fieldwork both as coachs and pattern teachers.A I believe the plan offered will assist me get the versatility needed to make my full potency as an English teacher.A It would be a privilege to be able to procure admittance to prosecute alumnus surveies with you. Ghadeer Saleh Alrazqan

Nelson Mandela Character Analysis

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18th, 1918 and recently died on December 5th 2013. He was born in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa (father) Nonqaphi Nosekeni (mother) were both Christians, therefore so was Mr Mandela. His father Gadla was the head chief in his community. The strengths his father would have needed were to speak up for his people, have courage, be caring, be supportive of his community, strong, powerful worker, a good communicator and well educated. His father had all them. As Nelson Mandela was growing up he would have looked up to his father alot. Most young boys while growing up would usually look up to their father as most see them as their role model and the most amazing person in the world. As his father was such an important person, young Mandela would have been inspired to be just like his father. As both his parents were a both Christians Nelson Mandela was sent to Methodist school that provided him with very good education as he was the son of the chief. Nelson Mandela’s father and childhood have affected his PIES alot.As he was the son of the chief Nelson would have had access to the best his people could have gotten at the time. Also, because his father was the chief, he had a good education; he went to school (both primary and secondary), a college and university. As he was growing up the bond between him and his father would have been really strong as he would have looked up to his father as a role model. When his father passed away when he was 11, along with being heartbroken, it would have made him more passionate about being more like the man his father was.This would have included him being more kind, speaking up for people, being more caring and supportive, become a better communicator and being educated. Finally as he was the chief’s son he would have been popular within the kids in his community. This would have also boosted his confidence in being around alot of people and also sp eaking to alot of people and getting his opinion heard.Secondary Socialisation Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela went to a primary school in Qunu where his teacher gave him the name Nelson, in accordance with the custom to give all students ‘Christian’ names. He then went to complete his junior certificate at Clarkebury boarding institute and went on to Healdtown, a Weslayan secondary  school of some repute, where matriculated.Nelson Mandela began his studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University College of Fort Hare but did not complete the degree there as he was expelled for joining in a student protest. He completed his BA through the University of South Africa and went back to Fort Hare for his graduation in 1943. Nelson Mandela’s education influenced him to join the African National Congress as he was a lawyer and wanted equality. Sp he joined the A.F.C in hope to bring equality in Africa. South African GovernmentAs a result of Apartheid many people live s where changed in many ways including the following. The Group Areas act of 1950 controlled where people could live. The Black people were driven into small town quite far away from city centres; however their jobs were still in these cities and white suburbs. Bus fares were expensive and catching public transport everyday was expensive and caused hardship and depression for the black people. The Bantu education act meant the black students were disadvantaged with their education system in South Africa is now far worse than under apartheid.Overall, they were kept away from white people and had no rights at all and had worse facilities and weren’t allowed to use non-coloured facilities. Also they weren’t allowed to answer or fight back to verbal or physical abuse! So When Nelson’s attempts at a peaceful protest failed he went underground but continued to protest secretly and set fire to a government building. His trial was so long to keep him occupied rather tha n him organising more protests. Eventually, when Nelson was in prison he was forced to do hard labour in limestone quarries along with all the other inmates at the prison. Meanwhile Nelson’s supporters were still protesting. When they protested the government shot at them and as a result of the shootings 69 people died.Also, some of the leaders of countries were sentenced to prison or have had to be exiled. The South African Government have also influenced Nelson Mandela’s PIES. His physical health would have affected when he was put into prison for 27 years. In prison he was forced to do hard labour in limestone quarries, and wasn’t given the food he would have needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle. Also, in prison he would have had to go to the toilet in a small bucket in the corner of his very small cell. This would have also caused him to have some health problem.Going to  prison would have influenced his intellectual health as well. Beside going out of hi s cell to work, he would have also had alot of ‘alone time’ in which he would have thought about what he was fighting for, and what he may have been planning to do once, and if he ever was released. As he was in orison he would have been away from his wife and kids as he was serving his time in prison. He would have also been kept away from the other inmates, and probably had only seen them whilst working in the quarry.Nelson’s Supporters & Wife To show their anger about Mandela being kept in prison they burnt down government buildings, held more protests and complained all the time. When supporters protested in South Africa they got shot down, beaten and put in prison. Many people got involved in campaigning for Nelson’s freedom including his wife, the British Priminister, pop singers, leaders from around the world and many sports players. There were many methods used to campaign for Mandela’s freedom such as pop concerts, speeches, and not doing b usiness with South Africa. Having supporters who supported and cared for him whilst he was in prison would have helped him not to give up, and still have hope and keep strong.They would have also influenced him to still have faith in his dream for South Africa. His emotional health would have been influenced by his supporters as he would have been re-assured knowing that what he was going through is doing something, and it’s not all for no reason. The biggest influence on his physical health was parents (mainly the father). I think this because as he was the son of the chief he would have had greater access to medical needs and he would have had proper food. This was because the people in his community would have all looked up to him. His father had an important role in their community.The biggest influence on his intellectual health was his teachers starting from primary school going on all the way to university. This is because, they would have taught him most of everything he had learnt, and would have equipped his brain to work out problems, and what do to with the issues he came across in the most effective ways that are sure to end in the results he would have wanted. The biggest influence on his emotional health would have been his supporters as they would have helped him keep faith in what he wanted to achieve. Also the fact that they all looked up to him would have guided him to work harder for  his ‘fans’ and try his best to help the out.Another influence on his emotional health would have been the government. As they weren’t doing anything about the apartheid other than supporting it, they would have made Mandela feel angry, and upset therefore making him strive to change the way everything was to make it a better place. Also there was a poem called ‘Invictus’ that he said helped him to overcome his anger and still think positively even when he was in jail. He also said that, the poem helped him regain any h ope in himself that had been lost. The biggest influence on his social health would have again been the government. I think this because; being put into prison significantly influenced the time he got to spend with his friends and family, and who he was allowed to spend time with.Conclusion I’ve put the Primary and Secondary Socialisation agents in order of how much they influenced the person who Nelson Mandela became. 1. South African Government 2. His Supporters 3. School 4. ‘Invictus’ (the poem) This is the order I’ve put them. Firstly the government which allowed the apartheid to happen first made Nelson Mandela angry and allowed him to attempt to make a change. Also when he was put in prison as a result of all the protesting, being alone for most of the time in there gave him the opportunity to reflect on everything that has happened and gave him the chance to think of what he want to do in the future.Having an education helped Mandela as they provide d him with the ability to think about how issues can be resolved in many ways. They also provided Mandela with the basic knowledge needed for Mandela to become a lawyer, which then led onto him becoming part of the A.F.C. Finally, the poem helped him alot in his time in prison as it helped lift his spirit and when he felt down.

Shakespearean Sonnet Explication Sonnet 146

SONNET 146 Poor soul, the center of my sinful earth, Lord of these rebel powers that thee array, Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth, Painting thy outward walls so costly gay? Why so large cost, having so short a lease, Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend? Shall worms, inheritors of this excess, Eat up thy charge? is this thy body’s end? Then soul, live thou upon thy servant’s loss, And let that pine to aggravate thy store; Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;Within be fed, without be rich no more. So shalt thou feed on death, that feeds on men, And death once dead, there’s no more dying then. Sonnet 146, as in all Shakespearean sonnets, exemplifies the importance of poem structure. Following the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, this English sonnet (now called Shakespearean), distinguishes its author by the format in which it follows. Consisting of a total of fourteen lines, this body of this poem contains three quatrains and ends with a rhyming couplet.Not only does Sonnet 146 encompass all the necessities of a Shakespearean sonnet, it also displays William Shakespeare’s mastery in his use of control of language, tone, and meaning that is portrayed to the reader. In the opening of the poem, in quatrain one, we see the speaker as he wrestles with his own personal conflict between the spiritual and material state that he has found himself in. For here in this Shakespearean sonnet, the speaker addresses not a friend, lover, or mistress – only his own â€Å"poor soul† that has suddenly been placed at the center of his â€Å"sinful earth† (line 1).The speaker reprimands his soul for spending so much on its â€Å"outward walls† (line 4). In quatrain two, the poet asks the question of why so much effort is put into the investing of the things that are temporary: â€Å"Why so large cost, having so short a lease† (line 5). For at death, only worms will inherit the costly excesses. In quatr ain three, the speaker concludes his argument by warning his soul to use the body as â€Å"thy servant† (line 9).Let the outside wither -â€Å"pine†- so that the inner soul can prosper -â€Å"aggravate thy store† (line 10). In conclusion, the rhyming couplet shows us the speaker’s only solution to this inevitable fact of life – death. The soul needs to prepare itself for when the time comes and it must face death. For the soul can outlive the body, and even conquer death, as we see in line 13 and 14: â€Å"So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men / And Death once dead, there's no more dying then. â€Å"This sonnet is one of few written by Shakespeare that reflects a more religious tone, as the words sinful, divine, and soul are present. What an interesting insight this provides to the reader about the writer’s own potential internal struggle with morality. For just as the speaker asserts here in this poem, so too us true for us in ou r own Christian faith – that when we focus on the body (the temporary) by allowing ourselves to worry over the adorning of it, then we do so at the expense of our soul (the eternal).

Evaluating the Research Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evaluating the Research Process - Essay Example The third hypothesis holds that pregnant teenagers have higher self-esteem than those who are not pregnant. Finally, Robinson & Frank (1994) theorize that higher self-esteem levels are reported among male teenagers that have fathered children as compared to those who have not fathered any children. The literature review section of this research is not biased as it covers both the literature that supports the hypotheses and other literature that is against the hypotheses. For example, Robinson & Frank (1994) are of the opinion that current measures being used to fight teenage pregnancies are not effective. In fact, a study by Hepfer (1998) is cited as having proved that interventions such as sex education are not effective in reducing teenage pregnancy, thus the need for programs focusing on teenage self-esteem. The hypothesis that sexually active teenage males and those who have fathered a child have more self-esteem than non-sexually males and those who have no fathered children is also supported by literature. According to Robinson & Frank (1994) research by Friedman & Castiglia (1990) shows that males tend to assert their masculinity by being sexually active and fathering children. However, a research by Dilorio & Riley (1998) found no relation between low self-esteem, loneliness, and pregnancy. To support this finding further, Robinson & Frank also cite Meyer (1991) who found no relationship between self esteem, fathering of children and sexual activity among teenage males. The study sampled 287 participants drawn from two high schools that were university-affiliated and sixteen teenagers who were pregnant. The records were sourced from the office of the local obstetrician. The research used the qualitative method of data collection whereby a personality test, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, comprising of 25 items was used as the main data gathering device. The test was in form of questionnaires which required the participants to

MIH521 - Health Program Evaluation Mod 4 SLP Essay

MIH521 - Health Program Evaluation Mod 4 SLP - Essay Example There is an added problem and that is that these children are bound for poverty based on the illnesses that they develop because of the obesity. There are several measureable goals and they come from different sides of what is happening. For instance, the primary goal is to improve the overall health of the children but there is also the goal to improve the health of those that are already obese. These goals are meant to be accomplished through activity (see appendix A) (fitkids.gov). All of these goals are measureable and are being measured. Those schools that have adopted this program at this time have done overall BMI of all elementary school children for school records. Children are screened for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease yearly as part of the school physical. Schools are monitored by independent organizations assuring that the grant money is spent well as far as assuring that exercise and dietary programs are carried out (Glasgow, 1999). As can be seen by the things listed here this is really a program about prevention and not treatment though certainly a side effect of the prevention is treatment. It is believed that a full evaluation of this program will yield excellent results. In conclusion, this program has some very difficult goals to meet as it is easy to leave the healthy lifestyle at school and go home and watch TV but the hope is that learning this lifestyle and feeling better because of it will encourage children to remain activity and to eat well even after they leave school. The Elementary Energizers were developed by East Carolina University, Physical Activity Laboratory in partnership with the NC Department of Public Instruction (Healthful Living and Healthy Schools Sections) and Be Active North

Literaty Anaylsis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literaty Anaylsis - Essay Example The essay tries to make a literary analysis of Frost’s poem â€Å"Birches† laying special emphasis on its theme and the literary devices employed in it. One of the major themes of the poem is that of imagination versus reality. The poet, like the birch swinger, tries to fly into an imaginary world, but he ultimately realizes that â€Å"one must remain within the natural world itself and that complete escape into the world of the imagination is impossible† ("Birches: Themes"). The poet finds the birch tree â€Å"bend to left and right† and he understands the reality that it is the result of ice-storms. However, his imagination goes beyond the actual reason and concludes that some boy would be swinging on the birches. Thus, the tension between â€Å"the real world and the world of the imagination, runs throughout Frosts poetry and gives the poem philosophical dimension and meaning far greater than that of a simple meditation on birch trees† ("Birches: Introduction†). Later the poet himself identifies with the boy and considers himself to be a birch swinger. The poet is of the opinion that when one is â€Å" weary of considerations† and life seems to be â€Å"a pathless wood†, he/she is quite likely to â€Å"to get away from the earth awhile†. Thus, the climbing of the boy in the poem symbolizes man’s escape from the real world to the world of imagination or illusion and his coming down to earth suggests coming back to the world of reality. For the poet, the escape from the earth is only momentary and this occasional climb to the world of imagination provides one with the inner strength to face the real world. As Frost himself puts it: â€Å"Id like to get away from earth awhile / And then come back to it and begin over†. At the end, the poet comes to the realization that the â€Å"earth is the right place for love† and that he cannot find a better place than this. Thus, the poem can be rightly understood as a conflict of the soul

Interview Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interview - Article Example The City of Newark has explicitly outlined the mayor’s thrust and vision, to wit: â€Å"Elected with a clear mandate for change, Mayor Booker has begun work on realizing a bold vision for the city. Newark’s mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation by marshalling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance and an environment that is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families† (City of Newark: About Mayor Booker, n.d., par. 2) When Smith asked what he thinks is the major societal problems the state is currently facing today, Mayor Booker quickly averred: â€Å"The root cause of all problems is poverty and this should be the main focus of all development programs.† Smith immediately quipped: â€Å"Sir, you have mentioned that poverty is the major problem of the community, how do you define poverty and what specific measuring tool helped you gauge the level of poverty within your jurisdiction?† Mayor Booker, re flecting on the inquiry, answered, â€Å"I had read a book during my theoretical interest and evaluation of community problems. That book written by Goldsmith, entitled Separate Societies that enlightened my awareness on the H’s in categorizing poverty: health, hunger, and homelessness.

Opportunity cost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Opportunity cost - Essay Example The word cost in the context of economic production is defined as the opportunity cost of producing any good or service. It is considered to be the value that the factors of production or the resources could have generated if they were utilized for the next best use. In other words the opportunity cost is the sacrifice of the next best alternative that is made by consumption or production of a good or service. Thus when the resources are limited an individual has to make choices between the different alternatives. Accordingly by choosing one alternative he gives up the opportunity for enjoying the other remaining alternatives that he has not opted for. This is known as the opportunity cost of consumption or production. Hence it is the most important element in the context of economic that helps in the determination of the choice between the scare resource and the efficient allocation of the resources. Hence the opportunity cost is not only the money value that is given up for one par ticular choice but also the time costs and the psychological costs that are paid for the non-consumption of a product or service. This can be explained with the following example. A person having $10 may decide either to buy a book or an ice cream. If the person buys a book he would have to give up his opportunity to buy the ice cream and enjoy it. On the other hand if he buys an ice cream he gives up the opportunity to read the book. In both the cases the person has to pay an opportunity cost for choosing one option over the other (Samuelson 17). The concept of opportunity cost is used mostly in the context of production decisions. The main factors of production include capital and labor. Suppose a person works in a factory and he earns $10 per day. On the other hand he could have worked in his own farm and could have earned $ 7 a day and could have enjoyed labor for a longer time. Therefore by

Personal statement for applying for Dental School

For applying for Dental School - Personal Statement Example The challenging environment offered by dentistry, I believe will keep my mind active and sharp while its ever re-inventive field will quench my scientific thirst. The field of dentistry involves professionalism and at the same time keeping distressed persons calm. I strongly believe that I can be very good at it due to my compassionate nature and ability to create a relationship with people easily. This is a trait that comes naturally to me as my mother insists that the key to helping other people is not just hearing what they say but listening to them. Out of experience I feel that creating a rapport to comfort patients will be an easy task for me. I usually a get nervous easily before I engage in something but this has taught me to always cheer up and prepare for the situation thoroughly to avoid any mistakes. I have come to learn that thorough explanation reduces the anxiety of the nervous people, so as I prepare intensively for the situation, I will be gaining more information to quell the anxiety of the patients. To gain a better insight into the exciting world of dentistry, I spend several hours visiting dentistry settings and asking questions in my pre-dental club in the University of Alabama at Birmingham and volunteering in dental clinics. In this club, we have various speakers in the dentistry profession who are fun to listen to. I find all work in the field of dentistry fascinating; from implants to orthodontics and I have realized that a relationship between the patient and the dentist is important in this field. I do not have a problem creating a personal relationship with patients as I am a sociable person who enjoys one on one conversation. I can also speak Korean and will be able to interact with Korean patients deeply. Nothing would give me more satisfaction than seeing the patients satisfied. After talking and volunteering to various practising dentists I have to realize that it can

Lean implementation in chinese manufacturing SMEs Essay

Lean implementation in chinese manufacturing SMEs - Essay Example I will spend all the holidays and time other than module attendance and other post module assignment project on the research work. Moreover, when my supervisor will not be available then i will try to improve the work already done as per last meeting with supervisor. The minimum time required to complete the project is 6 months, in which sample selection limitation will persist Despite it being easier to implement lean manufacturing in SMEs, its implementation is quite different from large companies and as such most SMEs usually face some obstacles in implementing the method successfully. The main barrier for SMEs is the lack of support and knowledge from top management with regard to the method. In addition, both employees and management tend to have a resistant towards change and new practices, which hinder the implementation of lean management. Most SMEs also have some constraints in resources, both operational and financial resources that will help in their path of becoming lean. Another obstacle is the instability in production schedules and cooperation from suppliers in most SMEs that makes it difficult to carry out lean manufacturing practices (Nordin & Deros, 2013). As Womack, Jones & Roos (1990) concluded in their study, lean manufacturing can be implemented by any company anywhere in the world in all industries and it regarded to benefit both small and large organisations regardless of the size factor. Several scholars, which have dealt with the concept of lean management, have stressed that when implementing this method, SMEs should not start with massive financial investment in lean practices but should go slow. One of the proposed framework by Herron and Braiden (2007) pointed out that, SMEs should focus on five basic practices as the stepping stone towards developing lean manufacturing in a company that include quality circle,

Romanticism in American Literature Essay Example for Free

Romanticism in American Literature Essay Within this paper will be an explanation of the ideals of Romantic writers in Early American Literature. We will also look at some aspects of Romanticism that were uniquely understood by the writers and artists in the United States. There will be a brief discussion of â€Å"bright† and â€Å"dark† Romantic writing and it is there that we will look at the lives, and one poem each, of Henry David Thoreau, a â€Å"bright† romantic writer and Edgar Allan Poe, a â€Å"dark† romantic writer. Romanticism began in Germany sometime around 1770. From there it spread to the rest of Europe including England and then finally to the United States. In the late Eighteenth Century people’s ideas about themselves, their religion, their world and the art and literature in it were evolving rapidly. This was mostly due to a re-examination of priorities and beliefs because of constant new scientific discoveries and an enthusiastic embrace of the uniquely human abilities of storytelling using ones imagination and a kind of rejection of reason and logic. For the first time since the concepts of religion and rulers began to regulate the spirit and creative energy of humankind people looked more to nature and within to define themselves and their humanity rather than to their Churches or to their Kings. The Romantic period of American Literature is from about 1830 to 1860 and it interestingly overlaps the period which is said to be Victorian (1830 to 1880) in the United States. Romantic writers believe in the natural goodness of man and also that what is special in a particular man should be highly valued. They indulge heavily in introspection and self-analysis. Some finding their deity within themselves while others found their religion in the beauty of nature. Nature was food for the soul that provided their inspiration and was a resource for their wisdom. Indeed, for some of the Romantic writers nature was their muse; however, others found their inspiration in the dark corners of their human desires. As mentioned above the citizens of the United States were in a unique position to embrace the tenets of Romanticism through a political movement that focused more on the individual. By shedding the oppressive monarchy of old England they were well on their way to forming what Emerson called â€Å"a Nation of men† who were following Jacksonian democracy. â€Å"By most historical accounts, (President Andrew) Jackson is seen as largely responsible for effecting this political and cultural transformation of the United States from a republic, governed by an elect few, to a democracy. Jackson persuaded Americans that sovereign power resided in them—that they would control the governing process by deciding questions of constitutionality, law, and representation through the ballot box. Many writers, philosophers, and activists were also convinced by Jacksons rhetoric of democracy, believing that more concern for the rights of common individuals would yield a more inclusive political and cultural environment receptive to the ideals of a younger generation of Americans,† (Didion). One can easily see why the material that writers in the United States were putting out fell into line with the musings, literature and poetry of Romantic writers all over the world. By being exposed to the political aspects of the culture here they were in a position where their art reflected the lives of their patrons. Why, though, were some of the writings about the nature all around us and bright beauty found within it and some of it was about the dark nature of mankind and the sorrow found there? Bright Romantics used a merging of science and nature to allow both to work together. Meanwhile they would put emphasis on the individual’s ability to take themselves out of society to live in nature away from the rat race. A good example of a bright Romantic writer would be Henry David Thoreau. He is famous for having written, among many other works, Walden which is about living simply in nature. Thoreau was an abolitionist and his essay Civil Disobedience is a piece that inspired Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. to engage in peaceful civil disobedience to protest unjust governments. He also wrote Nature, a poem we will look at more in depth later in this paper. Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau) lived from July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862. He was attending Harvard during Andrew Jackson’s second inauguration. He was a freelance writer who tried but was unsuccessful at becoming a fulltime professional writer. Having not been quite as successful at his dream of writing as he is posthumously was a bit of a disappointment to Henry. He had grown up the son of a storekeeper and liquor salesman in respectable poverty and had his share of other sorrows as well having seen two of his beloved siblings die. His brother John died of typhus which he got while shaving. His younger sister Sophia died in 1846 at the age of 36 of the same affliction that would claim Henry’s life, tuberculosis. Thoreau loved the outdoors and would rather live of the land than any other way. He enjoyed waling in the outdoors so much he had said while hunting never did he find his rifle to be too heavy. He held many odd jobs to support himself while traveling and writing but he was very well known in his father’s later business of pencil making. Biographer Robert Sullivan writes that while in the employ of the pencil company â€Å"Thoreau studied various graphite hardnesses [sic] and invented a machine that manufactured a finer grind. The centerpiece was a cylinder, in which the finer graphite settled to the bottom for ready collection. The new invention pushed the company ahead of its rivals,† (142). While his dreams of being a professional writer went mostly unfulfilled he found great joy and contentment as mentioned above in nature. He was well thought of in his life but revered as a writer after his death. In The Life of Henry David Thoreau, Sanborn writes, â€Å"Thoreau had various missions in this world, some of which he fulfilled, and passed beyond them; others he did not live long enough to complete, and only approached perfection at remote intervals. Versifying was one of these latter; though the poetic perception and ideal nature was not only brought to a high point of excellence in his last twenty years, but he exhibited in his youth and early capacity for good writing, which his devotion to the art developed into what may easily pass for perfection in his best passages. † (51). Dark Romantics wrote about how a person views their world and how their mind has the power to change the world they live in. They have a tendency to reject science for fiction and be very involved in the macabre. They are also very introspective. Arguably the best Dark Romantic writer was Edgar Allan Poe who lived from 1809 to 1849. Born December 9 to thespians David and Eliza Poe, who would both die two years later in 1811, Edgar was raised by John and Fanny Allan of Richmond Virginia. John and Edgar never got along due to John’s disdain for how he viewed Edgar’s existence. Until John inherited great wealth, which he eventually kept from Edgar, he viewed Edgar as a drain on his hard fought earnings. Poe faced a lot of tragedy at a very early age and lived a life that was filled with challenges, some self-imposed. He had a lot of unrequited and lost love; therefore, women in some form or another filled pages of his poetry. â€Å"Poe believed that the goal of literature was not to mirror reality but instead to pursue Beauty in its highest and widest sense. As Poe put it, ’A poem in my opinion, is opposed to a work of science by having for its immediate object, pleasure, not truth,’† (27) writes James Hutchinson in his book Poe. For Poe writing was at the very center of his existence. He wrote for some time before becoming celebrated but it did happen while he lived. Poe did make his living through words though poetry prose and becoming the chief editor at several monthlies as well as writing pieces for magazines. Later Hutchinson notes that â€Å"The Raven was an instant success and Poe woke up to find himself famous. † (165). Though famous he seemed forever tragic. Peter Ackroyd writes of his alcoholism saying that after a particularly strong binge in PA, Poe acknowledges that â€Å"the whole experience in Philadelphia became for him a phantasmagoria of suffering, brought on by what he described as ‘mania-a-potu,’ or alcoholic madness. It is the first indication that he realised [sic] the nature of his true condition. † (185). Although feverish Poe had left Richmond VA to visit friends in Baltimore MD, days later, he was found unconscious in a tavern in Baltimore. His previous whereabouts were a mystery and Poe died in a hospital on October 7, 1849 at the age of forty, reminiscent of one of the characters in his works. Both men died young and that was all too common in those times. Their lives were quite different. It is not a surprise that both men lived what they wrote, for Thoreau of the beauty of the outdoors and the nature there was his refuge from life and he died enjoying the Woods at Walden that he enjoyed so much. Although he married the daughter of his paternal Aunt when she was just thirteen, for Poe the love he searched for he never really found. It was maternal in nature and he would never fill that void through drugs and alcohol. The tragedy of his writing was told in his biography. The following are one poem each by Thoreau and Poe. They are similar in their rhythm and their rhyme scheme; however, their symbolism and mood are very different. Poe’s poem is about a beautiful valley where many people died in battle and they haunt the valley still. Thoreau writes about the beauty of the outdoors and how he longs only to commune with his beloved nature and pass his days in the great outdoors. One does not need to be told who wrote which poem that is obvious by their content.

To an Unborn Pauper Chile Essay Example for Free

To an Unborn Pauper Chile Essay Hardy considers the probable fate of a child soon to be born into poverty. This is a poem which grew from an incident that he probably witnessed in the Dorchester Magistrates Court but Hardys sincerity and compassion for the plight of human beings makes the incident of concern to us all. The poem begins startlingly with an opening line in which Hardy addresses the child as hid heart because it is as yet unborn in its mothers womb, and advises it not to be born to Breathe not and to cease silently. The rest of the verse gives Hardys reason for this advice. It is better to Sleep the long sleep because fate (The Doomsters) will bring the child troubles and difficulties (Travails and teens) in its life, and Time wraiths turn our songsingings to fear, that is our spontaneous feelings of joy and happiness in life are turned to fear by time. Time as usual in Hardys writings is seen as the enemy of man and the unusual conceptions of Fate as Doomsters and Time as Time-Wraiths (Spirits) suggests a conscious and deliberate process at work. STANZA 2 In the second stanza, Hardy develops the idea of the destructiveness of time urging the child to listen to how people sigh, and to note how all such natural positive values as laughter, hopes, faiths, affections and enthusiasms are destroyed by time. Set against these positive nouns are negative verbs suggesting this withering process: sigh, fail, die, dwindle, waste, numb. The verse concludes by stressing that the child cannot alter this process if it is born. In the third stanza, Hardy vows that if he were able to communicate with the unborn before their life on earth began, and if the child were able to choose whether to live or die, he would impart all his knowledge to the child and ask it if it would take life as it is. STANZA 4 Hardy immediately, and forcefully, rejects this as a futile vow, for he nor anyone can explain to the child what will happen to it when it is born (Lifes pending plan). The stanza contains weaknesses of style: the oddity of theeward and the awkward inversion Explain none can. But the last two lines present starkly the inevitability of birth in spite of the most dreadful events Life can bring. This ability to look unflinchingly at unpalatable reality is one of Hardys major strengths as a poet. Â  In contrast to the ending of the fourth stanza, the fifth one opens very gently. Hardy speaks directly and tenderly to the child, in simple monosyllables, wishing that he could find some secluded place (shut plot) in the world for it, where its life would be calm, unbroken by tear or qualm. But with tender simplicity, and the absence of any bitterness, Hardy recognises that I am weak as thou and bare he is unable to influence fate as the child. STANZA 6 The poem ends with the recognition that the child must come and live (bide) on earth, and the hope that in spite of the evidence it will find health, love and friends and joys seldom yet attained by people.

Study Analysis: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Study Analysis: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Kwong Ho Kuen Everyday Social Psychology: Report on Media Article #2 A news article from The Independent reported that modern gentleman preferred â€Å"brains† rather than â€Å"blondes† (Lusher, 2014). Why do men value educational levels or intelligence over physical attractiveness? Is this argument just objective opinion or is it scientifically proved? If the phenomenon is true, can it be explained by social psychology? In this paper, we will take a closer look at the issue with the help of concepts and theories of social psychology. We will first review the news article and capture the main ideas of it. Then, we will further investigate the scientific evidence referred by the news article. Afterwards, we will define the main issue going to be discussed. Finally, we will examine related empirical journal articles and apply the findings to the explanation of the issue. Introduction of the Issue Review of the news article At the very beginning, let’s review the news article and summarize its main points. The news article is titled â€Å"Gentlemen prefer brains: similarly educated couples last†. It was published in The Independent on July 27, 2014. It reports some findings from a recent study of marriage about associations between educational levels and divorce rates. It says that marriages between a better educated wife and less educated husband from 1950 to 1979 were 34 percentage more likely to divorce than the opposite one. Furthermore, it is reported that couples having similar levels of education have a lower rate of divorce than marriages between a better educated husband and a less educated wife. Therefore, the article suggests that â€Å"similarly educated couples last†. The article quotes the title of a classic film called Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It suggests that there was a common belief in the past that men preferred a less educated and maybe physically attractive wife. However, the research result suggests the opposite of it. Closer look at the study being referred to Does this article reflect the study finding subjectively? Is there are any personal opinions added to the article? With a view to examine the accuracy of report and gather further details about the study, the research being referred to in the news article is found. It is an empirical journal article titled â€Å"The reversal of the Gender Gap in Education and Trends in Marital Dissolution† (Schwartz Han, 2014). It was published in the American Sociological Review, an academic journal, in 2014. In this study, the researchers try to examine the risk of marital dissolution among marriages of couples with different combinations of educational level. These combinations include hypogamous marriages which a higher educated wife is married to a lower educated husband; hypergamous marriages which a lower educated wife is married to a higher educated husband; and a homogamous marriage which a couple with similar educational level get married. The study makes use of demographic data in American from the National Survey of Family Growth, Panel Study of Income Dynamics and Current Population Survey from 1950 to 2009. It examines the divorce rate of hypogamous, hypergamous and homogamous marriages. In addition to comparing the divorce rate, the study also tries to examine the changes in relative risk of divorce among three types of marriages over decades. Two major results are found. First, as reported in the news article, it is found that hypogamous marriages had a higher divorce rate than the hypergamous marriages before 1980. However, the association of higher divorce rate and hypogamous marriages no longer exists since 1990. In another word, the marriages between higher educated wives and lower educated husband are no longer more likely to break up in recent times. The study further asked if these hypogamous couples are less likely to divorce than hypergamous couples, but no conclusive evidence is found. In addition to what the news article reports, the study also attempts to find out factors behind this change. It suggested that an increase in education level may affect. Although the relative educational attainment of wives in hypogamous marriages is still higher, the data showed that the individual educational attainment of both wife and husband in hypogamous marriages increase over the decades. However, no evidence can be found by using Cox proportional hazard model, a statistical analysis method. On the other hand, the study also discovers that homogamous couples are less likely to divorce compared to hypergamous couples, as reported. What the news article does not include is the change of stability in these homogamous marriages. In 1950s, homogamous couples are no more likely to divorce than hypergamous couples. However, they are even less likely to divorce than the hypergamous couples after 1990. Going back to the news article, it is partly true to say that â€Å"similarly educated couples last†. It is true that homogamous couples are less likely to divorce compared to hypergamous couples. However, it is not completely accurate to say homogamous couples are least likely to divorce among all. It is because the study did not run any three group comparison like Analysis of Variance to find supporting evidence. Also, it is accurate for the news to say that â€Å"gentlemen prefer brains to blonde†. In the study, physical attractiveness was not measured and analyzed in any stages. Defining the issue to be discussed There are three ideas described in the news article. First, it is the mating preference of men to choose â€Å"brains† which is believed to be education level or intelligence over â€Å"blondes† which is believed to be physical attractiveness. As mentioned above, it is the reporter own comment rather what the research study finds. So, we are not going to focus on this idea. The second idea is the relative divorce rate among hypogamous couples comparing to hypergamous couples. There is a change from positive correlation before 1980 to no association afterward. However, it is still inconclusive whether a reversed situation has occurred. At the same time, researchers have attempted, but fail to discover the contributing factors behind. The phenomenon is still being studied by researchers. We cannot illustrate much about this idea at the moment. Finally, it is worth noticing about the stability of homogamous marriages. It is found that couples with similar educational background has less chance of marital dissolution comparing to hypergamous marriages. In this paper, we are going to illustrate this issue by social psychology concepts. We will see why people with similar educational background are attracted to each other. And we will see why couples of similar education background stay with each other. Empirical Journal Article and Application to the Issue (1) Attraction between People with Similar Educational Level To become a stable marital relationship, the couples should be attracted to each other at the very first place. The news article said that similarly educated couples are less likely to divorce. In another word, people with similar educational background are attracted to each other. Can social psychology concepts illustrate that similar people attract each other? To be more specific, do people of similar educational level attract each other? In Search of Empirical Journal Article In order to find supporting evidence, a search of empirical journal articles is conducted. The search is carried out in a database of peer reviewed psychology scholarly journals called PsycINFO. To find the linkage between education and mating selection with similar others, the keywords of â€Å"education† and â€Å"assortative mating† are used. With a view to include results of words with similar meaning, the search further includes â€Å"educational attainment† and â€Å"educational level† as alternative keywords to education. This is done with the help of the advanced search function. The preliminary searches gave 61 results in total including 55 scholarly journals, 5 dissertations or thesis and 1 book. To further refine the search, the results are limited to scholarly journals. Results are also limited to, publication after 2000 in order to obtain most updated evidence. Afterwards, 33 results are left. Related Empirical Journal Article Found Among the 33 journal articles, one titled â€Å"Match Makers and Deal Breakers: Analyses of Assortative Mating in Newlywed Couples† published in the Journal of Personality is selected (Watson et al., 2004). It tries to answer what qualities people look for in their spouses. It proposes that there are two ways in answering the question. One is to examine which traits or characteristics like social status or physical attractiveness people found desirable. The other method, which is used in this study, is to examine whether couples look for similarity or complementary in various aspects in their partners. To see whether similarity or complementary people found desirable, the study looks into newly married couples. It is supposed that newly married couples are attracted to each other well enough so that they decide to get married. If similarity rather than complementary in most aspects is found among them, it may be inferred that people look for similarity in their romantic partners. To take one step further, it also examines the similarities in which aspects are more important. The study uses a sample of 291 couples married in less than one year in Iowa. They were invited to attend a small group session lasted for around two hours. During the session, participants were asked to complete questionnaires and took different tests. Information was collected regarding their demographic background, personality, emotional expression style, adult attachment style, religious attitudes, political attitudes, values, and intelligence. After data collection, the researchers calculated the simple two-tail correlations between the husbands’ and wives’ scores on each aspect. If a strong correlation is found, similar in that aspect is significant for newlywed couples. In fact, strong similarity is found in age, religious and political views. Moderate similarity is found in educational attainment and verbal intelligence. Modest similarity is found in values. Little similarity is found in other aspects like personality and attachment styles. In summary, this study finds significant similarities on various aspects among newly married couples in American. Newly married couples usually love each other to a certain extend that they decided to get married. Therefore, similarities in newlywed may suggest that people are attracted to similarities rather than complementary to others, especially in age, religion, political views, education and intelligence. Application to the issue Is similarity related to attraction as the news article writers? This is an issue in social psychology termed as assortative mating which is defined to be the â€Å"nonrandom coupling of individuals based on their resemblance to each other on one or more characteristics (Buss, 1984). It is called positive assortment when significant similarity is found between husbands and wives. Conversely, it is called negative assortment when significant complementary is found among couples. To date, there is much more evidence on positive assortment rather than the negative assortment (Bouchard Loehlin, 2001; Mathews Reus, 2001). It suggests that people do prefer similarity in their romantic partners rather than differences. In fact, the empirical journal article above also confirms that many similarities are found among newly married couples (Watson et al., 2004). To be more specific, moderate similarity in educational attainment is also found among newlywed in the study (Watson et al., 2004). This may illustrate why similarly educated couples get together as said in the news article. Empirical Journal Article and Application to the Issue (2) Relationship with Similar Education Background Last Similarly educated couples getting together is only half of the story. The news article suggests that these couples also last longer. To be more accurate, the study being referred to finds that these couples have a lower risk of divorce comparing to couples with higher educated husbands. Why do similar couples divorce less? Do similar couples enjoy higher marital satisfaction? To be more specific, does similar education background associate with marital satisfaction? In Search of Empirical Journal Article Again, in search of supporting evidences, we make use of the scholarly journal database PsycINFO. To find the linkage between similarity in couples and satisfaction in their relationships, the keywords of â€Å"similarity† and â€Å"marital satisfaction† are used. There are 240 results in this preliminary searches, including 152 scholarly journals, 77 dissertations or thesis and 11 book. To further refine the search, one more keyword â€Å"socioeconomic† is added to explore specific if the similarity in socioeconomic status predicts marital satisfaction. Afterwards, 6 results are left. Related Empirical Journal Article Found Among the 6 results, an article titled â€Å"Does Similarity Breed Marital and Sexual Satisfaction† published in the Journal of Sex Research is selected (Zhang, Ho Yip, 2012). In this study, the researchers want to know if the similarity in couples is associated with marital satisfaction and sexual satisfaction. To take one step further, they also try to find out similarity in which aspects correlated stronger with marital satisfaction and sexual satisfaction than other aspects. This study makes use of the data from Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice survey in 2002. It is the longest running survey of family planning in Hong Kong. 1,083 couples are chosen randomly from groups stratified by their living districts. They were invited to an individual interview answering a number of questions. Information is collected on their marital satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, socioeconomic background, religion, age, educational attainment, employment, and birthplace. For each aspect, the researchers group the respondents according their similarity. For example, they divide the respondents into three education homogamy groups, namely husbands with higher education level, wives with higher education level and couples with the same education level. Then, for each group, the researchers further divide the respondents into martially satisfied or dissatisfied groups according to their scores of marital satisfaction. Finally, the researchers calculate the correlation between different groups and their marital satisfaction using chi-square tests. If significant correlation is found, it may suggest that similarity in certain aspect is associated with the marital and sexual satisfaction. In fact, this study finds out that education homogamy is a significant factor related to marital satisfaction especially the wives’ marital satisfaction. There are other influencing factors like employment homogamy, while some of them are not influencing like religious homogamy and birthplace homogamy. Application to the issue The news article says that â€Å"similarly educated couples last†. First of all, let’s look at what makes a marriage last before discussing why similarly educated couples last. In social psychology, there are sufficient evidences that marital satisfaction predicts divorce (Hirschberger et al., 2009). Marital satisfaction is defined as the global evaluation of the marital relationship, which depicts a general picture of the relationship (Glenn, 1990). Generally speaking, the more the couples are satisfied with their relationships, the less likely they will divorce. In layman terms, happy marriages last. If happy marriages last, is similarity related to marital satisfaction? There are evidences that couples with different age, religion, education or cultural have more conflicts than the counterpart (Cao, Fragmiere, Gauthier, Sapin Widmer, 2010). To be more specific, does similarity in educational attainment associate with marital satisfaction? In fact, the empirical journal article we found do suggest that education homogamy is correlated with marital satisfaction (Zhang, Ho Yip, 2012). This may illustrate why marriages of similarly educated couples last. To look at the reason behind, social psychologists suggest that similarity in attraction is enhanced by the positive feeling resulted from consensual validation (Byrne, 1971). Similar people usually share the same values and attitudes and they socially validated each other. We may guest that similarity in education predict similarity in other aspects, because education is correlated with socioeconomic status like occupation, lifestyles, and abilities (Zhang, Ho Yip, 2012). Therefore, more consensual validation may be found in education homogamy couples. As a result, the satisfaction resulted from social validation may influence the stability of their marriage. Conclusion In a nutshell, we read a news article from The Independent says â€Å"similarly educated couples last†. We first ask why similarly educated couples get together. Social psychology concepts show that people are attracted by similarity of others. We also find the first empirical journal article supporting that similarity in educational background is desirable in marriages (Watson et al., 2004). Then, we ask why similarly educated marriages last. A second empirical journal article shows that similarity in educational background is related to higher marital satisfaction (Zhang, Ho Yip, 2012). And marital satisfaction is associated with divorce (Hirschberger et al., 2009). These all together illustrated the issue that marriage between a similarly educated couple is less likely to divorce. References Bouchard, T. J. Jr., Loehlin, J. C. (2001). Genes, evolution, and personality. Behavior Genetics, 31, 243–273. Buss, D. M. (1984). Marital assortment for personality dispositions: Assessment with three different data sources. Behavior Genetics, 14, 111–123. Byrne, D. E. 1971. The Attraction Paradigm. New York: Academic Press. Cao, N. V., Fragmiere, E., Gauthier, J. A., Sapin, M., Widmer, E. D. (2010). Optimizing the marriage market: An application of the linear assignment model. European Journal of Operational Research, 202, 547–553. Glenn, N. D. (1990). Quantitative research on marital quality in the 1980s: A critical review. Journal of Marriage the Family, 52, 818–831. Hirschberger G., Srivastava S., Marsh P., Cowan C. P., Cowan P. A. (2009). Attachment, Marital Satisfaction, and Divorce During the First Fifteen Years of Parenthood. Personal Relationships, 16, 3, 401–420. Lusher, A. (2014, July 27). Gentlemen prefer brains: similarly educated couples last. The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ science/gentlemen-prefer-brains-similarly-educated-couples-last-9631871.html Mathews, C. A., Reus, V. I. (2001). Assortative mating in the affective disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 42, 257–262. Schwartz, R. Han, H. (2014). The Reversal of the Gender Gap in Education and Trends in Marital Dissolution. American Sociological Review, 79(4), 605-629. Watson D., Klohnen E. C., Casillas A., Simms E.N., Haig J., Berry D.S. (2004). Match makers and deal breakers: analyses of assortative mating in newlywed couples. Journal of Personality, 72, 5, 1029-1068. Zhang H., Ho S. Y., Yip S. F. (2012). Does Similarity Breed Marital and Sexual Satisfaction? Journal of Sex Research, 49, 6, 583-593.

Spartan and Persian Ideology Essay -- Ancient History

Good afternoon, I’ve been asked to speak with you about the historical accuracy of recent popular culture incarnations of both Spartan and Persian ideology and in particular I’ve chosen to evaluate Zack Snyder’s 2007, movie 300 in order to demonstrate to you it’s compatibility between ancient sourced depictions of both Spartan and Persian philosophy. From this evaluation and historical representations given by philosophers and historians during approximately the same era that is represented within 300. It is argued that the popular culture incarnations of Sparta as the ‘Noble, selfless fighters with a warrior mentality’ and the Persians as the ‘Evil, tyrannical, overindulgent, oppressors’ were not entirely historically accurate. As with most historical re-enactments, 300 places significant exaggeration on each civilizations central city-state ideologies and this is reflected in each scene by the actions of the individuals throughout Zack Snyder’s film. The representation of the Spartan warrior mentality through scenes depicting young Spartan children throughout their childhood participating in multiple life threatening challenges; are seemingly accurate as the primary purpose of Spartan schooling was to produce perfect soldiers, through strictly disciplined military training that began for all boys at the age of 7 as they left home to join the agoge. The agoge was set up in order to weaken family ties and create personal identity. These children were usually allotted no shoes, little clothing and educated through a vigorous training schedule of boxing, wrestling, javelin and discus throwing. They suffered through harsh conditions and were taught to take satisfaction in enduring pain and hardship, as w ell as to value strengt... ...ender them more dexterous in securing provisions, and better qualified for warfare. ...I must also say something of the boys as objects of affection, for this likewise has some reference to education.... Lycurgus thought proper, if any man (being himself such as he ought to be) admired the disposition of a youth, and made it his purpose to render him a faultless friend, and to enjoy his company, to bestow praise on the boy; and he regarded this as the most excellent kind of education... An honourable death is preferable to a dishonourable life.... At Lacedaemon everyone would be ashamed to allow a coward into the same tent as himself, or allow him to be his opponent in a match at wrestling...." John Paul Adams, CSUN, January 26, 2010, 1:47pm. Xenophon on the Spartans, Lycurgus viewed 29th, February, 2012. Sourced from http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/sparta-a.html.

Prostitution in the 19th and 20th Centuries Essay -- Prostitute Prosti

During the late 19th- and early 20th century, the nature of society forced the working class women of America to take advantage of any means to support themselves, including prostitution. Each woman had to decide herself which work option best supported her financially. During this time, women had limited options as far as work was concerned. As time went on, more and more women were forced to work, because they had no husband and no other means of building up a dowry for a husband. By 1910 the wage labor force was made up of about 20% of women as young as fourteen. The wages these women earned were unbelievably low, and at times as much as 80% lower than the wages men earned. Possible job opportunities for the women included options such as a textile factory, which consisted of clothing and fabric production. In these factories, the women ran high risks to their health. More wealthy people would hire these women for domestic services such as nannies, or house servants. These jobs sometimes required the woman to live at that residence, and the women ran the constant risk of being molested by a higher-class ranking individual. Department stores were also willing to hire women. However, the set-back to this type of work was that the women we re sometimes expected to purchase expensive dress up clothing that most of the time they couldn’t afford. The women were advised to â€Å"round out their meager salaries by finding a ‘†gentleman friend†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ to purchase clothing and pleasures†(Peiss, 79). Prostitution was a reliable work engagement that many women participated in. Why did the women feel this was their best option? Several critical, attractive benefits that only prostitution offered contributed to women’s’ choice of ... ...dle-class reform women could have reversed their movements from the women, and turned them toward the men who were putting the prostitutes in business. Those prostitutes could not have been prostitutes if it were not for the eager men paying them for it. However, perhaps a reason this was not done was because the reform women did not have the means to do something as drastic as this because they were, after all, women in a time of man control. Women did not have the same leisurely rights to do as they pleased that men had. I feel that both the reform women and the working-class prostitutes had reasonable bounds for what they fought for. I think that if women had had the rights that men did, prostitution may never have existed. Therefore, personally I blame the men for neglecting women rights, and forcing them to find other, less moral ways to support themselves.

The Images and Imagery of Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth essay

The Imagery of Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Who can contest the statement that William Shakespeare in the tragedy Macbeth very skillfully uses imagery to strengthen the theme and other aspects of the play? In this paper we explore the imagery in all its dimensions.    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" explains the supporting role which imagery plays in Macbeth's descent into darkness:    To listen to the witches, it is suggested, is like eating "the insane root, That takes the reason prisoner" (I.iii.84-5); for Macbeth, in the moment of temptation, "function," or intellectual activity, is "smother'd in surmise"; and everywhere the imagery of darkness suggests not only the absence or withdrawal of light but - "light thickens" - the presence of something positively oppressive and impeding.   (101)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows how the playwright uses imagery to reinforce the theme:    This theme is at its clearest where we are most in sympathy with the nemesis. Thus at the end of Macbeth, after the proclamation "the time is free," and of promises to make reparations of Macbeth's tyranny "Which would be planted newly with the time," there will be a renewal not only of time but of the whole rhythm of nature symbolized by the word "measure," which includes both the music of the spheres and the dispensing of human justice [. . .]. (94-95)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson interprets the imagery of Macbeth:    Macbeth is a play in which the poetic atmosphere is very important; so important, indeed, that some recent commentators give the impression that this atmosphere, as created by the imagery of the play, is its determini... ...: Barnes and Noble, 1970.    Frye, Northrop. Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1967.    Kermode, Frank. "Macbeth." The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1972.    Knights, L.C. "Macbeth." Shakespeare: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. http://chemicool.com/Shakespeare/macbeth/full.html, no lin.    Warren, Roger. Shakespeare Survey 30.   N.p.: n.p., 1977. Pp. 177-78. Rpt. in Shakespeare in the Theatre: An Anthology of Criticism. Stanley Wells, ed. England: Oxford University Press, 2000.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

Albert Camus Essay

This is the commentary on the book â€Å"The Outsider† written by Albert Camus. I decided to set up my commentary writing about: characters, theme, style, time & place and symbolism. The Outsider is a story about a man called Monsieur Meursault, who lives his life in total simplicity and simple enjoyment, but whom society eventually roots out, humiliates and crushes. He lives for the truth. The novel is divided into two parts. In part one his mother dies and he has to go to the funeral. He does not about his mother, so he does not mourn his mother at all. Next day he meets a woman called Marie, with whom he used to work with and they start dating. Meursault invites her out, they go to the cinema and afterwards they sleep together. Later Meursault helps his neighbour Raymond to write a letter to his girlfriend, which leads to the culmination of the book. Raymond and Meursault are now friends and they go to a party where they meet Raymond’s girlfriend’s brother and the Arab, a fight breaks out and the brother attacks Raymond. Meursault goes back to the beach and kills the Arab. Part two is about his trial for murder. The prosecutor is very cruel and Meursault is to be guillotined. At the end he argues with prison chaplain about God and religion. Finally, Meursault finds peace and he thinks perhaps after death his existence may be less absurd; he may be more closely aligned with the universe. He accepts his destiny with clear understanding. In the book â€Å"Outsider† there are three major characters and three minor characters I am going to write about. Characters in Camus novels and plays are keenly aware of the meaninglessness of the human condition, assert their humanity by rebelling against their circumstances. Monsieur Meursault is the central character in the novel. He is emotionless and a careless person; society sees him as an outsider or even a monster. Even though he is honest and as a character he is both disturbing and fascinating. He only seems to care for the most fleeting of sensations and gives no thought to future consequences, for example killing the Arab. For him the events that are important for most people do not mean anything, like the fact that his mother is dead, that Marie loves him and wants to get married. He simply does not care about that. Meursault is amoral; he cannot make difference between good and bad. Raymond asked him to write the letter for his girlfriend, which Meursault does without realising the consequences. Meursault’s indifference seems to apply solely to his understanding of himself. At the end of the novel he realizes that the universe is like him, totally different to human life and that people’s life do not have any meaning or importance, so at the end he is completed as a character. Raymond Sintes is a friend and a neighbour of Meursault. Raymond is a bit like Meursault, he is lonely, he keeps away from other people and he is a cold person. Raymond definitely dislikes women. If Meursault is just different and annoyed with himself, then Raymond on the other hand is a cruel and a violent person, and he knows how to use other people, as he uses Meursault. For example, he has problems with his ex-girlfriend, he beats and abuses her. He says to Meursault that he needs to punish her, which actually leads to conflict with the Arab. Raymond initiates action. Although he only seems to use Meursault, he actually testifies for him and feels a bit responsible. Marie Cardona is the girl who loves Meursault and he likes her as well, but he does not love her. Marie seems to be good-hearted, she accepts everything that Meursault does, including his behaviour and careless. Marie is cheerful, honest and loyal to Meursault. Marie loves Meursault a lot and wants to marry him; she says that she probably loves him because he is so peculiar. Marie also delights in physical contact; they do not kiss in public places. Marie’s physical affection for Meursault signals a deeper sentimental and emotional attachment. Marie acts in a strange way, because Meursault does not care about her at all, but Marie just forgets that and loves him still, and she stays loyal to him even when he is in the prison, she goes to see him. Probably, she enjoys the freedom, because Meursault does not take any interest in her life when they are not together. Marie never grasps the indifference of the universe and she never comes to understand the redemptive value of abandoning hope. Salamano is Meursault’s neighbour. An older man living with his dog (spaniel). He seems to be a very lonely and depressive person and he is filled with anger that he expresses by beating his dog. Meursault does not know him very well, but he always hears Salamano fighting with his dog. Once Meursault hears him crying and he goes to see what has happened, Salamano tells him that his dog is missing and he is really upset. From that, you can see that even if he was beating his dog, he actually loved it very much and the spaniel was the only friend he ever had. Salamano testifies for Meursault in the trial. The Arab is the friend of Raymond’s ex-girlfriend’s brother and he actually plays only a small role in the novel, which is important. You can see that The Arab is a person who wants revenge and he and Raymond’s ex-girlfriends brother are the ones who follow Meursault and Raymond to the beach and start the fight. Meursault is quite cruel to him, after he falls down, Meursault shoots him four times. Maman is not a living character, but is still important. Meursault has a very cold relationship with her; he sent her a home, where she lived out her remaining days. The fact that she is dead, and how Meursault acted in the funeral causes much trouble for him even later. His mother sets in motion society’s negative image of his personality. The novel â€Å"Outsider† was established in 1940’s after the Second World War in France. There is very big effect of the war on people’s religious beliefs. The meaninglessness of human life is one of the major components of Camus’ absurdist philosophy. He finds that human life has no redeeming purpose and the only thing that makes sense is death. In the novel you can see that Meursault finds his peace at the end. He understands that it does not matter whether he dies by execution or normal death. Meursault realizes that he is so different from the universe and the universe is indifferent to him. Like everyone else on this earth, Meursault was born, he will die, and he will not have any further importance to the universe. The importance of the physical world. Meursault is more interested in the physical aspects of the world around him rather than in its social or emotional aspects. In the â€Å"Outsider†, Meursault’s attention centres on his own body, physical contact with Marie, on the weather and on the nature. For example at his mother’s funeral the heat causes much more trouble to him, than the fact that his mother is dead. He also suffers on the beach, because of the sun. Which represents the obsessive effect of society. The story is written in the first person, in the kind of spare, economic style. The flat, impersonal style is perfectly matched to the subject matter. Sentences to not follow upon each other in a logical train, they succeed each other, almost without apparent connection. Camus tries to avoid causal conjunctions, but the ones Meursault uses are â€Å"and† and â€Å"then†, word which do not show motivation. At the end of the book, the language changes a bit. From being very passive it suddenly becomes an obsessive and legal language. The last two paragraphs are the culminating ones, blissful expression of passionate love of life. The sun is one of the symbols in the novel. The sun is usually associated with positive and good things, like societies generally, however they both can become overpowering. They beat down on people, smothering them just like the sun beats down upon Meursault. The sun is presented whenever the force of society is strong within Meursault. There is sun during the funeral, in the court hall, which claims to possess the right to judge people, and on the beach when he kills the Arab. But there is no sun in the cell, because the overpowering force society has been removed. The crucifix symbolizes Christianity, which stands as antagonism to Camus absurdist worldview. Christianity conceived a rational order for the universe based on god’s creation and direction of the world. The chaplain’s insistence that Meursault turn to god does not represent a wish that he should accept particularly Christian beliefs so much as a desire that he holds the principle of a important universe in general. When Meursault defies the magistrate by rejecting Christianity, he totally discards all systems that seek to define a realistic order within human existence.

Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange

The essential conflict in Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange exists between the individual and the social order. Philip E. Ray, cites early critics of A Clockwork Orange such as A.A. DeVitis, Carol M. Dix, and Robert K. Morris who suggest that â€Å"the theme of the novel is the conflict between the natural and untainted Individual and the artificial and corrupt State† (479).More importantly, A Clockwork Orange seems to address the individual's ability to express his or her free will within the context of the collective society, and, particularly, poses the interesting question of whether the individual's primary expression of free will is through acts of violence. Through the depiction of a dystopian future, the novel interrogates the interrelationships and conflicts among the individual, society, violence, and free will, thus requiring the reader to do the same.The novel opens with Alex, the narrator and main character, sitting at a bar with his gang of droogs posing the q uestion, â€Å"What's it going to be then, eh?† (Burgess 1). Alex poses this question eleven times throughout the novel. In fact, the novel is book-ended by this question, as it is the first line of the first chapter and the first line of the last.This question seems to present the reader with a declaration of free will. Essentially, Alex seems to be announcing his ability to choose any action he wishes. According to Veronica Hollinger, â€Å"the question itself implies the power of the individual to make choices† (Hollinger 86). The power to choose is the power of free will, and for Alex, choice and free will must be expressed through violence. Even Burgess writes of â€Å"a free and violent will† (Burgess xii) in his introduction to A Clockwork Orange.The first act of violence perpetrated by Alex occurs within the first chapter when the narrator and his group of â€Å"droogs† attack a man in the streets. They proceed to beat the man and destroy his prop erty. The group of youths revels in their violent outburst against the social machine, which is embodied for them in this adult. Within the first thirty pages, Alex and his gang are responsible for four different instances of extreme violence, while the powers-that-be only make a brief appearance and are easily outwitted.The futuristic society of A Clockwork Orange is an extension of our society of commoditization. From clothing to drugs, every possible outlet for the expression of individual free will has been turned into a commodity of the society. The youth seems to be left without any possible expression of individualistic will. Alex seems to see violence as the last non-commercialized expression of individualistic free will available to him; thus, it appears the individual must be in violent conflict with the social order in order to express free will.After the initial scenes of what Alex refers to as â€Å"ultra-violence,† the novel proceeds towards a series of collisio ns between the two main players of the novel: Alex and his society. The social order, embodied in several select social institutions, uses a variety of methods to control Alex's violence in order to maintain its own stability.Alex is eventually captured after he invades the home of a young woman and beats her to death, and the social order, in the form of governmentally funded scientists, begins the process of reforming Alex. The scientists remove Alex from prison and attempt to inhibit his ability to act violently through a chemically induced Pavlovian conditioning designed to make him sick at the very thought of violence. After the experiment is concluded, Alex is completely reformed and cannot stand to enact violence or be witness to violence.When Alex loses his ability to choose violence, he also seems to lose any expression of will. The relationship between free will and violence is expressed through the musings of the prison chaplain who eventually poses the question, â€Å"I s a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed on him?† (Burgess 106).Essentially, the chaplain worries that Alex cannot be truly human and good if he cannot make a choice to be, or not be, violent. After Alex is conditioned and his violent free will is removed, he undergoes a series of hardships, ending in his near suicide.From the moment Alex loses his violent will, the reader must watch him undergo torments in the form of rejection by his parents, beatings by his previous friends, and torture at the hands of a radical anti-government writer.   Further, Alex is pushed around from place to place and seems to have no will of his own. The loss of a violent will seems to be the loss of free will and individuality.Violence in A Clockwork Orange appears to function as synecdoche for all individual expression. If the only way for Alex to express himself effectively is to engage in violent acts, then the violence-less Alex is a tragic cr eature because he lacks any expression at all. The destruction of violence by society is the destruction of the individual and expressions of free will.Despite the evidence that violence is only an expression of the individual and free will, the text is also full of examples that point towards violence as a mechanism of society. In fact, the society seems to need violence just as much as Alex, as a representation of the individual, does. Violence is exhibited as a tool of the social order in several key scenes—notably a police brutality scene after Alex is released from prison and the novel's original, final chapter.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills Essay

Communication -the transfer of a message (information, idea, emotion, intent, feeling, or something else) that is both received and understood. Communication Levels 1. One-on-one level – this is you and your fellow colleagues or you and your manager and/or supervisor. 2. Team-or-unit level – level that is limited to the group and its members. 3. Company-level – larger than team level, communications with the different teams within the company or organization. 4. Community-level – how the company communicate to the different sectors of the community or society see more:explain how different forms of dementia may affect the way an individual communicates Inhibitors of Communication Kill the Messenger† Syndrome – we do not take this literally. This syndrome is our natural way of not listening to people we do not like. When we do not like the person talking, we do not listen to what he/she is trying to say because we are already assuming that everything that is coming out of their lips are not good Difference in Meaning – as seen in our activity earlier. The leader tries to explain the picture but some of us have a different perception. Maybe the misuse of words to explain is the root cause of this inhibitor Lack of trust – a symptom of the â€Å"Kill the Messenger† syndrome. Again, if you do not like and trust the person talking, you totally disregard the message the speaker is trying to convey. Information overload – sometimes called communication overload. People have a limit as to how much information one can take in a day. Notice when a person rests their forehead with their palm or fist. That is a sign that the brain needs rest in absorbing information. Yawning is another sign that the person is not yet ready to receive information and experiencing an overload. When this happens, just pause for a few second and let the listener recover for a bit then resume talking. Interference – interference may happen at any time. Whether it is through a person or an event like ringing of the mobile phone or a blast of the ambulance siren, these sudden noises can interfere the bridging of information from sender to receiver. Condescending tone – condescending from the word condescension which is synonymous to arrogance. A communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient. Patronize meaning to talk down to. In Filipino, being â€Å"mata-pobre†. Poor listening skills – there are people who have not honed their skills in listening. All they want is talk, talk and talk some more. If everybody talks, nothing is understood. To prove my point, try to situate yourself in the middle of a busy public market and try to understand every word that each person says. Listening is an essential skill in communication. Without it, we cannot bridge out the ideas that is inside our heard. Premature judgments – this happens when we heard something bad that happened to the ones we love. A perfect example, your best-friend said that he saw your girlfriend with a guy. Before your best-friend can finish his story, you bolted out and quarrelled with your girlfriend. If only you listened to the continuation of the story, which is that the man that your girlfriend was seen with is actually her father. How embarrassing it would be, right? That is an example of a premature judgment, which leads us to the last inhibitor of communication, assumptions. Inaccurate assumptions – people love to assume things. We assume things in almost everything. Inaccurate assumptions can lead to mistakes to disastrous situations. For example, if people would assume a person immediately as a criminal just because of their looks, now that would be wrong. Remember, communications is not limited to the use of spoken words, as we will be discussing that further down the road. Assumptions are good, but remember to keep it to yourself until the assumption is accurate and proven. Listening– one of the most important communication skills Hearing- is a natural process, but listening is not. Good listening– means receiving the message, correctly decoding it, and accurate perceiving what it means Empathic listening– listening with the intent to understand Inhibitors of Effective Listening 1. Lack of concentration – this is because we do not pay attention or really not interested in listening at all. 2. Interruptions – sudden occurrence that brings our mind to focus on something else. 3. Preconceived ideas – even before the actual listening happens, our minds have a solid picture of the person who will be talking to us thus giving us the impression of not wanting to listen. 4. Thinking ahead – like preconceived ideas, our mind in preoccupied with something else, that’s why we are not listening effectively. 5. Interference – like interruptions, people or events that suddenly interrupt our listening. 6. Tuning out – not wanting to listen at all or sometimes because of communication overload that our mind shuts down momentarily to rest, thus tuning out. Listening Responsively 1. Active – Always show interest to the person talking to you. Being active gives you a good reception on what the sender is trying to say. 2. Alert – this goes hand in hand with being active. Being alert also gives you a good reception to the message the sender is giving. 3. Vigilant – Synonymous of being alert. Pay full attention to the speaker to grasp the message he/she is trying to convey. 4. Sensitive – being sensitive shows a sign of interest to the person talking. Sensing that the place have so many interferences, you can say to the speaker to go somewhere else so that you can understand what he/she is trying to say. 5. Creative – creative in a sense that you ask questions about the message the speaker has given. Asking questions is a good sign that the listener received the message properly. Improving listening skills -Upgrade your desire to listen -Ask the right questions -Judge what is really being said -Eliminate listening errors Non Verbal Communication Factors 1. Body Factors – these are our gestures and facial gestures. Whether we are the sender or receiver, we subconsciously act out our thoughts. Good readers of non-verbal cues can understand that as if you are an open book. 2. Voice Factors – these pertain to the pitch, intonation, and speed of our voice. Simple cough to interrupt the speaker means a lot of things, depending on how it was sent or received. 3. Proximity Factors – this pertains to the place or space of the listener to the speaker and vice-versa (ex. the farther we are to the speaker means that we are not interested in listening to the person talking) Communicating Verbally Show interest Be friendly Be flexible Be tactful Be courteous Asking Questions Effectively 1. Phrase questions carefully – choice of words are important, we should be sensitive as to not offend the speaker by questioning him/her inappropriately. 2. Use open-ended questions – these are questions that can give the speaker a chance to respond to further clarify the inquiry given. 3. Acknowledge emotions – be sensitive on the underlying emotions. Read the non-verbal cues of the speaker and from there you know how to handle the situation. 4. State your purpose – it is a sign of giving due respect to the speaker of stating the purpose of your question. In that way, both the speaker and the listener know that they are both on the same page on the topic. 5. Drop your defences – be objective in giving and answering questions. After all, the purpose of question and answer is to clarify things and needs further explanation. Being defensive will only inhibit the flow of communication Communicating in Writing Strategies for improved written communication 1. Plan before you write – just like in speaking, be sensitive on the reader of your written correspondence. Choose your words carefully before writing them down. 2. Be brief and direct – since the message is done in writing, might as well give your message brief. This can help the reader to understand your message and not experience eye-strain in reading a bunch of words that mean to tell him that he needs to brush his teeth in the morning for example. 3. Be accurate – go straight to the point on the message of the letter you are righting. 4. Practice self-editing – after writing, read your message as if you are the receiver. Feel the content and understand every word. Try to edit parts that you feel or notice that the reader will misinterpret what you are trying to say. Writing better reports Define the problem Develop a work plan Gather relevant data Process findings Develop conclusions Make recommendations Communicating Corrective Feedback Be positive – this is for both the manager and the employee in question. Remember to give due respect to everyone, whether you are the listener or the speaker. Watch your non-verbal communication and try to show to the one you face that you respect him/her as a person and ready to discuss anything with him/her. Remember that you subject yourself into this because it is for the better. Be prepared – think back of the reason why this activity is happening. Try to clear your head with negative thoughts as it will not help you not only in recalling past events, but also finding solutions to the  problem. Be realistic – when giving corrective feedback, look for solutions that are doable. In addition, try to focus on the subject at hand and base all of the topics on facts not hearsay or speculations. Don’t be completely negative – the negative form of corrective feedback is being reprimanded. But on the other hand, you can look at it as a form of an adv ice coming from top management to make you do better with work. So do not be negative. And if you are the one who will be doing the reprimanding, remember the â€Å"kiss and kick† principle, start with something positive then inject the negative. (i.e. â€Å"You know I like as to how you come in to work early but if only you could lessen the internet usage for surfing personal stuff, you could help the company a lot.†) Improving Communication Skills Keep up to date – this does not mean that you have to read a lot of magazines so that you can talk about what are the latest happenings in society, although it can help keep the interaction interesting. But other than that, keeping up to date means you talk and interact with your peers and superiors about what is happening inside the workplace. Keep yourself inside the loop so that you will not be left behind. Prioritize & determine time constraints – talks are good but do it efficiently. One can talk but make sure that you know what to talk and for how long you will be talking. It is not nice for someone to keep on talking and talking that you do not give the listener an opportunity to react. Time your talk and balance out the topics to keep the interaction going. Decide who to inform – if you know something sensitive, it would be wise to think first as to whom you will share the sensitive information with. Inappropriate sharing of information can lead to grapevine or worse can sue you for libel. Our word is our bond so be careful. Determine how to communicate – would it be proper to say it in front of his face or write it down in a memo? Just remember, saying it makes the receiver feel informal while putting it down on a piece of paper makes it more stern and formal. Analyze the message you want to convey and then choose the method of delivery. Communicate & follow-up – once you opened your communication line about a topic, keep it open. Learn to follow- up if there are updates that  you should know about. Always keep yourself in the loop. Check understanding & obtain feedback – doing follow-up makes you certain the level of understanding the listener has about the message you convey. Do not hesitate to ask if th ey understood what you mean and ask them for feedback. In feedback, you can gauge on how effective you conveyed the message and see what areas you can improve so that you can give clearer message delivery. There are three ways to convey our message across, they are: 1. Written – again, we said that this is the formal way of sending your message across. Written messages can hold you responsible and accountable on every word written. 2. Verbal – the most common method of sending the message across. It is informal and sometimes forgettable. So if you wish to send something important across using this method, make sure to ask the person if he/she understood what you are trying to say. Follow-up from time to time if the listener did understand the message you have sent across. 3. Electronic (E-mail) – emails these days have two forms, the written which we call email and voice which we call voicemail. This is the modern form of message carriers; it is fast, convenient and can be stored easily. Like the written message, you have to be careful on what you put there because each message is a file and these files can be stored and opened again if needed. Developing Interpersonal Skills Recognition of the need Careful selection Training Measurement and reward Promoting Responsiveness among Employees Value people Give people what you want to get back Make cooperation a habit Personality & Communication Personality used to describe a relatively stable pattern of behaviour, though, emotions, motives & outlook distinctive to a given individual & that characterize that individual throughout life Group of characteristics according to psychologists 1. Introversion Vs. Extroversion – are you a homebody or someone who likes to go out and have an adventure? 2. Neuroticism Vs. Emotional Stability – do you experience thinking negatively to others or you still have a clear conscience? 3. Agreeable Vs. Stubborn – do you always â€Å"go with the flow† or someone that â€Å"blocks the flow†? 4. Conscientious Vs. Undependable – do you always look into detail or are you just â€Å"happy-go-lucky†? 5. Open To Experience Vs. Prefers The Familiar – are you unafraid to try out new things or contented to the status quo? Overview of Team Building and Teamwork Team- A team is a group of people with a common, collective goal. Primary reasons for advocating teamwork are: †¢ Two or more heads are better than one. †¢ People in teams get to know each other better, build trust & as a result help each other. †¢ Teamwork promotes better communication. Rationale for Teams A group of people becomes a team when the following conditions exist: †¢ Agreement exists as to the team’s mission †¢ Members adhere to the team ground rules †¢ Fair distribution of responsibility & authority exists. There are three types of teams in the work place, they are: Department Improvement Team – their focus is improving work in the department. H. James Harrington and Kenneth Lomax have stated the importance of this type of team in their bookâ€Å"Performance Improvement Methods†. They  write, â€Å"Department Improvement Teams or DIT is one of the most valuable teams in the entire process. The team is made up of employees in a particular department reporting to the same manager. They focus on problems that they know about, has resources to use, and is empowered to solve with little or no outside approvals†¦ Since this team is looking at issues that affect its own efficiency and effectiveness, there are huge opportunities for saving organization resources.† Process Improvement Team – Harrington and Lomax has a description of this team. They write, â€Å"Another very valuable team in any organization is this team†¦ since they focus on a particular process, they are also called cross-functional teams.† Directly handled by management, its members consists of individuals who are deeply involved in that particular process. They will identify process issues that can be corrected through the use of a task team. Organizations will prioritize the critical business process and assign PITs to redesign and reengineer one to three processes at a time. In these cases that the PIT members will work on it between 50% – 100% of their time for three to six months. And just like the Department Improvement Team, thePITs has great opportunities to reduce internal cost by making process more efficient, more effective, and more adaptable. Task force-a task force is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Members are based on experience and participation is mandatory. They are directed by management and it is also in the discretion of management on the task that they will be working on. Task mforces are formed to provide solutions as soon as possible so the urgency is very high and directly affect the entire organization. The process facilitator is optional and team leadership shall be appointed by management. Task forces are also called â€Å"ad-hoc committees† Being in a group, members should learn how to work together. Factors that influences teamwork are: Personal identity of team members Relationships among team members Identity within the organization To become a member of a team, one must: Gain entry Be clear on the team’s mission Be well prepared and participate Stay in touch Now, how can one be a leader of the team? He/she should be: Team Building and Teamwork Be clear on the team’s mission Identify success criteria Be action centered Establish the ground rules Share information Cultivate team unity And finally, the following characteristics should be present in order to exude team excellence and performance: Interdependence Stretching tasks Alignment Common language Trust/Respect Shared leadership/ followership Problem-solving skills Confrontation/ Conflict-handling skills Assessment/Action, celebration Building Teams and Making Them Work Following are the factors that influence team building & should be taken care of: Makeup & Size of Teams Choosing Team Members Responsibilities of Team Leaders Other Team Members Creating Teams Mission Statement Developing Collegial Relationships Promoting Diversity in Teams Four Step Approach in Team Building Assessing Team Needs – talk, communicate, and interact with fellow members. At this point there should not be roles played like leader and follower. Everybody is equal, therefore can equally express freely what the needs of the team are. In that way, people can identify what is essential and work on it in the process. Planning Team-Building Activities – once the needs are identified, the team should use it as basis for the activities. The activities should address a particular need, not one activity that can answer all of them. Executing Team-Building Activities – execution is key. The team should do the activities properly in order to address the need identified. Evaluating Team-Building Activities – not all activities go on smoothly. If it does, the team should not stop there. Meet and analyze the events that happened. The team can do a SWOT analysis to evaluate the activity and use the results on assessing a new set of team’s needs and do the same process all over again. Character Traits and Teamwork Following are few character traits required for Teamwork: Honesty Selflessness Dependability Enthusiasm Responsibility Cooperativeness Initiative Patience Resourcefulness Punctuality Perseverance Teams are not Bossed – They are Coached Bosses approach the job from â€Å"I’m in charge – do as you are told perspective†. facilitators of team development and continually improved performance. Following are a few characteristics of a Coach: Clearly Defined Character Team Development/Team Building Mentoring Mutual respect Human Diversity Handling Conflict in Teams Resolution Strategies for Team Conflicts: Plan & Work to establish a balanced culture Establish clear criteria Don’t allow individuals to build personal empires Encourage & Recognize risk-taking behavior Value constructive dissent Assign people of widely differing perspectives Reward and recognize both dissent & teamwork Structural Inhibitors of Teamwork Compensation and Recognition – let’s start from the most obvious. People will not lead if they will not be paid handsomely and recognized for the work. Let’s admit, it is human nature, no one will work for free.Even volunteers have their own intentions, not really working freely just for the heck of it. Planning and Control – Rank and file employees do not like additional work, work that they won’t get paid. Middle management on the other hand does not wish to work because of the length of time consumed plus the paper works. Again, people will do it, wherever he/she is in the organizational ladder, for compensation and recognition. Unit Structure – this is all about how the organization looks like. A rank- and-file cannot lead a team same as an executive becoming a memberof a team led by a rank-and-file. Unit Goals –  conflict of interest is sometimes a big hindrance for a team to move forward. Members that have a hidden agenda that sometimes conflicts with what is supposed to do can stumble or even halt the entire team’s operation. Accountability & Responsibility – I put them on top of the ladder because they are the toughest and at the same time most critical value a team must have. It is human nature that when something fails, we point fingers and not accept part or even full responsibility of the actions. Remember, a team should work as one, and working as one, the members should contribute. If members are weak in this area, the team will stumble and not reach their goal. Rewarding Team and Individual Performance The second figure shows the model for developing a team and individual compensation system. The steps are as follows: Step 1: Decide what performance to measure Step 2: Determine how to measure the performance Step 3: Identify the rewards to be offered Step 4: Integrate related process