A Thousand Acres By William Shakespeare - 2620 Words

Shakespeare have influenced many generations of writers since his demise and he continues to have a massive impact on modern-day plays, movies, and poems. Whether it be a title of a book or lines of the protagonist, Shakespeare’s presence can be felt in every genre of writing. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley is also one such piece of writing. This novel came out in 1991 and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Based on Shakespeare’s King Lear, this novel is set on a thousand acre farm in Iowa owned by a father with three daughters. The narration is done by Ginny, the eldest daughter. There are many similarities between the character development of King Lear and A Thousand Acres, along with the plot. Throughout this paper we’ll be exploring the similarities and differences between these works which belong to entirely different eras (King Lear from Shakespearian times and A Thousand Acres from late 20th century). Apart from the principle texts, we have used several articles published in various magazines and journals as well as available online. The analyses of these literary work as depicted in these articles helped us to develop a better understanding of the topic. King Lear The story starts in old Britain, where the aging King Lear is deciding to give up his power and divide his realm between his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. Lear plans to give the largest portion of his kingdom to the child who admits to love him the most. Goneril and Regan,Show MoreRelatedA Thousand Acres By William Shakespeare1726 Words   |  7 PagesLake Crawford Crawford-Parker Engl 105 3 November 2014 A Thousand Acres A Thousand Acres is a brilliant novel that puts a modern twist on Shakespeare’s King Lear. Jane Smiley spends a great amount of time describing the modern labels that society places on the different genders. Females are described as inferior to men; they spend their days cooking, cleaning, and trying to remain anonymous. The men in the story are portrayed as the patriarchal figures; they rule over their family with an iron fistRead More Comapring Father/Daughter Relationships in King Lear and A Thousand Acres1129 Words   |  5 PagesFather/Daughter Relationships in King Lear and A Thousand Acres   Ã‚  Ã‚   The bond between a father and a daughter stands as one of the strongest emotional bonds present within many families. From the moment their little girls emerge from the womb to the moment their young women marry, the father reigns as the head of the household, the controller, and the protector. Though this rings true for many families, sometimes Daddys little girls make all the rules. They possess the ability to acquire whatRead MoreSympathy Seeking : A Thousand Acres From Shakespeare s King Lear2906 Words   |  12 PagesShreyas Tallamraju Ms. Laura Fitch AP English 12 1 April 2015 Sympathy-Seeking: The Alteration of Characters and their Circumstances To Manipulate Audience Sympathy in Smiley’s A Thousand Acres from Shakespeare’s King Lear There are few names as commonplace, ubiquitous, and recognizable as that of William Shakespeare. His enchanting story telling, complex plot twists, and brilliant usage of rhetoric make it easy to understand why connoisseurs of the English language are devotees to his style ofRead MoreKing Lear and A Thousand Acres Comparative Literary Analysis1386 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, is about the delegation of power from the old generation to the young, new generation. Furthermore, the play demonstrates problems that can arise from a transfer made too early, from one generation to the next. A Thousand Acres is a modern retelling of King Lear, that is similar to King Lear, but it is not an exact word for word copy. The overall plot has been retained from King Lear, but some of the minor details have been changed to provide an intriguingRead More Comparing Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres and William Shakespeares King Lear2135 Words   |  9 PagesComparing Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres and William Shakespeares King Lear Jane Smileys novel A Thousand Acres is a modern version of William Shakespeares King Lear.   The tragic ideas brought out by King Lear are revisited in A Thousand Acres both containing universal themes in which societies from past to present can identify with.   Tragedy is a form of drama that depicts the suffering of a heroic individual who is often overcome by the very obstacles he is struggling to remove.   The novelRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice And The Crucible1337 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant for some individuals that they use violence to acquire it. Violence can often cause jealousy, greed and hatred for each another. It is the violence of many humans that can lead them into doing such â€Å"unforgivable† acts. In both the plays, William Shakespeare and Arthur Miller with their famous novels, The Merchant of Venice and The Crucible, have shown how Grudges and Rivalries can cause such destruction in the lives of the people and the society in this play. In The Merchant of Venice, GrudgesRead More Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex Essay1218 Words   |  5 Pagesis revealed that Hamlet did love Ophelia, was upon her funeral. Hamlet bursts out saying, I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not†¦ Make up my sum†¦ Swounds, show me what thou’lt do†¦ woo ’t drink up eisel? Eat a crocodile? I’ll do ‘t†¦ Be buried quick with her, and so will I. And if thou prate of mountains, let them throw Millions of acres on us, till out ground, †¦ Make Ossa like a wart! (5.1.292-306) In this saying, it is evidenced that Hamlet really did care for Ophelia;Read More Doubt Of Shakespeares Authorship Of His Plays Essay2378 Words   |  10 PagesHis Plays Over the years, various persons have expressed doubt as to the authorship of William Shakespeare. These doubts are as old as his plays. American author, Henry James once said, quot;I am haunted by the conviction that the divine William is the biggest and the most successful fraud ever practiced on a patient world. (Hoffman 27) On the other hand, author Calvin Hoffman was convinced that Shakespeare was quot;the author of the most magnificent English dramatic prose and poetry ever writtenRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1142 Words   |  5 PagesThe tragedy of Hamlet was an inordinately fascinating play with many profoundly intriguing characters that did a great many heroic and disappointing things despite the intricacy and arduousness to understand the true personality William Shakespeare intended for each. At the beginning of the play, as Hamlet has decided to pretend madness, he pretends he does not love Ophelia anymore, he even rejects her and insults her (Act 3, scene 1). This, of course, means that he has been in love with her beforeRead MoreCultural Disenchantment in a Postwar Climate Illustrated in Virginia Woolf’s Novel Mrs. Dalloway2198 Words   |  9 Pagesintended to overcome (Woolf, 72). The oppressive social expectations that Clarissa struggled under in her adolescence are significantly lighter for her daughter, who sees herself as â€Å"a pioneer, a stray, venturing, trusting,† who â€Å"might own a thousand acres and have people under her â€Å"(Woolf, 135-6). As the only young character in the novel, Elizabeth becomes a symbol of England’s adolescent generation who will shoulder the responsibility of social reconstruction. As such, Elizabeth’s most significant

The Strength Of Feminine Role C. Talbot s Christina Of...

Mother May I? : an Analysis of the Strength of the Feminine Role in C. H. Talbot’s Christina of Markyate Feminism is often perceived as a ludicrous belief where women do not shave and they preach that they are being mistreated; but that would be how the patriarchy sees it. The patriarchy would have people believing that women are irrational and weak, but the story of Christina of Markyate would argue the opposite. Christina has many women in her life, including herself, that show the power and strength of the female. One of the first women that the reader is introduced to is Christina’s mother Beatrix, who in a way, represents the patriarchy and herself as a strong woman. Beatrix acts as an evil stepmother because she wants her daughter to marry or at least no longer be a virgin, â€Å"she would not care who deflowered her daughter, provided that some way of deflowering her could be found†¦ would put no term to her malice, and as she could not break her daughter’s will, tried to gain satisfaction from the shameful sufferings she inflicted on her† (Petroff 144). On the one hand, she represents the patriarchy because she will do anything she can in order for her daughter to be under the rule of a man; in other words, a proper and good girl who is submissive and a wife. However, she also shows her power as a woman because she is violent and aggressive towards her daughte r and is strong in her convictions. Because Beatrix takes charge of Christina and acts as both a mother and

Eight Theories of Change Management Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Eight Theories of Change Management. Answer: Introduction In the competitive world, it is essential for every organization to come out with the functional and systematize changes for the business and implementation of new technologies to meet the customer demands and requirements. Organization is needed to remove the immaterial and unsystematic methods and try to concentrates on the desirable plan of action in order to implementing thechange management in the business. Change management is a structured process which requires time factor, skills, enthusiasm and efforts in the execution of the change management. The change management in the organization requires the participation of both the staff and managers of the organization. Organizational change management is a framework for managing the impacts and effects of changes in the corporate culture and new business processes with an enterprise. For this purpose, aChange Management theory provides several theories which can be adopted by the business in bringing out the organizational changes . But, before adopting any theories by the organization from its current state to desired state, it is important for the business to identify the need of changes and how these changes will turn into the benefits for the organization. The main theories of change management are: Lewins Change Management Theory McKinsey 7-S Theory Kotters Change Management Theory Nudge Change Management Theory ADKAR Change Management Theory Bridges Transition Change Management Theory Kublers Five Stages Change Management Theory Different Theories of Change Management According to Baden-Fuller Morgan (2010), the following are some of the finest theories which can be adopted by the organization in order to executing the change management which are as follows: Lewins Change Management Theory According to Booth (2015), this Change Management theory was established by the psychologist Kurt Lewin in the year 1950. This change management theories is the most famous and useful theories to understand the organizational change. The main theories of Lewin Change Management is to describe the changes in the organizational structure through the changing requirements of the business. Lewin theories consists three stages of changes which are as follows: Unfreeze: It is the first stage of Lewin theory of change management which states that it is important for the organization to be prepared for the changes. According to Cameron Green (2015), this stage explains the importance of changes and how these changes will turns into the benefits for the organization. This stage must be commenced through the source of motivation. Transition: Once the change is commenced, transition is the second stage in which organization moves and remains fir the last time. This stage describes the correct way to make the process easier for employees or individuals who are participating in the organizational process. Appropriate leadership and assistance are the important keys in this stage to run the process successfully. Refreeze: After the successfully implementation of changes had been accepted, organization start to become stable again. This is the reason to call the stage as refreeze. This stage requires that organization have to ensure that that the employees are operated under the acquired changes. McKinsey 7-S Theory McKinsey theory is created by the Robert Waterman, Tom Peters, Richard Pascale and Anthony Athos in 1978. According to Cavalcante et al.(2011), this theory continues even when the other theories came in or fades out. McKinsey 7-S theory examines the organizational structure which consisting 7 factors to managing the change in the organization. The main seven factors are: Strategy: Strategy is created to initiate a plan with the objective to achieve the competitive benefits and run profitably. Skills: It refers to the abilities of organizational employees to perform their best. This stage includes the actual skills and competencies of employees working in the organization. Style: This stage represents the way of implementation and acceptance of changes in the organization. Staff: It refers to the workforce or employees and their working capabilities. Systems: This stage refers to the processes which show the daily activities of the employees who are engaged in getting the task done. Structure: It refers to the formation of organization and includes the information of who reports to whom. Shared values: A shared value refers to the core values and standards which will direct the behavior of employees and maintain the corporate culture and ethics of an organization (Chiaroni et al., 2011) Kotters Change Management Theory According to Freeman (2011), Kotters theory was created by the John Kotter and Dan Cohen and it is the famous theories adopted in the world. The theory is divided into eight stages where each stage concentrates on the key principle in relation to the people respond to change. The eight stages which are involved in this theory are as follows: Build urgency: This stage show the creation of urgency among the employees with the aim to encourage them to move forward towards organizational objectives. Create Team: This stage of Kotters theory will get the right candidate for the organizational team by determining the skills, knowledge and capabilities. Make a vision: This stage creates the strategy for the right vision which includes creativity, objectives and emotional connection. Communicate vision: Communication is an important part of the change management theories of Kotter. According to Goetsch Davis (2014), organization is needed to communicate with the employees regarding the changes. Information provides to the employees regarding the changes must be relevant and remove the conflicts in the organization. Remove barriers: In order to make actions become effective, organization have to remove the barriers and hurdles and implement the respond in a positive way. Creation of goals: Organizations have to segregate the goals in small achievable targets and focus on short term goals which is helpful in achieve the organizational objectives without imposing the pressure on employees. Persistence: This stage of Kotter theory shows the persistence and dedication of employees which are the main keys to success. The stage requires that the employees of organization not to give up the process when the chain management process is conducting. Corporate change: To manage the chain management, it is important for the organization to strengthen the changes and make it a part of the corporate culture. Nudge Change Management Theory According to Hayes (2014), Nudge theory s of change management was created by the Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. This theory can be applied to business organization as well as for business for change management. Nudge change management theories explains the importance of change as a basic necessity of the organization. This theory is also useful in exploring the exisiting influences and explaining either to eliminate them or change them. The main advantage of taken this theories by organization are to show the difference in the feelings, opinions and knowledge of people and it also examine the features of human behavior and nature. Thus, this theory reduces the conflicts from the employees of a company and can be applied to various organizations. ADKAR Change Management Theory According to Jones Sallis (2013), ADKAR stands for awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. ADKAR is simple and powerful theories in driven the successful changes. This theory uses the framework which defines the current stage, the transition stage and future stage. ADKAR theory makes it feasible to change management teams to concentrates on those actions which are directly linked to those goals which organization wants to achieve. Under this theory, an individual can get the results in a systematic manner so that change can be implemented and executed in the organization. In other words, this theory provides the help to the employees to go through the process when the change management is taking place and remove the conflicts among the employees towards the change. Bridges Transition Change Management Theory According to Kuipers et al. (2014), the Bridges Transition theory was created by the William Bridges and was published in his book Managing Transitions. The main feature of this theory was that it focuses on transition not change. The difference between transition and change was minor as change is something that happens to people and in transition on the other side is internal which means it happened in the people mind. The transition model focuses on three stages which employees face when they experience change which are as follows: Ending, Losing and Letting go: It is the first stage of Transition change management theory in which employees of organization are introduced to change and enter into the stage that is noticed with resistance and emotional discomfort. This stage includes the some of the employee emotions which can be fear, bitterness, anger, contradiction and frustration among employees. Organization is needed to encourage the employees in order to accept the new start. Neutral Zone: Neutral zone is the second stage which is related to the confusion, frustration and uncertainty. In order to managing the change in the organization, employees may experience workload as they may use new organizational structure and the new methods of working. Thus stage is the gap between the old and new changes in the organization. This stage is related to the low morale, low productivity and concerned about their roles (Langley et al., 2013). Besides these experiences, neutral zone stage is also known for creation, renovation and alteration. Under this stage, organization can motivate and encourage their employees to try the new methods of working in an effective manner. New Stage: When the neutral zone stage is cleared with the support and direction of organization, this stage takes place with the acceptance and creation in the organization. In this stage, employees start to hold the changes and recognized its importance. This stage requires the skills needed to achieve the new goals in the organization and may begin the experiences the advantages of these changes. Kubler-Ross Five Stages Change Management Theory According to Liao Wu (2010), the Kubler Ross theory was created by the Elisabeth Kubler Ross and represents the employees feelings when they are dealing with the changes in the organization. This theory will help the organization to understand and deal with the personal stress and include the five stages that are associated with the change: Contradiction: It is the first stage in Kubler Ross theories in which no one is ready for the changes and shows resistance regarding the change and may not believe what was happening in the organization. Anger: Under the second stage of Kubler theory, the first reaction comes out in absorbing the news was anger. The contradiction change into anger when one experience that the change will affect them in real. There may be different ways of anger for different employees. Bargaining: The next stage includes the bargaining which provide the best solution to the employees to come out of the situation. Bargaining is a way which removes the ending up of the terrible cases and comes out with the natural response (Maon et al., 2010). Depression: In the organization, when employees realize that bargaining is not working properly, they may get depressed and lose faith. This is the situation when one moves into a sad state of mind. The main reason for the depression stage which the organization can identify was less motivation, low energy and non-dedication. Acceptance: This stage shows the final acceptance of changes management in the organization. When the employees are finally accept the changes and fact that what is happening is included in this theories. Cultural Web According to Shirey (2013), when commencing with the organizational change management, cultural web is termed as the most helpful device in determining the organizational core culture of the organization. The term Cultural Web refers to the representation of the organization chart and evaluates the daily behavior of employees. The cultural web recognize the six elements by which organization can see the real image of companys culture which includes what is working, what is not working and what needs to be changed. The main six steps of cultural web are as follows: Stories: This step of culture web is related to the success, failures and leaders. The stories are told by the members of the organization and to outsiders to set the goals in its current organizational history and mention the important events and characters. Symbols: Symbols refers to the marks, logos, cars and titles which can be shorthand in the representation of the organization nature. Power Structure: The power structures also have an impact on the culture of the organization. Power structure is the most useful groups which are closely attached with the core assumptions and beliefs. Organization Structures: Organization structure consist both the internal and external structure of defined by the organization paradigm and highlights the points of power and influence which affect the powers and show the important roles and relationships. Control Systems: Control systems identify the importance of changes in the organization. This step of culture web includes the reward systems which is important influences on behaviors but also show as a hurdle in the success of new strategies. Routine and Rituals: It refers to the daily behavior and activities of employees that indicates the acceptable behavior. Kotter Research Harvard Business Review According to Smith Lewis (2011), in order to make the changes successful, organization must change and focus on the structure and operations of a business to change the public behavior. Kotter research The Heart of Change provide the direction to helping the people believe and perceive in a different manner in order to achieve the shared goals. Kotter research concentrates on the attached with the peoples emotions which will have a major impact on the behavior change and the action that leads to the success. The Heat of Change is the most significant element of Kotter bestsellers Leading Change. The book includes eight steps process and defines the large scale change of work in the organization. Kotter present the methods and procedures that show how employees get encouraged and motivated to reduce their barriers to change and produce effective results. Kotter research initiates the creation that appeals the employees to spring into action. Kotter research The Heart of Change are re quired by the organization in facing the challenges to built in change. Learning knowledge by Lewin According to Van de Ven Sun (2011), learning knowledge describes the ideal learning atmosphere with the organizational goals. It create the environment in which employees continually enlarge their capacity to create the results that they wish, where new and innovative patterns of thinking are support and where employees are continually learning to see the whole reality together. The learning knowledge in the organization depends on the various dimensions such as thinking system, personal mastery, established shared vision and learning team. Conclusion From the study, it has been concluded that change management play an important role in meeting the organizational goals and objectives. Organizations are required to implement new thinking and ideas in acquire the suitable plan of action for the changes in the organization. The study also explains the various theories of change management which can be applied in the organization to bring out the better results and shared the goals and objectives. The several theories of change management enable the organization to describe the changes in the organizational structure through the changing requirements of the business References Baden-Fuller, C. Morgan, M.S., 2010. Business models as models.Long range planning,vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 156-171. Booth, S.A., 2015.Crisis management strategy: Competition and change in modern enterprises. Routledge. Cameron, E. Green, M., 2015.Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers. Cavalcante, S., Kesting, P. Ulhi, J., 2011. Business model dynamics and innovation:(re) establishing the missing linkages.Management Decision,vol. 49, no. 8, pp. 1327-1342. Chiaroni, D., Chiesa, V. and Frattini, F., 2011. The Open Innovation Journey: How firms dynamically implement the emerging innovation management paradigm.Technovation,vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 34-43. Freeman, R.E., 2010.Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge university press. Goetsch, D.L. Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Hayes, J., 2014.The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan. Jones, G. Sallis, E., 2013.Knowledge management in education: Enhancing learning education. Routledge. Kuipers, B.S., Higgs, M., Kickert, W., Tummers, L., Grandia, J. Van der Voet, J., 2014. The management of change in public organizations: A literature review.Public Administration,vol. 92, no. 1, pp. 1-20. Langley, A., Smallman, C., Tsoukas, H. Van de Ven, A.H., 2013. Process studies of change in organization and management: Unveiling temporality, activity, and flow.Academy of Management Journal,vol. 56, no. 1, pp. 1-13. Liao, S.H. Wu, C.C., 2010. System perspective of knowledge management, organizational learning, and organizational innovation.Expert systems with Applications,vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 1096-1103. Maon, F., Lindgreen, A. Swaen, V., 2010. Organizational stages and cultural phases: A critical review and a consolidative model of corporate social responsibility development.International Journal of Management Reviews,vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 20-38. Shirey, M.R., 2013. Lewins theory of planned change as a strategic resource.Journal of Nursing Administration,vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 69-72. Smith, W.K. Lewis, M.W., 2011. Toward a theory of paradox: A dynamic equilibrium model of organizing.Academy of management Review,vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 381-403. Van de Ven, A.H. Sun, K., 2011. Breakdowns in implementing models of organization change.The Academy of Management Perspectives,vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 58-74.

Maya Angelous Journey towards Acceptance of Self

Introduction Ever since the publishing of Maya Angelou’s autobiographical novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in 1969, literary critics never ceased pointing out to the fact that novel’s themes and motifs are being concerned with the process of a main character striving to attain the sense of self-identity. Nevertheless, this did not prevent them from discussing the qualitative essence of this process from a variety of different perspectives.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Maya Angelou’s Journey towards Acceptance of Self specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, in her article Arensberg (1976) refers to the subtleties of how Maya went about attaining existential identity as such that have been in the state of constant transition: â€Å"The unsettled life Angelou writes of in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings suggests a sense of self as perpetually in the process of becoming, o f dying and being reborn, in all its ramifications† (277). In its turn, this implies that Maya’s perception of herself never ceased being the subject of continuous transformation. On the other hand, while suggesting that Maya did succeed with gaining solid sense existential self-awareness, Walker (1995) refers to it as something that came to being as the result of novel main character’s spatially defined intellectual evolvement: â€Å"By the end of the book†¦ she [Maya] no longer feels inferior, knows who she is, and knows that she can respond to racism in ways that preserve her dignity and her life, liberty, and property† (103). In this paper, I will aim to confirm the soundness of namely Walker’s suggestion, while pointing out to the fact that, by the end of Angelou’s novel, Maya did not only become fully self-aware individual, but that such her self-awareness came as the result of novel’s main character having learned how to ac cept her inborn affiliation with the Black race. The discussion of earlier mentioned process in regards to three events, described in the novel As novel’s context implies, throughout the early phases of her life, Maya has been experiencing a number of psychological anxieties, due to the sheer extent of her physical unattractiveness. Moreover, there were clearly defined racial undertones to Maya’s emotional uncomfortableness with who she was: â€Å"Wouldn’t they be surprised when one day I woke out of my black ugly dream, and my real hair, which was long and blond, would take the place of the kinky mass that Momma wouldn’t let me straighten?† (2). And yet, as novel’s plot unraveled, Maya was gradually freeing herself of these anxieties. I believe that the following three events, described in the novel, contributed rather substantially towards helping Maya to learn how to take pride in her blackness. The conversation that took place between Ma ya and uncle Tommy In Chapter 10, Angelou refers to the conversation that took place between Maya and uncle Tommy. While sensing that the young girl lacked self-confidence, uncle Tommy did his best to assure her that good looks is not something that solely defines one’s chances to attain social prominence: â€Å"Ritie, don’t worry ’cause you ain’t pretty.Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Plenty pretty women I seen digging ditches or worse. You smart. I swear to God, I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind† (68). It is needless to mention, of course, that such uncle Tommy’s remark did help Maya to accept who she was. After all, prior to having socialized with uncle Tommy, Maya used to suffer a great deal, on the account of her ugliness. And, as the context of further chapters implies, uncle Tommy’s words did ha ve an effect on Maya, as she was becoming progressively less disturbed with her physical appearance. In the article, from which we have already quoted, Arensberg states: â€Å"Shuttled between temporary homes and transient allegiances, Maya necessarily develops a stoic flexibility that becomes not only her ‘shield,’ but, more importantly, her characteristic means of dealing with the world† (274). Thus, it will not be much of an exaggeration, to suggest that Maya’s socialization with uncle Tommy represents a crucial point in the process of novel’s main character being set on the path of self-actualization through acceptance. Maya’s encounter with Mrs. Flowers In Chapter 15, readers get to meet Mrs. Flowers, whose influence on Maya never ceased being utterly beneficial, it is was namely due to being exposed to the sheer extent of this character’s sophistication that Maya was slowly learning how to take pride in her racial affiliation: â €Å"She [Mrs. Flowers] appealed to me because she was like people I had never met personally. Like women in English novels who walked the moors (whatever they were) with their loyal dogs racing at a respectful distance†¦ It would be safe to say that she made me proud to be Negro, just by being herself† (95). It was specifically after having met Mrs. Flowers that Maya acquired taste for learning, as this intellectually sophisticate Black woman never ceased encouraging Maya to read: â€Å"She said she was going to give me some books and that I not only must read them, I must read them aloud† (98). After having been prompted to indulge in reading by Mrs. Flowers, Maya started to realize that her blackness was not something to be ashamed of. In its turn, this facilitated the process of novel’s main character learning how to accept her racially defined sense of self-identity even further.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Maya Angel ou’s Journey towards Acceptance of Self specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Maya’s exposal to Mrs. Cullinan’s subtle racism Chapter 16, contains description of another event, the exposure to which had increased the strength of Maya’s resolution to accept her racial self-identity – namely, the conversation between Miss Glory and Mrs. Cullinan, during the course of which Mrs. Cullinan refused referring to Maya by her real name Marguerite and instead, suggested that the name Mary suits Maya so much better: â€Å"Well, that may be, but the name’s [Margarete] too long. I’d never bother myself. I’d call her Mary if I was you† (107). And, as it appears from what happened to be Maya’s emotional reaction to Mrs. Cullinan’s suggestion, she thought of it as being utterly insulting: â€Å"I fumed into the kitchen. That horrible woman would never have the chance to call me Mary because if I was starving I’d never work for her† (107). By expressing her contempt with Mrs. Cullinan’s subtly defined racism, sublimated in White woman’s willingness to degrade Blacks linguistically, Maya had once again confirmed the fact that she was firmly set on the path of racial self-acceptance. Apparently, Maya was able to recognize the name Mary as being connotative of ‘whiteness’, which is exactly the reason why she refused to be called by this name – after having accepted her blackness as the integral part of her self-identity, Maya could never bring herself back to trying to be just like Whites. Conclusion I think that the earlier mentioned events do provide readers with the insight on what accounted for the actual subtleties of Maya’s journey towards self-acceptance. Given the fact that Angelou describes this journey as rather linearly defined, it substantiates the validity of paper’s initial thesis †“ while being continuously exposed to a number of life’s challenges, Maya was slowly learning that her self-identity could not be discussed outside of what happened to be the particulars of her racial affiliation. And, it is specifically after novel’s main character had accepted this fact cognitively, that she was able to attain emotional comfortableness with her newly acquired sense of individuality. References Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Bantam Books, 1997 [1969]. Arensberg, Liliane â€Å"Death as Metaphor of Self in I Know Why the Caged Bird  Sings.† CLA Journal 20.2 (1976): 273-91.Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Walker, Pierre â€Å"Racial Protest, Identity, Words and Form in Maya Angelou’s I  Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.† College Literature 22.3 (1995): 91-109. This research paper on Maya Angelou’s Journey towards Acceptance of Self was written and submitted by user Ronnie Woodard to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

ICT Strategy Essay Example

ICT Strategy Essay Example ICT Strategy Essay ICT Strategy Essay Abstract Information technology has indeed established itself as a significant component of business over the past two decades which provided one of the most functional competitive advantages. This is due to the fact of the vast utilities it offers and thus becomes available anywhere around the world. However, Nicholas Carr suggested that as information technology has grown in power and ubiquity, its competitive advantages have lost and thus it doesnt matter anymore. In this paper, it is argued that IT does indeed matter due to its wide use and necessity in contrast to Cars view. Also, it is further urge that competitive advantage has always been temporal in technological innovations and this is explained with the view of IT as multiple technologies and as a single type of technology which points out obsolete technology like IT still exists with competitive advantage and matters. Lastly, the discussion reveals that the degree of innovativeness in the IT realm is so far greater than other classification of technologies that we could not make an assumption whether or not IT will be less of a competitive advantage in the years to come. The next discussions ill be focusing on the analysis of these ideas as expressed by Nicholas Carr, and will be applied to analyzing further certain projects in a given company scenario. Introduction IT is the latest series of broadly adopted technologies, after the railroad. Due to their usefulnesss, the commonalities between the two are primarily observed in the manner that people have invested in them. A deeper look at these types of commodities will reveal that the pattern by which the similarity is competitive advantages, making us able to argue that they have the same level of supply, demand ND necessity in the market. Gradually, many companies will try to possess the same technology and provision of the same service which will eventually lead to the decline of the prices that can be offered since everybody already has it. This way, the investment made for the possession of that technology becomes a question of whether or not in truly IT provides a significant return on investment since it is now hard to Justify that the revenue company earned was in fact due to IT function, or that it has rather only become a necessity due to its pervasive use. In other word, has IT got competitive advantage or does it matter? (Carr, 2003) Cars Article Cars articles centers on the fact that to some extent, certain technologies such as IT has become less of a competitive advantage, making it a not what it had seemed when it came out as a new product. The eventual wide spread of the technology soon led to the possession of it by everyone, making the perception of its competitive advantage an obsolete thing. There are many fundamental issues in this argument which we will be tackling in the following discussions. . The widespread of technology may entail necessity. Although it is true that trains and railroads have now ceased to become a competitive advantage as compared to when it was first utilized several decades ago, this can be attributed to many factors. The functionality that is derived from trains has been already established as a useful and necessary component of businesses, especially businesses may range from those that provide shipping services of different cargo materials that needed to be transported from one place to another or the remonstration of people as done in major subways around cities as it provides a cheaper cost of transportation compared to using automobile vehicles. Thereby, we can argue that train ceased to become a competitive advantage truly because it has become so common place and thus cheaper. However, what we point out here is that the widespread nature of any technologies does not say anything about whether it matters or not. It only tells us that it has become popular, thus increasing demand because of its proven usefulness, and that points towards the argument that it does ended matter, since people now see it as a necessity that cannot be ignored since it has become so integrated with the lifestyle of human being that to ignore the necessary functions it provides is Just going to bring even more disadvantage. What Carr has only argued is that competitive advantage has diminished, but this should not in any ways lead to the conclusion that one should cease to invest in IT because the issue is not that IT has become obsolete, and therefore has lost its competitive advantage, but because it has become too necessary, that it has lost its competitive advantage. 2. Competitive advantage has always been temporal in technological innovations It is important to point out that, technology especially at the rate that it progresses today, is always an issue of determining how long it will provide competitive advantage since there is always a chance that newer and better technologies that may render that technology obsolete . This is not a new thing, and as a result, certain technologies are set aside when they have become less useful. The IT field, however is a large classification of many technologies that within homeless compete against each other. Better systems are adopted against others for their efficiency, user friendliness, and lower cost. In theory, if we view IT as multiple technologies, there are always competitive advantages in which faster and newer systems are more competitive than obsolete technologies (Millard and Porter, 1985). However, if we view IT as a whole, competitive advantage is dwindling due to ubiquity. This should not always lead to the conclusion that IT no longer matters because it is not an obsolete technology, and the answer lies in our previous argument: IT as a whole has proven to be so useful that it has become so commonplace and necessary (Meant, 2007) 3. The innovativeness in the IT realm is massive Unlike the railroad, the possibilities in the IT industry are infinite. The areas of application for an IT staff may range from creating applications for word processing, designing performance management systems for companies to implement on their operations, accounting software may be useful for accounting departments, internet utilities such as Google Docs, Google Drive, file conversion tools, social media and any other thousands of other uses. What we argue here is that the degree of usability in IT field is so huge that it has not yet fully explored to assume that it will be less competitive in the future. While Carr has successfully showed data to support his argument, it is yet early to dismiss it Project analysis The initial observations of the proposals to close down the information service department are the following: outsourcing puts the company at higher risk of losing the current information service team rather than outsourcing. 1. Project management yester The purpose of a custom developed management system is to produce a system that is fitted to the perceived needs of a particular project based on the nature of the business. Adopting an outsourced project management system may include functionalities that are not required, and hence entails cost on the company for additional IT features. What should the company do here is to re-design the project management system to add features that the company prefers to have, such as due date and resource tracker. 2. Marketing analysis system It is similar to saying that electricity has ceased to matter Just because it is now widely used. Actually, electricity has been less of a competitive advantage because no corporation nowadays can function without it. And the same argument can be made for IT. IT is slowly becoming electricity, something that organizations will always need because of its proven necessity. IT may be decreasing in its capability to provide competitive advantage, but it is certainly something, like electricity, that inevitably matters. Broader, G. (2012, 1, 19).

Free Essays on Why Europe Needs A Constituion

WHY EUROPE NEEDS A CONSTITUTION There is a remarkable contrast between the expectations and demands of those who pushed for European unification immediately after World War II, and those who contemplate the continuation of this project today- at the very least, a striking difference in rhetoric and ostensible aim. While the first-generation advocates of European integration did not hesitate to speak of the project they had in mind as a ‘United States of Europe’, evoking the example of the USA, current discussion has moved away from the model of a federal state, avoiding even the term ‘federation’. [1] Larry Siedentop’s recent book Democracy in Europe expresses a more cautious mood: as he puts it, ‘a great constitutional debate need not involve a prior commitment to federalism as the most desirable outcome in Europe. It may reveal that Europe is in the process of inventing a new political form, something more than a confederation but less than a federation- an association of so vereign states which pool their sovereignty only in very restricted areas to varying degrees, an association which does not seek to have the coercive power to act directly on individuals in the fashion of nation states.’ [2] Does this shift in climate reflect a sound realism, born of a learning-process of over four decades, or is it rather the sign of a mood of hesitancy, if not outright defeatism? Siedentop misses the mark when he complains of the lack of any profound or inspired constitutional debate on the fate of Europe, capable of seizing the imagination of its peoples. For our situation today is not comparable to that of either the Federalists or the delegates to the Assemblà ©e Nationale. At the end of the eighteenth century, in Philadelphia and Paris, the Founding Fathers and the French Revolutionaries were engaged in an extraordinary undertaking, without historical precedent. More than two hundred years later, we are not merely heirs t... Free Essays on Why Europe Needs A Constituion Free Essays on Why Europe Needs A Constituion WHY EUROPE NEEDS A CONSTITUTION There is a remarkable contrast between the expectations and demands of those who pushed for European unification immediately after World War II, and those who contemplate the continuation of this project today- at the very least, a striking difference in rhetoric and ostensible aim. While the first-generation advocates of European integration did not hesitate to speak of the project they had in mind as a ‘United States of Europe’, evoking the example of the USA, current discussion has moved away from the model of a federal state, avoiding even the term ‘federation’. [1] Larry Siedentop’s recent book Democracy in Europe expresses a more cautious mood: as he puts it, ‘a great constitutional debate need not involve a prior commitment to federalism as the most desirable outcome in Europe. It may reveal that Europe is in the process of inventing a new political form, something more than a confederation but less than a federation- an association of so vereign states which pool their sovereignty only in very restricted areas to varying degrees, an association which does not seek to have the coercive power to act directly on individuals in the fashion of nation states.’ [2] Does this shift in climate reflect a sound realism, born of a learning-process of over four decades, or is it rather the sign of a mood of hesitancy, if not outright defeatism? Siedentop misses the mark when he complains of the lack of any profound or inspired constitutional debate on the fate of Europe, capable of seizing the imagination of its peoples. For our situation today is not comparable to that of either the Federalists or the delegates to the Assemblà ©e Nationale. At the end of the eighteenth century, in Philadelphia and Paris, the Founding Fathers and the French Revolutionaries were engaged in an extraordinary undertaking, without historical precedent. More than two hundred years later, we are not merely heirs t...

Head of Budget and Management Committee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Head of Budget and Management Committee - Essay Example The vast nature of engagements entails the use of voluminous data that pose challenges in retrieval, management, and interpretation. In order to compete favorably on the fluid and complex market, Merrill Lynch should adopt a technological solution that would synchronize, harmonize, and organize data in a manner that improves on the efficiency of the firm [2]. Such a task would necessarily demand the adoption of a computerized mechanism with ultra-modern features suitable for performing a vast range of tasks in the shortest time possible. Such a system would also shield the company from the possibilities of human error. Changes in information management systems often determine the competitive advantage that one firm gets over another. The United States and Canadian corporate sectors are some of the heaviest consumers of technological innovations across the times. The rapid developments in the field of Information Communication and Technology have made it possible for businesses and mu ltinationals to exploit the synergies in the world of commerce in ways that are both responsive to the needs of the clientele and the overall mission and objectives of the organizations. The adoption of the touch screen tablet will add to the operational efficiency of the firm, which would ultimately translate into increased profits and cuts on expenses. Description and Analysis Touch screen would redefine the work environment at Merrill Lynch offices. The technology will offer a range of choices to the workers in ways that will engage them more closely and effectively with the tasks at the work place. The adoption of new working machine will require a reorganization of the office space. Studies and inquiries into... The researcher of this essay states that despite an impressive lead in the provision of legal services, Merrill Lynch’s real potential is held back by challenges of logistics arising from its continued dependence on old technologies. On this note, there is the pressing need to adopt the use of touchscreen tablets for increasing the levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the legal processes. The overarching concern revolves around the need of keeping pace with technological innovations and retaining a comfortable hold on the clientele through quality services while exploring all possible entry points into alternative segments on the market. The researcher provides a descriptive analysis on the topc of adoption of the new technologies for the company and aims to present some positive effects of it. The need to adopt new technologies at Merrill Lynch should be understood within the context of environmental factors and effects. Merrill Lynch operates an unpredictable environmen t within the American and Canadian corporate sectors. High levels of technological innovations are the key feature that defines this environment. Separate studies have associated the adoption of technology with a significant reduction of work-related stress and burnout. The researcher then sums up his study and concluds that the adoption of the technological devices at Merrill Lynch would be a positive step towards entrenching its corporate profile with regard to enhance it's performance and quality of services.

NY Times Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

NY Times - Case Study Example The New York Times suffered a 3% decline in the total revenues. This was attributed to the evolving nature of journalism into new media and the uneven economic conditions that prevail all over the world (The New York Time Company, 2012). The share prices of the company has also fallen down 23% during the last three months and closed at $6.20 on April 16, 2012 (Science, 2012). This is attributed to the fact that advertising revenues have plummeted along with the readership of print based newspapers (Kirchhoff, 2010). The New York Times faces a wide range of competitors from different fronts. In the case of print publications, NY Times and The Globe face competition from The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Economist, and The Financial Times. On the online front, the company faces competition from Google News, Yahoo! News, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, Guardian.co.uk, bbc.co.uk, CNet, iVillage and countless others. Recently New York Times, in order to face this challenge has come up with a strategy whereby they intend to diversify their revenues into the digital medium and gaining cost efficiency in all areas. In the print medium, New York Times has cut down the paper size by reducing the width of the paper by 1.5 inches (Press Gazette, 2007). The strategy is also focused on using the strong brand appeal of the company to increase circulation reviews. The last dimension of the strategy is to manage the asset portfolio in such a way that it assists the core operations of the company and also ensures a strong digital presence (The New York Times Company, 2012b). Understanding the changing media and journalism landscape, New York Times Company went through a variety of changes. They limited their online article access to twenty articles per month for normal users and provided unlimited access to digital and print subscribers only. In order to keep the brand recognizable within the web, the company

Recruitment and Army Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Army Essay 1.0 Opportunities and dangers to be considered by the Army in externalising the recruitment processes. a. Preston (2012 P.36) shows how the two-way process of recruitment ‘should be as much about the applicant finding out whether the business is right for them as about whether they are deemed acceptable by the business’. c. Having employment opportunities for the soldiers who are being made redundant will allow the knowledge and experience of ex-soldiers to remain forefront of recruitment helping recruiting the right person be more effective. An explanation by Preston (2012, P.36) tells us how if ‘appointees don’t fit then profitability is affected’; this key can show that the benefits of externalization will bring spending cuts by selecting only the right persons increasing retention. d. Being seen as ‘perverse’ is a danger because if the Army gives a bad image of high staff redundancies while spending highly on hiring this could be open to stereotypic views as Preston explains ‘Many people are deterred from entering certain professions because of general stereotypical images which exist in their society or culture’ (2012, P.38). Col Richard Kemp in the case study says how ‘previously using a civilian company was not a success’. This could have a detrimental impact upon future recruits if the civilian company cannot deliver what is expected. It will also have an  impact upon the Army’s image if it doesn’t work out the second time round. 2.0 Methods of selection and their advantages and disadvantages for selecting soldiers. Interviews – Used to understand key facts of the job and recruit for either parties and determine suitability to one another. This method is an opportunity the Army can utilize to lay out main facts of what they have to offer. It’s also a chance for the recruit to decide whether or not they are happy with the opportunities. The advantage to the Army using this method would remove unexpected expectation at an early stage reducing cost from training soldiers who realized it’s not what they thought at a later stage. The disadvantage however would be that interviews are seen as ‘too subjective to the individual and place a ‘cloud’ over an individual’s ability (Preston, 2012 P.43) Tests – Used to measure a person’s ability and aptitude relevant to the job. This Method would allow the Army to see suitability of potentials under set tests giving a further indication on whether the Army is a job the candidate is suitable for before subjecting them to full training further reducing cost at an earlier convenience. Preston (2012) also explains that this can also be a way to reduce inherent subjectivity of the interview method. This method has disadvantages of not being able to incorporate all what the Amy needs to see as some areas of the Army require more subjective tests. This can increase costs if at a later stage the applicant is found unable to cope with certain areas of the job and pulls out. Assessment Centre – Can show the applicant in certain situations relevant to the job. This shows the Army the recruits in a role play scenario or group activity which can indicate the applicant’s ability under a selection of techniques in multiple combinations. This can incorporate a more subjective assessment of the individual so it can be determined further whether the Army can offer a position to the recruit. This would help the Army in selecting those who are of correct skill level generating more quality recruits increasing retention. However the assessment centers only provide the Army with a short insight to certain scenarios as the Army is a specialized area of recruitment the individual cannot be seen faced with all possible problems the recruit may encounter as  a soldier. 3.0 Recommendations for organising induction and socialisation of newly hired soldiers to enhance retention. Induction is whereby a new recruit is welcomed into the organisation through a short term introduction to areas shown by Preston (2012, P45) like what their job description is, what’s expected of them or underlining policies and procedures. Such inductions are critical to the Army as it helps new recruits become accustomed to their surroundings and allows them to adopt the organisational culture and written rules helping them understand what is expected and what is accepted. Typical activities include group welcoming (showing videos), simple team working (to help get to know each other) and tours of the premises (to learn the surroundings). Socialisation is a long term process shown by Preston (2012) to ‘help understand in terms how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. This would be of importance to help the Army ensure the recruits are following the correct procedures and polices but also helping to keep track of the recruit’s process ensuring they are settling in and managing well. To help the activities could include meetings to see the recruit’s progression, group socialising to help with settling, appraisals to show they are doing well and promotions to help encourage further progression. To help improve retention and reduce dropouts induction techniques recommended would be having already serving soldiers at a welcome day to have questions asked and stories from first hand experiences. As documented by Harding (2011) in the case study ‘the most effective recruiters were young soldiers who had already served on operations’. This could expel any rumors and help new recruits understand the demands of Army life at an early stage. This technique would also allow the introduction of policies and procedures and what to expect. Using mentoring as a socialising technique would give recruits quantitative information based on their progression into the business and how well they are integrating into the  role. This information can be persuading for new recruits to show them they are on the right track and doing well, resulting in increased momentum and a desire to keep going. As Preston (2012) says ‘socialisation is understanding how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. Mentoring through the early stages can keep track of the recruit and provide them with the help and support to succeed in turn, reducing dropouts and increasing quality recruits. References: Harding T. (2011) ‘Army to pay civilian firm  £1bn to recruit new soldiers’ The Telegraph 11 October [Online]. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8819327/ Army-to-pay-civilian-firm- £1bn-to-recruit-new-soldiers.html (Accessed 1 September 2014). Preston, D (2012), An introduction to human resource management in business, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Prà ©cis: From the tutor group forum discussions I have learnt that there are many views on what people have in the work place. The work place HRM polices and business cultures can be dramatically different from business to business and different people have different views on them and how they incorporate them into their working lives. Activity 2.3 shown how businesses HRM polices and culture can mix well or clash badly as such Pauls Bourne shows how that if people of a work place buy into the ‘norm’ this can sometimes override what the HRM polices state resulting in problems. However that HRM polices should be a state of first call when people need to be reminded what is truly expected of them in the place of work. All the ideas coming together has taught me to think more logically about the place I work and how the business culture is upheld through normal behaviour of people through unwritten rules up to the policies and procedures in place to help maintain a uniformed business. Reference: Bourne P, (2014) ‘Activity 2.3 HRM and Culture’ The Open University 19 November 2014 [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/forumng/discuss.php?d=1210164 (accessed 25 November 2014).

Urban Cultures :: essays research papers

Abstract For those of us located within the United States, we often take or granted the nornal day to day business operations. Though the United States has a mix of several distict cultures, most companies operate in the same manner. In fact, Americans often make the mistake of assuming that standard business models are the norm in other countries as well. For the corporate executive charged with creating an overseas operation, lack of local culture understanding and its influence on business methods will most likely result in greater start-up dificulties if not complete faliure. This paper hopes to develop a better awareness of various cultures and their influence on business methods and models. It will focus on the challenges in dealing with people from two different countries, Moroco and Pakistan, and offer some insight as to developing solutions to cultural differences. Literature Review Several sources of information were used in drafting this report. Due to the internet I was able to obtain current articles on both countries. Also, I even went so far as to log onto chat rooms specifically created for and attended by Pakistanis and Moroccans. There I asked questions regarding the motovations, beliefs, and values of the people from both countries. The repose was postive in that Moroccans and Pakistanis were more tham happy to answer my questions. Both parties seemed to be very nationalistic and pround of their countries. It is interesting to note that most of the people I was chating with were expatriots, most of whom are located on the United States. Though I found the chat rooms an interesting place to speak with Pakistanis and Moroccans, the information I gathered was limited. I attribute this to chat room formats that only allow a person to respond with short sentences. I later found a Pakistani chat room that allowed real time voice data transmission (www.pakiso n.com) which functioned like a two way radio. There people were able to express their thought and opinions regarding their home countries in more detail. The next couple of sections will detail the main differences between the cultures of Morocco and Pakistan. As I was conducting my reasearch on the two nations I quickly came to the conclusion that Morocco and Pakistan are more similar to each other than they are different. Though they have many commonalities, this does not mean that the challenges are any less for the international manager.

Literacies for Learning Essay

The necessity for educational institutions to equip students with the skills to cope in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse and globalised 21st century society, has led academics, such as the New London Group, to encourage educators to acknowledge the various literacy forms utilised in the new millennium (The New London Group, 1996) and to adopt a pedagogy of multiliteracies. This essay will explore the components of a pedagogy of multiliteracies and identify the transformations needed for the successful implementation of multiliteracies into educational practice. Likewise, the notion of language as a social practice which influences teaching content and assessment practices in secondary education will be examined, as will the use of multiliteracies in the teaching of the Mathematics curriculum. To understand the role of multiliteracies in pedagogy theory development, it is important to define the term literacy. Literacy is an evolving term that refers to an individualâ₠¬â„¢s ability to construct and comprehend meaning via the accepted symbol systems of one’s country or language group (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl, Holliday, 2010). These symbol systems include written and spoken language and visual information such as icons and other graphical information. While literacy was traditionally viewed as a cognitive process with a focus on reading, writing and numeracy identification, in recent years its definition has become broadened to encompass the burgeoning text types being generated via multimedia and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). These electronic text types have quickly established themselves as integral components of a diverse range of 21st century vocations and social interactions (Tan, 2006).  A pedagogy of multiliteracies encompasses multimedia and digital text forms as well as traditional written and spoken texts. Likewise, the central role of literacy in a diverse range of knowledge domains and vocations has resulted in educators being encouraged to view literacy as a vital skill underpinning successful teaching and learning in all curriculum areas. The New London Group (1996) viewed the role of design as an ever changing paradigm of three stage teaching and learning processes. The first step, ‘Available Designs’ is determining what resources are available. These resources include texts, symbols, audio and visual resources. The second step is ‘Designing’ which takes these ‘Available Designs’ and places them within a social context, such as the classroom or learning environment, and is facilitated by an individual such as a teacher. This step creates an output with new meaning for both the learning environment and facilitator. This knowledge or new meaning is known as ‘Redesign’ (The New London Group, 1996). Literacy is a social practice that is not just taught in secondary schools, it is something which is part of each individual’s everyday life. According to Anstey & Bull (2000), the way in which an individual may read the world will be strongly linked to the contexts of their own life. The NSW Department of Education and Training (2006) maintains that literacy is a skill that continues to grow and develop and is fundamental to students’ success at school as well as for the rest of their life. For literacy to be successful in schools, it is planned in collaboration with parents and teachers. This collaborative approach reinforces that literacy is inherently a social practice. This approach must include a range of social influences and practices, in order to increase student’s knowledge and skill in the real world for real purposes (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2006). As literacy development is undoubtedly a whole school and community approach, it is essential that a multiliteracies pedagogy, be utilised in the teaching of all curriculum areas. The impact of societal and cultural change is clearly reflected in the mathematics curriculum through the use of digital technologies such as graphical programs and spreadsheets. This use of technology provides numerous opportunities for the teaching of multiliteracies. Through explicit teaching and learning  experiences of digital texts, students are provided with the skills to successfully navigate and comprehend information communicated digitally. These skills can be acquired through students being provided with opportunities to access information via Internet websites. Likewise, students can use information technology to construct their own texts, thus allowing them to communicate their understanding of concepts to others. This may be achieved by encouraging students to construct texts through the use of software programs such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Visio, both of which allow students to communicate information graphically. These digital mediums allow students to acquire skills which will assist them in acquiring real world skills which they can utilise to gain and construct meaning, both in and out of the classroom. (Winch et al., 2010). Technology is an essential part of the transformations taking place in the social, political, cultural and economic spheres of contemporary society (Groundwater- Smith, Brennan, McFadden, Mitchell and Munns, 2009). Secondary school teachers need to prepare students with the skills necessary for life in a rapidly changing, technological world. In order to equip students with these skills, teachers must possess deep knowledge of relevant technologies (Treadwell, 2008). The Mathematics curriculum includes teaching of: statistics, probability, algebra, financial concepts, economics, technology, measurement and trigonometry. These strands include skills applicable to an individual’s school/work life, social life and personal life. Mathematics content areas, focus on aspects of society, reform, technology and life skills. It is important for teachers to link the social practice of literacy with the factors of a pedagogy of multiliteracies to create the best teaching environment they can (The New London Group, 1996). Walsh (2006) cites an example of successfully teaching his students literacy practices, through social relationships. Students worked in groups and were able to demonstrate specific social language structures. They were able to â€Å"enact, recognise and negotiate† in a social environment (The New London Group, 1996, p. 3) by design and re-design of Internet web pages. The created web pages were diverse, with each student using their own discourse to create what they believed the web page should contain. Prior to using multi-modal and digital literacy mediums in their teaching, it is essential that teachers be aware of cognitive and language factors in learning. The  ability to use multimodal learning, digital literacies and genres specific to each curriculum area must be carefully planned by the teacher. According to Winch et al., (2010) a multiliteracy pedagogy involves developing the ability to use language purposefully and skillfully in a range of social settings, rather than learning isolated segments of knowledge such as grammar conventions and spelling. Multiliteracy includes the use and creation of multimodal and multimedia texts (Winch et al., 2010). Multiliteracy seeks to address the rapid changes in literacy brought about by globalisation, cultural and social diversity and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). In response to these societal changes, The New London Group (1996), questioned the role of schools and outlined a need for change in literacy teaching due to key changes in three areas of life: working life, public life and personal life (life worlds). Central to these changes, was the need for schools to integrate learning with life experiences that students have both in and out of the classroom. â€Å"As these three major realms of social activity have shifted, so the roles and responsibilities of schools must shift† (The New London Group, 1996, p.18). The New London Group advocated for a change in the way, education was delivered, by enhancing the existing structures and overlaying with a new â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† of literacy teaching (The New London Group, 1996). The ‘how’ of pedagogy comes from a view of how learning is acquired, embedded and utilised. The New London Group (1996) proposed that a pedagogy of multiliteracies is a complex blend of four methods of design. The first is Situated Practice which involves learning by creating meaningful learning experiences that allow students be in an environment where the learning replicates the social use of what is being learnt. It is an environment where risks can be taken and ‘trial and error’ is used to gain mastery of skills or knowledge. It should be used â€Å"†¦developmentally, to guide learners to the experiences and the assistance they need to develop further as members of the community, capable of drawing on, and ultimately contributing to, the full range of it’s resources.† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 33). Situated Practice should be designed to motivate students to want to know, and engage students in their learning in a safe envi ronment. Assessment or evaluation is not considered part of Situated Practice. Overt Instruction is the second method of how a pedagogy of mulitliteracies is  implemented.  This involves teachers guiding and using effective teaching techniques such as scaffolding or explicit instruction to build student’s knowledge and confidence. Examination of the current secondary school’s Mathematics curriculum, (NSW department of Education and Training, 2010) reveals many opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate and engage in dialogue related to mathematical concepts which will guide and provide a scaffold for student learning. For example, the teacher makes links with prior learning, through asking open questions to the group, and uses multi-modal methods such as mathematical symbols, diagrams, charts and pictures to add to the learning. With each progression of new learning in the lesson, the teacher labels a new part of the diagram. Overt Instruction â€Å"†¦.includes centrally the sorts of collaborative efforts between teacher and student wherein the student is both allowed to accomplish a task more complex than they can a ccomplish on their own and they are conscious of the teacher’s representation and interpretation of that task†¦.† (The New London Group (1996, p. 20). Thirdly, Critical Framing focuses on the â€Å"how† of a pedagogy of multiliteracies, through the use and application of real world knowledge. This method is where assessment and evaluation of one’s self understanding can begin in relation to cultural, social, political and historical influences on what has been learned (New London Group, 1996). Teachers are able to encourage students to apply their learning in a practical sense and assess the transfer of student’s knowledge or skill. This knowledge is based on what they have previously learned, and requires students to â€Å"constructively critique it, account for its cultural location; creatively extend and apply it and eventually innovate own† and strengthen their ability to demonstrate what they have learned (The New London Group, 1996, p. 37). A mathematical example of this process is the conversion of degrees to radians. Its real life use is the calculation of the speed of a piece of machin ery. This calculation includes the formula in terms of radians rather than degrees. Finally, Transformed Practice is â€Å"where we try and re-enact a discourse by engaging in it for our real purposes† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 36).  Students need to think and learn outside their own discourse and think about how they can re-create their meaning, linking their own discourses to understand what they have learned. An example of this practice was where students were asked to plan and present a lesson including a Wiki activity and a Prezi (presentation tool) that teaches the concepts from a previous mathematics lesson. In groups, students collaboratively utilised the Internet to research topics, and create: work sheets for others to complete, interactive wiki activities, team tasks, and their own YouTube clips. The lesson included the use and creation of multimodal texts and scaffolding of existing knowledge. Students developed new knowledge through authentic multimodal texts such as image, sound, video and written text (Tan, 2006). Gunning (2002) explores the impact of reading and writing difficulties in a social stance, and highlights that poor instructions given by teachers can contribute to a student’s difficulties. Gunning’s (2002) observations and research serve as a reminder that teachers must be sure to provide the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of multiliteracies, to ensure each student has the opportunity to progress. Teachers need to evaluate their current practice and identify the text types typically used in the Mathematics content areas and consider the social needs and teaching strategies that will develop student’s literacy skills (Goos, Stillman., & Vale, 2007). In a mathematics lesson, students were introduced to the ‘Simpson’s rule’ formula. The lesson’s aim was for students to measure the area beneath a real life object, gain an understanding of what is needed to complete the formula and how the variables are calculated. Students were required to work collaboratively in pairs, discussing various ways in which measurements were taken in order to obtain an accurate result in working out the area of the object. Likewise, students were required to engage in higher order thinking, in order to formulate possible solutions to the dilemma. These experiences provided students with the opportunity to be inclusive in their learning, and consolidate their understanding of key concepts that are relevant to the lesson goals (Prain & Hand, 1999). Teacher observations and questioning during group work, guided the student’s discussions, with the teacher embracing a teaching style where multiliteracies were used. The New London Group (1996) have profoundly impacted on teaching practices, literacy research, policy curriculum and pedagogy (Mills, 2006). Gee (1991) explores  social literacy and the impact of a student’s discourse that are established outside the classroom, from their social group, f amily and cultural ties. Their view of literacy as social practice and their emphasis on incorporating the rapidly increasing number of electronic and multimodal text types in 21st century society into teaching practice represents a clear break away from the single dimensional teaching of literacy. However, for multiliteracies such as digital literacies, multimodal resources and ICT to provide best learning for students, teachers must be prepared to embrace the view that literacy is a social practice and and an essential skill underpinning all curriculum areas. Teachers also need to recognise that each lesson they teach to students provides the opportunity to develop the student’s literacy skills. In order to facilitate this change in pedagogical ideology, teachers must be prepared to evaluate their current teaching practice and adopt a more holistic approach to developing literacy skills in their students. As a consequence, students should be exposed to participative learning experiences with re al life learning outcomes. References Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2000). Developing multiple and critical readings of text. Reading the visual: Written and illustrated children’s literature (pp. 201-214). Sydney: Harcourt. Gee, J. (1991) What is literacy? In C.Mitchell & K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy. New York: Bergin & Garvey Goos, M. Stillman, G. & Vale,C. (2007). Teaching secondary mathematics. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. Gunning, T. (2002). Factors involved in reading and writing difficulties. Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties (2nd ed., pp. 26-62). Sydney: Allyn & Bacon. Mills, K. (2006). Discovering design possibilities through a pedagogy of multiliteracies. Journal of Leading Design, 1(3), 61-72 NSW Department of Education and Training. (2010). NSW Department of Education and Training. (2007). Literacy K-12 Policy Retrieved from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/curriculum/schools/literacy/PD20050288.shtml?query=literacy+policy New South Wales Department of Education and Training. (2006). State literacy plan 2006-2008: Equitable literacy achievements for all students. Retrieved from http://www.curriculumsupprt.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/literacy/guidelinies/plan/index.htm Prain & Hand (1999) Tan, L. (2006). Literacy for the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://iresearch.osprey.url3.net/iresearch/slot/u110/litreviews/literacy4_21st_century.pdf The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In B.Cope & M. Klantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies, literacy learning and the design of social futures (pp. 9-37). London: Macmillan. Walsh, C. (2006). Beyond the workshop. Doing multiliteracies with adolescents. English in Australia, 41(3), 49-58 Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (4th ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Cope, Bill and Mary Kalantzis (eds), Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, Routledge, London, 2000, 350pp. | link

Modern Means of Communication Have Introduced Relevant Changes in Our Lives

As humans have a highly developed brain, new innovations in communication are created to make our living standards better. However, there has been a debate on whether such changes benefit our lives more than worsening them. In this essay, I will point out both side of view and state what I think. In this modern world, telephones are no longer the only device used to communicate with other people. For example, using new software applications like skype, is undoubtedly one of the popular ways for communication.In this way, we can surf the net and chat with our friends at the same time. Time can be more well-spent and furthermore, extra phone bills can be saved as well. Another advantage for communicating via electronic devices is convenience. For those who cannot bother going outdoors to meet up with someone, such modern technology can certainly solve their dilemma. On the contrary, others suggest that such trend of communication can make people’s social skills degenerate.As tim e passes, people tend to forget how to talk to each other naturally when it comes to the necessity of face-to-face communication. In addition, such phenomenon can increase the popularity of laziness in one’s habit. To sum up, I would admit the fact that modern means of communication can add unexpected good points to our social lives. Thus, the downsides cannot be ignored. It would be better if we remind ourselves to go out with others once in a while to regain the confidence we used to have in our social lives. Modern Means of Communication Have Introduced Relevant Changes in Our Lives As humans have a highly developed brain, new innovations in communication are created to make our living standards better. However, there has been a debate on whether such changes benefit our lives more than worsening them. In this essay, I will point out both side of view and state what I think. In this modern world, telephones are no longer the only device used to communicate with other people. For example, using new software applications like skype, is undoubtedly one of the popular ways for communication.In this way, we can surf the net and chat with our friends at the same time. Time can be more well-spent and furthermore, extra phone bills can be saved as well. Another advantage for communicating via electronic devices is convenience. For those who cannot bother going outdoors to meet up with someone, such modern technology can certainly solve their dilemma. On the contrary, others suggest that such trend of communication can make people’s social skills degenerate.As tim e passes, people tend to forget how to talk to each other naturally when it comes to the necessity of face-to-face communication. In addition, such phenomenon can increase the popularity of laziness in one’s habit. To sum up, I would admit the fact that modern means of communication can add unexpected good points to our social lives. Thus, the downsides cannot be ignored. It would be better if we remind ourselves to go out with others once in a while to regain the confidence we used to have in our social lives.

Introversion and Extroversion Essays

Introversion and Extroversion Essays Introversion and Extroversion Essay Introversion and Extroversion Essay It is quite difficult to be able to strictly define a type of personality. Because each and every one of us is distinct and unique, we all have different personalities- different interpretations. The best we can do then is to describe a characteristic with as many adjectives or what-not’s. Introversion is the same. One of the more prominent figures who studied introversion and extraversion is Dr. C. J. Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist who has been known for taking unique approaches to his studies. He says that introversion or extraversion is a product of the combination of the five factors namely: intellect; disposition; temper; temperament; and character. These factors are all independent of one another and the combination of each one constitute to a certain personality. He then identifies introverts with William James’ tender thinkers and extroverts as tough thinkers. He then paints a clearer picture: †¦introverts are rationalists and system-makers, who care little for facts and forcibly fit data into their ideal constructions in accordance with their a priori premises; [the] extravert, on the other hand, cannot construct a system, is interested not at all in the inner life of man but only in objective facts, is positivist, determinist, fatalist, irreligious and skeptic. † Jung’s description may be overbearing or presumptuous. But it gives us a more definite idea who introverts and extraverts are. From the citation above, we find that in terms of int ellect, introverts are more likely to think rationally and create systems. In terms of disposition, they are accepting of what they had learned or had been taught in the past. In terms of the last three, they have difficulty exercising direct personal influence. They are absorbed in themselves and lack enthusiasm. The extrovert is said to be â€Å"interested only in the outer world, the introvert is said to shrink from it†. 1 In other words, extraverts are those who tend to live outside of themselves, whilst introverts find comfort living within themselves. There are many reasons why the personality trait of introversion and extroversion are theorized to develop. One theory is that this type of personality stems from the combination of the five factors, as stated above. Another places emphasis on the chemical make-up of a person’s body. It is said that extraversion and introversion may be caused by the rate of release of chemicals in the thyroid gland. Introversion is caused by the lack of or decreased rate of release. Extraversion is, therefore, the opposite- the increased rate of release. With the decreased chemicals, the brain resorts to mainly cerebral cortical activity on the lower nervous functions. This increase in cortical activity lessens spinal reflexes and affective or emotional functions of the thalamus region are heightened. This satisfies the commonly accepted notion of the introvert. These theories serve as basis also for other theories such as introversion and extraversion as a hereditary trait, and that environmental factors and external conditioning contribute to this personality trait. If in fact, introversion and extraversion were hereditary, the chemical theory would support this. By inheriting the thyroid glands and other genes that code for instructions in bodily operations, we would inherit the introversion or extraversion of our parents as well. If environmental factors and external conditioning were what defined introversion, Jung’s combination of personality factors would support this. The external environment influences personality and character, thus constituting to an effect of introversion or extraversion. Another factor that comes into play in the course of our research is the importance and process of developing interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal relations are no doubted essential for human existence. Philosophers will argue the importance of interpersonal relations. From the beginning of life, we already engage in interpersonal relations. It is in our culture, as in many cultures or ways of life of animals to be social in nature- to work and exist in groups. Our parents are our first contact with individuals other than ourselves. Even before we are born, we form a relation with our mothers. As we grow older, we seek an expansion of self. We do this through relations with other members of our family, our extended family and people outside of our family. Expanding oneself and building relations with others is done through communication, in which self-presentation or impressions are key. In order to be able to communicate properly, certain universals have to be present. Such universals manifest themselves in the language of emotions. The language or expression of emotions such as anger and happiness is said to be understood worldwide. Through the analysis and observation of such emotions, relations are formed. To facilitate conversation and communication, people try to control the impressions people have of them, also known as impression management. In order to do this, they alter their physical appearance, clothing, and make-up; alter the emotions and reactions they convey to suit the desires of the one whom they are communicating or trying to associate with. They also enact certain behavior and body language to form better impressions. People may even use props to be able to achieve the impression they want to convey. We may find that for the sake of self-expansion, people may go to such great extents to manage impressions. Today, we see such methods translated through technology- most evidently through the internet. Dr. C. J. Jung cited in â€Å"The Chemical Theory of Temperament Applied to Introversion and Extraversion† by William McDougall in Readings in Extraversion-Introversion: Theoretical Methodological Issues, H. J. Eysenck ed. p. 19; London: Wiley-Interscience 1970 â€Å"The Chemical Theory of Temperament Applied to Introversion and Extraversion† by William McDougall in Readings in Extraversion-Introversion: Theoretical Methodological Issues, H. J. Eysenck ed. p. 21-23 London: Wiley-Interscience 1970 â€Å"The Inheritance of Extraversion-Introversion† by H. J. Eysenck in â€Å"Readings in Extraversion-Introversion: Theoretical Methodological Issues†, H. J. Eysenck ed. , pp. 388-404; London: Wiley-Interscience 1970 Empirical Findings From Evolutionary Psychology in The Social Psychology of Personal Relationships, William Ickes and Steve Duch, ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 2000 p. 19 The Nature of Self Expansion in â€Å"The Social Psychology of Personal Relationships†, William Ickes and Steve Duch, ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 2000 pp. 130-137, 110-113

The Careful Writer †Deboras Pen (Cartoon)

The Careful Writer – Deboras Pen (Cartoon) Devyani Borade is the creator, and real-life version, of Debora. Her fiction, nonfiction and art have been accepted/published magazines across the world. Visit her website Verbolatry at http://devyaniborade.blogspot.com to contact her, and enjoy more of Deboras adventures.

Engineering hero of your choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Engineering hero of your choice - Assignment Example The great hero started his engineering career by being an employee with different companies located in California and in these companies he was working the projects of creating life support systems that were based on the lunar module and the development of moon vehicle. After his early career operations, he started working on the Space Shuttle program for the company named Morton Thiokol. Boisjoly is recognized as an engineering hero not only because of his work, but even because of the purpose behind his great findings which could have saved important lives and heavy capital losses. On the date of 28th January, 1986, it was decided that the Space Shuttle Challenger mission was to take place but the mission was contradicted by Boisjoly and his colleagues as the figured out that the mission would foil and result in heavy losses. He later took the matter to the people managing the company Morton Thiokol who even agreed that it would not be correct to continue with the mission and they decided to inform NASA about it. The company informed NASA about their concerns but later added that they were not completely sure that their findings will prove to be true or not and the mission was not aborted (Vaughan, 1990). As soon as the mission started taking place, all the findings of the great hero started proving correct. As soon as the shuttle was started, the O-rings started b urning and this caused the occurrence of black puff as seen on the tapes of the event. Later the shuttle started taking off, at that very moment, Boisjoly believed that he was wrong as the shuttle did not explode, but while the shuttle was in air, it exploded into pieces and proved the hero correct (Dalal, 1989). Although, Boisjoly conducted a courageous act of identifying the fault with the space shuttle and tried to save cost and life, he was looked down upon by

Gummee Glove Ltd now starting to make disabled clothing Essay

Gummee Glove Ltd now starting to make disabled clothing - Essay Example According to Disabled Living Foundation (2015), over 10 million people in Britain are disabled with 5 million of them having surpassed state pension age while over 6.9m million disabled people are in the working age (Hoskins, April 2, 2014). The figure represents 19% of the working age population is disabled. All these people have a need for clothing and apparel regardless of their position in society and the disability cuts across gender depicting the high market presence for the supply of disabled clothing. The UK market for disability is evidently large from the large number of people needing the services, and it will be an undertaking for Gummee Glove to meet an unmet need in the market. Competition in the disability clothing market is low owing to the dedication of mainstream businesses to the production of clothes for people who have no disabilities. The reason for the non-dedication to the production and sale of clothes to the disabled market is the lack of economies of scale. Businesses prefer the production of clothes for the non-disables owing to the production of millions that allows the businesses benefit from economies of scale, a thing that is not possible when dealing with the disabled market. The other reason for the lack of competition in the disabled clothing market is the need for modifications tailored for different disabled people further reducing the economies of scale, as it would require different designs and modifications for different facets of the disabled people in the community (Smith, September 3, 2012). The low competition in the disabled clothing market is evidenced by the call for inclusion by Christine Shaw, CEO Disabled Living Foundati on. She lamented the lack of enough clothes for people using wheelchairs and those with restricted movements (Burton, May 22, 2012). The Office for Disability issues stated that the disabled people make up to 20% of a business

Gloalization of Spain Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gloalization of Spain - Term Paper Example This isn’t a reason to turn away from globalization, but it is a reason to be vigilant. This essay will look at the way Spain has become more dependent on other countries through the process of globalization and it will suggest that this has mostly been for the best. Although the exact moment of globalization occurring in Spain is a highly debatable question considering the length of Spains history and its extensive involvement in world affairs, it could be said that 1990s marked the rapid acceleration of the period. Spain decided to go full steam ahead with economic global integration. While other countries were slow to see the positive ramifications of globalization, Spain was not. It saw what it wanted and it struck. After many years of sclerotic economic growth under Franco, Spain was ready to reengage with the world again.1 Of course, with current economic events shaking the world economy, we begin to see some of the potential negative effects of globalization for Spain. The problems point to one of the serious drawbacks of globalization: when you open your economy up to the other economies of the world you can get very rich as long as they do well—but you also become very vulnerable to their problems too. This is something Spain has become concerned about regarding the E.U. in the past, and now with the American economy in shambles, it must again revisit this difficult situation. The global economic crisis has shown that interconnectedness can bring with it negative consequences. While a rising tide lifts all boats, a severe drought makes everyone thirsty. This is a problem that will have to be negotiated on the world stage. Spain has a number of economic problems that result from this, including high unemployment. But in the course of this important debate it is important to remember the benefits that have come with

Shakespearean comedies Essay Example for Free

Shakespearean comedies Essay The world of Shakespearean comedies is undoubtedly romantic, poetic and idealized. As You Like It is no exception in this respect. Romantic in all aspects, especially form and spirit, the play presents before you a world of love, of deceit, of vulgarity, of humor, of music and what not! But it is the love theme that excels all that. To be more precise, â€Å"it seems wiser to agree with Charlton that Shakespeare was successfully developing his own kind of romance. † (Nicoll, Shakespeare Survey, Vol. 8, pg 3) It is rightly observed by Sheffield Theatres Education that, â€Å"William Shakespeare’s play As You Like It clearly falls into the Pastoral Romance genre; but Shakespeare does not merely use the genre, he develops it Shakespeare also used the Pastoral genre in As You Like It to ‘cast a critical eye on social practices that produce injustice and unhappiness, and to make fun of anti-social, foolish and self-destructive behaviour’ , most obviously through the theme of love, culminating in a rejection of the notion of the traditional Petrarchan lovers. † (www. sheffieldtheatres. co. uk) When we say that As You Like It is romantic in form, it should rush to our mind that the classical rules of dramatic composition, like the observance of the unities, are not at all regarded in its composition. The action covers a period much longer than a single revolution of the sun, and the action moves from the city to the Forest of Arden. Shakespeare was thoroughly against setting rules for a work of art as it had a narrowing and cramping effect both to the artist and the work of art. Hence he never cared for any rules of literary creation. For him the dictates of his fancy was prominent. Thus we have the large-scale explication of love theme in As You Like It; that too, in the Forest of Arden, a world that can only exist in our dreams. The Shakespearean world is the ‘country of the mind’. It can never ever be met with neither in this whole universe nor on the world-map. It is a place where we come across an idealized picture of life, life as it should be lived, or life as envisaged by the poet. The atmosphere of the Forest of Arden in As You Like It throughout is one of idyllic calm and quiet and no incidents have been introduced that was capable enough to mar this tranquility. This idyllic setting is the sole witness to Duke Senior’s and his companions careless fleeting away of the time like Robinhood and his merry men. It is here that Rosalind, Celia, Touchstone, Orlando and Oliver come up to, and it is here that the pageant of love is played out and the lovers are happily united before they go back to the din and buzz of the urban setting. This romantic-poetic world of Shakespeare contains noble specimens of humanity, who win our admiration, and we, the readers or audience, long to be one among them or one like them. This world is free of conservatism, and does not set any norms or codes for social behavior for the individual to conform to. Romance in the Shakespearean world goes beyond the accepted, normal and conventional. It shows forth different ways of life but we realize that these ways bring forth greater happiness and wellbeing than what the socially accepted ones bring in. That is why the readers are not surprised when Rosalind ventures to teach Orlando to woo. Critics might find a lot of absurdities in the plot of As You Like It. But it is concealed to the utmost by heightening the character-interest. In Walter Raleigh’s words, â€Å"he so bathes his story in the atmosphere of poetry and phantasy, his characters are so high-spirited, good-tempered and resourceful, the action passes in such a tempest of boisterous enjoyment, and is mitigated by so many touches of human feeling, that the whole effect remains gracious and pleasant; and the master of the show is still the gentle Shakespeare. † (Raleigh, Walter Alexander, Macmillan, 1907) Though it is accepted world-wide that the setting of Shakespearean comedy is imaginative and romantic to the utmost, we should duly acknowledge that it is not a mere escape world of romance. Reality is very much felt there and this world of romance never grows unsubstantial and fantastic. Romantic idealization is constantly kept in check by frequent reminders of harsh reality. In As You Like It, Shakespeare has undoubtedly presented a mingled yarn of joys and sorrows. There is always a confrontation of romance and reality here. The Forest of Arden is never shown forth as a conventional pastoral Arcadia. It also has its piercing wintertime and harsh weather, its own kind of usurpation and the ingratitude of friends which are very much present in the world around us, all days. There one has to face hardships of all sorts, and some one character or the other, usually the fool, constantly reminds us of those hardships. But it should be borne in mind that this realism never mars the charm of the romantic world. In spite of all the harshities, here life goes on most merrily, full of singing, dancing, and love-making. True, it is not life as it is, but as it should have been or as we yearn to be like. The idyllic Forest of Arden transports us to a rainbow world of magic and romance, where all sorts of marvels do take place and above all, we tend to believe all that and feel unaware of any improbability for the incidents in the play. The romantic love according to Shakespeare is an irrational passion that is not guided by reason, intellect or eye. Love is the presiding genius in the play. Celia falls in love with Oliver who is entirely unworthy of her. Not one or two, nearly all are in love and the play ends with a happy consummation of all of them in marriage. Towards the middle part of the play, we see that the whole atmosphere is surcharged with love. This play abounds in a varied assortment of love. We come across the true, deep and passionate love of Orlando and Rosalind, the sudden, swift and healthy love of Oliver and Celia, the courtly, pastoral, conventional and Petrarchan love of Phebe and Silvius, and a real parody of love between Touchstone and Audrey. The play itself ends with the ringing of marriage bells and ‘every Jack gets his Jill’. As You Like It burlesques most of the set norms of love usually dealt with in poetry and literature. For example, the widely accepted notion that love is a disease that invites suffering and torment to the lover, the supposition that the male lover is the slave or servant of his mistress and the female lover should never cross the limits set by the society finds expression here and at the same time it is ridiculed by the playwright in the words of different characters of the play. These ideas were boasted to be the central features of the courtly love tradition, which was embedded in European literature for hundreds of years before Shakespeare’s time. In As You Like It, we find the characters lamenting the torment caused by their being in love, but these laments are all unsuccessful, bizarre and ludicrous. While Orlando’s metrically inept poems keep in with the set norm that he should â€Å"live and die [Rosalind’s] slave,† these sentiments are roundly ridiculed (III. ii. 152). Even Silvius, the uncivilized shepherd, presumes as being a tortured lover. It is well evident in asking his beloved Phebe to notice â€Å"the wounds invisible / That love’s keen arrows make† (III. v. 30–31). But Silvius’s request for Phebe’s attention has in it that the enslaved lover can loosen the chains of love and that all romantic wounds can be healed—otherwise, his request for notice would be worthless. Hence it is evident that, As You Like It breaks usual notion of the courtly love which is always known as a force for happiness and fulfillment and mocks those who are content with the suffering that is always associated with truelove. Music adds a lot to the romantic quality of Shakespearean plays. As music speaks direct to human souls and influences and enriches it, songs and dances are scattered throughout the play. Perennial delight is the result of introducing music into romance plays. This is wholly achieved in As You Like It. In keeping with the conventions of romantic plays, Shakespeare, through the songs introduced gave apt expression to the renaissance passion for music and at the same time enhanced the entertainment value of the play. As You Like It is full of songs that articulate the spontaneous ecstasy these people derive from life in the Forest of Arden and the joy they can afford to give back to people around them. The songs show forth clearly the difference in the way of living in the forest from that of the court, because here they can tailor their actions to their moods. This can never happen in the court where one is forced to even breathe according to the norms set by the society. Romance plays always gave a good position for the women that added to the quality of characterization and plot. Love transforms and emboldens them to become capable of swift action, sacrifice, ingenuity and self-surrender. Shakespeare too enthroned woman as queen of his comedies owing to the more instinctive, impulsive and emotional nature of their being and as a result she was in love always. Here we have a bright, beautiful and glittering Rosalind who is adored by all even today. It is true when Orlando observes, â€Å"Helen’s cheek but not her heart Cleopatra’s majesty, Atlanta’s better part, Sad Lucretia’s modesty. †(III (ii)-143-6) She is wittier, more practical and more resourceful thereby outshining the hero and the men folk of the play whom we see as hesitant and torn within themselves whenever a crucial situation is at hand. It was rightly pointed out by Ruskin that ‘Shakespeare has only heroines and no heroes’ Women in Shakespearean romances are simply human and patiently natural when it comes to emotional crises like falling in love. Rosalind’s excitement when she first meets Orlando is as palpable as are her transparent endeavors to hide it. Their own passion sharpens the love even more through which they even seek the good of others. But, on the contrary, she is well aware that there is no certain and predictable relation between beauty and honesty in mankind. She is practical to the utmost. That is why Ian Johnston remarks, â€Å"Rosalind has not an ounce of sentimentality. Her passionate love for Orlando does not turn her into a mooning, swooning recluse. It activates her. She takes charge of her life. She knows what she wants, and she organizes herself to seek it out. If she has to wait to pursue her marriage, then she is going actively to enjoy the interim in an improvised courtship and not wrap herself in a mantle of romantic attitudinizing. She initiates the game of courtship with Orlando and keeps it going. She has two purposes here. This gives her a chance to see and court Orlando (in her own name) and thus to celebrate her feelings of love, but it also enables her to educate Orlando out of the sentimental pose he has adopted. † (www. mala. bc. ca/~johnstoi) The presence of a wise fool among the foolish wise adds to the effect of the romance and life in As You Like It. Here we have Touchstone who proves to be a man of keen observation, and remarkable powers of repartee and witticism. Unlike the usual tradition of jesters given to punning, word-play and word-jugglery of all sorts, Touchstone hates them and considers it as mere foolishness. According to the observation of Duke Senior, he â€Å"uses his folly like a stalking horse, and under presentation of that he shoots his wit. †(V (iv) 102-5) Though Shakespeare builds a world of romance in As You Like It, he also criticizes the same. Here he takes us to the romantic Forest of Arden where the Duke Senior and his followers fleet their time carelessly. At the same time he makes Jaques ‘jeer and rail’ at it. Romantic love is very much present in the affair between Orlando and Rosalind. But its parody is well explicated in the affair between Touchstone and Audrey. Rosalind’s words are testimonial for the foolishness of madly believing in love. When Orlando says that he would love his Rosalind for ever a day, she brings him back to earth by saying: â€Å"No, no, Orlando; men are April when they woo, December when they wed; maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. † (IV (i) 126-9). It is here that Edward Dowden’s words gain true recognition, â€Å"Shakespeare abounds in kindly mirth; he receives an exquisite pleasure from the alert wit and bright good sense of Rosalind; he can dandle a fool as tenderly as any nurse, qualified to take a baby from the birth can deal with her charge. † (Warner, Library of the Worlds Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, pg 4810). In the olden days, romances and pastoral comedies were branded as one and the same as the settings, themes, accidental happenings –all characterized both the genres to be one. In that respect it is worthwhile to note that â€Å" As You Like It is clearly a pastoral comedy—with a country setting, much talk of love of all sorts, a story which consists, for the most part, of a series of accidental meetings one after the other, and a resolution involving implausible transformations of character and divine intervention. Although the Forest of Arden is not a completely idealized pastoral setting, we have here all the standard ingredients of pastoral drama. † (www. mala. bc. ca/~johnstoi) â€Å"The theme of pastoral comedy is love in all its guises in a rustic setting, the genuine love embodied by Rosalind contrasted with the sentimentalized affectations of Orlando, and the improbable happenings that set the urban courtiers wandering to find exile or solace or freedom in a woodland setting are no more unrealistic than the string of chance encounters in the forest, provoking witty banter, which require no subtleties of plotting and character development. The main action of the first act is no more than a wrestling match, and the action throughout is often interrupted by a song. At the end, Hymen himself arrives to bless the wedding festivities. † (www. bookrags. com/wiki/As_You_Like_It) Judicious reflections on life go hand in hand with the romance of love and the romance of pastoralism, and save the world of comedy from being unsubstantial. Further, the escape from reality is only temporary; the characters troop back to the city to play their respective roles, and occupy their respective places. Shakespeare, in his As You Like It, has tailored the conventions of romance to suit his idea and need so that he can attract the attention of generations of readers and audiences. Bibliography Foakes, R. A. , (Ed. ) Coleridge’s Criticism of Shakespeare, Continuum International Publishing Group, 1989. Miller, Naomi J. , Reimagining Shakespeare for Children and Young Adults, Routledge, 2003, pg110 Nicoll, Allardyce, Shakespeare Survey, Vol. 8, Cambridge University Press, 2002, pg 3. Raleigh, Walter Alexander, Macmillan, 1907 Shakespeare, William, As You Like It-The New Clarendon Shakespeare, Ed. Isabel J. Bisson, 12th Impression, 1995. Quiller-Couch, A. , Shakespeare’s Workmanship, Cambridge University Press, 1947. Warner, Library of the Worlds Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Ed. Charles Dudley, International Society, 1896, pg 4810 http://www. sheffieldtheatres. co. uk/creativedevelopmentprogramme/productions/asyoulikeit/comedy. shtml http://www. mala. bc. ca/~johnstoi/eng366/lectures/Ayl. htm http://www. bookrags. com/wiki/As_You_Like_It