La Dame and Cathy Ames Comparison

In the poem â€Å"La Belle Dame Sans Merci† by John Keats and the story East Of Eden by John Steinbeck both authors similarly characterize women as merciless through the use of the literary technique of imagery. Both Steinbeck and Keats throughout their writings describe events and people in great detail. Both of the women are beautiful yet ‘wild', put a man to sleep, and force someone to solitude. In the beginning of both the poem and story the authors give a very visual description of the women.They are both considered to appear on the outside as if they are â€Å"a faerys child† – beautiful. But when you look into their eyes a sense of being â€Å"wild† is within them. The wildness that the men see in their eyes foreshadows their merciless nature. The wildness alludes to and foreshadows the womens animalistic and heartless actions. In both storys the women seduce multiple men with their physical attractiveness in order to gain control of them and make the situation benefit them.The authors use imagery in their texts by explaining in detail the womens outstanding physical features in order to make the reader picture the women in the same way that the narrator does. Steinbeck and Keats effectivly project the images of the women into the minds of the reader. In the two pieces of literature both of the authors specify a scene using imagery in which the beautiful women make a man fall asleep in order to obtain what they want.In Steinbecks case it would be Cathy Ames overdosing Adam so she can sleep with Charles on the night of their wedding. While in Keats poem it is La Dame who slowly puts the unsuspecting knight to sleep so she can murder him. The women in these scenes commit awful acts but neither of them feel any remorse or conscience, which oes to show the women are truly merciless and have a â€Å"wild† nature. In Keats story he uses imagery in the knights vivid dream as a warning to show him all of La Dame's past vi ctims who had been lured in and killed before him.This shows that La Dame's feeling of love are false and that she will continue to mercilessly hurt people. The authors uses of imagery in these scenes make the reader feel like they are in the story watching the horrible acts take place and make the reader lovingly hate the women for their cruel and clever actions. In both texts Steinbeck and Keats write a very visual scene about men leaving the eautiful women and cutting all ties to them because they realize that the women are fake, merciless and â€Å"wild†.In the poem written by Keats the knight wakes up as a lonely and â€Å"palely loitering† man because he realizes that if he continued to follow La Dame he would end up like all the other men who fell for her because she is â€Å"wild† and will never be tamed, she is merciless and all of her fealings were false. La Dame emotionally misconstrues the knight and leaves hime to live his life as a ‘dead' per son with his heart in a million pieces. In Steinbecks novel the whoremaster, Mr.Edwards, beats and then leaves Cathy to die because he feels that Cathy had constantly manipulated him and hurt him emotionally, physically and finically and he ever have to deal with her and be put through what he had been. Throughout each of the literary masterpieces both authors similarly characterize women as merciless through the use of the literary technique of imagery. Both of the women are beautiful yet ‘wild', put a man to sleep, and force someone to solitude. Cathy Ames and La Dame were characterized as two despicipable women who inflicted pain and suffering upon others, to make up for the emotions that they cannot feel.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn Acknowledgments

As always, an ocean of thanks to; My awesome family, for all their incomparable love and support. My talented and hawt publicist, Elizabeth Eulberg, for creating STEPHENIE MEYER out of the raw clay that was once just a mousy Steph. The whole team at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for five years of enthusiasm, faith, support, and incredibly hard work. All the amazing site creators and administrators in the Twilight Saga online fandom; you people astound me with your coolness. My brilliant, beautiful fans, with your unparalleled good taste in books, music, and movies, for continuing to love me more than I deserve. The bookstores who have made this series a hit with their recommendations; all authors are indebted to you for your love of and passion for literature. The many bands and musicians that keep me motivated; did I mention Muse already? I did? Too bad. Muse, Muse, Muse†¦ New gratitude to: The best band-that-never-was: Nic and the Jens, featuring Shelly C. (Nicole Driggs, Jennifer Hancock, Jennifer Longman, and Shelly Colvin). Thanks for taking me under your collective wing, guys. I would be a shut-in without you. My long-distance pals and fonts of sanity, Cool Meghan Hibbett and Kimberly â€Å"Shazzer† Suchy. My peer support, Shannon Hale, for understanding everything, and for feeding my love of zombie humor. Makenna Jewell Lewis for the use of her name, and her mother, Heather, for her support of the Arizona Ballet. The new guys on my â€Å"writing inspiration† playlist: Interpol, Motion City Soundtrack, and Spoon. The phenomenon continues. . . . STEPHENIE MEYER

Challenges of Youths in Our Contemporary World

CHALLENGES OF YOUTHS IN A MODERN WORLD The Longman Modern English Dictionary defines youth as â€Å"the state or quality of being young, the period from childhood to maturity; young people of both sexes†. A youth is characterized by features such as youngness, restlessness, strength, independence, curiosity; search fro greatness, vigor good, health etc. Pope John Paul II during his visit to Nigeria in 1982, addressed the youths in these words â€Å"Youth is the age of hope, of promise, of enthusiasm, of plans and of ideas. Youth does not want to give up in the face of difficulties†¦ Youth believes in a better world and is determined to do something to help bring it about†. ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD The youth has great strength, vigour, good health etc. These features should be channeled towards the propagation of the gospel. Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for such belongs the kingdom of God (Lk. 18:16). In the church, the youths have the responsibility of evangelizing. It is their duty to witness Christ to their peers and to the remotest areas where Christ has not been preached. Anthony Aja, quoting the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II wrote: â€Å"The Church needs your energies, your enthusiasm; your youthful ideas in order to make the Gospel of life penetrate the fabric of the society†. â€Å"Besides, the Pope re-emphasized the part that youth can play in the call to evangelize the world as he addressed them in these words. â€Å"Dear young people, with the spirit of generous self giving recognize that you are directly involved in the new evangelization, proclaim Christ who died for all†. Where are our Youths today? Out there in search of worldly pleasure or working for the Lord. (Ref. to the past). To be good evangelizer, witnessing must be accompanied by good example, being like Christ in all ramification. The bible recorded many dynamic youths worthy of emulation. Two of such youths will be considered in this text. They are Joseph and David. Joseph had an encounter with God. He reverenced God. The fear of God was in his heart. Portipher’s household prospered because of the presence of Joseph. How about you? He hated sin. He successfully resisted the temptation from his master’s wife. To the sin-laden wife of his master Portipha, he asked, â€Å"how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God†? (Gen. 39:9). To escape the wrath that might befall him as a result of this great sin, he ran and fled from this great evil, sin of fornication. Godless youth would take advantage of this immoral opportunity and yield to the temptation. It takes a heart that has been washed by the Blood of The Lamb, a youth who has experienced the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, a sanctified person and Holy Ghost filled to overcome such temptation. For the bible says â€Å"for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world†. Titus 2:11-12. David the son of Jesse, the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse, rose and worked marvels for god right from his youth. He killed a lion, a bear and conquered the veteran warrior Goliath. He overcame the evil spirits that tormented Saul by his anointed fingers on the musical instruments. He was able to do all these exploits for God because of his personal knowledge of God and the power of the Holy Ghost that was upon him. Through the youngest of Jesse’ sons, his fear of the lord and his close relationship with God, made him to do the chosen one of God. †Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord came mighty upon David from that day forward (1Samuel 16:13). Above all learn from Jesus Christ, who from childhood went about doing the father’ business, â€Å"I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other citizens also, for I was sent for this purpose? Make yourself available for noble use. Challenges Facing the Youth Today The general state of youth reveals spirituals, social and psychological crises and confusion. They are being affected by the effects and influence of the society, peer groups, parental neglect and the evil one. Many of our youths blindly follow the dictates of the secularization of Western culture. The effects of secularism on most people have even made them argue that churches should accepts the society’s new directions. To them, if the society accept the society’s new directions. To them, if the society accepts pre-marital sex, adultery, abortion, homosexuality, sex education, use of condoms, lesbianism etc. hey cannot see why the church has to keep calling them sins. The youth sees the youth state as a period of fun and freedom. However, they forget to recognize that this stage is important and transitory – a stage between childhood and adulthood. Mistakes youth make at his stage in life could be detrimental bearing with it a lifetime consequences. For example, Youths who take to armed robbery, prostitution, drug trafficking, political thruggery, and a ll manner of violent practices carry over such nefarious activities from their youthful stage into adulthood. At adulthood they become a problem to themselves, the society and invariably their children who may take after them. What a wasted life! In fact, they are unable to build a worthwhile foundation on which to rest their future. Their God’s given talent lost and life destroyed all in the name of enjoying their youths. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he admonished Timothy in these words: Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue Righteous, faith, love and peace, Along with those who call on the Lord Out of a pure heart† 2Tim:22 The youthful stage when properly managed can lead to disaster. All youths should heed to Paul’s admonition to timothy. Flee from all evil desires and run after righteous. Many of our youths are compromising with worldly ideals. Compromise with the world brings corruption. It destroys the child of God’s testimony and makes his light grow dim. Learn from David and Joseph, the way to upright living. The youth is being influenced and challenged today in the following areas: 1. INFLUENCE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY Modern technology had led to the invention of personal computer, the satellite, Digital television, the internet, mobile phone (GSM). These devices had in no small measure made the world a global village. However, the challenges facing our youths (Christian youth) is how to use them without abusing them. The truth is that these devices rather then being used for the advancement of knowledge which is capable of making the world a better place have become powerful tools in the hands of Satan for the perversion of morals. For example, the computer has both simplified and speeded up the operation in many fields of human endeavor – data storage, medicine, architecture, music and broadcasting industry. These are interactive computer software for learning of virtually any subject. The mobile telephone has made communication easy. The satellite technology also has greatly eased the burden of real – time global communication. The internet is a great source of information, Books; encyclopedias on any subject, theses, revise, online news, libraries are now available on the internet. Various school activities which were manually carried out in the past, such as purchasing of admission forms, payment of school fees, access to course outlines, result etc are now done online. Sources of information and different educational operations are now available on the internet. However, one must not lose sight of the evil associated with these devices (internet, GSM and computer). Many (including children, youth and even older people) are introduced to do world of deceit, indecency, immorality crime, sexual perversions, violence and many other vices through the use of these inventions of modern technology. The computer and the internet have more damaging influence on the youth. Youths spend long hours watching digital videos (DVD) or playing violent, even bloody and demonic computer games. Some youths spend hours or the whole night browsing forbidden site on the internet thereby getting exposed to inappropriate materials, such as pornographic and erotica because some youth get initiated into Satanism, Spiritism and other esoteric region. The TV and internet have taking over the place of the bible and prayers in a good number of homes. Youth treasure their wide exploration of the internet in place of reading their books and other intellectual activities. This a leading to a dramatic decline in the academic performance of the youth and a high rate of unproductively of the youth in all spheres of life. Wise parents should rise up to this challenge, and set up corrective measures to arrest this trend of self – destruction of the youth. 2. THE FILM INDUSTRY Many youths spend long hours watching the television denying themselves of meaningful activities that will promote heathy living and advancement in life. The danger of the film industry today is that it present a distorted African culture which negages godly virtues. For example, pre-marital sex is against God an abominable thing in African culture, but the film industry today presents it as the norm and what must follow or be part of a relationship. Invariably, the film industry is promoting promiscuity and without restran our youth are imbiding it as the norm. Similarly, traditional idol worship and allegiance to the devil which have been overtaken by Christainity is gradually being brought to light and encourage by the film producers. What about movies dominated with violent operations?. This negates God peaceful co-existence among men. Parents must therefore rise up to control what their children watch on the television. 3. NEGLECING OF HARD WORK Many youths want to go the easy way of life. No work but wants to be rich. They wish for success in life without paying the price of diligence. You need to see the coutless number of youths at the cyber cafe, browsing the internet looking for innocent preys to devour of thir hard earn money. Some Pentecostal pastors are not left out in the craze for prosperity through miracle galore at the expense of diligent labour. 4. SEARCH FOR GREENER PASTURE Many youths run the risk of searching for illegal means to go out of this country for better life. Experiences of those who attempted leaving this country reveal the agony many had to go though traveling through waste land to cross over to their â€Å"promised land†. In the process many had lost their lives and their sense of value of life. Those who made it to their dreamed land are out their doing menial jobs and worst still are out into crimes of various degrees. 5. Domestic Problems Many youth are confronted with Domestic problems ranging from hostility from parents, strife between their fathers and mothers, parents inability to provide the basic necessities of life. Youths from such homes run away from home, get involved in all forms of crimes such as 419, armed robbery, thuggery, prostitution or hired assassions. Parents should wake up to their responsibilities and make sustainable plans for their children. 6. INDECENT DRESSING AMONG YOUTHS We have been wonderfully made by God. Praise the Lord! Let us trace our dressing to the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they realized that they are naked. They sewed fig leaves together to make themselves aprons (Gen3:7). This covered only a part of their bodies. This is fact was not proper clothing and so the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins and clothed them. This implies that the lord God covered their nakedness. Therefore, any clothing that does not cover the body fully is an indecent cloth. Let us also consider the demoniac in St. Luke’s gospel Chapter 8 ;26-35). The demon possessed man was naked. The bible described him as â€Å"a man from the city who had demon; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and lived not in a house but among tombs’. With encounter with Christ Jesus, he was delivered from the legion of evil spirit, he was clothed and he was in his right mind† (Luke 8:35). This implies that only people who are not in their right mind would go about without clothes not big enough to cover their nakedness. The modern day christains especially youths are without estrain imbiding and embracing worldly principles, values, culture and customs without making refence to the word of God. The bible says: â€Å"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is inworld, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father, but is of the world†. I John2:15. Unholy attitudes or worldliness has become the culture of the church. Some church members tell you what you wear does not matte, after all religion is in the heart. However, they forget that there is a link between the state of man’s heart and the outward appearance. In fact, one’s outlook is greatly influenced by the condition of the heart. It is not uncommon today to find different kinds of immodest and indecent dressed worn by the majority of young people and some older people in the society, even in the church of God. These ladies wear transparent and body hugged clothes under the guise of fashion and civilization. In fact, you see girls of cheap and easy virtue wearing provocative or seductive apparels that partially expose sensitive reas of their bodies such as breast, navels, abdomen and thighs, such youth are not left out in their heavy make-ups. Their make-ups are so excessive and outrageous that the girls are not less than masquerades and cannot but be mistaken for prostitutes. Why would a Christain woman or lady imitate Jezbel? â€Å"When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it and she painted her eyes, and adorned he r head and looked out of the window† 2King9:30. Some ladies dress in such way that they stimulate lustful desires in men. The harlot dresses shamefully only to advertise, comete and seduce the opposite sex. They wear revealing clothes which create in men some immoral desires. Mini-skirts are symbolic of those ladies who want to seduce men. Every mini-skirt is a fuel that sets the mind of a man to imagine the most debased thoughts. On the other hand, ladies who are seductively dressed are more likely to be harassed by men. In the actual sense, a lady who is immodestly dressed is simply adverstising herself, telling the male folk that she is available. No wonder, today that the rate at which women are raped is exceedingly alarming. The men folk are not left out of this craze for fashion. They fry their hair (jerry curls or perm0, weave their hair, wear earring, leave their shirits unbuttoned, exposing their beareded chest, have funny styles of hair cut, apply make up just to prove themselves as â€Å"senior guys†. 7. Sexual Immorality/ Fornication Many youths do not see sextual immorality/formation as sin. They see it as a way of expressing their love to a person of the opposite sex. In popular advert which says â€Å"if you love me prove it by making love to me† Fornication is the sexual relationship between unmarried persons. God condemns fornication; Do you not know that your body is a temple of he Holy spirit, who is in you whom you have received from god? You are not your own, you were received with a price. Therefore, honour god with your body (1cor 6:19-20) Anyone who destroy the temple of the Holy spirit which you are will face wrath of God. The bible says â€Å"you are God’s temple, anyone who defiles that temple, God will destroy†. Some youth who engage in fornication (pre-marital sex) tell you they are in search of happiness, pre-marital sex has brought shame, disgrace and to many, unfulfilled destiny and untimely death. According to Ibid: Pre-marital sex has many adverse effects surrounding it. By so doing expose themselves to many risks such as: pregnancy, abortion, death, death, veneral disease, fear, shame, disrespect, sterility, uncompleted career are grievous sins against God, your creator. These are what we risk ourselves for, Just a mere pleasure which does not last. Similarly, punch Newspaper had on one of its publication pointed out that †Pregnancy is just one of the ways one can reap on unpleasant harvest from fornication†¦ It is better to avoid pre-marital sex†. 8. Wild Ambition Youths, no doubt are very ambitious. Being ambitious itself should be commended. But when the ambition becomes obnoxious, wrong signals are elayed. It is not uncommon today to find youhs engage in all manner of nefarious activities that are opposed to Christain virtues in a bid to acquire great wealth, fame and success. They are usually recruited as political thugs, fake drug peddlers, armed robbers, hostage takers, murderers, assassins while others become cultists, prostitutes and so on. Some become involved in dubious and undefiled business. The bible tells us to flee from all appearance of evil. Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any paise, think on these thing (1 Cor10:31. Phil 4:8) Do not get involved in any activity that is contrary to the tenents of God. Anything contrary leads to hellfire. 9. Peer Group Influence Many Youth have been led astray by those they regard as friends. The influences of peers can bring about a positive or a negative change in one’s life. But today, such influences have been found to destroy the lives of those who keep had company. Thomas Martin as reported by Stan Ilo had this to say â€Å"What can be more dangerous to youth than bad company; what more fatal to all moral rectitude and feeling than influence of bad example. Bad company ruins good moral. It will be highly recommended youths can be involved in authentic friendship. John Chidi once classified friendship into 3: 1. Friendship based on unity 2. Friendship based on Sexual pleasure 3. Good griendship Youth should be encouraged to get involved in good friendship I =n which a man and a woman can be close friends without any sexual intercourse whatsoever. 0 Foul Language, noisy Music, Obscene Dance, pornography Music is an ancient means with which God’s people adored, exalted His Holy name and praised his majesty. This is still God’s expectation from us today. However, Christain music of today has assumed a new dimension from what obtains in the bible. Most Christain music today are emotional, sensual and noisy. The musical instrument soun d than the wordings as obtained in worldly music. Such songs do not give any inspiration, and it lacks modesty and moderation. So also is the obscene dance that accompanies the music. Flee from such music and from every apprearance of evil. 11. UNEMPLOYMENT There is a high rate of employment in this country. Many youths who had managed to go through thick and thin to obtain a university degree or other degrees are out there on the streets roaming about in search of anything to do for living. His has been the concern of both youths and their parents. Many parents have lost inetrest in investing into education of their children. This has increased the number of youths without any formal education or vovational training. One sees them in high dense areas/cities milling around motor parks, marj=ket places, in hide outs, practically doing nothing meaningful. Their daily existence depend on how much they can steal, extort from people or just waste away. Some engage in menial jobs that can hardly take care of them, while others become preys in the hand of evil men who take advantage of them by providing debase jpbs such as drug trafficking, prostitution. The self employed are faced with problems of generating power for tjose whose jobs require electricity. The question is, for how long then can we watch the leaders of tomorrow waste away. We all must rise up to this challenge and fight corruption, injustice that have premeated into the whims and caprices of this nation. 12. Marriage Many youths today are faced with the problem of getting a wife or a husband. This could be attributed to a number of factors such as parental influence or control, self, sin and the devil. Youths becomes so obsessed with their inability to be married that they now abadom God. To every man there is a wife and to every woman there is a man. Therefore wait on the Lord, and He will provide. THE WAY FORWARD In handling the problem of our youth and the difficulties confronting them in this perverse generation, parents, churches, society and the youth themselves have specific roles they must perform to bring sanity to our world. Let us reflet on the role of the youth themselves. The youth who desires life and the fruits of happy life must desire God and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Seek first the kingdom of God and all its righteous and all other things will be added unto you (Matt. 6:33). To the youth who had turn away from the Lord, I say â€Å"come back with a repentant heart and the Lord will receive and have you back as his own. Repentance involves: a) Admitting your weakness, being sorry for your weakness b) Renouncing your weakness The Lord tell us in Issaiah, â€Å"come now let us reason together, says the Lord through your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall become loke wool† (Is. 1:18) Go for sacramental reconciliation. Having regained your relationship with God, He wants you to live a spotless life even in this era of godlessness. You are to stay unpolluted and unperturbed in the constantly changing world where you dwell. The unchanging God will substain you, for he has said. :For I am the Lord, I change not† (Malachi 3:6). This implies that God’s children have no excuse to allow themselves to be swayed by the rapidly changing world around them. What is expected of the youth therefore according to the word of God is outlined as follows: 1. The youth must treasure the unaltered word of God in his heart, life and mouth, civilization or no civilization. 2. He must constantly and diligently with prayer guard his soul so that he is not overtaken bythe whirlwind of globalization and modernization. . Must be resolved to live a holy life. This involves daring to be different with a resolution not to look back. 4. Depend on the grace of God. Paul tells the Ephesians, â€Å"for it is by Grace you have been saved through Faith and this is not from your selves, it is a gift of God (Eph 2:8) In the sane vein, Jesus tells us in Jn15:16 not to rely on our own strength but yo abide on the Vine 5. Invite the Holy spirit, the sanctifying power of God into your life. It is the spirit that gives life. In all thid fullness, live in the spirit. So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires swhich is contrary to the spirit and the spirit which is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that do not do what you want† (Gal5:16-17) 6. Associate with thos who love and fear God. Meditate on the passage â€Å"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and Idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will live with them and walk amongthem, and I will be their God, and they will be my people† 7. Plunge into unlimited opportunities: The Lord urges us to plunge ourselves into unlimited opportunities that he has set us. Like Joshua, He was to be strong, courageous and to observe the word of God. Joshua did as God commanded and he prospered. Today God is saying to us that he has given us great opportunities to succeed in life and have all our needs met. However, many go through life dejected, defeated, defrauded, dominated and at the end doomed. you are a child of God. For success to come your way, start now. Do not be idle. You can still go back to school and get education; you can re-write your papers and improve on them. Are you unemployed, apply to place no matter how little, or you can create a job yourself. You need not suffer, the sky is the limit. Finally, do not stay away from sacraments (Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation). Heaven is real. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffer the loss of soul.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 23

Management - Essay Example Chief Executive Officers of Google, SAS, and Boston Consulting Group know that motivating their employee is crucial for individual performance, maintaining office culture, and group productivity. Therefore, the three companies have various elements that foster the motivation of their employees (FORTUNE, 2012). The CEO of Google acknowledges that their attitude is contagious. To motivate his employees, he includes his employees in making major decisions. The management listens to every person’s opinion, and this enables the company to come up with ideas that the management never thought of. Google motivates their employees, if they feel valued, appreciated, and needed. The Company therefore, hires employees possessing great leadership skills. SAS is regarded as one of the most workers-friendly institution. The company keeps his employees motivated by taking care of them to ensure they feel good and part of the company. The company offers free food to their employees. Additional ly, rather than bullying their employees, the company has a corporate culture challenging the conventional conception of tired phrase. Boston Consulting Group motivates their employees by creating the culture of agency and autonomy. The company has devised ways of making their employees to find joy in the company. Meaning that the company has given the workers that autonomy what to carry out and has helped them desire to master skill set and tasks. Additionally, the three companies has devised common ways of motivating their employees by encouraging them to voice their complaints, getting in touch their inner start-up and engaging on Fun Volunteer Assignment. Although there are various factors enhancing group cohesion among the workers, financial motivation is the most significant among Google, SAS, and Boston Consulting Group. The three companies pay a mean annual salary of $140000. Therefore, when the employees are well paid, they will replicate their

Chapter 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chapter 4 - Assignment Example The correct answer is (c), to solve for I, one must identify the value of I that causes the PV of the positive CFs to equal the absolute value of the PV of the negative CFs. This is, essentially, a trial and-error procedure that is easy with a computer or financial calculator but quite difficult otherwise. The formula for effective rate of r= (1+i/n)n- 1, for Riverside Bank, the effective annual interest rate will be, rR = (1 + (0.065/12))^12 = 1.067, while for the Midwest Bank, the effective annual interest rates will be, rM = (1 + (0.07/1))^1 = 1.07. Hence the effective annual rate is higher for Midwest Bank by (1.07 – 1.067) 0.003 or 0.3%. To arrive at the annual contribution for Ed’s trust, first we calculate the total amount that will accrue for Steve in the next 46 years using the formula, FV= (A.(1+i)˄n-1)/i(1+i) where A is the equal annuities, i is the interest rates and n the number of years (Wegner, p 530). From their initial amount of $15,000 at the rate of 9%, they will accumulate, 15,000x (1+0.09)^7 = 27,420.059. From their regular contribution of $5,000, they will accumulate: $5,000 x 1.09^7 + $5,000 x 1.09^6 + $5,000 x 1.09^5 + $5,000 x1.09^4 =$32,276.7, the total will be: = $59,696.76 At t=11, the amount of $8,103.14, will have a deficit of $12,350.54, so an additional amount of $9,536.88 should be saved before the study begins, hence distributing the amount in three equal installments we use the annuity formula, Ax (1.09^3), A =

Criticism on the play Proof by David Auburn Essay

Criticism on the play Proof by David Auburn - Essay Example Criticism on the play Proof by David Auburn As Robert’s funeral preparations get ready, his other daughter Claire returns from New York. Meanwhile, Catherine gets connected with one of her Father’s former student called Hal. Catherine is a college drop out and is depressed and seemingly also susceptible to mental illness. Catherine is shown to be in dilemma as towards her future after the death of her beloved father. The plot of the movie takes an interesting dimension when Hal discovers in Robert’s notebook a proof of a mathematical theory which was thought to be an unsolvable mystery. It is a captivating discovery. But Hal get astonished when he understands that Catherine is the person who wrote the proof. But did really Catherine write it? However the hand writing of the proof matches with Robert and the story continues to untangle the mysterious nature of connection between genius and madness and it’s inheritance. The story reveals how the appearance of the Mathematical proof creates havoc in th e life of the three characters living. Review Proof is a wonderful drama, which explicitly describes the mathematical world and the mystery attached to it. It is a family drama which is mathematical and human relationship centered and the three characters Catherine, Claire and Hal revolve around it. The primary fact that is noticeable about the play is the similarity which its hold against some other plays like â€Å"Arcadia†. ... The character of Catherine also brings about lots of questions and arguments towards her capability of formulate brilliant mathematical formulas and theories. Because, in the play, Catherine demands that the mysterious mathematical theorem is written by her and not by her father .Here the focus is on the fact whether women have this potential element to bring about mathematical works and achievement like man. â€Å"Catherine in the play has been trained (up to a certain point) as a mathematician, so a question is raised and tackled in the play — can a woman really do highly original work?†(Weber).The movie displays Catherine to be suffering manic depression and shown to be susceptible to her father’s disease. However the mental illness of her father, Robert is not clearly mentioned in the play. The question as to the relevance of Robert’s illness to his mathematical geniuses is also left in dark by Auburn. Catherine here is depicted to be uncertain with re gard to her chances of succumbing to the mental illness as her father. The central focus of the play is whether Catherine has inherited the illness of Robert and the heightened tension surrounding a home with recent death. Catherine’s mood swings and sarcastic nature and exclusive intelligence are the possible warning that she could be a victim to her father’s illness. Catherine shared an intricate relationship with her father, and withdrew from outside world just to take care of him. They grow closer despite the illness, and the love that the father and daughter have for each other comes through, even beyond his death (Auburn, 25). There is no question about the great amount of love and compassion between the father

The Debate between the Principal-Agent Model and Organisational Essay

The Debate between the Principal-Agent Model and Organisational Culture Theory - Essay Example As the paper outlines  the principal-agent (PA) theory describes linkages entrenched in intricate delegation chains that influence the capacity of the international organisation leader to strive toward their own goals. Theorists mostly view the member states as the ‘principals’ and the international organisation as the ‘agent’. The PA theory can also go deeper the delegation chain to look at the principal-agent ties within international organisations that are specifically helpful in terms of identifying the degree to which IO leaders may understand their tendencies.This study highlights that  organisational culture theorists have persuasively demonstrated that IOs are actors, with ability to expand and behave in line with autonomous goals and principles that cannot be diminished to the goals and principles of their member states. As stated by this model, the capability of IOs towards independent behaviour originates from their specialist, moral, assigned , legal, and rational power, which gives them capacity to wield power. Common arguments of the organisational culture theory recognise the outer limits enforced by states. Nevertheless, in almost all of the empirical studies the possible conflict between the autonomous objectives of the IOs and outside pressures is avoided by selecting case studies wherein IOs behave autonomously but in accordance to the interests of the states, or case studies wherein IOs behave where states are unsympathetic.

Letter of Advice Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Letter of Advice Paper - Essay Example Intimacy or interpersonal interactions in relationships such as romantic attachments and marriage are challenging. There are various barriers that hinder effective interpersonal interactions. One of these barriers is the different personalities individuals possess. With diverse personality, comes diverse perception that may lead to discrepancies in relationships as each person views their opinion as the right one. A second approach one can take is in light of the standpoint theory. Standpoint theory argues that individuals see the world differently because of their unique positions in society. Such positions are subject to factors such as level of education, cultural background and most importantly the sex of an individual, in regard to romantic relations. With each person having a different point of view on matters that affect both parties in the relationship, there is a likelihood that conflict may arise. Wood (2012), on the other hand, sees individualism as a base through which pe rsons can be united. In her book â€Å"Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters†, she reports that identifying ones partner as a unique entity is the first step to understanding their intimate self. However, couples should not reflect on individualism in view of society as standpoint theory emphasizes. Uniqueness should stem from the relationships pattern and rhythm. For instance, one may ask themselves, does this relationship maintain a unique vocabulary with which the parties interact? For instance, one individual may prefer opening up while the other prefers to sort out their issues on their own. The uniqueness of an individual may be a source of severed interpersonal interactions. However, interpersonal communication helps one realize that these differences are the reason why individuals attract each other (the opposites attract rule). Acknowledging partners uniqueness is just laying a foundation on which other relationship matters will rest in the future. Persona l communication competencies need to be put in the limelight at all times during interactions between couples. Communication competence is the ability of the communicator to achieve the intended goal of their message. Regardless of the situation, communication always has a goal. The communicator can either wants to express a feeling or inquire something. For a couple to enjoy fruitful interpersonal communication, the communicator should feel that their goals excel. The communicating parties, therefore, need to understand the meaning intended by each message in every situation. Effective communication requires that each person is flexible in view of the needs of their partner. Secondly, when holding a conversation it is imperative that appropriateness prevail even in the face of overwhelming emotions such as anger or disappointment (Deetz, 2011). Stanley A. Deetz in his text â€Å"Communication Yearbook 16† analysis a psychological approach proposed by Schutz back in the year 1966. According to Schutz there are three guiding interpersonal needs one can satisfy in order to understand their partner, improve their communication competencies and sustain an intimate relationship. First both parties need to maintain affection in all their interactions. Secondly, the messages should not be aloof, and one sided to facilitate inclusion. Finally, both the messenger and the person

Evaluative Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Evaluative Report - Essay Example Each section in the report analyzes an important component of the essay written by me in order to establish the importance of academic writing skills in essay writing. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Essay Structure 2.1 Essay Introduction Analysis 2.2 Essay Body Analysis 2.3 Essay Conclusion Analysis 3.0 Paragraph Structure 4.0 Linking/Connecting Ideas and Information 5.0 Integrating Evidence 6.0 Referencing 7.0 Conclusions/Recommendations 8.0 List of References 1.0 INTRODUCTION Academic writing is an integral part of most of the academic courses pursued in the current world, and the learners need to produce various types of academic papers such as ‘essay’, ‘position statement’, ‘report’, etc. Analyzing or evaluating one’s academic writing skills has great significance in the background of today’s higher education system as such assessments help in the improvement of academic writing process in the future. The possibilities of one’s career development in today’s academic scenario depend mainly on one’s ability to write convincingly according to the requirements of academic writing. In this evaluative report, a detailed analysis of my academic writing skills demonstrated in Assignment 4 (Essay – final copy) is carried out and it builds upon the structure developed in Assignment 3 (Monitoring – report). ... xiii). Broadly, academic writing may refer to any type of writing done in an academic setting. Essay: An essay may be defined as a short academic composition on a specific topic, having components such as introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences, body paragraphs, conclusion, etc. Position Statement: A position statement can be defined as a type academic paper which clarifies or describes a specific arguable point of view. 2.0 ESSAY STRUCTURE An academic essay is an essential element of academic writing, and it assesses a student’s aptitude to present his thoughts and ideas in a structured manner. An effective essay writing process starts with collecting crucial ideas about the topic, and it is essential to present these ideas in an organized way. Thus, an essay should begin with introducing the thesis and the main arguments in an interesting way, and it should be developed logically through the body-paragraphs, ending with a logical conclusion. Therefore, there are thre e main segments in an essay, i.e. the introduction, the body and the conclusion. 2.1 Essay Introduction Analysis In this section, an analysis of the introduction of the ‘Monitoring – Essay’ is carried out. The introductory section of the essay is as follows: The rate of people developing type 2 diabetes is soaring in the western world; Type 2 Diabetes in recent times was typically regarded as a disease of the middle-aged and elderly. While it still is true that this age-group sustain a higher risk, evidence shows that diagnoses of this disease in people aged less than 30 years is accelerating and in fact becoming quite common. Even once active children and

Marketing plan for Riverford Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing plan for Riverford - Essay Example The measure has also downgraded the staff level into a manageable number with the delivery system maintained. Cost of the merchandize transacted The summation of the products sold to the clients within the next three years will be obtained from the sellers who have been tasked with keeping a record of the orders completed (Kotler, Keller, Brady, Goodman, and Hansen 2009, p16). Based on the past records, the records have suggested that Riverford affords to deliver to at least 600 homes within England on a daily basis. With the launch of the website service, the number is expected to rise to a minimum of 1000 deliveries daily. The transport cost per delivery is expected to cost 15% of the total delivery made, generating a profit of 23% of the total expenses used in production. The costs of internet services included in the profit ratings include $235 per month, which includes the e-mail service fee. Other Costs The number of trucks to be added in the new delivery routine is expected to be added in the field. The total cost per truck will hike by 10% within the next two years costing $500,000 per truck. The growth would be based on the ability of the company to employ new employees on the management field with four supervisors on the new branches to cost $2500 monthly. The demoted clients are to be compensated as they have helped generate the needed profit and will cost the company an additional $5000 annually for the next three years. The money used in rent for the new offices to be established to complement the existing blocks is estimated to be costing the financial departments a total of $4, 500/month. The other facilities needed would be new refrigerators to preserve some of the products and extra expenses on the packaging that would utilize the biodegradable packing bags to preserve the environment. There is the need to engage in other marketing ventures to sell the newly attained idea to present online marketing franchise (Baker & Hart 2007, p34). The marke ting ventures would include presenting the products on online magazines, covering magazine ads and utilizing community advertising spaces. The company wishes to extend the services to a market beyond the UK presentation hence the desire to collaborate with major restaurants like McDonalds. This would cost an added fee of $1500/month in employing skilful advertisers. The above mentioned criteria can be analyzed to present the vision to present the new service on the desired demographic. The leading groups to be served would be included in the family and company setting (Kotler, Keller, Brady, Goodman, and Hansen 2009, p41). Break even To achieve the desired goods for retention of the employees and deficit the expenditure, there is the need to produce monthly sales of $50, 000 to cater for the incurred costs. The assumption would be placed in the need to venture into new strategies of advertising and completing the sales. The company expects to realize elimination of the competition f rom small-scale businesses and adopt the system of product selection and delivery. Sales forecast The sales have picked up since the company started supplying fruits to the customers who appreciate a wider concentration of the products needed. There company also presents an establishment of the branches that not only specialize in the vegetables, but also witness participation in producing juice that sells the

Life as a Teenager in 2014 Essay Example for Free

Life as a Teenager in 2014 Essay When I was younger, I always thought my parents knew everything and were never wrong. I believed that they never made mistakes, they were too old and wise. The same went for my teachers, older members of our extended family and just adults in general. I felt so safe, comforted by the fact that they knew and were in control, so I didn’t have to be. The older I became, the more I realized how faulty my ideas were. I never did become any wiser as I grew up; I had information and data that bombarded my brain and knowledge on how I must act to be socially accepted. I was told what I could do and what I mustn’t do. Perhaps I do know more about life and the world, but I don’t understand it; perhaps that is for the better. I remember when I first heard the song ‘Teenagers’ by My Chemical Romance, and I began to think about the meaning behind it. ‘Theyre gonna clean up your looks†¨With all the lies in the books†¨To make a citizen out of you†¨Because they sleep with a gun†¨And keep an eye on you, son†¨So they can watch all the things you do Because the drugs never work†¨Theyre gonna give you a smirk†¨Cause they’ve got methods of keeping you clean†¨Theyre gonna rip up your heads†¨Your aspirations to shreds†¨Another cog in the murder machine They say that teenagers scare the living s*** out of me†¨They could care less as long as someonell bleed†¨So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose†¨Maybe theyll leave you alone, but not me The boys and girls in the clique†¨The awful names that they stick†¨Youre never gonna fit in much, kid†¨But if youre troubled and hurt†¨What you got under your shirt†¨Well make them pay for the things that they did’ The song did change my view on how teenagers are seen by society, but not in a way that I expected. I think that the singer, Gerard Way, is exploring how society wants to change teenagers to make them do as they are told and fit in and do well at school. However, the more they do this, the more teenagers rebel. In the chorus, Way expresses his fear of teenagers, of their tendency to perhaps be unpredictable and violent. ‘So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose Maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me’ I  think he is trying to put forward the idea that society might ignore them or leave them alone if they act threatening and imposing, but as he is an adult, he is expected to stay in line and meet the expectations of society. I think it’s difficult being a teenager. People don’t seem to realize or might have even forgotten. I am at the age where I am too old to rely on others and make mistakes but not old enough to take control of my life and look after myself. This time in my life that makes up my teenage years is important, and I want to make the most of that but I find myself overwhelmed by set backs and a severe lack of control. There are so many aspects of my life the government wants to control. They want to cram so many exams and so much work into these few short years of our lives that we find ourselves snowed under it all. It seems that these years of our lives are the most important. They define us and decide what our future holds. The pressure is on: if you fail your science G.C.S.E then you won’t be able to take it for A level. If you can’t take it for A level, you won’t be able to study it at university, or get a PHD, or ever become a doctor. The government has decided that exams mean everything. An A and an A* could mean the difference between your dream job and being unhappy for the rest of your life, stuck with a boring job that perhaps pays decently, becoming miserable and dying a failure. It’s too much. This has to be the reason why we find that more and more teenagers each year are turning to drugs, self harm, eating disorders and depression. Why does everyone question the rise in the number of these cases? Is it not obvious? Iâ€℠¢m sure it also has something to with the rise of the internet and everything that we are being exposed to. Quite frankly, we can’t cope with it. It seems that no one understands but teenagers themselves. Of course, it’s all quite a cliche to say that no one understands teenagers, but it does seem to be true. I wouldn’t say that all teenagers can’t cope and I realize that some cope better than others, but I know that our system isn’t working. Not the corrupt government with its exams and heavy pressure on students, and the not the corrupted internet with its social networking sites and pornographic images that seem to be everywhere. The adverts that tell us what a perfect person looks like are crushing and I find them insulting. There is a silent reminder that lingers in the air telling us to be normal, a clone of everyone else and to fit in. Some people come to a point in their life when they decide that enough  is enough and they wear what they want and act how they like. I have a theory that people are like sling shots: the more they are pulled back and restrained, the further they go when they are let go. They get to a point where they cannot be pulled back any further. This is when people pierce and tattoo their bodies or wear socially unacceptable clothing to show the world that they are not going to be told what to do. There are also the quiet ones who starve themselves to be in control, take drugs to take away the pain or self harm to prove that the pain they are feeling is not just in their heads, its real and they can control it. There are even people who work themselves sick to be in control of their future. What I find interesting is that every generation is different: each has its own pressures that differ from the last. Not long ago, I would have been expected to get married not too soon from now and raise a family, possibly with a man I didn’t even love. Only recently has homosexuality become socially and legally acceptable. So before, teenagers would have had trouble fitting in, or would have had to pretend to be heterosexual. We as teenagers never really have been in control and with a personality like mine, that can be extremely overwhelming. It seems now we are finding our voice and are able to express ourselves. I can see that there are positive aspects about being a teenager in this day and age: some of us turn to positive hobbies to take our minds off the stress of exams. More and more teenagers are relying on their great passion in life and developing it to take their mind off their diffic ulties. This might be music, cooking, writing, designing, drawing or sport. I still remember the first time I played the drums and I’ve never looked back. They made me love music even more and I started playing the guitar as well. I wrote songs and started to sing. Music became my obsession and it is one aspect of my life that I can control. I can do it myself without having to listen to the people who tell me what I should be listening to, what I should be playing or what I should be writing. I do believe that if nothing is going to change, then we all need something to turn to in life that reminds us we can cope. I know that it wouldn’t work for everyone, but perhaps people who take drugs could start drawing or painting. Instead of people focussing on their body weight they could start to cook their own food and be in control of that instead. People who self harm could write down their feelings or express it through music, or even go out and run off  their sadness. I think people need to remind themselves what makes them happy and if nothing does then they should find something. I know nothing will change for some time, but in the meantime we need to find a way to make the most of our teenage years.

Understanding Curriculum and Professional Issues Essay Example for Free

Understanding Curriculum and Professional Issues Essay This assignment will explore current views on professionalism in the Lifelong Learning Sector in the UK, and will make particular reference to the impact of professional status on teachers in the Further Education (FE) sector. The paper will examine current policy before going on to discuss; professionalism, continued professional development (CPD), the importance of reflective practice as a professional attribute and impact on teaching. The assignment will also discuss own personal development making reference to subject specialism. Finally professionalism in the sector will be evaluated. Historically Further Education (FE) Colleges were once far removed from the terms ‘professional’ and ‘academic’ and as Spencely (2006 pg 292) reminds us, â€Å"student learning in FE was definitely positioned in the arena of practical skills based training rather than education, this emphasis on training, rather than education, has led a number of commentators to question the existence of the profession of ‘educator’ or ‘teacher’ in the further education sector†. However, FE is now an integral part of the education system and plays a key role in supporting the professional development of teachers in the sector. Even with the ongoing drive to up skill FE lecturers with teacher training qualifications, those in FE appear to be in a continuous flux where recognition of professional status is concerned. Katz, cited in Avis et al highlights this when he states â€Å"Few professionals talk as much about being professional as those whose professional stature is in doubt†. (2009 pg 75) FE has struggled to be recognised as professional, this may be because the majority of teaching practitioners in FE are from a vocational rather than academic background. Currently FE teachers operate within a system of duel professionalism† (Davies 2006) meaning that they have vocational expertise and have gained teacher training qualifications in order to develop as a professional. However, according to Gray and Griffin, â€Å"professionalism of FE has never been homogeneous or particularly well formed in the FE sector† and it lacks the professional culture found in the schools (2000 pg 238). It may be that what Gray fails to acknowledge is the FE sector is not the school sector and it should therefore be different. Since September 2001, it has been a requirement that all teachers in FE colleges should have, or be working towards, a nationally recognised teaching qualification. The original national standards on which such qualification was based were drawn up by the Further Education National Training Organisation (FENTO). In order to receive FENTO endorsement, bodies such as the City and Guilds London Institute (CGLI), which at the time awarded a range of sector-specific teaching qualifications, were required to ensure that the content and outcomes of their teaching qualifications conformed to these national standards. Only teachers with a FENTO endorsed qualification were deemed to meet the national requirement for the profession. As the result of a government policy change, the national training organisations, including FENTO, were replaced by sector skills councils, and responsibility for managing the national standards and endorsing qualifications for teachers in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS) was taken over in January 2005 by Standards and Verification UK (SVUK), the standards and verification arm of Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK). This body, which is also responsible for the professional development of teachers in work-based learning and higher education, brought out a revised set of national standards in 2007 following a lengthy period of consultation. These are known as Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) standards; and it is now a requirement that all teachers in the sector, whether full-time or part-time, must have, or be working towards QTLS. This can be achieved by a number of routes, including SVUK-endorsed higher education programmes such as the Certificate of Education (Cert Ed), the Postgraduate or Professional Graduate Certificates in Education (PGCE) The Institute for Learning (IFL) are the driving force behind seeking professional recognition for teachers in FE. The chief executive of the IFL recently announced a major development for the IFL, commenting on Professor Alison Wolf’s recommendation that FE teachers with QTLS should be recognised as qualified to teach in schools. Secretary of state for education, Michael  Gove, has accepted recommendations from the Wolf Report clarifying that there is a need to â€Å"allow qualified further education lecturers to teach in school classrooms on the same basis as qualified school teachers†. (Goodman, 2011) The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) supports the drive to professionalise FE lecturers and states that â€Å"The inescapable conclusion is that it is now time for the Qualified Lecturer Status (QLS) to be replaced by the qualified teacher status (QTS), as the benchmark of teacher professionalism in FE colleges. It is time for lecturers to become teachers.† (ATL, 2011) Although this appears to be progression we could argue that this could be deemed more as compliance with an accepted view of what teacher professionalism is, whereas FE should be viewed as professional and the role of QLS should carry with it professional status. However, when considering current thinking on professionalism in teaching Pollard summarises that good teaching â€Å"requires a large number of implicit and often instantaneous judgements and decisions† often shaped by the ‘community of practice’ to which we belong†. (Pollard, 2010 pg 5) This takes account of classroom management, including relationships, positive learning environments and the ability to be creative and innovative. The ‘Teaching Learning Research Project’s’ ten principles of effective teaching, which form the basis of professionalism in the teaching sector, highlight a set of principles which are evident within the FE sector, clearly demonstrating (from my viewpoint) equity with the school sector. There are a number of issues around the concept of professionalism and obviously meaning here can and will differ according to ones profession. In order to define professionalism we must also consider that interpretation will differ dependent on perspective. Professionalism generally involves both characteristics of self and those of organisations. Professional organisations will have a set of values which will be reflected in working practices in line with ethical standards. However, irrelevant of organisation teacher professionalism is a significant factor as it affects the role of the teacher and their pedagogy, which in turn affects student ability to learn effectively. Teacher professionalism should contain the essential characteristics of, competence, performance, and conduct, all of  which should reflect the goals, abilities, and standards of the organisation for whom we work, and should impact on teaching through the development of these qualities. External drivers such as government policy will and do impact on the status of FE lecturers and along with the recognition of ‘Qualified Teacher Status’ (QTS) will no doubt come even more rigorous inspection of both student and lecturer achievement. The FE sector has continued to grow and in order to support; growth, the shift in education delivery from educators to Government control, and to meet the demands of Sector Skills Councils, the development of professionalism will continue to be a key focus. However, in order to develop this professionalism Hargreaves, reminds us that the existence of a top down education system with limited pay and over standardisation will result in a paradoxical profession. Hagreaves states â€Å"The paradox in the professional life of teachers is illustrated by the co-existence of two seemingly contradictory trends in the development of the teaching profession: standardization of teaching and antipathy to teachers’ professionalization, on the one hand, and higher professional standards and greater professionalism, on the other†. (2000 pg 11) In 2004 LLUK began the process of developing new professional teaching standards for the FE system, in line with the requirements of; Government, Sector Skills Councils, regulatory authorities, awarding organisations and providers. Bill Rammell, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, emphasises the importance of professionalism in teaching, Rammel states, â€Å"I believe these standards will contribute greatly to improving quality in teaching, training and learning across the further education system, and provide a key part of the infrastructure that will support the professionalisation of the workforce†. (LLUK, undated) However, this may also create a more rigorous evaluation of teaching standards, as teachers in FE become more qualified, as mentioned previously, expectations will also rise. The new professional teaching standards, with emphasis on specialist subject knowledge, will benefit FE in terms of quality, more importantly it will also provide a better learning experience for students, which when we consider professionalism must be our first concern . However, Avis (2009 pg 76) makes  the point that current thinking on developing professionalism, specifically when considering the detail and length of standards, that â€Å" LLUK standards are in contrast to the equivalent single page of broad statements that cover higher education† the same here applies to schools, it could therefore be suggested that the definition of professional in the FE sector is â€Å"more restricted and prescriptive than in other areas of education† (Avis, 2009 pg 77) This may also apply to continued professional development (CPD) in the FE sector. CPD is increasingly seen as an essential driver in raising the standards of teaching and learning in post-16 education and training. Requirements and processes have been set in place by LLUK and IFL to ensure that every teacher engages in CPD, meaning any activity undertaken for the purpose of; updating knowledge of subjects or developing teaching skills. However, CPD has also become a contentious subject, mainly due to interpretation at organisational level and the associated funding costs of ensuring CPD is beneficial to the lecturer. The IFL requires a commitment from all teachers to 30 hrs CPD per year, upon which teachers reflect, and draw on; learning which takes place, how this is shared and how it supports both one’s own development and outcomes for learners. CPD has been under scrutiny of late with concerns raised over the quality of CPD and whether it is meeting the needs of the individual or organisations. Trorey (2002 pg 2) defines CPD as â€Å"institutional development† which is aimed at improving a whole organisation, often described as â€Å"staff development† and â€Å"professional development† which involves â€Å"pedagogic knowledge and subject expertise†. It could be argued that CPD should encompass a whole organisation culture yet still support the development of pedagogic expertise, which defines the FE sector from the school sector, as the IFL remind us, â€Å"teaching practitioners engage in various forms of professional development throughout their careers, but that often this goes unrecorded†. (Davies, 2006) Here again we can see the influence of the IFL in the drive to support the development of professionalism in the FE sector. However, irrelevant of contention, where CPD is concerned, a commitment to continually update both knowledge and skills of one’s subject specialism and teaching expertise is essential if we  wish to viewed as professionals. Teachers in FE have a great deal of autonomy in their teaching as they are deemed to be experts in their field, therefore professionalism is an essential attribute. CPD should support the development of that expertise. Gray et al (2000 pg 25) states that â€Å"the professional is someone who is continuously developing his or her underpinning knowledge through reflection on their own (and others’) practice†. Therefore the ability to reflect is imperative as without this essential tool we cannot be viewed as professional. Reflection can be viewed as a process of thinking and improving your professional skills and it allows us to focus on positive aspects of practice and build on them. It also helps us to identify areas for improvement. Schon (1983) defines reflective practice as â€Å"thoughtfully considering your own experiences in applying knowledge to practice†. In essence reflective practice means learning from experience, it is therefore an essential element of teaching and supports CPD. Boud et al (1985) defines reflective practice as â€Å"an activity in which people recapture their experience, think about it, mull it over and evaluate it†. As simplistic as this may sound, reflecting on experience in order to improve requires a level of objectivity in reference to your teaching practice. Therefore unless we are willing to fully partake in reflective practice we may fail to grasp opportunities to improve both our own performance and the learning experience for our students. Clouder (2000) supports this view when he states â€Å"in its broadest sense, reflective practice involves critical analysis of everyday working practices to improve competence and professional development†. Practitioners must ensure that time is set aside to think about our teaching practice in order to evaluate it and make changes where necessary. However, it could be argued here that this relies on a whole organisation culture, as without time set aside by your organisation this could result in even more unpaid work than is already expected. Reflection should therefore be an integral aspect of professional teaching practice. The very nature of education requires teachers to be open to change, as the sector is under continuous pressure to improve outcomes for learners. This compounds the need for reflective practice for teachers, learners and whole organisations. Reflective practice encourages; the sharing of good practice, learning from the experience of others, it can support the planning process and overall encourages collaborative working to the benefit of all involved. Barriers to change exist in all aspects of society and reflective practice is viewed by many as a ‘questioning of their practice’ and some teachers struggle with this concept. However, barriers are often self imposed or they may originate from the culture of organisations, who may themselves have pre-conceived ideas about reflection, which in itself is often a barrier. In the drive to gain professional recognition in the FE sector we must embrace reflective practice as a tool for improvement and progression. Throughout the course we have been introduced to a number of models of reflection such as Schon’s (1983) â€Å"reflection in action† and â€Å"reflection on action†, Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle and Phil Race (2005) ‘ripples’ approach, all of which have been useful in supporting the development of reflective practice. Races (2005) ‘ripples’ model is based on the assumption that the best way to learn is by doing. This is a principle which supports both my specialism and teaching practice, as I firmly believe that students require hands on experiences before moving on to more abstract learning. When reflecting on my own practice, specifically when working with 16-18year olds, this has become evident. Reflective practice requires an open mind, hard work and deep understanding of the benefits in leading to improvements in practice and outcomes. It is only through undergoing a process of reflection and evaluation that we are able to make reasoned judgements about our teaching practice. CPD should be viewed as an ongoing process that; improves capabilities, helps to determine own learning needs and helps us to acquire new skills and abilities. Education in its many forms is a big responsibility and teachers should maintain professional standards as required by the sector, as  ultimately it will help us to gain professional credibility. There are many types of CPD which can be accessed such as, formal training, research, in house training, mentoring and further academic study. Undertaking the ‘Certificate in Education’ has helped me to develop in my role as a teacher, and also to recognise the importance of teaching qualifications. Having come into teaching from a subject specialism background I can clearly see the benefits of CPD in enhancing my teaching abilities and skills, therefore, in order to continue my professional journey my aim will be to achieve QTLS and possibly progress onto the BA in Education and Professional Development.

Work Of Barney J Contribute To Hrm Management Essay

Work Of Barney J Contribute To Hrm Management Essay In 1991, Jay B. Barney authored a journal entitled Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. The literatures main argument is that sustained competitive advantage can be obtained if the firm effectively and efficiently utilize its resources and capabilities that are valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (Barney 1991). This view of strategic analysis was regarded as the resource-based view (RBV) and different from what has been the customary external environment analysis which was exemplified in Porters five forces of competition (Porter 1979). Thus, focus was given to the strengths and weaknesses of a firm as much as the opportunities and threats of the external environment as the source of competitive advantage and foundation for creating strategies (Grant 2008). The RBV has been considered by many authors as contributing to the wider fields of study about resources and sustained competitive advantage (CITE) including human resources management. Hence, the focus of this literature is on the above mentioned work of Jay Barney and its contribution in the field of Human Resource Management (HRM) and the relationship of Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM) with sustained competitive advantage. The essay will be presented accordingly in three parts. First is a discussion of the theories presented in Barneys work as regards RBV. Second are the ramifications of the RBV theory to the concept of HRM and SHRM. And last is a reflection on the limitations or critiques regrading RVB and the things to come for the study of SHRM. THE RESOURCE BASED VIEW OF THE FIRM At the onset, literatures regarding strategy and sustained competitive advantage were focused mostly on the external analyses of opportunities and threats in the environment of the industry for some time (Barney 1991). Porters five forces of competition exemplifies this focus of a firms position in relation to its external environment. Accordingly, strategies and sources of competitive advantage were made based on the analysis of the firms competition within its industry, the threats of new entrants, the threat of substitute products, the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers (Porter 1979). However, Peteraf (1993, p. 186) acknowledges that competitive advantage is not the product of varying industry attractiveness alone and that the RVB is a factor that contributed to such an understanding. Competitive advantage as described by Pralahad and Hamel (1990) is the product or result of several years of building core competencies that are superior to its rivals, and applying these compe tencies more effectively than its competitors and that the length of time to build core competencies and obtain competitive advantage is also relative to the capacity of firms to learn and apply learning more effectively. The foregoing explanation of CA thus foresees that resources intrinsic to a firm or firm resources are sources of SCA. With Barneys work, emphasis was given to a varying perspective towards strategy in which sustained competitive advantage is achievable if the firm takes advantage of resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (Barney 1991). According to Barney (1995, p. 50), resources of a firm include all the financial, physical, human, and organizational assets used by a firm [and] human resources include all the experience, knowledge, judgement, risk taking propensity, and wisdom of individuals associated with the firm. Grant (2008, p. 131) further classifies resources into three: 1) tangible resources these are the financial and physical assets of a firm; 2) intangible resources which are the technology, reputation and culture possessed by the organisation; and 3) human resources which encompass the skills, knowledge, capacity for communication and collaboration, and the motivation that exists within the firm. All of these resources with the aforementioned characteris tics, when utilized effectively and efficiently through a firms organisation, systems and knowledge can be a source of sustained competitive advantage (Barney, Wright, Ketchen 1991). Based on the rationalisations mentioned, human resources are likewise potential sources of sustained competitive advantage. THE RESOURCE BASED VIEW AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT In his work, Barney consequently recognizes the importance of the RBV theory in the field of HRM, and that human resources can be valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable, and therefore become sources of sustained competitive advantage. Aside from specific human resources, policies and practices in HRM are valuable and inimitable since these resources cannot be easily replicated and requires a substantial period of time to get established (Barney 1991; Boxall 1996). Another characteristic of human resources is that of being rare or unique individually and as a group, for which Grant (2008) stresses that the key to competitive advantage is to exploit the firms unique resources, since strategies purely based on industry selection and positioning results in similar strategies among firms in an industry. These characteristics which epitomize RBV theory in Barneys work has been instrumental in providing the appropriate attention deserved by human resources in strategic planning, which leads to the notion of Strategic HRM (Wright, Dunford and Snell 2001). Further explanation provided by Pynes (2009, p. 31) is that SHRM is based on the assumption that in a dynamic environment, organizations need to be dynamic as well, this necessitates the need to acquire realistic information on the capabilities and talents of their current staff-in essence, their human resources. However, while RBV theorizes that competitive advantage can be sourced from the firms human resources, it is not solely the foundation from which profitability can be obtained in as much as a firms position in an industry cannot also be the sole source of competitive advantage. Competitive advantage and sustained competitive advantage can be attained by combining the customary external analysis, industry positioning and attractiveness with that of the analysis of the organizations internal resources (Collis Montgomery 1995). Through SHRM in particular, organizations can be better equipped to plan their human resource requirements in accord with the current needs within the organizations as well as with the present situation in the external environment (Pynes 2009). In essence, Barneys work has become a foundation from which HRM and SHRM gained prominence in the study of strategy and sustained competitive advantage. (Wright, Dunford, and Snell 2001) THE RVB, ITS LIMITATIONS AND CRITIQUES Priem and Butler (2001), provides a well acknowledge critique of the RBV literature offered by Barney about the RBV a theory. The critique is summarised in four areas wherein Barney offered counter arguments for each. Barney categorises Priem and Butlers (2001) assessments as: 1) the RBV theory is tautological; 2) failure to recognize that the composition of resources however diverse can generate similar value for a firm, and as such, cannot be a source of competitive advantage; 3) the 1991 article failed to give emphasis to the role of product markets; and 4) the theories derived has limited prescriptive implications. (Barney 2001, p. 41) These critiques, limitations, and assessments relating to various RBV literature, and in Barneys work in particular, has led to the increasing popularity of concepts such as knowledge management, learning organisations, flexible workforce and teamwork (Hartel, Fujimoto, Strybosch, Fitzpatrick, 2007, p. 14) Thus, giving groundwork from which further and more intricate study has evolved. CONCLUSION To sum up, the foregoing discussions presented Barneys 1991 work emphasising on resources that are rare, valuable, inimitable, and non-substitutable as foundations of sustained competitive advantage. More importantly, it has provided a backdrop from which due importance was given to the human resources of a firm in strategy formulation and contributed immensely to the notion of strategic HRM. Wright, Dunford, and Snell (2001) considers Barneys propositions on the sources of sustained competitive advantage as an influential in making or shaping the RBV premise significant in the context of strategy and in SHRM as well. For the future of RBV and SHRM, the articles critiques and limitations have instigated further study of the RBV theory and likewise opened new horizons for research in the field of HR and SHRM. Thus it is adequate and appropriate to say that the RBV theory which was emphasized in Barneys work contributed in the shift from strategy based on external factors and brought t o view the internal competencies and human resources of a firm in formulating strategies (Hartel, Fujimoto, Strybosch, Fitzpatrick, 2007, p. 14). There is a great depth of field for study and research in HRM and SHRM for which the RBV theory is relevant and a vital resource, future researches is definitely and will be very important to further appreciate and understand the relevance and essence of human resources in an organization. Annex A: Summary and Assessment of critiques to the Resource-Based View (RVB) (Kraaijenbrink, Spender, and Aard 2010, p. 360) Critique Assessment 1) The RBV has no managerial implications. Not all theories should have managerial implications. Through its wide dissemination, the RVB has evident impact. 2) The RBV implies infinite regress. Applies only to abstract mathematical theories. In an applied theory such as the RBV, levels are qualitatively different. 3) The RVBs applicability is too limited. Generalizing about uniqueness is not impossible by definition. The RBV applies to small firms and start-ups as well, as long as they strive for an SCA. Path dependency is not problematic when not taken to the extreme. The RBV applies only to firms in predictable environments. 4) SCA is not achievable By including dynamic capabilities, the RBV is not purely static, though it only explains ex post, not ex ante, sources of SCA. Although no CA can last forever, a focus on SCA remains useful. 5) The RBV is not a theory of the firm. The RBV does not sufficiently explain why firms exist. Rather than requiring it to do so, it should further develop as a theory of SCA and leave additional explanations of firm existence to TCE. 6) VRIN/O is neither necessary nor sufficient for SCA. The VRIN/O criteria are not always necessary and not always sufficient to explain a firms SCA. The RBV does not sufficiently consider the synergy within resource bundles as a source of SCA. The RBV does not sufficiently recognize the role that judgment and mental models of individuals play in value assessment and creation. 7) The value of a resource is too indeterminate to provide for useful theory. The current conceptualization of value turns the RBV into a trivial heuristic, an incomplete theory, or a tautology. A more subjective and creative notion of value is needed. 8) The definition of resource is unworkable. Definitions of resources are all inclusive. The RBV does not recognize differences between resources as inputs and resources that enable the organization of such inputs. There is no recognition of how different types of resources may contribute to SCA in a different manner. Lastly, Kraaijenbrink, Spender, and Aard (2010) have summed up the critiques as regards the RVB and offered evaluation and counterarguments to each (see Annex A). Among the eight critiques cited, three of which were acknowledged as not easily dismissible as the other five. The three assessments were concerned about the nature of resource and value as being indeterminate and the narrow explanation of a firms SCA. Another weakness in the RBV theory was the prominence of the attention given to individual resources compared to the importance of the conglomeration of individual resources and, which according to Kraaijenbrink, Spender, and Aard, does not reflect the real meaning of competitive advantage. (2010, p. 359)

Teens with Eating Disorders Essay -- bulimia nervosa anorexia nervosa

Teens with Eating Disorders In our society today, we are constantly hearing about more and more teenagers, mostly girls, who are suffering from an eating disorder. For reasons that are unclear, these young women are developing potentially life-threatening eating disorders as a way of achieving a perfect model body. There are many different types and classifications of eating disorders, but the two most common ones in which teens suffer from and are diagnosed with are called bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. People with bulimia, known as bulimics, indulge in bingeing, which are episodes of eating large amounts of food to satisfy their hunger and craving for food. Then there is purging, this happens after bingeing and it is a means of getting rid of the food by vomiting or using laxatives. Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder in which preoccupation with dieting and thinness leads to excessive weight loss. Anorexics have an intense fear of fat.(American Anorexia Bulimia Association, INC). People with anorexia, whom doctors sometimes call anorectics, severely limit their food intake. About half of them also have bulimia symptoms. A lot of the time a person suffering from anorexia doesn’t realize that they have an eating problem, they are more concerned with their image than food. In this report I want to primarily focus on teens with eating disorders and why they have resorted to this way of life. There are a lot of unclear reasoning of why people are inflicting pain, in a sense, upon themselves, but it mostly has to do with these teens self image and confidence, and the dire need to like one of those magazine models. To them thin=pretty+happiness. First, I researched and found to some degree why these teens are... .../www.wcsu.edu/~wiss/400/killea.htm Kuehnel, Deborah. Eating Disorders. Aug. 1998. http://wwwaddictions.net/info.htm Levine & Smolak. 2000. 10 Things Parents Can Do to Help Prevent Eating Disorders. http://www.edap.org/10things.html LQS Programs, 2000. http://laquesabe.com/lqswww/Programs.htm The Media, Body Image, and Eating Disorders. 1997 Mintle, Linda Ph.D. Risk Factors of Eating Disorders. 2000. http://admin.christianity.com Shiltz, Tom. Men and Eating Disorders: The Latest Facts. http://www.edap.org/men.html What Causes Eating Disorders? 2001. http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/1680.50413 Zastrow, Charles. Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Fifth Edition. 2001, pg. 246-47 & 324-29. Zinn, Janet. Dieting, could it be the problem rather than the solution? http://caringonline.com/eatdis/editorials/zinn/zinn/htm

Films that were enjoyed and disliked :: essays research papers

Films that were enjoyed and disliked   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The DVD The Movies Begin by Kino video is a testament to the early beginnings of film history. The series outlines man’s earliest attempts to create visual representations of the world around them, with great success. There are many short films on the disc that range from real events to staged minute long â€Å"stories.† There are some films that are enjoyable on levels of artistic creativity, while others lack motivation and are tedious (despite their short length).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film that sticks out most in terms of creativity is Georges Melies’ A Trip To The Moon (1902). This film chronicles the short but adventure filled flight of men to the moon. They make a large steel vessel, and travel to the moon where they encounter hostile alien beings. The film gave early audiences the fantasy of what was at the time impossible. This was primarily because of the use of special effects and a creative set design. This happened to be the result of Melies’ work as a magician. He also made use of editing to aid in his visual interpretation, making the audience believe that the aliens mysteriously evaporated after being hit with an umbrella. Melies also created a structure that was comprehensible. A simple venture into space; aliens and danger; escape to earth. This seemed to represent the three-act structure comparable to today’s films. All these elements created a landscape most audiences had never envisioned.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another short film that warrants mention for simple creativity yet has underlying political tones is Ferdinand Zecca’s The Golden Beetle (1907). This film uses special effects as its main draw, showing a man enticed, then killed by a beautiful woman (beetle). Color tints on the film gave it an unusual look, as the woman appears to have an aura of gold around her body. The film’s climax sees the demise of the man in a fiery death. This was most probably the result of the cultural attitudes toward women during this period. The film suggests that a woman could be mysterious and alluring, yet simultaneously destructive and overwhelming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One film that was pioneering in its technical attributes was the Lumiere brothers’ film Leaving Jerusalem By Railway (1896). This was a short film where the camera was at the rear of a train as it pulled away. This was revolutionary for the period because it took the camera away from the common stationary position somewhat, creating a tracking shot.

Essay --

Economic Principles Some of the most heated debates in macroeconomics in recent years have been concerned with the causes and consequences of inflation, the relationship between inflation and unemployment, and appropriate policy responses. Inflation and Unemployment in the AS-AD Model Inflation may be defined, for our purposes, as the proportionate increase in the price level per period of time. Another way of looking at inflation would be to point out that as the price level rises the real value of a given nominal amount of money falls, so that is to say that as the price level rises $1 will buy fewer and fewer goods. Thus, inflation might, alternatively, be defined as the proportionate decline in the purchasing power of a given nominal amount of money. In this sense, inflation is a monetary phenomenon. Therefore, Laidler and Parkin argue that its importance ‘stems from the pervasive role played by money in a modern economy’. Friedman goes further than this and argue s that inflation ‘is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon †¦ and can be produced only by a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output. He clearly has views not only on what inflation is, but also on what causes it. By no means all economists agree with Friedman on the causes of inflation, and it is such issues, which are the focus of much of this chapter. There is also much disagreement about the consequences of inflation. Most would agree that a short bout of inflation, or a persistent but well-predicted one, would not be as harmful as a persistent and unpredictable bout of inflation. Even for the latter case there are those who argue that the consequences are not that serious, while others argue that unpredictable inflation distorts the mec... ...lated by discounting the income, but to the permanent magnitudes. To take the extreme case as illustration: Wn is wealth possessed by an individual during his whole life’; and Yn is the average (permanent) lifetime income. This novel definition of terms is closely connected to Friedman’s research on the consumption function4, and it is very significant to his theory. Friedman applies his concept of permanent income to the theory of money demand, too. Permanent income is the return on a rather widely defined stock of nominal wealth. The latter consists of Money: a means of payment with a constant face value that does not yield interest; Bonds: interest bearing securities with a constant face value; Equalities: claims on the profits of a firm; Physical goods; and Human capital. Hence, Ln = f (P, rB, rE, P/ P, Yn p/r) (+) (-) (-) (-) (+)

Claude Monet

Art History 9 November 2012 Claude Monet: The Impressionist Claude Monet was a French Impressionist painter born on November 14th, 1840. Monet was born in Paris and was the second son to Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubree. On May 20th 1841, Claude Monet was baptized in the local parish church under the name of Oscar-Claude. Shortly after his birth and baptism, Claude Monet and his family moved to Le Havre in Normandy. The mid-forties brought with it a serious economic crisis and apparently a fall in trade for Monet’s father.Monet’s father was in the grocery business and he expected Monet to follow in his footsteps and carry out the family business. Monet grew up in a commercially-oriented household. Only his mother showed an interest in the arts. Her early death in 1857 was a severe blow to the seventeen year old Monet. He found sympathy for his artistic leanings with his aunt, Marie-Jeanne Lecadre. Madame Lecadre was not only in contact with the Parisian pa inter Armand Gautier, but had her own studio where she painted for pleasure and in which Monet was a welcome visitor.Monet’s relationship with his father deteriorated with time and was not improved when he decided to leave school in 1857; not to mention Monet left school shortly before his final exams. Not helping his case much. At school he received his first drawing lesson from Francois-Charles Ochard. These lessons appear to have had no profound influence on Monet, however. His memories of the period refer exclusively to the witty drawings and caricatures of his teachers and other things. Monet’s caricatures of the citizens of Le Havre, which rapidly earned him 2000 Francs, brought him a degree of local celebrity.In fig. 2, is an example of one of Monet’s caricature drawing, (Caricature of a Man with a Large Nose graphite on paper 25 x 15 cm. ) Monet was introduced to Boudin who praised Monet for his drawings. It was a turning point. Boudin took the young man with him on painting excursions into the surrounding countryside. He convinced Monet that objects painted directly in front of the motif possessed a greater vitality that those created in the studio. Monet later ascribed his decision to become a painter to his encounter with Boudin, with whom he remained in close contact with for the rest of his life. The fact that I’ve become a painter I owe to Boudin. In his infinite kindness, Boudin undertook my instruction. My eyes were slowly opened and I finally understood nature. I learned at the same time to love it. I analyzed its forms, I studied its colours. Six months later†¦I announced to my father that I wanted to become a painter and went off to Paris to study art. † So Monet wanted to become a painter. It was an idea his father eventually accepted but not without difficulty and after much persuasion from Monet’s aunt. Monet’s first oil painting was, â€Å"View of Rouelles† (seen in fig. 3. This painting was also known as, â€Å"Vue des bords de la Lezarde† because it showed a valley and streams either the Rouelles or the Lezarde, which the Rouelles flowed into. Presumed lost, the painting was discovered after hundred years and positively identified. He joined the studio of the Swiss-born painter Charles Gleyre in Paris, in 1862, where he had been for approximately two years. There he met Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Frederic Bazille and Alfred Sisley. All four of them had new approaches to art and they all painted the effects of light â€Å"en plain air† with broken color and rapid brushstrokes.That's exactly what became known as Impressionism. This period was very important; it was the culmination point of the movement Impressionism and some of Monet's best works had been painted in Argenteuil. One of the most famous Monet's paintings is â€Å"Impression: The Sunrise† (seen in fig. 4) painted in 1872 or 1873, from whose title the entire movement had got na me. It was art critic Louis Leroy, who coined the term Impressionism, and it had been derogatory, but, Impressionists had liked it and had found it very appropriate for them.The painting â€Å"Impression: The Sunrise† was exhibited 1874 at the first Impressionist exhibition in the studio of Nadar. Today, it is displayed in the Musee Marmottan-Monet in Paris. Monet continued to revise his craft until his death in 1926. With his eyesight deteriorating, one of his final and greatest feats included his creation of â€Å"The Water Lilies† paintings. (Seen in fig. 5) He worked on twelve large canvases and donated them to France. Monet is a household name that lives on in the hearts and minds of the artistic individuals and the lovers of art and its creators everywhere.When looking at Claude Monet’s life, I came to a realization, that he blazed a trail in the art world and he never looked back. Never took no for an answer. Inspired others to find their voice, and creat ed a movement that challenged the status quo in the painting world. The question shouldn’t be, â€Å"what did Monet contribute to the art world? No. In this case it should be â€Å"what didn’t Monet contribute to the art world? Monet's extraordinarily long life and large artistic output befit the enormity of his contemporary popularity.Impressionism, for which he is a pillar, continues to be one of the most reproduced styles of art for popular consumption in the form of calendars, postcards, and posters. Additionally, his paintings command top prices at auctions. Monet's work is in every major museum worldwide and continues to be sought after. While there have been major internationally touring retrospectives of his work, even the presence of one Monet painting can anchor an entire exhibition for the audience. The impact of his experiments with changing mood and light on static surfaces can be seen in most major artistic movements of the early twentieth century.When reading books about Monet’s life and his life work, I started to make a list of what made up the â€Å"Impressionist† style. Some elements I found talked about were, absence of light and shade and local tone, division of color and systematic use of complimentary colors and finally, plein-airism which is to try and recreate the outdoor light and air while painting in daylight. Monet was able to gather these elements and use them to help express his style in a unique way artistically, and allowed others to follow him. Through Impressionism, Monet was allowed freedom and a zest for life.Not staying in the lines or playing it safe. Monet shed some light on following your true calling and doing what you feel truly called to do. Monet runs the risk of shattering the traditional image of things as he pushes on towards his dream of the Impressionistic movement. For example, Monet isn’t afraid to give his canvases that chalky appearance which is indicated by the subject under contemplation. His craftsmanship is never systematic, whether he is showing fields of grass, or rocks and the sea. He has long strokes as well as fragmented ones.Then sometimes there’s a lot of what is called â€Å"brisk fluttering† which moves about the painting much like a butterfly would fly around. From far away his work can feel like a mash up of colors. But when you get closer you begin to see what he saw. What he was trying to portray through his works. I think what really stands out to me are the â€Å"Water Lilies† ( see figure 6) from a distance all you see is color and you don’t see the distinct shapes. But I guess that’s the thing, the shapes aren’t distinct. They are up for interpretation.That’s sort of the whole point of Impressionism, or that’s what I think anyways. Monet brought spontaneity to the art world. He brought rhythm and harmony but in an unconventional way. Monet brought freedom of expression bac k to art and took it to new heights. Monet breathed hope back into the arts, bringing â€Å"poetry back to science. † Monet taught us a new way to see the world, perceive it, and recreate it in a way we see fit. Growing up we had one of Monet’s infamous â€Å"Water Lilies† paintings hanging on our wall. It was called, â€Å"Bridge over a Pool of Water Lilies. † (See fig. ) I was young, but I remember it hanging around, literally, in our old house and for a while in the house we live in now. Truthfully, I thought it was a painting of turtles in water. The way the water lilies sat next to each other I could clearly make out eyes and the body of turtles. Oh how I laugh when I think of that. It’s funny. But that’s what I got out of Monet’s paintings when I was little. In fact when I glance at it now, that’s still what I see. I wonder what Monet would think if he were alive today and I told him that. Maybe he would laugh. Maybe he w ould say it was okay I got it wrong.But it was my own interpretation, so was it wrong? I appreciate Impressionistic art; a lot. I appreciate Monet and what he stood for and worked for. I appreciate the fact that it is an impression of what the world looks like but if they colors aren’t perfect or the lines are straight, it’s still okay. One picture that I really enjoyed was, â€Å"Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son. † (See fig. 8) When looking at this picture you can feel the wind on her face, in her hair, around her dress. All you have to do is look at this painting and you can really feel it.I can also see the chalky or abrupt strokes he used in the sky. The whites are not mixed in with the blues and its sticks out and I like that. It’s not formal. I love all the colors in the blades of grass. I don’t know about you but when I think of grass one color comes to mind, yep, green. But when Monet thinks of grass he sees greens, br owns, yellows, red, gray†¦I could keep going. But it all works so well together. All those stokes of color. One stroke, that’s all it takes. Monet doesn’t mix his colors together. They stand by themselves, proud and ready to be seen. I enjoy that.The mystery he conveys in the woman’s face is also intriguing. The picture makes you think, your mind doesn’t get bored quickly when you look at this painting. The details in the young boy’s hat are nice. The pop of red on the ribbon that goes around the hat, it stands out the eye and you catch it right away. It also helps bring out the reds in the blades of grass. Some other works that fascinated me while I was reading about Monet was his little series on boats. I enjoyed, â€Å"Boating on the Epte† and â€Å"In the Rowing Boat. † (See fig. 9 and 10). When looking at these paintings I was quickly reminded of the movie The Notebook.Specifically because in the movie the main characters ar e in a boat much like the ones in the pictures, and they have a sort of romance about them. They just look so romantic, the paintings. I don’t know if that was the intention behind these but its how I have interpreted them. It just amazes me, how Monet has such a loose stroke or a loose way of painting and yet it still turns out looking so good with great accuracy. He was a pretty good drawer before he started to paint so I’m sure that helps, but just looking at the details in these paintings I have grown such a respect for the Impressionists of the world.I respect them and their craft. I couldn’t do it, and they do it with what looks like ease. Monet makes me believe that if I put my mind to it, anything is possible. I know that sounds a bit cliche, but it’s true. Monet started a movement, and it opened a whole new way of thinking for artists. I think if I were to seriously pursue painting or something of that sort, Monet would definitely be role model. I’m really into fashion, and in a way, Monet’s style of painting could inspire a clothing line. The colors of his paintings surely would do the trick.His earthy tones would do great in the fall, and the whites and cool blues for winter. So I guess, Monet didn’t only have an impact on the art world, he kind of has an impact on the whole world. His styles could be used for more than painting. I’ve learned nothing is too big to chase. Monet is a classic get knocked down seven times, stand up eight kind of stories. Life changes every day. Nothing stays the same. It is always up for interpretation. I think Monet captured that idea and thought through a brush and paint. Monet is telling us we call all do the same, in our own way.