Essay on Love Song OF J.Alfred Prufrock by Thomas Stearns Eliot.

Essay on Love Song OF J.Alfred Prufrock by Thomas Stearns Eliot. "The Love Song Of J.Alfred Prufrock" is perhaps Thomas Stearns Eliot's most well-known poem; as the epitome of a modern poem. The poem is comprised of text which is the voice of a neurotic, paranoid modern man - Prufrock - who is obssessed with time, mortality, and social conduct. Eliot's meaning in 'Prufrock' is to describe aspects of the Modern world. I will explain how we get this impression of Prufrock and more through Eliot's use of linguistic techniques. Techniques such as symbolism, repetition, rhetorical questions, allusions or intertextual references, metaphors and similes, rhyme, irony and more.Before even reading the poem we're faced with the symbolic title, particularly the word 'Prufrock'. By this Eliot is implying a characteristic of this persona, that he has a sort of prude-in-a-frock effeminancy. The effeminancy is apart of Prufrock's nature so its implication is adding to Eliot's construction of the modern, neurotic individual.The Love Song of J. Alfred PrufrockFurth er symbolism is found in the personified cat which in the literal sense is a yellow fog. This cat goes from a high point, 'the windowpanes' to street - 'drains'. Thus it goes through a downward motion, which can be seen to represent Prufrock's mental debasement. This is evident more so as a result of the symbol of the cat; cats are usually associated with feminine qualities. Hence the cat can definately be seen as representing the paranoid, isolated modern man (Prufrock), which is Eliot's meaning.Another example of symbolism is 'I grow old...I grow old...I wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled' where the trousers being rolled is a popular youthful Bohemian fashion that Prufrock is envisioning. Hence the symbol of youth is something Prufrock is adopting to appear youthful. Prufrock also considers parting 'his hair behind' which is symbolically an attempt again to associate himself with...

Smart Cars, Speaks of the TravTek navigationsystem installed in Oldsmobile Toronados

Smart Cars, Speaks of the TravTek navigationsystem installed in Oldsmobile Toronados Answer A :The TravTek navigationsystem is installed in 100 Oldsmobile Toronados, thevisual part of the system is a computer monitor. Through detailed colour maps, itleads the driver through the town. The map changes all the time, cause a computerconnected to a navigation-satellite, and with a magnetic compass installed, calculatesthe fastest or easiest way to your destination. When yellow circles appear in aparticular place on the screen, it means that there is traffic jam here, or there has beenan accident on the spot. The computer receives this information from the TrafficManagement Centre, and it quickly points an alternative route out.b:The driver interact with the system through the so called 'touch screen'. 7000buisnesses in the area are already listed in the computer, and you can point out yourdestination by searching through a lot of menus until you find it, or simply by typingthe name of the street.English: Length of traffic jams on 6 jan 2010when the place you want to go ar e registered you push the makedestination button, and the computer programmes a route, the second after the routeappears on the screen, while a voice explains it to you through the loudspeaker.c:The TravTek guides the driver through the traffic. The computer always knowswhere you are, and the navigation system makes it impossible to get lost in the traffic,unless you really want to, and deliberately make the wrong turns. It also guides youpast traffic jams and problems who might crop up around an accident. In a townwhere you have never been, you will quickly be able to find your way to hotels,restaurants, sports arenas, shops and much more, just by looking through the variousmenus of the TravTek.d:The text definitely prefers the accuracy of...

Being a Leader Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Being a Leader - Case Study Example This enhanced its brand image and brand value to a significant extent as compared to others. This is mainly because of its huge strength of students and the total revenue earned each financial year. So, due to such reputation, I always decided to become a manager or leader of an elementary school in my future days in order to know its operations and goals. If I would attain an opportunity to become a leader or HR manager of an elementary school in near future, then I would surely try to develop innovative facilities for the students to enhance the portfolio and demand of such institutions in the market among others. Along with this, it might be also worth trying to introduce varied types of extra-curricular activities such as lab and library facilities, an Accelerated Reader Program to develop the joy of reading among students and character education classroom programs to enhance the inner skills and talents of the students. Only then, the dominance of the school might be maintained in the upcoming competitive market scenarios as compared to others. Along with this, the profit margin and sales might also be enhanced resulting in amplification of the brand equity in the market. Side by side, the market value and reputation of the organization might also be enhanced among other rivals in the market. ... According to me, the most essential leadership theories required at the time of the development of global goals for the elementary school in the next 5 years are stated below. Trait theory: It is an approach describing the personalities of human beings. It is essential, because on the basis of an individual personality trait, I would approach the person for further discussion regarding the prospects of the goals in the up-coming competitive scenario. For example, this theory would also prove effective in understanding the personality traits of the senior managers and the administrators if enrolled below me for the fulfillment of this task. Thus, it may be stated that trait theory of leadership is extremely essential for any leader or members of any organization or group. So, it is extremely essential for the leaders to attain a definite type of skills and traits to accomplish the objectives or goals of a specific organization, as he, might act as a motivator in these case. Transforma tional leadership theory: This theory states that in order to attain organizational upliftment, personal interest need to be rejected and the peers and employees need to be motivated to work for the success of the common goal or an objective of the organization. Along with this, it also helps in enhancing the morale, and performance of followers resulting in attainment of the tactics and strategies of the organization. So, according to my perspective it is extremely essential while developing the global goals of an elementary school. Transactional leadership theory: This theory means transaction of information and ideas among the leaders and followers. This helps in the attainment as well as transformation of varied types of information among each other that would prove

Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change Research Paper

Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change - Research Paper Example Poor ecological system in oceans and seas has led to lack of food and other resources that enhance survival of sea animals. This is because global climate change has resulted to the destruction of coral reefs in many of the oceans across the world. In addition, according to new government report on global ecosystem, climate change has also led to acidification of ocean waters. This report points out that current adverse climate change has also endangered water species due to the bleaching of coral reefs caused by rise in water temperatures. This is because climate change has led to the depletion of ozone layer leading to higher temperatures across the globe. Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change has, therefore, been regarded as one of the major environmental concerns in the 21st century. Sources of disappearance of coral reefs Global warming has higher devastating effects on coral reefs across the world. According to Science Daily that was released in 2010, large parts of coral reefs in various oceans in the world and the marine life supported by them are almost getting wiped away (Markham, 2009). In addition, reports by international team of researchers on marine ecosystem indicates that global warming has also caused rise in water temperatures killing and bleaching some species of coral. ... This layer of gases allows ultra-violet rays of the sun to pass through the earth. However, the layer prevents the same rays from escaping after they are reflected by the earth. This leads to rise in global temperatures which according to scientist, it has currently increased with 1.9 degrees. This has created a devastating long term effect of damaging coral reefs in the oceans. Researchers have indicated that about 7.5 percent of the world’s coral cover has been destroyed by rise in temperature (Howard, 2012). Damage of coral reef has also been affected by ocean acidification that results from global warming. Acidification of ocean is caused by absorption of gases released into the atmosphere from various human activities across the world (Environmental Health Perspectives, 2012). Currently, due to increased industrial revolution, there is higher emission of gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen monoxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. These gases form acids when m ixed with water and in some situations form acid rain. According to marine experts, oceans are absorbing about a quarter of the total amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere each year. This leads to formation of carbonic acid increasing the acidity of ocean water. High ocean acidity in turn causes bleaching of coral reefs. Adverse mass of coral reefs have currently experienced bleaching. According to 2009 aerial survey, about 60 percent of the total coral have received bleaching from ocean acidification (United States environmental protection agency, 2012). Human effects on disappearance of coral reefs There are various human effects that facilitate disappearance of coral reefs. Air and water pollutions are some of the human effects

Planned Approach to Change Essay Example for Free

Planned Approach to Change Essay The work of Kurt Lewin dominated the theory and practice of change management for over 40 years. However, in the past 20 years, Lewin’s approach to change, particularly the 3-Step model, has attracted major criticisms. The key ones are that his work: assumed organizations operate in a stable state; was only suitable for small-scale change projects; ignored organizational power and politics; and was top-down and management-driven. This article seeks to re-appraise Lewin’s work and challenge the validity of these views. It begins by describing Lewin’s background and beliefs, especially his commitment to resolving social conï ¬â€šict. The article then moves on to examine the main elements of his Planned approach to change: Field Theory; Group Dynamics; Action Research; and the 3-Step model. This is followed by a brief summary of the major developments in the ï ¬ eld of organizational change since Lewin’s death which, in turn, leads to an examination of the main criticisms levelled at Lewin’s work. The article concludes by arguing that rather than being outdated or redundant, Lewin’s approach is still relevant to the modern world. INTRODUCTION Freud the clinician and Lewin the experimentalist – these are the two men whose names will stand out before all others in the history of our psychological era.  The above quotation is taken from Edward C Tolman’s memorial address for Kurt Lewin delivered at the 1947 Convention of the American Psychological Association (quoted in Marrow, 1969, p. ix). To many people today it will seem strange that Lewin should have been given equal status with Freud. Some 50 years after his death, Lewin is now mainly remembered as the originator of the 3-Step model of change USA. Address for reprints: Bernard Burnes, Manchester School of Management, UMIST, Manchester M60 1QD, UK ([emailprotected]).dismissed as outdated (Burnes, 2000; Dawson, 1994; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; Hatch, 1997; Kanter et al., 1992; Marshak, 1993). Yet, as this article will argue, his contribution to our understanding of individual and group behaviour and the role these play in organizations and society was enormous and is still relevant. In today’s turbulent and changing world, one might expect Lewin’s pioneering work on change to be seized upon with gratitude, especially given the high failure rate of many change programmes (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001; Kearney, 1989; Kotter, 1996; Stickland, 1998; Waclawski, 2002; Wastell et al., 1994; Watcher, 1993; Whyte and Watcher, 1992; Zairi et al., 1994). Unfortunately, his commitment to extending democratic values in society and his work on Field Theory, Group Dynamics and Action Research which, together with his 3-Step model, formed an inter-linked, elaborate and robust approach to Planned change, have received less and less attention (Ash, 1992; Bargal et al., 1992; Cooke, 1999). Indeed, from the 1980s, even Lewin’s work on change was increasingly criticized as relevant only to small-scale changes in stable conditions, and for ignoring issues such as organizational politics and conï ¬â€šict. In its place, writers sought to promote a view of change as being constant, and as a political process within organizations (Dawson, 1994; Pettigrew et al., 1992; Wilson, 1992). The purpose of this article is to re-appraise Lewin and his work.. The article begins by describing Lewin’s background, especially the origins of his commitment to resolving social conï ¬â€šict. It then moves on to examine the main elements of his Planned approach to change. This is followed by a description of developments in the ï ¬ eld of organizational change since Lewin’s death, and an evaluation of the criticisms levelled against his work. The article concludes by arguing that rather than being outdated, Lewin’s Planned approach is still very relevant to the needs of the modern world. LEWIN’S BACKGROUND Few social scientists can have received the level of praise and admiration  that has been heaped upon Kurt Lewin (Ash, 1992; Bargal et al., 1992; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; Dickens and Watkins, 1999; Tobach, 1994). As Edgar Schein (1988, p. 239) enthusiastically commented: There is little question that the intellectual father of contemporary theories of applied behavioural science, action research and planned change is Kurt Lewin. His seminal work on leadership style and the experiments on planned change which took place in World War II in an effort to change consumer behaviour launched a whole generation of research in group dynamics and the implementation of change programs. 978 B. Burnes  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004For most of his life, Lewin’s main preoccupation was the resolution of social con- ï ¬â€šict and, in particular, the problems of minority or disadvantaged groups. Underpinning this preoccupation was a strong belief that only the permeation of democratic values into all facets of society could prevent the worst extremes of social conï ¬â€šict. As his wife wrote in the Preface to a volume of his collected work published after his death: Kurt Lewin was so constantly and predominantly preoccupied with the task of advancing the conceptual representation of the social-psychological world, and at the same time he was so ï ¬ lled with the urgent desire to use his theoretical insight for the building of a better world, that it is difï ¬ cult to decide which of these two sources of motivation ï ¬â€šowed with greater energy or vigour. (Lewin, 1948b) To a large extent, his interests and beliefs stemmed from his background as a German Jew. Lewin was born in 1890 and, for a Jew growing up in Germany, at this time, ofï ¬ cially-approved anti-Semitism was a fact of life. Few Jews could expect to achieve a responsible post in the civil service or universities. Despite this, Lewin was awarded a doctorate at the University of Berlin in 1916 and went on to teach there. Though he was never awarded tenured status, Lewin achieved a growing international reputation in the 1920s as a leader in his ï ¬ eld (Lewin, 1992). However, with the rise of the Nazi Party, Lewin recognized that the position of Jews in Germany was  increasingly threatened. The election of Hitler as Chancellor in 1933 was the ï ¬ nal straw for him; he resigned from the University and moved to America (Marrow, 1969). In America, Lewin found a job ï ¬ rst as a ‘refugee scholar’ at Cornell University and then, from 1935 to 1945, at the University of Iowa. Here he was to embark on an ambitious programme of research which covered topics such as child-parent relations, conï ¬â€šict in marriage, styles of leadership, worker motivation and performance, conï ¬â€šict in industry, group problem-solving, communication and attitude change, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-racism, discrimination and prejudice, integration-segregation, peace, war and poverty (Bargal et al., 1992; Cartwright, 1952; Lewin, 1948a). As Cooke (1999) notes, given the prevalence of racism and antiSemitism in America at the time, much of this work, especially his increasingly public advocacy in support of disadvantaged groups, put Lewin on the political left. During the years of the Second World War, Lewin did much work for the American war effort. This included studies of the morale of front-line troops and psychological warfare, and his famous study aimed at persuading American housewives to buy cheaper cuts of meat (Lewin, 1943a; Marrow, 1969). He was also much in demand as a speaker on minority and inter-group relations Kurt Lewin 979  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004(Smith, 2001). These activities chimed with one of his central preoccupations, which was how Germany’s authoritarian and racist culture could be replaced with one imbued with democratic values. He saw democracy, and the spread of democratic values throughout society, as the central bastion against authoritarianism and despotism. That he viewed the establishment of democracy as a major task, and avoided simplistic and structural recipes, can be gleaned from the following extracts from his article on ‘The special case of Germany’ (Lewin, 1943b): Nazi culture . . . is deeply rooted, particularly in the youth on whom the . . . future depends. It is a culture which is centred around power as the supreme value and which denounces justice and equality . . . (p. 43) To be  stable, a cultural change has to penetrate all aspects of a nation’s life. The change must, in short, be a change in the ‘cultural atmosphere,’ not merely a change of a single item. (p. 46) Change in culture requires the change of leadership forms in every walk of life. At the start, particularly important is leadership in those social areas which are fundamental from the point of view of power. (p. 55) With the end of the War, Lewin established the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The aim of the Center was to investigate all aspects of group behaviour, especially how it could be changed. At the same time, he was also chief architect of the Commission on Community Interrelations (CCI). Founded and funded by the American Jewish Congress, its aim was the eradication of discrimination against all minority groups. As Lewin wrote at the time, ‘We Jews will have to ï ¬ ght for ourselves and we will do so strongly and with good conscience. We also know that the ï ¬ ght of the Jews is part of the ï ¬ ght of all minorities for democratic equality of rights and opportunities . . .’ (quoted in Marrow, 1969, p. 175). In pursuing this objective, Lewin believed that his work on Group Dynamics and Action Research would provide the key tools for the CCI. Lewin was also inï ¬â€šuential in establishing the Tavistock Institute in the UK and its Journal, Human Relations ( Jaques, 1998; Marrow, 1969). In addition, in 1946, the Connecticut State Inter-Racial Commission asked Lewin to help train leaders and conduct research on the most effective means of combating racial and religious prejudice in communities. This led to the development of sensitivity training and the creation, in 1947, of the now famous National Training Laboratories. However, his huge workload took its toll on his health, and on 11 February 1947 he died of a heart attack (Lewin, 1992). 980 B. Burnes  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004LEWIN’S WORK Lewin was a humanitarian who believed that only by resolving social conï ¬â€šict, whether it be religious, racial, marital or industrial, could the human condition be improved. Lewin believed that the key to resolving social  conï ¬â€šict was to facilitate learning and so enable individuals to understand and restructure their perceptions of the world around them. In this he was much inï ¬â€šuenced by the Gestalt psychologists he had worked with in Berlin (Smith, 2001). A unifying theme of much of his work is the view that ‘. . . the group to which an individual belongs is the ground for his perceptions, his feelings and his actions’ (Allport, 1948, p. vii). Though Field Theory, Group Dynamics, Action Research and the 3-Step model of change are often treated as separate themes of his work, Lewin saw them as a uniï ¬ ed whole with each element supporting and reinforcing the others and all of them necessary to understand and bring about Planned change, whether it be at the level of the individual, group, organization or even society (Bargal and Bar, 1992; Kippenberger, 1998a, 1998b; Smith, 2001). As Allport (1948, p. ix) states: ‘All of his concepts, whatever root-metaphor they employ, comprise a single wellintegrated system’. This can be seen from examining these four aspects of his work in turn. Field Theory This is an approach to understanding group behaviour by trying to map out the totality and complexity of the ï ¬ eld in which the behaviour takes place (Back, 1992). Lewin maintained that to understand any situation it was necessary that: ‘One should view the present situation – the status quo – as being maintained by certain conditions or forces’ (Lewin, 1943a, p. 172). Lewin (1947b) postulated that group behaviour is an intricate set of symbolic interactions and forces that not only affect group structures, but also modify individual behaviour. Therefore, individual behaviour is a function of the group environment or ‘ï ¬ eld’, as he termed it. Consequently, any changes in behaviour stem from changes, be they small or large, in the forces within the ï ¬ eld (Lewin, 1947a). Lewin deï ¬ ned a ï ¬ eld as ‘a totality of coexisting facts which are conceived of as mutually interdependent . . .’ (Lewin, 1946, p. 240). Lewin believed that a ï ¬ eld was in a continuous state of adaptation and that ‘Change and constancy are relative concepts; group life is never without change, merely differences in the amount and type of change exist’ (Lewin, 1947a, p. 199). This is why Lewin used the term ‘quasi-stationary equilibrium’ to indicate that whilst there might be a rhythm and pattern to the behaviour and processes of a group, these tended  to ï ¬â€šuctuate constantly owing to changes in the forces or circumstances that impinge on the group. Lewin’s view was that if one could identify, plot and establish the potency of these forces, then it would be possible not only to understand why individuals, Kurt Lewin 981  Ã‚ © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004groups and organizations act as they do, but also what forces would need to be diminished or strengthened in order to bring about change. In the main, Lewin saw behavioural change as a slow process; however, he did recognize that under certain circumstances, such as a personal, organizational or societal crisis, the various forces in the ï ¬ eld can shift quickly and radically. In such situations, established routines and behaviours break down and the status quo is no longer viable; new patterns of activity can rapidly emerge and a new equilibrium (or quasistationary equilibrium) is formed (Kippenberger, 1998a; Lewin, 1947a). Despite its obvious value as a vehicle for understanding and changing group behaviour, with Lewin’s death, the general interest in Field Theory waned (Back, 1992; Gold, 1992; Hendry, 1996). However, in recent years, with the work of Argyris (1990) and Hirschhorn (1988) on understanding and overcoming resistance to change, Lewin’s work on Field Theory has once again begun to attract interest. According to Hendry (1996), even critics of Lewin’s work have drawn on Field Theory to develop their own models of change (see Pettigrew et al., 1989, 1992). Indeed, parallels have even been drawn between Lewin’s work and the work of complexity theorists (Kippenberger, 1998a). Back (1992), for example, argued that the formulation and behaviour of complex systems as described by Chaos and Catastrophe theorists bear striking similarities to Lewin’s conceptualization of Field Theory. Nevertheless, Field Theory is now probably the least understood element of Lewin’s work, yet, because of its potential to map the forces impinging on an individual, group or organization, it underpinned the other elements of his work. Group Dynamics the word ‘dynamics’ . . . comes from a Greek word meaning force . . . ‘group . . . dynamics’ refers to the forces operating in groups . . . it is a  study of these forces: what gives rise to them, what conditions modify them, what consequences they have, etc. (Cartwright, 1951, p. 382) Lewin was the ï ¬ rst psychologist to write about ‘group dynamics’ and the importance of the group in shaping the behaviour of its members (Allport, 1948; Bargal et al., 1992). Indeed, Lewin’s (1939, p. 165) deï ¬ nition of a ‘group’ is still generally accepted: ‘. . . it is not the similarity or dissimilarity of individuals that constitutes a group, but interdependence of fate’. As Kippenberger (1998a) notes, Lewin was addressing two questions: What is it about the nature and characteristics of a particular group which causes it to respond (behave) as it does to the forces which impinge on it, and how can these forces be changed in order to elicit a more desirable form of behaviour? It was to address these questions that Lewin began to develop the concept of Group Dynamics. Group Dynamics stresses that group behaviour, rather than that of individuals, should be the main focus of change (Bernstein, 1968; Dent and Goldberg, 1999). Lewin (1947b) maintained that it is fruitless to concentrate on changing the behaviour of individuals because the individual in isolation is constrained by group pressures to conform. Consequently, the focus of change must be at the group level and should concentrate on factors such as group norms, roles, interactions and socialization processes to create ‘disequilibrium’ and change (Schein, 1988). Lewin’s pioneering work on Group Dynamics not only laid the foundations for our understanding of groups (Cooke, 1999; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; French and Bell, 1984; Marrow, 1969; Schein, 1988) but has also been linked to complexity theories by researchers examining self-organizing theory and non-linear systems (Tschacher and Brunner, 1995). However, understanding the internal dynamics of a group is not sufï ¬ cient by itself to bring about change. Lewin also recognized the need to provide a process whereby the members could be engaged in and committed to changing their behaviour. This led Lewin to develop Action Research and the 3-Step model of change. Action Research This term was coined by Lewin (1946) in an article entitled ‘Action research and minority problems’. Lewin stated in the article: In the last year and a half I have had occasion to have contact with a great variety of organizations, institutions, and individuals who came for help in the ï ¬ eld of group relations. (Lewin, 1946, p. 201) However, though these people exhibited . . .  a great amount of good-will, of readiness to face the problem squarely and . . . really do something about it . . . These eager people feel themselves to be in a fog. They feel in a fog on three counts: 1. What is the present situation? 2. What are the dangers? 3. And most importantly of all, what shall we do? (Lewin, 1946, p. 201) Lewin conceived of Action Research as a two-pronged process which would allow groups to address these three questions. Firstly, it emphasizes that change requires action, and is directed at achieving this. Secondly, it recognizes that successful action is based on analysing the situation correctly, identifying all the possible alternative solutions and choosing the one most appropriate to the situation at hand (Bennett, 1983). To be successful, though, there has also to be a ‘felt-need’. FeltKurt Lewin 983  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004need is an individual’s inner realization that change is necessary. If felt-need is low in the group or organization, introducing change becomes problematic. The theoretical foundations of Action Research lie in Gestalt psychology, which stresses that change can only successfully be achieved by helping individuals to reï ¬â€šect on and gain new insights into the totality of their situation. Lewin (1946, p. 206) stated that Action Research ‘. . . proceeds in a spiral of steps each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-ï ¬ nding about the results of the action.’ It is an iterative process whereby research leads to action and action leads to evaluation and further research. As Schein (1996, p. 64) comments, it was Lewin’s view that ‘. . . one cannot understand an organization without trying to change it . . .’ Indeed, Lewin’s view was very much that the understanding and learning which this process produces for the individuals and groups concerned, which then feeds into changed  behaviour, is more important than any resulting change as such (Lewin, 1946). To this end, Action Research draws on Lewin’s work on Field Theory to identify the forces that focus on the group to which the individual belongs. It also draws on Group Dynamics to understand why group members behave in the way they do when subjected to these forces. Lewin stressed that the routines and patterns of behaviour in a group are more than just the outcome of opposing forces in a forceï ¬ eld. They have a value in themselves and have a positive role to play in enforcing group norms (Lewin, 1947a). Action Research stresses that for change to be effective, it must take place at the group level, and must be a participative and collaborative process which involves all of those concerned (Allport, 1948; Bargal et al., 1992; French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b).

Stephen Dedalus in James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ma

Stephen Dedalus in James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man When the soul of a man is born in this country there are nets flung at it to hold it back from flight. You talk to me of nationality, language, religion. I shall try to fly by those nets The spirit of Ireland is embodied in young Stephen Dedalus, the central character of James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Like the Dedalus of Greek myth, Stephen must grow wings so that he may fly above the tribulations of his life. As he matures, Dedalus begins to understand his position in life, and decides to rise above the turbulent Ireland of the early 1900s in a rebellion against society, a struggle against his beliefs and a struggle against his heritage. Joyce wrote A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in the decade preceding its first publication in 1916. The early 1900s was a turbulent time for Ireland, a time in which many groups and individuals were making pushes for an Independent Ireland. Joyce brings Irish politics in as a major theme for Stephen Dedalus to address. Stephen often Idolizes or admonishes different characters in Ireland's political landscape. Among these revolutionaries were the IRB (Irish Republican Brotherhood), Charles Steward Parnell, The revolutionaries of the 1916 Easter Rising and Sinn Fein. In the same year A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was published, between 1000 and 1500 Irish patriots tried to capture the town of Dublin on Easter Day. The Easter Rising, as it was called, led to the death of approximately 1000 Irishmen and 500 Britons. Of the 1000 Irishmen, many were women and children, while of the 500 Britons; all were either soldiers or policemen. The Easter Rising was not a spontaneous ev... ...k, Rev. Timothy D. The Dedalus Factor: Einstein's Science and Joyce's Portrait of the Artist. The Modern World. 4 April 2002 http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/joyce_paper_clark.html The Early Years. Joyce and his time. 4 April 2002 http://web.nwe.ufl.edu/~kershner/bioa.html Fitzgibbon, Constantine. 1916 Easter Rising. 1916 The Rising. 4 April 2002 http://www.users.bigpond.com/kirwilli/1916/ James Joyce. Ultima actualizacion. 4 April 2002 http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~vfores/joyce.html Mythography. The Legend of Daedalus in Myth and Art. Mythography. 4 April 2002 http://www.loggia.com/myth/daedalus.html Niebuhr, Reinhold. The Serenity Prayer. Bread on the Waters. 21 April 2002 http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/special/serenity.html Timeline. James Joyce Resource center. 4 April 2002 http://english.ohio-state.edu/organizations/ijjf/jrc/jrctimel.htm

Agendas and Instability in American Politics Essay

In this book, authors Baumgartner and Jones present an analysis of the nature of the policymaking process and national agenda setting. The authors’ methodology in this study was to conduct an empirical study examining national policy issues over time and then highlight any notable patterns. In the book, the authors develop a political model to account of long periods of stability in policies where entrenched interests are evident, but also times where policy change happens relatively quickly and seems to favor new avenues of influence. The authors utilize a model of evolution known as â€Å"punctuated equilibrium,† which was originally developed by paleontologists, to describe the dynamics and patterns of policy change. This process of punctuated equilibrium asserts that the political system â€Å"displays considerable stability with regard to the manner in which it processes issues, but the stability is punctuated with periods of volatile change† (Baumgartner & Jones 1993: 4). This change can be represented by an S-curve or a logistic growth curve illustrating a slow policy adoption at first, then a rapid push an enthusiastic support for it, then after it has saturated the national scene the process starts again. The authors go on to explore public policies in nuclear power, smoking, drug abuse, auto safety, etc. then describe them according to the punctuated equilibrium model. Baumgartner and James make the argument that institutions reproduce a particular policy agenda and therefore act to lengthen the life of some policies and in some cases can even create a monopoly on that agenda. Once the monopoly on the agenda is set, changes to the general policy will tend to happen incrementally (Baumgartner & Jones 1993: 5). Two mainstays of instituting a policy monopoly are 1) a definable institutional structure that limits access to the policy process and 2) a powerful supporting idea associated with the institution. The imagery and rhetoric associated with a particular policy is usually produced and controlled by an institutional sponsor and have far reaching effects on the population. The authors exclaim: These buttressing policy ideas are generally connected to core political values which can be communicated directly and simply through image and rhetoric. The best are such things as progress, participation, patriotism, independence from foreign domination, fairness, economic growth—things no one taken seriously in the political system can contest. If a group can convince others that their activities serve such lofty goals, then it may be able to create a policy monopoly (Baumgartner & Jones 1993: 7). This policy monopoly is not permanent and can undergo incremental adjustments and tweaks as the public perception of that policy begins to shift due to counter-mobilization and a decrease in public apathy. New views and a re-defining of the monopolistic policies inevitably lead to substantial change in the agenda; and the authors argue that when this ultimate change takes place it is quick and punctuated. Policy images are the primary mechanism interest groups and institutions use to manipulate support for or against a particular policy. The authors describe policy images as â€Å"a mixture of empirical information and emotive appeals (Baumgartner & Jones 1993: 26). The policy images used at one venue may be changed for another depending on the aims of the group presenting the policy. A good example Baumgartner & Jones use to illustrate the process of shifting policy image is the nuclear power debate and how it changed from â€Å"solidly positive to overwhelmingly negative† (Baumgartner & Jones 1993: 61). Next, the authors tackle the institutional influences in policymaking. Diverse interest groups have been on the rise since the 1960’s, and the competing interests all vie for support (public & private) for their respective causes. Much that support depends upon how well the interest groups are mobilized. Congress plays an integral role in providing access to and shaping policy agendas as they receive requests and pressures from various interest groups. Two forces that structure changes in congressional behavior are: 1) shifting jurisdictional boundaries and 2) member activity in response to perceived benefits from supporting a particular policy (Baumgartner & Jones 1993: 195). In summation, the authors illustrate how policy change and agenda setting in US politics is constructed by the primary factors of institutionalized interests and corresponding views or images of a purported policy. Other factors such as counter-mobilization, legislative support, and federalism influence this process, but overall it follows the punctuated equilibrium model of a steady maintenance of accepted policies and values until a re-defining of the issues becomes a popularized and mobilized movement.

Delegated Legislation Essay

Delegated legislation in its various forms is a necessary source of law in a progressive society. Parliament simply cannot keep up with the need for law reform demanded by society. The government formed within Parliament has to fulfill the promised reforms (among other agenda) and there is definite pressure to see that these reforms are passed within the particular session. The lack of specialized knowledge among MPs’ make DL a necessary avenue to ensure reasonable and effective content of the law. It would be unreasonable to expect MPs’ to have specialised knowledge nd understanding on a wide variety of areas. Delegated power is also necessary to enable a particular minister or body of people to issue laws to deal with emergencies and unforseen contingencies. Passing an Act of Parliament is a particularly lengthy process and therefore unsuitable to deal with emergencies. There are numerous concerns over the contribution of delegated/ secondary/ subordinate legislation as a source of law in the I-JK. The bulk of reform via DL is alarming eg 100 Acts to 3000 pieces of DL and the concerns are Justified. Delegated egislation(DL) is a generic term for legislation which is passed by a subordinate body to whom Parliament has delegated law making powers. At a higher level, DL passed by the Pri’vy Council or cabinet ministers or ministers are called Orders in Council , Statutory Instruments and Ministerial Regulations whereas DL issued by Local Councils are called ‘by laws’ . Undeniably, these laws are not passed by Members of Parliament as the peoples’ legislative representatives but by bodies controlled by the executive due to their unique position as a power within Parliament and having a degree of control ver Parliament. This threat is compounded by the practice of sub delegation within the ministry. The first part of the statement above is therefore valid as the idea of democracy is based on a nation governed by laws passed by popularly elected representatives rather than the executive. The making of DL by executive ministers/ bodies is also contrary to the ideals of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers which is practiced in most democratic nations. The latter part of the statement is therefore arguably Justified in that the practice of L is a very high price to pay as a source of law today. Despite this concern it is undeniable that DL is a necessary practice to ensure smooth governance of a nation. These concerns have however been addressed by the various forms of parliamentary, Judicial and political controls operating to ensure that the threat is contained or reduced. The Parent Act itself provides boundaries to the exercise of power by the subordinate body and also provides guidelines eg the requirement to consult, and method of approving the delegated laws. The Joint Select Committee on Statutory Instruments has the function of scrutiny and review of such laws to ensure

My Bridge Is Big Essays - Dental Equipment, Oral Hygiene, Toothpick

My Bridge Is Big Essays - Dental Equipment, Oral Hygiene, Toothpick My Bridge Is Big 5th period Mr. Moore Physics My Bridge is Big! I built my bridge on the foundation of triangles because any engineer will tell you they are one of the strongest shapes. No matter where you put pressure that other two sides of the triangle pick up the excess pressure. I decided to build the triangles into boxes so the support would spread out over a much greater area. I also added extra glue to the joints to strengthen the corners that did not match up really flush. In doing so I created joints that were not entirely straight but hold up just as well. I also cut the toothpicks so I could use whole ones as hypotenuses. Many were thrown out because they were broken or had defects in them. Many difficulties I encountered were not having enough fingers to glue the four sides down. Also it was a huge mess when the glue bottle became clogged and would not pour out until you squeezed it very hard. Well it then came oozing out all over your bridge and wasted like half the tube all over the wax paper or your mothers nice table. It was also very hard to get the toothpicks to stay in the upright position and when you moved a slight bit either way the toothpick on the other side would fall over. Mechanical engineering involved in the bridge building process included finding out that 45-degree angles were the strongest and that mass and stress put on these angles broke after the toothpicks were bent. Some careers include architecture, masonry, carpentry, astronomy and being a high school physics teacher. Bibliography don't need one

The Irish Elk, the Worlds Biggest Deer

The Irish Elk, the World's Biggest Deer Although Megaloceros is commonly known as the Irish Elk, its important to understand that this genus comprised nine separate species, only one of which (Megaloceros giganteus) reached true elk-like proportions. Also, the name Irish Elk is something of a double misnomer. First, Megaloceros had more in common with modern deer than American or European Elks, and, second, it didnt live exclusively in Ireland, enjoying a distribution across the expanse of Pleistocene Europe. (Other, smaller Megaloceros species ranged as far afield as China and Japan.)    The Irish Elk, M. giganteus, was far and away the largest deer that ever lived, measuring about eight feet long from head to tail and weighing in the neighborhood of 500 to 1,500 pounds. What really set this megafauna mammal apart from its fellow ungulates, though, were its enormous, ramifying, ornate antlers, which spanned almost 12 feet from tip to tip and weighed just short of 100 pounds. As with all such structures in the animal kingdom, these antlers were strictly a sexually selected characteristic; males with more ornate appendages were more successful in intra-herd combat, and thus more attractive to females during mating season. Why didnt these top-heavy antlers cause Irish Elk males to tip over? Presumably, they also had exceptionally strong necks, not to mention a finely tuned sense of balance. The Extinction of the Irish Elk Why did the Irish Elk go extinct shortly after the last Ice Age, on the cusp of the modern era, 10,000 years ago? Well, this may have been an object lesson in sexual selection run amok: Its possible that dominant Irish Elk males were so successful and so long-lived that they crowded other, less-well-endowed males out of the gene pool, the result being excessive inbreeding. An overly inbred Irish Elk population would be unusually susceptible to disease or environmental changesay, if an accustomed source of food disappearedand prone to sudden extinction. By the same token, if early human hunters targeted alpha males (perhaps wishing to use their horns as ornaments or magic totems), that, too, would have had a disastrous effect on the Irish Elks prospects for survival. Because it went extinct so recently, the Irish Elk is a candidate species for de-extinction. What this would mean, in practice, is harvesting remnants of Megaloceros DNA from preserved soft tissues, comparing these with the gene sequences of still-extant relatives (perhaps the much, much smaller Fallow Deer or Red Deer), and then breeding the Irish Elk back into existence via a combination of gene manipulation, in-vitro fertilization, and surrogate pregnancy. It all sounds easy when you read it, but each of these steps poses significant technical challengesso you shouldnt expect to see an Irish Elk at your local zoo anytime soon! Name: Irish Elk; also known as  Megaloceros giganteus  (Greek for giant horn); pronounced meg-ah-LAH-seh-russ Habitat: Plains of Eurasia Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (two million-10,000 years ago) Size and Weight: Up to eight feet long and 1,500 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; large, ornate horns on head

Analysis of the Effect of the Recession on Hypermarket Retailing Essay

Analysis of the Effect of the Recession on Hypermarket Retailing Industry in Brazil - Essay Example The economic reviews of Brazil’s retail industry out that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rates are cumulatively increasing year by year. The practice of consolidation of the hypermarket retail industry has been continuing but in general, the hypermarket remains comparatively fragmented, representing substantial span for the big players to develop their market strength in future. The leading 3 market players are controlling the hypermarket retail industry in Brazil; they are Pao de Acucar, Carrefour, and Wal-Mart. Other players are leading through acquisition. The recession affects the revenue of sales and the decline of the profit in the retail industry, Recession is defined as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real gross domestic product (GDP), real income, employment, industrial production and wholesale-retail sales" (What causes a recession? 2012). In this study, the recession affects the business of hypermarket retailing industry. Recession affects various aspects of business such as the purchasing power of consumers, buying behavior, and the income disposable level of people has increased significantly. There are many other factors that contribute to the fall in economy's into a recession, but inflation is the major reason for recession. â€Å"Inflation is defined as a sustained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services† (All about Inflation 2012). Inflation indicates the general increase in the price of products and services over time period. The rate of inflation is higher; the consumers purchase lower percentage goods and services with the same price. The time of recession affects the hypermarket industry in Brazil; the major players of hypermarket industry in Brazil are Pao de Acucar, Carrefour and Wal-Mart. Recession mainly affects these companies because they are retail stores. â€Å"The ec onomic crisis makes low-price concepts particularly adapted, and all three international retailers can potentially benefit from this trend. Expansion in Brazil is still ongoing and a strategic focus for all three groups† (Carrefour, Casino and Wal-Mart’s Expansion Strategies in Latin America 2012). Hypermarkets provide durable and non-durable goods. The retail industry of Brazil is segmented in three parts, they are Grocery Retail Non-Grocery Retail Non-Store retail These three categories are the main drivers of Brazil’s retail industry. The retailing of grocery is at a constant growth, and has gained its sustainability to the growing people who belong to low income group. The hypermarkets and large retailers are focusing on grocery, and also investing on the non-grocery items such as foot wears, fashion clothing, and sundries. The retailer’s Wallmart and Carrefour focus on developing personal labels for their own clothing brands and footwear. The Recessio n Impact of Retail Industry: â€Å"A recession normally takes place when consumers lose confidence in the growth of the economy and spend less, this leads to a decreased demand for goods and services, which in turn leads to a decrease in production, lay-offs and a sharp rise in unemployment† (Malik & Pandit 2012). The impact of recession in retail industry will decrease the proper demand and also enforces stress on the prices, and leads to the absence of price-war in the retail market. To keep the consumers, the

The Case Concerning the Pellian Workers Party (PWP) Assignment

The Case Concerning the Pellian Workers Party (PWP) - Assignment Example All the members of PWP are residents of Pell and the group receives financial support from ordinary well wishers, who are Pellians. PWP’s actions are not relate with the state. As such, it is clear that the actions of PWP are not the same as armed attack as contained in the customary international law. Q2. In determining the legitimacy of NAIOS to initiate a joint self-defense against PWP as in Article 5 of NAIOS and Article 51, United Nations Charter, there must be ascertainment that the actions of PWP qualify for armed attack as provided by the two Articles. Looking the case, PWP are just insurgents whose actions are criminal in nature and the scope of their actions remains affairs internal to Pell and Aldor. Therefore, the NAIOS has no mandate to launch military revenge in group self-defense. However, NAIOS can provide Pell and Aldor with assistance to effectively deal with their internal