Learning to Read and Write

Alana Roberts Essay I February 26th, 2013 â€Å"Learning to Read and Write† by Fredrick Douglas is a story about a slave breaking the bondage of ignorance by learning to read and write. During the course of 7 years Douglas discreetly teaches himself to read and write by means of stealing newspapers, trading food with poor white boys for knowledge and books, as well as copying his master’s handwriting. Douglas learning to read gave him extreme awareness of his condition as he says â€Å"†¦I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing.It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy† (Page 168-169). With his new consciousness he suffered with depression envying his fellow slaves for their â€Å"stupidity. † But, like a true underdog, Douglas perseveres and through hope he escapes to the freedom of the North. There’s a quote by Harriet Tubman â€Å"I freed a thousand slaves, and could have freed a thousand more if they had known they were slaves. † Throughout the essay Douglas evaluates his slave master’s ignorance, his fellow slaves ignorance, and most importantly his own.The definition of a slave is â€Å"a person legally owned by another and having no freedom of action or right to property†. Another definition says slave means â€Å"a person under the domination of another person or some habit or influence. † Douglas finds proof of the flawed ideology that is slavery through the book â€Å"The Colombian Orator. † The book validates Douglas’s belief of human rights and gave him ammo to use against slaveholders who thought otherwise. The dilemma in him learning this illuminating information is his inability to figure a way out of slavery.Douglas writes â€Å"It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me†¦I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it† (Page 169). White slav e owners made it unlawful for slaves to read and write, this ignorance kept them in a state of limbo which stopped their evolution. Without the capacity to examine their situation, they did not change their situation and stayed in this wheel of oppression and exploitation. Ignorance also befalls on the oppressors.Douglas sheds light on how slave owners prayed to Christ, went to church every Sunday and yet mistreated people to the upmost degree and punished them for reading. Southerners often justified slavery by saying they were bringing Christianity to slaves. Christianity is a religion based on love and compassion for your fellow man. Since the Europeans did not believe the Africans were worthy to be in the same human category as them they dehumanized them relating them to animals. Although the bible says â€Å"we must never treat any part of God's creation with contempt.When we do, we are indirectly treating our Creator with contempt. † If they did not believe slaves were worthy to be treated as God’s creation then why did they push their religion on them? The answer is to keep them controlled and confused. Europeans stripped Africans of their traditions starting with their name, this in some degree made Africans like blank canvases ready to be painted anew. Christianity gave slaves hope that one day their situation will change if they prayed hard enough and abide by Christ words. It also gave them a brand new vision of what God should look like. White is good, Black is bad.In the Christian bible they saw Jesus as a white man so in turn they could have related the goodness of Christ to the â€Å"goodness† of their masters. Some slaves even argued about whose master was more kind. I guess this is what Douglas was referring to when he called his fellow slaves â€Å"stupid†. I relate the South hypocritical belief system to that of the Catholic Church during Medieval Times. The church dominated everyone’s lives using fear as a means of getting whatever they wanted from its believers. From a very early age, the people were taught that the only way they could get to Heaven was if the Roman Catholic Church approved them.Just like slaves of America many people could not read or write which kept the priests in power. Peasants worked for free on the church land to pay their tithe or to not have the burden of total damnation. The hypocrisy of Christians of the South exemplifies his mistress who he described before as â€Å"Having bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach† (Page 167). Under the influence of slavery the angelical woman he knew turned into that of a demon in her conquest to prove her superiority over him.With praying to white Jesus not working, Douglas expresses a vulnerable side when talking about contemplating suicide. â€Å"I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for hope of being free , I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Page 169). To counter this feeling of hopelessness he birthed a new objective, find the meaning of the word abolition and how it related to himself. Douglas speaks on his ignorance as he writes â€Å" It was always used in such connections as to make it an interesting word to me†¦I found it was â€Å"the act of abolishing†; but then I did not know what was to be abolished.Here I was perplexed. † I find it humorously ironic that he is a prime example of what a abolitionist is and going to become but there was a point in time were he didn’t recognize what the word meant. Using context clues Douglas unmask the true meaning of abolition when reading an article on abolishment of slavery in the District of Columbia. In conclusion Fredrick Douglas’s â€Å"Learning to Read and Write† maturely examines the world in which he lived in. Though Douglas was a slave physically he was never a slave mentally.He analyzes and challenges the norm in his quest for freedom; and because of Douglas’s thirst for knowledge he escapes the bondage of ignorance. Douglas also points out that learning doesn’t make the man free but it is how you use this knowledge to obtain freedom. In our day and age we take for granted things like owning a book, going to school, even the simple principle of being who we want to be. Douglas is a hero to Black Americans as well as people who believe knowledge is power. Work Cited Learning to Read and Write by Fredrick DouglasThe Brief McGraw-Hill Reader http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/narrative/themes. html Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/medieval_church. htm The Medieval Church http://www. goodreads. com/author/quotes/18943. Frederick_Douglass Fredrick Douglas Quotes http://www. billygraham. org/articlepage. asp? articleid=6217 Christian view on treatment of animals http://www. cliffs notes. com/study_guide/literature/life-of-frederick-douglass/critical-essays/douglass-canonical-status-heroic-tale. html

Bullying: How Can It Be Prevented?

Bullying is a term used to describe a form of harassment perpetrated by someone who is in some way more powerful, physically or socially than his peers or the people in the immediate environment. While there are those who say that bullying is something that children will soon outgrow , there is no denying the fact that bullying has become prevalent in most schools all over America today.Given this alarmingly high rate of bullying, the relevance of coming up with methods by which to deal with this social problem becomes more and more apparent. However, to be able to formulate a process by which bullying can effectively be prevented it necessary to first examine bullying, its elements, types and causes. Only through an understanding of bullying can parents, teachers and schools properly come up with the necessary steps to reduce or totally remove the presence of bullying.BULLYING Main Elements of Bullying The bullying has been identified by researchers as possessing the following chara cteristics or elements: aggressive and negative behavior, repeatedly carrying out of the behavior, existent in a relationship with a great imbalance of power and the behavior as being â€Å"purposeful† (Hazler 1997). When these characteristics exhibit themselves in any relationship that a person has with another person, it is highly likely that there is bullying.The aggressive and negative behavior can often be manifested in other factors outside of the relationship between the bully and the victim such as in the classroom or in the manner that the bully interacts with people in authority as compared to the interaction among his (bully) peers. Bullying is not a single and isolated occurrence. A single case of abuse or aggression, be it physical or mental, is often not a case of bullying as it may just be the result of â€Å"flaring tempers† or â€Å"minor disagreements† among school children (Hazler 1997). Bullying involves constant aggression over a period of t ime.In relationships where there is a great imbalance in power between the parties, bullying is most likely to occur. The more powerful and aggressive person has been found to exercise a certain influence over the weaker party and to dominate the other party. Bullying is not just a series of random acts of aggression. According to a study, â€Å"the acts perpetrated by a bully are not just random acts of aggression but a series of well designed acts aimed at effectively exercising domination of the victim and being able to extract a certain reaction that the bully is looking (Batsche 1994).When all of these elements are present in a relationship, bullying is most likely to be occurring or to occur. While these elements are not conclusive in proving or showing the existence of bullying, the existence of these elements has been shown to determine to a certain extent the presence of bullying. Types of Bullying Bullying can basically be segregated into two distinct categories, direct b ullying and indirect bullying or social aggression. Direct bullying involves direct physical aggression by the bully over the victim.This type of bullying is most common among males and is exercised by those who are physically bigger than their peers. Indirect bullying is most common among females and younger children. This is done by â€Å"forcing the victim into social isolation through methods such as constant criticism of the victim, refusal to associate with the victim or by making the victim feel left out of any social activity (Batsche 1994). † Bullying may manifest itself in different ways depending on the direct environment and the parties involved.â€Å"Bullying,† according to a recent study, â€Å"is the assertion of power through aggression. Its forms change with age: school playground bullying, sexual harassment. Gang attacks, date violence, assault, marital violence, child abuse, workplace harassment and elder abuse. (Pepler and Craig 1997)†. Reaso ns for Bullying While bullying is caused mostly by reasons personal to the bully, researches have pinpointed certain factors as key to understanding why bullying exists in the first place.Researchers have indicated that people who bully have personalities that are authoritarian, combined with a strong need to control (Kim 2006). The same study indicates that a deficit in social skills and a prejudicial view of subordinates can be particular risk factors. Other factors have been determined to be the following: quickness to anger and use of force, addiction to aggressive behaviors, mistaking others' actions as hostile, concern with preserving self image, and engaging in obsessive or rigid actions. (Kim 2006)TAKING A STAND AGAINST BULLYING Role of Parents, Teachers and Schools Parents, Teachers and Schools should take an active role in remedying the problem of bullying. Bullying is a behavior which often occurs during ones childhood and in certain cases continues in the immediate envir onment of these bullies upon reaching adulthood. One of the keys to solving this problem therefore lies in being able to deal with the problem in its â€Å"infancy† stage (Harris 2006). The following are steps that can be taken to deal with this situation.Identifying the Problem The first step that can be done to properly address the problem of bullying is to be able to properly identify the presence of bullying. Most students or children who are victims of bullying are afraid to report to the proper authorities for fear of being bullied even more if they are found out. The victims are also hesitant to alert the proper authorities because they do not feel that the authorities can do anything to prevent such bullying from happening.For these reason, it is important to be able to determine the existence of bullying based on other factors and manifestations. Some of these signs that a child is being bullied are the following: lowered self-esteem, unexplained broken personal poss essions, loss of money, loss of personal items, unexplained bruises & injuries or stories that don't add up, missing or incomplete school work, decreased success in class, acting out aggression at home, and lack of interest at social events that include other students.At the first signs of these manifestations, steps should be taken to determine if there really is bullying going on and this can be best done by communicating to victim in a proper manner that something can be done about the situation if it is reported quickly. Encouraging Victims to Report the Bullying The second most important step in dealing with this problem lies in being able to show to the victim and to other victims who are unwilling to report incidences of bullying that reporting it to the proper authorities is the proper thing to do.In most cases, victims of bullying are tentative to report any instance of bullying because they are not assured that the problem can be dealt with (Kim 2006). The best method is i n being able to assure the victim that there are people who are there to support him and help him out in this process (Storch 2005). The victim has to be assured of the fact that he is not isolated from any help. The victim also needs to know that the incident will not increase in frequency or gravity once it has been reported to the proper authorities such as teachers or school personnel.In being able to do this, the incidence of bullying can be drastically reduced when other children who have been victims themselves see that something can be done about the problem of bullying (Storch 2005). Assessing the Bully One of the most overlooked aspects in dealing with the problem of bullying has to do with being able to address the problem at the source which means dealing with the bully (Harris 2006).Bullies who are encouraged or not shown the mistakes that they are committing have a high tendency of exhibiting such aggressive behavior outside of the school setting and eventually bringin g them into the other environments which they are immersed in and thus perpetuating this wrongful behavior. The problem of bullying, as mentioned earlier, must be dealt with at its source in other to prevent more acts of bullying from happening.This method however is trickier than it seems because when approaching or confronting a bully it must be remembered that the person may feel that such act is a sign of aggression and may react conformably. The steps with which to deal with a bully must be done in a very non-threatening manner thus reinforcing the idea that aggression is not the best way to deal with problems (Storch 2005). The bully must be made to understand that such aggressive behavior has a detrimental impact on not only the victim but on the psychological and emotional growth of the bully as well.Counseling by an expert or peer counseling has been shown to be highly effective in these instances. CONCLUSION Bullying does not have to be something that society just has to t olerate. Neither does bullying have to be something that a child needs to experience and be able to â€Å"outgrow† in order to become a more mature and responsible adult. As this discourse has shown, there are indeed steps that can be taken by persons in authority to curb the occurrences of bullying. The problem must first be identified correctly.The next step is to properly address whatever feelings the victim may have regarding the incident and ensuring that the aggressive behavior that the victim has experienced does not repeat itself. After this, proper programs to encourage witnesses and victims to report any incidents of bullying that occur have to be done. The final step in solving this social problem is in trying to address the problem from the side of the bully and ensuring that whatever reason the bully had for doing such is given attention and making sure that the event does not happen again.Proper implementation of these measures will surely help in reducing if no t ridding society of this problem concerning bullying. References: Batsche, G. M. , & Knoff, H. M. Bullies and their victims: Understanding a pervasive problem in the schools, (1994) School PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW, 23 (2), 165-174. EJ 490 574. Hazler, R. J. , Carney, J. V. , Green, S. , Powell, R. , & Jolly, L. S. Areas of Expert Agreement on Identification of School Bullies and Victims, (1997). School Psychology International, 18, 3-12. Kim, B. L.Leventhal, Y. -J. Koh, A. Hubbard, and W. T. Boyce School Bullying and Youth Violence: Causes or Consequences of Psychopathologic Behavior? Arch Gen Psychiatry, September 1, 2006; 63(9): 1035 – 1041. Storch, E. and D. R. Ledley Peer Victimization and Psychosocial Adjustment in Children: Current Knowledge and Future Directions Clinical Pediatrics, January 1, 2005; 44(1): 29 – 38. Harris, S. and C. Hathorn Texas Middle School Principals' Perceptions of Bullying on Campus NASSP Bulletin, March 1, 2006; 90(1): 49 – 69.

Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Community - Essay Example My notion of community was confined to this setting and usually my mind wandered to the rural area or the countryside with old folks and relatives doing small jobs at home. Champion swimmers are Olympians who win gold medals. To me that was a fact that was always at the back of my mind. They compete to win but are a rare kind of people and they don’t compose a community. They are single individuals, motivated and driven to win but are never living together, or concentrated in a geographic area. A community is different – it is a group of individuals with a common objective and situated in the same place. This opinion is just an opinion which later turned out to be wrong when I came to love the world of sports, particularly swimming. As I grew older in knowledge and spirit, I came to believe that a community is not confined to a small group in one geographic location. Community and sports can be joined together. Swimmers can be one community, people who connect to each other just like other individuals with the same hobby and likes in life. Chess players socialize and connect with other chess players in far places of the globe. Basketball players play hard to get that championship trophy but they form a community of real athletes who must have the stamina, physical endurance and, above all, teamwork. Swimmers love to talk and be with swimmers. We enjoy reading the lives of Olympian swimmers, their hardships and pains, and their successes. The world of sports is as big as the world itself, and swimmers who come from all walks of life can be a community. In my younger years, few dull thoughts formed in my young mind – that I was not made to win and that I would not belong to a sports community. As I learned to swim, I realized I was part of a community, even if that community is composed of people who do not know each other

Epistemology versus Ontology in Philosophy Essay

Epistemology versus Ontology in Philosophy - Essay Example Therefore, it may be said that this paper has been written on the assumption that epistemology is better suited than ontology for research design in philosophy. To begin with, one has to understand research design in context of philosophy as a style of writing or expressing ideas. This has a nexus with positivism as well as interpretivism in understanding how knowledge is gathered and used. Johnson et al's text (2000) starts with a study of innate notions. This portion of the book is a study of the elements that lead to speculation and a subsequent formation of perspective. This points to positivism. Throughout this part, the authors have managed to hook the reader on to the idea that speculation is an element that must be used in very discreet doses as more of it can damage the practical side of things in one's mind. (Johnson et al, 2000) As a philosophical notion, this is an ideal that is true to writing. In writing, it is imperative to stick to a certain balance between factual information and a small amount of speculation. This holds on to people's imagination and memories. Therefore, in this part of the book, the authors have merely de scribed a style of writing that has to do with organising ideas and information or interpretivism. This sets the stage for understanding and differentiating between epistemology and ontology. Further into the book, one will find ideals that are connected with principles in the mind. The mind is an organ that churns out thoughts and expressions of the same. These expressions are a part of the basic mental setup of the person concerned. This quality, in turn, springs from an ability to form a successful marriage between imagination and the overall truth surrounding a person. Therefore, these principles work towards defining a certain kind of writing and research design that can be applied by any person for means of appropriate self expression. (Johnson et al, 2000) The second part of the book is about Ideas. Writing is a field where ideation is an important phase before one begins to actually put the ideas down on pen and paper. Where does this ideation happen It happens during one's life experiences. These life experiences revolve around the garnering of values and ideals in life. One's writing often depicts the state of one's belief system. Thus, in describing ideas, Locke has managed to show what a person's preliminary research in writing is based on. This preliminary research comes from what is within oneself. (Locke, 2007) Analysis To begin with, let us define the concepts of epistemology and ontology, individually. Epistemology: This is a field of study that is closely related to philosophy. Epistemology, through the definition of theories and concepts, seeks to study a body of knowledge by applying the relevant definitions. This points towards subjectivism and the use of a positive attitude in deducing and understanding knowledge. In this way, it shares some similarity with ontology. It is a field of stu

Economics for Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Essay

Economics for Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure - Essay Example The popularity of Guam as a tourist spot among Japanese could be attributed to the former’s location as well as alignment to East Asian culture. However, recently the set of Japanese tourists has been changed from the traditional set of middle-aged tourists; Guam is recently being viewed as a favorite weekend spot by the Japanese youth (Dougan, 2007). Given the tourism revenues which come from Japan, Guam thus needs to devise new strategies of attracting and retaining the new set of tourists. Marketing decisions are important in the tourism sector which is featured by a high degree of competition (Dasgupta, 2011). In the present case, marketing decisions are necessary to adopt by the Guamanian government to ensure that the Japanese prefer no other destination as a vacation spot. One important strategy they might adopt is to frame new tourism packages for the new set of tourists. In the era of globalization, youth generally are fonder of a culture inclined more towards the West, unlike the middle-aged population. Hence, Guam could pay greater attention to features which are more Western than Asian in order to retain their new set of visitors. It can easily gain the assistance of USA – of which Guam is a territory, in this regard. Simultaneously, they may not neglect their older features as well since such a step might bar the middle-aged population. Guam is more popular as a weekend spot which is why they might not need to hold back upon their traditional culture, as a method to attract the historical tourist. In addition to marketing decisions, the national administration needs to stay alert about the supply side factors as well in order to attract tourists. Supply decisions primarily include the method in which tour operators cater to the needs of visitors to the nation (Shaw & Williams, 2004). In this regard, the national administration could induce tour operators to enter into pacts with hotels so as to make the rates more

Ergonomics, Work Methods, Satandards and Work Design Case Study

Ergonomics, Work Methods, Satandards and Work Design - Case Study Example The collected data were tabulated and graphically represented in order to conduct the proposed program more smoothly. The gathered information clearly indicated that back injuries and cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) were very common among the employees. However; among the recordable cases, 30% were back related whereas CTDs constituted only less than 10%. From a detailed analysis, the investigators identified that ‘selectors’ were the group most vulnerable to back injuries while forklift operators maintained the second place. A department-wise study revealed that the grocery department had majorily affected by injuries followed by freezer department and meat and diary departments in second place and third place respectively. Contusions and sprains were outnumbered and hence that could not be brought under the range of this study. In addition to the collection of statistical data, the project members also gathered ten minutes videos of each department’s work perf ormance in order to examine the nature of physical strain caused by each job. The adopted biomechanical techniques for this study included â€Å"a three dimensional analysis of static strength requirements and an analysis of repetitive lifting using the revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation† (Laurie, Andres & Wood, n.d.). As a part of the research, frequency data in January, 1994 were gathered for each job. Vertical and horizontal distances between each job location were estimated using measurement tapes and handled loads are weighed. The investigators also consulted personnel familiar with these operations with intent to acquire information regarding overtime work. The collected information processed using the two selected methods. The study outcomes illustrate that lifting cases above 50 lb. and horizontal movement cases beyond 20† cause high stress on the body and it would probably affect the low back or shoulder area. Section 2 Every organization largely depends on its employees to achieve a comprehensive economic growth. The above stated grocery warehouse distribution company also offers certain benefits to its employees. As discussed earlier, the firm implements an incentive pay system by which the employees get the opportunity to earn unlimited income. Under this option, the fastest worker achieves more so that an employee may tend to perform his works rapidly. An employee’s outstanding physical performance on a regular basis would certainly result in injuries and sprains on his body. This situation turns out to be the main cause of increased back injuries and CTDs in the organization. It has been identified that the grocery selectors are the most affected category of back injuries. The gathered data show that grocery selectors lift a weight of 30 pounds at a frequency of four per minute and this activity continues for eight hours. The asymmetry angle or back twisting angle for this wo rk is 30 degrees. At the same time, meat selectors lift 70 pounds two times in a minute and their job duration is also 8 hours. All other elements remain the same for each

Finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Finance - Research Paper Example This however, has led to utilizing the stock exchange indicators of the three distinctive countries i.e. Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. We ascertain that all the preceding three markets eliminates aught supposition that the returns adopt a convention statistical distribution. Additionally, we get hold that hypothesis bearing on to haphazard walk and feeble form efficiency of the three GCC countries and its markets is declined for all three issues including variegation benefits, based on the correlation statistics of returns. From the analytic thinking, we restates that the necessitate for an incorporated DCC stock market should be availed since the results and suggestions have fuller entailments due to security psychoanalysis, adorning community, securities market and other regulatory authorities in their policy decisions to improve their capital market performance. However, this field research entailed market efficiency, Random walk Kolmogorov-smimov test, Runs test for randomne ss which was articulated to find out the market analysis of the three GCC countries. Introduction Stock exchange, act as a determinant persona in cementing the relationship between the investors and the embodied sector (Solink, 2003). In this appendage, they alleviate in marshaling the economies of people and channelize them to the increment of trade, commercialism and industrialized sectors of an economic system. In a nutshell, stock markets caper a significant purpose in capital establishment and avail fuel economical maturation in the country. Considering it from the investor’s viewpoint, securities market cognitive operation are frequently equated to operations in adventuring dens, and the investors anticipate the flop winning schemes employing infinite processes and methods at liberty. All the same, the investor’s elemental target is to rally the market in spite of the fact that most off times investors are channelized by the persuasions of faith and phobic disord er. Notwithstanding, intellectual investors like to bid dependable and adorn their hand-earned net worth optimally. Those investors look for devised entropy and coherent abstract thought backed up by technological ways and techniques, since the two blossom circumstances of sensible investors are the risk and return inherently deliver in a security, guidance on deciding the correct stock based on scientific formula aspiring a boon to the investors. Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) The GCC commercialize analytic thinking of the three countries will be examined in reference to effective market hypothesis (EMH) and also through Random walk hypothesis (RWH). Unlike the efficient market hypothesis, this principal sum arrogates that the stock prices align rapidly to the new information, and thus, current prices in full reflect all available information. Furthermore, the Efficient Market hypothesis is classified into three sub assumption subject on the information set involved (Farma, 1988 ). The efficient market possibility all the same, avers that whenever the markets are efficient, then it ought to constitute almost impossible for an investor to exceed the market on a corroborated footing. Even though defluxions will occur and there will be periods when securities are all over or depreciated, these anomalousness’s are expected to go away as quickly as they came along, thus coming through almost impossible to profit from them

Sports Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sports Management - Essay Example This paper tells that countries have made teams of popular sports and each has their own representative in each respective sport. It has become a multimillion-dollar industry, to say the least (Aaron Smith and Bob Stewart, 1999). Sports like football and formula one are followed more regularly and enjoyed more by people that their religious festivals. Obviously, this means that things have become much more complex. Who will manage the team for instance Who will select the team in the first place from the thousands of talented individuals who have turned to give trials All this calls for some form of organization and proper management of sports. This is where sports management comes in. It is basically there too, well, manage sports. More specifically, this looks at sports from a more business point of view. How can you cash in on sports How to promote certain kinds of sports in the best way possible and which sports to stop chasing because they are just not worth spending a fortune o n? Entering into this field has many options to choose from. You can become a sports agent, who will basically provide you and your team opportunities to come on the stage and prove your worth. From there on then the whole thing will be your own talent. You can go on to become a sports manager, who in a nutshell will manage your team making sure that no member harms the team in any way such as getting caught in match-fixing and so on. If you are good with words then you can become a publicist where you can publicize the team and make it sound better than they really are, in many cases.

Quality Management and Continuous Improvement Uni 5 DB SA Second Week Essay

Quality Management and Continuous Improvement Uni 5 DB SA Second Week - Essay Example Dell will rather encourage other companies if a positive feedback is recorded from the system. It is quite depressing to hear that people entrusted with taking care of public funds are the same ones who fraud the resources. The implementation of JIT principle during day to day operation of institutions is good news to taxpayers. Implementing the JIT principles in corrupt institutions is important. The employees who are reluctant and not receptive to the processes need to be audited since they sense ill motives. Implementation of the principle need to be monitored and evaluate based on their performance. Assuming the impacts are welcoming, regulations need to be passed in favor of the system. From the JIT literature I propose the principle to be used in almost every institution. Ones the implementations of JIT are done the issue of money laundering will be a thing of the

International Human Resource Management Literature review

International Human Resource Management - Literature review Example Pancevo which operates with three different brands Weissar, Karlbrew and Starivo, merged with Eden Brewery which operates in Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and Kasakhstan. The joint venture was officially registered on the 25th of August 2003 and the company was renamed Eden Weisser. After the joint venture Eden not only injected a good flow of capital into the organisation but also resorted to quality enhancement measures such as pasteurisation, product rebranding with a new logo, reshaping the bottles and crates, introducing new plastic bottles and relaunching the Weisser brand. Problems in an International Joint Venture The most important feature of any joint venture is the cross cultural differences that two or more organisations located in different countries have to undergo. Cultural differences often influence the manner in which the partners in the joint venture make strategic decisions and solve problems. For example, the Japanese organisations tend to see interfirm allia nces primarily as interpersonal relationships whereas American organisations view them as endurance of design irrespective of the specific managers that are involved. Performance related pay is more popular in USA than in Germany or Japan. Again, recruitment in USA is a short term action as compared to France, UK and Germany. Training and career planning is the most extensive part in USA. Interpartner differences in avoiding uncertainties and long term orientation have a significant negative effect on the survival of the joint venture while differences in power distance, masculinity and individualism do not have any effect on the survival of any joint venture. The structure of parent control also influences the stability of any joint venture. Dominant management structure can minimise coordination costs and hence outperform shared control joint ventures. However, unequal distribution of ownership gives majority shareholders greater power which can be detrimental to the interest of t he minority owner. A balanced ownership is always advocated so the partners’ bargaining power is evenly matched. Ventures that have split ownership have greater chances of success than the ventures that are dominated by one company. Performance of ventures with a shared rate of control is greater. For example, one organisation has a mechanistic culture that is bureaucratic and hierarchal with clearly defined rules and regulations. The other organisation has an organic culture which means that the organisational structure is informal, non-bureaucratic and decentralised. These fundamental differences in culture will result in a severe conflict in the organisation. It was found out that the mutual understanding of each other`s culture is very essential to a successful relationship between two companies. Expatriation management is also an important feature of any cross-cultural joint venture. Expatriates assignment predominantly

Inferior quality Essay Example for Free

Inferior quality Essay Group decision making is a valid procedure that most of the times ensures that the answers and decision provided are of high quality as compared to individual decision making. It nevertheless is highly dependent on the technique of group decision making that was applied. The obvious assumptions to support this claims is that many people have the ability to bring more information to the table and explore various alternatives from different perspectives therefore living little room for mistakes. The end product of their critical evaluation of information more often than not results to creative ideas. In fact the more diverse the group is the better the ideas (Viteles 1953, 7). Mostly group decision making comes in to play when the option available necessitates inputs and opinions from more than one person. Even then it should be noted that as much as the answers from a group may be of high quality there no two groups that will function similarly while in the decision making process. The implication is therefore that one group may be proactive and others might require a facilitator in order to function effectively (Kerr King 1984, 17). The process is therefore a complex one and is achievable through various methods: Authoritarian Style The authoritarian style functions like a dictatorship. In this method the power to make the ultimate and final decision rests on one person. This person usually dictates the entire process and has the greatest say in the final outcome. Mostly this method is applied in cases where a powerful person and a key decision maker in the company is present. As much as the final answer may be of high quality many people are usually against this method especially those whose ideas were not incorporated in the final outcome. The minority control method has often been used to try and counter the negatives of this style (Rollison 2008, 14). Brainstorming Another method that a group can use to reach a quality decision is by the use of brainstorming. The method is mostly useful when the decision making process is starting from scratch. It mostly entails creating a variety of options and then weighing them before choosing the one that best fits. It is a popular method because of the fact that it gives each member of the group complete freedom. In some cases brain storming sessions have facilitator who has the function of ensuring that the group does not deviate. The facilitator also has the responsibility and the freedom to start the discussion, probe, and even provide some useful hints subtle (Griffin 1993, 56). This method of group decision-making is very effective because it puts value on every participant’s point of view and the final outcome is usually by consensus. Voting based method The voting based technique is often used when a group is presented by a set of defined alternatives and yet they are required to pick one that they think will ensure maximum value. Participants in this case are given the option of choosing the alternative they think is best. Unlike brainstorming this style puts little value on each individual’s opinions (Gordon 1983, 32). Basically the quality of the answer provided in a group discussion is also highly dependent on the style the group used to make their final decision. The assumption is that the authoritarian style may not provide the same quality of answers as brainstorming and voting. But generally a quality outcome is to be anticipated because the members are able to combine their individual strengths while offsetting their weaknesses. A set of different competence and skills is applied on the problem at hand before a solution is reached (Hogan 2003, 15). The group process also eliminates the chances of a biased answer as would be the case in individual decision making. Group decision making additionally embraces and evaluates an idea from broader perspective which is a result of the various unique perceptions of individuals in the group. In the case of an individual, the final outcome may easily be an influence of a preconceived idea or notion. It is therefore difficult for the person to be able to single handedly critic his views and therefore change direction because he already has a fixed picture in his mind of how things should be done. The wrong option therefore may be for example based on religious affiliation, cultural differences, or social status and therefore the outcome may in fact not be rational (Schwarz 2002, 53-52). Individual’s answers most of the time occur by default and no other alternatives are usually brought in to play for evaluation before the conclusion is made. The surrounding circumstances additionally tend to influence the final outcome therefore events will sometimes overpower the person’s ability to make a rational decision. This probably may not have great implication when for example you want to buy cologne but may mean a lot of deficits if the decision to be made is meant for a commercial entity. Decisions made by a lot of individuals are of quality because they have a higher chance of being implemented than individual decisions especially when it comes for example at the company level. This is simply because as the group discusses the individuals are able to comprehensively grasp the weight of the decision and understand the course of action needed to implement it. It is also the result of the boosted team spirit brought about by the consideration of each person’s idea and therefore greater commitment to achieve the goals is gained (Kroon 1995, 10-12). Gordon (1983, 37) observes that the results of a group can be homogeneous depending on various factors. In the case of a multi cultural group for instance the answers are bound to be of even better quality considering that the individuals have different diverse backgrounds therefore the strategies for decision making will definitely be different. Conflicts may arise because of the different perceptions but the group in itself has the power to look for means to deal with those conflicts and thereby presenting an appropriate and quality decision. Additionally members in the group that is making a decision are usually interested in making an appropriate decision and have little consideration for the kind of relationships that exist between the individuals. Furthermore compromise that occurs during the whole process may serve to enhance the coming up of creative solutions. But the decision making in highly cohesive groups may not necessarily result into a quality decision. This may be first and foremost because of groupthink. Groupthink describes the tendency of people in a group that is highly cohesive to seek consensus so strongly such that their ability and willingness to critically evaluate each others ideas is lost or weakened. Groupthink is mostly a result of the group collective rationalization or overestimating its ability to make decisions in the face of extraordinary risks. With such a mindset it becomes very hard for the group to spot or identify any loopholes in the answers given during their discussion session. The other cause for groupthink could be the closed mindedness of the group. This is because while they are making an effort to conform they assume that their exists inherent morality. Therefore conviction that all the decisions made will be correct is developed making them less conscious of any questionable ethical outcomes of their answers. Moreover groupthink can simply be the result of the pressure to ensure uniformity is achieved. This pressure could be direct on dissenters to force them to conform maybe with a consequence of a reward or punishment. Mind guards also force members to uniformity because they discourage members from taking different perspectives and basically filter what is right and what is wrong for the discussion (Straub 1999, 73). Additionally the urge to maintain their status aspirations and social status may make a highly cohesive group to make very irrational and therefore not quality decisions. The two are very important ingredients for any group and may influence the level of their integration into the society. And as a matter of fact the members that feel that they are of a lesser status may perceive the views of those members with a higher status in society as ‘rational’ even though they might harbor doubts concerning the outcomes. Additionally still some of the ‘classy ‘members may discredit the views of others or better still a member with inferiority complex may shy away from giving his opinion that would have greatly assisted in making the appropriate and effective decision. In conclusion a group decision-making process may only guarantee limited rationality and quality in outcomes. From the discussion above it might be quiet unrealistic to expect total quality of answers. This is because among the other issues there are a lot of emotions involved before a consensus is made and therefore some people views might have to be compromised yet their could be a probability that the forgone perception could have led to a better answer. Word Count: 1487 References list Gordon, J. , 1983, A diagnostic approach to organizational behaviour. Allyn and Bacon, United States. Griffin, R. , 1993, Management. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Hogan, C. , 2003, Practical Facilitation: A Toolkit of Techniques. Kogan Page Publishers, United Kingdom. Johnson, D. Pierce, F. , 1991, Joining together: group theory and group skills. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Kerr, K. King, H. , 1984, Procedures for meetings and organizations. Taylor Francis, United Kingdom. Kroon, J. , 1995, General management. Pearson, South Africa. Rollinson, D. 2008, Organisational behaviour and analysis: an integrated approach. Financial Times Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Schwarz, R. , 2002, The skilled facilitator: a comprehensive resource for consultants, facilitators, managers, trainers, and coaches. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Paul Tillich: Dynamics of Faith | Summary and Analysis

Paul Tillich: Dynamics of Faith | Summary and Analysis Myron McVeigh Paul Tillich In this essay I will be discussing my view of Paul Tillich’s theory of religion based upon his book â€Å"Dynamics of Faith.† I will give examples from his text that support my view. The very title â€Å"Dynamics of Faith† leads to the question, what is faith? Faith can hold many meanings, especially when used in the context of religion. Tillich explains faith in the first chapter of the book. â€Å"Faith is the state of being ultimately concerned: the dynamics of faith are the dynamics of man’s ultimate concern.† (pg. 1) He also states that the concern must be unconditional. Faith doesn’t have to necessarily be religious. It can be non-religious. For instance ultimate concern with a person’s career, raising their children or even concern that a farmers crops will grow can all be considered non-religious. The Jewish and Christian faith in God and the Muslim faith in Allah are good examples of â€Å"ultimate concern† in a religio us context. Tillich states that faith is a centered act. Faith as ultimate concern is an act of the total personality. It happens in the center of the personal life and includes all its elements. (pg. 4) The human mind’s most centered act is faith. Everything revolves around faith. It is not simply a function or section of a man but his total being. Tillich states however that faith is more than the sum of all man’s parts or impacts. It can involve rationality and it can involve emotion, but it transcends them both. Faith can have an impact on both rationality and emotion without destroying both in the process. It is what Tillich calls â€Å"ecstatic.† This means one can stand outside themselves without ceasing to be themselves. Tillich states that faith is both conscious and unconscious. Since faith is the total act of personality, it is impossible to imagine faith without the unconscious elements of one’s personality. Faith as a conscious act relies on the unconscious elements to create faith. If simply unconscious forces determine a mental status, Tillich states, it is not faith but rather compulsion. He also states that faith is freedom. â€Å"Freedom is nothing more than the possibility of centered personal acts.† (pg.6) Since faith is a free and centered act of personality, freedom and faith are equal. For faith to exist in something there must be two sides, the subjective side of faith and the objective side of faith. Tillich illustrates this by using the terms â€Å"fides qua creditor (the faith through which one believes) and the fides quae creditor (the faith which is believed).† (pg. 11) Simply there is no faith without something to have faith in. When using terms such as â€Å"absolute† and â€Å"ultimate† subjectivity and objectivity are the same. If God is the â€Å"ultimate concern: then he is both the subject and the object. This is considered true ultimacy. When faith cannot be both object and subject it is simply false ultimacy. Tillich gives the examples of a nation or success as false ultimacy. This is because it is in the believer’s eyes just an object it is subject to ordinary knowledge and handling. This leads to the subject of true faith and idolatrous faith. In true faith the â€Å"ultimate concern† is simply a faith in the truly ultimate, God, for example. The truly ultimate is infinite, the subject is the object. In idolatrous faith, â€Å"finite realities are elevated to the rank of ultimacy.† (pg. 13) The subject is almost overtaken by the object but this is temporary and the subject returns again leading to â€Å"existential disappointment.† This is because it leads to a loss of center and disrupts the personality, which according to Tillich can be hidden for a length of time but always exposes itself eventually. Idolatrous faith is still considered faith. â€Å"The holy which is demonic is still holy.† (pg. 18) This shows how faith can be ambiguous and dangerous. Idolatry is a danger of faith and the fact that there is a â€Å"demonic possibility† of the holy is the ambiguity. Faith can destroy us or heal us, but according to Tillich we can never be without it. It is often thought that the word doubt means the lack of faith. Doubt is merely the lack of conviction. It is also an important aspect of faith. â€Å"An act of faith is an act of a infinite being who is grasped by and turned to the infinite.† (pg. 18) Doubt is the opposite of our â€Å"ultimate concern.† Humans are finite beings and have to accept uncertainty in faith. This is where courage plays a role. Tillich uses a larger concept of the word courage rather than the dictionary definition. â€Å"Courage as an element of faith is the daring self-affirmation of one’s own being in spite of the powers of â€Å"non-believing† which are the heritage of everything finite.† (pg. 19) We must accept the possibility of failure. This possibility is present in every act of faith. This is a risk and it must be taken in order to maintain the â€Å"ultimate concern.† Now that we have established what faith is I will look at what faith is not. According to Tillich, there is an intellectualistic distortion of the meaning of faith. This is done not only by the popular mind but also philosophical and theological thought. Since faith is a centered act of the whole personality one function of thought cannot completely identify with faith without distorting what faith is. Faith is not simply an â€Å"act of knowledge that has a low degree of evidence† (pg. 36) This describes a belief, not faith. A belief is based upon evidence that is sufficient enough to add a high degree of probability. A belief can be varied. We believe things when we have good evidence about them or when they are stated by good authorities. When we accept the authority’s evidence as true it is often because we are unable to approach the evidence directly. History books are a good example of this. We are unable to prove that it happened because we weren’t witness to it but believe it because we believe the author. This cannot be considered faith though simply because although we trust the authorities, it is never unconditional. We don’t have faith in them. Tillich states â€Å"Faith is more than trust in authorities, although trust is an important element of faith.† (pg. 37) Tillich uses this thought when he describes early Biblical writers. Christians believe the writings but never unconditionally, they don’t have faith in them and therefore â€Å"should not even have faith in the Bible.† (pg.37) There is also a voluntaristic distortion of the meaning of faith. This is true mainly for Catholics and Protestants. According to Tillich, Catholics believe that the lack of evidence that faith provides must be complemented with an act of will. This states that faith is understood as knowledge with limited evidence that is made up by the willful act. Tillich refers to this as the â€Å"will to believe.† The Protestant version of the â€Å"will to believe† is connected with the morality of the believer. These beliefs state that faith is dependent upon the teachings of the church which is not the case. The third and final distortion of the meaning of faith is the emotionalistic distortion. This interprets faith as a matter of emotion. Tillich states that this distortion is partly supported by both the religious and the secular. â€Å"For the defenders of religion it was a retreat to a seemingly safe position after the battle about faith as a matter of knowledge or will had been lost.† (pg. 44) It was also readily accepted by scientists and representatives of ethics simply because it took away any interference from the religious in matters of scientific research. Tillich responds to this by stating that faith is not â€Å"a matter of merely subjective emotions, without a content to be known and a demand to be obeyed† (pg. 45) Faith has strong emotional elements tied to it but emotion isn’t the source of faith. Tillich believes that man’s â€Å"ultimate concern† has to be expressed through the use of symbolic language. Symbolic language is the only language able to express the ultimate. He states that symbols have many characteristics. One characteristic in which they have in common with signs is the fact that â€Å"they point beyond themselves to something else.† (pg. 47) He uses the example of a stop sign. The sign points to the order to stop movement of a vehicle for a specific amount of time. The color red has absolutely nothing to do with the stopping of a vehicle. When combined with a sign it simply points to the idea that one should stop their vehicle. The second characteristic of a symbol is that â€Å"It participates in that to which it points.† (pg. 48) Here he uses the example of a flag. The flag stands for the power and dignity of the nation that it belongs to. An attack on a nation’s flag is considered an attack on the dignity of that nation and is considered to be blasphemy. The flag isn’t responsible for the power or dignity but simply symbolizes it. The third characteristic of a symbol is â€Å"that it opens up levels of reality which otherwise are closed to us.† (pg. 48) The example used here is that a picture or a poem or even a story show us elements of reality that cannot be studied scientifically. Creativity opens up a reality in a dimension that cannot be accessed otherwise. This ties in with the fourth characteristic. This is characteristic opens up dimensions and elements of reality that are otherwise unapproachable AND elements of our souls that correspond to the elements of reality. He uses the example of a play in this scenario. The play gives us a vision of what is going on but also opens a dimension in our own being. We can comprehend what is happening in reality but there are also dimensions that we cannot access without the use of symbols. â€Å"Melodies and rhythms in music.† (pg. 49) Symbols are not to be produced intentionally, but grow out of our individual or collective unconscious. These symbols must be accepted by our unconscious or else they have no function. Tillich states that any symbol with an especially social function is created by the group’s collective unconscious in which they appear. Political and religious symbols are examples of this. The final characteristic of a symbol is the fact that the symbols cannot be invented. They grow and also die. When the situation calls for them, they grow. When that situation changes, they die. An example of this is a King. The symbol of a king used to mean something and produce a response of servitude and loyalty. This is no longer the case because for the most parts kings have been replaced by political leaders. Tillich explains that God is the fundamental symbol of our â€Å"ultimate concern.† It is always present when considering acts of faith. He states that God can only be denied in the name of God. Since an â€Å"ultimate concern† cannot deny itself it affirms itself. Atheism is simply the attempt to remove any â€Å"ultimate concern† from our lives. Tillich states that the only true form of Atheism is in difference toward the ultimate question. One cannot deny God because by doing so he confirms the existence of God. One can argue that in this case God is simply just a symbol, to which Tillich replies â€Å"God is a symbol for God.† (pg. 53) Tillich believes that God is the basic symbol of faith, but states that there are many other symbols as well. Manifestations of the divine in such things as documents and in words, in people and communities, even events are all symbols of faith. Tillich believes that holy things are not themselves holy, they are merely o bjects that point toward the source of holiness, which is the â€Å"ultimate concern.† Symbols of faith aren’t isolated. Tillich believes that the symbols are united in myths. He states that mythic gods are based upon human characteristics, they have personalities, are of both sexes, are related, and even participate in human struggles. Often the gods are not equal and live in hierarchies. There is usually one god or a small group of gods that rule over the other gods. Tillich states that all myths are fundamentally the same, â€Å"man’s ultimate concern symbolized in divine figures and actions.† (pg. 56) Myths are simply symbols of faith that are combined in stories of what Tillich calls â€Å"divine-human encounters.† Myths appear in every act of faith. They are often attacked and criticized because they use material from ordinary experiences. It adds a human experience of time and space when the â€Å"ultimate† is beyond time and space. A myth often divides what is considered divine into many figures. Doing this removes ultimacy without removing the claim to ultimacy. This causes criticism because it rejects the division of the divine claiming there is only one God. Tillich states that God is an object of mythological language and is often drawn into the human experience of time and space. This makes God a â€Å"concrete concern† and removes his ultimacy. Polytheistic mythology isn’t all that is rejected. Even monotheism falls under criticism. Tillich states that it needs â€Å"demythologization.† The word is used in connection with many of the mythical elements used in the Bible. Stories where â€Å"divine-human interactions† occur are in character considered m ythological. However, they are also objects of demythologization. Any myth that has been proven to be a myth but is not replaced is called a â€Å"broken myth.† There is a tremendous backlash when considering â€Å"broken myths† as no culture wants any of their myths to be proven false and lose its power. People who live in an unbroken mythological world feel protected and safe. Tillich states this type of thinking is supported by authoritarian systems because it gives false security to the people whom they control and also unchallenged power over them. He calls this â€Å"literalism.† Literalism allows myths to be understood by their immediate meaning. They are placed in a human context, events are attributed to ideas that humans understand. For example, the virgin birth is understood in a biological sense. â€Å"Literalism deprives God of his ultimacy and, religiously speaking, of his majesty.† (pg. 60) It basically draws God down to the human level of the finite and conditional, which he cannot be since he is ultimate. â€Å"Faith, if it takes its symbols literally, becomes idolatrous! It calls something ultimate which is less than ultimate.† (pg. 60) Tillich speaks of many types of faith. These types vary from religion to religion, culture to culture, and even from individual to individual. The variance in these faiths has to do with the variation of symbols of the faith. These types all have one thing in common. They all are united because of their focus on â€Å"ultimate concern.† There is a relationship between faith and history, science, and philosophy. Tillich believes that if our â€Å"ultimate concern† is really ultimate then it is not affected by any of the conclusions provided by history, science, or philosophy. He explains this by stating that a symbol of the ultimate is not ultimate in itself but merely a way of representing that which is ultimate. Therefore a faith is true if it represents the ultimate. Tillich believes that â€Å"the experience of actual faith, of faith as a living reality†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 115) is considered the life of faith. He once again states that having faith is having courage. Faith is integrated in to our everyday personalities and plays some role in shaping them. Faith is ingrained with various tensions. Tensions between doubt and courage, being estranged or being whole, between ourselves and our communities. He states we must maintain balance between faith, hope, and love so that they play a role in the totality of our personalities. Faith is present in our communities and is important. We use the faith and symbols of our communities and express them through ourselves, the individual. Faith is the central phenomenon in the personal life of mankind. It is visible and invisible at the same time. It is both religious and non-religious. It is universal and sat in stone. It can be changing but is always the same. Tillich states that it is â€Å"an essential possibility of man, and therefore its existence is necessary and universal.† (pg. 146) If faith is our â€Å"ultimate concern† than it cannot be undercut by science, superstition, and distortion of church and state. Faith alone stands upon itself and justifies itself. I feel that Tillich’s theories follow and partially agree with the theories of Freud and Durkheim. He explores with detail the human mind and our psyche. This determines our personality and as Tillich states many times faith is deeply ingrained in our personalities. Faith is an act of total personality. Faith is both an act of rational and unconscious elements. Tillich even applies faith to Freud’s naturalistic negation of norms and principles stating that â€Å"Faith and culture can be affirmed only if the superego represents the norms and principles of reality.† (pg. 6) Freud states that if the superego is not established through valid ideas it becomes suppressive. With real faith, even if it uses Freud’s father image, creates true ideas or principles and therefore it rings true. Durkheim states that religion is community, Tillich agrees with this. A community provides the symbols of faith in which people believe. The individual expresses their faith through the community. Therefore without the community there are no symbols of faith in which to represent that which is ultimate. When considering Marx in this equation, the two cannot be further apart. For Marx, religion or faith were nonexistent and something that was just invented to qualm our meager existence in this world. Tillich states that faith is us and has always been ingrained in us. He states that to deny the existence of God only strengthens the case that God exists. Therefore Marx’s theory holds no water in Tillich’s eyes. He states that â€Å"the rejection of faith is rooted in a complete misunderstanding of the nature of faith.† (pg. 146) The denial of faith is an â€Å"ultimate concern† so therefore is faith in itself. Citation Tillich, Paul. Dynamics of Faith. New York: Harper, 1958. Print.

The Purpose Of A Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay

The Purpose Of A Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay Film analysis is an important part of understanding films although this is overlooked by many people. There are various elements of films which are brought together to give the final outcome and enable the audience grasp the story. Some of these elements are very visible such as actors while others may not be clear such as the theme of the movie. Elements in films include actors, storyline, images, motion, time, background sound, composition, sequence, lighting and others (King, 2002). These elements usually undergo processes such as filming and editing among others. The overall quality of the elements and processing techniques in totality determines the success of a film. It is important to analyze all elements which are brought together in a film in order to assess the effectiveness of the film in achieving the objectives of the producers. This is also important since it helps explain why some films are more successful than others. This paper will discuss how movie analysis is done and how meaning is found in a film and how to interpret it. My personal criteria used in movie evaluation will also be discussed in the paper. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end of the paper. How to analyze an entire movie There are various strategies used when analyzing movies. Different movie analysts use different criteria although there are various elements which form the basis of movie analysis. This section of the paper will discuss how a movie is analyzed and the various aspects which are assessed during movie analysis. Effectiveness of storyline and dialog This is one important aspect of a movie used in analyzing the overall success of a movie. The storyline creates a platform for development of the movie. In a successful storyline, the audience should be able to easily relate with the theme and dialog between characters in the movie (Pollick, 2011). Successful movies use scenarios and dialog which actors are comfortable with. This makes it easier to convey the storyline to the audience. Movies which are considered less successful use scenarios and dialog which constrict the actors and make it difficult to convey the storyline. Less successful movies feature obscene language or poor conveyance of thought in a manner in which thoughts appear to be from the screenwriter as opposed to the character. A movie analyst asks themselves whether the dialog appeared to honest or whether there was a logical progression of scenes. The analyst should further ask themselves whether all scenes necessary to effectively give the storyline were present. Finally, they should assess whether the movie had any dialog or language which made it impossible to effectively understand the movie. These are basic questions which guide movie analysts when assessing whether dialog and the storyline in a movie are effective. Set pieces and background In any movie, the background plays a very important role in presenting the storyline and movie in general to the audience. The role pf photography in a movie is to enhance the characters and make the storyline more realistic to audiences under the circumstances. There is need to develop a proper atmosphere when presenting a movie to an audience. In order to analyze whether the set pieces and background is effective for the movie, one should ignore dialog and the actors for a brief duration. During this time, a movie analyst should assess the costumes used, sets, scenery, colors and shapes which have been used in the film. These elements are used to create the desired ambience or mood. In addition, the use of darkness and light as well as fog and shadow should not be overlooked since these play an important role in producing background effects. However, all these elements should be used sparingly and they should not overwhelm viewers. In general, the analyst should ask themselves whet her the background used distracted his or her to the storyline or whether it complemented the storyline. Performance of actors This is another major aspect which dictates the success or failure of a movie. Performance of actors should be judged both when they are acting in the main action and even when they are part of the background. In successful movies, actors roles push forward the plot of the movie or assist audiences develop particular characters in their minds. They should be judged even when they are part of the background since the audience feels the presence of such actors. Actors chosen should fit into the roles they play and they should complement each other as opposed to competing against each other. They should also portray the emotions which accompany the roles they play in different scenes in order to make the film appear realistic to the audience. When a film analyst is analyzing performance of actors, she or he should ask themselves whether actors fit into the roles they played and whether they complemented the parts played by other actors. They should also ask themselves whether their perf ormance made the movie more realistic to the audience or not. Editing This is one of the most important processes which any film undergoes. In fact, most critics are of the opinion that significant work in any movie begins at the editing stage. There are many movies which have good storylines and actors but they fail to capture the audience due to poor editing. Such movies feature many scenes which do not add to the plot or have those which are important left out. Others have poor editing techniques and audiences are exposed to obvious mistakes every time there is a transition to a new scene. Editing of movies should be done in a professional manner in which the audience is unable to notice any edited parts. When a film analyst is analyzing a movie, he or she should look for confusing parts especially when transiting to new scenes. He or she should also look for the synchronization between actors words and actions in order to judge the success of the editing process. In movies which have action scenes, these scenes should gradually build to climax with out losing the captivation and interest of the audience. Successful movies flow smoothly between scenes which gradually develop the theme or plot of the story. Directors fingerprints Most directors have distinct styles which characterize movies they produce. Directors understand the scriptwriters intentions, actors skills and how the crew operates. Due to this reasons, films usually leave a signature which is unique to directors. After a film is completed, it should have the feel and look of the director who directed the movie. In order to assess the directors signature in a movie, the analyst should research previous movies done by the directors and any distinct styles which she or he uses. The analyst should also analyze the reputation which the director has from the perspective of other directors and filmmakers. Signature elements which are unique to directors include edgy dialog, familiar actors, creative background music or unique camera perspectives and angles. These elements assist a film analyst to analyze a movie and conclude whether it was successful or not. How to find and interpret meaning in movies Finding and interpreting meaning in movies is usually challenging to audiences especially if the film is of low quality. Many people watch a movie and wonder what its theme or meaning was after it is over. However, there are various techniques which may be used to find meaning and some of them will be discussed below; Analyzing how characters react to conflict This is a common approach which should be used by analyst when finding meaning in movies. Many movies have simple concepts at the face level but once someone analyzes how characters react to conflict with other characters or events, it becomes clear the meaning or theme of the movie. Conflict in movies is usually represented as dramatic action or dialog. Dramatic action should be interpreted by watching characters actions in order to expose underlying meaning (Hagener TÃ ¶teberg, 2002). Action is usually interpreted through analyzing the unspoken. When searching for meaning, the changes which characters undergo as a result of experiencing conflict, exposes the underlying meaning in movies. Changes on the main character throughout the movie This is a similar approach to finding meaning in movies. It involves analyzing the character of the main actor at the beginning of the movie and at the end in order to view any changes which they may have experienced. Main characters usually change after experiencing certain events within the movie. They are usually faced with challenges and experiences which require decision making and choices. These decisions and choices change the character of the actor. Understanding the changes which occur to the main character and the factors which influenced these changes will enable a movie analyst to find meaning in film. Personal experiences There is consensus among many directors that movies may have different meaning to different people based on experiences. Some people may have different interpretations of the same movie based on experiences they have. In order to find meaning, the audience may therefore be forced to analyze their personal experiences and relate them to the movie. Many movies feature themes which relate to social norms and experiences and it is therefore easy for a movie analyst to find meaning within his or her experiences in society. Cultural influences Every film is based on a certain culture which may be real or fictional. Particular characters in the film either follow such cultures or rebel against them. This is the basis of creation of a villain and hero within the movie. When the actions of characters in the totality of the film are assessed based on the popular culture in the film, it is possible to derive meaning from the film. The presence of villains and heroes who either follow or rebel against the prevailing culture drives an analyst in finding meaning of the movie. This strategy works both for fictional or real life acts. Analyzing contradictions within the film Finally, another effective way of understanding meaning of film is through analyzing contradictions inherent in the movie. The major elements of a film include sound, editing, cinematography, settings, theme, character and narrative. By studying any contradiction which may be present between these elements, one can derive meaning from film. For instance, contradictions between actors actions and words or between soundtracks and images may present a deeper meaning in film. My personal criteria for evaluating movies When evaluating movies, there are certain steps which I follow and some of them are included in the strategies which have been discussed above. The first step involves watching the movie carefully and patiently in order to understand the storyline. This should be the first objective of any film analyst since the storyline provides the basis for analyzing a movie. Understanding the storyline involves connecting the sub-plots and scenes together in order to develop one overall story. After watching the film, the second step is finding meaning. I believe that any effective film analyst should first understand meaning of a film before he or she gives an opinion of whether it was successful or not. In order to understand meaning in film, I usually use two strategies. The first involves studying the behavioral changes in the main actor as a result of experiences in the movie. The choices and decisions made as a result of experiences which in turn alter their character is an effective way of understanding meaning. The second strategy involves analyzing the cultural influences on characters. The behavior of characters in the context of the dominant culture in the movie has helped me interpret meaning in film. Finally, any experiences which I may have relating to the storyline also help me in finding meaning of a movie. After understanding meaning of a movie, the third step is assessing the effectiveness of the various elements of the film. These include the sound, editing, cinematography, settings, theme, character and narrative. I usually analyze all these elements independently and judge whether they were effectively used or not. I also analyze the connection between various elements in order to make the overall movie. I usually use the guidelines which have been discussed in the paper when analyzing the elements. After this analysis, I consider the elements, storyline and theme of the film in totality, in order to give an opinion on whether a film was successful or not. I consider a film to be successful its storyline is interesting, theme relevant and if all elements have been effectively used in developing the movie. Summary and conclusion Various aspects of film analysis have been discussed in the paper. Film analysis involves analyzing film elements, the storyline and theme in order to develop a conclusion of the success of the movie. In order to effectively analyze a movie, various elements are assessed and these include effectiveness of storyline and dialog, set pieces and background, performance of actors, editing and the directors fingerprints. These elements should all be interlinked and they should flow to give the movie a clear storyline. In order to find meaning in movies, various factors are analyzed and these include analysis of how characters react to conflict, changes on the main character throughout the movie, personal experiences, cultural influences and analysis of contradictions within the film. Meaning and effectiveness of elements used should be taken in totality when determining the success of a movie. However, one should be careful when finding meaning since different people may have different mea nings to the same movie due to different cultural experiences.

Brazilian Sweet Fifteenth Birthday Party Essay -- Personal Narrative D

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quinceanera, which is Spanish for Sweet 15, is a very popular celebration in the Spanish community. This is a very special day to both the mother and the daughter. This day signifies the transformation from a little girl to a young lady. It is a way of introducing a new woman to society. Turning 15 is the most important birthday for Spanish communities. Quinceaneras tend to be a big and elegant celebration in which every family member and friends collaborate to give the birthday girl the best party she has ever had. To my understanding every Sweet 15 was celebrated the same in every Spanish country. But after attending my friend’s Brazilian Sweet 15 my opinion has changed for the better.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My friend Stephane Rene and I were invited to a Sweet 15 a couple weeks ago. The birthday girl was related to one of our friend, Kim. At first, I did not even think of using this event to write my paper because I thought that I knew what a Sweet 15 was all about. I was primarily going to focus on the Brazilian culture because even though my friend is Brazilian I had never had the opportunity to share an event with Brazilians being the dominant group. But soon after the ceremony got started I found myself surprised and amused of what was in front of me. First, there is ceremony before the reception which is held at a church. The family is catholic therefore the ceremony was held at the catholic church of the town. After everybody was sitting down, Jennily walked down the aisle toward the front of the church. Here, the priest was waiting to give her the appropriated blessings. She was wearing a long gorgeous pink silky dress which represented her new status as a you ng woman. Jennily was also wearing soft pink slippers which she would change later into a more elaborate one. I was familiar with the ceremony at the church before the party because it is a way of blessing her and to appreciate her day of celebration which simultaneously represents her rebirth as a woman. But I did not hesitate to ask one of the family members, what did it signify to them to be blessed by the priest the day of her birthday? To my surprise, thru their blessings they also pray for her future and her new start. Once the priest was done, her aunt and uncle stood up and recall her first fifteen years of life in a very sentimental and biographical speech. Throughout the speech they kept referr... ...ized by they own people than an outsider because it would make no difference for me to see someone of their group acting a particular way. In actuality, it would be hard for me to notice that there is something a little odd.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Regardless of the difference of culture, language and customs, I learned so much about the Brazilian culture in the United States. For example, they have huge families like Dominicans and they stay together as a community one hundred percent. In addition, I myself might incorporate some of their traditions onto mine, maybe not for myself but for my cousins and even for my future daughter. I like they way in which everything was very detailed and organized. Also, I liked how everything had a meaning and a reason for being there. This party has motivated me to go out there and explore all the different cultures that exist in the society that I live in. This event has also taught me a lesson about life, in order for us to find ourselves we need to identify with our ancestors and continue our traditions. There is nothing more pretty than being able to bring our beliefs and customs with us. This is what identifies who we are, and who are children would be.

HRM Strategies Needed by Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies to Achieve High Performance Work :: Janssen Pharmaceuticals Case Study

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY High Performance Work (HPW) is absolutely essential for the associations to manage the to a great degree aggressive markets. Absence of organisational effectiveness or techniques would absolutely push the association in the negative course. In this paper Leadership and Human Resource Management (HRM) ideas are contemplated for expanding the superior working of the Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The collaboration and HRM procedures utilized by the Janssen are assessed. The assessment is carried out on the premise of proper hypothetical models. The ranges in which the association is solid and powerless are unmistakably distinguished and portrayed as a feature of the examination. Janssen which is fundamentally a Health care supplier has powerful HRM procedures. In the meantime there is so much the association can enhance in the fields like wellbeing, reasonable arrangement. Proposals for expanding the proficiency of the association are unmistakably depicted. Table of Contents Executive Summary................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 4 Analysis...................................................................................................................... 4 About Janssen............................................................................................................ 4 Leadership†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ............................................................................................. 5 Human Resource Management (HRM) .......................................................................6 Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 10 .Recommendations..................................................................................................... 11 References................................................................................................................. 12 INTRODUCTION For Janssen pharmaceuticals, leadership and human resource management are two essential perspectives that need to be analyse. The primary motivation behind taking these two angles it is straightforwardly connected to the High performance work (HPW) of the organization. Separated from all other criteria, leadership is a special quality that straightforwardly connected to the accomplishment of the organization, in light of the fact that it incorporates the social relations between higher powers and their minimum employees. The intermediate managers are paramount on the grounds that his predisposition part of leaders and supporters (Clegg, et.al 2011). The relationship of representatives with the top level administration is not entrenched for Janssen, may be a direct result of the absent of immediate contact with one another. There are different exercises included in the Human resource management. They are enrolling the workers, setting up the choice and remuneration techniques. It additionally incorporates execution administration frameworks, offering the data and including the workers in an extensive manner. All these exercises are done in a thorough way for procuring, creating and retaining the talented workforce. All these practices are by and large considered as high responsibility or high inclusion frameworks. In less difficult terms they are alluded as high performance works (HPWS). This idea is identified with strategic human resource management (SHRM). SHRM positively includes the managerial movements identified with communication and participation, preparing and advancement, recruitment and staffing and execution administration and compensation (Anthony et.

Alfred Nobel Essay example -- essays research papers

Alfred Nobel Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, Sweden on October 21, 1833.(Encarta) His father Immanuel Nobel was an engineer and inventor who built bridges and buildings in Stockholm. In connection with his construction work Immanuel Nobel also experimented with different techniques of blasting rock. Alfred's mother, Andrietta Ahlsell came from a wealthy family. Due to misfortunes in the construction work caused by the loss of some barges of building material, Immanuel Nobel was forced into bankruptcy the same year Alfred Nobel was born. In 1837, Immanuel Nobel left Stockholm and his family to start a new career in Finland and in Russia. To support the family, Andrietta Nobel started a grocery store which provided a modest income. Meanwhile Immanuel Nobel was successful in his new enterprise in St. Petersburg, Russia. He started a mechanical workshop which provided equipment for the Russian army and he also convinced the Tsar and his generals that naval mines could be used to block enemy naval ships from threatening the city. The naval mines designed by Immanuel Nobel were simple devices consisting of submerged wooden casks filled with gun powder. Anchored below the surface of the Gulf of Finland they effectively deterred the British Royal Navy from moving into firing range of St. Petersburg during the Crimean war (1853-1856). Immanuel Nobel was also a pioneer in arms manufacture and in designing steam engines. Successful in his industrial and business ventures, Immanuel Nobel was able, in 1842, to bring his family to St. Petersburg. There, his sons were given a first class education by private teachers. The training included natural sciences, languages and literature. By the age of 17, Alfred Nobel was fluent in Swedish, Russian, French, English and German. His primary interests were in English literature and poetry as well as in chemistry and physics. Alfred's father, who wanted his sons to join his enterprise as engineers, disliked Alfred's interest in poetry and found his son rather introverted. In order to widen Alfred's horizons his father sent him abroad for further training in chemical engineering. During a two year period, Alfred Nobel visited Sweden, Germany, France and the United States.(Schuck p. 113) In Paris, the city he came to like best, he worked in the private laboratory of Professor T.J. Pelouze, a famous chemist. There he met the y... ...e Bjà ¶rkborn Manor became his Swedish home. Alfred Nobel died in San Remo, Italy, on December 10, 1896. When his will was opened it came as a surprise that his fortune was to be used for Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. The executors of his will were two young engineers, Ragnar Sohlman and Rudolf Lilljequist. They set about forming the Nobel Foundation as an organization to take care of the financial assets left by Nobel for this purpose and to coordinate the work of the Prize-Awarding Institutions. This was not without its difficulties since the will was contested by relatives and questioned by authorities in various countries. But as we all know, the legacy of Alfred Nobel lives on today. The prizes named after him are still the most coveted prizes for the recipients in their respective fields. Everyone will remember Alfred Nobel as a daring pioneer who knew no limits. Many of the new advanced scientific discoveries made in the last century were surely helped out by the work of Nobel. His Nobel prizes reward people of science and enable them to keep churning out new ways of accomplishing new feats that have never been attempted before

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Fourteen

Bonnie shivered as she waited outside the tall Victorian house. The air was frosty this morning, and although it was almost eight o'clock the sun had never really come up. The sky was just one dense massed bank of gray and white clouds, creating an eerie twilight below. She had begun to stamp her feet and rub her hands together when the Forbes' door opened. Bonnie moved back a little behind the shrubbery that was her hiding place and watched the family walk to their car. Mr. Forbes was carrying nothing but a camera. Mrs. Forbes had a purse and a folding seat. Daniel Forbes, Caroline's younger brother, had another seat. And Caroline†¦ Bonnie leaned forward, her breath hissing out in satisfaction. Caroline was dressed in jeans and a heavy sweater, and she was carrying some sort of white drawstring purse. Not big but big enough to hold a small diary. â€Å"There she is, Aunt Judith. On the corner.† The car slowed to a halt, and Bonnie slid into the back seat with Elena. â€Å"She's got a white drawstring purse,† she murmured into Elena's ear as Aunt Judith pulled out again. Tingling excitement swept over Elena, and she squeezed Bonnie's hand. â€Å"Good,† she breathed. â€Å"Now we'll see if she brings it into Mrs. Grimesby's. If not, you tell Meredith it's in the car.† Bonnie nodded agreement and squeezed Elena's hand back. They arrived at Mrs. Grimesby's just in time to see Caroline going inside with a white bag hanging from her arm. Bonnie and Elena exchanged a look. Now it was up to Elena to see where Caroline left it in the house. â€Å"I'll get out here too, Miss Gilbert,† said Bonnie as Elena jumped out of the car. She would wait outside with Meredith until Elena could tell them where the bag was. The important thing was not to let Caroline suspect anything unusual. Mrs. Grimesby, who answered Elena's knock, was the Fell's Church librarian. Her house looked almost like a library itself; there were bookcases everywhere and books stacked on the floor. She was also the keeper of Fell's Church's historical artifacts, including clothing that had been preserved from the town's earliest days. Just now the house was ringing with young voices, and the bedrooms were full of students in various stages of undress. Mrs. Grimesby always supervised the costumes for the pageant. Elena was ready to ask to be put in the same room with Caroline, but it wasn't necessary. Mrs. Grimesby was already ushering her in. Caroline, stripped down to her fashionable underwear, gave Elena what was undoubtedly meant to be a nonchalant look, but Elena detected the vicious gloating beneath. She kept her own eyes on the bundle of clothing Mrs. Grimesby was picking up off the bed. â€Å"Here you are, Elena. One of our most nicely preserved pieces – and all authentic, too, even the ribbons. We believe this dress belonged to Honoria Fell.† â€Å"It's beautiful,† said Elena, as Mrs. Grimesby shook out the folds of thin white material. â€Å"What's it made of?† â€Å"Moravian muslin and silk gauze. Since it's quite cold today you can wear that velvet jacket over it.† The librarian indicated a dusty rose garment lying over a chair back. Elena cast a surreptitious glance at Caroline as she began to change. Yes, there was the bag, at Caroline's feet. She debated making a grab for it, but Mrs. Grimesby was still in the room. The muslin dress was very simple, its flowing material belted high under the bosom with a pale rose. â€Å"Did it really belong to Honoria Fell?† she asked, thinking of the marble image of that lady lying on her tomb in the ruined church. â€Å"That's the story, anyway,† said Mrs. Grimesby. â€Å"She mentions a dress like it in her journal, so we're pretty sure.† â€Å"She kept a journal?† Elena was startled. â€Å"Oh, yes. I have it in a case in the living room; I'll show it to you on the way out. Now for the jacket – oh, what's that?† Something violet fluttered to the ground as Elena picked the jacket up. She could feel her expression freeze. She caught up the note before Mrs. Grimesby could bend over, and glanced at it. One line. She remembered writing it in her diary on September 4, the first day of school. Except that after she had written it she had crossed it out. These words were not crossed out; they were bold and clear. Something awful is going to happen today. Elena could barely restrain herself from rounding on Caroline and shaking the note in her face. But that would ruin everything. She forced herself to stay calm as she crumpled up the little slip of paper and threw it into a wastebasket. â€Å"It's just a piece of trash,† she said, and turned back to Mrs. Grimesby, her shoulders stiff. Caroline said nothing, but Elena could feel those triumphant green eyes on her. Just you wait, she thought. Wait until I get that diary back. I'm going to burn it, and then you and I are going to have a talk. To Mrs. Grimesby she said, â€Å"I'm ready.† â€Å"So am I,† said Caroline in a demure voice. Elena put on a look of cool indifference as she eyed the other girl. Caroline's pale green gown with long green and white sashes was not nearly as pretty as hers. â€Å"Wonderful. You girls go ahead and wait for your rides. Oh, and Caroline, don't forget your reticule.† â€Å"I won't,† Caroline said, smiling, and she reached for the drawstring bag at her feet. It was fortunate that from that position she couldn't see Elena's face, for in that instant the cool indifference shattered completely. Elena stared, dumbfounded, as Caroline began to tie the bag at her waist. Her astonishment didn't escape Mrs. Grimesby. â€Å"That's a reticule, the ancestor of our modern handbag,† the older woman explained kindly. â€Å"Ladies used to keep their gloves and fans in them. Caroline came by. â€Å"I'm sure it was,† Elena managed in a strangled voice. She had to get out of here or something awful was going to happen right now. She was going to start screaming – or knock Caroline down – or explode. â€Å"I need some fresh air,† she said. She bolted from the room and from the house, bursting outside. Bonnie and Meredith were waiting in Meredith's car. Elena's heart thumped strangely as she walked to it and leaned in the window. â€Å"She's outsmarted us,† she said quietly. â€Å"That bag is part of her costume, and she's going to wear it all day.† Bonnie and Meredith stared, first at her and then at each other. â€Å"But†¦ then, what are we going to do?† Bonnie asked. â€Å"I don't know.† With sick dismay this realization finally came home to Elena. â€Å"I don't know!† â€Å"We can still watch her. Maybe she'll take the bag off at lunch or something†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Meredith's voice rang hollow. They all knew the truth, Elena thought, and the truth was that it was hopeless. They'd lost. Bonnie glanced in the rearview mirror, then twisted in her seat. â€Å"It's your ride.† Elena looked. Two white horses were drawing a smartly renovated buggy down the street. Crepe paper was threaded through the buggy's wheels, ferns decorated its seats, and a large banner on the side proclaimed,The Spirit of Fell's Church. Elena had time for only one desperate message. â€Å"Watch her,† she said. â€Å"And if there's ever a moment when she's alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then she had to go. But all through that long, terrible morning, there was never a moment when Caroline was alone. She was surrounded by a crowd of spectators. For Elena, the parade was pure torture. She sat in the buggy beside the mayor and his wife, trying to smile, trying to look normal. But the sick dread was like a crushing weight on her chest. Somewhere in front of her, among the marching bands and drill teams and open convertibles, was Caroline. Elena had forgotten to find out which float she was on. The first schoolhouse float, perhaps; a lot of the younger children in costume would be on that. It didn't matter. Wherever Caroline was, she was in full view of half the town. The luncheon that followed the parade was held in the high school cafeteria. Elena was trapped at a table with Mayor Dawley and his wife. Caroline was at a nearby table; Elena could see the shining back of her auburn head. And sitting beside her, often leaning possessively over her, was Tyler Smallwood. Elena was in a perfect position to view the little drama that occurred about halfway through lunch. Her heart leaped into her throat when she saw Stefan, looking casual, stroll by Caroline's table. He spoke to Caroline. Elena watched, forgetting even to play with the untouched food on her plate. But what she saw next made her heart plummet. Caroline tossed her head and replied to him briefly, and then Stefan looked toward Elena as he left, and for a moment their eyes met in wordless communion. There was nothing he could do, then. Even if his Powers had returned, Tyler was going to keep him away from Caroline. The crushing weight squeezed Elena's lungs so that she could scarcely breathe. After that she simply sat in a daze of misery and despair until someone nudged her and told her it was time to go backstage. She listened almost indifferently to Mayor Dawley's speech of welcome. He spoke about the â€Å"trying time† Fell's Church had faced recently, and about the community spirit that had sustained them these past months. Then awards were given out, for scholarship, for athletics, for community service. Matt came up to receive Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year, and Elena saw him look at her curiously. Then came the pageant. The elementary school children giggled and tripped and forgot their lines as they portrayed scenes from the founding of Fell's Church through the Civil War. Elena watched them without taking any of it in. Ever since last night she'd been slightly dizzy and shaky, and now she felt as if she were coming down with the flu. Her brain, usually so full of schemes and calculations, was empty. She couldn't think anymore. She almost couldn't care. The pageant ended to popping flashbulbs and tumultuous applause. When the last little Confederate soldier was off the stage, Mayor Dawley called for silence. â€Å"And now,† he said, â€Å"for the students who will perform the closing ceremonies. Please show your appreciation for the Spirit of Independence, the Spirit of Fidelity, and the Spirit of Fell's Church!† The applause was even more thunderous. Elena stood beside John Clifford, the brainy senior who'd been chosen to represent the Spirit of Independence. On the other side of John was Caroline. In a detached, nearly apathetic way Elena noticed that Caroline looked magnificent: her head tilted back, her eyes blazing, her cheeks flushed with color. John went first, adjusting his glasses and the microphone before he read from the heavy brown book on the lectern. Officially, the seniors were free to choose their own selections; in practice they almost always read from the works of M. C. Marsh, the only poet Fell's Church had ever produced. All during John's reading, Caroline was upstaging him. She smiled at the audience; she shook out her hair; she weighed the reticule hanging from her waist. Her fingers stroked the drawstring bag lovingly, and Elena found herself staring at it, hypnotized, memorizing every bead. John took a bow and resumed his place by Elena. Caroline threw her shoulders back and did a model's walk to the lectern. This time the applause was mixed with whistles. But Caroline didn't smile; she had assumed an air of tragic responsibility. With exquisite timing she waited until the cafetorium was perfectly quiet to speak. â€Å"I was planning to read a poem by M. C. Marsh today,† she said, then, into the attentive stillness, â€Å"but I'm not going to. Why read fromthis – † She held up the nineteenth century volume of poetry. † – when there is something much more†¦ relevant†¦ in a book I happened to find?† Very slightly, almost imperceptibly, Stefan shook his head. Caroline's fingers were dipping into the bag as if she just couldn't wait. â€Å"What I'm going to read is about Fell's Churchtoday , not a hundred or two hundred years ago,† she was saying, working herself up into a sort of exultant fever. â€Å"It's importantnow , because it's about somebody who's living in town with us. In fact he's right here in this room.† Tyler must have written the speech for her, Elena decided. Last month, in the gym, he'd shown quite a gift for that kind of thing. Oh, Stefan, oh, Stefan, I'm scared†¦ Her thoughts jumbled into incoherence as Caroline plunged her hand into the bag. â€Å"I think you'll understand what I mean when you hear it,† Caroline said, and with a quick motion she pulled a velvet-covered book from the reticule and held it up dramatically. â€Å"I think it will explain a lot of what's been going on in Fell's Church recently.† Breathing quickly and lightly, she looked from the spellbound audience to the book in her hand. Elena had almost lost consciousness when Caroline jerked the diary out. Bright sparkles ran along the edges of her vision. The dizziness roared up, ready to overwhelm Elena, and then she noticed something. It must be her eyes. The stage lights and flashbulbs must have dazzled them. She certainly felt ready to faint any minute; it was hardly surprising that she couldn't see properly. The book in Caroline's hands lookedgreen , not blue. I must be going crazy†¦ or this is a dream†¦ or maybe it's a trick of the lighting. But look at Caroline's face! Caroline, mouth working, was staring at the velvet book. She seemed to have forgotten the audience altogether. She turned the diary over and over in her hands, looking at all sides of it. Her movements became frantic. She thrust a hand into the reticule as if she somehow hoped to find something else in it. Then she cast a wild glance around the stage as if what she was looking for might have fallen to the ground. The audience was murmuring, getting impatient. Mayor Dawley and the high school principal were exchanging tight-lipped frowns. Having found nothing on the floor, Caroline was staring at the small book again. But now she was gazing at it as if it were a scorpion. With a sudden gesture, she wrenched it open and looked inside, as if her last hope was that only the cover had changed and the words inside might be Elena's. Then she slowly looked up from the book at the packed cafetorium. Silence had descended again, and the moment drew out, while every eye remained fixed on the girl in the pale green gown. Then, with an inarticulate sound, Caroline whirled and clattered off the stage. She exploded into comment, argument, discussion. Elena found Stefan. He looked as if jubilation was sneaking up on him. But he also looked as bewildered as Elena felt. Bonnie and Meredith were the same. As Stefan's gaze crossed hers, Elena felt a rush of gratitude and joy, but her predominant emotion was awe. It was a miracle. Beyond all hope, they had been rescued. They'd been saved. And then her eyes picked out another dark head among the crowd. Damon was leaning†¦ no, lounging†¦ against the north wall. His lips were curved into a half smile, and his eyes met Elena's boldly. Mayor Dawley was beside her, urging her forward, quieting the crowd, trying to restore order. It was no use. Elena read her selection in a dreamy voice to a babbling group of people who weren't paying attention in the slightest. She wasn't paying attention, either; she had no idea what words she was saying. Every so often she looked at Damon. There was applause, scattered and distracted, when she finished, and the mayor announced the rest of the events for that afternoon. And then it was all over, and Elena was free to go. She floated offstage without any conscious idea ofwhere she was going, but her legs carried her to the north wall. Damon's dark head moved out the side door and she followed it. The air in the courtyard seemed deliciously cool after the crowded room, and the clouds above were silvery and swirling. Damon was waiting for her. Her steps slowed but did not stop. She moved until she was only a foot or so away from him, her eyes searching his face. There was a long moment of silence and then she spoke. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I thought you'd be more interested inhow. † He patted his jacket significantly. â€Å"I got invited in for coffee this morning after scraping up an acquaintance last week.† â€Å"But why?† He shrugged, and for just an instant something like consternation flickered across his finely drawn features. It seemed to Elena that he himself didn't know why – or didn't want to admit it. â€Å"For my own purposes,† he said. â€Å"I don't think so.† Something was building between them, something that frightened Elena with its power. â€Å"I don't think that's the reason at all.† She moved closer, so that she was almost touching him, and looked at him. â€Å"I think,† she said, â€Å"that maybe you need to be pushed.† His face was only inches away from hers, and Elena never knew what might have happened if at that moment a voice hadn't broken in on them. â€Å"Youdid manage to make it after all! I'm so glad!† It was Aunt Judith. Elena felt as if she were being whisked from one world to another. She blinked dizzily, stepping back, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. â€Å"And so you got to hear Elena read,† Aunt Judith continued happily. â€Å"You did a beautiful job, Elena, but I don't know what was going on with Caroline. The girls in this town are all acting bewitched lately.† â€Å"Nerves,† suggested Damon, his face carefully solemn. Elena felt an urge to giggle and then a wave of irritation. It was all very well to be grateful to Damon for saving them, but if not for Damon there wouldn't have been a problem in the first place. Damon had committed the crimes Caroline wanted to pin on Stefan. â€Å"And whereis Stefan?† she said, voicing her next thought aloud. She could see Bonnie and Meredith in the courtyard alone. Aunt Judith's face showed her disapproval. â€Å"I haven't seen him,† she said briefly. Then she smiled fondly. â€Å"But I have an idea; why don't you come to dinner with us, Damon? Then afterwards perhaps you and Elena could – â€Å" â€Å"Stop it!† said Elena to Damon. He looked politely inquiring. â€Å"What?† said Aunt Judith. â€Å"Stop it!† Elena said to Damon again. â€Å"You know what. Just stop it right now!†