African-American heritage Essays

African-American heritage Essays African-American heritage Essay African-American heritage Essay The two main characters are brothers of African-American heritage. The story of conflict is about how they come to know and understand each other. Sonnys older brother is 7 years his senior, and is the parental figure for Sonny, the older brother having made a promise to their dying mum that he would protect and parent Sonny. However, at the beginning of the story the brothers have been estranged for over a year, due to neither accepting the others values, goals and lifestyle. The older brother has a stable life and is married with children; he has become a responsible citizen as a school teacher. He has assimilated; whereas Sonny is a heroin addict jazz musician living a Bohemian life representative of the no good black.This is the 1950s in New York before the Civil Rights Movement when segregation was still practiced. The emphasis on jazz music through the story reflects the conflict between the brothers.Jazz music at the time was also dividing the African-A merican community in much the same way as the brothers were divided in approaches to life. The middle-class African-Americans is the group which the older brother falls into, they tended to downplay obvious barriers to their social successes (such as becoming a school teacher). The older brother, life many of the middle-class African-Americans at the time, wanted to believe that they could achieve high social status and standards of living, and was confident that hard work, sacrifice and perseverance would create a better and safer world for their children. This group of middle class African-Americans, like the older brother, were ready and willing to assimilate into white society fully, if they could be but given the chance. In sharp contrast, Sonny and African-Americans like him at the time (poor, unemployed, musicians and addicts) confront the status quo instead of accepting it. They perceive the struggle of the African-American to be an ongoing struggle of inequality and unaccep tance.Sonny and his cohorts sought radical social change to believe that they could ever enter access the opportunities and privileges of the white society. This divide between the brothers is highlighted when the older brother says to Sonny, Well, Sonny, you know people cant always do exactly what they want to do. Such as statement indicates the older brothers cautious and accountable way of approaching life; he willingly sacrifices his own wants and desires to that he can maintain his standing as a member of the middle-class. The older brother is worried for Sonny, he is afraid that Sonny will ultimately fail because he lacks ambition, perseverance and self-sacrifice. In response to his brother Sonny states, No, I dont know that. I think people ought to do what they want to do, what else are they alive for? This reveals Sonnys unacceptance of other people setting his goals and standards of success.Another time the brothers are watching a street musician and sonny is deeply moved b ey her ability, recognizing the deep pain experiences she must of experienced to sing as she does. Sonny is receptive to the pain of others and is transformed by it, drawing on it for his art. However, the older brother does not empathize at all with the singer or Sonnys interpretation of her music. It also contributes to the conflict between the brothers that the story is set around a war and the part the USA has to play in it. At this time, many African-Americans were seeking to prove their value and equality to their white cohorts. Volunteering to go to war however meant ongoing frustration of not obtaining their goal to prove their Americaness and of wanting to assimilate, which in turn have contributed to the brothers feelings of dissatisfaction and alienation.Eventually, by the end of the story the older brother is able to understand why Sonny is the person he is, and why he himself is the person he is. He reflects on the students in his algebra class and the poor circumstance s that they live in. He realises that these kids may not have the opportunities that he did, and that drugs and music can be a way to work through the pain for them. In trying to comprehend his brothers drug use and lifestyle the older brother questioned a friend of Sonnys who is an addict, Tell me, why does he want to die?   He must want to die, hes killing himself, why does he want to die? The friend surprises the older brother by stating thatHe dont want to die. He wants to live. Dont nobody want to die, ever. The conflict between the brothers resolves when the older brother realizes that Sonny does not want to live by anothers definition of what makes a meaningful life. He sees discrimination as a barrier to freedom and equates this with death. Hence, living the white way (right way) is living as a ghost dead.To deal with this living death, to navigate his life, Sonny (and others like him) use drugs, music and other arts to escape social death. The conflicts within the story for Sonny and his older brother (middle-class/bohemia; acceptable job/musician; sibling/parental; drug use/responsible, white/black) serve to highlight what it is that is of true value. And what makes freedom true. Sonny and his cohorts conflict with what freedom is not (handcuffed to regulations, standards and authority; segregation; inequality; profit; consumption).The multi-layer of conflict presents a real-world scenario of searching for meaning and purpose in life. Notably, Baldwin was a street preacher for many years, and his storyline reflects this influence in the conflicts between this pseudo parent-child dyad with the two brothers. Myths and legends involving two brothers are numerous and patterned around conflict; in the west the most prominent being Cain murdering Able. Across cultures, sibling conflict between brothers has been used to deliver moral messages of action and consequence, and a way of value to lead ones life. Perhaps the use of siblings in Baldwins story is to emphasize the personal nature of the conflict/s; the brothers then representing two parts of the self. Yin and yang (black and white) polarities are needed to create tension (conflict) which has gradients of resolution and disintegration (the brothers find understanding/WWII).By the end his brother realises that it is through his music of bebop jazz and blues that Sonny channels and works through his pain.They have been estranged for over a year and he reads about a drug raid in which Sonny is arrested. Through his anger the brother comes to understand his brother better. Following release form prison the older brother continues the protective role and takes Sonny into his home. He is fulfilling a promise to his mum to look after Sonny following her death. His ongoing relationship with Sonny has been fragile and intermittent. He misunderstands and mistrusts his brothers need for music, especially as it is so related to Sonnys heroin addiction which is only barely under control.

Organization Behavior and Management Space Shuttle Challenger

Organization Behavior and Management Space Shuttle Challenger Space Shuttle Challenger Orbiter History The Challenger was initially referred to as the STA-099. The shuttle was built to work as a test vehicle for the Space Shuttle program and was named after the HMS Challenger, which was a British Naval research vessel. The HMS Challenger sailed in the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Pacific Ocean during the 1870’s.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Organization Behavior and Management: Space Shuttle Challenger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When the Challenger was built it underwent intensive vibration and thermal testing for a year. NASA awarded Rockwell, a Space Shuttle orbiter manufacturer, a contract in 1979 to build the Challenger by converting the STA-099. The Challenger arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in July 1982, and it became the second orbiter to be operation in the center. The Challenger had been designed to be a historic craft and many were optimistic it would outlive the rest. The Space Shuttle took its maiden flight on April, 1982 for the STS-6 mission, which saw the first ever space walk in the space shuttle program. The EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) was done by Astronauts Donald Peterson and Story Musgrave. This lasted about four hours and it was also during this mission the first deployment of a Tracking and Data Relay System constellation was done. After completing nine successful missions, on January 28, 1986 the Challenger was launched on the STS-51L and after a mere 73 seconds it exploded killing all the seven crewmembers (NASA, 2011). This paper will look at the SHUTTLE 51-L MISSION, the organization that was involved in the Challenger project, the mechanical failure of the Space Shuttle Challenger, the organizational behavior and management shortcomings that contributed to the disaster and finally make organizational behavior and management changes that can be adopted to prevent a reoccurrence of the same disaster. D iscussion NASA Program As the Challenger Space Shuttle progressed, there was an increase in the demands being placed on NASA and this resulted to an increased risk of disaster (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990). The NASA team had a false sense of security having carried out 2Kramer, James, 1987 missions, which had been successful. Prior to the launch, there were many wrangles within NASA, and managers were working in a place with heavy overload and turbulence (Kramer James, 1987). The management at NASA was characterized with a disease full of decay and destruction (Kramer James, 1987 p.14).Advertising Looking for case study on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There was lack of a formal DSS program at NASA initialized before the launch for the shuttle operations. There were strong indications that decisions were being made through satisficing and short cuts. There were lots of compromise and operations were great ly affected. NASA was accused of having semi-uncontrolled decision making as they tried to satisfy the needs of the military, scientific community, industry and this led to the space shuttle being declared operational even before the development stage of the shuttle had been completed (Kramer, James, 1987). Decision making at NASA was done by default as there lacked DSS. The organizational structure at the program was political and manipulations were done to meet requirements of the political power. When the Reagan Administration declared the Space Shuttle â€Å"operational†, many employees at NASA lacked motivation and left with the impression that decision making on the project should be made by the political administration (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990). Employees began being complacent and safety of the shuttle was highly compromised, as they tried to keep the shuttle on schedule and satisfy the clients. This presents the situation at NASA prior to making the decision to launch the space shuttle (Dunbar Ryba, 2008). SHUTTLE 51-L MISSION (Challenger Flight) The 51-L mission was the 25th mission that NASA was going to undertake in its STS program. Shortly after launching the Challenger on 28, January 1986, the Challenger exploded mid air, destroying the vehicle and killing the entire seven crew members on the mission. This mission was aimed at deploying a second Tracking and Data Relay Satellite as well as the Spartan Halle’s Comet Observer. The mission was also going to be the first time there were observers or passengers participating in a program called NASA Teacher in Space Program ((Dunbar Ryba, 2008). S. Christa McAuliffe was one of the crew onboard and she was going to conduct live broadcasts that were going to be broadcasted to schools throughout the world (Dunbar Ryba, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Organization Behavior and Management: Space Shuttle Challenger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The destruction of the Challenger and the loss of life had profound impact on the society and the way it viewed the Space program and particularly NASA. As this paper will discuss, the tragic decision that was made to allow the launching of STS 51-L was as a result of long term contributing factors that were further increased by bad or weak organizational behavior and management strategies. The outcome of this tragedy caused loss of life, resources and made people to mistrust the space program. Although the accident of the Challenger was blamed on the hardware failure of the SRB â€Å"O† ring (known as Solid Rocket Boost), the decision that was made by the management was also flawed. The decision was based on faulty organizational behavior and management and this was further aggravated by the mismanagement of initial information that suggested the launch be postponed (NASA, 2008). Other factors that besides organizational behavior and manag ement played a major role in contributing to the accident occurring. They included the demand NASA was getting from the political ruling class to deliver and launch on the scheduled day (NASA, 2008) The process of proving to the American people and the political system that there was need for a reusable space shuttle had begun in the 1960s. The Challenger was one of the ways that this could be proven and thus a lot of pressure and expectation was put on the program. Unlike the previous missions such as the Apollo, the Space Shuttle was going to be used in space operations without having a defined goal (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990 p. 3). This presents the first contributing factor in the Challenger’s accident. Without a defined role for use, the Challenger was going to be used as a utility vehicle for space operations and thus there lacked a strong support for the project, both financially and politically. In order to gain favor and political support for the project, the Challenger was sold and presented to the political elites as a quick payoff (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990 p. 8). The project also gained support by predicting that it could be used by the military as a means that could be used to enhance the national security. To the industry, it was sold as a commercial opportunity, where companies could offer clients an opportunity to visit space. Many scientists in the program told the American public that the Challenger Shuttle was going to be an American Voyage that was going to have great scientific gain (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990 p. 10). To the world, the Challenger project was sold as a partnership that was going to include the ESA (European Space Agency) as well as a means that was going to improve the relations between nations and bring together people of different nationalities, sex and races by serving as crew members during missions (McConnell, 1988).Advertising Looking for case study on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The process that was used to gain support in the economic, social and political arena for the space shuttle can be cited to be the second contributing factor that resulted to the accident (McConnell, 1988). There was use of heterogeneous engineering, which means that the engineering and management decisions in the project were structured in ways that were going to be appealing to the political, economic, and organizational factors rather than being structured into a single entity mission that was aimed at achieving specific goals (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990 p. 9). When the Space Shuttle became operational, it was faced with many operational demands from many people. It had to live up to the promises that had been given by NASA. This placed a lot of pressure on the management team as they tried to coordinate the needs of the military, political elites and the scientific community. The political pressure was to provide a space vehicle that was going to be reliable and could be reused. It w as also supposed to be difficult to achieve this as it was going to hinder the ability of creating an effective system for integration and development. It was also going to be infeasible to create a management support system that could cater for the diverse requirements. There was also a low moral within the NASA employee, which was created during the Reagan Administration when the shuttle was given the green light for operation even when the development stage had not been completed (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990). The American Congress expected that the Shuttle program was going to be financially self supportive after billions of dollars had been used to go to the moon (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990, p. 15). With this lack of support from Congress, NASA adopted and operated as a commercial business instead of a government program. It can therefore be concluded that the environment of the program prior to launching had been one mucked wih conflict, short cuts and managerial stress (Jarman Kouzmin, 1990, p.15). Mechanical failure of the Challenger Before the launching date, concerns had been raised about the integrity of carrying on with the launch when the temperatures were as lower than those expected for optimal performance. On a previous mission, 51-C, it had been noted that the booster joints were covered with soot and grease after launching on a cold weather. Tests were carried out in the laboratory on the effect of low temperatures on the O-ring resilience. It was recommended that they be replaced by steel billets and this would have meant a redesign of the field joint. By the time of the accident, the steel billets were not ready. Engineers at Alan McDonald made a presentation that detailed on the effects the cold weather was going to affect the booster performance. This was necessary because the temperatures of the launching date were expected to be lower than 350F. After the concerns were raised a meeting was convened and various heads and engineers attended. The pe ople in attendance included, engineers, top management of Marshal Space Flight Center, Kennedy Center, and Morton Thiokol. The meeting was called to discuss on the effect the cold weather was going to have on the mission especially the boosters’ performance. Engineers gave a clear presentation that argued that the cold weather would have a major effect on the joint rotator and the O- ring seating. The test carried out had only gone to a low of 530 F and this presented a problem of the unknown (Rogers’s, 1989). Thiokol provided NASA with information concerning the launch and thought that the low temperatures were going to affect the O-rings to a point they were going to be ineffective. The mission had been cancelled previously due to the cold weather and NASA was not ready for another cancellation (Kramer, James, 1987 p.23). Although information had been provided by a GDSS from another company showed that the O-rings were going to work under the predicted weather, engi neers from Thiokol were skeptical about the data they had inputted into the GDSS. This meant that NASA was relying on a GDSS that had flawed information (Kramer James, 1987). At this juncture, NASA asked for a definitive confirmation or rejection of the planned launch from Thiokol. The representatives from Thiokol responded by recommending the launch be delayed until the temperatures were favorable. NASA continued to pressure Thiokol to change their minds and NASA level three managers is reported to have retorted to the representatives, â€Å"My God, Thiokol, When do you want me to launch, next April?† (Kramer, James, 1987, p.7). It was after this that Thiokol representatives asked to be given time to rethink their recommendations. An engineer with Thiokol was asked to stop reasoning as an engineer and start thinking as a manager, which suggests that the group was placing organizational needs in front of safety of the shuttle. Thiokol representatives returned to the GDSS an d recommended that the launch be done as planned. When NASA asked if there was any objection to this no one from the GDSS objected. During the launch the O-ring were severely affected by the cold weather and this mechanical failure caused the accident and the eventual loss of the crewmembers (Kramer, James, 1987). Critical analysis of the organizational behavior and management shortcomings that contributed to the disaster The environment, organizational behavior and management which NASA and its developers operated in gave a large margin for human error. However, Thiokol and NASA had a chance to avert the accident during the GDSS meeting before the launch. The organizational behavior and management fallings can be attributed to the accident. First, the team especially Thiokol had prior knowledge that the O-ring was going to be affected by the cold weather months before the launching. However, the primary goal of the project was to meet the launch date. NASA warned about the problem , but it downplayed it. This presents the first element of the mismanagement of information and bad organizational behavior that resulted into the accident. Any suggestion and proposals of the launch-taking place were met with positive support from the management while all suggestions of delays were shot down without taking into consideration the risk involved in carrying out the launch (Turban, 1988). Third, there was a strong feeling among the people involved in the project management to live up to the promises made. Despite the fact that Thiokol engineers were skeptical about the planned launching, their management went ahead and agreed with the other members of the GDSS to continue with the launch (Turban, 1988). Fourth, there was bad organizational behavior and management on the part of Thiokol, because they agreed with the other teams although their engineers were telling them to stop the launch (Priwer, Philips, 2009). Fifth, all people involved in the top management of the project were afraid of how the political elites and the public would react if another cancellation was done. In the previous one year the launch had been postponed six times. Many in this group were starting to rationalize that if they had succeeded in the past they were as well going to succeed this time (United States Congress, 1986). Finally, the group as stated before was working with flawed data and even when Thiokol engineers began to question the integrity of this information, nobody took action. People in the GDSS meeting who were proposing that the launch be delayed were unwelcome and therefore the management had its mind made on the launching date. During the meeting, it was seen that NASA representatives were at times assertive and intimidate the other players to a point where they disregarded warnings given. The meeting is also faulted as a bad organizational behavior and management, because it was easy to downplay the personal opinions held by each member. Instead of th e speaker conversion, the meeting should have been held at a place where all members were present and maybe the outcomes would have been different. The GDSS failed the point where Thiokol asked to be given five minutes to conduct a private meeting. Before this point Thiokol had maintained that the launch should be cancelled, but after the private meeting it changed its mind. Conclusion The failure of the spaceship Challenger can be blamed on the organizational behavior. NASA has a variety of risk avoidance system. Their aim is to ensure that the missions are safe. NASA is one of the smallest federal agencies and operates under a strict budget of US$ 15 Billion (NASA, 2010). This removes any flexibility during risky situations. This agency has been known to be dependant to their history for decision making. Since their establishment in 1958, their main aim was to beat the Soviet Union spaceflights. Though their budget keeps being cut, they still stick to their mission. The cut costs made NASA realize that they could include the private business sector. This increased their pressure for success, which was also coming from the government. They had to research and develop the operations with limited time. NASA Budget in billions of American Dollar (NASA, 2010) The normalization of deviance is another short coming on the management of the NASA. This is a term, which is used to explain the way sometimes some technical flaws are not scrutinized by the various safety bodies over time. This is because they are both expensive and time consuming. Due to the pressure to produce, it is seen as absurd to spend resources on problems, which are not a risk (Launius, 1992). The postponing of the launch can be because of many reasons. Maybe the problem was the O-rings significance was not considered so much hence the problem with it was a minor one to them. The other reason would be, because the president was using the flight as a reference in his speech or maybe it was because of the much pressure, which was being exerted by both the private sector and the government. Recommendations Failures can happen no matter the safety systems applied. Though the cause of the failure was technical, the organizational failure caries a huge part in it. There are numerous things that NASA can do to avoid these types of organizational failures ever happening (Lewis, 1988). One of them is the Hierarchical power. Some of the managements personnel at the high posts have no interest in the hierarchy. Some of them would rather not make decisions that would jeopardize their work. The congress, a body of the NASA which offers regulatory oversight, has no desires to jeopardize the central district of NASA through their decisions. These are huge obstacles to the changes that should be made in the organizational behavior and management. They should create a way in which the engineers can have the ability of by passing the hierarchy and bureaucracy before launching unsafe missions . If the engineers had had their way during the Challengers disaster, the O-rings would have been replaced or the launch postponed. Though these activities would be very costly to NASA, it would not be as expensive as losing the crew and the vehicle (United States Congress, 1986). The bureaucratic procedures should be sometimes be exempted from getting some data. This is because hunch or intuitions which the engineers might have may take a long time to be researched on and analyzed (Hall, 2003). References Dunbar, B. Ryba, J. (2008). Kennedy Space Center. Web. Hall, J.L. (2003). Space Policy. Columbia and Challenger: Organizational failure of NASA. Berkley: University of California at Berkley. Jarman A. Kouzmin, A. (1990). Decision pathways from crisis. A contingency-theory simulation heuristic for the Challenger Shuttle disaster, Contemporary Crises. Kramer, C. James A. (1987). The Space Shuttle Disaster: Ethical Issues in Organizational Decision Making. Michigan: Western Michig an University Press. Launius, D. (1992). Toward an Understanding of the Space Shuttle: A Historiographical Essay. Air Power History, Winter. Lewis, R.S. (1988). Challenger; the final voyage. New Yolk: Columbia University press. McConnell, M. (1988). Challenger: A Major Malfunction. London: Routledge. NASA (2010). Kennedy Space Center. Web. NASA. (2008) Spacelink Challenger Press Release. Web. NASA. (2011). The Mission and the History of Space Shuttle Challenger. Web. Priwer,S. Philips,C. (2009). Space exploration for dummies. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Rogers’s commission. (1989). Report Of the President Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident. Washington DC. G.P.O Turban, E. (1988). Decision Support and Expert Systems, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. United States Congress. (1986). Investigation of the Challenger Accident; Report of the Committee on Science and Technology, House of Representative, Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second Session. Washington: U.S. G .P.O.

Explain the role and significance of sponsorship in marketing an event Essay

Explain the role and significance of sponsorship in marketing an event and identify the positive and negative impacts associated - Essay Example The events provide the company with an opportunity of face-to-face interaction with the target customers who have grown and have become significant contributor towards the marketing communication program. Research studies have shown that about 22 percent of the total marketing budget is dedicated towards the sponsorship of events and activities (O'Connor, 2004). Sponsorship is defined as â€Å"the alignment of a brand with an activity in order to exploit the commercial potential created by the association, thereby positively impacting the brand image and/or sales amongst the sponsor’s target market, in order to attain marketing and corporate objectives† (Koekemoer, 2004, p. 456). In simple terms sponsorship can be defined as the provision of resources like equipment, people and money by an organization who acts as the sponsor, to the sponsoree or the beneficiary. As compared to the traditional advertising sponsorship acts as an alternative that provides opportunity for selling the product and services of the marketer and building brand image for the organizations. Sponsorship is a very powerful marketing tool. It has the capability to cut through the clutter, provide a unique opportunity to create relationship with the customers by producing emotional bondage with them and speak something rare as far as the business is concerned. This study focuses on gaining an in-depth knowledge regarding the role and importance of sponsorship and the negative and positive impacts it creates. Roles of Sponsorship The role that sponsorship plays can be understood from the objectives that the companies look for achieving through sponsorship. The success of sponsoring an event by the company is well defined by the objectives, evaluation of the end results and benefits that the organization enjoys. As per Andreff & Szymanski (2006), there are two types of objectives that can be classified as indirect and direct objectives. A dramatic change in the behavior of the ex isting and the new customers due to sponsorship is signified as direct objective. On the other hand indirect objective is signified by the increased visibility of the product and the brand, enhancement in the brand image and contact with the target segment. By accomplishing the indirect objectives the organization look for attaining growth in sales as the long term goal of the organization. Five significant principles of sponsorship objectives have been proposed by Jobber (2007). The objectives include gaining publicity, creating opportunities for entertainment, nurturing favorable company and brand association, enhancing the community relations and generating opportunities for promotion. Sponsorship provides an effective way to the organizations to promote their products, logos and brands; thus, providing opportunities for promotion. The company can use products like pens, sweatshirts and bags with their logos on them to create a wider recognition and retention among the audiences. Social responsibility is another reason that drives the company towards going for sponsorship. Companies engaged in sponsoring schools can create a socially responsible and caring image of the organizatio

Technology Fundamentals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology Fundamentals - Essay Example O’Bannon (2007) identifies four essential components of instructional objectives: They should be specific, outcome-based, measurable, and describe student behavior. With this in mind, the following bipartite objective is defined for this lesson: General objective: Students will be able to identify five types of multimedia content, give an example of each related to multiculturalism, and describe their characteristics with reference to the examples. The process of ‘identifying’ pertains to the ‘remembering level’ in Bloom’s taxonomy; the process of ‘giving an example’ pertains to ‘applying’ the knowledge, ‘describe’ to ‘understanding’, and ‘classify’ to ‘analysing’ â€Å"Children, in this lesson we are going to look at different types of multimedia. Can you name any?† [Wait for responses before naming all five] â€Å"To get to know these better, we are going to look at examples of each that show some aspect of a particular culture.† â€Å"Let’s begin then with some artifacts that we can touch. *Look at these Mexican pià ±atas. [^] *Pass them round so everyone can hold one and see what it’s like, and while you’re doing that, let me give you a little background on the Pià ±atas because ‘They have an interesting history. During the 16th century, the pià ±ata was used by missionaries to attract converts. However, the Mayans were already using the pià ±atas for their sports events that the missionaries utilized for their own purpose. The pià ±ata originally represents Satan who is adorned by wonderful colors in order to attract people. The traditional pià ±ata has seven horns, which represent the seven deadly sins, namely: greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, envy, wrath, and lust. The stick used to hit the pià ±ata symbolizes virtue, which is needed to break the evil. After the pot is broken, the candies serve as a reward to those who have been faithful.’ (Devlin, 2007) So how di d you feel holding these artifacts?† [Listen

The novel Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

The novel Great Expectations Essay Great Expectations was written by Charles Dickens in the 19th century (1860-1861). It is said to be one of the classics of the English literary heritage and several film adaptations have been made of it. It first appeared in a weekly magazine called All the year round. Great Expectations is a book in which Dickens returned to the theme of a youths discovery of the realities of life. An unknown person provides the young hero, Pip, with money so that Pip can live as a gentleman. Pips pride is shattered when he learns there source of his Great Expectations. Only by revising his values does Pip restore his life on a foundation of empathy rather than on social position. In this coursework I shall be comparing two film versions: David Leans 1944 black and white version starring John Nutts and the 1997 colour version directed by Alfonso Cuaron which features, Ethan Hawke; Gwyneth Paltrow; Anne Bankcroft and Robert Deniro. I intend to compare the opening chapters in the two film versions, in which the young Pip/Finn encounters a scary convict who later becomes a momentous figure in Pips life.  Both films start with the adult voice of Pip/Finn reflecting on his childhood. The David Lean (1944) version closely follows the actual text whereas Alfonso Cuarons Version follows a sequential order but digresses greatly from the text. As the credits began rolling there are a variety of styles of music. The first style that we hear is a full orchestra and it then harrows down to only one flute which plays a childish style of music which is obviously representing the young PIP. Afterwards it goes into a romantic mood and after that a sad mood. It finally becomes a symphony of emotion to signify the films happy ever after ending. In the opening scene we start with a long shot of Pip and the tracking of pip across the field. At the camera is tracking Pip we see many images of death, for example as Pip is running the audience see a number of Jibbets. As Pip is running the audience is able to see how closely David Lean has followed the text. The marshes are seen to be just a long black horizontal line and the river a long horizontal line but not much thicker. The sky is also just a row of angry red lines and dense black ones. The camera again zooms in on Pips face to show us his apprehension as he climbs over the wall. The audience is able to see many gravestones are crooked and a lot of plants and weeds are overgrown. This suggests that this churchyard is uncared for. This adds tension to the opening scene because we wonder why this young child is there. All throughout the opening scene there is wind sound affects. The wind is an eerie sound which also adds to the tension of the scene. When I was watching Pip I felt a lot of sympathy because I had seen from the gravestone that both of his parents had died and learned that his only relative was his sister who he lived with and she wasnt exactly a ray of sunshine. Alfonso Cuarons version also starts with the credits first which is unusual for a modern day film. As the credits begin there is soft music with very exotic instruments such as a rainpie. The letters of peoples names appears in a fluid pattern, which gives us a watery feeling. This s a good technique as it sets the audience up for the opening scene where things are not necessarily as they seem. The first thing the audience sees is the character of Finn Pip) looking at the fish and then climbing into the boat. Finn takes out a notebook and begins to draw. At this point there is virtually no tension as there is an ordinary boy who is playing in the sunshine and frankly looks quite happy. There is none of the heart tugging emotion that is apparent in Leans black and white version. Finn then climbs out of his boat and carries on looking for more fish to draw. All of a sudden there is a big cloud of red forming underneath the water then a hand comes out of the water and grabs Finn and we realise that this is the convict. This method is more effective than Leans version because it is so unexpected; there is virtually no tension at all up to this point. Whereas Leans version builds the tension up so high that we actually expect something to happen to PIP. I assume that David Lean directed his film as he did in order to retain the essential authenticity of the book. This was important for Lean to do because the book has a way of taking you out of your own reality and this was what the people of 1944 needed to get away from the Second World War. Whilst the 1997 version is not trying to reproduce a historical piece- it is a modern version of the plot transposed to America. I believe that Cuaron did this in order to make the film more realistic, so that the audience could feel that this can happen to anybody. In doing this Cuaron lost the essence of the plot, with its fairytale ending. The similarity that I have seen in the two films is the contrast of Pip/Finn compared to the convict. The directors are both trying to balance Pip/Finns innocence compared to the convicts corruption. Lean does this by keeping Pip polite and sincere all the time while the convict is strangling and pushing him etc. Cuaron does this by making the convict swear to scare Finn; I feel that Cuaron does this because he thinks he needs to do more to shock the modern day. The main differences between the two versions are the location, setting and background. For example Cuarons version had an American actor doing Finns voiceover, it took away some of the reality of the film because I feel that Great Expectations is so typically English. I can agree to some extent that both films had a strong opening which is essential in a film. The reason for this is because if there is a weak opening t the film you will not want to watch the rest of it; the same when reading a book if the first few chapters are not engaging you will not want to finish the book. Generally I preferred David Leans version because it kept to the book. Maybe I might have differently if I hadnt read the book first, but the 1997 version deviated from the book so much that I was confused which character was meant to be which. Lea I felt was also much more effective in setting up the story. Although both films id follow a chronological order, David Leans 1944 version kept very closely to the text where as the coloured version altered the location and dialogue of the novel.  David Lean built up the tension first using sound effects I.e. wind and bustling trees, the dreariness of the marshes and using the numerous visions of death I.e. the jibbet and the crooked gravestones.

Jungian Perspectives of Shakespeares Hamlet :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet:   Jungian Perspectives  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The term consciousness refers to "one’s awareness of internal and external stimuli. The unconscious contains thoughts, memories, and desires that are well below the surface of awareness but that nonetheless exert great influence on behavior."(Weiten)   In the view of the Jungian analyst, there are two forces that drive Hamlet. One is his anima, which is the "personification of the feminine nature of a man’s unconscious"(Platania). The second is Hamlet’s desire to reach individuation, which will be discussed later. In reference to the anima, Platania states that "we experience the opposite sex as the lost part of our own selves." There is in each man a feminine side hidden beneath his masculinity. The mystery of Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a phantom of literary debate that has haunted readers throughout the centuries. Hamlet is a complete enigma; a puzzle scholars have tried to piece together since his introduction to the literary world. Throughout the course of Hamlet, the reader is constantly striving to rationalize Hamlet’s odd behavior, mostly through the play’s written text. In doing so, many readers mistakenly draw their conclusions based on the surface content of Hamlet’s statements and actions. When drawing into question Hamlet’s actions as well as his reasons for acting, many assume that Hamlet himself is fully aware of his own motives. This assumption in itself produces the very matter in question. Take for example Hamlet’s hesitation to kill the king. Hamlet believes that his desire to kill King Claudius is driven by his fathers’ demand for revenge. If this were true, Hamlet would kill Claudius the moment he has the chance, if not the moment he knows for sure that Claudius is guilty of murdering his father. Why does Hamlet hesitate? One must call into question what Hamlet holds to be true. If Hamlet’s given motivation for killing the king is legitimate, then Claudius should die at about Act 3. Because Hamlet’s actions do not correspond with his given reasoning, one is forced to look for an alternate explanation for Hamlet’s behavior. In doing so, one will come to the conclusion that Hamlet is driven by forces other than what is o bvious to the reader, as well as Hamlet himself. Given this example, one must denounce the assumption that Hamlet is aware of the forces that motivate him, and understand that Hamlet’s true motivation is unconscious This unconscious force is the true reason behind Hamlet’s mysterious behavior.

Management Styles through Different Leaders

Management Styles through Different Leaders Essay – A growing body of evidence in the business environment supports that leaders are made and not born. However, a good leader must have patience, commitment, knowledge, and experience to manage the subordinates. In other words, a good leadership style is developed through training, education, self-commitment, and accumulation of experience. (Zaleznik, 2004). More importantly, leadership is one of the most researched concepts in business studies because of the contributions of a leader to the organizational achievement. This study also compares the management styles through different leaders by reviewing leadership styles of Carlo Slim and Bill Gates. A good leader transforms an organization and shapes the economy. Carlo Slim and Bill Gate are the examples of the leaders who use their different management styles to transform the economy and their respective organizations.The objective of this document is to provide an analysis of management styles through leaders. This study also compares the leadership styles of Carlo Slim and Bill Gates.Management Styles through Different LeadersK?yak, et al. (2011) define the conceptual leadership as a selective, role-taking, empathetic and selective process that assist in handling the strategic initiative of an organization. Clarks, (2009) points out that leadership is the major factor that determines the success or failure of an organization. However, leadership and management overlap because an individual must have both leadership and management skills to be effective in an organization. Management involves an ability to achieve a specific task. However, leadership is a broader concept that involves a process by which leaders nurture and communicate ideas to the subordinates.To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayA strategic leadership plays an expanding role in enhancing competitive advantages. In a healthcare organization, leaders are called upon to use their problem-solving skills and knowledge to develop creative solutions to problems. Creative leadership involves the ability to invent or develop new solutions to challenging problems. One of the exemplified leaders in the healthcare organization was Robert, a nurse leader, who used democratic leadership style to assist her staff growing independently. (Clark,. 2009). Henry Fayol argues that both leaders and managers delegate powers to their subordinates to assist an organization to balance responsibility and authority to achieve a specific task. However, management process involves planning, staffing, organizing, controlling and directing. In this Essay we will compare the management styles through different leaders.Bill GatesBill Gates is one of the exemplified leaders who integrate management process into his leadership ability to achieve competitive advantages for the Microsoft Corporation. He is a business giant, and highly regarded in the IT and business world, often ranked in the Fortune 500 as one of the top 10 most admired business leaders. Bill used autocratic leadership styles to direct his subordinates before his retirement from Microsoft in 2008. Gates’ success was attributed to his controlling ability and quick decision-making process. (Demuth, & Hammond, 2013). Sometimes, Gates exhibited more than one leadership styles depending on circumstances. While Gates used the autocratic style as the dominant leadership style in managing the business, however, Gates would not have been successful if adopted only an authoritarian style because the authoritarian style is not appropriate for innovation and can hinder the creative ability of followers. Zentner, (2016) believed that Bill was a servant leader who focused on helping others to achieve their goals. â€Å"Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own.† (Zentner, 2016 p 1). When a servant leadership style is implemented appropriately, it can enhance employee behaviors and outlook, which drives motivation for higher performances and changes.To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayCarlos SlimCarlos Slim is another leader in Mexico who integrates the transformational leadership styles in his management style to transform himself into a business giant. Mr. Slim is a native originally from Mexico. At a tender age, he received a business lesson, which helped him to understand the method to increase his personal fund. At the age of 12, he started investing in shares and after completing an engineering course at the University of Mexico at the age of 25, Slim incorporated his first company named Inmobiliaria Carso in 1966. He inculcated the spirit of transformational leadership by diversifying his business ventures using the visionary skills to actively invest in various businesses when Mexico was facing the economic problems.Management Styles through Different Leaders – Carlo Slim and Bill GatesCarlo Slim leadership style is influenced by his personal beliefs and principles, which he has inculcated in transforming his business empire. Unlike founder of Microsoft who used the autocratic leadership style in managing the Microsoft Corporation, Slim incorporated the transformational leadership styles when making a business decision. Yavirach, (2015) argues transformational leaders use the intellectual capability to stimulate their subordinates to achieve better performances. Slim uses the transformational leaders to transform Telmex into the biggest telecommunication company in the Latin America. Although, both Slims and Gates are entrepreneurs, and multi-billionaires in the North America, however, their leadership principles are different. While Gates uses the combination of autocratic, and servant leadership styles in running his business empire, Slim focuses on the transformational leadership style using the intellectual capabilities and charismatic qualities to solve the business problems. While both leaders use different styles in managing their business, both have been successful in their line of businesses.Conclusion Many leaders in the North American have been able to combine both the management and leadership styles to transform their organizations into business empires. This study proves that management styles through different leaders do overlap, however, a combination of both leadership and management skills is critical to achieving compet itive market advantages. The study also compares Gates and Slim management styles through different leaders, and the results of the analysis reveal Gates uses the combination of servant and autocratic leadership styles to manage his businesses, however, Slim relies on transformational leadership style to solve business problems. To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayReferencesClark, C. C. (2009). Creative nursing leadership & management. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Demuth, P., & Hammond, T. (2013). Who is Bill GatesNew York: Grosset & Dunlap, An Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. K?yak, M., Bozaykut, T., Gungor, P., & Aktas, E. (2011). Strategic Leadership Styles and Organizational Financial Performance: A Qualitative Study on Private Hospitals. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 24, 1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.09.090 Yavirach, N. (2015). The Impact of Transformational and Transactional Leadership to Subordinates Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment Affect to Team Effectiveness. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2159035 Zaleznik, A. (2004). Managers and Leaders: Are They DifferentHarvard Business Review. Zentner, A. (2016). Bill Gates: A Servant Leader. Research Gate JournalTo modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us Today