Pablo Neruda’s United Fruit Company and Ode to the Americas Essay Example

Pablo Neruda’s United Fruit Company and Ode to the Americas Essay Pablo Neruda’s political poems are unlike his other poems because of his keen focus on social commitment and harsh realities of life. His language is simple and being a common man wrote for the common man. His work is greatly criticized because of his metaphorical references in his political poems unlike any other poems of his time. His political poem majorly intervenes the Neo-Imperialism in the US during the 19th century. He denigrates the corporation due to the greed experienced by Latin American people during that age. This essay focuses on the study of ‘United Fruit Company’ and ‘Ode to Americas’ political poems. Both the poems portray the major theme of economic and political greed in Latin America. This greed is impactful at a physical, mental and emotional scale. Pablo Neruda uses a metaphor to personify natural objects and objectify humans to illustrate physical and emotional state caused by greed. The ‘Ode of Americas’ divides itself into a tripartite structure where there is the past, present, and future. The opening stanza of the ode reveals the positive and tranquil past in Latin America. The speaker’s use of â€Å"pure Americas† shows Neruda’s strong feelings he has for his country. The word â€Å"intact† suggests that the imperialists had not scathed the country. The â€Å"ocean guarded† which kept it untouched. This is more or less a military metaphor. A dependency occurred between the people and nature is highlighted with the phrasesâ€Å"shapers of pitchers† and â€Å"workers of stone†. However â€Å"United Fruit Company†expresses at the start itself how greedy they were towards the Latin Americans. The phrase â€Å"Jehovah gave the world to Coca-Cola Inc., Anaconda, Ford Motors† metaphorically means God chose to give the earth to these corrupted corporations instead of the common native peopl e or maintaining equality. The people stand powerless and suffer due to We will write a custom essay sample on Pablo Neruda’s United Fruit Company and Ode to the Americas specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pablo Neruda’s United Fruit Company and Ode to the Americas specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pablo Neruda’s United Fruit Company and Ode to the Americas specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer God’s will. If nature is a creation of God

Barrack Obama and race in politics and culture

Barrack Obama and race in politics and culture Introduction The United States is considered the most developed and sophisticated nation in the world due to its democratic institutions, culture and processes. However, very few people will recall the black days and events that engulfed this nation before and after the First World War.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Barrack Obama and race in politics and culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Today, Barrack Obama is the president of this most powerful nation in the world and continues to face racial criticism despite efforts to integrate all races and adopt a non partisan approach in managing national issues (Remnick 7). This research paper explores the issue of president barrack Obama and race in politics and culture. Background America has evolved from a racist nation and is slowly embracing other cultures in its national issues. The most evident illustration of racism was when it used to allocate nati onal positions to whites while discriminating against other racial groups. It is clearly illustrated in how blacks and red Indians used to be treated unfairly not only in national issues but also those that involved intercultural relations (Harris 71). Very few Americans allowed their family members to interact with black and this was the epitome of racism. However, American presidents like Kennedy and Lincoln tried their best to integrate all communities to participate in national issues but this was not possible. This country had architects of racism who ensured non whites were never given opportunities to use facilities meant for the elites. Slavery was also another illustration of how Africans were treated by the whites who during that time thought that the African population was inferior and used them as cheap labor. This trade led to the migration of blacks from Africa to America and later they found their ways into suburbs. It was impossible to travel back to Africa since the y did not have enough money for air ticket. Secondly, it was impossible for them to board a train. This group became so agitated by the discrimination practiced by the whites. This was evident in schools, churches, public transport, churches, recreation facilities and employment (Feagin 109). The industrial revolution witnessed in America before the beginning of the First World War was an indicator that things were going to turn from bad to worse as the demand for equality and justice continued to gain momentum. Workers unions became very powerful instruments for demanding these rights and they led their members to demo0snbtrate to demand their rights and freedoms. It is important top explain that these demonstrations turned ugly when they took a racial turn.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Africans and Asians were on the streets demanding the immediate inc lusion of their demands in national issues while the whites were also protesting and demanding that their country should be respected. It is important to understand d that this war turned from being a demonstration of workers to racial conformations where many blacks and whites were killed on the streets. In addition, the existing government used police brutality to silence hundreds of youths who were spearheading these demonstrations. Leaders of political p0arties affiliated to the black population and workers unions were detained for months following the chaos witnessed during these demonstrations. Capitalism was a principle adopted by the whites to oppress the poor in the society. This enabled the perpetrator5s to control the instruments of power that enabled them to amass huge wealth in terms of land, labor and money (Harris 41). The ideology continued to spread to other nations but was stopped by communism that was gaining ground in the Soviet Union. The first and second world wars were culminations of the pent up pressure among the whites and non whites. Even though, this war left many nations with serious injuries and losses they were necessary to create conditions for different nations and races to negotiate and discuss various issues that affected their members. Critics have claimed that these wars gave America opportunity to exercise justice and equality to its citizens and immigrants. Therefore, it was a necessary evil that could not have been avoided (Barrack 54). The end of these wars signified a new dawn for American democracy and paved way for peaceful demonstrations and negotiations between whites and non whites. However, politics became good ways of advancing racial interests as is evident in the legislations that barred non whites from engaging in active politics or holding public offices. The Obama presidency has been praised for respecting the rule of justice and equality by ensuring all Americans irrespective of their races are able to acc ess these rights without restrictions. However, this has not been the case due to a number of factors. First, the American population that constitutes a large population of the whites is very conservative. Even though, Obama continues to urge them to adopt racial integration his efforts are more of public shows that commitments to fight racism. There is no doubt that there are many issues usually swept under the carpet when it comes to American politics. Race is a significant factor that guides voting among the American population. The main issue of concern here is that even though many non whites are vying for elective seats very few of them manage to win these positions and this is an indication that the American population is still clinging to the old tradition of preferring whites to blacks when it comes to nation al and leadership issues.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Barrack Obama and race in politics and culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Research Objectives The objective of this paper is to identify and illustrate the following issues that play key roles in determining the future of politics in America. First, the American population is perceived to have adopted a non racist culture basing on the fact that it voted for president Obama in the last two general elections. Seco0ndly, this paper examines the impacts of a black American president on the institutions and culture of the United States. Lastly, this paper will outline the recommendations for ensuring that the American government, politics and culture adopts a non racist approach in its social, economic and political affairs. Research Questions This paper will answer the following questions that will help the audience to examine the role of racism in politics and cultural practices. The following questions will guide this paper in examining these issues. What is the role of racism in American politics? What aspe cts promote racism in American politics and culture? What role has president Obama played in promoting and eliminating racism? What are the effects of racism in politics and culture? What steps should the American government take to avert racism? Literature Review The Substance of Hope, Barrack Obama and the Paradox of Progress by William Jellani Cobb William Jellani Cobb criticizes the Obama presidency for openly advocating for racial progress that would allow all races to play active roles in American politics. He focuses his discussion on Obama’s punch line â€Å"hope† that marked all his pre-election speeches. The writer argues that Obama used this word to create false optimism and cheated the American population and the world that he was the messiah for them. This word became a song to all non whites and motivated them to show up in large numbers during voting. Private organizations and well wishers from the non white populations became very loyal and philanthrop ic to Obama’s campaign to ensure they transform the politics of this country. However, their efforts are yet to bear fruits since Obama’s presidency has almost every thing in common with the Bush regime. This author is convinced that the Obama presidency has a good opportunity to transform the politics of the United States but has failed to do so. He argues that most non whites that are elected into office are those located in areas that have a huge black population. This means that racism continues to thrive in American culture and is evident i9n political activities. The Health Care Reform and American Politics, What Everyone Needs to Know By Lawrence Jacobs Jacobs Lawrence argues that Obama has helped the American government in dealing with racial challenges. However, the challenges he is experiences are to blame for his slow response to racial; issues. This author argues that most non whites face serious health challenges that expose them to diseases and poor servi ces from private healthcare institutions. However, president Obama is trying very hard to make sure that all poor Americans access quality healthcare services through reforming all bills related to healthcare.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, this author claims that most non whites are mistreated at their places of work by being underpaid and subjected to poor working conditions. Therefore, president Obama is ensuring that the senate adopts the recommendations to amend all bills regarding minimum wages to allow workers in informal and formal employments to get salaries that will sustain them. In addition, the president is encouraging many youths and no whites to play active roles of ensuring that they participate in civic processes. These are some of the issues that show how Obama is committed to transforming the racist culture that existed in America for many years. A Day Late and a Dollar Short, High Hopes and Deferred Dreams in Obama’s â€Å"Post-Racial† America by Jon Jeter and Robert E. Pierre These authors hold the same view with many critics of the Obama presidency by arguing that what president Obama is doing is too little to help his country manage the problem of racism. Even though, t hey recognize the efforts being done to com bat terrorism they argue that these steps are too slow and cannot be managed by the current financial position of this country. Their claim is based on the poor financial performance of the united tastes government that have exposed it to damaging allegations of racism. They present that president Obama continued to finance American troop-s to fight the Arab nation by investing in drones and other military equipment, training and staffing to ensure America wins the war. These authors identify the war on Iraq and Afghanistan as serious racial challenges facing Obama’s presidency. They proposed that he should have distanced himself from perpetuating the evils advanced by the former president Bush. In addition, they argue that Obama has not helped African or Arab nations to develop their economies but instead he has used a lot of American funds to travel to countries that will help his government to develop its economies. This is capit alism that depicts racial practices that were witnessed before and after the First World War. The American government perpetuated racism by dominating other countries and fighting cold wars with those that opposed it or seemed to give it competition in terms of dominating in world affairs. These authors argues that the war going on in Iraq and Afghanistan have nothing to do with terrorism but are aimed at silencing these nations against developing strong ties with the rest of the world since this will be as serious challenge to America. Effects of Race on Barrack Obama’s Presidency Politics Politics play central roles in determining various activities of a nation since it establishes guidelines that regulate the allocation of national resources and the provision of services to the population. The United States has a sophisticated political system that ensures the government is representative of all communities and regions in the United States. It has two houses that work toge ther to ensure the country adopts policies that will develop its institutions, infrastructure and promote the well being of its citizens (Kennedy 43). However, racism had become a serious threat to the exustabce4 of cordial relations between America and its trading partners and this forced the American government to adopt ways of managing this issue. It is important to state that political analysts had predicted a win for president Obama based on the following issues. The Bush regime had exposed the American government to criticism on its role to eliminate international terrorism. Even though, it had suffered numerous terrorist attacks it had no obligation to commit heinous crimes against innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. The constitution did not give Bush any power to invade another country no matter the seriousness of the crimes committed by some of the people from that nation. Therefore, this exposed this government to international criticism and there were fears that i f this trend would have continued many nations would have broken their ties with America. As a result, Obama used this criticism as a campaign platform to give people hope that he will stop the war on Afghanistan to ensure the world gains confidence on the American administration. People were frustrated the way Bush used a lot of money to finance and develop equipment, train soldiers and finance these wars at the expense of the high inflation rates in America (Tesler and Sears 69). Therefore, they admired the manifesto presented by Obama that would ensure the culture of racism will be eliminated and funds will be directed to development projects and provision of goof healthcare services to the population. However, this was not achieved within the first term of president Obama in office and even though he was granted a second term there is a lot to be done to ensure that American government desists from engaging in racial practices. Therefore, this was a chance for Americans to prove that they are not racist and would not advocate for it in their election process (Kinder and Riddle 33). However, the election and subsequent re-election of president Obama is just a public show to prove to the world that this nation has adopted non racial approaches to politics. Even though, president Obama claims to be a black American his cultural beliefs are strongly based on the American culture exhibited by the whites. There is no difference between him and the whites since they all have perpetuated class differences based on racial practices. Therefore, it is necessary to explain that Obama is black in appearance but white in al his political and cultural activities. This is evident in his recent proposal regarding the minimum wage that workers should earn. This policy is meant to increase the salaries of many non whites working in various places but the irony of this provision is that this will also raise taxes levied on their salaries. Most nations are struggling to reduce their expenses on recurrent bills like salaries and wages of public servants though different financial plans. Obama knows that the United States is experiencing the worst financial performance since the end of the Second World War and should not engage in activities or plans that will force the country to incur unnecessary budgets. Therefore, his proposal to increase minimum wages is just a populist approach to persuade the government that he is taking care of all racial groups in America. It should be understood that most people earning low salaries are black Americans, Indian and Asians who went to America through slave trade are have migrated there in the recent years. In addition, most of them cannot afford health insurance schemes that will safeguard their health; therefore, he has come up with a proposal for cheap medical services. These are populist approaches used to hoodwink the non white population that Obama will solve their problems (Alim 77). Therefore, they are perce ived to be gullible and cannot reason that America cannot afford to increase salaries and provide cheap medical suffices during this time. Critics have argued that this nation is suffering serious challenges associated with unemployment which stands at about 30% among the educated and 40% among those that have not attained university or college degrees. Therefore, it is going to be extremely difficult to raise salaries yet there are no jobs for the poor in the society. This means that the cost of living will increase and force the poor and jobless to seek other alternatives of survival. Therefore, they argue that Obama’s presidency will not achieve any good results in its fight against racism but instead it has established other precincts for perpetuating racial practices through populist declarations and policies that will have serious consequences on those that earn low salaries. Barrack Obama is the only president who gave Americans (whites and blacks) hope that they will live a better life free from economic, social and political challenges. However, this has proved to be a hard nut to crack especially with the many challenges facing his government, the congress has become partisan in moist affairs and this has affected the realization of the dreams of the American population. Many people had hoped that Obama was going to revolutionize politics of racism and ensure that everybody was involved in his government. In addition, people had hoped that there would be many employment opportunities and many people will invest in various sectors of the economy however, these were just mere dreams that could not be realized no matter how hard they struggled to make it to be reality. Financial institutions and other money lending organizations still have the culture of evaluating g the ability of clients to repay their loans based on their race. Therefore, they make it easy for whites to access loan facilities and deny the blacks these chances. Even though, the media has played significant roles in promoting ethical practices in various professions it has failed to highlight the problems non whites experience while applying for bank loan (Pierre and Jeter 108). In addition, housing continues to be a major problem in the American government as tenants are allowed to occupy houses depending on their racial backgrounds. This has promoted social stratifications and even though racial schools were banned teachers continue to express racial sentiments through punishments given to students. Racism is associated with discriminations and exploitation of the race perceived to be inferi0or and schools are slowly embracing cultural integration. However, this is not associated with prescient Obama but withy the modern trends that require people to interact irrespective of their racial backgrounds. Moreover, it is necessary to note that Americans have been forced to embrace racial integration as a necessity and not a deliberate step towards abolishing racial practices. This means that Obama has played a minor role in promoting good relations among different races. The media played a significant role of tracing the origin of Obama and his family lineage that associates him with the Luo community in Kenya. However, since his election to presidency he has never toured Kenya even though this country continues to face serious challenges in terms of poverty, corruption and political wrangles (Cobb 23). The best he does is issues public statements (video records) that en courage Kenyans to be patriotic and embrace nationhood. However, critics have clai9med that these are reflections that he may be feeling guilty and ashamed of his color; something that has not gone down well with his ancestral kinsmen. The fact that he has never visited Kenya and there is no likelihood that he will do so makes critics to predict that he does not have any good intentions for Africans. In addition, he has focused a lot of his attention o the war in Iraq s ince his inauguration into office. This means that he is not different from his predecessors who wanted to show the world that America is a super power and cannot be challenged by any nation. The Indian tigers and Chinese are getting many contracts in African countries and this is giving Obama sleepless nights. This means that soon they will take over most contracts that were awarded to America and leave America with weak ties. This will reduce its influence on African countries and the rest of the world. As a result china will gain more political and economic power which is serious threats to Obama’s administration. Therefore, he is working very hard to ensure that America remains the most influential nation in the world by cutting tiers with nations that support china. In addition, Obama, though the congress is establish plans to contain china’s influence on other countries by supporting the enemies of china and putting sanctions on nations perceived to be supporting this country (Fiona 32). However, critics have argued that if Obama continues to steer his government to oppose china’s invasion in international market this will interfere with the economy of America and expose it to many challenges. However, Obama, just like his predecessors cannot sit and watch other nations magnify their influence. He is using all his powers to ensure that China does not spread its influence to its key partners through establishing strict policies that will limit China’s abilities to invest in some countries. The congress has become very partisan and advanced Obama’s ideologies that am4erica will continue to be the world super power. The legislations passed in parliament ensure that America continues to interfere in the affairs of other nations while it resists any interference by other nations in its affairs. It is necessary to explain that the Bush and Obama adnministrat6ion have very much in common regarding international affairs. There are many sanctions and restrictions placed on third world countries compared to how America relates with developed nations. Obama perceives America as the only nation that can manipulate international bodies like the IMF and World Bank to ensure those that accept its policies are able to participate in international affair. Recently, Obama commented that Kenya will face international restrictions if Kenyans elect International Criminal Court suspects into office in their 2013 general elections. The irony of his statement is that America is not a signatory to the Rome statute yet it continues to urge other countries to respect the institution. Political analysts have claimed that Obama has used this institution to undermine the sovereignty o f third world countries. The terrorist attacks on various organs of the American government exposed Americans to serious threats. This forced it to issue travel advisory to many nations as an attempt to fight terrorism and keep its citizens safe from terrorist attacks. However, the biggest challenge to Obama is that if he is seriously committed to eradicate terrorism he should not warn his citizens against travelling to nations that are prone to terrorist attacks; instead, he should help these nations to stop these activities. However, his leadership is associated with racial undertones since he seems to care very much about Americans more than any other people min the world. Bush had subjected this country to animosity with Arab nations and this was a serious threat to American tourist, investors and students that visited other nations. Therefore, Obama was elected as president of America to deceive the worlds that America has now embraced racial integration and that all nations should perceive America as a friendly nation. Therefore, Obama has not been very active in fighting racial differences in the American culture. His political ideologies are based on the activities of his predecessor and even though most people asso ciate him with an African ancestral origin this has no impact on his presidency (Jacobs and Skocpol 51). It is important to understand that he has lived in America all his life and has interacted with Americans on various political and social events. For that reason, he knows all aspects of racial and political discrimination affecting Americans. However, his failure to address these issues makes him a racist president and exposes him to criticism from political analysis and other nations. Therefore, he has failed to promote racial integration among different races in America. Recommendations President Obama has a good opportunity of transforming the political; and cultural practices of America by showing the world that he abhors racism. He can do the following issues to ensure America is a non resist country. First, he should encourage the senate to be non partisan in its affairs to show the public that this house is committed to ensuring the lives of Americans are improved. The se nate has always taken sides with the incumbent president or with a political view that seems to favor the opposing side. This has made members of parliament to advance their interests and ignore their commitment to improve the economy and life of Americans. Secondly, he should adopt a divergent approach to national issues and avoid issuing public statements for the sake of it. His recent declaration that America will ensure the minimum wage for low income earners will be increased has been mate with mixed reactions. Some critics argue that this statement is meant to hoodwink the majority who are poor to believe that their welfare will be improved while others perceive this as a way of raising revenue to finance the huge budget that is straining its economy. However, they claim that he should not make statements that will not help his political life since his performance will be evaluated in these issues. In addition, Obama has a good opportunity to develop the economy of America if he focuses on issues that affect Americans and stops wasting national resources on unnecessary activities like investing in drones. America has pother serious challenges like poor healthcare services, unemployment, drugs and inflation and this should be given first priority by his government. Therefore, he has options to choose from but he should know that Americans and the rest of the world will evaluate his performance depending on how he manages issues related to politics and racism. Conclusion Racism is a long term problem that has continued to face America since the beginning of slave trade. Even though, this trade was abolished in the beginning of the 21st century it continues to thrive underground. American politics is largely influenced by international relations and developments and this makes it to lack polit5icalk plans to develop its infrastructure and institutions. President Obama has a good opportunity to prove his critics wrong by embracing racial integration and prac ticing politics that will benefit Americans and immigrants. Alim, Sammy. Articulate While Black, Barrack Obama Language, and Race in the  United States. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print. Barrack, Obama. Dreams from My Father, a Story of Race and Inheritance. New York: Wiley, 2011. Print. Cobb, William. The Substance of Hope, Barrack Obama and Paradox of Progress. New York: Wiley, 2011. Print. Feagin, Joe and Harvey Winfield. Yes We Can? White Racial Farming and the 2008  Presidential Campaign. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print. Fiona, Morris. Culture War: The Myth of a Polarized America. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print. Harris, Frederick. The Price of the Ticket, Barrack Obama and the Rise and Decline of  Black Politics. New York: Wiley, 2011. Print. Jacobs, Lawrence and Theda Skocpol. The Health Care Reform and American Politics,  What everyone needs To Know. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print. Kennedy, Randall. The Persistence of the Color Line, Racial Polit ics and the Obama  Presidency. New York: Wiley, 2011. Print. Kinder, Donald and Allison Riddle. The End of Race. New York: Wiley, 2011. Print. Pierre, Robert and Jon Jeter. A Day Late and a Dollar Short, High Hopes and Deferred  Dreams in Obama’s Post Racial America. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print. Remnick, David. The Bridge, the Life and Rise of Barrack Obama. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print. Tesler, Michael and David Sears. Obama’s Race: The 2008 Election and the Dream of  A Post-Racial America. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.

Discuss the role of wisdom in true virtue according to Meno and the Essay

Discuss the role of wisdom in true virtue according to Meno and the Phaedo - Essay Example d therefore she abstains from bodily pleasures-not from a desire of having more or greater ones, but because she knows that only when calm and free from the dominion of the body can she behold the light of truth.† (Plato (b)10) A unique concept of good and evil is put forward in Phaedo. The author discounts courageous acts if they are performed to avoid bigger dangers. Similarly, author plays down temperate behavior if there is an accompanying desire to achieve sensual pleasures because of such temperance (Plato (b) 7). Phaedo propagates the idea of life beyond death by distinguishing between body and soul and how virtues applied wisely can lead to liberation of soul. In Meno, Socrates is referred pondering over the question what can be considered the goods of the soul. According to Socrates, they are ‘temperance,’ ‘justice,’ ‘courage,’ ‘quickness of apprehension,’ ‘memory,’ ‘magnanimity’, and the lik e. Interesting to note is the observation that such good qualities are not knowledge, but of ‘another sort’. They are sometimes ‘profitable’ and sometimes ‘hurtful’. Socrates says that when a man has no sense he is hurt by courage, and when man applies courage with sense, he is profited. Socrates opines that the same logic of applying sense can be stretched to other good qualities like ‘temperance’ and ‘quickness of apprehension’. Socrates remarks that activities learned or done with the application of sense are ‘profitable,’ without sense are ‘hurtful.’ (Plato (a) 37) Socrates holds forth that all efforts and endurance under the supervision of wisdom have a happy ending and under the influence of folly, the opposite. Taking forward his argument, Socrates examines that if ‘virtue’ is a characteristic of soul and is... In Phaedo, it is contended that when alive, the soul should try to control pleasures related with the sense organs and body in which it is rebuked to be animate and from which it seeks to liberate itself.Phaedo makes distinction between souls that are not liberated. Some who are used to ‘violence’ and ‘extreme sensuality’ takes the form of likes of an ‘ass’ or’ wolf.’ However, for someone seeking liberation, even such gentle forms making eligible for some earthly happiness is not acceptable.A unique concept of good and evil is put forward in Phaedo. The author discounts courageous acts if they are performed to avoid bigger dangers. Socrates in Meno contends that after deep thought, he has come to a believe there are perhaps no teachers of virtue. According to Socrates those who want to learn any skill takes course to a teacher who is expert in that field. If one wants to learn flute playing, one takes recourse to a teacher who is expert in flute playing. In Meno, it is argued that true opinion is as good a model to rectify action as knowledge. Socrates makes a distinction between knowledge and opinion by giving an example that if someone knows the location of Larisa and leads other people to Larisa, then he is a good guide.Also, if a person has a right judgment about the means, but had never been to Larisa (the destination to be reached) should also be a good guide.

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Journal - Essay Example Conflict arises in determining the option to undertake without jeopardizing the business. This kind of conflict is easily resolved since the scales of decision are easily tipped towards one of the choices. Leaders faced with negative choices experience avoidance-avoidance conflict. Both choices have negative outcomes and the individual has to settle for the less burdening option. Leaders can be attracted to, and repelled by traits present in the same activity or goal. A business opportunity may have huge profits, but involves big risks that can destroy the business. This scenario introduces approach-avoidance conflict where the choices are both attractive and repelling. The huge profits present a positive choice while risks are repelling aspects of the investment opportunity. This creates the need for calculated risks that can provide the most plausible solution to the conflict. The feelings present to the leader can act as an avenue to resolve the conflict. Another form of conflict arises when the choices available are partially negative and partially positive. This form of conflict is referred to as double approach-avoidance conflict due to the partial positive and negative aspects of the choices. A graduate may have to choose between a well paying job with odd working hours and a low paying job with good working conditions. Individuals faced with such conflicts have to weigh the available options and try out important decisions before reaching a conclusion. Leadership as Empowering Others Executives in an organization are better placed as leaders rather than managers. Executives have the responsibility of making strategic decisions that affect the organization in the long term. This involves creating strategies, analysis, policies, evaluation, and planning that determine the future of the organization. These leaders act as visionaries in the organization and are responsible for inspiring their juniors. For instance, the CEO of a company has to inspire junior executives as a way of grooming the next CEO and transforming them to conform to the vision of the organization. Transformational leaders introduce changes to the organization that help the organization achieve the laid out goals. Transformational leaders convert followers into leaders by playing the role of moral agents that provide inspiration. Transactional leaders emphasize teamwork, task accomplishment, and problem solving as a way of working with others for a common goal. Leaders stimulate their subordinates by proposing new directions that the followers have never experienced. This form of empowerment comes in form of new exciting intellectual ideas that energize the followers. For instance a leader can encourage and stimulate subordinates to create new inventions. This empowers subordinates to become creative and participate in decision making processes that lay out future goals for the organization. This helps them climb the leadership ladder and prepares them to make cruc ial decisions in the organization. Emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence (EI) can be utilized to foster competitive advantage and profitability. Leaders require the ability to perceive and generate emotions in the thought process and regulate their emotions to promote intellectual growth. EI has become a paramount requirement for top executives for effective leadership and performance. Effective use of EI provides

The Catcher and the Rye Essay Example for Free

The Catcher and the Rye Essay The Biographical Lens applied to The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger expresses his view of society in his novel, The Catch in the Rye. His viewpoints are seen in the book through the eyes of young Holden Caulfield. This novel demonstrates modern-day dilemmas and complications that teenagers confront in life. Throughout this novel, Holden Caufield, the protagonist shows signs of clinical depression mourning over the death of his younger brother Allie which caused him to have a slight case of Tropophobia. There are many instances that sustain evidence against Holden Caufield’s depression which expose his continuous thoughts of suicide, his choice of withdrawal from society, and his incapability of viewing the beneficial aspects in life rather than the imperfect. Holden is convinced that society is full of â€Å"phonies† and nothing else, that all people have a side in which they should not be proud of, expect the younger generation, whom are completely innocent. Tropophobia, is a global issue where people who suffer from it have the fear of changes. Tropophobia is caused by severe trauma that is somehow linked to sudden changes. Holden has a slight case of this illness, caused by the death of his younger brother, Allie. This would explain the reason that Holden loves the Museum. Holden loves it because it never changes, it’s always the same and is always predictable. Holden Caufield demonstrates that he has continuous thoughts of suicide in the novel â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†. Holden shows symptoms of depression by giving up when life confronts him with a problem. There are two examples that express’ Holden’s feelings towards death that are exhibited in this novel. A major conflict in this story is when Holden and his roommate get into a dispute. Holden mourns while looking out the window and says â€Å"I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead† (page 48, chapter 7). This displays Holden’s suicidal thoughts when faced with a setback. Another instance that express’ Holden’s suicidal thoughts are viewed during a conflict with Maurice (a pimp in the hotel). Holden Caufield is afflicted by Maurice and entertains the thought of ending his life. â€Å"What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window.†(Page 104, chapter 14). As al ways, when problems arise, Holden seems incapable of resolving them and reasons the alternative of ending his life. This is revealed as a symptom of clinical depression. Holden Caufield also decides to withdraw himself from society. Holden makes this evident in multiple times throughout the novel. He chooses to outcast himself from his peers, family and from society. He demonstrates this aspect when he abruptly asks Sally to move to Massachusetts, â€Å" How would you like to get the hell out of here?What we could do is, tomorrow morning we could drive up to Massachusetts and Vermont, and all around there, see.†(Page 132, chapter 17). Holden chooses to withdraw himself from his peers and family to live alone and start over in an unfamiliar place. He wants to forget about all he ever knew (New York) and start over; his way of escaping his depressed and lonely surrounding. He displays this aspect once again when he intends to escape out west and live in a cabin away from society. He makes the decision to isolate himself from everyone he knows: â€Å"What I’d do, I figured, I’d go down to the Holland Tunnel and bum a ride, and then id bum another one, and another one, and another one, and in a few days I’d be somewhere out West where it was sunny and where nobody’d know me and id get a job.†(Page 198, chapter 25) He wants to completely isolate himself and extract from others: â€Å"I thought what I’d do was, I’d pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes. That way I wouldn’t have to have any goddam stupid useless conversations with anybody.†(Page 198, chapter 25). He desires to extort himself from civilization. Holden caufield is incapable of recognizing the beneficial aspects in life rather than the imperfect. Holden doesn’t see the positive qualities in people and views the negative. He calls others (including his peers and family) â€Å"phonies†. There are many moments throughout the novel where Holden is judgmental regarding people he’s never encountered before. He claims that they’re deceiving and â€Å"phony† when he hardly knows them. For instance, before Holden Caufield encounters Sally’s friend at the play (â€Å"strictly ivy league†, page 127, chapter 17) he says â€Å"Then all of a sudden, she saw some jerk she knew on the other side of the lobby† (Page 127, chapter 17). Holden calls Sally’s friend a jerk before he even meets him, as he contemplates negative thoughts from the commencement of things. Additionally, Holden calls a considerate and thoughtful teacher by the name of Mr. Spencer, deceptive: â€Å"Even the couple of nice teachers on the faculty, they were phonies, too†¦There was this one old guy, Mr. Spencer.† (page 168, chapter 22) Mr. Spencer is extremely considerate and concerning towards Holden; when he invites him over to his house to say good-bye: â€Å"I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to help you, if I can.†(Page 14, chapter 2). He calls many things around him phony, these phony things are usually things he relates to adulthood. Not only does Holden fear adulthood himself, but he also wants to save others from becoming adults. As he explains about his dream job that Holden’s only place in life is to catch kids who fall from the rye. J.D. Salinger uses the term falling because falling into or towards something is usually used in a negative aspect. Holden is a depressed character; he reveals the negative traits of people fr om the beginning, instead of admiring the respectable qualities they have. J. D. Salinger uses symbolism in several occasions, he shows Holden’s curiosity about the ducks in the lagoon. Holden doesn’t understand how the ducks are so adequate with change while he fears it so much. The author also mentions the strangeness of Holden’s hat, this represents his uniqueness and how he doesn’t want to become like other people, like adults. The red hunting hat is also symbolic in the way that both Allie’s and Phoebe’s hair is red, this represents how Holden wants to be like them; the fact that they are both young and innocent attracts Holden to want to be like them. The protagonist in J.D Salinger’s novel â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†, Holden Caufield is portrayed as a clinically depressed character. He is suicidal, constantly contemplating negative thoughts, and isolates himself from civilization. It is revealed that depression amongst youth is not easily overcome as is the grieving process of progressing after a significant loss in their life. Bibliography Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

Drawing Down The Moon Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I chose to read the book Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, by Margot Adler, because I myself am a practicing Wiccan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I began following this religion the summer before I entered high school. I have read many books on my religion, and I thought that this one would compliment the knowledge that I have on the subject.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was raised a Roman Catholic, but I never felt truly comfortable with the teachings of the Catholic church. It always seemed a little off to me and I never felt like I belonged there. After I received the Sacrament of Confirmation, my parents stopped enforcing that I attend mass every Sunday. It made the transition a lot easier for me. Although, they did not and still do not approve of my religion, they understand that Catholicism is not for me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When people hear that I am a â€Å"witch,† they automatically assume that I am either crazy, or a â€Å"devil worshipper.† Books such as Alder’s Drawing Down the Moon, are the only way to allow other people to realize that there are many facets to the term â€Å"Pagan.† They also make people realize that not all Pagan religions revolve around curses, crystal balls and sacrifices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although, I did not agree with everything that Margot Adler had to say, or with some of the interviews she chose to include in Drawing Down the Moon, I am happy that I chose to read it for my final paper. I do not feel that we cover enough about Pagan religions in our class, and this assignment gave me the opportunity to learn more about Pagan religions other than my own. Brief Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In America today, there are a myriad of â€Å"occult† or â€Å"magickal† groups. Some of these groups are small with maybe only 5 or 6 members, some have hundreds. The groups that I am referring to call themselves Pagans or Neo-Pagans. There are a wide variety of Pagans and Neo-Pagans. They can be animists, polytheists, pantheists, monotheists, or a combination of any of these. There are also many different classifications of Witches, such as: Gothic, Classical, Familial, Immigrant, Ethnic and Feminist. Each group is very distinct and different from the next. They do however share a common set of values.   Ã‚   ... ...h to be able to answer in the future, are:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What makes Pagan religions so unappealing to people when the basis of the religion relies solely on however the practitioner interprets it?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why isn’t there more information available on them considering these religions are so old?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why don’t these religions have any solid dogma?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that this assignment was a very good learning experience. It gave us the chance to explore any area of religion that we wanted to know about or learn more about. We weren’t restrained to the more common religions that we discuss in depth in class. I enjoyed the fact that we had a large amount of freedom when choosing our topic. It is not good to always be told what to write about. Freedom of topics is always beneficial for the most creative fulfillment of any assignment. It gives the student a chance to work on something that they are truly interested in. This assignment definitely allowed me to further my knowledge in the areas of religion that I am interested in, rather than solely what is in a syllabus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drawing Down The Moon Essay -- essays research papers Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I chose to read the book Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, by Margot Adler, because I myself am a practicing Wiccan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I began following this religion the summer before I entered high school. I have read many books on my religion, and I thought that this one would compliment the knowledge that I have on the subject.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was raised a Roman Catholic, but I never felt truly comfortable with the teachings of the Catholic church. It always seemed a little off to me and I never felt like I belonged there. After I received the Sacrament of Confirmation, my parents stopped enforcing that I attend mass every Sunday. It made the transition a lot easier for me. Although, they did not and still do not approve of my religion, they understand that Catholicism is not for me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When people hear that I am a â€Å"witch,† they automatically assume that I am either crazy, or a â€Å"devil worshipper.† Books such as Alder’s Drawing Down the Moon, are the only way to allow other people to realize that there are many facets to the term â€Å"Pagan.† They also make people realize that not all Pagan religions revolve around curses, crystal balls and sacrifices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although, I did not agree with everything that Margot Adler had to say, or with some of the interviews she chose to include in Drawing Down the Moon, I am happy that I chose to read it for my final paper. I do not feel that we cover enough about Pagan religions in our class, and this assignment gave me the opportunity to learn more about Pagan religions other than my own. Brief Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In America today, there are a myriad of â€Å"occult† or â€Å"magickal† groups. Some of these groups are small with maybe only 5 or 6 members, some have hundreds. The groups that I am referring to call themselves Pagans or Neo-Pagans. There are a wide variety of Pagans and Neo-Pagans. They can be animists, polytheists, pantheists, monotheists, or a combination of any of these. There are also many different classifications of Witches, such as: Gothic, Classical, Familial, Immigrant, Ethnic and Feminist. Each group is very distinct and different from the next. They do however share a common set of values.   Ã‚   ... ...h to be able to answer in the future, are:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What makes Pagan religions so unappealing to people when the basis of the religion relies solely on however the practitioner interprets it?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why isn’t there more information available on them considering these religions are so old?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why don’t these religions have any solid dogma?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that this assignment was a very good learning experience. It gave us the chance to explore any area of religion that we wanted to know about or learn more about. We weren’t restrained to the more common religions that we discuss in depth in class. I enjoyed the fact that we had a large amount of freedom when choosing our topic. It is not good to always be told what to write about. Freedom of topics is always beneficial for the most creative fulfillment of any assignment. It gives the student a chance to work on something that they are truly interested in. This assignment definitely allowed me to further my knowledge in the areas of religion that I am interested in, rather than solely what is in a syllabus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Alison Bechdel Essay

Female comic creators made a great impact on the comic industry although they are not so many. They gained recognition since they have beginning to create comic novels. Women creators have worked an every genre from superheroes to romance, westerns to war, crime to horror. Their subjects of discussion have expanded as women’s role in society has changed. They are on pressure in the society because the model of women is determined by the society and they have to write like that. However women comic creators still have found mainstream or underground success telling the stories they want to tell. This underground comic movement attracted women artists, as it allowed more mature themes and personal work than the commercial newspaper and comic book industry of the time. Underground comics are the self-published comics which are socially relevant and satire in nature. The underground market allowed for a more open depiction of sexuality and in the 70’s and 80’s openly lesbian and bisexual artists told their stories in comic book form, such as Alison Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out For and graphic novel Fun Home. Alison Bechdel is an American cartoonist who was born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. She interested in the underground comics and she began to write in this field. She is lesbian feminist artist and her works consist of the feminism and lesbianism movement. Her work, Dykes to Watch Out For, was one of the earliest ongoing representations of lesbians in popular culture. The strip mainly follows the life and times of a group of lesbian friends in an unspecified location in the USA. But as time passes, some straight and male characters are also introduced. The strip focuses on a wonderful group of counterculture friends, most of whom are lesbians. And this book gathers a rich collection of the strips spanning from 1987 through 2008. This book also contains an introduction, also in comic form, about how Alison Bechdel came to spend her career writing this incredible comic. In the book, Bechdel Test is introduced which is used to identify gender bias in fiction. Many award-winning collections of Dykes were published in book form by an independent feminist press, and were translated into several languages. According to Bechdel, her strip was â€Å"half op-ed column and half endless, serialized Victorian novel†. The op-ed column refers to the fact that they’re all highly engaged with the social and political issues of their time. The central character Mo Testa is a lesbian feminist who is always complain everything and Mo looks like Bechdel herself. The characters are political activist who rarely miss LGBT demonstration. LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. They debate how to combine their ideals and their lively days. They constantly analyze race and gender and how these impact their lives. They work at domestic abuse shelters, or alternative bookshops, or as college professors, or as environmental layers. They feel betrayed when one of them gets involved with a man and then realize that this reaction goes again everything they believe in. They write theses on how literary representations of hypersexual lesbians and women of color contrast with their actual experiences of desire. And whatever else they’re doing, they never lose the ability to laugh at themselves. This work seems as a lesbian feminist novel, it is actually how very universal and how human it is. Anyone who struggles to be the best person they can be and to live according to their ideals. They will probably be able to relate to these characters and their conflicts. Bechdel says in her introduction that her goal in writing the strip was, first of all, to make lesbians visible; and secondly, to â€Å"explode essentialism† by portraying them as complex and diverse human beings. She succeeded brilliantly Mo and company is nothing if not completely human. Her other work is Fun Home which is an example of underground comics. It is a graphic memoir which chronicles the author’s childhood and youth in rural Pennsylvania, United States, focusing on her complex relationship with her father. The themes of work are sexual orientation, gender roles and family life. It includes photographing herself in poses for each human figure. Bechdel combine comics and memoirs in this book. Fun Home has been both a popular and critical success, and spent two weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. It was nominated for several awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and three Eisner Awards. The memoir focuses on Bechdel’s family and the relationship between Alison and her father. Her father was a funeral director and English teacher. The book’s title comes from the family nickname for the funeral home. Her father’s two occupations reflect in the work focus on death and literature. Her father had homosexual relationship in the military and the high school. Her father was killed in the Sunbeam Bread truck however Alison Bechdel concludes that he committed suicide. She writes this novel as an autobiography and she tells everything about her father, their relationship and his death. She keeps to the reality and she does not escape to telling the realities. She mentions her father’s homosexual aspect and she does not conceal this. The story is also deal with Alison Bechdel’s struggle to find her own sexual identity. She realizes that she is a lesbian and her coming out to her parents. The memoir frankly examines her sexual development, including transcripts from her childhood diary, anecdotes about masturbation, and tales of her first sexual experiences with her girlfriend, Joan. She and her father share their ideas about this situation and both of them express their dissatisfaction with their given gender roles. In the Fun Home, there are so many themes but the biggest theme is sexual orientation. Bechdel tells her journey to finding her own sexuality in this book. Alison is not alone choosing her partner because her father is also homosexual. Bechdel and her father are in the same situation. One of them is lesbian and the other one is gay or bisexual. In the book, her mother discovers her husband’s situation and this makes the book as a tragedy. They have problems because of her father’s situation. Bechdel shows how people encounter some difficulties when they identify their sexuality. However Bechdel and her father’s conversation reflect their respects to find the sexual identity. The other theme is death in Fun Home. Bechdel family always encounters the death because of the father’s job. Alison Bechdel reflects the death in the novel and she believes that her father’s death is not an accident. According to Alison Bechdel her father commits suicide because of his own sexuality or Alison’s sexuality. This is not clear in the book; it remains as an unclear death. Bechdel shows the death in two different aspects. One of them is the job of her father and the other one is causing of her father’s end. The job combines with her father’s death. Moreover she combines his death because of his own sexuality. Being a homosexual causes her death and she does not believe his death as an accident because of this reason. She examines his death in the book and she reflect her views about his death in Fun Home. She uses some allusions in the novel and these allusions come from the Greek mythology and visual arts. The events of Bechdel’s family life during childhood and adolescence are presented through these allusions. Bechdel questions whether her decision to come out as a lesbian was one of the triggers for her father’s suicide. Bechdel closely examines the connection between her father’s closeted sexuality and her own open lesbianism. Bechdel, as the narrator, considers her relationship to her father through the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. As a child, she confused her family and their Gothic Revival home with the Addams Family seen in the cartoons of Charles Addams. [43] Bruce Bechdel’s suicide is discussed with reference to Albert Camus’ novel A Happy Death and essay The Myth of Sisyphus.