BUS COM WK3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BUS COM WK3 - Essay Example In the article the authors conducted a specific type of study in which they tracked for about 60 families and their hundred above children. They inquired about the effects the divorce had produced on them. They found out that the boys of the divorced families do not have any goal; they do not want to grow in life, while the girls of the divorced families do not trust other men in their lives. They suffer from the special type of fear in which they fear from bounding themselves in a family with a man. This fear is known as the Sleepers affect. In short with the data the authors tried to prove the negative effects of the divorce on the children. The declared that the divorce is traumatizing and it produces severe effects on the lives of the affected families. I totally disagree with both the authors and their statistics. It is just that they wanted to show the negative side of the issue. The data was not neutrally collected. Only the negative theme was extracted. The authors presented a graph in their study in which they tried to show that most of children suffer emotional and behavioral problems after the marriage of their parents. According to the data presented it shows that about 25% of children of such families suffer from mental disorders. They did not show in the graph the prior state of the children of such families. It must be possible that the children were in great stress due to the constant family conflicts of marriage and after divorced their mental state was improved due to living alone or with the single parent. The authors also showed by statistics that approx 66% of the women from the age of 9 to 23 suffered from the sleeper effect. They were too afraid to bind themselves in any relation. Also the memories of the divorce of their parents never helped them to make a stable relation. The greater flaw in the study is that these women might be afraid of the poor marriages not the divorces. They

The Official Language Movement Essay Example for Free

The Official Language Movement Essay http://www.nabe.org/education/politics.html This website is run by the National Association for Bilingual Education.   It presents an informative insight into the controversies surrounding the implementation of a Bilingual Education policy.   The website basically presents the argument that while many Americans may resist the idea of having bilingual modes of instruction in classrooms; they are also unaware of the fact that the Bilingual Education program does not mean that both languages will be at par.   It still recognizes the primacy of the English language over other languages. Quality Bilingual Education: Defining Success This report by Maria Estela Brisk basically examines the recent studies that have been done with regard to Bilingual Education over the years.   It argues that there are different notions of success in Bilingual Education.   As an alternative, the author suggests that the success in Bilingual Education can no longer be viewed in traditional views but must also incorporate newer concepts in the advent of globalization. The Pros of Bilingual Education – This article by Dominico Maceri in the Denver Business Journal basically argues that the implementation of Bilingual Education produces better overall long term benefits.   The old â€Å"sink and swim† method that was in place no longer holds true, according to Maceri.   Instead, schools should allow immigrant school children the chance to get the education that their parents were never able to have.   Strengthening the learning core of the students should be the number one priority. Chicano Empowerment and Bilingual Education: Movimiento Politics in Crystal City, Texas – This article by Angela Valenzuela highlights the field work conducted in Crystal City on the topic of Bilingual Education.   It recounts the history of the evolution of Bilingual Education in the area and places emphasis on the factors that made it possible such as an increasing Latin American population.   The article basically states that bilingual education is more than just linguistic development.   The implementation of bilingual education programs in schools will lead to community empowerment.    References: â€Å"Why Bilingual Education is Controversial† from http://www.nabe.org/education/politics.html last accessed on November 17, 2007 Brisk, Maria Estela (1999) Quality Bilingual Education: Defining Success. Presented at the Symposium on Language Policy, Bar Ilam University, Israel, November, 1999 Maceri, Dominico (1999). The Pros of Bilingual Education. The Denver Business Journal. June 4, 1999 Valenzuela, Angela Chicano empowerment and bilingual education: Movimiento politics in Crystal City, Texas. Bilingual Research Journal. Winter 2000. FindArticles.com. 19 Nov. 2007. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200001/ai_n8901892

Fitzgeralds Use of Language in The Great Gatsby Essays -- essays rese

In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses tone, diction, syntax and imagery to voice Nick's perception of the world around him. In this passage his use of language is used repetitively to convey Jordan Baker, Daisy and Tom Buchanan's lives. On the outside it may look like they all are living a perfect and ideal life, however Fitzgerald's illuminating use of language highlights how far from perfect their lives truly are. When he first walks in Nick judges Tom and Daisy's lives based on the appearance of the house, perfect and romanticized, yet he soon learns that this first impression is an overstatement. Nick's use of diction such as 'fragilely bound' (12) and 'French windows' (12) connote that their lives may look perfect on the outside but in reality they're brittle on the inside, since the words fragile and French suggest that their lives are breakable. His choice of diction also suggests an impersonal feel to the house, as if the people inside it are living a bland and dull life. As Nick walks farther in he compares the 'frosted wedding cake of the ceiling' to the 'wine- colored rug' implying both Purity and corruption. He views the cake-ceiling as pure since wedding cakes denote the meaning of innocence and purity but compares the innocence with wine which suggests corruption and impurity. Again, this comparison shows that Tom and Daisy's lives look pure as cake, however in reality their life i s as corrupted as wine. Upon meeting Daisy and Jordan, Nick perceives them as if they are ?buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon.? (12) Suggesting that something is weighing them both down but they both want to be free from their oppressions of their societies-they want to be carefree. Nick?s choice of diction like ?boom,... ...h he goes from idealism to reality. By the end of the evening Nick discovers the true personalities of the characters. This paragraph shows a whole new meaning of the color white, in this passage white implies impurity and ?absence of all desire.? (17) Before, however, it implied elegance, innocence and joy. Nick senses that to the Buchanan?s the evening had no great importance, he believes that it would be ?casually put away? (17) and be forgotten. Nick also perceives the woman to be tools of entertainment for the men. In conclusion, Fitzgerald?s use of language connotes the reality of Jordan Baker, Daisy and Tom Buchanan? lives. His use of diction, imagery and syntax suggests how their lives have no excitement and desire. Nick views them as white- dull and bland. Therefore, by using diction, imagery and syntax, Nick shows how imperfect their lives truly are.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 3

Ella â€Å"I take it that's Micha?† Lila wanders around my kitchen as she tightens a loose ribbon on the waist of her floral dress. â€Å"He's even cuter than in the picture.† â€Å"Yep, that would be Micha.† I kick a box across the stained linoleum floor and flip the light on. It looks the same; seventies themed colors, wicker chairs around the glass table, and yellow and brown countertops. â€Å"So just your dad lives here?† Lila circles the small kitchen and her gaze lingers on the countertop next to the kitchen sink where empty bottles are lining the wall. â€Å"Yeah. My older brother moved out as soon as he graduated.† I adjust the handle of my bag and head for the stairway. The house smells like rotten food and smoke. In the living room, the aged plaid sofa is vacant, and the ash tray on the coffee table is spilling over with cigarette butts. The television is on so I shut it off. â€Å"So where's your dad?† Lila wonders as we climb up the stairs. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I avoid the truth, because he's probably at the bar. â€Å"Okay, where's your mom?† she probes. â€Å"You never told me where she lives.† Lila doesn't know much about me and it's how I want it. Leaving her in the dark, about my mom, my brother – everyone in this aspect of my life – has allowed me to transform into someone who doesn't have to deal with my problems. â€Å"My dad works nights,† I make up a story. â€Å"And my mom moved out quite a while ago. She lives up on Cherry hill.† She leans forward to study a portrait of my mother displayed on the wall; the same auburn hair, pale skin, and green eyes as me. Her smile was just as fake as mine, too. â€Å"Is this your mom?† She asks and I nod. â€Å"She looks just like you.† My chest tightens and I quickly trot to the top of the stairway. At the end of the hall, the bathroom door is wide open. The corner of the porcelain tub and the stain on the tile floor is in my line of vision. My heart constricts tighter as the memories flood me. I'm suffocating with panic. â€Å"Baby girl,† she said. â€Å"I'm going to go take a nap, just for a little while. I'll be back in just a bit.† My knees tremble as I shut the door. My chest opens up and oxygen flows through my lungs again. â€Å"So where does your brother live?† Lila peers inside my brother's room full of drums, guitar picks, CDs, and records. There's a bunch of band posters taped to the wall and a guitar up on a mount. â€Å"I think in Chicago.† â€Å"You think?† I shrug. â€Å"We don't have the best relationship. She nods, like she understands. â€Å"So is he in a band?† â€Å"I'm not sure if he's still in one now. I'm guessing since his stuff's here, probably not,† I say. â€Å"He only played because he was friends with Micha and he's in a band. Or was. I have no idea what he does anymore.† â€Å"Ella, did you lose touch with everyone in your life?† Lila accuses, tucking the pillow under her arm. Her scrutiny makes me uncomfortable. Avoiding confrontation, I turn on my bedroom light and shudder at the sight. It's like a museum of my past. Sheets of my artwork are tacked to the walls, trimmed with a black skeleton border Micha put up when we were twelve to make my room more â€Å"manly.† A collection of guitar picks line the far dresser and there is a pile of my boots in the corner. My bed is made with the same purple comforter and there's a plate with a half-eaten cookie on it, which is growing mold. I toss the cookie into the trash. Hasn't my dad been in here since I left? Lila picks up a guitar and plops down on the bed. â€Å"I didn't know you played.† She positions the guitar on her lap and strums the strings. â€Å"I always wanted to learn how to play, but my mom would never let me take lessons. You should teach me.† â€Å"I don't play.† I drop my bag on the floor. â€Å"That's Micha's guitar. His initials are on the back.† She turns it over and looks at the initials. â€Å"So the hot guy from next door is also a musician. God, I'm about to swoon.† â€Å"No swooning over anyone in this neighborhood,† I advise. â€Å"And since when are you into musicians? I have never, until today, heard you say anything about liking guys who can play the guitar.† â€Å"Since they look like him.† She points over her shoulder toward Micha's house, which is visible through the window of my room. â€Å"That boy is dripping with sexiness.† Jealousy growls in my chest and I mentally whisper for it to shut up. I pick up a photo of my mom and me at the zoo when I was six. We're happy, smiling, and the sun is bright against our squinting eyes. It rips at my heart and I let the photo fall back onto the desk. â€Å"There's a trundle under the bed that you can sleep on if you want.† â€Å"Sounds good.† She slides the guitar off her lap and goes over to the window, drawing the curtain back. â€Å"Maybe we should go to the party. It looks kind of fun.† I gather my hair away from my eyes before dragging the trundle out from under the bed. â€Å"No offense, Lila, but I don't think you can handle one of Micha's parties. Things can get a little bit crazy.† She narrows her eyes at me, insulted. â€Å"I can handle parties. It's you that never wanted to go to any of them. And the one's that I did talk you into going to, you just stood in the corner, drinking water and sulking.† I flop down on the bed with my arms and legs slack over the edges. â€Å"That party is nothing like a college frat party. They're the kind of parties you wake up from the next day on a park bench with no shoes on and a tattoo on your back, with no recollection of what happened the night before.† â€Å"Oh my God, is that how you got that tattoo on your back – the one you refuse to tell me what it means.† She lies on the bed next to me and we stare at the Chevelle poster on my ceiling. â€Å"It means infinite.† I tug the hem of my tank top down, hiding the tattoo on my lower back, and drape my arm over my forehead. â€Å"And I don't refuse to talk about it. I just can't remember how I got it.† She gives me a sad, puppy dog face and bats her eyelashes. â€Å"Pretty please, with a cherry on top. This might be my only chance to go to a party like this. The ones at my old neighborhood consist of limos, fancy dresses and tuxes, and a lot of champagne.† When I don't respond, she adds, â€Å"You owe me.† â€Å"How do you figure?† â€Å"For giving you a ride here.† â€Å"Please don't make me go down there,† I plead, clasping my hands together. â€Å"Please.† She rolls onto her stomach and props up on her elbows. â€Å"He's an old boyfriend, isn't he? You were lying. I knew it. No one can draw a picture like that of someone they've never loved.† â€Å"Micha and I have never dated.† I insist with a heavy sigh. â€Å"If you really want to go see what these parties are all about, I'll take you down there, but I'm not hanging around for more than five minutes.† I give in because deep down I'm curious to check up on the world I left behind. She claps her hands animatedly and squeals, looking out the window one last time. â€Å"Holy crap. Someone's standing on the roof.† They say curiosity killed the cat. â€Å"Come on, party girl. Let's get this over with.† *** About fifteen years ago, this town used to be a decent place to live. Then the factory that supplied jobs to almost the entire town shut down. People were laid off and slowly it began to dwindle into the bottomless pit that it is now. The houses across the street are painted in graffiti and I'm pretty sure my next door neighbor makes moonshine in his garage, or at least he did before I left. Inside Micha's house, there are people loitering in the entryway. I push my way through them and into the kitchen, which is crammed with even more people. On the table is a kegger and enough bottles of alcohol to open a liquor store. The atmosphere is overflowing with the scent of sweat and there are a few girls dancing on the kitchen counters. People are making out in the corners of the living room where the sofas are shoved to the side, so the band can flare on their instruments, screaming lyrics of pain and misunderstanding at the top of their lungs. I'm surprised Micha isn't up there playing. â€Å"Holy crap. This is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lila's blue eyes are round as she gawks at the people jumping up and down in the living room, shaking their bodies and thrashing their heads. â€Å"Like a mosh pit,† I finish for her, shoving a short girl with bleached hair out of my way. â€Å"Hey,† the girl whines as her drink spills down the front of her leather dress. â€Å"You did that on purpose.† For a split second, I forget who I am and turn around to blast her with a death glare. But then I remember that I'm the calm and rational Ella; one that doesn't get into fights and beat other girls up. â€Å"What, preppy girl?† She pats her chest, ready to throw down. â€Å"You think you scare me.† Lila bites her thumbnail. â€Å"We're sorry. She didn't mean to.† Chants fill the living room and the chaos is giving me a headache. â€Å"Sorry,† I strain an apology and squeeze between her and the wall. She snickers at me and her friends join in with her laughter as they sashay to the back door. It takes everything I have not to turn around and tackle her to the floor. Lila makes a beeline for the bar set up on the counter, dumps a drop of vodka into a cup, and mixes it with a splash of orange juice. â€Å"Okay, that was intense. I thought she was going to kick your ass.† â€Å"Welcome to Star Grove.† I shout over the music. â€Å"The Land of the Intense and Poverty-stricken, where the adolescents roam free without sober parental supervision and try to start fights wherever they can.† She laughs, takes a gulp of her drink, and her face pinches at the bitterness. â€Å"Try – † She starts, then coughs. She pounds her hand against her chest. â€Å"Are you going to make it?† I ask. Lila has never been a big drinker. She nods and clears her throat. â€Å"I was going to say try growing up where you have to get permission to wear a certain style of shoes.† I give her a mystified look and she adds, â€Å"If it wasn't up to my mother's stylish fashion standards I wasn't allowed to wear it.† I edge out of the way of a guy with blotchy skin and a beanie covering his head, who doesn't seem to mind that he knocks his shoulder into mine. â€Å"I'm sure it wasn't that bad growing up where you did. I mean, at least there was some control.† â€Å"Yeah, there was,† she says uneasily and her eyes quickly scan the room. â€Å"I can't believe there's a live band. It's like being at an outside concert.† â€Å"What? They don't have live bands in California?† I joke with a small smile as I pour myself a cup of water. â€Å"One's that take place outside?† She stirs her drink with a straw. â€Å"Not these kinds of bands. Think much more mellow, with a stage and seats to watch.† â€Å"Sounds like fun to me.† I oblige a smile and glance at my watch. â€Å"Are you about ready to go?† â€Å"Are you joking?† Sucking the drink out of the straw, she hops on the counter and crosses her legs. â€Å"We just got here. Why would we want to go? In fact, we should go dance.† My eyes find the living room, where a guy with dreads smashes his head against the glass plate of a cabinet in the corner and everyone cheers. â€Å"You can if you want, but I'm good.† I gulp my water. â€Å"I like all my bones intact.† Leaning against the counter, I scan through the crowd, curious to see where Micha is. I don't know why I'm so curious, but I am. Occasionally he would bail on his own parties, either to hook up or just get some quiet. I found him a couple of times hiding out on a lawn chair. Each time, he would pull me onto his lap and we would stare up at the night sky, talking about an unreachable future. I spot him in the corner, sitting on the couch with his arm draped around some blonde girl with boobs popping out of her dress. His hair hangs in his eyes and he's nibbling at his lip ring, driving the girl crazy I'm sure. They're just talking, but the girl keeps flipping her hair off her shoulder and her hand is on his chest. It's hard to tell if Micha's enjoying her company or not. He was always difficult to read when it came to girls because he never really looked interested in any of them, but sometimes he would end up with them for the night. I asked him about it once and he said it was all fun, but that he was just killing time until I gave into my inner desire to be with him. I tackled him to the ground for it and it made him laugh. â€Å"Why do you have that look on your face? Like you're undressing someone with your eyes?† Lila asks, following my gaze. â€Å"Oh, is that – â€Å" My eyes dart from Micha. â€Å"I wasn't looking at anyone, just the madness in the living room.† â€Å"Yeah, right,† she says, elevating her eyebrows. â€Å"You totally want him. I can see it on your face.† â€Å"Well, I'll be damned if it isn't the infamous Ella May!† Ethan Gregory grins from the other side of the counter, just behind Lila. He stumbles around the corner, nearly clipping his head on the low ceiling. Before I can respond, he has me trapped in an awkward hug with his long arms that are tracked with tattoos. His grey shirt smells like an ash tray and his breath like beer. He pulls back, ruffling his black hair with his fingers. â€Å"Does Micha know you're here in his house?† I lie breezily, very aware of where Micha is and what he's doing. â€Å"I'm pretty sure he saw me walk in.† â€Å"I doubt that. He's been looking for you for the past eight months.† He glances over his shoulder and nods at Lila, then tips in toward me. â€Å"You know he's been a wreck ever since you took off. You really fucked up his head, Ella.† â€Å"That's such a lie,† I tell him. Ethan and I have never really gotten along very well, which is why the hug confused me so much. We both had the same blunt attitude and butted heads a lot. The only reason we were friends at all was because of Micha. Although, there was one time we did bond for a split second, but we never talk about it. â€Å"Micha doesn't fall apart over anyone. I know him better than that.† His face is flushed and his brown eyes are bloodshot. â€Å"I guess you don't know him as well as you think then, because he's been a wreck. In fact, all he's done for the last few months is search for you.† â€Å"Which explains the party,† I retort. â€Å"I'm guessing that classifies as that.† â€Å"First one in five months,† he says. â€Å"And I think he only did it because he found out where you were and needed a distraction.† â€Å"I know him better than you do, Ethan, and he doesn't fall apart over girls,† I say, but cringe at the fact that I might not know him anymore. A lot can happen in eight months. â€Å"Hey, Lila, we should go. It's getting late.† She glances at her diamond encrusted Rolex and rolls her eyes. â€Å"It's like nine thirty.† â€Å"You're leaving already?† He waves his hand in the air. â€Å"That's nonsense talk right there. You haven't even seen Micha yet and he's gonna be super pissed if he misses seeing you, especially since you ran away from him in the driveway.† â€Å"Actually, I think we're going to hang out for a little while longer,† Lila presses with unrelenting eyes. She mouths, he's hot. Then she fastens her hands together. Please, Ella. Pretty please. Ethan isn't Lila's type. He's got baggage almost as heavy as mine. I start to protest when Micha's deep voice floats over my shoulder and tickles my skin like feathers. Without being able to help it, I let out a soft moan. â€Å"Yeah, pretty girl, stay a little longer.† He's so close that the heat of his body kisses my skin and my insides tremor. His fingers comb through my hair as he whispers, â€Å"You smell so good. God I've missed your smell.† â€Å"I have to get up really early in the morning.† I clear my throat and Lila's eyebrows furrow. â€Å"I need to go home and get some sleep.† He places his hand on the counter, so the crook of his arm is touching my hip. â€Å"You can keep trying to avoid me,† he breathes in my ear, taking a nip at my earlobe. â€Å"But sooner or later you're going to have to talk to me.† His breath reeks of beer and his clothes of smoke. Refusing to crack at the sound of his sexy voice, I turn and face him. â€Å"I don't have time to get drunk and act like a moron.† He's even more gorgeous under the light and more irresistible, even though his eyes are glossed over. â€Å"It's your fault I'm drunk – you drive me crazy.† He descends his voice to a soft purr, the same voice he's used on me many times to get what he wants – the voice that makes me feel alive inside. â€Å"Baby, come on. Please. We need to talk.† He leans in to kiss me. The suddenness throws me off balance and I trip over my own feet. â€Å"Micha, stop it.† I gently push him back and he staggers into the edge of the counter. â€Å"You're drunk. And I'm going home.† â€Å"She's acting weird†¦ like she's way too calm,† Ethan remarks, with a wave of his finger. â€Å"And she's dressed funny, like that girl we use to go to school with. What's her name?† He snaps his fingers. â€Å"Stacy†¦. Stacy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Harris,† I say exhausted. â€Å"And I look like a girl that went away to college and grew up.† Lila slants forward. â€Å"Ella's been this way since I've known her, but I'm really curious what she used to look like with the way everyone keeps talking about her because I can't picture her any other way besides this.† Micha and Ethan trade drunken looks and then howl with laughter. The room quiets down a little as people glance in our direction. â€Å"What's so funny?† Lila frowns and looks to me for help. â€Å"I'm so lost.† â€Å"Nothing. They just think they're funny.† I dodge around Micha, but he seizes my elbow and hauls me back against his chest. â€Å"Hey relax, baby.† He kisses my forehead and gives me his innocent face. â€Å"Please don't go. I just got you back.† Before I took off, the boundaries of our friendship were starting to blur. I thought time would fix this, but it seems like we're back to where we started. As much as I would love to melt into him, it just can't happen. I can't open up like that and lose control. I need control. â€Å"No one's got me back. I'm just here for summer break and only because I didn't have money to rent an apartment,† I say and his expression falls. â€Å"The Ella you knew is gone. She died on that bridge eight months ago.† He blinks, as shocked as I am. His lips part then he clasps them shut, struck speechless. â€Å"I didn't mean that,† I say quickly. â€Å"I'm sorry, Micha. I just can't deal with this.† â€Å"Don't be sorry for being real,† he says, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. I force the lump in my throat down. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I say again, and then weave through the crowd and out the back door, inhaling the fresh air. â€Å"What's your problem?† Lila asks as she catches up with me at the edge of my driveway. She squashes her plastic cup and tosses it into the trash can on the back porch. â€Å"I'm so confused. What just happened?† â€Å"I needed to get out of there before I lost it.† I don't slow down until I'm in my room where I close the door and shut the window, locking away the world. I sigh back against the wall, breathing in the quiet. Lila watches me with inquisitiveness as she pulls her hair back into a bun and puts some lip gloss on. â€Å"Ethan and Micha act like you used to be someone else. Like this isn't the real you. Want to explain?† â€Å"Not really.† I push away from the door and collect some pajamas from the duffel bag. â€Å"I'm going to go take a shower. Do you need anything from downstairs?† â€Å"Yeah, for you to tell me why those guys have you so frazzled.† She unclips her watch and tosses it into her purse that's on the bed. â€Å"I've never seen you so worked up like that. You basically had an orgasm when you first saw him.† â€Å"I did not,† I say, embarrassed and annoyed. â€Å"And you haven't seen me that worked up because I'm not that person anymore.† â€Å"Except for when you're around him,† she insinuates. â€Å"When you were talking to him, there was something in your eyes I've never seen before. You were always so closed off to all the guys at parties and in school. Honestly, I thought you were a virgin. But the way you and Micha were looking at each other – you've had sex with him, right?† Pressing my lips together, I tuck my pajamas under my arm, and shake my head. â€Å"No, Micha and I've never slept together, just like we've never dated. But we've been friends since we were kids.† She sits down on the bed and unhooks her sandal. â€Å"But you've had sex before?† I squirm in my skin. â€Å"I'm going to go get ready for bed.† â€Å"Whoa, wait a second.† She leaps off the bed wearing one shoe and jumps in front of the door with her hands spread out to the side. â€Å"Are you saying that you've never had sex? Ever.† I struggle for words she'll understand. â€Å"It's not like I haven't because I don't believe in premarital sex or anything. I just†¦ Look there's a lot you don't know about me and sometimes I have a hard time getting close to people.† She's not surprised. â€Å"Well, obviously. That's totally been a given from day one.† â€Å"What do you mean?† I question. â€Å"I've never told anyone that before.† Not even Micha. â€Å"It means sometimes I can see right through you.† She sighs and counts down on her fingers. â€Å"I've been your roommate for eight months and all I know about you is you're focused on school, you hate to drink, hate being around large crowds, and have never went on a date. I barely know you and being here, I'm starting to wonder if I know you at all.† She knows the Ella I want her to know. â€Å"Can you let me by? I'm really tired.† She gives me a disbelieving look, but doesn't press. She steps aside and lets me by. Relief washes over me because I don't want to get into it with her. Not tonight. Not ever. I never want to get into the night that changed my life. I buried my reckless identity, and I won't dig it up again.

Critical Evaluation of International Essay

A review of literature on international HRM reveals three different approaches (Dowling et al. , 1999, p. 2): Comparative, Cross-cultural and multi-national. Firstly, according to Adler (1997), the early approaches to researching international HRM focused on cross-cultural differences and examination of human behaviour from an international perspective. Certainly, research on cross-cultural organizational behaviour has become a conduit for the understanding of the dynamics of multicultural domestic and international workplaces within the advent of globalisation. There are different levels of analysis within cross-national HRM, national factors, contingent factors and organisational level. Cross-national HRM researchers claim that it is at the levels of national factors and contigent variables that they can make useful contributions through the examination of the impacts of such determinants of HRM policies and practices (Boxall, 1995; Brewster et al, 1996). However, other researchers (Budhwar and Sparrow, 1997; Jackson and Schuler, 1995) argue that national factors and contingent variables are not enough in themselves to provide an understanding of the context-specific nature of HRM practices. It is important therefore, to consider analysis of the impact of organisational-level strategies (Budhwar and Sparrow, 1997). Secondly, the comparative approach focuses on similarities and differences in HRM practices within an international context. Undeniably, Budhwar & Sparrow (2002) note that the increase in globalisation of business transactions, the emergence of new markets such as the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) as well as hyper competition among organisations at equally the domestic and international level have been associated with an increased significance and need for comparative human resource management (HRM) studies. As a result, there has been a growing number of studies addressing the configuration of HRM in different national contexts (Budhwar & Sparrow, 2002). According to Rechie, Lee and Quintanilla (2009) one of the most significant role of comparative HRM research is to provide managers, principally those working in multinational firms, with specific guidelines concerning how to design and implement an effective HRM system taking into consideration cultural differences especially when their business operation enters into different cultural contexts for example western multinationals seeking to do business in China. This notion of being responsive to the context and standardisation of HRM policies and practices has generated controversial but nonetheless critical topics of discussion in comparative HRM, such as the debate on localization versus standardization, and the process of transferring HRM policies and practices across nations (Rechie et al, 2009). The thirdly, multinational approach, tends to focus on HRM practices in multinational organisations. The HRM extant literature reveals that there are two distinct schools of thought as regards approaches to managing people within MNCs: (i) convergence and (ii) divergence. According to Brewster et al. , (2007), the convergence approach is said to be one of the most dominant strands in international management research. On the one hand, the convergence approach has three main assumptions: firstly, the ultimate aim in all organisations is to improve performance through high-performance work systems (Brewster, 2001). Secondly, the universal aim of performance improvement can be achieved by using sound and effective management philosophies that hold true despite of differences among national environments (Girgin, 2005). Thirdly, proponents of the convergence approach argue that if local practices are different from these principles, they are expected to be replaced with ‘the one best way’, converging mainly on the American model as the leading industrial economy (Dowling et al. , 1999). According to Girgin (2005) the concept of convergence towards the one best way practice has been encouraged and/or supported by the forces of globalisation, which has led to the opening of world markets, deregulation, regional integration and improvements in communication technologies. Although HRM as a field of practice was developed in America, the principles and practices designed for America may not hold for other parts of the world. Barlett and Ghoshal (1989), say that, the main suggestion of the globalisation argument is that nationality factors in the operation of national systems and of companies are no longer influential or important as international companies become ‘trans-national’ which converge to a new ‘best model’. Yes, the IHRM literature shows that because multinational corporations are embedded in their home institutional environments, they may attempt to transfer ‘home’ practices to their foreign operations in different cultural environments (Edwards et al. , 1999). However, the study of HRM practices in Europe (see Brewster et al 2007) suggest that national differences are significant in the determination of HRM practices. On the other hand, the divergence approach or contextual paradigm searches for contextually unique practices and approaches to management, it does not search for evidence of similarities (Brewster, 2001). Within the IHRM literature, the focal point of the divergence standpoint is the dissimilarity of policies and applications across different national and regional contexts and tries to understand the particularities of the context with a view to interpret why and how such differences have emerged in these settings (Brewster, 2005). Within the divergence school of thought, there are two distinct approaches to managing human resources in multinational organisations: (i) the culturalist and (ii) the institutionalist perspectives. Based mainly on Hofstede’s (1980) value-based behavioural dimensions and concepts of national culture which have made an attempt to explain the influence of culture upon Multinationals’ behaviour, the culturalist approach has found widespread acceptance in the IHRM literature. Hofstede (1980) came to a conclusion that culture was the main determinant of the variations in work-related values, attitudes and behaviours among employees and managers within the same organisation, and of the same profession, age, or gender. Hofstede found that there were four dimensions that explained the differences in work-related values and behaviours: (i) Individualism and collectivism, (ii) Uncertainty avoidance, (iii) Power distance and (iv) Masculinity and femininity According to Girgin (2005), the culturalist approach endeavours to build an understanding of differences in work organisations, managerial behaviour and human resource practices based on attributes of national cultural distinctiveness in terms of values, ideas and beliefs shared by people in a given society. Under the divergence school of thought, the institutionalist perspective is the second. The main argument of the institutionalist perspective is that national institutional contexts (for example, government systems, training and development systems) play a major role in determining structures and strategies of organisations (Girgin, 2005). According to Girgin (2005), those who support the Institutionalist perspective stress the pressures on companies to acquire and maintain legitimacy in relation to the environment and the way that interlocking practices can bring benefits in particular systemic contexts. This perspective presents itself as a more comprehensive framework for the comparative study of different national systems (Girgin, 2005). For example, despite the knowledge of the influence of culture on organisational behaviour, HR practitioners cannot simply measure cultural values across their operations and predict behaviour, due cognisance must be given to various institutional contexts. As noted by Dewettinck and Remue (2011) certain practices are shared across or within particular contexts; some are distinctive of certain countries; some are unique to certain sectors or sections of an organization or even individuals. Without doubt, while each of the above approaches sharpens the focus on some aspects of HRM, it is possible that solely focusing on one aspect may unavoidably, hinder capturing the positive aspects from other perspectives(Mayrhofer and Brewster, 2005). Indeed what appears to be more significant in researching international HRM is the context. According to Dewettinck and Remue (2011) the notion of context and/or focus on contextual factors has been reflected in the cross-cultural embedment of many international HRM studies (Brewster, Mayrhoferand Morley, 2004), in addition, the Globe project which was focused on leadership also reveals that context is important (House and Javidan, 2004). For example, a recent study by Hartmann et al. (2010) of western multinationals operating in China shows that these organisations implement relatively unchanged HRM practices from their home country in their Chinese subsidiaries. The study of Hartmann et al. , reveals that consideration of contextual factors is important in the understanding of HRM practices and the management of people in an international context. As a matter of fact, results of Hartmann et al. ’s study indicate that, although the Chinese subsidiaries of Western multinationals were able to implement unchanged HRM practices such as talent management from their headquarters, the practices were not successfully internalised. This demonstrates the significance of national cultures and being responsive to local needs in implementing HRM practices. The example above actually shows that context is an important aspect in researching international HRM regardless of the approach taken. In conclusion, there is indeed something to be learnt from each of the perspectives. Each of the perspectives do make considerable contribution to the understanding of international HRM.

How To Convert Feet to Kilometers - Worked Example Problem

How To Convert Feet to Kilometers Problem This example problem demonstrates how to convert feet to kilometers. Feet To Kilometers Conversion Problem The average commercial jet flies around an altitude of 32,500 feet. How high is this in kilometers? Conversion Solution 1 foot 0.3048 meters1000 m 1 kmSet up the conversion to the desired unit will be canceled out. In this case, we want km to be the remaining unit.distance in km (distance in ft) x (0.3048 m/1 ft) x (1 km/1000 m)distance in km (32500 x 0.3048/1000) kmdistance in km 9.906 km Answer 32,500 feet is equal to 9.906 kilometers.Many conversion factors are difficult to remember. Feet to meters would fall into this category. An alternate method to perform this conversion is to use multiple easily remembered steps.1 foot 12 inches1 inch 2.54 centimeters100 centimeters 1 meterUsing these steps we can express a distance in meters from feet as:distance in m (distance in ft) x (12 in/1 ft) x (2.54 cm/1 in) x (1 m/100 cm)distance in m (distance in ft) x 0.3048 m/ftNote this gives the same conversion factor as above. The only thing to watch out for is for the intermediate units to cancel out.

Literature and Art of the Harlem Renaissance essays

Literature and Art of the Harlem Renaissance essays In the early 1900s, particularly in the 20s and early 30s, African American literature, art, music, and dance began to flourish in Harlem, a section of New York City. Variously known as the New Negro movement, the New Negro Renaissance, and the Negro Renaissance, the movement emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918. The Harlem Renaissance marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously and that African American literature and arts attracted significant attention from the nation as a whole. Although it was primarily a literary movement, it was closely related to developments in African American music, theater, art, and politics The Harlem Renaissance seemed to be the best of times for America, during which whites and African Americans began to mix and gain a better understanding of one another. Harlem became the epicenter of music, art, and literature. This was the place from which acclaimed writers of the period started th eir careers. (Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, etc.) Blues and jazz were the prominent styles of music heard throughout the community, made notable by artists such as Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington, and could almost always be heard in social bars known as speakeasies. "No common literary style or political ideas defined the Harlem Renaissance. What united participants was their sense of taking part in a common goal and their commitment to giving artistic expression to the African American experience." (Harlem Renaissance Review) African Americans were able to find sanctuary in the North, having to face much less racism and abuse than those who remained in the South. Many were now able to hold decent jobs with good pay, as opposed to the labor they were forced to do previously. They held an intense yearning for equality. However, they still faced many challenges. Despite protest and some progress, racism still separated Americans in every...

Private School Headmasters Compensation

Private School Headmasters' Compensation Education professionals often earn significantly less than what they could earn in the business world or in other professions. However, there is  a group of leaders of private schools who are actually seeing surges in their salaries that pack quite the financial punch: the Head of School. What are these leaders really making and is it justified? The Head of School's Job Compensation Averages A head-of-school is a job that comes with enormous responsibility. At private schools, these high powered individuals have to run not only a school but also a business. Many people dont like to think of schools as businesses, but the truth is, they are. A Head of School will actually oversee a multi-million dollar business, some schools are billion dollar businesses when you consider endowments and operating budgets, and they are responsible for the well-being of hundreds of children every day. Boarding schools add another level of responsibility when it comes to leadership and oversight of children, as they are essentially open 24/7. The head is involved in not only the aspects of academics and ensuring students receive quality educations, but also hiring and HR, fundraising, marketing, budgeting, investing, crisis management, recruiting, and enrollment. The person who sits in this role must be a part of every aspect of the school.   When you consider the enormous expectations made of these dedicated individuals, most head of schools compensation is far below comparable levels in other fields. How far below? Significantly. The average compensation of the top 500 CEOs is in the millions according to Executive Paywatch. According to NAIS, the average compensation for a head of school is about $201,000, with boarding school heads edging out their peers with about $238,000. However, some schools also have presidents, which at the day school level are making comparable salaries, but are making an average of $330,000 at boarding schools.   But, thats not to say that Heads of Schools are hurting. An interesting note is that many private school heads also tend to receive extensive benefits, such as free housing and meals (even some day schools offer this), school vehicles, housekeeping services, country club memberships, discretionary funds, strong retirement benefits, and even expensive buyout packages should the school not be thrilled with his or her performance. This can easily equate to another $50,000-$200,000 in benefits, depending on the school.   Comparison to Public School College Compensation While many claim heads-of-schools make less than their corporate counterparts, the truth is that many actually  earn more than some  public school superintendents. The average salary without benefits for a superintendent is about $150,000 nationally. But some states, like New York, have superintendent salaries exceeding $400,000. In general, the salaries at Urban Schools tend to be greater for superintendents. Now, college presidents, by contrast, make significantly more than private school headmasters. Reports vary from source to source some claiming presidents average about $428,000, while others show the average is more than $525,000 annually with many earning well over $1,000,000 in annual compensation. The top 20 highest-paid presidents all earned over a million dollars annually, even in 2014.   Why Do Head-of-School salaries vary so much? Location significantly affects the salaries of these top-level positions, as does the school environment. Heads of schools, historically referred to as headmasters when the positions were held primarily by men, at junior schools (middle schools and elementary schools) tend to make significantly less than their secondary school counterparts, and boarding school heads tend to make the most due to a large amount of responsibility the school has in providing an appropriate homelife for students from around the world. Schools in small towns tend to offer smaller salaries, although many New England private schools buck that trend, with schools that are centuries old in small towns offering some of the top salaries in the country. A couple of years ago, the Boston Globe came out with a story about the surge of salaries in New England, uncovering several heads with salaries ranging from $450,000 to over a million dollars. Fast forward to 2017, and those heads are making even more, with increases equating to 25% raises in only a few years. School financials also play a role in head-of-school compensation. Naturally, those institutions with higher endowments and annual funds also tend to pay their leaders higher salaries. However, tuition doesnt always indicate the level of a head-of-schools salary. While some schools with high tuitions will indeed offer some of the most competitive compensation packages, those are usually schools that dont rely on tuition to cover the bulk of the operating budget. In general, the more tuition-driven a school in annually, the less likely it is that their head of school will be pulling the biggest dollars.   Compensation Information Sources The Form 990, which non-profit schools file annually, is similar to a tax return. It contains information about headmasters compensation, as well as other high paid employees. Unfortunately, to make sense of figures you have to examine several different pages of the filing. The elements of the compensation packages are complex and are contained under many different expense headings. If the school is a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational institution, it must file a Form 990 with the IRS annually. The Foundation Center and Guidestar are two sites that make these returns available online. Note: the cash salaries are somewhat misleading as most of these key employees receive significant allowances for housing, meals, transportation, travel, and retirement plans apart from their cash salaries. Figure an additional 15-30% for allowances and/or non-cash compensation. The gross amount in many cases exceeds $500,000, with some exceeding $1,000,000 with other compensation factored in. A sampling of head-of-school  and president base salaries ranked from highest to lowest, based on Form 990 submissions from 2014, unless otherwise noted: Episcopal High School, Alexandria, VA $605,610 with $114,487 in est. other compensationMilton Academy, Milton, MA $587,112 with $94,840 in est. other compensationPhillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH -  $551,143 with $299,463 in est. other compensationPhillips Academy, Andover, MA - $489,000 was reported in 2013, with no head of school compensation listed in 2014Choate Rosemary Hall,  Wallingford, CT $486,215 with $192,907 in est. other compensationHarvard  Westlake School, Studio City, CA - President $483,731 with $107,105 in est. other*Rye Country Day School, Rye, NY - $460,267 (down from $696,891 in 2013)Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY - $456,084 salary and $328,644 in est. other compensationDeerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA - $434,242 with $180,335 in est. other compensationWestern Reserve Academy, Hudson, OH - $322,484 with $128,589 in est. other compensationHarvard  Westlake School, Studio City, CA - Head  $320,540 with $112,395 in est. other*   *Figures from the 2015 Form 990 Some older 990 forms have revealed the following headmaster salaries, from highest to lowest. Well continue to update this information as we obtain it.   Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC $304,158The Brearley School, New York, NY $300,000Lancaster Country Day School, Lancaster, PA $299,240Poly Prep Country Day School, Brooklyn, NY $298,656Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC $296,202Culver Academies, Culver, IN $295,000St. Marks School of Texas, Dallas, TX $290,000Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, OH $287,113Madeira School, Maclean, VA $286,847The Dalton Schools, New York, NY $285,000Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT $283,920Punahou School, Honolulu, HI $274,967Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ $274,300Groton School, Groton, MA $258,243North Shore Country Day School, Winnetka, IL $250,000Avon Old Farms School, Avon, CT $247,743The Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ $242,314Kent School, Kent, CT $240,000Episcopal Academy, Merion, PA $232,743Cranbrook Schools, Bloomfield Hills, MI $226,600University School of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI $224,400McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN $223,660Middlesex School, Concord, MA $223,000Sidw ell Friends School, Washington, DC $220,189 Ransom Everglades School, Miami, FL $220,000The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, NY $216,028Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich, CT $210,512Harvey School, Katonah, NY $200,000The Hill School, Pottstown, PA $216,100Taft School, Watertown, CT $216,000Shore Country Day School, Beverly, MA $206,250Miami Country Day School, Miami, FL $200,000Village School, Pacific Palisades, CA $210,000Lake Forest Country Day School, Lake Forest, IL $188,677Hillel School of Metropolitan Detroit, Farmington Hills, MI $156,866Annie Wright School, Tacoma, WA $151,410Foxcroft School, Middleburg, VA $150,000Ravenscroft School, Raleigh, NC $143,700Forman School, Litchfield, CT $142,500 Are Headmasters' Compensation Packages Justifiable? A good headmaster deserves to be well-paid. The head of a private school must be a top-notch fundraiser, a superb public relations person, a fine administrator and a dynamic community leader. How lucky we are to have talented educators and administrators who lead private schools rather than manage a Fortune 100 enterprise. Many of them could make 5 or 10 or even 20 times as much as they currently do. Trustees need to review their key employees compensation packages annually and improve them as much as they can. Its extremely important to attract and retain talented administrators in our private schools. Our childrens future depends on it. Resources:Pay Soars For Headmasters at Mass. Prep SchoolsHeadmasters Salaries On The Rise

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults brochure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults brochure - Essay Example An analysis using a thematic approach on literature indicates six important areas that help in contributing to the development of the attitudes that are defined as being positive or being negative towards the type of people who are known to do self-harm. Lack of training and education was the main link of negative experience and attitudes. In addition, it was also associated with the impact as a result of perception differences of the roles of healthcare professionals and the influence due to clinical culture as well as how people do perceive self-harm as a health need. Greater understanding of self-harm experiences and improved training were linked to positive attitudes. Despite this, the nature of the care reported by the consumer of the services indicates that significant improvement are still needed to the health care attitudes in the health settings ensure high-quality services are being provided to the consumers. The issue of self-harm is significant within the services regarded as contemporary. Several people who do self-harm in many times do manage their wounds at home; however, certain occasions where injuries caused by self-harm need to be seen in the settings of hospital. Several of the consumers of the services that have been receiving health care services in hospitals have reported dissatisfaction and bad experience with the kind of services being rendered. The experiences of the services by the consumers have greatly contributed to the development and survivor groups’ actions. Several authors have described the word survivor in relation to this circumstance as an aspect of surviving the services of psychiatry in addition to other experiences lived. This is a clear show that the provision of service that was intended to help the people who are victims of self-harm has been reported as being traumatic for several number of healthcare service

Aquisitions and Payments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aquisitions and Payments - Essay Example ing the entire useful life of assets, the management would be paying fewer taxes under double- declining method of depreciation during initial years of useful life. This is because double- declining method uses double the rate of straight line method. Depreciation would be higher in initial years as compared to straight line method. Carrying value of in later years would be lower as compared to straight line method and hence lower depreciation would be charge to income statement resulting into higher income and thus higher taxes during later years of useful life. The position is exactly reversed when management decide to use straight line method of depreciation. However, when using double- declining method and paying fewer taxes in initial years of useful life of asset, the company will have to make provisions for deferred taxation. The cash flow statements of Pier 1 Imports show an entry under the head changes in cash from ‘Sales of receivables in exchange of beneficial interest in securitized receivables’. . That means that Pier 1 had to resort to Securitization laws to take hold of assets covered for receivables that became bad and unrecoverable. The company is generating cash by way of making sales of those assets or beneficial interests held in place of bad recoverable under the provisions of the law. This indicates that there were recoveries that turned bad and Pier 1 had to resort to take possession of some beneficial interests to make good some of the bad debts. â€Å"Securitization is the process of pooling and repackaging of homogeneous illiquid financial assets into marketable securities that can be sold to investors.† (Lakshmi Mohandass). This shows that securitization is undertaken only of those financial assets which become illiquid or bad to recover. The amount shown under the above stated head ‘Sales of receivables in exchange of beneficial interest in securitized receivables’ is quite significant. In 2007 changes in cash flow from such

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Ethics - Essay Example This paper develops a brief personal code of ethics, the basic tenets of which include ethical conduct toward others, respect, equality, and personal accountability. Rationale A personal code of ethics is a reflection of the deepest moral and ethical values, which are fundamental and vital for the future individual and professional success (Long 14). These values guide the lives of individuals, create and sustain self-identity, promote self-esteem, and make individuals empowered in personal and professional life (Long 14). This personal code of conduct provides effective operating definitions and instructions for following personal ethical and moral values of respect, equality, and accountability. The code of ethics ensures personal commitment to these values (Barbeito 122). The personal code of ethics is a formal document which supports and confirms personal commitment to the highest standards of ethical performance and conduct. ... 1. Ethical values: to engage in learning and regularly expand the knowledge of ethical norms and values. 2. Equality: to ensure that each family member and friend receives sufficient attention and that the needs of all are considered. 3. Respect: to be truthful with everyone, avoid blunt expressions, bold claims, and any manipulation of others’ emotions and feelings. 4. Accountability: to pay attention to what others are saying about the actions and decisions that bear their consequences on them. Enforcement The principal goal of enforcing this code of ethics is to guarantee that behaviors and decisions are ethical (Kidder 24; Verschoor 20). Enforcement does not aim at imposing punishment for unethical decisions and acts. For the aims of effective enforcement, any violation of the code is considered as a form of serious misconduct. Law preserves its precedence over the ethical code (Kidder 27). Regular/ continuous education becomes the top priority in ensuring and enforcing et hical behaviors and decisions. These elements will serve an effective driver of personal ethical behaviors and the source of continuous knowledge improvement about ethics. Works Cited Barbeito, C.L. Human Resource Policies and Procedures for Nonprofit Organizations. John Wiley & Sons. Kidder, R.M. How good people make tough choices. New York: Fireside, 1995. Long, D.H. Doing the Right Thing: A Real Estate Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making. Cengage Learning. Verschoor, C. â€Å"Is Your Ethics Code Based on Compliance or Values?† Strategic Finance, 82 (2000),

Those the year 1968 has benefits us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Those the year 1968 has benefits us - Essay Example Martin Luther King and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy had their lives extinguished through the barrel of a gun. For many Americans then, the year 1968 came to signify the end of innocence and the dawn of a new era of dashed hopes and unfulfilled promises (Sibley 2009; Hobsbawm 244-270). Events on the international stage further added to this perspective as the Cold War started to heat up and the ramifications of the capitalist-communist split were coming to the fore. It is important to remember that this was the height of the Cold War and as Czechoslovakia sought increased liberalization as a member of the Soviet block, the USSR and Warsaw Pact’s military might crushed any appearances of dissent emanating from Prague and its environs. On August 20, 1968, Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia culminating in the largest internal Eastern offensive since the dawn of the Iron Curtain leading to the forced occupation of this fraternal communist country. Troops from Bulgaria, East Germany, Poland, Hungary and the USSR were coordinated in the effort to crush the spring liberation emanating from Czechoslovakia. Accordingly, more than 500,000 troops effectively occupied this country in what became known as a devastating moment in world history. For Americans and o ther Westerners, the occupation of Czechoslovakia during the height of the Cold War confirmed fears of the authoritarian nature of communism and brought home the importance of maintain a staunch anti-communist foreign policy during this period. The war in Vietnam was another reminder of the precarious situation which existed between the capitalist and communist world and the Vietcong launched the Tet Offensive during this period. With the successful Vietcong attack on the US Embassy in Vietnam, the Tet Offensive effectively ratcheted up the battle for supremacy in Vietnam between North and South Vietnamese forces as well

Organizational behaviors and leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Organizational behaviors and leadership - Essay Example Advance scenarios played reflection 20 5.2 Appendix II leader self-sight reflection 22 1.0ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIORS AND LEADERSHIP 1.1Introduction Ability to not only influence but also inspire others to endeavor the leader towards leaders’ goal is referred to us leadership. On the contrary, it is argued that leadership is a process of an individual influencing others to attain a certain goal. Further, it is important to realize that leadership can be those qualities that viewers see but on the other hand, cannot describe. Leadership is manifested in the following ways, when there is a crisis and someone comes in to solve, or when someone influences others, or when some people tent to follows others. To crown it all, leadership usually comes in a visible state when there is someone who responds to something innovatively. Four main theories for generations erupt as follows: there are traits theories, contingency theories, behavioral theories and lastly transformational theories just to mention but a few. According to the article written by John Mark, it is evident that all of the four theories outlined above none of them is neither time bound nor mutually exclusive. However, according to experts, it is true that each of the generation above, it has to some extent benefit to the leadership debate although still debate continues up to date. There are different titles that are used to describe the division of modern management. Therefore, leadership can be discussed under the following categories, for instance charismatic leadership in the current ongoing debate on leadership that replaces transformational leadership. Secondly, there is an approach based on skills, self-management, and leadership that involves sharing just to mention but a few. Due to the above, it is pertinent to approach the above phenomena with the model of leadership that is classical. The following are some of the pertinent traits that a leader should have. It is, a leader should have a need for achievement, resolution, and courage, capacity to motivate individuals and should have trustworthiness character just to mention but a few. The above figure shows the New Reality of Leadership 1.2VIRTUE LEADERSHIP PRACTICE AND THEORY 1.2.1Origins of Leadership Theory According to the great man theory, it is evident that there are those people who are born naturally as a leader. The article goes further to site people like Alexander the great and Caesar Julius. In addition, people like Mahatma and bush George are related in the theory of Heroic conception of leadership (1880) as being leaders by natural phenomena. This is due to their high level of clear vision and ambitions to their destinations. The above is because they have a unique set of personal qualities, which propelled

Those the year 1968 has benefits us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Those the year 1968 has benefits us - Essay Example Martin Luther King and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy had their lives extinguished through the barrel of a gun. For many Americans then, the year 1968 came to signify the end of innocence and the dawn of a new era of dashed hopes and unfulfilled promises (Sibley 2009; Hobsbawm 244-270). Events on the international stage further added to this perspective as the Cold War started to heat up and the ramifications of the capitalist-communist split were coming to the fore. It is important to remember that this was the height of the Cold War and as Czechoslovakia sought increased liberalization as a member of the Soviet block, the USSR and Warsaw Pact’s military might crushed any appearances of dissent emanating from Prague and its environs. On August 20, 1968, Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia culminating in the largest internal Eastern offensive since the dawn of the Iron Curtain leading to the forced occupation of this fraternal communist country. Troops from Bulgaria, East Germany, Poland, Hungary and the USSR were coordinated in the effort to crush the spring liberation emanating from Czechoslovakia. Accordingly, more than 500,000 troops effectively occupied this country in what became known as a devastating moment in world history. For Americans and o ther Westerners, the occupation of Czechoslovakia during the height of the Cold War confirmed fears of the authoritarian nature of communism and brought home the importance of maintain a staunch anti-communist foreign policy during this period. The war in Vietnam was another reminder of the precarious situation which existed between the capitalist and communist world and the Vietcong launched the Tet Offensive during this period. With the successful Vietcong attack on the US Embassy in Vietnam, the Tet Offensive effectively ratcheted up the battle for supremacy in Vietnam between North and South Vietnamese forces as well

Civil Rights Activist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Civil Rights Activist - Essay Example The Civil Rights Movement is often compared to the "David against the Goliath" fable because it was a tough battle against overwhelming odds. On one hand were the oppressors who were extremely powerful in terms of strength, numbers and political power, while on the other hand were the oppressed, and all they had was a dream, and an undying tenacity to achieve that dream. What makes it one of the most important events in the annals of world history is that this movement was largely successful. This is bolstered by acts such as The Brown decision in 1954, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 all of which helped bring about the demise of the entangling web of legislation that bound blacks to second class citizenship (loc.gov, nd). During these turbulent times, there were several visionaries who surfaced to make a change. These were great men who saw and understood that what was happening around them and to them was unfair. The Civil Rights Movement is largely associated with the life and struggle of Martin Luther King JR, however, it would be unfair not to identify the work done by several other men and women of that time in this regard. One such person who is unfortunately barely ever mentioned or completely ignored in the pages of history was Medgar Evers. It was in an oppressive world of White domination that Medgar Evers was born, on July 2 1925 to James and Jesse Evers in Decatur, Mississippi (Evers & Marable, 2005). Having taken birth in a devout Christian family, Medgar was instilled with virtues such as self-reliance, pride and self-respect right from a very young age. This made him an assertive boy. He was seen as mean by the local neighborhood. In the autobiography it has been documented that a lync hing of a neighbor that he eye-witnessed, had a profound impact on Medgar's feelings about the racist conditions that surrounded him (Evers & Marable, 2005). In 1943 Medgar left high school and joined the Army. He served the Army in World War II and was stationed in England and France. When he came back home, he joined Alcorn College in Mississippi majoring in Business. Medgar was a very popular student and also received the recognition by being named in the Who's Who in American Colleges. In 1951, Medgar married Myrlie, a freshman girl from his college. By 1952, Medgar had started in his own ways, several attempts to improve the lives of the black American people. In 1952, he became the founding member of Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL) and in that capacity, started assisting the rural blacks to register to vote and promoting memberships in NAACP. Unlike Martin Luther King JR, Medgar was not a supporter of non-violence. He believed that oppressed blacks must fight back, and if necessary also cross the line. In 1954 he was appointed Mississippi's first field secretary for the NAACP. In this role he actively worked for the betterment of the lives of black Americans. He ran several boycott campaigns against racism and institutions that supported it. He also worked towards integrating schools instead of racial segregation. He took up cases where black Americans were not granted their rights in form of denied admissions or rejected loans, and fought for them to obtain justice. Increasingly, Medgar was asked to give public spe eches to inspire

How useful are sources A to C Essay Example for Free

How useful are sources A to C Essay In this essay I will assess the usefulness of sources A to C in determining the reasoning for American involvement in the Vietnamese war. Source A is reasonably useful in shoeing how the U. S government wanted the general public to view them and their reasoning for the countrys actions in Vietnam. Although source A does not state to whom the speaker (President Linden Johnson) is addressing this information. However, the mere fact that it is Johnson speaking, influences the reader to assume that it an audience of the general public that he is talking to. The time upon which he gave this speech is also very significant, as it was April 1965, one month after major bombing operation Rolling Thunder. This made the speech more significant as president Johnson was attempting to explain and justify the reasoning behind the major attacks that were taking place. In the first sentence of source A Johnson states, We fight in Vietnam because we have a promise to keep. He is about two different promises, the first being the Truman doctrine which states that America will give aid to any counties suffering from the threat of communism. This was set up to contain communism and prevent the domino theory, which was the theory that if one country were fall under the power of communism each neighbouring country would follow. Johnson again refers to the domino theory when he says The battle would be renewed one country and then another. The second promise that Johnson was referring to in his speech was an unwritten promise that he had to personally keep. And that was maintaining some of the traditional policies of previous American presidents, specifically over the war in Vietnam and the containment of communism. Also at the end of source A, Johnson quotes from the bible saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further This was probably used because many American citizens were very religious at this period in time; therefore people to relate to it. Also the quote links the actions of America with Christianity, which would influence people into thinking what was taking place was right and true. Source B is also reasonably useful as it shows Johnsons real opinion on Americas involvement in Vietnam. From the first line the opinions are noticeably different from that which he expressed in source A. This is probably because source B is taken from a private conversation. The first line of source b brings his true feelings into the light as he says I dont think the of the country know much about Vietnam, and I think we care a hell of a lot less. This and other statements such as I dont think its worth fighting for. And I dont think we can get out, show that in may 1964 president Johnson was clearly against the war. Yet by the time of source A (approximately one year later) Johnson had ordered a mass surgical bombing of North Vietnam, named Operation Rolling Thunder. Therefore by this point Johnson had either drastically altered his views on the war or had succumbed to the pressure of knowing how horrifically tainted the images of himself and his party would become if he ordered a mass withdrawal from Vietnam. It is safe to assume that the latter is correct, as Johnson talks about this pressure in source B saying Theyd bring a president down if he ran out wouldnt they? This refers back to the reaction of the public and other politicians, which most likely be accusations of indecision towards his party (Democratic) on matters such as the involvement in Vietnam and the general Containment of communism. He would quite probably be labelled a traitor or a communist for backing out of the war and not sticking to the policies of the Truman Doctrine. Near the end of source B Johnson speaks of his fear of communism as he says Of course if you start running from the communists, they might chase you into your own kitchen. This is again referring to the Domino Theory that if one country falls to communism each in turn will follow. All of this shows the predicament that Johnson was in. That if he retreated he would be accused of backing communism, but if he chose to stay it would become Just the biggest God damn mess. Although the opinions change through sources A and B, source C is entirely different. It was written by Professor Noam Chomsky, a political critic and a leading anti-war figure during Americas involvement in Vietnam. The source was taken from an interview with Chomsky in 1982. Therefore he has the benefit of hindsight that aids him to analyse and criticise the attitudes and actions of the American government during the Vietnamese war. In source C Chomsky says Every book that comes out talks about how the United States was defending South Vietnam. And that this is now the Official truth. This is saying that although it is not a written law, but it is still widely considered that America was protecting South Vietnam from the Norths aggression. Chomsky disagrees with this saying The United States did attack South Vietnam. It destroyed the farming, the peasant society. This is commenting on the use of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange and Napalm, and tactical warfare such as Blanket and Surgical bombing. All these things contributed to the mass destruction of the South Vietnamese farms and forestation. This happened in Americas desperation to locate the rebel militia the Vietcong, and stop the use of guerrilla tactics against largely unaware U. S troops. However in attempting this the U. S forces damaged much of the Vietnamese agricultural lifestyle. And on occasion, American soldiers in frustration in their inability to locate the Vietcong would burn down whole villages at the nearest suspicion that they were helping the Vietcong. Later in source C Chomsky talks of how The U. S did not want and independent Vietnam He is saying that America did not want to allow Vietnam to decide their own future, and they did not want Vietnam to slip out of their strong Capitalist grip or orbit. To conclude, I believe that source A is the most useful in showing the reasons for U. S involvement. As it show all the pressures Johnson was under. The pressure to keep promises and the pressure to contain communism and prevent the domino theory, But most of all it shows the lie that he was forced to tell the public simply because it was what they wanted to hear.

Individual Choice In A Clockwork Orange English Literature Essay

Individual Choice In A Clockwork Orange English Literature Essay A Clockwork Orange is a novel that shocks with its explicit violent images, its savage protagonist, difficult language and a cruel prophesy of the future. It is a novel which, with a help of Stanley Kubricks film adaptation, became the main work associated with the name of Anthony Burgess. Burgess, however, was a very prolific artist. He wrote thirty-four works of fiction, fifteen nonfiction books including reviews and criticism, two biographies, plays, screenplays, translations and a great deal of music (Keen 10). Burgess never considered A Clockwork Orange his best novel and have always stayed disappointed that only this one brought him such a huge public attention. He believed he wrote far better, mature books and worried that he would become something of a shadow behind Kubricks film adaptation (Clockwork vii). The authors anxieties came true, in a way, but the truth remains that although it is Stanley Kubrick who made A Clockwork Orange famous, it is Anthony Burgess who created a rare masterpiece that very few readers could stay indifferent to. As Burgess himself admitted, A Clockwork Orange is a rather didactic novel. At one point of his life he became aware of the growing aggression and violence among the youth. In A thousand words before breakfast interview Burgess admitted, that however he despised teenage gangs, he strongly opposed to the proposals of using Pavlovian techniques to deal with violent citizens. He always believed in free will and freedom of choice. Burgess, as a Catholic, was sure, that only by choosing to do good ones soul can be saved. A Clockwork Orange condemns human conditioning and intends to promote the notion of individual choice (Clockwork ix). According to Burgess, it is better for human being to choose evil than not to have a freedom of choice at all. Free will is humans greatest gift that should never be taken away. Burgess admitted, that promoting mens freedom is what he have always been trying to do in his work. What distinguishes A Clockwork Orange from other of his works, is also the speci al language he created for the novel and the fact, that for the first time he made such an explicit use of violence. As an author of a book such full of cruel and sexual images, Burgess was exposed to much criticism and accusation of promoting violence. The novel became to be read as a pure controversy and the intended didactic role was by many readers overlooked. Have the book became famous for its moral values, and not been read as a shocker, it would bring Burgess a completely different fame. Unfortunately for the author, for most people he would always be the one who dared to describe most abhorrent acts of violence and young people with a taste for hatred, blood and rape. But Burgess, in fact, does not like violence and presenting sex in his books. During the interview in Italy in 1974, Burgess said that he also included a biographic element in the book. His first wife have been attacked by a group of soldiers and despite it has not been a sexual attack but the act of robbery, it resulted in her having a miscarriage and supposedly, her eventual death. Burgess wrote a novel that seems to be pornographic but at the same time tries to preach, because such combination had a great chance to make A Clockwork Orange popular. In the same, Italian interview, Burgess stated: Pornography and violence, and the teachy, preachy quality; and when you get these two together you normally produce a book that can become a bestseller. A Clockwork Orange is a very controversial novel. Some call it pornographic, for others its violent imagery is almost impossible to stand. But Anthony Burgess surely did not mean to write a shocker. He aimed the novel to preach, even more than any of his previous works did before. Burgess meant to promote freedom of individual choice and to criticize anyone who would ever dare to take this precious gift away from the human being. Man is not to be conditioned and manipulated, since when a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man (Clockwork 63). 2. Pelagian and Augustinian points of view on Original Sin and Free Will and their reflection in Anthony Burgesss A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess frequently returned in his works to the conflict of authoritarian and libertarian ideas, which he called Pelagian and Augustinian points of view. Pelagianism is named after a monk who argued against the notion of Original Sin, Pelagius. According to G.F. Wiggerss Historical Presentation of Augustinism and Pelagianism from the Original Sources, Pelagius stated, that each infant is born in the same state as Adam has been before he sinned. Adams sin injured only him and not his posterity, so there is no propagation of sin on the following generations. What follows, bodily death is not a punishment, but a necessity of nature. Pelagius believed that man was given free will and salvation is in humans hands, so he is able to do both good and evil. Man is even able, through repentance, to become good again after he has sinned. Consequently, there is an abstract possibility that all man can be perfect. Pelagius, thus, appears as an advocate of libertarian views. The doctrine of Augustinism was quite the contrary. First of all, Adams sin was propagated among all men, so each child is born with the Original Sin. The sin will always be propagated by the sensual lust in the act of procreation and all men are under the power of the devil from the very first moment they are born. As a consequence of the first sin, people suffer the punishment of physical death, pains of parturition and toil of labourers. Augustinism denied the notion of free will, and stated that the only freedom that man has is to sin. Freedom to resists sin has been lost also as a punishment. According to Augustinians, the nature of man is entirely corrupted. Man is always more likely to choose evil rather than good and the only help for a human being is Gods grace (Wiggers 83-115). Burgess often presents history as a cyclical shifts of Pelagian (libertarian) and Augustinian (authoritarian) parties. With authoritarians in power, stability is achieved by strict rules, laws and societal control. The faith in human perfectibility is growing, strict control of authoritarians seems unnecessary and finally, libertarian government gains control. This brings more freedom to the society, but with the contentment comes anarchy and the social stability is lost. There again, society cries for law and order and the new authoritarian party comes to rule. Such a change of governments in power is visible in A Clockwork Orange. The novel begins clearly with a portrayal of an anarchic society and Pelagians in power. After Alex, the protagonist, is released from jail, he realizes that new laws were established and the police forces grown bigger, which indicates that the country is run by Augustinians (Rabinovitz 43-46). The conflict of Pelagianism and Augustinism is also visible in the novels characters. The writer F. Alexander is a libertarian. He believes in human perfectibility. F. Alexander is an author of a book, A Clockwork Orange (a fair gloopy title (Clockwork 18), according to Alex) which presents its authors strongest libertarian views. For F. Alexander, human being is a creature of growth and capable of sweetness (Clockwork 18). Later in the novel, however, his hypocrisy comes to light, and when F. Alexander learns that Alex is the one who raped his wife, he agrees to the plan of driving the young criminal to suicide. Burgess here, by the inability of F. Alexander to stick to his faith, seems to slightly criticize Pelagianism. Young Alex, in opposition to F. Alexander, has many Augustinian characteristics. He is brutal, enjoys crime, holds power (at least at the beginning of the novel) among his droogs and does not believe in the goodness of the human being. 3. Radical behaviourism limiting the freedom of individual choice Burgess strongly opposed to politicians who openly discussed possibilities of introducing conditioning as a way of eliminating criminal instincts. Very popular at that time became the doctrine of B.F. Skinner (1904- 1990) called radical behaviourism. According to Skinner, human behaviour can always be explained in purely physical terms and it can be shaped by operant conditioning through reinforcement and punishment (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Burgess was very much frightened by these new ideas of people-control, conditioning techniques and behaviourists methods of reforming criminals. After the attack on a cat-lady, Alex is deceived by his gang who no longer wants him as a leader and is caught by the police. This is a significant moment in the novel, since for the first time, Alex would be charged with a real punishment. He is taken away to Staja (State Jail) and becomes 6655321 and not your little droog Alex not no longer (Clockwork 57). But however hard is life in prison for the young protagonist, Alex manages to adapt to the conditions rather well. He becomes a help to the prison chaplain and is allowed to listen to his beloved classical music of J.S. Bach or G.F. Handel. What is more, Alex finds a way to enjoy violence by reading the Bible: I would read of these starry yahoodies tolchocking each other and then peeting their Hebrew vino and getting on to the bed with their wives like hand-maidens, real horrorshow. That kept me going, brothers. (Clockwork 60) Alex also, while listening to the classical music, imagines himself helping in the crucifixion of Christ and he generally concludes that being in Staja 84F was not all that wasted (Clockwork 60). Despite everything, however, Alex wanted to be free and saw his chance in Ludovicos Technique. He hears about this new treatment in prison and volunteers to take part in the experiment. Alex is sure that the technique would get him out of prison, he thinks it would be the beginning of his freedom. Ludovicos Technique turns out to be a cruel conditioning method, turning Alex into a mindless and weak machine. The Ludovicos Technique rests on Alex being strapped to a chair and forced to watch movies that consists of cruel and disgusting scenes of violence. He has both his hands and legs chained to the chair, and clips on his forehead so that he could not close his eyes. The movies scenes include the beating of an old man by the young boys, with lots of blood all around, or a multiple rape on a young girl. He is also presented with a film about a Japanese torture during the World War II, where the soldiers are fixed to trees with nails, with fire set under them. The soldiers have their tongues cut off and there is also a scene of one soldiers head being sliced off with a sword. One of such movies is accompanied by the music of Ludwig van Beethoven so from then on, Alex is no longer able to listen to it, which means he is being bereaved of the one and only passion he has got apart from violence in his life, his love for classical music. Watching all the movies is a great torture for Alex, he screams, cries and feels really sick. But the reason of it is not his aversion to blood and violence, it is only the effect of the injections he gets. His personal, psychological attitude toward violence does not change at all. When the Discharge Officer asks him whether he want to hit him, he does, when asked about a job he might get after being set free, his first thought goes to theft. Day by day, however, Alexs organism begins to associate the sight of violence with the feeling of nausea. One time, he begins to crash his head against the wall out of desperation, but has to stop as soon as he realizes that this kind of violence is just like the violence from the films he sees every day. Alex feels sick at the very thought of violence but the treatment still goes on: Every day, my brothers, these films were like the same, all kicking and tolchocking and red red krovvy dripping off of litsos and plots and spattering all over the camera lenses. It was usually grinning and smecking malchicks in the height of nadsat fashion or else teeheeheeing Jap tortures or brutal Nazi kickers and shooters. And each day the feeling of wanting to die with sickness and Gulliver pains and aches in the zoobies and horrible horrible thirst grew really worse. (Clockwork 87-88) The Ludovicos Technique succeeds in making Alex a good boy. He cannot commit any act of violence any longer as gets sick even when thinking about crime. But the state of Alexs consciousness does not change, he does not understand that his violent ways were evil. He is now simply conditioned not to raise his fists against anyone, to the point that he is not even able to defend himself. Anthony Burgess creates a portrait of a human being deprived of his freedom and the right to choose, stripped out of his humanity. The Ludovicos Technique creates a clockwork- machine, which without understanding how and why, never again would dare to think about any acts of force. 4. The concepts of liberty What is liberty has been discussed by philosophers from the beginning of our times. Generally, two kinds of liberty can be distinguished: the abstract one in our minds, the inner feeling of being free and freedom that we achieve by not being restrained by external circumstances. One can lack freedom to achieve goals because he/she has not got enough courage, power or abilities. The amount of freedom can also depend on laws, political order and other external forces. The two basic notions of liberty has been thoroughly discussed by Isaiah Berlin, the British liberal philosopher. In Berlins Two Concepts of Liberty he established the notions of positive and negative liberty. The negative liberty defines to what degree one has, or should have control over his/her actions without the interference of other people, whereas the need of a person to be the master of ones own will and not to feel restrained by others is described as the positive liberty. Restricting ones freedom by others is usually considered a negative phenomenon. However, the individual freedom cannot stay entirely unrestricted as it would lead to a complete social chaos. Philosophers such as Locke and Mill in England, or Constant and Tocqueville from France agreed, that there should exist a minimum amount of personal freedom that cannot be violated under any circumstances. The violation of such freedom makes the moral growth impossible, it prevents one from setting and pursuing goals. The line between the private life of the individual and the public authority should be drawn very clearly (Berlin 117). Philosophers which were optimistic about human nature believed that it is possible to have a wide area of personal freedom and maintain the social order at the same time. Others, such as Hobbes, argued that humans need strict control of authorities to avoid their mutual destruction (121). Mill also agreed that coercion is to be justified whenever we want to prevent depriving people of each others freedom. 4.1. The concepts of positive and negative liberty in A Clockwork Orange before the operation of the Ludovicos technique At the beginning of the novel, Alex is completely free, meaning that he does whatever he wants and whenever he wants it. The police and the authorities are unable to control the young criminalist and he is fully aware of that. Alex breaks the law constantly but until the incident at the cat-ladys house, he has not suffered any consequences of his violent activities. Referring to the terminology of Berlin, the novels protagonist enjoyed a total positive freedom, as he was self- confident and convinced of his impunity. The government, at least at the beginning of the novel seems powerless and unable to control the society, so Alexs negative freedom also stayed unrestricted. The reader may get the idea of how carefree is Alex about the violence and crime just in the very first paragraphs of the novel: Our pockets were full of deng, so there was no real need from the point of view of crasting any more pretty polly to tolchock some old veck in an alley and viddy him swim in his blood while we counted the takings divided by four, not to do the ultra- violent on some shivering starry grey-haired ptitsa in shop and go smecking off with the tills guts. (Clockwork 3) Alex talks about the horrid violent activities as if they were simple childlike games. Neither does he care about his victims, nor he fears being punished. It seems like for him, other human beings are just puppets which can be used whenever he needs to steal money or have a little fun over the sight of their blood. Alex and his friends spends their time in a Korova Milk Bar, drinking milk laced with drugs, waiting for the drugs to start to kick, so they could go out and enjoy themselves in stealing and assaulting other citizens. When they attack an innocent man, rip his clothes, books and beats him very hard, Alex refers to it as of the nice beginning of the evening: We hadnt done much, I know, but that was only like the start of the evening and I make no appy polly loggies to thee or thine for that. The knives in the milk plus were stabbing away nice and horrorshow now. (Clockwork 8) Later that evening they attack a nearby shop. The boys are then sure to provide themselves with the alibi by buying drinks to some old women sitting at the bar but that does not mean they are afraid of being caught by the police. Indeed, when two young police officers come and ask questions, they are unable to arrest the young criminals although they seem to know they are guilty of the assault. The authorities appear as having no control at all over the gang and Alex comments on the whole situation: But myself, I couldnt help a bit of disappointment at things as they were those days. Nothing to fight against really. Everything as easy as kiss-my-sharries. (Clockwork 12) The society in the first chapters of A Clockwork Orange is given too much of a negative liberty, there is chaos and nearly anarchy. Another Alexs victim, the old drunkard singing on the side of the road complains bitterly about the current state of the world. He doesnt want to live in a stinking world like this (Clockwork 12). When men are flying to the moon and spinning around the earth, there is no attention paid to earthly law nor order no more (Clockwork 13). Again, after the bloody fight with the rival gang (this would be real, this would be proper, this would be the nosh, the oozy, the britva, not just fisties and boots (Clockwork 13)) the police comes but the boys manage to run away and the police officers does not even make an attempt to chase them. As Alexs Post-Corrective Adviser, P.R. Deltoid comments, nobody can prove anything about anybody (Clockwork 30). Out of the two groups, the authorities and the young criminals, it is the latter who appears much smarter, while the police is slow and clearly powerless. Still during the same night, Alex and his gang arrives (with the stolen car) at the cottage outside the town borders. The place is called HOME and to Alex, it is a gloomy sort of a name (Clockwork 17). The passages that follows here are filled with a horrible descriptions of violence and hatred. Ironically, the resident of the house, F. Alexander, is an author of a book, A Clockwork Orange, which preaches about the belief in human goodness and praises liberal values. Alex manages to read an excerpt from it: The attempt to impose upon man, a creature of growth and capable of sweetness, to ooze juicily at the last round the bearded lips of God, the attempt to impose, I say, laws and conditions appropriate to a mechanical creation, against this I rise my sword-pen. (Clockwork 18) What happens to the person who believes in the human race, is that he is being cruelly beaten up and is made to watch his wife being raped by all of the young criminals in turns. In Stanley Kubricks movie the scene was made even more revolting, as the gang members, while raping the innocent woman, were humming the joyful song- Singin in the Rain. To many readers, the violence in the novel is so horrifying that it is hard to stand and the protagonist seems to be a psychopath. But Alex is fully aware of his actions. He knows what is right and what is wrong and he consciously chooses to be bad. He finds evil a natural part of human nature and is irritated with all the discussions about the causes of it: But brothers, this biting of their toe-nails over what is the cause of badness is what turns me into a fine laughing malchick. They dont go into the cause of goodness, so why the other shop? If lewdies are good thats because they like it, and I wouldnt ever interfere with their pleasures, and so of the other shop. And I was patronizing the other shop. More, badness is of the self, the one, the you or me on our oddy knockies, and that self is made by old Bog or God and is his great pride and radosty. But the not-self cannot have the bad, meaning they of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self. And is not our modern history, my brothers, the story of brave malenky selves fighting these big machines? I am serious with you, brothers, over this. But what I do I do because I like to do. (Clockwork 31) Alex is surely a very bright boy. His thoughts very often struck the reader with quite an intelligence as for a teenager. He is right about the natural existence of both good and evil in the world and very accurately notices a general tendency to discuss the causes of human bad and not good behavior. Alex also argues for the human right of individual choice and opposes all the attempts to restrict his personal freedom. What Alex does not realize, is that he already has a great amount of freedom. No authorities hold any power over him, neither the police, nor school or his parents. He lives in nearly a lawless world in which came true the most pessimistic ideas of philosophers: human beings, when given too much freedom, turn against one another and create a dark and chaotic kind of world. Another aspect of which Alex seems to be completely unaware of is the fact, that while enjoying his freedom to act as he pleases, he infringes the rights of others. The freedom of an individual should end when it starts to violate the liberty of another human being. 4.2. The end of Alexs limitless freedom At the beginning of the novel Alex is presented as an unquestionable leader of his gang. But the other boys slowly grow tired of the dictatorship and decide to rebel. During the attack on the house of the rich old lady, Alex is tricked by his friends and is left behind to be caught by the police. This is the first time that the young criminal would meet the consequences of his actions. The police treats him badly. He is being beaten and offended, just as he used to treat his own victims. Nevertheless, Alex seems to be rather shocked that he can actually become a victim of violence too and the thought that he is being fairly punished does not ever cross his mind, not even after his victims death. After his imprisonment, Alexs moods switches from feeling pity for himself (I was not your handsome young Narrator any longer but a real strack of a sight (Clockwork 51)), humiliating himself (like some real bezoomny veck, I even said: Sorry, brothers, that was not the right thing at all. Sor ry sorry sorry. (Clockwork 52)), to real anger and the feeling of injustice (I thought to myself, Hell and blast you all, if all you bastards are on the side of the Good then Im glad I belong to the other shop (Clockwork 53)). The last of Alexs thought carries a very important message for the whole novel. It underlines the hypocrisy of those, who called themselves good people. The ones who are supposed to be the epitomes of goodness and defend the law, come out as capable of the same vulgarity and violence as Alex and his gang. Anthony Burgess manages to show how difficult and risky it is to classify the world in terms of goodness and evil. On the one hand, Alex only gets what he deserves, but on the other, how can the good be distinguished from the evil, if both turn out to be capable of committing a great wrong? While doing his time in prison, one day, Alex hears about the new like treatment that gets you out of prison in no time at all and makes sure that you never get back in again (Clockwork 62). Alex becomes excited about the new technique but is not aware that what seems as an easy way to regain his freedom, would actually be a brutal end of it. From the very beginning, the prison chaplain warns Alex, that not only is the treatment still in its experimental stage, but it is also an extremely drastic technique. It seems that Anthony Burgess expresses here his deepest concern, the one about the necessity for the human being to have a freedom of individual choice. The very fundamental doubt, for the prison chaplain, is whether a man can be artificially made good: The question is whether such technique can really make a man good. Goodness comes from within, 6655321. Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man. (Clockwork 63) The chaplain also thinks, that perhaps the one who chooses to be bad is in some way better than a person who has goodness imposed upon him (Clockwork 70). Also the Governor is against the Ludovicos Technique, as he sees a desire to get ones revenge as a natural part of human nature. Despite everything, however, after Alex beats another prisoner to death, he gets a chance to become a volunteer for the new treatment. He sees the event as the new beginning of his freedom. Now his criminal instinct will be killed. The evil will be turned into good. At the beginning, Alex feels wonderful and very lucky. He is taken to a new white building, has a whole cell with a bed for himself, he gets a new clean pajamas, and is told that the whole treatment consists only in watching movies and getting an injection of vitamins after every meal. Ludovicos Technique however, turns out to be a cruel form of medical conditioning. Alex is stripped to a chair and forced to watch very drastic and abhorrent movies. The scenes he watches do not disgust him, as Alex himself used to take part in many awful acts of violence, but the injections he gets causes illness. His organism begins to associate the sight of the movies and nausea, so that he begins to feel sick even at the very thought of violence. After the treatment Alex is no longer violent, he is not even able to fight back or defend himself. A day before Alex is to be set free, he goes through a trial. He is given his clothes, boots and razor back and is put in the middle of the big room with a full audience of important figures watching him. After the lights goes down and the spotlight comes on Alex, he sees a man coming up to him. The man welcomes Alex, referring to him as a heap of dirt (Clockwork 92. He stamps of Alexs feet, scratches his face with a fingernail and goes on with offending him. When Alex attempts to get his razor out of his pocket, he immediately feels very sick. Knowing that to stop nausea he has to change his way of thinking, he becomes over-polite and even gets on his knees and licks the mans shoes. Later, on the scene appears a young and very beautiful girl. Alex comment on the impression that she made on him is very point-blank: She came up towards me with the light like it was the like light of heavenly grace and all that cal coming with her, and the first thing that flashed into my gulliver was that I would like to have her right down there on the floor with the old in-out real savage (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) (Clockwork 95) But again he is quickly overtaken by the feeling of nausea and headaches and he has to think of some other way to get close to the girl. Alex assumes a very courteous tone, let me worship you and be like your helper and protector from the wicked like world, he says, let me be like your true king (Clockwork 96). Everyone except the prison chaplain is impressed by how the new techniques changed Alex. The chaplain although alcoholic and a slightly pathetic figure in the novel, is the only person who realizes the great wrong that has been done to the boy and he is certainly a spokesman for Burgesss views in a book: Choice. He has no real choice, has he? Self-interest, fear of physical pain, drove him to that grotesque act of self-abasement. Its insincerity was clearly to be seen. He ceases to be a wrongdoer. He ceases also to be a creature of moral choice. (Clockwork 94) What Burgess presents is not the success of the behavioural conditioning, but a man stripped out of his freedom of choice and what follows, of his humanity. Even Alex, at first so excited about the Ludovicos Technique, suddenly realizes what have been done to him: Am I just to be like a clock-work orange? (Clockwork 94), he screams at one point. Alex is turned into a true, but clockwork Christian. He is now always ready to turn the other cheek, ready to be crucified rather than crucify. He feels sick even at the thought of killing a fly: And that was right, brothers, because when he said that I thought of killing a fly and felt just that tiny bit sick, but I pushed the sickness and pain back by thinking of the fly being fed with bits of sugar and looked after like a bleeding pet and all that cal. (Clockwork 96) Burgesss message is very clear. An ideal citizen should always decide for himself and not only be artificially made to be good. To have a chance for salvation, man has to choose good over evil. Either conditioned by Pavlovian, Skinners or invented by Burgess Ludovicos technique, human being becomes not only weak but is also deprived of his dignity. What makes the man is his freedom, pride and ability to choose. Without them, he becomes nothing more but a machine, powerless creature in the hands of overwhelming science. 4.3. A clockwork orange set free When Alex is set free again and out in the world, from the local newspaper he gets to know that the world he knew has changed dramatically. The streets are now clean, there is no anarchy anymore and the police is much tougher with the local crime. The freedom of citizens, especially their negative freedom has been restricted. The peace-loving ladies and gentlemen can stroll through the streets again, without the fear of being attacked by any young hooligans. Alex no longer feels like he rules the world, what surrounds him is all unknown to him, he feels sick all the time and do not have a place to go. He is no longer welcome to his home, his possessions have been sold and the new guy called Joy has taken his place and acts like a son to Alexs parents. People look different, fashion has changed and the music shop is now filled with pop music. But Alex in no longer able to enjoy his beloved classical music: It was that these doctor bratchnies had so fix things that any music that was like for the emotions would make me sick just like viddying or wanting to do violence. It was because all those violence films had music with them. And I remembered especially that horrible Nazi film with the Beethoven Fifth, last movement. And now here was lovely Mozart made horrible. (Clockwork 104) Feeling horrible all the time, Alex thinks of committing suicide and goes to the public library to find how to do it without pain, but again he gets nauseous at the sight of illustrations in medical books and the attempt to read the Bible fails him too. He is hopeless and cannot find himself in the new world. When he begins to cry and a very old man tells him he is far too young to die and still has everything in front of him, Alex replies bitterly: Yes. Like a pair of false groodies (Clockwork 107). Alexs situations goes from bad to worse, when