Kite Runner Discussion Questions Essay

1. The novel begins with Amir’s memory of peering down an alley, looking for Hassan who is kite running for him. As Amir peers into the alley, he witnesses a tragedy. The novel ends with Amir kite running for Hassan’s son, Sohrab, as he begins a new life with Amir in America. Why do you think the author chooses to frame the novel with these scenes? Refer to the following passage: â€Å"Afghans like to say: Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end†¦ crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis [nomads]. † How is this significant to the framing of the novel? The author chooses to frame the novel with these scenes because I think that in the first chapter the readers can see that Amir is so guilt-stricken of not being able to help Hassan and merely witnessing and running from the tragedy. The ending however shows that Amir became the kite runner. Since a kite fighter is someone who is powerful and controlling aka selfish while a kite runner is being selfless. It symbolizes a circle, it did not end where it began but rather it was a â€Å"running† to a positive way, away from Sohrab physically but towards him emotionally. Finally he is running with freedom in his heart instead of fear. The passage â€Å"Afghans like to say: Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end†¦ crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis (nomads). † is significant because that’s how Afghans are. Despite being occupied by the Russians and ruled by the Talibans, life goes on. Even with so many sufferings, hardships and killings they continue to live their life. 2. The strong underlying force of this novel is the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Discuss their friendship. Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan’s true friend? Why does Amir constantly test Hassan’s loyalty? Why does he resent Hassan? After the kite running tournament, why does Amir no longer want to be Hassan’s friend? Amir and Hassan are like brothers, they were fed by the same breasts, they grew up in the same household and they would play like there’s no tomorrow. Amir is afraid to be Hassan’s true friend because Hassan is a Hazara, where they are looked down upon by other Afghans as the lowest kind of people in society. People might judge him especially the Pashtuns because Hassan is their servant and treated unequal. Amir constantly tests Hassan’s loyalty because he knows that Hassan would do anything for him and would even die for him. He describes Hassan as a loyal dog. Amir resents Hassan since Baba always gives so much attention to Hassan. Baba would never miss a birthday and even give Hassan gifts. After the kite running tournament, Amir no longer wants to be Hassan’s friend because he feels very guilty of what happened to Hassan. He feels that Hassan was the sacrifice he had to give in order to get Baba’s attention. 3. Early in Amir and Hassan’s friendship, they often visit a pomegranate tree where they spend hours reading and playing. â€Å"One summer day, I used one of Ali’s kitchen knives to carve our names on it: ‘Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul. ‘ Those words made it formal: the tree was ours. † In a letter to Amir later in the story, Hassan mentions that â€Å"the tree hasn’t borne fruit in years. † Discuss the significance of this tree. The pomegranate tree represents Amir and Hassan’s friendship. They would eat its fruits, sit on its branches and Amir would read Hassan stories as if they were the only two people on Earth. As if no one else was important. They carved their names on it symbolizing that they ruled all of Kabul. In the letter to Amir later in the story, Hassan mentions that â€Å"the tree hasn’t borne fruit in years† is very significant since it symbolizes their friendship. After the tragedy, Amir wouldn’t want to see Hassan because when he sees Hassan, he remembers what he did which was to run in fear and he did nothing about it. He feels all this guilt and because of his guilt, he decided to frame up Hassan in stealing his new watch. The tree hasn’t borne fruit in years because it is like their friendship, abandoned and forgotten. There were no longer those two boys who used to visit the tree. The tree died with their friendship. 4. We begin to understand early in the novel that Amir is constantly vying for Baba’s attention and often feels like an outsider in his father’s life, as seen in the following passage: â€Å"He’d close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown-ups time with him. I’d sit by the door, knees drawn to my chest. Sometimes I sat there for an hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter. † Discuss Amir’s relationship with Baba. Baba was usually aloof and cold when he was around Amir. Since Baba was interested in sports, he felt like Amir wasn’t his son because he was into writing and was weak. In a conversation with Rahim Khan Baba said that something was missing in Amir. He said that a boy who couldn’t stand up for himself would not stand up for anything. They don’t really have a good father and son relationship because Baba expected too much of Amir. It was that winning kite tournament that somehow bonded them together but after a while, it went back to being the â€Å"cold† treatment 5. After Amir wins the kite running tournament, his relationship with Baba undergoes significant change. However, while they form a bond of friendship, Amir is still unhappy. What causes this unhappiness and how has Baba contributed to Amir’s state of mind? Eventually, the relationship between the two returns to the way it was before the tournament, and Amir laments â€Å"we actually deceived ourselves into thinking that a toy made of tissue paper, glue, and bamboo could somehow close the chasm between us. † Discuss the significance of this passage. The unhappiness he felt was the guilt of not being able to help Hassan when he was raped. He felt emptier than ever. Before his birthday party, he asked Baba about changing their servants. He said that he grew up with Ali, forty years he’s been with his family Baba roared with anger. Baba even threatened to slap him if he brings it up ever again. The bond they had was only temporary and it was all because of the kite, a toy made of tissue paper, glue and bamboo. It was just a material thing, something that was also just temporary. And that was not enough to change relationships between people because relationships are built with emotions, with the heart. 6. As Amir remembers an Afghan celebration in which a sheep must be sacrificed, he talks about seeing the sheep’s eyes moments before its death. â€Å"I don’t know why I watch this yearly ritual in our backyard; my nightmares persist long after the bloodstains on the grass have faded. But I always watch, I watch because of that look of acceptance in the animal’s eyes. Absurdly, I imagine the animal understands. I imagine the animal sees that its imminent demise is for a higher purpose. † Why do you think Amir recalls this memory when he witnesses Hassan’s tragedy in the alleyway? Amir recollects the memory again toward the end of the novel when he sees Sohrab in the home of the Taliban. Discuss the image in the context of the novel. The image of the sheep being sacrificed and the look of acceptance symbolize Hassan. Hassan is a brave person but he accepts his fate. The â€Å"look of the lamb† is his loyalty to Amir. He is willing to sacrifice even rape just for Amir. He also sees that look from Sohrab when he was dancing and accepting that he will be doing that for the rest of his life. 7. America acts as a place for Amir to bury his memories and a place for Baba to mourn his. In America, there are â€Å"homes that made Baba’s house in Wazir Akbar Khan look like a servant’s hut. â€Å" What is ironic about this statement? What is the function of irony in this novel? The irony in the story is that Baba was very wealthy and influential in Kabul. A lot of people knew him because of his good works. However, in America he only works in a gas station and misses everything about his home. Baba and Amir’s going to America is Baba’s gift to Amir even if it means that he would suffer. He is terribly homesick in America. They live in an apartment in San Jose but in Kabul, Baba’s house was the most beautiful one in their district. The function of irony in this novel is that you could be the most influential, most powerful person one day and the next day you are just an ordinary person with nothing at all. 8. What is the significance of the irony in the first story that Amir writes? After hearing Amir’s story, Hassan asks, â€Å"Why did the man kill his wife? In fact, why did he ever have to feel sad to shed tears? Couldn’t he have just smelled an onion? † How is his reaction to the story a metaphor for Amir’s life? How does this story epitomize the difference in character between Hassan and Amir? The irony in the story is that the man killed his wife out of greed and after he has done this he becomes miserable. This story echoes Amir’s life because he did things out of greed. He wanted the attention of Baba and he was a little jealous of Hassan. Hassan has this perceptiveness, where he criticized Amir’s story. He was only an illiterate boy but was able to point out a major flaw in Amir’s story where he asks why the man killed his wife, couldn’t he have just smelled an onion to shed those tears. Hassan did not need to see the words on the page to know it was flawed. He did not need to look at the kite’s shadow to know where it was going. It is a metaphor in Amir’s life because he was the one with education. He was the one talented in reading and writing. Baba, in trying to redeem his own honor, raised a child who felt neglected and who acted out of fear. This was the metaphor in Amir’s life where he grew up with fear and cannot stand up for himself while Hassan was his complete opposite. 9. Why is Baba disappointed by Amir’s decision to become a writer? During their argument about his career path, Amir thinks to himself: â€Å"I would stand my ground, I decided. I didn’t want to sacrifice for Baba anymore. The last time I had done that, I had damned myself. † What has Amir sacrificed for Baba? How has Amir â€Å"damned himself†? Baba was disappointed by Amir’s decision to become a writer because he wanted Amir to be just like him. He wanted Amir to become a doctor or a lawyer wherein they treat those professionals of higher power. He didn’t want to sacrifice anymore. He was determined to become a writer, something he really wants to be. When he was younger, Amir wanted Baba’s attention so bad that he pretended to like the sport which Baba was interested in, soccer. Back then he pretended to listen to Baba’s remarks about the game and the players but in the end he did not enjoy it. Baba was only disappointed in him that Amir did not inherit his dad’s athletic side. 10. Compare and contrast the relationships of Soraya and Amir and their fathers. How have their upbringings contributed to these relationships? Even if Baba is cold to Amir I believe that he is a great father. Baba really loves Amir and is willing to do everything and anything for his son. Back in Kabul, he would give Amir anything he wanted. In America even if they didn’t have the money, Baba still gives Amir anything that he can give. Baba would sacrifice everything he had just for Amir. He even works hard in a gas station and wouldn’t take the coupons so that he will not degrade himself. General Taheri however is someone who gives importance to what others think. When Soraya ran away, he went there and threatened to kill the man and to kill himself if Soraya didn’t come home. His attitude is bad and treats his wife as dirt. He prefers to collect welfare than lowering himself to blue collar jobs. He just waits everyday to be called back to Afghanistan. Because of their strict Afghan upbringing, Both Soraya and Amir have been very honest to each other especially when Amir was ready to tell Soraya his story of betrayal. Also because of the lack of closeness they had with their fathers it had somehow made their relationship with each other stronger and closer. 11. Discuss how the ever-changing politics of Afghanistan affect each of the characters in the novel. Because of the ever-changing politics of Afghanistan all of the characters’ lives changed. None of them were safe, no matter what privileges they have or what they believe in, anyone could be killed. Amir and Baba’s life from being wealthy, they became average in America. Ali and Hassan’s life was always in danger because of the ethnic cleansing; they were the kind of people who were killed most of the time during those years of war. 12. On Amir’s trip back to Afghanistan, he stays at the home of his driver, Farid. Upon leaving he remarks: â€Å"Earlier that morning, when I was certain no one was looking, I did something I had done twenty-six years earlier: I planted a fistful of crumpled money under the mattress. † Why is this moment so important in Amir’s journey? That moment is so important in Amir’s life because he did it twenty-six years ago. He put the money under Hassan’s mattress in order to frame him up and maybe Baba would ask them to leave. It is significant because instead of plotting to ruin one’s life, he is trying to make sure that the three children do not starve. This is the part when he is trying to change things, doing the act of putting the money under the mattress again but with a different agenda. He is now doing this selfless act for others than for himself. 13. Throughout the story, Baba worries because Amir never stands up for himself. When does this change? Amir and Baba’s relationship started to get better after the kite running competition. And I believe It was also the start of Baba’s hope that maybe Amir could do stand for himself when the time comes. Amir made his father proud, beating all of his opponents, cutting all of the kites, and being the last kite flying on thin air. It was when the Baba’s intuition that maybe his son can do handle himself someday. 14. Amir’s confrontation with Assef in Wazir Akar Khan marks an important turning point in the novel. Why does the author have Amir, Assef, and Sohrab all come together in this way? What is this the significance of the scar that Amir develops as a result of the confrontation? Why is it important in Amir’s journey toward forgiveness and acceptance? Because the only way we could accept, forgive, and overcome any problem is to face the situation. The part where Amir, Assef and Sohrab come together in that part of the book because it is the echo of confrontation with Assef back when they were children. It’s like a continuation but instead of Hassan, Sohrab stands as his representative. This time, he has a second chance to do the right thing, a second chance where he chooses to save Sohrab from Assef. After his fight with Assef he develops a scar that looks like a harelip. It is significant because it is a suffering to match Hassan’s. He begins to reconcile their troubled history. This is important in Amir’s journey to forgiveness and acceptance because that scar represents the feeling of closeness to Hassan. When Assef beats him to death and he got the scar, it is healing Amir of his guilt. He is now in the process of forgiving himself. 15. While in the hospital in Peshawar, Amir has a dream in which he sees his father wrestling a bear: â€Å"They role over a patch of grass, man and beast†¦ they fall to the ground with a loud thud and Baba is sitting on the bear’s chest, his fingers digging in its snout. He looks up at me, and I see. He’s me. I am wrestling the bear. † Why is this dream so important at this point in the story? What does this dream finally help Amir realize? It was a somewhat a symbol that made Amir realize he’s been a good son to his father all the while. It was important because it made Amir stronger and was able to believe in himself after seeing himself as the wrestler—the wrestler whom he admired all his life, his Baba. He hasn’t realized how life had also been his tough opponent and yet he still continue to breathe. He realized, he also has his own strength. 16. Amir and Hassan have a favorite story. Does the story have the same meaning for both men? Why does Hassan name his son after one of the characters in the story? Their favorite story is Rostam and Sohrab where Rostam kills Sohrab without knowing that he is his son. The story doesn’t have the same meaning for both men. Hassan names his son after Sohrab because he is so intrigue by the story. The story where the father killed his son touched Hassan’s heart. It filled Hassan’s heart with such emotion that he decided to name his son with one of the character’s name. 17. Baba and Amir know that they are very different people. Often it disappoints both of them that Amir is not the son that Baba has hoped for. When Amir finds out that Baba has lied to him about Hassan, he realizes that â€Å"as it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I’d never known. † How does this make Amir feel about his father? How is this both a negative and positive realization? When Amir learned about the truth he felt much betrayal. Amis felt very angry towards his father. He felt like they more alike than he’d ever known. Both betrayed people who would have given their lives for them. They betrayed the people who were the most loyal to them. Because of this he realized a lot of things. Amir should atone not just his sins but for Baba’s sins too. If he hadn’t been a coward, Ali and Hasaan wouldn’t have left and Baba would have brought them to America. He realized that there was a way to end the cycle of betrayal and lies and that was to save Sohrab, his nephew. 18. When Amir and Baba move to the States their relationship changes, and Amir begins to view his father as a more complex man. Discuss the changes in their relationship. Do you see the changes in Baba as tragic or positive? They grow closer out of necessity and having lost everything familiar, they cling to each other. When they moved, Baba shows more affection towards Amir. The changes in Baba were positive since he was able to re-connect with his son after a long time of coldness. Baba became the father who would do everything for his son. 19. Discuss the difference between Baba and Ali and between Amir and Hassan. Are Baba’s and Amir’s betrayals and similarities in their relationships of their servants (if you consider Baba’s act a betrayal) similar or different? Do you think that such betrayals are inevitable in the master/servant relationship, or do you feel that they are due to flaws in Baba’s and Amir’s characters, or are they the outcome of circumstances and characters? Baba devoted his life in doing works for the poor. He even devoted three years in building and funding an orphanage. He is also very firm and cold to his son, Amir. Ali in the other hand is crippled but affectionate. Ali is very close to Hassan and he taught him to be righteous and loyal. They are both determined to protect Baba and Amir. Baba’s and Amir’s betrayals and similarities in their relationship of their servants were similar. Ali is like a brother to Baba because when his parents died, Baba’s father took him as his own child. They grew up together and Ali has been with their family for forty years. Hassan also grew up with Amir. They fed from the same breasts and Hassan’s first word was â€Å"Amir†. Hassan is loyal and suffered just like Ali. They both kept secrets about Amir and Baba. Remaining silent about injustice is a way for them to show their loyalty. It is not inevitable in a master/servant relationship because I feel that they are due to Baba and Amir’s characters. Soraya had a servant who was illiterate but she taught her how to read, Amir chose differently, he lords his privileges and his education over Hassan. It is also the outcome of circumstances and characters because it is for the longing of Baba’s affection that Amir acts in fear. It is because of what society thinks and his status that’s why Baba kept his secret and did not tell Amir and Hassan the truth. 20. Who is Khaled Hosseini and how has his work in literature and in the world society of nations been critically received? Khaled Hosseini is the author of The Kite Runner. He was born on March 4, 1965 in Kabul. We can see that he has similarities with the protagonist of the story who is Amir. His father was a diplomat and his mother was a teacher of Farsi and history. They moved to the United States instead of returning to Afghanistan because chaos was everywhere. His family was some of the lucky ones to refuge to another country and not experience the sufferings and the killings. Khaled Hosseini published The Kite Runner in 2003 to critical acclaim. Parts of the novel are based on his childhood in Kabul neighborhood of Wazir Akbar Khan. While some events in the story echo those in his life, the novel is fictional. He felt ashamed, like he should have suffered more. He felt estranged from the devastation in Afghanistan, but his separation from his homeland and his â€Å"Western sensibility† combined in his fiction to bring America’s, and the worlds, attention to the faces of Afghanistan. Hosseini’s devotion to Afghanistan can be seen not only in his writing but also in his activism.. He has been a goodwill envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, since 2006, and his personal website contains links to many aid organizations that are helping Afghanistan. Interviewers describe Hosseini as a smart, handsome man with a calming air, and Time Magazine called him â€Å"almost certainly the most famous Afghan in the world. † Khaled Hosseini lives with his wife and two children in Northern California. 21. The kite flying tournament is an important event in a boy’s life in Afghanistan. Why is it significant and what does winning the kite flying tournament symbolize? How does this symbolism resonate with the novel’s title? The kite flying tournament is significant because like in Amir’s case, winning was the key to winning Baba’s heart. The tournament sets a circle of betrayal and redemption into motion. After Hassan gets raped while running his kite, Amir cannot separate kite fighting and running from his own betrayal and cowardice. In order to redeem himself of selfishness and cowardice, Amir must go from being merely a kite fighter (someone who seeks glory) to a kite runner (someone who genuinely does things for others). This symbolism resonates with the novel’s title in terms of Amir, being the fighter in the beginning to a runner in the end. 22. Discuss how the geographic location of Afghanistan has made it the crossroads of civilizations and conquering armies from ancient times up to the present. How do the results of those conquests affect the tribes in Afghanistan up to now? Afghanistan is located in central Asia, is made up of thirty-four provinces. It is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Jajikstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Afghanistan has always been by war. It used to be a kingdom ruled by a king then it b ecame a republic through a coup then it was invaded by Russia. Lastly, the Taliban took control over it. Pashtun supremacists massacred Shiites Hazaras. After the September11, 2001 event, the United States attacked Afghanistan and defeated the Taliban. Until now Afghanistan is experiencing civil war. People are suffering and a lot take refuge in other countries. 23. Religious Fundamentalism of the Taliban is imbricated with racial or ethnic and class problems. How are these problems dramatized in the novel? The Taliban wanted to eliminate the Shiite and massacred the Hazara population in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998. The Taliban would find the simplest things to be against the rules in order to kill some Hazara or anyone in Afghanistan.

Black House Chapter Ten

10 AS THE CRUISER with Tom Lund behind the wheel noses down Third Street to Chase roof-rack lights decorously dark, siren off Dale takes out his wallet and begins digging through the mess in the back: business cards people have given him, a few dog-eared photographs, little licks of folded-over notebook paper. On one of the latter he finds what he wants. â€Å"Whatcha doin', boss?† Tom asks. â€Å"None of your beeswax. Just drive the car.† Dale grabs the phone from its spot on the console, grimaces and wipes off the residue of someone's powdered doughnut, then, without much hope, dials the number of Jack Sawyer's cell phone. He starts to smile when the phone is answered on the fourth ring, but the smile metamorphoses into a frown of puzzlement. He knows that voice and should recognize it, but â€Å"Hello?† says the person who has apparently answered Jack's cell phone. â€Å"Speak now, whoever you are, or forever hold your peace.† Then Dale knows. Would have known immediately if he had been at home or in his office, but in this context â€Å"Henry?† he says, knowing he sounds stupid but not able to help it. â€Å"Uncle Henry, is that you?† Jack is piloting his truck across the Tamarack Bridge when the cell phone in his pants pocket starts its annoying little tweet. He takes it out and taps the back of Henry's hand with it. â€Å"Deal with this,† he says. â€Å"Cell phones give you brain cancer.† â€Å"Which is okay for me but not for you.† â€Å"More or less, yeah.† â€Å"That's what I love about you, Jack,† Henry says, and opens the phone with a nonchalant flick of the wrist. â€Å"Hello?† And, after a pause: â€Å"Speak now, whoever you are, or forever hold your peace.† Jack glances at him, then back at the road. They're coming up on Roy's Store, where the early shopper gets the best greens. â€Å"Yes, Dale. It is indeed your esteemed † Henry listens, frowning a little bit and smiling a little bit. â€Å"I'm in Jack's truck, with Jack,† he says. â€Å"George Rathbun isn't working this morning because KDCU is covering the Summer Marathon over in La Riv â€Å" He listens some more, then says: â€Å"If it's a Nokia which is what it feels like and sounds like then it's digital rather than analog. Wait.† He looks at Jack. â€Å"Your cell,† he says. â€Å"It's a Nokia?† â€Å"Yes, but why â€Å" â€Å"Because digital phones are supposedly harder to snoop,† Henry says, and goes back to the phone. â€Å"It's a digital, and I'll put him on. I'm sure Jack can explain everything.† Henry hands him the telephone, folds his hands primly in his lap, and looks out the window exactly as he would if surveying the scenery. And maybe he is, Jack thinks. Maybe in some weird fruit-bat way, he really is. He pulls over to the shoulder on Highway 93. He doesn't like the cell phone to begin with twenty-first-century slave bracelets, he thinks them but he absolutely loathes driving while talking on one. Besides, Irma Freneau isn't going anywhere this morning. â€Å"Dale?† he says. â€Å"Where are you?† Dale asks, and Jack knows at once that the Fisherman has been busy elsewhere, too. As long as it's not another dead kid, he thinks. Not that, not yet, please. â€Å"How come you're with Henry? Is Fred Marshall there, too?† Jack tells him about the change in plan, and is about to go on when Dale breaks in. â€Å"Whatever you're doing, I want you to get your ass out to a place called Ed's Eats and Dawgs, near Goltz's. Henry can help you find it. The Fisherman called the station, Jack. He called 911. Told us Irma Freneau's body is out there. Well, not in so many words, but he did say she.† Dale is not quite babbling, but almost. Jack notes this as any good clinician would note the symptoms of a patient. â€Å"I need you, Jack. I really â€Å" â€Å"That's where we were headed anyway,† Jack says quietly, although they are going absolutely nowhere at this moment, just sitting on the shoulder while the occasional car blips past on 93. â€Å"What?† Hoping that Dale and Henry are right about the virtues of digital technology, Jack tells French Landing's police chief about his morning delivery, aware that Henry, although still looking out the window, is listening sharply. He tells Dale that Ty Marshall's cap was on top of the box with the feathers and Irma's foot inside it. â€Å"Holy . . .† Dale says, sounding out of breath. â€Å"Holy shit.† â€Å"Tell me what you've done,† Jack says, and Dale does. It sounds pretty good so far, at least but Jack doesn't like the part about Arnold Hrabowski. The Mad Hungarian has impressed him as the sort of fellow who will never be able to behave like a real cop, no matter how hard he tries. Back in L.A., they used to call the Arnie Hrabowskis of the world Mayberry RFDs. â€Å"Dale, what about the phone at the 7-Eleven?† â€Å"It's a pay phone,† Dale says, as if speaking to a child. â€Å"Yes, but there could be fingerprints,† Jack says. â€Å"I mean, there are going to be billions of fingerprints, but forensics can isolate the freshest. Easily. He might have worn gloves, but maybe not. If he's leaving messages and calling cards as well as writing to the parents, he's gone Stage Two. Killing isn't enough for him anymore. He wants to play you now. Play with you. Maybe he even wants to be caught and stopped, like Son of Sam.† â€Å"The phone. Fresh fingerprints on the phone.† Dale sounds badly humiliated, and Jack's heart goes out to him. â€Å"Jack, I can't do this. I'm lost.† This is something to which Jack chooses not to speak. Instead he says, â€Å"Who've you got who can see to the phone?† â€Å"Dit Jesperson and Bobby Dulac, I guess.† Bobby, Jack thinks, is entirely too good to waste for long at the 7-Eleven outside town. â€Å"Just have them crisscross the phone with yellow tape and talk to the guy on duty. Then they can come on out to the site.† â€Å"Okay.† Dale hesitates, then asks a question. The defeat in it, the sense of almost complete abrogation, makes Jack sad. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Have you called the State Police? County? Does that FBI guy know? The one who thinks he looks like Tommy Lee Jones?† Dale snorts. â€Å"Uh . . . actually, I'd decided to sit on notification for a little while.† â€Å"Good,† Jack says, and the savage satisfaction in his voice causes Henry to turn from his blind regard of the countryside and regard his friend instead, eyebrows raised. Let us rise up again on wings as eagles, as the Reverend Lance Hovdahl, French Landing's Lutheran pastor, might say and fly down the black ribbon of Highway 93, back toward town. We reach Route 35 and turn right. Closer and to our right is the overgrown lane that leads not to a dragon's hidden gold or secret dwarf mines but to that peculiarly unpleasant black house. A little farther on, we can see the futuristic dome shape of Goltz's (well . . . it seemed futuristic in the seventies, at least). All our landmarks are in place, including the rubbly, weedy path that shoots off from the main road to the left. This is the track that leads to the remains of Ed Gilbertson's erstwhile palace of guilty pleasures. Let us flutter onto the telephone line just across from this track. Hot gossip tickles our birdy feet: Paula Hrabowski's friend Myrtle Harrington passing on the news of the dead body (or bodies) at Ed's to Richie Bumstead, who will in turn pass it on to Beezer St. Pierre, grieving father and spiritual leader of the Thunder Five. This passage of voices through the wire probably shouldn't please us, but it does. Gossip is no doubt nasty stuff, but it does energize the human spirit. Now, from the west comes the cruiser with Tom Lund at the wheel and Dale Gilbertson in the shotgun seat. And from the east comes Jack's burgundy-colored Ram pickup. They reach the turnoff to Ed's at the same time. Jack motions for Dale to go first, then follows him. We take wing, fly above and then ahead of them. We roost on the rusty Esso gas pump to watch developments. Jack drives slowly down the lane to the half-collapsed building that stands in a scruff of high weeds and goldenrod. He's looking for any sign of passage, and sees only the fresh tracks made by Dale and Tom's police car. â€Å"We've got the place to ourselves,† he informs Henry. â€Å"Yes, but for how long?† Not very would have been Jack's answer, had he bothered to give one. Instead, he pulls up next to Dale's car and gets out. Henry rolls down his window but stays put, as ordered. Ed's was once a simple wooden building about the length of a Burlington Northern boxcar and with a boxcar's flat roof. At the south end, you could buy sof'-serve ice cream from one of three windows. At the north end you could get your nasty hot dog or your even nastier order of fish and chips to go. In the middle was a small sit-down restaurant featuring a counter and red-top stools. Now the south end has entirely collapsed, probably from the weight of snow. All the windows have been broken in. There's some graffiti So-and-so chugs cock, we fucked Patty Jarvis untill she howelled, TROY LUVS MARYANN but not as much as Jack might have expected. All but one of the stools have been looted. Crickets are conversing in the grass. They're loud, but not as loud as the flies inside the ruined restaurant. There are lots of flies in there, a regular fly convention in progress. And â€Å"Do you smell it?† Dale asks him. Jack nods. Of course he does. He's smelled it already today, but now it's worse. Because there's more of Irma out here to send up a stink. Much more than what would fit into a single shoe box. Tom Lund has produced a handkerchief and is mopping his broad, distressed face. It's warm, but not warm enough to account for the sweat streaming off his face and brow. And his skin is pasty. â€Å"Officer Lund,† Jack says. â€Å"Huh!† Tom jumps and looks rather wildly around at Jack. â€Å"You may have to vomit. If you feel you must, do it over there.† Jack points to an overgrown track, even more ancient and ill-defined than the one leading in from the main road. This one seems to meander in the direction of Goltz's. â€Å"I'll be okay,† Tom says. â€Å"I know you will. But if you need to unload, don't do it on what may turn out to be evidence.† â€Å"I want you to start stringing yellow tape around the entire building,† Dale tells his officer. â€Å"Jack? A word?† Dale puts a hand on Jack's forearm and starts walking back toward the truck. Although he's got a good many things on his mind, Jack notices how strong that hand is. And no tremble in it. Not yet, anyway. â€Å"What is it?† Jack asks impatiently when they're standing near the passenger window of the truck. â€Å"We want a look before the whole world gets here, don't we? Wasn't that the idea, or am I â€Å" â€Å"You need to get the foot, Jack,† Dale says. And then: â€Å"Hello, Uncle Henry, you look spiff.† â€Å"Thanks,† Henry says. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Jack asks. â€Å"That foot is evidence.† Dale nods. â€Å"I think it ought to be evidence found here, though. Unless, of course, you relish the idea of spending twenty-four hours or so answering questions in Madison.† Jack opens his mouth to tell Dale not to waste what little time they have with arrant idiocies, then closes it again. It suddenly occurs to him how his possession of that foot might look to minor-league smarties like Detectives Brown and Black. Maybe even to a major-league smarty like John Redding of the FBI. Brilliant cop retires at an impossibly young age, and to the impossibly bucolic town of French Landing, Wisconsin. He has plenty of scratch, but the source of income is blurry, to say the least. And oh, look at this, all at once there's a serial killer operating in the neighborhood. Maybe the brilliant cop has got a loose screw. Maybe he's like those firemen who enjoy the pretty flames so much they get into the arson game themselves. Certainly Dale's Color Posse would have to wonder why the Fisherman would send an early retiree like Jack a victim's body part. And the hat, Jack thinks. Don't forget Ty's baseball cap. All at once he knows how Dale felt when Jack told him that the phone at the 7-Eleven had to be cordoned off. Exactly. â€Å"Oh man,† he says. â€Å"You're right.† He looks at Tom Lund, industriously running yellow POLICE LINE tape while butterflies dance around his shoulders and the flies continue their drunken buzzing from the shadows of Ed's Eats. â€Å"What about him?† â€Å"Tom will keep his mouth shut,† Dale says, and on that Jack decides to trust him. He wouldn't, had it been the Hungarian. â€Å"I owe you one,† Jack says. â€Å"Yep,† Henry agrees from his place in the passenger seat. â€Å"Even a blind man could see he owes you one.† â€Å"Shut up, Uncle Henry,† Dale says. â€Å"Yes, mon capitaine.† â€Å"What about the cap?† Jack asks. â€Å"If we find anything else of Ty Marshall's . . .† Dale pauses, then swallows. â€Å"Or Ty himself, we'll leave it. If not, you keep it for the time being.† â€Å"I think maybe you just saved me a lot of major irritation,† Jack says, leading Dale to the back of the truck. He opens the stainless steel box behind the cab, which he hasn't bothered to lock for the run out here, and takes out one of the trash-can liners. From inside it comes the slosh of water and the clink of a few remaining ice cubes. â€Å"The next time you get feeling dumb, you might remind yourself of that.† Dale ignores this completely. â€Å"Ohgod,† he says, making it one word. He's looking at the Baggie that has just emerged from the trash-can liner. There are beads of water clinging to the transparent sides. â€Å"The smell of it!† Henry says with undeniable distress. â€Å"Oh, the poor child!† â€Å"You can smell it even through the plastic?† Jack asks. â€Å"Yes indeed. And coming from there.† Henry points at the ruined restaurant and then produces his cigarettes. â€Å"If I'd known, I would have brought a jar of Vicks and an El Producto.† In any case, there's no need to walk the Baggie with the gruesome artifact inside it past Tom Lund, who has now disappeared behind the ruins with his reel of yellow tape. â€Å"Go on in,† Dale instructs Jack quietly. â€Å"Get a look and take care of the thing in that Baggie if you find . . . you know . . . her. I want to speak to Tom.† Jack steps through the warped, doorless doorway into the thickening stench. Outside, he can hear Dale instructing Tom to send Pam Stevens and Danny Tcheda back down to the end of the access road as soon as they arrive, where they will serve as passport control. The interior of Ed's Eats will probably be bright by afternoon, but now it is shadowy, lit mostly by crazed, crisscrossing rays of sun. Galaxies of dust spin lazily through them. Jack steps carefully, wishing he had a flashlight, not wanting to go back and get one from the cruiser until he's taken care of the foot. (He thinks of this as â€Å"redeployment.†) There are human tracks through the dust, trash, and drifts of old gray feathers. The tracks are man-sized. Weaving in and out of them are a dog's paw-prints. Off to his left, Jack spies a neat little pile of droppings. He steps around the rusty remains of an overturned gas grill and follows both sets of tracks around the filthy counter. Outside, the second French Landing cruiser is rolling up. In here, in this darker world, the sound of the flies has become a soft roar and the stench . . . the stench . . . Jack fishes a handkerchief from his pocket and places it over his nose as he follows the tracks into the kitchen. Here the pawprints multiply and the human footprints disappear completely. Jack thinks grimly of the circle of beaten-down grass he made in the field of that other world, a circle with no path of beaten-down grass leading to it. Lying against the far wall near a pool of dried blood is what remains of Irma Freneau. The mop of her filthy strawberry-blond hair mercifully obscures her face. Above her on a rusty piece of tin that probably once served as a heat shield for the deep-fat fryers, two words have been written with what Jack feels sure was a black Sharpie marker: Hello boys â€Å"Ah, fuck,† Dale Gilbertson says from almost directly behind him, and Jack nearly screams. Outside, the snafu starts almost immediately. Halfway back down the access road, Danny and Pam (not in the least disappointed to have been assigned guard duty once they have actually seen the slumped ruin of Ed's and smelled the aroma drifting from it) nearly have a head-on with an old International Harvester pickup that is bucketing toward Ed's at a good forty miles an hour. Luckily, Pam swings the cruiser to the right and the driver of the pickup Teddy Runkleman swings left. The vehicles miss each other by inches and swerve into the grass on either side of this poor excuse for a road. The pickup's rusty bumper thumps against a small birch. Pam and Danny get out of their unit, hearts pumping, adrenaline spurting. Four men come spilling out of the pickup's cab like clowns out of the little car in the circus. Mrs. Morton would recognize them all as regulars at Roy's Store. Layabouts, she would call them. â€Å"What in the name of God are you doing?† Danny Tcheda roars. His hand drops to the butt of his gun and then falls away a bit reluctantly. He's getting a headache. The men (Runkleman is the only one the officers know by name, although between them they recognize the faces of the other three) are goggle-eyed with excitement. â€Å"How many ja find?† one of them spits. Pam can actually see the spittle spraying out in the morning air, a sight she could have done without. â€Å"How many'd the bastid kill?† Pam and Danny exchange a single dismayed look. And before they can reply, holy God, here comes an old Chevrolet Bel Air with another four or five men inside it. No, one of them is a woman. They pull up and spill out, also like clowns from the little car. But we're the real clowns, Pam thinks. Us. Pam and Danny are surrounded by eight semihysterical men and one semihysterical woman, all of them throwing questions. â€Å"Hell, I'm going up there and see for myself!† Teddy Runkleman shouts, almost jubilantly, and Danny realizes the situation is on the verge of spinning out of control. If these fools get the rest of the way up the access road, Dale will first tear him a new asshole and then salt it down. â€Å"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, ALL OF YOU!† he bawls, and actually draws his gun. It's a first for him, and he hates the weight of it in his hand these are ordinary people, after all, not bad guys but it gets their attention. â€Å"This is a crime scene,† Pam says, finally able to speak in a normal tone of voice. They mutter and look at one another; worst fears confirmed. She steps to the driver of the Chevrolet. â€Å"Who are you, sir? A Saknessum? You look like a Saknessum.† â€Å"Freddy,† he admits. â€Å"Well, you get back in your vehicle, Freddy Saknessum, and the rest of you who came with him also get in, and you back the hell right out of here. Don't bother trying to turn around, you'll just get stuck.† â€Å"But † the woman begins. Pam thinks she's a Sanger, a clan of fools if ever there was one. â€Å"Stow it and go,† Pam tells her. â€Å"And you right behind him,† Danny tells Teddy Runkleman. He just hopes to Christ no more will come along, or they'll end up trying to manage a parade in reverse. He doesn't know how the news got out, and at this moment can't afford to care. â€Å"Unless you want a summons for interfering with a police investigation. That can get you five years.† He has no idea if there is such a charge, but it gets them moving even better than the sight of his pistol. The Chevrolet backs out, rear end wagging from side to side like a dog's tail. Runkleman's pickup goes next, with two of the men standing up in back and peering over the cab, trying to catch sight of the old restaurant's roof, at least. Their curiosity lends them a look of unpleasant vacuity. The P.D. unit comes last, herding the old car and older truck like a corgi herding sheep, roof-rack lights now pulsing. Pam is forced to ride mostly on the brake, and as she drives she lets loose a low-pitched stream of words her mother never taught her. â€Å"Do you kiss your kids good-night with that mouth?† Danny asks, not without admiration. â€Å"Shut up,† she says. Then: â€Å"You got any aspirin?† â€Å"I was going to ask you the same thing,† Danny says. They get back out to the main road just in time. Three more vehicles are coming from the direction of French Landing, two from the direction of Centralia and Arden. A siren rises in the warming air. Another cruiser, the third in what was supposed to be an unobtrusive line, is coming along, passing the lookie-loos from town. â€Å"Oh man.† Danny sounds close to tears. â€Å"Oh man, oh man, oh man. It's gonna be a carnival, and I bet the staties still don't know. They'll have kittens. Dale is gonna have kittens.† â€Å"It'll be all right,† Pam says. â€Å"Calm down. We'll just pull across the road and park. Also stick your gun back in the fucking holster.† â€Å"Yes, Mother.† He stows his piece as Pam swings across the access road, pulling back to let the third cruiser through, then pulling forward again to block the way. â€Å"Yeah, maybe we caught it in time to put a lid on it.† â€Å"Course we did.† They relax a little. Both of them have forgotten the old stretch of road that runs between Ed's and Goltz's, but there are plenty of folks in town who know about it. Beezer St. Pierre and his boys, for instance. And while Wendell Green does not, guys like him always seem able to find the back way. They've got an instinct for it.

'Tort Law gives unjustified preference to corrective justice over Essay

'Tort Law gives unjustified preference to corrective justice over distributive justice.' Critically evaluate this statement - Essay Example Some scholars like Coleman (1994) have argued that the nature of the law of torts favors the corrective ends, whereas others like Konow (2003) as well as Wolf and Musselman (1990) argues that there is a need for the law of torts to strike a balance between the distributive and the corrective ends of the law. Not withstanding the foregoing controversial debates, the law of torts tends to lean its balance more towards the corrective end than the distributive ends. Tort Law: Basic Features The term â€Å"tort† is a word that is derived from Latin word â€Å"tortum†, to mean â€Å"injustice â€Å"or wrong. The law of tort therefore proceeds from recognition of the fact that some acts in society may be unjust and therefore needs to be corrected through the law. According to Coleman (1994), a tort may be defined to mean â€Å"a wrongful act that causes injury to a person or property and the law allows for a claim by the injured party to be compensated for damages.† S ome of the generic labels that have been associated with torts include â€Å"breach of duty† although this is just on of the major concepts in the law of torts. The law of tort has no absolute formulas through which questions are resolved. Both the legal scholars and the judiciary have pointed out emphatically the facts that the law of torts is a complex process that is never mechanically applied nor is it static; rather it often depends on circumstances of the case, and that as time elapses, more and more torts get discovered (Blomqiuist [1990]; Koestler V. Pollard [199]); Patel [200]). The tortseeks to reflect the balance the society seeks to strike between competing values. The facts in the case in question determine the right decision. For instance, automobile drivers are made liable to the injuries that they cause as they carry out their duty but only if the injury results from their fault or negligence. On the other hand, manufactures take the liability of the injuries stemming from their defective products, the reasonable care they might have taken not withstanding. Most individual torts require that fault be shown on the defendant’s part. More often, the extent of the defendant’s fault will form the basis of the liability that the defendant bears to the plaintiff. This is the case with torts such as negligence, defamation, nuisance and trespass. However, within the law of torts there are also cases of strict liability torts where the defendant will not be required to prove fault on the part of the defendant; it will suffice for purposes of tortious remedies against the defendant that the plaintiff suffered damage and that the damage was occasioned by an action or omission of the defendant (strict liability torts).Generally, at common law, the strict liability torts are restricted to activities that are hazardous. There is also Liability for Defective Products Act, 1991 which creates strict liabilities on manufacturers with regard s to health sustained by consumers of their products. The principle function of the law of tort is to establish weather there is an offence and if there is to come up with a remedy. At common law, damages are the most widespread remedy. In such a judgment, the defendant is normally required to offer financial compensation to the

Year 3 - Abnormal Psychology Essay (Dementia vs Cognitive impairments)

Year 3 - Abnormal Psychology (Dementia vs Cognitive impairments) - Essay Example nvolves the problem as those concerned seldom seek proper guidance as it has become a common practice to resolve into the belief that such changes are consequent to the aging process. There is a degree of negligent perception from the medical practitioner responsible for the patient and for the family of those who suffer that become complacent into thinking it is normal and to be expected. It is relative to our mortality that for the luckiest of us, we follow the cycle of life and we grow old and then wither. The lack of concern that society often disregards old people is nothing less than an irony of our life. We refuse to acknowledge older people as we dismiss them easily in favor of the everyday problems that we face and regard as matter of life and death. It is a bittersweet reality that whether we like it or not, we are one day to replace those older people as we age ourselves. In this we experience the same physical and mental problems that they endure in their life. It thus seems more than proper to be empathic in their complaints and gripes that may be possibly remedied with proper attention. The aging process entails many changes that occur and radically alters everyday living. Imperative changes in the body results to physiological mechanisms declining that are common as a person ages. These should be identified as it is helpful in the management of problems that arise with it. The least problematic of this is gestation as taste receptors are replaced on a regular basis disparate to neural cells. A somatosensory problem that compromises their ability to regulate their temperature is also diminished. This could affect their tolerance for pain which may hinder their capacity to recognize symptoms and result to problems progressing before detection. Another includes sensory deficiency in auditory and visual facility (How may sensory changes affect the everyday lives of older people?). It was found that 1 out 8 Americans over 65 have Alzheimer’s disease

Can Gray Hacking Be Justified Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Can Gray Hacking Be Justified - Research Paper Example Known as the ethical hacker, these persons are perceived almost as a mystery. The interconnectedness of the term ethical with hacking is known as being oxymoron, parallel to calling someone a frank offender. It would seem as although Ethical Hackers, however; may have established a place in our canon of defenses of network assets and that they are here to stay. The wagers today are much advanced and the playing ground encompasses every element of our society: be it be commerce and industry, national security, educational entities, and public/private organizations. The domain of the ethical hacker will grown into all these grounds and the insight derived from skills will have to be integrated into the organ of statistical and practical understanding utilized appropriately to shield informational assets(Harper et al, 2011). According to Harper et al (2011), the ideal for the Ethical Hacker is to be a contributor to the organ of knowledge of network security. With this in their mindset, it is essential that these persons follow a systematic tactic, in approaching their relevant network attacks. The concept of breaking into a customer’s network further must be regarded in light of the ultimate objective of mending it. Here, the Ethical Hacker is presented not one who is self-seeking, rather they must be perceived as being another spoke in the Defense in-Depth plan. The concept of utilitarianism that was initially devised by Jeremy Bethman in the eighteenth century, later to be fully developed by John Stewart Mill in the nineteenth century states that we should at all times act so as to create the greatest ratio of good to evil for everyone concerned with our choices.... The concept of utilitarianism that was initially devised by Jeremy Bethman in the eighteenth century, later to be fully developed by John Stewart Mill in the nineteenth century states that we should at all times act so as to create the greatest ratio of good to evil for everyone concerned with our choices. Utilitarianism with regard to many ethical hypotheses has many strengths and weaknesses. The main strong point for this hypothesis is that it is at all times seeking for the maximum good for the utmost number. This is an excellent strength. Since its, a network strives to maximize pleasure for the greatest number. The major weak point of utilitarianism is that it is highly hard to project the outcome of the action. The results of all conditions are difficult to estimate, so how can we probably apply the imperative of the most happiness for the greatest number if we do not understand who will benefit the greatest every time is still a question that begs for answers. Gray hat defines a cracker or as it is well understood, a hacker who uses a security weakness in a computer system or product for them to show the weakness to the attention of the owners. Unlike a gray hat, a black hat acts without spiteful intention. The objective of a gray is to advance the network and security network. By exposing the susceptibility, the gray hat, however, may offer other hackers the chance to exploit it. This is different from the white who notifies system owners and merchants of the susceptibility with apparently exploiting it in public.

James Booker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

James Booker - Research Paper Example ker recognize the art of music playing like never before and although he was pretty talented himself recognition of music at such an early age made that him the musician he was at his prime. Rightfully so music influence in the life of James booker was effectively extended with a saxophone being gifted to him by his mother as a birthday present. He spent greatest of his juvenile age ashore on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, while at the place his father pastored a church. Although receiving a saxophone in in his age his talent with the instrument was somewhat modest but all the while he truly and to the best of his abilities demonstrated a resilient concern in effectively playing the keyboard. It is safe to complement that his first musicals came by performing with a mere organ in his father’s church sermons. The return to his originated birth place the city of New Orleans came in the preliminary rounds of the adolescence age, and he successfully completed his elementary schooling form the prestigious Xavier Academy Institute. He academized many particular fundamentals of the keyboard playing panache from Tuts Washington and Edward Frank. Booker illustrated to become one of the best and utmost masters of classical music and hence was paraded to play Bach and Chopin as one of his ideal composers along the way of his career. He further to such feats he correspondingly become proficient at and committed to memory the more challenging solos of Erroll Garner, and also some enhancing material by Liberace. Booker’s imperative systematic circumstantial upbringing in close to the collected works of many piano masters had fundamentally empowered him to easily and most notoriously create unique, original and conspicuous understandings, implementation and interpretation of jazz and other supp lementary American prevalent music. These recitals and performances by booker shared essentials of stride, blues, gospel and Latin keyboard flairs. Booker debuted his recordings the

Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy - Essay Example symptoms of motor milestone delayed motor milestones and weakness of the proximal muscles, are followed by delayed language milestones (Language Skills Delayed in Muscular Dystrophy Patients, 2007). Should curvature extend between thirty-five and forty-five degrees by the age of twelve, surgery may be considered, but it is a major surgical process with significant surgical risk involved. (Tsao & Mendell, 1999). The first step taken was to search the local libraries for books and journals for information on DMD. The next step was to use the Internet to expand the search. The medical databases of Medscape, PubMed, Medline and BioMed were used for this purpose. Search terms included â€Å"duchenne’s muscular dystrophy†, â€Å"diagnosis of duchenne’s muscular dystrophy†, â€Å"pathophysiology of duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, and â€Å"treatment of duchenne’s muscular dystrophy†. Hawker, G. A., Ridout, R., Harris, V. A., Chase, C. C., Fielding, L. J., & Biggar, W. D. (2005). Alendronate in the treatment of low bone mass in steroid-treated boys with Duchennes muscular dystrophy. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 86(2),

The Negative Impact of Electronic Waste Disposal Methods in Africa Research Paper

The Negative Impact of Electronic Waste Disposal Methods in Africa - Research Paper Example In the countries within the continent of Africa, the total amount of electronic waste produced in 2014 was 1.9 Megatons. The only countries that have put in frameworks in terms of national policies and legislative pieces of guidelines are Nigeria and Cameroon. There are nations that are in the process of enacting fundamental legislative frameworks regarding the disposal of electronic waste materials such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana. According to Bwalya and Zulu (314), the country Kenya do not have a proper framework for handling electronic wastes. This is because Kenya continues to integrate information communication technology (ICT) in its economy. Among the highest generators of electronic waste materials in Africa are Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt with a total of 0.22, 0.35 and 0.37 Megatons respectively in absolute quantities. On the other hand, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Equatorial Guinea are the major electronic waste generators in relative quantities of 9.3 kg per inch, 10 .9 kg per inch and 10.8kg per inch respectively. The entire continent of Africa produces 1.7 kg per inch as an annual amount of electronic waste. This figure reflects only the amount of waste generated domestically and does not include the amount generated through imports of used electronic equipment (Baldà © 38).The challenge that affects the continent is major lack of comprehensive reforms by the governments concerning the electronic waste generation and management.

Team Development Module 2 - SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team Development Module 2 - SLP - Essay Example This will result to increase in organization’s competence on a global perspective. Workers from varied background have different talents and skills which adds value to the organization. In a health set up, diversity may improve the healthcare offered to the patients (Friedman, 2012). This is because, patients feel psychologically contented to share their experiences with people from different cultures (Shipman, 2007). In most hospital organizations, patients come from different diversified groups. For example elderly patients may not be able to disclose their problems to young employees because of the age difference (Findley, 2008). Also, in some cases, some patients may be unwilling to share their experiences with employees from opposite sex. Therefore, it is essential for the healthcare organizations to hire diversified workers who will take care of the needs of diversified clients. Diversity in healthcare organization brings together employees with different experiences and skills. Therefore, the workers are able to share their knowledge and encounters (Findley, 2008). This is essential for the healthcare organization because there is no time they will run short of expertise. The manager of the healthcare organization should always ensure a balance between different groups as a way of creating harmony and success in the organization (Shipman, 2007). Multicultural teamwork in a health organization refers to a situation where the organization has hired workers from different ethnic background (Friedman, 2012). People from different civilization have varied attitudes to work and use different approaches to solve issues in an organization. They have divergent preferences and values which affect the overall performance of the organization. In the modern society, healthcare organizations are experiencing cross-cultural challenges because they receive clients from different

What would a philosopher do Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What would a philosopher do - Essay Example The self indulgence are more of voluntary actions than the actions of cowardice hence despite the external pressures the acts and decisions should be in a manner that it ensures that the actions are not due to cowardice but out of necessity and out of the necessary need (Locks). Things perceived as involuntary may be occurring under the compulsions of some external factors or may be due to the acts of ignorance .But the acts due to greater fear or tyranny then this are perceived as either voluntary or involuntary therefore it is quite complex where the blames ought to be laid. Individuals and authorities get it very complex in the understanding of the root cause of the most issues and the best practicable means of facing the challenge in manners which are comprehensive and competent enough to avoid the recurrence of the problems or to mitigate against the relative backlash of the problem issue. The judging of actions as either voluntary or involuntary must therefore be used in the judging of issues depending on the timing and the environmental factors surrounding the subject of discussion. People act voluntarily in the attempts to meet and achieve the actions that lead to the movement of the instrumental parts of the issues of concern and quite significantly for the instrumental parts of the issues of concern to be moved to the points of design .Such acts are classified absolutely as voluntary ,however under the normal circumstances the acts are classified as involuntary since in circumstances individuals do the works with certain external forces pushing upon them to act in that manner and had it been for their personal powers and capabilities they would desist and avoid working and acting in that direction hence the acts are pseudo voluntary. In some of this actions the men are praised for the acts however in certain they have to undergo enormous amounts of pain due to their great indignity that they receive in relation to their

Values of Parents Essay Example for Free

Values of Parents Essay Good Parents should guide children in family unity. Family unity is a family being together in happy and peaceful. Also, the meaning of family unity is that regardless of how bad a situation may be it will bring us closer together and make our bond stronger. It would have nice to have parents to enforce rules at home. For example, if parents would have been home children would have done homework instead of going outside to play. Another example is sitting together as a family to have dinner made family more closely. There were many things we have discussed at the dinner table. We talk about how our day, the happenings at school , work, upcoming events, share funny stories and express concerns about thing of important to us. Having parents spend time with children are very good example of family values. Read more: Lessons Learned From Parents Another valuable that parents belief is education. Most parents believed that education is a value for success in the future. A parents role is to support their child academic growth.. My parents always support me. They had me observe how they both work hard to support family. They explained to me if they had had college education, things would be a little easier for our family. If my parents had not given me self confidence, I wouldnt have enrolled in college. Parents are very important to their childrens education. All parents want their children to be a successful person in future. They influence their kids as much as good thing whenever they could. Find good school for their children; support them when they need help. Teach them how to be good person and go to school for better life. Parents are very important to a childs life.

Schools Meet The Holistic Needs Of Every Child Education Essay

Schools Meet The Holistic Needs Of Every Child Education Essay Schools and teachers, in my belief, act as in loco parentis, which means that they take over all the responsibility of the child as a parent. Under The Children Act (1989) and The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), teachers have a duty of care towards their pupils. Although, this does not bind them to have parental responsibility, teachers are expected to promote the welfare and wellbeing of children in their care as any responsible parent would do. In doing so, a teacher ought to be aware of the holistic needs of every child. This does not only include academic needs but physical, mental, social and emotional aspect as well. Ideally, the aim to meet these requirements should be reflected through the schools polices and the adaptability towards different approaches throughout the school. Before analysing my subject in detail, I would like to explore my subject in context of Maslows Hierarchy of needs starting from physiological as the basic requirement building gradually to the psychological elements of concerns. (Maslow, A. 1987) Many schools, according to the demand of the children, provide extended school provisions such as breakfast clubs to meet basic physiological needs. Moreover, as statutory framework for EYFS (2012) emphasises on the provision of healthy meals, snacks and drinks as necessary and fresh drinking water being available and accessible at all times. The psychological aspect covers mainly the mental, emotional and social needs. These are generally met according to the criteria set by different schools i.e. their policies and approaches. Its effectiveness however, depends on the implementation of these approaches throughout the school, within the classroom and towards an individual child. As it is not possible to cover all these aspects of concern, my focus in this essay would be on social needs of an EAL child in a classroom. In order to evaluate my subject, I will be using examples from my previous school experiences in school B. Being larger than an average primary school; every year a reasonable number of children join school B with no exposure to English. Looking into the school policies and approaches; I will explore its relation to the classroom environment and its impact on that particular child. My aim will be to produce an evaluation based on evidence and critical analysis of effectiveness of schools policies with supporting evidence throughout. As school Bs policies (appendix 1) strongly advocate the idea of individuality and being inclusive, hence providing a social friendly environment for its pupils. Their mission statement, every piece of puzzle is needed to complete the whole picture and celebrating success together is a true representation of their policies. (School website, online) Many of these policies are highly influenced by government documents such as, Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfES 2006) and Bradford Safeguarding Children Board Procedures (2007) as mentioned in their policies (appendix 2). In addition, various national initiatives have been taken into consideration along with these policies, which has moulded the ideology of the school B. A very recent example of which is the Every Child Matters (DfES 2003) initiative which focuses on the basic individual needs of children. Although, ECM is not a legal requirement for schools anymore, its principles are still deeply embedded in the school in the form of a program Every Child Counts. The key areas that ECM covered were generally about safety, integrating locally, regionally and nationally and to be able to make a positive contribution in society. Other than that, Pugh, G. (2006) highlighted that there was a stronger focus on parenting and families as a part of an ECM factor that enabled many schools to develop connection between the school and the community. Considering these elements, school B established strong terms with the parents by encouraging their participation in school activities. This was done by inviting them in school assemblies and other celebrations throughout the year. Having this open door policy, parents/carers and local agencies were welcomed to visit the school at all times. This interaction not only helped school to identify individual needs but also helped parents/carers to develop a healthy relationship between the school, teachers and the pupils. I believe that this relationship plays a vital role in the childrens development as a whole. Pollard (2005), on the other hand, perceives an even deeper meaning to this relationship. This perspective on parents/carers is one that views them as partners with teachers in their childrens development, with parents/carers and teachers in regular contact. (Pollard, A. 2005) Apart from that, the social and emotional aspect of learning known as SEAL is one of the most emphasised programs in school B. This program is a whole school approach to promote effective learning and positive behaviour by supporting social and emotional skills of individuals (DfES 2005). The competences of SEAL has not only shaped the general ethos and environment of the school, but is also deeply embedded in the teaching of these skills within the classroom. This is done by implicating its elements into the curriculum especially through PSHCE, where these needs are addressed in a more assertive manner. Although, PSHCE is not statutory, it is still a very integral part of the curriculum, which reflects the ideology of school B towards social and emotional wellbeing of every child. As school B signifies the importance of inclusion, the general feel of the school is very welcoming to the EAL pupil and parents. Schools motto, greetings and instructions throughout the school are translated into different languages to create a socially friendly environment. To meet the needs of EAL pupils academically, school B has assigned a language support team which not only provide these children with extra guidance throughout the curriculum but also equip them with the a basic tool of language to socialize. However, the success of these policies depends on the teacher to adapt them according to the needs of children and to develop a well structured approach to address them appropriately. In doing so, the teacher in classroom 1 of school B, emphasises on being inclusive and active participation of every child in the classroom. In order to do that the teacher has adopted various methodologies to meet the social needs of the classroom in general. Basic socializing skills like listening, speaking, empathising and collaborating with other pupils are encouraged at all times within the classroom. By making children talk in pairs during the lesson, making small groups to carry out various tasks and through introducing purposeful games within the lesson, these skills are embedded in their daily routine. In realizing the need to develop social skills amongst pupils, the teacher in classroom 1, encourages discussions and expression of ideas in every form. She organizes activities around the curric ulum such as role play and drama. This in turn, encourages children to share different ideas and develop them together in collaboration (Chilver, P 1982). These activities provide a platform for EAL students to express themselves openly, hence enhancing their confidence in classroom participation. On the other hand, this approach enables rest of the class to develop an understanding amongst each other which helps to remove any social barriers between them and EAL pupil. These implications in my opinion, supports children specially EAL pupils to access learning by creating a responsive environment. Although, schools and teachers are working very hard to provide a purposeful environment for children, its effectiveness depends on how every child benefits from it. As social needs of individuals could differ remarkably from one person to another, they are addressed in a more personalized way in classroom 1. To elaborate my point, I will refer to a case of child A in this classroom, who was new to English and had joined the class in the middle of the year. Being, relatively new to the country and to the language, child X found it increasingly frustrating to participate in class activities. Seeing his discomfort, the teacher appointed a boy from a similar cultural background to accompany him in the classroom and in the playground. This technique, in my point of view, worked effectively in helping child A settle into the classroom. The fact that the child he was paired up with was from the same ethnic background, created a friendlier and more comfortable environment for child A as he was able to communicate with him conveniently. However, this should have been even more useful if the child A was later on paired up with another child with a completely different background. Having this experience could have expanded his understanding of the society, thus developing his social skills. Realizing that the language barrier was a hindrance in child As progress, he was provided with extra help from the EAL support team. As a part of his daily routine, child A was sent out of the classroom for the language sessions with the support teacher during the English and phonics lessons. As this approach was introduced to enhance his language development, in doing so it excluded him from the learning environment and the overall classroom experience. To my understanding the school policies in this case, did help to recognize the specific requirement of child X and provided him with an exclusive support to meet his needs. On the other hand, it also took away the opportunities to experience an inclusive learning environment which I believe is a basic right of every child. Although, I do take into consideration the point of view that this practice was essential for child X to provide him with the basic understanding of the language. However, similar sort of support could be provided within the classroom by differentiation and one to one guidance. To provide an inclusive learning environment, other lessons were adapted by providing extra visual aids to encourage child As classroom participation. The activities were differentiated throughout the lessons for child A by encouraging the use of ICT to help develop his listening, speaking and reading skills. Provision of an adult support in the classroom, assisted him throughout the lessons to improve his understanding. As the school policy emphasises on adaptation of SEAL, its implications could be seen during the PSHCE lessons in classroom 1. Part of the lesson was incorporated into a whole class activity to encourage social interaction. Even though, execution of the lesson was very effective in addressing the social needs in classroom, in my opinion it did not attend to the requirements of child A. Looking into school Bs policies mentioned above, it could be seen that many are heavily influenced by the government. Basic school policies such as health and safety and child protection are legal requirements for every school to provide. Other than that the national initiatives such as ECM, in my belief plays a very vital role in identifying individual needs and to address them effectively. As it is seen that the principles of ECM initiative are deeply rooted in school Bs policies and is reflected through the provision of interventions throughout the school. As looking specifically into the social needs of EAL, I discussed earlier about the introduction of language support group within the classroom. The purpose of these interventions is to target the specific needs of every child hence, following the ECM agenda. I believe that a particular need of child X was addressed through the intervention; however, in doing so it failed to address his needs holistically. It is seen that the interpretation of school policies is well conducted in the classroom B through the class rules, general environment and discipline. Katherine Weare (2000) in her point of view explains the implication of school policies in an affective way. Social and affective education need to be tackled in a way that suits the nature and ethos of each individual school, and be adapted by individual teachers to fit their own style of working. (Weare K. 2000, pg.36) A similar, outcome is extracted from the above study which insinuates that meeting the holistic needs of a particular child depends on how the teacher implicates her ideology into practice. In my opinion, school Bs policies did influence the general understanding of the teacher in classroom 1. However, it was the teacher rather than the school policies, who contributed the most towards meeting the holistic needs of child A. By looking into my past experiences through this essay, it has made me realize that more than school policies; it is the teachers beliefs that make a difference in a childs life.

Multidisciplinary Nature Of OB Commerce Essay

Multidisciplinary Nature Of OB Commerce Essay Organizational behavior is the study of the behavior of the people in an organization. It is the study of the interaction between the people at workplace and also the organization itself. Organizational behavior could be described as the study of how individuals and organizations act and how do these organizations and individuals apply knowledge. Further explaining organization behavior uses system approach and studies these characteristics by assuming the person/organization as the whole person or whole organization. The core of organization behavior is to build better relationships by achieving organization objectives, individual objectives and social objectives (Hiriyappa, 2009). Multidisciplinary Nature of OB: Organizational behavior is consisting of multidisciplinary nature which is (Robbins, 2010): Psychology: the study of the individuals working in the organization under the stated rules and regulation of the organization. It also help to study the individuals learning, personality, emotions, perception, leadership effectiveness, decision making power, job satisfaction, attitude measurements and job stress. Sociology: the study of small groups behaviors in the organization. Like the people who are working together on a project so that the group behavior can be analyzed. It also helps to study the behavioral changes, attitude changes, and ways of communication, group processes and group decision making powers of the individuals in a group. Anthropology: at the organizational level, it is the study of the cooperate culture of the organization. It also helps to find out the comparative values, comparative attitudes, cross- culture analysis and organizational environmental power. Economics: this study depends upon the rational decision making of the organization. Political science: it depends upon the study of coalitions and alliances, power and conflict of an organization in the surrounded environment. Organizational Behavior: Major Goals By going through all these steps an organization achieves the major goals like: It helps to understand and control the behavior of the workers in an organization. It helps to study the behavior in the workplace, interaction between the people and the organization, and the organization itself. It helps to study the habits of the workers against their given tasks, explains how the workers do the tasks and how can managers overview their performances. It determines the ethics of an organization to accomplish the desired the goals of an organization. It helps to study the cooperate culture of the organization. It basically focuses on the study of beliefs and customs of an organization. Opportunities of OB: Because of understanding OB it has become the most important component of the organizations. Such as (Robbins, 2010): A large group of people of different races, cultures and ethnic groups work together. At workplace more women are seen. The typical type of employee is old fashion now. Workers who are flexible and capable of work against the global competition are now seen in an organization. Globalization and OB As the world has become the global village so the job of the managers is getting changed. An outstanding research among the entire scientist taken by Tomlinson 1999, who examined globalization affects on culture and how culture affects on globalization. According to him, culture is the way we interpret our experience and guide our actions, while globalization is a major driving force in modern conditions, which enforces the change, by   (MarkoviĆ¡, 2012). Responding to Globalization: Organizational Behavior (OB) is responding to the globalization very rapidly because its the need of the hour to along the changes in the environment. Because of globalization the duties of the managers are getting changed so that they can compete in the market and provide the goods and services on time and according to the desires of the customers. OB is responding to the globalization in following ways (Robbins, 2010): Increase in International assignments Working with people from different cultures Overlooking outsourcing labor to countries with cheap labor Management of a diverse workforce Changing demographics Improving the quality and productivity Improving customers services Helping the employees to balance the work- life conflicts Improving ethical Behavior of workers Improving people skill Stimulating innovation and change Globalization and Individual Performance As learned from the case study, in the new era of globalization, individual performance is the key issue whose primary objective is to present a strategic framework for human resource management as a response to the growing interaction of individual performance and globalization in business. It is that if the human resource managers want to manage the workers for competitive edge in this era of globalization than they have to introduce and implement such strategic HRM policies and practices. To asses an individuals performance in an organization performance appraisal is the tool used by the managers. Performance appraisal plays a very important role in continuous development of an organization. In todays competitive environment benchmarking and developing continuously to face the fierce competition organizations must indulge in performance monitoring. To monitor the performance of employees of an organization the organization must conduct performance appraisals on continuous basis. The process of performance appraisal could be understood with the help of following figure-1. In simple words Performance Appraisal is the process that involves following: (1) Creating SOPs standards of operation (2) Analyzing and assessing the employees performance based on those SOPs (3) Sharing feedback of the performance analysis with respective employees to remove problems and enabling the employee for continuous development (Gary Dessler, 2011). PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Figure Performance Appraisal Importance of Performance Appraisal: There are a few reasons that define the importance of performance appraisal and why it is necessary. Those are: Mostly in the organization base pay and promotional decisions are made on the bases of the performance of the employees which is assessed by performance appraisal. It helps to covert the employers strategic goals into employees specific goals It helps the employers to develop the plan, eliminate the deficiencies at employees level and reinforce the employees to do the right things. It also helps the employees to find their strengths and weakness and serve as a useful career planning process. Methods of Performance Appraisal: There are few methods which are used in the organizations to appraise the employees. According to (Misra, 2009) the Evaluation Techniques are as follows: Ranking Method: in this one person is ranked against the given task in a group. Paired Comparison Method: in this method each person is compared with all other employees. Forced Distribution Method: in this method the rater appraise each person according to the predefined distribution scale. Group appraisal: in this method a group of appraises evaluate the performance of the employees. Management by Objective (MBO): In this method, appraise set the specific measurable goals with each employees and then periodically examine the progress of employees against the set objectives. Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale: is a tool which could be specially used to determine a numerical rating scale which could explain good or bad behavior. Performance Problem: A performance problem can be defined as the gap between the achieved goals and the desired goals of an employee. In other words it occurs when the employee is failing to achieve the desired goals of the job. Challenges of Performance Management: In the present day, where globalization has its major effects on the organizations, performance management system is facing real challenges. Such as: Lack of cultural excellence that motivates the employees Less motivation may cause the effect on the overall achievement of the desired goals of the organization. Latest technology and training of latest techniques should be given to the employees at all levels. Clear career path for talented employees should be given. The talented workers should be given with the opportunities of doing new challenges The managers should empower the subordinates so that flow of information and power of making decision at any level should be promoted. Performance Management System in Smaller Organizations: As learned from the case study, it is assessed that the performance appraisal system is helpful in smaller organizations because it is easy for the managers to follow the appraisal system as they know each employee personally. But it is important for the manager to not to adopt a lengthy procedure to do it. It is important that the manager should be well trained and does all the steps according to the defined rules and regulations. On the contrary the manager, who is not trained and less motivated towards doing appraisal, will destroy the whole process and the benefits of this procedure. Performance Appraisal: Problem and Solution Performance appraisal should be done in the objective manner, without any pressure and without any error. According to (Gary Dessler, 2011) there are certain problems which affect the appraisal method and there solutions. Such as: Unclear objective standards: To improve the reliability and validity of the appraisal system it is important the objectives of the required goals should be clear to the employees so that the required result could be achieved. As the recent changes in the appraisal system involve more parties like subordinates, peers and customers feedback so the system should be accurate and the objectives should be clear to the employees. The only solution to this problem is that, objectives to both the appraiser and the employee should be clear. Halo Effects: Performance appraisal has a shortfall which must be brought into notice while rating subordinates supervisors may tend to bias their decisions based on the rating of one trait to the other, (Gary Dessler, 2011). In other words the employer, on the bases of favoritism, may rate employee higher scores. As learned from the case study that the appraiser, if thinks that the employee is good in one important aspect, will give him or her higher marks in every field ignoring the bad aspects of him or her. Horns Effect: On the contrary, horns effect is when the appraiser rates the employee bad scores on the basis of one serious fault of him or her, ignoring the good aspects of the employee. This may cause to select the bad employee over the good ones. The solution to both Horns and halo effect is this, that the appraiser should be told to rate the employee on a single trait before going on to the next step. Leniency: This problem occur when the supervisor consistently rate an employee high or low scores. This leniency should be avoided so that the consistent high or low scores would not destroy the overall reputation of the employee. The solution for this is that the supervisors should tell the appraisers that the consistent rating is banned or allowed up to a certain level. Biasness: It happens when the appraiser biases while doing the ratings this could be on the basis of age, race and sex, which cause affect on the ratings of the employee. This should be avoided because this will also cause the selection of the bad employees over the good ones. Recommendations: As this is the globalization era, the appraisal process should be used as a scientific method approach. It is observed that the managers in todays world view performance evaluation as a minor portion in their performance management program. Such negligence will force the organization to lose competitive edge consequently stopping continuous development of the firms employees. Therefore the report shows the importance of performance appraisal in the success of an organization and achieving specialty of labor. The following steps should be followed in this regard: Organizational alignment: this is necessary to ensure that the workforce is completely aligned with the strategic goals of the organization. Organization alignment is what keeps the organization on track to achieving its goals, therefore requires a careful and regular analysis and feedback to make the required changes. Communication expectations: the communication between the employer and employees should be very clear and concise so that the flow of information among them is without any hurdle. Communication plays a vital role in multinational and national organizations, removing cross cultural or cross border communication glitches is very vital. Employee input: employee input is very necessary in the appraisal process. Employee should give the total input so that the desired objectives can be achieved. Employee input helps in resolving issues hence motivating employees to work and become specialized in their fields consequently helping the organization to achieve economies of scale. Set SMART goals: the goals should be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound (SMART). This is the key of getting the desired objectives. Unrealistic goals is been a problem of most of the failures in the industry, setting targets for employees which are unrealistic and hard or may be impossible to achieve will also de-motivate the workforce.

Are Zoos Inhumane? Essays -- Animal Cruelty

In the film, Madagascar, zoos are depicted as a sanctuary in which all the exotic animals are kept safe and are open for the public to view. But many would argue that zoos are inhumane, the caging of animals for our personal entertainment is unjustifiable. Those who believe that zoos are wrong and should be destroyed are animal rights activist; they believe that animals should be allowed to choose their own destiny. Those that believe that zoos are an important part of our lives are scientist and zoologist. This debate has gone on for generations and average folk are stuck in the middle, not knowing which side to stand on. The animals being kept in captivity could not be interviewed; their side of the story will be based on interpretation on their movement and interaction with animals in the zoo and in the wild. Are animals better suited to live in the harsh conditions of the wild or are they better suited to live their lives safely in captivity? Many animal rights activist argue that animals should be allowed to live their lives in the wild instead of captivity. That we as humans have no right to neither alter the fate of other species nor use them for our personal benefits. PETA who is well known for their animal rights view argue that â€Å"Captive animals are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them and as a result, they become bored and lonely and many even suffer from a condition called zoochosis.† (PETA 1) Zoochosis is a condition in which the animal wonders back and forth usually in the same position for hours on end. This condition is only seen in the zoos as a result of the animal’s captivity. As a result zoos provide these animals with Prozac, which is a mood-altering drug to help prevent public atte... ... in todays society. But one thing is for sure many would argue that zoos have brought humans and animals closer together for the good and the bad. Works Cited "Zoos." Animal Cruelty -. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2015. Lin, Doris. "Emaciated Asian Elephant Started Life at Busch Gardens." N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2015. Kaufman, Leslie. "To Save Some Species, Zoos Must Let Others Die." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 May 2012. Web. 12 May 2015. "Do We Need Zoos?" : An All Creatures Animal Rights Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2015. "CSA - Are Zoos Necessary." CSA - Are Zoos Necessary. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2015. Hone, Dave. "Why Zoos Are Good." Thegauardian. N.p., n.d. Web. Tuesday 19 August 2014 "How Zoos Are Saving Our Animals." – Features – ABC Environment (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2015.

Macbeth :: essays research papers

Macbeth: An Overview   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macbeth is presented as a mature man enjoying an enviable reputation. throughout this Shakespearean play, however, Macbeth's emotions change drastically. His abilities in battle are stupendous, yet his abilities as a husband and King are on the contrary. His overvaulting ambitions overcome his morality, and lead him to do â€Å"the evil deeds† that he commits during his reign.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macbeth's prophecies begin with his encounter with the three evil women, the witches. They put the thought into his mind that if he were to kill Duncan, he himself may become king. When Lady Macbeth found out about this, she liked the idea of becoming a queen. She uses many techniques throughout the first act to convince him to execute the King, including questioning his manhood. He appears to be a very strong individual before all of this occurred, being very stable mentally and being a hero in the eyes of his countrymen on the battlefield. All of this changes as the play progresses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"angel† on one of his shoulders is telling him how kind this male ruler has been to him and the country of Scotland. The little â€Å"greedy devil† on his other shoulder that wants to be King finally overcomes the â€Å"angel.† His mind finally warrants him the justification to kill King Duncan. He has deep regret for what he has done shortly thereafter. The murder of the King is the first to slowly break down his now fragile emotional state. He feels that after murdering the King, he has given his mind and soul to those evil and demonic forces which are the enemy of mankind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seems as though he is addicted to a drug; he must kill those who oppose him or those who (he feels) will do him harm in the future, yet he does not enjoy this. He is â€Å"hooked† on this drug and he knows it; however, he cannot stop until he is happy. He gains no satisfying peace because his conscience still obliges him to recognize the negative qualities of evil and the negative results of evil action. The individual who once prized mutable goods in the form of respect and admiration from those about him has now lost his sensitivity towards good and evil. His conscience is numbed, and he has almost reached a â€Å"peace† with himself, being morally obsolescent from what is really going on. The environment that he is subject to is continually being intensified, until his final encounter with Macduff ends everything.

What Leadership Means Essay -- Leadership Leaders Management Essays

What Leadership Means Leadership is 'the behaviour of an individual when he is directing the activities of a group towards a shared goal'. (Hemphill and Coons, 1957, p.7) A leader is interpreted as someone who sets direction in an effort and influences people to follow that direction. How they set that direction and influence people depends on a variety of factors. To really comprehend the 'territory' of leadership, one should briefly scan some of the major theories, notice various styles of leadership and review some of the suggested traits and characteristics that leaders should have. There are many leadership theories. Arthur G. Jago (1982) proposed a framework that organizes leadership theories based on each theory's focus and approach. "Focus" refers to whether leadership is viewed as a set of traits or as a set of actions. Focus on Traits: Theories with such a focus see leaders as having certain innate or inherent personality traits that distinguish them from non-leaders. These personality traits are supposed to be relatively stable and enduring. Focus on Behaviour: Theories with this type of focus see leadership as observable actions of the leader instead of personality traits. "Approach" is concerned with whether a particular theory or model of leadership takes a universal or a contingent perspective. Universal Approach: This approach believes that there is a universal formula of traits or behaviour for an effective leader. In other words, the universal approach assumes that there is "one best way" to lead in all situations. Contingent Approach: Contrary to the universal approach, the contingent approach does not believe the "one best way" formula. It believes that effective leadership depends on the specific situation. I am going to analyse two theories in detail, which according to me appear contradictory are Blake and Mouton?s Managerial Grid Theory (1978) under the head behaviour theories and Fiedler?s Contingency theories under the head contingencies theory. Behavioural Theories For over 20 years, a major thrust in leadership research has focused on the various behavioural patterns or styles used by different leaders and the functions fulfilled by these individuals. This research examined the impact that leadership behaviour had on the performance and satisfaction of followers. From... ... totally group or task-oriented; group members and the situation itself, all influence a leaders effectiveness. The leader needs to be aware of his own behaviour and influence on others, individual differences of group members, group characteristics, task structure, environmental and situational variables, and adjust his leadership style accordingly. Leadership needs to be adaptive. Organizations have changed over the past several decades with regard to the structuring of work methods and processes. Moving away from the traditional hierarchical design, most organizations are developing flatter, leaner structures that support a more empowered, team-based workforce. The nature of leadership has also changed significantly over time. References Gary A. Yukl, (2002) Leadership In Organizations, Prentice-Hall International Edition, 2nd Edition, Peter L. Wright, (1996) Managerial Leadership, Routledge, 1st Edition, Bittel L. R., The McGraw-Hill 36 ?hour Management Course, (McGraw-Hill, 1989), Fred E. Fiedler, (1987), A Theory Of Leadership Effectiveness, McGraw-Hill, 1st Edition Blake, R. R. and Mouton, J. S. (1978) The New Managerial Grid, Houston TX What Leadership Means Essay -- Leadership Leaders Management Essays What Leadership Means Leadership is 'the behaviour of an individual when he is directing the activities of a group towards a shared goal'. (Hemphill and Coons, 1957, p.7) A leader is interpreted as someone who sets direction in an effort and influences people to follow that direction. How they set that direction and influence people depends on a variety of factors. To really comprehend the 'territory' of leadership, one should briefly scan some of the major theories, notice various styles of leadership and review some of the suggested traits and characteristics that leaders should have. There are many leadership theories. Arthur G. Jago (1982) proposed a framework that organizes leadership theories based on each theory's focus and approach. "Focus" refers to whether leadership is viewed as a set of traits or as a set of actions. Focus on Traits: Theories with such a focus see leaders as having certain innate or inherent personality traits that distinguish them from non-leaders. These personality traits are supposed to be relatively stable and enduring. Focus on Behaviour: Theories with this type of focus see leadership as observable actions of the leader instead of personality traits. "Approach" is concerned with whether a particular theory or model of leadership takes a universal or a contingent perspective. Universal Approach: This approach believes that there is a universal formula of traits or behaviour for an effective leader. In other words, the universal approach assumes that there is "one best way" to lead in all situations. Contingent Approach: Contrary to the universal approach, the contingent approach does not believe the "one best way" formula. It believes that effective leadership depends on the specific situation. I am going to analyse two theories in detail, which according to me appear contradictory are Blake and Mouton?s Managerial Grid Theory (1978) under the head behaviour theories and Fiedler?s Contingency theories under the head contingencies theory. Behavioural Theories For over 20 years, a major thrust in leadership research has focused on the various behavioural patterns or styles used by different leaders and the functions fulfilled by these individuals. This research examined the impact that leadership behaviour had on the performance and satisfaction of followers. From... ... totally group or task-oriented; group members and the situation itself, all influence a leaders effectiveness. The leader needs to be aware of his own behaviour and influence on others, individual differences of group members, group characteristics, task structure, environmental and situational variables, and adjust his leadership style accordingly. Leadership needs to be adaptive. Organizations have changed over the past several decades with regard to the structuring of work methods and processes. Moving away from the traditional hierarchical design, most organizations are developing flatter, leaner structures that support a more empowered, team-based workforce. The nature of leadership has also changed significantly over time. References Gary A. Yukl, (2002) Leadership In Organizations, Prentice-Hall International Edition, 2nd Edition, Peter L. Wright, (1996) Managerial Leadership, Routledge, 1st Edition, Bittel L. R., The McGraw-Hill 36 ?hour Management Course, (McGraw-Hill, 1989), Fred E. Fiedler, (1987), A Theory Of Leadership Effectiveness, McGraw-Hill, 1st Edition Blake, R. R. and Mouton, J. S. (1978) The New Managerial Grid, Houston TX