A commentary on a passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein

The passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's â€Å"Frankenstein† is a warning to society that we cannot let science get too far out of hand; that knowledge entails social responsibilities. She writes in the style of the 19th Century Romantic Movement, portrayed though her long sentence structures punctuated with commas, colons and semi-colons. The syntax is often inverted from that of modern writing; word use is also different from that of modern writing. The passage is written in first person narration, which means that the reader rarely sees anything outside of the narrator, that is from Frankenstein's perspective. Hence the tone of the writing is mostly reflective and self-critical, but is frequently changing throughout the passage. The passage is very â€Å"Gothic† and explores indecisiveness, horror and pity. The passage commences â€Å"I sat one evening in my laboratory† which conveys a feeling that there is nothing unusual in his sitting there. The word â€Å"evening† is the height of the line, thus stressing the time of day. The â€Å"evening† is often associated with dying and mystery, and so a sense of murky mystery is immediately created in the passage with the â€Å"the sun had set, and the moon was just rising from the sea† which depicts a clear picture of the atmosphere. It illustrates a time of transition, and is a metaphor reflecting the indecisiveness of the scientist, Victor Frankenstein. It is also a reference to nature, which is, along with the long sentence structures of the passage, typical of the 19th Century Romantics. Shelley often uses this long structure to make our voice rise and fall on certain words, so we accent some of them. It makes us concentrate and pause on certain words of importance. The words â€Å"idle† and â€Å"pause†, which are still a continuation of the long first sentence, slow down the sentence reflecting the actual notion of being in thoughtful pause. Next, the sentence continues on to stress the word â€Å"labour†, which explains to the reader what the scientist was thinking about. His contemplation is described with a metaphor present in the beginning of the next sentence, â€Å"a train of refection†. He is, in particular considering â€Å"the effects of what I was now doing†, which implies that his present work could have major effects, and he perhaps has not yet considered them fully. â€Å"now doing† is an example of inversion, as we are accustomed to write ‘doing now' in modern English. This again shows a characteristic of writing in the 19th Century Romantic genre. The tone of the passage is soon turned from reflection to one of regret. The phrase â€Å"bitterest remorse† is used to describe the absolute regret that scientist felt for the action which he had been â€Å"engaged in† three years ago. From his thoughts it becomes apparent to the reader that he had â€Å"created a fiend† three years before and that he is currently creating another. From this we can see that Frankenstein is bitter at both the monster, potentially wanting revenge, and also at himself for creating that monster. The uses of the word â€Å"fiend† shows that Frankenstein believes that the monster is an evil, devilish creature. It is here that we feel that Frankenstein has perhaps gone too far with science, misusing the power of knowledge for self-indulgences, and now reaps the product of this self-indulgence. It portrays how unpredictable and potentially disastrous playing with nature and creation can be. This was a conventional belief of the 19th Century Romantic movement. The narrator then goes on to describe the â€Å"fiend† as having â€Å"unparalleled barbarity†, an example of hyperbole, which implies that the monster he has created is so hideous that he is even odd in his barbarity. However, it can be felt that Frankenstein does not directly blame the monster for his devilish character, but rather its â€Å"unparalleled barbarity†. This implies that the monster became barbaric and evil through circumstances, such as not belonging or being able to relate to anything or anyone, rather than through his basic nature. Frankenstein's uncertainties are further expressed when he illustrates that he is â€Å"ignorant† of his female creation's potential disposition. He hypothesizes that â€Å"she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate†, displaying how evil the creature could be. Shelley makes us pause on the word â€Å"delight† to further describe the possible evil of the creature, as she continues in the sentence to describe that the â€Å"delight† is in â€Å"murder and wretchedness†. This is the first time in this extract that the gender of the new monster becomes apparent. Also, while it is implied that the original monster, was involved in â€Å"murder and wretchedness†, it took no delight in it nor did it for its own sake. As well, to get his point across, Frankenstein again uses hyperbole in order to create an impression of his fear and uncertainty as â€Å"ten thousand times more malignant† implies that any atrocity could occur. â€Å"He had sworn to quit the neighbourhood of man, and hide himself in deserts†. In this line the reader realises that the monster has asked Frankenstein to create a female mate for him, because of his loneliness and desperation; and for this we have pity for the monster. Frankenstein suggests that the female monster might refuse to leave human civilisation, further expressing his doubts in persevering with his â€Å"labour†. Frankenstein's thoughts reflect the fact that this female creation â€Å"in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal†, but at the same time lower her to the status of a savage â€Å"animal†, and so, once again, demonstrating his loathing of the original monster. â€Å"the creature who already lived loathed his own deformity, and might he not conceive a greater abhorrence for it when it came before his eyes in the female form?† – is Frankenstein's consideration for the fact that the two monsters might have a loathing for each other. This view is probably originating from 19th century social belief that the female's main function was to look attractive and be obedient. â€Å"She also might turn with disgust from him to the superior beauty of man† is written in, what is to us an arrogant tone, as we feel that Frankenstein is much too biased towards â€Å"man†, although voicing the general convention of the time that humans were the peak of creation. Thus, we feel even more pity for the monster. In a way, this is once again Shelley's way of reflecting society's view of women in her time. Women, like the monster created, were lonely, helpless and had no power. The monster has no choice for a mate other than another of his kind, a kind whose appearance he finds horrible. He is helpless. Frankenstein also suggests that â€Å"she might quit him, and he be again alone, exasperated by the fresh provocation of being deserted by one of his own species.† This suggests that the monster is destined to be alone, deserted by even his own kind, simply because of his appearance. The second paragraph of the passage mentions the â€Å"deserts of the new world†, which returns us to the theme of the Romantic writer's exploration of nature, with the idea of â€Å"new world†. Even so, the tone of the paragraph soon changes to one of fear. There is a shift from the sympathy of the previous paragraph, and Frankenstein's fear becomes apparent. He soon talks about how one of the first â€Å"sympathies for which the daemon thirsted would be children†. The description of the monster as a â€Å"daemon†, once again depicts Frankenstein's view of the monster as being purely malicious. He fears that a whole â€Å"race of devils would be propagated upon the earth†. Frankenstein fears that this â€Å"race of devils† would make the human race â€Å"full of terror† or, at worst, destroy the human race. Then, changing into a tone of nobility, and even a hint of egoism, he asks himself – â€Å"Had I a right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?† From this he implies that the world depended on his action, and that he should not be selfish for his own safety, which is a change from his previously self-centred thoughts. He refers to the monster as a curse, an indication of its perceived position, and perhaps also the theological implications of the monster's presence. However, Frankenstein does not mention the best possibility of his situation – that the monster would just quietly go, and remain out of the reach of human civilisation. The description, nevertheless portrays Frankenstein's view of the monster as being malevolent, as well as his discontented belief that the monster would show any sympathy to the human race. Frankenstein realises how craftily the monster had lured him into making the female monster, with the â€Å"sophisms† put forth. Despite all of the disastrous results of Frankenstein's creation of the original monster, and Frankenstein's fear and horror, the monster managed to persuade Frankenstein through a combination of sophisms and â€Å"fiendish threats† to create him a female mate. Again Frankenstein realises the potential importance of his actions, and the fact he could become famous for his self-centred actions. Here the cunning of the monster becomes apparent to the reader, but a sense of pity is still felt for the monster, who could relate to no one. The next paragraph is commenced with an ambiguous statement, â€Å"I trembled, and my heart failed within me†. We are left with a sense of uncertainty as to the source of all this terror – was it the fear of creating the monster he was working on, or the fear of the monster that already lived? This is answered later on in the fifth paragraph of the passage where we find that it is the thought of resuming his â€Å"labours† that is the cause. On â€Å"looking up†, Frankenstein sees the monster at the window. The tone of the passage at this point changes to one of fearfulness and absolute terror, reflecting how weak Frankenstein is compared to his creation. This fear is reflected through the description of how â€Å"a ghastly grin wrinkled his lips†. The word â€Å"ghastly† reflects the fact that the monster is not ‘human', rather a mythological savage. The monster is described as having ‘allotted' the task of creating the female monster to Frankenstein. The use of the word ‘allotted' implies that the monster has gained power over Frankenstein, through terror and cunning. Frankenstein's fear is further conveyed when we find that the monster is, through his desperation, ‘stalking' Frankenstein, to ensure that he attains his female companion. Frankenstein then tells us that the monster had an expression of â€Å"the utmost extent of malice and treachery.† At this point of the paragraph, Frankenstein kills all sympathy that we had previously felt for the monster, portraying him in the dimmest, most horrific light. Hyperbole is also being used, to exaggerate this effect. This treacherous look leads Frankenstein, to come to his senses and destroy the monster in a fit of rage. He describes himself as â€Å"trembling with passion†. He is so overcome with rage and fear that he trembles. His enraged strength is enough to tear the monster to pieces, again demonstrating the intensity of his anger, fear and horror. The destruction of this female creation was the destruction of all chances of happiness that the existing monster could grasp. The monster is now referred to as â€Å"The wretch†, making him seem helpless. Calling him this also projects the fact that all happiness has been destroyed. This is a contrast to his previous descriptions as a â€Å"daemon†, an image of strength. The monster again becomes subject to the sympathy of the reader. The monster is described as giving a â€Å"howl of devilish despair†. By howling, he is reduced to being almost an animal. The fact that he is howling with revenge implies that he has not yet been defeated, and Frankenstein has perhaps secured his own downfall. As well, the device of alliteration is evident here: the two ‘d's in â€Å"devilish despair† emphasising the plight of the monster. The fifth paragraph switches back into a tone of reflection. He speaks of never resuming his labours again, making a â€Å"solemn vow†. From this we see the absolute remorse Frankenstein feels in his heart for creating the first monster, as well as his sense of absolute helplessness. The next paragraph is a contrast to the rest of the passage. It is written in a lighter, Romantic tone, presenting a sense of calmness and tranquillity. It is a description of nature, another trait of the 19th Century Romantics when he describes a ‘few fishing vessels alone speckled the water†, portraying how nature can overcome man. A sense of mystery is created as the paddling of oars and a person landing their boat near Frankenstein's house interrupts this calm. The arrival of the boat is shortly followed by the slow opening of a door, the creaking of the door suggests the slowness, which creates a sense of imminent peril. We are left with a sense of mystery, as even though we predict that it is the monster, we do not know who is at the door.

A Playground of Life Lessons Essay

A PLAYGROUND OF LIFE LESSONS Where were most of your memories made in elementary school? Ask almost anyone, and their answer will be, â€Å"On the playground during recess!† Unfortunately, the youth of today may not have the opportunity to make those memories. As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, more than forty percent of schools have reduced recess time, while seven percent have completely eliminated it from the school day (Pappas, 2011). With physical education only being offered to elementary students once a week, typically for forty minutes or less, recess is more important now than ever before. The absence of recess in schools will result in a long-term negative impact on these children’s health, learning, and social development. Recess could possibly be the only opportunity throughout the day for some children to engage in social interactions with their peers. There are many children who have no siblings, or who may live in rural areas that aren’t conducive to gathering with friends after school. The free time that is given during recess allows for the development of social skills that will be beneficial for a lifetime, such as, making choices, developing rules for play, team building, and conflict resolution. These are basic social fundamentals that can’t necessarily be taught in a structured classroom setting, but are imperative in everyday life. Not only is recess crucial for developing social skills, but many lifelong friendships are built while swinging on the play set, or waiting in line for the monkey bars. Being able to nourish those friendships and spend time together gives kids something to look forward to during the school day. It’s a little incentive to get them through when classroom activities become boring and monotonous. Recess is also one of few opportunities for adults and teachers to observe how children behave socially with one another during free play. This can help to determine any tendencies to fight or bully, identify children who possess leadership abilities, or pinpoint any other strengths or weaknesses that can and should be nurtured. In a typical classroom setting, children don’t have the ability to showcase talents that aren’t academic. With childhood obesity on the rise, recess is detrimental to the health of children. Inactivity is associated with childhood obesity tripling since around 1970, along with an increase in other health issues, like elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol (Jarrett, 2002). When children aren’t given the opportunity to be active during the school day, they don’t tend to go home and make up for the exercise that was missed. Research revealed that children were actually less active when they got home from school on the days when they had no recess or physical education classes during the school day (Dale, Corbin, Dale, 2000). Even though not all children participate in physical activity during recess, they won’t even have the opportunity if it’s not offered. Today’s youth is already choosing television and video games over playing outside, so why should we support a sedentary lifestyle by eliminating recess from schools? Physical activity is also impe rative for good mental health. Maintaining physical fitness has shown to increase self-esteem in children, and adults (AHA, 2012). In school aged children, it is especially important to reduce anxiety by burning off excess energy that is built up while sitting in class. The best way for them to do that is by having recess! New experimental research done by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine has also shown that children who are offered recess during the day have less behavioral issues in class. Teachers in a particular school district were asked to rate their students’ behavior, and those students who were given at least a 15 minute recess throughout the day scored higher than those who weren’t (Parker-Pope, 2009). Obviously, recess offers a break from the sedentary routine of the day. The cognitive benefits of that break are astounding! For adults and children alike, breaks are deemed necessary for satisfaction and alertness. Research has also shown that breaks during learning result in a better quality of retention and recall due to the presentation of material being spaced instead of all at once. This research is conducive to what is already known about brain functioning: â€Å"that the brain needs downtime to recycle chemicals crucial for long-term memory formation, and that attention involves 90-to110-minute cyclical patterns throughout the day† (Jarrett, 2002). Other theories state that there is a positive correlation between unstructured interaction with peers, and higher results on intelligence tests (Jirikovic, Vansyckle, McIntyre, & Irish, 2005). Aren’t higher test scores the main focus of educators today? Children aren’t the only ones that need a break from the mundane curriculum. Teachers and aides need an opportunity to regain energy levels, discuss the day’s activities and observations, and get things in order for the next lesson on the agenda. With the heightened expectations of teachers and their accountability for academic progress, the break time that is offered by recess is extremely beneficial for both their job performance and state of mind. It may take them a few minutes to get their classes back on track to learn once they return from free-play, but it has been shown that students are more focused and well behaved after recess (Jarrett, 2002). With so much evidence that supports the benefits of daily recess, it’s surprising that the elimination of it has even come into question. However, there are those who believe that recess is unnecessary and that it takes away from the time and focus on academics. For those people, I would advise to examine the research and the long term benefits that recess has been proven to offer, as well as, the potential negative effects that would result in making it a thing of the past. Some say that school is a place for learning, not playing. I say that the learning that happens during interaction with peers as a child is irreplaceable by any academic lesson plan. Strong social skills are an integral part of moving forward in the world. Any career that you choose is going to require the ability to interact with people, whether it is with co-workers, vendors, patients, or customers. You can have the best academic resume in the world, but if you can’t make your way through an interview, the employer is going to choose someone else for the job. The social skills required to communicate effectively and adapt to certain situations are only learned through personal experience. This personal experience starts on the school playground. There is also the issue of bullying that comes into play when children are offered unstructured play time, such as recess. While that is a valid concern, and should be treated as such, children also need to learn life coping skills and resiliency. Life isn’t fair, and there is usually always a bully, even as an adult. Today’s children are being coddled too much, and given a false sense of security and protection. I feel it would be more beneficial to teach children how to deal with bullying situations, rather than treat them as if they don’t exist. Observation of student’s personalities during recess can help teachers and adults to identify who needs guidance in these areas, as well as, provide them the opportunity to pinpoint the bullies and stop them in their tracks. Although there are arguments against recess, there is no research that supports the benefits of eliminating it from schools. While it may free up a few more minutes for teaching reading comprehension or long division, those minutes are counter-productive if these children have â€Å"zoned-out† and are unable to retain what is being taught. Recess needs to stay in schools, and be recognized for what it is; a playground of life lessons. BIBLIOGRAPHY American Heart Association. (2012, November 26). Physical Activity and Children. Retrieved from website http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Physical-Activity-and-Children_UCM_304053_Article.jsp Dale, D., Corbin, B., Dale, K. S. (2000). Restricting opportunities to be active during school time: Do children compensate by increasing physical activity levels after school? Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport 71(3):240-248. Jarrett, O. (2002, July). Recess in Elementary School: What Does the Research Say? (ERIC Digest). Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED466331) http://www.eric.ed.gov/ Jirikovic, R., Vansyckle, J., McIntyre, C., Irish, B. (2005). RECESS – TIME WELL SPENT! Retrieved from website http://www.timeday.org/pdf/newsletter_february_2006/Recess_Project.pdf

The Vietnam War Memorial

The Vietnam War Memorial, like the war it memorializes, was initially steeped in controversy. It was called unemotional and ‘a black gash of shame’. Criticism was leveled at the artist for her being of Asian extraction. Like the Vietnam War, Americans gradually began to see the other side of the coin and it is now one of America’s most revered art pieces. It is comprised of black granite panels set into ground so that the viewer literally walks into the piece. On the panel is carved the names of the 58,000 plus American war dead (Sands). It is a part of the landscape by design. Lin said, â€Å"I didn’t want to destroy a living park. You use the landscape. You don’t fight with it,† (greatbuildings.com).   A companion piece, a statue of American warriors, war weary and in battle dress was erected at the site. I think the memorial is a moving piece of art, fraught with symbolism that is more apparent when visiting it than it can ever be from photos or descriptions. It is the duty of any nation that sends its young men into combat to remember and honor those who gave the ultimate for their country. I think that while hostilities are ongoing and the deaths are mounting, however, the tribute should take a form different from a cold memorial. I think the man who sent them to the war zone should read us the names of each fallen warrior at the close of day and explain how that warrior died. If he refuses, then each day in the House of Representatives the names should be read, and those names then be carried to the White House. The purpose of a war memorial is not always the same for every war and for every cause. It can be a tribute to the fallen dead in a war that was waged for survival. It can be a piece of propaganda for a war that had no business being waged. It can be designed and erected as a balm to heal the scars of a bitter and divisive conflict. Vietnam divided our nation and nearly brought us into open rebellion with the government that refused to listen to the will of the people. The veterans of the Vietnam War seem to be flooded with memories when they confront the names of fallen comrades whose names are engraved in the polished black granite. Yusef Komunyakaa’s poem, Facing It, described the feeling he had of being back in the war, symbolically being inside the memorial itself. He could see the explosion that killed his friend by reading the man’s name on the wall. â€Å"I touch the name Andrew Johnson; I see the booby trap’s white flash,† (lines 16-17), he says in the poem. At Santa Monica Beach near Los Angeles every Sunday a local chapter of the Veterans for Peace erects a temporary memorial to the fallen dead of the Iraq War (Veterans For Peace). It is called Arlington West for the Arlington National Cemetery in the east.   It is similar to and different from the Vietnam War Memorial. It has a list of fallen Americans as a tribute to them but also it memorializes the dead Iraqis, which the Vietnam Wall does not do for the fallen Vietnamese. Volunteers erect rows of crosses and symbolic flag draped coffins. It is more performance art than a permanent fixture but still emotionally moving, particularly to the families of the dead. Visiting there is a way to express the grief and frustration the same as at the Vietnam Wall. It shows that there is not a single way to create a memorial any more than there a single way to create art. There are different ways to move people. The Vietnam Wall is a vital robust and moving tribute to a nasty war. It has helped to heal a divided nation and bring closure. The Arlington West project is for an ongoing war and can be seen as a protest of that war as much as a memorial to the dead. The idea of requiring the people who send men off to war to read the names of the dead seems to be fitting. They would be forced to see the toll they are taking at least in terms of numbers and perhaps put a face on the dead. For now they are simply statistics. Bibliography Greatbuildings.com   2007   Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Retrieved 4-3-07 From:http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial.html  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Komunyakaa, Y. Facing It   Ã‚   HERE INSERT THE FOLLOWING: NAME OF TEXT BOOK, CITY OF PUBLICATION FOLLOWED BY COLON, THEN NAME OF PUBLISHER AND THE YEAR OF PUBLICATION Sands, K.   Jack Magazine   Maya Lin’s Wall: A Tribute to Americans Retrieved 4- 3-07 from:   http://www.jackmagazine.com/issue9/essayksands.html Veterans For Peace  Ã‚   4-07   Arlington West Memorial Santa Monica Retrieved 4-3-07 from: http://www.arlingtonwestsantamonica.org/   

Renewable and Solar Power in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Renewable and Solar Power in the UK - Essay Example The paper tells that the solar energy is an alternative for the more widespread fossil fuel based energy sources such as oil, gas and coal. The UK possesses 0.3% of global oil reserves. A peak for oil production in the UK occurred in 1999, and by 2010, this tailed off by 54%. There are indications however, that there could be an estimated 25 billion barrels of oil remaining in British waters. Tapping into these reserves however, would require a capital expenditure of around  £60 billion so it would be very costly. As of 2010, oil production in the UK was 63 million tonnes, estimated reserves stood at 751 million tonnes, which was a decrease of 18 million tonnes from the previous year. Gas production in the same year was 55 bcm and reserves stood at 253 bcm, which was 3 bcm less than the previous year. The situation for natural gas in the UK is therefore similar. There was a sharp decline in UK gas reserves from 0.74 trillion cubic meters in 2000 to 0.66 trillion cubic meters in 200 1 and by the year 2010, the gas reserves were as low as 0.25 trillion cubic meters. Also, as the production of gas in the UK is 57.1 billion cubic meters whereas the requirement is for 93.8 billion cubic meters, 39% of the UK's gas supply requirements is met by import. Oil reserves are also diminishing globally. The official OPEC's claim of an estimated 1.150 billion barrels is exaggerated and the actual reserves are believed to be between 850 billion and 1.35 billion barrels. (Telegraph, 2010). Moreover, it is believed that the demand could outstrip the supply by 2014. In fact, natural reserves are decreasing for both oil and gas while at the same time, there is a rising global demand for coal and oil. For the UK, Busby (2010) suggests greater use should be made of bio-diesel, landfill gas, and geophysical energy sources such as wind energy and hydropower. However, there is a problem in that deriving energy from the wind, rain and Sun is not as reliable as using pumped storage syst ems. Regardless, wind and solar powered technologies are promising. Wind energy for example, could meet up to 20% of the national energy requirements (Busby, 2010). As of July 2011, the UK government has now decided to promote the use of low-carbon forms of energy as part of its reformation strategy through providing incentives such as Fee-in-Tariffs for solar PV, Renewable Heating for wind and nuclear power and through establishing an emission performance standard (Envirolink, 2011). In its Energy White Paper 2011, the government set out its objectives (SSE, 2011). These included providing additional revenues to existing low carbon production efforts, making future investments in low carbon generation, and shutting down older less efficient plants. In its publication titled 'Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation', the government recognised that increasing energy needs and controlling environmental impact are the two biggest challenges for the UK energy sector (POST, 2011). Sol ar power can meet the need for reducing the UK's carbon footprint because the environmental impact of its use is much less than of coal and other fossil fuels. In fact, all fossil fuelled technologies, such as oil, gas and coal, have the largest carbon footprints whereas non-fossil fuel based technologies such as solar, wind, tidal, hydro, biomass and nuclear are

Community safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Community safety - Essay Example In multi-storey buildings, the number of occupants is also more than in single dwellings. The increased population density gives rise to a greater risk of fires and other hazards. The increased height compared to other low height buildings and houses requires specific management strategies employed for large structures and necessitates the need for special fire safety systems and measures. Moreover, buildings which are under construction pose greater risks for domestic fires to the occupants. The need for an effective fire safety system becomes even more urgent if the occupants are migrant workers. Changes in the electricity and gas supplies by occupants can significantly increase the potential for a domestic fire. This paper attempts to examine fire safety strategies that can be employed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities as a result of domestic fires in multi-occupancy high-rise buildings which are under construction and provide overpopulated temporary housing for migr ant workers. One of the major risks that an overpopulated high rise structure presents is the problem of evacuation. In the case of evacuation during a fire emergency, a large number of occupants inside the building can increase the time taken to evacuate. Many buildings do not have a sufficient number of staircases and fire escapes. Evacuation measures also delay the fire suppression by firefighters. This causes more spread of the fire, and even more damage to the property, not to mention the increased fatalities and injuries that will accompany the spread of the fire to other parts of the building. Evacuation measures are also hampered by the lack of internal staircases to protect from smoke and fumes. The heat emitted from the fire can also cause injuries and burns. The problem of limited stairwells becomes even more acute in a building that is under construction and is overpopulated. Not only would it be difficult to evacuate the building,

General Functions of Management As They Related To Project Management Essay - 9

General Functions of Management As They Related To Project Management - Essay Example The researcher states that the management is involved in the project planning which includes listing all the project activities and tasks including the time taken and the relationships between the tasks. Project management can be defined the discipline which is involved in planning, organizing, leading and controlling resources in the achievement of specific goals. Project management steps include planning, organizing, project initiation, project monitoring and control and the project closure. Project managers are concerned by the project constraints which include people, time and money resource constraints. The general functions of management are applied in the successful management of projects. The management should be involved in the planning phase by establishing project plans of action which are either short term, medium term or long term. Project management also involves organization of the project resources mainly the human resources. Project manager assigns the roles and resp onsibilities to different personnel involved in the project and also delegate the authority. Just like general management, project managers have a leading function whereby they are supposed to motivate, coordinate and communicate with the project employees to ensure the project goals are achieved effectively. Project managers also control the project progress by reviewing and monitoring the project progress against the project plans and taking the necessary corrective action where deviations exist. Some of the main concerns of management include identification of the stakeholder interests and expected outcomes since numerous users of the project have different needs. Another main concern of the management is the project constraints. The main constraints include time, finances and scope hence altering one constrain will impact on the rest. If the project manager reduces the completion time, additional resources will be required to meet the new project schedule.

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice Article

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice - Article Example As an accountant, she has minimal influence on the activities of the human resource department and her actions in the case are therefore faulted and misplaced. As an employee of the organization, she may recommend employees but the right of appointment rests with the human resource department. Her actions while at the human resource department further portray lack of respect and should thus attract stringent and punitive measures with the view of instilling discipline in the rest of the employees. The organization reserves the right to hire and fire the employees. However, in doing this the organization must adhere to specific laws as entrenched in the constitutions and laws governing the country. There are different mechanisms through which an employee can obtain the human resource each reliant on a specific set of laws. One of such is a contract; a contract refers to an agreement between different parties to undertake a particular job for a duration. Most employers prefer contracts as a method since it safeguards the interest of the organization. The parties consent to the contract only after accepting the terms and conditions of the employment, the terms and conditions of a contract vary depending on the organization and the nature of the job. The right to hire employees from the applicants permits the department thus the organization to carry out any action to ensure that they obtain the best employee for the organization. Contracts give the organizations the authority to manipulate the terms of engagement and whoever accepts such thus becomes bound to the terms of the contract document. Despite the freedom organizations enjoy because of the contract mechanism, they are equally bound to respect different virtues of humanity and such include the contract termination procedure, the hiring process and remunerations. Contracts are always a temporary feature that demands that organizations enumerate their contractors effective for their services. The human resou rce department thus carries out extensive interviews on every applicant regardless of their background thus validating the action by the human resource department at Ironside for not considering Max an applicant recommended by Mrs. Connors. The termination of a contract is liberal to the employee but may not be to the employer. The contract term should always elapse before an organization lets off its employees. Just as stated in the definition, a contract runs for a specific duration, a time within which both the employer and the employees agree to work together. In the event of a termination therefore, both the parties must meet with the view of protecting their personal interests. Both parties may instigate the termination of the contract only that in each case, the two parties must accept the ramifications of such an act. The employer may terminate the contract at any time depending on the interest of the company. However, in doing this they must provide written statements that explain the reasons for such an act and remunerate the employee for the remaining time. The employer may also initiate the termination of the contract. In such a case, the employee must provide the employer with a written document explaining such a move and in this case expect no remuneration for the remaining time to the elapse of the contract. The other employment type is the permanent and pensionable. The mechanism is more demanding for both the employer

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 51

Discussion - Essay Example My knowledge of what to do in the organization and an understanding of the distinction between right and wrong helps me perform my duties in an ethical and virtuous manner. My strict self-control and conscience also help portray a high ethical standard at my workplace. My ability to avoid unethical temptations in the organization is key to my high virtuous behavior. Ethical characters reject individual gains if such benefits are not in line with organizational benefit and goodwill. I need to close any gap between knowledge about what I need to do and the actual actions, in order to improve my ethical behavior. According to John Maxwell (2007), there are diverse causes that lead to unethical behavior including the fact that individuals just legitimize their actions with relativism. Accountability and follow-up measures are important for the improvement of ethical behavior and instilling virtuous values into practice. The human resource personnel of the companyhas to p ut up systems and procedures that can remind me of the commitments to ethical behavior and help me connect my actions with virtuous deeds. The duty of a leader in an organization such as the human resource manager is the provision of opportunities and an enabling environment in which all employees of the organization can realize and develop their talents and potential. My organization encourages a culture of ethics among its leadership where their ethical role is not to satisfy self-interests but creating necessary conditions employees to achieve their full potential. It is a requirement and a standard of leadership in my organization that has enabled many employees to nurture their talents and realize their full potential. My organization is alive to the fact that the key to the growth of a firm is the identification and nurturing of the high potential and talent of

Pros and Cons of Religious Discrimination in the Workplace Research Paper

Pros and Cons of Religious Discrimination in the Workplace - Research Paper Example It is evident from the study that despite the unlawfulness of religious discrimination, it still however exists even in the United States. The number of complaints againt religious discrimination is even on the rise. The agency tasked to oversee labor practices in the United States, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that religious discrimination in the workplace settings have more than doubled â€Å"from a little over a decade ago, resulting in roughly $10 million in settlements. Last year, nearly 3,800 were filed†. Despite the startling figure on how much it costs for companies to continue their discriminatory practices against religion, its end cannot yet be seen in the near future. Much of this discrimination cases against religion were against the Muslims. The disadvantage of religious discrimination is not only in the cost associated with settlements when a case is filed against the company. The biggest cost that is incurred against the company in this disc riminatory story is the one that cannot be easily counted which is lost productivity due to the dampened morale of employee or employees because of discriminatory practice. The court settlement and its associated costs during the litigation can easily be monitored by its receipts but opportunities lost had the worker or workers been motivated to work are not easily quantifiable. Religious discrimination is pernicious and is highly resented especially in America where practice that infringes on individual’s freedom is highly frowned upon.... This will translate to the markets negative perception of its stock, thus, it will follow that its stock price will decline due to the negative perception of the market. When that happens, returns to the shareholders will also decline. Thus, the evil cycle will begin with shareholders leaving the company aggravating the already negative perception on the company. In the end, the company may even go bankrupt just because of the market’s negative perception of the company with its labor practice. The general patronizing public will also tend to view the product of a company which practices religious discrimination negatively. When nobody is buying or availing a company’s product or services, it will naturally follow that the company will eventually fold. This only stresses the importance of a company to veer away from any form of discrimination be it religious or any form of discrimination such as race because it will affect their ethical practice which is critical in to Corporate Responsible Management (CRM) (Ellet 89) that will have a direct impact on the market perception on the company (Fischer et al 830). Corporate Responsible Management is important because it could determine how the general patronizing public and its shareholders will receive the company which is crucial in its viability as a company. Another obvious disadvantage of practicing religious discrimination is complication with the authorities. The government is very sensitive and particular against the practice of discrimination. Even if the company will not file a case, the government will file the case against the company if it believes that a company is guilty of

Preschool Literacy Essay Example for Free

Preschool Literacy Essay This paper is going to outline the myriad of benefits that high-quality preschool literacy programs will afford families, communities, school districts and the world. Today, numerous researchers are delving into HOW to establish an effective and successful pre-school program. In this paper, I hope to answer several questions: ? What is pre-school literacy? ? What benefits do participants in a preschool program receive? ? HOW do we go about establishing a high-quality pre-school literacy program? I am rather passionate about this area. Being a speech pathologist, literacy skills and communication skills are so interwoven it is difficult to separate them. I have to say that while going to school many years ago, we didn’t learn that much about literacy as it related to speech and language development. It is only recently that researchers and educators have identified the importance of how both developmental areas are linked. I feel that establishing successful and highly effective programs that incorporate family and child directed activities are crucial to the success of our young students. That being said, let’s explore pre-school literacy. What is preschool literacy? Most people hear the word ‘literacy’ and equate that with ‘reading’. This would be an adult analogy. For very young children, we don’t, nor should we, expect them to read! Early literacy skills refer to many different things, none of which is sitting down with Mom at the age of two and reading aloud for her. At the youngest ages, early literacy skills refer to children’s exposure and experience with books. The following list is derived from Schickendanz (1999) and Early Literacy (www. zerotothree. com) . It states that early literacy behaviors include: ? Book handling behaviors – handling and manipulating the book ? Looking and Recognizing- how are they paying attention to the book, pictures, words; demonstrating recognition of pictures, etc. ? Picture and Story Comprehension – Imitation of actions noted in a story, talking about a story ? Story-Reading Behaviors – verbal interactions with the books, imitating a pointing a finger at words and/or pictures. ‘Establishing strong early literacy behaviors is essential to literacy development and should be the focus of early language and literacy programs’ (Early Literacy, 2003) It is suggested that these skills develop naturally and unfold as a result of social interactions with parents and caregivers, rather than direct instruction. I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. Ideally, it is everyday interactions with infants and toddlers that include talking and book reading that help establish the crucial beginning stages of literacy development. I recently heard on a radio program (can’t cite it) that children between the ages of 0-3 years should hear approximately 30,000 words a day to build an effective vocabulary! Amazing. Todd Risley, co-author of Meaningful differences in the 3 everyday Experiences of young American children (Mangione, 2005), states that isn’t an intentional teaching of these behaviors but rather embedded in the social interactions. He believes, as do I, that oral language skills appear to be the basis of phonological processing skills, which is a strong indicator for reading readiness in kindergarten. As children move into the preschool realm, (typically described as ages 3 through 5), prereading skills are developing along a continuum, rather than as a set of discrete and separate skills. In the article Critical Issue: Addressing the literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers (www. ncrel. org), the authors made a very interesting point I’d like to share with you. They discussed the various stages of literacy development that are not relevant to this article, however, an important transition occurs when a child’s â€Å"‘reading’ of a story changes from sounding like oral language to sounding like written language. This demonstrates a change in ideas from thinking of reading as spoken words to understanding that reading is recreated from written text that has special wordings† (McGee Richgels, 1996;Sulzby, 1991). It is the beginning of the child’s print recognition. With respect to specific pre-school literacy behaviors that we should see addressed in a high-quality preschool program, the most important would be: ? Oral Language- engaging in rich conversational exchange with students, developing oral vocabulary, reading aloud daily, having children develop their own stories by looking at pictures (Tomie DiPola books are excellent for this) ? General Knowledge – what prior knowledge are the student’s coming into school with that they share, encouraging questions and new experiences with in the classroom, ? Print Awareness- being exposed to various written materials, some repetition of early literacy behaviors, point/drag techniques while reading ? Alphabet knowledge – the ABC song, recognizing sounds that letters make, letter recognition. ? Phonological awareness- Increased awareness of the sounds of the letters and how to play with them through rhyme, segmenting, blending, ? Pre-writing skills – later stages of development and exposure to writing mediums (pen, pencil, crayon, markers, paint), using journals with self-made pictures, word walls. (Roskos, K; Christie, J, Richgels, D, www. naeyc. org) How do participants in high-quality preschool programs benefit? I think I could go on for days about the benefits of an excellent preschool experience. For the sake of brevity, I won’t! Numerous studies have been conducted to determine whether preschool programs are beneficial and cost effective. The majority of studies suggest the answer to that is an overwhelming YES. 4 The Chicago Child Parent Center (CPC), the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program and the Abecedarian Project are all examples of highly qualified preschool programs. The CPC is recognized by the US Department of Education as an exemplary early childhood program. A comparison of the benefits of these programs was conducted, yielding what I thought were incredible results. These programs have been in effect since the 1960’s, servicing low-income areas in Chicago and Michigan (Lee, J, www.ccsso. org). In a speech given by Dr. W. Steven Barnett of the National Institute for Early Intervention Research in 2006, three separate studies compared the results of participants enrolled in the above-mentioned preschool programs against a control group that wasn’t enrolled in any preschool program. Their longitudinal studies revealed amazing results, which are credited to the attending of the preschool programs. According to them, participants in the program (as compared with non-participants): ? Were less likely to be enrolled in special education ? Had a higher rate of high school completion ? Demonstrated higher test scores ? Were less likely to repeat a grade ? Had increased earning after completing high school ? Engaged in less criminal activities ? Had a lower incidence of smoking, pregnancy and abortion. These benefits did not stop at the poverty line. They also demonstrated that middle class children benefited from the experience as well. He discussed the well-known fact that disadvantaged children benefit more when they are in class with children from different socio-economic backgrounds. An analysis I found very interesting was that ‘For every dollar invested into the preschool programs described in this paper $7 is saved in public expenditures’ (Lee. www. ccsso. org). WOW, think what that could mean to a superintendent’s budget! When trying to determine whether a preschool program could benefit those in the middle class, the US Dept. of Education, NCES, (1997) article entitled Dropout rates in the United States:1995 determined that middle class children have fairly high rates of the problems that preschool reduces for low-income children. While benefits decrease gradually with an income increase, the overall benefits are greater when ALL children are exposed to PreK. In an evaluation of 5 state prek programs conducted by Barnett,W. S, Lamy, C. and Jung, K. (2005), results revealed that in all programs, whether universal or targeted, students demonstrated gains in language, literacy and math. While all students (various SES backgrounds) gained, the low-income students gained more. Soooooo†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 How do we go about establishing high-quality preschool literacy programs? In an ideal world with unlimited funding, it wouldn’t be too difficult. However, we don’t live in an ideal world and much needed financing is often diverted to other important (or not so important! ) causes. Really, what is more important than education? One resolution could be to emulate the success demonstrated by the Chicago and Michigan programs spoken about earlier in this paper. In Rockland County, some school disctricts already offer a district-based preschool program. This year, all districts were alloted slots to participate in a Universal PreK initiative. However, while that is an excellent start to establishing a much needed entity, a lot of work still exists. During my research gathering I read many, many articles that discussed the family-centered literacy approach. Such as at the CPC, involving the parents and providing them with strategies and useful techniques to help their children empowers them and makes them feel useful and successful. Without parental involvement at the preschool level, literacy development suffers. Since the institution of NCLB, many school disstricts are seeking wasys to provide needed support to their students without it becoming a ‘special ed’ component or target program. Instituting a universal prek program benefits all. Looking at the various achievement gaps that Dr. Barnett identified in his paper, while there is significantly more of an achievement gap at the lower SES levels, there are still marked gaps in the middle class level, thus further justifying why ALL students would benefit from the experience. In an effort to establish successful high-quality preschool programs in Texas, the retired CEO of Texas Instruments was aware of the huge impact the Perry Preschool Program had on its communities and he was eager to replicate that success in Texas. Therefore, after establishing a successful pilot program, the participants wanted to be able to spread the success throughout the state and a handbook â€Å"Improving Early Literacy of Preschool Children’ was developed for prekindergarten educators. The authors and editors really were able to target what a high-quality program looks like with suggestions on how to implement them into your existing programs. The following steps are indicated to improve a preschool program: ? Set goals ? Create an improvement plan ? Build a classroom library ? Train the teachers and encourage collaboration. ? Keep rack of student’s progress ? Inform and involve parents 6 ? Communicate with elementary schools the children will attend ? Measure and document results (Dougherty, 1999) All of these steps are so important to developing a program that is successful. It is hard to determine whether one step is more important than another. Personally, I really feel that if the teachers and the teaching assistants and/or aides are given the proper training, every interaction with a child will take on new meaning. The Margaret Cone Head Start Center in Southeast Dallas has serviced predominantly low-income populations. As part of their language enrichment program (LEAP), each teacher attends six weeks of instruction at the nearby university as well as several workshops a year. Because of these teacher trainings, Cone Center children have produced improved scores on a variety of tests targeting vocabulary, language skills and social skills. I believe that involving the parents as much as possible and having them in the classroom for a half-day a week or twice a month lets them see what is happening and provides modeling they can use at home. Obstacles that I can identify at this point to establishing high-quality preschool programs that ALL children can attend include: ? FUNDING ? Private preschool programs vs. school district based programs ? Consistent participation on the part of the parents ? Difficulty providing quality training programs for the teachers and teaching assistants/aides due to lack of funding, time, resources While I feel there are many excellent examples of qualified and successful preschool programs in Rockland County, we do not meet the needs of all the children of the preschool age. As CPSE chair, I am able to provide special education needs to many children that require it. However, there is great variability between the programs that we recommend students attend. Consistent high-quality preschool programs would be beneficial to ALL students involved, not just the special needs children. In conclusion, it is a well-documented fact that preschool literacy education benefits all children involved. The need lies in our ability to establish high-caliber programs that are consistent, with staff that is well trained and caring. I think if we can distribute the information about the long-term effects researched and prove to the masses (school boards! ) that the bottom line would be cost savings to the community, we might see some change. I look forward to that day! References 1. Schweinhart, L. J. Lasting Benefits of Preschool Programs ERIC Digest. ericdigests. org. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www. ericdigests. org/1994/lasting. htm 2. Dougherty, C. , et al. Improving Early Literacy of Preschool Children a Handbook for Prekindergarten Educators. Texas Instruments, 1999. 3. Lee, J. The Benefits of Preschool for High School and Beyond. Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www. ccsso. org 4. Roskos, K. A. , Christie, J. F. Richgels, D. J. The Essentials of Early Literacy Instruction. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from www. naeyc. org/resources/journal 5. Mangione, P. L. (2005). Creating Language and Literacy Experiences for Infants and Toddlers. PITC Graduate Conference. Berkeley, CA. 6. Johnson, D. Sulzby, E. Critical Issue: Addressing the Literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers. North Central Regional Educational Library. Retrieved January 21, 2008, from http://www. ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li100. htm 7. Barnett, W. (2006, Jan. 10). Research on the Benefits of Preschool Education: Securing High Returns from Preschool for All Children. New York, NY. 8. Brain Wonders. Early Literacy (2003). Zero To Three. Retrieved January 24, 2008, from www. zerotothree. org/BrainWonders.

Causes of Religion in the US and Liberalism in Mexico

Causes of Religion in the US and Liberalism in Mexico Religion and Society Final Exam Account for the continuing vigour of religion in the United States. The United States remains the most dominant centre of science and rationalism on the planet today- normally these social factors create a division between religion and people, although, in America, people continue to be highly religious. Religion in America is available to its people as effortlessly as consumer goods are; a market economy. Every possible religious idea is freely available to be practiced within this market economy and their popularity is due to the vast availability of these religions and religious ideology; simply put, Religion in America is based on variety. There is a very large social significance to religious practice in America. There is a connotation in America that one must believe in a higher power, i.e. God. People are looked upon as different and out of the ordinary of American society if some allegiance and devotion is not expressed towards God. Even though devotion to mainstream Churches is declining, religion and religious practices remains of high prio rity to American people. America is in an era that is showing devotion to mega Churches. Mega Churches hold religious services traditionally (within a house of worship), and non-traditionally (through radio and television broadcasts) to very large amounts of people. These non-tradition religious communities are poised to spread the word of their specific beliefs and faith through modern means; this is a very simplistic approach to gaining and maintaining interest in their message of God and Gods will. The modern approach to religious devotion and the social significance that Americans place on religious belief all account for the vigour of religion in America. Although all forms of religion make up the religious right of America, there are still certain religious groups who have a higher percentage of followers compared to others. Religious groups want to ensure these popular religions remain powerful especially when faced with social and political issues within American government and state. Moral Majority is a coalition of religious believers with influence over important people within America with important ties to government, the corporate world, etc. The organization is thought to have influence over American politics in order to preserve religious ideology and influence on American law and way of life. The total integration of religion within all aspects of America is a direct reflection of the importance placed on religious belief and practice by many within the country. Discuss the impact of liberalism on the Catholic Church in Mexico. Napoleons conquest of the Iberian Peninsula was the first instance where we observe the Catholic Churches attitude toward liberalism. The Catholic Church initially showed supported toward the revolution because in Spain they were seeing radical groups take away the control they had over the regions churches and schools. After the Catholic Churches war in Spain they were faced with severe unrest within their own Church, but also with severe economic turmoil. These hard times opened the doors for political organizations to take shape. A well known group that came about was called the Masonic Lodges. These Masons were historically very Anti-Catholic and worked to eliminate the influence of Church from state; they had planned to disrupt the Catholic Church and its day to day proceedings in anyway necessary. There were many groups like the Masons and eventually they would collude and join forces, thus creating the Liberal Party, thus creating the liberal movement and the revolution had be gun. They came into power through the rebellion at Santa Anna and quickly began to pass laws again restricting the Catholic Churches role within Mexico. Formally the Catholic Church had its hands in various aspects of Political Mexico. During this time the Liberal Party constructed the Constitution and by this mediated the Churches role in public life. The Catholic Church rebelled against their new oppression although with help from American allies the Liberal Party was triumphant and remained in power. These power struggles called for changes in the way the Church conducted itself, not through the wish of the Catholic Church but by unrest caused by opposing sanctions and inner conflict of the impact of Liberal changes. The Catholic Churches only remaining ray of hope was to rebel, with the help of the Cristeros. It was the Cristeros goal to have the ability to let Catholicism play a central role in their lives. It was their goal to free themselves from a state which threatened their beliefs and way of life- they did not divide the two. There revolution was indeed popular and well fueled but came short because of the American assistance and political agenda integrated with the current regime. The Catholic Church was at a standstill in Mexico and Liberalism had exhausted it to its very core, revolution after revolution. George Grant wrote in 1963 unassisted reason is able to know that without religious beliefs and actions no society whatever can last. Evaluate this statement using the ideas and historical evidence presented in this course. Without religious beliefs and actions no society whatever can last. This indicates that without religious influence a society cannot function, grow, and survive. Religion creates a fill for the apparent truth regarding the unknown in this world that people of all race and gender crave. In all of the races, classes, and regions studied in this course there was an underlying need for structure, truth, and reason. As stated in this course the study of religion is the public practice of mutual rituals which join a society together. These rituals are usually based around a trust and faith of some supernatural force or essence. The joining of society, which religion does is pivotal to a positive achievement of life and goals for all within a society. United we stand and divided we fall is an excellent way to describe the importance of structure in society.