Saturday, April 25, 2020
The Writing Style of the Last Leaf free essay sample
He is good at portraying minor characters. The sense of humor is the biggest characteristic of his short stories. He tends to make the end beyond all expectations, and he focus on the minor charactersââ¬â¢ living condition. The Last Leaf is one of his most famous short stories, and it best reflects his unique writing style. It is a story about living. It tells an impressive story among three poor and unsuccessful artists. It is a story about living. Old Behrman uses his life to save Johnsyââ¬â¢s life by drawing the last leaf of the ivy in a rain stormy night. During the first ten years after Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s death, there rose a surge about Oââ¬â¢Henry study in America, and his prestige reached the peak. He is called ââ¬Å"the new father of America literatureâ⬠. Now Oââ¬â¢Henry still attracts scholars home and aboard. Liu Wencuiââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"A Study of Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s Writing Methods in his Short Story ââ¬ËThe Gift of Magiââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ explores Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s peculiar writing methods used in ââ¬Å"The Gift of Magiâ⬠by addressing the distinctive title which combines metaphorical meaning, the living language with proper wording and the reasonable and surprising ending. We will write a custom essay sample on The Writing Style of the Last Leaf or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Liu Wencui, 2001) Then Wen Jiexia contrasts and compares Oââ¬â¢Henry with Maupassant in ââ¬Å"A Comparative Study between Maupassant and Oââ¬â¢Henry in Short Story Layoutâ⬠. Both Oââ¬â¢Henry and Maupassant are skillful at short story writing and famous for their ingenious and exquisite layouts. Each of them has characteristic and style in plot, ending and narration. By doing so, Wen Jiexia shows the ingenious writing skills of Oââ¬â¢Henry which comes from everyday life experiences. Oââ¬â¢Henry writes ordinary scenes of life, but he can extract vivid and unique plots from common scenes. Oââ¬â¢Henry tells his stories in an ordinary objective tone, with insertions of subjective comments, while Maupassant is objective, real and natural. Oââ¬â¢Henry criticizes the social reality by displaying the macroscopic appearance with microscopic reflection. (Wen jiexia, 2002) Moreover, in ââ¬Å"Narrative Analysis of Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s Writing Techniqueâ⬠Zhang Wenhua explains the theme on human virtues in Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s works with the binary opposition in the structural theory. The writer comments on the modes of the opening and ending with the theory of narrative modes. The typical surprising ending in Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s works is analyzed with the technique of defamiliarization. By doing so, Zhang Wenhua presents the unique characteristics of Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s works with regard to the narrative analysis. (Zhang Wenhua, 2007) Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s unique writing stylesââ¬âvivid plots, frequent coincidences, humorous language, unexpected ending and which moveding theme impress readers deeply. In this thesis, the author try to account for Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s writing style reflected in The Last Leaf. By discussing the language, structure and characterization portrayal, this thesis shows the concise and lifesome language, the ingenious arrangement and lively characters of this short story of Oââ¬â¢Henry. II. Language Features. Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s language has distinctive features: humor, simplicity, unique design, proper choice of words. In The Last Leaf, Oââ¬â¢Henry chooses exact, laconic, vivid words and various sentences to describe the background and scene of this short story, to make a psychological portrayal of the characters to be vivid and charming. By doing this, Oââ¬â¢Henry wants to make the readers enter the story,story; assumeing that readers share a prior knowledge of the incidents of the story with narrator. We can see these features clearly in his masterpiece The Last Leaf. A. The Accurate Choice of words At the beginning paragraph of The Last Leaf, Oââ¬â¢Henry uses accurate words to make the readers know the environment where the story is happening. Oââ¬â¢Henry uses ââ¬Å"colonyâ⬠, just one word, to let the readers realize that people who live there are poor and unsuccessful in their career. This also forms a strong contrast with the end of the story: people live in that place can have masterpiece as well. William Shakespeare has a wisdom, ââ¬Å"Brevity is the soul of witâ⬠, that is to use the least words to express a great amount of information, to use short and common but complex words, to leave out the redundant and vague words. In the sentence, ââ¬Å"Then she swaggered into Johnsyââ¬â¢s room with her drawing board, whistling jazz. â⬠, ââ¬Å"swaggeredâ⬠is more concise and to the point than ââ¬Å"walk in a self-satisfactoryâ⬠. And this behavior shows that Sue would not let Johnsy worry. B. The Rhetorical Devices To make the story more vivid and attractive, Oââ¬â¢Henry uses a series of rhetorical devices. In November a cold, unseen stranger whom the doctors called Pneumonia, stalked about the colony, touching one here and there with his icy gingers. Over on the east side this ravager strode boldly, striking his victims by scores, but his feet trod slowly through the maze of the narrow and moss-grown ââ¬Ëplacesââ¬â¢. (Oââ¬â¢ Henry: 15) Oââ¬â¢Henry uses personification in these sentences, and the parts with lineation in the sentences compare exactly and lively. Pneumonia is a ruthless and cruel devil, who deprives of the life of the weak. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦, said Johnsy, closing her eyes and lying white and still as a fallen statue. â⬠In this sentence, Oââ¬â¢Henry uses simile. ââ¬Å"a fallen statueâ⬠reflects Johnsyââ¬â¢s desperation for her recovery. And Oââ¬â¢Henry choices The Last Leaf as the title of this short story to symbolize the end of Behrmanââ¬â¢s life as well as to symbolize the regeneration of Johnsy. Thus the title highlights the theme of this short story. All in all, proper wording greatly increases Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s power of expression. C. The Variety of Sentences From the perspective of rhetoric,sentences not only call for correction in grammar, but also require change in the form, which will help to achieve the diversification of the forms of expression and enhance the effect of expression. To fit the language characteristics of the characters in the work, there are more simple sentences than complex sentences, more phrase than long sentences in The Last Leaf. But to enhance the effect of the expression, the author still manages to achieve the diversity of sentences by arranging sentences with different forms and sentences of varying lengths reasonably and cleverly. Take the second paragraph of this story for example: ââ¬Å"so the artists soon came prowling to quaint old Greenwich Village hunting for north windows and eighteenth-century gables and Dutch attics and low rents. Then it becomes a colony. â⬠These sentences are more vivid and smooth and have a sense of rhythm in reading. But if there are all simple sentences, the story may become tedious. In addition, in the sentence ââ¬Å"What was there to count? â⬠the author uses rhetorical interrogative as emphasis to avoid speaking in a dull, flat style. By doing this, Oââ¬â¢Henry not only highlights the following parts of the story, but also arouses interests of the readers. This story has four dialogues, in which the phrases are too numerous to mention. It mainly performs as the elliptical sentence: ââ¬Å"Paint? ââ¬âââ¬âbosh! â⬠ââ¬Å"Twelve eleven. â⬠ââ¬Å"Five what, dear? â⬠ââ¬Å"Leaves, on the ivy vine. â⬠These sentences, short and powerful, highlighting key information, simplifying the expression procedures, enhancing the language effects, are shortcut of language communication. Meanwhile, the story has inserted a number of long sentences, including both natural and simple loose sentences, and some periodic sentences which are end-loaded, playing a role of emphasizing. ââ¬Å"As Sue was sketching a pair of elegant riding trousers and a monocle on the figure of the hero, an Idaho cowboy, she heard a low sound, repeated several times. â⬠This long sentence is a periodic sentence. Oââ¬â¢Henry places the main part of the sentence at the end, to stress this part and to attract readers to read on. Another example is a passage in which Johnsy says: ââ¬Å"Tell me as soon as you have finished because 1 want to see the last one fall, Iââ¬â¢m tired of waiting. Iââ¬â¢m tired of thinking. I want to turn loose my hold on everything and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor tired leaves. â⬠The first sentence is loose sentence, with a clause to show reasons; the last sentence is also a loose sentence. ââ¬Å"Downâ⬠, ââ¬Å"just like leavesâ⬠these added modifiers vividly describe Johnsyââ¬â¢s despair. Oââ¬â¢Henry inserts short sentences in long sentences skillfully to make the story rhythmic, and full of appeal. Distinctive ââ¬Å"O. Henry techniqueâ⬠is able to touch the hearts of the readers largely because of its unique art of language. Oââ¬â¢Henry uses easy understanding, lifesome and concise language to portray characters and develops layouts. It can be said that language is the tool of the ââ¬Å"O. Henry techniqueâ⬠and plays an important role. Structure Features Clever stylistic rules and layout can make the fiction achieve unexpected artistic effect. The fiction has its own unique structure features, and the most basic elements are the background, characters, events and outcomes. Oââ¬â¢Henry lets these elements intersperse and completes each other to serve the main plot. In The Last Leaf, O. Henry uses apparent and shade clues: Johnsyââ¬â¢s hopelessness of life is the apparent clue, and Behrman in wet and windy night painting that piece of leaf on the wall is the shade clue. The use of two clues constitute plot blank to make the reader recreate the story plots, and the end of the story has a surprising and unexpected effect. We can see these features clearly in his masterpiece The Last Leaf. A. Oââ¬â¢ Henryââ¬â¢s ending The ending is O. Henryââ¬â¢s champion, which shows that O. Henry is the master of artistic skills. The ending holds primary importance in the ââ¬Å"O. Henry techniqueâ⬠, and has become a symbol and a mark. When people mention O. Henryââ¬â¢s stories, their first thought may be the unexpected ending. It can be said that ââ¬Å"O. Henry endingâ⬠has become a salient literary phenomenon in the worldââ¬â¢s literature and has swept across the literary world. Ancient and modern literary masters all think the ending is important and most of them stress on the function of the ending. Chekhov says whoever invents the new ending, opens up a new era. O. Henryââ¬â¢s ending has a finishing touch function on story, and capable of making the whole works suddenly fly out into the highest level of art. Throughout Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s works, the attractive plots like mountain spring water, whether it meets stone block, or in the flat, ups and downs, it can all flow freely, surging ahead. When the readers are brought by this spring to the destination, the spring turns rapidly in different direction, changing to a sudden turning, giving the readers an unexpected end. Faced with this unexpected outcome, the readers tend to be puzzled. But after the shock, the readers can immediately realize what has happened and find that this unexpected ending is real and reasonable. The Last Leaf is a typical work and can be serve as a good illustration. At the beginning, when the doctor said Johnsy only has 10% possibility to recover, the readers cannot help hating the disease, while showing sympathy for the poor girl. Later, the readersââ¬â¢ attention may turn to the pieces of falling leaves outside the window. They are holding the hope for Johnsy to live. The readers as well as Johnsy know that the last leaf will be falling, but they all hope it will not fall. But they are surprised by the result. The next morning it is still swaying in the wind, bringing Johnsy hope and giving readers comfort. The dialogue of the last paragraph pushes the story to a climax and the unknown Behrman leaves his first and last famous work. But the pneumonia deprives him of his life. So the readers are happy for Johnsy, and at the same time surprised that why the last leaf stays so long in the wind and cannot help feeling sorry for losing such a great and caring artist. The ending of the story is unexpected yet rational. The author does not give a positive description of the scene of Behrman drawing the ivy leaf with life, only relays through Sueââ¬â¢s mouth at the end of the story. As the mystery is unveiled, the story achieves its climax, but the climax is the end of the story at the same time. The story stops suddenly. The author always tells the story in a flat tone, neither the ups and downs nor twists and turns, and the plots advance slowly and are rational. But the end lets readers wonder. In the above discussion, readers do not see any clues of the old artist painting the last leaf to save Johnsy, but the ending reveals a miracle of life. The potential artistic charm of the work shines out miraculously. The artistic charm of Oââ¬â¢Henry ending is just like this. Rereading the whole short story, the old Behrman is the protagonist of the story, the spirit of the whole short story. B. Plot Blank The skill Oââ¬â¢Henry uses when he designs his unexpected ending is structure overlapping of apparent and shadow clues. The light clue hides the dark clue, and in progress of the plot some details have always been hidden, and the most important secret is conserved, and this is the use of ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠. The ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠is in the process of the continuous plots, purposely skips and it does not show a link and goes into the third event straightly from the first one. The skipping of this plot is the ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠. The plots of short story are showing materials selected strictly by the author through eliminating the false and retaining the true, deserting the dross and remaining the essence. They shoulder the important mission of expressing the themes and conveying the writerââ¬â¢s emotion, showing the personality and psychology of the characters. Therefore the narrators of the short stories are always careful in plot selection and typical refining, they also apply the most expressive characters act as the plot and make trade-offs. The discarded plots can be unnecessary or insignificant part of the story. But he value situation is to deliberately give up the plots which are closely related to the theme, make plot blank and leave room for the readers to stir up imagination, giving the readers re-creation pleasure and aesthetic enjoyment. Oââ¬â¢Henry uses ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠skillfully in The Last Leaf. He avoids talking anything about Behrman, and only shows that Behrman is an unsuccessful artist in the eyes of other people. This makes a tremendous contrast with the artist who paints a leaf that can be confused as real one in the following part of the short story. Is this artist really as bad as others say? The readers can judge it. The action that Behrman paints the leaf should be the key plot of the work, but the author eliminates the process that old Behrman climbs a ladder to light a hope for the Johnsy in the cold rainy night. Only at the end of the story Sue simply reveals the fact, Behrman died because he painted the vine leaf, making people suddenly realize the fact and at the same time it gets a huge shock on the soul. In the former part of the story, the readers does not see any clues that the old painter would save Johnsy , but at the end of the story it reveals a miracle of life, thus the internal artistic feature of the work shines out miraculously. From the view of receptive esthetics, the readers needs to finish the creation and addition of the plot. When the readers look back the story carefully, it is easy to imagine that in the rainstorm the old painter is dragging his faltering footsteps, strenuously climbing up the ladder and the rain wets his clothes and blurs his eyes, but he paints firmly. Because he knows that this is not an ordinary leaf and this is Johnsyââ¬â¢s only hope of life. He is helping Johnsy as well as realizing his artistic dream. Thus the surface plots of the story gradually are weakened while the internal circumstances are highlighted. The convergence of the surface events turns to the rational development of psychological feelings. The reasonable explanation of the whole work not merely relies on external circumstances, but on the emotional circumstances. Ingenious conception and clever structure is Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s distinctive features. In The Last Leaf, Oââ¬â¢Henry uses two clues of the apparent and shadow alternately, forming ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠to make the end of the story unexpected. The structure feature is the most dazzling jewel of the ââ¬Å"O. Henry techniqueâ⬠. VI. Conclusion Short stories are wonderful flowers in the garden of the world literature, and Oââ¬â¢Henry is one of the most successful gardeners. He has had a vast influence on an entire generation of writers attempting to see the society clearly and write the unexpected ending smartly. He puts his artistââ¬â¢s eyes and ears on the sights and sounds of the American society, and he takes ordinary events and incidents from everyday life, but he designs the plots skillfully. Oââ¬â¢Henry is a productive writer and he is known by the world for his ââ¬Å"Oââ¬â¢Henry techniqueâ⬠. The Last Leaf tells a moving story which is familiar to lots of readers. And this short story has many similarities with Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s other stories but it has its special aspects. The present thesis has studied Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s writing style shown in The Last Leaf. The first part of this thesis probes this short storyââ¬â¢s language feature, which is exact, vivid, easy-understanding and changeable. Language is a weapon of Oââ¬â¢Henry, useful and helpful to his creation. Chapter two has discussed the structure of The Last Leaf: ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠and unexpected ending. Oââ¬â¢Henry uses ââ¬Å"plot blankâ⬠smartly, leaving out some key information, resulting in an unexpected ending. This makes the story attractive, and gives the readers a room to imagine. Oââ¬â¢Henry has been one of the most popular and widely read American short story writers and people are familiar with his creations. Oââ¬â¢Henryââ¬â¢s stories are storehouse of human wisdom closely related not only to his own time and people but also those of the whole world. In conclusion, Oââ¬â¢Henry is a rare creative artist with a unique vision.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Free Essays on ââ¬ÅA Modest Proposalââ¬Å
Interpretation of ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠was a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift depicting the horrific conditions of Ireland and the lives of the Irish people in 1729. The author portrays and attacks the cruel and unjust oppression of Ireland by its oppressor, the mighty English and ridicules the Irish people at the same time. However, Swift's opposition is indirectly presented. Jonathan Swift is able to do so by using the persona, irony, and wit in order to expose the remarkable corruption and degradation of the Irish people, and at the same time present them with practicable solutions to their unscrupulous and pathetic lives. The author uses a satire to accomplish his objective not only because he is able to conceal his true identity but also because it is the most effective way to awake the people of Ireland into seeing their own depravity. Swift creates a fictional persona because by hiding his true identity he is able to convince the readers of the significance of Ireland's problem and allow them to see truth and reality. The persona is a concerned Irishman who is very intelligent, sound, and serious. He appears to be a brute and a monster for proposing something evil and immoral very calmly as if it is normal to consume the flesh of another human being. What makes his proposal to be even more depraved is that he proposes to eat the babies. The persona declares, ââ¬Å"and at exactly at one year old that I propose to provide for them, in a such a manner as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousandsâ⬠(2467). The persona justifies his proposal with numerous reasons. Besides the prevention of voluntary abortions and infanticide, it will also prevent the loss of money for maintenance of children and the abuse of women and child... Free Essays on ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalââ¬Å" Free Essays on ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalââ¬Å" Interpretation of ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠ââ¬Å"A Modest Proposalâ⬠was a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift depicting the horrific conditions of Ireland and the lives of the Irish people in 1729. The author portrays and attacks the cruel and unjust oppression of Ireland by its oppressor, the mighty English and ridicules the Irish people at the same time. However, Swift's opposition is indirectly presented. Jonathan Swift is able to do so by using the persona, irony, and wit in order to expose the remarkable corruption and degradation of the Irish people, and at the same time present them with practicable solutions to their unscrupulous and pathetic lives. The author uses a satire to accomplish his objective not only because he is able to conceal his true identity but also because it is the most effective way to awake the people of Ireland into seeing their own depravity. Swift creates a fictional persona because by hiding his true identity he is able to convince the readers of the significance of Ireland's problem and allow them to see truth and reality. The persona is a concerned Irishman who is very intelligent, sound, and serious. He appears to be a brute and a monster for proposing something evil and immoral very calmly as if it is normal to consume the flesh of another human being. What makes his proposal to be even more depraved is that he proposes to eat the babies. The persona declares, ââ¬Å"and at exactly at one year old that I propose to provide for them, in a such a manner as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousandsâ⬠(2467). The persona justifies his proposal with numerous reasons. Besides the prevention of voluntary abortions and infanticide, it will also prevent the loss of money for maintenance of children and the abuse of women and child...
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Far from Empire - German Colonial History and its Memorials
Far from Empire - German Colonial History and its Memorials Europeââ¬â¢s long and sinister colonial history can still be experienced in many places. Forced-upon European heritage, such as languages or the ominous right to militarily intervene, are found all over the globe. The different colonial narratives of the British Empire, the Spanish Navy or Portuguese traders are well known and often still glorified as a grand national past. Outside of Germany, the countryââ¬â¢s colonial history is not referred to often within Germany it is a rather sore topic. Being overshadowed by the two World Wars, it is up to recent historical studies to fully bring it into the light. Even if ââ¬â in terms of gaining territory, compared to its rivals - Germanyââ¬â¢s colonial endeavors werenââ¬â¢t exactly successful, German colonial forces are guilty of terrible crimes against peoples indigenous to their colonies. As are so many European histories of the 17th,18th, 19th and 20th century, the German one is not short of gruesome acts committed in the name of forging a global empire. German East Africa and German-Samoa Even though Germans were part of the European Colonial Expansion right from the beginning, the engagement of Germany as a formal colonial power started its endeavors rather late. One reason was that the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, before that there was no ââ¬Å"Germanyâ⬠that could, as a nation, colonize anyone. Maybe that is another reason for the pressing necessity to acquire colonies, which seems to have been felt by German officials. From 1884 on, Germany quickly incorporated African colonies such as Togo, Cameroon, Namibia and Tanzania (some under different names) into the Empire. A few Pacific Islands and a Chinese colony followed. The German colonial officers aimed at being very efficient colonizers, which resulted in very ruthless and brutal behavior towards the natives. This, of course, sparked rebellions and uprisings, which the oppressors, in turn, brutally put down. In German South-West Africa (Namibia), the German leaders attempted to segregate all inhabitants by a German upper class and an African working class ââ¬â following an ideology of deep biologist racism. This kind of segregation was not limited to German colonies. All of European colonialism shows this attribute. But, one can say that German forces were the most efficient as the examples of Namibia and, a Generation later, the occupation of Eastern Europe show. German colonialism was driven by heavy armed conflicts, some of which are rightfully called genocide (e.g. the so-called Herero Wars, which lasted from ca. 1904 until 1907), as German attacks and the following famines were responsible for the death of an estimated 80% of all Herero. The German colonies in the ââ¬Å"South Seaâ⬠also fell victim to colonial violence. German battalions were even part of ending the Boxer Rebellion in China. The first period of German colonialism ended after World War I when its protectorates were taken from the Reich, as it was unfit to be a colonial power. But the Third Reich brought a second period of course. A surge of colonial memorials throughout the 1920s, ââ¬â¢30s, and 40s prepared the public for a dawning new colonial age. One, that quickly ended with the victory of the Allied Forces in 1945. Memories and Memorials - Germanyââ¬â¢s Colonial Past is Surfacing The last few years of public debate and discourse have made it clear: Germanyââ¬â¢s colonial past can no longer be ignored and has to be duly addressed. Local initiatives successfully fought for the recognition of colonial crimes (e.g. through having the designations of streets changed, that bore the name of colonial leaders) and historians emphasized how history and collective memory itself is often a construct rather than an organically grown development. The self-definition of a society or community is created through delimitation on the one hand and the construction of a common past through notions of unifying grandeur, such as military victories, on the other. The composition of the latter is supported by memorials, memorabilia, as well as historic artifacts. In the case of German colonial history, these items are vastly overshadowed the Third Reich and are often only viewed in its context. Recent history and the present show that there is still a long way to go when it comes to processing Germanyââ¬â¢s colonial history. Many streets still carry the names of colonial commanders guilty of war crimes, and many memorials still show German colonialism in an exotic, rather romantic light.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Compare and Contrast the customs of Mexican Americans and Puerto Term Paper
Compare and Contrast the customs of Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans - Term Paper Example There are as many Puerto Ricans living in the United States than those living in the small island that has a population of four million (CountryWatch, 2011). Puerto Rico became property of the United States back in 1898 after the United States won the Spaniard-American war. A common trait between both ethnicities is that they are typically bilingual (English / Spanish). The Spanish spoken by Puerto Ricans is a bit different than the Spanish spoken by Mexican Americans in terms of words and accent. The parents of Puerto Ricans and Mexican Americans teach their kids Spanish at home and Spanish is often spoken in their households. Both races are sports fanatics. In boxing there is a big rivalry between Mexicans and Puerto Ricans. The Oscar De la Hoya vs. Tito Trinidad bout at the time was the biggest revenue generating non heavyweight pay per view bout in the history of boxing. Oscar De La Hoya is the most successful Mexican American fighter in the history of boxing. Baseball is the national pastime of Puerto Ricans, while many Mexican Americans prefer to play soccer. The tourism and travel tendencies of the two groups are different as Puerto Ricans often travel back and forth from the mainland US to the island of Puerto Rico. Sometimes Mexican Americans due to immigration issues of their parents do not travel as much back and forth. When they travel Puerto Ricans do not have to worry about foreign exchange considerations since Puerto Rico shares the same currency with the United States. Both ethnic groups believe a lot in the value of being a good host to their guests. Offering food and drinks to guests is a mutual custom of both groups of Latinos. The traditional foods of each Latino group are very different. Mexican Americans often eat a diet associated with floor tortillas, corn, refried beans, and rice, and chilies, spices, vegetables, beef, and cheese (CultureGrams, 2011). In Puerto Rico the most common meal is
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Human resource management in UK government Essay
Human resource management in UK government - Essay Example The financial stringencies of recent years have combined with growing anxieties about seemingly inflated local authority staff numbers to persuade local authorities to make increasing efforts to make better use of their existing staff, in order to reduce demands for extra posts. The pressure imposed by compulsory competitive tendering to reduce labour costs in order to retain service contracts within the local authority have also produced major changes in human resource management in local government (Fenwick, Shaw and Foreman, 2003). Since a long time, methods of improving human resource management and establishment control have expanded greatly in UK. Work study and organisation and methods techniques have developed rapidly. Computers have made the task of collecting, storing and analysing human resource records easier and quicker, a development which alarmed some trade union leaders because of the fear of job losses, as well as possible threats to privacy. In 1984 the Data Protection Act both improved the legal protection of confidentiality and gave data subjects the right to see information held about themselves on computers and correct it where it is inaccurate (Elcock, Stephenson 1996). The development of these and other new management techniques led the Fulton Committee to urge the speedy development of systematic human resource management in the civil service. Similarly, the Bains Committee (1972) urged local authorities to recognise that: The human problems of management in local government are in no way different from those in industry or the civil service. The resources devoted to the solution and more important the prevention of those problems in local government are in our view generally inadequate. (Bacon, Eltis, 2001) Local government had not, in the Bains Committee's view, made adequate use of the techniques available for improving its efficiency in the use of personnel. However, concern about human resource management is relatively new in local government. In the mid-1960s, the Mallaby Committee was charged with investigating the staffing of local government and its report was hardly a recipe for a radical change of approach to human resource management. In the chapter devoted to this subject, the committee made frequent references to the previous inquiry into local government staffing carried out by the Hadow Committee and it did little more than endorse the recommendations of the earlier committee. Thus the Hadow Committee had recommended that local authorities should create establishment committees responsible for human resource matters, including controlling the size of the authority's departments and vetting requests for new posts. This was establishments work as traditionally understood in the public services: a concern to restrain the size of departments and ensure that new posts are created only when they are absolutely necessary. The establishments committee should be advised by the authority's clerk, a member of whose staff should take responsibility for human resource matters. This approach was largely supported by the Mallaby Commi
Friday, January 24, 2020
James S. Hirschââ¬â¢s Book, Hurricane :: Essays Papers
James S. Hirschââ¬â¢s Book, Hurricane In James S. Hirschââ¬â¢s book about Rubin "Hurricane" Cater, Hurricane, the author describes how Carter was wrongfully imprisoned and how he managed to become free. Hirsch tells about the nearly impossible battle for Carter and his friend John Artis for freedom and justice. Both, Carter and Artis, were convicted of a triple homicide, and both were innocent. The book raises the importance of, and questions, the writ of habeas corpus. Carter used a writ of habeas corpus to get a federal trial. Many question the legality of Carter going into federal jurisdiction, when his case should have been heard before the Supreme Court of New Jersey. It was a gamble, but the federal judge gave fair justice to Carter and Artis. The State of New Jersey appealed the case all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which upheld the District Courtââ¬â¢s ruling. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was a boxer who hailed from Paterson, New Jersey. His story begins in the summer of 1966, during the Civil Rights Movement. Carter was at the Lafayette Bar and Grill on June 17th, but he was denied service by the bartender, James Oliver, due to his race. Carter left the bar after being denied service. Around 2:30 A.M., two armed black men came into the Lafayette Bar and opened fire. Oliver and one customer were killed instantly. Two other patrons, Hazel Tanis and William Marins, were seriously wounded. Patty Valentine, a tenant who lived above the bar, looked out her window just after the shooting. She saw two black men leave in a white car. Nearby Alfred Bello and Arthur Bradley were breaking into a factory. Bello was the lookout, and his exact location - inside or outside the bar - would be a point of concentration for the next twenty years. The police arrived at the bar within minutes. They took statements from Marins, Valenine, and Bello. Not one of them said they had seen Rubin Carter, one of Patersonââ¬â¢s most well-known citizens, at the scene. A police bulletin radioed officers to be on the lookout for a white car with two black men inside. Four minutes after the shooting, but before the police bulletin, a Paterson police officer was chasing a speeding white car which was leaving town.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Leadership Communication Essay
While some people may assume leadership communication does not have to be led by an effective communicator. , It is essential to know that people that withhold leadership positions in organizations need to have strong effective communication skills that are successful within the organizations that suite their positions. Public health organizations such as health departments have leadership communicators who initially, address issues that reflect the present and future of the organization to other members and staff. This is a detailed duty that needs to ensure a person is a superior communicator (Barrett, 2006). Messages that are given from a leadership perspective reflect values of the organization such as vision, mission, and culture (Barrett, 2006). Leadership communicators also focus on consistency expressed through an organizations values in which they communicate frequently within the organization. People that withhold positions in leadership communication strengthen the values and culture within an organization based on organizational values and the mission of the organization (Barrett, 2006). Leadership without good communication is a setback in many organizations, which is why itââ¬â¢s desired for anyone in leadership communication to have certain traits and characteristics. This essay will depict the traits and characteristics needed for success. I chose this as a topic of interest because; many people are unaware of what leadership communication is and the things that they should be aiming towards to become a more effective communicator. I felt that if this topic was highlighted from a different perspective it would strengthen the communication and/or make people in leadership communications become more effective and beneficial communicators within their organizations. I chose to look at leadership communication from the public health leadership aspectà of organizations, because it is essential for them to have strong effective communicators. Surely, while again some people may feel leadership communication does not have to be led by an effective communicator. This essay will highlight some key essentials so that itââ¬â¢s better understood why it is essential that people that withhold positions such as these in leadership have strong effective communication skills within public leadership positions. Effective Communication Concepts/Skills Working in the public health sector has allowed me to familiarize myself with the communication concepts of effective leadership communication. People that withhold positions in proficient development as public health leaders are required to have very strong communication skills. Leaders require competency-based instruction in order to increase their ability to address complex and changing demands of critical services (Wright, 2000). Anyone that is in a leadership position has to be able to speak clearly and proficiently to various types of people. Public health requires individuals in communication leadership to also withhold personal skills of leadership that are essential to the success of public health organizations. People in leadership must master effective communication in order for people around them to have assurance in what they are verbalizing about from a leadership standpoint. Being an effectual leader is well-established in knowledge and implementation of accurate communication skills (Baack, 2012). Lines of communication must always be open from a leadership standpoint in which the people they are speaking to. Interpersonal influences reflect the way the audience receives the information from a leadership standpoint. Communication Process in Leadership The communication process in leadership involves interchanging messages between the source and the receiver (Rowitz, 2012). Maintaining a healthy communication has proven to be effective in productivity. Individuals that withhold positions in communication leadership have to ensure the proper communication channels are followed and open in order to ensure effective communication in the workplace. In the public health sector communication channels have to be open at all times in which all employees understand how they work within the workplace. There are many different ways in whichà communication is transmitted within the workplace through leadership communication such as, emails, phones, letters, memos, and face to face meetings. These are very common in public health organizations, due to the increased demand of communication. Leadership communicators look for feedback through all sources of communication that enhances the communication process. The communication processââ¬â¢s can either be verbal or non-verbal. Managers need to ensure that no matter which way they communicate that its always effective communication. Important Traits for Leadership Communicators Many people are unaware of what traits a person in leadership must poses in order to be a successful and effective communicator. Personal characteristic traits such as the ability to make public speeches, rather itââ¬â¢s a group or individual communication. Motivation is a very essential characteristic. People in the public health sector have to be very compassionate and motivated about things in which they are speaking, based on the fact the main goal and function is to communicate effectively to the public in which they understand. Can you imagine if someone was trying to persuade you to stop smoking, through a public speech in which they were non- motivated? The speech would not be considered effective and would not pose as an effective outreach to the public. As a person in leadership when reaching out to do health education to the public we have to ensure we are portraying effective leadership skills, in which people generally look for when speaking. Communication skills are very important to ensure effective leadership in communication. When speaking publicly there is a lot of diversity that public speakers encounter. The proper traits and skills generally assist in these matters and prove to be effective in meeting the needs of various groups through effective communication. Most successful leaders have these traits and skills needed. Leaders also have to be able to respond appropriately and think quickly. Many times, when public health organizations hire or seek people to speak in leadership positions they ensure that the candidate posses certain traits, characteristics, and skills. They make certain the candidate knows how to communicate with all elements of the organization; the public health sector is a major organization with numerous groups of people. Leaders are required to knowà how and when to communicate with everyone within the organization, including employees, other managers, and community leaders. All groups require a different communication style and leadership style in which a person in leadership communication must be able to adapt at any time. Flexibility is an important aspect and is also required for skills that a leader must have. When he/she is delivering a message or presentation to the community it would differ in style compared to speaking to employees or other individuals in leadership. Applying Concepts By means of applying the concepts of effective leadership communication to public health organizations and identifying ways in which communication can be improved have found ways in which communication from a leadership perspective can be identified and more effective within the community. By applying the organizational communication concept general communication plays a key component in effective leadership communication. I have found develops that a person that speaks publically through leadership begins to build effective organizational communication is targeted through open dialogue which is developed between management and employees. This showââ¬â¢s to be a result of improved engagement and productivity amongst all personnel. Research When researching leadership communication concepts it allowed me to understand the overall dynamics of an effective leader and the role that they play in the public health sector. When you work in a public health organization you are able to identify and understand what effectiveness is, it makes it easier to identify it within a speaker. When you are able to recognize what skills a person must poses in order to be the most effective as a communicator it makes it a lot easier to improve and evaluate different aspects of communication. I have identified areas in which some people need to improve on as they take roles in leadership communication. If areas that need improvement are highlighted implementations can be made for improvement. The characteristics and traits identified in this essay which surrounds productivity and success behind an organization that presents effective communication through leadership (Rowitz, 2012) supersedes theà amount of people that assume people in leadership do not have to poses skills and concepts to be effective communicatorââ¬â¢s. Those who have no knowledge draw incorrect assumptions (Barrett, 2006).This essay has highlighted through my research the knowledge and concepts that some lack when it comes to leadership communication. As Barrett states, ââ¬Å"Leadership without good communication is a setback in many organizations, which is why itââ¬â¢s desired for anyone in leadership communication to have certain traits and characteristics. Communication Training Program In the future of building a leadership communication training program I would propose an organizational leadership and communication certificate training program. The program would be designed to teach people internally within the organization the key fundamentals of leadership development and effective communication strategies. The program would be a team building approach in which everyone would benefit successfully. Upon completing the training program which would be primarily 8 weeks each participant would receive a certificate of completion for successfully completing the program. The training would assist in developing leadership skills, as well as teach speaking skills in a presentation/workshop style class dynamic. Individuals would be introduced to ways in which they could improve their leadership skills. By offering trainings employees and leadership communicators will be able to identify and improve their areas of weakness. I have found that trainings improve employee mora le making communication more effective ensuring successes in productivity. Conclusion Though my researches I have concluded that people that are in leadership positions as communicators must be effective communicators and have a strong set of skills and characteristics that have been highlighted throughout my thesis. This essay depicted the traits and characteristics needed for success. It is essential that people that withhold positions such as these in leadership have strong effective communication skills within public leadership positions. While some people may still assume leadership communication does not have to be led by an effective communicator, facts prove differently based on success within organizations that recognizeà specific traits and characteristics needed to succeed in effective communication. The more trainings and improvements that are implemented will ensure that individuals in leadership are well prepared for public speaking within and outside of the community. References Baack, D. (2012). Management communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Barrett, Deborah. (2006). Leadership communications. McGraw-Hill Professional, Education, Inc. Garcia, H. F. (2012). Leadership communications: Planning for the desired reaction. Strategy & Leadership, 40(6), 42-45. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/10878571211278886 Hackman, M. Z., & Johnson, C. E. (2004). Leadership: A communication perspective. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press. Hughes, R. L., Ginnett, R. C., & Curphy, G. J. (1996). Leadership. Irwin. Press, N. C. D. (1996). Organizational communication. An Integrated Approach to Communication Theory and Research, 383. Rowitz, L. (2012). Public health leadership. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Vries, R. E., Bakker-Pieper, A., & Oostenveld, W. (2010). Leadership=Communication? the relations of leadersââ¬â¢ communication styles with leadership styles, knowledge sharing and leadership outcomes. Journal of Business & Psychology, 25(3), 367-380. doi:http:/ /dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10869-009-9140-2. Wright, K., Rowitz, L., Merkle, A., Reid, W. M., Robinson, G., Herzog, B., â⬠¦ & Baker, E. (2000). Competency development in public health leadership. American Journal of Public Health, 90(8), 1202.
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