Saturday, May 23, 2020
William Blake Songs of Innocence Experience - 1256 Words
ââ¬Å"The Chimney Sweeperâ⬠Songs of Innocence amp; Experience analysis with, William Blake In 1794 William Blakeââ¬â¢s work was known and published as a collection of poems that were put together as one book called Songs of innocence amp; Songs of Experience. In the collection Blake titles a poem, ââ¬Å"The Chimney Sweeperâ⬠, and this one is viewed in two ways: Innocence and experience. In the book of innocence Blake shows how poor innocent children are being abused and mistreated during this time era. In Songs of innocence, ââ¬Å"The Chimney Sweeper,â⬠is about the way childhood youth is destroyed, taken away or ruined by selfish mean-spirited adults. Innocence to Blake was in a way not even in existence. He always believed that the world of oneââ¬â¢sâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦However, they are not his ideal target here. He suggests that it is because I am happy and dance and sing that they think they have done me no injury.(Line9-10) While no excuse is offered for the church that they have run off to the parents may not be malicious; it is possible that they are simply misguided, or perhaps self-deceiving. The sweeper clearly implies that God and his priest and king are to blame, because they make up a heaven of our misery.(Line11-12) The question that comes to mind after reading and analyzing the third stanza is one I think most would assume. How could those whom have such a ââ¬Ëgreat standingââ¬â¢ in faith run off, leave a child to finish the job that has been tasked out for him/her to do; and forget them, proceeding to go give praise to God? It is clear that the parents seek acceptance from the church and if putting their child on the back burner is what it takes that is the way they are choosing. As a result, this poem accomplishes it purpose very well. In Songs of Experience, the child in ââ¬Å"The Chimney Sweeperâ⬠understands that he is a forgotten son. Another Key point that I would like to make is the comparison with Innocence and the term ââ¬Ëgoodââ¬â¢, and Experience with the term ââ¬Ëevilââ¬â ¢. Blake also referred to his poem, The Lamb with innocence and goodness, contrary, The Tyger with evilness and experience. This collection of poems by Blake does make one question things that they normally would not. This in depth topicShow MoreRelatedSongs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake925 Words à |à 4 PagesWilliam Blake writes his poems in ââ¬Å"Songs of Innocence and of Experienceâ⬠in a manner of retrospective self-analysis. Blake writes, attempting to understand the differences and paradoxes that he has observed. In his poem ââ¬Å"The Tygerâ⬠, Blakeââ¬â¢s artful questioning of the paradoxes in creation is exemplified. Blake poses questions that he does not answer, however his purpose is almost certainly to come to terms with creationââ¬â¢s idiosyncrasies, and to come to a better understanding of existence. AlthoughRead MoreWilliam Blake in Contrast of Songs of Innocence and of Experience1452 Words à |à 6 PagesEN 222-Intro to British Lit. II April 21, 2012 William Blake in contrast of Songs of Innocence and of Experience William Blake, an engraver, exemplified his passion for children through his many poems. Blake lived in London most of his life and many fellow literati viewed him as eccentric. He claimed to have interactions with angels and prophets, which had a great influence on his outlook of life. Blake believed all prominent entities, those being church, state, and government had become sick withRead MoreWilliam Blake s Songs Of Innocence And Experience1268 Words à |à 6 PagesWilliam Blakeââ¬â¢s Songs of Innocence and Experience, printed in 1794, ââ¬Å"represents the world as it is envisioned by what he calls ââ¬Ëtwo contrary states of the human soulââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Greenblatt, 1452). This collection of poetry is accompanied by pictures, which create a mutually reliant relationship that allows for complete understanding of Blakeââ¬â¢s works. ââ¬Å"To read a Blake poem without the pictures is to miss something important: that relationship is an aspect of the poemââ¬â¢s argumen tâ⬠(1452). Overall, Blakeââ¬â¢s worksRead MoreSongs Of Innocence And Of Experience By William Blake Analysis868 Words à |à 4 PagesSongs of Innocence and of Experience is the foundation of the work of one of the greatest. English poets and artists. The two sets of poems reveal what William Blake calls ââ¬Å"the two contrary states of the human soul.â⬠In both series, he offers clues to deeper meanings and suggests ways out of the apparent trap of selfhood, so that each reading provides greater insight and understanding, not only to the poems but also to human life. Throughout this poem, the logic of this poem favors experience ratherRead MoreAnalysis Of The Songs Of Innocence And Experience By William Blake1208 Words à |à 5 Pagespoet William Blake. It was a city with no hope for poor people, and the government and church did little to help this. Among the poor were children working in slave-like conditions to feed their families and going to charity schools. Bl ake puts these children at the center of his piece to show the hypocritical nature of the church and how innocent people are suffering from it. He takes on two angles from the same topic: the event of Holy Thursday. By examining it from the lens of innocence, thenRead MoreThe Songs Of Innocence And Experience William Blake Analysis1751 Words à |à 8 Pagesreligions have different gods, traditions, and ceremonies, but they all have one thing in common; people take different viewpoints of a religion to fit into their mindset. William Blake uses this idea to express how he believes people see Christianity and God. In his series named ââ¬Å"The Songs of Innocence and Experience,â⬠Blake creates the image of opposing views of similar situations. The poems show the views of the innocent and the experienced. The innocent takes on the roles to show how naivetyRead MoreSongs of Innocence and Songs of Experience by William Blake Essay example1126 Words à |à 5 PagesUpon reading Wil liam Blakeââ¬â¢s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, a certain parallel is easily discerned between them and Lewis Carrollââ¬â¢s Aliceââ¬â¢s Adventures in Wonderland. Blake, considered a radical thinker in his time, is today thought to be an important and seminal figure in the literature of the Romantic period. Being such a figure he has no doubt helped to influence many great thinkers throughout history, one of whom I believe is Carroll. There are many instances throughout Carrollââ¬â¢sRead MoreSongs of Good and Evil1545 Words à |à 7 Pagesall describe William Blakeââ¬â¢s life (Greenblatt, Abrams, Lynch, Stillinger). Blake was born November 28, 1757 in London, England and his artistic ability became evident in his early years. Blake had a very simple upbringing and had little education. His formal education was in art and at the age of fourteen he entered an apprenticeship with a well-known engraver who taught Blake his skills in engraving. In Blakeââ¬â ¢s free time, he began reading writing poetry. At the age of twenty-one, Blake completed hisRead MoreWilliam Blake s The Tyger1132 Words à |à 5 PagesWilliam Blakeââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"The Tygerâ⬠and Tragedies William Blake wrote a set of poems in his collection Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. Some of the poems in each collection were meant to be read together to show the difference between innocence and experience. Many people question why Blake wrote a two part series to his poems and what they could actually mean. Two specific poems, ââ¬Å"The Lambâ⬠and ââ¬Å"The Tyger,â⬠were meant to be read together. ââ¬Å"The Lambâ⬠is a part of Blakeââ¬â¢s Songs of Innocence andRead MoreEssay on Biography of William Blake1631 Words à |à 7 Pagesinspire your work and success. William Blake was a famous artist, engraver and poet. However, it was not until 1863 that he became famous when Alexander Gilchrist published his biography(Blake, William, and Geoffrey Keynes).Blake and his poetry have been compared to Shakespeare (Kathleen Raine). As an artist Blake was equated to Michelangelo. Being born during the time of both the American and French Revolution, Willia m Blake was against both the Church and the State. Blake was a Dualist, believing the
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
The Souls Of Black Folks by W. E. B. Du Bois - 700 Words
The Souls Of Black Folks by W. E. B. Du Bois The Souls of Black Folks by W. E. B. Du Bois is a text published to explain a series of events to inform many people about the many unexplainable ways of African Americans. This story is of the coming of the strong African American race . This story is the explanation of many not easily described discrepancies between African Americans and White Americans. It conveys the meaning of many black ways and reasoning. African Americans were obviously always a race of sophistication but in its own ways. They were stomped down by the struggles of slavery and their identity being taken away to create what many other races would label as ignorance. The irrelevance of African culture in the Americas tookâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Instincts of the body is to do what makes one feel good. This pulls the body both way because he wants to please himself by staying true. On the other hand one wants to please the world because once that is accomplished then problems are dissolved between you and the discrepancies of life. At least that is what one may think. The merging of your motives and the motives of the world is a impossible. It cant be done for someone to please both himself and the world. He explains that that is somehow a contradiction. The harm that this causes is plentiful. Mainly for the reason that it contradicts and confuses. It takes you through ups and downs. It almost could make one seem bipolar. For example perhaps ones conscious may not equal the conscious of his selfââ¬â¢s ways. This causes decisions that include a double viewed reaction. W. E. B du Bois doesnââ¬â¢t really believe that Washington helped in any way at all. He also explained that his program came in a time where there was no hope. A time where the main focus was no on social or even political problems but more on economy and revenues. This way that Washington started was just a new way of living. This is all mostly found in the first few paragraphs in the text of Booker in chapter 3. In this chapter they also mention how his plans were based of northern insurances and valid support so it didnââ¬â¢t really support the African Americans as much as it was supposed to and whatShow MoreRelatedThe Souls Of Black Folk By W. E. B. Du Bois1415 Words à |à 6 Pageswas a time of barbarity and cruelty in the United States. The novel The Souls of Black Folk, published in 1903, is a two hundred and forty-two paged composition of various essays written by W. E. B. Du Bois. The author guides his audience alongside himself during the historic events occurring in the South, and how both Black and White people handled this difficult time. The novel is written of the life of a Black man, Du Bois, during the time of slavery and inequality in America. He discusses slaveryRead MoreThe Social Theory of Du Bois1907 Words à |à 8 Pagesof W.E.B Du Bois Aaron Josuah Cabahug Sociology 102 4/21/2013 Abby Mosher The Social Theory of W.E.B Du Bois Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim are widely recognized as the trinity of sociological theory. While these three sociologists were trailblazing social theorists who enhanced the study of human behavior and its relationship to social institutions, other, more contemporary scholars were just as innovative - one of those scholars being W. E. B. Du Bois. W. E. B. Du Bois was a politicalRead MoreDifferences Between Du Bois And Marx1365 Words à |à 6 PagesWhile there were many similarities between Du Bois and Marx there was also key differences, particularly the type of division in society and social groupings discussed. Marx was interested in how Social Classes were divided and the economic conditions which led to the subordination of the poor to the wealthy (Ritzer Stepnisky, 2018). Du Bois took this idea a step further and studied the ways in which society was stratified by race and how minority groups were viewed and subsequently exploited byRead MoreBooker T.Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Essay1184 Words à |à 5 PagesAmerica, Blacks have been abused and oppressed into a state less than human. In an article written by W.E.B. Du Bois he said, ââ¬Å"The sincere and passionate belief that somewhere between men and cattle God created a tertium quid, and called it a negroâ⬠(Du Bois). In the late 19th and 20th centuries a st rong push for economic and social progress for African-Americans was being made. The prominent leaders of this movement amongst the Black community were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, howeverRead MoreWeb Du Bois and Double Consciousness Essay936 Words à |à 4 PagesW.E.B. Du Bois: Double-Consciousness Ashanti Johnson SOC101 Lestine Shedrick October 18, 2011 W.E.B. Du Bois (1968-1963) was a huge contributor to sociology through the eyes and experience of an African-American scholar (Vissing, 2011). Du Bois was an author, activist and student of Black sociology. In his 1897 article, Strivings of the Negro Peopleâ⬠, Du Bois introduced the term ââ¬Å"double-consciousnessâ⬠, a concept I believe to be just as relevant in todayââ¬â¢s African-American communitiesRead MoreComparative Analysis Of African Americ Annotated Bibliography878 Words à |à 4 Pagestime ago. This poem really helps in proving a point in my argument. Hughes poem clearly shows that America has treated black people poorly, but not only blacks, also any other race that isnââ¬â¢t white. All of the hard work that was put into building the very foundation of America only for those who worked to be treated like criminals or trash. B., Du Bois W. E. ââ¬Å"The Souls of Black Folksâ⬠. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1961. Print. This book is a collection of essays that focuses on the post-Reconstruction realityRead MoreThe Souls of Black Folk1595 Words à |à 7 Pagesthe text of The Souls of Black Folk embodies Du Bois experience of duality as well as his peoples. In Du Bois Forethought to his essay collection, The Souls of Black Folk, he entreats the reader to receive his book in an attempt to understand the world of African Americansââ¬âin effect the souls of black folk. Implicit in this appeal is the assumption that the author is capable of representing an entire people. This presumption comes out of Du Bois own dual nature as a black man who has livedRead MoreW.E.B. Du Bois Essay1794 Words à |à 8 PagesW.E.B. Du Bois Few men have influenced the lives of African-Americans as much as William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois is considered more of a history-maker than a historian(Aptheker, The Historian). Dr. Du Bois conducted the initial research on the black experience in the United States. Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. have referred to Du Bois as a father of the Civil Rights Movement. Du Bois conducted the initial research on the black experience in the United StatesRead MoreB. Du Bois1868 Words à |à 8 Pages W. E. B. Du Bois was. Du Bois grew up in Massachusetts, but then moved south where he attended Harvard University. Moving south he began to realize the problems of racial prejudice. Du Bois did much documentation of African Americans and their fight for equality. He had learned so much to mention in The Souls of Black Folk that the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line. Du Bois devoted much of his life to The Souls of Black Folk was not well received when it firstRead MoreWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois1252 Words à |à 6 PagesWilliam Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born to Alfred and Mary Silvina Du Bois on February 23rd, 1868 in Great Barrington Massachusetts. While he grew up an African-American in a mostly white community, he attended an integrated school and excelled there. When he was old enough, his neighbors and church raised enough money for him to attend Fisk University in Nashville from 1885 to 1888. Because he had never been south before, this is where he first experienced racial prejudice and Jim Crow laws.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
In our time â⬠An exquisite combination of literary technique and absurd realism Free Essays
string(156) " a lesser extent in both these stories as compared to several others, Oââ¬â¢Connor demonstrates several aspects of religious allusion and symbolic image\." Through an exquisite combination of literary technique and absurd realism, Flannery Oââ¬â¢Connor reveals to the reader a grotesque underside of life in the rural south of the United States. By combining a certain flare for dialogue, an intense and primal understanding of human nature, and the constant use of irony, Oââ¬â¢Connor paints a vivid image of the world she witnessed around her while commenting on society and the importance of traditional values. Oââ¬â¢Connor transfers the vulnerability of one into many, and her mastery of shifting control within the cast of characters, ensures the uncertainty of the outcome and in the process. We will write a custom essay sample on In our time ââ¬â An exquisite combination of literary technique and absurd realism or any similar topic only for you Order Now This reminds us that none of the roles in our lives are stagnant and that by intentionally blinding ourselves to what we do not wish to see or recognize, takes away more than just a view. Through the unique verisimilitude of her stories, she reveals to us that what we attempt to disregard inevitably emerges again and again. One of the most distinguishing aspects of Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s literature are the characters she portrays and develops. Each represent philosophies and personalities, which are derived through the mid 20th century southern lifestyle. Their response to diversity and adversity eventually leads to horrific sadness, tragedy and death, or the exposure of bizarre and atrocious values. With the constant use of religious imagery, tragic foreshadowing and humorous irony, the stories ââ¬Å"A Good Man is Hard to Findâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Everything that Rises must Convergeâ⬠clearly demonstrate and portray Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s ideology of the gradual breakdown of society as a whole with the internal collapse of traditional values. Predominant themes such as religion and racism provide a powerful statement on Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s perspective of society. Through the effectiveness of these techniques, Flannery Oââ¬â¢Connor successfully analyzes the existential plight of human existence and its conflict with traditional and religious conviction. In both stories, the antagonist is always a representation of traditional values, whether it is of strong Christian belief or of racial bigotry, whereas the protagonist is seen to take the form of modern scientific beliefs. In the story ââ¬Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,â⬠the antagonist is the Grandmother; she remains nameless throughout the story. The Misfit is the protagonist. Though it appears that the Grandmother is extremely manipulative and deceitful during the course of the story, as she was responsible for the deaths of the entire family, one must consider and observe the treatment she receives from her relatives. In the majority of the story, she is either ignored by her son and daughter in law, or rudely criticized by her grandchildren. The grandchildren are representative of the breakdown of respect and filial dependence seen throughout society. However, Oââ¬â¢Connor also wanted to demonstrate the counterbalance to this concept: In my time,ââ¬â¢ said the grandmother, folding her thin veined fingers, ââ¬Ëchildren were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then. Oh look at that cute little pickaninny! ââ¬Ë she said and pointed to a Negro child standing in the door of a shackâ⬠¦ (Pg. 119) The idea that the grandmother refers to the Negro child as a ââ¬Ëpickaninnyââ¬â¢ not only demonstrates blatant and unintentional racism, it subverts the lines of the respect that the hypocritical grandmother was previously referring to. Similarly, in the story ââ¬Å"Everything that Risesâ⬠¦ , Oââ¬â¢Connor demonstrates the breakdown of respect and dependence and generational confliction. The antagonist is played by Mrs. Chestny, who is similar to the grandmother in the sense that both mean well and both women hold strongly to their traditional beliefs. Julian Chestny, her son, takes the role of the protagonist, a smug and selfish young man who also represents a similar collapse. ââ¬ËThey donââ¬â¢t give a damn for your graciousness,ââ¬â¢ Julian said savagely. ââ¬ËKnowing who you are is good for one generation only. You havenââ¬â¢t got the foggiest idea where you stand now or who you are. (Pg. 407) The fact that Julian has the right to question his own motherââ¬â¢s authority and her wisdom and knowledge is direct evidence not only of his protagonistic, but of the lack of respect he has for this woman who obviously has seen and known much more than he has. Oââ¬â¢Connor also exhibits the issue of racism in our society. Not only does she demonstrate it, but she executes the theme in such a way that it is obvious to the reader that she believes racial segregation will be witnessed in and around our society for many generations to come. One example of this is the fact that Julian does not realize that he himself is a racist. Being a hypocritical idealist, he displays an acute sense of anti-racism, but formulated in such exquisite irony, we find that he indeed is a racist due to his constant need to attempt to be anti-racist. Julian does not wish to accept the fact the descendant is unable to sever its bond with the ancestor. A generation cannot function without an impact from generations past. This is similarly found in ââ¬Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,â⬠and evidence can be found within the quote presented earlier. The grandmother is openly racist in front of the children, even though she does not realize that her comments were racist, thereby supporting her racism as a whole. It is due to previous generations that succeeding generations remain true to and hold on to traditional beliefs and values. Ironically in the case that Oââ¬â¢Connor depicts, is the value of racism. Oââ¬â¢Connor shows to the reader that racism is an organic being: it is able to sustain itself and survive through generational passage of culture and tradition. However, this is where the importance of Christianity comes into focus in Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s stories. Being a devout Christian, she believed that the sole path to redemption and absolution was through religion. According to Oââ¬â¢Connor, the only way to redeem oneself was through grace. Though this is seen to a lesser extent in both these stories as compared to several others, Oââ¬â¢Connor demonstrates several aspects of religious allusion and symbolic image. You read "In our time ââ¬â An exquisite combination of literary technique and absurd realism" in category "Papers" The breakdown of society is further emphasized with the use of religious symbol in ââ¬ËEverything that Risesâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å". She was almost ready to go, standing before the hall mirror, putting on her hat, while he, his hands beside him, appeared pinned to the door frame, waiting like Saint Sebastian for the arrows to begin piercing him. (Pg. 405) The allusion made in this quote is that of Saint Sebastian, a Roman martyr and an officer of the Praetorian Guard until Diocletian discovered his Christianity. His life lay in the hands of Roman archers, which is often the subject of many paintings. The arrows are frequently seen piercing his back, and in the case of Julian and his mother, represent the burden placed upon Julian. The idea that Julian perceives his own mother as a burden is remarkable. Julian does not have a job and lives with his mother at her home. Not only is he ruthless and critical of her thoughts and beliefs, he does not even consider that he might be the burden. Julianââ¬â¢s idealistic hypocrisy is countered and revealed in the conclusion of the story. The title itself is a foreshadowing quality of the story, as one can expect inevitable conflict and perhaps, concession and compromise. Julianââ¬â¢s hypocrisy is ironic, as he claims to know the real world better than anyone else. In the end, he is forced to understand the real world with the passing of his mother, revealing his weakness and vulnerability and the extent of dependence that he has on his mother. A tide of darkness seemed to be sweeping her away from him. ââ¬ËMother! ââ¬Ë he cried. ââ¬ËDarling sweetheart, wait! ââ¬Ë Crumpling, she fell to the pavement. He dashed forward and fell to her side, crying, ââ¬ËMamma, Mamma! ââ¬Ë (Pg. 420) This is the only point in the story in which Julian actually calls his mother a ââ¬Ëmotherââ¬â¢ and a ââ¬Ëmammaââ¬â¢, revealing a glimpse of his past childhood. On the same page Oââ¬â¢Connor writes, The tide of darkness seemed to sweep him back to her, postponing moment to moment his entry into the world of guilt and sorrow. (Pg. 420) It is interesting that in the first quote, the tide sweeps Mrs. Chestny to Julian, and in the second it sweeps Julian to Mrs. Chestny. This further demonstrates Julianââ¬â¢s dependence on his mother. He has finally been able to enter the real world, the world he claims to understand and recognize. In ââ¬Å"A Good Manâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å", Oââ¬â¢Connor uses certain forms of foreshadowing in the early passages of the story to ââ¬Ëwarnââ¬â¢ the readers of future occurrences, and of certain religious aspects. They passed a large cotton field with five or six graves fenced in the middle of it, like a small island. (Pg. 119) The presence of five or six graves stimulates a period of realization for the reader, as the family consists of six people, giving an eerie sense or prescience of events yet to take place. This gives the reader the impression that the conclusion to the story will be shrouded with death and despair. Though this example of foreshadowing does not directly relate to Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s theme of religion in her stories, it does in a sense foreshadow a further foreshadowing. .. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady. (Pg. 118) This quote is interesting, since it is because of her, that the family strays off their original path leading to Florida to one that heads for Georgia. It is also interestingly ironic as they do in fact have an accident, and the person who finds her does not see her as a lady. Oââ¬â¢Connor uses the symbol of the path/road to identify the paths we take in life, or in this case, the proper path of religion. If the Grandmother had been the lady she claimed herself to be and if she remained true to the righteous path of Christianity (that of truth, virtue, honest, etc. ), the family would not have ââ¬Ëstrayed off pathââ¬â¢, and the proper path would not have led them to death. With the encounter with the Misfit, we find him to exemplify the contemporary world, exposing his protagonistic qualities. ââ¬ËI wasnââ¬â¢t there so I canââ¬â¢t say He didnââ¬â¢t,ââ¬â¢ the Misfit said. ââ¬ËI wisht I had of been there,ââ¬â¢ he said, hitting the ground with his fist. It ainââ¬â¢t right I wasnââ¬â¢t there because if I had of been there I would of knownâ⬠¦ if I had of been there I would of known and I wouldnââ¬â¢t be like I am nowâ⬠¦ ââ¬Ë (Pg. 132) We find the Misfit not only questioning the existence of a Supreme Being, but also addressing a common dilemma of the human consciousness. Though we are aware and mindful of our own existence, we remain primitive animals with violent and primal qualities and nature. The clash between our primal and animalistic instincts is in constant confliction with our metaphysical human nature. The development that develops between the Misfit and the Grandmother is amazing. We find belief to be anything beyond what we can see, hear, touch, smell, etc. Accordingly, any form of spiritual or anti-spiritual ideology is a leap of faith. Oââ¬â¢Connor shows the reader that what the Misfit realizes, and what the Grandmother eventually realizes is the fact that sacred dogma and religious belief can no longer compete with the scientific and methodical views and the immorality of the modern world. Oââ¬â¢Connor personifies the contemporary views dominating the modern world with her use of the Misfit. As society evolves, it begins to ignore traditional values, and according to Oââ¬â¢Connor, acts as a catalyst for the eventual total breakdown of society. In our time, there are misfits and there are lost souls, many of whom unexpectedly play the roles in Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s stories as ââ¬Ëprophetsââ¬â¢, searching for faith and absolution, the messengers of ââ¬Ëlost conscientiousnessââ¬â¢. These prophets are used as tools to not only expose the truths and cruelties of the modern world, but also ushers the readers into a psyche of dark and desperate thoughts and feelings which engulf the human soul, imbuing them with a state of utter helplessness in view of the imminent doom in which the reader can foresee during the story. This exposed darkness, which is a prominent figure in the human condition, takes the concept of the human condition itself to a particularly unnatural level and undesired truth of human understanding. From a grandmother who indirectly destroys her own family through her acts of attempted good will, to a non-existent and unresolved mother ââ¬â son relationship united and divided under the influence and reality of racism and the tragedy that concludes the story, Flannery Oââ¬â¢Connor makes a statement on the affiliation between the justification of religious and traditional values, and the corruption and destruction of society, ranging from the 40s / 50s era of black prejudice to an almost ludicrous extent of religious fanaticism. Oââ¬â¢Connorââ¬â¢s main statement was that humanity as a whole has strayed off its path, just as the Grandmother and her family did in ââ¬Å"A Good Manâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å". This story can arguably be labeled as a form of foreshadowing itself, as it shows what would happen if humanity continues on its irregular path. Just as the Grandmother and her family met brutal and untimely death as a result, Oââ¬â¢Connor is showing us that we too, will experience this, should we continue life this way. Her numerous statements on the dark realities of our world are reminders of what we have to overcome. She demonstrates the constant clash between the modern and the traditional. We must understand that we contain and determine our fate. It seems plain that Oââ¬â¢Connor feels that the eventual outcome will be the death of society. In the stories ââ¬Å"A Good Man is Hard to Findâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Everything that Rises must Convergeâ⬠, Flannery Oââ¬â¢Connor uses her prophetic characters in combination with Christian imagery, apocalyptic foreshadowing, and the ubiquitous evils permeating society to this particular level, and leaves the reader closing the book with a feeling of complete despondency for the future of mankind. How to cite In our time ââ¬â An exquisite combination of literary technique and absurd realism, Essays
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Unitel Telecommunication Company Managing Dynamic Environments
Questions: Explain the role of HRM in executing the business strategy at Unitel. Identify key issues relating to the introduction of the new corporate strategy by Unitel senior management. Propose some potential solutions to the problems relating to the introduction of the new corporate strategy at Unitel. Discuss how Unitel may benefit from using four (4) human resource management practices (covered throughout the BUSM3201 course) to improve organisational performance at Unitel. Answers: Executive summary The effectiveness of the human resource management increases the productivity for the company. Policies for human management includes better pay, incentive plans, and providing better work culture to the employees of the company. The process to hire or fire employees for the company has to be simplified as this will help in improving the production activities for the management. In this process, it is essential to analyse some of the determinant factors that can directly affect the performance of the policies drafted by the HRM. The rules include analysing the risk factors, determining the level of competition, ownership, and implementing the right type of regulations. The production and the performance of the company depend upon the methods that have been chosen by the management. In order to simplify the process, it is essential to collect the relevant data and analyse the same. This will help in determining the best possible option that will cater the needs of the company. Introduction This report has been prepared on Unitel Telecommunication Company. The company renders quality services to most of the Asia Pacific regions. It was privatised in the year 1990. Since then, the management of the company has constantly faced tough competition from national and international service providers. Despite of tough competition, the company continues to earn lucrative income from the clients. The management of the company has proposed to introduce Vision 2020 which aims towards increasing the production activities for the clients. However, the involvement of the staffs of the company has been considered to be a challenge. The staffs of the company are not in the favour of accepting changes, especially the ones that has been proposed through Vision 2020. The role of the HRM for the company has been redefined, so as to find its importance in the development of the company. At present the staffs of Unitel are unhappy with the working hours and the pay structure that has been followed by the company. Many opine that the employees have to work for longer hours, and arent provided with enough benefits that would motivate the staffs. The relevance of better pay and incentives has been discussed as this would help in developing long term positive relationship with the staffs. The challenge involved with the process of introducing new corporate strategy has been analysed to find the issues faced by the management and the staffs of the company. This report also contains the analysis of the human resource practices that would help in determining the success of the corporate strategy that has been adopted by the company (Alonso, Wouter, and Matouschek, 2008). Role of HRM in executing the business strategy at Unitel To execute the business strategy at Unitel, human resource management should emerge the discipline of strategies properly. The HRM should be responsible for work force management in Unitel and should hire the right people for the right skills for the job and to develop the corporate goals and objectives. HRM should closely align with the mission and vision of the organization and the HR policies should remain effective to meet the employees requirements and to accomplish the goals successfully. They should meet the demands and get the sufficient opportunities to get trained and grow with the company. HRM will have to increase the real and perceived value. The role of HRM evolves with time and it has been the major importance to contribute to business decisions. The success of business depends upon the ability to meet the exact requirements and the credibility of the organization. The HR can offer high values to know the important factors that influence the business and responsiveness is the major changing needs of the organization. It should adopt the unique approach towards recruitment and should try to introduce retention strategy for business growth. There should have empowerment that involves objectives to meet all kinds of development. This will increase the contribution to business strategies and value that is composed to bring to the organization. HRM should capitalize the people through encouragement of learning and increasing skills to meet the goals. It will satisfy the customers to develop the intellectual capital. (Chauhan, 2013) With the evolution of HRM, Unitel can increase its competitive advantage. It aligns the strategies to become the essential part of the competitive advantage. People management is the primary asset that inspires an HR to become more effective with programs development. They can make contributions to strategy and strategic planning in different ways. Thus it implements the strategic plan of organization. The human resources will require the new paradigm for managing human resources in an organization. (Cooke, 2009) HR professionals need to encourage the competitive advantage to offer tools and techniques that improve the effectiveness through regular learning offers and opportunities. It supports the strategies that coordinate all functions and supports the strategies by attracting and retaining the employees. (Bal, 2011) The HR should evaluate and manage the environment of the climate and it should maintain the employee relationships. They should offer the relevant values in the organization and should offer the compensation in the organization. They should fully integrate the plans and policies and it analyzes the strategy to increase the competitive advantage. The aim of human resource is concerned in management with respect to strategic formulation process. It is important for organizational performance and for the skills of employees by managers and the involvement of human resource management to deal with organizational performance. It coordinates the HR activities to support the overall strategy and the major goal is to deal with superior work force to accomplish the task. HR should know the interest of the employees also and should implement the reasons to motivate them. They should develop benefits and skills to implement the programs. To control the successful large business involves developing, maintaining the broad range of assets. The proper establishment requires good workforce and HRM is the business function that focuses on people characteristics of the organization. It is responsible to ensure that the organization has right people to handle its overall business plan. Human resource is apprehensive with organizing and dealing with people in terms of work. With the day to day requirements, the training and development will assess staff presentation. The major part of HRM is staff planning and it contains the right people for the right position at the right time. Key issues related to introducing new corporate strategy Unitel Telecommunication Company has proposed to introduce a new strategy, which has been named as Vision 2020. The strategy aims to improve the quality of services that has been rendered to the clients. This would help in improving relationship with the clients, as it is expected to help the management to overpower the challenges that exists in the industry. Through this process, the company aims to improve upon the product delivery system that has been followed by the management until now. The proposed changes in terms of prompt services, reliable services, better information about the services, and others would improve the brand image of Unitel. For this, the management of the company has proposed to develop action and change teams for the organization. The teams would work towards developing possibility thinking, where the customers needs and preferences would be handled on a timely manner. The changes were accepted by the senior managers of the company, but many staffs were not happy with the proposal (Aw et al, 2008). The corporate strategy has been developed by the management of the Unitel to implement single innovative idea for the successful business conduct. Thus, it is essential to develop effective strategies through which the factors that can directly impact the strategy plan for the business can be analysed. In order to execute the plan, it is necessary to include the staffs into the decision making process. This will improve the quality of tasks that has been intended to be performed by the management of the company. At present the management has proposed to make the best use of the technology that would help in providing the best information to the clients. However, the involvement of staffs in the process to execute the proposed planned is quite an important factor. With the help of the qualified and efficient staffs, it is possible for the company to introduce deregulation policies that would be quite helpful in handling the financial markets. New corporate strategies are introduced wi th an intention of implementing flexible plan that would be useful in improving the business performance for the company. The managers along with the staffs of the company would be able to handle the tactical issues that can impact the performance of the employees (Bloom, Sadun, and Reenen, 2009). Some of the key issues that can impact the implementation of the better corporate strategy include - Involvement of the staffs for performing better in the company Analysing the challenges faced by the employees for executing the new plan Introducing better incentive pay structure that would encourage the staffs to improve the quality of performance for the company Describing the job, as this will help in recruiting new members. Encouraging team efforts (Bloom, Sadun, and Reenen, 2009). Such factors have to be analysed prior to introducing new plans for improving the quality of performance by the company. Potential solutions to the problem regarding introducing new corporate plan The introduction of the new strategy needs to be done after analysing the challenges involved in the same. The company can adopt matrix arrangement through which the economic factors related to the cost and quality would be maintained, by introducing flexible product line services. In this case, the delays and the differences that can impact the introduction of the project need to be analysed. The staffs of the company are not willing to adopt the changes, which are considered to be essential for the successful business implications. Such a factor can actually delay the process of implementing the changes that has been proposed to introduce for increasing the performance. The problem that existed with the company for introducing the task were Inability to accept the changes Follow single minded ability to perform tasks for performing different tasks (Bryson and Freeman, 2009). Not willing to share the views and challenges that were faced by the members In this case, it is essential to analyse the challenges that would impact the multiple process that was meant to be introduced by the company. So as to solve the problem, the company can adopt participative style of leadership. Through this method, it is possible to approach staffs from different departments. In order to encourage the employees to work better, the management can encourage the staffs to participate in the decision making process. Through this method it would be possible to analyse the challenges and work towards an effective solution. Motivation is another factor that impacts the performance of the staffs. It has been noted that the staffs of Unitel telecommunication are not happy with the working hours and the pay structure. Such factors can negatively impact the performance of the new strategy that has been drafted by the management. The better pay structure includes lucrative incentive plan to the best working employees and providing more benefits in terms of leaves and other perks. Recognising the best performing staffs also encourages others to improve the performance (Fenwick and Bierema, 2008). At present the strategic change has been viewed negatively by the company. In order to encourage the employees to accept the change, it is essential to communicate the relevance of the changes that has been proposed to be introduced by the company. Apart from this, the challenges that are expected to be faced by the members have to be discussed, as this will help in implementing the best changes that will benefit the company. Before introducing the changes, it is recommended to analyse the below mentioned factors Analyse the value of the services that has been rendered by the company Evaluate if there exists any bias system that can affect the performance Introduce changes that would provide customer driven services Develop and implement strategic driven management (Foster, Haltiwanger, and Syverson, 2009). Human resource practices The task associated with strategy adoption for increasing the performance of the staffs of the company to achieve the set task is quite challenging. In this process, the managers of the HR department are expected to implement effective strategies through which the challenges can be overpowered. The managers are expected to introduce better pay structures, as this will encourage the members to work better at the workplace. It also includes providing better incentives to the employees. Apart from the incentives, the company can also introduce perks that would benefit the staffs. It includes medical assistance, retirement benefits, and leave facilities (Griffith and Neely, 2009). Issue resolution methods have to be prompt and helpful to the staffs. This will help in improving the performance that is expected from the members. Problem associated with the pay, internal disputes, and overtime work can be effectively resolved by the managers. Change in the strategy for business performance will also include expectations setting. This is one of the most important factors, and the new rules can be discussed with the members. Such a step would help in winning the confidence of the staffs for the company. The expectations have to be set forth in writing as this will help the staffs in understanding the rules in the best possible manner (Guadalupe and Cunat, 2009). Involvement of the management in the problem solving method would encourage the staffs to discuss the issue promptly. Every issue regardless of the nature needs to be handled in the right manner. This will help in improving the performance of the staffs. Recommendations The changes expected by the management after analysing the below mentioned recommendations - Introduce effective communication method with the staffs Analyse the severity of the problem that is associated with the introduction of the plan Draft positive plans for the staffs, as this will encourage in adopting the changes Implement the changes after analysing the challenges that can directly impact the business performance Analyse the reasons for introducing the changes Conclusion Change management is quite important for the successful business performance. It is important to analyse the factors that can directly impact the performance of the company. The changes have to be introduced after consulting with the staffs of the company. This will help in improving the quality of performance that has been planned to be introduced by the management. It is necessary to include the staffs into the decision making process. This will help in increasing the performance and help the management to yield the expected results. The changes have to be introduced after analysing the challenges that can impact the performance of the company. Introducing new strategies can directly impact the business performance. This is one of the reasons, it is recommended to adopt the best strategies through which the changes can be implemented within the company. The role of the human resource department cannot be overlooked for a fact that the managers encourage the staffs to accept the cha nges and improve the quality of the performance for the company. (King Marks, 2008) References Alonso R, Wouter D, and Matouschek N, 2008. When Does Coordination Require Centralization?, American Economic Review, 98(1), 145-179. Aw B, Yan M, Roberts J, and Xu D, 2008. 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