Curleys wife in the story Of Mice And Men - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 705 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/06/10 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Of Mice And Men Essay Did you like this example? Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. These lines are spoken by Winston Churchill. The novel is set in the farmland of the Salinas valley, where the author (John Steinbeck) was born. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Curleys wife in the story Of Mice And Men" essay for you Create order The story Of Mice And Men tells the story about two displaced migrant workers named George Milton and Lennie Small. The struggle between moving town after town just to find job opportunities in California during the Great Depression. Of Mice And Men shows us the self consciousness of George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, And Curleyrs wife. All characters at one time found themselves in a sense of loneliness and isolation. The importance of the American dream through the eyes of George and Lennie shows everyone to keep going if it doesnt work. George shows many different ways on how he wants to live his life. In the novel Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie have always dreamed of moving away and buying a house on a farm where George and Lennie can be alone and free. Unfortunately, George and Lennie had no money, making it sorrowful. George would always speak out loud to Lennie about how their dream farm is going to be, well said george, well have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens and when it rains in the winter, well build up a fire in the stove and set about it an listen to all that rain coming down from the roof(Steinbeck 16-17). George sees the future as an imagination through his brain of what he wants from his dream farm. Through the dreams of George and Lennie, in order to be successful, both need to work hard to achieve it. Next, George explains to his friends how they have nothing, since it is the great depression all they do is work. Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They dont belong no place. They come to a ranch an work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know theyre poundin their tail on some other ranch. They aint got nothing to look ahead to(Steinbeck 8). The hardest obstacle for George and Lennie are to keep on moving through life. Without parents or family to support you, morals in life will give a person a struggle into growing up. The motivation and dream that George and Lennie shows us is that they wont back down till they get what they want. Distant goals are often set as objectives to the most superior American Dream. Accordingly, it is not that the dream is isolated, but that people set unreachable, not pragmatic, goals. With Curleys wife, she always had this dream to become an appealing and stunning model and actress. She expressed her feelings to Lennie about how she cannot become either of those. Coulda been in the movies, an had nice clothes .An I coulda sat in them big hotels, an had pitchers took of me(Steinbeck 44). Curleys wife only wants to be famous, she doesnt really care about Curly. The goal being an actress and a model shows that she cares about herself and no one else. Curleyrs wife dreams about what she wants but can she pursue the words she said. Life of Curleyrs wife is all imagination, caring only about herself means she only uses Curley for money and shelter. Curleyrs wife will do anything just to be a famous actress, getting a handler to star in movies is a start, Can she trust anyone? Curleyrs wif e states, a guy was in pitchers. Went out to the Riverside dances with him. He said he was gonna put me in the moviesSoons as be got back to hollywood, he was gonna write to me about it(Steinbeck 88). The man that Curleys wife was conversing with about acting, he never talked to her again. Now, she talks about that dream and what she could have been. Overall, she wants to leave Curly, run away from the ranch, and have her own freedom. She wants to be famous and have a tremendous acting career.

An Analysis of John F. Kennedys Civil Rights Address

At the height of the Cold War, racial tensions in the United States were also reaching a breaking point. This era brought with it many of the seminal events in civil-rights history: the start of the Freedom Rides in 1961, the University of Mississippi’s admission of its first black student, and the Birmingham riots of 1963. While America struggled with the ever-present threat of nuclear war, this other kind of conflict threatened to undermine and demoralize America from within. It is 11 June, 1963, and the Alabama National Guardsmen are called to the University of Alabama to ensure the safe admission of two black students. That same afternoon, John F. Kennedy addresses the nation in an attempt to sooth flared tempers on both sides of the†¦show more content†¦World War II and the Nazi regime, though supplanted by fears of nuclear conflict and communism, would surely be a painful memory for many Americans. This allusion to the espoused ideologies of Hitler and his ilk w as calculated to associate segregation with those ideas. This is a further emotional appeal to the patriotism of Americans. His audience would be instantly repulsed by the idea of having such similarities to a despot and dictatorship, the antithesis of the very things which they love. It is also a logical appeal; to suggest that America would love her ideals and yet not adhere to them is illogical. By drawing attention to this, Kennedy further impresses upon his audience the need for change, and their duty in that change. During this call for change, Kennedy does not alienate his audience by putting himself above the need for reform. Throughout the text he speaks with an unequivocal tone, but also draws attention to his own status as a citizen. He greets the audience as â€Å"fellow citizens†; he uses inclusive words such as â€Å"us† and â€Å"we†; he goes on to describe the actions he personally intends to take. In this way, he is communicating to his audience that he is not absolved of responsibility because of his presidency, but equally responsible because he is equally a citizen of the nation. In theShow MoreRelatedThe Leadership Styles And Behavioral Analysis1532 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past—let us accept our own responsibility for the future† -John F. Kennedy, 35th US President. This paper describes about the Leadership styles and Behavioral analysis of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy. Elected in 1960 as the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy was the youngest man to hold that office. He was born on May 29, 1917, in BrooklineRead MoreThe Leadership Styles And Behavioral Analysis1687 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction â€Å"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer but the right answer. 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For example, a government may require businesses to disclose detailed information about products—particularly in areas where safety or public health is an issue, such as food. Consumer protection is linked to the idea of consumer rights (that consumers have various rights as consumers), and to the formation of consumer organizations which help consumers make better choices

Contemporary Society

Question: A significant debate in the field of sociology ? Answer: Introducation: A significant debate in the field of sociology in the recent years has been on the topic of whether religion and science are mutually irrelevant and scholars from across the world have responded to the argument. The common notion prevalent among the societies is that the war between theology and science is a coarse oversimplification and the topic is a deformed piece of propaganda[1]. The present essay compares and contrasts religion with science from the point of view of sociology. It explains whether science is a form of religion and whether religion and science are similar social constructions. The essay considers both the relationship between proof and faith and how irrational social factors influence every aspect of life. Religion and science are not to be regarded as enemies. However, they are not friends either. Religion and science are mutually irrelevant, and they are the representation of tow domain that is non-overlapping. The concept that individuals have in their minds is that religion is to deal with faith whereas science is to deal with facts and reality. Nevertheless, this concept is an unpleasant misrepresentation of religion and science. When the universe is being probed from the scientific viewpoint, there is a number of question and problems that are encountered which are predominantly philosophical in character. There is often a lack of scientific explanations for these questions, but theological perspectives may illuminate the solutions of the issues[2]. It is not true that religion does not contribute towards factual claims regarding any societal issues. The authors argue that religion makes various conflicting claims about the origin of humanity and how the universe works but all of them cannot be true. Religion and science are therefore just like two circles intersecting each other or rather partially overlapping each other[3]. The last few decades have been witnessing a thriving dialogue between theology and religion. To discuss about implications of science for theology is a matter of much speculation. The authors explore different aspects in which religion and science serve as collaborators in the search for truth. Firstly, religion fosters the conceptual framework for science to flourish in. Moreover, the complete scientific enterprise has the foundation on different assumptions that are not possible to be proved in a scientific manner but are guaranteed by the religious world view. Secondly, science has the power to verify as well as falsify claims made by religion. When religion puts forward claims regarding the natural world, there is a fine line of intersection with the sphere of science. Thirdly, science comes across different metaphysical issues that religion can help in solving. Science has often been known for an insatiable quest for an explanation. But the ability of science to hold up explanat ions is limited, and this is where religion can help. An individual who has the belief in God is possessed with a strong force of resources that can be applied for getting the ultimate explanations for any arising question. Next, religion helps in the adjudication between stories of science. The adoption of a number of scientific theories rests on philosophical presuppositions. In addition, religion has the ability to augment the instructive influence of science. Lastly, science establishes a premise in certain arguments where the conclusion has religious significance[4]. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the differences between religion and science and different issues set them apart. Though the differences between the two schools are far reaching, the similarities are also significant. Both religion and science have the basis on a never-ending search for more knowledge and wisdom. Many religions have a strong emphasis on the idea that researchers are to obtain more knowledge of wisdom and self and the earth for coming closer to the holy spirit. This can be done through prophecy, traditions and nature symbology. Likewise, science puts the emphasis on the need for researchers to understand and identify all forms of wisdom and knowledge to come closer to nature. This can be done through ideas, symbolism and textbooks. Keeping this in view, religion and science are found to be two different groups of thoughts with each having a possession of a rich pool of information beneficial for humanity and nature[5]. There that there are similarities betw een science and religion since each claims to be the real truth. In this regard, several elitists and purists view them to be mutually exclusive[6]. Many schools of thoughts have compared and contrasted religion and science from the sociological point of view. One of the fundamental differences between religion and science is that unlike religion science can undergo changes. Religion and theology do not undergo any changes once it has been established among the common. Science has theory and evidence, and they claim things to be true since they fit in different theories and evidence. However, with the emergence of a new theory ann previous theory can be proved wrong and scientists may consider not applying it any further. For instance, the theory of relativism of Albert Einstein has proved the laws of motion of Newton to be invalid outside the world. In contrast, religion resists changes completely. This leads to conflict between scientists and churches and epistemologies change often[7]. In contrast to science, religion is reliant on faith. A religious person believes in a lot of things that he cannot see. This is not the case f or science. Science aways demands proofs for supporting the theories and thesis[8]. A number of scientists have put forward rationales and theories that aim to prove that the universe is not created by God. For example, Stephen Hawking strives to prove that God has no role in creating the universe and makes God redundant. According to the famous scientist, if researchers can find the fundamental laws of nature then we can understand how God function and what are the implications being held for us. The search for the Holy one is almost over, and the behaviour of all basic particles and forces accounts for all origins in the universe. It is prominent that scientists contributing most enthusiastically to the disagreements are from the field of fundamental physics and evolutionary biology[9]. Many scientists belive that science is more advanced over the theories and religion, and there are major fundamental differences between theories and experiments. Even if a theory or belief is beautiful, it will get discarded if not backed up by any proof[10]. In conclusion, it can be stated that science and religion have their own cosmology, belief and sanctity and each has their own impact on the lives of people. The logic of religion and science are challenging in their own respect and an ordinary individual can believe in all of them. We are living in the advanced level of technologies and at the top of modernity; however, religion still has a major influence on our daily lives. The debate of which is more powerful religion and science would continue for ever, and from the social viewpoint new ideas may be coming up highlighting the interrelation between science and religion. There are many comparables between religion and science, and there are few reasons to place them totally at odds. Bibliography Clulee, Nicholas.John Dee's natural philosophy: Between science and religion. Routledge, 2013. Coleman III, Thomas J. "James W. Jones: Can Science Explain Religion?The Cognitive Science Debate."Review of Religious Research58, no. 3 (2016): 459-461. Greenway, Tyler S. "Can science explain religion? The cognitive science debate, James W. Jones." (2017): 1-2. Polanyi, Michael.Science, faith, and society. University of Chicago Press, 2013. Ross Jr, John.Science Religion: A Handbook for Interpersonal Dialogue, Discussion and Debate. Xlibris Corporation, 2016. Schtz, Gunter M. "Faith and Science: Friend or Foe?."Contemporary Physics57, no. 1 (2016): 104-109. Smart, Ninian.The science of religion and the sociology of knowledge: Some methodological questions. Princeton University Press, 2015. Stahl, Devan. "Building Better Humans? Refocusing the Debate on Transhumanism." (2017): 1-4. Warren, Elizabeth Curran.The Religion-Science Debate. AuthorHouse, 2016. Weldon, Stephen P. "1 Science and Religion."Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction(2017): 1. [1] Warren, Elizabeth Curran.The Religion-Science Debate. AuthorHouse, 2016. [2] Coleman III, Thomas J. "James W. Jones: Can Science Explain Religion?The Cognitive Science Debate."Review of Religious Research58, no. 3 (2016): 459-461. [3] Smart, Ninian.The science of religion and the sociology of knowledge: Some methodological questions. Princeton University Press, 2015. [4] Ross Jr, John.Science Religion: A Handbook for Interpersonal Dialogue, Discussion and Debate. Xlibris Corporation, 2016. [5] Stahl, Devan. "Building Better Humans? Refocusing the Debate on Transhumanism." (2017): 1-4. [6] Clulee, Nicholas.John Dee's natural philosophy: Between science and religion. Routledge, 2013. [7] Weldon, Stephen P. "1 Science and Religion."Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction(2017): 1. [8] Greenway, Tyler S. "Can science explain religion? The cognitive science debate, James W. Jones." (2017): 1-2. [9] Polanyi, Michael.Science, faith, and society. University of Chicago Press, 2013. [10] Schtz, Gunter M. "Faith and Science: Friend or Foe?."Contemporary Physics57, no. 1 (2016): 104-109.

Mini Company and Kaizen Essay Example

Mini Company and Kaizen Paper The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at http://www. emerald-library. com IJOPM 19,11 Continuous improvement and the mini-company concept Jan de Leede and Jan Kees Looise University of Twente, The Netherlands Keywords Continuous improvement, Teamwork, Organizational design, Case studies, Kaizen Abstract The key issue of continuous improvement (CI) seems to be the problem of combining extensive employee involvement with market orientation and continuation of CI. In this article we review some existing organisational designs for CI on these three essential characteristics of CI. As an alternative to the shortcomings of current organisational designs for CI we present the mini-company concept, related to the sociotechnical concept of the self-managing team. The minicompany concept incorporates the three key issues: it has a self-propelling capacity for CI, involving everyone on the shop floor. A constant and market-oriented source for improvement is found in the clients and suppliers of the mini-company. Results of an in-depth case-study are presented, showing some strong effects of the mini-company concept. 1188 International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 19 No. 1, 1999, pp. 1188-1202. # MCB University Press, 0144-3577 Introduction Continuous improvement (CI) is viewed as vital in todays business environments. CI is one of the core strategies towards manufacturing excellence, as it appears, for example, within the context of world-class manufacturing (Schonberger, 1986; Schonberger, 1996) or total quality management (Hackman and Wageman, 1995). Furthermore, CI as a concept is nothing difficult to understand or new. Bessant and Caffyn (1997) define the concept as an organisation-wide process of focused and sustained incremental innovation Many tools and . echniques are developed to support these processes of incremental innovation. However, the difficulty lies within the consistent application of the CI-philosophy and the CI-tools and -techniques. As an organisation-wide process, CI requires the efforts of employees on all levels. Here, the CI-approach can be linked with long established traditions of employee involvement and employee participation. This line of research showed that the involvement of employees is not just a matter of the application of tools and techniques alone (among many others: Cotton (1993)). We will write a custom essay sample on Mini Company and Kaizen specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mini Company and Kaizen specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mini Company and Kaizen specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Other organisational elements such as organisational frameworks, leadership and management styles, culture, employee needs, values and norms are needed as well. Only an integrated approach will lead to lasting results. The key problem of CI seems to be the issue of employee involvement (Bessant and Caffyn, 1997; Berger, 1997). How to involve the employees of all levels in the process of market-oriented continuous improvement? What motivational aspects have to be taken into account in making CI a lasting routine? It is our statement that existing organisational frameworks do not address this issue to a satisfying extent. In spite of the recognition of the people orientation of kaizen (Imai, 1986) and the broad participation and high involvement of CI (Bessant and Caffyn, 1997; Berger, 1997), CI still needs thorough elaboration on organisational designs in which these aspects are realised. Especially, the problem is how to direct the CI activities to customer requirements and business strategy, while maintaining true employee involvement. In this article we want to contribute to this issue. We focus on the organisational aspects of employee involvement in CI. Therefore, the focus of this article is the shop floor. We present a concept that is derived from sociotechnical systems theory but is enriched by principles from Shop Floor Management (Suzaki, 1993). This concept is called the mini-company. The most important characteristic of the mini-company concept is the integration of the customer in operations. An interesting example of the mini-company concept is presented in the case of a manufacturing plant. We show its organisational aspects and its effects on the contribution of the operators in improvement activities. This article is structured as follows. First, we present a framework in order to identify the links of the core principles of CI with market orientation and employee involvement. Second, a brief review is presented of organisational designs of CI. We present another organisational design in the next section: the mini-company concept. This concept entails some strong points in which the reviewed organisational designs are weaker. The case of Philips CMA is an illustration of the mini-company concept and shows some good results with respect to the contribution of operators in product and process improvement. Finally, some conclusions are drawn from the case discussion. CI, market orientation and employee involvement We view organisations as configurations of at least three domains. Every domain is related to the outside world. Products are related to the market place, processes are related to technology and human capital is related to labour. The three domains are interrelated. Innovation occurs in each of these domains when we look at product innovation, process innovation and social innovation, but are interrelated as well (Looise, 1996). In Figure 1 this framework is presented in a schematic way. Based on this general framework, one can analyse the strengths and weaknesses of various new production concepts. Some concepts start from the interaction of market and technology, while others are rooted in the interaction between market and labour or technology and labour. For instance classical sociotechnical systems design talked about the joint optimisation of the social and the technical system (Trist, 1981). This is exactly the interaction of technology and labour. The modern sociotechnical approach is aimed at reduction of complexity, and tries to create efficient product flows (De Sitter et al. 1997). The concept of the autonomous group is still very important in modern sociotechnical theory. The main contribution of sociotechnical thinking is to design a structural basis for enhancing the quality of the organisation in line with an increase in the quality of working life and the quality of the industrial relations. However, this approach too is one-sided. It is too much of a design approach stressing the technological and the structural aspects of organising, but to some extent neglecting the market perspective and the social-dynamical aspects of organising. On company level a sociotechnical Mini-company concept 1189 IJOPM 19,11 1190 Figure 1. Organizations as configurations of product, process and personnel (after Looise, 1996) structure intends to enhance the companys responsiveness to the market, but a closer look at the design principles reveals that on the shop floor level the market or even the customer focus is far away. Let us return to CI and characterise CI using this framework. Following Berger (1997), we distinguish some core principles of CI by using the ideal characteristics of Imais kaizen (Imai, 1996). The first principle is processorientation. Before results can be improved, it is the central tenet of CI that processes must be improved. Good results will follow automatically when processes are both understood and controlled. The orientation is towards the activities and work methods and not towards the outcomes. The second principle is small step improvement of work standards. Imai states it very decisively: There can be no improvement where there are no standards (Imai, 1986, p. 74). For all major operations Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are formulated and improved in an ongoing process of small improvements. One requirement of these SOPs is discipline. All employees have to comply with the established standard operating procedures. Adherence to standards is also stressed in a tool for CI called CEDAC (Fukuda, 1989). Another aspect of this principle is the never-ending process of kaizen. It is an ongoing process. This is symbolised in the PDCA problem-solving format for improvement: a wheel. The PDCA-loop itself is a standardisation of the improvement process. The third principle is people-orientation. CI needs the involvement of everyone in the organisation from shop floor workers to top management. Managementoriented, group-oriented and individual-oriented kaizen have their specific focus within the overall improvement process. In terms of our framework, one can see the primary focus of CI in the interaction of technology and labour. The first and second principle both refer to the process, while the third principle is people oriented. CI has an internal focus and looks for the policy, tools and techniques to integrate processes and personnel in order to improve operational and management processes. So, the market is not in the picture. However, CI is often integrated in broader management philosophies like total quality management (Hackman and Wageman, 1995). Then, of course the market orientation is included in CI. Organizational designs of CI: a brief review In this article we focus on organisational designs for CI. Which organisational mechanisms exist in literature to enable such an organisation-wide process of focused and sustained incremental innovation? We reviewed some specific CIliterature (Imai, 1986; Fukuda, 1989; Bailey, 1997; Berger, 1997; Bessant and Caffyn, 1997; Lindberg and Berger, 1997), and analysed their descriptions of organisational designs. Here are the results. The prime source for CI is still the Japanese kaizen approach (Imai, 1986). According to Imai (1986) there are at least three types of kaizen: managementoriented, group-oriented and individual oriented kaizen. The managementoriented type is focused on the improvement of organisational systems, organisational procedures and machinery and equipment. The group-oriented type has its primary focus on the improvement of work methods, routines and procedures. Organisational vehicles to perform these improvements are quality circles and other small-group-activities using various statistical tools to solve problems. The individual-oriented type of kaizen is focused on improvements in ones own work area and resources. Most often, this is organised by traditional individual suggestion systems. Improvement in every type is aimed at cost reduction and the elimination of waste. Although CI and elimination of waste is something like second nature in the Japanese work system, CI takes place in parallel structures and is not integrated in normal work. Group-oriented kaizen occurs in small groups that are established to improve work methods or to solve specific problems. When management approves a solution, it must be implemented and all employees must adhere to the new standard. In sum, employees are performing their routine tasks and at regular times they participate in off-line small groups to improve their daily routines. Berger (1997) presents a typology of organisational designs for CI. The typology is based on two dimensions: basic task design (individual vs group tasks) and improvement task (parallel vs integrated). His typology (see Figure 2) presents five organisational designs: Mini-company concept 191 Figure 2. Bergers typology of organizational designs for CI IJOPM 19,11 1192 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Quality control circles. Wide-focus CI. Organic CI. Expert task-force CI. Individual CI. The two extremes of this typology are Organic CI and Expert task-force. Organic CI means that improvement activities are integrated in the operational multi-functional work groups. Improvements are not left to experts or staff for design and planning and they do not presuppose decision making by other authorities outside the group. On the other hand, expert task-force CI means that staff from outside the operational working group perform the improvement in a temporary parallel team. On the basis of their expertise, it is possible for worker representatives to participate in the parallel team. Widefocus CI is partly a combination of organic CI and expert task-force CI. It combines parallel process improvement teams and CI in (self-managed) permanent work groups. However, it is not experts from higher levels or other functions who are participating in the parallel teams but members of adjacent work groups at the same level. The parallel CI-teams are covering a complete process. To be complete, individual CI is organised in some form of an individual suggestion scheme. Quality Control Circles are similar to the Japanese group-oriented kaizen approach: a parallel structure where ideas are generated and tested and where senior management approves good solutions. Another typology of CI organisational designs could be found in Bailey (1997). She found three types of manufacturing team improvement programs in the semi-conductor industry: (1) Continuous improvement team programs. (2) Quality circle programs. 3) Self-directed work team programs. The first two programs are parallel structures with off-line teams. Operators participate on a voluntary basis to solve small problems (1) or on a mandatory basis together with direct supervisors to solve problems within a specific work area adopted by the operational work group (2). Within the third program (SDWT program) the work teams are held responsible for CI. The y create temporary teams with other staff or work group members for problems beyond their capacities. We see significant overlaps in these three sources on organisational designs for CI. The CI team programs and the QC programs of Bailey are similar to the QCC of Berger and group-oriented kaizen of Imai. In addition, individual CI of Berger is similar to the individual-oriented type of Imai. There is one major difference: both Berger and Bailey mention one type of CI (wide-focus CI, organic CI and SDWT programs) in which CI is integrated in normal day-today operations of the shop floor. Imai does not mention this kind of integrated group-oriented CI. The provisional conclusion must be that western literature on CI is providing more alternatives to organisational design for CI than Japanese literature does. What do we learn from this short review of organisational designs for CI? . Parallel versus integrated. We see a fundamental distinction of CIactivities parallel or integrated with routine tasks. Traditional kaizen activities are performed within parallel structures, like small-group activities, quality control circles, process improvement teams and so on. In Scandinavian countries (Berger, 1997; Lindberg and Berger, 1997) and in North America (Bailey, 1997) on-line CI activities are also in use. Here it seems that CI is seen as a normal, daily activity performed by work groups. On-line CI is made possible because basic task design  ± inspired by sociotechnical systems theory  ± is an enabling mechanism for such activities. That means that tasks are broadly defined, members of work groups are more functional and highly educated, work groups are responsible for a complete part of the process and last but not least work groups do have a lot of authorities. . Fragmented work versus team-based work. A second fundamental distinction is between fragmented and individual work design and teambased work design. Again, traditional kaizen activities are performed within highly standardised, fragmented work environments. Employees have to improve their own small task and related procedures. Unlike in team-based structures it is the team that is responsible for both operations and improvement of the team tasks. A good example of this basic distinction is the discussion on fragmented versus holistic learning in Volvo Uddevalla and NUMMI Fremont (Adler and Cole, 1993; Berggren, 1994). This can be traced exactly to the difference in basic task design. . Many options. Within these two fundamental dichotomies, we encounter in the reviewed literature and in practice (De Leede, 1997) many options and combinations. Combinations of parallel CI-structures and CI integrated in normal daily activities are possible, for instance for CIactivities with different focus. That is, integrated CI for problems within the scope of the work group, and parallel CI for problems beyond the groups scope. Individual CI can be used in combination with grouporiented parallel or integrated CI. In short, every context requires its own CI design. In addition, it is also a matter of management choice: how do we want to involve our employees in CI? . Source of improvement: management, staff or workers. Three sources of improvement are derived from literature. Problems are generated either by management, by staff or by workers themselves. These problem generators have to be constantly active to generate new problems or goals. We did not find a problem generator built into the organisational design to ensure a constant flow of issues to improve. This is a serious weakness in these organisational designs. Mini-company concept 1193 IJOPM 19,11 1194 In the remainder of this article we present a relatively new organisational design for CI: the mini-company concept (Suzaki, 1993; De Leede, 1997; Verkerk et al. , 1997). The mini-company concept builds upon several elements of the reviewed organisational designs. It is developed to address the major shortcoming of the existing designs in generating a continuous source for improvement. That is the special feature of this concept: its self-propelling capacity. A dynamic and constant source for improvement is found in the clients and suppliers of the work groups. The mini-company concept It was Suzaki (1993) who coined the term mini-company for work groups who are responsible for their supplier-client relationships. Each work group within the company has its own process. The next process is viewed as the customer and the previous process is viewed as the supplier of every unit. Involving the chain of processes is potentially powerful in cases where improvement and innovation is needed, since it is known that diverse contacts outside ones own group enhance innovation ideas generation (Pelz and Andrews, 1966). In fact, it is an external criterion that stimulates improvement and innovation. For our purposes, here we adapt this insight from Suzaki and transform it into a European concept of team-based work: sociotechnical systems design (Trist, 1981; De Sitter et al. 1997; De Leede, 1997). We use the term minicompany as a metaphor in thinking on the organisation of the factory (Verkerk et al. , 1997). The word mini-company provides us with ideas like ownership, commitment, entrepreneurship, client-supplier relationships. The structural basis of the mini-company is similar to the sociotechnical view on the semi-autonomous group, albeit complemented by the concept of client and supplier relationships. The mini-company has four characteristics, distinct from sociotechnical semi-autonomous groups: (1) The mini-company has a name and a mission statement. Both are formulated by the mini-company itself. (2) The mini-company identifies its clients and suppliers and is responsible for managing its relationships. While external clients and suppliers are not always appropriate for having direct contacts with the mini-company, the internal client-supplier relationships are in most cases suitable. (3) The mini-company is responsible for its own improvement programme. Based on its contacts with clients, suppliers and management, the minicompany is able to identify its weak points, which are due for improvement. 4) The mini-company presents its name, mission, members, customers, suppliers, improvement programme and results on display walls. This has been called glass wall management (Suzaki, 1993). Everyone, including a stranger, must be able to see and understand the process and the actual state. The mini-company process is the dynamic side of the mini-company concept. It represents a cycle in which in every period the name and mission are un der discussion, and in which in every period the relevant clients and suppliers are identified and visited. These visits are oriented at overall assessments of the mini-company. In realising the cycle of the mini-company process every time the requirements of (internal or external) customers and suppliers are made visible for the mini-company by itself. These requirements are the inputs for the improvement programme. At the end of each cycle, the results are reported to management. Since every cycle in the end is restarted in fact this is a regular evaluation of the functioning of the mini-company on the basis of market requirements. Case study design The question now remains how this concept performs in practice. What is the contribution of mini-companies to improvement? Therefore, we next present a case-study of the application of the mini-company concept in a Philips business unit. The case-study design consisted of the following methods: document analysis (notes and company reports), observation techniques (one of the authors took part in the action team program and did a two-week internship on the shop floor) and interviews (a total of 30 interviews with all-level managers and operators). In addition, two surveys have been carried out on some socialdynamic aspects on teamwork and on the effects of the mini-companies. The first survey (N=102) was answered by 80 per cent of the (first) operators. The second survey was answered (N=23) by 50 per cent of indirect staff. The time span of the case-study was from early 1995 until mid 1996. Case Philips CMA Market and product In 1992 Philips Components decided to start a new business unit. The new business unit was to be held responsible for the development, production and marketing of Ceramic Multilayer Actuators. It was located at Roermond, The Netherlands, because there was available both an industrial infrastructure and a development laboratory for ceramic and multilayer technology. The market perspectives were promising from the start. The demand for the main product (CMA) was rapidly increasing. However, the market for ceramic multilayer actuators is very dynamic. The product is an important device for ink-jet printers. In fact, Philips CMA is a sub-contractor for a company operating in the turbulent market for ink-jet printers. Short time-to-market, high flexibility and very tough competition are typical for this market, and these are part of the market situation of Philips CMA. The dynamic situation caused by the market is even increased by the complexity of the product. CMA is a new product, applied in a new technology. The product itself was not completely ready for production. Further development was needed in co-operation with the (Japanese) customer. Co-development  ± both in co-operation with the customer Mini-company concept 1195 IJOPM 19,11 1196 and some suppliers  ± was needed. Only then could some technological problems be tackled. These characteristics of the market and the product do imply high demands on the organisation. At Philips the solution has been sought in concurrent engineering  ± that is, development and production at overlapping stages. The product is in production, though not fully developed. Test series are made in the shop floor, not in the laboratory. This implies a very strict co-operation between production and development. In addition to the concept of concurrent engineering, continuous improvement is needed to ensure higher yields, better quality and timely delivery. To cope with the growing demand for the product, it is necessary to enhance the production capacity. Design and implementation of mini-companies at CMA The mini-company concept was introduced in 1994, after two years of operation. In fact it was no more than an intensive continuation and formalisation of former management policies. In the years 1992 ±1994 the business unit was growing from 25 to 125 people. The quality and the yield of the production had to be enhanced dramatically. The general approach was characterised by a focus on process control and step by step improvement. No breakthrough by one big innovation, only many small improvements were attained by an interdisciplinary approach: many joint efforts of development, factory engineering, repair and maintenance, quality department and purchasing. In addition to this, operator involvement was arranged by teamwork. Many so-called Process Inventory Teams dealt with problems for one specific part of the process. Members of the teams were one developer, one factory engineer, at least one first-operator and, depending on the problem, other indirect people. The results of these teams were very promising. Quality and yield increased, and products could be delivered to the customers. In 1994 the specifications of the customers were set even more tightly. Again, the organisation faced a challenge. Then, factory management introduced the minicompany concept. The structural basis of the mini-company is the unit structure, already designed on sociotechnical principles. The units are responsible for a complete part of the process, which is well identified. The boundaries of the units are carefully chosen, based on the principle that the number of internal relationships exceeds the number of external relationships. The mini-company is designed to be the unit. It is not their own shift, it is not the entire factory, but it is the unit with which they should identify themselves. In five shifts the operators make one discernible product, which is a distinct phase in the process. The production structure consists of five units: foil casting, screen printing and pressing, furnace processes, dicing, visual inspection and packing. The hierarchy within Philips CMA includes four layers: general manager, factory manager, unit leader and operator. Every shift has one first operator and several other operators. Operators are working in a five-shift schedule. There are three unit leaders, who have a span-of-control varying from 16 to 55. See Figure 3 for the organisation chart. The units, i. e. all operators including the unit leader, form a mini-company. They have followed a training programme. In this programme, the minicompany philosophy and the mini-company process was explained. Also the improvement techniques were trained. The mini-company process The mini-company process incorporates two separate cycles, a nine-step-cycle and a seven-step-cycle. The nine-step-cycle is a long-term cycle lasting one year. This cycle is a modification of the cycle mentioned in Suzaki (1993). The most important activities of every cycle are the formulation of the mission statement, the identification and interviewing of suppliers and customers, and the design and implementation of an improvement programme. Based on the interview results with suppliers, customers and management, the minicompany itself sets the priorities of the needed improvement activities. Management has to affirm the improvement programme, and demands thorough arguments; however, it never happened that the programme of the mini-company was changed by management. In this way, management values the contribution of the mini-companies on the basis of solid arguments. The improvement programme is realised by improvement teams, so-called action teams. These teams carry out the seven-step cycle, a short-term cycle, which is in fact an extended version of the plan-do-check-action circle. The planning stage consists of four phases. The action teams consist of one operator of every shift in the mini-company and  ± depending on the problem  ± several indirect people from quality, factory engineering, development, etc. The chairman of this action team is in most cases the unit leader. Some examples of improvements realised by the mini-companies are the following. Several mini-companies improved their shift change procedures. One mini-company changed the layout of their process. Another mini-company tried successfully to reduce the frequency of some maintenance activities. Also Mini-company concept 1197 Figure 3. Organization chart Philips CMA IJOPM 19,11 the registration procedures to the computer-aided-manufacturing system were reduced. Another action team focused on a specific quality problem and identified the hidden process parameter causing the problem. Effects What are the results of this application of the mini-company concept? We only resent four effects: (1) the contribution of the mini-companies to improvement; (2) the number of contacts with internal and external clients, suppliers and experts; (3) the power relations within the business unit CMA; (4) the trust relations within the business unit CMA. The results presented in this section are based on the two surveys, respectively among the (first) operators (N=102) and the indirect employees (N=23). The results are supported by the interviews and documents. First, we give an indication of the kind of contribution the mini-companies deliver  ± three different types of innovation. We distinguish between small improvements, rather big improvements and big innovations. Improvements are changes within the existing process, while innovations are changes resulting in radical new processes. In Figure 4 the results are presented, based on the survey among the (first) operators. A similar picture arose from the survey among the indirect employees, with one exception. The indirect employees indicated that the operators usually delivered valuable observations and experiences also in the case of big innovations. According to them, this is a prerequisite for a smooth innovation process. They view the operators as the eyes, ears and hands of the developers on the shop floor. The conclusion is that the mini-companies in most cases deliver a contribution towards improvements, and they play a relatively small, though valuable, role in innovations. Their role is in the co-operation with developers in Failure Mode and Effect Analyses in the assessment of ergonomic aspects of new equipment, in the design of the lay-out of new workplaces, in the support of new tests and samples, and so on. Another effect in this area is that the number of improvement actions increased so much, that the department of 198 Figure 4. Contribution of minicompanies to improvements/ innovations (percentage of (first)operators (N=102); 0=no contribution, 1=contribution) technical maintenance was not able to respond to all requests for assistance. This seems to be an indication of the self-propelling characteristic of CI in a mini-company process. A second effect of working in mini-companies is the number of contacts with internal and external customers and suppliers. Figure 5 shows the results of the survey, indicating the percentages of (first) operators who have regular direct contacts with the relevant outside world. Included are also the contacts with internal and external experts. It is obvious that most operators have regular contact with internal clients and suppliers and internal experts (developers, factory engineers, technicians). External contacts are not usual. The third effect of the mini-company concept is the change in the power relations. We have measured the power relations with the control graph, an instrument developed by Tannenbaum (1968). In Figure 6 the control graph of this case is presented. This control graph is based on the survey among the (first) operators (N=102). This control graph shows high levels of influence among all hierarchical levels, as perceived by (first) operators. In the words of Tannenbaum (1968), this indicates a large total amount of control, which is an indicator of effectiveness. The fourth effect is on trust relations. When we view the relationships between hierarchical levels, it is not only power that comes in. It is also a matter of trust. In this case 85 per cent of the (first) that they had operators stated to have trust in the management, which is quite high. Both observation and Mini-company concept 1199 Figure 5. Internal and external contacts of the minicompanies (N=102) Figure 6. Control graph (N=102; 1=very little influence, 6=very much influence) IJOPM 19,11 interviews confirmed this result. These high trust relations are in line with the successful implementation of the mini-company concept and in the real changes in management style the operators report. Discussion and conclusion We interpret these case results as a good illustration of the mini-company concept. In the case, this concept proved to be implemented carefully, with a balanced attention to both structural and social-dynamic matters. This appears to be crucial: it is not only the structural features of the mini-company concept that are important, but also the social-dynamic factors like power and trust of the mini-company process. The control graph of the Philips case illustrated this. Some authors (Van Haren, 1984; Van Oostrum, 1989) have elaborated on the reasons for the relation between total amount of control and effectiveness. They view the relationships between the hierarchical levels as exchange relations in which power plays an important role. The higher the total amount of control, the higher the intensity of the exchange relationships between the levels. It is necessary to have information exchange and joint decision making to increase this intensity. This joint decision making, and at least the information exchange, is a prerequisite for effectiveness in many situations. They specify also some situations in which it is not effective to have a high amount of control. In short, in standard situations this is not appropriate, but where uncertainty plays a role, it is wise to incorporate in decision making processes as much knowledge and as many stakeholders as possible. In cases of improvement and innovation, uncertainty by definition plays a role. Therefore it is important to create a structure fostering intense exchange relationships between the different hierarchical levels and between the different groups in production, development and support. The mini-company concept is an attempt to provide such a structure. How can we characterise the mini-company concept in the light of our theoretical review of organisational designs for CI? First, the mini-company concept embodies parallel CI-activities as well as integrated CI-activities. Integrated activities include the job consultation mechanisms with all minicompany members and the awareness of all employees in the need for improvement and client orientation. The parallel CI-activities strengthened this awareness by circulating the progress of the action teams by shift representatives. In addition, the glass wall is the medium for information sharing. Second, the mini-company concept is based on a team-based work design. The sociotechnical analysis created the boundaries of the minicompanies, indicating a natural group-orientation of the involved employees. The combination of these two characteristics implies the hybrid nature of the mini-company concept in terms of Berger: the most dominant type is widefocus CI, but for some activities this is combined with expert task-force CI and organic CI. Third, the factory management of this case strongly advocates a true involvement of employees in improvement activities. This is illustrated in the positive power and trust relations. Also, the co-operative 1200 working styles of operators, factory engineers and developers are illustrations of this consistent approach of operator involvement. Fourth, the mini-company concept incorporates the self-propelling capacity for improvement: from clients, suppliers and management a constant stream of ideas for improvement is regenerated in every cycle. Particularly at this point, the mini-company concept seems to be powerful, compared to other organisational designs for CI. This is in line with old findings like Pelz and Andrews (1966). Our final question is this one: Is the mini-company concept as an organisational design for CI the promising bridge between day-to-day operations and improvement activities, with a strong market orientation and with true and sufficient employee involvement? The answer is yes and no. On the one hand, the concept offers promising elements in the integration of market and client relations. The mini-company process ensures a constant connection with clients and suppliers, which starts a continuous source of improvement possibilities. When it is managed well, the concept enhances the decision latitude of the employees including CI activities. On the other hand, this is precisely the Achilles heel of this concept: the management. True employee involvement  ± which is a prerequisite for successful and lasting CI  ± depends on the way management is willing to share power and to build trust. In the Philips case, we demonstrated the success of this application of the minicompany concept, but highlighted also the relatively flat power relations and high trust relations. We think power sharing and high trust both are essential in managing an effective CI programme. References Adler, P. and Cole, R. E. (1993), Designed for learning: a tale of two autoplants, Sloan Management Review, Spring, pp. 85-94. Bailey, D. E. (1997), Manufacturing improvement team programs in the semiconductor industry, IEEE Transactions on semiconductor manufacturing, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 1-10. Berger, A. 1997), Continuous improvement and kaizen: standardization and organizational designs, Integrated Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 110-17. Berggren, C. (1994), NUMMI vs. Uddevalla, Sloan Management Review, Winter, pp. 37-45. Bessant, J. and Caffyn, S. (1997), High-involvement innovation through continuous improvement, Int. J. Technology Management, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 7-28. Cotton, J. L. (1993), Employee Involvement. Methods For Improving Performance and Work Attitudes, Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA. Fukuda, R. (1989), CEDAC. A Tool for Continuous Systematic Improvement, Productivity Press, Cambridge, MA. Hackman, J. R. and Wageman, R. (1995), Total quality management: empirical, conceptual, and practical issues, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 40, June, pp. 309-42. Haren, T. H. C. van (1984), Power in Organisations, PhD thesis, University of Utrecht, Utrecht (in Dutch). Imai, M. (1986), Kaizen. The Key to Japans Competitive Success, Random House, New York, NY. Leede, J. de (1997), Bottom-up Innovation; on the Contribution of Semi-autonomous Groups in Product and Process Innovation, PhD thesis University of Twente, Kluwer Bedrijfsinformatie, Deventer (in Dutch). Mini-company concept 1201 IJOPM 19,11 202 Lindberg, P. and Berger, A. (1997), Continuous improvement: design, organization and management, International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 86-101. Looise, J. C. (1996), Social Innovation is a Must, but How? , oration University of Twente, Enschede (in Dutch). Oostrum, J. G. M. P. van (1989), Power and Control in Organisations in an Uncertainty-reduction Perspective: an Experimental Approach, PhD thesis University of Utrecht (in Dutch). Pelz, D. C. and Andrews, F. M. (1966), Scientists in Organizations; Productive Climates for Research and Development, Wiley, New York, NY. Schonberger, R. J. (1986), World Class Manufacturing: The Lessons of Simplicity Applied, The Free Press, New York, NY. Schonberger, R. J. (1996), World Class Manufacturing: The Next Decade: Building Power, Strength, and Value, The Free Press, New York, NY. Sitter, L. U. de, Hertog, J. F. den, and Dankbaar, B. (1997), From complex organizations with simple jobs to simple organizations with complex jobs, Human Relations, Vol. 50 No. 5, pp. 497-534. Suzaki, K. (1993), The New Shop Floor Management; Empowering People for Continuous Improvement, The Free Press, New York, NY. Tannenbaum, A. S. (1968), Control in Organizations, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Trist, E. L. (1981), The sociotechnical perspective; the evolution of sociotechnical systems as a conceptual framework and as an action research program, in Ven, A. H. van de, and Joyce, W. F. , Perspectives on Organization Design and Behavior, John Wiley Sons, New York, NY, pp. 19-75. Verkerk, M. J. , Leede, J. de, and Tas, H. J. van der (1997), Market-oriented Production Management; from Semi-autonomous Group to Mini-company, Kluwer Bedrijfsinformatie, Deventer (in Dutch).

A Comparison of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Withered Arm Essay Example

A Comparison of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Withered Arm Essay Example A Comparison of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Withered Arm Paper A Comparison of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Withered Arm Paper Essay Topic: In Love and Trouble Stories of Black Women Literature To Kill a Mockingbird Thomas Hardy wrote The Withered Arm in 1874, and Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960. In both texts outsiders form the basis of the plot. The dictionary definition of an outcast, or outsider, is a person who is rejected or excluded from a social group. There are many causes that make people outcasts: class, colour, disability, or any difference from the majority of the social group in which they are supposedly meant to be included. In each text, outsiders are presented as people with obvious differences from the norm for example, in The Withered Arm, Rhoda is presented as an outsider by Their course lay apart from the others, to a lonely spot. This immediately shows that other people see Rhoda and her illegitimate son as outsiders, or that they isolate themselves from society and this makes them outsiders. This isolation from society is also shown by the Radley family in To Kill a Mockingbird. Both Rhoda and the Radley family choose to separate themselves from other people, but for different reasons. Rhoda does it because of her son and the rumours that surround her, whereas the Radley family stays away from Maycomb life for religious reasons so busy worrying about the next world theyve never learned to live in this one. In the later stages of the book, Scout is seen as an outsider by Jem and Dill this is shown by the quote He was now positively allergic to my presence in public. The role outsiders play in each of the texts varies. They can provide valuable insights into the attitudes and opinions of other characters; they can highlight prejudice; they increase tension and interest and help develop the storylines. For example, the abuse aimed at Tom Robinson shows us how prejudiced the majority of Maycombs society is. In The Withered Arm, the townsfolk are quite sympathetic towards Rhoda Tis hard for she, which shows us that Farmer Lodge is seen as a bad character in the book. Both these factors add to Gertrudes plight. Gertrude is isolated by her class and her disability. This heightens Rhodas guilt and adds tension to the text. Also, it strengthens the relationship between Gertrude and Rhoda, making it even more dramatic when Gertrude realizes that it was Rhoda that cast the curse on her arm. The Withered Arm is set in the early 19th century, whereas To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1930s. Class has a big effect on how characters in the texts behave, think and say. The classes in The Withered Arm are defined by material wealth and status, and could almost be compared to a caste system. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the class distinctions are defined by colour or gender. This generally aims to make the readers feel sympathy towards the outsiders, because (hypothetically) all men and women are equal in our multicultural society. These differences also shock and sometimes anger the reader for example, the verdict in Tom Robinsons trial, although expected, still evokes anger because of the injustice and prejudice towards the outsider. Harper Lee aims to shock and increase tension for the reader, but Thomas Hardy shows less of this. I think this because of the time differences between the texts. Harper Lee purposely set the novel in the 1930s for this reason, whereas Thomas Hardy does not move the time period, so, at the time the text was written, the prejudice in the book would have been seen as normal. The Withered Arm bases its tension on superstition, which the literate people of the early 19th century would have been suspicious of. In The Withered Arm, pre-1900 language is used for example twill, whereas in To Kill a Mockingbird, modern language is used. Both texts use dialects an example in The Withered Arm would be He hant spoke, and an example in To Kill a Mockingbird would be moseyin along. This adds realism to the texts and shows the place and time period of the setting. It also shows the class and, sometimes, the colour of the person speaking. Both texts use some very delicate and beautiful similes to describe women, such as like the light under a heap of rose petals and like soft teacakes with frostings of sweet talcum. The first simile is used to describe Gertrude; it portrays her young, fresh complexion, and I think the rose petals could show the softness of her skin. The second simile seems to refer to much older ladies, because of the reference to teacakes. It can also be linked to the quote it was a tired old town, because Scout feels she is bored of Maycomb to her everything seems too old and slow Atticus was feeble he was nearly 50. The description in The Withered Arm is delivered by Hardys voice, and because of this the vocabulary is very sophisticated for instance dark countenance. However, in To Kill a Mockingbird, the description uses simple vocabulary, because it is the voice of Scout. These different techniques give different impressions to the reader. Hardy creates detailed images with very few words, but Lee shows a realistic childhood view of the events in Maycomb with her use of vocabulary. Superstition forms the main source of prejudice in The Withered Arm, but in To Kill a Mockingbird, colour and race form the major source of discrimination. Both the settings in the texts are quite similar. Both texts are set in small towns that are geographically isolated I feel this is because it helps move the storyline along people only enter the text if they have a purpose in the text. This also makes both communities in the texts introverted. I think this helps the reader to get to know all the characters well. It also helps show the relationships between them. We also know that, if a character is introduced later on in the book, they will have a role to play in the plot. Rhoda Brook is initially shown as a thin worn milkmaid. This immediately shows the reader of her physical appearance and class. We also know that she is middle aged made her dark eyes seem handsome anew and that she was beautiful when she was younger. This also refers to her past involving her affair with Farmer Lodge and her illegitimate son. There is some evidence to her being a witch, though she does not know it or wish this to be so something greater in the occult world than she had ever herself suspected. In certain ways, Rhoda Brook can be compared to Boo Radley. Both characters are isolated by imposing male figures (Boos father and Farmer Lodge), then isolate themselves Boo because of his hermit-like ways, Rhoda because of her illegitimate child. Both characters are feared by society, and both are subjected to rumours. However, there is some evidence that Rhoda does have supernatural powers; whereas Scout fears Boo because of stories she has heard from Jem and adults. Boo adds fear and tension to the beginning of the novel, but as Scout grows older, she fears him less, and when she finally meets him she feels no fear at all Hello Boo. I feel this relationship could also represent, or be a result of, Scouts changing outlook on the world. As she learns more about the Tom Robinson trial, and listens to people like Atticus and Ms Maudie, the influences on her life become much less prejudiced and her attitude towards other outsiders in the book changes. She refers much more to Atticus philosophy: You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, which increases her empathy with outsiders in the text. Rhoda Brook can also be compared to Gertrude Lodge, because both characters suffer a great amount of pain in The Withered Arm. They both struggle unsuccessfully to gain Farmer Lodges love. Neither manages to actually do this, although both go to great lengths to try to win his love. I think that both Rhoda and Gertrude suffer almost continually throughout the storyline, which is ironic as they cause most of each others suffering. I feel that Hardys portrayal of the suffering of the characters is quite sarcastic and cynical, because both characters never win Lodges love and both come to unhappy ends Gertrudes death and the death of Rhodas son. After reading the story it is obvious that suffering and unrequited love are themes in the text. This love is present in both the characters. At the start of The Withered Arm, Gertrude is described as having a face as comely as a live dolls and being A lady complete. This immediately lets the reader know of her social status and her beauty. She is very young almost, indeed, a girl and very attractive in both body and nature kindly innocent. Farmer Lodge seems only to love her for her looks my pretty Gertrude, and this is further proven when her looks begin to fade and the curse begins to take hold. As soon as Rhoda learns about Gertrude, she tries to learn as much as possible about her. I feel that this is because she wants to compare herself to her. She interrogates her son on Gertrudes appearance see if she is dark or fair although she is too proud to view her herself. At first she is interested in Gertrude purely for jealousy but her views change after she becomes friends with Gertrude. After Rhodas dream, she feels immense guilt because of Gertrude. She is remorseful and angry with herself because she harboured such feelings towards Gertrude, which unconsciously caused this ailment she did not wish to inflict pain. Rhoda is torn between two feelings her feeling of bitterness towards her rival and deep repentance towards her friend. She also has trouble with her adoration of Gertrude, the light, and what her secret heart feels: unconscious usurpation. This need to take control because her successor had rendered impossible any reparation between her and Lodge is not obvious to Rhoda in her conscious mind; however, her dreams shows us of this deep resentment towards any rival for Lodges love. As Gertrudes arm slowly shrivels, she is caused mental pain as well as physical. She is seemingly discarded by Farmer Lodge, which seems to have also happened to Rhoda during her previous affair with him. I feel that this conveys how alike Gertrude and Rhoda are, which leads the reader to believe that the story shall take form in much the same way Gertrude losing his affection. She is annoyed at her husbands lack of enthusiasm for trying to cure her arm. This leads to Gertrude becoming isolated from her husband by experimenting with every quack remedy she came across and bottles, packets and ointment pots. It becomes an obsession for Gertrude, more so after all her attempts fail miserably at achieving her goal, turning her into an irritable, superstitious women. In this section of the text, Gertrude is blinded from Farmer Lodges detestation of her condition, showed by the prosiness of their marriage. It also becomes apparent from hearing how Gertrude has grown out of favour with her husband. This is reinforced when he promised her a ladies horse in one of the stables when they were wed but never bought one. I feel that the fact she has to ride a draught animal rather than a ladies horse shows her changing outlook on her life. She feels that by marrying Lodge she would have had a good life, but that she is now saddled with a cursed arm and an isolated lifestyle. I feel that Hardy wanted to create a short story that was filled with excitement and tension, but that was of no great consequence. Harper Lee, however, wanted to put across many of her own ideas through characters, such as Scout, and wanted people to learn from her book. There is much excitement and tension in To Kill a Mockingbird, but in The Withered Arm, the excitement is much more concentrated, because of the shortness of the text. This creates very different effects in the two storylines. To Kill a Mockingbird is very subtle, bringing outsiders in gradually and hinting at different ideas before coming to a culmination (the trial). The Withered Arm introduces the two main outsiders very quickly, as they play major roles in the development of the plot. The outsiders in To Kill a Mockingbird are still very important and play a key role in developing the plot, but are generally not seen as major roles. Conjuror Trendle is an outsider that can be, in some ways, compared to Tom Robinson. Both characters are isolated from society. Conjuror Trendle is isolated because of the superstitions surrounding witchcraft in the early 19th century, and also geographically she nearly got lost on the heath. Tom is isolated because of his colour, his disability, and the fact that he lives in the slums (black peoples housing of the period). Both characters are very helpful, and will do jobs for nothing. Higher-class members of society use them for their skills. This makes Trendle and Tom quite similar underneath, though not so upon the surface. Trendle can also be compared to Boo, because both are outsiders that shape the final outcomes of the storylines. Both outcomes relate strongly to the social and historical contexts of the plots, and both seem to have morals. In The Withered Arm I feel that one of the main morals is treat others as you would like to be treated because Rhoda is punished for her malicious intent with the unneeded death of her son. Gertrude is also punished for her wishing for a person to die Oh I hope not (for the hanging not to go ahead), even when she knows that the person is innocent, with her own death. In To Kill a Mockingbird I think that the main moral is, of course, Atticus philosophy, which is based on the idea of empathy. From this empathy, Scout learns to be honest, kind and unprejudiced to everyone she meets. Scout also learns how to be a lady, but this is more to do with Alexandra teaching her about etiquette rather than specific morals in the plot. Both texts use pathetic fallacy: weather was unusually warm and the wind howled dismally. However, Harper uses hot weather to show tension, whereas Hardy uses wind and wet weather. This shows the climate differences in the texts, but it also shows the different preferences in the authors styles of writing. Hardy shows an omniscient approach in the description. Because he is the narrator (no character is used), he knows everything that is going to happen in the plot. Harper uses a character to tell the story, which makes it harder to predict what is going to happen, but makes the reader feel more included in the action. The vocabulary used is also much easier to understand, which allows the text to be read by a much wider range of readers. One author is male and the other female, but both use females as the main characters we see things mainly from a female perspective. The hangman can be compared to Dolphus Raymond in some ways. Both characters live away from normal society, and both give normal people reasons for their seclusion: Raymond pretends to drink and the hangman is labeled as a hermit. Raymond is seen as a degrading person in Maycomb society, but Davies is admired. I think this is because of the way people enjoyed hang fair(s) during that period and is also shown through the admiration for the rope Tis sold by the inch. Both Miss Caroline and Aunt Alexandra are physical outsiders in To Kill a Mockingbird, but they are also quite different. Aunt Alexandra fits into Maycomb life very well for example, she is part of the Missionary Circle, whereas Miss Caroline doesnt find it so easy to fit in. I think this is because she is more ignorant of Maycombs traditions and ways than Alexandra she also appears less prejudiced to begin with, although this lessens as she settles into Maycomb life. Dill is also a physical outsider, but he is accepted because he is a child. Scout admires his intelligence he could read two books to my one and Jem sees him as a pocket Merlin, a source of entertainment and knowledge of other places. They also like his carefree attitude laugh my head off. Because Dill is not prejudiced, people are not prejudiced towards him. This seems to be true in Atticus as well in spite of Atticus shortcomings people were content to re-elect him. It seems that both Hardy and Harper base their books on childhood experiences, and use children to get their points across (Scout and Rhodas son). Both the main children in the texts have one-parent families, which was highly unusual in both periods the texts were set in. In The Withered Arm this helps to isolate Rhoda and in To Kill a Mockingbird it allows Alexandra to enter the text and gives Calpurnia a larger role as a mother figure in the plot. Outsiders are incredibly important in all aspects of these two texts they provide humour, add interest, convey emotions of the authors, highlight prejudice, create tension and, ultimately, provide the culminations of the plots. Outsiders such a Scout and Dill provide humour Scout by some of the things she says there wasnt much left for us to learn, except possibly algebra. This provides humour because algebra is insignificant when compared to the ordeals the children have been through and the life lessons they have learnt that they will take with them throughout their lives. It also emphasises how young Scout actually is. Dill provides humour through his carefree attitude Ill go and join the circus. He makes fun of the hypocrisy of the Maycomb citizens, which also adds humour because he is touching upon a taboo subject. Interest is added through outsiders such as Trendle and Boo. They also add tension, because of their mystery and rumours that surround them. The tension from Conjuror Trendle is implied to be much more serious than that of Boo, because witchcraft was truly feared by people during the 19th century. Boos rumours are unrealistic and dismissed by adults, but the childrens imaginations make this squirrel eating monster seem quite threatening. I think that when they are acting out the Boo Radley play, they are trying to think about Atticus philosophy but do not have the empathy to do this properly. Atticus makes them stop to show them that this is not the way to empathise, and through his careful teaching and love they learn how to understand true compassion and empathy. Scout is the main character that conveys the emotions of the author Harper uses Scout as a tool to put forward her own ideas. Atticus is also used in a similar way. I think that Rhoda and Gertrude put across (perhaps unintentionally) Hardys cynical views on love and beauty. Outsiders that highlight prejudice include Gertrude and Tom. Tom is used by Atticus to highlight prejudice during the trial, and Gertrude is judged by her physical appearance and well-being, rather than her personality. Boo and Gertrude provide the culminations of the storylines, coming in early on in the plots and ending the storylines too. This adds structure to the texts and also makes the reader feel satisfied once they have read the books, because characters that they know well and are present throughout the storylines with them, tie up loose ends and provide the final climax and conclusion.

Thetis - More than Achilless Mom

Thetis - More than Achilless Mom Thetis was the nymph who was mother to the Trojan War hero Achilles. But she was more than just one guys mother. Background Thetis  Ã‚  and one of the 50 Nereid daughters of Nereus (son of Gaia [Earth] and Pontos [Sea]; whom Hercules seizes in order to extract information pertinent to his labors) and Doris (daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys). She might not have been Achilles mother, if things had gone differently, though. At one time, the king of the Greek gods, Zeus, had been wooing her, but a prophecy that the son would be greater than the father made Zeus give her up. After all, he didnt want a repeat episode of what happened with his own dad. As Prometheus prophesied in Aeschyluss play  Prometheus Bound, the god  plans a marriage that shall hurl him into oblivion from his sovereignty and throne; and then immediately the curse his father Cronus invoked as he fell from his ancient throne, shall be fulfilled to the uttermost. Thankfully, Zeus averted that by marrying Thetis off to another man... Marriage Instead, Thetis married a mortal king,  Peleus, at the command of Zeus. It was at this wedding that Eris, goddess of discord, tossed an apple for the most beautiful goddess of them all into the crowd and kicked off the events precipitating the Trojan War. The bride and groom produced a son, Achilles, whom Thetis tried to make immortal. She dipped her infant son into the River Styx, holding him by the ankle, according to tradition. This made him invulnerable, except at the one weak spot where Thetis had held him. Peleus didnt agree with this risky treatment and Thetis left him.   Thetis also shows up in Homers Iliad where she offers to get Achilles a new and better suit of armor and shield from the blacksmith of the gods, Hephaestus. Hephaestus was in her debt because Thetis and her sisters had cared for him when Hera threw him down from Olympus. As mentioned in the  Homeric Hymn 3 to Apollo, But silver-shod Thetis the daughter of Nereus took and cared for him with her sisters†¦ In the  Iliad, Homer says that Thetis also rescued Dionysus  from folks pursuing him: But  Dionysus  fled, and plunged beneath the wave of the sea, and  Thetis  received him in her bosom, filled with dread, for mighty terror gat hold of him at the mans threatenings. During the war, Thetis gave her son good advice, but he still tragically perished. -Edited by Carly Silver

Comparing State Constitutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing State Constitutions - Essay Example This paper will focus on the similarities and differences in the constitution of Texas and Alaska. The Texas Constitution and that of Alaska have various similarities. The major substantive similarity between the constitution in the case of of the State of Alaska and that of Texas is that both have the bill of rights incorporated as their first articles. It is a formal review of the liberties and rights that are considered essential to a group of people or individuals. In both the constitutions, the rights of the individual provide various restraints on the political authority and power to protect the people against abuses and intrusions that are unwarranted. In both the constitutions, the powers of the government are outlined in every listed department. In reference to both constitutions, they are on taxation, suffrage and revenue, as well as the general provisions, and the mechanism of having the constitution amended. Both the Constitution of Alaska and that of Texas describe the function and structure of the government of the United States of America. In addition, both constit utions are used as either implied laws of United States or an embodied fundamental document that governs the state functions and roles at all departmental levels. The two constitutions function as a limiting document which dictates the powers granted to each particular state. On the other hand, there are significant differences between the two highlighted constitutions. The major substantive difference is that the constitution of Texas has seventeen articles in a given order. The first one is the conspicuous bill on Rights. The next is on the power vested on the government. The third article is on the Legislative Department while the fourth is on Executive Department. There is an article on Judicial Department, a proceeding one on Suffrage and another on Education as well as Taxation. The constitution also includes articles on revenue, counties, as well as railroads. These are some