Pre 1900 and Post Poetry Comparison: Christina Rosetti Essay

In this assignment I will be analysing two poems, ‘Cousin Kate’ and ‘The Seduction’. Christina Rosetti wrote ‘Cousin Kate’ in 1879. In this poem Christina describes a cottage maiden who was discovered by a wealthy Lord who appears to fall in love with her but deceives her because half way through it becomes apparent that he is using her for her ability to have a child. The Lord desires a son in order to have an heir to his belongings. During his time with the maiden he comes across Kate who is the maidens younger cousin. The Lord then ditches the Maiden for the younger sexier cousin Kate. When the Lord is with Kate the Maiden discovers she is pregnant with the Lords child and has a baby boy. She has mixed feelings for her son, as she is ashamed of him because she is not married to his father but also proud of him because he is hers. The Maiden does not inform the Lord about their child. Kate fails to inform the Lord that she is incapable of having children because she knows that if she tells the Lord he will ‘dump’ her for another. The Seduction is written by Eileen McAuley and is based in the 1980’s in Blackpool. The poem is about a teenage girl who goes out clubbing for what seems to be her first time. Half way through the night a boy about the same age persuades the girl to join him at an unromantic place near a river and gets her heavily drunk. He then seduces her into having sexual intercourse. Then after 3 months she discover she is pregnant due to that one nightstand. The main elements of ‘Cousin Kate’ are love and relationships, marriage, motherhood abuse of power and wealth, betrayal and the roles of the female characters. I will start with the element of love, there are three different types of love and relationships shown in ‘Cousin Kate’. One type of love and relationship shown is the true love given from the Cottage maiden towards the Lord and the relationship she had with him. She would over look everything he did to her, which he threw back in her face when he ditched her for her cousin Kate. It became apparent that all he wanted from her was the sexual pleasure. The other kind of love and relationship is the pretend love that Kate shows the Lord. She didn’t care what the Lord did to her because all she really wants is his money and wealth. The Lord also shows pretend love towards both the Cottage Maiden and Cousin Kate, he shows this love in order to use them for his pleasure and also to help him get a son/heir. He also couldn’t care less about his relationships with them as long has he got what he wanted. Next I will move onto marriage. There is only one marriage in this poem and that is between cousin Kate and the Lord to quote the poem â€Å"he bound you with his ring†. Kate obviously is only marrying him for the money as she does most things with him for that reason. Motherhood only comes into the poem at the very end where the cottage maiden has the Lord’s child and feels mixed emotions about him, as she is ashamed of him because she is not married to his father but also proud of him because he is hers, to quote â€Å"My fair haired son, my shame, my pride†. Abuse of power and wealth and betrayal enter the poem through the Lords actions like his ability to get whatever girl he wants for whatever he wants e.g. when he goes after the maiden, she falls in love with him but he has no feeling for her he just wants sexual pleasure and a son. He also does the same with Kate but she just goes with him for money nothing else. He betrays the maiden when he ditches the maiden for her sexier, younger cousin Kate. The female roles are basically about the women that have fallen for this wealthy Lords charm then the lord will use these girls for his pleasure. The themes in ‘the Seduction’ are almost the same but vary in certain ways because it is a more modern poem and substances like alcohol and drugs are involved where as in ‘Cousin Kate’ it is more a case of true and pretend love. First of all I will go through the love that the teenage girl drunkenly displays towards the boy. Because she was drunk she wasn’t in the right state of mind so wasn’t thinking straight when she was supposedly falling in love with him. I cannot explore the element of marriage because there is no type of marriage in this poem at all. Motherhood comes into the poem after she discovers that she pregnant in the way she nurturers the baby when it is in her womb and also because she suddenly realises that she is going to miss out on having fun with her friends or have the romantic walks hand in hand with a boy. The teenage boy abuses his power over the girl by abusing the situation and getting her even more drunk than she already was so that he can go through with his plan to have sex with her. The teenage girl feels betrayed by her magazines because they portrayed the image to her saying that her first time would be romantic. She also feels betrayed by the boy as he promised her that he would take her out sometime but he left her and she didn’t see him after that. The role of the female character is to be the target of the teenage boys lust. In both of the poems there are morals in ‘Cousin Kate’ the moral is don’t go with someone just for money or find out a about his personality before going with him and in ‘The Seduction’ the moral is learn to handle your drink and don’t leave with someone you don’t know or can’t trust. The Cottage Maiden show a lot of emotions in the poem and the poem was written in first person so that the writer can express those feeling better. When you write in first person you can express the emotions as though they are your own and it also makes the poem one sided, as you don’t hear any of the lord’s point of views. The mood in the poem is grief-stricken and down as the cottage maiden is always speaking with a non-happy attitude until the end where she becomes unconcerned about her cousin Kate’s fate with the lord as if that her fault she picked that fate and she got what she deserves and that’s that which I think is a bit of a selfish laid back attitude and isn’t right. Christina Rosetti uses a lot of imagery to describe the feelings of the cottage maiden e.g. â€Å"your love was writ in sand† which doesn’t mean that she actually wrote how much she loved him it means that her love wasn’t true it was gone before she even meant it. In â€Å"The Seduction’ Eileen also uses imagery e.g. â€Å"with his eyes as blue as iodine† this uses the image of blue iodine but iodine is actually a yellowish brownie colour which also suggests that Eileen was again implying the idea of how drunk the girl actually was. The mood in ‘The Seductions’ changes half way through because the girls attitude changes from an all starry eyed drunken girl who falls in love with a teenage stranger to a emotional broken down wreck who hates the boy because of what he did to her. Another way that the writers get imagery and mood across to the reader is by using figures of speech like metaphors, personification, similes and rhetorical questions. When the writers use these they help to create the mood of the poem for example when Christina uses the rhetorical question â€Å"why did the great lord find me out, and praise my flaxen hair?† this creates the mood of despair which means a over whelming sadness and she’s wondering â€Å"why did he pick me and ruin my life I could have been pure and had a better future than what he’s left me with.† Another figure of speech is where Christina uses the metaphor â€Å"I could have been a dove† this doesn’t mean that she would actually been a dove, the dove is a sign of purity which when she uses it in this sentence she means that the cottage maiden would still be innocent. In ‘The Seduction’ Eileen uses the simile â€Å"green as a septic wound† to describe a dirty old river by which the boy truants and gets ‘high’ from taking drugs, she uses this simile to create a depressing mood because it is such an unromantic, disgusting place he has taken her to and by this point in the poem the reader knows something isn’t going to go the way the girl planned. The place that the boy takes her to is described in a few different ways, another way is â€Å"far from the blind windows of the tower blocks† and this describes the place as hidden away from the rest of the world and this also gives a reason why he does what he does here and that is because there won’t be any witnesses to back up any court case the girl might have put against the boy. The male characters in the two poems are both deceiving characters that use charms to get what they want and in both cases it is a girl they want to use for sexual intercourse. They are presented as cunning men who only desire one thing, sex. They treat the women with disrespect to quote ‘cousin Kate’ â€Å"he wore me like a silken knot† which means that he treats her as he would treat a piece of clothing easy taken off or put back on when wanted. Now I will quote ‘The Seduction’ with â€Å"She giggled, drunk and nervous, and he muttered ‘little slag'† this suggests that he doesn’t care who the girl is as long as he gets what he wants and it also suggests that he will take advantage of any girl no matter how drunk she is. In my opinion the writer wants us to feel that they are selfish cruel men as both the writers describe them in this way, to quote ‘Cousin Kate’ â€Å"He saw you at your fathers gate, chose you and cast me by† this indicates that he doesn’t care about the maidens feelings when he casts her by he just wants a better looking girl that suits his every need but he does not yet know that Kate is unable to produce a child otherwise I predict he would also cast her by. The female characters are the foundations for both of the poems and we know more about them than we know about any of the male characters. We know that both of the main female characters suffer from an unwanted pregnancy and are presented as young innocent girls who are seduced by the male characters and both are left to carry the burden and shame of their unwanted pregnancies. The girls have a few different ways of reacting to their situations they react by being upset, disillusioned, bitter, frightened and angry to quote ‘The Seduction’ â€Å"And on that day, she broke her heels of her high white shoes (as she flung them at the wall). And realised for once that she was truly truly frightened, but more than that cheated by the promise of it all† this suggests that she becomes frightened by the thought that she can never regain her innocence and dreams. They are then both stereotyped by society as being ‘loose women’, the type that sleeps with any man. In the ‘olden days’ single pregnant women would be cast out of society, very poor and classed as the lowest of the low where as today they would receive all types of benefits from the local government and would not be frowned upon. The cottage maiden is a strong character because she has chosen to live and raise her son independently without the help of the Lord but the teenage girl is more afraid of societies reaction to her pregnancy and wants to run away from the shame. I think the poems are both wake up calls to open our eyes to see the poverty that goes on around us and even though they are set in different times that, message will always need to be heard as poverty is always going to be there whether we like it or not. I respect only the cottage maiden in ‘Cousin Kate’ because of the way she way mistreated but stayed with the Lord because she of the true love she showed towards him and then when he throws her love away for Kate, she becomes a stronger women and embraces society so that her and her son can live a happy life. Society has change a lot over the last 150 years because now everyone is treated as an equal and it doesn’t matter what religion, race or his or her class is, I am not saying that stereotyping doesn’t happen as that will always be an ongoing factor of life. In conclusion, we can see that the poems are very similar in there themes as they are both about girls that get seduced into having sex or a sexual relationship. Both poems also have the same moral behind them, get to know the person before you go to far develop a sexual relationship.

Arthur Anderson Questionable Accounting Practices: Ethics And Advocacy Essay

1. Discuss how the issues with the Arthur Anderson case may have played out differently if the Sarbanes-Oxley Act had been enacted in 1999. The provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley Act help minimize the likelihood of auditor failing to identify accounting irregularities by the following requirements: 1). Improving the internal control. Auditors comment on the internal control of the firm should be reported. 2). Reinforcing supervision for financial irregularities. This act boosts to establish an independent the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which is responsible for overseeing the performance of the certified public accountants and the accounting firm. 3). Strengthening the independence of auditors. It means that the act restricts auditors to audit activities only. 4). Encouraging financial disclosure. It also provides whistle-blower protection. 5). Increasing the penalties of ethical and legal misconducts. There are severe monetary and criminal punishments imposed on those audit ors that give false statements. Further, the act lays down the quality of auditing required, the quality of control, and independence standards and rules. 2. Discuss how the issues with the Arthur Anderson case may have played out differently if the Sarbanes-Oxley Act had been enacted in 1999. One specific provision that could help greatly is Section 203, or Auditor Partner Rotation. This section calls for auditors to rotate partners assigned to clients, so that fresh eyes can review the work that has been done. This helps to prevent the â€Å"partner in crime† relationship that contributed to Andersen’s downfall. Finally, the provisions make the entire auditing process more transparent, so that people on the outside of the company such as shareholders, can easily see what is happening. 3. Determine and discuss which elements of the framework for ethical decision making in business (from Chapter 5) played the biggest role in the Anderson case. Arthur Andersen and partner Clarence DeLany founded Arthur Andersen LLP in Chicago in 1913. After 90 years of hard work, this accounting firm we become known as one of the Big Five largest accounting firms in the United States. Andersen set standards for the accounting profession and advanced new initiatives on the strength of its then undeniable integrity. By the 1980s, standards throughout the industry fell as accountancy firms struggled to balance their commitment to audit independence against the desire to grow their consultancy practices. Andersen rapidly expanded its consultancy practice to the point where the bulk of its revenues were derived from such engagements, while audit partners were continually encouraged to seek out opportunities for consulting fees from existing audit clients. By the late-1990s, Andersen had succeeded in tripling the per-share revenues of its partners. Arthur Andersen was constantly accused of wrong doing starting in 1998. Andersen struggled to balance the need to maintain its faithfulness to accounting standards with its clients’ desire to maximize profits, particularly in the era of quarterly earnings reports. Andersen has been alleged to have been involved in the fraudulent accounting and auditing of Sunbeam Product Waste Management, Baptist Foundation of Arizona, WorldCom and Enron. On June 15, 2002, Andersen was convicted of obstruction of justice for shredding documents related to its audit of Enron, resulting in the Enron scandal. Nancy Temple (Andersen Legal Dept.) and David Duncan (Lead Partner for the Enron account) were cited as the responsible managers in this scandal as they had given the order to shred relevant documents. Since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not allow convicted felons to audit public companies, the firm agreed to surrender its licenses and its right to practice before the SEC on August 31, 2002, effectively ending the company’s operations. The Andersen indictment also put a spotlight on its faulty audits of other companies, most notably Sunbeam and WorldCom. The subsequent bankruptcy of WorldCom, which quickly surpassed Enron as the biggest bankruptcy in history, led to a domino effect of accounting and like corporate scandals that continue to tarnish American business practices. On May 31, 2005, in the case Arthur Andersen LLP v. United States, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously reversed Andersen’s conviction due to what it saw as serious flaws in the jury instructions 4. Discuss how the situation at Arthur Anderson may have played out differently if their senior management had displayed the habits of strong ethical leaders. Standards of any kind are a direct representation of its leadership. If organizational compliance exists, it will trickle down throughout the organization. Arthur Andersen’s ethical dilemma deals with greed. The firm became very greedy and sloppy. They no longer believed in rock solid accounting principles that had been instilled in earlier years. They were more into getting money whether illegally of legally. They felt like they were getting paid more to hide things than to audit. They tried to shred the Enron’s documents even after the court told them to stop all activities of such. Arthur Andersen somewhat helped Enron with their accounting scandal. Had Andersen done the job in an ethical manor, thousands of people would not be out of a job or even worst their retirement funds. One of many mistakes that condemned Arthur Andersen, was the shredding of those Enron documents. Even if the company was lying they could have gotten away with it. If they stopped shredding the documents the jury would not have found them guilty and ruin their reputation. The case did get reversed but the damage was already done. To take it further back than that, I would have maintained acceptable accounting principles like the founding fathers of the company situated. Andersen was doing perfectly fine, financially at least, before it crumbled due to bad decision making. References: www.sec.gov/about/laws.shtml – frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=107 www.commondreams.org/views02/0712-02.htm bodurtha.georgetown.edu/†¦/Arthur%20Andersen’s%20Fall%20From%20Grace%20Is%20.. news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2047122.stm www.time.com/time/business/†¦/0,8599,216386,00.html topics.nytimes.com †º Times Topics †º People †º D – resources.bnet.com/topic/sunbeam+corp..html studentoffortune.com/†¦/Ethics-and-Fraud-at-Sunbeam-Corporation

Human Resources Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Resources Management - Assignment Example This approach of managing the employees with the formation of definite strategies is known as strategic HRM. In other words, the strategic management of human resources implies the supervision and administration of employees according to the present and future objectives of the organization. It’s concerned with long term issues of the employees and it deals with the various macro elements of the organization that includes values, culture, structure, future needs, quality management, knowledge management and human resource development. It has a narrow objective of providing direction to the functions of the management in a chaotic environment, so that it can meet the individual needs and the collective needs of the staff through the application of suitable HR policies. The meaning of strategic human resource management implies: Use of planning A rational approach to the management and design of personnel management which is based on policies and strategies prepared in accordanc e with the philosophy of the organization. ... Figure 3.2 represents the Harvard approach while Figure 3.3 represents the Michigan approach. The Harvard approach is broader in comparison to the Michigan approach. Harvard approach deals with a situational perspective and takes into consideration the interest of the stakeholders in internal and external environment. This model doesn’t only emphasize on the performance but also pays attention towards individual and social well being. On the other hand, the Michigan approach is narrower and defines a much focused model which demonstrates a strong fit between the structure, HRM policies and strategy of the organization. This model puts more importance to the functional level of the human resource management which illustrates that the performance of an individual is dependent on selection, development, rewards and appraisal. The Harvard approach deals with a mixture of process and content theories, while Michigan approach is entirely content oriented.2 Source: Human Resource Man agement: A critical approach Importance of HRM An effective HRM framework helps the organization in3- Recruiting people through proper screening and interview techniques Developing their skills by providing them with proper training programs Motivating them with reasonable remuneration and addressing their grievances Retaining them with the introduction of various appraisal and incentive schemes Explain and analyze the HRM framework The human resource management framework is demonstrated in the following diagram The HRM framework describes all the essential function of the human resource management which has an ultimate objective of placing right kind of people in the right kind of job at the

Defining Sports Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Defining Sports Tourism - Essay Example Daniels also recognizes that sports tourism is a realm to explore to increase an economic situation in a particular location. Adding sports teams or events to a geographic location can increase the local economy and will encourage spending in the area by those who are either participating or are spectators of the particular sporting event. She also adds that though some people like the idea of adding a sports team to their community for the entertainment value, it can be quite costly for the area. This is because a new stadium would have to be built and in turn, it could be publicly financed through taxation in the community. Therefore, this would, in theory, even out the economic status of an area. Though it increases visitors to come to watch a sports team play in a large new arena, it can hinder the local residents by having to deal with additional traffic, having to pay for law enforcement officers to work the events, and even having to contribute to the city through taxation to allow for various roads or whatever means it would take to create a stadium. While it stimulates the local economy, it could also hinder it. Although Daniels acknowledges that many communities host sports events in one way to entertain, it is also to stimulate the local economy. She also concludes that even though sports events hosted in a certain area can boost a local economy, it can also hinder certain areas that are not well equipped to handle as many people as a large scale mega event, for example as the Olympics, the Super Bowl or the World Series. Amateur sporting events, however, have little impact on the existing economy according to Daniels, unless it is an amateur sporting event that lasts over an extended period of days. The sporting events can increase tourism in areas that have offers additional attractions, services, etc and Daniels' central place theory helps predict which geographic locations (primarily based on the size of the city or town) would benefit best from sporting tourism and development due to the resources that are already available within that locale, particularly urban areas. However, there are many other factors that also come into play. The event that Daniels used as an analysis to test this theory is the United States National Softball Association where a youth girls' World Series was held in 2001 in locations of North Carolina and South Carolina that were near to each other. One city, Mecklenburg, was located near Charlotte and had a population of 650,000 people while the other city, York, South Carolina had only 170,000 people. The tournament was centralized in Mecklenburg with the event being held within one facility while in York, the tournament was in four different locations throughout the city. The week-long event had over 300 teams and over 20,000 in attendance between the two cities. Spectators were given questionnaires about how long they were staying, how far they had traveled to get to the tournaments from their ho metown, what their primary reason was for coming as a spectator and what their expense habits were while there. Data were analyzed from the results of these questionnaires and found that expenditures in both cities were approximately the same per person though lodging and dining were significantly higher in Mecklenburg.  Ã‚  

A consideration of the biblical theme, Kingdom of God, showing the Essay

A consideration of the biblical theme, Kingdom of God, showing the development of meaning in the Old and New Testaments - Essay Example The ‘Kingdom of God’ is a fundamental theme which runs from Genesis to Revelation. In its earliest expression there are strong similarities to the views of ‘kingship’ and ‘kingdom’ which were current among nations during the period of the OT, but from the outset it was clear that this was understood in terms of a universal and eternal divine authority. This overriding principle becomes increasingly dominant in the Biblical perspective until it comes to reality in the life and work of Jesus Christ. The actual phrase ‘kingdom of God’ does not occur in the OT. But from the outset the idea of God as absolute monarch and his kingly rule are pervasive in Scripture.†(Cf.New Dictionary of Theology). The concept of â€Å"Kingdom† is not current in the democratic mindset of our modern world. Ladd points out that in western idiom a kingdom is primarily seen as a realm over which a king exercises his authority. He quotes a modern dictionary definition: â€Å"A state or monarchy the head of which is a king, Dominion, realm†, and adds that while a secondary meaning of â€Å"kingdom,† relates to the people belonging to a given realm. He does not see either of these definitions as being accurate, as they tend to â€Å"lead astray from a correct understanding of the Biblical truth.† Much better, he says, is an ‘archaic’ definition in Webster’s dictionary, ‘The rank, quality, state or attributes of a king; royal authority, dominion, monarchy; kingship.† (Ibid). Greek and Hebrew scholars that the primary meaning of the Hebrew word â€Å"malkuth† in the Old Testament and the Greek word â€Å"basilieia† in the New Testament is of the rank, authority, and sovereignty exercised by a king. As Ladd says, â€Å"When the word refers to God’s Kingdom, it always refers to His reign, His rule, His sovereignty, and not to any realm in which it is exercised. (20) Kittel underlines this; â€Å"†¦ the expression denotes the fact that God is king, i.e. it describes His kingly being or kingship.† Edersheim adds that the rule of heaven and the kingship of God was the â€Å"very substance of the Old Testament; the object of the calling and mission of Israel; the meaning of all its ordinances whether civil or religious; the underlying idea of all its institutions.† The Old Testament, he says, could not be understood without this.† (265) It was common that the rule of a king would be established by the terms of a co venant, in which two parties are bound together in a solemn, unbreakable oath. There are a series of covenants in the Bible, the terms of which were always determined by God. The earliest books of the Old Testament outline these covenants, showing the development of the nation that was to be the primary realm of his sovereignty on earth. God chose a series of patriarchs to found this nation; giving specific promises, and calling for their trust and obedience. For several centuries these people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, lived in and are eventually become enslaved in Egypt. After 430 years, â€Å"God commissioned Moses, with Aaron as his mouthpiece , to lead out the Hebrew slaves, tribal descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, from Egypt, to become a nation in Palestine, the land of promise (Exodus 3:4)† (New Bible Dictionary). At Mount Sinai, god established a covenant with the Israelites, grounding His requirements (the laws which were to function as the constitution for a theocratic kingdom in which God would be the sole ruler) on what He had already done for them, and giving promises of great blessings which would accrue if they were obedient to the terms of the covenant. Closely coupled to the idea of God’s absolute sovereignty is the fact of his holiness. â€Å"God is the king of His covenant people, Israel. In a particular sense, not true of any other nation. †¦

Assignment 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assignment 4 - Essay Example The paper at the end also evaluates the most likely negative outcomes and risks associated with the proposed idea, the product and the consumer behavior. The paper ends with a concluding statement on the topic and recommendations for e-commerce business entrepreneurs. The Innovative E-Commerce Business Idea The Novel Idea: The innovative business idea is concerned with online selling of public safety oriented electronic device that could sense the presence of a wild species in a residential locality, and develops an image of these on trespassing the wildlife vicinity and entering the human neighborhood. VigiCam: The product uses sensors, camera device, and GPS systems for identification and positioning of wild species in suburban localities. The product uses telecom network services for its operation and quick indication of species in nearby neighborhood. The product is connected with a user’s cell phone and the landline of the nearest rescue or wildlife organization. The prod uct owned by the customer has an in built two way alert system, the customer feeds his number and the locality’s corresponding rescue team’s number. ... m: The public safety issues associated with wildlife trespassing human neighborhood can be addressed in a quick, efficient and adept manner; ensuring both public and wildlife safety. The Nature and Purpose of VigiCam Business Purpose of the Business: The purpose of VigiCam product business is that there is an acute demand for products across the world that could ensure human safety against wildlife attack or encroachment into public property or neighborhood. Wildlife and human encounters often result in adverse safety situations where children, public property, or even wildlife itself exposed to life and health risks. This product ensures safety of wildlife as well as humans by limiting the interactions between the unprofessional friendly human beings and the wild beings. Need Behind VigiCam E-Business: Issues associated with wildlife exposure to human beings have aroused in many countries across the world like Australia, USA, Canada, India, Russia etc. in these countries people are confronted with a diverse wild set of beings that are often violent and ferocious, which can potentially harm humans’ property and put questions before human safety. In many parts of the world the public itself give wildlife the room to explore human vicinity in search of food; by placing food garbage which offers most appeal for animals. Consequently, these animals hunt after food and often react in case of suppressing of their access to food items. In other cases, the wild animals’ free access to human neighborhood is even unhealthy for both animals and human beings, as this often account for dispersion of diseases amongst both species. As a result, initiatives should be taken by the public, the business community and the security agencies run under private or government control to

Self assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Self assessment - Essay Example Department of State/Bureau of International Information Programs, 2015). While these features can be observed among many, a skilled entrepreneur will know how to utilize these features for business purposes. In this essay, I intend to discuss the similarities in features that I possess to become an entrepreneur besides discussing the role of entrepreneurship in successful business undertakings, identifying the impacts of entrepreneurial activities in the business world and the roles played by innovation and creativity. The essay will also focus on my personal views of entrepreneurial activities, with reference to my experience in Sotheby as GNTG’s Human Resources Assistant. The discussion will also emphasize my roles in voluntary works in cooperation with my friends. In accordance to the context presented, I will discuss my IT skills and activities about how it helps in performing entrepreneurial activities. Scholars and theorists argue that to become a successful entrepreneur, several key attributes must be possessed inclusive of creativity skills, leadership qualities, passion to work for betterment, self-confidence, and ignition to bring innovation in business, along with the abilities of making smart investments, dedication and flexibility (Business Case Studies, 2015). Although this provides a general view to the characteristics of an effective entrepreneur, there have been considerable arguments concentrating on the do’s and don’ts of entrepreneurship. Referring to these attributes, I was able to observe many similarities and dissimilarities as well as strengths and weaknesses in myself as an entrepreneur. These similarities became more apparent to my during my internship programme in GNTG, which is a Chinese investment firm, where I used to work as a human resource assistant. My work in GNTG was to receive and fill information

Refuting the Link between Autism and Vaccines Research Paper

Refuting the Link between Autism and Vaccines - Research Paper Example Ever since Dr. Wakefield brought into light the link between Autism and the MMR vaccine, the medical world has been thrown into controversy. Charges and counter charges have been made with no clear theory on the validity of the allegation. The medical fraternity, in which Dr. Wakefield was a member, was split into camps with some denying the link and some supporting Dr. Wakefield’s claim. To go by the facts, Dr. Wakefield along with his colleagues found that MMR immunization caused side effects like developing â€Å"intestinal symptoms and subsequent autistic regression† (Kemp & Hart, 2010, para 3) in patients immediately after the immunization. The article that they published, claiming the link between Autism and the MMR vaccine, created havoc as parents showed full resistance to the immunization process of their babies (Kemp & Hart, 2010). Parents also questioned the use of thimerosal, a by-product of mercury, as a preservative in the vaccine. Following Wakefield†™s findings, further studies have been conducted regarding this issue and the result was again a mixed response. Though no substantial evidence of the link could be established, the theory of the harmful effect of thimerosal could not be dispellel. This paper will weigh the different postulations for and against the allegation that vaccines, in particular the MMR vaccine, cause Autism. I will concentrate on the different perspectives related to the controversy. It would focus on issues supporting the allegation like the cover up policy of CDC on the Autism-vaccine true picture, the unprecedented use of thimerosal in vaccines for commercial reasons; as well as on the opposite views that nullifies the claim on the basis of lack of evidence and research findings. Considering the absence of substantial proof about the possible link, I could not support Wakefield’s theory. In placing my argument refuting the link between Autism and the MMR vaccine, I will focus on unbiased con crete data based research outcomes and established theories. Claims That Autism is Linked to Vaccines Following Dr Wakefield’s claim, there has been a spate of studies on the same topic (Kemp & Hart, 2010). A number of scientists and research professionals have claimed the authenticity of Wakefield’s finding. Their support of the theory is based on certain research outcomes that indicate a possible link between Autism and the MMR vaccine, containing thimerosal (mercury) and aluminium. They claim that the MMR vaccine is the main reason for the growing rate of Autism in children. The proponents of the possible link explain that as the onset of Autism is determined to be at the age of 2 years, also the age at which MMR immunization is done; there is every possibility of Autism being caused by MMR vaccine. The Culprit Vaccine Habakus (2011, p. 1954) records show that out of 163 articles on the Autism-vaccine issue, 43 of the researched papers theorized in favour of the po ssible link. He is implying that there is a big population among researchers who have suspected the possible effect of the MMR vaccine in causing Autism. Habakus believes that the government and media are conjointly suppressing the research implications of Autism-vaccine link and highlighting those that refute any such possibility. Habakus (2011) concentrates on certain factual details, concrete findings and also draws relevant evidences and builds his argument on them. He starts his case by pointing out the incident in which ten

Modern Vampirism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern Vampirism - Essay Example After they free the monkeys, the animals turn on them and bite them hence inflicting them with the virus. The virus soon becomes an epidemic afflicting anyone who comes in contact with the blood through any contact with the infected people. John Wyndham continues to spin the same post-apocalyptic tale although his zombies or vampires take on a rather an unprecedented form. The author presents the zombie character as plants called Triffids that have the ability to walk by upping their roots. However, the catastrophic attribute of these creatures is the lethal venom that they have in their sting, and it is often fatal to humans. The three depictions significantly differ from the traditional definition that almost teetered significantly toward a religious perspective. The directors and author imply that human beings were the cause of the entire affliction that they were facing. In The Omega Man, Robert Neville explains that the virus epidemic came about due to the germ warfare between R ussia and China where both sides employed biological weapons. In 28 Days Later, Jim is the main protagonist that makes a claim about the people responsible through his explanation of the events. He states that the activists had gone to set the monkeys free while the scientist was experimenting with a lethal virus capable of wiping off all trace of humanity from the face of the earth. It, therefore, suffices to say that human rights were over-zealous in their quest, and the scientists were equally guilty for summoning up the mother of plagues.

Change Management Essay Example for Free

Change Management Essay INTRODUCTION Many flaws can be found with the classical approach, the birth of which is widely accredited to Fredrick Taylor, in particular how employees became bitter and angry with the levels of managerial thuggery (Rose 1988) that Taylor promoted. There already existed high levels of worker-management conflict, and Taylors approach merely heightened the tensions that it had set out to tackle. Taylors view, and later, Henri Fayols view of how an organisation could be managed solely focused on the productivity of the worker and how efficiently work could be carried out. It did not take into account the morale of employees or any of their emotional needs, resulting in a workforce which became increasingly dissatisfied with their working environment. Mayo and Maslow developed an approach which was more emphasized on the management of worker morale and leadership rather than merely viewing employees as greedy robots (Rose 1988). This theory, which would evolve into what is known as the Human Relations approach to management, was focused on the thought that a happy and satisfied employee was a more productive employee. CLASSICAL APPROACH. The classical approach to organisational management (1900-1930) emerged from the Industrial Revolution and was born out of a necessity to replace the trial and error approach, which was prevalent prior to this, with a more  focused and consistent approach to how an organisation should be managed. This new approach was focused on the efficiency of an organisation and in improving the performance and output of its employees. The classical approach can be divided into three main areas, scientific management, bureaucracy and administrative management. . (_Managing Change. Bernard Burnes)_ Fredrick Taylor (1856-1917) viewed the management of organisations production efficiency as a science and he is accredited with being the father of scientific management. Taylors view was that there was one best way to perform a task and his approach focused on breaking down each task so that it could be performed in the most efficient way. His research was heavily influenced by the studies of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth(1914). While Taylor was determined to reduce the time it took to complete a task, the Gilbreths tried to reduce the number of motions taken to complete a task. Taylors opinion was that _human beings are predisposed to seek the maximum reward for the minimum effort_ _(Taylor 1911)_ and to counteract this, managers must closely supervise workers to ensure that each predefined step in a task is carried out correctly. By breaking down each work process into smaller tasks controlled by the management, the knowledge required by workers about the work process is reduced. Workers become mere cogs in the machine that is the organisation, and can easily be replaced, as minimum training of a replacement worker is required. This in turn increases the managements control as the workers no longer have a monopoly of knowledge about the work process and cannot use their knowledge as a bargaining tool. Taylor, like the Gilbreths, believed that in order to increase a workers productivity, he should be motivated by monetary rewards for the amount of work he carries out. _When a naturally energetic man works for a few days beside a lazy one, the logic of the situation is unanswerable Why should I work hard when that lazy fellow gets the same pay that I do and does only half as much work? (Taylor 1911)_ While Taylor and the Gilbreths were focused on improving the productivity of  individual workers at task level, Henri Fayol (1841-1925) with the administrative approach, was focused on efficiency at organisational level, top down as opposed to bottom up(Fayol, 1949). Fayols principles of organisation are; division of work, authority, discipline, unity of command ,unity of direction, subordination of individual interest to general interests, remuneration, centralization, scalar chain, order, equity, stability of tenure of personnel, initiative, and esprit de corps.(Mullins,1989:201-3). Max Weber (1864-1924) developed the theory of bureaucratic management which, similarly to Fayols approach, was focused on the overall structure of an organisation. According to Weber a bureaucracy must have a number of distinct characteristics. It must have a hierarchical chain of command, where each employer is answerable to a superior, therefore power flows from the top down. Division of labour, where each task is broken down into smaller tasks, with different employees working on each separate part of the task. Each employee is selected on merit and qualification only with no bias shown to favourites. Formalised and detailed rules and regulations must be set out. HUMAN RELATIONS APPROACH The beginnings of the Human Relations approach can be traced back to studies on worker fatigue which were carried out while the scientific approach was still being established, and it is fair to say that both approaches overlap. Elton Mayo (1880-1949) expanded on these studies in the 1930s, most notably with his Hawthorn experiments. (_Managing Change. Bernard Burnes)_ Mayo did not believe that workers were only concerned by monetary rewards, but instead suggested that by having their social needs met at work they would in turn be more motivated and their performance would improve. In his experiments he divided workers into groups and studied how their productivity responded to changes in the environment such as lighting and working conditions. To his surprise the worsening working conditions did not lead to worker productivity declining, in fact productivity increased. This  led him to conclude that workers motivation was increased by better communication, as the workers were consulted with prior to, and throughout the experiments. It was also concluded that workers performed better when they were in a team, and when they were receiving greater attention from their managers. (_http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm_ ) Abraham Maslow (1908 1970) developed a management theory which is referred to as Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, as shown below. (image. http://chebri.com/commitment-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-and-herzberg-theory-of-hygiene-motivation-in-business/) Maslow believed that in order for a person to concentrate on the higher needs, first his lower, more basic needs must to be satisfied. He argued that once a persons lowest level physiological and safety needs are met; the higher level needs become more important to them. For example in a management situation the physiological needs of an employee are things like adequate lunch breaks and sufficient wages. The safety needs are met when a safe working environment is provided. Social needs are satisfied when there is a sense of community in the working environment. The esteem needs of employees are the needs for recognition from superiors for work carried out and achievements. Self Actualisation is the need of an employee to reach their full potential, this need changes, as different levels of potential are met the employee then needs to attain a higher level. .(_http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/maslow/_ _)_ Douglas McGregor (1906-1964) stated that there are basically two types of manager, one who had a negative view of his employees and the other who had a more positive view. In his concept he called the negative view Theory X, and the positive one Theory Y. Theory X assumes that employees do not like work, and a threat of punishment is required to ensure that they perform to required standards. It is also of the assumption that workers do not have  any ambition and will avoid responsibility; they are primarily interested in security. Theory X could be used to describe the Classical approaches to management. Theory Y managers on the other hand take the human relations approach and assume that work is natural to people and can be a source of satisfaction to them. Theory Y managers believe that workers will seek responsibility and are motivated to meet goals. McGregor believed that managers who adapted the Theory X approach created an environment where workers were only motivated by financial or material gain, whereas Theory Y managers created a workplace where employees were more responsible and more willing to contribute. McGregor came to the conclusion that organisations needed to adapt the approach set out in Theory Y, which is essentially the human relations approach_._ _(Burnes. Managing Change)_ MODERN ORGANISATIONS For the purpose of this essay extensive research was carried out on the approaches that modern industries take regarding management. Information gathered from an interview with an employee of ESB Ireland, an electricity supplier which is one of the largest employers in Ireland, gave a unique insight into how this particular organisation continues to put into effect many facets of the human relations approach. Eoghan, who is employed as an electrical engineer, provided documentation and described how at the beginning of each year all employees have a one to one meeting with their manager to discuss and agree upon goals which they then attempt to achieve throughout the year. The employee is provided with guidance from their manager regarding the work processes on a continuous basis. The diagram shown below, which is taken from the ESBs performance and development document, illustrates how formal and informal communication between manager and employee is seen as essential and is maintained throughout the year. _(Performance and Development Document ESB 2014)_ Coaching is also provided on a one to one basis with employees when it is  required. _Coaching is a proven means, carried out in a confidential manner, by which more individual potential can be unlocked to achieve higher levels of career and business performance_ _(ESB Performance and Development Document 2014)_ Through researching a case study carried out on building materials group CRH, similar approaches to performance management were identified. The CRH approach to performance management is broken down into three areas which are almost identical to those taken at ESB, these are; planning, coaching and reviewing. As is the case at ESB the work processes are carefully structured and discussed with the employee in the planning stage. Coaching is also carried out for each employees specific needs which in turn increases knowledge and improves communication. In the review stage each employee is assessed individually and given the opportunity to respond to feedback. _Self-assessment, collection of information, appraisal and a review meeting all drive performance improvement_ _(http://www.business2000.ie/pdf/pdf_10/crh_10th_ed.pdf)_ CRH are of the view that it is essential that employees are capable of working on their own initiative or as part of a team, as they state in their candidate requirements that candidates must have; _Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team_ _Ability to analyse situations and develop innovative solutions_ _Problem solving ability_ _(http://www.business2000.ie/pdf/pdf_4/crh_4th_ed.pdf)_ CONCLUSION Its understood that the most important asset of any organisation is its employees, and trying to retain the services of these employees. The classical approach to management does not take this into account and instead is solely concerned with increasing productivity and extracting the maximum labour from its workers. It can be argued that the classical approach increases productivity and raises the output of each employee; however, in the long run it does not lead to a satisfied and contented workforce. This approach is dated when it comes to the fast paced business environment that exists today. In most modern workplaces it is essential that workers are capable of working on their own initiative and making important decisions themselves, the classical approach to management does nothing to promote or nurture these skills, and in fact it discourages them. The classical school of thought is that there is one best way for all organisations to be structured and operate _(Burnes. 2004)_, however, as established through this research, the approach that ESB takes disproves this theory, as each employee is treated as an individual and encouraged to provide opinion on how the work process should be structured and best performed. The meetings and one to one contact with managers gives the employee a clear understanding of what is expected of him and improves communication between the employee and management, which is one of the core aspects of the Human Relations Approach. These initial meetings as well as the guidance which is provided throughout year to the employee by ESB management is clearly influenced by Mayos conclusions following the Hawthorn experiments that employee morale and performance increased with better communication and prior consultation to the work process. _(Burnes. 2004)._ The coaching sessions which are provided at ESB help to improve skills and self-confidence in employees as well as providing management with the assurance that their workers are competent and performing to a high  standard. This type of approach to coaching and continuous improvement and learning is in direct contrast to the ideals of the Classical Approach, and particularly to Fredrick Taylors. Taylor believed in reducing employees knowledge about the work process rather than encouraging learning and understanding. By reducing the workers knowledge he believed that management had a greater control over their employees (_Burnes. Managing Change)._ The view taken by ESB is completely different, as they believe that the more skilled and confident that an employee becomes, the greater an asset to the organisation he will be. By providing training and coaching to employees ESB are investing in human capital, which means the more skilled an employee becomes the greater his economic value is to ESB_._ _(http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/humancapital.asp)_ There is a quote from CRH that appears in the case study which was researched which proves that their organisation embodies almost every aspect of the Human Relations approach; _The challenge for CRH is to be a Group that attracts and retains people_ _not just because it is an industry leader but also because it provides a_ _culture and working environment which creates opportunities for all_ _employees to grow personally and professionally._ _(http://www.business2000.ie/pdf/pdf_4/crh_4th_ed.pdf)_ Tesco.http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/developing-appropriate-leadership-styles/leadership-styles.html#axzz3JGcBkQ5Y REFERENCES http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jbm/papers/Vol14-issue6/A01460105.pdf?id=7380 http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/frederick-taylor-theories-principles-contributions-to-management.html http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1911taylor.asp http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm http://chebri.com/commitment-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-and-herzberg-theory-of-hygiene-motivation-in-business/ http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/maslow/ _http://www.business2000.ie/pdf/pdf_4/crh_4th_ed.pdf_

Factors Affecting Reading Habits

Factors Affecting Reading Habits Reading is a process of decoding, understanding and interoperating information from pictures, signs, codes and written letters Leedy, 1956; Smith and Robinson, 1980; Devarajan, 1989; and Irwin 1998. Reading has numerous benefits that improve a persons language acquisition, cultural enrichment, critical thinking and social skills. However, literature has shown that young adults in Malaysia seem to have poor reading habits. Kaur and Thivagarajah, 1999 confirmed that most of their Malaysian undergraduate respondents read very little and this showed a major decline in reading English Materials. Another researcher, Pandian (2000) found that majority of university students stated that they were not willing to read English Language Material or any other second language. There are many problems faced by undergraduates in reading such as lack of interest, undergraduates are forced to read and insufficient time to read. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting reading habits among undergraduates in University of Malaya. The respondents of this study are undergraduates from different faculties in University of Malaya. The objective of the study is twofold; The first is investigate the reading habits of undergraduates in University of Malaya and the second is to identify the factors affecting reading habits among undergraduates in University of Malaya. The instruments used in this study is a questionnaire consisting of 30 items adopted from various instruments including instruments from of Christina Clark and Amelia Foster from the National Literacy Trust (2003), Kumar Ansari (2010), Oyeronke (2009) and Lone (2011). Twenty University Malaya undergraduates were selected to participate in this study. After the data was analysed it was found that there were four factors that affected the reading habits among undergraduates in University of Malaya. There four factors are enjoyment of reading, reading interest, time factor and influence of media and peers. INTRODUCTION Reading is a process of decoding, understanding and interoperating information from pictures, signs, codes and written letters (Leedy, 1956; Smith and Robinson 1980, Devarajan, 1989; and Irwin 1998).This process has been around since humans started interacting with each other. Reading is also seen as a process of communicating between the writer and the reader. Reading started as interpretation symbols and picture as this can be proven by the vast drawings found in ancient artefacts and in caves. As humans evolved so did language and this brought to the development of the alphabets. By recognising individual alphabets, humans were able to read. One the oldest definition can be found from Leedy (1956) who mentioned that reading is an attempt to absorb the thought of the author and know what the author is conveying. Smith Robinson (1980) defined reading as an active attempt on the part of reader to understand a writers meaning. Devarajan (1989) defined reading as the art of interoperating printed and written words. According to Goodman (1995), reading begins with a linguistic surface expression encoded by a writer and ends with meaning which the reader decoded. In other words, Goodman says reading is seen as the receptive process of written communication. In 1998, Allen and Burton cited in Goodman mentioned that reading is a complex process of making meaning from pictures, diagrams or written text and finally interoperating it by its context. Irwin (1998) said that reading is the ability to recognise words, understand its meaning and interoperating the meaning base on our comprehension and background knowledge. There are man y definitions of reading from many researchers, yet the simplest definition agree by many is reading is a complex process of understanding and interoperating a text composed of written signs. Readers make use of background knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, experience with text and other strategies to help them understand a written text Reading not only improves the reading achievements and language acquisition but also improves social skills. Reading improves general knowledge and communication skills and this leads to more participation in the community. A person is able to share the ideas, opinions and feeling with those around him especially with the other gender (Cunningham and Stanovich, 1997) However, literature has shown that young adults in Malaysia seem to have poor reading habits. Kaur and Thivagarajah, 1999 confirmed that most of their Malaysian Undergraduate respondents read very little and this showed a major decline in reading English Materials. Another researcher, Pandian (2000) found that majority of university students stated that they were not willing to read English Language Material or any other second language Problem Statement Reading is a necessary skill when it comes to acquiring a second language. Reading has a lot of benefits including improving the language acquisition, improving the structure of the knowledge and grammar and improving fluency and accuracy. The benefits of reading are well known but there are still a large number of people with poor reading habits especially undergraduate students. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting reading habits among undergraduate in University of Malaya. The respondents of this study are undergraduates from different faculties in University of Malaya. It is hoped that with this study, a better understanding of reading habits will be obtained and will help in the pedagogy of teaching reading to undergraduates. Research Objective The objective of the study is twofold; The first is investigate the reading habits of undergraduates in University of Malaya and the second is to identify the factors affecting reading habits among undergraduates in University of Malaya. Significant of the Study This research will be carried out to identify the factors affecting reading habits among undergraduates in UM. This is important as it tells us the different factors affecting reading habits. By understanding the factors, appropriate measures can be taken to increase reading habits of the next generation of undergraduates. The information obtained through this study can benefit various parties who are involved in tertiary level reading. Such parties are the parents, teachers of primary and secondary schools, teachers in Pre University, lecturers in undergraduates, students and the curriculum developers. The first party to benefit from this study would be the parents of the child. By knowing the childs reading habits, parents are able to introduce the benefits of reading at an early stage of life, change the ways of encouraging the childs reading. Parents can increase the level of the childs reading by providing rewards. A correct reading habit exposure may lead to better acquisition of the second language. Teachers from both primary and secondary schools can use the information gathered to strengthen reading among their students. Since reading starts from young it is hoped that the findings of this study could help incubate good reading habits from a young age as good reading habits are important tools for the development of personalities and mental capacities LITERATURE REVIEW Reading is a process of decoding, understanding and interoperating information from pictures, signs, codes and written letters (Leedy, 1956; Smith and Robinson 1980, Devarajan, 1989; and Irwin 1998).This process has been around since humans started interacting with each other One the oldest definition can be found from Leedy (1956) who mentioned that reading is an attempt to absorb the thought of the author and know what the author is conveying. Smith Robinson (1980) defined reading as an active attempt on the part of reader to understand a writers meaning. Devarajan (1989) defined reading as the art of interoperating printed and written words. According to Goodman (1995), reading begins with a linguistic surface expression encoded by a writer and ends with meaning which the reader decoded. In other words, Goodman says reading is seen as the receptive process of written communication. In 1998, Allen and Burton cited Goodman and mentioned that reading is a complex process of making meaning from pictures, diagrams or written text and finally interoperating it by its. Irwin (1998) said that reading is the ability to recognise words, understand its meaning and interoperating the meaning base on our comprehension and background knowledge. There are many defin itions of reading from many researchers, yet the simplest definition agree by many is reading is a complex process of understanding and interoperating a text composed of written signs. Readers make use of background knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, experience with text and other strategies to help them understand a written text Reading has numerous benefits to young adults who are pursuing the degree. According to Cunningham and Stanovich (1998), reading improves ones ability to improve vocabulary, and, writing skills. Elley (1992) mentioned from her study that the more frequent a young adult independently reads, the reading achievement of that person increases. Elley also explained that the persons health improves as reading leads to lower stress levels and thus the happier the person gets. In their research, Magubhai Elley (1983) concluded that the more ESL books read leads to better understanding of second language usage and improves the first language. Reading ESL books frequently help to further strengthen fluency, pronunciation, word choices and linkage of ideas. Reading not only improves the reading achievements and language acquisition but also improves in social skills. Reading improves general knowledge and communication skills and this leads to more participation in the community. A person is able to share the ideas, opinions and feeling with those around him especially with the other gender (Cunningham and Stanovich, 1997) Listed below are explanations on how readings are beneficial to the readers. Reading helps to improve a persons vocabulary, spelling, writing skills, fluency, proficiency, language enrichment, cultural enrichment, critical thinking, personal involvement, sociolinguistic and pragmatic knowledge and emotional intelligent Vocabulary According to the studies carried out by Magubhai and Elley (1983), Cunningham and Stanovich (1998), and Elley (1992), reading helps to improve an ESL learners vocabulary list. By reading a book or any printed text, a person is exposure to new words he has not encounter before. The reader will be tempted to know the meaning of the word by referring to the context of the text or by referring to a dictionary. The reader will then be tempted to use the particular word in his oral or written communication. Saragi et al. (1978) carried out research on the merits of reading in acquiring second language. They found that extensive reading results in a substantial increase in the vocabulary of the learner which is acquired by grasping the meanings of words in context. They mentioned reading is vital for increasing learners selection of vocabulary in context, which cannot be acquired even by referring to the dictionary. Classroom activities do not provide enough scope for the acquiring of vocab ulary in context, therefore the reader has to read extensively to acquire a usable level of vocabulary in context. Spelling According to Walpole (2009), reading improves ones phonological awareness, knowledge of phonology, grapheme, phoneme and morpheme. By reading a person can blend the word sound together, matching other sound together and then categorise the two sounds together to form meaning. This means the person is aware how the grapheme, morpheme and phoneme are combined phonologically. This leads to understanding the word, knowledge of the meaning from the contexts and the spelling of the word. The more frequent that particular word appears, the more familiarised the person be with the spelling Writing Skills Reading has a special relationship with writing. Whatever is read is remembered and this helps in writing. Reading has many genres that help us to learn the structure of a particular language. By reading a lot, the reader will be more familiar with the targeted language. Vocabulary will be expended and so will the grammatical structures. Rules of grammar wil be automatically acquired. Reading again and again will lead to the curiosity of trying to combine sentences of words together and writing them down Fluency Wolfe and Katzir-Cohen (2001) mentioned that fluency is an important part of reading comprehension. Samuel (2002) defined fluency as the ability to read connected text rapidly, smoothly, effortlessly, and automatically with little attention to the mechanics of reading. Dowhower (1987) has proven through his research that fluent readers are able to read a text faster, more accurately, and better understanding. In another word, fluent reading allows readers to make connections among the ideas in the text and between the text and their background knowledge. In the end, fluent readers can recognise words and comprehend at the same time. By fluently reading, the readers can automatically recognise the meaning of the word with the help of the background knowledge and link it to the context of the text. Proficiency By frequently reading books in a target language, a person can improve his proficiency. Reading again and again helps a reader to be familiar with the language structure and the rules of the grammar. Reading materials from other genres, helps the reader to comprehend the situations from different contexts. For example what do you say during a funeral or what to say in a shopping complex? The reader will be tempted to use the phrases found in the books or reading materials, and when the phrase is repeated, the reader will then be proficient. Language Enrichment Reading provides learners with a huge range of the various lexical or syntactic items. Readers will become familiar with the features of the written language. They learn about the syntax and discourse functions of sentences, the target language structures, the different ways of connecting ideas, which develop and enrich their own writing skills. Readers also become more productive and adventurous when they begin to perceive the richness and diversity of the language they are trying to learn and begin to make use of some of that potential themselves. Thus, they improve their communicative and cultural competence in the authentic richness, naturalness of the authentic texts. On top of that, reading helps to develop the grammatical aspects of the language. Literature involves a profound range of vocabulary, dialogues and prose (Truong Thi My Van, 2009). Though poetry is usually criticized for its complex and far-fetched syntactic structures, it can simultaneously be a good source for pr acticing grammatical structures. Cultural Enrichment Literary texts such as poems, short stories, plays and novels facilitate understanding on how communication takes place in certain cultures in different parts of the world. Although the worlds of literary texts are imaginary one, it presents a full and colourful setting in which characters from many social and regional backgrounds can be described (Collie, and Slater. 1990). By reading, the reader will be able to experience the characters feelings, thoughts, customs and behaviours. This colourful created world can quickly help Malaysian Undergraduates to feel for the norms that shape a society through written forms. Literature can complement other materials used to develop the Malaysian learners understanding into the English language. As a conclusion literature can provide students with access to the culture of the people whose language they are studying. Critical Thinking In his 2009 paper Truong Thi My Van, literature is a good medium for critical thinking enhancement among language learners. The author also states that reading can bring about changes in the attitudes of the learners. According to Langer (1997), reading allows SLA readers to reflect on their lives, learning, and language. In page 607, Langer said that by reading literature text it helps to open horizons of possibility. This allows students to question, interpret, connect, and explore. Literature therefore helps in the development of higher order thinking skills. Today, critical thinking is extremely important for education especially at advanced levels of education or in order words Undergraduates. Critical thinking prepares us not to take things for granted and to attempt to unravel the hidden agenda of texts. Personal Involvement Reading can be useful in the acquisition of second language as it actively involves the reader to the text. Once any SLA reader begins to read, he or she will be drawn to the text. The longer the reader reads the more captive he or she becomes and when this happens, the purpose of reading changes from understanding the meaning to finding out what happens next in the plot (Hismanoglu 2005). The reader then becomes so involved that nothing else matter. When this happens, the reader the reader feels closer to the characters or a particular character and shares their emotional responses. This is beneficial to language acquisition. At this juncture, the prominence of the selection of a reading text in relation to the needs, expectations, and interests, language level of the students is evident (Elliot, 1990). Sociolinguistic and Pragmatic Knowledge As mentioned by Hismanoglu (2005), literature is an example of authentic material land this can help with the development of the English Language among Malaysian Secondary School Students. Due to its authenticity, literature can develop sociolinguistic and pragmatic knowledge as manifested in communicative competence models (McKay, 2001). Sociolinguistic and Pragmatic competence are two of the main components of the communicative language. Literature due to its authenticity is equipped with sociolinguistic and pragmatic information. These two features are more related to appropriateness in language which can be found only in contextualized language such as literary texts especially dramas and plays. Readers can get firsthand experience as how to use the real language situations. Emotional Intelligent Reading literary texts foster emotional intelligence. Emotional Quotient is specifically related to human ability to control and manage their emotions and feelings in difficult situations. Students learn to control their anxiety affection, feeling and emotion through reading (Gajdusek, and van Dommelen, 1993). Therefore literature is a good source for nurturing Emotional Quotient. Problems in Reading among Undergraduates of a Second Language There are many problems in reading faced by undergraduate readers of a second language. The main problem is the lack of interest in reading books in English or other second language. Readers prefer to read book or any printed or online material in their mother tongue. They are familiar with the language structure and have been reading in their mother tongue since young. Many readers have difficulties in understanding what they read as the words are alienated to them. This may be caused by their unfamiliarity with the spelling of the word and sometimes the word may have two different meanings. They are no able to understand the context of the text and therefore lose interest in the book. Another major problem is readers are forced to read. Dowhower (1987) has proven through his research that when a person is forced to read something, then the person will not enjoy the book and this leads to hating the book. The information from the book will not be absorbed into the persons mind. Smith Robinson (1980) defined reading as an active attempt on the part of reader to understand a writers meaning and when you are forced to read nothing is understood. Reading for pleasure or in other words reading for the fun of it will improves ones language acquisition, critical thinking skills and pragmatic knowledge. Frustration of readers towards text is frequent problem to reading. Frustration happens when the reader is unable to understand the meaning of the sentence in the first two times of reading Hismanoglu (2005). Readers will then take time to decode the text and if they still cant understand they will leave the book. Another reason according to Hismanoglu is the reader is unable to connect with the context of the test. Readers of academic books find it difficult to comprehend the meaning because of the long explanations and the blend mood of the text. When there are too many unknown words, reader tend to skip those unknown words and this leads to not understanding the context of the reading material. Time is another problem faced by undergraduates. With a hectic schedule, undergraduates are able to spend sufficient time reading. Hismanoglu 2005 stated that the reader will be more familiar with the language structure as reading material are authentic material and this can help with the development of the English Language or other second language. Due to its authenticity, literature can develop sociolinguistic and pragmatic knowledge as manifested in communicative competence models (McKay, 2001) If a reader doesnt have enough time to read, he or she will miss out in improving themselves. METHODOLOGY Research Design This study uses a quantitative research approach. Quantitative research is the precise count of behaviour, knowledge, opinions, or attitudes (Cooper and Schindler, 2006, p.716). There are several reasons why a quantitative questionnaire survey was chosen. According to Sekaran (2003), a questionnaire survey will ensure comparability of data, increase speed and accuracy of recording and facilitating data processing. Many relevant studies relating to perceptions have used the quantitative survey approach. Quantitative method can elicit information from a larger number of subjects in a short period time and it is cost effective Research Instrument The instruments used in this study is a questionnaire consisting of 30 items adopted from various instruments including instruments from of Christina Clark and Amelia Foster from the National Literacy Trust (2003), Kumar and Ansari (2010), Oyeronke (2009) and Lone (2011). The questionnaire has three sections. The first section had 8 questions regarding the respondents personal information, questions in this section ranged from gender to the spoken language at home. Section B consists of 10 questions regarding the respondents reading preferences. The final section consisted of 10 questions that focused on reading and two questions on problems in reading. The questions in all three sections were choice base questions. Sampling Twenty undergraduates from five faculties which are Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics and Faculty of Science participated in this study. They were conveniently selected. The researcher administered the questionnaire to those who were in University of Malaya Main Library and the parking lot Data Analysis The questionnaires were collected and the data was entered in a template using Microsoft Office Excel 2007.The data was cleaned and analysed. As this is a pilot study with 20 subjects, it was easier and faster to analyse the data without using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science. Descriptive statistics was used to summarise the undergraduate students responses. RESULTS The Demography of the Respondents The demographic profile of the respondents is given in Table 1 Table 1 Demography of the Respondents Variable Frequency Percentage Gender Male 6 30% Female 14 70% Age 18-20 3 15% 21-23 13 65% 23 above 4 20% MUET Band 1 1 6% 2 13 76% 3 0 0% 4 3 18% Undergraduate Year 1 5 25% 2 10 50% 3 4 20% 4 1 5% Mother Tongue Malay 7 35% Mandarin 5 25% Tamil 7 35% Arabic 1 5% Spoken Language Malay 7 35% Mandarin 5 25% Tamil 7 35% Arabic 1 5% Base on Table 1, majority of the students are females (70%), aged 21-23 (65%), have obtained Band 2 in MUET (76%) and are in the second year of study (50%). The percentage of students with the Mother Tongue and their Spoken language correspond to each other. Reading Preferences The reading preferences among undergraduates in University of Malaya are summarized in Table 2 Table 2 The Reading Preferences Variable Frequency Percentage Enjoy Reading Books Yes 16 80% No 4 20% Read Books In? English 5 25% Mother Tongue 15 75% Number Of Books Read In The Past 6 Months One 2 10% Two 3 15% Three 3 15% Four 3 15% Five 1 5% Six And Above 8 40% Frequently Of Reading In A Month Once A Week 4 20% Two To Three Times A Week 8 40% Four Times A Week 2 10% Everyday 6 30% Time Spend Reading In One Session Less Than 30 Minutes 1 5% 30 Minutes To One Hour 4 20% One And A Half Hour 2 10% Two Hours 2 10% More Than Three Hours 4 20% Time Of The Day Morning 4 20% Afternoon 2 10% Evening 4 20% Night 14 40% Table 2 shows majority of the students (80%) enjoy reading books while most of them (75%) prefer to read in their own Mother Tongue. 40% of the students read more than five books in the past six months. Eight of the students (40%), read two to three times per week. The time spent per reading session is distributed evenly over less than 30 minutes and more than three hours where both are 20%. Out of 20 students, only 40% or 14 students prefer to read at night Reading Materials The reading materials of undergraduates in University of Malaya is given in Table 3 Table 3 Reading Materials Variable Frequency Percentage Reading Material Printed Material 7 35% On-Line Material 4 20% Both 11 55% On-Line Devices Computer 2 10% Laptop 17 85% Tablet 3 15% Smart Phone 2 10% Reading Genres Thriller 7 35% Classic 3 15% Horror 4 20% Crime 5 25% Romance 9 45% Fantasy 7 35% History 6 30% Biography 2 10% Sports 4 20% Politics 1 5% Education 7 35% Academic 3 15% Religious 7 35% Magazine 6 30% Health 7 35% Cookery 5 25% Science Fiction 6 30% Source Of Material Bookstore 14 70% Library 11 55% Friends 7 35% Photostatted 3 15% Free On-Line 14 70% Amazon 1 5% Other On-line Store 1 5% Table 3 describes that 11 students (55%) like to read both printed and on-line material. The most often used on-line device for reading on-line material is the laptop (85%). The Romance Genre was reported to be the most preferred reading genre with a total of 11 students (45%). Only one student (5%) preferred the political genre. The major source for printed material was the bookstore. This can be seen with 70% of the students said they bought they reading material from the bookstore. For on-line materials, 70% of the students mentioned that they read the material on-line for free Reading Influence The current reading influence of the undergraduates in University of Malaya is given in Table 4 Table 4 Reading Habit Variable Frequency Percentage Current Influence Parents 4 20% Siblings 2 10% Friends 8 40% Lectures 8 40% Media 7 35% Prefer To Read At: Home 12 60% Library 8 40% Alone 17 85% Selection Of Reading Material Author 6 30% Title 11 55% Summary 8 40% Price 2 10% Illustration 3 15% Genre 6 30% Pages 4 20% Cover 2 10% Suggestion From Others 3 15% Base on Table 4, most of the students cited that their friends (40%), their lectures (40%) and the media (35%) influence their current reading. 85% of the students (17) reported that they prefer to read alone and their preferred place to read is either at home (60%) or in the library (40%) 11 students or 55% select their reading material based on the title, while only 2 students, 10% choose their material based on the price of cover. Reading Purpose of undergraduates The reading purpose among undergraduates in University of Malaya is provided in Table 5. Table 5 Reading Purpose of undergraduates in University of Malaya Variable Frequency Percentage Purpose Of Reading Get Information 16 80% Reference 6 30% To Pass The Time 6 30% To Complete A Course 3

Evaluation of a modified neck snare to live-capture coyotes :: essays research papers

Pruss, S.D., N.L. Cool, R.J. Hudson and A.R. Gaboury. 2002. Evaluation of a modified neck snare to live-capture coyotes. Wildlife Society bulletin. 30(2):508-516. Many researchers opt for the most humane and safe techniques when obtaining live animals for study. A variety of devices are employed in the trapping of coyotes (Canis latrans), one option being the neck snare. Since all trapping methods have their dangers, researchers in the article â€Å"Evaluation of a modified neck snare to live-capture coyotes,† are motivated to improve trap safety to decrease mortality rates. The modified neck snare consisted of a supporting wire, swivel, locking neck snare and a diazepam tab sedative. The thick, supporting anchor wire (firmly attached to a tree or log) was secured to a snare swivel. Connected to the swivel was the locking snare, which was comprised of a Cam-LocTM. The lock was set to 27cm so that coyotes could be caught safely while reducing the capture of non-subject animals (i.e. elk, moose, deer, and bison). The diazepam tab, also attached to the swivel, consisted of 40mg of crushed diazepam between two strips of cotton. Consumed at the time of capture, this sedative was important to live-captures by decreasing aggression thus lowering incident of injury (lacerations or bruising) and death due to stress or fatal injuries. Research of coyotes occurred in a 194-km2 area of Elk Island National Park (EINP), of Alberta, Canada. 51 coyotes were captured between 15 November-1 April over a period of 9,379 trap nights and 7,421 trap days. Researchers took care in assembling the snares so that any traces of human scent were masked. The traps were then set up along game trails avoiding any exposed or hazardous sites. Every 12-24 hours they were checked to reduce capture time, further reducing stress and injury. Once captured, the coyote was restrained and the immobilizing anesthetic, Telazol, was administered to keep them stationary. The animal was kept warm during the cleaning and stitching of injuries, recording of weight, fitting of eartags and radiocollars, blood collection and injection of antibiotics and an antiparasitic agent.

Romeo And Juliet: Medicines Used In The Renaissance :: essays research papers

Romeo and Juliet: Medicines Used In The Renaissance Romeo and Juliet both killed themselves with poison, although it was not synthetic drugs. The poison had to be as powerful, some scholars believe that it was hemlock that sealed the fate of the two start crossed love, other are skeptical, but we will probably never know. The methods and medicines used in Renaissance and Medieval times were very primitive compared to today's standards. medical concepts were magical and demoniacal. With no anesthetics, no knowledge of how the human body and it's functions people many times would do anything they thought would help, not necessarily what worked. They to cure people from "evil" or the devil, people would literally open up a person's skull and then massage the brain. Wizards (alchemist) would mix potions, trying to find eternal life , and cures to everything. For years these alchemists tried to find a way to change lead into gold, they as you probably know never suceed. Alchemists as crazy as they may seem to us were in reality the first chemists discovering metals and mixing them etc. Here's a poem about something that happen during the Renaissance: Ring around the rosies, A pocket full of posies, Ashes, ashes! We all fall down. For hundreds of years children sang this song not knowing the horrible meaning behind it. Song was written about the Bubonic Plague. Horrible living conditions in the cities and town helped the "Black Plague" spread killing thousands and greatly lowered the population of the world. It would cause glands to swell and caused a horrible oder in it's victims. There was not really a sanitation system in Elizabethan England garbage was left in the street for days, rats would then get into the garbage and the rats would then spread the plague rapidly and in one great wave swept across the country side. No one was safe, but important religious officials like the arch bishop of France were surrounding in fire for months. Back to the meaning of the poem: The rosies refer to rosary beads to

The Devils Arithmetic - Relationships Essay -- Jane Yolen

The Devil’s Arithmetic is written by Jane Yolen. The story’s main character is Hannah. Hannah is a thirteen year old girl who is unappreciative of her family and everything they do for her. During a Seder dinner, Hannah is transported back in time to rural Poland in 1942. In this time Hannah becomes Chaya. During a wedding procession, she is captured and taken to a concentration camp. In the camp Hannah experienced different kinds of family structures. Some of the family structures Hannah experienced in the camp were with her immediate family, her friendships, and with other strangers. During her time as Chaya, Hannah was involved in many family structures. One of which is with her immediate family. She witnessed self sacrifice of herself and the others around her. While getting ready for her Uncle Shmuel’s wedding, she received two blue ribbons. Her Aunt Gitl gave her a blue dress, and to go with the dress she gave Hannah a pair of blue ribbons, which she had been saving for her wedding night. â€Å"These I was saving for my wedding night-about which you know so much,† (pg. 6) Gitl sacr...

Should the celebrity scandals in the press be banned?

One of the most disputable questions in our time is â€Å"Should the celebrity scandals in the press be banned†. Many people think that the tabloids shouldn’t write about the private life of the film and music stars. For example: when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston got married, all tabloids wrote stories about their private life. The journalists made up a lot of them. As a result of that they split up. I think that the scandals in the press should be banned!In my opinion it’s none of our business what the stars do in their free time. Personally, I believe that most of the people that read such ridiculous stories about the stars’ private life don’t believe they are true. They read them just for fun. Nevertheless, I think we can do without this kind of entertainment. I don’t go along with the tabloids because the half of the stuff they print is just a complete rubbish. What is more: I think that the famous people have immoral lives but it is mo re immoral to write and read about it.Perhaps the most important point however is that when the teenagers read about the scandalous things that music and film stars do, they think that it’s OK to do such things. I don’t believe that is good about the youth – the future of our world. In conclusion, I would say that tabloids must stop to make up stories about the famous people. I think that reading such newspapers is just waste of time. We can spend our time in more pleasant things like going hiking or going swimming or just stay with our friends.

Extended commentary of ‘Neutral Tones’ by Thomas Hardy Essay

On the Title: â€Å"Neutral Tones† encourages the reader to postpone any immediate inferences about the poem. It also refers to the muted (â€Å"monochrome†) colour scheme found in the first and last stanzas; these colours, in turn, are used by Hardy to emphasise the blandness/†deadness† of the emotions between the persona and his love. Thus the title is an introduction to both the poem’s images and emotional back-drop. Themes: Love (cruelty of it), Distance, Pain Overall Structure: A four stanza lyric with a continuous A/B/A/B rhyme scheme. These repeated ideas may add to the idea of monotony or dullness in emotion. This is a weak idea, however. First Stanza Notes: Hardy presents a scene and a persona. The use of the personal pronoun â€Å"we† has two effects: 1) It establishes a subtle familiarity between the reader and the persona – we can partially associate with the persona if he/she (sex is not made explicitly clear) through the simple use of the pronoun. 2) The lack of fixed gender does also add to a feeling of distance – distancing effects are used throughout the poem and will be explored. This particular one is maintained throughout. The scene presented is one of two figures standing by a pond; nearby sits a â€Å"sod† – a small grass turf. The description of this scene is incredibly important to the understanding of the poem; it sets the mood and leads to an eventual repetition of the image itself (last verse). The scene is devoid of colour, Hardy-esque by character and elegiac in tone. HEREBY NOTE: Hardy only uses the sense of sight in this poem (a nuance maintained throughout) – this is the only sense which can be used from afar. Thus we discover another distancing effect. The scene is devoid of colour – Hardy is introducing his colour scheme. As previously discussed, this reflects the muted nature of emotion expressed in the poem. Perhaps one can label the colours monochrome? Evidence, if needed in an exam, with brief exploration: * â€Å"Sun was white†; suggesting a light drained of colour. This phrase becomes important when considering the other images associated with the sun and sunlight. â€Å"Chidden of God† means ‘told off’ by God. This is an intentionally extreme image, certainly a rather bleak one! Compare with the ‘God-curst sun’ in fourth stanza. * â€Å"Few leaves†; weakest of the quotes. Indicates a lack of green on the sod (in terms of numerical value). * â€Å"Starving sod†; the grass is dying, and therefore turning brown. Like dried grass in the summer? * â€Å"Fallen from an ash†; significant choice of tree (obscure point though). Ash is associated implicitly with death. * â€Å"Gray†; for use when desperate. The colours are numbed, as to reflect how the breakup of a relationship can be as numbing. Quote SLS: â€Å"Hints towards a passionless palate of senses.† Second Stanza Notes: Hardy reveals the meaning/purpose of his scene in this stanza, by explaining and poetically exploring the relationship between the persona and his (former) love. The muted colour scheme, it becomes clear, does have the effect above described. * â€Å"Your eyes on me were as eyes that rove/ Over tedious riddles of years ago;† This line indicates both the trivial nature that the persona associates with the couple’s ‘riddles’ (problems?) now, and the implied importance of these problems possessed in earlier days. What does this change tell us? * Perhaps that the couple grew cold and got bored with one another’s problems, hence the use of ‘tedious’. The line also suggests that the ‘riddles’ used to be solved, or that they have recurred. Remember that the partner is both unnamed and ‘unspecified’ in any way – perhaps he/she has grown so cold to the extent that he/she sees the persona only in terms of what ‘was’? It is negative thought in any case. Quote SLS: â€Å"They see previous mysteries which no longer excite them†. Indeed, Hardy continues to suggest both the boredom created within their relationship and uses more distancing techniques in the next lines: â€Å"And some words played between us to and fro/ On which lost the more of our love† Note how the words are given physical attributes, or entities, as opposed to acoustic ones. We can figuratively â€Å"see† the words (because they are ‘played’ between the figures), but can’t hear them. This reinforces our idea of distance, in that the scene is almost behind a glass screen, where the sexes of the characters are blurred, we can see only particular details and cannot hear, smell or touch anything. As before said, this allows the reader to associate with the persona, albeit vaguely. Boredom reinforced; ‘played between us’ suggests some crude game – these problems seem trivial and dull now. And they lost the more of their love on them – the games didn’t do the relationship any good! Third Stanza Notes: Hardy recreates the moment at which the love died, and the relationship fully ended. To achieve this, he focuses on the partner’s mouth. â€Å"The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing/ Alive enough to have strength to die;† The use of an oxymoronic superlative stresses the death of emotion between the pair, further emphasised by the enjambment used – it highlights both â€Å"the deadest thing† and â€Å"Alive enough†, making such an image both stark and even more surprising. The image presented, as if the smile embodied the relationship, in one which is so close to death but has enough physical strength to complete the physical action of dying. An odd idea, but it works effectively. Note how the juxtaposition between life and death presents further contrast (when comparing poems, this becomes important!). Ad. [As a further distancing technique, observe how Hardy keeps only to sight; he uses the smile to fully embody the relationship.] However, Hardy does not end his onslaught of depression there: â€Å"And a grin of bitterness swept thereby/ Like an ominous bird a-wing.† Hardy here notes the transformation of the lover’s weak smile to an ex-lover’s grin, a positively relished expression of bitterness. As the reader, it is impossible to discern exactly who is relishing the moment; is it the partner, in a very cruel statement of emotion? Or is it the persona, in some oddly malicious â€Å"reverie-state†, remembering this moment and the pain it brought to him then, only to scorn it now, as ‘keen lessons’ in love have numbed the emotional agony? (Probably the former, as the latter changes the entire dynamic of the poem!) In any case, it is another confusion of oxymoronic imagery (grins and bitterness tend to be mutually exclusive) to express the pain of the relationship’s end; it certainly emphasises a strong sense of emotion. Hardy’s use of such emotive language may be considered out of place in a poem all out numbing pain and emotion; surely an â€Å"ominous bird a-wing† would fit better in Macbeth than next to a grey pond? Consider this possible weakness of this for yourself. (It might just be a forced rhyme.) Fourth Stanza Notes: Time is the opening note upon Hardy opens the fourth stanza, simply by using the words â€Å"Since then†. They put the reader in the present; indeed, by implication, this emphasises how the rest of the poem was in the past. It’s a memory! What consequence does this bear? * El Nombre Uno) [And yes, I do think that Hardy should have been Mexican. One can have a lot of fun with a Poet in a sombrero.] Simply, it is another distancing technique. Distance in time! * Numà ©ro Deux: [Hardy eating snails?] The present tense allows for the circularity of the main image in the poem – see hence. â€Å"Since then, keen lessons that love deceives,/ And wrings with wrong, have shaped to me/ Your face, and the God-curst sun, and a tree,/ And a pond edged with grayish leaves.† At last, Hardy arrives at the crux of his poem; that Love deceives, lies and hurts. The fact of this (these â€Å"lessons†) takes on the mental image of the scene earlier described – it IS a memory, and a blurry one, given the sparse details described in the poem. In a little more detail, there are two phrases which must be analysed: I) â€Å"God-curst sun† is even more emotive that the previously described â€Å"chidden of God†. The variation in terms should be explored. The severity of judgement, carried out by none other than the almighty, presents us with a very bleak image – the sun has physically paled under the strain. II) â€Å"Wrings with wrong† is obviously emphasised by the alliteration and the harsh consonance which accompanies it. But does the sense of torsion implied by the word â€Å"wrings† suggest a tearing of a relationship? Perhaps. Note the continued use of the word ‘and’; does this not show the memory is broken and returns to the persona mentally in small pieces, thus adding to the distance created once again? Indeed, along with the variation in terms, it gives the impression of a minimalist, mottled and monochrome image, like a half-remembered dream. Is there a willingness to forget it? Does the persona want to avoid further pain by remembering the image, thus has repressed it along with the associated emotions? (Freudian psychoanalyst in the room.) On the same plane of thought, but to reach a different a conclusion, consider this thesis: the memory has actually faded already, either due to Time or a willing repression. We are reading about a faded memory, as opposed to the persona writing down his VIVID memory in order to repress it himself. Like the First World War poets. Difficult concepts†¦ I say this because the image obviously embodies the emotion, and the circular usage of these conjoined principles proves that the memory is haunting the persona. But if the memory is fading, as shown by all of the distancing techniques, then have the memories accompanying it faded along with it too? (So, dear Mr.) Conclusion. Two ideas. 1) In writing the poem and using the distancing techniques, the persona is neutralising the pain (right now, that is, given that literature is a verbal suspension of time) and is establishing ‘neutral tones’. 2) The memory has already faded along with the pain. This is a mere statement of the fact. ‘Neutral Tones’ have been established.