Thursday, May 14, 2020

Absurd Actions of Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus

In â€Å"The Stranger† by Camus, Meursault’s actions throughout the story can be summed up in one word, absurd. From the start of the story Meursault showed no regard to human life. Life to him was meaningless. His action toward his mother’s death was the 1st encounter into how emotionless, cold, untouched unmoved Meursault was. Although he attended her funeral he was only there in the physical. Natures’ element and the environment around him was more of concern to him than the death of his mother. He was basking in how bright the sky was, and then got frustrated because the sun was so hot he was sweating, stating â€Å"The sweat was pouring down my face†. (Camus, 1988, pg. 16) He also couldn’t remember anything about the funeral except for one thing, stating, â€Å"everything seemed to happen so fast, so deliberately, so naturally that I don’t remember any of it anymore, except for one thing, the nurse spoke to me, she said â€Å"if you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke, but if you go too fast, you work up a sweat†. (Camus, 1988, pg. 17) Another disregard to human life showed up in his relationship with Marie, it was all about the physical, he was without emotion. â€Å"That evening Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said it didn’t make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to. Then she wanted to know if I loved her. I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t love her.†(Camus, 1988, pg.Show MoreRelatedEssay Theory of the Absurd1667 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to critic Mark Esslin, the concept of â€Å"Theatre of the Absurd† relates to the â€Å"playwrights loosely grouped under the label of the absurd attempt to convey their sense of bewilderment, anxiety, and wonder in the face of an inexplicable universe† (â€Å"The Theatre†). Esslin stressed the fact that plays and stories belonging to the â€Å"Theatre of the Absurd† were composed of situations dealin g with the way a human reacts to an event, without any form of importance, thus only stressing over insignificantRead MoreIsolationism Of The Stranger And The Thief1397 Words   |  6 PagesIsolationism in The Stranger and The Thief Though there are multiple elements in both Albert Camus’ The Stranger, and Fuminori Nakamura’s The Thief that allow each author to develop their novels, none is more important that the deployment of isolationism. Though both Camus and Nakamura give their protagonists isolated states at an award winning level, Camus does so in a better way through the addition of how Meursault copes with elements of the absurd. One of the first things readers notice aboutRead More Absurdity in Albert Camus’ The Stranger Essay2431 Words   |  10 PagesThe word absurd or absurdity is very peculiar in that there is no clear definition for the term. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary gave its definition of absurd as having no rational or orderly relationship to human life: meaningless, also: lacking order or value. Many existential philosophers have defined it in their own manner. Soren Kierkegarrd, a pre-World War II German philosopher, defined absurd as that quality of Christian faith which runs counter to all reasonable human expectationRead MoreThe Stranger By Albert Camus1495 Words   |  6 Pages Albert Camus said, â€Å"Basically, at the very bottom of life, which seduces us all, there is only absurdity, and more absurdity. And maybe that s what gives us our joy for living, because the only thing that can defeat absurdity is lucidity.† In other terms, Camus is indicating that abs urdity affects us all even if it’s hidden all the way on the bottom, but it’s the joy that comes from absurdity that makes us take risks and live freely without any thought or focus. Camus also specifies that the onlyRead MoreEssay on The Caracter of Meursault in The Stranger (The Outsider)1136 Words   |  5 PagesThe Caracter of Meursault in The Stranger      Ã‚   Albert Camus The Stranger is a startling novel at worst and a haunting classic at best. Camus presents a thrilling story of a man devoid of emotion, even regarding the most sensitive, personal matters. The main character, Meursault shows no feelings after the death of his mother, during his romantic relationship with Marie, or during his trial for the murder of an Arab. Meursault never shows feelings of love, regret, remorse, or sadnessRead MoreLiterary Analysis: How Meursault Is Indifferent in the Stranger, by Albert Camus874 Words   |  4 Pagesanalysis: How Meursault is indifferent in The Stranger, by Albert Camus Although Meursault is the title character and narrator of Albert Camus’ short novel The Stranger, he is also a somewhat flat character. His apparent indifferent demeanor may be a convenience to Camus, who mainly wanted to display his ideas of absurdism. And as a flat character, Meursault is not fully delineated: he lacks deep thought and significant change. His purpose is that of a first-person narrator whose actions embody theRead MoreMeursault - The Anti-Hero Protagonist Essay1730 Words   |  7 Pagespeople who are like Meursault, the anti-hero protagonist of Albert Camus The Stranger, written in 1942, the world is completely without either. Camus story explores the world through the eyes of Meursault, who is quite literally a stranger to society in his indifference to meaning, values, and morals. In this novel, this protagonist lives on through life with this indifference, and is prosecuted and sentenced to die for it. Through Meursault and his ventures in The Stranger , Camus expresses to theRead MoreAlberts Aimless Absurdity898 Words   |  4 PagesIn Albert Camus’ novella, The Stranger, he exposes his beliefs on absurdism through the narration of Meursault. Camus’ definition of absurdism is a philosophy based on the belief that the universe is illogical and meaningless. Camus, founder of absurdism and French Nobel Prize winning author, sends the reader his underlying theme that life is meaningless and has no ulti-mate significance. This underlying theme of life’s absurdity is extremely personal to Camus through his own individual experiencesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Stranger 1905 Words   |  8 PagesTaisha Pacheco 8/14/2015 Mrs. Bauman AP lit Block F The Stranger The major theme in the Stranger is â€Å"absurdism†. In the Stranger, the main settings are: Meursault’s home, the beach where the Arab was murdered, the courthouse, and eventually jail. The Stranger is taken place in Algeria in the 1940’s. The prosecutor characterizes Meursault as a murderer, as a monster. In page one hundred and two, the prosecutor states: â€Å" For if in the course of what has been a long career I have strongly as todayRead MoreAnalysis Of Meursault A Stranger To Society1026 Words   |  5 PagesMeursault, a man living in Algiers, takes a bus to Marengo to attend his mother’s funeral after receiving a telegram. After the funeral, he seems unaffected by her death and he briefly describes his outing with Marie, his co-worker. Later on, he meets Raymond, an abuser of women, and agrees to go with him to his friend’s beach house. There, he gets entangled in a ruthless murder, and is ultimately sentenced to death. During his l ast hours, Meursault realizes how meaningless and pointless life is

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Euthanasia, An Irrational And Selfish Ideal - 1265 Words

I feel that the statement â€Å"Euthanasia, in all cases, is unethical,† is an irrational and inconsiderate ideal. There are an immeasurable number of cases where loved ones would be better off dead than alive, and they actively beg for the reprieve of death. Nevertheless, one can easily see why many people believe that euthanizing someone has the same moral repugnance as murdering somebody, although they are making the mistake of judging the intent and stating that the moral level is equivalent to the act. It is an intense subject, similar to many aspects to the abortion debate. Euthanasia, in my opinion, has, is, and always will be the choice of those directly involved and no one else. Who are we to say that a patient that is in constant fiery pain, with no hope of ever getting better, cannot make that decision and end their life (â€Å"their life† being the key phrase here)? There are of course cases where the subject to be killed cannot actively participate in the discussion, and that is where it gets sketchy. I personally believe that as long as there are absolutely no other options, the reasons to kill the individual are fully for said individual’s wellbeing, and it is done in a according to the individuals needs and wants, euthanasia is completely ethical. The problem though, is that too many people believe that it is much worse to actually â€Å"pull the plug† than letting the patient die. James Rachels describes these two â€Å"types† of euthanasia as â€Å"active† and â€Å"passive.† TheShow MoreRelatedCriticisms Against Ethical Theories8474 Words   |  34 Pagesshoot, and you are a consequentialist, motivated by saving the 19 innocent people. Choose to refuse, and you are a deontologist, motivated by the fact that it is always wrong to kill an innocent person. The main criticism of deontology is that it is selfish, a way of avoiding getting your hands dirty (in a moral sense) while still allowing terrible things to happen. For instance, in the thought experiment you would not have shot anybody but 20 innocent people would still die. You could have preventedRead MoreFor Against by L.G. Alexander31987 Words   |  128 Pages 6 2 World governments should conduct serious campaigns against 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 3 Television is doing irreparable harm 4 Any form of education other than co-education is simply unthinkable 5 Camping is the ideal way of spending a holiday 6 New fashions in clothing are created solely for the commercial exploitation of women 7 We should all grow fat and be happy 8 The younger generation knows best 9 Only strieter traffic laws can prevent accidents

The Religious Beliefs Of Islam - 846 Words

Beliefs are important in Islam. Right beliefs about God, the universe, and humanity is of primary concern to Muslims. The Qur’an, the sacred text of Islam states, Righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Scriptures and the Prophets (2:177). Belief in these doctrines, as well as many others, are important to Muhammad s followers, both past and present. On November 20th I had the opportunity to attend to a Muslim Mosque in which I learned a lot. Not only did I learn what Muslims believe in but I was able to watch how they pray and what their day of service consists of. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam teaches that there is one God in the universe, giving Muslims a monotheistic worldview. Muslims believe that there is only one God in which they call Allah. Allah is one, creator, and sovereign. According to Muslims, God sent a number of prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law. Jesus, Moses and Abraham are respected as prophets of God but they believe that Muhammad, the founder of Islam, is revered as the Seal of the Prophets - the last and greatest of the messengers of God. He is not divine in any way, for the strict monotheism that characterizes Islam (as well as Judaism) does not allow for such an interpretation. Although not all of these faiths agree on who is, and who isn t, a prophet. For example, Christians believe John the Baptist was a prophet and Jews and Muslims don t. And Muslims believe thatShow MoreRelatedIslam Is A System Of Religious Beliefs And An All Encompassing Way Of Life Essay2506 Words   |  11 PagesIslam is a system of religious beliefs and an all-encompassing way of life. Muslims believe that God (Allah) revealed to the Prophet Muhammad the rules governing society and the proper conduct of society s members. Therefore, it is incumbent on the individual to live in a manner prescribed by the revealed law and incumbent on the community to build the perfect human society on earth according to holy injunctions. â€Å"The distinction between religious and secular law is a recent development that reflectsRead MoreThe Rise and Spread of Islam1129 Words   |  5 PagesThe Rise and Spread of Islam The world you once knew is falling to ashes and food is become such a scarcity that people are fighting over a few pieces of bread. The political class is too busy fighting among themselves to care for anyone else. Children are roaming the streets and begging for work to feed their dying, hungry stomachs. This is not a scene from a horror movie, but rather the reality of the beginning of post classical era. In these times of hardship the people turned to a higher powerRead MoreIslam s Views On Islam942 Words   |  4 PagesIslam is one of the Abrahamic Religions and, in fact, it is the last one. It is also one of the major religions of the world. Lately, Islam is extremely misunderstood because people often view Islam in a wrong light due to the very strong negative depictions of Islam in some movies and popular news and the continually unfairly reports of the media. This research paper, illuminates and reviews Islam and how its began, by its Prophet Muhammad until his death. Summarizing some of its practices and beliefsRead MoreEssay on Islam The Straight Path989 Words   |  4 Pages Islam The Straight Path   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An evaluation of the book by John L. Esposito: Islam The Straight Path. In this book , Esposito provides a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, an introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to its contemporary resurgence. He traces the emergence and development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics. He discusses the formation of Islamic belief and practice (law, theology, philosophy,Read MoreThe Philosophies Of Christianity And Islam And Their Impact On The Patient s Care Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent backgrounds and beliefs is an important one. The United States is made up of a multitude of cultures with distinct religions and beliefs. Treating the whole person includes not just what is ailing the body but also recognizing the spiritual side of the patient. Healthcare providers must remain open minded and take into consideration the rituals and beliefs of the patient in order to provide sensitive care. This paper will discuss the worldviews of Christianity and Isla m and their impact on theRead MoreReligious Beliefs And The Bible1290 Words   |  6 PagesReligious beliefs have been around for almost as long as man himself, emphasizing the importance of existential meaning. These beliefs hold very important values that are often neglected by many. Almost every religion teaches the overall importance of morality, defining the need for one to protect themselves and others from the dangers that are present in the world. However, many religions have conflicting views on the ideals that are not related to morality. For example, Judaism teaches that theRead MoreThree Main Religions in the Continent of Asia907 Words   |  4 Pagesreligions; Christian, Judaism, or Islam. These religions all have different practices, rituals, and teachings but also have some similarities. Each religion has their own holy book, key cites, worship places, and special religious holidays. In Southwest Asia, your religion is based on your family history, beliefs, custom s, and traditions. The first religion to get founded was Judaism, nearly four thousand years ago. Judaism originated as the beliefs and practices of the people knownRead MoreCultural And Religious Beliefs On Courtship And Marriage Essay720 Words   |  3 PagesExploring Cultural and/or Religious Beliefs on Courtship and Marriage Page 1 Exploring Islam’s Cultural and Religious Beliefs on Marriage FAS 331: Marriage/Family Relationships Sylvia Rico Arizona State University Exploring Cultural and/or Religious Beliefs on Courtship and Marriage Page 2 Exploring Islam’s Cultural and Religious Beliefs on Marriage Islamic views on marriage is not restricted to aRead MoreChristianity and Islam Essay948 Words   |  4 PagesChristianity and Islam are the two largest religions in the world, founded upon the principal belief that there is one God who created the world. Nevertheless, both ideologies have their own accounts that have contradicted each other since their beginnings. As time changed these religious sects have undergone a numerous number of events that question their validity and have led to controversy in recent years. Unequivocally both sects differ in many significant fragments of their doctrinesRead MoreSchool Of Business, Blaine Campus1343 Words   |  6 PagesReligion: Islam Nicole Hedblum Intercultural Communications Minnesota School of Business, Blaine Campus Islam is a religion that has come into the spotlight in recent years, partly because of charges that have been brought against its members. The most notable mention of Islam today is that of the Islamic State (ISIS), which seeks to build a caliphate in Syria. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the religion of Islam itself in order to be better guided in information about the religion

Bronfenbrenner Model Are The Microsystem †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Bronfenbrenner Model Are The Microsystem? Answer: Introducation Bronfenbrenners model outlines the interactions of genes during human development within the environment. This model is significant since it outlines the events which occur in the Childs life, and they influence their development. The five systems which form the Bronfenbrenner model are the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, the macro system, and finally, the chronosystem (Ryan, 2001). First, the microsystem is viewed as the smallest among the five systems, and it refers to the first surrounding where the child lives (Peterson Education, 2014). Children experience immediate interactions with the guardians or the immediate family. Children react based on the treatments they receive and hence their biological and genetic personality characteristics are impacted. Bronfenbrenners mesosystem outlines how the childs body parts function together. It implies that the child obtains lessons based on the actions of the caregiver hence they may be hindered from developing within other channels. The exosystem explores places and persons which may impact the development of a child though they may not interact (Rushton, 2004). For instance, if the parent delays to get money to settle the bills since they were fired from work or rather if the parent is promoted in the workplace the child may experience negative and positive impacts respectively (Sigelman, Rider, De George-Walker, 2016). The macro system is viewed as the largest system involves the wars, economy, and the national government which are great elements which may impact the development of a child. Finally, the chronosystem incorporates the element of time which relates to the surroundings of a child during development. There are factors from the external surrounding such as a guardians death timing, or from the internal surrounding such as the psychological changes which impact the development of a child. Applying Bronfenbrenner's model In applying Bronfenbrenners model, Rushtons article regarding the genetic and environmental factors which impact the individuals attitude is considered. To start with, the significant question addressed by the author is how genetics impacts the prosocial behavior (Harris, 2000). Therefore, the authors work initially shows that genes impact the measures of empathy, self-report altruism, and the individual aggression which includes the violent acts. The current research presents the results regarding the genetic, social responsibility through the consideration of the monozygotic twins. People are viewed as intelligent based on trust and factors of social responsibility in their lives (Rushton, 2004). They also have different opinions regarding the social responsibility in regarding genetics. Therefore, the author engages in the neurohormonal, adoption, as well as the twins research to respond to the question regarding the genetic changes in the antisocial and the prosocial perspective. The author incorporates other studies such as Harris et al. (2000), and Krueger et al. (2001) to support his research. The study explores various dependent variables such as 148 pairs of twins who are dizygotic, the pairs of monozygotic twins were 174; a 22-item social responsibility questionnaire was as well provided. In simple words, 322 pairs of twins which imply that 644 individuals participated in the response to the study (Rushton, 2004). The twins used were between the age gaps of 18-75 years which make an average of 32 years. Amongst the monozygotic pairs used, 73 were males and 101 females, the dizygotics were made of 28 males and 62 females, and in addition, 38 were also used in the research. The monozygotic were more than the dizygotic, and also the females were more than the males. The 22-item questionnaire based on the social responsibility was progressive, and the questions were related (Rushton, 2004). The difference between the monozygotic and the dizygotic provides the heritability of twenty-six percent for the entire sample. Fifty-eight percent was for the males and twenty percent f or the females. Therefore, the dependent variables used are outlined from a raw data which reflects the covariance and variance of the twins pairs. Based on the findings, the author suggests significant predictors of behaviors and attitudes as seen in this paper. From the findings, the genetic impact of the prosocial behaviors for both males and females accounted for forty-two percent. Krugger et al, 2001 were used in the article to support the family-environmental factors which played a great role to the genetic changes reported. Therefore, the upbringing factors estimated forty percent of the variance indicated (Krueger, Hicks McGue, 2001). The factors which concern the antisocial behaviors such as aggression and altruism were detected amongst the females and indicated a lower heritability. The factors which involve the differences in gender were viewed to have a major impact on the females than males (Rushton, 2004). The social and cultural factors also impact the genetic composition of an individual as seen in the article. However, the article realized that the similar differences for the environmental and genetic factors i mpacted the men and women in the meta-analysis. It is evident that the meta-analytic methods have been used to solidify the behavioral genetic findings within the personality traits. Moreover, a broad research is also required to explore the prosocial attitudes which the parents uphold to decide if they are socialized and if they contain a genetic architecture which is different from other characteristics. The influential factors such as the family-environmental, sex differences, anti-social behaviors factors, genetics, social, and cultural fit at the microsystem level within the Bronfenbrenners model. This is because at this level the family-environment is analyzed. The family-environmental factors portray the immediate surrounding which the child interacts (Tudge, Payir, Meron?Vargas, Cao, Liang, Li O'Brien, 2016). According to Bronfenbrenner, the child behaves depending on the interactions within the environment. For that reason, if the relations are encouraging the child will be positively nurtured, and they grow to be better (Rosa Tudge, 2013). Every child has a different biological and genetic personality characteristic hence they behave regarding how they are treated. The sex differences and the anti-social factors within the family-environment will impact the behavior of a child. Generally, within the macrosystem the factors such as ideologies and the attitudes regarding cult ure impact the behavior of a child during development. Behavior may be impacted by the other levels of Bronfenbrenner model as outlined in this paper. Factors found within the exosystem level are the mass media, neighbors, legal politics, the social services and industry which contribute to the behavior of a child. On the other hand, the factors within mesosystem which impact behavior are the peer relationships, the society, play, work, and family (Sigelman, Rider, De George-Walker, 2016). It is easy for persons to grow in the context of others than alone. For instance, families work hard to ensure their children are comfortable hence their education is not impacted regardless of the challenges (Cabrera, Fitzgerald, Bradley Roggman, 2014). Work, play, and society facilitate the individuals growth through interaction with others. Factors which impact behavior within the macrosystem are the attitudes and the cultural ideologies (Sigelman, Rider, De George-Walker, 2016). These factors impact how individuals reciprocate how they are retre ated by others (Tudge, 2016). In most cases, it impacts the individual beliefs and actions. Finally, time is viewed as the significant factor within the chronosystem which impacts the individual behavior. Some persons may have the imprinted situations regarding time which seems to provide the meaning to some life factors. In conclusion, Bronfenbrenner outlines a model which is made of different systems which are embedded to various factors such as family environment, the family gaps, and people. These factors impact the individual behaviors through various ways as outlined in this paper. References Cabrera, N. J., Fitzgerald, H. E., Bradley, R. H., Roggman, L. (2014). The ecology of father?child relationships: An expanded model.Journal of Family Theory Review,6(4), 336-354. Harris, J. R. (2000). The outcome of parenting: What do we really know?.Journal of Personality,68(3), 625-637. Krueger, R. F., Hicks, B. M., McGue, M. (2001). Altruism and antisocial behavior: Independent tendencies, unique personality correlates, distinct etiologies.Psychological Science,12(5), 397-402. Peterson, C., Education, D. (2014). Bronfenbrenner's Model of Context. Rosa, E. M., Tudge, J. (2013). Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory of human development: Its evolution from ecology to bioecology.Journal of Family Theory Review,5(4), 243-258. Rushton, J. P. (2004). Genetic and environmental contributions to pro-social attitudes: a twin study of social responsibility.Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences,271(1557), 2583-2585. Ryan, D. P. J. (2001). Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory.Retrieved January,9, 2012. Sigelman, C.K., Rider, E.A., De George-Walker, L. (2016). Life-span human development: Australian and New Zealand Second Edition. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Tudge, J. R. (2016). Implicit versus Explicit Ways of Using Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Theory.Human Development,59(4), 195-199. Tudge, J. R., Payir, A., Meron?Vargas, E., Cao, H., Liang, Y., Li, J., O'Brien, L. (2016). Still Misused After All These Years? A Reevaluation of the Uses of Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Theory of Human Development.Journal of Family Theory Review,8(4), 427-445.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Learning Culture and Psychological Empowerment †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Learning Culture and Psychological Empowerment. Answer: Introduction Learning culture is a term used in business world that describes an organisations values, practices, conventions, processes, operations etc. that motivate its employees to learn new things in order to develop their knowledge, competencies and level of performance (Newton, et al., 2015). A business organisation that believes in promoting a learning culture gives a lot of priority to training and development programs that can help its employees in learning new things and become more efficient in performing their job duties and responsibilities. A learning culture in an organisation can have a great impact on its overall market position and performance levels (kerlavaj, et al., 2007). In simple words, culture is defined as the set of beliefs, morals, ethics, values, etc. that an organisation sticks to in its day-to-day business operations, processes and dealings with all its stakeholders. A learning culture signifies the importance that an organisation attaches to the learning process and the resources which it allocates towards learning new skills and competencies. Learning culture can prove to be an effective key in bridging the gaps between actual performance levels and expected performance levels in a business organisation. On the other hand, lack of a learning culture can make it easier for the employees to develop a comfort zone of their own and they ultimately end up resisting workplace changes that are implemented to cope up with the market trends. Further, the lack of a learning culture also makes it difficult for business organisations to evolve and innovate. The modern day business world is changing at a very fast pace and it is becoming increasingly difficult for business organisations to cope up with the changing internal and external environment factors, which increases their dependency on their human resources. Human resources are now being considered as one of the most important resources to a business and a lot of importance is being given to the skills and knowledge of the employees (Egan, et al., 2004). Employees with better knowledge and competencies can help a business in achieving market competencies, which is further creating a need of developing learning culture in business organisations. Therefore, most of the top business organisations in the world are laying a huge stress on promoting a learning culture in their offices as it keeps the employees motivated and engaged in their jobs, which further helps in the achievement of organisational goals and objectives. Opportunities and cost of implementing a learning culture Learning culture can have a great number of opportunities for business organisations in the modern day world. First and foremost, an organisation culture where learning is given importance will always keep the employees motivated and engaged in their jobs. A learning culture gives them an opportunity to enhance their skills and competencies, which can have a positive impact on their career development path. Thus, the employees engage more in training and development programs, which ultimately helps an organisation in achieving its performance objectives (Boonstra, 2008). Secondly, establishing a learning culture can help business organisations in retaining as well as in attracting a talented pool of employees. Employees attach a lot of value to organisations that can help them in achieving their career goals and tend to work more with such organisations. Thus, it can become easier for a business organisation to become an employer of choice in the market by offering better learning op portunities to its employees while it can also help in bringing down the employee turnover rates to a great extent(Fook, 2016). Thirdly, a learning culture can help an organisation in sharing its performance objectives and establishing a collective vision with its workforce. Through learning programs, it can become easier for business organisations to communicate their performance expectations with the employees. Promoting a learning culture in a business organisation sounds easy but the cost of establishing a learning culture can be huge from an organisational point of view. First of all, the cost associated with training and development programs can be huge and can have a great impact on the finances of a company (Smerek, 2017). A learning culture demands regular training and development programs for employees, which can prove to be expensive for a business. Secondly, regularly indulging in learning programs can also be time consuming and business organisations can feel shortage of human resources while they are undergoing training or development (Islam, et al., 2016). Thirdly, a lot of organisations are able to implement a learning culture where the employees are motivated to learn new skills and competencies in order to become innovative and creative whereas they are unable to empower the employees to implement their ideas. Lastly, establishing a learning culture can prove to be a great d ifficulty if an organisations stakeholders have a tendency to resist workplace changes. Analysis of an organisations learning culture As discussed above, the business world is tough and only the toughest of all can survive in the market for long. Not long ago, Nokia was a global leader in the field of mobile phones. The company enjoyed a loyal customer base and an invincible reputation in the global market. Nokia smartphones were durable and had all the features that were required by the customers but ultimately, the company lost all its market share to Apple because of its inability to learn, grow and innovate. On the other hand, Apple, the global leader as of today, is a company that was able to dominate Nokia because of its ability to learn, grow and innovate and even after so many years, Apple still gives a lot of priority to learning, which helps it in retaining its market position. Apple is one of those companies that is totally dependent on the ability of its employees to innovate and create new products. As a result, the company lays a great deal of stress on learning as it helps it employees in becoming more competitive and efficient. The ability of the company to implement a learning culture and continuously evolving on the basis of its learning has been one of the key factors in its success. Apple has based its selection process on the skills, knowledge and creative abilities of the employees (Meyer, 2017). The companys culture is made highly innovative by motivating the employees to undergo training and development programs and to contribute innovative ideas to the firms development process. Apple makes a lot of investment in the training and development of its employees (Sayem, n.d.). The company has launched Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) program and also has tie ups with Chinese universities from where its employees can earn associa te degrees. The company also believes in training employees at every level of the hierarchy, which further strengthens its learning culture (Schilling Kluge, 2009). The company also audits all its training and development programs, in order to measure the change in performance levels and the skills learned. Strategy to improve Apples learning culture Though Apple has a strong learning culture that has been implemented in the roots of its organisation culture, there is still a scope of a little improvement. Some strategies that can help Apple in improving its learning culture are discussed below: First of all, the company should adopt a policy of information two ways. Under this policy, important information should be shared with employees only when the time is right so that it remains stuck in their mind. Further, to enhance learning and empowerment, appropriate resources should be made available to the employees rather than constant supervision so that they can get an opportunity to innovate and be creative. Secondly, the company can foster an environment where sharing is caring and learning. The employees should feel free to share their ideas and no one should ever be made to feel dumb for being inquisitive (Winkler Fyffe, 2016). The company can implement information sharing and discussion sessions where the employees can freely share their ideas with each other and can also form teams to take up new projects. Last, but not the least, one of the most important steps towards strengthening of a learning culture is to motivate the employees to learn from failures. Failures should not be a reason for demotivation, rather, they should be considered as a source of learning that no training or development program can teach (Gutierrez, 2016). The employees should be motivated to try new things, be creative and innovative and to learn from the mistakes that they commit in this process. The leaders of the organisation should motivate the employees to pick themselves back up instead of thrashing them in case of a failure. Conclusion Fostering a learning culture in the culture of an organisation is not an easy task but the benefits associated with an effective learning culture makes all the efforts worth it. Business organisations should continuously learn from their failures because learning is the key to evolution and evolution in the business world can lead to success. Therefore, it is important to deeply root learning in the core culture of an organisation so that the organisation on the whole can learn new things, become more competitive and can achieve its organisational goals and objectives. Bibliography Boonstra, J., 2008. Dynamics of Organizational Change and Learning. s.l.:John Wiley Sons. Egan, T. M., Yang, B. Bartlett, K. R., 2004. The effects of organizational learning culture and job satisfaction on motivation to transfer learning and turnover intention. Journal of Leadership Organizational Studie, 7 September, 25(1), p. 47. Fook, J., 2016. Critical Reflection and Organizational Learning and Change: A Case Study . In: Social Work, Critical Reflection and the Learning Organization . s.l.:s.n. Gutierrez, K., 2016. The Google Way of Building A Strong Learning Culture. [Online] Available at: https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/building-learning-culture [Accessed 29 March 2018]. Islam, T., Khan, M. M. Bukhari, F. H., 2016. The role of organizational learning culture and psychological empowerment in reducing turnover intention and enhancing citizenship behavior. The Learning Organisation, 23(2/3). Meyer, P., 2017. Apple Inc. Organizational Culture: Features Implications. [Online] Available at: https://panmore.com/apple-inc-organizational-culture-features-implications [Accessed 29 March 2018]. Newton, J. M., Henderson, A., Jolly, B. Greaves, J., 2015. A contemporary examination of workplace learning culture: An ethnomethodology study. Nurse Education Today, January, 35(1), pp. 91-96. Sayem, A., n.d. Training and development program in Apple Inc , s.l.: s.n. Schilling, J. Kluge, A., 2009. Barriers to organizational learning: An integration of theory and research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 4 August. kerlavaj, M., temberger, M. I., Rokkrinjar VladoDimovski, 2007. Organizational learning culturethe missing link between business process change and organizational performance. International Journal of Production Economics , April, 106(2), pp. 346-367. Smerek, R. E., 2017. Organizational Learning and Performance: The Science and Practice of Building a Learning Culture. s.l.:Oxford Univeristy Press. Winkler, M. K. Fyffe, S. D., 2016. Strategies for Cultivating an Organizational Learning Culture. December.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

The Misery by Anton Chekhov Essay Example

The Misery by Anton Chekhov Paper Name: Tutor: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on The Misery by Anton Chekhov specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Misery by Anton Chekhov specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Misery by Anton Chekhov specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Misery by Anton Chekhov 1. Misery is a short story written by Anton Chekhov. Constance Garnett translated it from Russian to English. Chekhov began writing with the purpose of raising funds for his medical education at Moscow University and upkeep for his family. In 1884, the author graduated from the University and began his medical practice. In 1886, he published his acclaimed work, Misery. The story in question revolves around Iona Potapov, an old sledge driver. It is set a week after Potapov’s son dies in a hospital, during 19th Century Russia. Other characters in the story are a military officer, three young men, a house porter and a sleepy cabman. Potapov’s horse also plays a role in the story’s proceedings. The characters mentioned, have a significant role in bringing forward Chekhov’s ideals. Anton Chekhov proposes that human beings have no concern for each other’s hardships. Various instances in the short story show this. The story begins with Iona seeking for a customer in the snowy town. Eventually, a military officer boards his sledge. Chekhov portrays the officer as an impatient and rude character. During the ride, he is as a cautious person just as well. When Iona attempts to inform him of his grief, the officer does not pay attention. They reach their destination and the old man gets new customers, three young men. The young men are obnoxious and rowdy. They pay Iona an unfair fare for the ride. When the old man attempts to inform them of his son’s death, one of the young men rubbishes Iona’s words. The young men impatiently get off the sledge at their destination. The old man decides to end his day by going to the yard. Unfortunately, he has not made enough money to feed his horse with oats. At the yard, he meets a young sledge driver. He wishes to share his grief with him, but the sleepy young man continues with his sleep. Chekhov’s story ends with Iona detailing the loss of his son to his horse as no one else seems concerned with his affairs. Chekhov is a brilliant writer. Several aspects of his writing are admirable. First, his introduction of Iona is impressive. He uses a highly descriptive style. Chekhov first describes the evening. He then describes how snow fell on that occasion, and its effect on the people and objects in the area. (Chekhov 168). Through this, the writer informs his readers that the story begins at the evening and ends at night. This instance also provides us with the season during which the story takes place. The writer also introduces the old man’s hardship through his stillness, in thought. Chekhov also provides the reader with a good description of the old man’s poor driving. He explains that the old man is restless. The writer compares the sledge’s seat to thorns. Chekhov also describes the old man’s difficulty in focusing on the road ahead. Iona, therefore, drives the sledge in a hazardous manner, nearly causing an accident. This situation provokes the military officer to speak to Iona. In turn, the old man sees this as the opportunity to justify his current state. Iona tells the officer of his son’s death. However, the officer interrupts the speech with his commands. The author uses a descriptive style to highlight the hunchback’s response to Iona’s hardship. He describes the manner which the hunchback licks his lips and coughs. This instance helps in showing the hunchback’s reluctance to share the old man’s grief. Anton Chekhov’s depiction of the characters is admirable. He develops them alongside the story’s argument. The military officer is a dismissive character. First, he assumes that Mr. Potapov is asleep by laying still. The officer asks the old man whether he is asleep or not (Chekhov 169). During the ride, Iona speaks to his passenger. At first, he assumes that the officer is ready to listen to the story of his son’s death. However, the officer closes his eyes and pretends to be deep in thought as the old man commences his story. The military officer portrays the notion that people lack genuine concern for each other’s affairs. Chekhov implies that people also take advantage of each other’s hardships in the story. He uses the three young men to portray this notion. The old man picks them up despite a terrible price for the sledge ride. (Chekhov 170). The writer explains that the old man has lost concern for the fare as his grief has occupied his mind. The three have an unsympathetic character. In response to the old man’s story, the hunchback cuts him off and tells him that they shall all die (Chekhov 172). The author portrays the sleepy cabman as a selfish person. He considers his sleep more important than listening to the old man. The writer explains that when Iona began to speak, the young man was fast asleep. Chekhov’s portrayal of grief in the story is admirable. He introduces the old man as a person stricken with grief to an extent that he is immobile. The author depicts Iona Potapov as a person who has separated himself from the society around him, and to an extent, reality. Chekhov describes the old man as white as a ghost, due to snow covering his body. Chekhov further highlights the old man’s stillness. This serves as a portrayal of his grief. When the military officer arrives, he thinks that the old man is asleep. However, he is simply sitting still in thought. The atmosphere in the story is described as dull and cold. This depiction is brought forward by Chekhov’s description of the weather. At the end of the story, the writer describes the old man’s lack of cash. As a result, he misses a meal, and his horse has to eat hay. This further contributes to the reader’s perception of the old man’s bad day. After finding no one to share his misery with, he switches to contemplation and watching his surroundings. Chekhov (174) writes, â€Å"Can he not find among these thousands someone who will listen to him? However, the crowds flit by heedless of him and his misery†¦His misery is immense, beyond all bounds. If Iona’s heart were to burst and his misery flow out, it would flood the whole world, it seems, but it is not seen. It has found a hiding-place in such an insignificant shell that one would not have found it with a candle by daylight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Through this instance, Anton Chekhov depicts his theme of loneliness. His choice of words further enables the reader familiarity with Iona’s miserable situation. In the end, the old man decides to share his grief with his horse. After all, nobody else is interested in sharing his story. The writer informs us that Mr. Potapov’s horse listens to him as it feeds on hay. Chekhov’s story raises many questions in a readers mind. In the story, the author tackles the old man’s situation casually. A reader wonders whether misery and isolation is a daily phenomenon. From the text, the author depicts sadness as a matter of daily occurrence. Chekhov informs us that the old man’s sadness leaves for a short while, and then comes back heavier than before. The answer provided is unsatisfactory. This is proven when contemporary life is taken into consideration. Not every day happens to be a miserable day. The author has taken a disdainful stance towards the female gender. The writer implies that women are of minimal importance, and all they do is weep during serious situations. This is a derogatory pronouncement. In his efforts to create conversation with the young man, Iona should have thought of a different subject. The writer’s words may upset an audience consisting of the female gender. In the story, Chekhov implies that no person bothered to listen to Iona Potapov’s story of hardship, only an animal did. The author describes the anxiety the old man felt as he looked at the crowd. When it hits him that all the people he sees are strangers, and none is concerned with his bereavement, his pain intensifies. From that, readers wonder whether humans are so cold and ignorant of one another, focusing on themselves instead. Chekhov should have provided at least one instance of an understanding person. It is a reader’s opinion that strangers may not be compassionate to an individual’s suffering. It does not concern them, and they will try to maintain their distance. Furthermore, a reader may deduce that the writer’s sick state of health, at the time of writing, may have disoriented his thoughts on society’s positive aspects. However, Chekhov’s story is highly successful in showing that people have little concern for each other’s problems. 2. Towards the end of the story, Chekhov explains Iona’s desire to speak to someone by comparing his desire for a conversation with the aforementioned man’s thirst. When he discovers that the younger man is asleep, he thinks of what he can use as a conversation starter. However, he ends up talking to his white mare. He tells the horse, â€Å"That’s how it is, old girl. . . . Kuzma Ionitch is gone. . . . He said goodby to me. . . . He went and died for no reason. . .(Chekhov 174)† The writer explains that Iona’s horse eats as it listens to the old man. Chekhov tells us that this simple act carries away the old man. From this, a reader may deduce the ending as a relatively happy one. The writer has solved the conflict of the story. The old man yearns for someone to listen to what he had to say, throughout the story. Amazingly, the horse grants his wish, as he feeds it hay. However, Chekhov should have adopted a different end to the story. An ending with the man talking to the horse is unsatisfactory. A horse is incapable of providing compassion to the old man. Furthermore, the horse is unable to understand the old man’s problems. Furthermore, it is an assumption that the old man knew the horse was listening to him. After all, the writer describes that the old man was carried away as he spoke to the horse (Chekhov 175). As stated earlier, Chekhov wishes to show that people have lost compassion for each other, during times of suffering. Towards the end of his story, Chekhov contradicts his earlier proposition. The writer states that the old man had not earned enough to pay for his horse’s oats. He relates this situation to the misery he has experienced throughout that day. The old man further states that people who have enough to eat ate always happy with their situation (Chekhov 174). From that instance, the old man implies that his misery is attributable to lacking enough money, and in consequence, food. That statement discounts the old man’s earlier need to share his grief, on his son’s death, with strangers. An appropriate ending should reflect the writer’s earlier argument on the old man’s grief. The best ending would be right before the author says, â€Å"His misery is immense, beyond all bounds. If Iona’s heart were to burst and his misery to flow out, it would flood the whole world, it seems, but it is not seen. It has found a hiding-place in such an insignificant shell that one would not have found it with a candle by daylight. . . .(Chekhov 170).† In that scenario, the story ends with an aura of misery. Iona wished for a person to listen to him, which nobody did. This ending enables the story to maintain relevance to the stated theme. Scenarios such as the talk with his horse, and the young man, are cut down on. Such an ending also emphasizes the cruelty of people, as portrayed by the crowd. The story has a dull mood, as described by the weather and speech. The proposed ending will enhance the story’s mood. Furthermore, at the chosen point in the story, a reader experiences its climax. An ending at the suggested point will serve to enhance literary t ools such as suspense to the reader. In the story, Anton Chekhov presents an interesting argument. He implies that humans have lost concern for their counterparts in the society. Various instances justify this thought, in the story. This article supports the aforementioned notion. However, it also mentions differing ideals, to provide an argument to Chekhov’s views. The writer’s positive aspects receive acknowledgement in the essay. Just as well, the article raises various propositions, for the purposes of improving the story. In this light, the essay provides an appropriate alternative to the previous ending. Works Cited Top of Form Chekhov, Anton P, Okla Elliott, Kyle Minor, and Constance Garnett. The Other Chekhov. Fort Collins, Colo.: New American Press, 2008. Print. Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form

Friday, April 3, 2020

The Old Man and the Sea

Abstract This paper delves into the concept of the story â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea† being connected to man’s fight against old age and time.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Old Man and the Sea specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction When examining the story â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea† by Ernest Hemingway, readers would be hard pressed to find a single theme that can be considered as the main point of the novel. For example, it can be stated that the novel delves into the concept of the desire for acceptance as exemplified by the character of Santiago who was a Spaniard trying to integrate himself into the local culture of Cuba (Hemingway, 1952). On the other end of the spectrum it could also be stated that the novel itself delves into the philosophical and the metaphysical as exemplified by the scenes wherein Santiago considered the marlin as a brother or when he del ved into a distinct introspection about his life and how he got to where he was. It can also be stated that the novel itself has distinct religious overtones as evidenced by Santiago’s reference to the crucifixion in the scene where the sharks came to eat the body of the marlin. Yet, despite the sheer amount of possible references, it is the belief of the reader that this novel delves into the way in which the concept of man fights against the inevitable passage of time. Man and Time When examining the novel there are several pivotal scenes that exemplify the concept of man fight against time, these are: a.) Santiago’s fight with the Marlin b.) His desire to end his unlucky streakAdvertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More c.) His stubbornness to simply not cut the line d.) Refusing to show his illness to Manolin. The events can be considered as character traits that many among the elderly possess wherein they attempt to fight against time. For example the stubbornness of Santiago to not cut the line is the same type of stubbornness seen by many of those with advanced ages wherein they refuse to give up certain activities despite the health risk involved. Refusing to show signs of illness is also a trait shared by Santiago and the elderly as well as the desire to end â€Å"their unlucky streaks† by accomplishing new activities. What must be understood is that while the age of Santiago is not outright stated, it can be seen within the novel that he has advanced considerably in age. The fact that he has not been able to catch fish is more likely due to his advanced age hampering his capabilities rather than through bad luck. It is based on this that his desire to end his unlucky streak is actually his desire to actively pursue activities that his advanced age would otherwise not permit. Thus, Santiago’s fight against the marlin is actually symbolic of how the some people fight against the passage of time. His stubbornness, determination and unwillingness to give up are all aspects shared by people in similar positions. This can be seen right till the end wherein Santiago refused to let Manolin know of his illness. In the end it can be assumed that Santiago, like all others before him, lost his battle with time and died, stubborn till the end. Conclusion Overall, it can be stated that this story was one that delved into the concept of man and time and how people stubbornly refuse to give in to the passage of time till the bitter end. Reference List Hemingway, E. (1952). The old man and the sea. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Old Man and the Sea specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This research paper on The Old Man and the Sea was written and submitted by user Maksim Joyner to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. The Old Man and the Sea