Sunday, May 3, 2020

Daddy 2 Essay Example For Students

Daddy 2 Essay A Critique of the Poem â€Å"Daddy† In the poem â€Å"Daddy,† Sylvia Plath describes her true feelings about her deceased father. Throughout the dialogue, the reader can find many instances that illustrate a great feeling of hatred toward the author’s father. She begins by expressing her fears of her father and how he treated her. Subsequently she conveys her outlook on the wars being fought in Germany. She continues by explaining her life since her father and how it has related to him. In the first stanza the reader realizes that Sylvia Plath is scared of her father. It is quite clear that she never spoke up to him to defend herself. In the first line it is apparent that something is ending. â€Å"You do not do, you do not do any more, black shoe,† this shows that she feels that her father cannot hurt her anymore. Also, she knows that she has to let him know how she feels. â€Å"In which I have lived like a foot for thirty years, poor and white, barely d aring to breathe or achoo,† this expresses her fear of her father, and illustrates the fact that she has remained silent, unable to speak up or even breath any words against him. â€Å"Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time,† this portrays the extent of her hatred toward him. That she was so appalled by his character that she would end his life if only she had the strength. But he died before she grew strong enough to stand up to his horrible countenance. The next portion of the poem, â€Å"Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one grey toe big as a Frisco seal,† shows how large she sees his presence. Comparing him to the weight of marble with the powers of God. However the one grey toe, which was injured, and allowed for sickness to set in, brought him to nothing. Something she had not the power to do, and something as insignificant as a tiny sore could. â€Å"In 1940, Otto developed a sore on his toe and ignored the condition until gangrene overtook the toe and he was hospitalized. Doctors performed surgery, but it was too late. Otto’s toe was amputated in hopes of saving him. Sylvia’s father passed away in November, 1940.† Source: Butscher, Edward. Sylvia Plath: Method and Madness. New York: The Seabury Press, 1976. The next passage, â€Å"And a head in the freakish Atlantic where it pours bean green over blue, in the waters off beautiful Nauset.† describes how Sylvia felt when she heard of her fathers’ infection in his foot. She thinks of it in a kind of hideous way that makes her sick. â€Å"I used to pray to recover you. Ach, du,† shows me that she still cared about her father and prayed for him while he was ill. It is amazing that even though she knew her father didn’t care for her, Sylvia still cared enough for him to worry. But he still didn’t care that she worried. The passage â€Å"In the German tongue, in the Polish town scraped flat by the roller of wars, wars, wars,†shows the plot of the poem, where everything took place. This also hints on the period in history when this happened, however, it doesn’t tell us exactly. In the following stanza it explains further. â€Å"But the name of the town is common. My Polack friend says there are a dozen or two. So I never could tell where you put your foot, your root, I never could talk to you.† This tells me that she is looking for where he is from. She doesn’t exactly know where he was raised or what his background is because there are many towns with the same name. Therefore, she is unable to understand his upbringing, which developed his coldhearted character. As Sylvia gets older and begins to understand the wars in Germany, she relates her life to the many conflicts they bring with them. â€Å"The tongue stuck in my jaw. It stuck in a barbwire snare. Ich, ich, ich, ich, I could hardly speak.† Again this describes her fear toward her father. She is so afraid of him that she can’t talk and speak out against him. The barbwire represents the war that was taking place. She relates to the victims of war and sees herself caught in the barbwire that has been put up by her father, which keeps them separated. â€Å"I thought every German was you. And the language obscene an engine, an engine chuffing me off like a Jew.† This shows that she saw the similarities between the Germans and her father. Her father sometimes treated her as badly as the Jews were being treated. He didn’t think of her as a daughter, but rather as a thing that was a burden to him. â€Å"A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.† These were concentration camps. She compared her inner fear of her father and her hatred for him to these camps. She felt as if she was trapped inside one of these camps with no one to turn to. â€Å"I began to talk like a Jew. I think I may well be a Jew.† Again, she describes herself as a Jew feeling like her father is pushing her away. â€Å"The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna are not very pure or true.† This shows that she realizes her father is a harmful man. She knows that some things, like her father, are not very honest or moral. It is like she understands her father’s ways an d realizes that they are not his own, but are the ways of the Germans. â€Å"With my gypsy-ancestress and my weird luck and my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack I may be a bit of a Jew.† She is questioning her relations with her father. She accepts that she is not like him. In a way wishes she were a Jew. She had rather be his born enemy than his daughter that he cared nothing for. â€Å"I have always been scared of you, with your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.† She admits her fear to her father. This is the first time she has stood up to him. And even though he is dead it makes her feel better to do this. â€Å"And your neat moustache and your Aryan eye, bright blue. Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You† This describes her fathers appearance. She also makes reference to the distinguishing characteristics of the Aryan race. The German belief in a perfect civilization where everyone has blue eyes and blonde hair is the root of their racial discrimination. â€Å"Not God but a swastika so black no sky could squeak through.† She disagrees with the swastika symbol and thinks of it as an evil idol. Seeing that everything it stands for is wrong and unjust she is opposed to it. â€Å"Every woman adores a Fascist, the boot in the face, the brute brute heart of a brute like you.† She is mocking the brutality German men show toward women. The German militaristic culture developed a behavior of man, which had little respect for the women in their society. .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 , .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .postImageUrl , .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 , .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:hover , .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:visited , .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:active { border:0!important; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:active , .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166 .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7211e90052ecdde596fbdda3f8b78166:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A shot in the dark EssayIn her later years, Sylvia is able to reflect on life with her father in a more objective manner. â€Å"You stand at the blackboard, daddy, in the picture I have of you, a cleft in your chin instead of your foot but no less a devil for that, no not any less the black man who bit my pretty red heart in two.† She describes him as a devil with a cleft in his chin symbolizing the hoofed foot of s demon. In her eyes he is a monster whom she has been afraid to confront all of her life. She admits that he has hurt her in the past. She references him with the color black, to illustrate that he is a kind of dark person. â€Å"I was ten when they buri ed you. At twenty I tried to die and get back, back, back to you.† She compares her father’s death with the attempted suicide of her own. She felt that if she could die that it would punish her father. â€Å"I thought even the bones would do. But they pulled me out of the sack, and they stuck me together with glue.† This passage states that she almost died. People took care of her and prevented her from committing suicide. â€Å"And then I knew what to do. I made a model of you, a man in black with a Meinkampf look and a love of the rack and the screw. And I said I do, I do.† Since she could not bring her father back to life she decided to find someone just like her father. She married a man that resembled her father and even acted like him. â€Å"So daddy, Im finally through. The black telephones off at the root, the voices just cant worm through.† She realizes that she has given up hope of living. She can’t hear anyone anymore trying to tel l her to live. She doesn’t want to listen to them anymore. â€Å"If Ive killed one man, Ive killed twoThe vampire who said he was you and drank my blood for a year, seven years, if you want to know.† She describes her husband as a Vampire. It is similar to the way she thinks of her father. She compares them with symbols that are both evil. â€Å"Daddy, you can lie back now. Theres a stake in your fat black heart and the villagers never liked you.† This shows the comparison of her husband and her father. She describes them both now as vampires. She expresses a feeling similar to that of the general German population, many of which disliked the ways of Nazis. â€Å"They are dancing and stamping on you. They always knew it was you.† The people that knew her father didn’t like him, nor did they like the ways of the Luftwaffe. They are glad that he and the powers of the Nazis are dead and are celebrating. â€Å"Daddy, daddy, you bastard, Im through.â⠂¬  This shows that her life of worrying and being scared of her father is over. She has been running from the thought of him her entire life. Sylvia has resolved all her problem with him and finally managed to leave the life that she knew behind. It is apparent that Sylvia wishes to introduce her readers to what life would have been like for the women and children within Nazi Germany. The upbringing and treatment was often harsh and mentally destructive. Being raised in a militarily based home, she was treated as if she were a burden to her father. She often relates her own persecution by her father to the discrimination Germany had toward the Jews. Sylvia had many struggles in her life that were cause by either her father, Germany, or her husband. All of which left her with a feeling of insignificance, as if they would have been happier without her. It is certain that this feeling she expresses is also felt and carried by other German wives and children. The basic purpose of the poem is to dictate her feelings toward all of these men, mainly her father. This release of all that has been carried inside her is a means of closure for the treatment she has received. As a larger picture, Sylvia has also documented, from the insid e, what it was like for the German dependant in a time of terrible hatred toward people who were seen as weak and insignificant.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Analyzing and Interpreting Movies

Analyzing and Interpreting Movies Introduction Films are important to human life. They serve as tools for entertainment, educating and disseminating people. During weekends and holidays, people-young and old, spend most of their leisure watching movies either at home or at movie theaters.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Analyzing and Interpreting Movies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Depending on one’s perception and art of viewing, the moving image within a movie can entertain, educate or inform. Notably, a person watching a film with an informed awareness is more likely to understand the elements behind film production. For example, an informed awareness instills dexterity and background instructions as ingredients of film understanding. Apart from entertainment, critical and attentive film watching imparts greater thought in addition to awareness. Additionally, viewing a film not only lifts up a person’s celluloid experien ce, but also enable persons to understand the complexity, dense language, principles, cryptograms, and signs cinematic attributes exhibited during viewing. Other essentials paramount in understanding and interpreting a film include reading some facets of cinematography and familiarization of film terms that will enable one to comprehend the film language. This will stimulate thought as regard to the film, hence making the viewers cinematically literate. Most importantly, with an informed awareness, every viewer can interpret and analyze a film without any complication (Boggs Petrie, 2008, pp.1-5). Analyzing an Entire Movie Perhaps to start with, it is better to define what we mean by analyzing a movie. Movie analysis involves breaking up the entire movie into numerous sections aimed at ascertaining the scenery, proportion, purpose, and correlation of the scenes. Each movie has its own plot as designed by the director or cinematographer. However, the plot cannot make the film entert aining or educative without good action. Actors are the one who give meaning to the plot of the movie. For instance, the critique emotions and moods of the actors are potential ingredients that add vitality to the plot hence, success of the movie. On the other hand, the art of film watching calls for decisive analytical approach in order to understand the plot of the movie. In addition, this analytical approach enables the audience to understand the fundamental elements of cinematography. Thus, film analysis entails prior pertinent preparation aimed at understanding the rationale of the movie and an inquisitive thought of adjudicating the basic elements, which compose the movie. In most cases, the credibility of analyzing a movie lies in the question â€Å"how†.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, part of the movie evaluation involves proper de liberation on the role of music and other special effects as elements that compose the movie. For example, illumination, actors, colors, locale, wardrobe, and frame composition are some of the elements behind film production (Boggs Petrie, 2008, p.6). In order to analyze the entire movie fully, one must be in a position to comprehend the talent and delirium of various actors, the roles played by producers and directors, the reason of using different types of costumes, and the inclusion of makeup artists or actors. Thus, if a viewer is in a position to combine these elements, the probability of divulging the theme of the movie is high. Nevertheless, what matters most in the art of film watching is the end as it is vital in laying out the theme of the movie. There are certain times when viewers fail completely to understand the entire movie. They therefore cannot analyze the movie. However, to arrive at the first-pace action, producers must first focus on the plot making it hard for viewers to comprehend the movie easily. However, repeated watching of the movie institutes impressions of the plot, and as time goes by, viewers are in a position to depict the mood and theme of the movie. For instance, if actors are acting a movie titled â€Å"Life†, laughter and emotions are imperative in order to furnish meaning to the plot. Below are steps for analyzing the entire movie (Boggs Petrie, 2008, p.7). Efficacy of Dialogue and Storyline Many people tend to forget the role of a screenwriter and instead focus on the roles played by actors and producers. Nonetheless, screenwriters as chief architects of the movie may choose to acclimatize a book and abrogate it to script form or write an original story for action. Whichever the way, viewers should be in a position to identify minutiae of dialogue and plotlines. For instance, research shows that a flourishing movie script characterizes with authentic dialogue and scenarios easily manageable by artists and actors. On the other hand, most screenwriters use full of personal obscenities and thoughts easily understood by viewers. Thus, part of the analysis entails establishing dialogue honesty and the flow of scenes in a logical manner. Furthermore, the scenes must remain on the storyline.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Analyzing and Interpreting Movies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Background and Set Pieces Movie directors are the one responsible in building the ambiance of the movie. Thus, when a person decides to analyze a movie, he or she must first examine the color of the panorama, costumes and sets. During this time, the analyzer will assume that actors and dialogue do not exist- at least for a moment. This is because color, costumes and sets develop the mood and atmosphere of the movie. Good movies have excellent backgrounds that add vitality to scenes without overwhelming the movie. On the contrary, poor cin ematography leads to anachronism and inadvertent focus. Individual Performance of Actors When analyzing a movie, it is important to know what actors who are not in the main action do. Excellent actors are those who understand their role especially in generating the plot of the movie. For example, a character acting as villain should exhibit redoubtable opposition to the one portraying intrepidness. Thus, an analyzer should ask whether these actors inhabited their roles to attract other actors who will counter them. Editing of the Movie Research shows that excellent movies started from editing houses. This is true because there are so many excellent movies that have become poor due to poor editing. For instance, these movies have their storyline cut or scenes that deny forward plot. Thus, when analyzing a movie, one should consider the flow of scenes in reference to the storyline. Superbly edited movies do not confuse the audience, as there is a systematic forward plot from one scene to another (Boggs Petrie, 2008, pp.14-134). Directors and Fingerprints The main role of a director in a movie centers on film production. Nevertheless, this director should be in apposition to comprehend the thoughts of the screenwriter, and at the same time, the competence and skills of actors and other persons involved in film production. Thus, when analyzing a movie, it is important to inquire from the director on how he or she arrived at the actors and their reputation. The analyzer should also examine contributions from the director especially on edgy dialogue, signature elements, the milieu of music, and other perspectives such as photography angles. Finding and Interpreting Meaning in Movies There is a lot of criticism regarding finding and interpreting meaning in movies. This depends on how one views a movie. For example, there are people who believe movies are for entertainment purposes only while some believe that movies can educate people on culture, economics and polit ics.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the truth of the matter is movies are substantially real phenomena, which portray something. Movies have great impact on people’s lives especially on historical and social realities. Thus, the theme of a film can influence people perform social, political and economic duties. Nonetheless, this cannot happen minus first finding and interpreting the meaning of a movie. The meaning in a movie can vary from one viewer to another depending on interpretation. Research shows that there are four levels of meaning in a movie, which help people in finding and interpreting meaning in a movie (Perkins, 1990, pp. 1-6). Referential Meaning The plot summary differs from one movie to another. Surprisingly, viewers watching a movie can come up with different interpretations based on individual ability to identify the fundamental elements that make up the movie. For instance, in the film, Wizard of Oz, tornado knocks a young girl only to wake up in a supernatural world named Oz. she t herefore has to make friends who will show her the Wizard-the only friend who will return her back home. Thus, the plot summary helps one to find and interpret the meaning in a movie. Explicit Meaning This comprises the message in the film. In order to understand the meaning of a film, it is imperative to familiarize with the context of the movie. The context of the movie helps viewers to understand the plot summary and the developments happening from one scene to another. Context tries to answer the question â€Å"how† and then â€Å"why†. Implicit Meaning This is the factual interpretation of a movie. The implicit meaning goes beyond explicit meaning and here, every viewer interprets differently. Furthermore, viewers can use the move to refer to their own life and make informed decisions. For instance, in the film Wizard of Oz, young adults are acquainted on the dangers of indiscipline and rebellion. Symptomatic Meaning Symptomatic meaning in a movie explains the soc ial ideology that characterizes the movie. In addition, it also explains the cultural ambience of people living in a certain place at a particular time. This can make viewers strive to work hard and become prosperous or continue celebrating their cultural diversity (Nowlan, 2002, p.1). Reference List Boggs, M. J. Petrie, W.D. (2006). The Art of Watching Film. (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers. Nowlan, B. (2002). Interpreting Film: Meaning and Representation, Culture and Politics, the Truman Show and Stranger with a Camera. Retrieved from https://www.uwec.edu/ Perkins, V. (1990). Must We say What They Mean?: Film Criticism and Interpretation. Movie, 34(5). 1-6.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Performance Management

Performance Management In order for organizations to raise the performance levels within the organization, it is important for them to find strategies that will allow them to raise motivation among their employees. This is also a way to ensure that the goals and the objectives of the organization are being met. According to McNamara, PHD, (1999) "performance management can focus on performance of the organization, a department, processes to build a product or service, employees, etc." (p. 1). This paper will establish a performance management program and consider what matters most for measuring employee performance. Lastly, an explanation of the appraisal will be given to explain how it can be used in a variety of positions.According to Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhert, and Wright, (2003) "performance management is the process through which managers ensure that employees' activities and outputs contribute to the organizations goals" (p. 239). Organizations and managers need to determine first what matters most for measuring performance of their employees.20120524-DM-RBN-6075An annual appraisal helps determine if an employee will remain on the job and what employees' need additional job training (Moorty, n.d). An annual performance helps supervisors set goals for the upcoming year, and report employee success in meeting performance expectations (BNET, 2003).Some performance appraisals are done to rank each employee and other are done by breaking down performance to evaluate individual attributes, behaviors or results (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2007). Some performance appraisals methods are comparisons rankings, graphic rating scales, behavioral rating scales, critical incident method and 360 degree feedback. Comparison rankings are done to measure best to worst of an individual performance. Comparison can also be done ranking one employee to another employee's performance. One of the oldest methods used is using graphic rating scales to measure an employee's level of performance. Beh avioral...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

We Are What We Trade by David Sirota Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

We Are What We Trade by David Sirota - Essay Example Organizations and nations can ship their companies to locations or destinations that one can consider less expensive. In the end, it makes it easy for companies and nations to benefit from free trade and the element of globalization (Sirota). Even though globalization seems to bring benefits, there are several disadvantages that it captures. For instance, the author rightly put it by capturing an instance where the concept of free trade seems to water down the aspects of job creation. The author seeks to study the effects and the role that free trade presents to the global society. People and, in this case, parties concerned in the trade need to understand the impact of globalization and how it defines our nature. Sirota mentions the roles of lobbyists and crusaders who are out to promote free trade and globalization as parties who are carrying out a boring job. The author shares the notion that the work presented by these lobbyists as dishonest. It is not clear what the lobbyists and crusaders are vouching for on this matter (Sirota). It seems that while they continue talking about the positives of globalization, the negative keep on playing out. It is quite clear that the author assumes the responsibility to share these insights to place the society in a better position when it comes to making choices in the society. Sirota’s article plays three major roles in writing. First, it seeks to inform the readers about the effects of free trade and globalization. It is quite clear that the article leaves the reader in a better position to comment on the society and their role in dealing or addressing issues. Secondly, the author seems to criticize some of the roles, tasks and aspects that the lobbyists are making about globalization. Thirdly, the author is persuading the readers not to be passive when it comes to passing bills and policies that affect them whether directly or indirectly. It is

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

A History of the Arabic Language Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

A History of the Arabic Language - Term Paper Example But it was after the rise of Islam, that Arabic became the official language of the boundaries stretched between the Oxus River to the Iberian peninsula of Europe. ARABIC AND ISLAM Arabic as a major language became important after the rise of Islam. Thus the early form of Arabic can be gathered from the Quran, as it used to be written down in Arabic, the classical poetry and the descriptive work written on the life of the Prophet P.B.U.H. This classical Arabic later evolved into standard Arabic used today, however there is no much work done on the spoken language. ARABIC AS A SEMITIC LANGUAGE: Arabic Language belongs to the family of the Semitic language. The members of the Semitic language have history that dates back to thousands of years, and is enriches with knowledge. These languages prospered in the Mediterranean Basin, and it is therefore that Arabic language is sometimes taken as Proto- Semitic. Thus Arabic is considered to be the descendant of the Semitic Arabic language, us ed in the 6th century. The roots of the Arabic language lie between the Afro- Asiatic groups of languages. Since being a member of the Semitic family it is related to Hebrew and Neo- Aramaic language and is also associated with the south Semitic languages of Ethiopia, Yemen and Oman. There are many varieties and dialects of written and spoken Arabic language. There are many forms or states of the Arabic language, constituting mainly on ethnic and political backgrounds. If these varieties are considered as one single language then the Arabic language has around 340 million speakers. These varieties include Fusha or Standard Arabic, Mudaric Arabic, Namra, Quranic Arabic and many more (Brian Bishop, 1998). Arabic is the only remaining member of the Old North Arabic Dialect, having a rich background and inscriptions dating back to the 4th century. Arabic is written by using Arabic alphabet or fonts, which is written from right-to-left. Arabic language is a very old and rich language, wh ich has formed the basis of many other languages such as Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Hindi etc. Because of the Muslim rule in Spain, which was for 700 years, the influence of Arabic language can be seen in Spanish and Roman languages. Not only that, Arabic has borrowed words from many languages such as Hebrew, Greek, and Syrian etc. The fast surfacing and spread of Arabic language was mainly due to the fact that the speakers of the Arabic language became political figures and thus unlike other Semitic languages which fossilized with time, Arabic language emerged as a leading language of the Arabian Peninsula. Arabic language is unique and important for many historians as it has preserved a large majority of the original Proto-Semitic features .According to many linguists, Arabic is important source of information as it is the only Semitic language which has preserved features of Proto-Semitic (i.e. Hebrew or Amharic) in the Afro-Asiatic group of languages).Hence, the Modern Arabic is al so thought to be part of the Arabo-Canaanite sub-branch the central group of the Western Semitic languages. CHANGES WITH MODERN TIMES Arabic language has three cases, which are the nominative, the accusative and the genitive. While writing any Arabic word 28 letters are used along with some foreign words. The long vowels that are â€Å"a, i and u† are represented by the Arabic letters 'alif, ya' and waw respectively. From the modern standard Arabic to the earliest Proto Semitic Arabic many changes have occurred with time. These changes are mainly in terms of phonology, syntax and lastly morphology. Phonology is the sound or the pronunciation of a word. The proto –Semitic is characterized by a six vowel system composed of three long which are explained above and three

Monday, January 27, 2020

What Is Meant By Personality Dynamics Psychology Essay

What Is Meant By Personality Dynamics Psychology Essay Every person is unique not merely, because people are genetically different. On the contrary, identical twins have the same DNA. However, despite the similarity, the twins will still be two different persons. This implies that there are certain qualities that set a person apart from the others. Theoretically, this will involve the manner of nurturance or upbringing. Nonetheless, this does not account on the divergence among different persons thoughts, aspirations, behaviors, preferences, feelings, and reactions. Across the centuries, the notion that thinkers came up with to explain and or describe the similarities and differences in the individuality that each person possess is known as personality. In a stricter sense, Susan C. Cloninger defined personality as the underlying causes within the person of individual behavior and experience (2008; 2). Personalities differ from one group of traits to another. More than 2000 years ago, Hippocrates had already separated four types of temperament to describe people. He made four basic categories namely: choleric, melancholic, sanguine and phlegmatic (Colininger, 2008; 3). Describing personality requires the evaluation of its type, factors and traits. Colininger explained that personality dynamics are the mechanisms by which personality is expressed (2008;5). Motivations influence the personality. Motivations are the underlying reasons or caused that drive the person to act in certain ways. Different psychologists have different speculations about the motivational factors that underlie personality. Freud argued that sexual urges are the source of motivation while Carl Rogers believed that the motivation has developmental roots. Alfred Alder and Rudolf Dreikurs asserts that personality motivations involve being goal-oriented and a process of self-creation (9). In the same context, Henry Murray put forward that there are interrelated motivations that affects the personality. All of these motivational theories imply that people react to the changes in themselves and their environment. Personality dynamics denote that personality is something that develops in the persons consciousness. The reaction shows growth and progress in the individual. Personal dynamics as a whole require the person to adapt and to adjust in his living environment and situation. How do cognitive processes and culture relate to personality dynamics? In the study of personality dynamics and the exploration of motivational factors, it is inevitable to include the process and function of cognition into the equation. For the most part, cognition refers to the manner of perception. Cognitive processes therefore include the thinking and the learning development of an individual. In the Psychoanalytic theory, Freud emphasized that the personality dynamics is consist of the ways in which psychic energy us distributed to the id, ego and superego (Corey, 2009; p. 61). Freuds theory revolves around the idea that the cognitive process only happens during the conscious state. Thus, Freud proposed that conscious thought plays only a limited role in personality dynamics (Cloninger, 2008; p. 5). The ego represents consciousness while the superego represents the unconsciousness. The emphasis given by Freud on the superegos role in personality dynamics raised several questions among the thinkers specifically because behavior are predictable and c oping patterns are recognizable. Moreover, humans are able to distinguish how their experiences or previous knowledge affects their future decisions, actions and reactions. The previous knowledge that the person holds is largely determined by the culture in which the person belongs. Personality is not something innate to the individual. Despite the fact that genes affect the capacity of the human physiology, it is obvious that the beliefs, traditions and even the language that the person holds greatly shaped his personality. Consider how the Christian culture and conservative ideologies are related to introvert personalities. The multiculturalism that the United States espouses encouraged individualism that encourages extraverted and assertive behavior (Cloninger, 2008; p. 6). These observations illuminate the fact that the culture in a society affects the individual personality of a person. Carl Jung developed his analytical psychology, which divided the personality dynamics into introverted and extroverted personality. According to Corey, Jung acknowledged, we are not merely shaped by past events, but we are influenced by our future as well (p. 79). J ung also explained that there is a collective unconsciousà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦containing the accumulation of inherited experiences of human and pre-human species (p. 80). This collective unconscious derived from historical experiences and future insights affects the motivations of a person. What are some important influences on personality development? Clearly, personality is not something that encrypted into the persons mind when he was born. Personality is something that develops out of the persons interaction to other people and the environment. Moreover, personality is not something permanent. It could change or develop or progress depending on the individuals reaction towards event and circumstances in life. In relation to the process of development, Cloninger explained that biological influences and social development influences are the two major factors that affects the development of personality. The biological influences are those behavior that are observable and consistent behavior from birth onwards. This consistency in behavior and emotional reactions present from early life onward is called temperament (Cloninger, 2008 p. 6). Modern scientific findings seems to support the claim that personality is significantly influenced by hereditary (2008, p. 6). This does not mean that genes alone determine the personality of the person because the biological person needs to adapt into the environment as well. In this regard, one could observe that as a person grows older, their personality changes. The person does not only develop physical but also psychologically. The changes in the persons cognitive skills could also help establish the fact that personality develops. Furthermore, most of the theorist in personality believes that the experiences in childhood greatly affect the current psychological state of mind of the adult person. The evidence of this claim lies on the possibiliyu of developing skills and acquiring knowledge. Aside from the cognitive development, the persons emotions are also considered to affect their personality when they enter adulthood. For instance, if the parent-child relationship during childhood years is not satisfactory, then the child also might neglect his/her offspring in the future or they might shower the child with excessive love and affection. This implies that childhood experiences affects personality development. From this perspective, it could be sur mised that personality is not solely determine by genetics and personality could change over time.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Social Constructionism

Social constructionism focuses on meaning and power. It maintains that, as humans, we respond to the meaning of events and objects rather than the actual objects and events themselves. This meaning is actually a construction, a product of social interaction between individuals. Our behaviour is regulated by guidelines, which make everyday life predictable and understandable. These guidelines set boundaries as to what is acceptable behaviour, and are themselves a product of social interaction. They cause us to behave in a certain way – the way that is seen as the norm. It is through social interaction that people â€Å"act and react in relation to others.†Ã‚   Through this social interaction, we learn what is acceptable and what is not. Over time these ‘rules’ become internalised within us, and eventually become a somewhat unconscious part of our lives. We end up just taking them for granted, as we begin to see that what we do is just normal (e.g. habit). Burr (1985) identifies four assumptions that the social constructionist perspective follows: The first is that, as social constructionists, we should â€Å"take a critical stance towards our taken-for-granted ways of understanding the world.†Ã‚   Whereas traditional science assumes that observation can be used to explain the nature of the world, social constructionism is wary of this opinion. It argues that just because we divide people and things in the world into categories, they may not actually be real divisions. Burr uses the example of music – there is nothing in the nature of music that denotes that it should be divided into such categories as ‘pop’ or ‘classical’. The other point Burr raises is that of ‘historical and cultural specificity’. This is the idea that the understanding we have of the world, and concepts in it, are specific to particular cultures and time periods. Burr also insists that these concepts are products of, and dependent on, the culture and the economic arrangements of the culture at that time. Consequently, all medical belief systems operate within a culture with norms, values and expectations that make sense of illness for people in that culture and set the criteria for what, locally, can count as illness. The variation in ways of understanding illness that exists across cultures and across the range of alternative medicines in our own society can also be seen historically. Foucault (1973, 1980) has persuasively argued that such ordering and classifying, with respect to human beings, has played and continues to play a key role in controlling the populace. By classifying people as normal or abnormal, mad or sane and healthy or sick, it became possible to control society by regulating work, domestic and political behaviours. For example, the certified mentally ill may not vote and may be forcibly confined, those who cannot obtain a sick note from their doctor may have no choice but to work and those whose sexuality is deemed unhealthy or abnormal may be denied access to family life. The next point Burr mentions is that people construct their own understanding of the nature of the world through social interaction. Social constructionists are especially interested in how individuals interact, particularly the idea of language. Through communication, we distinguish shared meanings. These shared meanings would be impossible without communication. The interaction that takes place between individuals never ends. Like socialisation, it exists throughout one’s life. It leads to a collective understanding of meanings. Institutions are formed, and rules and policies are put into place. This brings us on to the last of Burr’s assumptions; the idea that knowledge and social action go hand in hand. Each social construction differs, and â€Å"brings with it†¦. a different kind of action from human beings.† It is not only our behaviour that is ‘learnt’. Society affects our thoughts and emotions. Social constructionists believe that our identities in particular are shaped by society (Berger, 1963, p.140). Berger describes identity as being something that is not ‘given’, but something â€Å"bestowed in acts of social recognition.†Ã‚   Through the process of socialisation, we internalise the rules of society, and are compelled to stay loyal to these rules. Various forms of social control exist to keep us ‘in line’ and prevent us from breaking the rules. More formal types of control include law enforcement, whereas there are more subtle forms such as disapproval of deviant acts, followed by guilt and shame. Berger maintains that no society can exist without social control. (Berger, 1963, P.83) Burr argues that personalities do not necessarily exist within a person, but rather between people.   Common words used to describe people’s personalities would be somewhat meaningless if the person being described lived alone (Burr uses the example of living on a desert island). Without other people around them, how can someone be described as having a shy personality? The point Burr is trying to make is that such descriptive words often refer to our behaviour towards other people, and don’t have much meaning if you take other people away from an individual. Similarly, our personalities may change depending on whom we are with. Burr argues that although our personalities may change slightly when we are with different people, it is still ‘us’ in all of them, but each ‘you’ is affected, and socially constructed by the relationships we have with those people. The empirical study showed that managers enact a managerial role that involves portraying themselves as managers, maintaining the visual faà §ade of management, controlling themselves strictly to prevent the mask slipping, and so carrying out the symbolic role of manager. However, to be a manager also requires that there be a managerial Other, and a managerialized order requires the denigration of other participants in the organization and the arrogation of others' rights to self-determination. Managers, who are the materialized metaphysics, so to speak, of capitalist power, are in this perspective a social construction in that they belong in a social world wherein lies the possibility for thinking, and thus practising, things differently. In order to bring about change we have to understand- the mechanisms by which current pillars of power are maintained. Marxism had too simplistic an assumption about how change could be achieved and, indeed, about how the new utopia could be built. Market managerial utopianism sadly has been more successful in imposing its own vision of utopia (Parker, 2002). Postmodernism/post-structuralism, while it has not yet helped us dream the design of the utopia we desire and has, indeed, in a peculiar reverse brought pragmatism to the discussion about utopias, helps us discern and understand those mechanisms. As Laclau (1990) has pointed out, it helps us open the possibilities repressed in the taken-for-granted and seemingly ‘objective' social relations and identities. One of these mechanisms is a language of management which is now so dominant that it crowds out alternative ways of thinking of, speaking about and working in organizations. The language of management is materialized in and through managers. But it is too simple to think of the language of management as nothing more than a language of rationality, autonomy, entrepreneurship, etc. Foucault have taught to explore more deeply into any language, to discover the languages which make possible that language, and thus not to presume that the ideology spoken through the language is all that informs and sustains that power/knowledge formulation signified in writing and speech. In other words, social constructionism, as a study of how power, first, impregnates the language of management that is found in textbooks, of how readers interact with the textbook and, seduced by the language, absorb it to some extent into their identities and thus come into being as managers. Second, it is a study of how managers' identity is permeated through and through with and by the organizations in which they work. It is thus a study of how management is a social construction. All in all, the social constructionist perspective maintains that social interaction and socialisation are incredibly important, as they are the backbone for building individuals. Language is of particular importance to this perspective, and it’s argued that â€Å"language provides the basis for all our thought.†Ã‚   In this sense, it is through language that we can give our experiences meaning. In conclusion, the social constructionist perspective offers a lot of insight into the human world, especially with regards to the construction of society and individuals within it. References Berger, P, 1963, Invitation to sociology, Harmondsworth, Pelican. Burr, V, 1995, An introduction to social constructionism, London, Routledge. De Swaan, A, 2001, Human societies, Cambridge, Polity. Foucault, M., 1979, The Birth of the Clinic, London: Routledge. Foucault, M., 1980, Power/Knowledge, London: Harvester Wheatsheaf. Jenkins, R, 1996, Social identity, London, Routledge. Laclau, E., 1990, New Reflections on the Revolution of Our Time, London: Verso. Macionis, J., and Plummer, K, 2002, Sociology: a global introduction, Harlow, Prentice Hall. Oakley, A., 1985, Sex, gender and society, London, Gower. Parker, Martin, 2002, Utopia and the Organizational Imagination: Outopia. In Parker, Martin (ed.) Utopia and Organization, Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 1-8. Taylor, S., 1999, Sociology: issues and debates, Basingstoke, Palgrave. What is social constructionism? http://www.psy.dmu.ac.uk Sociology online www.sociologyonline.co.uk