Emilia & Documents Essay

Emilia is only a secondary character in the play but her role is crucial one. Though she is wife of Iago, she is ignorant of the real nature of his plots and she even aids his designs without any awareness of their consequences on one side. On the other side, she is coarse-minded, earthy but devotedly attached to her mistress. So Shakespeare portrays her in a realistic light, attributing to her strengths and weaknesses, combining in her character the qualities of loyalty and service, with a commitment also to the more worldly side of human nature. Shakespeare also uses her as toll to carry out the malicious motives and evil designs of Iago. She also acts as a foil to Desdemona. Her being a companion to Desdemona enables her to reveal not only her own wide experience of the world but also to highlight Desdemona’s innocence and idealism. The commonsensical realism of Emilia provides a refreshing contrast to Desdemona’s unpractical idealism. Emilia is a woman of the world and her understanding of the real nature of men and their affairs is more realistic and mature than that of Desdemona. In this respect she serves as a foil to throw into sharp relief the childlike nature of her mistress. For example, while Desdemona thinks that there are no women in the world who would play false to their husbands, Emilia knows that there are many such; â€Å"Yes a dozen: and, as many the vantage as would/ store the world they played for. † (IV. iii. 82-83) She changes over the course of the play from a passive Elizabethan domestic woman to an active and dynamic character who fully endorses the chastity of her mistress and protests over the unfair and rude behavior of Othello toward her. She remains silent in the first half of the play like a typical Elizabethan woman who solemnly accepts all the pathos and miseries of life afflicted upon her by her husbands. Her very first dialogue in the play indicates the matrimonial and domestic strife she was suffering from. Her response to Iago’s comments; â€Å"I find it still, when I have list to sleep: /Marry, before your ladyship, I grant, /She puts her tongue a little in her heart, /And chides with thinking. † (II. i. 891-894) She says, â€Å"You have little cause to say so† (II. i. 895). Adamson is of the view that â€Å"She knows. . . . it is less painful to suffer his scornful abuse than to challenge and try to change him† (247). So her silence and so short a reply is tool to hide herself in her own cocoon and an agonizing acknowledgement of triviality in the domestic sphere. Her silence is due to the complexity of the situation in which she is entangled as Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s intimate. This produces in her paradoxical emotions about one or the other. â€Å"The female connection between Desdemona and Emilia demonstrates a level of personal intimacy that is free of the professional distinctions in the male relationships, but is complicated by class distinctions and compromised by Emilia’s divided loyalty as Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s serving lady† (Nostbakken 21). So Iago exploits this role of Emilia. In the first place it is she who provides Iago with the handkerchief which he puts to such a terrible use. But she should be blamed for the tragedy as she makes matters more complicated when she professes ignorance as Desdemona asks her whether she knows where she could have dropped her handkerchief. In both these instances, Emilia is culpable, but it may be said in her defense that she is quite unaware of committing anything more than a minor violation of truth. So her silence is not a criminal silence and audience understands it that it is due to her subservience to social norms that force her to behave more as Iago’s wife than Desdemona’s maid. Whenever she becomes more vocal, it is owed to her love for her mistress. Toward the end of the play she emerges as a changed individual who has broken down the shackles of conventionalities, social compulsion and accepted behaviors. Her emotional attachment to Desdemona overpowers her alter in the play. Emilia’s stout defense of Desdemona proves futile because Othello decides to regard her as Desdemona’s bawd. However, Emilia has other functions in the play. At the death of Desdemona she felt herself very much grief stricken: â€Å"Villainy, villainy, villainy! /I think upon’t : I think smell’t: O villainy! /I thought so then: I ‘ll kill myself for grief:/ O villainy, villainy! † (V. ii. 191-194) When she once realizes that her husband used the handkerchief to implicate her mistress, she condemns and exposes him without fear although she loses her life in doing so; Good gentleman, let me have leave to speak,/‘Tis proper I obey him, but not now:/ Perchance, Iago. I will ne’er go home. (V. ii. 196-198) M. R. Ridley believes that â€Å" in all the plays there is nothing more characteristic of Shakespeare than the way in which Desdemona’s death kindles in her (Emilia) a bright flame of self-forgetful courage; it is not just that she faces the threats of both Othello and her husband(Iago), but rather that she neglects them, brushes them aside as irrelevant trivialities. †(46) Emilia may be said to represent the ordinary people who commonly figure in Shakespeare, people who are not extraordinarily virtuous in daily life, but who are gifted with a reasonable perceptiveness and commonsense and are capable of heroism in times of crisis. Her complete transformation comes with the resolution to reveal the truth when she says; ‘Twill out, ’twill out: I peace! /No, I will speak as liberal as the north†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (V. ii. 3561-62) And her disclosure; â€Å"O thou dull Moor!that handkerchief thou speak’st of /I found by fortune and did give my husband†(V. ii. 3570-71) A. C. Bradley remarks about this transformation;† Till close to the end she frequently sets one’s teeth on edge; and at the end one is ready to worship her† (p. 205). The only character to perform a complete transformation of character over the course of Othello’s action, Emilia progresses rapidly from her early role as coarse and subservient foil) to Iago(as depicted earlier) into a resolute and effective defender of Desdemona’s virtue. Works Cited Adamson, Jane. Othello as tragedy: some problems of judgment and feeling. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1980 Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean tragedy : lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. London: Macmillan. 1971 Nostbakken, Faith. Understanding Othello, A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Ridley, M. R. Othello. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1958.

Collaboration and Communication in Business

Increasingly, employees are in jobs where interaction is their primary value-adding activity (Laudon & Laudon, p. 90). List and describe collaboration and communication tools that you use regularly. How do they improve your work both in terms of the process and the product? What is the approach that organisations could adopt in relation to these tools to improve organisational performance?Fortunately (or unfortunately), I have been working with the same organization for the last 19 years. As a result, I have been witness to the evolution of my organization globally in terms of being â€Å"tech savvy† towards effective use of communication and collaboration tools. In my opinion, the more the business is facing turbulence in terms of market and/ or competitors, the higher the need emerges for collaboration and communication.In the good old days of 90’s, when we used to do business in countries, with little or insufficient IT infrastructure and capabilities, we used to sti ll manage effectively the customer relationships and profitability of the business through telecommunication links like fax and telephones as well as F2F meetings with the stakeholders involved. Somehow, it appeared to be relatively easier to make business dealings under such circumstances.Although, it is worth mentioning, that the core value proposition of the products and/ or services during those times were considered by our customes, to be due to the high technology and streamlined product development processes of our company. With the advent of internet as a viable channel of communication and information sharing and the diversification of business into different market segments and geographical regions, it became imperative for the organization to look for easier ways of communication and collaboration.Moreover, the decline of experts with know-how or knowledge of the entire value chain of the product/ service, also calls for involvement of experts with specific domain knowled ge, who need to communicate and collaborate on a regular basis, within the framework of certain rules. Starting from end nineties, we started using Lotus Notes as one-stop tool for both communication and collaboration. Since this was primarily driven by the operational level, lots of other strategic and operational tools for communication and collaboration were built around this tool. However, due to various reasons like re-organisation, diversification, cquisitions etc, this tool went on to assume a mammoth shape, lost connectivity to more up-to-date state of the art tools and was dragging down the business globally in terms of communication and collaboration. Moreover, the hierarchy of the organization was also responsible for taking a pragmatic approach towards decommissioning of this tool and creating a more flexible IT architecture, which can be agile and can integrate with state of the art tools across the various areas of business like marketing, product development, product delivery, logistics and supply chain and after sales services to customers.In the last 2 years our organization has moved to MS based office tool suite including tools for communication and collaboration. The legacy systems of LN are getting decommissioned and huge LN DB’s were converted and transferred to more easily manageable and accessible DB systems. Right now we are using Passport based tool suites where individual applications communicate with each other and augment the ongoing, required collaboration among the various entities of the organization.It is true that most part of the organization is adding value to the communication flow through the effective use of tools, but at the same time, more emphasis is put on sharing and storing key, useful information to be used by anybody in the organization, who may need it, e. g. by creating internal blogs or Wikis with managers motivating and/ or incentivizing information and know-how sharing. Useful collaborative tools like Live Meeting, Telepresence etc can ensure participation from different locations at different time zones, sharing the same level and content of information.Collaboration, the ability to work together especially in business is raising key concerns for organizations taking on new approaches to improve performance and outcomes. Because leaders are looking for positive signs that acquiring collaboration tools will impact the bottom line, an organization may also need to consider its communication and collaboration practices. According to research and best practices, the combination of several factors may help steer collaboration to achieve business results, through empowerment, culture, and technology.Some practical examples of each of these factors that are causing collaboration to work in business are mentioned below: Empowering People through Communication and Collaboration Empowerment is a form of approval for individuals and teams to make decisions. Starting with executive collabor ation, key leaders of your organization may need to support shared goals for empowering people if they don’t already, through communication and collaboration. The reality of collaboration for leadership is through empowerment.By embracing a model of operational coordination across teams and departments, collaboration can basically drive motivation and engagement. In Harvard Business Review’s Aligning Strategy with Technology, the chapter â€Å"Empowered† dives into an example of empowered sales teams to develop sales solutions using video at Black & Decker. Video as a communication form is extremely popular. Because of the complexity of Black & Decker’s many different products, the sales staff is able to document challenges in the field and quickly communicate how power tools are used on job sites.As the authors Josh Bernoff and Ted Schadler pointed out, these useful bits of information also benefit senior management, corporate marketing, and public relat ions. Bernoff and Schadler use the phrase â€Å"highly empowered and resourceful operatives† – dubbed HEROs as characteristic of empowered teams like this example at Black & Decker. In fact, the authors’ research study shows a high proportion of information workers, by industry and job type, especially marketing & sales in technical products and services that are empowered to create similar customer solutions.Creating Value in Collaborative Culture The collaborative culture of an organization stems from its’ shared beliefs, values, and business practices. Author and business consultant, Evan Rosen says collaboration is about creating value. In Bloomberg Businessweek, Evan Rosen emphasizes every worker contributes knowledge to the business. Using an example at Dow Chemical, he writes, â€Å"The day’s sales and inventory numbers are shared with everybody in the company, including the people doing the heaving lifting on the front lines.Dow acknowledg es that people will do a better job when they know their actions contribute or detract from business results. † Taking a step further, former CEO of Campbell Soup, Doug Conant, is famous for handwritten notes to employees celebrating their contributions. Recognition through these and other high value communication practices further strengthens a collaborative culture. Establishing a Technological Framework for Collaboration Collaboration tools essentially provide a technological framework to enable people and groups to work together.But adding new collaboration tools into the enterprise does not change things overnight. Where does an organization begin to design a technological framework? A gap analysis of workflows is often necessary and can help in redesigning processes. Furthermore, an organization’s specific data, based on activity in the organizational network, including sales, customer services and support, product development, and even external resources, can be collected, analyzed, and better routed to teams.This social intelligence can help everyone be informed. Tony Zingale, CEO, of Jive Software ‘sees change the way work gets done’ – referring to the communication and interactivity of social software like Jive. And reports are showing cost efficiencies, speed to market, and greater pool of ideas and innovation through collaboration, which are passed on to the customer through cost savings and better products.

Abigail Williams compared to Adolf Hitler and Joseph McCarthy Essay

Arthur Miller’s character from The Crucible, Abigail Williams, was a beautiful girl who had a hold on people’s lives. She lied to protect herself and caused chaos for everyone in the town of Salem because all of the right people believed her. History repeats itself, and what Abigail has caused and done has been done many times. During our existence, Adolf Hitler and Joseph McCarthy repeated the same sort of chaos as Abigail Williams had done. Adolf Hitler was a German dictator who spread a rumor that Jews were the cause of Germany’s problems, had the power to have them killed, and had six million Jews killed. Hitler could have anything done because he sympathized with the people and had the people and the Nazi army on his side. Just like Abigail did when she spread the rumors of witches and had others back her accusations up; â€Å"MARY WARREN: She sees nothin’! ABIGAIL: She sees nothin’! MARY WARREN: Abby, you mustn’t! ABIGAIL AND ALL THE GIRLS: Abby, you mustn’t!† (1209). Abigail also sympathized with the Church, for the Church was aware of witches and if there was an accusation towards a person most of those people who were accused would die. Saying the names of different people who were supposedly witches would cause their death. Joseph McCarthy was a senator who between 1940 & 1950 made a public accusation that, more than two hundred â€Å"card-carrying† communists had infiltrated the United States government, including the author, Arthur Miller. This caused a heightening of paranoia and a hunt for these people. The hunt was notoriously difficult on writers and entertainers who were called communist sympathizers. The writers and entertainers would get their passports taken away, or jailed, but most importantly the well publicized trials of these artists could destroy their careers when tried as a communist sympathizer. Both of these men had influence on people that caused great chaos in others life similar to what Abigail did in her time. Joseph McCarthy made an accusation that started paranoia and accused many people of being a communist sympathizer, like Abigail did when she said the names of â€Å"Sarah Good†, â€Å"Goody Osburn†, â€Å"Bridget Bishop† (1156), and others who were supposedly witches and who she supposedly saw with the devil and got them killed. Adolf Hitler had about six million Jews killed because he thought it would solve Germany’s problems and bring peace. Abigail had the people in town killed because it would be the solution to get out of Salem unharmed. In all three situations they had people agree with what they said and made it a much more believable to more and more people than what a specific person believed. Adolf Hitler, Joseph McCarthy, and Abigail Williams all had something in common; they had the ability to have many people believe things that were not true and have action to execute that individuals plan. Whether it was to have someone executed, put on trial, or have people believe the malarkey that they were speaking, they all had a chaos that started with Abigail and repeated itself in a different way but same concept.

Should both parents assume equal responsibility in raising children Essay

Should both parents assume equal responsibility in raising children - Essay Example Although this may be different to previous years, it seems that this direction is much fairer for women and gives men more interaction with their offspring. In this paper, I will be exploring the reasons behind this move towards equal parenting and whether it is right that both parents are assuming equal responsibilities for their children and how they are raised. I argue that it is fairer for women and better for children that parenting responsibles are equal. One of the main reasons why parents should assume equal responsibility in raising children is so that these children know their mother and father equally and have a good relationship with both parents, something which is important in lives. In previous years, it has been hard for children to get to know their father because he is always at work, earning money, whilst their relationship with their mother was usually good. Having a male and a female influence in the home is important for increasing harmony within the household and making the children feel as though they are loved by both parents and are valued. Another one of the main reasons that both parents should assume equal responsibilities for raising the children is that it is fairer for the women. In previous years, it has been that the woman has done all the housework and raised the kids alone, whilst the man of the home went to earn money. Although both parents worked hard, a lot of women came to feel that their talents were being wasted, particularly if they had a college education and they were fairly smart. From an outside perspective it does seem unfair that the man can have a career whilst the women is doing menial tasks and continually looking after the children. Another reason why this shared responsibility is fairer for the women is that it can be quite difficult for a women to balance all the childcare, a social life and a job, which means that she usually has to give one of

SIX WAY TO BE A BETTER LISTENER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SIX WAY TO BE A BETTER LISTENER - Essay Example In any case, I believe I should follow this point to be a better listener. On the other hand, I believe I follow the second point more exactly as I do not ask excessive questions and stay on the topic being discussed rather than jump from conversation to conversation. Similarly, I believe that I have positive body language while communicating with people with good eye contact and mirrored postures. Since body language is reportedly the major component of communication, I feel that this is one thing which makes me a good communicator and a good listener. However, there are times when my mind wanders in a conversation which means that the third point mentioned in the article requires some additional work on my part. Often I have difficulties in staying focused on what the other person is saying and indulge in going against the fourth point mentioned in the article as I unknowingly mentally judge people during a conversation. I have to become better at understanding other people’s point of view and to know where they are coming from in a given conversation. At the same time, I know that people have different perspectives about the same topics and I understand that people may take even the most controversial topics in stride. This understanding allows me to understand people’s feelings about the topic and recognize when a person is upset or angry about something from the way they speak and their body language. Thus I am able to go beyond just the words which are being used and get to the heart of the matter with regard to what the person I am talking to really feels about a given subject. Similarly, I am good at reassuring people that I have understood what they have said and understood what they mean when they are trying to tell me something. This brings me in line with the sixth point of being a good listener which suggests that a person should convey to the speaker that the message given by him/her has been understood and appreciated.

Christianity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Christianity - Coursework Example Paul met Peter and James, a brother of Jesus. Paul was not acquainted with the other apostles. The main differences in Paul's ideas were the following: he did not mention anything about Miracles, Parables, Birth, Mary and Joseph, the Lord's Prayer, etc. Paul did not draw parallels between relations of a man to God's son. Graham Stanton, Professor of New Testament Studies in the University of London, explains Paul's failure as a failure of Jesus' teachings misinterpretation. He says: "Paul's failure to refer more frequently to the actions and teaching of Jesus is 'baffling'" (â€Å"What did Paul know about Jesus?† n.d.) 2.Explain the schism between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Eastern Orthodox Catholics and Roman Catholics have experienced a serious split which is known as the East-West Schism (or Great Schism) of 1054. Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, King of the Franks, as Holy Roman Emperor in 800. The Byzantine Empire was undermined in this case. Barba rian invasions intimidated destruction of the Empire. The Eastern Church became the Greek Orthodox Church and it created different types of ties with Rome and the Roman Catholic Church (â€Å"The split,† n.d.). ... 3.What issues did each of the Protestant Reformers (Luther, Calvin, the English Reformers) have with the Roman Catholic Church? Be specific. Martin Luther proclaimed his 95 propositions against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and he denied this false teaching. Luther undermined a strong position of the Pope. The Protestant Reformation began and there was a need to reform and return biblical doctrines. Luther initiated four major divisions of Protestantism such as Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican. Godly men in different countries had a perfect opportunity to restore churches and find out there some biblical roots (â€Å"What was the Protestant Reformation?† n.d.). John Calvin was another remarkable reformer and he participated in the Protestant Reformation. Calvin’s argument against his Catholic opponents was well-known all over the world. His movement and initiation to renovate biblical ideas and principles were the most important factors for furt her development of the Protestant movement. There are also representatives of the English Reformation, such as the English King Henry VIII, who separated from the English church and made a division between this church and the Roman Catholic Church. This split means another serious separation because the Roman Catholic Church was against English King Henry VIII’s marriage to another girl. 4.There is a wide variation in Christianity as it is currently practiced. Identify and explain at least three points of difference among Christian groups. There are many interesting modern subgroups in Christianity. The Amish are an American Protestant group that consists of 200,000 members who are rooted in the European Anabaptists originated from the USA and escaped

Discuss the reality of using problem solving and solution generating Essay

Discuss the reality of using problem solving and solution generating tools in a real consultancy case - Essay Example The third step is the evaluation and the selection of the best alternative, based on how much the option will solve the issue without causing negative results; that all parties accept the option taken; that the alternative is practical, and that the option is fit for the constraints of the problem. The fourth steps are implementing and follow up on the solution, which is done through campaigning for the acceptance of the option among involved parties and involving their efforts. This tool is more effective as compared to others like random idea generation, provocative idea formulation, challenge idea formulation and concept fan formulation and disproving. This paper is a discussion of the reality of problem solving and solution generating tools, through a real case of consultancy (Old 1995). The consultancy case used for this study is that of Veema Enterprises, whose management and stakeholders were interested in capturing an outside perspective – in the area of identifying the opportunities available to the venture, for improvement in the area of management. The venture sought to diagnose areas of improvement, define fresh perspectives – while remaining appropriate to regulated service, as well as place focus on managerial practices and areas of proficiency, which can be controlled for long-term success. This can be supported by the theory of constraints, developed by Goldratt Eliyahu in 1984, covering a set of insights and holistic processes – all founded on systems approach to mange and simplify the complexity of the enterprise, by focusing on the logical and physical limiting areas. For the enterprise, these constraint areas include leadership inefficiencies, strategic planning deficiencies, decreasing quality and the lack of innovation. This pr ocess can also be explained using Kurt Lewin’s theory of 1951, which explains behavior as the product of a dynamic balance of opposing forces. The theorist talks

Who is really in charge of Platos Republic Essay

Who is really in charge of Platos Republic - Essay Example entitled ‘The Philosopher Ruler’: â€Å" The society we have described can never grow into a reality or see the light of the day and there will be no end to the troubles of states,†¦ of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Plato, p no. 263). Thus, Plato is convinced that the solution to the problems of the state is possible only when philosophers become rulers or rulers, philosophers. It is necessary to consider why Plato opts philosophers to be the right candidates to entrust Governmental affairs of the State. According to him, competence and good character should be the criteria for this selection. He believed that it is incorrect to select rulers either by their wealth or aristocracy; instead he emphasized on an aristocracy of talent. So he holds the view that philosophers who are of highest talent and are given the highest training should take up the responsibility of handling the affairs of the state. Thus, Plato sees all the qualities required of a good ruler in philosophers. One may wonder about the practicability of Plato’s ideal Republic and his solution to the problem- of entrusting philosophers with the task of governmental affairs. But one can never negate the goodwill, discretion and motivation behin d this

What is the role of broca area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is the role of broca area - Essay Example The region was named after a French neurosurgeon called Paul Broca who is responsible for the discovery of the role of Brocas area when he was examining the brains of patients who had difficulty in language. Anybody with damaged Brocas area of their brain will not be able to understand the language properly, but they will have difficulty in the speech formation and production. Another brain region called Wernickes area is connected to Broca’s area (Grodzinsky, pg. 7). The Wernickes area is also responsible for the understanding and processing language, and when the area is damaged, it lead to a deficiency of language but one fail to remember the details. Together with the Wernickes area, Broca’s area is located within the left hemisphere of the brain. Given its role in language production and understanding, Broca’s area has a perfect proximity to the motor cortex, therefore, the neurons from the Broca area sends signals to the larynx, to the tongue and finally to the mouth motor areas. The mouth motor area then sends the signal to the corresponding muscles which, therefore, facilitates the creation of sounds. According to a recent study on the functions of the left frontal gyrus in the verbal fluency, it is found that the pars opercularis (Brodmann area 44) sub-serves phonological fluency while pars triangularis (Brodmann area 45) is responsible for the semantic fluency (Grodzinsky, pg. 19). Being located within the frontal lobe of the brain, Brocas Area is linked to the human language and speech. Brocas Area is strictly associated with the production of language, it also has an important role in the understanding of language as well, and also deals with production of speech related actions and gestures. A person with damaged Brocas Area will suffer from Brocas Aphasia, which does not interfere with the way a person understands a language but will make the person have a

Great Gatsby Novel vs Film Essay Example for Free

Great Gatsby Novel vs Film Essay The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an iconic novel of American literature. It is seen as a definitive novel that highlights aspects of life and thinking in 1920s America. Due to its cultural significance and popularity, numerous attempts have been made to translate The Great Gatsby from novel to film. The most notable presence of the film portrayed on screen, was the 1974 film, The Great Gatsby. The film starred big name celebrities such as Robert Redford as Gatsby, Mia Farrow as Daisy, and Sam Waterston as Nick. The movie also featured a script written by Francis Ford Coppola. While overall being considered a good film which stayed true to the novel, many thought it lacked heart and emotion. While Baz Luhrmanns The Great Gatsby is the fifth time, the novel has been filmed, it is only the second time a film adaptation of the novel will see a widespread general release. The Great Gatsby (2013) comes from Australian director Baz Luhrmann, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway. The film like the book, is told through the narration of Nick Carraway. Carraway lives next to the mysterious Gatsby who has numerous large and extravagant parties. Gatsby is rarely seen by the public, and it is unknown to people how Gatsby became wealthy. The film follows Nick’s interactions with Gatsby and most notably the relationships between Gatsby, and the girl he loves Daisy Buchanan, as well as Daisy’s husband Tom. Much of the tension in the film stems from the class differences between New Money, and Old Money. People who belong to the class of Old Money are generally old aristocratic families, specifically highlighted by Tom and Daisy Buchanan. People who belong to the class of New Money are people who have recently acquired there fortune through various entrepreneurial ventures and jobs such as stock brokers. The main characters in the film who are part of New Money are Gatsby and Nick. The film is set against the backdrop of the wealthy society during the roaring twenties in and around New York and Long Island. Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby tries to express the same themes as are found in the book. One of the main themes is the differences in the various classes in the United States. Gatsby has a very different outlook on life compared to that of Tom Buchanan. Gatsby is considered new money meaning his fortune is recent and self-made, while Tom is from old money, where legacy and familiarity with the wealthy lifestyle are more apparent. Tom tends to believe in class and education and finds Gatsby essentially a crude bootlegger. Gatsby while not having the sophistication or education of Tom believes he can win over Daisy’s heart with extravagant parties and money. The film also demonstrates the apparent dismissal of the new money as equals. Tom is seen as a bully and someone with less morals than that of Gatsby, highlighted through Tom’s affair with another woman. The film also highlights the recklessness of the 1920’s. The 1920’s are shown as a period where money was plentiful and people were not afraid to spend it. People were frequently spending money they did not have on things they did not need. Gatsby is shown to be a very flashy person with a pink suit and expensive cars. Historically speaking it is now known compared to when the book was written the consequences of the recklessness. (i. e. the great depression) It is clear that the main relationship that Luhrmann wanted to emphasize was the relationship between Gatsby and Nick. Throughout the course of the film there are various differences from the novel that highlight the emotional relationship that Gatsby and Nick share with one another. For example the film has Nick telling the story to a doctor at a centre for rehabilitation, while the novel does not specify who Nick is narrating the story too. Nick is apparently here for Alcoholism which demonstrates that his experiences with Gatsby and ultimately Gatsby’s death took a more traumatic toll on Nick’s life. Also in the film Nick’s relationship with other women, specifically Jordan in the novel, is virtually non-existent. In the film there is no evidence to show that Nick maintains or has a romantic relationship with anyone. This once again highlights the strength of his relationship with Gatsby. Perhaps the most interesting difference is the lack of anyone who shows up for Gatsby’s funeral in the film. Nick is the only one who attends the funeral and he is seen as heartbroken. In the novel however, people do attend Gatsby’s funeral specifically Gatsby’s father. The special relationship that Luhrmann creates for Gatsby and Nick may be suggesting that Nick is in fact in love with Gatsby. Being directed by Baz Luhrmann, anyone familiar with his previous work will know what to expect from The Great Gatsby. People who enjoyed the general story of the book will enjoy this particular film version, but as for getting a point across or inciting emotion the film tends to be very shallow. While Luhrmann likes to create a visual spectacle, one can only be distracted by pretty colours and lights for so long. The actors in the film, while all good, are clearly not the directors primary focus. Luhrmann is able to bring the spectacular parties and beautiful landscapes to life, he is not able to really create distinct relationships between the characters and actors of the film. The two most standout performances are that of Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio, the relationship between Gatsby and Carraway is by far the most interesting part of the film. Carraway’s obsession and defence of Gatsby may lead one to believe that he wants to be more than just friends with Gatsby.

Examining The Sexual Assault Criminology Essay

Examining The Sexual Assault Criminology Essay When someone hears the words sex offender or sexual assault, the typical response is fear. The atrocious acts carried out by some sex offenders are very hard for the public to understand, and present society with complex challenges. Society often finds it easier to turn a blind eye to the crime, lock up the offender and throw away the key than attempt to address the challenge appropriately. There is a lack of public understanding toward sex offenders for the most part. This paper is intended to not only try to explain the psychology of the sexual offender but to also dispel the myth of the untreatable sex offender, and provide conclusive evidence that sex offender treatment is not only possible but to a large extent is successful in reducing the recidivism of sex offenders. Treatment and rehabilitation have been central to the development of criminal justice policy, and have played an important role in the development of criminology. In recent years punishment and retribution have at tracted more attention than rehabilitation, but there has been a resurgence of interest in treatment and rehabilitation, with indications that some things do work, and an emphasis on evidence-based policy making. It is also the belief of many that a penal policy without an adequate treatment strategy is unjust and a denial of human rights. Sexual Offenders There are three types of sex offenders determined by the courts who have to report to the sheriff. In an effort to decrease the incidence of sexual assault, legislators have passed regulatory laws aimed at reducing recidivism among convicted sexual offenders. As a result, sex offenders living in the United States are bound by multiple policies, including registration, community notification, monitoring via a global positioning system, civil commitment, and residency, loitering, and Internet restrictions (Bonnar-Kidd, 2010). First is the Sexually Oriented Offenders. No community notification is needed, but the offender must report to law enforcement for a given time, usually ten years. Next is the Habitual Sex Offender. If directed by the Court, law enforcement may notify the community and the offender must report annually for usually a set twenty years. Finally is the Sexual Predators whose guidelines are much stricter. Unless a Judge terminates the sexual predator title, the offende r must verify their residence every ninety days and law enforcement is required to notify the community in which the offender lives that they do indeed have a sexual offender in the area. Among those that need to be notified are neighbors within a 1000 foot radius of the offenders residence, school superintendents, day care operators, and local law enforcement. Different Types of Sexual Offenders Of the three groups, incest child molesters were the least likely to sexually recidivate, at a rate of 8.4% (Hanson, 2001). This finding carries with it many important implications for treatment. Since the rate is relatively low, it has traditionally been believed that the best form of treatment for incest child molesters is a minimally intrusive form of therapy that reduces sexual recidivism According to Hansons study (2001); rapists were the second most likely group of sex offenders to sexually recidivate, at a rate of 17.1%. Most research done on rapists indicates that they are a distinct group of offenders who are distinguishable from child molesters. For instance, rapists tend to be younger than child molesters, each having average ages of 32.1 and 38, respectively (Hanson, 2001). More importantly, a meta-analysis of sex offender treatment programs found that rapists were more likely to recidivate non-sexually than were child molesters (Hanson Bussiere, 1996). In fact, it has been noted that rapists share more characteristics with the general criminal population than do child molesters. Characteristics that identify general criminals, such as prior criminal records and antisocial personality, are similar to characteristics that identify rapists. Furthermore, research has found that rapists are more likely than are child molesters to breach their conditional release. In one sample of 132 subjects who were conditionally released, 40.7% of rapists breached, while only 25% of child molesters did so (Barbaree, Seto Maric, 1996). Of the three groups of sex offenders classified by Hanson (2001), the highest rate of sexual recidivism (19.5%) was recorded for non-incest child molesters. These offenders are at significant risk of reoffending throughout their lives (Hanson, Steffy Gauthier, 1992). A research study that illustrates this point examined the long term recidivism of child molesters. In the study, these offenders were classified into three groups: a treated group; control group one; and control group two. Both control groups were used to control for cohort effects. A total of 197 child molesters, a majority of them being non-incest child molesters, released from Canadian correctional facilities between 1958 and 1974 were tracked over an extensive period of time (31 years for control group one offenders). Results showed that 42% of the total sample was reconvicted for a sexual and/or violent offence. The long term risk of recidivism for non-incest child molesters is based on the fact that 10% of the tot al sample was reconvicted between 10 and 31 years after release. Causes of Sexual Offenses These theories suggest that there are factors at the individual level that contribute to the likelihood of a person committing sexually violent acts. The variables that have been explored in the research range from biological factors to personality characteristics to attitudes and beliefs. 1. Evolution It is suggested within this theory; strategies that have successfully reproduced our ancestors have resulted in the differences between men and women in current human mating. This is an often debated theory which is not widely accepted amongst those in this field. An example why could be that evolutionary theories do not address the large number of assaults regarding oral/anal penetration or of those involving same sex or those who are prepubescent. Those who tend to favor the evolutionary explanations for modern behavior even tend to acknowledge that sexual assault cannot be blamed on evolution alone. 2. Physiology and Neurophysiology The cause of sexual assault may be found in hormones and other chemicals in the body, as well as head traumas or brain abnormalities. Researchers in this area have found a correlation between testosterone levels in humans and aggression However, it is still not clear if it is whether the testosterone levels lead to aggressive behavior or rise as a result of aggressive behavior. Trauma and violence have been proven to have effects on neurotransmitters, brain function, and hormones. Studies examining brain injuries and abnormalities suggest trauma and violence can lead to an increase in battering behavior, as well as other violent or impulsive acts. 3. Alcohol Considerable evidence links alcohol and physical aggression. Alcohol use is involved in up to 75% of acquaintance rapes. Alcohol affects mens perception of womens sexual intent. Many men perceive alcohol as a sexual cue; thus, alcohol increases the likelihood that friendliness will be misperceived as sexual intent and that a man will feel comfortable forcing sex after misperceiving a womans cues. In short, perpetrators are more aggressive and victims less effective at setting boundaries and defending themselves when drinking alcohol. While it is very commonly involved in sexual assaults, many people drink on a daily basis without committing a violent act or engaging in violent behavior, as well as quite the percentage of assaults committed without any presence of alcohol. Clearly, the use or abuse of alcohol does not entirely account for the incidence of sexual assault in our society. 4. Psychopathology and Personality Traits Men who rape have been diagnosed with a wide variety of disorders from personality to psychiatric, most often being antisocial personality disorder. Nonetheless, no significant differences between sexual offenders and nonsexual offenders incarcerated have been found within personality tests. The degree of involvement in sexually coercive behavior appears to be related to personality measures of irresponsibility, a lack of social conscience, and a value orientation legitimizing aggression, particularly against women. Investigators have concluded that sexual aggression is determined by many factors. In fact, it has been said that the personality profile of convicted rapists more closely matches the personality profile of men in the general population than any other set of felons. 5. Attitudes and Gender Schemas Sexually aggressive men are more likely to believe myths about rape and that use of interpersonal violence is an effective strategy for resolving conflict than are non-aggressive men. These sorts of beliefs may serve as rationalizations for sexual offenders, allowing them to imagine their victims wanted or deserved the sexual acts forced upon them. Once men have developed attitudes that support violence against women, they are likely to misconstrue ambiguous evidence as a confirmation of what they already believed. Acceptance of rape myths is strongly related to adversarial sexual beliefs, tolerance of interpersonal violence, and gender role stereotyping. 6. Sex and Power Motives Research has confirmed that anger and power are the biggest motivating factors in a rapists rationalizations for sexual aggression than sexual desires are. And sexually aggressive men openly admit that their sexual fantasies are aggressive and sadistic. 7. Relationship Context The stage of relationship between a man and a woman may affect the probability of violence. Some research suggests that men who rape on first or second dates may have similarities to stranger rapists, while men who rape early in what otherwise appears to be a developing relationship may simply misperceive their partners intent. Variables that appear to be risk factors are the mans initiating the date, paying all the expenses, and driving; miscommunication about sex; heavy alcohol or drug use; parking; and mens acceptance of traditional sex roles, interpersonal violence, adversarial attitudes about relationships, and rape myths. Societal Influences Another body of theories suggests that socio-cultural factors contribute to the occurrence of sexual violence. These theories suggest that our society tacitly accepts and encourages sexual violence through expectations and cultural morà ©s, which are transmitted through our history, families, media and institutions. 8. History The history of our societys understanding of sexual violence has its roots in English property law. Rape entered the law à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as a property crime of man against man. Woman, of course, was viewed as the property.1 The law assumed marriage vows implied consent to sexual relations, and men were permitted to use whatever force necessary to gain sexual access to their wives. The issue of sexual assault would not enter the consciousness of the U.S. public until the feminist movement of the 1960s. Feminists saw rape as a mechanism for maintaining patriarchy, a violent means of inducing fear in women and reinforcing their subordination to men. This perspective has shaped the way our culture defines and understands sexual assault today. 9. Family Sexual violence endures in human societies, according to this paradigm, because it is modeled by influential members of our society and has positive results for the perpetrator. Children who are exposed to violence between their parents are more likely to be involved in violent intimate relationships as adults. The structure of the family seems to have an impact on the attitudes and behaviors of children raised in them. Violent sex offenders have been found to be more likely than other adults to have experienced poor parental child-rearing, poor supervision, physical abuse, neglect, and separations from their parents. 10. Sexual Expectations and Rape Myths Expectations transmitted by our culture typically encourage men to feel superior, entitled, and that they should be always on the lookout for and ready to initiate sex in their relationships with women. At the same time, these sexual scripts teach women to feel responsible for setting the limits and pace of sexual contact in their relationships with men. Rape myths typically deny the existence of sexual assault, excuse it, and minimize the seriousness of its effects. Acceptance of rape myths is correlated with sexually aggressive behavior. 11. Cultural Mores Studies by anthropologists demonstrate the critical role that socio-cultural mores play in defining and promoting violence against women. Cultures differ in the amount of intimate partner violence, as well as the acceptability of this violence. Nearly all societies tolerate rape and have mechanisms that perpetuate violence. 12. Media From the early days of the modern womens movement, feminists contended that pornography encouraged sexual aggression towards women by portraying them as nothing more than sex objects, a view that is supported in the research. It is depictions of violence against women, rather than sexually graphic material that encourage acceptance of violence and callousness toward women who are its victims. Television and movies often send the message that violence works. 13. Schools and Other Influences Schools contribute to socialization supportive of violent behavior when they reinforce sex role stereotypes and attitudes that condone the use of violence. Participation in team sports may increase the risk of sexual aggression. Peers are more influential in shaping individual behavior than biology, personality, family, religion, or culture. Treatment of Sex Offenders Cognitive/Behavioral Therapy A weekly cognitive/behavioral group therapy session is offered to allow offenders to deal with their offence patterns, in order to prevent further offences. The session is based on the premise that sexual offending is fantasy driven behavior and, as such, offenders are required to record and discuss their sexual fantasies. The offenders record data in fantasy logs detailing the number and content of their sexual fantasies. The number of fantasies that the youths were able to stop, masturbatory frequency and the frequency and effectiveness of prevention strategies are also recorded in the fantasy journal. Then, information given by the offender is analyzed, in order to uncover and appropriately deal with cognitive distortions that permit and reinforce deviant fantasies. Deviant fantasies are discouraged, and appropriate sexual fantasies are encouraged. Psychotherapy The second type of treatment provided at Counterpoint House is psychotherapy, which is also offered in a group counseling setting once a week. These spontaneous, non-agenda driven group is based on the idea that sex offenders live secret lives, and are often victims of sexual abuse themselves. For example, Aylwin, et. al. (in press) found that among 103 adolescent child molesters, 77.9% were sexually abused at some point in their lives. The Counterpoint House Program acknowledges this correlation and attempts to address issues surrounding sexual abuse while treating adolescent sex offenders. The theme of the psychotherapy group is getting out the secrets, and success in the group is measured by an offenders participation, personal disclosure, ability to discuss sexual offending issues knowledgeably and ability to provide insight into personal and other group member issues. It has been noted by Counterpoint House staff that the psychotherapy group is where offenders in the program lea rn to trust and feel support, often for the first time. From this sense of trust and support, offenders are able to disclose relevant issues about themselves, and help treatment efforts progress with more ease. Furthermore, issues brought up in the psychotherapy group are followed up in individual counseling sessions that are carried out on an ongoing basis by most staff members involved in the Counterpoint House Program. Also, issues raised in individual counseling sessions are often later disclosed in the group sessions, so that the offender can gain the benefit of his peers insights into the issues and obtain necessary support. Skills Therapy Skills therapy is divided into three eight week sections that include: anger management, relapse prevention and psychosexual education. The anger management component assumes that sex offenders have anger management difficulties, and that sexual offences are one of the manifestations of this misplaced anger. Counterpoint House staff have developed their own program for addressing anger management of adolescent sex offenders, that encompasses 13 sessions where offenders learn about various anger management issues. Triggers, reactions and consequences of expressions of anger are explored, as well as the presentation of various models of anger. Additionally, cognitive distortions surrounding destructive expressions of anger are identified, and attempts are made to eliminate such distortions. Finally, in the latter sessions, a distinction is made between aggressive and assertive behavior. The main goal of anger management therapy is to replace destructive expressions of an ger with appropriate methods of communicating. Sex Offender Rehabilitation Program The Sex Offender Education Program (SOEP) is a four month program that assists sex offenders who pose a lower risk of re-offense or who is about to be released on a long term of supervision. The curriculum provides information on varying topics such as cognitive restructuring, healthy sexuality, interpersonal relationships and anger/stress management. The Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP) is an eighteen month program that deals with intensive treatment in an environment within a therapeutic community for sexual offenders that pose a high risk of re-offense. In this setting, offenders are offered immediate feedback regarding their treatment progress as well as behavior. The SOTP employs a cognitive-behavioral model within three treatment phases. The main goal within this program is to attempt to eliminate or possibly reduce the re-offense rate and move the participant toward a more pro-social lifestyle. All three phases occur in a Therapeutic Community environment, providing neces sary behavior modifiers that allow offenders immediate feedback about their behavior and treatment progress. Conclusion Although there have been many noteworthy research studies on sex offender recidivism in the past few decades, the factors that are associated or trigger re-offense are not concrete. Communication must be open between the justice system, researchers and Doctors that treat sexual offenders. Ultimately, with the gathering of information, the goal is to avoid repeat offenders from committing the crimes again and again. By studying these offenders, strategies could possibly be effectively managed so that these offenders can integrate back into normal society without fear. Through research and therapy, the goals are to prevent future victimization and a safer community. Strategies can be morphed by following the latest studies into re-offense so that those safety goals can be reached. While you can never know what is going on within a persons head completely, through study and research, a glimpse within the sexual offenders mind can be seen. Since there is no direct link between the amount of incarceration and recidivism, it is difficult to know with certainty if incarceration is truly the best, and main, tool to use. Whether with incarceration and therapy combined can truly change the mind of a sexual offender or deviant, remains to be seen. However, with the end goal being to keep our communities safe and have one less victim have to suffer through the aftermath and devastation of a sexual assault, more research of the criminals mind is an absolute must.

Definition Of Motivation Business Essay

Definition Of Motivation Business Essay One of the oldest, and most difficult, areas in psychology is the fundamental problem of why people are motivated to do anything at all, and if they do something, why that and not something else. The issue is really two fold; the nature of the driving force (where it comes from: what are its properties) and the direction and maintenance of the drive (what affects does it have on individual behavior). For Westwood (1992:288), motivation, as a concept, has certain specific features: Motivation is an internal state experienced by the individual. Whilst external factors including other people, can affect a persons motivational state, it develops within the individual and is unique to that individual. The individual experiences a motivational state in a way that gives rise to a desire, intention and pressure to act. Motivation has an element of choice, intention or willingness. That is, the individual experiencing a state of arousal (externally or internally generated), responds by choosing to act in a way and at a level of intensity that they determine. Action and performance are a function, at least in part, of motivation. It is therefore important in our ability to predict and understand actions and performance. Motivation is multi-faceted. It is a complex process with several elements and the possibility of multiple determinants, options and outcomes. Individuals differ in terms of their motivational state and the factors that affect it. Furthermore, the motivational state of an individual is variable; it is different across time and across situations. (John Arnold et al, 1995) There are two types of motivation as originally identified by Hertzberg et al (1957): Intrinsic motivation-The self generated factors that influence people to behave in a particular direction. These factors include responsibility, autonomy (freedom to act), scope to use and develop skills and abilities, interesting and challenging work and opportunities for advancement. Extrinsic motivation-what is done to or for people to motivate them. This includes rewards, such as increased pay, praise, or promotion, and punishments, such as disciplinary action, withholding pay, or criticisms. 2.2 The process of motivation Motivating other people is about getting them to move in the direction you want them to go in order to achieve a result. Motivating yourself is about setting the direction independently and then taking a course of action, which will ensure that you get there. Motivation can be described as goal -directed behavior. People are motivated when they expect that a course of action is likely to lead to the attainment of a goal and a valued reward-one that satisfies their needs. But managers still have a major part to play in using their motivating skills to get people to give of their best, and to make good use of motivational processes provided by the organization. To do this it is necessary to understand the process of motivation-how it works and the different types of motivations that exist. A need -related model of the process of motivation is shown in the figure below. This suggests that motivation is initiated by the conscious or unconscious recognition of unsatisfied needs. These nee ds create wants, which are desires to achieve or obtain something. Goals are then established which is believed will satisfy these needs and wants and a behaviour pathway is selected which is expected will achieve the goal. If the goal is achieved, the need will be satisfied and the behaviour is likely to be repeated, the next time a similar need emerges. If the goal is not achieved, the action is less likely to be repeated. This process of repeating successful behaviour or actions is called reinforcement or the law of effect (Hull, 1951). It has, however, been criticized by Allport (1954) as ignoring the influence of expectations and therefore constituting hedonism of the past. (Michael Armstrong, 2001: 155). Attain Goal Need Take Action Establish Goal Figure2.1: The motivation process (Source: Michael Armstrong, 2001:155). 2.3 Approaches to motivation 2.3.1 Theory X and Theory Y Douglas Mc Gregor proposed two distinct views of human beings: one basically negative, labeled theory X, and the other basically positive, labeled theory Y. Under Theory X, the 4 assumptions held by managers are: Employees inherently dislike work, whenever possible, will attempt to avoid it. Since employees dislike work, they must be coerced, controlled, or threatened with punishment to achieve goals. Employees will avoid responsibilities and seek formal direction whenever possible. Most workers place security above all other factors associated with work and display little ambitions. In contrast to these negative views the nature of human being, Mc Gregor listed 4 positive assumptions that he called Theory Y: Employees can view work as being as natural as rest or play. People will exercise self-direction and self-control if they are committed to the objectives. The average person can learn to accept, even seek responsibility. The ability to make innovative decision is widely dispersed throughout the population and is not necessarily the sole province of those in management position. Mc Gregor himself held to the being that Theory Y assumptions were more valid than Theory X. Therefore, he proposed such idea as participate in decision making, responsible and challenging jobs, and good go up relation as approaches that would maximize an employees job motivation. Critics of the theory: Unfortunately, there is no evidence to confirm that either set of assumptions is valid or that accepting theory y assumptions and altering ones acknowledgment will lead to more motivated workers. (Stephen P. Robins, 1993: 208) 2. 3.2 Human Relation Approach The main emphasis of the classical approach was on structure and the formal organization as the basic for achieving high levels of work performance. But during the 1920s greater attention began to be given to the social factors at work and to the behaviour of people in the organization that is human relations. The major impetus to the human relations approach came with the famous Hawthorne studies at the Western Electric company in America (1924 1932). The Hawthorne Studies have been subject to criticize and to a number of different interpretation. But however, the results are regarded; the studies have important implications for organizational structures. They generated new ideas on social interaction, output restrictions and individuals within work groups. The human relations approach marked a change in emphasis away from the precision of scientific management and led to ideas on increasing productivity by humanizing the work organization with the human relations approach, recognition was given to the importance of the informal organization which will always be seen as individuals and members of a social group, with their behaviour and attitude as the key effectiveness. (Laurie J. Mullins, 1992:59) 2.3.3 Scientific Management Approach The scientific management movement was pioneered by the American, Frederic W. Taylor. He saw workers who do manual work to be motivated by money, the greedy robot, and to be too stupid to develop the one best way of doing the task. The role of management was to analyze scientifically all the tasks to be done and then to design jobs to eliminate wasted time and motion. The application of scientific management resulted in significant productivity increases. However, the emphasis on specialization was to become one of the targets of critics of scientific management. They argued, that specialization was ultimately inefficient but, more importantly; it did not allow people to achieve their full potential at work. (Henry L. Tosi et al, 1994:9) Scientific management is often referred to as a machine theory model. It adopts an instrumental view of human behaviour together with the application of specialization and standard procedures of work. Workers were viewed less as isolated individuals and more as units of production to handle in much the same way as machines. The scientific study of work can lead to jobs becoming repetitive, boring and requiring little skills. The ideas behind scientific management have been largely discredited by subsequent management writers. There has been strong criticism of scientific as representing close management control over workers. By removing decisions about their work is cairned out, by division of labour, and by dictating precise stages and methods for every aspect of work performance, management could gain control of the actual process of work. The rationalization of production processes and division of labour tends to result in de-skilling of work, and thus may be a main strategy of ma nagement. (Laurie J. Mullins, 1992:56) 2.4 The motivation theories 2.4.1 Content theory 2.4.1.1 Maslow theory Without doubt the best-known theory is of Maslow (1954). Maslow supposed that people have 5 types of needs that are activated in a hierarchical manner, and are then aroused in a specific order such that a lower order need must be satisfied before the next higher order- need is activated. Once need is met, the next highest need is the hierarchy is triggered and and so forth. Higher Order order of progression Self-actualisation needs Self-esteem needs Social needs Safety needs Psychological needs Lower Order Figure2.2: Maslows need hierarchy Source: A.H.Maslow, Motivation and Personality, 2nd edition, New York: Harper Row, 1976) Psychological needs Psychological needs are the lowest-order most basic needs and refer to satisfying fundamental biological drives such as the need for food, air, water and shelter. To satisfy these positive needs, organizations must provide employees with a salary that allows them to afford adequate living conditions e.g. food and shelter. Employees need sufficient rest breaks to allow them to meet their psychological needs. Organizations may provide exercise and physical fitness facilities for their employees, because providing such facilities may also be recognized as an attempt to help employees stay healthy by gratifying their psychological needs. Safety needs Safety needs are activated only after physiological needs are met. Safety need refer to needs for a secure, predictable, habitable, non-threatening environment free from threats of either physical or psychological harm. Organizations may provide employees with life and health insurance plans, opportunity for savings, pensions, and safety equipment and secure contracts that enable work to be performed without fear and harm. Social needs Social needs are activated after both physiological and safety needs. They refer to the need to be affiliative-to have friends, to be liked, included and accepted by other people. Friends, relations and work colleagues help meet social needs, and organizations may encourage participation in social events such as office parties, sports days, competitions which provide an opportunity for meeting these needs. Many organizations spend vast sums of money on facilitate for out-of-work hours activities for their staff so that people in the same organization, but different sections or departments, may meet, chat and affiliate. Esteem needs Esteem needs refer to a persons desire to develop self-respect and to gain the approval of others. The desires to achieve success have personal prestige and are recognized by others all fall into this category. Companies may have awards, prizes or banquets to recognize distinguished achievements. Printing articles in company newsletters describing an employees success, assigning private parking spaces, and posting signs identifying the employee of the month are all examples of things that can be done to satisfy esteem. The inflation of job titles could also be seen as an organizational attempt to boost employees self-esteem. Self-actualizations needs Self-actualization needs refer to the need for self-fulfillment-the desire to become all that one is capable of being, developing ones potential and fully realizing ones abilities. By working to their maximum creative potential, employees who are self-actualised can be an extremely valuable asset to their organizations. Individuals who have become self-actualised supposedly work at their peak, and represent the most effective use of an organizations human resources. Critics of the theory: The theory has enthusiascally applied to the world of work. However, few have been able to find evidence of the five-(or two-) their system (Mitchell Nowdgill 1976), and there is precious little evidence that needs are activated in the same order. Furthermore, it is not certain how, when or why the gratification of one stimulates or activates the next highest category (John Arnold et al, 1995). 2.4.1.2 Adelfers ERG theory Growth needs Existence needs Relate dress needs Least concrete Most concrete Figure 2.3: Adelfers continuum of ERG needs. (Paul M.Muchinsky, 1993) Adelfers ERG theory is much simpler than Maslows theory, in that Adelfer specifies that there are only 3 types of needs, but that they are not necessarily activated in any specific order. Further, according to this theory any need may be activated at any time. The 3 needs specified by ERG theory are existence, relatedness, and growth. Existence needs These are material and are satisfied by environmental factors such as food, water, pay, fringe benefits, and working conditions. Relatedness needs These involve relationship with significant others, such as co-workers, superiors, subordinates, family and friends. Growth needs These involve the desire for unique personal development. They are met by developing whatever abilities and capabilities are important to the individual. Critics of the theory: ERG theory suggests that, although basic categories of need do exist, they are not exactly as specified by Maslow. The theory has not attracted as much attention as Maslow theory, but seems a reasonable modification of it. However, like Maslow theory it is potentially rather difficult to test (Furnham, 1992). 2.4.1.3 Hertzbergs two-factor theory According to the two factors theory, people have two major types of needs. The first of these Hertzberg called hygiene needs, which are influenced by the physical and psychological conditions in which people work. Hertzberg called the second set of needs motivator needs, and described them as being very similar to the higher order needs in Maslows (1954) need hierarchy theory. Hertzberg at al. (1959) claimed that different types of outcomes or rewards satisfied these two types of needs. Hygiene needs were said to be satisfied by hygiene factors or dissatisfiers, such as supervision, interpersonal relation, physical working conditions, salary, company policies and administrative practices, benefits and job security. When these factors are unfavorable, the job dissatisfaction is the result. Conversely, when hygiene factors are positive, such as when worker perceive that their pay is fair and that their working conditions are good, than barriers to job satisfaction are removed. However, the fulfillment of hygiene needs cannot by itself result in job satisfaction. Unlike hygiene needs, motivation needs are fulfilled by what Hertzberg et al. (1959) called motivator factors or satisfiers such as achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility and advancement. According to the theory, the factors that lead to job satisfaction are those that satisfy an individuals need for self-actualization (self-fulfillment) in their work, and it is only from the performance of their task that individuals can enjoy the reward that will reinforce their aspirations. Compared to hygiene factors, which results in a neutral state (neither satisfied nor dissatisfied) when present, positive motivator factors result in job satisfaction. Critics of the theory: Attractive though the theory is, it has little empirical support. There is no doubt attributable to the fact that various methodological errors were introduced in the early theory-testing work. These included the real possibility that all the results were the result of classic attribution errors, such that personal failure is attributed externally (to hygiene factors) and success internally (to motivator factors). Secondly, the theory testing work was nearly all done on white-collar workers (accountants and engineers) who are hardly representive of the working population. 2.4.1.4 McClellands Achievement Motivation Theory The need for achievement underlies the higher levels of Maslows hierarchy and also one of Hertzbergs motivating factors. The importance of achievement is emphasised by Mc Lellands, who has developed a theory of motivation which is noted in culture. The work of Mc Lelland is based on the concept of 3 main sets of needs and socially developed motives: The need for Affiliation The need for Power; and The need for Achievement People possess all 3 needs but the relative intensity of affiliation, power and achievement varies among individuals and different occupations. (Laurie J. Mullins, 1992: 206) Those most interested in power seeks positions of control and influence, those for whom affiliation is most important seek pleasant relationship and enjoy helping others; achievement seekers want success, fear failure, are task oriented and self-reliant. These 3 needs are not mutually exclusive. Many people are well motivated by all 3, but invariably one area is predominant. The implication of the theory in practice are that managers can identify employees who are self-motivated, those who rely more on internal incentives and those who could increase their achievement drive through training. (Shaun Tyson et al, 2000: 15) Critics of the theory: Mc Lellands theory implies an individualistic approach to the motivation of staff. The behaviour and performance of work group is as important as for individual motivation. (Laurie J. Mullins, 1992:207) 2.4.2 Process theories 2.4.2.1 Equity theory Equity theories, borrowed by psychologists from economics (Adams 1965), views motivation from the perspective of the comparisons people make among themselves. It proposes that employees are motivated to maintain fair, or equitable, relationships among themselves and to change those relationships that are unfair or inequitable. Equity theory suggests that people make social comparison between themselves and others with respect to two variables-outcomes (benefits, rewards) and inputs (effort, ability). Outcomes refer to the things workers believe they and others get out of their jobs, including pay, fringe benefits or prestige. Inputs refer to the contribution employees believe they and others make to their jobs, including the amount of time worked, the amount of effort expended, the number of units produced, or the qualifications brought to the job. Not surprisingly, therefore workers may disagree about constitutes equity and inequity in the job. Equity is therefore a subjective, not objective, experience, which makes it more susceptible to being influenced by personality factors (Furnham 1992:139). Equity theory states that people compare their outcomes and inputs to those of others in the form of ratio. Specifically, they compare the ratio of their own outcomes and inputs to the ratio of other peoples outcomes and inputs, which can result in any of the 3 states: overpayment, underpayment, or equitable payment. Implication for managers: The management implications are two-fold: firstly that comparative pay and benefits between different groups, sections and levels in an organization, are a major source of motivation and demotivation; secondly, employees need to feel they are fairly dealt with -that they and their colleagues are rewarded equitably for their efforts. Critics of the theory: As one might expect, equity theory has its problems: how to deal with the concept of negative inputs; the point at which equity becomes inequity, and the belief that people prefer and value equity equality. Moreover, the theory is too individualistic. (John Arnold et al, 1995). 2.4.2.2 Reinforcement theory These theories, for there are many, specify how a history of past benefits (or punishments), or reinforcements, modify behaviour so that future benefits will be secured. The direct application of behavioral modification principles to the work situation claims to provide procedures by which human performance can be shaped and altered. At the centre of behaviour modification is the concept of reinforcement contingency: the rate of performance will increase when valued outcomes (reinforcers) are made contingent on the performance. It makes no difference to the theory what the person needs, expects, values or wants, although these factors may impact on the differential power or effect of each reward (and punishment). Furthermore, people perform certain work-related acts that are subject to reinforcement (or punishment and extinction) contingencies. People work with a certain degree of effectiveness, and when a particular behavior result in a reward (there is reinforcement contingency bet ween, say, payment and work efficiency), performance improves. Learning theorists assert that all behaviour is shaped and sustained through the action of contingent reinforcement; work-related behaviours are simply special examples of this more universal phenomenon. (Furnham, 1992). Reinforcement and learning theories are among the oldest in psychology. There has long been a debate concerning the usefulness or otherwise of punishment as a strategy. Problems such as resentment and sabotage may accompany a managers use of punishment (negative reinforcement) is usually not effective, since it suppresses rather than eliminate undesirable responses. They also noted the more quickly reinforcement is given after the response, the more effective it becomes. Implication for managers: Jablonsky and De Vries (1972) have suggested the following guidelines for applying operant conditioning as a motivating technique: Avoid using punishment as a primary means of obtaining desired performance Positively reinforce desired behaviour and ignore undesired behaviour if possible. Minimize the time-lag between response and reinforcement Apply positive reinforcement frequently on a variable ratio schedule Determine environmental factors that are considered positive and negative by individual Critics of the theory: Being very practically oriented, it is very unclear what managers should do to motivate their staff if they are followers of learning theory. Sensitively, subtly and discretely applied, it works well, but sophisticated workforce is sometimes hostile to it. (John Arnold et al, 1995). 2.4.2.3 Expectancy theory Expectancy theory asserts that people are mostly motivated to work when they expect they will be able to achieve and obtain the things they want from their jobs. Expectancy theory characterizes people as rational, logical and cognitive beings, who think about what they have to do to be rewarded and how much the reward means to them before they perform their jobs. Expectancy theory specifies that motivation is the result of 3 different types of beliefs cognitions that people have. These are known as: Expectancy- The belief that ones effort will result in performance Instrumentality The belief that ones performance will be rewarded Valence- The perceived value of the rewards to the recipient Employee may believe that a great deal of efforts will result in getting much accomplished, whereas others believe there are other occasions in which hard work will have little effects on how much gets done. It is possible that even if an employee works hard and performs at a high level, motivation may falter if that performance is not suitably rewarded by the organization-that is if the performance was not perceived as instrumental in bringing about the rewards. If behaviour is not explicitly rewarded, people are unlikely to repeat it. Furthermore, even if employees receive rewards based on their performance, they may be poorly motivated if those so-called rewards have a low valence to them. Porter and Lawler Over the years, Porter and Lawler (1968) adapted and expanded the theory. According to this model, job performance is a multiple combination of abilities and skills, effort and role perceptions. If individuals have clear role perceptions, if they possess the necessary skills and abilities, and if they are motivated to exert sufficient effort, the model suggests that they will perform well. Abilities and skills refer to both physical and psychological characteristics. Role perceptions refer to the clarity of the job description and to whether individuals know how to direct their efforts towards effectively completing the task. Those who have clear perceptions of their role perceptions apply their efforts where they will count, and perform correct behaviours. Those who have incorrect role perceptions tend to spend much of their time in unproductive efforts that do not contribute to effective job performance. Expectancy Expectancy Instrumentality Extrinsic outcome / reward Outcome / Reward Satisfaction Performance Effort Intrinsic outcome / reward Perceived equity of outcomes / rewards Job design, Organizational policies and practice Ability and traits, Role clarity organizational supports, etc Figure 2.4: Porter and Lawlers expanded expectancy model Source: Adapted from Porter and Lawler (1968) Implication for managers: Arnold et al. (1991:176) argues that, if expectancy theory were correct it would have important implications for managers wishing to ensure that employees were motivated to perform their work duties: They would need to ensure that all 3 of the following conditions were satisfied: Employees perceived that they possessed the necessary skills to do their jobs at least adequately (expectancy) Employees perceived that if they performed their jobs well, or at least adequately, they would be rewarded (instrumentality). Employees found the rewards offered for successful job performance attractive (valence). Critics of the theory: Although some specific aspects of the Expectancy theory have been supported (particularly the impact of expectancy and instrumentality on motivation), others have not (such as the contribution of valence to motivation, and the assumption that expectancy, instrumentality and valence are multiplied.) Arnold et al. (1991) note how little attention the theory pays in explaining why an individual values or does not value particular outcomes: no concept of need is involved to address this question. The theory proposes that people should ask someone how much they value something, but not bother about why they value it. (John Arnold et al, 1995) 2.4.2.4 Goal Setting Theory This approach to motivation was pioneered by Ed Loche and his associate, starting in the 1960s and continuing with increasing strength and sophistication ever since. The above figure represents goal setting theory, and shows that the characteristics of a goal and attitudes towards it are thought to be influences by incentives, self-perceptions and the manner in which goals are set. In turn, those goals characteristics and attitudes are thought to determine behavioural strategies, which lead to performance within the constraints of ability knowledge of results (also called feedback) is thought to be essential to further refinement of behavioural strategies. Goal Setting Theory Participation in goal setting (Self-perceived) ability Financial incentive Goal commitment Goal acceptance Goal difficulty Goal specification Direction Intensity Persistence Strategies Knowledge of results Ability Performance Figure 2.5 Goal Setting Theory Source: Adapted from Psychology of work Behaviour by F. Landy. Copyright  © 1989, 1985, 1980, 1976. Brooks / Cole Publishing Company, a division of International Thomson Publishing Inc. By permission of the publisher. What does research say about goal setting? Some further comments can be made on the basis of research evidence first financial incentives can indeed enhance performance. Loche et al. (1981) report that this occurs either through raising goal level, or through increasing commitment to a goal. Second, and unsurprisingly, ability also affects performance. Third, research on goal setting has been carried out in a range of context and fourth, goal setting is magnificently deal about how managers can enhance the performance of their employees. Some other research has directly investigated specific potential limitations of goal setting. Earley et al. (1989) suggested that goal setting may be harmful where a task in novel and where a considerable numbers of possible strategies are available to tackle it. It seems that when people are tackling unfamiliar and complex tasks, goal setting can induce them to pay much attention to task strategy and not enough to task performance itself. Goal setting could be criticized in its early days for being a technology rather than a theory. It successfully described how goal focus behaviour, without really addressing why or through what process goals influenced behaviour. Furthermore, goal setting, suggests that people are most motivated by difficult tasks where success is (presumably) not certain. A continuing issue in goal setting concerns participation. Locke et al. (1981) concluded that there was no evidence from published research that participation in goal setting by the person attempting to achieve the goal produced better performance than if the goal was assigned to him or her by someone else. Kanfer et al. (1994) got students to attempt a simulated air traffic control task and repeated the findings that goal setting can harm performance of unfamiliar complex tasks. But they also found that giving people time to reflect on their performance between repeated attempts at similar tasks eliminate that effect. The breaks enabled them to devote intentional resources to their strategies without having simultaneously to tackle the task itself. (John Arnold et al, 1998) 2.5 Job satisfaction and motivation Locke (1976) defined job satisfaction as a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job or job experience. The concept generally ref

Richard Wagner :: essays research papers

Richard Wilhelm Wagner Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany, on May 22, 1813. His work was done throughout the romantic period. His father died soon after his birth, and in 1814 the family moved to Dresden. In 1822 Wagner entered Dresden's Kreuzschule. In 1828 he enrolled at the Nicolaischule in Leipzig, where he began lessons in harmony with the conductor named Christian Gottlieb Mà ¼ller. Over the next three years he composed several piano sonatas, overtures, and seven songs. Inspired by the works of Beethoven, Mozart, and Weber and Shakespeare, Goethe, and Schiller, he taught himself piano and composition. He entered the University of Leipzig. There he lived wildly but he seriously paid attention to composition. His 'Symphony in C' was performed in Prague in 1832 and the following year it was played in Leipzig. The next six years he spent as a conductor at low class local theaters. In 1836 he married the actress Minna Planer, and in 1839, they left for Paris. Living with poor German artists, Wagner wrote musical journalism and did cut work. But in 1840 he completed â€Å"Rienzi†, his first major opera. It was successfully produced at Dresden in 1842 and resulted in his slot as musical director of the Saxon court. Here â€Å"The Flying Dutchman† was produced in 1843, and â€Å"Tannhà ¤user† was completed in 1845. These operas were much criticized, because they lacked the melodies of the popular operas. Wagner took part in the German political revolt of 1848-1849 and was forced to leave the country. For about ten years he lived in Zà ¼rich, Switzerland. In 1864 King Ludwig II of Bavaria invited him to continue his musical work in Munich. During the years in Munich, he completed â€Å"The Ring of the Nibelung† which was a series of operas based on old German myths that he had begun in Zà ¼rich. The opera house in Munich was too small for these great operas. Wagner suggested that a theater be built from his own designs. The king approved the project, and the outcome was the famous Wagnerian Festival Theater in Bayreuth, Bavaria.

Literature for Use in Classroom Essay -- Education Educating Children

Literature for Use in Classroom Donna E. Norton's purpose in her book is "intended to help adults discover ways to share their enchantment with books, our literary heritage, and an appreciation for literature that will last a lifetime" (v). Teachers share that same goal. In selecting literature for a classroom, teachers need to take in account the following: the school's standards and benchmarks, the adopted sequential curriculum, the age of the students, their stages of language, cognitive, personality, and social development. Teachers need to have the literature curriculum set for the year, but flexible enough to meet the needs of the students in the classroom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using the schools' standards is the first step in deciding how to use literature in the classroom. Standards tell what students should know and be able to do at each grade level in order to graduate and become productive lifelong learners. Standards exist in each content area with benchmarks written and aligned developmentally with each content area and grade levels. This criteria is what teachers use daily in their teaching process to make sure students are learning what is expected. During all this time, teachers need to continue to ask what is it that students know and should be able to do? The most important consideration may be that "children are the ultimate critics of what they read, and you should consider their preferences when evaluating and selecting books to share with them" (137). Teachers need to visualize the student's picture or perception of literature choices to best teach. Just teaching the material does not ensure that students will choose to l earn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looking at, or meeting the needs of all students, teachers must use a variety of literature material and instructional techniques. "The general characteristics of children at each developmental stage provides clues for appropriate literature. Certain books can benefit children during a particular stage of development, helping the children progress to the next stage" (5). Child development is defined through "the language, cognitive, personality, and social development of children" (5).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "A literature program should have five objectives" (110). 1). to "help students realize that literature is for entertainment and can be enjoyed throughout life" (110) 2). to assist students in "acquainting children with t... ...r-pencil tests. Today, evaluation procedures can take place through obsevations, conferencing, oral and written assignments, student self and peer evaluation, and process or performance assessment. Teachers should plan to use a variety of evaluation techniques. Evaluation in literature, should include not only evaluation of student progress and teacher instruction, but also of the texts or books used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The different types of literature used in a classroom includes the following: traditional literature, modern fantasy, peotry, contemporary realistic fiction, historical fiction, multicultural literature and non fictions biographies and or informational books. Teachers may set a yearly literature instructional plan by themes and or the above types of literature. The literature units may go accross the curriculum and align with all subjects. A picture wordless book may be used with an art unit. The theming may go from a personal context in literature looking at heritage integrated with social studies. During the year, student interest and abilities may determine the direction and content of instructional units. Most important units must be relevant and meaningful to students.

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Six

Stefan sat in the Gilbert living room, agreeing politely with whatever it was Aunt Judith was saying. The older woman was uncomfortable having him here; you didn't need to be a mind reader to know that. But she was trying, and so Stefan was trying, too. He wanted Elena to be happy. Elena. Even when he wasn't looking at her, he was aware of her more than of anything else in the room. Her living presence beat against his skin like sunlight against closed eyelids. When he actually let himself turn to face her, it was a sweet shock to all his senses. He loved her so much. He never saw her as Katherine any more; he had almost forgotten how much she looked like the dead girl. In any case, there were so many differences. Elena had the same pale gold hair and creamy skin, the same delicate features as Katherine, but there the resemblance ended. Her eyes, looking violet in the firelight just now but normally a blue as dark as lapis lazuli, were neither timid nor childlike as Katherine's had been. On the contrary, they were windows to her soul, which shone like an eager flame behind them. Elena was Elena, and her image had replaced Katherine's gentle ghost in his heart. But her very strength made their love dangerous. He hadn't been able to resist her last week when she'd offered him her blood. Granted, he might have died without it, but it had been far too soon for Elena's own safety. For the hundredth time, his eyes moved over Elena's face, searching for the telltale signs of change. Was that creamy skin a little paler? Was her expression slightly more remote? They would have to be careful from now on. He would have to be more careful. Make sure to feed often, satisfy himself with animals, so he wouldn't be tempted. Never let the need get too strong. Now that he thought of it, he was hungry right now. The dry ache, the burning, was spreading along his upper jaw, whispering through his veins and capillaries. He should be out in the woods – senses alert to catch the slightest crackle of dry twigs, muscles ready for the chase – not here by a fire watching the tracery of pale blue veins in Elena's throat. That slim throat turned as Elena looked at him. â€Å"Do you want to go to that party tonight? We can take Aunt Judith's car,† she said. â€Å"But you ought to stay for dinner first,† said Aunt Judith quickly. â€Å"We can pick up something on the way.† Elena meant they could pick up something for her, Stefan thought. He himself could chew and swallow ordinary food if he had to, though it did him no good, and he had long since lost any taste for it. No, his†¦ appetites†¦ were more particular now, he thought. And if they went to this party, it would mean hours more before he could feed. But he nodded agreement to Elena. â€Å"If you want to,† he said. She did want to; she was set on it. He'd seen that from the beginning. â€Å"All right then, I'd better change.† She glanced through the doorway, to the empty living room, and said, â€Å"It's all right. They're almost healed already. See?† She tugged her lacy collar down, twisting her head to one side. Stefan stared, mesmerized, at the two round marks on the fine-grained skin. They were a very light, translucent burgundy color, like much-watered wine. He set his teeth and forced his eyes away. Looking much longer at that would drive him crazy. â€Å"That wasn't what I meant,† he said brusquely. The shining veil of her hair fell over the marks again, hiding them. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Come in!† As they did, walking into the room, conversations stopped. Elena looked at the faces turned toward them, at the curious, furtive eyes and the wary expressions. Not the kind of looks she was used to getting when she made an entrance. It was another student who'd opened the door for them; Alaric Saltzman was nowhere in sight. But Caroline was, seated on a bar stool, which showed off her legs to their best advantage. She gave Elena a mocking look and then made some remark to a boy on her right. He laughed. Elena could feel her smile start to go painful, while a flush crept up toward her face. Then a familiar voice came to her. â€Å"Elena, Stefan! Over here.† Gratefully, she spotted Bonnie sitting with Meredith and Ed Goff on a loveseat in the corner. She and Stefan settled on a large ottoman opposite them, and she heard conversations start to pick up again around the room. By tacit agreement, no one mentioned the awkwardness of Elena and Stefan's arrival. Elena was determined to pretend that everything was as usual. And Bonnie and Meredith were backing her. â€Å"You look great,† said Bonnie warmly. â€Å"I just love that red sweater.† â€Å"She does look nice. Doesn't she, Ed?† said Meredith, and Ed, looking vaguely startled, agreed. â€Å"So your class was invited to this, too,† Elena said to Meredith. â€Å"I thought maybe it was just seventh period.† â€Å"I don't know ifinvited is the word.† replied Meredith dryly. â€Å"Considering that participation is half our grade.† â€Å"Do you think he was serious about that? He couldn't be serious,† put in Ed. â€Å"Ray? Oh, Ray. I don't know, around somewhere, I suppose. There's a lot of people here.† That was true. The Ramsey living room was packed, and from what Elena could see the crowd flowed into the dining room, the front parlor, and probably the kitchen as well. Elbows kept brushing Elena's hair as people circulated behind her. â€Å"What did Saltzman want with you after class?† Stefan was saying. â€Å"Alaric,† Bonnie corrected primly. â€Å"He wants us to call him Alaric. Oh, he was just being nice. He felt awful for making me relive such an agonizing experience. He didn't know exactly how Mr. Tanner died, and he hadn't realized I was so sensitive. Of course, he's incredibly sensitive himself, so he understands what it's like. He's an Aquarius.† â€Å"With a moon rising in pickup lines,† said Meredith under her breath. â€Å"Bonnie you don't believe that garbage, do you? He's a teacher; he shouldn't be trying that out on students.† â€Å"He wasn't trying anything out! He said exactly the same thing to Tyler and Sue Carson. He said we should form a support group for each other or write an essay about that night to get our feelings out. He said teenagers are all very impressionable and he didn't want the tragedy to have a lasting impact on our lives.† â€Å"Oh, brother,† said Ed, and Stefan turned a laugh into a cough. He wasn't amused, though, and his question to Bonnie hadn't been just idle curiosity. Elena could tell; she could feel it radiating from him. Stefan felt about Alaric Saltzman the way that most of the people in this room felt about Stefan. Wary and mistrustful. â€Å"Itwas strange, him acting as if the party was a spontaneous idea in our class,† she said, responding unconsciously to Stefan's unspoken words, â€Å"when obviously it had been planned.† â€Å"What's even stranger is the idea that the school would hire a teacher without telling him how the previous teacher died,† said Stefan. â€Å"Everyone was talking about it; it must have been in the papers.† â€Å"But not all the details,† said Bonnie firmly. â€Å"In fact, there are things the police still haven't let out, because they think it might help them catch the killer. For instance,† she dropped her voice, â€Å"do you know what Mary said? Dr. Feinberg was talking to the guy who did the autopsy, the medical examiner. And he said that there was no blood left in the body at all. Not a drop.† Elena felt an icy wind blow through her, as if she stood once again in the graveyard. She couldn't speak. But Ed said, â€Å"Where'd it go?† â€Å"Well, all over the floor, I suppose,† said Bonnie calmly. â€Å"All over the altar and everything. That's what the police are investigating now. But it's unusual for a corpse not to haveany blood left; usually there's some that settles down on the underside of the body. Postmortem lividity, it's called. It looks like big purple bruises. What's wrong?† â€Å"Your incredible sensitivity has me ready to throw up,† said Meredith in a strangled voice. â€Å"Could we possibly talk about something else?† â€Å"You weren't the one with blood all over you,† Bonnie began, but Stefan interrupted her. â€Å"I don't know,† said Bonnie, and then she brightened. â€Å"That's right, Elena, you said you knew – â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Bonnie,† said Elena desperately. If there ever were a placenot to discuss this, it was in a crowded room surrounded by people who hated Stefan. Bonnie's eyes widened, and then she nodded, subsiding. Elena could not relax, though. Stefan hadn't killed Mr. Tanner, and yet the same evidence that would lead to Damon could as easily lead to him. Andwould lead to him, because no one but she and Stefan knew of Damon's existence. He was out there, somewhere, in the shadows. Waiting for his next victim. Maybe waiting for Stefan – or for her. â€Å"I'm hot,† she said abruptly. â€Å"I think I'll go see what kinds of refreshmentsAlaric has provided.† Stefan started to rise, but Elena waved him back down. He wouldn't have any use for potato chips and punch. And she wanted to be alone for a few minutes, to be moving instead of sitting, to calm herself. Being with Meredith and Bonnie had given her a false sense of security. Leaving them, she was once again confronted by sidelong glances and suddenly turned backs. This time it made her angry. She moved through the crowd with deliberate insolence, holding any eye she accidentally caught. I'm already notorious, she thought. I might as well be brazen, too. She was hungry. In the Ramsey dining room someone had set up an assortment of finger foods that looked surprisingly good. Elena took a paper plate and dropped a few carrot sticks on it, ignoring the people around the bleached oak table. She wasn't going to speak to them unless they spoke first. She gave her full attention to the refreshments, leaning past people to select cheese wedges and Ritz crackers, reaching in front of them to pluck grapes, ostentatiously looking up and down the whole array to see if there was anything she'd missed. She'd succeeded in riveting everyone's attention, something she knew without raising her eyes. She bit delicately down on a bread stick, holding it between her teeth like a pencil, and turned from the table. â€Å"Mind if I have a bite?† Shock snapped her eyes wide open and froze her breath. Her mind jammed, refusing to acknowledge what was going on, and leaving her helpless, vulnerable, in the face of it. But though rational thought had disappeared, her senses went right on recording mercilessly: dark eyes dominating her field of vision, a whiff of some kind of cologne in her nostrils, two long fingers tilting her chin up. Damon leaned in, and, neatly and precisely, bit off the other end of the bread stick. In that moment, their lips were only inches apart. He was leaning in for a second bite before Elena's wits revived enough to throw her backward, her hand grabbing the bit of crisp bread and tossing it away. He caught it in midair, a virtuoso display of reflex. His eyes were still on hers. Elena got in a breath at last and opened her mouth; she wasn't sure what for. To scream, probably. To warn all these people to run out into the night. Her heart was pounding like a triphammer, her vision blurred. What are you doing here? she thought. The scene around her seemed eerily bright and unnatural. It was like one of those nightmares when everything is ordinary, just like waking life, and then suddenly something grotesque happens. He was going to kill them all. â€Å"Elena? Are you okay?† Sue Carson was talking to her, gripping her shoulder. â€Å"I think she choked on something,† Damon said, releasing Elena's wrist. â€Å"But she's all right now. Why don't you introduce us?† He was going to kill them all†¦ â€Å"Elena, this is Damon, um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sue spread an apologetic hand, and Damon finished for her. â€Å"Smith.† He lifted a paper cup toward Elena. â€Å"La vita.† â€Å"What are you doing here?† she whispered. â€Å"He's a college student,† Sue volunteered, when it became apparent that Damon wasn't going to answer. â€Å"From – University of Virginia, was it? William and Mary?† â€Å"Among other places,† Damon said, still looking at Elena. He hadn't glanced at Sue once. â€Å"I like to travel.† The world had snapped into place again around Elena, but it was a chilling world. There were people on every side, watching this exchange with fascination, keeping her from speaking freely. But they were also keeping her safe. For whatever reason, Damon was playing a game, pretending to be one of them. And while the masquerade went on, he wouldn't do anything to her in front of a crowd†¦ she hoped. A game. But he was making up the rules. He was standing here in the Ramseys' dining room playing with her. â€Å"He's just down for a few days,† Sue was continuing helpfully. â€Å"Visiting – friends, did you say? Or relatives?† â€Å"Yes,† said Damon. â€Å"You're lucky to be able to take off whenever you want,† Elena said. She didn't know what was possessing her, to make her try and unmask him. â€Å"Luck has very little to do with it,† said Damon. â€Å"Do you like dancing?† â€Å"What's your major?† He smiled at her. â€Å"American folklore. Did you know, for instance, that a mole on the neck means you'll be wealthy? Do you mind if I check?† â€Å"I mind.† The voice came from behind Elena. It was clear and cold and quiet. Elena had heard Stefan â€Å"But do you matter?† he said. The two of them faced each other under the faintly flickering yellow light of the brass chandelier. Elena was aware of layers of her own thoughts, like a parfait. Everyone's staring; this must be better than the movies†¦ I didn't realize Stefan was taller†¦ There's Bonnie and Meredith wondering what's going on†¦ Stefan's angry but he's still weak, still hurting†¦ If he goes for Damon now, he'll lose†¦ And in front of all these people. Her thoughts came to a clattering halt as everything fell into place. That was what Damon was here for, to make Stefan attack him, apparently unprovoked. No matter what happened after that, he won. If Stefan drove him away, it would just be more proof of Stefan's â€Å"tendency toward violence.† More evidence for Stefan's accusers. And if Stefan lost the fight†¦ It would mean his life, thought Elena. Oh, Stefan, he's so much stronger right now; please don't do it. Don't play into his hands. Hewants to kill you; he's just looking for a chance. She made her limbs move, though they were stiff and awkward as a marionette's. â€Å"Stefan,† she said, taking his cold hand in hers, â€Å"let's go home.† She could feel the tension in his body, like an electric current running underneath his skin. At this moment, he was completely focused on Damon, and the light in his eyes was like fire reflecting off a dagger blade. She didn't recognize him in this mood, didn't know him. He frightened her. â€Å"Stefan,† she said, calling to him as if she were lost in fog and couldn't find him. â€Å"Stefan,please. â€Å" And slowly, slowly, she felt him respond. She heard him breathe and felt his body go off alert, clicking down to some lower energy level. The deadly concentration of his mind was diverted and he looked at her, and saw her. â€Å"All right,† he said softly, looking into her eyes. â€Å"Let's go.† She kept her hands on him as they turned away, one clasping his hand, the other tucked inside his arm. By sheer force of will, she managed not to look over her shoulder as they walked away, but the skin on her back tingled and crawled as if expecting the stab of a knife. Instead, she heard Damon's low ironical voice: â€Å"And have you heard that kissing a red-haired girl cures fever blisters?† And then Bonnie's outrageous, flattered laughter. On the way out, they finally ran into their host. â€Å"Leaving so soon?† Alaric said. â€Å"But I haven't even had a chance to talk to you yet.† He looked both eager and reproachful, like a dog that knows perfectly well it's not going to be taken on a walk but wags anyway. Elena felt worry blossom in her stomach for him and everyone else in the house. She and Stefan were leaving them to Damon. Right now she had enough to do getting Stefan out of here before he changed his mind. â€Å"I'm not feeling very well,† she said as she picked up her purse where it lay by the ottoman. â€Å"Sorry.† She increased the pressure on Stefan's arm. It would take very little to get him to turn back and head for the dining room right now. â€Å"I'm sorry,† said Alaric. â€Å"Good-bye.† They were on the threshold before she saw the little slip of violet paper stuck into the side pocket of her purse. She pulled it out and unfolded it almost by reflex, her mind on other things. There was writing on it, plain and bold and unfamiliar. Just three lines. She read them and felt the world rock. This was too much; she couldn't deal with anything more. â€Å"What is it?† said Stefan. â€Å"Nothing.† She thrust the bit of paper back into the side pocket, pushing it down with her fingers. â€Å"It's nothing, Stefan. Let's get outside.† They stepped out into driving needles of rain.