My Hobby attractions and drawbacks free essay sample

Every person on this planet likes to do something other than work or study all the time. And that is why everybody has his or her own hobby. I never thought I ever had a hobby. As a matter of fact I wasnt even sure what a hobby actually is. Then I got to thinking and I finally realized that my hobby is gaming. Yes, I know that to some people gaming is not considered a true hobby and they think that it is a â€Å"useless† hobby; but the way I see it, if I enjoy gaming and spend my precious time doing it, then I have every right to consider it as my special hobby. Of course, as each hobby does gaming has its pluses and minuses. Firstly, many games are very sociable, either playing against your mates on the sofa or online with other people. Games are aimed at making people to cooperate and chat with each other. We will write a custom essay sample on My Hobby: attractions and drawbacks or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So, gaming simply socializes you, as you learn how to communicate with people who have different characters, view points, etc. Also it improves your command of language, as many games have a multinational audience and there is a great opportunity for a person to talk to an Englishman, American, Chinese, German, etc. As for me I just turn on English language in the setting of a game and expand my vocabulary playing it. Secondly, games are intellectual and educational, not all of course, but there are plenty of examples. And, actually, I have a good one from my own experience. This is about, how one particular game changed my life. Generally, my attitude to car driving and cars was quite neutral. It did not bother me and I was not interested in it. But since I have played â€Å"Grand Turismo 5† I changed my attitude, opinion, and point of view completely. Creator’s passion that shines through every aspect of the game, incredibly detailed cars, slick presentation and spot-on physics, all these things, made me fall in love with cars and everything related to it. And now I am going to get a driver’s license. Pretty nice change in life caused by the game, isn’t it? Thirdly, playing challenging games develops not only one’s mental skills and abilities but also physical as it improves eye hand coordination and reaction for playing those fast action games, where you need to make decisions and assess the situation very quickly. Also gaming is plain fun. We all know that games were created to entertain people. It is a well-known fact that fun prolongs our life, so play games live more. Simple truth. But of course not everything is so bright, because every coin has the other side. This other side includes such things as live in the virtual reality, physical problems (blurred vision, even obesity), big expenditures (gaming is not a costless hobby as if you want to enjoy games you should have top hardware which is not cheap) and addiction (you know once you have played computer game it will be difficult to stop. But for me listed above disadvantages are smoothed out by a big number of advantages. To sum up I would like to say that gaming is not a â€Å"useless† hobby. For me this hobby is not only a way to relax, to get rid of negative emotions, but also it is a strong tool that allows me to improve my command of language, communicate with people of different nationality and just have a fun.

Models of Organisational Behaviour Essays

Models of Organisational Behaviour Essays Models of Organisational Behaviour Paper Models of Organisational Behaviour Paper MODELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Introduction Organizations achieve their goals by creating, communicating and operating an organizational behaviour system, as shown in the figure below: Management’s Philosophy ? Values ? Vision ? Mission ? Goals Formal Organization Organizational Culture Social Environment Informal Organization Leadership ? Communication ? Group Dynamics Quality of Work Life Motivation Outcomes: ? Performance ? Employee satisfaction ? Personal growth and development I. Philosophy A. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The philosophy (model) of organizational behavior held by management consists of an integrated set of assumptions and beliefs about the way things are, the purpose for these activities, and the way should be. The philosophies are sometimes implicit or explicit in the minds of managers. There are five major organizational behavior philosophies: Autocratic Custodial Supportive Collegial System B. Selected Elements of Philosophy Statement We are committed to quality, cost-effectiveness and technical excellence. People should treat each other with consideration, trust and respect. Each person is valuable, is unique and makes a contribution. All employees should be unfailingly committed to excellent performance. Teamwork can and should, produce far more than sum of individual efforts. C. Two Sources of Philosophy of Organizational Behavior Fact Premises represent our descriptive view of how the world behaves. They are drawn from both behavioral science research and personal experiences. Value Premises represent our view of desirability of certain goals and activities. Value premises are variable beliefs we hold and are therefore under control. II. Values The rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong Determine which are more or less important and which is more favorable A. Sample of Statement of Values Harvard University Statement of Values August 2002 Harvard University aspires to provide education and scholarship of the highest quality - to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to prepare individuals for life, work, and leadership. Achieving these aims depends on the efforts of thousands of faculty, students, and staff across the University. 2 Some of us make our contribution by engaging directly in teaching, learning, and research, others of us, by supporting and enabling those core activities in essential ways. Whatever our individual roles, and wherever we work within Harvard, we owe it to one another to uphold certain basic values of the community. These include: Respect for the rights, differences, and dignity of others Honesty and integrity in all dealings Conscientious pursuit of excellence in ones work Accountability for actions and conduct in the workplace The more we embrace these values in our daily lives, the more we create and sustain an environment of trust, cooperation, lively inquiry, and mutual understanding - and advance a commitment to education and scholarship, which all of us share. III. Vision Represents a challenging portrait of what the organization and its members can be -a possible, and desirable, future. Leaders need to create exciting projections about where the organization should go and what major changes lie ahead Once the vision is established, persistent and enthusiastic communication is required to sell it throughout the ranks of employees so they will embrace it with commitment. A. Samples of Vision Statements 1. PSBA Manila To be an institution of world-class education for youth of our country. 2. GMA Network CORPORATE VISION We are the most respected, undisputed leader in the Philippine broadcast industry and the recognized media innovator and pacesetter in Asia. We are the Filipinos’ favorite network. We are the advertisers’ preferred partner. We are the employer of choice in our industry. We provide the best returns to our shareholders. We are a key partner in promoting the best in the Filipino. 3. Procter and Gamble Be, and be recognized as, the best consumer products and services company in the world. 4. SMDC We envision SM Development Corporation to be a leading developer of world-class residences in the Philippines, uplifting Filipino lifestyles into one that is convenient, upscale yet affordable, and environment friendly. B. Mission Identifies the business the organization is in the market niches it tries to serve, the types of customers it is likely to have and the reasons for its existence. Many mission statements even include a brief listing of the competitive advantages, or strengths, or the firm believes it has. Mission statements are more descriptive and less future-oriented. C. Samples of Mission Statements 1. T oyota To sustain profitable growth by providing the best customer experience and dealer support. † 2. Apple Computer 1984 To produce high-quality, low cost, easy to use products that incorporate high technology for the individual. We are proving that high technology does not have to be intimidating for non-computer experts. † IV. Goals Goals are relatively concrete formulations of achievements the organization is aiming within set periods of time, such as one to five years. Goal setting is a complex process for top management’s goals need to be merged with those of employees, who bring their psychological, social and economic needs with them to an organization. A. Samples of Goals To establish stronger relationships with 10,000 clients in Metro Manila. To minimize client complaints from 40 down to 5 per month. To increase the student population to 700 within 2 years 4 V. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y, Alternative Assumptions About Employees Theory X Theory X assumes that the average person: ? ? ? ? ? Theory Y Theory Y makes the following general assumptions: ? ? Dislikes work and attempts to avoid it. Has no ambition, wants no responsibility, and would rather follow than lead. Is self-centered and therefore does not care about organizational goals. Resists change. Is gullible and not particularly intelligent. ? ? ? Work can be as natural as play and rest. People will be self-directed to meet their work objectives if they are committed to them. People will be committed to their objectives if rewards are in place that address higher needs such as selffulfillment. Under these conditions, people will seek responsibility. Most people can handle responsibility because creativity and ingenuity are common in the population. Essentially, Theory X assumes that people work only for money and security. Theory X The Hard Approach and Soft Approach Under Theory X, management approaches can range from a hard approach to a soft approach. The hard approach relies on coercion, implicit threats, close supervision, and tight controls, essentially an environment of command and control. The soft approach is to be permissive and seek harmony with the hope that in return employees will cooperate when asked to do so. However, neither of these extremes is optimal. The hard approach results in hostility, purposely low-output, and hard-line union demands. The soft approach results in ever-increasing requests for more rewards in exchange for ever-decreasing work output. The optimal management approach under Theory X probably would be somewhere between these extremes. However, McGregor asserts that neither approach is appropriate because the assumptions of Theory X are not correct. The Problem with Theory X Drawing on Maslows hierarchy, McGregor argues that a satisfied need no longer motivates. Under Theory X the firm relies on money and benefits to satisfy employees lower needs, and once those needs are satisfied the source of motivation is lost. Theory X management styles in fact hinder the satisfaction of higher-level needs. Consequently, the only way that employees can attempt to satisfy their higher level needs in their work is by seeking more compensation, so it is quite predictable that they will focus on monetary rewards. While money may not be the most 5 effective way to self-fulfilment, in a Theory X environment it may be the only way. Under Theory X, people use work to satisfy their lower needs, and seek to satisfy their higher needs in their leisure time. But it is in satisfying their higher needs that employees can be most productive. McGregor makes the point that a command and control environment is not effective because it relies on lower needs as levers of motivation, but in modern society those needs already are satisfied and thus no longer are motivators. In this situation, one would expect employees to dislike their work, avoid responsibility, have no interest in organizational goals, resist change, etc. thus making Theory X a self-fulfilling prophecy. From this reasoning, McGregor proposed an alternative: Theory Y. Theory Y The higher-level needs of esteem and self-actualization are continuing needs in that they are never completely satisfied. As such, it is these higher-level needs through which employees can best be motivated. Under these assumptions, there is an opportunity to align personal goals with organizational goals by using the employees own quest for fulfillment as the motivator. McGregor stressed that Theory Y management does not imply a soft approach. McGregor recognized that some people may not have reached the level of maturity assumed by Theory Y and therefore may need tighter controls that can be relaxed as the employee develops. Theory Y Management Implications If Theory Y holds, the firm can do many things to harness the motivational energy of its employees: Decentralization and Delegation If firms decentralize control and reduce the number of levels of management; each manager will have more subordinates and consequently will be forced to delegate some responsibility and decision making to them. ? ? Job Enlargement Broadening the scope of an employees job adds variety and opportunities to satisfy ego needs. Participative Management Consulting employees in the decision making process taps their creative capacity and provides them with some control over their work environment. Performance Appraisals Having the employee set objectives and participate in the process of evaluating how well they were met. If properly implemen ted, such an environment would result in a high level of motivation as employees work to satisfy their higher level personal needs through their jobs. VI. Paradigms/Framework Models such as X and Y are also called paradigms or frameworks of possible explanations about how things work. Any model that a manager holds usually begins with certain assumptions about people and leads to certain implications and even predictions of events. Managerial Paradigms According to Joel Barker They influence managerial perceptions of the world around them. They define one’s boundaries and provide perceptions for how to behave. They encourage resistance to change, since they have worked in the past. They may either consciously or unconsciously affect one’s behavior. When new paradigms appear, they provide alternative ways of viewing the world and solving problems. VII. Five Models of Organizational Behavior Autocratic Basis of Model Power Supportive Economic Resources Custodial Leadership Collegial Partnership System Trust, community, meaning Caring, compassion Psychological ownership Self-motivation Managerial Model Employee orientation Employee psychological result Employee Needs Met Performance result Authority Money Support Teamwork Obedience Security and Benefits Job Performance Responsible Behavior Self-discipline Dependence on Dependence on Participation boss organization Subsistence Security Status and recognition Awakened drives Selfactualization Moderate enthusiasm Wide range Minimum Passive cooperation Passion and commitment to organizational goals 7 A. The Autocratic Model The autocratic model has its roots in history, and certainly, it became the prevailing model of the industrial revolution. The autocratic model depends on power. Characteristics of Autocratic Model Managerial orientation is formal, official authority. The employee orientation is obedience to a boss. Useful way to accomplish work It is an acceptable approach to guide managerial behavior when there were no wellknown alternatives, it can be useful during organization crises. B. The Custodial Model Custodial model was used during the welfare programs in 1890s and 1900s. The welfare program was later known as paternalism. Characteristics of Custodial Model The res ulting managerial orientation is toward money to pay wages and benefits. The employer looks to security needs as a motivating force. This approach leads to employee’s dependence on the organization. C. The Supportive Model The supportive model depends on leadership instead of power or money. Through leadership, management provides a climate to help employees grow in the interests of the organization the things of which they are capable of. The management orientation is to support the employee’s job performance This approach leads to a feeling of participation and task involvement in the organization. D. The Collegial Model The term â€Å"collegial† relates to a body of people working together cooperatively. A contingency relationship exists in which the collegial model tends to be more useful with unprogrammed work, an intellectual environment and considerable job freedom. Characteristics of Collegial Model The managerial orientation is towards teamwork. Management is the coach that builds a better team. The employee response to this situation is responsibility. E. The System Model 8 It is the result of higher meaning at work by many of today’s employees; they want more than just a paycheck and job security from their jobs. Characteristics of System Model The role of a manager becomes one of facilitating employee accomplishments through a variety of actions. Employees embrace the goal of organizational effectiveness. The employee needs that are met are of highest order (e. g. social status, esteem, autonomy, self-actualization) VIII. Conclusions About the Models Evolving Usage There is no one permanently â€Å"best† model, because what is best is contingent in what is known about human behavior in whatever environment exists at that time. The primary challenge for management is to identify the model it is actually using and then assess its current effectiveness. A manager has two key tasks- to acquire a new set of values as models evolve and to learn and apply the behavioral skills that are consistent with those values. Relation of Model to Human Needs The five models discussed in this report are closely related to human needs. Each model is built upon the accomplishment of the other. Increasi ng Use of Some Models The trend toward the supportive, collegial and systems models will probably continue. Contingent Use of Other Models Though one model maybe used at any given time, some appropriate models will be given at any given time. All five models will still be used; however, an emphasis will be given to newer ones. Managerial Flexibility Managers not only need to identify their current behavioral model but also keep it flexible and current. Managers need to read, think, assess, reflect, interact with others be receptive to the growing needs and be receptive to the challenges to their thinking from their colleagues and employees. 9

Question is in the instruction part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Question is in the instruction part - Essay Example In this essay we will consider the extent to which this statement is true, basing on the modern filming of Shakespeare's plays, with especial emphasis on Romeo + Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann. Nowadays, Hollywood is experiencing a real 'boom' of using classical works with purely pragmatic aims - i.e. for transferring them to the modern environment, and these films are oriented predominantly at teenagers and young people. In Gil Junger's Ten Things I Hate About You (1999), the plot of Taming of the Shrew is used, with the names of main characters preserved, yet Shakespeare is not mentioned as a source text in the film's titles. Same as in Philip Spink's Ronnie and Julie (1997), here only the basic lines of the plot are preserved, and both films are just teenage comedies. It can easily be noticed that in new screen versions of Shakespearean plays, the characters are 'moving' in time and space; however they do not seem to lose their up-to-datedness, and it can be presumed that the playwright of the 16th century managed to depict the life situations and problems that are still topical nowadays, and that whereas the world around us has changed by means of technical and cultural progress, the human soul remained just the same as four hundred years ago. So, is the thesis of the 'progress of humanity' just a myth What is there beyond the urge of film directors to create new and new versions of the old works How do these new motion pictures influence our perception of Shakespeare, and, vice versa, how Shakespeare's image of a famous playwright influences our attitude to the ideas conveyed by the modern films based on his plots Let us try to penetrate into the world of Shakespearean characters that have been 'transferred' to the modern environment. B) William Shakespeare vs modern filming of his plays: is the playwright's image being 'exploited' 1. 'Shakespeare's boom' in cinematography: a concise overview In the 80-90s years of the last century, there has appeared a whole bulk of new films based on Shakespeare's plays. As a rule, they did not go beyond the limits of traditional interpretations: in 1989, an English actor Kenneth Branagh directed Henry V that won an Oscar, European Film Award and quite a few other awards; then success came to Branagh's films Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Hamlet (1996) and As You Like It (2006). There have been multiple attempts of filming Hamlet, Prince of Denmark - i.e. Franco Zeffirelli, who is commonly acknowledged to be the author of the best screen version of Romeo and Juliet (1968) and who had also screened The Taming of the Shrew (1967) and Otello (1986), presented his version of Hamlet in 1991 with Mel Gibson playing the main male part, however his film was evaluated as very boring. Not particularly new was Oliver Parker's Othello (1995) in terms of interpretation of Shakespearean plot and ideas. In 1991, Peter Greenaway came up with a quite original interpretation of Shakespeare's Tempest - Prospero's Books. Quite free is considered Branagh's

Response Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response Journal - Essay Example He jumps to safety and despite losing consciousness due to blood loss, he somehow gets back tom the train safely and to the doctor who takes him to Sherlock’s home. We discover later that the machine was actually a press used in the counterfeiting of coins by the criminals that had tried to end his life. This story is starts off with some rather tempting proposition which gets us thinking is it right for the engineer to accept the job despite the man acting as suspicious as he did? The engineer we can say acted in good faith and also was ethical enough in promising not to talk about the job to anyone. According to the code of ethics for engineers from the National Society of Professional Engineers, section II rules of practice sub section c states that, â€Å"Engineers shall not reveal facts, data, or information without the prior consent of the client or employer except as authorized or required by law or this Code.† So he actually acted ethically here. There is the question of how willing was the engineer to be beguiled in his haste to make quick money after his long stay without a client. Was he a bit greedy for the money promised? In part 8 of Doyle’s ‘The Adventure of The Engineers Thumb’ the engineer actually points out â€Å""I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they would be to me. He then proceeds to tell the man ‘Not at all, I shall be very happy to accommodate myself to your wishes.† This makes him easy to cheat and use for the crooks. The very first questions asked by the thin man should have put the engineer on guard as they are very telling in themselves. He enquires if the engineer is an orphan and if he has no wife or dependants. This already shows the thin man planned to kill him after his work as his disappearance would be easy to cover having no one to look for him. This should have been telling questions or was the engineer too concerned with

Different kinds of motivation

Different kinds of motivation The importance of different kinds of motivation in SL learning The presence of different types of motivation can be really helpful for the language learner to achieve the best possible results in the learning process. Indeed, it is difficult to think of any kind of learning without motivation. Although too high levels of enthusiasm may backfire (and cause anxiety), it is inevitable to possess a healthy level of motivation in order to achieve results. Although students motivation is obviously not entirely under the teachers control, the instructor should do whatever is possible to increase this factor. It is commonly acknowledged that motivation can positively influence language learning. People are heavily dominated by their emotions, even in such seemingly dispassionate issues as language learning is. No wonder that student feelings have as much power to affect their learning success as their styles and strategies (Ehrman, 1996, p.135.). According to the definition of Ehrman (1996), motivation is the perceived payoff for the students investment of time, energy, and effort.(p.137.). Apparently, if this payoff is low, the student will either stop learning the language for good or, if they do not have an option, they will be caught in a web of bad feelings and even worse grades. Then, the failures will only generate further disappointment. On the other hand, a student who finds at least one legitimate reason for continuing their language study is already on the right track. Anyone who has attempted language study is able to think of a number of such reasons. Yet, the scientific study of motivation is extremely challenging, since all the factors influencing motivation are interrelated and continually changing. They cannot very well be categorized according to the degree of their power. Therefore, motivation for learning a foreign language has usually been classified according to its possible sources. A common way of categorization is to distinguish extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. According to definition (and closely connected with its name) intrinsic motivation is thought of as being within the task itself: a sense of achievement, self-esteem, pride in solving the problem, enjoyment of the class, being able to use the language as desired. (Johnson Johnson, 1998, p.220.) Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is connected with other consequences of success on the task (Johnson Johnson, p.220.), such as promotion at ones workplace, good grades, and so on. Another model of classification is that of Robert Gardners (as cited in Ehrman, 1996). He divided motivation into instrumental and integrative types. The first may be equated to extrinsic motivation, while the other is more interesting; it has to do with the desire to become part of a target language community. (Ehrman, 1996) As the research of motivation in language learning progressed, many other theories have been drawn up, using similar and new motivating elements as well. An especially intricate model of motivation has been created by Zoltà ¡n Dà ¶rnyei. It is called the L2 Motivational Self System and it consists of three main components: ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self and the L2 learning experience. (as cited in Csizà ©r Kormos, 2009, p.99.). The ideal L2 self is an image of how students would like to see themselves, in this case, as fluent speakers of a given language. This component includes Gardners integrative motivation as well. The ought-to L2 self includes the characteristics of an ideal person who is able to evade failure in language study. The notion of L2 learning experience is quite easy to grasp, it basically means the motivating force of the learning settings. An experiment that Csizà ©r and Kormos (2009) conducted with the participation of secondary school and university students in Budapest gave the results that the main factors influencing language learning were the ideal L2 self and the learning experiences, while the role of the ought-to L2 self seemed marginal (Csizà ©r Kormos, p.109.). Although this study is bound to be somewhat narrow to draw too general conclusions from, it clearly demonstrates an important idea: the learning environment has a great influence on student motivation. As is shown by the experiment of Csizà ©r and Kormos (2009), some motivation types have an implication for language instruction, because they may be influenced by teaching strategy. However, there are several problems with enhancing motivation. In the first place, as it has been mentioned before, it is not an easy task to study motivation: motivation types are notoriously difficult to isolate and motivation is problematical to measure. Moreover, the relationship of theory and research to classroom situation (Johnson Johnson, 1998, p.223.) is also questionable, that is, the theories are often difficult to prove and apply in real life situations. What is more, although motivation is generally considered to be necessary, teachers might not be able to devote enough attention to it, because of the large size of the learning group or other unfavourable circumstances. Finally, there are cases when motivation simply cannot be influenced from the outside, as in the case of integrative motiv ation of a person who pointedly dislikes a culture associated with a language or feels aversions to the language itself. In spite of all these complications, there has been a consistent move towards motivation-enhancing learning activities (Johnson Johnson, 1998, p.224.). The ways Ehrman (1996) suggests to deal with lack of motivation are the following: most importantly she advises listening to the anger, tension, and mixed motivations (p.142) of the unenthusiastic students and helping them cope with their destructive emotions using, for example, relaxation exercises(p.143). Another idea of Ehrman (1996) is to motivate students with activities that are in accordance with their interests and pastimes. These strategies sound very practical and sensible, however, they have considerable limitations taking into account the varied composition of the class and the fact that the teacher is not a psychologist. There are other, more theoretical means that are thought to boost motivation as well. According to Stevick (as cited in Johnson Johnson, 1998) relevance of material to the students language requirements , completeness of the syllabus, authenticity of the information provided, satisfaction of students beyond learning and immediacy of the knowledge gained are five types of reward that could be built into materials and would encourage students to persevere and succeed. (Johnson Johnson, 1996, p.224.). Some of Stevicks ideas, namely that of relevance, authenticity and immediacy have already been adopted (the first two by the Language for Specific Purposes movement and the last one in Notional Functional Syllabuses), while completeness and satisfaction are more debated (Johnson Johnson, p.224.) In summary, motivation is a slippery notion that can be neither measured properly, nor examined very precisely, as it changes from community to community, from person to person, and may even change in the learning history of a single student. Still, there are ways to study motivation and as it is admittedly an important factor of language learning, research and practice, hand in hand, should try to find ways to make it as high as possible. References Csizà ©r, K., Kormos, J. (2009). Learning Experiences, Selves and Motivated Learning Behaviour: A Comparative Analysis of Structural Models for Hungarian Secondary and University Learners of English. In Z. Dà ¶rnyei E. Ushioda (Eds.), Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self (pp. 98-119). Bristol, England: Multilingual Matters. Ehrman, M. E. (1996). Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties. London: SAGE. Johnson, K., Johnson H. (Eds.). (1998). Motivation. In Encyclopedic Dictionary of Applied Linguistics. (pp. 219-225). Oxford, England: Blackwell.

Savage Journey in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essays -- Heart Da

Heart of Darkness:   Savage Journey  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inherent inside every human soul is a savage evil side that remains repressed by society. Often this evil side breaks out during times of isolation from our culture, and whenever one culture confronts another. History is loaded with examples of atrocities that have occurred when one culture comes into contact with another. Whenever fundamentally different cultures meet, there is often a fear of contamination and loss of self that leads us to discover more about our true selves, often causing perceived madness by those who have yet to discover their own self.   Joseph Conrad’s book, The Heart of Darkness is a story about Man’s journey into his self, the discoveries to be made there and about Man confronting his fears of insanity, death, and cultural contamination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During Marlow’s mission to find Kurtz, he is also trying to find himself. He, like Kurtz had good intentions upon entering the Congo. Conrad tries to show us that Marlow is what Kurtz had been, and Kurtz is what Marlow could become. Every human has a little of Marlow and Kurtz in them.   Marlow says about himself, "I was getting savage (Conrad)," meaning that he was becoming more like Kurtz. Along the trip into the wilderness, they discover their true selves through contact with â€Å"savage† natives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Marlow ventures further up the Congo, he feels like he is traveling back through time. He sees the unsettled wilderness and can feel the darkness of its solitude. Marlow comes across simpler cannibalistic cultures along the banks. The deeper into the jungle he goes, the more regressive the inhabitants seem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kurtz had lived in the Congo, and was separated from his own culture for qu... ...ure, a self-discovery happens. Both cultures realize that deep down inside, all humans are essentially the same. We all posses a good and an evil side, and no culture no matter how "advanced," is exempt from that fact. This discovery often causes madness as this evil side is allowed out. Only those who have completed the "journey into self" can understand the actions of people such as Kurtz. They are alone in this world of horror. Works Cited Conrad, James. Heart of Darkness and Other Tales. New York, Paperbacks ltd.   1996. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Underline titles of novels. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When writing quotes, the last quotation mark should come immediately after the last word of the quote, not after the parentheses. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Great work on the works cited. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The introduction should be limited to one paragraph.   5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overall, your paper is well-organized.

Gender Roles In The importance of Being Earnest Essay

In The Importance of Being Earnest, the question of each gender’s role in society often centers on power. In the Victorian world men had greater influence than women. Men made the decisions for their families, while women worked around the house. Wilde raises interesting questions about gender roles in The Importance of Being Earnest, by putting women (like Lady Bracknell) in positions of power and by showing that men can be irresponsible and bad at Decision-making The traditional view of gender relations in the Victorian era was that men were active, manly, assertive and economically independent whilst women were assumed to be passive, pliant and dependent. I believe that Oscar Wilde does challenge these traditional roles deliberately to make humor out of these characteristics and to make fun of the conventional roles of society. The two main male characters, Jack and Algernon, cannot really be regarded as masculine, or at any rate both of them do not fit the criteria for wha t characteristics a stereotypical Victorian man would be they are both what people at that time would call ‘dandy’s’. Algy and jacks un gentlemanly behavior and trivial pursuits can be seen as comic and deliberate in making men seem less powerful and serious. Algy is also a little too concerned with clothing to come across as masculine. This can be seen when he criticizes Jack by saying that he had ‘never known anyone to put so much effort into dressing and to produce so little effect’. Algernon also says in Act two when talking to Cecily that he wouldn’t trust Jack to buy his outfits as he has ‘†no taste in neckties†. Algy is dandy, making him unmasculine and a bit of a joke in the eyes of the Victorian audience. †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ A time in the play when we see women as having more power then men is in the character lady Bracknel, she is strong and blunt even coming across as a bit intimidating we get the feel that even Algy is afraid of her as he would rather make up a fake man then tell her that â€Å" he cannot have the pleasure of dinning† with her. Another strong female character we see is Gwendolyn. She is feminine in some aspects like how se wanted the proper engagement (she makes jack proposes formally), but at the same time she can be seen as more masculine then Jack especially because she is quite assertive. Gwendolyn is also breaking stereotypes as when her  mother tells her to wait in the carriage but she defies her, were as most girls at this time would not even dare to disobey there mothers. A good example of Gwendolyn being assertive is when Jack is made to propose to her properly. Even though Gwendolyn knows exactly what he is going to ask her and she even tells him that she is going to accept him before he proposes, Gwendolyn insists on a proper proposal, which is absurd. †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Gwendolyn is clearly going to be more and more like her mother as she matures we see Algy mention this when he says that a girl’s worst flaw is that â€Å"they will end up just like their mothers†. Her mother, Lady Bracknell, is probably the most masculine character in the play. She is very pompous and the most assertive of all the characters. She has the power to stop Jack from marrying Gwendolen and has the ability to boss the male characters of the play around. Lady Bracknell’s masculinity is funny because it is almost absurd. She is seen as lacking some more feminine characteristics like sympathy for example she has no sympathy for Bunbury who she claims â€Å"should just make up his mind whether he is going to live or die† .She gives Jack no condolences when he says that he had â€Å"lost† both his parents, instead she says that he was careless, and when he explains that he was found she appears to be outraged and shocked giving us the impression that she has control over the situation. Lady Bracknell has the upper hand over all the main characters in the play. †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨After the examination of the female characters it can be concluded that the female characters are not really typical Victorian women than are Algernon and Jack typical Victorian men. Oscar Wilde has created characters that challenge the Victorian views of gender relations and this is what causes the play to be so funny. The characters are not what you would expect and can be seen as over exaggerated stereotypes of gender roles at the time.