Author: chris

Japan modernization and restoration

Introduction

Long before the Island of Japan was developed; it seemed to lie silently at its place. This was until United States found interest in relating with it and sent Commodore Matthew C. Perry to sign a treaty. Japan was reluctant to do this and they wanted Perry to leave their nation. Eventually the treaty was made because possible by two factors. The first was the need for USA to trade with China and they needed to refuel using coal. Japan had huge deposits of coal, which they sold to Perry’s troupe. In the next several years, Japan found itself with unequal treaties with other countries like Russia, France, Britain and Dutch. The country faced a threat of having too much foreign control. Japan took action against the western control through their initial leaders. Later on, they accepted westernization and reforms during the Meiji era and Perry’s influence (Baxter & Joshua, 20).

Sakuma Shozam       

Sakuma Shozan’s literature was written after he was out after a short term of imprisonment. He supported modernization and reforms but insists it is important to maintain the values and ethics of Japan. This is why he had a policy that stated people could embrace western science techniques but maintain Eastern ethics. He did not believe in being carried away by western culture and abandoning his own. He also wanted to the people to avoid foreign influence and use only when necessary. The piece of literature uses many examples of mobilizing people to allow modernization in improving their lives. For example, he says that a person has a sick relative and the medication is rare to find. Fortunately, the medicine is found and the person acquires it. Shozan says he will beseech his relative to take for him or her to get well. He will not mind the quality of name or the cost. In case the relative declines because he dislikes the name, he will administer to him or her secretly (Shozan, 2010). This phrase was putting emphasis on the need for adapting important reforms and modernization. His main point was the people should not turn down western modernization for no viable reasons. Just as the medicine is important to the sick relative is the same way Japan should allow essential development from the western countries.

Shozan continues to tell the people that they should not only adapt scientific techniques but also virtues from west. He specifically rules out greed of power and wealth, which seem to affect the western people. All other important values like honesty, love and patriotism, they are allowed to emulate. Most of all the concerns, he addresses national defense. He was worried because there was not much advancement in the military. The country could have vulnerable to foreigners influence. He said that even though the people did not want intrusion from foreigners, it would be impossible. The artillery is poorly made and this makes the military weak to keep defense. The leaders are also less concerned because they do not have the capacity of keeping away adversaries. These problems in national defense could only be addressed by improving the military using western technology. Japan had to acquire education from west and use it to improve their country (Shozan, 2010).

The key to reforms and modernization was embracing education. All the developments and reforms could only be made when people of Japan had to be educated. Shozan specifically mentioned Mathematics as one of the most important subject in advancing military tactics. He insisted that the military has to complete this course if it expected to be successful. He compared their current teachings from Sunzi and stated that their system remained dormant with no chance for growth. This is why it was important to borrow from the west. Mathematics was not the only thing to learn from West. He said it was important to learn their Native language. This was the best way to study them and their motives. The general idea of Sakuma Shozan was to lay out the importance of allowing modernization and reforms in Japan. However, they should not blindly embrace every culture, but choose only the beneficial ones (Shozan, 2010).

Iwasaki Yataro

This writer was concerned about trade in Japan. He was against the idea of foreigners having total control on coastal trade. He did agree that there are advantages of trading with foreigners, but they should not be allowed to make unfair treaties and dominate Japan’s trade. To him, self-governance was part of modernization and making reforms. This is why foreigners should only make necessary trade relations with the country and not beyond that. He outlined some disadvantages of foreign control on the coastal trade. For example, most of the citizens would lose their jobs and business opportunities. It would also compromise the country’s security because the foreigners might learn the country’s defensive tactics (Yataro, 2011).

Modernization is not only making positive changes in the country but also preserving what rightfully belongs to the country. Yataro makes it clear when he alerts the people to be careful not to dangerously engage with foreigners. Independence is part of modernization because colonialism and slavery is outdated. Therefore, engaged carelessly with foreigners can result to neo-colonialism. On the other hand, he agrees that it is very important to allow foreigners to participate in coastal trade because they would open up a wider market. For example, the Americans bought coal from Japan as they proceeded to go and trade with China. Both local and international trade would enhance the country’s economy. One of the reforms made under the influence of Yataro is eliminating to the dominion of Pacific Mail Company from USA. Heretofore Company was given protection by the government and support from employees and the rest of the country. This was where Yataro worked so his influence began from where he worked (Yataro, 2011).

Other reforms done that were suggested by Yataro were made in the work places. He suggested that there was no need of having insignificant positions in work places. This would cut down on expenditures. He added that other unnecessary costs should also be eliminated. The company will enjoy a bigger margin and have easier administration. He explained that it had been a major factor causing hard times in the past. He encouraged all workers to engage in hard work and the administration to make the required reforms. It would result to success in the companies. He called upon all people to join him in efforts of bringing positive change in the country. His main goal was to gain full dominion of the coastal trade in Japan. He emphasized that this would be the greatest achievement for the country and the whole world would know (Yataro, 2011).

Japan’s commitment to westernization and reforms

            The unequal treaties made the country feel they were being deceived by foreigners. Therefore, they worked hard to embrace industrialization and scientific revolutions. They realized that they could not get rid of the treaties in their current state because had an inferior state. They also felt the need to be competitive in the modern world. The first thing was to bring a state of unity and nationalism in the country. Making reforms and modernization would be possible only if there was unity in the country. They started education, which not only made people literate but also promoted patriotism. The military learnt not to question authority and sacrifice themselves in serving the country (Baxter & Joshua, 67).

After achieving national pride, the oligarchs started on the reforms. They made sure that the Samurai status was ended. They were no longer allowed to have swords and warrior class became bureaucrats. Initially peasants used to carry arm but they were forbidden. Instead, they were enrolled in the army and they could serve the country in a better way. The old and outdated type of education was abandoned and good schools were built. They adopted the western education system. Later, infrastructure was built. Telegraphs were readily available, railway lines, all weather roads and postal services. Through the western scientific techniques, Japan was able to improve it shipbuilding technology. Another industrial that really did well was in textile. Its development enabled it to supply more than a third of world silk. The exports boosted shipbuilding by seven percent in 1893. By the year 1913, the improvement had risen up to fifty two percent (Baxter & Joshua, 82 ).

This progress in Japan was very big considering the number of years. It was made possible by the fact that the people agreed to accept change and become flexible. During the Meiji era, Japanese were good in baseball and it was the most popular sport. They had definitely borrowed the game west yet they played it with so much expertise. There is an interesting story behind baseball in Japan. Americans felt proud because they were the pioneers of this game. therefore, they were the best (97). They felt that they needed to show off to the Japanese. However, it took the next five years for the Japanese to agree to a game. It was to happen in a club that Japanese were never allowed. In addition to this, the audience of comprised of Americans who booed down the Japanese. Surprisingly, the Japanese won that game and another that was organized. This act showed the determination and hard work in the Japanese.

The country ensured that children got the best education. The missionaries who were in the country initiated exchange programs for students. Students had an opportunity of going learn from other countries. Many students came home and got important roles in the Meiji era. Japan also involved itself in open relation with other countries. For instance, it invited advisors from foreign countries (Baxter & Joshua, 191). During this era, there were about twenty thousand foreigners from twenty-three countries. Despite the advice from foreigners, the people did not blindly embrace all western culture and abandon their own. They only considered what was relevant and left out the rest. This is why the country is popular with its cultures of art, which was initially there in the traditional days.

Conclusion  

            Many people categorize Japan as a country that rationally chose what it needed from the west. For example, they emulated science techniques, infrastructure, education and social system. They used them to suit their needs and it worked very well for them. This was successful because before they allowed western influence the oligarchs studied it in those western countries. Therefore, they were sure how to apply it in their country and make it relevant. Since that era, the generations have continued the culture of technological advancement. Japan is one of the most technologically developed countries in the world. They use the most advanced methods of agriculture. It has a strong economy because the citizens are hard- working people. In fact, they are considered workaholics. The government always requests them to have enough rest because they work too much. Japanese people attract attention from all over the world because of their interesting culture (Baxter & Joshua, 211).     

 

 

Works cited

Baxter, James C, and Joshua A. Fogel. Writing Histories in Japan: Texts and Their Transformations from Ancient Times Through the Meiji Era. Kyoto, Japan: International Research Center for Japanese Studies, 2007. Print.

Iwasaki Yataro. Sources of Japan History. Letter to Mitsubishi Employees. 2008. 7^th March 2012

Sakuma Shovan. Eastern Ethics and Western Science. Reflection on my errors. 2010. 7^th March 2012.

 

History of American civilization

American civilization was because of the dissatisfaction the American population had with the rule by the British who were oppressive because of the extortive taxes the Americans paid. The British also prevented the Americans from conducting trade with any of the countries from Europe, which were advanced in maritime business such as Spain and France.

The civilization of the American continent began when the Americas were discovered by the voyagers from Spain, Britain and France. The Spanish took the southern America, which is why they speak Spanish whereas the French took Canada, which is why some regions in Canada speak French. When the first Americans arrived in North America from Britain, they spread into the interior of the continent, namely present Canada and United States.

The British took the continent from the Native Americans and declared northern America part of the British colony. Several factors attributed to the use of rebels to fight in the civil war. They dwelt on the large numbers of able-bodied fighters who did not have people to lead them in the fight, and thus they were enticed with material possessions. The colonies however struggled to shake themselves off from the British rule because they were burdened with taxes, which were used in Britain and not America this angered, the people and thus they opted to rebel. The Americans pushed for representation in the parliament but their efforts proved futile, as they demonstrated claiming ‘no taxes, without representation’ hence the call for unity among the oppressed colonies to fight the common enemy, the British regime.

Another factor, which contributed to the use of rebels to fight in the civil war, was the lack of unity among the different colonies. The colonies lacked a common front to fight their enemy thus they were manipulated and promised rewards from the British monarchy. The shift from the royal subjects to irate rebels was the need to win the war using the cheapest means of fighting In addition the irate rebels were familiar with the territory and could be easily manipulated with gold and other material possessions. Most of the rebels who helped the British were peasants or highway robbers who were attracted by the material wealth they were promised. The British were desperate to maintain the colonies and thus they sought to win the civil way in any way possible. The presence of rebels who were also part of the American population proved to be a very enticing alternative because they acted as spies for the British soldiers.

The American rebels were used to maintain the status quo such that the British could restrict trade of the Americans with any foreign countries. The trade with other countries would have enabled the states to pool adequate resources to fight the British monarchy. Furthermore, trade with foreign countries would have enabled the colonies to purchase weapons such as guns, which were highly regarded during that period because of their effectiveness in battle. In addition, some of the British monarchy representative wanted to take control of the whole regions and thus formed their own armies in efforts to sabotage the British efforts to control the whole of America. Moreover, the British had resources such as food, horses, guns and a tactical military. This enabled them to win over the hearts of the few Americans who wanted to defect due to their fear of the firepower that the British military possessed. In addition, the British had a sophisticated naval force that was highly regarded during that period

The efforts of the British failed because their efforts were greedy and oppressive in their quest to obtain rule over the colonies. In addition, the unity of the thirteen American colonies was great boost to their fight against oppression from the British regime. During the war, the British were not in plenty as the Americans and thus the numbers of the fighters enabled the Americans to rebel against the British rule.

Semester Project Business Ethics

Ethics are regarded as the moral codes of conduct that govern good behavior. Ethical behavior brings about ethical issues and dilemmas where individuals have to deliberate on what is the right way of approaching or executing a certain duty. During my employment career, there are several ethical situations that have had to be tacked. During one of the college long vacations, I worked for a popular eating and drinking establishment that was located at the local beach. The restaurant was appealing to its local customers due to its nightly bands and local entertainment. The management had fronted an official uniform for the waitresses that included tight jeans and a “Sandtrap” T-shirt. Business peaked during summer when most people were on vacation but dwindled in the winter.

The administration therefore suggested to the waitresses to adorn low-cut and tight-fitting shirts and very short shorts as a new strategy of increasing the sales. This strategy was double edged as it ended up increasing sales but also led to some of the customers making sexual advances, lewd and abusive comments to the waitresses. This leads to the waitresses being offended by the fact that they have to be scantily dressed in the cold and for being abused by the customers. They later confront the patron and tell him that they cannot continue to dress scantily but he tells them to put up with it for the moment. The patron is therefore in a dilemma since he has to deliberate on what to do. Allowing the waitresses to revert to their original attire could mean dwindling sales while continuing with the practice could mean possible loss of workers and litigation.

The implementation of this strategy brought about various practical constraints. The change of attire in ones that were unbearable to the waitresses formed a basis for the latter to complain. The law is clear on the issue of abuse. None of the staff should be exposed to abuse especially when the short skirts are the one causing them to be provoked. There is the issue of discrimination since the waitresses were treated differently in comparison to their male counterparts (Penslar, 45).

Ethical subjectivism is whereby the moral standards are dictated on will, human nature or divine. This being a corporate venture, the most relevant will when the human will is concerned, and the patron has to abide purely on the legislative law to form basis for his judgment. On the other hand, if the will is divine, then the divine command theory of ethics will form basis for the patron the deliberate on the nest course of action. This being an entertainment restaurant, it is highly unlikely the patron is religious since many religions are against their members working at such establishments.

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory whereby the patron’s decision is merely based on the consequences of his course of action. To a utilitarian, the course of action that yields the greatest benefit to the most people is regarded as the one that is ethically correct. If the patron is to deliberate based on utilitarianism, then he is also in a dilemma since insisting that they continue wearing the attire could lead to some losing jobs but make the business earn maximum profits that is if new staff is to be hired. On the other hand, revoking the new law could lead to a higher benefit in part of the waitress but also lead to decreased losses. Under the rights ethical theory, the rights that are set by the given society are to be adhered to and given the highest priority (Penslar, 60).

Organizations to some extent define what is to be considered as right or wrong. Organizations such as respectable companies usually emphasize on the rights of the employees and work to the effort of creating sub-departments to look into their affairs. There are other organizations that are mainly characterized by the emphasis on profits. These profit oriented organizations influence every leader to make judgments and execute strategies that are mainly aimed at maximizing the profits.  This environment of influence is mainly creating by the management and other industry players. In the industry of restaurants and entertainment clubs, the organizational standards indicate that the customer is always king, anyone else is to work in the effort of pleasing the customer and maximizing the profits. With this regard, the organization influences the patron to maintain the policy of having the waitresses dress scantily since it works to please the customer and also goes ahead to maximize the earnings.

Since business entities are mainly set up to reward the capital invested by the investors. This forms a high source of influence since cut throat competition and the need to maximize the profits makes the management to implement strategies and make deliberations that are purely aimed at maximizing the profits. This is mainly why the management subjected the waitresses to the harsh winter climate clothed in scanty clothes merely to maximize on the profits. This is also the reason why other business entities will go the extent of indulging in other forms of unethical and immoral behavior such as child labor for the sole purpose of minimizing cost and maximizing on profits.

Personal motivation is highly influential in the deliberation process. This is because, since the decision making process is personal affair and minimally exercised as a group, the attitude, beliefs and values of an individual highly influence the decision that is arrived at. As an example, if the patron is supposedly a religious person, then he would have ended up taking a choice that was in conformity with his religion. This would be in utter disregard of the stand of the legislative law, the demands of the administration, the plight of the waitresses but the sole stand of the deity in belief.

During this experience, my expectation was that the deliberation of the patron would be first of all based on the legislative law of the state. This to my belief is priority since it dictates whether the business entity can run in the future. Disregard of state law brings about punitive repercussions on any business entity such as costly fines and to some extreme extent the closure of the business entity. With this regard, the patron should have analyzed the state’s stand regarding the rights of the employees before taking any other step. If the current strategy of attracting customers employed by the business is not legal, then this ought to stop with immediate effect. Secondly, a utilitarian perspective would be most plausible where the cost versus benefit method is taken. This would of course be in conflict with the organization’s goals since it is apparent that the goal of the organization is to maximize on profits in utter disregard of the cost on other stakeholders.

The establishment of rules is very important in any organization and institution since it highly facilitates the deliberation processes. The establishment of rules also works a lot in ensuring that contradicting strategies are implemented within the institution and thereby alleviating instances of ethical dilemmas on the serving leaders.

This situation ended up creating several ethical issues that needed to be immediately addressed. There is the aspect of sexual harassment by the customers that the patron needs to address with immediate effect. Another ethical issue that is raised is that whether the management has the right to force the waitresses to wear uncomfortable clothing in front of the customers. This also leads to the issue of unhealthy working condition in the work place whereby the waitresses are exposed to undue cold during winter. Another ethical issue that crops up is whether there is discrimination when the male counterparts are allowed to wear the original uniform.

The primary stakeholders in this issue are the management, the patron and the waitresses. Any course of action that is to be deliberated is to take into account the resulting impact on these primary stakeholders. This is especially relevant if the patron is a utilitarian whereby his judgment is based on the greatest benefits to the most people.

The possible alternatives that are open to the patron include abandoning the new strategy of having the waitresses to put on scanty attire against their wishes. The patron also has the option of continuing with the implementation of the strategy and fire any personnel who fails to comply with the directive. The patron can abandon the strategy and seek other measures that can both attract customers and friendly to the entire staff. This could include the hiring of a few exotic dancers who could entertain the clients as a profession. Whatever the alternative, the patron ought to be aware of the possibility of having the waitresses bring up harassment and discrimination legal suits against him and the business entity.

The ethics of the alternatives are based on the ethics of the alternatives. As stated above, priority is to be based on the legal stand of the state. If the legislative law fails to have a definitive stand on the matter, then other alternatives include taking up a utilitarian perspective. This involves taking the cost versus benefit perspective. The patron is to analyze the possible alternative that realizes the supreme benefits to the highest number of number of stakeholders. Long term costs and benefits are also to be taken into account. This is because an alternative that satisfies the greatest number but leads to losses could be beneficial in the short term but costly in the long term since it could lead to the closure of the business entity.

Considering the above, the best alternative course of action for the patron would be abandonment of this new strategy of having the waitresses put up scanty dresses against their wishes and look up for alternative strategies. Alternative strategies would involve the hiring of professional exotic dancers who are confident and willing to put on the short dresses for the entertainment of the customers. This encourages professionalism and the satisfaction of the entire staff. The profits are bound to increase since the exotic dancers would perform there services professionally as opposed to the waitresses. This will lead to increased to increased profits and hence satisfaction on behalf of the investors.

 

Works cited

Penslar, Robin L. Research Ethics: Cases and Materials. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 2005. Print.

 

 

Deployment

In the course of the last minute push, tension and anxiety can really mount among the team members especially if the time remaining appears to be little. To ensure that team members manage to compose themselves in the remaining time, majority of the responsibility rests with the team leader. Therefore, the first strategy the team should employ involves identifying the group leader. This individual should exhibit leadership qualities and act as the point of contact coordinating the entire project process (Kelly, 2001). Employing this strategy will ensure that the group is organized, issues are clarified and the project is accomplished in time.

One strategy that should then be applied should involve the team leader. He or she should try to motivate the rest of the team and instill a “don’t give up” mentality in them. The leader should then set a good example exhibiting immense drive to complete and the rest of the members are guaranteed to follow suit (Kelly, 2001). The leader should also endeavor in identifying what motivates the team and incorporate it in the attempts of completing the project.

More often than not, the leader does not get to choose the team members he is assigned in a group project. Therefore, he or she should learn how to get the best out of each member. People exhibit different qualities, strengths and weaknesses. Identification of their talents and giving suitable responsibilities is a good idea. If every team member is motivated, they then become interested and the progress of completing the project will run smoothly in time before the deadline day (Kelly, 2001). Failure to do this will lead to disputes among the team members thus wasting more time. The team leader should listen to group ideas and incorporate them in the project process appropriately. In addition, he or she should employ constructive criticism in the discussions of choosing one idea from the other.

Another strategy that can assist in motivating the team through the final push lies behind the establishment of an honest and open communication among the tem members, especially on matters relating to the project process; what each member’s progress is and the weak and strong points of each member. If an honest and open form of communication is established, the leader will know what to expect from each individual and therefore proceed on accordingly (Kelly, 2001). Another strategy would include formulating a work timeline and delegating various responsibilities to group members. Formulating a timeline will enable the team to be time conscious and therefore adjust their performances in accordance with the time remaining.

Additionally, work delegation will also assist in completing the work in time. This allows each member to perform to their strengths as work will be assigned according to personal attributes and suitability (Jacobs, 2010). More so, time is also saved when various issues are handled separately rather than one at a time by the entire group. This should help keep each team member on the same track and facilitate the identification of a member who is moving at a slow pace. It is easier to identify where progress is slow when work is delegated compared to when it is done universally by the team.

Another strategy involves assigning a team member with the responsibility of organizing and editing the final pieces of the entire project. This team member should exhibit good qualities in performing such practices. Delegating such responsibility ensures that there will not be any last minute rush on deadline day to ensure the final piece of the project is complete. In addition, the editor should have an assistant who will follow up on any missing piece while the editor completes his work (Jacobs, 2010). This will save the editor enough time to focus on his responsibility rather than following up on other members for incomplete work.

In my opinion, if the above suggested strategies are employed in the course of the final push of a project, the team members will be thus motivated complete the project in time. My further advice includes formulating an efficient time table in future projects to prevent final push situations.

 

References

Fox, S. (2011). SAT literature subject test: Maximize your score in less time. Naperville, Ill: Sourcebooks.

Jacobs, L. F., & Hyman, J. S. (2010). The secrets of college success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Kelly, T. B., Berman-Rossi, T., Palombo, S., & Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups. (2001). Group work: Strategies for strengthening resiliency. New York: Haworth Press.

 

Summary and Paraphrase Assignment

The main cast of The Awakening, by Chopin, seems to be undergoing through an issue of existence. They are faced by both mental and psychological issues. Those battling with mental and psychological issues include the likes of Edna, Robert, Léonce, Adèle, Arobin, and Mademoiselle Reisz. This is probably the reason why all the efforts by Edna Pontellier in attempting to reconcile them are fruitless. The different members undertake to solve these ontological issues in their own ways.

We find that Mademoiselle Reisz results into a decisive yet spurious plan by disallowing her body from experiencing mind-absorbing passion. She later uses the much younger Edna to regain her lost passion. The author also highlights on the issue of ontology through other minor characters in her other stories such as the “lady in black” and “the lovers.” The shadowy unnamed character appears to be very religious since the various instances that she makes appearances in the she is seen either chanting prayers, speaking with her beads, taking issues with indulgence and the like.

The unnamed woman shares similar traits with Mademoiselle Reisz since she seems to be always dressed in black, refuses to enter the water, and believes and devotes her life to deities. As a form of juxtaposition, we also find a pianist who engages deeply in the lives of the two lovers as a way of awakening her sensual being. She ends up obtaining sexual pleasure through keeping near and spying on the two lovers (Ringe 1994). In the novel, we find the lady in black engaging in voyeuristic activities as she trails the two lovers clutching her Sunday prayer book. She keeps her distance at first but soon closes in on them. This trio is used by Chopin in romantic imagery as contrast to the evident narcissism with Edna’s adamant independence.

The lady in black steers away from facing her narcissism and continues with her voyeuristic activities by keeping a close eye on the two lovers and trying to emulate the sensuality of the lovers. The novel therefore highlights the social and psychological issues. This is also indicated in many of the readings of the Awakening while some of its aspects such as philosophical reflections tend to take up a back seat (Eble, 1994). The lady in black plays a vital role in enabling the reader to comprehend the author’s interest in facing ontological problems. By facing this issue in differing perspectives, we find that some of the characters later on find their awakening: the realization of the self and identity while there are others who miss out on this (Church & Havener 2008).

Summary

Kate Chopin highlights on the various socially acceptable roles through her depiction of the female characters. Through her depiction of Edna we find a perfect mother and wife. This turns to be the betrayal of her awakening. Madame Ratignolle on the other hand is portrayed as an independent and self absorbed house help and like Mademoiselle Reisz. The latter is portrayed as a highly religious character that is pious and engages in voyeuristic activities (Church & Havener 2008).

The author is very interested in an ontological conundrum whereby we see the characters entangled in identity crisis and the freedom from definition. We find that there are those who decide do engage in voyeuristic obsessions with the aim of gratifying their heart’s desires. We find that Mademoiselle Reisz engages in voyeuristic activities to satisfy her sexual urges since she is not getting this from her marriage (Church 2006). This involves the tailing of the two lovers, spying on them and emulating their passionate moments. This act is depicted immoral. This is also in contrast to her religious believes and her submission to deities. Her religious life is derived from the way she is always in her prayer beads, carrying a bible and at times in prayer.

 

References

Chopin, K. (1993). The Awakening. Mineola: Dover.

Church, J. & Havener, C. (2008). The “Lady In Black” In Chopin’s The Awakening. Binghamton University. Heldref Publications.

Church, J. (2006).  “An Abuse of Art in Chopin’s The Awakening.” American Literary Realism 39.120–23. Critical Ed., 2nd ed. Ed. Margo Culley. New York: Norton,. 188–93.

Eble, K. (1994). “A Forgotten Novel: Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.” The Awakening. Norton

Ringe, Donald A. (1994). “Romantic Imagery in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.” The Awakening. Norton. Critical Ed., 2nd ed. Ed. Margo Culley. New York: Norton,. 222–27.

 

 

Compare and Contrast Essay

The plot of ‘A man with enormous wings’ by Gabriel Garca Mrquez begins with Pelayo and his wife Elisenda, who find an old man with big wings lying in their courtyard after a rain storm. They try to communicate unsuccessfully with the bald winged man but after consulting with the neighbor, she identifies him as an angel. Pelayo later drags and locks the angel in a chicken coop. The following day a huge crowd gathers to see the angel, first to mock then to seek miracles. The local priest, Father Gonzaga, soon arrives and tries to establish the truth behind saga. Elisenda decides to charge the crowd to view the angel and after some time they raise enough to build a mansion. Later on, the crowd deserts Pelayo’s courtyard after a carnival boasting a spider girl arrives town. She appeals more to the masses because she is more interactive that the priest. They neglect the angel prevent their child from viewing the angel. The story ends with the angel flying in disbelief of Elisend (García).

Whereas the plot of ‘A pair of tickets’ by Amy Tan plot based upon a woman named June May who is on journey through China, her native country. From June’s background, we learn that she was raised in San Francisco, California. However, after the death of her mother she embarks on a journey to rediscover her Chinese roots. During her journey, she encounters her other siblings including her twin stepsisters who she never met before. The narrator utilizes symbolism to illustrate the theme that June is ‘becoming Chinese’ into each part of the story (Booth, 2006). Through her journey, she learns and embraces her mothers’ life long dream giving her a feeling of satisfaction she never had.

The main theme of Mrquez story is based on human reception of the supernatural. The two main supernatural incidences are the old man with wings and the spider-girl from the town carnival. The characters in the story despise the old man and treat him as an oddity, more of freak than a heavenly creature. The old man’s appearance, frail and old, subjects him to criticism and his heavenliness is questioned. This is illustrated by father Gonzaga who disputes the old man being angel because of his squalid condition. Nevertheless, the old man is very patient despite the harsh treatment. The spider girl incident is a contrast of the above. She is an instant crowd puller despite the vagueness of her story. However, nobody contests her story this further demonstrates the gullible nature of humans in accepting supernatural reasoning’s for moral tales whereas we vilify the same for complex tales (García).

For the case of Amy Tan, her works explores the mysteries of personal identity and self-awareness. The physical journey symbolically represents the cultural experience of self-enlightenment. She acknowledges the fact we must come to terms with our own past, family past, in order to rediscover our selves. This is illustrated when she said, “Someday you will see…It’s in your blood, waiting to be let go.” A clear understanding of our individuality boosts our foundation on which we build our future. Her journey to her roots Guangzhou was a journey to her past to bond with her family members (Booth, 2006). An understanding of our cultural heritage assists us in defining our selves since we are product of our past.

In comparison, both stories dwell on the nature of humans not to appreciate or cherish what we have. As of Marquez, his emphasis is on showing the ungrateful human nature we poses. These lines clearly outline the state the authors massage, “She kept watching him even when she was through cutting the onions and she kept watching until it was no longer possible for her to see him, because then he was no longer an annoyance in her life but an imaginary dot on the horizon of the sea.” Elisenda does not appreciate the contribution the angel had in her life, in terms of wealth, security and health, she is however relieved to see him go. This also explores the unwillingness of human beings to foresee the value of what we have. In “A Pair of Tickets” when June is exploring her home China, she faces the internal conflict of misconceptions about her homeland. This remark, “I am in China, I remind myself” further illustrates the mental anguish the narrator is going through to come with terms with her home (Booth, 2006).

Both stories use the external setting to assist the narrator convey the internal message to the audience. In the story “A pair of Tickets”, the theme grows naturally from setting. June’s symbolic journey to China represents both self-actualizations. On discovering China, her homeland, she discovers herself. She exclaims, “I am becoming Chinese.” China becomes a psychological mirror linking both her mothers past and her personal past. Through her experience, she discovers herself by discovering the rich cultural heritage of China. For the case of ‘A man with enormous wings’ the sleeping of the old man in a chicken coop exemplifies humility in his part and the ungratefulness of Pelayo and Elisenda. In addition, the setting of the spider-girl in the town carnival is intended to show the absurdness’s of accepting her story without questioning it (Kennedy, 2007.

Both artists have used symbolism as an artistic device to narrate their story. In Amy Tan’s fable, she has used the journey to China to symbolize June’s pursuit to self-awareness and identification. The journey symbolizes June’s systematic activities that lead to her establishing her self-identity. This activities range from her meeting her siblings, relieving her past and families past and accepting her Chinese roots all merged in one (Kennedy, 2007). For the case of Marquez, he used the tale of the spider girl to show how superstitious humans are when it comes to simple moral issues. The winged old man symbolizes the good things that we have but we take them for granted. Despite his positive contributions the lives of Pelayo and Elisenda, Elisenda shows no remorse when she sees him fly away.

 

Works Cited

Booth, A., Hunter, J. P., & Mays, K. J. (2006). The Norton introduction to literature. New York u.a: Norton.

García, M. G. (n.d.). Very old man with enormous wings.

Kennedy, X. J., & Gioia, D. (2007). Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. New York: Pearson Longman.

 

 

 

 

 

The Four Loves by C.S Lewis

Philosophy is a subject that is involved in studies related to general knowledge about life issues and questions about the existence and purposes of man. Philosophy in Greek means the love of wisdom and, therefore, philosophy is about wisdom relating to the problems about life and the existence of man (Lewis, 4). The ‘Four Loves’ is a summary of loves shown by humans towards other humans (Lewis, 7). The four loves include love for God or charity in the society, friendship among people, erotic love among lovers and affection. All the outlined loves have a vital role to play in the development of the human life and affect people their relations with other people. God’s love is shown by the charity work in society such that the less fortunate receive love. His mercies are a blessing to the world and the existence of humankind, which is a clear indication of love. Without love in the world, countries and people would live in hatred and war. Without love, the presence of man would be diminished. For instance lack of romance in a relationship means that there would be no children borne out of such relationships. The four loves are necessary in the field of philosophy because they facilitate the existence of man (Lewis, 28).

Affection is ranked, as the first of the four loves (Lewis, 14). Affection is a love that amounts to more than friendship between people. Affection is a delicate love among people, as it requires time to develop such kind of love. It is based on familiarity among people especially members of a family. It comes naturally as a human instinct because it is natural, as the individual loves the other because they have not been forced to be love. It is also described as causing emotions because the individuals are fond of each other. Such fondness creates a bond, which is almost unbreakable making it necessary to philosophy given it creates a sense of belonging in a human being. Affection is because of a good relationship among people. People who are shown affection in any family or relationship feel appreciated and hence they feel happy and enjoy their existence.

It is deemed as one of the most valuable loves because it lacks measurable aspects, as it is typified by sacrifice and admiration. People are told to expect the presence of affection in relationships that are regarded as firm because they are built on familiarity, which creates a sense of security to those in the relationships. This kind of love is vital in the existence of humans because all people have personal relationships that are based familiarity. Bonds created among people because of familiarity especially in a family setting illustrate the importance of having a family to provide the love that is vital for leading a healthy and satisfactory life. In philosophy, the presence of happiness is because of having comfort, security and the existence of family members who are a source of encouragement in difficult times. However, in some aspects being affectionate does not really mean that the person showing the affection to another person loves the person. It could be a gesture that the person is showing affection for showing remorse or pity on a person. Affection can be out of respect for a person because of their deeds towards another, which could be a sign of repaying a debt owed to him. Man is an intellectual being and thus he relates to people in his life in differently depending on the respect and trust that has been developed because of familiarity. Hence, without affection man cannot feel appreciated to conduct his daily duties with ease and enable him to live in happiness.

Charity refers to unconditional and unlimited love towards others especially those that are considered as familiar. Charity is regarded as the most important love of all because there are no conditions for such love to be received or to given to people. God is regarded as the creator of the world and everything in it especially and who is the only intellectual being in the world. God gives to humans both love as a gift a love as a need. Gift love or gift of love is due to the existence of man as being made in his image. In his image, God made man such that he is able to act on extraordinary settings. God shows his gift of love to men in the world in different ways. God has equipped man with love in his nature such that he is able bring love into the world on his own by benevolent acts towards unfortunate people in the society. Charity is not about benevolent acts or behavior. Just as man is given freely by God his conscience guides him into giving back via numerous ways. In addition, receiving from God should evoke benevolence in the mind of man such that he gives without expecting to be given back which is a true altruistic act. The wisdom of helping others and the initiative to help the less fortunate is part of the reason of existence of people from different backgrounds, to help those who cannot help themselves

It considers unconditional love towards others in the society. It entails love for others ort r nigh boras without consideration of the qualities that would be desired for the subject to be considered as lovable. It is considered as the greatest love off all because it does consider man’s defects as a person but his attributes. Charity is the gift of God which humankind receives through his mercies and grace owing to the deep love he has for humankind. His love for what he created is reflected by the love he shows to man. He relegates of taking care of the world to humankind and instills a nature of caring into us such that man is able to take care of what God created out natural instinct. However all the efforts of protecting and saving humanity is a tall order. Thus, man supports God’s word by ensuring that his creation is taken of by man, this is also a way of showing gratitude to God. We as humanity express gratitude to God in so many ways that we deem fit. Love of God is stronger than love one that is provided by man, thus it is greater in every aspect such that all those who believe in him should live fulfilling lives

Eros is a main feature in the outlined loves it can be interpreted as romance or erotic love as suggested by the word ‘Eros’  which the word erotic derives its meaning from . Eros can also be defined as state of an individual falling in love (Soble, 25). Sexuality has a strong definition in the definition of Eros. Thus, Eros has both sexual and non-sexual definitions People who lie together are usually in a state of Eros (Krausser & Michael, 14). Eros however was not a reason or marriages in the early periods. From a Christian perspective, people got married without other ill-natured desires, which has entirely changed in a period characterized by the presence of divorces due to adulterers. Without e presence of sexuality in marriage people would not continue the purpose of populating the world. Eros has contributed to love among people, which later ends in marriage. Marriage is a sacred institution in God’s eyes, which shows the clear definition of being married. Married couples how love in different ways both verbal and non-verbal. This can be attributed to the presence of love that only exists amongst lovers or married people, which fulfils the reason as to why God made both man and woman. Their presence in the world is to complete each other via means of marriage. Marriage without love has no foundation because none of the partners considers the other as importance in their lives.

The effect of romance is courtship and maybe then marriage. Thus the married couples are able to experience the presence of love in their midst which makes them love each other more. Courtship enables people to understand their partners before marriage and to get to know if they are fit for each other. Romance is part of god’s gift to man. In addition, romance brings happiness amongst two people. Love among couples without the presence of romance would not be sufficient to sustain the relationship (Lewis, 38).

However, most of the society in the modern world experience sexual contact without the presence of any kind of love or attraction. Lack of love has also contributed to the presence of infidelity in marriages because most of the marriage partners are involved in some form of infidelity. However, such beliefs are based on morals, in philosophy what draws the most satisfaction and happiness is considered to good. Therefore, queries arise as to what is good for man. A man might feel gratified by having multiple lovers or sexual partners, which might result in high self-esteem or happiness (Krausser& Michael, 24). Because of such, Eros does not rule out love because of morals on those involved in the love. Continues the existence of man by new generations which are as a result of romantic relationships

Philia is also a predominant kind of love and is fundamental to the existence of man in the world. Philia is described as the friendship among people (Fimiani, 11). Such people could have known each other or could have just met and forged a good friendship based on trust, respect and common issues affecting them. Philia affects how an individual relates with others like him in the world. Friendship is responsible for the formation of happiness in the life of a human being. Happiness is attributed to better relations among people in the society. Philia leaves out relationships with non-living elements, which cannot communicate. Thus, philia enables communication between people who have strong bond (Lewis, 48).

Success among people can also be attributed to philia. The brotherly love helps people to share ideas for leading a successful; life in any field that they please. Different types of philia are present in the world. Friendships of utility are forged without the regard for the other person’s needs or feelings. They are regarded as selfish because they lean to helping one person in the relationships that consist of two people. Friendships of pleasure are formed by the happiness produced by the company of the friends. These kinds of friendships are usually formed by the presence of a similar activity or hobby that the friends enjoy doing together. This is a genuine love for the friends because there are no selfish interests in the friendship and the friendship is founded on true brotherly love. Brotherly love is the source of people co-existence between people regardless of their tribes, thus the presence of such love is truly a gift of God to Man to enable him to live with others in peace and happiness.

However, the lack of the unifying activity can lead to the collapse of such friendships, thus they cannot be described as insincere because each of the friends bases their friendships on the joy they experience form the company of others. Philia is a vital aspect in the existence of man among his peers and other people in the world and society. A good friendship or philia can be described as where friends enjoy just the simple company of each other’s presence. This is aided by presence of similar character traits enabling them to associate with each other with ease. The existence of man can be attributed to how he relates with his species in his society. This influences his existence and determines if he grows as an individual or the whole society benefits from such friendships (Soble, 32). Without philia among people, it would be difficult to exist peacefully.

In conclusion, without love in life, existence of man would be cold or further still, man would not be in existence because love revolves around the existence of man. The grace of God is the sole reason for the existence of man. The purpose of man is to make the world habitable for his species, other animals also made by God and other humans to come in the future and for maintaining it because he is made in God’s image. It becomes difficult to distinguish between the two loves Eros and Philia. Both are intertwined such that for successful romantic relationship, it starts with friendship, which then possibly leads to a romantic relationship. In Eros, a relationship between two can be beneficial to only on partner who is selfish and wants only his needs addressed in the relationship. In addition, a relationship between two friends can lead to one taking the advantage of the other. Thus, the presence of both Eros and Philia enables man to continue in existence and facilitates happiness in his life brought about by loved ones and friends.

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

Fimiani, Mariapaola. Philia. Napoli: Città del sole, 2001. Print.

Krausser, Helmut, and Michael Mitchell. Eros. New York: Europe, 2008. Print.

Lewis, C S. The Four Loves. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1960. Print.

Soble, Alan. Eros, Agape, and Philia: Readings in the Philosophy of Love. New York, N.Y: Paragon House, 1989. Print.

Why did the United States not acquire the Hawaiian Islands in 1893?

The overthrow of the monarch of Hawaiian Islands in 1893, backed by expatriate American businesspersons, sparked a lot of political debate on the legality of the move.  The coup de tat deposed off the queen, Queen Lili’uokalani, and acquired 1.75 million acres of crown land. Later on, put under house arrest in Lolani palace[1]. The proponents of the annexation argued that the current regime was corrupt and dissolute hence the people of Hawaii needed a more democratic system. They also argued that given its strategic importance to US a western power might annex it. The coup was bloodless since the queen decided to avoid any military confrontation in order to save her citizens lives.

According to Osborne[2], there were several views against the annexation of Hawaii during that time. Those resisting the acquisition argued that annexation of Hawaii contradicted with the American vision to be “archetype of the virtuous republic” as envisioned by the founding fathers. In addition, there were concerns, by the anti-imperialists, about the issue of American expansion into areas beyond its pacific boundaries. Those pro-annexation   He further concerted with fundamental reason for the annexation debate i.e. economic pursuits and racial prejudices were the primary motivators.

The annexation of Hawaii was not an original idea conceived in 1893. According to foreign diplomatic records as early as 1851, the idea of annexation had been sowed in people’s minds. King Kamehameha 3 had approached the US with a proposition to annex Hawaii. However, the secretary of state Daniel Webster declined the offer and stated, “No power ought to take possession of the islands as conquest”. It is of importance to note that later monarchs supported by the locals loathed at the idea of annexation. To get an in-depth understanding of the reasons for US going to war in 1893 over Hawaii we ought to revisit the events that were going on prior to the war.

At the time Captain James Cooke who was a British explorer reached Hawaii in the year 1778, the number of Hawaii people who lived in the islands was approximately 3000,000. Because of their interactions with the Americans and European foreigners during the eighteenth century, the native population became highly susceptible to western ailments like cholera, small pox and leprosy. This led to high morbidity and consequently high death rates. This had the effect of reducing the native population significantly hence by 1891 they were the minority on the islands.

Another factor that influenced the US foreign policy to Hawaii, during the late 19^th century, was Queen Lili’uokalani. In 1891, an article was widely circulated in the press in dictating that the queen was seriously ill. Despite the authorities denying this allegation, it had already caused irredeemable damage. During the same period, there emerged another report to the effect that the queen’s personal feelings were more pro-British and anti-American[3]. This further fuelled the rumour that strong British personnel were working tireless to undermine the American position. The accusations had some truth in them but the stories become distorted ending up vilifying the character of the queen.

The effect of this can best be illustrated the letter written by Secretary of State Blaine to President Harrison in August 1891[4]. It read in part that, “I think there are three places that are of value to be taken, that are not continental. These are Hawaii, Cuba and Porto Rico. Cuba and Porto Rico are not now eminent and will not be in for a generation. Hawaii may come up for a decision at any unexpected hour and I hope we shall be prepared to decide it in the affirmative.” This prompted the stationing of a US navy ship at Honolulu with an aim to protect American interests and put off European speculators. Though the presence of the American warship at Honolulu incensed the queen and her cabinet she was torn been protecting her sovereignty and preserving her relations with the US. The latter prevailed.

The queen was also to come to terms with an economic depression caused by the change in US tariff law. Though the McKinley tariffs become operational in April 1891, its ill effects preceded years prior to its enactment[5]. The McKinley tariff was an act of US congress, which raised the average duty on imports by almost half. Its aim was at shielding the local domestic industries from foreign competition. This had a profound influence on the sugar sector of Hawaii. It crippled the Hawaiian sugar industry since it lowered duties on imports coming from selected countries. This abolished the advantage it had as result of the 1875 Reciprocity treaty.

The queens attempt to pass the 1887 Bayonet constitution to gain more political and economic control over the monarch antagonised the Euro-American business elites who held the controlling stake in the affairs of the government. The queen’s move to promulgate a new constitution was seen to jeopardise the interests of the Euro- American business elite.

The events that occurred during the first trial to annex Hawaii in 1893 followed this sequence. On January 16, 1893 Charles B., the Marshal to the Kingdom, was tipped off about the imminent coup. The group responsible was a thirteen-member council called Committee of safety. Charles was unable to get the arrest warrants and he opted to confront them. This sparked off a revolution between forces allied to the attorney general and those allied to Charles. The community of safety mobilised a militia named Honolulu Rifles composed of 1500-armed men (non-native) aimed to dispose the queen. The community of safety further expressed concern on their safety and property to their mother country, America. After confirming the threat on non-combatant civilians, the government deployed uniformed marines with orders of neutrality and provide protection. On sensing the imminent defeat, the queen surrendered and the Honolulu Rifles took over the government, disarmed Royal guard and established a provisional government.

Different recent scholarly works attempt to reason out the motives behind the US supporting the destabilization and eventual coup of the Queen Lili’uokalani monarchy by non-native American expatriates. One of the most emphasized justifications is that the US was guarding the economic and strategic location of Hawaii. It’s argued that the US was at the initial stages of establishing strong naval bases to protect foreign markets in Asia, Latin America, Central America, and the pacific[6]. Hawaii provided a key strategic base from which to guard the navy. This illustrated best by the quick acceptance of the provisional government by President Benjamin H. and the inappropriate approval of despatching the American army to support Honolulu Rifles militia. This clearly confirms that it was in the best economic interest for annexation of Hawaii[7].

The Harrisons treaty of annexation, which was negotiated hastily between groups of handpicked representatives from Hawaii’s provisional government, was revoked when President Grover Cleveland came to office. President Grover Cleveland and Secretary of state, Walter Q. Gresham, were the proponents of the motion to revoke the Harrison’s treaty. Gresham personally was totally against provisional government activities spanning from 1893 to 1895. The president’s approach was ambiguous and anti-imperialistic, however Gresham was more passionate to abolish the provisional government and reinstate the monarchy. An in-depth analysis of Gresham’s goal to reinstate the queen of Hawaii indicates how contradictory US foreign policy was between those times.

A brief background check on Gresham indicates he was a staunch ant-imperialist. He strongly believed in traditional political systems, equality, and self-drive. Guided by the traditional political values and foreign policy of 18^th century, he proclaimed that the constitution did not have provisions for colonial acquisition[8]. He pointed out that overseas colonies would be expensive to manage, lead to unnecessary wars, and violate the fore fathers vision of America being “archetype of the virtuous republic.”

He further condemned the post revolutionary provisional government of Hawaii, which was, perpetrated colonialism and imperialism. The Harrisons treaty clearly showed the dangers of denying a society self rule to its citizens. He emphasised that governments derive their authority to govern from the consent of its people; any system that violates or contradicts this rule is unsustainable and irresponsible[9]. He rejected the argument that the revolution was a result of the Queen Lili’uokalani attempt to abolish constitutional term limits. This was centrally to the real causes, which we have so far established to be the sugar interests and the implementation of the constitution that geared to strength the powers of the monarchy.

Gresham’s attempt to block the annexation of Hawaii and to unseat the provisional government traced back to 1893. The periodic reports from President Harrison’s representative, James Blount, further strengthened his stand.

The reports showed that the revolutionary government imposed on the Hawaiians without their approval and only a small population favoured annexation[10]. He argued that the US had aided the overthrowing of a legitimate government and further facilitated the reinstating of an unjust government. On December 1893, Gresham advocated for reinstating the queen if she met Cleveland’s condition of forgiving the revolutionaries.

Grisham and Cleveland differed on the ideology of American expansion this greatly hampered Grisham attempts to advocate for immediate restoration of Hawaii to its people by force. Gresham opposed any unnecessary overseas influences whereas Cleveland was pro American expansion hence he supported the provision government in Hawaii. He immensely valued the economic and military benefits of retaining Hawaii. In 1894, he negotiated with King Kalakaua to acquire exclusive rights to build pearl harbour as a future naval base[11].

Congress suggested that the Hawaiian people should decide their own destiny and American influence would be limited. However, in early 1895, royalist forces staged a revolt that got supported by the native Hawaiian people to upstage the provisional government forces. In retaliation to this, President Cleveland sent a wars hip Philadelphia to support the locals and protect its naval base in Honolulu.

In conclusion, the American interest on Hawaii in terms of economic and geo-strategic benefits have constantly through history hampered the Hawaiian people from exercising their democratic rights.

 

 

Works cited

Allen, Helena G. 1982. The betrayal of Liliuokalani, last Queen of Hawaii, 1838-1917. Glendale, California: A.H. Clark Co.

Kuykendall, Ralph S. 1967. The Hawaiian Kingdom. Volume III, 1874-1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Osborne, Thomas J. 1981. “Empire can wait”: American opposition to Hawaiian annexation, 1893-1898. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.

United States. Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States 1894: Affairs in Hawaii (1894).

 

[1] Kuykendall, Ralph S. 1967. The Hawaiian Kingdom. Volume III, 1874-1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

[2] Osborne, Thomas J. 1981. “Empire can wait”: American opposition to Hawaiian annexation, 1893-1898. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.

[3] Kuykendall, Ralph S. 1967. The Hawaiian Kingdom. Volume III, 1874-1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

[4] United States. Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States 1894: Affairs

in Hawaii (1894).

 

[5] Kuykendall, Ralph S. 1967. The Hawaiian Kingdom. Volume III, 1874-1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

[6] Osborne, Thomas J. 1981. “Empire can wait”: American opposition to Hawaiian annexation, 1893-1898. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.

[7] Allen, Helena G. 1982. The betrayal of Liliuokalani, last Queen of Hawaii, 1838-1917. Glendale, California: A.H. Clark Co.

 

[8] United States. Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States 1894: Affairs

in Hawaii (1894).

 

[9] Osborne, Thomas J. 1981. “Empire can wait”: American opposition to Hawaiian annexation, 1893-1898. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.

 

[10] Kuykendall, Ralph S. 1967. The Hawaiian Kingdom. Volume III, 1874-1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

[11] Allen, Helena G. 1982. The betrayal of Liliuokalani, last Queen of Hawaii, 1838-1917. Glendale, California: A.H. Clark Co.

 

Contrast and Comparison

In the two works, “anyone lived in a pretty how town” and “Harrison Bergerron” have a theme in common but portrayed in different aspects as well as setting and time. “Anyone lived in a pretty how town” is a poem by Cummings talking about ‘Anyone’ as a person who is not noticed by others since they are too busy with their work other people. On the other hand, “Harrison Bergeron” is a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut. It is written in futuristic tone where the main character escapes from jail and finds that order has changed where everybody is regarded equally by the law and competition is not allowed where the above normal are handicapped by the government. Just like ‘anyone’ Harrison has the will to live freely without being constrained by government rules. Both of these works have shown the importance of living a free, fulfilling life.

The two texts have other different themes, but some of the common themes are portrayed in many different ways that also bring about other themes. However, the main theme is the will in a person to live life according to their wish without considering what others might have to say. It also suggests taking courage to defy laws that are dehumanizing in order to live freely. In the poem, people are subjected to working all the time, and do not notice anything going on around them. Even when they do, it is just for a moment. On the other hand, in the Harrison story, people do not realize the dangers posed to the society for eliminating competition. When Harrison does, they think he is not normal, and should be handicapped to be in the same level with the rest. The whole society does not live free since they are not even allowed to think. Only Harrison achieves what nobody else has achieved. Within both communities in the two works, the people are not living out of their free will.

In the poem, the poet says that “he sang his didn’t he danced his did,” (Cummings, 2012), meaning that ‘anyone’ always celebrated what he has done. It also meant that most of the time he is living his life well through deeds that one can dance to. Saying that he danced his did mean that he did not hold back to enjoying what he had done in life. On the other hand, the other group of people, ‘someones’ and ‘everyones’ had not time to dance to their deeds, meaning that they only lived a moderated life without enjoyment, except doing a lot of work all the time. Finally, when ‘someones and everyones’ grow old and die, we find that only ‘anyone and noone’ enjoyed life of great lovers, meaning that those who are not afraid of doing what they feel is right for them enjoy life (Marks 2012). Again, the theme of living without caring much about what others say or living in fear is shown by Harrison. Despite going to jail, Harrison manages to escape and through his will, he believes that he can overthrow the government and becomes what he wants to become. He is not worried about the government stopping him from doing what he want or living like a normal human being. After escaping jail, he goes to the radio station where there were dancers and declares himself the emperor. ‘‘Even as I stand here—crippled, hobbled, and sickened—I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!” (Vonnegut, 1961) He then chooses one of the dancers as his empress and together they dance and defy the laws of government as well as laws of nature as they reap 30ft high and remain suspended in air as they kiss before they are shot. Unlike others who choose to be weighed down by the handicaps, Harrison was able to live a full life for a few moments before dying, which was an accomplishment out of the will to live to the fullest. This illustrates the will of living freely without subjection to what others believe, just like ‘anyone and noone’ lived freely.

In the poem, ‘anyone’ looks ignored by all the other people, making him look like he lived life alone with his loved one, ‘noone’. However, looking closely at the poem, one can realize that this is a couple that lived their life to the fullest, exploiting every moment they had by doing what they wanted to do. This poem narrates three different kinds of people and their different life styles. ‘Anyone’ and ‘noone’ are lovers, whom even children that are so innocent can guess they love each other. On the hand, in the story of “Harrison Bergerron,” Harrison, at an age of fourteen years, he is seven feet tall and handsome as well as strong. He is not considered as a normal person. People of this kind are not allowed by the government to use their intellect despite being intelligent. Rather, the government makes all people equal by handicapping such people with weights around the neck and headphones with a radio that play disturbing music every 20 seconds to disrupt their thinking.

The other theme in the two stories is societal conformity where the poem is concerned with people fitting in the society, where ‘anyone’ and ‘noone’ are seen not to conform to the society’s norm. They live a life that is quite different from other people. The people think that anyone does not conform to the society. However, in the real sense, he seems to be living a more fulfilling life that is more joyous than the rest. On the other hand, Harrison is seen not to be conforming to the societal norms out of his intelligence and looks as well as strength in a country during a time when being better than anybody is illegal, including having better looks than others. However, he is very normal but according to the government he should restricted from thinking and end up in jail. In reality, he is the one who is normal and willing to fight for his rights to live like a normal man, while the government is the one not conforming to the society. According to the government, normal people with intelligence are considered the abnormal, while those without competence and intelligence or subnormal are considered the normal people. It is clear that the government is not conforming to the society in the right way, carrying everybody along with it, which ends up making the society full of disturbed people (Vonnegut, 1961). On the other hand, the people in the poem think they conform to the society, while the reality is that they are living a life of subjection to their work where there is no fulfillment.

 

In conclusion, one can see that ‘Anyone’ lives a better life than the rest, but the people do not realize it since they are too occupied by their work. The same way, Harrison is able to live a free life for few minutes before he dies out of his courage to live freely. In addition, in the short story, others believe Harrison is not normal while it is the opposite. Beliefs and attitudes of these two communities within which the two works relate to are distorted, with people in the poem living unfulfilled lives while in the short story they are oppressed by the social norms agreed by government.

 

 

Work cited

Cummings, E.E. anyone lived in a pretty how town. poets.org, 2012. Web. March 2, 2012.

Marks, Barry. English 10. blogspot.com, 2011. Web. March 2, 2012.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. tnellen.com, 1961. Web. March 2, 2012.

 

Training Plan on Recognizing, Reporting, and Preventing Child Abuse in Daycare

The primary aim of daycare services is to keep children in the daycare from injury and illness or any other possible harm. Child abuse can be defined as the mental and physical degradation of the child by means of inflicting injury or harm on the child. Professionals enhance their skills in providing better services to the children (Saks& Hancoun, 2007).. Abuse against children affects how they behave and relate with their peers and the rest of the society when they grow older. The presence of a well-trained individual in providing the basic nurturing to the children results in responsible and well-mannered individuals in the society. Child abuse has been shown to be a major influence on how children shape their lives. Majority of the individuals who are engaged in crimes, prostitution and other societal indecencies m have been molested or abused at one point in their childhood. The training is designed to keep the professionals skills relevant in a changing environment where the needs of the children are evolving with each passing day such that there are bale to develop their careers as well. In addition, it also aims at helping the childcare professionals to conform to the national regulations (American Society for Training and Development, 1991).

Child abuse has several indicators both mental and physical, all of which are reflected by behavioral changes. Physical indicators are usually predominant in physical abuse against children because they are defenseless. Physical abuse is characterized by the presence of injuries on the affected children. Because of physical abuse, the children are traumatized by such events. This has a great impact on how their social relations shape up.

Training and development can be described as the equipping with skills of an employee to meet the market demands at the same time develops the individuals standing in the market. Training and development is usually outlined as strategy for ease of execution or implementation. Training is aimed at helping an individual acquire the necessary skills to improve his or her level of output at the current employment whereas development helps the individual get the necessary skills, which can assist him or her in growing the career options because of the skills acquired through training (Saks& Hancoun, 2007). Training as a process has a many levels that enable the trainer the specified results needed. It begins by identifying the needs for conducting the training. The second part consists of ensuring the employee readiness for training purposes to ensure that the employee is willing to learn from the training process to achieve the goals. The third part consists of ensuring transfer of training knowledge from the trainer to the trainee. This can be achieved y choosing the relevant evaluation program to ascertain that the employee has achieved sufficiently from the training process.

Needs assessment can be described as the process of establishing the needs and wants of the individuals and the desired levels of training. Assessment of the needs helps the individual get the best level of training from the educator or trainer who is already conversant with the level of training needed. The difference between the desired results and the current results is the need for the training. Need assessment is made up of several steps to come up with the specifics needed for training the professionals. The first step involves the confirmation of the issues beforehand and the audience available.

The next step and second step involves the formation of a planning team to conduct the assessment followed by the clarification of the goals and objectives of need assessment. The fourth step involves the characterization of the audience such that the trainers have an idea of the trainees need and what they prefer. The fifth step is vital as it involves the conduct of searches for information regarding the audience and their needs. The sixth step, data collection methods are identified such that they are relevant to the search for the needs. The data collection methods enable the formation of a sampling technique that is fair to the search to come up with relevant data(Training and development, 2008).. The data collected is analyzed for relevance, managed and synthesized to come up with a report that is detailed and ready for use, which has all the relevant needs for the training process. This enables the formation of a fair view on the needs of the trainees as their needs are all sampled to come up with the most prevalent needs, which need to be addressed in the training process.

Training needs assessment incorporates the organizational analysis, the task analysis and personal analysis to have a three-pronged frontier in confronting the needs of the trainees.

Training needs assessment by organizational analysis involves the support of the managers and peers of the trainees who have already undergone similar training process(Saks& Hancoun, 2007).. The needs assessment incorporates the organizational, regulatory body and the training resources available. In addition, training form a Training assessment can also be done on personal level to get a clearer perspective of the needs of the trainees .This involves the identification of personal characteristics and their performance at the job. It also involves evaluation of the impact of the training on the trainee from a personal perspective and the response to the training. This enables the trainer to get an insight as to how they can improve the training process for the benefit of the trainees. The third phase involves task analysis. This is whereby the trainees are assigned tasks to judge their performance (Training and development, 2008).The skills are graded according to their levels of complexity and the individuals are assigned the tasks based on their levels of capabilities. This is a very important aspect of the need assessment phase as it gives a clear view of the needs based on the performance of the individuals on the task.

For a successful training process, there is need for preparing the trainee for the training process .Employee readiness influences the trainees’ reception to the training process, which can be either positive or negative. Preparing a trainee can be an easy as well be a daunting task .The aim of enhancing the readiness of the employee is to improve the impact of the training program on the trainees. This can be achieved through motivation by emphasizing the effects the program has on the self-efficacy of the trainee in his or her field of work. The trainers should insist on the positive effect of the program. The trainers can also enlighten the trainees on the benefits of the program. Benefits accrued to the program include new career dimension after training because of the credits gained from the training (Training and development, 2008). The training management should ensure that the trainees understand the impact of the training on the interests in the careers and their long life goals in the protection of the children in their care. Emphasis should be put on the need for the training such that the trainees comprehend the need for the program because of the rapid changes in the childcare environment. To prepare the employees for training the trainers must be aware of the basic skills that the trainees poses in order to know the level of training required for them.

Creating a conducive environment for learning is vital for getting the benefits of the training. The conditions for learning include specification of the objectives of the training program. This helps in getting a clear aim for the program to avoid any deviations. In addition, meaningful training content, this is relevant in a changing childcare environment marred by the presence of rampant child abuse in day care programs. Criterion for producing a good learning environment involves identification of objectives of the training program, establishment of relevant content (Saks& Hancoun, 2007). It should also involve equal opportunities and provide for practice sessions with their peers. It should also provide for recall of the projects and the recall of the projects such that they get to understand their training. The training should focus on the current employment by providing more skills to equip them better in handling young children at their care (Julian et al.,2002). Trainee development occurs for the betterment of the futures of the trainees. This enables the trainees to have a better chance of success in the job market after training and to be become equipped in nurturing the children in their care in day care settings.

Plan for transfer of training should have a favorable transfer environment to enable the trainees has a chance of reaping the maximum benefits from the training program. Transfer of training should provide support from the peers of the trainees and the management of the organization such that they have a chance to get knowledge from the experience of the peers and the management .Transfer should enable the opportunity to work in practice to gain adequate experience for later use in the relevant field of work. It should incorporate technology in a revolutionized world that has been influenced by technology and provide for self-management skills such that all the trainees are able to manage their programs without interference (Rae.2000).

The corporations should provide adequate resources for smooth running of the program. The gains from the program should reflect on the overall productivity of the trainees after completion of the training program. Evaluation of the plan should incorporate the evaluation levels of Kirkpatrick, which are namely reaction, learning, behavior and results. Reaction of the trainees should be positive in order for them to experience the maximum benefits of the program. The children in the care of the trained professionals get to experience professional care from these dedicated professionals.

 

 

Reference

American Society for Training and Development. (1991). Training & development. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development.

Saks, A. M., & Haccoun, R. R. (2007). Managing performance through training and development. Toronto: Thomson Nelson.

Training and development. (2008). Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Julian, S. ., Shari, J., Hale, J., Stolovitch, H. D., Keeps, E. J., & Keller Graduate School of Management. (2002). Training and development. New York: Wiley Custom Services.

Rae, L. (2000). Effective planning in training and development. London: Kogan Page.