Benefits of Waiting to Go to College after High School Research Paper

Benefits of Waiting to Go to College after High School - Research Paper Example It has been observed that after completing high school education, a student may wait for some time before joining the college for undergraduate studies. This waiting has a number of advantages to the student and the responsible members of the family. Firstly, the college education is increasingly becoming expensive. The tuition fee and other expenses in these institutions are far much higher than the expenses in high school education. After struggling to finance the child’s education right from Kindergarten all the way to the high school, and given the harsh financial climate that currently rocks the globe, it may be cumbersome to have the child proceed to the  college education. If the student proceeds to college with the financial difficulties, then he or she will not receive the quality of education that is desirable. In such difficult situations, it may be asserted that one does not need to attain a college education to become mature or get a good job.The financial const raints will translate into psychological problems to the student who will not be able to concentrate on the studies. The student may not access some learning materials that are useful for the studies but are purchased on the individual basis. Taking some time before joining college then provides an individual with a humble time to have financial preparation for the college expenses. Organs like the US military service provide the high school graduate a good opportunity to work as they pursue the  college education.

Drug cartels and drug trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Drug cartels and drug trafficking - Essay Example Prices of heroin and cocaine have decreased substantially in the past two decades, indicating greater availability (Lyman, 2010). The efficacy of international narcotics control policies remains a major issue. Millions of Americans purchase illegal drugs, spending roughly $60 billion yearly in multiple illegal markets (Barton, 2007, 18). These drugs are damaging to the user’s overall wellbeing, productivity, decision-making capacity, and health. Furthermore, the U.S. illegal drug market makes massive profits. These profits generate resources needed by global drug trafficking organizations to successfully dodge and fight with law enforcers, to break through legal economic sectors, and, in certain cases, to defy the power of the state (Erlen & Spillane, 2004). Computed in terms of dollar value, four-fifths of the total illegal drugs purchased in the U.S. come from foreign countries, as well as majority of the marijuana, heroin, and cocaine, as reported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2002 (Barton, 2007, 19). According to Hinojosa (2007), the methamphetamine market, as stated by the DEA, is supplied mostly from Mexican and U.S. laboratories while majority of †˜designer’ drugs, unlawfully traded psychotherapeutic drugs, and hallucinogens comes from the U.S. The drug industry is highly profitable and a major source of international criminal operations. As stated in a 2002 report by the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), more or less 930 tons of cocaine may have been manufactured in South America in 2001 (Barton, 2007, 19). A 2002 investigation by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime calculated the total profit of the illegal drug market in the Caribbean at $3.3 billion (Barton, 2007, 19). Not much is known about the circulation of profits from illegal drug trade, but foreign drug cartels hold substantial power over general

Mozarts Effect On The Musical World Music Essay

Mozarts Effect On The Musical World Music Essay I pay no attention whatever to anybodys praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings. (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)(brainyquote.com). This is the very essence of Mozart as he composed to make music that he felt was right and in turn influenced the music world to come. Mozart brought new aspects to things in the music business such as different kinds of operas and the idea of being a free-lance musician, instead of working for the church or the government. This brought about the idea of musicians also being considered artists. Mozart made additions to the classical orchestra and helped to bring great popularity to the Italian and German operas. Even though Mozart has been accused of not actually composing all the pieces he has been credited for, though not proven up to this point, Mozart changed the way music is perceived because of Mozarts decisions that changed the rules of music and things such as The Mozart effect which has been argued by scientists to affect the human brain. Mozarts Life: Mozart has been considered that of a prodigal genius. . . . I must inform [you] that on 27 January, at 8 p.m., my dear wife was happily delivered of a boy; but the placenta had to be removed. She was therefore astonishingly weak. Now, however (God be praised) both child and mother are well. She sends her regards to you both. The boy is called Joannes Chrisostomos, Wolfgang, Gotlieb.(Mozart, L. http://www.mozartproject.org/biography/bi_56_60.html) He was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. Mozarts interest in music peaked at a very young age when his sister Nannerl said that the three year old Mozart often spent much time at the clavier, picking out thirds, which he was always striking, and his pleasure showed that it sounded good. (mozartproject.org). It took Mozart only about half an hour to learn and master his first musical composition which was charted in his sister, Nannerls journal by father Leopold, This piece was learnt by Wolfgangerl on 24 January 1761, 3 days bef ore his 5th birthday, between 9 and 9:30 in the evening. (mozartproject.org). Not after too long of his learning, the young Mozart composed his first composition which he put in Nannerls notebook. His composition only consisted of 6 measures in an andante in C Major. Though the young Mozart possessed great potential as a composer his father, Leopold, decided to direct his aims at his childrens growing progress as pianists. Leopold took his two children to perform on a tour of the courts of Europe. Their first trip did not last long as they travelled to the Munich court but shortly returned to Salzburg. Leopold then set out for a more dynamic tour and the first objective was Vienna. The success of his performance in Vienna caused mass excitement and the young Mozart was invited to perform in major courts of Europe. Leopold wrote. The nobles send us their invitations four, five, six to eight days in advance, in order not to miss us. (mozartproject.org). After all of these performances , the young Mozart was still not even at the age of seven. After returning from Vienna they spent some time back home in Salzburg but accepted an invitation to play in Versailles, France and left on June 9th. This trip would then last for over three years. On their trip to Paris they played many public and private events at the major cities they would pass through on their way to Versailles. Around Christmas Eve the family moved to Versailles for two weeks to experience the life of living in the most culturally influenced court of Europe. In the February following the meeting of the king and queen, Mozart struck with an illness but was active in four days and this month published his first compositions though they are thought to have been written by his father Leopold. There next destination was London as it proved to contain great business in the music market. Within days of arriving to England, Mozart was performing in front of the young king and queen. The king was so taken to Mo zart that he invited him back to play once again. Leopold became ill and this left Mozart with time to compose his own music in which he constructed his first symphony for all the instruments. They left London in of July 1765. In 1767 they headed back to Vienna and stayed there until 1768 when they then headed back to Salzburg. After a year back in Salzburg, Leopold and Mozart travelled to Italy. Wolfgang was put on display once again by his father where he was recognized for his maturing and rapid growth as a composer. He even was accepted to be a member of the Accademia Filarmonica, a distinguished music institute of the time. When in Milan, Wolfgang wrote one of his first operas, Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770), which had success. The next few visits were for the premieres of two more of his operatic pieces, Ascanio in Alba (1771) and Lucio Silla (1772). Even though his Italian travels didnt prove up to the expectations of his father he composed one of his more famous pieces, Exsul tate, jubilate. After returning to Salzburg in 1773, Wolfgang was appointed to be a court musician. During this time he explored many genres in which some of these pieces are still performed today. Mozart gained a liking for violin concertos and composed five and the last three are now seen as the base of the violin concerto itself. His piano concerto in E flat of 1776 was considered by his critics to be of breakthrough success, but Mozart found himself to be upset with his position in Salzburg and mainly wanted to compose operas, which were of rare occasions of the time. In august of 1777, Wolfgang quit his position in Salzburg and set out to travel along with his mother for work. This trip proved to be unsuccessful in Mozart finding what it was he was looking for and the worst of the trip was that of his mothers death on July 3rd, 1778. Mozart returned home on January 15, 1779 and took a new position that his father had rallied for him in which he was now the concertmaster, but Mo zart still found himself discontent in Salzburg. In the January of 1781 his opera Ideomeneo received some success and he travelled with the archbishop Colloredo when attending the celebrations of Joseph II to the throne. Mozart wanted to perform for the Emperor at Countess Thuns, but the archbishop prevented him which offended Mozart and once they returned from Vienna Mozart had attempted to resign but this request was refused. After a month he was allowed to resign, but was resigned in an insulting manner. This began Mozarts travel to Vienna where he decided to settle and be a freelance performer and composer. Once in Vienna, Mozarts career as a freelance musician began well as he managed to find multiple performances as a pianist and had won a competition in front of the Emperor and soon had established himself as the finest keyboard player in Vienna (magicmozart.com). He then in 1782 completed his first opera as a freelance composer which resulted in great success and was perform ed throughout Europe which greatly added to Mozarts reputation as a composer. Within the years of 1782 and 1783 Wolfgang became very interested with the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel which then had a great influence on his own musical compositions which are seen in fugal passages in Die Zauberflà ¶te (The Magic Flute) and the finale of Symphony No. 41. I 1783 Mozart and his wife Constanze visited in Salzburg where Mozart created to be said one of his most liturgical pieces, the Mass in C minor, but were not even completed. Haydn and Mozart met in Vienna and became good friends. Mozart had composed six quartets that were to be dedicated to Haydn. After the pieces were performed Haydns response was I tell you before God, and as an honest man, your son is the greatest composer known to me by person and repute, he has taste and what is more the greatest skill in composition. (magicmozart.com).For the three years between 1782 and 1785, Mozart would hav e concerts in which he performed as the soloist. He would perform about three to four piano concertos for each season of the year. Spacing within the theaters was very limited so Mozart would book his performances at places such as a large room in an apartment building or the ballroom of a restaurant. These venues with their larger space helped to add to the popularity and success of his concertos which are still played today as prime examples of the piano concerto. It was written by one of Mozarts critics that he had created a harmonious connection between an eager composer-performer and a delighted audience, which was given the opportunity of witnessing the transformation and perfection of a major musical genre (magicmozart.com). With the money Mozart earned from his concerts and other performances he was able to move into an expensive apartment along with his wife and children. He spent his money on unnecessary items and was not able to save any money that would later help them i n Mozarts later years. Around the end of 1785, Mozart once again went back to composing operas along with the librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte and in 1786 found a successful premiere of Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro in Vienna. Due to the success of this opera made Mozart once again collaborate with Lorenzo Da Ponte on Mozarts opera Don Giovanni which premiered in October 1787 in Prague and then found more success in 1788 in Vienna. These two operatic works are prime examples of Mozarts work and are still popular today, though the complexity of the work made it difficult for listeners and the performers of the time. By the end of 1787 Mozart had finally gained a part time position appointed by the Emperor Joseph II in which he was the Chamber Composer (magicmozart.com). This position only required him to compose dances for the annual balls. Mozart felt underappreciated and told his wife, Constanze that his pay was too much for what I do, too little for what I could do. (magicmozart.com) Even with Mozarts feelings he could not refuse the pay as it helped in Mozarts hard times later in life. The records of the court show that the reason Emperor Joseph II paid Mozart so much was to prevent him from leaving Vienna. In 1787 Ludwig van Beethoven, another great composer of the Classical era, visited Vienna for a couple of weeks in hopes of studying with Mozart. There is no direct accounts recorded that Beethoven and Mozart ever managed to meet or not, but the fact that Beethoven specifically wanted to study under Mozart shows how much of an influence he was on the music world at the time. In 1788, Mozart and his family moved to the suburbs of Alsegrund due to the collapse of the arts in Vienna. This was because there was a war in Austria and the arts had no support from the aristocrats at the time. It is suggested by Maynard Solomon that Mozart had been suffering from depression at the time since his income had decreased even more and he began borrowing money to pay his r ent and his output on compositions slowed as well. The major works he had managed to compose were his last three symphonies all written in 1788 and the last opera that he collaborated with Da Ponte, Cosà ¬ fan tutte which premiered in 1790. Due to Mozarts financial slump he began to make long travels to places such as Leipzig, Dresden, and Berlin in 1789 and then set out once again to Frankfurt, Mannheim, and other cities within Germany during 1790. The problem was that the trips during these times only proved some success and didnt relieve the family of their financial stupor. In 1791, before Mozart became deathly ill, he had a great time of productivity in which some historians view that Mozart had renewed himself during this time. Mozart composed many pieces within his final year including his admired pieces such as his operatic movement of The Magic Flute, a distinguished clarinet concerto, his final piano concerto in B- flat, the final of his last series of string quartet, Ave verum corpus, and his unfinished Requiem. By 1791, Mozarts financial debt had begun to improve as wealthy patron from Hungary and Amsterdam paid him well for occasional pieces and his role as the Imperial chamber composer also added to his wealth. Some of his works also received great praise and success in the eyes of the public during this time including The Magic Flute and his Little Masonic Cantata. After Mozarts premiere of the opera La clemenza di Tito he began to fall ill and was then bedridden on November 20th due to swelling, pain, and vomiting. He was then taken care of by his wife Constanze and the family doctor, Thomas Franx Closset. It was said that even in his time of great illness he was still occupied to finish his Requiem. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart finally died at 1 a.m. on December 5th, 1791 at the young age of 35 years old. The cause of his death has not yet been able to be known for certain, but the one proposed diagnosis that is most widely supported is that of ac ute rheumatic fever. Even though Mozart was a great prodigy of his time and made great impacts on music, he was still buried in a common grave and was reported that no mourners were present. Though his funeral is not to reflect on that of his standing as a musician as many memorial services and concerts were attended in his honor. The Mozart effect: J.S. Jenkins, an MD FRCP, says that after being exposed to Mozarts music for 10 minutes that there has been an enhancement on spatial- temporal reasoning performance. This has only been reported by several researchers on this topic which rises a strong sense of controversy upon if the Mozart effect is truly a real effect on the human brain. The subjects that have been reported to the effects on their spatial- temporal reasoning have only seen lasting effects of up to 12 minutes. Then there is the limitation on the research itself due to the fact that many of the experiments were only tested with short excerpts of Mozarts piano sonata K448. Mozarts influences on the Classical era: In Mozarts instrumental music he always incorporated a sense of drama, which contrasted the moods that were set whether they are lively and playful or if they are solemn and tragic. He constructed his orchestration with notable writing of interweaving lines and imitative procedures, Along with the follow up of a development section containing moderately chromatic harmonies. Mozart wrote many pieces of chamber music including divertimentos and serenades that varied greatly. His most famous chamber work was his Eine Kleine Nachtmusik written in 1787. Mozart really favored string quartets as his last 10 quartets are some of the most renowned pieces of string quartets in the category. Mozarts Clarinet and strings quintet is one of the most popular still in todays audience. Mozart was one of the first composers to write for the clarinet which was one of the newer instruments of his time. The clarinet is one of the instruments classified as a color instrument along with instruments such as an oboe as it brings a new sense sound. He also incorporated the clarinet into many of his symphony pieces and created one of the first clarinets concertos. Mozart was one of the most accomplished piano players of his time and he wrote many pieces for his own instrument. His Fantasia in C minor and the Sonata in C minor are some of his most celebrated piano works. Mozart wrote twenty- seven concertos for piano and orchestra which the genre of piano music to one of the top genres of music in the Classical era. Mozarts symphonies and orchestras: Mozarts symphonies are characterized by his richness of orchestration along in part from his freedom of part writing in which he incorporates a large depth of emotion. The exact number of symphonies that Mozart had written is unsure. Four of the forty- one documented pieces are thought to have not been written by Mozart though. There are still newly discovered pieces and reworked compositions which put the number of symphonies by Mozart to over fifty. There are six pieces that Mozart has been dignified to the point of the works being considered masterpieces which were all composed in the last decade of his short thirty-five year life. The genre in which was most central to Mozarts musical art was the opera. Mozart wrote in three styles of the opera while alive: opera buffa, the Italian comic opera (The Marriage of Figaro and don Giovanni), opera seria, the Italian serious opera (idomeneo), and the light form of a German opera including The Magic Flute. Mozart excelled in creating character in his music along with his creativity in lyrics that carefully blended for the human voice. Mozart developed a quick and aggressive rhythmic theme that rises from low to high registers with great speed that became known as the rocket theme that was first present in his Eine kliene Nachtmusik. Mozart, along with Haydn helped to create a dynamic style of writing that included the participation of all instruments and allowed each timbre, The quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another ( the enjoyment of Music A22), to be heard throughout the piece. The use of interchanging imitation of themes of the di fferent musical groups allowed for an effect of an exciting conversation between the respected musical groups. Mozart had his own take on the construction of the classical symphony, also referred to as the sonata- allegro form, in which he had two themes with as great of contrast as possible. Conclusion: Mozarts life was that of great excitement and even though was very short in years the things he had accomplished in his life were those greater than many will ever come close to touching in a full lifetime. His composing talents were that of what cannot be seen as less than extraordinary as he himself has over 40 symphonies and orchestras, along with operas, that are all published in his name. His positions reached as composers and orchestrators for royalty and at a very young age toured Europe playing for the most prestigious courts and kings and queens of the continent. Even due to his complexity of his pieces, he has made an impact that researchers have concluded as The Mozart effect. He also made contributions to the classical era such as demonstrating the importance of the modern piano and the creation of popularity for certain types of pieces such as the Opera Buffa and Opera Seria. He also managed to separate the job of being a composer or musician away from the church and the state. This freelance musicianship inspired many others after him such as the great musician also in his time, Ludwig van Beethoven. It is hard to find such another musician at his caliber where so many pieces, even after over 200 years, are still celebrated and well known throughout the world. His pieces are seen as the basis of technicality and precision in modern music. Personally, the contributions he has been able to add to the musical life has been able to effect, even unconsciously, by the most celebrated composers and orchestrators of our time. To conclude the evaluation of Mozarts Life and contributions to music, he has inspired many people, admirers, fans, and musicians alike to pursue such achievements that Mozart has accomplished and to be a freelance musician and be acknowledged on such a wide scale. Without the many contributions Mozart has made in all the composition documented and undocumented, the music world would not be valued at the same standard that they are n ow set at. Mozarts life itself was the change in music that helped bring it to a new age. Bibliography

Correlations between Biology and Male Homosexuality Essay -- Science S

Correlations Between Biology and Male Homosexuality Homosexuality, one of the many different sexual behaviors exhibited by humankind, has been rejected, persecuted, and denied. Are the studies that attempt to find causation moral? Is this search for the "why" of homosexuality a continuation of the heterosexist assumption that heterosexuality is normal and homosexuality abnormal? Are assumptions being made that homosexuality is a disease and should therefore be treated medically? Is the research currently being done heterosexist? Studies that are being performed currently and those done in the recent past have shown that there are strong connections between male homosexuality and biology. By presenting the scientifically significant studies that I have come across, I intend to reduce the ignorance surrounding homosexuality and the behaviors often found with it, and to show some of the correlations between biology and male homosexuality. Throughout my research of homosexuality, I wavered back and forth, debating the morality of this search for a cause. It seemed that finding a cause for homosexuality was somewhat akin to finding the cause for a disease. Unhappy with the association of homosexuality with abnormality, I wondered why scientists were allowed to place homosexuals at such a level. On one hand, with biology backing up gay men and women, the fight for equality and basic human rights could be won more quickly. Although science and society have progressed significantly since the days of Nazi Germany, when homosexuality was thought to come about through "seduction and mind-traps," critics of the current scientific curiosity with homosexuality consider every study and experiment an effort to strengthen the argument tha... ...ce of linkage to micro satellite markers on the X-Chromosome in a Canadian study," poster presentation at the International Academy of Sex Research, Provincetown, MA, 1995 Slimp, J. C., B.L. Hart, and R.W. Goy, "Heterosexual, autosexual and social behavior among adult male rhesus monkeys with medial preoptic-anterior hypothalamic lesions," Brain Research 142:105-122 (1978). Soulairac, A. and M. L. Soulairac, "Effets de là ©sions hypothalamiques sur le comportement sexuel et le tractus gà ©nital du rat male," Annales d'Endocrinologie (Paris) 17:731-745 (1956). Stein, Edward. The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Whitman, F.L., M. Diamond, and J. Marin, "Homosexual orientation in twins: A report on 61 pairs and three triplet sets," Archives of Sexual Behavior 22:187-206 (1993).

Racism, Responsibility and Death Essay

Set in the late 1950s, the play Fences portrays the life of a fifty-year old Black named Troy, depicting his life as a husband, a father, a friend, and an individual set in the time where racism was highly dominant in America. Beyond cultural discrimination, themes like death, duty, friendship, and lost opportunities are also being seen in the play. Thesis: Real- life conditions are the backdrop of Wilson’s Fences as reflected through the story’s salient themes like racism, responsibility, and death. Topic Sentence1: Racism happening towards Black Americans during Wilson’s time is the backbone of the playwright’s story. Being an African- American himself, Wilson easily relates in his story the actual situation that was happening during that time in America where Blacks were being seen differently from White Americans. He was able to create a story depicting this theme, which I believe is very intriguing and crucial on that time since the issue was given a new angle at the mark of the industrialization age in the country. This claim was clearly seen through Wilson’s use of biases in Troy’s workplace. The main character noticed that it was only the Whites who were being promoted to drivers. On the first scene, he complained on the biases he has observed Quote 1: â€Å" †¦ what’s the matter, don’t I count? You think only white fellows got sense enough driving a truck? † (p. 2). Topic sentence 2: Family responsibilities are commonly perceived as burden in economically- ill families. Issue on responsibility, I can say, is still related with Troy’s race. Since he is a Black, his chances of getting promoted were affected. Troy assumes many responsibilities in the story: a husband, a father, and a brother to his disabled brother Gabriel. Although surrounded by such duties, Troy was trying to keep everyone satisfied with what he is giving. With this, his relationship to another woman, Alberta, was his escape from the burden he was carrying since for him the woman is not his responsibility, not until they found out that she was pregnant. Although Troy was earning not enough money, he was still brave for not abandoning his child. Instead of ducking it, he accepted the consequences of his actions. Quote 2: â€Å" I ain’t ducking the responsibility of it. As long as it sets right in my heart†¦ then I’m okay. † ( p. 63). Topic sentence 3: Death was presented in the play as an idea one should face bravely. In some stories, death is being portrayed as an aloof, mysterious thing. However, in the Fences, death was portrayed as something that one should face and battle with. Troy once told his story about how he wrestled and won against death. However, when he and his Cory had a major dispute causing for the latter to leave the house, Troy was left calling for death to come and defeat him. Quote 3: â€Å" †¦ I can’t taste nothing no more. ( Troy assumes a batting position and begins to taunt Death†¦ ) †. ( p. 89). Sticking to the conventional and traditional approach of writing a play, August Wilson has able to weave and combine dynamic characters , plausible plot, creative language, sophisticated style, and timeless themes all in a life-reflecting yet unusual and genius work of art. Work Cited Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Penguin Books, 1987

I History of Taj Mahal Essay

The Taj Mahal of Agra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, for reasons more than just looking magnificent. It’s the history of Taj Mahal that adds a soul to its magnificence: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love again. Because if it was not for love, the world would have been robbed of a fine example upon which people base their relationships. An example of how deeply a man loved his wife, that even after she remained but a memory, he made sure that this memory would never fade away. This man was the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who was head-over-heels in love with Mumtaz Mahal, his dear wife. She was a Muslim Persian princess (her name Arjumand Banu Begum before marriage) and he was the son of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir and grandson of Akbar the Great. It was at the age of 14 that he met Mumtaz and fell in love with her. Five years later in the year 1612, they got married. Mumtaz Mahal, an inseparable companion of Shah Jahan, died in 1631, while giving birth to their 14th child. It was in the memory of his beloved wife that Shah Jahan built a magnificent monument as a tribute to her, which we today know as the â€Å"Taj Mahal†. The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631. Masons, stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome-builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from Central Asia and Iran, and it took approximately 22 years to build what we see today. An epitome of love, it made use of the services of 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants. The monument was built entirely out of white marble, which was brought in from all over India and central Asia. After an expenditure of approximately 32 million rupees (approx US $68000), Taj Mahal was finally completed in the year 1653. It was soon after the completion of Taj Mahal that Shah Jahan was deposed by his own son Aurangzeb and was put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort. Shah Jahan, himself also, lies entombed in this mausoleum along with his wife. Moving further down the history, it was at the end of the 19th century that British Viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a sweeping restoration project, which was completed in 1908, as a measure to restore what was lost during the Indian rebellion of 1857: Taj being blemished by British soldiers and government officials who also deprived the monument of its immaculate beauty by chiseling out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls. Also, the British style lawns that we see today adding on to the beauty of Taj were remodeled around the same time. Despite prevailing controversies, past and present threats from Indo-Pak war and environmental pollution, this epitome of love continuous to shine and attract people from all over the world. II Taj Mahal Story Male Protagonist: Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram) Female Protagonist: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Banu Begum) Taj Mahal, the magnificent monument that stands at the heart of India has a story that has been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj has been visible. A story, that although ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the form of Taj and is considered a living example of eternal love. It’s the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two people from the course of history who set an example for the people living in present and the future to come. An English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as â€Å"Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones.† The story that follows next will prove why the statement is true. Shah Jahan, initially named Prince Khurram, was born in the year 1592. He was the son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the grandson of Akbar the Great. In 1607 when strolling down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning courtiers, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. It was love at first sight and the girl was Mumtaz Mahal, who was known as Arjumand Banu Begum at that time. At that time, he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. The match got solemnized after five years i.e., in the year 1612. It was in the year 1628 that Shah Jahan became the Emperor and entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He also bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the â€Å"Jewel of the Palace†. Though Shah Jahan had other wives also, but, Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and accompanied him everywhere, even on military campaigns. In the year 1631, when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some complications. While Mumtaz was on her deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would never remarry and will build the richest mausoleum over her grave. It is said that Shah Jahan was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the court into mourning for two years. Sometime after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task of erecting the world’s most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved. It took 22 years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument. When Shah Jahan died in 1666, his body was placed in a tomb next to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as â€Å"Taj Mahal† and now counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the true story of the Taj Mahal of India, which has mesmerized many people with its bewitching beauty. III Taj Mahal Architecture Involvement of 22, 000 workers including masons, stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome-builders and other artisans called on from all over the central Asia and Iran, and some 22 years later when a monument with a unique blend of Persian, Islamic, and Indian architectural styles came into its own, it was a sight to behold! The grandeur of the structure then created was such that even decades after its creation, it is still regarded as one of the most arresting and attention-grabbing manmade monuments of the world. Not just Taj, even structures alongside it add to the architectural beauty and artistic wonder of the place. The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely Darwaza (main gateway), Bageecha (gardens), Masjid (mosque), Naqqar Khana (rest house) and Rauza (main mausoleum). The Taj Mahal covers an area of 42 acres in total with the terrain gradually sloping from south to north, towards the river Yamuna in the form of descending terraces. The main gateway situated at the end of the long watercourse, decorated in calligraphy with verses from Holy Quran and a domed central chamber, was constructed from the period 1932 to 1938. The original door of this massive sandstone gateway was made out of solid silver. It was constructed to serve the function of preventing the people from getting any glimpse of the tomb until they are right in the doorway itself. With a vertical symmetry, the main gateway of Taj Mahal stands bordered with Arabic calligraphy of verses from the Quran, made up of black stone. The main tomb of Taj Mahal stands on a square platform that was raised 50 meter above the riverbank and was leveled with dirt to reduce seepage from the river. The four minarets on each corner of this square are detached, facing the chamfered angles of the main and are deliberately kept at 137 feet to emphasize the beautiful and spherical dome that itself is 58 feet in diameter and 81 feet high. The western side of the main tomb has the mosque and on the eastern side is the Naqqar Khana (rest/guest house), both made in red sandstone. The two structures not only provide an architectural symmetry, but also make for an aesthetic color contrast. One can only marvel at the mosque and the rest house as despite being on the opposite ends, the two are mirror image of each other. Out of the total area of 580 meter by 300 meter, the garden alone covers 300 meter by 300 meter. The immaculate symmetry with which this garden has been laid out can be experienced everywhere. The Islamic style architecture of this garden also has a well defined meaning that symbolizes spirituality and according to the Holy Quran, the lush green, well watered is a symbol of Paradise in Islam. The raised pathways divide each of the four quarters into 16 flowerbeds with around 400 plants in each bed. Even today, the garden boasts of being a tranquil and soothing region in the entire complex and is considered best place for taking snaps of the main tomb. A shadowy burial crypt inside the Taj Mahal houses the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan himself, who was buried there after he died. Above these tombs is the main chamber that has the false tombs and perforated marble screens have been used to transmit light into the burial chamber, typical of mausoleums of the Mughals. Semi-precious stones are exquisitely inlaid in both the tombs. Calligraphic inscriptions of the ninety nine names of Allah can also be found on the sides of actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj has some wonderful specimens of polychrome inlay art both in the interior and exterior on the dados, on cenotaphs and on the marble jhajjhari (jali-screen) around them. Shah Jahan’s tomb, which lies next to that of Mumtaz Mahal, was never planned and deranges the otherwise perfect symmetry of the Taj. IV Inside The Taj Mahal As majestically dazzling as it looks from the main gateway, with the glorious view of the mosque and the guest house on the sides and the main mausoleum in the centre with four minarets standing proud at each corner, the insides of TAj Mahal are no less stunningly beautified either. Rather, the painstakingly designed and richly carved interiors brilliantly compliment the grandeur of the entire structure with subtleness. With basic elements in Persian, the large white marble structure that stands on the square plinth consists of a symmetrical building with an arch shaped doorway known as Iwan, which is adorned with exquisite calligraphy and is topped by a large dome and a finial. The angles of the tomb consist of semi-octagonal arched alcoves of equal size. Attached pilasters rising from the base of the tomb demark each of the porticos, on both the sides. The main chamber houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; as the actual graves are located at a much lower level. Moving ahead, all the elements, architecture, furniture, and decorations culminate together to create an eschatological house for Mumtaz Mahal, and that of Shah Jahan. Formed with black marble inlaid in white, the floor of the Taj is paved in a geometrical pattern consisting of octagonal stars alternating with cruciform shapes. One of the longest echoes of any building in the world can be heard in this perfectly designed hall of 24 feet to a side, with two tiers of eight radiating niches. The natural and beautiful flowers like tulips, irises, daffodils, and narcissus filled in opulent vases appear here in basic tripartite arrangement rather than individual flowering plants of the pishtaq halls outside. Another remarkable feature that surrounds the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan in the central chamber is the intricately carved marble screen or jali and is a delight to look at. The semi precious stones forming twining vines, fruits, and flowers inlaid delicately form the rest of the surfaces. The burial chamber is located right beneath the central chamber and consists of the actual graves of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan covered by two cenotaphs. And since the Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves, these cenotaphs have different motifs in their decoration. The real cenotaph of Mumtaz The cenotaph of Shah Jahan that was added much later is bigger than the cenotaph of his wife and is more simplistically decorated than his cenotaph above. Although the same designs appear on the sides of the sarcophagus elements, they are smaller in size. Coming out of such elaborately designed structure as Taj is like coming out of an era that had gone by, an era that added to the world in more than one way, an era that has been kept alive by the wonder that is Taj Mahal.

Imply vs. Infer

Imply vs. Infer Imply vs. Infer Imply vs. Infer By Jacquelyn Landis If you have trouble choosing between imply and infer, you’re not alone. Many writers switch them even though they have distinct meanings. To imply is to suggest or express indirectly. To infer is to draw a conclusion. However, you’ll frequently see something like this: The news story inferred that the defendant was guilty. Even though some dictionaries support infer as a synonym for imply, the distinction is important. Without it, the meaning of the above example is unclear. Did the news story draw the conclusion that the defendant was guilty? Or did it simply suggest it? You really can’t tell for certain, can you? When you’re striving for clarity in writing, it’s critical to use the right words. In the case of imply and infer, it helps to remember that the speaker implies and the listener infers. Here are some quotations from newspapers: husband, Vitaly Stepanov, spoke with reporters and detailed the gravity of their situation. In it, Stepanova seemed to imply they feared for their safety, saying, If something happens to us, all of you should know, its not an (www.chicagotribune.com) if your tax returns are very classy, but not quite this classy? If you don’t release your returns, voters will infer that they’re not the very best tax returns. And if that’s all they know, they’ll infer that you’re in the (www.nytimes.com) at Duke University in North Carolina. Soft tissues are not preserved in fossils, so researchers have had to infer the details of dinosaur brains from the faint impressions the organs leave on the insides of fossilised skulls. (www.theguardian.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Synonyms for â€Å"Angry†40 Fish IdiomsOne "L" or Two?

Tetanus essays

Tetanus essays Tetanus is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease caused by the infection of a puncture wound in the skin by spores containing the bacterium, Clostridium tetani. These bacterial spores are commonly found in soil, animal excrement, house dust, operating rooms, contaminated heroin, and most surprisingly the human colon. The bacteria that causes tetanus cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. That is why the bacteria do not grow in shallow or wide wounds exposed to air. The way these spores enter your body is through a wound that penetrates the skin and extends deeper than oxygen can reach. The spores then produce a nerve toxin as they multiply and enter the bloodstream. The newly produced nerve toxin causes spasms and convulsions by interfering with the nerves that control muscles. The toxin moves inward towards the spine at about 10 inches a day. Once tetanus has spread, the mortality rate is approximately 40%. The tetanus bacteria commonly live in the intestines of both animals and As mentioned earlier, tetanus is found in soil, animal excrement, house dust, operating rooms, contaminated heroin, and the human colon, but the most prevalent way of communication is through animal bites. Wild animals are perfect carriers for tetanus, and with natures constant unpredictability there is always a chance of infection. There is also many unknown ways of infection that you may never have thought were possible for tetanus; such as stomach ulcers and infected umbilical cords. Symptoms are extensive and painful, some of which include uncontrollable spasms, stiff jaw and neck muscles, difficulty swallowing, slight fever, headache, chills, involuntary contraction of muscles, and irritability. Typically the first symptoms are felt eight to twelve days after infection. In severe infections it takes only a minor stimulus to trigger s seizure. If muscle spasms develop early, chances of re...

When Words Collide

When Words Collide When Words Collide When Words Collide By Maeve Maddox This use of the verb collide in a newspaper article struck me as odd: One driver was able to stop short of hitting the child but her bike collided into another car. The verb collide is from Latin collidere, to strike or clash together. Its most common use is as an intransitive verb. Used without a prepositional phrase, collide signifies an action in which two moving objects strike one another: Two satellites collide in orbit Two NJ Transit buses collided in the Lincoln Tunnel this morning Two Thai F16 jets collided in mid-air and crashed Collide can also be used figuratively: Southern Politics and Personalities Collide in Old Globes Cornelia, What Happens When Political and Humanitarian Goals Collide? When the colliding objects are not of the same kind, or a contrast between them is desired, a prepositional phrase is employed: Fire Truck Collides With a Van birds collide with airplanes As sea floor spreads from the oceanic ridge, it eventually collides against the continental crust or plate. Insurance rates collide with credit scores Pakistani frigate collides against the dock Jeep collides against tree The prepositions with and against are used to introduce the other object in the collision. The use of with indicates that both objects were moving. The preposition against indicates that one of the objects was stationary. The following headline is redundant: 15 Injured after 2 Buses Collide against each other The OED entry includes a transitive use of collide, but calls it rare or obsolete. Changing technology may call this use back from obsolescence. Here are two recent examples of collide used transitively: I simply want to collide a sprite against the edges of the screen. The simulation has determined they are not moving fast enough to warrant colliding them against each other A Google search turns up millions of examples of collide into, but in most instances, the writer may have been reaching for crashed: RAF Tornados nearly collided into each  other What would happen if a planet collided into the sun? Woman who collided into train tested positive for cocaine Some writers use the word in mysterious ways. In the following examples collide seems to be standing in for combined or coalesced: Can tetanus, meningitis, and chicken pox shots be all collided into 1 shot? Our worlds collided into one chat room. Bottom line: If you find yourself placing into after collide, you may wish to reconsider your use of one of the two words. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story40 Synonyms for â€Å"Lie†1,462 Basic Plot Types

Asthma as a Chronic Inflammatory Disorder Essay

Asthma as a Chronic Inflammatory Disorder - Essay Example It is suggested that 90% of the deaths caused by asthma can be prevented if proper measures are taken without wasting time(Anderson et al., 2007). In the United Kingdom, the overall percentage of the asthma patients has slightly declined, however, the number of patients has increased. This is because the population continues to increase, and the rate of increase of asthma patients in the population is lower to the population growth rate. Some of the common triggers of asthma include respiratory infection, cigarette smoke, and allergens like pollen grains, dust and other particulate pollutants, sudden changes in temperature, stress/anxiety, and exercise. The asthma attack is characterized by the narrowing of airways; which occurs due to the tightening of muscles, excessive secretion of mucus, and swelling of epithelial lining in lungs (Bisgaard et al., 2012). All these events are triggered by one or more aforementioned causes. Asthma can prove lethal if it is not managed properly, tho usands of children lose their lives every year at the hands of asthma due to negligence on the part of parents and healthcare professionals. Though asthma is a reversible lung disease, slight negligence or delay in providing proper care may cost one’s life. Children with asthma are at a disadvantage; their activities are limited because of the fear of acute exacerbation. The restricted lifestyle coupled with precautionary measures builds psychological stress, which obviously not ideal for children during their growing years. Psychological stressors like fear, anxiety, and depression lead to impairment in learning at school and restrict their participation in activities enjoyed by their age fellows(Chait, 2015). Asthma does not have a specific cause; the inflammation of respiratory tract can be triggered by numerous sources. Therefore, there are multiple events, stimuli, and allergens that can affect the associative learning, and result in confused responses.

The Dimensions of the Self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Dimensions of the Self - Essay Example To summarize my identity is not easy, but in essence, I am a Middle-Eastern, male, middle-class Muslim, Emirati, young adult, who supports racial equality and enjoys talking about politics, business, society, and food. When asked about my ethnicity, I see myself as a national of the UAE, an Emirati. Some people find their ethnicity very important in distinguishing themselves from others in their own country, but I do not feel that way. Some non-UAE people might see me immediately as Arabic or Middle Eastern, but those descriptions are too vague for me. I dislike it when they stereotype me as a sexist because they think all Arabs are anti-women. This is not true because I believe that men and women are created equal in the eyes of God. Most of all, I see myself as an Emirati. Emiratis are known for their hospitality. In my family, we feel honored when we receive guests and socialize with our relatives and friends. In our house, it is common to have visitors dropping by. Family relativ es drop unannounced frequently because my mother is such as a gracious host and a good friend to them. Sometimes, this is good because we are updated about the events about the clan. Their presence can be very refreshing, as they bring their stories and humor to us. Other times, I feel no privacy. My family can be very intrusive at times, but I know this is because they want the best life for me. When our guests are in the house, we enjoy time with them, while drinking coffee or tea and eating sandwiches and fresh dates. My mother is a fantastic cook and baker, so she would invite them to lunch or dinner too. They love my mother’s Al Majboos (beef or chicken recipe) and Al Khabeesah (dessert), as well as her gourmet sandwiches. Maybe they come more for my mother’s great dishes. Though the banter can be so noisy, at the same time, they seem to be so peaceful. These are the voices of my blood and they are my soul too. My ethnicity affects me because it is the basis of my culture. My elders teach me what is right and wrong- the right clothes, the right attitudes at the right places and with the right people, and the right words to say to men, women, and children. They say this because it is Emirati and it is Muslim. They are the sources of our norms. To some people, our norms, especially for women, are very restrictive. But I believe that some conservative values protect men and women alike. As long as women can still access the same quality of life as men, conservative attitudes are not wrong. My age group is a young adult and that affects me as a person too because I am expected to make mature decisions as a student and as a man and to be prepared for family life. Right now, I have the privilege of the youth. My parents are lenient with my activities, as long as I have good grades in school and remain focused on my studies. Of course, they also want me to be a dedicated Muslim, wherever I may be. In addition, my age is the time when people prepare them for arranged marriages. My family still practices arranged marriages, but they do not force their children and relatives to marry strangers nowadays. They are not concerned with how much they will get for these marriages, but they want me to marry an Emirati as well.

International Planning Frameworks Much Depend on the Context Coursework

International Planning Frameworks Much Depend on the Context - Coursework Example It is true that context is everything. Planning and execution vary according to every demography, geography, and climate is different for implementing a plan. There are no magic bullets or universal solutions for any plan. The United Nations Development Program has proved this many times while developing a plan in a geographical area. The tasks and types of tools are different in every area. The social and cultural norms of a particular place decide modes of execution for a plan.Many problems arise while managing the funds in cross-national projects. These problems are usually linked with accessing comparable datasets as well as in achieving agreement over functional equivalence in research parameters. When it comes to the interpretation many problems arise. Any shift in an orientation dependent on an interpretation of the policies usually gives rise to a conflict.The cross-national comparative planning studies are generally perceived as flexible. The common notion exists that they d o not have distinct features and comparative planning is different from holistic planning only when the factor of cross-national dimension is considered. This idea agrees with that quote under discussion. When the same plan is executed in different areas needs to comply to different work schedules, tools and other modes of execution only when the same plan is executed in different countries.This notion should not give the impression that a plan goes wayward when it is applied in different countries. The very definition of comparative planning research emphasizes the link between planning problems and execution in different regions, and there a connection with their regional institutional contexts. The emphasis on such a relationship between the matter of the investigation and the context stems from Friedmann’s paper on institutional context. Despite simple variations the general agreement is different styles of national planning dependent on a combination of system variables. They also depend on the level of economic development already attained, the nature of politics and culture.

Mining group gold Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mining group gold - Coursework Example When an individual is working on particular situation and parameter, the facilitator is required to work along to develop motivation and passion of his or her team to construct his leadership within that situation and task so that he or she may do adaptation depending on his or her maturity level. Facilitator should guide the process through the following order. Once facts are identified and analyzed then final stage of solution comes. The meeting group is set to conclude some solutions in this stage and select one of those solutions and take decisions to implement it. Team is generally known as people in a group, combining their knowledge, experience and expertise for one particular work and purpose for which it has been formalized. Specific task performed by the team members is termed as â€Å"TEAMWORK†. Importance of teams within an organization is follows like: b. If individuals within the team have proper coordination will have will help to accomplish much more than an individual can achieve the organization objective. This is the important reason for an organization to focus on group work instead of working individually. The mining group gold processes are includes a strong and proven techniques that can help the organization to maintain team environment within the organization and maintain cultural diversity. A good relationship within the team will give better opportunities to the organization for it survival and

Ethical issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical issue - Essay Example The two sides of the ethical issue facing this accountant are either to report him to the company’s authorities or not report him (Mizzoni 35). The accountant can report the supervisor to the company’s higher authorities, assuming that he has a duty to be honest and accountable to the company. This would mean that the accountant is using deontological ethics in which people act to fulfill a duty, regardless of whether the action pleases or does not please people. Using deontological ethics would influence the accountant’s perception to the effects that the supervisor was not justified in taking the $ 500 but that the money should have been used in developing the company. The ethics of moral duty would make him think that covering up the case would make him an accomplice and that he would be haunted for not reporting the case (Mizzoni 36). However, the decision to report his supervisor to higher authorities in the company would have both positive and negative implications. The company’s higher authorities might investigate the case, find that it is true, and discipline the supervisor. This would justify the accountant’s action, with or without the praise of the higher authorities. Another likely event is that the higher authorities might doubt the accountant, thinking that he is trying to implicate the supervisor and trying to settle a score with him, or that he is trying to report him after their deal to steal the company money went sour. This can cause his dismissal and if he is retained, there will be conflict between him and the supervisor (Mizzoni 36). The accountant could decide not to report the supervisor believing that it would have undesirable outcomes for the supervisor and for him. If he made the decision not to report his supervisor because of its outcomes, he would be led by utilitarian ethics. According to utilitarian ethics, outcomes of an act define its morality. Applying this ethics, the accountant could believe that both

Chemical Engineering design of a operation unit Essay - 1

Chemical Engineering design of a operation unit - Essay Example In chemical engineering, unit operation is the basic step in any separation process. Unit operation involves initiation of physical changes such as evaporation, crystallization, filtration, and separation among other physical processes. This paper involves a design of one operation unit for CO2 adsorption from flue gas of power plant. The adsorption process would make use of activated carbon, a source mainly from fuel substances in the mining industry, and it will be based on physical adsorption mechanism. Physical adsorption involves electrostatic attractive interaction of opposite charges and the idea of weak Van der Waals forces. It is chosen over chemisorption process because it uses lower enthalpy of adsorption, which is between 8-20 kJ mol-1 against 40-800 kJ mol-1 for chemisorptions. While activation energy in chemisorptions is small, it is zero for the physical process. Another factor considered is the low temperature of occurrence in physical adsorption, which depends on boiling point. Physical adsorption also allows the application of more than one layer that is adsorbed while chemisorption allows the chance of only one layer. Flue gas can be obtained from the combustion of a petroleum fuel such kerosene. The capture of carbon dioxide from power stations has increasingly become a key issue in research. CO2 separation is a benefit to the chemical industry, where CO2 is used for many purposes such as the production of methanol, urea, metal bicarbonates and carbonates. The concern on the production of CO2 is enhanced by the issue of global warming. Various capture approaches are typically applicable (Hicks et al. 2008). These approaches include membranes, cryogenic, absorption, and adsorption among other approaches. In this paper, adsorption process is used as the preferred approach in the gas separation process. Adsorption process of carbon dioxide gas

Ethical issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical issue - Essay Example The two sides of the ethical issue facing this accountant are either to report him to the company’s authorities or not report him (Mizzoni 35). The accountant can report the supervisor to the company’s higher authorities, assuming that he has a duty to be honest and accountable to the company. This would mean that the accountant is using deontological ethics in which people act to fulfill a duty, regardless of whether the action pleases or does not please people. Using deontological ethics would influence the accountant’s perception to the effects that the supervisor was not justified in taking the $ 500 but that the money should have been used in developing the company. The ethics of moral duty would make him think that covering up the case would make him an accomplice and that he would be haunted for not reporting the case (Mizzoni 36). However, the decision to report his supervisor to higher authorities in the company would have both positive and negative implications. The company’s higher authorities might investigate the case, find that it is true, and discipline the supervisor. This would justify the accountant’s action, with or without the praise of the higher authorities. Another likely event is that the higher authorities might doubt the accountant, thinking that he is trying to implicate the supervisor and trying to settle a score with him, or that he is trying to report him after their deal to steal the company money went sour. This can cause his dismissal and if he is retained, there will be conflict between him and the supervisor (Mizzoni 36). The accountant could decide not to report the supervisor believing that it would have undesirable outcomes for the supervisor and for him. If he made the decision not to report his supervisor because of its outcomes, he would be led by utilitarian ethics. According to utilitarian ethics, outcomes of an act define its morality. Applying this ethics, the accountant could believe that both

Understanding the Principles and Practises of Assessment Essay Example for Free

Understanding the Principles and Practises of Assessment Essay Assessment is the process of measuring the achievement of learners. It is an obvious way of checking that learning has taken place and is a good way of measuring the learner’s knowledge and practical skills that they have learnt. It is important for the assessor to initially establish whether the learner has any specific learning needs so that they can prepare to support the learner in whichever way they feel necessary. Learning and development are closely connected. The learner needs guidance in order to understand what it is they are required to learn, also to check that they are on track and also ways in which they can improve. This is generally where formative assessment comes into play. Formative assessment is used whilst learners are developing their skills and can also be useful throughout their course. It gives the assessor the opportunity to provide the learner with constructive feedback which they can use to improve their future performances. It also allows the learner to build on their strengths and learn from mistakes by listening to the assessor’s feedback, preparing them for summative assessment. Summative assessment is used when the students are up to a standard where they can carry out an assessment without any support or guidance. This should be up to industry standards and completed to commercial timing. By this stage there should be very few, if any areas for improvement and the learner must have a very strong underpinning knowledge of the subject. (AC 1.2) Define the key concepts and principles of assessment It is vital that assessment has to be fair, consistent and valid to ensure all learners have an equal chance of receiving a fair assessment. An assessor should not be swayed to give a learner an easier assessment because they favour them or on grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation or religious beliefs; the assessment process should be the same for every learner and purely judged on their knowledge, skill and competence within their subject area. There may be occasions where the assessment process has to be adapted to suit learners’ individual needs; however this still should eventually lead to the same outcome. In order for an assessment to be fair the assessor should clearly identify to the learner what outcomes are being assessed so that there is no area for confusion between the learner and assessor. Assessors should take guidance from the awarding body that they work alongside for the assessment criteria, for example in my area of work; I have to abide by the criteri a that is set out by VTCT. To ensure that the evidence is sufficient the learner should successfully cover all of the criteria set out by the awarding body and by the industry in which they are working. The most reliable way to ensure that an assessment is valid and reliable is for the assessor to observe a student first hand. This is the clearest way for the assessor to be sure that the student possesses the knowledge that is shown in their work and that it has not been copied from another source. This evidence should also be current, so therefore the assessor would need to have witnessed this within a reasonable timeframe as things change so frequently. It is important for assessors to ensure that they are up to date with current trends and changes within their industry and all assessors are required to keep up to date with continual professional development. It is also vital that all assessors are assessing to the same standard, this is usually monitored and updated during team standardisation meetings whic h should be carried out regularly. (AC 1.3) Explain the responsibilities of the assessor An assessor should firstly fully understand the standards and requirements they are working to. This means that all assessors should be fully qualified to the required standard within their industry and should regularly attend team standardisation meetings to ensure they are assessing to the same standards as other assessors.

Factors affecting employee commitment

Factors affecting employee commitment Over the last ten years, the study of commitment has advanced in many different directions. A variety of disciplines have adopted the topic as a theme in their research and these have offered fresh and significant insights. These recent advances include new approaches to both the conceptualization of employee commitment and the particular human resource practices intended to increase it. Current research concerning employee commitment highlights the pitfalls of viewing commitment as a one-dimensional construct that can be enhanced by a particular human resource policy. This assumes that a particular practice, for example offering flexible working arrangements or more training, will have a significant and beneficial effect on employee commitment. Unfortunately, in practice it is not that simple because there is no single solution. All employees wants and needs cannot be addressed by a single policy. The effective functioning of an organization highly depends on the commitment of its employees. In fact, the commitment of employees may be a key factor that determines the success of a company in the modern world since, in the situation of the growing competition and the constant implementation of new technologies a company needs to have well-qualified and reliable personnel to maintain its position in the market. At the same time, the effectiveness and productivity of work of employees still remain the major factors that can contribute to the progress of the company. On the other hand, nowadays it is obvious that financial stimuli solely can hardly motivate employees to work more effectively and productively. In such a situation, employees commitment turns to be of a paramount importance since it is due to the high commitment of employees they can perform positive results of their work, increase its effectiveness and productivity, while low commitment leads, as a rule, to poor results of the functioning of the entire organization. DEFINATION OF TERMS. COMMITMENT Meyer Allen 2001 define commitment as is a stabilizing force that acts to maintain behavioural direction when expectancy/equity conditions are not met and do not function. An obliging force which requires that the person honor the commitment even in the face of fluctuating attitudes and whims. (Brown 1996) The relative strength of an individuals identification with and involvement in a particular organization (Mowday et al 1979) According to Salancik (1977) commitment is a state of being in which an individual becomes bound by his action to beliefs that sustain his activities and his own involvement Allen meyer,1990, commitment is a psychological state that binds the individual to the organization. EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT It is the psychological bond of an employee to an organization, the strength of which depends on the degree of employee involvement, employee loyalty and belief in the values of the organization. As defined by Poter (1974) Employee commitment is the relative strength of the individuals identification with and involvement in a particular organization. It consists of three factors:A strong desire to remain a member of the organization; A strong belief in, and acceptance of, the values and goals of the organization A readiness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization MODELS OF COMMITMENT A THREE MODEL CONCEPTUALIZATION OF ORGANIZATION COMMITMENT. This model of organizational commitment model was developed by Meyer and Allen. According to the model, organizational commitment reflects at least three general themes. 1.Affective commitment to the organization 2.Continuance Commitment The perceived cost associated with leaving it 3.Normative Commitment- The obligation to remain with it. Affective Commitment Its the employees emotional attachment to, identification with and involvement in the organization. Employees with a strong affective commitment continue employment with the organization because they want to. Continuance Commitment The individual commits to the organization because he/she perceives high costs of losing organizational membership including economic costs (such as pension accruals) and social costs (friendship ties with co-workers) that could be incurred. The employee remains with the organization because he/she has to. I t refers to an awareness of the costs associated with leaving the organization. The potential cost of leaving an organization include the threat of wasting the time and effort spent acquiring non transferable skills, losing attractive benefits, giving up seniority based privileges or having to uproot family and disrupt personal relationships. It also develops as a result of lack of alternative employment opportunities. Employees in this category remain because they need to. NORTMATIVE COMMITMENTS Refers to a feeling of obligation to continue employment . Employees in this category remain in the organization because they feel they ought to. Organization can develop normative commitment by providing reward in advance e.g. paying college tuition. Normative pressures may also make an individual feel that they ought to remain within the organization. Acknowledging these investments makes employees feel a sense of obligation to reciprocate by committing themselves to the organization until the debt has been paid . One important point is that not all forms of employee commitment are positively associated with superior performance (Meyer Allen, 1997). For example, an employee who has low affective and normative commitment, but who has high continuance commitment is unlikely to yield performance benefits. The main reason such an employee remains with an organisation is for the negative reason that the costs associated with leaving are too great. THE HIGH COMMITMENT MODEL. ( IN STRATEGIC HRM.) This model embraces workforce commitment and identification with the organizations values and goals. The main features of high commitment model are 1. Development of career ladders and emphasis on trainability and commitment as highly characteristic of employees at all levels in the organization. 2. A high level of functional flexibility with the abandonment of potentially rigid job descriptions. 3. The reduction of hierarchies and the ending of status differentials. 4. Heavy reliance on the team structure for dissemination of information (team building) structure work and problem solving. 5. Job design as something management consciously does in order to provide jobs which have a considerable level of intrinsic motivation. 6. A policy of no compulsory layoff or redundancies and use of permanent employee with possible use of temporary workers to cushion fluctuation in the demand for labour. 7. New forms of assessment and pay system and more specifically merit pay profit sharing 8. A high involvement of employees in the management of quality. CONCEPTUALISATION OF COMMITMENT: MODEL DEVELOPED BY OREILLY AND CHATMAN. (1986) OReilly and Chatman(1986) developed their multidimensional framework on the basis of the assumption that commitment represents an attitude towards the organization. For them, commitment takes on three distinct forms, which they labeled 1. Compliance 2. Identification 3. Internalization Compliance occurs when attitudes and corresponding behaviors are adopted in order to gain specific rewards. E.g being very considerate towards people so that you get that promotion Identification occurs when an individual accepts influence to establish or maintain a satisfying relationship Relationship / Internalization occurs when influence is accepted because the attitudes and behaviors one is being encouraged to adopt are congruent with existing values. Employees thus become committed to organizations which they share value e.g. an organization that encourages integrity is likely to win the commitment of an individual who believes in integrity. TYPES OF COMMITMENT . OMalley (2000) contends that a review of the commitment literature produces five general factors which relate to the development of employee commitment: Affiliative Commitment: An organizations interests and values are compatible with those of the employee, and the employee feels accepted by the social environment of the organization. Associative Commitment: Organizational membership increases employees self-esteem and status. The employee feels privileged to be associated with the organisation. Moral Commitment: Employees perceive the organization to be on their side and the organization evokes a sense of mutual obligation in which both the organization and the employee feel a sense of responsibility to each other. This type of commitment is also frequently referred to in the literature as Normative Commitment. Affective commitment: Employees derive satisfaction from their work and their colleagues, and their work environment is supportive of that satisfaction. Some researchers (eg Allen Meyer, 1991) suggest that this is the most important form of commitment as it has the most potential benefits for organizations. Employees who have high affective commitment are those who will go beyond the call of duty for the good of the organization. In recent literature this form of commitment has also been referred to as engagement and is the form of commitment that is most usually measured by organizations. Structural commitment: Employees believe they are involved in a fair economic exchange in which they benefit from the relationship in material ways. There are enticements to enter and remain in the organization and there are barriers to leaving. This type of commitment is also frequently referred to in the literature as Continuance Commitment. FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT. The workplace is a dynamic field and to remain competitive, employee commitment is important..The following factors affect employee comittemnt: Workplace values. If employees believe that their organization values quality products they will engage in behaviors that will contribute to high quality. If employees are convinced that their organization values participation they will be more likely to feel as though their participation will make a difference. They will thus be motivated and be more willing to seek solutions and make suggestions to contribute to the organization success. Subordinate supervisor interpersonal relationship. Supervisors behavior include sharing appropriate information, allowing mutuality of influence, recognizing and rewarding good performance and not abusing the vulnerability of others . The extent to which the supervisor displays these behaviors will thus largely determine subordinate commitment level Job characteristics. The extent that a job is structured to provide regular feedback and autonomy as well as a sense of task completion An increase in perceived control strengthens emotional bonds with an organization. A heightened sense of personal control has a positive consequence for employees attitudes and behaviors at work. When tasks are Intrinsically satisfying, employees tend to be more committed. Commitment is low when employees are given repetitive routine tasks to complete. A job that allows a high degree of autonomy and the absence of close supervision increases commitment. Demographics AGE. A range of demographic variables have been found to be related to employee commitment (Mathieu Zajac, 1990). For a variety of reasons, age has been found to be a positive predictor of employee commitment. As Mathieu Zajac (1990) suggest, the older employees become, the less alternative employment options are available. As a result, older employees may view their current employment more favourably. Dunham et al. (1994) suggest older employees may be more committed because they have a stronger investment and greater history with their organization. GENDER: With regard to gender, a number of studies (eg Mathieu Zajac, 1990) have reported women as being more committed than men. This is typically explained by women having to overcome more barriers than men to get to their position in the organization. MARITAL STATUS Marital status has also been shown to relate to commitment, with married employees usually showing more commitment (Mathieu Zajac, 1990). However, it is suggested that the reason for this is because married employees will typically have greater financial and family responsibilities, which increases their need to remain with the organization. Note, however, that this refers to structural commitment (or continuance commitment) in that the cost associated with leaving the organization increases commitment to the organization. As mentioned previously, structural commitment does not necessarily relate to increased performance. Recruitment Procedures OMalley (2000) suggests that organizations need to pay more attention to addressing employees social need to affiliate and belong, in order to create commitment, the organization must have the right sort of employees in the first instance. Employees feelings of belonging start to develop long before employees join the organization. The following information should be shared with employee to enhance commitment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ share details about the organization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ provide employees with help and support throughout the recruitment and selection process à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ convey the interests and values that the organization shares with employees. Organizations need to be attractive to the right sort of people; thus the initial contact between the organization and the prospective candidate is very important. DEVELOPING AN EMPLOYER BRAND. As Troy (1998) points out, increasingly organizations are attempting to communicate with prospective employees in a coherent manner by developing an employer brand The brand should condense the basic nature of the organization, what its values are and what it would be like to work there. The principal purpose of the brand is to efficiently bring employers and employees together in order to establish a relationship. Thus, a good brand should convey both the unique benefits of the organizational environment and the type of person who is likely to do well in that setting. The organization must then ensure that it delivers these promises to its employees, or its efforts will have been wasted. Employers should, therefore, devote a portion of the selection process to assessing cultural fit. Met Expectations Employees will be more committed if there is a good match between what the person is looking for in a job, and what the job provides . Commitment will be greater when employees experiences on the job match their expectations. Unmet expectations are a source of low morale and dissatisfaction. Such expectations usually relate to the type of work employees are given to do and the opportunities they receive for training and development. Factors affecting commitment. By Kochan and dyan as cited by Armstrong 2005. 1. Strategic level -supportive business strategies -Top management value of commitment -Effective voice of HR in strategy making Supportive business strategies may include activities that increase employee involvement thus reinforcing commitment. When top management is commited to its employees the employees too become commited. Fair human resource policies e.g a policy of promotion based on merit will also increase commitment 2. Hr policy level -staffing based on employment stabilization investing on training and development -continent compensation that reinforces cooperation Training increases employees efficiency making them more commited because they enjoy what they do.(Affective commitment) 3. Workplace level Selection based on high standards -Job design and team work -employee involvement in problem solving -climate of cooperation and trust. Selecting people with the right skills for a job will ensure that the employee remains commited as they will be efficient in their duties. Efficiency increases commitment. Designinh jobs e.g allowing flexi time,job enlargement,job enrichment and job rotation ensures that monotony is kept at bay and commitment is enhanced Other factors that affect employee commitment by Purcell et al (2003 in Armstrong ,2005) include i. Received training last year ii. Are satisfied with career opportunities iii. Are satisfied with performance appraisal system Think managers are good in people management (Leadership) v. Find work challenging vi. Think their form helps them achieve a work-life balance vii. Are satisfied with communication or company performance Benefits of employee commitment High level of employee commitments means that employees are really enthusiastic about their job and, their performance will be better as well as the effectiveness and productivity of their work higher. Employee commitment also evokes a profound interest of an employee to his/her work. This means that he/she enjoys the job he/she does. Consequently, the level of employees satisfaction will be high if they are really committed to their work. Employee commitment may be also cost saving since committed employees are highly motivated that means that they do not need increasing financial rewards for their work, though it does not necessarily mean that employees should not receive financial rewards at all, but the expenses of the organization at this point may decrease. The performance benefits accrued from increased employee commitment have been widely demonstrated in the literature. To list but a few, these include: i. increased job satisfaction (Armstrong 2005) ii. increased job performance (Mathieu Zajac, 1990) iii. increased total return to shareholders . iv. increased sales (Barber et al., 1999) v. decreased employee turnover (Cohen, 1991) decreased intention to leave decreased intention to search for alternative employers (Cohen, 1993) vii. decreased absenteeism (Cohen, 1993, Barber et al. 1999) Employee commitment should be viewed as a business necessity. Organizations who have difficulty in retaining and replacing competent employees will find it hard to optimize performance. There are not only the immediate expenses of the recruitment process, but other hidden costs such as management time and lost productivity as new employees take time to become effective in their roles. Commitment also has the following effects: 1. I t results in self directed( self initiave) application to do the job 2. regular attendance, 3. nominal supervision 4. a high level of effort 5. it increases the intention to stay- loyalty NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF LOW EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT. Low commitment of employees may lead to negative results and undermine the normal functioning of an organization or, at any rate, decrease the effectiveness of work of employees considerably. The low employee commitment has a number of disadvantages which deteriorate the work of each employee and the entire organization (OMalley 2000). Low commitment leads to the low level of interest of employees in their work. Consequently, if employees are not sufficiently interested in their work they will naturally work worse than they can. In other words, the low commitment decreases the effectiveness and productivity of work for employees are not really interested in their work and its outcomes. Naturally, in such a situation, they can hardly be interested in a positive performance of the organization they work for. MEASURING EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT . This can be done through an attitude survey, employee satisfaction survey, employee commitment survey and performance appraisals. Questioners are usually administered to collect relevant data that management later uses when deciding ways of increasing employee commitment. Sample of a questioner attached(Annex 1) WAYS OF ENHANCING EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT Organizations can use various strategies to increase employee commitment. This strategies include: Induction and Training The induction programme should be the final step of the recruitment and selection process. A good induction programme will make new employees more familiar with and more at ease within the organization. Employees enter the organization with an assumption of compatibility and should be welcomed. Relationships with Managers This refers to how the quality of the relationship between managers and their employees relates to the development of commitment. Employees commitment reflects their day to day contacts with their line managers about their job, and the way in which objective targets are set. Effective communication on job-related issues is a key ingredient in securing individual performance. To a great extent, individual line managers are responsible for ensuring that these maintenance behaviours occur. With poor management, the most well developed organizational programme can break down at the point of transmission. Relationships with Colleagues Emotional attachment to colleagues in the workplace is an important element of commitment, though It is not enough on its own. Unless there is occasion for frequent and rewarding interaction, stronger feelings of belonging that can bind employees to the organization are unlikely to emerge. Organizations that want to build high levels of commitment should look for ways to build this through group activities both in and out of work Group Membership To build commitment, being a member of a particular organization must not only satisfy employees social need to affiliate and belong, but must also create a sense of collective identity that differentiates the group from other organizations. There are many situational features that contribute to a sense of group membership. The more exposure that employees have to these features, the more likely they will be to feel like a part of the group and to incorporate that membership into their concept of who they are. Organizational Justice and Trust It is also argued that employees evaluate their experiences at work in terms of whether they are fair and reflect a concern on the part of the organization for the well- being of the employees (Meyer, 1997). Treating employees fairly, communicates the message that management is commitment to the employees. This suggests that organizations wanting to foster greater commitment from their employees must first provide evidence of their commitment to their employees. When there is trust, employees are willing to suspend judgement and defer to the authority of others. In addition, trust permits organizational flexibility because a payback need be neither immediate nor of equivalent value. OMalley (2000) identifies four areas in which employees sense of trust in the employer can be increased: i. Growth: As most employees want to be more proficient in their job, a good way to instil trust is to attend to employees development needs. ii. Work-Life balance: Most employees would like organizations to allow greater personal time when needed. iii. Individual accommodation: Acts of organizational flexibility or benevolence toward employees. iv. Health and Safety: Organizations that are committed to protecting employees health and safety are more likely to be trusted Promotion Policies and practices concerning promotion can also affect commitment. . Among those who are considered for promotion, the outcome of the decision is likely to have an effect on commitment. But, for some, the perception of fairness in the decision-making process might be even more important. This suggests that organizations should communicate clearly how their decisions were made and why those who did not succeed were not suitable. Work-Life Balance A key issue emphasized by research, especially in recent years, is the extent to which employees perceive they are able to achieve the right balance between home and work. Organizations are beginning to recognize this, and are making more concerted efforts to introduce a host of programmes intended to ease employees burdens. These include initiative such as: flexible work arrangements; child care; time off policies; elderly care; healthcare; information and counseling; and convenience services to name but a few. Job Satisfaction How happy an employee is in a job has profound effects on behaviour and commitment. In relation to commitment, job satisfaction and work-life satisfaction are very important. Job satisfaction is an enormous area; however, to be concise a satisfying job typically has three properties: i. It has intrinsically enjoyable features: Mathieu Zajac (1990) found that the strongest correlation with commitment were obtained for job characteristics, particularly job scope (enrichment). ii. It provides an opportunity for growth and development. iii. It makes employees feel effective in their roles (that they can positively influence organizational outcomes). Pay and Reward As mentioned previously, employees may remain with an organization because there are constraints against leaving and incentives for staying. It is important for organizations to structure the economics of the relationship in a way that will not obstruct commitment. One of the reasons to stay in a relationship is because it makes sense economically. Pay makes continuation of the employment relationship worthwhile because there is mutual dependence. PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT Schein cited by (Armstrong 2005) defines commitment as attachment and loyalty Psychological contract is the degree people are committed to the organization (Schein 1965). It depends on 1. The degree to which their own expectations of what the organization will provide to them and what they owe the organization in return matches what the organization expectations are of what it will give and get in return The nature of what is actually to be exchanged e.g. money in exchange for time at work , social need satisfaction and security in exchange for hard work and loyalty Armstrong (2004) defines psychological contract as a system of beliefs which encompasses on one hand the actions employees belief are expected of them and what response they expect in return from their employer and on the other hand the behavior employers expect from their employees. It is implicit and dynamic ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT IN DEVELOPING EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT, (ARMSTRONG) 2005 1. During recruitment interviews present the unfavorable as well as the favorable aspects of a job in a realistic job preview.- This will enable the candidate have a clear and achievable expectation of the organization and thus avoid setting very high expectations that the organization is unable to meet,leading to low / decreased commitment 2. In induction programmes communicate to new starters the organizations personnel policies and procedures and its core values indicating to them the standards of performance expected this enables them to remain committed in achieving the expected performance 3. Issue and update employee hand books and intranet entries which reinforce the message delivered in induction programmes. 4. Develop performance management process plans which spell out how continued improvement of performance can be achieved mainly by self managed learning 5. Use training and management development programmes to underpin values that define performance expectations. 6. Ensure thorough manager and team leader training that managers and team leaders understand their role in managing the employment relationship through such processes as performance management and team leadership managers should be very committed so as to pass the same message of commitment to employees. 7. Encourage a maximum amount of contact between managers and team leaders and their team members to achieve mutual understanding. 8. Adopt a general policy of transparency ensuring that on all matters which affect them employees know what is happening and the impact it will make on their employment 9. Develop personal procedures covering grievance handling, discipline , promotion and redundancy. Ensure they are implemented fairly and consistently. 10. Develop and communicate personnel policies covering the major areas of employment, development, reward and employee relations DEVELOPING HR PRACTICES THAT ENHANCE COMMITMENT. According to Armstrong 2005 the following ten (10) practice contribute to increase of employee commitment. 1.Advise in methods of communicating the values and aims of management and achievements of the organization, so that employees are more likely to identify with it as one they are proud to work for. 2.Emphasize to management that commitment is a two way process employees cannot be expected to be committed to the organization unless management demonstrates that it is committed to them. 3.Impress on the management the need to develop a climate of trust by being honest with people, treating them fairly justly and consistently, keeping its word and showing willingness to listen to the comments and suggestions made by employees 4.Develop a positive psychological contract by treating people as stakeholders rely on consensus and cooperation rather than control and coercion and provision of opportunities for learning and career progression. 5.Advise on and assist in the establishment of partnership agreements with trade unions which emphasiz

The Black and White World of Atwoods Surfacing Essay -- Atwood Surfa

The Black and White World of Atwood's Surfacing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   Many people elect to view the world and life as a series of paired opposites-love and hate, birth and death, right and wrong. As Anne Lamott said, "it is so much easier to embrace absolutes than to suffer reality" (104). This quote summarizes the thoughts of the narrator in Margaret Atwood's novel Surfacing.   The narrator, whose name is never mentioned, must confront a past that she has tried desperately to ignore (7). She sees herself and the world around her as either the innocent victim or the victimizer, never both. Atwoods use of opposing characters and themes throughout the novel serves to support the narrators view of life as "black and white," things that she can categorize as either a victim or a victimizer. Critical moments in the novel work to reverse the assumed roles and, for the narrator, only after her submerged memory has surfaced can she begin to see the possibility of life as more than a binary reality. Anna plays the role of the classic submissive female married to David's classic chauvinist male. "Wanting to remain attractive to her husband, Anna attempts to conform to the eroticized and commodified images of women promulgated in the mass culture" (Bouson 44). Although the novel is set during the 1970"s, the decade of one of the great feminist movements in our history, Anna remains a woman who maintains herself for her husbands benefit. In a critical scene in the novel, the narrator sees Anna applying makeup. When she (the narrator) tells her that it is unnecessary where they are Anna says "He doesn't like to see me without it," and then quickly adds, "He doesn't know I wear it" (41). To the narrator, Anna is a victim. Although she allows he... ...l E. "Margaret Atwood and the Poetics of Duplicity." The Art of Margaret Atwood. Ed. Arnold E. Davidson. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 1981.    Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird. New York: Doubleday. 1994.    Lecker, Robert. "Janus Through the Looking Glass: Atwood's First Three Novels." The Art of Margaret Atwood. Ed. Arnold E. Davidson. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 1981.    Shepherd, Valerie. "Narrative Survival: The power of personal narration, discussed through the personal story-telling of fictional characters, particularly those created by Margaret Atwood." Language and Communication. 15.4 (1995): 355-373.    Most of the novels characters can be classified as either a victim or a victimizer, but none more so than David and Anna. A classic submissive female, Anna maintains her marriage to David, the classic chauvinist male.