Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Transformational leadership on World health care Essay Example for Free
Transformational leadership on World health care Essay Introduction            Transformational leadership can be defined and utilized based on specific or relative circumstances in many varied ways. For one, it can be assessed as the task of simply increasing the efficiency of everyone through a scheme of excellence for the whole company or the improvement of the morale of an individual employee. The main assumption behind this approach is that when employees of a certain company or organization are working their tasks efficiently, the amount and quality of work done are proportionally affected. In essence, employees that are more efficient translate into far greater options and larger benefits. The correlation is thus an important aspect in the leadership skills of the heads of various companies and organizations.            For the most part, transformational leadership can be used as a tool not only in analyzing the crucial aspects of world health care but also in directly addressing the cases that shape the totality of the events related to the broad scope of global health care. The complexities involved in the cross-continental management and maintenance of the multitude of interrelated functions.            The task of meeting the multiple health care services across the different parts of the world that direly need immediate action calls forth an approach whereby the functioning of the wide number of health care service providers are efficiently met. Transformational leadership, following its basic principle, offers means in which the tasks required in addressing world health care are met. Noting further that transformational leadership aptly disperses the capabilities of the employees and, consequently, the different departments or institutions that comprise the whole of the company, the application of this approach on the various issues that are involved in the global arena of health care may eventually help alleviate the global challenge attached to world health care. A look into transformational leadership            Transformational leadership, in essence, signifies the role of the â€Å"leader†in directing the rest of his or her subordinates in a fitting manner that will bring about favorable results to the functioning of every employee, department, and of the whole company in the process. However, the apparent effect of the role of the leader on the subordinates in the company can be further observed and analyzed from a closer examination on what makes a leader able to affect his subordinates apart from the boss-subordinate relationship (Antonakis House, 2001).            One aspect that separates transformational leadership a cut above the rest is that it defines the extent to which a leader is seen as charismatic to his subordinates. The core principle behind this is that leaders should treat their subordinates or employees as individuals who are also capable of thinking for themselves, or individuals who are intellectually stimulating (Tichy Devanna, 2001).            By treating the lower â€Å"ranks†or departments of the company as entities capable of actually affecting the intellectual direction of the company, the employees will not merely serve as passive elements in the upbringing of the company but as active elements capable of pouring into that intellectual basin their knowledge on the affairs of the company.            The result will be that the efforts of the leader in guiding the direction of the company will be amplified since the employees are treated in a manner in which they are involved in the critical processes. Moreover, a good leader will bring about a heightened sense of life into the company. The role of transformational leadership in world health care            World health care has been a primary concern among the international community for the past few years. Many factors are attributed to the growing concern over the issues that are directly related to the problems that beset world health care.            Among the various countries that are in deep need of health care, those that belong to the third-world countries are most notable. Inasmuch as these countries lack the internal capacity to finance and support a growing demand for health care, these nations also have a relatively low means in achieving at least good health for a small fraction of the population. A very limited number of infrastructures and programs that are aimed at addressing the health care issues of these nations amplify the drastic situation even more.            This is the point wherein the international community has resorted to measures that will seek to address the current health issues that beset the citizens of countries suffering from low-health maintenance. For the most part, the international community has joined efforts in seeking out the best possible means in resolving these global health issues. The consequent effect to this is the creation of various international institutions that operate on the local levels of various countries.            Since the operations of these global institutions are tilted on a multitude of local areas, it is apparent that a number of workers are seen to be handling these local operations. In this light, the role of a transitional leadership is needed to take its shape.            By having a transitional leadership in the management of all the affairs taken by the various institutions, the possibility of having a full line of efficient institutions can take place. That is, by treating all the employees who will handle the tasks relative to the specific institutions in these international health offices as individuals capable of contributing to the think-tank process, the process will be further stimulated. These individuals, as partakers in the critical thinking process, are further empowered and acquire a higher role in the global effort of resolving world health care issues.            On the local level, these working individuals can be further guided according to the tasks by relegating a leader whose charisma gives positive effects to the working attitude and philosophy of the employees. Thus, the implementation of health policies from these various international institutions becomes an easy and efficient task in the case where employees have little or no defiance to the implementation of the tasks. Conclusion Far more importantly, transitional leadership allows the development of the employees in terms of their personal growth and in their working attitude. It contributes the international efforts in resolving the issues that beset world health care inasmuch as the international community operates on the local level or in the localities with poor health conditions, especially in communities belonging to the third-world countries. References Antonakis, J., House, R. J. (2001). Transformational Leadership. In B. J. Avolio F. Yammarino (Eds.), Transformational and Charismatic Leadership (pp. 3-66): JAI Press. Bhargava, S. (2003). Transformational Leadership: Value Based Management for Indian Organizations: Sage Publications Pvt. Ltd. Ginter, P. M., Duncan, W. J., Sappington, A. A., Swayne, L. E. (2005). Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations (5 ed.): Blackwell Publishing Incorporated. Porter, M. E., Teisberg, E. O. (2006). Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results (1 ed.): Harvard Business School Press. Tichy, N. M., Devanna, M. A. (2001). The Themes, The Protagonists, The Transformational Drama. In Transformational Leader (2 ed., pp. 8): Wiley.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Rap To Teach English As Second Language
Rap To Teach English As Second Language Introduction Music is part of popular culture. Language teachers have been integrated music and language learning in the classroom for many years. For example, using the song Yesterday from the Beatles to teach past tense. If music and songs can help learning English as a second language, English teachers in Hong Kong should be encouraged to use rap songs as a tool to teach English as a second language in the classroom. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, rap is a style of popular music developed by New York Blacks in the 1970s in which words are spoken rhythmically and often in rhyming sentences over an instrumental backing. In the early 1770s, Clive Campbell (Kool DJ Herc), a Jamaican immigrant, introduced the sound system from reggae music (Njubi, 2001). By combining the English sound system and other African-American linguistic features, rap has become a unique voice for the African Americans. When we talk about rap songs, we must mention hip-hop culture. Hip-hop is a cultural movement originated from the Bronx (a poor gang-oriented neighborhood) in New York City during the 1970s by African American. Njubi stated that hip-hop is clearly one of the most significant youth cultures as it has influenced what young people wear, how they talk and even the way they walk. It has also received significant attention from scholars and politicians. Hip-hop has been a major literacy force for over twenty years (Morris, 2002) because it has created rap as an important music genre. English teachers around the world are trying to use rap as an educational tool to promote English (Pennycook, 2003) because of its fast spoken lyrics. However, many teachers in Hong Kong are reluctant to use rap songs in the classroom because most of them think the lyrics either violent or sexual, and some think the materials are too black or Americanized (Low, 2009). In the following, we will discuss how rap songs can be an effective language learning tool to motivate students in learning English as well as increase their awareness of cultural differences. Why do we use rap songs for language teaching and learning? Music is accessible because of the technology such as iTunes and iPod. Since 1937, using folk, classical and pop music to teach English as a second language has been documented by educators in various professional journals (Sposet, 2008). Through music, students can improve their speaking skills, learning and understanding grammar, enhance their writing skills and increase their culture awareness (Peregoy and Boyle 2008; Saricoban and Metin 2000; Iwasaki, 2009). Woodall and Zeimbroski (2002) stated that music plays an important role in language and literacy development because students can learn grammatical structure and develop natural responses and speech through songs. According to Schoepp (2000), the repetitive nature of many rap songs can help English learners to get familiar with new words and phrases as they can rhyme and sing along. Many rap songs, just like folk songs, follow a repeated verse and rhyme, and that makes them easy to follow (Saricoban and Metin, 2000). For teenagers, it is important to improve their listening and speaking skills, as well as their attention span and memory (Hilll-Clarke and Robinson 2003). Mithen (2006) stated that all individuals have a capacity to acquire language and are born with a basic instinct to appreciate music. Iwasaki (2009) also agreed that music is a powerful medium to motivate students to learn a second or foreign language. When students listen to songs and sing along, the experience is enjoyable and stress-free, it can help second language learners to acquire the language more naturally and effectively. Perry (2004) also agreed with linguist Geneva Smitherman that rap lyrics are usually humorous, ironic, punning, teachy but not preachy. If according to Abbotts (2002) theory, repetition can help build language and fluency, then rap songs can definitely help stimulate second language learning because of its repetitive format. Also, by using the chorus in the rap songs, it can help students to learn syntax and lexical items easily and apply them in their daily conversations. Using music to enhance our memory and learning Mithen summed up three similarities between music and language : MUSIC LANGUAGE lyrics words singing speaking rhythm and melody intonation and stress time Lake (2002) found out language and music are closely tied together in the brain by pitch, rhythm and syntactical phrasing. When students understand the connections, they can acquire, process and produce English naturally. Neurologists have found musical and language processing in the same area of the brain (Maess Koelsch, 2001). To illustrate the strong connection between music and learning, Strickland (2005) conducted a very interesting and valid experiment. He asked a group of students if they could remember the words in ten poems. Then, he asked how many words they could remember in ten songs. Without much surprise, there were more hands go up the second time. It clearly proved that music has played a very important and memorable role in language learning. Medina (2002) agreed that we have good memory with music because all those repetitive words and rhythm stay in our head even after the English lesson. When we add rhythm and melody into language, it will help us to transfer words into long-term memory. Medina concluded that it is impossible to acquire language without memory. Using rap to teach poems and pronunciations According to Renegade (2002), the strongest poetic influence on rap is popular poems with four bears per line, for example, Eenie meenie, mynie moe, Catch a tiger by the toe. With all those rhyming, cross-rhyming, metaphor, symbolism and simile, rap can be a preferred literacy teaching tool to teach English as a second language. Renegade noticed rap lyrics are written according to highly structured rules. There are two forms of rap lyrics: Rhyme and rap song. A rhyme is a single long stanza, often a narrative and the writer can write as many as he / she wants, whereas a rap song borrows its structure from a popular song with repeating chorus in between. Renegade also observed that rappers have been using rap as a poetic tool because it has a strong emphasis on assonance, consonance, and combinations with end rhyme. Rappers like to use simile, metaphor, invention and reinvention of words to spark off new interest in poetry. In other words, using low culture to teach high culture. In 2002 and 2004, Low worked with a creative writing teacher to develop and teach spoken word poetry curriculum. The initial curriculum was only a seven-week program but in 2004, it became a long-term course. Low concluded the success of the program as a literacy of LIVING experience because students were able to use rap as a platform to speak inside and outside the classroom. Strickland also agreed that students are natural poets, and poetry is meant to be performed. Lake observed a strong connection between intonation and music. He noticed students interested in symbols and images, and that means they are more likely to be stimulated by audio or visual. He compared words, feeling, pitch and stress with musical expression. He concluded that speech without music is like language without heart because both music and language express emotions and convey messages. Through rap songs, students can learn pronunciation, intonation, stress, accent, pitch, tone, melody, rhyme, rhythm and fluency. Students who enjoy singing, chanting, lip syncing or mouthing along can improve their pronunciation skills and practice linking and reduction when speaking English Using rap to enhance reading and writing skills To be a good rapper, one must be able to use his / her voice to write, have good memory and reinvent rhymes spontaneously. Rap music encourages teenagers to write because it reflected the writers inner speech and images in their mind. For example, in Lows spoken word poetry school project, students in the class were able to write powerful and thoughtful poetry for the first time because they were inspired by rap. A lot of students in Hong Kong hate writing because expressing themselves in a second language is already difficult, and writing in a second language is even more challenging. Students need to have a reason to write, and that reason will become their motivation. Alvermann, Hagood and Williams (2001) shared a case of a 14-year-old Grade 8 / F. 2) African American boy who scored the lowest on the districts standardized reading test. The school boy loves rap, so Williams asked him to write to him about his favorite rap artist. The boy wanted to have more factual information about his favorite rap artist. Williams agreed to help the boy with his project, and he asked the boy to e-mail him regularly and keep him informed of his findings. The boy demonstrated that he was a capable reader because he searched for specific information through different websites, and he was a capable writer because he used popular culture texts in his writing. Instead of just giving information to the school boy, Williams guided him throughout the project and made him an independent learner, and enhance both of his reading and writing skills, not to mention giving him a higher self-esteem and more self-confidence. Iwasaki (2009) stated that rap songs have natural language and it can help students to process the meaning of words under an authentic environment. In Weinsteins (2008) study, she found many teenaged students have demonstrated sophisticated understanding of literary features through rap, for example, figurative language. Rap can help students, especially the social marginalized ones to write lyrics that can reflect social, economic and racial problems. Teenagers enjoy writing lyrics for rap because it is a channel for them to prove and establish their identity, an outlet for them to express their anger and frustrations about school, community, social norms, confusion and desire. Lake suggested that students are already heavily exposed to popular culture and music of their first language, it is likely that they are going to be curious about the popular culture and music of their second or foreign language as well. The purpose of writing for teenagers should not be just classroom based, it should be included a great variety and popular culture related topics. Despite worrying about low test scores, teenagers will be more willing and eager to try because when they see the purpose, they can produce quality work and invest their time in it. Through rap songs, teachers can further illustrate and explain grammatical structures to students. Based on Schoepps observation, songs can help students to develop a natural ability to use the target language in the right situation. When students are exposed to repetitive phrases in the right context, they can remember the language and apply it automatically. Using rap to help student to communicate with the world Iwasaki noticed that while students are gaining linguistic knowledge through rap songs, they are gaining the cultural knowledge at the same time as well. The lyrics always tell us something about the history, culture, thinking and attitude of a society. As Pennycook concluded that rap is a global phenomenon involving language use. Pennycook noticed rap has always helped the spread of English globally, especially to countries where English is a foreign language, like Japan and Korea. Mitchell (2001:1-2) argued that hip-hop and rap only belong to African-American culture. In fact, it has brought youth from around the world closer. It is not about where one comes from or which social class one belongs to, but what one can do with the language. Iwasaki believes culture, like music and language, develops and changes. Therefore, popular culture is a channel for the mass to express themselves and for those who want to release pressure from the society. Allowing students to expose to both mass and popular culture will help them to develop cultural awareness of others and their own. Pennycook argues despite the lyrics in rap contains highly controversial topics and expressions, it also communicates meaning on a global scale. Rap is not just about the blacks in the U.S. but a common language shared by a lot of Asian countries like Japan, Korea and even Hong Kong. s we are all going global, our ability to communicate and knowing each others language and music will help us to understand each others customs and traditions much better and faster, thus, avoid conflicts and misunderstanding. Based on the evidence above, few would agree with Schumanns hypothesis in 1976 that the greater the social distance between two cultures, the more difficulty the learner would have in acquiring the target language. Negative impression towards rap A lot of English teachers are reluctant to incorporate rap in their class because when they think of rap, they will have all these negative images villains, gangsters, low culture, low education, guns, drugs, blood, violence, sex, materials and bling bling. They do not know how and where to find the GOOD rap songs with positive meaning. Weinstein (2006) criticized the highly sexual nature of many popular rap songs often gives damaging images of black men and women. The music videos always emphasizes on violence and drugs which also reinforce stereotypes of Blacks and Black youths where they are seen as dangerous, immoral and anti-social. However, Iwasaki argued that any music-based lesson could become a disaster without any thoughtful selection and preparation. Same for Kolozes argument, people wrote songs about drugs, life in the ghetto, rebellion and sex in popular songs since the 1950s. Iwasaki urged teachers to actually make use of those discussions to enhance students critical thinking while acquiring a second language. According to her theory, without general culture knowledge and some social and political awareness, one would find it difficult to participate in common and meaningful topics that a second or foreign language can offer. Some teachers may think some rap songs are inappropriate for classroom use, but the massive influence of rap and hip-hop music around the world has to be considered and noticed. Just like all other popular culture and media, it has its positive and negative influence. Lake also agreed that it would be a foolish if teachers do not use music to take advantage of the positive influence of music as a teaching tool. Selecting a rap with a positive message and the right attitude can enhance English learning as well as social awareness. English teachers need to realize that each rap has a message to spread out. As Music in a universal language, most raps are trying to solve race, class and religion problems that face by the youth (Njubi, 2001). For example, Where is the Love? by Black Eyed Peas. The rap is about the U.S. after the 911 tragedy and calling for U.S. army withdrawal from Iraq. The rap song was the longest-serving British No. 1 in five years and the best selling record of 2003 in the U.K. The group performed the song at the 2004 Grammy Awards, where it was nominated for The Record Of The Year (Wikipedia). This rap was so popular and moved so many people around the world because it is a social-conscious rap. It focused on upright and political awareness. Despite social and political implications, raps do give a voice to young people and inspire them. Teachers should involve their students in the selection process because when they hear something they can relate to, it will motivate them to learn. Challenges The arguments for incorporating popular culture into traditional curriculum are quite compelling and have generated a lot of noises and controversies. A lot of teachers and educators are filled with confusions and anxiety. Morrell (2002) understands teachers feeling daunting about using popular culture because of a lack of understanding. Rap has always been controversial because it is the rappers are expressing opposing views to the dominant culture. By helping students to understand the content can help them to make a meaningful connection between language and culture. Allowing students to be exposed to both mass and popular culture will allow them to think about their own cultural beliefs. School education should incorporate elements and materials from popular culture. Just like what Itoi and Inose (2008) mentioned that teachers should encourage students to think critically around their surroundings and become an independent thinkers. Students can gain insights about the songs by understanding or implying what they hear. Situations in songs are usually open to interpretation, so students can exercise their imagination and express their opinions freely. Conclusion It is the teachers ultimate goal to inspire students to develop their sills and interest in English DURING and AFTER class. Music is one way to create memorable lessons and spark curiosity beyond formal language lessons. Music is a highly relevant source of language outside the classroom. Integrating music into teenagers everyday activities promotes literacy development, particularly for English learners. It is a way for students to experience rich and complex language in a relaxing and entertaining way. A learning environment filled with music will generate interest, encourage creativity and positive learning attitude. Plato once said, Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. Activity 1 Where is the love? by Black Eyed Peas Total class time : 60 minutes Warm up (12 mins) Use the rap song Where is the Love? (not the whole song, just the first part from Whats wrong with the world, mama? to Where is the love, the love, the love? Teacher will pre-teach and elicit some of the key words in the song. For example, addicted, trauma, terrorism, race, meditate, suffering, etc. through pictures and images Teacher play the song for the FIRST TIME, ask students to stand up every time when they hear a NEGATIVE WORD (either it is a verb, noun or adjective). For example, trauma, terrorism, discriminate, hate, killing, dying, hurt, sufferingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Task 1 (3 mins.) Play the song once (the selected part), ask students to identify the rap part and the chorus part Task 2 (5 mins.) Put students into 2 groups Ask both groups to come out to the whiteboard (2 whiteboards in the classroom) and when they listen to the words that rhyme, they have to write down on the whiteboard. For example, mama, drama and trauma/discriminate, hate, demonstrate, yeah/dying/cryingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Task 3 (5 mins.) Ask students to go to their computer Ask students to go the internet and search for the lyrics Ask students to copy and paste that file to a word document Ask students to underline all the rhyme words as they listen to it again Task 4 (5 mins.) Put students into 4 groups Play the song 2 times to the whole class Ask students to RAP along as much as possible (turn down the volume) Give each group 5 minutes to rehearse Task 5 (15 mins.) Tell students they can look at the lyrics from the computer screen and do a group rapping in front of the class The audience (other groups) have to watch and hold up their hip-hop cap afterwards if they like it. Teacher will count the number of hip-hop caps and write the result on the whiteboard and see which group is the audiences favorite No formal assessment is needed at this stage as this practice is to help the slower and quiet / shy students to build up their confidence. However, teacher will ask students randomly and see what and why they like or do not like about certain groups performance. Post class activity : A group project Time given: 10 days Teacher will spend 10 to 15 minutes explaining this group project Students need to work in a group of 4 Students need to find a controversial social or political topic in Hong Kong through the South China Morning Post or other English news media on the internet Students need to express their opinions about that topic by writing new lyrics that will fit into the rap song of their choice The rap song must be either from the U.S. or Hong Kong Students need to perform and record their NEW RAP and post it on YouTube. Students must provide a YouTube link of the original rap song with their own YouTube video A VERY useful Reference for students : http://blog.mtviggy.com/2010/03/24/top-10-canto-hip-hop-and-rap-songs/ Students need to vote for their favorite GROUP, favorite LYRICS, favorite RAP performance through the school intranet Activity 2 An Interview with your favorite rapper Lead in / Warm up Ask students if they know any local rapper Ask students who is (are) their favorite(s) Stage 1 Ask students to work in pairs (provided they like the same rapper) or individually to draft an e-mail to rappers like MC Jin, Famers, LMF, 24 Herbs, and invite them for an interview which will be conducted by the students Ask students to go online and look for more information about their favorite rapper Ask students to produce the first draft Stage 2 Ask students to produce the second draft based on the teachers advice and comments through e-mail Ask students to work in a group of 3s and prepare a list of questions as an attachment with their e-mail to IMPRESS the rappers so they WILL BE MORE EAGER to say yes to the interview Stage 3 Ask students to produce the FINAL draft Ask students to search from the internet and find out the management company or the record company of the artist that they would like to interview Ask students to send their request to those rappers Facebook accounts and blogs as well Students must send their e-mail through the teachers school e-mail account the teacher needs to have direct control of what goes out and comes in Stage 4 Peer assessment Teacher will ask students to vote and pick the 10 BEST interviewing questions through the school intranet Assessment for activity 1 (post class activity) The group project Peer assessment Instruction : Just put a Æ’Â ¼ in the box for the comment that you agree Questions What do you think, (name of the audience) ? Did you like our topic? Yes, its a hot topic and I can relate to it! Its a typical one! Sorryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it doesnt interest me at all! Did our new lyrics get your attention? Did we bring out a clear message? Yes, very interesting and I wanted to know more! Not really! Sorry but I dont understand what you guys were trying to say! Whats the message? Did we write our new lyrics with the correct grammar? Yes! I think so! May be a few mistakes! Full of grammatical mistakes! Did we have the right pronunciation? Yes! Most of them! No! Was our rap clear and easy to follow? Yes! Most of them! No! Did our new lyrics rhyme with the tune? Yes! Absolutely! Most of them! No! Not at all!!! Did we rap with the right beat? Yes, I wanted to rap along with you guys too! You guys were off a little but it was still alright! Sorry! You guys couldnt catch the beat at all! Did we rap loud and clear enough? Yes! I couldnt hear some of them. Sorry, you guys were just mumbling! Teacher assessment Group members : ______________________________________________ 5=Totally agree 4=Agree 3=Average 2=Disagree 1=Totally disagree 1. An interesting topic which everybody in Hong Kong can relate to. 2. The contents of the rap showed your group had a good understanding of the topic. 3. The organization of the rap was clear and easy to follow. 4. The lyrics were expressive and creative. 5. The lyrics were well written. 6. The lyrics and tune went well together. 7. Your group had good pronunciation when rapping. 8. Your group used correct grammar when writing the lyrics. 9. All of you were very fluent and smooth with your rap. 10. It was a very enjoyable performance. TOTAL SCORE Assessment for activity 2 Writing an e-mail to your favorite rapper Teacher assessment Name of student : ______________________________________________ 5=Totally agree 4=Agree 3=Average 2=Disagree 1=Totally disagree 1. Your e-mail had an appropriate and easy to understand subject. 2. Your e-mail had greeting, introduction, body and closure. 3. The organization of your e-mail was clear and easy to follow. 4. You made your request clear and precise. 5. Your e-mail showed the importance of this matter. 6. Your e-mail supported with good reasons and it can persuade the reader to act according to your request 7. The spelling, punctuation and grammar of your e-mail were accurate. 8. Your e-mail was polite and sincere. 9. Your e-mail content fulfilled all the requirements stated. TOTAL SCORE Lyrics Where is the love? by Black Eyed Peas Whats wrong with the world, mama People livin like they aint got no mamas I think the whole world addicted to the drama Only attracted to things thatll bring you trauma Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism But we still got terrorists here livin In the USA, the big CIA The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK But if you only have love for your own race Then you only leave space to discriminate And to discriminate only generates hate And when you hate then youre bound to get irate, yeah Madness is what you demonstrate And thats exactly how anger works and operates Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight Take control of your mind and meditate Let your soul gravitate to the love, yall, yall People killin, people dyin Children hurt and you hear them cryin Can you practice what you preach And would you turn the other cheek Father, Father, Father help us Send some guidance from above Cause people got me, got me questionin Where is the love (Love) Where is the love (The love) Where is the love (The love) Where is the love The love, the love
Sunday, August 4, 2019
The Symbolic Function of the Sambo Doll in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Ma
In 1952, Ralph Ellison published the only novel of his career: Invisible Man; telling the story of an unnamed â€Å"invisible†narrator. Early on, the narrator delineates his invisibility to â€Å"people refus[ing] to see [him];†society neglects to see him as a result of his black lineage (Ellison 3). Ellison incorporates several objects, frequently appearing and reappearing throughout the novel, to expose social and intellectual issues imposed on the black community. Amid the â€Å"procession of tangible, material objects†moving â€Å"in and out of the text†is the dancing Sambo doll whose purpose is to symbolically represent cruel stereotypes and the destructive power of injustice that blacks fall victim to (Lucas 172). Ellison’s rendering of the small paper dolls, representing obedient black slaves, â€Å"unveils an astonishing correspondence between the past and the present†and functions as a force to the narrator’s most essent ial consciousness of his environment and identity (Lucas 173). The Sambo, whose sole purpose was to entertain the white community, further functions to symbolize, through its stereotype, the power whites have to control the movements of African Americans. Ellison immediately introduces readers to the Sambo stereotype at the beginning of the novel when the invisible man becomes the source of entertainment for the white man at the battle royal, engaging in a fighting match with other black men. Out of pure desperation to be accepted by these men, the narrator; like the obedient Sambo, moves in accordance to what he hears the crowd instructing him to do because â€Å"only these men [can] judge [his] ability†(Ellison 22). To further validate the narrator’s Sambo-like behavior, following the match, a blond man winks at the narrator... ...pulls its strings. For the narrator and the black community, the Sambo dolls are a constant reminder that they are unable to neither form their own identity nor control their very movements. Ellison’s incorporation of the Sambo dolls educates us on an important lesson in life, that it is important to be ourselves and choreograph our own choices and movements in life. We must not allow others to hold reign of our strings and steer us in the direction they feel is right. â€Å"Life is to be lived, not controlled;†our full potential in life lies within our ability to control our movements and decisions in life (Ellison 577). Works Cited Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: Vintage International, 1995. Ebook Reader. Morel, Lucas E. Ralph Ellison and the Raft of Hope: A Political Companion to Invisible Man. Lexington: University of Kentucky, 2004. Print. The Symbolic Function of the Sambo Doll in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Ma In 1952, Ralph Ellison published the only novel of his career: Invisible Man; telling the story of an unnamed â€Å"invisible†narrator. Early on, the narrator delineates his invisibility to â€Å"people refus[ing] to see [him];†society neglects to see him as a result of his black lineage (Ellison 3). Ellison incorporates several objects, frequently appearing and reappearing throughout the novel, to expose social and intellectual issues imposed on the black community. Amid the â€Å"procession of tangible, material objects†moving â€Å"in and out of the text†is the dancing Sambo doll whose purpose is to symbolically represent cruel stereotypes and the destructive power of injustice that blacks fall victim to (Lucas 172). Ellison’s rendering of the small paper dolls, representing obedient black slaves, â€Å"unveils an astonishing correspondence between the past and the present†and functions as a force to the narrator’s most essent ial consciousness of his environment and identity (Lucas 173). The Sambo, whose sole purpose was to entertain the white community, further functions to symbolize, through its stereotype, the power whites have to control the movements of African Americans. Ellison immediately introduces readers to the Sambo stereotype at the beginning of the novel when the invisible man becomes the source of entertainment for the white man at the battle royal, engaging in a fighting match with other black men. Out of pure desperation to be accepted by these men, the narrator; like the obedient Sambo, moves in accordance to what he hears the crowd instructing him to do because â€Å"only these men [can] judge [his] ability†(Ellison 22). To further validate the narrator’s Sambo-like behavior, following the match, a blond man winks at the narrator... ...pulls its strings. For the narrator and the black community, the Sambo dolls are a constant reminder that they are unable to neither form their own identity nor control their very movements. Ellison’s incorporation of the Sambo dolls educates us on an important lesson in life, that it is important to be ourselves and choreograph our own choices and movements in life. We must not allow others to hold reign of our strings and steer us in the direction they feel is right. â€Å"Life is to be lived, not controlled;†our full potential in life lies within our ability to control our movements and decisions in life (Ellison 577). Works Cited Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: Vintage International, 1995. Ebook Reader. Morel, Lucas E. Ralph Ellison and the Raft of Hope: A Political Companion to Invisible Man. Lexington: University of Kentucky, 2004. Print.
Essay on the Human Spirit in Frankenstein and Picture of Dorian Grey
Similarities of the Human Spirit in Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Grey The human spirit is one of the most beautiful forces in the world, but it is also one of the most vulnerable. In the novels Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, this idea of the human spirit is portrayed clearly. Both novels have similar aspects about the human spirit, but they also have their differences. Both novels have main characters who are influenced greatly by someone that they admire, and they are destroyed by that influence. The difference that these novels have is that in Frankenstein, the main character is influenced and destroyed by something he creates himself, while in The Picture of Dorian Grey, the main character is influenced and destroyed by his friend and mentor. Again, both novels portray the human spirit's motivation and vulnerability. In the novel Frankenstein, Victor, the main character, is driven to insanity and death by his motivation, his own creation. He dedicates all of his time and knowledge to create a living human being from dead tissue. This "monster" becomes his motivation and influence throughout the rest of the novel. Victor blames himself and feels guilt for all of th... ... Dorian converses with Lord Henry, and takes everything that Lord Henry said seriously, even though not everything that Lord Henry said was right. Basically, the difference that these two novels have over the idea that the human spirit is a very strong, but vulnerable force is that a person's motivation to do something great and his infatuation with that great thing will influence the spirit greatly, sometimes totally, and that believing in someone and somebody so much, no matter what they say, you will listen to them and let them have total control over you and your actions, even though that influence probably doesn't know that.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written by an unknown author probably between 1375 and 1400. It is one of the greatest medieval poems ever composed. The passage that describes the fox hunt and the last day spent by Sir Gawain in the castle is central to the entire poem. In it, all the individual character lines come together and are tied tightly together: that of Sir Gawain, who commits a sin for the first time in his life, that of the beautiful lady, who tries to seduce the knight, and that of the lord, who, as we find out later, is the Green Knight himself. The lord and Sir Gawain agree to exchange the day's gains with each other over the period of three days, and on two previous occasions, Arthur's best knight has kept his promise. But on the day that the passage describes, the lady gives Gawain a girdle that she says can save him from certain death, and we are about to find out whether Sir Gawain can be totally honest. The passage starts with the third description of a hunt in the poem. The first hunt is for a deer, and the second hunt is for a boar. Both times, the lord kills the animals, brings them home and gives them to Sir Gawain. Arthur's knight, keeping his part of the agreement, gives the lord his gains for the day (which turn out to be the lady's kisses). In this passage, the lord is hunting a fox. The choice of the animal, in this as in the previous hunts, is not accidental; it symbolizes Sir Gawain's future sin. The description is very detailed. Interestingly, the fox is mentioned by a human name, "Sir Reynard," which is a typical name for a fox in medieval tales. That probably indicates the respect that hunters (or the unknown author) have for this clever and cunning creature. While the hunt is going on, Sir Gawain is celebrating at the lord's house after his third morning meeting with the lady. He already possesses the girdle. Being a smart person, he must have assessed his situation by that time and come to a decision to conceal the belt. However, the fact that he is about to lie doesn't bother him: "With the ladies, that loved him, he lingered at ease..."(Norton, 1927).
Friday, August 2, 2019
Education in Kazakhstan Essay
1.Before going to school, children attend kindergartens until they are six or seven. 2.Compulsory education begins in our country at the age of seven, when children go to primary school. 3.The secondary stage begins from the 5th form when children start studying a lot of new subjects, such as Literature, History, Natural Sci ¬ences and others. 4.Examinations are taken at the end of the 9-th and the 11-th forms. 5.Some children may leave school after the 9-th form and continue their education at vocational or technical schools or colleges. 6.Besides secondary schools there are other types of schools in Ka ¬zakhstan. There are specialized secondary schools with intensive study of a certain subject, for example Foreign Languages, Literature, Physics and others. 7.There are also specialized art, music, ballet and sport schools for gifted children and special schools for handicapped children. 8.Secondary education in our country is free of charge. Among secondary schools there are gymnasiums, colleges and lyceums most of them are private. 9.There are institutes, schools of higher education, universities and academies among higher educational institutions. 10.In 1992 Kazakhstan system of higher education adopted the western model – a 4 years course of studies with getting the Bachelor degree after graduation and a 2 years course of study with getting the Master’s degree after graduation. 11.In order to enter a higher educational institution young people have to take an entrance examination. Only those who successfully pass entrance testing are admitted free of charge. In other cases education is given on the commercial basis.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Historic Textiles Essay
Man does not live by bread alone is a very popular saying uttered by one of the greatest men who ever walk this planet. And there is much truth to that. Thus man, after working hard in the fields and whatever profession he is engage into, will feel not much satisfaction and there is that continued longing for something else missing in his life. It is at this point that man desire for other things besides the familiar refrain of food, shelter, and clothing. There are those who say that the pursuit for the finer things in life takes the edge off living and so from the time man learns to navigate his way across paths that connect one tribe to another, trade began. And one of those being traded in ancient times is something related to man’s basic need – clothing or textile. In the Middle Ages, Iran’s textile industry reached its golden age under the guidance of the Safavid dynasty. This paper will take a closer look at the textile industry in Persia between the early 16th century and after the demise of the Safavid Dyansty in the early part of the 18th century. In this important period of its history the proponent of this study will examine different aspects of trade, the techniques used in making textile, and the significant designs that made Persia as a very important trading hub during these years. This paper will also examine the role that the textile industry played in the economic wealth of Iran. Background There is that certain quality and charm to affluence. It is therefore easy to understand why everybody wanted to be rich and no one would like to trade places with a poor man. Human nature seeks for comfort as the body craves for water in the searing heat of the desert sun. This is human nature and it best explains why merchants from the East and West in the Middle Ages continue to brave foul weather condition and other hazards associated to trade so long as the exchange of goods and money take place. But when a person reaches a level of domestic comfort, there is that tendency to become more sophisticated. The desire for luxury items kicks in and the well-heeled patrons of fine luxury products will drive their adventurous merchants even to the ends of the earth to acquire what is needed or more appropriately, to get things that are not basic needs but will surely fill a craving for the exotic and for the expensive. In the Middle Ages the Westerners look to the East for items related to a basic need, the need for clothing and these came in the form expensive textiles and for those who can afford it silk will do just fine. There is also the desire for fine Persian rugs or what is also known as carpets. Culture In the Middle Ages, there are two major perspectives in the quest to understand historic textiles. The first one can be seen through the eyes of those who inhabit the Eastern half of the globe. The second can be seen through the eyes of those living in the Western half of the planet. The difference in climate and topography allows for the exchange of goods and precious items, each group needs the other to acquire what they all wanted. For the Easterners living between the periods of the 16th century up to the 18th century, historic textiles of great historic significance are those that are coming from the regions around Asia. The Chinese, Indians, Turks and Persian make this all happen. The historic textiles are used for everyday purpose in this part of the world as clothes, accessories for man and animals and of course as a major household item to take away the dullness of day to day living. These products are also seen as major exports for those who live on the other side. For the Westerners living in the Middle Ages, the said historic textiles that include silk brocades and fine Persian carpets are a source of pride and joy. For them these textile products are exquisite works of art. If people from Persia used the rougher textile from wool in order to produce carpets – for the purpose of using the same as rugs – the Westerners will never agree to allow such expensive items to be trampled by dirty shoes. And so for the Europeans, carpets and fine textile are hung on wall and some used to cover expensive furniture. Safavid Dynasty It is understood that things does not come out from nothing. There is an explanation for the Golden Age of the Persian textile industry and it can be explained in one idea – the Safavid dynasty. An overview of this Persian dynasty will not only explain the origin of the much sought after luxury items but it will also help frame the context as to how the industry was developed from its primitive form into something that impacted the world in the Middle Ages. But it is not also right to give all the credit to the Safavids in terms of the creation of fine Persian carpets and the fine silk fabrics. It must be mentioned that a few centuries earlier it was the Sassanians who laid the foundation for the textile industry. This led Roger Savory to remark that, â€Å"Although the making of carpets is of ancient provenance in Iran, it was the Safavids who elevated a cottage-industry to an activity on a national scale and one which formed an important part of the economy†(1980). But the Sassanians limited success strengthens the argument that it takes more than talent and skill to survive in the dog-eat-dog world of ancient trade, it requires a great leader to set-up a system that will empower the people and encouraged those who have the entrepreneurial spirit to venture into the unknown or simply improve on what they have and in this case it is the ability to make beautiful fabrics. The flowering of Iran’s Golden Age through the able leadership of Shah Abbas I was made possible by the exploits of Abbas ancestor Ismail Safavi in 1501 who made the strategically located Tabriz as the capital of his newly formed state. Ismail brought peace and order while Abbas provided the leadership savvy that would usher in a period of political and military reform as well as of cultural florescence (Yalman, 2002). In the latter part of the 16th century Shah Abbas transferred the capital to Isfahan. During this time carpets and textiles became important export items. These products were not only used by the aristocracy and ordinary people, the same were used to fuel the economy. According to savory the first carpet factory was established in Isfahan and Yalman concurs by saying that these were produced in workshops set up under state patronage in Isfahan and other cities (2002). Historic Textiles As mentioned earlier the origin of the magnificent Persian carpets can be traced to a cottage industry that started a few centuries before the Safavids. Roger Savory provided more details when he wrote: The origins of the Persian carpet industry as we know it today is the tribal rug, women by the women and children of the semi-nomadic tribes, using the wool from their own flocks and natural dyes. The tribal rugs were usually in bright, gay colors, with bold fairly simple designs. They were and are highly individualistic, frequently irregular in shape, and characterized by color changes in the wool caused by the use of different dye batches (1980). Aside from the exquisitely designed but tougher looking carpets the Persians are in possession of fine fabrics and are mostly made of silk. Rudolph Matthee even asserted that not only was Iran a center for manufacturing silk fabrics but the region is also a producer of raw silk (1999). The following lists the three kinds of silken Safavid pieces of cloth: 1. Simple fine silk; 2. Brocade or gold silk; and 3. Silken velvet. Technology According to Carol Bier it is almost impossible to get a detailed and technical description of the intricacies of the Persian textile industry. First of all this is due to the problem of the materials itself, the fabrics are understandably fragile and did not survive the ravages of time. The few that remains are even far removed from the Safavid Dynasty. Historians are even forced to use the surviving paintings made by artists of the Middle Ages to get an a more in-depth understanding of Iran’s Golden Age in textile manufacturing and export industry. But it does not require a rocket scientist to understand that these artists can make alterations and can insert their own interpretations making their artwork a less reliable source of historical facts. As a result of these difficulties, Bier concluded that: The process of drawloom weaving and its technology is not thoroughly understood or documented for these periods. Treatises have yet to be located for fuller documentation of the use of dyes and for the processes of commercial weaving, as well as for the manufacture or embellishment of textiles by other means (e. g. embroidery, applique, crocheting, knitting, felt-making, accessorization) †¦. of innovation, improvements, or other modifications in the technology or its application that may have had an effect upon textile design and patterning (2008). In the same vein Milton Sonday concurs by saying that, â€Å"All too often what survives of a historic fabric is a fragment that is too small to give an impression of what the original looked like. Fragments must, therefore, if possible, be placed within the context of either continuous pattern from one or more fragments, provided one understands the principle upon which such patterns were laid out. Weaving Patterns Even with the scarcity of resources from which historians can draw conclusions, the following addresses the few significant facts that can be gleaned from artifacts and other documents that shed light on the said subject matter. As far as patterns and designs go, it is Milton Sonday that provided the most help. In the words of Sonday, â€Å"The highest achievements of Safavid silk designers and weavers are preserved in a limited number of figured velvet and â€Å"lampas†weaves. Aside from their sumptuous surfaces and monumental patterns, they are ideal for the insights they provide for understanding technology and aesthetics†(2008). This conclusion is part of the a general idea that it is notoriously difficult to differentiate what is uniquely Safavid historic textile as opposed to those coming from other historic textile centers from the Middle East. In fact there is disagreement as to which brocaded plain weave, brocaded satin weaves, float-patterned satin weaves, double cloths and the various metal background truly belongs to the Safavid and not to the Mughals of India. And so it is best to focus on the figured velvet and the â€Å"lampas†weaves to know more about Safavid historic textiles. Sonday pointed out that for the Persian fabrics of this era there can be two traditional patterns. The first one is a continuous pattern with elements of their composition arranged to be repeated endlessly and in all directions. The second major pattern is called the pictorial pattern with elements of its composition is arranged in such a way that it is contained within and related to a top, bottom, and sides (Sonday, 2008). The repeating patterns is achieved using a squared unit in weaving, where its sides are parallel with warps and its top and bottom parallel with wefts. Finally, Sonday made another important discovery, â€Å"A significant feature of Safavid continuous patterns in â€Å"lampas†and velvet weaves is the use of the human figure and narrative subject matter. Motifs are distinguished by clarity of drawing and can be identified as Safavid by the style of motifs such as birds, leaves, trees, flowers. No single motif is overly highlighted in their continuous patterns and there are practically no open spaces†(2008). There in a nutshell one gets the idea of a classic Safavid design. Conclusion It is a wonder to learn of ancient trading systems. It is also an adventure reliving the past when merchants had to be more than businessmen but has to have that adventurous spirit as well to get the best for their demanding clientele. For the gold and silver enriched Europeans there is a desire, in fact a craving for the exotic Middle East products and foremost in their list are fine Persian carpets and exquisite silk fabrics. Iran, the present day name for ancient Persia succeeded in becoming a center for historic textile trade in the Middle Ages because of the work of the Safavid dynasty particularly their greatest leader Shah Abbas. But there is more to Persian carpet and Persial silk brocades aside from the wise management of Abbas. It can be understood by tracing the development of their techniques and design from ancient times and of course the skill and determination of their women and skilled workers who continued to find ways of improving their craft. References Bier, C. (2008). â€Å"Textiles and Society. †In TextileAsARt. com. Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www. textileasart. com/woven. htm Carpet. org. (2008). â€Å"Carpet. †Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www. carpet. org /glossary. htm#carpet. Matthee, R. (1999). The Politics of Trade in Safavid iran: Silk for Silver, 1600-1730. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pope, A. U. (2008). â€Å"Masterpieces of Persian Art. †In TextileAsArt. com. Retrieved April 12, 2008 from http://www. textileasart. com/index2. html. Savory, R. (1980). Iran Under the Safavids. New York: Cambridge University. Sonday, M. (2008). â€Å"Patterns and Weaves: Safavid Lampas and Velvet. In TextileAsArt. com. Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www. textileasart. com/index2. html. TextileAsArt. com. (2008). â€Å"Antique Textiles, Woven Treasures. Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www. textileasart. com/index2. html. Yalman, S. (October 2002). â€Å"The Art of the Safavids before 1600 â€Å". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/safa/hd_safa. htm.
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