Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara - Essay Example The story â€Å"The Lesson,† by Toni Cade Bambara elucidates the situations of trials and tribulations in the life of blacks. What a contrast of life in different parts of the same city! The type of hardships undergone by Sylvia and her friends in the slums of New York, the type of environment they were brought up and the glaring imbalance as compared to the ambience of the Fifth Avenue can lead to two types of reactions. One is the black children may be fired with ambition to excel in life, improve their economic prospectus and achieve the rewards comparable to life in the Fifth Avenue. The other could be one of jealously and revenge. Evaluate the reaction of Sugar, an innocent child who says, â€Å"You know, Miss Moore, I dont think all of us here put together eat in a year what that sailboat costs.†(cai.ucdavis.edu) This is the pointer to the standard of life of the black children. Bambara creates poignant story how a college educated black woman arrives at the slum neighborhood on weekends and takes the children to a sort of picnic to posh areas like Manhattan. From the time the children leave from their slums until they return home, what are their feelings after being exposed to richness and luxury? How disturbed could be their emotional world comparing own plight and the affluence they saw throughout the day? How disturbed could be their emotional world comparing own plight and the affluence they saw throughout the day? The plot of the story is simple, but the philosophy behind it is profound.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Abnormal presence Essay Example for Free

Abnormal presence Essay All the monster desired from Victor was a decent upbringing, and an explanation for his creation. Shelley was trying to put this point forward as its a question all children would ask and expect of their parents, as its the responsibility that they take on when they commit to having children. Shelley emphasises the point again, that Victor was not ready to commit to this responsibility. The creature begins life isolated from mankind. His isolation is amplified by humans reactions to him; he means them no harm, yet they flee from him or force him away as they are not used to such an abnormal presence. The creature flees a group of bewildered individuals and escapes to a secluded cottage in the woods, where he shelters himself away from the cold weather and rain.. The creature is fascinated by the cottagers behavior and immediately attracted to their beauty and tenderness. He observes their lifestyle through an opening in his shelter and a crack in the cottage wall. Through this all the creature is thinking about is how he desires such a childhood, such a lifestyle and upbringing, yet he was brought into this world as a neglected baby. He started out feeling isolated and an outcast from society, but sees a family with such warmth and welcoming in this world. His observations of the family connect him with other people and reduce his unnaturalness by allowing him to study about and imitate normal people. The creature then learns that there is more to life than what he has seen, and wants to get to know the De Laceys better, and as a possibility become a part of their family. Bear in mind the creature has been alive in the hovel for over a year now, and has been hiding in it for the majority of the time. After much planning and effort, the creature attempts to speak to the eldest De Lacey. While the old man is home alone, the monster enters the cottage and begins conversing. Sympathetically acknowledged by the old man, the creature decides to share his story just as the other De Laceys return. Disgusted at the sight of the deformed figure, Felix attacks the creature, who flees to his hovel to hide, his fondest hopes crushed. The creature, enraged by his dismissal, experiences hatred for the first time: I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery This shows how the family interpreted the monsters presence as disturbing, when all the monster wanted to do was to find a family who would love and care for him, unlike Victor. The monster realises the tie that binds himself and his creator: from you only could I hope for succor . . . on you only had I any claim for pity and redress This shows us that from the way Victor dismissed him, it was the cause of so much hatred and anger when rejection happens all over again to the creature. The creature has learned aggression and deception through his exposure to society and his education. Shelley has included this to give us an image of what is would have been like to have not been brought up with love and affection from our parents, and to not have had the memories and experiences we do now. Without these the creature could not comprehend his existence, and makes the need to be with his father more apparent. To conclude Mary Shelley has captured the essence of why family and domestic affection are so important during our lives, as without it she has given us a fictitious example of what we might turn out like. The use of the creature gives us a clear understanding that he was not brought up in the way we all take for granted, and how such small things we dont blink an eyelid to, make such a significant effect on our lives. Victors denial and rejection of the creature shows me how hard it would be to bring up something you werent entirely convinced you wanted, and you could cope with.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Communication Strategy Development Project

Communication Strategy Development Project Subject: to develop the communication process Amicus and to improve system relating to information and knowledge. Faysal Mahmud Shafayet zaman Executive summary As we have been assigned to create a formal report on Managing Communication, were our objective is develop communication process and be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge. For this we have collected our data thoroughly through the primary methods, which is through questionnaires and through face to face meeting Task one Communication is basically interaction, which can be oral, visual, written or any other channels to express ones feeling. Hence we can take it granted that it’s the most vital element of an organization and if it’s not proper it will possibly influence the organization in it’s down fall, vice-versa. As I was assigned to assess the business communication process of Amicus, while assessing I found out the communication process the organization in terms of their suppliers, consumers as well as their own. Communication process of Amicus: Top to lower level management: When a policy or a guide line for the organization is implemented or when taking a new strategic decision the approach that Amicus utilize is the formal top-down approach, for example when taking a strategic decision the directors call a formal meeting where they inform the manager about the strategic decisions. Afterwards the manager calls a formal meeting for the lower level management to brief them about the strategic changes. Same level management: When making an agreement or facing an unexpected scenario the approach Amicus follows is the formal horizontal method, for example when information needs to be passed within the same level management they call a formal meeting which is notified by phone or a formal letter ( as it is within the organization ). Lower to top level management: This occurs when a report regarding a project (construction) or feedback is received, for this kind of situation the communication approach Amicus apply is the formal upward vertical communication, such as when a lower level employee wants to present his feed back of the task he was assigned, he takes an appointment and formally presents the feedback face to face. Then the manager via appointment meets the directors and presents them the feedback. Networking system: Sharing data’s between different departments can be time consuming, to avoid this Amicus uses LAN as their networking system. Dissemination of data for consumer as well as organization purpose: Amicus disseminates their data via ad on paper, billboards, brochures and their own web page. Organization meeting for all level management: As Amicus is a developing organization, for which meetings are held monthly as this industries scenario fluctuates a lot. Communication process of Amicus regarding consumer and suppliers In terms of agreement: Basically in terms of agreement the communication approach Amicus always prefers is the formal face to face communication and the approach of the agreement is always written. Dissemination of data for consumer as well as suppliers: Amicus disseminates their data mostly through ad on newspaper; billboard or brochures were there can be an ad about both product/service and recruitment for supplier. Feedback process of Amicus for their consumers: there are four channel through which feedback can be received and they are via letter, face to face, telephone call and e-mail. Most of the feedbacks are received through the phone. Overall what our team found out that, in the present state Amicus is formal in its communication process and desires to follow formal communication process in the future but will allow change in circumstances. In the present scenario Amicus has finished a luxurious project in Mirpur DOHS, for which a communication process is made for notifying the potential customers. Where the director being the sender sends a message, where the message is to promote the new project via ad on news paper, this message is transmitted through formal meeting. Then the recipient is the marketing manager and in the receiver stage the message is interpreted so that the recipient who is the marketing managers can understand the actual meaning of the message. But in the feed back stage it shows they didn’t get positive feedback as the interaction with customer was not up to the organizations estimation. A communication process diagram of the marketing department is given below. Communication process diagram of the marketing department of Amicus regarding the new projects promotion: Task two After conducting research on the overall communication process of Amicus we found some lacking in the communication process, regarding the regarding. As we have found out that the customer’s interaction is not up to the mark in organizations view point. Judging from the previous communication process we can see that they have done there promotion through only one media which was ad on newspaper. In the improvised communication process the director of Amicus being the sender sends a message which is to promote the new project by variety of media and to promote it in the right place for example giving add on billboards in places like Gulshan, Bonani and baridhara and also selecting a targeted segment and handing out brochures to them. This message is transmitted by a formal meeting and is indicated to the marketing manager of Amicus, who is the recipient. In the receiver stage the message is explained so that the recipient can understand the actual meaning. Hence an Improvised Communication process diagram of the marketing department of Amicus regarding the new projects promotion is made. Task Three As we have seen in the first communication process, here the director being the sender sends a message, where the message is to promote the new project via ad on news paper, this message is transmitted through formal meeting. Then in the recipient is the marketing manager and in the receiver stage the message is interpreted so that the recipient who is the marketing managers can understand the actual meaning of the message. But in the feed back stage it shows they didn’t get positive feedback as the interaction with customer was not up to the organizations estimation. Due to its feedback a new improvised communication process is made, where the director of Amicus being the sender sends a message which is to promote the new project by variety of media and to promote it in the right place for example giving add on billboards in places like Gulshan, Bonani and baridhara and also selecting a targeted segment and handing out brochures to them. This message is transmitted by a formal meeting and is indicated to the marketing manager of Amicus, who is the recipient. In the receiver stage the message is explained so that the recipient can understand the actual meaning. In the first scenario we can see that they have done their promotion through only one media which was ad on newspaper for their upcoming luxuries project in Mirpur DOHS but this promoting strategy had some drawbacks such as, not all people read newspapers, everyone does not read the same newspaper and it is also received by a lot of un potential customers as it is luxurious project in a luxurious place and every social class people reads the newspaper. Advantages on implementing improvements when implementing the improvised communication process, the director being the sender sends a message which is to properly promote the upcoming project by the proper use of media and by promoting it in the right place such as giving add on billboards in places like Gulshan, Bonani and baridhara and also selecting a targeted segment and handing out brochures to them. Through promoting like this by using proper media and promoting in the right place, Amicus will be able to find the potential customers better than before and attract them according, which will lead to the estimated interaction of Amicus between the Amicus and potential customers. This was not possible following the old communication process. Task Four How to improve own or individual communication skills. After being enlightened in managing communication we have found out some effective steps that can help someone to improve their communication skills and they are: Providing a precise verbal speech about the task so that it will clear to the recipient. Also providing a clear written document about the task, this will help them if they don’t understand speech. When an individual has problem understanding the task you can use open conversation and non verbal communication, so that he can understand When giving a speech about the task it is a necessity that receiving end listens carefully When the individual faces confusion in the speech of task they should ask the manager and clear his confusion at that time When a group work is given by the manager, the group’s individuals to be selected should have the communication skill to understand where each individual stands and how much work they can do. If a problem arises after the task is given it is better to do informal communication at that stage , as through informal communication they can get rid of their confusion in a time consuming manner Task Five Existing approaches of data collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of Amicus After gathering information from their managers and directors we have found how Amicus collect their data, how they format it and how they store it. The approaches of these stages are given below: Approaches of data collection: There are two sources that Amicus uses for collecting data and they are the primary sources such as field visit, face to face meeting, via telephone, e-mail and etc. the other source they use is secondary sources for example newspaper, brochures, annual report, government data and etc. Approaches for data formatting, storage, security and back up: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look but for their backup they just store it in their computer. All these formatted data are shared internally in the organization through the help of local area network (LAN). Task Six What our team has found out that the process Amicus follows for the collection of data, formatting and storing is good compared to their industry but their back up and security is very poor ,so here is an improvised process for back up and security given below. Approaches of data collection: There are two sources that Amicus uses for collecting data and they are the primary sources such as field visit, face to face meeting, via telephone, e-mail and etc. the other source they use is secondary sources for example newspaper, brochures, annual report, government data and etc Approaches of data formatting and data storage: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look and for their back up and security they can use the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM. Task Seven As we can see from the first existing process of data collection, formatting, storage, security and back up that their security and back up was poor for which an improvised process was made which was quite similar but was appropriately improvised in the security and back up stages. Existing process: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources, such as field visit, face to face, brochures and newspaper they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look but for their backup they just store it in their computer. Improvised process: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources, such as field visit, face to face, brochures and newspaper they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look and for their back up and security they can use the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM. As we can see that both process is quite similar but in the improvised process for back up and security Amicus uses the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM for they will get high security and back up for example that computer through which Amicus shares their data with the help of LAN has the possibility to crash which will make them loose all their data but if they use the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM their data will remain safe in the virtual data base of IBM which can only accessed by the authority of Amicus. To keep confidential data’s classified they also use it as it is highly secured. Evidence Reference Amicus Properties (2013). About Us.  Available: http://www.amicus.com.bd/amicus/index.php  Last accessed 09th March 2014.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Willy Russell’s Intention by the End of the Play :: Educating Rita Plays Willy Russell Essays

Willy Russell’s Intention by the End of the Play ‘Blood Brothers’ The stage production of ‘Blood Brothers’ helps to emphasise the social difference between Mickey and Edward. There are two main sets used, one for Mrs. Johnstone’s house and street and one which is the inside of Mrs. Lyons house. Mrs. Johnstone’s house is a poorer set; there are smashed windows and graffiti written on the walls. The houses are small close together terrace houses built out of red brick. There is lack of colour in this set Willy Russell is trying to show the gloominess, coldness and poverty of their area with this set. Whereas, Mrs. Lyons house is colourful and bright. There is a bookshelf which shows that they are privileged enough to have books and that this family is refined and educated. There is a carpet that is rolled out every time that the Lyons house is on stage. This shows comfort, softness and warmth as does the fireplace in the Lyons house. This is a contrast between the Johnstons house where they have broken windows which shows coolness and discomfort. This shows the difference between two classes in a Thatcherite Britain at the time to the audience. At the Johnstone’s house the lighting is always dim, not well lit, to show the gloominess and poverty in their lives. However the lighting in the Lyon’s house is always very bright. This is to show to the audience that the life of the Lyons is brighter than the Johnstones. In parts of the play (especially I found when the narrator was speaking) the lighting was red and black I think Willy Russell’s intention here is to show that there is death in the play and symbolises the bloodshed. Sometimes one person would have the spotlight on just them so the background is black. This picks out this one person so all our attention is focused on this person and the darkness in the background is very gloomy like a dark hole to symbolise the emptiness that will be in some of their lives because of the deaths at the end. There is a musical theme to suggest the same idea or place theme. Like the music that is played at the Johnstones house. When this song comes on it is to show the poverty of the Johnstons. The song that I remember the most is the game when Mickey, Sammy and their friends are all children and they are shooting each other. The words of the song are very childish and it’s just a game. However when they become older this game becomes reality and a lot more serious and it’s not so

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Human Behaviour In Organization Essay

We need to study human behavior even as we participate in the day-to-day processes and activities of human life. The need to understand the behavior of others especially those we come in contact with, and the need to anticipate and predict how others may act in certain situations are important since we are affected by their actions. We study human behavior in order to have an understanding of the actions of people. Its professional analysis could very well help an organization achieve its goals and pave the way for more productive relationships among individuals in groups and among groups in the organization. Hellrieger and Slocum expressed . . . â€Å"events do not occur merely by chance, but rather, that events are linked together.† By understanding and learning to anticipate the behavior of others, we also learn to influence others as shown in Milton’s model of understanding, predicting, and influencing. The understanding of people’s behavior makes the anticipation and prediction of events easier and smoother. We can thus influence them to think, feel, and act accordingly. The study of human behavior is certainly indispensable in the formulation of laws, rules, policies, etc. Society cannot function at its maximum for the people if its components of the organization in which the individual belongs do not have guidelines that are appropriate and that provide for the satisfaction of his needs and for the attainment of his goals. The realm of science and technology will be useless without the study of human behavior for it is their aim to make man live better and easier. Scientists and technologists wouldn’t know what to invent if they are not familiar with man’s needs. Business, especially marketing, will not thrive without a study of people’s wants and desires. Man would not and cannot buy all the products and services the company offers. Selective buying is a behavior that an organization should be aware of and understand. For a firm, studying behavior can increase its productivity for it provides knowledge and information which can be the bases for improving its performance, for rational decision and policy-making, for better planning and organizing, personnel and human resources recruitment, screening, selection, promotion, and development. It is worthwhile to study human behavior primarily because we are part of the human race, and it is by studying human behavior that we look not only into the personality of others but into our personalities as well. We come to terms with ourselves, understand different aspects of our personality, and find ways to improve ourselves and grow. Through introspection, we create self-awareness, an important ingredient in relating ourselves with others. NATURE AND SCOPE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR Any act of an individual person which is considered human behavior is a reflection of his thoughts, feelings, emotions, sentiments whether conscious or not. It mirrors his needs, values, motivation, aspirations, conflicts, and state of life. Behavior, therefore, consists of all human activities. Human behavior occurs anywhere and everywhere. It is committed alone, with another person, with a group or an organization. The principles and concepts that underlie behavior are basic. It is their implementation and practice that differ from group to group or from one country to another. Human behavior which is also called human act is different from act of man. When man performs an act with free will, he does a human act. He is responsible for such act which is performed with alternatives to choose from. It is free will from whence responsibility emanates and flows that makes man a human being perform human acts or human behavior. An act of man is performed by one who is forced to do so at the risk of his own life. He does not have any other alternative/s to choose from. He is not given the opportunity to use his free will and thus, he is not responsible for this act. He, therefore, commits an act of man. An example is a man marrying a woman at the point of a gun. Instincts and reflexes are other examples of acts of man. Human behavior can be understood best by developing frameworks from the behavioral sciences which represent a systematic body of knowledge pertaining to why and how people behave as they do. ASSUMPTIONS 1. Every person is significantly different from the moment of conception. From the time an individual is conceived, he undergoes a plethora of changes – physical, mental, social, psychological – as he grows and develops from childhood to adulthood. 2. Every person is a constantly active, goal-seeking organism. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he is goal-oriented. 3. Every person is dynamic. Status quo does not characterize his state since he is barraged by different forces around him. 4. The characteristics of an organization influence the behavior of the entire organization and, to a great extent, the behavior of individuals within it as well. 5. Behavior cannot be predicted with one hundred percent accuracy since it arises from the varying needs and value systems of many different people. 6. There are no simple formulas for working with people. No one best answer. No ideal organization exists, neither an ideal person. CONCEPTS 1. Almost all behavior is learned. This applies to adults and children whose learning can be altered. However, this is not true to a newly born infant and to a fetus in the mother’s womb. The former sucks milk from the mother’s breast through instinct. By and large, learning is the first step in behaving. Whatever is learned can be modified or changed 2. Human being adapt. In accordance with their needs and values, individuals adjust to their environment. When their new learnings are congruent with their value system, they adopt them. What is adopted becomes part of their culture. PRINCIPLES 1. Thorndike’s law of effect states that behavior which is followed by a satisfying state of affairs tends to be repeated but a behavior followed by an unsatisfactory conditions tends to be extinguished. 2. Stimuli are those forces which impact the sensory organs of our five sensory input channels – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The impact of stimuli is a function of frequency, recency, and felt intensity. Communication, in all cases, consists of the creation of stimuli. 3. Behavior is caused but its causality is uncertain and usually multiple. It may be classified as having either a rational (cognitive) or an emotional (affective) basis. 4. Classical conditioning is a powerful technique for altering the behavior of others. But man’s freedom of the will makes him responsible for his actions. 5. There are no two individuals who are alike in all dimensions. The differences become more striking as they are compared from the physical to the socio-psychological components. Hence, the great disparity in behavior even between twins, since behavior is a reflection of a person’s physical, mental, psychological characteristics. METHODS OF STUDYING HUMAN BEHAVIOR Human behavior is a phenomenon which was observed, described, and speculated on cursorily sans any formal and written objectives and procedures. The maintenance of good relationships between and among individuals and groups was considered an art which mainly used speculation, informal and irregular observation of people and incidents. Philosophy based on speculation and logic and physiology based on experimental observation were the only two main approaches to the study of human behavior. The study of human behavior as a science began only in the 19th century. It was an offshoot of the studies in various disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics. Its foundations are rooted in these sciences. The methods used in the study of human behavior are the same as those in other sciences – experiments, surveys and case method. It makes use of observation, interview, questionnaire, check list, scales psychological tests, and statistics. 1. THREE-LEVEL METHOD. Milton proposed a model of studying human behavior at three levels: individual, group, and organization. It is called the I-G-O Model. This classification is the basis for differentiating the content of the courses in human behavior offered at the three program levels in schools. At the undergraduate level, the individual is the focus of attention; in the masters program, emphasis is placed on the group,; and at the doctoral level, human behavior is studied at the organizational level. 2. INTERDISCIPLINARY MODEL. Human behavior in organization is inter- and multi-disciplinary. At the individual level, psychology provides knowledge of perception, motivation and learning, while physiology and anatomy gives information and principles on the body and how it works. At the group level. Sociology and other disciplines like social work and education have given much contribution. Sociology offers insights into the roles, norms, authority, power, influence and status. Anthropology and other sciences like economics, business, law and medicine have wrought more changes and influences on human behavior at the organizational level. Culture and its artifacts are the main contribution of anthropology in the study of behavior in organization. HUMAN BEHAVIOR INDIVIDUALGROUPORGANIZATION PsychologySociology Anthropology Physiology Social Work Economics, Business Anatomy Education Law, Medicine VARIOUS SCIENCES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR 3. DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL. People grow and move to higher levels of resourcefulness, creativity, competency, and self-realization through proper maintenance, recognition, and development programs. Keith and Davis call this the â€Å"human resources (supportive)approach.† These basic and potent needs are recognized and fulfilled by the organization which considers them as â€Å"the central resource in any organization and any society. To the extent that people are well screened and selected, maintained and supported, recognized and developed, they can bring in and develop the various artifacts of an organization : philosophy (mission, goals, objectives, aims), funds (equity, borrowings, loans), values (needs, responsibilities), facilities (land, building, equipment, supplies), and technology (processes, knowhow). People are the main crux and heart of the organization, the six components are at their beck and call. These six components affect the individual who alters his behavior in a context which he himself has created. 4. SYSTEMS MODEL. A social system is a complex and dynamic set of relation- ships among its actors interacting with one another. An organization is a social system consisting of various parts at its subsystems. The systems theory posits that the organization is an open system with internal and external factors impinging on its subsystems making it very fluid, tenuous, dynamic and complex and these parts are interdependent and interrelated with each other This concept is opposed to the traditional view of a closed system with independent and uninterrelated parts. 5. CONTINGENCY MODEL. The varied factors in each problematic situation may constitute a unique condition. The problem- solver must explicitly consider the specific conditions to which a problem relates instead of simply prescribing a solution which may have worked elsewhere but under different conditions. This means that â€Å"no solution can work under all circumstances.† Every problem must be studied and analyzed in light of complex factors that may br highly interrelated with each other.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

A Feminist Criticism of a Farewell to Arms Essay

After finishing A Farewell to Arms, I found it difficult to reconcile Judith Fetterley’s feminist attack of the novel with my own personal opinions. I agree that Hemingway does kick women to the curb in his portrayal of Catherine, but my reasons for pinning this crime on Hemingway are different from hers’. Although she means well, Fetterley makes the ridiculous claim that by portraying Catherine as an angelic, selflessly loving â€Å"woman to end all women,† Hemingway disguises misogynistic attitudes and a deep-seeded hatred towards the XX chromosome. This claim is not supported by the text. If we look at Hemingway through the lens of his own words, we find that his misogyny does not spring from a â€Å"too good to be true† portrait of Catherine, but rather in his tendency to cast her down into the dirt-Catherine is a dependent, baby-manufacturing trap that stifles Lieutenant Henry: â€Å"Poor, poor dear Cat. And this was the price you paid for sleeping together. This was the end of the trap† (320). It is his penchant for sex and his need for womanly comfort that keeps Henry coming back to Catherine, not some notion of â€Å"love† or true connection. This is Hemingway’s misogyny, however unintentional, unmasked. But to get a true sense of this â€Å"anti-Fetterley† feminist view of the novel, it is important too look at the specifics of Hemingway’s construction of Catherine-facts that stand in direct opposition to Fetterley’s stated attacks. First of all, Catherine is not Fetterley’s unique and unattainable goddess-she is an object in Henry’s universe, a feast of sensations but nothing more. She is akin to good food and good drink: â€Å"‘I was made to eat. My God, yes. Eat and drink and sleep with Catherine'† (233). Indeed, Henry’s thoughts about Catherine, both when he is at the front or by her side, mingle with longings for good wine and reflections on sumptuous meals. In Henry’s world, a good Capri would be nice, a nice hunk of cheese would be grand, and sleeping with Catherine would be sublime. These things all equate to the satisfaction of basic human needs. Every now and then, Henry feels a grumbling in his loins-a periodic hunger for the â€Å"cheese† between Catherine’s legs. Hemingway dissolves Catherine into the least common denominator-the object, devoid of meaning or real importance (when Henry isn’t hungry). How can Catherine be an angel, as Fetterley claims, when she is merely an object, a small, rocklike satellite orbiting Planet Henry? This leads us to another aspect of Hemingway’s treatment of Catherine. In the novel, she is a completely dependent and subservient slave to Henry and his desires-she is placed firmly under his heel. This is evident from her dialogue: â€Å"‘I’m good. Aren’t I good? You don’t want any other girls, do you?†¦ You see? I’m good. I do what you want'† (106). Through her words, we get a sense that the only thing that concerns Catherine is the level of Henry’s satisfaction. She needs his approval; he is the beginning and end of her world. This dependency resurfaces many times in the novel. In Milan, Catherine works herself to the bone all day, so that she can have sex with Henry all night. Throughout this period, her greatest worry is that she doesn’t tack up to the girls that he has had in the past: â€Å"‘I’ll say just what you wish and I’ll do what you wish and then you will never want any other girls'† (105). When she is pregnant, her thoughts and concerns continue to center completely around Henry’s happiness: â€Å"‘But after she’s born and I’m thin again I’m going to cut it (her hair) and then I’ll be a fine new and different girl for you'† (304). Even during her long and arduous labor, Catherine’s single worry is that she is a burden on Henry: â€Å"‘Oh, I wanted so o have this baby and not make trouble, and now I’m all done and all gone to pieces and it doesn’t work'† (322). Fetterley might claim that this amounts to â€Å"selfless-love,† but I think this phrase gives Catherine (and Hemingway) too much credit. Catherine, as portrayed in the text, seems more like an obedient dog then a virtuous, unselfish being of light; she is like a mutt that serves its master because it has no one else and cannot survive on its own. By the end of the novel, Hemingway succeeds in portraying Catherine as both an object and a docile subject in Lieutenant Henry’s kingdom. This construction diminishes Catherine’s character and allows Henry (and Hemingway) to view her and the baby completely in terms of the burden they entail. They are a â€Å"trap†-flames that burn the log that â€Å"Henry the ant† scurries around on. This makes it much easier for Hemingway to kill off Catherine and wash Henry’s hands of all responsibility-the final pieces in his misogynistic puzzle. This harsh take is a more tenable alternative to Fetterley’s feminist attacks on the novel.