Rate of Adaption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rate of Adaption - Essay Example It has attracted interest of the world due to easy growth factors and highly nutritious element. It offers best protein composition including lysine, histidine, cystine and methionine. Cereal starch has bigger size granules as compared to quinoa starch granule. It is more viscous. The plant is best suitable for industrial use. The plant is comprised of saponins, which is a bitter compound and these can easily be removed by abrasion and washing before using it. A study showed that plant could grow well in less fertile soil (Galway, 1992). Chenopodium Quinoa has one crucial component of interest, that is, the lysine content, which is not a common nutrient in other plant species. The growth of this annual herb produces panicle, which contains some small seeds called achenes (Jacobsen, 1997). The seeds produced are round, small and flat with pigmentation ranging from red to white. The color of the seeds varies from one ecosystem to another because of the climatic disparities in the regions where it is grown. It has an extensive root system predominantly subjugated by taproots that support the branchy stem. The plant grows to heights of between sixty to one hundred and twenty five centimeters. The food crop is found in areas with harsh environmental conditions, such as high mountain plains, relatively moderate fertile valley areas, coastal forests, and alkaline areas (Burton & Bo, 2005). In this case the desired location is Umatilla County, which is one of the agriculturally rich areas in the State. The predominant environment in the Hermiston area changes rapidly; hence the need to grow resistant crops that are not dependent on stable environmental conditions (Van de Fliert & Ann, 2002). Moreover since the IPCC (1990) was published, extensive efforts have been brought in to help our agriculture adapt to the climate change because the latter has deep biophysical impacts on crop yield, soil and water resources (Antle, 2009) and for this reason quinoa is

Final Personal Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final Personal Journal - Assignment Example course has given me a chance to think in line with coming up with a small business in the hospitality industry and try to implement all that I acquired during the period that I took to complete my hospitality studies. My opinions and insight have really changed this semester since I have learnt the art of saving and ethics when it comes to the industry of hospitality. At the moment I believe that it can only be smooth and enjoyable for one to work well in the industry if they consider all ethical considerations in the hospitality field. The course has also enhanced the manner in which I consider my entrepreneurship plans after graduating from campus. Since I studied this course of Hospitality Business Entrepreneurship, I plan to start a small resort by the side of the lake that will create good scenery for customers who will pay a visit there. The resort will be one of its kinds since my town has a number of them but what matters is ensuring that I install proper management and make better what the competing resorts make wrong. I will incorporate my knowledge on hospitality to design a garden on the same ground with the resort, where couples can have ample time chatting and having soft drinks that will be served on request. The skills I acquired in entrepreneurship will help me make a perfect plan and strategize on how well I can run the resort without experiencing many loses or rather avoiding all instances of loss. Market research will be my first move before I install the resort on the shores of the lake. The most important issue I will consider is the availability of the market and the aspects that the other hotels in the surrounding are not doing right. My knowledge will enable me come up with a blue ocean strategy which I will embrace to the favor of the success of my resort. Before embarking on any serious business, I will make sure that members of staff recruited to work in my premises have adequate hospitality and catering knowledge in order to be sure

How Can Resourcing and Development Add Value in the Modern Workplace Essay Example for Free

How Can Resourcing and Development Add Value in the Modern Workplace Essay According to Ann Marie E. McSwain, Assistant Professor at Lincoln University, â€Å"leadership is about capacity: the capacity of leaders to listen and observe, to use their expertise as a starting point to encourage dialogue between all levels of decision-making, to establish processes and transparency in decision-making, to articulate their own value and visions clearly but not impose them. Leadership is about setting and not just reacting to agendas, identifying problems, and initiating change that makes for substantial improvement rather than managing change. In the modern workplace, a good leader can lead the team to success and vice versa. The importance of a good leader in an organization cannot be doubted. However, one of the most challenging issues in the modern workplace is keeping talents. Talents or leaders may leave the organization for better offer or higher rate of pay. If no successor to drive it once the leader or key person leaves, the organization may get into troubles. In order to maintain the morale and loyalty for the other employees, another good, competent with respect of others should be appointed as leader. Other than leaders, junior grading employee should also be prepared to develop their career to some senior positions. This can explain why a career management (include succession plan for experienced staff) is so essential in an organization as a way of people sourcing. Career management is the combination of structured planning and the management choice for one’s own professional career. It is a process for employees to become aware of their interests, values, strengths and weaknesses, to get information about job opportunities within the organization, helps to identify the career goals, establish an action plan to achieve the career goals. Succession plan is a process to identify and develop internal potential employee to fill up the key or critical organizational positions. The main purpose of succession plan is to ensure the availability of competent, capable and experienced employee to prepare to be appointed to those positions when they become vacant. Succession planning meaning that prepare the experienced employees to undertake some key roles, focus on leadership continuity and sharing knowledge, provide a more effective and efficient monitoring and tracking of employees’ proficiency levels and the skill gaps and counter the increasing difficulty of recruiting talents externally. Succession plan is a very important and necessary part of an organization to reduce risk, create a proven leadership model, increase employees’ working morale and help the business to run smooth continuity and expand. Both people sourcing way are aids to develop talent and long-term growth, improve the capabilities and overall performance of workforce, create employee retention, meet the career development requirement of existing employee and improve support to employees throughout their employment. Career management is important in the eye of the organization and the employee. From the organization’s view, the failure to motivate their employees to plan for their career may result in shortage of employees to fill up the vacant, lower the employees’ commitment and inappropriate use of money which allocated for the training and development programs. From the employee’s view, lacking of career management may result in frustration, having a feeling that they are not value in the organization and unable to find some other suitable employment when the job nature changed, no matter due to mergers, acquisitions, restructuring or downsizing. The outcome for a successful career management includes employees’ personal fulfillment, goals achievement and a newly promotional theme in the modern workplace which is work-life balance. Different practices of people sourcing method can be used in different size of an organization. Entrepreneurship, partnership and limited company are some practices of forming an organization. Entrepreneurship means the one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods. The most obvious formation of entrepreneurship is to start a new business. Entrepreneurship means that the business is run by an owner which call entrepreneur. Partnership is similar to entrepreneurship other than the organization is managed by at least two or above owners. Limited company means it is an organization which shareholders whose liability is limited by shares. Entrepreneurship is usually some small business and has fewer employees than limited organization which runs large business. If the business runs smooth and expand, entrepreneurship can turn into a limited organization. After choosing the right method of people sourcing within an organization, the organization can benefit from different kinds of advantages. With the right practice of people sourcing method in the right size of organization, the organization will be added value. Add value† can mean contributing directly to organization goals and deliver business objectives. Every organization has its goal and objective because these goals and objective can help the organization to define business and drive itself to success. Since the organization’s goal and objective are uses to lead itself to success, all the policies and procedures should follow its direction, including its employee sourcing way. Thomson, a pioneer in the old print economy, helped to create the electronic age with online system and CD-ROM products. One of the goals of his company, Thomson Corporation, is to become the dominant global e-information and solutions business. In order to make the growth strategy become successful, Thomson has to keep some key employees and motivate some junior employees because he believes that the essence to have employee retention includes creating a satisfying an challenging work environment, maintaining the right fit between the employees and their jobs and making sure that his employees have the right tools to perform their jobs successfully. Another goal of his company is to facilitate employees’ career development. In order to achieve this goal, Thomson had to educate his employees that career opportunities are available within the company and he had made it easier for employees to move within the company. By executing the career development within the company, Thomson had developed an online career center for his employees. The website includes seven hundred to nine hundred jobs listing every month. His employee can go to this website and choose specify preferred locations and full time or part time job. Meanwhile, a personal search agent would notify the employee whenever a new opening related jobs or career interests are posted automatically. The website had been developed to include self assessments so that the employees can decide whether they if they have the required skills. If the employees found that he needs some education or training to quality for a position, the website will link them to some courses. The design of the website is a kind of career management for the employees which can retain and motivate employees. After that, their supervisor will conduct performance appraisal annually to review their performance. As the career management systems start from self assessment, reality check, goal setting and finally the action planning, every employee in Thomson Corporation develop their career through the above steps. Self assessment refers to the use of information by the employees to found out their career interests, values, aptitudes and behavioral tendencies and it usually involves some psychological tests. In Thomson Corporation, employees can identify their occupational and job interests, e. . work in different types of environments and identify the relative value they place on work and the leisure activities through the career centre. Through the self assessment, employees may start to consider where they are in their careers, identify the future plans and assess them to fit in the current job with available resources. Reality check means the information that the employees receive about how their organization evaluates their knowledge and skills which help them to fit into organization’s plan. The said information is given by their supervisor as part of the performance appraisal process which included the performance review and employee’s career interests, strengths and possible development plans. Goal setting mean the process of employees developing short term and long term career objective. The goals usually relate to desired positions, level of skill application, work setting or skill acquisition. Employees in Thomson Corporation may have chance to achieve skill acquisition through specify training. Besides, development plan may be written out after the performance appraisal. The development plans include the descriptions of strengths and weakness, career goals and development plans for reaching the career goals. Action planning means how the employees determine their way to achieve short term or long term goals. An action plan usually involves in enrolling to some training courses, conducting information interviews or applying for a vacant within the organization. The information in the website is useful for ensuring the employees’ abilities, skills and nterests matches their jobs. If there is a mismatch, the website will provide some related training information and courses details for them to develop their skills. Other than the employee can benefit from such activities, the organization will benefit from the systems too. Firstly, it can reach a large number of potential job seekers after they post a vacant. Secondly, the website had provided detailed accessible information about the jobs which can facilitates employees’ development. Employees will then aware of what knowledge and skills are needed for the job. Thirdly, the system encourages employees responsible for an active role in the career management. This is congruent with a psychological contract and protean career. Career management is uses for junior grading employees and succession planning is designed for experienced or senior employees. Career management is usually applied to some small entrepreneurship and succession planning is applying to some large size limited companies. As large companies usually divided into few sections and each section will be managed by a line manager, an effective succession plan should be used. Motorola, Inc is an electronic and wireless communications company. In 1991, Motorola restructure itself and set out some new objectives and goals. Meanwhile, Motorola had promoted a succession plan named Organization and Management Development Review (OMDR). The objective would be diversity and sought to accelerate the advancement of women and minorities within the organization. The company goal which is within ten years the number of women and minorities at all levels of management should be representative of the number of women and minorities in the available talent pool. They also made a commitment that every year that at least three women and minorities would be appointed as vice-president among the twenty to forty people. In OMDR, the process of identifying the high potentials would be requires each section to submit a list of candidates in four categories: white men, women, minorities and technical staff. The succession plans are prepared for each high potential and their progress within the organization is being tracked. If the high potential leave or fall out of the list in the future, their supervisor must explain why this would happen. In order to counter the erception that most of the women and minorities are still in the feeder pool, a replacement chart had identifies some key positions and three people who could fill each one was developed. The first priority would be an immediate successor. The second priority would be a person who should success the incumbent if the organization had three to five years to prepare. The third priority would be the most qualified woman or minority candidate at that time, in addition to any women or minorities had already on the first two priorities. Women and minorities must be included even needs to hire externally. Besides the replacement chart, there are some other key elements of the program such as career planning. All individuals would receive a guidance to set out the career goals and develop some strategies to achieve them. The guidance of the program is give by managers through some informal mentoring and through the organization’s women’s leadership conference. In this case, Motorola had show the linkage between the succession planning initiative and the organization’s business goals which emphasis was placed on the business success that can flow from having a socially diverse workforce. Since Motorola sees diversity as a business initiative and not only human resources department but all line managers are responsible for the program’s implementation. Senior managers are required to keep tracking of the representation of women and minorities in their units. The succession planning is then effective because of the cooperation of all employees. Effective career management and succession plan can drive small size company or large size company to success through adding value to it. It can help the employers and employees to fulfill the company objectives and goals. In order to make the plan effective in the company, the below ten points should be noted. First, the organization must define the targets and goals clearly. It should set a time frame and numbers creates impetus for action. Without a clear direction, employee may not know what or how they should do to go for success. When the employee knows the company objective and goal and the time frame, they can set out their own career development plan. Second, the organization should define the details and meaning of the succession plan to include the widest talent pool. Succession plan is not yet common in modern workplace. High potential will be attracted to work in those companies with succession plan in order to get higher achievement. Third, the organization should inform the employee about the succession plan and to let them know that they should be ready all the times. It is because when they are on the radar, they will ask more questions about their development and it is harder for them to be lost within the organization. Fourth, the organization should implement the career management careful and have strategic planning for targeted individuals’ career development. Since being identified is not enough, the organization should consider the potential benefits of encourage informal mentoring. Fifth, the organization should ensure there is strong leadership and commitment from senior management. This is because initial and ongoing personal involvement of the director is an important criterion to lead the plan to success. Sixth, the career management and succession plan must be integrate into the business objective and positioned as a response to the business need. A clear linkage between the business goal and the desired results of the career management will help to gain commitment from the organization and employee. Career management must be success when it portrayed as a core issue. Seventh, the organization should make all the line managers accountable for the success of the initiative. Since the career management is a business initiative, all employees should be responsible and accountable for its delivery, especially the line managers. Eighth, the organization should encourage the employees to take an active role in the career management. The organization should let the employee know that the career management is a tool to help them to get higher achievement which is benefiting them. Ninth, the evaluation should be an on-going one which uses to get improvement. Tenth, career management should be linked to other human resources practices such as performance management, training and recruiting systems. The organization may evaluate the career management through several outcomes. First, the reactions of the managers and the employees who use the career management can be determined through some surveys. Second, some more information with objective related to the results of the career management system can be tracked such as the time needs to fill up a vacant, the percentage of usage of the system. Talent management is a new direction in the modern workplace. Career management and succession plan can help both the small size organization and large size organization to add value through contributing directly to organization objective and goal. In order to success, all organization should focus on the career development of employee more than business since employees are the most valuable assets within an organization

The Symbol Veil In Muslim Women Religion Essay

The Symbol Veil In Muslim Women Religion Essay This research paper aims to define the symbol veil in Muslim women. Aside from being a form of dress or hijab, it bears symbols of their oppression, social control, religious sanctions, invisibility and socio-political status, according to Watson. This has been an almost global concern for a sense of freedom. In Saudi Arabia and some parts of Asia alone as well as North Africa, countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Egypt and Northern Cameroon practice Islam as a monotheistic religion with Quran as their religious text and Muslims as followers. Wherein, its women have been the part of a continuous discussion. Topics include the issue of the veil and how groups have been separated into account of maintaining its practice or not. Some admits a total ignorance of their religion and culture, while there are Islamic feminists who have shown a passion to reclaiming the emancipatory message of the Quran on using veils as part of the earliest traditions in Muslim communities. Such a scenario has attracted angers and frustrations in retort to the deliberate racism afflicted on Muslims especially in US colonies. Moreover, when Muslim women use veils showing a pictogram of ignorance and oppression, it has given fear to the younger population. Following patriarchy means having power over womens lives and in this lieu, these Muslim women wants to free themselves from its bonds. They want others to see themselves as an active part of the community vying for the same equal rights that allows them to be its members, workers as well as reformists. If the static colonial image of a Muslim woman wearing a veil does not improve in the future, they can deny their own culture and faith in religion. Chapters What is a Veil? A veil is a piece of loose, opaque, non-distinctive clothing wrapped around the body in modest to be able to hide a wearers head, torso and ankles, but leaving the face, hands and feet exposed (Hoodfar, 1992.) In Muslim women, it is called (Woodlock, 2000) hijab, a simple headscarf. Why should they wear a veil? It is part of their identity. On the other hand, Arab men are required to wear the keffiyeh, a traditional square cotton cloth that is use as a headdress. Other names are (ya)shmagh, ghutrah, hattah or mashadah (Kaitlin, 2008.) Importantly, a veil is worn as a religious item in the Islam faith, because members show demonstrates honor to an object or space. In Quranic verse, it means that there is a definition of separation in the sacred from the mundane. In the entire practice of Islam dress codes, its women members compete to gain a whole and complete image on being a pure and dedicated mother, sister, sister-in-law or daughter of their faith (Billaud, 2009.) Before, all members were asks to wear a veil, but with the entry of westernization and colonization there was a separation of responsibilities to wear one (Hoodfar, 1992.) Among the Arab urban elite, men began to copy new ways to dressing from their traditional keffiyeh. Yet, there are also a small percentage of Muslim women following the same pattern (Hoodfar, 1992.) The veil also underwent varied changes to fashions through out history. Some reasons entitle wearing a veil to show respect on conventional values or there are others who uses this to beautify their faces with make-up. Nevertheless, there have been other negative connotations to the symbol of a veil to which it can show a fundamentalist Islam in equal terms on extremism or terrorism (Van Santen, 2010.) Today, it bears a political meaning. Yet, Muslim women still continue to defend this choice. Its Origins and Language The practice of wearing a veil in seclusion of women comes from a pre-Islamic and non-Arab Middle Eastern and Mediterranean society tradition. If we trace along the history line, the first instance to veiling dates back to the 13th century BC in an Assyrian legal text. During that time, only respectable women are permitted to wear veils, wherein prostitutes are not allowed wear a veil (Hoodfar, 1992.) It was a sign of status and a part of the elite ways in ancient Greeco, Roman, pre-Islamic Iranian and Byzantine empires. After then, Muslims was able to seclude a life from the conquered regions and followed traditions in wearing veils. Nowadays, both non-Muslims and Muslims recognize this way as an Islamic phenomenon. Even if in the Quran, there are no specific mentions of the veil. Examples of descriptions, but not directly mentioning the use of veil, are Surah al Nur verses 30 31. This requires women to cover their chests and jewelry, which also means to wrap their whole body in clothing. Adding to this is Surah al Ahzab verse 59, that asks the Prophet wives to enveloped tightly their bodies, because they are should not be recognized, disturbed and molested outside. Though modern critics have rationalized that others also follow this form of dress, it was not until Safavids period of influence that the symbol status of veils was seen in the Muslim ruling class and urban elite. In 19th century, it was promoted as a major Muslim symbol, which members have fought for in the name of Islam and not for protecting culture practices. Honor, Veiling and Etiquette in Afghanistan No Muslim woman can embody the face of Islam. Any insight to wearing a veil does not account for a completely understanding on the faith of Muslim women. The point of discussing its purposes and symbolism is to keep an open-mind and listen (Kaitlin, 2008.) The veiling practices widely differ from regions, ethnics or social groups. In Afganistan, a veil is corresponds to honor (Billaud, 2009.) In here, a woman shows a devotion to the honor system through doing a pardah5 that can comprise of wrapping her head and hiding from unrelated men. When she does this, there is also a proud bearance to the honor of her male relatives or namus. Hence, in this region, a veil is symbolizing of a male-female connection in terms of relationships and balance in natural inclinations or nafs. Furthermore, the multitude of veil chadari colors is also another thing to interpret. On top this variations, a veil is also a way in the isolation of unrelated men and women in Afghanistan. Examples of these persons are the ones not affiliated with the same korwal or the inhabitants sharing a home. The society puts a difference between its private and public members, wherein a dakhili (the private sphere or home) is secluded and the biruni (outside world) is permitted to recognition. Moreover, the practice of namus allows a certain power from men that allow them to control women, which confine their manners when seen outside. If you are there, you can here men saying: Zan namus e mas (The woman is our honour) (Billaud, 2009.) Similar to soldiers saying: Watan namus e mas (The nation is our honour.) During the time that a woman steps outside of her home, she wears a veil and go with a mahram or a male relative to be able to defend her honor as part of the Afghanistan etiquette. Veiled Performance and Politics In modern times, the Islamic feminists have shown great efforts to reclaiming the emancipatory message of their Quran. They also want to gain back the rights that were bestowed upon them in the earliest Muslim communities (Falah Nagel, 2005.) Islamic regions have shared their own stories for this matter. Here are some of them: Politics in Afghanistan the new Islamic Republic has allowed its clothing and veiling practices to be under political category, which are mandatory to women to reach out to the public. Now, there are similarities between the image of parliamentary women and female university students that are Muslims in Afghanistan and whom displays a modern yet Muslim persona. The latter renounce the womens issues just to protect the practice of wearing their veils. Hence, Afghanistan women are divided into 2 categories: the conservative or nationalist and liberal women (Billaud, 2009.) 2. Irans De-veiling Law this was promulgated during the taking place of a rapid social change from a mayhem on its national economy; results of negative impact on the public, social, and leisure activities of its urban women; going to weekly ablutions in an offending feeling of nakedness; and a social implication bestowed on young women students when not wearing a scarf in public wherein parents hindered entry to schools (Hoodfar, 1992.) 3. Struggles in Northern Cameroon this shows an account to an image seen on Muslim women that they are a homogeneous category. To which, in public schools, wearing of a headgear is asked to be taken off inside the premises as required by the laic prescriptions of Cameroons constitution. Though there is no buzz on this matter. In this lieu, men choose to enter schools were veiling is allowed, while women opt for education (van Santen, 2010.) Womens Rights Activists Situations The Revolutionary Association of the Women in Afghanistan In the manner, a lot of womens rights activists, while opposing the need in veiling of women under chadari, used the practice to enjoy freedom of movement while carrying out tasks. The chadari was a symbol of womens oppression, but now in cultural norms, they were able to be active citizens fighting for a change in the community. The said hadari was a guarantee of womens protection in Afghanistan, wherein they need the veil during travelling to remote areas where security was often tight. In this lieu, the Revolutionary Association of the Women in Afghanistan is a very good example of a group with an instrumental nature of the chadari in inline with the goals of being politically engaged women (Billaud, 2009.) For certain their records are part of history under the human and womens rights. The Taliban realizes this under the chadari. When working in rural areas, this was worn for security reasons, during times that people tended to be suspicious on persons from the outside world. This was a strategy used by Rahela6, who is a member of the Afghan Womens Network, when she taught mullahs on womens rights in rural areas. She said, At first, it was difficult for us, women, to approach mullahs. They were reluctant to talk to us. But they gradually got used to us. By wearing chadari, we eventually gained their respect. Egyptian Feminist Movement in the 1920s Disobedience of the patriarchy can be seen in the de veiling act started by the Egyptian feminist movement during the 1920s and to the same situation resistance happening for a call to compulsory veiling in Iran. In here, we can see that aside from being a part of culture and religion, the veil can also be a form and symbol of resistance, for example in the case of the anti Shah movement that took place in Iran. In the same context, there were a number of Islam feminists Muslim women in Canada who have used the veil and reference to Islam during their stay in the country, because they wanted to resist some of the cultural practices that their forefathers have believed, like arranged marriages or far away educations from home without secluding from their parents and communities. Though, in Egypt, a lot veiled Muslim women use it as an instrument of mediation significantly seen from Muslim minority cultures and those of host cultures. Strangely enough, Western colonies reactions to Muslim women, as seen through the eyes of an Orientalist and colonialist frame, sets barricades on the customs and traditions of Muslim women to be difficult and opposite to their usual way of lives (Hoodfar, 1992.) Conclusion In conclusion, the veil is not so significant, after all, but it is who wears it that lies in importance. When in public, a Muslim woman shows people who see her in the outside world a marginal status that is of respect and honor. Not for culture and religion causes or even fashion. The series of incidents mentioned this paper have made me apprehend why a lot of young Muslim women today are so angry and have decided to fight for their rights together with other believers of Islam. This research paper aims define the symbol veil in Muslim women. According Watson in 1994, OR NON-MUSLIM WRITERS, THE VEIL IS VARIOUSLY DESCRIBED AS A TANGIBLE SYMBOL OF WOMENS OPPRESSION, A CONSTRAINING AND CONSTRICTING FORM OF DRESS, AND A FORM OF SOCIAL CONTROL, RELIGIOUSLY SANCTIONING WOMENS INVISIBILITY AND SUBORDINATE SOCILA-POLITICAL STATUS. I did not want to diminish or question the religious beliefs of the Muslim women in Islamic communities, but rather to underline and put emphasis on the possibilities that can be resulting through the reiteration of these feminine ceremonials. Since, it would be like a forever burden or mistake if the veil is lessened in reputation and disrespected in symbolism, which are its instrumental functions to the women, especially the young students in schools. Though, talking about the topic of veil, it was enough to see in it a pure religious expression. Reverence and dissimulation for it were indeed political gestures in my side that place defense on it as the necessary social make-up for women to be seen and heard through the public scenario. Moreover, if the Western colonies will only have a deeper analysis of Muslim womens motives and actions in their practicing their beliefs, efforts by these women can be recognized as strategies and adaption in relationship with them, displaying diff erent roles in the foreign community that should be basing on to the different Western citizen they wished to address themselves.

Using Gothic Characteristics to Portray the Theme of Knowledge Essay

Using Gothic Characteristics to Portray the Theme of Knowledge in American Gargoyles, Johnny Mnemonic, Frankenstein, Good Country People, and Cyberpunk   Ã‚  Ã‚   Gothic literature has been interpreted, and even criticized by many people as just being scary stories. They feel the author's only purpose for using gloomy settings and grotesque characters is to horrify the reader. This however is rarely true of Gothic literature, instead an author will use these characteristics to portray a deeper purpose rather than to just scare the reader. This is true of all genres of gothic literature including classical, southern, and cyber literature. One theme that has been prevalent throughout gothic history is that of knowledge. Several authors have used gothic tendencies to convey the idea that too much knowledge can be dangerous. They use these characteristics to warn the reader that knowledge is not always good. Classical gothic literature, developed in the late eighteenth century, was most likely first concepted by Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto. Dark, dreary settings and frightening monsters often characterize the style of this category of literature. Mary Shelley, a classical gothic writer, has used these characteristics in her novel Frankenstein. In her novel Victor Frankenstein composes a creature that has all the potentialities of a child because it knows nothing. But this creature is far from looking anything like a child. The monster, created from different body parts, is grotesque, he has yellow skin that barely covers his muscles, long black hair and is very large. However, just as a child, he begins to learn, through experiences and especially by reading several books. This new knowledge he has learned has a harmful ... ... situations to warn or horrify the reader about a deeper theme. The terror felt by the reader as he/she reads the story mimics the terror another character is feeling in dealing with this hidden theme. Authors often use these tendencies to portray their ideas on current social conditions in order to warn the reader. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Flannery O'Connor. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Di Renzo, Anthony. American Gargoyles. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1993. Gibson, William. "Johnny Mnemonic." 5 April 2000 . Levine, George. The Endurance of Frankenstein. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1979. O'Connor, Flannery. "Good Country People." 5 Apr. 2000 . Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Dover Publications, Inc, 1994. The Cyberpunk Project. Christian Kirtchev. 3 Apr. 2000. 10 Apr. 2000 .

Zen and the Transcendent Art Of Mowing Grass :: Example Personal Narratives

Zen and the Transcendent Art Of Mowing Grass As a youth, I hated to mow so much that one day I left our push-mower in the yard to rust and became an expatriated Texas writer. My first story was about an alien being who, in the end, turned out to be a lawnmower. By the time I came home again, I had spent so much time in the East that my Texas friends expected me to move into a highrise in downtown Dallas. But instead we settled sixteen miles to the south, in Cedar Hill. We surprised everyone by buying a place with an eight-acre yard. It was during the summer, and I had to start mowing immediately. "You just stay inside where it's cool," I told Norma, who is afraid of grass. "I'll take care of the yard." As I spoke, I was gazing out at more grass and weeds than I'd ever seen in my life, except at a cemetery. Now whenever anybody from Dallas comes out to see our spread for the first time, they remark on the seclusion, the spaciousness, the scenic beauty. Then they ask uneasily, "Do you MOW all this?" People don't like it when I say yes. They don't understand it. Old friends say I've changed, implying for the worst. But there is a difference between what I do today and the mowing of my youth. Mowing a little patch of front yard is typical outdoor city work: boring, undistinguished, pitiable, drone-like activity. But getting astride a John Deere tractor and spending twenty hours in two days tackling tough thistles, high Johnson grass, giant sticker weeds, and creeper so tough it copulates with barbed wire is the kind of intense activity that, if you survive it, eventually transcends itself. Like Zen or long-distance running, it becomes a path to wisdom. I've been at it three years now, and it's no accident that I don't write as I used to. All I really want to write about is mowing-and then for only an hour or so at a time between whole days on my tractor. The fact is, mowing and writing fill the same needs, only mowing does it better. Mowing eight acres every week would drive some kinds of people mad, but it has served to make me feel in harmony with the flux of the heaving earth as it hurtles through time.

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Fifteen

â€Å"Elena, you're being rude!† Aunt Judith seldom got angry but she was angry now. â€Å"You're too old for this kind of behavior.† â€Å"It's not rudeness! You don't understand – † â€Å"I understand perfectly. You're acting just the way you did when Damon came to dinner. Don't you think a guest deserves a little more consideration?† Frustration flooded over Elena. â€Å"You don't even know what you're talking about,† she said. This was too much. To hear Damon's words coming from Aunt Judith's lips†¦ it was unbearable. â€Å"Elena!† A mottled flush was creeping up Aunt Judith's cheeks. â€Å"I'mshocked at you! And Ihave to say that this childish behavior only started since you've been going out with that boy.† â€Å"Oh, ‘that boy'.† Elena glared at Damon. â€Å"Oh, really?† Elena felt as if she were talking to Damon and Aunt Judith at once, and she looked back and forth between the two of them. All the emotions she'd been suppressing for the last days – for the last weeks, for the months since Stefan had come into her life – were surging forward. It was like a great tidal wave inside her, over which she had no control. She realized she was shaking. â€Å"Well, that's too bad because you're going to have to tolerate it. I am never going to give Stefan up, not for anyone. Certainly not foryou!† This last was meant for Damon, but Aunt Judith gasped. â€Å"That's enough!† Robert snapped. He'd appeared with Margaret, and his face was dark. â€Å"Young lady, if this is how that boy encourages you to speak to your aunt – â€Å" â€Å"He's not ‘that boy'!† Elena took another step back, so she could face all of them. She was making a spectacle of herself, everyone in the courtyard was looking. But she didn't care. She had been keeping a lid on her feelings for so long, shoving down all the anxiety and the fear and the anger where it wouldn't be seen. All the worry about Stefan, all the terror over Damon, all the shame and humiliation she'd suffered at school, she'd buried it deep. But now it was coming back. All of it, all at once, in a maelstrom of impossible violence. Her heart was pounding crazily; her ears rang. She felt that nothing mattered except to hurt the people who stood in front of her, to show them all. â€Å"He's not ‘that boy',† she said again, her voice deadly cold. â€Å"He's Stefan and he's all I care about. And I happen to be engaged to him.† â€Å"Oh, don't be ridiculous!† Robert thundered. It was the last straw. â€Å"Is this ridiculous?† She held up her hand, the ring toward them. â€Å"We're going to get married!† â€Å"You arenot going to get married,† Robert began. Everyone was furious. Damon grabbed her hand and stared at the ring, then turned abruptly and strode away, every step full of barely leashed savagery. Robert was spluttering on in exasperation. Aunt Judith was fuming. â€Å"Elena, I absolutely forbid you – â€Å" â€Å"You'renot my mother !† Elena cried. Tears were trying to force themselves out of her eyes. She needed to get away, to be alone, to be with someone who loved her. â€Å"If Stefan asks, tell him I'll be at the boarding house!† she added, and broke away through the crowd. She half expected Bonnie or Meredith to follow her, but she was glad they didn't. The parking lot was full of cars but almost empty of people. Most of the families were staying for the afternoon activities. But a battered Ford sedan was parked nearby, and a familiar figure was unlocking the door. â€Å"Matt! Are you leaving?† She made her decision instantly. It was too cold to walk all the way to the boarding house. â€Å"Huh? No, I've got to help Coach Lyman take the tables down. I was just putting this away.† He tossed the Outstanding Athlete placard into the front seat. â€Å"Hey, are you okay?† His eyes widened at the sight of â€Å"Yes – no. I will be if I can get out of here. Look, can I take your car? Just for a little while?† â€Å"Well†¦ sure, but†¦ I know, why don't you let me drive you? I'll go tell Coach Lyman.† â€Å"No! I just want to be alone†¦ Oh, please don't ask any questions.† She almost snatched the keys out of his hand. â€Å"I'll bring it back soon, I promise. Or Stefan will. If you see Stefan, tell him I'm at the boarding house. And thanks.† She slammed the door on his protests and revved the engine, pulling out with a clash of gears because she wasn't used to a stick shift. She left him standing there staring after her. She drove without really seeing or hearing anything outside, crying, locked in her own spinning tornado of emotions. She and Stefan would run away†¦ They would elope†¦ They would show everyone. She would never set foot in Fell's Church again. And then Aunt Judith would be sorry. Then Robert would see how wrong he'd been. But Elena would never forgive them. Never. As for Elena herself, she didn't need anybody. She certainly didn't need stupid old Robert E. Lee, where you could go from being mega-popular to being a social pariah in one day just for loving the wrong person. She didn't need any family, or any friends, either†¦ Slowing down to cruise up the winding driveway of the boarding house, Elena felt her thoughts slow down, too. Well†¦ she wasn't mad at all her friends. Bonnie and Meredith hadn't done anything. Or Matt. Matt was all right. In fact, she might not need him but his car had come in pretty handy. In spite of herself Elena felt a strangled giggle well up in her throat. Poor Matt. People always borrowing his clunking dinosaur of a car. He must think she and Stefan were nuts. The giggle let loose a few more tears and she sat and wiped them off, shaking her head. Oh, God, how did things turn out this way? What a day. She should be having a victory celebration because they'd beaten Caroline, and instead she was crying alone in Matt's car. Carolinehad looked pretty damn funny, though. Elena's body shook gently with slightly hysterical chuckles. Oh, the look on her face. Somebody better have a video of that. At last the sobs and giggles both abated and Elena felt a wash of tiredness. She leaned against the steering wheel trying not to think of anything for a while, and then she got out of the car. She'd go and wait for Stefan, and then they'd both go back and deal with the mess she'd made. It would take a lot of cleaning up, she thought wearily. Poor Aunt Judith. Elena had yelled at her in front of half the town. Why had she let herself get so upset? But her emotions were still close to the surface, as she found when the boarding house door was locked and no one answered the bell. Oh, wonderful she thought, her eyes stinging again. Mrs. Flowers had gone off to the Founders' Day celebration, too. And now Elena had the choice of sitting in the car or standing out here in this windstorm†¦ It moaned through the branches of the oak trees, tearing off the remaining leaves and sending them down in showers. The sound was rising steadily now, not just a moan but a howl. And there was something else. Something that came not just from the wind, but from the air itself, or the space around the air. A feeling of pressure, of menace, of some unimaginable force. It was gathering power, drawing nearer, closing in. Elena spun to face the oak trees. There was a stand of them behind the house, and more beyond, blending into the forest. And beyond that were the river and the graveyard. Something†¦ was out there. Something†¦ very bad†¦ â€Å"No,† whispered Elena. She couldn't see it, but she could feel it, like some great shape rearing up to stand over her, blotting out the sky. Shefelt the evil, the hatred, the animal fury. Bloodlust. Stefan had used the word, but she hadn't understood it. Now she felt this bloodlust†¦ focused on her. â€Å"No!† Higher and higher, it was towering over her. She could still see nothing, but it was as if great wings unfolded, stretching to touch the horizon on either side. Something with a Power beyond comprehension†¦ and it wanted tokill †¦ â€Å"No!† She ran for the car just as it stooped and dived for her. Her hands scrabbled at the door handle, and she fumbled frantically with the keys. The wind was screaming, shrieking, tearing at her hair. Gritty ice sprayed into her eyes, blinding her, but then the key turned and she jerked the door open. Safe! She slammed the door shut again and brought her fist down on the lock. Then she flung herself across the seat to check the locks on the other side. The wind roared with a thousand voices outside. The car began rocking. â€Å"Stop it! Damon, stop it!† Her thin cry was lost in the cacophony. She put her hands out on the dashboard as if to balance the car and it rocked harder, ice pelting against it. Then she saw something. The rear window was clouding up, but she could discern the shape through it. It looked like some great bird made of mist or snow, but the outlines were hazy. All she was sure of was that it had huge sweeping wings†¦ and that it was coming for her. Get the key in the ignition. Get it in! Now go! Her mind was rapping orders at her. The ancient Ford wheezed and the tires screamed louder than the wind as she took off. And the shape behind her followed, getting larger and larger in the rearview mirror. If she hadn't been skidding and braking already, the tree would have crashed down on her. As it was, the violent impact shook the car like an earthquake missing the front right fender by inches. The tree was a mass of heaving, pitching branches, its trunk blocking the way back to town completely. She was trapped. Her only route home cut off. She was alone, there was no escape from this terrible Power†¦ Power. That was it; that was the key. â€Å"The stronger your Powers are, the more the rules of the dark bind you.† Running water! Throwing the car into reverse, she brought it around and then slammed into forward. The white shape banked and swooped, missing her as narrowly as the tree had, and then she was speeding down Old Creek Road into the worst of the storm. It was still after her. Only one thought pounded in Elena's brain now. She had to cross running water, to leave this thing behind. There were more cracks of lightning, and she glimpsed other trees falling, but she swerved around them. It couldn't be far now. She could see the river flickering past on her left side through the driving ice storm. Then she saw the bridge. It was there; she'd made it! A gust threw sleet across the windshield, but with the wipers' next stroke she saw it fleetingly again. This was it, the turn should be abouthere. The car lurched and skidded onto the wooden structure. Elena felt the wheels grip at slick planks and then felt them lock. Desperately, she tried to turn with the skid, but she couldn't see and there was no room†¦ And then she was crashing through the guardrail, the rotted wood of the footbridge giving way under weight it could no longer support. There was a sickening feeling of spinning, dropping, and the car hit the water. Elena heard screams, but they didn't seem to be connected with her. The river welled up around her and everything was noise and confusion and pain. A window shattered as it was struck by debris, and then another. Dark water gushed across her, along with glass like ice. She was engulfed. She couldn't see; she couldn't get out. And she couldn't breathe. She was lost in this hellish tumult, and there was no air.She had to breathe. She had to get out of here†¦ â€Å"Stefan, help me!† she screamed. But her scream made no sound. Instead, the icy water rushed into her lungs, invading her. She thrashed against it, but it was too strong for her. Her struggles became wilder, more uncoordinated, and then they stopped. Bonnie and Meredith were hunting around the perimeter of the school impatiently. They'd seen Stefan go this way, more or less coerced by Tyler and his new friends. They'd started to follow him, but then that business with Elena had started. And then Matt had informed them that she'd taken off. So they'd set out after Stefan again, but nobody was out here. There weren't even any buildings except one lonely Quonset hut. â€Å"And now there's a storm coming!† Meredith said. â€Å"Listen to that wind! I think it's going to rain.† â€Å"Or snow!† Bonnie shuddered. â€Å"Where did theygo?† â€Å"I don't care; I just want to get under a roof. Here it comes!† Meredith gasped as the first sheet of icy rain hit her, and she and Bonnie ran for the nearest shelter – the Quonset hut. And it was there that they found Stefan. The door was ajar, and when Bonnie looked in she recoiled. â€Å"Tyler's goon squad!† she hissed. â€Å"Look out!† Stefan had a semicircle of guys between him and the door. Caroline was in the corner. â€Å"He must have it! He took it somehow; I know he did!† she was saying. â€Å"Took what?† said Meredith, loudly. Everyone turned their way. Caroline's face contorted as she saw them in the doorway and Tyler snarled. â€Å"Get out.† he said. â€Å"You don't want to be involved in this.† Meredith ignored him. â€Å"Stefan, can I talk to you?† â€Å"In a minute. Are you going to answer her question? Took what?† Stefan was concentrating on Tyler, totally focused. â€Å"Sure, I'll answer her question. Right after I answer yours.† Tyler's beefy hand thumped into his fist and he stepped forward. â€Å"You're going to be dog meat, Salvatore.† Several of the tough guys snickered. Bonnie opened her mouth to say, â€Å"Let's getout of here.† But what she actually said was, â€Å"The bridge.† It was weird enough to make everyone look at her. â€Å"What?† said Stefan. â€Å"The bridge,† said Bonnie again, without meaning to say it. Her eyes bulged, alarmed. She could hear the voice coming from her throat, but she had no control over it. And then she felt her eyes go wider and her mouth drop open and she had her own voice back. â€Å"The bridge, oh, my God, the bridge! That's where Elena is! Stefan, we've got to save her†¦ Oh, hurry!† â€Å"Yes, oh, God†¦ that's where she's gone. She's drowning!Hurry !† Waves of thick blackness broke over Bonnie. But she couldn't faint now; they had to get to Elena. Stefan and Meredith hesitated one minute, and then Stefan was through the goon squad, brushing them aside like tissue paper. They sprinted through the field toward the parking lot, dragging Bonnie behind. Tyler started after them, but stopped when the full force of the wind hit him. â€Å"Why would she go out in this storm?† Stefan shouted as they sprang into Meredith's car. â€Å"She was upset; Matt said she took off in his car,† Meredith gasped back in the comparative quiet of the interior. She pulled out fast and turned into the wind, speeding dangerously. â€Å"She said she was going to the boarding house.† â€Å"No, she's at the bridge! Meredith, drive faster! Oh, God, we're going to be too late!† Tears were running down Bonnie's face. Meredith floored it. The car swayed, buffeted by wind and sleet. All through that nightmare ride Bonnie sobbed, her fingers clutching the seat in front of her. Stefan's sharp warning kept Meredith from running into the tree. They piled out and were immediately lashed and punished by the wind. â€Å"It's too big to move! We'll have to walk,† Stefan shouted. Of course it was too big to move, Bonnie thought, already scrambling through the branches. It was a full-grown oak tree. But once on the other side, the icy gale whipped all thought out of her head. Within minutes she was numb, and the road seemed to go on for hours. They tried to run but the wind beat them back. They could scarcely see; if it hadn't been for Stefan, they would have gone over the riverbank. Bonnie began to weave drunkenly. She was ready to fall to the ground when she heard Stefan shouting up ahead. Meredith's arm around her tightened, and they broke again into a stumbling run. But as they neared the bridge what they saw brought them to a halt. â€Å"Oh, my God†¦ Elena!† screamed Bonnie. Wickery Bridge was a mass of splintered rubble. The guardrail on one side was gone and the planking had given way as if a giant fist had smashed it. Beneath, the dark water churned over a sickening pile of debris. Part of the debris, entirely underwater except the headlights, was Matt's car. Meredith was screaming, too, but she was screaming at Stefan. â€Å"No! You can't go down there!† He never even glanced back. He dived from the bank, and the water closed over his head. Later, Bonnie's memory of the next hour would be mercifully dim. She remembered waiting for Stefan while the storm raged endlessly on. She remembered that she was almost beyond caring by the time a hunched figure lurched out of the water. She remembered feeling no disappointment, only a vast and yawning grief, as she saw the limp thing Stefan laid out on the road. She remembered how he looked as they tried to do something for Elena. Only that wasn't really Elena lying there, that was a wax doll with Elena's features. It was nothing that had ever been alive and it certainly wasn't alive now. Bonnie thought it seemed silly to go on poking and prodding at it like this, trying to get water out of its lungs and so on. Wax dolls didn't breathe. She remembered Stefan's face when he finally gave up. When Meredith wrestled with him and yelled at him, saying something about over an hour without air, and brain damage. The words filtered in to Bonnie, but their meaning didn't. She just thought it odd that while Meredith and Stefan were screaming at each other they were both crying. Stefan stopped crying after that. He just sat there holding the Elena-doll. Meredith yelled some more, but he didn't listen to her. He just sat. And Bonnie would never forget his expression. And then something seared through Bonnie, bringing her to life, waking her to terror. She clutched at Meredith and stared around for the source. Something bad†¦ something terrible was coming. Was almost here. Stefan seemed to feel it, too. He was alert, stiff, like a wolf picking up a scent. â€Å"What is it?† shouted Meredith. â€Å"What's wrong with you?† â€Å"You've got to go!† Stefan rose, still holding the limp form in his arms. â€Å"Get out of here!† â€Å"What do you mean? We can't leave you – â€Å"Yes, you can! Get out of here! Bonnie, get her out!† No one had ever told Bonnie to take care of someone else before. People were always taking care of her. But now she seized Meredith's arm and began pulling. Stefan was right. There was nothing they could do for Elena, and if they stayed whatever had gotten her would get them. â€Å"Stefan!† Meredith shouted as she was unaccountably dragged away. â€Å"I'll put her under the trees. The willows, not the oaks,† he called after them. Why would he tell us that now? Bonnie wondered in some deep part of her mind that was not taken up with fear and the storm. The answer was simple, and her mind promptly gave it back to her. Because he wasn't going to be around to tell them later.