Comparison of Dictatorship and Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Correlation of Dictatorship and Democracy - Essay Example There has been a discussion which type of government is progressively gainful for the individuals living in the general public too for the advancement and monetary improvement of the nation and various individuals have various perspectives. It is critical to break down and comprehend both these types of government before talking about and looking at these two structures. A tyranny is an absolutist type of government and for the most part, this kind of government is run or administered by a solitary individual or a little gathering of individuals as a theocracy (Acemoglu, 2006). Regularly this single individual or little gathering has all the forces. Some accept that despots have the force without the assent and endorsement of the individuals living in the public arena. Then again, majority rules system is characterized as the legislature that is chosen by the individuals or resident of the nation (Olson, 1993). In a majority rules system, any qualified resident of the nation can take an interest and get chose for structure the legislature. Majority rules system is likewise named or characterized as the administration of the individuals, by the individuals, and for the individuals (Dewey, 2004). Throughout the years, there has been a discussion whether fascism is all the more remarkable and better in administering the legislature or vote based system. Notwithstanding, a few researchers and lawmakers accept that popular government is increasingly significant and urgent for the financial development and success of the nation. One of the principle favorable circumstances of vote based system is that the administration is chosen by the individuals and residents of the nation (Dahl, 1989). Consequently the administration will put forth their attempts to ensure that the economy flourishes and the nation moves the correct way. In any case, then again in an autocracy, despots that are administering and dealing with the nation could conceivably think about the improvement of the nation as they are not chosen as in a popularity based nation. By and large, the right to speak freely of discourse is constrained or less in an autocracy type of government than an equitable form.â Â Â â

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Our Favorite Books from Elementary, Middle, and High School

Our Favorite Books from Elementary, Middle, and High School Pencils are being sharpened and backpacks being packed: its back to school time. And frankly, that makes me a bit nostalgic for my school days, especially for the books I read in school. I remember my elementary school library had a claw-foot tub in the library, with a sleeping bag and throw pillows, you know, thrown in, and I remember fondly the feeling of sitting in a bathtub in the middle of a library, reading books. Im not the only one who looks back fondly on school books. When I asked my fellow Rioters to weigh in with their most memorable books, they provided their own bits of nostalgia. So heres a list of our most memorable books from elementary, middle, and high school. Elementary School Dana Staves:   Number the Stars by Lois Lowry I read this in fifth grade, and it was the first time I encountered a story about kids in the Holocaust. I vividly remember the scene where Nazi soldiers come to the house, looking for Jews who might be hidden there; Annemarie’s family is hiding her Jewish friend, Ellen, and before the soldiers can reach them, Annemarie yanks her friend’s Star of David necklace off to protect her. It was a situation unlike I had ever encountered, and it scared me, but it also gave me hope for friendship and strength.   Kate Scott:  The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien   My dad read this to me when I was a small. I fell in love with Middle Earth (and the fantasy genre in general) and went on to become a full fledged LOTR junkie in middle school.   Alison Peters:  Anything at all by Beverly Cleary, but particularly the Ramona Quimby series. I didn’t have a sister, and Ramona and Beezus’s relationship just sounded wonderful to me. I loved their adventures, fights, make ups, and the way they stood up for each other. And it was my first experience with dying for the newest book in the series to come outpaving the way for so many, many more series I couldn’t live without.   Amanda Diehl:  The Oz series by L. Frank Baum. My library had the entire collection and I can still picture in my mind where they were located on the shelves. It was so whimsical and fun and I loved all of the illustrations. I remember being disappointed that so much of Oz wasn’t covered in the original film because there were cooler inhabitants than Munchkins and Flying Monkeys.   Rachel Manwill:    Matilda and The BFG by Roald Dahl. I started my elementary school life in England. Because of this, I missed some of the typical American literature as a kid, but I did have the pleasure of discovering Roald Dahl, and these two books in particular had a profound impact on my reading life, even to this day. They were my first introductions to magical realism and the knowledge that sometimes grown-ups suck.   Rachel Cordasco:  Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder- I was always interested in stories of pioneers and adventure, but this book (and the rest of the series by Laura Ingalls Wilder) made me fall in love with this period of American history. I suffered through the locusts and harsh winters with the Ingalls family, and I roamed the plains and explored with Laura. These books shaped me in crucial ways, and I find it only fitting that I wound up moving from the east coast to Wisconsin, much like Laura’s parents did.   Nikki Steele:   I was ALL about Matilda when I was growing upher bookishness, her magic, her amazing teacher. I wanted to be her, at least for the good parts. I also adored The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. It’s not the same re-reading those books, but I loved the adventure then and the sense of purpose all of those kids have. It’s also made reading The Magicians series by Lev Grossman that much more fun now.   Tasha Brandstatter:  The Ghost Wore Gray by Bruce Coville was the first book I loved. It had everything childhood me loved: ghosts, buried treasure, art, creaky old inns, and summer vacation. It also has one of my favorite lines ever in a MG novel: “What a hunk! Too bad he’s dead.” The rest of the books in this series, The Ghost in the Third Row and The Ghost in the Big Brass Bed, are delightful as well. I still reread them on occasion and they’ve stood the test of time.   Jessica Pryde:  I remember more the sensation of reading Number The Stars than the actual story. I recall the thrill of reading it the first time in third grade, and repeatedly returning to it as I saw it in my classroom library.  It was a combination of reading about a girl my age surviving through adversity, and a book I really enjoyed always being at my fingertips.  Also, Anansi the Spider gave me a really early appreciation of storytelling.   Peter Damien:  I read an awful lot of books as a kid, but I’m not sure any of them were having major emotional impacts on me. Maybe because I was a boy, or maybe because most of them were too busy being full of monsters. I don’t know. What I do know is that I read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson as quickly and innocently as all those other booksand it obliterated me. The ending is abrupt and tragic (Do I need to worry about spoiling a book as old as Star Wars?) and I didn’t realize I had developed something of a crush on the girl until the ending happened. I remember wandering around the house, sad and hurt and bereft and entirely unprepared for that reaction. So profound was its effect, I have never gone back to it again.   Middle School Alison Peters:    Tess of the D’urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy. I think I was challenged to read this book before high school, and being the reading smart-ass that I was (am?), I took it up without hesitation. And I seriously loved this book, with its moors and lovers and jilted romance. But it really did take me till high school to get the gist of the whole ‘got pregnant in the field after doing it that one time’ vagueness. But it still stands out as one of my all time favorites.   Amanda Diehl:  Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman. This was probably the first epistolary novel I read and I was immediately taken with the genre. And, of course, we all have those amazing teachers who help guide us during our more formative years, so I found a lot of similarities between Sylvia and my favorite teacher (who also happened to teach English).   Swapna Krishna:  A Ring of Endless Light and Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle. When I was in middle school, most of what I read was classics (upon reflection, I’m pretty sure I did NOT understand the books I was reading back then). These two books were the first YA books I’d read and to this day, they’re still on my bookshelves.   Rachel Manwill:   I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. As a military kid, I moved around a lot, and when I hit 7th grade, I ended up in an English class that bored me to tears because the books were so far below my reading level or I’d read them already. My teacher recognized this and gave me books that the other kids weren’t reading. Angelou’s memoir was the first one she gave me, and I remember staying after class to discuss it. I was profoundly honored that a teacher trusted me with that kind of material and it was cemented in my brain as my first “grown up” book.   Rachel Cordasco:  The Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery- I absolutely fell in love with the rural landscape and people of Prince Edward Island, and Montgomery’s prose was vivid and entrancing. I remember binge-reading them with joy.   Nikki Steele:  One of my favorites memories was sitting in 7th grade English class reading Watership Down. At first, I just felt really cool reading my thick book when all the others kids were still paging through magazines or smaller books. It really ended up changing me, though, when I realized a somewhat cute story about rabbits, of all things, was becoming so much more.   Tasha Brandstatter:  The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith. I went CRAZY over these books. Like full-on obsession, in the way only a teenager can obsess. I read all three books so often they started falling apart, wrote fan fiction, dressed like the characters, the whole nine yards. They were the first, and remain the only, books I’ve ever geeked out over like that (although I do love nearly all of LJ Smith’s other novels).   Jessica Pryde:  The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle. It was a RIF book I picked up in sixth grade, and I recall reading it multiple times over the next few years. A girl, new to school, strikes up a friendship-relationship with a kid who gets no love by anyone. He’s quiet, but super smart, and has a really snarky sense of humor; basically, he reminded me of me at a time where I didn’t really have a lot of friends. I was in love instantly, and that relationship was matched by none other while I was in middle school.   Peter Damien:  Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn doesn’t seem like it would be so important a book, given that it was “just” a tie-in novel, but it was a watershed moment for me. Not only because I discovered with Zahn’s trilogy that I could carry on my love of Star Wars into novels, but also because in or out of a media tie-in novel, Timothy Zahn is a superb science fiction writer. They were sprawling, epic novels (far better written than the movies, let’s be honest), and I was so enthused by them that I began writing. I haven’t stopped since. (They were also the first time I realized how books could be structured and mechanically shaped, the first time I noticed the authorial details and not just the story, and that was an immense benefit.) Dana Staves:  I was a late arrival at the  Little House on the Prairie party, and I only ever read the second book, but I remember sitting in the back of my sixth grade classroom, hating school (very unusual for me) and reading that book, and there being a description of cooking salted pork that made my mouth water and made me hate school more and wish for prairie life and salted pork and sunbonnets.   High School Kate Scott:  Jane Eyre  by Charlotte Brontë I read Jane Eyre the summer I was sixteen on a week-long vacation in Detroit. I was completely enraptured by Brontë’s use of language and it has remained one of my top five favorite novels of all time.   Alison Peters:    The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende. This was assigned summer reading, and it just blew my mind. Up till that point, most of the school reading was American/English canon classics that the Norton publishing group would heartily approve of. My first glimpse into some South American history, magical goings-on and love across generations thrilled me, and changed what I enjoy reading, for the rest of my life.   Dana Staves:  Mythology by Edith Hamilton My 9th grade English teacher assigned this collection of mythology to us. It was such a drastic departure from anything I had ever read before. But the characters! Helen, with her face! Madea, totally freaking out! Odysseus, just trying to get home, and poor Penelope, weaving and unraveling. It was a new world with that book.   Amanda Diehl:  The Handmaid’s Tale and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. And so began my love affair with Margaret Atwood. Though I feel The Handmaid’s Tale should be required reading for everyone, I think it’s especially important for young women. I remember having powwows with my girl friends over this book and it still gives me fond memories of female bonding. As for Oryx and Crake, well it’s just plain amazing.   Rachel Manwill:  Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner. This is the book that taught me that it’s okay to hate a piece of literature. I read this as summer reading before my senior year and I actually flung it across the room because I hated it so much. But once I calmed down, and finished it (begrudgingly), I had to write an essay about it. And trying to channel all my dislike into a coherent and competent 3-page paper was the hardest piece of writing I’d ever had to do. But I picked apart the things I liked from the things I didn’t, and being able to explain what I disliked allowed me far more insight and as a reader from then on.   Rachel Cordasco:  Death in Venice by Thomas Mann- I read this novella for a high school lit group, and fell in love with Mann for ever and ever to eternity. His exploration of a life devoted to art, and aesthetics in relation to sensuality, were fascinating. Mann’s prose is also exquisite and expressive, the kind of style that inspires its readers to write.   Nikki Steele:  I’m going to echo Alison up there and say that Allende wrote the most memorable book for me in high school. On the Road by Kerouac was a close second, because teenagers and hormones and wanderlust and such, but The Stories of Eva Luna was so much more. It gave me new ideas of what it meant to be a woman. It played with fact and fiction in a daring way that absolutely thrilled me. It was also one of the first times I read about sex where it wasn’t talked about as something earth-shattering, dangerous, taboo. Of course, it was those things but she also allowed it to be a normal part of life.   Tasha Brandstatter:  I read so many incredible books in high school that not only shaped the way I read and look at literature, but affected my view of the world, from Jane Eyre (my favorite book of all time), to The Age of Innocence to Things Fall Apart. But for this exercise I’m going to go with Stranger in My Arms by Lisa Kleypas. Here’s the deal: I’d always been a bit snobby about romance novels, but I was sitting around my grandparents’ house one summer day, super duper bored, and Stranger in My Arms was lying open on my grandfather’s chair. Yes, my grandfather read romance novels. By the truck load. Anyway, I picked Stranger in My Arms up, thinking I’d just flip through it, and a romance reader was born. Thanks to Lisa Kleypas and that book, romance novels were the only books I willingly read, or wanted to read, for the next decade. And none of my grandfather’s Lisa Kleypas books were safe after that.   Jessica Pryde:  There were two books I read in high school (well, one is technically a series) that influenced my reading forever. The first was The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. My best friend and I had determined to read it “together” while she was summering in New York and I was working in DC. I’d been a vampire girl since Buffy and the Interview with the Vampire movie, and this just sealed the deal. I spent the next year or so eating the Anne Rice backlist, found more and more awesome stories about vampires before they were all the rage, and used Lestat as my measurement of greatness in all fictional men, period. He was nearly overthrown by Mr. Darcy.  Pride and Prejudice. I read it first in ninth grade for a technical reading course, and was impressed, intrigued, but hadn’t really expanded my purview. I read it again in eleventh grade as part of a research projectand discovered online fanfiction in my research. I was forever changed. I didn’t read anything but Prid e and Prejudice fanfiction for likethree years. And while I have moved back into the world of books, and moved on to different fandoms, I still go back to my roots sometimes. Peter Damien:  Somewhere in my high school years, I discovered Harlan Ellison, and it was a godsend. I think that’s probably the best age for anyone to discover his works. Yes, I was floored by “Repent, Harlequin!” Said The Ticktock Man and other such storiesbut it was his video interviews, and his nonfiction, and some of his other stories that were vital to me. They contained the same bottomless well of anger which I had, but that anger was not a wildfire, it was a fuel and it was powering this vast and roaring engine. For the first time, with Ellison for support, I began to figure out how to express myself, how to be angry and how to stop putting up with bullshit when it was important not to do so. Other books may have helped me write, or read more widely, but Ellison’s work helped me begin to live and function, and I’m immeasurably grateful. And also, “Lonelyache” is the single most perfect title and aptly descriptive word ever used, honestly. Sign up to The Kids Are All Right to receive news and recommendations from the world of kid lit and middle grade books. 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Hester As A Strong Female Character And The Scarlet Letter

Jailah Johnson Mr. Powell English III CP Per.5 06 November 2015 Hester as a Strong Female Character and The Scarlet Letter as a Feminist Novel In The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a question arises: Is The Scarlet Letter a feminist novel? First, what is feminism? Feminism is â€Å"the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men†. Feminism is really about a woman’s strength since the act of feminism causes a woman to go against traditional views and be ridiculed for that. What does feminism have to do with The Scarlet Letter? Hawthorne denotes true feminism through his main character, Hester Prynne. Hester represents a strong woman who had to deal with life’s trials and tribulations from being publically humiliated for committing adultery, having to raise a child by herself, being forced to take all of the blame in her situation, and even being seen as one who is not worthy as a knowledgeable Puritan woman in Puritan society. Hester represented feminism well before feminism was even culturally relevant. Hester’s remarkable s trength is portrayed through direct and indirect characterization, and it is this very strength that makes The Scarlet Letter a feminist novel. The Scarlet Letter was first published in 1850. Hawthorne originally wrote the novel to expose the hypocrisy that was going on in organized religion. While doing so, Hawthorne wrote a novel that also challenged the idea of Puritan society during theShow MoreRelatedFeminism In The Scarlet Letter Essay1313 Words   |  6 Pageshow a female character or some part of the fictional world is being hurt or deprived of a certain right that women deserve. In such a way, readers and authors alike are able to dispute whether classic literary reads are feminist literature, such as The Scarlet Letter. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing did not portray a new right being made for women in society due to the scandal it aroused, nor change how women saw Hester Prynne, and it offered a balance of strong male and female characters withinRead MoreHester Prynnes The Scarlet Letter : A Feminist Novel805 Words   |  4 Pages The scarlet letter would be considered a feminist book becau se of the strength that Hester showed while all of society rejected her, and her daughter pearl. In the scarlet letter there is a women who is introduced to us known as Hester Prynne. In the story it tells us the life of Hester and her struggle living in a society that has alienated her because she has committed adultery. The scarlet letter is a feminist novel because of the strength that Hester has as a women throughout the bookRead MoreSimilarities and Differences Between Anne Hutchinson and Hester Prynne1607 Words   |  7 Pagesand Hester Prynne While many people may feel that Anne Hutchinson has nothing in common with Hester Pyrnne they actually more alike than most people would think. Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of â€Å"The Scarlet Letter,† used many references to Anne Hutchinson in his book. During his life, he wrote a sketch of Hutchinson thus portraying his interest towards her and the characteristics of her life. It could be accurate to say that Anne Hutchinson was used as a guide to make the character of Hester PrynneRead MoreWhat Is The Tone Of The Scarlet Letter By Hester Prynne928 Words   |  4 PagesD.H Lawrence a British writer critiques the novel’s Scarlet Letters heroine and gives his opinions on her in a persuasive, argumentative manner in his critical essay called On The Scarlet Letter. He believes that the heroine of the novel is not the beloved character readers believe she is. Using literary techniques like an ironclad tone, abrupt syntax and biblical allusions Lawrence convince’s p eople that the beloved American heroine Hester Prynne is truly a conniving adulteress who thrives off ofRead MoreTone Of Hester Prynne742 Words   |  3 Pagesauthor of the classic novel the Scarlet Letter based on the Puritan Era in Massachusetts. D.H Lawrence a British writer critiques the novel and gives his opinions on the piece in a persuasive argumentative manner. He believes that the heroine of the novel is not the beloved, marvelous character we all believe she is.He uses confident literary techniques like powerful tone, abrupt syntax and classic biblical allusions to convince people that the beloved character Hester Prynne is truly a conniving adulteressRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1641 Words   |  7 PagesThe Scarlet Letter is a story about a woman, Hester Prynne, who painfully lived her life in shame because of the adultery she committed in a1840s American colony. The way she and the other characters conducted themselves after the reveal of Hesterà ¢â‚¬â„¢s baby all show a deeper meaning into what kind of person each character was, which can be interpreted in many ways. The story was written by a man named Nathaniel Hawthorne, only about a decade after his story took place, which meant that society in hisRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne And The Hungarian Novel Colours And Years1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe categorisation of female characters as heroines is often less obvious than the one of male characters as heroes. In a lot of contexts, â€Å"women and men are left with the impression that women are not heroic†. In other words, sometimes people tend to regard fictional women as inferior characters to whom the traditional notion of heroism cannot be applied. Yet, with the purpose of proving such a thesis wrong, this essay will examine the historical romance The Scarlet Letter written by NathanielRead MoreFeminism in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay551 Words   |  3 PagesWritten in 1850, The Scarlet Letter stood as a very progressive book. With new ideas about women, main characters’ stories intertwined, and many different themes, The Scarlet Letter remains today as a extremely popular novel about 17th century Boston, Massachusetts. Not only was the 19th century a time for the abolition of slavery movement but it was also the beginning of the first wave of feminism. Women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott catalyzed the women’sRead MoreScarlet Letter Feminist Novel Essay769 Words   |  4 PagesIs The Scarlet Letter a feminist novel? Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter is about a woman living in Boston during the 1630s. Her name is Hester Prynne and she has committed the crime of adultery and is caught when she is found to be pregnant. The book picks up when she is having a scarlet A placed on her breast for â€Å"adultery† and after the child is already born. After 7 more years, it picks up and the readers can see what she goes through and how she and the townspeople around herRead MoreFeminism in the Scarlet Letter1297 Words   |  6 PagesJane Jonga Research Paper 11 March 2008 Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne and Feminism â€Å"In Heaven’s own time, a new truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness† (ch.24).The definition of feminism would be women are inherently equal to men and deserve equal rights and opportunities. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is the key example for feminism in the novel. In Puritan times, women were thought

Sympathy for the Main Character in Sophocles Antigone Essay

Sympathy for the Main Character in Sophocles Antigone Sophocles play is named after its main character, Antigone, and for one the first times in Greek Tragedy it is a woman. In this play, Antigone is clearly the protagonist, as she is showed in her grief, seems sympathetic and the reader or spectator sees her from the beginning; it creates more impact and draws attention to the extremity of her feelings and emotions. Antigone also illustrates one of the central themes of this tragedy, which is the position of women; she upsets gender roles and hierarchy, and disturbs the fundamental rules of her culture. She is†¦show more content†¦The king feels she is defying him and he has the power over whether she lives or dies, and the law is only here to benefit him and to control the people. It emphasizes her lack of power and the divergent way in which they deal with laws. Sophocles turns us towards Antigone again since she follows her own conscience and wants to honour her family whereas Creon chooses to follow state laws. Furthermore, Antigone has to act on her own to bury Polyneices body since Ismene chooses to do nothing, it shows she is the character with the most agency and courage and makes us feel admiration for her. The fact that she has obligations as a woman and a duty towards her family represents her as a martyr and this creates empathy again for her character. As we go on with our reading we discover Antigones deep suffering and sorrow, she suffers because she has no power, is dominated by the status of Creon and is alone in her struggle. She has lost her two brothers, has no family except for Ismene, and is now condemned to die by Creon. In addition, the fact that she has a fiancà © but is not married to him adds to her solitude, and makes us feel compassion for her. As said before, when the play was written women had a very little role in a society ruled by men, and they had very limited freedom.Show MoreRelatedSophocles Antigone: 441-442bc1285 Words   |  6 PagesThe period that Athens’ Sophocles lived in was a time of important changes to the traditional Greek ways of life. The most significant catalyst of change and concern of the period was democracy. From here stems ideas such as the nature, role and respect of and for the gods, and the individual. The drama of Antigone reflects these concerns in the context it was written through various ways. Athens in the middle of the fifth century BC was at the peak of its power. It attracted foreigners, writersRead More Antigone – The First Feminist Essay549 Words   |  3 PagesAntigone – The First Feminist How old is feminism, and who was the first feminist? Although no one can say for sure the exact date on which the feminist movement started, most of it is attributed to the past two centuries. However, women who are feminists have been around much longer. In Sophocles’s Antigone, the main character (Antigone) acts as a protofeminist by defying the authority of a patriarchal society and taking action according to what she believes is right in her heart. She evenRead MoreWho Is More Tragic, Creon or Antigone?863 Words   |  4 Pagesdownfall of the character. In Antigone, both Creon and Antigone share some tragic elements: tragic hero, hamartia, hubris, and nemesis. However, Creon is a more tragic hero than Antigone because his character has tragic elements that are absent from the character of Antigone: anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis. There are many tragic elements that both Creon and Antigone share. According to Aristotle, the hero must be a character of high birth or national prominence. Since Antigone is royalty andRead MoreWomens Role in Macbeth and Antigone Essay1563 Words   |  7 Pagesof helping form the main characters, in the way they think, move or change the story. Women have always been subordinate to men all through history, but in plays, novels, short stories, etc, they have been given large enforcing roles, showing the power within women. William Shakespeare and Sophocles use guilt, pride, and influence to demonstrate the importance of the women’s role to support the main characters in both the plays of Macbeth and Antigone. In Macbeth and Antigone the authors createdRead MoreAn Analysis of Things Fall Apart and Antigone1027 Words   |  5 PagesChinua Achebe and Antigone by Sophocles, this idea is portrayed perfectly. The way that Achebe developed Ezinma throughout the novel, I believe, is what was used to show readers the softer and gentler side of Okonkwo. In conjunction with that, Sophocles used Ismene to be the more tame and obedient side of Antigone. Through the descriptions and ways that these two female characters affect the main characters in each of these novels, Ezinma from Things Fall Apart and Ismene from Antigone, it is apparentRead MoreVanity Or Valor : When Lines Are Skewed1434 Words   |  6 Pageshero and a villain; however, similar to the real world, theses lines between â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† become indistinguishably skewed. Sophocles’ Antigone is not to be viewed through the eyes of morality because together hero and villain lie within the motives of bot h the play’s main characters. Simon Goldhill asserts that â€Å"it is difficult, in other words to read Antigone without making not only moral judgments, but the sort of one-sided moral judgments that the play itself seems to want to mark as leadingRead MoreAntigone: a Study of Moral Influences in Society.899 Words   |  4 Pageswitness the same fear, reading between the lines at how the author created a character and the reaction of the public to her. The woman, in Sophocles Antigone, is considered powerful but noble, and is met with fierce opposition from men in power, and even fellow women who feel she has fallen from her rightful place. It is difficult, however, to determine who is right and who is wrong, when it is all said and done. Antigone, the seemingly victimized woman, has the power to stand up for what she believesRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone997 Words   |  4 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone?   This question has been the subject of a great debate for numerous years.   Equal arguments exist that portray Antigone as the tragic heroine in the play and Creon as the tragic hero.   Aristotle, in his study of Greek drama entitled Poetics, provided the framework that determines the tragic hero of a work.   Though Antigone definitely possesses the characteristics and qualities thatRead MoreRelationship Between Antigone and Creon1355 Words   |  6 PagesRelationship between Antigone and Creon Antigone is a play written by Sophocles. The genre of the play that Sophocles wrote was based on tragedy. It is one of the first plays that use tragedy. In the play a young girl named Antigone, stands up against her uncle Creon who is the king. She stands up for her rights, so that she can give a religious burial to Polynices. She was a girl with a lot of will power. This essay talks about the relationship between Antigone and Creon. This essay would containRead MoreThe Chorus Of Sophocles Antigone2400 Words   |  10 Pagesauthor of Antigone, Sophocles had participated in one of these festivals and won the award for his performance. He did not become known as one of the greatest playwrights then. Only now is he thought of as one of the greatest playwrights during the greek era. The point of this paper is to show how the chorus in Greek Theater tragedy performances affect the way the play Antigone is performed. Through the use of mask, staging, and speech, Sophocles best distinguishes the chorus. Sophocles most famous

Group Dynamics And Groupthink In A Management Environment Free Essays

string(113) " or purpose of the group, including those within, and challenge or attempt to assert authority within the group\." Groupthink is a prevalent process in many organizations and businesses. This paper will examine the definition of groupthink as it relates to management decisions compared with similar group performance factors and situations leading to the thoughts and processes of business decision making, group dynamics and interpersonal operations within the group from both a business standpoint and a psychological standpoint. These standpoints will evaluate the effects of dominance, cohesion, anxiety and group norms leading to either effective or defective group process and group decision making. We will write a custom essay sample on Group Dynamics And Groupthink In A Management Environment or any similar topic only for you Order Now As with all group dynamics there are many factors involved such as race, gender, religion, political and cultural views. The paper will examine the interactions involved within a group and examine how groupthink is often allowed to be the overall choice made by the group. The author will also examine the difference in definitions form the Janis (I. L. Janis, 1982) model and the Management text book definition (Bateman, Snell, 2011) to gather a sound definition for business purposes. GROUPTHINK IN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT Organizations and managers must make critical decisions on a daily basis. As business is such a highly complex environment spanning both national and global markets decision making must be thought of in a larger field of view taking into account many factors such as bias, culture and customer attitude to name a few. No one person generally has all the knowledge or experience to tackle every conceivable issue that may arise or need to be considered. A good manager or leader knows that they alone are not the only one to solve the problem and thus look to others to help with the puzzle needing to be solved. There is a substantial need to gain broad spectrum opinion and ideas in business today which leads effective managers to seek and develop effective groups to provide that broad spectrum and increase idea flow from different perspectives. The â€Å"Brain-Storming† in business today is much more complicated and involves large numbers of variable factors that can best be resolved by the group process allowing for varied input and expertise information to be injected into the final decision making process. This does not always define an effective group or process as we will see throughout this paper. Decision Making Management must make decisions in different ways to handle different problems on a daily basis. Many of these decisions are programmed decisions based on past experience and working knowledge based on procedures already in place. These programmed decisions are normally simple in nature and are more of an automatic response versus having to think of or develop a new solution. As we know, things are not always as easy as we may wish and in business, with its ever changing nature, problems and issues arise that require the manager to be creative and adapt new thinking and new solutions to properly make an effective decision. This nonprogrammed decision making process involves the manager weighing the good with the bad and attempting to identify all the unknown variables. It is at this stage that an effective manager or leader knows to review his limitations and seek guidance from others with the knowledge to provide information needed to develop and informed and effective decision. The adage â€Å"knowledge is power† comes to mind and the manager, leader seeks out those who can assist in providing that knowledge to lower risks and gain a better reward. The effective manager, leader will practice stages of the decision making process, as they normally might, in identifying the problem and generating alternative solutions. In the process of attempting to generate solutions the manager would best be served by obtaining that knowledge of others to compensate their own. This is where they may decide to form a group and begin the group process to ultimately solve the problem and make the best decision possible. Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing In the decision to form a group to aid in difficult decision making there are several key items management must consider in selecting members of the group and being aware of possible negative effects of the group members involved. One of the first items to be considered is the size of the group needed and what skills or knowledge is required and what skills or knowledge each member may provide. The smaller group may require less group maintenance but provide less needed input. A larger group may provide more information but require a higher degree of group maintenance thus rendering them less effective. Management may choose to seek well known members or possibly new members. Newer members may provide new ideas and concepts while more well-known members could tend to adhere to the current policy and procedures and not be as creative and more satisficing. Group make-up must also avoid dominance type personalities to allow for a more free flow of ideas and creativity thus reducing group anxiety. Group management must be foremost in the mind of the manager to best achieve the goals and allowing for the best decision to be made. Knowing each person in the group individuals personality can be critical to proper selection but as with all people each are different and demonstrate different personalities in different situations. Group management must be maintained and observed to avoid conflicts based on personality and not creativity. Short of management being trained in psychology a group of members is selected based on management’s best knowledge and understanding of each individual member. Forming is the stage of group dynamics where the members first come together and normally demonstrate polite and positive attitudes to one another, as in any greeting situation, and is usually short in time. The next stage of development in the group is often difficult and delicate as members try to determine their role and place within the group. Storming identifies this stage by the way in which the members may question the validity or purpose of the group, including those within, and challenge or attempt to assert authority within the group. You read "Group Dynamics And Groupthink In A Management Environment" in category "Papers" They may also feel overwhelmed by the task at hand and not yet understand their purpose of being there. It is not uncommon for groups at this stage to fail or cause some members to feel undervalued. When all, or most, of the difficulties are settled to member’s satisfaction the group moves forward with an understanding of their place within the group. Norming is the stage where the group comes together to identify the common goal and progress with the understanding and social acceptance of the group members as a whole. Forward progress and the ability to share in the group vision or goal being established, next stage, performing, is achieved. The group now functions well together and their work begins to bare the fruit of their labor. Process and structure have been established and work continues to achieve the main objective as group members satisfaction has increased. Managing Group Dynamics in Decision Making As we now have a better understanding of group dynamics in their basic form we realize that management must remain vigilant in all of the stages but certainly the performing stage the most. It is at the performing stage where most can go wrong and where complacency is most likely to occur. Group members are now comfortable in their role, leaders in the group have been well established and the work of the group may continue as if on autopilot. This may lead the group to fall into the trap of familiarity and allow the status-quo. Other factors may emerge from leaders or members within the group such as dominance and familiar cohesion where members chose to avoid disagreement and merely agree to consensus. Groupthink Phenomenon Should the group be allowed to fall into this trap it would be clear that management has failed to recognize the problem thereby allowing the creativity and effectiveness of the group to become ineffective. This phenomenon was described by Irving Janis (1972, 1982) as faulty decision making in a group when members do not consider all alternatives and desire unanimity at the expense of quality. There are several variations to the groupthink model such as â€Å"The term groupthink is appropriate only when the concurrence seeking emerges prematurely, thus curtailing thinking and discussion, and increasing the likelihood of poor decision outcomes (Longley and Pruitt, 1980). This variation does not always hold true in all cases. Based on groupthink in juries it is also evident that the information has been discussed and thought of critically but the jury member (group member) gave in more to peer (group) pressure from either the authoritative jury foreman, jury members or merely the desire to agree for their own personal benefit, such as the desire to end their sequestration if involved in a lengthy case. Groupthink Variations Janis (1972, 1982, 1989) defined groupthink as the extreme concu rrence sought by decision-making groups. Groupthink is most likely to occur when a group experiences antecedent conditions such as high cohesion, insulation from experts, limited methodological search and appraisal procedures, directive leadership, and high stress combined with low self-esteem and little hope of finding a better solution than that favored by the leader or influential group members. Such conditions lead to symptoms of groupthink such as illusions of invulnerability, collective rationalization, belief in the inherent morality of the group, stereotypes of outgroups, pressure on dissenters, self-censor-ship, illusions of unanimity, and self-appointed mindguards† (Turner, Pratkanis, Probasco, Leve,1992). Causal factors in groupthink seem to not fit only one model such as Janis describe. There are varied reasons group members seek concurrence unanimity in decision making, emotion, anxiety and coercion are some of only many reminding us that in managerial decisions we must remain mindful of the group members involved and maintain an active role in managing both the group and the decisions that come from within the group. If a manager is effective at management they will be better able to recognize the possible factors within the group before a faulty or ineffective decision can be made. Conclusion In examination of the decision making method we can see that there is a much larger degree to utilizing the group method requiring the manager to not only manage the personnel but also manage the group. A thorough knowledge of group dynamics is most important when selecting group members which can be difficult at times when expecting group performance based solely on an individual’s subject knowledge with little to no understanding of their interpersonal skills. The manager must be willing to accept risks certainly, if they expect to gain the best possible solution with the most creativity available. But the effective manager must also invest time and observe the group at different stages and evaluate member selection within each stage to ensure the proper choice made is still the best fit. The effective manager must be alert for telltale signs of conflict within the group and be prepared at all stages to make replacements available to include the group leader or dominant members within the group. Managing personnel on a factory floor and managing decision making groups are two very different levels which require a far greater knowledge and understanding on the manager’s part. If a manager is not able to recognize interpersonal skills and weaknesses then there is little chance they can effectively manage a group and expect positive results from that group nor would they recognize the proper decision to be valid or invalid. In the business world of today that could make the difference between being successful or going out of business. As was stated early on, managers are not expected to be psychologists but a truly effective manager will have and know the basics to understanding human behavior to remain an effective manager. 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Lord Of The Flies Essays (2132 words) - English-language Films

Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies In his first novel, William Golding used a group of boys stranded on a tropical island to illustrate the malicious nature of mankind. Lord of the Flies dealt with changes that the boys underwent as they gradually adapted to the isolated freedom from society. Three main characters depicted different effects on certain individuals under those circumstances. Jack Merridew began as the arrogant and self-righteous leader of a choir. The freedom of the island allowed him to further develop the darker side of his personality as the Chief of a savage tribe. Ralph started as a self-assured boy whose confidence in himself came from the acceptance of his peers. He had a fair nature as he was willing to listen to Piggy. He became increasingly dependent on Piggy's wisdom and became lost in the confusion around him. Towards the end of the story his rejection from their society of savage boys forced him to fend for himself. Piggy was an educated boy who had grown up as an outcast. Due to his academic childhood, he was more mature than the others and retained his civilized behaviour. But his experiences on the island gave him a more realistic understanding of the cruelty possessed by some people. The ordeals of the three boys on the island made them more aware of the evil inside themselves and, in some cases, made the false politeness that had clothed them disappear. However, the changes experienced by one boy differed from those endured by another. This is attributable to the physical and mental differences between them. Jack was first described with having an air of cruelty that made him naturally unlikeable. As leader of the choir and one of the tallest boys on the island, Jack's physical height and authority matched his arrogant personality. His desire to be Chief was clearly evident in his first appearance. When the idea of having a Chief was mentioned Jack spoke out immediately. "I ought to be chief," said Jack with simple arrogance, "because I'm chapter chorister and head boy." He led his choir by administering much discipline resulting in forced obedience from the cloaked boys. His ill-nature was well expressed through his impoliteness in saying, "Shut up, Fatty." at Piggy (p. 23). However, despite his unpleasant personality, his lack of courage and his conscience prevented him from killing the first pig they encountered: "They knew very well why he hadn't: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood" (p. 34). Even at the meetings, Jack was able to contain himself under the leadership of Ralph. He had even suggested the implementation of rules to regulate themselves. This was a Jack who was proud to be British, and who was shaped and still bound by the laws of a civilized society. The freedom offered to him by the island allowed Jack to express the darker sides of his personality that were repressed by the ideals of his past environment. Without adults as a superior and responsible authority, he began to lose his fear of being punished for improper actions and behaviour. This freedom along with his malicious and arrogant personality made it possible for him to quickly degenerate into a savage. He put on paint, first to camouflage himself from the pigs. But he discovered that the paint allowed him to hide the forbidden thoughts in his mind that his facial expressions would otherwise show: "The mask was a thing on its own behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness" (p. 69). Through hunting, Jack lost his fear of blood and of killing living animals. He reached a point where he actually enjoyed the sensation of hunting a prey afraid of his spear and knife. His natural desire for blood and violence was brought out by his hunting of pigs. As Ralph became lost in his own confusion, Jack began to assert himself as chief. The boys realizing that Jack was a stronger and more self-assured leader gave in easily to the freedom of Jack's savagery. Placed in a position of power and with his followers sharing his crazed hunger for violence, Jack gained encouragement to commit the vile acts of thievery and murder. Freed from the conditions of a regulated society, Jack gradually became more violent and the rules and proper behaviour by which he was brought up were forgotten. The freedom given to him unveiled his true self under the clothing worn by civilized people to hide his darker characteristics. Ralph was introduced as