Reflection On Leadership And Management Skills

Reflection On Leadership And Management Skills This essay will be used as a tool to critique and improve my leadership and management skills as this is essential to the changes that are needed in the NHS improvement plan. In this process I have identified my leadership strengths as well as my development needs. I have used self assessment and feedback from colleagues in the form of my managers, peers and direct reports. I have also reflected upon my vision and style of management and further identified areas that can be enhanced into making me a more versatile leader as this is important to the NHS modernisation programme (DH 2000). With this information I have formulated an action plan that is SMART (Specific, Measureable, Action Oriented, Realistic and Time bound) (NHS Leadership Qualities Framework 2002). Leadership is essential and central to the current NHS modernisation programme. In fact the department of health quotes anyone working in the NHS regardless of their position, grade, qualification or place of work, may be a leader or agent of change and improvement (DH 2001). In simple terms the department of health is looking towards its own staff to develop and deliver their NHS improvement plan and are looking for visionary staff at all levels of experience (DH 1999). The changes that I have had to lead and am currently leading have been driven by reducing waiting times for new case patients as well as implementing the 18 week Pathway from referral to treatment (DH 2006). Other drivers for change and improvement have been the implementation of the Choose and Book system, whereby patients are invited to choose where they are referred and given the option of booking their appointments. The reason for these changes on a whole has been to provide a faster, more user friendly and convenient access to care for patients requiring treatment (DH 2005). My professional title is Head of Orthoptic Services which is an allied health profession. I have to provide clinical leadership whilst ensuring a comprehensive and equitable service is provided that is responsive to changing needs, that is flexible to change and has to directly follow department of health guidelines and changes. My leadership role is to manage and develop the Orthoptic Services within the framework of national guidelines and ensure that effective communication across 3 hospital based departments, out-reach clinics, special schools and screening clinics is adhered to, to enable effect change. Within this role I am met with challenges that are set from management levels above me that I have to react to within my sphere of influence. These may include financial management, staffing levels, waiting targets and service developments in line with the NHS improvement plan (DH 2004). In providing these changes the challenges that I face are mainly down to financial constraint s and staffing levels. Staffing levels are always an issue since our department lost a member of staff due to recruitment and retention, and as a method of cost savings the post was dissolved. Conflict is often an issue as change is at this time frequent and often initially met with resistance and negativity; I myself can initially have these reactions and project them. My personal vision of leadership is to be a transformational leader. This type of leader has the skills to share their vision, motivate their team and gain commitment, which will as a result inspire performance (Bennis, 2003, p 31-46). I am keen to motivate my staff by giving them objectives that I feel are appropriate and within their capabilities; this gives them a varied, inspiring work life and will broaden and increase their interests. This has been highlighted in my LQF feedback which I will discuss in greater detail later. I feel this is also how the department of health envisions how leadership will carry forward their NHS improvement plan (DH 2001). However, this is sometimes not always possible and in more challenging times I can become more of a transactional leader. I feel sometimes when I have to pass on objectives that people are resistant to, then reward and punishment which is characteristic of transactional leadership comes into force. One example of this was when a member of staffs competencies was called into question due to consistently producing clinically inadequate test results. My leadership philosophy is to be a leader who has inspirational qualities and to be credible. This should involve being approachable, hard working, trustworthy, competent and supportive. If I am able to fulfil these criteria then I feel I will have credibility as a leader and or manager. This is what followers expect of a leader (Kouzes and Posner, 1997, p 19-31). The reason for this is because a confident and competent leader will have the ability and capabilities which will be obvious to their followers. They will be able to share their vision which will inspire the staff to follow in their footsteps. To be a successful leader it is important to self assess and understand about self-knowledge. If one is able to identify their strengths and any areas for development, this will result in being able to set realistic parameters and be able to capitalise on their strengths, interests and capabilities (Bennis, 2003, p47-64). I have therefore completed an assessment of myself by using the NHS Leadership Qualities Framework 360 Feedback assessment tool (LQF). I have also completed a shortened Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to identify my personality type. The LQF is based upon research with over 3,328 participants and is evidence based grounded research with 150 NHS Chief Executives and Directors of all disciplines. This makes it a robust form of assessment (NHS Leadership Qualities Framework 2002). . My criticism of the LQF would be that you have to carefully select who you feel is able to fill it out in a critical but positive way. I feel that if this is not done it has the ability to skew the percentage scales especially if there has only been small numbers of participants in each group. This creates statistically insignificant results. Finally some of my direct reports felt that the language and questions were quite technical and needed some form of political astuteness and management knowledge, therefore making it difficult to fill out completely accurately. I have been able to identify key qualities from the LQF which not only fit in with my leadership philosophy but in my role as a leader. Some of these qualities I had no idea I possessed. I appear confident and am approachable, supportive, motivated, focused, determined and a good communicator. I also have the will to see service developments; this is key to the Department of Healths modernisation and improvement plans (DH 2000). These qualities have been identified by my managers, peers and direct reports. Some of these qualities fit in with being a transformational leader which is clearly what is important to the department of healths improvement plan. Interestingly some of my needs for development have been identified as not being self-confident, not dealing with disciplinary needs and identifying slipping standards, these development needs all point to a more transactional form of leadership or the more management orientated tasks. This process (LQF) has forced me to be far more critical and reflective of myself. It has been uncomfortable at times as some of the feedback has been quite damning of my leadership style, however it is apparent that this is an anomaly in the process and not the general feeling from the rest of the participants. It has highlighted to me key strengths that I have aspired to possess, and it has clearly highlighted areas needed for development, some of which I feel I may have been subconsciously aware of. An example of my strengths directly ties in with the department of healths NHS modernisation programme quote: Anyone working in the NHS regardless of their position, grade, qualification or place of work, may be a leader or agent of change and improvement (DH 2001). A number of direct reports state I delegate duties well which allows people to expand their own role in the department. This creates new challenges for people which maintains motivation (LQF page 44). Other comments relating to this go on to state this makes people feel valued, able to branch into other areas of expertise and helps to retain staff. In this process I have been able to clearly identify key qualities and strengths; however, in order to become a more effective leader some development needs have been identified. In order to achieve this I have created action plans for three areas I would like to work on. Firstly to improve my time management skills, my next plan will be to develop the ability to confront colleagues in a self managed way and finally to increase my self confidence. (Appendix 1) To enable myself to improve these development needs I have formulated action plans for each. I am going to attempt to use ideas and recommendations from professional consensus but also from the likes of Bennis, Kouzes and Posner, Tracy and Covey all advocators of personal development and leading experts in leadership. My first action plans objective is to improve my time management skills. The rationale behind this is because poor organisation and time management creates a negative outlook for all groups of people I work with, my peers, direct reports and my managers. It has been stated in the LQF that it sets undesirable standards to others. Also objectives can be left too close to the deadline which then creates a rushed and poorly planned outcome which can directly affect the quality of the project. Ultimately the deadline can be missed if other tasks make me have to digress from the original task. Furthermore people have identified that I need to improve my long term planning and see the bigger picture, however, this is difficult if I am constantly dealing with the day to day urgent tasks or Fire-fighting as quoted by a peer. Having reflected upon my style of leadership and identifying a quality I possess, approachability, I also feel this can hinder effectiveness. I currently operate an open door policy and try to be approachable. This causes frequent interruptions and digressions which puts pressure on myself and creates difficulty reaching deadlines. The strategies I am going to explore are based around Stephen Covey and Brian Tracys methods of improving personal effectiveness. Before I set about this I feel I will have to reduce the potential unnecessary interruptions and digressions. Firstly I still want to remain an approachable leader with an open door policy, this, my staff felt was a strength, however, I feel that if I restrict access I will have more uninterrupted time which will make me able to work for longer periods of time and thus reach goals and objectives far more effectively. My first step is to simply close my door between certain hours and ensure that people are aware that if the door is closed I am not available, but I will make staff know that I am available between the hours of 08.00 09.00 (dependent on start time), 12.00 13.30 and 16.00-17.00. The next step will be to improve clarity; this is the most important concept in personal effectiveness, if I have absolutely clear goals and objectives, this should improve my productivity and prevent me procrastinating (Tracy, 2004, p7). Ideally I will start to document what it is I want to achieve since this will enable me to visualise what it is I am aiming for. During this process I will set a realistic deadline to achieving my goals, this will give the objective urgency. I will plan ahead, again documenting what needs to be achieved. Finally, something I rarely do will be to take action on the plan immediately (Tracy, 2004, p7). The next step will involve building upon my clarity and identified goals and objectives and will involve planning ahead by working from a list. A short time making a plan of the day ahead will in the long run save time. Therefore I am going to list the tasks or objectives that need to be achieved monthly, weekly and daily, and as I have achieved an objec tive I will cross it off. Tracy (2004, p14) explains that monthly and weekly lists increases effectiveness and efficiency, and ultimately improves motivation and drive since you are able to visualise your achievements. It is this sense of accomplishment that generates forward motion. This strategy will be a very useful evaluation tool as it will enable me to assess my progress and achievements. This plan of action also fits in with the Quadrant II theory where I need to balance my working life between urgent and important issues (Covey, 2004, p150). There are four quadrants (I) important and urgent (II) Important and not urgent (III) not important but urgent and (IV) not important and not urgent. Currently if I reflect upon my practice and what has been highlighted in my LQF I am working in quadrant I. Jerry spends most of his time fire-fighting at work i.e. he is constantly dealing with the immediate problem rather than getting on top of things and looking ahead and planning bette r (LQF, p47). This affects my drive for improvement which is key to the NHS Modernisation and Improvement plan (DH 2000). Covey (2004, p152) states that this leads to stress, burnout, crisis management and fire-fighting and therefore lead me to be far less effective and efficient. The idea is to work more in quadrant II where I am dealing with important but not urgent tasks, if I can achieve this then this will impact on having to deal with the urgent and important tasks that prevent me from planning ahead and driving for improvement. Furthermore if I can get into quadrant II, less and less tasks will be urgent and important. An example of a problem that exists at the moment as a result of poor time management and dealing with urgent and important issues all the time is patient discharge letters. I am unable to sit for any length of time and write them, they are therefore mounting up and compounding my inefficiency. If I were to list them on my weekly schedule, then I will be able t o visualise the task needs doing. Therefore if I can eliminate the pile that exists, it will be easier to stay on top of the task, one letter at a time is easier and more effective than having to sit down and write ten. Therefore my evaluation tool will be to constantly review my task lists and assess my achievements and work on the objectives that are left outstanding. The second action plans objective is to look at developing my ability to confront members of staff at all levels in a self managed way. The rationale behind this is because confrontation at work occurs at all levels, meaning that I have to manage confrontation with my peers and direct reports. Confrontation and conflict appeared frequently in my LQF assessment, with comments suggesting I shy away from it, bury my head in the sand, let standards slip rather than deal with confrontation and do not deal with disciplinary issues to avoid confrontation. These comments were particularly used by my peers and direct reports. All this fits in with the difficulty I have dealing with conflict management. Conflict is likely when the work place has staff of varying backgrounds (Outhwaite, 2003, p347-375), for example professionals versus semi professionals, which can then lead to perceived status differences making joint working far more difficult. One of my peer comments was to do with the perce ption that my staff controls me and that I have little control over them. Though I disagree with the majority of this statement, there does appear to be some obvious perceptions within my peers that this is in fact the case. The strategy to improve on my ability to confront colleagues in a self managed way will concentrate on conflict resolution. My role as a leader is to identify, explore and resolve issues that may be causing conflict, this may be uncomfortable but can only be achieved with perseverance and some degree of risk (Outhwaite, 2003, p347-375). Confronting my direct reports would be the logical first step, the reason for this is the feedback I received from my peers, suggesting they (direct reports) control me. My own direct reports suggested that I dislike confronting them when standards are slipping or when disciplinary issues need resolving (LQF, p 44-45). Return to work interviews after sickness are left or not done, these by no means are a disciplinary action, however if they are not done it gives the opinion that I do not care. In line with improving my time management skills, my intention is to immediately list the interview down on my schedule, so that I can visualise the need to do it. If clinical case note standards slip, then I should deal with them immediately also. There was a case when a colleague had written highly inappropriate comments in clinical records that were brought to my attention. I procrastinated far too long in dealing with this, so that when I did eventually confront the member of staff I was me t with hostility Why did you not speak to me months ago. My staff members were aware of the issue and were uncomfortable that nothing had been done. If feel if I had exercised better assertiveness and had identified, explored and resolved the issue earlier then the outcome would have been more positive for me and my direct reports. I feel the longer issues are left, the more I worry and become less in control. When it comes to the confrontation, I am tense, uncomfortable and out of control. The quicker I can explore and resolve the issue the easier it will be to deal with and I will be moving towards a more self managed way of dealing with confrontation. Furthermore the quicker I act on these types of issues the more it will be a self managed style of leadership, as it will prevent me from being pushed into dealing with confrontation by my direct reports and peers. Managing confrontation with my peers will employ a more open and honest form of communication (Covey 2004, p 202). Through my LQF and reflection I have identified that with my immediate peers there is differing professional backgrounds and probable peer resentment. It is clear that with both parties small issues and annoyances have been left to fester. This then leads to an escalation of bad feeling and antagonism between us all. With the differing professional backgrounds there has always been a differing level of expectation across the workforce. Covey (2004, p 201-202) examines dealing with the issues head on by arranging a series of meetings to mediate and resolve the existing issues and promote a more open and positive working relationship. By taking these steps myself to deal with the current situation, I will be self managing confrontation and will not be forced into having to deal with issues by outside pressures and necessity. Evaluation of this action plan will again be in the form of scheduling and crossing off achievements, but also reflecting upon the experience. Rule: Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field (Tracy 2004, p52). If I can maintain a diary reflecting upon conflicts that have been resolved and concentrate on the problems and not the personalities then I will be moving towards a self managed way of dealing with confrontation. I will be forcing myself to learn from my experiences and be able to identify successful and less successful outcomes and identify why these exist or what it was that was different between each confrontation. I will reflect upon the use of some of my strengths identified in my LQF. Confidence but not arrogance, highly developed communication style and being able to listen, these are all important in dealing with conflict management (Outhwaite, 2003, p 374-375). My final action plans objective will be to increase my self confidence. The rationale behind this is very personal. Already through my LQF assessment I have learnt that people mostly perceive me as confident and having motivational and inspiring qualities, however, my own personal confidence levels are very poor. Fear of change, conflict and failure is a barrier to my confidence. The LQF assessment showed a very low score for taking calculated risks, this does not surprise me since my direct reports and peers are very unforgiving when it comes to poor judgement and change, even if it was justified. One particular peer is very judgemental regarding failure and slipping standards. My time management skills are in need of further development and a sense of not achieving the balance between non urgent and important tasks (Quadrant II) and constantly dealing with immediate issues constantly chips away at ones confidence levels. Not being able to achieve positive outcomes in conflicts and confrontations needs to be addressed. The more I can succeed and develop the win/win habit the better my confidence will become. It is not about winning confrontations and moving forward my way, but more that agreements and solutions end with a mutually beneficial or satisfying outcome (Covey, 2004, p207). My strategy to improving my self confidence will start by formulating organisational plans and task sheets. When I achieve an objective or project I will cross these of the list and highlight it as an achieved small win (Kouzes and Posner, 1997, p 242-265). This creates momentum and the sense of achievement as previously discussed. I will rate key results on a scale of one to ten and identify strengths and weaknesses, the weaknesses can be used to further develop. If I learn from these weakness and train further this will eliminate the feelings of inadequacy and the lack of confidence I have (Tracy 2004, p 51). Key results or completed projects can be discussed with colleagues and appraised by my manager (Tracy, 2004, p 35-40). All these achievements that I have previously never reflected upon will start to give me a sense of confidence and accomplishment I have never previously thought about. On reflection I have assessed my achievements more on a win/lose scenario, but the more I c an work towards the win/win habit (Covey, 2004, p 205-234) and pass this on to my direct reports the more I am likely to succeed and become self confident. My direct reports tend to assess accomplishments using the win/lose way, and therefore anything that is achieved must have the outcome of us having won the battle, it is not surprising that this promotes the lack of confidence and a feeling of inadequacy I have. Evaluation of this action plan will be to more frequently assess my achievements and accomplishments (Kouzes and Posner, 1997, p 242-265). This will involve assessing my task sheets and my organisational plan which will be done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. This will help me visualise the tasks that have been completed. The rating of tasks and further training can be assessed by looking at the ratings and assessing if they are improving. This will enable me to build my self confidence. Conflicts and confrontations can be reflected upon and I will be able to better understand the concepts behind win/win. If I can self manage the confrontations and aim for win/win, not only will I be achieving mutually satisfactory benefits and outcomes, but this will be working towards building my self confidence as more and more tasks will be achievable. It will also improve the interdepartmental conflicts and possible peer resentment that has been evident since my LQF. To conclude, it is obvious that all my action plans link into each other. As I become a more effective and efficient leader, then my peers will have less reason to resent my management style and pressure me into acting upon issues that are troubling them. This will then have the effect of lessening conflicts and confrontations. Furthermore, as I improve my time management skills and lessen the confrontations that occur, this will start impacting on my own self confidence. My own self confidence is directly affected by poorly self managed confrontations and an increasing number of tasks that are left undone or incomplete. It is obvious from my strengths that I have the ability to carry out these action plans and that my staff members are more than willing to take on tasks that are suitable for them as they state this makes people feel valued, able to branch into other areas of expertise and helps to retain staff. The Department of Health is looking for visionary staff members that are able to implement and carry out their modernisation plan. As my leadership skills improve I will be more effective in leading change and envisioning improvements becoming the embodiment of the Department of Healths modernisation and improvement plan.

Capturing the Friedmans Essay -- Film Movies

Capturing the Friedmans In 2003, Andrew Jarecki released his documentary "Capturing the Friedmans", which explores a seemingly normal middle-class families struggle when the father and son are charged with sexual abuse and molestation in 1987. The Friedman's from the outside seem like a healthy family, abiding in a fairly exclusive Great Neck, Long Island community; the father Arnold is a Columbia Graduate and a school teacher, while the mother Elaine, a housewife. They have three sons David, Seth, and Jessie whom appear to be a happy, intelligent, and good-humored group of brothers. The power and prestige of this film comes not from its controversial and serious subject matter, but from the unbiased way in which the story is presented. Jarecki gives the audience an equal amount of facts that could be used to argue both sides of the equation, which leaves one realizing that perhaps what really transpired isn't the point he's aiming for in this film. The audience is left not knowing whether or not Arnold and his son Jesse committed the crimes, but instead they are left realizing truth is irrelevant, because we will never really know exact details, just the disintegration and tragic destruction of the Friedman Family. Regardless of the validity of the claims, there definitely seems to have been something unusual and tragic about the collapsing Friendman Family. The patriarchal/ matriarchal relationship was brok en, Arnold and Elaine didn't seem very much in love anymore, and the boundaries between the parents and the children became less pyramid like and more horizont... ...at because of the size of the children there would have been physical symptoms, no documented evidence of this sort was presented during the case. Out of 100 students no physical symptoms were ever recorded, and not one student said anything about abuse until four years later when the investigator was pursued (Silvergate, 2004) No parents ever filed complaints prior to police investigation. Because memories are malleable and children are even more vulnerable to authority, it is very probable that some children just complied to the leading questions due to fear, but is it possible that they all could? The influence of the investigators parallels to the influence of therapists in cases of sexually abused children's recovered memories. Works Cited 1)Silverglate, Harvey A; Takei, Carl:Mistrial- The Capturing The Friedman's DVD sheds new light on the case. Newsday

American Music And Popular Culture

British American folk music tradition refers to the music origin is associated with the British and white Americans while the African American music refers to the music that originated with the black Americans. British American folk music was mostly about cases that needed to be pointed out and occupations respectively. Briton songs are about problems that needed to be pointed out for all to see and reason for the factual basis. American on the other sung about occupations and even criminals. African American music came in a wide variety.The histonces file show that the earliest folk songs originated with the blacks as they went about their work in the vast farms or related in their servant quarters. The African American folk music is so vast and varied that no single image is adequate to embrace it all. There is a picture of a slave at work in the field or steering about or even a rhythmic chanting of work songs which gives multi faced picture of different situations. Both cultures display use of daily happenings as the theme in their songs.In both cultures folk music was disseminated through word of mouth as there were no recorders then. The composer sang it out as a way of teaching the others and it would spread on to the others through hearing. This affected the music in there with closing memory and change in geography. The music and words were altered to fit the singers. There is no original tone of the folk song and most came in different tunes. In both societies the tone depended on who was singing the song. However the British American society acquired print earlier than the African American.In fact so intertwined for centimes is the printed and the over traditions that the notion of a ‘pole’ and tradition is a disputed issue in this society. Many of their folk songs are known to have in and out of print according to the history of these songs. It is evident that many of British American folk songs even though different in reception to geo graphical distribution multiple versions have been discovered to strikingly similar in details. However the African American societies print arrived after the civil war.The aftermath of this was brought whites from the north, many of then abolitionists, into direct contact with the black people for the first time. Even before the wars ended, events such as the formation of the black regiments fighting for the unions cause and the famous’ part of loyal experiment’ which teachers and missionaries were recruited from the north – began acquitting northern with the songs of the slaves. The first print accounts of the African American songs appeared in the periodicals of these northern shortly thereafter, the first spiritual appeared in a street music form.African American development of their folk songs was highly assisted by the early discoveries of the British American. African American folk song music was mostly affected by the music from the African continent. Th is is so because the black people were brought to this continent from Africa in more or less continuous wares of forced migration over a period of about two hundred years. However owing to the small ratio of blacks to whites. Africans was highly suppresses and only survived in certain forms especially customary celebration on specific occasions. British American had pure lands origin without borrowing else where.British American music was done solely with the intent of enhancing the understanding of the principle involved, without giving a touch of the culture involved. Singing style was an integral part of the British American folk song. The tone quality and inflections of the voice, the way a singer earned the rhythm and pitch were subtly varied. These were all parts of the song. On the other hand the African American folk ,music not only did the tone matter but also the kinetic rhythm which enclosed the people to dance which the British American society regarded as the ceseivious immoral and pagan.They dance in very organized ways and never danced to fiddles tone. Musical instruments: The arrangement of the words found in the British American folk music known as ‘play –party carries songs shows an association with dancing for over a long time. There is a considerable overlapping between the vocal and instrumental traditions in this type of a song. It may be treated as a song with instruments compliments or a dance tone to which verses of the song are simply sung intermittently.African American tradition folk music portrays a picture of the slaves rare moments of play – the slave’s quarters ringing with sound of singing and dancing to the compliment of home made fiddles and banjos, and of clapping and stamping. Music accompaniment was pleasant in these two societies in traditional folk music from the beginning. Percussion instruments were the most commonly used musical instrument during those periods and it played a role in enhanci ng a rhythm to the song. In African American music drum sticks or hitters have become one of the moist important instruments that are being used in the music.The drum sticks are not used in the British American music. The types of equipment they use differ greatly. The African American music has the same percussions as the Indian American music both which are similar as compared to the British American. The words and music. The words and music used in both cases differ greatly and they intend to show the origin of each community. The British American words and the African American words differ in the importance to the music. The African American music at times acts as chats while the British American words at times have conations which have a meaning.Generally the British American culture music use octave scale while the African American do not use. They consider tone values such as doh, re, mi, fa so, la ti doh which are musical tones and they show the highness or lowness of the mu sic. The African American music does not keep these standards. In his work Bierhorst argues that the African America music like the Indian music is the like the music of the birds which does not have fixed tones that can be played by the piano. They are like syllable of ordinary speech. The melodies used in the songs range from tones to tones Types of songs.A bailed was used to refer to the folksongs and thus the bailed came in different categories: Cries calls and hollers. It was a kind of musical expression among black’s people that was regarded as primitive and evocative. Those cries and calls of the field, the levees the track were highly individualized expressions for communication for revealing loneliness. For giving vent to feelings or simply expressing the feel of ones existence. Ironically the urban counterparts used these cries to advertise goods and services. These kinds of folk songs were never associated with the British American society.Folk blues: Similar to th e cries cells and hollers the blue were used as intense personal expressions by the African American people. Folk blue underwent an evolution after the emancipation which brought a great change and there was the confrontation most with an entirely new set of social and economic problems that came with freedom including the need for money. The blues were used to express depression and other difficulties they faced. The spiritual: The term spiritual was derived from shortening of the New Testament phrase â€Å"spiritual songs†.It was found in both societies and it associated with Christianity which the whites converted the black immigrant into. Lyrical songs: Songs that were primarily not narratives but once with an easy flow of words found in the way British American folk music. Play party songs/ fiddle songs: These are songs that became widely used as a form of organized dancing called the play party songs. They had their origin from their prohibition in some traditions again st dancing as such but especially with the use of the fiddle considered a sinful instrument of the devil.These songs were mostly found in the British American traditional society. In a nutshell British-America is a type of music categorized in secular type of music and which talks about so many things or issues in the society like male to female relationships, education, sex and even cultures. British-America music originated from the western countries. As it has always been said what is a vice may or not be in a society, culture, tribe or even individuals may be a virtue to others. The African-American side mostly has not recognized it as presentable.This has then created both a global culture to and it and it has been used to strengthen specific local identities to a larger extent especially in Africa. African-American has also created a global culture of dressing especially in Africa. A good example is the Rastafarian music lovers associated with Africa. This people have one same culture that is universal for instance they have a common hair style of dreadlocks and four common colors which are red, green, yellow and black. They also believe in jagging or drooping trousers.Local dressing identifies African-American music hence are seen to have been tampered with language identities. REFERENCES Bierhorst, J. (1979); A Cry from the Earth. New York: Four Winds Press. Bookbinder, D (1979), What Folk Music is All About. New York: Julian Messner, Bruno N. (1992); Excursions in World Music. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Bruno, N. (1973); Folk and Traditional Music of the Western Continents. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Sandberg, Larry and Weissman, Dick,(1976); The Folk Music Source Book. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Note for American Literature Essays

Note for American Literature Essays Note for American Literature Paper Note for American Literature Paper assonance,masculine rhyme used in the poem also produce musical or melodious and harmonious,which matches the beautyof the flower,the beauty of poem is partly ambodied in the effects created through changes in the rhythm. the poem contains iambics trochaics and spondee. the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables suggests the transience of the life of the flower and the poets emotional change. the poem is full of sensuous images such as fair flower visual image,comely grow kinasthetic image and honeyed blossoms olfactory image. ll the images make us feel pity for the beautiful flower which has only a short life. obviously the poet is sentimental,deistic optimist. the linethe sapace is but an hourcontains a hyperbole stressing and transience of life. the tone of the poem is both sentimental and optimistic. The story of Rip Van Winkle is set in the years before and after the American Revolutionary War. In a pleasant vil lage, at the foot of New Yorks Kaatskill Mountains, lives the kindly Rip Van Winkle, a colonial British-American villager of Dutch descent. Rip is an amiable though somewhat hermitic man who enjoys solitary activities in the wilderness, but is also loved by all in town- especially the children to whom he tells stories and gives toys. However, a tendency to avoid all gainful labor, for which his nagging wife (Dame Van Winkle) chastises him, allows his home and farm to fall into disarray due to his lazy neglect. One autumn day, Rip is escaping his wifes nagging, wandering up the mountains with his dog, Wolf. Hearing his name being shouted, Rip discovers that the speaker is a man dressed in antiquated Dutch clothing, carrying a keg up the mountain, who requires Rips help. Without exchanging words, the two hike up to an amphitheatre-like hollow in which Rip discovers the source of previously-heard thunderous noises: there is a group of other ornately-dressed, silent, bearded men who are playing nine-pins. Although there is no conversation and Rip does not ask the men who they are or how they know his name, he discreetly begins to drink some of their liquor, and soon falls asleep. He awakes in unusual circumstances: it seems to be morning, his gun is rotted and rusty, his beard has grown a foot long, and Wolf is nowhere to be found. Rip returns to his village where he finds that he recognizes no one. Asking around, he discovers that his wife has died and that his close friends have died in a war or gone somewhere else. He immediately gets into trouble when he proclaims himself a loyal subject of King George III, not knowing that the American Revolution has taken place; George IIIs portrait on the town inn has been replaced by that of George Washington. Rip is also disturbed to find another man is being called Rip Van Winkle (though this is in fact his son, who has now grown up). The men he met in the mountains, Rip learns, are rumored to be the ghosts of Hendrick (Henry) Hudsons crew. Rip is told that he has apparently been away from the village for twenty years. An old local recognizes Rip and Rips now-adult daughter takes him in. Rip resumes his habitual idleness, and his tale is solemnly taken to heart by the Dutch settlers, with other hen-pecked husbands, after hearing his story, wishing they could share in Rips good luck, and have the luxury of sleeping through the hardships of war. Characters in the story of Rip Van Winkle Rip Van Winkle – a henpecked husband who loathes profitable labor. Dame Van Winkle – Rip Van Winkles cantankerous wife. Rip – Rip Van Winkles son. Judith Gardenier – Rip Van Winkles daughter. Derrick Van Bummel – the local schoolmaster and later a member of Congress. Nicholas Vedder – landlord of the local inn. Mr. Doolittle – a hotel owner. Wolf – Rips faithful dog The Ghosts of Henry Hudson and his crew – Ghosts that share purple magic liquor with van Winkle Themes Change With Continuity and Preservation of Tradition After Rip awakens from his long sleep and returns to the village, he does not recognize the people he encounters. But not only their faces are new but also their fashions and the look of the village: It is larger, with rows of houses he had never seen. His own house is in shambles now with no one living in it, and the inn he frequented is a hotel. His wife and old Vedder are dead. Others left the village and never came back. Everything is different, it seems; nothing is as it was. There has even been a revolutionary war in which America gained its independence from England and became a new country. However, when Rip looks beyond the village, he sees that the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains are exactly the same as they were before his sleep. He also begins to encounter people who knew him long ago: first, the old woman, then the old man, Peter Vanderdonk, who testifies to the truth of Rip’s strange tale about the ninepin bowlers he met in the mountains. At this point in the story, Irving’s main theme begins to emerge: Although wrenching, radical changes are sometimes necessary to move society forward, such changes must not eradicate old ways and traditions entirely. Real, lasting change is an amalgam of the old and new. New builds on the foundations of the old. There must be continuity. So it is that old Vanderdonk, in confirming Rip’s tale, says he himself has heard the thunder of ninepin bowlers, who are the crewmen of The Half-Moon, the ship Henry Hudson captained in his exploration of the Hudson River. It seems that their spirits return to the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains every twenty years to keep a â€Å"guardian eye† on the river and its environs. Hudson was an Englishman, yes, but his association with his overthrown country does not mean the values he represents must die with the revolution. Rip also sees his son, Rip II, now a grown man, who looks just like him, and is reunited with his daughter, now a grown woman, who is holding an infant–Rip III. Thus, though, change has come to the village, their remain links with the past; there is continuity. New generations come along that bring change, but old values and traditions–as well as family lines–remain alive and thriving. And, every now and then, thunder rumbles in the Catskills when Hudson and his crew play ninepins. The Magic of the Imagination Irving’s story suggests that human imagination can can give society charming, humorous stories that become part of an enduring, magical folklore. Today, the Catskill and Hudson Valley regions well remember Rip Van Winkle and Ichabod Crane–the hero of another Irving story, â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow†Ã¢â‚¬â€œas if they were real persons. A bridge across the Hudson has even been named after Rip. Sunnyside, Irving’s Tarrytown home between 1835 and 1859, is a major tourist attraction in the Hudson Valley. Climax The climax of the story occurs when the townspeople recognize Rip after he returns to his village. The Game of Ninepins Ninepins is a game (or sport) in which a participant rolls wooden balls on a lane in an attempt to knock down nine bottle-shaped wooden pins arranged in the shape of a diamond. The participant may bowl up to three balls to knock down all the pins. Ninepins is similar to the modern sport of bowling. Personfication: The Catskills as a Character At the outset of his story, Washington Irving uses personification to invest the Catskill Mountains with human qualities. Irving tells us in Paragraph 1 that they are part of a â€Å"family,† the Appalachian family. And they are a proud, majestic member of that family, â€Å"lording it over the surrounding country. † They are also active rather than passive, reacting to the weather and the seasons with changes in their â€Å"magical hues and shapes. † In fair weather, â€Å"they are clothed in blue and purple. † But sometimes, even though the sky is cloudless, they will gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown of glory. Making the mountains come alive enables them to become mysterious and unpredictable; they may even play tricks on those who venture within their confines. The Pioneers: The Sources of the Susquehanna; a Descriptive Tale is a historical novel, the first published of the Leatherstocking Tales, a series of five novels by American writer James Fenimore Cooper. While The Pioneers was published in 1823, before any of the other Leatherstocking Tales, the period of time it covers makes it the fourth chronologically. Plot summaryThe story takes place on the rapidly advancing frontier of New York State and features an elderly Leatherstocking (Natty Bumppo), Judge Marmaduke Temple of Templeton, whose life parallels that of the authors father Judge William Cooper, and Elizabeth Temple (based on the authors sister, Susan Cooper), of the fictional Templeton, New York. The story begins with an argument between the Judge and Leatherstocking over who killed a buck, and as Cooper reviews many of the changes to New Yorks Lake Otsego, questions of environmental stewardship, conservation, and use prevail. Leatherstocking and his closest friend, the Mohican Indian Chingachgook, begin to compete with the Temples for the loyalties of a mysterious young visitor, a young hunter known as Oliver Edwards, who eventually marries Elizabeth. Chingachgook dies, exemplifying the vexed figure of the dying Indian, and Natty vanishes into the sunset. AnalysisThe Pioneers was the first written of James Fenimore Coopers Leatherstocking series, featuring the character Natty Bumppo, a resourceful white American living in the woods. The story focuses on the evolution of the wilderness into a civilized community. The story takes place in the town of Templeton, which is said to be modeled after Cooperstown, New York. The story also has an underlying ecological theme, and is considered one of the first ecological novels. One of Cooper’s characters, Judge Temple, highlights this theme when he talks about how people will use up the very resources they depend on by destroying the forests, pigeons, and fish. The death of Chingachgook seems to be a symbol of the disappearance of the Indian population in the face of white settlement. British novelist and critic D. H. Lawrence said the novel presented â€Å"the myth of America†. Characters Illustration by Felix Octavius Carr DarleyNathaniel Natty Bumppo, aka the Leather-stocking, aka. Hawk-eye Our hero, an old hunter and patriot. He is a friend to the Indians and distrustful of civilization. (chapter 1, page 22). He was a melodious synopsis of man and nature in the West. Judge Marmaduke Temple A widower and the founder of Templeton (chapter 1, page 18) Agamemnon Aggy A slave of the Judge Elizabeth Bess Temple Daughter of the Judge and romantic interest of Oliver (chapter 5, page 66) Richard Dick Jones The cousin of the Judge (chapter 4, page 47) Squire Hiram Doolittle An architect, justice of the peace, and buddy of Dick Jones Monsieur Le Quoi A former French nobleman and now shopkeeper in Templeton (chapter 4, page 47) Major Frederick Fritz Hartmann A German settler in the area and regular visitor to the Judges house (chapter 4, page 48) The Reverend Mr. Grant An Anglican minister (chapter 4, page 48) Ben Pump, aka Benjamin Penguillan A servant to the Judge, and a former sea man who doesnt know how to swim (chapter 5, page 60) Remarkable Pettibone Housekeeper to the Judge (chapter 5, page 62) Old Brave The Temples faithful dog. Dr. Elnathan Todd The town doctor (chapter 6, page 71) Indian John, aka John Mohegan, aka Chingachgook The last of the Mohicans and Nattys faithful companion (chapter 7, page 85) Oliver Edwards, aka Young Eagle The young hunter and friend to Natty and Indian John (chapter 3, page 38) Captain and Mrs. Hollinger Owners of the inn The Bold Dragoon Squire Chester Lippet The obnoxious lawyer who talks too much when visiting the Bold Dragoon Louisa Grant The daughter of Mr. Grant, companion to Elizabeth, and the other possible love interest for Oliver Billy Kirby A lumberjack and crack-shot with a rifle (chapter 17, page 190) Squire Van der School The honest lawyer of Judge Marmaduke (chapter 25, page 277) Jotham Riddle A lazy fellow who is made a magistrate by Sheriff Jones Sir Oliver Effingham Nature is an essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, published anonymously in 1836. It is in this essay that the foundation of transcendentalism is put forth, a belief system that espouses a non-traditional appreciation of nature. [1] Transcendentalism suggests that divinity diffuses all nature, and speaks to the notion that we can only understand reality through studying nature. [2] A visit to the Museum National dHistoire Naturelle in Paris inspired a set of lectures delivered in Boston and subsequently the ideas leading to the publication of Nature. Many scholars identify Emerson as one of the first writers (with others, notably Walt Whitman) to develop a literary style and vision that is uniquely American, rather than following in the footsteps of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and others who were strongly influenced by their British cultural heritage. Nature is the first significant work to establish this new way of looking at The Americas and its raw, natural environment. In England, all natural things are a reference to layers of historical events, a reflection of human beings. However, in America, all of nature was relatively new to Western Civilization with no man-made meaning. With this clean slate, as it were, Emerson was enabled to see nature through new eyes, or as he phrased it, the transparent eyeball and rebuild natures role in the world. Within this essay, Emerson divides nature into four usages; Commodity, Beauty, Language and Discipline. These distinctions define the ways by which humans use nature for their basic needs, their desire for delight, their communication with one another and their understanding of the world. [3] Henry David Thoreau had read Nature as a senior at Harvard College and took it to heart. It eventually became an essential influence for Thoreaus later writings, including his seminal Walden. In fact, Thoreau wrote Walden while living in a self-built cabin on land that Emerson owned. Their longstanding acquaintance offered Thoreau great encouragement in pursuing his desire to be a published author. [4] Emerson followed the success of this essay with a famous speech entitled The American Scholar. These two works laid the foundation for both his new philosophy and his literary career. The American Scholar was a speech given by Ralph Waldo Emerson on August 31, 1837, to the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Cambridge. He was invited to speak in recognition of his groundbreaking work Nature, published a year earlier, in which he established a new way for Americas fledgling society to regard the world. Sixty years after declaring independence, American culture was still heavily influenced by Europe, and Emerson, for possibly the first time in the countrys history, provided a visionary philosophical framework for escaping from under its iron lids and building a new, distinctly American cultural identity. Emerson uses Transcendentalist and Romantic views to get his points across by explaining a true American scholars relationship to nature. There are a few key points he makes that flesh out this vision: We are all fragments, as the hand is divided into fingers, of a greater creature, which is mankind itself, a doctrine ever new and sublime. An individual may live in either of two states. In one, the busy, divided or degenerate state, he does not possess himself but identifies with his occupation or a monotonous action; in the other, right state, he is elevated to Man, at one with all mankind. To achieve this higher state of mind, the modern American scholar must reject old ideas and think for him or herself, to become Man Thinking rather than a mere thinker, or still worse, the parrot of other mens thinking, the victim of society, the sluggard intellect of this continent. The American Scholar has an obligation, as Man Thinking, within this One Man concept, to see the world clearly, not severely influenced by traditional/historical views, and to broaden his understanding of the world from fresh eyes, to defer never to the popular cry. The scholars education consists of three pursuits:udy institutions. 1. To take action and to interact with the world; not to become the recluse thinker commenting from afar. The office [the duty] of the scholar is to cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them facts amidst appearances. 2. To be original and formulate ideas from many works, rather than believing any book that is read. Young Goodman Brown came forth at sunset into the st reet at Salem village; but put his head back, after crossing the threshold, to exchange a parting iss with his young wife. And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap while she called to Goodman Brown. Dearest heart, whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were close to his ear, prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts that shes afeard of herself sometimes. Pray tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year. My love and my Faith, replied young Goodman Brown, of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married? Then God bless youe! said Faith, with the pink r ibbons; and may you find all well whn you come back. Amen! cried Goodman Brown. Say thy prayers, dear Faith, and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to thee. So they parted; and the young man pursued his way until, being about to turn the corner by the meeting-house, he looked back and saw the head of Faith still peeping after him with a melancholy air, in spite of her pink ribbons. Poor little Faith! thought he, for his heart smote him. What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too. Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done tonight. But no, no; t would kill her to think it. Well, shes a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night Ill cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven. With this excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose. He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of th e forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind. It was all as lonely as could be; and there is this peculiarity in such a solitude, that the traveller knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable trunks and the thick boughs overhead; so that with lonely footsteps he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude. There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree, said Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced fearfully behind him as he added, What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow! His head being turned back, he passed a crook of the road, and, looking forward again, beheld the figure of a man, in grave and decent attire, seated at the foot of an old tree. He arose at Goodman Browns approach and walked onward side by side with him. You are late, Goodman Brown, said he. The clock of the Old South was striking as I came through Boston, and that is full fifteen minutes agone. Faith kept me back a while, replied t he young man, with a tremor in his voice, caused by the sudden appearance of his companion, though not wholly unexpected. It was now deep dusk in the forest, and deepest in that part of it where these two were journeying. As nearly as could be discerned, the second traveller was about fifty years old, apparently in the same rank of life as Goodman Brown, and bearing a considerable resemblance to him, though perhaps more in expression than features. Still they might have been taken for father and son. And yet, though the elder person was as simply clad as the younger, and as simple in manner too, he had an indescribable air of one who knew the world, and who would not have felt abashed at the governors dinner table or in King Williams court, were it possible that his affairs should call him thither. But the only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent. This, of course, must have been an ocular deception, assisted by the uncertain light. Come, Goodman Brown, cried his fellow-traveller, this is a dull pace for the beginning of a journey. Take my staff, if you are so soon weary. Friend, said the other, exchanging his slow pace for a full stop, having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples touching the matter thou wotst of. Sayest thou so? replied h e of the serpent, smiling apart. Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go; and if I convince thee not thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest yet. Too far! too far! exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk. My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians since the days of the martyrs; and shall I be the first of the name of Brown that ever took this path and kept Such company, thou wouldst say, observed the elder person, interpreting his pause. Well said, Goodman Brown! I have been as well acquainted with your family as with ever a one among the Puritans; and thats no trifle to say. I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem; and it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philips war. They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight. I would fain be friends with you for their sake. If it be as thou sayest, replied Goodman Brown, I marvel they never spoke of these matters; or, verily, I marvel not, seeing that the least rumor of the sort would have driven them from New England. We are a people of prayer, and good works to boot, and abide no such wickedness. Wickedness or not, said the traveller with the twisted staff, I have a very general acquaintance here in New England. The deacons of many a church have drunk the communion wine with me; the selectmen of divers towns make me their chairman; and a majority of the Great and General Court are firm supporters of my interest. The governor and I, tooBut these are state secrets. Can this be so? cried Goodman Brown, with a stare of amazement at his undisturbed companion. Howbeit, I have nothing to do with the governor and council; they have their own ways, and are no rule for a simple husbandman like me. But, were I to go on with thee, how should I meet the eye of that good old man, our minister, at Salem village? Oh, his voice would make me tremble both Sabbath day and lecture day. Thus far the elder traveller had listened with due gravity; but now burst into a fit of irrepressible mirth, shaking himself so violently that his snake-like staff actually seemed to wriggle in sympathy. Ha! a! ha! shouted he again and again; then composing himself, Well, go on, Goodman Brown, go on; but, prithee, dont kill me with laughing. Well, then, to end the matter at once, said Goodman Brown, considerably nettled, there is my wife, Faith. It would break her dear little heart; and Id rather break my own. Nay, if that be the case, answered the other, een go thy ways, Goodman Brown. I would not for twenty old women like the one hobbling before us that Faith should come to any harm. As he spoke he pointed is staff at a female figure on the path, in whom Goodman Brown recognized a very pious and exemplary dame, who had taught him his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual adviser, jointly with the minister and Deacon Gookin. A marvel, truly, that Goody Cloyse should be so far in the wilderness at nightfall, said he. But with your leave, friend, I shall take a cut through the woods un til we have left this Christian woman behind. Being a stranger to you, she might ask whom I was consorting with and whither I was going. Be it so, said his fellow-traveller. Betake you to the woods, and let me keep the path. Accordingly the young man turned aside, but took care to watch his companion, who advanced softly along the road until he had come within a staffs length of the old dame. She, meanwhile, was making the best of her way, with singular speed for so aged a woman, and mumbling some indistinct wordsa prayer, doubtlessas she went. The traveller put forth his staff and touched her withered neck with what seemed the serpents tail. The devil! screamed the pious old lady. Then Goody Cloyse knows her old friend? observed the traveller, confronting her and leaning on his writhing stick. Ah, forsooth, and is it your worship indeed? cried the good dame. Yea, truly is it, and in the very image of my old gossip, Goodman Brown, the grandfather of the silly fellow that now is. Butwould your worship believe it? my broomstick hath strangely disappeared, stolen, as I suspect, by that unhanged witch, Goody Cory, and that, too, when I was all anointed with the juice of smallage, and cinquefoil, and wolfs bane Mingled with fine wheat and the fat of a new-born babe, said the shape of old Goodman Brown. Ah, your worship knows the recipe, cried the old lady, cackling aloud. So, as I was saying, being all ready for the meeting, and no horse to ride on, I made up my mind to foot it; for they tell me there is a nice young man to be taken into communion to-night. But now your good worship will lend me your arm, and we shall be there in a twinkling. That can hardly be, answered her friend. I may not spare you my arm, Goody Cloyse; but here is my staff, if you will. So saying, he threw it down at her feet, where, perhaps, it assumed life, being one of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to the Egyptian magi. Of this fact, however, Goodman Brown could not take c ognizance. He had cast up his eyes in astonishment, and, looking down again, beheld neither Goody Cloyse nor the serpentine staff, but his fellow-traveller alone, who waited for him as calmly as if nothing had happened. That old woman taught me my catechism, said the young man; and there was a world of meaning in this simple comment. They continued to walk onward, while the elder traveller exhorted his companion to make good speed and persevere in the path, discoursing so aptly that his arguments seemed rather to spring up in the bosom of his auditor than to be suggested by himself. As they went, he plucked a branch of maple to serve for a walking stick, and began to strip it of the twigs and little boughs, which were wet with evening dew. The moment his fingers touched them they became strangely withered and dried up as with a weeks sunshine. Thus the pair proceeded, at a good free pace, until suddenly, in a gloomy hollow of the road, Goodman Brown sat himself down on the stump of a tree and refused to go any farther. Friend, said he, stubbornly, my mind is made up. Not another step will I budge on this errand. What if a wretched old woman do choose to go to the devil when I thought she was going to heaven: is that any reason why I should quit my dear Faith and go after her? You will think better of this by and by, said his acquaintance, composedly. Sit here and rest yourself a while; and when you feel like moving again, there is my staff to help you along. Without more words, he threw his companion the maple stick, and was as speedily out of sight as if he had vanished into the deepening gloom. The young man sat a few moments by the roadside, applauding himself greatly, and thinking with how clear a conscience he should meet the minister in his morning walk, nor shrink from the eye of good old Deacon Gookin. And what c alm sleep would be his that very night, which was to have been spent so wickedly, but so purely and sweetly now, in the arms of Faith! Amidst these pleasant and praiseworthy meditations, Goodman Brown heard the tramp of horses along the road, and deemed it advisable to conceal himself within the verge of the forest, conscious of the guilty purpose that had brought him thither, though now so happily turned from it. On came the hoof tramps and the voices of the riders, two grave old voices, conversing soberly as they drew near. These mingled sounds appeared to pass along the road, within a few yards of the young mans hiding-place; but, owing doubtless to the depth of the gloom at that particular spot, neither the travellers nor their steeds were visible. Though their figures brushed the small boughs by the wayside, it could not be seen that they intercepted, even for a moment, the faint gleam from the strip of bright sky athwart which they must have passed. Goodman Brown alternately crouched and stood on tiptoe, pulling aside the branches and thrusting forth his head as far as he durst without discerning so much as a shadow. It vexed him the more, because he could have sworn, were such a thing possible, that he recognized the voices of the minister and Deacon Gookin, jogging along quietly, as they were wont to do, when bound to some ordination or ecclesiastical council. While yet within hearing, one of the riders stopped to pluck a switch. Of the two, reverend sir, said the voice like the deacons, I had rather miss an ordination dinner than to-nights meeting. They tell me that some of our community are to be here from Falmouth and beyond, and others from Connecticut and Rhode Island, besides several of the Indian powwows, who, after their fashion, know almost as much deviltry as the best of us. Moreover, there is a goodly young woman to be taken into communion. Mighty well, Deacon Gookin! replied the solemn old tones of the minister. Spur up, or we shall be late. Nothing can be done, you know, until I get on the ground. The hoofs clattered again; and the voices, talking so strangely in the empty air, passed on through the forest, where no church had ever been gathered or solitary Christian prayed. Whither, then, could these holy men be journeying so deep into the heathen wilderness? Young Goodman Brown caught hold of a tree for support, being read y to sink down on the ground, faint and overburdened with the heavy sickness of his heart. He looked up to the sky, doubting whether there really was a heaven above him. Yet there was the blue arch, and the stars brightening in it. With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil! cried Goodman Brown. While he still gazed upward into the deep arch of the firmament and had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith and hid the brightening stars. The blue sky was still visible, except directly overhead, where this black mass of cloud was sweeping swiftly northward. Aloft in the air, as if from the depths of the cloud, came a confused and doubtful sound of voices. Once the listener fancied that he could distinguish the accents of towns-people of his own, men and women, both pious and ungodly, many of whom he had met at the communion table, and had seen others rioting at the tavern. The next moment, so indistinct were the sounds, he doubted whether he had heard aught but the murmur of the old forest, whispering without a wind. Then came a stronger swell of those familiar tones, heard daily in the sunshine at Salem village, but never until now from a cloud of night There was one voice of a young woman, uttering lamentations, yet with an uncertain sorrow, and entreating for some favor, which, perhaps, it would grieve her to obtain; and all the unseen multitude, both saints and sinners, seemed to encourage her onward. Faith! shouted Goodman Brown, in a voice of agony and desperation; and the echoes of the forest mocked him, crying, Faith! Faith! as if bewildered wretches were seeking her all through the wilderness. The cry of grief, rage, and terror was yet piercing the night, when the unhappy husband held his breath for a response. There was a scream, drowned immediately in a louder murmur of voices, fading into far-off laughter, as the dark cloud swept away, leaving the clear and silent sky above Goodman Brown. But something fluttered lightly down through the air and caught on the branch of a tree. The you ng man seized it, and beheld a pink ribbon. My Faith is gone! cried he, after one stupefied moment. There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given. And, maddened with despair, so that he laughed loud and long, did Goodman Brown grasp his staff and set forth again, at such a rate that he seemed to fly along the forest path rather than to walk or run. The road grew wilder and drearier and more faintly traced, and vanished at length, leaving him in the heart of the dark wilderness, still rushing onward with the instinct that guides mortal man to evil. The whole forest was peopled with frightful soundsthe creaking of the trees, the howling of wild beasts, and the yell of Indians; while sometimes the wind tolled like a distant church bell, and sometimes gave a broad roar around the traveller, as if all Nature were laughing him to scorn. But he was himself the chief horror of the scene, and shrank not from its other horrors. Ha! ha! ha! roared Goodman Brown when the wind laughed at him. Let us hear which will laugh loudest. Think not to frighten me with your deviltry. Come witch, come wizard, come Indian owwow, come devil himself, and here comes Goodman Brown. You may as well fear him as he fear you. In truth, all through the haunted forest there could be nothing more frightful than the figure of Goodman Brown. On he flew among the black pines, brandishing his staff with frenzied gestures, now giving vent to an inspiration of horrid blasphemy, and now shouting forth such laughter as set all the echoes of the forest laughing like de mons around him. The fiend in his own shape is less hideous than when he rages in the breast of man. Thus sped the demoniac on his course, until, quivering among the trees, he saw a red light before him, as when the felled trunks and branches of a clearing have been set on fire, and throw up their lurid blaze against the sky, at the hour of midnight. He paused, in a lull of the tempest that had driven him onward, and heard the swell of what seemed a hymn, rolling solemnly from a distance with the weight of many voices. He knew the tune; it was a familiar one in the choir of the village meeting-house. The verse died heavily away, and was lengthened by a chorus, not of human voices, but of all the sounds of the benighted wilderness pealing in awful harmony together. Goodman Brown cried out, and his cry was lost to his own ear by its unison with the cry of the desert. In the interval of silence he stole forward until the light glared full upon his eyes. At one extremity of an open space, hemmed in by the dark wall of the forest, arose a rock, bearing some rude, natural resemblance either to an alter or a pulpit, and surrounded by four blazing pines, their tops aflame, their stems untouched, like candles at an evening meeting. The mass of foliage that had overgrown the summit of the rock was all on fire, blazing high into the night and fitfully illuminating the whole field. Each pendent twig and leafy festoon was in a blaze. As the red light arose and fell, a numerous congregation alternately shone forth, then disappeared in shadow, and again grew, as it were, out of the darkness, peopling the heart of the solitary woods at once. A grave and dark-clad company, quoth Goodman Brown. In truth they were such. Among them, quivering to and fro between gloom and splendor, appeared faces that would be seen next day at the council board of the province, and others which, Sabbath after Sabbath, looked devoutly heavenward, and benignantly over the crowded pews, from the holiest pulpits in the land. Some affirm that the lady of the governor was there. At least there were high dames well known to her, and wives of honored husbands, and widows, a great multitude, and ancient maidens, all of excellent repute, and fair young girls, who trembled lest their mothers should espy them. Either the sudden gleams of light flashing over the obscure field bedazzled Goodman Brown, or he recognized a score of the church members of Salem village famous for their especial sanctity. Good old Deacon Gookin had arrived, and waited at the skirts of that venerable saint, his revered pastor. But, irreverently consorting with these grave, reputable, and pious people, these elders of the church, these chaste dames and dewy virgins, there were men of dissolute lives and women of spotted fame, wretches given over to all mean and filthy vice, and suspected even of horrid crimes. It was strange to see that the good shrank not from the wicked, nor were the sinners abashed by the saints. Scattered also among their pale-faced enemies were the Indian priests, or powwows, who had often scared their native forest with more hideous incantations than any known to English witchcraft. But where is Faith? thought Goodman Brown; and, as hope came into his heart, he trembled. Another verse of the hymn arose, a slow and mournful strain, such as the pious love, but joined to words which expressed all that our nature can conceive of sin, and darkly hinted at far more. Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends. Verse after verse was sung; and still the chorus of the desert swelled between like the deepest tone of a mighty organ; and with the final peal of that dreadful anthem there came a sound, as if the roaring wind, the rushing streams, the howling beasts, and every other voice of the unconcerted wilderness were mingling and according with the voice of guilty man in homage to the prince of all. The four blazing pines threw up a loftier flame, and obscurely discovered shapes and visages of horror on the smoke wreaths above the impious assembly. At the same moment the fire on the rock shot redly forth and formed a glowing arch above its base, where now appeared a figure. With reverence be it spoken, the figure bore no slight similitude, both in garb and manner, to some grave divine of the New England churches. Bring forth the converts! cried a voice that echoed through the field and rolled into the forest. At the word, Goodman Brown stepped forth from the shadow of the trees and approached the congregation, with whom he felt a loathful brotherhood by the sympathy of all that was wicked in his heart. He could have well-nigh sworn that the shape of his own dead father beckoned him to advance, looking downward from a smoke wreath, while a woman, with dim features of despair, threw out her hand to warn him back. Was it his mother? But he had no power to retreat one step, nor to resist, even in thought, when the minister and good old Deacon Gookin seized his arms and led him to the blazing rock. Thither came also the slender form of a veiled female, led between Goody Cloyse, that pious teacher of the catechism, and Martha Carrier, who had received the devils promise to be queen of hell. A rampant hag was she. And there stood the proselytes beneath the canopy of fire. Welcome, my children, said the dark figure, to the communion of your race. Ye have found thus young your nature and your destiny. My children, look behind you! They turned; and flashing forth, as it were, in a sheet of flame, the fiend worshippers were seen; the smile of welcome gleamed darkly on every visage. There, resumed the sable form, are all whom ye have reverenced from youth. Ye deemed them holier than yourselves, and shrank from your own sin, contrasting it with their lives of righteousness and prayerful aspirations heavenward. Yet here are they all in my worshipping assembly. This night it shall be granted you to know their secret deeds: how hoary-bearded elders of the church have whispered wanton words to the young maids of their households; how many a woman, eager for widows weeds, has given her husband a drink at bedtime and let him sleep his last sleep in her bosom; how beardless youths have made haste to inherit their fathers wealth; and how fair damselsblush not, sweet oneshave dug little graves in the garden, and bidden me, the sole guest to an infants funeral. By the sympathy of your human hearts for sin ye shall scent out all the placeswhether in church, bedchamber, street, field, or forestwhere crime has been committed, and shall exult to behold the whole earth one stain of guilt, one mighty blood spot. Far more than this. It shall be yours to penetrate, in every bosom, the deep mystery of sin, the fountain of all wicked arts, and which inexhaustibly supplies more evil impulses than human powerthan my power at its utmostcan make manifest in deeds. And now, my children, look upon each other. They did so; and, by the blaze of the hell-kindled torches, the wretched man beheld his Faith, and the wife her husband, trembling before that unhallowed altar. Lo, there ye stand, my children, said the figure, in a deep and solemn tone, almost sad with its despairing awfulness, as if his once angelic nature could yet mourn for our miserable race. Depending upon one anothers hearts, ye had still hoped that virtue were not all a dream. Now are ye undec eived. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, my children, to the communion of your race. Welcome, repeated the fiend worshippers, in one cry of despair and triumph. And there they stood, the only pair, as it seemed, who were yet hesitating on the verge of wickedness in this dark world. A basin was hollowed, naturally, in the rock. Did it contain water, reddened by the lurid light? or was it blood? or, perchance, a liquid flame? Herein did the shape of evil dip his hand and prepare to lay the mark of baptism upon their foreheads, that they might be partakers of the mystery of sin, more conscious of the secret guilt of others, both in deed and thought, than they could now be of their own. The husband cast one look at his pale wife, and Faith at him. What polluted wretches would the next glance show them to each other, shuddering alike at what they disclosed and what they saw! Faith! Faith! cried the husband, look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one. Whether Faith obeyed he knew not. Hardly had he spoken when he found himself amid calm night and solitude, listening to a roar of the wind which died heavily away through the forest. He staggered against the rock, and felt it chill and damp; while a hanging twig, that had been all on fire, besprinkled his cheek with the coldest dew. The next morning young Goodman Brown came slowly into the street of Salem village, staring around him like a bewildered man. The good old minister was taking a walk along the graveyard to get an appetite for breakfast and meditate his sermon, and bestowed a blessing, as he passed, on Goodman Brown. He shrank from the venerable saint as if to avoid an anathema. Old Deacon Gookin was at domestic worship, and the holy words of his prayer were heard through the open window. What God doth the wizard pray to? quoth Goodman Brown. Goody Cloyse, that excellent old Christian, stood in the early sunshine at her own lattice, catechizing a little girl who had brought her a pint of mornings milk. Goodman Brown snatched away the child as from the grasp of the fiend himself. Turning the corner by the meeting-house, he spied the head of Faith, with the pink ribbons, gazing anxiously forth, and bursting into such joy at sight of him that she skipped along the street and almost kissed her husband befo re the whole village. But Goodman Brown looked sternly and sadly into her face, and passed on without a greeting. Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch-meeting? Be it so if you will; but, alas! it was a dream of evil omen for young Goodman Brown. A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man did he become from the night of that fearful dream. On the Sabbath day, when the congregation were singing a holy psalm, he could not listen because an anthem of sin rushed loudly upon his ear and drowned all the blessed strain. When the minister spoke from the pulpit with power and fervid eloquence, and, with his hand on the open Bible, of the sacred truths of our religion, and of saint-like lives and triumphant deaths, and of future bliss or misery unutterable, then did Goodman Brown turn pale, dreading lest the roof should thunder down upon the gray blasphemer and his hearers. Often, waking suddenly at midnight, he shrank from the bosom of Faith; and at morning or eventide, when the family knelt down at prayer, he scowled and muttered to himself, and gazed sternly at his wife, and turned away. And when he had lived long, and was borne to his grave a hoary corpse, followed by Faith, an aged woman, and children and grandchildren, a goodly procession, besides neighbors not a few, they carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone, for his dying hour was gloom. Young Goodman Brown (1835) is a short story by American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. The story takes place in 17th century Puritan New England, a common setting for Hawthornes works, and addresses the Calvinist/Puritan belief that humanity exists in a state of depravity, exempting those who are born in a state of grace. Hawthorne frequently attempts to expose the hypocrisy of Puritan culture in his literature and is an over bearing theme in several of his works. In a symbolic fashion, the story follows Young Goodman Browns journey into self-scrutiny which results in his loss of faith. Themes and styleYoung Goodman Brown is often characterized as an allegory about the recognition of evil and depravity as the nature of humanity. [4] Much of Hawthornes fiction, such as The Scarlet Letter, is set in 17th-century colonial America, particularly Salem, Massachusetts. [5] In order to convey the setting in his work, he used literary techniques such as pecific diction, or colloquial expressions, as in Young Goodman Brown in which language of the period is used to enhance the setting. Hawthorne gives the characters, specific names that depict abstract pure wholesome beliefs such as; Young Goodman Brown, and Faith. The characters names ultimately serve as a paradox in the conclusion of the story. The inclusion of this technique was to provide a definite contrast and irony. Hawthorne aims to critique the ideals of Puritan society and express his disdain for it thus illustrating the difference between the appearance of those in society and their true identities. 6] Literary scholar Walter Shear writes that Hawthorne structured the story in three parts. The first part shows Goodman Brown at his home in his village integrated in his society. The second part of the story is an extended dreamlike sequence in which Goodman Brown is in the forest for a single night. The third part shows his return to society and to his home, yet he is so profoundly changed that in rejecting the greeting of his wife Faith, Hawthorne shows Goodman Brown has lost faith and rejected the tenets of his Puritan world during the course of the night. 7] The story is about Goodman Browns loss of faith as one of the elect writes Jane Eberwein in My Faith is Gone! . Believing himself to be of the elect, Goodman Brown falls into self-doubt after three months of marriage which to him represents sin and depravity as opposed to salvation. His journey to the forest is symbolic of Christian self-exploration in which doubt immediately supplants faith. At the end of the forest experience he loses his wife Faith, his faith in salvation, and his faith in human goodness. 8] [edit] Critical response and impactHerman Melville said Young Goodman Brown was as deep as Dante and Henry James called it a magnificent little romance. [9] Hawthorne himself believed the story made no more impact than any of his tales. Years later he wrote, These stories were published in Magazines and Annuals, extending over a period of ten or twelve years, and comprising the whole of the writers young manhood, without making (so far as he has ever been aware) the slightest impression on the public. [10] Contemporary critic Edgar Allan Poe disagreed, referring to Hawthornes short stories as the products of a truly imaginative intellect. [11 ] One of Hawthornes good friends, Herman Melville comments on the underlying depth of the story you would of course suppose that it was a simple little tale, intended as a supplement to Goody Two Shoes Whereas it is as deep as Dante. 1 [12] Moderns scholars and critiques generally view the short story as an allegorical tale written to expose the contradictions in place concerning Puritan beliefs and societies. However, there have been many other interpretations of the text including those who believe Hawthorn sympathizes with Puritan beliefs. Author Harold Bloom comments on the variety of explanations; Young Goodman Brown has been presented as an allegorical revelation of human depravity, as a symbolic study of sexual initiation, as an inquiry into generational conflict, as a demonstration of Puritan hypocrisy, as evidence of Hawthorns sympathy towards Puritan society, and even just as an artfully designed short story making no essential reference beyond itself The Raven [First published in 1845] Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `Tis some visitor, I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door Only this, and nothing more. Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow sorrow for the lost Lenore For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore Nameless here for evermore. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating `Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; This it is, and nothing more, Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, `Sir, said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you here I opened wide the door; Darkness there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore! This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore! Merely this and nothing more. Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. `Surely, said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice; Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explor e; Tis the wind and nothing more! Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door Perched, and sat, and nothing more. Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou, I said, `art sure no craven. Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Nights Plutonian shore! Quoth the raven, `Nevermore. Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as `Nevermore. But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only, That one word, as if his so ul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing further then he uttered not a feather then he fluttered Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before. Then the bird said, `Nevermore. Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, `Doubtless, said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore Of Never-nevermore. But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking `Nevermore. This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosoms core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining On the cushions velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated oer, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating oer, She shall press, ah, nevermore! Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. `Wretch, I cried, `thy God hath lent thee by these angels he has sent thee Respite respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore! Quoth the raven, `Nevermore. `Prophet! said I, `thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil! Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted On this home by horror haunted tell me truly, I implore Is there is there balm in Gilead? tell me tell me, I implore! Quoth the raven, `Nevermore. `Prophet! said I, `thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us by that God we both adore Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore? Quoth the raven, `Nevermore. `Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend! I shrieked upstarting `Get thee back into the tempest and the Nights Plutonian shore! Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken! quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door! Quoth the raven, `Nevermore. And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demons that is dreaming, And the lamp-light oer him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted nevermore! The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking ravens mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the mans slow descent into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student,[1][2] is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word Nevermore. The poem makes use of a number of folk and classical references. Poe claimed to have written the poem very logically and methodically, intending to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes, as he explained in his 1846 follow-up essay The Philosophy of Composition. The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in the novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty by Charles Dickens. [3] Poe borrows the complex rhythm and meter of Elizabeth Barretts poem Lady Geraldines Courtship, and makes use of internal rhyme as well as alliteration throughout. The Raven was first attributed to Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. Its publication made Poe widely popular in his lifetime, though it did not bring him much financial success. Soon reprinted, parodied, and illustrated, critical opinion is divided as to the poems status, though it remains one of the most famous poems ever written The Raven follows an unnamed narrator who sits reading forgotten lore[6] as a method to forget the loss of his love, Lenore. A rapping at [his] chamber door[6] reveals nothing, but excites his soul to burning. [7] A similar rapping, slightly louder, is heard at his window. When he goes to investigate, a raven steps into his chamber. Paying no attention to the man, the raven perches on a bust of Pallas. Amused by the ravens comically serious disposition, the man demands that the bird tell him its name. The ravens only answer is Nevermore. [7] The narrator is surprised that the raven can talk, though it says nothing further. The narrator remarks to himself that his friend the raven will soon fly out of his life, just as other friends have flown before[7] along with his previous hopes. As if answering, the raven responds again with Nevermore. 7] The narrator reasons that the bird

How to Write a Great Book Dedication

How to Write a Great Book Dedication Creating a literary piece is not an easy task. It takes much time, effort, and dedication to produce a book, and it is essential to show gratitude to those who helped or inspired you on your path. While the dedication doesnt have to be lengthy, it is a very personal addition to the start of your book and, therefore, requires substantial thought.When were book dedications first used?Dedications were first used in the classical times. Authors often had more reasons to write dedications than simply to mention someone they wanted to thank. Books and other literary works were often financed by patrons who chose the author for a particular reason. Some works were commissioned, sometimes even by the Queen of England (for example, Shakespeare was commissioned by the Queen to write Henry VIII). Sometimes authors received gifts of encouragement from their patrons. In response to this support, the author thanked their patron with a tribute in a dedication.The original dedication format containe d a sentence such as This book is dedicated to a high-standing personality or city, etc. Having a good dedication signaled to other patrons that they too could enjoy similar recognition if they supported that author for a work of their own. Therefore, dedications were often elaborate in wording.Themes of dedicationsDedications can simply offer thanks to a monetary supporter or an emotional supporter, or they can make a political statement. For example, in her book Beloved, Toni Morrison made a dedication to Sixty Million and more. This was a reference to the number of slaves who died as part of the slave trade.Certain authors use the dedication as a way to show the tastes of society or to shock society with an audacious statement. In modern dedications, authors have made statements that are mixed in nature, putting together statements of thanks, love, political opinion, hope, and humor.As you consider what you want your dedication to be like, consider your own personality and what t he work has meant to you. This part of writing a book is all about adding the final touch, which represents who you are as the author and what you want the world to know about you before they begin reading.Focusing the dedicationStep 1 - Make a list of whom you might want to include in the dedication.Is there one person or a group of people who were the impetus for your work? What inspired you to write? Make a list of these people. If there was someone who inspired the main character or any of the other characters in the book, include them on the list as well.Also, you should consider if you want to dedicate the book to people you know personally, or to people you do not know personally but whom you admire. Dont be afraid to put everyone on this list at this point. You will be able to narrow your list later on if you wish.Step 2 - Write down people you do not want in the dedication.Once you have the first list finished, make a second list of people who you dont think are appropria te for the dedication. This will help you to narrow down your first list, or it might help you to focus more for the next step. For example, while you may think you want to put your newborn daughter in a dedication, if the book is an adult romance novel, it might not be appropriate to dedicate the book to her.Step 3 - List the main themes in your book.Examine the themes presented throughout your book. Make a list of those themes, and consider if there are people in your life who might represent those themes or who might have helped - knowingly or unknowingly - provide inspiration for those particular themes. Sometimes this examination can bring to light people whom you did not initially consider to have helped you to write the book, but without whom you wouldnt have a robust story to tell.For example, if you have wanted to write a book about overcoming adversity and finally did it, you may want to call attention to those people who caused you to face adversity. Without them, you might not have had the perspective needed or the desire to write such a book.Step 4 - Why do you want to dedicate the book to them?When you decide to whom you want to dedicate the book, it is important to note all the reasons why you chose them. Did they encourage you on your lowest days? Did they provide sustenance as you worked through the nights? Did they support you monetarily? What about direct contributions? Did they give their input on characters or dialogue?There are so many ways that people help us as we write, and its important when writing a book dedication to get all the reasons in front of us. This helps us to choose what we are most grateful for. While a book dedication can be as short or as long as you want it to be, you want to get it just right. Once its in print, it takes some doing to change it.Step 5 - Did you promise a dedication?Sometimes writers will agree to dedicate their book to someone. This happens either with friends who simply want a mention or family members who helped you in exchange for a dedication - just like the patrons of old. Consider if this is a request that you want to keep.While promises are important, book dedications are personal and provide meaningful closure to the writing process. Sometimes, throughout the book writing process, promises made at the beginning dont hold up at the end. What if you made a promise to someone you are no longer in contact with? Is it worth including a dedication to them? If you dont want to put someones name in the dedication, then you dont have to. Still, they might be hurt or offended to discover that you did not include them.Does a book dedication have to be to a person?A book dedication does not need to be made to a person. If you feel like coffee or energy drinks were the main source of inspiration, then by all means feel free to make a dedication to them. There are no rules for dedications, so do whatever your heart says is right for your book.What should you say in your dedicat ion?The beginningTo start off your dedication, choose something that fits to whom or what it is. For example, you could start out with In memory of if you are making a dedication to a deceased individual. You could also use To, For, or In honor of.Include a piece of yourselfOnce you have decided on the beginning words, continue to the dedication itself. Because the book is the result of your own hard work, make sure to include several aspects of your personality. If you consider yourself to be funny or light-hearted, then include some humor in your dedication. This is especially impactful if you have included humor in your book. Remember, the dedication gives the reader a little insight into you as the author, so start the book out with the right tone.If you consider yourself to be a more formal person or if you want the dedication to have a serious tone, then phrase your dedication using formal terms and thoughts. In one good example of personality in the dedication, Neil Gaiman wo rded his dedications using you without specifically identifying who the person is.You know how it is. You pick up a book, flip to the dedication, and find that, once again, the author has dedicated a book to someone else and not to you.Not this time.Because we havent yet met/have only a glancing acquaintance/are just crazy about each other/havent seen each other in much too long/are in some way related/will never meet, but will, I trust, despite that, always think fondly of each other!This ones for you.With you know what, and you probably know why.Neil Gaiman, Anansi BoysConsider the subjectYou also want to ensure that the way in which you write the book dedication represents the person or thing being named in the dedication. If you are dedicating the book to a person, think about some personal discussions you have had with that person, inside jokes, or even significant experiences you shared with each other that may have influenced the book. Keep it personal to that person.For exam ple:George R.R. Martin in A Storm of Swords dedicated the book as: For Phyllis, who made me put the dragons in.Carl Sagan in Cosmos: In the vastness of space and immensity of time, it is my joy to spend a planet and an epoch with Annie.Set the tone for the books themeAs mentioned earlier, the book dedication can be a place where you acknowledge someones contribution to the theme. In doing this, you will set the tone for the book and build up the reader to experience the theme youve created. If the theme is political, then it makes sense to include some wording that is politically driven. If the theme is romance, then have a dedication that is softer and includes a message of love to whomever the dedication is.Include other types of writingIf you have a favorite quote or poem, feel free to use that as a dedication. It is recommended to use a quote or a piece of poetry that fits with the theme and tone of the book, but that is not a requirement. Again, include something that comes fro m your heart or personality. The quote could be from a friend or relative, or even one of your characters.Completing the dedicationOnce you have finished deciding to whom to make the dedication, choosing a style and tone, and writing the dedication, you will need to put effort into finalizing it for publication.Be sure to edit the dedication. Make sure there are no typos or misspellings, especially when it comes to names. The last thing you want is to misspell the name of the person to whom you are dedicating the book.If there are formatting requirements from the publisher or for your eBook, make sure you have followed those guidelines. If you ended up using a poem, make sure to retain any special formatting in the original work.Lastly, it is courteous to notify the person or persons that you are dedicating your book to them. Sometimes it could be a nice surprise, but most often it is polite to give a heads up before the publication is complete.

PMS Financial Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PMS Financial Plan - Essay Example The most important factor in our case is the continuous occupancy of the properties. Therefore, there is a need to develop an effective strategy to deliver the services such as repairs and maintenance.The following table details the assumptions that are made .These figures are annual and monthly assumptions that show the consistent growth of the company.Since the operation is on a monthly collection basis, it is assumed that the majority of the collections will be timely and in full.The following chart indicates our financial indicators for the first two years of operation. PMS foresees growth in both in customers who want their property to be managed as well as increase in the growth margin percentage.PMS cash flow depends on the monthly collection from property owners. A 25-day grace period is provided after which unpaid accounts will inhibit our cash flow. However, the monthly basis of cash flow should maintain the steady level of cash flow.The following table and the accompanying chart details the break-even analysis for this project. The projected fixed costs will be $6,000 per month with a variable per-unit cost of $200 which shall be ideally accounted for by 28 properties that is rented at $3,000 per month. The payment scheme of PMS using this rent figure will then be $1500 for the 1st month that the unit is occupied by a tenant or 50% of the rent. A 10% rent management commission or $300 fee starting from the first month until the tenant occupies the unit shall also be collected. To account for the fact that the $1500 will only be paid on the first month and that the break-even analysis is on a per month basis, the total fee collected by the PMS for each month would be $300 plus $ 125 ( $1500 / 12 months). Thus the total fee is $425 per month. The break-even assumes that all rent shall be paid in a timely manner such that the owner of the property can pay PMS also on time. This situation is ideal and as such, it is expected that the initial break-even per unit will likely be higher. Break-even Analysis: Monthly Units Break-even 10 Monthly Revenue Break-even $16,380 Assumptions: Average Per-Unit Revenue $200.00 Average Per-Unit Variable Cost $425.00 Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $6,000 The projected profit and loss for PMS is shown on the following table. Management fees are increasing from about $624,000 in 2006 to above $701,000 after the second year. The net profit for the first year alone amounts to $160,000. The projected gross margin will be about 69% for the first year. The net profit for the second year is seen to be above 20% The planned projections are included in the attached Profit and Loss Table. Pro Forma Profit and Loss 2006 2007 Professional Fees $624,000 $701,000 Direct Cost of Fees $192,000 $205,000 Other $0 $0 ------------ ------------ Total Cost of Property Managing $192,000 $205,000 Gross Margin $432,000 $496,800 Gross Margin % 69.23% 70.87% Expenses: Payroll $120,000 $135,000 Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $15,600 $16,000 Depreciation $3,815 $6,500 Leased Equipment $15,000 $15,000 Utilities $8,000 $9,000 Insurance $9,000 $10,500 Maintenance $8,500 $9775 Rent $3,000 $4,000 Payroll Taxes $18,000 $19,700 Other $0 $0 --

Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Marketing Management - Essay Example Management is the process of performing activities by using the help of other people. Managers use the management elements, which include planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. Chwala highlights that marketing management is a business process, which involves â€Å"analyzing market opportunities, researching on the target markets, developing strategies for them, planning market tactics, implementing, and controlling the marketing initiatives. Further, Kotler describes marketing management as the process of achieving desired outcomes from a target market (13). It is therefore, a business process, which involves applying marketing techniques, and managing resources and activities related to marketing. Kotler highlights that marketing management process involves analyzing market opportunities, developing marketing strategies, planning marketing activities, managing, and controlling the marketing efforts (33). In the first step of analyzing market opportunities, the l eader identifies potential opportunities in the market while considering the organizations competences. This should be done by analyzing both the micro and macro environments in order to identify the best opportunities. In this step, the company can research and select market opportunities that are available. This can be done by defining the market, segmenting the market, market targeting and positioning in the market. The next step is the development of strategies for marketing whereby the marketer positions the organization strategically in the market. This step involves deciding on the brand, product lines, designs and the market. This is performed using the four P s marketing mix tools. Planning of marketing programs is the other step, and it involves making decisions on the expenditures, marketing mix and market allocation and budgets. One should set the level marketing budget that they intend to spend. Then, they allocate the budget among the various activities and the marketi ng mix tools. Lastly, they should allocate the budget to the various marketing programs in the target market (Kotler 34). The last step is management and control of the marketing programs. This step involves executing the plans, collecting feedback from the market and starting again in the planning step. Resources should be mobilized to implement and control the marketing programs of the organization Entrepreneurship is defined by the activities done by Entrepreneurs. Akrani highlights that Entrepreneur was derived from the French word Entrepredre meaning performing of activities. Entrepreneurs are the people who engage in the risky business activities of creating new businesses using their personal resources, through innovation of ideas, which are focused to satisfy the market needs (Akrani). Therefore, Entrepreneurship is the process of establishing opportunities in the market, and taking advantage of them to make a profit. There are ways in which responsible Entrepreneurial quali ties become essential for marketing management. Firstly, the Entrepreneurial qualities enable the leader to develop plans that meet their marketing goals. This can be applied in finance, production, sales, promotions, and personnel areas of marketing management. Secondly, responsible Entrepreneurial qualities enhance communication skills in marketing managem