Analysis of Ghosts in The Bonesetters Daughter Essays

Analysis of Ghosts in The Bonesetters Daughter Essays Analysis of Ghosts in The Bonesetters Daughter Paper Analysis of Ghosts in The Bonesetters Daughter Paper Ghosts are prevalent throughout many novels and are used to create certain affects on the reader. The writers purpose in incorporating these ghosts into their novels constitute to various reasons, some that may be quite obvious, while others remain underlying for the readers to interpret and discover on their own. In the novels The Bonesetters Daughter, Yo! , and The Antelope Wife, ghosts and supernatural occurrences are all used by the characters in order to retain their authenticity. Amy Tan uses ghosts in her novel The Bonesetters Daughter a medium or withholding the values of the characters culture of origin, such as prudence and sacrifice, and how these qualities make a person strong and able to withstand whatever obstacles life has for them. The Bonesetters Daughter is laid out into three different parts: Part One begins with a narration through Ruths eyes, Part Two is narrated by LuLing, and Part Three is finished once again by Ruth. Throughout part one, Ruth talks about how unhappy LuLing is, for example on page sixteen Tan writes, Her mother was permanently unhappy with everything and everybody. In the novel, LuLings life is portrayed as a ne of dyer struggle and surmised of many misfortunes. Yet, it seems that the main cause of this unhappiness stems from Precious Aunties ghost that LuLing claims to be haunted by throughout the novel. The pain (i. e. the ghost) that Luling must deal with is representative of the suppression of her secrets, feelings, and g rief that she holds within herself. LuLing has many secrets that she keeps to herself, and refrains from telling anyone (even her own daughter-Ruth). At first glance, a reader might question, Why does LuLing withhold so many secrets? Why doesnt LuLing tell Ruth hat has happened in her life? What is the point of withholding these secrets that seem to be leading LuLing to an unhappy life? In order to answer these questions there is a need for outside sources to bring in, in order to better understand the underlying reasons for withholding secrets and in turn discover the reasons for the presence of Precious Aunties ghost. First, in the context of the Chinese culture that LuLing was brought up in, Confucianism plays a significant role throughout the novel. Some of the ideals of Confucianism include respect of elders and tradition, obedience to authority and overnment, and most importantly the promotion of collective wellbeing over that of the individual (cite? ). The retention of these values from LuLings upbringing may have been a determining fact in her decision to keep the things that have happened in her life as secrets. For instance, throughout her life LuLing does not tell her daughter Ruth the truth about Precious Auntie and how in actuality Precious Auntie is Ruths grandmother. In part three of the novel, once Ruth finds out the truth that Precious Auntie was her grandmother, Ruth begins to question why her mother ould hold something like this from her own daughter, Tan writes, Why did she feel she could never tell Ruth that Precious Auntie was her mother? Did she fear that her own daughter would be ashamed that LuLing was illegitimate? From this, it may be secret, is that LuLing is aiming to protect Ruth from the reality that her mother is an illegitimate child. The pain of this reality is withheld within LuLing in order to protect others (Ruth) from sharing in the pain; it is in a sense a form of sacrifice. Further analysis into the novel reveals the clashing of generations that is made xplicit through conflicting ideals and philosophies. In an article titled, miou Dont Need Their Approval: The Decline of Social Rules author Jean M. Twenge argues that my generation (Generation Me) takes for granted their philosophy of do what makes you happy, and dont worry about what other people think. She believes that this has had an overall negative effect on society and has caused for the downfall of social rules and deterioration of manners and politeness. The clashes of generations in the novel reveal these opposing philosophies. (i. e. Confucianism vs. GenMes philosophy). This clashing of generations shows through in part one chapter four during the Full Moon Festival. In this scene, the youngest generation in the family implement the exact GenMe philosophy that Twenge writes about. When Ruth arrives at the restaurant she finds out that Fia and Dory have gone to the store and end up showing up to the dinner after LuLing has arrived. This shows how as the generations progress they begin to disregard manners and care for only themselves. Furthermore, an incident takes place where Nicky (of the youngest generation) is messing around and ends up knocking over a water glass causing LuLing to Jump up and chastise the boy. Again we see the values that LuLing cherishes begin to diminish through subsequent generations. In the novel the characters respond and interpret ghosts in different ways that expose the losing of values from their culture of origin. The interaction between the ghosts and characters, which also brings into play the theme of silence, can potentially provide a measurement of the strength of that person due to their ability to hold in their pain. In the novel there are several incidences where decisions are made by the characters based on GenMes philosophy of do what makes you happy here they either decide to stay silent or voice themselves with ignorant disregard for the affects of their communication/non-communication on the wellbeing of others. This is made extremely important in the novel because of the characters reliance on each other for their voice to be heard. In part two of the novel LuLing narrates the story of her life as well as the life of Precious Auntie and the bond that they shared together. Precious Auntie is unable to speak and can only communicate through LuLing since she is the only one that can understand her.

4 Business Writing Lessons from Steve Jobs

4 Business Writing Lessons from Steve Jobs Visionary Steve Jobs passed away yesterday from the same illness that took my father. I've long admired Steve Jobs' vision and passion and creativity, and already today I've used my iPhone and iPad, and I'm writing this with my MacBook. He allowed mere mortals, like me, to embrace the amazing daily integration and freedom of accessible technology, and in the process changed the way we all work and communicate. Because of my father's battle with pancreatic cancer, I've known what Steve Jobs was battling these past few years, and my admiration for him grew. He clearly focused his creativity even more intensely during this precious time. And, when it was time to let go of Apple, he did. To me, Steve has demonstrated the four most important aspects for social and business growth, and for good business writing: Understanding of goals and purposeApple created products that improved productivity and connection in work and life, by simplifying and integrating. And, that goal continued to burn, with passion, as possibilities and technologies evolved. The focus was on the end-user, always. Good writing mirrors this. A document needs to meet your reader's needs. The creative process of writing belongs to the writer, but ultimately, the goal is always to enable the reader to know or do something better. UsefulnessApple has such devotees (me included) because the products integrate so beautifully, making communication flow better.Too often in writing, we create murky communication flows and over-complicate structures. A report, an email, a proposal all need to serve a real and clear purpose. ClarityApple's designs are simple and clean and functional. I learned only last night that this inspiration came from caligraphy classes early on in Steve Job's education.One of my favorite quotes about writing is from Blaise Pascal:"I'm sorry for the length of this letter. I did not have time to make it shorter." Clarity requires work and sharp honing. Integrity Steve Jobs was notoriously demanding. But, this was fueled by the desire to create something of excellence.Business writing is the most interesting form of rhetoric to me, because it is constantly evolving. I am so heartened by the evolution towards clarity and authenticity in business writing. Business-speak, and inscrutability, is fading. We now should "write to express, not to impress." Human to human connection awareness is increasing in business writing. Thank you, Steve Jobs, for making my work and communication flow better, and for the inspiration. I love your products, and admired your creativity and passion. Rest in peace.

Vulnerable Population and Self- Awareness Research Paper

Vulnerable Population and Self- Awareness - Research Paper Example Primarily, intellectual disability is associated with many stereotypes and myths by many individuals. The culture has engraved some biases and stereotypes on the condition, as well as on the individuals suffering from the condition. Moreover, some families are reluctant to seek medical intervention for fear of being stigmatized by the rest of the community, while other families have resulted in uncouth way of dealing with the sufferers. The result of this is that the sufferers of intellectual disabilities have agonized in this condition, which can otherwise be managed, treated or even reversed. One of the biases associated to intellectual disability sufferers is that they have a lower life expectancy compared to other normal people. However, studies have shown that there is no clear link between severity of intellectual disability and survival of individuals. In addition, research shows that â€Å"the average life expectancy were found to be 74.0, 67.6, and 58.6 years for people with mild, moderate, and severe levels of handicap† (Bittles, et al. 2001). On the other hand, the mild cognitive disability is said to be three times common than the other types. Moreover, there are diseases that are linked with people with mental retardation they include cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, vision, and hearing impairments and hyperactivity disorder. The number of people living with ID, getting married and raising a family has been rising in the recent years. This is unlike in the past when people with cognitive disability where thought to be unfit for this role, especially parenting; however, â€Å"with proper support, adequate education, counseling programmes, social and government support they can sustain meaningful enriching relationships† (May, 2000, p. 121). Despite this happening, compared to normal people, the couples with ID generally have lower family sizes, with

Introduction to Operating Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Introduction to Operating Systems - Assignment Example An answer file is a key component of an unattended installation. Users only need to run the setup program using a command-line parameter which makes the setup program take inputs form the answer file. During the rest of the windows setup process, the setup hardly requires administrators for guidance as the program takes all input form the answer file component of the unattended installation. As Koons (n.d.) states, â€Å"the computer manages to bypass user interaction by reading instructions that are coded within a response file†. The setup installs all files in an automated manner minimizing user interaction to a large extent. The setup program also automatically restarts the computer system during installation when necessary. Users/administrators only need to customize their settings during the process of installation. Although many tools work in an operating system’s built-in mechanism, I would like to use a file-protection tool which should take care of all files required to run the operating system. Sometimes, important files get damaged affecting the working of an operating system. Therefore, I would like to include a file protection tool in an operating system’s built-in

Jails and Prisons Essay Example for Free

Jails and Prisons Essay Jails and prisons are corrective institutions which are meant to curb criminal activities in the society. They are also meant to punish the offenders. Prisons execute imprisonment which involves legal penalties. Jails and prisons should basically be aimed at punishing and rehabilitating the offender so as he/she will not repeat the crime which he/she was convicted of. The federal spending on correctional activities has also been gradually increasing. In the recent past federal government has been enhancing its efforts to improve jails and prisons conditions as a sign of recognizing some human rights entitled to criminals. Nowadays, those serving imprisonment sentences can access various facilities. These include religious services, education facilities, and recreational facilities in the exercise yard. The prisoners’ health is also well taken care of. Prisoners are also trained and imparted with some skills which may be helpful in their future life. In our contemporary prisons, prisoners are provided with entertainment facilities such as pool tables and TV. (Cavadino Dignan 2006) USA jails and prisons are both meant to rehabilitate and punish the offenders. Rehabilitation is an effective method of ensuring no re-offence so as to reduce the number of prisoners’ population. This program seeks to address the casual links to offending, and employ cognitive behavioral approach towards modifying the prisoners’ behaviors. Counselors are used to ensure success of such programs. Those involved in use of prohibited substances and a number of civil crimes are usually rehabilitated. On the other hand, some criminal activities necessitate punishments such as fines, strokes and capital punishment. Capital punishment is applied to serious criminal activities such as terrorism, espionage, treason or mass destruction. (McGuire 2002; Cavadino Dignan 2006)

Why People Nerf :: essays research papers

Why People Nerf Why do you nerf? The common response would be, â€Å"Because it’s fun.† Nerf is an exhilarating sport; there is something about running around shooting foam at people that is loads of fun. Problem solved, people do it because it is fun. There are a lot of different aspects that go into defining the fun in Nerf. Nerf is a war game, and thus has to be treated uniquely in defining the psychological rewards it gives so many people. Like real war, Nerf invokes a rush of adrenaline and a ‘battle mentality’ (which will be discussed later). Like a game, there is a sense of lightheartedness and a sport-like physical and mental aspect, in which injuries are not meant to occur. Nerf rewards humans on an almost uncountable number of levels. Many animals, and almost all mammals, play war games. Cubs, puppies, kittens and the like are known to wrestle, bite, chase and surprise. Through these examples, we see that even the most primitive subconscious aspects of the human psyche are satisfied in mock battle. On a more modern level, Nerf allows for participants to engage in combat without the physical aptitude required by the military, the consequences of death, or the moral significance of taking another life. In fact, I kill the same four people every weekend, and they kill me. The modification of Nerf guns satisfies the scientific urge to take apart, examine, and rebuild. Although most members of the nerfing community follow the modifications and innovations of a small percentage of this group, every person will go about modifying in a slightly different way. Even following mod instructions is a mental exercise. This lands us upon another of the important rewards of Nerf: the community. Belonging to a community is one of the most basic needs of humans. Because this community exists in a bundle of electrons it includes many people who wouldn’t normally consider themselves social; but get them to a Nerf war, and they are ‘just one of the guys’. After this general analysis of the rewards of nerfing, I would like to go into further detail in relation to two of the most prominent facets of Nerf. The Battle Mentality The battle mentality that Nerf causes in people is comprised of many different behaviors. Because Nerf is just a game, the behaviors mentioned should all be looked at through a filter of fun and sport.

Cyrano de Bergerac vs Romeo & Juliet Balcony Scenes Essay

Shakespeare and Rostand employ unique writing methods in order to show the battle the characters in each of their plays, Romeo and Juliet and Cyrano de Bergerac partake in to express their true feelings for one another. Each play utilizes the motifs and themes of light versus dark and societal views that work against or shows the true meaning behind their love for one another through a balcony setting which resembles each other well. Settings are important components in any piece of literature, they set the mood and atmosphere for the particular scene. In both plays the balcony scenes occur at night under the cover of darkness, which plays an important similarity in the plays as well. While the scenes occur at night both Romeo and Cyrano compare their lovers to light. In act three of Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano agrees to help Christian court Roxane and by doing so he must hide underneath the balcony to conceal his identity. Eventually Cyrano takes over for Christian because he wishes to express his fondness for Roxane himself, but still hidden by the darkness. Night, making all things dimly beautiful, one veil over us both†¦ and I [see] the whiteness of a summer gown, you are all light- I am all shadows. † Cyrano is comparing his repulsive nose to Roxane’s beauty, calling himself the darkness of the night which cannot be described or mentioned, versus Roxane’s exquisiteness which reminds Cyrano of summer. Not only does he compare her to light but he calls her the light of his life, that without her his life would be dismal. Technically Cyrano is supposed to be speaking for Christian in this situation but he is in fact speaking from the heart. He is concerned that Roxane will not love and respect him because of his nose, and because of this he keeps himself in the dark literally and metaphorically. Whereas Cyrano has loved his dear cousin all his life, but hidden his true feelings, Romeo falls in love at first sight and takes no hesitation to express his love for Juliet. While hiding in the gardens surrounding Juliet’s window, Romeo states, â€Å"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun! † (II, ii 2-3). This scene initiates one of the plays most beautiful and famous sequences, it is a prime example of the light and dark motif that runs throughout the play. The beauty of the night, with the moon rays shinning, adds to the romantic nature of the scene and seems to â€Å"light up† the act. Shakespeare uses a metaphor here to express Romeo’s love for Juliet. He has such belief in her that he knows she has the power to banish the night and turn it into day with her beauty. They both feel as if the other is the bright light in the darkness, and that they will guide each other through the dark obstacles to a life of pure love and happiness. Through out the plays society also fights against each set of lovers, society has taught them that it is not reality for them to spend their lives together. Rostand expresses through the play that society during the 1600’s did not consider a person for their inner personality but only judged them for their outer appearance. During Cyrano’s speech to Roxane in the third act he says, â€Å"Is it not so to be myself to you, and have no fear of moving you to laughter? In this situation Cyrano does not feel confidence in himself and almost lets his hidden identity to become discovered. He does not feel he is worthy of Roxane’s attention so he hides behind the poetry he reads to her. Because Cyrano doesn’t think that Roxane will have him, he enters into the deceptive relationship with Christian, who is society’s standard of physical beauty in a man. Cyrano verbalizes his innermost thoughts to Roxane through Christian’s name which reveals his true love for her. He successfully woos her with his words, and Christian and Roxane eventually marry. Thus, he loses the love of his life because he can’t approach her due to his lack of confidence based on society’s views of him and his rather large nose. Much of Romeo and Juliet involves the lovers’ struggles against social standards that oppose the existence of their love. Without knowing that Romeo is below her window, Juliet speaks, â€Å"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. And I’ll no longer be a Capulet† (II, ii 33-35). Juliet knows that not only society but the raging families would not approve of their love, but that does not stop her from caring for Romeo. She asks him to deny his family for her love but adds that if he will not, she will deny her family in order to be with him if he merely tells her that he loves her. There is clearly tension between family names and personal identity. Juliet believes that love comes from one’s inner identity, and that the feud between the Montague’s and the Capulet’s is based only on names. She later states, â€Å"What’s in a name that which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet† (II, ii 42-43). Her love for Romeo surpasses her family’s hatred for the Montague name. She says that if Romeo were not called Romeo he would still be the person she loves and that societal views will not deteriorate their love. The characters within each play express true feelings and work hard and fight the odds in a balcony scene in order to live with one another, expressing their love eternally. Rostand paralleled Shakespeare’s balcony scene in order to convey the true love Cyrano held for Roxane the way Romeo expressed his love for Juliet.

Chemistry Design Prac Essay

Investigate one chemistry related factor on the deflection of the liquid flow in the presence of a charged rod Research question How will the amount of time spent rubbing a glass rod affect the angle of deflection of flowing water in the presence of the charged glass rod? Background Research Static electricity is formed in contact with two objects, where one object gains electrons from another, resulting in one object having a positive charge while the other having a negative charge. Some materials tend to lose or gain electrons during contact with other objects. Materials with electrons bonded to it weakly, tend to lose electrons while materials with fewer electrons on the outer shell tend to gain electrons. Therefore, when an object is imbalanced of a positive or negative charge, it has static electricity. Polarity is the separation of electric charges, caused when electrons are not equally shared in a molecule. This is caused when some atoms in the molecule have a higher electronegativity than others, causing more electrons to be attracted to it, leaving one side of the molecule more negative than the other. An element or molecule with an electro negativity value of 0.5+ is considered to be polar. When a polar liquid such as water is flowing in a presence of a charged rod, the liquid tend to bend towards the rod. This is because the rod will either be positively or negatively charged, and the dipoles of the polar molecule will be attracted to the charged rod. The charge on the rod is determined by the material which is used to rub against it, however, it does not matter whether the rod is positively or negatively charged because either way, the opposite dipoles of the polar molecule will be attracted towards it, causing the flow of the liquid to bend towards the charged rod. Defining Independent and Dependent Variables Independent The amount of time rubbing the glass rod with a piece of silk. – 10 seconds – 20 seconds – 30 seconds – 40 seconds – 50 seconds – 60 seconds Dependent The angle of deflection of the flowing water will be measured with grid paper with a smallest increment of 1mm. A line will be drawn on the grid paper from the point where the glass rod was places to the point where the water was deflected. A protractor with a smallest increment of 0.5 degrees will be used to calculate the angle of deflection of the water. Controlling Variables Table 1 – Variables and Method of control Type Variable Method of Control Controlled The rate of the flow of water Adjust the burette to deliver the smallest stream of water possible but without being discontinuous. The water will be kept flowing at the same rate, throughout the experiment. The glass rod The same glass rod with a diameter of 1cm will be used throughout the experiment. Pressure when rubbing the glass rod Use the same person to rub the glass rod against the silk, applying the same pressure every time. Placement of the glass rod A line will be marked on the grid paper so the glass rod will be placed at the exact point and the exact angle to the flowing water every time. Placement of the grid paper The grid paper will be sticky taped to the burette and placed as close as possible to the flowing water. The same grid paper will be used and left at the same position throughout the experiment. Weather conditions The experiment will be conducted in a room with all windows closed and air conditioning switched off to reduce effects atmospheric effects on the angle of deflection of the water. Stopwatch The one person will be using the same stopwatch every time to reduce systematic errors. Material The same piece of silk cloth (20 cm in length, 15cm in width) will be used throughout the experiment The experimenters The same two people, (person with stopwatch and person controlling the glass rod) will conduct the experiment to keep random errors in measurements and readings consistent. Materials and Equipments List: – 50 mL Burette – 20cm x 15cm silk cloth – 1cm diameter glass rod – Distilled water – 200 mL Beaker – A4 Grid paper with increments of 1mm – Protractor with increments of 0.5 degrees – Retort Stand – clamp – Pen – Ruler – Sticky tape – Stop watch Method 1. Attach the clamp to the retort stand. 2. Fill the burette with distilled water to approx 1cm from the top and attach it to the clamp 3. Draw a straight line on the grid paper with a ruler and sticky tape it to the bottom of the burette, lining up the line on the paper exactly with the flow of the water coming out of the burette. 4. Also Draw a line 90 degrees towards the line if the flowing water but stopping at 0.5 cm from the line. This line will be where the charged glass rod will be placed 5. Also mark the origin (the tip of the burette, where the water comes out) on the grid paper 6. Place the 200 mL beaker under the burette and let the water run down 7. Start the timer on the stopwatch and simultaneously, begin rubbing the glass rod against the piece of silk 8. Stop the stop watch at 10 seconds and immediately place the charged rod as close as possible to the line drawn on the grid paper 9. Mark the angle of deflection of the water on the grid paper 10. Wait 1 minute until the rod is completely uncharged 11. Repeat steps 6 – 9 12. Repeat the experiment from steps 6 – 10, changing the time rubbing the glass rod against the silk cloth by 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 seconds. 13. Remove the grid paper and line up all the points of the deflected water to the origin 14. Measure the angles with a protractor and record the results into the table below 15. Pack up the experiment Table 2 – Raw data table Time charging the glass rod Angle of deflection of water Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Average 10 seconds 20 seconds 30 seconds 40 seconds 50 seconds 60 seconds Table 3 – Risks involved in the experiment and safety precautions to reduce the risks Risk Safety Precaution Action to take The burette is very long and is made of glass and can be broken easily Hold the burette with two hands and always watch for obstacles when carrying around the lab. Wear closed in shoes, lab coat and safety glasses in case the burette breaks. Carefully pick up the large pieces of broken glass one by one and throw in the glass bin. Use a brush to sweep all the small bits into the bin. Make sure there is no remaining broken glass in the lab. Bibliography 1. Columbia University Press (1978-1979). New Illustrated Columbia Encyclopaedia 2. Neuss, Geoffrey (2007). Chemistry Course Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 3. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=nkwM28diKF4C&pg=PT109&lpg=PT109&dq=deflection+charged+rod&source=bl&ots=dk2TPy7IOf&sig=g-MDZP6Q5kDsur57EIejpgJ54bg&hl=en&ei=48FrSp2bFIzusQOsy72WBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2 4. Department of Physics and Physical Science, University of Nebrasky, Kearney Falling Water http://rip.physics.unk.edu/CyberTextBook/fallingwater/ 5. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=nkwM28diKF4C&pg=PT109&lpg=PT109&dq=charged+rod+deflect+water&source=bl&ots=dk2TQr4PPg&sig=iwM-1qHxsAtaF9XoGZ1Mw9UCn6g&hl=en&ei=OStsSqjFIo6qtgOT16WWBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3

Free Essays on Cathederal

Sight vs. Insight â€Å"Cathedral,† is a short story written in 1983 by Raymond Carver. The story is an ironic tale told through the eyes of the narrator. The conflict in this story is the narrator’s inability to see past physical appearances. The disability of the narrator’s pollutes his understanding of what is important in life. After a visit by his wife’s blind friend Robert, who has no sight but is still a complete man without it because he has an understanding to what is important in life, the narrator is able to reach some sort of insight. The narrator starts his story by announcing the fact that an old friend of his wife’s was on his way over to spend the night. The narrator’s feelings of this are soon made apparent, by admitting that he is not enthusiastic about the man’s visit. The fact that he does not know this man and the fact that he is blind bothered the narrator. â€Å"My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing-eye dogs. A blind man in my house was not something to look forward to†(516). In addition to that he continues and gives the history of his wife’s relationship with the blind man. It started with his wife, who was single at the time, answered an ad in the paper. The ad was asking for a reader for the blind. She was hired and worked for him all summer. At the end of the summer she agreed to let Robert feel her face. This experience influenced his wife in such a way t hat she wrote a poem about it. The poem was later read to her husband and he recalls not caring much for it. He states, â€Å"I just don‘t understand poetry†(516). This implies that he does not understand the meaning his wife’s poem. After that summer the narrator’s wife married her high school sweetheart which ended in divorce. Through out this marriage the narrator’s wife and Robert stay in touch by mailing tapes.... Free Essays on Cathederal Free Essays on Cathederal Sight vs. Insight â€Å"Cathedral,† is a short story written in 1983 by Raymond Carver. The story is an ironic tale told through the eyes of the narrator. The conflict in this story is the narrator’s inability to see past physical appearances. The disability of the narrator’s pollutes his understanding of what is important in life. After a visit by his wife’s blind friend Robert, who has no sight but is still a complete man without it because he has an understanding to what is important in life, the narrator is able to reach some sort of insight. The narrator starts his story by announcing the fact that an old friend of his wife’s was on his way over to spend the night. The narrator’s feelings of this are soon made apparent, by admitting that he is not enthusiastic about the man’s visit. The fact that he does not know this man and the fact that he is blind bothered the narrator. â€Å"My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing-eye dogs. A blind man in my house was not something to look forward to†(516). In addition to that he continues and gives the history of his wife’s relationship with the blind man. It started with his wife, who was single at the time, answered an ad in the paper. The ad was asking for a reader for the blind. She was hired and worked for him all summer. At the end of the summer she agreed to let Robert feel her face. This experience influenced his wife in such a way t hat she wrote a poem about it. The poem was later read to her husband and he recalls not caring much for it. He states, â€Å"I just don‘t understand poetry†(516). This implies that he does not understand the meaning his wife’s poem. After that summer the narrator’s wife married her high school sweetheart which ended in divorce. Through out this marriage the narrator’s wife and Robert stay in touch by mailing tapes....

Revision Checklist for a Descriptive Paragraph

Revision Checklist for a Descriptive Paragraph Developing a paragraph through description is painting a verbal picture, says Esther Baraceros. This means creating impressions and images through words that appeal to the readers senses (Communication Skills I , 2005). After completing one or more drafts of a descriptive paragraph, use this eight-point checklist to guide your revision. Does your paragraph begin with a topic sentenceone that clearly identifies the person, place, or thing youre about to describe?(If youre not sure how to write a topic sentence, see Practice in Composing an Effective Topic Sentence.)In the rest of the paragraph, have you clearly and consistently supported the topic sentence with specific descriptive details?(For examples of how to do this, see Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence With Descriptive Details.)Have you followed a logical pattern in organizing the supporting sentences in your paragraph?(For examples of organizational patterns commonly used in descriptive paragraphs, see Spatial Order, Model Place Descriptions, and Generals, and Exercises.)Is your paragraph cohesivethat is, have you clearly connected the supporting details in your paragraph and guided readers from one sentence to the next?(Cohesion strategies include the following: Using Pronouns Effectively, Using Transitional Words and Phrases, and Repeating Key Words a nd Structures.) Throughout the paragraph, have you chosen words that clearly, accurately, and specifically show readers what you mean?(For ideas about how to create  word pictures that can make your writing easier to understand and more interesting to read, see these two exercises: Writing With Specific Details and Arranging Specific Details in Sentences.)Have you read your paragraph aloud  (or asked someone to read it to you) to check for trouble spots, such as awkward phrasing or needless repetition?(For advice on polishing the language in your paragraph, see Practice in Cutting the Clutter and the Exercise in Eliminating Deadwood From Our Writing.)Finally, have you carefully  edited and  proofread your paragraph?(For advice on how to edit and proofread effectively, see our Checklist for Editing Paragraphs and Essays and Top 10 Proofreading Tips.) After completing these eight steps, your revised paragraph may look quite different from earlier drafts. Almost always that means you have improved your writing. Congratulations!ReviewHow to Write a Descriptive Paragraph

Performance Feedback, Performance Incentives and Rewards, and Employee Essay

Performance Feedback, Performance Incentives and Rewards, and Employee Evaluation - Essay Example The researcher states that in the current day context, human resources management practices which deal with the management of the workforce in a company have experienced the dramatic shift. Performance feedback is essential for the evaluating and analyzing the performance of the employees in an organization. Every organization follows certain performance feedback processes to evaluate as well as encourage their employees among which the 360-degree feedback system has gained considerable importance. In performance feedback, the implication of Multi-Source Feedback programme, also known as 360 Degree is very popularly used nowadays. Garber stated that the 360-degree feedback system has gained popularity in these recent years. The main motive of the 60-degree feedback system is to enhance the efficiency of the human resources by providing them with feedback on their performances. However, the feedback provided to the employees through this system eradicate the chances to de-motivate or negatively motivate them hampering their contribution to the productivity of the organization. Rather, it emphasizes on encouraging them for better performance by identifying their weaknesses along with their strengths. Here, the main focus is on feedback not on evaluation. It also helps in developing the professional capabilities of employees further enabling them to communicate with the organization’s culture and values. 360-degree feedback assessment must be considered to be more valuable than a data collection programme as the system considers the utilization of the feedbacks obtained to enhance the performances of the employees. Heisler further suggested that 360-degree feedback assessment programme should be designed to measure the behaviors and characteristics of the employees with relation to the organizational strategies. The author also stated that the 360-degree feedback process must be supported by the employees as well as with the tools implemented by the organiz ation for the analysis and interpretation of data collected through this system. Finally, he concluded by saying that the process should be supported by developmental planning for the participants.