Monday, January 27, 2020

Personal Development in Strategic Management

Personal Development in Strategic Management Personal development is about acquiring knowledge, skills and experience for the purpose of improving individual performance and self perception. It is a systematic process, which has a purpose to develop, identifying the skills to be improved, utilising the opportunities, action plans to be formulated, recording the outcomes, reviewing and evaluating the outcomes and benefits. Strategic manager is an individual who has good leadership qualities to bring change according to an environment and to operate at a strategic level. He/she is the one who takes the necessary decisions, set goals and strategies to win over existing and potential competitors. Personal development is imperative in todays world as this is a planning process through which managers acquire leadership skills and knowledge necessary to achieve long term goals of the organization. The organisation that I have chosen is Pioneer Computer Services is a leading IT management, systems and technology consulting firm. Committed to innovation, responsive to our clients needs, and focused on delivery of value, PioneerÂÂ  draws on the knowledge and expertise of our consultants, whose skills span a wider range of capability than any other major consulting firm. The specialist disciplines ofÂÂ  pioneers consulting staff are underpinned by deep change management experience managing risk, mobilizing staff and integrating initiatives to deliver sustainable change quickly. As a strategic manager at Pioneer, I have to keep focusing on what are the skills I need to develop in order to support strategic direction as well as I need to evaluate what are the strategic skills required to achieve strategic ambitions. In this assignment first I would try to identify the personal skills required of managers to achieve strategic ambitions of Pioneer. Then I will discuss leadership development to support achievement of strategic ambitions, effectiveness of the leadership development plan, promote a healthy and safe environment that supports a culture of quality and finally I will conclude my work by summarizing the whole assignment. LO1. Be able to identify personal skills to achieve strategic ambitions Analyse the strategic direction of the organisation Strategic is a organised plan . which veirified to achieve better collition of corporate plan. A modified strategic direction of infotec company will help in identifying the own competencies of a strategic manager . this can be accompalish by knowing the affect of strategy on corporate, business and operational level and by study . what strategic ideas would required to make decisions and modifying. A fine image . what infotec purpose is ? It could be shown in the form of mission and vision statement. At corporate level i attempt the strategic analysis to findout strategic direction of infotec, putting question to myself considering the type of business infotec is in ? is there any need to expand business or new services to be provided to customer in market from organisation. How to corroborate infotec financially in acting the above activities. At a business point of view i findout the particulate sector to developed. Eg : Flexible Benefits, incentives and rewards to motivate the em ployee to give there best for the company to be a chanllenging in business world . infoted mission is to be customers first opt of service provider by implementing the quality service , capitalistic cost by delivering latest technology Eg . To be a most successful electronic company by presenting a best customer experience and satisfaction in the markets we serve, providing handsome returns to shareholder and rewards to our employee. Infotecs vision is to expand its business by providing systematically superior services. E.g. seven years from now maplin will be as judge one of the top 5 electronic company in the industry, by 2020 lebera will be one of the top 5 communicating network companies in world. infotecs destination goal of elaboration into the other trades apart from its own country and it can be come through by export and import business opportunities, uniting and acquirement, new business deals, this align with the strategic direction of the organisation. Evaluate the strategic skills required of the leader to achieve the strategic ambitions Strategic ambitions of infotec are, to be a world-wide leader in the service and technology industry, to represent among the top 10 quality sellers in the market, to elaborate our business sharply through technology and to generate handsome revenues for the organisation. This can be accompalish when a organisation has a perfect leader with good leadership qualities and ideas to implement. Leaders are known for their development and applying favour to corporate strategies, predicting the future of organisation, features the ability to take full favour of available resources, etc. still it is very important for leaders of InfoTech to keep on creating| their skills, so that infotec can exist for a long period in this aggressive market. Leadership skills are determined and measure from time to time and keep on modified to meet strategic ambitions of infotec are identifying as: vision, relationships, teamwork, coaching development and decision making. Vision: Being a leader of infotec I must have a open idea where my organization and team are going beyond this years budget.In long terms to what extend it may reach? 1. Relationships: Being a leader, I should like speek with people issues, by taking leadership advantage. Only then I creat a team and achieve amazing results for infotec. 2. Teamwork: A team, consist of people with different skill sets, is necessary. I must know how to sturcture and encourage such a team. 3. Coaching development: Developing others giving opportunities to explore there ideas is an important role for me and boost them to expand their capabilities. Instructing and development are important skills that I should set up at infotec. 4. Strong communication skills: Communication is necessary because as a leader I have to coach, arrange , counsel, judge , and supervise through this process. Competencies needed to achieve strategic ambitions: Decision making: I must be able to wade through information, perceive whats applicable, make a well-considered conclusion, and take implement based on that conclusion. Time management: It is precise for me to hold the time, when I intend every thing according to achieve certain goals, it helps me to grade my work, it helps in creating a superior work, keeps me on the right path concentrating on strategic ambitions Assess the relationship between existing, required and future skills to achieve the strategic ambitions At present in infotec the strategic managers own few skills to accomplish the strategic ambitions. These insences not sufficient to accomplish the strategic ambitions. They own communication skills,delegacy mission,developing others, motivational skills, personal skills,Technical skills, command others, and initiators. Skills needed to achieve the strategic ambitions of infotec apply, the architectural role are empowering others, creativity, quick reaction, time management, flexibility,strategic thing, possessing high personal standards,endless learning, result oriented, self judgment, problem solving etc. Analysing the gap between current position or existing skills and expectable skills is mention as gap analysis. By analysing the gap, infotec came to know where are we and what skills are missing. Then a personal development plan came into creation which turn up in the below , final result for future to succeed the strategic ambitions. Personal development plan supports infotec to judge and determine the future skills needed and also educated the value of future skills. Identified below are the few future skills: Master strategist, relationship builder, talent developer and business challenges.personal arrogance , controlling leadership style ,reluctance to tackle difficult people, Should be able to bring the alternative whenever required rely up on the position , ability to form competent teams to present the best services, a dominating level decision making, ability to addres and consider , unpredicted opportunities, ability to combine strategy with corporate culture, anticipate the vision, command the business on behalf of all the stakeholders, to develop and apply changes to corporate strategies, personal opening to go beyond specify boundaries, to supervise and manipulate operations with special cite to financial results, productivity, caliber, customer services, invention , new wares and services and staff developments, to provide guidelines and plan of action for other managers to alleviate both the management of operations and changes in capitalistic and structural strategies. LO2. Be able to manage personal leadership development to support achievement of strategic ambitions 2.1 Discuss the opportunities to support leadership development As a leader, I have to confine where do I position today in the organisation? This can be perform by self assessment; a feedback from others would be the best to certify, what do they imagine about me? What do they see in my behaviour? Its very esssential to know about me, what leadership caliber, behaviour I own? What others retrieve and dont retrieve about me? These feedbacks, helps in succeed the strategic ambitions of infotec. This can be perform by using very acquainted development tools like performance estimation, 360 degree feedback, SWOT analysis, psychometric assessment, interaction sessions, coaching etc. Performance estimate is one of the essential tools to determine the performance of an employee in an organisation. It render the organisational diagnosis and development; assist communication between employee and administration. A 360 degree feedback can be acquire from my managers, peers, grade and customers whilst perform self assessment. Another essential tool to carry out self awareness is SWOT analysis, to avaluble extent it is used for strategic planning but can also be used for personal development border. Educational chance, development chance, training chance, career planning chance, are the opportunities to approve leadership development being followed by infotec. Educational opportunities: Educating the people of infotec to give knowledge about the system, process being carried in the infotec, so that the people will have a clear understanding of products and technology being used, it leads to a qualification subsequent with a degree and career way as well. Development activities: Ample number of growing activities with acquiring potential based personally or base on work in the organize of seminars, workshops etc. with these growing activities people will come to know themselves better and experiencing new things in technology sector of infotec. Training opportunities: Training people to make awareness about specific things for a specific period and place with a result oriented objectives. Training the people to bring up their skills and perform more effectively to encounter the strategic aims of infot Career planning opportunitiesplanning a long term strategy of any individual about his/her career. He/she has to intend, make and work according for the next 2-5 years 2.2 Construct a personal development plan to direct leadership development As a leader of infotec, with the strong position and want to make this personal development plan successful using a growing log initially I determine Key development goals: Appraising the presentation of my employees, these results in staff more devote to their work (efficient performance) and to perform training session for sales team to modify their performance and sales estimate. Collecting feedback: Accumulate feedback from my fellow worker about the way I am carrying the process, about the force which help me to hike more of my contribution, about the unannounced opportunities whether, I should employ them or not. This prove in a positive response from my fellow workers, saying that I possess satisfactory leadership skills which are my capability(change ability, time management, decision making) and these capability will help me to boost more and can move up with the coming opportunities. Planning steps: I intend according to the growing goal step by step. What power get in the way to carry out this development goal Which things I have to judge or release with in the time What resources will be expect or acquirable with me What I have to do to succeed this development goal Entering progress To displace out one of the key development goal: providing teaching sessions for sales team to change their performance and sales figure, things like more time I need to pass with them, work force may get in my way; I need to give up extra time to groom, I may need to perform training meeting with the sales group; Need enough budget to complete the training sessions, special training rooms needed; acquire trained or advice on rendering training to sales team,planed meetings, conducting teaching sessions, communicate for feedbacks to present to board. Similarly intend for employee assessment as well. Monitoring progress: After the successful completion of teaching sessions for sales team I started supervise the progress of sales team. analyze their efforts to sell there move candidates of infotec to different customer and getting them placed. Continuously reviewing and refining your approach to deliver superior performance: I had face to face interactions with each and every singular of sales team, conside any queries they have, any problems being faced in accomplish their tasks, anything that I can help them out. I being carrying out this activity with sales team thrice in a week to present outstanding performance 2.3 Devise an implementation process for the development plan Personal Development Planning will support you to specify and research your goals and map out ways to make them into reality. It will change you to articulate the skills you are developing now in order to expose opportunities in the future. (Source: University of KENT website). I develop a SMART objective based plan to create leadership development of infotec which was specific, important, manageable , and pratical and time bound. Skill audit: performing a skill audit by measuring a multi-rater questionnaire with the option of customizing and alleviate the 360 degree feedback by one-on-one developmental discussion. Skill required to be improved: With this questionnaire impractical skills (modifying change, decision making, time management, considering unannounced opportunities, managing business on behalf of stake holders etc) were listed out to be improved, developed to encounter the strategic ambitions of infotec. Activities to improve the skills: Device activeness required to develop the above skills of leaders of infotec includes teaching sessions and workshops. To perform these teaching sessions and workshops there will be a requirement of a worthy seminar room or special teaching and development room with capable seating, ventilation system , white board, markers, projector, tables and chairs, pen and papers, with a minimum room temperature and the most essential budget as well. Measures to enter progress: Training is the important factor of personal development plan and it should be recorded up to date. Easy way of Performa is to maintain the copies in the seminar room or teaching development rooms where teaching is given. Once after teaching has been given on a particular day and time, it should be entered on the forms. Time limits: A verifiable based plan to be achievable it should have a time limits. And this can be make by keeping the records of trainees how well are they , executeing during the teaching sessions, within one week time, three weeks time respectively. The objective to direct the leadership development for infotec can be reach within 3 months time. LO3. Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership development plan 3.1 Assess the achievement of outcomes of the plan against original objectives After the prosperous implementation of leadership development plan, now it is the time to estimate the result of plan against original objectives of infotec. improment need: Describing the development need of infotec was an aspirational visionary style (which was to give a new ways to infotec before participate into the new markets). Targets: objective to make a new vision to infotec by consulting the stakeholders and presenting this at the upcoming comprehensive meeting in the next 3 months. Outcome: Attended the workshops and teaching sessions and designed a new vision , assertion after consulting the stakeholders and demonstrated it to board. Yes, the development demand was well acquire by the stakeholders during the consultation and was prepare to invest in the preparation activities and the board also sanction it to use as the next tool, next strategy to be implemented. Most of the things move well and were in favour of the imporved plan. Board was very awesome with the kind of work completed. Things finish well: Focus group with distinct stakeholders was truly helpful and cooperative in gathering basic data and feedback and wascreated to invest in the teaching sessions or workshops. Things did not work well: I expanded more time to inform my proposal to board as few of them requested to explain more in depth about the proposal. What would I do present new next time? I will spread handouts to each members of board so that they can form clear idea about my proposal and my thinking ; this would help me in preserveing time of board and,as well as minl. 3.2 Evaluate the impact of the achievement of objectives on strategic ambitions Development need: Identified development need of infotec was an aspirational , impractical style (which was to give a new way to infotec before entering into the new markets). Objective: objective to give a new vision to infotec by conferring the stakeholders and presenting this at the approaching general meeting in the next 3 months. Strategic ambitions of infotec: Strategic ambitions of infotec are, to state a world wide leader in the service industry, to be one of the top 5 prime vendors in the trade, to expand our business sharply through technology and to create handsome revenues. Applicable strategic ambition: A newborn marketing strategic plan to support the services of infotec in to new trade which, helps in becoming turning a world wide leader in the service industry. This marketing plan not only helps infotec in becoming a world wide leader in service industry but also adds more shareowner to the firm change the present impact being followed to be more impressive and streamlined in the future, helps employees to concentrate more and more on sales and customer focused. wedge achieved: yes, the impact was reach. A new vision statement was incorporate, more add of customers were been increase to the list, customers were effective with the vision and values of infotec, created the revenue more than 3 times analyse to last quarter, was added to the list of top 5 prime seller in the trade, 20% of magnitude in the employees performance, sales increased to 40% this was due to the addition in the 60% performance of sales group. Recruitment manage became more effective in present quality candidates to the customers of infotec. New shareowner started showing their arouse in infotec. 3.3 Review and update the leadership development plan Aspirational visionary style of development require was met within the time I hold for making the approaching strategy for infotec as it was going to appear into new trade. A new vision statement of infotec was created by consulting the stakeholders and presented in the common meeting held. Outcomes of this brand-new vision statement were comprehended when I attended the workshops and teaching sessions. Yes, the affect on strategic ambitions was appraise and many things were in spare of the development need and the verifiable behind it. It was well acquire by stakeholders and members of board, built relationships with new customer, new shareholders were been named, new business from this campaign ensued in huge income. And on the other side, present development requir public relations style and present development target behind this style of leadership stipulating, a high visible profile still require to be auctioned. This leadership style is about the holding the superior relations between the employees of infotec as well as with the customer, client , shareowner , community members, suppliers and with all those to have a good public visualise about the services rendered by infotec. New development require determine are human resource style, financial engineering style and analytical style of leadership development and with the aim in providing corroborative environment e.g.training, workshops, employee relations,profit and appraisals; rendering tight control systems, e.g. providing adequate amount to suppliers, by providing a improve rate of interest to shareholders for the specific quarter, decreaseing bonuses to employees, reducing down the training cost; providing quality analytical plans to be appied and measured, empowering the employees to communicate their thoughts in conveying a change in the present system, empowering the employees to take conclusion on their own to produce the yield in their own style severally. LO4. Be able to promote a healthy and safe environment that supports a culture of quality 4.1 Assess the impact of corporate and individual health and safety responsibilities on the organisation Health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the health, safety and welfare of people busy in employment. This is a policy of how a business will effectively guarantee and manage the health, safety and welfare of the employees. The goal of health and safety programs is to promote a safe and work free environment. It may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities who are impact by the workplace environment. Health and safety responsibility on pioneer: Pioneer has a legal responsibility for health and safety of its employees and its customers, local communities, shareholders and those who may be affected by its business and its activities. It is about the preventing people from being harmed at work by taking the right precautions and providing satisfactory working environment. Setting HS policy: Pioneer consists of 40 people and its policy is in written format consisting of statement of intent, pioneer section and arrangement section. Health and safety policy of pioneer has influenced all the activities, including the selection of people, equipment and material. This written policy of pioneer has been upgraded from time to time, it indicated about the hazards and risks assessed and controlled in creating a safe working environment. Culture of pioneer: The role culture has a benefit of specialisation; here the employees of pioneer always focus on their particular role assigned to them by their job description which on the other hand increases productivity for pioneer. Development and implementation of health and safety plan: Being aware of risks being entertained by organisation, the board of pioneer was happy with the developed policy of health and safety. With an aim to protect people of pioneer a proper management system was introduced to ensure risks are dealt sensibly and with responsibility. Monitoring, evaluation and review of plan: A proper monitoring system was introduced to have a glance of HS policy of pioneer and reporting the problems still being faced, to the board to take up any necessary changes in the plan. This implemented plan was reviewed to check whether it is working properly and meeting the strategic ambitions of pioneer by collecting the feedback from employees, asking for their assistance in improving the system as well. Impact of health and safety responsibilities on pioneer: This developed plan lead to good health and safety performance includes: Less employee absence, reduced number of accidents and saved money, reduced costs and risks involved, better position against suppliers, shareholders and partners of pioneer, improved corporate reputation, reduced threat of legal actions, produced more results in the form of new clients, new projects 4.2 Estimate an organisational culture of quality on the achievement of strategic ambitions Promoting a health and safety quality culture: It was a hard time for pioneer in making commitment to develop health and safety issues. As safety of employees being a prime motive for pioneer, it planned to create a safety culture a safety team which involves and motivates the people in health and safety. Main objective to create a safety team of pioneer was to create awareness among employees, motivate them towards safety; as long as safety in pioneer entertains the outcomes will be entertained consistently. A safety team was introduced to focus specially on the health and safety procedures and to look after the system to be followed. The safety team was consist of two safety representatives, who deal with all the procedures, system being followed, take care about the employees present situation on floor. These representatives report to their manger of safety team. The safety team started conducting meetings with safety representatives, invited and visited other known companies to exchange the communication for better health and safety quality culture in pioneer. Communicated with employees about the safety environment in pioneer; exchange information about the facilities provided to people during the working hours etc. They included a timeout session every Tuesday with employees where, they can exchange the information about the present safety procedures, their thoughts, and ideas for the better safety procedures to be taken place. It was a big challenge for the leaders of pioneer to co nsistently focus on motivating the people to accept this new culture and to believe that pioneer is highly committed in maintaining health and safety of its employees. Impact of health and safety quality culture in pioneer: With the implementation of safety quality culture in pioneer many things were figured out which were in favour of pioneer success. They are: Employees started paying more attention to their work Get connected with new clients and new projects Lower accidents (reduced by 40%) Produced quality results within the given time. Maintained good health Absence of employees in pioneer was below 4 % Profits were up by 10 % Employees started logging in and logging out at time. Conclusion: In this assignment I have tried to identify the personal skills required of managers to achieve strategic ambitions of my organization. Though personal development as a strategic manager and constructing and implementing personal development plan at pioneer is an important activity which supported the strategic ambitions, yet in the wake of global economic, demographic, and technological changes there is a dire need to inculcate some strategic changes in some of the above discussed areas that form the basis of personal development planning for the strategic managers. Feedback: Pass. A very good assignment. Well done.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Cultural Background Summary Essay

My family comes from different cultural background which has been molded by assimilation, climate of pluralism and acculturation. I am a Filipino and I grew up in Oahu in Hawaii, whereby people in Hawaii have modest-economic status, low income and little education hence less satisfaction to their needs. I never had enormous understanding of cultural diversity and my culture as Filipino as I grew up because I had a combination of native Austronesia civilization which influenced the Hispanics and American cultures (Ciria-Cruz, 1994, p. 16). This affected my cultural background a lot. As argued by Gramann and Sandra, 1998 people of my culture have differences in their language, traditions and mode of dressing which contributes towards cultural diversity. There is difference in moral and religious conceptualization among the people and differences on how each person interacts with the environment within the community (Gramann and Sandra, 1998, p. 57). My cultural identity is characterized by my race mainly skin color and other physical characteristics according to social class and ethnicity. Ethnicity is classified according to behavior, cultural knowledge and my cultural identity. Cultural backgrounds come out as a result of different reasons. My cultural identity have been shaped by my cultural backgrounds which have influenced how I interpret the world around me, perceive myself and relate with other people. The information I have concerning my cultural background has increased my cultural knowledge and gave me an overview of cultural issues and characteristics. I usually identify my needs and preferences and always remember that I cannot reduce to set cultural norms. My cultural backgrounds vary with that of other people due to migration and time of arrival at that particular destination, socio-economic background, and period of settlement, education level, cultural and religious background, rural and urban residence, different life experiences with migration experience (Feagin and Feagin, 1993, p. 42). According to Feagin and Feagin, 1993 my identity has been molded by assimilation, acculturation and climate of pluralism. My cultural identity faces racial discrimination with. Ciria-Cruz, 1994 argued that, different books have racial composition, culture and demographic information of Filipino people. As argued by Feagin and Feagin, 1993 my cultural identity face substantial prejudice, discrimination and stereotype and people of my cultural background mainly struggle to maintain and preserve their culture and identity. Even speaking their own language result to severe sanction such as, losing their jobs and being made fun of by other communities. This cultural diversity within the communities has a significant challenge to multiculturalism and it threatens the survival of my community. Race influence relates to my community and interaction of people within my community has been racialized negatively and positively. Pluralism can help in solving this by enriching experiences for my cultural background (Feagin and Feagin, 1993, p. 54). Diversity in my cultural background is due to ignorance of cultural background language which is extensive. Lack of basic cultural background hinders people from comprehending language. Religious culture has assimilated me on various behaviors of human beings. Regional culture has been shaped by geographical environment and natural conditions. Acculturation has impacted on my cultural background in which people has anticipated on changing their behavior through influence on different aspect such as age, gender occupation recency of arrival, socioeconomic status, and education (Ciria-Cruz, 1994, p. 18). Cultural characteristics suggest the influence of acculturation across generations. Through assimilation people avoid interacting with dominant cultures with the degree in which people maintain and relinquish attributes of their native cultures. Through assimilation people desires meets with dominant cultures which is not necessary in maintaining an identity of their native culture. Some people don’t like being assimilated but the degrees to which people may agree to be assimilated vary as a result of cultural diversity (Gramann and Sandra, 1998, p. 61). Assimilation has molded my cultural background through economic, social and political integration. This has been possible since my ethnic group changed to that of the host society. Cultural assimilation has given rise to different economic development patterns reducing cultural diversity by standardizing socio-cultural traits like ethics, beliefs, norms and codes of conducts. The climate of pluralism identifies what people in my culture share in common. This helps in maintaining ethnic identity and cultural identity. Acceptance of pluralism affects people’s feelings of cultural identity with effect of interaction being posited between ethnic and cultural identity. The diverse attitudes towards my cultural background can be viewed as positive forces with compatibility on learning second language. Language is the key to identification and if I want to change my cultural identity I have to change my linguistic identification. Conclusion My cultural background marks my cultural identity in which various factors have contributed to cultural diversity. Factors like assimilation, pluralism and acculturation. My cultural backgrounds vary because of migration and time of arrival at that particular destination, socio-economic background, and period of settlement, education level, cultural and religious background, rural and urban residence, different life experiences with migration experience. Diversity in my cultural background is due to ignorance of cultural background language. List of References Ciria-Cruz, R. (1994), â€Å"How far have we come,† Filipinas, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 16-18 Feagin, J. & Feagin C. (1993), Cultural Diversity, 4th Ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall Gramann, H. , & Sandra, L, (1998), â€Å"The effect of cultural assimilation on the importance of family-related and nature-related recreation among Hispanic Americans,† Journal of leisure research, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 57-68

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Music and fantasy Essay

In the beginning of the story, Connie leads the life of a carefree fifteen year old girl. She spends most of her days in town with friends where they meet boys, listen to music, watch movies or go for shopping. When she stays at home, she fantasying about meeting boys and gets in her mother’s way. She is happy when she listens to music and when she is in town with her friends. She is unhappy when she is at home and her mother constantly nags her. Her mother considers her useless, whose mind is always filled with ‘trashy daydreams’. She is like any other middle class teenager. Her world is full of friends, fun, rock and roll music and fantasy. She knows that she is pretty and that is everything to her. She like most teenagers seemingly lives two lives: one that her family sees and the other when is anywhere other than home. She observes the world through the rose colored glasses of youth. Her involvement with boys both real and imagined are sweet and gentle, the way it is in movies and promised in songs. 1. The story is different in the sense that the victim, Connie comes out on her own accord, leaving her home and family behind. The abducted does not force his way in to her house. Rather he seduces her by music, charisma and increasing threats. When Arnold friend appears and ask her to go for a drive, she is flattered that he remembers her. Gradually she notices something fake about him and wants to quit the conversation. But the turn comes too late and by then Friend has her in his hold. She realizes the danger but chooses to give in. She tries to protect her innermost self by falling into a state of trance and distancing herself from her body. The sweet sugary pop music that Connie listens day after day epitomize her naive vision of life, love and sex, this proves very dangerous for Connie. She has a hazy view that any sexually charged interaction with boys is sweet and gentle like it is shown in movies and promised in songs. Thus she is helpless against Arnold Friend, whose disguise has a weird resemblance to Bob Dylan. His actions are that of the vagabond in Dylan’s song, â€Å"It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue†, who comes to lure her into an ominous and uncertain destiny. The Rock’n’Roll music is always present in Connie’s life. She hears music in a restaurant in town. It makes Connie feel good about everything. To her, it is like a church service, something to depend upon. When she is with a boy Eddie, again there is music. Music makes her feel joy and pleasure of being alive. When she is at home, she daydreams about boys and music is always at the background. On a Sunday afternoon, when she is alone at home, she turns on the radio; she is immediately bathed in a glow of slow-pulsed joy that seemed to rise mysteriously out of the music. Music is also present in the form of Ellie Oscar’s transistor radio, the romantic promises and frantic strains of music assist Arnold Friend in seducing Connie at her house. 4. One of the themes of the story is illusion of innocent youth versus the reality of uncertain future. Connie has the illusion of love and life which is crashed by the cruel reality. In the beginning of the story, Connie sees the world through the rose colored glasses of innocent young. She believes the world to be like what is seen in popular movies and promised in bubble-gum rock. She lives in her own dream world. She fantasizes about boys, where all the faces dissolve in to one single face which is not a face but an idea, a feeling mix with music. At the end of the story Arnold Friend appears at her doorsteps and her world of illusion and innocence is invaded with brutal reality. Friend succeeds in seducing her in to an unknown and uncertain destination. Moreover if we consider Friend as a portrayal of Charles Schmid, a serial killer in Tucson, Arizona, then probably she faces the reality of rape and subsequently death. Work Citation: â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates†. 12 July 2007. University of San Francisco †¢ Educating Minds and Hearts to Change the World. 19 September 2007 Joyce Carol Oates â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been†. 4 May 2000. Martina Preis and Corina Naujokat. 19 September 2007. We Could Be So Good Together: Rock And Roll And American Fiction. June 2007. Terry Dalrymple and John Wegner. 19 September 2007.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Essay about Point of View and Theme in Heart of Darkness

Point of View and Theme in Heart of Darkness In Joseph Conrads novel Heart of Darkness the story of Marlow, an Englishman travelling physically up an unnamed river in Africa and psychologically into the human possibility, is related to the reader through several narrational voices. The primary first-person narrator is an Englishman aboard the yawl, the Nellie, who relates the story as it is told to him by Marlow. Within Marlows narrative are several instances when Marlow relies upon others, such as the Russian, the brickmaker and the Manager at the central station, for information. Therefore, through complicated narrational structure resulting from the polyphonous account, Conrad can already represent to the reader the theme†¦show more content†¦This is evident when the first narrator finally sees London as not the biggest and greatest town on earth but a monstruous town ... marked ominously on the sky, a broading gloom in sunshine... This change in attitude is due to Marlows account of the atrocities he witnesses in the heart of darkness, such as the Grove of Death and the corruption and inefficiency of the company, which represents itself as civilising and educating, whilst its rapacious and fetishistic desire for ivory milks the land of its livelyhood and enslaves its people. Marlow uses his language to represent his beliefs, and thus demonstrate this theme to the reader. Conrad,through Marlow, cleverly problematises the use of white, a traditional symbol of purity and enlightenment, by describing the European city, in which the headquarters of the company is located, as a whited sepulchre, conjuring forth images of corruption and deceit hiding behind a moral facade. However, significantly, although he inverts this traditional symbolism, Conrad does not problematise the notion of black as evil and corrupt. Marlow, then continues to represent the Africans and Africa in terms of blackness as black limbs, black bodies, a black and incomprehensible frenzy, so that by absentingly unconsciously any re-evaluation of the Africans or Africa as evil, dark and other, MarowsShow MoreRelatedJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1488 Words   |  6 PagesJoseph Conrad’s s novel Heart of Darkness portrays an image of Africa that is dark and inhuman. Not only does he describe the actual, physical continent of Africa as â€Å"so hopeless and so dark, so impenetrable to human thought, so pitiless to human weakness†, (Conrad 154) as though the continent could neither breed nor support any true human life. Conrad lived through a time when European colonies were scattered all over the world. 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On theRead More Elements of Darkness in Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness1263 Words   |  6 PagesElements of Darkness in Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In both Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness certain elements of darkness attempt to show how deep one must look inside themselves to discover the truth. Conrad portrays the idea of the darkness of the human heart through things such as the interior of the jungle and its immensity, the Inner Station, and Kurtzs own twisted deeds. Coppolas heart of darkness is represented by the madness of the Vietnam War and how even to lookRead MoreBehind the Name Heart of Darkness Essay978 Words   |  4 Pagesreader only gradually. Using Heart of Darkness, show how the significance of its title is developed through the author’s use of devices such as contrast, repetition, allusion, and point of view. Behind The Name Heart of Darkness The heart of darkness in the title Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is the heart of Africa, the heart of everything that is the rejection of established social principles and beliefs, corrupt, and barbaric, and perhaps the heart of man. Conrad, ending the bookRead MoreGender Role In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesGender Role In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness For the most part people who read Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad may feel that the novella is strictly a story of exploration and racial discrimination. But to Johanna Smith who wrote â€Å"’Too Beautiful Altogether’: Ideologies of Gender and Empire in Heart of Darkness† it is much more than that. Johanna Smith along with Wallace Watson and Rita A. Bergenholtz agree that throughout Heart of Darkness there are tones of gender prejudice, but the wayRead MoreMental Challenges in The Tell-Tale Heart Essay618 Words   |  3 PagesPoe’s most famous works was The Tell-Tale Heart which explores murder, mental illness, cruelty and horror. The viewer becomes aware of the unprovoked mental challenges between characters which heightens the tension and fear, as darkness envelops the reader and the strong beating of a heart gradually grows louder. In order to create a more dramatic storyline, Poe has applied a range of narrative techniques including characters, poi nt of view, setting, and theme, to amplify the intensity of the text andRead More The Role of Women in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay969 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of Women in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Women have taken an increasingly important role in literature. Only recently have authors portrayed women in a dominant, protagonistic light. Sophocles and other classical writers portrayed women more as reactors than heroines. Since the ancient Greeks, however, a trend has been established that gives women characters much more substance and purpose. A definite shift from the antediluvian ways can be seen, and the overall complexityRead MoreThings Fall Apart, And The Heart Of Darkness1518 Words   |  7 Pagespassages from Things Fall Apart, and the Heart of Darkness. I will compare and contrast the narrative structure, the language used and the themes explored. Through this critical analysis, we can gain a better understanding of the two extracts, each one helping to illuminate the other. The passages I will be analysing are: Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, Page 124 Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, Page 116-117 Narrative Structure Narrative Voice, Point of View: Focalisation Conrad writes in first person