Simon Remarriage

The words ‘damaged/fractured/punctured/ broken' create images describing the ex-soldier physically but also referring to how these words could be used to describe the broken love. Therefore, it has been made clear that the love has become painful and traumatic as a consequence of war. Also, the metaphorical use Of ‘frozen river' and ‘blown hinge' reflects a war zone. The word ‘frozen' could reflect how the relationship has become still and lifeless. The narrator states that his jaw is a ‘blown hinge', suggesting that he is no longer open to her and unable to talk f his traumatic experiences.The image of violence is also incorporated within ‘Quadric' through a western theme showing the intensity of the relationship. ‘High noon' and ‘calamity' implant the image of a standoff in the wild west. This image of the standoff is inferred to be comparable to the relationship through the painful arguing that the once desire has turned into. Duffy references ‘hard liquor' to suggest that the relationship is reckless and has turned into something that is unhealthy also that if love goes wrong it can bring difficulties along with it. Manhunt' is made up of a series of couplets.The form of the poem creates a sense of fragmentation and the stages of process and search that the narrator has been through in order to find and heal their love. The series of couplets can be seen as a ladder that she is trying to climb to retrieve love once more, like the image of the ‘broken ribs'. Also, the rhyme scheme is irregular suggesting how the strength of the relationship is constantly changing. There is a personal tone to this poem as much of the topics are personal and it is quite conversational, inferring the woman is liking to her husband but cannot get through due to his physical and mental damage.Similarly, ‘Quadric' is structured to reflect the love in the relationship. This poem forms a broken sonnet, showing the eff ects of the broken love. Duffy may have used enjambment between stanzas to capture the idea of relentless pain and that she does not want to finish the sentence and the relationship. The technique of enjambment has been used to separate ‘I'm all' from ‘alone' reflecting the isolation the women feels. Simon Remarriage incorporates many delicacy and care adjectives: ‘mind/hold/attend'.

The Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology is a group of teachings and myths that were originated by the ancient Greeks, when they were trying to understand the origin of things in the sky and on earth. This myth was a big part of the religion of the Greeks. Hesiod offers the theogony, which tells of the dealings with the creation of the world, and the origin of the gods, titans, and giants. Athena, also called Athene, was a goddess of many things like wisdom, and courage. She was born to Zeus and Metis in Mount Olympus. She was fully grown and wearing armor from head to toe. Athena is said to be a pre-Hellenic goddess that was taken by the Greeks. Her story shows that the people were looking for closure over wisdom and war during this time. This myth seeks to explain some countless inventions. She has a major influence on today's culture. For instance, her helmet is featured on the crest of West Point Academy, as well as represented the first branch of the United States Army just for women. Although there are many different stories of how Athena came to be, most known one is that Zeus swallowed Metis and Athena sprang from his head. Because she is the goddess of many things, Athena is featured on many modern crests, was praised by the Greeks in their time, and was supposedly the origin of many great inventions. Although classical Greek culture was during the period of the 4th and 5th centuries, ancient Greek culture and myths are tremendously influential in many aspects like, language, politic, educational system, philosophy, science, the arts, and the gods. For instance, our country is a democracy. Democracy is said to originate from Greece. Not only that, we use the gods and goddesses in our everyday life. Athena's helmet is featured on the West Point Military Academy crest. Her head is represented on the first branch of the United States Army that is for women. Hellenic polytheists worship the Greek gods, olympians, nature divinities, underworld deities, and heroes. Hellenic religion is any systems of beliefs and practices of the ancient Greeks during the Hellenic period and the Roman Empire. Religion was very important to the Greeks because they believed that religion would make their lives better. This Hellenistic world was made after conquest that went from India to Egypt and took about 20 to complete after Alexander the Great's death. (Hellenistic Culture) Athena was born to Zeus and Metis, at Mount Olympus, fully grown and wearing full armor from head to toe. Athena is said to be a pre-Hellenic goddess that was taken from kgjhjv by the Greeks. There are many different versions of how Athena came to be. Most say that Zeus and Metis conceived a baby girl. Before Metis gave birth, Mother Earth told Zeus that a child born to Metis would one day overthrow his throne. He became worried because that is the same thing he did to his own father. Zeus challenged her in a shapeshifting contest; she turned herself into a fly and taking the advice of Gaea and Uranus, Zeus swallowed her up. A few days later, he started to get dreadful headaches and asked his son, Hephaestus, to take an axe and crack his head open.(Temple)Some versions say that Palamon and Hermes helped Zeus give birth. Others regard her to be his daughter, but also as the daughter of Pallas, whom she killed later because he tried to desecrate her chastity. Another that was transplanted to Libya, says that she is the daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis. According to Athena, herodotus became enraged with her father and went to Zeus, who later stepped in as her father. These were regarded more as Hellenistic Myths (â€Å"Athene†) Athena was a goddess of many aspects like wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill. She was the goddess of arts and crafts because of her spinning and weaving. She was the goddess of war and wisdom because she sprang from Zeus's head and she was a ruthless warrior. She was very strategic and skilled during warfare. She is often portrayed as the companion of heroes is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour. (â€Å"Athene†)Athena was featured in many heroic stories. One being, when she assisted Odysseus in his adventures. Odysseus and Athena were similar. He was the Greek King of Ithaca just as she was a great goddess. They had some of the same qualities. They were both nondiscriminatory, and clever. When it came to helping Odysseus in the Trojan War, she was there. Other gods didn't like that he was helping the Trojans. Most of all, she helped him on his way home, because he ran into many obstacles. He was imprisoned by Calypso then, when he escaped, he went sailing through storms, which later resulted in many shipwrecks. He then found himself in trouble with many other gods like, Poseidon and Polyphemus. Athena did not want to make the other gods angry, so she only offered Odysseus wisdom. When he returned safely to Ithaca, Athena helped him disguise as a beggar.(Temple) A less heroic story of Athena, is when she accidentally killed her friend, Pallas. As a young woman, Athena didn't quite fit in on Mount Olympus. So she went out to find a friend, Pallas. Her new friend was the daughter of Triton, the sea god. The often practiced their combat skills with each other. On time they were doing their session when Pallas took a fatal blow from Athena. Feeling sorrowful, Athena put a statue of Pallas near Zeus's throne Mount Olympus.(Temple) Athena has a major influence on today's culture; her helmet is featured on many things of the United States. One being the West Point Academy crest. Her helmet represents her wisdom, while her sword represents a warrior. The seal of California also features her head. It symbolizes the goddess of wisdom overlooking the scene. (Seal of California) The US Women Army Corps shows her head as their insignia. Athena is said to be the origin of many things that make up Greek culture. She made the statue of Pallas that sits near Zeus's throne. She helped many heros on adventures, like the one with Odysseus. She also has tremendous influence on modern culture. For instance, she is featured on the Seal of California, the U.S. Women's Army Corp, and the West Point crest. Its is clear that Athena is relevant in both ancient times and modern day culture. She is, many times, the symbol of power, wisdom, and valor. This is what makes her so influential in the world.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example Swift launches attack on the irresponsibility of the Ireland‘s lawmakers, the presence of the well-being in the society, dictatorship of the Englishmen and the desperation in which he sees the Irish people living in. He also puts across the Irish peoples reluctance and inability to stand on themselves. The work shows that the state, English and the Irish people are responsible for the misery state of the country. Political failure was all over the nation during the Swift time hence leading to several works written to criticize the political leadership. Their objectives were to pressurize them to provide solutions to economic problems, poverty and misuse of the poors children for the gain of the rich. The author protests bitterly on the inability of political leadership and attacks the introduction of several reformers towards economic changes. In conclusion, the main challenge to Swifts work is to get the public attention whose indifference was well focused. He puts his point negatively, to bring out the themes of morality, political incapacity and poverty which should be

Construction of Gender and Sexual Studies Essay

Construction of Gender and Sexual Studies - Essay Example The very idea of gender studies would be to contribute to reducing the significance or even, in some social situations and contexts, abolishing the identities of man and women. The new social perspective on sexuality was advanced by social activists. One possibility in gender studies would be to minimize or at least reduce the use of the labels of man and woman, except when used by the ‘natives’. There is a risk of gender studies producing gender stereotypes rather than revealing them through an excessive and insensitive theory – governed interpretation of the gendered meaning of everything in management, organization, work and society at large. Against the naturalistic view of gender and sexuality, feminist argued that society, not nature, creates gender and sexual differences. In particular, , feminist argued that women’s sexuality is socially shaped in ways that sustain men’s political and social dominance. In short, women’s sexuality, like men, is not is fixed by nature but shaped by social forces and circumstances, by factors such as economic independence, social values, peers or family culture. Social construction on sexuality The social construction approach, quite simply, is about understanding the historical context which shapes the sexuality. The starting point is the assumption that sexuality, far from being a force of natural external to society, is in fact always inevitably central to the social and cultural, and malleable to them. Sexuality is a highly social phenomenon and as society changes so must sexuality. Sexuality builds on biological potentials, and is subject to psychosocial organizations, so both biology and psychology can no doubt help understand individual sexual development. But we must also recognize that sexuality, like everything else, attains meaning only in culture. Social constructionist at its simplest is an attempt to understand the process through which social and individual meaning an d practices of the erotic are shaped and reshaped in an ever changing history. What complicates the issue is that â€Å"sexuality† as a concept operates on two levels. It refers to the bundle of social phenomena that shapes erotic life ;laws, religion, norms and values, beliefs and ideologies, the social organizations of reproduction, family life, identities, domestic arrangements, diseases, violence and love – everything we evoke when we speak of sexuality of a culture. And it also refers to the level of individual- to the pleasures and pains that can shape our lives for good or ill. We just cannot understand sexuality if we reduce everything to the imperatives of nature brain or gene. As per Villanaueva(1997) â€Å"Sexuality is socially constructed, shaped by social, political and economic influences, and modified throughout life†. Feminism: the gender of sexuality Feminism offers a forceful social view of sexuality. Our gender identity is not a superficial pa rt of our lives, but shapes the personal and social aspects of our lives in important ways. Feminist believe that our sexual desires, feelings and preferences are imprinted by the gender. Feminists say that individuals acquire a sexual nature as they develop a gender identity. They believe sexuality as a product so men’s power: sex is a means by which men control women. Feminist criticize the notion that women’s sexual liberation is about claiming the right to pleasure or freedom to do as one pleases, an approach that expresses men’

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA Essay - 3

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA - Essay Example Given that it is a constitutional right to protect one’s self from harm and attacks, many citizens take advantage of these factors to assault others (Boseley, 2013). In this case, many criminals use guns in their activities, knowing the constitutional frameworks are in place to protect them against receiving serious jail terms because of the atrocities they perform. In addition to the need for self-defense, the large number of civilian gun holders in the country also explains the reason why many gun crimes exist in the U.S. The notion according to the creators of this act was that more guns available in the country would translate into less numbers or incidents of crime in that country. Private gun holders often use their emotional distress to carry out crimes, hence questioning the necessity of private gun holders in the presence of a tight police service. The current gun control laws in the United States make it easier for people to acquire, own, and carry firearms (Spano & Bolland, 2010). These laws specify the role of the firearm as to protect the holder. However, this exposes the citizens who do not have firearms, as they are subject to constant threat and manipulation from their partners who have licenses to hold guns. In addition to this, the gun related cases are handled at the state courts, which have softer penalties for the perpetrators of gun violence. Such penalties do not stifle the act of crime using guns, instead instigating criminals to use guns more in their operations. The existence of drug lords and drug cartels in the United States leads to the rise in various vicious gangs that sell or traffic drugs across the borders. The increased intake of drugs in the USA indicates more business for the drug cartels, which often compete to attract more customers (Gius, 2014). These competitions have made the demand for guns in the US very high, with many

Employment Tribunals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employment Tribunals - Essay Example As such, these labour legislations provide the set of restrictions upon the worker in his relationship with the employer and vice-versa in order to maintain industrial peace and harmony, consequently promoting industrial democracy. Similarly, these labour legislations are designed to look more on the immediate results of the employer-employee relationship. These are the body of rules and principles which governs the relationship between labour and management in the collective on the one hand and the principles of determining the rights and liabilities consequential to the individual relationship of employer and employees. When the conflicting interests of labour and capital are weighed down, the heavier influence of capital must be counterbalanced by the compassion and sympathy accorded to the worker. This is only fair if the worker is given the opportunity and the right to assert and defend his claim, not as a subordinate but also as a peer of management, with which he can negotiate on even plane. And these can be done and addressed before an employment tribunal. Aside from the foregoing Labour legislations, Employment Tribunals plays an important role in ensuring industrial peace and harmony. ... These include unfair dismissal, redundancy, payments, discrimination as well as claims relating to wages and dismissal among others. Employment Tribunals are like courts, but it is not as formal. Correspondingly, it acts independently. Claims are usually initiated by employees or trade unions. Cases are usually heard by a panel of three persons which include legally qualified chairperson and two lay members who use their employment experiences in judging the facts of the case. Employment Tribunals in the recent years are accessible to an aggrieved employee so as to address the latter's grievances against his employer. An employee can be represented by himself or by his organisation before the Employment Tribunal. Similarly, Employment Tribunals speedily address the cases before it. Employment Tribunal applications for cases must be made within three months of the incident, however, the Tribunal can extend the time limit it exceptional circumstance. The Tribunal will then ascertain as to whether or not the employee's claim can prosper. And in case of doubt as tot the claim, a preliminary hearing is conducted so as to decide whether the claim or response should prosper or not; decide whether or not the employee is entitled to bring or defend his claim and to decide if there is a need to pay the deposit and as to whether or not either side's case appear weak. This preliminary hearing is normally held in public before a chairman sitting alone or it can be held over the telephone. If the case goes ahead, case management discussions are held to clarify issues in the case, in the same way, it considers witnesses and pieces of evidence to be presented as well as the time and length of the full hearing. The aforementioned discussions can

The Member of the Wedding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Member of the Wedding - Essay Example Almost all of her works are set in South America and reflects the themes of misfits and spiritual isolations of the south. Her characters are desperately lonely individuals that are looking for ways to escape from their small town existence. The writing style and structure is deceptively simple hiding the richness of empathy that Carson portrays towards individual plight. The writer is best known for her three novels, â€Å"The Heart is a Lonely Hunter† (1940); Reflections in a Golden Eye† (1941) and â€Å"The Member of the Wedding† (1946). A Biographical Sketch of Carson McCullers Carson McCullers was born in Columbia in Georgia in 1917 in the home of a plantation owner and former soldier of the war. She initially had aptitude for music and it was this subject that motivated her to leave her home and study it at an advanced level through the prestigious Julliard School of Music (situated in New York City). But, when she lost the money that she had saved to the st udy the subject of music, she totally left any thoughts of pursuing the subject in higher education and instead started taking courses in creative writing under the tutelage of Dorothy Scarborough, a Texas writer at Columbia University. Carson also studied along with Sylvia Chatfield Bates at the Washington Square College of New York University. Later she met an aspiring writer Reeves McCullers and married him in the year 1937. Carson had suffered rheumatic fever in 1932 which may have been the primary cause of the number of crippling strokes that Carson suffered later in her life. The strokes weakened her body and by the age of 30, her left side was completely paralyzed. However, the strokes did not weaken her moral spirit and instead gave her the determination to face life with all her mental strength. The sufferings acted as fuel to her imagination and together with the association of prominent writers of the time (such as Eudora Welty, Louis Untermeyer, Newton Arvin and Katherin e Anne Porter) made her compose highly creative works. Carson created tragic works with an element of comedy in them. Carson’s first novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1940) had a sensational response from the critics and readers alike and established her as one of the premier prose writers of the country. Carson was twice awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship (24 March, 1942 and 15 April 1946) but was unable to accept it due to her poor health conditions. Amidst all the physical pains and spiritual disillusionments, Carson wrote the script of the play, â€Å"The Member of the Wedding† which opened to a full house on 5th January, 1950. The play is an adaptation of her book with similar title and won her the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for the best play of the season. However, her other play, The Square Root of Wonderful (1957) failed to attract the crowd and closed prematurely. Devastated by its failure, Carson turned to children’s writings. She publishes a children’s book, Sweet as a Pie, Clean as a Pig on 1st ‘November, 1964. Finally, the year of her death (1967) recognizes her outstanding contribution in the field of English Literature as she was awarded the 1966 Henry Bellamann Award. A few days later, Carson suffered a stroke and died on 29 September. Literary Analysis of the Book the Member of the Wedding The Member of the Wedding was one of the most important works of Carson written over a period of 5 years. At the time of its creation, the world was suffering from the traumas of World War II and this trauma passes on to its protagonist. It is a story of a 12 year old tomboy, Frankie Addams who is leading a very isolated kind of life with hardly a suitable candidate to speak to. Frankie’s father is a jeweler who had lost his wife during childbirth. Her elder

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s - Essay Example A medium that, while being consumed by millions throughout the world, would play a factor in distinguishing ideological differences between nations, whatever those may be. In the case of this time in history, "The Cold War was characterized by mutual distrust, suspicion, and misunderstandings by both the United States and the Soviet Union, and their allies. At times, these conditions increased the likelihood of a third world war. The United States accused the Soviet Union of seeking to expand Communism throughout the world. The Soviets, meanwhile, charged the United States with practicing imperialism and with attempting to stop revolutionary activity in other countries," ("Cold War", p.1). Such mistrust would greatly impact how each nation was viewed on the part of the other. By the 1980s, "In 1987, Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed a treaty to eliminate many of the ground-launched, nuclear missiles of both nations. The treaty went into effect in 1988. In 1988 and 1989, the U.S.S.R. withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Also in the late 1980's, the Soviet Union began to reduce its conventional military forces in Eastern Europe. In the U.S.S.R., Gorbachev worked for a more decentralized economic system and allowed more democracy and freedom of expression. He also encouraged similar actions in Eastern Europe," ("Cold War", p.1). In the 1960s, two movies produced, which would best exemplify the present views held about the Soviet Union, would have been, 'The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!' & 'Dr. Strangelove'. In the case of "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!", the movie would have to do with a Russian submarine that would approach the American coastline. A Russian gentleman that was seeking to get a better look at America. A group of 9 men, lead by a Russian gentleman, is given the task of taking care of the submarine. These men head to a house, where they seek to convince the inhabitants that they are Norwegians, but are unsuccessful. One of the Russian gentleman points a gun at the man who lived in the house and requested his assistance in finding a boat so that the Russian crew could leave. As for 'Dr. Strangelove', Director Stanley Kubrick uses his movie to show what could very well occur, if when the time came, the decision to initiate a nuclear attack occurs. While doing this, Kubrick would take a more comedic approach to the broader issue at hand. In the movie, a US bomber is going about completing the mission they are involved in, when they are told by their command to attack the Russians. A chance for some in the American military to flex their muscle, they are later informed by representatives of the Russian government that they too have in their possession a weapon of great magnitude. On that, if fired, would create massive destruction that would be felt throughout the world and would be used if they were attacked. With the 1980s came a change in political policy, as well as the movies that would be produced. In 'Moscow on the Hudson', Robin Williams stars as a young Russian man that arrives in the United States looking for opportunities, which he felt he didn't have in his home country. After going to a major department store, Williams' character makes it known that he desires to become an American

Leading and managing people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Leading and managing people - Essay Example In this instance Ross was an effective leader because, he was understanding in the first instance and there and therefore knew the strategies of handling conflict management. The management should understand their staff and ensure they motivated at the first place, development, get inspirations and conflict management to facilitate achievement of organizations goals. This is portrayed in the sociogram that show Ross as an motivating leader. From my understanding and the question, a critical review of leadership and management in this group would involve team building. Firstly, this group lacked the team building techniques. For instance, in a group there exists a variety of personalities with diverse and distinguishing characteristics, skills, requires different kinds of motivation for the achievement of an organizational goal as portrayed in the sociogram. This is shown in the group that portrays Ross as an effective leader. The management should, therefore, understand that they are dealing with different kind of people in the workplace, for example, some are introverts and others extroverts and both should be handled differently depending on their reactions and also try to tame them in conflict management. For our case, this is a group of individuals who are independent and with different abilities, skills, attitudes, temperament among others but they are committed towards the achievement of a common goal and objecti ve. Therefore, it is important for all group members to work for a mutual benefit and goals of an organization. In this case, a leader and not necessarily a manager are required to enable this group. Conflicts that are unavoidable in an organization as a result of various factors should be handled carefully. All the members are entitled to work collectively and collaboratively and be aware of their roles, responsibilities and accountability for their work. For instance in this group, Ross lacked the

American Indian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Indian - Essay Example There is, however, another side to Native American history, a much more positive story that is missing from accounts that treat Indian history merely as an on-going tragedy. This is a story of cultural persistence and survival. The key themes of Native American history are continuity, resistance, resilience, and adaptability in the face of extraordinary challenges and dislocations (Native American Voices). The Indians have great capacity for adaptability. The survivors splintered, migrated, and ultimately amalgamated to form new groups and devise strategies for dealing with the invaders (Indian History and Culture). Native Americans struggled to preserve the fundamental aspects of their cultures while adapting to the changes brought about by the Europeans (New American Voices). American Indians were not simply a band of small migratory bands that existed by hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants. In fact, Native American societies were rich, diverse, and sophisticated (New Ameri can Voices). Throughout their history, Native Americans have been dynamic agents of change. Food discovered and domesticated by Native Americans would transform the diet of Europe and Asia.

How Communication Affects Relationships Essay Example for Free

How Communication Affects Relationships Essay Communication affects relationships at work in a big way. Communicating in a positive manner will give me a very different response to communicating in a negative manner, it is also important that I alter the way i communicate dependant on who I am speaking to as everybody will respond differently to different styles and variations of communication. One of the parts of my job is to communicate with my colleagues. I must insure that as the environment I work in can and often is stressful, that I speak in a calm manner and that I am clear and concise. By doing this I lessen the chance of information that I passed on being misheard or misunderstood and by being calm I have a reassuring effect on my colleagues. When speaking to families of patient I must insure that I an understanding and come across friendly and professional as a good relationship with a patient’s family can have positive effects on the patients because it is important that families understand the patients treatment plan and how they can have positive influence on the patient. I must communicate with the patients in the most effective way possible. As a health Care worker I need to be able to build trust and a good relationship with those I look after. It is important that I use variation of communication skills to relay what I am trying to get across, this will help the patient understand what is be communicated and in turn will help the patient communicate there needs.

Transportation Costs Essay Example for Free

Transportation Costs Essay Today, crude oil price is valued at $53. 30 per barrel, but is still in contention with other sources of energy such as biofuels. Biofuels today are getting cheaper and cheaper due to the new technologies such as the development of several other feedstocks such as jatropha and corn stover. However, in Malaysia, due to the dropping down of oil prices during the past 6 months, their proposed biofuel which is made from palm oil is suffering because presently, regular diesel prices are much cheaper than blended diesel. Prices are RM 2. 80 for blended diesel, compared to the RM 1. 70 price of regular diesel. Transportation Costs In the Philippines, transportation costs went down by a miniature amount, considering that the gas prices there have already gone down by almost 50%. Fare price for the most popular mode of transport – the jeepney is discussed in the following sentences. Transport groups in the Philippines are arguing that they are still in big deficits considering that during the peak of the oil price hike, fares are only P7. 50, only P1. 50 higher than when the diesel prices were about half of the value of the peak prices. Currently, transport costs are P7. 00 even when the price of diesel is down to P22. 60 from a high of about P54. Other modes of transport experienced increases but have already reverted back to their original prices after the costs of gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (main fuel for most of the taxi cabs) have gone down. Cost of Food During the 2007 global food crisis, the world experienced inflation in the prices of basic goods such as corn. This is due to the food versus fuel debate which was sparked by the eagerness of the entire world to embrace the use of biofuels. Today, the prices of corn and other basic food crops have been stabilized thanks to the development of other materials that can be used to produce the ethanol needed for biofuel blends. Some of these new materials include plants such as jatropha as well as marine algae. Presently, governments are starting to regulate the amount of land which can be used for the planting of crops that will be used for ethanol production.

A Sense Of Urgency In Your Workforce Business Essay

A Sense Of Urgency In Your Workforce Business Essay The term Change Management refers to managing change successfully in any and all spheres of our lives, not just at work. Wherever the change happens, it is not easy to handle. Most often, the change that happens tends to complicate matters rather than simplifying them. Frequently, when we talk about change, it is in the organizational context, though there are personal and social changes that can be just as hard or even more difficult to handle. Like Gandhi said, We should try to be the change we want to see. If we approach any change, whether it is personal, professional or social, with an open mind, then the chances of successfully coping with it increases. Why is Change so Hard? It is hard because, when we go about our daily lives, we perform most of the mundane tasks on autopilot. We hardly use our conscious mind. Imagine switching on the coffee maker in the morning. You hardly open your eyes when you do it; now imagine that you have traded your regular coffee maker for an espresso machine. How hard do you find it to make your first cup of coffee in the morning? Likewise, in our professional lives too, we get used to our routine and become set in our ways; so we tend to use our subconscious minds more than we think, even at work. So, when there is change afoot, our subconscious mind, which is primitive, is wary of getting re-programmed, to learning new ideas and functions, and so feels threatened. This elemental resistance to re-learning new ideas and functions is the reason, we are resistant to change, which makes changing so difficult. Ch: 1 INDIVIDUAL CHANGE To improve is to change; to be perfect is to constantly change. Winston Churchill. Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Barrack Obama were all well aware of the power of the individual and his ability to effect in himself and in his society. They managed to mobilize millions of people to change the way individuals, communities and governments function by just their beliefs and their tenacity. From their achievements, we know just what one person can do when he or she is steadfast in his or her beliefs and principles. These great souls have managed to bring about mind-boggling changes in their societies and their governments, just by being strong. Each of these great men and women started off as ordinary citizens; each underwent some intense upheaval in their lives that changed them completely. This change brought them greatness and untold benefits to the world around them. Every type of change, whether individual, organizational or societal, starts ultimately with the individual. However, most of us, in our eagerness to succeed, end up committing one of two common mistakes that people make when it comes to change: we either implement the changes much too slowly to be effective, like dipping our toes to test the waters. Or we go overboard and jump in headfirst in our enthusiasm and end up drowning. If you try to change too much too soon, there is the likelihood of you getting frustrated and giving up. It is easy to advocate others to change than to try and change oneself. However, too slow a change might also not bring enough results and lead you to getting disheartened, and hence abandoning the changes. Moderation is the key to success. Everything in moderation should be the cardinal rule for success. Change what you can, without causing too much disruption to your system and routine, and you will succeed. Whether the change you are trying to effect is trivial like your diet or exercise routine or is major like overcoming an addiction or changing your outlook, etc., try it in moderation to succeed. For instance, if you are trying to lose weight or quit smoking, unsuccessfully, try to reduce your portions, while increasing your exercise by maybe 10 minutes, instead of going on a crash diet; likewise, cut down on the number of cigarettes or on the nicotine content, or go for a smaller cigarette with less nicotine. All it needs is a little will power to change, and change successfully. Remember to come up with a realistic plan; also find a good outlet for your possible frustrations; try change counseling; and last but not least, try and remind yourself that the mind controls the body. Try to find inspiration from the world around you, and know that nothing lasts forever; everything is transient and change is the only constant in life! ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE: The first thing to understand, and understand well, about Organizational Change is that it is an Ongoing Process and not a Single Event. Most organizations know the importance of being able to change with the economy and the market conditions. The economy and the market are not static; they are in a dynamic state, changing constantly. So to flourish, an organization should also be amenable to change. If you bend with the wind, you can survive; if you stand rigid, you will break. This is true for every being in nature and it is equally true for each organization. So organizations bring in experts who help them and their workforce to deal with the changed circumstances. Such experts are usually trained in Change Management, which can help individuals, teams and entire organizations to transition from their current state to a better future state. The many stumbling blocks in the path of positive change might be cultural, social or economic. A trained change management expert can identify such causes and address them to effect positive change. To understand Change and to help organizations to handle it better, one should first understand the factors behind the necessity to change, and how and in what form the Change is to take. There are many types of organizational changes, which are determined by some key factors like the goal of the proposed changes, the scope of the changes, the intensity and the time frame involved. Once these parameters are determined, the style of change, namely the implementation parameters have to be decided upon. The change can be instructional or participatory: which means that the change is dictated by the top management, or everyone brings their ideas and it is collaborative in nature; and whether the proposed change to be effected is structural or process-oriented: which goes to say if the changes are going to be in the organizational structure or in its processes. These sorts of crucial decisions, when arrived at after careful consideration of all the factors, are the decisions that can help your organization to change successfully. There should be no room for any ambivalence when setting the agenda for change. Clarity in thought and communication will help in achieving the desired results from your workforce by motivating them in the right way. According to Percy A. Dastur, author of The Art of Change Management, Organizational Change can be broadly classified into Organization-wide involving the entire organization Subsystem Change involving one small section or department Developmental Change involving improving the structure and processes and Remedial Change involving the fixing of any issues or problems that are an impediment to the healthy functioning of the business. There are some sub-classifications called Transformational Change, Incremental Change, Planned Change and Unplanned Change. These are self-explanatory in the type of change they bring about in the organization. The next key factor for Change to be considered is the change driver. A change driver can be External or Internal. In most cases, external change drivers can become catalysts for internal change. For instance during the recent global meltdown, giants like Microsoft and Caterpillar were drastically affected and were forced to cut costs and lay off employees. However, many other companies, large and small, were able to carry on, largely unaffected. This reflects the on the companies structure and policies. Though Caterpillar is the world leader in mining and earth-moving equipment manufacturing, it had to lay off almost 20,000 employees as its operational costs had to be cut down by 25% for it to weather the downturn in the global economy. This is a classic case of unplanned change brought about by an external factor. At times, technology ushers in change, whether you are willing or not; so it becomes a case of swim or sink. Case in point: Nokia was ruling the mobile market until 2004; then Apple came out with its iPod, that changed the way people listen to music; Sony, the world leader in individual portable music players with its Walkman, had to come up with a Network Walkman, after it realized it had to either join the mobile music brigade or lose out. After the unprecedented success of MP3 players, Sony realized that it had to come out with a similar product, or lose a chunk of the market, which might otherwise have stayed loyal to Sony. So in the case of technology-led consumer focused industries like music players and mobile phones, in which Sony and Nokia were the undisputed pioneers, external changes forced them into strategic change. This is an external driver leading to innovation and product enhancement. To truly understand the impact of one revolutionary product on an entire industry, you have to remember that in the case of technologically advanced industries, Apple is an industry outsider in three of the above four categories. Yet it had the entire music and mobile phone industry turn on its head with one single product. With the technological development in many areas growing by leaps and bounds, many organizations are kept on their toes, trying to keep with the latest developments. For instance, digital photography and the advent of the digital camera, gave stiff competition to the film photography industry, both the camera manufacturers and film suppliers, with new entrants like Casio, HP and IBM dominating the market. When the camera phone were introduced I market, the digital cameras are also struggling to find space in the consumers conscience. This is a classic example of technology being an external driver for change. Ch: 2 THE CHANGE PROCESS Generally, an organizational change is a complex maneuver, involving 4 core actions: appreciating the change, mobilizing support for the same, executing it and building change capability. It is the responsibility of the leadership to ensure that these actions are carried out, for successful change. Appreciating change involves appreciating the fact that change is difficult; it is so because it involves changing our mental models. When you talk about an organization as a single entity, you might forget the fact that it is made up of thousands of individuals scattered across the country or around the globe. So the idea of the organization is abstract and emotional than physical. This mental picture of the organization has to be changed, when you talk about changing the organization and that it is not an easy task. The proposed changes might be in any of the following areas of the organization, like marketing, manufacturing, processes, quality control, technology or productivity. Mobilizing support involves motivating your workforce to adapt the changes willingly and wholeheartedly; first the mental models of your managers have to be changed towards accepting the newly introduced changes. Only then they, in turn, can convince their teams to adopt the changes. You can opt for either imposing the changes and expect the support of your workforce, or you can expose them to the benefits of the proposed changes by addressing them and communicating the perceived benefits of the changes to the welfare of the entire organization. This will also help the workforce to develop a positive attitude towards the coming changes, which might ultimately lead to a successful change or an unsuccessful one. Depending on the size and structure of your organization, identify Change Strategists, who can strategize on what to change and its benefits; then appoint Change Implementers who are responsible for implementing the proposed changes; then identify and train the Change Recipients: they are the ones who are directly affected by the coming changes. So their co-operation will determine whether your change succeeds or fails. Executing change is the most critical component of organizational change and is not easy; this phase involves creating the actual new processes or procedures and implementing them; then troubleshooting as and when necessary. It is the most difficult part of the change process; many key people might not like the changes and decide to leave the organization; with a well thought out plan, and clearly outlined ideas for the type of change and scope of change, you can go to some extent to lessen the confusion and maintain some semblance of normality. Quite often, the outcome of the organizational change is decided in this phase; because if this implementing of the change does not happen as proposed, then it is almost a sure thing that it is about to fail. Building change capability is the long term plan for sustained changes so that the organization stays ahead of the competition in a fluid market. Just because you were able to change once successfully does not mean that from now onwards, it is going to be smooth sailing. Change has to be constant and you have to keep adapting and improving according to the fluctuating market conditions in order to stay ahead of the game. Again to help this happen, you have to identify innovative thinkers and strategists and equip them with the authority to effect similar changes and when they deem necessary, in order to sustain the advantages of the organizational change. One of the fundamental ways to help your workforce develop change capability is to help them to learn, how-to-learn; for, over the years, they would have developed their own style of functioning and working in a certain way; for them to change to a new system, they have to re-learn their jobs in the new system. It is not easy to discard something and re-learn a different way to do the same job. It involves enormous stress and re-training and can be quite taxing on your employees. So show them how to learn, for them to cope with change easily. CHANGE LEADERSHIP When your organization is in the middle of a change, or is set to change, your role as the leader is the most essential and influential one. You have the responsibility to understand the need to change, identify the changes needed, identify the people who can strategize and implement, and finally motivate your workforce into embracing that change. You are the cognitive tuner, efficacy builder, systems architect and also the people catalyser, according to V. Nilakant and S. Ramnarayan, authors of Change Management . So the importance of your role to the success of the process of organizational change cannot be overstated. As a leader, your contribution to the organizations future and towards a successful change should be a value proposition. What is a Value Proposition? It is a couple of phrases or statement that has 3 unique characteristics: it offers something of value to the customer; it is customer friendly and it has a differentiator that sets it apart from your competitors. Some fantastic examples of good value propositions are: Dominos offer of 30 minutes or free. It offers the hungry customer the chance to have his meal hot and in 30 minutes, failing which, he does not have to pay at all. This revolutionized the pizza delivery business. Dominos captured the customers mind space by giving a tangible guarantee, failing which instant reward. Walmarts price guarantee: Always Low Prices, Always. Googles faster and wider search results. BMWs ultimate driving experience, etc. Depending on the size of your organization, the change can be leader-driven, process-driven, team- driven, expert-driven or change management driven. The first approach is successful only in the case of small and medium sized concerns. Though you, as the leader will have the decision-making authority, the team driven change has a better chance of success. The process driven one, though, will take time as your workforce has to learn the new process and get comfortable before productivity can reach previously existing levels. Most organizations favor the last method: change management method, which is the team and expert driven method. This method of change brings to the table the expertise, the commitment, the technical know-how and the ownership qualities, thereby almost creating a fail-proof method of change. As a smart leader, you should be aware of the importance of ownership, involvement and commitment of your workforce to the change process for it to be successful in the long ru n. As the leader, you have to persuade your workforce to commit to the changes and there are experts whose ideas are remarkable. Consider the world-renowned social psychologist Robert Cialdini, who in his books about Influence, written after some 30 years in the field, expounds the best ways to persuade your workforce. The specialty of Cialdinis work is that it is based on research of people in industries like car dealerships, real estate, insurance sales, army recruiting and advertising, whose jobs depend on people saying yes to them. He then wrote the 6 Principles of Persuasion. They are Liking, Reciprocity, Social Proof, Consistency, Authority and Scarcity. Liking: When we hear a suggestion from someone we like, we tend to be positive towards that; on the other hand, when a suggestion comes from someone we do not like, we are predisposed to dismissing the suggestion, however valid or helpful it might be. Liking also stems from and towards similarity; so if someone like you tells you something, you are more likely to listen than to someone whom you might perceive as superior or inferior. So, rather than having a mass gathering where you announce the plans for the changes afoot, you need to first inform your team of senior personnel. Let them talk to their teams and so on until the frontline staff are informed by their own supervisors or managers. This will help them to be open to the coming changes, and also help them to feel included rather than being huddled into a great auditorium and addressed by someone from a podium or a screen. Reciprocity: This is nothing new; the Bible says it: Do unto others what you want others to do unto you. This is also Cialdinis expert opinion. When you treat people right and listen to them, they too will reciprocate. So, he recommends that in a large organization, identify those who are well liked and respected; tell them about the coming changes and enlist their help in communicating the same to their colleagues in a positive light. And generally if the workforce is treated well, and taken care of, in times of adversity, they will not mind helping by working extra hard or taking a pay cut or accepting the changes willingly and working harder to learn the new process or technology, as the case may be. However, if the organization is perceived as miserly, the workforce will be resistant to learning new processes that might be implemented as part of the changes. Social Proof: It means validation from our peers and those around us; we are unduly influenced by the opinions of those around us, which can often lead to thoughtless behavior. A classic example of this is the multiple car collisions that we see during rush hour; even though all lanes are moving, slowly but steadily, one driver decides to jump lanes to see if he can go faster; then the next one follows, leading to many others too trying to jump lanes; this leads to numerous collisions during rush hour, frequently. Also called the bandwagon effect, this is one of the best ways to influence your workforce and mobilize support. Consistency: Here it is not used in the usual sense of staying consistent, but rather means consistency in ones words and actions; this particularly carries weight when it comes to garnering support for the proposed changes, especially when they are publicly disclosed. As a general rule, something publicly declared is thought to be incontrovertible; when someone declares something in public, people do not expect them to go back on their word. In change management, this can be a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled manager. However, it will be effective only when it is used not to intimidate or threaten, but in consultation with the workforce. Authority: This principle goes to show that when an expert shares an opinion or fact, we tend to take it at face value; we dont question it or his authority. This expert driven change can be a powerful tool to convince your workforce to adopt the proposed changes in full measure, for the benefit of themselves and the organization. E. Sreedharan, who was invited to join the Delhi Metro, proved his authority by completing the ambitious project in time and on budget. He asked for and was granted full freedom in the operations and in the hiring and firing of his team, with no political influence, which is unprecedented in the Indian bureaucracy. Scarcity: This is based on the idea that we want what is restricted to us. If the workforce is told that unless the proposed changes are adopted whole-heartedly, they might lose their jobs, then they are more likely to work harder to assimilate the new changes and processed. We respond to the threat of something becoming scarce, than to the promise of some benefit. Our primitive psyche responds better to the threat of losing something than to the idea of gaining something. However, a manager should be careful to not use threats when explaining the potential losses. A leaders role when it comes to change management is never ending. One of his core duties is mobilizing support, and there are a hundred different ways, depending on the size, nature, structure and architecture of your organization. But one essential ability is the think out of the box and catch the imagination of your workforce and to be quick on your feet. To be able to out think the others is a great gift for a leader. You have to be a fast thinker, a brilliant strategist and skillful negotiator to be a successful change management leader. Consider this story: Just before a Presidential election, the Presidential campaign managers decided to release some three million brochures with a nice photo of the Presidential Candidate on the cover; almost on the eve of the planned blitzkrieg, in the last few weeks of the campaign, they found to their shock that the photo was copyrighted to a studio in Chicago. The campaign was in a quandary; they did not have the time to reprint the brochers; neither could they risk a lawsuit or a scandal at that late stage of the campaign; inquire about the studio and its owner brought further disturbing news. The owner was someone who was difficult and money-minded; so, after a brainstorming session, the campaign manager had his secretary shoot off a fax to the studio owner, which read: We are considering offering some studios a chance to sponsor a photo of the Presidential Candidate; when we win, it will be a chance for you to gain huge publicity mileage out of it; so what are you willing to pay us for using your photo? The story goes that the offer was a princely sum of $250; which the campaign manager promptly accepted and went ahead with the release of the brochure using the photo. The candidate was Roosevelt, in 1912 and the studio was Moffat Studios in Chicago. This story was told by Professor James Sebenius and the campaign manager is George Perkins. This shows that, if you are clear headed thinker, who can think on his feet, even major catastrophes can be skillfully avoided, just by deft handling, especially if you know human nature. This is the hallmark of a great leader! As a leader, you can beg and barter for change; it all depends on your target audience. If your audience will respond better to negotiation, then you can offer some deal which will benefit them hugely when the changes are in place and the organization is healthier. You also have to pick your time and do whatever is necessary to maintain the momentum. If you can get your workforce to genuinely believe and participate whole heartedly, the changes that you bring to your organization cannot help but succeed. The commitment of your workforce is the key to the success of the proposed changes! Ch: 3 EXECUTING CHANGE Dr. John Kotter, one of the leading authorities on Change Management and author of Leading Change says, Accelerate. It is better to change at a fast pace in order to keep ahead of your rivals, or else, chances are that you will be stuck in a perpetual game of catch-up. And for an organization to change successfully, the behavior of its employees has to collectively change; and that is a mammoth task. However brilliantly you plan and communicate it to your workforce, and get them committed to the idea of change, unless you execute the plan equally efficiently, all that effort will end up getting wasted, and the change process will become an utter failure even before its launch. To help in this Herculean endeavor, Dr. Kotter has devised an 8-step process, of which he says: There are still more mistakes that people make, but these eight are the big ones. In reality, Even successful change efforts are messy and full of surprises. But just as a relatively simple Vision is needed to guide people through a major change, so a vision of the change process can reduce the error rate. And fewer errors can spell the difference between success and failure. Dr. Kotter recommends learning from both your successes and your mistakes: Establish a sense of urgency in your workforce Examine your competition and the market realities. If the market is in a slump, be realistic in your expectations. In a recession, effecting change in your organization can go only so far in bringing results. Organizational change cannot compensate for the prevailing market conditions. As the senior management, you have to identify your weak areas as an organization, and also watch out for any potential crises in the offing. Communicate such looming crises to your employees so that they are ready and willing to accept the coming changes. Your success in changing for the better, as an organization, depends on your managers ability to convince their teams that the coming change is inevitable and that it will benefit the organization and everyone working for it. Plan your strategy to play to your unique strengths, and to take advantage of any opportunities. These initial steps will help you to motivate your employees and help them to adjust to the coming changes, as they have been made aware of the importance of the changes to the future of the organization. Establish a Powerful Guiding Coalition A guiding team made up of individuals from the teams across the board will help in promoting employee cooperation and in wider acceptance of the changes, because your employees feel like stakeholders and also as a part of the decision making coalition. This inclusive approach will yield better results when compared to a top-down approach. This coalition should also be vested with the authority to effect necessary changes within the organization and in its policies to improve the results of any transition planned. Most frequently, failure to improve employee participation in all levels leads to fostering of resentment towards the senior management and thereby resistance to the proposed changes. However, this does not mean that the top management is not responsible for effecting the desired changes. The onus is on the top management to see that employee morale is kept high and that the proposed changes are accepted and adopted by all. A Clear Vision a Simple Plan to Achieve it First you have to envision the changes you want to see in your organization, and then you will have a clear vision of the benefits that the proposed changes can bring to your organization, and then take the time to convey the same to your workforce. Then devise a simple plan to achieve that change, and convey that to your teams. This will help your workforce to feel that they are important to the company and also inculcate a sense of participation and inclusiveness. A simple and sensible plan can do wonders for an organization that wants change by motivating its employees. Simplicity will win every day over grandiose words and actions, as most people can see through them clearly. Share your Vision and your Plan When you share and communicate your vision of the positive changes and your plans to achieve the same, you can reap the untold benefits of employee participation. When your workforce feels included in the decision making, it inspires them to perform better as they feel like stakeholders and not just employees. It is always better for the organization when they volunteer and work harder on their own conviction, rather than being coerced in any way. In an organization with thousands of employees, such voluntary participation and ready support can make a huge difference to the outcome of the proposed changes. Empower your employees Identify those of your employees who can convince their colleagues to follow in their footsteps; when you workforce receives information that is promising from their peers, especially someone they like and respect. When you allocate such responsibilities, you should also allow room for individual ideas and action. New ideas and innovative suggestions should be encouraged and adopted where ever possible. This can go a long way in improving input and in inculcating a sense of ownership amongst your employees. This empowerment will also instill accountability in your workforce, thereby increasing productivity, as the sense of ownership will give them an incentive to see that the organization flourishes. As a corollary, restrictive actions on the part of senior staff and management should be discouraged, as they can be an impediment to successful and sustainable change. Strategize and Plan for Short Term Benefits Any vision for successful change has to be, inevitably on a long term basis; but little successes in the short term have to be acknowledged and rewarded, as that will help your employees feel positive about themselves, their changed circumstances, and also help to boost their morale. Set realistic short term goals and reward those who are successful in achieving them. For instance, you can set up annual reward programs for those who perform well in the newly formulated strategy, or master a newly introduced innovation; this will encourage better participation from your workforce in the changed strategies. Consolidate and Build to Further Improve By this stage of the change process, you should be able to see that your initial efforts are paying off; your employees have adjusted well to the changes and their productivity has increased. The changes have really helped your organization to perform better and to compete in the market, favorably, when compared to its competitors. But do not stop pushing hard, because now is not the time to rest on your laurels. Now is the time to forge ahead, firing on all cylinders and with more vigor. When you achieve positive results from change effected, you gain credibility. Use this credibility to push forward. Otherwise your sense of achievement might prove to be premature as it takes sustained effort to maintain difficult changes in an organization and change is an ongoing process. You can even hire or promote staffs who are open to change, without too much resistance fro

OLIVER CROMWELL :: essays research papers

There is definitely an association between John Knox and Oliver Cromwell. Knox, in his book The Reformation of Scotland, outlined the whole process without which the British model of government under Oliver Cromwell never would not have been possible. Yet Knox was more consistently covenantal in his thinking. He recognized that civil government is based on a covenant between the magistrate (or the representative or king) and the populace. His view was that when the magistrate defects from the covenant, it is the duty of the people to overthrow him. Cromwell was not a learned scholar, as was Knox, nevertheless God elevated him to a greater leadership role. Oliver Cromwell was born into a common family of English country Puritans having none of the advantages of upbringing that would prepare him to be leader of a nation. Yet he had a God-given ability to earn the loyalty and respect of men of genius who served him throughout his lifetime. John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress served under his command in the English Civil War, and John Milton, who penned Paradise Lost, served as his personal secretary. Cromwell's early years were ordinary, but after a conversion experience at age 27, he was seized by a sense of divine destiny. He became suddenly zealous for God. He was a country squire, a bronze-faced, callous-handed man of property. He worked on his farm, prayed and fasted often and occasionally exhorted the local congregation during church meetings. A quiet, simple, serious-minded man, he spoke little. But when he broke his silence, it was with great authority as he commanded obedience without question or dispute. As a justice of the peace, he attracted attention to himself by collaring loafers at a tavern and forcing them to join in singing a hymn. This exploit together with quieting a disturbance among some student factions at the neighboring town of Cambridge earned him the respect of the Puritan locals and they sent him to Parliament as their representative. There he attracted attention with his blunt, forcible speech as a member of the Independent Party which was made up of Puritans. The English people were bent upon the establishment of a democratic parliamentary system of civil government and the elimination of the "Divine Right of Kings." King Charles I, the tyrant who had long persecuted the English Puritans by having their ears cut off and their noses slit for defying his attempts to force episcopacy on their churches, finally clashed with Parliament over a long ordeal with new and revolutionary ideas. OLIVER CROMWELL :: essays research papers There is definitely an association between John Knox and Oliver Cromwell. Knox, in his book The Reformation of Scotland, outlined the whole process without which the British model of government under Oliver Cromwell never would not have been possible. Yet Knox was more consistently covenantal in his thinking. He recognized that civil government is based on a covenant between the magistrate (or the representative or king) and the populace. His view was that when the magistrate defects from the covenant, it is the duty of the people to overthrow him. Cromwell was not a learned scholar, as was Knox, nevertheless God elevated him to a greater leadership role. Oliver Cromwell was born into a common family of English country Puritans having none of the advantages of upbringing that would prepare him to be leader of a nation. Yet he had a God-given ability to earn the loyalty and respect of men of genius who served him throughout his lifetime. John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress served under his command in the English Civil War, and John Milton, who penned Paradise Lost, served as his personal secretary. Cromwell's early years were ordinary, but after a conversion experience at age 27, he was seized by a sense of divine destiny. He became suddenly zealous for God. He was a country squire, a bronze-faced, callous-handed man of property. He worked on his farm, prayed and fasted often and occasionally exhorted the local congregation during church meetings. A quiet, simple, serious-minded man, he spoke little. But when he broke his silence, it was with great authority as he commanded obedience without question or dispute. As a justice of the peace, he attracted attention to himself by collaring loafers at a tavern and forcing them to join in singing a hymn. This exploit together with quieting a disturbance among some student factions at the neighboring town of Cambridge earned him the respect of the Puritan locals and they sent him to Parliament as their representative. There he attracted attention with his blunt, forcible speech as a member of the Independent Party which was made up of Puritans. The English people were bent upon the establishment of a democratic parliamentary system of civil government and the elimination of the "Divine Right of Kings." King Charles I, the tyrant who had long persecuted the English Puritans by having their ears cut off and their noses slit for defying his attempts to force episcopacy on their churches, finally clashed with Parliament over a long ordeal with new and revolutionary ideas.

Amendments to the Constitution Essay -- First Amendment, Second Amend

The framers of our Constitution knew that time has a way of changing countries and their citizens. Our country was in a whirlwind of change in 1789 as people were experiencing freedom from the tyranny of England for the first time in their lives. Our country was being molded and formed into a great nation by the founding fathers. Expectations and rules had to be set to protect the rights of the minorities and majorities. Amendments to the Constitution were written to ensure equality for all in changing times. The First Amendment is one of the most recognized rights in the Bill of Rights. It is a basic right that seems to help define each person as an individual yet as part of an association. The amendment states that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances† (Constitution, Amendment 1) This amendment gave the right to secure and practice any religion. Religion was the reason that the Puritans left England. They wanted to be free to start their own churches and be free from religious persecution. The first amendment allows individuals the right to be part if any religion, if any, of their choosing. The vast majority of religious associations attest to this amendment: Catholics, Protestants, Scientologists, Jews, Hindus, and many, many more. United States citizens also enjoy the right to express themselves and their opinions in printed form or verbally. This is known as the freedom of the press. There are restrictions within reason, such as restrictions on libel and slander, and obscene act... ...ad a ban on handguns for 32 years. The ruling states that the Second Amendment guarantees the individual right to posses a firearm, even if they have no connection to a military organization, as long as the firearm is for law abiding reasons, such as self-defense in the home. (Fields, 2010). The First and Second Amendments will forever be ‘contemporary issues’. The rights that are guaranteed to us are the same ones that allow us to question our government and allow for change. It will be a challenge for our courts to keep up with the changing times yet keep our rights intact. These rights are part of the foundation of our society. The framers had insightful intent to include the basic rights of all people for generations. Our great nation has flourished because of these rights- they allow each all of us to be unique individuals while being completely whole.