See Attachment Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

See Attachment - Term Paper Example The objective of this article is to investigate the implications of allegories of house and utilized by a scope of unmistakable American writers. William Faulkner, known for his complex technique for encoding his planned importance in explicit symbolism and similitudes, is especially enthused about utilizing house allegories. Their implications contrast starting with one work then onto the next, yet a few inclinations might be recognized. Investigation of the house analogy in Absalom! Absalom!, William Faulkner’s most acclaimed novel, gives understanding into how the creator sees the house figuratively. In Absalom! Absalom!, the picture of a spooky house is obviously allegorical. It is the dim self important place of the novel’s hero Sutpen that functions as an illustration of the â€Å"dark† South †fixated on racial disparity and collection of riches in administration. Thomas Sutpen, who was once conceived in neediness, goes to a town in Mississippi to buy land, manufacture a house on it, and start his line. The general pitiful story of Sutpen’s house is an illustration for the South. Similarly as Sutpen and his child Henry detest individuals of color and disavow them, the white-overwhelmed South does. Similarly as Thomas and Henry Sutpen lose their lives as clear compensation for their scorn and want of â€Å"purity†, with their vainglorious house set demolishes by fire, the South, which facilitated the oppressors and the mistreated, gets torched for uncaring treatment of its dark youngsters. Correspondingly to how Sutpen’s child Charles, who was conceived with only one parent present from a mother who had a little extent of dark blood, is killed at the entryways of the chateau, many individuals of color are made to work to death or lynched based on their skin shading distinction. It is this foul play in mix with absence of humankind and inordinate self-pride that have driven the South to its devastation in the w ar and has truly set it on fire. The house and its vain proprietor Sutpen along with his â€Å"dynasty† are bound to fall because of their inalienable blemishes, as where subjugation blossoms (i.e., the house) and as the wellspring of imbalance and racial disdain (i.e., Thomas Sutpen).Thus, house represents a piece of American land, the South, and has a scope of negative meanings as a position of racial disparity, bad form, melancholy, and rot. It likewise develops as an image of bound Southern perspective: abolitionist bondage, harsh points are destined for ruination. In Tony Morrison’s tale Beloved, house advances as an allegory of condition that should sustain and freeing. It additionally comes as an illustration of an unfulfilled fantasy about being liberated from bondage and safe. Moreover, house speaks to a spot where individuals call their quality and make their techniques. Additionally, the house may represent a legend/heroine’s soul and body, bound to s peak to the inward condition of the hero, however. It is additionally an image of opportunity and wellbeing. In the sections to follow, these cases will be clarified and upheld by the proof from the novel. In Beloved, home turns into the focal point of mission by the novel’s hero youthful dark lady Sethe. Sethe, as her life sequentially unfurls in the novel, ends up continually influencing to and fro between subjection, mortification, peril, which might be alluded to as her place of risk; and opportunity, security, and noble/cheerful living in a dark network, which is seen as her home. Sweet Home, the place of Mr and Mrs Garner, is

Invisible Man By Ellison Essays - Puppetry, Invisible Man, Dolls

Imperceptible Man By Ellison Life on the Strings Dolls. We are encircled by dolls. G. I. Joe, Barbie, Polly Pocket, and WWF activity figures. Before our plasticene companions we had paper dolls, puppets, and carefully included porcelain dolls. We are peculiarly interested by these chilly, inert articles that look so much such as ourselves. Kids grasp them and make expand scenes, while grown-ups are substance to essentially gather, permitting them to sit, unmoving on a rack, gazing coolly back at their live partners. Which carries us to and fascinating point, are individuals basically dolls for others to play with or gather? One could make the arguement that we are on the whole Tod Cliftons', bound to move by undetectable strings while wearing a veil of independence. In any case, dissimilar to Tod Clifton, a large portion of us won't understand that who pulls the string, isn't ourselves. Ralph Ellison's novel, The Invisible Man is loaded with pictures of dolls as though to continually reminded the peruser that nobody is in finished control of themselves. Our first case of doll symbolism comes right off the bat in the novel with the Battle Royal scene. The bare, blonde lady is depicted as having hair that was yellow like that of a bazaar kewpie doll (19). Ellison draws an extremely solid association between the predicament of the Negro man and the white lady. The reality that they are both appeared as manikins or dolls in the work is no happenstance. The lady and the African are just show pieces for the white men in the novel. Tod Clifton's moving Sambo dolls are the most striking case of doll symbolism. This little tissue paper doll has the ability to totally change the Undetectable Man. At the point when he sees that the ground-breaking and cryptic Clifton is the one peddling the detestable dolls, the storyteller is so loaded up with embarrassment and rage that he spits upon the moving figure. Yet, would could it be that has caused this flooding of anger? It is Tod Clifton and not simply the storyteller who has debased to such a base level. Notwithstanding, it is our storyteller's unexpected cognizance of his own circumstance that causes his anger. The line For a second our eyes met furthermore, he gave me a disdainful grin (433) shows this snapshot of acknowledgment for our storyteller. It shows the peruser that Tod Clifton knew about his situation as a manikin from the beginning and decides to edify the storyteller at this specific point in the novel. The Invisible Man perceives that for his entire life he's been a slave and a manikin to other people. Regardless of whether those others were Bledsoe, his granddad, or the fellowship is unimportant, however there has consistently been and intangible string appended to him overseeing all that he does. Not just a string however his own physical qualities reverberation those of the bizarre Sambo dolls. It's cardboard hands were held into clench hands. The fingers plot in orange paint, and I saw that it had two faces, one on either side of the plates of cardboard, and both smiling. (446) Hands multiplied into clench hands? This is the fellowship message more or less, Strong, prepared to battle for what one as far as anyone knows has confidence in. However, simultaneously these clench hands are controlled solely by the one holding the strings. What's more, the dark Sambo manikin willfully ignorant that he is just a toy. He grins to the group and back to the puppeteer. It is the smile on the essence of this doll at first rankles the Invisible Man. Be that as it may, why? Recalling the very beginning of the novel we have the Grandfather's perishing words to our storyteller, ...overcome them with yesses, subvert them with smiles, concur them to death and destruction... (16). It would appear as if the Grandfather and Tod Clifton are allied with each other as the two of them have a firm handle on what power men have over men. We get a ground-breaking and upsetting picture of this very thought when the Invisible Man is in the industrial facility medical clinic after the blast. It is a scene that appears to blur into the hodgepodge of disarray that goes with this piece of the novel, yet it is regardless significant. As the storyteller lies in his glass encased box with wires and terminals appended all over his body, he is exposed to stun treatment. See, he's moving, somebody called. No, truly? ... They truly have mood, isn't that right? Get hot, kid! Get hot! it said with a chuckle. (237) This picture is right around an ideal match with that

Visiting MIT this summer (part 1)

Visiting MIT this summer (part 1) It is now high season for visiting colleges. I plan to do a series of entries on how to visit MIT and Boston this summer. For those of you who plan to visit, please leave your questions in the comments; I will answer them in future entries. For families who have already visited, feel free to leave your advice on visiting MIT and Boston in the comments; I will pass that advice on in the posts to come. A visit to Boston to visit colleges is quite appealing to many families. There are more than 50 colleges and universities in Greater Boston, making it easy to visit a variety of colleges from one base. Most of the major universities are on subway lines, so renting a car (and trying to navigate Boston roads) is not necessary. And Boston is an exciting, historic city that offers something interesting for the entire family. MIT offers information sessions followed by campus tours twice daily, at 10am and 2pm, every weekday (except July 4th) throughout the summer. The summer information sessions meet in the Lobdell Food Court at the Stratton Student Center. No reservations are necessary. The information sessions are 45 minutes in length and are conducted by admissions officers (I do about 2 of those sessions each week). The information session provides an overview of MIT: its culture, academic environment, etc. The admissions officer will also discuss the application process and financial aid. At the conclusion of the tour, student tour guides lead a tour of campus. Stops include the Athletic Center, the Student Center, academic buildings including Main Campus and the Stata Center, Killian Court (have your camera ready), libraries, and, during the summer only, a student dorm room. The tour lasts approximately 75 minutes. After your session and tour, we encourage you to explore MIT a bit on your own, visiting departments, labs, food establishments, and more. You can visit the Admissions Reception Center (Room 10-100) to get a campus map, the brochure The Exploration Equation which suggests some interesting places to visit at MIT that arent on the tour, and, of course, some friendly advice. We can also suggest some good places to get lunch or dinner on campus or in the neighborhoods around MIT. In future entries, Ill answer your visiting-related questions, post advice from previous visitors, discuss transportation to around Boston, give some tourism advice, and suggest some good places to stay and eat. Also, see todays sidebar entry, a listing of session tour times for major Boston-area colleges.

Antigone - 6411 Words

Introduction The story behind Antigone is well-known. Antigone’s father was Oedipus. When he was born, it was prophesied that he would kill his own father and marry his mother. To avoid this, his parents had him sent out to be killed. The servant tasked with this, however, could not kill him and left him on a hillside to die of natural causes. He was discovered and raised by a poor family, and then later he returned and unknowingly fulfilled the prophesy, becoming in the process the king of Thebes. When the truth of this became known to him, he blinded himself. This story is the subject of the first two plays by Sophocles in the Oedipus cycle, Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus. Four children were born of that incestuous†¦show more content†¦But Polynices, just as unhappily fallen–the order Says he is not to be buried, not to be mourned ; To be left unburied, unwept, a feast of flesh For keen-eyed carrion birds. The noble Creon! It is against you and me he has mad e this order. Yes, against me. And soon he will be here himself To make it plain to those that have not heard it, And to enforce it. This is no idle threat; The punishment for disobedience is death by stoning. So now you know. And now is the time to show Whether or not you are worthy of your high blood. ISMENE: My poor Antigone, if this is really true, What more can I do, or undo, to help you? ANTIGONE: Will you help me? Will you do something with me? Will you? ISMENE: Help you do what, Antigone? What do you mean? ANTIGONE: Would you help me lift the body ...you and me ? ISMENE: You cannot, mean .., to bury him? Against the order? ANTIGONE: Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it Or not? I shall never desert him, never. ISMENE: How could you dare, when Creon has expressly forbidden it? ANTIGONE: He has no right to keep me from my own. ISMENE: O sister, sister, do you forget how our father Perished in shame and misery, his awful sin Self-proved, blinded by his own self-mutilation? And then his mother, his wife--for she was both-- Destroyed herself in a noose of her own making. And now our brothers, both in a single day Fallen in an awful exaction of death forShow MoreRelatedAntigone By Sophocles Antigone1525 Words   |  7 Pagesnothing that the gods demand† (1349-1350). Sophocles’ Antigone takes place in a trying time for the city of Thebes, when Oedipus, their king, and most of the royal family have died, and Creon has just been appointed the new king. Throughout the play, Creon tries on his power as the new ruler, and seems to believe that the gods will not be angry with some of his choices as king, even though they directly violate the divine law. However, in Antigone, when there is a conflict between the divine law andRead Moreantigone987 Words   |  4 Pageshamartia and lastly they need to re alize their mistakes and accept their consequences. In Antigone, there are two main characters that fit the criteria of a tragic hero, but only the protagonist, Antigone meets all of the conditions. Antigone meets the second requirement of a tragic heroine, by fulfilling the criteria of being neither entirely good nor completely bad. In the opening of the play, Antigone asks her sister, Ismene to help her give Polynieces a proper burial but Ismene disagrees becauseRead MoreThe Choices Of Antigone And Sophocles Antigone1560 Words   |  7 Pagesthat Antigone and Creon face in Sophocles’ Antigone differ, their decisions often end up pitted against each other’s, inviting comparison. Since I am juxtaposing the characters’ degrees of rightness, I believe that the rightness of the reasoning, not just their ultimate stances, should be examined. The entirety of his or her argument, not just the conclusion, must be taken into account. I’ll also note that my perspective of rightness could and does conflict with that of the gods in Antigone and SophoclesRead MoreCharacterization of Antigone in Sophocles Antigone2448 Words   |  10 PagesSophocles’ tra gic drama, Antigone, presents to the reader a full range of characters: static and dynamic, flat and round; they are portrayed mostly through the showing technique. In â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone,† Charles Paul Segal takes the stand that there are two protagonists in the drama (which conflicts with this reader’s interpretation): This is not to say that there are not conceptual issues involved in the characters of Creon and Antigone. But the issues areRead MoreAntigone Summary771 Words   |  4 Pagesunburied to rot. Antigone was dejected with Creon’s ruling and decided to bury Polynices herself. She tried to enlist Ismene to help her, but Ismene was to afraid. Antigone furiously continued with the plan on her own. A sentry discovered Antigone and brought her to Creon. Ismene was also brought to Creon and confessed that she had helped Antigone with the burial rites of Polynices. Antigone stopped Ismene and told her not to admit to an act that she had not committed. Antigone took sole responsibilityRead MoreAntigone2454 Words   |  10 PagesAntigone– The Characterization Sophocles’ tragic drama, Antigone, presents to the reader a full range of characters: static and dynamic, flat and round; they are portrayed mostly through the showing technique. In â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone,† Charles Paul Segal takes the stand that there are two protagonists in the drama (which conflicts with this reader’s interpretation): This is not to say that there are not conceptual issuesRead More Antigone Essay1318 Words   |  6 PagesAntigone Essay In any story or piece of literature, there will always be the main characters to fill the pages with incessant adventure. The characters whose names appear on almost every page and the characters whose actions the story revolves around. However, a story will also always have its minor characters. These are the characters that contribute heavily to the plot, yet arent mentioned quite as often and are underestimated regarding their importance in the story. In the Greek masterpieceRead More Antigone Essay3001 Words   |  13 PagesSUBJECT Antigone is a play about a woman who disobeyed the Kings order to not bury her brother. The play was written by the famous Greek tragedian, Sophocles, in 441 B.C. The story took place in the city of Thebes and the time period is not mentioned. The main characters introduced in the play are of Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon. The primary focus was centered on Antigone and the consequences she faces after breaking the Kings orders. In the beginning, the author introduced Antigone and herRead MoreEssay on Antigone1426 Words   |  6 Pagesimprudent judgments will ultimately suffer from the consequences of their actions. In Sophocles Antigone, these prejudices notably surface in the form of paternalism as demonstrated through Creons government, highlighting the importance of gender roles throughout the play. Therefore, analyzing the motif of gender roles and its effect on the definition of justice through the perspectives of Ismene, Antigone, and Creon enables the audience to understand how Sophocles macroscopic analogy to humanitysRead MoreAntigone by Sophocles622 Words   |  3 PagesIn the playwright Antigone by Sophocles, the characters reveal their values while exposing a life lessons through their actions, dialogue, thoughts ,and effects on others. Antigone starts with two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, being killed at battle. Creon, the king of Thebes, declares that Eteocles’ death will be h onored and Polyneices’ dishonored. He instead will lay unburied to become the food of animals. When the play opens, Antigone takes Ismene, Antigone and Ismene are sisters of the dead

Obtaining A Bank Loan Crisis - 3102 Words

Creation of additional debt Obtaining a bank loan, just as any debt, increases a government’s aggregate amount of debt. Additional debt is of concern for bondholders as it can weaken a government’s debt position. Knowledge of a government’s entire debt burden is essential in credit and risk analysis. Contingent liquidity risk Some bank loan agreements may have covenants or terms that may be more favorable to loan agreements over existing bonds. In some cases banks may be able to effectively prioritize repayment of a bank loan over existing bonds. Certain terms may increase the liquidity risk of the government based on these alternative financing agreements. Terms of loan agreements need to be disclosed to assess and analyze a government’s liquidity position. This is especially the case under acceleration clauses, cross-default provisions, and debt reserve requirements. Interest rate risk As for most of the cases, the interest rate on the direct bank loan is a variable rate with predetermined interest reset dates or an index upon which it is based (usually LIBOR or SIFMA rate). Therefore, if the interest rate rises to a level above that for which the government has budgeted, the unbudgeted interest costs would weaken the government’s cash flow, liquidity and credit quality, especially when the interest rate is elevated for an extended period. That is to say, there would be a risk of an increase in the interest rate, which would potentially lead to the loss of those whoShow MoreRelatedThe Financial Crisis Of 20081125 Words   |  5 PagesA mortgage meltdown and financial crisis of unbelievable magnitude was brewing and very few people, including politicians, the media, and the poor unsuspecting mortgage borrowers anticipated the ramifications that were about to occur. The financial crisis of 2008 was the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression; ultim ately coalescing into the largest bankruptcies in world history--approximately 30 million people lost their jobs, trillions of dollars in wealth diminished, and millions ofRead MoreNegative Effects Of Borrowing Money716 Words   |  3 Pagesbusinesses who drive the global economy. However, one only needs to look at the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s as well as the financial crisis of 2007-2008 here in America to see the devastating effects on borrowers and lenders of making bad loans. During and after the recessions associated with these crises, traditional banks and mortgage lenders relied heavily on obtaining collateral to secure loans. The typical collateral such as real estate was underwater in value, and the real estateRead MoreThe 2008 Financial Crisis Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduction The 2008 financial crisis led to a sharp increase in mortgage foreclosures primarily subprime leading to a collapse in several mortgage lenders. Recurrent foreclosures and the harms of subprime mortgages were caused by loose lending practices, housing bubble, low interest rates and extreme risk taking (Zandi, 2008). Additionally, expert analysis on the 2008 financial crisis assert that the cause was also due to erroneous monetary policy moves and poor housing policies. The federal governmentRead MoreEssay On Regulating American Banks1033 Words   |  5 PagesRegulating American Banks An article appearing in the Finance and Economics section of The Economist print edition with the headline ‘‘Turn of the wheel’’ discusses the Treasury proposing measures of cutting red tape. The article notes after President Trump assumed office, he vowed to restructure the elephantine law which had recast financial regulation following the 2007-08 crisis. Thus, he asked Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary to measure all the rules of America against 7 broad principlesRead MoreThe Mortgage Crisis Of 2007905 Words   |  4 Pages The mortgage crisis of 2007 marked catastrophe for millions of homeowners who suffered from foreclosure and short sales. Most of the problems involving the foreclosing of families’ homes could boil down to risky borrowing and lending. Lenders were pushed to ensure families would be eligible for a loan, when in previous years the same families would have been deemed too high-risk to obtain any kind of loan. With the increase in high-risk families obtaining loans, there was a huge increase in homeRead MoreCurrent Issues Project On Peer Lending1643 Words   |  7 Pagescurrently offer peer-to-peer loans. Inspired by the 2008 financial crisis, both the Lending Club and Prosper saw the Todd Dockley Act of 2010 as an opportunity to satisfy financial needs in a unique way that banks could not offer. Peer-to-peer lending is transforming the way individuals acquire loans and challenging traditional banking norms. Lenders and borrowers alike have a new banking option thanks to peer-to -peer lending that comes with several pros and cons. Peer-to-peer loans follow the ongoing trendRead MoreIceland s Impact On The Economy1105 Words   |  5 Pagesflexible exchange rate allowed Icelandic government to come up with rapid resolution of its banking crisis without bailing out creditors. Iceland s combination of a flexible exchange rate and a policy of closing its failed banks appears to have served the country well in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Banking crises in Iceland and Ireland came to a head at the height of the financial crisis in September and October 2008. These countries took quite different approaches in dealing with theseRead MoreThe Bank Of New Zealand1000 Words   |  4 Pagesattracted to invest in the housing sector due to the rise and the banks and lenders also felt secured to lend them. Over reliance on the high mortgage value made banks feel safe and the quality and standards of loans started getting compromised. When the prices started falling down the problem was raised in whole industry. The banks ANZ, BNZ, Westpac and ASB are considered four big banks of New Zealand. According to RBNZ (2005) these four banks were holding 65% of total asset being held by entire financialRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis ( Gfc )1087 Words   |  5 PagesThe Global Financial Crisis (GFC) began in July 2007 in the United States (US) following the decline in the countries already poor credit ratings and the subsequent collapse of the US housing market and prominent investment bank Lehman Brothers which sent a wave of fear around global economies including Australia and resulted in the largest drop in global economic activity in the modern era. (W. McKibbin, A.Stoeckel, 2009, pg 1). During the years before the crisis there was a significant increaseRead MoreThe Financial Crisis Of 20081326 Words   |  6 PagesCongress met the opposition half way by slowly incorporating direct federal loans but still keeping guarantees in place for the banks. After the financial crisis of 2008, President Obama completely eliminated the middleman and fully implemented direct student loans (Kingkade). Although this stopped large banks from profiting off of government backed loans, it still didn’t reduce the supply of loans or the ease of obtaining them. Availability of Credit As tuition has been on the steady rise, student

Semiotic Analysis of Teenage Magazine Front Covers Free Essays

string(37) " the eye is initially drawn towards\." In this essay I will hope to analyse the semiotic codes of the front covers of teenage magazines to demonstrate how the media constructs the image and behavioural ideology of the teenage girl. I will analyse issue 359 of More! (December 27 th 2001 – January 8th 2002) and compare it with the January 2002 edition of 19. I have chosen these specific texts as they are popular mainstream magazines that are available in most newsagents, and therefore arguably represent to the reader what constitutes the modern teenage girl. We will write a custom essay sample on Semiotic Analysis of Teenage Magazine Front Covers or any similar topic only for you Order Now These are also the most recent issues available for analysis and therefore demonstrate an up-to-date representation of constructed femininity in our media and society. Jonathan Bignell (1997) argues that the magazine is â€Å"just a collection a signs† (Bignell 1997: 78). These signs may include paradigmatic and syntagmatic elements such as the title of the magazine, the fonts used, the layout, the colours, the texture of the paper, the language adopted, the content of the articles and so on, and each of these signs have been chosen to generate a meaning. The magazine is therefore a complex collection of signs that can be extensively decoded and analysed by its reader – â€Å"women’s magazines communicate their mythic meaning by means of signs, thus their representations of the imaginary are dependent on the symbolic, the signs which do the communicating† (Bignell 1997: 78). Signs however, consisting (according to Saussure) of two elements, a signifier and a signified, only gain meaning when â€Å"it has someone to mean to† (Williamson 1978: 40). The reader is therefore very important and will bring his/her own interpretations to the texts by drawing on their own cultural values and perceptual codes. As Daniel Chandler argues, â€Å"‘decoding’ involves not simply basic recognition and comprehension of what a text ‘says’ but also the interpretation and evaluation of its meaning with reference to relevant codes† (Chandler, web source: Semiotics for Beginners). As the relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary and meaning is rooted in cultural values, we can argue that the potential interpretations of any given magazine are therefore endless. As well as being a collection of signs, the magazine is a sign in itself, which â€Å"connects together the mythic meanings of femininity and pleasure† (Bignell 1997: 66). Through reading the pages a reader will gain an insight into the world of the woman and will be taught what are the expectations made of them as women (they learn what it is to be a woman). McRobbie (1996) argues that magazines seek to â€Å"further consolidate and fix an otherwise more unstable sense of both self and gender† (in Curran 1996: 193), and so magazines seem to be central to society as they create a culture, a culture of femininity where a common experience of girlhood is shared. Bignell argues that the function of magazines is â€Å"to provide readers with a sense of community, comfort, and pride in this mythic feminine identity† (Bignell 1997: 61). As the magazine promotes a â€Å"feminine culture† and â€Å"(defines) and (shapes) the woman’s world† (McRobbie 2000: 69), we can see that it becomes a familiar friend for the female – it advises her, and provides entertainment, amusement and escapism for the reader and speaks to her in a language she understands – the lingo of teenagers is used in 19 and More! , for example â€Å"Top Totty†. Bignell sees that â€Å"magazines are glossy and colourful, connoting pleasure and relaxation rather than seriousness†¦ the smell and feel of the glossy paper connotes luxury†¦ femininity and its pleasures of self-adornment† (1997: 66). The magazine therefore symbolises a lifestyle, a life of luxury and pleasure. The magazine claims to be simultaneously a luxury item and a familiar friend to its reader. It attempts to convince us that it is not a fictive document, that it is a true reflection of reality, a window into the real world of the woman. It is argued that the average teenage reader will be a heterosexual girl seeking a boyfriend (or seeking a way to gratify the needs of her boyfriend), enjoying shopping, fashion, and popular culture and needing plenty of advice on sex and love. These assumptions pervade the contents of mainstream teenage magazines, with features such as â€Å"Position of the Fortnight† and â€Å"Celebrity Hair Special† frequently appearing within the pages. This is the reader to whom most teenage magazines cater – they broadcast to a stereotypical mass (which is arguably an artificial epresentation and does not reflect the identities and lives of all teenage girls). In order to analyse the image and behavioural ideology of the teenage girl offered within teenage magazines, I will attempt to investigate some semiotic codes within More! and 19. The front cover is an important aspect of the magazine as it initially attracts the reader and is a taster of what can be seen within the c ontents of the magazine. It is an â€Å"important advertisement† and â€Å"serves to label its possessor† (McLoughlin 2000: 5). This is certainly a factor that influences the purchasing behaviours of young teenage girls who attempt to appear more mature and more sexually knowledgeable by buying a magazine aimed at girls 4 or 5 years their senior. The front cover will also promise that â€Å"the contents of the magazine†¦ will fulfil the needs of the individual and her group† and sells a â€Å"future image† of the reader as â€Å"happier, more desirable† (Bignell 1997: 67). By merely looking at the front cover of a magazine therefore, a potential reader will be able to determine how far it will fulfil their needs. There are many similar defining paradigmatic and syntagmatic elements on the covers of More! and 19 that would attract a teenage girl to purchase the magazines. These demonstrate effectively the dominant ideology of teenage femininity in the media. Firstly, the titles anchor the texts to the genre of teenage magazines. 19 seems to be directed at a person who is 19, or at least who thinks she is as mature as a 19year old. As the title stands boldly in the top left-hand corner of the page, this is the image that the eye is initially drawn towards. You read "Semiotic Analysis of Teenage Magazine Front Covers" in category "Papers" If we are to adopt Kress and Leeuwen’s theory of layout, this will also give the magazine a sense of idealism, suggesting that the reader should aspire to attain the life and image referred to within the pages (in Bell 1997: 193). The title More! also acquires this quality of idealism, but as the word stretches across the width of the page it could be suggested that the More! reader is more sassy and larger than life in comparison to the more mature or sophisticated reader of 19 (this is further substantiated by the exclamation mark -More! and by the girlish pink colour of the 19 logo). The taglines reinforce these ideas as they are placed directly underneath the titles in a contrasting black font. 19 states that the magazine is â€Å"Barefaced Cheek! † which implies that all is bared in the magazine, the reader is given extensive coverage of the issues of sex, love and fashion. However this tagline could also be interpreted (perhaps to a non-teenager reader) as implyin g that the reader of 19 is cheeky and impertinent. It is only the exclamation mark after the words and the positioning underneath the well-known and recognisable logo of 19 that anchor the preferred reading for the reader – as the reader will presumably be familiar with the content of the magazine, the polysemic nature of the tagline will not be apparent to them. This familiarity with content is also needed to fully appreciate the tagline on the cover of More! – â€Å"Smart girls Get More! â€Å". On the one hand, it is suggested that smart girls buy the magazine as they know it will provide pleasure and information for them, and on the other hand it is suggested that smart girls (the attractive More! reader) get more out of life, love, and, most importantly, sex. Reading More! will improve your life on many levels, if you listen to the advice offered within the magazine. The tagline adopted by More! is therefore effective as the modern British teenage girl will construe an appropriate interpretation that will give them the urge to buy the product. Both 19 and More! lso attempt to attract their readers by placing a female character in the centre of the cover. This is a particularly interesting characteristic if we are to consider that corresponding male magazines similarly adopt central female models, either posing seductively or like the typical ‘girl-next-door’, on their covers. It could indeed be argued that one could successfully (and with minimal disruption) take the models from the covers of More! and 19 and place them on a magazine such as FHM that adheres to its own set of generic codes and conventions and encourages very different interpretations from its reader. According to Bignell, the images of beautiful women on the covers of female magazines are â€Å"iconic signs which represent the better self which every woman desires to become† (Bignell 1997: 69). The figure thus represents the self for the reader, a future image that is attainable for her if she continues reading and learning from the magazine. On a male magazine however the same figure would represent a sexual image, an object to be attained by the male reader. It becomes evident therefore that â€Å"men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at †¦ Thus she turns herself into an object – and most particularly, and object of vision: a sight† (Berger in Vestergaard Schroder 1992: 81). This is a somewhat negative interpretation of the centrality of women on the covers of magazines. However, Bignell sees that â€Å"while the cover image is for a woman to look at, it is constructed with reference to a wider social code in which being feminine means taking pleasure in looking at oneself, and taking pleasure in being looked at by men† (my italics, Bignell 1997: 71). Bignell therefore seems to empower the woman in his analysis of cover models, noting that women simultaneously enjoy looking and being looked at. The genre (or textual code) in which the image appears is therefore a fundamental contributor to the construed interpretations made by the reader. As stated above, the model on the cover of a female teenage magazine represents the self for the reader. The models seen on the given issues of 19 and More! therefore seem to illustrate the characteristics of their targeted readers. The model seen on the cover of 19 is the typicalblonde haired, tanned, tall and slim girl with perfect complexion and perfect features. But the reader is not led to feel envious of the model – on the contrary, she is encouraged to believe that this is an ordinary 19 reader (on the inside cover she is identified simply as â€Å"Emily†), and is the beautiful woman inside each of us, waiting to be unleashed (and reading 19 willunleash this beauty from within the reader). The diamante necklace connotes luxury and sophistication, and the sequined boob tube connotes a fun, bubbly nature and draws attention to her slim body (her sex appeal). With her long blond hair flowing gently away from her face to reveal dazzling green eyes (ironically in this context, green traditionally being associated with the colour of envy), she can be seen as iconic for the reader (in the non-semiotic sense), and as seductive for the male reader. She embodies the message that 19 habitually transcribe to the reader – look innocent and beautiful and yet be in control of your own sexuality and your relationships. On the cover of More! the character again embodies the self for the reader. She represents the more! ethos of youthful, cheeky impertinence† (in Curran 1996: 189) Her red, low-cut dress suggests that she is sassy; a vixen that has sexual needs and is not afraid to fulfil them. Again, the clear skin and perfect features encourage the reader to believe that there is an inner-beauty within everyone that will shine through. However, the More! model does not appear as innocent as the 19 model. Her hair is swept more vigorously from her face and therefore creates a more disrupted, chaotic image than the previous. The innocence depicted by the clear complexion of the 19 model is challenged here as the More! odel raises her eyebrow into an arch; she has a glint in her eye and pouts her lips proudly. As we notice the presence of a man in the left hand side of the front cover, we therefore interpret this facial expression as sexual prowess – this girl knows what she wants and she knows exactly how to get it. The male figure is not personalised; indeed we only see a leg, an arm and a crotch and yet we are fully aware of the masculinity of the character. This could suggest that, in subversion to the representation offered within male magazines, the man is the sexual object here. It is also significant that the male is wearing a kilt as it could suggest that the female is metaphorically wearing the trousers in the relationship. This interpretation would only become apparent if the reader was accustomed with the relevant social codes and textual codes of gendered magazines. If the reader is familiar with popular culture however, they could assume the man in the kilt to be the actor James Redmond who portrays Finn in Hollyoaks (a half-Scottish Lord) and therefore presume that there is an in-depth interview with him in the magazine – this is suggested by the text at the top of the magazine cover – â€Å"Finn-tastic! We Check out James Redmond’s Morning Glory†. By analysing the title, tagline, and central images of the magazine cover, we have therefore deduced the readership and content of the magazines effectively. As McRobbie notes, sex now fills the space of the magazines’ pages. It â€Å"provides the frame for women’s magazines in the 1990’s† and â€Å"marks a new moment in the construction of female sexual identities† (in Curran 1996: 177). It is worrying to think that the explicit sexual representations within the magazines (such as More! ‘s â€Å"Raunchy resolutions to spice up your sex life†) are being read by underage teenagers; sex has een packaged as a â€Å"commodity† (McLaughlin 200: 13) by these magazines in recent years and the young readers have eagerly jumped at the chance to buy such (what was previously) censored material. Indeed, fifty years ago the teenage magazine industry differed greatly to that of today. According to Vestergaard we have seen a shift from â€Å"motherhood and childcare to the maintenance of physical appearance† (Vestergaard Schroder 1992: 81) (in the discussed examples, we see â€Å"Be your own stylist – steal insider know-how from the women who dress the stars† on the cover of 19, and on More! Happy New Gear – what every glam girl will be wearing this season†). Dr Nancy Signiorelli of the University of Delaware undertook a study on â€Å"A Focus on Appearance† in the media in November 1996, and she found that one in three (37%) articles in leading teen girl magazines included a focus on appearance, one in three (35%) focused on dating and less than 2% discussed either school or careers (websources Kellner and ChildrenNow). This is certainly reflected on the front covers analysed above – every feature on the covers refer to beauty, fashion, dating, sex and celebrities. Kimberley Phillips argues that these magazines therefore â€Å"reinforce the cultural expectations that an adolescent woman should be more concerned with her appearance, her relations with other people, and her ability to win approval from men than with her own ideas or expectations for herself (websource Hermes). It can also be argued however that young women are encouraged to develop independence by these magazines. In recent years the magazine industry has therefore successfully extended the notion of what it is to be a woman. A teenage girl will see hunting boyfriends and beautifying as a norm; it is argued indeed that these are transcribed as their sole purposes in life. The magazines do not seem to cater for minority interests such as politics, environmental issues, or any kind of music that ventures beyond Westlife or Britney Spears. The teenage girl has therefore been heavily stereotyped by the teenage magazine industry, and her interpretation of the codes and conventions used in the magazine will depend on her personal knowledge of this culture and society. Indeed, some of the readers of these magazines are male (e. g. the brothers or boyfriends of the female readers – Bignell refers to these as â€Å"non-ideal readers† (Bignell 1997: 58)), and they will interpret the codes differently to their female counterparts as they arguably do not share their interests in beauty products and fashion. Their interpretations of the sex issues may also differ, as they will gaze at the images of women as sex objects as opposed to icons and role models. Chandler sees that â€Å"social semiotics alerts us to how the same text may generate different meanings for different readers† (web source, Semiotics for Beginners), and this is certainly true of the gendered readings of teenage magazines. Chandler further notes that the signs (or codes) within the text â€Å"do not just ‘convey’ meanings, but constitute a medium in which meanings are constructed† (ibid). Through reading a magazine aimed at her demographic group, a teenage girl will therefore come to learn that society expects her to be interested in boys, sex, fashion, beauty and fame. The magazine is therefore a â€Å"powerful ideological force† in society (McRobbie 2000: 69); the image and behavioural ideologies presented within the magazine covers become the stereotypical norm for the teenage girl. Applying semiotic analysis to the magazine text therefore allows us to identify social ideologies of the teenage girl. One could analyse the front covers of magazine extensively, decoding the codes of colour, font, layout and spatial arrangements as well as the titles, taglines, language and central images to show the construction of the teenage girl in the media. Teenage magazines may not provide an altogether accurate representation of all teenage girls today, but it is certainly a medium that provides escapism and enjoyment for the reader whilst subliminally educating and informing at the same time. How to cite Semiotic Analysis of Teenage Magazine Front Covers, Papers

American Journal Of Educational Research -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Questions: What Is The Importance Of Cloud Computing For Businesses? What Are The Benefits Of Using Cloud Computing In Business? How Does Cloud Computing Work Towards The Enhancement Of The Efficiency And Productivity Of The Business? Answers: Introduction With the advancement in the technology, many organisations are implementing the new technologies in their processes. One of those technologies is cloud computing. It is the technology that is being used by most of the organisations these days. Those technologies provide many benefits to the businesses. Not only the big companies but the small companies are making more use of cloud computing services. This is because big companies have their own IT infrastructure but small companies find it very costly to develop their own IT infrastructure. Development of cloud computing has also created a new era of competition amongst the businesses to build their network and enhance the businesses. Cloud computing has become a very popular idea and service (Ezell Swanson, 2017). Cloud computing is an innovative technology which is being used by the businesses for managing the data in a better manner and focusing on the performance of the business. Cloud computing has provided a cost benefit to the organization which has contributed to the performance of the business. Cloud computing is considered as a bonafide business strategy for the operations operating at different levels. Cloud computing has enhanced the level of flexibility of the organizations and promotes better forecasting on the basis of the stored data (Shuleski, et. al., 2016). This essay describes the overall functioning of cloud computing and it infrastructure. This is the project that discusses about the concept called cloud computing. The major focus of the project is to analyse the importance and benefits of cloud computing is business efficiency and productivity. Research has been conducted on this topic so as to analyse the aspects related to the topic which is popular in the business environment. Project Objective This project focus on the concept cloud computing. Objective of the research is to gather data regarding the role of cloud computing, the manner in which cloud computing works and benefits of using the cloud computing for enhancing the efficiency and productivity of the business. As far as the specificity of the objectives is considered, following are some of the objectives of cloud computing: What is cloud computing and how it works? What are the benefits of cloud computing on the business efficiency and productivity? Project scope The scope of the project is to know about the level of involvement, cloud computing has in businesses. This report focuses on cloud computing and its impact on businesses. This helps the researchers to better understand the intensity of cloud computing involvement in the businesses these days. The scope of the research is so wide. Understanding the benefits of cloud computing in businesses help them to take better decisions in order to implement the cloud computing services in the organisations (Armbrust, et. al., 2010). The focus of this research program will be on analyzing the increasing role of cloud computing and impact of cloud computing on business. There various benefits of using cloud computing to a business and these benefits will be discussed in this research program. Cloud architecture will be discussed in this research program along with the cloud computing infrastructure and types of cloud computing infrastructure. Concept of Cloud Computing According to the report presented by Intel (2013), cloud computing can be explained as the storage device acting as an online database where data is stored. The Internet is being used as a medium for storing, saving data and using the data as per the need of the business. Cloud computing has contributed to the decision making the process of the business. Safety and security of the data have increased with the use of cloud computing. Cloud computing architecture Cloud computing architecture can be explained as the components which are required for cloud computing. There are four layers in the cloud computing architecture. These four layers are hardware layer, an infrastructure layer, a platform layer, and application layer. Cloud computing infrastructure and types of Cloud computing infrastructure Different virtual technologies are being used for the purpose of building the cloud computing infrastructure. Different models of the cloud are available which can be used by the businesses as per their need. These models of the cloud include private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud. Organizations can select the models of the cloud as per the need of the business. Different types of cloud computing infrastructure are available which include infrastructure as a service, software as a service and platform as a service (Lewis, 2010). Cloud as an emerging utility in business Buyya, et. al. (2009), the use of cloud computing by the businesses has increased with the change in the business environment. Various applications can be accessed in an easy manner with the help of cloud computing. Numerous pros of cloud computing have been identified which include on-demand services, pay as you go, guaranteed quality, accessibility and pooling of resources (Metzler, 2011). Customers or businesses can use cloud computing services as per the need and customization is possible. Payment can be made for the service used as per the usage is possible. Cloud computing is designed with a user-friendly interface (Gibson, et. al., 2012). Quality of the service is maintained in cloud computing by focusing on the infrastructure of the business. Services can be used on a shared basis with the help of cloud computing (Avram, 2014). Cloud Computing in Business According to Carlin Curran (2012), organizations are using IT tools for the purpose of rapid development, batch processing, and business analytics. With the increase in the competition, there has been a rise in the number of organizations using of cloud computing. Cloud computing has resulted in a reduction in the cost involved in managing and storing data, reliable, enhanced security of the data, mobility, recovery and backup and immediacy. These benefits result in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of the organization. Research questions have been prepared so as to form a base for guiding the data collection process and assembling of the quality data. Research questions for this research program are mentioned below: Research Design and Methodology Data collection is an important aspect of every research as the success of the research is based on the quality of the data collected. For the attainment of the objectives of the research, data has been assembled with the application of different methods or approaches. These different approaches have contributed towards the assembling of the data regarding the concept of cloud computing and its importance and benefits to the efficiency and productivity of the business. With the change in technology, cloud computing has gained much importance due to the benefits associated with its use. Research method or design: analysis has been made of the different research methods so as to choose the appropriate design. An explanatory research design has been chosen for the accumulation of the data regarding the cloud computing and its role in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of the business (Subedi, 2016). Explanatory research design helps in the developing knowledge of the concept in a better manner by forming priorities. The explanatory research will help in developing an understanding of the behavior in the market (Gorard, 2013). This research will help in gathering information related to cloud computing and its increasing importance for the business efficiency and productivity. The qualitative method will be used for the accumulation of the data with the use of primary and secondary methods. Data collection: The term data collection can be explained as the process of assembling of the data for an activity. Data collection is an important aspect which determines the chances of success of the research program. Quality of the data is an important element which is dependent on the management selected for the process of data collection. Primary data is the raw and first-hand data assembled by the researchers solely for the research. This form of data is a less reliable form of data as the data may get affected due to the views of the respondents (Lowry, 2015). Secondary data is the second-hand data assembled by the other researchers for their work and is used by the researcher (Johnston, 2014). This data is considered more reliable as the data has been used by other researchers. Both forms of data will be assembled in this research for meeting the objectives of the research. Procedures and techniques: analysis of the data has to be done effectively for the extraction of the reliable data. Data collected is available in large quantity and for the analyzing the collected data within the limited timeframe, random sampling technique will be used. Random sampling technique is an approach which selects samples from the population in an unbiased manner (Rahi, 2017). Equal opportunity is provided to every sample of getting selected for the data analysis process (Turkenburg McAuley, 2013). Research strategies: a sequential strategy has been selected for this research in which focus will be on execution of the research in a sequence. An action plan has been prepared for conducting the research in a sequence. Research timeframe: One of the main limitation of the research is the availability of limited time period for completion of the research. For overcoming this limitation, an action plan has been prepared. Collection of data and targeted market: Primary data will be assembled by preparing a questionnaire. This questionnaire will be presented to the employees of the businesses using cloud computing. Secondary data will be assembled with the internet sources issued or published after 2008. Ethical consideration: Ethical values or principles have been followed for ensuring the completion of the research in a right manner. Ethical values have guided the completion process of the research without harming the interest of any individual. Ethical values or principles followed during the research include confidentiality, unbiasedness, and integrity. Research Limitations Research limitations are those challenges or issues which are being faced by the researcher while conducting the research. Impact of these limitations can be seen on the quality of the research program. Research limitations faced during this research program are a shortage of time for completion of research, insufficient resources including finance and human resource and lack of access to the sources. Effective approaches have been considered for overcoming these challenges identified. Time schedule (Research Plan) Serial Number Activity Initiation date Duration (in days) Completion Date Description A) Selection of the topic 16 January 2018 1 16 January 2018 The topic will be selected on which research will be carried out. B) Framing the outline for research 17 January 2018 3 19 January 2018 The outline will be prepared so as to prepare a blueprint on the basis of which research program will be executed. C) Execution of the outline prepared 20 January 2018 7 26 January 2018 Plans prepared in the previous stage will be implemented during this phase so as to complete the research successfully. D) Selection of methods for data collection 27 January 2018 2 29 January 2018 Methods for the data collection have been selected as per the requirement of the research. E) Initiation of data collection process 30 January 2018 8 06 February 2018 Data assembling process will be initiated for the purpose of developing knowledge of the research topic. F) Analysis and evaluation process 07 February 2018 5 11 February 2018 Data assembled will be analyzed and evaluated for extraction of the relevant data. G) Conclusion and recommendations 12 February 2018 2 13 February 2018 Data analyzed and evaluated will be used for extracting conclusion and providing recommendations. (Gantt chart is in appendix) Conclusion Thus, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that change in the technology has created an impact on the different aspects of the business environment. Different information technology tools are being used by the different organizations for performing the operations of the business. One of these IT tools is cloud computing which has been used by businesses for enhancing the performance of the business. Cloud computing has provided a better platform for the storage of the data to the business. The efficiency of the business operations is increased with the use of cloud computing. Businesses are using Cloud computing as a data storage device for storing the confidential and crucial data of the business. There are various advantages which an organization can gain for grabbing the opportunities available by using cloud computing for the businesses. These advantages include reliability, safety to the confidential data, mobility and cost saving. Data regarding the research topic has been assembled with the use of different methods or approaches. References Armbrust, M., Fox, A., Griffith, R., Joseph, A.D., Katz, R., Konwinski, A., Lee, G., Patterson, D., Rabkin, A., Stoica, I. and Zaharia, M., 2010, A view of cloud computing,Communications of the ACM,53(4), pp.50-58. Avram, M. G., 2014, Advantages and Challenges of Adopting Cloud Computing from an Enterprise Perspective, Procedia psychology, Vol. 12, pp. 529-534. Buyya, R., Yeo, C. S., Venugopal, S., Broberg, J. Brandic, I., 2009, Cloud computing and emerging IT platforms: Vision, hype, and reality for delivering computing as the 5th utility, Future Generation Computer Systems, Vol. 25(6), pp. 599616. Carlin, S. Curran, K., 2012, Cloud Computing Technologies, International Journal of Cloud Computing and Services Science, 1(2), 5965. Coles, C., 2018, 11 Advantages of Cloud Computing and How Your Business Can Benefit From Them, Sky High Networks. Available at: https://www.skyhighnetworks.com/cloud-security-blog/11-advantages-of-cloud-computing-and-how-your-business-can-benefit-from-them/ Ezell, S. Swanson, B., 2017, How Cloud Computing Enables Modern Manufacturing, American Enterprise Institute. Gibson, J., Rondeau, R., Eveleigh, D. Tan, Q., 2012, Benefits and challenges of three cloud computing service models, Research Gate. Gkikas, D., 2014, The Impact of Cloud Computing on Entrepreneurship and Start-ups: Case of Greece, KTH. Gorard, S., 2013, Research design: creating robust approaches for the social sciences, SAGE, London. Intel, 2013, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, Intel IT Center. Available at: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/guides/cloud-computing-virtualization-building-private-iaas-guide.pdf Johnston, M. P., 2014, Secondary Data Analysis: A Method of which the Time Has Come, Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, pp. 619 626. Lewis, G., 2010, Basics about Cloud Computing, Software Engineering Institute. Lowry, L. D., 2015, Bridging the Business Data Divide: Insights into Primary and Secondary Data Use by Business Researchers, IASSIST. Metzler, J., 2011, Virtualization: Benefits, Challenges, and Solutions, Riverbed. Rahi, S., 2017, Research Design and Methods: A Systematic Review of Research Paradigms, Sampling Issues and Instruments Development, International Journal of Economics Management Sciences, 6:2. Shuleski, D., Birsan, A., Cristea, C. V. Radu, I., 2016, Impact of Cloud Computing Technology Implementation in Public Sector, Proceedings of the 10th International Management Conference, Bucharest, Romania. Subedi, D., 2016, Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Design as the Third Research Community of Knowledge Claim, American Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 4, No. 7, 570-577. Turkenburg, J. P. McAuley, K. E., 2013, Data collection and processing,Acta Crystallographica Section D,vol. 69, no. 7, pp. 1193-1194. Wpengine, 2017, Making the Decision to Move Your Business to the Cloud, Bay Computing. Available at: https://baymcp.com/making-the-decision-to-move-your-business-to-the-cloud/

How Is the Fool Presented in King Lear Essay Example

How Is the Fool Presented in King Lear? Paper The Fool in ‘King Lear’ What is the Significance of the role of the Fool in ‘King Lear’? `The role of the Fool in ‘King Lear’ is essential to the cause of expressing knowledge and understanding of the plot, and the themes and ideas which Shakespeare used to express his views on the context and nature of the whole idea of rebellion to the laws of primogeniture, and how it related to the present world in which he lived. The Fool helps to develop and expand on theoretical and philosophical meanings of the situations on which he issues a commentary indirectly to the audience. The play, ‘King Lear’ addresses and considers many different themes which would have been relevant to both everyday life and the isolated lives of the royal or wealthy, at the time of the play’s creation, and would probably apply to the lives of the people who lived in the time of the play’s setting. Themes such as the controversy around primogeniture , illegitimacy, sight and blindness, foolishness, and the struggle power total power over others and the desire to take control over others to do their bidding, which stands out well among others in this particular plot, and frequently in other Shakespearean plots. In addition to adding a comic sense to the play, as the name suggests, the Fool helps to involve the audience more, as his speeches reflect a narration, which naturally give the audience more information about the nature of the plot. The Fool appears to be a more abstract character, having little physical involvement in the play, and no effect on the plot’s outcome, and he doesn’t express emotions or any personal relationships with other characters. Instead, the Fool is symbolic of morality and decision-making; the Fool takes note of characters’ actions and decisions, analysing and criticising other characters, such as Kent and Lear. The Fool is significant, as Shakespeare has used the Fool to represent the reality of the play, interpreting situations in a true light, and foreshadowing events. Despite the Fool’s relatively short life-span in the play, he has an impact upon the play far beyond his status as a character. In the Fool’s appearance in the play, in Albany’s palace, he establishes himself as a quick-witted and comic character as he makes his first comment to Kent, ‘Let me hire him too: here’s my coxcomb. We will write a custom essay sample on How Is the Fool Presented in King Lear? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How Is the Fool Presented in King Lear? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How Is the Fool Presented in King Lear? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer ’ Implying to Kent that he is a fool for following Lear and offering him service, reinforced by the ine, ‘of thou follow him thou must needs to wear my coxcomb’. This demonstrates the Fool’s ability to deliver penetrating comments, shrouded by a thin cloud of humour to hide the sincerity of the lines he delivers. An example of the Fool’s foreshadowing of events arises when talking to Kent, ‘Why, this fellow has banish’d two on’s daughters, and third a blessing against his will’- this shows the Fool’s ability to predict; he tells Kent that Lear has ‘banish’d’ Regan and Goneril by giving them land, and blessed Cordelia by sending her away; the complete opposite of how others would interpret the situation. The Fool predicts that giving Goneril and Regan land will actually distance them so far away from Lear that he will never have a close relationship with them again, and the Fool knows that they hav e no intention of returning to Lear’s side. However, the fact that the Fool believes Cordelia has been blessed by being sent away against her will as it means she will be away from danger of the imminent conflict between Lear and his other daughters. Even at this stage, the Fool has predicted the chaos that will overcome the kingdom as a consequence of Lear’s division of the land. It is ironic that the Fool can refer to Lear as a fool so comfortably, ‘All other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with. ’(responding to Lear’s question, ‘Dost thou call me fool, boy? ’) He tells Lear he was born a fool, equipping the point that Lear is more a fool than the Fool and has been one for much longer. After the Fool’s apparently pointless piece of poetry, which does in fact have wisdom buried within it, Kent’s remark that the Fool’s advice is ‘nothing’ leads the Fool back to the topic of Lear’s division of the Kingdom, where he points out that Lear is now landless and without income, skillfully using the ‘nothing will come of nothing’ maxim that Lear himself used against Cordelia earlier. In this act the Fool serves as an advisor or n arrator, explaining the king’s Foolishness and the mistakes he has made to date. It would be accurate to say that the Fool has a close relationship with Lear; he seems to know much about Lear’s behaviour, criticising Lear for his stupidity with ease. Although the Fool is threatened with the whip for his jests, which have gone too far (the ‘cloud of humour’ has become too thin momentarily) in Lear’s opinion, he persists in making these jokes, which have become increasingly bitter towards Lear. The intelligence and wit behind the Fool’s words lead the audience to question whether the Fool is really the real fool, and if not, which person really deserves the title of the ‘Fool’. The extent to which the Fool is really a fool is limited as his intelligence hovers untouched above the heads of so many characters in this play. The relationship between the Fool and Lear appears to be one involving a clash off opposites; the Fool shows he is mindful of the future and the consequences of certain actions, where Lear is wreckless and his actions are unpredictable and have no structure or organization to them. The Fools actions seem to be predetermined as he is consistent and immediate with his detailed responses, and he has a much deeper insight into the personalities of the characters with whom Lear encounters. This suggests that Lear would be a much more suitable ‘Fool’ and demonstrates the clash between their personalities. The opposing relationship between Lear and the Fool provokes the belief that perhaps the Fool is another side to Lear’s personality, where Lear’s absence of intelligence, reason, sight and understanding all reside within the Fool; a side of his personality which he cannot currently access as it is almost physically detached from him. This could prove a valid explanation for the absence of the Fool in the final Acts of the play, as Lear’s personalities have merged again, showing that his sanity has returned to him for his final moments before his death. The fact that the Fool does not make an appearance without King Lear also reinfor ces this argument. Other sources also suggest that Cordelia has links to the Fool, and her absence of the majority of the play is filled in by the Fool, which could also be the reason why the Fool does not appear in the final stage of the play, where Cordelia has returned. Upon Cordelia’s death Lear refers to her as a fool. In consideration of the play’s context, many conclusions have been drawn involving links between Cordelia and the Fool, many of which use the idea that the Fool and Cordelia directly reflect eachother, in their shared perspectives and close relationship to Lear. It has also been common for the roles of the Fool and Cordelia to be shared by the same actor in the stage productions of King Lear, emphasizing the points made by this theory and making the theory obvious to the audience by making the link not only theoretical and abstract, but physical also. And my poor fool is hang’d! ’ Here Lear refers to Cordelia as a ‘fool’, further suggesting a connection. In addition, there is no mention of the Fool’s real name, and the fact that he is only referred to as the Fool, leads us to believe that none of the characters even knew his title, re-establishing the theory that he and Cordelia are linked as it leaves his character open for comparison with others, and the role of the Fool open for any other character to instantly undertake throughout the duration of the plot, where various characters frequently become host to the title of the Fool. Apart from the Fool being significant in his mysterious role as a character and his links with other characters, his significance is displayed through his importance to the development of Lear’s character and his realisation of his mistakes and lack of sense and understanding. The theme of ‘sight’ is presented in, and is reinforced countless times throughout ‘King Lear’. The theme of ‘sight’ links strongly to the Fool as he is one of the only characters who have perfect and unimpaired vision for the entire duration of his appearances in the play. The Fool sees things which other characters do not, and it is not until Gloucester’s eyes are removed and his sight ironically becomes much clearer, that the Fool’s insight and understanding of characters and situations can be seriously challenged. Sight is explored thoroughly and is linked closely to the Fool, making his role all the more significant. The Fool’s role is also that of an observer and analyst of the sinister occurrences in the plot, suggesting that his role could be linked to God; a conclusion that could be drawn from the fact that the Fool sees all and has infinite or at least extensive knowledge and understanding of life. The Fool’s final appearance is with Lear in the ‘storm scenes’ of Act III. He is genuinely concerned for Lear, and tries to get him to shelter in a hut on the heath. So far, the Fool has been trying to get Lear to realise his mistake, and acknowledge his foolishness. At this point, reality begins to dawn on Lear, and he begins to slip into madness. Is the Fool surprised at the severity of the effect that this acceptance is having on Lear, and perhaps feeling a little guilty at having brought it on by constantly reminding the King of his mistake in previous scenes? At the end of Act III, Scene II, the Fool makes his greatest prediction and reiterates the play’s message that defying Nature only causes chaos and suffering. Upon meeting Edgar again, Lear is becoming more incoherent, with a mixture of emotions; betrayal, anger, revenge, acceptance and loss. The roles have been reversed: the Fool is now Lear’s serious guard, while Lear has started to talk nonsense, dream and act bizarrely. As Lear degenerates into madness, and Gloucester arrives to take him to Dover, the Fool is no longer needed and can disappear from the plot. We have seen the Fool’s part in the play, and it can be concluded that the Fool serves a definite purpose, in that he is the King’s closest friend and sharpest critic. His position and personal qualities enable him to speak bluntly and assertively to everyone he encounters, with a sort of ‘humorous immunity’ from the punishments that Kent and Cordelia have to endure, emphasising his individuality from other characters. Perhaps it is the high level of Lear’s admiration for the Fool that allows the Fool to speak so bluntly to him. The Fool is able to tell the King uncomfortable home truths partly because of his ability to run rings around Lear intellectually. It seems the Fool must also have a genuine affection for his ‘nuncle’ as he follows him even when base and degraded and in the early stages of insanity. The Fool is a ‘jumpy’ character in many ways; at times he has incredible confidence in himself and his message and is able to express himself dexterously, but when he becomes frightened by Lear’s spectacular reaction to his daughters’ rejection, his jokes lose their impact, and he becomes the King’s nervous companion, and when linked to the theory of the Fool being another side to Lear’s personality, this shows that Lear’s side of the personality emerges stronger at this point and dwarfs the Fool’s side of the personality. Throughout the play, we are never quite sure who the real fool is.

Ruthenium or Ru Element Facts

Ruthenium or Ru Element Facts Ruthenium or Ru is a hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal that also belongs to the noble metals and platinum metals group in the periodic table. While it does not readily tarnish, the pure element can form a reactive oxide that can explode. Here are physical and chemical properties and other ruthenium facts: Element Name: Ruthenium Symbol: Ru Atomic Number: 44 Atomic Weight: 101.07 Uses of Ruthenium Ruthenium is one of the best hardeners for addition to palladium or platinum. It is alloyed with these metals to make electrical contacts with extreme wear resistance.Ruthenium is used to plate other metals. Thermal decomposition or electrodeposition are the most common metals used to make ruthenium coatings.One ruthenium-molybdenum alloy is superconductive at 10.6 K.Adding 0.1% ruthenium to titanium improves its corrosion resistance by a factor of a hundred.Ruthenium oxides are versatile catalysts.Ruthenium is used in some pen nibs. (Dont chew on your pen!) Interesting Ruthenium Facts Ruthenium was the last of the platinum group metals to be discovered.The element name comes from the Latin word  Ã¢â‚¬ËœRuthenia’. Ruthenia means Russia, which refers to the Ural Mountains of Russia, the original source of the platinum metal group ores.Ruthenium compounds are similar to those formed by the element cadmium. Like cadmium, ruthenium is toxic to humans. It is believed to be a carcinogen. Ruthenium tetroxide (RuO4)  is considered particularly dangerous.Ruthenium compounds stain or discolor skin.Ruthenium is the only group 8 element that does not have 2 electrons in its outer shell.The pure element is susceptible to attack by halogens and hydroxides. It is not affected by acids, water, or air.Karl K. Klaus was the first to isolate ruthenium as a pure element. This was an involved process in which he first prepared the salt,  ammonium chlororuthenate, (NH4)2RuCl6, and then isolated the metal from it in order to characterize it.Ruthenium displays a wide range of oxidation states (7 or 8), although it is most commonly found in the II, III, and IV states. Pure ruthenium costs around $1400 per 100 grams of the metal.The element abundance in the Earths crust is estimated to be 1 part per billion by weight. The abundance in the solar system is believed to be about 5 parts per billion by weight. Sources of Ruthenium Ruthenium occurs with other members of the platinum group of metals in the Ural mountains and in North and South America. It is also found in the Sudbury, Ontario nickel-mining region and in the pyroxenite deposits of South Africa. Ruthenium may also be extracted from radioactive waste. A complex process is used to isolate ruthenium. The final step is hydrogen reduction of ammonium ruthenium chloride to yields a powder that is consolidated by powder metallurgy or argon-arc welding. Element Classification: Transition Metal Discovery: Karl Klaus 1844 (Russia),  however, Jà ¶ns Berzelius and Gottfried Osann  discovered impure ruthenium in 1827 or 1828 Density (g/cc): 12.41 Melting Point (K): 2583 Boiling Point (K): 4173 Appearance: silvery-gray, extremely brittle metal Atomic Radius (pm): 134 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.3 Covalent Radius (pm): 125 Ionic Radius: 67 (4e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.238 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): (25.5) Pauling Negativity Number: 2.2 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 710.3 Oxidation States: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 0, -2 Electron Configuration: [Kr] 4d7 5s1 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 2.700 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.584 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)

A Comparison of Motivation Factors in the UK and China Essay

A Comparison of Motivation Factors in the UK and China - Essay Example From this essay it is clear that the managers should consider what motivation is appropriate for each category of employees in order to achieve required change or performance . The timing of motivation is also necessary to make the desired change at the right time. There is a direct relationship between employee motivation and organization performance. The scope of this document is to examine various factors that motivate employees and provide a comparison of employee motivation in the telecommunication industry between China and UK. In addition, the report will analyze the performance of the telecommunication industries of the two countries and establish any relation between employee motivation and performance. The study will involve only secondary data obtained from peer-reviewed sources but will not include any primary data.This paper declares that  employee motivation is one of the core long-term success elements in many organizations, even though, some employers always try to overlook its importance. â€Å"Work Motivation is a set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an individual’s being, to initiate the work-related behavior and to determine its form, direction, intensity,and duration†.  Employee motivation is an internal disposition of a person to be focused on and approach positive inducements and shun disincentives. The employee motivation factors can be categorized as those based on their needs as described by Maslow theory.

Does Each Country Have A Unique Style Of Leadership Essay

Does Each Country Have A Unique Style Of Leadership - Essay Example The unique style of leadership is useful in transforming the potential into reality. It is the ultimate action which brings into success all the current potentials that an organization and the allied people have into reality. Leadership is about changing the mindset of the people to accomplish the desired goals and to move the organization or the country forward. Nevertheless, it is important to explore the fact that there is no one best way of leadership. The need of every area is different and the style of leadership depends on various factors. An organization might be effective by following a democratic style of leadership and the other by the transformational approach. This is because the demographics of every country and organization are different with dissimilar objectives. Hence, the similar form of leadership might not be effective and lead to the failure of the organization. Furthermore, leadership is based on strong effective pillars which include commitment, character alon g with increasing the level of consciousness. Leadership is unique and effective only when it brings about desired results for the enrichment of the people. Leadership is about building interpersonal skills, competencies, along with influencing and building teams for the accomplishment of the desired level of standards. The uniqueness of leadership is of significance for the effective performance of an organization. The evaluation of the unique traits of the leaders can enable to reach a justified conclusion regarding whether each of these countries demonstrates a unique style of leadership.

Describe How Communication Skills Were Used In Practice Nursing Essay

Describe How Communication Skills Were Used In Practice Nursing Essay Introduction. Communication involves the exchange of messages and is a process which all individuals participate in. Whether it is through spoken word, written word, non-verbal means or even silence, messages are constantly being exchanged between individuals or groups of people (Bach Grant 2009). All behaviour has a message and communication is a process which individuals cannot avoid being involved with (Ellis et al 1995). In nursing practice, communication is essential, and good communication skills are paramount in the development of a therapeutic nurse/patient relationship. This aim of this essay is to discuss the importance of communication in nursing, demonstrating how effective communication facilitates a therapeutic nurse/patient relationship. This will be achieved by providing a definition of communication, making reference to models of communication and explaining how different types of communication skills can be used in practise. In order to engage in meaningful communication and develop effective communication skills, nurses must engage in the process of reflecting on how communication skills are utilised in practise. Reflection allows the nurse opportunity to gain a deeper insight into personal strengths and weaknesses and to address any areas of concern in order to improve future practise (Taylor 2001). A further aim will be to reflect on how communication skills have been utilised within nursing practise. Various models of reflection will be examined, and a reflective account of a personal experience which occurred during placement will be provided using a model. This reflective account will involve a description the incident, an analysis of thoughts and feelings and an evaluation of what has occurred. Finally, the reflective account will include an action plan for a similar situation, which may arise, in the future. Communication involves information being sent, received and decoded between two or more people (Balzer-Riley 2008) and involves the use of a number of communication skills; which in a nursing context generally focuses on listening and giving information to patients (Weller 2002). This process of sending and receiving messages has been described as both simple and complex (Rosengren 2000 in McCabe 2006, p.4). It is a process which is continually utilised by nurses to convey and receive information from the patient, co-workers, others they come into contact with and the patients family. Models of Communication. The Linear Model is the simplest form of communication and involves messages being sent and received by two or more people (McCabe 2006). Whilst this model demonstrates how communication occurs in its simplest form, it fails to consider other factors impacting on the process. Communication in nursing practice can be complicated, involving the conveyance of large amounts of information, for example, when providing patients with information relating to their care and treatment or when offering health promotion advice. In contrast, the Circular Transactional Model is a two way approach, acknowledging other factors, which influence communication such as feedback and validation (McCabe 2006). Elements of this model are also contained in Hargie and Dickinsons (2004) A Skill Model of Interpersonal Communication which suggests that successful communication is focused, purposeful and identifies the following skills; person centred context, goal, mediating process, response, feedback and perception. It also considers other aspects of the individual and the influence these may have on their approach to the process of communication (McCabe 2006). For communication to be effective it is important for the nurse to recognise key components, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which may affect the process (McCabe 2006). They must consider factors such as past personal experiences, personal perceptions, timing and the setting in which communication occurs. Physical, physiological, psychological and semantic noise may also influence the message, resulting in misinterpreted by the receiver (McCabe 2006). Communication skills. Communication consists of verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication relates to the spoken word and can be conducted face-to-face or over the telephone (Docherty McCallum 2009). Nurses continually communicate with patients; verbal communication allows the nurse opportunity to give information to the patient about their care or treatment, to reassure the patient and to listen and respond to any concerns the patient may have (NMC 2008). Effective communication is beneficial to the patient in terms of their satisfaction and understanding, of care and treatment they have been given (Arnold Boggs 2007), while at the same time optimising the outcomes or care and/or treatment for the patient (Kennedy- Sheldon 2009). Questioning allows the nurse to gather further information and open or closed questions can be used. Closed questions usually require a yes or no response and are used to gather the necessary information, whereas open questions allow the patient, opportunity to play an active role and to discuss and agree options relating to their care as set out in the Healthcare Standards for Wales document (2005). Probing questions can be used to explore the patients problems further thus allowing the nurse to treat the patient as an individual and develop a care plan specific to their individual needs (NMC 2008). It is vital that the nurse communicates effectively, sharing information with the patient about their health in an understandable way to ensure the patient is fully informed about their care and treatment and that consent is gained prior to this occurring (NMC 2008). The nurse should also listen to the patient and respond to their concerns and preferences about their care and well-being (NMC 2008). In nursing, listening is an essential skill and incorporates attending and listening (Burnard Gill 2007). Attending; fully focusing on the other person and being aware of what they are trying to communicate and listening; the process of hearing what is being said by another person are the most important aspects of being a nurse (Burnard 1997). Non-verbal communication is a major factor in communication, involving exchange of messages without words. It relates to emotional states and attitudes and the conveyance of messages through body language; body language has seven elements; gesture, facial expressions, gaze, posture, body space and proximity, touch and dress (Ellis et al 1995). Each of these elements can reinforce the spoken word and add meaning to the message; it isnt about what you say or how you say it but it also relates to what your body is doing while you are speaking (Oberg 2003). Patients often read cues from the nurses non-verbal behaviour, which can indicate interest or disinterest. Attentiveness and attention to the patient can be achieved through SOLER: S sit squarely, O Open posture, L learn towards the patient, E eye contact, R relax (Egan 2002). There must be congruency between verbal and non verbal messages for effective communication to be achieved. Non-verbal communication can contradict the spoken word and the ability to recognise these non-verbal cues is vitally important in nursing practice (McCabe 2006), for example, a patient may verbally communicate that they are not in pain, but their non-verbal communication such as facial expression may indicate otherwise. It is also important for the nurse to be aware of the congruency of their verbal and non-verbal communication. Any discrepancies between the two will have a direct influence on the message they are giving to patients, and may jeopardise the nurse/patient relationship. Other factors may affect communication in a negative way, endangering the process, and nurses must be aware of internal and external barriers (Schubert 2003). Lack of interest, poor listening skills, culture and the personal attitude are internal factors, which may affect the process. External barriers such as the physical environment, temperature, the use of jargon and/or technical words can also negatively influence the process (Schubert 2003). Reflection. To fully assess the development of communication skills the nurse can make use of reflection to gain a better insight and understanding of their skills (Siviter 2008). Reflection can also be used to apply theoretical knowledge to practice, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice (Burns Bulman 2000) and allows us opportunity, to develop a better insight and awareness of our actions both conscious and unconscious in the situation. Reflecting on events that take place in practice, allows opportunity not only to think about what we do, but also to consider why we do things. This helps us to learn from the experience and improve our future nursing practice (Siviter 2008). Reflection can be described as either reflection in action; occurring during the event, or reflection on action; which happens after the event has occurred (Taylor 2001) and is guided by a model, which serves as a framework within, which the nurse is able to work. It is usually a written process, and the use o f a reflective model uses questions to provide a structure and guide for the process (Siviter 2008). Reflective Models. There are numerous reflective models that may be utilised by the nursing professional, for example, Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988), Johns Model of Structured Reflection (1994) and Driscolls Model of Reflection (2002). Gibbs model (Appendix I) has a cyclical approach, consisting of six stages per cycle that guide the user through a series of questions, providing a structure for reflection on an experience. The first stage of the process is a descriptive account of the situation; what happened? Followed by an analysis of thoughts and feelings in the second stage; what were your thoughts and feelings? The third and fourth stages involve an evaluation of the situation, what was good and/or bad about the experience and an analysis allowing us to make sense of the situation. The last two stages are the conclusion of the situation, what else could have been done and finally an action plan to prepare for similar situations, which may arise in the future (Gibbs 1988). Similarly to Gibbs Reflective Cycle, Johns Model of Structured Reflection (Appendix II) and Driscolls (Appendix III) model of reflection promote learning through reflection. They have similar structures, which guide the user through the reflective process. Johns Model incorporates four stages; description, reflection, alternative actions and learning (Johns 1994) and Discolls model has three stages: a return to the situation, understanding the context and modifying future outcome (Discoll 2002). The three models described all have similarities in that the user is guided through the reflective process by describing the event, analysing their thoughts, feelings and actions and making plans for future practice. Considering the models of reflection described, the next component of this essay will make use of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1998) to provide a reflective account of a situation which I experienced during clinical placement in a community setting. Reflective Account. As part of this placement, I assisted my mentor, a health visitor, in the provision of a baby club for parents with babies and pre-school children, which takes place on a weekly basis and involves routine checks, such as baby-weighing, in addition to opportunity, for parents to socialise and opportunity for health visitors to provide information relating to the care and health of babies and children. During the second week of this placement, I was asked to assist in the delivery of a forthcoming health promotion session relating to dental health. I have chosen this event as a basis for my reflective account as I feel that health promotion is an important area to consider. It enables individuals to play a pivotal role in their own health (Webster and Finch 2002 in Scriven 2005) and is a means by which positive health can be promoted and enhanced alongside the prevention of illness (Downie et al 2000). It gives clients the knowledge to make informed decisions about their health and prevention of illness and is an area in which the nurse or healthcare professional plays a key role (WHO 1989). Description of the event. The event occurred during a weekly session at baby club that takes place in a community centre. My mentor (Health Visitor) and I were present along with a group of ten mothers and their babies. As this event took place during a group session, I will maintain confidentiality (NMC 2008) by not referring to any one individual. Consent was gained from all clients prior to the session commencing, in line with the NMC Code of Conduct (2008) and the environment was checked to ensure it was appropriate and safe for the session to take place. The aim of the session was to promote good dental health and oral hygiene amongst children and babies. Standard 1 of the Standards of Care for Health Visitors (RCN 1989) is to promote health, and the session aimed to provide clients with relevant, up-to-date information, thus allowing them to make informed choices about the future care of their childrens teeth. Chairs were set out in a semi-circle with a number of play mats and various baby toys placed in the centre. This allowed parents opportunity to interact in the session, to listen to the information and ask questions while at the same time being in close enough proximity to their children to respond to their needs. The Health Visitor and I sat at the front of the semi circle facing the group. I reintroduced myself to the group and gave a brief explanation of my role and the part I would play in the session. This was important; some of the clients were meeting me for the first time, and it is during this initial contact that jud gements are made about future interactions, and the service being provided. Positive initial interaction can provide a good foundation for a future beneficial relationship (Scriven 2005). The session was broken down into two parts: information giving, focusing on the promotion of dental health and prevention of illness in the form of tooth decay (Robotham and Frost 2005). Secondly, information relating to tooth brushing was given along with a demonstration undertaken by myself that showed the clients good oral hygiene could be achieved through effective tooth brushing. A question and answer session followed which allowed us to clarify any issues raised. Feelings and thoughts. In the week, preceding the session it was important for me to consider a systematic approach to the planning of the session. The first stage was to gather relevant, up-to-date information relating to the subject and plan how it could be incorporated in the session. The NMC Standards of Proficiency (2004a) states that nurses must engage in a continual process of learning and that evidence-based practice should be used (Bach and Grant 2009). The plan was discussed with my mentor and advice was sought about any adjustments which may be necessary. Prior to the session, I was apprehensive about delivering a health promotion session to clients (patients). I as I felt out of my depth as a first year student and my anxiety was exacerbated further as this was my first placement. However, support and encouragement from my mentor and other health visitors in the team helped me to relax. I was given the opportunity to discuss the topic with my mentor and was relieved when I was able to respond to any questions asked in an appropriate manner and that my knowledge had been increased through the research I had undertaken, thus boosting my confidence. Evaluation. Despite my initial reservation about my knowledge of the subject and apprehension at delivering a health promotion session, I feel that my mentors decision to include me in the delivery of the session benefitted me greatly in the development of my knowledge and self confidence. During the session, I feel that I communicated well verbally with clients and that my non-verbal communication was appropriate and corresponded to what I was saying. The clients were focused on the session and seemed genuinely interested, nodding when they understood and showed attentiveness by making regular eye contact. Feedback from clients after the session also allowed me to reflect on my communication; one of the clients stated afterwards that she had gained a lot from the session particularly the demonstration relating to tooth brushing and was now more aware of the importance of early oral hygiene to prevent problems later in the childs life. Analysis. Dental Health is a key Health Promotion target in Wales and is the most prevalent form of disease amongst children in Wales. Many of the participants were unaware of when and how childrens teeth should be cared for and the importance of ensuring good oral hygiene from an early age. The aim of the session was to provide information to parents as a means of promoting good oral hygiene and prevention of tooth decay in babies and young children. In order for the aim to be achieved, communication was a key element. Effective communication in a group can only be achieved if there is trust, participation, co-operation and collaboration among its members and the belief that they as a group are able to perform effectively as a group (Balzer-Riley 2008). The information was provided in a way that was easily understandable, a demonstration of how teeth should be brushed was given, and time was allowed for the clients time to ask questions. Communication and listening skills allowed us to discov er what knowledge the clients already had, and enabled us to adjust the information to meet the needs of the clients. Throughout the session, I was aware of my non-verbal communication and attempted to show attentiveness to individuals in the group, using the principles of SOLER I made the necessary adjustments. At times, this proved difficult as trying to lean towards the clients and maintain eye contact with each individual was not possible in a group situation. My anxiety about delivering the session was also an area which I had some concerns with. Nervousness can have an influence on how a message is delivered, and I was constantly aware of my verbal communication, particularly my paralanguage. I have a tendency to speak at an accelerated rate when I am nervous, and was aware that this may influence the way in which the message was being received. It is important to be aware of paralanguage in which the meaning of a word or phrase can change depending on tone, pitch or the rate at which the word(s) is spoken. Paralanguage may also include vocal sounds which may accompany speech and which can add meaning to the words being spoken (Hartley 1999). Throughout the session, I was aware of my verbal and non-verbal communication, and I tried to ensure that it corresponded to the information being given; I was also aware of non-verbal communication of the participants and made appropriate adjustments to my delivery when needed Conclusion. After the session had finished, I was given an opportunity to discuss it with my mentor. I was able to articulate what I felt had gone well, what hadnt gone quite as well and what could be improved. I noted that I was very nervous about delivering the session despite having the knowledge and understanding of the subject and felt that this may have been noticed by the participants. However, feedback from my mentor allowed me to realise that my nervousness was not apparent in my delivery. By undertaking this reflection, I have been able to question the experience and analyse my actions and behaviour, as a means of developing my knowledge for future practice Action plan. This session has helped with my learning and personal development and I now feel more confident in my ability to deliver health promotion activities in a group setting. I am, however, aware that speaking in a group setting is not an area I am very comfortable with but further practice will help alleviate this. I am confident that I will be able to use the knowledge gained on the subject of dental health in my future placements. In the future, I will repeat the process of thorough research, as it is best practice to keep knowledge up-to-date in order to provide care based on evidence (NMC 2008). Summary. In summary, communication is a complex process and an essential skill which the nurse must be aware of in every aspect, of care and treatment they give to patients. A full awareness of not only the spoken word, but also the influence non-verbal communication has on the messages being communicated, is essential in the development of a therapeutic relationship between nurse and patient. The process of reflecting upon practice is also an essential element of knowledge development. After consideration of a number of reflective frameworks, the use of Gibbs Reflective Cycle as a structure for creating a reflective account has proven to be beneficial in the exploration of personal thoughts and feelings in relation to a specified event and I recognise the importance of reflection as a learning tool that can enhance knowledge and practice.