The Melancholy In John Steinbecks Books Essay Example for Free

The Melancholy In John Steinbecks Books Essay The melancholy hussar was set in the 19th century in 1801. This was a time were woman had no lives of there own and this shows the character of Phyllis in melancholy hussar. Phylliss father treats her as an object. She is not free to do what ever she wants because she is a woman. Thomas hardy illustrates the role of woman in the melancholy hussar (1801). Woman had no role in society and women were very unimportant. Steinbeck had written his story during the American depression in the 1930. Life was very hard for men and woman because of migration, unemployment, rootlessness and instability. All these had made people very angry and this had caused racism. Crooks in of mice and men also had a very hard life because he was black. Crooks wasnt wanted near the white men, which had led to racism. On page 100, crooks says to Lennie I aint wanted in the bunkhouse and u aint wanted in my room, Lennie replied why aint you wanted in the bunk house BECAUSE IM BLACK. This had shown through text that racism was very natural. Both of these books had inequality in their texts. Curly had the most power over every one in of mice and men. In melancholy hussar Phyllis father had power over Phyllis. In melancholy hussar, the Napoleonic war was going on. The Napoleonic war was when France was at war against England. Germany were allies with England so Germany had sent some of their soldiers but the German soldiers had felt upset and lonely because they did not no English and they had no English friends to communicate with. This is what also had made them very homesick.

Training on Performance of Employees in Etihad Airways

Training on Performance of Employees in Etihad Airways This research project aims to investigate the impact of training on the employees of El Etihad, a well known airline based in the Middle East with operations across the world. 1.1. Overview Training and development play very important roles in the enhancement of individual abilities and professional advancement of organisational employees (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). Numerous changes have occurred in the global economic and business environment since the end of the Second World War. Such changes, which have intensified in nature and scope since the 1980s, include rapid advancement in technology, the dismantling of physical and economic barriers between nations, the development of instantaneous methods of communication across long distances, and sharp reduction in costs of international travel (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). The phenomenal increase in international travel is an integral part of globalisation and has in turn led to immense churning in the airlines industry (Craig Douglas, 2000). The airline industry has witnessed the emergence of numerous new airlines across the world, even as well established and once famous airlines have had to close down. Whilst new airlines like Ryan Air and Easy jet have come up in the UK, numerous new airlines have sprung up in China, India and the Middle East. Such growth in the airline industry has resulted in intensification of competition, segmentation of customers, and the emergence of low cost airlines and chartered trips (Craig Douglas, 2000). Etihad is one such airline, which was established in 2003 in Abu Dhabi and has in a short period of time grown significantly both in operations and in sales. Operating in an intensely competitive environment, the organisation needs to improve its sales and operational efficiencies in order to break even and become fin ancially viable (Craig Douglas, 2000). It is widely recognised that with all other things being equal, the competitive advantage of organisations, both in production and in service sectors, is determined by the quality of organisational employees and the levels of customer service (Eaton, 2001). The role of employees is especially important in service sectors like hotels and airlines, where individual customer satisfaction is often dependent upon the quality of service provided by organisational employees. All modern day airlines, big and small, recognise the importance of employees and their role in the achievement of competitive advantage and organisational growth (Eaton, 2001). Airline employees, both on the ground and those who fly, are chosen with great care and trained continuously and intensely in order to improve operational efficiencies, customer service and competitive advantage. 1.2. Aims and Objectives This research project aims to determine the role of training of employees in Etihad airlines on the organisational efficiency, customer service, and competitive advantage of El Etihad Airlines. Its objectives are as under To examine the role of training in improvement of organisational efficiency and competitive advantage of organisations. To investigate how training can improve the performance of employees in the airlines sector. To investigate and assess the ways in which training can help the performance of employees at Etihad Airways 1.3. Research Questions The research questions for this project are framed as under: Research Questions 1: What are the organisational advantages of training? Research Question 2: How can such advantages improve the performance of employees in the Airlines sector? Research Question 3: How can training improve employee and organisational performance at Etihad Airways? Research Question 4: How will such improvement impact the operational and financial performance of Etihad Airways? 1.4. Terms and Definitions Terms and Definitions Details Epistemological Approach The approach of knowledge Quantitative and Qualitative Methods The two main methods of social research Population The group of people or things under study in research projects Sample A small portion of the population that is expected to have the attributes of the larger population 1.5. Limitations of Study This study will be limited by the amount of information accessed during the course of investigation of primary and secondary sources. Whilst extensive efforts will be made to obtain relevant information, it is very possible that some facts that are relevant may not be unearthed. Such inadequacies could limit the final analysis and results of the project. 2. Literature Review Etihad Airways Etihad Airways was established in July 2003, through the proclamation of a royal decree by Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE. Etihad is the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, and offers air travel within country and to numerous other global destinations (iloveindia.com, 2009). It is based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. The company is yet to post a profit and has faced difficult times in the wake of the global economic downturn of 2008 (iloveindia.com, 2009). Competition in the Airline Industry The airline industry has faced very challenging times over the course of the past decade and continues to face multifaceted and tough situations. The industry suffered extremely in the days after the September 11 attacks, when worldwide drops in air travel compelled a number of celebrated airlines, counting the likes of Swissair, to seal operations because of enormous operational and financial losses (Yousfi, 2008). The huge hike in fuel costs in recent years, which in 2007 shot up to more than 140 USD per barrel and now floats between USD 70 and 75 per barrel, is adversely affecting the operations and finances of all passenger airlines. The airline industry, globally, has suffered losses worth billions of dollars in recent periods and expects to make a nominal profit of 0.05% in 2011 (Yousfi, 2008). Etihad has not just been adversely affected by adverse global environmental circumstances but also by competition from strong Middle East airlines like Qatar Airlines and Gulf Air. The o rganisation faces extremely strong international and local competition, and is finding it difficult to break even and thereafter make profits (Yousfi, 2008). Training and Development Training and Development constitutes the overall organisational strategies and policies that are adopted by organisations for helping employees to improve their individual and collective organisational abilities and skills (Adiele, 2009). Training initiatives aim to build workforces with better ability in order to allow organisations and employees to attain their objectives for customer satisfaction and service. Training represents all the activities that are taken up, both by organisations or individually by employees, to improve employee performance in existing or associated areas of employment (Adiele, 2009). Training in organisations comprises of two important segments, i.e. internal training and external training (Vemic, 2007). Internal training is provided within the organisation. Such training can be classified into off-job and on-job training, on-job training standing for the improvement of skills through the actual participation of workers in their jobs and off-job training standing for learning enhancement through observation; either in class rooms or in the work place (Vemic, 2007). External training represents training that is arranged outside companies, mostly by consultants and professionals (Vemic, 2007). Need for Training and Development Employees need to be trained for various reasons. Whilst staffing of employees is carried out on the basis of their overall suitability for the jobs expected of them by way of educational background and achievements, prior training and working experience, changes in work place and environmental conditions, as well as alterations in work requirements, often require employees to enhance their skills (Lowson, 2002). Training needs could arise because of reasons like (a) the inculcation of fresh technologies and work processes, (b) alterations in manufacturing, service or other work processes, (c) the need to prepare employees for additional responsibilities, (d) the need to prepare workers to take on improved responsibilities, (e) the need to develop their awareness about environmental and business circumstances and (f) the need to develop or alter their attitudes and behaviours (Lowson, 2002). Organisations are progressively emphasising on the importance of ethics in the work place (Vemic, 2007). Modern organisations are informing employees about the ethical direction of their organisations and the requirement for employees to maintain ethical codes of conduct. Apart from ethics, training programmes are frequently designed to give employees interpersonal skills and conflict minimisation techniques (Vemic, 2007). Inculcation of the requirement for preservation of work place harmony also helps workers in improving their relationships with others. Training also plays a key role in inculcating safety in working processes (Vemic, 2007). Benefits of Training and Development HR experts are agreed on the positive benefits of training, not just for junior members of the workforce, but even more for supervisors and managers, for augmentation of individual and organisational productivity and performance (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). Suitable and well planned training assists workers to develop their skills and knowledge, as well as to acquire new skills. Many studies have shown that employees can toil considerably faster and with lesser errors after proper training. Such training allows them to do their jobs better and enables them to take on new responsibilities. Whilst training assists organisational performance and efficiency, it also increases employee worth and augments their value in the employment market (Gerber Lankshear, 2000). Please see Appendix 2, which details the various benefits of training and development in the form of a chart. 3. Research Methods 3.1. Methodological Perspectives 3.1.1. Important Research Factors Research in areas management come under the broad scope of economic research (Bryman Bell, 2007). The research methodology for such assignments is determined in agreement with the doctrine of social research and is shaped by the character of the subject under study and the infrastructural and other resources available with the researcher. The choice of suitable research methods and techniques involves the selection of precise research methods and the most appropriate sources of information (Bryman Bell, 2007). 3.1.2. Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of Research Social research methods are fashioned by two broad and different research approaches, namely the quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. These approaches are fashioned by dissimilar epistemologies and require the use of distinct research techniques, both for acquisition and for analysis of data (Darlington Scott, 2002). Please see Appendix 1 Most theories put forward by researchers need substantiation, measured by relevant quantitative data Quantitative research is an inquiry into an identified problem, and based on testing theories. The goal of quantitative methods is to determine whether the predictive generalizations of a theory holds true. Quantitative political research thus refers to the use of measurement in the analysis of behaviours and attitudes. Quantitative political analysis makes great use of statistical concepts and theories in its execution. In a situation that involves the behavioural analysis of large numbers of people, sometimes running into hundreds of thousands, statistical analysis is the most convenient way of arriving at a logical conclusion. The use of statistics by way of various tools like predetermined sampling methods, probability, correlation and regression analyses is used to present findings that support or contradict research hypotheses. Quantitative analysis is initially somewhat bewildering to stereotypical political researchers, who mostly have backgrounds in the liberal arts and are unfamiliar with statistical models. However, the models used are reasonably simple and decision making is restricted to choosing the level of data to be used, the choice of the sampling technique, the sample size and the appropriate tool for measuring variability. The measurement of variability, which involves computation of means, medians, modes, standard deviations and coefficients of correlation and regression, is the only stage in quantitative analysis that requires a certain amount of number crunching. However, software for their computation is universally available and researchers, these days have little to do other than feeding in the results of surveys and questionnaires. Apart from these descriptive techniques for data analysis, statistical inferential techniques that involve generalising from a sample to the whole population are also regularly used in qualitative research methodology. Quantitative analysis involves two other major tasks that influence the quality of the final analysis, namely data collection and the final validation of results. Data collection can happen directly through the use of questionnaires and surveys, from opinion polls or from pre-existing material, like results of other research efforts or official statistics. Harrison (2001) states that opinion polls are often used to obtain indications about public preferences while exit polls help in forecasting results. The voluminous material available from official sources is also used as base data in quantitative research on many occasions, after satisfaction of its validity for the Qualitative methods of analysis are fundamentally different and are applied when the issue under study is subjective in nature and open to different ways of interpretation (Neuman, 2005). Qualitative research methods are fashioned by interpretivist epistemology and concern detailed examination of multifaceted subjects that are frequently profound and incapable of being satisfied with yes or no responses. Qualitative techniques involve obtaining understanding human behaviour in depth as well as the reasons that govern such behaviour, i.e., the how and why behind attitudes and consequent decision-making. Samples are therefore small and focussed and techniques incorporate skilled and extensive interviewing of respondents, observation and examination of documents (Neuman, 2005). The major difference between quantitative and qualitative research techniques lies in much greater involvement and the elimination of detachment, which however is integral to quantitative research involving large samples and surveys. Numerous techniques, including participant observation, ethnography, ethno methodology, dramaturgical interviewing, case studies, unobtrusive observation, content analysis and historiography form part of the repertoire of the student using qualitative methodology for research. There are very few step by step rules in this methodology and the objective is to arrive at the real reasons behind what people actually do, as opposed to what they say, e.g. in surveys. Whilst most research assignments call for the use of either quantitative or qualitative methods, some multifaceted and multidimensional issues necessitate the use of both techniques (Neuman, 2005). 3.1.3. Choice of Information Sources Information sources are generally categorised into primary and secondary sources. Secondary information sources consist of all the information on the subject that is available to the public at large in the form of published material, more specifically books, articles, both journal and magazine, and other publications (Bryman Bell, 2007). Primary information is obtained from sources that are part of or are integral to the subject under study (Bryman Bell, 2007). Whilst primary information is commonly obtained from interviews and focus group discussions, such information is also available from specific public domain sources like organisational or departmental publications, publications authored by the subjects under study, interviews given by them to reliable media publications, and otherwise from information disseminated through personal or organisational websites (Bryman Bell, 2007). 3.2. Research Design The research project is complex and its design will need to incorporate both quantitative and qualitative methods of research. It is proposed to investigate the responses of a small group of 25 airline employees of Middle East airlines on the proposed benefits of training. This will help in obtaining information from airlines employees on their perceptions of training, especially on the training techniques that could help them in their jobs. Whilst it could be difficultly to obtain permission from airline managements for the conduct of such a survey, a recommendation letter from the institution should help in obtaining their agreement to participate. Qualitative interviews with three senior or middle level airlines staff, especially with people associated with the HR function will also help in obtaining detailed information about the role of training in improving the performance of airline employees. 3.3. Population and Samples The population, for the purpose of this assignment, consists of the employees of Etihad Airways. With the operations of employees of most employees in the airlines sector being reasonably similar, the population can be taken to be all people employed in the airline sector in the Gulf States. The sample for the quantitative survey is fixed at 25 airline employees. The size of the sample is fixed on a non-probabilistic basis and has been decided in line with the abilities and resources of the researcher in conducting the survey. Qualitative interviews are expected to be conducted with three airline employees. The choice of three respondents for qualitative employees is reasonable considering the detailed work required in conducting qualitative interviews. The sample size for qualitative interviews is thus determined at three respondents. 3.4. Data Collection Data collection for quantitative interviews with 25 airline employees will be through carefully constructed questionnaires that will contain a maximum of 15 multiple choice questions. The questionnaire will be easy to use and will be administered by 3 volunteers at airline terminals, only after approval of airline managements. Data will be collected for qualitative analysis from direct interviews with carefully chosen officials, engaged in middle or senior management positions in the airline sector in the Gulf countries. The questions for the interviews will be both open and close ended in nature. The interviews will be audio taped and thereafter transcribed into typed documents. 3.5. Research Ethics Appropriate care will be taken to ensure the adoption of ethical rules and norms that are pertinent to business research (Bryman Bell, 2007). All information sources used for the purpose of study will be acknowledged carefully and comprehensively (Bryman Bell, 2007). All participants will be informed of the nature of the assignment and its purposes. Respondents have been informed of their right to confidentiality and of refusing to answer all or any of the questions asked of them. All respondents have also agreed in writing of their unilateral and unforced willingness to participate in this study (Bryman Bell, 2007). 3.6. Data Analysis The analysis of data will need to be done with reference to the research questions of this project. Data collected from the questionnaire survey will first be carefully transcribed and tabulated, and thereafter analysed with the use of standard statistical tools and techniques. Analysis of data obtained during direct interviews will be conducted after the contents of the audio tapes are carefully transcribed along with notes on behaviours of respondents during the course of interviews. It is important in such cases to bring out the nuances that are not available in the typed manuscripts of the interviews. References Adiele, N., 2009, Importance of Training and Development in a Firm, Ezine, Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ndunuju_Adiele (accessed October 13, 2010). Bryman, A., Bell, E., 2007, Business Research Methods, 2nd edition, New York: Oxford University Press. Creswell, J.W., 2003, Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches, 2nd ed, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Darlington, Y., Scott, D., 2002, Qualitative Research in Practice: Stories from the Field, Crowà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s Nest, N.S.W.: Allen Unwin. Eaton, J., 2001, Globalization and Human Resource in the Airline Industry, 2nd ed., Ashgate Publishing Ltd: Aldershot, UK. El Etihad Airways, 2010, à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Company Profileà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ , Available at: www.etihadairways.com/sites/etihad/global//default.aspx (accessed October 13, 2010). Elliott, D., Stern, E. J., 1997, Research Ethics: A Reader, 1st edition, Institute for the Study of Applied and Professional Ethics at Dartmouth College. Gerber, R., Lankshear, C., 2000, Training for a Smart Workforce, London, Routledge. Craig, C. S., HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252 Douglas, S. P., 2000, HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252International Marketing ResearchHYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252 (2nd ed.), New York: John Wiley HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=111420252 Sons. iloveindia.com, 2009, Etihad Airways, Available at: www.iloveindia.com/airlines-in-india//etihad-airways.html (accessed October 13, 2010). Kervin, J. B., 1992, Methods for business research, New York: Harper Collins. Lowson, R, H., 2002, Strategic Operations ManagementHYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=102807829, The New Competitive Advantage,HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=102807829 New York, Routledge. Morrison, S., Winston, C., 1995, The Evolution of the Airline Industry, The Brookings Institution, 4 Washington, D.C. Neuman, W. L., 2005, Social Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, 6th Edition, Allyn Bacon. Penslar, L. R., 1995, Research Ethics: Cases and Materials, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A., 2009, Research methods for business students, 5th ed, Essex: Pearson Educational. Vemic, J., 2007, Employee training and development and the learning Organisation, Economics and Organisation, 4, 2, 209-216. Yousfi, J., 2008, Troubled Global Airline Industry Battered by Fuel Costs, Labor Problems, Money Morning, Available at: moneymorning.com//troubled-global-airline-industry-battered-by-fuel-costs-labor-problems/ (accessed October 13, 2010). Appendices Appendix 1 Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Quantitative Research Qualitative Research Is Objective in nature Is Subjective in nature Depends upon Measurement Depends upon Interpretation Researchers are independent of the Process Researchers are part of the Process Sample size is very important Sample size is not important Used for testing theory and dependent upon early Literature Review Used for developing theory and as such Literature Review is an ongoing process Reasoning is logistic and deductive and establishes relationships and causation Reasoning is dialectic and inductive and establishes meaning, discovery Report is generally in the form of statistical analysis and strives for generalization Report is narrative in nature, dependent upon interpretation and works towards uniqueness

statistics review :: essays research papers

In this article, the authors attempt to answer the research question of whether or not the link between an individual’s organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and the score they receive on their performance evaluation is affected in any way by gender. OCB is described by the authors as actions that are performed by individuals that go above and beyond what is expected of them as per the requirements that are listed on their job description. For the purpose of this study, the authors looked at five identifying factors of OCB. These factors include altruism, conscientiousness, courtesy, sportsmanship, and civic virtue. By conducting this study, the authors hoped to find support for three hypotheses: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women will be rated as displaying more OCB than men. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For both women and men, level of OCB ratings and performance ratings will be positively related. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although women will be rated as displaying more OCB than men, they will not receive higher performance ratings than men. (Sex Roles, 3) A total of 109 RA’s (resident advisors) from an East Coast University participated in this assessment, 55 women and 41 men. The authors state that RA’s were used for this test because of the increased opportunity they have as a whole to practice OCB. To set up the test that would be given to the current RAs, former RA’s were contacted via telephone. They were asked questions and given a pilot survey, which was reviewed and revised to become the final testing instrument. The survey contained 17 questions, which, after scoring, would create an OCB rating ranging from 17 (low OCB) to 85 (high OCB). The surveys were given to the RA’s during weekly meetings, with the individual RA’s rating the OCB level of their RA counterparts in the same residence hall that they worked in. The results of these surveys were added together and averaged for each RA and then compared against the score that the individuals received on the performance evaluations that were given to them by their supervisors. The authors concluded from these results that there is indeed a link between higher OCB ratings and higher performance evaluation scores, and they also stated that the performance ratings of male RA’s are quite similar to those earned by the female RA’s. The hypothesis that females would have higher OCB scores than males was reported as being correct, but the fact that the authors state â€Å"the conventional level of significance was not achieved† doesn’t make a very solid argument upon which to base their reasoning.

Sam Walton :: essays research papers

Wal-Mart, the world’s top retail store wasn’t always so big. Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart saw the opportunity to open a business and later became America’s richest man. Competing against the biggest business to date Walton success is still apparent in today’s economy with stores all over the world. I believe Sam Walton is the world’s greatest entrepreneur because of his success. At an early age of 40 Walton had already owned 15 variety stores. As discount stores started opening around towns where his stores, he saw what was in store in the retail industry. On July 2, 1962, at the age of 44, Walton opened his first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas. The competition also started that same year with Woolco, Kmart, and Target opening their doors as well. His main goal while keeping his business alive was to keep the prices as low as possible. Stores began opening wherever Walton saw opportunity to grow. He brought Wal-Mart from his home state as he spread the stores across others. He always had a good view of the future and could for see that computerized business were the future. In part he traveled to New York’s IBM school and hired the top student to work for him. To this day Wal-Mart’s database is second only to the Pentagons. With his true sight for growing a strong business, Walton may have been the first computer aged CEO. For twenty-two years Walton had been an underground growing mega business. Unnoticed by the majority public he had become the richest man in America. With Forbes magazine determining that his 39% ownership of Wal-Mart's stock made him the richest man his name was know by everyone. As the name Wal-Mart spread around the country and the business grew more money came in and Walton lived his life as he always had, with pickup trucks and a farm instead of limo’s and mansions. Wal-Mart had remained increasing in size because of Walton’s drive to bring prices lower and lower. With consumers always looking for the bargain deal and the sales Wal-Mart never had to have sales because they sell what the have for the lowest possible prices. The concept of supply and demand works perfectly with the way the business is run.

Essay examples --

Justice Penny White of Tennessee, lost her retention election in 1996 after the Tennessee Conservative Union campaigned against her, saying she was soft on crime and capital punishment. A retention election is beneficial because it eliminates Justices that feel pity or emotion towards cases and/or people. Justice White for example ordered a new death sentence hearing for the case of State v. Odom and was knocked off the bench in a retention election because of her decision. This retention election process is beneficial because it allows citizens to retain judges who are doing significantly. It also allows us as citizens to vote off Judges who we think are doing poorly or do not represent us as a whole. Justice Penny White was voted off the ballot because citizen did not like the decision she made in the case on State v. Odom. Churches formed prayer circles to call community members stating that they would vote no for Justice White because she is evil. (Denver Bar Assoc iation.) White was opposed by a variety of victims' right groups as well as by Republic governor Don S... Essay examples -- Justice Penny White of Tennessee, lost her retention election in 1996 after the Tennessee Conservative Union campaigned against her, saying she was soft on crime and capital punishment. A retention election is beneficial because it eliminates Justices that feel pity or emotion towards cases and/or people. Justice White for example ordered a new death sentence hearing for the case of State v. Odom and was knocked off the bench in a retention election because of her decision. This retention election process is beneficial because it allows citizens to retain judges who are doing significantly. It also allows us as citizens to vote off Judges who we think are doing poorly or do not represent us as a whole. Justice Penny White was voted off the ballot because citizen did not like the decision she made in the case on State v. Odom. Churches formed prayer circles to call community members stating that they would vote no for Justice White because she is evil. (Denver Bar Assoc iation.) White was opposed by a variety of victims' right groups as well as by Republic governor Don S...

How to Plan a Surprise Party Essay

Planning a surprise party is never easy, but it is often the most rewarding. When planning, keep in mind how many people to invite, the location, and a theme. Whether it is a large or small party, taking a few minutes to create a plan ensures the party will be a success. Deciding the location is the most important aspect because it affects all others: the guest list, the budget, the menu, and to an extent, the theme. It needs to be large enough to accommodate everyone invited, have a large enough food preparation area, and ample space for the decorations. It is important to find a place that will not cause the person to become suspicious. It is necessary to know the person well in order to pick a theme they will appreciate. When choosing a theme, it is also necessary to think about how easy or difficult it will be to incorporate throughout all aspects of the party. The internet is a great place to find creative themes for any type of party; and with party supply stores, it is much easier to find decorations to go along with most themes. A well chosen theme helps tie everything together. Once the location is chosen and the theme is planned, it is time to plan the menu and begin buying the supplies. When planning the menu, keep in mind the time of he party. It will help to determine whether to serve light hors d’oeuvres or a full meal. The menu also needs items for guests with special diets, such as vegetarians. Items should be easy to cook ahead of time and be stored easily. Limiting the menu to food items that are simple to refill and maintain is a good idea. Although planning a surprise party is often the most difficult, it is always worth it. Preparation is the key to any successful party, but the extra work put into keeping the party a secret pays off in the end. The look on their face and the appreciation they show is the ultimate reward.

Intense Personal Memories and Reflections

Intense personal memories and reflections have always been an inspiration to poets. Explore this concept with regards to the poems that you have studied referring to three poems in detail and at least three poems from your wider reading. The theme of reflections is something frequently explored in literature. It is truly a powerful force. It can bestow courage, feelings of warmth, and even overwhelm you and this is exactly what the below six poets did by manipulating their personal and emotional reflections to generate an emotive impact on us by using a variety of literary devices to present to us a ‘window’ into their pasts.Alice Walker (Poem at Thirty-Nine), U. A. Fanthorpe (Half past Two) and D. H. Lawrence (Piano) have all portrayed powerful emotional memories and reflections in their poems. â€Å"Poem At Thirty-Nine† was concerning a woman who learnt everything from her father and desired to do the simple things he did during his life although she was very pr ivileged to acquire an education hence she could better herself in life. â€Å"Follower† by Seamus Heaney was a poem that related to the admiration of their parent. Half-Past Two† evaluated the predicament of a young boy in an after school punishment for â€Å"Something Very Wrong† but he was instructed to remain in the schoolroom until â€Å"half- past two† but he did not understand the concept of time. â€Å"My Parents Kept Me from Children Who Were Rough† by Stephen Spender evaluated a childhood problem similarly to â€Å"Half-Past Two† where in this case, the title is self-explanatory. Piano† was a well-defined example of the author of the poem ruminating on his past life, but in particular, music of his childhood making him return to certain events forcefully but he realised how much he has transformed and the memories made him crave to return to the past. â€Å"Once Upon A Time† by Gabriel Okara also was a poem where the ad ult wanted to return to the past but in this poem, it was not for a childhood memory but a quality that was expelled from his mind during adulthood. D. H.Lawrence’s â€Å"Piano† was written in quatrains with 3 stanzas. The structure of 3 stanzas divided the poem into 3 different parts which made it organised and stanzas created a clear space in time. Through the usage of stanzas, the emotional contrasts between his dwelling in his childhood memories and the aftermath are much more distinct and easier to apprehend. With the change from the second to the third stanza, the persona’s memories of delight were juxtaposed with reality settling in where Lawrence’s language now was in the present.The poet used several poetic devices but one that triumphs was his distinct word placement and perfectly placed words and syllables. This portrayed the intensity of emotion in the poem since he knew the exact phrases and words to maximise the effect of presenting emotions in a sophisticated manner. A perfect example of this would be where instead of just saying â€Å"going back† or â€Å"train of thought† he used â€Å"vista of years. † Another example of this specific word usage was when Lawrence used the phrase â€Å"Till I see† which communicated the message in a more powerful manner than â€Å"I remember. The poet chose a particular phrase because he wanted to communicate exact images and not leave a lot of room for assumption since just using â€Å"I remember† or â€Å"going back† could be a range of memories. He also used phrases such as â€Å"A child† to refer to himself and he referred to his mother as â€Å"A mother† which made the poem impersonal but it was an attempt to make him detached from the memories and as if he almost didn’t distinguish his past self, seeing that he has changed so much. Lawrence utilised a variety of poetic devices such as sibilance, onomatopoeia and w hat I think to be his most effective and successful, his selective diction.The poet has effectively established an enthralling atmosphere for the poem by using sibilance. He used sibilance not just for an atmosphere creation but to add a sinister and harsh tone to a line: â€Å"In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song. † That was also another precisely chosen phrase. There were many examples of sibilance such as â€Å"Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;† and â€Å"†¦smiles as she sings,† where the â€Å"s† sounds similar to that of a whisper which portrayed. Now the intensity of his memory but now it’s beginning to emotionally hurt him.Also when the poet asserted â€Å"In spite of myself,† he was forced to reckon these moments, he referred to his masculinity. The â€Å"insidious mastery of song†¦ Betrays me back,† tricked him into the nostalgia of childhood, it forced him to â€Å"weep to belong,† since he didn’t want to revisit the past. He pulled himself out of recalling about the child he was with the phrase â€Å"In spite of myself† The poet used the words â€Å"Sunday† and â€Å"at home† which gave a sense of resting and peace but he used a contradictory metaphor, â€Å"winter outside† which meant the harsh world outside his safe home.As that stanza continued, you saw the theme of safety and comfort continues where he said â€Å"hymns in the cozy parlour. † The hymns show that the family was a God-fearing family and a parlour was where the best things in the house were and where guests usually were so that also shows a close knitted family and the sense of security between the family members. The poet also used onomatopoeia in â€Å"boom of the tingling strings† and â€Å"tinkling â€Å" since â€Å"boom† and â€Å"tinkling† described their own sound.Lawrence used a musical term in the final stanza â€Å"W ith the great black piano appassionato† which enhanced the impression on the reader. As the reader, â€Å"appassionato† was more impacting than loud since it was associated to music and it was more expressive. â€Å"Appassionato† added to the fact that to the character’s music didn’t matter anymore and that he’d rather be with his mother. The singer, his mother, was trying â€Å"in vain† which and continued where the mother singing was â€Å"clamour† so she comprehended that he was beginning to lose attention but her attempts to retrieve his focus we futile.He then used the pejorative term, â€Å"childish days† which tended to suggests immaturity but the â€Å"glamor† of those days makes him long for it. Also this extract â€Å"†¦ my manhood is cast/Down in the flood of remembrance†¦Ã¢â‚¬  shows that he wept like a child for the past therefore by his weeping; the gap between child and man, sentiment and masculinity, and past and present is abridged. Personally, I think anyone can relate to this poem because no matter who you are there’s that one moment in childhood everyone longs to return to and just like Lawrence, everyone sees it as a â€Å"glamor. â€Å"Once Upon A Time† by Gabriel Okara is related to â€Å"Piano† because within the poem, there was the desire to return to the past but in this poem, it was a conversation between a father and a son where the father was relating how actions of people were executed when he was young compared to the present and now the father (narrator) wished he could return to his original innocent state. Unlike â€Å"Piano,† â€Å"Once Upon A Time† was a free verse poem.The first three stanzas have the same general pattern where Okara starts by narrating the past and explaining how things used to be, but then he tells the negative reality, making the tone of the poem very sinister and bitter by using phrases s uch as â€Å"ice – block cold eyes† and â€Å"shake hands without hearts,† whereas in â€Å"Piano† there was a sinister undertone with the â€Å"insidious† sibilance. The mood of this poem for the majority of it was seriousness but at the ending, the mood changes to regret and you see how heartfelt the father’s desire to become like what he used to be. So show me, son, how to laugh; show me how†¦ I used to laugh and smile†¦ once upon a time when I was like you. † The repetition in that extract emphasised the genuineness of his regret. A simile that Okara used to express his regret was â€Å"†¦my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs! † which shows who remorseful he feels by using a poisonous snake to represent his teeth. So we see that just as how Lawrence wants to return to his childhood for the memories, Okara wants to learn from his past by letting his son teach him how to show his true feelings again. Poem at Thirty-Nine† by Alice Walker differs from Piano and Half-Past Two because it is a free verse poem. In free verse poems, you tend to get the memories that was most impacted on you so the reflection becomes more fascinating. Although this poem was written in free verse, there was still a distinct separation between the two sections of the poem. That was presented in the repetition of the phrase â€Å"How I miss my father† where the first time, it seemed like she was sighing of deliberation and remorse.This remorse can also be linked in with the phrase â€Å"though many of my truths must have grieved him before the end. † She now recognised that what she disclosed might have upset him but the second time was with an exclamation mark, instead of a sigh, it appeared to be more like a wail. At this point she recalled and missed her father and the fun things about him. Finally there was the stanza that concludes poem which told us that she has become the woman that her father wanted her to be.Walker used simple language that was never overstated or simulated in any way so without the use of the extravagant words; you can clearly perceive that this poem is coming from her heart. She used simple, short phrases and sentences such as â€Å"Writing slips and deposit checks† or â€Å"cooking, writing, chopping wood† which also gives you an impression of Walker attempting to communicate with the reader and not narrating a story. This is a significant contrast from the poem â€Å"Piano† because in piano, the entire poem was based on the perfect layout of words and syllables using complex vocabulary.This poem consisted of various literary devices such as similes, metaphors and the dominating symbolism. One simile used in the poem was â€Å"He cooked like a person dancing† which contrasts with the proceeding line â€Å"in a yoga meditation† but nonetheless the dancing showed that the father enjoyed cooking but he seems co ncentrated and contented with his actions. An example of a metaphor in the poem was â€Å"my brain light† which was an usual combination of words but the light can be ascertained to either be free from care, worry or stress and even meditation.Then, there was the many examples of symbolism but I think the most obvious would be â€Å"†¦tossing this and that into the pot; seasoning none of my life the same way twice;† this can be understood where she was carefree and she has a lack of concern and attention to details. The â€Å"seasoning† would be a symbol of her daily activities. Another symbolic phrase would be â€Å"cooking, writing, chopping wood, staring into the fire. † To me, I see those actions as symbols of independence where she was able to survive without relying on her parents. Chopping wood† shows that she’s not afraid of the gender boundary of the society then since women were looked down upon and they had little to no rights and it was the same for Black-Americans and Alice Walker had the privilege of being from both groups. She later became a racial and women’s activist. You could say that she is a modern woman, being able to be independent and fight for her beliefs. Any father â€Å"would have grown to admire† the woman she had become especially hers who had been a freed slave. â€Å"Follower† by Seamus Heaney was written in quatrains each of the six stanzas has four lines thus being a structured poem.This poem relates to â€Å"Poem at Thirty-Nine† because it focuses on admiration just like in â€Å"Poem at Thirty-Nine† The poem has multiple splits where particular stanzas focus on different people. Stanza one to three focuses on the expertise in the farm by his father. Evidence where this is clearly seen is â€Å"The horse strained at his clicking tongue† where you notice that with an effortless human noise and he controls the animals on the farm. A more obv ious example was just the two word sentence â€Å"An Expert† which just states that he was excellent at what he did.Then stanzas four to six, Heaney talked about himself being a nuisance on the farm and what made this apparent was that Heaney begins to use the pronoun â€Å"I. † â€Å"I stumbled†¦ / I was a nuisance, tripping, falling† where Heaney admits that he was, in fact, a nuisance, but there was a twist at the end of the poem where â€Å"But today†¦ It is my father who keeps stumbling†¦ Behind me, and will not go away. † And this was the ultimate theme of the poem – the relationship of the father and the son and how the role of being a farmer is reversed when you age.The mood of this poem was actually not one of bitterness but love between the father and son although that word was never mentioned in the poem. There were similes, metaphors, oxymoron and onomatopoeia used in this poem. â€Å"His shoulders globed like a full sai l strung† This simile stressed how Heaney admired his father’s strength. â€Å"The sweating team turned round† This was a metaphor for the father controlling his son’s future. One of the oxymoron examples were: â€Å"Polished sod† which highlights that you cannot have smooth mud, so Heaney cannot follow.Onomatopoeia: â€Å"Dipping and rising to his plod† accentuated Heaney as a young boy following his father, and also his father’s farming, the movement of the horse-plough. Reading this poem, people can relate to this poem because in everyone’s life, you eventually move up in life from the nuisance to the one who actually does the work and the same people who thought you we’re the nuisance to them, you now think they hinder you. â€Å"Half-Past Two† by U. A. Fanthorpe is a structured poem where each stanza has three lines each.The poem follows a chronological order where it began him in a classroom in his after scho ol punishment and it follows the events like a time lapse until the teacher dismissed him but then you notice that the poem ends on a philosophical note. In the first stanza, we saw evidence of there being a contrast in age in the lines being spoken by a narrator in third person and in brackets, the narrator in first person narrative. We saw evidence of this throughout the poem. For example, â€Å"He did Something Very Wrong†¦ (I forget what it was)† Everything spoken by the first person narrator was written in brackets but when he was relating the past events he writes freely. When Fanthorpe was reflecting upon his younger childhood; he could not tell the time so time existed for him in personal interactions and it was important times such as â€Å"Gettinguptime, Timeyouwereofftime, Timetogohometime, TVtime†¦ † and the concept of the â€Å"half – past two† was not understood by him. This poem, just like all the other poems, has a great amount o f literary devices such as personification, repetition and oxymoron. One example of personification was where he attempted to comprehend the concept of time as a child and the personified the clock â€Å"†¦ he little eyes, the long legs for walking,† but still he could not â€Å"click its language† which meant no matter how hard he tried to figure out the clock and how it works, all his attempts were unsuccessful. In stanza seven, he is in a moment of isolation – â€Å"Out of reach from all timefors† and away from the impact of time – â€Å"He’d escaped time for ever† which is comprehended as his escape from the world of time and in a fairy tale world where time has no existence. The poem from this point begins to slow down and becomes hypnotic where he was realising the routine of his life and how monotonous it was.It was as if he was falling into a trance of his regular daily life and this hypnotic stanza was achieved by the re petition of â€Å"Into† and we also see oxymoron where Fanthorpe says â€Å"†¦silent noise his hangnail made. † Then we see where he snaps out of the trance, it was as if he was slotted back into time where he was back into â€Å"teatime, Nexttime etc. † When the teacher said â€Å"I forgot all about you,† the incident the child saw as being â€Å"Something Very Wrong† and â€Å"wicked† as of little importance to the teacher. These â€Å"time† words increase the tempo of the poem like if it was back into the fast lane of life.The language of the poem now becomes more adult so it could possibly be when Fanthorpe has just got himself out of his reflections and back to present. Fanthorpe uses phrases such as â€Å"Clockless land forever† which refers back to a fairy tale where time does not exist and he not knowing time, allowed him just to live without fear of time being over. He also uses the word â€Å"Forever† whic h links back to â€Å"into ever,† a place where time was infinite and does not exist or cannot be measured. The poem ends from instead of being just a reflection; Fanthorpe personified ime â€Å"time hides tick-less waiting to be born† which can be comprehended as waiting for tome to be discovered as a concept which controls our life. This poem made me and I can assure anyone who is reading â€Å"Half-Past Two† they will realise, just like how I have, the extent of how these time periods control our life and without it, the world will either go into complete peace since it will be peaceful and there will be no need to rush or it would be a catastrophe where to world goes into uproar since people depend and base their lives on this concept of time. My Parents Who Kept Me from Children Who Were Rough† by Stephen Spender was a poem about a child who was protected from the outside world by his parents and the bullying children who roamed the streets. Spender's poem was divided into three verses of equal length, though the verse division seems more of a visual device than anything else. The lines are roughly the same length and have an irregular rhythm. It was similar to the poem â€Å"Half-Past Two† since it also involved a childhood predicament but in this poem, the parents assisted the child to avoid any severe danger to their son.Spender uses the pronoun â€Å"I† which makes the poem personal and you clearly see that Spender was reflecting on his own personal encounters. The poetic devices that I observed in this poem were alliteration, similes and enjambment on the first line of the poem. Alliteration was seen in â€Å"climbing cliffs† and the simile was seen â€Å"like dogs to bark at our world† which can be understood as people who attacked other peoples’ lives. In those poems, each and every one, reflections are a major part to the poets influence for the masterpieces of work. Poem at Thirty-Nine † and â€Å"Follower† we saw pure admiration and love pour out of those poems, even though some might be hampered in the sadness and remorse, the sensation of awe to the poets’ parents was still present. Piano’ shows its power to overwhelm a fully grown man and drive him to the point of tears. â€Å"Half-Past Two† was one of those amazing poems where if you begin to imagine what would it be like and your imagination just runs wild. Once Upon A Time† is another fantastic and usual piece of poetry where instead of having a child admire a father; Okara did the opposite and have the parent running to the child for wisdom which is a notable ironic twist that was very uncommon. â€Å"My Parents Kept Me from Children Who Were Rough† is one of those stories where there is just nonstop bullying and you think the person being bullied would never recover, in this poem we actually see the poet forgive his enemies which now makes me admire him for t hat bold move although the street children never paid any attention to him.Personally I believe in the power of memory. Through recollecting the past and reflecting upon it, I see what I can do to improve myself and be a better person. With it you can become happy but yet be pained by it and I have my regrets but those memories hurt, keep me awake at night and cause fits of depression. It is a normal part of life. Live with it, do not seek to dwell in the past and create more memories worth remembering.