The Struggle of Good vs. Evil in J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Essay Example

The Struggle of Good vs. Evil in J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Paper The Struggle of Good vs. Evil in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy J. R. R. Tolkien is one of the most influential fantasy writers of all time. He has been referred to as the â€Å"father† of modern fantasy literature. Tolkien was an English writer, poet, philologist, and a professor at Oxford University. He has written The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, the famous Lord of the Rings trilogy, and more. The Lord of the Rings has inspired literature, artwork, music, film, videogames, and television. In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien suggests that the ends do not justify the means. J. R. R. Tolkien was born on January 3rd 1892, the child of Arthur and Mabel Tolkien. Arthur Reuel Tolkien was 31 years old when he proposed to 18 year old Mabel Suffield. She gladly accepted, but her father was not too happy. He thought Mabel was too young to be married, so the wedding was put off for a few years. In 1891, the two finally got married. Mabel’s father was not pleased, he didn’t think the Tolkien family was good enough for the respectable Suffield family, but he gave the couple his blessing. Arthur’s banking business in England was not doing well, so he decided to move to the city Bloemfontein, South Africa because it would be more profitable. Mabel wasn’t too thrilled about the move. In a letter to her family she called Bloemfontein a Owlin Wilderness! Horrid Waste! (Doughan). They would end up staying there for a while. Arthur Tolkien wrote the following to his mother on January 4th, 1892: My dear Mother, I have good news for you this week. Mabel gave me a beautiful little son last night (3 January). It was rather before time, but the baby is strong and well and Mabel has come through wonderfully. We will write a custom essay sample on The Struggle of Good vs. Evil in J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings Trilogy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Struggle of Good vs. Evil in J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings Trilogy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Struggle of Good vs. Evil in J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings Trilogy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The baby is (of course) lovely. It has beautiful hands and ears (very long fingers), very light hair, Tolkien eyes and very distinctly a Suffield mouth. In general effect immensely like a very fair edition of its Aunt Mabel Mitton. When we first reached Dr Stollreither yesterday he said it was a false alarm and told the nurse to go home for a fortnight but he was mistaken and I fetched him again about eight and then he stayed till 12. 40 when we had a whiskey to drink luck to the boy. The boys first name will be John after its grandfather, probably John Ronald Reuel altogether. Mab wants to call it Ronald and I want to keep up John and Reuel†¦ â€Å"J. R. R. Tolkien :: Biography† So, J. R. R. Tolkien was born on January 3rd. Even though his first name was John, nearly everyone called him Ronald. South Africa could be a challenging place for a young boy to grow up. When Ronald was very young, he was bitten by a tarantula. Later on, giant spiders appeared in his writings (Tolkien, J. R. R. Fun Facts and Information). Mabel still hated living in South Africa. The Tolkien family planned a trip to go back to England, but Ronald’s brother, Hilary Arthur Reuel was born, so they stayed in South Africa for a while. Once they planned to go back to England again, Arthur got ill and said he would meet the rest of the family when he got better. Around Christmas time, the Tolkiens heard that Arthur had contracted rheumatic fever and he would have to stay in South Africa even longer. On February 14th, 1896, Arthur suffered a severe hemorrhage, and died the next day. Mabel decided to move with the two boys to a cheap cottage in Sarehole, and home school them until they were old enough to attend King Edward‘s school. Tolkien learned how to read when he was 4 years old, and soon he learned to write very well. He loved learning languages. Since he loved anything having to do with words, his mother gave him loads of books to read. His favorites were Red Indian books, Arthurian legends, George MacDonalds Curdie books, and the Red Fairy Book. When Tolkien was young, the little money being sent from Mabel’s father stopped because the family switched to Roman Catholicism. Tolkien was accepted at King Edward’s when he was eight years old. Everything was going fine until Mabel was diagnosed with diabetes in 1904. By the summer, she was able to leave the hospital. Father Francis helped the family so they could stay at a clerical country retreat house. In November, Mabel collapsed into a diabetic coma, and died on the 14th. Ronald and Hilary were now orphans. Father Francis chose who the boys should live with. He had to make sure he chose carefully because most of their family were Protestant. Father Francis chose their aunt Beatrice Suffield to be their caretaker. She had no religious affiliation. While living with their aunt, Tolkien began to study more languages. Since he knew Greek and Latin, it gave him the opportunity to study Anglo-Saxon. He reads beowulf, which was one of his favorite stories. Tolkien really loved philology, the study of words. He began to make up his own languages with his cousins. The first language they made up was called â€Å"Nevbosh. † Tolkien wanted to make a language with â€Å"Greek-style† words. He borrowed a few of Father Francis’s Spanish books, and the next language he came up with was â€Å"Naffarin,† which was heavily influenced by Spanish. Tolkien decided to go even further, and create a whole new alphabet to create a new language called â€Å"private lang. † Father Francis thought that the boys were unhappy living with their aunt, so he sent them to live with another woman named Mrs. Faulkner. There was another border at the house that Father Francis was unaware of, a 19 year old girl named Edith Bratt. She was three years older than Tolkien, and they ended up falling in love. Once Father Francis heard about the two, he forbade Tolkien to see her. Tolkien wasn’t rebellious, and he also depended on Father Francis for financial support, so he agreed. During this time Tolkien was trying to get into Oxford University. He was distracted from working on his â€Å"private lang† and thinking about Edith, so he didn’t get in. In his diary, on January 1st, 1910, he wrote Depressed and as much in dark as ever. God help me. Feel weak and weary (qtd in Doughan). Shortly after, Tolkien and Edith decided to meet secretly. Father Francis heard about their meeting, and banned Tolkien from seeing her until he turned 21. Tolkien concentrated on his studies to get his mind off of Edith. In December he was ready to retake the Oxford scholarship exam. This time, he was accepted. During his first year of studies, Tolkien was very interested in Germanic literature and Comparative Philology. One of his professors thought he would be interested in the Welsh language, and recommended that he study it. On January 3rd, 1913, Tolkien finally turned 21. He was now free from the ban of seeing or talking to Edith. He wrote a letter to Edith on his birthday asking her to marry him. In her reply letter, Edith said she was already engaged to marry her friend’s brother. Tolkien met Edith at a train station and convinced her to break off the engagement and marry him instead. She said the only reason she was going to marry the other guy was because she knew no other eligible young men except Tolkien, whom she thought didn’t love her anymore. Tolkien told Father Francis about their engagement, and he gave the couple his blessing. Edith converted from the Church of England to Roman Catholicism for Tolkien. It was now 1914, and World War 1 was starting. Tolkien wasn’t too thrilled about going to war, but a few close friends were enlisted, and he heard it might be possible for them to be in the same regiment, or even the same battalion. So Tolkien enlisted, and attended army drills. In 1915, he passed his final exams. After getting his degree, he had to take up duties of being second lieutenant. He wasn’t with his friends as he hoped, and everyday was depressing. He ended up being appointed battalion signaling officer. Before the battalion went off to France, Edith and Tolkien got married on March 22nd, 1916. They went on their honeymoon, but Tolkien had to leave England very soon after to fight in France. Once Tolkien arrived in France, he realized his whole army kit was missing, and he had a lot of problems with borrowing and buying replacements. He spent writing poetry and listening to seagulls pass by. Tolkien always remained uninjured for the duration of his service. He received a letter from his good friend Christopher Wallace that their friend Gilson had died. Tolkien had caught trench fever, and was sent back to Edith in England. He received news from Christopher again, about the death of their friend Geoffrey Bache Smith. G. B. Smith’s last words to Tolkien were â€Å"May you say the things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them† (J. R. R. Tolkien :: Biography). These words inspired Tolkien. He began to think about mythology and the languages he created. He never liked the fact that England had no true mythology, and he decided he would create one. He began to write â€Å"The Book of Lost Tales† which would end up being The Silmarillion. On November 16th, 1917, John Francis Reuel Tolkien was born. He was named after Father Francis, and of course Tolkien. The Tolkien family moved to Oxford after the war finished. Tolkien started working for the New English Dictionary. He found learning about words very interesting, but he thought the alphabet he came up with, The Alphabet of Rumil,† was thrilling. In 1924, Tolkien became Professor of English Language. He also took the position of the Anglo-Saxon chair at Oxford. Also that year, his 3rd son, Christopher Reuel Tolkien, was born in November. On May 11th, 1926, at a meeting of the English Faculty at Merton College, Tolkien met Clive Staples Lewis, most commonly known as C. S. Lewis. C. S. Lewis wrote his first impression of J. R. R. Tolkien in his diary. He wrote, A smooth, pale, fluent little chap. No harm in him: only needs a smack or so (Armstrong). Tolkien and C. S. Lewis would end up becoming lifelong friends. Three years later, Tolkien’s fourth and last child, Priscilla Mary Tolkien, was born. One day while grading exam papers, Tolkien noticed that One of the candidates had mercifully left one of the pages with no writing on it (which is the best thing that can possibly happen to an examiner). I wrote on it: In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Names always generate a story in my mind. Eventually I thought Id better find out what hobbits were like. But thats only the beginning (qtd in Doughan). This would be the start of The Hobbit. He worked on it for a while, but by 1936, he abandoned it. He couldn’t figure out how to end the story. The publishers Allen Unwin said they would publish the book if he could write a proper ending. The Hobbit was published on September 21, 1937. The book was a hit. C. S. Lewis complimented Tolkien by saying, All who love that kind of childrens book which can be read and re-read by adults should take note that a new star has appeared in this constellation (qtd in Armstrong). In December, Tolkien started to write another story about hobbits, continuing where The Hobbit left off. He referred to his epic as The Lord of the Rings. He stopped working on it for a while to serve as air raid warden duty on and off during World War 2. He started working on it again, but began to avoid C. S. Lewis. He would harshly criticize The Lord of the Rings at times, and Tolkien thought C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia were ridiculous (Gilsdorf). Tolkien was also a little frustrated that it was so easy for C. S. Lewis to write nearly a book a year, while he was still struggling to finish his book. Finally after 12 years, The Lord of the Rings was finished. He sent it to C. S. Lewis for his opinion, and he said, â€Å"There are many passages I could wish you had written otherwise or omitted altogether, but he also said the work, is almost unequalled in the whole range of narrative art known to me (qtd in J. R. R. Tolkien :: Biography). Tolkien needed to find a publisher for the book. He didn’t want to use Allen Unwin publishing again because they gave him a lot of problems when publishing The Silmarillion. He decided to go with Collins Publishing. Everything was going great, until Collins said the book was too long and it needed cutting. Tolkien now had no other choice but to use Allen Unwin. He decided to split the book into three parts. Once the books were published, they were a hit. The Lord of the Rings was a best-seller. Once it reached America, it got many student fans. Students at Yale University bought the books faster than The Lord of the Flies, and at Harvard, it overtook The Catcher in the Rye. Frodo Lives and Gandalf for President were popular slogans, and J. R. R. Tolkien is Hobbit-forming appeared as graffiti. Tolkien’s fandom was getting too hectic, so he and Mabel decided to move about 2 miles away from Oxford. After the move, officially retired. On November 22nd, 1963, C. S. Lewis died. Tolkien didn‘t write anything for his obituary, but he wrote to his daughter Priscilla, This feels like an axe-blow near the roots (qtd in J. R. R. Tolkien :: Biography). When Edith was 82, she got very sick. She was taken to a hospital, suffering from an inflamed gallbladder, and died on Monday, November 29th, 1971. Tolkien was heartbroken. He was very lonely after Edith’s death. Later on, Tolkien had an acute bleeding gastric ulcer, and was rushed to the hospital on August 31st, 1973. The next day a chest infection had developed. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien died, September 2nd, early Sunday morning, at age eighty-one. He left his legacy of amazing books. In The Lord of the Rings, the Dark Lord Sauron forged the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom thousands of years ago. He used the One Ring to control the leaders of Middle Earth. During a battle, King Islidur cut off Sauron’s finger, separating him from the Ring. This destroyed the Dark Lord (his soul still remained) and Islidur kept the Ring as his own. Islidur ended up losing the Ring in a river until a creature called Gollum found it and kept it for hundreds of years. One day Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit from The Shire, found the Ring. After being in exile for 2,500 years, Sauron has returned to Mordor. He started to build an army, trying to find the One Ring. The story starts off with Bilbo Baggins having the Ring, and leaving it to Frodo, his second cousin once removed. Their wizard friend Gandalf is suspicious of the ring and finds out that it is the One Ring and that Sauron’s Ringwraiths are coming to the Shire to search for it. Gandalf convinced Frodo to leave The Shire immediately. Frodo’s gardener Samwise Gamgee, and a pair of cousins Merry and Pippin, leave with Frodo. Frodo must destroy the Ring, and the only way to do that is to take it to Mount Doom, where it was forged. Over the course of the books, the hobbits are constantly being hunted by Sauron’s followers. They are helped by elves, men, and a dwarf. At the end of the book, Frodo makes it to Mordor, and destroys the Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Sauron and the Ringwraiths disappear and Aragon becomes king at last. In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien suggests that the ends do not ustify the means. Tolkien wants us to learn that we must stay pure, and not lower our standards just because we are fighting for the greater good. In the trilogy, the One Ring is pure evil. It corrupts anyone who has it in their possession. In The Fellowship of the Ring, the elf Elrond said: We cannot use the Ruling Ring. That we now know too well. It belongs to Sauron and was made by him alone, and is altogether evil. Its strength, Boromir, is too great for anyone to wield at will, save only those who have already a great power of their own. But for them it holds an even deadlier peril. The very desire of it corrupts the heart. â€Å"Tolkien 241† It appears that the character Frodo is just like any other ordinary hobbit. His heart is what sets him apart from the other hobbits, and also from the other races of Middle-earth. Frodo’s heart is pure and incorruptible. Frodo was able to bear the Ring without giving in to its powers. The Ring seemed to tempt every other member in the Fellowship, no matter how good and pure they are. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo tried to make Gandalf take the Ring from him. Frodo said that he was wise and powerful, so he should take it. ’No! ’ cried Gandalf, springing to his feet. ’With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the Ring would gain a power still greater and more deadly’† (Tolkien 60). Gandalf is a very pure and good wizard, but even he knows he will give in to the evil of the Ring. Sam Gamgee is probably the most loyal character in the trilogy. Towards the end of The Return of the King, Frodo becomes very weak and exhausted. Sam is the only reason why Frodo made it all the way to the end. Even though Sam is such a loyal and pure character, he is still tempted by the Ring. In The Return of the King, when Frodo was captured by the orcs, Sam took the Ring from him because he thought Frodo was dead. He says: But you’re in the land of Mordor now, sir; and when you get out, you’ll see the Fiery Mountain and all. You’ll find the Ring very dangerous now, and very hard to bear. If it’s too hard a job, I could share it with you, maybe? â€Å"Tolkien 890† When he rescued Frodo, Sam hesitated to give the Ring back to him, which makes it clear that Sam is affected by the power of the Ring. In The Fellowship of the Ring, while Frodo was resting, he had a feeling unfriendly eyes were watching him. When he turned around it was Boromir, his face smiling and kind. Boromir begins to talk about how he wants the Ring and could use it for good for his people. He says, ‘True-hearted Men, they will not be corrupted. ’ When Frodo begins to disagree with his plan, he say: I am a true man, neither thief nor tracker. I need your Ring: that you know now; but I give you my work that I do not desire to keep it. Will you let me make trial of my plan? Lend me the Ring! â€Å"Tolkien 390† Frodo refuses to give up the Ring, angering Boromir. He says: ’How it angers me! Fool! Obstinate fool! Running willfully to death and ruining our cause. If any mortals have claim to the Ring, it is the men of Numenor, and not Halflings. It is not yours save by unhappy chance. It might have been mine. It should be mine. Give it to me! ’ â€Å"Tolkien 390† Boromir then leaped at Frodo trying to snatch the Ring. Once Frodo got further away from Boromir, Boromir realizes what he just said and did, and breaks down apologizing to Frodo. Being near the Ring corrupted Boromir greatly. He wanted to use the Ring to fight against Sauron. Using the Ring would have made Boromir evil and corrupt. In The Lord of the Rings, there is a major difference between the good and the bad characters. Sauron and the orcs are evil, while for example the members in the Fellowship are good. The characters are either good or bad, with no grey area in between. The only character who struggles between the two, is Gollum. Gollum was once a good hobbit named Smeagol. On a fishing trip with his friend, he came across the Ring. He wanted it so badly that he killed his friend. It was just like Gandalf had said, â€Å"’For nothing is evil in the beginning. Even Sauron was not soâ€Å" (Tolkien 261). He became so absorbed in the Ring, that over time, he became Gollum. Gollum and Smeagol often struggle with each other. â€Å"The character Gollum shows the good vs. evil struggle within himself. Gollum started out good, but felt the power of the ring and turned evil. Throughout the book you see him struggle between serving Frodo (good) and possessing the ring (evil)† (Fair). Smeagol loves Frodo and wants to help him, and Gollum loves the Ring so much that he is willing to kill again. Whenever Gollum had quiet time to himself, he debated with himself. We needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses, wicked, tricksy, false. No, not master . . . Master’s my friend. You don’t have any friends. Nobody likes you. Not listening. I’m not listening. You’re a liar. And a thief. Murderer. Go away. . . . I hate you. . . . Leave now and never come back â€Å"Tolkien 620† In this particular debate that happened in The Two Towers, Smeagol won, but most of the time Gollum wins, like in this debate: ’But there’s two of them. They’ll wake too quick and kill us,’ whined Smeagol in a last effort. ’Not now. Not yet. ’ ’We wants it! But’ -and here there was a long pause, as if a new thought had weakened. Not yet, eh? Perhaps not. She might help. She might help, yes. ’ No, no! Not that way! ’ wailed Smeagol. ’Yes! We wants it! We wants it! â€Å"Tolkien 619† The character Gollum shows how powerful the Ring can be. J. R. R. Tolkien was one of the most influent ial fantasy writers. In The Lord of the Rings trilogy he wanted to stress the importance of staying good and pure no matter what life throws at you. The One Ring represented all of the evil and temptation in the world. The character Frodo Baggins was the only one in all of Middle-earth who could bear the Ring without giving into its temptation of power. Frodo could have taken the easy way out, and used the Ring like any other character would have, but instead he stayed pure and incorruptible. Works Cited Armstrong, Chris. J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: A Legendary Friendship | Christian History. ChristianityToday. com | Magazines, News, Church Leadership Bible Study. 8 Aug. 2008. Web. 09 Jan. 2011. . Doughan, David. J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biographical Sketch. The Tolkien Society. Web. 7 Jan. 2011. . Fair, Kay. Analyzing The Lord of the Rings: Good Vs. Evil. Associated Content from Yahoo! Associatedcontent. com. Web. 09 Jan. 2011. . Gilsdorf, Ethan. J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: A Literary Friendship and Rivalry Made in Oxford LiteraryTraveler. com. Literary Traveler, Literary Tours, Travel Writing, Travel Literature, Ereaders, EBooks, Travel, HemingwayLiteraryTraveler. com. Web. 09 Jan. 2011. . J. R. R. Tolkien :: Biography. Arwen-Undomiel. com :: Dedicated to J. R. R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings ::. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. . Tolkien, John R. R. The Lord of the Rings [one Volume Edition with the Index and Appendices]. London: HarperCollins, 1995. Print. Tolkien, J. R. R. Fun Facts and Information. Fun Trivia Quizzes Worlds Largest Trivia and Quiz Site! Web. 09 Jan. 2011. .

Bees essays

Bees essays Bees are insects that are thought to be aggressive and harmful. However, they can show you either their bad or good side depending on how you treat those intelligent insects. In other words, if you leave them in peace they wont harm you, but if you try to threaten their kingdom you will suffer a lot from their sharp stings. People forget everything about bees when they eat their healthy product that they work very hard to produce. The amazing things that can catch anyones attention, especially the one who studies those insects, are how well organized they are, the system of communication and the life itself in the hive. These small insects somehow share those attributes with human beings. Some philosophers and scientists say that bees have taught the human beings how to be organized in their lives. In other words, bees society is well organized. Everyone in the hive has a work to do and he is responsible for it. For example, every morning is a busy day for the bees because they start to work some collect food, some make bees wax and other are responsible to take care of the queen also they dont get bored from doing the same work every day. However, if we imagine a huge company in a busy morning and compare it with the bees society we will find some common things like everyone plays a role in fulfilling the goals and if he doesnt do his work correctly there will be a kind of lateness or fault in the companys process. Regarding to the idea of organization bees society is hierarchical. It consists of a leader, which is the queen, and her job is to lay eggs and if there were two queens in the hive then one must be dismissed because there will be a kind of confusion between the members of the colony. Moreover, the queen eats special food calls royal jelly1 an ...

Theories of Organizational Development Research Paper

Theories of Organizational Development - Research Paper Example Teamwork and team building must have a sense of purpose. No matter how small the team is, it is vital that the whole process is set out in a way that facilitates the realization of clear, concise and specific objectives that all members think are important to achieve (Stone, 2010). Teams should always be set out to conduct specific exercises or activities, such as coming up with solutions to low profitability in a business. Other specific tasks which team building can address include scouting for the right human resources for job vacancies and charting new territories for expansion. In summary, team building can be considered to be a waste of time if there are no clear objectives set for the whole process (Bride, 2011). All teams participating in team building should be made up of members who can contribute positively to the attainment of goals and objectives based on their degree of expertise or knowledge. For example, if a company wants to develop an expense budget for a financial year, the team assigned the task of coming up with that budget should be composed of people who are knowledgeable about budgeting (Stone, 2010). If one or two members of that team are blunt in the dynamics of budgeting, then the whole team will be pegged back in their endeavors. Any team building process must be laced with the spirit of cooperation. Without such a spirit the whole process might fail to realize set goals and objectives. All the participants should feel the need to work together in order to achieve specific objectives. The challenge here is that people have different personalities, and therefore those who are either highly opinionated or have strong personalities are likely to disagree with their colleagues (Callaghan & Voight, 2001). Despite this, successful team building tends to take all these factors into account by balancing the personalities in teams by giving everybody an equal chance to be heard and the opportunity to make a difference. This minimizes bickering while allowing a cooperative spirit to flourish.

The Value of Yield Curve to Predict Recessions Coursework

The Value of Yield Curve to Predict Recessions - Coursework Example The same can be affirmative for other measures which contribute to the difference between short and long term interest rates. The term spread is a significant part of various indices of prominent indicators, some of which are inclusive of the Conference Board and the leading index and recession index of Stock and Watson (1989, 1993). Since, the yield curve is cited as flat in current period, the issue is quite contemporary, as the yield curve as modestly inverted as well. Term spreads play a significant role as a leading indicator because under the expectations attribution, neglecting the term premiums primarily, they measure the difference between the current short-term interest rates and the average of the expected future short-term interest rates over a long and new field of vision. In other words, a term spread is the measure of the pose of the monetary policy in relation with the long-run expectations. With increment in the term spread, current monetary policy becomes even more restrictive, thereby, giving rise to a recession over the subsequent quarters. With such a rationale detesting the term premiums, it is not legible to necessarily capture all the information in the yield curve about the liability of a recession by the spread of short-term interest rates over the yield on a long-term bond. The rise in the gradation of current short-term interest rates has no reason for them having identical predictive content for the liabilities of a recession as degradation in the average anticipated future nominal interest rates over, such as for the upcoming decade. However, the usage of the term spread as an overall explanatory constraint has such a connotation. Furthermore, since, it is quite clear from the existence of term premiums, which are time-varying and contribute to typically incrementing in the bond maturity, thereby, complicating the interpretation of spreads between the short- and long-term Treasury yields, the detestation of term premiums seems to be inappropriate. World prominent scholars like Hamilton and Kim, and Ang, Piazze si and Wei, have made an argument regarding the term premium and anticipations hypothesis constituents of the term spread, as they possess contrasting statistical correlations with the future growth (2002, 2006). A decline in the term premium, derived extrinsically, is theoretically sensible to some extent, since it makes financial conditions more coordinative, thereby, stimulating growth while flattening the yield curve. A measure of the pose of monetary policy which is less intricate as a result of the effects of term premiums, is referred to as the federal funds rate. The shape of yield curve is inclusive of

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Examining the effects of foreign workers' performance on the quality of service in Singapore - Literature review Example It is also important to understand one’s supervisor’s expectations’ and the performance review process that will be used to determine the quality of work done (Wee, 2001, 55). It is important to discuss with one’s supervisors issues that affect your work performance and things that can be done to help improve work performance. Fong and Lim (2002, 572) describes performance as an individual level variable meaning that performance in work should be something that a single individual does. Fong and Lim (2002, 67) define performance as behaviour consisting of more than what is observable in an individual, it also includes the mental productions of an individual and this differentiates performance with success. Chowdhury (2003, 18) explains in a way that performance being behaviour leads to success but there is more than behaviour that leads to success, for success to be there influence of other individual must be involved. Chowdhury (2003, 21) also stated that goal relevant is one of the key features of job performance. This is because performance should be related to goals of an organization. Campbell (2009) came up with certain factor models of performance. This is because performance is not single unified because the different kinds of jobs available have different performance standards. These factors include task specified behaviours which is the behaviours that individuals adopts due to the job they are doing. There is also the non-task specific behaviours which are behaviours undertaken by individuals but not particularly related to their job (Huff, 1999, 238-9). The third factor is communication both written and oral which is involved on how the message is delivered. Performance of an individual assessment according to Campbell (2004) is effort which shows the commitment of people to their job. The fifth factor is personal discipline; people are expected to obey the law. The other model says that individuals are expected to help o ut their colleagues to help maintain group goals. Supervisory or leadership component is the other factor and the last factor according to Campbell (2004, 112) is managerial which involves the sectors of one’s job that does not require supervision. Ayubi (2001, 66) also had his model on work performance. Performance according to Ayubi is broken into four dimensions and the first is the task oriented behaviours which just like in Campbell’s model involve the tasks that are relevant to one’s job. The other dimension is interpersonally oriented behaviours which is the interaction between an individual and the other employees. The third dimension is down- time behaviours which are an individual’s behaviours during their free time and the last dimension is destructive behaviours. Measures of Work Performance There are three major classes of workers’ productivity. The first one is production counts which aim at measuring what every individual in an organ ization produces. The individual with the highest is declared the most productive worker. There are however certain difficulties with the method and one are that this method can lead to changing behaviours of workers (ERC, 2003). The other difficulty is that the method is not very effective

Cognitive Explanations of Depression

Cognitive Explanations of Depression The cognitive explanation of depression basically rests the idea that disorders happen because of faulty thinking. There are other explanations for depression, and other treatments. The cognitive approach assumes that behaviours are controlled by thoughts and beliefs. Therefore irrational thoughts and beliefs cause abnormal behaviours. There are many different models that help to explain how irrational thoughts can lead to depression. Examples are: Elliss ABC model This ABC three stage model was proposed by Ellis in 1962. This model claims that disorders start off with an activating event (A) for example failing an exam, which then leads to a belief (B) about why this happened. The belief can either be rational or irrational. A rational belief would be like for example I didnt prepare well enough whereas an irrational belief would be Im too stupid to pass exams. These beliefs then lead to consequences (C). According to Ellis, rational beliefs lead to healthy emotional outcomes and produce adaptive consequences like for example more revision needs to be done, whereas on the other hand irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotional outcomes and produce maladaptive consequences, including depression. Here is the flow chart of Elliss ABC model: Becks negative triad Beck (1963) developed a cognitive explanation for mental disorders, but focussed it on depression. He believed that individuals who are depressed feel as they do due to their thinking being biased towards negative interpretations of the world and lacking a perceived sense of control. Beck then identified a negative triad which was a cognitive approach of understanding depression, focusing on how negative expectations (schema) about themselves (e.g. I cant succeed at anything), the world (e.g. I must be successful to be a good person) and the future (e.g. nothing will ever change) lead to depression. Beck then claimed that negative schemas may be acquired in an individuals childhood due to a traumatic event. Experiences that might contribute to negative schemas include parental rejection, bullying at school, and the death of a sibling. People with negative schemas become prone to making logical errors in their thinking and they usually focus selectively on certai n points within a situation going on while ignoring the relevant information. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for all mental health problems including depression. CBT is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behavior) all interact together. Basically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior. It is the idea that patients learn how to notice negative thoughts when they have them, and then test how accurate they are. During CBT, what generally happens is: The therapist and patient identify the patients faulty cognitions. The therapist then tries to help the patient see that these faulty cognitions are not true, for example that the patient does not always fail on anything they do. Both the therapist and patient then set goals to think in a more positive perspective or adaptive ways, for example focusing on things the patient has succeeded in and trying to build on them. Even though the patient may sometimes need to glance back to past experiences, the CBT mainly focuses on the current situation. Therapists sometimes encourage their patient to keep track of a diary so that they are able to accurately record their feelings, actions and patterns. CBT differs from other depressions treatments because it focuses on specific problems for a patient and is goal orientated. Along with this cognitive behaviour treatment is educational too because therapists use structured learning experiences that teach the patient to monitor and write down their mental images and negative thoughts. Furthermore, cognitive therapy helps individuals develop alternative ways of behaving and thinking, which tries to reduce their psychological stress.

A Changed Perception :: Best Buddies Downs Syndrome Essays

A Changed Perception Kids with Down’s syndrome. A special classroom. Different. These were the sorts of thoughts I had about mentally retarded people before I participated in Best Buddies for my English 30 service leadership project. Along with four of my classmates, I went to the Best Buddies meetings and two events, a Halloween party and a Penn State women’s volleyball game, and had some exposure to people who have mental retardation. Although the program was not what I’d expected it to be and was frustrating at times, the experience was worthwhile and valuable. There were many surprises that we encountered while doing our project. During the club meetings we were told that we would all be getting buddies, and my group and I were very excited. We had planned activities that we could do with them and even went through an interview process to be matched with one. However, there were too many college students to each be matched to a buddy. This would not have been so disappointing if I had still had a lot of contact with some of the buddies, but even at the party and the volleyball game there were many more college students than buddies. As a result, when I was at the events, I didn’t spend a lot of time talking to the buddies because there were so many other people talking to them as well. Plus, most buddies had their college student next to them, and so it was hard to find an opportunity to talk with them. At those times, I felt like it didn’t matter that I was there. If I hadn’t been there, the club h ad enough other people that having one less person would not have been noticed. But while I was talking to a buddy, I felt like I was actually making someone’s day a little bit brighter, and in the end, this is what was important. Talking to the buddies was definitely the highlight of the program. At the Halloween party, I talked to two different ladies, both named Nancy, for a while. When I was talking to one of them, I felt like I was making a difference in their day, and I felt like my time was being well spent.

Vark Analysis

Reading and Writing Learning Preference Crystal D. Lynch Grand Canyon University NRS 429V November 11, 2012 Learning Style After completing the Vark questionnaire, this author showed a strong preference for learning by reading and writing. In the reading and writing learning preference, this preference is for information displayed as words (Fleming, 2001). Many students and teachers show a high preference toward this type of style. The ability to write, and read well are attributes widely sought by employers of recent graduates.In this learning style, emphasis is on text based input and output, using all forms of material especially manuals, reports, essays and textbooks (Fleming, 2001). People who prefer this model spend hours on the internet, gravitating toward power point presentations over audio presentation. In defining the reading and writing learning strategy, the author identified that the reading and writing learning model uses intake of material in a text-based format. It u ses lists, headings, dictionaries, handouts and textbooks as the prime source of intake material.Notes taken during lecture and manuals are also used as a source. When preparing to study, rewriting notes taken during lecture, and reading notes over and over, either out loud or silently, are some strategies used in this type of learning style. When preparing for test assignments or exams, taking practice exams with multiple choice questions is often helpful for students with the preference for the reading and writing learning style. In comparing, this authors’ preferred learning strategy to the identified strategies already in place, the model is actuate with only a few slight differences noted.This author finds it extremely helpful to use handouts, textbooks, and lecture notes as reference material when studying. Rewriting lecture notes, after class, has also been very beneficial for this author, as well as taking practice exams with multiple choice questions, which has been an effective aide in preparing for taking major examinations. Reading rewritten lecture notes out loud and over and over several times is a common study habit for this author.In contrast, however; the model suggests that students that lean toward this preference spend hours on the internet searching material and using power point presentations as a way to enhance their study habits. This author finds using the internet to be distracting, and cumbersome wasting time with material that is not beneficial. In addition, she finds the format of power point presentations hard to follow. The model suggests turning diagrams and charts into words as a helpful tool; not being accustom to using diagrams or charts this idea has not been tested by this author.The Vark questionnaire has raised some valuable points in the need for this author to make a change in the present study habits being used. Incorporating the differences into strategies already in place, with those listed on the Vark analysi s, should enhance the study habits, allowing for better results. The use of the internet as a resource as an enhancement to the study material can be beneficial, although the need to learn to use the internet in a more efficient way will help take some of the frustration out of searching endlessly for the material needed.The incorporation of the library as a resource is another area that this author will need to further investigate. Improving the way, in which the library is accessed, can be beneficial in enhancing the desired outcome for this student. In the final analysis of the Vark learning assessment tool: it is valuable, as it alert the student to the preferences they have toward learning. The assessment tool focuses on the best way to learn using a sensory model. The Vark model of learning styles is one of the most popular models in us today by students and educators.Developed by Neil Fleming in 1987, learners are identified by whether they have a preference for visual, audit ory, reading and writing, or kinesthetic learning (Cherry, 2012). The Vark questionnaire provides strategies that can lead to success in any learning environment (Fleming, 2011). The Vark model is not an exact science, but a guideline to help the student recognize their learning preferences, in an attempt to enhance study habits. By completing the Vark model assessment, the student is enabled to become more successful at tudying and to retain the information being taught. In conclusion, this author feels that the Vark questionnaire is a valuable tool in enhancing the success of students. By learning to recognize their study habits and incorporating those findings identified from the model, the student will become more proficient by limiting the time it takes preparing for an assignment. To be successful in the ever-competitive job market, students must learn to take advantage of all resources available.The Vark assessment is one such tool that can enhance the students’ abilit ies to succeed. Addendum Your scores were: Visual: 3 Aural: 5 Read/Write: 12 Kinesthetic: 1 You have a very strong Read/Write learning preference. References: http://www. vark-learning. com/english/page. asp http://psychology,about. com http://www. ehow. com Fleming, Neil copyright 2001-2011, Vark: A Guide to Learning Styles. Cherry, Kendra, About. com Guide2012, VARK Learning Styles: Visual, Aural, Reading, and Kinesthetic Learning. Vark Analysis The VARK Questionnaire is a great tool to use when deciding what one’s best learning strategy is. There is no wrong way to learn, only what works best. This paper will focus on multimodal study strategies and how other learning strategies compare. Summary of Multimodal Learning There are many different study strategies out there. According to VARK, the main study strategies include: Aural, Kinesthetic, Visual, Read/Write and Multimodal. In this case, multimodal will refer to using both visual and read/write study strategies.If one has many different ways they like to study they fit in to the multimodal category. â€Å"Approximately 60% of any population fits (this) category† (Fleming, 2001). Multimodal simply means that one utilizes more than one study strategy in order to learn certain subjects and/or material. Preferred Learning Strategies Visual learners prefer pictures, diagrams, graphs, flow charts, etc. For example, Jason wanted to score well on his exam. He used pictures and graphs he learned about in class, re-drew them repeatedly how he saw them, and chose the correct answer on the exam.Neil Fleming, the author of VARK Questionnaire, stated that one is â€Å"often swayed by the way something looks†¦and is interested in color and layout and design and you know where you are in your environment† (Fleming, 2001). For example, note cards used would be color-coded. Read/write study strategies focus on lists and words. Jason and others that think this way believe that â€Å"meanings are within the words† (Fleming, 2001). Jason, in this case, would utilize handouts, dictionaries, textbooks, and notes for studying.After reading these things through, Jason would then convert them into a way that was easy for him to understand. Diagrams, charts, and graphs would be turned into words and the meaning of the text would become much easier to understand. These words would then be written down on note cards to make for an easier and mo re efficient way of studying. With the combined visual and read/write study strategies, more of a secure feeling of knowledge is felt. In other words, the more ways he/she studies something; the more he/she will really learn it. Each student in a classroom has a unique and complex system of thinking and learning† (Lutz, 2011). Although multimodal studying works for Jason, it may not work for others. This is why there are several study strategies out there in order to cater to each unique individual. Comparison of Learning Strategies Two other study strategies that might help are Aural and Kinesthetic. â€Å"An aural learner soaks up information the easiest when it is presented in an auditory way. Speaking, listening and music all come naturally to the aural learner† (Priddy, 1999).In other words, he/she learns best by listening. He/she might tape class lectures, get together with a group to talk about certain subjects, or read their notes out loud when studying for an e xam. Kinesthetic learners â€Å"learn best when they discover things by doing them† (CLARE, 2010). If he/she is a kinesthetic learner, it might be hard to sit still in class and he/she will rarely take notes. He/she learns best by being active, physically. If he/she were this type of learner, it would help to make flash cards, and study for short periods over time.It is best to ask for help in class by way of examples. The more examples there are, the better. When comparing Jason’s preferred multimodal method of learning with the other above mentioned study strategies, multimodal works best for him. This is because he is able to combine more than one study strategy in order to achieve success in the learning environment. With multimodal referring to both visual and read/write study strategies in this case; VARK is spot on when detailing what works best for these learners.Visual, Aural, and Kinesthetic study strategies my be useful but will not give Jason the results th at his multimodal study strategies do. Study Habits Emphasis with these study strategies would be on utilizing highlighters, symbols, pictures and re-writing/re-reading notes over and over again (Fleming, 2001). However, one thing that Jason might want to include would be to imagine notes he made as multiple-choice questions in order to test himself on the info that has been collected. This is done in order to make sure that he is on the right track with his information.When in doubt always ask questions! Conclusion In conclusion, The VARK Questionnaire is indeed the best way to find out what one’s best learning strategy is. Not everyone learns the same way and it is because of that these learning strategies are out there. Multimodal studying works best for Jason but may not be the best choice for others. Find out what is, mold it in to a specialized, individual study plan, and stick with it. There is no wrong way to learn, only what works best. References CLARE. (2010, Decem ber 13).The study gurus: study advice for kinesthetic learners. Retrieved from http://www. thestudygurus. com/kinesthetic-study-tips/ Fleming, N. (2001). Vark: A guide to learning styles. Retrieved from http://www. vark-learn. com/english/page. asp? p=helpsheets Lutz, D. (2011, September 09). Learning strategies. Retrieved from http://www. seenmagazine. us/articles/article-detail/articleid/1663/multi-modal-learning-strategies-for-all-students. aspx Priddy, B. (1999). ehow: Aural learning style. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/about_5472528_aural-learning-style. html

Free Essays on The Future Of IBM

spoken. Richard Doherty, director of research for the Invisionering Group said, â€Å"When you try to do speech recognition on a palm or a pocket PC you are turning everything else off.† In addition to the voice command achievement IBM is also introducing the Oakridge Lab, which will roughly triple it’s computing capability with the expansion of a supercomputer, nicknamed, â€Å"Cheetah.† The Department of Energy Facility will help develop the advancement of this technology. â€Å"Cheetah† is capable of making a trillion calculations per second. It will also specialize in three areas: biotechnology, material scientists and climate studies: all being new endeavors in supercomputing. Thomas Zacharia, a computer scientist’s director describes it as â€Å"the next incarnation of computing.† IBM has a partnership with the Winship Cancer Center and Nutec Sciences. Both have created software to allow researchers to see the genetic compound of a cancer cell, which could lead to better treatments and medicines. Johnathan Simon’s director of this institute says, â€Å"the IBM machine allows researchers to run tests that would take approximately 300 years on a typical computer.† IBM wil... Free Essays on The Future Of IBM Free Essays on The Future Of IBM The Future of IBM IBM and many of it’s subsidiaries have announced in a press conference their collaborate effort in acquiring the web through voice command. For example: Airlines input on retrieval times through this very same voice command instead of, â€Å"press (1) for flight times,† button. As a result of this certainty, IBM was part of a standard for voice-web access called, Voice XML. Meanwhile, IBM will uncover the technical details behind the Power PC405LP, a microchip that will enable them to honor a circuitry for allowing speech recognition. Computer visionaries have often spoken on the future of individuals accessing databases by talking to computers that can comprehend the syntax and language context behind the words spoken. Richard Doherty, director of research for the Invisionering Group said, â€Å"When you try to do speech recognition on a palm or a pocket PC you are turning everything else off.† In addition to the voice command achievement IBM is also introducing the Oakridge Lab, which will roughly triple it’s computing capability with the expansion of a supercomputer, nicknamed, â€Å"Cheetah.† The Department of Energy Facility will help develop the advancement of this technology. â€Å"Cheetah† is capable of making a trillion calculations per second. It will also specialize in three areas: biotechnology, material scientists and climate studies: all being new endeavors in supercomputing. Thomas Zacharia, a computer scientist’s director describes it as â€Å"the next incarnation of computing.† IBM has a partnership with the Winship Cancer Center and Nutec Sciences. Both have created software to allow researchers to see the genetic compound of a cancer cell, which could lead to better treatments and medicines. Johnathan Simon’s director of this institute says, â€Å"the IBM machine allows researchers to run tests that would take approximately 300 years on a typical computer.† IBM wil...

Essay about No N0O No Non on

Essay about No N0O No Non on Essay about No N0O No Non on ACCT 2301 Study Guide Comprehensive Final Exam Chapter 1 Purpose and objectives of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Purpose of financial reporting Purposes of and differences between financial accounting/management accounting/tax accounting Purposes/Authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board Chapter 2 3 primary/general purpose financial statements, nature of and reporting periods/dates covered by each. Nature of Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue and Expenses. Impact of financial transactions on individual balance sheet accounts as well as Total Assets, Liabilities and Equity. Application of the Accounting Equation. Underlying theories of the Cost principle, Objectivity principle, and Going-Concern assumption. Concept of Liquidity Computation of Net Income Chapter 3 Nature of debits/credits, impact on assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. Recording journal entries. Underlying theories of Accrual Accounting, the Matching Concept, Revenue Realization principle, and Expense Recognition rule. Impact of Net Income on owner’s equity and individual accounts affected. Nature of double-entry system of accounting. Nature of Retained Earnings and the financial statement on which it appears. Chapter 4 Purpose of adjusting entries, situations requiring and accounts that are affected by adjusting entries Impact of adjusting entries on net income 4 Types of adjusting entries Preparing adjusting entries Theory of the Realization principle Nature of â€Å"accumulated depreciation† Chapter 5 Determining net income after adjusting journal entries have been made Rollforward of Retained Earnings Nature of dividends and their effect, if any, on the various financial statements Purpose of closing entries and accounts which are affected Preparing closing entries Computing the working capital ratio (current ratio) Chapter 6 Periodic versus Perpetual Inventory systems and how cost of goods sold and ending inventory are determined under each system Computing Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit and the gross profit margin Deciphering Credit Terms and calculating cash discounts Journal entries necessary to record a sale under a perpetual inventory system CHAPTER 7 Determining the adjusted cash balance on the bank reconciliation Nature of the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and the financial statement on which it appears Determining the allowance for doubtful accounts based on the balance sheet approach Journal entry necessary to state accounts receivable at their net realizable value, given the amount of uncollectible accounts and the current balance in the allowance for doubtful accounts and the impact on the financial statements Impact of writeoffs of Accounts Receivable on the net receivable balance. Nature and computation of the accounts receivable turnover rate and average days outstanding Chapter 8 – Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold Understand

Case Study based assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Case Study based assessment - Essay Example The combined impact of recession and intensified competition as a result of European de-regulation led to important shifts in business strategy with contrasting implications for its staff, an approach that has, with some modifications, continued until the present day. BA has realized that the competition in the airline industry is growing as the globalization and privatization policies have opened the limits of sky widely and international air carriers started to intrude into the territories of BA. As a result of that, BA decided to adopt the merger policies to strengthen their business prospects. In November 2009, BA reached an agreement with Iberia and both the companies decided to merge together to form a single company. The merger between BA and Iberia resulted in the creation of world’s third-largest airline in terms of annual revenue. The merger was confirmed in April 2010 and it is expected that it will take effect from the end of this year. â€Å"Iberia Airlines appoi nts its chairman, Antonio Vazquez Romero as the new chairman of International Airlines Group (IAG), the new company formed under the merger agreement between Iberia and British Airways (Goldstone, 2010) ‘Employee relations’ in BA is a much debated topic in UK now. Many people believe that BA could have improved their relations with the employees and sustain its identity as a national icon, even amidst stiff competition. Many contextual factors affected the employee relations in BA. Moreover, the employee relations in BA have made lot of impacts in the UK employment sector also. This paper critically analyses the above aspect with the help of the case study provided about British Airways. If employee relations is understood as an arena in which the contest between the pursuit of a market society and the defence of the principles of moral economy is played out, then it is impossible to separate market from nonmarket relations, economy

Effective Ways on How We Can Alleviate Sexism in Our Society Research Paper

Effective Ways on How We Can Alleviate Sexism in Our Society - Research Paper Example In reality, sexism is not limited in stereotyping the expected roles of a male and female role in this society. Unfortunately, transsexuals are also equally affected by the negative impact of strong sex discrimination. Feminist groups have long time been trying to fight the occurrence of sexism; specifically with regards to the unequal opportunity that is present between men and women at work, within educational institutions, and their expected role in our society (DaCosta Alleyne, 2004). In relation to the importance of gender equality, feminist movement continuously campaigns for women’s rights and interests which includes: (1) right to work, equal pay, and maternity leave; (2) right to vote; and (3) right to be protected from domestic violence, sexual harassment, and rape (4) (Humm, 1990, p. 278; Echols, 1989, p. 416, Cott, 1987, pp. 4 – 5). It is through the strong influence of feminist groups in the way people think that gradually eliminates the traditional perspectives on how women should act in our society. Over the years, feminist groups had significantly changed the modern ways of living from culture to law. Despite the government and private institutions’ effort to alleviate sex discrimination by promoting the importance of workplace and educational diversity and improving the existing laws on sex discrimination and chauvinism, sexism remains a serious social problem in our country. In line with the social consequences of sexism, almost all sociologists are using the three primary theoretical perspectives known as the symbolic interactionist perspective1, functionalist perspective2, and conflict perspective3 when analyzing the social phenomena behind sexism (Cliff Notes, 2010).