Common North American Hardwood Trees

James Baldwin s Connections With Sonny s Blues - 996 Words

James Baldwin’s Connections with Sonny’s Blues On August 2, 1924, in New York’s Harlem neighborhood James Author Baldwin was born. Known as one of the most influential black writers of the twentieth century, James Baldwin wrote on real issues that many people faced in the United States during his time. His writing dealt with the reality of life and tangled with everything from human sexuality, race, and poverty. He was a great reflection of his time and his short story, Sonny’s Blues shows many remarkable connections with his life issues and experiences. The setting of this story is placed in the mid-20th century in Harlem, New York. This is where James Baldwin is originally from. The format of the text allows the reader to see what life was like living in Harlem back then. During this time the United States was deep in the segregation of race. Harlem was a mostly an African American Project. A vast amount of its residents were either poor, homeless, or had drug related problems. At the beginning of the story, the Narrator’s brother Sonny, is arrested for both the use and distribution of heroin. The narrator whom is never named, is a public high school algebra teacher. He cannot help, but wonder what is in store for his students. He states, â€Å"These boys, now were living as we’d been living then, they were growing up with a rush and their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their actual possibilities.† (dfa) From the beginning of JamesShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues 91 6 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin’s story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† tells the tale of two African-American brothers trying to survive in 1950s America. Both struggle with darkness in their lives, from drugs to bottling up emotions. The following sources were found Literature Research Center’s website. Each of the four sources will be evaluated for the quality of their information, as well as their usefulness on the topic of darkness in â€Å" â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†. Flibbert, Joseph. Sonny s Blues: Overview. Reference Guide to ShortRead MoreSonnys Blues - Baldwin Personal Reflection1220 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is an emotional story written by an amazing author, James Baldwin, who has come to be one of my favorite writers. This particular piece talks about the troubles of African American freeing themselves from the mental bondages of their surroundings, the ghetto. The title is significant, and helped me to understand the underlining meaning of the story. The title can be divided into two main reasons, the first, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues, meaning the music he plays. Second is the reference to hisRead MorePoint of View and Symbolism in Sonnys Blues1558 Words   |  7 PagesPoint of View and Symbolism in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† The story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin makes excellent use of multiple literary elements. Namely, I think the writer utilizes symbolism and the nuances of point of view to give the story a deeper connotation that could not be said plainly. The meat of the story is about an unnamed older brother’s relationship and differences with his younger brother, Sonny. Sonny’s aspiration to become a jazz pianist leads him in an opposite direction than hisRead MoreSonny s Blues : A Story Based On A Boy1279 Words   |  6 Pages Sonny’s Blues is a story based on a boy by the name of Sonny, and his brother who is the narrator of the story. In the story Sonny was addicted to heroin, sent to prison, and he and his brother didn’t have much of a relationship. On the other hand, Sonny’s older brother had his life together. He was well educated as he was a mathematics teacher with a family that he had to support. The short story has a lot of connections and relations to some of the biblical stories. One being the prodigal’sRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s The Blues 2182 Words   |  9 PagesSonny’s Blues, a short story by famed African-American author James Baldwin, is the story of two bothers. Other famous stories of two brothers include both The Prodigal Son parable and the story of Cain and Abel, both from which Baldwin clearly draws inspiration from. Baldwin grew up with many religious teachings, as his adoptive father, David Baldwin, was a preacher. Though the relat ionship between father and son was not enviable, Baldwin still grew up active in his religion (James Baldwin- Biography)Read MoreAnalysis Of Sonny s Blues By John M. Lee2198 Words   |  9 PagesDr. Kim Course: English 132 Sonny’s Blues is one of the famous stories expressing the deplorable conditions the Black community found themselves in during the struggle against racial segregation in the American history. The analysis given by John M. Reilley is to draw the attention of the readers and audience on the image of the black community, basically as expressed by Sonny’s Blues as a metaphor. Following the publication of Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin realized he had a role in the AfricanRead MoreJames Baldwin s Sonny s Blues2994 Words   |  12 PagesINTRODUCTION Sonny, from James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† is portrayed as a sufferer. He struggles with his stagnation in Harlem, his unfulfilled dreams and the disconnect between himself and his only family, his brother. However, not all hope is lost. He serves as a teacher for others, full of knowledge of how one can truly suffer and still triumph (Norton 47). Only when he is finally able to connect with his brother through music, are his â€Å"blues† finally heard and he affirms his individualityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Sonny s Blues 2718 Words   |  11 PagesUnderstanding Sonny’s Blues The story, Sonny’s Blues, is a composition of themes, imagery, form and mood all blended in perfect harmony. Such creation gave the story its beautiful resonating effect and influence amongst the readers. With a rising and roaring apex, the story was an unfolding of human emotions and realities filled with pain, sorrows, happiness, realizations, and life lessons. Although the story was written in 1957, even until the present, people can still observe its lingering powerfulRead MoreMusic For The Soul By James Baldwin957 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiences. Unfortunately for Sonny, as well as for many other African Americans throughout history, even before the 1950’s, oppression had been a great burden to deal with on a day to day basis. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† the author James Baldwin provides us with a family whose lives revolve around this constant reminder that they are a minority and therefore, live a completely different life in Harlem, Manhattan New Yor k where the influences and environment mainly keep one in trouble. Sonny was the brave exceptionRead MoreEssay on Literary Analysis of James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues2323 Words   |  10 Pageswriting is generally done just to entertain readers. Some authors create stories with a singular point of view, while others introduce more complex plots and storylines. When it comes to author James Baldwin’s short story Sonny’s Blues, there is much depth given to the storyline and the characters. Sonny’s Blues has been analyzed by many different people throughout time because the story has many elements. From Baldwin’s skillful use of metaphors and similes to his incorporation of religious references

Effective Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity Practices

Question: Discuss about the Effective diversity management and equal opportunity practices? Answer: Introduction Workforce diversity and equality have become a primary concern for organisations today. Equality of opportunity and diversity are like two sides of the same coin which must go hand in hand to maintain a balanced equilibrium within the organisation(Bolen Kleiner, 1996). Both equality and diversity play very vital roles in determining the culture of an organisation and how people treat each other at work. Equality and Diversity are the two terms currently being used for Equal Opportunities(Burgin, 2010). It is a legal obligation that safeguards working professionals against all forms of discrimination at workplace. Employees can face workplace discrimination against factors such as, gender, age, sex, religion, caste, nationality, values, beliefs, culture, sexual orientation and physical or mental disability(Patrick Kumar, 2012). Diversity and equal opportunities at workplace are affected by a number of factors such as the maximum age gap between employees, sex ratio, cultural beliefs , values and culture of the organisation. Part One: Implementing diversity management strategy for addressing the under-representation of female managers to more senior positions Workforce diversity refers to the variety of differences between individuals in an organisation (Beinrauch, 2013). Workforce diversity is defined as an organisations planned and systematic commitment to recruiting, selecting, hiring, rewarding, retaining and promoting an heterogeneous mix of people. It refers to the co-existence of individuals from different demographic and socio-cultural backgrounds such as, age, sex, gender, race, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, education, lifestyle, language, economic status, physical appearance and physical or mental disability(Simons Rowland, 2011). Diversity in the workplace involves creating a workplace environment where employees belonging to different gender, sex, race, nationality, culture and disability can work together in harmony. Apart on various benefits associated with maintaining a diverse workforce, increase in organisational effectiveness and ability to attract the best personnel are the two primary advantages(Patrick K umar, 2012). Effective management of diversity requires development of an equitable work environment where no one is treated with advantage or disadvantage. Equal opportunity is a means that encourage and support workplace diversity and ensures that individual differences are respected and accepted to enhance overall effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation (Bagilhole, 2014). Equal opportunity is defined as the policy of treating people without any discrimination, primarily on the basis of age, sex or race. It is also referred to as the principles of non-discrimination that ensures opportunities in employment, education, resource distribution, benefits and advancements should be freely available to all individuals irrespective of the differences in their age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, culture, education, lifestyle, economic status and physical or mental disability(Bagilhole, 2014). Principles of equal opportunity lays the foundation that people within any institution will be treat equally and will not face any form of discrimination or disadvantage by bias or prejudices. Discrimination on the basis of sex, that is whether the employee is a woman or man, is one of the most common forms of discrimination that occur within any organisation (Solotoff Kramer, 2014). From time in memorial women fall in that category of individuals who face serious discrimination at workplace. Sexual or gender discrimination is defined as the situation in which different individuals are treated differently in their employment specifically because they are a woman or a man(Cox Blake, 1991). Several examples of sex discrimination at work are known such as, discrimination during hiring, firing and promotions where women candidates with almost equal or even more qualifications as compared to their male subordinates are not given equal opportunities just because the client feels more comfortable interacting with a male employee or the organisation perceives a male employee to be more competent for the role. Wage gap between the pay of a woman and man is another very common for m of sex discrimination which prevails in almost all industrie(Henry Evans, 2007)s. It is also seen that the women employees of a company are not offered the same benefits and incentives as those offered to their male subordinates. Also it is a very common practice within organisations that women are poorly represented at leadership and management roles(Mattiske, 2012). Existence of such examples despite the presence of several acts and policies against sex discrimination creates a need for implementation of diversity management strategies that aim at increasing the potential female talent pool so that they are able to progress to leadership roles and other senior positions and make significant contribution towards the success of the organisation. The framework and processes that an HR manager needs to adopt when implementing a diversity management strategy for addressing the under-representation of female workers and managers within an organisation is shown in figure below: Framework for Implementing Diversity Management Startegy Fig.1. Source: Shena, et al.(2009) Recruitment and Selection: It is the first step towards the dvelopment of a talent pool within an organistaion(Armstrong, 2006). Recruitment and selection process should encourage and support sleection and hiring of more women employees for managerials and leadership roles. Focus of the recruitment and selection process should be on evaluating the candidates on the basis of their skills and expertise and not on the basis of their sex(Shena, et al., 2009). Recruiters and selectors should be aware of the companys non-discrimination policies and should perform their tasks accordingly. Training and Development: One of the major functions of HR in implemneting diversity management strategy is to provide high quality awareness diversity training to all employees of the organisation(Crawley, et al., 2013). It is important to spread the aware of hiring and promoting women employees to leadership and management roles. Performance Appraisals: Effective performance appraisal practices must be designed in a objective manner rather than being subjective(Crawley, et al., 2013). Appriasals done should be on the basis of performance, behaviour and contribution of employee towards organisational goals and not based on whether the employee is a woman or a man. Involvement of non-traditional managers and women managers can help developing fair and objective performance appriasal practices. Wages: Equality in pay not only contributes to effective diversity management but also leads to enhanced organisational performance(Bolen Kleiner, 1996). It is important to apply the principles of equal pay while developing a performance-based pay system to ensure no discrimination of wages are made based on sex difference of employees. Work-life Balance: Every professional irrespective of their sex strives to attain a work-life balance to live a good life(Nwagbara Akanji, 2012). However as compared to their male coordinates, female employees are more focused on attaining a work-life balance which can provide them an opportunity to perform both personal and professional responsibilities. A failure to maintain a balance between personal and professional responsibilities, often restrict women employees from achieving desired career goals(Nwagbara Akanji, 2012). To attract and retain women employees it is important to provide them enough flexibility such as short working hours, work from home options, maternity leaves etc. The above mentioned diversity management approaches can help HR managers in implementing diversity management strategy focus on increasing the potential female talent pool so that they can take up leadership and managerial roles within the organisation. Part two: Business Case for Equality and Diversity Effective diversity management is driven by the business case which recognises that economic and other decisions would be made in a better manner if organisations make maximum use of talent available in the labour pool rather than restricting their selection to only those who are in a powerful position or belong to a specific demographic and socio-cultural background (Bendl, et al., 2015). The business case for equality and diversity states that effective diversity management takes advantage of the growing cultural pluralism that has resulted from the growing workforce mobility, development of world markets, internationalisation of business and an increased awareness about individual differences. Enforced through legislation, equal opportunity starts externally as compared to diversity management which starts internally with the efforts of organisational members to create a fully inclusive organisational culture and an atmosphere of equality at work(Beinrauch, 2013). Thus, as per the business case of diversity and equality, the scope of diversity management is much wider(Burgin, 2010). Firstly, it aims at overcoming the segregations of labour market by addressing the issues of inequalities on the basis of individual differences such as, age, sex, race and class etc. Secondly, it aims at taking advantage of and valuing individual differences, specifically cultural pluralism, in a way that it provides individuals an opportunity to realise their full potential, which above all legal compliance-oriented equal opportunities(Bolen Kleiner, 1996). The business case for diversity and equality supports the involvement and increase in number of women in leadership and managerial roles as most consumer decisions are made by women. Being buyers most of the times women are most competent in understanding and identifying buyer decision making behaviour as compared to their male coordinates. Researches reveal that increasing the number of women in leadership and managerial r oles leads to organisational stability and development of a disciplines culture which in turn increases overall organisational efficiency and effectiveness(Bolen Kleiner, 1996). Women compared to men are more emotionally stable and assertive thus are more effective in people management roles. The business case for diversity has its own strengths and limitations such that this approach is effective in attracting buy-ins by senior decision makers and minimised resistance to change a top management level. However it emphasizes only on the bottom-line benefits of a diverse, inclusive workforce and often ignores the difficult issues of racism and discrimination while dealing with the easy ones. Effective diversity management required development of a equality based workplace environment which can be achieved by implementing equal opportunity practices such as Equality Act 2010, Equality Scheme and Positive Action provision(Bolen Kleiner, 1996). The Equality Act 2010 prohibits all forms of discriminations such as, direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, and discrimination by association and perception. It also safeguards employees from all forms of harassments, victimisation and disability discrimination at work place. The implementation of Equality Scheme provides an overarching framework for encouraging and promoting equality and diversity at workplace. Implementation of the Positive action provision under the Equality Act 2010 is a way of providing the disadvantaged and under-represented groups an opportunity to have same chances as others(Cox Blake, 1991). As per this new recruitment and promotion provision, employers have the right to choose the candidate belo nging to disadvantaged or under-represented group when deciding between two candidates who are equally qualified. Conclusion Effective diversity management and equal opportunity practices help organisations achieve a range of objectives such as enhancing flexibility, creativity, employee retention, employee attraction, and gaining a competitive advantage over rivals. It helps a heterogeneous group of employees, achieve greater creativity and innovation, thus outperforming homogeneous group of employees. Effective management of a diverse workforce required bringing about considerable changes in the mindset of employees and culture of the organisation. Effective communication, defining organisations vision, mission and values in a way that align with diversity management strategy, spreading awareness of benefits of maintaining a diverse workforce through diversity trainings and implementing diversity and equal opportunity policies and procedures are some of the key processes for effective diversity management that can facilitate change. Apart from these processes, top leadership commitment, sligning diversit y with organisations strategic plans, linking diversity to performance, accountability, measurement, recruitment and succession planning are some other HR best practices for effective workplace diversity and equality management. References Armstrong, M., (2006) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Bagilhole, B., (2014) Understanding equal opportunities and diversity: The social differentiations and intersections of inequality. Bristol: Policy Press. Beinrauch, R., (2013) Diversity Management: A Source of Competitive Advantage?. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag. Bendl, R., Henttonen, E. Mills, A. J., (2015) The Oxford Handbook of Diversity in Organizations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bolen, L. Kleiner, B. H., (1996) Managing Diversity in the Workplace. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 3(4), pp. 3-8. Burgin, M., (2010) Theory of Information: Fundamentality, Diversity and Unification. Singapore: World Scientific. Cox, T. H. Blake, S., (1991) Managing Cultural Diversity: Implications for Organizational Competitiveness. The Executive, 5(3), pp. 45-56. Crawley, E., Swailes, S. Walsh, D., (2013) Introduction to International Human Resource Managemen. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Henry, O. Evans, A. J., (2007) Critical review of literature on workforce diversity. African Journal of Business Management, 1(1), pp. 72-76. Mattiske, C., (2012) Understanding and Managing Diversity. Seattle: AudioInk. Nwagbara, U. Akanji, B. O., (2012) The Impact of Work-Life Balance on the Commitment and Motivation of Nigerian Women Employees. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2(3), pp. 38-47. Patrick, H. A. Kumar, V. R., (2012) Managing Workplace Diversity Issues and Challenges. [Online] Available at: https://sgo.sagepub.com/content/2/2/2158244012444615 [Accessed 2016]. Shena, J., Chanda, A., DNetto, B. Monga, M., (2009) Managing diversity through human resource management: an international perspective and conceptual framework. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(2), pp. 235-251. Simons, S. M. Rowland, K. N., (2011) Diversity and its Impact on Organizational Performance: The Influence of Diversity Constructions on Expectations and Outcomes. Journal of Technology Management and Innovation, 6(3), pp. 172-183. Solotoff, L. Kramer, H. S., (2014) Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in the Work Place. New York: Law Journal Press.

Rise to Rebellion free essay sample

Sahara included these to give the book more PPTP, not to be historically accurate to the last words of dialogue. For example, there is no way anyone can know for sure what the sentry was thinking as he stood in front of the Custom House Just minutes before the chaotic start of the Boston Massacre. Sahara does not try to convey every event, Important incident, and factor that provided America with the Idea and courage for a revolution, but rather shows how each of the characters that are focused on responded to his or her time, and how they witnessed and experienced and impacted the enormous changes unfolding around them. The book begins from the point of view of the sentry who is guarding a building, but soon witnesses the Boston Massacre. Lawyer John Adams runs to the scene of the killing, but is told to go back home. He discusses the events with his wife, and the day after is asked to defend Captain Thomas Preston, who Is accused of ordering the troops to fire. We will write a custom essay sample on Rise to Rebellion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thomas Gage, the commander In chief of British forces, meets with Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson and discusses removing the troops from Boston.Benjamin Franklin also discusses the events with Dry. Johnson. John Adams and Josiah Quince successfully defend Captain Preston. Ben Franklin is voted to represent Massachusetts in Great Britain, but Lord Hillsboro refuses him to take the position. Franklin now becomes a symbol for the colonial cause. After the ship The Gasped Is burned, King George Ill orders that all colonial officials had to be appointed by the king. Massachusetts citizens are outraged, and Adams calls for the Colonies to unite.Adams discusses with his wife that a revolution in the colonies now seems unavoidable and imminent. John and Sam Adams visit Thomas and Leash Hutchinson and try to convince them to stop trying to put non- British tea companies out of business, but the attempt is futile. Captain Hall of the ship the Dartmouth witnesses the Boston Tea Party. Upon Hutchinson removal, Thomas Cage Is given his troops along with the governorship of Massachusetts. British troops begin to take control in Boston, and Adams is chosen for the Continental Congress.When the Congress begins its session, Sam Adams fears that conservatives will take control; the Congress also hears reports that the British have destroyed Boston. To Cams relief, the conservative proposals are defeated and the congress ends, but accomplishes little. Lord Chatham meets with Franklin and discusses with him possible solutions to avoid war; later both Chatham and Gage receives a letter that he must arrest the principal actors in the promotion of rebellion. Paul Revere meets with Warren who tells him he must reach Concord to bring the news that the British are coming.Optician and his troops encounter resistance, and they are shot down. In a later battle the rebels faced the kings soldiers and drove them away. Optician, Graves, and Gage meet to discuss the most recent events. John Adams speaks to the chamber and proposes to elect George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. Back in Boston, Gage discusses with Clinton the plan to attack the Charleston peninsula. Warren is shocked to find that the town of Charleston is burning, and the battle of Breeders Hill begins.After the battle, Washington explain to General Ward that even though their men retreated they gave the British much more damage than they took themselves. In a combination of faith and optimism from the conservatives, the Olive Branch Petition was approved and sent to King George. Led by Admiral Graves, the town of Falmouth was burned to the ground by the British. The King rejects the Olive Branch petition. Word begins to spread that Norfolk has Just burned by the British and outrage spreads across the colonies.Washington begins to plan for the next attack, when Henry Knox arrives with a new supply of artillery; he then lays out his plan to his armys leaders, including Greene, Ward, and Knox, and the meeting is left with a rare optimism. At the next meeting of the Continental Congress Henry Lee gives his resolution. Adams, Jefferson, and Lee discuss the draft of the Declaration that Lee had written. It was only Maryland and New York that continued to vote against the Declaration. After Maryland finally decided to support the Declaration, twelve of the thirteen were in support.In the official vote New York delegates abstained from voting until instructed otherwise by their assembly, and the vote was unanimous. Celebration was shared among the colonies. Having a thesis statement may seem unusual for a historical fiction book, since students generally associate thesis statements with essays and term papers. But every writer has a purpose in writing what they write, and Jeff Sahara states his thesis in the To the Reader section before the novel begins. The thesis is, The Revolution itself was about not Just the power of armies, but the power of a people to decide their own future. Shards other purpose was to show the reader that, because of the actions of King George Ill and the British, the Revolution in the colonies was unavoidable. To support his thesis, he shows from several characters perspectives (most notably John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Gage) how the events from the beginning of the Boston Massacre perfectly set everything in motion for the American Revolution. Even as early in the book as chapter 1 1, John Adams discusses with his fife how ever since the Boston Massacre the Revolution is inevitable. Unless there is some radical change, unless some miracle brings these politicians to their senses, there will be a revolution. Sam has been talking about that for years. I thought he was a little insane. But he was only premature. And he was right. Its inevitable. There is no negotiation, no compromise, no reasoning. There are no rules. (Sahara 113) The evidence that the author addresses does support the conclusion, for, like many people predicted, The Declaration of Independence was signed and the Revolution began.Shards treatment of the subject is very convincing and effective, people, he does not include information that a certain character would not know at the time, and makes no references to people or events that have not yet occurred. The author was biased in his point of view, but his bias reflected the point of view of the character. For example in writing as Thomas Gage on page 253, he is excited to hear the news that the principle actors in the Revolution are to be arrested; but as Paul Revere on page 257, he is horrified at the news. 0 God be with you, Paul. You must warn them.Once the British reach Lexington 0 Doctor, I assure you. Ill awaken every man in every farm as I pass. By the time I get to Lexington, all of Massachusetts will know what is happening. (Sahara 259) Sahara does not provide the reader with a bibliography in which sources can be examined, but due to the general acceptance of the novel by critics and historians, there seems to be little chance of any blatantly false facts or ideas. Due to the novels impressive dialogue, carefully constructed characters, and historical accuracy I would say the book does make a contribution to the field of American History.