The importance of early formal education Essay Example for Free

The importance of early formal education Essay Abstract: Informed by, and primarily rooted in research, developmentally appropriate practice is central to optimizing children’s learning and development in early childhood educational settings CITATION Nat09 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009). The use of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) involves teaching in a way that understands development in the classroom individually, and as a whole CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). When considering the role of the early childhood educator, the creation of adaptive and accommodating teaching methods is crucial to building a supportive and dynamic environment for learning. In building such an environment, educators may use the guiding framework of DAP to ensure that their classroom not only reinforces an advantageous atmosphere that is developmentally appropriate at every level, but also actively encourages continuous positive growth for everyone in the learning community. This position statement reaffirms the benefits of DAP in an early childhood setting by examining its guidelines, the needs and characteristics of young children, the many factors influencing a child’s learning and development, creating an environment that meets these needs, family and community involvement,  and understanding the benefits and uses of assessment. Developmentally Appropriate Practice In order to highlight its benefit as an infrastructure to early childhood education, one must first understand developmentally appropriate practice itself. Key to understanding DAP is the understanding that it is informed by our knowledge of development through theory, literature, and research, confirming that it is an evidence based practice CITATION Nat09 \p 10 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009, p. 10). The essence of DAP, however, relies on conscious and constant intentionality, â€Å"in the  knowledge that practitioners consider when they are making decisions, and in their always aiming for goals that are both challenging and achievable for children† (9). This wealth of knowledge required of early childhood educators includes extensive understanding of development, but is shaped by one’s knowledge of each child as an individual, their needs and abilities, and the social and cultural contexts from which they come (9,10). This careful intention and forging of relationships fosters an overall enthusiasm for learning by creating an environment for each individual child in  which they are uniquely known, understood, and respected. The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s publication of their position statement in the mid 1980’s was highly influential in the widespread recognition of DAP CITATION Sue10 \p 70 \l 1033 (Bredekamp, 2010, p. 70). DAP is defined as a practice that promotes the optimal learning and development of young children, of which is grounded in research regarding both child development as well as what is required of effective education in early childhood settings (16). In the interest of this definition, developmentally appropriate practice outlines five significant  guidelines for addressing the decisions made by early childhood educators: creating a community of learners, teaching to enhance development and learning, planning curriculum to achieve important goals, assessing children’s development and learning, and establishing reciprocal relationships with families CITATION Nat09 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009). Criticism, however, has emerged in response to NAEYC’s position statements over the years, questioning whether the recommended practices retain equal relevance when applied to diverse groups of students CITATION Sue10 \p 71 \l 1033 (Bredekamp, 2010, p.71). In actuality, the significance of this statement is countered in the very definition of this statement, and is even directly addressed in the most recent publication of NAEYC’s position statement on DAP. â€Å"Because the United States children’s learning opportunities often differ sharply with family income 1 / 4 and education, ethnicity, and language background, sizable achievement gaps exist [and have been identified] between demographic groups† CITATION NAE09 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009). For this reason, a strong need for the narrowing of these gaps has been clearly emphasized, explaining that  educators and programs must therefore â€Å"provide even more extended, enriched, and intensive learning experiences† for children who’s learning opportunities have been disadvantaged by such disparities CITATION NAE09 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009). Characteristics and Needs of Children In order to enable children to reach challenging and achievable goals, understanding that all domains of a child’s development are interrelated is imperative. In this, children do not divide their experiences, but contrarily their learning and development evolves as one great culmination of all experience CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). Not only are all areas of development and learning important; similarly, they are the result of the interaction between the sequential and varying maturation of the child and their growing experience CITATION Nat09 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009). The inseparable nature of all developmental domains: physical, social, emotional, and cognitive, illustrate the relative needs of each child at the different stages of their development. Every child is different, and while development may be predicted in a sequential progression, it does vary and cannot be completely limited to what we consider more exact periods of development. The generally accepted periods of development, however, refer to infancy extending from birth- 2years, early childhood as 2-5 years, and middle and late childhood as 5-11 years of age. Cephalocaudal pattern of growth characterizes physical development in infancy, where growth occurs from the head down, resulting in control of the head before the legs CITATION Joh11 \p 107 \l 1033 (Santrock, 2011, p. 107). Motor development then originates from the center of the body and moves outward, where coordination of the trunk and arms precede the hands and fingers CITATION Mot10 \l 1033 (Flinders University, 2010). Beginning as gross and graduating to fine motor development, reach and grasp are achieved in infancy. Crawling and walking also occur during infancy, typically between 5-17 months CITATION Mot10 \l 1033 (Flinders University, 2010). Motor abilities develop rapidly in early childhood in which walking leads to running and jumping, the ability to climb develops, and hand-eye coordination progresses with the growing ability to cross midline CITATION Joh11 \l 1033 (Santrock, 2011). By mid to late childhood myelination of the nervous system results in manipulation skills relative to that of an adults (153). Cognitive development can be simplified into three stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, and concrete operational. Infants in the sensorimotor stage coordinate an understanding of the world through sensory experiences, eventually leading to the beginnings of symbolic thought (174). During the preoperational stage, children’s ability to think symbolically expands as they begin to use words and images to represent their interpretation of the world (180). Their interpretation, however, is strongly influenced by egocentrism and centration (174). By mid to late childhood, the concrete operational stage emerges. From 6-7 years and on children exhibit the ability to perform concrete operations in their capacity to logically reason regarding concrete events, and use classification and seriation to organize objects (174). The maturation of self-understanding explains the complexities of social and emotional development in children. â€Å"Children are not just given a self by their parents or culture; rather, they construct themselves†(324). As they grow, their cognitive representation of the self, or self-understanding, changes (324). Self-recognition is the key indicator of self-understanding in infancy, and initially appears around three months of age (324). The ability to establish a positive recognition of oneself sets the stage for establishing relationships with others, as well as the eventual positive regulation and understanding of emotions. In conjunction with verbal communication, children are able to descriptively distinguish themselves, typically using abilities or accomplishments, active and physical descriptions, or unrealistic overestimations to define themselves (326-7). For example, a 4-year-old may describe himself or herself by saying â€Å"I know how to count† or â€Å"I have blonde hair and he has  brown hair† (325). Social comparison and self-description grow in complexity in mid to late 2 / 4 childhood, and include more realistic identifications of the self. With increased aptitude for perspective, children compare themselves with others, and use social and psychological traits to refer to themselves. For instance, a 7-year-old may say, â€Å"I am smart, and I can ride a bike as good as my sister† (326). Creating Learning Environments Providing an environment that is rich and diverse in intellectual and sensory experiences supports an effective and developmentally appropriate curriculum. The careful and informed intention of teachers is also reflected in learning environments that meet and challenge the needs of each individual child as well as the classroom as a whole. Infants and toddlers require a stimulating and dynamic sensory environment as they begin to establish themselves through the physical exploration of the world around them. As infants and toddlers begin to crawl, they need easily accessible opportunities to manipulate and observe their environment. Placing mirrors at ground level, and providing reachable and interesting toys and pictures, encourage development. The establishment of trust and autonomy is also central to infantile development; therefore, building responsive relationships between child and teacher should be emphasized as well as providing a safe and natural environment in support of the child CITATION Tri09 \l 1033 (Trister amp; Bickart, 2009). Interactively reading to infants and toddlers is vital to establishing a relationship with language and begins a visual familiarity with script CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). Centering on initiative, 3 to 5-year-olds need an interactive environment that offers them many  choices, and allows them to grow in their decision-making abilities CITATION Tri09 \l 1033 (Trister amp; Bickart, 2009). Language skills during these years expand enormously, as do fine and gross motor abilities; meaning, the â€Å"richer and more interesting the environment, the more opportunities there are for children to learn† (1). The learning environment should reflect the very physically and socially active nature of 3 to 5-year-olds and should allow for spacious areas for high-level group play, as well as individual playtime. It is especially important to recognize that â€Å"the physical  environment is the vehicle through which children learn† and therefore should be changed periodically to inspire new experiences (1). During the years of mid to late childhood, autonomy becomes a source of power for children as they demonstrate self-direction and pride in accomplishment (1). The creation of stations, corners, or individual learning environments within the classroom provide space for this feeling of independence. Establishing friendships is very important to 6 to 8-year-olds, meaning that the environment should also include opportunities for high-level small group play. Across the  developmental board, however, a child needs to be able to see themselves in their environment as well as in their learning experiences. Interests of all children should be catered to by the learning environment as well as challenged by it. Displaying pictures of students, their work or accomplishments, and what intrigues them promotes positive development of the self, and creates enthusiasm for learning. Assessment Dynamic, constant, and ongoing assessment is key in early childhood education, and should barely look or behave like assessment at all CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). The power of  observation and assessment lies in their ability to tap into some of the purest and uninhibited forms of interaction children exhibit. â€Å"Play is the expression of who a child is in every way†, and therefore should be closely and individually observed in order to better understand exactly where children are developing, their strengths, what challenges them, and their unique interests CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). Educators must asses major childhood growth and developmental domains, expected outcomes, and unique patterns of development in order to provide scaffolding experiences  that value each individual child as well as the learning community CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). Maintaining portfolios for each child in a class tracks progress, as well as paints a better picture of development and learning for that child. Portfolios should be reviewed with the child and their families, contain notes and observations regarding the child in all domains, and should hold 3 / 4 examples of accomplishments made by the child reflected over time. Influences on Learning It is nearly impossible to identify every aspect of influence on a child’s learning. Among the  multitude of ways learning is influenced, the role of the teacher is paramount, along with the impact of peers, family, and culture. Parents are extremely powerful in their influence on their child’s sentiment towards learning and being a part of a community of learners. Encouragement and support from parents communicates the importance of their development, as well as fosters desire to learn and be a part of their greater community. Parents can demonstrate a loving care for their children’s continued achievement by doing something as simple as reading to them every night. By  making this simple commitment to their child, parents promote a positive attitude towards this sort of intellectual engagement, as well as strengthen a caring relationship with their child. Not only is learning made important by this, but so too is the importance of investing quality time together reinforced. Involving Families and the Community Families, culture, and communities that children come from directly impact their value and understanding of how one behaves, demonstrates respect, and appreciates CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). Building reciprocal partnerships with parents and families establishes â€Å"mutual  respect, cooperation, shared responsibility† necessary in moving toward the achievement of shared goals CITATION Nat09 \p 23 \l 1033 (NAEYC, 2009, p. 23). Meeting the family where they are and where they come from, relationships are established through ongoing trust and commitment to one another. Families should be invited into the classroom community, supported, and encouraged in their involvement. Keeping families informed via newsletters, inviting them into the classroom, providing conferences, and even making home visits are all ways in which a caring community of learners is built CITATION Liz13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013). Conclusion The benefits of using developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood education are exemplified in its specific intention to meet and challenge the developmental needs of each individual child, as well as the entire class. By discussing the characteristics and needs of children, their progressive development across all domains, the ways in which their learning environment reflects and meets those needs, the importance and benefits of assessment, influences on learning, and the importance of family and community involvement, one can see how DAP holistically  approaches early childhood education. Works Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY Bredekamp, S. (2010). Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation . Online . Flinders University. (2010, Feb 6). Motor Development. Retrieved from ehlt. flinders. edu. au: http://ehlt. flinders. edu. au/education/DLiT/2000/Motor%20Dev/start. htm NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. (C. Copple, amp; S. Bredekamp, Eds. ) Retrieved from National Association for the Education of Young Children: www. naeyc. org NAEYC. (2009). Key Messages of the Position Statement. (C. Copple, amp; S. Bredekamp, Eds. ) Retrieved from National Association for the Education of Young Children: www. naeyc. org Santrock, J. (2011). Child Development (13th ed. ). New York : McGraw-Hill . Taylor, L. (2013, November ). Developmentally Appropriate Practice . (E. 3. Lecture, Interviewer) Trister, D. , amp; Bickart, T. (2009). How Curriculum Frameworks Respond to Developmental Stages: Birth through Age 8. Retrieved December 2013, from ECAP Collaborative : http://ecap. crc. illinois. edu/pubs/katzsym/dodge. html POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Reframing the Organization and the Role of a Change Agent

Reframing the Organization and the Role of a Change Agent Change management is a comprehensive effort to lead an organization through transformation. It is a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state. Most importantly, the transformation effort must be actively led and managed with a clear set of objectives and an agreed plan for achieving these objectives. This process can be unnerving to employees if communication it not used wisely. Effective change management is important for the growth and development of the organization and for ensuring employees are properly engaged and informed throughout the process. Change management is a critical part of any project that leads, manages and enables people to accept new processes, technologies, systems, structures and values. My paper will educate the reader on the process of change management and the role of the change agent. Finally I will discuss the steps for reframing the organization. Change management considers the individuals and teams behavior and attitude during the change transition as well as the culture. Changes not only affect people it could affect the business processes, technology implementation or any other policies Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with change, both from the perspective of an organization and on the individual level. A somewhat ambiguous term, change management has at least three different aspects, including: adapting to change, controlling change, and effecting change. A proactive approach to dealing with change is at the core of all three aspects. For an organization, change management means defining and implementing procedures and/or technologies to deal with changes in the business environment and to profit from changing opportunities. Many people are interested in answering the question: How much change is too much change? Webster defines change as to make different in some particular, to make radically different or to give a different position, course, or direction. Isnt this the perfect environment for most cutting-edge companies? I am a supporter of change however; companies who change often may sometimes be operating in a state of chaos. It is best to take a strategic approach when initiating the change process in an organization structure. The key is a well defined strategic plan and great leadership at the executive level; this is fundamental during change management. It is the positive catalyst for keeping an organization on task during the chaotic moments. Almost every company will face the need to change due to the need for a culture change, competitive pressures, economic challenges, or skills shortages. Two-third of all organizations have experienced some type of change in the past year, whether it is a merger, acquisition, or downsizing initiative. Less than half of employees say that change is implemented well. A company periodically needs to mix it up a bit. Restructuring gets people to start forming new networks, making the organization as a whole more creative. The most successful organizations not only master the art of change; they demonstrate an understanding and acceptance of change as a constant. Fortunes Worlds Most Admired Companies research specifically examined how 18 world-class corporations handled change. Notable similarities were revealed. In approaching major transformations, successful firms: Vision was defined. They got consensus at the highest level about when they wanted the company to be in the very near future They sought to understand the behavior in as many ways as possible through systems, staff, structure and processes in order to drive and reinforce the change They devised a plan to systemically measure what they were trying to change They ensured that their basic human resources practices, reward systems, career development systems, selections procedures, performance management strategies and leadership styles supported the new direction What differentiates successful firms from the rest? They make sure everybody leaves a meeting with the same priorities in mind. Until agreement is reached, it is practically impossible to allocate the sense of urgency to specific issues. Research has shown how difficult it is for an organization to gauge its distance from its target. One study by the Hay Group, in which executive teams ranked 56 internal cultural elements to form snapshots of both desired and current cultures, found that 9 out of 10 executive teams were more divided on defining their culture than in describing future cultural priorities. Cultural change is enormous. It can feel very uncertain. That is why it is so important for a company to identify precisely what it is that it seeks to change. Change is good for an organization it disrupts all the routine in an organization that collectively stifle innovation and adaptability. Restructuring breaks up the outdated power structures that may be quietly misdirecting a companys resource allocation like silos. However without proper planning the process can be catastrophic. Over time, informal networks mirror formal structure, which is how silos develop. Silos can be considered as specific department being incapable of reciprocal operation with other, related departments within one organization. The expression is typically applied to teams where the focus is inward and information communication is vertical. In some silos managers serve as information gatekeepers, making timely coordination and communication among departments difficult to achieve, and seamless interoperabi lity with external parties impractical. Employees are also guilty of hoarding information. Both managers and employees consider this a form of job security. The problem with silos is that communication and collaboration tend to become trapped in specific business units or departments. Change will break down these silos creating a better company. Breaking down the silos is so important because the longer things are done a particular way, the harder it is to adapt to when change is required. Successful adaptation to change is as crucial within an organization as it is in the natural world. Just like plants and animals, organizations and the individuals in them inevitably encounter changing conditions that they are powerless to control. The more effectively you deal with change, the more likely you are to thrive. Change must be managed using an ethical and professional approach with common sense. Due to the changing economic state over 30 million Americans have been dislocated by restructuring. Companies expect to cut an average of 15 percent of their workforce over the next decade. Today, change is continuous and enormous. It is important that companies create a strategic plan to manage the change process and control resistance. However, they often forget about how to handle or who will handle the transition from the old way to the new way of doing things. The transition period is where people get immovable. People become anxious, confused, angry and often unproductive. On many occasion the task of helping people through the transition is the responsibility of frontline management but can become difficult for them. The most logical approach is for the company too employee a change agent. Change agents carry many titles but have some distinctive characteristics. A Change agent is an individual whose presence or thought processes cause a change from the traditional way of handling or thinking about a process. They must possess qualities such as experience in providing direct services to management in the public sector and private sector, particularly to those with multiple problems. Strong communication skills, including writing and public speaking abilities are critical. They must have the ability to communicate changes effectively across the entire organization. This helps them build consensus among groups of diverse stakeholders. In addition, they need the ability to sense and manage controversy. A person who is known for this type of work may promote credibility among other stakeholders. In a final analysis, the personality and interpersonal skills that change agents bring may be far more important qualifications than any advanced degree or specialized training. Im plementing change requires a specialized group of people. Hiring the right person to lead the team is a delicate and subjective task. A change agent leader may come in the form of a Change Management Project Manager. A change management Project Manager focuses on executing standard Change Management methodology which will facilitate the business partners planning and execution of new standards. The Project Manager will be directly allied to the company transformation champion or Change Manager. The role of a change manager is to be a leader who can alter forces that can impact the change project. Depending on the magnitude of the change, this leader might be the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director, Vice President or department manager. If the organization culture must change to accommodate a new way of working, the leader must be the top dog of the company. Company culture is created from the top of the organization. The project manager may hire a change management analyst. They are responsible for auditing and evaluating the change management process of a business. Change management is aimed at helping system users to adopt the new system and use it productively. The role of the change management analyst includes ensuring that adequate documentation and support are available to the users. These are a few people who could make up the team that ultimately facilitate the transformation of an organization. It is imperative that the company take great care in selecting the right people to help support change within the organization. They must be skilled and have the ability to devise and execute a plan from start to finish. Companies excel at creating plans on change but selecting the correct change management team is often overlooked. Some executive think using an internal resource to champion alone and a few memos to the staff announcing the persons new role while noting the upcoming changes will suffice. This notion is far from the truth and will result in rebellion. It is necessary for the positive success of the change that serious thought is put into the change management agent selection. For some reason, there is often more power in what an outsider says than in the same suggestions coming from the inside. This power should be used to reinforce the direction in which you want to go. Outsiders bring important information and a fresh perspective; which is why great team selection is critical It is no secret that much is documented about the course or stages of change however; while process is clearly important, what is the defined role of the change agent and what characteristics are critical to be an effective change agent? After careful research there were a few characteristics that seem to echo. Motivation is what keeps the momentum going, even when things are tough. Change is tough and if they are not highly motivated, the change may not come. Commitment is another essential characteristic of successful change agents. The level of personal commitment influences behavior which in turn influences results. They must be a planner with ability to plan effectively; no real change can happen unless it is planned and thought through. Being a risk taker is a good trait. You cannot steal second if you are afraid to leave first. Change requires an element of risk. When you take risks they sometimes result in success but can result in failure. When you fail you learn. In fact, the most successful people always state that they learned more from when they failed than when they succeeded. Change without some risk taking is not an option. Changes agents must start with a goal in mind and be outcome focused. If they dont know where the organization wants to go, they are incapable of helping the company get to the anticipated finish. While this might seem like stating the obvious, it is surprising how many organizations start to embark on change without absolute clarity. It is important that they believe change is possible. Failure to do so will result in resistance and creativity blocked. In any change difficult choices will need to be made and communicated. Many of these changes will be unpopular and impact on a lot of people. Those that excel as change agents have the courage to follow through on the changes and stay focused on their goal and outcome while being empathetic and flexible. While there is a need to be courageous and move things forward, high degrees of empathy are important. Change agents need to be ready to see different perspectives and be able to step into the shoes of others. Even the best laid plans dont materialize as expected. As a change agent they need to be able to adapt to changing circumstances internally and externally to the organization. Change agents always need the ability to get all people affected by the project involved, to ensure their support and commitment. Change projects involve a great variety of factors and forces. Many change projects challenge the existing cultural framework of an organization. Efforts to change such lasting values, however, lead to resistance and denial. It takes the acceptance and the support of all people affected by such projects to make them succeed. It is the change agents task to generate this acceptance in order to implement change with the people, not against them. Rosabeth Moss Kanter a tenured professor in business at Harvard Business School where she holds the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship and author numerous books on business management techniques, particularly change management, mentions that many emotional components among the most important characteristics of change agents. Change agents should realize that there is more than one right solution. The change agent has to be able to evaluate facts from different points of view. Additionally, Moss Kanter writes about the significance of alliance building, which she describes as an often-ignored step in change processes. Change agents should identify and involve leaders, decision makers on resources, functional experts and other important persons as early as possible in the project. Selecting the proper change project to put into action first is vital. Proven techniques such as cost benefit analysis, return on investments calculations and risk analysis are well defined protocols for selecting what need to be tackled first. These tasks are often performed by a change agent analysis. This data is transferred to the change management Project Manager. The change team and employees affected by the change initiative must not feel like as if they are just the tools for change or the subject of change. Genuine commitment can only be gained by giving people the chance to become actively involved. People will develop a sense of ownership for the project, which, in turn may serve as a major source of motivation when it comes to the inevitable problems and barriers which manifest into full blown mutiny also known as resistance. Resistance to some employees is used as a survival mechanism. Most people are reluctant to leave the familiar behind making change incredibly difficult. We are naturally concerned about how we will get from the old to the new; especially it involves something new and risking failure. The change agents role is designed to help facilitate and make the transition uncomplicated. Based on research resistance to change is the most prevalent reason change never happens or takes years to implement in an organization. Resistance is simply a very powerful, very effective, very useful survival mechanism. The biggest obstacle to change for a new on the job change agent is dealing with a companys past success. It is difficult to ask people to change when things have gone so well in the past. The idea that anyone would challenge this reasonable and rational way of doing business is ludicrous. The change professional must have the ability to notice these changes and react immediately. People may begin to feel a loss of security. Employees no longer feel in control of their destiny. They may question where they stand in the organization. People will no longer know what to do or how to manager. Their understanding of where they are going is lost. The companys mission and vision often becomes unclear. Resistance can affect many other aspects of change. A change agent must monitor productivity during times of resistance because typically it declines. People are often upset and downbeat. Resistance is not a pleasurable experience for the employees or the change agent. The change agent is often blamed for everything that is going on at moment. Workshops arranged by the change agent typically help neutralize this problem. During workshops employees are encouraged to openly express their feelings. Expressing feeling about the entire process is what helps employees change. People need a way to say good bye to the old and welcome in the new. A well trained change agent views resistance as a gateway or filter. This opposition helps them select from all the probable changes the one that is most suitable to the current situation. The utilization of compassion makes it possible for them to respond empathetically. Communication becomes essential to worker buy-in; the reason for why change is necessary must be clearly defined and communicated. The project manage need to keep the employees informed of any new development and give then as much data as possible. The workshops should be followed up with one on one meeting if necessary. Statics show that when 5 percent of the people, in a group, adopt a change, the change is imbedded. When 20 percent adopt it, the change is unstoppable. An experience change agent focus on the innovators, people who try things first followed by the early adopters. Some individuals are harder to get involved and more often than not become somewhat the focus of the project manager. Change agents who repair damaged relationships and restore trust both before and during change are less likely to encounter resistance than agents who do not; research shows that falling to repair damaged relationships can lead to lowered commitment (Dean, Brandes, Dharwadkar, 1998). Agents can reduce the chances of such damage by being truthful and realistic as possible including revealing what they do not know. As a matter-of-fact, change agents are encouraged to communicate frequently and enthusiastically about change (Lewis, Schmisseur, Stephens, Weir, 2006). Even communication cannot eradicate all forms of resistance. Rational resistance forms when employees feel uninvolved. They think change is being forced upon them. These are the people who refuse to budge. This is what a change agent faces when someone ignores or does not embrace the idea of change. This can be cancerous. One way to help is to create an environment where learning is the norm. Motivating employees to change by celebrating small successes can help people inspire to embrace change. However in some cases irrational resistance gets the best of the most experienced change professional. There are people for whom no amount of verification, persuasion or motivation will suffice to get them to willingly adopt change. Since it is the goal of the change agent to persuade individuals to change a change professional may make use of McGuires theory of inoculation. Inoculation Theory was developed by social psychologist William J. McGuire in 1961 to explain more about how attitudes and beliefs change, and more important, how to keep original attitudes and beliefs consistent in the face of persuasion attempts. According to McGuires theory of inoculation, change recipients success in resisting influence is determined by their ability to refute arguments that challenge their prevailing beliefs (McGuire). Inoculation is a theory developed to strengthen existing attitudes and beliefs and build resistance to future counterarguments. For inoculation to be successful it is critical that the motivation for resistance is imposed upon these existing ideas takes place after the inoculation. The argument that is presented through inoculation must be strong enough to initiate motivation to maintain current attitudes and beliefs, but weak enough that the receiver will refute the counterargument. Inoculation theory has been successful in increasing college stu dents resistance to credit card advertisements (Compton Pfau, 2004). Change recipients reactions to change are not necessarily dysfunctional obstacles or liabilities to successful change. Quite the opposite, recipient reactions can have value serving as an asset and a resource in its implementation and successful accomplishments (Knowles Linn, 2004). Resistance is one possible form of engagement with change and may, in some cases reflect a higher level of commitment that acceptance, because some resistance is thoughtful. Change agents can use resistance as feedback on a stakeholders engagement. It can become an indicator and a valuable source of feedback for improving the process and conduct of change. In fact, change agents may want to consider the absence of resistance as a sign of disengagement and harbinger of future problems from unthinking acceptance (Wegener et al., 2004). The change professional must surely include responsibility for the relationship with recipients, as well as the tactics of change implementation. Change is nothing more than a simple shift in technology or some reporting relationship. They are the cornerstone of forward progress. The effect of the change professional is important to the execution of a successful positive transformation and culture shift. The culture change of a company can be achieved by giving employees the means by which they could successfully do their jobs. It is communicating clearly to employees what their jobs are and providing the training and tools to enable them to perform those jobs successfully. Organizations need to bear in mind that throughout the process of making improvements, individuals will be thinking about WIIFM (whats in it for me). This doesnt mean solely the financial impact of the change. The typical Western approach to organizational change management is to start by trying to get everyone to think the right way. This causes their values and attitudes to change, which, in turn, leads them naturally to start doing the right things. It is imperative that the company starts by influencing a culture change. The first change should focus on how people think. The focus should be on behavior modifications which align with the mission and vision of the company. Putting together the change management strategy is the first significant step in implementing change management methodology. This can also be considered reframing the organization. The strategy provides direction and results in informed decision making throughout the change process. A well-formulated strategy really brings the change to life, describing who and how it will impact the organization. People will follow a person who inspires them. The change must start with a solid vision and passionate leadership. A change plan is necessary to ensure that the initiative becomes a living breathing document. The change management plan is documented by the change professional and includes but is not limited to: Communication plan Resistance management plan Training plan Reinforcement planning This plan must address getting buy-in from key stakeholders and the naysayers. Top management must fully support the change. Leadership has to understand the employees and business units being impacted by the change. These stakeholders should be addressed personally by senior leadership. Showing how they will be positively impacted enables the employees to better appreciate the vision. The leader new vision has to be communicated throughout the organization. Understanding the employees perceived level of commitment will have more to do with the success or failure of the change than anything else. This must be evident to the employees. It is critical, if leadership is commitment is poorly communicated the change will more than likely be resisted. We previously addressed resistance and ways to deal with or embrace the process. In addition to a solid strategic plan, the leaders must be willing to look at the company through a different set of lenses. Different lenses can bring organizational life into a different or clearer focus. Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal authors of Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership argue that it is impossible to really understand an entire organization without using a multi-framing perspective. Although there are no right or wrong ways to view organizations, one of the most practical theories, suggested by Bolman and Deal (1984), advocates looking at organizations from four different perspectives or frames. These frames are often described as windows, maps, tools, lenses, orientations and perspectives because these images suggest multiple functions (Bolman Deal, 2003). The four frames are: (a) structural (emphasizes specialized roles and formal relationships), (b) human resource (considers the needs of the individual), (c) political (focuses on bargaining, negot iating, coercion, and compromise), and (d) symbolic (views organizations as cultures with rituals and ceremonies). Each of the frames is powerful and coherent, and collectively, they make it possible to reframe Re`frame ´Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   v. t. 1. To frame again or anew.   or view the same situation from multiple perspectives (Bolman Deal, 2003). . They allow the leader to view the workplace from different images to make judgments, gather information and get things done. Not every framework works well in every situation. The change agent will find that all or most of the frames will be employed by the people they will be dealing with. The idea to creating change in an organization is to figure out which frame offers them the best opportunity for focusing all the individuals on a feasible solution. Basically they are going to have to convince some people to change their frame of reference, at least when they are thinking and talking about the changes that are coming. Once the situation or problem has been successfully reframed, the change professional will need to help people reinterpret the new framework in terms of their preferred approach. No one uses only one frame all the time, although people often show a preference for one or two frames. The structural and political are the most prevalent frames shown by people during change. Both can be used to demonstrate different analytical approaches to describe an organization. Bolman and Deal (2003) are careful to explain the steps that ought to be taken to prohibit greed and encourage morality in the politically fueled workplace. For example, negotiation can be seen as a win-win as opposed to a positional ordeal. If there is potential for both sides to benefit through bargaining, it is optimal to go about this process in such a way that does not insist on a clear win-lose outcome. Similarly, they describe ethical issues in bargaining and general organizational politics. The symbolic frame looks at the core beliefs and values that employees of organizations possess in common. These beliefs represent what people stand for and shape their identity. This frame suggests that what happens in organizations is not as important as what these phenomena mean to people. The symbolic fram e is concerned with organizational culture and the culture is significant and well-established in most companies. This frame is important because it is directly tied to the emotions of the people. Most people dont like change because it represents uncertainty. Quoting Burns, If leaders are to be effective in helping mobilize and elevate their constituencies, leaders must be whole persons, persons with full-functioning capabilities for thinking and feeling (217). In this way, the authors encourage leaders to be both aware of the importance of the power they wield, and to lead by example as an ethical individual. The end result is to learn the importance of stepping back and looking at a situation from more than a single pane of glass. This is vitally important because most of us have the tendency to look at situations or problems from a limited narrow perspective, and this hinders our ability to be effective and visionary leaders. Below is a chart that outline the reframing process. Reframing Organizational Process Frame Structural Human Resources Political Symbolic Strategic Planning Strategies to set objectives and coordinate resources Gatherings to promote participation Arenas to air conflicts and realign power Ritual to signal responsibility, produce symbols, negotiate meanings Decision Making Rational sequence to produce right decision Open process to produce commitment Opportunity to gain or exercise power Ritual to confirm values and provide opportunities for bonding Reorganizing Realign roles and responsibilities to fit tasks and environment Maintain balance between human needs and formal roles Redistribute power and form new coalitions Maintain image of accountability and responsiveness; negotiate new social order Evaluating Way to distribute rewards or penalties and control performance Process for helping individuals grow and improve Opportunity to exercise power Occasion to play roles in shared ritual Approaching Conflict Maintain organizational goals by having authorities resolve conflict Develop relationships by having individuals confront conflict Develop power by bargaining, forcing, or manipulating others to win Develop shared values and use conflict to negotiate meaning Goal Setting Keep organization headed in right direction Keep people involved and communication open Provide opportunity for individuals and groups to make interests known Develop symbols and shared values Communication Transmit facts and information Exchange information, needs, and feelings Influence or manipulate others Tell stores Meetings Formal occasions for making decisions Informal occasions for involvement, sharing feelings Competitive occasions to win points Sacred occasions to celebrate and transform the culture Motivation Economic incentives Growth and self-actualization Coercion, manipulation, and seduction Symbols and celebrations Source: Bolman Deal (1997), pp. 267-268 The uses of the multiple frames assist the leader to distinguish and recognize more broadly the problems and potential solutions available. It encourages the leader to think flexibly about their organization and opens a range of opportunities to the leader to view events from multiple angles. Lastly, employees should feel comfort in knowing that their participation in change is moving the organization toward a more healthy state. Collaboration gets all employees to work together. Their thoughts and opinions are sought and valued by leadership. Communication is important to create awareness about why the change is needed. The word about the change should be talked about daily. In most cases several times a day if needed to get stakeholder buy-in. It is imperative that this message comes fro

Subtle Criticism in Aphra Behns Oroonoko Essay -- Behn Oroonoko Essay

Subtle Criticism in Oroonoko  Ã‚   In reading Oroonoko it might be easy to miss the criticism offered against the European culture. Upon studying the novel however, this criticism which had been presented subtly becomes quite clear. An important note is that the author and the narrator are not in fact the same. Although the author is out to provide a criticism of European culture and values, she is reluctant to let it come through the narrator. This critique comes through mainly in less direct forms, through her non-European characters, most often Oroonoko, and through comparisons between cultures and the characters encountered in each. As a female writer trying to earn a living, and as the narrator of the story represented herself, Behn couldn't have the narrator offer too strong a criticism for fear of losing her audience. The narrator is presented as very European. She is very ethnocentric and seems to have no problem with the slave trade, only with the treatment of one specific individual (namely, Oroonoko). Occasionally, however, there will be a slip, a slight inconsistency in the narrators character, which offers a glimpse of Behn's true sentiments. For example, throughout the novel, the narrator is a strong believer in religion. She tells Imoinda ". . . Stories of Nuns and endeavour[s] to bring her to the knowledge of the true God."(41). She also tries to defend Christianity to an unbelieving Caesar. When discussing the natives of Surinam, however, she mentions that ". . . all the Inventions of Man . . . wou'd here but destroy that Tranquillity . . . and . . . wou'd teach ‘em [the natives] to know Offen ce . . . "(10). The first thing she includes as an "Invention of Man" is religion, implying that it is not essentiall... ... Banister truly does kill him like a dog as he said, "he wou'd declare, in the other World, that he was the only Man, of all the Whites, that ever he heard speak Truth."(64) Through each of these forms Behn is highly critical of European values, or maybe more precisely the lack there of. She criticizes religion, namely Christianity, for not enforcing morals in people; the most noble character in the novel, Oroonoko, does not believe in any God at all. She also criticizes those in the culture who do not hold themselves to their promises; the blacks and natives who are seen as so inferior are more true. She offers all this, yet, in a way that gives no offence and so keeps her audience for the next criticism she may offer. Works Cited: Behn, Aphra. â€Å"Oroonoko.† The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. AH Abrams. New York. WW Norton and Company, Inc 2000.

In this essay, I intend to discuss the ways in which the poems Dulce :: English Literature

In this essay, I intend to discuss the ways in which the poems Dulce Et Decorum Est and Charge Of The Light Brigade represent war. I will discuss the themes of death, emotions, conditions and opinion. In Dulce Et, death is shown as horrific and that of terrible suffering. "His hanging face like a devil's sick of sin." This simile describes the way in which the poet Wilfred Owen saw the men suffering. He uses an effective method of a metaphor, 'Devil's sick of sin', and this metaphor shows just how horrible death is. When a devil is sick of sin, it is no longer a devil, this means that the man described is no longer a human. However, in the Charge, death is shown as quick and clean. This is shown in the quote "While horse and hero fell." Death is not described in the detail of Dulce Et, because the poet wants to show war as glorious and honourable, this could not be achieved if the poet talked about the horrible way in which the men die. The poet uses the word heroes because it shows the men as honourable and glorious, which is the intended message of the poem. In Dulce Et, death has no glory and the men have no sense of dignity. "The old lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." This quote shows that the statement 'that dying for ones own country' is a complete lie. Wilfred Owen does this to emphasise how horrible and undignified death really is. Owen wants to show that death has no glory and is undignified. The poet also uses Latin, because the reader will recognise the language used is old fashioned, this will then make the reader feel as though war is now old fashioned and pointless. He uses the contrast of two languages to show the difference of views in the two different time periods. In comparison, in the Charge, death is shown as honourable and glorious. "When can their glory fade?" This poem presents death as quick and without suffering, the poet says that the men who died for their country are glorious and should always be remembered. However, when both poems have been read, the reader sees war as even more futile because the men know that it is almost impossible to achieve victory against so many enemies, so they are in effect going in to the battle to die for no reason. However, the Charge's poet shows the men as honourable because they did not question the orders. Both poems show that death is not important. In Dulce Et, death is a

The Impact of European Diseases in the New World Essay -- American Ame

The Impact of European Diseases in the New World If science has taught us anything, it is that one event invariably effects countless others. This is no more evident than when a species is introduced into a new environment. Once a foreign species finds itself in new surroundings, it can either die or adapt. Often, these introduced species take over the environment, irrevocably changing it to fit their needs. This usually leads to a serious deteriorating in the well being of species currently existing there. Such is the case as when the Europeans introduced themselves to the New World. The new arrivals not only brought themselves, their technologies, and ways of life, but, most disastrously, their diseases arrived as well. When the Europeans crossed the Atlantic, they not only fought and killed many natives; they slaughtered countless more without even knowing it, signing the death warrants of millions simply by meeting . The real detrimental effect to the Indians was their exposure to the diseases inadvertently brought over by the colonists; these "most hideous enemies†¦invisible killers which those men brought in their blood and breath." (Stannard, xii) The effect of these diseases in the New World (and in fact, many diseases have in general) is rather ironic. The pathogens that cause disease are not out to kill anything, quite the opposite. The whole purpose for anything existing in this world is to pass its genetic material on to offspring. This concept is called fitness. For an organism to be optimally fit, it must survive so it can successfully multiply as often as it can, creating numerous kin so that its genes will live on generations past its own death. For viruses to live, they need a host. They infect an org... ... Stannard, David, E. 1992. American Holocaust: Columbus and the Conquest of the New World. Oxford University Press. 385pp Cowley, Geoffrey. 1992. "The Great Disease Migration." Newsweek. Fall/Winter, vol. 118. Pg. 54(3) Crosby, Alfred, W. 1986. Ecological Imperialism. Cambridge University Press. 368pp Meltzer, David J. 1992. "How Columbus sickened the New World." New Scientist, Oct. 10. Vol.136, pg.38 (4) Linton, Alan. 1982. Microbes, Man and Animals: The Natural History of Microbial Interactions. John Wiley & Sons. 342pp Sale, Kirkpatrick. 1991. The Conquest of Paradise: Christopher Columbus and the Columbian Legacy. Plume. 453pp. Unknown, Discover Staff. 1996. "The origin of Syphilis." Discover. October. Vol. 17, n10, pg23 (3) Glick, J, Schaffer, C. 1991. "The Indian Homeland." U.S. News and World Report. July 8, vol.111, n2, pg26 (6)

Plts Unit 1

Unit 1- Preparing for an Apprenticeship 1. What are the components of your Apprenticeship? |1. 1 What are the components of your Apprenticeship framework and what is the relevance of each? |Functional Skills Level 1 (English & Maths) – this provides basic skills that will be | |required in day to day activities and support you in life, learning and work | | | |Employment and Personal Learning and Thinking Skills Level 2 (PLTS) | |5 units – Personal learning and thinking encourages the development of being able to generate ideas, tackle problems and find solutions,| |work independently or within teams and understand legal and organisational requirements . | | |Certificate in Healthcare Support Services Level 2 | |9 units (5 mandatory, 4 optional) – The purpose of this qualification is to | |guide and assess the development of Knowledge and skills relating to the health | |workforce. This qualification confirms competence in a range of healthcare support | |se rvice skills. | |1. Describe how each component will be assessed | |Functional Skills Level 1 (English & Maths) | |This is assessed by completion of online or paper based tests achieved within agreed timescale of the first 6 months. | | | |Employment and Personal Learning and Thinking Skills Level 2 (PLTS) | |5 Units | |This is assessed by completion of the PLTS workbook, which is to be completed with YAS training. | | |Certificate in Healthcare Support Services Level 2 | |9 Units | | | |This is assessed through work based learning. Demonstrating knowledge and performance within set criteria using a variety of methods , | |such as: Observations, Work Products, Case Studies, Professional/Guided Discussion). | |1. 3 Describe the purpose of the apprenticeship agreement | | | |This relies on the learner to be very motivated and dedicated to achieve the milestones set. This also relies on the employer providing | |opportunities for learning and guidance to the learner. |The trainin g provider establishing the learners strengths and individual learning style in order to support with efficiency of capturing | |evidence to support achievement of the framework within the timescale set. | 2. Be able to set goals for the coming year. |2. 1 Describe the importance of meeting deadlines | | | |By meeting deadlines this keeps the learner on track with the programme, therefore doesn’t fall behind and have to catch up with work | |that should already have been completed. By agreeing targets on a monthly basis it also encourages the learner to maintain motivation and| |efficiency with meeting targets. | |2. Describe the importance of being organised | | | |Being organised will make the programme a lot easier for everyone involved. This will help me to achieve deadlines set, maintain good | |motivation, enjoyable work etc. | | | |All of this should ensure successful completion of the qualification | |2. 3 Create targets for own skills development and completion of the Apprenticeship. | | |To complete work within deadlines set | |To be organised in all aspects of work and placement | |To maintain a professional appearance at all times | |To uphold a professional attitude/manor | |To adhere to the trust uniform/dress code | |To treat people as individuals and respect their dignity. | |To work cooperatively within teams and respect the skills, expertise and contributions of my colleagues. | 3. Understand the progression routes. |3. 1 What sources of information are available regarding progression routes? | | |If I am wanting to progress into a different job role I can seek advice from my team leader/manager at the base station I am working at. | | | |Information for these roles are available from the YAS intranet or the internet (google). | |3. 2 What are the possible progression routes within YAS? | | | | | | | |There are many different progression routes to possibly go down after completion of the PTS apprentiship.Some of which are; | |â⠂¬ ¢ Band 3 PTS driver | |†¢ Assistant practitioner | |†¢ Paramedic | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Conflicts and Themes of Godfather Death Essay

Notes adopted from Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama and A Short Guide to Writing About Literature Fiction: A name for stories not entirely factual, but at least partially shaped, made up, or imagined. Stories can be based on factual material (I.e., the historical novel) but the factual information is of secondary importance. Ex: Gone with the Wind. Types of Fiction: Fable: A brief story that sets forth some pointed statement of truth. Most fables involve animals endowed with human traits of character and consciousness but do at times involve astronomical bodies and natural physical forces with character traits as in â€Å"The North Wind and the Sun.† A fable customarily ends by explicitly stating its moral. Ex: â€Å"The North Wind and the Sun† (5-6) Parable: A brief narrative that teaches a moral, but unlike a fable, its plot is plausibly realistic, and the main characters are human. The morals of parables are also implied instead of explicitly stated. Ex: â€Å"The Parable of the Good Samaritan† Tale: A story, usually short, that sets forth strange and wonderful events in more or less bare summary, without detailed character drawing. Two variations of tales are fairy tales (â€Å"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs†) or tall tales (â€Å"Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox†). Ex: â€Å"Godfather Death† (8-10) Short Story: A prose narrative too brief to be published in a separate volume–as novellas and novels frequently are. The short story is usually a focused narrative that presents one or two main characters involved in a single compelling action. Ex: â€Å"A&P† (14-9) Novella: In modern terms, a prose narrative longer than a short story but shorter than a novel (approximately 30,000 to 50,000 words). A novella is long enough to be published independently as a brief book. Ex: Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness; Susanna Rowson’s Charlotte Temple Novel: An extended work of fictional prose narrative. Because of its extended length, a novel usually has more characters, more varied scenes, and a broader  coverage of time than a short story. Ex: The Great Gatsby Elements of Fiction: Plot: The particular arrangement of actions, events, and situations that unfold in a narrative. A plot is not merely the general story in a narrative but the author’s artistic pattern made from the parts of narrative including the exposition, rising and falling actions, climax, and denouement. One way to look at the organization of the happenings in many works of fiction is to see the plot as a pyramid or triangle. Freytag’s Pyramind: 3. Climax 2. Rising Action 4. Falling Action 1. Exposition5. Denouement 1. Exposition: The opening portion that sets the scene (if any), introduces the main characters, tells us what happened before the story opened, and provides any background information we need in order to understand and care about the events that follow. Usually introduced to protagonist (Central character who usually initiates the main action of the story) and antagonist (a character or foe that opposes the antagonist) 2. Rising Action: The early happenings, with their increasing tension. Often characterized by suspense (enjoyable anxiety created in the reader by the author’s handling of plot) and foreshadowing (suggestions of what is to come later in the story). 3. Climax: The rising action culminates in a moment of high tension or crisis–signals a turning point in narrative. (the word climax comes from the Greek word meaning â€Å"ladder†) 4. Falling Action: What follows the climax or decisive moment and leads to the conclusion or denouement. 5. Denouement: A conclusion or resolution that the reader takes to be final. Point of View: Refers to the speaker, narrator, persona, or voice created by authors to tell stories, present arguments, and express attitudes and judgments. Types of points of view: Participating First Person Narrator (I, me, my, and [sometimes] we, our, and us) A. A major character—may be protagonist as is Huck in Huck Finn B. A minor character—may be an observer, watching a story unfold that involves someone else Nonparticipating Third Person Narrator (she, he, it, they) A. All-knowing or total omniscient—the narrator sees into the minds of all or some characters, moving when necessary from one to another. B. Editorial omniscient—the narrator knows the feelings of the characters, but adds an occasional comment or opinion about the characters. Ex: â€Å"Godfather Death† C. Impartial omniscient—Narrator present s the thoughts and actions of the characters, but does not judge them or comment on them. D. Limited or selective omniscient—the narrator sees through the eyes of a single character—who may be either a major or minor character. Other characterizations of narrators: A. Innocent narrator or naà ¯ve narrator—usually a character who fails to understand all the implications of the story. Ex: Huck Finn—Huck accepts without question the morality and lawfulness of slavery; he feels guilty for helping Jim, a runaway slave. But far from condemning Huck for his defiance of the law—â€Å"All right, then, I’ll go to Hell,† Huck tells himself, deciding against returning Jim to captivity—the author, and the reader, silently applaud. B. Unreliable narrator—the point of view is from a person who, we perceive, is deceptive, self-deceptive, deluded, or deranged. Character: The verbal representation of a human being—through action, speech, description, and commentary, authors portray characters who are worth caring about, rooting for, and even loving, although there are also characters you may laugh at, dislike, or even hate. A. Types of characters: 1. Round characters—authors present enough detail about them to render them, full, lifelike, and memorable. They are dynamic meaning they recognize, change with, or adjust to circumstances. Types of round characters: 1. Hero or heroine 2. Protagonist (the â€Å"first actor†)—central to the action and moves against the antagonist. 3. Antagonist (the â€Å"opposing actor†)—a character or force that opposes the protagonist. 2. Flat characters—characters that do not grow but remain the same because they are stupid or insensitive or because they lack the knowledge or insight. They end where they begin and thus are static, not dynamic. Types of flat characters: 1. Stock characters—flat characters in standard roles with standard traits. They are representative of their class or group. They stay flat as long as they do no more than perform their roles and exhibit conventional and unindividual traits. When they possess no attitudes except those of their class, they are called stereotype characters because they all seem to have been cast in the same mold. C. Versimilitude, Probablity, and Reality: Characters in fiction should be true to life. Therefore, their actions, statements, and thoughts must all be what human beings are likely to do, say, and think under the questions presented in the literary work. Setting: Setting is a work’s natural, manufactured, political, cultural, and temporal environment, including everything that characters know and own. A. Three Basic Types of Setting: a. Nature and the Outdoors b. Objects of Manufacture and Construction (Ex: Houses, both interiors and exteriors, park benches, necklaces c. Cultural conditions and assumptions (Ex: The cultural setting of an isolated island off the coast of Georgia would be different from the cultural setting of Atlanta. B. The Importance of Setting to a Narrative a. A credible setting establishes literary credibility. One of the major purposes of literary setting is to establish realism or verisimilitude. b. Setting may be a strong guide to character c. Authors may use setting as an organizing element. i. An author may use setting to organize the work geographically. 1. Ex: The protagonist may move from an expensive condo in downtown New York City to a cheap apartment on Long Island. This move suggests not only the economic decline of the protagonist but the social decline as well. ii. Another organizational application of place, time, and object is the framing or enclosing setting, whereby a work begins and ends with descriptions of the same scene, thus forming a frame or an enclosure. (Ex: O Brother, Where Art Thou?) d. Setting may serve as literary symbols. e. Setting may be used to establish a work’s atmosphere. i. Setting helps to create an atmosphere or mood, which refers to an enveloping or permeating emotional texture within a work. 1. Ex: Descriptions of bright colors (red, orange, yellow) may contribute to a mood of happiness. The contrast of such bright colors with darkness and dark colors may invoke gloom or augment hysteria. Tone: Similar to tone in poetry, tone in fiction is the author’s attitude toward the subject being discussed. The author’s choice of diction (choice of words), details, characters, events, and situations lead us to infer his or her attitude. A. Irony: When an author says one thing but means quite the opposite. a. Verbal Irony: Most familiar form of irony—we understand the speaker’s meaning to be far from the usual meaning of the words. Ex: â€Å"Oh, sure, I just love to have four papers fall due on the same day.† Often verbal irony is in the form of sarcasm—sour statements tinged with mockery. b. Irony of Fate or Cosmic Irony: Suggestion that some malicious fate (or other spirit in the universe) is deliberately frustrating human efforts. Theme: Like other forms of literature, theme in fiction simply refers to  whatever general idea or insight the entire story reveals. A. The following questions can help you determine theme(s) in a narrative and organize those themes into statements: a. Look back at the title of the story. From what you’ve read, what does it indicate? b. Does the main character in any way change in the story? Does this character arrive at any eventual realization or understanding? Are you left with any realization or understanding you did not have before? c. Does the author make any general observations about life or human nature? Do the characters make any? (Caution: Characters now and again will utter opinions with which the reader is not necessarily supposed to agree.) d. Does the story contain any especially curious objects, any flat characters, significant animals, repeated names, song titles, or whatever that hint toward larger meanings than such things usually have? In literary stories, such symbols may point to central themes. e. When you have worded your statement of theme, have you cast into general language, not just given a plot summary? f. Does your statement hold true for the story as a whole? Symbol: In literature, a person, place or thing that suggests meanings beyond its literal sense. Symbols usually contain multiple meanings and associations. A. Ex: a. In Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, the great white whale is more than a literal dictionary-definition meaning of an aquatic mammal. The great white whale, as the story unfolds, comes to imply an amplitude of meanings: among them the forces of nature and the whole created universe. b. Also in â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Miss Emily’s invisible watch ticking at the end of a golden chain not only indicates the passage of time, but suggests that time passes without even being noticed by the watch’s owner,  and the golden chain carries suggestions of wealth and authority. B. Symbolic Act: A gesture with larger significance than usual. a. Ex: For the boy’s father in â€Å"Barn Burning,† the act of destroying a barn is no mere act of spite, but an expression of his profound hatred for anything not belonging to him. Character Analysis on the Conflicts and Themes of Godfather Death Summary, Characters, Conflict and Themes of â€Å"Godfather Death† 1. Give a Brief summary of the work using specific names, detail, and examples. In the story â€Å"Godfather Death† there is a father who has twelve children and then has another his thirteenth child, but he cannot afford this child. The father then decides to find the most suitable godfather for his thirteenth child. The father passes up the good lord and the devil his reasoning being that death is equal and does not discriminate between people. Death gives the child a gift for his baptism his gift is the ability to heal the sick as long as death is at their head if he was at their feet the person was to die. The doctor soon became famous and was well known through the country. The doctor soon found out the king was ill and when he approached him Death was at his feet, so the doctor switched the king’s position so that Death was at the king’s head. Death was upset at the doctor’s actions and warned him not to do it again. Well, the doctor disobeyed Death once more and this time Death said he must pay. Death took him to his cavern which had candles lining the walls, on the way down the doctor asked what the candles where for and death replied that they are peoples lives. Death showed the doctor his candle and it was almost out, so he doctor tried to convince him to let him live but death tricked him and put his candle out. 2. List the names of the protagonist and major Characters and give a description of each using specific details in your discussion. The major characters in the short story â€Å"Godfather Death† are the doctor and  Death. The doctor is the son of a man who had twelve children before him and he is the thirteenth and the father cannot afford to keep him. The doctor’s father then tries to find the most suitable godfather for the child and he decides to give the child to death. Death is also a main character in the short story. Death is the godfather of the doctor; he is a slim man that has a bony appearance. The godfather is a very†¦