Video summary and reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video summary and reflection - Essay Example As such, the report also indicated that the government has directed Internet providers to ban access to Facebook. Reflection: One strongly believes that people from all walks of life, depending on values, traditions and beliefs, have the right to assert what they think conforms to their philosophies and ideals. As such, for Muslim countries with deep regard and belief in Islamic teachings, the violations noted for posting the prophet’s image could actually be devastating. As such, one affirms that the government should take a stand and enjoin other Muslim countries in asserting concrete policies and procedures regarding this particular concern at the soonest possible time to resolve this issue. Introduction: The video entitled â€Å"Malala Yousafzai, 16, and Her Miraculous Story of Surviving Being Shot by the Taliban† reported by ABC News was published online through YouTube foretold of a remarkable story of a young teen-aged girl named Malala Yousufza. Summary: The video documented the remarkable story of Malala Yousufza, specifically after she was shot by a Taliban rebel for speaking in behalf of millions of young girls to be educated. Accordingly, she was nominated for a Nobel Peace prize. Malala narrated what she remembered just before she was shot. There were a number of miracles that happened and contributed to saving Malala’s life: the presence of a top specialist in pediatrics trauma, Dr. Feona Reynolds; the lending of a plane with complete medical facilities; and how the bullet apparently ricocheted from the skull to be diverted to her shoulders. The story was considered a miracle. Reflection: The story was very moving and touching. It attested that miracles still happen in life. One is convinced that there is still a more powerful force beyond what humans can understand who ultimately governs man’s purpose in life. As manifested and exhibited by the

Speech Analysis Rabbi Besser Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Speech Analysis Rabbi Besser - Essay Example What is even more, the speaker, namely his/her overall appearance and gesticulation, is also a factor in this equation. These three factors are perhaps the most important in effective public speaking. The purpose of this essay is for me to analyze a speech that I have heard, in terms of the above three factors, more specifically with regard to the guidelines of the Out-of-Class Delivery Form that I was given. I have chosen the speech of Rabbi Besser to analyze in this regard. Rabbi Besser is the Rabbi at my synagogue, and he was speaking at our weekly Saturday evening Havdalah. Starting from his physical appearance, Rabbi Besser looked very presentable in his dark suit and nicely polished shoes. The importance of personal dressing and grooming in public speaking is asserted by most writers of the topic. Rozakis states that not only the dressing of the speaker but his cleanliness is also very important (310 & 312). Condrill and Bough do not mention personal cleanliness separately, however, they do stress that the speaker should dress appropriately for the occasion (74). In this regard, Rabbi Besser was very well prepared for the speech, not only was he dressed well to suit the occasion, as I mentioned earlier, but he maintained good personal cleanliness that was quite apparent. Once Rabbi Besser started his speech, he started walking around the podium. I feel, that this took away from his speech as he moved around too much, causing the audience to be distracted by his movements. Though moving around can be a good method for holding the audience’s attention, however, I felt that the Rabbi used it excessively, causing a distraction. Moreover, the use of hand gestures by the Rabbi was excessive too. A gesticulation is a good tool in making a point in a speech; it sometimes helps elaborate what the speaker is trying to say. Additionally, gesticulation can also help the speaker in remembering certain key points of the speech.  Ã‚  

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

Free Essays - Memories and Motherhood in Landscape for a Good Woman :: Landscape for a Good Woman Essays

Memories and Motherhood in Landscape for a Good Woman The relevance and subsequent interpretation of memories as they relate to one's desire to mother ". . . refusal to reproduce oneself is a refusal to perpetuate what one is, that is, the way one understands oneself to be in the social world." -- pg. 84 In reading Carolyn Kay Steedman's Landscape for a Good Woman, two themes took center stage: Memories and Motherhood. As the book unfolds Steedman repeatedly points out that childhood memories are used by individuals for various purposes; rather than objective recollections dominated by facts, she proposes that they are more subjective in nature, likely to alter with time or as circumstances dictate. Thus, fact has very little relevance, taking a back seat to the history we create for ourselves. ". . . childhood is a kind of history, the continually reworked and re-used personal history that lies at the heart of each present" -- pg. 128 Though she examined sociological, political, economic and psychoanalytic issues, one aspect Steedman fails to address is the biological, as in the so-called "biological clock". Frankly, her argument may benefit from this phenomena. Though women in their teens and early twenties frequently express an emphatic lack of desire for children, citing specifics of their personal histories to support these decisions, years later the same memories are given an opportunity to soften, recede or even disappear altogether. Thus, in light of this altered history, the individual in question feels more at ease reassessing her choices (in light of these memories) and considering motherhood a viable alternative. "We all return to memories and dreams . . . again and again; the story we tell of our own life is reshaped around them. But the point doesn't lie there, back in the past, back in the lost time at which they happened; the only point lies in interpretation." -- pg. 5 Another point Steedman only touches on lightly is her sister's interpretation of the past. Personally, I find it fascinating to discuss childhood events with siblings who participated in the same events. The significance of seemingly unrelated experiences, occurring after the occasion in question, together with personal feelings, frequently cause siblings' recollections of the same events to differ. In light of Steedman's work, it is easier now to understand how children, raised by the same parents, offered the same opportunities and sharing the same historical events, may end up with radically different memories.

Movie Reflection

What is in your movie? ENG 225 Hannah Judson March 15, 2010 What is in your movie? How does one analysis a movie? How does one watch a movie? What are you looking for in the movie? When you watch the movie, does the movie tell you a story or do you learn any life lessons from it? Movie making is considered an industry and an art form; as an artist media, it can come in a form of expression. A movie has so many components intertwined into it to make it overall and complete. Therefore, is there any one component that is superior to the other when the creators are composing the movie?There are so many elements and components used in creating and analysis a movie. However, before we take a look at those elements, let’s take a look at the history of films. Let’s start with silent films; many silent films were produced in the United States back in the early 1900’s. However, filmgoers never really got to enjoy the film in the theaters as they were intended to be seen. S ilent films were meant to be viewed with the intentions of a full musical orchestra behind the film as was the case with The Birth of a Nation in 1915 (Griffith, 1915).The silent film, with the full musical composition playing behind it, made the movie experience seem much more complete. Now days, so many years later, after the original context, the films have lost the excitement as was intended by the directors. As we look more into the actual making of the film itself, each and every film was recorded on a reel of film. Until the standardization of the projection speed of 24 frames per second (fps) for sound films in 1926, silent films were shot at variable speeds or â€Å"frame rates†, typically anywhere from 16 to 23 frames per second or faster.Unless carefully shown at their original speeds they can appear unnaturally fast and jerky, which reinforces their alien appearance to modern viewers. Eventually, they had the ability to add shades of color into the film. When they wanted to add color into a particular shot, they would actually have to hand paint the slide prior to the film being projected. After many attempts to color each slide and make a complete movie, the directors realized how difficult and time consuming it was to complete it. As time went on, they tried to use another technique known as â€Å"tinting†; this was done by coloring the film stock prior to printing on the film.This two-color effect would display the look of black and white and whichever other color that it was tinted in, for example, if they wanted to have a night scene, they would tint the stock blue to make the allusion of a night scene. As was the case in the movie Intolerance (Griffith, 1916), by the Pioneer director D. W. Griffith, also known as the, â€Å"Father of American Films† (Boggs & Petrie, 2008, p. 482). Another coloring technique that was used was known as â€Å"toning†; this was done by adding dye to the film itself so that the lines of the image were colored.By combining the two steps of toning and tinting gave it a two color image experience. Furthermore, as it comes to the langue of the silent films, we could hear a breath taking and moving experience even without the actors saying a word. When the actors were acting in a silent film they were able to communicate and express to the audience by body language, purely by visual elements. How they were able to say so much and have the audience’s attention and involvement was done by their ability to communicate with their eyes, mouth, hands, and body movement.For example, in the movie, City Lights (Chaplin, 1931), Charlie Chaplin, was able to get the audience involved and laughing with his ability to use his body language and facial expression. He would make distinct facial expression with his eyes, eyebrows and mouth to display a stage of concern, happiness, or disbelief, and his ability was very powerful. The silent film language was not limited to the fac e alone; it was expressed by all aspect of the actor’s body. Another very important element of silent films was the actor’s ability to walk. We would think that being able to walk in a film would have no merit to it.No so, as in the case of Charlie Chaplin, he had a very unique walk of his own. When Charlie Chaplin would walk in the film, you could tell who it was without even seeing the actor’s face. It has stated that silent films at its best could express ideas that words itself could not express. As we have enjoyed silent films for many years, we have come to love and enjoy other forms of techniques that unfortunately were not in the silent films. For example, as we moved out of the silent film era, we moved deeper into sounds and we are therefore able to hear the dialogue that gives a different type of expression and experience.Considering that film is usually thought of as a visual medium, sound plays an incredibly vital role. There are three very importan t elements that go into creating sounds in motion films, they are, sound effects, dialogue, and musical score. By adding these elements into the movie, they are increasing the involvement and intensity of the experience. Capturing great quality of sound for the movie is another craft that you will need to learn. If the film contains dialogue, it is very important to be able to record it so the words and mouth movements match up; this is known as â€Å"lip sync†.Shooting film is not just getting a hold of a camera, unlike video, you cannot just record sound directly into the camera, and you will need to record onto sound-recording equipment, like a tape recorder. Although the â€Å"Nagra† reel to reel was the standard for decades, DAT (Digital Auto Tape) has captured the market because of its quality, convenience, and price. Sometimes when recording a film and the dialogue is not very clear during the shoot and must be re-recorded in a studio, preferably using the same recording equipment used during the shoot, this is known as â€Å"dubbing†.There are many different types of equipment that are available for recording known as the ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement). When it is necessary, the actors would sit in a sound-proof booth with a screen to play back the movie and allow the actors to re-enact the scene and re-record the dialogue all over again. On feature films, sound engineers use huge multi-track mixing desks and high quality monitor speakers to ensure that the audio is well-balanced and what needs to be heard is audible. Furthermore, any sounds that were not captured during the shoot are added at the post-production stage.Work on sounds that need enhancing; footsteps, doors, creaking, and so on, are usually done by a Foley artist. They create and record all manner of sound and noises in a studio using their own favorite props. A great example that a Foley artist would be used for would be any animated movies. My favorite animate d movie of all time is Monsters Inc. ( Docter, 2001). All of the different sound effects that were made, for example, when â€Å"Sully† was riding around on different doors, the Foley artist had to create the sound of a pulley.Another example of this would be from the movie Titanic when the ship was breaking apart and people were jumping into the water, the sound crew and Foley artist had to implement the sounds by creatively using breaking wood pieces and splashing water as a sound effect. Never the less, the quality of the equipment is very important for any sound crew member. They will need to be using some sort of a microphone; professional shotgun microphones are extremely sensitive and will pick up an incredible amount of ambient sound, despite their narrow recording field.To ensure that they capture only the actors’ voice, they need to have the microphone as close as possible to them; this would want to be done by mounting the microphone onto a boom stick. Apart from the environmental sounds, shooting the movie outside has the added challenges of picking up the wind sound; however, this can be eliminated if they were to use a â€Å"wind boot†. Whatever equipment or methods they might be using to record the sound, getting the best voice recording is imperative, even though it is possible to do voiceover in post-production; the actors are not always able to recapture the intensity of the moment.This leads me into what is the next important element of the movies, â€Å"effective storytelling†. Maybe there is no absolute right way to tell a story, however, I am sure there is probably a wrong way, which will be obvious if you don’t capture the audience. I feel the trick of storytelling is not what you say, but how you will say it. How you tell the story will also be how the audience will interpret it. This is a common device that is used to sway people’s opinion or to gain sympathy for a person or event.For feature f ilms the general idea is that you have to grab the audience within the first ten minutes, although this really means that the screenplay needs to catch the reader within the first few pages or take the chance of it being rejected. A credible story has many elements that need to be woven into it, for example, the theme of the movie could be the main focus, however, other elements like the characters, plot, and conflict must be carefully selected so they are uniformed in their relationship so the theme of the movie is clear.By doing this you are able to keep the audiences attention and sitting on the edge of their seats expecting more. There are different components of the film that will keep some moviegoers interested; however, those same components might be boring to other moviegoers. So how does one develop a storyline that will keep everyone’s interest? That might be done by the simplicity of the film, by clearly and directly communicating, so that it is clear to all movieg oers. However, some moviegoers like the more complex challenge of using their intellectual minds.This is done by the author’s ability to implement dramatic or emotional structure, by achieving the maximum intellectual or dramatic impact. The author would then develop the storyline in a linear or non-linear format. The storyline would still be composed of the same elements of exposition, complication, climax, and denouement; however, it would just depend on the way they were structured in the storyline. For example, in the movie Titanic (Cameron, 1997), at the beginning of the movie, they showed an elderly Rose talking with the researchers about the gemstone necklace.However, when she starting telling the story of how she received the necklace, they flashed back decades earlier to the year the ship first set sail, this is known as â€Å"non-linear structure†. In addition, conflict is another major degree of complexity within the film. When I recently watched the movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Forman, 1975), I noticed the dramatic component of â€Å"human conflict† between Nurse Ratched and the mental patient Randall Mc Murphy. They struggled constantly throughout the movie until the very end when Randall received a frontal lobotomy.Needless to say, the conflict between Nurse Ratched and mental patient, Mc Murphy, was not the only thing that I noticed from the movie. The actor’s ability to portray the characters that they were playing really stood out to me. I noticed the roles of Miller played by Alonzo Brown, Turkle played by Scatman Crothers, Martini played by Danny DeVito, were done in an impersonator role, they all had the ability to take on the personality traits of a mentally ill patient. As was the case of â€Å"Rudy†, who was played by, Michael Jeter, in the movie Patch Adams (Shadyac, 1998), Actor MichaelJeter had to take on the characteristics and traits of a very disturbed Schizophrenia patient. He v ery successfully portrayed the behavior of someone suffering from the mental illness of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia causes affected people to exhibit odd and often highly irrational or disorganized behavior, included such symptoms as anxiety, restlessness and hallucinations. In one of the scenes, Rudy, who was a patient in the mental ward, had mentioned to â€Å"Patch† that he needed to use the restroom and then instantly, Rudy’s mental state changed, he was hallucinating that he was being under attack by squirrels.For someone who did not really suffer from this disease, by his ability as an actor that he was actually suffering from the disease, he sure convinced me. In this scenario, I feel that Michael Jeter developed his character from the â€Å"inside out approach. † He was able to fully understand every aspect of his character’s personality and develop the behavior from there. Not the case of Robin Williams’s character, Patch Adams was develo ped on the â€Å"outside in approached. † Robin Williams portrayed a â€Å"living† person; therefore he had to learn everything about this character form the source.With this approach, the actor must know everything there is know about this certain individual, his likes, dislikes, his behavior, his wants, his needs, what makes him tick, and especially his sense of humor. I am sure that this particular â€Å"interpreter† character was not very difficult for Robin Williams to get into character. He has always been very successful as a stand up comedian, therefore, when he was asked to play this character; he seemed to be right at home. When I stop to think about the real reason behind why movies are made, one can only think about the true intentions of the film industry.There are many reasons why screenwriter, directors, producers, and everyone else that are involved with the creation of the film. What stand out the most is how the film makers are able to depict s o many important issues that need to have a wide array of people’s attention. What better way for something to be brought to the attention of thousands, even millions of people’s attention, except through a film, plays, stage performances, or musicals. They are creatively brought to light through different genres, a comedy, documentary, drama, musical, or any other form of entertainment.Some are of true life stories, others are done through the creative mind of an artist. With this we get to see the lead actor, supporting actor, super hero, villains, demons, tricksters and many other characters that are brought to life through the films creator. Furthermore, it is important to understand the elements that are woven into the creation. As I bring this paper to an end, I hope that in some way you are able to understand that there are many components that are woven into the creation of a film that is extraordinarily magical.To be able to see the magical transformation with in the experience is an individual experience that one must find within them. I know for myself, I have seen and experience something new and hope that everyone else has the ability to find and encounter the same extraordinary experience.

Imperfections of modern society Essay

Fashion may be described as the predominant style at any given time due to ones mode of expression or presentation. Ones personality may be defined by the clothes they have selected to wear. Celebrities and fashion ads seem to demonstrate that it is acceptable to wear extremely revealing clothes and promote their outfits. Sexually provocative people with strong personalities may choose to wear clothes with inappropriate innuendos or phrases written on them. Modern fashion illustrates the social acceptance of provocative clothing, which reflects upon our cultures bold behavior. see more:why fashion is important It is thought that the clothes society chooses to wear defines ones intentions, character and gives others a basis on how to interpret personality. People have bold behaviours because of what they wear. Many are too open with what they wear making it seem as if modern fashion is mainly about sex appeal. Modern culture is mainly concerned with how others will interpret them and their appearance. Therefore society uses this to make oneself more appealing. If someone were to dress in revealing clothing, others will construe this as they are trying make themselves as sexually appealing as possible. However if someone were to dress in less revealing clothes they would not be in to the hype of sex appeal. This shows how modern culture reflects on the clothes being worn. These people who are only worried about revealing themselves through outfits clearly have bold behaviours because they care what society thinks of them. People tend to act more outgoing when they are dress in clothes that they are comfortable wearing. No matter what type of clothing a person wears it can be an influence that alters others perception of the character of a person. Revealing clothing that is exposed by media can be dangerous to people’s thoughts on modern fashion. Celebrities feel that it acceptable to wear whatever they please. Miley Cyrus is an excellent example of this. She has recently had a tendency of wearing inappropriate clothing on stage and in her music videos. Her personality reflects how she dresses by showing how much she does not care about what people think of her. Miley is very revealing in her videos and her lyrics show her personality of being so careless of what other people think. â€Å"Its our party we can do what we want to†¦ Its my mouth I can say what I want to†(Cyrus). In her lyrics, she is inferring that she is above the law. This is the unstated conclusion throughout her song. She shows her careless attitude in her lyrics but also in her music videos. Miley is a role model to many but she rolls around on the floor wearing nothing but underwear and a tank top making it seem like this is acceptable as she has a young, naive audience that does not know between right and wrong. She also does dance moves that are so inappropriate that young children should not watch this. Miley used to dress normally and she was an idol for many young girls growing up starring as Hannah Montana. Now she has changed personality by exemplifying it through her fashion. Clothing with sexual or inappropriate phrases written on them has become more popular in modern culture because of the popular idols. People with forward personalities tend to buy clothes that reflect on the way that one would want to be judged. Select societies with careless attitudes wear clothing that can be offensive to other people. Shirts with phrases such as â€Å"Orgasm Donor† and â€Å"Drink Up Bitches† are some of many examples of the offensiveness that people display through their clothing. People who wear clothing like this are often sexually provocative people who try to resemble the looks of their idols. Society feels the need encourage to others that it is socially acceptable to look sexually appealing. In reality this type of clothing is obnoxious and reflects poorly on modern culture by giving it a bad label. The popularity of wearing offensive clothing has increased due to people trying to â€Å"fit in†. People who are unsure of what type of personality they have are often the ones who go with the latest and most popular fashion. Our cultures outgoing behaviour is based on the social acceptance that modern fashion portrays. It is believed that the clothes that a person may wear can reflect on their personality. Celebrities who wear excessively revealing clothing tend to set an image that modern culture wants to follow. Miley Cyrus is one of the many celebrities who contribute to this. People who have audacious personalities are usually ones to try to keep up with modern fashion. These people have clothing with sexually provocative expressions written on them. Fashion can be defined as the prevailing style or etiquette. Society may dress to support feelings, actions or how others should interpret their character. Works Cited Cyrus, Miley. â€Å"MILEY CYRUS – WE CAN’T STOP LYRICS. † Directlyrics. N. p. , n. d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.