Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens Essay One lesson we witness in A Kestrel for a Knave also aims to teach the pupils about facts. However this lesson is taught by Farthing who is caring and a more fatherly teacher and this is communicated by his name. Mr Farthing has used his kind personality to gain some respect from the boys in the class. Although the lesson has the same content as the lesson in Hard Times during the lesson it becomes obvious that Farthings teaching is different. He manages to involve Billy, who is normally quite shy and lacking motivation, positively in the lesson. Farthing teaches in a more relaxed way and lets the lesson flow as well as welcoming input from the boys. He encourages Billy to participate and makes him feel special as he has something interesting to share. Farthing lets Billys thought tumble out and does not cut him short. Billy tells all about his bird, which he has raised and trained, and Farthing seems genuinely interested Jesses, how do you spell that? He writes words on the board, allowing the whole class to learn about Billys unusual talent. Billy becomes the teacher for a while and as Farthing is not controlling like Gradgrind he allows this to happen. The lesson becomes full of individuality as Billy shares his unusual hobby and his confidence grows. This would never have happened in a lesson taught by Gradgrind, he would never encourage a pupil to take over his position and would think a pastime like Billys ridiculous. The way in which Farthing nurtures Billys thoughts reflect the way in which Billy has nurtured Kes. The time and devotion that Billy has shown the bird is matched, although on a smaller level, by the way Farthing waits for Billy to talk and persist to question him gently as if he knows Billy has a lot to share. Another contrast between the two schools is the way in which Billy and his classmates behaviour changes depending on the teacher, whereas Gradgrinds pupils are always the same. The different methods of teaching present at Billys school become obvious when the PE teacher Sugden is introduced. Sugden is a bully and again Hines has highlighted the teachers personality with his name, as Sugden is a thug. Billy dislikes PE and does not have a PE kit, as his family cannot afford to buy him one. He arrives late to the lesson as he has been talking to Farthing. Instead of discreetly giving him a kit to wear Sugden mocks Billy in front of the other boys. The way in which Billy is treated provokes him to answer back and be cheeky. Sugdens verbal bullying brings out the negative aspects of Billys personality. Not only does Sugden verbally bully his pupils but as a big man he does not hesitate to physically abuse them too. He hit Billy twice with the ball, holding it between both hands as though he was murdering him with a boulder. The whole lesson is a bullying game for Sugden. There is an absence of skills taught and so the lesson consists of a game of football in which Sugden is the captain of one of the teams as well as being the referee. He bullies the opposing team as well as his own teammates if they make mistakes. His attitude is immature and shows no sportsmanship or fairness, two lessons which should always be reinforced in PE lessons. His negative attitude has a clear affect on the boys, who leave the lesson cold and uninspired. The education system presented by Charles Dickens is extreme and unnecessarily harsh. However the title Hard Times makes it seem like Dickens is writing honestly about a time which lead to harsh methods of education. He highlights the naivety of the people as now teaching methods have improved and young people are encouraged to be themselves and achieve the best that they can. Satire is used by Dickens to emphasize the mistakes of the system. Charles Dickens could of attended a school like the one in Hard Times and so I think he aims to make the problems obvious to people who otherwise might not notice the wrongs in society. Barry Hines also writes the truth about the education system in his era and I think he also aims to highlight the incorrectness of the organization. However Barry Hines writes more realistically as the book is more recent and therefore easier to relate to. Both authors present systems, which now seem very wrong but at the time they were thought of as acceptable. Both books probably contain memories of the authors school days and particularly in A Kestrel for a Knave the scenes seem very believable. I could conclude that neither system would be justifiable now but in their time the schools seemed fair.

Directing Television Programs :: Media Entertainment Essays

Directing Television Programs Directing Television programs requires hardwork and dedication and this involves taking some risks about your life too because as a television director you have to work with different people of different characters and when people are on stage performing they have to work according to your directions. People become tense on stage and they sometimes become frustrated easily by being asked to repeat the same thing so many times and some end up losing temper and they can sometime injure the director both emotionally and physically. There is never free time for television directors, instead of paying more attention to the family needs they devote so much time to their work because of the artistic ideology they posses, wherever they are they should be thinking about how they will direct in the next project and what new things to add on that particular program to put a new look hence giving inadequate attention to their partners/family. â€Å"Rafkin recounts how his directing of temperame ntal actors, as he confronted their frustrations and dodged their blows, made life on TV set a world unto itself. Indeed, having a good sense of humor helped him survive three divorces and as many open-heart surgeries ( Alan Rafkin, Tales from TV's Most Prolific Sitcom Director). † Directors hardly find time to rest since some of them work from morning until sunset and they can have problems with their health. According to Joe Michael from early morning news and talk shows, â€Å" Directors of network morning news programs have one of the toughest jobs. They are responsible for directing ten hours of live programming per week, fifty-two weeks a year. It is a formidable challenge, not only because of the sheer quantity of material, but also because of its variety. The 7-9 a.m. morning programs are a grab bag of formats, combining news, interviews, cooking and lifestyle segments, live remotes, and musical performance (Brian Rose 1). In an interview between Larry Auerbach and David Pressman from the Daytime Dramas, they said. â€Å"Directors of soap operas are hard working directors in the entertainment industry. Unlike their counterparts in film and theatre, their activities are not limited to one or two projects a year, with lots of long planning and down time in between. Even the directors of prime time television, who they most closely resemble, still lead a life of comparative ease, with a schedule measured by, at most, a little more than a dozen hours of actual on-air production per season, mixed with repeats and months off a summer vacation. Directing Television Programs :: Media Entertainment Essays Directing Television Programs Directing Television programs requires hardwork and dedication and this involves taking some risks about your life too because as a television director you have to work with different people of different characters and when people are on stage performing they have to work according to your directions. People become tense on stage and they sometimes become frustrated easily by being asked to repeat the same thing so many times and some end up losing temper and they can sometime injure the director both emotionally and physically. There is never free time for television directors, instead of paying more attention to the family needs they devote so much time to their work because of the artistic ideology they posses, wherever they are they should be thinking about how they will direct in the next project and what new things to add on that particular program to put a new look hence giving inadequate attention to their partners/family. â€Å"Rafkin recounts how his directing of temperame ntal actors, as he confronted their frustrations and dodged their blows, made life on TV set a world unto itself. Indeed, having a good sense of humor helped him survive three divorces and as many open-heart surgeries ( Alan Rafkin, Tales from TV's Most Prolific Sitcom Director). † Directors hardly find time to rest since some of them work from morning until sunset and they can have problems with their health. According to Joe Michael from early morning news and talk shows, â€Å" Directors of network morning news programs have one of the toughest jobs. They are responsible for directing ten hours of live programming per week, fifty-two weeks a year. It is a formidable challenge, not only because of the sheer quantity of material, but also because of its variety. The 7-9 a.m. morning programs are a grab bag of formats, combining news, interviews, cooking and lifestyle segments, live remotes, and musical performance (Brian Rose 1). In an interview between Larry Auerbach and David Pressman from the Daytime Dramas, they said. â€Å"Directors of soap operas are hard working directors in the entertainment industry. Unlike their counterparts in film and theatre, their activities are not limited to one or two projects a year, with lots of long planning and down time in between. Even the directors of prime time television, who they most closely resemble, still lead a life of comparative ease, with a schedule measured by, at most, a little more than a dozen hours of actual on-air production per season, mixed with repeats and months off a summer vacation.

Swot Analysis and Organizational Development in the Nigerian Public Service

Abstract: The public service in Nigeria has suffered setbacks which are largely attributed toineffective and inefficient management. The general poor service delivery of publicservice organizations can be attributable to the inability of these organizations todevelop proper evaluation strategies that would assist them refocus on their coremandates. A relatively new concept in organizational management, SWOT is a toolthat assists organizations assess themselves by evaluating their internal and externalcompetencies, challenges, opportunities and threats, with a view to enhancing their performance.Using secondary data and a purely descriptive approach, the paper examines the concept of public service and organizational development and prescriptively presents SWOT as one such tool that can enhance the performance of public service agencies. Conclusion: In today’s organizational context, performance has assumed a pivotal role in the face off rapid changes in the domains of globaliz ation and technology. To survive, grow and succeed in achieving their objectives public enterprises in Nigeria must become aware of their strength, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.This can be achieved by using SWOT analysis in performance management decisions. In the Nigerian public service, annual budgets and annual performance evaluations areused in managing performance-outcomes and behavior. These deal with the past and not futuristic. The use of SWOT analysis framework can help improve enterprises ‘efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. This will turn around the Nigerian public service and enable it to achieve the national goals and remain an influential institution and as an instrument of public service delivery and development.Nevertheless, while useful for reducing a large quantity of situational factors into a more manageable profile, the SWOT framework has a tendency to over-simplify the situation by classifying the organization environment into catego ries in which they may not always fit. The classification of some factors as strengths or weakness or as opportunities or threats is somewhat arbitrary. Perhaps what is more important than the superficial classification of these factors is the organization’s awareness of them and the development of a strategic plan to se them to its advantage. In view of the expected benefits of SWOT analysis, we recommend that public service organizations should take advantage of this management tool to improve on their overall performance and service delivery. SWOT analysis will expose these organizations to their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats so as to assist them to take evidence based decisions about strategies that will focus on effectively achieving their core mandates and visions.

Dreams in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller - 828 Words

What is a man, but, pieces of limbs made into a body and a mind, full of thoughts, beliefs, and dreams - dreams that urges one to try and convinces one to live. What if the dream, the reason to live, leads one to a futile life? In the Death of a Salesman, by playwright Arthur Miller, Willy the main character slowly dies as his dreams demise. In this play, one can discern how people surrounding Willy influenced his dreams and how his dreams influenced himself and his sons’ lives. This is best exemplified by the influence he received from his father, a famous salesman and his wife, who all aided in constructing his life to the wrong dreams and principles, and consequently destructing his sons’ future. Family and people surrounding Willy†¦show more content†¦Receiving incorrect life lessons from his father, as well as the inability of his wife to influence him towards the right direction, shaped Willy’s naà ¯ve dream of becoming a person, whom he was not destined to become. The overwhelming dream of gaining materialistic success blinds Willy to a point that he fails to see his real interests. Marginalizing his actual desires which include operating with hands, he struggles to make a living with his iniquitous dreams of being a salesman. Perhaps, if he opened himself to his real desires he could have â€Å"made it big† as Biff says â€Å"there’s more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made† (103). In fact Willy longs for a simpler lifestyle as he says to Linda â€Å"you wait, kid, before it’s all over we’re gonna get a little place out in the country, and I’ll raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens† (50). Agonized by his failing in life, he blocks the reality and creates a self-aggrandizing and delusional persona of himself - whom is famous, and well-liked: â€Å"Call out the name Willy Loman and see what happens! Big shot!† (43). However, somewhere inside, he knows that à ¢â‚¬Å"people laugh at him† (43). As Willy slowly realizes his failure in life, the dream of salesman dies within, hence his multiple attempts at suicide. His last hope to keep the dream alive is by proxy and as Biff refuses to become a salesman, Willy shatters inside, and downShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1127 Words   |  5 PagesMany people dream of the American dream. To have a big house, two kids and a picket fence. In Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman every character uses lies and deceit as a way to escape reality. With this said, it is only Biff’s character that is dynamic, realizing the error of his ways. Constantly, each character escapes their problems with deceit. Even Biff remains in this state of falsehood, until he reaches his epiphany. 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This however doesnt ever stop the Lomans from dreaming Read MoreThe Importance of A Dream in Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller1252 Words   |  6 Pagesmust have a dream. However, with the wrong dream, even a fulfilling life is not a happy one. For example in the play, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, the protagonist, Willy Loman, dreams of becoming a respected and successful salesman. However, Willy Loman dreams the wrong dream and as a result its leads to his tragic demise. This is evident through Willy’s dream being unrealistic, Biffs troubles due to Willy instilling his dream into him, Willys pride resulting from his dream, and the illusionRead MoreThe Dysfunctional American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1231 Words   |  5 PagesThe Dysfunctional American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller In the American society, it is thought that if you work hard, no matter what circumstances, you can become rich and powerful. You can overcome deep poverty to become the richest man alive. This superhuman absurdity is what is referred to as the American Dream. Day after day, Americans struggle to achieve fame and prosperity, only to find failure and heartbreak. The American Dream in todays society is dead and isRead More Achieving the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1189 Words   |  5 PagesAchieving the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Willy Loman is a man on a mission. His purpose in life is to achieve a false sense of the American Dream, but is this what Willy Loman really wants? In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller analyzes the American Dream by portraying to us a few days in the life of a washed up salesman named Willy Loman. The American Dream is a definite goal of many people, meaning something different to everyone. Willys version is different fromRead More The American Dream in Death Of A Salesman, by Arthur Miller Essay975 Words   |  4 Pages Success: Accomplishing Your Dream Completing the American Dream is a controversial issue. The American Dream can be defined as having a nice car, maybe two or three of them, having a beautiful, healthy family, making an impact on the world, or even just having extra spending money when the bills are paid. In the play Death Of A Salesman, by Arthur Miller, the American Dream deals with prosperity, status, and being immortalized. Willy Loman, a hard worker aged to his sixties neverRead More The Collapse of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller,2034 Words   |  9 Pagesthe American Dream, generally speaking. Some people think this dream is something automatically granted; or in contrast, as in the story â€Å"Death of a Salesman† written by Arthur Miller, as something that has to be achieved in order to be successful in life. The play takes issues with those in America who place to much stress on material gain, instead of more admirable values. American society is exemplified with Miller’s work and demonstrates how a dream could turn into a nightmare. Arthur Miller’s,Read MoreEssay about A Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller2640 Words   |  11 PagesA Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man confronting failure in the success-driven society of America and shows the tragic path, which eventually leads to Willy Lomans suicide. Death of a Salesman?is?a search for identity, [Willy?s] attempt to be a man according to the frontier tradition in which he was raised, and a failure to achieve that identity because in [1942] and in [Brooklyn] that identity cannot be achieved. (Gross