Behavior Contracts and Management Documents

The Strength to Change the World in A Lesson Before Dying...

What if you were sentenced to death for a crime you did not commit? What if you were then proclaimed to be a hog by a jury of your peers? What if you had 5 months to learn to grow from the hog you are said to be, to a man so that you are able to stand tall and walk to your death on your own two legs with your head held high? What would you learn? These questions are the central conflict of the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines. This book takes place on a plantation in the deeply racist state of Louisiana in the 1940s, where a black man named Jefferson is sentenced to death by means of the electric chair by an all-white jury for a murder that he did not commit. Jefferson’s white lawyer’s only defense is that Jefferson, being a†¦show more content†¦In this quote, he shows all the things he has gained from his acceptance, demonstrating strength (when he says I’m strong), manhood (when he says and truly believes â€Å"im a man mr wigin,† ) and the maturity to keep his composure when saying goodbye. All of these inner changes were only brought around and realized by Jefferson after he learned to take acceptance of responsibility for his actions. Jefferson also learned to sacrifice himself for others. Early in the book, Grant defines heroism. He says, â€Å"Do you know what a hero is Jefferson? A hero is someone who does something for other people. He does something other men don’t and can’t do. He is different from other men. He is above other men†¦. A hero does for others. He would do anything for the people he loves, because he knows it will make their lives better,† (Gaines 191). Grant’s definition of heroism says that heroes are people who sacrifice themselves for others, and that heroes are above other men. In the book, Jefferson does become a hero by sacrificing himself for others. After Grant has his talk, Jefferson sits down at the table with his nannan and eats the cold gumbo that she puts out for him, not because he wants it, for he had previously said he wasn’t hungry, but because he knows it will make her happy. This is Jefferson’s small sacrifice, but for the fact t hat he is upon death’s edge, it took real courageShow MoreRelatedA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1122 Words   |  5 PagesThe Power of a Strong Character In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, racism and prejudice are clearly evident and talked about throughout the novel. The novel expresses the oppression of the blacks under a white-ruled society through the narrator, Grant. Grant is a well-educated black man who struggles to free himself from the oppression he has felt from the white community. Despite the fact that he is educated and a teacher, he initially lacks the vigor needed to take the firstRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesPower and Politics 411 Conflict and Negotiation 445 Foundations of Organization Structure 479 v vi BRIEF CONTENTS 4 The Organization System 16 Organizational Culture 511 17 Human Resource Policies and Practices 543 18 Organizational Change and Stress Management 577 Appendix A Research in Organizational Behavior Comprehensive Cases Indexes Glindex 637 663 616 623 Contents Preface xxii 1 1 Introduction What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Importance

Traveling by Plane Is Better Than Driving free essay sample

Plane is better than Driving It is better to travel by plane then driving while on vacation. It is more convenient in many ways. By fling there is a higher chance of getting to your destination faster. There is no need to worry about falling asleep on the weal so it is easier to stay relaxed. While fling a person has all the entertainment they need because there are normally a lot of shows playing and if one ever gets tired of sitting they can Just walk round and still get to their destination without having to stop. If were to be driving it would take longer to get to destination because then one would have to stop at a break area. Also there would be no need to stop for food because the air hostess would bring it to the passenger. While driving it would be another stop and add more time to the destination. We will write a custom essay sample on Traveling by Plane Is Better Than Driving or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page By traveling by plane a person can have more fun on their trip and not be tiered because of the long drive. By traveling by plane it has been said to be safer. Sources have said it is one in eleven million chance of being involved in an airplane crash while there is only one in five thousand chance of getting killed in an automobile accident. (Fury, Chris) By driving a person has a huge chance of falling asleep while driving. When on the other hand while on a plane there is no driving so if anyone were to fall asleep it wouldnt be a problem and stay warm with the big comfy blanket that was given at the beginning of traveling. Traveling on the plane has the benefits of keeping a person entertained. If a passenger were to drive they more than likely would bored because they have nothing to do but drive. They might have some company but how long would they talk for. For the people who are accompanying the driver can watch videos on the car TV. But those are real expensive so about one out of five people will have it. So if they were to go on the plane everyone would be entertained because every passenger has their own little TV to watch movies or listen to music. Also there are some airlines that have games to be played on the TV. Another reason for traveling on a plane is that there is room to walk around if tiered of sitting in one place. If driving to walk around a person cant stand up in the car they would have to stop the car and waist time in the waiting area and add more time to traveling. One other major part about flying is no stops for food meaning no spending money on food. On the plane while sitting an airhostess bring food and drinks for the passengers. Throughout the plane ride the passenger can ask for anything to eat or drink throughout the ride. Normally the airhostesses are really nice. The plane ride to the destination of choice is a smooth ride. One thing that is really great about traveling by plane is not stopping for gas. Now a days gas prices are really high. Travelers literally end up spending hundreds of dollars on gas. When on a plane there is worrying about that. On a plane ride the plane companies deals with the gas. The passenger doesnt have to even move when gas is being filled. But they do have a choice to walk around in the airport. But normally there is no gas breaks only for the really long flights. Traveling by plane has become an advance hoice for a lot of people. It can be expensive but it thinks about the big picture it a good one. To travel around the world the best way is flying. Driving has become very expensive and dangers. No less it takes a lot longer. By driving there is a lot of is a great way to travel. By traveling on plane the passenger takes away a lot of risks that would be taken during driving. They get everything need Just in one spot not having to make stops and not enjoy their trip because they were tiered. Traveling by plane is foremost the best choice.

The Portrayal of Women in the Odyssey Essay Example

The Portrayal of Women in the Odyssey Paper Women play an important role in the epic, The Odyssey, written by Homer. Set in a period subsequent to the Trojan War, the accounts of Odysseus and his trials and tribulations feature four main types of women: the goddess, the seductress, the witch and the good wife. Each of these portrays the role of women in a different way, some in complete contrast to the actual civilization of the period. Ancient Greece was very much a patriarchal society. Men were regarded as of higher status than women, and were seen as the stronger gender. Sports were reserved purely for men, as were literature, politics and philosophy. Typically, a woman was judged, not by her own achievements, but by the wealth and status of her father or husband. A woman would be forced to be married at a young age, keep the house for her husband and have children. Usually, ancient Greek women were not educated, although in Athens, women were taught to read, at school or at home, simple facts on mythology, religion and occasionally musical instruments and as with most other places in ancient Greece, they learnt the basics of the household; spinning, weaving, sewing, cooking and other household jobs. The immortal goddesses contrast with the distinctive characteristics of an ancient Greek woman in the Odyssey. Athena, goddess of wisdom, for example, addresses the Gods, including her father, despite the traditions of status. By ignoring these traditions, Athena shows her strength and confidence. It seems she is outspoken, and is more a typical representation of a modern day woman than that of ancient Greece. Throughout the book, Athena shows considerable pity for Odysseus, despite the fact that men were supposedly the stronger gender: she used her persuasion to encourage the gods to reconsider their destiny for him, and set him free from Calypsos island, and she inspired thoughts for Odysseus when he is enduring the wrath of Poseidon on his journey to the island of the Phaeacians. At this point, Athena interrupts Odysseus negative thoughts of being colliding with rough rocks, to give him the idea of holding onto one of the rocks as the waves crashed against them. We will write a custom essay sample on The Portrayal of Women in the Odyssey specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Portrayal of Women in the Odyssey specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Portrayal of Women in the Odyssey specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Not only does she stir notions within Odysseus, but Athena aids him more subtly by promoting thoughts in other people. For example, when Odysseus is washed up on Scherie, Athena appears in Nausicaas dream as one of her friends. She persuades her that she should go and wash her clothes in the river, which is where she first encounters Odysseus, and aids him in his ongoing quest by taking him to her parents for hospitality. The second of woman is the seductress. The Nymph Calypso saves Odysseus when he is washed upon the shore of her island, and keeps him as a sexual prisoner for 7 years, offering immortality in return for him staying with her. She is a perfect example of how women could be powerful against man, yet still be overruled. This is because when she keeps Odysseus captive on Ogygia, Odysseus has no power to do any different. However, it is Zeus final decision that he should be released from her island, and Hermes, messenger to the gods, who tells her. These are both men making her do something she doesnt want to, but she has to obey them, which is a reflection of the ancient Greek traditions. Additionally, Calypso is also seen as the model hostess, offering her guest ambrosia, nectar and clothes. She does this with ease and pleasure, as she even offers Hermes these things before asking why he had come to see her. She is seen to be immoral by sleeping with a married man, yet to simultaneously have good manners, portraying the complexity of women which wasnt recognised in ancient Greek society. Also a seductress, but concurrently a witch, Circe is firstly portrayed as deceitful and cunning. She lures Odysseus men into her house before turning them into pigs. Her trickery shows her to be independent and strong-minded, although she is then proven to be weaker than men when Odysseus arrives. Contrasted against his bravery in Book 10, Circe displays cowardice when confronted by Odysseus after he has eaten the drug of real virtue from Hermes to protect him from the witches black magic. Circe then tries to seduce Odysseus, but he abstains until he can secure an oath between himself and the witch. She, however, shows a complete disregard for men by turning them all into pigs, then putting her own desires before their freedom, and this shows that Circe also possesses completely contradictory characteristics from the ancient Greek women. On the other hand, when Odysseus demonstrates his power by pulling out his sword, Circe collapses to her knees and bursts into tears, proving that it is Odysseus who holds the authority at this point. Daughter of King Alcinous, Nausicaa, is presented as a mature person, as she is unmarried, therefore young, and yet she doesnt run away when she sees Odysseus naked by the river. She instructs her maids to give him clothes, and he responds to this by not hugging her knees and begging for help, like he first thought of doing. This shows that Nausicaa is well-respected. She also cares about her image as a virtuous woman, because when Odysseus travels to the palace with her, he has to walk behind her, so that people didnt think they were together. Also, when Nausicaa takes Odysseus to meet her parents so that he can receive help from them, she insists he meet her mother first as opposed to her father. This demonstrates her respect for her mother, and her understanding of the way in which the system should work, but the knowledge of how it actually does. Finally, the good hostess and wife are portrayed by Penelope. Even after 20 years, she has stayed loyal to Odysseus by stalling the suitors. This is also quite devious, as she leads them into thinking that once she finishes her weaving, shell marry one of them, except every night she undoes all that she achieved that day. This is the side of her which seems unlike that of the women of ancient Greece. However, parallel to the ancient Greek traditions of statuses between genders, Penelope is reprimanded by her own son. She is told to go to her room and stop making decisions because that was his concern as he was the man of t he house. Without any confrontation, she resigned as returned to her room. This shows that Penelope is contrasted with the other women portrayed in The Odyssey, because she is comparable to the ancient Greek society, whereas Athena, Calypso, Circe and Nausicaa are dissimilar. In conclusion, women in The Odysseus are mostly portrayed as strong-willed and open-minded people with their own thoughts and opinions. Although some are immortal, and supposedly free of human emotion, they feel loss, anger and fear, and can make love to mortal men. Their strength of character is displayed with their ability and willingness to differentiate from the periodic stereotypes of women, although in the end, they almost always surrender to the ancient Greek patriarchal culture. If these charcters were to be placed in the ancient Greek society, I think that they would be discarded from the civilization, except for Penelope who would integrate into the culture with her conceded attitude towards the men around her.