Toni Morrison The Bluest Eyes an Example of the Topic Literature Essays by

Toni Morrison The Bluest Eyes by Expert writer-Tessy | 08 Dec 2016 One of the impressive qualities of literature is its ability to excite imagination of readers with the help of the textual medium by vivid depiction of events and by finding a way to make readers feel with the characters of the books and stories as if reliving their experiences. And if the theme of a book is sad, or outright tragic, a masterful writer can achieve an especially strong effect on the audience in order to draw our attention to certain problems that surround us. In this connection, the theme of racism, hatred, and violence in our society belongs to the list of those often tragic topics, and the famous African-American writer Toni Morrison (born in 1931) in her novel The Bluest Eye uncovers exactly such sad aspects of the racial problems in the American society. Need essay sample on "Toni Morrison The Bluest Eyes" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed That this writer, who was the first African-American women who received the Nobel Prize in literature (Beaulieu 2003, p.18), is capable of an insightful analysis of the chosen theme is clear from the fact that, as Morrison herself suggests in the afterword, The Bluest Eye is to a certain degree an autobiographical account, if not in the specific details of the novel characters` experiences, but in the general familiarity of the author with the difficulties of the time described in the book (the narrator of the story a nine a nine-year-old girl Claudia - is of the same age as Morrison was in 1941 when the events took place, and lives in the town where Morrison grew (Haskins 2001, pp.11-14). :I'm not in the mood to write my paper now. I don't have the timeProfessional writers suggest:Academic Papers For StudentsUniversity Essay Writing Service Get Paid To Write Essays For Students How to Make Assignment University Essay Writing Service Now, with these observations in mind, we should not be surprised that in the Morrison`s novel there are numerous motives and symbolic elements. Still, perhaps one of the most important of such motives is the general theme of the loss of innocence, which in the book may be applied to the protagonist of story - a black girl of eleven years old - but which from the larger point of view is characteristic of the whole issue of racism and its social consequences. Let us take a closer look at the ways in which this particular topic is presented in the novel. First of all, we should briefly overview the plot of the story in order to place the analysis performed by the author into a proper context. Sisters Claudia and Frieda MacTeer live with their parents in the town of Lorain, Ohio, during the end of the Great Depression, which immediately suggests that harsh social circumstances would put to test many aspects of human relationships in the novel. The protagonist of the story, Pecola Breedlove, appears as a boarder taken in by the MacTeers after she had had family problems as her farther had attempted to burn their house. As Pecola returns home, she is reintroduced to her troubled existence as she is being taunted by her peers, suffers from the conflicts and violence between her parents, and gets raped by her father. After having lost her baby, and after being raped for the second time by her father, Pecola goes mad. During all these events, Pecola is assured in her ugliness, and believes that if she only had blue eyes, like some other girls do, people would love her and her life would be happy. In the end, as her sanity fails to withstand the suffering and violence, Pecola begins to believe that her dream has been realized and that she indeed has the bluest eyes. As we can see, the main characters of the Morrison`s novel are little girls, whose age and emotional fragility make them the most vulnerable potential victims of the evil that lurks in society. It is their innocence, although manifested in different ways, that is shown by the author to be so valuable, and the violent loss of which, in both literal and figurative ways, is so irrevocably tragic due to the emotional devastation that accompanies it. In particular, Pecola may be viewed as a scapegoat, whose passivity enables other people, such as for instance the girl`s own father, to use her in the pursuit of satisfaction of their inferiority complexes, and to act on her in accordance with impulses stemming from their psychological problems. At the same time, due to the way Morrison narrates the story about Pecola through points of view of other people, this black girl remains somewhat distant for readers, both in terms of our understanding of all of her emotional experiences and of her deep-felt motivations, which on one hand increases our sense of her isolation, and on the other hand, according to the author, helps preserve dignity of Pecola (Morrison 2000). As a side effect of the separation of the protagonist and the narrator in the story, Morrison achieves yet another effect, namely that readers can compare passive innocence of Pecola, who longs to be loved and when confronted with family problems wishes to disappear, with Claudia, who is innocent in her protests against commandments of adults to children, and in her refusal of the way black people idealize white beauty. In essence, Claudia is innocent as long as she remains tolerant and sincere towards her peers, and avoids the adoption of the widespread self-hatred among many African Americans. However, what is different about Claudia`s situation is that she has a stable family, and enjoys a loving atmosphere, which leaves place for our optimism that even in hard times integrity between people is nevertheless possible. Alternatively, if we take into account the relations between Claudia and her sister with Pecola, it can be as well seen that even people living in favorable circumstances are not immune form the disturbing influences of racism and violence prevailing in society. Indeed, on several occasions Claudia has to protect Pecola in both direct and indirect ways, for instance when boys harass her, or when upon learning about Pecola`s pregnancy Claudia and her sister want to find a way to avoid the rejection of her baby by the community. Thus, Claudia also plays an important role in the novel as she combines the presence of hope in her character with her immediate involvement into tragic events of Pecola`s life. Arguably, this fragile balance reflects a crucial quality of innocence as such, which may be defined as a human ability to withstand hardships, and remain sensitive and caring (Morrison and Taylor-Guthrie 1994, pp.60-66). Of course, as in many works of literature there are various levels of meaning, the theme of the loss of innocence in the novel The Bluest Eye may equally be viewed not only in an abstract but in a direct way because of the ubiquitous presence of accounts of sexual experiences of different characters in the story. As the result of those revelations, the author depicts the period of the sexual development in an abusive environment as potentially very traumatic. Besides, these are parents of children who must be blamed for a large portion of the emotional burden that accompanies sexual experiences of their children. For one, aside from the terrible rape of Pecola by her father, the experience of Frieda, who is living with a suppressed fear of becoming similar to prostitutes, demonstrates that the lack of parental guidance makes the accommodation by girls of their sexual concerns much more difficult, and puts them into emotional dilemmas that might be avoided. This problem is yet another addition by the author to her exploration of the complex theme of innocence as an inpidual, emotional, and social conception. References: Beaulieu, Elizabeth Ann. The Toni Morrison Encyclopedia. Greenwood Press, 2003. Goring, Paul, Hawthorn, Jeremy, and Mitchell, Domhnall. Studying Literature: The Essential Companion. A Hodder Arnold Publication, 2001. Haskins, Jim. Toni Morrison: Magic Of Words. Millbrook Press, 2001. Morrison, Toni, and Taylor-Guthrie, Danille Kathleen (Ed.). Conversations With Toni Morrison. University Press of Mississippi, 1994. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. Plume, 2000. Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999.

A Look at the Arabic Lifestyle essays

A Look at the Arabic Lifestyle essays Arabic life, in many ways, may seem unorthodox to the average American. But what may seem abnormal to us as Americans are perfectly normal for a member of an Arabic society? This has to do mainly with a culture's social structure. Social structure is the way people have been brought up to do things in everyday life and determines what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior in their society or culture. Through reading this piece on the Arabic world, I now have a basic understanding of their way of life. As we know, to be human is to be social and without social activity, the world would be a very boring and lonely place to inhabit. As Americans, studies have shown that we are very private people. When this privacy is invaded, we become angry or uncomfortable with the situation. In an Arabic society, privacy in public places or the comfort of their home is foreign; in fact, they hate to be alone and will often express this through strong physical contact or invading one's private space. In the States, we are taught to always keep a proper distance between ourselves and others and to avoid physical contact because it is impolite. Naturally, I found these actions to be very strange. But as I read on, I began to understand why they act in this manner. Unlike in American families, where a family member from time to time desires his or her privacy, in Arabic families, there is no such thing as physical privacy. If a member of their family wants privacy, they just stop talking, indicatin g that they want to be alone with their thoughts, or does not want to be intruded upon. In my opinion, this method would never work in an American household, especially in my family. If a member of my family stopped speaking for one reason or another, it would imply that they were angry at another member. So I can see how this can cause conflict if applied to American culture. Another aspect of Arabic life that caught my attention was their behavior in...

Ontario Building Code Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Ontario Building Code - Research Paper Example In an effort to establish the need to have fire safety in modern buildings, this paper has tried to look at the changes that have been made to Ontario building part 3 of 2012. The paper has particularly focused on Division B, 3.2.4.2 that talks about â€Å"continuity of fire alarm system†. The changes have been made to foster new techniques that can be used to combat fire-related tragedies in Canada. This paper is not limited to Ontario only, in an attempt to justify the effects of the changes, the paper has touched on some locations outside Ontario that are comparable when it comes to handling the subject matter. The world is ever-changing and new techniques are applied on a daily occasion, hence developers must also come with new ways to ensure that the new techniques are handled professionally. Architects are ever on the look to come up with new innovations that would easily bridge the gap that may be causing challenges in case of fire. Since the year1976, the Ontario Building Code has established a set minimum standard for designing and constructing all new buildings and allow for alterations, additions, and change of use of already existing structures in Ontario province (International Association of Fire Chiefs., National Fire Protection Association, and Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2012). The code is a binding document used by designers, architects, engineers, builders, manufacturers, and suppliers with respect to construction which the code regulates. The aim of the code is to set specific minimum principles for construction in order to minimize risk exposure to the safety and health of the occupants of a given building and to provide for the hurdle-free accessibility into a given building and the energy efficiency of that particular building. Ministry of Municipal affairs in conjunction with Housing of the province of Ontario are held accountable for the amendment.

Waste Management in LA County Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Waste Management in LA County - Essay Example In addition to the Integrated Waste Management Board, the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) also undertakes significant tasks of waste management. The Sanitation Districts was established in 1923 with the County Sanitation Districts Act. It consists of 25 independent special districts which fulfill the waste management needs of around 5.1 million people in Los Angeles. It constructs, operates and maintains facilities to collect treat and disposes of sewage and industrial water (Green D., 2007 p.93). The major portion of landfills and waste water treatment plants in Los Angeles are operated by the Sanitation Districts. The LA County’s Integrated Waste Management Plan and Hazardous Waste management Plan are prepared and administered by the Department of Public Works (DPW). It also advises Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors on all issues on waste management. The major goal of this board is to reduce the solid waste through recycling, the composting, an d source reduction. It would also respond to any sort of complaints about the discharge of toxic waste that would harm the environment, soil, water, or wildlife. The CIWMB has initiated a ‘Zero Waste’ master plan of twenty year recycle program called Solid Waste Integrated Resource Plan (SWIRP). The program includes various tasks such as conversion, source reduction, recycling, renewable energy, and maximum material recovery in order to achieve the goal by 2030.

Expand a company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Expand a company - Assignment Example They are now looking for value and savings which the proposed franchise can offer to them (Marketing Charts Staff, 2011). The risk that the proposed business is facing is market dilution. Meaning, the market and even the end users might copy the idea and just purchase the parts and assemble the computer by themselves thus making the company irrelevant. This risk and threat could be neutralized however by forging relationship with suppliers where they will offer the franchise significant discount in computer parts so that the discounted rate can be passed on to the customers making the company more attractive. This is very possible when the business is already expanding because the franchise can now order in scale. The reduced price can also serve as a barrier to potential competitors by making competition tougher for them. Also, The franchise has to be paired with repair service as a technical and customer support to win and customer loyalty and as an added value to entice customers to customize computers instead of buying them ready made. If customer preference towards computers wil shift towards assembly, it will be favorable to the franchise and that would mean more business. Marketing Charts Staff. â€Å"US Consumers Display Price Sensitivity†. November 2, 2011. Marketing Charts.com. November 19, 2012

The Merger Emotions Syndrome

The Merger Emotions Syndrome The merger syndrome is a phenomenon that illustrates employees reactions following the announcement of the MA deal. Merger syndrome is a word often useful to how employees respond to a merger (MARKS and Mirvis 1992, P70) that reflects the humor of the workforce. Merger syndrome is an ordinary response, and expected human reaction to a major corporate change. Most studies examining the human side of corporate mergers and acquisitions prove that disturbance and negative consequences are experienced by employees. Employees of the acquired company are more affected by the big changes that trigger negative effects and consequences, it not surprising that organization members going through a merger or an acquisition are shaken and respond with shock and strong emotional reactions (Appelbaum et al ..2000b; Dickmann, 2000; Marks and Mirvis, 1986). The literature describes a different spectrum of emotions in MA, employees go through a variety of emotional phases. The merger syndrome is characterized by a change of identity, higher centralization of decision making, less communication with the employee, high levels of stress, crisis management mode, a loss of identity, motivation and commitment, decreased productivity, feelings of insecurity and anxiety, mistrust. This especially occues if the individual is not able to view the upcoming changes as positive (Appelbaum et al, 200b;  Bruckman and peters,1987;Dickmann,2000;Marks,1999;Marks and Mirvis,1986;schlieper-Damrich,2000). These emotions bubbling over into family life can lead to frustration ,depression (Appelbaum et al ..2000b; Dickmann, 2000). The consequences of this emotional turmoil are decreased motivation, lower job satisfaction and reduced commitment toward the company. Cooperation become difficult and good team work almost impossibleand The best elements began to defect to other recruiting organizations . (Cartwright and Cooper,2000) Point out that With the acquisition by another company often a loss of idenity occurs because employee loses their work environment of rules, tasks and structures. in the same way, (Appelbaumet al..)state that Employees identification with their company and their commitment are therefore likely to change after such a major intervention in organizational life (Appelbaumet al..) This phenomenon of merger syndrome is most likely due to the fact that in the pre merger stage managers are expected to maintain silence on the upcoming decision, and therefore they are rather cautious not to reveal too much information prior to complete implementation (Marks, 1999). Managers tend to isolate themselves from employee in such situations because they do not know what to tell their staff or how to tell them (Gutknecht and keys ,1993;Marks,1999).and do not know how to handle employees emotions .for that reason, when managers correspond less with their employees during MAs ,though leads to doubts and mistrust. We can sum up that during the merger syndrome, employee are preoccupied with the impact of the amalgamation on themselves and their work .they expressed their resistance to the like hood of change if this phenomenon is left unmanaged it may result a cultural clash inside the new firm. The Merger-Emotions Syndrome: Mergers and acquisitions can be fear-provoking for employees and generate anxiety and stress. Hunsaker and Coombs (1988, 58) noticed particular expressed of emotional reactions experienced by employees during a merger or acquisition they have named this phenomenon the merger emotions syndrome. The Merger Emotions Syndrome: Hunsaker and Coombs (1988) have presented a nine-stage chronological model of employees emotional reactions in the course of a merger or acquisition, which illustrate the merger syndrome: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Denial. At first employees react to the announced merger with denial an that nothing will happen or that it will not change their work environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fear. When the merger becomes a reality employees begin to fear the unknown and Workers become preoccupied with job loss which lead to a decline in productivity. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Anger. Once employees feel that they have no control over the situation and that they cannot prevent Merger, they start to express anger towards those who are responsible. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sadness. Employees start to mourn the loss of corporate identity; they focus on the differences in the way the two companies operate and adopt a we versus them syndrome. They may feel nostalgia about the good old days of loyalty they provided to the company with many years of quality service. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Acceptance. After an adequate grief period has elapsed, employees begin to recognize that resisting the situation would be worthless, and they start to accept reality and become optimistic. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Relief. Employees begin to realize that the situation is not unfavorable as they predicted and feel more settled in the new organization and become more comfortable to interact with employees from the other company. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interest. As people become more secure in their new positions, they begin to look for the benefits of the new organization. They observe the situation as a challenge and seek to show their abilities and value in the organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Liking. Employees observe new opportunities and begin to like their job. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Enjoyment. Employees express commitment to the organization and feel more relaxed and secure. Resistance is a perfectly legitimate response of a worker. Leigh (1988) Emotional reactions of employees: Resistance: the expected response to change People tend to resist change especially in the workplace .they may not understand what the changes entail,they may disagree with the reasons for making the changes,they may not appreciate the benefits,they may be afraid of losing something they value,they may be concerned that they wont have the skills and ability to handle the changesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.many people also tend to resist authority,for various reasons .resistance can do serious damage to morale ,dividing employees and causing frustration ,resnetment ,and distrust .Anne bruce(2002). Individuals differ generally in their openness and eagerness for change, some people thrive in the new environment while other are not, They prefer more stability and continuity. Regardless of people mind-set towards change, people normally do find that change produces anxiety. Employees involved in mergers are facing multitude of potential changes, these changes modify the person-environment relationship and cause several outcome that employees and managers must adapt. There are a numerous reasons why the reactions from employees are often seen as negative when facing a merger or an acquisition. The general reason behind the employees resistance is the insufficient information about the changes. The Employees expressed their feeling of fear and anxiety due to the uncertainties of change. Kyle (1993) claim that resistance is dependent upon two related factors ,the first one ,the degree of control an individual has over change and their ability to start, modify and stop the change, secondly ,the degree of impact of the change on individuals . The resistance is greater within the acquired organization since this often is the culture that has to throw away its traditions and routines. The resistance can be expressed in two kinds of reactions: In a Explicit way (disagreement,strike,)and Implicit way(loss of loyalty, lowering of morale ,absence, avoidance ,low tolerance) Mergers and acquisitions are nerve-racking events for employees of the merging firms. A merger or acquisition can sufficiently transform the structures, cultures, and employment prospects of one or both of the firms such that they cause organizational members to feel stressed, angry, disoriented, frustrated, confused, and even frightened (Buono, Nurick 1992: 19). Schweiger, Lee (1993) found in a study that employees in the acquired firm experience greater job insecurity than employees in the acquiring firm. Similarly, Lohrum (1997:a) states that the employees from the acquired firm often experience a higher uncertainty and resistance. Lohrum (1997:a) claim that resistance exists among all employees and appear due to lack of control, anger or frustration when decisions are being made without their involvement. Buono, Bowditch (1989: 108) depicted resistance As a result of the uncertainty, ambiguity, tension, and anxiety that organizational combinations can cause, they are frequently associated with decreased organizational satisfaction and commitment, increased turnover and absenteeism, power struggles among those managers who stay, and poorer job-related attitudes and performance for a significant proportion of the new firms work force. Larsson (1990) explains that the resistance to change can be seen in a collective aspect, as well as in an individual aspect, especially among the acquired employees. Cultural clashes are seen as a collective resistance and career uncertainties are connected to the individual resistance. Change itself is not the cause of resistance. Resistance is caused by how people perceive change. Managing Resistance to Change all change is a loss experience (Levinson, 1976). One of the most complex problems that face an organization today is resistance to change. Conducting change through an organization is one of the most critical and challenging responsibilities. Once the marriage is celebrated, issues come into sight especially the one concerning the employees who are experiencing the major change that the new entity is passing through. The employee and staff are experiencing a new life style they are losing the old way of doing thing and have to adapt to a new system, new culture, and new managers. The managers and leader of the company must be prepared to cope with employee feeling and behavior. Simply telling employees about the changes will never fully prepare them for the actual change. Managers need to identify why people resist change and how to counter their resistance. Bridges( 1991) and Levinson(1976) claim that Change is best handled when the parties involved know why the change is being implemented. The most fashionable solution to deal with resistance to change is to get people concerned to contribute in making change and encouraging them to think in diverse ways In order to effectively carry out the change plan, it is extremely important for the organizations management to recognize and handle resistance effectively. Beckhard and Pritchard (1992) explain how the management of a changing process with regard to the implementation of changes is vital for achieving new goals and strategies. The analyzing and planning of several areas is necessary to get the commitment to successfully perform an organizational change. Larsson (1990) considers three areas of action to be able to reduce the collective and Individual resistance to change: -Socialization is a mechanism that works for both improving the coordination of interaction and reducing collective employee resistance, this by enhancing the acculturation and creating common orientations. -Mutual considerations reduce the eventual conflicts that may arise by focusing on commonalties with an interest in the acquired firm, maintaining the employees integrity. This will avoid the dominance of one side and facilitate the exploration of both firms competence. -Human resource systems avoid individual resistance through job design, reward systems, personnel policies and career planning. To facilitate the integration and uncertainties among employees, Levinson (1970) emphasizes that the acquiring firm should tell the truth about all eventual changes that will occur due to the MA. Further, Beckhard Pritchard (1992) state that what is important is to manage resistance to change by changing negative energy into positive energy. The introduction of a change program to employees could facilitate the integration process. The program can help the employees to understand the need of the organization and how change affects the organization and the employees. Pritchett (1994) suggests avoiding encountered resistance by providing employees with a clear direction, complete with short and long term goals. The accomplishment of these goals helps employees to visualize that they are getting somewhere and will relieve them to get excited about the change. During change it is essential to identify, as precisely as possible, what is ending and who is losing what (Bridges, 1991). Employee reaction to change: Mirvis, Cartwright and cooper (1996) discuss four stages that employee go through in connection with mergers and acquisition: Stage 1: Disbelief and denial: typically, the individuals first reaction is extreme shock, which may result in denial from employee that the merger will take place despite circulating rumors. Even when the deal is concluded, individuals might still try to convince themselves that nothing will change. Stage2:anger through rage and resentment: when the real situation become more clear after realizing that the change will take place, individuals feeling might be replaced by anger or resentment towards old management and new merger entity. Stage 3: emotional bargaining: in this stage, uncertainty and fear increase about individual job future. Individuals become angry for not anticipating the event and feel nostalgic and resent commitment and loyalty invested in the past) which may lead to depression. Stage 4: acceptance: lastly, the workforce become aware that the past is gone, and that they must admit the new situation. In this stage, the employee still feel letting down by the old organization and can no longer be satisfied with the new system. Factors causing resistance to change : According to maubin et al.(2001) managers need to identify resistance in its various forms and learn to identify the underlying reasons for resistance surrounding the change. There are several factors causing resistance to change,and some of the most common reasons are stated below: Fear of unknown: mabin et al.(2001)explain that Such fear is due to uncertainty about the nature of change,feeling that one does not kown what is going on and what the futur holds Bovey and hede(2001)claim that resistance is an expected part of a change process,since change involves a move from the known to the unknown . Loss of control: mabin et al.(2001)explain the loss of control as perceiving that the change is being done to the person ,resulting in concerns that the person have no influence on the events taking place. moran and brightman(2001) clarifly that if change threatens a persons sense of being in control ,it will be perceived as a threat to survival. Loss of face: mabin et al.(2001):Feeling of embarassment as a result of change and discerning it in such a way that the things that one has done in the past were wrong Loss of competency: Mabin et al.(2001)claim that people fear that the existing skills and competencies will no longer of any use after the change has occurred. The possibility of losing their current jobs and the financial crisis that comes with that is of great concern. Cartwright and cooper(1996) further state that MA involve some employee turnover and competeny loss,partially due to the duplicity of staff members.the uncertainty of change will also encourage employees to seek employment elsewhere ,in order to regain the power of control,or because they doubt their ability to fit into the new organization. Need for security: Mabin et al.(2001)state that employees worry about their potential role and position be after the change has taken place. Appelbaumet al.(2000a) explain that people need to be treated with respect,to be identified with the new organization,to be accepte as members of the new team and to keep their status and prestige in the new organization. Poor timing: Mabin et al.(2001)state that the timing of the change might be poor,in the sense that people might feel surprised at a stage of changewhere employee feel already overworked. Hoag,ritschard,and cooper(2002)further state that some people might wish to secure the present situation before embarking on any new changes activity. Force of habit: According to Mabin et al.(2001)employee might feel comfort in the existing routines and habits and not liking to change the actual ways of doing things. Appelbaum et al.(2000a)clarify that they may have had many successes with the existing company ,and now they have to accept different ways of doing things and most of the time without being consulted. Marks(1997)continues by stating that employees will be exposed to multiple transitions. Reengineering, downsizing, leadership changes, shifts in strategy and other transitions typically overlap one another. Cartwright and cooper (1996) further discuss that employee will be concerned with issues such as a potential relocation or change of workload. Lack of support: Mabin et al.(2001)state that the lack of important support from direct supervisors and the organization ,or not having the correct resources to implement the change. Leaders need to learn how to support rather than to control and provide employees with the tools needed in order to work together and perform the changes . Nguyen and Kleimer (2003) claim that delays in communication can severely deteriorate the situation, and make employees feel apprehensive and even hostile toward the merger. Lack of confidence: Mabin et al.(2001) state that resistance might be a consequence of employees lack of confidence that the change outcome can be better than the situation before .Moran and Brightman (2001) claim that in any change situation ,people may fear that the loss will be greater than the gain ,which can take away any positive outcome that the Change might yield. Nguyen and Kleimer(2003) further argue that employee loyalty and perceptions of the organizations trustworthiness decreases in connection with the organizational changes. Marks(1997) claims that there is a natural tendency for people to exaggerate the differences as opposed to the similarities between the two companies. People tend to ascribe the differences to competing values and philosophies, and view their own company as superior and the other as backward, bureaucratic . Lingering resentment: Bovey and Hede(2001)point out that individuals differ in their ability and willingness towards change based on how the they perceive it. Mabin et al.(2001)argue that some employees become angry due to a lack of respect for the people involved or over the way one been treated during past change efforts. The lack of communication: A Communication entails the use of verbal and nonverbal signs and symbols to create understanding (Vecchio and Appelbaum, 1995). Acquisitions are synonymous with change, a destabilizing event affecting many people and often have a negative outcome on employee behavior resulting in absenteeism, low morale and job satisfaction. The announcement of an MA transaction generates uncertainty and ambiguity with frequent rumors that change the scene and a large proportion of merger failure is credited to employee problems. The communication during MA-transactions aims to decrease information deficits of employees, being informed should lower feelings of uncertainty of employees (Schweiger, DeNisi 1991). Through mergers and acquisitions, employees are seldom kept in distance from the MA transaction. Once a merger is announced ,the stress levels of employees begin to climb(schweiger and DeNisi,1991)and the lack of communication from top management lead to rumors and fake stories. Feldman (1991:p. 146,) stress that ambiguity begins in an organization when there is no clear interpretation of a phenomenon or set of events. And the main cause of ambiguity in organization is the insufficient information while uncertainty is the result of lacking information about circumstances. Once the information has not been transmitted to employee, they began to search for their own answers and this may show the way to rumors which can increase anxiety and result in a reduction in productivity and sabotage. This can affect the working environment in the firms and the employees will likely experience shock, disbelief and grief . . . followed by resentment, anger or depression (Sinetar1981). Delays in communication can result in employees feeling apprehensive and even hostile toward the merger or acquisition, making any subsequent communication process strained and difficult (Kelly, 1989). When organizational transitions are not well managed, the lack of top-down communication starts the rumor employees are left feeling anxious, threatened, and preoccupied with their own safety, their incomes, and their careers. Distrust is inevitable and becomes widespread. The employees have a need of knowing what the new structure of the firm will look like and get answers to their uncertainties as early as possible to prevent frustration and anxiety. Bastien (1987) established that during periods with communication shortage the individuals uncertainty peaked among the workforce. He further found that the members of the new organization changed their attitudes during those periods; their motivation decreased, and they expressed an increased intention to resign from the organization. Another common issue in MA process is the accessibility to information, at the stage of a merger assessment the management team hardly has all details in place that employees request. Since the actual details of the merger or acquisition have to be worked out over a period of several months or even years after the combination, management rarely has accurate answers to employee questions (Buono, Bowditch 1989: 16). Buono, Bowditch (1989) recommend that the top management of a merged firm should communicate as soon as possible with employees. Accurate and honest responses to questions about these issues provide organizational members with a realistic assessment of what the merger or acquisition will mean for them personally and for the new organization (Buono, Bowditch 1989: 204). Buono, Bowditch (1989) indicate that Ambiguity in organizations is generally conceptualized in terms of the adequacy of information available to organizational members (Buono, Bowditch 1989: 102). The employees have to be informed frequently. Even if there is not anything to know, they have to be informed that nothing new has happened. (Stoppel, 2006) Finally, The Management ought to share as much information as it can with employees before, during, and after the acquisition. Communication with employees can do more than just providing information It can help to diminish and drive out the speculative rumors which cause negative emotions and behavior. The importance of communication: Mergers and acquisition are an important part of the management setting and Communication plays a crucial role in the success of MA and is a decisive tool to use in order to change attitudes and behavior. Being truthful, open and forthright in this communication process is particularly important (Daniel, 1999; DeVoge and Spreier, 1999; DeVoge and Shiraki, 2000). Trzicky (2000: 55) point out that communication is the most important measure to reduce uncertainty and hostility of employees in mergers and acquisitions. Similarly, Schweiger and DeNisi (1991) established that communication is the only way to reduce anxiety among employees, and that the communication should start as early as possible in the process. In the field of research, they come across that employees who receive more communication at the stage of MA, they demonstrated more positive behaviors and selected positive coping strategies after MA-transactions. Salecker, Mà ¼ller-Stewens (1991) and Ivancevich, Schweiger, Power (1987b) state that one of the effects of communication in the acquisition process is the avoidance of negative reactions of employees which can limit the dysfunctional outcomes of MA-transactions. Ford and Ford (1995) relate the success of a change in an organization to the way that managers have handled the communication. Consistency in communication when the organization is going through changes will reduce the employees resistance. The management team should use communication efficiently so that rumors do not become the main source of information . as Ashkenas ,de monaco,and francis(1998)recommend:communicate,communicate,and then communicate some moreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.keeping the communication process going -an making it reach broadly and deeply throughout the organization-requires more than just sharing information bulletins However, true communication is complex to realize since the communication process faces numerous obstacles. All forms of communication do not have the same effect. Communication and information flow can take a variety of forms: memos, e-mail, magazines,newsletters, videos, internet and face-to-face contact. In order to manage an opposition, a communication plan should be done in order to pass down information to all levels in the organization; further to have a feedback system that investigates employee attitudes is important. The integration process should be planned as thoroughly as possible to make sure that the questions from employees can be answered. During a merger or acquisition, employees will have an incredible longing for more information. Uncertainty will darken the workplace, and employee questions will seem never ending. The employees have a need of knowing what the new structure of the firm will look like and get answers to their uncertainties as early as possible to prevent frustration and anxiety. To put together a transition team with the job to communicate to the organization, treat people fairly and with respect, the communication must be visible to the employees and clarify the employees role in the firm and communicate the message clearly to the employees (Daniel Metcalf,2001).

The Harlem Drag Culture :: History Culture Cultural Essays

The Harlem Drag Culture Foucault, Moraga, Fuss, hooks, Butler. These authors, along with many more, have concerned themselves with the defining of categories. In reading these authors our class has, upon every occasion of meeting, discussed the formation of categories. What we have discovered, in part, is that things are not defined by what they are, but by what they are not. Diana Fuss, in her article "Inside/Out," states "any identity is founded relationally, constituted in reference to an exterior or outside that defines the subject's own interior boundaries and corporeal surfaces" (Fuss, "Inside/Out," 234). A common example of this, derived from Freud, is that males are defined by their having a penis, while females are defined by their lack of one. Defining identity is not necessarily so binary. As Cherrà ­e Moraga puts it "Call me something meant to set me apart from you and I will know who I am" (Moraga, "The Breakdown of the Bicultural Mind," 237). The subcultures of American society, cultures that are not part of the white patriarchy, are defined by how they differ from this white patriarchy. Our class was privileged to be introduced to one subculture found in Harlem during the late 1980s through the documentary Paris is Burning by Jennie Livingston (1992). This documentary captured the lives of men who lived outside the dominant culture. They had several strikes against them: they were Latino and African American, they were homosexual, and many of them were poor, sometimes even homeless. These men came together to form a kinship network, in the form of houses, to protect and support one another. Out of this milieu developed drag balls, balls in which the men dressed up and competed in different categories, such as "executive," "realness," and "voguing." The object of most of these categories was to mimic dominant society by looking like the heterogeneous members of the white patriarchy. After watching Paris is Burning, reading critiques of it, listening to class discussions, and processing through my own thoughts about the film that I have come to struggle with an extremely large tension I am confronted with in thinking about the drag ball subculture of Harlem. Is the mimicking of dominant society by this culture a way of subverting it or is it supporting and perpetuating the white patriarchal ideal? Do these men redefine dominant society in their own terms and take control of it?