Analysis Of Four Different Generations In The Workforce Commerce Essay

Analysis Of Four Different Generations In The Workforce Commerce Essay For the first time in history, the workforce has become a melting pot of four diverse generations. Not only is the workforce now more multi-generational it is also more multi-national (Johnson Lopez, 2008, p. 31). While diversity is increasingly common in the workforce, usually it is only considered in differences of race, religion, sex, nationality, education, and skill level. While each of these traits can contribute to an employees perception of work and preferences in the workplace, generational differences will also have an effect. When organizations try to understand and cater to differences in generations, they will experience benefits both for the organization and the individual employees. By offering more of what employees want, an organization can begin to see the benefits of a multigenerational work force. Generations Currently, there are four prominent generations in the workforce. A generation is defined by demographics and key life-events that shape, at least to some degree, distinctive generational characteristics (Bell Narz, 2007, p. 56). Since the 1920s, key historical events have shaped society. It is argued that these same events have affected the people who lived through them by shaping their values, attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, motivational buttons, views of authority, and expectations of leadership (as cited in Crampton Hodge, 2007, p. 16). Generations are formed by grouping these people in similar time periods with similar personal attributes. Due to economic reasons, many employees are working past retirement age which is causing the median age of the current workforce to increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median age was 41.2 in 2008 with an anticipated growth at 42.3 by 2018 (Toossi, 2009). According to 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, the baby-boom generation is expected to remain in the labor force longer than previous generations. As this group ages, the number of people in the labor force aged 55 to 64 is expected to grow by 33 percent between 2008 and 2018, and the number of people aged 65 and older is projected to grow by 78 percent. (Bureau, 2009, Â ¶ 2) According to Nelson and Quick (2009), the number of younger workers is declining, as is the number of older workers (over age sixty-five) (p. 47). Even with conflicting data about workforce projections for older workers, it is apparent that there are more people staying in the workforce for longer periods of time. Wilson (2009) states, Younger workers will continue to arrive, and, with the way the economy is going, a lot of the older workers are not going anywhere soon (p. 54) All of this has led to a multigenerational workforce. Matures The oldest generation currently in the workforce has many names, but for the purposes of this paper, they will be referred to as the Matures. This group also has been called the Veterans, Traditionalists, and the Silent Generation (Bell Narz, 2007; Crampton Hodge, 2007; Giancola, 2006). Just as there are differences in the name of this generation, there are differences in the exact dates of this generation. Depending on the source, the Matures were born anywhere between 1900 and 1945. Currently, these employees are retired or nearing retirement age, yet continue to be in the workforce due to the economic climate and personal choice. While the Matures only make up about 5% of the current workforce, they are still a valuable part of an organization (Giancola). According to Nelson and Quick (2009), this group usually encompasses most organizations top managers. Giancola (2006) claims the Matures tend to be thrifty and adaptive because of their experience during the hard economic times of the Great Depression. During that time, husbands typically worked in an office from 8am to 5pm while nonworking wives tended to the family (Bell Narz, 2007). The Matures are thought to be disciplined and have a strong work ethic. They prefer a chain of command and fairness and tend to be very loyal to their organizations. Most Matures have worked at one or two organizations throughout their careers (Bell Narz; Crampton Hodge, 2007; Wilson, 2009). This hard-working dedicated group gave birth the Baby Boomer generation. Baby Boomers The largest generation is known as the Baby Boomers. According to Robbins and Judge (2008), Boomers are a large cohort born after World War II when veterans returned to their families and times were good (p. 119). Giancola (2006) claims this generation makes up 43% of the workforce. Depending on the source, the Baby Boomers were born between 1943 and 1967 (Crampton Hodge, 2007; Giancola). Modeling after their parents, the Baby Boomers also have a strong work ethic and have some of the same values as the Matures. They are ambitious and hardworking with loyalty to their career (Robbins Judge). This generation made the dual career household commonplace. The time period between 1950 and 1970 saw many changes in society. While significant changes happened in society during the Matures time period, the Baby Boomers grew up with the ability to see the changes happen on television. These changes have forced the Baby Boomers to be very receptive to change and expansion. This group was influenced by events such as the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the womens movement (Robbins Judge, 2008). They have a general distrust of authority and do not like rules that were made just for the sake of having rules. Crampton and Hodge (2007) compare the two groups by stating Veterans (Matures) work hard because they think it is the right thing to do while Baby Boomers work hard because they think they have to (p. 17). Their hippie ethic contributes to their need to challenge the status quo. Being so highly competitive, many view them as being self-centered or micro-managers (Robbi ns Judge; Wilson, 2009). Generation X As with any age group, Generation X workers inherited some of their characteristics from their parents. Generation X, also called the Baby Bust generation, encompasses a group born anywhere between 1961 and 1981, making up roughly 42% of the workforce (Giancola, 2006; Nelson Quick, 2009). As children of the Baby Boomers, Generation Xers saw the toll that having both parents trying to have it all took on the family, and they are working to change it (Bell Narz, 2007, p. 57). Generation X strives to achieve balance in their work and family lives. Like their parents, Generation Xers question authority and are highly competitive (Robbins Judge, 2008). They are flexible and embrace change. This is was especially important with the development of the personal computer (Crampton Hodge, 2007). The use of computers was an important change for the workplace and Generation X was the first to use them. Acquiring technological skills is important for this generation. Generation Xers lack loyalty to an organization so they must possess a variety of skills to make them marketable. They value education, independence, and parenting above work (Sutton Bell, 2007, p. 57). This attitude is especially prevalent in Generation Xers children. Generation Y The fourth generation currently in the workforce is Generation Y, also known as Gen Yers, Nexters, Millennials, the Internet Generation, and Echo Boomers, who were born anywhere from 1980 to 1999 (Crampton Hodge, 2007; Bell Narz 2007). For the purpose of this paper, they will be called Gen Yers. According to Robbins and Judge (2008), this generation is very self-centered and concerned with becoming rich and famous more than any other generation. While other generations lived to work, Gen Yers work to live (2007). Much like their parents, Gen Yers are concerned with having a work/life balance. They question everything and put other things above work (Nelson Quick, 2009). While they are very high-maintenance for an employer (Robbins Judge), they are also predicted to be the highest performing in the workforce (Nelson Quick). Crampton and Hodge (2007) claim that Gen Yers are the most educated, well-traveled, and technologically sophisticated generation (p. 18). They are more comfortable with diversity than any other generation simply because they were taught at an early age to respect other races, sexual orientations, and ethnic groups (Bell Narz, 2007). Gen Yers like to have a challenging work environment and take ownership of their assignments. Perhaps the Gen Y trait most different than any other generation is their technological knowledge. While Generation X was the first to use technology in the workplace, Gen Yers grew up with it surrounding them. Theyve lived much of their lives with ATMs, DVD, cell phones, laptops, and the internet (Robbins Judge, 2008, p. 120). Technology, as well as their ability to multi-task, has given Gen Yers an advantage in the workplace. They are consistently high performers (Wilson, 2009). Technology has also exposed them to more at an earlier age than any other generation. They tend to have a strong sense of morality, to be patriotic, willing to fight for freedom, are sociable, and value home and family (Lowe, Levitt Wilson, 2008, p. 46). Opposing Views Some research suggests that the generation gap is more of a myth than an actual problem in the workplace. Giancola (2006) suggests that the focus on generational gaps may be more popular culture than social science (p. 33). Several factors have led him to this conclusion. The foremost factor is the inconsistencies of defining a generation. Some define a generation by the US Census Bureaus definition of that time period while others define a generation by shared formative experiences. Experts generally have identified four generations on this basis, but others believe there are five and cite an anomalous subgroup in the Silent Generation, The Swing Generation, which is comprised of activists and free thinkers who were born in the latter years of the Silent birth period (Giancola, 2006, p. 33). Giancola also mentions another generation called Generation Jones which overlaps two other generations. The reality is that many people identify with at least two generations (p. 34). Another problem with the generational way of thinking is the broad range of ages in each generation. Age is a factor that influences how individuals perceive events. In a time period of 20 years, the oldest will be entering adulthood while the youngest will be babies. An event will not affect the two ages in the same way. The Baby Boomers in particular are an example of how there are many differences in the same generation. Giancola (2006) suggests that the Baby Boom generation must be segmented into smaller groups to understand and predict the behavior of its members with precision (p. 34). Another argument against a generational gap causing conflict is each generations core values. Giancola (2006) quotes a report by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) that indicates that core values are not very different among generations. The differences are so slight that AARP refers to a vanishing generation gap (p. 34). Perhaps the most overlooked argument against the generational way of thinking is all of the other causes of differences in people. Numerous factors in addition to birth era also shape how others think and behave, such as race, gender, ethnicity, geographical considerations, and socioeconomic background (McDonald, 2008, p. 63). Each of these characteristics can play a role in how a person is affected by something. With the US now being so diverse, many organizations are employers to many different types of people. While there is much research stating the differences in generations cause problems in the workplace, other research shows that generations in the workplace are not all that different and are not an issue that needs special consideration. Regardless of the reasoning behind the differences, organizations need to embrace these differences in their employees and learn how best to nurture their needs. Baldonado and Spangenburg (2009) claim understanding generational diversity will improve the competitive edge of an organization, increase recruitment, and retention, and ultimately create a stronger organization (pp. 99-100). Bridging the Gap Whether the differences are generational or just individual, it is apparent there are differences in people in the workplace. This is not altogether a bad thing. By examining the differences in employees, an organization can utilize these differences to their advantage. McDonald (2008) states there are indications that workers from each generation respond to different sets of motivators and rewards and seek to derive varying experiences and benefits from their jobs (p. 62). The following table (Table 1) shows the differences core values and expectations of members of each generation. Matures Generation Y Table 1 (Adapted from Patota, Schwartz, Schwartz, 2007) These differences can be a huge benefit to an organization. When most organizations think about knowledge transfer, they think in terms of veterans of the organization mentoring the new hires, younger people with little experience (Wagner, 2009, p. 6). A manager will be successful in realizing that knowledge transfer can be reciprocated. The differences not only affect how management interacts with employees, but also how employees interact with each other. For example, an employee who has been at an organization for 15-20 years may not be very receptive to a younger counterpart (Cocheo, 2008). These younger employees bring along a wealth of knowledge and a new perspective to an organization. Negative Perceptions As with any stereotype, there are negative perceptions about a particular group. Each generation describes the next as having an easier time of it all, with less work ethic, less respect for its elders, and wearing ugly clothes and listening to awful music (Wilson, 2009, p. 50). Each generation feels like they had to work harder to achieve what appears to be given to the next. Jones (2009) points out that some feel Gen Yers havent earned their opportunities as Gen Xers and the Boomers did (p.1). To demonstrate how people can work together effectively in a multigenerational environment, Patota et al. (2007) distinguish two types of people: the Super Manager and the Super Employee. Super Manager Patota et al. (2007) list four characteristics of the Super Manager: Identifies competencies necessary to be successful in each task/job/project; Recognizes what makes each generation tick in the workplace; Blends competencies and the generational qualities in a way that inspires, motivates, and leads employees to achieve the universal company goals (strategic imperatives); Provides rewards to employees that are consistent with each generations motivations, expectations and values. (pp. 3-4) If managers possess the qualities of a Super Manager, they will effectively lead their employees to success. By knowing what motivates their employees, Super Managers can help them achieve greatness in their individual positions. Another important part of individual success is becoming a Super Employee. Super Employee Patota et al. (2007) identifies the following as characteristics of the Super Employee: Recognizes generational differences; Respects differences in generational outlooks; Becomes a more valuable employee as a result of being able to work with multiple generations. This is similar to a bilingual person who can easily shift from one language (paradigm) to another. (p. 4) Acceptance is the key to becoming a Super Employee. By abandoning preconceived ideas of their coworkers, employees can have effective knowledge transfer and become indispensable to their organization. Having Super Managers and Super Employees is important for any organization. In order to have both, the organization must become attractive to prospective employees. There are a variety of ways an organization can do this. Most organizations attempt to offer competitive pay and benefits, but specialty benefits really differentiate one from the other. Employee Retention through Specialty Benefits As seen in Table 1, each generations priorities vary, as well as their views regarding work. As time has progressed, it seems more recent generations want to see what an organization can do for them. With such a highly educated workforce, the job market has become more competitive. It is increasingly important as time moves forward that organizations offer more of what future generations want. EAP Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) appeal to all generations. Initially, in the 1970s, EAPs were enacted as an alcohol intervention for employees. Now EAPs include family members and offer counseling within a broader scope, including topics such as finance and marital problems (Clark, 2007). As the employees personal problems are dealt with, the result is not only a healthier employee, but also a healthier workplace (p.50). Though underutilized, this is an attractive benefit for an employee and beneficial to the organization. Work/Life Balance An extension of the EAP, work/life balance programs have become a staple requirement for younger generations. As seen in Table 1, Gen Xers require a work/life balance. Employees are making their personal lives more of a priority and work less of one. Households in which both parents work full-time have less time to care for family members, take care of personal family business, or deal with any other lifestyle issues. Some benefits of a work/life balance program include child care, continuing education, pet care, bereavement services, and additional time off for personal holidays (Clark, 2007). As employees are able to worry less about taking care of personal business, the more productive they will be at work. While this may be more attractive to younger generations than older ones, there are benefits for all generations within a work/life balance program. Wellness Programs Wellness programs concentrate on personal health and preventative services. As health insurance premiums have increased, wellness programs have increasingly become important to all generations (Clark, 2007). Some services included in wellness programs are personal trainers, exercise coaches, attention to disease prevention and management, and help for quitting anything that is unhealthy (2007, p. 51). Like EAPs, wellness programs help to reduce absenteeism and promote a healthier workforce. Stock Ownership Some organizations have formed an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) to help retain employees. Cocheo (2008) claims an ESOP gives employees more pride in what they do. Their work directly affects their organizations return on equity, which ends up being more pay for them. They understand that they can make decisions that affect the customer, that affect the company (p. 24). Having an ESOP spans across all generations, from satisfying the Matures loyalty to an organization to Gen Yers need for immediate gratification. Future of the Workplace Recruitment In order to attract future employees, organizations need to focus on younger generations as they enter the workforce. In order to become an employer of choice, organizations must create a compelling vision of the future for both the organization and the employee; behave in a way that makes employees proud; ensure employees are in jobs that match well their skills and abilities; and provide the human resources needed to get the work done. (Streeter, 2007, p. 14) Whitacre (2007) explains that there are certain common standards that most people look for in an employer: challenging work, stability, nonthreatening environment, and fair compensation. These are especially important to Gen X and Gen Y, which are the future of the workplace. Because both generations are technologically savvy, keeping up with the latest technology will help increase productivity (Auby, 2008). In order to get the most benefit from current and future employees, organizations should pair up younger workers with veterans in the company. Gen X and Gen Y like to collaborate and work in teams as seen in Table 1. This will ensure knowledge transfer and will make older generations feel respected and valued. Work schedules are an important change in the workplace. Older generations are accustomed to the usual five day workweek but younger generations want more time away from work. Organizations will need to turn the focus on productivity and away from hours at work (Auby, 2008). By showing younger generations that productivity is more important, they will be more loyal to the organization. Another attraction to organizations for younger generations is their interest in public service (Trahant, 2008). Philanthropy is an important trait of an attractive organization. Younger generations want opportunities to volunteer, especially on company time (Lowe et al., 2008). Appealing to peoples sense of public service is clearly important in attracting a new generation of young people (Trahant, p. 37). While large salaries, stock options, and appealing to special interests like the ones mentioned above are important in hiring younger generations, speed is the most critical factor in recruitment and hiring the best talent (Trahant, 2008). These younger generations do not want to wait for a long time to be hired. Job fairs and other recruiting events are helpful by giving organizations the opportunity to hire people on the spot. While this is helpful now, history shows that future generations will likely change priorities and organizations will need to adjust their offerings to cater to the interests of the next generation. The Next Generation While there is not much research on the next generation, natural progression would indicate that the next generation would possess characteristics like their parents and characteristics based on perceived mistakes that their parents made. Also, historic events that they have lived through and experienced will give them similarities to recent generations. It is apparent that dependence on technology only continues to increase. The next generation will be more technologically savvy than those before them. Organizations will need to keep up with current times and constantly get feedback as to what prospective employees are looking for if they want to attract the best employees. Conclusion No two people are exactly the same, nor do they have the same expectations or priorities. The only way to satisfy the needs of a group of people is to try to find some commonalities between them. Diversity is inevitable, but if an organization can determine what its employees want the most, it can begin to understand what direction it needs to go to attract quality employees. It seems that members of the four main generations do have many similarities when it comes to how they behave in a work environment and what they expect from an organization. Whether they are separated out into groups or not, people who live through the same events are going to have similar experiences and views. By separating them into groups, such as generations, organizations can narrow their focus on a particular type of employee. Rather than trying to please each individual, an organization can make changes based on the majority of each group. This will result in making fewer changes and recruiting and retaining happier employees. While looking at generational differences can give an organization a better idea of what to offer, the best way is to just ask the employees themselves. Moving forward, organizations should try to elicit feedback from the employees to determine what is important to them. By giving them the opportunity to speak up, an organization is more likely to offer what good employees are looking for. It is counterproductive when an organizations focus is primarily on productivity. Instead, the focus should be on motivating the employees. This theory spans across all generations and is mutually beneficial to the employee and the organization. More motivated employees will be more productive and more loyal regardless of what generation they were born into.

Toni Morrison’s Beloved: The Modern Gothic Novel

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept that Toni Morrison’s Beloved is a modern Gothic novel. It can be argued that Morrison uses many techniques derived from the Gothic period to master her story of Sethe, a former slave haunted by the ghost of her murdered daughter, Beloved. It is the many interwoven techniques of storytelling that make this novel a challenge to analyze but also so integral to the telling of America’s collective past. The novel encompasses trauma, making the reader uncomfortable with its subject matter.Morrison tells a story not told before while weaving the spectacular into a very real situation. This novel makes the reader question, not only the content but how it is being conveyed, while masterfully, also complex in nature. Part of what makes Beloved and other modern Gothic novels so enthralling is its ability to convey mystery, darkness; the unknown as a realism to the reader. It parts its characters in situations that seem completely interesting, gives them a past that is tragic, maybe somewhat scandalous and puts the characters in a limbo of an unfamiliar place, where mystical events happen.The modern Gothic novel builds from a varied thematic past where such techniques in conveying story seemed romantic in flavor but also horrific and fantastic. Prime examples of the Gothic novel come from the Bronte sisters. Both of them take a faraway location usually shrouded fog and create a mysterious romantic leading man whose behavior borders on villainous. They make the female overcome with lust for this anti-hero, painting the picture of a female character in distress, needing the strength of their man and his love. In this respect, the Gothic novel creates an atmosphere of suspense as strange events happen to the main character.This notion of Magical Realism is not a new storytelling technique, but a forgotten one in need of evolution. The paragraph below examines in greater detail Gothic novel themes as a means of comparison for the modern Gothic novel, the Magical Realism used more and more today. Gothic Elements When many readers think of the Gothic novel, they think of horror, fantasy stories but what they do not think of is the beauty, the humanity conveyed in earlier works by the Bronte sisters. When considering the Gothic tradition, modern readers think of Anne Rice’s Vampire series and classic horror like Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stroker’s Dracula.Not many think of the tradition has its roots in Wuthering Heights. The paragraphs below will touch on this foundation and discuss how modern authors like Morrison, Rice and even the King of Horror Stephen King find their writer’s wisdom in the true Gothic style. It is interesting to see how many such as King deviate from the style at times to write a more gory tale while Morrison relies on more thematic techniques of storytelling which require exploration of the character’s psyche. Another good example of realism incorporating suspense with a fantastic element is Henry James’ Turn of the Screw:I stopped short on emerging from one of the plantation and coming into view of the house. What arrested me on the spot—and with shock much greater than any vision had allowed for—was the sense that my imagination had, in a flash, turned real. (25-6) The Gothic tradition is based in extremes. Traditionalists from the cannon like Stephen Dailly claim the Gothic novel â€Å"get its names from the barbarous Goths that invaded England during the medieval period† (1). Still many Gothic elements are founded in the mysterious and exotic (Dailly 1).Characteristics are founded in the following elements: (1) morbid setting, (2) extreme characters: woman in distress and a villainess romantic hero, (3) mystical themes bordering on horror such as ghosts and strange visions or dreams, and (4) death and rampant dysfunctional sexuality. Not all elements are present but the majorit y is in novels like Beloved, Wuthering Heights and Interview with a Vampire. These elements make such reading, while uncomfortable, delicious in breaking some set rules. Gothic novels create a taboo, the reader recognizes as a guilty pleasure.The first unsettling effect Gothic displays is the dark disturbing setting of a foreign place sometimes a castle. This is meant to dull the senses, throw the situation off guard (Berenbaum 23). Part of what makes the setting so eerie is the pretense that the main character usually female is not supposed to be there but is put into the situation because of a family member’s sudden death and her loss of social status. She is often painted as the innocent victim; pure and angelic (Devendra 19) but generally conflicted by her past tragedy or lustful thoughts for her foil; the romantic anti-hero.While this may shock the reader, while the anti-hero like Heathcliff or Lestat should be generally hated because of his past indiscretions; she canno t help but see his humanity and beauty. It is the societal struggle that makes him interesting and creates the romantic dream for the female in distress. It gives her something to hold on to during the tough times she faces. This is also creates great conflict for both the reader and characters which is the ultimate element of Gothic â€Å"cannot exist without pain† and here in lies the paradox â€Å"that pleasure is found in pain† (Berenbaum 30).While the argument can be made that Beloved displays many modern traits like Magical Realism, one can also argue that these were stolen from the Gothic tradition. The entire novel is shrouded in mystery, in gloom based from trauma. It is this trauma born out of post-Reconstructionism and the former slave experience that becomes the taboo. It is the guilty pleasure for many readers as they strive to understand the novel’s true meaning. Much of the mystery or confusion is created by Morrison’s storytelling techniqu e of flashback.What makes the novel uncomfortable is Morrison’s structure for a non-linear storyline. At times the reader does not know they are in the middle of a flashback and this adds to the building of emotion. Valerie Smith argues this flashback technique or method of telling the story in circles makes waves as it feeds off itself over and over while remaining unconvoluted; it still â€Å"limits hegemonic authoritarian systems of knowledge† (346). Much of what we believe about the story is based on what Morrison is educating the reader about.This explains not only the setting of the story but the historical context and Sethe’s inability to assimilate into her own present time to tell her account. The flashbacks continue in circles acting as symbolic technique to explain how life works. It is the historical taboo of post-slavery that influences the reader’s reasoning because there is nothing that can be done to intervene. There is nothing that the re ader can do to make Sethe’s present condition better except continue reading but this acts as a motivation to keep the reader glued (Spargo 118).This can be seen in other post-traumatic accounts found in modern literature such as Sophie’s Choice. This type of historical influence creates taboo, the shock but it is not applicable to just the African American experience but to the human experience. Gothic Setting and the Far Away Location Much of the novel happens in the setting of memory, the continued revisiting of one moment in time and how the decision for a mother to murder her own child impacts her present.The setting of Beloved uses flashback to create gloominess but it is the feeling of Sethe and other residents of the house traveling not only in physical distance but also the passage of time that creates a haunting quality. While she is stuck in the past, she is also stuck in her new home in Ohio on 124 Bluestone Road. Part of what makes the setting gloomy is no t just the historical context of recovering from human bondage but it is the collective notion and ideology of the passage of time. Not even time can heal the wounds.The Underground Railroad while found in many undisclosed physical locations is really a state of mind but so is that period of history called Reconstructionism. For the novel, setting is more about time and characterization but as Margaret Atwood discusses â€Å"the setting is similarly divided: the countryside near Cincinnati, where the central characters have ended up, and a slave-hold plantation in Kentucky† (par 2). But the setting is also defined by people who believe in magic, folklore but also influenced by a broken society where they are themselves ghosts; shells of people.While there is the memory of physical removal from Africa, there is also the notion of that: Slaves are motherless, fatherless, deprived of their mates, their children, their kin. It is a world in which people suddenly vanish and are ne ver seen again†¦as a matter of everyday legal policy† (Atwood par 7). Sethe: Female in Distress, Exploring the Unknown, and Horror/Terror Elements Sethe is the female in distress but not in the traditionalist view of Gothic female character. She is a feminist. She is defined by her past, conflicted by her past decisions and not blinded by lust for an anti-hero.Much of her is defined by her sexuality as a powerful tool. While her decision to murder her daughter made her powerful as she gave her child freedom in death that she still cannot attain in life; it takes on a shocking quality for the reader and can be seen in sexual symbolism later in the novel. In a time when slaves are seen as property, worth less than a cow or a dog to the white man, she pulls above this lack of humanity and uses her sexuality as a tool to facilitate her survival. This does not make her actions right on moral grounds but makes her a strong female role model in literature.Throughout the canon, t he female sex is seen as taboo, symbolic in fruit and nature. Beloved has sexual overtones because of Sethe’s ability to bear fruit. This is a common symbol found in literature; motherhood; the bearing of fruit and nourishing the child with milk. What makes Beloved different in expressing these overtones is when they happen. These sexual symbols present themselves as Beloved’s ghost materializes. Sethe begins to lactate when Beloved appears, â€Å"Just like the day she arrived at 124—sure enough, she had milk enough for all† (106). Is the ghost manifesting in Sethe or is this past of post-trauma?Or is it Sethe’s decent into insanity? Later she continues to use this tool as a means of acquiring proper burial for her daughter. While many readers would be appalled by such an action, others would see how because of slavery, Sethe does not see herself of any value. Rape is not something brutal to her but the notion of not giving her offspring a proper b urial is. She believes that without this burial the soul cannot return home to God, but how does this explain Beloved showing up later. Because Sethe is still struggling with the past, so does the ghost?It is from the setting and the past that the horror element; the impending doom that the flashbacks carry emotionally; the unknown is born out of her being trapped in the house and her belief in the supernatural. It could be the ghost is just a figment of her imagination as a post-trauma sufferer. Atwood writes, â€Å"the day had gone blue without its sun, but she could still make out the black silhouettes of trees in the meadow beyond† (par 16). The past is constantly impacting her present. The doom and gloom of the past is surrounding her, trapping her in that house.This only intensifies the haunting that the ghost represents. It is the element of the ghost that furthers the notion of the unknown for the reader and allows one to analyze Sethe’s character. It is the ha unting that brings her story to the forefront of attention, acting as a catalyst for her to grow and deal with the circumstances of the past. Before she can make a better life for herself, she must descend into madness. It is the pure physicality of the haunting that remains true to the Gothic tradition and not necessarily the horror. Today’s reader associates horror with gore thanks to the blood and guts of Hollywood.True Gothic does not rely on blood but the suspense built from the unknown. It is the fear of the unknown, the life without love that makes the story so compelling. â€Å"And, for some reason she could not immediately account for, the moment she got close enough to see the face, Sethe’s bladder filled to capacity† (Morrison 54). While the house is physically haunted by Beloved’s ghost, it is also haunted by the collective experience of all its residents. The story is told not only in flashback but also from different points of view. This add s to the suspense but building eeriness.While the ghost is grown up, it has the mentality of a toddler while her sister Denver’s attitude is that typical of a boy crazy teenager. As it seems the trauma acts as a haunting embodied by the ghost, as the trauma becomes more real; it comes to the surface of Sethe’s reality; the more terror-ridden Beloved can be felt to Sethe and the others. As Sethe starts to deal with the past, Beloved starts to slip away. â€Å"She feels her thickness thinning, dissolving into nothing† (Morrison 129). Still by using varying points of view allows for differing tones of morality.While no one can blame Sethe for her actions, in a way not only does Paul D lack compassion for her situation because her inability to share her story, while this fact distresses her a lot, she is punishing herself by allowing the trauma to continue. It is in her need to identify herself by a man that weakens her ability to learn from the ghost. It builds the suspense of the unknown further. By allowing the unknown to takeover, she is riddled with fear of Paul D leaving, and taking her esteem with him. She is afraid of anything changing and possibly surrendering to her guilt.Morrison works to create the doubt that Beloved’s ghost is even real. Is she just a by product of Sethe’s trauma? A real ghost, a lost soul trying to get to Heaven? Is she a coping mechanism created by the folklore of post-slavery life? Is she a combination of things, a means for explaining the unexplainable? Or just a literary device? Maybe she is just part of the journey into the unknown that Sethe must take in order to heal from her experiences. In many ways, the ghost leaving is part of Sethe’s growth process and redemption.By making the ghost a real person, physical to everyone, it is allowing Sethe to acknowledge Beloved’s existence. This in itself has a powerful cleansing influence upon her character. She starts acting differently, stronger and less defined by her setting and the people around her. First of all, she leaves the house to go to a picnic in which Sethe stands up to the white man. In this way, she now defined by her self-esteem and her own humanity and not the past. No longer is she a shell of a woman but someone who can function in reality.The scene in which the ghost leaves is a pivotal moment for Sethe but also the other women of her new community. By unloading the baggage of Beloved’s death, she is about to have a future. The picnic acts a coming together of strong women with knowledge of who they are. While they are defined by their collective past, they are also looking to the future for the first time. It is only in the realization that Sethe is not alone that she rediscovers her strength as a person (272). She allows herself a taste of humanity. This story works to capture the essence of slavery’s aftermath for its characters.It tells a truth created in flashback and ghost st ory. It aims to create mysticism only memory can illustrate. â€Å"The novel is meant to give grief a body, to make it palpable† (Gates 29). The characters are trapped in the present because they are imprisoned by the horrors of slavery. They are literally held hostage in their home, isolated from the outside world. In many ways Beloved represents a geographically realistic neo-slave narrative by presenting in flashback the experiences of Sethe. This story also has the fantastic element of a ghost who later becomes flesh and bone.The paragraphs below explore the characters memories and the magical realism of a ghost. Memory affects the character of Sethe in a way that illustrates the pain and grief of her past enslavement. Sethe is living with the memory of killing her two old year daughter to save her from the horror of slavery while she herself was struggling to attain freedom. As a result of this action, she is unable to forgive herself and lives trapped in this memory. As much as this is a very private pain, it dominates her and comes to life in her house.The memory affects the other occupants of the house and even drives her sons to leave. Sethe believes that nothing can destroy a memory, not even destroying the physical evidence. The following quote exhibits this idea: It's so hard for me to believe in [time]. Some things go. Pass on. Some things just stay. I used to think it was my rememory. . . . But it's not. Places, places are still there. If a house burns down, it's gone, but the place-the picture of it-stays, and not just in my rememory, but out there, in the world. (Morrison 36)In essence, this means that the soul takes every experience with it. I believe her relationship with this memory only deepens over time and does not change for the better. Even the attempt to leave her happy with her new marriage leaves the reader feeling that she is still coping. Morrison writes, â€Å"the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay. The ‘ better life' she believed she and Denver were living was simply not that other one† (42). This signifies that her memories leave her static in the present. It is almost as if nothing new can happen to her until she lets the past go.Still this is likely as Morrison writes â€Å"but her brain was not interested in the future. Loaded with the past and hungry for more, it left her no room to imagine, let alone plan for, the next day† (70). It is through the flashback images the reader learns of slavery and Sethe’s experience escaping but it also through Morrison’s description of the present that reader begins to understand the environment of Reconstruction. These are people still being defined by their enslavement. â€Å"The future was sunset; the past something to leave behind.And if it didn't stay behind, well, you might have to stomp it out. Slave life; freed life-every day was a test and a trial. Nothing could be counted on in a world where even when you were a solution you were a problem† (256). This theme is never so evident than with Morrison’s use of magical realism in the form of Beloved the ghost. â€Å"This awkward spirit shakes the furniture, puts tiny handprints on the cakes, shatters mirrors, Sethe and Denver live stolidly in the chaos, emotionally frozen† (Gates 28). The physical ghost acts as an embodiment of Sethe’s sorrow and guilt.The consequence of Beloved’s actions only feed Sethe’s inability to function in the present. Whether or not the ghost is an embodiment of Sethe’s guilt, insanity, folklore, an actual real ghost, the symbolic representation of the house’s negative feelings due to historical context, or the collective sadness and unknown of the residents’ terror; remains to be seen. This is an unknown; a mystery Morrison leaves for the reader to decide. Conclusion In conclusion, Beloved connected with the reader on many levels. In times of war and t ragedy, such themes are not uncommon.One is reminded of Sophie’s Choice where the heroine had to make a similar yet devastating decision about her children. Still Morrison used a ghost to exhibit just how much the past has followed Sethe. Such technique can be found in other modern novels by Isabelle Allende and Gabriel Garcia-Marquez where the fantastic take on realistic qualities. The purpose of this paper was to explore the concept that Toni Morrison’s Beloved is a modern Gothic novel. It can be argued that Morrison used many techniques derived from the Gothic period to master her story of Sethe, a former slave haunted by the ghost of her murdered daughter, Beloved.The novel has many interwoven techniques of storytelling that make reading a challenge to analyze but also so integral to the telling of America’s collective past. As a collective, our history has pain that can be found beautiful. The novel encompassed trauma, making the reader uncomfortable with i ts subject matter, mainly Sethe’s sexuality as a powerful, feministic tool. Morrison tells a story not told before while weaving the spectacular into a very real situation and therefore created a much different storytelling style furthering the evolution of the modern novel.This novel made the reader question, not only the content but how it was being conveyed, while masterfully, also complex in nature. While it is considered a modern novel, it redefined many Gothic elements. Part of what made Beloved and other modern Gothic novels so enthralling was its ability to convey mystery, darkness; the unknown as a realism to the reader. It put its characters in situations that seemed completely interesting, gave them a past that was tragic, maybe somewhat scandalous and put the characters in a limbo of an unfamiliar place, where mystical events happened.Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. â€Å"Jaunted By Their Nightmares. † New York Times 13 Sept. 1987, natl. ed. : Arts and Entert ainment section. Atwood explains Morrison’s story of grief and death of Sethe’s little girl touching on Slavery’s influence on modern society. She looks at Gothic techniques used to tell a modern story while discussing Sethe’s insanity and humanity. Berenbaum, Linda. The Gothic Imagination. East Brunswick, New Jersey: Associated University Press, Ltd. , 1948. This author analyzes Wuthering Heights from the thematic view point of Gothic novel stylings.She looks to Bronte’s writing as a means of justifying the non-horror of Gothic novels but the humanity involved. In doing this, she paints the novel as being very Gothic and also scary. In this respect, the argument backfires but also legitimizes the Gothic novel as a genre. Dailly, Stephen. â€Å"The Gothic Novel. † Online. Internet. Available FTP: http://www. btinternet. com/Stephen. dailly/writing/resources/gothic. htm Devendra, Varma, The Gothic Flame. London: Arthur Baker Ltd. , and Morris on and Gibb Ltd. , 1957.Author looks to traditional thematic elements of Gothic novel to argue that Gothic novels display two worlds. He also looks to history to back up this point. Gates, Henry Louis and Appiah, K. A. , ed. Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present. New York: Amistad Press, Inc. , 1993. Editors analyze Toni Morrison’s writing, specifically Beloved in order to argue that the novel does not reflect the negative victimism of slavery but uses storytelling as a means to entertain such a serious subject. They argue that Beloved can also be seen as ghost story.James, Henry. Turn of the Screw. New York: Pocket Books, 1941 James’ tale of suspense and woman haunting the man who done her wrong and is one of the first times in literature a ghost seems realistic. Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Penguin Books, 1987. Morrison’s groundbreaking story of one woman’s life after slavery and ghosts that remain in the present. This story by usi ng flashbacks tells the story of a woman murdering her baby daughter so that that daughter does not have to live in slavery. This novel displays how one’s action’s continues to live on inside of them and later materialize as a ghost.It also conveys how even in American modern society, the collective history still remains in shadows and needs to be addressed, no matter how uncomfortable. Smith, Valerie. â€Å"Circling the Subject: History and Narrative in Beloved. † Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present. Ed. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and K. A. Appiah. New York: Amistad, 1993. 342-55. Smith analyzes Morrison’s use of flashback as a cyclical technique not used before in literature. Spargo, R. Clifton. â€Å"Trauma and the spectres of enslavement in Morrison’s Beloved. † Mosaic 35. 1 (2002): 113-130. Spargo discusses history as a grounds for telling fictional stories.

Background to Primary Justice in Malawi

BACKGROUND TO PRIMARY JUSTICE PILOT PROJECT In May 1999, the Malawi Government and DFID/MaSSAJ (Malawi Safety Security and Access to Justice) commissioned an external consultancy agency to conduct a study on Primary Justice in Rural Malawi, to investigate issues that are related to the protection, safety and access to justice by the poorest and most vulnerable groups in rural areas in Malawi. The research report revealed that between 80 to 90% of the population in Malawi access justice in the informal sector.However, it was again realized that the informal sector had several gaps which called for an intervention. Primary Justice Pilot Project was carried out from 2003- 2007 aiming to address the identified gaps. The project examined the various roles of marriage counselors, village head persons, Chiefs, religious and party leaders and government officials in dispute resolution. These service providers were found to be points of reference in matters relating to land, theft of farm pro duce, livestock, and household goods, witchcraft, matrimonial cases, inheritance issues and chieftainship, just to mention a few.The research revealed that there is urgent need to consolidate and develop locally credible and widely accessible systems of safety, security and justice that would operate within a human rights framework. The pilot project aimed to address a number of issues; 1. Capacity building of primary justice service providers 2. Enhancing record keeping and documentation of cases 3. Enhancing networking and linkages- referral mechanisms; between the formal and the informal 4. Public awareness 5. Dispute resolutionTo be able to achieve this, 14 District Implementing Agencies were identified and were referred to as â€Å"Entry Points† for the pilot Districts. Basically the role of the Entry Points was to receive funds from the Managing Agency, CCJP Lilongwe, and use it to facilitate various activities which would aim to achieve the above five project objective s. Initially, GTZ was the Managing Agency and CCJP Lilongwe took over from November 2006 to March 2007, where the pilot project phased out. Currently, CCJP Lilongwe and DFID is finalizing the concept of Primary Justice Malawi, covering all the 28 Districts.

Essay about A Critical Appraisal of Qualitative Research

Described below is a critical appraisal of a qualitative article by Lisa Booth using the frame-work suggested by Ryan, Coughlan and Cronin 2007 to establish its believability, robustness, credibility and integrity (Ryan, Coughlan Cronin, 2007). Qualitative research is regarded as an inductive process, which within natural settings attempts to produce insights on the subjective experiences, meanings, practices and point of views of those involved (Craig Smyth, 2007). The aim here was to investigate factors influencing the communication styles used by the radiographers, therefore, allowing a better understanding to patient-centred care within diagnostic radiography. The title was well formulated and unambiguous, however, why a†¦show more content†¦Although nothing about transactional analysis (TA) method was mentioned. Overall, the abstract did address the research question of interest and had elements present that influenced the believability of the research (Ryan et al, 2007). As all researches associate an underpinning philosophy (Ryan et al, 2007), here the intentions were derived from her previous works. The statement of the phenomenon of interest was clear (Holloway Wheeler, 2002), i.e. to gain an insight why informants, the radiographers, communicated in a particular way; exploring their subjective experiences and reasons within the clinical settings, thus allowing to curtail the existing gap of knowledge and making it to count as a primary research (Polgar Thomas, 1995). The method selected was appropriate as topics of such abstract nature which demand a holistic approach, therefore, best suited are the qualitative methods (Polit Beck, 2006; Vishnevsky Beanlands, 2004). However, nothing about empirical study was briefed. Literature review aids to identify acknowledged information written about the given subject (Dawson, 2002). An element of self-reference and self citations were present; and was felt to be limited in the field of radiography, although this can be due to limited research work. Thus, questioning the credibility and integrity of the work. Stated was of all communication styles used by the radiographers, parental style contributed 52.6%, but it was unclear why it wasShow MoreRelatedCritical Appraisal Of A Qualitative Research Essay1373 Words   |  6 Pages Critical Appraisal of a Qualitative Research Article A critical appraisal of the article by Batch Windsor (2015) was completed to assess the value of this qualitative research study. This was accomplished through the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). The CASP tool is used to evaluate and clarify if these proposed research topics have merit. The tool resulted in the assessment that this article is useful, particularly within the nursing profession. 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