East of Eden †Anger and Rejection Essay

Rejection and its resultant anger are two pillars around which East of Eden’s plot is built. The story is heavily influenced by these two principles, and they constitute the vast majority of thematic and pivotal plot points in the novel. The overarching theme is illustrated in its majority through Steinbeck’s repeated instances of rejection and anger. Steinbeck illustrates these emotions most clearly in the characters of Charles, Cathy, and Caleb. Their characters are wildly different, but their emotions and reactions are remarkably alike. Charles is the first personification of Cain in the novel, a complete foil to his brother Adam, and unsurprisingly susceptible to rage. The first and most blatant illustration of Charles’s rage is seen in his reaction to losing at peewee to Adam, â€Å"[swinging] at his head and knocking him out, [then] kicking him heavily in the stomach.† (Steinbeck p. 23). With the rejection of his idea of his inherent superiority, Cha rles reacted with savage brutality. This pattern repeats itself later when Charles reacts to Cyrus’s preference of Adam’s gift over his own, accusing Adam of trying to take his father away from him. He reacts with spontaneous violence once more, leaving Adam feeling â€Å"punches on temples, cheeks, eyes, his lip split and tatter over his teeth.† (p. 30). Charles once again illustrates his cold and distant personality, reacting violently toward Adam out of jealousy of his father’s love. Charles’s jealousy continues beyond childhood, and chastised his brother upon returning home from war as well. However, despite his incredible inclination for anger, he was still able to recognize the greater evil in Cathy. Cathy is undeniably the angriest character in the novel. She reacts violently and without remorse toward all those in her way. She is rarely faced with rejection, but, regardless, is virtually always angry. However, when she does face the incredible rarity of rejection, her fury rea ches unprecedented levels. Cathy grows a vehement disrespect for her parents at a young age, and early enough in her life takes action by burning them alive and faking her own death in order to rid herself of the burden that was her family. â€Å"The owner’s house was burned and the owner ostensibly burned with it.† (p. 86). This inherent fury persists just as powerfully throughout the rest of her life. When Adam confronts her in her whorehouse, and refuses to allow himself to be tempted and charmed by her, she explodes in rage at her failure at manipulation. She shrieks at her bodyguard, Ralph, â€Å"I said give him the boots. Break his face!† (p. 323). Facing the painful rejection of her reality of being capable of manipulating anyone and everyone, she defaults to violence as a means of getting what she wants out of Adam. This rejection of her ability to influence occurs again later, in her meeting with Cal. Cal confidently says to her, â€Å"I’m my own. I don’t have to be you.† (p. 462). Shocked and in horror of his insolence, as well as his resistance to her evils, she bellows at him to get out of her room and out of her whorehouse. She feels rage once again, but this time she also feels a new emotion – fear. Where before there was only contempt for humanity there is now envy. Cal had broken the very foundation upon which she based her life and her entire philosophy, and naturally, she felt nothing but contempt for her son. The theme of rejection and anger comes full circle with Cal himself. Cal is not alone in his manifestation of the biblical Cain, but he is certainly the most direct recreation. As a result, his anger at his brother and from the rejection at the hands of his Father is a truly deep and painful wound. Cal expresses his anger in a much more decisive and contained fashion than the more chaotic beings of Charles and Cathy. Cal is first met with rejection in one of his very first appearances of the novel, when he and Adam are introduced to Abra. Abra looked at Adam and felt â€Å"the longing and the itching burn in her chest that is the beginning of love.† (p. 343). Cal identified this immediately, and took it upon himself to tease her when Adam ran away to fetch the rabbit they killed a as a gift for her. Cal deals with his anger and frustration later in his life by taking walks late at night, and in extreme cases, drinking. Cal’s greatest and quintessential rejection is at the hands of his father, Adam, when he offers him the money he earned as a gift. â€Å"Cal doggedly lighted bill after bill until all were burned.† (p. 566). Albeit a definitive act of rage, Cal’s passionate acts of anger are far less cruel-intentioned than those of his uncle and mother. He is a truly kind-hearted person. Rejection and anger are two fundamentally connected themes of East of Eden. The two are inherent components of the parable of Cain and Abel, which is itself a massive theme of the novel. It is difficult to read a chapter without either of the two emotions being a fundamental component of the narrative. Steinbeck masterfully illustrates the human condition through his ceaseless repetition of these two emotions and the personification thereof seen in Charles, Cathy, and Caleb. Works Cited Steinbeck, John. East of Eden. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

Management Evolution Essay

The evolution of management can be traced back to the start of the Industrial Revolution. â€Å"Management and leadership abilities were not thought of as learnable skills but derived from one’s heredity. There did not exist the need for a theory of management: leaders were born, not made. † (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 14). This belief ignored the need for a written theory of management and focused on the practice itself. As industrialization increased and spread, problems related to the factory system began to appear. Large numbers of workers were needed to keep up with the rapid economic expansion. Many of these workers were immigrant, unskilled, and non-English speaking. Managers did not know how to train these employees. This led to a scientific study of management and to what is today known as management theory. Classical School of Management The first management theory, Scientific Management, arose because of a need to increase worker efficiency and productivity. Emphasis of this approach was placed on the best way to get the most work accomplished. Focus was on examining the work process and developing the skills of the workforce. The classical school owes its origins to several contributors; including Frederick Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, Henry Gantt, and Mary Parker Follet. Frederick Taylor is often referred to as the â€Å"father of scientific management†. He believed that organizations should study and gain an understanding of work and develop precise procedures to complete it. â€Å"Taylor believed that economic prosperity could only be achieved by maximal worker productivity, which in turn, would be the product of making workers more efficient† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 5). By analyzing every job through scientific observations, he felt there was only one best way of doing a job. He believed managers should study each job and determine the minimum necessary steps needed to complete it. Individuals step would be analyzed to determine the most efficient way of performing it. Managers would then total the time of each individual task to determine the optimum amount of time necessary to complete the entire task. Workers would then follow the precise instructions of management. If tasks were not completed in the optimal amount of given, workers were removed from the job. He believed this system gave managers power over workers. Workers could no longer resist management demands. Managers possessed the knowledge and workers performed their detailed steps. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were a husband and wife team that studied job motions. â€Å"The Gilbreths are considered pioneers in making use of motion studies to improve worker efficiency† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 16). Frank analyzed worker actions to determine the best possible method of performing a given job. When he understood all the motions, he would seek to improve the efficiency of each action and reduce the number of motions required to accomplish the job–a process called job simplification† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 16). Managers would then select, train, and develop workers with devised procedures. Lillian extended this theory into the home in an effort to determine the ideal way to complete household tasks. Henry Gantt developed the Gantt chart; a work scheduling chart that measures planned and completed work along throughout each stage of completion. The Gantt chart is a powerful planning and evaluation tool used by managers. He believed inefficiency was a result of management unrealistic production standards. According to Gantt, â€Å"work standards should be determined by scientific observation and measurement, and only then may realistic work standards be set† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 17). Gantt also believed that workers should be rewarded for good work through a bonus system. He felt that workers would be more productive and achieve higher levels of production if there was an incentive. To motivate workers to go beyond the daily production quotas, he pioneered the use of a production bonus (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 18). Gantt also focused on the importance of quality leadership and management skills and their relationship to building effective industrial organizations. Mary Parker Follet is often referred to as the â€Å"mother of conflict resolution†. â€Å"Her research and writings pointed to a collaborative approach to problem solving that advocated compromise† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 17). Follet focused on the importance of establishing and developing common goals within the workplace. She believed workers should be allowed to participate in the decision making process. She believed workers could and would comply and follow management’s logical requests without being given too many orders; workers should not be micromanaged. â€Å"The classical approach to management theory had asserted that the key to worker efficiency and organizational productivity was efficient job design, use of appropriate incentives, and effective managerial functioning† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 23). This approach emphasized the work elements and eliminated the human dimensions. Behavioral School of Management The behavioral approach stresses that effective management will come from an understanding of the worker† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 23). Emphasis of this approach is based on the belief that every human being has social and physiological needs which affect performance and motivation. Focus was on improving the self-esteem and self-confidence of the workforce. Contributors to the behavioral school include Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, and Douglas McGregor. Elton Mayo was the founder of the human relations movement. â€Å"Mayo concluded that factors other than the physical aspects of work had the power of improving production. These factors related to the interrelationships between workers and individual psychology† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 25). Mayo believed that if workers were treated with respect and their needs were being met, they would be more productive and their work would be more efficient; therefore both the employee and management would benefit. Mayo is known for his work conducted at the Western Electric Company in Chicago; known as the Hawthorne Experiments. He was able to prove that the relationship that employees have with management directly affects productivity. He concluded that management needed to be more directly involved with employees. Chester Barnard developed the acceptance theory of management, which focuses managerial authority. He believed that employees themselves determined if managerial order is legitimate and acceptable. He felt that in order for employees to accept that managers have legitimate authority to act, they must first understand the communication they receive from management. Employees must also feel that the communication that is received is consistent with the organization’s purpose. Bernard believed that managers needed to share a common purpose and express a willingness to cooperate with the employees. â€Å"Douglas McGregor, in distinguishing between the pessimistic Theory X view of employees and the optimistic Theory Y, had a dramatic impact on management theory and practice† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 27). Theory X which characterized the views of Taylor is based on the assumption that the average human being dislikes work and that because of this dislike they must be threatened and controlled before they will work. Theory X also assumes that the average person desires security and prefers being directed. Average people dislike responsibility and have little ambition. Theory Y which characterized the views of Mayo is based on the assumption that if a job is satisfying and the working conditions are good, then the worker will be committed to the organization. Theory Y also assumes that if the average worker is committed, then they will not only accept, but seek responsibility. McGregor believed that managers should operate with the belief that workers will contribute more to an organization if they feel valued and are treated responsibly. The behavioral approach to management theory focused on the workforce and their needs; the human element of the organization. This approach emphasized work as a group activity and aimed at increasing work productivity through collaboration. Production Operations Management (POM) Approach The Production Operation Management Approach to management was developed in response to increasingly difficult operational problems and a rapidly changing environment. The concepts of the POM Approach were based on the belief that the scientific method was the solution to problem solving. Herbert Simon was a major contributor to the POM Approach. â€Å"Herbert Simon is best known for his research in decision-making and information processing but also made contributions to cognitive psychology, computer science, public administration, philosophy of science, and artificial intelligence† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 29). Simon coined the term satisficing which was based on the belief that executives rarely had access to perfect information. They were more apt to accept data acquired early in a search and seek solutions or accept choices that are deemed good enough for their purposes. He believed that seeking the maximal solution or result expended resources. â€Å"Production operations management stresses a systems approach that views the total operating system and analyzes a problem within that system. The problem is seen to exist as it relates to the total system, and any proposed solution is evaluated as it relates to the same system† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 30). The POM approach focused more on production and less on the human factor. Contingency Approach The contingency approach to management is the most recent school of thought about management. It combines the ideas of the other three approaches and states that there is no one universal set of management principles or one best way by which to manage an organization. This approach is based on the belief that to effective, planning, organizing, leading and controlling must be contingent on the circumstances in which an organization operates. Different problems require different solutions. â€Å"This approach arose out of the observation that the three earlier approaches to management–the classical, the behavioral, and productions operations research–did not always lead to an acceptable solution† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 1). The contingency approach applies to all areas of management, not just organizing and leading. This approach takes into consideration both the internal and external environments of the organization. Conclusion â€Å"The foundations of the various approaches to schools of management theory are found in a variety of disciplines, incl uding economics, psychology, sociology, mathematics, philosophy, and industrial engineering. But management theory, even though it makes use of other scholarly areas and the observations of the practicing manager, has emerged as a separate area of study since the 1940’s† (Montana & Charnov, 2008, p. 4). The thoughts and ideas of the classical school have been analyzed and developed over the years; however the basic concepts are still in practice today. Relation to Work Environment I believe that the contingency approach to management is the most effective. The classical, the behavioral, and productions operations research approaches all are based on a universal approach, one best way, of management that applies the same techniques to every organization. As a manager I have come to realize that not all people and every situation should be handled identically. I believe managerial decisions and actions are contingent upon a given situation. Managerial styles and techniques must vary according to the circumstances of the situation. To be effective, managers must determine which factors are relevant in what situation. I believe the most important aspect of the contingency theory is that it accounts for the human factor. As the Dining Services Director at Miles Community College, I am required to make daily decisions concerning both my department and the organization as a whole. I believe that to be an effective manager it is necessary to evaluate each and every situation to come up with the appropriate decisions and actions. I understand that each and every situation is unique and requires a situational analysis. I also believe that every decision I make affects the organization therefore my decisions are based on the goals and values of the organization as a whole. I believe that the contingency theory best fits my management style.

How do nurses in acute mental health ward minimize and manage patient Essay

How do nurses in acute mental health ward minimize and manage patient aggression and violence - Essay Example This should lead up to production of a comprehensive report. Findings: It is the hope of the researcher that the study will reveal the most common management measures and the most effective. The findings should be applicable in acute mental care wards to prevent violence among patients or any forms of aggression. The expected outcome is a reduction in aggression, especially that which is directed toward nurses in these wards and hence improve on their safety. Aggressive behavior in the acute mental health ward is a major concern in under mental healthcare. Turnbull and Patterson (2009) in their work, point out that nurses working in mental healthcare facilities often find themselves falling victim to assault at the ward, with at least one out ten being physically assaulted. The situation is dire. Healthcare providers in this setting are therefore tasked with finding means to manage this violence. Because of this, there has been focus around ways in which nurses in acute mental healthcare wards can minimize and manage patient aggression and violence (Chou, Lui and Mao 2002).This paper seeks to address the management of aggression and violence in mental care ward. There has been increasing attention towards violence in the mental health ward, given the escalation in the population of violent patients. These attacks, Anderson and West (2011) argue, are a reality and concern, much as the victims often think of them as a natural part of their jobs that cannot be avoided. The effects can be devastating. This fact forms the basis for this paper. The PICO model, as discussed by Davies (2011) will be employed in formulation of the research question that underpins the argument of this paper. This model is preferable to the SPICE model since it forms the basis for formulation of questions in studies that have qualitative elements mainly (Krueger, 2003), which is the nature of the study in this case, qualitative.

Arbitration Opinion & Award Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arbitration Opinion & Award - Essay Example Davis claims that Kevin refused to follow the orders that were given to her by her supervisor. At the same time he neglected the patient who was uncomfortable on the ground. He chose to go at home violating the mission of the hospital of proving care. The union claimed that Kevin suffered from back pain and that he could not carry the patient. His representative Whitehead claimed that the patient was obese that he could jeopardize Kevin’s health. According to the labor Agreement employees are not supposed to perform unsafe work. The union claims that Kevin was given an ultimatum by her supervisor. This made Kevin to choose to go home rather than causing the problem to himself and to the patient .His problem was know by the supervisors and some co workers. According to the witness Martinez and Barber who Kevin’s co worker claims that Kevin usually has a problem with her back. This is emphasized by Him of whom he claims to have gotten injured through an accident during skiing 9 years ago. However this remains in question because of the following reasons; I. There was no documentation of the alleged back pain according to Martinez. Though Kevin was known by Martinez and Barber and other workers to be having a back pain, this claim could not be proved. He oftenly had some informal request for assistance of which the manager was not aware of. It is therefore normal for any human being to assume that this was a lie since there was no any documentation to prove the illness. II. Richard claims that there is a department in the hospital for employees to report their health problems so that they can be accommodated with their problem. Kevin was aware of the department yet he did not seek help. This shows some elements of being fishy. III. According to Richard, Kevin did not notify the HR of his condition and that he did not provide any documentation and therefore did not follow the appropriate process.Ordinrily, any man with a

Business informal report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business informal report - Essay Example The society has experienced great loss to the fact that the museum presently does not have a section for Greek mythology. This is due to the fact that the foundation of modern society is mainly based on the Ancient Greek civilization (Dowden 46). The civilization includes Greek literature and mythology (Hard 131). A section on Greek mythology particularly Pelops should be opened. It is true from my analysis that the knowledge about the history of Greek help to realize the need for opening a section of the museum. With the knowledge in history about the Greek mythology the manager will be convinced that Greek mythology is important for the museum. The manager will be convinced that the Greek mythology and its traditions are relevant in today’s time (Dowden 48). Greek mythology at the museum can be presented by the case for Pelops (Edinger & Deborah 152). Many visitors will be interested to know much in Pelop’s life. The birth of Pelop, his apprenticeship to Poseidon, his being served to the gods by his father, his fatal curse, his love among others can be presented in the museum (Edinger & Deborah 153). One of my recommendations that I derived after the study is that the manager should undertake performance and plan for the development of the museum. Besides, the executive manager will regularly need ideas that will attract more visitors to the museum (Hard 129). The knowledgeable about history, geography and science equips individuals on the importance and ways of opening a section of the museum. The manager should also be attentive to suggestions that are put forward logically in order to develop fruitful ideas. Evidently, the creation of a section of the museum can be made possible when the executive manager take an action. The manager should gather more ideas and information on the various ways of creating up the section. I will be very happy to realize that the section

20th century human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

20th century human resource management - Essay Example During the last quarter of the 20th Century, human resource management arrived in the UK, having originated in the US. Please identify and explain those factors that led to the rise of this concept in the UK at this time"Human resource management is one of the distinguished sub-sectors which fall under human rights. Human resource management is related to employees. Their training; recruitment, interview and selection; labor relations, performance appraisal, wage and salary administration, equal employment opportunity, occupational health and safety act, personnel records management, quality of work life. Hence it deals with every necessity of an individual employee.Human resource management is said to have been originated in America in the late fifties and early sixties by the propagation of a different view of the work-force by the organizational humanists such as Argyris and McGregor. Since then number of new approaches leading to HRM have been formulated which include human capital theory by Likeert and human resource indexing by Schuster. The major similarity between all these approaches was that in these theories human labor was treated as a major asset rather then viewing labor as a cost factor. These theories or concept were further modified in 1980's the basic modification was that the new concepts aimed at the importance of the human factor aimed at integrating the personal function into general strategic management. These concepts were used as the foundation of HRM. (Human Resource Management: An International Comparison).... While in UK the trade unions were much more powerful and membership was high, thus a vacuum was created in UK to evacuate the strong bonds between trade unions. To achieve this misconception was created that the pluralist industrial relations strategy to deliver good industrial relations or an efficient and productive industry has failed. (Contemporary Industrial Relations: A Critical Analysis) The result of this was that a new legislation was needed urgently which would be detrimental about the roles of trade unions. Thus UK policy makers deduced an approach which had the potential to replace pluralistic system; this approach was the human resource management which focused on individualism. In the 1980s UK faced recession while his competitor US was in the period of mass production and corporate organization. The reason for this was the shortcomings in managerial techniques, UK employers and mangers chose to retain their imperial and specialist markets. Thus when the Bruisers realized their mistakes they chose to adopt US standards of managing human resource. This was the time when human resource management was introduced in UK after being originated and tested by the American organizations. The private sector was the first to adopt human management resources. (Change for Competitive Success) The private sector adopted human resource management first because in the 1980,s a number of private organizations were being introduced in the UK. The governments organizations were old and well established thus they were able to compete with increase in completion very easily. While the newly developed private sector which was growing rapidly was not able to compete with the increase in competition, as not only were the private organizations evolving

Divorce and Our National Values Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Divorce and Our National Values - Article Example This emphasis may be in the form of the psychiatrist’s advice or may be reflected in classic American literature like Thoreau’s Walden, or laws passed to make divorce harder, and so on. Kramer goes against many contemporary psychologists when he argues this. For instance, Carl Rogers claimed in the 1970s that the best marriages actually increased ‘self-actualization’ of the individuals involved. In short, the greater the level of freedom and independence enjoyed by the partners, the ‘better’ the marriage. Kramer suggests that perhaps we should dismantle ‘self-actualization’ as the goal and replace it with another ideal: mutuality. Mutual happiness and care can be just as worthy and fulfilling a goal in marriage. Compromise may mean a certain degree of loss of selfhood, but it does not necessarily mean the loss of happiness or fulfillment. Another issue crops up at this point, related to gender. Kramer reveals how women are supposed to be naturally more compromising. We have been so socialized into believing these stereotypes that in relationships women often feel pressurized to be the pliant and compromising one. Since this is true for a large part of the population, the kind of ideal of mutuality that Kramer proposes might just work out unfairly for women and perpetuate greater inequality in marriages. To counter this, Kramer suggests that by fully accepting mutuality and not expecting only women to inculcate it, we can work towards a value system which actually supports longer-lasting relationships instead of encouraging  separation.