Cultural Diversity in Hotel Industry

Cultural Diversity in Hotel Industry Introduction Increasing globalisation of service industry has made it difficult to manage the growing culturally diverse workforce. Managing a multicultural workforce, either within a global corporation or small business unit is usually very demanding for managers. The concept of managing diversity acknowledges that in a workplace, there is normally diverse population of workers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Diversity in Hotel Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The diversity is brought about by the differences in gender, age, race/ethnicity, language, personality, cultural background and even working style. It is based on the principle that harmonizing these differences creates an optimum working environment where every employee feels valued and is therefore ready to utilise his or her talents to the maximum in achieving the goals of the organisation. Current Situation Today there is increasing foc us on how best to manage cultural diversity in hotel industry or service organizations as diversity among the workforce increases due to globalization. According to Bakalis, Joiner and Leveson (2009, 378) managing cultural diversity refers to the holistic recognition by the leaders of the organisation that cultural diversity continues to increase in the workforce and therefore they have to be more proficient while acting in response to the changes that come with it. According to D’Netto and Sohal (1999, 530), managing cultural diversity at an organizational level means striving to encourage as well as to uphold a culturally heterogeneous workforce to achieve its full potential by providing an equitable and supportive working environment. Managing cultural diversity is very important and beneficial to service and hospitality industry. Effective management of cultural diversity enables these organizations to benefit from the knowledge, business experience; cultural as well as l inguistic skills that workers come with to the organisation. Managing cultural diversity within the workforce enables development of organizational values and ethics and also enhances people’s management practices. It improves customer care thereby increasing the market share of the hospitality companies. Esentually the clients on this business are usually travellers from different parts on the world, therefore making the need for cultural appreciation specifically and important subject. Besides, the greatest resource that is industry has is the workers. They interact with clients directly and as part of servicescape since their dressing, presentation, talking is all a reflection of the company.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore well mannered workers who appreciate cultural diversity are likely to offer the best services. An organisation that effecti vely manages its workforce is able to keep up with best practices that attract and retain talent. In addition, it helps enhance healthy competition within the workforce. Theories of Culture and Cultural Diversity in a Workplace The Business Case for Diversity Theory The theory relates to how hotels utilize the cultural diversity in their workforce. The proponents believe that if a workforce comprises of multicultural employees, but the management does not fully take advantage of the wealth of experience, then it cannot maximize the benefits that come with cultural diversity. It states that in a global market place, an organisation that employs a multicultural workforce in terms of gender, different generations, and ethnically/racially diverse persons among others; is in a better position of understanding the demographics of its marketplace. This gives it an upper hand in the marketplace over other companies with limited cultural diversity among the workforce. The theory also suggest s that a company that truly supports its workforce diversity has the capacity to improve its performance, achieve employee satisfaction as well as retention (Ãâ€"zbilgin Tatli 2008, 42). Social Identity Theory Proponents of Social identity theory are of the view that cooperation within as well as between work groups are determined by the demographic distinctiveness of the members of each team in relation to their immediate cultural environment. It suggests that an increase in workforce diversity is a major cause of negative consequences since it may lead to decreased job satisfaction and low performance. The proponents of the theory believe that social groups in the workplace tend to compete with each other for favour, material as well as social resources. This theory is not applicable in services industry. When the workers fight because of diversity, they are likely to treat clients from different culture with prejudice. This is bad for business. This creates a situation of confl ict instead of cooperation among the cultural groups. According to Haslam and Turner (2001, 26) studies on inter-group relationships have shown that conflicts usually occur whenever members of different cultural groups meet or assigned a joint task.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Diversity in Hotel Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the theory, you can always predict that people will show a favourable bias towards members of their cultural group and they will believe that they are in conflict with members of another cultural group. Based on this fact, the workers therefore need to be trained on working with people from different culture and treat them as equals without any implied discrimination. Barrier to interaction and integration must be addressed. Social Network Theory Social network theory discusses the relationship among individuals in a specific environment such as in the hotel industry. Most members of a network provide useful information to other members while others provide emotional, social, financial and even moral support and these resources can greatly market a service industry. In the hotel and hospitality sector, a good reputation plays a big role as well as interdependence. The structure and the shape of the networks put in place in an organisation have important implications for policy-making as well as implementation. Managers are able to know where to finds resources they need and how to get it. This is because they have contacts of the people who can provide such services through networks. Relationships as well as networks can therefore be used to promote change initiatives in a company. Social networks in a company can help the management discover the unique skills as well as talents among workers which can bring organizational change (Haslam Turner 2001, 28). Issues Associated With Diversity in the Workplace Cultural diversity in the work place is normally associated with creative and optimum job performance which translates into positive job outcomes; however, this only occurs when it is effectively managed. There are several issues that occur in hotel and other hospitality workplaces today as they are increasingly becoming multicultural. These include harassment, discrimination against persons who are employed and even those seeking for employment based on gender, background, race/ethnicity and religion. Prejudice usually occurs in task distribution, promotions, rewards, decision making and accessibility to communication networks. Differences in language within a workplace can also create communication problems. Differences in cultural backgrounds affect the perception of employees towards new ideas, concepts and technology. The way employees perceive the company’s stance on diversity management is also very important.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Management Strategy Kundu (2001) proposes three strategies for managing cultural differences that exist in workplaces. He says that both managers and employees can decide to ignore the cultural differences or the organisation can minimize the cultural differences and lastly, the organisation can manage the cultural difference. Managers of hospitality businesses therefore adopt creative ways of managing the cultural diversity that exist in the workplace. They establish policies and practices that explore the benefits of diversity in workplace. Implementing Written Cultural Diversity Policy Addressing cultural diversity matters should be a priority concern for managers of organisations. The management of a company must have a documented diversity management policy since diversity has sometimes proved to be a problem and not an opportunity. In most cases, managers majorly focus on managing gender diversity as a result the hospitality and hotel industry employs a considerable number of women. Support, Commitment and Employee Perception Perceptions and reactions of employees towards the company determine the effectiveness of the workforce. The management needs to understand the nature as well as the outcomes of perceptions of workers about their organisation’s diversity management. Employees usually view the organisation’s climate and commitment to diversity management as directly related to the performance of the organisation and their job satisfaction (Hicks-Clarke Iles 2000, 329). According to Hicks-Clarke and Iles (2000, 329) studies have shown that employees who perceive that the cultural diversity in their workplace is supported and encouraged are likely to develop positive attitude towards the company. They begin to feel that their job is secure and they also see the possibility of developing their career in the organisation. On the contrary, employees who feel that they are not valued in the company due to their race/ethnicity tend to perceiv e that this would negatively affect their performance, job as well as their career. They would therefore opt to move elsewhere. Organizational support as well as commitment is highly related to employee retention meaning that these can enable employers retain talented employees from diverse cultural backgrounds (Sippola 2007, 256). Employees always want to be sure whether the organisation values their contributions or not. They also want to be certain about the employer’s concern on their well-being. It is therefore important to provide rewards for increased and excellent job performance. There should be favourable opportunities for incentives, supportive supervision as well as procedural justice (Bakalis, Joiner Leveson 2009, 381). Actions taken by the company in support of or against an issue should be sincere. These initiatives and actions increase employees’ commitment to the company. Retaining culturally diverse employees has been a major concern of most employer s. This implies that the management has to constantly carry out organizational audit to establish the employees’ perception towards the company to determine the direction of the firm in relation to its workforce. Survey results would help make the necessary changes which are intended to motivate the workers and enhance job satisfaction among the workforce in order to achieve retention of culturally diverse and talented workers. According to Bakalis, Joiner and Leveson (2009, 379) the nature of diversity in a workplace has an influence on performance. When the management appreciate diversity among its workers, a culture of appreciating diversity is built. The will in turn appreciate each more and therefore work together as a team despite cultural differences. The outcome is that the customers from different background will as be received and treated with utmost grandeur. This is what service industry is all about, treating client better so that they feel value for money servic e and that their culture is also recognised elsewhere. Inclusion and support of minority culture-groups In managing a multicultural workforce, it is important that the minority culture-group members within the organisation be integrated in all the informal networks. Access to these informal networks is important especially considering the significance of language on the flow of communication processes as well as in the development of individual networks in the workplace (Lindholm 1997, 14). They should also be allowed access to formal communication networks. Language problems could be a major source of frustration and dissatisfaction as one feels like an outsider. Open communications can reduce the negative impacts of cultural diversity on group activities and processes. However, multilingual workers are better suited to be the employees of a hotel and hospitality company. This way, the employees can integrate much better in that they are likely to understand the values, attitudes a nd general welfare at least two culture. This can form web of interconnectivity and integration that the outcome would be as if the organization is one big community with understand. Such appreciation of different traditions and culture is extended to clients and this gives greater satisfaction. The company should also ensure that migrants are represented on recruitment as well as promotion panels. These initiatives increase accessibility to formal networks in an organisation and also help initiate formal networking in the company. Besides, they should also enjoy the organizational support for their diversity. This is only possible if the organisation put in place structures that totally discourage discrimination, prejudice as well as intercultural conflicts in the workplace. All the various cultural groups in the workplace should be represented and encouraged to uphold respect and to always value learning from each other. Kundu (2001) stresses on cross-cultural training and sensiti zing of employees on the outcomes of discrimination and biases in diverse working population. Cross-cultural training helps employees of an organisation live and work harmoniously in another culture. Communication of performance standards The service industry players should establish and also communicate clearly the performance standards to employees. The performance standards should be based on important competencies which are relevant to each job. The workers should also be trained on how to provide feedback on identified undesirable conduct that the firm wishes to change or desirable behaviour that it wants to encourage. Conclusion Managing a multicultural workforce has become one of the most demanding tasks for most managers in service industry. Cultural diversity is projected to increase with the increasing globalization. Most organizations are putting in place structures and practices that could help attract and retain culturally diverse workforce. Hotel industry is developing cultural diversity policies and implementing new practices. Effective management of diversity in the workplace is seen to be profitable to a hotel services in ways like better services, job satisfaction and reduced worker turnover. Different theories seem to have varied views about cultural diversity in the hotel industry although most theories seem to support cultural diversity. Cultural diversity comes with different issues and problems that have to be effectively handled by organizations. Cultural diversity can cause discrimination, conflicts and communication problems. It is therefore important for hotel industry to develop cultural diversity policy and to govern it and help understand employees’ perception diversity and how the specific hotel service company deals with it. In addition, it is important to include the minority culture-groups into every activity of the company. Reference List Bakalis, S., Joiner, T., A., Leveson, L., 2008, Managing Cultural Diversity And Perceived Organizational: Evidence From Australia. International Journal of Manpower, 30 (4): 377-392. New Delhi: Emarald Group Publishing Limited. D’netto, B., Sohal, A., S., 1999, Human Resource Practices and Workforce Diversity: An Empirical Assessment. International Journal of Manpower, 20 (8): 530-47. New Delhi: Emerald Publishers. Haslam, S., A., Turner, J., C., 2001, Social Identity, Organizations and Leadership. In M. Turner (Ed.), Groups At Work: Theory And Research (Pp. 25-65). London: Lawrence Erlbaum. Hicks-Clarke, D., Iles, P., 2000, Climate for Diversity and Its Effects on Career and Organizational Attitudes and Perceptions. Personnel Review, 29 (3): 324-45. London: Emerald Publishing Limited. Kundu, S., C., 2001, Managing Cross-Cultural Diversity: A Challenge For Present And Future Organizations. Delhi Business Review, 2 (2). New Delhi: University Of Hartford. Lindholm, E., 1997, Culturally Related Problems In Steering Of Foreign Subsidiaries: Subsidiary Ope rations Of Finnish Companies In Spain. Master’s Thesis, Helsinki School of Business Administration, Helsinki. Ãâ€"zbilgin, M., F., Tatli, A., 2008, Global Diversity Management: An Evidence Based Approach. London: Palgrave Macmillian. P. 42. Sippola, A., 2007, Developing Culturally Diverse Organizations: A Participative and Empowerment-Based Method. Women in Management Review, 22 (4): 253-73. New Delhi: Emerald Publishing Limited.

How to Enable Java in Chrome and Other Browsers

How to Enable Java in Chrome and Other Browsers The Java plugin is part of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and allows a browser to work with the Java platform to run Java applets to execute in the browser. The Java plugin is enabled in a large number of browsers around the world and this makes it a target for malicious hackers. Any popular third-party plugin is subjected to the same kind of unwanted attention. The team behind Java have always taken security seriously and they will endeavor to quickly release an update to patch any serious security vulnerabilities found. This means the best way to minimize problems with the Java plugin is to make sure it is up-to-date with the latest release. If you are really worried about the security of the Java plugin but still need to visit a popular website (e.g., online banking in some countries) that need the Java plugin enabled, then consider the two browser trick. You can use one browser (e.g., Internet Explorer) only when you want to use the websites using the Java plugin. For the rest of the time use another browser, (e.g., Firefox) with the Java plugin disabled. Alternatively, you might find that you dont go to websites that use Java very often. In this case, you may prefer the option of disabling and enabling the Java plugin as needed. The instructions below will help you to set up your browser to disable (or enable) the Java plugin. Firefox To turn on/turn off Java applets in the Firefox browser: Select Tools - Add-ons from the menu toolbar.The Add-ons Manager window appears. Click on Plugins on the left-hand side.In the list on the right select, the Java Plugin - the name of the plugin will vary depending on whether you are a Mac OS X or Windows user. On the Mac, it will be called Java Plug-in 2 for NPAPI Browsers or Java Applet Plug-in (depending on the operating system version). On Windows, it will be called Java (TM) Platform.The button to the right of the selected plugin can be used to enable or disable the plugin. Internet Explorer To enable/disable Java in the Internet Explorer browser: Select Tools - Internet Options from the menu toolbar.Click on the Security tab.Click on the Custom level.. button.In the Security Settings window scroll down the list until you see Scripting of Java applets.Java applets are Enabled or Disabled depending on which radio button is checked. Click on the option you want and then click OK to save the change. Safari To enable/disable Java in the Safari browser: Select Safari - Preferences from the menu toolbar.In the preferences, window click on the Security icon.Make sure the Enable Java checkbox is checked if you want Java enabled or unchecked if you want it disabled.Close the preferences window and the change will be saved. Chrome To turn on/turn off Java applets in the Chrome browser: Click on the wrench icon to the right of the address bar and choose Settings.At the bottom click the link called Show advanced settings...Under the Privacy, section click on Content settings...Scroll down to the Plug-ins section and click on Disable individual plug-ins.Look for the Java plugin and click on the Disable link to turn off or the Enable link to turn on. Opera To enable/disable the Java plugin in the Opera browser: In the address bar type in opera:plugins and hit enter. This will display all the installed plugins.Scroll down to the Java plugin and click on Disable to turn off the plugin or Enable to turn it on.

Bad lending leading to the East Asian crisis in 1990s Essay

Bad lending leading to the East Asian crisis in 1990s - Essay Example 347). The basic diagnosis attributed the crisis to the financial chaos caused by the financial systems riddled by the insider dealings, weak corporate governance, and corruption that caused inefficient spending investment. This weakened stability in the banking system. The economies in East Asia were successful for generations, and the crisis in1997 was unanticipated despite Yung Chul Park (1996) warning against impending crisis. Many foreign investors invested a lot of funds even at the onset of the crisis (Choe and Chinmay 2007, p. 232-255). This paper investigates on the bad lending that led to the financial crisis in East Asia in 1990s. This is because of the success of economies  in East Asia that led to massive financial inflows in years leading to crisis, with few warning signs. Background to financial crisis Central to the full understanding of the cause of East Asian crisis is multifaceted evidence on the structure of the incentives used by financial and corporate sectors, which operated in the area. The moral problem magnified the financial vulnerability during the liberalization of the market in 1990s. This exposed fragility concerning the macroeconomic and the financial shocks that occurred between 1995 and 1997. This problem exhibited the three different, yet interrelated dimensions at corporate, the financial and the international level (Choe and Chinmay 2007, p. 232-255). The political pressures at the corporate level maintained high economic growth rates that guaranteed the private projects under government control. Even in the absence of the explicit bail-out promises, strategies and production plans of the corporate sector overlooked the riskiness and the costs of the investment projects. The industrial and financial policy enmeshed in the widespread business sector of political and personal favouritism and markets operated under the impression of their investment returns being insured from the adverse shocks. This represented underpinnings of the sustained process of accumulation of capital leading to account deficits. The investment rate remained high because of the fall in interest rates of neighbouring countries like Japan. As a result, banks borrowed excessively from abroad as well as lending excessively at home (Ichikawa 1998, p. 155-179). Extensive liberalization of the capital markets consistently provided large supply of funds at minimized costs to the domestic, corporate sector and national financial institutions. This motivated the exchange rate policies that reduced volatility of domestic currency in US dollars lowering the risk premium on the dollar-denominated debt. Internationally, moral hazard hinged on behaviour of the international banks. Over the period that led to crisis, international bands rented a lot of funds to the domestic intermediaries in the region neglecting the risk assessment standards. They presumed the direct government guarantee to the short-term interbank liabilities through bailout using the IMF support programs (Ichikawa 1998, p. 155-179). The stagnation of economy in Japan in 1990s lowered the exports from Asian countries. Few months before the crisis in East Asia, economy of Japan declined significantly, thus shattering the recovery process. The fall in ‘semi-conductors’ demand in 1996, and the adverse fluctuations in trade worsened the trade balances between 1996 and

Have you had Your VSauce Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Have you had Your VSauce Today - Essay Example The videos are narrated by the creator of Vsauce, Michael Stephens, in his signature style beginning each video with â€Å"Hi Vsauce!† Vsauce provides educational content that is beneficial to students as well as general online users. The content is always interesting and intriguing, and arouses the curiosity of the users. The videos are about topics most people think about but do not try to actively investigate them. Questions about dreams and alien life are used to elaborate scientific research and phenomena because people are naturally curious about these topics. Vsauce videos explain such topics and encourage students to learn about things that puzzle them. Some of the videos that offer such intriguing content are What if You were Born in Space? and Why do We Get Bored?. After watching these videos, viewers are able to enhance their knowledge. In addition, the videos inspire viewers to be more observant of their surroundings. The information in the videos helps students de velop greater interest in science and other subjects. Entertainment is one of the main distinguishing features of Vsauce. Michael Stephens appears as the narrator in all the videos and ensures that the viewer remains engaged from beginning to end. The videos uploaded on the channel are informative and provide scientific explanations to the viewer. However, they are packaged in a very different way from regular informational videos. The captions of the videos, for instance, are worded in the same way as feature stories and articles on mainstream websites. This feature helps to attract readers to the content and view the videos to be entertained. For example, a video titled How Many 5-Year Olds Could You Fight? explains concepts of force and power. Another video titled Guns in Space discusses important concepts of space, gravity, and motion. The video discusses the theories and concepts introduced by scientists such as Newton and Einstein. This strategy of combining information with e ntertainment is the reason why the videos receive a large number of hits. Just two years after its inception in 2010, Vsauce reached a subscription level of 1 million users. The tools used in the videos are effective at explaining the concepts vividly. The videos combine the use of animated diagrams and photographs to illustrate abstract concepts such as gravity and motion. Such use of animated diagrams is effective in explaining temporal features of a concept (Lowe, 168). At times, a comic effect is created to make apparently complex subjects seem interesting. For instance, a video entitled We Can’t Touch Anything uses diagrams and animation effectively to explain atomic structure and contact between two surfaces. Another video titled What Can You do Without a Brain? uses teaching aids as well as animated illustrations to explain brain anatomy and neurological processes. This feature distinguishes Vsauce from other online educational content because it is lively and engaging . It uses techniques other than background narration and text to make concepts more explicit to the viewer. Vsauce makes educational content accessible to the target audience. Accessibility is vital to the success of distance education (Burgstahler, Corrigan, & McCarter, 234). With several alternatives offering similar services in the print and electronic environment, it is important for content providers to reach out to the intended audience instead of expecting

The Handmaids Tale Essay Example for Free

The Handmaids Tale Essay The Handmaids Tale is a novel that consists of more than one genre it falls in the categories of being a dystopian science fiction, an autobiography, a love story and even a feminist novel. There are many narrative techniques used here in the Handmaids Tale that make it very complex and original such as the use of flashbacks and the very fragmented narrative structure, all of which I will be discussing in this essay. The significance of the epigraphs at the beginning of the novel I feel set the readers up for the story about to be told, as the first epigraph (Genesis,30:1-3) talks about the use of the Handmaids by trying to justify the use of them by quoting from the bible. The second epigraph (A Modest Proposal) shows the cold-heartedness of people, the controlled sincere tone of this mad scheme he talks about parallels with the earnest fascination of Gilead, giving us a rough clue of the tough regime of the Gileadean society. The third epigraph (Sufi proverb) claims that no one needs to forbid anything that is undeniable even when in a desperate situation, the undesirable could be the solution. The deliberate confusion of the opening chapter where Atwood had chosen to hold back large amounts of information causing the reader to become curious and wanting to read more into the story, the narrator of the story who we are unaware of at this stage is not bothering to introduce to the readers what is happening around her, it seems that the narrator is not just telling the story but merely reminding herself of that specific moment in the past We folded our clothes neatly and laid them on the stool at the ends of the beds this gives us a clue that the narrator has gone through this experience already and is speaking from elsewhere in the future. We can see also that the narrator is fully aware of the changes that have occurred since the time before maybe explaining why she only remembers and doesnt feel the need to explain at first, again a technique used to make the readers wanting more so they can understand what has gone on to cause such a rapid change in their lives. Judging by the atmosphere of the surroundings the readers can see a desperate yearn of the past and the act of physical contact where the girls lean out of their cots just to touch each others hands giving us a sense of oppression and a society with rules and order. There are many characters and themes introduced in this very first confusing chapter but it will have left the readers with a lot of guesswork leaving them gripped on wanting to read more this is why I feel that Atwood has started with a confusing opening chapter. The ordering of the sections just reflect the day to day routine of a handmaid such as shopping, check ups at the doctors etc. it also represents the narrow existence of a handmaid and the feeling of repetition, the ordering does go day, night, day, night and so on except for the napping section, but sleep also occurs here I dont understand why this has a different title? I feel that the night sections contribute massively to the structure of the narrative because this is where we learn most about Offred and of the beginning of the regime of Gilead. This is where Offred can have her time alone and vividly go over her memories of the past The night is mine, my own time, to do as I will. The night time is peaceful for Offred where she can be completely away from the oppression in Gilead. Here we learn of her past about her relationship with Luke, her family, her friends, her daughter and the rapidly changing society of Gilead. It again shows the readers how oppressive Gilead must be as Offred does not feel safe to reminisce in the day time while she is out shopping everyday it shows that the fear of the society is constantly on her mind causing her to be aware of everything that is going on. Through these night sections we learn about Offred herself we see that she is a determined woman, we also see that she is a sensitive because sometimes she cannot go on with her stories as they are too painful, but we also see a rebellious side to Offred because by telling her story she is breaking all the laws of the Gilead regime by going over her past and communicating her thoughts and feelings whereas in the daytime she comes across as agreeing with the regime, but here we hear about each time she breaks the law by having a love affair with Nick or seeing the commander plus remembering her past. The narrative technique of flashbacks is most obvious here, the flashbacks are used to tell us the reasons why things are the way they are, informing us throughout the novel of how the society of Gilead developed. Her flashbacks inform us of how she tried to escape over the border with her child and husband or how she suddenly lost her job at the library if these occurrences had been mentioned at the beginning of the story I feel that it would mean no significance to the reader as they wouldnt have known more about Offred but placing these events in the flashbacks throughout the novel creates mystery for the reader who will want to read on more to find out the endings to these fragmented stories. Also there is an importance to the position of the flashbacks for example when Offred recounts her first meeting with Serana Joy she then talks about her mother A motherly figure,someone who would understand and protect me. Another example is when Offred first kisses Nick in the downstairs living room at night and when she goes back up to bed she then thinks of Luke I believe Luke is lying face down in a thicket. Maybe associating her feelings for Nick with how she felt about Luke in the time before Gilead and even now Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Margaret Atwood section.

My Mother, My Hero Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

My Mother, My Hero In 1859 Henry Ward Beecher said, "the mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom." I believe that statement because of experiences I’ve had with my own mother. I have learned more about life from her than from my 15 years of schooling. Over the last 20 years my mother has taught me many valuable lessons just by being a living example of compassion, thoughtfulness, and generosity. She is an angel that has protected and carried me throughout life. In the book, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, Iyanla Vanzant said, "a truly compassionate person is one who can feel what you feel because they are one with you in mind, body, and spirit, not out of obligation or a false sense of responsibility. A compassionate person is one who understands what you are going through and, rather than joining you in your suffering and fear, sees for you the blessing and the victory at the end. A compassionate person does not join in the victim mentality of blaming others; instead they will stand strong with you, supporting you through the acceptance of the situation. The compassionate person knows with you, for you, and when necessary in spite of you, that all things work together for your good." That quote is like a mirror image of my mother because she encompasses all those traits. She showed me the utmost compassion when I was in high school. I was very sick with a chronic disease. I couldn’t walk and I was in constant pain. Though I couldnâ €™t see it at the time, my mother saw for me how lucky I was. She consistently pointed out that I was lucky that we could afford the doctors I needed. I was lucky that Fibromyalgia wasn’t deadly. And I was lucky that I had family and friends who were there for me. She saw for me the positive thi... ...s Thanksgiving she donated money to Bethel Mission to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless. And every Christmas she buys presents for the underprivileged. As the saying goes, "no one stands as straight as when he stoops to help someone." My mother is my hero because she has taught me to treat others with compassion, thoughtfulness, and generosity. She taught me that those values were important in the best way, by living her own life according to them. She didn’t just tell me about values she felt were important, she lived by them. I have always admired my mother and felt so blessed to have her in my life. I know I am a better person for having her for a mother. Works Cited: The Giant Book of American Quotations. Carruth, Gorton and Ehrlich, Eugene. Portland House. New York. 1988. Vanzant, Iyanla. One Day My Soul Just Opened Up. Fireside. 1998. My Mother, My Hero Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing My Mother, My Hero In 1859 Henry Ward Beecher said, "the mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom." I believe that statement because of experiences I’ve had with my own mother. I have learned more about life from her than from my 15 years of schooling. Over the last 20 years my mother has taught me many valuable lessons just by being a living example of compassion, thoughtfulness, and generosity. She is an angel that has protected and carried me throughout life. In the book, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, Iyanla Vanzant said, "a truly compassionate person is one who can feel what you feel because they are one with you in mind, body, and spirit, not out of obligation or a false sense of responsibility. A compassionate person is one who understands what you are going through and, rather than joining you in your suffering and fear, sees for you the blessing and the victory at the end. A compassionate person does not join in the victim mentality of blaming others; instead they will stand strong with you, supporting you through the acceptance of the situation. The compassionate person knows with you, for you, and when necessary in spite of you, that all things work together for your good." That quote is like a mirror image of my mother because she encompasses all those traits. She showed me the utmost compassion when I was in high school. I was very sick with a chronic disease. I couldn’t walk and I was in constant pain. Though I couldnâ €™t see it at the time, my mother saw for me how lucky I was. She consistently pointed out that I was lucky that we could afford the doctors I needed. I was lucky that Fibromyalgia wasn’t deadly. And I was lucky that I had family and friends who were there for me. She saw for me the positive thi... ...s Thanksgiving she donated money to Bethel Mission to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless. And every Christmas she buys presents for the underprivileged. As the saying goes, "no one stands as straight as when he stoops to help someone." My mother is my hero because she has taught me to treat others with compassion, thoughtfulness, and generosity. She taught me that those values were important in the best way, by living her own life according to them. She didn’t just tell me about values she felt were important, she lived by them. I have always admired my mother and felt so blessed to have her in my life. I know I am a better person for having her for a mother. Works Cited: The Giant Book of American Quotations. Carruth, Gorton and Ehrlich, Eugene. Portland House. New York. 1988. Vanzant, Iyanla. One Day My Soul Just Opened Up. Fireside. 1998.

Comparison Between Tod Homer and Miss Lonely Hearts

Tod, Homer, and Miss Lonelyhearts Another Well Thought Out Essay Tod Hackett, Homer Simpson, and Miss Lonelyhearts from Nathanael West’s novels â€Å"The Day of the Locust† and â€Å"Miss Lonelyhearts† all try to satisfy their desires with sexual wants, and violence. However, they are all very different from each other. For example, their histories, and the way they pursue the fulfillment of their desires are all unique to that specific character. The novel, â€Å"The Day of the Locust†, mostly focuses on the story of two main characters. These characters are Tod Hackett, and Homer Simpson.The novel gives the story of their lives while they both pursue the young woman, Faye Greener. In this way they are similar, but they are actually very different. Unlike Homer, Tod understands a lot of his experiences, especially his experiences with Faye. Because of this, Tod is portrayed as an educated man, Homer, on the other hand, has almost no idea what is going on. His actions and desires are almost always unexplainable. It seems as though he doesn’t even know what he himself is even thinking, let alone what he actually wants.Because of this, he appears uneducated, and clumsy. Both men pursue things that are artificial. The most notable of these is Faye Greener. Unlike Homer though, Tod knows that he can't have her, because he knows that pursuing her is a self-destructive route. Miss Lonelyhearts is the main character of the novel, â€Å"Miss Lonelyhearts†. His history is probably the reason for his need for sex and violence. ‘His history’ meaning his childhood, and also the letters that the people send to him for advice.Miss Lonelyhearts has a few encounters with a woman named Fay Doyle. They do have intercourse on one occasion, and she tries to make him have it a second time. However, instead of intercourse, Miss Lonelyhearts decides to beat her violently. His anger and his need for sex are brought about by the le tters that he has to read for his job, and his childhood experiences, like his encounter with the frog. Tod Hackett presents fewer personal experiences that can be used to analyze in a psychological way, but the way he thinks can be.He knows that he can’t have Faye, and he does want to rid Faye of the artificial quality that she possesses, but he can’t help but have a somewhat repulsive sexual attraction to her. Even to the point where he decides that raping her would be a suitable idea. And even attempts it at one point. In this way, Tod and Miss Lonelyhearts are similar, but not completely homogenous. Homer is a bit different from Tod, and Miss Lonelyhearts in this area. Homer is more understandable on a psychological level. At first, Homer seems as though he is uneducated, and also very clumsy.However, his disappointments, and his insecurities soon lead to aggression. His aggressions are expressions of anger that come from his past and his future. He does have a sex ual attraction to Faye, but his actions and feelings towards her are not quite as extreme as Tod’s and Miss Lonelyhearts’ feelings and actions toward women. Faye, however, does not take Homer seriously. He then feels like he has been cheated by Faye. He does a good job for most of the book at suppressing his anger until his final outburst that starts the riot at the end of the book.With Miss Lonelyhearts, Nathanael West presents a brutal and selfish character, which lusts for sex and violence, and gets both. With Tod Hackett, Nathanael West presents a successful and educated character that, despite his intellect, desperately wants a sexual relationship with a young woman, even to the point where he thinks about raping her, but never actually does it. And with Homer Simpson, Nathanael West presents an uneducated and clumsy character, which also lusts after a young woman, just not as explicitly as Tod, and turns out to be very aggressive.All of these characters are very similar in most of their desires, to be specific, their need for a sexual relationship, and their needs for aggression whether it is related to their sexual desires or not. Despite their many similarities, each character has a unique way of showing their desires. It may have been a straight-forward approach like Miss Lonelyhearts, or a somewhat cautious yet extreme approach like Tod, or a deceptively timid and passive-aggressive approach like Homer, which ends up in a catastrophically aggressive outburst.