What Similarities and differences can you find between Growing Up :: English Literature

What Similarities and differences can you find between Growing Up and The Son’s Veto? You should pay particular attention to the way the relationships between parents and children are portrayed by the authors. Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy was a pre-twentieth, post-nineteenth century author, he wrote short stories and novels, even poems. Hardy explores the different levels of relationships between men and women. He delves into the environments and the circumstances in which they live upon. Hardy digs deep to find the love hate and sacrifice in this story, ‘The Son’s Veto.’ It is basically about the relationship between mother and son, husband and wife and two lovers. ‘The Son’s Veto’ is a roller coaster of emotions, happy, sad, frustrating, sorrow, love, remorse and hate, each feeling immense in themselves. Joyce Cary passed away in 1957. When he died he had become accepted as one of the best modern novelists. In ‘Growing Up’ one of his famous novels, there is a moral, ‘no matter how old we are we are never too old to learn.’ This story concentrates on the relationships of the two sisters and their father, it grasps the meaning of love from the father, hate from the daughters to their father but most of all it grasps the meaning of growing up vividly in a more modernist twentieth century way. In ‘The Son’s Veto’ it goes on about a story of a woman in a wheelchair, with beautiful braided hair, and it is basically a story of the relationships revolving around this woman, and with her. This story starts off with a full-blown introduction of this woman, with a description of her hair, and her stance, and her features. Then it goes onto her past, like a premonition, describing the village of where she lived, and the emotions of the goings on around the village. We meet Sophy; Sophy is the woman from the present, with the beautiful braided hair. She is a strong character, the parlour maid in the parson’s house. Then we move on to meet another character, Sam. He is the gardener of Sophy’s acquaintance. ‘He was a young gardener of her acquaintance. She told him the particulars of the late event, and they stood silent,’ this shows us there is some kind of awkwardness between these two people. They begin to converse. They start walking towards Sophy’s mothers door, with Sam presenting his arm around her waist, as you can see from this, Sam likes her in a sexual way, but from Sophy’s reaction, ‘she gently removed it’ the feeling isn’t mutual. We move on to meet the Parson, Mr Twycott.

Can The Prince be Applied to the Politics of Modern Society? Essay

Niccolà ³ Machiavelli wrote The Prince in order to set forth certain guidelines the ruler of a state must follow in order to rule successfully. During Machiavelli’s time the world was filled with monarchies and other forms of government that act differently from the common democracy that is in the world today. Could a political book written in the 16th century still have value in today’s politics? In order to answer this question, this paper will take an in depth look at Barrack Obama, to determine whether he is following the guidelines Machiavelli has created. I argue that the majority of the guidelines are still followed today, thus The Prince sets forth ideas that still hold value in today’s political society. Niccolà ² di Bernadrdo de’ Machiavelli was a resident of Florence, Italy, andwas unable to participate in government due to the lack of his father’s wealth (Rebhorn, Introduction, pg.15). Little is known about Machiavelli’s youth; records of him don’t start showing up again until 1498 when he was reinstalled in the newly elected city government, which had just overthrown the Medici family. There he worked in numerous government positions until 1512 when Spain invaded Italy and the Medici family reclaimed power. They imprisoned him and he was eventually exiled outside of Florence. This is where he wrote The Prince, as a guide for Italy and Florence to have a balance of power and control. His writings are based on the current political atmosphere of his time and historical examples from other states, in order to create a certain guideline to monarchs on how they should rule (Rebhorn, Introduction, pg. 15). First Machiavelli gives the guidelines for how a new principality should be created from an existing one. In the ... ...KWTX, 27 Oct. 2008. Web. 08 May 2014. Leigh, David, James Ball, Ian Cobain, and Jason Burke. "Guantà ¡namo Leaks Lift Lid on World's Most Controversial Prison." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 25 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. Machiavelli, Niccolà ², and Wayne A. Rebhorn. The Prince and Other Writings. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print. Manuel, Dave. "US Military Spending Over the Years." DaveManuel.com. N.p., 14 June 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. McHenry, Robert. "Impeach Obama, Already?" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2008. Web. 08 May 2014. Peter, Bergen, Sterman David, Emily Schneider, and Bailey Cahall. "Do NSA's Bulk Surveillance Programs Stop Terrorists? | NewAmerica.org." Do NSA's Bulk Surveillance Programs Stop Terrorists? New America Foundation, 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

Ehrlichs Population Bomb :: essays research papers

Ehrlich's Population Bomb "People are realizing that we cannot forever continue to multiply and subdue the earth without losing our standard of life and the natural beauty that must be part of it. these are the years of decision- the decision of men to stay the flood of man." Ehrlich here explains the one of the most pressing problems facing man in the 20th century. In Population Bomb, Ehrlich explains that pollution, shortages, and an overall deterioation of the standard of living is all due to overpopulation. In chapter one Ehrlich explains the pressing problems facing modern civilization and how these problems are directly or indirectly linked to overpopulation. Ehrlich explains situation using various examples of how mass starvation is inevitable if population continues to increase the way it is currently. In third world countries their food supplies are becoming increasingly scarce because of their increasing populations. In these third world countries the rich-poor gap is increasing creating the potential for large parts of the population to starve. Paraphrasing Ehrlich's ideas in chapter can be explained as; there is only so many resources and as population increases those resources will soon be depleted. Ehrlich uses historical population research to lead to the conclusion that in 90 years the population could be well over the earths carrying capacity. In third world countries where population control is rarely used population, pollution, and scarcity are becoming ever increasing problems. Roughly 40% of the population in third world countries are children 15 years or older. Ehrlich explains that if population growth continues at this rate older generations will find themselves without adequate food and medicine. Near the end of the chapter Ehrlich explains the cause of the massive increase in population growth; as he explains that science and medicine have decreased the death rate exponentially while the birth rate has not decreased. In "Too Little Food" Ehrlich starts off with the assumption that about 50% of the people in the world are in some degree malnourished. He uses statistics from "New Republic" and the Population Crisis Committee to put the number of deaths to around four million people dying each year of starvation alone, not disease caused by starvation. Ehrlich explains that sometime around 1958 population growth exceeded the available food supply. When this happened the laws of supply and demand took over and caused massive inflation in food costs and causes marginal farm land to be put into production. All of these signs caused a period of time with severe shortages in food. In 1966 alone the world population increased by 70 million while food production remained

Bullying and Students

Preventing Bullying Ralph Washington SOC 312 Child, Family & Society Bridget Morales March 18, 2013 Bullying can be a very bad thing in our classrooms. It can hinder the development of a child and in cases cause them to harm themselves (Bojczyk, Shriner, Shriner, 2012). As a teacher it is our job to recognize the signs of bullying and create a lesson or activity to make students aware of the problem. This may not solve the problem of bullying, but if more students are aware of the problem then more can be done about it.After reading â€Å"The Bully in the Mirror† by Antonio (Pacer Center, 2012), I think that it would be nice to do a dramatic play or scene around bullying. Monday- The first day of the week we would research and get an understanding of bullying. Students must be aware of the different types of bullying and the signs of bullying. This activity should be based on what the student thinks first and then compare their answers to the research. The students’ ans wers should be posted in the classroom and then use websites such as http://www. stopbullying. com to see just how many of the answers match the research.This website tells the educator what to do as well as the students. Teachers must first make their classroom environment safe and inviting before this activity can take place (stopbullying. com, 2000). Children are more acceptable to open up if they are in a comfortable setting. When the answers are match and the class decides on the best ones to use, and then have the students write them down. This will be the base of our activity. Tuesday- We continue our lesson on bullying by reviewing from the previous day. Today we take our information from yesterday and use it to write a short poem to prevent bullying.Encourage the students that it is not important if the poem rhymes or if it is in the actual format of a poem. The meaning behind what they write is what is important. Then have the students come up and read what they have writt en and discuss it with the class. The teacher must emphasize that laughing is considered a form of bullying and no laughing will be tolerated while the poems are being read (Bojczyk, Shriner, Shriner, 2012). After the poems are read then the teacher should collect them and then randomly pass them out to the students.Using their classmates work the students are asked to take the poems home and create a scene to use in our production at the end of the week. Wednesday-The scenes should be completed and now it is time to work as a group. The class is divided up into two groups and the students should use their homework to create a short play. While this is going on the teacher must re-emphasize that laughter and picking is still a part of bullying and it will not be tolerated. The teacher needs to encourage the groups to choose parts that they think will best help the students in that group.If a student is considered more outspoken then they should play a part of a shy kid or the one th at is being bullied. Use the shy student to be the bully. Reversing roles will allow the other to feel what the child goes through on a daily basis. The students are asked to take their roles on home and practice with their parents and be ready to rehearse the next day. Thursday-Rehearsal begins today. The teacher becomes the director and helps the students with their skits. The teacher must realize that the object of this lesson is to teach the students how to recognize and prevent bullying.The best way for them to understand is to use their own language and concepts. The teacher is only there to guide them through the process. During rehearsal ask questions as to why they choose to use certain lines or sayings. Ask the class as a whole if they understand what is taking place in the skit. By the end of the day the students should have some idea on how to portray their part and they should be ready for the final performance. Friday-It is show time! The students are given one more ch ance to go over their lines before the performance begins.All week they have been working on this project and they have an understanding of bullying, but the other students in the school may not. As a final gesture to prevent bullying, the students are asked to perform for another class. The shock may be a little much for some, but it is part of the lesson. The students are asked to do this to see if they will be able to handle things outside their norm and to see if the other students are able to watch the play with being judgmental. Once again, the teacher must let the students know that laughing and picking is part of bullying.After the show is over, then the teachers should open the floor for discussions. Instead of the teacher answering the questions, allow the students that did the skit to answer the questions. The teacher should only interject when necessary. This whole lesson is to allow some change on the bullying problem. It was a creative way for a bully to see his or her ways without having to expose themselves to others. Sometimes when we can actually see our problem, then we can recognize it within ourselves. That is way Antonio used the mirror in his writings. We have to take a look at ourselves in order to see what is wrong with us.By using the skits the bully can sit back and say â€Å"hey that sounds a lot like me†. Then they are able to start to change. Now that the students have an understanding on bullying and can recognize it, they can interject when they see someone being bullied or they can help someone who has a problem with bullying. A student like Antonio needs to learn that they will have more friends and have more fun if they just fit in and not trying to be superior. Students should embrace a bully and befriend them and when they see them starting to stray, call them out on it.Let them know that they can come and discuss anything and the â€Å"buddy system† will work. Reference Bojczyk, K. E. , Shriner, B. M. , & Shr iner, M. (2012). Supporting children’s socialization: A developmental approach. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Pacers National Bullying Prevention Center: The End of Bullying Begins with you. Retrieved March 18, 2012 from http://www. pacer. org/bullying/resources/activities/toolkits/intro-to-bullying-prevention. asp Stop Bullying: What Can You Do. Retrieved March 18, 2012 from http://www. stopbullying. gov/what-you-can-do/educators/index. html

Job Hunt Based on the Education Stream

Exploratory Essay Being in college is a great opportunity to study the major everyone has always dreamed of. I am sure that not everyone that is in college at the moment knows exactly what direction to go with their specific major. By doing some research on my major I plan to gain some knowledge of what type of job opportunities my accounting major can offer me. At this moment I do not know exactly what different jobs I can pursue with my major. I am also sure that there are a several jobs that can deal with accounting that I will learn about. As I started my research on my major I came to one job title that every person with accounting experience start off with to make a way onto higher positions. This job title is called an accounting clerk. An accounting clerk usually deals with activities like preparing for basic management and ledger maintenance. One essential and basic duty they have to do is assume much responsibility to perform assigned accounting and related clerical support functions. This is where they maintain files, type a variety of reports or documents, print account payable checks and insert checks to mail daily, and prepare worksheets to the general ledger system. A second duty they maintain is resolving accounting or documentation problems by tracking and investigating these problems (Accounting Clerk 1). A third is establishing coordination with the company’s personal and effective communication. This duty deals with assisting and maintaining contact with any other departments to convey any transactions, keep the management informed about any problems or area activities, and involving themselves in any meetings (Accounting Clerk 1-2). A last duty they are responsible for is ensuring the place in which they work is maintained secure and complete any special projects assigned (Accounting Clerk 2). An accountant clerk has many responsibilities they have to take care of at all times. This Google PDF document informed me about the certain responsibilities an accountant clerk has to achieve to maintain this certain position. It showed me the great significance it can play in my life if I chose to go into this position and the things I would have to over go. For example, I can hold the responsibility of maintaining and over looking documents for a company or even finding any issues with any of the documents. It also informed me that becoming an accounting clerk can be a great first step to start off with, so that sooner or later I would be able to pursue bigger and greater things. Starting with this job title could better prepare me for any future positions I would like to get into. Being an accounting clerk sure is one good job title that I would keep in mind, but there are also a couple more that have caught my interest. A second job title that can be a possibility for me to look into that can as well deal with a great amount of responsibilities is bookkeeping. Bookkeepers are responsible for taking many records of the transactions for a company’s business. They must also be able to maintain the records within a certain computer program or given ledger. The type of records bookkeepers need to maintain can include those which calculate accounts payable and receivable, expenditures, receipts, and profit and loss (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Bookkeepers have a lot of tasks they have to do so having a wide range of skills will be the only way they would be able to handle this type of job. A bookkeeper may choose to work for a small business or a large company. Either job they choose to work for requires some sort of the same tasks, but if they liked to work for a large company they would have to have much more experience with the task bookkeepers encounter (Bureau of Labor Statistics). If they do not have the great amount of experience than working for a large business would not be a good fit for them and working for a small business would be a much more comfortable start for them. This bookkeeping job deals with a lot double tasking skills that can be complicated to master. The Bureau of Labor Statistics website has gained me a little knowledge about bookkeeping and what it consist of. From this website I took an understanding that a bookkeeper needs to feel comfortable working with a computer at all times because it is one main source they work with. They also have many responsibilities to take into account and in order to accomplish them they have to have the right amount of experience to be successful in this job. Knowing that they work a lot with computers was one main thing that I like about this job. To calculate, put in records and type out data has caught a little of my interest because having experience with computers is something I can perform well with. A last job title that I looked into that caught my attention was a tax specialist. A tax specialist is the person who fills out tax return forms for many clients. Their ultimate goal is to reduce their client’s tax debt by including any possible deductions. They have to conduct many interviews with each client in order to get important personal and financial information. Their duty does not only limit to reporting on tax returns, but they could also have the responsibility of informing their company of any expenditure that has any association with the business transactions (Solis). Tax specialist can also have the option to work year round or only during the season of taxes. To work year round they would have to be working with a business and to work during the season they can do it to earn themselves extra money.

Marie Antoinette: History as a problem in film

When one thinks of the Coppola, one inevitably thinks of the great Francis Ford, whose striking Godfather movies have set the bar for dramatic storytelling and cinematography for generations of filmmakers to come.   However, recently, the younger Coppola, Sofia, has taken over the moviemaking role, and has sought to reinvent the historical story of Marie Antoinette, the infamous French queen beheaded at the start of the French Revolution.   However, for those expecting a serious, dour, and historically play by play rendering of the tragic (some say scandalous) life of the queen, they are in for somewhat of a surprise.Indeed, the intentionally contemporary, visually stunning twist on the well-known tale is jarring in its departures from traditional historical thought.   So, too the visual liberties do much to literally force the audience to see the young queen from a different perspective.   The problem is, however, although Coppola can assert that her attempt is an artistic o ne, it is also one of manipulation.That is because in the end, the audience is fully aware of the juxtaposition of their new, interpretation of Antoinette as delivered by the film, with the overwhelming force of historical fact (in as much as we are aware).   This departure from reality eventually leaves the audience feeling a bit cheated, as if the visual, auditory, and even literary ministrations of Coppola on the story have been nothing but a cheap trick—a meandering of whimsy intentionally downplaying the legitimate tragedy of Antoinette’s death and the serious principles behind the French Revolution.To be sure, Coppola’s Marie Antoinette is beautiful.   Released in 2006, the film is set and filmed in Versailles.   The audience meets the young queen as a new bride, delivered from her native Austria to the bosom of the French court.   From the beginning, Antoinette is presented as gentle, almost simple, and kind hearted—concerned with leaving h er family and her beloved pet dog behind to start a new life of duty and service at the behest of her family.Almost as striking as the gentleness of the queen, the visual imagery of the film is without par.   The colors are as vibrant as any 50’s Technicolor dream, and the screen is consistently resplendent with bright pinks, blues and pastel wonders beyond imagination.   This is particularly true of the costuming, which is rendered in striking richness both in color and texture—helping to evoke the extravagant luxury of the French Court and the life of the queen.In addition to the visually descriptive nature of the film, Antoinette’s relationship with her husband is portrayed as amazingly genteel, with her displaying endless patience for her husband’s quirky ways and obvious lack of sexual prowess.   Further, her important role as a mother and bearer of heirs is portrayed convincingly, with visual (only) mention of the death of one of her children in infancy.However, apart from this reflection of historical trivia, the film does little to delve deeply into any of the issues of the time, or of Antoinette’s life.   Further, even the casting of American’s Kirsten Dunst and Jason Shwartzman seems to function as a way to move the film away from historical accuracy, if only in the audience’s mind.   This is particularly true when one hears the somewhat jarring sound of Dunst’s and Shwartzman’s flat American accents against the stylized French-accented comments of the Mistress of the Court.Although one could say that Coppola’s portrayal of Antoinette in such a candy-pink, innocent and accommodating fashion (perhaps more devoid of malice due to her â€Å"straight forward† and simple American twang) could be authentic in that some of it describes the queen’s relative youth and innocence as she entered the court.  Ã‚   However, this does not progress to increased complexity, and the audience does not see her increased politicialization that by all historical accounts marks the last years of her life.Indeed, as historians point out, Marie Antoinette was political, some say a bit of an activist, determined to resist the changes brewing in the midst of the growing revolutionary fervor in the country.   In fact, the movie seems to curiously, if perhaps, intentionally stay away from any true politicalization, â€Å"ugliness,† unrest or upheaval.   Apart from one or two references to the â€Å"people† being hungry and their not being enough bread, one simply does not see the common people or their plight at all.â€Å"What revolution?,†the audience may wonder (perhaps more so amongst today’s less educated tween moviegoers).   Indeed, as the film closes, we are left with nary a glimpse in to the tragic fate of the queen.   Further, one would not imagine too horrible a fate, after all, according to Coppola’s portrayal, Antoinette would never have been so callous as to have said, â€Å"Let them eat cake!†Ã‚   Certainly she was too good for that!   After all, didn’t she give up getting new diamonds so that the people may eat?In addition to the creative storytelling that Coppola entertains throughout the film, the music, itself sets the soundtrack as a kind of point-making device to further help the audience to identify with the kind queen.   Strains of largely upbeat popular music (Bow Wow, Cindy Lauper) make everything seem more innocent, and heck, can’t the audience see they are â€Å"just like us,† not so foreign, not so historic!Yes, it could have been any wealthy American or European girl in her shoes.   One can even see Paris Hilton in Versailles.   Under this treatment, Antoinette seems less distant, complex, serious, and significant in history.   Indeed, all of the messages gleaned from her experiences and narrative seem to melt away to the tune.   Ye s, some classical music is incorporated into the film, but only after the jarring point of the modern has been thoroughly made.Although the cinematic techniques utilized by Coppola definitely lead the audience to reinterpret history, several of the references to historical fact are accurate.   After all, the French did help the young America against Great Britain, and they did deplete sizable financial stores from France (exacerbating the plight of the poor) (Brinton, 1963).   However, by the time these historical points are made in the film, the other visual, dialogue, and tonal points have been made. Historical errors and downright tragedies of perception seem insignificant, just another point of verbal backdrop rather than pivotal junction.In addition to the twisting of the audience’s perception of Antoinette as a function of tone (visual, dialogue, etc), Coppola also departs from historical fact to presumably make the movie â€Å"more interesting† to its audien ce—who are perhaps used to a â€Å"Dangerous Liaisons† kind of film.   Indeed, in departing from established historical fact and blithely embracing a supposed extramarital affair between Antoinette and the Count von Ferson, Coppila goes out of her way to add to history, simply for the entertainment value.Although one cannot defiantly prove that such an affair did not occur in reality, historical sources do not indicate that it did.   This is hardly a trivial point in that it further contemporizes Antoinette, implying that such matters were commonplace (as they are today), and carried little consequences.   The historical and religious reality of Antoinette’s times were all to different, with serious consequences for both royal and common wives who strayed from the marriage bed. Of course none of these issues are dealt with and the whole â€Å"affair† is portrayed as just one more pleasant visual interlude among many, without meaning or serious inter pretation.Given all this, if one were to accept that Coppola did in fact deliberately attempt to use cinematic devices and storytelling in order to create a new version of the story, is this problematic?   If such a film were simple entertainment the answer would be no.   However, the difficulty that comes along with dealing with a historical subject is that there is some expectation from the audience that an attempt toward accuracy be made.   Yes, costumes in the Antoinette court were probably very pretty.The queen might have been innocent, kind, sweet even.   Perhaps she never did say â€Å"let them eat cake.†Ã‚   Such an assertion would not be new (1963).   However, using technique to reframe the events of the movie, be it through music, cinematography or dialogue creates either a problem with history itself—in essence changing it for the audience if they are impressionable, or though creating frustration or even anger in those who know better—and p erhaps feel more than a bit cheated that the association of the character with the defining event of her times (the Revolution) was all but overlooked in film.Although Coppola, herself has stated that it was not her intention to deal with politics or the political reality of her subject (Dudec, 2006), she does—if by omission.   In fact, her infamous statement, â€Å"Marie Antoinette was not interested in politics, so why should I be?† (2006) is problematic on many levels.   First, in its erroneous assumption that Antoinette was not interested in politics, she indicates a real unfamiliarity with her protagonist which is troubling.   Second, by â€Å"not being interested in politics,† one has to wonder at the appropriateness of Coppola dealing with the subject matter at all.   Can one imagine, for instance, Frances Ford Coppola asserting, â€Å"I am not interested in organized crime.†?Coppola’s troubling attitude and treatment of the subject matter was so striking when the movie was screened in Cannes that the audience actually booed the film.   This may be in part due to the fact that Coppila did not take her information from respected historical sources.   Instead, she almost exclusively drew from Antonia Fraser’s contemporary biography, which itself is rife with similar flaws and omissions to the movie.In the end, the audience is never privy to the â€Å"meat† of the Antoinette story—a story that the young female audience members that Coppila obviously targets could only learn from.   For example, she never showcases her strength, intelligence, or real power.   She does not take time to fully draw the immense political opinion and pressures against her as a â€Å"foreign queen,† nor does she deal with the complex nature of her death, the differences between rumor and political reality.Of course, this is not to say that the film does not have its fans.   In fact, even among French audiences some appreciated the way in which Marie Antoinette was played outside of the norm.   Although some might argue that some French critics may be pleased that a large Hollywood producer would deal with the subject at all, one can assume that some found genuine satisfaction in the portrayal—puzzling or no.Thus, the problems with the film hinge directly on the historical material.   Given any other non-historical subject matter, the same story might be just fine.   An afternoon of entertainment and â€Å"lavish visual effects.†Ã‚   However, by choosing a historical subject—and an emotional one at that, Coppila evokes much more than she may intend.   Further, the reactions of audiences must be interpreted in the context of the subject matter, not simply on the basis of film quality, direction, art or sensibility.Audiences either like the film or hate it—and each opinion carries with it serious implications.   After all, if one likes the fil m what does that say about one’s view or knowledge of history?   Has the â€Å"magic† of film influenced that opinion, and by continuation, one’s historical view?   Conversely, should one hate the film, would that person lack the ability to appreciate the â€Å"beauty† of the visual art in the film?   Or, instead, does one’s consciousness of the subject matter as history prohibit any such appreciation?In the end, Coppola’s decision to use history as her muse may be the downfall of the film.   This because history demands a certain treatment in order to be molded into entertainment.   One cannot mould entertainment into history—it simply smacks of hollowness and superficiality—two of the most common criticisms of the film.Worse, one can see that (as in the case with this film), even in the presence of some truly spectacular cinematography and visual beauty—not to mention some pretty significant financial investm ents, it is not enough to overcome the historical liberties taken with the film.   It is as if her subject matter has become her stumbling block.   To be sure, one can assert that the film is great in part.   However, in part is not enough for true greatness.   No, Marie Antoinette will be no Lawrence of Arabia, enjoyed for generations to come—and isn’t that the true test of a film’s merit?Works CitedBrinton, Crane. A Decade of Revolution 1789-1799. Harper and Row, 1963. Dudec, A.   Cannes reality check. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25, May 2006.   Retrieved on April 23, 2007, from, http://findarticles.com/?noadc=1

Barriers to Effective Communication Essay

Most important amongst the ever-recurring and constant troubles in the field of police administration is that concerned with creating and sustaining a successful method of communication. Communication is the most important medium for concerning agreement between all the personnel of a department as to the police goals. It is the foundation for a regular and ongoing understanding of problems and accomplishments practiced on a continuing basis to reach their final objectives. The process of successful communications in a department starts with the leadership establishing clear guidelines how its personnel should interact with each other, whether it is by memo, emails, forms, daily briefings or training. Leadership in any organization must identify and mandate the objectives of the organization. Pfiffner (1951) stated â€Å"In all management situations, communication consists of organizational relationships and mechanics on the one hand, and the human factor on the other, in actuality both existing together. † Communication is the method of transmitting cues, mostly written and oral, in order to adjust human behavior. The communication process works in three steps, initiate, transmit, and impact. In a police department, initiate and transmit could be where the desk sergeant, issues the daily tasking that he receives from his leadership to his patrol officers beginning a shift. Impact takes place when the officers going out on patrol implement the tasking given and could be discussing the tasking amongst each other as well to gain feedback. Hearing is a passive occurrence that requires no effort. Listening, on the other hand, is a conscious choice that demands your attention and concentration† (Livestrong, 2001). The differences between hearing and listening is that when someone is speaking and you are hearing when you just hear the words coming out, not really paying attention to all of what is said. When listening, you are collecting thought on what is being said, but if you think you already know what the person is talking about, a person could just disregard the words that were just passed. There are generally four basic levels of hearing and listening, according to Toast Masters. org. You can easily fall into one or these more categories in different conversations. A non-listener is totally preoccupied with his personal thoughts and though he hears words, he doesn’t listen to what is being said. Passive listeners hear the words but don’t fully absorb or understand them. Listeners pay attention to the speaker, but grasp only some of the intended message. Active listeners are completely focused on the speaker and understand the meaning of the words without distortion† (Livestrong, 2011). Communications are vital in law enforcement. Police personnel have to comprehend the importance of tone of voice, pitch, and variation, the variances of hearing and listening. Facial expressions, body movements and posture are also significant for effective communications. Cultural and ethnic dynamics are essential factors of a police officer’s communication skills. The formal and informal channels of communication in criminal justice organizations are two distinct processes. Formal relations, occupation explanations, duties and processes are found in formal communication channels. These channels match the formal chains of command, and accountability recognized in organizational charts, standard operating procedures, and policy manuals. For many police departments and organizations, formal communication channels are the primary standard and rarely differentiate. Informal channels are considered a â€Å"grapevine or rumor mill† type construct. Police officers discussing an incident in the locker room can be considered informal, and if the district attorney and a defense lawyer are chatting about a case at lunch or a washroom are prime examples for informal channels of communications. In an informal channel of communication, the original words that were spoken could be altered, invalid, and misconstrued so much in a department, that the information can provide inefficiency in any organization. â€Å"Barriers to communication often arise when one party is concerned about personal or professional status. The four basic categories, or types, of obstacles to effective communication are as follows: (1) emotional barriers, (2) physical barriers, (3) semantic barriers, and (4) ineffective listening. Each of these barriers can cause either the sender or the receiver to fail to communicate effectively† (Wallace and Roberson, 2009). Emotional barriers can exist in the receiver or the sender. Individuals base their translating of information on respective occurrences and beliefs. If a person believes they will be not taken seriously or made fun of when making a idea, then they will not participate in discussions or send their message. When a police officer has a case of low esteem, it could affect their duties on the street, believing that they might not be able to make a difference, stop certain criminals, and that barrier can cost the lives of innocent people or even peers. Physical barriers are the properties of an atmosphere that can cause communications to be challenging. Examples of physical barriers include equipment that does not work properly, having one officer on patrol instead of a team of two officers patrolling together in a bad neighborhood. Semantic barriers can cause differences between individuals, when one person might say one thing, and another forms an entirely different conclusion to that was said. This form of barrier can exist in a department where communication is very poor from the leadership down to the most junior personnel. Ineffective listening will occur if law enforcement personnel fail to pay attention to what others are communicating. The subject of discussion might bore or be irrelevant to certain persons, or just be to complicate to comprehend, and that transmission will be useless. Effective communication is fundamental in any chain of command. Leadership must be able to communicate its orders and direction to subordinates in a clear, concise manner, and with a positive message, so subordinate’s can perform to the best of their ability and listen to the message that is spoken, instead of just hearing what they want to hear. For an organization to communicate effectively, a person must be able to overcome the barriers that exist, and change one’s thoughts or feelings with another coworker. Taking personal responsibility ensures their workplace operates smoothly, and can rid the barriers that may plaque the organization.