Are We Illiterate Essay -- Essays Papers

Are We Illiterate Literacy throughout history has been defined and redefined nearly as rapidly as new generations emerge. As we tread into the twenty first century, our generation moves to redefine literacy once again. However, unlike generations past, we are taking literacy and rapidly spanning it over new mediums that had been, until recently, unavailable. Advances in technology within the past twenty years have been so immense that the human race has literally packed up centuries of research, data, history and other information and moved it into the digital world, spawning a new necessity to have a general working knowledge of computing technologies. Mainstream society as a whole has concluded and accepted that in the twenty first century use of computers and application software will dictate most aspects of everyday life, therefore all but requiring the citizen of the new millennium to be literate in at least the most basic of computing technologies. In it’s earliest forms literacy was purely the processes of interpreting symbols or hieroglyphics. Many ancient writings have been recovered and interpreted, undisputedly proving that literacy has, in some form, always existed. As time passed new forms of language and literature surfaced and literacy became known as â€Å"the ability to read and write.†1 Or, more specifically, one’s ability to convey one’s thoughts onto a medium understood by others. At first these mediums took the form of nearly anything: mankind has used anything from rocks to canvas. Eventually, with inventions such as the printing press, the mediums used by people became standardized and the definition of literacy was in no need of revision. With the onslaught of technology brought on by the twentieth century, society began to accept new mediums over which to express themselves. Multimedia, the use of several different forms of media, has been becoming commonplace in everyday life since the advent of the internet, a world-wide conglomeration of computers networked together via telephone lines, optical wires, and satellite connections (among other forms of digital communication). Content of seemingly boundless quantities is available in nearly every household in the US thanks to the so-called â€Å"Information Super Highway.† To capitalize on such a useful resource requires that people of all ages be able to knowingly operate the appli... ...be â€Å"productive† to be literate, as a person who understands the use of an application used for browsing the internet may also be literate while remaining completely unproductive. Furthermore, if one was to separate, in a fittingly binary manor, the computer literate from the illiterate, who is to say which group is better off? Obviously being computer literate in the early twenty first century is not completely necessary, however, if ratios of computer literate to illiterate increase at so much as half the rate they have in the past twenty years it will not take long before society has firmly and implicitly declared that being computer literate is a necessity of everyday life. Will we ever see a time when those who are computer illiterate will be looked upon by the literate as ignorant, just as those who can not read are looked upon today? Perhaps it will be a generation not far in the future that decides that â€Å"literate† is ready to be redefined. Bibliography: Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary, (c)1978 Houghton Mifflin Co. Ask.com, (c) 1995-2000 CNET Networks, Inc. College of Education, University of Houston: http://www.coe.uh.edu/insite/elec_pub/html1995/092.htm

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management

Running head: EFFECTIVE APPROACHES IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Marissa Krick Grand Canyon University: NRS-415V November 18, 2012 Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Many healthcare organizations worldwide are striving to achieve magnet designation. Having the magnet title is essential because it recognizes healthcare organizations that act as a â€Å"magnet† for excellence by establishing a work environment that identifies, rewards, and promotes professional nursing (ANCC Magnet Designation, 2012).A magnet hospital is considered to be one where nursing provides excellent patient care, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff nurse turnover rate. This paper will discuss how nursing leaders and managers obtain magnet designation. Nursing leaders and managers play an important role in attaining magnet designation and take different approaches in order to achieve such status. Obtaining magnet status is essential and highly recognized in the nursing practice today.Nurses play a vital role in patients’ and families’ overall experience and are the primary source of care and support during the most vulnerable times in an individuals’ life. At magnet hospitals, nurses are attentive and knowledgeable, spending more time at patients' bedsides providing compassionate and upmost quality of care. Managers are constantly striving to maintain quality service and patient care through the use of patient surveys in order to plan short and long term objectives in order to take appropriate actions.With the use of patient surveys, managers are able to inform their staff on areas for improvement or where to keep up the good work. Managers provide direction and motivation to their nursing unit in order to carry out desired actions and are focused on making sure that their staff are following the correct policies and procedures in order to maintain a sa fe workplace. Leadership in nursing maintains proper policies and procedures, but the main focus is on influencing staff to accomplish goals. Feature article about  Production ManagementNurse leaders inspire others to work together in quest of a shared goal, for instance, improved patient care. The nurse leader is a critical thinker, sets goals, uses effective communication, and recognizes the emotional needs of others (Roskoski, 2012). Nurse leaders carry out any changes that are to be made that have been implemented by management. Scottsdale Healthcare is an organization of magnet status and is continuously striving to find ways in which to improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.As of October 2011, Scottsdale Healthcare implemented bedside report in order increase patient satisfaction providing the patient and family knowledge in regards to their condition and plan of care in order to set goals for the patients recovery and gives them the ability to ask questions. Prior to bedside report taking effect, management gathered all employees from the unit going over what is to be expected and how bedside report was not only taking effect on our unit alone, but hospital wide.Nursing leaders knew that they had a situation at hand due to the fact that nursing staff was so comfortable in giving report at the nurses station and did not want to wake the patient or deal with a family member, but they remained positive and encouraged staff that this would dramatically change our satisfaction scores. In maintaining patient satisfaction scores, the hospital would qualify for reimbursement from Medicare. The nurse leaders were the one’s who made the transition a smooth process, as the managers just informed staff how things were going to be.The nurse leaders give others the ability to understand the vision, informing those of why they are being asked to do things, and how it relates to the bigger picture (The difference between leadership and management, 2012). In order to maintain magnet status, managers and nurse leaders must work together in order to meet the necessary requirements. With imple menting bedside report, not only have patient satisfaction scores increased, the rapport between patient and nurse and quality of care has increased as well.Organizations such as Scottsdale Healthcare are recognized for treating their employees with respect and encourage educational growth in offering tuition reimbursement. With upholding magnet status, organizations are able to keep their employees when given the ability to offer such programs. This writer has been an employee at Scottsdale Healthcare for five years now and has seen many changes take effect on the unit implemented by the nurse manager striving to increase patient satisfaction. Changes that have occurred on the unit consist of edside reporting, hourly rounding, and updated white boards for patient information, just to name a few. Within the past couple of months, patient satisfaction scores have decreased and management is not happy. The nurse managers have informed staff that if hourly rounding, bedside reporting, and updating white boards are not being completed employees will be reprimanded. The nurse managers have been going into patient rooms asking the patients if their nurse has been performing the tasks as listed above, and take it upon themselves to tell the patient that if these tasks are not being performed, then the nurse could possibly be terminated.With all the negative feedback from the managers, nurses are becoming burned out. The nurse managers want to see an increase in outcomes, but drive to do so is lacking from constant negative feedback. At the last staff meeting, we were informed that if patient outcomes did not increase, then we need to start looking for employment because there are other individuals out there that would love to have our position. On the other hand, the nurse leaders acknowledge the irritation of decreased satisfaction scores, but go above and beyond to build up morale for a positive change.Those who take the time to listen to others and incorporate way s to improve issues on the unit are considered as participatory leaders. This leadership style includes the leader and one or more employees in the decision making process (Leadership Styles, 2010). As a team, the nurse leader and employees will be able to come up with a plan on ways to improve patient satisfaction, with the nurse leader having the final say. All in all, managers and nurse leaders ultimately have the same goal; it is just the difference in approaches and how one handles stress.A nurse leader wants to provide assistance in any way possible, they are creative and remain positive, whereas, nurse managers will stay completely focused on improving situations and are more controlling not providing any assistance. This writer believes that she is a better leader than manager. Participatory leadership is this writers way of dealing with situations at hand. Effective communication and taking into consideration the feelings of others along with providing a helping hand whenev er in need is of upmost importance to this writer.A way that patient satisfaction scores could increase on the unit that this writer works on is if the managers took a different approach in how they speak to their staff creating a different vibe on the floor rather than biting your tongue every time you see their face. However, it is very possible that due to the clientele we provide care to, a lot of them suffer addiction problems and often times request more medications than what we are able to give. These unhappy patients are more than likely the ones who return the patient satisfaction surveys, therefore, resulting in poor satisfaction scores.Leadership and management play an important role in the nursing process, but their focus is different depending on the situation. Nurse managers and leaders strive for doing the right thing and doing things right. With the dramatic and rapid changes in healthcare today, possessing critical thinking, active listening, and coping skills are e ssential in the nursing workforce. Together, leaders and managers need to imagine the future and lead the way to a productive and well-organized unit with satisfied employees in order to maintain magnet status. References ANCC Magnet Designation. (2012). Meridian Health.Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. meridianhealth. com/MH/ForHealthProfessionals/NursingAtMeridian/ANCCMagnetDesignation. cfm Leadership Styles. (2010). Big Dog and Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadstl. html Roskoski, J. (2012). What Is Nursing Leadership?. eHow. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. ehow. com/about_6579387_nursing-leadership_. html The difference between leadership and management. (2012). Strategies for Nurse Managers. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. strategiesfornursemanagers. com/ce_detail/208037. cfm

Careers for a Communications Major

Youve probably heard that being a communications major means a lot of job opportunities will be available for you after graduation. But what exactly are those opportunities? What are some of the best communications major jobs?   In contrast to, say, having a degree in molecular bioengineering, having a degree in communications allows you to take a variety of positions in a variety of fields. Your problem as a communications major, then, is not necessarily what to do with your degree but what industry youd like to work in. Communications Degree Jobs Do public relations (PR) for a large company. Working in the PR office of a large regional, national, or even international company can be an exciting experience simply because of the size of the PR team -- and the messaging.Do PR for a small company. A huge  company not your thing? Focus a little closer to home and see if any local, small companies are hiring in their PR departments. Youll get more experience in more areas while helping a smaller company grow.Do PR for a nonprofit. Nonprofits focus on their missions -- the environment, helping kids, etc. -- but they also need help running the business side of things. Doing PR for a nonprofit can be an interesting job youll always feel good about at the end of the day.Do marketing for a company with interests that parallel your own. PR not quite your thing? Consider using your communications major in a marketing position at a place that has a mission and/or values you are also interested in. If you love acting, for example, conside r working at a theater; if you love photography, consider doing marketing for a photography company.Apply for a social media position. Social media is new to lots of folks -- but many college students are very familiar with it. Use your age to your advantage and work as a social media expert for a company of your choosing.Write content for an online company/website. Communicating online requires a very specific skill set. If you think you have what it takes, consider applying for a writing/marketing/PR position for an online company or website.Work in the government. Uncle Sam can offer an interesting gig with reasonable pay and good benefits. See how you can put your communications major to use while helping your country.Work in fundraising. If youre good at communicating, consider going into fundraising. You can meet lots of interesting folks while doing important work in a challenging job.Work at a college or university. Colleges and universities require a lot of communication jo bs: admissions materials, community relations, marketing, PR. Find a place you think youd like to work -- possibly even your alma mater -- and see where you can help out.Work at a hospital. People receiving care in a hospital are often going through a difficult time. Helping to make sure that the hospitals communication plans, materials, and strategies are as clear and effective as possible is noble and rewarding work.Try going freelance. If you have a bit of experience and a good network to rely on, try going freelance. You can do a variety of interesting projects while being your own boss.Work at a start-up. Start-ups can be a fun place to work because everything is starting from scratch. Consequently, working there will provide you with a great opportunity to learn and grow with a new company.Work as a journalist at a paper or magazine. True, a traditional print press is going through a rough period. But there can still be some interesting jobs out there where you can put your co mmunications skills and training to use.Work on the radio. Working for a radio station -- either a music-based local station or something different, like National Public Radio -- can be a unique job that youll end up addicted to for life.Work for a sports team. Love sports? Consider working for a local sports team or stadium. Youll get to learn the ins-and-outs of a cool organization while helping with their communications needs.Work for a crisis PR company. Nobody needs good PR help like a company (or person) in crisis. While working for this kind of company can be a bit stressful, it can also be an exciting job where you learn something new every day.

A Comparison of the Dream in Death of a Salesman, Ellis...

The Dream in Death of a Salesman, Ellis Island, and America and I The American dream is as varied as the people who populate America. The play The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the poem Ellis Island by Joseph Bruchac, and the poem America and I by Anzia Yezierska illustrate different perspectives of the American dream. All three authors show some lines of thought on what the freedom inherent in the American dream means. The authors clarify distinct ideas on the means to achieving the American dream. The authors also elucidate some different goals striven for in the dream for a better life. Diverse ideas on how freedom plays into the American dream, what actions are needed to achieve the American dream,†¦show more content†¦14-15). Besides the freedom of opportunity, the freedom of self-determination, the ability to decide your own fate, is shown to be inherent in the American dream. In The Death of a Salesman Biff determines his own destiny and thereby achieves the American dream. Rather than becoming a salesman as his f ather had hoped, Biff decided to work with his hands-the lifestyle which he new he could enjoy. The poem Ellis Island said that the American dream is not achieved with the self-determination of Americans, but rather, it is achieved by the theft of self-determination from Native Americans. The line, When the earth became owned, tells the reader that Americans only enjoy success because they took America, the land of success, from its original residents, the Native Americans (Bruchac l. 22). The poem America and I mentions the freedom gained once people are liberated from constant hunger. It says, For the first time in America, Id cease to be a slave of the belly. Id be a creator, a giver, a human being (Yezierska l. 16-17). When freed from the constant need to find food, men can put their efforts towards achieving their dreams. In addition to showing the relations of freedom to the American dream, the authors gave ideas on how the American dream is achieved. The authors showed two factors in successfully realizing the American dream: its method and its requirements. The theories onShow MoreRelatedMonsanto: Better Living Through Genetic Engineering96204 Words   |  385 Pagesanalysis I N T R O D U C T I O N Preparing an effective case analysis: The full story Hearing with the aid of implanted technology: The case of Cochlearâ„ ¢ – an Australian C A S E O N E high-technology leader Delta Faucet: Global entrepreneurship in an emerging market C A S E T W O DaimlerChrysler: Corporate governance dynamics in a global company C A S E T H R E E Gunns and the greens: Governance issues in Tasmania C A S E F O U R Succeeding in the Sydney indie music industry C A S E F I V E NucorRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagesour Web site at www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Kerzner, Harold. Project management : case studies I Harold Kerzner. -- 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographi cal references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-471-75167-0 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 0-471-75167-7 (pbk.) 1. Project management-Case studies. I. Title. Printed in the United States of America Contents Preface xi 1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES 1 Lakes Automotive 3 Fems Healthcare, Inc. Clark FaucetRead MoreMarketing Management 14th Edition Test Bank Kotler Test Bank173911 Words   |  696 Pagestrains his companys sales force to go after the consumer. He repeatedly asks his team to bear in mind the essential fact that it is the sales teams responsibility to rouse the consumers interest and make him feel that he needs the product. A true salesman is one who can convert an indifferent consumer walking into the store into a new customer. Johnson believes in the ________ concept. A) product B) production C) selling D) marketing E) social responsibility Answer: C Page Ref: 18 Objective:

Polynesian Beauty The Traditions Of The Tattoo Essay

Polynesian Beauty: The Traditions of the Tattoo The Hawaiian culture have done things to their bodies that they consider strong in culture, beliefs and are remarkable to the wearer of the design, just to acquire what beauty is. There are different techniques, meanings, and tools of the Hawaiian style of tattooing. Which would consist of the person’s cultural expressions, their beauty, and their identity. In this specific culture, there are rules saying what men and women can and cannot ink onto their bodies. The Hawaiian culture have standards when it comes to a person’s body. The right side of the body is for the men, which is called KÃ… «, the left side of the body is for the women, which is called Hina. They represent the masculinity and the femininity in ourselves to balance and/or even out our souls. The men wear tattoo designs on half of their face, inner and/or outer lining of the arm or leg, the backs of the hands, and the front of the body. Just like the men, t he women wear tattoo designs on the inner and/or outer leg (specifically the upper thigh area), the wrists, and the back of the hands, the fingers, the arms, the neck, the ankles, and the chest. The priest is the only abled body to actually practice these tattoos, rituals which consist of ceremonies and chants. But present day techniques are usually done by expert The kuÊ »au is a term for mallet, which is used with force to puncture the surface of the skin with the traditional needle and ink. The HawaiianShow MoreRelatedA Form of Expression in Tattooing1275 Words   |  5 Pagesstatus, and culture. The purpose of a tattoo and its meaning varies from each culture and the time at which an individual gets a tattoo also varies within each culture. Some tattoos are perceived as a sign of beauty while others can be perceived as a distinction between statuses. The importance and meaning of the tattoo is relevant to the culture itself. 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Maori people and Treaty of Waitangi – Maori are the native people of New Zealand. There are many theories and stories about their arrival in New Zealand, but mostly it is believe that Maori people arrive in New Zealand from different Polynesian countries during different times in between 1200 to 1300 AD. Maori Name of New Zealand is Aotearoa. During time period of 1800s British people came to New Zealand and conquer it. Things started getting changed after the Treaty of Waitangi. ThisRead MoreBeauty Ideals Around the World3206 Words   |  13 PagesBeauty Ideals around the World When talking about beauty one must keep an open mind. What one finds true beauty someone else might find outrageous, weird or even ugly. There is no such thing as ultimate true beauty because you can not compare beauty. We do not live all following the same standards or principles; we do not have the same ideals. We are different, so is beauty. In Asia for example the standards for beauty differ from country to country, from culture to culture. In the Far East, inRead MoreMy Visit to the American Museum of Natural History Essay3048 Words   |  13 Pagesdescription of each, which I thought was useful and very informative, especially to visitors with no previous knowledge of these cultures. The pictures showed how old and new coexist; western clothing with traditional clothing; Papua New Guinea’s tradition of painting the body black to dress for spirit ceremony. Pictures in the intro to the Hall also showed an Aborigine man in traditional clothing in modern convenient store with another man in background wearing western clothing. Once inside the

Sunflower Incorporated Analysis free essay sample

Focused in the independent retail market throughout the United States and Canada, Sunflower Incorporated is a popular distributor of salty snacks and liquor. In an attempt to limit variations in profit margins across regions and to protect their company image after finding that certain profitable divisions were using lower-quality products to maximize profit levels, headquarters established a new financial reporting system aimed to standardize pricing and purchasing policy within the organization. . How well did Albanese manage the pricing and purchasing changes at Sunflower? Agnes Albanese, the newly appointed Director of pricing and purchasing may have been a bit hasty in her management approach and failed to follow through with her planned change. Without a comprehensive understanding of company structure and culture, she suggested a solution after a mere three weeks. After a mere three weeks, she suggested a solution but did not (25) Managers and staff specialists must work with and through people to achieve organizational objectives, and OD can help them form effective relationships with others. We will write a custom essay sample on Sunflower Incorporated Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Planned change involves four sets of activities – entering and contracting, diagnosing, planning and implementing, and evaluating and institutionalizing 2a. Were the changes implemented successfully? Albanese approach may be typical for many organizations but unfortunately it doesnt return anticipated results for numerous reasons. Organizational development theory tells us that change, in order to be effective, must be led and managed. Albanese only provided a quick solution to what she regarded as a simple problem while making no efforts to establish a change plan that would have included such elements as providing the leadership and vision to promote the change, cultural assessment to align behavioral norms, communication and stakeholder management, performance management, training and development, and the impact of the change on the organizational structure. This paper takes a close look at each of Albanese actions and how the fail to address the activities suggested by OD literature. 2b. What might be happening in the regions? 2c. How might you find out? 3. What might Albanese have done differently? 4. What should she (Albanese) do now, given the non-result of her first effort? (That is, given the fact she has missed an opportunity, what would she do to specifically regain an effective working relationship with the field? )

Symbolism in Hedda Gabler Essay Example For Students

Symbolism in Hedda Gabler Essay The mid-nineteenth century realist playwright Alexandre Dumas wrote the following about his drama. IfI can exercise some influence over society; if, instead of treating effects I can treat causes; if, for example, while I satirize and describe and dramatize adultery, I can find means to force people to discuss the problem, and the law-maker to revise the law, I shall have done more than my part as a poet, I shall have done my duty as a man.We need invent nothing; we have only to observe, remember, feel, coordinate, restore.As for basis, the real; as for facts, what is possible; for means, what is ingenious; that is all that can rightfully be asked of us. Along with the realist dramatists of his time, Dumas wrote his plays with a noble mission: to ignite social change and to raise social awareness of a problem or issue through realistic dramatization of his environment. Like Dumas, Henrik Ibsen concerned himself with problems of human behavior and morality in society. And like his pre decessors, Ibsen used naturalistic writing to exhibit human beings as they really are and as they really behave in the culture of his time. But the reasons why Ibsen was more effective and successful at Dumas objective that was Dumas himself was because he abandoned happy and acceptable resolutions to his plays, confronted human behavior with honesty and acute observation, often raising disturbing and embarrassing questions, and left out the didactic solutions to the problems in question in favor of offering no solution, leaving his questions open to thought and interpretation. Ibsen saw his wild success as a playwright well before he died, and it was in great part due to his rejection of realist proponents like the emphasis of mainly external detail and his uproar-causing and shocking resolutions to his plays. But in addition and I think more importantly, Ibsens triumph was because of his reach ahead of his time and his inclusion of symbolist elements in his drama. While at the bas e a naturalist play, the symbols and images in Hedda Gabler bring immeasurable weight and power his naturalistic depiction of a woman constricted by her society and, whether because of this constriction or simply because of her inherent nature, intent on similarly sucking the life out of other individuals. Ibsen did not strive to write a symbolist play. Naturalist drama is much better suited for social change than is symbolist drama. But the blending of a naturalistic portrait of a womans dilemma and symbolic language, images and characterization makes for a particularly powerful, provoking piece of theatre that packs a bigger visceral punch than either a purely realistic play or a purely symbolic one. We will write a custom essay on Symbolism in Hedda Gabler specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Like Dumas, Ibsen was strongly influenced by the French author of the well-made play, Eugene Scribe. His best plays reflect the structured formulaic presentation of a conflict, complication and resolve, but he innovatively disguised and altered Scribes structure and left out any resolve whatsoever in favor of deliberate ambiguity, leaving the audience open to their own unguided interpretations. This is perhaps one of the most elementary ways in which Ibsen dipped his pen into the symbolic ink jar. Instead of didactically coercing his audience to buy a completely subjective argument and wasting time proving why its correct, he instead chose to present the problem as it is, and offering no solution, simply illustrated the consequences of the problem. And neither did he placate his viewers with a palatable morally acceptable ending to his plays, but ended them with a bang and left us clinging to the edge of our seats at the drop of the curtain. The thesis plays of Dumas didnt work becau se they instructed people how to think instead of leaving that to them. .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 , .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .postImageUrl , .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 , .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:hover , .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:visited , .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:active { border:0!important; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:active , .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69 .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua3ea5288bea828be142b5d6184a36d69:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Why The Crucible Remains Important Today EssayOf course, complete and utter objectivity is nearly impossible. The French naturalist Emile Zola once defined art as a corner of life seen though a temperament, most likely meaning that a playwrights personality shines though his work whether he likes it or not. In adopting symbolism, Ibsen consciously enhanced his descriptive ability and thus made his settings, characters and situations more rich, textured and multi-faceted and yet very identifiable. What he also brought to the table, whether consciously or not, was more subjectivity, as his choice of symbols in his plays says so much about Ibsen himself and his attitudes towa rd his work. But just as much as purely realist drama is of little help to implement social change on its own, purely symbolic drama does less. Ibsens gift was his ability to, within one carefully written play, use seemingly realistic speech with unrealistic symbolic language and description to unleash a powerful message. The Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck, considered to be one of the two major symbolist dramatists (along with French poet/playwright Paul Claudel), wrote theoretical essays to be presented in conjuncture with his plays, supposed to offer elucidation to his work. If Maeterlinck felt that an auxiliary disclaimer was necessary for his drama to be understood, then in a sense, it has already failed. Maeterlincks plays are by themselves unknowable because the intricacy of symbols eventually becomes convoluted and meaningless. An audience cannot be moved if its subject matter is undecipherable. Above anything else, the emphasis of Ibsens work is on psychological conflict. Any exte rnal action is present only as a response to internal anguish or as a stimulus for it. At the same time though, he goes to great lengths to describe the settings, characters appearances, giving detail to the external and physical. As far as detail is concerned, that of his characters is the best. Symbols are a magnificent tool in description of psychological stitch work, and just as Ibsen has a knack for describing great interior room settings and visually creating specific bodily attributes, he likewise has a crafty and firm handle on symbolic description of human character and more generally, human nature. One of the most pressing and popular questions in psychology at that time, which had only just emerged as a scientific discipline, was the ways in which human nature was formed by experience. Its no wonder why Ibsen created such intricate and significant character histories that occur long before the curtain rises. Given that Freud published his first major work Studies in Hyste ria in 1895, and Hedda Gabler appeared five years earlier in 1890 (A Dolls House was staged as early as 1879), isnt it quite plausible that Freuds launching pad was the psychological drama of the late nineteenth century that Ibsen championed? Much of the work of a certain white-bearded cokehead/hero of the twentieth century, while brilliant and ground-breaking, might never have existed without Ibsens darkest plays like Hedda Gabler, which explore the fierce struggle between those who demand that everyone face unpleasant realities, confronting their fear and uncertainty, and those who construct illusions to make life bearable in spite of a past trauma or a repressed horrible experience. Freud later published his ideas on the significance of symbols in dreams in his Interpretation of Dreams, on repression in Studies in Hysteria and on why late nineteenth century women in Western Europe found such little satisfaction in their social lives in Civilization and its Discontents. Among the most prominent and powerful symbols in Hedda Gabler, one is General Gablers pistols. They symbolize Heddas upbringing in an aristocratic and militaristic milieu and simultaneously stand for her masculine nature. They also show her rejection of social codes of conduct and provide nice images for her fending off the sexual advances of Brack and Lovborg, them being the only two people she shoots at. Lets not forget how phallic and Freudian these images are. The pistols represent Heddas intense desire to be less feminine as well as the male world that opposes her. These two things at once indirectly lead to her death, and the pistols quite literally kill her. .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 , .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .postImageUrl , .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 , .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:hover , .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:visited , .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:active { border:0!important; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:active , .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7 .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf787d5a8d1428a036e738f24e0468fe7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Agatha Christie: A Study on Gender and Racial Roles EssayThe stage directions provide plenty of symbols, most notably the hair of both Hedda and Mrs. Elvsted. It may at first appear to be insignificant. But Ibsens description of his womens hair can be seen as representative of their very personalities. Heddas hair is an attractive medium brown in colour, but not particularly ample. It is tied back when receiving visitors. It exhibits sexual restraint, at least it comparison to Mrs. Elvsteds strikingly fair, almost whitish-yellow, and unusually rich and wavy hair. Mrs. Elvsteds hair exudes sexual impulsiveness. These details are not to be taken for granted. No detail should in Ibsens drama. Hair was an extremely important ingredient in womens sexuality and courtship and indeed still is. Ejlert Lovborgs book is another fine example of Ibsens brilliant symbolism. This book is key to the unfolding of the plot in this play, but it also allows Ibsen to deal with the subject of the future of civilization in quite an inspirational and stylized way. The book never was published, having been hidden from Ejlert and burnt by Hedda. Because it never made it to publication it can be seen as a work in progress, a child another way in which it stands for the future. And what are we to make of a future rewritten by Tesman, one of the most hilarious and staggering fools Ive ever come across in drama? What exactly does Ibsens symbolism bring to his naturalism? What does it allow him to do that pure naturalists couldnt do? An enormous amount. The marriage of naturalistic speech and setting with heightened, symbolic and efficient speech, imagery, allusion, metaphor, is a powerful, profound and visceral experience. Hedda Gabler is abound with symbols that allow its characters to reveal the internal workings of their minds without addressing the audience or breaking out into long poetic speeches. And thats why it caused such uproar: because it was powerfully delivered and believably true.