Characters as Portrayed Through Themes and Images in The English Patien

Characters as Portrayed Through Themes and Images in The English Patient       While the four main characters of The English Patient are extremely powerful, and important to the reader's understanding of the story, they cannot stand alone without the patterns of imagery, symbolism and metaphor which underpin the text, and offer a complexity which extends beyond the literal level. These patterns reveal information about each character, and provide significant links between characters and ideas which lead to a greater understanding of the novel. Likewise, the plot would have little impact upon the reader were the novel not so densely coloured with these patterns of imagery, symbol and metaphor; amongst which skin, hands, mapping and the elements are particularly important.    A metaphorical idea which resonates throughout the novel, and is present in all of the characters (particularly the English patient and Caravaggio) is the concept of man as a sort of communal Book, whereby every aspect of his life, and his relationships with others are "mapped" onto him. This also operates literally, through the obvious markings of scars on the English patient, and in Caravaggio's case, the loss of both thumbs.    ...his black body, beginning at his destroyed feet... ahove the shins the burns are worst. Beyond purple. Bone.    This description of the English patient's body is gruesome and confronting; it addresses the theme of pain, the construction of identity, and of course the physical evidence of his tortured past, which the reader learns more about as this imagery develops. It is almost as if his body is a landscape; a war zone onto which all evidence of suffering is mapped.    Imagery... ...o mirror the horrors of the wa rin which these four people are involved. The themes explored through the elements in particular, are complex and contradictory, just as the elements are themselves. Sometimes harsh, sometimes cleansing, and almost always painful, these elements shape the characters and plot, and reside in much of the imagery explored in the novel. The techniques of symbolism, metaphor and imagery develop the novel's themes of love, war, suffering and identity, which inform a reading of the novel which would not be as powerful through use of characters and plot alone. The subtlety and eloquence through which these themes are explored really inspire thought and reflection in the reader, which in turn credits a more complex understanding of the novel.    Work Cited Ondaatje, Michael. The English Patient. London: Pan Books, 1993   

Andre Trocme

â€Å"These people came here for help and for shelter. I am their shepherd. A shepherd does not forsake his flock†¦ I do not know what a Jew is. I know only human beings. † Andre Trocme was born in St. Quentin, 1901, in the north of France to Huguenot parents. After seminary in Paris and graduate work at Union Theological Seminary in New York, he was ordained into the French Reformed Church and served for eight years among the coal miners and steel workers of Maubeuge and Sin-le-Noble, two small towns in the north of France. He preached nonviolence at a time when such views were unpopular in France. In 1934 Andre Trocme accepted a call to be pastor in the remote Huguenot village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon on the Plateau Vivarais-Lignon in South Central France. These parishioners were more sympathetic to his views on nonviolence. Magda Trocme (1901-1996) was born in Italy to an Italian father and a Russian mother. She graduated from the University of Florence with a degree in literature and earned further degrees in French. She and Andre Trocme met in the United States while she was attending the New York School of Social Work, and they were married in 1926. Together they had four children, Nelly, Jean-Pierre, Jacques, and Daniel. Andre Trocme was the spiritual leader of the Protestant congregation in the village of Le Chambon sur Lignon in South Eastern France. He urged his congregation in 1942 to give shelter to any Jew who asked for it. Village was soon filled with hundreds of Jews, both permanent and temporary depending on whether they were able to cross the border or not. Approx 5,000 Jews passed through Le Chambon. Vichy authorities knew what was happening for it was hard to hide. They demanded Trocme to stop but he refused and said â€Å"These people came here for help and for shelter. I am their shepherd, a Shepherd does not forsake his flock†¦ I do not know what a Jew is. I know only Human beings. † and for that he was arrested but shortly released. Andre then had to flee and hide from the Germans but the village kept his legacy and continued to shelter for the Jews. Magda Trocme was his wife and was involved in creating and maintaining this sanctuary made for the persecuted Jews. Part of Magda’s role was locating families who were willing to lodge Jewish refugees and prepared the town’s many residential schools for increased enrollment, but she was not the only one helping in this work. Community activists reported to the railroad station to receive the arriving refugees so they could then be housed by the town or taken to safer places. All these undertakings frustrated the regime’s anti-Jewish policies. Several days after august 15th, 1942, gendarmes moved into Le Chambon to â€Å"eliminate† the town of its â€Å"illegal† aliens and two weeks after that on August 30, rumors were around about an arrest warrant. Trocme urged the congregants to â€Å"do the will of God, not of men† and stressed the importance of the commandment in Deuteronomy 19:2-10 concerning the rights of the victimized and their need for shelter. There were no arrests that day, and several days later the gendarmes left the town, their mission failed. Approx 5,000 Jews passed through Le Chambon. Vichy authorities knew what was happening for it was hard to hide. They demanded Trocme to stop but he refused and said â€Å"These people came here for help and for shelter. I am their shepherd, a Shepherd does not forsake his flock†¦ I do not know what a Jew is. I know only Human beings. † In 1943, Trocme and two colleagues were arrested where he was held at a camp for 5 weeks. Commanders were trying to get him to sign an agreement that would mean following government orders, but refused and was later released but had to then flee from the Germans. Although he was gone the town still carried on without him, saving and hiding Jews lives. In the late 1940’s Andre and Magda Trocme traveled as European Secretaries for the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. On the 5th of January in 1971, Trocme and his wife, Magda were recognized for the Righteous among the nations along with 32 others from Le Chambon and in 1998 the town was given a diploma of honour for their humane gestures in the war.

Creative and innovative management in General Electric cooperation

Introduction â€Å"Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things† (Pascale, 1990)John Kotter (1996) defined management as number of procedures which can keep the complex interaction between individuals and technology moving efficiently. He identified several phases of this complex interaction, but the most important pieces are considered to be the â€Å"planning, budgeting, organising, staffing, controlling, and problem solving†. Similarly, leadership has been defined as â€Å"a set of processes that creates organisations in the first place or adapts them to significantly changing circumstances†. Good leadership can help draw a picture for the future, support people with that vision, and motivate them to pass all the obstacles to achieve the targets. Basically, effective management and leadership can lead an organisation to successfully achieve its targets. Leaders are people ‘who inspire with clear vision of how things can be done better’ (Slater, 2001). As personality traits, leadership and management possess many similarities. Both need a certain level of influence, the ability to work as a team with a variety of people, as well as the skill to set goals and manage them realistically. Nevertheless, these two traits might be considered very different in when looking at different fields of expertise. Though leadership and management have been around for centuries, the actual classification and concept of both leadership and management have only been developed in the last 100 years. The key functions of managers have been classified by the theorist Henri Fayol (1949) as: â€Å"Planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling†. Good leadership motivates individuals to perform allocated chores willingly, competently and successfully. Leadership can improve people’s performance at work, thus encouraging them to work harder and achieve high quality results. This increases not onl y job gratification at personal level, but also productivity at company level. Managers can create a positive and encouraging work atmosphere by making the employees understand their responsibility for the work, as well as their role in planning and control. As such, managers can create a positive outlook in their teams. This sense of responsibility at employee level is required to develop and grow a business. â€Å"Leadership is management job† Deming (1997). To be a successful manager, one should take into account six important points concerning quality and competence. These include leadership skills as well as management skills, and they are the foundation for each managerial position. The following list contains additional skills which make a good manager: Building a trusting working environment; Promoting a creative atmosphere without fear of change; Ensuring the highest quality results are achieved in order to meet the needs of clients; Ensuring up to date information is available and making certain clear communication channels are active to support informed decisions; Ensuring all results and activities are completed within planned financial and time limits, whilst guaranteeing quality; Utilising the position of influence to persuade and motivate, as well as achieving personal goals. This aspect of self-management is important as a manager is often seen as a ‘role model ’. Types of Leadership Style Leadership style can be described as: Autocratic: Autocratic leaders often have the following characteristics: – Leader makes decisions without reference or consultation with others – Leader wants to have the final say and considers himself the most important person in any consultation – Due to the limited consultation, the leader might reduce morale and friendliness among other members of the team This type of leadership may be effectives in cases where a quick and bold decision is required. Democratic Democratic leaders often have the following characteristics: – Leader believes in their team and they stimulate others to engage in the decision-making process; – Leader believes that all employees are responsible for the success of the work, and thus ownership of the work may be emphasised throughout the organisation; – Leader takes the view of others into account and all relevant parties are consulted before final decision are made – Leader will try to convince or persuade others of his thoughts when a decision has to be made; – Leader may help the motivation and general morale in the work place through active involvement of employees; -Through the leaders’ efforts, the employees have a sense of belonging to the company’s ideas and ambitions; – Leader helps develop innovative ideas and development within the business. 3. Paternalistic A paternalistic leader often has the following characteristics: – The leader considers himself a ‘father figure’ and acts in this manner; – Leader does not always involve other people in decision-making; – The leader considers it important to guide and support the staff; Case study In this case study we will look Jack Welch, a well-known and influential business leader of the 20th century. Mr Welsh was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Electric Co. (GE) and he is considered a very good example of a born leader. During the 41 years he spent working with GE, he helped transform the company into a very successful, productive and thus valuable business. As a CEO, he is renowned for his creative and innovative leadership style. Jack Welsh commenced his career at GE as a Junior Engineer in 1960, just after receiving a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois. Not long after starting work at GE, Mr Welch accepted a different offer from International Minerals and Chemicals, as he was not satisfied with the bureaucracy at GE. However, this plan never materialised as Reuben Geutoff, an executive at GE at the time, convinced him to stay and helped reduce the bureaucracy. As such, Jack Welch remained with GE, and gradually p rogressed through the company, from head of the plastics division in 1968, to group executive in 1973. Only twenty years after starting at the company, Mr Welch became the youngest CEO at GE to date. During this time working in this post, the company grew from a relatively small manufacturer of light bulbs and simple electrical appliances, to a multi-billion industrial conglomerate by the turn of the century. Over 900 acquisitions, worth several billion dollars were under his supervision, and made the company several more billion dollars through the sale of part of businesses. The innovation management process One of Mr Welch’s most important skills was the fact that he was an intuitive strategist. Intuitive leadership sensitively opens opportunities for personal expansion among high value executives, enabling them to connect with and discover the hidden distinctions of transformational change that exist within themselves. For example: Implementation – the turning of prospective ideas into a new product or service, or resulting in a change in a process. Acquiring – the combination of existing as well as new knowledge and insight, both from the organisation itself as from external sources, to find an answer to the problem. Executing – turning information into a product, which can then be marketed and launched. Launching – Show the product to the market and ensure acceptance or adoption Sustaining – Ensuring the use of the project in the longer term Learning – Using the project cycle to develop, improve and change the manner in which the proje ct is managed The streategy used by Mr Welch provides an opportunity to reduce unnecessary rules and continually question the development of different rules, as well as implement a new structure or alter the way in which the organisation operates. Such changes may be necessary because the organisation’s circumstances have changed or it is taking on new activities. Mr Welch was known as a great communicator, skilled at building trust between staff throughout the organisation. At the same time, he was highly competitive. He believed that management should make sure that new ideas are encouraged and that obstackles be removed from product advancement. Companies should create a setting where staff-led initiatives are promoted, and where training and innovation was available to all that worked there. As a result of his competitive edge, Mr Welch believed such innovative projects should be carefully controlled and managed within the company. Innovative ideas can originate from anywhere in an organisational structure, but it is recognised that developing the â€Å"raw idea† to an â€Å"implemented idea† needs careful support. Managers should be provided the opportunity to be creative and try out new ideas and concepts (within pre-considered risks). Of course the manager should remain accountable and as such the project should be implemented with consideration for timing and budgets. Companies should ensure they have the capacity to accurately envisage potential risks and opportunities, and have the ability to act on any necessary changes. As such, they should ensure that their administrative rules provide support to the innovations in the workplace, instead of providing red-tape which may hold back ideas. It is important for leaders to have vision, authority, but it is more important for them to reach out to individuals all along the chain of command to make sure that everyone feels involved in the process o f change. Leaders who don’t do this, and attempt to impose their vision from the top-down instead, might manage to achieve something that looks like their vision, but which is essentially empty. To persuade stakeholders of the benefits of a creative and innovative idea, one must adopt a variety of approaches to make the ideas appear powerful and compelling. If the ideas you are promoting are congruent with your core beliefs and values, it will be easier to promote them with true passion. Hence, it is important to first consider as to why a particular change or improvement needs to happen, and also how you see this happening. The change will only happen if you truly believe in the results. The following notes can be used for guidance: 1. Get all the facts behind your idea 2. Link humen emotions to the facts supporting your idea 3. Describe your idea and support it by example 4. Create a clear implementation roadmap 7. Be ready for any questions Conclusion Mr Welch had a democratic style leadership- he was greater communicator and he shared information with his colleagues and employers. It is considered very important to include the employer in sharing information, as it if often the higher level managers who interact on a face to face level with the customers, and thus they need to have access to all necessary facts. Mr Welch had the ability to make decisions and change the rules and he possessed the has the spirit of competition. This competitive edge helped push the business towards success and his intuitive strategies helped lead the company accomplish a wide set of goals and targets. As a business leader, Jack Welch was able to work in harmony with the larger business entity and his specific business characteristics made him a successful business leader Recommendation I recommend that those who want to become great leaders like Jack Welch, build on their charisma. Every leader wants to be an excellent one, and follow in the footsteps of a good example, I believe Jack is very good example to follow.

Implication for Managers Essay

The European Model presented a different approach to management that is uniquely different from its counterparts in the United States. The innovative form of management in Europe gain popularity because of the noticeable faster pace of innovation of Europeans as compared with the Japanese. The radical change in Europe is brought about by the tendency of firms from this continent to continuously seek new forms of organization by reforming structures, processes, and boundaries. The distinction of European firms from other countries is there degree of lateral flexibility wherein they can adjust to the differences of cultures, socio-economic, and legal systems across national boundaries. As a result, European firms excel on temporal flexibility that includes innovations that are related to progress, development of technologies, and the changes in social and economic realms over time (Tsutsui, 2001). In relation to this, European firms become more competitive because of the different management style that they implement, which is based on humanizing work in order to develop the needs of people in an organization that is increasingly becoming more nationally diverse. Being the case, the European management style has great implications on managers when it comes to the way they handle the operations and processes of the organizations and most especially on the way they manage employees (Grint, 1997). The Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) is a manufacturing plant in Ayr, Scotland. During the end of the 1980s, DEC decided to respond to the need of American organizations to adapt to the commercial requirements of the European market when it comes to computer technology. The main problem highlighted in the Western-style of management is that it strictly follows the Taylor model of management. Western firms believe that effective management entails that there should a strict distinction among executives and workers. The executives have the responsibility of thinking what the employees should do and workers only have to follow it. In line with this, DEC adopted the â€Å"high-performance work design† in order to address the requirements for new product development, especially in the Far East. Due to the changes in the operation of DEC, the management styles of the organization have to change. The employees of DEC were trained and autonomous work groups were established in order to respond to the need of employees for flexibility and skills acquisition (Armstrong, 2006). The employees of DEC need a supportive style rather than a directive style of management. Being the case, the management style veers away from the concept of mass production and also of Taylorism and point towards the idea that management is a natural process that can actually happen by means of flexible workforce and production organization (Andersen & Taylor, 2005). The change in the management style of DEC has a huge implication on the managers of the organization. The managers of an organization have a pivotal role in the overall operations of the organization namely: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (Lewis et al. 2006). In the case of DEC, managers have to do different tasks during the transition of the organization to a high-performance work design. First, the concept of focus is highly emphasized in the view of management when it comes to influencing the workforce when it comes to selling the development of new products. Second, managers have to give attention to the support of policies. Managers have to encourage employees to develop their skills by means of implementing a reward system. Third, managers have to establish a good and responsible working organization. DEC established work groups wherein each group that is compose of 12 members need to properly accomplish their responsibilities, including clocking in and out individually because flexitime was implemented. Fourth, the management style of the organizations greatly affected the managers because they have to implement a different style of leadership that gives individual support for employees rather than directive coordination. Fifth, project managers also have the responsibility to create new product line and collaborate with other employees in order to get their opinion and help in creating a competitive edge for the product. Sixth, managers have to make sure of engendering ownership when it comes to the process of the organization wherein managers have to gain the participation and enthusiasm of the employees (Jackson, 2002). The responsibilities of the managers of DEC during the transition in the management style of the organization represent the importance and pivotal role of managers. Contrary to the common belief that managers only have to deal with creating new ideas, planning, and managing the finances and other aspects of the company, a different perspective of managers is given by the European model that is exemplified in the case of DEC. Managers are viewed not merely as executive managers but rather leaders that actually inspire, direct, and guide their employees. In a world that is increasingly becoming competitive, managers of different organizations have to learn from the European model that humanizes the way of management (Leavitt, 2005). Managers in this kind of model do not merely relate themselves more with the employees but they are actually making the organization more relevant to the employees. The employees can actually realize the objectives of the company and be participative and enthusiastic enough to take part in achieving these goals rather than merely thinking of it as mechanical work that they have to do in exchange for money. Managers have the capacity to direct the organization towards its success and in doing so, they also have to give importance to development and growth of the employees.

Leadership and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Leadership and Culture - Essay Example Moldova is one of those European countries that have a rich tradition. Although the number of Moldovans are superior compared to other nationalities, there are Greeks, Bulgarians, Germans, Russians and others (Everyculture.com, 2015). However, the local people prioritise the indigenous culture strongly, which is based on the Romanian culture. When it comes to written language, Moldovan culture is prioritised by the local community, which is regarded as Romanian or a Daco-Romanian. One of the primary difficulties for the organisational leaders in the country would be to use English as the preferred communication language. Due to strong attachment with the indigenous culture, people are expected to avoid English as a mode of communication (Everyculture.com, 2015). Apart from the linguistic barrier, the Moldovan economy does not hold much promise. The country has experienced a significant downturn in economy since 1998. The major industries are found to be wine, tobacco and food process ing sector (Everyculture.com, 2015). On top of that, acquiring top talents from the industry is likely to be a major challenge for the organisations as well. The educational infrastructure is relatively poor compared to other European countries. As a consequence, leaders might find it difficult to acquire local people for the workforce. Caligiuri and Tarique (2012) stated that hiring local people are more effective compared to bring expatriates. If the local people are hired, the training cost could be higher.

Thomas Cook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thomas Cook - Essay Example These come because of a number of reasons including the failure of a leader to accomplish his/her missions within the period he/she expected (Casserly 2013). For example, Harriet Green had expected to revive Thomas Cook within a short time and move to another organisation with similar problems (Wadlow 2014). However, despite the various achievements and success in rescuing the company from collapse, the company was still experiencing problems after two years of her service. In addition, frustrations may also emerge when a leader faces new problems than those he/she expected before joining the organisation (Andersen 2012). Most probably, the rapid changes in the nature operations of the travel industry posed problems that were beyond Green’s experience leading to frustrations. Under these conditions, a leader may decide to pave the way for another person with the characteristics required to deal with the situation. The stock exchange worth of Thomas Cook was slightly below  £2 billion throughout Harriet inexperienced time of departure compared to  £148 million once she rose to power in July 2012 (Press Association 2014). The success of Peter Fankhauser can show from his ability to additional maintain and increase the stock worth by a lot of or similar quantity among a shorter or equal length as inexperienced. Green’s quest for continued success to succeeding section of the companys development is additionally a transparent challenge to the new leader as his success and failure within the next year can base on his ability to make and maintain a powerful team. Thomas shares slided by the maximum amount as two hundredth after Ms Greens declaration and a corporate notice that growth within the current year can moderate because of harder mercantilism conditions that have notably influenced European markets (Wadlow 2014). The success and failure of Peter Fankhauser within the next year can show from his ability to

The Development of Fashion Design in Twenty Century Research Paper

The Development of Fashion Design in Twenty Century - Research Paper Example The paper "The Development of Fashion Design in Twenty Century" explores the 20th-century fashion design development. The development of fashion design involves the development of the industry of fashion that is responsible in designing accessories and clothing. This industry was depended on fashion houses and firms that are governed by specific designers. This industry started in the 19th century by one designer who had his label sewn in the created garments (Whitten 15). Starting from trees, and leaves to what people experience now in fashion world, the history of fashion design was influenced by many factors changing over to the twenty century. In attempts to unravel the historical trends in fashion and design, this paper explores the development of Fashion Design in the Twenty Century. The design started by the dress maker to the Queen of France who could be described to have started the fashion transition from some few dress makers to fine designers with a highly valued profile. This was referred to as the fashion minister as a sarcasm since she established one shop around Paris with a collection that was greatly influenced by the Parisian style. This trend continued up to when the trend was altered by the revolution of the French that made the renowned designer to flee to exile in London. In whatever appears like the modern sense, Charles Frederick from Paris has been reported as the first designer, who had a huge business that employed different anonymous seamstresses, and tailors.