Key Elements in Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt Essay - 1078 Words

Sinclair Lewis, the author of Babbitt, devised several key literary elements to explain his full effect and purpose for writing his novel. Babbitt is a satirist look, at not only one man, but an entire society as well. He exposes the hypocrisy and mechanization of American society in the 1920’s. In the story Lewis focuses on his main character George Babbitt, the protagonist throughout much of the book, who is a business with lofty aims and a desire to climb the ladder of the social class. To fully achieve his opinions and beliefs, Lewis used literary effects of irony and theme. The novel begins in the 1920’s, a decade that had started in economic boom and avid consumerism, only to end crash and depression. This was a parallel used by†¦show more content†¦By these terms George Babbitt, and many of this acquaintances are quite the bigots toward all of those who appear different than he is, especially immigrants and minorities in America. The blame should not be placed squarely on these men,s shoulders for processing such hate filled beliefs, but their own opinion of the matter is generated through the generations, that immigrants and minorities are far less superior than the â€Å"native† white men who have â€Å"always: lived in America. The irony of this subject in the book is that although men of Babbitt’s stature openly shared and joked with one another about their superiority to all other races, not one would ever admit that he was even by a small degree a bigot. Buying only the very best material items and throwing dinner parties are only a few of the ways Babbitt tried to accomplish a more noteworthy place in society and impress his peers. He is more concerned about these items than about his wife and children and to him, â€Å"God was Modern Appliances† (Lewis pg 114). However, at the end of the story, the irony is no more evident when Babbitt admits to his son that he has wasted life. He confides in his Ted t hat he has ruined his whole life shooting for goals which, in Babbitts lifetime, are realistically unattainable. He tells Ted that hopefully, the new generation (Ted’s generation), can recover from Babbitt’s ill fated dreams, and lead their own lives the wayShow MoreRelatedANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesand depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model† for a piece of critical appreciation. Nevertheless, one can give information and suggestions that may prove helpful. PLOT The Elements of Plot When we refer to the plot of a work of fiction, then, we are referring to the deliberately arranged sequence of interrelated events that constitute the basic narrative structure of a novel or a short story. Events of any kind, of course,Read MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesshaped by ideas and concepts. The authors have brought their wealth of experience and understanding and provided the field with an imaginative resource to address the dynamics between theory and practice. Dr Susanne Tietze, Bradford University, UK The key to success for managers is not only to be result oriented but also to be wise in their decision making. This requires that they have a deeper than superficial understanding of management and organization issues. McAuley et al. helps student and managers

Essay about Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 - 2103 Words

Imagine a society in which technology is so advanced that printed material is no longer necessary nor is it desired. The citizens sit in their parlors surrounded by television screens which consume their walls and constantly blare noise so stifling that one cannot even remember the plot of the show. Before bed, they plug their ears with â€Å"seashell† earphones which spew out even more clamor. In the mornings, they drive to work at 100 mph and occupy their time throughout the day with insignificant activities to the point where they cannot entertain their minds with anything meaningful. Above all, the people of this society shun books and remain ignorant about their history and anything beyond their lifestyles. This is the society which Ray†¦show more content†¦Because the imaginary components of science fiction can be rationalized by potential scientific explanations, there are elements of non-fiction within this genre too. This combination of both fiction and non-f iction is well-suited for Bradbury’s purposes because although his book discusses a future society, it also mentions a great deal about how the world currently is and how it was to some degree when he wrote it in the fifties. We might not have wall-sized television screens, remove intellectual thought from all our activities, or completely erase books from our lives, but the road we are headed presages that this could eventually occur. Already television sizes are escalating to 103 inches and in comparison to television and the internet, books are definitely not as popular (PhysOrg.com - Science News, Technology, Physics, Nanotechnology, Space Science, Earth Science, Medicine). Bradbury does not want our society to head down the same road as the one in Fahrenheit 451. He believes one of the best ways of preventing this is to always remember our history because then we can avoid repeating past errors. Hence the purpose of books which is to carry history in written form. Also, he stresses the importance of freedom of speech because if people are not allowed to voice their opinions and ask questions, there is no purpose of independent thought. Without independent thought, our minds are effortlessly molded into whatever others want itShow MoreRelatedRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511020 Words   |  5 Pagesthe penalty for their possession—to watch them combust into ashes. Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, illustrates just such a society. Bradbury wrote his science fiction in 1951 depicting a society of modern age with technology abundant in this day and age—even though such technology was unheard of in his day. Electronics such as headphones, wall-sized television sets, and automatic doors were all a significant part of Bradbury’s description of humanity. Human life styles were also predicted; theRead MoreAnalysis of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451525 Words   |  2 Pages Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel, â€Å"Fahrenhei t 451† depicts a future in which all books are outlawed, and the main character, Guy Montag, is a â€Å"fireman†, someone hired to burn books. The novel has won multiple awards and is widely regarded as one of Bradbury’s best works. â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† is largely subjected to interpretation, surrounded by many theories as to why it was written. â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† is strongly themed and can lead the reader to produce a plethora of ideas for it’s meaning , and theRead MoreSummary Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451912 Words   |  4 PagesBradbury uses a characters to represent the lives of other characters. In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse causes Guy Montag to question his wife, Beatty, and his society (Bradbury, 1953). Clarisse McClellan makes Montag realise how unhappy he is in his marriage and that he really does not have a good relationship with Mildred (Bradbury, 1953). Montag soon begins to question being a fireman and working alongside Captain Beatty. Montag gets very tired living fast past and not getting the timeRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511113 Words   |  5 Pagesand Dying, once imagined that, â€Å"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths.† The text’s collection focus on Ray Bradbury’s science fiction, Fahrenheit 451 discusses about the growth and struggles of Guy Montag’s beliefs against his society. Montag is a fireman and his job is to restrain people from learning by burning books. He meets special people and realizes the stimulation andRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511038 Words   |  5 Pagesexpressionless faces connected to even more mindless robotic people. A world where one just breathes and eats, but never truly feels any emotion. Our world is on the way to becoming this, but for Millie and Mon tag this was a sad, sad, reality in Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451. Everything grows with time as did our main character Montag throughout the book. Montag begins as a mindless follower and evolves into a fearless leader. As he grows into this leader his relationship with Mildred goes through multipleRead MoreCensorship in Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451777 Words   |  3 PagesFahrenheit 451 accurately portrays Censorship as it has been throughout history. Ray Bradbury was probably influenced by world events during his time, such as the cold war and other diplomatic leaders who have censored their citizens to avoid the truth from getting out. From politicians right now and their attempts to censor the media, to censorship from the history of other foreign countries the actions of the â€Å"Firemen† in Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 are similar in method and meaning. The actionRead MoreRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Essay875 Words   |  4 PagesIn Ray Bradbur y’s Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses the life of Guy Montag, a fireman in a near future dystopia, to make an argument against mindless conformity and blissful ignorance. In Bradbury’s world, the firemen that Montag is a part of create fires to burn books instead of putting out fires. By burning books, the firemen eliminate anything that might be controversial and make people think, thus creating a conforming population that never live a full life. Montag is part of this population forRead MoreRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Character Analysis708 Words   |  3 Pagesworld is like for Guy Montag in Ray Bradburys novel Fahrenheit 451. In the beginning of the novel, Guy Montag is a fireman who believes that there has never been and will never be a need for books and every book should burn. As the story progresses, he interacts with people and experiences events in his life that change his beliefs and views of the world. By the end of the novel, Guy Montag can recite parts of b ooks off the top of his head. In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag learns the truthRead MoreReview of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Essay1496 Words   |  6 PagesReview of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 In Ray Bradburys novel Fahrenheit 451, the author utilizes the luxuries of life in America today, in addition to various occupations Read MoreCharacterization Of A Hero In Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511272 Words   |  6 Pagesthe world and all of its inhabitants. Fictional novels portray heroes as people that make a difference in the community. This characterization of a hero is also true in Ray Bradburys novel, Fahrenheit 451. Rodney A. Smolla introduces the main character in â€Å"The Life of The Mind and A Life of Meaning: Reflections on Fahrenheit 451† stating that â€Å"Montag begins the novel ostensibly proud of his profession and settled in life, but we soon find that there is disquiet beneath the surface† (897). Throughout

Case study of Bruce Fox-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the Case study of Bruce Fox. Answer: Introduction A manger of any business must be aware of the motivating techniques to increase employee productivity. The assignment deals with the case study of Bruce Fox an owner of a restaurant in Sydney. In a restaurant business every worker has certain needs right from dishwasher to greeter. Aligning with the needs of the employees will help create collaborative dynamic that benefits every member of the organisation (DiPietro et al., 2014). The aim of the report is to learn the organisational behaviour concepts and theories. The report discusses what Bruce Fox do to change employs different strategies Wazzas behaviour. It is explained in regards to the motivational theories. Further, the reports discusses if Bruce could use a different system of rewards to get the same results from Wazza Gold. Bruce Fox initiative to change Wazzas behaviour In the given case study Bruce Fox tried to improve the efficiency of Wazza Gold as a dishwasher boy in his restaurant. Wazza was inefficient in managing the time as he used to spend extra hours after the shift time trying to complete his work. He was found to invest extra time in having fun and chatting with his co-workers. He always kept the kitchen in mess. Wazza would still be scraping and squirting and talking even after two hours after closing time, when everything else was ready for the next clay. Bruce Fox increased the efficiency of Wazza by fixing his salary and time limit. It made Wazza realised that he would be earning $120 even if he had worked 2 more hours after the last customer in the restaurant left. Brice had also asked him to complete the work within 12 a.m. He had set a new chalkboard in the next to the kitchen door leading out to the dining room. It read the Wazzas Goal for a Record Time. By the end of month it read 42 minutes. Eventually Wazza tend to finish his work at 12:42 and was motivated by the goals set or him. His increase in efficiency was celebrated by rest of the staff. Motivation theories The change in the behaviour of Wazza can be explained by the Hawthorne Effect. According to Henry A. Landsberger, who identified the Hawthorne Effect, a person is motivated to work harder when observed by the investigator and with the changes in the physical conditions. It is due to the increased attention paid to them that the employees become motivated to work (McCambridge et al., 2014). Increase in attention and observation by the Bruce may have motivated Wazza. According to Maslow Needs Hierarchy Theory (1954) people do not inherently hate their work. There is no tool that can control or predict their behaviour. Humans have innate needs. Human behaviour is dominated by the lower needs such as food, water and shelter. Until they are satisfied it creates a psychological tension. Eventually, human beings tend to accept responsibility, self direct and self control (Kaur, 2013). Bruce did set short term and long term goals for Wazza, provided frequent feedback as well as appraised the results. Therefore, it made Wazza more responsible. Locke and Lathams (1990) goal setting theory is considered one of the cognitive theories of motivation. According to this theory, goals are antecedents and the consequences of performance are the feedback. Motivation determines the course of action (Latham Locke, 2014). In this case study, Brice did set goals for Wazza and regular feedback did help him increase his efficiency. Increase in efficiency of Wazza aligns with the Locke and Latham Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance (1990). It states that setting goals influences the task performance by influencing their choices of task. Goals are foundation of motivation. According to this theory the goals can positively influence provided the employee is aware of goals and the tasks needs to be accomplished. As per this theory an individual must accept the goals. An employer must set specific and attainable goals. Feedback of goals leads to greater effort. When goals are accepted, persistence is increased (Locke Latham, 2013). When Wazza was asked to finish his task every week by 40 minutes, he had conscious goals and intentions that directed his actions. In 1939, Roethlisberger and Dickson conducted Classic Study on Worker Performance theory. The study concluded that when a manager gives unusual level of attention to the employees, it motivates them to give high performance. This kind of attention helps the employees to meet their previously unmet social needs. To maintain the high level of performance, a manger must give the employees performance feedback and pay-for-performance. This specific criterion increases the performance and the fulfilment of social needs does not explain the changes in the performance (Burke, 2017). Bruce was giving the performance feedback to Wazza, which helped him improve his performance. Bruce was focused to increase the efficiency of Wazza and continued to attend him till the goal was achieved. This was motivating as the staff too co-operated with Wazza and celebrated his achievement. Different system of rewards Other system of rewards could have been implemented by Bruce. It may include pay for performance as per the Roethlisberger and Dicksons work performance model (Olafsen et al., 2015). Bruce could have used other methods of rewards or monetary benefits depending on the number of dishes he washed in a day. Additional incentives can be given for maintaining cleanliness of the workplace or any other contribution made to the organisation such as helping with kitchen activities or maintaining cleanliness in kitchen area. Further, Bruce could have promoted challenges and accomplishments. According to Lau Roopnarain (2014), a higher level of performance can be achieved by specific goals. Specific and challenging tasks can help increasing productivity and creativity. It leads to stronger commitment to the organisation. In addition to the time limit Bruce could set alternate goals for Wazza such as giving an employee of month style awards. It can go a long way in motivating employees. Rewards do not need to be in form of pay rises, incentives or extra paid nights. Bruce can reward Wazza with books and vouchers. Books will help as Wazza cannot complete his education. This is based on the Expectancy theory. According to the expectancy theory, an employee working in an organisation may be motivated by three elements including expectancy, instrumentality, and valance. An employee may expect that hard work may result in a desired goal. It may be based on the past experience and self confidence. Further, an individual may believe to receive a reward by meeting certain performance expectations and motivation depends on the value placed on reward (Bonner Baumann, 2016). It is recommended that Bruce should communicate with Wazza to recognise his desires and expectations and set relevant goals. It will help Wazza understand as to what he can expect after fulfilling the challenges given to him. Another approach by which Bruce can increase the motivation of Wazza is by job rotation. It means in addition to dishwashing, Wazza can be allocated with other tasks that he can well perform. Job rotation is the kind of reward as it helps an individual to learn different operations in same organisation (Chen et al., 2015). Wazza can be allocated kitchen and client supporting activities. Bruce can also sustain the motivation in Wazza by ensuring that career advancement lies ahead of them. It may include job workshops, chef training and opportunity to increase qualifications (DiPietro et al., 2014). This will increase the commitment of an employee to work in an organisation. It is because the chefs, dishwashers rarely receive much glory. I remember an incident where I worked as assistant in the pastry shop. My work was to receive the new order of pastries that was delivered and maintain the records of total number of orders. Sometimes I had to serve the clients when the person appointe d for this job was absent. I had rarely received any compliment during my tenure. It was just time pass for me as I need additional pocket money. However, when I was given the role of making bills for one day I was motivated. It increased my self-esteem and confidence. Recommendations It is recommended that the manager must ensure that employees are satisfied with their jobs and recognise the factors that would motivate them to work at higher level. It is recommended to Bruce that regular recognitions even for smallest contribution to be initiated as it help sustain motivation. Further, the manager must invest a part of their time to built trust and relationship with the employees. Effective communication will foster positive relationship between Bruce and Wazza and sustain motivation (Godshalk Fender, 2015). Bruce is recommended to enhance career advancement opportunities for Wazza. Conclusion It can be concluded that a managers duty is not restricted to economics, finance and information system. A manager also needs to have strong knowledge of organisational behaviour and psychology. A key aspect of the organisational behaviour is the motivation. A manager must know the way an individual can be compelled to meet the set goals. The various motivational theories discussed in the report explain the link between the employee performance and the motivation. It can be concluded from the literature review and the above discussion that motivation is important for changing the organisational behaviour of an employee, performance, efficiency and productivity of the organisation. In addition to extrinsic rewards such as incentives and bonus, there is also a need of intrinsic rewards. Feeling of accomplishment increases autonomy and ability to take more responsibility. References Bonner, B. L., Baumann, M. R. (2016). An Expectancy Theory Approach to Group Coordination: Expertise, Task Features, and Member Behavior. Burke, W. W. (2017).Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=EWZCDgAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PP1dq=Roethlisberger+and+Dickson+conducted+Classic+Study+on+Worker+Performance+theory.ots=KWOGSvFMlcsig=cwadYxnGD_b0IKu6unrtesQK1IM#v=onepageqf=false Chen, S. Y., Wu, W. C., Chang, C. S., Lin, C. T. (2015). Job rotation and internal marketing for increased job satisfaction and organisational commitment in hospital nursing staff.Journal of nursing management,23(3), 297-306. DiPietro, R. B., Kline, S. F., Nierop, T. (2014). Motivation and satisfaction of lodging employees: An exploratory study of Aruba.Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality Tourism,13(3), 253-276. Godshalk, V. M., Fender, C. M. (2015). External and internal reasons for career plateauing: Relationships with work outcomes.Group Organization Management,40(4), 529-559. Kaur, A. (2013). Maslows need hierarchy theory: Applications and criticisms.Global Journal of Management and Business Studies,3(10), 1061-1064. Latham, G. P., Locke, E. A. (2014). Goal setting theory: Controversies and resolutions.Handbook of industrial, work organizational psychology,1. Lau, C. M., Roopnarain, K. (2014). The effects of nonfinancial and financial measures on employee motivation to participate in target setting.The British accounting review,46(3), 228-247. Locke, E. A., Latham, G. P. (Eds.). (2013).New developments in goal setting and task performance. Routledge. McCambridge, J., Witton, J., Elbourne, D. R. (2014). Systematic review of the Hawthorne effect: new concepts are needed to study research participation effects.Journal of clinical epidemiology,67(3), 267-277. Olafsen, A. H., Halvari, H., Forest, J., Deci, E. L. (2015). Show them the money? The role of pay, managerial need support, and justice in a self?determination theory model of intrinsic work motivation.Scandinavian journal of psychology,56(4), 447-457.

Quality and Equality free essay sample

This is a review of a 1999 article by G. Shapiro called Quality and Equality: Building a Virtuous Circle, that appeared in the Human Resource Management Journal. This paper discusses the different theories put forward in Shapiros 1999 article about Quality and Equality. Some of the topics discussed in this paper include how companies have failed to move women into positions of management from middle-management and gives details of a study done of the subject. This study was conducted by the Center for Research in Innovation Management at Brighton University and includes research conducted at 14 different companies, that included interviews with all levels of employees. The study illustrates the limitations of the current research approaches and suggestions some ways to improve upon the methods currently in use. This research was undertaken by the Center for Research in Innovation Management (CENTRIM), based at the University of Brighton. The author notes that many of the approaches undertaken by organizations with these goals in mind could be labeled liberal approaches to gender equality. We will write a custom essay sample on Quality and Equality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The organizations also vary in terms of how independent or autonomous they are regarded as being from the wider environment. the author cites a number of criticisms of the liberal approach, primarily in terms of how it has failed to move women out of middle management and into a higher role and how women continue to be concentrated in public service and distribution roles and in hotel and catering positions.