Oleanna By David Mamet Essays - Oleanna, David Mamet, Carol Peletier

Oleanna by David Mamet ?Oleanna? by David Mamet The Birmingham Stage Company, directed by John Harrison. The Old Rep Theatre, Wednesday September 29th The Birmingham Stage Company is the resident company of the Old Rep Theatre. Its patrons are Sir Derek Jacobi and Paul Scofield. The company is unfounded and relies mainly on box office income. Company productions include Speed-The-Plow by David Mamet, The Crucible by Arthur Miller and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. The present production by The Birmingham Stage Company is David Mamet's ?Oleanna?. David Mamet is a contemporary writer well known for his shocking and controversial plays. While ?Oleanna? doesn't have Mamet's infamous swearing, it does pack all the other Mamet traits; realistic, ?ping pong? dialogue and lots of conflict. There are only two people in the play, John (Neal Foster) and Carol (Sophie Bold). John is a university professor (his subject is not clear, although one would assume he teaches psychology). Carol is his failing student who he offers to talk to and help her understand his subject. Carol's background is unclear and gets more so as the play progresses. In the first ?session? John uses a number of examples to try to get what he is saying across to Carol who is still struggling to understand. Each time John starts to get somewhere with Carol the telephone rings and interrupts what he is trying to say. That is how act one ends with Carol about to say something which could determine the outcome of the play but is interrupted by the telephone. In act two the relationship between the two characters is totally different to what it was in act one. The act opens with John and Carol in the office again, however the ambience is a lot less relaxed and we soon find out that Carol has lodged a compl aint to the university (tenure committee) because she thinks John to be elitist, hypocritical and she accuses him of sexual harassment. When act three opens John is accused of rape and Carol is trying to get his book banned. When Carol tells John that she is trying to ban his book, this as this is the final straw because she is trying to take away the only thing that he believes in anymore and he ends the play by beating Carol up. All of the action takes place over about month. We don't actually see the action, more the aftermath of it. ?Oleanna? has many themes but the most poignant are sexual harassment, political correctness and power. John gives an example of his ?elitist? attitude when he gives talks about the sexual behaviour of the Rich and poor. He starts by saying, ?A college friend once told me that poor people copulate more then rich people do, but rich people take more of their cloths off Carol interprets this as elitism. Again John displays power when he continuously finishes off Carol's sentences in the first act. Carol strives for political correctness when she seeks Justice for what John has done. Director John Harrison made the set simple because of the budget and for effect. He does add one symbolic twist, there is a mock tree in the background and in the first act a rich, golden light is cast upon it; this is in contrast to the atmosphere and how John is feeling. At the beginning of act two the light has changed to a dark green and this again symbolises John's feelings, the atmosphere and the hostile intentions Carol has for John. In act three the light cast upon the tree is a very dark blue and this symbolises the throbbing hatred John has for Carol. Also the only other lighting in act three was an overhead strip light which gives the feeling of an interrogation room. Harrison also used a raked stage with a small wharf at the end, which was not raked. The raked sage was used so the audience could see better and the seating arrangement was quite steep which made the audience's view even better. Another method used by Harrison was to change John's appearance in each act. In act one John is dressed smartly. He is wearing a suite with a tie and

A Southern Tradition †Creative Writing Essay

A Southern Tradition – Creative Writing Essay Free Online Research Papers A Southern Tradition Creative Writing Essay It’s the third week in July. I stand at my mothers’ side with hair moist, clothes damp in this hot, humid Texas heat. Beer is in the hands of various grampas, uncles and friends all bragging about who bagged the biggest deer, stories of camping out during hunting season. I learn that camping while hunting is more for the campers than for the deer. It seems grampa doesn’t shoot many deer while rosy cheeked and intoxicated. But he sure can exaggerate stories of the one that was standing so close he could see the whites of its eyes. â€Å"So, why’d ya miss?† my uncle Harry asks Grampa. With his eyebrow cocked up and that half smile he answers in a slow southern drawl: â€Å"Well, just as I was taking my shot, your brother Ray stumbled out of the camp trailer yelling about the ice chest being open – seems all the ice melted.† Standing at my grampas elbow I am hot, humid and fanning myself with my hands. Heat is searing from the open-sided barbeque pit. Beer is sizzling as my grampa pours it over the meat; the spicy, sweet smelling steam rising to fill the air. That delicious, salivating aroma of beef and chicken quarters and beer marinade with lots of pepper crackling on the pit. The tangy smell wafting in the breeze, I can all but taste the outer edges of the fat frying in the flame. I look around and can see mouths watering in unison and anticipation. Sitting under ancient pecan trees rustling in the gentle wind, I watch a lonely leaf lazily drift down and rest at my feet. I hear everyone talking, laughing at once. Little kids running wild playing with the water hose. Adults yelling at the kids to play with the hose somewhere else. â€Å"You’re making mud!† And then there’s that one kid, that obnoxious kid that defies the authority of the adult. That kid’s crying in the corner, face hanging, crocodile tears in his eyes begging – every two minutes or so: â€Å"Can I come out now? Please! I promise I’ll be good!† His pleas are answered with a quiet and threatening â€Å"Do you want some Peach Tree Tea?!† Just hearing that phrase makes my bottom sore! I remember my Granny asking me that same question when I was acting up. I would answer with a foolish and unknowing â€Å"Yeah!†, and despondently drag my feet to the old peach tree to grudgingly pick a switch. Looks like this kid’s smarter than I was, he’s suddenly fascinated by the cobwebs in the top of the corner. Peaking in the kitchen, I see the women are readying various potato salads, macaroni salads, deviled eggs making iced tea. I catch my grampa’s wife, Sandy, pouring a little J.D. in her 44 oz mug of ice and coke. I hear them talking about the men, their love of their trucks, week-long hunting trips (you know the kind that don’t yield much in the way of deer), and cowboy hats. My Uncle Harry is sneaking around the kitchen trying to snatch a deviled egg. I announce to Sandy what he’s doing and, while she is distracted shooing him out, I steal a deviled egg or two for myself. Walking through the family room, MTV is blaring for the teenagers who are too full of angst and apathy to join in the festivities. Caring for nothing, my older cousins are bored. Sitting in their black clothes and greasy hair, I can nearly see the dirty grey/brown aura they give off. Thinking their indifference is cool, rolling their eyes and huffing their disdain for the cheerful goings on around them. They want to join, but I suspect that would ruin their image. Everywhere I look people are hugging. The oldest people are marveling at the youngest children, how they’ve grown, how cute they are, and when the parents aren’t in earshot, what â€Å"little brats† they are. â€Å"I wouldn’t let my child act that way in public.† â€Å"Someone needs to tell that child to go pick a switch!† Momo and Popo are giving out kisses and hugs to anyone that ventures by. My Momo sits with perfect rigid posture for a woman of 86. Her hair in the same bob she’s worn since the early nineteen thirties, one pinwheel curl in the front, her lips vibrant with Coty red lipstick. My poor Popo is being bossed around by Momo. He shuffles off to do her bidding with a sigh and a shake of his head. This is nothing new; it’s been this way as long as I can remember. In the back bedroom window rock music is blaring loud and distorted -something old – Lynard Skynnard or AC/DC. My uncle Ray, already half toasted, is nodding his head to the beat. Wearing an old trucker hat, a faded red tank top you know the kind with the big arm holes, an old pair of Wrangler shorts the kind that rest an inch ABOVE the knee and high top sneakers. His eyes are in slits. He smiles his good ‘ol boy smile with his redneck version Fu Man Chu mustache. Suddenly, my grampa declares the food to be done. â€Å"Soups on!† he hollers. In a flurry of movement the oldest people line up to get their plates, the mothers’ fix plates for youngest children and everyone settles to eat. As suddenly as it begun, it’s over. A quite calm is in the air. I can hear my lips smacking, everyone’s fingers being licked and the occasional grunting of approval. The music is turned down. The TV is off. Dusk is falling and with it all the excitement of the afternoon. Here we sit unified by family and food, hearts and stomachs full. Feeling content in mind, body, belly and soul. Looking around, I am overwhelmed by the generations that span nearly a hundred years. I’m awestruck with way that good food and good company can bring a whole family together. I am proud to be here, to be where I belong. Where love is the feeling, summer is the time and the family reunion is the place. Research Papers on A Southern Tradition - Creative Writing EssayThe Spring and AutumnThe Hockey GameHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayMind TravelWhere Wild and West MeetThe Fifth Horseman19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtHonest Iagos Truth through Deception

Florida Bright Futures Requirements SAT, ACT, GPA, and More

Florida Bright Futures Requirements SAT, ACT, GPA, and More SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship programs are awesome education funding options for Florida state residents- if you can get through the application process, that is. The scholarships offered are particularly nitpicky and tedious about their eligibility requirements: the official handbook outlining these criteria is its own 14-page book chapter. Not to worry! I’ve outlined all the eligibility criteria for Florida Bright Futures Scholarships (general and specific, for each scholarship, with every single exception or special circumstance) in a way that’s a bit easier to get through. I’ve also included information about when to expect notification about your eligibility. Once you’re considered eligible, you’re one (big) step closer to winning a Bright Futures Scholarship. After you’ve processed all this information, I’ll get to the good stuff- how to increase your chances of winning your own Bright Futures award. What Are the Bright Futures Scholarships? Before we dive into eligibility for Bright Futures Scholarships, let's first briefly go over what the scholarships themselves offer. There are three different scholarship programs, all with different eligibility requirements and award amounts. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) - This is the most competitive Bright Futures scholarship and the most generous one. It's geared towards â€Å"A students." FAS winners canreceive funding for the entire duration of their course of study. Florida Merit Scholars (FMS) - This scholarship is less competitive than the FAS, but it still has relatively high minimum test score and GPA requirements. It's geared towards "B students." FMS winners canreceive funding for the entire duration of their course of study. Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) - This scholarship helps students pursuepost-high school vocational and certificate degrees. It's the least competitive award and provides the least amount of funding. GSV winners can receive scholarship funding for up to 72 credit hours of a technical degree program or career certificate program or up to 60 credit hours of an applied technology degree program. General Bright Futures Requirements There are a few different Bright Futures awards, but these blanket requirements apply to all of them (unless otherwise mentioned later on in the post). In order to qualify for one of these awards, you must: Be a Florida state resident and US citizen or eligible noncitizen (noncitizen eligibility is determined by your college) Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by 8/31 the year of your high school graduation Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high school or a registered Florida Department of Education private school Not have been convicted of (or pleaded no contest to) a felony charge Be accepted by and enroll in a degree or certificate program at an eligibleFlorida public or independent postsecondary institution Be enrolled for at least six (non-remedial) credit hours per term If you meet all of the above requirements, you're on the right track to getting your own Florida Bright Futures awards. Specific Scholarship Requirements The different Bright Futures scholarship awards have slightly different academic eligibility requirements. Use this info to determine which scholarship award might be the best match for you. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) and Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) Requirements There are certain minimum requirements for high school coursework, GPA, ACT/SAT scores, and service hours that must be met to qualify for either of these programs. You'll have to meet the requirements in all of these domains in order to be eligible for an award. If you've won another academic award, you may have an easier time qualifying for an FAS or FMS award- I'll talk about why and how after discussing allacademic requirements. Coursework We'll start off with the easiest of the eligibility criteria- I've laid out here all the high school classes you need to have taken in order to qualify for an award. The good news is that most high schools require students to take these classes anyways, so barring any special circumstances, you should meet these requirements. This chart outlines coursework requirements for both the FAS and FMS scholarships: High School Course Credits Required Comments English 4 Three must include substantial writing Mathematics 4 Must be at or above Algebra I level Natural Science 3 Two must have substantial lab work Social Science 3 World Language* 2 Must be sequential, and in the same language * A note about the World Language requirements: if you haven't taken the necessary courses, youcan meet this requirement by demonstrating proficiency on credit-by-exam equivalencies or other â€Å"university-approved† means. What this means is if you can test out of your language in college, you’ll probably also meet this language requirement even if you didn’t take two sequential language courses in high school. GPA, ACT/SAT, and Service Hours You'll need to demonstrate a degree of academic and community service excellence in order to qualify for either the FAS or FMS programs. You'll notice, though, that the FMS program is a bit less competitive in its minimum requirements. I've laid all of these eligibility criteria out in one chart so you can easily compare requirements for both programs: SCHOLARSHIP WEIGHTED GPA MINIMUM ACT MINIMUM SAT MINIMUM SERVICE HOURS FAS 3.50 29 1290 100 hours FMS 3.00 26 70 75 hours FMS- Homeschooled students without official transcripts 3.00 27 1220 75 hours A few important notes: You'll only need to submit scores from one standardized test- you don't need to meet score requirements for both the SAT and the ACT The SAT/ACT minimums do not include the writing section. All service hours must be completed by your high school graduation in order to count for the award. Future Changes to SAT Requirements The SAT requirements listed above are only valid for students graduating high school through 2020.Florida legislature recently passed a billthat will raise the SAT minimums for students graduating in 2021 and beyond. It's estimated that the SAT minimum forFAS will be raised from 1290 to 1330 andFMS from 70 to 1200. (The homeschooled FMS SAT requirement will likely be raised as well, but the exact amount hasn't been determined yet.) Here are some alternative options for those who like to venture off the beaten path. Other Ways to Qualify for the FAS or FMS Programs If you’ve received academic recognition through some other program, you may be eligible for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship programs even if you don’t meet a few requirements. This chart outlines the eligibility requirements for scholars who have been recognized by any of the programs listed below. If a box is blank, that means thatyou would be exempt from that particular requirement. Program Florida Scholarship ACT/SAT Score Minimums Service Hours Minimums National Merit/National Achievement Finalists and Scholars FAS 100 hours NM/NA Finalists Scholars FMS 75 hours National Hispanic Scholars FAS 100 hours National Hispanic Scholars FMS 75 hours AICE Diploma FAS 100 hours AICE Diploma FMS 75 hours IB Diploma FAS AICE Curriculum FAS 29 or 1290 100 hours AICE Curriculum FMS 26 or 70 75 hours IB Curriculum FAS 29 or 1290 IB Curriculum FMS 26 or 70 If you have an IB diploma, you're in luck- that diploma is the only way to qualify for the FAS program without an ACT/SAT minimum or service hour minimum. Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) Requirements The GSV program is a bit less competitive in terms of its academic eligibility requirements than the FAS or FMS programs. Although this makes it a great fit for some students, keep in mind that the GSV award can only be used to fund a career education or certificate program- no four year college degrees. In order to qualify for the GSV program, you must meet all of the following criteria: Must graduate from high school with a standard diploma Must have a minimum unweighted 3.0 GPA in non-elective high school courses Must complete 30 service hours by high school graduation Must take at least three full credits in a single career and technical education program Must achieve a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA in your career education classes There are also some minimum test score requirements for GSV applicants; if you’ve taken both the SAT and the ACT, you unfortunately can’t mix and match section subscores between the two tests to meet minimums; you can, however, superscore across multiple test dates for the same test (e.g., if you take the SAT twice). All minimums must be met for either the SAT or ACT (but ultimately, you only have to take either the SAT or the ACT!) This chart outlines GSV test score minimums: Exam Subsection Score Minimum ACT English 17 Reading 19 Math 19 SAT Critical Reading 440 Math 440 P.E.R.T Reading 106 Writing 103 Math 4 Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Special Circumstances: What If You Don't Think You Qualify? Feeling left out of all the scholarship fun? You could still be eligible! As you can see, the eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures awards are quite specific. Perhaps fortunately for you, there are just as many exceptions to these rules as there are actual rules. If you were homeschooled, have a GED, or live out of state, you still might qualify for the award even given the stringent criteria described above. Homeschooled Students If you were homeschooled and don't have a Florida state standard diploma, you still may qualify for a Bright Futures award if: You meet all of the general requirements described at the beginning of this post You were registered in the district where you live for grades -12 GED Students In order to qualify for a Bright Futures award as a GED student, you mustmeet the coursework requirements and GPA requirements outlined at the beginning of this post before taking the GED exam.The processof applying or qualifying for an award won't be much different than that of a student with a standard high school diploma. Just keep in mind thatyour eligibility for a scholarship will be determined in the academic year in which your GED is earned. Out-of-State Students Usually, only Florida residents can qualify for the Florida Bright Futures scholarships (not a huge surprise there).If you earned a high school diploma from a non-Florida school while living with a parent or guardian who was on military or public service assignment outside of Florida, you may still be eligible.Keep in mind, though, that this parent must be a Florida resident. When Do You Learn Whether You're Deemed Eligible for a Bright Futures Scholarship? These eligibility qualifications above are tedious, to say the least. There are a couple of different official steps in place to determining program eligibility- these are implemented in order to make sure you’re checking off all the right boxes. Early Evaluations One option that the Bright Futures scholarship program offers is an early eligibility evaluation. If you submit transcripts and test scores to the Florida Department of Education early in your 7th semester of high school (think late winter your senior year), you’ll receive an â€Å"eligibility or ineligibility determination.† These eligibility decisions should be posted starting in March. Although an ineligible determination is not ideal, it may save you a good chunk of time- you won’t have to submit a whole application for a scholarship program that you won’t be considered for. Final Evaluations Once your final transcripts are submitted after your graduate high school, you’ll get an eligibility determination posted to your online account. The scholarship program will begin posting these determinations in July. How Do You Optimize Your Eligibility Chances? Ready to get started? Now that you know all about the Florida Bright Futures eligibility rules, you can start working on maximizing your chances of winning a scholarship.Many of the important eligibility requirements are long-term considerations, in the sense that you’ll have to plan out and work for the requirements starting your freshman year of high school. Here, I'll go through all the award criteria, giving tips and strategies to meet minimum coursework, GPA, test score, and service hour minimums. Coursework Like I mentioned earlier, most high schools require students to take the courses necessary to qualify for the Bright Futures awards. If you’re worried you won’t meet the course requirements criteria, schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor ASAP to see if you can work in extra course credits before graduation. GPA GPA requirements are easier to meet when they’ve been maintained over several years. If you’re just missing the GPA cutoff requirements, you should consider: Whether your GPA is weighted or unweighted.A weighted GPA will be higher than an unweighted one if you’ve taken any advanced or honors classes. Seeing your teachers after class or after school for extra help in your weaker subject areas. Asking your teachers if there are any extra credit projects or assignments you can complete in order to bring up your grades. The GPA requirement is lower for the FMS than the FAS scholarship- if you don’t meet the criteria forthe FAS, you may meet them for the FMS. ACT/SAT Test scores might be a sticking point for many students.The ACT/SAT minimums for both the FMS and FAS scholarship are pretty high- for example, the ACT scores required are at the 93rd and 87th percentiles. Here's what you can do to increase your chances of meeting those minimum scores: Start preparing for and taking the tests early on in high school. There’s no maximum number of times you can take the test in order to qualify for the scholarship. If you’re worried about achieving these test scores, plan on starting your sophomore year if possible. Decide whether you’re better off taking the SAT or ACT. Focus on one test instead of trying to do well on both. Don't have a lot of time to bring up your scores? Check out our ACT and SAT fast prep guides. Service Hours It would not be fun to try to fit in 75-100 service hours in the few months before high school graduation (remember that your service hours all have to be completed before you get your diploma). If you start volunteering as a freshman, you’ll only have to volunteer for an hour every 2-3 weeks in order to meet these minimums; if you start as a senior, however, you’ll have to volunteer 1.5-2 hours every week. So how do you stay on track? Find something that you're passionate about. Are there any interests that you want to explore, especially any related to future career paths? You could gain service hours and professional experience at the same time. Ask friends or family members if there are any service activities that they would recommend. Maybe you could volunteer together! Volunteer at the same time, on the same day, every week. Having a set schedule will help you keep your commitment. Don’t be afraid to switch it up. You have 75-100 required community service hours, but they don’t all have to be at the same place. If you’re losing interest, or if something just isn’t a good fit, it’s okay to try something else. Don’t just switch it up for the sake of switching, though- appearing flaky could hurt potential professional development and even your college applications. Volunteer with an established, legitimate agency. You want an organization that’s reliable enough to provide good documentation of your service hours when asked. Keep your own records of service hours as a backup. What's Next? Need more information on Bright Futures scholarships?Our guide to Bright Futures Scholarship programs answers all the questions you're wondering about. Ready to get started on your Bright Futures application?Follow our step-by-step guide on Bright Futures applications for all the information you need to create a top-notch application. Interested in more community service ideas? Check out our guide to 129 great community service projects. You may alsobe interested in other community service-based scholarships. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Depression - Essay Example Secondly, females are more prone to depression than man and the ratio was worked out to be almost 1:2. There are several historical evidences indicates that the symptoms which are used to describes depression today were recognize in ancient times too. Even though there were wide understanding of depression and its symptoms till middle of nineteenth century there were little progress in terms of mechanistic aspect of depression. Than after people started gathering information regarding causes' of depression starting with Brain functioning, hormonal role, environmental influence and finally genetic basis of depression. Genetic composition of individual plays very important role in predisposition of depression. Epidemiological data indicates that there are almost 40%-50% cases have hereditary correlation with diseases condition and that is strong evidence to see depression as genetic disorder. Epidemiologic studies approximately show that around 40-50% of the depression caused is due to genetic reasons.(Sanders at al., 1999) This also leads to an understanding the depression highly heritable like several other common complex medical conditions like Type II diabetes, hypertension, asthma and certain cancers. But the study relating to depression has lead us to more confusion, since no certain genes have been yet discovered that confers to it. This process has been difficult since finding one gene responsible for causing depression is a complex phenomenon since a single gene will produce relatively small effect and would thus be very difficult to solve experimentally. It is also possible that different variants of genes are responsible to cause depression each family. (Nestler et al.,2002) The association of the location of TPH2 (Tryptophan hydroxylase) gene and the role of serotonin is being widely described and is also associated with depression. The TPH gene is responsible for depressive disorders and suicidal tendencies. The researchers have also indicated the role of the hydroxyindole acetic acids in Cerebrospinal fluid which is significant in suicidal tendencies. The location of serotonin transporter gene and the role of its polymorphism is significant is suicidal tendencies. (Kamrowska A., 2007). In 1999 Silber et al, studied the possible causes of greater depression among adolescent girls by examining variation in the influence of genetic and environmental risk factors among 182 prepubertal female, 237 prepubertal male, 314 pubertal female, and 171 pubertal male twin pairs. The patients were from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development. The impact of life events on depression was particularly evident in the adolescent girls. The results clearly indicated that the increased heritability for depression in this group and its life long consistency clearly indicated that that it was largely mediated by genetic factors. The researchers could also perform model fitting which also showed that at least part of the liability to depression and to life events was linked to a common set of genes in the adolescent girls, and there was a notable developmental increase in the genetic variance for life events. The role of dysregulation of beta -serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission is also known to be responsible for depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, autism etc. Although these conditions are treated with serotogenic drugs, the molecular mechanism by which 5-HT is involved in

Difference between Romantic and Modern Painting Essay

Difference between Romantic and Modern Painting - Essay Example The essay "Difference between Romantic and Modern Painting" discovers the Romantic and Modern Painting. Picasso was one of the artist who developed the kind of painting called abstract. In this style of painting, only selected qualities or characteristics of the subjects are used in the finished picture. the still life of a pitcher, candle and handled box on a table top rendered in rust orange, brown, blue, yellow, off-white, gray and black. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a member of an artists group known as Die Brucke. They valued truthfulness more than clever techniques and in fact they often used deliberately rough ways of working, as if that were a proof of the strength of their Feelings. The group works on watercolors, drawings and woodcuts. Kirchner and the group can be measured by their extraordinary production. The rapid development of their personal styles was a result of their activity, including life, drawing and painting as well as the production of woodcuts, lithographs and dra wings. Luca Fa Presto (Luke work quickly) because of his prodigious speed of execution and huge output. His style became much more colorful under the influence of such great decorative painters .He absorbed a host of influences and was said to be able to imitate other artists styles with ease. (1812-1867) Rousseau is best known for turning themes of humanity's relations into nature. Some of this most famous works include: Springtime, Under the Birches, and Clearing in the Forest near Fontainebleau. ... He was nicknamed Luca Fa Presto (Luke work quickly) because of his prodigious speed of execution and huge output. His style became much more colorful under the influence of such great decorative painters .He absorbed a host of influences and was said to be able to imitate other artists styles with ease. . Romantic Painters Theodore Rousseau (1812-1867) Rousseau is best known for turning themes of humanity's relations into nature. Some of this most famous works include: Springtime, Under the Birches, and Clearing in the Forest near Fontainebleau. Rousseau's paintings as embodiments of a new way of seeing the world, a new sense of the deep interconnectedness between the human and natural worlds that coincided with the earliest formulations of modern ecological thought. These techniques were very prevalent in Rousseau's art. Rousseau paints the solitary oak dominating a flat patch of pastureland. He sees the peculiar ragged cha racteristics of the gnarled branches, the coarse density of the oak foliage, the tufts, and clouds of the turf with pools of standing water like glass reflecting the sky. The grand compositions of this landscape are replaced by others that express the spontaneous and informal aspects of nature. This nature lover painter, saw the landscape in its quiet moods with fresh nave eyes. Cropsey and Hudson River School Despite a tendency toward harshness of colors, did notable paintings. Sunset, Hudson River is a rather odd marriage of a formulaic Hudson River School composition and this luminist style. In most luminist works the sunlight is evident only in the diffusing effects of its rays, but in this painting the setting sun is a palpable orb. One feels as if the strength of its light could not only diffuse

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay Example for Free

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay 1.0 Introduction At the University of Ghana there are reports that rooms originally built to take two students, are now officially allocated to five students (after minor modifications), but unofficially occupied by as many as eight or nine – to the knowledge of the university authorities! Apart from the obvious hygiene and health hazards posed, what kind of ambience does this provide for study after classes? All of which have brought most African universities to a state of serious deterioration. This is evident not only to those who work or study in those universities but to even the most casual visitor. – (Association of African Universities, 2004) Housing is a basic human need in all societies and fundamental right of every individual. In advanced countries, housing is more accessible to all categories of people including the poor and the needy as a result of subsidies from the government. The situation is not the same in developing countries of the world. In Ghana, for example, accessibility to housing by the poor is quite a difficult situation which is worsened by the harsh economic conditions and poor enabling environment. Likewise, accessing housing facilities by Ghanaian students at the university is no exception, especially where such university happens to be the dream destination of most Ghanaians entering into tertiary institution. In tertiary institutions worldwide, the provision of accommodation to the students’ population takes different models. This includes; non-residential, where students source for their own accommodation. Residential, where the university houses all its students and dual-residential, where the university houses its student population for a period of time only, probably the first and final year, while the students during the remaining period source for their own accommodations. The experiences of students in tertiary institutions in sourcing and securing for their own accommodation around university communities are likely to be interesting and significant. However, it is worth noting that, University of Ghana, the nation’s premier university has gone through a series of development when it comes to how to accommodate its students, both undergraduates and postgraduates. 1.1 Research problem University of Ghana has undergone a series of reforms when it comes to the residential policy for its students. The ever increasing number of enrollees in the institution is what defines this restructuring of the policy governing students’ accommodation over time. In the past two years what the incumbent vice chancellor of the university term as â€Å"Decongestion† has taken place in anticipation to the fulfillment of the university achieving efficiency in its field of operation. The drive has also been fast tracked by his informal goal that the university should achieve a world-class status. Effective August, 2011, the university effectively implemented its decongestion policy allocating rooms to a maximum of three (3) students and four (4) students in the main halls and annexes respectively. This was done to address the problems of overcrowding that resulted in adverse effects of poor sanitation, pressure on residential utilities such as reading rooms and libraries, kitchen and washrooms, among other poor conditions for effective personal studies by students. Residential facilities have been increased to make the policy successful. Even though, the problem of inadequate accommodation for students is not entirely solved, the restructuring have been effective since its implementation, and it is worth investigating the effects of the new policy, whether it has achieved its goal or it is towards achieving its intended goal or otherwise. 1.2 Purpose of the study The main reason why this research is being conducted is to evaluate the satisfaction of students with the current students’ residential policy and its effects on their studies. 1.3 Objectives of the study Specific objectives of the study are as follows: 1. To assess students perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now. 2. To assess students perception of security in the halls/hostels now. 3. To investigate students accessibility to some basic hall/hostel utilities. 1.4 Research Questions 1. What is students’ perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now? 2. What is students’ perception of security and comfort in the halls/hostels now? 3. What is the accessibility status of students to basic halls/hostels utilities now? 1.5 Relevance of the study As a top university in Ghana and Africa and one which is striving to attain a world class status, adequate facilities should be provided and already existing ones improved, especially standards of services and facilities which include providing conducive on-campus student housing facility. The above research provides the grounding for this study and highlights the areas of new knowledge which are needed; to focus upon students’ satisfaction of residential facilities in University of Ghana. A key question is what is the level of students’ satisfaction with regards to the students housing facility (SHF) in the context of University of Ghana? The study contributes to a better understanding of SRS of UG. The results offer valuable feedback to the university authorities, facility managers and university hostel/hall administrators in terms of the present standards or the need for further improvement of the SHF through effective designs and management. The results will help to formulate guidelines in terms of allocation of rooms to students, maintenance and for future developments of student housing ensuring that the university is able to provide adequate and contemporary on-campus SHF. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This section reviews existing literature on the student residential facilities. It is mainly made up of previous studies, journals, articles, periodicals amongst other sources. They form the secondary source of data to the study. 2.2 The Concept of Student Residential Facility Student housing has long been regarded as an essential component of the facilities provided by the higher learning institutions in assisting students to expand their intellectual capabilities. According to Hassanain (2008), well planned student housing facilities (SHF) promote desirable educational outcomes and help to achieve the broader objectives such as social cohesion and responsible citizenship. An earlier study by Zahran (1972) reveals that a good student housing promotes interactions between roommates of different backgrounds and specializations; and thus broadens the students’ knowledge. Amole (2005) argues that facilities such as study areas or meeting places for academic discussions and social gatherings provided in the student housing will encourage informal intellectual activities outside the students’ own faculties. Price et al. (2003) related student interpersonal growth to adequate facilities and Fay (1981) highlighted the importance of students’ satisfaction in the SHF as a strategy to enhance student development. Despite the importance of SHF, little literature is available to evaluate student opinions of their housing facilities. Most studies on post-occupancy evaluation focus on family housing either public or private residences, investigating the interaction between owner-occupiers or tenants and their housing settings. Majority of these studies utilized the concept of housing satisfaction when evaluating the interactions between the residents and their physical environment (Amole, 2009b). Arguing that housing satisfaction can lead towards improving individual’s quality of life, Salleh (2008) investigates dwelling, housing services and neighbourhood factors that influence the residents of private low-cost housing in Malaysia. The study revealed that the residents are more satisfied with their dwelling units and housing services if compared to their neighbourhood facilities. Elsinga and Hoekstra (2005) study housing satisfaction among European communities and find out that except in Austria, homeowners are more satisfied than the tenants because homeownership provides security, freedom and financial benefits. In contrast, James (2008) analyses the influence of age and type of ownership on the level of satisfaction and establishes that tenant satisfaction increases with the age at a much faster rate than the type of homeownership. However, student housing and family housing are not the same. Student housing comprises of basic bedroom units with other shared facilities such as bathrooms, toilets, laundry, kitchens, common lounges and cafeterias located either per floor level, per block or for the whole student housing accommodation (Amole, 2009a). On the contrary, the basic unit for family housing is a house which includes bedrooms, bathrooms, toilets and a living area all as part of the unit with other housing facilities such as playground, shops and school at the neighbourhood (Parkes et al., 2002). In addition, student housing offers limited security of ownership and freedom if compared to family housing. Therefore, the above findings may not apply in the context of student housing. Studies on residential satisfaction (RS) from the student perspective are mostly focused on factors affecting RS; such as reasons for students to maintain their previous residence (Cleave, 1996) and predictors of student residential satisfaction (SRS) (Foubert et al., 1998; Khozaei et al., 2010b). There are also studies on student housing with narrower scopes such as the effects of floor height on over-crowding (Kaya and Erkip, 2001); students’ perceptions on indoor comfort (Dahlan et al., 2009); students’ sense of attachment with a particular student housing (Khozaei et al., 2010a); coping strategies for students staying in student housing (Amole, 2005) and the relationship between satisfaction and levels of environment (Amole, 2009b). These studies offer little guidance as to whether the students are satisfied with SHF provided. Among the limited studies on SRS are studies by Amole (2007, 2009a), Hassanain (2008) and Radder and Han (2009). Amole (2007, 2009a) investigates RS among students in Nigeria and the findings indicated a low satisfaction with the SHF provided. Radder and Han (2009) researched student satisfaction levels in South Africa and the findings indicated again a level of dissatisfaction with campus residences. Alternatively, Hassanain (2008) found that students in Saudi Arabia indicated a level of satisfaction with the SHF provided. However, the studies were conducted in countries where the culture and climate are different from that experienced in the Southeast Asia region, which is likely to affect the perceived environment of the built environment. Therefore, the results of the studies may not be applicable to the study context. 2.3 Evolution of the accommodation structure Originally, halls in the university were built to accommodate two students per room. This provision was adequate for students because not many people sought for higher education. However, as the population of Ghana increased and the need to seek higher education became prominent in the country, the number students enrolled each academic year increased rapidly as well. Residential facilities were increased and expanded to accommodate the ever increasing number of student intake which demanded restructuring of student residential policy given the limited resources the university had. In the midst of the reforms, beyond the expansion and modification of the original rooms to accommodate two persons at a time, the number increased to five (5) in a room officially, both in the main halls and the annexes. The continuous increase in the student intake amidst the unexpanded residential facilities meant that, not all students could be accommodated on campus, therefore, private hostels began to spring up to absorb the excess students who could not secure accommodation on campus. The private hostels motivation to make profit meant that they charge high prices which were unbearable by many students. This brought about one of the prominent terms that everyone who has passed through the four walls of the University of Ghana is popular with â€Å"Perching†. 2.4 The issue of â€Å"Perching† The word connotes students who illegally share residential facilities with official occupants of a room. This resulted in overcrowding in the halls, putting extreme pressure on washrooms, reading rooms, hall libraries, dry lines, among other facilities that were originally constructed for two people. This was happening who many reforms were going on. The two most popular reforms were the â€Å"in-out-out-in† and the â€Å"in-out-out-out† policies. The former meant that, all first year students were qualified for accommodation on campus, this qualification did not mean automatic allocation of rooms to freshmen but allocation was subject balloting for a â€Å"YES† or â€Å"NO† and second and third year students were to look for their own accommodation. Under this policy, final year students like first year students also qualified to be accommodated on campus; it is however, worth noting that, even for the final year students, because of the limited number of rooms available, allocation of rooms was also done via balloting a yes or no by students. The latter policy, in-out-out-out raised a lot of eyebrows as it meant that only first year students were offered accommodation on campus. And for this policy allocation to level 100 students was automatic and assured. With this policy in place the problem of â€Å"perching† worsened. The official number of occupants in a room almost doubled for almost all the halls of residence. The adverse effects of poor situation created a lot of problems; poor sanitation, insecurity, discomfort, which had direct impact on students’ health, hygiene, and efficiency. 2.5 The current residential policy â€Å"The University of Ghana Hostels with a capacity of 26000 beds, which was to be built at the University of Ghana, Legon, with partnership between the university and six banks was a dream come alive as long as finding a solution to the perennial problem of accommodation in our public universities is concerned† this was an assertion made by Professor C. N. B. Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the university of Ghana (GhanaWeb, 2008). From the above statement I would to acknowledge the â€Å"Contingency theory† one of the prominent schools under the Open Systems perspective of Organizations. This theory as a branch of systems design emphasizes that design decisions are dependent on environmental conditions. Contingency theory is guided by the general orienting hypothesis that organizations whose internal features match the demands of their environments will achieve the best adaptation. Lawrence and Lorsch (1967), who coined the label â€Å"contingency theory†, argue that different environments place differing requirements on organizations. In a recent review article, Lawrence (1993) provides a partial list of factors that one or another theorist has considered important. They include size or scale, technology, geography, uncertainty, individual predispositions of participants, resource dependency, national or cultural differences, scope and organizational life cycle. With concentration on the resource dependency factor, it is indicative that, the adaptation and realization of the said solution was heavily contingent on the provision of financial resources by the six banks which are external to the organization. As the resources from the external environment was provided by the six banks, the expansion of the residential facilities have been a reality indeed, making it possible to establish four different hostels which accommodates about 7, 120 students. It is a combination of these factors that made it possible for the decongestion exercise in the five traditional halls feasible. Currently, some of the hostels have been restructured into halls and run as the traditional halls. The standard rooms accommodate four (4) persons as the annexes do. With other stringent measures put in place to control â€Å"perching† it is believed that, the purpose for which this restructuring was done is being worked towards. It must be stated categorically that, the main reason for this exercise is to improve students’ efficiency in the university. 2.6 Halls of Residence/Hostels The University believes in community living as an essential part of student life. It is therefore primarily residential, providing accommodation in Halls of Residence for both undergraduate and post-graduate students as well as flats and guest rooms for senior members and guests. There are five halls of residence (available to all students) and several Hostels. The present Halls and Hostels are as follows: Each Hall consists of junior members (students) and senior members (academic and senior administrative and professional staff), and is managed by a Council comprising members elected by persons belonging to the Hall. The Master (or Warden in the case of Volta Hall) is the Head of the Hall. Each Hall has Junior and Senior Common Rooms for students and Faculty, respectively. A tutorial system offers an opportunity for counseling students and ensuring their welfare at both academic and social levels. Students maintain interaction with each other and the wider community through recogni zed clubs and societies. Each Hall has a kitchen and a dining hall to cater for students feeding. Chapels and a mosque are also available for use by various religious denominations. A Chaplaincy Board co-ordinate the activities of religious groups. Social life on the campus is organised mainly by the Students Representative Council and the Junior Common Room Committees which provide various kinds of social programmes. LEGON HALL: Legon Hall was the first to be built on the permanent site of the University of Ghana at Legon and is, therefore, the Premier Hall of the University. Its foundation tablet was laid during the Michaelmas Term of 1951 and, in September 1952, the first undergraduates were accepted into residence. On Trinity Sunday, 31st May 1953, the first service was held in the Chapel and the first meal served in the Dining Hall. From these events, the Hall took Trinity Sunday every year as its birthday, celebrated by a common Feast for both its Junior and Senior Members. The Halls motto, Cui Datum (To whom much is given†¦), was selected from St. Lukes Gospel, in recognition of the special responsibility attached to the Halls seniority. Senior Members of the University may be assigned as Fellows of the Hall by the Vice Chancellor and they usually keep their Fellowship for as long as they remain with the University. Persons of academic distinction outside the University may be elected as Honorary Fellows at a General Meeting of Fellows. The rest of the membership of the Hall is made up of persons in statu pupillari. The governing body of the Hall is the Hall Council, members of which are Fellows of the Hall. The principal Hall Officers are: The Master, the Vice-Master, the President of the Senior Common Room, the Senior Tutor, and the Hall Bursar. AKUAFO HALL: Akuafo Hall was established with the appointment of Professor D.A. Taylor, a Master-designate and a Hall Council in 1953. The Hall Council in 1954 decided to name the Hall Akuafo to commemorate the generous gesture of the farmers of Ghana in giving money for the foundation of the University College. A crest which depicts a cocoa tree, an open book and a drum, designed by Professor W.J. McCallien, and a motto, laboremus et sapiamus, suggested by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah, were adopted by the Council. A commemorative plaque with a Latin inscription composed by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah was set up to show the gratitude of the Hall to the farmers of the country and to the British Government who gave the University College funds for the building of the Hall. The Hall was officially opened on 17 February, 1956, but the first students, numbering 131, came into residence on the 5th October, 1955. The Hall has its own statutes governing the election of officers and the administration of its affairs. Once a year, the Master has to convene a meeting of the Fellows, who form the governing body, to receive his annual report. The Senior Common Room is open to all Fellows and their guests, and the Senior Combination Room to all senior members of the University. Senior Members may also invite students to the Combination Room. COMMONWEALTH HALL: The first batch of students was admitted into residence in Commonwealth Hall at the beginning of the 1956-1957 academic year. In the Lent Term of that academic year, Ghana attained its independence from Great Britain, and the Hall, hitherto known as the Third Hall, was officially christened Commonwealth Hall to commemorate Ghanas admission into the Commonwealth of Nations. The official opening of the Hall was performed in March, 1957. It is, so far, the only all-male Hall of Residence in the University. The motto of the Hall, Truth Stands, was taken from a quotation from Satyre by John Donne (1572-1631): On a huge hill, cragged, and steep, Truth stands and hee that will Reach her, about must, and about must goe This motto combines both the physical situation of the Hall (on a hillside overlooking most of the University and beyond) and the proper pursuit of a University education, the search for truth. It is the only Hall of Residence in the University which has a theatre and Amphitheatre for lectures and plays. The Coat of Arms of the Hall depicts the strength and unity of purpose of members of the Hall deriving from the bonds of association enjoyed by the individual members of the Hall. High Commissioners of the Commonwealth countries in Ghana are accorded Honorary Membership of the Hall. There is a Hall Council which administers the affairs of the Hall, assisted by the Tutorial Board and the Senior Common Room Committee. VOLTA HALL: Volta Hall started as the Fourth Hall in the 1959-60 academic year, on 16th November, 1960. The University College Council, on the recommendation of the Hall Council, named it Volta Hall. The Hall consists of the main hall originally designed to accommodate 82 students, and an annex with an original capacity for accommodating 198 students, the occupation of which began in January 1966. The motto of the Hall, chosen during the Halls tenth anniversary celebrations, is in the Akan language and it is: Akokobere Nso Nyim Adekyee. This means that the secret or knowledge of life and nature is a gift to women as it is to men. The Hall has a governing Body which comprises all the Fellows assigned to it and those elected by the assigned Fellows. The government of the Hall rests with this body which delegates some of its powers to a Hall Council. The Hall Council consists of ten members, including the Warden, the Deputy Warden, the Senior Tutor and the Bursar who are ex-officio members. The day-to-day administration of the Hall is carried out by the Warden with the help of the Senior Tutor, who deals with all students affairs, and the Bursar. MENSAH SARBAH HALL: Mensah Sarbah Hall, the fifth Hall of the University, stands in the southern part of the campus. The Hall consists of a main Hall built around a quadrangle and a number of Annexes standing to the north and east. The last two south annexes are attached to the Hall. Until October 1991, Mensah Sarbah was the only co-ed Hall of Residence in the University, which made it quite unique among the Halls. The governing body of the Hall is the Council, which is responsible to the full body of Fellows who form the Senate. Students affairs are handled by students own elected government headed by a President, while the general administration of the Hall is under the Master who is assisted by the Senior Tutor and Tutors on the one hand and the Bursar on the other. Other Hall Officers are the Chaplain, who is responsible fo r the Roman Catholic Chapel, the Prayer Room Warden, who is responsible for the Protestant Chapel, and the Librarian. Senior Common Room affairs are managed by an elected committee under the President of the Senior Common Room. The Hall is named after the famous Ghanaian jurist, writer and statesman, John Mensah Sarbah of Cape Coast. It has been customary for the Hall to celebrate the birthday anniversary of this great man every year. This anniversary is known as Sarbah Day and is highlighted by a dinner and a get-together. The Hall has a crest designed to bring out the principal features of Mensah Sarbahs life. It consists of three elements: a pair of scales, a stool with a book resting upon it, and a hill surmounted by a castle. The scale signifies the legal profession, the stool and the book symbolise culture while the hill and the castle are intended to depict the familiar landscape of Cape Coast with its many hills and forts. At the same time, the castle is intended to symbolise strength and honour. The Halls motto is: Knowledge, Honour, Service three words which aptly summarise the guiding principles of Mensah Sarbahs life. VALCO TRUST HOSTELS: The idea to build a graduate hostel was first nurtured w hen Legon Hall Annex C was prepared exclusively for graduate students of the Hall. The quest for a suitable accommodation for graduate students gained attention when Valco Trust Fund offered to finance the construction of a graduate hostel. As a further boost to this course, Legon Hall Annex C was converted into an Annex of the Hostel. The Valco Trust Hostel, donated to the University by the Valco Trust Fund to ease pressure on student accommodation, is a block of purpose-built, self-contained flats for 190 students. The Hostel, which was completed in June 1997, is the University’s first hostel for graduate students. A second block with similar facilities was opened in January 2006. Located behind Mensah Sarbah Hall on the southern part of the campus, the flats are arranged in single and double study bedrooms with en suite shower and toilet. There is a shared kitchen for every twelve rooms. Facilities in the hostels include common rooms, washrooms and a restaurant. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ HOSTELS: The International Student’s Hostels are located on the southern part of the campus off the road to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. For a long time, it had been the dream of the University of Ghana to create and strengthen links with other universities in order to enhance the international student presence on campus. The first phase was commissioned in June 1999 and the second in January 2006. The Hostels are co-educational and each has 43 single rooms and 85 double rooms. In addition, there are facilities such as a well-fortified security system, kitchenettes and restaurants. REFERENCES Amole, D. (2005),â€Å"Coping strategies for living in student residential facilities in Nigeria†, Environment and Behaviour, Vol. 37, pp. 201-19. Amole, D. (2009b),â€Å"Residential satisfaction in students’ housing†, Journal of Environment Psychology, Vol. 29, pp. 76-85. Association of African Universities (2004), â€Å"Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues†, African Studies Review (2004) Vol. 47, No. 1, 1-59 Dahlan, N., Jones, P., Alexander, D., Salleh, E. and Alias, J. (2009),â€Å"Evidence base prioritization of indoor comfort perceptions in Malaysian typical multi-storey hostels†, Building and Environment, pp. 2158-65. Elsinga, M. and Hoekstra, J. (2005),â€Å"Homeownership and housing satisfaction†, Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, Vol. 20, pp. 401-24. Fay, G. (1981),â€Å"A model for reviewing growth environments†, Journal of College and University Student Housing, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 46-7. Foubert, J.D., Tepper, R. and Morrison, D.R. (1998),â€Å"Predictors of student satisfaction in university residence halls†, Journal of College and University Student Housing, Vol. 21No. 1, pp. 41-6. Hassanain, M.A. (2008),â€Å"On the performance evaluation of sustainable student housing facilities†, Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 212-25. James, R.N. (2008), â€Å"Residential satisfaction of elderly tenants in apartment housing†, Social Indicators Research, Vol. 89, pp. 421-37. James, R.N. (2008), â€Å"Residential satisfaction of elderly tenants in apartment housing†, Social Indicators Research, Vol. 89, pp. 421-37. Kaya, N. and Erkip, F. (2001), â€Å"Satisfaction in a dormitory building: the effects of floor height on the perception of room size and crowding†, Environment Behavior, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 35-53. Khozaei, F., Hassan, A.S. and Khozaei, Z. (2010a), â€Å"Undergraduate students’ satisfaction with hostel and sense of attachment to place: case study of â€Å"universiti sains Malaysia†, American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 516-20. Lawrence, Paul R. and Jay W. Lorsch. (1967)â€Å"Organization and environment† Boston; Harvard University, Division of Research, Graduate School of Business Administration. Parkes, A., Kearns, A. and Atkinson, R. (2002), â€Å"What makes people dissatisfied with their neighbourhoods?†, Urban Studies, Vol. 39 No. 13, pp. 2413-38. Price, I., Matzdorf, F., Smith, L. and Agahi, H. (2003),â€Å"The impact of facilities on student choice of university†, Facilities, Vol. 21 No. 10, pp. 212-22. Radder, L. and Han, X. (2009), â€Å"Service quality of on-campus student housing: a South African experience†, The International Business Economics Research Journal, Vol. 8 No. 11, pp. 107-19. Salleh, A.G. (2008),â€Å"Neighbourhood factors in private low-cost housing in Malaysia†, Habitat International, Vol. 32, pp. 485-93. www.ghanaweb.com, (Tuesday, 8th January, 2008) retrieved on 4th October, 2012. www.ug.edu.gh (2012) retrieved on 10th October, 2012 www.ug.edu.gh (2012) retrieved on 2nd November, 2012 www.ug.edu.gh (2012) retrieved on 5th November, 2012

Faustus Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Out of ancient myth of the magician who sells his soul to the Devil for occult powers, Marlowe has fashioned a veritable fable of Renaissance man† (Source 5 113).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The goal of any true renaissance man is to improve himself. This goal may border on heresy, as it leads to a man trying to occupy the same position as God. Lucifer commits this same basic sin to cause his own fall. To Doctor Faustus, this idea of sin is of no concern at the beginning of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. Faustus’ goal is to become god-like himself. In order to accomplish this, he learns of science and shows an interest in magic. He turns to the pleasures of magic and art and the poewr of scientific knowledge as substitutes for the Christian faith he has lost† (source 5 115). Clearly, this total disregard for God makes Faustus an atheist. However, it is only his renaissance quality, which seals his damnation, not his lack of faith. It is interesting to note how Faustus directly parallels Marlowe himself. The play is written as if Marlowe’s vindication of Faustus will vindicate him in the end. This has a direct effect o n style as well as the overall spin, which Marlowe takes on the archetype. Such as strong connection between Faustus and Marlowe makes it practical to speak of the damnation of both of these interesting characters almost simultaneously. Therefore, Marlowe and Faustus are both damned by their own self-improvement, not only by God, but also by themselves, and society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctor Faustus opens with a depiction of Faustus as the perfect Renaissance man. â€Å"He is partly an artist, who does not wish to glorify God, as his medieval predecessors did, but to applaud and please man; he is partly a scientist and philosopher, whose hope is to make man more godlike and not to justify his miserable life on earth; and, most significantly he is a Protestant, a Lutheran by training who has attempted through Reformation to escape the evils he associates with a Roman Catholic Church.† (source 5 113) As the epitome of renaissance man, Faustus believes that he can infinitely improve himself (4 155). Faustus considers his life before his deal with Lucifer as one that has gone as far as current interests may carry him. He notes in the opening scene â€Å"Then read no more; thou hast attained the end. / A greater subject fitteth Faustus’... ...arlowe humanizes him. â€Å"Faustus has the complicated modern soul. He is tragic because his dillema is real† (source 6 62). As a realistic character, Faustus experiences the common feelings which occur in any person’s battle with faith. Marlowe creates a character whose flaw is so slight, yet who is fatally flawed at the same time. This over ambition creates the perfect balance between the extremes of flaw. â€Å"There is a desperate fatalism about Marlowe that the most desirable things are subject to cosmic veto† (source 9 226). Marlowe succeeds in accomplishing his ultimate goal of creating a character which vindicates his own beliefs. The damnation of Faustus as well as the life of Marlowe both prove to demonstrate that unchecked ambition lead to complete damnation and utter loss of happiness in society. Although Marlowe does well in humanizing Faustus, it is still clear how he was damned and why. Marlowe’s biography also is tragic in the same way. All of Marlowe’s as well as Faustus’ damnation both are easily attributed to their ambitious nature which is almost a piece of the archetype to which Icarus and Lucifer both belong. Clearly, the ultimate answer to this problem is moderation.

Employment and Total Rewards

Introduction The aim of this paper seeks to examine the concept of total rewards in the process of increasing prominence in organisations. Total Rewards is best described as a business strategy that â€Å"includes financial and non-financial complementary elements designed to recruit, develop, retain and motivate employees†(OSP 2003). â€Å"Employees working for a total rewards employer tend to be more motivated, productive, and happy†. (eHow 1999) As a result is â€Å"the business thrives†(eHow 1999) and prominence. In this paper, I will following this concept to explore more detailed of effectiveness total reward in the organisation prominence.The concept of rewards has developed over the time to represent more than just to pay cheque an employee at the end of the month. The concept of total rewards was emerged in the 1990s as a new way of thinking about the deployment of compensation and benefits, combined with other tangible and intangibles ways that company seek to attract best people. (Richard val del Walt 2010) As defined by Manus and Graham (2003), total reward ‘includes all types of rewards-indirect as well as direct, and intrinsic as well as extrinsic’. Michael Armstrong 2006) The direct reward is what an employee receives from the employer in bank account such as base wage, bonuses, commission. Indirect rewards, often called â€Å"benefits† refers to that part of the total reward package in addition to direct pay, such as health & life insurance cover, retirement & pension plans, health care, company car and mobile phone (Koala Consulting and Training 2008). â€Å"There are extrinsic rewards, which cover the basic needs of income to survive (to pay bills), a feeling of stability and consistency (the job is secure), and recognition (my workplace values my skills).On the other hand, there are intrinsic rewards, the most important of which is probably job satisfaction, a feeling of completing challenges competen tly, enjoyment, and even perhaps the social interactions which arise from the workplace†. (Koala Consulting and Training 2008) The ability link and balance all aspects of rewards together helps organisations achieve the motivation, commitment, engagement and development of employees. The consequence is profitability, efficiency and prominence in organisation.The most companies who use the total reward strategy simply mean to provide â€Å"benefits and a positive place to work† (Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster 2002), but â€Å"this makes a company attractive to the workforce in general but perhaps not to those who will make enterprise prosper. The companies need to fashion workplace to be attractive to people who are wanted to adding value to the business†. (Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster 2002) To increase prominence and efficiency in organisations is responsible equally as an employer, as employees.The employer responsible to creates an atmosph ere in which the best people will want to work in company. â€Å"It is true that the best people will work more than pay†. (Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster 2002). The total rewards scheme concept is simply about the creating an atmosphere by financial and non-financial benefits given to employees in trade for their service, time, abilities and their efforts to support the company. The â€Å"top talent† (Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster 2000) wants to work for the company provide better workforce deal that involves the four total rewards components.The compiling future is important for the employees, because they want to â€Å"be able to draw self-esteem and satisfaction from working in the organisation. Employees want to feel that the organisation has optimistic and positive vision, direction and growth of the future and a set of values that they can support†. (Employement studies [n d]) The company that focuses on individual growth gives opport unity an employee for training, coaching and personal development. (Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R.Schuster 2002) Also, the employee wants to work in organisation where workplace is positive. This means best leadership, team working and open communication. Roles and working environment â€Å"should be designed around employees† (Employement studies [n d]), with a focus on their future development. â€Å"Employees need to feel that what they do is important and to understand how their role relates to the organisation’s goals†. (Employement studies [n d]). The last component is total pay. Total pay involves basic pay, performance-related pay, benefits, and feedback or recognition.All the elements that involve total pay are good way â€Å"to address individual need and preference†. (Employement studies [n d]) For example, â€Å"performance-related pay to emphasise results; benefits to provide protection from life and health hazards, in addition to holidays, recognition and feedback†. (Employement studies [n d]) Some companies can balance the four components or choose the only one, for example some companies may have very strong total pay, but the poor work environment. Other companies may have weaker total pay but develop people, provide a positive workplace.Also, there are five elements of total rewards model, WorldatWork (2011) presented the each of which helps to make the strategy to attract, motivate and retain employees. These elements are: compensation, benefits, work-life balance, performance & recognition and development and career opportunities. The compensation includes four basic components, such as â€Å"fixed pay – Also known as â€Å"basic pay†, fixed pay is nondiscretionary compensation that does not vary according to performance or results achieved. It usually is determined by the organization’s pay philosophy and structure.Variable pay – Also known as â€Å"pay at risk†, varia ble pay changes directly with the level of performance or results achieved. It is a one-time payment and must be re-established and re-earned each performance period. Short-term incentive pay – a form of variable pay, short-term incentive pay is designed to focus and reward performance over a period of one year or less. Long-term incentive pay – a form of variable pay, long-term incentive pay is designed to focus and reward performance over a period longer than one year. Typical forms include stock options, restricted stock, performance shares, performance units and cash†. SARA 2010) Hroot ( 2007) said while one of the most traditional elements of total rewards, it remains a essential for business success. Benefits area constantly challenged and expanding during the last time from just , holiday, health-care benefits to benefits programs which protect employees and their families from financial risks and can categorized such as retirement and medical and dental i nsurance, as well as non-traditional programs, such as identity theft and pet insurance. Life-balance area focused to help employees do their job effectively, such as flexible scheduling, telecommuting, child-care programs, etc.In talent management, performance involves the association of organizational and individual goals toward business success. Recognition is a way for employers to pay special attention to workers for their accomplishments, behaviours and successes. Recognition is necessary to support the value of performance improvement and promote positive communication and feedback. â€Å"Development a set of learning experiences designed to improve employees’ practical skills and competencies. Development engages employees to perform better and engages leaders to advance their organization’s people strategies. Career pportunities area focuses on the planning for employees to go forward their career goals, and a more responsible position in an organization. The development and career opportunities involve the learning opportunities and coaching, such as new technology training, attendance at outside seminars, conferences, virtual education, leadership training and formal or informal mentoring programs†. (SARA 2010) Full understanding of total rewards concept, key components and elements give opportunity to implement the total reward strategy to attract best people, talent, keep them and have them perform well.After all, effective reward systems help an organization not just retain key employees, but also be more competitive and reduce turnover. The ability to understand the purpose of total rewards helps recognise and identify the main powerful types of total rewards to be more competitive and avoid the staff turnover. Staff turnover is the most serious problem for the company. The reasons to leave the organisations are: â€Å"I'm not sure there's a future here for me. â€Å", â€Å"I just don't feel like this is the right place for me. â€Å", â€Å"I'm not sure I want to be doing this for the rest of my life. † and â€Å"I think I can make more money elsewhere. (The Vision Link Advisory Group [n d]) With an understanding of the reasons people leave an organization, the organisations can easily to improve these areas of an organization's by using the total rewards strategy to creating and sustaining a culture that is not copy able – which is essential to maintaining a competitive advantage in the market place(The Vision Link Advisory Group [n d]), but if the company will ignore the reasons why people leave the company, there are affecting them in many ways, such as high staff turnover, conflict, stress, low productivity, bad company image and lose of the business.The main issue to implement the total rewards strategy is turnover. There are many consequences such as lost of best employees, time and cost of selection and recruitment process, poor performance, conflict, stress and poor company image. The turnover is split on two categories voluntary turnover where employee chooses to leave. The key reasons include better career opportunities ; development, increased compensation and better work environment.Involuntary turnover is when employer is asked to leave for reasons including poor performance or development, an inappropriate behaviour and attendance of employee. To replaces an employee the HR Management department, which is responsible for the recruitment and selection process should prepared all relevant procedures to recruit new worker. Recruitment and selection process are very expensive and also considers the costs and consequences of employee turnover.There are financial, community and workforce impact. â€Å"Every time an employee leaves and has to be replaced, an operation incurs a number of direct financial costs, including administration costs associated with processing resignations and dismissal, time taken up in conducting exit interviews, productivity losses associated with impending departure. Lost productivity and additional costs such as overtime or contractor payments to cover for vacancies created by this departures.Recruitment costs such as advertising, employment of job search agencies, time and resources spent in processing applications, staff time involved in selection interviews. Also the training and start-up costs, because the time of trainers and staff and of new employees taken up in inductions and on the job training, loss of productivity until the new employee reaches full production potential†. (David Brereton, Mining David, Ruth Beach. 2003) â€Å"In fact, last year it was estimated that filling each staff vacancy in a business costs the employer between ? 4333 and ? 7750. †(J. A.J Aaronson 2010) In addition to financial costs, high turnover is very negatively affects operational efficiency, such as a close teamwork, because instability in the workforce, consequences can include increased stress an d tension amongst those remaining employees who have to fill the gaps left by departing employees, declining employee morale, and decreased productivity. (Pinkovitz, Moskal et al 1997)The companies which have staff turnover can’t to invest in training and career development for staff, which is so important for the employees, because have big looses in recruitment and selection process.The ability to implement and develop the total rewards system will give many benefits to achieve organisational goals, make company efficient and prominent. The benefits of total rewards approach are: â€Å"greater impact- the combined effect of the different types of rewards will make a deeper and long lasting impact on the motivation and commitment of people†. (Michael Armstrong 2006) The total rewards and â€Å"Maslow’s need hierarchy theory (1954) is very considered.Maslow proposed the motivation is a function of five basic needs-physiological, safeties, love, esteem and self- actualization and explained that a person’s physiological needs must be firstly met followed by safety needs, and so on up the need hierarchy. When designing total reward strategy, employees’ multifarious needs must be well considered, Maslow’s points will help the organization reach its expectation†. (Zhou Jiang 2009)† Employee will give their maximum when they motivated and have a feeling or trust that their efforts will be rewarded by the management.There are many factors that affect employee performance like working conditions, worker and employer relationship, training and development opportunities, job security, and companies overall policies and procedures for rewarding employees. Among all those factors which affect employee performance, motivation that comes with rewards is of utmost importance†. (Nadia Sajjad Hafiza, Syed Sohaib Shah, Humera Jamsheed, Khalid Zaman 2011) A satisfied and motivated employee and work force by tangible and intangible rewards can definitely help sustain productivity.Job satisfaction plays an important role in employee commitment and in reducing employee absenteeism and boredom at work. Smith (1992) believed that job satisfaction could lead to cost reduction by reducing absences, errors and turnovers which leads to greater productivity and economic and industrial growth which is a major drive of most organisations. The result of total reward strategy is happy motivated employees and their â€Å"appreciation, meeting the new challenges, positive and caring attitude from employer, and job rotation after attaining the goal†. Nadia Sajjad Hafiza, Syed Sohaib Shah, Humera Jamsheed, Khalid Zaman 2011) The second benefit of total rewards is increased flexibility in the total rewards approach â€Å"allows awards to be mixed to fit the various needs of the employee. Flexibility has become an important factor in work-life balance. Organizations are recognizing the constraints many worker s are facing and providing them with alternatives to ensure the motivational and emotional needs of the employees are met.Some flexibility rewards that have been implemented in many organizations are instilling various scheduling options and providing telecommuting options. More companies are instituting new work schedules which include longer days but shorter weeks, i. e. 4 days @ 10 hours as well as allowing employees to work from home. With technology becoming more advanced, employers can meet with employees via the web and documents can be faxed or emailed. Increased flexibility is both beneficial to the employer and the employee†. (Cyberessays, Divaqueen. 011) The other benefit of total rewards Michael Armstrong (2006) said is talent management- relational rewards (learning, development and work environment) help to deliver a positive psychological contract and this can serve as a differentiator in the recruitment market that is much more difficult to replicate than indiv idual pay practices. The organisation can become an ‘employer of choice’ and ‘a great place to work’; the result is attracting and retaining the talent people it needs. There are many advantages from managing talent, such as makes company more competitive in competition.The company that try developing and producing super-talented people is â€Å"always best to compare products or services to competitors. This important process of the company increased sales effectively and efficiently. With the position more competitive than the competition, a company can automatically effective market penetration and gain greater market share. Gain market share means more sales of the company increases significantly†. (Business 2011) The ability correctly implements the total rewards strategy give organisations opportunity to become efficient and competitive over competitors.Mary Mosqueda, (2008) said developing the correct mix for the total rewards strategy is the key to employing and keeping the best talent. The first step is identifying the culture, employee climate, and employee demographics. This can be determined through an employee appraisal system, focus groups or key employee interviews. After identifying what drives employee motivation, commitment, and loyalty for organization, also the importance to determine how much organisation are willing to spend. The second step involves creating a road map or a total rewards philosophy/strategy.The importance of discussion on relevant question related to the total rewards strategy. The question such as: â€Å"What transactional and relational rewards company already offer? †, â€Å"What compensation, benefits and work/life programs should the company offer to remain competitive in industry? †, â€Å"What is overall commitment to company’s financials and employees? †, â€Å"Who is the company’s competitors and peers rewards programs? † These entire que stions give opportunity to think of development general total rewards strategy.Mary Mosqueda, (2008) said the third step is development of policies and procedures regarding the use of new benefits, learning environment, development and compensation systems. These policies establish the flow of the process and secure the integrity of both the company and employee. Management can easily include these polices into an employee manual or handbook. It is very important that senior management is on board with any changes or new policies with regard to employee total rewards programs, then, the fourth step in this process involves including top management from the beginning.Educating management on how to successfully implement these strategies with their employees is critical. Managers and employees need to understand the process and learn how total rewards can help them in achieving objectives and further company’s financial goals. This can be achieved through different methods of c ommunication. Communication is next step of the implementation, which is vital to the successful result of total rewards strategy. If this is not communicated properly, it is all for naught.The communication of rewards strategy can be by emails, meetings, newsletters, representatives; etc, â€Å"Communication should support development strategy and achieve a win-win situation for both the organisation and employees. As employees contribute to the organisation in achieving its goals, those same employees need to share in its success. To encourage this win-win situation, senior management needs to ensure that employees have a clear direction and that they feel valued by receiving appropriate rewards. † (Michael Silverman, Peter Reilly. N d]) Also, the total rewards strategy has a poor result, if development and implementation process is incorrect, because† applying too much motivation or offering too many rewards can also have a negative effect. Employees can become over- confident. They may feel that they are the bosses' favourite workers, even if they start to slack off on their work and responsibilities or test the limits of their working relationship with their supervisors†. (Amelia Jenkins, Demand Media [n d]) Anyway using total rewards strategy the organisation motivate, build a good atmosphere and relationship with employee that fosters a sense of trust.In a good relationship, employees may feel respected and comfortable in their working environment. Providing rewards, both tangible and intangible make employees happier. Happier employees often perform better at work and proud of their company. Conclusion This essay examined the concept of total rewards and the reasons for its increasing prominence in organisation. The components, elements and benefits of total rewards make the clear understanding how it is important for the organisation on the whole.The total rewards have a positive influence on the employee base and the company, becaus e the ability to give the right rewards to the right employee makes the win-win result. Employees who know they will be rewarded for their efforts, talent and development will continue to perform well and maintains employee satisfaction. When, employees talk about organisation with good reward system and their development, opportunities, good payments and environment, its make organisation more attractive. Over the time a reputation and company image go up.In addition, an organization's reputation makes an impression on current and future clients, which can significantly improve the company's worth and profitability. There are more consequences of reward strategy such as happy and satisfy employees, good atmosphere, reduce the staff turnover, good reputation and profitability. It is make the organisation very prominent. References Michael Armstrong (2006). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 10th ed. London: Kogan Page Limited. p629 Michael Armstrong (2006). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. 10th ed. London: Kogan Page Limited. 632. The Vision Link Advisory Group. ([n d]). Four Keys To Employee Retention – True Total Rewards. Available: http://www. vladvisors. com/images/PDF/VisionLink_Employee-Retention. pdf. Last accessed 6 January 2012. Mary Mosqueda, Compensation Practice Leader, Lockton Companies. (2008). The Impact of Total Rewards in a Downshifting Economy. Available: http://www. lockton. com/Resource_/PageResource/PDFs/The%20Impact%20of%20TR%20in%20a%20Downshifting%20Economy. pdf. Last accessed 8 January 2012. Pinkovitz, W. H. , J. Moskal, et al. (1997) How much does your employee turnover cost?Center for Community Economic Development, University of Wisconsin. http://www. uwex. edu/ces/cced/publicat/turn. html, last accessed 7 January 2012. Amelia Jenkins, Demand Media. ([n d]). About Employee Motivation & Reward Systems. Available: http://smallbusiness. chron. com/employee-motivation-reward-systems-15978. html. La st accessed 8 January 2012. Business. (2011). 3 Advantages of Talent Management Company. Available: http://business-human-resources. chailit. com/3-advantages-of-talent-management-company-2. html. Last accessed 8 January 2012 Cyberessays, Divaqueen. (2011).Total rewards approach. Available: http://www. cyberessays. com/Term-Paper-on-Total-Rewards-Approach/32691/. Last accessed 8 January 2012. ADP. (2010). Effective Talent Management Has Become an Essential Strategy for Organizational Success. Available: http://www. adp. com/tools-and-resources/case-studies-white-papers/~/media/White%20Papers/NAS/WhitePaper_TalentManagement_HQ_v2. ashx. Last accessed 7 January 2012. David Brereton, Mining David, Ruth Beach. (2003). Employee Turnover as a Sustainability Issue. Available: http://www. csrm. uq. edu. au/docs/MCApaperTurnover1. pdf. Last accessed 7 January 2012.Zhou Jiang. (2009). Total Reward Strategy: A Human Resources Management Strategy Going with the Trend of the Times. International Journal of Business and Management. 4 (11), 179. David Beswick, University of Melbourne. (2007). Management implications of the interaction between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic rewards. Available: http://www. beswick. info/psychres/management. htm. Last accessed 8 January 2012. Nadia Sajjad Hafiza, Syed Sohaib Shah, Humera Jamsheed, Khalid Zaman. (2011). RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REWARDS AND EMPLOYEE’S MOTIVATION IN THE NON-PROFIT. Available: http://www. aycocorporativo. com/saycoUK/BIJ/journal/Vol4No2/Article_11. pdf. Last accessed 8 January 2012. Michael Silverman, Peter Reilly. ([N d]). How Flexible is Total Reward?. Available: http://www. employment-studies. co. uk/pdflibrary/mp24. pdf. Last accessed 8 January 2012. Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster. (2004). TOTAL REWARDS: PEOPLE WANT MORE THAN MONEY. Available: http://www. schuster-zingheim. com/docs/Total_Rewards_People_Want_More_Than_Money. pdf. Last accessed 8 January 2012. Hroot. (2007). WorldatWork Total Re wards Model Strategies to Attract, Motivate and Retain Employees.Available: http://www. hroot. com/contents/57/89011. html. Last accessed 8 January 2012. Awards. http://www. awards. co. za:8000/images/documents/AAGroup%20Total%20Rewards. pdf. [n d]. (accessed December 21, 2011). eHow . http://www. ehow. com/facts_5687820_total-rewards_. html. 1999. (accessed December 21, 2011). Employement studies. [n d]. http://www. employment-studies. co. uk/pdflibrary/mp24. pdf (accessed December 2011). J. A. J Aaronson . Managing Staff Turnover. 25 December 2010. http://www. aboutemployeebenefits. co. uk/managing-staff-turnover. tml (accessed January 7, 2012). OSP . Total Rewards (2003)http://www. osp. state. nc. us/†¦ /total%20rewards%2†¦ . 2003. (accessed December 21, 2011). Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster. Pay It Forward. 2002. http://www. schuster-zingheim. com/docs/Pay_It_Forward. pdf (accessed December 22, 2011). Patricia K. Zingheim and Jay R. Schuster. 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The Kiss Klimt

The Kiss Gustav Klimt The Kiss is a work that was painted by the Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt, between the years 1907 and 1908. Klimt utilizes his personal experiences and life changes as his inspiration for the creation of perhaps his most famous work yet. He links modernity and eroticism at the center of his work, the couple’s embrace. This embrace is a quintessential expression of one of the deepest passions known to mankind, sensual love. Klimt’s color choices, use of depth, line, and balance, are all techniques that contribute to the message he is trying to convey.This couple’s love radiates passion at its strongest, the love between man and woman, and the disconnect from reality they experience as they embrace. In order to understand the meaning behind The Kiss, one must know a little bit about the artist’s history. Klimt was born on July 14, 1862 in Baumgarten near Vienna. He studied architectural painting at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts. B y 1880, Klimt and his brother collaborated and began working together. As a result, they garnered the attention of many new clients. Eventually, Klimt embarked on his own career path and started his professional painting career.He began by painting interior murals and ceilings in large public areas. In 1888, Klimt was even awarded for the murals he painted in Burg Theater. This particular mural portrayed the Golden Order of Orders from the empire of Franz Josef I of Austria. Klimt’s success and joy was quickly followed by tremendous grief when his brother and father tragically passed away, leaving him financially responsible for his family. As a result of this tragedy, Klimt’s art began to reflect the sadness and difficulty he was experiencing in his personal life.He continued on this path for a while, until he created The Kiss. Some say this painting was his magnum opus, his greatest work. Society immediately fell in love with his work, and he quickly regained his suc cess. In this work, Klimt illustrates two figures, one male and one female. They are entangled in what seems to be a passionate embrace at the center of the work. Their love immediately becomes the focal point. Their gilded clothing beams as it pulls the viewer deeper into the center of the painting, the very essence of work, the kiss itself.It quickly lets the viewer know that this is the main focus of the painting. The entanglement of shapes initially blends the lovers’ bodies into one, exposing only their hands, feet, and faces. However, when more closely examined, the viewer can see that there is a separation. Klimt uses rectangles and squares on the male figure, and more rounded and circular shapes on the female figure. So in spite of the fact that the figures are intertwined, and almost seem as one, the variations of the geometric rectangles and the organic flower pattern illustrates each figure as a separate entity.This juxtaposition between jagged and soft can also be viewed as a metaphorical representation of the contrast between the rough nature of man versus the sensitive nature of woman. Their tight embrace clearly expresses sensuality and intimacy, the powerful connection that only lovers can experience. This power is enhanced by Klimt’s use of color. Just as he juxtaposes contrasting jagged and soft shapes, he creates contrast through the juxtaposition of earth tones and vibrant colors against a golden background. Despite the array of colors and shapes that make up the majority of the painting, the focal point remains distinct.As mentioned previously, their emotion radiates. The couple’s faces are essentially all that is needed to portray Klimt’s message. Their positions create an extra element of interest within the painting. The man’s face is hidden, and only a quarter view is shown. This indicates a euphoric state as he is lost in the bewilderment of love. The women’s face, however, is in full view. He r expression reveals a sense of tranquility and satisfaction. Her eyes are closed as she allows herself to enter into this euphoric state as well.Her cheeks are flushed, hinting a climactic moment in her embrace with her lover. Color and technique is another major aspect of The Kiss. In creating this painting, Klimt gained inspiration from his travels to the Byzantine, the mosaics in Ravenna in particular. This inspiration is reflected in his use of gold and the arrangement of shapes. While the majority of the painting was done using golden hues (he uses actual gold leaf to achieve this affect), Klimt manages to apply all of the colors necessary to achieve intrigue and convey his message clearly.He uses vibrant colors such as; blue, purple, and green in the flowerbed. He strategically uses the gold by integrating it into the robes and vines that swathe over the figures and over the woman’s feet. He continues his theme of contrast and juxtaposition in his use of complimentary colors. The green in the flowerbed contrasts with the red in the woman’s dress, making her dominate and stand out. This contrast is even shown in the skin tones of the figures. The man has an olive complexion and the woman has a peach complexion, making her stand out even more.An additional component is Klimt’s use of depth. He uses a variety of sizes among his shapes to emphasize the curves of the figures’ bodies. The flowerbed beneath the figures indicates Klimt’s use of perspective. He allows the line of grass to blur, giving the illusion of space. The Kiss remains unique, unlike most of Klimt’s other work. Unlike the portrayal of women as femme fatales in his other paintings, Klimt portrays the woman in The Kiss as the protagonist. This is illustrated through the full view of her face, as well as the color of her complexion.Since the male is painted in deeper hues, it gives him a more dominant role. This is also illustrated by the way he stands over the kneeling woman and how he pulls her face over towards him. As one of Klimt’s most famous paintings, The Kiss is arguably a perfect composition of shape, color, line, and scale. Unfortunately, I have not had the privilege of seeing The Kiss in person, yet I still felt the intensity and passion that is illustrated in the painting. I was originally drawn to research this particular work because of its color and beauty.Only once I began to dissect the painting’s individual attributes did I discover that it is so much more than just a beautiful painting. It is a representation of love, the most passionate emotion of all. What originally began as awe and reverence for the artist, became envy towards the lovers. It makes me long to experience passion and love as the couple does in Klimt’ work. His genius is evident in his technique, but more so, in his ability to evoke an emotional response in the viewer.