The United States Essay - 2623 Words

1. The Commonwealth They Served The weather was seasonally cold in Pennsylvania’s Capitol late in 1914. On Sunday morning, December 27, the temperature was 1 degree Fahrenheit. This reading was the lowest ever registered in the last month of the year during the almost three-decade history of the Harrisburg weather station. Nevertheless, the cold did not dim the spirit of the holiday season as the Harrisburg Evening Telegraph newspaper cheerfully proclaimed, â€Å"Perfect Christmas Makes City Happy.† During that week, Governor John K. Tener, in the last month of his term, released a legislatively mandated report that made history. The Report of the Economy and Efficiency Commission, for one of the very few times in Pennsylvania’s Chronicle, provided the public with a roster of all 5,152 state employees. The release of this document was a key milestone in the Commonwealth’s early 20th-century effort to improve its personnel management practices. By listing names, this document provides an opportunity to recognize the often-unheralded contributions of selected state employees assigned to organizations under the general supervision of the Governor. The register also affords an invaluable chance to appreciate how the offices, bureaus, and divisions make Pennsylvania work. Researching their efforts brought to light a collective commitment to assist the public. This attribute is a common virtue among Pennsylvania state employees, both past and present. It is the one thingShow MoreRelatedThe United States1368 Words   |  6 Pagesthat would affect the actions and history of the United States in the future. According to The Wordy Shipmates author Sarah Vowell, those colonists began the way the United States would be unique and not conform to what other countries do and this is shown in the actions the United States has taken throughout its history. Instead of conforming, most of the goals of the United States have been to allow o ther nations to conform to the United States’ image. Yet, those colonists who were being sent offRead MoreThe United States915 Words   |  4 PagesCheyanne Sitch Pod Cast 4 â€Å"The United States we stand at this moment at the summit of this world† –Winston Churchill. 1940 was the last year before the United States fully engaged themselves into the war. At this time the US was dealing with its 11th year of the depression. 1/7th of the population was unemployed at this time. This meant that nearly 14% of the workforce was unemployed in 1940 compared to the average of 17% in 1930. During this time the federal government did not maintain a povertyRead MoreThe United States949 Words   |  4 PagesIn the 1900’s, the United States has expanded their trading routes with oriental lands such as the Philippines. A striking speech, delivered by a first-term republican senator, Albert J. Beveridge, strongly advocates the annexation of the Philippine islands to the USA. The most striking points about the senator’s speech are his three poorly thought out reasons justifying Americans to colonize the Philippines, which were religion, pr ofit, and race. The reason was for the American imperialism, whichRead MoreThe United States1489 Words   |  6 Pages The Oxford Dictionary defines Wisdom as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Looking over the history of the United States, it can be argued that as a nation, the U.S has grown wiser over the years. This due to the various obstacles that they’ve overcome. Many of which were conflicts that arose with other countries and, at one point, within itself. All of the decisions made during these times of tension and overall crisis, even though at the moment very difficult to getRead MoreThe United States1267 Words   |  6 PagesFollowing nearly six decades of severed diplomatic relations, President Obama announced in September 2015 that the United States would loosen a variety of economic restrictions on Cuba. This announcement came in the wake of a â€Å"diplomatic thaw† beginning in December 2014 with the intention of normalizing political, socia l, and economic relations between the two nations. While Cuba remains under restrictions imposed by the 1960 Cuban Embargo, the steps taken by the Obama administration represent aRead MoreThe United States1263 Words   |  6 PagesThrough political and racial attitudes that have persisted from our countries inception, these issues have evolved into the education system that is in place today, a system that is flawed and needs much revision. The Declaration of Independence states that all Americans are entitled to â€Å"Life, Liberty, and Property,† and while, in the modern era, it is widely believed that educations is part of those rights, this was not always the case. For example, the case that gave rise to one of the most infamousRead MoreThe United States995 Words   |  4 PagesIt has been a well-known fact that the United States has been a model example for the world since its inception. Through the course of time, the influence of the United States has slowly grown. The roots of this influence lie within the core of the United States government and have since branched out into language, the arts, food, and more (Zimmerman). While these aforementioned examples have largely come around in the past century, the origin of this process was first defined in around 1800 (Dictionary)Read MoreThe United States1489 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Over the centuries, the United States has developed a rich political culture which includes a number of center principles and standards that act as the foundation of American democracy. Not all Americans embrace similar perspectives, of course, but the vast majority agree and accept these collective values. The ideals of equality, unity, liberty, democracy, diversity and individualism are deeply a part of the institutional framework of society. Political disputes are inclined toRead MoreThe United States859 Words   |  4 Pagescapital or income for people, feeding families and providing fresh produce based on organic gardening and micro-farming projects. According to Smalls the unemployment rate in South Africa is around 25%, which is significantly higher compared to the United States unemployment of 5.4%. So, if people who are unemployed are willing to put in the hard work than, Abalimi Bezekhaya is a good fit for them. In particular, women typically do more of the domestic care like cooking and so being a part of the AbalimiRead MoreThe United States1980 Words   |  8 PagesThe United States continues to be in the spotlight, especially during an election year and specifically when it comes to immigration. Most recently I was intrigued by an article I read, titled â€Å" Articleâ€Å"that talked about the unprecedented number of unaccompanied children crossing our U.S. Borders illegally. What began as an intriguing subject that sparked my interest evolved into a desire to expand my knowledge on the subject of immigration, particularly these unaccompanied children crossing our

Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups Essay - 1813 Words

We live in a culturally diverse society where there are many differences among various racial and ethnic groups. When these different groups come into contact with one another they interact in many different ways. Prejudice and discrimination are key factors in understanding intergroup relationships. Competition, religious ideas, fear of strangers and nationalism are elements that contribute to prejudice. Many expressions of negative prejudicial attitudes, stereotyping and discriminatory behavior can have negative impact on the social relationships between dominant and minority groups. Many prejudices are passed along from child to parent and the influence of television and movies perpetuate demeaning portrayals about specific groups.†¦show more content†¦Robert Merton Mertons model of Relationships between Prejudice and Discrimination demonstrates that prejudice can exist without discrimination, and discrimination can occur without prejudice. He also points out that soci al-situation variables often determine whether discriminatory behavior occurs. Our attitudes and our observable behaviors are closely related but not the same. At times we are able conceal our unsympathetic feelings toward certain groups without revealing our true feeling and attitudes. Conversely, our overt behavior may conceal our real attitudes. ({Parrillo 98) Discrimination is not always the simple acting out of prejudice and is it sometimes the result of self-interest, a decision that protects the interests of the majority group. For example, legally restricting immigration for economic reasons. It also could be the result of social conformity (giving in to outside pressure despite personal values and views), and sanctioning of behavior (justifying behavior by giving valid reasons). (Parrillo 98) Sanidhu and Brown indicate that the social identity theory proposes that prejudice and discrimination are related to a groups self esteem needs and therefore ethnocentrism plays a dominant role in promoting ingroup favoritism and outgroup hostilities. They further state that all oppressive political practices play and integral part in developing and continuing prejudice (For example, Jim Crow legislation. (SandhuShow MoreRelated Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups Essay1431 Words   |  6 Pagesnaturally for any problems that may arise. (Zgourides 12). It also fails to take into consideration differences in power among and between groups. Conflict Theory was influenced by Karl Marxs socioeconomic view of the elite exploiting the masses. (Parillo 12). The conflict perspective focuses on the inequalities that create racial and ethnic tensions between groups. In contrast to the fundamentalists emphasis on stability, conflict theorists maintain, Racism has much to do with maintaining powerRead MoreReading Of Roderick A. Ferguson s Aberrations Of Black : Towards A Queer Of Color1203 Words   |  5 PagesBy challenging some of the main complacent thinking that characterized canonical sociology, Ferguson pushes for an engagement with racial knowledge about African American culture as it was produced by American sociology if one is to fully understand the gender and sexual variations within the African American culture. One of the principle assumptions of canonical sociology is represented by its use of cultural, racial and sexual differences in the process of pathologizing African American cultureRead MoreCaribbean Studi es Essay999 Words   |  4 Pagescomposed of different ethnic groups or cultural traditions or in the political structure of which ethnic or cultural differences are reflected† This suggests that although different ethnic groups live in the same geographical area, they stick to themselves, as is the case between the Blacks and East Indians of Trinidad and Guyana. Hintzen (1989), states that â€Å"Both groups became envious of each other’s successes. In both countries  there existed a high degree of racial exclusivity in residential concentrationRead MoreEssay Ethnic Inequality in Health Care1723 Words   |  7 Pageshealth related to ethnicity, by providing some evidence that ethnic inequality in health is a reality in the society and include definitions of keywords. Secondly, I will bring forward arguments for and against on the major sociological explanations (racial discrimination, arefact, access to and quality of care) for the existence of health inequalities related to ethnicity. Thirdly, I would also like to take the knowledge learnt for this topic and brief outline how this may help me in future nursingRead MoreAsdfghjkl894 Words   |  4 PagesSociology Research Area * * Aging and the Life Course * Alcohol and Substance Abuse * Asia amp; Asian America * Collective Behavior and Social Movements * Community and Urban Sociology * Comparative and Historical Sociology * Sociology and Computers * Crime, Law amp; Deviance * Economic Sociology * Environment amp; Technology * Family amp; Marriage * History of Sociology * International Migration * Latino/aRead MoreEssay about Ethnocentrism And Cultural Relativity551 Words   |  3 Pagespositive or negative depending on the level of sensitivity and respect people have for other culture groups. These two types of behaviors are related to two important concepts known as ethnocentrism and cultural relativity. Ethnocentrism is â€Å"the attitude of prejudice or mistrust towards outsiders that may exist within a group (in-group) in relation to other (out-group)†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (Harper-Collin Dictionary of Sociology). Importantly, there are also three levels of ethnocentrism: a positive one, a negative one, andRead MoreSociology Of Our Times By Diana Kendall And The Meaning Of Sociology By Charon And Vigilant1053 Words   |  5 PagesIn both of our textbooks Sociology in Our Times by Diana Kendall and The Meaning of Sociology by Charon and Vigilant, I really focused on the chapter about race and ethnicity. The readings had two sections related to the same discussion, one about race, wealth and ethnicity and another about how children who are born immigrants having to learn how to adapt to their â€Å"normal† identity in society. Other topics of prejudice, discrimination, and sociological perspectives were interesting and helped gainRead MoreRacial Discrimination And Discrimination899 Words   |  4 Pagesaccording to the Sociology – A Brief Introduction by â€Å"the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups based on some type of arbitrary bias† (Schaefer, 196). Prejudice is â€Å"the negative attitude toward an entire category of people, often an ethnic or a racial minority† (Schaefer, 195). Branching out from the topics of discrimination and prejudice, the following terms are the main key aspect that I am going to discuss in my advertisement analysis. The sociology of racism is â€Å"theRead MorePolice Violence Is More Than Violent Policing1369 Words   |  6 Pagescorrelation between neighborhood characteristics and crime prevalence. It found that disadvantaged areas attract more criminal activities than areas with high quality of services. As well it stated that impoverished neighborhoods are dominated by ethnic and racial minorities. In overall, this article is relevant for psychology. Chaney, C., Robertson, R. V. (2013). Racism and police brutality in America. Journal of African American Studies, 17(4), 480-505. doi:10.1007/s12111-013-9246-5 Read MoreRacial and Ethnic Inequality696 Words   |  3 PagesMashell Chapeyama Business Administration Sociology Key words Racial inequality, ethnic inequality, geographic location, discrimination, cultural orientation Causes of racial and ethnic inequality This discussion looks at the causes of racial and ethnic inequalities in the world. There are a number of causes of inequalities. Some causes are geographical location and discrimination. However inequality is on the decline on a global scale. Racial and ethnic inequality is found in many countries

Narayan From Wikipedia free essay sample

Narayan (10 October 1906 – 13 May 2001), shortened from Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, was an Indian writer, best known for his works set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He is one of three leading figures of early Indian literature in English (alongside Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao), and is credited with bringing the genre to the rest of the world Narayan broke through with the help of his mentor and friend, Graham Greene, who was instrumental in getting publishers for Narayan’s first four books, including the semi-autobiographical trilogy of Swami and Friends, The Bachelor of Arts and The English Teacher. Narayan’s works also include The Financial Expert, hailed as one of the most original works of 1951, and Sahitya Akademi Award winner The Guide, which was adapted for film and for Broadway. The setting for most of Narayans stories is the fictional town of Malgudi, first introduced in Swami and Friends. His narratives highlight social context and provide a feel for his characters through everyday life. He has been compared to William Faulkner, who also created a fictional town that stood for reality, brought out the humour and energy of ordinary life, and displayed compassionate humanism in his writing. Narayans short story writing style has been compared to that of Guy de Maupassant, as they both have an ability to compress the narrative without losing out on elements of the story. Narayan has also come in for criticism for being too simple in his prose and diction. In a writing career that spanned over sixty years, Narayan received many awards and honours. These include the AC Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature and the Padma Vibhushan, Indias second-highest civilian award. He was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indias parliament. Contents * 1 Life and career * 1. 1 Early years * 1. Turning point * 1. 3 The busy years * 1. 4 The later years * 2 Literary review * 2. 1 Writing style * 2. 2 Malgudi * 2. 3 Critical reception * 3 Awards and honours * 4 Legacy * 5 List of works * 5. 1 Adaptations * 6 Notes * 7 References * 8 Further reading| Life and career Early years R. K. Narayan was born in Madras (now Chennai), Madras Presidency, British India. [ 1] His father was a school headmaster, and Narayan did some of his studies at his fathers school. As his fathers job required frequent moves, Narayan spent part of his childhood under the care of his maternal grandmother, Parvati. 2] During this time his best friends and playmates were a peacock and a mischievous monkey. [3][4][5] His grandmother gave him the nickname of Kunjappa, a name that stuck to him in family circles. [6] She taught him arithmetic, mythology, classical Indian music and Sanskrit. [7] According to his youngest brother R. K. Laxman, the family mostly conversed in English, and grammatical errors on the part of Narayan and his siblings were frowned upon. [8] While living with his grandmother, Narayan studied at a succession of schools in Madras, including the Lutheran Mission School in Purasawalkam,[9] C. R. C. High School, and the Christian College High School. [10] Narayan was an avid reader, and his early literary diet included Dickens, Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Hardy. [11] When he was twelve years old, Narayan participated in a pro-independence march, for which he was reprimanded by his uncle; the family was apolitical and considered all governments wicked. [12] Narayan moved to Mysore to live with his family when his father was transferred to the Maharajahs Collegiate High School. The well-stocked library at the school, as well as his fathers own, fed his reading habit, and he started writing as well. After completing high school, Narayan failed the university entrance examination and spent a year at home reading and writing; he subsequently passed the examination in 1926 and joined Maharaja College of Mysore. It took Narayan four years to obtain his Bachelors degree, a year longer than usual. After being persuaded by a friend that taking a Masters degree (M. A. ) would kill his interest in literature, he briefly held a job as a school teacher; however, he quit in protest when the headmaster of the school asked him to substitute for the physical training master. 9] The experience made Narayan realise that the only career for him was in writing, and he decided to stay at home and write novels. [13][14] His first published work was a book review of Development of Maritime Laws of 17th-Century England. [15] Subsequently, he started writing the occasional local interest story for English newspapers and magazines. Although the writing did not pay much (his income for the first year was nine rupees and twelve annas), he had a regular life and few needs, and his family and friends respected and supported his unorthodox choice of career. 16] In 1930, Narayan wrote his first novel, Swami and Friends,[15] an effort ridiculed by his uncle[17] and rejected by a string of publishers. [8] With this book, Narayan created Malgudi, a town that creatively reproduced the social sphere of the country; while it ignored the limits imposed by colonial rule, it also grew with the various socio-political changes of British and post-independence India. [18] Turning point While vacationing at his sisters house in Coimbatore, in 1933, Narayan met and fell in love with Rajam, a 15-year-old girl who lived nearby. Despite many astrological and financial obstacles, Narayan managed to gain permission from the girls father and married her. [19] Following his marriage, Narayan became a reporter for a Madras based paper called The Justice, dedicated to the rights of non-Brahmins. The publishers were thrilled to have a Brahmin Iyer in Narayan espousing their cause. The job brought him in contact with a wide variety of people and issues. [20] Earlier, Narayan had sent the manuscript of Swami and Friends to a friend at Oxford, and about this time, the friend showed the manuscript to Graham Greene. Greene recommended the book to his publisher, and it was finally published in 1935. [3] Greene also counseled Narayan on shortening his name to become more familiar to the English-speaking audience. [21] The book was semi-autobiographical and built upon many incidents from his own childhood. [22] Reviews were favourable but sales were few. Narayans next novel The Bachelor of Arts (1937), was inspired in part by his experiences at college,[23] and dealt with the theme of a rebellious adolescent transitioning to a rather well-adjusted adult;[24] it was published by a different publisher, again at the recommendation of Greene. His third novel, The Dark Room (1938) was about domestic disharmony,[25] showcasing the man as the oppressor and the woman as the victim within a marriage, and was published by yet another publisher; this book also received good reviews. In 1937, Narayans father died, and Narayan was forced to accept a commission from the government of Mysore as he was not making any money. [26] In his first three books, Narayan highlights the problems with certain socially accepted practices. The first book has Narayan focusing on the plight of students, punishments of caning in the classroom, and the associated shame. The concept of horoscope-matching in Hindu marriages and the emotional toll it levies on the bride and groom is covered in the second book. In the third book, Narayan addresses the concept of a wife putting up with her husbands antics and attitudes. [27] Rajam died of typhoid in 1939. [28] Her death affected Narayan deeply and he remained depressed for a long time; he was also concerned for their daughter Hema, who was only three years old. The bereavement brought about a significant change in his life and was the inspiration behind his next novel, The English Teacher. 15] This book, like his first two books, is autobiographical, but more so, and completes an unintentional thematic trilogy following Swami and Friends and The Bachelor of Arts. [29][30] In subsequent interviews, Narayan acknowledges that The English Teacher was almost entirely an autobiography, albeit with different names for the characters and the change of setting in Malgudi; he also explains that the emotions detail ed in the book reflected his own at the time of Rajams death. [31] Bolstered by some of his successes, in 1940 Narayan tried his hand at a journal, Indian Thought. 32] With the help of his uncle, a car salesman, Narayan managed to get more than a thousand subscribers in Madras city alone. However, the venture did not last long due to Narayans inability to manage it, and it ceased publication within a year. [33] His first collection of short stories, Malgudi Days, was published in November 1942, followed by The English Teacher in 1945. In between, being cut off from England due to the war, Narayan started his own publishing company, naming it (again) Indian Thought Publications; the publishing company was a success and is still active, now managed by his granddaughter. 13] Soon, with a devoted readership stretching from New York to Moscow, Narayans books started selling well and in 1948 he started building his own house on the outskirts of Mysore; the house was completed in 1953. [34 ] The busy years After The English Teacher, Narayans writings took a more imaginative and creative external style compared to the semi-autobiographical tone of the earlier novels. His next effort, Mr. Sampath, was the first book exhibiting this modified approach. However, it still draws from some of his own experiences, particularly the aspect of starting his own journal; he also makes a marked movement away from his earlier novels by intermixing biographical events. [35] Soon after, he published The Financial Expert, considered to be his masterpiece and hailed as one of the most original works of fiction in 1951. [36][37] The inspiration for the novel was a true story about a financial genius, Margayya, related to him by his brother. 38] The next novel, Waiting for the Mahatma, loosely based on a fictional visit to Malgudi by Mahatma Gandhi, deals with the protagonists romantic feelings for a woman, when he attends the discourses of the visiting Mahatma. The woman, named Bharti, is a loose parody of Bharati, the personification of India and the focus of Gandhis discourses. While the novel includes significant references to the Indian independence movement, the focus is on the life of the ordinary individual, narrated with Narayans usual dose of irony. [39] Lyle Blair of Michigan State University Press (Narayans U. S. publisher), Narayan and Anthony West of The New Yorker In 1953, his works were published in the United States for the first time, by Michigan State University Press, who later (in 1958), relinquished the rights to Viking Press. [40] While Narayans writings often bring out the anomalies in social structures and views, he was himself a traditionalist; in February 1956, Narayan arranged his daughters wedding following all orthodox Hindu rituals. [41] After the wedding, Narayan began travelling occasionally, continuing to write at least 1500 words a day even while on the road. 34] The Guide was written while he was visiting the United States in 1956 on the Rockefeller Fellowship. While in the U. S. , Narayan maintained a daily journal that was to later serve as the foundation for his book My Dateless Diary. [42] Around this time, on a visit to England, Narayan met his friend and mentor Graham Greene for the first time. [28] On his return to India, The Guide was published; the book is the most representative of Narayans writing skills and elements, ambivalent in expression, coupled with a riddle-like conclusion. [43] The book won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958. 44] Occasionally, Narayan was known to give form to his thoughts by way of essays, some published in newspapers and journals, others not. Next Sunday (1960), was a collection of such conversational essays, and his first work to be published as a book. [45] Soon after that, My Dateless Diary, describing experiences from his 1956 visit to the United States, was published. Also included in this collection was an essay about the writing of The Guide. [42][46] Narayans next novel, The Man-Eater of Malgudi, was published in 1961. The book was reviewed as having a narrative that is a classical art form of comedy, with delicate control. 40] After the launch of this book, the restless Narayan once again took to travelling, and visited the U. S. [13] and Australia. He spent three weeks in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne giving lectures on Indian literature. The trip was funded by a fellowship from the Australian Writers Group. [47] By this time Narayan had also achieved significant success, both literary and financial. He had a large house in Mysore, and wrote in a study with no fewer than eight windows; he drove a new Mercedes-Benz, a luxury in India at that time, to visit his daughter who had moved to Coimbatore after her marriage. With his success, both within India and abroad, Narayan started writing columns for magazines and newspapers including The Hindu and The Atlantic. [48] In 1964, Narayan published his first mythological work, Gods, Demons and Others, a collection of rewritten and translated short stories from Hindu epics. Like many of his other works, this book was illustrated by his younger brother R. K. Laxman. The stories included were a selective list, chosen on the basis of powerful protagonists, so that the impact would be lasting, irrespective of the readers contextual knowledge. [49] Once again, after the book launch, Narayan took to travelling broad. In an earlier essay, he had written about the Americans wanting to understand spirituality from him, and during this visit, Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo accosted him on the topic, despite his denial of any knowledge. [3] Narayans next published work was the 1967 novel, The Vendor of Sweets. It was inspired in part by his American visits a nd consists of extreme characterizations of both the Indian and American stereotypes, drawing on the many cultural differences. However, while it displays his characteristic comedy and narrative, the book was reviewed as lacking in depth. 50] This year, Narayan travelled to England, where he received the first of his honorary doctorates from the University of Leeds. [51] The next few years were a quiet period for him. He published his next book, a collection of short stories, A Horse and Two Goats, in 1970. [52] Meanwhile, Narayan remembered a promise made to his dying uncle in 1938, and started translating the Kamba Ramayanam to English. The Ramayana was published in 1973, after five years of work. [53] Almost immediately after publishing The Ramayana, Narayan started working on a condensed translation of the Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata. While he was researching and writing the epic, he also published another book, The Painter of Signs (1977). The Painter of Signs is a bit longer than a novella and makes a marked change from Narayans other works, as he deals with hitherto unaddressed subjects such as sex, although the development of the protagonists character is very similar to his earlier creations. The Mahabharata was published in 1978. [54] The later years Narayan was commissioned by the government of Karnataka to write a book to promote tourism in the state. The work was published as part of a larger government publication in the late 1970s. 55] He thought it deserved better, and republished it as The Emerald Route (Indian Thought Publications, 1980). [56] The book contains his personal perspective on the local history and heritage, but being bereft of his characters and creations, it misses his enjoyable narrative. [46] The same year, he was elected as an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Lette rs and won the AC Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature. [57] Around the same time, Narayans works were translated to Chinese for the first time. 58] In 1983, Narayan published his next novel, A Tiger for Malgudi, about a tiger and its relationship with humans. [59] His next novel, Talkative Man, published in 1986, was the tale of an aspiring journalist from Malgudi. [60] During this time, he also published two collections of short stories: Malgudi Days (1982), a revised edition including the original book and some other stories, and Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories, a new collection. [61] In 1987, he completed A Writers Nightmare, another collection of essays about topics as diverse as the caste system, Nobel prize winners, love, and monkeys. The collection included essays he had written for newspapers and magazines since 1958. [62][63] Living alone in Mysore, Narayan developed an interest in agriculture. He bought an acre of agricultural land and tried his hand at farming. [64] He was also prone to walking to the market every afternoon, not so much for buying things, but to interact with the people. In a typical afternoon stroll, he would stop every few steps to greet and converse with shopkeepers and others, most likely gathering material for his next book. 65] In 1980, Narayan was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, for his contributions to literature. [66] During his entire six-year term, he was focused on one issue—the plight of school children, especially the heavy load of school books and the negative effect of the system on a childs creativity, which was something that he first highlighted in his debut novel, Swami and Friends. His inaugural speech was focused on this par ticular problem, and resulted in the formation of a committee chaired by Prof. Yash Pal, to recommend changes to the school educational system. [67] In 1990, he published his next novel, The World of Nagaraj, also set in Malgudi. Narayans age shows in this work as he appears to skip narrative details that he would have included if this were written earlier in his career. [68] Soon after he finished the novel, Narayan fell ill and moved to Madras to be close to his daughters family. [64] A few years after his move, in 1994, his daughter died of cancer and his granddaughter Bhuvaneswari (Minnie) started taking care of him in addition to managing Indian Thought Publications. 3][13] Narayan then published his final book, Grandmothers Tale. The book is an autobiographical novella, about his great-grandmother who travelled far and wide to find her husband, who ran away shortly after their marriage. The story was narrated to him by his grandmother, when he was a child. [69] During his final years, Narayan, ever fond of conversation, would spend almost every evening wi th N. Ram, the publisher of The Hindu, drinking coffee and talking about various topics until well past midnight. [70] Despite his fondness of meeting and talking to people, he stopped giving interviews. The apathy towards interviews was the result of an interview with Time, after which Narayan had to spend a few days in the hospital, as he was dragged around the city to take photographs that were never used in the article. [32] In May 2001, Narayan was hospitalised. A few hours before he was to be put on a ventilator, he was planning on writing his next novel, a story about a grandfather. As he was always very selective about his choice of notebooks, he asked N. Ram to get him one. However, Narayan did not get better and never started the novel. He died on 13 May 2001, in Chennai at the age of 94. [10][71] Literary review Writing style Narayans writing style was simple and unpretentious with a natural element of humour about it. [72] It focused on ordinary people, reminding the reader of next-door neighbours, cousins and the like, thereby providing a greater ability to relate to the topic. [73] Unlike his national contemporaries, he was able to write about the intricacies of Indian society without having to modify his characteristic simplicity to conform to trends and fashions in fiction writing. [74] He also employed the use of nuanced dialogic prose with gentle Tamil overtones based on the nature of his characters. 75] Critics have considered Narayan to be the Indian Chekhov, due to the similarities in their writings, the simplicity and the gentle beauty and humour in tragic situations. [76] Greene considered Narayan to be more similar to Chekhov than any Indian writer. [1] Anthony West of The New Yorker considered Narayans writings to be of the realism variety of Nikolai Gogol. [77] According to Pu litzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri, Narayans short stories have the same captivating feeling as his novels, with most of them less than ten pages long, and taking about as many minutes to read. She adds that between the title sentence and the end, Narayan provides the reader something novelists struggle to achieve in hundreds more pages: a complete insight to the lives of his characters. These characteristics and abilities led Lahiri to classify him as belonging to the pantheon of short-story geniuses that include O. Henry, Frank OConnor and Flannery OConnor. Lahiri also compares him to Guy de Maupassant for their ability to compress the narrative without losing the story, and the common themes of middle-class life written with an unyielding and unpitying vision. 11] Critics have noted that Narayans writings tend to be more descriptive and less analytical; the objective style, rooted in a detached spirit, providing for a more authentic and realistic narration. [78] His attitude, coupled with his perception of life, provided a unique ability to fuse characters and actions,[79] and an ability to use ordinary events to create a connection in the mind of the reader. [80] A sign ificant contributor to his writing style was his creation of Malgudi, a stereotypical small town, where the standard norms of superstition and tradition apply. 81] Narayans writing style was often compared to that of William Faulkner since both their works brought out the humour and energy of ordinary life while displaying compassionate humanism. [82] The similarities also extended to their juxtaposing of the demands of society against the confusions of individuality. [83] Although their approach to subjects was similar, their methods were different; Faulkner was rhetorical and illustrated his points with immense prose while Narayan was very simple and realistic, capturing the elements all the same. [84] Malgudi Main article: Malgudi Malgudi is a fictional, semi-urban town in southern India, conjured by Narayan. [85] He created the town in September 1930, on Vijayadashami, an auspicious day to start new efforts and thus chosen for him by his grandmother. [86] As he mentioned in a later interview to his biographers Susan and N. Ram, in his mind, he first saw a railway station, and slowly the name Malgudi came to him. [87] The town was created with an impeccable historical record, dating to the Ramayana days when it was noted that Lord Rama passed through; it was also said that the Buddha visited the town during his travels. 88] While Narayan never provided strict physical constraints for the town, he allowed it to form shape with events in the various stories, becoming a reference point for the future. [89] Dr James M. Fennelly, a scholar of Narayans works, created a map of Malgudi based on the fictional descriptors of the town from the many books and stories. [11] Malgudi evolved with the changing political lands cape of India. In the 1980s, when the nationalistic fervor in India dictated the changing of British names of towns and localities and removal of British landmarks, Malgudis mayor and city council removed the long standing statue of Frederick Lawley, one of Malgudis early residents. However, when the Historical Societies showed proof that Lawley was strong in his support of the Indian independence movement, the council was forced to undo all their earlier actions. [90] A good comparison to Malgudi, a place that Greene characterised as more familiar than Battersea or Euston Road, is Faulkners Yoknapatawpha County. [82] Also, like Faulkners, when one looks at Narayans works, the town gets a better definition through the many different novels and stories. 91] Critical reception Narayan first broke through with the help of Graham Greene who, upon reading Swaminathan and Tate, took it upon himself to work as Narayans agent for the book. He was also instrumental in changing the title to the more appropriate Swami and Friends, and in finding publishers for Narayans next few books. While Narayans early works were not commercial successes, other authors of the time began to notice him. Somerset Maugham, on a trip to Mysore in 1938, had asked to meet Narayan, but not enough people had heard of him to actually effect the meeting. Maugham subsequently read Narayans The Dark Room, and wrote to him expressing his admiration. [92][93] Another contemporary writer who took a liking to Narayans early works was E. M. Forster,[94] an author who shared his dry and humorous narrative, so much so that Narayan was labeled the South Indian E. M. Forster by critics. [95] Despite his popularity with the reading public and fellow writers, Narayans work has not received the same amount of critical exploration accorded to other writers of his stature. [96] Narayans success in the United States came a little later, when Michigan State University Press started publishing his books. His first visit to the country was on a fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation, and he lectured at various universities including Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley. Around this time, John Updike noticed his work and compared Narayan to Charles Dickens. In a review of Narayans works published in The New Yorker, Updike called him a writer of a vanishing breed—the writer as a citizen; one who identifies completely with his subjects and with a belief in the significance of humanity. [97] Having published many novels, essays and short stories, Narayan is credited with ringing Indian writing to the rest of the world. While he has been regarded as one of Indias greatest writers of the twentieth century, critics have also described his writings with adjectives such as charming, harmless and benign. [98] Narayan has also come in for criticism from later writers, particularly of Indian origin, who have classed his writings as having a pedestrian st yle with a shallow vocabulary and a narrow vision. [13] According to Shashi Tharoor, Narayans subjects are similar to those of Jane Austen as they both deal with a very small section of society. However, he adds that while Austens prose was able to take those subjects beyond ordinariness, Narayans was not. [99] A similar opinion is held by Shashi Deshpande who characterizes Narayans writings as pedestrian and naive because of the simplicity of his language and diction, combined with the lack of any complexity in the emotions and behaviours of his characters. [100] A general perception on Narayan was that he did not involve himself or his writings with the politics or problems of India, as mentioned by V. S. Naipaul in one of his columns. However, according to Wyatt Mason of The New Yorker, although Narayans writings seem simple and display a lack of interest in politics, he delivers his narrative with an artful and deceptive technique when dealing with such subjects and does not entirely avoid them, rather letting the words play in the readers mind. [98] Srinivasa Iyengar, former vice-chancellor of Andhra University, says that Narayan wrote about political topics only in the context of his subjects, quite unlike his compatriot Mulk Raj Anand who dealt with the political structures and problems of the time. 101] Paul Brians, in his book Modern South Asian Literature in English, says that the fact that Narayan completely ignored British rule and focused on the private lives of his characters is a political statement on its own, declaring his independence from the influence of colonialism. [96] In the west, Narayans simplicity of writing was well received. One of his biographers, William Walsh, wrote of his narrative as a comedic art with an inclusive vision informed by the transience and illusion of human action. Multiple Booker nominee Anita Desai classes his writings as compassionate realism where the cardinal sins are unkindness and immodesty. [102] According to Wyatt Mason, in Narayans works, the individual is not a private entity, but rather a public one and this concept is an innovation that can be called his own. In addition to his early works being among the most important English-language fiction from India, with this innovation, he provided his western readers the first works in English to be infused with an eastern and Hindu existential perspective. Mason also holds the view that Edmund Wilsons assessment of Walt Whitman, He does not write editorials on events but describes his actual feelings, applies equally to Narayan. [98] Awards and honours Narayan won numerous awards during the course of his literary career. [103] His first major award was in 1958, the Sahitya Akademi Award for The Guide. [104] When the book was made into a film, he received the Filmfare Award for the best story. In 1964, he received the Padma Bhushan during the Republic Day honours. 105] In 1980, he was awarded the AC Benson Medal by the (British) Royal Society of Literature, of which he was an honorary member. [106] In 1982 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

People Pleaser Essay Example

People Pleaser Essay Ethics And Values Assignment Monisha Chandar. B Sometimes we take exception to a decision, yet we nod in agreement, or we simply let it pass. we justify our acquiescence as keeping the peace, or knowing when to pick our battles. But something else is going on. we worry about saying no. About ruffling feathers. Or worse. So we keep mum. Or we say yes. Sometimes we hear ourself saying yes and we wish dearly that  no  would roll off our tongue, but it seems so much harder, more frightening, capable of unleashing a string of consequences that don’t bode well. Anger. Resistance. Disapproval. And now  yes  is the habit of a lifetime, the habit of our relationships, the habit of our role at work. If we always say yes, where do we put  no? Anxiety, migraines, sleeplessness, the nightly glass of wine, the cigarettes, the growing depression? Sometimes, we spend so many years accommodating – everyone – that we forget to accommodate ourself, wondering when â€Å"you† got lost in the mix. our life is filled with many good things, but something doesn’t quite fit. You  don’t quite fit. You’re not unhappy exactly, but nor would you say you’re happy. But then  no one’s  happy, right? Or so you tell yourself, seeking solace. We will write a custom essay sample on People Pleaser specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on People Pleaser specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on People Pleaser specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer But There’s absolutely nothing wrong with pleasing people, including ourselves. If we’re willing to make sacrifices for the sake of another, who are we to say that’s wrong? But the fact is, people pleasing isn’t about pleasing others, but fending off our fear of rejection. Those of us who would consider themselves people pleasers are generally individuals who feel the need to be accepted by the world around them. And not just a general acceptance, but that of each person they come in contact with. And to maintain this madness, we seek to please with abandon. Let me just start by saying that I’m one of the biggest people pleasers out there. Show me a possible moment of displeasure and I’ll jump in and fill the need as fast as I can in hopes of both harmony among those involved as well as positive feelings toward little old me. I’m not a saint by any stretch, I just have the disease to please. In the long run, we’re pleasing nobody. One of the great misconceptions among people pleasers is this idea that we’re ‘good people’ who are just trying to make everybody happy. As I stated before, it’s not so much our great concern for another human being, but our obsession with the way others may perceive us. As a result, we tend to say yes to everything and rarely stick up for ourselves. Even if someone blatantly wrongs us, we are usually the ones who absorb the hurt and then stand in the corner, fuming to ourselves. It’s not a pretty site. The fact is, when we try to please everybody, we end up pleasing nobody. Tired from the burnout that comes from the over extension of ourselves and frustrated by the fact that we keep letting others take advantage of us,  we quickly become ineffective in helping others and often times end up resenting everyone around us. Then, when we finally run into a situation where our help is truly needed, we are too depleted to help out. Also, our ability to decipher a real need from that of someone trying to take advantage of our people pleasing nature, is quite skewed. In our minds, every ‘need’ is a requirement for us to act and in time, this wears us down to worthlessness. Different people pleasers Among Us :-! Its often said that people pleasing is a  woman’s issue? Think about it. Who do you know that’s most likely to capitulate, to compromise, to self-sacrifice – even to step into the doormat role on a regular basis? Who puts everyone’s needs before her own, believing that it is the better path – or the only path? Do these behaviors begin in our homes as children? Do they find reward in the classroom, in the adolescent dating waters, and then the workplace? Are you rewarded for pleasing, but at great cost to self-esteem, and even, ultimately, earning power? Do we eventually learn to use our people pleasing behavior in ways that benefit ourselves? The typical People Pleaser is someone who lacks an internal compass to gauge the value of their own actions, â€Å"As a result, they spend their lives looking for validation from others. † The Child’s Desire for Validation What child doesn’t seek the comfort and approval of a parent? Who among us doesn’t remember wanting to please those we loved, those in authority, those we admired? â€Å"Often,  parents  will simply tell kids what to do and never encourage them to assert themselves,† he says. â€Å"When the kids obey, the parents give them conditional love. † And when parents are physically or emotionally abusive, when they are absent, when they are erratic in doling out love or approval – the seeds of people pleasing behaviors are planted early, and reinforced. Not only does the child seek validation, but avoidance of pain, or the foreboding sensation that disapproval promises dire consequences. A Society of Silent Women? Silence as tacit consent can be destructive. Compliance, as a way of life, can be demeaning. People Pleasing, taken to an extreme, undermines an ability to function independently, or to direct our lives according to  our  goals rather than those of others. Women who suffer from people pleasing behaviors may not be  literally  silent, but – and I include myself here as a recovering People Pleaser – we are silent in voicing our true expressions of self. And in acting on them. We know ourselves as the tireless team players, the volunteers who rarely (if ever) say no, the cheery jugglers who are admired by others. But we fall into bed at night depleted, feeling as though the day’s accomplishments are insufficient, even if we ticked off items on an endless list. And incidentally, as the years wear on, frequently those items only peripherally involve  us. Parent Pleasers My own bouts with people pleasing derive from early training, absorbed in childhood. I was a Parent Pleaser. My father was often away, and my mother was the textbook narcissist – an imposing, even frightening force. Pleasing her meant greater likelihood ofnot  incurring her wrath – her booming voice, her verbal lashing, or any other form of punishment for stepping out of line. And stepping out of line generally meant doing or saying whatever displeased her at a given moment. I learned the necessity of  yes –  to anything she asked. Thus, my parent pleasing was less about the carrot than the stick. I was conditioned to avoid pain, and educated as the â€Å"good girl,† occasionally garnering reward in the form of parental approval. Is People Pleasing – a Syndrome? I have spent my life in the pursuit of goals and simultaneously seeking to please those around me. Is there any crime in wanting a pleasant environment? A cooperative team? A tranquil household? I find nothing inherently wrong with a desire to please others or give pleasure. The problem arises when the scales constantly tip in favor of choices that are not in our own best interests. Or even, when behaviors are laden with motivations (conscious and otherwise) that drive us to please others in ways that are compulsive, that obscure our own needs and wants, or obliterate them altogether. Should we coin another syndrome, another personality disorder? Might we have a brave new pharmacological solution for this condition, , and a pill to miraculously restore our psychological balance of power? I suspect that’s already been done. And yet People Pleasing is not so simple, and nor is it always  a disadvantage. But taken to an extreme, the behaviors set us up for being benignly or maliciously exploited. People Pleasers are prime targets for narcissists, often gravitating toward each other, playing out subconscious scenarios that go unrecognized at the time. Pleasing Ourselves Must we toss away our people pleasing talents altogether? And they  are  talents, finely honed skills, and useful. Our most charismatic personalities are People Pleasers – successful motivational speakers, sales people, fundraisers, PTA organizers, celebrities, and politicians. There’s nothing wrong with people pleasing; in fact, there is much that is right. It is a matter of impetus and of degree. It is a matter of how you feel – about yourself, your actions, your purposeful inaction. Even for those of us who have tumbled into the trap of a lifetime of people pleasing, we can learn to transform some of these behaviors into advantages. We use them to make friends, to network professionally, to be conciliatory when it is truly required. We learn to please bosses and spouses and those in the public arena whose help we may need. The problem comes when we don’t dare to  displease. How to Stop Being a People Pleaser At a certain point, the light bulb goes on. We may think –  it’s too much, I want to find myself again, I want something for me. The People Pleaser  personality  may be one thing, but the skills are quite another. We needn’t cease pleasing people; we need to moderate our diet. Just as the narcissist might seek to curb her excessive ways. Or, the socially anxious, to interact with less fear. When it comes to people pleasing, it is not about stopping altogether; it is about awareness, and management of feelings and behaviors. My experience tells me that modifying any behavior is a slow process, a matter of practice, and determination. I continue to work at this precarious and essential balance, daily. Learning to say  yes –  to what is most important – by saying  no. Conclusion As individuals, we all have our own personal flavor. Some are sweet, some salty and others plain bitter. But as a people pleaser, because of our skill of going with the flow at all costs, we lose our flavor all together. We try to blend with every personality we come in contact with and as a result our own personality fades. What makes you, YOU, is your own blend of Yes’s and No’s. It’s our beliefs and values and preferences that give us our spice. Lose this and you lose yourself in the process. Before long, you end up forgetting what you’re all about. This can be a scary realization and one that should be harnessed to help push us out of our people pleasing ways. We need to figure out for ourselves what needs we should be addressing and then go out and address them. Stop waiting for the world to dictate our attention and start attending to the needs we were meant to address.