3 key employee retention strategies to keep turnover low

3 key employee retention strategies to keep turnover low As an HR professional, you are keenly aware of the importance of employee retention- both for achieving target department milestones, as well as for the long-term success of your company. Beyond the sunk costs and organizational chaos that take place when there’s a constantly revolving door of employees entering and exiting a business, companies often cite employee retention as a key metric for effective daily operation and overall success.In fact, it goes further than that: companies that build reputations for consistently impressive employee retention rates bolster their brand identities- and you better believe that word travels fast, so you can count on active and passive future candidates discovering that people enjoy working at your organization for the long haul.Your company’s bottom line- and opportunities for achieving industry growth, attracting talent-rich candidates, and realizing long-term success- is dependent on effective employee retention, so you better have a strategy. If your HR team needs to take its retention plan to the next level, consider utilizing the following strategies for keeping turnover low in your organization.Know your industryThe truth is, not all industries are created equal- and neither is how employees are typically treated. What employees expect in one field may be completely different than another, and you better believe that all of the employees in your organization- including everyone from new hires to seasoned veterans- will have some level of expectation regarding how they should be treated by their employer and will respond accordingly based on their perception (regardless of whether or not it’s completely aligned with reality).This mindset isn’t relegated to just your most talented star employees or any specific department- it’s at the core of human psychology. How you’re treated or, more accurately, how you perceive that you’re treated, impacts your resultant behavior. This holds true at home, in the world, and on the job.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});So, make sure you’re keenly aware of what the standards are for your industry, and make sure your company is on target in all key areas- including salaries, benefits packages, and additional perks. Even things like your office layout and organization are going to impact employee perception. So, if you want to keep turnover low and employee satisfaction high, make sure you’re meeting their expectations regularly, which includes both current and future industry standards (so be sure to stay on top of industry shifts and trends).Lead the wayNow that you know how important it is to meet industry expectations for employees in your company, create a plan to exceed them. That’s right- in today’s ultra-competitive job market, where hungry and lean new startups are emerging every day and are eager to source new talent for their teams- todayâ⠂¬â„¢s talented job candidates have options, and the laws of attraction apply in the professional world as much as anywhere else. Progressive companies know that investing time, energy, and resources towards developing truly innovative, first-in-class employee incentives will not only attract new talent, it will help keep your existing teams from thinking about whether or not the grass is greener somewhere else. Doing so will also have the added benefit of helping to bolster your company’s brand identity- and trust us, word will spread. Pique candidate interest, and then keep hold of their attention and loyalty as employees, by offering them industry-leading incentives to keep them satisfied and doing their best work over the long haul. Don’t just keep up with other companies- innovate.Listen to your employeesThis one might seem obvious, but you may be surprised to learn that the communications pipeline between employees and leadership in many organizations tends to wo rk slowly- and oftentimes seems as if it barely works at all. Big mistake- and one that your company should actively seek to avoid. Make sure the employees on your team have the tools to voice their opinions regarding the direction of the company and their place in it- think everything from offsite gatherings to regular feedback meetings and annual employee satisfaction appraisals- and make sure that it’s not just smoke but is treated like the valuable data that it is.If employees are telling you that something is working, then keep doing it; if something is broken, then fix it. Don’t forget, active and attentive listening is a key component of any healthy relationship, including the one between employer and employee, and great companies treat their employees as more than cogs in their machines.If you’re looking to reduce employee turnover in your company, consider using the strategies presented here to keep your teams happy and eager to come to work- and do the ir absolute best- every single day of the week. If you put in the work up-front, you’ll create a warm, thriving atmosphere that’s sure to retain talented workers who will bring the results your company wants.

5 Strategies for Faking It ‘Til You Make It at Work

5 Strategies for Faking It ‘Til You Make It at Work In an ideal world, we all know what we’re doing all the time. People come to us for our calm guru-ness, grateful as we solve problems with a self-assured answer or bit of advice. In reality, we don’t know it all. But with a bit of bravado and a lot of confidence, shhh†¦no one else needs to know that. Here are six things to work on to increase your workplace confidence, which can help you get that raise or lead a team to professional glory.1. Stop fearing failureFailing at something is not the end of the world. When I think about failing at work, it inevitably starts an imagined spiral of doom which ends with me on the unemployment line, wailing and gnashing my teeth over how things went so very wrong. But you know what? Things move forward when something (or someone) fails. It may be a stressful time, but you learn a lot about your problem-solving skills and your ability to rebound.Once you realize that your professional life is not over if you make a mistake or do n’t accomplish a particular goal, you can use that to build your confidence and see lousy outcomes as a chance to rebound into better things. (Note: I do not recommend using this method of confidence-building if you’re a heart surgeon.)2. Realize you’re not a fraudAre you familiar with imposter syndrome? It’s where you feel like you’re a sham and that everyone will somehow find out that you’re secretly winging it, or that you’re really a helpless kid wearing a tie and sitting in a cubicle. But you’re not winging it- the person sitting at your desk is you, with all of your experience and knowledge, whether you realize you have that arsenal or not. Own it! Your successes and your decisions belong to you, even if you feel unsure about them.3. Don’t always wear rose-colored glassesOptimism can be great†¦no one likes a Debbie Downer. However, overly optimistic thinking can actually undermine your confidence. It may give you a false sense that things will turn out well, and let you kinda go on autopilot to let things play out. The more confident approach is to be realistic about outcomes and understand what is within your power to make that happen.4. Figure out your valueOne of the best ways to be confident in your role is to recognize the strengths you bring to the table. Once you understand what you do well, you can strategize how to apply that to areas where you might be struggling a little or looking to build up experience or competence.You don’t have to go it alone- it’s fine to ask your boss or a colleague what they think your strengths are. In fact, it shows your boss that you’re taking a proactive approach to your role and really trying to bring your best self. What you learn about yourself (or what you take from your self-evaluation) can make you feel more competent in how you approach challenges.5. Make confidence a habitYou may roll your eyes at the idea of doing dail y affirmations in your mirror every morning, but honestly- it can’t hurt to make some positive thinking part of your daily routine. When you’re walking the dog, doing yoga, or waiting in line at the smoothie place, take a minute to reflect on any challenge you’re facing and think about how you are going to overcome it. Don’t stress about the how (not yet, anyway). Think about how you have the skills to take it on, and assure yourself that you will get it done.The confidence is there for the taking- you just need to be bold and grab it.

Research Paper - Flight Nursing in Community Setting

- Flight Nursing in Community Setting - Research Paper Example The essence of our lives lies with how effectively we play our part in the community; and the complete satisfaction of making life admirable can be attained through the profession of flight nurse. A flight nurse is the one, skilled to work in critical care settings and avail assistance to the community in emergencies. Flight nurse must be well experienced and expertised in all aspects of healthcare. Flight nurses, always well prepared for life saving activities makes their presence confirmed in all critical situations such as accidents, earthquakes etc. They aid in the essential intensive care of the seriously wounded or sick patients when being shifted to a healthcare facility through plane or helicopter. In addition to serving the people injured by disasters, they also go to remote areas to support people during the airlifting to provide healthcare facilities. The presence of flight nurse as a member among the passengers makes the journey safe and sound for the entire crew of the f light (Nursing Jobs and degrees-flight nurse, n.d.). The line of work of a flight nurse is highly demanding; and in addition to having the mentality of serving the community, a flight nurse must be all set to function in the highly challenging situations which could be even life threatening.

Comparison of note from underground, conclusion and aurora leigh Essay

Comparison of note from underground, conclusion and aurora leigh - Essay Example He can envisage of love only as the total control of a person over another. In order to feel that he has contributed to life in some way; he often initiates arguments with others and subjects himself to profound humiliation. This gives the Underground Man a sense of satisfaction and power, as he was the cause of the shame himself. He barely cares if the outcome is negative or positive as long as he can exercise his power. When we encounter the Underground Man, he is a complete nihilist: he has no desire to interact with anyone and has total contempt for the society at large. As a young man, he is misanthropic, proud, self-effacing and bitter although he clings to certain ideas. He craves for human attention and wants others to respect and admire him for his intellect and zeal. His inability to interact with people causes his attempts to form relationships and contribute to life ends in tragedy and drives him further underground (David, & David, 2009). When he meets Liza, he has absorbed the fictitious epitome of the converted prostitute and has shed himself as the superman who will set free Liza. Later, however, her character becomes more intricate. At first, she matches the typecast of a young prostitute: bored, cynical, and somewhat naà ¯ve. He gives her a speech that moves her and she decides to visit him where she is turned away by cold words. Liza, even though a prostitute, still idealizes romantic love and longs for respect and affection. She treasures the one affirmation of love she has received, a note from a medical student who has no idea she is a prostitute. The Underground Man is touched by the fact that Liza so clearly treasures this letter, but his attitude toward her emotion is somewhat flippant. She is disappointed at how the Underground Man treats her after she had come to him with help and love. In Elizabeth Barett Browning’s Aurora Leigh, there is the theme of love and people who are willing to love.

A Better Future with Green Technology Essay Example for Free

A Better Future with Green Technology Essay We live in the 21st century which has been called the â€Å"century of the environment†. Our nation’s leaders and individual citizens are coming to an understanding that we can not assume any longer that problems such as pollution, climate changes and the dwindling amount of natural resources can be put off for a future generation to deal with (Green Technology, 2010). There are many uses and reasons for green technology. However, with the use of green technology we can have a healthier, cleaner and possibly longer future. In this paper, I will be discussing just a few of those many uses. The term technology refers to the application of knowledge for a practical purpose. Now the field of green technology encompasses a continuously evolving group of industries, industrial applications, methods and materials which exploit the value of the technologies that benefit the environment. This includes techniques from generating energy all the way to non-toxic cleaning products (Green Technology, 2010). These groups particularly exploit the way this technology impacts the human condition. See more: Unemployment problems and solutions essay The group of effected industries is quite diverse. It includes businesses as far as the fields of energy and agriculture. There are some who predict that someday every consumer product will be affected by green technology. The main goal of green technology is to find ways to produce technology in a way that does not damage or deplete any of the Earths natural resources. The use of green technology is supposed to reduce the amount of waste and pollution that is created during production and consumption. There are many different uses for green technology in our everyday lives. These different uses include a renewable energy source from alternative fuels, recycling, building green, natural and environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, green chemistry and even green nanotechnology (Green Technology, 2010). The most urgent of these issues is perhaps the use of renewable energy. The two main ways to be able to generate energy would be by using solar powered panels and the other is using wind turbines. Recycling is an easy way for us to help out our future generations. Recycling helps to eliminate unnecessary waste in our landfills and is also environmentally friendly. Another good way to also be environmentally friendly is to buy products that have been made using recycled products and natural ingredients. The U.S. Enviromental Protection Agency defines building green , also known as â€Å"sustainable† or â€Å"high performance† building, as the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort (Palmese, 2009). Building green encompasses everything from the choice of building materials to where a building is located (Green Technology, 2010). The United States military is trying to cut back its dependency on their usage of fossil fuels. Therefore, they are turning to more greener and natural approaches to curb their dependency. The green that the military is turning to is definitely not the camouflage. Currently the Army and Navy are both exploring green technology options. Soldiers are going green with solar power units, purifying stagnant waters, solar tents and LED lights (Lowman, 2011). The military is developing two solar powered humvees that they call FED Alpha and FED Bravo. FED stands for Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator (Iliaifar, 2011). FED Bravo’s details are very sparse and so it still remains more of a mystery. FED Alpha is suppose to be equipped with a solar panel that is mounted on the Humvee to be able to assist with its electrical systems (Iliaifar, 2011). The U.S. military are currently using solar powered cooling tents in Afghanistan. The U.S. military has a goal to achieve 25 percent renewable energy by the year 2025. Fort Drum, NY has one of the world’s largest solar installations which currently heats the entire base (Lowman, 2011). The U.S. army and the U.S. Navy have both kicked off net zero programs which is aimed at reducing not only energy use on bases and also on water use and waste. The U.S. Navy is aiming for half of its bases to have net zero energy consumption by 2020. The Army is planning to install rooftop solar installations in as many as 160,000 private military home in 33 different states to help with energy costs (Westervelt, 2012). The Navy has commissioned a ship that is energy efficient. It is called the Makin Island. It is the first amphibious assault ship to replace its steam boilers with gas turbines. It is also the first Navy surface ship to be equipped with both gas turbinesand an auxiliary propulsion system (Department of Defense, 2009) The trucking industry is also continuously evolving to be be more green. Carriers are going with cleaner trucks to get better fuel mileage and help cut out on harmful emissions. These days there are numerous opportunities for a carrier to turn their fleet into a green fleet (Britton, 2010). California is becoming more of a green state. The state of California passed new laws to where a truck driver can not idle there truck if it is not a clean emissions truck. Now that the new clean trucks, Freightliner Cascadia and the International ProStar and Lonestar, are readily available it makes this easier to achieve. The trucking industry has been able to achieve nearly zero nitrogen oxide emissions as of January 1, 2010. It also achieved zero particulate matter emissions as of January 1, 2007 (Britton, 2010). Now that the trucking industry has been able to cut back nearly all emissions to zero they are turning their sights on another problem. The new problem the industry is tackling is fuel consumption. One thing they have tried so far is using auxiliary power units, which are also known as APUs, when idoling the truck at a rest area or truckstop has helped instead of burning a gallon of fuel an hour to idol the truck like before it now takes a gallon to idol for all ten hours since having an APU installed on the trucks. Another way the trucking industry was tried to conserve fuel to become greener is by switching to wide-based tires. This has cut consumption as much as ten percent in some cases (Britton, 2010). Freightliner has clean drive technology in all their trucks they make now. They can claim this only due to Selective Catalytic Reduction, or SCR, and Blue Tec Emissions Technology that help their heavy duty trucks to exceed EPA standards while still being cost efficient, practical and proven to stand the wear and tear of the industry (Freightliner). Blue Tec Emissions Technology has proven to increase performance with every drop of diesel fuel, reduce more of the pollutants from exhaust gases, and improve profitability from every mile covered. The Blue Tec Technology treats the exhaust gases and the end results are nitrogen and water. The same thing we breathe in. The Cascadia has an aerodynamic exterior to also help reduce drag and improve on fuel efficiency. There are new developments constantly in the field of green technology. One of the new developments is a hydrogen powered car. It is a zero emission car that produces water as exhaust. Green technology is hitting our major cities. Most cities are going organic and natural to preserve the Earth’s resources. Most larger cities have public transportation that run off clean fuel. Before we know it there will not be a location that is not going green or already gone green. We ourselves can jump on the green bandwagon. We can do this simply by doing a few things we already do to begin with. The first way is to come up with your own cleaning supplies from a few things around the house such as baking soda, vinegar and even lemons. Baking soda is good to remove stains, cut through tough grease and to freshen carpets (US Green Technology,2012). With these three simple products you could clean your entire home. Vinegar and newspaper or paper towel you can clean windows, mirrors and tile. Do not throw out any old electronics. It is better to donate old cell phones to someone in need or recycle them at a store that offers it. This is important because the old battery and possibly even the device still could contain mercury, which is extremely poisonous to the environment (U.S. Green Technology, 2012). After all the hard earned money spent on the device to begin with, it would be better to put it to good use some how. Another way to be green is the stop drinking bottled water because it saves our planet from having another non-biodegradable plastic bottle laying around. It is better to get a filter that you place on your faucet (U.S. Green Technology, 2012). Hopefully the nation’s leaders and all of the individual citizens will come to understand that while we live in the century of the environment, they can no longer assume that the Earth’s natural resources will be there for the future generation to be able to handle the problems of pollution, climate changes and the rapidly dwindling amount of natural resources left. There are many great uses and reasons for choosing to use green technology. The use of green technology can lead us all to a healthier, cleaner and possibly longer future. References Bibb, B. (2011) Green Perspectives Mandatory Commercial Recycling Creates Manufacturing Jobs. Green Technology. Retrieved from http://www.green-technology.org/green_technology_magazine/a-new-kind-of-corporation-in-california-for-a-new-bottom-line-q-/green-perspectives-mandatory-commercial-recycling-creates-manufa/ Britton, D. (2010, February 17) Investing wisely in Green Technologies. Heavy Duty Trucking. Retrieved from http://www.truckinginfo.com/news-details.asp?news_id=69434 Department of Defense. (2009, October 22). Retrieved from http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=49147 Freightliner Trucks (2012, March 5) Retrieved from http://www.freightlinertrucks.com/TruckInnovation/Clean-Drive-Technologies Green Technology (2010) Retrieved from http://www.green-technology.org/what.htm Green Technology (2010) Retrieved from http://www.green-technology.org/about.htm Iliaifar, A. (2011, December 29). Retreived from http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/us-military-planning-to-go-green- with-hybrid-humvees/ Lowman, M. (2011, August 01) The military goes green. Science/Technology. Retreived from http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/01/v-print/1381865/the-military-goes-green.html Palmese, R. (2009, June) Green Building Construction in California. Retrieved from http://www.green-technology.org/greentech-report-june09r.pdf U.S. Green Technology. (2012, January 14). How to be Green. Retrieved from http://www.usgreentechnology.com/stories/how-to-be-green/ Westervelt, A. (2012, Febuary 2). Why the military hates fossil fuels. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/02/02/why-the-military-hates-fossil- fuels-and-you-should-too-part-one-inefficiency/ Westervelt, A. (2012, February 6). The Military’s Green Tech Strategy. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/02/06/why-the-military-hates-fossil-fuels-part-two-alternatives/ Westervelt, A. (2012, February 14). How the Military uses Green Tech to Save Soldiers L ives. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/02/14/how-the-military-uses-green-tech-to-save-soldiers-lives/

Research Paper :: essays papers

Research Paper â€Å"As a child, I loved athletics and physical activities. I was talented, but my talent was not appreciated or approved of by most. I watched my brothers compete on school teams. It didn't matter that in the neighborhood pick-up games, I was selected before my brothers. Society dictated that I should watch, and that they should compete. So at home in the backyard, I would catch as my brother worked on his curve ball, I would shag flies as he developed his batting prowess and, as I recall, I frequently served as his tackling dummy. The brother I caught and shagged for, and for whom I served as a tackling dummy, went on to Georgetown University on a full athletic grant. He later became vice president of a large banking firm. So, while I rode in the back seat on the bus of opportunity during my lifetime, I want my daughter's daughter and her peers to be able to select a seat based on their abilities and their willingness to work. Don't deny them the things that I dreamed of."-- Exce rpts of a letter sent to OCR in spring 1995 by Joan Martin, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Monmouth University, New Jersey In April of 1993 the film The Sandlot premiered. The movie took place in 1963 when a group of 12-year-old boys spent their summer playing baseball at the local sandlot. In one particular scene in the movie, the boys got in a verbal dispute with a team of 12 year olds from the privileged side of town. The argument was over who was the more skilled baseball players. The camera switched back and forth from one kid to another as they exchanged insults. Then the camera stopped dramatically. One of the boys said the most heinous thing any young male can say to another, â€Å"You play ball like a girl!† It was like the other boy had just been hit with a bullet. The eyes of all the other boys involved in the argument widened and their jaws dropped. All that was heard were gasps from the rest of the kids in the movie. In 1963 that was the feeling of many people. The insult, â€Å"You play ball like a girl†, was one of the biggest insults a male could ever give anyone. Ho wever, since 1972 the Title IX law has changed many people’s opinions on females in the athletic world.

I felt a Funeral in my Brain Essay

Dickinson uses the metaphor of a funeral in her poem â€Å"I felt a Funeral in my Brain† to describe abstract emotions related to stressful situations that could destroy or take away everything that an individual values in life. The poem is quite permissive in the sense that it allows multiple readings where the reader may ascribe the emotions described in the poem to various situations that are difficult to cope with in life. Of course, to add dimension to the poem, Dickinson uses numerous poetic devices to enhance the experience of reading this particular piece. The piece features alliterations such as in the line, â€Å"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,†. (1) Here there is a repetition of the consonant ‘f’ sound in the words ‘felt’ and ‘funeral’. Again, the same poetic device is seen in the line, â€Å"And I, and Silence, some strange Race†. (15) where the consonant ‘s’ sound is repeated in the words, ‘some’ and ‘strange’. Another one of these lines featuring an alliteration is the line, â€Å"And I dropped down, and down –â€Å". 18) While alliteration has no contextual function in these lines, the device serves to give the poem some sort of regular rhythm so that reading the poem is not just an intellectual experience, but also an experience that is enhanced by sound. The poem is given an interesting beat to it because of these alliterations. Another device intended to give the poem a more rhythmic quality is the assonance which is found in t he line, â€Å"Kept treading – treading – till it seemed†(3) where the vowel sound ‘ea’ is repeated in the word ‘treading’ and the vowel sound ‘I’ is repeated in the words ‘treading’,. ‘Til’, and ‘it’. In the same manner, the line, â€Å"And I, and Silence, some strange Race† (15) also demonstrates the use of assonance in the repetition of the vowel sound ‘I’ in the words ‘I’ and ‘silence’ and the repetition of the sound ‘ae’ in the words ‘strange’ and ‘race’. There are also metaphors in this very brief yet multi-dimensional poem. For instance, to demonstrate the frailty of reason, Dickinson writes, â€Å"And then a Plank in Reason, broke†. (17) Here one sees how reason is likened to a plank which breaks; a very clever way of illustrating the common human reactionary idiom which is ‘breaking under pressure’. Another metaphor in the poem is â€Å"With those same Boots of Lead, again† (11) which describes the heavy steps that a bothered or disturbed person makes. In effect, this particular line is an effective metaphor that illustrates the footfalls of a troubled or stressed person; perhaps, an experience that is familiar to most people as not having the energy to walk when stressed or trouble, hence heavy feet. Aside from metaphors, the very brief poem also manages to throw in a few similes, such as the line, â€Å"A Service, like a Drum –â€Å"(6), which likens the voices of the people in the funeral service to the incessant beating of a drum. So, the sound referred to in this line is an annoying or repetitive sound that seems to nag at the voice’s mind. Then, there is the line, â€Å"As all the Heavens were a Bell / And Being, but an Ear† (13-14) where the voice tries to illustrate how noisy or boisterous prayers are in the context of a person who is currently troubled or is dealing with problems that would seem insurmountable. These lines express the desperation of the state of the voice in that it describes how prayers are often empty and without significance or can do nothing to alleviate one’s sorry state. It is amazing how Dickinson is able to pack so many poetic devices into one very short poem. This demonstrates the brilliance of this poet in the art of poetry because it simply shows how expertly crafted and well-thought of the poem truly is. There is also a hyperbole in the poem in the lines, â€Å"And I dropped down, and down – / And hit a World, at every plunge† (18-19) describing the gravity or the seriousness of the state of the voice; hereto expressed as the feeling of falling down and hitting a world at every plunge. In effect, what the poet is saying here is that each disappointment or stressful situation puts the voice in a situation where he/she has to face the consequences presented or put before him/her by a confusing, unyielding, and indifferent society, here referred to as a â€Å"world†. Not to be left out in the poem is the personification which is found in the line, â€Å"And I, and Silence, some strange Race† (15) While personification is not immediately evident or apparent in this line, closer analysis of it would reveal, that in fact, personification is used to represent an abstract concept. When the voice puts silence in equal footage with himself/herself by treating silence as some sort of companion, personification is achieved. So, in this line, the voice of the poem claims that he/she and silence are both from a strange race; what this does is it gives the reader the illusion that apart from the ‘I’ who is a tangible concrete element of the poem, ‘silence’ which is an abstract concept also becomes a concrete element as it is personified by treating it as a companion of the ‘I’. This poem by Emily Dickinson simply demonstrates how craftsmanship is often very important in the creation of a poem. The intentions of a poet are mostly to convey emotion and to embody such emotion in words and the effective use of poetic devices achieves this particular poetic intention or objective. When a poem is able to effectively use poetic devices such reflects on the expertise and genius of the poet because while only some poetic devices can be found in some other singular poems, this poem packs in a large number, if not all poetic devices in the span of twenty lines spread throughout five stanzas. Such a feat is amazing in itself.

Discuss the role of Lady Macbeth in the play Essay

Lady Macbeth takes a leading role in the play. From the very first sighting, that we encounter her, her strong powerful character over powers us. I will be focusing on the role of Lady Macbeth, whom is married to the main character Macbeth. Lady Macbeth plays and important role in the play, as she influences events that take place to a large extent. As the play develops, we see Lady Macbeth displaying many aspects and qualities of her personality. Lady Macbeth by nature I believe is a manipulative woman; she has a goal in her sights and seems to use everything in her power to reach it. Her involvement in the murder of King Duncan is dominating; she formulates and directs the whole plan. Lady Macbeth is the person who gives the impetus to Macbeth to do what she believes he must do. The first time we come into contact with her is in Act 1 Scene 5 of the play. We see her performing a soliloquy. Here she makes an immediate impact, performing on her own centre stage, reading a letter from Macbeth. The letter informs her of Macbeth’s and Banqo’s meeting with the witches. It tells her of the witches prophecies to him – the prophecy that one day she and her husband would become King and queen of Scotland. This idea seems to kindle a fire in Lady Macbeth. Immediately she seems to be forming a scheme, putting plans together to fulfil the witch’s forecast of Macbeth’s life. This shows how determined and ambitious Lady Macbeth is. ‘Glamis thou art, and Cawdor: and shalt be what though art promise.’ She promises that what the witch’s predicted will be fulfilled. She indicates that she has immediately formulated the idea of a murder. This straight away creates a first impression on the audience – evil personified! â€Å"I fear thy nature, is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way†. Lady Macbeth knows he knows he is a man of honour and that she believes that he deserves the status of a king. Lady Macbeth realises it will be a hard decision or Macbeth, perhaps shocking idea that killing Duncan would be to ‘catch the nearest way’, to becoming a royalty himself. She knows it is an extremely tempting offer and he will suffer greatly over his final decision. She feels that he has a soft personality, and does not have it in him to fight for this position. He is too decent a man to take advantage of this opportunity. Lady Macbeth thinks he has the ambition but lacks the courage. She feels he is a kind, generous, noble man and cant go ahead with what she has in mind for him. Lady Macbeth feels as though only she can persuade Macbeth to Initially Lady Macbeth seems to have the stronger ambition of the two. She appears to be an individual who is totally devoid of moral conscience; she has the appearance of an unstoppable woman. She has strong beliefs that will power/courage are the only two things that should dominate Macbeth’s mind, ‘Screw your courage to the sticking place!’ – Someone who encapsulates evil. The audience comes to realise that Macbeth, who is very tempted by the notion of kingship, has no chance against this self-created monster. He is affect – damned. The witches’ prophecy is something that Lady Macbeth is obsessed by and is determined to will into fruition. Her second soliloquy now shows the igniting of this wicked plan. She realises that Duncan is actually coming to visit her at the castle. Her first few lines are probably spoken in total amazement. ‘He brings great news’; She would probably exclaim this quite joyfully. This works on two levels though. It is a great honour to have the king himself staying the night. It is also her big chance, in her mind, not to be missed! Lady Macbeth makes a decision that he will not be leaving alive. She is fully confident that she is making the right decisions and that the chance that she has awaited has arrived. Lady Macbeth decides to take the opportunity and make sure that Duncan is killed. This shows that Lady Macbeth has no pity what so ever. She isn’t going to let anyone come in her way. Lady Macbeth has clear ideas, and has planned exactly what has to be done. ‘The raven himself is coarse, That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan’. Since her first soliloquy, the audience has established that she has more ambition, and craves more domination than a woman (particularly at that time) is thought rightly to have. The notions that she has conjured up do not seem to be likely of a particularly feminine personality. She shows very little compassion or worry. Now, she (by the power of magic) wants to get rid of any womanly nature at all, ‘Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’. She would deliver these lines as if calling to a divine power. She calls to the ‘spirits that tend on mortal thoughts’ – these are the spirits that tend on any murderous thought or ambition. Lady Macbeth wants the sympathetic nature of a woman to be taken away from her so that any feelings that stop her from doing this deed are got rid of. She asks them to, ‘Stop th’access and passage to remorse’. She wants to be separate as possible from ‘the milk of human kindness’. She wants her breasts to be instead full of bitter poison. She probably desires to get rid of most human qualities, and, instead be on a par with these ‘magic murdering ministers’ – The spirits of evil and murder. Lady Macbeth becomes very impatient and wants time to pass quickly so that she can proceed with her plans. ‘You wait on nature’s mischief! Comes thick night.’ She wants the night to fall quickly so that it can hide the murder she is planning in the shadow of its darkness. ‘That my keen knife sees not the wound it makes.’ After she says this, it is clear to the audience that he is serious about killing Duncan and will go ahead with the deed. Lady Macbeth at this point has herself very excited. When her husband finally enters, we see him and her together for the first time. In her excitement Lady Macbeth addresses him as ‘ Great Glamis’, ‘Worthy Cawdor’ and then, ‘All hail thereafter’ – The king! This excitement would cause her, I believe, to change the way she speaks This excitement and more importantly the will power she derives from it seems to overtake her husband. This again reinforces the audiences’ suspicion that Lady Macbeth is pushing herself further than is appropriate. When she learns that Duncan will be coming the next day, she tells Macbeth that Duncan will not be seen on the face of the earth after tomorrow. ‘O, never Shall sun that ‘morrow see.’ She clearly states to Macbeth her feelings and what she believes needs to be done, in a straightforward manner. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he needs to change his personality, and that he needs to put on an act. ‘To beguile the time, Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.’ Lady Macbeth wants her husband to act innocent but have an evil soul. All of this shows how she enjoys dominating situations and people. Lady Macbeth likes to be in control of everything that happens. She is trying to persuade Macbeth to do the deed. Then also enjoy the end, which is becoming Queen herself. ‘The night’s great business into my dispatch.’ ‘Leave all the rest to me.’ Lady Macbeth believes that she can sort everything out herself, as she knows what needs to be done, and how she is going to do it. She likes taking control of things. This shows she is single minded. In Act 1 scene 6, Duncan finally arrives. Lady Macbeth now proves how deceptive and two faced she really can be. Duncan arrives with nothing but compliments for the castle and its hosts, ‘ This castle hath a pleasant seat’, ‘See our honoured hostess’. Lady Macbeth shows herself as the perfect hostess, ‘All service in every point twice done, and then done double’. Then she leads him triumphantly, almost as a trophy, into the castle and to his dreadful fate. In act 1 scene 7 Lady Macbeth has her work cut out for her. She constantly has to reinforce her husbands’ resolve, pushing him on. Macbeth’s resolve fails him, in his soliloquy, he is in agony with his doubts, and he decides against following through with the plot. We see her talking to Macbeth about killing Duncan. He thinks of all the reasons why he cannot kill his king. – He sees him as an honourable king, an honourable man. He is ‘His Kinsman’, And Macbeth was his ‘subject’. Macbeth had been honoured by Duncan, being made ‘Thane of Thife’. He also worries what will happen, ‘Tears shall drown the wind’. He reaches his final decision; the murder will not go ahead. Macbeth seems to wake up, he doesn’t ask his wives permission, and he seems to have regained control from her dominating influence. Lady Macbeth enters asking why Macbeth, as expected of a host, was present at the table, Macbeth asks ‘hath he asked for me?’ Lady Macbeth replies, ‘Know you not he has?’ I believe she would ask this question quite firmly; she wants Duncan to be oblivious to any negative feelings Macbeth may have. Macbeth goes straight to the point and out lines his reasons, ‘We will proceed no further in this business’; ‘He hath honoured me of late†¦Which would be worn in its newest gloss, not cast aside so soon’. Lady Macbeth is somewhat taken aback – staggered by her husbands’ decision. Here she thought she had the cat in the bag, her husband was prepared to take this amazing opportunity to grasp kingship. Her willpower had spurred him onto it. Now she saw she wasn’t as powerful and influential as she originally thought she was – She turns on Macbeth. In a moment she realises her willpower had not had its desired affect. Lady Macbeth changes, her tactics switch from ‘unsexed’ to using her feminine powers. As a woman, she will now humiliate and manipulates Macbeth as a man. Lady Macbeth knows that it will sting Macbeth if she taunts him. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth had been mentioned to be, ‘A worthy bridegroom for the goddess of war herself!’ He has been honoured for his great roles in battle by the king himself. Naturally, it will provoke Macbeth if his honour or ‘masculinity’ is challenged. She taunts him: ‘Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?’ Lady Macbeth I believe would utter this in mock disbelief. She would be sounding as if to be appalled at the lack of confidence in Macbeth’ conviction. It makes a fool of him, she asks, ‘Were the hope drunk Wherein you dressed yourself?’ She is saying, was your hope drunk? And now, wakes with a hangover – regretting what it had said? She uses the words, ‘pale and green’ to pictorially describe colours and shades that are normally associated with weak, and sickliness. She then continues, using her feminine power, to question his love for her, saying, ‘Such I account thy love’. Meaning his love to her is as one of his drunken promises. These are not words that Macbeth is accustomed to having directed at him. He is not used to having his courage mocked. He perfectly knows he is not a coward. He is one of the bravest men around. Lady Macbeth expects him to retort this way. He continues though, he puts his finger right on it, ‘Who dares do more is none’. Macbeth means whoever dares to do anything more daring, dangerous or maybe wicked, isn’t human; they are supernatural, probably monstrous. Macbeth is defending himself, he is suggesting that anything more brave wouldn’t make him a man, it would make him monster; and that is the truth. Macbeth knows it’s the truth, Lady Macbeth knows it is the truth, and importantly the audience realise this is the truth. He is prepared to do ‘all men can do’, but he draws the line at becoming a monster. Lady Macbeth would perhaps falter at this. Yet again though, she picks up the offensive, though in a slightly weaker position perhaps. She takes a risk by replying ‘What beast was’t then, that made you break this wicked enterprise to me?’ Lady Macbeth shifts the blame back onto Macbeth, claiming he was the one to hatch the plan, the crucial words being ‘you break this†¦to me’. The audience will pick up on this, realising that it was never Macbeth who ever originated the idea, it was in fact Lady Macbeth. Macbeth fails to see this though and she carries on. She reasons that when he (Macbeth) had proposed this ‘enterprise’ to her, then he ‘were a man’. Lady Macbeth tries to change Macbeth’s perception of what is manly. She tries to change what Macbeth perceives as man, being brave and daring to do ‘all that may become a man’, to a man being almost a killing machine. She does this by saying ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’. Lady Macbeth thinks that a man is someone who would do anything to make himself bigger, stronger or more powerful. Lady Macbeth then uses a slightly different tack; she uses shock tactics to demonstrate how she feels about following through with the murder. Lady Macbeth brings to mind the most grotesque image that she can think up. She says she would take a child, hers, and ‘while it was smiling in my face†¦and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done this’. By this, Lady Macbeth reveals a side to her to her audience. She is evil and she will stop at nothing. What she meant by killing her child like this was to show her strength of conviction and willingness to carry out her word ‘had I so sworn to you [Macbeth]’. It appears to work, and Macbeth falters saying (indicating a change of heart) ‘If we should fail?’ Lady Macbeth has now re-engaged him, and Macbeth is curious again. Again Lady Macbeth shows her strength of conviction and will, ‘Screw your courage to the sticking place – and we’ll not fail’, Lady Macbeth I think hits these words with a real sense of belief, urging Macbeth to think about it. Failing? – Lady Macbeth declares that this is impossible. She proceeds to outline her plan, believing she now has Macbeth back onboard. She will make Duncan’s guard’s drunk and she and Macbeth will commit the murder, leaving the guards to take the fall for it. The plan is ruthlessly simple and cowardly. The audience cannot help but realise this; Lady Macbeth has thought this through non-stop and has made her plan as efficient and as fool proof as possible. Lady Macbeth makes it so safe, and has reconfirmed Macbeth’s original intentions – but still Macbeth will know in the back of his mind, this is all wrong. Lady Macbeth has powerfully changed Macbeth, using his moral weaknesses exposed by his ambition, to change his mind. Macbeth has let his wife’s iron will destroy his conscience and his somewhat ‘sophisticated’ moral sense. Again though, the audiences are left with sub-conscience doubts about Lady Macbeth’s appearance of unshakeable strength. In Act 2-scene 2 there is more talking between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, about killing king Duncan. Here she displays he having controlled and authority over Macbeth’s mind and actions, but also how support she can be towards him. One of the things that particularly stood out was her inability to commit the murder herself. For all the boasting and the character she built up of herself, Lady Macbeth cannot do any of which she said she was so sure of. Lady Macbeth was supposed to commit the murder herself, but she goes in and comes straight back out again, being startled by a bird’s cry as she stands there. Macbeth comes up the stairwell and sees Lady Macbeth there; she seems to make some excuses for her being there saying, ‘I am afraid they have awaked’, then she admits, ‘ And ’tis done. Th’ attempt and not the deed’. Lady Macbeth has faltered, and she cannot bring herself to the deed she swore she would do even if she had to dash her own child’s brains out. She came into the chamber and almost I would imagine shouts the line, ‘Hark! I laid the daggers ready’. Lady Macbeth is angry I think with herself, as if she is ashamed. She makes the excuse that she entered, saw Duncan and saw he was like her father in his sleep – and could not kill him baring in mind she was prepared to kill her own child. Macbeth nevertheless has killed Duncan. Macbeth is almost immediately feeling the consequences; he recounts it as if he suffered immediate guilt whilst he was doing the murder. Macbeth has started to crack; he is breaking down, saying that he heard voices saying he would no longer be able to sleep. What Lady Macbeth now faces is what ultimately destroys her. She has now to bear up to Macbeth’s faltering conscience amidst her own despair. Lady Macbeth tries to silence Macbeth, trying to drive the thoughts of guilt out of her mind – trying to remain strong saying ‘A foolish thought to say a sorry sight’. A few lines on Lady Macbeth prophetically says, ‘These deeds must not be thought. After these ways; so, it will make us mad’. It is here that Lady Macbeth’s character has its biggest and final test. Lady Macbeth now reverts into a controlling wife, as she tries to distract her mind from what has happened by snapping into gear and sorting out what has happened. She is practical and tells her husband to go and wash himself of blood, and then she summons whatever courage she may have left to go and put the daggers with the guards to ensure that they have the blame. Again Lady Macbeth is practical, there is a knock at the door of the castle and she restrains her husband from answering it. Lady Macbeth’s mind is in full gear with this murder. She sees that it would be strange if they were to answer the door at this hour of the night saying, ‘Get on you’re night-gown†¦And show us to be watchers’. Lady Macbeth is in full control of her faculties at this point, whereas her husband is starting to really break down, already wishing he’d not done it ‘Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst’. Lady Macbeth is not the strong person she appears to be though. Following on in Act 2 scene 3, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth perform an amazing drama to dupe them, and prove their innocence. Macduff arrives at the gate and goes to see the king in his chamber, and returns with the news of his death. The blame obviously falls upon the guards and Macbeth convincingly puts up a show that he loved Duncan so much that he kill the guards on the spot, Thus, removing any ability for them to defend themselves. Now, this does temporarily shift suspicion towards Macbeth, but he gives such an intricate and heartfelt speech, that combined with Lady Macbeth swooning and starting to faint, â€Å"Help me hence, ho!† She draws the attention away from Macbeth, it is enough to convince the others of their innocence at least for the moment. The murder also frightens Duncan’s sons; they fear that they might be next; this is probably true, since in order for Macbeth to have a good chance to become King, both of them must be killed. Therefore, they flee, and this puts them under suspicion. It could be reasoned that they might have killed their father in order to quicken their ascension to the throne. Again, all of which are complete lies. Such harmonious co-operation when under pressure shows that Lady and Lord Macbeth do indeed work well together, and have an excellent relationship. In Act 3-scene 2 Macbeth is crowned King, one of the first things Macbeth does, is have Banquo assassinated. It is important to note that he does this independently of his wife; his coronation seems to have given him new courage. We see Lady Macbeth being impatient. Lady Macbeth is again telling Macbeth to put his past behind him, ‘What’s done is done’, Putting more strain on their relationship. Macbeth obviously however has taken over, he hints to Lady Macbeth that he has a plan in action and she should be, ‘Innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck’. Lady Macbeth knows something is going on, however see isn’t fully aware of it. She thinks this after a conversation with Macbeth as he means to be unsettled and sneaky. Lady Macbeth tried to lighten things with Macbeth by telling him not regret anything. â€Å"Things without all remedy â€Å" She is telling him not to think about something that can’t be corrected. Lady Macbeth is the opposite however; she is at heart a weaker woman than Macbeth is the stronger man. She does start to feel guilt and consequences for her actions; she cannot keep the ruthless monster image up. Lady Macbeth wants to know what Macbeth is planning behind her back, however he refuses to tell her that he is plotting to kill Banquo. â€Å"Whats to be done† Lady Macbeth shows that she is curious and dislikes being left out with Macbeth’s plans. Macbeth even teasingly knows this, saying in affect that she would prefer not to know the details of his plan. Lady Macbeth herself however, is doubtful in her new found power; she is troubled by their present state. However, she does tell Macbeth this, who is already worried, almost to the point of suicide by his speech. Instead, she comforts him again, advising him not to brood on the past. However, he is still deeply concerned. He tells his wife of his plan to kill Banquo, and for a change, she asks him what to do. He tells to do as she has told him; to put on a false face, and pretend nothing has happened. Macbeth does however, suggest his discontent about his deceitfulness, but recognises its necessity. This switching of roles due to Macbeth’s increased confidence and Lady Macbeth’s lack of is perhaps quite important. It shows that their relationship is changing. The Lady Macbeth of Act-1 has lost its initiative in evil. Act 3 Scene 4 Lady Macbeth becomes increasingly worn down by her husbands’ own mental deterioration. Macbeth makes quite a scene at his feast, holding a party to celebrate his title of king. It starts with him not sitting at the table and instead having a furious conversation with one of the murderers of Banquo. Lady Macbeth hurries in saying that ‘You do not give a cheer. The feast is sold’, Macbeth is acting strangely to his guests, but this is not the strangest thing to happen yet by far. Macbeth becomes hallucinated and colour drains from his face and he begins to shout because of seeing a ghost, only visible to himself – a ghost of Banquo. Lady Macbeth immediately covers for him, â€Å"Sit worthy friends† Lady Macbeth realises that Macbeth is about to give the whole game away and has to desperately rescue herself and her husband. She tells the guest that Macbeth is having a fit, but he will soon recover. She calms Macbeth down, by calling him out the room to ensure he doesn’t say anything he shouldn’t. You have displace†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lady Macbeth is totally confused to why he is acting like this; she then goes on by asking the guests, with a complete lack of ceremony, to leave immediately. â€Å"Stand upon the order†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.† Lady Macbeth is very rude in telling the guest to go, as she fears that Macbeth might say something he shouldn’t. This surely wears her down and worries her of what the guests may think. Lady Macbeth tries to pull Macbeth together, but it has no effect. She is undergoing along with her husband a state of intense mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. This is the last time the Macbeth’s are seen together as one working unit. Lady Macbeth says little at this point and cannot seem to match her husbands’ vigour. Macbeth says, ‘I am†¦o’er’ Meaning he admits that he is too far-gone, it is simpler to carry on his bloody ways than to turn back now. Lady Macbeth urges him to stop, telling him he lacks sleep and needs to go to bed. Macbeth’s range of evil has outstretched Lady Macbeth’s, she is beyond it all. This is the last time that Lady Macbeth is seen as sane. In fact, Lady Macbeth is not present in any of Act-4, not appearing until into Act-5. Scene I is where the most obvious change of Lady Macbeth unfolds. The long absence of Lady Macbeth until Act-5 reinforces her appearance as the mad, delusional woman in scene ii. Her mental stability reaches its terminal point and this once monster, becomes nothing but a nervous wreck. The human traits of guilt, conscience and common human feeling all catch up with Lady Macbeth. She could not run from them forever, and now they have reduced her to a pitiful state. Lady Macbeth walks around her bedroom, shuffling nervously, crying out when she cannot remove a figurative spot of blood – or guilt. Lady Macbeth recounts her guilty deeds but as a sign of her mental disarray, she cannot tell them in any chronological order. I would imagine an actor playing the part of Lady Macbeth telling each incident that she calls to mind, as if it cuts her mentally – breaking up her mind. The agony that Lady Macbeth passes through will eventually lead to the last part of her deterioration. Her agony will drive her to despair and ultimately, she is mentioned to have committed suicide. In act 5 scene 5, we learn that Lady Macbeth is dead. This is a bad end for Lady Macbeth; though, a woman of powerful ambition and driving force, and a person in an influential position – she dies pathetically. This end runs parallel to the events of the play and reflects on the outcome of the theme of evil throughout. Lady Macbeth thought she was as evil as she could wish to be, as unconnected from other womanly and human qualities as she might choose. She believed ambition and will power were everything – yet it was all these things that ultimately lead to her end. Lady Macbeth thought that her ambition and worldly success would justify any move she made. Lady Macbeth would not accept that evil is self-destructive. Her impressions of overpowering evil were in the end of a day – only an impression. Her conscience first shows its greater power when she is unable to kill Duncan herself. Her next step was when she had to come to terms with her and her husbands reality of evil. The mounting guilt becomes heavier and heavier on her, with the killing of Banquo and the guards. She has to continue to keep up her appearances and her husbands resolve, excusing his behaviour, supporting him, all whilst keeping on top of her own mental condition until he overtakes her in evil. This has its obvious end; she has no way of escape, which further tortures her mental condition. The only way out of her self-created downward spiral was her own death.

China Social Welfare essays

China Social Welfare essays It was in the 11th century that the Chinese became more aware of social and political issues of the time. Quite a lot of time and energy and money were spent in holding meetings and distributing pamphlets to one and all, and people of the time devoured this information avidly. This was the period of the dynasty of Song, and the reformer was the great Wang-Ngan- Che. This leader purported to use his almost unlimited powers, especially during the reign of Chen-tsoung, to inculcate the feeling of reform among the people, especially among the partisans. His ideas of reform were met with great approval and enthusiasm among both friends and enemies. The main theme of his reform were that one must be able to enjoy the best of all material benefits by producing them, and therefore become all the happier for the enjoyment of the comforts thus produced. Wang-Ngan-Che strongly believed that the state should love all her people equally and in order for the people to live happily, the state must enforce obedience to certain rules and regulations that would enable them to enjoy the twin gratifications of plenty and pleasure. He also felt that the State must take into its own hands all the various resources of the Empire, impose taxes on the rich and collect enormous amounts of funds and thus be able to help out people in need like paupers and people out of work. The Emperor, Chen-tsoung, being bold and daring, decided to impose these radical reforms, and the result was the start of the Social Revolution. (Imperial However, it must be mentioned that China, even in the ancient ages, believed in reforms and new thinking that would benefit all the people of her state, as for example, in the Spring and Autumn Periods, also known as the hundred schools of thought', part of some ancient dynasties of China. The ...

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Artist Visual Arts and Film Studies - Personal Statement Example Growing up, I always felt confined to rigid thought patterns and strict behavioral expectations. I had to live the way people around me desired, not how I wanted. Added to this was my position as a woman in a highly patriarchal society. I recognize that success would only come from struggle and commitment. My mother once told me that when I was a little girl, she never noticed when I was around because I was introspective, and was always drawing. While my interests and experience has grown significantly since this formative period, I recognize many elements of myself in this early incarnation. Today I remain introspective and committed to art. For me, artistic expression now helps me articulate my feelings and work towards personal development and self-discovery. This is why I love the art of Frida Kahlo. She tells stories about herself and reveals the beauty in this truth. I always care to tell something in my art. I like to draw characters that reflect aspects of my personality â⠂¬â€œ I want my art to speak and to tell the truth. I also recognize that oftentimes things are not black and white; in these instances, art allows me to confront my struggles. When I consider broader issues in my life, I recognize I believe that there is nothing more beautiful than imagination. Without imagination the world’s problems cannot be tackled. ... Psychodynamic theory contends that childhood experiences influence later personal development and motivation. While I am no psychologist, I oftentimes consider that my controlled and restrictive childhood greatly influenced my artistic desire for self-expression. Throughout high school in Kuwait I yearned to simply write my opinion in an essay, yet I always was restricted to what my teacher thought. I remember watching a program about cartooning when I was a child and told my mother that is what I wanted to do with my life. I would dream about becoming an animator and construct stories to songs I would hear. My father was largely indifferent to my aspirations, instead he emphasized math. Still I persisted in my aspirations and still have a dream of becoming an animator. Each time I watch one of my favorite animated films, such as Spirited Away, Triplets of Belleville, or Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, I get inspired about animation. I’m applying to California Institute of t he Arts because of its outstanding Master Degree in Animation program. After researching the program I came to recognize that I would make an excellent fit at your institution and strongly contribute to the artistic environment. Specifically, I appreciate your institution’s emphasis on self-express and diversity of study. I’m familiar with many student films made at your institution and appreciation their process and aesthetic quality. I recognize that many of my artistic conceptions could find expression in such an environment – I have an abundance of plans and projects that I want to bring to life. Being half Arab and half Persian, I have a diverse cultural background that