Unity of a Family Explored in The Grapes of Wrath Essay -- The Grapes o

Unity of a Family Explored in The Grapes of Wrath One would say that on a literal level The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is about the Joad family's journey to California during The Dust Bowl. However, it is also about the unity of a family and the concept of birth and death, both literal and abstract. Along with this, the idea of a family unit is explored through these births and deaths. As can be seen in The Grapes of Wrath, the Joads are a very tight-knit family. Yet on their trip to California, they experience many losses and additions to their family. In general, Steinbeck's novel abides by the circle of life. When a birth occurs, a death follows, and when a death occurs, a birth follows. However, in The Grapes of Wrath, the number of deaths outweighs the number of births as a way to show the negative impacts of The Dust Bowl. The first birth in the novel occurs in Chapter Eight when Tom Joad returns from jail to his family. Prior to Tom's homecoming, Ma Joad had been deeply concerned about making the journey to California without him, because she did not want the family to break up before the start of their journey even occurred. The idea of Tom Joad returning at this point is considered a birth because the Joad family is now complete. This starts the novel giving the reader a better sense of the closeness of the Joad family. In addition, the first reference to death occurs in Chapter Ten. Grampa decides that he does not want to leave his land and go out west. "'This here's my country. I b'long here...I ain't a-goin'. This country ain't no good, but it's my country'" (152). Once again, as to not split up the family, Ma Joad drugs Grampa in order for the family to place him on the tru... ...by that Rose of Sharon delivers in Chapter Thirty. One would believe that when Rose of Sharon delivers her dead baby, it is a sign that all hope is lost because it breaks the circle of life. However, Steinbeck ends The Grapes of Wrath on a somewhat uplifting note by incorporating one last birth. At the end of the novel, Rose of Sharon gives life to a dying old man by letting him drink the breast milk that she would have used in order to feed her own baby. "She looked up and across the barn, and her lips came together and smiled mysteriously" (619). In conclusion, The Grapes of Wrath may appear, on surface level, to be a novel about an Oklahoma family's trip to California during the Dust Bowl. Instead, when looked at more deeply, The Grapes of Wrath is found to be a story about the circle of life and the way that a family stays together through this cycle.

Social Learning Theory Psychology

In the field of Psychology, learning theories are there to attempt to explain how people think and what factors ultimately influence their behavior (ETR, 2007). There are various types of learning theories which all include different concepts and approaches to distinguish an understanding of human behavior and thought (ETR, 2007). The social learning theory (SLT) is just one of many theories which fall under the category of learning theories.The social learning theory, which is also commonly known as social cognitive theory, is justified in the belief that human behavior is determined by a triangular effect relationship between environmental influences, cognitive factors, and behavior (ETR, 2007). To have a proper understanding of the social learning theory, one needs to have been adequately briefed in the major contributors of the theory, a thorough description of what the theory entails, assumptions about the theory, and the developmental process and practice which has previously a nd currently taken place. Accomplishment is socially judged by ill defined criteria so that one has to rely on others to find out how one is doing (Kearsley, 2008). † This was stated by Albert Bandura, who is one of the two major contributors to the social learning theory. Bandura was born the youngest and only male of six siblings on December 4, 1925, in Mundare, Canada (Pajares, 2004). Fast-forwarding through his childhood, Bandura eventually found himself attending the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. His happening to fall into psychology was simply a fluke for him, for he was planning to get a degree in the biological sciences (Pajares, 2004). Bandura carpooled with peers to school who were all majors in engineering and pre-med, which entailed them to have early morning classes (Pajares, 2004). To fill his workload, Bandura had an open-morning spot to fill on his roster, which is where he fell into an introduction to psychology course (Pajares, 2004). He was instantly intrigued, which led him on his path to becoming one of the great contributors to this field. In 1949, he graduated with the Bolocan Award in psychology from the University of British Columbia (Pajares, 2004). His next task was to knock down graduate school, where he attended at the University of Iowa and received his Ph. D. in clinical psychology in 1952 (Pajares, 2004). Starting already in 1953, Bandura found himself teaching at Stanford University where he came across a well-educated student by the name of Richard Walters (Pajares, 2004). The two found themselves equally interested in the studies of explaining antisocial aggression in young males who came from wholesome households in upper-class residential areas in comparison to demonstrating that multiple opposing conditions may lead to behavioral problems (Pajares, 2004). This particular study led Bandura and Walters to co-write a book, Adolescent Aggression, in 1959 (Pajares, 2004). From there, Bandura wrote a chain of numerous books dealing with the social learning theory. Later he became a found member and elected President of the American Psychological Association in 1973 (Pajares, 2004). The second major contributor to the social learning theory came from a man by the name of Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist who was born in 1896 (Gallagher, 1999). Vygotsky was said to be a connoisseur of literature and philosophy (Gallagher, 1999). He attended the University of Moscow, where he studied and received a degree in law (Gallagher, 1999). It was not until 1924 when Vygotsky became interested in psychology (Gallagher, 1999). He had written a paper, The Psychology of Art, in 1925 which he used primarily in his thesis at the Moscow Institute of Psychology. Between the years of 1924-1934, before his death due to Tuberculosis, is when all his psychology work was practiced (Gallagher, 1999). In those 10 years of research and study of psychology, Vygotsky became an active follower of the sociocultural theory which suggests that development of a child relies on interaction with people and the tools or resources that the culture provides to help form their personal view of the world (Gallagher, 1999). The social learning theory (SLT), among others, is one of the most commonly used models currently. SLT is not a horribly complex model, for it is based around the interactions made from one another through observations, imitations, and modeling (Learning, 2008). Due to the fact that the SLT encompasses attention, memory, and motivation, it is said to be a bridge for psychologists between behaviorists and cognitive learning (Learning, 2008). The SLT focuses on the prospect that people learn through observing other people’s behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors observed (Learning, 2008). The social learning theory has three basic principles which make the breakdown of the theory very clear. The first principle is that people can learn through observation (Boeree, 2006). Bandura had conducted a well-known experiment known as the â€Å"Bobo Doll Study† (Boeree, 2006). In this study, Bandura had a set of dolls to which adult figures would interact with, in terms of gentle and/or aggressive behavior while children observed. Later, children were let into the room and were allowed to play with the same set of dolls that the adults had previously used. From observational learning, the children themselves inflicted the same type of behavior that the adults previously did. The children who observed a gentle act toward the Bobo doll reacted in the same way to pursue a more calm and loving affect toward the doll. In contrast, the children who observed aggressive behavior toward the Bobo doll also copied the same behavior of aggression toward the doll (Boeree, 2006). Bandura came up with three basic models of observational learning through conducting this study (Boeree, 2006). The first model is a live model. This involves an actual human individual who is acting out or demonstrating a particular behavior (Boeree, 2006). The second model is the verbal instructional approach. This involves giving the description and directions to acting out a certain behavior (Boeree, 2006). The third and last model is the symbolic model. This encompasses real of fictional characters. These characters are set to display behaviors in books, television, movies, or online media (Boeree, 2006). The second of the three basic principles is mental states are important to learning (Boeree, 2006). In greater detail, this involves and contributes to intrinsic reinforcement. Bandura was the contributor to this that previously noted that external, environmental reinforcement was not the only factor to influence learning and behavior (Boeree, 2006). This is where the idea of intrinsic reinforcement comes into place. This type of reinforcement is internal, which can include feelings of satisfaction, pride, and sense of accomplishment (Boeree, 2006). This is how the term of â€Å"social cognitive theory† correlates directly with the social learning theory. These types of reinforcements emphasize the internal thoughts and cognitions to help cooperate with theories of cognitive development (Boeree, 2006). The last of the three basic principles is that learning does not necessarily lead to change in behavior (Boeree, 2006). This means that observational learning does not define all observed behaviors; not all behaviors must be and are acting on (Boeree, 2006). One can learn something through observation without demonstrating the new information attained. These three main principles paved the way for more of Bandura’s work in the SLT, and the introduction to specific modeling process. The modeling process consists of four primary steps which lead to the development of understanding social learning theory. The first step is known by the word of â€Å"Attention† (Learning, 2008). This concept states that in order for an individual to learn, they have to be paying attention. It is possible for distractions of course, but anything that distracts one is going to ultimately have a negative effect on the observational learning taking place (Learning, 2008). A few examples of distractions could include being sleepy, groggy, sick, nervous, drugged, or even â€Å"hyper† in a sense can affect the learning process. All of those feelings can be competing factors with one’s attention span. Likewise, for something that may be of interest to the subject, full attention could be put into place and more dedication to observing and absorbing new information could happen (Learning, 2008). The second step is known as â€Å"Retention† (Learning, 2008). Retention is known as the storing process of observational learning. The ability or lack of to store or remember information plays an important role in the learning process (Learning, 2008). Retention, just like attention, can be affected by many different factors as well. This is also where imagery and language come into play. One is able to store information in terms of verbal knowledge or imagery knowledge, depending on the subject and situation. Later, one is expected to â€Å"bring up† the previously observed information if retention was successful (Learning, 2008). No need to say that retaining information is a vital aspect to observational learning. Third on the list of steps for the social learning model is â€Å"Reproduction† (Learning, 2008). This is where the performance of information retained is put into place. Once one has actually gone thorough attention and retained the proper information necessary, it is expected that one can perform the behavior initially learned (Learning, 2008). Of course, there are limitations to the ability of being able to perform certain tasks. For example, one can watch an Olympic gold medalist do an entire gymnastic tumbling routine on the mat, but may not have the ability to flex their body that particular way and be able to perform some of the stunts observed. This is why there is a leniency for the ability to perform tasks for the purpose that further practice may be needed (Learning, 2008). With a combination of practice of the learned behavior and continuous observation of the behavior, the performance level may have improvement and further skill advancement. The final of the four proper steps is â€Å"Motivation† (Learning, 2008). In order for most observational learning to be successful to any state, motivation is crucial to imitate the modeled behavior (Learning, 2008). There are several factors that Bandura stated to be a vital part in the motivational factor of the observed behavior performance. Reinforcement and punishment are key concepts in motivation levels (Learning, 2008). Past reinforcement, such as a reward after a proper outtake of the behavior, can motivate one to imitate the new observed behavior. In contrast, past punishment can be the same type of motivator. One who was punished previously for not conducting the observed behavior properly will make one want to conduct the new behavior successfully because they are aware of the consequences if not done properly (Learning, 2008). Also, promised reinforcements or punishments can do the same type of influence. A promised reinforcement, such as a treat, could make one strive to perform the task correctly. On the other hand, a promised punishment, such as a threat, can give the same affect (Learning, 2008).

How a Car Wash Led to a Grammar Lesson †and a Valentine’s Day Life Lesson

How a Car Wash Led to a Grammar Lesson – and a Valentine’s Day Life Lesson A Car Washing Adventure From time to time it is necessary, living in a snowy city, to give my car a respite from the salt that eats away at it for much of the winter.   During my last visit to Octopus Car Wash, as I waited for my car to get spit out the other end of the car wash, I discovered a wall full of greeting cards, many of them by a local Wisconsin greeting card company, Byrne Schmidt Greetings. What a great idea!   I love browsing humorous and clever greeting cards and went to work picking out cards to give to my friends and family for upcoming holidays. Leave it to me to find a grammar issue in one of the birthday cards. Squirrely Grammar Lesson Squirrely Grammar On the front of one card, I found a picture of a squirrel holding an oversized acorn under each arm. The title:   A Squirrel Birthday Poem.   The first three lines of the poem: Happy Birthday to you, You can bet your sweet butt To insure you a great birthday I opened the card to find the last two lines of the poem: I’d give my left nut. I laughed.   And I also got inspired to write about the difference between â€Å"ensure† and â€Å"insure.†Ã‚   My first reaction was that â€Å"insure† had been used incorrectly here and that the correct verb was â€Å"ensure.†Ã‚   As I did my research, I learned that I was only partially right about that assessment. The Essay Expert Gets a Grammar Lesson:   Assure, Insure, Ensure Associated Press style does indeed dictate that â€Å"ensure† means to make sure something happens and that â€Å"insure† means to issue a life insurance policy.   Other authorities, however, state that it is acceptable to use the two interchangeably, though â€Å"insure† does more often relate to monetary insurance and â€Å"ensure† more often relates to a non-monetary guarantee. About.com has a great article about these distinctions, and covers the word â€Å"assure† as well.   See Assure, Ensure, and Insure:   Commonly Confused Words by Richard Nordquist. I’m not going to go into detail about the difference between all these words.   I do want to point out that regardless of his or her proper word choice, the greeting card writer took artistic license in omitting the verb in the sentence.   A correct sentence would have read, â€Å"To insure that you have a great birthday†¦.†Ã‚   The way it read, â€Å"To insure you a great birthday† doesn’t make sense.   We can insure a car or a house, or insure *that* something happens, but we can’t ensure a person something. And Now for the Valentines Day Life Lesson Nevertheless, I am more interested in the fact that I was so sure the word choice in the card was incorrect that I almost wrote a blog article about the difference between insure and ensure without doing my research.   What a great lesson in being willing to be wrong! I often think I’m right about a lot of things, not just grammatical issues.   Things like how clean a kitchen should be, or what habits are healthy and not, or what is the best way to do just about anything.   Sometimes being right is not the best way to sustain healthy relationships.   And sometimes I’m just plain wrong.   I can assure you of that. It’s Valentine’s Day.   Is there anything you’re sure you’re right about with your loved ones?   Are you willing to consider the possibility that there’s another right answer out there in the world besides yours? Please share your thoughts on grammar and on being right.   I’d love to hear your comments! Category:Grammar Writing TipsBy Brenda BernsteinFebruary 14, 2011 9 Comments judyb says: February 15, 2011 at 12:06 pm But its just a card!!! Found your website from the Linkedin Blogger Group. Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: February 15, 2011 at 1:08 pm Thanks for your comment Judy. In the world of The Essay Expert, everything is fodder for a grammar lesson and sometimes a life lesson too! Log in to Reply Kerri Randall says: February 16, 2011 at 7:36 pm Found you through LinkedIn, too. =) And yes, its just a card but (and I totally dont mean this in a mean or harsh tone) but it baffles me that on the whole, spelling and grammar just arent important to a vast majority of people, it seems, and even more annoying is the fact that its rude to correct people. Yargh, lol. Thats just me, though. I was a writing major in college and still write often, so I have those stereotypical grammar and spelling pet peeves. =) Log in to Reply Jackie Grande says: February 15, 2011 at 8:14 pm I love the card, but even more so love the lesson learned! Nice article Brenda. Log in to Reply Sherry Zander says: February 16, 2011 at 7:39 pm Hi, Brenda. This bugged me, so I do what I do every time I have a question about a word(s) I looked all three of them up in Websters. Interestingly enough, all three words are synonymous of each other. This boggles my mind, since I was always taught that insure was related to insurance products only. I would never have guessed this changed had you not posted this on your blog. Log in to Reply Mari-Lyn says: February 16, 2011 at 10:23 pm Wheres the flash cards? Its cute that you used a greeting card for your post. Thanks for the lesson of grammar. Bet you could re-write my comment. Log in to Reply Hajra says: February 17, 2011 at 3:52 pm Hey Brenda, I am visiting after such a long time and boy I had so much fun with this post! This Valentiness I assured myself that I wouldnt feel miserable on being single but that didnt happen. Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: February 17, 2011 at 4:22 pm Welcome back Hajra! Glad you enjoyed. And may Valentines Day be a joy for you in the future no matter your relationship status! Log in to Reply Penelope J. says: February 17, 2011 at 8:20 pm Hi Brenda, Id have had exactly the same reaction as you did to that card. Its sad how we can overlook something funny or enjoyable because of incorrect grammar or punctuation. I also find that many cant distinguish between insure and ensure and misuse of the two words is common in what should be well-written documents and even articles. Id like to subscribe to your blog but the button doesnt work. What should I do? Log in to Reply

Rich Media, Poor Democracy essays

Rich Media, Poor Democracy essays The increasing control of the U.S. media by corporations and wealthy private owners is a threat to the principles of democracy, particularly free speech and access to information. According to Gore Vidal (11), this concentration of media ownership by the wealthy makes information and education so tightly controlled that very little news about the actual U.S. situation ever gets through to consumers. Such a condition allows a handful of wealthy individuals to shape and control mass opinion in the U.S. One example is Rupert Murdochs FOX Network, which has been reluctant to disseminate any negative information about the Bush Administration or Iraq War. In his book Rich Media, Poor Democracy, Robert W. McChesney argues that this power to shape and control information and education has also led to other phenomena, like more campaign spending for negative TV ads in the face of a sharp decline in news coverage of political issues and campaigns. In his review of McChesneys book, Greg Thompson notes that the right to vote provides little actual control over the course of government. According to Thompson (14), This thin reed of democracy is all that separates the U.S. from being a political oligarchy. The control of the U.S. media by an increasingly concentrated group of wealthy individuals is a negative development for democracy. Future legislators need to impose controls on media ownership in order to give the right to unrestricted and comprehensive information and education back to U.S. citizens. If not, the media will lose all of its power as a check and balance on government. ...

Motivation; Human Resource Management in the Public Sector Essay

Motivation; Human Resource Management in the Public Sector - Essay Example These needs vary from the public to the private sector and therefore different theories have to be implemented to recognize them (David, 1985). Needs that have been satisfied don’t work as motivators thus the organization has to consistently study the employees using different theories to recognize the next level of need for a motivated workforce. Theorists today have analyzed that the content and process approaches of motivation are congruent to public organizations (Robins, 2000). This method of motivation focuses on the theory that motivation in individuals is caused by the desire to fulfill inner needs. This approach concentrates on the needs that motivate individuals. Identifying the needs of employees using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that identifies five need levels. At level one are the physiological needs which include food, water and comfort. A public organization can satisfy this need by giving a paycheck to the employee (David, 1985). At level two is safety needs which are feeling secure and stable. These can be satiated with the benefits that accompany the salary like medical coverage etc. social needs are third on the hierarchy which are desires for friendly relationships between employees and a sense of belonging. This is essential in public organizations as good relations and coordination are crucial to the organization as once this is developed the employees would be motivated to work better (Porter, 2000). The next level is the esteem n eeds which are needed for self respect and respect from coworkers. This can be attained by matching the skill of employees with their job assignment. The esteem can be satiated by appreciation of the employee’s work by the public organization. Lastly, self actualization needs of self content and recognition of the employee’s absolute capabilities can be satisfied by giving the employee challenging tasks that utilizes the employee’s

Communication, Conflict, Negotiation and Leadership in Germany Research Paper

Communication, Conflict, Negotiation and Leadership in Germany - Research Paper Example The Hofstede Model identifies cultures based on five dimensions: power distance, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, and long-term/short-term orientation (Hofstede, 2001). The models' scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100 and there are comparisons made between and among countries. Hofstede initially made the scores during the 1970s but succeeding grades provided in recent years have proved that the grades are still valid. Additional 200 studies were further made to validate the indexes done by Hofstede. The model could be used in dealing with communication, negotiation, management, business, and marketing in the global scene (Hofstede, 2001). 2.1. Power Distance Power distance dimension refers to the belief of individuals in the lower echelon of the society that power is unequally distributed. Hofstede suggests that inequality is endorsed by the members instead of the leaders. Countries that scored high in power distance maintain all individua ls’ role in the society. In cultures with low power distance, roles have to be defined. Germany has a score of 35 in Hofstede’s power distance which is 36% below the world average and 14% below the U.S. score. The score shows Germany’s decentralized societies and flat organization structures. Most important, Germans are loyal to their employers and would not disclose company-related data to unauthorized groups or people (Workman, 2008). 2.2. Masculinity/Femininity In masculine societies, the important aspects are achievements and success while feminine societies focus on caring for other individuals. Masculine societies do not promote sharing of households between males and females. Also, feminine cultures show men’s involvement in shopping activities (Eurostat, 2002). Germany scored 66 points on masculinity, which is 32% higher than the world average and 6% higher than the U.S. Based on Hofstede’s scores; Germans do value earnings, advancement, mo ney, and recognition. Most Germans value success and their current state as the global performer have been sustained. 2.3. Uncertainty Avoidance The concept of uncertainty avoidance pertains to the reaction of people when dealing with ambiguities. Countries with high scores of uncertainty avoidance require established rules and structures. People in this culture are not open to changes and have low flexibility. Meanwhile, cultures with low uncertainty avoidance operate with few rules and are more open to opinions. Germany’s score in this dimension is 65 points which are 2% higher than the world average and 41% higher than the U.S. This indicates that Germans are less open to risks and are more concerned with security. Most important, Germans are disciplined and insists on strict conduct codes. 2.4. Individualism/Collectivism Individualistic cultures show individuals who focus on their own welfare and their immediate family members.

Organization behavior of Frontier Airlines Research Paper

Organization behavior of Frontier Airlines - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that for an organization to succeed in the realization of its goals and objectives, it must have a clear vision, mission, and proper strategies. Furthermore, all members of the organization must pursue to achieve a better state than its current situation. The underlying factor is improving future returns of the organization through consistent evaluation of a positive trend.   The southwest airline, therefore, has laid down appropriate measures that it perceived vital to operation and success in the industry.   Having worked to this company for 3years it is worth clarifying that Frontier Airlines operational success has been supported by consistent organizational transformation and motivation towards the leading airline in the United States and globally. The company has diversified from the usual simple concepts of hospitality and reservations to an institution that recognizes the effort of employees as a crucial component of an organiza tion. Moreover, southwest Airline values employees’ role in diversity. The organization values the need for change embraces the technology and believes that good leadership enhances productivity. The original southwest airline was founded in 1971 by two pioneers Rollin King and Herb Kelleher to plying the route through Dallas to San Antonio.   It gained popularity in the  1980s as the first airline that offered low-cost carriage by giving an  opportunity to the passengers’ discounts in their cost of freight per mile distance.