The Scarlet Letter - The Letter of a Thousand Words :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter - The Letter of a Thousand Words    The Scarlet Letter deals with the theme of sin. Throughout history, people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, people have been punished. However the severity of a punishment is very difficult to agree on. Some people feel that sinners should be deeply punished no matter how little the wrongdoing was. Others feel that a person's punishment should be based upon the severity of their crime. What many people overlook is the fact that in time, we all have committed sins. That is the case with the three main characters from the Scarlet Letter. Even though they were all different on the outside, inside they all shared a certain feeling of sin and guilt. So when I think of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, I think heavily upon the feelings that they all shared together, which were sin and guilt.    This novel was brought about from one mistake that a young, beautiful woman made. Here she was sent over to Boston without her husband, and many years later still hasn't shown up. She doesn't know if he is alive or died at sea. In the meantime, she got acquainted with Reverend Dimmesdale. Between the two of them, Hester bears a child and that child is the living proof, and a constant reminder that Hester has committed a sin. So the townspeople made Hester wear the letter A on her chest and made her stand on a scaffold in front of the town to display her shame. So everywhere she went she had to carry that guilt with her. In the meantime Chillingworth shows up and demands to know whom the father of Pearl is. Hester will not tell him so he constantly batters her but Hester keeps her strength and refuses each time. Which isn't so easy because she has to face him everyday.    Dimmesdale is most likely the worst sinner of all. His sin was that he was Hester's partner, which was Pearls father. Since he was a coward, he didn't have the guts to admit it to the public. He didn't want to lose the public's trust and his popularity that he had from his congregation.

Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestling is one of the oldest forms of martial arts in Japan, and it is still a major sport that is popular with both men and women there. In ancient times, sumo contests were held only in the courtyards of Shinto shrines as a religious ritual performed for the gods to encourage them to grant a good harvest. Ritual is, therefore, an important part of the sport. Before each match, contestants sprinkle salt on the ring and rinse their mouths in a ritual purification. Nowadays, sumo wrestling contests are held in gymnasiums, Convention centers and Stadiums. At first glance, sumo wrestling seems to be a strange sport with big, fat wrestlers wearing diaper-like aprons, shoving each other inside a tiny ring. Contrary to its appearance, sumo wrestling is a sport that requires not only strength, but also speed and agility, which heavy-set people usually do not possess. The wrestlers try to push each other out of the ring or down on the floor. Before actual physical contact, the wrestlers will stare at each other for minutes to break the concentration of the Opponent. The fight usually lasts for only a few seconds but sometimes it can go on for two to three minutes. The objective of a sumo bout, however, is not to injure the Opponent, but to simply eject the other man from the arena, or cause some part of the body other than his feet – or even a fingertip – to touch the floor. In fact, if some blood spots the floor of the ring during a match, the bout has to stop until every trace of blood has been meticulouslv removed. The size of the wrestler is also important. The heavier the wrestler, the lower his center of gravity, and thus the harder to toss him out of the ring. In order to put on weight and build up body mass, sumo wrestlers eat a large amount of food including a high-protein stew, and they go to bed right after eating. The heaviest sumo wrestler on record was 225 kilograms. Despite their large size and heavy weight, sumo wrestlers are well-trained athletes. They live in special sumo stables, following extremely strict rules and besides having their physical workouts, they have to complete other necessary chores. The wrestlers practise a lifestyle that is completely dedicated to the sport. To them, sumo is not only a sport; it is a whole way of life. This positive dedication has encouraged the Japanese to adopt them as role modeis. Hierarchy is a central aspect of sumo wrestling. Rankings depend on winning records. A sumo wrestler's ranking depends solely on the number of matches he wins during official tournaments. The more matches a wrestler wins, the quicker he can move up the rankings. Once a wrestler moves up to the top rank, he is not supposed to lose at all. He is expected to retire if he is unable to maintain his winning record. In fact, if a grand champion's losses outnumber his wins during the course of these tournaments, he will fall from the top ranks and will be expected to retire like the rest. Today's professional sumo wrestling has its roots in the Edo period. The wrestlers during this period were mainly samurais who needed an alternative form of income. Even the wrestling ring can be traced back to the 16th Century Edo period. In earlier times, the fighting space was simply the area given to the wrestlers by spectators. In the 16th Century, an important warlord named Oda Nobunaga introduced the ring in a tournament he organized. It is a platform 4. 5 meters in diameter and 16. 26 Square meters in area made of clay mixed with sand set on top of rice straw bales. Despite sumo wrestling's archaic rituals and traditions, the sport continues to draw new fans and growing international interest. Hundreds of sumo wrestlers of various nationalities compete to earn comfortable livelihoods, participating in ma tches not only in Japan, but in Europe, North America and Britain. Grand Champions attain celebrity Status and enjoy the intense adoration of dedicated fans. Present day sumo wrestlers consist of anybody who is interested in the sport and professional wrestlers come from all walks of life. Nevertheless, as a sport, sumo is not without controversy. It has been criticised as discriminatory since participants are limited to men only. There is a rule which prevents women from being sumo wrestlers and another which prohibits them from entering the wrestling ring altogether. These barriers exist because the Japanese believe women's presence in the ring will violate its purity. Sumo wrestling, being a religion-originated sport in which traditions are strictly observed, is unlikely to undergo drastic changes in the near future. It will probably be a long time before one can see a female sumo wrestler.

The Middle Age African American Man - 1285 Words

Consider this scenario in America today - a middle-age African-American man is not eligible to vote. This man’s father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather shared the same misfortune during their lifetime. The original patriarch could not vote as a slave, his son was beaten by the Ku Klux Klan for trying to vote, the grandson was intimidated by the Ku Klux Klan for trying to vote, and the great-grandson was prohibited from voting by poll taxes and literacy tests. The middle-age African-American man cannot vote today due to being on probation for a felony conviction.1 This same man probably had an ineffective attorney to represent him when he was arrested, was offered a choice of a plea bargain as opposed to a stringent sentence, and was subsequently placed under the control of the criminal justice system either by a prison sentence, probation, or parole. Once released from the criminal justice system, the man may be stigmatized for the rest of his life and may return to prison.2 As the middle-age man tries to re-integrate himself into mainstream society, his felony status can negatively impact potential employment, housing, and government assistance. This same man’s treatment could be compared to man living in a southern state at the height of Jim Crow.3 Jim Crow was a practice enforced by laws in the United States (U.S.) enacted between 1874 – 1975 to keep black and white races apart. The goal of these laws was to create â€Å"separate butShow MoreRelatedWaiting To Exhale : Book Review : Waiting To Exhale1188 Words   |  5 PagesBook Review: Waiting to Exhale Waiting to Exhale is a wondrous, explicit representation of four middle-class African American females in the late twentieth century and their tumultuous relationships with men, relationships, and a number of both personal and professional problems that each of them endures. Though they each have problems of their own, they depend on each other’s compassion and care to get them through their trials and tribulations and their preoccupation with their relationships helpsRead MoreAfrican Americans Must Work to Achieve the American Dream Essay1438 Words   |  6 Pagesunfortunately this is not always true. The American dream is not necessarily to get rich quick, it is more along the lines of a hard worker having an opportunity to be financially stable and to live a pleasant life. The dream is that their sons and daughters will not have to suffer the same things that they did. Their children will be better off in the long run because of their hard work. Why hasnt the African American community been able to reach the American dream In America everyone is guaranteedRead MoreRace As A Social Construct1087 Words   |  5 PagesThe concept of race is an ancient construction through which a single society models all of mankind around the ideal man. This idealism evolved from prejudice and ignorance of another culture and the inability to view another human as equal. The establishment of race and racism can be seen from as early as the Middle Ages through the present. The social construction of racism and the feeling of superiority to people of other ethnicities, have been distinguishably present in European societies asRead MoreCapitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman1252 Words   |  5 Pagesmobility of African Americans following World War I and II despite the â€Å"temporary interruption† displayed by collectivist trends following 1945 (Friedman 11). African Americans, with newfound economic power, were able to curtail coercive political power held by whites. However, Friedman fails to properly address the chain of events which allowed for the establishment political freedom in the African American community. Despite economic freedom granted following emancipation, African Americans were unableRead MoreThe Movement Of The Negro World1407 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In a decade’s time, Marcus Moziah Garvey entered United States, at the age of 28, and cultivated the American Negro through his oratory that is seen as the awaken of Black Nationalism. Garvey’s work does not end in America, he’s efforts were world-wide but not limited to Africa to Nova Scotia, and South America. It has been stated that Garvey raised more money and grew a membership than any other Negro organization to date. Coined as the Black Moses, Garvey’s stated â€Å"I know no nationalRead MoreRacial Issues Of Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1321 Words   |  6 PagesRacial issues were not only between African Americans and Whites, racial issues also arose with Asian and Americans heavily leading into the 1940s. Being an African American appeared to be the most difficult because racial tensions were so popular and known, while racial discrimination between Asians and Americans were not as common. The strict segregation and rules that were put in pl ace by the government were horrific and terrible, for example African Americans had to not only go to separate schoolsRead MoreThe American Dream Of African Americans1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is the American Dream? To many people across the globe, the United States of America appears to be a place where one can be proud of. America the land where dreams come true and there is always a chance for any person to succeed. People who are not from the United States have been painted a beautiful picture of what life in our country is like. Not only do they think that there is a special place in American Dream of African American soldiers after WWI American Dream of African American soldiersRead MoreEssay about Minorities1371 Words   |  6 Pagesgroups are African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Women. African Americans Low status jobs In 1997 African Americans were considered 12.5% of the U.S. population and 64.7% of their race participated in the labor force. African Americans were also considered for 21.6% of all guards, 21.5% of all service occupation, cleaning, and building. Also 30.8% of all health service occupation (Macionis 1998). Less Education A mere of 75% have graduated high school, and 38% of all African AmericansRead MorePoverty In A Raisin In The Sun1413 Words   |  6 Pageshardships of African-Americans attempting to emerge in society in the 1950’s. The play is staged in ways where the audience can grasp the trifles of an African-American family continuously experiencing setbacks whilst attempting to achieve their notion of the â€Å"American Dream†. To Walter Lee Younger, his idea of the â€Å"American Dream† is that anything is possible for those who have money. Unfortunately, there is a minor problem: Walter Lee Younger is a working-class African-American man who strugglesRead MoreThe Inequality Of Black Americans923 Words   |  4 Pagesto benefit from such a system,† (Dear White People). In the United States’ society, the oppression of black Americans is ingrained and rooted in history (â€Å"The Oppression†). With our country of immigrants, blacks were bought here by force and were kept as slaves for one-hundred fifty years (â€Å"The Oppression†). Granting that racism is a problem for many ethnicities, racism against black Americans is considered â€Å"justified† because racist ideologies borrowed from slavery, as well as the century old apartheid

Predicaments Caused by Affirmative Action - 574 Words

College, one of the first and most important milestones individuals achieve. Many students strive to make excellent grades, excel in varsity sports, and get involved in extracurricular activities, solely to stand out from the crowd. Every determining factor in college admissions is up to the individual, except for one, race. A vast amount of students find this factor controversial. Colleges are accepting and denying students admission based on a factor that students have no control over. This system of admission has been implemented by the government in 1961. The system was created due to the colossal amount of discrimination minorities have faced in the past, it’s called Affirmative Action. Affirmative Actions purpose was to create a diverse environment, which meant, sometimes turning down the best individual for the job. At the time, this was necessary, but now, not so much. Affirmative Action was crucial for minorities to gain financial stability after being oppressed for d ecades, but in modern society, there has to be a system to assure the best individual for the job. Affirmative Action can cause a predicament for society in a whole. A highly qualified student can be denied admission from their first choice college, due to their race. They can be subjected to Affirmative Action after they graduate also. When the individual is looking to start up their career, Affirmative Action can be a factor that denies them from obtaining that position. When President KennedyShow MoreRelatedAffirmative Action And Its Effect On Society Essay1639 Words   |  7 Pagesbased on a person’s race is wrong. For this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should alter for it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due its issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action greatly promotes diversity and exposes diverse perspectivesRead MoreThe Issue Of Affirmative Action Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pagesthe content of their character† for this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should be altered for it creates a perpetually racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due it s issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action is a great start in promoting diversity and exposingRead MoreAffirmative Action Is Important For The Future Of The Diversified Generations Of America Essay1641 Words   |  7 Pages Affirmative Action In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech, he states â€Å"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character† for this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should alter for it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due its issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionalityRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King s I Have A Dream Speech Essay1756 Words   |  8 PagesA Primitive Action In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech, he states â€Å"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character†, this appeal to the emotions that judging based on a person’s race is wrong. For this reason altering affirmative action in higher education admission will be discussed since it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due to its issue of whether today’s generationRead MoreThe Civil Rigthts Movement, A List of Related Activities1289 Words   |  5 Pagesavailable to or groups, usually along ethnic or racial lones 2. Issue is wher differences on treatment are â€Å"reasonable† a) Some differences are: progressive taxes b) Some are not: classification by race subject to â€Å"strict scrutony† II. black predicament A. Historical context 1. Stark experience of discrimonation was long sta nding 2. Tension on both North South 3. Lynchings shocked whites, but little was done 4. Little public support for racial equality, ontegration, civil rightsRead MoreEssay about Racial Privilege in America Past and Present2065 Words   |  9 Pagesracial privilege, one must first understand the political and social climates that led up to it. Racial privilege has been practiced during two periods in America’s past: the post-reconstruction era, via Jim Crow laws, and today, by way of affirmative action. After Reconstruction in the American south, landowners reorganized their land in such a way that it could be farmed without the use of slaves. The most common structure employed sharecropping, in which the land owner divided his propertyRead MoreWays the executive branch of the U.S. goverment, through various laws and acts, gained power over the legislative and judicial brances.1710 Words   |  7 Pagesdivide the legislative into different branches...[and] the weakness of the executive may require, on the other hand, that it should be fortified. While the separation of powers has successfully protected the liberty of Americas people, it has also caused a continual struggle between the executive and legislative branch to gain power over matters such as the economy, the right to pass legislation, and control over the military. Due to the prevalence of the legislative power severely limiting the authorityRead MoreProfile of the Coca-Cola Company and Organizational Behavior3195 Words   |  13 Pageswhich have further complicated its operations in different countries worldwide. The ethical dilemmas have a direct impact on its stakeholders, business relations, corporate culture, and the development of its financial base. Certain decisions and actions the company has taken have been detrimental to its growth following dissatisfaction and reservation stakeholders and customers have over its products and style of operation. Fortunately, it has managed to examine pertinent issue in the past that legallyRead MoreWhich Country Has Successfully Implemented the Policy of Affirmative Action and Why Did It Succeed?11582 Words   |  47 PagesIMPLEMENTING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN NAMIBIA A summarised guide to the Affirmative Action (Employment) Act (Act 29 of 1998) published and distributed by Namibia Institute for Democracy Updated 3rd Edition  © April 2000 All rights reserved Contents by Dr.J.W.F. van Rooyen NAMIBIA INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY Namibia Institute for Democracy 53 Independence Avenue P.O. Box 11956, Windhoek, Namibia Tel: (061) 229117/8 Fax: (061) 229119 E-mail: nid@mweb.com.na http://www/iwwn.com.na/nid Read MoreThe Enlightenment Of The American Mind : Two Perspectives Essay2189 Words   |  9 Pagesopen program to integrate the races in the late 1960s, the universities (at all levels) could not agree on the right way to do so. Some institutions supported affirmative action, others found that a merit-based system was the best possible option. However, at the end of said debate, these schools ended up taking the route of affirmative action, which gave way to aggressive processes and proportions with respect to integration. It was a classic too much, too fast type of situation, that resulted in

Customer Service Standards at Organisations - 3296 Words

Introduction In this I will explain how customer service standards are planned, implemented and monitored and the impact this has on the operation of Asda. My research will come from the internet, magazines and books. Customer service standards of Asda Refund policies: [pic] Asda informs customers on how to cancel and conditions of cancelling. Asda informs customers on the period on returns Asda has up to 7 days under the delivery distance and 7 to 28 days after delivery products which can not be delivered unless they are faulty, return of damaged, products that might be faulty or information might not be correct. [pic] Asda has the same refund policy as tesco. This good because they are competing with the market leader by†¦show more content†¦Such measures are commonly used to help an organization define and evaluate how successful it is, typically in terms of making progress towards its long-term organisational goals. Some example of qualitative performance indicators in Asda: Sales and profit Asda works out regularly if there sales and profits have increased or decreased. If asda see that that their sales are going down then they start to do promotional offers or special offers to try and make there sales and profit level higher. The customer service standards of asda are high so that will improve their customer service. [pic] http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/index.jsp This is an example of promotional offers to try and make their sales and profit for Asda go higher. Customer satisfaction surveys Asda do customer service satisfaction surveys to find out customer opinions for example how are their customer service standards in Asda and customer service complaints Asda do customer satisfaction surveys in order to improve their customer service. Also if the profit and sales levels of Asda decrease they can give surveys out to customers in order to make profit and sales levels go high. Employee appraisals Asda do employees appraisals in order to inform their employees on what they have done badly and good and to make improvements on their performance. Asda do this in order to improve employee performance and to improve their customer service. For exampleShow MoreRelatedCustomer Service Essay1247 Words   |  5 Pages1. Organisations that intend to be successful need to design products, services and product/ service bundles to meet customer needs. How can they do this and how can they ensure that the organisation’s plans achieve quality, time and cost specifications agreed with customers? What data and records might be drawn upon to make plans intended to meet customer needs? Organisations that use market research to gather feedback from consumers regarding product design and product/ service bundles tend toRead MoreCustomer Service Essay641 Words   |  3 Pagesby an organisation to communicate with customers to identify and agree on product/ service specifications. It is crucial to be aware that customer expectations and needs will change from time to time and will be affected by market trends, fashions and changes in external environments. This means the business plans need to be adapted to changing needs of customers and is important that organisations communicate with its customers. Profiling is a method to understand the needs of the customers. ProfilingRead MoreThe Importance Of Quality Management Schemes And Strategies Within An Organization1504 Words   |  7 Pagesseeks to deliver high quality service. Torkildsen (2011) defines quality management as, concerning processes that are designed to deliver continuous improvement within an organisation and aim to meet and exceed customer expectations of the product and or service that is being provided. To me Torkildsen’s definition sums up quality management perfectly and shows that the most important aspect of generating success within an organisation is by ensuring that the customers are always happy. FurthermoreRead MoreBSBCUS403B Implement Customer Service Recommendations Report 1058 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Customer Service Recommendations Report Executive summary The purpose of this report is to analyse the customer service system employed at West Dealership of Melbourne Car World. It should be noted that performance management has not been carried out so far this financial year which has no doubt prompted, at least in part, this investigation and the following report. The first quarter data of the 2012 financial and all data available pertaining to customer service operations will be considered.Read MoreCustomer Service Case Study1489 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study Internal Customer Attitudes Student: Date of Submission: Lecturer: Course: Customer Service Management Case Study Internal Customer Attitudes As products and services of various competing interests become increasingly equal in terms of price and quality, organisations have realized that ultimately the deciding factor in increasing or maintaining loyal customers is the commitment of an organisation to customer service strategies such as Total Quality ManagementRead MoreService Management1444 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The service industry interacts with our lives on a daily basis. Services can be defined as deeds, processes and performances. When considering the differences between products and services, intangibility and the fact that a service cannot be touched, tasted, viewed or tried on are terms often used (McColl-Kennedy Kiel 2000). Services differ from goods in essentially four ways: (1) intangibility; (2) inseparability; (3) heterogeneity; (4) perishability (Kotler, Brown, Adam, BurtonRead MoreFood and Beverage Service Standard1469 Words   |  6 PagesCOLLEGE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT | | TRANG NGUYEN 000884493Mr. RICHARD HUNTER 16/08/12 | [BBHM102: Food and Beverage Service Standards] | Assessment 1: Service Quality Standards | Table of Contents Introduction: 3 Body: 4 Conclusion 6 REFERENCES: 7 Executive Summary The report’s aim is designed to examine the five fundamental concepts of food and beverage service quality standards for a commercial hospitality operation and hence recommendations can be review to enhance the service’s qualityRead MoreAssessment 21997/01 Common Business Unit Establish Legal and Risk Management Requirements for Small Business (Bsbsmb401A) Customer Service Questions961 Words   |  4 PagesEstablish legal and risk management requirements for small business (BSBSMB401A) Customer service questions 1. What’s the difference between internal and external customers? In larger organisations where there is a number of staff to effectively deliver a service or product such as a hospital, you would find internal and external customers. For instance the IT department in a hospital would have many internal customers, as they help and support all departments to have consistently up to date, correctRead MoreBusiness Functions Of An Organization1476 Words   |  6 Pagesfunctions of an organisation mainly influenced through the threat of new entrants, the organizations have to make effective business actions or processes or products and services so that any new company faces severe barrier to enter in the market (Baines, et al 2011). If the establishment of new organisation in a business environment is easy, any new company can open their shops very easily. Furthermore, when the market rules and regulations are easy and friendly for the organisation to open the businessRead MoreCustomer Service1387 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding of customer service for Diploma in Customer Service Level 3. Learning Outcome 1: Be able to follow their organisation’s accepted customer service language Assessment Criteria: 1.1 Communicate to customers their organisation’s service offer, how it balances organisational and customer needs and how it meets customer expectations 1.2 Compare the service offers of commercial, public sector and third sector organisations and how they each meet customer expectations 1.3

Process of Leadership Innovation and Change

Question: Discuss about the Process of Leadership Innovation and Change. Answer: Leadership and Change Concept The term leadership refers to the process of managing a group of people. In order to lead a group of people, an individual should have the ability to communicate with the followers. On the other hand, change refers to the management tool through which an organization implements new strategies. In order to implement a new business strategy, a leader must have the ability to lead the change management. Here, it is highly important to communicate with the employees in order to create urgency of the change (Sheldon 2016). Therefore, it can be said that in order to bring change within organization, it is essential to implement appropriate leadership approach. Importance of Locus Control There are two types of locus control such as internal and external. A person with internal locus control believes in taking responsibility for everything. These kinds of people believe in taking action in order to influence the followers. On the other hand, people with external locus control believe in blaming people for outcome. These kinds of people are more reluctant to take responsibilities of the followers (Benzie, Pryce and Smith 2016). There is certain difference between these types, which influences the leadership approach of individuals. The major difference between these two categories is leadership approach. An individual with internal locus control communicates with the followers in order to achieve objectives. On the other hand, people with external locus gove instruction for achieving objectives. Self-esteem and Leadership In order to influence a group of people, a leader should set examples among the employees. Therefore, it is highly important to be self-esteemed while leading a group of people. It helps to influence the followers as a role model. Therefore, self-esteem is the most important thing than a leader should have. In order to influence the followers, a leader must have adequate confidence on decision-making. The leader should reach the ultimate level of Maslows hierarchy, which is self-actualized (Martin and McCarthy 2016). In this phase, people are allowed to influence others with their decision-making ability. Therefore, it can be said that there is huge relationship between leadership and self-esteem. Contingency Theory, leader behavior and situational leadership The behavior of a leader depends on the leadership approach. There are several leadership approaches such as transformational, transactional, situational and autocratic. In transformational approach, an individual can communicate with the followers in order to implement innovation. On the other hand, in autocratic leadership approach, leaders force the followers to achieve a specific objective (Johnson and McKenzie 2016). The situational leaders are able to change their approach in accordance with the situational demand. The great man theory of leadership emphasize that a leader is not created, but can be trained. Therefore, it can be said that leadership approach of an individual depends on their learning and development. Values, Ethics and leadership In leadership, values and ethics are the most important factor that influences leadership approach of an individual. A leader should maintain ethical practice in order to improve organizational culture. A leader should not be discriminative while dealing with their followers. In order to influence the followers in an efficient manner, a leader should not discriminate the followers based on age, sex and abilities (Dimitriadis and Psychogios 2016). The leader should only evaluate the followers based on their performance. It would help to improve both organization culture and performance in an efficient manner. In order to achieve organizational objectives, a leader should earn trust from their followers. Implementing and maintaining ethical practices help to earn trust from the followers in an efficient manner. Knowledge Management and Leadership Knowledge management is a tool, which helps organizations to gather and evaluate stakeholders data. In order to conduct appropriate evaluation of stakeholders data, it is highly important to build efficient communication. Therefore, leadership is the major requirement through which it is possible to enrich communication with the internal and external stakeholders. Apart from that, innovative technology is required in order to improve knowledge management process of an organization (DeMatthews 2016). On the other hand, a leader is the person who can bring innovation with participative decision-making process. Therefore, it can be said a transformational leadership approach is required in order to improve knowledge management system. Vision and the duty cycle A leader should a long-term vision through which it is possible to handle sudden situation. Long-term vision helps the leaders to implement innovative strategies through which sustainability can be maintained. The leaders should gather feedbacks from the employees in order to improve the decision-making process (Johnson and McKenzie 2016). Moreover, the leader should promote the vision and mission among the followers in order to achieve overall goals. In this manner, it is possible to simplify the overall organizational objectives among the followers in an efficient manner. Reference list Benzie, H.J., Pryce, A. and Smith, K., 2016. The wicked problem of embedding academic literacies: exploring rhizomatic ways of working through an adaptive leadership approach.Higher Education Research Development, pp.1-14 DeMatthews, D.E., 2016. Competing Priorities and Challenges: Principal Leadership for Social Justice along the US-Mexico Border.Teachers College Record,118(8), p.n8 Dimitriadis, N. and Psychogios, A., 2016.Neuroscience for Leaders: A Brain Adaptive Leadership Approach. Kogan Page Publishers Johnson, G. and McKenzie, L., 2016. Capacity Building for Parental Engagement in Reading: A Distributed Leadership Approach Between Schools and Indigenous Communities. InLeadership in Diverse Learning Contexts(pp. 365-387). Springer International Publishing Martin, A.J. and McCarthy, L., 2016. Developing Sport Team Culture and Collective Leadership.Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,87(S1), p.S93 Sheldon, S.B., 2016. Moving beyond monitoring: A district leadership approach to school, family, and community partnerships. InFamily-School Partnerships in Context(pp. 45-63). Springer International Publishing

Sattriya Dance Essay Example

Sattriya Dance Paper SATTRIYA DANCE-THE LIVING TRADITION OF ASSAM ABSTRACT This paper titled-‘Sattriya Dance-The Living Tradition of Assam’ basically talks about two different aspects related to this dance form. In the first part of the paper, Sattriya Dance as a medium for propagation of Vaishnavism has been discussed. In this part, the prominent role played by Srimanta Sankaradeva to spread the message of Bhakti Movement by using an expressive dance form has been described. This part of the paper basically talks about how Sattriya Dance was used as a communication tool to spread the message of Vaishnavism among the different tribes in Assam. In the second part of the paper, the rising popularity of Sattriya Dance due to the usage of different forms of media like Newspapers, Radio, Local Television channels, Internet etc have been described. Various examples have also been given where the prominent role played by the media in the promotion of Sattriya Dance can be clearly identified. INTRODUCTION When we think of the beautiful state of Assam, the words that usually strikes us is ‘tea’, ‘Ulfa’, ‘Bihu’ etc. But very few outsiders know that it is also a land of one of the exotic classical dances of India namely ‘Sattriya Dance’. It is not just a dance or an art form which is used as a means of entertainment and fun. It is something which is much more than that and has always been part of Assamese culture and tradition. This research paper attempts to look at this dance form from two angles-Sattriya dance as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith and Sattriya dance and its rising popularity through the use of media. Sattriya Dance as a communication tool for the propagation of the Vaishnava faith in Assam We will write a custom essay sample on Sattriya Dance specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sattriya Dance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sattriya Dance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer During the 15th century, Assam was the home of people belonging to different culture, tribes, religions etc. The majority of the people belonged to non-Aryan tribes and they had distinct culture, customs and religious beliefs. It was seen that many religious followers at that time used to indulge in evil practices like animal sacrifices, human sacrifices, magical rites, spells etc on the name of religion. As a result of this, many poor economically backward classes of people became victims of these horrendous practices. There were religious conflicts and chaos all around. When Assam was going through this tough phase,Srimanta sankardeva appeared on the scene. Mahapurusha Srimanta Shankardeva was a saint-scholar, a spiritual leader, a social reformer, playwright and a very prominent figure in the cultural and religious history of Assam. He wanted to bring all the diverse communities of Assam under a systematized religious code by creating a religion which would bring new faiths, beliefs and abolish the trend of societal degradation and cultural distortion from the society. So he started a social movement in Assam named as the Bhakti movement to create an egalitarian civil society based on the principles of fraternity, equity, humanism and democracy. Through this movement, Srimanta Sankardeva preached a monotheistic philosophy called ‘Ek Xoron Naam Dharma’ which reflects the idea that there is only one God for all of us. Now, in order to spread the philosophy of Bhakti movement throughout the state of Assam, Srimanta Sankardeva introduced Sattriya dance form and used it as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith. Sattriya Dance is one of the classical dances of India which was originated in Assam. It is derived from the word ‘Sattra’ which means monasteries as it was earlier performed mostly in monastery kind of religious institutions. Rising popularity of Sattriya Dance because of the usage of media Even though Sattriya dance always had elements and features to become one of the Classical Dances of India, it was initially never considered as a classical dance. It was never put in the same pedestal as other classical dance forms of India. It was less popular as this art form was performed mostly within the walls of ‘Sattras’. It was mainly due to the efforts of Srimanta Sankaradeva, Late Moniram Dutta Mukhtiar Barbayan and Late Raseswar Saikia that this art form became accessible to the common public of Assam. But here, we cannot deny the fact that media also played a very prominent and important role in the rising popularity of Sattriya Dances. METHODOLOGY The methodology that the researcher followed was basically based on secondary research. The researcher collected lot of information and data from various reliable sources like certain Websites, Articles, Newspaper stories, Journals etc. Along with that, the researcher also did little bit of primary research by interviewing one of the very accomplished Sattriya Dancer named Mrs. Swapnali Chutia from Duliajan,Assam who provided with lot of essential information regarding the topic chosen by the researcher. After collecting all the information from these sources, the researcher analysed the data and came into conclusions that Sattriya Dance was very effectively used as a communication tool by Srimanta Sankardeva and the credit for its rising popularity can undoubtedly be given to the wonderful efforts made by media. The questions that were asked to Mrs. Swapnali Chutia,an accomplished Sattriya dancer from Duliajan,Assam are as follows: 1. What was the main purpose behind creating this rich art form of Sattriya Dance by Srimanta Sankaradeva? 2. Why Srimanta Sankardeva wanted to spread Bhakti Movement in Assam? 3. What are the special features of this art form which makes it special and unique? 4. What are the efforts made by media in Assam to promote this dance form among people? 5. How can it be promoted in a better way? ANALYSIS After scanning through all the information collected from various sources as well as the information received from the interview with Mrs. Swapnali Chutia,it can be said that Sattriya Dance is a very effective way to spread a message or a philosophy as more people come forward to watch these kind of dances and thereby gets influenced by the philosophy depicted by these art forms. It is entertaining as well as informative at the same time. Even though this dance form uses no narrations, it has many unique gestures and facial expressions which make this dance form very expressive. Not only this, it also has the flavour of many regional tribes in Assam because of which this dance form has been successful in reaching out to many people. After interviewing Mrs. Swapnali Chutia,who is an accomplished Sattriya Dancer, the researcher found out the history as well the origin of this rich dance form. It can be said that Srimanta Sankardeva could spread the philosophy of Vaishnavi in Assam so successfully only because he created this Dance form as a part of his plays ‘Ankiya Naat’. Otherwise it would not have been possible for him to bring so many people belonging to different tribes together under the common umbrella of Bhakti Movement. This dance form is so expressive that even without any narrations, with the help of only dancing, singing, footwork and hand gestures, it was able to spread the message of Bhakti. With the spread of this dance form, Srimanta Sankardeva united the various sects of Assam by establishing a universal social brotherhood of Neo-Vaishnavism. Thus Sattriya Dance became a very important part of the Bhakti movement led by Srimanta Sankardeva. The initial steps that Srimanta Sankaradeva took to spread bhakti movement through this dance form was setting up of many sattras or monasteries including the kirtanghars or the prayer halls and the namghars or the community prayer halls in various places in Assam. The doors of these religious institutions were open to all irrespective of caste or gender as Srimanta Sankaradeva believed in the principle of equality. It is in these institutions where ‘Sattriya Dance ‘was performed. This art form reflected the philosophy of Vaishnamism and when large scale of people came to see the dance, they got influenced and became part of the Bhakti movement. In this way, this dance form attracted a number of disciples, who followed Srimanta Sankaradeva’s preaching with great zeal and took the same to the common people. Slowly and gradually, Sattriya dance began to gain roots in the Assamese society. Seeing the growing popularity of the Bhakti Movement due to ‘Sattriya Dance’,Srimanta Sankaradeva established many more ‘Sattras’which became the nerve –centres of the Bhakti movement. In a way, this dance form was responsible in giving birth to a new culture-‘Sattriya Culture’, which was immensely successful in moulding the Assamese society. Sattriya Dance as a dance form has lot of hastas or hand movements, choreographic patterns, distinctive costumes and a variety of masks which reflects the philosophy of Vaishnavism. The music mostly depends on the ‘Khol’, a drum associated with Vaishnavism. The Sattriya Dance basically extols the virtues of Krishna who was an important and popular focus of the devotional and ecstatic aspects of the ‘Bhakti Movement’. In order to attract the different tribes residing in Assam, Srimanta Sankaradeva employed various techniques in this dance form. There are influences of Assam’s traditional and folk dances, sculpture and other images in Sattriya dance. Also the colourful cultural elements of different tribes such as the Mishings, the Bodos and the Deuris can be found in Sattriya. Many folk characteristics like hand gestures found in the dances of the Mishings, footwork and body movements in Bodo dances and the gait of the Deuri folk dance are present in Sattriya Dance. In this way, Srimanta Sankaradeva introduced these indigenous elements of the Assamese culture in this dance form so that the natives of Assam could relate to this dance form and thereby gets influenced to follow the path of Vaishnavism. Thus we can say that Sattriya Dance proved to be a very powerful medium for the propagation of Vaishnavism in Assam. The second part of the research paper clearly points out how media have played a prominent role in promoting this dance form not only within Assam but also throughout India. It can be seen that though because of media and various other kinds of promotional activities, this dance form was finally recognized as a classical dance form of India in 2001,it has still a long way to go as far as its popularity throughout India is considered. But at the same time we cannot deny the fact that different forms of media like Radio, Print, and Television etc are making efforts in every possible way to popularize this dance form throughout India. The problem lies in the fact that till now only Assamese media have made more efforts to spread this art orm. If the media belonging to various other states also come forward to promote this rich traditional dance, then it will surely reach out to more people and thus become more popular. In the recent past, different forms of media in Assam like Newspapers, Television, different other media organizations have really come forward to extensively cover this art form and make it more popular. The role played by media in making th is art form more popular can be seen through various examples. In the year 1988, Door Darshan organized a Sattriya dance performance based on the role of Shishu Krishna in Ankiya Nat ‘Pimpora Gusuwa’, which was directed by ‘Natasurjya’Ratna Ojah. One Devdasi Sattriya performance was made part of a T. V serial ‘Gunjan’ (Commission serial) in the year 2000. Sattriya dance was also part of a National Level VCD ‘Nandera Nandan’ which was produced and directed by Smt. Anjali Mahanta Roy Choudhury in the year2006. In the year 1999,Sattriya Dance was also made part of a documentary named ‘Masoloi Mature Batere’. Indira P. P Bora is a very famous Sattriya dancer and also one of the two grade artistes of Doordarshan(Indian National Television Network). She had used the medium of television to promote Sattriya dance. She had presented many series of ‘National Programme of Dance’ on Sattriya in the Indian Television. She is still a regular performer of Guwahati,Chennai and Kolkata Television centres. She has also appeared in BBC television, Vision of Asia Television (USA) and in many foreign television channels where she had spoken about Sattriya dance. Miss Prateesha Suresh who is a very acclaimed Sattriya Dancer had established a non –profit organization named as ‘Pratishruti Foundation’ in the year 2008 to promote and spread the richness of Sattriya in Assam as well as around the world. In one of the festivals organized by this foundation, media had played a very prominent role by presenting around 15 different artists who had come from places like Majuli, Guwahati etc to the common public through local channels and news-papers. Along with that, several people from media also came forward to help this organization by conducting Seminars, Lecture-Demonstrations, and Cultural Shows, Dance festivals to promote Sattriya Dance in and around Assam. Media have also contributed immensely by designing several websites such as www. sattriya dance . com, www. sattriya. com,mridusattriya. blogspot. com based on this exotic dance form. These websites in a way helps in promotion of this art form by reaching to a large group of people. Media have not only promoted this dance form through the usage of Print or Broadcast communication. It has also made Posters, Hoardings, Pamphlets, and Manuals etc to spread this dance form. Sri Ghanakanta Bora, who is one of the most eminent Gurus of Sattriya dance has written two books on this dance form-‘Mati Akhora’ and ‘Khol Sikhsa’. In this way, he used the medium of print to promote and preserve this dance form among the natives of Assam. Also Dancer Mallika Kandali had written two books based on Sattriya dance. The names are as follows- ‘Nrityakala Prasanga Aru Sattriya Nritya’ and ‘Sattriya Sanskritir Surabhi’. Radio is also not left behind in the promotion of this art form. All India Radio, Dibrugarh airs a programme called as ‘Bhakti-neeti’ every morning where ‘Borgeet’ which is the main music of Sattriya Dance is played. Also the time when Sattriya Dance was not considered to be one of the classical dances of India inspite of having all the elements of a classical dance, All India Radio, Guwahati used to air a lot of programmes based on this issue like debates, seminars, speeches etc. It is mainly due to these efforts taken by the different forms of media that Sattriya Dance was finally recognized as a classical dance form of India on the 14th November of 2001 by Sangeet Natak Academy. Sangeet Academy under the ministry of culture had launched a special project of support to Sattriya dance and all traditions since 2002. Under this project,many seminars on the subject of ‘Sattriya Dance’ as well as training programme of Sattriya Dance for children under eminent gurus was organized in different parts of Assam. It was media who came forward to support this project. The local newspapers covered the seminars,training programmes extensively. The local news channels also came forward to cover these events and thereby promoted this exotic dance form among the Assamese people. Local newspapers have also played a very important role in the promotion of Sattriya Dance in Assam by publication of various articles related to this beautiful art form. For examples, the online edition of The Hindu newspaper had recently on February 27th, 2011 had carried one article titled ‘Sattriya Dance yet to get its due’ where Mallika Kandali, a famous Sattriya dancer had spoken about the preserving of the rich heritage of the ‘Sattriya Culture’. Also one more article titled ‘Sattriya’s spectacle’ was published in the online version of The Hindu ewspaper on May 27th,2011 where Madhavi Puranam had written a detailed review on a Sattriya performance held recently in the city of Guwahati. The Telegraph, Kolkata edition had also published an article titled ‘Sattriya exponent dies’ on the issues of March 27th,2011 where the journalist had written about the demise of eminent Sattriya dance exponent Mr. Ananda Mohan Bhagawati and his immense contribution in the field of Sattriya. In this way, different newspapers have played a role in the promotion of Sattriya Dance. So we can say that media have really played a very prominent role in the popularization as well as in the promotion of this unique dance form called as Sattriya Dance. CONCLUSION Through this research paper titled ‘Sattriya Dance-The living tradition of India’, it is concluded that Sattriya Dance was very effectively used as a communication tool by Srimanta Sankaradeva and his disciples to spread the philosophy of ‘Bhakti movement’ among the various tribes of Assam. This dance form is based on the virtues of Lord Krishna who was a very important aspect of the ‘Bhakti Movement’. In this way, with the usage of this dance form as a tool,Srimanta Sankardeva had influenced many different tribes in Assam to follow the philosophy of Vaishnavism. Through the second part of the paper, it can be concluded that media had played a very prominent role in making this dance form more popular in Assam as well as outside Assam. Different forms of media like Print media, Radio, Broadcasting media, Internet etc had contributed in their own way in promoting the richness of this exotic dance form. REFERENCES Das Mridusmita â€Å"Sattriya Dance,an Indian Classical dance that originated from the state of Assam’WelcometoMridusattriya. om25june,2011 Tankha Madhur â€Å"Spotlight on Sattriya Dance â€Å"The Hindu 15 june, 2011 http://www. hindu. com/2006/07/15/stories/2006071503040200. htm www. sattriya. com Ponmellil, V. A. â€Å"India-Sattriya dance†newkerala. com24 June, 2011 http://www. newkerala. com/india/Dance-Forms-of-India/Sattriya-Dance. html www. sattriyadancecompany. com Lalwani Ramesh â€Å"Sattriya dance by students of Ghana Kanta Bora Borbayan-3†Flicker 25 June, 2011 http://www. flickr. com/photos/ramesh_lalwani/5083331177/ January 2011. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sattriya. Swapnali, Chutia. What is the origin of Sattriya Dance Meghna Devchoudhury. Tuesday june 2011. APPENDICES 1. The questions that were asked to Mrs. Swapnali Chutia,an accomplished Sattriya dancer from Duliajan, Assam are as follows: What was the main purpose behind creating this rich art form of Sattriya Dance by Srimanta Sankaradeva? Why Srimanta Sankardeva wanted to spread Bhakti Movement in Assam? What are the special features of this art form which makes it special and unique? What are the efforts made by media in Assam to promote this dance form among people? How can it be promoted in a better way? 2. [Assam] Sattriya Dances must endorse Bhakti Ras Nava Thakuria Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:36:39 -0700 Dear friends, Here is a news item for your information and use. Regards, Nava Thakuria Sattriya Dances must endorse Bhakti Ras Guwahati: The Sattriya dances must endorse the devotional character and Bhakti Rasa (spiritual aspect) should be predominant in this Nritya. More over, the gracefulness of the performers must be maintained during the performance, commented Dr PJ Mahanta, an authority on Sattriya Sanskriti. Attending a media workshop on the appreciation of Sattriya dances in Guwahati Press Club on Monday (July 21), Dr Mahanta also maintained that media persons should have the authentic and comprehensive knowledge on the dance form before reporting the events related to the classical dace form. Mentionable that Sattriya Nritya is recognized as one of eight principal classical Indian dance traditions. Sattriya dance has been a living tradition since it its creation by the greatest son of the soil, Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th century in Assam. Sankardeva created the Sattriya dance to accompany the Ankiya Naat (a form of Assamese one-act plays devised by him) which was usually performed in the Sattras (Assamese monastery). One can find references of Sattriya Nritya are found in the ancient Indian classical texts like Natyashastra, Kalikapurana, Yoginitantra, Abhinayadarpana and also in various sculptures and historical relics. The other resource person of the workshop, Krishnamurti Hazarika has advised the journalists to continue reporting on the cultural activities with a sustained effort. He also emphasized on personal interaction of the journalists with the performers. Anwesa Mahanta, a young Sattriya performer of Assam, presented few Bhangimas of the dance form. Nearly 20 journalists attended the workshop. The GPC secretary Nava Thakuria, while offering thanks to the resource persons, declared that the press club would organize a major media workshop, comprising journalists from all Northeastern states, on all the classical dance forms of the country in Guwahati. 3. K. PRADEEP |Indira P. P. Bora has reinvented `Sattriya Nritya and given it a new lease of life.