The Welcome Table Essay Example for Free

The Welcome Table Essay Understanding â€Å"The Welcome Table† One of the main focus points of all literary works is the theme of the story that is being read. To identify a story s theme you must look beyond what is happening in the story but look at what the story is really about. In this short paper I will be covering the theme of â€Å"The Welcome Table† and examples of certain elements of the story. Theme of â€Å"The Welcome Table† When reading writings of any kind you must try and understand what the story is really about instead of looking too much into what the story is being wrote about. For lots of pieces of literature that was written in the era before the 1950’s when writers had an underlying meaning for their writings that weren’t noticed unless read closely. In the short story â€Å"The Welcome Table† written by Alice Walker, you see the plot immediately start when an older black lady is at the front steps of a white community’s church. The story is obviously written in a time when black people where thought to be unequal to white people. Considering that the author of this short story was born in 1944 and growing up in a time when racism against black people was at the highest point. Throughout the entire story the theme is racism. Many of the people in the story saw the old lady as an invasion or maid, to the young usher telling the lady that this wasn’t her church. Then after the ladies in the church practically made the men throw this harmless old black lady out of a church, you could tell the theme had to be about race. The tone throughout the entire story that these people had against this old black lady, was not necessarily hatred but of disgust. The women made their husbands grab this old lady and take her outside into the cold. I wasn’t like this one old black lady was there to hurt anyone of disrespect the white people in any way but to come to church. As we look father into the story after the old lady is outside she sets the tone for more of an uplifting tone. As she is standing on the front of the church in the cold singing a sad song, she sees Jesus. As she is walking with him she is overjoyed and sings and uplifting song. Even though these people have disrespected her by kicking her out of a church, her faith is unbroken and she is doing as Jesus tells her to. Even though the story ends with the black families seeing her walking alone down the street, one can only think that she died somewhere and went to heaven to be with Jesus; almost like he was leading her there. There are many symbols in this story that can be referenced to many things. The story seems to be written during the winter since there was reference to it being below freezing outside. Winter is closely related to Death, and for me I let my mind wander to the death of the old lady, even though the story did not say that, that is what I have come to the conclusion. One of the other major symbols I see in this story is when the old lady first saw Jesus. She kept looking to see if he was carrying the lamb, like in the picture that she had. The lamb refers to gentleness, and since they were at a white church, the white referring to life. Even though the white people were so disrespectful to her and put her out in the cold she still kept her faith. See was ecstatic when she saw Jesus coming down the road, and made sure she got his attention so he would not miss her. Winter was there for the old lady and she knew it, so she went to the church to make her peace with Jesus and it just so happened that he was coming for her. Even though the white people were so cruel to her and the theme of this story is racism, the story also says don’t give up on what you believe even if it seems unrealistic. The old lady believes in Jesus, and the white people were not going to affect that no matter how they treated her.

Act 1 :: essays research papers

In any play, the opening act is essential to the purpose of outlining the main themes and characters of the piece. It also reveals the plot and the mood of the play to the audience. Act I of Hamlet is very successful in outlining these aspects and yet is also successful in highlighting the atmosphere of the play and in doing so, suggesting aspects of the play as a whole. Shakespeare communicates this using a variety of dramatic techniques and I will also be outlining these in this essay.One of the most important aspects that is revealed in this act is that of the themes of the play. There are various themes that are suggested but I will comment on those that I consider most important; those of conflict and appearance versus reality. The theme of conflict is one that is emphasised from the start of the Act. The setting which Shakespeare starts the play is dark, desolate and "bitter cold". This aids with the atmosphere of tension as it emphasises the atmosphere that is being communicated; one of tension which in turn suggests conflict. The theme is also established at an early point as even the second line of the play regards a conflict, as Bernado is forced to "Stand, and unfold yourself". From this point onwards the atmosphere of conflict is highlighted by the constant use of military language, "Let us assail your ears...host of heaven". Yet it is also highlighted by other subtle aspects of the Act, the ghost's military apparel and the ongoing conflict between Hamlet and Claudius, "A little more than kin, and less than kind". In my opinion, the need for this conflict to be communicated early in the play was essential as, it is the major theme of the text; Hamlet's inner struggle id the epitome of the conflict in the play and it is this that is the central theme of the play.

Improved Rewards at Work: Compensation and Benefits Packages Essay

Compensation and benefits packages are the talk of the century. Whether it is benefits offered by the government, an insurance company, the local supermarket, a fortune 500 company, a logistic firm, retail, or even being the owner of a business, this topic is wide spread. Employees want to know what they will get in exchange for their working for a company. The cost of dental, vision, and health benefits are increasing higher than ever before and having a great benefits package will surely have employees or future applicants beating the path down to work for an organization that has offers competitive benefits. These are the benefits that most organizations offer and are pretty standard. However, if organization include in their compensation package 401 K, retirement insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance, it makes the organization more attractive. Oftentimes, most employees don’t have a life insurance policy and their loved ones are stuck trying to come up with the money to give the deceased a decent burial. This can be a less stressful task if the person is covered by a life insurance policy. Organizations who offer this plan to their employees are definitely a benefit. The rate is usually cheaper as a group company rate, than it is to purchase it privately. Another benefit that comes in handy for employees is a retirement plan. Although this is often not enough money for seniors to retire and have to end up going back to work part-time just to continue the lifestyle they are accustomed to, it gives them some sort of cushion. It’s even better if they pay more into it to better plan for the future. If the plan also includes a 401 K package, then the employee gets a better cushion for retirement. Since insurance is needed in this age, it is more likely than not, that employee’s who are pursuing new work ventures and opportunities with a better organization; they are looking for these types of benefits. For example, McDonald’s offers their employees competitive wages, free uniforms, free discounted meals, flexible work hours, medical insurance, prescription drug coverage, 24-hour nurse line access, vision discount, short-term disability, term-life insurance, 401(K), paid holidays, vacation and educational assistance (McDonald’s, 2013). Having said this, college students who start out working at McDonalds may go on to pursue careers with McDonald’s because they offer an excellent compensation package, especially since they offer educational assistance/tuition reimbursements/scholarships. For someone who has the education and experience in a field such as Logistics or Human Resources, the benefits may be slightly different, because it is a larger organization in a different field. With McDonald’s, the vacation, sick pay and personal days may be more structured, whereas with the government, the days may increase with the hours worked. With that said, businesses are getting more creative with the compensation packages they offer to remain competitive and retain employees. To determine the ways innovations in employee benefits can improve the overall competitive compensation strategy of the organization we must look at what employees really want. Some suggestions would be: (1) Allow employees to have flexible work schedules. This will allow them to have personal time with the family, attend schools functions or field trips, meet scheduled dr. ’s appointments, or even relax and recuperate so that the employee can come with a fresh renewed mind. The next suggestion is (2) Give out achievement (such as employee of the month with parking privileges or gift card), appreciation of service awards, or letters of appreciation from an immediate supervisor/manager. This type of reward lets employees know they are appreciated for the hard work they have accomplished for the company; they are being noticed and acknowledged by the top of the chain and sends a message to the employee that they are being watched, so keep of the good work. It could also let the employee know that in the event of promotion or if raises go out, they may be a good candidate for receiving it. By the same token, if they are slacking in any way, they may be coached or forfeit being considered for a raise or promotion. An example is that our company writes love notes to the student (which is a form of appreciation letter). They basically address them for doing a good deed for someone, excelling in their classes/grades, moving on to the next level/phase of their education, or how well they performed a service on a guest. Our managers and the owner write love notes to us and sometimes reward us with gift cards, movie tickets, bracelets, and necklaces or some sort of prize. Often we do receive raises according to our performance reviews, but sometimes if we meet service and take home goals, get raises. Another thing that is incorporated is student and employee of the month. These rewards often come with free passes to events and front row parking. Aside from that, another innovative benefit is (3) Make the work environment exciting and fun. No one likes to come to work in a stuffy environment where everyone is on edge and way pass serious about everything. Creating a fun environment sets the tone for success, drives employees to not want to miss a day of work because they enjoy going, is an incentive for staying with the company and remaining loyal, makes employees feel they are part of a family away from family and motivates them to perform better. It is somewhat double fold, because it is also a winning situation for the employer as it makes the work day more productive when employees perform at their peak. Employees meet or exceed service or product goals when they are happy with their employer. Next, (4) Allow employees to work from home if it is feasible. Sometimes when there is no one to interrupt when projects or deadlines have to be met, being in the comfort of your home environment allows the quiet time needed to gather the information for the plan that needs to be implemented, cuts down commuting time that could be spent on working, offers a change of scenery so creativeness is allowed to flow and best of all, there is no need for dressing the part, it can be done in comfortable clothing. Last but not least, (5) Allowing employees to be a part of a team or project where they can implement ideas and suggestions on how to accomplish the project effectively and efficiently. Employees feel like what they think is important and their opinions count and are valuable to their employer. It gives them a sense of responsibility, accountability, and belonging. Most of the time, employees acquire the confidence to eventually want to step out and lead projects (Tynan, 2013). Such as with innovative benefits improving an overall competitive compensation strategy, the same applies with tying benefits to those specific jobs. Performance appraisals are normally tied to raises and wage compensation. The scenario usually goes something like this: The employee has an evaluation on the job performance they have carried out during the evaluation period. The manager conducting the assessment usually has a check list with the duties and rates each section with excellent, good, needs improvement, or poor. The raise is usually based on how well the employee scored (in other words, if they will be rewarded the maximum allowance, receive a portion or nothing at all). The same goes for tying innovative benefits to specific jobs. For example, if an employee receives a recognition award for high performance and meeting company goals (such as employee of the month), the benefit will be attached to that specific job. Another example is salary and wages. Salary and wages are connected to specific job duties. If a receptionist has duties that include filing, setting appointments, greeting guest, answering phones/taking and dispersing messages, booking meeting, making travel arrangements for managers, and running errands, when evaluation time comes, the amount of wages or salary is dependant on how well the employee performed their duties. This is also in line with pay for performance. When it comes to a rewards system, there are some things that have to be fulfilled in order for the system to work. Some of the criteria are to ensure employees understand what their job duties include. If employees don’t know what they are suppose to be doing then they will not be able to perform their jobs according to how managers expect them to. Another thing is there must be value placed on this system. If everyone can receive a raise/pay increase or incentive whether or not they are a high performer or a poor performer then there really is no since in incorporating this award. It will not be fair to the outstand performers. It will send a message that it doesn’t matter how well you do, you will still be rewarded. For the ones who strive to do their best, it lowers their morale and causes them to not want to perform their best. This will also cause a decrese in productivity. Once the high performers stop meeting goals, the organization suffers. An assessment must be conducted on a regular basis and evaluations must include feed back so the employee knows if and where they are lacking and excelling. There should also be team meetings if feasible or an individual meeting to ensure the employee(s) are on track with what needs to be accomplished in order to make company goals happen. The effectiveness of an equity-based rewards program as apposed to a more creative one is that first, an equity-based rewards program may include stock options in the company. It is also and incentive for being able to retain employees and may contirbute to the success of the company. When employees have stock in a company they anticipate on it doing well in the future so they can cash it in or receive dividends on it when they are paid out. It also doesn’t hurt if the employee feels like they are an important part of the organization. This may also play a role in employees sticking around. Stock may also be an incentive to employees so they know how valuable of an employee they are. Not all companies offer stock to their employees, so it is a big deal if an organization trusts its employees to participate in owning a portion of the company. Employers have a hard task of making sure their employees motives for wanting to own stock is in the right place. The reason for this is, say for instance the employee wants to see how much the stock is worth in 5 years. For one, this sends a red flag that they only wanted to invest to see if they could get lucky quickly, in hopes of leaving the company or even earning quick cash. Another motive for the organization to give employees stock in the company is to get employees to commit to the company for the long term. The organization can also look forward to the employee feeling like they are part owner of the company and will therefore give their all to see that the organization is successful. The employees who have stock will also advocate for the company, ensure they are looking for like employees (high potential), and make sure everyone is on the same page with organizational goals. On the other hand, managers should be aware that this could completely go the other way and the employee can feel as if they should be able to make suggestion and have them implement them, allows them some sort of power to make decisions and afford them the opportunity to make do what they want. Stock can definitely be a motivator if employees commit for the long haul, show an interest in the organization and perform their best (Robbins, 2004). As for the more creative approaches, they offer a wider variety of options such as child care benefits/discounts, retirement benefits, elder care benefits and educational assistance to name a few. The difference is that the creative approaches include benefits that are very useful to employees. Having stock in a company is a great motivator, however, it is even more motivating being able to receive benefits that are usually more expensive to employees on their own. It frees up the amount of money that the employee will have to shovel out. According to the article â€Å"Driving Success: How You Innovate Determines What You Innovate†, there is a few key components that can be implemented when incorporating traditional benefits with innovation benefits. These are known as the seven innovation rules: (1) Line up the variety of innovations to the organizations industry. Innovation may or may not be the key to success for the company’s overall business strategy; It may be determined by the types and amounts of innovation needed to support the business strategy. (2) Deal with the expected pressure concerning creativeness and worth. A company needs strength in both. Creativity without the ability to translate it into profits (for example, execution and value capture) can be fun but it is unsustainable; profits without creativity is rewarding but only works for a short time. (3) Reduce the effect of organizational antibodies. Innovation necessitates change and change stimulate explicit routines and cultural norms that act to block or negate change. (4) Recognize that the basic unit or fundamental building block of innovation is a network that includes people and knowledge both inside and out of the organization. A successful organization excels at fusing its internal resources with selected portions of the vast resources of the worlds capitalist economy. (5) Create the right metric and rewards for innovation. People react to positive and negative stimuli, and a company’s innovation is no exception. It will never achieve the level of innovation that is needed if people do not have the proper reward (Devila, Shelton, and Epstein, 2005, retrieved from: www. ftpress. com /articles).

House Of Fame Analysis - 1214 Words

Arevik Akhperjanyants Engl 3112 Prof. Masciandaro 10/20/2017 Memory in the House of Fame Chaucer’s poem the House of Fame recounts a dream in which the narrator visits: a temple in the desert, the palace of Fame and a house where Rumors are made. The narrator makes several statements on the importance of memory in the narration of his dream. He compares his mind to a treasury and makes references to rememberence. On one level, Chaucer builds multiple houses of throughout the poem- from the Temple of Venus, to the House of Fame. On another level, Chaucer explores the art of memory by recollecting the past. It is through the use of memory that the narrator is able to recall his dream and construct the poem. In Book One, the poem†¦show more content†¦Like The Divine Comedy, The House of Fame is divided into three locations. Theres an intertwining between the ancient world and the world of the narrator in the House of Fame. Upon arriving at the Temple of Venus, the dreamer begins to describe everything he is seeing. He details ancient warriors, the fall of Troy and false love. The narrator spends a bit of time recalling the love the story of Dido and Aeneas. The details in the narration make the dreamers memory more vivid. In her article Meditation and Memory in Chaucers House of Fame, Elizabeth Buckmaster states: â€Å"The story that the dreamer remembers combines the two classical versions even though they are, or seem to be, irreconcilable. This reconciliation is, we must remember, an act of memory protected by the fiction of the dream; it can be most easily seen in the composite character of Aeneas. He is Virgil’s epic hero and Ovid’s false lover, admirable and treacherous. As such, he and his story are an appropriate visual summary of the value of fame which is inherently ambiguous. From his memory of two old things, the dreamer has created a â€Å"new thing† an eccentric retelling that recognizes the validity of conflicting truths in history – â€Å"fals and soth compouned† (Buchmaster 284). In Book Two, Chaucer changes his course from the past into the present. The topics of Book One and Two are linked as two sources of the poem, tradition andShow MoreRelatedWhat Does It Mean?1561 Words   |  7 Pagesstarted the subject by discussing the slavery period of the black people and according to him that was one the successful periods of the Nagros. They were slaves in the average, but they worked hard in such an excellent manner that they earned their fame in each and every field of the life. Their owner used to discuss every problem of their lives from the bigger matters to the small matters. 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