Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Performance Appraisal Essay Example for Free
Performance Appraisal Essay ââ¬Å"Performance appraisal is the process through which employee performance is assessed, feedback is provided to the employee, and corrective action plans are designedâ⬠(Youssef, 2012). So basically, a performance appraisal is the process of evaluation workersââ¬â¢ performance in correlation with previously determined standards of the organization. Performance appraisals are one way of giving employees feedback about their performance at work; they record the employeeââ¬â¢s performance to date, their potential and what they could work on to further benefit them. These appraisals do not only help them employee but they could benefit the organization as well in that it reflects on if the employee is right for the position (currently or in the future) and if the training the organization gives is sufficient for the employee. There are many advantages to performing appraisals. The records of these performance appraisals are kept for a period of time, they can be referenced and used to evaluate how an employee has improved over time, or if they have yet to improve or began to slack off. This gives an opportunity for a manager to pull an employee aside and praise them for their accomplishments or inform them what it is they need to improve on, managers can also determine whether or not an employee could benefit from further training. Employees can be given feedback while learning if their goals within the company have been fulfilled while setting up new goals for them to accomplish in the next year. Sometimes, expectations and policies can be difficult to understand; during feedback, one can take that opportunity to have clarity on policies and expectations and discuss matters that they want to discuss in private, such as ideas for improvement or issues theyââ¬â¢ve had within the company or with fellow employees. Knowing that your performance will be appraised can serve as motivation to gain a reward for their hard work. There is potential for biases that need to be worked through to make sure everyone is given a fair opportunity. While itââ¬â¢s easy to compare one another, itââ¬â¢s imperative and difficult to resist comparing skills of one employee to another; if employees were compared to one another, it creates an unfair assessment of the employees. Itââ¬â¢s crucial to set a standard to evaluate performance. Personality conflicts can influence judgment when assessing performance; this would cause an inaccurate assessment which would be unfair to the employee. Just because an employee is good at one thing, does not make them good at everything, and vice versa. One ruined project or miscommunication in direction does not mean the same thing will occur every time, or again even. There needs to be a minimum time-frame in which an employeeââ¬â¢s performance should be assessed; itââ¬â¢s not fair for a manager thatââ¬â¢s worked with an employee a time or two to fairly appraise them, a first impression can distort oneââ¬â¢s image in either a positive or negative manner. Itââ¬â¢s also necessary to appraise one on their entire performance, not just the most recent occurrences. Lifestyle choices should be left out of the appraisal process and should not be used for or against an employee. The primary objectives of an appraisal are ââ¬â to assess past performance, to identify training needs, to set and agree on future objectives and standards, and to facilitate the achievement of these goalsâ⬠(Youssef, 2012). Management by objectives includes an agreement between managers and their employees on the employeeââ¬â¢s performance objectives for periodic review for the employee accomplishes said objectives. The effectiveness of a performance appraisal can be judged by its objectives. Understanding the strategic objectives can help one adjust to meet the needs of an organization. A timeline allows a manager and employee to make a plan for goals to be met, there must be deadlines and time periods assigned to each goal to ensure that they are met. An employee needs to show improvement, one that is not very productive and having issues with the companyââ¬â¢s values and policies will not be around for a long period of time. Employees that are productive and possess talent that are imperative for the position will help with the companyââ¬â¢s success and ensure they are able to withstand growth. Strategic planning is needed to determine the budget for current employees as well as future employees. Appraisal results reflect oneââ¬â¢s character, development, how well one performs to the organizationââ¬â¢s standards, as well as other strengths or weaknesses. In some organizations, these results may be used to determine if/which employees deserve recognition as well as awards such as a merit pay raise, a bonus and/or a promotion. These results can also determine which employees do not mesh with the organization and need to be let go, require counseling or further training or a demotion/decrease in pay. Performance appraisals can be a motivation to excel.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Impact of Humans on Toronto Islands
Impact of Humans on Toronto Islands The Impacts of the Geomorphology, Climatology, and Hydrology on Human Activities in the Toronto Islands By: Nerujan Sivanesan Student No: 500510777 A place of entertainment and relaxation is what the Toronto Islands are known for presently. It still catered this tranquil and enticing environment even when it was first founded by the natives around the mid- 1700ââ¬â¢s (Toronto Islands, n.d.). However, it was discovered and claimed by other settlers as a result the islandsââ¬â¢ first hotel was built and this was by Michael Oââ¬â¢Connor in 1833 (Higgens, 1999). He helped make the Toronto Islands become a popular tourist attraction for many and it became known for its amusement park, hotels, summer cottages, and other popular outdoor activities like fishing, and swimming. During the mid-1700ââ¬â¢s, the Toronto Islands was found to be 1.6 km south of downtown Toronto, and its area was thought to be around 332 hectares (Sward, 2014). Moreover, it was known to be made up of fifteen islands (Sward, 2014) and the population of the community living in this area at the time was estimated to be over 600 people (Toronto Island Co mmunity Association, n.d.). These islands were not the same now as they were over 3500 years ago, they were originally a recurved sandspit whose, sediments were carried from the Scarborough Bluffs by the water currents from Lake Ontario (Toronto Islands History City of Toronto, n.d.). This later formed into large sandbar and through weathering they formed into the Toronto Islands as we know today. In addition, the climatic conditions and hydrologic activities that these Islands encounter affected the societyââ¬â¢s way of living. Furthermore, the Toronto Islandââ¬â¢s were thoroughly examined on its geomorphology, hydrology, and climatology and the impacts on the general population by the natural environment. The research for this report of acquiring peer-reviewed resources was difficult due to the specified topic. The research for this topic was conducted for credible resources were done on two scholarly search engines which were ââ¬Å"Google Scholarâ⬠and ââ¬Å"RULA- Articles and Databaseâ⬠. However, RULA did not yield the sufficient information required regarding the study of this topic. Moreover, the majority of the research was done by searching for key words on Google scholar and Google. On this search engine, key words such as ââ¬Å"Geomorphology of the Toronto Islandsâ⬠were used to retrieve specified details of the formations and evolution of the Islands. Other words were searched for instance, ââ¬Å"Hydrology, and Climatology of the Toronto Islandsâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"the Toronto Islandââ¬â¢s historyâ⬠. These searches provided adequate information regarding the geographical aspects of the Toronto Islands. In addition, the Toronto Islandââ¬â¢s website was used to acquire the history of the Toronto Islands and statistical information regarding the population, and the area of the islands. The information that was collected by this technique shows it was a successful approach in learning about the Islands. Through the examined information that was collected, it was found that the Toronto Islands were not always Islands. It was a tombolo (Christopherson, Byrne, Giles, 2012, pg 499), it was found on the North shore of Lake Ontario which linked itself to downtown Toronto. These group of islands were originally formed by sediments that were deposited by winds that moved from northeast to southwest and eroded stone which originated from the Scarborough Bluffs from over 3500 years ago (Toronto Islands History City of Toronto, n.d.). The eroded sediments from the Bluffs were carried by the Lake Ontario currents which moved from the east as well as by the wind currents (Naim et al, 1994). In addition, the water currents moved from the east because they had a longer fetch. The eroded sediments that were transported from the Bluffs to the Toronto Islands were deemed to be 30000m3/year on average (Naim et al, 1994). However, in 1858 severely violent storms eroded the tombolo (Christopherson et al, 2012, pg 499) over time this separated the Toronto Islands from Toronto (Toronto Islands History City of Toronto, n.d.). Many years after this incident, the Islands itself began to grow larger and larger almost doubling its size, because of sediments that was deposited into the Eastern Channel of the Islands (Naim, et al., 1994). As a result of the storms in 1858, a seawall was built to prevent future erosion however, this stopped the sediments being deposited from the Bluffs (Naim, et al., 1994). The evolution of these islands has affected the community living in these areas as it became more commercialized with more leisurely activities. They were either forced to move to different parts of the islands or away from them in order compensate for the construction of the amusement park. The people that did decide to stay were forced to live in the Algonquin Island or Wardââ¬â¢s Island since the homes on the other Islands were destroyed and used for the airport, the school, nursery, and amusement parks (Toronto Islands, n.d.). In addition, the erosion of the tombolo (Christopherson et al, 2012, pg 499) necessitated travel by boat or ferries towards each other. Moreover, with the Toronto Islands sitting on Lake Ontario, it allowed more water-based activities to be present such as swimming, canoeing, boating and etc. It became more of a car-free environment and encouraged bike riding because of the size bridges built between the islands. Furthermore, the transformation of these islands shows that how geomorphology has affected and influences the human population to these areas. The study areaââ¬â¢s climate condition was thoroughly investigated on how it affected the Toronto Islands. Based on the data (see Table 1) (Class Environmental Assessment, 2010), the Toronto Islands have been coupled with mild summers and cooler winters. It was found that the mean daily temperature was 8.2 and encountered an annual rainfall and snowfall of 705mm and 112.8cm (see Table 1), respectively (Class Environmental Assessment, 2010). It was concluded that the Toronto Islands were confronted with warmer winters and cooler summers compared to the more localized areas. The warm conditions of Lake Ontario allowed the snow melt into rain because of the warmer winters and the colder temperatures rose to warmer ones due to its warmer conditions (Class Environmental Assessment, 2010). These climatic conditions affect the lives of the people that are within this area and it affects their way of life. Many people will be attracted to these islands because there will be specific activities that are available in accordance to the seasonal changes. For example, during the summer, the Toronto Islands are at peak of drawing crowds of tourists. This is because their famous amusement park, Centreville, is open as well as the appeal of biking, going for picnics, swimming at the beach, tourists staying over at hotels and etc. During the winter times most of the water bodies will be frozen therefore, these areas will be open for ice fishing. This research shows that the climate of this area is a factor in attracting people to the Islands in different seasonal conditions. The hydrological conditions of the Toronto Islands have been a source for promoting more water based activities as well as supplying safe drinking water. The water currents that transported the sediments from the Bluffs moved from the east however, the wind blew from the west. The water currents were able surpass the wind since, it had a long fetch. In addition, a water treatment plant has been built on this site and collects the water from Lake Ontario and converts it to safe drinking water. The treatment plant was mainly used as a backup when other treatment plants were out of service for maintenance (Island Water Treatment Plant City of Toronto, n.d.). This water treatment plant is one of the plants which provide clean drinking water for the Islands as well as the rest of Toronto (Island Water Treatment Plant, n.d.). In addition, it is statistically reported that the plant water that is produced is 87, 947 million litres (on Table 2) (Island Water Treatment Plant City of Toronto , n.d.). Despite having a treatment plant, it is known for water based activities such as the ferries that are taken to travel to the Toronto Islands, boating and fishing. Furthermore, the research shows water conditions tend to attract the human population because of the elegance the water and the resources it provides which shows that this physical environment attracted the people going to the Islands. The Toronto Islands is an alluring tourist destination for many due to its climate conditions, geological features, and water bodies. The climatic conditions encountered, geomorphology, and the hydrologic features helped shape the Toronto Islands into a popular tourist attraction for many because of the abundance of leisurely activities it possesses and the environmental features that it embodies. Furthermore, the features of this physical environment has helped propel the Toronto Islands become an active place for human recreation. Table 1: Note. From Class Environmental Assessment, 2010. Table 2: 2013 statistics Total annual plant water produced 87,947million litres Percentage of plant water produced to the overall system 20% Number of days the plant operated 341 days Average daily production 254 million litres Maximum days production 354million litres Date of maximum water production July 18, 2013 Note. From Island Water Treatment Plant, n.d.. References: Christopherson, R., Byrne, M., Giles, P. (2012, April 15). The oceans, coastal Processes, and the landforms. InGeosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography(Third edition ed., p. 499). Peasrson Education Canada. Class Environmental Assessment. (2010). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.hydroone.com/Projects/Lakeshore/Documents/draft ESR/FINAL Lakeshore Renewal Environmental Baseline Report .pdf Higgens, D. (1999, April 25). The Place of My Dreams. Retrieved November 7, 2014, from http://torontoisland.org/briefhistory Island Water Treatment Plant. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=037409f8e0c7f310VgnVCM10000071d66f89RCRD Naim, R., Scott, R., Anglin, C., Zuzek, P. (1994, November 24). Analysis of Coastal Processes at Toronto Islands. Retrieved November 3, 2014, from https://icce-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/icce/index.php/icce/article/viewFile/5116/4794 Sward, R. (2014, September 10). Toronto Islands. Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/toronto-islands/ Toronto Islands. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://www.aviewoncities.com/toronto/torontoislands.htm Toronto Island Community Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://torontoisland.org/tica Toronto Islands History. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=cc90dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRDvgnextchannel=34e9dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD http://www.hydroone.com/Projects/Lakeshore/Documents/draft ESR/FINAL Lakeshore Renewal Environmental Baseline Report .pdf References http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=037409f8e0c7f310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Comparison of Characters in Aphra Behnââ¬â¢s The Fair Jilt and Samuel Richardsonââ¬â¢s Clarissa :: Compare Contrast Richardson Behn Essays
Comparison of Characters in Aphra Behnââ¬â¢s The Fair Jilt and Samuel Richardsonââ¬â¢s Clarissa Superficially the characters Clarissa Harlowe and Miranda seem, not only to be extremely different, but complete opposites. Clarissa is an exemplary model of virtue and goodness. Samuel Richardson presents her as a chaste and innocent daughter. She is forced from her duty by a conniving brother into the arms of a manipulative man. She is the victim. Miranda is the villain of The Fair Jilt. Aphra Behn portrays her as a woman who knows what she wants and will do anything to get it, including murder. Miranda has no regard for family and is driven only by her desire for quality. On first reading, it seems that Miranda is manipulative and Clarissa is being manipulated. However, if one looks closely at these two characters, it becomes clear that they have a great deal in common. Both women are strong, intelligent and independent. Lack of parental control influences both of them, as do the inheritances they both receive from deceased family members. The characters of Clarissa Harlowe and Mi randa, although strikingly different, are also revealingly similar. Miranda and Clarissa both lack parents. Mirandaââ¬â¢s parents pass away, leaving her an orphan and completely alone in the world, except for her sister. Her lack of a guardian gives her a large amount of personal control. Miranda must decide what to do with her life. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦the fair Miranda, whose parents being deadâ⬠¦ put herself into this enclosed religious houseâ⬠(Behn 32). The phrase ââ¬Å"put herselfâ⬠is very important to both the story and the character. Miranda now has power over herself and this is both new and dangerous. Her freedom from parental control also has a heavy influence on her courtships and eventual marriage. If her father were still alive, Miranda would not have chosen her own husband. Her match with Prince Tarquin probably would not have come to pass. Although Prince Tarquin has a great name and ââ¬Å"quality,â⬠he does not have a lot of money. Mirandaââ¬â¢s obsession with Henrick also would never occur because she wou ld never have entered the convent. Likewise, Clarissa suffers much from the absence of her parents. Her father is weakened by the gout. In his absence, James Harlowe Junior takes control of the family. Throughout the novel, Clarissa is asking her father to take control and tell her what to do.
Keller Williams One Man Band :: essays research papers fc
Imagine attending a concert in which if you were to close your eyes, you would assume that the music you are hearing is being created by a cast of band members, each playing their respective instruments. Contrary to your assumptions, however, this band only consists of one member. Keller Williams, dubbed by critics as a one-man-band, is one of a kind both in his musical talent and his solo act. Very few solo musicians have mastered such a multi-dimensional sound and captivating live show as Keller, making him standout amongst todayââ¬â¢s musicians. Kellerââ¬â¢s ability to perform improvisational live shows, form a large and dedicated fan base, and share the beliefs and attitudes of the hippie generation has given him the musical identity of the jam band genre in addition to his personal identity of being a solo act. à à à à à Keller grew up in of Fredericksburg, Virginia and first began performing at the early age of 16. Without any formal teaching, he taught himself how to the play the guitar, mimicking the styles of his role models John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and the late Michael Hedges. Williams started out playing in bars and restaurants in his hometown. He played in various bands to help him get a feel for his own skills. After doing so, he decided that a band would not suite the type of music path he was set out for and quickly decided to take a more solo-oriented route. The type of music Keller creates fuses elements of rock, funk, jazz, folk, bluegrass, and techno. His lyrics are ââ¬Å"usually lighthearted, inventive and conjuring images of a twisted realityâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Keller Williams Bioâ⬠). It is these characteristics, combined with the looping techniques that he uses to create a full-band sound with only himself on stage, which is what further distinguishes Williams fr om all other musicians. à à à à à Placed in the genre of jam bands, Keller is able to create a solo jamming experience with the use of his arsenal of various instruments. Keller was ââ¬Å"introduced to looping techniques by ââ¬ËFlecktonesââ¬â¢ bassist Victor Wooten,â⬠which he now uses ââ¬Å"to build a full-band sound with only one man on stageâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Keller Williams Bringsâ⬠). A typical song will begin by Williams playing a guitar riff which he will then ââ¬Å"loopâ⬠so that it repeats continuously. Next, he might pick up another guitar, of which he has collection numbering eight or so, and record another riff which he will loop on top of the original riff.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
The Bluest Eye: How Society Took Pecolaââ¬â¢s Innocence Essay example -- T
The immoral acts of society raped Pecola Breedlove, took her innocence, and left her to go insane. The Random House Dictionary defines ââ¬Å"rapeâ⬠as ââ¬Å"an act of plunder, violent seizure, or abuse; despoliation; violation.â⬠The Random House definition perfectly describes what happens to Pecola over the course of the novel. From Pecolaââ¬â¢s standpoint, society rapes her repeatedly, by their judgmental attitudes towards everything that she is; she is ââ¬Å"ugly,â⬠she is poor, she is black. In Toni Morrisonââ¬â¢s The Bluest Eye, Morrison shines a critical light on society, illumining the immoral acts that it participates in, through the story of how a little girl is thrown by the wayside since she does not embody the societal ideal. Instead of one human antagonist for our protagonist, Pecola, we see most of society as the antagonist. The immoral acts of society destroy Pecola Breedlove from the inside out. One of the first immoral acts that society introduces to Pecola is lust ââ¬â lust for ââ¬Å"whitenessâ⬠, for beauty. She is taught from a young age that beauty is one of the standards that she will be held up to. In addition, society tells her that the key of being beautiful is being white, something Pecola never can be. One of the major quotes in the book shows just how powerful common belief can be. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦they stayed there because they believed they were uglyâ⬠¦ No one could have convinced them that they were not relentlessly and aggressively ugly,â⬠[Emphasis added] (Pg. 28). Although, Morrison does not actually say that the Breedloves were physically ugly, she implies that society told them they were ugly, therefore they believed they were ugly. This belief came from society setting a standard that Pecola could never reach. Sadly, this poor little girl did n... ...nd Janeâ⬠lifestyle that Morrison introduces us into, we see a poor girl that is put down and society rapes. You may think Pecola was just one horribly unlucky child, that her problems are the cause of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet, that is a naà ¯ve way of thinking; the evidence obviously shows that Pecola was tormented because society told everyone that she is an ugly ââ¬Å"little black bitchâ⬠, that happened to be raped, making her even less human. Therefore, any negative event that happens to her, small or large, is something she is expected to have and she brought it on to herself. To me, the biggest argument that Morrison makes with her first novel is that society is the most powerful judge in our everyday life. If society deems use to be not worthy of its care or time, we should expect hell from it; and Pecola Breedlove is deemed not to be worthy.
Friday, August 2, 2019
Revelation Essay
Revelation The opening lines of the poem initiate the main themes; ââ¬Å"Black bullâ⬠introduces one of the themes which are gender stereotyping. This suggests the bull is powerful, strong and very angry. Females are then introduced in the poem, ââ¬Å"eggs and milkâ⬠. This suggests females are pale, delicate and easily broken. The poet highlights the theme of stereotypes by placing ââ¬Å"black bullâ⬠above ââ¬Å"eggs and milkâ⬠. This is to effectively state that the black bull is on top of eggs and milk which emphasises on the importance of gender stereotyping.The second theme is introduced which is innocence and experience, ââ¬Å"They call him Bob ââ¬â as though perhaps you could reduce a monster with the charm of a friendly nameâ⬠. Tone her is cynical. The bull has been given a cheery, friendly name which is a irrelevant name for the harsh animal. The key words of the quote are ââ¬Å"monsterâ⬠and ââ¬Å"friendlyâ⬠. This is a very striki ng contrast between the idea of the name Bob being friendly, cheery and approachable, but in actual fact behind the cheery name lays a monster. The quote, ââ¬Å"at the threshold of his outhouseâ⬠, is the turning point in the story.This is a symbolic quote that states you must go over a line before starting a new life. In the poem a young girl is standing in the area between safety and danger. The line is significant as the pause creates a series of tension building up to a sense of danger. The girlââ¬â¢s initial perceptions of the creature are conveyed in, ââ¬Å"At first only black, and the hot reek of himâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ The girlââ¬â¢s sensory impressions of the bull are that the word ââ¬Å"blackâ⬠represents danger. The words ââ¬Å"hot reekâ⬠represents the smell and stench of the bull.Her over all sensory impression is the smell of the bulls pungent aroma that is its natural smell and the limited sight gives her a sense of the unknown danger. The poet conti nues to reference the main theme of gender stereotyping by developing it, ââ¬Å"We was immenseâ⬠, This quote highlights masculinity and power. It shows that males are bigger, more powerful and the dominate gender. The theme of innocence and experience is also developed, and the bull and the girl are compared to each other. The girl is full of fear and innocence. She is extremely intimidated by the bulls presence.The poet powerfully, reinforces the contrasting thematic dichotomies suggested in verse one. In the first instance this is done by including details in verse two which contract with details from the first verse. The poet has reinforced the theme of innocence and experience as he shows that the bull knows he is restrained. Also reinforces the theme of gender stereotyping ââ¬â girl and boy. This is done as it is dark and the girl cannot see what the bull is doing, whilst the girl is unaware of this, the bull is trying to break free from where he is chained up too.The poet condenses the contrast by highlighting them in a few lines of verse two. ââ¬Å" I had always half known he existedâ⬠Here, the poet points out that the girl had always knew the bull was there, just she had never seen the bull and didnââ¬â¢t want to come to terms with the reality. Verse three is effective as it shows that the girl is fearful of her encounter with the bull. The girl is terrified by the bulls presence and runs away from the farm. She runs past a group of boys.Here the writer links the bull and the boys together by the use of harsh sound effects. It is important that this link is made as it makes a direct comparison between the bulls aggression and the boys cruelty. It highlights that they both share the same characteristics. Finally, the girls attention is redirected to the parlous state of the eggs and milk, due to the flight, ââ¬Å"scared of the eggs shatteringâ⬠While sheââ¬â¢s too busy protecting the eggs it shows the reader that females are protective towards anything precious.In the girls eyes the eggs and milk are precious, and she wants to protect them from any harm. ââ¬Å"in case the milk should spillâ⬠The precarious position of the milk is highlighted in the small hands of a weak girl, who has been charged with the responsibility of looking after the eggs and milk. She is protecting what is important to her. The poet seems to be suggesting that her experience shows that females are scared of males and have to protect themselves from any harm. Females protect all forms of life, they are caring and sensible creatures.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
The Great Change (Langston Hughes)
One of the most important men in the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes. His identity was formed in the neighborhood of New York City although it was said that he had much travel in his life that he can be considered as the man with no roots at all. But Langston had his heart dedicated to voicing out the experiences and the sorrow of the African American people. During his time, he created poems, plays, and books about the black making real their status in the society. He was one of the great men who were against racism and inequality. He found direction in his life not just through writing but also to listening to jazz and blues. He was the kind of man who would sit in a bar and listen to music and in that way he created a new direction not just in his poetry but in art itself. His importance and value was seen in the way he made other blacks to reach out their longings to the society, their wanting not just to be free from racism but also to be seen and valued like the whites. Hughes spoke of value as a man for the Blacks.The Harlem Renaissance characterized by new ideas was emphasized by Hughes through his music and poetry. One of his famous poem was ââ¬Å"The Negro speaks of Riverâ⬠helped him make a good start in the world of poetry and cultural exposition.The Negro Speaks of Rivers (to W. E. B. B. DuBois)I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.My soul has grown deep like the rivers.I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln wentdown to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turnall golden in the sunset.In this poem, he gave significance to the ââ¬Å"Blacksâ⬠being the builders of civilization, something that should be considered in history. For a long time, prior to the African American Cultur al Movement, the black people have experienced injustice in different forms, whether at work, in school and in the community as a whole. Their existence was seen to be less than the white where some African American people would say that they never really existed at all. The poem speaks of the places known to every black, and it can be noticed that these places all have historical significance.The persona and his comrades not only look for significance and visibility but also for home. The poem creates an image of longing for home where there is comfort and justice. The words ââ¬Å"lulled me to sleepâ⬠are quite powerful for the readers to see what is being longed for by the persona, thatââ¬â¢s none other than tranquility within. This can be related to the home that the blacks have searched for a long time in the community of whites who dominated and received the best of what the world could offer. The poem also raises the blacksââ¬â¢ voice of considering them the builde rs of growth and civilization because they have always been there, in the past, in the present and in the future. Hughes tried to create an immortal stand of the blacks against invisibility, an element that made racism flourish.Another poem by Langston Hughes entitled ââ¬Å"Dream Defferedâ⬠exposes sorrow and heavy burden in life. ââ¬Å"What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore and then run?â⬠à The poem is made of questions that seem to be unending. The tone is with hopelessness. The language used was simple, simple enough to be understood that itââ¬â¢s all about dreams of the blacks that were held long enough by time. Possibilities and ways of the process of disappearance can be seen in the poem like for example drying up from the heat of the sun which was mentioned a while ago.The line ââ¬Å"Does it stink in a rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over ââ¬â like a syrupty sweet?â⬠is another question that may be related to the kind of death that blacks experience. The image of a rotten meat suggests something mournful and intolerable while the latter is an image of a sweet death. It makes one wonder just how tolerable is it to just throw oneââ¬â¢s body into the river because the one who died is not really that significant and his existence is not really valued, a very common scenario of the black people who are enslaved and sold to the market of the whites. But more than the question of privilege for a peaceful death is their ââ¬Å"rightâ⬠to have it. If they are removed of the privilege to have even a good burial or death, should the question on chances for a good fate be questioned still?The tone for ââ¬Å"Quiet Girlâ⬠can also be likened to ââ¬Å"Dream Defferedâ⬠as it speaks also of grief over a status or position but the difference is that there is a glimpse of hope that can be seen in it. à ââ¬Å"I would liken you to a night without stars were it not fo r your eyes. I would liken you to a sleep without dreams were it not for your songs.â⬠à The night without stars can be seen as another hopeless case of some sort in the scene, however, it is given a sprinkle of a good chance through the eyes that was silently assumed to sparkle instead of the stars. The songs were made powerful in attaining a tranquil sleep even if there was no dream. The wonderful thing that can be derived from the poem is the sound of continuity of life despite some faulty circumstances in the lives of the black. There is the balance that is being claimed from the poem, the balance that could give meaning to the blacksââ¬â¢ existence.But if there is one particular poem that can characterize the present African Americans, with the way they react and live in the present society, that would be the poem ââ¬Å"Me and the Mule.â⬠My old mule, He's gota grin on his face. He's been a mule so long He's forgotten about his race.I'm like that old mule ââ¬â Black ââ¬â and don't give a damn! You got to take me Like I am.A mule that is known for its good working ability for an animal not only works for nothing, but also works for a master. But that can be one point of the poem. It can be seen also in a positive sense in the way that there is a courage directly shown from the mule and from the persona to not care, yes, not care at all from all the discrimination that he has experienced and from what the world tells about him. The mule just like the persona shall continue to live no matter how hard it is to exist and no matter how heavy the load seems. The present though doesnââ¬â¢t change the blacksââ¬â¢ past. Still, even after the Harlem Renaissance, it canââ¬â¢t be denied that they were still despised of their rights to experience a just treatment. But right now they are already visible, yet they will still be like the mule that wonââ¬â¢t give a ââ¬Å"damnâ⬠to the societyââ¬â¢s offensive thoughts. Perhaps, ju st like the mule, giving no ââ¬Å"damnâ⬠will make them live longer, and stronger.Hughes was able to see and react on the basis of his position and his art, his love for music, poetry and plays made him more than a figure of the Harlem renaissance. He made himself and his race visible to the world and worth it of the great and positive changes with the way blacks are treated. More than a poet, Langston Hughes was the big difference of the Harlem Renaissance.Sourcesââ¬Å"A Renaissance Man.â⬠April 23, 2007 à ââ¬Å"Langston Hughes.â⬠April 23, 2007 ââ¬Å"Langston Hughes Biography.â⬠April 24, 2007 ââ¬Å"Langston Hughes.â⬠April 24, 2007
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