John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath :: essays research papers

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath serves as a milestone in the plethora of literature addressing the lives, adversities and perseverance of those affected by the American Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s. However, the responses generated by the book vary greatly. Some have hailed it as one of the great American masterpieces, flaws included, whilst others describe it as a â€Å"so-so† book fraught with distorted, dramatised history and propaganda. The question that persists sixty-six years after the publication of the novel, and sixty-five years after the dà ©but of John Ford’s black and white drama, is can this work serve as reliable history and enduring literature? The novel was always intended to be a literal account of the hardships of the migrating â€Å"Okies†, yet as Keith Windschuttle eloquently dissects in his article Steinbeck’s Myth of the Okies, the historical distortions of the narrative, regardless of the author’s int ention, abound. Before assessing the historical merit of such a work it is important to systematically debunk the gross inaccuracies of the text. When assessing the historical writing of narrative, especially fictitious writing that presents itself as history, it is important to take into account the inherent subjective nature of a narrative. When creating any account of history it is unavoidable that the writer of fiction (or even brute fact) will select and combine sources he designates as relevant in order to aid the overall meaning-making process of the text. Thus, Steinbeck’s attempt to generate dramatised myth around the history of depression and in particular the Okies, is only a function of the narrative intended to â€Å"capture† the reader. For example, in response to Keith Windschuttle’s article some readers of the New Criterion have been quoted; â€Å"†¦the greatness of The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck’s masterpiece and one of the great American novels, should not be minimized, and I believe Mr. Windshuttle was wrong to do so. It is a story of the bravery and perseverance of three-dimensional human beings who come to life on the novel’s pages. The Grapes of Wrath is not a mere recounting of history, demography, or geography.† -Grey Satterfield , Oklahoma City However, one cannot deny that the text is grossly distorted and propagandist at points. For example, the dust storms spoken of repeatedly in the novel would not have affected many of the regions described , such as the area inhabited by the Joads, Salisaw Oklahoma.

Blue Colour

My Favourite Colour Open our eyes and everything we see is colourful. We all live in a world where colour is often a part of us despite affecting us in our daily lives. Colour in everyday life is varies, from knowing that a fruit is ripe to eat, to understanding how colour can affect and influence our lives. Scientifically, colour is is known as light of different  wavelengths  and  frequencies  and light is just one form of energy that we can actually see that is made up from photons. We are all surrounded by electromagnetic waves of energy of which colour is a small part. Color can influence our emotions, our actions and how we respond to various people, things and ideas. Much has been studied and written about color and its impact on our daily lives. When I close my eyes and visualize, the only colour that clicks my mind at first is the colour, blue. Blue is known as the coolest colour. The reason blue is my favorite reason is that of all the colors in the spectrum blue compliments almost all other colors. Blue is the master of backdrops. Interestingly, blue is the color of the universe and nature such as sky, ocean, sleep, twilight. Besides that, blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity, modernatization and spirituality. Blue is often the chosen color by conservative people. Blue is the calming color that makes it a wonderful color to use in the home, work and many more environments. Right now as I stare out my window, the horizon is almost a white-washed blue and as I look up the colors deepen to an ocean blue. Blue, in my eyes is the beautiful and soothing colour. My favourite football team is Chelsea Football Club. Co-incidentally, blue is their official colour and they are well known as ‘the blues’. In here, I realized sportiness in the colour blue. Furthermore, the reason I like blue is because I have come across some facts about the colour itself. Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. So, one who is on healthy diet and would like to do some work out may paint their wall in blue for the calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize goodness and sincerity. Actually, blue represents both sides in a melancholic way as it has never been an overly emotional color. By overly emotional it is never been to the extremes although it can lead there. Blue is the color that refreshes the mind and the color of relief as it washes over you. Other than that, I am a male. Blue is often referred as a masculine color. According to studies, it is highly accepted among males. I too feel the masculinity and calmness when I am in blue. Most of my attires are in blue regardless of dark or light blue. That does not mean other colours are exceptional, but I prefer blue the most. Conclusively, there are unlimited reasons why blue seems to be the most interesting colour in my eyes, but it is the most wonderful colour that appears across my eyes. My day is delighted with blue, the inspirational colour.

Human Resources as a Strategic Partner - 1402 Words

Case for Human Resources as a Strategic Partner In an era of organizational flux due to competition and globalization, companies and employees are faced with constant change. Leaders must be able to adapt to change as the environment shifts. HR has been known as the organizational change agent, administrative expert, and employee advocate. More recently they have been regarded as business strategic partners for many organizations. In order to be successful and remain competitive in today’s market, Human Resources (HR) must be considered a strategic partner if an organization wants to flourish. Top executives today commit significant resources to ensure that their company’s functions are capable of rapid change and achieving their†¦show more content†¦Benefits and Consequences Today companies are realizing that their human capital is one of the most important assets to their organization. Strategic planning clearly impacts everyone involved in the organization, thus involving HR is critical. Having HR as a strategic partner reporting to the CEO can only benefit the organization in meeting its goals. Finding the right candidate with the necessary skills to drive the business is essential in meeting the business objectives. This can be seen in the case of Pepsi when they assumed fast food franchises and its staff were not as high trained and educated. Additionally, HR can be a key factor in retaining personnel and assuring that the proper staffing is in place for when the job necessitates it. Boeing is a prime example of this blunder as they had the sales order but not the human capital to meet the needs of the organization. An error of that magnitude could result in major costs to an organization. Another example, where HR can be an asset is in look ing at the internal strengths of the organizations’ human capital and assessing whether or not the strategies would be fruitful. Integrating HR into the strategic process can assist organizations in making efficient and effective choices. Key Business Competencies â€Å"Over the past 100 years the HR profession has been continuously evolving and changing, adding more and differentShow MoreRelatedHuman Resource Management As A Strategic Partner1705 Words   |  7 PagesHuman Resource Management as a Strategic Partner Generally, when one thinks of the role of Human Resources, many people will think first of the role that HR plays in important functions such as staffing, training, retention, and the development of workplace policies. 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