Prejudice In Organizations Essay Example for Free

Prejudice In Organizations Essay ?Question 2: Prejudice can be hurtful and destructive discuss how you can personally reduce prejudice in your workplace please provide an example. Prejudice can be described as a word which is derived from the Latin word Prae Judicium meaning ‘to try in advance’ (Clawson et al: 1990). Prejudice happens when we pre-judge individuals on first encounter about their character or appeal. Most individuals who are prejudiced are usually rigid in their prejudices and their beliefs are unsubstantiated. Prejudice can create serious tension in an organization because it has the potential to strain interpersonal relationships in a workplace. People can practice prejudices in various forms. Some of the areas of potential prejudice could be gender, race, age, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity and physical disabilities. Prejudices can be systematically dealt with in the workplace. I work for one of the United Nations (UN) agencies. The UN has noted and is mindful of potential prejudices that can exist in the workplace, especially that the workplace is made up of employees from various countries, backgrounds, ethnic groupings, varying religious beliefs (including atheists), sexual orientation, races and as an organization, The organisation has a very diverse workforce. This diversity has not been ignored. The UN has taken deliberate steps to introduce workplace policies that encourage tolerance amongst employees and in turn, tolerance in the communities in which we serve. The policies are part of the orientation package for every new employee who joins the UN. There are Executive Directives (EXDs) that are issued and reviewed on an ongoing basis. In the current directive, disagreement between a staff member and supervisor is not considered as prejudice. The policies are clear on the definition of prejudices and also on the consequences of perpetuating the vice. If I were to be found in a work environment where prejudices are rife, I would first of all admit that prejudices are real and we all have some form of prejudices. The first step to deal with a problem is to admit that you have one. You can only begin to work on one’s prejudices once they realize they have them, and they can begin to work more carefully with the prejudices of others without anger and force (Clawson et al: 1990). It’s a realization that we all have them that helps us to deal with them. Members of staff in an organization, must be allowed to deal with perceived prejudices. It is not advisable to pretend that the problem does not exist as it becomes difficult to deal with a hidden or unperceived problem. Once the problem has been identified, then comes the process of working on your own as well as the prejudices of others in the organisation. This can be achieved through redirecting prejudiced statements by colleagues towards functional discrimination e. g. instead of lamenting how a workmate or subordinate is not achieving her objectives because she is a woman, this can be countered by a statement that shows how previously, a male colleague had also failed in a similar position to show that, gender has nothing to do with functioning in a position. For prejudices which are merely based on ignorance like â€Å"all Muslims are terrorists†, it would be helpful to team up Muslim staff members and some of the staff members who are holding on to this kind of prejudice. That way, it allows them to interact at a personal level and get the truth about Islam. If this doesn’t work, then interactions between such colleagues should either be kept to the minimum or topics of discussion should stir away from sensitive issues. I would also learn to listen to others with an open mind, not listening with an intention to respond as this is likely to attract judgmental behaviour. In a multi ethnic organisation, learning about the cultures of other countries helps us be more tolerant. People are more likely to react in a certain way because of the environments they have been brought up in. Prejudices will always exist in organisations, it would therefore helpful to encourage tolerance among employees, this can be achieved through deliberate company policy, sensitisation and clear consequences for behaviour promotes prejudice.

Aspects of Marriage Present in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen :: Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice Marriage Essays

Aspects of Marriage Present in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen There are lots of aspects of marriages in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. There are marriages of love, convenience, physical attraction and mercenary. The marriage between Mr. Wickham and Lydia is partly due to physical attraction and mercenary. The marriage between Elizabeth ad Mr. Darcy and Jane and Mr. Bingley are due to love. The marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas is base on convenience. The Marriage between Mr and Mrs Bennet is also due to physical attraction. The novel was set in 1796 and was published in 1813. The England during this period of time was far more class conscious. The main characters in this novel come from a class called gentry; this is the class above the emerging professional class and below aristocracy. Class was more to do with breeding than with wealth. Rules were set for everything, rules for dressing, rules for travelling, rules or introducing yourself to others and rules for behaving. In this period of time women were not allowed to work. However they could become governesses. They could not inherit wealth from their father, and the Bennet sisters were no exception therefore Mr. Collins was their heir to Mr. Bennet’s property. The marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet was based on physical attraction. You can see that they do not understand each other. There is a contrast between both of their character. Mr.Bennet is intellectual and likes to spend time reading in the library while Mrs. Bennet is loud, hasty and likes to spend her time gossiping and trying to finding husbands for her daughters. Mr. Bennet enjoys mocking his wife â€Å"†¦ I have respect for your nerves they are my old friends†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Mr. and Mrs Bennet also have different opinions and ideas of their daughter’s future â€Å"†¦ Your mother will never see your face if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . You can tell that this is a marriage based on physical attraction because Mr. Bennet advises his daughter not to make the same mistake that he did my marring Mrs. Bennet â€Å"†¦I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable to your husband, unless you truly esteemed your husband†¦. My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect you partner in life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he is in a way hinting that he cannot respect his wife. Mrs. Bennet is unaware of this as she dose not know her husband very well. Mrs. Bennet’s character is very similar to the character of Lydia. Both like officers and both act loud and hastily.

Wasted life in Dockery and son

Wasted life in Dockers and son BY Molls;Walls There is a quote by Helen Keller which states: â€Å"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. † I feel that this epitomizes what Larkin was portraying in the poem ‘Dockers and Son'; a feeling of regret and a wondering of what the ‘other door' might hold. It could be seen that the older door of happiness is Larrikin youth: a time of freedom, when they could be ‘unembarrassed' and live without responsibilities; unlike the duties that Larkin portrays parents as having InAfternoons : â€Å"†¦ An estate of washing†¦ † The fact that he Is looking at this old door so long represents how others' lives have progressed, such as Dockers, who has had a child; whilst Larkin has remained free and childish – an â€Å"unhindered moon†¦ † We see the reference to the doors themselves In Dockers and Son when he â€Å"†¦ Tried the door where [he] used to live/locked†¦ † The enjambment here emphasizes the fact that the door Is Inaccessible to Larkin, suggesting he realizes that he cannot change his past. The metaphor of the train is used throughout; â€Å"l catch my train† to symbolism his life, ND the track that he is on.The sound of train tracks is rather monotonous, suggesting that Larrikin own life is restricted by a routine which is the same as when he was a child and at school. (It is interesting that he is restricted by routine, something he always criticized parents for being. ) The locked is also on a separate stanza to make it feel final ; as if Larkin has set a path for his life to follow till the end, there is a sense of finality in it. The reader can understand that Larkin has a moment where he regrets how little he has achieved when he refers to â€Å"The Lawn spreads glazing wide†¦ The lawn perhaps is symbolic of lots of pe ople, as if each blade of grass is a separate identity, and together they are resplendent (IEEE. He is stunned at the achievement of others. Achievements of blades deriving from the dazzling', also carrying symbolism of fame and a spark. ) The fact that Larkin is ‘ignored' shows that he has continued on his path, without achieving anything of note, and thus feels that he has wasted his life. Larkin continues this idea of a wasted life in ‘The Kiddies'. In the poem, the death of the pet – something most children experience – teaches them bout death and the fragility of life.It is interesting that the children accept this death unaffectedly, yet in ‘Dockers and Son' Larkin dwells on the wasted life of â€Å"†¦ Cartridge, who was killed†¦ † Suggesting that the children are yet unaware of the potential that life has (as they themselves are but â€Å"unripe acorns†); whilst Larkin Is all too The reader can understand that Larkin has a moment where he regrets how little he has achieved when he refers to â€Å"The Lawn spreads dazzling wide†¦ † The lawn perhaps Is symbolic of lots of people, as If each blade of grass Is a separate Identity, ND together they are resplendent (be. E Is stunned at the achievement of others. Achievements of blades deriving from the ‘dazzling', also carrying symbolism of fame and a spark. ) The fact that Larkin Is ‘Ignored' shows that he has continued on his path, without achieving anything of note, and thus feels that he has wasted his life. Of how he could have wasted life in having â€Å"†¦ No son, no wife, no house†¦. â€Å". The repetition of ;no' emphasizes all that Liking lacks, as opposed to what he has, supporting the idea that he feels he has achieved little. The Kiddies†s epigrammatic evolve†, creates a satirical theme; as if the rapid purchase of the pet for the children as a pacifier, has led the mother to overlook the signi ficance that the pet is a microcosm of the children's future lives and the death they will witness. This looks at the mother in a patronizing way, suggesting she is unobservant for not realizing this; supported by Larrikin view of women as ‘unskilled' drains in Afternoons. In ‘Self's the Man', Larkin also devalues women by stating â€Å"†¦ Married a woman†¦ † Suggesting that to be female is to be a figure for the use of men, as opposed to an individual.Therefore the reader can gather that Larkin does not feel that he has wasted life in having ‘†¦ No wife†¦ ‘ as Dockers insinuates. The animals in ‘The Kiddies' themselves could also be a metaphor for family life itself. In Larrikin other poems like ‘Afternoons' and ‘Self's the Man' he explores how families restrict an individual, trapping them like caged animals into lives of routine: â€Å"something is pushing them to the sides of their own lives†¦ † The ‘something' we presume to be children, unnamed as society is reluctant to admit they are a burden.Paradoxically, it is obvious that the freedom of other animals, with â€Å"†¦ Dark†¦ Dam†¦ Earth and grass† is similar to the freedom Larkin expresses as a single man in ‘Self's the Man: † ‘ †¦ I'm the better man†¦ † Emphasizing the pessimistic view he has on family life. The imperatives used by the children ‘†¦ Get us†¦ ‘ shows how the parents become puppets for their children and are restricted, something that Larkin in Dockers and Son describes as a ‘habit' which takes over their life: â€Å"hardening into all we've got†¦ † Implying the Larkin believes now that he has not wasted his life, but rather saved it.

Bram Stokers Dracula and The Victorian Era - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1383 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Dracula Essay Did you like this example? Bram Stokers novel, Dracula came out in the year 1897 and is considered one of the most popular and finest pieces of literature in the study of the late nineteenth century British culture, also known as the fin de sicle. According to Browsers Bookshop, Dracula has been assigned to many literary genres including vampire literature, horror fiction, the gothic novel and invasion literature and has spawned numerous theatrical, film, and television interpretations. In my opinion, Stokers novel revolves around the theme of different characteristics found in both men and women and he does so, by challenging and reinforcing the gender norms of the Victorian period. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Bram Stokers Dracula and The Victorian Era" essay for you Create order His novel also gives an insight on the masculinity of men and how they should act if they are to help with the expansion of the British rule. The setting of the novel takes place in Transylvania and revolves around the person named Count Dracula. He desires to relocate to England as England was one of the most powerful countries at that time and the people of Transylvania knew who he was. He invites an estate agent named Jonathan Harker to aide him in buying a property and hence, he can fulfil his wish of relocating to England. Jonathan received a warm welcome from Dracula upon his arrival to the castle. While Dracula was away, Jonathan found his way to a library inside the castle. In the library he found a vast collection of English books. The books were of the most varied kind-history, geography, politics, political economy, botany, geology, law-all relating to England and England life and customs and manners (Stoker 18). It is pretty evident that Dracula has a lot of interest in England and wants to learn more about the country from Jonathan. While referring to his collection of books, Dracula says, But alas! as yet I o nly know your tongue through books. To you, my friend, I look that I know it to speak (Stoker 19). Dracula wanted to enhance his English speaking skills through the help of Jonathan, so as to easily blend in the community when he finally moves to England. He considered himself as a master in Transylvania and wanted to feel the same in England and not be seen as a stranger by other people when they hear him speak. Jonathan soon realizes that he has become a prisoner of Dracula. Dracula finally moves to England and Jonathan escapes the castle soon after. The plot goes on to reveal about the characters of Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker. Lucy has a sleepwalking disorder which makes it easier for Dracula to make her, his victim. All the blood from her body is sucked and as a result she requires blood transfusions. She is contributed blood by Professor Van Helsing, Dr. John Seward, Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris. Lucy eventually dies and becomes known as the bloofer lady who abducts children in the night. Mina also becomes one of the victims of Dracula but she was saved by the eventual killing of Count Dracula. By reading Stokers novel, it is quite evident that the dominance of men is portrayed throughout the novel. Right from the beginning, Stoker describes how great men are in the sense that they are responsible for performing all tasks and protecting everybody. Dr. Seward and Professor Van Helsing were the two males who were called upon to check on Lucy when she was ill. While examining Lucy, Van Helsing suggested, Young miss is bad, very bad. She wants blood, and blood she must have or die. My friend John and I have consulted; and we are about to perform what we call transfusion of blood to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins which pine for him. John was to give his blood, as he is the more young and strong than me (Stoker 114). Lucy was also given white garlic flowers by Van Helsing to help her, with her illness. These are for you, Miss Lucy but not for you to play with. These are medicines. I put him in your window, I make pretty wreath, and hang him round your neck, so that you sleep well (Stoker 122). Towards the end of the novel, out of the six people who were chasing Dracula, five of them were male. All men were determined to complete their mission, which was to kill Dracula and they ultimately succeeded. Even though their lives were in danger, they did not stop in reaching their ultimate goal. As Mina describes, Nothing seemed to stop or even to hinder them. Neither the levelled weapons nor the flashing knives of the gypsies in front, nor the howling of the wolves behind, appeared to even attract their attention (Stoker 351). The men ordered Mina to stay at a distance while they approached the caravan in which Dracula was being transported by the Gypsies. Jonathan slits Draculas throat and Quincey stabs Dracula in the heart and as a result, Draculas body crumbles into dust. Throughout the novel, men were portrayed as symbols of bravery and courage. While on the other hand, apart from Mina, women were seen as symbols of helplessness. It can also be noted that women were mostly t he victims of Dracula. In Of Queens Gardens, John Ruskin states the gender norms found in the Victorian period. The mans power is active, progressive, defensive. He is eminently the doer, the creator, the discoverer, the defender. His intellect is for speculation and invention; his energy for adventure, for war, and for conquest, wherever war is just, wherever conquest necessary (Ruskin 1865). Stoker reinforces gender norms by showing characteristics of doer, discoverer, and energy for adventure, war and conquest in a man through the character of Dracula himself. Dracula shows all these traits as he was eager to move to England by learning more about it through Jonathan and ultimately start a war and conquer the land. John Ruskin also states, [Woman] must be enduringly, incorruptibly good; instinctively, infallibly wise wise, not for self-development, but for self-renunciation: wise, not that she may set herself above her husband (Ruskin 1865). Stoker challenges gender norms by showing bravery and streng th in women through the character of Mina. Mina was credited for figuring out what Dracula was up to and the reasons behind Lucys sufferings. The text refers to Mina as She has mans brain a brain that a man should have were he much gifted and a womans heart (Stoker 218). Stoker shows that not all women are infallibly wise as Westenra (Lucys mother) removed the garlic scented flowers from Lucys room, harming her own daughter. Stoker also challenges gender norms by portraying that men can also become weak and emotional at times. Arthur was broken and emotional when he witnessed the death of Lucy. The argument Stoker is trying to make in his novel is that each gender can have different set of traits as each individual is different of each other. Hence, to judge a person based on specific gender norms is morally incorrect. Overall, the characters are viewed in a negative light if they transgress gender norms. This is evident from the text that even though Mina figured out what Dracula was up to, it was suggested that she should remain out of the plan of destroying Dracula as she is considered to be weak. Even if she be not harmed, her heart may fail her in so much and so many horrors; and hereafter she may suffer both in waking, from her nerves, and in sleep, from her dreams (Stoker 218). Overall, for the Victorian readers, Draculas move to England and his collection of English texts can be viewed as preparations for war. It is quite evident from a Victorian readers perspective that a strange and powerful foreigner is showing a lot of interest in their country and wants to live there without being noticed. With the aid of maps and his extensive research, Dracula can easily conduct a major attack from within the country. Moreover, the challenges against gender norms can also be viewed as a threat by the Victorians. By outlining all the traits a man possesses and a man should possess, Stokers novel serves as a guide to men on how to be masculine. And it certainly sheds light on the gender norms present in the Victorian period.