Jane Campions, The Piano :: essays research papers

In the spring of 1993, a film was released to the world that would end up changing the way many people perceived and appreciated films, especially those made internationally. It would be delivered from New Zealand’s most famous female filmmaker. Jane Campion, the director whom was previously known for her films, Peel-an Exercise in Discipline, and Sweetie, would achieve even higher acclaim for her masterpiece to date, The Piano.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Piano portrays the story of a mute, unwed Irish woman in late 1800s New Zealand, arranged into a marriage with a colonial New Zealand settler. The main character, Ada, expresses herself with the keys of her piano. She finds herself falling in love with Baines, one of the natives of her new home, after he persuades her to give him piano lessons in exchange for her beloved musical instrument. Ada is very emotionally distant with her new husband, and as he discovers the romance between her and his intense neighbor, he becomes competitively jealous. In a pit of rage, Ada’s husband severs one of her precious fingers and eventually gives up on the failed marriage. In the end of the film, Ada and her young daughter, Flora, set off from the island with Baines to start a new life, without her once loved piano.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The characters in this film hardly come shy of delivering performances that make for amazing cinema. The actors in The Piano include Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin, and Sam Neill. Holly Hunter’s character, Ada, delivered a fantastic performance on camera. Although many average moviegoers and few critics may discard Hunter’s role as achievement since she didn’t have to memorize any lines, the majority of film critics worldwide certainly disagreed, as Holly Hunter ended up taking home the Palme d’Or and an Academy Award for best actress soon after the films release. Hunter’s films previous to The Piano included films Raising Arizona, and a film by acclaimed Simpson’s producer, James L. Brooks, entitled Broadcast News (Davis 1.) Campion noted that as she was deciding whom to cast as her admirable Ada, that Hunter was not her imaginative image of the character at all: Holly was my image of Ada at all. But, in fact, I was very much saved from myself by Holly. Originally, I had an almost clichà ©d, romantic view of this tall, statuesque, black-haired, black-eyed beauty. In many ways, she wasn’t a very real human being, and when meeting Holly I was not very willing to see her as Ada.

Philosophy of reading Essay

â€Å"Just simply teaching a child to read is not enough; we must provide them something that is worth reading. Material that will make their imaginations grow – materials that will help them to understand their own lives and push them towards interacting with others who’s lives are completely different than there own† (Paterson). As elementary educators it is our privilege and responsibility to expose young people to knowledge. By making this introduction a fun one, it allows for the child to have a positive attitude about school and learning that they will take with them through out their entire educational career. Many children have a excited and happy attitude about starting school. Every student also feels like they are ready and prepared, no matter what their entry level literacy skills may be. It is common knowledge that not every child will enter the school system with the same levels of literacy. That is why it is up to us, as educators, to teach them how to read by using appropriately developed strategies and individualized instructions. When I was a little girl growing up I was one of a family of sixteen children, so beginning from a very young age once the school days were done we were left with our  older siblings while mom and dad worked hard to earn us a living. My mother would frequently read to me out of story books or simply stories she made up on her own. Since there were so many of us, by the time i was born we had a pretty good assortment of books to choose from. My first memory I have of reading in the classroom setting was in the fourth grade. My teacher was Ms. Bartrum, she was such a lovely woman who was the first to instill in me the joys of reading through accelerated reading programs and book fairs. I was a goal of mine to be the first one to finish one  book and move on to another one on the list, this is a case where a little competition was a healthy thing. Mrs. Bartrum was really good at picking out books that would challenge us but also capture our interests which made reading them a lot less challenging. Cunningham and Allington research has shown that those children who learned to read and write with ease had a lot of different experiences in reading and writing, which allowed them to benefit from the literacy experiences they had in school (Cunningham & Allington). Teaching students to read is not simply picking the right  reading program, and one specific program will not work with for every single student. As a teacher I feel that it is my job to be the spark for the love to read, by using an effective and balanced learning approach. It is of the upmost importance that the curriculum is designed so that it engages the students in the content, while allowing the students to use their own learning styles and accompanying to their developmental needs. The teaching method called â€Å"Best Practice† uses the idea that by using teaching methods and strategies within the classroom will create an individualized environment for learning. I continuously make an effort to use the best practices method in my everyday classroom instruction. Students learn based upon their own individual needs or interests. It is important to help students to gain their own craving for knowledge, it is critical to their academic success. By creating a learning environment that allows the students to feel safe, will in turn make it easier for them to trust you which will make the learning experience much easier. An environment that is encouraging, positive, actively engaging, and allows for social interactions will harbor the best practice learning method. The way that a classroom is arranged can have an effect on the students and how they learn as well. My personal classroom is arranged so that they students’ desks are arranged in a U-shape with my desk in the middle, this allows me to have a view of each student and to be able to get to them easier. My classroom is also full to the gill with reading materials, every which way the students turn they are greeted by books. Our reading corner is focused around our interactive word board, it holds our library with is full of many different forms of reading materials from chart books to decoding books. Also posted throughout the classroom is the alphabet, picture cards, and letter cards with a corresponding word being used in a sentence. Morning messages and charts are placed within easy access for the students so that they can review and practice whenever they want. Also made available within the classroom is environmental prints, these help the students with their writing, studies have shown that they are an effective way of aiding in emergent literacy (Jalongo, 2010). Each day there is an hour set aside to work on reading in small groups. Even though throughout the day several books are  read, this one hour period during the day is when individual reading levels are really focused on within each group. Groups are used during these lessons because studies have shown that students within the early grade levels learn more when a portion of their reading lessons are given in small groups, with regularly tested progress, and ample amount of time to understand the lesson is given (Taylor, 2005). â€Å"Reading is fundamental†, this saying is used to demonstrate the how important reading is to our youth. Having the skills to read and write is not only fundamental in an individual’s success in the academic sense but also in life itself. Reading and writing skills are a continued development throughout a person’s entire lifetime, however they early years, from birth to the age of eight, are the most crucial time frame for developing literacy skills (IRA and NAEYC, 2009). Reading has an undeniable importance because of the basic tools it provides an individual. It is the building block for the nation’s educational system. One must have adequate reading skills to be able to master any other subjects such as math or science, this is why it is the most crucial of all subjects to master. Despite it being such a simple concept, if it weren’t for reading our culture  wouldn’t be as advanced as it is today. By simply saying that â€Å"reading is fundamental† lacks emphasis, because without the ability to read our lives would be extremely different in many ways. References: Reading Rockets. Interview with Katherine Paterson. On-line. Accessed on December 5, 2014 at http:// www. readingrockets. org/books/interviews/paterson Hall, D. P. & Williams, E. (2000). Teachers Guide to Building Blocks: A Developmentally Appropriate, Multilevel Framework for Kindergarten. Greensboro, NC: Carlos-Dellosa Publishing Company Inc. International Reading Association (IRA) & National Association for the Education of  Young Children (NAEYC). (2009). Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children. NAEYC: Washington, DC. Jalongo, M. R. (2007). Early Childhood Language Arts. (4th Ed). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Taylor, B. , Pearson, P. , Clark, K. , & Walpole, S. (2005). Beating the Odds in Teaching All Children to Read. CIERA Report #2-006. University of Michigan: Ann Arbor.

Changes Of The Human Resource Environment Essay - 1732 Words

CHANGES IN THE HUMAN RESOURCE ENVIRONMENT by Sushant Uppal Course Title Professor (Tutor) The Name of the School (University) The City and State where it is located The Date Factors Contributing to the Changing Human Resource (HR) Environment and their Effects HR environment just like business environment is changing, and there are five factors which are involved in the environmental change of HR (Academy of Human Resource Development 2002). These are: 1. diversifying in Work force 2. Shifting environment of work. 3. Globalization 4. Governmental streamlining 5. Changes in machinery and financial system Diversifying in the Work force: Diversity is any quality that human beings are most likely to use to tell the difference between one individual from the other. The factors that helps one to tell the difference between individuals includes: Gender, cultural norms’, age, principles and race. According to Bennett (1993), Indians are mostly characterized by the work force therefore causing a diversity and making it to spread widely. Diversity is more likely as women, elderly and minority- group members deluge the work force. The number of women entering the work force increases daily due to amalgamation of factors like, financial needs, greater equality of sexes, women’s liberation, culture and so on, in addition the pressure of managing different set of problems at the work place which has arisen. The number of women is increasing in all walks of life that is;Show MoreRelatedChanges in the business environment and labour market affect Human Resource Planning (HRP).1982 Words   |  8 Pagesensure that organizations human resource needs are fulfilled by ensuring that the right people with the correct skills are available when required. Shortly, HRP is essentially focus on matching the individual and the needs of the organization to gaining a competitive advantage in marketplace. HRP is important because the HR plan affects all HR activities and acts as the strategic link between organizational and HRM objectives (Stone 2002). It can reduce the human resources cost by helping managementRead MoreThe Code Of Ethics : A New Organization994 Words   |  4 Pagescompany on the rise, and we re glad you re now part of our team. Standard Operating Procedures: Equal Opportunity for All Employees We are successful because of our employees and our mission is to provide our employees with a rewarding work environment that allows individual growth and development within our organization. We are an equal employment opportunity employer and provide employment opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran statusRead MoreHuman Resource Management : An Integral Sector929 Words   |  4 PagesHuman resource is an integral sector in any form of organization. Governments as well as the private organizations use human resource sector to manage personnel working in various departments of the firms. However the human resource sector keeps changing and the organizations also have to formulate different ways of managing the sector to ensure that it is productive. Battaglio (2014) addresses the dynamism of the human resource in the public sector in the United States in such a dynamic world. TheRead MoreChanging Role of Hr Management959 Words   |  4 PagesThe Changing Role of Human Resources Management The ever-changing roles within human resources management (HRM), in response to trends, are from a dynamic environment and the importance of HRM. Every changing organization has a need for a HRM to respond and implement changes. The organizations driven by e-business and technology need to be ready to respond and adapt to the environmental changes and should focus on satisfying the company’s customer needs. In this role, the HRM contributesRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management1158 Words   |  5 PagesAdvance Topics in Human Resource Management Module 1 Case Study Module 1 Case: â€Å"Strategic Human Resource Management† Introduction Human resource management (HRM) has it own challenges, but management is more focus on what HR can offer their organization in the future. Looking back to the evolution of human resource field, it has followed the history of business in the United States and most western countries. HR has evolved from personal management to human resource management and fromRead MoreThe Emerging Challenges in Human Resource Management Essay923 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle is In the past human resources management played more of an administrative role which were consist of processing payrolls, sending birthday gifts to employees, rearranging company outings, and making sure forms were filled out correctly. Human resource management has experienced several changes over the last twenty years such as staffing, development of Workplace policies, compensation and benefits administration, retention, and training and development. These changes have brought many challengesRead MoreProtecting Our Water Resources Essay1438 Words   |  6 Pagestodays society water is like a survival kit in which it is one of the most important resources for the environment and people. Water resources can be used in the working environment, agricultural surroundings and in ones household. Humans also rely on water resources to drink and stay health because it is so pure and full of nutrition. The United States Geological survey (2010) shows the percentage of water resource use throughout the United States in the year 2000 such as, Livestock 1%, Public SupplyRead MoreHuman Resources, Strategy And Business Ethic1545 Words   |  7 PagesHuman Resources, Strategy and Business Ethic Page Break Introduction The 21st century workplace environment is established on numerous reforms and transformations in different aspects that constitute the management of human resources. Therefore, the human resource departments in different departments have adopted different approaches to managing their employees. In this regard, most businesses and organizations across the globe have adopted different concepts of strategic human resource managementRead MoreIntroduction . Many Factors Contribute To The Downfall1694 Words   |  7 Pagesthere has been many changes made to the ecosystem of the years. While looking at the great scheme of things, the changes have been negative and steadily declining with time. Among those factors, over-population would be one of the greatest contributors. The growth of the human population has continuously been on the rise. It has been predicted that it will increase even more throughout the years going from 7.2 billion to 9.6 billion (Gerland, et al. 2014). As the number s of the human population increaseRead MoreCase Analysis- Apple Inc1055 Words   |  5 PagesOmowumi Aiyeku Professor Andrew Klein Strategic Human Resources Management September 5, 2011 Case Analysis Question: What is Strategic Human Resources Management and how does it link the people with the strategic needs of the business? Introduction Human resource management is a combination of strategically coordinated efforts to manage people. Managing people involves, employing them, teaching and developing their skills, and utilizing, maintaining and compensating their services (Mello

World War One The Great War - 1260 Words

World War One, also known as the Great War, broke out across the world in August of 1914. European leaders expected it to be a short war, assuring their citizens that a resolution would occur before the start of the New Year (Stokstad). Those leaders could not have been any more wrong, because World War One lasted until November 11, 1918. The war goes down as one of the most destructive wars in all of history. An estimated ten million people lost their lives due to war efforts such as trench warfare and overall technological advances in weaponry. Because of the duration of the war, countries endorsed food rations and propaganda attacks on ordinary citizens to manage the war effort (web). The point is that the war was brutal on all people,†¦show more content†¦He wrote the letters â€Å"L.H.O.O.Q.,† on the bottom, which when read aloud resembles the French saying of â€Å"She’s hot for it.† (Stokstad). The work contains the same formal elements that da Vi nci’s original piece does: the smirk and slanted eyes of the woman, the placement of the hands, the absence of jewelry. Duchamp took this well-respected, well-known piece of art and turned it into an object of mockery amidst sexual innuendo. By adding the dark mustache and beard he took away the elegance of Mona Lisa and replaced it with childish humor (Egri). Duchamp is obviously lashing out, questioning the society that could praise the Mona Lisa and that plunged the world into such a terrible war. L.H.O.O.Q. is undoubtedly a break from the traditional art that was seen prior to World War One. Duchamp supports this idea of rebellion from tradition by defacing a piece of art that was so heavily valued before the war (Shearer). Duchamp is also famous for Fountain, which is another readymade work he transformed into Dada art. Fountain is a porcelain urinal turned on its side. Duchamp created it to submit to The American Society of Independent Artists, a group of which he was a founder, to be displayed in an art show that would showcase any art for a mere $6 fee. Duchamp must have known that if he had put his name on the work, it would have gotten a different reaction out of the members of The American Society of Independent Artists. It is signed â€Å"R. Mutt,† which mocks theShow MoreRelatedWorld War One Of The Great World1719 Words   |  7 PagesIt is in human’s nature to be destructive. Where we were given Earth as our home, we are also the ones who are destroying it. Choosing to extract oil from her surface for warmth, instead of using the warmth from the sun which was provided. Choosing to make sweets by a chemical process, instead of eating the natural sweet fruit found on plants. Human s cannot even get along with each other, creating the value of money out of paper, drawing imaginary lines on the surface to claimed who owns what landRead MoreWorld War One Of The Great World1712 Words   |  7 Pageslightness or darkness of the skin they were born with. Wars started popping up across the planet, titled successions, resolutions and dominance. One of the first major wars was titled World War One, also named the Great World, which split the planet in half: The Allies vs. The Central Powers. Nothing was truly known what happen during the war, only the soldiers who knew what was happening in their area. Afterwards serval authors published anti-war novels, sharing their stories of what happened in theRead MoreThe Great War Of 1914974 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Great War of 1914. Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States during World War one. The outbreak of the Great War of 1914, also known as World War I, started with the assassination of Austria Arc hduke Franz Ferdinand, who was shot to death by Gavrilo Princip (Columbia Southern University, (CSU), n.d.). The Prime Minister of Great Britain during the Great War was David George Lloyd (CSU, n.d.). World War1 was the very first modern and trench war, as well as, the last war governedRead MoreThe Great War Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand1558 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great War, commonly known as World War 1, was a conflict between the years of 1914 to 1918, subjecting war between the Allied Powers which involved France, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Serbia and the United States and the Central Powers, which consisted of Germany, Austria Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. The Great War, remarked and ranked as the most deadly conflicts that have ever to occur in human history. Military and civilian deaths and wounded individuals resulted inRead MoreWorld War II And The Great Depression1658 Words   |  7 Pages The highly numbered risks of war have rigorous effects on societies around the world. World War II had positive and negative effects during and after the war. After the war, the formation of the United Nations helped negotiate and maintain peace, and during the war more jobs helped get the United States out of its biggest economic crisis, the Great Depression. Although, some economists argue that by creating more jobs during World War II, put America into even more debt than the country was alreadyRead MoreThe Guns Of August, By Barbara W. Tuchman900 Words   |  4 Pagesthe first and second world war, historians believe in one main cause of the first world war, also called the Great War, and that is the assassination of the archduke of Austria named Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. Several novels have been written regarding this Great War but one book that sparks the attention of the public some years after this war occurred is entitled The Guns of August. Its title describes the insurmountable events regarding the first month of the fir st World War. The Guns of AugustRead MoreThe Great War : World War I894 Words   |  4 Pages The Great War: World War I World War I, otherwise known as the Great War, began as a small battle that eventually developed into a prodigious uproar between several countries. WWI’s beginnings are controversial and historians throughout the world have several theories about the destructive event. Said to be one of the most disastrous and ruinous struggles between nations, The Great War lasted from July 1914 until November 1918. Referred to as a World War because of the global participation andRead MoreWorld War One: Canadas Efforts1606 Words   |  6 PagesWorld War One: Canada’s Efforts While The Great War may seem like a global effort it can largely still be considered as a forced war upon certain countries participation. A war that reinforces the idea of group efforts and strength in numbers highlights contribution of certain countries, focused on Canada’s encouraged aid. The Great War efforts of Canada may leave room for assumptions and questioning. A prominent theme through out the First World War chapter found in each of the readings, primaryRead MoreTrying out Weapons before World War II1063 Words   |  4 PagesWorld War I introduced the American military to the modern industrial war. The conflict with Mexico in 1914 gave the U.S an opportunity to try new technology such as motorization and aircraft. However, this was strong a small conflict that did not translate to that of the First World War. The American military was not modern yet compared to other powers. The United States did not have great influence over the strategy among the allied forces. They relied on the allies for military equipmentRead MoreThe Events Of World War II1293 Words   |  6 Pagesis difficult, if not impossible put the events of World War II in context without a discussion about World War I. Known at first as the Great War, the occurrences that lead up to this conflict and its happenings caused a series of events that many see led up to the start of the second World War. Although the two wars are usually seen as separate events, it is important to see the connections linking the two together. The Great War ending was one that saw Germany placed the position of sole guilt

The Expansion Of A Nation State Beyond The World - 1389 Words

As Europe climbs into a semi-peaceful time, many powers look for a way to expand their names beyond their claimed territories. Splicing through the 1850’s and beyond European powers spread through Africa, Australia, China, America, Japan and anywhere they could find a resource to be exploited. Many great discoveries and advances appeared due to these colonization’s and expeditions, scientifically and historically. Imperialism is the expansion of a nation state beyond their position, whether it be through military, political or economic powers. This idea spread throughout Europe and sparked the expansion into many countries that neither were expecting it or even welcomed it. The motives that fueled the spark of colonization were economic,†¦show more content†¦As countries settled in unknown places, learning about the plants, wildlife, and lands made them more powerful than the countries who did not settle there. They were able to hold that information over their enemies. Notably, the French are known for their geographical influences in their colonies and explorations. The French colonization in Mexico is a major area they gained power. The many explorations and documentation the French scientists massed are invaluable knowledge then and now. Scientists such as Alexander von Humboldt and Henri de Saussure paved the way for many more to document the lavish lands of Mexico. However, thei r work was deterred by off limit areas and questions of legitimacy in their findings. These geographical advances made it possible for the French to publish volumes of scholar level information. This, for any country, is an area that can hold much power. Geographical influences prevailed throughout Africa with many different European powers claiming her. In the early days of European colonization Africa was seen as a purely territorial and prestigious land to settle. The idea was to take her before anyone else did. This gave way to much geographical reasoning for colonization. In the words of historian George N. Sanderson, â€Å"Until the 1870’s, Africa as a whole had been a purely geographical concept, of no practical relevance to the European politicians and merchants concerned with the continent.† (2008,

Night Creature Crescent Moon Chapter 17 Free Essays

I awoke to the sun and an empty bed. I tried not to be hurt. This wasn’t a relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now We’d both made that perfectly clear. So why did I feel as if I’d been screwed in more ways than one? The only indication that Adam had been here at all were his jeans on the floor and my dry clothes, neatly folded on the dresser. My gris-gris perched at the apex. I wondered what he’d made of that Probably nothing. Having lived here all of his life, he’d no doubt seen a thousand of them. Would it still work after being soaked by rain, then scorched by electric heat? I had to hope so, since I needed to get through the swamp without being eaten by alligators. I couldn’t believe I was putting such store in a bag of herbs, except I hadn’t seen a gator since Charlie died. I got dressed and shoved the gris-gris in my pocket My hair was a mess, or at least it felt that way to my fingertips. I couldn’t find a mirror anywhere. There was something odd about that, but I couldn’t figure out what without coffee. There wasn’t a pot in the house, either. Maybe Adam was just a guy’s guy – didn’t case to pimp. And really, what could he do? He was gorgeous wearing tattered pants, a two days’ growth of beard, and twigs in his hair. I wish I could say the same about myself, minus the beard, of course. In the kitchen, I pounced at a scrap of paper on the counter, frowning at the map, which detailed a path from the shack to the mansion. There wasn’t a single personal word on the page. What had I expected? A declaration of everlasting love? â€Å"A little praise would be nice,† I muttered as I made my way to the door. † ‘Hey, Diana, rabbits pale in comparison to you.'† I snorted at my own wit. Might as well, no one else would. The storm was gone, leaving behind a bright blue sky through which the sunshine blazed Shards of light Sparkled off the glistening droplets of rain that lingered everywhere. From the position of the sun, I’d missed not only breakfast but lunch. In the night, the cypress trees had seemed to blot out the moon and the stars. Against the sun, they weren’t any help at all. I glanced about hopefully, mind cursing my own stupidity when I realized I was looking for Adam. Why would he leave a map if he was going to be around? Even stupider was wanting so badly to see him. If I wasn’t careful I’d forget every vow I’d made. I’d stop searching for the loup-garou and spend all my time in bed. The idea was far too tempting. Annoyed with the wishy-washiness of my resolve, I forced myself to march toward the bedroom window to search for backs. The ground was damp; there had to be something. Unless there’d been nothing. Coming around the corner of the house, I stopped dead. The earth beneath Adam’s bedroom window had been turned up, as if someone had considered planting flowers or a shrub, then changed their mind. Except the yard was a swamp. Anything planted there would be overtaken in a month. What would be the point? There wasn’t one, unless the ground had been dug up to hide something. The tracks of a man or a beast? I wanted to see Adam more than ever. Instead, I followed the map, returned to the mansion, changed my clothes, and left for town. I planned to head straight to Cassandra’s. Something weird was going on – in either the swamp or my head or both. She was the only person who’d given me any sort of answers. Bizarro as they might be. However, as I was trolling for a parking place, I remembered the library and the newspaper articles I’d already paid for, so I swung the car around and made a slight detour. The clippings were at the desk as Mrs. Beasly had promised, but she wasn’t When I asked for her, the girl who’d handed me the packet whispered, â€Å"You don’t know? She never came in to work.† Now why would I know that? People ditched work all the time, though Mrs. Beasly didn’t seem the type. She was more the type to have fallen and she couldn’t get up. â€Å"Did someone check her house?† The young woman, who looked nothing like a librarian in the low-slung pants that barely covered her crack and the high-cut shirt, which barely extended beyond her breasts, nodded. â€Å"She’s just†¦ gone.† â€Å"Gone?† â€Å"Her car, her purse, her suitcase all right where she left them, but no Mrs. Beasly.† That was new. No animal attack, no death by strangulation. Just poof. Maybe Mrs. Beasly’s disappearance was unrelated. I glanced at the manila envelope in my hand. But I doubted it I thanked the girl and took a chair in the library, then dumped the clippings onto the table. Local Man Commits Suicide at Home read the first headline. The only thing different about the second was the date – about twenty-two years later. This went a long way toward explaining why Adam loathed the place. I wasn’t wild about the idea of multiple suicides there myself. The information was remarkably similar in the two deaths. Law enforcement theories ranged from self-termination to murder and back again. The family was investigated. The angle of the gun, lack of motive, and concrete alibis exonerated them. â€Å"Survived by one-year-old grandson,† I read in Grampa’s obituary, earning a scowl from the student at the next table. If she put her finger to her lip and told me to â€Å"shh!† I’d be tempted to shout. I always was. I searched through the clippings, looking for the obituary of Adam’s father, but there wasn’t one. Odd. And that comment Mrs. Beasly had made about the lack of girls born in the last century, I should really determine if that was true – though what it had to do with anything, I couldn’t decide. I checked it out anyway, and unless someone had managed to birth a girl at home and keep the child off the records completely – a Herculean task even without the recent practice of assigning Social Security numbers in the nursery – there hadn’t been a Ruelle girl born in over a hundred years. I also couldn’t find any obituary for Ruelle senior. â€Å"loo weird.† But not impossible. I hadn’t asked Adam about any of this. When was the appropriate time to bring up an unfortunate tendency toward suicide in the family or their strange genetic anomaly? When he was making me come the first time? Or maybe after the third? I left the library, hurrying toward Cassandra’s, dodging tourists, every one of whom seemed to be headed in the opposite direction. The wail of a saxophone hovered on the humid air, the mournful sound drawing me along with the crowd to Jackson Square. Located near the river, Jackson Square had once been a military parade ground. Now it was a civilized garden spot, bordered by shops, restaurants, and the towering St Louis Cathedral. Artists had set up booths to sell their wares, but a good share of the tables belonged to psychics and Tarot card readers as well. In front of the cathedral, there appeared to be a party in progress. Musicians played, and if they weren’t playing they danced, while tourists tapped their feet or tossed change into the open instrument cases placed strategically on the street Everyone was having so much fun, I wanted to. Inching closer, I let myself be carried away. I’d never been much for jazz, but this was something special. How could they make such spectacular music when people appeared to join and leave the band at will? â€Å"Does this happen every day?† I asked the man next tome. â€Å"Pretty much. The players change – whoever can make it does. Isn’t it amazing?† Definitely. Two police cars were parked right behind the musicians. The officers listened to the music, too, but they were also watching the crowd. â€Å"What’s with that?† I asked. â€Å"Trying to keep the drug dealing to a minimum. Puts off the tourists.† Such a pretty place, such beautiful music – of course there was something rotten beneath the surface. As I watched, one of the officers separated from the others and strolled toward Muriel’s, a famous local restaurant, complete with the requisite ghost A preppy couple was engaged in conversation with a grubby young man. When he caught sight of the cop heading his way, he took off. The couple’s eyes widened, and they disappeared almost as fast as the dealer had. The officer didn’t even spare them a glance. Though I would have liked nothing better than to walk into Muriel’s, take a table on the terrace, sip a glass of wine while I waited for a glimpse of their ghost, I wasn’t on vacation. I was working. I glanced at the sky. While I’d been listening to the music, the sun had fallen down, leaving dusk in its wake. I’d lost an entire day and gotten very little accomplished. Nevertheless, I really should check in with Frank. As I exited Jackson Square, headed for Royal Street, I pulled out my cell phone. Before I could dial, I caught a glimpse of a familiar face walking toward me. I smiled, opened my mouth to speak, and froze. How did one greet a dead man? How to cite Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 17, Essay examples

Service Failure Experience of Amazon-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the roles of customer service in the department of customer service. Answer: Introduction A contract which does not include any type of physical goods and is transmitted from the supplier to the purchaser is known as Service (Erik, 2015). The benefits of these services are established by the purchasers willingness to do the exchange. This report talks about a recent service failure that has been encountered. A service process map will be created and the important points will be highlighted in that. The analysis will be done of the service failure and recommendations will be provided for the recovery strategy for service. Overview of Amazon Amazon is known as the largest online retailer in the world, trading over forty types of goods (Jackson, 2014). They sell books, electronics, groceries, jewellery, auto parts, etc. It is also called as an Internet technology and e-commerce platform, a platform for execution and logistics, Internet advertising and search technology platform. Along with this it is famous as an Internet start-up incubator. The revenue of Amazon has increased from 41% to $48.08 billion in 2011 (Schneider, 2014). Service Failure Experience of Amazon I am a regular customer of Amazon and have ordered many goods from them. But recently I had a wave of problems in order as a customer with Amazon. I bought a product by using Amazon Prime and choose the next day delivery option. I did not receive the order within the prescribed time and in return got a message which was saying that the delivery is failed as you were not available at the location. But on the other side, I was waiting for the order at the location. Naturally, I complained that I haven't received my order but in place of my order, I got a mail asking for apologies and saying it will get deliver tomorrow. Only a sorry mail was not enough to comfort me. They were supposed to give a proper explanation, the reason for the delay and the assurance of my order that it will get deliver properly. At the end, I received the product which I ordered. I absolutely know that the extra work of linking every sale with the product and listing the costs of every product. But at the same time I know the feeling of misplacing of a Buy Box. Service process Map The process of customer service flow chart permits the development of the simple structure for the management of customer relationships. Correspondingly, the company must confirm that they can manage or monitor the contacts with the users (Martin and Osterling, 2012). The complaints of customer and requests flowcharts are managed in order to identify the problems of customers and offer solutions for the same. In particular cases, the care procedure has to activate a growth to another level of service, so that issues can be handled and flow can be followed without any break or unnecessary delay. At the time when a customer contacts the Service Desk, the CSR (Customer Service Representative): Records the contact information of the user and the request details. Categorizes the request of the user. Defines the supportability of the request. Solve the request of the user. Checks the solution and ends the request. Confirms good service (Microsoft, 2008). The process flow of customer service- Symbols At the time of mapping process, there is number of symbols that are used for the communication between various process functions. Certain symbols are industry particular (i.e. engineering, network design and software design) (ASU, 2018). There are some of the symbols that are important in order to make effective process map. Some of them are: Terminator Process step/ Task Pre-defined Process Decision Point Delay Document On-Page Connector Flow Line Analysis The service personnels interacts with the customers of the company in order to offer information to address investigations concerning to services and products (Friend, 2018). Roles of Personnel Handling Problems Customer investigations often include a certain form of criticism that the representative of customer service should manage according to the companys policies and guidelines. Many times, the representatives try to resolve the problems or at least suggest some solutions (Lovelock and Patterson, 2015). In the above case of Amazon, the representatives may have suggested some solutions or could have given an explanation and the status of the good that was ordered. But they only send a message and a mail for the apologies which was not enough to satisfy the customer. Assisting in Sales Selling the service and product of the company is the part of the job of the service representative, besides the fact that he/she may or may not be the part of that sales division. Some of the representatives may offer information of service or product in order to provide assistance to the customer in taking the decision to purchase products (Writing, 2018). The services which were offered in the above case was not satisfying and even the sales representatives of the company are not so supportive to provide proper support and suggestions for purchasing any product. Clerical Tasks The customer service representatives job may include clerical responsibilities. These types of duties include answering the telephone calls and making proper transfers (Cal, 2008). In the above case, the service representatives were not doing their job properly as they were not able to answer properly about the status of the product and many times they were showing least interest in my concern. It is not acceptable from the viewpoint of the customer because he/she has paid for it. Recommendation and Service Recovery Strategy If the list is reflecting different information than the product, it is recommended that the personnel of the company should immediately contact the customer, before delivering the product. It is very important that the sales personnel should explain the modification and get confirmation from the customer to continue with the order before dispatching it from the store or warehouse. If the difference is irrelevant, or the products consumer is not answering promptly, keep a communication letter with the shipment by determining the difference and explaining the reason behind the change or delay. Similarly, keep a label of return which can help the customer in returning the goods or products easily. This letter will involve the company's justification for the delay or change in the product and will explain the status of the product. Along with this if the customer is mailing about any issue than the responsible department should immediately give a response and should try to solve that issue. Mostly general answers such as recognized the problem, saying sorry, and offer worthless platitudes or a discount message are transferred to the customer, but these replys really fail in solving the problem. Each response should be revised by a peer to settle that it replied the question of the customer and there is a device in place to confirm assured rectifications are done. It is particularly important to evaluate the message history. The only thing that irritates the customer more is the conversation which starts fresh every time. Conclusion Creating the roles of customer service in the department of customer service need proper organization and planning. The kind of business and the customers expectations should be considered. The above report is reflecting an experience of service failure due to the improper planning of the customer service department of Amazon which is a well-known online shopping website in the world. From the above analysis, it can be concluded that it is very important for every business to have proper planning and organization which can help in retaining the customers. If the customer service department of Amazon can follow the proper process in the case of service failure then they will be able to comfort the customer. In the above case if the service department would have provided a proper explanation for the issue than such problems would not have been faced by the customer. References ASU (2018) An Introduction To Process Mapping [online]. Accessed from: https://service.asu.edu/blog/an-introduction-to-process-mapping [Accessed 11 February 2018]. Cal, M. 2008 The contribution of services to development and the role of trade liberalisation and regulation. London: Overseas Dev't Institute. Erik, J. 2015 Modeling and Selection of Software Service Variants. KIT Scientific Publishing. n.p. Friend, L. (2018). What Are the Duties of a Personnel Administration Specialist? [online]. Available from: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/duties-personnel-administration-specialist-1145.html [Accessed 11 February 2018]. Jackson, A. 2014 Amazon: How Jeff Bezos Built the World's Largest Online Store. New York: Simon and Schuster. Lovelock, C. and Patterson, P. 2015 Services Marketing. Australia: Pearson Australia. Martin,K. and Osterling, M. 2012 Metrics-Based Process Mapping: Identifying and Eliminating Waste in Office and Service Processes. U.S.: CRC Press. Microsoft (2008) Customer Service Process Flow [online]. Accessed from: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc543259.aspx [Accessed 11 February 2018]. Schneider, G. 2014 Electronic Commerce. U.S.: Cengage Learning. Writing, A. (2018) Duties Responsibilities of a Customer Service Representative [online]. Accessed from: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/duties-responsibilities-customer-service-representative-759.html [Accessed 11 February 2018].