‘Blessing’ with ‘Island Man’ Essay

Compare ‘Blessing’ with ‘Island Man’ showing how the poets use description to convey the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the poems. ‘Blessing’ and ‘Island Man’ are two very different poems. The theme of ‘Blessing’ revolves around people in a third-world country, who get very little water given to them. A blessing in their eyes occurs when a pipe bursts. ‘Island Man’, however, is about a man from the Caribbean who is now in London, but dreams he was still living in his homeland, even though he wakes up back in London. While the poem’s themes are dissimilar, the poems are both very descriptive, and the poets use description to help us empathise further with their characters. The structure of the poem ‘Blessing’ is quite irregular. The first stanza is a mere two lines: it sets the scene. The next two stanzas increase in length before becoming smaller again at the last stanza. This helps us to picture how, in the beginning, there are only a few drops of water available however when the pipe bursts in the third stanza, the verse size increases along with how much water there is. Also, in the third stanza, commas are omitted in the line ‘every man woman child’ to show the urgency of everyone in the village, who seize this opportunity to grab water. Imtiaz Dharker does use commas however when describing the different materials that the pots are made of. This makes it seem as if, even though Dharker only describes five vessels, there are a multitude of pots and buckets being used. Throughout the third stanza, the lines are free-flowing, and run into each other like the water which is being described. ‘Island Man’s structure is also a fairly irregular one. Lines such as ‘groggily groggily’ and ‘to surge of wheels’ are placed away from the main poem; this gives a sense of confusion, like the man who has just woken up and is still not quite sure where he is. To add to this effect, the lengths of lines in each stanza vary and this gives a muddled or sleepy feel to the poem. The last line ‘Another London day’ is on its own to show that the man has finally come out of the dream, and he is jolted back into reality. Another short line appears at very beginning of the poem. The one-word, staccato sentence shows how the island man has suddenly woken up. ‘Blessing’ uses very descriptive language to convey how the characters are feeling or thinking. Throughout the poem, there are subtle references to church or religion. Using words such as ‘congregation’ or ‘a kindly god’ make the reader feel as if the water is a gift from God. This is amplified by the fact that the poem is called ‘Blessing’, which is a spiritual word and often associated with God and religion. There are more implications that the water is a gift from God, such as when the poem says ‘the flow has found’. This shows that the water finds the people, instead of it being vice versa – it sounds miraculous, because the people didn’t choose for all this water to come at once but it was greatly longed for. Dharker also conveys how important the water is to them by describing it as ‘silver’ instead of just water, and ‘sudden rush of fortune’ to show that in their country, water is extremely rare and never taken for granted. Words with negative connotations for us such as ‘screaming’ and ‘roar’ are turned around in this poem and used to a positive effect. In the last stanza, the phrase ‘flashing light’ could show how water is such a light to these people’s lives and a novelty to them, on the other hand it could also show that the flow of water is slowing down now, and it is only in spurts or flashes but still looks like light. ‘Island Man’ also contains very powerful language. In the first stanza alone there are many interesting word choices. The word ‘wombing’ conveys how comforting and secure the Caribbean seems to the man. It is linked to him feeling safer at his place of birth rather than a bustling city like London. Colour is used several times in the first stanza as well: ‘blue’ for surf, ’emerald’ for the island vegetation and ‘grey’ for the traffic of London. This gives a very strong image in the reader’s mind. ‘Wild seabirds’ is a very natural image which gives a strong contrast with other descriptions such as ‘dull North Circular’ – it shows how artificial London is in comparison to the Caribbean. Some ambiguous words have been chosen too, such as ‘soar’ and ‘roar’. These are ambiguous because they could easily apply to the Caribbean sea, or the London traffic. Various poetic techniques are put to good use in ‘Blessing’. The first one that becomes apparent is the use of end stopped lines. These keep the sentence to the point and fairly literal, which is important when they are used to set the scene, as seen in the first stanza of ‘Blessing’. Imagery is frequently used too, such as ‘liquid sun’ and this adds to the feeling of heat in the poem, helping us to realise how important the water is to the characters. Onomatopoeia is used in the line ‘drip of it, the small splash’ and this is used to give a clearer picture of what is happening in the poem. Another technique used is alliteration. One example of this is the phrase ‘polished to perfection’ which helps the reader to picture the scene. Also, ambiguity features in ‘Blessing’ in the phrases ‘highlights’. While we would tend to think that highlights refers to your hair, in this country the children ar e not as superficial as we are. The highlights probably refers to their skin being changed colour by the reflecting sun and water. This inconclusive word gives a sense of mystery to the last stanza, and it makes it seem like a cliff-hanger ending. ‘Island Man’ shares some of ‘Blessing’s poetic techniques such as the use of metaphors, in ‘pillow waves’. This shows how island man’s dreams of sea comfort him in his sleep. Virtually no punctuation is used in ‘Island Man’ to show how relaxed the personality of the man is, however a capital letter is used to mark a turning point in the poem. It is used in ‘Comes back to sands’ to show that now, the island man is back in London physically and mentally. Grace Nichols relies on sound to make an effective contrast: she makes a clear difference between the breaking of the surf and the roar of the traffic. In conclusion, while these two poems are basically about two very different things, they share many descriptive techniques. I definitely enjoyed both of the poems, but ‘Island Man’ is the one I prefer. I find it quite easy to relate to because I’ve had many dreams I haven’t wanted to wake up from, and even though I live in a city, the huge amounts of traffic is sometimes daunting to me, as it is to the island man. I found ‘Blessing’ harder to relate to, as a lack of water isn’t something we generally experience in this country. However, the poem makes you want to not take things for granted which I think is a moving sentiment.

In My Own Work Setting Essay

In my own work setting we have health and safety policy, child protection/safe guarding, fire safety,first aid, security ,confidentiality. In the regards of health and safety in my work setting I report any issues to Rachel Hancocks(manager) or Paul Hancocks(deputy manager). All staff have there own responsibilities to health and safety in the workplace as well. A risk assessment is the determination of the value of a risk in any working environment and a recognised hazard. In my work setting the team leader of every session does a risk assessment on the working environment. Outcome 2 A safe a challenging environment is important because we as careers have to provide a positive and safe environment to allow the child to grow in a positive manner. Although children also need challenges inn there environment so that they can develop their own skills ,personality and also become independent this is depending on the medical needs of the child or young person. A hazard is something that can cause harm to anybody such as electricity and different chemicals. Whereas a risk is the rating that shows that somebody will get hurt by the hazard. Most risks are calculated in categories of low medium and high Potential hazards to health ,safety and security in my own working environment are:- Stairs Boiler Plug sockets Keyboard wire Doors All these are controlled by risk assessments and regular staff training What is the risk? Who might be harmed and how? What is being done to manage the risk? What else could be done to manage the risk? Who will do this? When will this be done? Date completed Access to the upstairs to extension Children falling down the stairs A safety gate has been placed at the bottom of the stairs that is secured by a chubb lock Staff t monitor childrens whereabouts.Escort children down the stairs All staff  ongoing Outcome 3 There are different non medical incidents and emergencies that may occur in my work settings such as, fires ,floods and electricity failure. The actions that I would take in response to a fire are make sure that all the staff and service users(those able to) know were all the fire exits are an how to get them making sure that everybody knows where the fire assembly point is. I would make sure that all staff and service users are accounted for I would do this my taking the signing in book for both staff and services users to the fire assembly point. The actions that I would take in the response to a security incident is make sure the service user was back inside the building inform management and the rest of the staff do an indecent report and a full risk assessment on the incident and service user. The actions I would take in response to an emergency incident are do as the emergency services tell me to do so make sure that the management are aware of the situations wait for the emergency services to arrive then do a full  incident report and record the accident if this was the case in the accident book. Outcome 4 The signs and symptoms which may indicate that a child or young person is unwell are :- High temperature/fever Vomiting Running nose Aching Lethargic Diarrhoea Headache Rashes The signs and symptoms which may indicate to a child or young person being injured are :- Crying Bruising Cuts Headaches Swelling to any area of the body Redness to the skin. The circumstances in which a child or young person may need urgent medical attention are:- Persistent vomiting Skin rashes Dehydration Severe open wounds Head injuries Burns Poisoning Choking Depressive responsiveness Unconscious Persistent pain In the event of a child or young person that required urgent medical attention I would inform the management team I would phone the emergency services or get another member of staff to do so whilst I was still with the child or young person. Inform the parent/career of the service user of the situation assist the emergency services of all the information that is needed of the service user to insure that they et the right treatment. After the event I would fill in an incident report as well as an accident form. Outcome 5 The reporting procedures for any accidents that happen in my working environment are the accident book gets filled in no matter how small or large the accident may be and passed to the management team. When any incidents occur no matter how large or small a full incident report needs to be completed in detail and passed on to the management team. Any emergencies that occur such as an injury medical assistance would be called the accident book would be filled in and also a full incident report would be written all of which the management team would receive straight after they have been filled out. If there was any illness eg. Sickness and diarrhoea the management would be informed and they would contact the parents or emergency contact if the parent wasn’t available and would ask for them to be collected as in my work setting there are many service uses have different immune systems. Outcome 6 The procedures for infection control in my own work settings are whilst assisting or changing a service user would be protective gloves and aprons but also washing hands correctly after the toilet visit. Waste is disposed of appropriately Outcome 7 in my setting we do not receive,administrate or store medication however this would be kept securely and would only be instruction of the parents.

What is the best way to educate the U.S. workforce Essay

What is the best way to educate the U.S. workforce - Essay Example workforce held jobs that did not require a college degree [Kangas, n.d.], indicating that there was glut of over qualified people at the top, as a result of which many of them are being displaced downwards, making it even more difficult for non-graduates to secure jobs. The welfare reform legislation which was signed into force in 1998, has introduced the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, that operates upon the principle of â€Å"work first† as opposed to the â€Å"training first† option that was in force before. A broad based training policy has proved to be difficult to implement, since the U.S. labor market is fragmented.[Carnevale, 1999]. Thus, the Workforce Investment Act was also introduced to reform the Government training programs for welfare recipients [Haittiangadi, 1998]. Prior to this, the School to Work opportunities Act of 1994 has introduced vocational and apprenticeship programs as a part of the high school curriculum [Schaffer, 1999]. Th is was first initiated in Broome County in 1990, in an effort to implement the German apprenticeship model in the United States school curriculum [Emanoil, 2001], and prepare students better to make the important transition from school to workplace. What is the best way to educate the U.S. workforce? The validity of traditional academic- based systems of education are being questioned as they produce students who are poorly equipped with the skills required at work, especially in today’s techno-savvy environment. They are distracted in class, working after school at low paying, part time jobs where everything of value is generally learnt within a short period of time and they stay on for purely financial reasons. However, the net result is that they remain stagnant at the low level jobs and rarely advance higher. The other side of the same coin is the â€Å"massification† of education with student base expansion since the 1980s [Alexander,

Understanding business operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Understanding business operations - Essay Example per will examine current models of business operations by considering how these organizations might theoretically gain a competitive advantage by drawing on the examples of two organizations. One of the presented models will be based on an organization which is volume intensive and second will be based on a business model which is margin intensive. There is little question that technology is evolving rapidly, and the impact that these technological advances have on our modern economy can be profound. In this regard, organizations who have made every attempt to be constant and consistent innovators in technological development and application in their business models have reached an unparalleled success. Technological advances in such areas as supply chain, inventory management, distribution, and business monitoring has significantly affected the bottom line of a number of different businesses. For the purpose of this essay the first business model that will be examined is that of Wal-Mart and how the implementation of technology in their business organization has affected the way that we as consumers may have shifted our buying procedures. The format for this discussion is to give a brief background on Wal-Mart followed by a discussion as to how their innovation has helped make this organization the company it is today. There is little question that Wal-Mart is a truly global company which according to Reuters (2010) has operations in over fourteen nations with both retail and online sales in their portfolio. Wal-Mart has a focus on regular household items however the company has recently diversified into membership format retail operations as well as diversifying their product offerings to include groceries. One could theoretically define their product offerings to be in the traditional household retail sector. When questioned as to how Wal-Mart’s business model has affected the goods we buy and the choices available one must make an examination of

Is marihuana beneficial or destructive to society Essay

Is marihuana beneficial or destructive to society - Essay Example The rate of substance abuse among youths was higher compared to the number of adults aged 26 years old and older who have5% rate of marijuana usage. What could have possibly provoked them to use marihuana? We know that children decide to try marihuana because of pressure from other individuals, problems related to school and family, depression, and self-esteem. According to Dr. Bruce Beckum, child psychologist and noted authority on young adult drug use, â€Å"Seventy percent of young people who use drugs report difficulties at home and at school†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The alarming rates of increase marihuana among youths might be attributed to these intrapersonal and interpersonal factors and partnerships among government, parents, and youths themselves must be worked on in order to address these issues and completely eliminate marihuana use among youths. Marihuana puts children in danger. It is not the only drug that is most commonly used, but is also known to cause many other problems. An article from the Journal of the American Medical Association states that teens who use marijuana are 77 % more likely to try harder drugs (Smith, 64). How can people say that our society would benefit from the legalization of marihuana when this is only hurting and influencing children in a negative way? Are we only thinking in adults when we speak about marihuana? Probably, adults had thought of legalizing marihuana because of the medical benefits that can be derived from using it such as alleviation of undesirable effects of certain medications, treatments, and diseases. If just in case marihuana would have been legalized, patients will no longer experience extreme discomforts. However, legalizing marihuana would cause a lot of consequences even if it is for medical benefits. Well, let me tell you something that is not the case. Usually, the mos t affected by our

Feedback after reading the banking concept of education by Paulo Essay

Feedback after reading the banking concept of education by Paulo Freire - Essay Example In this regard, this paper gives a response to the article "the banking concept of education" by Paulo Freire, clearly and analytically discussing this system of education. Although it is true that students especially in the contemporary world, flourish academically as a result of their ability to master what their teachers have taught them in class, it is worthy also to note that such memory is very instrumental in many fields of study and ought to be nurtured. Generally, the system of formal education has inculcated in the schools through teachers that the students who have the exceptional ability to memorize and master harvested concepts, vocabularies, and outlines are the best academically. While this could be true to some extent, there is a significant need to be cautious in relating this to the academic potential of the concerned students, as sometimes the opposite is true. The banking concept of education is not only harmful to the education sector as a whole but also to the students who merely act as the recipients of knowledge rather than contributors to knowledge. In addition, this system of education normally turns out to be ineffective majorly due to the fact that some of the so called ‘A’ students do not normally perform well in institutions of higher learning and even in the professional world. This is because there is no direct correlation between the ability for one to memorize others’ opinions and the application of the same in real world situations. Such scenario only means that the teachers only use this method of education to assist students pass their examinations and proceed to the next level. Since there is not a single person who has the monopoly of knowledge, it is not a good idea for the teacher to pose as one by being the narrator. The students, who due to their naivety humbly submit to

The Idea That Lesbians Are Not Considered Women As Presented By Hale Essay

The Idea That Lesbians Are Not Considered Women As Presented By Hale - Essay Example To be a woman, one has to have the female gender, and thus, referring to lesbians as being non-women means that they are bad people and this implies that they are incompatible with being a woman. The second argument that Hale raises in support of his argument that lesbians are not women is the interconnection between sex, heterosexuality as political regime as well as the concepts of being woman and man. The paradigm of the very definition of being a woman, argues Hale, is the difference between the two sexes, which are either male or female, but nothing in the middle. Lesbians qualify neither as men, nor as women. One has to be either a woman or a man, and this qualifies them for marriage. However, women do not qualify for such an institution, and thus, lesbians are not women. Further, if the concept of heterosexuality is removed from the picture, it would be wrong to say that women make love top fellow women. This cannot happen in such relationships, as such, the heterosexual conce pt comes about in support of lesbian relationships. Hale draws a number of conclusions from the arguments rose. That the category of sex presupposes of there being an existence of a discourse in which sex is binary, then, man and woman are exhaustive, yet, man and woman are opposite but complementing. Additionally, he holds that in the discourse of heterosexuality, the categorization of sex subsumes, conforming to the reality. He also believes that being a woman, it means having a binary relation with a man. This is the main reason why Fansto held that men and women are different from each other. However, this is not true in a lesbian case, as there is no binary relationship between a man and a woman in a lesbian relationship. ... However, this is not true in a lesbian case, as there is no binary relationship between a man and a woman in a lesbian relationship (Hale 48). The fact that there is no particular relationship between a lesbian and a man, then, making the conclusion that no lesbian is a woman is true. Some of the other arguments hold that marriage defines being a woman. Opponents of these arguments, in response, pose the question, whether catholic nuns in such cases are not women. In essence, the author, articulating sex and gender could be either right or wrong (Hale 48). Gender, being a highly complex aspect of morally accountable cultural practices, successfully classifies men and women in accordance to their cultural construct (Hale 48). There are only two genders in the world; one can either be male or female, and nothing more. One cannot transfer from one gender to another, except in ceremonial times. Other researchers protest such changes, as (Fansto 126) holds that we should let people grow t he way they were born. Therefore, one of the women in the relationship acting as a man in a relationship does not simply make them male. Thus, nobody choses or decides on the particular gender they fall into. These are arguments used by Hale in arguing that lesbians are not women; if they truly are women, then they should conform to the doctrines of being woman. The Concept of the Thirteen Characteristics Not only did Hale argue that the reasons why lesbians are not woman, he also defined the characterizing features of a woman. According to him, the characterizing features of a woman fall into different clusters of groups. Sex characteristics cluster This cluster holds the largest number of people, who define gender with reference to sexuality. The following are the defining