Training Needs Assessment Essay Example for Free

Training Needs Assessment Essay Training and developing the workforce is an important activity for any activity. Before conducting a training program, organizations should conduct training-needs assessment. It will help the organization in identifying what training the employees have, what they’ll need now, and what will they need in the future. In other words, the needs assessment will help in identifying who needs the training, and what kind of training is needed. A needs assessment is conducted on three levels – organizational analysis, task analysis, and individual analysis. The organizational analysis looks at the training needs of the organization as a whole. It looks at how the changes in the macro environment affect the organization and what kind of training will be needed. In task analysis, training assessment about a job is made so as to achieve optimum productivity. In the end, individual analysis breaks down the need for each individual employee as to what kind of training he’ll need. (Barbazette, 2006) Conclusion We have identified numerous areas of HRM relating to labor relations, employee management and global HR that would be helpful to a small manufacturing plant. These are the core HR concepts that must be implemented in every organization. We’ve also identified how to prepare for collective bargaining process, and drafted a plan as to how to reduce accidents and stress on the plant floor. In conclusion, human resource management is very important for any kind of organization – big or small. Even small manufacturing plant must know how to motivate its employees. It should also keep in mind their training needs, how to evaluate them, and their incentive plans. Lastly, it should also be aware of the equal employment opportunity laws that are required by law. Reference Barbazette, J. (2006). Training Needs Assessment: Methods, Tools, and Techniques. Washington D. C. : Pfeiffer.

Railroads and the American Expansion into the West Essay Example for Free

Railroads and the American Expansion into the West Essay The transcontinental railroad construction began on the West Coast in 1863. The Chinese comprised a major part of the work force that built the Central Pacific railroad eastward, over the high Sierras, and across the deserts of the West — to Promontory, Utah, where on May 1869, it linked up with the Union Pacific whose workers, of Irish, Scottish, German and Italian descent, started in Omaha, Nebraska. The railroad reduced the cross-country trip, from Boston to San Francisco, from six months to one week. When the rails from the opposite sides were almost a the point of meeting, the whole country listened in for news of Promontory. And then a cannon faced over the Pacific and one over the Atlantic went off simultaneously flashing a signal across the United States. Crowds cheered. There was a frenzy of celebration. It was an enormous event for the country. The famous Golden Spike ceremony on May 10, 1869 at Promontory, Utah, commemorated the completion of Americas first transcontinental railroad. The event marked the uniting of the country that had only recently fought the Civil War, and therefore had most special significance. The transcontinental nation became a reality (Williams 4) During the nineteenth century in America, the railroad represented civilization moving into the wilderness. As early as 1835 the U. S Senate discussed surveying the west to build a Transcontinental railroad. However, railroad technology had not yet developed strong enough motive power to cross the mountainous west. That great feat was left to the next generation of railroaders. During the 1840’s the phrase â€Å"Manifest Destiny† was coined to explain the growth of the United States. It was argued that the country had a right, a God-given destiny, to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans and to govern all the land in between. However, the nation’s fulfillment of its Manifest Destiny or expansion had to wait until after the Civil War. In the meantime, the railroads increased the population of the United States east of the Mississippi and created a bustling economy with its rapid transporting of goods to and from the larger east-coast cities. Following the Civil War, the railroads made it possible for expansion into the Trans-Mississippi West to the Pacific Ocean. People in the area were assured there was a way to get their products to market, and to receive information and manufactured goods to make their work and lives easier. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the railroads merged vast territories into one nation by creating dependable economic, social and communications unity. The railroads linked California with states in the east, even as they helped the interior regions become quickly populated. Towns sprang up along the track around water and coaling stations for the locomotives. Many times, the men who laid the tracks purchased property and settled down on farms. Prospectors for gold, silver, iron and oil continued to push west to dig mines, pan streams and drill fields in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, and California. At the same time, growing cities back in the east needed more workers for heavy industries, textile mills, machine shops and garment factories and the need was met by migrating Blacks, French Canadians, and a new surge of immigrants from throughout Europe. The first Transcontinental Railroad has been called the engineering marvel of the 19th century, it opened new economies in the American west, while consuming vast quantities of its natural resources; it birthed one way of life on the Great Plains, and destroyed another. In the process of relentless American expansion into the West, the Indian tribes were largely seen as obstacles. For their part, the Indians regarded the white settlers began streaming across the plains toward gold in California and then nearby Colorado, Indians as a new force of nature — mostly a dangerous one. The white travelers spread smallpox and typhoid. The Indians faced it increasingly difficult to find game. Elk and buffalo, antelope was becoming more difficult to pursue because the people who came on the trains were also after them, either for food or sport. Even by the time Pacific Railroad construction began, starvation and disease had already wracked the Cheyenne, the Sioux and the Arapaho. Over the decades, the Indian tribes was severely affected by the encroachment of white settlers and the imposition of federal policies. The United States adopted a policy of relocating tribes farther west or isolating them on reservations. As many see it now, the federal Indian policy was characterized by one primary goal: pushing aside Indian tribes to facilitate the exploitation of the Wests bountiful natural resources. The U. S. Government began to make treaties with the Plains Indians during the 1850s to 1871. Treaties remained as the legal means to snatch Indian homelands away from them, though they created Indian reservations throughout the West. However, federal Indian policy during the period from 1870 through 1900 shifted the focus from creating reservations to gradually assimilating the Indians into the regular population. While the railroads were a symbol of the relentless march of progress, this progress exacted a heavy toll on many traditional peoples and their centuries-old cultures which were alien to its ways. Reference: Williams, John Hoyt. A Great Shining Road: The Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad. Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press. 1988.

Primary and Early Dentition Treatment

Primary and Early Dentition Treatment The function of primary dentition is to provide mastication, as well as to maintain the occlusion, and to maintain space for permanent teeth eruption. The primary teeth exfoliation and permanent successors eruption is a physiological process (Rao and Sarkar, 1999). In recent decades even after the advanced dental care that increased with intact dentition, early loss of primary teeth still remain a major concern (Bach and Manton, 2014). Early loss of primary teeth result majorly from dental caries. Other causes include trauma, infection, ectopic eruption, arch length deficiencies leading to resorption of primary teeth and congenital disorders (Brothwell, 1997).   Consequences of early loss of primary teeth includes unwanted tooth migrations of primary or permanent teeth with associated loss of arch length. Deficiency in arch length can lead to malocclusion with crowding, rotations, ectopic eruption, unfavourable molar relationship, overbite, overjet, and cross bite (Brothwell, 1997) . The problems accompanying with early loss of primary teeth have been a subject of concern in many studies. Early loss of teeth in the primary dentition has different impacts depending on which teeth are lost, childs age, existing alignment and occlusion (Rock and British Society of Paediatric, 2002). Potential consequences must be considered during the clinical examination and treatment planning to determine whether space maintenance is required and what type of space maintainer would be most appropriate (Ngan et al., 1999) Early loss of a primary incisor has little effect upon  the permanent dentition although it does detract  from appearance. Early loss of primary canines or molars is more  serious since space loss may follow. In each quadrant  the primary canine and molars together are larger than  the succeeding permanent canine and premolars, the  difference in tooth sizes between the two dentitions  being the Leeway space [10]. This can be assessed  with reasonable accuracy by the size difference  between first and second primary molars, since the  primary first molar is equal in size to the premolar  that will replace it, while the primary second molar is  much larger than the second premolar. For this reason  the Leeway space is also known as the E space.   Extraction of a primary canine or molar may  cause mesial drift of teeth behind the space and  distal drift of anterior teeth, with resultant displace-  ment of permanent teeth and centreline disturbance.   Early loss of a primary incisor has little effect upon  the permanent dentition although it does detract  from appearance. Early loss of primary canines or molars is more  serious since space loss may follow. In each quadrant  the primary canine and molars together are larger than  the succeeding permanent canine and premolars, the  difference in tooth sizes between the two dentitions  being the Leeway space [10]. This can be assessed with reasonable accuracy by the size difference between first and second primary molars, since the primary first molar is equal in size to the premolar  that will replace it, while the primary second molar is  much larger than the second premolar. For this reason  the Leeway space is also known as the E space.  Extraction of a primary canine or molar may  cause mesial drift of teeth behind the space and  distal drift of anterior teeth, with resultant displacement of permanent teeth and centreline disturbance. Early loss of a primary incisor has little effect upon  the permanent dentition although it does detract  from appearance.   Early loss of primary canines or molars is more  serious since space loss may follow. In each quadrant  the primary canine and molars together are larger than  the succeeding permanent canine and premolars, the  difference in tooth sizes between the two dentitions  being the Leeway space [10]. This can be assessed  with reasonable accuracy by the size difference  between first and second primary molars, since the  primary first molar is equal in size to the premolar  that will replace it, while the primary second molar is much larger than the second premolar. For this reason  the Leeway space is also known as the E space. Extraction of a primary canine or molar may  cause mesial drift of teeth behind the space and  distal drift of anterior teeth, with resultant displacement of permanent teeth and centreline disturbance. Impact of early loss of primary molars: Primary second molar is most often prone to get caries and results in early loss. Early loss of primary second molars can   lead to decrease in arch length prominently in maxilla than in mandible (Ngan et al., 1999). The loss of second primary molar lead to mesial migration of adjacent first permanent molar, loss of space for second premolar eruption and early eruption of second permanent molar. The decrease in arch length is more severe when primary second molar loss occurs prior to eruption of first permanent molar as second primary molar serve as a guide for erupting first permanent molar (Ngan et al., 1999). However no substantial change in midline coincidence (Rock and British Society of Paediatric, 2002). Henceforth, it is generally agreed that reduction in space after early loss of primary second molar is more significant than primary first molars and require space maintenance (Ngan et al., 1999). A long term study conducted in Canada to investigate the effects of early loss of primary molars in 107 children over six years of age, 66% of these children had early loss of primary molars majorly because of caries. These children were followed for approximately six years with yearly assessment   for space loss. This study reported that loss of space was more when second molar was lost early and its effect is more in maxilla than in mandible, and had detrimental effect on molar relationship.   When first and second molars are lost, the arch length was significantly effected in maxilla than mandible. The space loss was mainly due to the drifting of first permanent molar while canine distal migration was significant until 9 years in mandible and 8-11 years in maxilla. Relatively more space was lost in first year following the extraction with rate of space loss age related in maxilla but not in mandible (Northway et al., 1984). Macena et al., 2011, conducted a study to evaluate the space changes after premature loss of deciduous molars among 55 Brazilian children of age between 6 and 9 years and followed for 10 months. This study reported that early loss of second primary molar lead to significant changes in the space left in both arches. The major decrease in space occurred in the first 3 months after the extraction of the deciduous molars. The decrease in space after second primary molar occurred majorly because of mesial movement of first permanent molar and which may lead to impaction of permanent second premolar or future crowding. They suggested that a space maintainer is needed in such cases especially when it occurs in children with malocclusion and crowding (Macena et al., 2011). Recently a study conducted to determine the space loss after early loss of second primary molar before eruption of permanent molar and after eruption of permanent molar in 87 children and followed for 48 months. They reported that significant space loss occurred in the first six month (P

Logical Fallacies Summary and Application Essay -- English Writing Fal

Logical Fallacies Summary and Application What do you see when you look at Begging the Question, Hasty Generalization, and Appealing to Emotion? When you initially look at these three categories they may not seem to have too much in common. However, when you look deeper you will see that in fact, they are all different types of logical fallacies. Logical fallacies are errors of reasoning, errors that may be recognized and corrected by prudent thinkers (Downes, 1995). The following quote helps explain why logic is important to us in today’s society. â€Å"Logic is not everything. But it is something—something which can be taught, something which can be learned, something which can help us in some degree to think more sensibly about the dangerous world in which we live (Fischer, 1970, p. 306).† Begging the Question is a type of fallacy that is used quite a bit. It is considered to be a fallacy of assuming when trying to prove something. One of the main things to remember with the use of this fallacy is that the term â€Å"Begging the Question† has a very specific meaning. This means that if someone was trying to prove something to us but they are not being specific and leave room for there to be more questions asked then there is a good chance this is an example of a begging the question fallacy. According to Whitman, "The fact that we believe pornography should be legal means that it is a valid form of free expression. And since it's free expression, it shouldn't be banned (Whitman, 2001)" is an example of begging the question. When you are confronted with something that could be a question of Begging the Question you need to think it through and see if what you are seeing or hearing is actually true. Or if it is just an interpretation of what the artist, speaker, or author wants you to believe when exposed to the form of media. An example of Begging the Question is an ad where there are a lot of arms with fingers pointing to a bottle of Pepcid Complete and the arms are clothed in what appears to be medical jackets. Under the picture are the words â€Å"Pepcid’s the #1 choice of pharmacists. Get the point?† This ad is implying that we get the point that Pepcid is the #1 choice of pharmacists because there are a bunch of pharmacists pointing at it. However, another bigger question could be are these people really pharmacists or just a bunch of models since a... ...the first line on the form is â€Å"Yes, my heart is broken by the needs of a child.† This ad is implying that if you do not send money to help these children not only will your heart be broken but also these children will die. As you can see logical fallacies are all around us. They are in most advertisements that you pick up, in most debates you hear, in many political arenas. Fallacies are not something that will just go away. However, if you know that they exist perhaps you can be wiser than the advertisers and not fall into their marketing traps. Just think before you act – and that is advice you can always use! References Downes, S. (1995). Stephen's Guide to the Logical Fallacies. Retrieved January 19, 2005, from http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/ Fischer, D. H. (1970). Historians' Fallacies: Toward a Logic of Historical Thought. : Harper & Row. Labossiere, M. C. (1995). Fallacy Tutorial Pro 3.0. Retrieved January 21, 2005, from http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/ Whitman, G. (2001). Logical Fallacies and the Art of Debate. Retrieved January 20, 2005, from http://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/fallacies.html#Committing%20your%20very%20own%20logical%20fallacies

Ernest Hemingway Essay -- essays research papers

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway based his writing on real life experiences concerning death, relationships, and lies. He then mixed these ideas, along with a familiar setting, to create a masterpiece. Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park Illinois. One of Hemmingway’s first works was Indian Camp published in 1925. In many ways Indian Camp shows the relationship between Hemingway and his father. Hemingway then digs deeper into the past to create the love between Frederick Henry and Catherine Barkley, in A Farwell To Arms. Hemingway was later able to reflect his disgust of home life when he portrayed himself as the character Krebs in Soldiers Home, the character had problems with lies, women, and at home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story Indian Camp the main character Nick and his father resemble the relationship between Hemingway and his father. Nick is a teenage boy that travels across the lake to an Indian Village. He watches his father, who is a doctor; deliver a baby by caesarian section to an Indian woman. Nicks father discovers that the baby’s father has committed suicide. Nick and his father have a conversation discussing death, which brings the story to an end. Hemingway grew up in a middle class suburb, where his parents Ed and Grace raised him. Ed was a doctor who took his son along on visits across Walloon Lake to the Ojibway Indians (Waldhorn 7). When Hemingway was young, his father made him have his tonsils removed by another doctor. The doctor did not use anesthetic while performing the surgery. Hemingway always held it against his dad for having his tonsils taken out, with out an anesthetic (Myers 48). Hemingway portrayed his father as the doctor in Indian Camp. In the story Nick asked his father about giving the Indian woman something to stop her screaming during the caesarian. Nicks father states â€Å"No. I haven’t any anesthetic†¦but her screams are not important. I don’t hear them because they are not important† (Tessitore 18). Hemingway uses the conversation between Nick and his father, concerning the suicide of the Indian, to show his distaste for his own father’s suicide. Nick: â€Å"Why did he kill himself, Daddy?† Father: â€Å"I don’t know Nick. He couldn’t stand things, I guess.† Nick: â€Å"Do many men kill themselves, Daddy?† Father: â€Å"Not very many, Nick†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Nick: â€Å"Is dying hard, Daddy?† Father: â€Å"No, I think its pretty easy, Nick... ...d his lost love, he produced the character Krebs who was troubled by female companionship. Krebs wanted a woman but was not willing to work for one. Krebs considered relationships too complicated and painful. Hemingway learned this from previous relationships especially the relationship between Hemingway and Kurowsky. Krebs who lived with his parents after the war continued to do nothing around the house. Tensions grew between him and his parents and Krebs was eventually driven out. Hemingway was almost identical to Krebs in the story. Hemingway is heart broken after the war because of Kurowsky. Tension had also grown between Hemingway and his mother. â€Å"Shortly after Hemingway’s twenty- first birthday†¦ his mother gave him an ultimatum that he had to find a real job or move out of the house† (Waldhorn 9). Both Hemingway and Krebs moved out and got jobs. Hemingway wrote form his past experiences form life. In Indian Camp it showed his relationship with his father. By leaving his childhood and entering the war, he was able to come up with the character Henry and Barkley in A Farwell In Arms. When returning home from the war Hemingway used Krebs in Soldier’s Home to express his distast

Exporting Rubber Products to China

The manufacture of rubber based products such as industrial tyres, tubes, auto parts and components has been a part of Sri Lanka’s economy since the early 1930’s. As one of the largest rubber producing countries, Sri Lanka produces different types, forms and grades of rubber as well as rubber based products for export markets. China accounted 0. 45% of total exports from Sri Lanka to the world, but on the current trend it’s optimistic that China will increase the potential items of exports from Sri Lanka such as rubber products, tea, spices and confectioneries and seafood. China’s demand for rubber was expected to rise 8. % tonnes in 2010 to reflect strong growth in the country’s auto sector. The development of the auto industry is the main driver for the development of market for rubber products in China. The development of highway construction and transportation industry will drive the demand for tyres, engineering rubber products and other rubber products. China consumes 16% of the world’s natural rubber. China has already become the world’s largest rubber consumption than any other country, estimated statistics illustrate China’s top rubber consumer’s position will not be shaken in the period ahead. In recent years, the world’s major rubber companies such as Goodyear, Bridgestone, Michelin and other tire companies have entered China, mass production of export products. As the emerging economic super power, China led solid foundation for the exporters of rubber products by creating potential market opportunities due to its sustained high growth in exports of rubber. Many opportunities are available on improving trade with China considering the strength of the cordial relationship maintained between the two countries by continuous dialogue and trade agreements on mutual understanding. It is reasonably appropriate to commend the trade relationship between the two countries considering the fact its historical relationship and the monumental development in China who will indisputably become the giant in trade & industry during this century. China’s membership of Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) would provide Sri Lanka access to one of the largest markets in the world. It was becoming more important as it gave Sri Lankan exporters access to the emerging giant economies in the world such as China, India and South Korea. Rates of utilization of key trade deals such as the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) and South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) were low by Sri Lankan rubber exporters. It might be due to exporters are not obtaining certificates of origin from the department of commerce, exporters are not aware of the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) or the importer is not presenting it and getting duty concessions. It’s important to improve exports to China because the potential market for the rubber based products is enormous. Sri Lankan exporters should make aware of the preferential trade terms between China and Sri Lanka and utilize them in the best possible way to develop the export of rubber products. Recently, Sri Lankan Government has used trade policies which would further their foreign policy objectives such as building strong relations with China. Despite Sri Lanka rubber industry being adversely affected by this world crisis, Sri Lanka was able to recover the lost market share and offer its natural rubber at a highly competitive rate under these trade agreements. China commenced import of rubber from Sri Lanka in 1951 even before agreements became effective. China extended a remarkable sense of generosity to the people of Sri Lanka in becoming the principal importer of rubber from Sri Lanka. Although exports under APTA have grown, it was still only about 50 million dollars worth of goods to China, Korea, India and Bangladesh with about 1,800 certificates of origin issued by the commerce department. Natural rubber and rubber products are one of the main products exported under South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) and Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA). Under SAPTA also total Sri Lankan exports remains modest. While the Free Trade Agreements do not eliminate import tariffs on rubber, it would facilitate to ensure stable cost and supply for China suppliers. The agreement can encourage Sri Lankan exporters to set up distribution offices in China and sell directly to downstream manufacturers in the country. Southeast Asia is the largest source of rubber in the world, particularly Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. All of these countries are huge competitors from the Sri Lankan perspective. The quality of output from the region is good and stable as well. China, on the other hand, is the largest global manufacturer of tires and China requires at least 60% of natural rubber used for the industry is currently sourced overseas. There would be a potential market not only for rubber products but also for natural rubber for the exporters of Sri Lanka. China's rubber market has maintained rapid consumption growth and booming growth patterns remains unchanged. If Sri Lankan rubber producers seek the markets available in the world such as China and build international competitiveness in the industrial rubber products, it would help Sri Lanka to raise national income and create jobs in the particular sector. Rubber industry helps to utilize underemployed labour resources because it needs intensive labour resource and it is also kind of forest rehabilitation. Sri Lanka could shift from exporting of long lived forest products to relatively short lived forest products such as rubber. Sri Lankan rubber products manufacturing industry could achieve remarkable progress with the use of novel technology and sophisticated production facilities. In tandem with the increase in rubber consumption in China, the corresponding increase in the volume and value of exported rubber products has grown significantly. Factors of rapid growth of China’s rubber consumption * Rapid economic expansion As China is at present stage of heavy industrialization there’s a vast need of rubber based products for the appliance manufacturers, automobile companies and various other industries. Major economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Industrial Production annual growth rate, Fixed Asset Investment Growth Rate and annual growth rate of China demonstrate the potential opportunities available in China. * Automakers have been strong. There’s a rapid growth in vehicle production with the improvement of people’s income levels, middle class expansion of automobile consumption. * Dramatic increase in the road traffic Expansion of the economic output, the acceleration of urbanization, domestic and foreign trade and enhanced standard of living has increased the road traffic significantly in China. Considerable increase in road traffic is a direct stimulus to the major rubber product, industrial tyres. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUTION 1. It ‘s necessary for private sector to develop and add more value on their rubber based products so as to improve their competitiveness in the Chinese markets as well as to make the best use from the abundant natural rubber in Sri Lanka. * In order to improve their competitiveness, producers of rubber products should develop and enhance their human resources skills, improve their production process to be more efficient and produce higher quality rubber products. In addition, Sri Lankan firms should focus more attention on research and development (R&D) to enhance and upgrade their products to be a higher quality in order to meet product standards and requirements in China. * The most important fact is that producers, suppliers and related institutes (Research Institutes, Testing laboratories and so on) should hold hands to form a cluster in order to help and support each other in the integrated supply chain. 2. To improve the quality of rubber products to export to China, the producers should study and possess good understanding on China’s compulsory standards and recommended standards. 3. Before exporting to China, the exporters should study and have a good understanding of the current situation in the Chinese rubber markets, the transportation and logistics system in China, regulations and other related policies of the Chinese Government and China’s commitment in the WTO as well as China’s FTA agreements with Sri Lanka. 4. Be cautious of selecting business or trade partners, and select one with potential and credibility. The exporters should emphasize on building close relationships with their Chinese partner to allow for smooth business operations. Connections are one of the most important business customs in China and other social and cultural aspects include joining a meal together and gift giving using two hands as it demonstrates sincerity and intention between two parties. The system of Chinese networking is heavily focused on personal relationships. . The Government of Sri Lanka should encourage public and private sector to add more value on natural rubber, which are abundant in Sri Lanka in order to produce processed rubber products by financially supporting the rubber industry, providing technical and other assistance, developing the human resources, conducting more researches on rubber products as well as encouraging rubber producers to improve the quality of Sri Lankan rubber products to meet the required standards in oreign markets, particularly in China and other foreign countries. 6. The Sri Lankan Government should financially support and establish the research and testing laboratories as well as Sri Lankan researchers and specialists to improve the production processes and upgrade higher standards of Sri Lankan products, including the equipment, machinery and innovation to produce new hi end products. . When taking into consideration fundamental factors such as size of economy, size of population and size of domestic market, it seems that Sri Lanka is not in a position to compete with China. Therefore, its necessary to adapt strategic approaches to co exist with China, particularly to be part of China’s economic growth rather than to explicitly compete with China. Therefore, we suggest the Sri Lankan Government to implement the â€Å"Rise with the Dragon† strategy, in terms of trade and investment in order to be part of China’s production and consumption processes. The export of rubber products to China would be economic growth driven international business to Sri Lanka. As Rubber fall under the main export categories of Sri Lanka, we have a potential of developing the quality of rubber products and there’s a vast opportunity exists in China for Sri Lankan Rubber Products.

Extended commentary of ‘The Pine Planters’ by Thomas Hardy Essay

On the Title: A simple reference to the characters described in the first part of the poem. Overall, though, it refers to an earlier work by Hardy, named ‘The Woodlanders’. Marty South – note the lack of explicit gender reference in the name – is a character from ‘The Woodlanders’ whose thoughts are expressed in an odd, stream-of-consciousness-esque reverie. Hardy is interested in the melancholy of both human relationships and within nature; the lack of meaning he can find in natural suffering. Overall Structure: Hardy splits the poem into two parts, with two very different structural styles: 1. Part I takes a ballad form; 8 English quatrains with a mostly ABCB rhyme scheme, but with the occasional use of an alternate scheme when emphasis is required. Hardy uses very simple language throughout this stanza – the images presented are equally so. 2. Part II contains three stanzas of 12 lines, with an alternate rhyme scheme. Consequently, the poem loses its sense of ballad and, as the lines increase in length, becomes more abstract and ‘deep’. This allows for an increased intensity, both in the content and exploration of the images produced. It allows for no more emotive punctuation either! Despite being linked in content, the two parts have very different structural nuances. Difficult Language Notes: â€Å"Halt and hoary† is an archaic phrase for ‘old and grey’. Themes: Nature’s lament, Man and Nature, Relationships Notes on Part I The poem must be discussed separately, in terms of its parts, before comparing the two. However, Hardy writes in such short stanzas that analysing each one would be pointless, yet the meaning behind Hardy’s ‘Part I’ is described very gradually. Therefore, a summary: Hardy writes, in the first person, of a couple who work in forestry. It is assumed that the persona is female (or otherwise homosexual, which would present an interesting perspective) and is called ‘Marty South’ – in this case, the ambiguous name is quite certainly female. South is a character originating, as mentioned before, from Hardy’s earlier work ‘The Woodlanders’. South is engaged in a relationship with a partner upon whom she dotes, but is slighted due to the male’s ‘wandering eye’. South ‘writes’ to explain his apparent indifference towards her. However, Hardy uses this idea of suffering (in relationships) and applies it, in Part II, to the trees that the pair plant. In Detail: Relative movement of the two characters is of great importance to Hardy – or rather, the fact that the persona doesn’t move and therefore suffers the cold of the ‘blast and breeze’. This is made clear, along with the setting for her predicament, in the first stanza; â€Å"He fills the earth in/ I hold the trees†. The woman has no mobility. This is made clearer in the second stanza; â€Å"what I do/ Keeps me from moving/ And chills me through.† More importantly, though, â€Å"he does not notice†. This simple observation of a married man not noticing his wife’s routine suffering (suffering, as it is later revealed, which is endured only to be near him.) is shocking to the reader. The wife is made initially into a tragic beast of burden – this lack of physical motion will eventually come to represent her inability to achieve any motion in life. Hardy deliberately utilises the understatement and plainness of speech to accentuate this fact. In the next stanza, he reveals why. â€Å"He has seen one fairer†. Again, utilising understatement, Hardy introduces (in a noticeably less ‘fixed’ reality) a third figure to the poem – the male’s true love interest. Hardy, by portraying such a betrayal from the victim’s eyes (as well as condemning the male to interest based upon attractiveness alone) again achieves a sense of sympathy from the reader. The male’s â€Å"eye†¦ skims me as though I were not by.† Apart from the obvious sense of being ignored, Hardy’s use of ‘skims’ is particularly effective in emphasizing the male’s partial glimpse of his partner. [Add. Note: The last line of each stanza is somewhat contracted, drawing attention to it. It is therefore noticeable that each ‘4th line’ features an emotive sentiment – all express revealing elements of the characters’ relationships. This is equally accentuated through the rhyme scheme, which draws both the 2nd and 4th lines together.] Hardy’s key emphasis next is that â€Å"since she passed here† the male has thought only of (the new) ‘her’ and the forest; â€Å"the woodland hold him alone.† Equally, the persona is busy with her thoughts – presumably in the form of this reverie! This stanza’s final line is particularly noticeable through its contraction. On a different note, there is an element of complaint in the persona’s tone; she â€Å"never win[s] any small word of praise!† This highlights a coming theme, in that the pair fail to talk to each other at all. They are both equally silent with their thoughts and he, as above, never offers praise – nor, it seems, any verbal or emotional contact. What makes the relationship tragic is that she makes no effort either: The final two stanzas of the first part require more focussed analysis, as they begin to move to action on the part of Marty – or rather (as it may be) to further inaction. â€Å"Shall I not sigh (1) to him That I work on Glad to be nigh to him (2) Though hope is gone (3)? Nay, though he never Knew (4) love like mine, I’ll bear it ever (5) And make no sign (6)!† Desperation, along with paradoxical pleasure, dominates Hardy’s final stanzas: ‘sighing’ has always been a poetic expression of desperation, enforced by the visible expression of hopelessness (3). One therefore questions Marty’s judgement; if she is aware that her relationship with her male partner has been afflicted to its present demise (an argument further supported by the use of the past tense at (4)) then why does she stay there? Why is she unable to move herself physically, emotionally or verbally from her fixed spot? She is like the tree which she plants; immovable but suffering because of it. Much as one can muse upon Hardy’s own Modernist views (see the previous poem for the question of Modernist principles upon human suffering) on the matter, the persona suggests a very simple answer – see (2). She still loves the male. This creates a scenario – an immovable object, enduring suffering, refuses to resign from desperation because Nature/emotion has dictated it must stay – which is passed on to Part II. [Note the irony of the persona: she says, through the medium of literary suspension, that she can make no sign. But we are reading it†¦ She’s making a sign, therefore†¦ So, perhaps Marty South’s Reverie is her paradoxical sign?]