The Hospital Window Essays - James Dickey, Elevator, Line Poem

The Hospital Window The death of a loved one can put unimaginable stress on the loved ones of the deceased. This stress can make one's life chaotic and unpleasant for long periods of time if the mourners do not underezd the death. James Dickey, who believes, "poetry is the center of the creative wheel," wrote the poem, "The Hospital Window". The relationship between mourners and death becomes apparent in this "simple 54-line poem . . . about a parent's dying as a transformative experience, and the possibility that love conquers fear." The poem takes place on a city street adjacent to a large hospital. In "The Hospital Window", Dickey uses images which represent life and death to demonstrate that the death of a loved one can make one enter a surrealistic state, in which everyday occurrences appear to be heavenly; however, if one can overcome the death by underezding it, he can then return to a peaceful life. In the beginning of the poem, the images which distinguish life and death show that the speaker perceives normal events as spiritual after leaving his father's hospital room. Dickey's persona enters this state when he is on the hospital elevator. As the elevator brings him down to ground level, he remembers his father lying in his room above "in a blue light."(3) According to Gertrude Jobes, the color blue represents heaven and God. Therefore, its shining down on the speaker's father represents God's presence with his father. For any other observer, the light is obviously "shed by a tinted window,"(4) but the speaker's state of mind leads him to believe that the light shines from heaven. Once outside, the speaker turns to face the hospital. As he turns, he sees that "[each] window possesses the sun / As though it burned there on a wick."(13) To Jobes, the sun represents life. A candle wick burns for only a certain period of time, and then dies out. Therefore, the speaker believes that the reflection of the sun in the windows is actually his father's life. When the speaker reaches out to the sun, and "[waves], like a man catching fire,"(15) he tries to grab his father's life back. At that moment, the glare from the sun reflects in a certain way, making "all the deep-dyed windowpanes flash."(16) This flash, in the speaker's mind, is God reaching out for the father's soul. Also, the flash mocks the speaker's attempts at grabbing his father's life from the grips of death. Furthermore, the speaker visualizes God's presence by "all the white rooms / [turning] the color of Heaven."(18) To the speaker, the heavenly white color of the rooms represents purity and innocence, as described in Jobes, while others see merely white rooms. As the speaker studies the windows, he sees that all reflect "flames"(21), or the candles of the living still burning. It is then he realizes that his father's window is different. It reflects "the bright, erased blankness of nothing."(23) The flickering light visible in all of the other rooms is not visible in his father's room because he is dead. Once the speaker realizes his father is dead, he can start to overcome the death. In the middle of the poem, images representing life and death show how the speaker overcomes his father's death. After experiencing the madness of death, the speaker transitions from not believing in the death to realizing that his father is leaving him. First, the speaker realizes that his father's body remains in his room "[in] the shape of his death still living"(25). Death still living represents the father's dead body, with the soul still alive within. This thought causes a madness within the speaker because he realizes that his father's soul, oreverything he was, may remain within the corpse forever. Eventually, his father's soul "lifts [its] arms out of stillness at last"(31), causing the speaker to realize that his father's soul is leaving the body. The speaker "[turns] as blue as a soul / As the moment when I was born"(33-34) from the realization that his father will live on with him forever. This realization holds true because his father gave him life, so therefore his father will live on in his life. Additionally, the speaker

Wal

Wal Wal-Mart Retention and Promotion Essay Promotion and Retention Wal-Mart follows three basic beliefs: Respect for the individual, Service to our customer and Striving for excellence. Service to our customers means, from every associate from the CEO to our hourly associate in local stores, are reminded daily that our customers are why we are here. The goal is to provide the greatest possible level of service to everyone we come in contact with. Service to our customer means making the customer our first priority, supporting the associate so they can best serve the customer and also giving to the local community in ways that connect to the customer. Respect for the individual has been a priority for every associate, customer and member of the community since the very first store opened. This is done by valuing and recognizing the contributions of every associate. We own what we do with a sense of urgency, and empower each other to do the same and communicate by listening to all associates and sharing ideals and information. Finally the k ey to success is constantly looking for ways to improve ourselves and our business. We strive to lead not just our industry, but also each other to the next level of success. We innovate by trying new ways of doing things and improving every day. We model a positive example as we pursue high expectations and work as a team by helping each other and asking for help. Along those three steps, they also have principles that help associates make the right decisions, and to act with integrity. Those principles are to always act and lead with integrity, and expect others to do the same. Follow the law at all times and be honest and fair. Reveal and report information truthfully, without manipulation or misrepresentation. Work, actions, and relationships outside your position with the company should be free of any conflicts of interest. Respect and encourage diversity, and never discriminate against anyone. Also promptly report suspected violations of the Statement of Ethics. To work at Wal-Mart you must have counting and math skills and communication and basic writing and reading. May be required to lift, carry, and place items weighing up to fifty pounds. You can be at a minimum 16 to work at Wal-Mart but, in order to run a register that sales tobacco 18 and in order to sale alcohol 19. There

Is Realism realistic as an approach to understanding contemporary Essay

Is Realism realistic as an approach to understanding contemporary global politics - Essay Example Neo-realism ideologies however suggest that the states may not be entirely in control as there is a layer above the states which may be dominating in terms of defining the overall behavior of states at the global level. neo-realism therefore differs quite significantly from the realism as it views the states and the overall global political order as a system based upon complex relationships. As per the system thinking, states may not be entirely in charge of determining their own behavior and moves. Though realism may seem a realistic approach theoretically but it may not be entirely a realistic approach in terms of implementing the same. Issues such as globalization, changing economic preferences, dominance of terrorist and other pressure groups as well as the influence of super powers may be some of the key issues which may not allow States to actually design and develop strategies based on their own self interest. The first part of the essay will discuss the theoretical background about the realism and neo-realism whereas in the second part of this essay, it will be argued as to whether the realism remains one of the realistic approaches to deal with the issues of contemporary global politics. Realism – A General Introduction Realism is one of the most important concepts with wide ranging applications both in international relations and politics. Political realism outlines that national interests are always above any other moral obligations. Realism therefore outlines the need for nation-state and suggests that nation-states are motivated by the national interests of the states and these interests are often disguised in the moral concerns for the nation-states. Realism is an opposite of liberalism which advocates the use of cooperation in the international relations. Realists however, on the other hand believe that the principal actors in international arena are the states themselves wh ich decide based on their own interests and other considerations. There is therefore an inherent dichotomy within realism which outlines that the politics at the domestic level must be governed by the rule of law and ethics however, at the international level it must not be engaged into any ethical considerations and therefore should only focus on its self-interests while dealing at the global level. (Harrison, 2002) It is also however, important to note that the classical realism does not actually discard the ethics entirely within international politics. As such realism therefore is not entirely based upon the Machiavellian notion of everything is fair in the interest of the State. Realism is also not inclined towards any conflict or War Between the States however, it only points out to the assumption that the international relationships between the states should be based upon securing the interests of the state first. However, the ability to secure the interests of the State firs t largely depends upon the ability of the State to have power both in terms of economic as well as military. If the State cannot have sufficient economic and military power, it is unlikely to secure or safeguard its interests in the international politics. It is therefore important to understand that realism or classical realism as it is often referred to gives preferences to national interest