Snow Falling on Cedars Essay Example for Free

Snow Falling on Cedars Essay In the novel Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson, Ishmael’s need for catharsis and catharsis itself is powerfully influenced by Hatsue. His emotions upsurge beginning with their childhood love by the ocean side, and because these occurrences happened so early in his childhood, he fell profoundly in love with Hatsue each day. As the two mature, they also grow apart, causing intense heartbreak on Ishmael’s terms. In the first letter he confesses to Hatsue how he â€Å"aches for her to come home† and he states â€Å"I’m lonely and miserable and think of you always and hope you write me right away. Ishmael is desperate for Hatsue’s love and affection. He says without her, he has nothing. Ishmael is selfish and egotistical. Hatsue is in a prison camp where she sleeps in dust and lives around disease, and he is merely thinking of his own security and well-being. He continues his selfishness when Hatsue explains to Ishmael that she can no longer continue their relationship because she is deceiving her parents, his emotions climax; his hatred grows and he cannot contain it. He tells Hatsue â€Å"I hate you, Hatsue, I hate you always. Ishmael burts with pessimistic emotions during the war. He once again writes Hatsue and says he is about to kill as many people as he can that look like her. He says his â€Å"numbness is a terrible thing†¦ he was angry at them [japs] and wanted their death. † He contained and expressed significant amounts of hatred. Ishmael means what he says completely, but he cannot get himself to tell Hatsue the truth. At this point when he writes the letter, he crumples up the letter and throws in into the sea along with his notepad. He still loves Hatsue. Ishmael comes back from the war with all these emotions that he still posseses for Hatsue. He sees her in the grocery store, and even though she is holding her newborn baby, he tells her â€Å"I am like a dying person†¦ I haven’t been happy for a single moment since the day you left†¦ sometimes I think I’m going to go crazy†¦ I don’t sleep†¦ the feeling never leaves me alone. † Ishmael can’t hold back his feelings for Hatsue, and even though he wants to forget about her, shown in his hate letters, this task is unimaginable, impossible. The emotions of Ishmael control him when he discovers the note about the freighter and how it was most likely the cause of Carl’s death. He cannot bring himself to admit the incident. If he admits it, Kabuo will not be convicted and will stay by Hatsue’s side. Ishmael is selfish in wanting the man Hatsue is supposed to spend the rest of her life with to go to jail, to be found guilty. Kabuo would be set free with the court’s knowledge of this crucial piece of information. When Ishmael rereads the letter â€Å"I don’t love you, Ishmael†¦ When we met that last time in the cedar tree and I felt your body move against mine, I knew with certainty that everything was wrong. I knew we could never be right together†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he comes to the conclusion that the war and his arm had made his heart much smaller and he had not moved on at all. Ishmael has to be grateful even if Hatsue’s love for him has faded. Another example of this is when he sits in the Cedar tree and realizes that his place is not there anymore, that it was a childhood secret that someone else should have the chance to experience. After all these years he is compelled to speak to Hatsue, and tell her the truth about the freighter and Carl’s death. His emotions stablilize and his guilt is set free. Ishmael gives himself the capability of moving forward in his life, and although he will never forget his childhood love for Hatsue, he learns to be grateful for her. David Guterson gave Ishmael an overpowering catharsis, which at many points in the character’s life â€Å"drowned† him. Throughout the story it affects his actions and key moments in his life, and alters him forever.

research study on gender differences Essay -- essays research papers

Non-verbal communication is defined as communication without words. (Devito, 116) Throughout your interpersonal interactions, your face communicates many things, especially your emotions. (Devito, 125) Women are stereotyped in today’s society as to being more emotional than men in emotional settings. Not in all instances is this true, however, men feel they need to set a strong, domineering, display of their emotions and the way they react towards certain emotional situations. Gender display rules are a set of rules that usually either male or female follow in order to fit their specific gender script in society. It is stated in the textbook that women talk more about feelings and emotions and use communication for emotional expression more then men, and because of this females express themselves facially more than men. (Devito, 148) The research article I chose to summarize for part two of the textbook is titled, â€Å" Gender Difference in Facial Reaction to Fear-relevant Stimuli†. The focus of this was to discover whether females are predominantly more facially reactive than males, or whether females are more emotionally reactive in general, as reflected even by non-facial reactions such as autonomic responding and emotional experience. (Thunberg & Dimberg)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In previous research on nonverbal communication, results stated that females tend to be more emotional than men in emotional situations. (Thunberg & Dimberg) Research also found that imagery-induced emotions as well as visually presented emotional stimuli generate specific facial EMG responses that are interpretable as negative and positive emotional responses. Further studies with EMG testing, which is a test that evaluates reactions towards emotional activity, shows that women are more emotionally reactive in general. With these given results to previous research, the authors of this article presented two hypotheses, which they will use to explain the following study. These hypotheses are, 1. That when exposed to emotional stimuli, females are specifically more facially reactive, but not more reactive in other respects, and, 2, that females are more emotionally reactive in general. (Thunberg & Dimberg, 2) The main purpose of the study was to distinguish the resu lts between the two given hypotheses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ninety-six students from Uppsala ... ...n my family, I can speak that my family is different when it comes to gender display rules. When I was fourteen years old I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. When I found out the diagnosis, I cried for weeks, along with my mother, father, and brother. My father and brother were not ashamed to cry in the hospital with me. However, my family has always been emotional, and I am aware that every family and person is different. Thus, having an emotional family, gave me reason to think that it is not true that men don’t cry or show emotions. Of course, everyone is different, and after taking this class in concert with Family and Society I am on my way to a very open attitude about a lot of different aspects on different issues with Gender, families, communication skills, etc., where to before I was very objective to everyone and everything, except my own. References Devito, Joseph A. Messages Building Interpersonal Communication Skills. Hunter College of the City University of New York. United States, 2005 Thunberg, Monika, Dimberg, Ulf. â€Å"Gender Difference in Facial Reaction to Fear- Relevant Stimuli†. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. New York: Spring 2000. Vol. 24, Iss1; PG 45

Negotiation Situation Essay

In the negotiation of a mortgage refinance, you can run into many different types of situations that you have to be prepared for. How we interact during a negotiation can make or break an agreement. Successful use of communication tools and preparing yourself to handle personalities will contribute to the outcome. Analyzing the Roles of Communication In this situation the initial state of the negotiation was not moving forward in a positive direction. The bank was dealing with many customers with mortgages that were months behind due to the economic crash at the time. We were one of those affected; the construction boom took a turn for the worse and work slowed down. Although we kept in contact with our bank regarding our situation, they were not willing to negotiate new terms to our agreement. As a home owner you never want to get behind on your payments, so we continued to make partial payments. The bank continued to accept the partial payments, yet didn’t want to work with us to reassess our situation. â€Å"Discussion does not mean fighting and shouting, instead it is simply the exchange of one’s ideas, thoughts and opinions with each other. One needs to have excellent communication skills for a healthy and an effective discussion. (Role of Communication in Negotiation, 2012)† The bank acted with diplomac y and tactfulness. After speaking with realtors and obtaining consultations from acquaintances, we realized for the bank to take action, we had no choice but to stop paying the mortgage. We knew at that moment that it became a game of the bank vs. the homeowners. The way you communicate varies according the formality of the situation. (Key Aspects of Communication in Negotiation) By making partial payments, the bank was content with us. We were getting further behind, and incurring penalties towards our mortgage. Taking action did get the attention of the other party. The impact of the communication, made the bank realize they needed to have more meaningful conversations with us. We finally were able to alter their perceptions and expectations concerning the situation, relationship and outcome. Through many discussions with the bank, we came to an agreement to attempt to sell the house this way to avoid foreclosure and or a short-sale. The mortgage payments were frozen during this period. We knew we were treading water, since the housing market was at a virtual standstill. After exhausting conversations with the bank, we were at the point where we were going to have to walk away from the house. Our emotions at this point, were wearing thin. This process was taking months, and also taking its toll on our patience with the bank. We wanted to be responsible for our decisions, but we were being forced to make a decision that would hurt our credibility for the future. Our sincerity was our most important personality traits exhibited in this negotiation. We had to show our sincerity for an effective negotiation. We never took the situation casually. In the eleventh hour of negotiations, the bank was willing to refinance with a co-signer. Luckily, our relatives were willing to assist, and were kind enough to co-sign. The bank was very cooperative and we were moving forward in a positive way. Analyzing Personality Failures and distortions in perception, cognition, and communication are the paramount contributors to breakdowns and failures in negotiation (Lewicki−Saunders−Barry, 2005). Negotiators use information to challenge the other party’s position or desired outcomes or to undermine the effectiveness of the other’s negotiating arguments. Even in the simplest negotiation, the parties take a position and then present arguments and facts to support that position. As the homeowners, we argued to gain terms that were within our reach to be able to afford the home and avoid a foreclosure. The bank had a different set of terms, that would stretch our ability to make ends meet, and we had to stand firm with our decision to adhere to our end goal. For us, our personality in this situation varied. At times we were very cooperative, as was the bank. But at times, the bank exhibited an aggressive behavior, and made us think we only had one option to explore. The bank exhibited a power position, to intimidate and instill fear. As homeowners, we were emotionally attached to the home. We knew that we had to remove our emotions, and treat this as a business deal. That was difficult. We were able to neutralize our emotions, and handle the situation in the most professional way. Personalities in such a high-stake situation can get intense. We viewed the bank as goliath and us as David. The bank was responsive, but we found when we got upset and put them under pressure, the bank became uncomfortable and worried about damaging the relationship with us as the customer. Contributions of those Roles to the Outcome Our ability to stand our ground and be vigilant with our information upfront, aided our ability to work with the bank to come to an agreement. To reach this agreement a third party did have to enter the discussions. This third party assisted both sides in reaching a final agreement. The process was a roller coaster; it was also a learning experience for both sides. In the end, we were happy with the final terms. The bank did make some small mistakes throughout the whole process, and due to their mistakes being presenting in writing, had to honor those terms in the paperwork. We were able to avoid a 5-year ARM agreement, and were able to secure a 30 year fixed mortgage at a very low rate, due to their mismanagement of information. The point is to never quit with a bank. As long as they keep coming back with counter offers, you do the same. At some point, you’ll make a deal, and it might be better than you ever expected. Looking back, it is very important to remove your personal emotions from the negotiations. Emotions need to be under control on both sides to achieve a successful end. If you have ever felt like you were stuck in a burning high rise with only one way out at times, we know that if you work with the right people, your chances of success increase with every option you have. Bibliography Key Aspects of Communication in Negotiation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/comm440-540/commfactors.htm (2005). How to Improve Communication in Negotiation. In Lewicki−Saunders−Barry, Negotiation, Fifth Edition (p. 175). The McGraw−Hill. Role of Communication in Negotiation. (2012). Retrieved January 19, 2013, from Management Study Guide: Pave your way to Success: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/role-of-communication-in-negotiation.htm

Sand Dunes Around the World

Sand dunes form some of the most spectacular and dynamic landforms on the planet. Individual sand granules (grains of sand) accumulate through both water and wind (eolian) transportation, a process known as saltation. Individual saltating granules form transversely (perpendicular) to the winds direction forming small ripples. As more granules collect, dunes form. Sand dunes can form in any landscape on Earth, not just deserts. Formation of Sand Dunes Sand itself is a type of soil particle. Its large size makes for swift transportation and high erodability. When granules accumulate, they form dunes under the following conditions: 1. Granules accumulate in an area devoid of vegetation.2. There must be enough wind to transport the granules.3. Granules will eventually settle into drifts and in larger quantities dunes when they accumulate against a stable barrier to the wind, such as vegetation or rocks. Parts of a Sand Dune Every sand dune has a windward (stoss) slope, crest, slipface, and leeward slope. The stoss side of the dune is transverse to the predominant wind direction. Saltating sand granules travel up the leeward slope, slowing as they accumulate other granules. The slipface forms right underneath the crest (the peak of the sand dune), where granules reach their maximum height and begin to slope steeply down the leeward side. Types of Sand Dunes Crescent sand dunes, also called barchan or transverse, are the most common sand dune shapes in the world. They form along the same direction as the predominant winds and have a single slipface. Since they are wider than they are long they can travel very quickly. Linear dunes are straight and are often in the form of parallel ridges. Reversing dunes result from sand dunes that are impacted by wind that reverses direction. Star dunes are pyramid-shaped and have three or more sides. Dunes can also be comprised of smaller dunes of different types, called complex dunes. Sand Dunes Around the World Algerias Grand Erg Oriental is one of the largest sea of dunes in the world. This portion of the vast Sahara Desert covers over 140,00 square kilometers in area. These predominantly linear dunes run north-south, with some complex dunes in the area as well. The famous sand dunes at Great Sand Dune National Park in southern Colorado formed in a valley from ancient lake bed. Large quantities of sand remained in the area after the lake breached. Predominant winds blew the sands towards the nearby Sangre de Cristo mountains. Storm winds blew over the other side of the mountains towards the valley, causing the dunes to grow vertically. This resulted in the tallest sand dunes in North America at over 750 feet. Several hundred miles north and east lie the Nebraska sandhills. Much of west and central Nebraska is covered by these ancient mostly transverse dunes, left over from when the Rocky Mountains formed. Agriculture can be difficult so ranching is the predominant land use in the area. Livestock graze these heavily vegetated hills. The sandhills are significant as they helped form the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides water for much of the Great Plains and central North America. Highly porous sandy soils collected centuries of rain and glacial meltwater, which helped form the massive unconfined aquifer. Today organizations such as the Sandhills Task Force strive to save water resources in this area. Visitors and residents of one of the Midwests largest cities can visit the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, along part of Lake Michigans southern shore, about an hour southeast of Chicago. The dunes at this popular attraction resulted when the Wisconsin glacier formed Lake Michigan over 11,000 years ago. Sediments left behind formed the present dunes as the massive glacier melted during the Wisconsin Ice Age. Mount Baldy, the tallest dune in the park actually retreats south at a rate of about four feet per year as it is too tall to for vegetation to hold it in place. This kind of dune is known as a freedune. Sand dunes are found around the world, in varying types of climates. Overall, every sand dune is created by the interaction of the wind with soil in the form of grains of sand.