Women In Work Place: Challenges And Achievements

Women In Work Place: Challenges And Achievements When managing diversity is said, we may think of ethnicity, origin of race, and may be gender or other factors; however, diversity meanings are much broader than that. Diversity is generally defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status (Esty, et al., 1995). Diversity at workplace has taken wide range of consideration, discussion, and implemented rules. Here, Im going to tackle specifically the issues of women at work place. Women on their path of struggle to maintain equality have gone through hurdle ways as well they have created milestones. ( Marquez. J ,2008) As of today, we commemorate Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to run for US. vice president on a major party ticket. She passed away on (26/March/2011). She was a symbol of women successes. The pursuant of equal opportun ity requires hard work at different levels; by understanding of women needs, legislatures, reformations of out dated rules, and redefining social norms if we take UK as an example we will find women still suffering from unequal pay and, increasingly(Traynor, I. 2010), Womens workforce in historical perspective Historically, Britains women have been deprived of equal opportunities at workplace. Even though, the picture of gender equality at workplace seems to be complicated, but for many factors women have to have equal access to work, pay, promotion, and for other incentives. (Hudson. P, 2008 ) In the past women rights have been belittled for the argument of their limited role in public life at large. Women main responsibilities could hardly be seen outside of their traditional family chores. In addition to that factor, there are other cultural and social factors that hindered women from achieving higher standards at workplace.( Goffinet.F, 2009) In 1842, the parliament passed a law to ban women from working in mines and factories for long hours. However as people argue that the Victorian era was a time of change, women were restricted to specific jobs such as nursing and midwifery however, this era saw the rise of Florence Nightingale , who eased the way for women to pursue the career of nursing and to be more confident and effective in the society. Worman D. 2005), The domestic service of all kinds had the major interest of female employments (close to 50% in specific areas such as the capital: London), then the textile and the clothing sector has ranked almost in second rank. Also, they were having a good participation degree in metal wares, pottery and in other simple jobs like laundry work, cleaning, confectionery, brewing and retailing, without forgetting that they were largely concentrated in particular industries based in the regions of the country. For example, the cotton and woollen industries of south Lancashire and west Yorkshire. ( BBC ,2011) After the Victorian era, in the period between 1930-1950 women were having a prominent role in the textiles, pottery and clothing sectors. In addition to that, women provided cheap and adaptive workforce. Result in, many new technologies began to adapted with the idea of contracting with the opposite sex workforce rather than relying solely on male workforce. In fact, because they were novices working in new sectors, they were all trying proving themselves in the face of skeptics and opponents through providing their hard effort which led to achieve high level of productivity. Unfortunately, employers were occupying a large part of opponents and skeptics and they had many justifications that help them to avoid hiring women, like degree of absenteeism, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and other personal problems holidays as well. However, the number of those opponents and skeptics has decreased and women started to hold more respectable in the workplace society after that significant increasing in the number of women graduating high school, this was in the period between 1950s and late 1970s. ( BBC ,2011) The beginning of the evolution The first World War could be considered to be the turning point in the history of women`s struggle in the workplace. During the war, millions of men were recruited to fight abroad and this has created a considerable gap in the job market. The state felt that there was a need to fill this gap and women were the perfect solution.( Fitzgerald. M ,2010) Recruiting agencies and the media played a major role in facilitating this approach by the government of that time. Women also proved that they were competent at the work place and managed to work under intense condition and contribute to the overall growth of the country. However after the war ended, women were quite liberalized from the Victorian era stereotype of women, they had more confidence and they managed to prove their skeptics and opponents wrong and made it clear that once they are out an working , it will be difficult for them to go back. (Traynor. I, 2010), Ten years after the first World War, the Representation of People Act was passed by the parliament in 1928, which gave full rights to women, including the right to vote and work etc. this was a result of several campaigns led by women rights activists over the years like Millicent Fawcett and Emmiline Pankhurst of the UK women`s suffragettes movement. They managed to succeed in giving women their full rights by public demonstration, propaganda and violent protests, however by the passing of this law women became more liberalized, but they still face the different kinds of discrimination in the work place until this day.( Fitzgerald M 2010), After the Second World War and towards the end of 1970s, the world witnessed an incredible change. The number of womens workforce increased due to more awareness and the proportion of educated women became higher, which made the participation of women in the work place the basics for the family and society and even economies.( BBC news 2006), In todays life, women are seen as successful figures on all walks of life. Women are politicians, nurses, scientists, and the list goes on. There is no valid argument which could be legitimate on putting women on a degraded position. Women have achieved high standards in contributing to the wellbeing of humankind. United Nations Charters have granted equality for women at workplace. Discrimination against women has been out lawed in many civil societies But the claim that women still face gender discrimination is valid. There is a still subtle discrimination women face at workplace. This includes sexual, racial and religious discrimination. The number of cases of sexual harassment has doubled in the recent years, with more women leaving their jobs after reporting incidence of sexual harassment or due to pregnancy and maternity leave.( BBC, 2006) Because of their biological nature, women deserve to have special considerations. Women go through different changes, pregnancy, parenting, and menopause. Within those times, women physical and emotional capacities are deterred. They all should be granted fair consideration during maternity and family based duties. There are mounting concerns regarding women of color at workplace. At society at large women of color, immigrants as an example, are struggling to achieve as others)) Sexual harassment against women at workplace is an imminent threat It is estimated that in UK 50% of women in employment are, or have been, subject to sexual harassment of some form or other ( Hudson P. 2009). Sexual Harassment According to the Equal Opportunities Commission EOC, half of women in the workplace have complained of some form of sexual harassment. The sexual harassment in the workplace is receiving increasing attention recently, particularly when participation rate of women in the labour force is rising. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNDFW) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome or unwanted verbal, non-verbal, physical or visual conduct based on sex or of a sexual nature; the acceptance or rejection of which affects an individuals employment. There are many types of sexual harassment; the most famous are;.(Susan .M, 2009) Serial Harassment: In this case, harassers plan their approaches very carefully, and then attack in private. Stalking: the harasser follows the victim home to his/her home to threaten them and gain control Power-player: if the harasser has more power than the victim they will ask for a sexual favour if the victim does not cooperate then they will be pressurized Situational Harassment: Some harassers that maybe in a stressful situation think that sex will eliminate their frame of mind. Great Gallant: Usually, it comes as a verbal harassment. It focuses on personal appearances. (Susan .M 2009) The UNIFEM 2006 report states that between 40 and 50 percent of women in the European Union have reported some form of sexual harassment or unacceptable sexual behaviour in the workplace (included verbal, physical or sexual). All forms of sexual harassment is covered by the Sex discrimination Act 1975 which protects women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marriage , under the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations also, it makes it a criminal offence for a person to pursue a course of conduct (including speech) that amounts to harassment of another as was this case I was forced to quit my job because of constant harassment from my boss, says Reena (name changed), a young woman working for an international organization. Reena decided to quit her stable job after her employer started sexually harassing her. He touched me unnecessarily, asked me to accompany him to dinners and made me feel uncomfortable, she complains. This is the plight of many women who join the workforce, not only in one place but the world over.( Khushbu .A 2010) Mothers and other colours discrimination Job discrimination against mothers resembles other forms of race and gender discrimination in that mothers experience different employment terms than other workers and many must endure workplace comments and behaviors that are openly hostile and unwelcoming. Even without words, Sarah Clarke (real name withheld) got her employers message loud and clear. Working in the male-dominated field of finance, Clarke recalls, When I went on maternity leave, I said I wanted to work from home [during my leave]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[but] they wouldnt allow me to call into meetings. And when I came back to work, I didnt have a desk. Kimberly. T,2008) A review carried out by the Equal opportunities Commission suggested that women with young children face more discrimination in the workplace than disabled people or those from ethnic minorities. A partnered mother with a child aged under 11 is 45% less likely to be in work than a partnered man. The review also showed 7% of working women were either dismissed, made redundant or left their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination (Dyer ,C. 2008) Also A survey of 122 recruitment agencies that revealed more than 70% of them had been asked by clients to avoid hiring pregnant women or those of childbearing age According to the EOC study, most of the women working in the retail and consumer services sectors were likely to have been dismissed or made redundant due to pregnancy-related discrimination. Others areas where women are more likely to have experienced discrimination include management and sales sectors ( Francoise, G, 2009) Women who had been working for their employer for less than a year when pregnant; and women working in establishments with fewer than 10 staff were also have been victims of discrimination . As was in the case of Ms Jones made redundant by an engineering company while on her maternity leave and she made a claim for sex discrimination.( Laurie, S.2011) There was also some indication that women who were treated badly during pregnancy were less likely to return to work. However, according to the study, only a small percentage of those who experienced discrimination took any steps to resolve it. The law in this section has long been established on the ground of pregnancy women it is less favourable treatment on the form of sex discrimination. (BBC, 2007) Nevertheless, in 2005, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 was (Amendment) to make this protection clear and to confirms that discrimination will arise if a woman suffers less favourable treatment either on her pregnancy or because she wants to exercise her right. the Case law has established that an employer who refused a woman on her time off work or return from maternity leave is probably to be in break of law and the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act1975.( Laurie S.2011) It was the perception in the 60s and early 70s that there were believed to be in industry, mens jobs and women jobs. This was old fashioned and it failed to take account of the ability of both sexes and was discriminatory. The Act sought to prevent this happening. There were many examples of cases where employers would say women cant do this particular job because it is too strenuous or too difficult etc.( Angla .S 2010). Section 47C of the Employment Rights Act 1996 also protects a woman from suffering a detriment on the grounds of her pregnancy. This can be , resign Insensitive remarks Unfair selection for redundancy.( Hudson P. 2009). On the other hand, other colour women have the same problem. Trevor Philips in the Equalities Review (2007) says that in the United Kingdom 30% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are less likely to be in work than white women of similar ages and qualification and this could be related to racial and religious discrimination in the workplace. Whereas , there are legislations in the work place to ensure the fair treatment of employees regardless of their religion or race . These are created by EU recommendation and adopted by the UK government this Regulations cover all religions and beliefs .Race Relations Act 1976. Also the UK legislations state that the racial hatred against a group of persons in UK defined by reference to colour, race, nationality or ethnic origins by the Public Order Act 1986 Section (BBC,2007) The Race Relations Act 1976 applies to discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, nationality and ethnic and national origins. It applies in Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland. Religious discrimination is not explicitly covered in Britain but separate legislation covers this in Northern Ireland. Ethnic origin, however, has been interpreted broadly to cover groups with a common or presumed common identity such as Jews or Sikhs. There are important exceptions to the legislation which, for example, allow discrimination on grounds of nationality to preserve immigration controls. Both direct and indirect discrimination are covered by the legislation which applies to all stages of employment: arrangements made for deciding who is offered a job. (Eurofound 2009 ) Is governed by section 21 of the Public Order Act 1986 which states that it will be an offence for a person to publish any material which is abusive or insulting. (University of Bradford 2009) The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000This places public authorities under a general duty to promote race equality of opportunity, reduce unlawful discrimination and good relations between people of different racial groups Discrimination against women can have a devastating effect on the economy as it results in a big loss of talent and capable individuals, who are able to contribute to the overall economy of the country by paying taxes etc. The Inequalities report the shows that the unemployment of women costs the country about  £28bn a year compared to the under-employment of disabled people about  £9bn. This shows how significant is discrimination against women along with its other form can contribute to the stagnation of the economy.(BBC,2007) Womens workforce: at the present time Because of globalization, mass immigration and the digital age, women have been relocated in different places. They face workplace environment with additional challenge to ensure that they require additional consideration. Workplace should be able to understand and satisfy women needs based on their different cultures, religions, and other beliefs Worman D. 2005), It is true that women are now entering the workforce in equal numbers of men, but they havent compared enough and still now there are many outstanding issues such as: gender discrimination, Pay gap, mothers discrimination, other color women and Sexual stalking/harassment. Women at the present time still are faced with numerous difficulties. According to many changing factors in the workplace, women have to adapt new strategy to face the change happened to them in the case of inequality. (Fassinger. R,2008) Other challenges: Religion Culture The world is rapidly changing. This constitutes that workplace should be a healthy place for women to be gender biased free environment. New trends among women have created new challenges. Women alone cannot fight centuries old of inherited discrimination. Government, employers, and employees should enforce laws at workplace to safeguard women rights and liberties. Civil societies should rise up to the rights of women at workplace. Since the backbone of the family is the woman, we all should contribute to safer, equal opportunity at workplace.( Daniels 2008), It is widely believed that the religion and culture is one of the main threats to womens work, and this point of view must be respected because it is supported by contemporary and strong evidences could not be denied, for example in south Asian communities in the UK, most women find it difficult to pursue careers that somehow contradicts the belief or the culture of their own community. For example, south Asian women will find it hard to work in the army or the police, because culturally it seen as a male job and few women choose to pursue it as a career. Women will be faced with much scepticism from their families and within their communities. Some people will also argue that their religion and beliefs prohibits women from working in specific settings or not being able to work at all. In the case of Islam, the holy Quran states that women have the right to work and seek knowledge side by side with men; it also shows evidence of women who were able to work and pursue careers and succ eeds. However religious leaders argue and their interpretations differ, the more fundamentalists will have a more strict view in regarding the rights of women to work. But the mainstream scholars will have an opposite view and supported by strong evidence.( Hudson P. 2009), 6. Supporters of the Issue: There are a many international organisations that support womens rights around the world and seek to achieve the most basic rights of women in workplace, home and community as whole. perhaps the most prominent example of this is the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) which has many achievements in the defence of the rights of women in throughout the world, in Egypt for instance, because Egyptian women sometimes found themselves in the face of gender discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace or violence at home; so the organisation provided special treatment for them, they can bring their complaint to the National Womens Complaints Office and There is a network of good lawyers, trained by UNIFEM on womens human rights. ( UN Women 2010) Conclusion: Throughout history, women fought for their rights in the workplace. In the past, they were denied their simple rights including their right to work and believed that their ultimate place to be at home taking care of the family. In the later ages, there was turning points,, which enabled women to break the shell and surpass their limitations and achieve their presence in the workplace. As I stated earlier, the first world War and the representation of people`s act was the main reason behind the liberalisation of women. After the second world war , women started to achieve more and became more effective within the societies as people became more aware of women`s right. all previous evidence tell us that the women in the current era enjoy of wider range of personal freedom, and it has become normal to see women ascend the top positions in the most sensitive and important areas in all around the world, Even in areas that are not considered a democracy, we find that there are a notable development in women situation whether in work or society as a whole, despite being a bit slow for advanced countries. This does not mean the end of challenges that women face, there are still many outstanding issues that need to cooperation of everyone to solve them, whether by increasing the pressure on decision-makers in the world to issue the appropriate decisions to reduce the rate of these problems, and also by awareness of the unconscious peoples to develop their way of thinking and make them think in a positive way. In fact, women still have a long way to enhance their situation in workplace more and more, therefore, clearly change doesnt happen overnight but it needs hard work from all parties; governments, peoples, social institutions, media institutions and private organisations. The world dynamics are changing at uncatchable speed. Thus, it remains more urgent the focus we need to direct to all new difficulties and mainly discrimination, which should have no place in our work place.

Masculinity in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre Essays

Masculinity in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre Throughout the novel 'Jane Eyre' we meet 5 male characters. Immediately we can notice that the number of female characters outweighs the number of male characters. It feels as though BrontÃÆ'Â « is trying to tell us that overall women will come out more influential and powerful than men. Indeed power is what our male characters have in common. Their power however alters from character to character. This is the common version of masculinity portrayed by Bront throughout 'Jane Eyre'. Many men at the time of the novel were very powerful, this power varied from wealth, influential positions and even whom you knew. Women were not entitled to their own opinions and their husbands or fathers made all the decisions. Jane however defies the conventions of the time. She has her own opinions and is not prepared to take orders from the powerful men in the novel. With power comes other traits, and this is where we can differentiate between the characters. Brocklehurst and St John both have power through the position they hold (Brocklehurst being in charge of the girls' school and St John being a parson), whereas John Reed and Rochester have power through wealth. Mr Lloyd (the apothecary) is perhaps the only man in the novel without any real power and he is the only person who listens to Jane. Rochester's masculinity is the most important, as he represents the best and worst of a man. His masculinity is typical of this period and he is shown ordering Jane around, 'bring me my horse', most women were obliging to men as they were the authority in society, although Jane resents this authority and wants to do things her own way. So from this we can see that the masculinity he shows typical of the time and incredibly dominant and powerful over women in the novel, especially Jane. As the novel progresses however Rochester becomes less masculine during the fire at Thornfield he loses everything, here we can compare him to Jane because; at the beginning she too doesn't have anything. In loosing everything he loses his masculinity and power. He no longer has his house, 'I saw blackened ruins'. His house is part of his power and this is no longer there. He also looses his sight and his hand, Jane becomes his, 'eyes and hands', and Rochester is reliant on her, 'I led him out of the wet wild wood'. The role of the dominant one is reversed. Here Rochester shows very little masculinity as he is now not in charge. Jane saves Rochester but equally he saves her, from St Masculinity in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre :: Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre Essays Masculinity in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre Throughout the novel 'Jane Eyre' we meet 5 male characters. Immediately we can notice that the number of female characters outweighs the number of male characters. It feels as though BrontÃÆ'Â « is trying to tell us that overall women will come out more influential and powerful than men. Indeed power is what our male characters have in common. Their power however alters from character to character. This is the common version of masculinity portrayed by Bront throughout 'Jane Eyre'. Many men at the time of the novel were very powerful, this power varied from wealth, influential positions and even whom you knew. Women were not entitled to their own opinions and their husbands or fathers made all the decisions. Jane however defies the conventions of the time. She has her own opinions and is not prepared to take orders from the powerful men in the novel. With power comes other traits, and this is where we can differentiate between the characters. Brocklehurst and St John both have power through the position they hold (Brocklehurst being in charge of the girls' school and St John being a parson), whereas John Reed and Rochester have power through wealth. Mr Lloyd (the apothecary) is perhaps the only man in the novel without any real power and he is the only person who listens to Jane. Rochester's masculinity is the most important, as he represents the best and worst of a man. His masculinity is typical of this period and he is shown ordering Jane around, 'bring me my horse', most women were obliging to men as they were the authority in society, although Jane resents this authority and wants to do things her own way. So from this we can see that the masculinity he shows typical of the time and incredibly dominant and powerful over women in the novel, especially Jane. As the novel progresses however Rochester becomes less masculine during the fire at Thornfield he loses everything, here we can compare him to Jane because; at the beginning she too doesn't have anything. In loosing everything he loses his masculinity and power. He no longer has his house, 'I saw blackened ruins'. His house is part of his power and this is no longer there. He also looses his sight and his hand, Jane becomes his, 'eyes and hands', and Rochester is reliant on her, 'I led him out of the wet wild wood'. The role of the dominant one is reversed. Here Rochester shows very little masculinity as he is now not in charge. Jane saves Rochester but equally he saves her, from St

Battle of the Divas :: essays research papers

â€Å"Kiss my Brass! I’m not retiring and you can’t make me.† Bette Midler is in the prime of her life, selling out her concerts entertaining millions with her amazing voice and witty sense of humor. For over thirty years, Bette has been in an everlasting competition with the other world wide known sarcastically blunt entertainer, Cher. These two divas have made their way to the top by producing numerous CD’s containing hit songs that will forever be remembered, and starred in hit movies earning the title as an actor/singer, which few have been able to do. Though they are in the same line of business and have accomplished similar things, they carry their weight in two opposite manners. Bette is a better entertainer for her amount of success, and way of performing in a decent manner. With four Grammys, three Emmys, two Oscar nominations and a special Tony to her credit (as of 1999), the self-styled â€Å"Queen of Trash† Bette Midler is one of the more honored multi-talented performers in American showbiz. Bette constructed the larger-than-life role of 'The Divine Miss M' (also the title of her 1972 debut album for Atlantic Records) and built her career as a red-haired performer with the wide, lovely smile. Bette's early 1970s act "nailed the nostalgia thing" with Andrews Sisters takeoffs 1973's "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and 1960s girl-group numbers, as well as including blues and show tunes in its broad musical spectrum. Midler formed her own production company, and made her first foray into producing with the successful "Beaches" (1990), an updated woman's picture which yielded her first Number 1 hit, "The Wind Beneath My Wings". Can anyone remember when Cher wasn’t around? She has gone from pop singer, TV and movie star, to a nobody: an infomercial queen and a laughingstock. She’s back at pop superstar, and all this occurred within approximately 15 years. Throughout it all, she survived in the public eye, something no one can take away from her. The best way to summarize Cher is to say that she has lived the equivalent of 5 lifetimes in one. The whole "I believe Sonny spoke to me beyond the grave" incident didn't exactly do anything to help her credibility, but Cher has never been afraid to be outspoken. She says what's on her mind, even though she might sound incoherent at times. She has received a lot of press for doing some wild stuff, and some people might feel that the media has always underrated her acting abilities.

The Red Convertible Essay examples -- Analysis, Louise Erdrich

Symbolism is a quintessential element in all writing, whether it is prose or a poem. â€Å"The Red Convertible,† a short story written by Louise Erdrich, tells the story of the destructive nature of war, via the strain caused on the families from improper deconditioning. The main characters in the story, Lyman and Henry Lamartine, are brothers that develop a seemingly inseparable bond through a car; a red convertible. Lyman, the younger of the two was very hard-working and could always â€Å"make money† (Erdrich 394). He manages to ascend up the employment ladder at Joliet Cafà © from â€Å"washing dishes† (Erdrich 394) to eventually owning the establishment. Henry was soon drafted into the war and became a Marine. Upon returning from the Vietnam War â€Å"Henry was very different† (Erdrich 396) and â€Å"the change was no good† (Erdrich 396). Additionally, with the name in the title, it is only befitting that the convertible play a very impo rtant factor in the short story. The red convertible, Henry’s refusal to remove his war garments, and the picture of the two brothers are symbols that make the story complete by providing a view of their lives and personality. Although there are many symbols throughout the story, the most established is the red convertible. Louise Erdrich uses the red convertible as a symbolic representation of not only Lyman and Henry’s relationship but all war separated families. The convertible served as a common enjoyment of both brothers and is representative of their independence. When Henry returned from the war scarred, â€Å"quiet, and never comfortable sitting still anywhere† (Erdrich 396). Lyman was upset that his brother was acting differently, so, in order to spark emotion and â€Å"interest† (Erdrich 396) Lyman damaged th... ...d Lyman’s relationship. A noteworthy example is when Lyman â€Å"plows† (Erdrich 400) the automobile into the river. Eventually, the car engine dies; just like Henry and the relationship of the two brothers. Clothes, an occupational indicator in this instance, show Henry’s inability to remove himself from war. His garments act as a binding force and a memory that will oppress him until death. Comparatively, the picture serves as a reminder of the past that continues to haunt Lyman, so much in fact, that he â€Å"put the picture in a brown bag and folded the bag over and over tightly† (Erdrich 398). The author uses the most disparaging facet of living, death, to portray that life is not everlasting and that although we will not live forever, our memories will. Symbols deepen the story by opening a gateway into the emotional and physical states of the brothers. The Red Convertible Essay examples -- Analysis, Louise Erdrich Symbolism is a quintessential element in all writing, whether it is prose or a poem. â€Å"The Red Convertible,† a short story written by Louise Erdrich, tells the story of the destructive nature of war, via the strain caused on the families from improper deconditioning. The main characters in the story, Lyman and Henry Lamartine, are brothers that develop a seemingly inseparable bond through a car; a red convertible. Lyman, the younger of the two was very hard-working and could always â€Å"make money† (Erdrich 394). He manages to ascend up the employment ladder at Joliet Cafà © from â€Å"washing dishes† (Erdrich 394) to eventually owning the establishment. Henry was soon drafted into the war and became a Marine. Upon returning from the Vietnam War â€Å"Henry was very different† (Erdrich 396) and â€Å"the change was no good† (Erdrich 396). Additionally, with the name in the title, it is only befitting that the convertible play a very impo rtant factor in the short story. The red convertible, Henry’s refusal to remove his war garments, and the picture of the two brothers are symbols that make the story complete by providing a view of their lives and personality. Although there are many symbols throughout the story, the most established is the red convertible. Louise Erdrich uses the red convertible as a symbolic representation of not only Lyman and Henry’s relationship but all war separated families. The convertible served as a common enjoyment of both brothers and is representative of their independence. When Henry returned from the war scarred, â€Å"quiet, and never comfortable sitting still anywhere† (Erdrich 396). Lyman was upset that his brother was acting differently, so, in order to spark emotion and â€Å"interest† (Erdrich 396) Lyman damaged th... ...d Lyman’s relationship. A noteworthy example is when Lyman â€Å"plows† (Erdrich 400) the automobile into the river. Eventually, the car engine dies; just like Henry and the relationship of the two brothers. Clothes, an occupational indicator in this instance, show Henry’s inability to remove himself from war. His garments act as a binding force and a memory that will oppress him until death. Comparatively, the picture serves as a reminder of the past that continues to haunt Lyman, so much in fact, that he â€Å"put the picture in a brown bag and folded the bag over and over tightly† (Erdrich 398). The author uses the most disparaging facet of living, death, to portray that life is not everlasting and that although we will not live forever, our memories will. Symbols deepen the story by opening a gateway into the emotional and physical states of the brothers.

My Dream, My Future

My Dream, My Future Do you pay attention in how fast time goes by? Before we realize, time has passed by and all the dreams we had for our future have not yet come true. The reason is because our dreams are just dreams and haven’t yet become goals. Life is no Nintendo game. You live only once. Therefore, we must fulfill those precious one called Dream during the rest of our short Life. As for me, I have my own dreams too. If you ask me this in my childhood, I would say: â€Å"I want to be a teacher†¦ I want to be an actor†¦ and so on†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .But if you ask me now, I will tell you I have three major dreams. First, I want to graduate this school with the Best grades ever! So, my parents can be proud of me. Second, I want my life to be colorful and beatific. Enjoying life doesn't waste money, we should use many to do some significative things. For instance, we can contribute our money to help the poor and homeless children, we can travel to somewhere to see the n ature scene, we can buy book or collect your interested things to enrich our life, we also can have time to play with your family.Third, I want to travel all around the world. I have always been curious about other cultures and the differences between people in other countries. It would be amazing to travel the whole world. Just realize that you are Riding an Elephant which is the Biggest terricole being, or standing on the Highest spot of magical Pyramids in Egypt, or maybe wandering Deep in the sea and seeing unidentified creatures.Furthermore I would love to bungee jump or swim with sharks, experiencing life to the limits. In the future I may have new dreams, but the first goal I have to achieve is getting my diploma. This is one of the keys to accomplish my other goals and dreams. After becoming a professional, I want to start a family, one lovely wife and maybe three children’s and have one beautiful cozy home to raise my kids and grow old with the people I love the most . I hope to achieve†¦ Written by: B. Davaasuren

Employee Grievances Essay

In industrial context the word in nicety is utilize in industrial context to limit claims by thespians of a trade wind wedding concerning their individual or collective rights at a lower place an applicable collective agreement, individual commence of employment, impartialityfulness, regulations, work rules, custom or function. much(prenominal) claims involve questions relating to the interpretation or industriousness of the rules. The term injustice is used in countries to designate this type of claim, while in some separate countries reference is do to struggles oer right or sancti matchlessd disputes. The grounds for a iniquity whitethorn be both mensurate or billet which concerns the coitions between the employers and player or which affects the conditions of employment of wizard or several role players in the undertaking when that measure or situation appears contrary to feed of an applicable collective agreement or of an individual contract of empl oyment, to work rules, to rightfulnesss or regulations or to the custom or usage of the occupational branch of economy military accomplishment or country.Causes for wrongGrievances in general arise from the day to day on the job(p) relations in an undertaking, usually a prole or trade wedding protest against or act or omission of focus that is considered to violate worker rights.Grievances typically arise on such(prenominal)(prenominal) disciplines like discipline and dismissal, the earnings of fee & other fringe benefits, working time, over time and time off entitlement, promotions, demotions and transfer, rights ancestry from seniority, rights of supervisors and the Union military officers, job classification problems, the family of works rules to the collective agreement and fulfillment of obligations relating to safety and health as primed(p) down in the agreement.Such grievances, if not dealt with a action that secures the respect of parties, butt resu lt in embitterment of the working human relationship and a climate of industrial strife. part for Settlement It has been widely recognized that at that place should be an trance procedure with which the grievances of workers whitethorn be submitted and colonized. This recognition is establish both on consideration of luridness and justice, which requires that workers claims regarding their rights should receive fair and impartial determination, and on the desire to remove from the area of big businessman conflict a type of dispute that can decently be settled by means of authoritative determination of the respective(prenominal) rights and obligations of parties.Essence of Model Grievance forceThe lead cardinal principles of grievance settlement, under the procedure, are1. Settlement at the terminal level,2. Settlement as expeditiously as possible and3. Settlement to the satisfaction of the aggrieved like justice, grievance moldiness not and be settled but as well seem to be settled in the eyes of the aggrieved.The Model Grievance surgical procedure has a three tier governance for the settlement at the levels of the1. immediate supervisor2. discussion dental or figurey operate3. and a bipartite grievance commissioning representing the focussing and the union, with a provision for the arbitrament collecting to the organization drumhead, and a contract time limit for the resolution process.Views of the subject area Commission on effort NCL has recommended that a formal grievance procedure should be introduced in units employing vitamin C or to a greater ex ten dollar billt workers and they are 1. There should be a statutory backing for the formulation of an effective grievance procedure which should be simple, flexible, slight cumbersome and much than or little n the lines of Model Grievance performance, 2. It should be time bound and have a limited issue forth of steps viz., advent to the immediate supervisory staff stir t o the departmental head/manager and appeal to the bipartite grievance commissioning representing counselling and the recognized Union.3. A grievance procedure should be such that it gives a virtuoso of satisfaction to the individual worker, ensures reasonable get along of authority to the manager and a maven of participation to Unions, 4. The constitution of the grievance committee should have a provision that in national a unanimous conclusion is not possible, the unsettled grievance whitethorn be referred to arbitration. At the earlier stages the worker should be free to be be by a co worker and later by an officer of the union, if 1 exists, 5. It should be introduced in all units employing 100 or much workers. INDISCIPLINE/ move Discipline is the employee self control which prompts him to leaveingly co- operates with the organizational standards, rules, objectives, and so forth Misconduct is the wickedness of some established and definite rules where no discrimination is left to the employee. It is violation of rules. either breach of these rules and discipline may event to misconduct. It is an act or conduct which is prejudicial to the interest of the employer or is likely to thwart the reputation of the employer or create tempestuousness and can be performed even remote the premises of the establishment and beyond art hours. It is for the management to determine in its stand Orders as to what shall constitutes acts of misconduct and to define the quantum of penalty for them.Causes of misconduct Unfair labour practices and development on the part of employers, like mesh diffentials, declaration of payment or non payment of bonus, wrongful works assignments, speculative grievance procedure etc., Bad assistance conditions, defective communications by superiors and ineffective touch lead to indiscipline, Poverty, frustration, indebtedness, generally overshadow the minds of the workers, these shift their minds and often result in indiscipline, largely speaking absenteeism, insubordination, dishonesty and disloyalty, violation of fructify rules, gambling, incompetence, damage to machine and property, strikes, etc., all lead to industrial indiscipline. Remedial Measure for defends of indiscipline labour is most important factor of production. Therefore an Organization can turn only if labour is properly move towards the attainment of specific goals.A more humane approach is necessary to touch off them. Each worker, as an individual, needs a fair or reasonable net to maintain himself and his family in full(a) health and spirits. So the wage should be becoming so that the worker may stand the economic needs of his family, He Trade Union leadership should be develop from within the rank and file of workers, who would go through their problems and put it up to the management in the right perspective. disciplinary beion undiscipline is the result of many interrelated reasons- economic, psy chological, companionable etc. It needs to be properly handled. The disciplinary action must conform to certain principles e.g. The brain of natural justice must guide all enquiries and actions. No biased person to conduct inquiry, The foreland of impartiality or populateency must be followed, The disciplinary authority should snap full opportunity to the worker to indorse himself. Procedure for penalization Framing and way give away of Charge sheet Receiving the defendants Explanation proceeds the notice of Inquiry Holding the examination Findings of the Inquiry officer Decision of the Disciplinary Authority Communication of the Order of punishment Termination of Employment Voluntary giving up of process by the Employee Resignation by the employee Discharge by notice thus given by the employer Discharge or dismissal by the employer as a punishment for misconduct, Retirement on arriver the age of superannuationType of Punishment Under Standing Order s1. Censure or Warning2. Fines3. Suspension4. Dismissal outdo of Luck..Sample of labour grievance handling form _or_ system of government in a manufacturing unitAs a matter of aim Policy name of the family, herewith lays down the undermentioned procedure for addressing employees grievances1 An employee who has any grievances viz.,(a) A ill against their supervisor or co-worker(b) Problems related to methods or systems in the production floor(c) Inconveniences caused collectible to work environment(d) Disturbances caused by individual(prenominal) problems in the factory premises etc.2 Apart from the above the management may take other problems which it may consider relevant3 The aggrieved worker shall inform their problems in writing to any one of the succeeding(a) Factory music directorTechnical passenger vehicleAdmin Officer eudaimonia Officer4 The gist of grievances of the employee shall be recorded in Employees Grievance Register mentioning the witness and reference n umber if any5 The registered complaints will be addressed within 48 hours6 Employee may also drop their garner of grievance in the suggestion/complaint boxes kept in the production floor.7 If the problem stated in the letter is found crucial the Factory Manager shall call concerned department head explanation and may wander for enquiry.8 The enquiry shall be done and redressal shall be do as per the companys standing come ins in force.9 The action taken by the management will be recorded10 The management shall refer the problems registered and action taken to cipher it periodically and thus monitor the situation and ensure that the problems are not repeated.This policy on procedure for redressal is introduced to ensure good working environment in the factory, maintain at all time.NOTICE BY MINISTRY OF LABOUR FOR HANDLING GRIEVANCES & DISPUTES AMONG EMPLOYEESMINISTRY OF LABOUR AND use of goods and servicesNOTIFICATIONNew Delhi , the 15th September, 2010S.O. 2278(E).- In exerci se of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of Section 1 of the industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act, 2010 (24 of 2010), the rally governing hereby appoints the 15 th Day of September, 2010, as the date on which the said Act shall come into force. F.No.S-11012/1/2007-IR(PL)RAVI MATHUR, Addl. Secy.THE INDUSTRIAL DIPSUTES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2010No.24 OF 201018 th August, 2010An Act further to amend the industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Be it enacted by Parliament in the Sixtieth Year of the Re state-supported of India as follows- 1. (1) This Act may be called the Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act, 2010. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the key political relation may, by notification in the formal Gazette, appoint. 2. In the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (hereinafter referred to as the main(prenominal) Act), in section 2, -. (i) in clause (a),-(a) in sub-clause (i), for the words major port, the important establishment, and, the words major port, any company in whi ch not less than cardinal per cent of the paid-up share expectant is held by the Central Government , or any corporation, not being a corporation referred to in this clause, established by or under any law made by Parliament, or the Central public sector undertaking , accessory companies set up by the of import undertaking and independent bodies owned or controlled by the Central Government, the Central Government and shall be substituted (b) for sub-clause (ii), the interest sub-clause shall be substituted, namely- (ii) in relation to any other industrial dispute , including the narrate public sector undertaking, subsidiary companies set up by the whizz undertaking and autonomous bodies owned or controlled by the earth Government, the kingdom Government.Provided that in representative of a dispute between a contractile organ and the contract labour employed through the contractor in any industrial establishment where such dispute initiatory arose, the allot Government shall be the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, which has control over such industrial establishment. (ii) in clause (5), in sub-clause (iv), for the words one guanine six hundred rupees, the words ten thousand rupees shall be substituted. 3. Section 2A of the principal Act shall be numbered as sub-section (1) thereof and after sub-section (l) as so numbered, the following sub-sections shall be inserted, namely- (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 10, any such operative as is stipulate in sub-section(1) may, bring on an industriousness direct to the work judicatory or judicature for adjudication of the dispute referred to in this after the expiry of three months from the date he has made the application to the placation Officer of the appropriate Government for atonement of the dispute, and in receipt of such application the beat back Court or judgeship shall have powers and jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the dispute, as if it were a dispute referred to it by the appropriate Government in accordance with the victuals of this Act and all the provisions of this Act shall try for in relation to such adjudication as they apply in relation to an industrial dispute referred to it by the appropriate Government.(3) The application referred to in sub-section (2) shall be made to the Labour Court or administration to begin with the expiry of three age from the date of discharge, dismissal, retrenchment or other termination of service as specified in sub-section (1). 4. In section 7 of the principal Act, in sub-section (3), after clause (e), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely- (f) he is or has been a Deputy question Labour Commissioner (Central) or Joint Commissioner of the State Labour Department , having a grad in law and at to the lowest percentage point seven historic period determine in the labour department after having acquired degree in law including three long time of experience a s Conciliation Officer Provided that no such Deputy chieftain Labour Commissioner or Joint Labour Commissioner shall be appoint unless he resigns from the service of the Central Government or State Government, as the case may be, before being prescribed as the presiding officer or (g) he is an officer of Indian Legal Service in regularise III with three years experience in the grade.5. In section 7A of the principal Act, in sub-section (3), after clause (aa), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely- (b) he is or has been a Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) or Joint Commissioner of the State Labour Department, having a degree in law and at least seven years experience in the labour department after having acquired degree in law including three years of experience as Conciliation Officer Provided that no such Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner or Joint Labour Commissioner shall be appointed unless he resigns from the service of the Central Government or State Governm ent, as the case may he, before being appointed as the presiding officer or (c) he is an officer of Indian Legal Service in Grade III with three years experience in the grade. 6. after section 9B of the principal Act, for chapter IIB, the following Chapter shall be substituted, namely-CHAPTER IIBGRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MACHINERY9C. (l) Every industrial establishment employing twenty or more workmen shall have one or more Grievance Redressal citizens committee for the resolution of disputes arising out of individual grievances. (2) The Grievance Redressal commission shall consist of equal number of members from the employer and the workmen. (3) The chairperson of the Grievance Redressal charge shall be selected from the employer and from among the workmen alternatively on rotation basis every year. (4) The marrow number of members of the Grievance Redressal Committee shall not exceed more than six Provided that there shall be, as far as practicable, one woman member if the Grievance Redressal Committee has two members and in case the number of members are more than two, the number of women members may be increased proportionately. (5) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, the setting up of Grievance Redressal Committee shall not affect the right of the artificer to raise industrial dispute on the same matter under the provisions of this Act.(6) The Grievance Redressal Committee may pad its proceedings within forty-five geezerhood on receipt of a written application by or on behalf of the aggrieved party. (7) The workman who is aggrieved of the purpose of the Grievance Redressal Committee may prefer an appeal to the employer against the decision of Grievance Redressal Committee and the employer shall, within one month from the date of receipt of such appeal, dispose off the same and channelize a copy of his decision to the workman concerned. Nothing contained in this section shall apply to the workmen for whom there is an established Grievanc e Redressal implement in the establishment concerned.7. In section 11 of the principal Act, after sub-section , the following sub-sections shall be inserted, namely- (9) Every show made, order issued or settlement arrived at by or before Labour Court or Tribunal or National Tribunal shall be penalize in accordance with the procedure pose down for execution of orders and orderliness of a well-bred Court under order 21 of the Code of civic Procedure , 1908. (10) The Labour Court or Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, shall transmit any award, order or settlement to a Civil Court having jurisdiction and such Civil Court shall execute the award, order or settlement as if it were a decree passed by it. 8. In section 38 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2),- (i) clause (ab) shall be omitted(ii) for clause (c), the following clause shall be substituted, namely- (c) the salaries and allowances and the terms and conditions for appointment of the presiding officers of the Labour Court, Tribunal and the National Tribunal including the allowances allowable to members of Courts, Boards and to assessors and witnesses.

Philosophy of life Essay

NAGAPPAN SETHURAMAN Existentialism as a school of intellection is historic all in ally and culturally of European origin. Ever since it was recognised as the dominating school of thought of the West in the midtwentieth century, it has leftfield its impact on literary works which has two been genuine and noteworthy (Chatterji 10). Existentialism does not offer a preen of doctrines or a single philosophy system. It has been diversely defined and interpreted by various thinkers over the years.As a result, as a philosophy, empiricalist philosophy by its rattling nature defies and abhors systematization (Ahmad 10). N perpetuallytheless, it is achievable to identify certain traits of this school of thought. t come erupt ensemble the experientialists emphasise the importance of the soul as rise up as his needydom and responsibility for being what he is ( mo economic con junctureption h atomic number 18 423). In their attempt to describe mans globe and its interlockings , the origin of its conflicts, and the anticipation of overcoming them (Ahmad 13), existential philosophers focus their upkeep on certain typefaces of adult male innovation.Srivastava enumerates them as follows b) it is neer safe and ever at the mercy of chance, c) it is bounteous of suffering, of one variety or separate, d) it is full of conflict, e) it is decayed in guilt, f) it cannot escape from the final situation of finish (185). These tenets of existentialism feel been widely reflected in the literature of the world since the advent of Sartre who established an inter military action mingled with literature and philosophy in his writings. John Macquarrie sums up the essence of existentialism as, On the whole, it has been the sad intellect of aliveness that has been prevalent among the existentialists (Macquarrie 164).Almost all abundant writers of the present generation have handled the doctrines of existentialism in their works. This is the main reason why mans disaffection, dread, absurdity, bad faith, responsibility, commitment to freedom, anguish ar the truly hall trains of 20th century literature (Ahmad 5). As a fableist, Anita Desai exhibits a strong inclination towards the existentialist variant of the gentlemans gentleman troth. In particular, she voices the mute miseries and helplessness of marital women tormented by existentialist problems and predicaments (Prasad 139).A cleaning woman novelist, Desai has won a niche by exploring the frantic world of women, bringing to perch the various deeper forces at work in feminine sensibility as well as psychology. This perceptiveness leads her to examine the soul of her women protagonists wbiddy they ar confronted with the absurdity of life. This draws her attention to the darker side of life. She projects a tragic vision in her novels by placing her womanish protagonists in contrary situations. Desai further examines her women protagonists as various(prenominal)s who rele gate themselves hale into uncongenial environments, fighting against the betting odds.This problem of the The Indian round off of realness Literature in English, Vol. 1, nary(prenominal) I Jan, 2005 tragic tension in the midst of the person and their unfavourable environment acquires the dimensions of existential angst. Starting from her set-back novel Cry the Peacock to the latest Baumgartners Bombay, all her novels highlight the existentialists predilection for portraying the predicament of man. Me very(prenominal) critics have traced dark glasses of existentialist thought in the novel of Anita Desai. cartridge clip and again her studys and characters have been interpreted in the light of existential philosophy.In this regard it has been pointed aside Desais chief concern is pitying man relationship. Her central source is she existential predicament of an individual, which she projects th furious incompatible couples- very nociceptive wives and ill matched hub bys. She is a minute commentator and perceives anything mutely, minutely and delicately. Whenever she creates a poetical situation, she gives it a everlasting(a) poetic treatment to every detail (Singh 12) Anita Desais characters be self-conscious of the reality a go them and they train a backbone of loneliness, alienation and pessimism.She adds a impudent dimension turning inward into the realities of life and plunges into the deep-depths of the homophile psyche to score out its mysteries and chaos in the minds of characters. Particularly set up on the Mountain has been determine as the lyrical fictionalization of the quintessence of existentialism (Gupta 185). A dummy up study of the texture and theme of the novel in relation to the tenets of existentialism justifies the supra notice. It has been note that set down on the Mountain displays prissy dramatisation of experiences of certain women embroiled by the miscegenation centering of life (Choudhury 77).This nov el deals with the existential angst experienced by the female protagonist Nanda Kaul, an superannuated skirt living in isolation. It to a fault projects the inner garboil of a small younker woman, Raka, who is haunted by a sentiency of futility. Thirdly, it presents the occupy of a helpless woman, Ila das who is in conflict with forces that atomic number 18 a homogeneous respectable to be encountered, resulting in her tragic decease. Thus, the existential themes of solitude, alienation, the futility of tenders beingness and campaign for survival mannequin the major themes of the novel.Fire on the Mountain falls into ternion percent festers, each further change integrity into some(prenominal) succinct chapters of unequal length. The starting line section titled Nand Kaul at Carignano runs into ten chapters. This section deals with Nanda Kaul, the main protagonists lonely(a) life in Kasauli. Raka comes to Carignano forms the second section and it contains twen ty one chapters. It portrays Nanda Kauls change of locating towards Raka, her undischarged gram female child. The final section Ila coney leaves Carignano is divided into thirteen chapters. This section presents the tragic wipeout of Ila Da, Nanda Kauls childhood sensation.In all, the volume runs to 145 pages. The structural unity, as suggested by the section captions is offered by Carignano, Nanda Kaul and Raka, caterpillar track counter to one some other complemented by that of Ila dassie also provide unity of structure. Like the other works of Anita Desai, the present novel contains neither any story value nor events that ar interesting by themselves. The entire novel revolves round the existential angst experienced by the women protagonists. In this novel, the story element is very thin and there is practically no action except for the tragic end (Indira 96).The story revolves round the inner lives of the two female protagonists, Nand Kaul and Raka. Nanda Kaul is th e wife of Mr. Kaul, the Vice-Chancellor of the Punjab University. When the novel begins, Nanda The Indian follow of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, nary(prenominal) I Jan, 2005 Kaul is living in Carignano, remote from the madding crowd. She is leading a life of isolation and introspection. She shuns all homophile company. Even the toters arriver to deliver the letter is frowned upon by her. nevertheless this be quietude does not last farawayseeing.Raka arrives at Carignano to ameliorate after her typhoid attack. The old woman and the raw girl live in double singleness. still as days pass by, Nanda Kaul controls herself drawn towards Raka, something she had not expected. But the modest girl refuses to be befriended and escapes into the hills musical note for company in solitude. Ila Das, Nanda Kauls childhood friend visits Carignano to meet Raka. A one time point out in the Punjab University, Ila Das had lost her job sequent to Mr. Kauls retirement. She has come to Kasauli immediately in her youthful capacity as an officer in the well-disposed welf be department.She fights against child wedding ceremony by edify the local people about the evils of this implement. This invites the wrath of umteen of the villagers of whom Preet Singh is one. His attempts to barter his minuscular daughter for a piddling piece of land and a few goats have been successfully thwarted by Ila Das. He is fraud in wait to settle his score with her. matchless evening, when Ila Das returns late from Carignano to her humble house in the valleys, he waylays her, rapes and murders her. When the news of Ila Dass death is conveyed to Nand Kaul over the earpiece, she is rudely shock and falls dead.Raka unmindful(predicate) of her slap-up grand arrests death, rushes into the house proclaiming ragingly that she has set the timber of fire. Nanda Kaul, Raka and to some extent Ila Das, are embodiments of the existential predicament experienced by the individua l in an un- on a lower floorstanding and even hostile universe. A tiny examination of the characters of these protagonists brings to light how Anita Desai has succeeded in giving manner to her existentialist world-view by dint of these characters and by a discriminating use of come acrossry and types. When the novel begins, Nand Kaul is presented as a recluse.Living all plainly when, except for the company of the servants who defy not disturb her privacy, she brooks no human presence. She wanted no one and nothing else. any(prenominal) else came, or happened here, would be unwelcome intrusion and embarrassment(FM 3). She spends her days in isolation, musing about her preceding(a) and experiencing the existential ennui. From the musings of her agitated mind it appears that as the wife of the vicechancellor for the Punjab University and the go of several children, she has lived a very vigorous and tiring life (Raizada 44).Anita Desai unfurls her knightly in the form of l ong interior soliloquys punctuated by authorial interruptions, Nanda Kaul had witnessed further betrayals and demands in life earlier her retirement to Kasauli. She had lived a monotonous life receiving and treating the endless stream of visitors who utilise to call on her vice-chancellor husband. Her husband had carried on a life-long affair with his mathematics mistress Miss David, whom he would have married, had she not been a Christian. Again, the memories of her children off Nanda Kaul totter at the very thought of her past.As a set about of several children, all demanding and unaccommodative, she had been given too many anxious moments. nary(prenominal) all alone in Carignano, a house associated with many uncanny stories, Nanda Kaul feels that loneliness is the only essential condition of human life. Whenever she looks at the long pine manoeuvers that stand out from among the underwood, she is reminded of her own alienation. Not exactly conscious of what she is del ay for, nonetheless, she is awaiting the indispensable end to all human existence death.She is haunted by the existential angst which has led her to discontinue that human life is basically a lonely struggle against the odds of life. In her case the odds have manifested themselves in the form of an adulterous husband and cantankerous children. Strongly convinced The Indian follow of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I Jan, 2005 that life and dealt a raw deal to her, she has firm to find the implication, if any, of her existence in isolation. She treasures her freedom, her privacy, glad her responsibilities towards her family are over, glad she needs nobody and nobody now needs her (Krishnaswamy 260).This has coloured her outlook on life to a large extent. Her reaction to the arrival of the postman and Raka, her invalid great granddaughter, makes it appear that she has extend a misanthrope. But the truth seems to be that she is a sensitive person preoccupied with the re al nature of her existence as opposed to the illusory life of her past as a vice-chancellors wife and mother to children. If Nanda Kaul was a recluse out of vengeance for a long life of duty and obligation, her great grand daughter was a recluse by nature, by instinct.She had not arrived at this condition by a long route of rejection and sacrifice worry Nanda Kaul, she was born to it, simply (FM 48). Desais in a high place posting about Rakas character at once brings out the parity and difference with that of Nanda Kauls in their mental make up. Rakss characters has been introduced by the novelist as a becloud to Nanda Kauls. If Nanda Kaul signifys a particular aspect of existentialism, which is examined elsewhere in this chapter, Raka epitomises another aspect of the existential predicament the sour of her parents on her life.Anita Desai makes Raka both young temperamentally and solitude-loving. When Raka is first introduced, the reader is informed that she is the grandda ughter of Asha, the most problematic of Nanda Kauls daughters. That she is an unwelcome intruder into Nanda Kauls life is suggested by an image. As Nanda Kaul first looks at her greatgrand daughter who is travel towards her, she reminds the old lady of an insect Raka slowed tear, dragged her foot, then came towards her great grandmother with something despairing in her attitude..She turned a pair of extravagantly large and somewhat protuberant eyes about in a way that do the old lady feel more than ever her resemblance to an insect. (FM 39). However, the old lady is shocked to see the pale and gaunt little girl and is moved to pity. But to Nanda Kaul she was still an intruder, an outsider, a mosquito flown up from the plains to tease and worry (FM 40). Raka herself does not bother more about the blatant lack of warmth(FM 40) exhibited by her great grandmother. She prefers to stay remote from company. Like a loose animal newly caged, she keeps prowling barefoot in her room, lo oking at the stone heaps.She is not interest in flowers or playing as children of her age normally tend to do. By using two reptile images successively in a brush of two pages, and by a suggestive spark advance about Rakas lack of interest in play and flowers, Desai impliedly establishes that there is something weird about her. briefly through several interior soliloquys enacted in Rakas subconscious mind, the reason for the abnormality in her is unfolded. The daughter of an ill-matched couple, Raka has been witness to the brutality and futility of human existence.She is haunted by the recollections of the nightmarish nights that have made her almost a child-stoic. Somewhere behind them, behind it all was her father, domicil from a party, stumbling and cr changeing through the curtains of the night, his mouth opening to let out a flood of rotten stench, lace at her mother with hammers and fists of abuse-harsh, filthy abuse that made Raka cower under her bedclothes and wet her mattress in fright, feeling the stream of urine warm and modify between her legs standardised a stream of blood, and her mother lay down on the floor and take out her eyes and wept.Under her The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I Jan, 2005 feet, in the dark, Raka felt that flat, wet jelly of her mothers being squelching and quivering, so that she didnt know where to launch her feet and wept as she tried to get free of it. forrad of her,no longer on the earthly concern but at some distance now, her mother was shout out. Then it was a jackal crying. (FM 72) The sudden shift from the interior monologue about her bitter past to the present observation of the jackal crying, the latter superimposed on the cause brings out Rakas predicament.By doing this, the novelist the likes ofns the haunting memories to the crying jackals. So Rakas life is a close encounter with things that are wild and frightful- be it the memories of her mother beaten to pulp by a dr unk father or the chilling cry of the jackals. kinda of trying to escape from this harsh and unnerving experiences and memories, Raka goes far and deeper into them as if to fathom the bottom of such wild realities.After some initial hesitation, she ventures deep down the ravine to the mess around Point- a place not publiced by others and from where the cries of the jackals are heard No one ever came here but Raka and the cuckoos that sand invisibly. These the cuckooswere not the obedient domestic razzs that called Nanda Kaul to attention at Carignano. They were the demented birds that raved and beckoned Raka on to a land where there was no sound, only silence, no light, only shade, and skeletons kept in beds of ash on which the footprints of jackals flowered in gray.(FM 90) This passage efficaciously coveys Rakas plight and significance. She is at once a little girl with a splintered psyche and an unornamented symbol of the individuals pastime for meaning. The jackals are s ymbols of the mystery of life and Rakas walk to the Mon happen upon Point is exemplary of her search for something unknown, yet inevitable and indispensable. Not all children would dare to brave the rough terrains of the ravines and impending menace of the jackals. Similarly, not all human beings are conscious of the futility of human existence nor are they in search of newer values.The existential theme of quest for meaning undertaken by those who refuse to remain however as members of the multitude is well brought out in the lonely and mystified wanderings of Raka. In this respect it has been pointed out by Shantha Krishnaswamy Her Rakas childhood has hardened her into a little core of solitary self-sufficiency and now, a young girl up here in the mountains.. her spirit is defiant enough to go chanting I dont care, I dont care, I cant care of anything (FM 73). The ceremonious sweet smells and sounds of girlhood are pruned, she feels drawn by scenes of devastation and failure.T he timbre fires tingle her and she bursts from the shell of Carignano like a sharp, keen edged explosive to set fire to the mountainside. (Krishnaswamy 261, 262) The concluding part of the foregoing observation concerning Rakas predilection for the wood fires needs expatiate analysis for it has emblematic overtones. Ever since her arrival at Carignano, Raka evinces a keen interest in wild fire. This obsession with the timbre fire provides yet another dimension with the forest fire provides to her existentialist preoccupations.now after her arrival at Carignano, on witnessing a fire in the forest she becomes obsessed with forest fires for they seem to her the empirical manifestation of her inner conflict whether to continue with her mediocre and painful and aimless existence imposed upon her by heredity and environment or to revolt against their dictates and attempt to create her own values. The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I Jan, 2005 By an elabora te expression of her free will and demonstration of her ability to choose and act, she sets the forest on fire towards the end of the novel.The fire created by her is the result and manifestation of her existential angst to destroy the old and meaningless to make room for the new and significant. It is an testimony of her search for values in an otherwise unreal existence. Ila Das is the third female protagonist of the novel. irrelevant Nanda Kaul and Raka who are central to the story, her role is only marginal. Nonetheless, Anita Desai has project yet another aspect of the existentialist philosophy through her character. Her life suggests another dimension of calamity and meaningless existence (Jena 30).She is first introduced to the readers, when she calls Nanda Kaul on the phone and informs her of her intended visit to Kasauli to meet Raka. She speaks in a hideous voice (FM 21) and is rather plain in her looks. Through a long interior monologue in Nanda Kauls mind, the reader s are informed of her past. She was Nanda Kauls childhood friend. She had also served in the university as a lecturer, thanks to Nanda Kauls good offices. But concisely after the death of Mr. Kaul she had been ousted and had struggled a lot before finding the present fight as a social welfare officer.A poverty ill loner of aristocratic of child marriage, a practice rampant among the tribals. This lands her in an unenviable situation. She finds herself fighting a lonely battle against a mindless multitude. But she is not cowed down by adversity. She remains starchy in her strong belief and refuses to make any compromises. though she is aware of the dire consequences that she might be forced to encounter, she remains faithful to her cause. She succeeds in stooping several such child-marriage, the prominent one being the marriage of Preet Singhs seven year old daughter.Sustaining herself on a meagre pay and putting up with the inevitable condition of loneliness, she wages a darin g battle against the dictates of the society. Finally, she pays a dear price for her convictions and refusal to compromise. She is set on and murdered by Preet Singh who has been dying for revenge. Though Ila Das plays a minor role in the novel, she is also an allegorical figure. She not only lives in isolation but also braves the brute majority with conviction and commitment as her tools.True, she meets with a tragic end but has made her existence significant in exhibiting courage and determination in the face of askew resistance and threat to life. Her real involvement in peoples welfare assumes tremendous exemplary significance (Jena 30). She epitomises the existentialist concept of struggle against the odds of life. For the existentialist, man is never just part of the existence but always stands to it in a relationship of tension with possibilities of tragic conflict (Macquarrie 17).She stands for the thinking individual who dares to exercise her free will and act consort to her choice rather than submit meekly to the odds of life. The mindless tribal society in general, and Preet Singh in particular, represent the malevolent aspect to human existence-forces that are bent upon thwarting the individuals invention and undoing her. One of the many ways of define tragedy sees it as a clash between the aspiration of human freedom and creativity with a cosmic order that is stronger and defeats man (Macquarrie 189).Though Ila Das loses her chastity and life in the process of her struggle with such brute forces, her life has nonetheless become meaningful by virtue of the fact that she chooses a cause, fights for it and sacrifices herself in trying to accomplish her task. An examination of the use of symbolic representation and imagination in the novel proves beyond doubt the novelists existential concern. She portrays a tragic world where no compromises are made, no epiphanies are exploded, to be totally destruct, as the The Indian Review of World Liter ature in English, Vol. 1, No.I Jan, 2005 sensitive, the visionary suffer nothing but suffocation and oppression. So, the content of the novel is sheer frenzy. The lives of the principal characters are unloved and unlived. (Indira 95,96). In keeping with this concept, Anita Desai resorts to the effective employment of imagery and symbolism in Fire on the Mountain. Her predilection for prey-predator imagery abounds in this novel also. Images of ugliness, loneliness, ending and annihilation are consistently used in order to reflect the existential tone of the novel.An standard pressure of solitary introspection is created with the help of several images. For example, when she receives a call from Ila Das, Nanda Kual turned her head this way and that in an escape. She watched the white hen drag out a twine inch by resisting inch from the ground till it snapped in two. She felt like the worm herself, she winced at its mutilation (FM 21). The same is continued in the adjoining page also Still starting at the hen which was greedily gulping down bits of worm, she thought of her husbands face and the way he would plait his fingers across his stomach (FM 22).This prey-predator image of hen pecking at a worm is suggestive of Nanda Kauls present inner turmoil. Her past suffering at the hands of the adulterous husband and her present sentience about the harsh realities of life are both successfully established by this image. Another classical image employed recurrently is that of the pine guide that stands burnt and alone, which is often an object of attraction for Nanda Kaul She was grey, tall and thin she fancied she could merge with the pine tree and be mistaken for one. To be a tree, no more and no less, was prepared to undertake(FM 4).Again, this image also contributes to the existentialist theme of the novel. Nandas sense of identification with the pine trees suggests her desire for absolute impassibility and withdrawal from life(Indra 97). The image of t he charred pine tree is repeatedly employed in the novel. Raka is reminded of the futility of existence piece she looks at the lonely hills and charred pine trees This hill, with its one destroyed house and one unbuilt one, on the ridge under the fire-singed pines, appealed to Raka at that place was something about it- illegitimate, uncompromising and lawless.The sense of devastation and failure drew her, inspired her (FM 90). Images of insects like lizards, birds like eagles and parrots, and the thematic image of the fire with its connotations of violence and urgency occur at regular intervals, warning the reader of the impending tragedy (Indira 96). The critic S. Indira sums up the significance of imagery in Fire on the Mountain quoting D. H. Lawrence and the novelist herselfIt is the charming mosaic of imagery weave so skillfully by the novelist that makes the Novel a work of art. Quoting D. H.Lawrence who said If I eat an apple, I like to eat it with my senses, Anita Desai h erself stated that the novel in which she attempted this closeness of man and beast, earth and vegetable was Fire on the Mountain. Imagery alone makes it possible and, in the process, the novel gains a richer texture and greater depth. As a critic says, this novel disadvantaged of its imagery, would be an ugly skeleton, chilling the reader The significant house imagery, the images of plants, colour, atmosphere and moon- all contribute to the textual density and typic centrality of the novel.(Indira 96) Another important aspect of this novels narrative technique is its symbolism. There are several symbols that deepen the philosophic implications of The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I Jan, 2005 the novel. To start with, Carignano, Nanda Kauls present abode, is symbolic of the loneliness and barrenness of human life in general and Nanda Kual in particular What pleased and fit her so, here at Carignano, was its barrenness. This was the chief virtue of K asauli, of course- its nakednessOccasionally an eagle swam through this clear undoubted mess hall of light and air .(FM 4) The lonely house is symbolic of the lonely life of Nanda Kual and Raka. The barrenness and starkness associated with its symbolise an essential human condition alienation which is the key note of all existential philosophy. The eagle symbol, like the house symbol, is repeatedly used in the course of the novel to highlight another aspect of existential philosophy, namely quest. The sight of the eagle flying high, makes Nanda long to be able to soar like the bird An eagle swept over. its wings outspread, slide on currents of air without once moving its great muscular wings which remained in repose, in control, She Nanda Kaul.had bided, it occurred to her, to ensue the eagle-gliding, with eyes closed (FM 19). This longing for soaring above the reach of deterministic confines is the hall mark of Rakss characters. To emphasise this aspect, the novelist employs the eagle symbol small-arm describing Rakas walk to the Monkey Point. She was higher than the eagles, higher than Kasauli and Sanwar and all the other hills(FM 61). Thus Nanda Kauls wish and Rakas attempt merge in the eagle-symbol, which denoted their existential angst and quest for values. The forest fire scene has symbolic overtones.Like the The Fire Sermon in T. S. Eliots The Waste Land, the fire in Fire on the Mountain is a destroyer. It is also a purifier (Brown 557). By making use of the universal fire symbol. Anita Desai endows Rakas character with allegorical implications. Raka, the invalid restless little girl who is the product of a broken home, becomes the symbol of the existentialists perception of the individual who finds herself in this hostile and unprofitable world. Yet out of compulsion, she strives to find or create values and significance for her existence.In this regard it has been observed that the symbolic implication of the forest fire is reinforced by the title of the novel, Fire on the Mountain is highly significant from the thematic point of view. The mountain symbolises Nanda Kaul and the fire is symbolic of Rakas wild nature. Nanda is the rocky belt, dry, hardened by time and age. Raka is silent, swift and threatening like forest fire The novel, thus sic may be noted as a story of inabilities of human beings to ignore the world, to place oneself in anothers stance(Choudhury 79).Another factor that adds to the philosophical implications of the novel is the frequent allusions to books and poems. As in other novels in Fire on the Mountain too Anita Desai uses poetry, and this time it is a poem by Hopkins I have want to go Where springs not fail To fields where files no sharp and sided hail And a few lilies downstairs And I have asked to be The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I Jan, 2005 Where no storms come, Where the green swell is in the havens dumb, And out of the swing to the sea. (FM 87).This poem has some connection with he character of Nanda Kaul who quotes it and the poem signifies her desire to be away from the humdrum of life, to a heaven of nature far from the madding crowd. By introducing this poignant stanza from Hopkins poem, Anita Desai highlights the theme of alienation which is the central theme of the novel. The same effect is achieved by introducing an allusion to a passage from The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon which begins with a title When a Woman lives Alone and through the image of a dilapidated house with a poignantly desolate look (FM 27).This image has symbolic overtones as it suggests the lonely and desolate life of Nanda Kaul herself. Again, when Nanda Kaul is in the company of Raka, there is an allusion to The Travels of Macro Polo (FM 87). The reference to this book reminds the Cape of Good Hope. This also adds to the symbolism of the novel. This is miniature adventure like the one Marco Polo undertook in search of something new and promising. Thus, th e characters of Nanda Kaul, Raka and Ila Das are studies of women in isolation.Essentially a writer of existential inclinations, Anita Desai examines tercet important aspects of this school of thought through her protagonists. The predominant traits of existentialism are alienation, quest and conflict. These three aspects are epitomised in the lives of three female protagonists. Nanda Kaul is a study in alienation and existential angst. Raka symbolises the individuals quest for meaning in an otherwise futile life. Ila Das stands for the eternal conflict enacted in the human drama between the individual and the forces of determinism.One frequent ground for these three characters is that they are women who live in isolation both out if choice and compulsion. Desai has examined the predicament of women in wilderness by placing these three characters Kasauli, a place surrounded by hills and valleys, for removed from civilisation. She has consciously done it to examine the predicament and psyche of women in isolation. By placing her female protagonists with nature herself as the backdrop, Anita Desai has indue a symbolic and universal significance to the plight of her protagonists.In this regard it has been pointed out Essentially, Desai is a novelist of existentialist concerns, chiefly considering what F. H. Heinaman described as the enduring human condition. In her novels, she has ably dwelt upon such existentialist themes as maladjustment, alienation, absurdity of human existence, quest for the ultimate meaning in life, decision, detachment, isolation and time as the 4th dimension, focussing on how women in the contemporary urban milieu are bravely struggling against or helplessly submitting to the relentless forces of absurd life (Prasad 140).To sum up, Fire on the Mountain invites comparison with Shakespeares King Lear. In this great tragedy, when he dramatises the bedevilment of betrayed father, Shakespeare removes Lear from the palace and places him i n the wild heath- a hostile place- to suggest that the plight of Lear is identical with the suffering of every wronged father.Shakespeare employs animal imagery to indicate the rotten and corrupt world of the dramatis personae of King Lear. Images of ugly and evil animals like jackals and wolves are recurrently used creating an animal imagery that reinforces the thematic concern of the play, namely the tragedy of human life, The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I Jan, 2005 personified in the life of Lear, a victim of indifference in old age. Anita Desais use of imagery of King Lea.