The importance of play for the childs development

The importance of play for the childs development This literature review collates evidence on the importance of play for the childs holistic development in early childhood. Concepts, theories, benefits of play, social policies, curriculum standpoints and the continuous conflicting debates which are related to this area were studied. A discussion of my personal experience which correlated to the literature review is also included. Selected literature was researched from peer-reviewed journals, books, articles and other materials relevant to this topic. The terms play, childs development, creative arts, theories and curriculum texts were chosen to evaluate this theme. Literature review It is a well-known fact that since time immemorial children kept themselves busy in play activities. Historical artefacts which can be interpreted as toys were found in various places of the world, including Malta. The National Museum in Valletta, hosts stone balls and beads which are thought to date back to the Neolithic phase (ca 5200BC). This indicates that play was always important in a childs life and as a consequence, educators delved into past studies of philosophers and early childhood education pioneers, who interpreted different views about play (Saracho et al., 1998; p.5, Wood et al., 1996; p.17, 20). In order to understand better the importance of this topic in a childs early years, an overview of different views of key theories, and definitions was researched. Different theories and definitions of play Early pioneers, scholars, and philosophers such as Plato, Comenius, Locke, Pestallozzi, Froebel, Steiner, Montessori, Freud, Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner all focused on the importance of childrens play and its relation to childs development (Anning, 1991). The first discussion of play appeared in the works of Plato (427-348 B.C.E.) the ancient Greek philosopher who maintained that one can get to know more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of discussion. He also acknowledged that play is an effective tool for children to develop their cognitive and social skills which would prepare them for their future life (Quinn, B.,  Foshay, R.,  and Morris, B., 2001). Comenius (1592-1670) in particular, believed in impulsiveness of play which boosted up childs creativity, while Locke (1632-1704) viewed play as a necessary and important part of personal development (Cassel R.N.,1973a 10(1), 42-45). Similarly, Pestallozzi (1726-1847) believed that children learn through experience and activity, (Wardel, F., 1995, v 50 n3 p.68-73). Froebels (1782-1852) pioneering work suggested that children learn best through play, free self expression, social participation and creativity and saw play as a process in which children showed their inn er self (Anderson, C., 2010, v65 n2 p54-56) while Montessori maintained that sensory stimulation during play helps the child construct and guide his own learning. (Soundy, C., 2010, v22 n4 p18-25). Both Steiner and Froebel believed in free play, where the child had the opportunity to choose the topic of the play without constant interference or involvement by an adult. (Brehony, K. J., 2001) But on the contrary to Froebel, Steiner believed that play is not limited only to toys but included cooking, painting, and action songs (Edwards, C.P., 2002, v4 n1 Spr 2002). Steiner and Montessori had similar views, in particular that of helping the children realise their full abilities through play ( Edwards, C.P., 2002, v4 n1 Spr 2002) Studies show that educational theorists also recognised the importance of play. According to Sigmund Freud, children employ pretend play to help them cope with everyday problems (Elkind, D., 2001 n139 p27-28). Play helps them change the unpleasant situations that would overcome all their difficulties (Saracho et al., 1998; 7). On the other hand, Erikson (Lillenry. O. F., 2009) described play as a primary motivation to develop socially and emotionally. In yet another definition, Jean Piaget (1886-1980) who has influenced educators for the past three decades (Wood et al., 1996; p.20; Tyler, 1976; p.227). from anna) viewed play as having a strong influence on the intellectual development of the child. Furthermore, Piaget argued that the purpose of play for the child is, that it gives fulfilment and allows development involving accommodation and assimilation (Taylor., J.B. 1996; v7v5 p.258-9) ericp. The theoretical model, which Piaget applied to his theories, was the concept of schema. Schemas are evolving structures which change from one stage of cognitive development to another (Nutbrown.C., 1994). Piagets definition of the child during play is of a scientist working actively on tangible objects, imaginary events, in a stimulating environment, while processing, constructing knowledge and understanding (Wood et al., 1996; p.21). Piagets study implies that while the child is active in play he absorbs information, and cognitive development occurs (Blenkin et al., 1981; p.28). According to Smith et al (1998), Piagets approach provided the most complete explanation of how play is the most significant factor in intellectual development. In a similar approach to all other theorists, Vyg otsky also points out that play can serve as a powerful tool for learning and development (Nicolopoulou, A., Barbosa De Sa, A., Ilgaz, H., Brockmeyer, C., 2010, v17 n1 p42-58). However, Vygotsky challenged Piagets conclusions. While Piagets theory states that a child will develop and learn while he interacts with the environment, Vygotsky implies that a child learns best through social interaction (Saracho et al., 1998; p.7). anna As studies reveal, Vygotsky placed more weight on play as serving an important role in the socialising development. His theory of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) specifies that when guided by experienced individuals the child moves on to the next level of cognitive functioning (Smolucha et al., 1998; p 53, Wood et al., 1996; p.55). This adult-child joint play activity fosters development in both adults and child (Ferholt. B. Lecusay. R., 2010; v17 n1 p.59-83). eric The level of development that can be reached with an adult, is far greater than what can be achieved alone (Ford 2004). Vygotsky also implies that while the child engages in play, the ZPD is created and the child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 102). In contrast to Vygotskys and Bruners theories, Piagets studies took another different approach. In Piagets theory the teacher acts as the facilitator for the young scientist, whilst Vygotsky and Bruners ideology is that the child and adult work together in order to develop new schemas. INSERT Jerome Bruner is one of the most important figures in education and his theory of play influenced other educators (Takaya, K., 2008, v39 n1 p1-19). Nevertheless, each of these different theoretical positions make an important contribution to our understanding of why these theorists work has become increasingly popular in todays education. (Wood et al, 1976; Crain, 1992; Broadhead, 2006). In yet a further definition of play, is given by Pellegrini (1991) and Saracho (1991) who used Rubin, Fein and Vanderbergs (1983) ideology and implies that play dominated by childs activity, while being spontaneous free of rules, and controlled by the players themselves. An equally significant description of play is given by Herbert Spencer, (1820-1903) an English philosopher and sociologist, who defines play as a channel or vent to let out the surplus energy which reduces tension, whilst Karl Gross (1861-1946) in The Philosopher of Art, alludes to Plato, when he maintains that play is the process of preparation for adult life. Similarly, Tina Bruce (2001, p. 112) believes play to be the highest form of learning and development in early childhood. sarah. This point is also sustained by the work of Moyles (1989) who maintains that play is vital for the growing child as it is an excellent learning medium. Sarah Certainly there is no shortage of limitations and misconceptions within the se views and definitions. Although the description of play remains highly popular, it is however important to note that many writers encounter difficulties when it comes to find a precise and conclusive explanation of play. (Moyles, 1989; Greig, 1998). Greig (1998) also highlights that the most difficult factor of defining play is due to the ambiguity of the whole concept. sarah As Smith (2000, p. 80) pointed out the boundaries of play are fluid and therefore it is difficult to provide a definite meaning. sarah Similarly, Peacocke (1987) argues that the misconception of the word play causes parents to have a false impression of its learning and developmental ability. Brierley (1987) points out that, if a task is easy or unimportant, we as adults refer to it as childs play. This was also supported by Moyles (1989) who argues about the importance of a different terminology for the word play, as it is usually used to signify something trivial, when in reality it is the core of learning . sarah Despite these limitations of the concept of play, its popularity in its beneficial contribution towards the childs development remains high. Educators and pioneers who advocated the use of play in education, emphasise that children expand their knowledge and developmental skills as they play alone, with others or when they interact with the environment (Clover, 1999 in Ashibi, G.S., 2007, Vol.35, no2, p. 199-207 ). It can be said from the above analysis that all these theoretical positions make an important contribution to our understanding that play is vitally important not just to childrens emotional and social development but also to their intellectual development. This review of literature depicting the work and theories on early childhood education clearly shows how the educators sought to establish the uniqueness and importance of play in childhood as a fundamental stage where they acknowledged its significance to learning and development (Wood et al., 1996; p.1). insert Further research in this study about the benefits of play, proved that they are consistent with the repeated arguments in the history of theories of play, which emphasis the power it has on childrens physical, emotional, intellectual and social development (Saracho et al., 1998; p.7). The importance of play during childhood Play helps the child flourish the skills which are very important to later growth and development (Leoeng, D. J., Bodrova, E., 2005, Vol.13, Iss. 1; pg.37).This study seems to strongly indicate that there is a connection between play and the development of cognitive, emotional, physical, and social skills that are necessary to learn more complex concepts. Play is also attributed to the growth of memory, adjusting behaviour, language, symbolic recognition, (Leong, D.J.  and  Bodrova, E.,   2005, Vol.13, Iss. 1; pg37)  and other skills such as literacy, problem solving, negotiation, turn-taking, cooperation, and social understanding ((Ashiabi, G.S., 2007, Vol.35, no. 2 pgs 19-205). The intention of the following literature is to give substantial evidence that free play including Steiners ideology, within a Montessori settings, is the key to the development of physical, cognitive, and social skills, for all children. Play and social development sarah A child being separated from his parents for the first time to attend kindergarten tends to be unsociable, and shy. At this time he has to learn how to mix with other children and develop social competence. As Smith (2000) highlights, it is through play that children establish healthy relationships with others. Active participation in free play does not only support the childs development of a sense of self but also enhances the development of the childs ability to team up with his peers. (Gerhardt, 1976: p.236 ) (anna) In order to fit into society, children have to learn how to accept and get on with others. (Reynolds, 1987; Woolfson, 2001). Sarah Connolly and Smith (1978, v10 n2 p86-97) observed pre-school children during free play sessions and noted the period of time the children had been attending the nursery school. They found that sociability in play was more correlated with time spent at the nursery than with the childs age (Connolly, K., Smith, P. 1978, v10 n2 p86-97). Studi es all imply, that play is an important activity of early childhood (Smolucha et al., 1998: p.42), Insert where peer interaction is important for social-cognitive development (Creasy et al., 1998: p. 12; Soundy, C.S., 2008, in E.C.E. J.2009 36:381-383). Play is a form of social behaviour, which requires children to act and react to different circumstances while engrossed in solitary, parallel or social play. During play, children experiment and practice new social skills and behaviours (Creasy et al., 1998, p.126). INSERT, test their assertiveness, tackle conflicts, take decisions, and make choices and mistakes (Tyler, 1976, p.242). INSERT Play also helps to increase childs ego, peer-group identity and build up abstract frameworks (Wood et al., 1996, p.145). Social competence is promoted further through the development and refinement of certain skills, such as sharing, cooperation, problem-solving, and perspective taking (Creasy et al., 1998; p.126). Insert Social and cognitive play are inter-related, when even in the simplicity of working together in sharing paper bits and pieces to make a collage, children do not just socialise but also develop intellectual skills (Seefeldt, 1976b; p.178). INSERT Play enhances Intellectual Development Children have an innate capability for learning, and play is the medium through which most learning takes place (Manning and Sharp, 1977; Smith, 2000). During free-play children are confronted with high levels of cognitive tasks. As children enjoy playing it has been established that pleasure is the factor which helps in absorbing knowledge (Bruce, 2001). Imposing rules on their play creates a conflicting anxiety, between doing what brings enjoyment and what decreases the rules that limit that pleasure (Pellegrini, 1998; p. 225). In this situation the child learns to deal with aggression, assumed leadership, respect, love, and anger. Observing peers who find new ways of tackling problems builds respect, empathy, and understanding of ones own skills as well as those of others. Fisher (1996) points out that a child engaged in an intellectually stimulating activity is just as active as the child pedalling a tricycle. In a similar fashion, vigorous play interrelates to the physical devel opment of the child. Play promotes Motor Development In a society where families live in high blocks of flats, the amount of play space is restricted. It is crucial that nursery schools provide space and play equipment for the child to develop his fine and gross motor abilities (Lester and Russell 2008). Psychologist Jane Healys study shows that physical play is essential for those children who live in inadequate environment (Healy, J. in Schroeder, K., 2007. Vol 72, iss 5; pg 73-74). Active play is associated with gross motor skills. It is a known fact that physical activities during play promote a number of health benefits including organ growth and muscle building. It is also said that through physical activities, the child understands and listens to his peers ideas while this creates roots of democracy (Gerhardt, 1976; p. 258) and help child develop a perception of friendship which will also help him solve emotional problems (Saracho, 1998; p.240; Lillard, 1998; p. 14). For years, therapists have used play therapy as an intermediat e for helping children with emotional problems. The use of Play in therapy Play therapy is based on Freuds theories where he implies that play becomes the mirror to the subconscious (Moyles J.R., 1994; pg90). Play therapy is used with children from special areas, especially with children with disabilities or post-traumatic stress (Porter, M.L., Hernandez-Reif, M., Jessee, P., 2009, v179 n8 p1025-1040). The way the child plays is a reflection of his unconsciousness, since through play the child expresses his deepest conflicts which may be the root of his present condition (Manning and Sharp 1977 p. 13). In addition to this, they highlighted how children suffering from stress would find interacting with others difficult and state that. children cannot learn effectively unless they maintain their emotional and social equilibrium. It is within play, that children come to terms with their own lives, and develop the ability to cope with stressful situations (Smith, 2000; Bruce, 2001). The therapist uses psychoanalytic techniques together with play to help childre n with certain conditions, express and overcome the feelings of fear, anger or stress (Smith, 2000; Bruce, 2001). This is not just beneficial for children with emotional problems but also for children with other diverse special needs. The importance of play for children with special needs As mentioned in other paragraphs, play may enhance various skills, facilitate academic learning and be used as a therapy for all children (Myck-Wayne, J., 2010 Vol 13, n 4 p. 14-23). An equally noteworthy benefit of play is, helping children with special needs (Tuominen, W., 2005, Vol 35 Iss.10; pg 77). During play, peers serve as role models and these children learn to socialise and interact with others at school and in their community (Tsao, L., McCabe, H., 2010, Vol 13 n 4 p 24-35). Similarly, play can also promote interpersonal skills through observational learning and imitation ( Mastrangelo, S., 2009, Vol 42 n1, p 34-44). When play is integrated with music, drama, puppetry, miming and drawing, it will meet the needs of all the childs developmental areas namely, communication, physical, cognitive, social, emotion and adaptive development (Darrow, A. 2011, Vol 24 n 2 p.28). Having considered all this, one has to conclude that since the establishment of Froebels kindergarten, and Steiners ideology it has been recognised that play and expressive arts are the most suitable way in which all children learn and develop (Pinar, 1998; p. 167) ANNA CONTINUE FROM HERE 10 3. 11 The benefits of play and creative arts insert all referen page 31 from anna Play and arts have been a part of early childhood programmes since the establishment of the kindergarten by Froebel, and subsequently integrated in the early childhood curriculum of other theorists-educators (Saracho et al., 1998; p.4). insert There are no studies that suggest that growth, development, or learning are nurtured by a serious climate (Tyler, 1976; p.241). A classroom is meant to be full of playful learning or creative play (Tyler, 1976; p.241) and any school curriculum should be tailored to increase pupils enjoyment of learning (Guidance for Curriculum Managers in England, 1999; in Silcock et al., 2001; p.42). These statements augur that the teacher determines the creativity of play and expressive arts in a classroom (Tyler, 1976; p.238). Expressive arts have always held an important position in early childhood education. The kindergarten of Froebel, and Steiners ideology which introduced children to a variety of playing activities, began a long tradition of including expressive art in the learning programme. (Nutbrown. C., etc check_ and insert in ref_ This powerful relationship between art and play help the child to strip away rules and restrictions. Children are keen to explore and experiment with materials; they are sure to find drawing, painting, singing, miming, puppetry and modelling intriguing and gratifying experiences (Seefeldt, 1976b; p.177). Insert Review of the research and writings point out the interaction between play and art and see it as a developmental link which is exercised by the child whereas through play and arts, children develop the ability to cope with the world and cultivate their creativity. (Sarachao et al. 1998, p.8) insert Similarly Freud (1959; p. 143,144) believed that there is a spec ific link between childhood play and creative arts: should we not look for the first traces of imaginative activity as early as in childhood? Might we not say that every child at play behaves like a creative writer, in that he creates a world of his own, or, rather, re-arranges the things of his world in a new way which pleases him? These interactive activities are important factors to the development of the whole child enhancing the cognitive and psychomotor development (Wood et al., 1996; p.75). Getting acquainted to the arts enriches their cognitive development (Wood et al., 1996; p.143). Insert and it also enables the child to identify, observe, discover, recall and compare; judge and imagine (Shelley, 1976; p.205). INSERT It also helps the child manifest his emotional skills (Tyler, 1976; p.233). insert It reveals the unity of learning and cognitive development (Wood et al., 1996; p. 143). insert Recent research has shown that involvement in role play positively correlated with later success on tasks of mental representation (Kavanough et al., 1998; p,94). Insert In role-play, creativity and imagination are both important procedures which help to direct, influence and generate the complexity of the activity. (Wood et al.,1996; p.147). This author continues to sustain that the roles children create, do not j ust involve actions and speech, they also generate feeling states which link both affective and cognitive processes. Similarly, music can also be included with joyful learning. When children clap, count or sing to themselves, they demonstrate the sensor motor intelligence where the repetition of action, guides the repetition of word or thought (Shelley, 1976; p.205). INSERT Eisner, (1979) Insert argues that, far from being a fringe activity, artistic expression makes its own unique contribution to the process of learning and in the childs more general cognitive development (Blenkin et al., 1981; p. 188, 189). INSERT But however, as in many areas of childhood the subject of how a child learns and develops is full of debates. As in the case of play-based learning, there appears to be a tendency that policy-makers and parents sometimes, view creative arts in class as unimportant and not completely academically beneficial to the development of the child (Moelock, Bown, Morrissey, 2003, p.41). But this is not always the case as this research on policies and curriculum standpoints in various countries demonstrated. insert from file. Policy and curriculum standpoints about play and creative activities in nursery schools Following Steiner, Frebel, Piaget and other pioneers, play nowadays is an integral issue of the curriculum in an English nursery school. The English Curriculum encourages self-initiated free play in an exploratory environment (Hurst, 1997; Curtis, 1998). Yet one should also point out that Piagets theory somehow influenced the present Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, 2007) INSERT FROM LAST ASSIGNMENT curriculum, as this pursues a stage and age approach to learning and hands on activity or play. In a similar manner, Froebel (in Brehony, K. J. 2001. 6 vols) states that creative play is the work of the child and an essential part of the educational process. By the 1960s play activities had been officially approved in the UK as this extract from the Plowden Report (C.A.C.E., 1967, p.193) indicates: We know now that play in the sense of messing about either with material objects or with other children, and of creating fantasies is vital in school. Adults who criticise teachers for allowing children to play are unaware that play is the principal means of development in early childhood. It clearly implies that free play is the best method of development in the childs early years. At the same time it states that: in play, children gradually develop concepts of causal relationships, the power to discriminate, to make judgements, to analyze and synthesize, to imagine and formulate. The Birth to Three guidance documents also reminds educators that children need to explore with all their senses. There have been many debates about the education of young children in recent years, mainly due to the implementation of policies such as Supporting Families (Home Office, 1998), as well as initiatives such as the National Childcare Strategy and Sure Start (Pugh, 2005). However, a review of research and theory reveals that play faces the problem of not being recognised within the curriculum. Studies also state that the commonly-held view that early teachers encouraged learning through play was more myth than reality (Wood et al., 1996; p.5). Continuous policy changes and the constant increase of the material surplus in the curriculum appear to conflict play (Bell, 2001; p.141). Policy-makers are still faced with many dilemmas in the way they conceptualize play with its relationship to learning. The President of Alliance for Childhood, Joan Almon in Schroeder (2007, Vol.72, Iss. 5; pg 73-74) argues that policy makers are not fully aware of the importance of play. Political issues suffocate the possibility of early learning experience and emphasise on formal methods of academic learning (Schroeder, 2007, Vol.72, Iss. 5; pg 73-74). With increased emphasis on academic skills, creative activities have become blurred (Leoeng, D. J., Bodrova, E., 2005, Vol.13, Iss. 1; pg.37). Young children may not have the ability to learn from any formal instruction, but learn through social interaction, creative play and exploration (Dockett, Perry, 2002, Vol.3 No 1., pp 68-69). Similar views are expressed by Raban (2002, Vol.26 (3), pp. 7- 8) who states that: pedagogy in early years settings has become more formal, not least, for example, as a result of doubt about the expectations of Ofsted inspectors and the impact of initiatives such as the Literacy Hour. Play and art activities are being segregated from school as play is being given the implication that it is something supplementary. Reeves from The Guardian (2002, p .13) implements that: trends in education policy are making things worse. The national curriculum is inflexibly enforced, is like an unreasonable edict from head office. The testing virus is out of control and emphasis is given to proper subjects such as maths and science, while art, music and drama are further downgraded. Myra Barrs (2002), the author of the article Best for Bambini recognises the atmosphere of pressure which exists in the introduction of formal education at a very young age. She insists that the obsession of policy makers to begin formal education at a young age impose pre-school testing and assessments. Noting the compelling nature of this article this question remains controversial. While most early years organisations are in agreement that children should not start formal teaching at an early age, there are many others, who see an early start of formal education as a childs potential advantage in todays competitive world. A view that contradicts this is articulated by Dockett, et al., (2002 Vol. 3, No 1. pp. 68-69) who contends that : children under the age of four or five may not have fully developed the cognitive and social skills that facilitate learning from formal instruction. Such research has led some to question the value of formal education at an early age and to suggest that a focus on social interaction, play and exploration might be more valuable. In an article by Henderson, in The Times (1999, p. 12) relates that studies in educational achievement show that Italy and other European countries where the statutory education starts at six or seven surpass those children who start formal learning at a younger age. A further research on this literature revealed that in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland although children are encouraged to learn through free play and not taught any reading or writing until they reach the age of seven, score in the top ten for reading standards (Synodi, E., 2010, v18 n3 p185-200) This approach is also similar in Hungary, Switzerland and Austria where there are strict guidelines not to start on literacy and numeracy until the age of six and seven. These too do twice as well in reading tests than children who are exhibited to formal teaching at a young age. (Henderson,1999, p.12). In Singapores educational policy, academic skills are given much attention and many parents are still uncertain of a play-centred curriculum. As a result, children are deprived of free play and many children have not acquired social skills (Tan et al, 1997). file write in full Similarly in Malta, adults view play and arts not so important to the academic development of the children (The Times of Malta, Editorial supplement 2001). Insert Children start pre-school at the age of four where the main aim is to prepare them for more formal instructions in grade one class. It is also understood that the main aim of the curriculum in the kindergarten level is to enhance the holistic developme nt of the child where each area of childs development is considered important (The National Minimum Curriculum.1999, pgs 34, 35). The N.M.C. document of the Maltese Ministry of Education considers play as a natural process and recognizes it as the key pedagogical means. (N.M.C. 1999, p.76). Creativity definitely enjoys privileged significance throughout the N.M.C. document. In formulating the document, creativity is not only linked to the expressive arts, it is also identified as the driving force that should aid the teacher in devising classroom curricula. In the introductory message of the document the Minister of Education state: The process (of change) will be one of creative changes in each school and with each teacher as they develop their own more detailed syllabus, resources and methods guided and inspired by this document. (NMC. 1999, p.6) Despite the previous arguments there are many reasons to think that play is the most valid way in which children learn and develop (Pinar, 1998; p.167). Major issues and debates It can be seen from the above analysis that psychologists and educators have demonstrated that play is unquestionably part and parcel of life of a growing and developing child. Nevertheless wrong concepts of play remain a growing problem. Cultural issues, socio-economic issues, and educational policies of a society could influence adults perception towards the value and purpose of play. This analysis, unfortunately, implies why parents presume that children are not learning anything worthwhile if they are just playing. Parents perceive that play in itself serves no productive purpose and does not work towards any particular goal (Moyles, 1991, pp.10). As a result many parents believe that making children learn at a young age will help them succeed at school (Schroeder, K., 2007. Vol 72, iss 5; pg 73-74) and that the knowledge of the alphabet and counting numbers are more important (Ashiabi, G.S., 2007, Vol.35, no 2 pgs 19-205). Piaget often argued that play is often neglected by adul ts because they think it has no significant function (Piaget and Inhelder, 1969). DISS sarah Insert According to Broinowski ,(cited in Bloch and Pellegrini 1989, pp.17-19) he remarks that free play of childhood is at risk. At the same time he expresses his worries when he implies that children are being hurried to grow up and are growing up without childhood. Parents and educators have raised their academic expectations for their children so, play, and do not contribute towards to the childrens academic development. In this sense they send them to various organised extra curriculum activities (Bloch and Pellegrini, 1989, pp. 28-29, Chudacof 2007). Although these structured activities can enhance and have a

The Barriers To Communication

The Barriers To Communication While there are many subtleties to communication between people with some basic skills can actually help you to be even effective communicator. On this assignment we will explore barriers to listening and strategies for effective listening, Barriers to accurate perception and barriers to effective verbal communication and strategies for accurate perception and lastly strategies for effective verbal communication. Listening may not seem like a complicated process when someone speaks you listen. As you are ready to receive the information and being communicated you are likely not actually realizing that you are decoding the dialogue or interpreting it Barriers to Communication If noise is whatever interferes with communication between sender and receiver (and vice versa), its important to understand what causes noise-what are the main barriers to communication. There are three main types of barriers: external, internal, and semantic. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ External barriers to communications include environmental and visual distractions. Suppose you are listening to your professor and suddenly you see your favorite movie star walk by in the hallway. Do you think you would hear and understand everything your professor was saying at that moment? Or maybe youre on a date and having a hard time hearing what your companion is saying because of the racket in the restaurant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Internal barriers come from within the receiver. They include not paying attention or not listening, boredom, and lack of interest. If a student is sitting in class daydreaming instead of listening to the instructor, for example, how much communication is taking place? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Semantic barriers come from differences in language, education, and culture. Obviously if the sender is speaking in English and the receiver doesnt understand English, theres a problem. But even if the sender and receiver speak English, they may not speak the same dialect. The words they use may not mean the same thing. If you order a soda in Washington, DC, for example, youll get a soft drink. If you order a soda in Detroit, youll get a drink made of soda water and flavored syrup with ice cream floating in it. If youre from the United States and youre speaking to a Scot from Glasgow, you may have a hard time simply understanding his Pronunciation. And your accent may be incomprehensible to him! Four Steps to Effective Interpersonal Communication If you are the sender, its your job to find ways to penetrate the noise that prevents clear communication. Following these four steps in your communication will help you do so: 1. Focus your message 2. Magnify the listeners attention 3. Penetrate barriers 4. Listen actively. Focus Your Message Focusing your message means planning before you speak. Think carefully about what you want to say and how you want to say it. Decide what your goal is: to inform, to persuade, to direct, or to do something else. Be sure you understand who your audience is so you understand where the audience is coming from as it receives your message. Make sure your message is specific and concise. Get to the point; dont be diverted into side issues. Present your message politely, and be objective-state all sides positions fairly before arguing your own. (If the listener perceives that you are biased, this itself can become an important barrier to communication.) Magnify the Listeners Attention Ask yourself: Why should my listener care about what I have to say? You must create interest-make your message relevant to the listener. If your instructor suddenly announces that something will be on your next exam, youre more likely to pay attention. If you announce that what youre about to say will save your listeners money, youre likely to grab their attention. Find something in your message that your listener can relate to and make sure you highlight that. Make it clear that your message is important. For example, if you suddenly announce that What Im about to say could save your life, before you discuss a crucial safety issue, youll grab the listeners interest. But your ideas must really be important. Simply declaring that they are wont do it-you must persuade the audience through the clarity and logic of your arguments and your evidence that your message really is significant. Again, think about your message from the audiences perspective instead of your own. This means knowing your audience. Deliver your message so that it naturally draws your listeners attention. Penetrate Barriers One serious barrier to clear communication is vagueness. If you say, There was a fire downtown last night, you have communicated little. If you say, however, Twenty fire trucks from three different towns fought an inferno last night that destroyed an entire city block, including a fireworks factory, your concrete description has communicated a good deal more. The listener now understands that youre talking about a major disaster, not a fire in a trash can. Your concrete description helps the listener create a mental picture, or visualize the blaze.

Color processing in the primates Essay -- Biology, Visual System, Colo

Color is a feature that is possessed by very few mammals. K .Tansely in one of his books on visual system the vision in vertebrates commented that â€Å"On the whole mammals appear not to have color vision, except for the primates where it is well developed and almost certainly trichomatic†. The word trichomatic was derived from a theory given by French physiologist Palmer in 1777 which stated the presence three different types of infinite number of molecules present in the human retina. These types are for detection of colors like red, blue and yellow. Few years later Thomas Young postulated the presence of three types of cones which are responsible for the detection of these primary colors or metamers and their concept of empirically proven by Maxwell in 1860. This trichomatic nature of perception of human retina seemed a limitation as human eye can perceive millions of colors. These millions of colors are limited to a Grassman’s laws explained additive, scalar and associative properties of metamers to prove the different combinations of colors perceived by visual system. The human range of perception of light is from 380nm to 760nm. The perception of color depends upon photo-receptors ability to segregate different wavelength. The Bowmaker et al in 1979 was able to identify the cone using micro-spectrometry by seeing cone absorption spectrum.The cones were in blue, green and red spectrum with wavelength of 420nm, 534 nm and 564 nm. The rod that was identified absorbed the spectrum at 498 nm. The results on the absorption spectrum were quite similar to the results found on Rhesus monkey by the same author. *Bowmaker et al. The name given to cones on the absorption spectrum are S(Short), L(Long) and (M) moderate . T... ...gnocellular pathway cells is shown by grey cells.(Martin 2004) The third and the smallest layer is Koniocellular that is present between the Parvocellular and magnocellular consist mainly of inter-neurons. The blue-ON cells form a connection with small bistratified ganglion cells and it ends in Koniocellular cells. These small size neurons project into supragranular layer 2, 3 and upper part 4 including the cytochrome oxidase rich ‘blob’ region of visual cortex. *Sampling density of blue-ON cells relative to the S-cone array is shown by white circles.(*Martin 2004) There is unknown pathway that begins from wide receptive field yellow-ON ganglion cells and ends at unknown destination in Lateral Geniculate Nucleus. *The small white circle at position of S-cone represents the postulated midget blue-OFF cells ganglion cells. (Martin 2004) Color processing in the primates Essay -- Biology, Visual System, Colo Color is a feature that is possessed by very few mammals. K .Tansely in one of his books on visual system the vision in vertebrates commented that â€Å"On the whole mammals appear not to have color vision, except for the primates where it is well developed and almost certainly trichomatic†. The word trichomatic was derived from a theory given by French physiologist Palmer in 1777 which stated the presence three different types of infinite number of molecules present in the human retina. These types are for detection of colors like red, blue and yellow. Few years later Thomas Young postulated the presence of three types of cones which are responsible for the detection of these primary colors or metamers and their concept of empirically proven by Maxwell in 1860. This trichomatic nature of perception of human retina seemed a limitation as human eye can perceive millions of colors. These millions of colors are limited to a Grassman’s laws explained additive, scalar and associative properties of metamers to prove the different combinations of colors perceived by visual system. The human range of perception of light is from 380nm to 760nm. The perception of color depends upon photo-receptors ability to segregate different wavelength. The Bowmaker et al in 1979 was able to identify the cone using micro-spectrometry by seeing cone absorption spectrum.The cones were in blue, green and red spectrum with wavelength of 420nm, 534 nm and 564 nm. The rod that was identified absorbed the spectrum at 498 nm. The results on the absorption spectrum were quite similar to the results found on Rhesus monkey by the same author. *Bowmaker et al. The name given to cones on the absorption spectrum are S(Short), L(Long) and (M) moderate . T... ...gnocellular pathway cells is shown by grey cells.(Martin 2004) The third and the smallest layer is Koniocellular that is present between the Parvocellular and magnocellular consist mainly of inter-neurons. The blue-ON cells form a connection with small bistratified ganglion cells and it ends in Koniocellular cells. These small size neurons project into supragranular layer 2, 3 and upper part 4 including the cytochrome oxidase rich ‘blob’ region of visual cortex. *Sampling density of blue-ON cells relative to the S-cone array is shown by white circles.(*Martin 2004) There is unknown pathway that begins from wide receptive field yellow-ON ganglion cells and ends at unknown destination in Lateral Geniculate Nucleus. *The small white circle at position of S-cone represents the postulated midget blue-OFF cells ganglion cells. (Martin 2004)

How Much Does It Cost to Save? Essay -- Economics Employment Jobs Essa

How Much Does It Cost to Save? The impact of software development offshore outsourcing has many economic and social impacts. Economically, India is thriving with GDP growth accelerating exponentially including having the potential to achieve double-digit growth.1 Meanwhile, in the United States, the numbers relating to developer jobs are quite the opposite. Most figures suggest that by 2015, roughly 3.3 million business-processing jobs will have moved abroad. As of July 2003, around 400,000 jobs already had.2 Socially, job loss has many strong emotional implications. Job loss due to cost cutting measures coupled with the dot-com layoffs in Silicon Valley conveys an outlook for finding a technical position quite bleak. In addition, changing jobs is stressful, let alone moving into a project management position that now appears to be a position a US engineer must look into. In India, although there is significant momentum to put their trained technical skills to use, the temporal logistics of the situation force many Indian engineers to work during the night time. The economic benefits are seen, but at what cost on a personal basis? With such facts, one can argue for both sides of the economics and social impacts of outsourcing. The context must apply internationally, particularly in the United States and India. When viewed at this level, the economics suggest that the outsourcing moves are indeed overall beneficial. The social impact, however, is not so supportive and an ethical analysis shows that when these factors are taken into account, the suggestion that the economic benefits outweigh all the costs is not necessarily the case. Economics The immediate negative economic impacts in the United States about o... ..., 2002 (back) CNet News, M.B.A.s scout for scarce tech jobs, 2003, CNC, 8 Jan., 2003, http://news.com.com/2100-1017_3-979734.html?tag=st_rn (back) Techs Unite, Washington Could Be First State to Ban Offshoring, 2004, TUC, 3 Feb. 2004 http://www.techsunite.org/news/040203_ban.cfm (back) TUC, Washington Could Be First State to Ban Offshoring, 2004 (back) Wired News, Tech Chiefs Defend Overseas Jobs, 2004, WNC, 7 Jan. 2004 http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,61825,00.html (back) Call Centers India, Call Centers in India, , CCI, date unknown http://www.callcentersindia.com/displaynews.php?idnews=4 (back) Stanford University, Rethinking Migration, 2001, SU, 1 Jan. 2001 http://www.stanford.edu/~aneesh/NewFiles/Rethinking%20Migration.pdf (back) SU, Rethinking Migration, 2001 (back) RAJ, India Winning Higher-Status Jobs in U.S., 2003 (back)

Pearl Harbor :: American History World War 2 WWII

Hawaii's Pearl Harbor is one of the most well known military installations in the world. On December 7, 1941 Japanese fighter planes attacked the United States Naval base Pearl Harbor killing more than 2300 Americans. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto had conceived the surprise attack. Commander Mitsuo Fuchida led the striking force of 353 Japanese aircraft. There had been no formal declaration of war. There were approximately 100 ships of the United States navy present that morning, and it was known as Battleship Row. Battleship Row consisted of battleships, destroyers, cruisers, and other various support ships. During the attack more than 50 percent of the United States pacific fleet was out to sea including carriers. Nearby Hickman Field also fell victim of the surprise attack by the Japanese. 18 Army air corps including bombers, and fighters and attack bombers were destroyed or damaged on the ground during the attack. A few United States fighters struggled into the air against the invaders and gave a good account of themselves. Ground fire and United States pilots from various military installations on the inland of Oahu shot down a total of 29 Japanese fighters. The road to war between Japan and the United States began in the 1930's when differences over China drove the two nations apart. In 1931 Japan conquered Indonesia, which until then had been part of China. In 1937 Japan began a long and ultimately unsuccessful campaign to conquer the rest of China. In 1940 the Japanese government allied their country with Nazi Germany in the Axis Alliance, and, in the following year occupied all of Indonesia. The United States, which had important political and economic interests in East Asia, was alarmed by these Japanese moves. The United States increased military and financial aid to China, created a program of strengthening its military power in the Pacific and cut off the shipment of oil and other raw materials to Japan. Because Japan was poor in natural resources its government viewed these steps, especially the embargo on oil, as a threat to the nations survival. Japans' leaders responded by resolving to seize the resources and territories of Southeast Asia, even though that move would certainly result in war with the United States. The problem with the plan was the danger posed by the United States Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto commander of the Japanese fleet devised a plan to immobilize the United States fleet at the out set of the war with a surprise attack.

Costume Design Essay

Creative collaboration among the costume designer, the director and the set and lighting designers ensures that the costumes are smoothly integrated into the production as a whole. Stage costumes can provide audiences with information about a character’s occupation, social status, gender, age, sense of style and tendencies towards conformity or individualism. As well, costumes can: reinforce the mood and style of the production distinguish between major and minor characters suggest relationships between characters change an actor’s appearance suggest changes in character development and age be objects of beauty in their own right. Costume designs also need to include any accessories such as canes, hats, gloves, shoes, jewelry or masks. These costume props add a great deal of visual interest to the overall costume design. They are often the items that truly distinguish one character from another. The designer’s work Costume designers begin their work by reading the script to be produced. If the production is set in a specific historical era, the fashions of this period will need to be researched. To stimulate the flow of ideas at the first meeting with the director and the design team (set, costume, lighting and sound designers), the costume designer may want to present a few rough costume sketches. This is also an appropriate time to check with the director on the exact number of characters needing costumes, as any non-speaking characters the director plans to include may not have been listed in the script. It is the costume designer’s responsibility to draw up the costume plot. The costume plot is a list or chart that shows which characters appear in each scene, what they are wearing and their overall movement throughout the play. This helps track the specific costume needs of every character. It can also identify any potential costume challenges, such as very quick changes between scenes. When the director and production team have approved the costume designer’s preliminary sketches, she or he can draw up the final costume designs. The final designs are done in full color. They show the style, silhouette, textures, accessories and unique features of each costume. Once the show opens, the designer’s work is essentially complete. Now it’s normally the job of a wardrobe assistant to make sure that every aspect of the production runs just as the designer intended, time after time, until the production closes.

Frankenstein

The Power of Frankenstein and Manfred Throughout the novel Frankenstein, author Mary Shelley clearly illustrates the moral of the story. God is the one and only creator; therefore, humans should never attempt to take His place. Literary critic Marilyn Butler sums up that we aren’t to tamper with creation in her comment: â€Å"Don’t usurp God’s prerogative in the Creation-game, or don’t get too clever with technology† (302). Butler warns that as humans, we should never assume the position of God. As Victor Frankenstein takes advantage of his deep scientific knowledge, he is punished for taking his experimenting too far.The novel opens as Victor Frankenstein recalls his curiosity and fascination with human life. Frankenstein quickly becomes obsessed with experimenting, and he attempts to create a living being out of dead body parts. He succeeds, but his creation turns into a living monster. Exclaimed by Frankenstein, â€Å"It was the secrets of heave n and earth that I desired to learn† (Shelley 33). Victor is extremely horrified by his grotesque looking creation and falls into a severe illness. While Victor is ill, the monster escapes to the woods where he watches a family and tries to befriend the humans.But once the monster makes his presence known, the family can’t accept Frankenstein’s ugly appearance. Because all humans he encountered reject him, the monster begins to hate people and believe that they are his enemies. Frustrated, the monster returns to his creator and demands that Frankenstein makes a female companion to cure his loneliness. The creature promises Victor that he will leave with his female companion, travel to South America, and never come in contact with humans again. However, two years beforehand, the creature spitefully murdered Victor's brother William to get back at him.Holding a grudge against his monster creation for the death of William, Victor refuses to make a friend for the mon ster. In an effort to make Victor as miserable as himself, the monster seeks revenge on his creator. The monster takes his frustration out on everything and everyone dear to Victor, and murders of Frankenstein’s family and friends. The remainder of the novel revolves around the struggles Victor Frankenstein encounters as he attempts to escape from the mess of a vengeful monster he has made.The moral of the story doesn’t simply stress that God is the only Creator, but it also emphasizes the responsibility we need to take for our actions. Humans all make mistakes, but we are all held accountable. Victor Frankenstein creates this monster and then runs away from the disaster he makes. Similarly, parents are responsible for the children they have, even if the pregnancy wasn’t desired. Frankenstein creates a monster he doesn’t want, but he is still responsible to take care of his mistake, which he fails to do. Victor Frankenstein expresses: â€Å"It was a stro ng effort of the spirit of good, but it was ineffectual.Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction† (Shelley 38). Victor describes his intention to create as a good intent, but because the monster he created was sinful, his effort was useless. Victor is quick to blame his terrible creation on destiny saying that he was only trying to do honorable actions, but they weren’t successful. Though the message of the story is apparent, the antagonist and protagonist of the story can’t be as clearly identified. In the beginning of the novel, Victor Frankenstein is the bad guy for creating his monster and not caring for it.However some readers may say that as the story develops, the monster turns into the antagonist. The monster is searching for ways to make his creator unhappy. The monster’s god is Victor, he doesn’t know of any higher power. The monster learns to be evil and vengeful as he observes the human s, so he acts upon what he sees. Clearly, the monster’s sins such as murder are deliberate. The monster, however, wasn’t taught how to behave appropriately in situations. As we are commanded in the book of Romans, we are not to take revenge: â€Å"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath† (Revelation 12:19).Though I am a firm believer that we are to follow God’s commands, I believe that the true antagonist of the story is Victor Frankenstein. Victor is the creator of this evil being, thus he is responsible for the neglect and actions of his monster. It is inevitable that a time comes for parents to let their children branch out to make their own decisions. Parents cannot be held fully accountable for their children’s mistakes, but they are accountable for the foundation on which they raised their children. Victor is very responsible for the monster’s decisions because Victor failed to give him a fair founda tion.Running from his sins, Victor Frankenstein is responsible for all of his personal actions and most of the actions of the monster he chose to create. Victor dangerously messes with God’s job of creating. Once he makes this creature, he should have taken responsibility for the life he brought into the world. Because the creature isn’t nurtured, taught, and loved, I believe that all of his later sinful acts of revenge are a direct reflection of him being neglected. The monster does not create himself, or chose to be neglected, so he shouldn’t be responsible for most of his behaviors.In today’s society, everyone is held accountable for their actions, no matter what background or family situation they come from. Sometimes, we are unfairly held accountable for our wrongdoings even if weren’t provided with the resources to make better decisions. Generally, in situations such as in the classroom or social conditions, children and adults who haven†™t had teaching and advantages given to them aren’t held as highly accountable for their actions. This is a similar situation to Frankenstein and the monster he regrettably made.I believe that Frankenstein should be held more highly accountable for his mistakes. The monster was never taught how to behave as he grew up, which wasn’t his fault. Living in the woods and being able to observe how humans should acceptably behave, he should be held partially accountable for his actions. I have come to understand that we are held accountable for what we know. Victor Frankenstein was an educated man who knew better than to tamper with the creation of life. There is no excuse for the mistake he made and didn’t assume responsibility. Victor Frankenstein is more of a monster than the monster he created.Evil is at the heart of the story as expressed by critic George Levine: â€Å"In gothic fiction, but more particularly in Frankenstein, evil is both positively present and largely inexplicable. † The monsters evil nature is inexplicable. As he was never nurtured and taught manners, the monster was also never taught to be evil. The monster chose to act on his evil emotions, which isn’t easily identified. At the end of the novel in an effort to destroy humans, especially his creator, the monster kills Victor Frankenstein’s brother, William, when he sees him in the woods.The monster also kills Victor’s love, Elizabeth. The monster is a prisoner to this state of a lonely life. He couldn’t help the way he was born into the world and left to fend for himself. He could have, however, chose to act differently on his angry emotions. Initially, Victor thought that he could escape this misery and get rid of the monster if he made a female. After more careful thought, Victor was worried that he will create a whole family of monsters who would take over the world. The scientist refuses to get himself into even more of a mess.It d oes appear that Victor learned from his mistake, but it seems to be too late. Victor is being spiteful in refusing to make the monster a companion. Though Victor still refuses to take responsibility for the one monster he already created, he is smart enough to acknowledge the tragedy that would come from creation of another. The novel Frankenstein shows close relation to Lord Byron’s play Manfred. Mary Shelly used Byron’s poem as an inspiration for her novel as both stories exhibit man’s struggles with the supernatural.Byron opens his dramatic poem with Manfred pondering his guilty conscience. Manfred conjures up seven spirits: earth, ocean, air, night, mountains, winds, and the star, but none of them grant him the wish of forgetting the thoughts that race through his mind. Under the cast of a spell, he then pursues his own death, but is not given his wish of death. As Manfred stands on the edge of a cliff, he contemplates suicide: I feel the impulse Yet I do no t plunge; I see the peril Yet do not recede; And my brain reels And yet my foot is firm. (1. 2. 280-283)Death doesn’t take Manfred because it wasn’t his time. Full of depression about his onetime lover, Astarte, and the suicide of his dear sister, Manfred doesn’t know what to do. He refuses relief from the different spirits and also rejects religion. The Abbot shows up to Manfred to save his soul, but Manfred declines: â€Å"Manfred believes himself to be above his fellow mortals but he is not fit for the life of an immortal, either. To him, there is only one option for such a conflicted soul: death† (Warren). Manfred refuses to stoop down low enough to allow a mortal to help him.Mary Shelley and Lord Byron both exhibit the danger of tampering with the power of God. Lord Byron writes: â€Å"Sorrow is Knowledge: they who know the most/ Must mourn the deepest o’er the fatal truth, / The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life† (1. 10-12). I int erpret these lines to sum up that we shouldn’t mess with the knowledge that we have, because it doesn’t reap good things, or life. Victor Frankenstein certainly took his knowledge of science to a level beyond his place, and his knowledge brought about disaster life. Lord Byron also creates a character that takes too much control and acts in Gods position.Filled with guilt, Manfred tries to seize the power of God and decide his own time for death. That isn’t our position or our calling, only God’s. Victor Frankenstein tries to assume the position of God by creating life. Similarly, Manfred tries to assume the position of God by deciding when to end life. Refusing the Abbot’s help, Manfred turns from religion. Both characters acted as if their own power was above everyone else and God. Victor thought he was good enough to take God’s place of creating while Manfred thought he was too good to accept God’s gift of salvation.Both Shelley an d Byron paint a clear picture of the consequences that come from attempting to take God’s power and position. Works Cited Butler, Marilyn. â€Å"Frankenstein and Radical Science. † Shelly 302. Byron, Lord. Manfred. Vol. XVIII, Part 6. The Harvard Classics. New York: P. F. Collier ; Son, 1909-14: Bartleby. com, 2001. www. bartleby. com/18/6/. [September 26, 2012]. Levine, George. â€Å"Frankenstein and the Tradition of Realism. † Shelly 209. Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Ed. Simon ; Brown. 1818. Warren, Ashley. â€Å"Association of Young Journalists And Writers. † UniversalJournal AYJW. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. Frankenstein Raphael Porras Tabula Rasa Theory: Frankenstein’s Creature The nature versus nurture debate has been an ongoing issue in Psychology. It centres on whether a person's behaviour is a product of his or her genes or the person's environment and surroundings. Some well-known thinkers such as Plato and Descartes proposed that certain things are inherited and innate or that they simply occur naturally regardless of human influences. On the other hand, other philosophers such as John Locke believed in what is known as the tabula rasa.It is a theory which suggests the human mind begins as a â€Å"white paper void of all characters without any ideas,† (Gerrig et al. 51-57). This theory is what  Mary Shelley's Frankenstein revolves on as one researcher suggests that this notion of tabula rasa is what Shelley's account of the Creature's development seems to hold (Higgins 61). By considering this concept, where all humans start as a â€Å"blank slate,† as reflected in the c haracter development of the Creature and narrative style being used in the story, one can see that the person’s environment plays a big role in moulding a person's attitude and behaviour.This is noteworthy because the creature started his life as an innocent and naive person. He only became vicious and malevolent after going through harsh treatments of society. Although the Creature didn't go through childhood, he began his life like a child. He had no knowledge or idea of how the world works. â€Å"I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew and could distinguish nothing,† he said (Shelley 129). Higgins suggests that it is significant to know that the Creature did not describe any feelings of loneliness in his early stages of life; this only begins when he encounters the De Lacey family (63).Although he had been already treated ill by people prior to meeting them, the creature have not mentioned how he felt, whether he was upset about it or not, after all, he did n’t know how to respond to any kind stimuli tossed at him. Through day to day observation of the De Lacey family, he learned various things, from reading and writing to human history and relationships. Of all the stuff he learned, there is one important aspect of life that affected him the most and that is the essence of having a family. He only started to have feelings of compassion and sympathy because of them. I saw no cause for [De Lacey’s] unhappiness; but I was deeply affected by it,† the Creature says (Shelley 136). The Creature became so attached to the family that when â€Å"they were unhappy, [he] felt depressed; when they rejoiced, [he] sympathized in their joys† (Shelley 138). To be accepted by them was a precarious moment for him but, unfortunately, he got rejected by the family whom he cared and loved. Because of this he flees to the woods, and in turn, he saves a girl who almost got drowned. Instead of being called a savior for his heroic ac t, he rather got fired and shot that almost killed him.All these catastrophic moments of rejection by mankind add up to his feelings of aversion and abhorrence. â€Å"Inflamed by pain, [he] vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind† (Shelley 166). By killing Victor’s brother, William, and several of Victor’s beloved ones, he then turns into a vicious monster as what society brands him to be right from the start. This gradual development of the Creature, from an innocent human being to an atrocious monster, perhaps rests its claim on being a good foundation to the tabula rasa theory.Another functional way that Mary Shelley uses in the novel is her application of the first person narrative of the Creature. It is effective as it enables the readers to be more involved of the activities and engagements of the monster. Although he is not the protagonist of the story, this way of narration keeps the readers close to the action and makes them understand more th e contemplations and cogitations of the Creature. This makes the readers feel as if they were part of a jury of a case where the monster is the one being prosecuted, trying to defend himself by relating his side of the story.Higgins suggests that the Creature’s narrative form has an impact on his confessional writings and rhetoric alienation (62). Through this, one can see the transformation of the monster from being like a child into becoming a cold blooded murderer. Through her portrayal of the development of the Creature and her unique style of narration, Shelley is able to picture to the reader the reality that society plays an important role in wielding a person’s attitude and behavior. Percy Shelley proposes that if you treat a person ill, he will become wicked; and if you requite affection with scorn, you impose upon him irresistible obligations – alevolence and selfishness (qtd. in Veeder 226). This, feasibly, holds true to the modern society today for n o one is born a killer unless he or she is pushed to kill someone through traumatic and disastrous life events and experiences. Works Cited Gerrig, Richard, et al. Psychology and Life. 2nd ed. Toronto: Pearson Canada, 2012. Print Higgins, David. Frankenstein: Character Studies. Cornwall: MPG Books Ltd, 2008. Print. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Eds. D. L. Macdonald, and Kathleen Scherf. Buffalo: Broadview P, 1999. Print. Veeder, William. Mary Shelley & Frankenstein. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1986. Print. Frankenstein The Power of Frankenstein and Manfred Throughout the novel Frankenstein, author Mary Shelley clearly illustrates the moral of the story. God is the one and only creator; therefore, humans should never attempt to take His place. Literary critic Marilyn Butler sums up that we aren’t to tamper with creation in her comment: â€Å"Don’t usurp God’s prerogative in the Creation-game, or don’t get too clever with technology† (302). Butler warns that as humans, we should never assume the position of God. As Victor Frankenstein takes advantage of his deep scientific knowledge, he is punished for taking his experimenting too far.The novel opens as Victor Frankenstein recalls his curiosity and fascination with human life. Frankenstein quickly becomes obsessed with experimenting, and he attempts to create a living being out of dead body parts. He succeeds, but his creation turns into a living monster. Exclaimed by Frankenstein, â€Å"It was the secrets of heave n and earth that I desired to learn† (Shelley 33). Victor is extremely horrified by his grotesque looking creation and falls into a severe illness. While Victor is ill, the monster escapes to the woods where he watches a family and tries to befriend the humans.But once the monster makes his presence known, the family can’t accept Frankenstein’s ugly appearance. Because all humans he encountered reject him, the monster begins to hate people and believe that they are his enemies. Frustrated, the monster returns to his creator and demands that Frankenstein makes a female companion to cure his loneliness. The creature promises Victor that he will leave with his female companion, travel to South America, and never come in contact with humans again. However, two years beforehand, the creature spitefully murdered Victor's brother William to get back at him.Holding a grudge against his monster creation for the death of William, Victor refuses to make a friend for the mon ster. In an effort to make Victor as miserable as himself, the monster seeks revenge on his creator. The monster takes his frustration out on everything and everyone dear to Victor, and murders of Frankenstein’s family and friends. The remainder of the novel revolves around the struggles Victor Frankenstein encounters as he attempts to escape from the mess of a vengeful monster he has made.The moral of the story doesn’t simply stress that God is the only Creator, but it also emphasizes the responsibility we need to take for our actions. Humans all make mistakes, but we are all held accountable. Victor Frankenstein creates this monster and then runs away from the disaster he makes. Similarly, parents are responsible for the children they have, even if the pregnancy wasn’t desired. Frankenstein creates a monster he doesn’t want, but he is still responsible to take care of his mistake, which he fails to do. Victor Frankenstein expresses: â€Å"It was a stro ng effort of the spirit of good, but it was ineffectual.Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction† (Shelley 38). Victor describes his intention to create as a good intent, but because the monster he created was sinful, his effort was useless. Victor is quick to blame his terrible creation on destiny saying that he was only trying to do honorable actions, but they weren’t successful. Though the message of the story is apparent, the antagonist and protagonist of the story can’t be as clearly identified. In the beginning of the novel, Victor Frankenstein is the bad guy for creating his monster and not caring for it.However some readers may say that as the story develops, the monster turns into the antagonist. The monster is searching for ways to make his creator unhappy. The monster’s god is Victor, he doesn’t know of any higher power. The monster learns to be evil and vengeful as he observes the human s, so he acts upon what he sees. Clearly, the monster’s sins such as murder are deliberate. The monster, however, wasn’t taught how to behave appropriately in situations. As we are commanded in the book of Romans, we are not to take revenge: â€Å"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath† (Revelation 12:19).Though I am a firm believer that we are to follow God’s commands, I believe that the true antagonist of the story is Victor Frankenstein. Victor is the creator of this evil being, thus he is responsible for the neglect and actions of his monster. It is inevitable that a time comes for parents to let their children branch out to make their own decisions. Parents cannot be held fully accountable for their children’s mistakes, but they are accountable for the foundation on which they raised their children. Victor is very responsible for the monster’s decisions because Victor failed to give him a fair founda tion.Running from his sins, Victor Frankenstein is responsible for all of his personal actions and most of the actions of the monster he chose to create. Victor dangerously messes with God’s job of creating. Once he makes this creature, he should have taken responsibility for the life he brought into the world. Because the creature isn’t nurtured, taught, and loved, I believe that all of his later sinful acts of revenge are a direct reflection of him being neglected. The monster does not create himself, or chose to be neglected, so he shouldn’t be responsible for most of his behaviors.In today’s society, everyone is held accountable for their actions, no matter what background or family situation they come from. Sometimes, we are unfairly held accountable for our wrongdoings even if weren’t provided with the resources to make better decisions. Generally, in situations such as in the classroom or social conditions, children and adults who haven†™t had teaching and advantages given to them aren’t held as highly accountable for their actions. This is a similar situation to Frankenstein and the monster he regrettably made.I believe that Frankenstein should be held more highly accountable for his mistakes. The monster was never taught how to behave as he grew up, which wasn’t his fault. Living in the woods and being able to observe how humans should acceptably behave, he should be held partially accountable for his actions. I have come to understand that we are held accountable for what we know. Victor Frankenstein was an educated man who knew better than to tamper with the creation of life. There is no excuse for the mistake he made and didn’t assume responsibility. Victor Frankenstein is more of a monster than the monster he created.Evil is at the heart of the story as expressed by critic George Levine: â€Å"In gothic fiction, but more particularly in Frankenstein, evil is both positively present and largely inexplicable. † The monsters evil nature is inexplicable. As he was never nurtured and taught manners, the monster was also never taught to be evil. The monster chose to act on his evil emotions, which isn’t easily identified. At the end of the novel in an effort to destroy humans, especially his creator, the monster kills Victor Frankenstein’s brother, William, when he sees him in the woods.The monster also kills Victor’s love, Elizabeth. The monster is a prisoner to this state of a lonely life. He couldn’t help the way he was born into the world and left to fend for himself. He could have, however, chose to act differently on his angry emotions. Initially, Victor thought that he could escape this misery and get rid of the monster if he made a female. After more careful thought, Victor was worried that he will create a whole family of monsters who would take over the world. The scientist refuses to get himself into even more of a mess.It d oes appear that Victor learned from his mistake, but it seems to be too late. Victor is being spiteful in refusing to make the monster a companion. Though Victor still refuses to take responsibility for the one monster he already created, he is smart enough to acknowledge the tragedy that would come from creation of another. The novel Frankenstein shows close relation to Lord Byron’s play Manfred. Mary Shelly used Byron’s poem as an inspiration for her novel as both stories exhibit man’s struggles with the supernatural.Byron opens his dramatic poem with Manfred pondering his guilty conscience. Manfred conjures up seven spirits: earth, ocean, air, night, mountains, winds, and the star, but none of them grant him the wish of forgetting the thoughts that race through his mind. Under the cast of a spell, he then pursues his own death, but is not given his wish of death. As Manfred stands on the edge of a cliff, he contemplates suicide: I feel the impulse Yet I do no t plunge; I see the peril Yet do not recede; And my brain reels And yet my foot is firm. (1. 2. 280-283)Death doesn’t take Manfred because it wasn’t his time. Full of depression about his onetime lover, Astarte, and the suicide of his dear sister, Manfred doesn’t know what to do. He refuses relief from the different spirits and also rejects religion. The Abbot shows up to Manfred to save his soul, but Manfred declines: â€Å"Manfred believes himself to be above his fellow mortals but he is not fit for the life of an immortal, either. To him, there is only one option for such a conflicted soul: death† (Warren). Manfred refuses to stoop down low enough to allow a mortal to help him.Mary Shelley and Lord Byron both exhibit the danger of tampering with the power of God. Lord Byron writes: â€Å"Sorrow is Knowledge: they who know the most/ Must mourn the deepest o’er the fatal truth, / The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life† (1. 10-12). I int erpret these lines to sum up that we shouldn’t mess with the knowledge that we have, because it doesn’t reap good things, or life. Victor Frankenstein certainly took his knowledge of science to a level beyond his place, and his knowledge brought about disaster life. Lord Byron also creates a character that takes too much control and acts in Gods position.Filled with guilt, Manfred tries to seize the power of God and decide his own time for death. That isn’t our position or our calling, only God’s. Victor Frankenstein tries to assume the position of God by creating life. Similarly, Manfred tries to assume the position of God by deciding when to end life. Refusing the Abbot’s help, Manfred turns from religion. Both characters acted as if their own power was above everyone else and God. Victor thought he was good enough to take God’s place of creating while Manfred thought he was too good to accept God’s gift of salvation.Both Shelley an d Byron paint a clear picture of the consequences that come from attempting to take God’s power and position. Works Cited Butler, Marilyn. â€Å"Frankenstein and Radical Science. † Shelly 302. Byron, Lord. Manfred. Vol. XVIII, Part 6. The Harvard Classics. New York: P. F. Collier ; Son, 1909-14: Bartleby. com, 2001. www. bartleby. com/18/6/. [September 26, 2012]. Levine, George. â€Å"Frankenstein and the Tradition of Realism. † Shelly 209. Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Ed. Simon ; Brown. 1818. Warren, Ashley. â€Å"Association of Young Journalists And Writers. † UniversalJournal AYJW. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.