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Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Reflection of Clifton Strengths
3. Personal Leadership Style
4. Personal Strengths as they Relate to Transformational Leadership
5. Personal Weaknesses as they Relate to Transformational Leadership
6. Recommendations and Action to Improve Personal Leadership Effectiveness
7. Short Term SMART Goals
8. Action Plan for SMART Goal Success
9. Conclusion

Introduction

A personal evaluation of strengths is a tool that must be understood to effectively lead people. An effective leader must know how to reach goals by motivating the team. There are many strengths that translate to leadership styles used to motivate teams. Identifying and using a formal Leadership style will aid in becoming an effective leader. Using one’s own strengths while leading comes natural for most. Weaknesses need to be mitigated with actions to gain results. The purpose of this paper is to explain the exploration and evaluation of my personal leadership style, explore leadership strengths, identify weaknesses and in turn set timely goals for accountability as a leader.

Reflection of Clifton Strengths

According to the Clifton Strengths Assessment, success is dependent on five signature themes that can be used to identify strengths to improve overall personal performance. Clifton Strengths assessment is something that I completed a few years ago as well as for this program. I compared my results and they were very different. I believe that my strengths have changed due to professional development, leadership experience as well as maturing my emotional intelligence. I was not surprised by my findings. My top five strengths in order are significance, command, responsibility, focus and input. I have always wanted to be significant. I am not sure if I was that way by nature or by child hood circumstance however, since a young age, I wanted to be recognized for my accomplishments. I thrived as a young mother, wife, business owner and then currently as a registered nurse leader. I used my independence to quickly move up the career ladder in Nursing, by becoming a young leader. I really thrive on achievement and recognition. In my professional life, I enjoy being recognized for my success. Working is a pleasure for me and I spend a lot of time focused with my professional responsibilities. I am proud when people respect me and enjoy my network of like minded individuals.

From a young age, it has felt natural to take charge. Command is easy for me. I was a latch key kid, that had a lot of personal responsibility by age 6. As an adult, I feel well versed in taking charge of situations. I use command to have a bit of control over the way something can affect me. I am quick to form opinions and make decisions. When I encounter conflict, I quickly confront the situation for a quick resolution, so that I can move forward timely and not look back. Honesty and clear expectations are strong values for me. I like setting expectations with teams and clear goals with a plan to execute. Honesty is my best policy. I have been known to have been called bossy at times but I am usually the first to volunteer and have a real go for it attitude. I live by the code that I am only as good as my word. I take responsibility extremely serious. I am the first to jump in first, but when I make a promise to deliver or commit to a deadline, that is hard and fast for me. I do not make excuses. I can not accept loose ends. When I have a goal, I must deliver. I have been known to take on too much responsibility from time to time.

I am extremely focused in my life. I often create check lists, revisit them, and prioritize daily. I do this both in my personal and work life. I am always trying to be the most efficient that I can. I really am proud about my time management and ability to accomplish so many things daily. I do not do well, when there is no purpose. I have to always be working towards something. Sometimes I steer away from activities that are not directly heading towards my goals. Input is the fifth identified strength. I consider myself well connected with a network of professionals and life experience. I enjoy traveling to many places, asking a lot of questions and volunteer to try things that I have never done. I use these experiences to make quick to make personal connections when interacting with people. It is a networking technique and ice breaker. I believe people can relate to me when I use this technique. Understanding and exploring all five Clifton Strengths significance, command, responsibility, focus and input, will help me in my action plan develop as a leader moving forward.

Personal Leadership Style

The definition of leadership that resinates with me is, a dynamic process, they mobilize to accomplish extraordinary goals, they use five practices: model inspire a shared vision, challenge, enable others to act, and encourage the heart (Aalateeg, 2017). It is important to note that everything is constantly changing. Goals, projects, company interests must change to stay relevant. Teams must be cohesive and adaptive to the greater goals of the organization. Transformation leadership style has been linked to increased job satisfaction and reduce attrition, it is a way to increase strength and relationships between the teams to higher standards. A transformational leader must lead the group into personal, professional development that aligns with the organizational goals. A transitional leader must have the employees interests and their acceptance to motivate the team to work toward the organizational goals.

Personal Strengths as they Relate to Transformational Leadership

My personal strengths directly relate to Transformational Leadership. Three that will be discussed are relationship building, honesty and and self reflection. There are many challenges with developing relationships. I spend time to get to know my coworkers, let them know that I care as well as value and respect them. According to Rolfe, relationship building is based on the leader acknowledging accomplishments, including them in decision making and giving them a voice are key to Transformational Leadership. Using the input strength as identified by Clifton, I effectively use my data base of relatable experiences to get to know people and build relationships. In turn I gain trust and can use this to motivate individuals towards the organizational goals, by working on forming task groups and committees. It is important that the people feel included in the decision making process and feel heard by a genuine ear that is open minded to their point of view (Rolfe, 2001).

Honesty is my best policy. Leaders must make difficult decisions that are in line with the organization’s strategic plan that aren’t always the popular choice to the team. It is usually part of the greater good for the organization. The impact to the team can sometimes not be in their perceived favor. It is important to collaborate and develop a plan within the parameters of the decision, with the team. This is when the leader must be honest with the team (Rolfe, 2001). Using honesty, and sharing pertinent details, will gain trust, foster open collaboration and important that this is done by sharing honest. Using the Transitional Leadership style, team collaboration based on leader honesty can help motivate the team to move towards the organizational goals.

Lastly, self reflection is one of the most powerful strengths. Leader self reflection helps me identify, where I stand with the goals and strategic plan of the organization. Transformational Leader visions must be recognized and aligned with the organization. Having an understanding of the reconciliation between where I stand and the organization will allow me to be lead effectively using the Transformational Leadership style. I can use this reconciliation to mitigate the differences between the organizational strategic plan and my own to lead the team towards the greater organizational goals and not my own.

Personal Weaknesses as they Relate to Transformational Leadership

With strengths, must come weaknesses. My own identified weaknesses include, being perceived as bossy, take on too many responsibilities and lack of structure in my leadership style. Being bossy is a weakness that is directly opposite of what a Transformational Leader is. Transformational Leaders are team builders, encouraging the team to be empowered to create change and grow professionally. But bossiness can destroy the leader, organization and the team. Bossiness and imposing the leader’s own views repeatedly, sabotages the organizational goals, demotivates people and decreases job satisfaction. Taking the command lead is important for Transformational Leadership, but must bossiness must be mitigated in order to be effective.

Taking on too much responsibility is something that I am very familiar with. I know that I have a hard time saying no. Transformational Leaders must delegate for success. They must build teams that are invested in the organizational goals. Preferred is the shared leadership concept, which is in line with Transformational Leadership. Controlling and micromanaging will destroy the leader and staff (Kerfoot, 2013). Taking control or all responsibility without delegation prevents group contribution. Great things can happen with there is team synergism. The third identified weakness is lack of structure for the team. According to Kerfoot, teams thrive with a team structure. A structure promotes democratic and participative planning by a trusted group, close to the Transformational Leader. This is a leadership tree which encompasses the Leader and group that manages the vision in turn reaches the greater team who are on the front lines.

Recommendations and Action to Improve Personal Leadership Effectiveness

The improvements of Leadership effectiveness will be dynamic and revisited by me as often as needed in the future. The weaknesses above discussed: Bossiness, taking on too much responsibility and lack of team structure are destructive to the Transformational Leadership effectiveness. Bossiness will not get me far in leadership. Instead of ensuing my ideas and direction, I must become part of the team. They need to view me as part of the group. I must work beside them to truly lead them. I need to understand their ideas and share common values, concerns and experiences.

Taking on too much responsibility will lead to fatigue and burn out. The work load must be delegated and the delegation is a very important action to improve my personal leadership effectiveness. I need to share the work load and have a better work life balance. By enlisting energized, accountable individuals, whom are working towards the goals of the organization, the pressure and stress of carrying the weight of all the projects on my shoulders will be relieved. Creating a team structure is an organizational tactic that leaders use to prevent being overworked, highly efficient and rewarded. Leaders who are too busy working are not free to complete the highest level tasks in turn damages team performance. The tasks and workload must be organized and assigned for maximum team productivity.

Short Term SMART Goals

SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and bound to time. For the purpose of improving my leadership ability, I have decided to move forward with 2 short term SMART goals. The first goal is to create a team structure. This is a critical piece to the success of a Transformational Leadership team to move towards organizational goals. I will measure the progress of the structure by comparing it to similar leadership structures within my organization. This goal is attainable because, it is a tool that will enable the team to delegate tasks and responsibilities that are directed towards a common goal. The goal is relevant to my position as a manager, so I can set clear expectations of all team member roles to keep the team moving towards unit organizational goals. I will accomplish this goal by October 1.

The second SMART goal is to better understand the department work flow, so that I can have advanced knowledge when participating in unit change. To achieve this, I must work along side the team until I am comfortable with the processes. I will measure this by properly articulating the processes learned to the Charge RNs on the unit. This is attainable because, I will spend several hours until I feel comfortable with the processes. The goal is relevant to my job as the Manager of Operations. I will accomplish this goal by November 1.

Action Plan for SMART Goal Success

Team structure is key for team performance. I will meet with my Director to obtain a copy of the umbrella of responsibilities for our Department. I will discuss with her and outline the responsibilities into a tiered leadership tree that cascades responsibility through the chain of command. This will include levels for Director, Manager, Two Clinical Supervisors, 4 Charge Nurses and an Educator. Once the structure is built, I will have a meeting to educate the team of the new structure. I will then implement and monitor. As a Manager of Operations, it is very important for me to understand and speak to the unit processes. To better understand the processes, I will start with shadowing the Charge Nurse and then work along side the team until I feel comfortable and can properly articulate the processes. This will be a coordinated effort between the team and leadership on the unit for success. I will ask questions, read policies and familiarize my self with unit culture.

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Conclusion

Strengths are innate qualities that come natural. A better understanding of personal strengths will aid in the development of becoming and effective leader. More importantly, understanding innate weaknesses and how to mitigate the challenges, that come with weakness, is quite important. Significance, command, responsibility, focus and input are my 5 Clifton strengths that I use in my Transitional Leadership approach. Using, relationship building, honesty and and self reflection, to lead people is natural for me. The exploration of my weaknesses, being perceived as bossy, take on too many responsibilities and lack of leadership structure, helped me to realize what my leadership challenges are. In conclusion I will work towards 2 SMART goals developed from the exploration of these strengths and weaknesses, using Transformational Leadership principals.

For the duration of my life, I’ve always been taught to focus on my weaknesses rather than my own strengths. As a child, while I get expressed admiration for all the A’s I have gotten on my many subjects, the low grades such as C’s even B’s was what my guardians were mostly focused on as they without hesitation bulked down on me to get a 4.0 grade point average. Fast forwarding to when I’m on the football field, during the course of a game or practice, while my coaches also praises me on all the consummation and the positive attitudes I have on the field, it was invariably important to focus on the area that I can cultivate on. All my life, I’ve educated myself that in order for me to become a well-rounded person, I should focus on developing my weakness in order to turn that into a strength because a strength is something that I’m already good at, so there is no reason to do anything more about it. Forasmuch as, it was very alluring for me to target on scrutinizing my strengths for once because not only did I detect that many of the traits that I see as a weakness turns out to as a matter of fact to be a strength, but I also established that it’s majorly beneficial to focus on my strength and keep the ball rolling on it then just focusing on my own weakness. A good leader will learn to understand his personal strengths and abilities, as well as his own “gaps,” knowing that “without an awareness of your strengths, it’s almost impossible for you to lead effectively”. Leadership is one of the most important principles in your everyday life. Without insightful team of leaders, in my case on the football team we are more likely not able to flourish. To be lucrative as a leader, it is pivotal to put people in situations where they can work using their strengths. In the book, Strengths-Based Leadership, by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie, they deliberate how to develop teams based on followers’ strengths. As part of the book, Rath and Conchie discuss the critical principle that the first step in leadership is fathoming your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Thereafter reading the book, there are subsequently five strengths determined for me as a leader, each of these strengths are outlined and are shown on how they help me attain success in the workplace. Succeeding the completion of my ‘Clifton Strengths for Students’, it was concluded that my top five strengths are adaptability, belief, ideation, significance, and responsibility.

People exceptionally talented in the adaptability theme prefer to go with the flow. They tend to be “now” people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time. The adaptability theme acknowledges that I am able to adjust to events as they materialize, continually adjusting as needed based on the circumstances and the needs. Adaptability theme also refers to me as being efficiently tired when spending a lot of time with individuals who are unavailable and don’t take the minimum time period to enjoy what life has to offer. I am an adaptable team player which means I don’t get defensive. I am always willing to learn something new. It’s acceptable if it takes time to grasp something new, so long as you are willing to attempt. There are people out there for whatever reason get defensive if they have to endure change or learn something new. They put their walls up. They make it crystal clear that change is not something they want to deal with. But change happens all the time. People need to understand on the grounds of it being new doesn’t necessarily mean it will be bad. In high school I had a strength and conditioning coach for the past 3 years then as soon as I hit my final year, senior year we gain a new addition to the team a new strength and conditioning coach. Me as well as the other players were so accustomed to the other workout routines that when this coach joined the program, it was a challenge to meet his expectations in the workouts, and the head coach made the mistake in choosing a person without deliberation of how they fit within the team, when people are not “recruited to the executive team because their strengths are the best complement to those of the existing team members”. I take pleasure in new plans to better our team so I decided it would be in my best interest to willingly listen to his plan to help take this team to state. With that I built a bond with the new coach as he helped me hone my skills to play at the collegiate level. People exceptionally talented in the belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their lives. A person who has a secure moral compass would tend to belong in this department. How I was raised as a child can have a huge contribution in how unyielding the belief trait is. Due to the intimacy of my family members, I want them to have the world and more on the grounds that everyone deserves the world. My family tends to provide me with the best sacrifices for me to have the opportunity I have and in return I want to repay them for all the sweat and tears that they have had to endure. Believers gravitate to have a high impulse to want to be independent and take care of oneselves. Such as completing tasks that benefit another can have a chain reaction that have a more definite outlook on life because you know that you have aided someone out. Everyone must have an entity to hold onto and believe in throughout their life. An experience I had was when I coached for a little football team where the drive that had refined in the final quarter carried into overtime, where a failure of communication lead to a tragic loss. Despite everything, that was the uttermost dynamic moment I have ever experienced that season on a team because everyone knew what they had to do to accomplish a common goal. I took delight in knowing that my beliefs towards my teammates made us accomplish a common goal. It takes every fundamental of a team to execute what needs to be done.

People exceptionally talented in the ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. In other words, they will perceive that no idea is an awful idea. Hence, they always keep pursuing the connections ‘tween seemingly disparate phenomena in order to catch sight of perspective to address challenges. This has helped me with teamwork because the mother of my child and I continuously argue over our child and who he will stay with once I graduate. We’ve established a concrete plan that we will put into action together with both sides of the family because it seems like an idealistic even though it sounds challenging. People exceptionally talented in the significance theme want to make a big impact. They are independent and prioritize projects based on how much influence they will have on their organization or people around them. Like I previously said I have a son, even though I don’t agree with the mother sometimes I plan to work with her for the sake of my son. I focus my energy on school and football for the chance that one day all this hard work will influence and benefit my son’s life.

People exceptionally talented in the responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. Within the vital of teamwork, it is essential that every person involved both fathoms the work they are responsible for and makes the effort to finish the task on time and it’s acceptable. With the entire team functioning accordingly by taking accountability for their own work, they can work as one to complete what needs to be done. As being part of a football team I believe it’s part of my responsibility to put my team on my back, because I can’t help but feel responsible for others, especially for the people I care most about. When we are given a playbook as homework to fill out what each play is, what you do in these plays and so on the day before game day, I find as though it’s my responsibility to help my housemates who happen to also be my teammates in completing the task. We could get penalized the next day if this isn’t done correctly and accurately. As any person playing a game, you are required to know the plays because on game days when you freeze or don’t know the plays from front to back you will need to take ownership of your role as a player that you didn’t complete what your coach has asked of you, not only failing yourself but also your whole team. Every Friday night I take it upon myself to aid them in the struggle of completing it because the result not only falls on me and them but the football program as a whole.

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My strengths are established on my upbringing and how I was raised to have a secure moral compass. I consent with all the results from the assessment, but in inclusion I also thought I had discipline. This trait keeps me from being able to handle change in a positive manner as long as everything should never change and should be routine. Those who are acquainted to me well would say that I am a creature of habit, which stems from a discipline trait. Another reason being is I grew up in an area where I always respected people not only older but younger than me and always acknowledging them with either yes ma’am or yes sir. I am fond of doing things by the book, but at the same time can acclimatize to changes. On the football field we have many strains we need to take on that isn’t by the book, but I can still manage to adapt to the environment. Talent times investment equals strength. You probably have the talent to do something but if you are not going to devote your time to better yourself then you will not be able to use your strengths adequately. Life is about taking risks and challenges and without knowing our strengths and being able to use them to lead others we are useless. The point Rath and Conchie have made clearly depicts and relates to not only our daily lives but also on the assessment. The ultimate effective leaders recognize better than to try to be someone they are not. They should always be inquiring for opportunities to reinvest in their strengths. Leaders need to stay true to who they are and make sure they have the right people around them as I am gradually beginning to do.

Works Cited

1. Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths-Based Leadership. Gallup Press.
2. Clifton Strengths for Students. (n.d.). Gallup. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/strengthsfinder.aspx
3. Buckingham, M., & Clifton, D. O. (2001). Now, Discover Your Strengths. Gallup Press.
4. Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-Unit-Level Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Business Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268-279. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.87.2.268
5. Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., Avolio, B. J., & Peterson, S. J. (2010). The Development and Resultant Performance Impact of Positive Psychological Capital. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 21(1), 41-67. doi:10.1002/hrdq.20034
6. Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. Free Press.
7. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.
8. Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2009). Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
9. Gable, S. L., Reis, H. T., Impett, E. A., & Asher, E. R. (2004). What Do You Do When Things Go Right? The Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Benefits of Sharing Positive Events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87(2), 228-245. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.87.2.228
10. Meyer, M., Becker, T. E., & Vandenberghe, C. (2004). Employee Commitment and Motivation: A Conceptual Analysis and Integrative Model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(6), 991-1007. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.89.6.991

What is your impression about the news from countries in Africa like Nigeria and South Africa? Is it about crime rates or the skinny child who have to work instead of study at school? Have you ever thought about those who are suffering from hungry while you are complaining about the tasteless food provided by your mum? South Africa was ranked second in the richest African Countries in 2020 according to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) listed by World Population Review. Actually more than half of South Africa’s population is living in poverty and just earning about less than 83 dollars per month. But according to Forbes’ annual ranking of dollar billionaires in South Africa, Nicky Oppenheimer is the richest man in that country with a net worth of $7.3 billion US Dollar. From this, we can see that the economic inequality at South Africa is much serious than what we can imagine about. So starting from now, I hope that there is a thought in your mind that not every people in South Africa living in poverty, but actually there is a huge difference in the distribution of income. This economic inequality condition will getting worse when the richer is getting richer while the poorer is getting poorer.

A study conducted by a team of sociologists at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg in Germany claimed that countries which have higher economic inequality may have more social ills. This is because economic inequality may weaker the social bonds between people. Besides, Federico Cingano had stated in his working paper for OECD named Trends in Income Inequality and its Impact on Economic Growth that economic growth will fall with the rising of economic inequality. So we can’t neglect the statement that income disparity can brings bad effect to society as social ills can become a killer to the development of a country. Please do not hesitate to be aware of those negative impacts caused by economic inequality.

I'm going to make awareness on the negative effect brought by the income inequality which will increase crime rates, decrease educational level and health quality. So, I'll start with the increasing of crime rates caused by economic inequality which everyone should be aware of.

Property Crime and Violence Crime

First of all, the crime rates like property crime and violence crime will increase as the income inequality increase. This is because the poor who are living in unequal society may feel unfair and not resigned with the condition of the rich group and thus will lead them to involve in violent crime like ransom kidnapping. For example, a Malaysian businessman Datuk Seri R. Arumugam was reportedly kidnapped and his body was found on 27 June 2020. A ransom of S$50 million was demanded of his family. Mario Coccia from National Research Council of Italy had a research on the causes of violent crime and proved that income inequality is one of the sources of violent crime in human society. For an increase in the price of groceries by rich group, high social tension on poor group make them feel burden and thus will trigger the crime rates to grow.

The poor will suffer from competition in economic and this make them tend to use shortcut, which is property crime. In new research which examines property crime by Census block groups in three US cities, Neil Metz and Mariya Burdina find that the bigger the income difference among the poorest neighboring block group, the greater the level of property crime in the richer block groups.  as the poor tends to steal from rich family. The property crime will become more serious when the rich people like to show off about their property. For example in a case reported by The Sun where a Portuguese rapper David Mota found tortured to death by burglars after sharing billionaire lifestyle on social media. This may directly attract the attention of the poor that they have opportunity to take on. Mostly property crime rates are due to the psychological imbalance on why they have but I don’t have.

The second: educational level can be affected by economic inequality as high income population can afford more opportunities than the poor. The wealthier family can invest more money to the education quality and even time on the children if compare to the low-income family. This happened because wealthier family are able to afford for a better quality of school serving with greater educational resources. A 2012 study published in the journal Demography, “Investing in Children: Changes in Parental Spending on Children, 1972-2007,” showed that the time and money invest on the children by family no matter rich or poor both increase sharply among both rich and poor family. But the investment of the high-income family on their children is two three times greater than the low-income family. The amount of high-income families spent on their children’s enrichment activities grew by 150 percent, while the amount spent by low-income families grew by 57 percent between 1972 and 2006 was found by economists Richard Murnane of Harvard University and Greg Duncan at the University of California-Irvine. Thus, from the research we can observe that the educational gap among high-income family children and low-income family children has become widen.

Children under high-income family can exposed to more extra activities to enhance their talent skills. For example, music class, sport activities and other extracurricular activities can help those children to gain more skills and experiences. This will bring advantages to them in the school performances as they can gain extra skills from co curricular activities like problem-solving skills, social skill, leadership and so on which is absent from the class syllabus. As a result, the educational gap increase as the rich students are increasingly entering kindergarten much better prepared to succeed in school than low income family students. This is shown by Sean F. Reardon in his book “Inequality in the 21st Century”.

From here we can see that not only have effect on the safety, but also in the educational level of children due to economic inequality. After this, I will proceed to the last negative impact on decreasing in health quality. Poor population tends to have lower quality health as the accessibility to quality health care and healthy food is limited. Wealthy group tend to have more time and money to invest in the health quality. For example, they can have healthier lifestyle and food intake than the low-income family. Wealthy family can have high quality of health care supplement like vitamin and calcium or even vegetables that we consume daily can be organic vegetables. They are even able to buy health insurance to give a guarantee to their health while there are some emergency disease or accident happen.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute found that people living in a society with high income inequality were more likely to die before the age of 75 than people in more equal communities, even the average income were the same. As the standard of living increase due to economic disparity, means high financial ability is needed to afford the high medical service. This will directly affect the life of the low-income family as they might not be able to afford the high medical cost. This is because the poor will have high probability to have a health problem than the rich. For example, from the pandemic covid-19, we can see that the rich tends to have more ability to make protection step than the poor while the price of a mask and sanitizer increase sharply. As we know, the price of a mask and sanitizer will increase is due to the high demand on it, and mostly was bought by the one who has better financial ability. But for low income family they only be able to buy mask and sanitizer with lower quality product.

Conclusion

As a conclusion, income disparity really can increase the crime rates. Furthermore, even educational level for a child can be affected due to the inequality problem. Lastly, we can’t deny also that high income inequality can bring effect on health as money really can give majority guarantee on health care.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Pathophysiology
3. Teaching Content
4. Evaluation of Learning
5. References

Introduction

Parkinson’s Disease has devastating effects on the fine and gross motor abilities of a person afflicted with the disease and is linked to dementia and cognitive decline in later stages. One hallmark disturbance in mobility related to Parkinson’s Disease is bradykinesia, or a slowing of movement. Because of this and other cardinal motor signs and symptoms of Parkinson's Disease is directly related to our course content, and exemplar Mobility.

The following pages will detail the nurse’s teaching plan for a client with Parkinson’s Disease including the teaching objectives, teaching content and the evaluation of the client’s learning of said content. This will be done utilizing SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) to best serve the client and evaluate the learning.

Pathophysiology

An estimated one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s Disease. There are approximately 60,000 people diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) every year (Kriebel-Gasparro, 2016). PD is a chronic, progressive and degenerative neurological disease affecting motor and nonmotor functioning and is associated with cognitive decline.

The cause of PD is the death of neurons that produce dopamine in the substantia nigra in the midbrain. These cells are a vital component in voluntary movement, involuntary movement and some cognitive functions. The degeneration of these neurons is what causes the motor deficits in PD. What starts the degeneration of these cells is thought to be largely idiopathic.

The client is a 70-year-old man with a PD diagnosis for several years and is experiencing a worsening of physical symptoms. His risk factors are his gender, age, and his father had PD. He is a retired teacher and Army veteran who currently has no signs of dementia or cognitive impairment. Until recently he has been able to tolerate the physical symptoms (tremors) and remain independent. He lives with his wife; whose health is poor. He is being seen, in the primary care setting, for a fall at home and is receiving a new prescription for carbidopa/levodopa to help enhance the effects of his current medication regimen.

Several goals have been put into place for this high-risk client. The client will need to identify three hazards or obstacles in the home environment that can be remedied before the next office visit. The client will also need to list three appropriate food choices to take carbidopa/levodopa with before the end of the prescribing appointment. In addition, the client should be able to demonstrate at least four of the exercises shown in the exercise video before leaving the office. These objectives all relate to mobility by ensuring safety in mobility, minimizing symptoms that impair mobility, and stalling decline in mobility.

Teaching Content

After his consultation with the physician, the nurse entered the client’s private examination room with a packet of information for him and his wife to take home. The nurse started the teaching session by ensuring that the client understood what PD was and how its progression was leading to an increase in the client’s symptoms. The nurse began explaining how hazards in the client’s home could have interfered with his mobility, causing his fall. These hazards were detailed as loose cords, throw rugs, inadequate lighting, stairs, slick surfaces, and rubber soled shoes.

The client was instructed to remove all tripping hazards from walkways, install nightlights for his trips to the restroom in the middle of the night, keep all daily activities on one level of his home if possible, use grab bars and suction cups non-slip mats in his shower, and avoid any shoes or socks with rubber grips to keep from getting caught on the floor. The client was asked if he had any questions regarding hazards present in his home. The nurse then moved into discussing the client’s new PD medication, carbidopa/levodopa. This medication is being added to his current dose of primidone that he has been taking for his tremor.

The nurse discussed that carbidopa/levodopa would help decrease the destruction of neurotransmitters in the client’s brain, leading to relief of his tremor and less rigidity. The nurse stated common side effects of the medication were nausea, vomiting, involuntary muscle movements, and orthostatic hypotension. The client was encouraged to change positions slowly to avoid an unsafe drop in blood pressure.

The client indicated that he commonly experienced unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms when he took his current medication on an empty stomach. The nurse verbalized that it was important to take carbidopa/levodopa at regular intervals and gave advice on how to decrease gastrointestinal symptoms. The client was instructed that the medication could be taken with food but only if the food was low in protein. The client stated that since his time in the Army, meat and potatoes or bread were eaten at almost every meal.

The nurse had a printed list of low protein foods for the client that was available in the patient teaching section of the electronic computer system at the office. This list included foods such as apple slices and grapes, raw vegetable slices, Jell-O, vegetable-based soups, and rice. The client was instructed to avoid foods such as cheese, eggs, dairy products, meat, and nuts. The client was able to make notes on the printed list and take it home with him.

In addition to the new medication, the nurse educated the client on the importance of exercising a minimum of 150 minutes per week. The client was told that exercising can improve gait, balance, tremors, flexibility, grip strength, and motor coordination. Physical activity of at least 150 minutes per week has also been associated with lower incidence of depression the nurse stated (Neuroprotective). The nurse was able to play an exercise video on the computer in the examination room that the staff at the office made.

The video demonstrated nine simple exercises that the client could do at home. The client and his wife were able to watch the video in just a few short minutes. The nurse asked if the client would like a physical copy of the video to take home or if he would like an email with a link to access the video via YouTube.

The client stated that he had a DVD player at home and, thus, a physical copy of the video was given to client so that he could refer to the information in the future. The nurse ended the teaching session by asking if the client had any additional questions. The client voiced no concerns, so the nurse gathered all the resources for him to take home and made sure that he knew how to contact the office for any concerns.

Evaluation of Learning

It was evident during the teaching that the client wanted to retain as much independence as possible and was willing to do anything he could to do so. With the client’s teaching background, he understood the importance of the information given. The client stated that when he returned home, he and his wife would immediately remove the throw rug in their bedroom, place a nightlight in the master bathroom, and make sure the cords from the lamp and alarm clock were neatly tucked away behind the nightstand.

Before leaving the office, the client also chose a handful of raisins, rice and vegetable stir-fry, and apple slices from a list of foods that could be eaten with his newly prescribed carbidopa/levodopa. He bypassed foods such as a peanut butter sandwich, bacon and eggs, and yogurt on the list, stating that these foods had high amounts of protein. The client was also able to demonstrate each exercise in the video with much more strength and ability than expected, which he attributed to his military background. He stated that his wife would ensure that exercised at least thirty minutes, five days a week, in order to meet the 150-minute goal.

References

1. Kriebel-Gasparro, A. (2016). Parkinson's disease: Update on medication management. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 12(3), e81-e89. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2015.10.020
2. Lee, H. M., & Koh, S. B. (2015). Many Faces of Parkinson's Disease: Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Journal of movement disorders, 8(2), 92–97. doi:10.14802/jmd.15003
3. Neuroprotective Benefits of Exercise. (2018, October 17). Retrieved from https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Treatment/Exercise/Neuroprotective-Benefits-of-Exercise
4. Parkinson's: Balance & Preventing Falls. (2014, October 7). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9390-parkinsons-disease-preventing-falls--maintaining-balance
5. Sonne, J., & Beato, M. R. (2018, December 28). Neuroanatomy, Substantia Nigra. StatPearls. Treasure Island, Florida: StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536995/
6. Vallerand, A. H., Sanoski, C. A., & Deglin, J. H. (2017). Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses (15th ed.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Introduction: “A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall” as Aristotle once said. In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is used to portray Achebe’s own characterization of a tragic hero. Background: A tragic hero as defined by Aristotle, is a character who makes a judgement error that inevitably leads to his or her own downfall which is portrayed by Okonkwo towards the end of the novel when he takes his own life. It could be argued that Okonkwo was solely a victim of fate while on the other hand, people say Okonkwo’s actions are what led to his downfall. Thesis statement: Okonkwo can be deemed a tragic hero because he fits Aristotle’s criteria of a tragic hero by being a respected and successful leader in Umuofia, he has a tragic flaw, and he discovers his fate soon after his actions.

Aristotle's criteria of a tragic hero require the person to be virtuous and flawed, suffer a reversal of fortune, and to be a nobleman of high status. Evidence & citing: In this regard, as described by Achebe, “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements.” Commentary: With no inheritance from his father, Okonkwo started off as a sharecropper. With immense hard work, Okonkwo made his way up to wealthy and greatly respected man in Umuofia. From all of Okonkwo’s hard work, he soon had three wives, many children, and a large stock of yams. With all of his achievements, Okonkwo earns respect from people outside and inside of his clan which made him even more popular. He amazed the people in the villages with the tasks he did. When he was only 18 years of age, he brought honor to Umuofia by throwing the Amalinze the Cat, a wrestler who has gone undefeated for seven years. Evidence & citing: In addition, Okonkwo is also one of the nine Eqwugwu which is a respected judge in the community who is thought to be a spirit of an ancestor. Okonkwo is also chosen by the villagers to be their representative to talk about with the Mbaino village about the killer of an Umuofia girl in the Mbaino market. Okonkwo is a nobleman, a leader of Umuofia. His fame came purely from his hard work and drive to be a better person than his father was.

Topic sentence: Alike other tragic heroes, Okonkwo has a tragic flaw, which is his fear of failure and weakness. While the fear of weakness and failure drives Okonkwo to earn his achievement and fame, on the other hand, it causes him numerous problems in his life. A substantial amount of times during Okonkwo’s life, his fears lead him to act violently, impulsively, and harshly toward other people which also include his own family. He hides his feminine side and acts violently towards his family because he does not want anyone to see him as weak, not even his own family. The only way Okonkwo leaned how to solve his problems was through strength and violence. Commentary: It is his masculine attitude that creates multiple conflicts between him and his family which ultimately lead to his downfall. Evidence & citing: For example, Okonkwo violates the clan’s rule when he beats up his youngest wife during the week of peace and when he almost shoots his second wife when she commented on is gun skill. He takes extreme pride in his masculinity to the point where if anyone questions it, even his family, it could result to death. Moreover, Okonkwo shoots Ikemefuna, Nwoye’s close friend whom he considers a “brother.” Commentary: Okonkwo did not want to be seen as a failure or as weak. In that sense, “Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.”

Conclusion paragraph: The actions that Okonkwos goes through not only weakens his relationship with his wives and son, Nwoye, but as well as himself who he hurts not physically, yet mentally. Most importantly, Okonkwo’s violent tendencies and impulsive characteristics lead him to kill a court messenger from the British during a clan meeting. This soon leads Okonkwo to the discovery to the discovery of his own tragic fate.

References

1. Jeyifo, B. (1993). Okonkwo and his mother: Things Fall Apart and issues of gender in the constitution of African postcolonial discourse. Callaloo, 16(4), 847-858. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2932213)
2. Adade-Yeboah, A. (2016). The tragic hero of the modern period–The African concept. (http://ir.csuc.edu.gh:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/439)
3. Iyasere, S. O. (1990). Okonkwo and the Execution of Ikemefuna in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: A Study of Ignoble Decisiveness. English Studies in Africa, 33(2), 131-142. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00138399008690874?journalCode=reia20)
4. Okolie, M. J., & Uzoma, G. C. (2019). Okonkwo’s reincarnation: a comparison of Achebe’s Things fall apart and No longer at ease. (http://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/123478)
5. Dannenberg, H. (2009). The many voices of Things fall apart. Interventions, 11(2), 176-179. (https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/THE-MANY-VOICES-OF-THINGS-FALL-APART-Dannenberg/84051cf8deb2b206360677e6e0963828d347ceac)

Introduction

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Background

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing keyinformation that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

Thesis statement

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

Topic sentence

The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.

Evidence & citing

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

Commentary

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Conclusion paragraph

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad aboutthe topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
IndustryCompetitors
2. Conclusion
3. Works Cited

Introduction

Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American entrepreneur formally known for work as a producer, TV show host, actress, and philanthropist. Oprah has managed to stay relevant along the years through her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she built up a reputation and claimed many accolades, thus becoming one of the most widely recognized self-made entrepreneurs. Today, we know Oprah as a hardworking, kind, and successful woman. However, her success came with many trials and tribulations along the way. From the very beginning, Orpah was faced with obstacles that one would think were impossible to overcome. As a child of a sharecropper farmer, Oprah was raised in poverty, neglected, sexually abused, and faced racism. Her unmarried parents drifted apart and moved elsewhere shortly after her birth, leaving her in with her grandmother, a harsh but loving disciplinarian who she gives credits with fostering her outgoing personality and precociousness. When she was six Oprah moved to an urban ghetto area in Milwaukee Wisconsin to live with her mother who did not exactly make things easier for her. As her mother was dealing with many problems it left her with little to no room to focus on her own daughter. Oprah was developing her own problems with the lack of parental attention causing her to become vulnerable. When she was nine, Oprah was sexually assaulted by one of her mother’s boyfriends, a family friend, uncle, and a teenage cousin. Not being able to speak to anyone about what was going on only lead her to act out irrationally and. Oprah’s behaviour was just too much for her mother to handle, forcing her to send Oprah to live with her father in Nashville, Tennessee. Which seemed to be the best decision for Orpah. Her strict father only set her on the right track as Oprah states that, ‘My father turned my life around by insisting that I be more than I was and by believing I could be more,’ Winfrey told Good Housekeeping magazine. ‘His love of learning showed me the way’. With the guidance of her father, she changed for the better. Becoming an honour roll student and rekindling her love for public speaking which posed as an asset, helped her earn a scholarship to the University of Tennessee State.

Industry

The entertainment industry is a large and diverse industry that consists of film, radio, and television. Followed by the sub-industries of movies, TV shows, radio shows, newspapers, magazines, and books. Oprah was offered a position as a co-news anchor at Nashville’s CBS affiliate, WTVF-TV. Making history by becoming not only the first female co-anchor but the first black co-anchor in Nashville (Entrepreneur, 2008). This was Oprah left college during her senior year to accept her role with WTVF-TV as co-anchor of the evening news but was fired after being too emotionally invested in the reports she was assigned to. Luckily for her, new management had an idea to make a virtue of Winfrey’s reporting shortcomings. In 1984, The Oprah Winfrey Show formerly known as AM Chicago had come to fruition. She saw major success and became the number one local talk show in Chicago. Due to her success on a micro-scale, her show entered national syndication and became the highest-rated TV show in the history of television. Oprah’s show became a dependable way for many people to become educated while also being entertained. Her competitive advantage with the Oprah Winfrey Show was inclusivity. She achieved this by giving a platform to many diverse topics. The show was an educational platform that had no restriction on its viewers. This seemed to be the stepping stone in her career which allowed her to a branch of into many different positions, including the opportunity to exacting and owning many businesses allowing her to spot the suboptimal opportunity.

By building so much fame and leaving such a huge impact on the industry Oprah was able to achieve double-dipping simply by using her name. ‘Fifteen years ago, I wrote in my journal that one day I would create a television network, as I always felt my show was just the beginning of what the future could hold. For me, the launch of OWN is the evolution of the work I’ve been doing on television all these years and a natural extension of my show.’ By demonstrating The 10 D’s and creating a business plan she was able to create her own TV network, OWN also known as The Oprah Winfrey network.

Competitors

As she created her own network she also created a new group of competitors for herself. Not just any competitors as well, we’re talking about powerhouses such as CNN, FOX, CafeMedia, Refinery29, June Media, and EBONY. This meant that Oprah would have to face the Status quo competition. When OWN was about to debut, it was unable to meet internal targets set before its debut date. Being that of who she is, Oprah was able to make a come back due to her leadership skills in programming which then attracted talent to join her in her primetime. Receiving help from another known star producer Tyler Perry helped increase her brand awareness. Having another self-made star only help increased her competitive advantage.

Conclusion

Oprah’s strategies throughout her career were very effective. I believe that through her struggles as a child and with the help of her father she developed a mentality that would allow she Oprah had an idea Business created Assets for herself throughout her life helped in the end.

Works Cited

1. Entrepreneur. (2008). Oprah Winfrey: A leader in media and entertainment. Entrepreneur, 36(2), 45-51.
2. Mitchell, E. (2011). Oprah Winfrey: A biography. Greenwood Publishing Group.

Under the Indian IP system, a clear distinction has been made between rights available under Design Act, 2000 and the copyright Act, 1957. To avoid overlap in protection under the two Acts, however, owing to similarity in the work protectable under these laws, creators and manufacturer have many times been left to answer a very basic question regarding the type of protection which they should avail when an artistic work is produced.

As per section 2(d) of the design Act a design has been defined to mean only the shape, configuration, pattern or ornament or composition of lines or color thereof applied to any article whether two dimensional or three dimensional or both forms, by any industrial process or means, whether manual or mechanical or chemical separated or combined, which in the finished article appeal to and are judged solely by the eye, but doesn’t include any model or principle or construction or anything which is in substance a mere mechanical device, and doesn’t include a trademark, as defined in clause (v) of subsection of section 2 of the Trademark and merchandise marks Act, 1958. Property marks or artistic works as defined under section 2(c) of copyright Act, 1957.

As per sec 15(1) of copyright Act, copyright under the copyright

Act shall not subsist in a design protected under the design Act. Once a design is registered, the proprietor foregoes the protection under the copyright act. Further, under section 15(2) of the Act, if any design can be registered under the Design Act is not so registered then the copyright under the copyright Act on such design shall cease as soon as any article to which the design has been reproduced more than 50 times by an industrial process by the owner of the design or by any other person with the license of the owner. In this case, if the petitioner doesn’t get the design registered and manufactures more than 50 copies of the article with that design, the proprietor then ends up foregoing the copyright protection under the Act as well.

Intellectual property laws provide protection for some works under both copyright and design law. On face, the law on this point seems rather clear. However, Section 15 of the Copyright Act in affiliation with the definition of “Design” under the Design Act makes it slightly tricky. A recent case decided by the Delhi High Court has tried to differentiate between a copyright and a design on the basis of the nature of the work and its industrial application. The Judge has explained the basic concepts in detail.

The law

An artistic work is a painting, a sculpture, a drawing (including a diagram, map, chart or plan), an engraving or a photograph, whether or not any such work possesses artistic quality. The author of the copyright has a right to reproduce the work in any material form including depiction in 2D or 3D. The definition of a design includes only the features of shape, configuration, pattern, ornament or composition of lines or colours applied to any article in 2D or 3D by any industrial process and specifically excludes artistic work defined by the Copyright Act. Section 15 of the Copyright Act states that if a copyright which is capable of being registered as a design is not registered, the copyright in them ceases after more than 50 products are made by an industrial process.

The Double bench of delhi high court, clubbed appeals from two other cases which are having same issue- Mattel v. Jayant Aggarwalla and Dart Industries v. Technoplast. Though a final decision is yet to be delivered. The judgment made by the court sounds interesting and is quite long which is very difficult for the litigant to understand, it also showed how a provision could be subjected to varying interpretations in the hands of these dependents. It also raises, several critical questions such as the fundamental difference between the objectives sought to be achieved by the Designs Act and the Copyright Act were raised and answered too.

Microfibres case the fact was not disputed that, if at all the impugned work was capable of design registration, the appropriate Act was the Designs Act of 1911. The definition of design under the 1911 Act did not exclude artistic works; so, s.15 of the Copyright Act, which is specifically directed towards the 1911 Act, is to be deemed applicable to the work of the plaintiff. Therefore, since the work had been industrially applied for at least 50 times by the plaintiff, the copyright in the artistic work ceased to subsist which when combined with the fact that the non-registration under the Designs Act, 1911 by the plaintiff, deprived it of a right to claim infringement against the defendant.

Now, following are important inferences from the judgment of the Single Judge and questions Which one would expect the double bench to answer:-

1. What is the position of the law of designs, as it stands today, on industrial application of a work to an article, when the status of the work as an artistic work under the Copyright Act, 1957 is not in doubt?
2. Does the Designs, Act 2000, by virtue of its existence, limit the right and term of a copyright owner of an artistic work, only in so far as the application of the work as a design by an industrial process is concerned? In other words, with regard to an artistic work, is the effect of the Designs Act, 2000 limited to governing the application of the work to an article without in anyway affecting the underlying copyright in the work?
3. If yes, this would mean that the Designs Act, 2000 was intended to carve out an area from conventional copyright law to administer the industrial application of any work, be it an artistic work under the Copyright Act or a design under the Designs Act, 2000, leaving untouched the rest of the bundle of rights guaranteed to the owner of an artistic work under the Copyright Act, 1957. Again, is there a statutory basis to arrive at this conclusion?

I shall now discuss the submissions of some of the parties to seek answers to these questions. Microfibres Microfibres (shortnamed as MF) started off by questioning the rationale underlying the distinction between designs and artistic works. It contended that even if the distinction was justified, the opinion of the single judge that its work lacked independent identity was without sufficient explanation. Further, according to MF, since the Copyright Act did not require a subjective assessment of the artistic quality of the work, the Single Judge’s distinction was artificial MF also rightly pointed out that the presence of textile fabric in the classification did not automatically bring the work within the ambit of the Designs Act since it is the nature of the work determines its status.

The Portrait of Lisa Gheradini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, is an oil painting. Leonardo da Vinci uses sfumato and composition arrangement while painting the Mona Lisa. One technique, Da Vinci used in his artwork was focus and blur. Shadow is used at the bottom of the painting, at the edges, and the background to make the background blur out of the image. He uses this technique to draw attention to the facial details. Da Vinci also uses perspective in his painting to create an illusion of depth, to make some objects appear smaller and less detailed.

If you look up close at Mona Lisa's face you can notice the soft transitions between light and darker tones, this technique improves the piece. The “mysterious smile” makes this piece so special, because it is open to interpretation. It is a smile that certainly does not tell us her feelings, it is ambiguous. Each viewer comes with a different theory as to what this mysterious smile means. Da Vinci creates this smile by using perspective and shadow, the eyes are the focal point and the mouth is the periphery. If light comes in directly through the eye you see details, but if it comes through the corner of your eye you see shapes, shadows, and color, this is another technique Da Vinici used. If you look directly at her the smile it is different, then if you look at it from the side. The method the painter used was called the “Mona Lisa Effect”.

In 1911, the painting was stolen by the Italien man, Vincenzo Perucigo. After 28 months, the kidnapper wanted to sell the painting to an art dealer in Florence. Perucigo was immediately arrested and the painting was brought back to the Louvre. After the crime, people from all around the globe want to see the masterpiece created by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting has influenced numerous painters and artists. The Mona Lisa was recreated multiple times by other artists, this indicates that this piece is so significant.

Only the elite were able to afford being painted during the Renaissance. It was an expensive proposition. The portraits were that expensive, that they were only reserved for the nobility. The fact that a wealthy merchant would hire Leonardo to paint his wife's portrait is a reminder of the fortunes being made by traders, bankers, and others in the Renaissance.

I selected this piece because it is the world's most famous piece of art, the techniques and the skills the artists use are fascinating.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Visual Artist: Lev T. Mills
3. Poet: Countee Cullen
4. Gemini, The Incident
5. Analysis
6. Conclusion

Introduction

Art in general has become a popular medium for sending and communicating strong messages concerning life and the society as a whole. Poetry and visual art have become some of the most common forms of art used to address social, political and economic issues in the society.

The book, words with Wings pairs a poet and a visual artist together to give a reflection on some aspect of African American experience and culture. There are several different poems paired with visual artistry in the book to pass on particular messages. One of these pairings is the famous poem titled “Incident” written by Countee Cullen, paired with the famous visual art called “Gemini” by Lev T. Mills.

Visual Artist: Lev T. Mills

Lev T. Mills, the visual artist behind the picture Gemini, was born in Tallahassee Florida. Mills received his BA from Florida and A&M University. He also got his postgraduate certificate from the Slade School of Fine Arts in the University College - University of London. Mills became renown for his Constructionist approach to art. He is one of the many artists known to have made a balanced career between being a working visual artist and an educator. Some of his famous works of art have appeared in both group and solo exhibitions across the United States, Europe and Africa. Additionally, Mills has also published an artistic book of etchings and poems called I Do.

Other works of art by Mills include commission like the Atrium floor design for Atlanta City Hall Annex, the seal for the Corretta Scott King Award as well as the famed Mixed media construction at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta. You can find some of his works of art in major private and pblic collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the British Museum in London, the high Museum of art, as well as the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

Poet: Countee Cullen

Countee Cullen is still considered as one of the important figures during the African- American arts movement popularly referred to as the Harlem Renaissance. Born in 1903 in Louisville, Kentucky, Cullen attended DeWitt Clinton High School between 1918-1921 where he had won a citywide poetry competition even as an editor for the school newspaper and literary magazine. Cullen became a recognized award-winning poet from his high school years especially due to his confrontational yet creative approach to problems and challenges faced by the African- Americans at the time.

After his High school years, Cullen proceeded to New York University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and won the Witter Bynner Poetry Prize. Cullen also released the famous but volume of poetry called Color. Other poetry works like the Copper Sun and The Ballad of the Brown girl then followed. Also, other than poetry, Cullen also worked as a high school teacher. He died in 1946.

Gemini, The Incident

Gemini is a piece of visual artwork by Lev T. Mills. The painting depicts a young Black African- American boy with one hand on his chin looking directly at the viewer. Around the boy’s head is a bunch of other people running and or walking. Also behind the boy are structures including a wall with some sort of graffiti like painting with the words, “ Black is Beautiful.” The boys are depicted in a way that they may appear to be coming up right from the boy/s head. The painting has no written subject and thus the messages depicted are deduced from possible reference to the events and issue the African-Americans faced at the time.

The incident is a poem written by Countee Cullen; a renowned poet during the Harlem Renaissance. The poem is titled the incident and is a reflection on the experiences of a teenager while exploring the town of Baltimore. The poem talks about an encounter between a black American and a white American; also referred to as a Baltimorean. Particularly the poem gives subtle hints about the tension and discrimination based on the differences in culture and skin color at the time.

The poet claims that despite staying in Baltomore for 8 Months he /she only remembers the encounter with the Baltimorean who answered his smile and greetings with mockery and insult because of his /her race; called him/her “Nigger.” Could this partial memory be because some other things happened but the teenager just doesn’t want to talk about them probably because he/she wouldn’t want to recount the ordeals? Could this also be a representation of the trauma the character suffered as a result of the ordeal with the white American?

Analysis

The two-paired works of art have a direct correlation with the historical events at the time of their construction. These two works of art were constructed around the time when America struggled with the issue of recall discrimination and the racially driven social political injustices at the time.

A critical look and analysis of the painting Gemini for example reveals more than just a boy and people in a painting. The boy for example is a representation of the struggles the African Americans went through at the time. Depending on a viewer’s perspective, this painting can be considered as a memory of not just a place but also an era. The time and place must have been very important to Lev. T. Mills probably because of his own personal experiences at the time.

Similarly, in the poem, the two characters are a representation of particular events that happened during certain times in Baltimore. The experiences must have been a deep reflection of probable personal experiences by the poet or by close acquaintances at the time when America struggled to understand its self and its people.

The two works of art may have been informed by individual experiences that were both tied to one common theme of racial discrimination and the struggle to belong as experienced by the African Americans. The two artists gave their work an artistic approach with slight touches from an African heritage as a reflection of the individual character’s identities and the confusing sense of belonging and acceptance in America at the time. This must probably be the reason why the two works of art have been paired together, especially since both artists are addressing a common theme tied to the struggles and problems faced by African Americans.

Conclusion

In conclusion, interpretation of art is based on personal views and experiences that inform an individual’s perspective. Personally, I believe the two works of art have strongly come out to highlight African American problem due to racial discrimination and unfair treatment because of the differences in skin color. I can conclude that the two works of art are equally meaningful.

‘’You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away—a man is not a piece of fruit’’, was a quote by Arthur Miller based on the life. 

The play ‘The Crucible’ was written by Arthur Miller and was originally published on the 22nd January 1953, during the same period as the ruling of Senator Joseph McCarthy also known as the Red Scare. The Crucible, a play, was about the hysteria of the Salem Witch Hunt and Trials which hanged any of the accused known to be guilty of witchcraft while the Red Scare aka McCarthyism was based on ex-senator McCarthyism’s unsubstantiated claims that more than 200 ‘card carrying’ members of the Communist party had infiltrated the United States government. 

McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of treason without checking for proper evidence. Joseph McCarthy was one of the many Americans afraid of communism. McCarthy had been voted senator in 1946 after he ridiculed his opponent’s failure. McCarthy then began to accuse people in state and federal governments. The Salem Witch Trials, represented in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible are people being accused of witchcraft rather than communism. The parallels between The Crucible and McCarthyism are the symbolism between the characters and the context, the antagonists were only seeking attention and power.

Both ‘The Crucible’ and the Red Scare event has its similarities and differences. The reason behind Arthur Miller’s motive on writing the play was based on the reflection of the mass cultural and political hysteria which was constructed when the U.S government sought to suppress Communism and radical leftist activity in America. This time of the Red Scare affected the playwright personally. Hysteria increases as characters falsely accuse people of witchcraft , much like the man hunt for anyone involved in the possibility of being a communist from the McCarthyism era. What can be found based on the Crucible and the McCarthyism Red Scare event is the Similarities, Differences and Themes.

As the play and the Red Scare event goes, the hysteria increases as McCarthy and the characters falsely accuse people of witchcraft. There are similarities which can be seen among this two events. Joseph McCarthy made the most of that situation. In Wheeling, West Virginia, McCarthy accused two hundred and five people of being communists in the early 1950s without proof while in the play, Abigail Williams and the girls accused a part of the townsfolk of partaking in witchcraft without proof. 

On the other hand, another similarity that can be found is that, during the McCarthyism red scare events, people who were accused were assumed to be guilty, put on trial, and expected to divulge the names of other Communist sympathizers. Failure to do so led to sanctions, those who were labeled as communists had to lose their jobs and reputation while in The Crucible the accused are assumed guilty, put on trial, expected to confess, and expected to accuse others of being witches. 

According to both events, both parties assumed to be guilty after he or she is accused. Besides that, the hysteria increases as McCarthy and the characters falsely accuse people of witchcraft and communism. Much to similarities between the play and the red scare event, differences too can be obtained. One major differences that can be seen in the play as well as the McCarthyism red scare event is the time where the event has taken place. According to Arthur Miller, it is said that the Salem witch hunt and trials occured between the 1600s, whereas, the Joseph McCarthy red scare event took place during the late 1940s to early 1950s, to be precise, republican ex-Senator Joseph R. McCarthy was the senator of Wisconsin State from the year 1947 up to his death in 1957. Another differences that can be seen is that, according to Arthur Miller, in the play, ‘The Crucible’, whomever who were who were accused in the Salem Witch Trials,denied their guilt towards partaking in witchcraft were sentenced to death by hanging, whereas, during the McCarthyism red scare event, whomever were accused of communism and infiltrating the government were not sentenced to death but those who were labeled as communists had to lose their jobs and reputation. 

As McCarthy and the girls accuse people, hysteria increases in both events. A few topics and themes can be seen in these two events. One of them being, Lies and Deceit which is a major topic in both events. In the crucible, Abigail and the girls falsely accuse Goody Anne and Goody Osburn first in the McCarthy red scare event, ex-Senator Joseph McCarthy falsely accuse 205 people of being a communist and infiltrating the United States Government. 

Another topic is found is, the mass Hysteria found in both events. In the crucible, mass hysteria is seen among the townsfolk, hysteria is seen in the courts irrational acceptance towards the girls claims of witchcraft, as an example, according to act III, the court of refused to believe Mary Warren’s claims of accusing the witchcraft to be false, meanwhile, Abigail and the girls, accuses Mary Warren of being under the influence of witchcraft. However, in the McCarthyism red scare event, Hysteria is also seen as a major topic. Due to ex-Senator Joseph McCarthy’s claims on communism the public concerns on it has heightened by international events. This event has impacted the citizens of the United States as they too have felt the effects of the Red Scare on many levels, one,being a personal level, meanwhile thousands of alleged communist sympathizers have their lives disrupted as they were hounder by law enforcements and thus, alienated by friends and family as well as to watch their careers rot. It can be seen that hysteria effects both events, while playing a big role among the mob mentality. 

According to Arthur Miller’s play, the Crucible, shows that the townsfolk tried to momentarily stand up for themselves by giving a statement to which they agree that the accused are innocent by signing an affidavit, however, was not recognized nor agreed in the eyes of the court. Therefore, the townsfolk were not willing to stand up to the court for fear of being accused of being a witch. Meanwhile, during the 1950’s the media were not willing to stand up to Senator McCarthy for fear of being accused of being a Communist. 

In conclusion, as McCarthy and the girls accuse people, hysteria increases in both events, both the Crucible and ex-Senator McCarthy red scare event has both its similarity as well as differences, as well as topics. The relations between this two has its contrast where it correlates to each other eventually.         

Works Cited

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