Examining The Work Of Gwen Harwood English Literature Essay

Examining The Work Of Gwen Harwood English Literature Essay Harwoods work has always maintained universal appeal in its ability to articulate the indescribable in her dealing with themes that are intrinsically relevant to human experiences. As Strauss describes, Harwood effectively plays with dualistic boundaries, whether they be boundaries between life and death, present and past as a means to articulate her ruminations and this is reflective in many of her poems. Father and Child delves into the loss of childhood innocence and consequential lessons on life and death following her confronting encounter. In Barn Owl, the persona comes to learn after firing the first shot of her fathers gun that death is an obscene buddle of stuff that dropped, and dribbled through loose straw tangling in bowels. The violent, graphic imagery evoke feelings of repugnance which highlights the grotesque nature of death, being that of prolonged pain and anguish. Thus the child articulates a deepened understanding of the vulnerability of life, the finality of death, and the sorrow in taking away a life. This horrific perception is contrasted to Nightfall which portrays death as a natural, inevitable outcome that can be peaceful. This diptych structure provides didactic lessons as noted by Hoddinott who praises Harwoods ability to interweave past and present as one of her most striking gifts. In Nightfall, the poet is no longer a child, but has matured and engendered an acceptance of death as part of the cycle of life through the Christian allusion to heaven times promised land. The metaphor since there is no more to taste, ripeness is plainly all, father we pick our last fruits of the temporal recounts the fathers fufilled life and shows that the power of death is superseded by the eternal nature of their memories. The intertextual allusion to King Lear Old King, your marvellous journeys done heightens the responders awareness of the personas increasing self-knowledge about death, the complexities of life and the subleties of her relationship with her father, seen in the juxtaposition of Old King with old No-Sayer. Although Harwood acknowledges the lasting losses of death and the sorrow of change, she also recognizes that in spite of all of this, things truly named can never vanish from earth. She articulates that memories will surpass the grief and suffering of the fathers death as the persona learns to accept the uncertainty of life. Harwood extends on this exploration of death as an obscene experience, by exploring how death is abstract and undesirable yet inevitable in The Sharpness of Death. The repetition of obscene gives her poems coherance as a body of work in her investigation of death. She continues by exploring the intellectual aspects of death as she makes references to philosophers suc h as Heidegger to dismiss their theories on life and death as overly intricate and meaningless. This is reinforced through her exclamatory repetition of untranslatable as ever! accompanied by a scornful tone which underlines her disdain and frustration over the flaws in their rational philosophical musings over such mystique experience. Additionally, Harwood articulates the transience of life in the final two lines of Nasturtiums, illustrating the continual cycle of time as the light is gone but still held within the seeds of seeds. This is an image of continual rebirth of innocence and creativity as life moves on and it is this calm even tone that reflects Harwoods understanding of lifes changes and eventual end. Her acceptance is reflective in her final bargain, demonstrated thro ugh her defiant, imperative tone and direct address; Death I will tell you nowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if I fall from that time, then set your teeth in me. Here, the fierce personification of death shown through its capitalisation accentuates its prevailing power and inexorability. By doing so, she justifies that passionate experiences and fulfilling relationships are fundamental because of deaths inevitable arrival. The unity of the poemy is seen in the cyclic structure as the final part closes the opening deal. As a result, we come to agree with Strauss in descirbing Harwood as a new and distinctive voice as the Sharpness of Death effectively delves into the complexities of death in taking us through fearing death to accepting it as both mysterious and inevitable. Accordingly, we acknowledge that it is through a personal joyous affirmation of life that death is defeated. Likewise At Mornington also explores the universality of human experience through observations of the ephemeral passing of time and the temporal nature of human existence. Transpiring is the heightened awareness of the value of shared and meaningful human experiences and a firm acceptance of the certainty of mortality. An extended metaphor amplifies this notion that life is full of opportunity for joy and reinvention, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we have one day only one/but more than enough to refresh us. Like the personas realisation in Nightfall that memories trascend ones death, the recollections of this poem underline that all of life amounts to, dreams, pain, memories, love and grief and thus lifes transience is supported through expressions of love and friendship. Harwood refers to the pumpkin vine as a parable of herself; the lesson intrinsic in each of her musings is that although death is inevitable and permanent, there is some consolation in a life of virtue and fulfilment. The poems sense of unity is reflected in its cyclical nature, beginning and ending with the motif of water, symbolic of the flow of water and memory, in addition to the recurring rolli ng motion. Her first reference in the simile rolled like a doll portrays her childhood innocence in her perception of invincibility, believing that she could walk on water. Towards the conclusion, the water becomes a metaphor for death when I am seized at last and rolled in one grinding race suggesting her acknowledgement of deaths power and her own mortality. The reflective, reverent tone indicates her acceptance of death, captured in the simile, like light on the face of waters that bear me away forever, depicting death as peaceful and serene. As Hoddinott comments, this poem eloquently traces the losses occasioned by time against the power of memory to keep alive the illumination of moments that renew the world. Accordingly, as responders we also come to accept the inexorableness of death and appreciate the importance of memory to retain lifes richness. Harwoods exploration on the significant ideas of death is evident throughout many of her works and it is through her investigation on this universally complex human experience, does she generate worldwide appeal.

Qualitative Study of Experienced Nurses Voluntary Turnover

Qualitative Study of Experienced Nurses Voluntary Turnover Title Hayward,D., Bungay,V., Wolff,A.C. Macdonald,V. (2016). A qualitative study of experienced nurses voluntary turnover: learning from their perspectives. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25, 1336-1345. doi: 10.1111/jocn.13210 Introduction Issues of nursing turnover has been a perpetual challenge for healthcare industry. Furthermore, resignation of experienced nurses causes critical declination in standard of care and reduces desirable nursing outcome. In fact, crisis of staffing shortages often occur during the transitional period while an experienced nurse left while at that same time a newly recruited staff is undergoing orientation and training. In the first place, employment of new staff incurs significant high cost to the society and health care organization. The aim of this qualitative, interpretive descriptive study is to explore the reasons that caused resignation of experienced nurses. In this cross sectional qualitative study, 12 purposive selected participants took part in individual face to face interview. The sample included 8 full time and 4 part time nurses. Thornes (2009) interpretative descriptive design was used for data collection and analysis. Hayward et al found that work environment and personal reason caused nurses to leave. Sample will be the element chosen for discussion. The sample Purposive sampling method is employed for the specific information that one has to offer due to the personal experience (Patton, 2005). This method of sampling is deployed deliberately to recruit the particular individuals because of the crucial information they can give (Carpenter Suto, 2008). Guarte et al. (2007) stated that purposive sampling is the selection of population that provides most information on the subject of interest. Similarly, Liamputtong (2013) believes that qualitative study depends on information rich individuals who have in-depth understanding of the discussed topic due to their experiences. Selecting members of the participants with a purpose enable researchers to focus on the issues that need to be explored extensively. Furthermore, qualitative research is mainly about the lived experiences of people, owing to this phenomena researcher sample for meaning and not frequency. Since qualitative study aims to explore meanings that an individual experience, the fin ding is not general (Hesse-Biber Leavy, 2011). Likewise, in the research that examines how nurses cope with nursing workload nursing critically ill patients, researchers will recruit nurses with experiences working in intensive care unit. Alternatively, qualitative researchers may use convenience and snowball sample which is efficient but does not necessary provide most information rich sources (Polit Beck, 2014). On the other hand, Jansses et al. (2015) stated that some studies concluded that purposive sample may develop representative samples whereas a random sample avoid biases. Even so, purposive sampling seems as the main approach in qualitative study as the criterion based participants has the characteristics enabling exploration of their experience related to the study (Ritchie et al., 2014). In this study, there were 12 participants recruited while a smaller sample size can be considered since this is a qualitative study. Sandelowski (1995) maintained that qualitative sample of 10 may be a sufficient number for sampling among the homogeneous population. In fact, qualitative research focuses on the importance of breadth and depth to thoroughly address the relevant research questions. Hence, the approach centered around meaning and feeling of the studies thus not intended to create a representative samples. In the year 2012, Dworkin stated that qualitative research requires in-depth understanding of phenomenon, concentrate on the meaning and reasons behind the stories pertaining to social issues. On the contrary, Polit and Beck (2014) commented that qualitative research sample size is guided by principle of data saturation and may need a larger sample. Research conducted by Bertrand (2012) was an example used to explain this situation where the interview continued while sa mple size was thought to have achieved data saturation, a participant told the story that was never been shared before. Theoretically, careful and meaningful selection of participants in small number is appropriate for qualitative study. Ideally, the participants will provide details and range of information that answer the questions probe by researcher. Hence, it is possible for a sample size of less than 10 participants to achieve data saturation. Interestingly, Morse (2008) pointed out that quality of data is influenced by the skill of interviewer and affect the required sample size in achieving saturation. Mason (2010) added that 10 interviews conducted by an experienced interviewer can obtain more information than an inexperienced interviewer who have more interviews. Having one single case as sample can be meaningful and extremely informative as seen in the studies from management and medical research (Boddy, 2016). Since the selection of sample is vital to the outcome of qualitative study, the sample inclusion of part time nurses and nurses who worked in different role and position will likely to have opinions highly objective to their varied work situation. For instance, nurses employment decisions are contributed by work hour, job function and salary. Full time employees are perceived to shoulder on extra responsibilities due to their participation in the other improvement plan of the organization. In addition to that, full time workers remain busy performing routine nursing duty as their part time counterpart (Janssona Engstromb, 2017). Commitment and job satisfactions are major predictor of staff turnover (Satoh et al. 2016) Generally, part time nurses are perceived to be less committed due to shorter work hour as compare to full time nurses (Katz Kahn, 1979). In year 2009, Han et al. reported that full time nurses attained more job satisfaction, commitment and empowerment than part time nurses. Having said that, there were many studies (e.g. Eberhardt et al. 1984; Jackofsky et al. 1987; Logan et al. 1973; McGinnis et al. 1990; Miller et al. 1979; Shockey et al. 1994; Sinclair et al. 1999; Steffy et al. 1990; Still, 1983; Vecchio, 1984; Wetzel, Soloshy et al. 1990; Wotruba, 1990) which examined the variance of work attitudes, commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intention between part time and full time employee throughout two decades but the outcomes were inconclusive and inconsistent. Similar levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment were reported among part time and full time employees (Thorsteinson, 2003). Conclusion In qualitative research, the sampling plan must achieve its mean to be adequate and appropriate. In order to achieve the goal, selected individual must have total understanding of the subject under study and in return supply full information. In brief, the study can be effective using smaller number of participants if researcher can apply good skill with the right inclusion and exclusion criteria. References Boddy, C.R. (2016). Sample size for qualitative research. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 19(4), 426-432. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/QMR-06-2016-0053 Dworkin,S.L. (2012). Sample size policy for qualitative studies using in-depth interviews. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(6), 1319-1320. doi: 10.1007/s10508-012-0016-6 Eberhardt, B. J. Shani, A. B. (1984). The effects of full-time versus part-time employment status on attitudes toward specific organizational characteristics and overall job satisfaction. Academy of Management Journal, 27, 893-900. Guarte, J.M. Barrios,E.B. (2007). Estimation under purposive sampling. Communications in Statistics-Simulation and Computation, 35(2), 277-284. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03610910600591610 Hammell, K.W. Carpenter, C. (2004). Qualitative research in evidence-based rehabilitation. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. Han, S.H., Moon, S.J. Yun, E.K. (2009). Empowerment, job satisfaction and organizational commitment: comparison of permanent and temporary nurses in Korea. Applied Nursing Research, 22, 15-20. Hesse-Biber, S.N. Leavy, P. (2010). The practice of qualitative research. (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. Jackofsky, E. F. Peters, L. H. (1987). Part-time and full-time employment status differences: A replication and extension. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 8, 1-9. Janssona, A.B. Engstromb, A. (2017). Working together: critical care nurses experiences of temporary staffing within Swedish health care: a qualitative study. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2016.08.010 Katz, D. Kahn, R. L. (1979). The social psychology of organizations. New York: Wiley. Liamputtong, P. (2013). The science of words and the science of numbers: research methods as foundations for evidence-based practice in health. In P. Liamputtong (Ed.), Research Methods in Health: Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice. (pp. 3-23). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia and New Zealand. Logan, N.OReilly, C.A. Roberts, K.H. (1973). Job satisfaction among part-time and full-time employees. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 3, 33-41. Mason, M. (2010). Sample size and saturation in PhD studies using qualitative interviews. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 11(3), Article 8. Retrieved from http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs100387 McGinnis, S.K. Morrow, P.C. (1990). Job attitudes among full- and part-time employees. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 36, 82-96. Miller, H.E. Terborg, J.R. (1979). Job attitudes of part-time and full-time employees. Journal of Applied Psychology, 64, 380-386. Morse, J.M. (2008). Styles of collaboration in qualitative inquiry. Qualitative Health Research, 18(1), 3-4. Patton, M.Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. (2nd ed.). California: SAGE. Polit, D.F. Beck C.T. (2014). Essentials of nursing research: appraising evidence for nursing practice. (8nd ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health, Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Elam, G., Tennant, R. Rahim, N. (2014). Designing and selecting samples. In Ritchie, J, Lewis, J., Nicholls, C.M. Ormston, R. (Eds.), Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. (pp.113). Los Angeles: SAGE. Sandelowski, M. (1995). Sample size in qualitative research. Research in Nursing Health, 18(2), 179-183. Satoh, M., Watanabe, I. Asakura, K. (2016). Occupational commitment and job satisfaction mediate effort-reward imbalance and the intention to continue nursing. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 14(1), 49-60. doi: 10.1111/jjns.12135 Shockey, M.L. Mueller, C.W. (1994). At-entry differences in part-time and full-time employees. Journal of Business and Psychology, 8, 355-364. Sinclair, R.R., Martin, J.E. Michel, R.P. (1999). Full-time and part-time subgroup differences in job attitudes and demographic characteristics. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 55, 337-357. Steffy, B.D., Jones, J.W. (1990). Differences between full-time and part-time employees in perceived role strain and work satisfaction. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 11, 321-329. Still, L.V. (1983). Part-time versus full-time salespeople: Individual attributes, organizational commitment and work attitudes. Journal of Retailing, 59, 55-79. Thorsteinson, T.J. (2003) Job attitudes of part-time vs. full-time workers: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 76, 151-177. Van Hoeven, L.R., Janssen, M.P., Roes, K.C.B. Koffijberg, H. (2015). Aiming for a representative sample: Simulating random versus purposive strategies for hospital selection. Biomed Central Medical Research Methodology, 15(90), 1-9. Retrieved from https://dx.doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12874-015-0089-8 Vecchio, R.P. (1984). Demographic and attitudinal differences between part-time and full-time employees. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 5, 213-218. Wetzel, K., Soloshy, D.E. Gallagher, D.G. (1990). The work attitudes of full-time and part-time registered nurses. Health Care Management Review, 15, 79-85. Wotruba, T.R. (1990). Full-time versus part-time salespeople: A comparison on job satisfaction, performance, and turnover in direct selling. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 7, 97-108.

Playboy Of The Western World: Discovering Reality Essay -- essays rese

In order to counter the unreality of Ibsen and the bleakness of Chekhov, John M. Synge has chosen a seemingly unbelievable story to create his realist masterpiece, The Playboy of the Western World. Its realism comes from two unlikely sources: joy and a far-fetched tale. Yet, as Synge identifies himself in the preface, these elements in combination are extremely effective in showing the life of the peasantry; more so than any bleak or so-called "real" story (in the manner of Ibsen) could.The problem with showing the peasant class in a bleak manner is that, by virtue of their position, the audience knows their life is bleak in terms of money. By featuring a peasant class, it would be redundant to make a movie about their lack of finances, intelligence, or other virtues not usual...

An Army of One: Me. Essay -- Psychology, Self-esteem, Generation Me

Feeling good about oneself is an inherently good thing; however when this is intensified so severely that it becomes the focus of everyday life, complications and consequences may occur. Jean Twenge tries to warn today’s â€Å"Generation Me† about the dangers of their obsession with the self in her piece, â€Å"An Army of One: Me.† This desire to look out for only the individual has dramatic effects on the direction of today’s society. What has also evolved out of this self adoring society is a seemingly endless need for argument, especially in the educational field, an issue addressed by Debora Tannen in her essay, â€Å"The Roots of Debate in Education and the Hope of Dialogue.† Of course, no researchers or educational experts expected the negative results such as narcissism and argumentative culture that followed from these teaching methods. These are unintended consequences and displaced risks, just as the types addressed in Edward Tennerâ€℠¢s, â€Å"Another Look Back, and A Look Ahead† but applied to a different subject. In effect, one problem causes another as an excess of self-esteem more often than not leads to narcissism. That development of narcissism promotes an argumentative culture in which everyone thinks they are right because confidence in oneself is far too high. Revenge effects may include constant irritability and excessive sensitivity, a lack of obtaining a good education, or in some cases pure laziness. Through a flawed system of education and the development of Generation Me, the attitude of the United States has unintentionally drifted towards narcissism and discontent. In many ways, people who are incapable of accepting criticism have developed narcissistic tendencies. Graduate students, discussed by Tannen were almos... ...the flip side of intensity† (Tenner 709). Narcissism is this revenge and it has negatively impacted education and society in general. By aiming too much at self-esteem educators have changed the way Generation Me children look at themselves. They act the way they do because they do not know any other way of thinking. The progression of US society has become increasingly more individualistic every generation. Twenge’s analysis of Generation Me accurately depicts the way people today are more irritable and inclined to argue when their points are challenged. Similarly, the argument culture discussed by Tannen has taken over the American education system in part due to this rise in narcissism. Overall it is clear while one was not meant to lead to another, the argument culture and narcissism are not only related, but they unintentionally grow off of one another.

Mythical Pasts: Ethiopianism as a Revitalization Movement :: essays papers

Mythical Pasts: Ethiopianism as a Revitalization Movement Throughout history, identification with Ethiopian heritage has been a familiar concept to the Jamaicans who have suffered under slavery, colonialism and social oppression. This concept of "Ethiopianism" includes the appreciation of Ethiopia’s ancient civilization as well as its profound role in the Bible and world history. It has long been manifested in Jamaican culture as a means to identify with a glorious, righteous, and perhaps the earliest of all human civilization. Anthropologist Anthony F.C. Wallace has focused much of his research on the phenomena of Revitalization Movements throughout social history. He has recognized that such movements are characterized by a uniform process and can be defined as "a deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture" (Wallace 265). Considering the centuries of severe struggle amongst Jamaican society, from the inhumane conditions of slavery to modern neocolonialism on the island, it seems evident as to why the revitalization of the Ethiopian homeland would be present in the culture and even accelerated within the Rastafarian Movement. Prominent leaders and the circumstances of the times have allowed Ethiopianism to flourish amongst the oppressed masses of Jamaica and gain popular recognition through the lyrics of reggae music. There is no doubt that this identification with historical Ethiopia has served as a Revitalization Movement for Rastafarians within Jamaican culture and society. It would be impossible to understand the Rastafarian connection to Ethiopianism without first exploring at least a brief history of this ancient civilization. This historical root in a thriving civilization is especially important to discover as Blacks have unjustifiably been regarded as "uncivilized" throughout the centuries. I hope that the following will prove that today, Africans all over the world are descendents of what was once a very highly developed civilization in what is now Ethiopia. However, white populations have attempted throughout history to deny this fact. European scholars of the nineteenth century claimed that those who occupied the area in ancient times were not Negroes but Hamites; this attempt was made in hope of scientifically proving that whites are the origin and basis of all civilization (Barrett 70). African descendents have suffered for centuries due to this "de-negrification" of Blacks and those confusing racial classifications assigned by Whites. The fa ct that the Ethiopian civilization was indeed a Black one is strongly supported with a quick insight into ancient Hebrew language.

My Time in the Rainforest

Today was very productive day. I saw many things that I have never seen before in the Amazon rainforest. It is located in South America and is hugely populated with many different species. It is vast, covering an area of 2,5 million square miles, and we haven't even got one eight yet. Amazon river is one of the reasons the forest is so tremendously populated. It flows for more than 4,000 miles to discharge its waters in the Atlantic Ocean near Belem, Brazil. Along the way, about 1,100 tributaries latch on. One of the most seen birds was the Toucan. It was bigger then I thought it would be. Our guide told us that ten million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical forest. As it became dark, we stayed in the undergrowth of the forest where the tree could shade use from the hot sun we were expecting in the morning. The floor of the rain forest was sticky and wet from the rain that had fallen earlier this morning. It was hard to relax because of the weird weather. I could see a rainbow in the sky through the gaps between the canvas of leaves. As I got up, a spider monkey jumped down from the canopy and tried to grab the fruit we picked. We made a quick dash towards a giant tree trunk that had fallen. Thousands of small insects scattered as we approached it. We made a fireplace here to cook the raw meat we had brought. We fetched water from the Amazon river which was flowing near to camp and put in tablets to clean it. As we filled our bottles, piranhas swam towards our hands in the water. The Amazon river was a very dangerous place. –Day 2 24.09.10 We woke up at dawn when most of the animals would be sleeping. We saw an anaconda slither by. It was 21 feet long and I saw it choke a Giant Anteater. We were far away and the snake didn't spot us. A pack of squirrel monkeys passed us and we carried on through. It was getting cooler and there were less animals wandering about. More deadly animals started to appear, such as the poison dart frog. Our guide told us it is very small in size, but poisonous enough as to kill up to 100 people. It has the most powerful poison known by man, but harmless if left alone. Amazon Indians hunt using its poison in the tip of their arrows. –Day 3 25.09.10 We were heading towards Manaus, the weather in tropical areas have equatorial climate, found approximately 5 degrees to the North and South of the equator. Like any other tropical rainforest, it's hot and humid throughout the year, with an average annual temperature of 27à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C

The Grandmother

A writer's life can be characterized by danger and excitement. Those who pursue their vocation with passion and dedication cannot possibly live a dull life.   A writer’s life is full of danger because he or she will have to go the unconventional route in order to succeed. It is also a life of excitement because the unpredictable effects of the written word can either make a person famous, rich, or dead depending on the content and place where the piece was written.Bozena Mencova is the first major female writer ever produced by present day Czechoslovakia – formerly known as Czech Republic – in the middle of the nineteenth century. And this writer epitomizes the twin attribute of danger and excitement. Her life was fraught with risks because she had the misfortune to be born in a land torn by politics, ideology, and race. Furthermore, she lived in a time when women are considered a distant second to their male counterparts.Yet, her life was also full of exciteme nt. She was able to show that talent rises to the top irregardless of gender and economic status. One of her celebrated works is the story of a grandmother (Babieka) who was torn between love and duty, in which the writer has interwoven her views on social, political, and even religious forces that are shaping her country.BackgroundThe interesting life of Bozena Nemcova did not begin and end in her being a fiction writer. In fact, Nemcova is also a â€Å"†¦poet, journalist, collector and editor of folk narratives; key figure of the Czech National Revival and representative of the national literary canon. And if this was not enough she was one of the first to publicly address the question of women's identity and   their position in society† (Haan, Daskalova, & Loufti, 2006).Bozena Nemcova was born in 1820, almost two hundred years after the Germans defeated the armies of the Czech Republic. The intense â€Å"Germanization† of the populace resulted in the deterior ation of Czech literature and culture. The National Revival that occurred in the 19th century in which Nemcova played a major part was in response to the decline and The Grandmother is one of the major literary works that serves to awaken nationalistic fervor (Iggers, 1995, p. 49).The GrannyThe story of â€Å"The Grandmother† is a well-written piece. It is enjoyable to read because it came from another time and place, with the added bonus that it came from another language. It is always good to read translated works because it gives the reader a window to another culture. In most cases the study of these types of literature results in the realization that there is much in common even between two different people groups, race, culture, and nationalities.This is especially evident when reading the introductory part of the story. Grandmothers in many parts of the world can relate to â€Å"Granny† – of growing old and living alone, their children far away having the ir own families. The dilemma, on whether to live independently or move in with one of the children is also common problem around the globe.The trend continues when Granny began the journey from her ancestral hometown to a â€Å"foreign† land where her daughter now resides with her husband and children. The universality of the story persisted in the longing of the grandchildren to know their grandmother and the same strong emotions were reciprocated by the grandma.Then the story begins to show its unique flavor when Granny began to settle in. After a while, Granny began to notice the difference in language, culture, and manners being demonstrated in the household of Mr. Prosek. It was a clash between the new and the old, between the traditions of the countryside and new rules of modern living. In the story Granny remarked to herself that she hardly recognized her daughter because her idea of her is that of a merry country girl and here she is now, poised, elegant and yet there is something that is missing.This nagging feeling is symbolic of what is going on in the hearts and minds of Czech intellectuals at that time. They were torn between the acknowledged benefits of the cultural and technological exchange with the Germans and at the same time uncomfortable because deep-down the real self is suppressed unable to break free in song and merriment.Religion has always been a friction point and in this case, Nemcova would like the reader to know the inner struggle of the native Czechs when it comes to a seemingly haphazard view of God by their new rulers. In the story Granny always â€Å"cross† herself and wanted her convictions to rub-off on the children and the whole family.In the latter part of the story one gets a huge dose of these types of comparisons. Mencova was able to contrast the differences in culture when he wrote about the pilgrimage to a church in Svatonovice. On the way the children saw what they were deprived of; it is the joy and spi ritual blessing that can be found in going back to their roots which is the intricate traditions of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and the beauty of the countryside with its own unique wisdom and charms.The story of The Grandmother is not only about symbolisms pointing to National Revival of ancient Czech culture, religion and its traditions. It is much more than that. It is also a piece where Nemcova was able to pour his heart out to express ideas and queries not acceptable in society. In one section of the story, Nemcova introduced Victorka to contrast it with the character of the grandmother. Victorka was imprudent and speaks her mind. By doing so she was able to communicate what may have been going through her mind and heart. This is because Nemcova had an unhappy marriage to a man 15 years her senior (Iggers, 1995).ConclusionIn 1620 the Czech army was defeated by the Hapsburg army. This period began the decline of Czech culture and literature. Intense â€Å"Germanization† occurred, the expected result after victors would normally insist that their culture and language is far superior to the vanquished foe. And in most cases, the weakened spirit of the defeated people willingly oblige to the cultural bullying. In the case of the Czech Republic, Craig Craven remarked, â€Å"The Czech language had not died out, but it had retreated to the countryside and the kitchen to become the patois – slang or nonstandard language – of peasants, cooks, and servants† (2006, p. 88).The above-mentioned discussion serves as the backdrop of The Grandmother written as a response to the   Revival; Czech intellectuals doing proactive steps to regain lost ground in terms of culture, literature, and national identity. In these patriotic times Mencova was moving from town to town with his patriot husband and in the process was exposed to the politics and ideologies of the day. Thus, she began to be influenced by a new breed of Czech natives yearning fo r the good old days.This hope of a new and better Czech Republic based on long forgotten ideals is very much evident in the story. As one would recall Granny reacted to the fact that her son-in-law did not speak Czech, only German while her children and grandchildren on the other hand – including the servants in the household – can easily speak her native language. This made Granny uncomfortable and made her to contemplate going back to her quaint little village.She was persuaded to stay and to keep her mind off the things that bothered her, she began to plunge herself to work as some kind of an overseer to the household servants. Then she began noticing other things like the modern technology that made her more uncomfortable. This is also a symbol of the dilemma with regards to accepting the obvious benefits of German influence – especially in technology – while on the other hand rejecting the negative impacts such as the loss of piety especially when it comes to the traditional church.Aside from the nationalistic undertones of the â€Å"Granny† what attracts the reader to an in-depth study of this piece of literature stems from the realization that this is a 19th century work of fiction, written by a woman in a time and place where tremendous odds are stacked against her. And yet she prevailed and showed her countrymen and the whole world that talent and a burning passion for truth is enough to overcome all obstacles.Lacking in formal training and education required for a serious writer, Nemcova was able to compensate with her enormous talent. It is amazing to read a fine work, with such a vivid description of Czech rural lifestyle and the power of her prose to make the characters come alive. It is difficult to go through the story without agreeing to her insights or without wondering if Nemcova was really writing fiction because the dialogue could have easily have been recorded from actual conversations.In this regard Nemc ova should not only be emulated and celebrated as a writer but also as a heroine. She is a shining example for a country that has seen better times. She is also a good role model for all women who struggled to find their place in a male-dominated society. But her story should be retold in places where women are treated as objects and not as human beings. Her life will surely convince them that they can rise above it all if only they can focus on something other than themselves.Works CitedCravens, Craig. Culture and Customs of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Westport, CT:Greenwood Press, 2006.Haan, F., K. Daskalova, & A. Loutfi. A Biographical Dictionary of Women's Movements andFeminism. New York: CEU Press, 2006.Wilson, Neil. Prague. CA: Lonely Planet, 2007.Iggers, Wilma. Women of Prague. Providence, RI: Berghahn Books, 1995.