Technology and How It Has Improved Housekeeping Operations Research Paper Example

Technology and How It Has Improved Housekeeping Operations Paper Technology and how it has improved Housekeeping Operations A Thesis Submitted By Lerone McDonald (ID#)-10T10553 In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science In Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment Management Excelsior Community College Date: February 28, 2013 According to â€Å"dictionary. reference. com† technology is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science. Technology can also be referred to as the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a preexisting solution to a problem. Technology also refers to the collection of such tools, including machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures. Technologies significantly affect human resources as well as other areas of the Hotel industry, more so the Housekeeping Department/area. Housekeeping is the act of cleaning the rooms and furnishings of rooms. It is one of the many duties included in the term Housekeeping. Some duties included in the Housekeeping Operations are, but not limited to: †¢Disposing of rubbish †¢Changing washing bed linens †¢Cleaning dirty surfaces/areas †¢Dusting and vacuuming †¢Removing leaves from rain gutters †¢Washing windows and sweeping doormats. The Housekeeping Operations Department is responsible for the cleaning and he upkeep of the Hotel’s guests’ areas, to ensure the areas look better, safer and easier for clients/guest to be accommodated. The housekeeping department plays a very important and vital role in the hotel industry, without such a department lime scale can build up on taps, mold grows in wet areas, bacterial action make the garbage disposal and toilet smell and cobwebs accumulate. Some items that are commonly found in the Housekeeping department are: †¢Vacuum Cleaners †¢Brooms †¢Mops and Sponges †¢Detergents †¢Disinfectants †¢Bleach etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology and How It Has Improved Housekeeping Operations specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Technology and How It Has Improved Housekeeping Operations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Technology and How It Has Improved Housekeeping Operations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are several technologies that have helped to enhance and make the housekeeping department more efficient. Information and communications technology (ICT), is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. This speaks to the many different types of equipment/infrastructure that can be found embedded within the hotel industry to make work in the Housekeeping Department/area more effective and efficient. Some of these are, but not limited to: †¢PA System †¢Pagers/fax †¢Intercom †¢Inventory Management System †¢Intranet/internet/computers and †¢Biometric System Innovations in the communication system such as the use of the intercom system which is much like the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) makes it easier for the front desk to contact the housekeeping department for any request. Using one line for multiple telephones, you only need to dial a phone number that only requires three-digits or four which is assigned to every department of the hotel. The use of the desktop is very common in the current generation of hotel services. In contrast to the previous hotels, they used manual handwriting, and that also entails a lot of papers that could possible take up a lot of work space. With the use of the computer hardware system, which includes, the keyboard, the monitor, the mouse, and certain pre-installed application into the computer, paperwork and writing may not necessary. There is also software known as the Navis Housekeeping Management system which is used by the housekeeping department to properly monitor room statuses and cleaning of rooms. Once rooms have be cleaned, the information is entered into the Navis Housekeeping Management System which will allow easy access by housekeeping and the front desk department, by doing this both departments are able to know the rooms that are available and also their status. These kinds of hardware also help in the strict monitoring of guests reservation which the housekeeping department have access to so that they will be aware of the amount of guests that have made reservations. This information is vital as it allows the housekeeping department to prepare the rooms beforehand and also to ensure that enough rooms are available to meet the demands. This type of technology also assists with scheduling of housekeeping staff and also to ensure par stock amounts are up to date. Green Technology speaks to the environmental technology (envirotech), clean technology (cleantech) is the application of one or more of environmental science, green chemistry, environmental monitoring and electronic devices to monitor, model and conserve the natural environment and resources, and to curb the negative impacts of human involvement on the environment depletion. Green Technology is also used to describe sustainable energy generation technologies such as photovoltaic’s, wind turbines, bioreactors and solar systems. Sustainable development is the core of environmental technologies. The term environmental technology is also used to describe a class of electronic devices that can promote sustainable management of resources. Green technology is being introduced in all sectors of production and more so in companies and the hotel industry is one such sector. Green technology not only benefits the hotel but it also helps the guest to appreciate the hotel and its environs more. Below are a few direct quotes from which were taken from ecomall. om about different green technology that are being instituted at some hotels. 1. Every morning at our front desk you will hear our guest’s remark in wonder over how well they slept last night, general manager Natalie Marquis says. I believe one reason we get this strong positive feedback is because we stopped using chemical pesticides 20 years ago. Our rooms are ecologically fresh, which allows the human body to relax, enabling our guests to experience a be tter sleep than in other hotels that use pesticides and toxic cleaning chemicals, or even in the guests own homes. 2. Patricia Griffin, president of the Green Hotel Association. She started the association 15 years ago after visiting Europe and learning how hotel quests respond positively to requests for non-daily sheet and towel cycling as a way to save energy and water, and reduce the use of cleaning products. Today you will find her associations desk cards in hotel rooms across America, suggesting to guests that they help the environment by not requesting daily towel and bed-linen cleaning. Various types of technologies are being implemented so as to assist a hotel to become more eco-friendly, one such technology which was developed is the first environmentally smart hotel, yes! Smart Hotel! †¢The Sheraton Rittenhouse is setting a precedent, and is part of an industry that is keen on cleaning for health, and for the environment. The hotel uses 100 percent organic cotton bed-sheets, chemical-free laundry cycles, energy-efficient light bulbs, and palm trees in the lobby with a superb oxygenation rate. Also the lobby’s reception desk is made from recycled soda bottles. A source from the Hotel’s housekeeping operations department also disclosed that all cleaning chemicals are all non-toxic, water-based, hypoallergenic and biodegradable. â€Å"Green-cleaning products also lead to lower regulatory costs, because managers have fewer toxic chemicals to track and fewer chemical-related injuries† added our source. Global Trends in housekeeping speaks to various activities and planned implementations. There are many different trends that are emerging not just within the hotel industry but specifically the housekeeping department. A few trends within the housekeeping department have been identified and are illustrated below. 1. PureRooms- a new company from the US introduced the group to allergy friendly rooms. PureRooms prepare and treat guest rooms; the process removes up to 99% of pollutants from the air, to let your guests breathe easy. It also protects from irritants such as mould, viruses, bacteria, pollen, and yeast to eliminating odours at the source and leaving the room smelling fresh. Rooms treated by PureRooms can be sold with a surcharge. The treatments include; all air conditioning units cleaned and treated with the installation of tea tree oil in the drip pan of the a/c unit, all surfaces in the room treated with PURE clean solution, high ozone shock treatment, PURE shield bacteria barrier, installation in every room of the electronic air purifier and allergy friendly bed encasements. 2. Inner Scents- an Australian invention of guest products that have an aromatherapy component to their manufacture. Ironing board covers which waft with subtle smells of herbs are a part of this company’s line of products along with other products such as pillow inserts. 3. Optii Solutions- introduced a new Housekeeping software system Optii Keeper, which revolutionizes the way housekeeping operates. This is the worlds first automated, intelligent housekeeping solution for hotels developed by Hoteliers for Hoteliers and with Housekeepers for Housekeepers in conjunction with Intercontinental Hotel Group. Optii Keeper has proven to save up to 20% of housekeeping payroll costs and up to 40% of Supervisor time. It eliminates 80% of phone calls between front office and housekeeping departments and creates a motivating environment by fairly spreading workloads among team members (http://www. optiisolutions. com/en/index. php? id=1, 2012). This helps to improve quality and staff morale and the system saves at least two hours every morning by automating the room allocation process at the push of a button. The housekeeping management team can see in real time if the housekeeping teams are ahead of schedule, on time or behind schedule and the system virtually eliminates the current expense of overstaffing or understaffing by forecasting staffing needs. Conclusion Modern technology is a driving force behind the overall development and sustainability of many sectors and the tourism sector is one such, which has benefited immensely from the advancement in technology, more specifically the housekeeping operations of hotels. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is one such advancement in technology which has positively impacted the housekeeping department. Technology has also helped to better manage the housekeeping departments more effectively and efficiently. Green technology is another element that has greatly impacted the operations of the housekeeping department through programs such as eco-friendly rooms and smart hotels. Advancement in Green technology has helped the housekeeping department manage its resources better. With more and more hotels adopting Green technology this sees them becoming more environmentally friendly. Global trends also impacts on the operations of the housekeeping department, as new technologies have and are being developed to improve the overall efficiency of housekeeping operations. Trends such as new and improved technologies that foster effective communication between housekeeping and all other departments, advanced equipment such as washers that do everything from dispensing of cleaning agents in correct amounts and the correct type of linen, are just a few global trends which have emerged within the housekeeping department. In concluding, the housekeeping department has been impacted by technology in many ways. The advancements in technology have allowed the housekeeping to be more efficient and effective in performing its functions to the highest level. References Books and Printed Document: Brewer, P. et al. (2008). Current and Future Use in the Hospitality Industry. Bunduhn, R. (2010). Hotel Industry Urged to get Technology Up to Speed. The National Gretzel, U. et al. (2010). Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2010. SpringerWienNewYork. Ferdinand Berger SohneGesellschaftm. b. H. , 3580 Horn, Austria Internet sources: (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/201838 (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. ecomall. com/greenshopping/1greencleaning. htm

Free Essays on Multi Cultural Ed

Getting Rid of the Stereotypes, and Teaching in a Multicultural Perspective It is rare that any two-classroom teachers will have the same definition for multicultural education. â€Å"The basic goal of multicultural education is to help all children understand and appreciate events and people from various points of view† (Welton, 113). Teaching with a multicultural perspective encourages appreciation and understanding of other cultures as well as one’s own. Rey Gomez states that teaching with this perspective promotes the child’s sense of the uniqueness of his own culture as a positive characteristic and enables the child to accept the uniqueness of the cultures of others. Children’s attitudes toward their race and ethnic group and other cultural groups begin to form early in the preschool years. Children are easily influenced by the cultural, opinions, and attitudes of their caregivers. Caregiver’s perceptions of ethnic and racial groups can affect the child’s attitudes toward those minority groups. â€Å"Early c hildhood educators can influence the development of positive attitudes in young children by learning about and promoting the various cultures represented among the children they teach† (Gomez, 1). Gomez also states young children can develop stereotypic viewpoints of cultures different from their own when similarities among all individuals are not emphasized. Teachers can help eliminate stereotypes by presenting material and activities that enable children to learn the similarities of all individuals. Early childhood teachers and parents of young children should become aware of the myths and assumptions associated with multicultural education so that they develop appropriate goals and methods. Listed below are some of the assumptions of multicultural education created by Paul Gorski and Bob Covert: 1. it is increasingly important for political, social, educational, and economic reasons to recognize the US is a cu... Free Essays on Multi Cultural Ed Free Essays on Multi Cultural Ed Getting Rid of the Stereotypes, and Teaching in a Multicultural Perspective It is rare that any two-classroom teachers will have the same definition for multicultural education. â€Å"The basic goal of multicultural education is to help all children understand and appreciate events and people from various points of view† (Welton, 113). Teaching with a multicultural perspective encourages appreciation and understanding of other cultures as well as one’s own. Rey Gomez states that teaching with this perspective promotes the child’s sense of the uniqueness of his own culture as a positive characteristic and enables the child to accept the uniqueness of the cultures of others. Children’s attitudes toward their race and ethnic group and other cultural groups begin to form early in the preschool years. Children are easily influenced by the cultural, opinions, and attitudes of their caregivers. Caregiver’s perceptions of ethnic and racial groups can affect the child’s attitudes toward those minority groups. â€Å"Early c hildhood educators can influence the development of positive attitudes in young children by learning about and promoting the various cultures represented among the children they teach† (Gomez, 1). Gomez also states young children can develop stereotypic viewpoints of cultures different from their own when similarities among all individuals are not emphasized. Teachers can help eliminate stereotypes by presenting material and activities that enable children to learn the similarities of all individuals. Early childhood teachers and parents of young children should become aware of the myths and assumptions associated with multicultural education so that they develop appropriate goals and methods. Listed below are some of the assumptions of multicultural education created by Paul Gorski and Bob Covert: 1. it is increasingly important for political, social, educational, and economic reasons to recognize the US is a cu...

Parent Response Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parent Response Reflection - Essay Example When the child is ranked as partially proficient this means that he finds his work difficult and he also renders a few significant and minor errors. At proficient level the child is able to do his work with minimal difficulty and no significant errors. And when the child is termed as advanced this means that he can do all his work accurately and easily without any errors and difficulties. While teaching language art we teach your child different reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. According to the 2nd grade language art standards, this course is divided into several levels and your child is promoted to a higher level when he gives satisfactory performance at the existing level. The 2nd grade language art standards consist of seven different standards and your child is performing at different levels in all these standards. Standard one is related to reading and in this standard we work on your child’s pronunciation and enhance his ability to understand different in formational text so that he can use it in different purposes. In this standard your child is performing at LA.2.1.4. At this level we work on the vocabulary of your child, we also work on his concept building. At this level your child starts learning different advanced and high level words and there is also a visible increase in the number of words which he can pronounce and understand accurately. The second and third standards are also related to reading. Second standard is about reading comprehension and the third standard is about literary response and analysis, your child will be promoted to these standards when he will complete all the levels of standard one. Standard four is related to writing and in this standard we teach your child the effective writing skills so that he can converse efficiently at various levels with a variety of spectators. In this standard your child is performing at LA.2.4.5. At this level we work on your child’s punctuation and capitalization abi lities. Here, particularly your child learns the use of apostrophes in making contractions. He learns to put apostrophes in the place of missing letters. Standard five is also about writing. This standard is about oratory writing. In this standard we work on child’s speech making skills so that he can address his audience in a more effective way. Your child will be promoted to this standard after the completion of standard four. Standard six is about oral communication and in this standard we work to enhance your child’s communicating skills. In this standard your child is at LA.2.6.3. At this level we teach your child learns to express his thoughts via dramas. Your child plays different roles in various drama activities in order to express himself and the skills which he has learned in this course. Standard seven again is related to oral communication and in this standard we teach your child different speech making skills. After giving appropriate performance in stand ard six your child will be promoted to standard seven. We have ranked your child at different degrees according to the standards. At LA.2.1.4 in standard one, your child is ranked as partially proficient because he had some difficulty in identifying different high level and advance words and even in the words which he was able to identify he made some minor errors. At LA.2.4.5 in standard four, your

American Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Paleo-Diet Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paleo-Diet Project - Research Paper Example Refined foods can cause different diseases, i.e. cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, Parkinson’s, depression, Alzheimer’s, etc. Many scientist researches have proved that the paleo-diet is rich in Monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats to reduce the risk factors of cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, and the cognitive. Fruits and vegetables have rich vitamins extracts, antioxidants, minerals, etc. to decrease the disease spreading factors in the human body. The critiques of paleo-diet consider it as a nonsensical diet, which can become dangerous because of strict restricting patterns. An evolutionary biologist, Marlene Zuk wrote in the book â€Å"Palefantacy† that the myths of paleo-diet are not relevant to the movements of the common lifestyles. Some experts say that the concept of the paleo-diet is to ban junk foods. The arguments of some experts that they do not like the old patterns of foods rather that modern food recipe by having low calories to live an active life style (Jabar, 2013). Some food experts believe that paleo-diet is not all free from the restricted food items, so the concept of this dietary pattern is just like a folk. Expansion of the vegetarian agenda is also a critic point of the paleo-diet. Men are not conscious for eating only paleo-diet (Wolf, Debunking the Paleo Diet: A Wolf’s Eye View, 2013) . Robb Wolf stated that the Paleo-diet has become one the most favorite diets of Americans (Wolf, Debunking the Paleo Diet: A Wolf’s Eye View, 2013). In a conference of Frankfurt, a census was organized internationally to research for the healthy dietary pattern by many anthropologists, archaeologists, and the molecular biologist. They all agreed on the paleo-diet for a healthy lifestyle. The experts presented the nutritional framework based on human species that these species have not adopted the

The Kite Runner And Atonement Analysis English Literature Essay

The Kite Runner And Atonement Analysis English Literature Essay In this semester we read many interesting books, and I chose two books to compare and to discus about them. These books are The Kite Runner and Atonement. These books have many similar themes, like discrimination, differences between social classes, guilt-innocence, sacrifice, cowardice, family broken and deceit, but the principal and the reason why I chose these books, is because both stories talk about forgiveness and redemption and how the principal characters try to repair the bad actions that they did in the past. In this essay I would compare both stories, and all the things that caused that Amir (The Kite Runner) and Briony (Atonement) committed injustices with other characters. And after a certain time they could repair their errors that they did in the past, to be in peace with their selves. First I have to give the definitions for forgiveness and redemption. Forgiveness is the action that someone does to forgive someone or something, also to give the pardon to someone. Redemption is the act of redeeming something that was done in the past. The principal characters in these novels are Amir and Briony. Amir grew up as the only son of a rich widower. During his childhood he sees his father with respect and admiration. He also tries to obtain his father admiration and love. In some way he made differences (social differences) with his best friend Hassan, by referring him as his servant and also betray him. In other way Hassan always helped Amir, and considered him as his best friend. At the beginning of the novel Briony is a young rich girl. She likes to write stories. In her childhood she made differences with the people of lower position. She ´s a little mean girl, and with the time she become an adult girl who mature and think over her bad actions that she did when she was a child. Although that Amir and Briony had a different personality, they born in a high position. And I think that because of this difference they had to act as the rich people and not get involve with their servants. That ´s why I think that both stories have a part of discrimination, because the characters or the events that happened in these novel where referred to the differences of the social class. Also I think that it causes that both grew up with the idea that they couldn ´t get involved with their servants, or consider them as friends. Two examples of this actions could be when Assef told Amir and Hassan that they couldn ´t be friends, because Hassan was just Amir ´s servant (The Kite Runner). In Atonement, when Cecile did not defend Robbie, when he was captured by the police man. She did not confess the true about what happened between them. Other theme that these novels have in common is guilt versus innocence. In The Kite Runner, Amir blames Hassan, when Amir accused Hassan of stole Amir ´s father watch and Hassan falsely confessed. Amir did this because he observes that his father have affect for Hassan, and if he knew that Hassan acted in a brave way by confronting Assef, Baba ´s love to Hassan will increase. So, Hassan did not have other option and he left Baba ´s house, even though that he was innocent. In the Atonement, Briony accused Robbie of rape his sister, Cecile. She was a little and confused girl, because she did not notice that between Cecile and Robbie existed more than a sexual attraction. Also the events that happened before and after Robbie and Cecile having sex, made that Robbie were find guilty of Lolas rape. Also Cecile did have the courage to defend her love for Robbie, even though that she can prove Robbies innocence or Lola knew the true and she did not say anything, because she knew the person who rape her (Paul Marshall). These novels have also examples of sacrifices. The principal characters have to give up to something important. In The Kite Runner, Baba and Amir had to leave their hometown for the invasion of the Russians. Also Hassan made many sacrifices, like when he was rape by Assef just to defend Amir ´s kite. Other sacrifice that Hassan did was when he died by defending Baba ´s house. In the novel Atonement, I think that Robbie did the sacrifice of not defending himself by not saying the true. I think that he did that to protect Cecile ´s reputation. Also I think that in some way Briony made a sacrifice by consoling the French guy, who was dying. I think that the biggest sacrifice in this novel was the one that Cecile and Robbie did, by been separate. Another theme that these novels have in common is deceit. Many of the characters of these stories live in a deceit, in a certain time they confront it, because the past can ´t be forgotten. In The Kite Runner has an example of deceit. It is that Amir during his childhood he live in a deceit, because he did not know that Hassan was his half brother. Baba knew the true, but he did not say anything. In the novel Atonement, the biggest deceit could be when Lola lied about who was her rape. She was forced to confess that someone raped her. Briony though that this person was Robbie, so Lola said that Robbie was this person. Cecile did not believe in what she said, but the rest of the family did, so Robbie was sent to jail. Another theme that these novels share is Cowardice. Both novels have examples of this theme. For example in The Kite Runner, cowardice is presented when Hassan was raped by Assef. Amir was watching this action but he did not do anything to help Hassan, even though that Hassan acted in a brave way to defend Amir ´s kite. Also I think that Baba was coward by not saying the true about Hassan, he did not have the courage to say that Hassan was also his son and give him a better life. In the Atonement novel, cowardice is presented when Lola did not say the true about who was the guy who rapes her. That was an act of cowardice, and even though Lola got married with the person who really raped her. Also I think that Cecile was coward by not explaining Briony what was happening between her and Robbie and even more when Robbie was send to jail. I also found that in both stories exists a broke family. I mean that after a certain point or for some reason the relationship between the family members is broken. It happens in The Kite Runner, when Amir knew the true about his half brother, Hassan. For this action Amir felt betray by his father. And the admiration and the respect that he felt for his father become resentment. In the Atonement novel, Cecile was the person who decided to cut with her family. After that Robbie was send to jail, she was disappointed and angry. She left her house and never come back. Ceciles family will not be united anymore. These novels also talk about forgiveness. In atonement, Briony wants to fix the injustice that she committed when she was a child by writing a novel about a love story with a happy ending. At her short age she was confused about the events that she saw. She was too young to understand what happened between Cecile and Robbie, when they were having sex at the library, Briony though that it was an aggression to her sister. So, she told the police what she saw. Briony contributed to send Robbie to jail. Also I think that for the events that Briony saw like when Cecile and Robbie where at the fountain and the letter that Robbie wrote to Cecile, made that Briony had a bad impression about Robbie. These actions made that Briony started to feel hate and fear for Robbie. The time pass and she grew up and mature, these things made that she reconsider her actions against Robbie. Also she remembered that Paul Marshall was the person who raped Lola. So, Briony wanted to amend the damage that her lie caused to Cecile and Robbie, she wrote a novel about Cecile and Robbie with a happy ending. Also she wrote something that she couldn ´t done, it was that she apologized with Cecile and Robbie; it was like a wish, because she didnt do that. These actions should be considered as redemption. In the Kite Runner, forgiveness is presented when Rahim called Amir and told him all the things that happened to Hassan and his family. He gave an advice to Amir, and it was that he could amend all the damage that he caused to Hassan by rescue Sohrab, Hassan ´s son. Rahim also told Amir that by doing this could be the only way to be good again. He considered what Rahim told him, so he decided to go back to his hometown and rescue Sohrab. I consider this action as an opportunity that the life offers to Amir to be good again, and in some way to thank and reward Hassan for all the help, the support, and friendship that Hassan gave to Amir. Also I think that rescued Sonhrab, was Amir ´s obligation, because Hassan died by defending Baba ´s house. It was a debt that Amir needed to pay. I think that both characters received a punishment in a certain time of their lives that made them to pay for their bad actions. For example when Briony was working as nurse, she lived something that made her to reconsider about what she did and what she should do to be in peace with herself. This happened when she was with the French guy, who was dying. She felt alone and without love, she felt like if she were in the same place of the soldier. In The Kite Runner, Amir also received a punishment for a certain time. It was that he couldn ´t have family. I think that for Amir to have his own family was important. Because he expressed his wish to have children. I consider this as a punishment to Amir, because he was a selfish person with Hassan, because he did not want to share his father love. And I think that the destiny charged this action to Amir by not having his own family. At the end of the novels forgiveness is reached by Briony and Amir. They have to do something to obtain the pardon of the people that they hurt, to find a way to be good again, to be in the right way, to feel what the people that they hurt suffered and be in peace with the others. They have to do a little sacrifice to reach the redemption of their selves. Briony and Amir wanted to amend what they have done in the past. Both did what they tough that was correct to reach the forgiveness of the people that they hurt. Amir and Briony were looking for an interior peace that they needed. They need to be free of sins to have a better life, to clear their conscience. They needed to amend their errors, to apologize with the people that they hurt. At the end of the novels both characters, Amir and Briony could be in peace with their selves. They did what they thought that was right to amend their mistakes and injustices. In The Kite Runner, Amir could rescue Sonhrab. Amir gave Sonhrab the right to have a united family, to have a mother and a father again. And Amir let himself to have a complete family, to have a son. To protect and defend Sonhrab as he couldn ´t do with Hassan, when he was rape by Assef. Also to not commit the same mistakes that her father, Baba, did with Hassan. In Atonement, Briony related the love story about Cecile and Robbie. She gave her sister the best end to her love story. The end of Cecile and Robbie ´s love story deserved. Even though that in reality it was impossible, because Briony never confront Cecile and Robbie by telling them the true, and also she never apologize herself for what she did. Briony did what she thought that Cecile and Robbie will tell her to amend the consequences that her lie did to Cecile and Robbie ´s lives. She thought that the readers would like to read a happy ending in her novel. Also she demonstrated that as writers we have the power to change the things and do them in the right way. Both novels show us, the readers, that saying lies bring us bad consequences. Lies could ruin the life of other people; lies could hurt people, could hamper the happiness of a person and also could change your life. These novels teach us that saying lies are not good to the person who is saying them neither for the people who we are telling the lies. The themes that I mentioned like, discrimination, differences between social classes, deceit, sacrifice, guilt, innocence and cowardice are related to forgiveness and redemption in these novels. These themes were involved in the routine lives of Amir and Briony. In some way these themes are involved to the bad actions that Amir and Briony did against other characters. Because Briony and Amir had a better style of life, they had everything, and they grew up with the same ideas that their social class have about their servants. As humans we always judge poor people and we have a bad image of them. We always commit injustices toward the poor people, we discriminate them by thinking that we are better than them, and we also thought that they are weak people, who would never understand us. The people with a high position think that they can blame the poor people, and we end up that they are the bravest people and that we are the cowards. So to amend our errors we have to look for their forgiveness, to be free of any fault. In my personal opinion I consider these novels a lesson of life. The principal characters committed injustices and acted in a mean way with people who did not deserve to be excluded. At the end both characters, Briony and Amir, reconsider what they had done and were looking for forgiveness. That ´s something that humans do, we always commit injustices with the people that give us love and understanding. Some of us do it lately, but I think that never is too late to mend our errors. I also think that to obtain the pardon of someone we have to do something notorious, which can prove that we really wanted to be forgiven. In my personal opinion, I think that the character that success is Amir. Amir did a big effort to be forgiven; he also could amend his errors by rescue Sonhrab. Amir also will learn the role of be a father. I don ´t like the Briony obtain the forgiveness by the right way, because she should have the courage to look for her sister and confront Lola to made her to say the true. These novels made think that the past is always behind you and that some day it can reach you. We have to always amend our injustices, we have to repair our mistakes, and we have to do some sacrifice to be forgiven. Also I learn that the mistakes that you committed in the past, the future will charge you them in an expensive way. We have to try to be good with the people that are around us, to not commit injustices, to always mend our errors and to look for forgiveness. urse_banner Teacher: CJ. Macho Student: Guadalupe Aquino B. Title: Similar themes and focused in Forgiveness in the novels The Kite Runner and Atonement Date: December 14, 2009.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Essay -- TV Television Show Essays

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Mentors feature prominently in the Gothic genre. From Dr Van Helsing in Bram Stoker's Dracula, who leads the young heroes into their quest to annihilate the Count, to Rupert Giles, the Watcher in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, older and more experienced adults have provided essential guidance for the younger protagonists of the genre. The differences in media of expression and the subsequent adaptations from novel to television series has not affected the presence of this character, more than a hundred years after the publication of Dracula in 1897. What also unites the novel and the series is their fin-de-sià ¨cle resonance. According to Elaine Showalter, sexually and socially subversive themes feature strongly in periods of cultural insecurity. In addition to the century that separates Buffy from the Count, there has been a plethora of vampire movies and books of various merits. As a result, the late-twentieth-century average spectator knows the basic facts of vampirism. Therefore, the creators of Buffy the Vampire Slayer need to challenge their audience through another aspect of the series. Turning to their advantage what might have been a serious hindrance, they adopt a self-reflexive ironic perspective on the genre. This tenuous but innovative tension between borrowing from the tenets of the Gothic and moving away from them is especially appreciable when one evaluates the Watcher, Giles. Giles embodies both the principles of continuity and daring innovation that characterise the series and contribute to its appeal. The similarities between Dr Van Helsing in Dracula and Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer create a sense of thematic and structural continuity through different media. They share a sim... ...Unofficial Critical Companion to Buffy and Angel. Ed. Roz Kaveney. London: Tauris, 2001, 98-119. 8. Wall, Brian and Michael Zryd. "Vampire dialectics. Knowledge, institutions and labour." Reading the Vampire Slayer. An unofficial critical companion to Buffy and Angel. Ed. Roz Kaveney. London: Tauris, 2001, 53-77. 9. Jung, C. G. The Phenomenology of the Spirit in Fairy Tales. 1912. Trans. R. F. C. Hull. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1967. 10. Heilbronn, Lisa M. "Natural Man, Unnatural Science: Rejection of Science in Recent Science Fiction and Fantasy Film". Contours of the Fantastic. Ed. Michele K. Langford. New York: Greenwood, 1990, 113-9, 115. 11. Auerbach, Nina. Our Vampires, Ourselves. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1995, 5. 12. Tudor, Andrew. Monsters and Mad Scientists. A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. 1989. Oxford: Blackwell, 1991, 114.