Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief | Analysis

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief | Analysis Percy Jackson the Olympians book 1 The Lightning Thief is an interesting novel which becomes the foundation of this study. The demigod Percy who is created from authors imagination becomes the main subject in this study. Percy is described as someone who starts from zero to hero. His struggle, adventure and the way he learns to be a hero in connection with his maturity will be the very concern of the study. Therefore, this study concerns the individuation process of Percy. The Greek mythology is the part of western civilization. In the novel, the use of mythological elements can be seen in, for example, Percy Jackson as he discovers he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and the Greek god Poseidon. Percy sinks in confusing situation when the world put him on the position of a hero. Percy and his friends go on a quest to prevent a war between the Greek gods Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Meanwhile, he just begins to learn how to be a hero the responsibility to save the world is on his shoulder. There are many psychological problems faced by Percy. Percy leaves his messy life as a naughty student in his school where he is popular as a freak student who has dyslexia and hyperactive (ADHD) problem. Percy is not good at all lessons but Latin. He is supported by Mr. Brunner the only teacher that cares about him to learn Latin. Days in school are always disturbed by Nancy Bobofit. The only one who has the same problem is Grover. Grover is Percys best friend who always hides behind Percy. His trouble is complicated by Mrs. Dodds who has personal vengeance on him. Because of these things, Percy becomes the saddest student in Yancy Academy, North New York. Percys terrible days in school continues when he stays at home. His step father Gabe Ugliano is his immortal enemy. Gabe never wants to work. He always plays poker and drinks beer with his friends at home. It makes the house full of trashes and smell. One thing he cares about is to ask some money from Percy as he never wins the poker game. He never respects Percy. Instead, he always insults and undermines any things Percy has done. Therefore, Percy never feels the love from his step father, Gabe Ugliano. The only one who cares about and loves him is his mother, Sally Jackson. She is the one who makes Percy survive in such terrible condition. She is the one who supports Percy to go on his terrible days. When Percy remembers his mother, he always feels happy and peaceful. With regard to the fact above, we can see terrible psychological conditions in Percys life. Moreover, he has to survive and to face all of those terrible situations. Therefore, the maturity process that Percy undergoes is therefore worth studying. Percys maturity process will be analyzed in this study by using the theory of individuation process from Carl Gustav Jung. Then, the writer proposes a study entitled Percy Jackson The Olympians The Lightning Thief: The Individuation Process of the Demigod Percy FIELD OF THE STUDY The field of this study is literature, especially novel. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The paper will only be focused on the demigod Percy Jackson, his experiences and adventures, which have connection with his maturity process preparing him to be a hero. In this study, his maturity process will be analyzed using the theory of individuation process of Carl Gustav Jung. PROBLEM FORMULATION How does a twelve year old boy become a hero in this story? To what extend is Percys maturity described in the novel based on Jungian analysis? 1.5. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To explain how the twelve year old boy becomes a hero in this study. To explain to what extent Percys maturity is described in the novel based on Jungian analysis. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY In this study, the writer hopes that readers can understand the individuation process that happens in the story. This paper can also give an opportunity for scholars such as students of Faculty of Letters to analyze this novel using Jungian theory or alike. DEFINITION OF TERMS There are some terms throughout the study which must be known to better understand the issue in this paper, such as: Twelve Olympians The Greeks didnt have a Top Ten list of deities but they did have the Top Twelve those lucky Greek gods and goddesses living on top of Mount Olympus. (Regula, 2008,  ¶ 2). Demigod Demigod is an official terms of half God and half mortal human (Riordan, 2006, p.72). Individuation Process The individuation process is a term created by the famous psychologist Carl Gustav Jung to describe the process of becoming aware of oneself, of ones make-up, and the way to discover ones true, inner self (Blake, 2012,  ¶ 1) Maturity The quality of becoming more developed mentally and emotionally and behaving in a responsible way (Good, 2008, p.885). CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1. The Theory of individuation process by Carl Gustav Jung The main topic of the theory of individuation process is about psyche. Human always try to fulfill his psyche satisfying. Human behavior influenced by his psyche character. Jung called it the individuation process in which the potential of a persons psyche is seeking fulfillment (Mitchell, 2010,  ¶ 14). From the text above Jung tries to explore the psyche character and divided it into 2 parts: Conscious Conscious is adjustment to the outside world (Suryabrata, 1983, p. 184). Means that Conscious adapted and formed by outside world or social environment. Unconscious Unconscious is adjustment to the inside world (Suryabrata, 1983, p. 184). Means that Unconscious is the part of psyche that rules the relationship between human and his own self. The border between conscious and unconscious is not fixed. It can changed anytime depends on the change of persons psychology. Conscious and unconscious cannot separate because they influence each other. They have different characteristic. Jung explores more to know it and explain it through its structure. 2.1.1. Conscious Structure There are two parts of psyche which build our consciousness. First is Psyche Function and second is Psyche Attitude. Both of them have relation which determining the classification of persons conscious structure. Kesadaran mempunyai dua komponen pokok, yaitu fungsi jiwa dan sikap jiwa, yang masing-masing mempunyai peranan penting dalam orientasi manusia dalam dunianya (Suryabrata, 1983, p. 185) Translation: Consciousness has two main components, that is psyche function and psyche attitude, which both of them have important role in the human orientation and his world (Suryabrata, 1983, p. 185) 2.1.1.1. Psyche Function According to Suryabrata (1983, p. 185) the conscious structure by Jung is a psyche activity which in theory is unchanged in different environment. Furthermore Jung divided it into four main functions, two of them are rational, that is thinking and feeling, and irrational, that is sensing and intuitive. The rational functions work with judgment. Thinking is judging on the basis of right or wrong and feeling is judging on the basis of pleasant and unpleasant condition. Whereas the irrational functions do not work with judgment, how over they just get observation. Sensing gets observation by using sense and intuitive gets observation using instinct. Basically, human have all of that function, but usually just one of them that would be the most dominant. In addition, the ideal destination from Individuation process is to bring it into balance, with the result to achieve a rounded human or a perfect human. 2.1.1.2. Psyche Attitude Jung (1921/1971) defined an attitude as a predisposition to act or react in a characteristic direction (Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 115). The direction of the activity of psychological can go outside or inside and similarly happen with the orientation. Everybody does the orientation with the world around him, however they have different way to do that. For example, there is some one who will directly close the window if cold wind blowing, but probably the others will not close the window because they do not care about it or are not afraid to be cold because of it. There are people who care about what happens outside himself, but there are also people who are not too concerned with what happens outside himself. In conclusion, from the psyche attitude, human can be divided into two types that are extravert and introvert. One of the most widely used psychological typologies, which of the psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung refers to individuals are introvert and extraverts (Munn 1962, p. 235). Extravert Human An extrovert human influenced by objective opinions, which come from world outside himself or society. His thinking, feeling and also his actions mainly determined by his social society as well as his non-social society. He will act positively with society. Consequently, he is more easily accepted in society. Introvert Human An introvert human is influenced by his own subjective world. He does not care enough to the issues in his outside world. Introverts are tuned in to their inner world with all his biases, fantasies, dreams, and individual perception (Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 116). These people perceive the external world but they do it selectively with their own subjective view. Consequently, usually an introvert is being antisocial and hard to build a relationship. 2.1.1.3. Jungs Typology Based on two components of human psyche, Jung created Jung Typology (Suryabrata (1983, p.191) Psyche Attitude Psyche Function Type Unconscious Extravert Thinking Thinking Extravert Feeling Introvert Feeling Feeling Extravert Thinking Introvert Sensing Sensing Extravert Intuitive Introvert Intuitive Intuitive Extravert Sensing Introvert Introvert Thinking Thinking Introvert Feeling Extravert Feeling Feeling Introvert Thinking Extravert Sensing Sensing Introvert Intuitive Extravert Intuitive Intuitive Introvert Sensing Extravert He insisted that each person has both of an introverted and extraverted attitude, although one may be conscious while the other is unconscious (Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 115). Unconscious life is contrary with the conscious, so one whose conscious is thinking his unconscious is feeling, next, one whose conscious is extrovert his unconscious is introvert, so the next. 2.1.1.4. Persona The explanations above about conscious are the real condition of conscious, but there still have one problem. The problem is how person consciously show or bring his personality to socialize with outside world or society. The persona, according to Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, is the mask that individuals wear to hide their true selves from society (Maverick, 2010,  ¶ 1). So, can be concluded that persona is the way of the people to show his personality to his society based on what he wants other people see of him. 2.1.2. Unconscious Structure Suryabrata (1983, p. 193) said that Jung has divided unconscious into two circles. The first one is personal unconscious and the other is collective unconscious. 2.1.2.1. Personal Unconscious Continued from Suryabrata (1983, p. 193),states that personal unconscious contains things that are acquired by individuals during their lives. This includes things that are forced or distressed (recessive complex) and forgotten things (memory materials) as well as things that are observed, thought about and felt below the threshold of consciousness. So, whole personal life experiences create the personal unconscious. 2.1.2.2. Collective Unconscious The collective unconscious is the foundation of personality (Morgan and King and Robinson 1984, p. 523). Collective unconscious term introduced by psychiatrist Carl Jung to represent a form of the unconscious (that part of the mind containing memories and impulses of which the individual is not aware) common to mankind as a whole and originating in the inherited structure of the brain. It is contrast from the personal unconscious, which arises from the experience of the individual. The collective unconscious is beliefs or acts or ideas which are trusted and done by ancestor such as concept of god, manner of behavior, myths, legend, unspoken rules, etc. The physical contents of the collective unconscious are inherited and pass from generation to the next as physical potential (Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 104) Unconscious is the things that unawareness. Then, how can we recognize or know our unconscious. Adopted from Suryabrata (1983, p. 194), acknowledge about unconscious found not directly, that is belong the manifestation from the contents of consciousness. The unconscious manifestation can be form such as symptom and complex, dream, and archetypes. 2.1.2.3. Unconscious Manifestation Symptom and Complexes Symptom and complex are the indications which can be realized. Symtom adalah tanda bahaya yang memberitahu bahwa ada sesuatu dalam kesadaran yang kurang, dan karenanya perlu perlu perluasan ke alam tak sadar. Kompleks-kompleks adalah bagian kejiwaan kepribadian yang terpecah dan lepas dari penilikan (control) kesadaran dan kemudian mempunyai kehidupan sendiri dalam kegelapan alam ketidaksadaran, yang selalu dapat menghambat atau memajukan prestasi-prestasi kesadaran (Suryabrata 1983, p. 196). (Symptom is a dangerous sign that tells that there is something in less consciousness, and therefore need to have an extension to the unconscious. These complexes are parts of a split personality and mental escape from viewing (control) and then have the awareness of his own life in the natural darkness of the unconscious, which always can inhibit or promote the achievements of consciousness) (Suryabrata 1983, p. 196). Complexes not always being a weaknesses of personality because it is just a part of individual which can not unity and complexes can be a stimulant too, which push us to work harder and increase the possibility to being success. Jung adds in Suryabrata (1983, p. 197) that complexes are traumatic experiences such as the apparent impossibility to accept our self condition in life. So, traumatic experience can make people down and being hopeless or pessimistic but also can make people struggle to stand up again and improve his life better then being an optimistic person. Dream, Fantasy, Imagination Some people believe that dream is a secret message from life. The other believed that dream just a desire or will which can not be realized then enter to our mind when we sleep. Dream has his own rule and his own language. In a dream causality and time and space is can not applied. So, dream always being a mystery which hard to interpret. Based on Suryabrata (1983, p. 197) Jungs opinion about dream is that dream has constructive function, that is to compensate the objection side by side from conflict. Dream is manifestation of complexes unconscious. Beside of that Jung also said that fantasy and imagination are kind of complexes manifestation. Archetypes Jung adopted word archetypes from Agustinus that Archetypes is form of instinctive opinion and instinctive reaction to certain situation in outside consciousness. In addition, Archetypes are carried since people are born and grow in collective unconscious during human development and not defend from one person (Suryabrata 1983, p. 198). 2.1.2.4. Special Form of Unconscious Shadows Shadow is the dark side and unacceptable side from someone personality-motive and embarrassing desire, we better not show them to other person (Friedman and Schustack 2008, p. 130). Inside the personality exists the shadow. Shadow is the dark side of personality. Shadows are unrealized weaknesses. Shadows bring his own opinions which are entered into his unconscious because it cannot match or accepted by his conscious. The shadow archetype is also responsible for the appearance in consciousness and behavior unpleasant and socially reprehensible thoughts, feelings, and actions. These then may either be hidden from public view by the persona or repressed into the personal unconscious (Hall and Lindzey, 1978, p. 123). Projection : Imago Adopting information from Suryabrata (1983, p. 200), Jung named the content of psyche which projected to other people are imago. So that, imago is a judgment which unconsciously we addressed to the objects outside our self. Anima and Animus Two important archetypes are anima which represents the feminine side of human nature and the animus which represents the masculine side of human nature. Jung taught that all persons have the masculine and feminine archetypes in their collective unconscious (Larsen and Buss, 2005, p. 278). Every person has both of anima and animus. For example: A man who chose cooking as a hobby is show that his anima stronger than his animus but still has both of them. Otherwise, if a man is prefer to choose basketball than cooking as his hobby that is show that his animus stronger than animus and the same things goes to women. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. Method of data collection Reading and understanding the novel is the first step that the writer takes. After the first reading, the writer tries to read the novel for the second time. The method of the second reading is very helpful for making the understanding of the writer about the novel, especially for knowing its intrinsic elements better than the first reading. The writer makes a note of the novel for making him easy to remember the information he got from reading the novel. After that, the writer chose the temporary title and topic which will be highlighted. In studying the novel and in writing this thesis, the writer also conducted a library research to collect the data and information, which includes the use of the internet resources. In the beginning, the writer searched the materials after deciding what study to do and which approach to use. The next step was searching and collecting the individuation process theory of Carl Gustav Jung used to analyze the book, from the book in library or observed from the internet. In a library, usually the writer spends about two hours to search for the right materials needed for the study. Then, the writer borrowed the books home. In analyzing the literary work, the writer needs a material to use as the entity of the writers analysis. The primary data, that becomes the object of the writers study, is the novel. The novel used in this analysis is: Genre : Adventure Title : Percy Jackson The Olympians The Lightning Thief Author : Rick Riordan Publisher : Miramax Books City : New York Year : 2006 Pages : 453 3.2. Method of Data analysis In analyzing the study, especially in answering the first research questions, the writer explores the intrinsic elements of novel. Next, collects all of factors that support the first research question from intrinsic elements. Especially, plot and the character are explored more to find the strength of Percy character. Beside that, the writer will get the evidents that prove the capability of Percy which support him to be a hero. Finally, the writer connects it with the first research question to find the answer. To find the answer from the second research question the writer uses the psychological approach by choosing Jungs individuation process theory. The writer finds that individuation process theory of Jung is suitable and very useful to connect and explain the idea about the maturity process of Percy. In the way to search it, firstly, the writer tries to learn the behaviors of Percy in the novel and his psyche characteristic. Next, analyze Percys conscious structure and unconscious structure. Compare his experience with the points of conscious structure and unconscious structure. Find the superior psyche function of Percy. Then, classify Percy in Jungs Typology. After that, the writer decide that Percys individuation process can prove that Percy is mature enough to make twelve years old boy become a hero and save the world to answer the second question. Remember, if someone can make psyche function being balance it means that he is the perfect one. CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Individuation Process Analysis The maturity of Percy will be described by the Jungian Individuation process theory. Individuation process of Percy was shown by his psyche condition. In the way to know it, we should explore two main element of psyche which is conscious and unconscious. Percys conscious and unconscious will analyze thoroughly in this chapter. 4.1.1. Conscious Conscious element of Percy will be dividing into two main groups which is psyche function and psyche attitude. The writer will find evident from Percys novel to support the classification of this two main groups. Next, it will be classified into Jung typology. After find Percys conscious type in Jung typology, the writer will analyze Percys persona in order to find his way to show his consciousness in social interaction. Finally the writer will definitely conclude the Percys conscious type and condition. Psyche Function Percy psyche function dominated with rational thinking. Percy judging something with based of rational things. Percy usually calculates one thing and make conclusion based on his logic. He is hard to belief something which out of his logical. It shows in quotations below. All year long, Id gotten fights, keeping bullies from him. Id lost sleep worrying that hed get beaten up next year without me. And here he was acting like he was the one who defended me (Riordan, 2006, p. 19). This paragraph showing us that Percy is hard to belief when Grover said that he was the one who always protect him because he thinks that Grover is the one he always protects and Grover cannot pass a single day without his protection. But theyre stories, I said. Theyre myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. Theyre what people belief before there was science (Riordan, 2006, p. 51). When Chiron told Percy that Greek Gods truly existed, Percy denied it. Percy has no imagination that it could be happened in real life. Again, he rejects to belief something which out of his calculates. Percy has lack of imagination. He always stuck with usual condition which he usually faces. He always tries to get rational reason for every fact he faces. It makes him hard to belief illogical things happen to him. Based on psyche function theory Percy include in rational thinking categories. 4.1.1.2. Psyche Attitude Percy is an introvert person. He usually hides his true feeling. He hides his fears. He always tries to look strong and brave. He hides his sadness but in deep of his heart he suffers. He always tries to look confident even he fell not sure will be success. He does not care about his mission, about god, indeed world. He just cares about his mother because he thinks that mother is the only person he has. Next, the writer will analyze deeply and shows the evident which show Percy as an introvert person. First is the fact that Percy admires his mother. My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room (Riordan, 2006, p. 24). Even he loves her very much, Percy still hides his feeling that he feels so happy because his mother is so careful to him. I told her that she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her (Riordan, 2006, p.25). Its become habit of Percy to hide his true feeling so he can be looked as a mature, a tough, a brave and a strong person. For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy (Riordan, 2006, p. 25). Again he hides his true suffer in his school to his mother because he does not want make his mother worried about him. He also hides his last sentence from Oracles prophecy that told that he will fail to save what matters most, in the end, in page 106 because he does not want if every one have doubt of him to done his mission successfully. The other reason why Percy is included in Introvert categorize is shown when he declare to Grover his true purpose that he go to underworld not to complete his task to find the master bolt but just for personal reason to save his mother life by bringing out her from underworld. What lay ahead of me was worse than petrification. I havent straight with you, I told Grover. I dont care about the master bolt. I agreed to go to the underworld so I could bring back my mother (Riordan, 2006, p. 144). Percy does not care about what will happen to the world if he fails to complete his mission. It does not matter for him if Zeus and Poseidon drag into a battle because the most important thing for Percy is his beloved mother. He blinds by his passion to save his mother, just like an introvert who do not care with world outside himself. 4.1.1.3. Jung Typologies Psyche Attitude Psyche Function Type Unconscious Extravert Thinking Thinking Extravert Feeling Introvert Feeling Feeling Extravert Thinking Introvert Sensing Sensing Extravert Intuitive Introvert Intuitive Intuitive Extravert Sensing Introvert Introvert Thinking Thinking Introvert Feeling Extravert Feeling Feeling Introvert Thinking Extravert Sensing Sensing Introvert Intuitive Extravert Intuitive Intuitive Introvert Sensing Extravert Based on Jung Typology, Percy can be categorized as a thinking introvert person. 4.1.1.4. Persona Percys persona will be going to be analyzed based on his social interaction in the novel. In socialize, even though has less of ability Percy always tries to protect his friend. He always shows no fear in his face. In social interaction he is being the person who care about all of his friends problems meanwhile actually he has a lot of personal problem which waiting to solve. Percy tries to be a steadfast person. He pushes and hides his sadness, fears and weakness to be a strong person whom never surrenders to any of hard condition. There are some texts in the novel which show Percys persona. I was alone. An orphan. I would have to live with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Smelly Gabe? No. That would never happen. I would live in the streets first. I would pretend I was seventeen and join the army. Id do something (Riordan, 2006, p. 45). In the text above we can see that Percy is a steadfast person. After his mother died he refuses to surrender to live. He will stand on his own foot to trough his rest of live. He shows his steadfast face to the Grover. Grover was still sniffling. The poor kid-the poor goat, satyr, whatever-looked as if he expected to be hit. I said, It wasnt your fault (Riordan, 2006, p. 45). Although Percy feels sad when his mother died he does not blaming Grover. He refuse that his friend Grover is responsible to his mothers death whereas Grover ordered to protect him and his mother. He is belief that he should be the one who protecting his mother and his friends. Next text, Percy pushes his fear and shows his courage in front of his admired girl Annabeth Case. He rejects Annabeths help because he want to shows that he is a gentleman and a brave person. Stay out of it, wise girl. Annabeth looked pained, but she did stay out of it, and I didnt really want her help. I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep (Riordan, 2006, p. 68). 4.1.2. Unconscious The next analyze is to find out two points of unconscious which is personal and collective unconscious and see how it manifested based on information get from novel. For addition, the writer also analyzes the special form of unconscious to complete the unconscious element of Percy. 4.1.2.1. Personal Unconscious In his journey in the novel, there are some personal experiences which give deep impression and influence his maturity development in relation with Percys personal unconscious. First fight versus monster (Riordan, 2006, p. 10). Percys first experience facing monster is in Metropolitan Museum of Art. His mathematic teacher Mrs. Dodds turning into a Fury and attack him. Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow like barbeque coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talon. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasnt human. She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and mouth full of yellow fangs, and she was about to slice me to ribbons (Riordan, 2006, p. 10). This time Percy firstly consider that monster is real and they go after him for some reason. Death of his mother and battle versus Minotaur (Riordan, 2006, p. 40, 41). Then, with an angry roar, the monster closed his fist around my mothers neck, and she dissolved before my eyes, melting into light, a shimmering golden form, as if she were a holographic projection. A blinding flash and she was simply gone (Riordan, 2006, p. 40). Death of his mother gave him deep impression. Without knowing the reason why, Percy saw his mother killed by Minotaur. He does nothing to save her because he too afraid. But, this accident is waking up his courage to revenge and fight the Minotaur or any others monster. Anger replaced my fear, newfound strength burned in my limbs (Riordan, 2006, p. 41). Met the Oracle and got his first mission (Riordan, 2006, p. 106). You shall go west, and face the god who has turned. You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned. You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend. And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end (Riordan, 2006, p. 106). The Oracle read him the prophecy. It will become the guide to complete his mission. But, Percy feels desperate because two last sentences told that he will betrayed by his friend and will failed in the end. Even he thought that it is suicide mission his courage pushes him to keep straight to do the quest. Gotten ambush by 3 Furies (Riordan, 2006, p. 121-125). They are the first challenge Percys face in the mission. At this time Percy learn to work together with his two friends to defeat the monsters. Both of his friend ready to sacrifice so Percy can escape from that monster. But, after his mothers death Percy promise not to escape anymore and even should be death he will stay to save everything important in his life. I looked at the open doorway, I was free to go, but I couldnt leave my friends (Riordan, 2006, p. 124).

Attitude :: essays papers

Attitude 20th century writers dealt with many issues and themes throughout their writing. The authors that I have chosen to look at are Updike, Beatti, Rothke and Plath. These authors and their works will each be evaluated by how they deal with the subjects love, death, loss and passing of time. The short story â€Å" Separating â€Å" by John Updike deals with the subject of love and I also believe it deals with the themes â€Å" quest for identity† and â€Å" alienation and nausea â€Å". The story talks about how two parents are going through the process of telling their children that they are going to separate. This is important to them because they do love their children very much; they want to make the timing perfect so it is easier on the children. The father and mother seemed as though they needed to find out who they really were without their children. They did all things for the kids. They said that they loved one another but yet they didn’t make each other happy. I think that they just weren’t sure what made them â€Å"happy†. â€Å"Weekend â€Å" a short story by Ann Beattie deals with the subject of â€Å" loss of time â€Å" and the same theme that Updikes story dealt with â€Å" quest for identity â€Å" .I chose the subject of time because at first they loved one another and had a good relationship and then time passed and they ended up in such a weird place in their relationship. George had control over Lenore in the way that she never knows that she can leave him and be okay. She stays with him because she does care for him but also because she has a place to put her children and herself to sleep. â€Å"Wish for a Young Wife â€Å" a poem by Theodore Rothke is one that goes into the subject of loss or the idea of loss. This is a man who is telling his wife that he hopes that even while he grows old he wishes that she were beautiful and young for eternity. H e wishes her to never endure grief or hate; these are the very things that make one old. He could be very much in love with his wife and by wishing this for her, so she never looses her beauty.

A Reflection in Learning Essay

Introduction I am a registered nurse of twenty years of experience. After graduated from my three-year training in a nursing school, I had been worked in an intensive care unit (ICU) and a pulmonary unit of a public hospital. Now I am working in a non-government organization serving the mentally disabled. No matter which specialty I am working in or how senior I am, I found learning being crucial for professional competence, job satisfaction and personal growth. In this paper, I would like to reflect critically on my experience of learning in nursing with reference to relevant learning theories. Learning in workplace At the time when I started to work as a registered nurse in a new workplace after graduation from nursing school there was no structured orientation program like nowadays. As an enthusiastic beginner with an imminent need, my motivation to learn was very high. I clutched every opportunity to observe how other colleagues perform, to ask questions proactively and to study references from ward manuals and books by myself. In addition, the colleagues were willing to teach and finally I was able to meet the requirement of my new role quickly and smoothly. Formal learning With about a year of experience, I started attending formal in-service training courses. I was assigned to attend trainings of the specialty I was working with and some core management skills. Nevertheless, I got little satisfaction but I did not know the reasons at that time until I was studying my bachelor’s degree program and was promoted to Nursing Officer later on. As a new Nursing Officer I had to deal with a lot of problems which I had not come across before but some issues were the topics that I was studying at that time. I then tried to apply the knowledge and theories into practice. Not only could the knowledge solve my problems, but also the application of theories had enhanced my learning. I realized that putting theories into practice make the learning and working effective and interesting and vice versa. I felt the sense of satisfaction of learning by then. Advanced academic learning I started to pursue a master’s degree program last September. My motivation for advanced academic learning is both extrinsic and intrinsic. The academic requirement for professional nurse is increasing now and I need to upgrade myself so as to be synchronized with the pace of professional development. Academic study has made me more knowledgeable, more critical and more assertive. Moreover, the qualification enhanced my self-confidence directly. The program is actually imposing great pressure on me that I need to struggle for a balanced life between work, family and study. In order to up keep my motivation in learning, I tried hard to make the study more interesting and pragmatic by integrating theories into practice, sharing and discussing with colleagues as much as possible. Social learning My learning experience in the workplace when I was newly qualified was a kind of social learning which Atkinson, Atkinson, Smith, Bern, and Hilgard (1990) described as learning by watching the behaviors and the consequences of others. Social learning is a human instinct and we learn by it consciously or unconsciously. When I was a newly qualified nurse, the need to learn was immediate. I consciously went into the learning process of attention, retention, reproduction, and also motivation. If the displayed behavior was perceived favorable to me, my motivation was particularly high. It was because of my active participation and my self-directed learning, I had a good learning outcome at that stage. Quinn (2001) believed that the quality of the model influence the result of learning. I am always aware of my behavior when I become a senior nurse, need to act as a preceptor or a mentor and especially when I have become the ward-in-charge which Fretwell and Melia (as cited in Hand, 2006) f ound to have an exceptional strong influence on colleagues in their studies. The reinforcement of the displayed behaviors has influence on individual’s motivation to reproduce the behavior. To ensure a favorable learning outcome, I intentionally give positive reinforcement for favorable behavior and negative reinforcement for unfavorable behavior. I value social learning because it is much safer than trial and error in clinical practice and it is a natural way to learn. Reflection and critical reflection From time to time, malpractices happen in every workplace. It is important for persistent reflections to improve nursing qualities. Reflection being described by Raelin (2002) is the practice of standing back to examine the meanings of things happen around us. Reflection helps to identify malpractice and makes improvement accordingly. By reflection, nurses identify areas for improvement and improve their â€Å"quality† as models. Besides, reflection makes us more receptive to the alternatives of reasoning and behaving (Raelin,2001). There is critical reflection which is a deeper and broader type of reflection and is a collective action to enhance organizational learning and change (Gray, 2007). Furthermore, it encourages learning at a more profound and transformative level (Mezirow, 1990). Now I have established the habit of periodical reflection and I am striving to achieve appropriate critical reflection. Critical reflection involves questioning long-established believes and attitudes but may lead to resentment of the staffs. It has to be carried out skillfully at appropriate time. I discovered that the practice of critical reflection would be more receptive if it is done immediately after a critical incidence. Andragogy A part of my learning journey had contradicted to andragogy. Knowles (1990) recognized that adults learn best when they are self-directed and assume responsibility for their learning. He also expounded the following six assumptions of andragogy: 1. Adults need to know the reason to learn. 2. Adults have a self-concept of being responsible for their own decisions and need to have a self-directed learning. 3. Adults come to learn with rich experiences which are the foundation and resources for learning. 4. Adults are more ready to learn if there is a need to learn. 5. Adults’ orientation to learn is problem-centered. 6. Adults are responsive to external motivators and respond better to internal motivators. When going to formal professional trainings, I was assigned to attend some management workshops and lectures when I had only two or three years of experience. At that stage my job duty and responsibility did not include management and I was not interested in it either. So I did not know why I had to learn management. The knowledge I had learnt could not be applied into practice. Actually I was not ready to learn management at that time. It was not self-directed. I am sure that these learning would have been more fruitful if they were arranged when I needed to assist in ward management or if I had at that time a long term perspective of seeing the need to take up a management role one day. Then when I attended the ICU courses, many of the course contents could not be practiced in my hospital which was a rehabilitation hospital that the ICU was small and did not provide care as â€Å"intensive† as other large acute hospitals. A point I had to admit is that my attitude of learning at that time was passive and dependent. After attending a course or a lecture, I could actually discuss with the ward in-charge and give new ideas but I had not done so. My learning at that stage had several points contradicted to andragogy and was the reason why I did not feel satisfied with all that learning. Having got such experience, now when I do training and development plan for my staffs, I usually discuss with them about their needs and preferences. If they need to take some mandatory sessions as required by the hospital, I must make sure they know the reasons. When I coach or mentor new staffs or clinical placement students in my workplace, I would emphasis why they need to learn those things I showed to them. After my colleagues attending a course or a lecture, I usually ask them what they have learnt and encourage them to put theory into practice. Learning style Honey and Mumford (as cited in Penger and Tekavcic, 2009) categorized learning styles into four types as pragmatist, activist, reflector and theorist. My learning style can be described as pragmatist or activist. I enjoy trying new ways and test their practicability in work. I appreciate knowledge and theories that can be put into practice and solve problems. I understand that the characteristics of a reflector being favorable to listen, think and evaluate thoroughly and the characteristics of a theorist loves to see things globally are as valuable as other styles. Now I am trying to further develop my learning style because as remarked by Astin, Closs and Hughes (2006), no one learning style is regarded as the best and it is beneficial to use all four learning styles. From my point of view, different learning style is advantageous to different focus or context of learning. If the focus of learning is to acquire a hands-on skill, activist and pragmatist are more advantageous. If the focus of learning is to understand a phenomenon or a theory, reflector and theorist are more advantageous. Therefore, developing learning styles beyond our dominant types can strengthen our ability to learn. Conclusions This article reviews my learning experience in nursing. Starting with informal learning in workplace, then proceeding to formal in-service education and academic learning, I was being highly pragmatic and my orientation to learn can be explained by andragogy. I value social learning, reflection and critical reflection. My experience has impacted on my style of mentoring and coaching in clinical practice. I am striving to further develop myself to think more proactively and globally which is essential for on-going learning. References Astin, F., Closs, S.J. & Hughes, N. (2006). The self-reported learning style preferences of female Macmillan clinical nurse specialists. Nurse Education Today, 26, 475-483. Atkinson, R., Atkinson, C., Smith E., Bern D., & Hilgard, E. (1990). Introduction to psychology (10th ed.). San Diego, California: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Gray, D. E. (2007). Facilitating management learning: Developing critical reflection through reflective tools. Management Learning, 38 (5), 495-517. Hand, H. (2006). Promoting effective teaching and learning in the clinical setting. Nursing Standard, 20 (39), 55-63. Knowles, M.S. (1990). The adult learner: A neglected species (4th ed.). Houston, Texas: Gulf Publishing. Mezirow, J.(1990). How critical reflection triggers transformative learning. In J. Mezirow (Ed.), Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: A guide to transformative and emancipatory learning (pp.1-20). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass. Penger, S. & Tekavcic, M. (2009). Testing Dunn & Dunn’s and Honey & Mumford’s learning style: The case of the Slovenian higher education system. Journal of Contemporary Management Issues, 4 (2), 1-20. Quinn, F.M. (2001). Principles and practice of nurse education (4th ed.). Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Raelin, J.A. (2001). Public reflection as the basis of learning. Management Learning, 32 (1): 11-30. Raelin, J.A. (2002). â€Å"I don’t have time to think† versus the art of reflective practice. Reflections, 4 (1): 66-75.

Project Management 6302 - 1543 Words

Project Management 6302 The Family Planning Research Center of Nigeria Yu Hsu (Yeena) Project planning can best be described as the function of selecting the enterprise objectives and establishing the policies, procedures, and programs necessary for achieving them. In this case, Dr. Adinombe Watage is a director of the Family Planning Research Center in Nigeria’s Over-The- River Province. He was assigned a project needs to be done within 60 days and they just have 10 workers for this case. After they calculate, they found out that they need to spend 94 days to complete this project. If they use the Pathminder Fund to hire more employees to speed it up. They still need to estimate the lowest cost for this project. Project Planning†¦show more content†¦It just needs to change five activities, and to complete this project. However, this project requires day is within 60 days, so change more three activities to fit this require. According to this table, to change some activities’ working days not only shorten the duration but also make the cost minimum. For this project, to use the Pathminder Fund is the best choice to complete the project. It will not let the project manager lose his credibility and can be done by the win-win situation. Do not change all of these activities, because it will cost a lot of money, $36,100. Recruit more 7 workers to complete this project in 60 days. Just change the eight activities, and make the cost minimum. The original cost is $25,400. To change eight activities’ cost is $34,300. For this change, the project can be done by 60 days also it won’t cost all of the Pathminder Fund. Human Resource Planning There are only ten people in this organization. It includes the deputy director, Dr. Adinombe Watage, chief clerk, chief nurse and seven workers. For complete this project, recruit more seven people as a worker to complete this project. 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