Applied Linguistics Essay Example for Free

Applied Linguistics Essay Stylistics is the study and interpretation of texts from a linguistic perspective. As a discipline it links literary criticism and linguistics, but has no autonomous domain of its own. [1][2] The preferred object of stylistic studies is literature, but not exclusively high literature but also other forms of written texts such as text from the domains of advertising, pop culture, politics or religion. [3] Stylistics also attempts to establish principles capable of explaining the particular choices made by individuals and social groups in their use of language, such as socialisation, the production and reception of meaning, critical discourse analysis and literary criticism. Other features of stylistics include the use of dialogue, including regional accents and people’s dialects, descriptive language, the use of grammar, such as the active voice or passive voice, the distribution of sentence lengths, the use of particular language registers, etc. In addition, stylistics is a distinctive term that may be used to determine the connections between the form and effects within a particular variety of language. Therefore, stylistics looks at what is ‘going on’ within the language; what the linguistic associations are that the style of language reveals. Contents * 1 Early twentieth century * 2 Late twentieth century * 3 Literary Stylistics * 3. 1 Poetry * 3. 2 Implicature * 3. 3 Tense * 3. 4 The point of poetry * 4 See also * 5 Notes * 6 References and related reading * 7 External links| [edit] Early twentieth century. The analysis of literary style goes back to Classical rhetoric, but modern stylistics has its roots in Russian Formalism,[4] and the interrelated Prague School, in the early twentieth century. In 1909 Charles Ballys Traite de stylistique francaise had proposed stylistics as a distinct academic discipline to complement Saussurean linguistics. For Bally, Saussures linguistics by itself couldnt fully describe the language of personal expression. [5] Ballys programme fitted well with the aims of the Prague School. [6] Building on the ideas of the Russian Formalists, the Prague School developed the concept of foregrounding, whereby poetic language stands out from the background of non-literary language by means of deviation (from the norms of everyday language) or parallelism. [7] According to the Prague School, the background language isnt fixed, and the relationship between poetic and everyday language is always shifting. [8] [edit] Late twentieth century Roman Jakobson had been an active member of the Russian Formalists and the Prague School, before emigrating to America in the 1940s. He brought together Russian Formalism and American New Criticism in his Closing Statement at a conference on stylistics at Indiana University in 1958. [9] Published as Linguistics and Poetics in 1960, Jakobsons lecture is often credited with being the first coherent formulation of stylistics, and his argument was that the study of poetic language should be a sub-branch of linguistics. [10] The poetic function was one of six general functions of language he described in the lecture. Michael Halliday is an important figure in the development of British stylistics. [11] His 1971 study Linguistic Function and Literary Style: An Inquiry into the Language of William Goldings The Inheritors is a key essay. [12] One of Hallidays contributions has been the use of the term register to explain the connections between language and its context. [13] For Halliday register is distinct from dialect. Dialect refers to the habitual language of a particular user in a specific geographical or social context. Register describes the choices made by the user,[14] choices which depend on three variables: field (what the participants are actually engaged in doing, for instance, discussing a specific subject or topic),[15] tenor (who is taking part in the exchange) and mode (the use to which the language is being put). Fowler comments that different fields produce different language, most obviously at the level of vocabulary (Fowler. 1996, 192) The linguist David Crystal points out that Halliday’s ‘tenor’ stands as a roughly equivalent term for ‘style’, which is a more specific alternative used by linguists to avoid ambiguity. (Crystal. 1985, 292) Halliday’s third category, mode, is what he refers to as the symbolic organisation of the situation. Downes recognises two distinct aspects within the category of mode and suggests that not only does it describe the relation to the medium: written, spoken, and so on, but also describes the genre of the text. (Downes. 1998, 316) Halliday refers to genre as pre-coded language, language that has not simply been used before, but that predetermines the selection of textual meanings. The linguist William Downes makes the point that the principal characteristic of register, no matter how peculiar or diverse, is that it is obvious and immediately recognisable. (Downes. 1998, 309) [edit] Literary Stylistics In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, Crystal observes that, in practice, most stylistic analysis has attempted to deal with the complex and ‘valued’ language within literature, i. e. ‘literary stylistics’. He goes on to say that in such examination the scope is sometimes narrowed to concentrate on the more striking features of literary language, for instance, its ‘deviant’ and abnormal features, rather than the broader structures that are found in whole texts or discourses. For example, the compact language of poetry is more likely to reveal the secrets of its construction to the stylistician than is the language of plays and novels. (Crystal. 1987, 71). [edit] Poetry As well as conventional styles of language there are the unconventional – the most obvious of which is poetry. In Practical Stylistics, HG Widdowson examines the traditional form of the epitaph, as found on headstones in a cemetery. For example: His memory is dear today As in the hour he passed away. (Ernest C. Draper ‘Ern’. Died 4. 1. 38) (Widdowson. 1992, 6) Widdowson makes the point that such sentiments are usually not very interesting and suggests that they may even be dismissed as ‘crude verbal carvings’and crude verbal disturbance (Widdowson, 3). Nevertheless, Widdowson recognises that they are a very real attempt to convey feelings of human loss and preserve affectionate recollections of a beloved friend or family member. However, what may be seen as poetic in this language is not so much in the formulaic phraseology but in where it appears. The verse may be given undue reverence precisely because of the sombre situation in which it is placed. Widdowson suggests that, unlike words set in stone in a graveyard, poetry is unorthodox language that vibrates with inter-textual implications. (Widdowson. 1992, 4) Two problems with a stylistic analysis of poetry are noted by PM Wetherill in Literary Text: An Examination of Critical Methods. The first is that there may be an over-preoccupation with one particular feature that may well minimise the significance of others that are equally important. (Wetherill. 1974, 133) The second is that any attempt to see a text as simply a collection of stylistic elements will tend to ignore other ways whereby meaning is produced. (Wetherill. 1974, 133) [edit] Implicature In ‘Poetic Effects’ from Literary Pragmatics, the linguist Adrian Pilkington analyses the idea of ‘implicature’, as instigated in the previous work of Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson. Implicature may be divided into two categories: ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ implicature, yet between the two extremes there are a variety of other alternatives. The strongest implicature is what is emphatically implied by the speaker or writer, while weaker implicatures are the wider possibilities of meaning that the hearer or reader may conclude. Pilkington’s ‘poetic effects’, as he terms the concept, are those that achieve most relevance through a wide array of weak implicatures and not those meanings that are simply ‘read in’ by the hearer or reader. Yet the distinguishing instant at which weak implicatures and the hearer or reader’s conjecture of meaning diverge remains highly subjective. As Pilkington says: ‘there is no clear cut-off point between assumptions which the speaker certainly endorses and assumptions derived purely on the hearer’s responsibility. ’ (Pilkington.1991, 53) In addition, the stylistic qualities of poetry can be seen as an accompaniment to Pilkington’s poetic effects in understanding a poems meaning. [edit] Tense Widdowson points out that in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ (1798), the mystery of the Mariner’s abrupt appearance is sustained by an idiosyncratic use of tense. (Widdowson. 1992, 40) For instance, the Mariner ‘holds’ the wedding-guest with his ‘skinny hand’ in the present tense, but releases it in the past tense ( his hands dropt he. ); only to hold him again, this time with his ‘glittering eye’, in the present. (Widdowson. 1992, 41) [edit] The point of poetry Widdowson notices that when the content of poetry is summarised it often refers to very general and unimpressive observations, such as ‘nature is beautiful; love is great; life is lonely; time passes’, and so on. (Widdowson. 1992, 9) But to say: Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, So do our minutes hasten to their end William Shakespeare, ‘60’. Or, indeed: Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime, Nor hours, days months, which are the rags of time John Donne, ‘The Sun Rising’, Poems (1633). This language gives us a new perspective on familiar themes and allows us to look at them without the personal or social conditioning that we unconsciously associate with them. (Widdowson. 1992, 9) So, although we may still use the same exhausted words and vague terms like ‘love’, ‘heart’ and ‘soul’ to refer to human experience, to place these words in a new and refreshing context allows the poet the ability to represent humanity and communicate honestly. This, in part, is stylistics, and this, according to Widdowson, is the point of poetry (Widdowson. 1992, 76). [edit] See also * Discourse analysis * Acrolect * Aureation * Basilect * Stylometry * Literary language * Standard language * Official language * Classical language * Liturgical language * Gender role in language * Poetics and Linguistics Association * Internet linguistics [edit] Notes 1. ^ Widdowson, H. G. 1975. Stylistics and the teaching of literature. Longman: London. ISBN 0582550769 2. ^ Simpson, Paul. 2004. Stylistics : A resource book for students. Routledge p. 2: Stylistics is a method of textual interpretation in which primacy of place is assigned to language. 3. ^ Simpson, Paul. 2004. Stylistics : A resource book for students. Routledge p.  3: The preferred object of study in stylistics is literature, whether that be institutionally sanctioned ‘Literature’ as high art or more popular ‘noncanonical’ forms of writing. . 4. ^ Lesley Jeffries, Daniel McIntyre, Stylistics, Cambridge University Press, 2010, p1. ISBN 052172869X 5. ^ Talbot J. Taylor, Mutual Misunderstanding: Scepticism and the Theorizing of Language and Interpretation, Duke University Press, 1992, p91. ISBN 0822312492 6. ^ Ulrich Ammon, Status and Function of Languages and Language Varieties, Walter de Gruyter, 1989, p518. ISBN 0899253563 7. ^ Katie Wales, A Dictionary of Stylistics, Pearson Education, 2001, p315. ISBN 0582317371 8. ^ Rob Pope, The English Studies Book: an Introduction to Language, Literature and Culture, Routledge, 2002, p88. ISBN 0415257107 9. ^ Richard Bradford, A Linguistic History of English Poetry, Routledge, 1993, p8. ISBN 0415070570 10. ^ Nikolas Coupland, Style: Language Variation and Identity, Cambridge University Press, 2007, p10. ISBN 0521853036 11. ^ Raman Selden, The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism: From Formalism to Poststructuralism, Cambridge University Press, 1989, p83. ISBN 0521300134 12. ^ Paul Simpson, Stylistics: a Resource Book for Students, Routledge, 2004, p75. ISBN 0415281040 13. ^ Helen Leckie-Tarry, Language and Context: a Functional Linguistic Theory of Register, Continuum International Publishing Group, 1995, p6. ISBN 1855672723 14. ^ Nikolas Coupland, Style: Language Variation and Identity, Cambridge University Press, 2007, p12. ISBN 0521853036 15. ^ Christopher S. Butler, Structure and Function: a Guide to Three Major Structural-Functional Theories, John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2003, p373. ISBN 1588113612 [edit] References and related reading * ed. David Birch. 1995. Context and Language: A Functional Linguistic Theory of Register (London, New York: Pinter) * Richard Bradford. 1997. Stylistics (London and New York: Routledge) * Michael Burke. 2010. Literary Reading, Cognition and Emotion: An Exploration of the Oceanic Mind (London and New York: Routledge) * David Crystal. 1998. Language Play (London: Penguin) 1985. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 2nd edition (Oxford: Basil Blackwell) 1997. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, 2nd edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) * William Downes. 1998. Language and Society, 2nd edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) * Roger Fowler. 1996. Linguistic Criticism, 2nd edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press) 1995. The Language of George Orwell (London: Macmillan Press) * MAK Halliday. 1978. Language as Social Semiotic: The Social Interpretation of Language and Meaning (London: Edward Arnold) * Brian Lamont. 2005. First Impressions (Edinburgh: Penbury Press) * Geoffrey Leech and Michael H. Short. 1981. Style in Fiction: A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose (London: Longman) * A McIntosh and P Simpson. 1964. The Linguistic Science and Language Teaching (London: Longman) * George Orwell. 1949. Nineteen Eighty-Four (London: Heinemann) 1964. Inside the Whale and Other Essays (London: Penguin Books) * Adrian Pilkington. 1991. ‘Poetic Effects’, Literary Pragmatics, ed. Roger Sell (London: Routledge) * ed. Thomas A. Sebeok. 1960. Style in Language (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press) * Michael Toolan. 1998. Language in Literature: An Introduction to Stylistics (London: Hodder Arnold) * Jonathan Swift. 1994. Gulliver’s Travels (London: Penguin Popular Classics) * Katie Wales. 2001. A Dictionary of Stylistics, 2nd edition, (Harlow: Longman) * ed. Jean Jacques Weber. 1996. The Stylistics Reader: From Roman Jakobson to the Present (London: Arnold Hodder) * PM Wetherill. 1974. Literary Text: An Examination of Critical Methods (Oxford: Basil Blackwell) * HG Widdowson. 1992. Practical Stylistics (Oxford: Oxford University Press) * Joseph Williams. 2007. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, 9th edition (New York: Pearson Longman) [edit] External links * Checklist of American and British programs in stylistics and literary linguistics * The British Poetics and Linguistics Association * http://www. brianlamont. com/ Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Stylistics_(literature) Categories: Applied linguistics | Language varieties and styles | Linguistics Hidden categories: Wikipedia articles needing style editing from October 2010 | All articles needing style editing Personal tools. * Log in / create account Namespaces * Article * Discussion Variants Views * Read * Edit * View history Actions Search - Top of Form Bottom of Form Navigation * Main page * Contents * Featured content * Current events * Random article * Donate to Wikipedia Interaction * Help * About Wikipedia * Community portal * Recent changes * Contact Wikipedia Toolbox * What links here * Related changes * Upload file * Special pages * Permanent link * Cite this page Print/export * Create a book * Download as PDF * Printable version Languages * * БÐ µÃ »Ã °Ã'€Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã ºÃ °Ã'  * БÃ'ŠÐ »Ã ³Ã °Ã'€Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸ * Catala * Cesky * Dansk. * Deutsch * Eesti * Espanol * Esperanto * Francais * Galego * * Ido * Bahasa Indonesia * Italiano * * Kiswahili * Magyar * ÐÅ"Ð ¾Ã ½Ã ³Ã ¾Ã » * Nederlands * * Polski * Portugues * Romana * Ð  Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸Ã ¹ * Slovencina * Srpskohrvatski / Ð ¡Ã'€Ð ¿Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã'…Ã'€Ð ²Ã °Ã'‚Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸ * Suomi * Svenska * Ð £Ã ºÃ'€Ð °Ã'â€"Ð ½Ã' Ã'Å'Ð ºÃ ° * This page was last modified on 4 March 2011 at 05:48. * Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. 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The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Social Work Social Work Essay

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Social Work Social Work Essay To look at life-span development, we need to be aware of what it is, although the meaning is within the name. It looks at how a normal person develops throughout the life-span. This process begins between conception and birth, the miracle of pregnancy where a one-celled organism develops into a foetus and finally a newborn baby emerges into the world. The development of this developing child is affected by the world around them. Affecting growth and at critical points can alter their genetic characteristics, which are developed within the womb, and the expression of these characteristics. our exploration begins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ at birth, where who we are and will ultimately become is a life-long endeavour. (http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/development/ 2001) In this assignment I am going to look at the infant period of the life-span. Development occurs across three separate yet overlapping domains. Biological, which looks at how the body matures, grows and changes. Psychosocial looks at an individuals personality and emotions and also their social expectations and interactions. Cognitive involves the mental processes of knowing which includes problem solving, imagining, reasoning and perceiving. According to Erikson (1950) there are 8 stages of development beginning with 0-1 year old, basic trust versus basic mistrust. This involves trusting that things will happen either through the childs own ability or trust that the childs care giver will provide what is needed. A key element in Eriksons theory is based on a secure attachment being made. This ties in with Bowlbys attachment theory (1969), as he believes a secure base must be formed in early years through attachment. He believes this attachment will impact future relationships. For example, attachment in adult intimate relationships can mirror earlier attachments in childhood, resulting in negative or positive attachments throughout the life-span. Eriksons second stage of development is for 2-3 year olds, autonomy versus shame, doubt. At this age childrens biological development includes learning to grasp, walk and other physical abilities which ultimately lead to free choice. The child begins to show control, for example with toilet training. However they may also develop a feeling of shame if the training is not handled adequately. Children need to be enabled to assert some control over their environment. Success with this leads the child to feeling a sense of purpose. However this needs to be balanced as the children who exert too much power can experience disapproval from their care giver which will result in the child feeling guilty. In social work practice some theories have influenced social work over the years. One example is psychosocial casework which in many ways is a development from psychodynamic theory in particular the ego psychology of writers such as Erikson. However Thompson criticises Eriksons work on human development as he feels it does tend to lack awareness of broader social issues (the significance of gender, for example) (Thompson, 2009, p89) A key theory I touched on briefly is attachment. In 1970 Ainsworth and Bell conducted a study which looked at the individual differences in attachment. They used a test called the strange situation to conduct the experiment; it involved mothers and 1 year old infants being observed by researchers in a play-room through a two way mirror. This study is relevant in practice as the social worker is the stranger. This is why the situation should be observed and record made of what occurs. As a social workers experience grows they may relate to what they observe on an attachment style. According to Bowlbys research there are lots of issues affecting attachment, for example, a mother suffering from post-natal depression may have trouble bonding with her child. This can have long-term effects on the child. However the child can form an attachment with another care giver. Although Bowlby insists on it being the mother this does not have to be the case, as children can adapt and attach to any care giver, as long as all needs are adequately met. Attachment is valid throughout the entire life-span not just in infancy. Every person has an attachment style that is unique to them. However a secure base is still needed as early attachment is crucial. When a child has a good early attachment they will learn to trust a new care giver because the child has previously learnt to trust. This again links Bowlby and Eriksons theories together, both putting attachment and trust as key issues in infancy. The intimacy of attachment is greatest at this early stage of infancy. Its difficult to get more intimate, than a vulnerable child with their primary care giver. There are 3 different kinds of attachment styles, ambivalent, secure and avoidance. Some attachment styles work well together and others dont. A social workers assessment in attachment styles is vital especially in adoption. As an ambivalent parent, who is very needy for love, this would clash with an avoidance child, whose reaction would be get away from me. Although Bowlbys theories are widely respected some feel his specification of the care giver being the mother as sexist. However his theory is valid and can be used with any care giver the child has and is vital in social work theory. A number of theorists have reconceptualised Bowlbys internal working model of attachment, which regulates communication with significant others, as a form of regulatory implicit rational memoryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Bremmer and Slater, 2004, p208) This shows how Bowlbys attachment theory can be used as a base to support other theorists. Another key theorist for this stage of development is Freud. Freud (1905) believes that from the moment of birth the infants actions are driven by their desire for sexual and bodily pleasure. In infancy there are 3 stages to go through, the oral stage, the anal stage and the phallic stage. The initial oral stage is satisfied through sucking, for feeding. The second anal stage is released through the act of defecation. The final stage in infancy, the phallic stage is released through the infants interest in their sexual organs. Freud himself recognises the universal outrage that his theory was met with. Few of the findings of psychoanalysis have met with such universal contradiction or have aroused such an outburst of indignation as the assertion that the sexual function starts at the beginning of life and reveals its presence by important signs even in childhood. And yet no other findings of analysis can be demonstrated so easily and so completely. (Freud, 1925a: 216-217 cited in Thurschwell, 2009, p40) Looking at all the theorists and the life-span development in general gives you a benchmark of the norm. This enables us through the assessment process of any potential abnormalities that may be occurring. The theories are each relevant as they allow us to view why children exhibit certain behaviours. Theory is an integral part of social work, and the necessary tools needed are knowledge skills and values. Having adequate knowledge means knowing the relevant information, which when skilfully applied makes competent social work practice. Social workers need to be aware of people as ever growing individuals, with a past, present and future. It is vital to understand that service users are constantly changing and adapting to their surrounding environment. Children are not just miniature adults, they are their own individuals with separate wants and needs. We need to take this into account when dealing with children, and not talk around them. When this is not possible their best interests need to be at the heart of every decision made. Much of the distinction that we can make between adult and child owes a lot to how our society and the various cultures within it have constructed notions of what is appropriate for a child as opposed to what is appropriate for an adult. (Thompson and Thompson, 2008, p87-88) Although children need to be treated differently than adults we always need to be aware of the future of possibilities they have in front of them. A lot of who we become is mapped out in our childhood, so behaviours need to be noted and understood to help the individual in later life. One disadvantage the life-span development does not take into account is the world around us. This depending on the specific factor can lead to Anti-Discriminatory Practice (ADP) or Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP), for example. a lack of understanding and knowledge of different cultural issues. Societal issues have just as much of an effect on infants as on adults. The structure of society often puts people at a disadvantage, for example, societys reaction to disability or race can lead to poverty and even social exclusion. However even with these issues people can sill build up resilience. Resilience enables some individuals to achieve satisfactory outcomes despite their disadvantaged backgrounds. This can be seen through a good school compensating for a delinquent neighbourhood. Even infants show resilience, low birth weight poses a risk to the child, due to the child being unable to grow at the rate required to which in return could affect its immune system, leaving the baby more vulnerable. Therefore overcoming this shows great resilience at a very early age. Another issue this raises is society labelling those who are considered to be outside the norm. Labels tend to influence the way people view and respond to what is labelled. Labelling theory describes the response and expectations of others to an act labelled deviant. This may create a situation in which the labelled person can do no other than respond in the ways expected. (Davies, 2000, p181) The labelling will have an effect on the care giver and therefore on the infant as well. When looking at infants you need to be aware of the surrounding family. Who at this early and vulnerable stage in development will have a significant impact? So although poverty is not something the infant will even be aware of, the care giver will be all too aware. There are a number of circumstances that may affect the way a child is raised; poverty is just one societal implication that can have an effect on the entire family. Any of these circumstances can lead to unnecessary stress which will then also impact on the infant. A different factor that can affect growth and development is disease and illness. One example of a condition that affects a childs development is autism. It is considered that autistic children show a lack of interest in people and therefore fail to show the normal attachment to their care giver. Autistic children have varying degrees of communication problems and because learning through play can be restricted, the childs pattern of development will be affected. In autistic children the overall development is slow and they do not reach the same mental milestones as the child who is normal. However autistic children are known to reach islands of brilliance. For example, although their communication with other children is very limited they may show considerably better powers of memory or drawing skills. So although the development process is very different from the norm, they adapt to their environment as other children do. In the early years it is just a matter of persevering and lea rning to get to know the infant the same as any other care giver would. In the case of an autistic child the life-span development would not be very useful, nor would the theories that have been suggested during this assignment. The social worker working with the infant will have to do their first initial assessment. Here they are laying the foundation for future assessments. They will be looking at the infants development and growth but as mentioned earlier the family will also impact on the infant in various ways. This is where knowledge of the entire lifespan is useful. As every person who is involved with the infant plays a part in their development. So an awareness of what is normal for that person is an advantage. The social worker will also be looking at the social implications that have an effect on the family, both positive and negative. So working with the family as a unit, with the infants well-being at the heart of everything, the social worker can focus on reducing the risk and negative impacts and raising awareness of the positives. This should have a positive affect on the well-being of the child. In conclusion a good knowledge and understanding of the life-span development benefits social workers, as it shows what is considered to be normal development throughout life. This helps social workers recognise when someone is not on target and therefore raises awareness of potential problems. However the disadvantage to this is it doesnt take into account any outside factors that can affect development. These factors include society issues that can lead to ADP and AOP if not taken into account with users and handled appropriately.

Edgar Allan Poe Writing Style Analysis

Edgar Allan Poe Writing Style Analysis Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American author born in Boston. His use of terror and the supernatural made him famous as one of the popular gothic writers. Poe wrote numerous books and poems with some 18+ noted books to his credit. His mystery writing was recognised by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as being exceptional and the ability to bring life into the characters portrayed. The life and works of Poe are particularly well explored in the book The political economy of literature in antebellum America by Terence Whalen. In addition the book Edgar Allan Poe: a biography by Milton Meltzer describes the literary works and criticism of Poes books and poems. INTRODUCTION Edgar Allan Poe was noted for his gothic horror style of writing. Nevertheless he also used his writing to express political sentiments, particularly that regarding racism, slavery and social distinctions in the Southern USA. This was compared to the situation in Europe with Poe supporting the concept of slavery. The author Toni Morrison in her book entitled Playing in the Dark identified Poe along with Mark Twain as an author whose work was haunted by blackness. Toni Morrison claims that no early American writer was more important than Poe in shaping a concept of American Africanism  [1]   The works of Poe were largely obscured for some 50 years after his death owing to copyright restrictions held by his Executor Dr. Rufus B Griswold. It is nearly fifty years since the death of Edgar Allan Poe, and his writings are now for the first time gathered together with an attempt at accuracy and completeness  [2]  . Despite the production of numerous poems Poe was best known for his genre of horror and science fiction novels and Walt Whitman  [3]  described his works as Poes verses illustrate an intense faculty for technical and abstract beauty, with the rhyming art to excess, an incorrigible propensity toward nocturnal themes, and a demoniac undertone behind every page. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ There is an indescribable magnetism about the poets life and reminiscences, as well as the poems  [4]  . Poes life was surrounded by tragedy with his parents passing away when he was just 3 years old. He became obsessive with drink and gambling and this resulted in his own rather obscure death as a drunk in Baltimore. Despite this his poems and novels that explored the conditions of the human psyche earned him international fame both during his life and after his death. He was viewed as a tortured soul who was obsessed with death, violence and a sense of the macabre yet still gained an appreciation for those mysteries that life had to offer. Poe was acknowledged by such notary poets as Longfellow, Wordsworth, Tennyson and Whitman. Despite his critics he left a legacy of gothic works that would later inspire film makers and other novelists in the horror and supernatural genre. Poe was acknowledged by the international community as an acclaimed writer of stories and poems in the gothic horror style. He was also critical of the political scene in light of the turbulent changes in the Southern USA. He brought a style of gothic writing in order to make statements and used the concept of terror, mystery and the supernatural to bring fear and terror to society. This paper explores the different examples of Poes writing and provides a modern interpretation of his different styles and uses. A cross-section of Poems, Short Stories in the genre of horror, mystery and terror. LITERATURE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE THE TELL TALE HEART The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story composed by Edgar Allen Poe. It is rather a ghoulish story concerning the murder of an old man who is dismembered and his body buried under floor-boards. The murder subsequently loses his sanity believing the heart of the old man is still beating under the floorboards. It talks of the old man having a Vulture Eye, the apparent reason for the pre-meditated murder. The conflict is on the murders insistence of his own sanity but in so doing it becomes self-destructive as the defence build-up the case to his ultimate admission of guilt. It is a saga of guilt, remorse and the dreadful concept of haunting of the human mind for an act so reprehensible. Clearly the murderer is the protagonist at the central theme of this story and the old man the antagonist by the concept of the vulture eye  [5]   As the sound of the old mans heartbeat gets louder. The murder becomes more paranoid and believes that others can hear it, including the police officers who are present at the scene of the crime. The illusion and paranoia eventually lead to the murder believing the police know that he is guilty and the murders tortured soul eventually leads him confessing his guilt of the crime. This leads the murder to the evidence and telling the police the whereabouts of the body and instruction to tear up the floor boards. The plot demonstrates the struggle between imagination and science. The old man the rationale scientific mind and the narrator the imaginative THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO The Cask of Amontillado was written by Edgar Allen Poe in 1846. It was developed as a short story in Godeys Ladys Book. The setting was in an unnamed city in Italy, the period was not indicated but assume somewhere in the 18th Century. The theme of this story is about REVENGE. During the 19th Century the people seemed to have a great interest in this subject matter and as such this was a popular tale. Poe was rather a dark or grim writer and this story was unveiled from the perspective of the murderer. Poe had the unique talent of being able to penetrate the inner mind and psychology of the murder and acts of insanity. From this he could create a graphical depiction of both horror and terror that leaves the sane reader aghast. The subject of revenge is particularly potent material and allows the writer to demonstrate the meaning of hatred and the steps someone would take in order to exact a terrible revenge. Characters in the story The story focuses around two main characters that of Montresor (Murderer) and his victim Fortunato, both men of noble birth. Montresor was extremely angry over some unspecified insult from Fortunato and as a result plans his murder. His aim or plan being to distract him during carnival time, when the festivities find the man in a drunken stupor, wearing the disguise of a jesters attire. The Plot Montresor captures the attention of Fortunato by describing a procurement of a very valuable cask of sherry the Cask of Amontillado and requires Fortunatos expert opinion on the quality of the wine. From this point he lures Fortunato through a series of subterranean passages beneath his Palazzo. When the two men reach the cellar containing the wine, Montresor grabs Fortunato and chains him to the wall and then proceeds to build a new wall and seal him in leaving him to die. In re-telling his story some 50 years later Montresor says he has never been captured and in so far as he knows the body of Fortunato still hangs suspended in the niche where it was bricked in all those years ago. The unrepentant murder stating In pace requiscat (may he rest in peace). The story undoubtedly had an influence on later writers This story and Poes other short fiction had an undisputed influence on later fiction writers. In the nineteenth century, Poe influenced Ambrose Bierce and Robert Louis Stevenson among others. Twentieth-century writers who have looked to Poe include science fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft and horror author Stephen King.  [6]   Analysis and Symbolism The theme and plot of the story is based upon murder and revenge. It is not a mystery or detection story, the mystery resides in the actual motives for which Montresor committed murder. Montresor indicated that he received a thousand injuries, although no substantive reasons were provided. The reader is left to determine the cause of the motives, including the probability that Montresor was in fact insane. There are some contradictions in the story, for example: Fortunato is introduced to the readership as a wine expert he becomes so drunk he would be unable to identify the Amontillado and treats De Grave, an expensive French wine, with little regard by drinking it in a single gulp  [7]   The tale also indicates that Montresor was of noble birth and yet he demonstrated brick laying skills, more normally associated with the working class. It is known that the author had knowledge of the subject matter in his personal life and as such appreciated the visual horrors of such an abstraction to his audience. Poe worked in the brickyard late in the fall of 1834.  [8]  Vincent Buranelli made a number of observations about the story and in more general terms about Poes morbid fascination with death. He expanded by saying how this had influenced musicians of the time including Debussy According to Vincent Buranelli, Poes short stories also influenced the music of Claude Debussy, who was haunted by the atmosphere of Poes tales, and the art of Aubrey Beardsley, as well as the work of other composers and artists in the United States, Great Britain, and in Europe.  [9]  The gothic style of Poes writing has a distinct sense of morbidity about it The thousand injuries of Fort unato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged.  [10]  The analysis of the phrase is interesting. It suggests a building of in sufferance from the relationship with Fortunato culminating in a final insult that threw Montresor into a fit of rage and ultimately to a plot of murder. For this to build into such a state illustrates the apparent lack of dialogue and trust between the two supposed friends. This also leads the reader to question the state of mind of Montresor and indeed question his very sanity. Richard P Benton (a noted writer on Poe) asserted that the character for Montessori was in actual fact based upon Claude de Bourdeille, Count of Montresor a political conspirator in the court of King Louis X111.  [11]   THE RAVEN The Raven was first published in 1845. It is regarded as a classic American poem. The poet describes that of a talking Raven which visits a distressed lover and ultimately traces the mans emotions as he steps into the depths of insanity. The man is considered to be a student who is lamenting over the loss of his lover called Lenore. The Raven is a mysterious bird symbolic of death and repeats the words never more. The man asks the Raven questions but it only answers Never more and as such he will never be reunited with his Lenore and his soul shall not be lifted Never more. At the time the poem came in for a fair amount of criticism, in addition to the acclaim from other poets. It was considered to be inspired by the work of Charles Dickens from his novel Barnaby Rudge. The Raven is considered to be a devil like creature that is symbolic of both black magic and the devil. The end result of the poem is that the student will never get over the grief for his lost Lenore. Lenore also tra nslates to Helen [Helen of Troy representing beauty] and the bust of Pallas is representative of the Greek goddess Athena [the goddess of wisdom]. This is symbolic of the fact that grief and sorrow displace wisdom and common sense in the mans life. This is a complex poem with many meanings. Poe was particularly artful at understanding ancient greek mythology and being able to both intertwin this with comparisons to characters in his own narrations. He demonstrated similar characteristics with figures out of European history and related these to American literature. It is important to understand that many of Poes readers were international and particularly from Europe where he had a large following. This translation therefore became an important part of reaching that audience. THE BLACK CAT Is a short story narrated by Poe. It was compiled in 1843 and falls under the horror genre. The story focuses upon the deteriorating life of an alcoholic but also it involves animal abuse and murder. It is useful to note that Poe himself had a serious drinking problem and in Baltimore he fell into bad company. This may well have influenced this work based upon his own shortcomings and fear of falling into madness as a result of alcoholism. The story is a mystery novel and about the unlocking of clues to a murder, as revealed by the mysterious black cat. It is the location of hidden objects that allow you to solve puzzles that allude to the murder. The cat is called Pluto [ Roman name for the God of the underworld] and symbolic of the devil and hell. The black cat is also associated with bad luck and misfortune. The cat is used to depict the insanity of the narrator as he spins out of control due to the worsening effects of alcoholism. This Gothic tale becomes all the more shocking as youre about to get inside the mind of an insane person and ultimately it leaves you to ponder the shocking story and the acts committed by the man i.e. The walling up of his wife and the black cat in the cellar. Poe was highly influenced by drink and opium and this may well account for his ability to graphically define horror, based upon the horrors that he experienced from drink and drugs. Opium was known for its hallucogenic qualities an d Poe had a love of cats; hence it becomes easier to understand how his mind finds it easier to start and unravel the workings of insanity and the unfortunate influences of advanced alcoholism. THE PIT AND THE PENDALUM The pit and the pendulum is another short story compiled by Poe in 1842. It tells the story of a young prisoner that is tortured as part of the Spanish inquisition. The story depicts what it is like to be tortured and attempts to place to reader in a state of fear, thereby appealing to the senses and sounds that hinge upon realism. The tall candles that are melting depict the prisoner and his life ebbing away with little hope of remission or rescue. The prisoner is locked in a dark prison which he thinks is his tomb. The prisoner becomes aware that he has been bound in a pit with a scythe like pendulum slowly swinging down towards him. This will be the instrument of his execution but the prisoner is able to attract rats to gnaw his bones and release him. He is finally rescued before the inner walls move inwards and force him to his death at the bottom of the pit. Although Poe takes historical license with the story it is widely held that the pit and pendulum were used in torture devi ces by the Spanish inquisition. The story was later made into a film starring the actor Vincent Price. Some have contrasted this work to the situation of slavery in the Southern States i.e. the concept of bondage and being a prisoner, the sense of life ebbing away with no remission from slavery, the torture being the lashing and brutality inflicted upon slaves by their masters and the final rescue being the freedom from slavery by the Northern Union Army at the end of the civil war. The comparison being the Spanish Inquisition to the plight of the slaves. FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER This story relates to the decline of a family and house [the House of Usher]. From the beginning the author paints a bleak view of rot and decay in a cold autumnal setting The novel compares the crumbling decay of the house to that of the family that dwells within. The characters Roderick and Madeleine are twins and represent the mental and physical decline of the family. Roderick believes that the stones of the house have a consciousness and as such they embody the fate of the Usher family. Within the novel Poe gets to grips with the inner workings of the human imagination and the destructive concepts that reside within. The results of this lead to mental illness and death from the torturous terror of the imagination. The house itself crumbles into the deep and dark tarn,  [12]  (Womak 2010) and depicts the narrator fleeing from madness in order to protect his own sanity. Some critics related this piece to the destruction of the plantations, properties and families in the Southern States by the persecution of the Northern Union armies. The crumbling decay of the house being that of the confederate states and how old ideas and families were being crushed under the concept of change by the slavery abolitionist movement of the North. The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar This short story was first published in 1845. This tells the story of a dying man. A mesmerist places a man into a state of hypnosis shortly before his time of death. He examines the concept of hypnotizing a man dying of tuberculosis in order to see what happens to him. The man is left in the hypnotic state for seven months. The dying man (Valdemar) beckons to be woken or allowed to die by wagging his tongue. During the hypnotic state he was pale, cold and without pulse. As the hypnotist eventually wakes him Valdemars voice shouts Dead! Dead! And as he comes out of the trance his body instantly decays into a putrefied liquid mass of decayed material. Poe was known to have deeply studied medical tests and post mortem examinations and as such was able to assemble a picture of words in order to depict the horror and gore. Additional influence to this story might have been the suffering and death of his wife Virginia who died from Tuberculosis; having suffered to the point of her departu re. The Masque of the Red Death This popular short story follows the main character of Prince Prospero who tries to escape a plague called The Red Death, by hiding in his abbey with his noble friends. During this time they have a masked ball which covers many different coloured rooms. During the ball a strange masked figure enters the room dressed in a shroud like costume. This enrages Prospero who demands to know who this person is and wants him hanged. He ignores the Prince and this enrages Prospero who chases after him with a drawn dagger. Prospero confronts the stranger in the Black room and shortly after is found dead. The guests find both Prospero and the stranger on the floor. They remove the mask from the stranger only to find a faceless creature that is Red Death itself. After this all of the nobility succumb to the disease and are found dead. Although the disease is fictitious it might be symbolic of the Black Death that swept through the middle ages in Europe. The point made is that nobody ultimately esc apes death regardless of wealth or position. Death comes to us all in the end. Other theories are that Poe was influenced by the death of his wife Virginia and her suffering due to that of tuberculosis. The Murders in the Rue Morgue Poe first published this murder mystery in 1841 in Grahams Magazine. It tells the story of the brutal saying of two women in the Rue Morgue of Paris. One had her throat cut and the other strangled. This was one of the earliest detective novels that inspired fictional characters of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. The central detective figure in this story being one Auguste Dupin. The detective found his first clue by discovering some hair that was not of human origin. In addition witnesses recounted having heard noises and sounds in a language that they had never heard before. Dupin suspected that this might be an Ourang-Outang and set about placing an advert for someone who might have lost such an animal. It was discovered that a sailor had brought one from Borneo and that the animal had escaped with a shaving razor. The animal emulating shaving on the victims. Poe wrote this story at a time when crime and detection was held in great fascination in both London and New York. It aimed at proving the point of brains over brawn i.e. the brains of the skilled detective versus the brute strength of the ape. Poe was said to have inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) and Agatha Christie (great mystery and detective writer). Comparisons were made to the captivation and treatment of the Ape. As the Ape was brought from its native Borneo to a strange land and subjected to the dangerous practices of its captor (sailor); so the negro was transplanted from Africa to the plantations of the Americas and subject to the bondage and harsh treatment of his new master. The Premature Burial This short story was based upon the concept of being buried alive. It focuses upon a person who has been struck down with a condition called catalepsy which puts you into a death like trance. Here a person is buried alive and only at a later date when the tomb is opened is the accident revealed. Poe takes advantage of a fear that was prevalent amongst people of the 19th century in the concept of being buried alive. It again illustrates Poes fascination with the morbidity of death. The Imp of the Perverse This story is about that of an imp or demon that influences a person in order to conduct acts of mischief. The story starts with a candle, having been placed in the room of a victim, and omits a poisonous vapour. The leads to the death of the victim who reads at night by the candlelight in a poorly ventilated room. The narrator, being the murderer, believes he has got away with the crime after the coroner delivers a verdict of an act of god The narrator subsequently inherits the house and enjoys the benefits from the deed for many years to come. He feels that the only way he will ever be caught is that if he confesses the crime. He later finds himself running through the streets and confesses the deed to an invisible friend. This leads to him being tried, convicted and sentenced to death. The story is based upon the premise that all people lean towards self-destructive tendencies and that ultimately we cannot avoid the moral responsibility for the deed that we perform. Other critics have suggested that the story related purely to Poes life and his depiction of personal torment and self-destruction. It occurred at a time when he felt betrayed and held a public feud with the English poet Henry Longfellow. THE ANGEL OF THE ODD This was a satirical study narrated by Poe in 1844. The story is based upon a man who died after swallowing a needle accidentally. This results in the appearance of an odd character made of a keg and wine bottles (the angel of the odd), who is said to be the root cause of these bizarre events. The man is not convinced of the story and falls into a drunken stupor. The man later wakes up to find that his house is on fire and narrowly escapes death by clambering down a ladder from the upper window of the house. During the escape a hog brushes past the ladder causing the man to fall and break his arm. He later tries to woo two different women who laugh at his wig, this he was forced to wear after his hair was singed in the fire. All of these misadventures lead the man to feel he is cursed and he attempts suicide by drowning. During this incident a crow steals his clothes and the ensuing chase sees the man falling off a cliff only to be rescued by the rope hanging from a hot air balloon. At this time the angel of the odd re-appears and asks him to confess that bizarre events can really happen. The man refuses and the angel cuts the rope allowing the man to fall to his death. This is seen as the revenge of the angel. The story contains many parallels with Poes own life. In particular the results of his addiction with alcohol and possibly drugs. Opiate drugs of a hallucogenic nature were widely used at this time and particularly in sea ports like Baltimore where Poe lived for some time and was known to have become an alcoholic living amongst bad company. Poe was also considered to be a tortured soul of self-destructive tendencies. This contributed to his gothic style of writing. BERENICE Berenice was a horror story compiled by Poe in 1835 and follows the sag of one Egaeus destined to marry his cousin Berenice. His future bride is seen to deteriorate in health by an unknown disease that leaves only her teeth in a healthy state. Berenice dies and is buried leaving Egaeus with an obsession over her teeth. One day a servant enters his room to inform him that Berenices grave has been disturbed and she is still alive. Egaeus is found to have a box containing 32 blood stained teeth with a poem that tells of his visits to the grave of his beloved. This is clearly an indication of the insanity of Egaeus and his obsession with the only healthy remaining component of the teeth. Critics were shocked by the gruesome account and graphic horror of the story. They questioned Poes state of mind to write such stories. Poe may well have been influenced by the suffering of his wife Victoria and dyeing from Tuberculosis as she suffered an agonising and prolonged death. There is also some question over Poes sanity given his connection to drink, drugs and tendencies of self-destruction and his fascination with death. ELEONORA Eleonora tells the story of the narrator who resides with his cousin in the valley of the many coloured grass. It was considered to be an idyllic paradise of tropical birds, fragrant flowers, and softly running streams. Eleonora was ill and was beautiful only waiting to die. She did not fear death but only the loss of her lover from the valley to another. Once Eleonora dies the valley starts to fade and lose its splendour. The narrator leaves the valley and moves to a City where he meets and marries Emengarde. Eleonora visits the narrator from the afterlife and blesses the couple stating that they are absolved and the reasons would be made known in heaven. This has a direct correlation with the life of Poe and particular the suffering and death of his wife Virginia. During the time that she suffered for five years Poe lived with his younger cousin who later became his wife. It is the question of guilt and absolution from sins. Poe considering his feelings for the love of other women whilst his wife was dying. Poe was clearly tormented by the suffering of his wife. GOTHIC WRITING PERIOD SIGNIFICANCE The concept of gothic horror writing derives from the Germanic race of Goths or Visigoths in Europe. These people were well known in Europe as a fierce race of people that dealt in tales of death and the supernatural. Gothic writing has been associated with horror since the mid-18th Century. In particular the literary works of Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker (the author of Dracula). The style of gothic writing gained its popularity during the period 1750-1820. In England the Bronte Sisters and particularly Emily with the story of Wuthering Heights. In the USA this was picked up in the South by such writers as William Faulkner and his book entitled A rose for Emile. Another was the Pulitzer Prize winning book of To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and made into a great film starring Gregory Peck. Poe believed his art-all art-should be evaluated by international, rather than national or regional, standards, but he was, nonetheless, frequently identified at the time with the South. He did not defend his regions politics or social customs, like other antebellum southern writers, but his lyricism was common to southern poets. Raised a Virginian, Poe sometimes posed as the southern gentleman, even if transcending regionalism in his work.  [13]   THE POLITICAL CHANGES IN THE SOUTH During the division between the North and Southern states it was widely held that Poe was politically motivated towards the South Certain scholars perceive this conflict in terms of a North-South division and view Poe as the representative of a southern literary tradition fighting against the domination of the New England literary circle.  [14]  Despite serving in the Union Army and spending time at West Point it was widely held that Poes sympathies remained with the south; based upon his formative years in Richmond Virginia. Poe became somewhat controversial in that he defended the point of view regarding slavery in the South. He drew parallels between ant-slavery agitation at the time of Cromwell (England) and the French Revolution. He pointed out that these were all about an attack on property; the excuse being the freedom of the slaves. He further stated that recent events in the West Indies and the Southern States all give rise to the potential recurrence of a property grab being initiated by Northern States land owners who are politically motivated. Poe went on to say that there existed a relationship between the slave and the master; the slave being very loyal to the Master. The Master in turn provided employment, shelter and security. Poe wrote this from the perspective of a southern family who had owned slaves. He was particularly vocal during his editorship of the Messenger in Virginia and he published a number of tablets referred to as Pinakidia.  [15]   Poe saw a trend in the market place where a huge number of publications were being sold that depicted the graphic horror of slavery. Poe utilized this trend in his own narration covering both the pro and anti-slavery viewpoints. As such many of his tales traded upon the terror of slavery. Poe masters the concept of slavery in order to invoke terror into his readers. In the story of Hop Frog he indicates how the literary market place turns the author into a slave for the voracious appetite of the audiences for horror.  [16]  Poe deals with the integration of slavery into that of racial stereotyping as seen in Murders in the Rue Morgue, the ape that has been captured and forced to respond to a strange land. CONCLUSIONS Edgar Allan Poe achieved greater acclaim as an author and a poet in international circles as opposed to in the USA. His literary executor Rufus Griswald was considered to be both jealous and an enemy of Poe. He branded Poe as a drunkard and opium addict and defamed him to American literary society. It was some 50 years after Poes death that the genius of his work started to receive international acclaim. Poe in a way went downhill after the death of his wife and he became much more involved

Suicide Among Youth Essay -- Suicide Teenagers Suicidal Essays

Suicide Among Youth A suicide attempt is a non-fatal act in which an individual deliberately causes self- injury and should be recognized as a method of communication from a youth who may be experiencing severe problems. Canadian statistics from the Suicide Information and Education Center in 1996 recorded 25 000 attempted suicides and 250 successful suicides. 1 in every 100 people who try to commit suicide will die. Based on the 1996 statistics one can assume that these numbers have increased. It has been suggested that suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst the youth and is more common amongst females than males. Although more females attempt to commit suicide males are more successful in doing so. More often than not we hear of younger people committing suicide rather than those of the elderly. From reading several studies it is hard to say whether it is the youth or the general population that are more likely to attempt suicide and be successful at it. One may often wonder why a person commits suicide and what lead them to the point where they felt there was â€Å"no way out†. It has been suggested youth who are suicidal feel alone, not understood by parents and or their peers, that they are unable to cope with failure, criticism and feel that things will never get better or that no one can do anything to help him or her, amongst other things. Based on these feelings experienced by youths they seek suicide as the â€Å"way out†. One reason suggested is that teens commit suicide as a punishment to themselves and to others around them. Suicide is also seen as a method of revenge. Some of the risk factors associated with suicide are abuse (physical, emotional, drug and sexual), as well as family history and change. Youth are affected deeply by change especially with issues involving family and friends. It has been suggested that the greater number of female attempts at suicide is based on relationship breakups. It is assumed that most often females experience a level of attachment that is much greater than that of males. A female may feel as if no one understands her and that the only important person in her life has now left. Along with the risk factors there are warning signs. I will list a few but the slightest comment could mean that the person feels suicidal. Some of the more common warning signs are loss of appetite, sleep distur... ...hday, I would never know what it feels like to get married or have children. Speaking from experience I think that the best way to help youth is to offer programs that can help them. The Support Network here in Edmonton offers confidential 24 hour service to help youth who are experiencing problems. I also think that suicide prevention and education should be taught in schools. I feel this way because this may affect a person’s life in some way or another whether they are the people who attempt or they are someone who has lost a loved one because of suicide. I personally believe that suicide awareness is much more important than learning how to solve for a polynomial or simplifying an equation. Suicide, whether an attempt or a completion is not something that should taken lightly. It is a life changing experience and never goes away. Suicide will affect all lives and needs to be dealt with. Suicide can be prevented, as long as everyone understands and helps those who appear to need it. Even for those who don’t appear to need it! Bibliography Suicide Information and Education Center (SIEC), 1996 Information on pamphlets and handouts from The Support N

Adolf Hitler Essay -- Adolf Hitler Nazi Germany Biography Essays

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th, 1889 in Braunau, Austria. He was the fourth child of Alois Schickelgruber and Klara Hitler. The couple’s first three offsprings died as children, but more two more were born later, in addition to Adolf’s half siblings from his father’s previous marriage. A housemaid described Adolf’s father as a strict but comfortable man, and his mother was known to give Adolf much love and affection. As a child, Adolf was very skilled at artwork, and even went to a special school for awhile, but he didn’t do well there. His father died in 1903 of a pleural hemorrhage, and his mother died in 1907 of breast cancer. Hitler spent six years in Vienna, Austria, the center of anti-Semitism. He was virtually penniless. These years helped him develop prejudices about Jews, and an interest in politics. At the time, two of his closest friends were Jewish and he admired many Jewish art dealers and operatic performers and producers. Hi tler later was arrested for avoiding military service for World War I. When he was eventually caught, he was found â€Å"unfit†¦too weak†¦and unable to bear arms.†1 Later, he served four years. Near the end of the war, Hitler was partially blinded when he was exposed to poison gas. In 1919, Adolf joined the German Workers’ Party (later renamed National Socialist German Workers’ – or Nazi – Party). In 1921, he was elected as the party’s chairman, or Fà ¼hrer. Later in 1923, Hitler led an uprising against the Weimar Republic, the German government. Unfortunately for him, the uprising failed, and he was sentenced to five years in prison. He only served nine moths of this sentence though, during which he dictated his auto-biography, Mein Kampf (My Struggle). "[The Jews'] ultimate go... .... p. 17 2. Ibid., as cited in Fleming, pp. 28-29 Found at: http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/people/h/hitler-adolf/hitler-1922.html Adolf Hitler Quotes Great liars are also great magicians. Adolf Hitler The only people I have been able to use are those who fought. Adolf Hitler My will decides. Adof Hitler "The German people is not warlike nation. It is a soldierly one, which means it does not want a war but does not fear it. It loves peace but it also loves its humor and freedom." "Nature is cruel; therefore we are also entitled to be cruel. When I send the flower of German youth into the steel hail of the next war without feeling the slightest regret over the precious German blood that is being spilled, should I not also have the right to eliminate millions of an inferior race that multiplies like vermin?" (Adolf Hitler, cited in Joachim Fest's 1975 "Hitler")

Comparing Gilgamesh to Genesis Essay examples -- essays papers

Comparing Gilgamesh to Genesis In both Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood, man’s wickedness leads to death, destruction, and rebirth all caused by billions of gallons of water sweeping the earth’s surface. The flood in both stories destroys most of mankind. The floods represent rebirth and a new beginning for mankind, as well as the gods and God’s wrath. In Gilgamesh the gods decide to destroy mankind by flooding the earth for six days and nights. Utnapishtim is chosen to build a boat in order to restart mankind after the flood. In the Bible God also decides to flood the earth due to the increase in wickedness. God chooses Noah to build an ark and store seven pairs of every clean animal and two of every other kind of animal on it so the earth can have a fresh start. God says to Noah: â€Å"Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation. Of every clean animal you shall take seven pairs, males and their mates, and of every animal w ith is not clean, two, a male and its mate; of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male a...

Government and Not for Profit Accounting

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 13 2 Not-for-profit organisations Key points Many not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) feel they are poorly understood by government and the general public. Pressures to be more efficient have seen overhead spending reduced at considerable detriment to effectiveness and improved resource allocation over time (allocative efficiency). The sector is diverse, but NFPs display some common behavioural patterns: – Whereas the behaviour of for-profit business is driven mostly by their desire for profits, the behaviour of NFPs is driven mostly by their mission or communitypurpose. Demonstrated commitment to their community-purpose underpins support for their activities, whether by members for member-serving NFPs, or by donors and government who provide funding for community-serving NFPs. – Processes, often highly participatory, matter for NFPs because they provide value to the volunteers and members, and because of their central importance to mainta ining trusting relationships that form the basis for effective service delivery. – Control can be a major motivating factor for the managers of NFPs.While generally motivated by altruism, NFP management also benefits personally from their role when it confers status or power, builds their skills and contacts, and where it improves the environment for their other activities. These characteristics of NFPs have implications for the drivers of efficiency and effectiveness: – Processes that appear messy and inefficient to outsiders can be essential for effective delivery of services, especially those requiring engagement with clients who face disadvantages and are wary of government and for-profit providers.They can also be important to attract and retain volunteers, the involvement of which can be valued as much for the engagement outcomes as for replacing the need for paid labour. – It is possible that, for some managers, ‘doing’ can take precedence o ver ‘achieving’. Unless NFP boards are able to act decisively, such behaviour can undermine efficiency and effectiveness and threaten the sustainability of an NFP. – While greater scale and sharing of support services can improve production efficiency, NFPs can be reluctant to merge or collaborate where other interests might be eroded or where the purchase of support services adds to overheads. continued on next page) 14 NOT-FOR-PROFIT Key points (continued) Community-serving NFPs may lack adequate feedback mechanisms on their effectiveness (or lack thereof) as clients are often grateful for the assistance. This contrasts strongly with member-serving organisations, particularly small grass roots organisations, where member satisfaction is paramount to survival. While historically Australia fits in the ‘liberal’ social origin category (where government social spending is low and NFP activity is relatively large), since the 1970s government funding o f the sector has grown.From the 1980s, this has increasingly been under competitive allocation arrangements, with greater use of the sector to deliver government funded services. More recently, social enterprise is being seen as a way to harness network governance to address social issues. Along with demographic, ethnic and cultural changes (such as increasing environmental awareness), these forces are increasing demand for NFP activities. In responding to rising demand, NFPs report constraints arising from growing regulation and contract requirements, and challenges in accessing funding, finance, and skilled workers. ? Government can assist in addressing these constraints to facilitate sector growth and development; nevertheless the sector remains responsible for its own future. The diversity of the not-for-profit (NFP) sector makes any attempt to describe how NFP organisations (NFPs) behave challenging at best, and quite likely impossible. Nevertheless, such a description is impo rtant as one of the complaints from the sector is that government, and to a lesser extent business, fail to adequately understand the sector.This is reflected in both government and business expressing puzzlement over the reluctance of many NFPs to merge or collaborate, and more generally, what they see as resistance to change. The general public too, has conceptions about the NFP sector, and perhaps illusions about what is required to plan and deliver effective relief and preventive services. This is well illustrated in the resistance to spending on overheads: If there is any single issue that vexes managers and trustees of charitable foundations the world over, it is undoubtedly that of overhead expenses.The case against spending overhead dollars is as simple as it can be: every dollar that a foundation expends on overhead expenses is a dollar that it cannot spend on grants. Overhead expenses, therefore are leeches upon grantmaking. The case for spending overhead dollars is rather more complicated. (Orosz 2009) This chapter provides a general model of how NFPs make decisions on what they do and, importantly, how they go about it. It aims to shed light on the drivers of efficiency and effectiveness in the sector.This provides a segue into sector development and the question of the role of government. This chapter argues that this role is limited to providing an appropriately supportive operating environment, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 15 investing in NFP activities that have considerable public benefit, and governments’ use of NFPs to deliver services. As a number of submissions noted, it is important for the sector not to become reliant on government: The Community/NFP sector †¦ is crucial to holding the government and market to account, and ensuring that they act legally and fairly to all.There are dangers he identified in any too close a collaboration between the sectors as critical roles are diminished, if their independence is reduced to in terdependence. The results can be an undermining of democratic balance of interests. (Women’s Electoral Lobby Australia Inc. , sub. DR241, p. 3, referring to the work of Claus Offe) 2. 1 Are not-for-profit organisations different? NFPs are driven by their ‘community-purpose’, which may focus on their members, targeted groups in the community (often the disadvantaged) or, more broadly, the ‘common-good’.In production, NFPs care about how (process) as well as what (activities) they do. And in management, those making the decisions often care deeply about the control they have over both process and choice of activities. It is this combination of community-purpose and concern about process and managerial control that characterises NFPs behaviour. One way to think about how NFPs operate is summarised in figure 2. 1. Processes that are participatory, inclusive, quality focused and accessible are central as they: engender trust and confidence in the organi sation, enhancing the reach and quality of the activities undertaken ? facilitate access to resources from multiple stakeholders including volunteer workers, as well as access to funding and in-kind resources, as NFPs can provide value to those making these contributions build the capacity and capabilities of staff, volunteers, members and clients for effective engagement over time, including their knowledge and ability to influence the design of future activities. These ‘quality’ processes contribute to achieving the outcomes of the NFP, including what might be incidental outcomes such as improved community connections.In some areas of activity, process, in particular for maintaining trust, can be critical to achieving outcomes. Trust and continuity of relationships is essential. It is the establishment of trust through the continuity of staff and service provision that builds the basis from which change can happen. †¦ [The] degree of trust rises with extent of t rustworthiness of information about the trustee. It is this element of trust where the NFP sector has an advantage over the for profit sector and why the capacity to deliver such programs is as strong as it is. (SDN Children’s Services, sub. 60, pp. 10-11) 16 NOT-FOR-PROFIT Billis and Gennerster (1998) argue that NFPs have a comparative advantage in delivering services where the motivation to address disadvantage, and knowledge of and sensitivity to client needs, are in scarce supply. In NFPs there is often a blurring of stakeholder roles, reducing the gap between clients and those delivering services, and between workers and management. Figure 2. 1 A schema of how not-for-profit organisations operate The bottom half of figure 2. 1 emphasises the importance of process as a motivating factor for management.NFPs are usually established by people who want to do something that is not being done or do it in a different way. People who take on the responsibility of managing an NFP are motivated not only by their belief in the community-purpose (often altruistic motivations) but also by their own role and how it contributes to their wellbeing. Whether their role confers status, power, builds skills and contacts, improves the environment for their other activities or provides self-fulfilment from engagement in a meaningful activity, this motivation needs to be satisfied for volunteer, and even paid, managers to remain committed to the organisation.Further, donors are increasingly looking for these types of ‘returns’ on their investments in NFPs in addition to achievement of the community-purpose. At an organisational level, sufficient stakeholders (donors, workers including volunteers, members, and clients) need to be satisfied by the outcomes achieved and/or by the process for the organisation to remain viable. Like for-profit business, NFPs can ‘fail’ and they will fail if sufficient stakeholders lose interest. If clients NOT-FOR-PRO FIT ORGANISATIONS 17 find their problems permanently solved, and the services of the NFP are no longer needed, this is indeed a good thing.At a sector level, failure of some NFPs, evolution of others, and establishment of new NFPs is just part of a healthy renewal process. Sector-wide, inclusive and participatory processes reflect and contribute to social capital – the relationships, understandings and social conventions that form an important part of the mediating environment that shapes economic and social opportunities. NFP advocacy, education of citizens, enabling of engagement in civic processes, and the creation of opportunities for connections work together to form a healthy civil society.Consequently the extent of NFP activity is often taken as an indicator of the health of society (Putnam, Leonardi and Nannetti 1993; PC 2003) The major differences in behaviour between for-profit and NFP organisations are nicely captured by Collins (2005). His assessment is replicated below in table 2. 1. Table 2. 1 Major differences between the business and social sector Issue Business Sector Social sector Accountability Primarily responsible to stakeholders Primarily responsible to constituents (e. g. disadvantaged children and their families) and myriad supporters or stakeholdersDefining and measuring success Widely agreed-upon financial metrics of performance Money is both an input (a means to success) and an output (a measure of success) Fewer widely agreed-upon metrics of performance Money is only an input, not an output Performance relative to mission, not financial returns, is the primary measure of success Focus Doing things right (efficiency) Competition to deliver the best products Doing the right things (effectiveness a) Collaboration to deliver the best outcomes Leadership/ Governance Governance structure and hierarchy relatively clear and straightforwardConcentrated and clear executive power often substituted for leadership Governance structures of ten have more components and inherent ambiguity More diffuse and less clear executive power with leadership more prevalent Talent Often have substantial resources to attract and retain talent Can more easily get the wrong people ‘off the bus’ for poor performance Often lack the resources to acquire and retain talent Tenure systems and volunteer dynamics can complicate getting the wrong people ‘off the bus’ Access to capital Efficient capital markets that connect to the profit mechanismResults attract capital resources which in turn fuel greater results, and so on No efficient capital markets to channel resources systematically to those who deliver the best results a This refers to both effectiveness (did it work? ), and to allocative efficiency (was it the right thing to do? ). Source: Collins (2005). 18 NOT-FOR-PROFIT 2. 2 Implications for efficiency and effectiveness The terms of reference refer to exploring ways to improve the efficiency and effectivenes s of the NFP sector. What constitutes efficiency and effectiveness varies across the different types of NFPs.The importance of process, and management control over process, has implications for efficiency and effectiveness of NFPs. So too, does the commitment to a specific community-purpose. Some NFPs have a different conception of efficiency and effectiveness or may eschew such notions altogether. These NFPs have a right to exist and, providing they cause no harm, should be left to do what they do in the way they like to do it. However, where public funding is involved or donors seek to achieve the best returns on their gifts, efficiency and effectiveness are central to maximising community wellbeing.It is important to distinguish between efficiency in production (how well inputs are turned into outputs) and efficiency in allocation (putting resources to the uses that deliver the best outcomes for the community). While both are important, it is the latter, provided the activities a re effective, that matters most for wellbeing, especially over time, a point supported by the Smith Family: †¦ the nonprofit sector should first ensure that they are focused on ‘doing the right things’ before consideration of how well they are doing them. sub. DR204, p. 4) Despite this, the attention paid by governments and donors to overhead costs as an indicator of an organisation’s worthiness drives a fixation with production efficiency. This can constrain investment in planning and evaluation which are essential for maintaining and improving effectiveness and efficiency. At an organisational level, cost-effectiveness in achieving the NFP’s communitypurpose is the most appropriate objective for managers.This assessment can be difficult as the results of social investment usually take time to eventuate and are often the product of forces in addition to the activity under scrutiny. Nevertheless, measurement challenges should not be allowed to divert attention from what matters — designing and delivering activities that deliver the desired outcomes (and no unexpected nasties) at least cost. This frees up resources to do more. Selecting which mix of activities gives the greatest benefit to the community is the ultimate allocation challenge.NFPs, through their advocacy and other avenues of influence, play an important role in guiding the selection of activities. Donors influence allocation through their giving. Government decisions on tax concessions can influence this allocation to some extent, however, their influence over allocation is greatest for direct funding decisions. Unlike the market for goods and services, where prices serve as an allocation mechanism, these forces provide only an indirect discipline on ensuring that the allocation of resources is optimal for the community.NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 19 Prevention is a good example of the allocation challenge. There is almost universal agreement that prevention is better than cure, and generally costs far less. Nevertheless, as it is difficult to demonstrate the value of avoiding a cost that would otherwise be imposed by a problem, prevention tends to attract less donor support. This issue is compounded by the exclusion of prevention in the definition of charity as applied for deductable gift recipient status. Figure 2. reflects the different roles that the NFP management, donors and government play in driving efficiency and effectiveness. While to some extent these stakeholders act like consumers in imposing discipline on NFPs to be efficient and effective, there are some significant differences from the market disciplines that drive efficiency and effectiveness in the (for-profit) business sector. The drivers of efficiency and effectiveness in NFPs Many NFPs argue that they operate on ‘the smell of an oily rag’, stretching their resources to the maximum.While often true, the importance of process can make NFPs appear messy and inefficient to outsiders, and even to some of the insiders. However, process can be central to the ability of a NFP to garner resources and deliver activities effectively. On the cost side, more participatory and inclusive processes can reduce the volume and/or quality of outputs by absorbing resources and slowing down delivery. This is observed in activity development and implementation that requires more one-on-one service delivery, time and resources to support participation in ecision making and greater individualisation of the service. Yet, on the benefit side, it may be these processes that give NFPs an advantage in trustworthiness or network governance1 that make them more effective, especially in the delivery of some human services. While a trade-off between production efficiency and quality is not unique to the NFP sector, NFPs often place a relatively higher weight on quality. In some cases quality, including quality of process, is strongly linked to effectiveness of t he activity, but in other cases the ‘doing’ can take precedence over the ‘achieving’.Where these processes are central to the governance of the organisation and part of the value it provides to its volunteers and members, processes should be seen as essential outputs for the sustainability of the NFP. However, as NFPs grow and become more ‘professional’ in their management, this type of ‘value’ from process tends to diminish. 1 Network governance is the relationships between organisations and individuals that is characterised by organic or informal structures, in contrast to bureaucratic structures of contractual relationships. 20 NOT-FOR-PROFITFigure 2. 2 Efficiency and effectiveness of not-for-profit organisations: drivers and constraints NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 21 Production efficiency tends to improve with scale, but mergers and growth can detract from valued processes, particularly in smaller organisations. NFPs can also be reluctant to collaborate to share support services such as back office and fund raising, possibly reflecting the transaction costs associated with establishing joint approaches. There are relatively few intermediaries offering these types of services to NFPs in Australia.This may be due to reluctance of NFPs to spend scarce funds on support activities thus offering little opportunity for such services to develop. Over time, efficient production requires investments in skills, capital, planning, research and relationships that allow the ‘best’ (defined by quality as well as quantity) outputs for the level of inputs. Many NFPs would agree that they face constraints on increasing their production efficiency due to difficulties accessing finance and in freeing up resources to invest in training and enabling technologies such as management systems.These constraints can create a tension between delivering now and being efficient in the longer term. Unlike businesses, where the financial bottom line is a good measure of their effectiveness, NFPs have to rely on other signals. NFP managers may resist honest feedback on effectiveness, or may, as with some donors, regard evaluation as wasted money. Member serving organisations are more likely to get direct feedback from their membership on how they are performing where members can ‘vote with their feet’.Client serving organisations, on the other hand, are less likely to get negative feedback especially where clients have no alternative services available. The community development literature of the 1970s stressed the value of ‘grass roots organisations’ as vested interests of members should result in the best or optimal selection of, and resource allocation to, activities. However, for larger organisations, the allocation of resources to the different activities will usually reflect management’s views on the contribution these activities make to their community-purpose.If donors and government funders want to influence the allocation of resources tensions can arise even in situations where they have provided the resources. Philanthropy is an important mechanism for allocating resources to organisations and activities that donors see as providing the greatest value for their gift. Given that wealthier individuals have greater ‘giving’ power, it is their (or their foundation managers’) assessment that tends to dominate this allocation. Similarly, large businesses also have the potential to influence activities undertaken by NFPs.The productivity of an organisation improves when it raises the efficiency and effectiveness of its resource use in the short term and when it invests wisely in resources that enhance its efficiency and effectiveness in the longer term. This will improve the productivity of the sector, especially when other NFPs follow suit. 22 NOT-FOR-PROFIT However, the productivity of the sector also improves when resour ces shift to those organisations that make better use of resources in terms of their contribution to the wellbeing of the broader community (PC 2008).These issues are explored further in chapter 9. The central message here is that NFPs may face significant resource constraints to achieving efficiency and effectiveness. More difficult to address is lack of incentive for some NFPs to minimise costs in the short run, or to invest in finding out how effective their actions are. Indeed, such actions may reduce the return to the NFP management if they interfere with valued processes. In addition, at a sector level, pursuit of community-purpose does not guarantee efficient allocation of resources.In addressing these constraints and challenges, it is useful to understand what drives sector growth and development. 2. 3 What drives sector growth and development? The NFP sector in a broader context The term ‘third sector’ distinguishes the NFP sector, the for-profit business secto r, and the government on the basis of where production occurs. The household sector also engages in production and is ultimately the source of labour and capital. Focusing just on production of goods and services, expansion of production in one sector by necessity reduces production in another sector if resources are fully employed.It is this conceptualisation that views NFPs as undertaking activities that the business sector does not find profitable to undertake, governments lack a mandate to provide, and households cannot undertake alone. In reality the picture (summarised in figure 2. 3) is far more complex: Government engages NFPs, for-profit business, and households (for example, through carer payments) in delivery of goods and services that government funds; consequently there can be some competition for government business.Similarly, the sectors compete for household resources and, in some situations, for markets, a classic example being the market for second hand clothing. Government, for-profit business and households recognise value in community and other activities provided by NFPs (complementarity) and provide resources (funding, in-kind resources and volunteers) to support these activities – some are of direct benefit to the funders, such as professional associations and children’s sporting activities some are only of indirect benefit to funders, such as community welfare activities, and environmental protection. NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 23 Figure 2. 3 Interactions between not-for-profit organisations, government, business and households NFP/Business intersect Trading activities for member benefits Trading activities for revenue to support community-purpose Professional associations NFP/Government intersect Delivery of government funded services Investment in community through NFPs Political parties Households Clients Volunteers Philanthropy Workers Not-for-profitServices to clients/community Services to members Management oppo rtunities Innovation Research Government Support NFPs through regulatory environment direct funding indirect funding (concessions) Influenced by NFPs advocacy for policy changes community expectations for services Business Support NFPs via philanthropy Compete with NFPs for government contracts and ‘member’ services Benefit from NFP impact on the mediating environment Partnering with NFPs to achieve social outcomes Social capital Legal & judicial system Market rules Mediating Environment Natural Environment Governments, for-profit businesses and households sit within a mediating environment with institutional, legal and market rules and conventions and social capital. While the product of history and the natural environment, this mediating environment is not static, but evolves over time as a result of the activities and processes in all four sectors. The mediating environment can both constrain and facilitate the development of the NFP sector. The likely relative scale and roles of the NFP sector depend on the mediating environment and the historical levels of competition and complementarity between 24 NOT-FOR-PROFIT he sectors. The view that NFPs passively fill the gap between what the market delivers and what governments have a mandate to fund is too simplistic; rather the role of NFPs reflects the inherent social compact that exists in a country. Social origins theory, developed by Salamon and Anheier (1997), points to different ‘historical moorings’ where the roles of government and the third sector reflect the ‘constellation of historical forces’. It identifies four types of non-profit regimes: statist, where government social spending is low and non-profit activity is small (such as in Japan) ocial democratic, where government social spending is high and non-profit activity is low (as in Scandinavian countries) corporatist, where government social spending is high and non-profits have a large economic size (Fran ce and Germany) liberal, where government social spending is low and non-profit economic activity is large (the US and UK) (Anheier 2005). The scale and scope of the NFP sector depends on the demand for the activities that the sector is well placed to provide, competition for supplying these activities and constraints on the sector’s ability to respond to these demands and to compete for resources.Sector development is not a defined pathway, rather it is the response of the sector to changes in the nature and scale of demand. The ability of the sector to respond depends on the constraints it faces, including the extent to which NFPs resist change. The evolution of government support for the sector in Australia Historically, Australia fits into the ‘liberal’ category, where accessing and funding human services has traditionally been the responsibility of the household. Households purchased these services from the for-profit business sector andNFP (often mutuals e stablished for the purpose). NFP ‘community social welfare organisations’ supplied services to those who lacked a capacity to pay. An implicit bargain between for-profit business and government on industry support underpinned paying workers a ‘living wage’ and workers accepting responsibility for purchasing their own human services. The 1970s saw a major shift toward a welfare state with government taking on a greater role in funding human services. Much of this expansion was achieved through increased public support for NFP service delivery (Smyth 2008).In the 1980s and 1990s, governments moved to a greater reliance on competitive market mechanisms for allocating resources and driving production efficiency. Described as ‘new public management’ this saw the privatisation of government NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 25 owned enterprises across a range of industries starting with banking in the 1980s and moving through to utilities, and the applica tion of a competitive neutrality test to government trading enterprises (Banks 2008).Despite governments moving away from producing goods and services, community expectations of what government will fund appear to have risen. Reflecting these two forces, there has been a shift to greater utilisation of segments of the NFP sector by governments for the delivery of services (Lyons 2009b). Government has provided indirect support to the sector in the form of tax concessions from before federation. The access to concessions varies across the jurisdictions, but most are based on a common law definition of charity (established in England in 1891 in Pemsel’s case).The Extension of Charitable Purpose Act 2004, sought to clarify that certain purposes (childcare, self-help groups and closed/contemplative religious orders) were indeed charitable. More recently, there has been a growing interest in the ‘third sector’ as an alternative way of organising production and the all ocation of resources (see for example, Blond 2009; Shergold 2009a). NFPs are seen as able to harness network governance to address social issues that markets and government cannot (Barraket 2008).Interest in alternatives to market and government allocation is also seen in the increase in philanthropy (chapter 7), the rising participation in volunteering (chapter 10), and growing engagement by businesses with NFPs (chapter 13). Demand growth and supply constraints on the sector As explored in detail in chapter 4, the sector has grown rapidly over the last eight years. This can be seen as arising from growth in demand, a significant share of which is related to the expansion of government funded services (chapter 12).Demographic factors have also played a role, for example, the baby-boom echo has seen a growth in school-aged children and with this demand for children’s activities. Similarly, the ageing of the population and early retirement has created a demand for more leisure and cultural activities. Increasing ethnic diversity of the population has generated new niches for NFPs both in community services and in member services. The ability of the sector to respond to these growing and changing demands depends on the constraints it faces on supply.Consultations and submissions identified four major sources of constraint on NFPs’ ability to grow and develop: Regulatory constraints: For unincorporated associations there are few legal requirements. However, this also limits the scope for activities that require a legal form (such as owning assets, contracting for services and purchasing insurance). NFPs that have a legal form face varying compliance costs, and can 26 NOT-FOR-PROFIT face difficulty with evolving their legal form and with changing their community-purpose. These issues are discussed in chapter 6. Contracting constraints: These apply to NFPs receiving financial support from government for their activities, either in the form of grants or through government purchasing of their services (although not always with full funding). While the funding allows for expansion of NFP’s activities, it generally comes with strings attached. These can include restrictions on other activities, but are more generally related to the delivery of the activity, including specification of quality standards and staff and volunteer qualifications. These issues are the subject of chapters 11 and 12. ? Funding and financing constraints: Unlike for-profit business, where demand comes with funds to purchase the goods and services, many NFPs face demand that is independent of the funding stream. To meet demand, especially in community serving NFPs, NFPs seek funding from government and donations from households and business. Many also look to generate income from their activities. In the absence of price as a rationing mechanism, demand will generally exceed supply, and many community-serving NFPs have to ration their services in some w ay.Member-serving NFPs face less of a funding constraint, but like community-serving NFPs, may face financing constraints which make it difficult to make investments such as in information systems, housing or training for staff. NFPs without a proven cash flow to service debt, or substantial assets for collateral, often have difficulty accessing capital markets. This matter is taken up in chapter 7. Skill constraints: While access to paid labour is strongly influenced by the ability to pay competitive salaries, and hence funding, NFPs are also concerned about access to skills.Many areas of NFP activities are becoming ‘professionalised’, resulting in a shift to paid employment to attract qualified workers. This can complement or crowd out volunteer labour. The former situation arises where employees (and their skills) add value to the volunteer experience. It is only in community services that crowding out of volunteers appears to be apparent, for reasons not well under stood. In some sectors, notably community services, skill shortages are a sector-wide issue related to low wages and lack of career paths.Boards too need to develop their governance skills as their tasks have become more complex with delivery of government funded services and demands by donors, members and clients for greater accountability. BRI Ferrier (2009) found that most NFP failures stem from inexperienced, weak or sympathetic supervisory groups. These issues are considered further in chapter 10. NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS 27 Is there a role for government in sector growth and development? Government plays a considerable role in shaping the environment in which NFPs operate, irectly through its regulation of the sector, and indirectly in the ‘social contract’ it has with the community. As discussed above, the latter has shifted from a living wage based arrangement to a social safety net, providing income support to those not able to work or whose wage income is below that required to be selffinancing. In addition, a number of human services are funded by the government on a (non-income tested) needs basis, including health care and disability services. NFPs provide many of these services, some in competition with government or forprofit providers (for example, hospital care and employment services).Some of these government funded services are contestable only between NFPs, while others are delivered by sole providers. The choice by government to involve NFPs as providers involves consideration by government of value for money. Discussed in detail in chapter 12, value for money considerations should include: cost-effectiveness of service delivery — and the extent that this depends on the development of relationships with clients complementarity or joint-production with other services — which can enhance client wellbeing beyond that arising from the particular service being funded pillovers (positive and negative) associated with the service delivery — these arise as a by-product that affects others in the community, such as the utilisation of a community centre as a base for services for other groups, and the benefits that flow on from improvements in the lives of individuals as a result of their engagement with NFPs sustainability of the service delivery and/or client relationship, where the longterm effectiveness depends on the continued presence of the provider.Governments also invest in NFP activities through grants, and provide indirect support through tax and other concessions. In providing this support, governments usually look for ‘additionality’ — that is, the government funding attracts more resources into NFP activities than would otherwise have been the case. The net value added of expanding NFP activity in this way comes from a combination of greater direct benefits of these activities and higher spillovers than the alternative use of the resources. For househo ld donations, this alternative use might be savings or onsumption. For NFPs, the opportunity cost comes with the diversion of their resources into the activities for which the government provides support instead of other (preferred) activities. In these ways government both increases the funding available to the sector and influences its allocation across the various activities. 28 NOT-FOR-PROFIT Governments, especially state and territory governments, may also take a proactive role in sector development. In part this is related to their utilisation of the sector for service delivery.Government investments may be to strengthen the quality and/or financial viability of the NFP service providers, or to increase the number of potential providers and hence provide greater choice for clients and/or government agencies in tendering. But investment in the sector is also related to the role it plays in providing social capital and, in turn as discussed above, the value that this provides to wellbeing. This report looks at the role of government as a regulator of, investor in and procurer of NFP services and activities.It also considers the role of government as a facilitator of philanthropy and the engagement of other sectors with NFPs. These roles differ across the segments of the NFP sector, and for many parts of the sector government plays little role beyond providing a sound regulatory environment. The Commission’s view is that government’s role in sector development should be limited to where it utilises the sector for service delivery and to where it sees considerable community benefit from its investment. This view, that the sector should be largely responsible for its own development, reflects the importance of independence of the sector.The link between government funding and loss of independence has been well recognised: One of the key traditions learned the hard way in the early days nearly 75 years ago, was that to accept funding from outside sources was to create outside interference with the manner of spending, and vulnerability to sudden loss of or short term, not necessarily reliable, funding. (Dr Vanda Rounsefell, sub. DR260, pp. 1-2) The next three chapters turn to measuring the contribution of the sector at an aggregate, organisation and activity level. This is central to improving the understanding of the sector by government funders, philanthropists and NFPs