Analysis of Work and Identity - Essay Example

WORK AND IDENTITY Truth hurts! This transcends necessity and survival as primeval factors for human existence. This likewise applies to all biological entities, save for human life, which values dignity-pivotal to a decent way of living. In the struggle for the sake of dignity, an individual's reaction, choice, or initiative is pre-determined by the person's frame of mind. Otherwise known as attitude,1 which determines aptitude and altitude, such mind frame is deeply rooted on one's childhood: breeding, genetics, and past experiences. With regard to the stages of human development: from childhood, adolescence towards adulthood, a person's work and identity becomes one's passport in traversing life's vicissitudes. Nevertheless, in this continuing struggle, we are being confronted with questions and options. Is it enough to leave a good name for a legacy, being merely needy Or leave a wealth for a legacy, yet nameless due to sham and shame Are good works in search for the true meaning of life and a good name is all that matters Rhetorical questions such as these, however, maybe answered and even ignored or overlooked; but who cares nowadays For our purpose, work here encompasses any mode of pre-occupation, job, profession, vocation, avocation, volunteering stints, with a "face value." While we shall refer identity here to personhood, we shall likewise relate it with a good name, countenance, character,2 honor, and even to good reputation or individuation. The 5 pre-selected literary artists whose works are referenced as a synthesis to our essay are assimilated within the purview of the "self and society". Five compelling literary art works of prose and poetry signify the many faces of work for adults and children alike. How one views work: as a gift, a competitive edge, a source of power and wealth for one's noble or selfish ends. How the society through its law and commerce of men and women has considered land, labor, and capital as factors of production uplift and downcast the youth, children, and old workers, as well as the retired, the sick, and the aged-before, during, and after their respective work stints. These dynamics and forces that come into play are manifestation of what a human is: to be developed or exploited An individual, just like the society has a face, a body, as well as, an artificial acts of men in the many facets of life and living. Just like a worker, the society has to work in order to prolong its institutional mandates whether in the realm of local, national, and international communities. Both public and private institutions-being extensions of individuals, have their respective personalities and identities, as they work towards the goals, mission, vision, and values. How each or both sees the paradigm depends on one's mind frame--call it attitude or character. We take note, that character in To be of Use (Piercy verses 18-26) The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. But the thing worth doing well done Has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident, Greek amphoras for wine or oil, Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums But you know they were made to be used. The pitcher cries for water to carry And a person for work that is real. Indeed, work is everywhere, and it is evident that one can find it if only to express the talents and skills one is endowed. A high school sophomore may indulge a work as an altar boy, earning for him a little sum for his school's needs. I remember this scenario with my fellow sacristans. I headed the organization, representing them in the Parish Council. The honor and privilege bequeathed to me by the Parish Priest and Vicar Forane taught me leadership in those formative years, despite the load of tasks in the school, home, and church. It is true that nowadays, just as in the past, there exist exploitations, but the fact remains that a person with deeper values will fight it out for oneself, for his family, and even for his belief-his summum bonum (the highest good, the GOD Almighty). The deeper level of consciousness and passion to do good, and yet the human needs, wants and interests prevail which trend and pose harm to persons-both natural or juridical, community-wide. In the form of showing off, this common phenomenon, hypocrisy3 at that is prevalent in the human race (M. Scott Peck 28). Pervading psyco-social, economic, and technological environmental factors, this evil of hypocrisy has transcended universally and brought humanity to corruption. Of the 4 poems, we can quote Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Experience) (William Blake, verses 9-12), which is not necessarily hypocrisy, but a fight against survival. The child may have gotten mad with his irresponsible parents who should have propagated that "charity begins at home," rather than neglecting family obligations over the social standings-the lure of misplaced glory and honor. Here, the child expresses his mixed feelings or ambivalence: And because I am happy, and dance and sing, They think they have done me no injury: And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King Who make up a heaven of our misery. The absence of complaining may not connote satisfaction at all. After all, acceptance liberates. And this truly is something that is palpably evident in the child's ego state-to controvert the pain into a happy disposition, regardless. This is optimism, minus the blame. This is maturity, minus the complaints-lest, the act is a mere defense mechanism specifically, rationalization4 (Floyd Ruch 165). As regards Shakespeare's famous Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony asserts "the evil that men do lives after them" (Act III Scene 2 Verse 3). Yes, we may even destroy or execute all the perpetrators and criminals-but it will never be a guarantee that all forms of evil such as hypocrisy, oppression, greed and violence, and related "worldly inclinations" or conscupiscense5 will entirely be removed or totally eradicated. With work and identity, as we co-relate it in the quest for dignity or honor as a personal experience within the habitation in the society, the matter of choice depends on the individual at stake. It matters a lot on the training and development of the person emanating in one's value system, character formation, and similar essential aspects of personhood. "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye" (Saint Exupery 1900-1944). The cry of expiation in work-related dynamics is fleeting. What matters most is the learning and experience we derive out of it, that is, to have been a better person. We say that we are wiser today, than yesterday is an adage that a person with positive mental attitude (PMA) carries all throughout his association with himself, with his fellowmen, and with his GOD. Such intra-personal and inter-personal transactions are mirroring effect from within and from without. What we see in the society is the mirror of our collective consciousness. If we are a blaming type, if we see, hear, and say the negative vibrations, if we react on them without realizing that we are constituted as a big body of inhabitants who needs one another (John Donne 572-1631). If we hold on together (Diana Ross), in need one another... If we live one another as brothers and sisters-then this world will be a better place to live. Imagine, visualize, act towards the brotherhood of men under the fatherhood of God-but it shall remain words and phrases of a child's play. No matter how it sounds too idealistic, this is the one path trodden by the great gurus. Why does a person act what It doesn't want to do6 Because the truth remains: that stubborn conscupiscense, that hypocrisy from within and from without, that conflicts do arise-is due to natural inclinations. As we have covered a lot of topics which can be discussed intensively, separately, this natural tendencies in the person is rightly available in organizations and societies. We have accepted the truism that "love begets love." Just as good works build good character. The passion to work develops the virtues of patience, perseverance, humility, obedience and other related values. I have experienced this when my father suffered a heart attack, as I served him well in the hospital confinement. This household chores as work strengthened my character, my identity. Truly, the happiest are those who work the hardest, regardless of the many limitations and constraints foisted by the society. Indeed, work is a pivotal ingredient in the search for one's identity. The type of work one is endowed is often what society typecasts a person. As there is a clique that society judges an individual by what is seen in him externally and not by what that individual really is intrinsically. However, how our work is affecting our identity is a mater of how one views it. To a dissatisfied worker, it is a drudgery. But to an optimist, it is a source of joy, a service to humanity and to God. And to some, work is a therapy, and even identical to life itself. And finally, with this work and identity that cuts across psycho-social and religious themes--for all, we quote William Wetmore (1819-1895): Of every noble work the silent part is best, Of all expression that cannot be expressed. REFERENCES/CITATIONS: M. Scott Peck. In Search of Stones: A Pilgrimage of Faith, Reason, and Discovery (New York: Hyperion, 1995). Floyd Ruch, Psychology and Life, Chicago: Scott, Foresman, and Company, 1953. P.165. "Sonny's Blues: Introduction." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1998. eNotes.com. January 2006. 17 June 2007. . The Devotional Holy Bible, Copyright 987 by the Zondervan Corporation The Random House Webster Dictionary, Ballantine Books, New York The Wordsworth Dictionary of Quotations, 3rd Edition, Newly Revised, Mackays of Chatham PLC WebPage by Leah Shannon, Arkansas School for Mathematics and Sciences Web:http://www.sermonaudio.com/survey_details.aspcurrPage=13&VoteID=ad 82006162617&sortby=newfirst WORK AND IDENTITY A) Prewriting to develop ideas Do prewriting exercises-freewriting and outlining, on the topic you selected (work and identity). The following were the product of initial personal brainstorming: I. "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin - Music Hath Charm (trembling cup) Workers, humanity, childhood to maturity, antidotes Child labor; juvenile delinquency; child prostitution Racial discrimination (apartheid) Life's contradictions Survival of fittest No hope in dope Sibling rivalry Parental guidance in the growing years of children-a must Music hath charm, a jazz pianist who can identify with audience II. "The Chimney Sweeper" (Songs of Experience) by William Blake, 1st Stanza. A little black thing among the snow: (Par. 1 v. 1-4) Crying weep, weep, in notes of woe! Where are thy father and mother! say! They are both gone up to the church to pray. And because I am happy, and dance and sing, (Par. 3 v. 9-12) They think they have done me no injury: And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King Who make up a heaven of our misery. Same genre as above! III. "To Be of Use" by Marce Piercy, 2nd Par. I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart, Who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience, Who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward, Who do what has to be done, again and again. Individuation is necessary for growth Manual labor and menial tasks are dignified acts in nation-building Few people recognize and appreciate industry Excellence acknowledge, excellence nurtured. IV. "Mission Tire Factory, 1969" by Gary Soto, Lines 7-14 Because earlier in the day Manny fell From his machine, and when we carried him To the workshed (blood from Under his shirt, in his pants) All he could manage, in an ignorance Outdone only by pain, was to take three dollars From his wallet, and say: "Buy some sandwiches. You guys saved my life." Child labor Defense Mechanism Hypocrisy (Cross-referenced to the above-genre) V. "The Man with the Hoe" by Edwin Markham, Last Stanza O masters, lords and rulers in all lands, How will the Future reckon with this Man How answer his brute question in that hour When whirlwinds of rebellion shake all shores How will it be with kingdoms and with kings-- With those who shaped him to the thing he is-- When this dumb Terror shall rise to judge the world, After the silence of the centuries Despair Exploitation of Labor (Cross-referenced to the above-genre) B) Looking for evidence 1. Write at least two versions of tentative thesis. 1) In the struggle for the sake of dignity, an individual's reaction, choice, or initiative (pro-active) is pre-determined by the person's frame of mind. 2) The formative years of a child is a crucial period which serves as a foundation for growth and development. 2. If you have not worked out an interpretation but think a particular passage would be good to use, include that. Select passages from the text to use as evidence for your interpretive claims. You need not type them out here. Just indicate the title and paragraph number. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. - Bible/Proverbs The evil that men do lives after them - Shakespeare's Julius Caesar C) Looking for Themes and Modes of Discourse 1. Make a list of the broad topics addressed in the text you have chosen. Note that some topics are treated more thoroughly than others but your list should identify at least a half dozen subjects. (*You could do this by relating them to human concerns such as love, anger, need etc.*) Matrix on Topic/Themes and Modes of Discourse Topic/Subject Text/Reference Human Concern The Government and the Governed (1 V-Last stanza Lines 41-49 Love-Hate relationship Fight, Flight, or Freeze (2) I-Entire Gist of the story Interpersonal relations On Necessity (3) IV-Lines 7-14 Personal interest/self-love How About Exploring Individual Differences (4) Combination of 5 References -do- Human Needs and Wants (5) -do- -do- Motives and Motivations (6) -do- -do- Equanimity: The Antidote to Inequality (7) -do- -do- The Evil of Hypocrisy: Individual and Society (8) -do- -do- Defense Mechanism as Psychological Painkillers (9) -do- -do- Excellence Acknowledged, Excellence Nurtured (10) -do- -do- 2. For at least three items on your list, identify how the text treats the topic. What unique things does the text have to say about this topic Does the text reveal a particular facet of the topic What message (or messages) does the text convey about the topic. Write your responses as complete sentences. Essay #1) The Government and the Governed. In the last paragraph of Markham's The Man with the Hoe, we connote the governments of the entire world is being asked/confronted by the lowly workers and the "governed" how the future will be if the inconsistencies, deceits, and disparities remain palpably unsolved, strategically untended. The continuing struggles of varying interests of "good and evil" shall be brought to judgment by a collective mass of terrorists unto their own hands. This is in fulfillment of the Sacred Scripture's prophetic messages in both the Old (Amos 9:13) and the New Testament where "the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman" (Rev. 14:15), as Jesus Christ will rule with the rod of iron (Rev. 2:27). In the very words of Markham with whose single work made him an instant celebrity, his pronouncements reverberates like clanging cymbals: O masters, lords and rulers in all lands, How will the Future reckon with this Man How answer his brute question in that hour When whirlwinds of rebellion shake all shores How will it be with kingdoms and with kings-- With those who shaped him to the thing he is-- When this dumb Terror shall rise to judge the world, After the silence of the centuries Essay #2) Fight, Flight or Freeze. These are the 3 psychological human reactions to stimulants. In the fight mode, the person utilizes all the skills, talents and other endowments to confront the problem or situation. In the flight mode, the person utilizes the defense mechanism1 such as projection, displacement, rationalization, denial, sublimation, etc., as an artificial way of escaping temporarily to the controversy or conflict (Sigmund Freud 1856-1939). In extreme cases, the victim utilizes drugs and alcoholism and other vices to do away with the pressing situation. In the freeze mode, the person seems to remain unaffected by not reacting at all despite the painful situation, regardless of the outcome of undoing, non-doing and other lazy tendencies, as well as the laizzez faire2 or status quo solution. It is of note that the above psychological reactions subjected Baldwin's Sonny's Blues hero, who after undergoing the pains of institutional racism and the limits placed upon his opportunity (Napierkowski. Vol. 2), has overcome the drug menace and has come to terms with himself and his brother, the narrator of the story. Vividly, as Sonny plays the piano, his brother came into conclusion that through the bebop jazz music and the blues, Sonny has turned his suffering into something worthwhile. And the better part is the healed relationship with his elder brother, whose sibling rivalry has now gone with the wind. The "cup of trembling" (Isaiah 51:17-22) whose Biblical allusion is very meaningful to them, to the readers, and to all as a message of for watchfulness or vigilance What an overcomer, a victor, and an exemplar! Essay #3) On Necessity. T'was Plato, the Greek philosopher who once said that necessity is the mother of invention, when he wrote The Republic. In the earliest point where a child has to survive biologically despite the absence of the parents who may be dead or just merely irresponsible, the child learns to adjust, thereby, feeding himself. This may be in the form of begging, seeking help, snatching through theft and/or robbery, working menial jobs, and other means of survival. Because earlier in the day Manny fell From his machine, and when we carried him To the workshed (blood from Under his shirt, in his pants) All he could manage, in an ignorance Outdone only by pain, was to take three dollars From his wallet, and say: "Buy some sandwiches. You guys saved my life." In Gary Sotto's Mission Tire Factory (Lines/verses 7-14), Manny met an accident, and his day's work pay was even given to the guys who saved him. This is not bribery but a gesture of generosity and concern to those he disturbed in the process. The adult within the child speaks to us to view life positively despite the odds. The true, the good, and the beautiful from within in essence, not what is fleeting and artificial are brought to the fore. It depicts higher vantage point over necessity, that is, simplicity, generosity, concern and other virtues of love and devotion to life. Indeed, maturity does not always come with age, but primarily with experience: from personal ones or from others. Necessity, hence, is a motivator by itself. A potent instrument for individual growth and development, necessity is also a creative force-if taken positively. 3. Which modes of discourse are employed by the text you have chosen Note the title and paragraph numbers that identify the modes of discourse. (*Employing methods of comparison, exemplification, narration, causation, description, process analysis* Comparative Facts and Figures at a Glance Name 77of Author/Artist Life Span Period/Citizenship Literary Work Year Written or Published Emotive/Motif of Message William Blake 1757 - 1827 British (Romantic Period) The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Experience) 1794 Mixed feelings Edwin Markham 1852 - 1940 American The Man with a Hoe 1899 Quest of workers for justice James Baldwin 1924 - 1987 Afro-American Sonny's Blues 1957 Apartheid/Racism Marge Piercy 1936 - 2007 American To Be of Use 1973 Appreciation to industriousness Gary Soto 1952 - still alive Mexican-American Mission Tire Factory, 1969 -do- Pain/Exploitation/ Child labor Rundown of Preliminary Essays, with Paragraph References & Modes of Discourse Essay Number/Title Title/Paragraph/Verse# Mode of Discourse Essay #1. The Government and the Governed The Man with the Hoe, Paragraph V, Verses 42-49 Description Comparison Essay #2. Fight, Flight, or Freeze Sonny's Blues, Gist of the Story Description/Causation/Process Analysis Essay #3. On Necessity Mission Tire Factory, 1969, Verses 7-14 Description/Exemplification D) Researching Note that your research tasks for this essay differ slightly from those you did for Essay #2. In the former assignment, your research was directed toward contextualizing specific aspects of the literary text under discussion. You can do the same task for Essay #3, but I am also asking you to try to find information (from credible experts) that will support one or more of your thesis claims. See the sample essay for an example. 1. Develop two research questions with three supporting questions that will help you contextualize the text you have chosen. What is defense mechanism Rationalization Are workers and laborers really that exploited How is an individual related to his society Are they inseparable How is the frame of mind attributes to one's decision-making or choice 2. What aspects of the story do your questions address What claim or claims in your thesis will your research support Work as a challenge and a source of individuation or self-actualization. 3. Are the supporting questions truly subordinate the main questions Yes. 4. Search the internet or data base for answers to your questions. Yes. 5. Include your notes and citation information in this file. (Please see the Bibliography/Citation on the last page of this work). Web:http://www.sermonaudio.com/survey_details.aspcurrPage=13&VoteID=ad82006162617&sortby=newfirst *Following is an instruction for the essay. * Pose some questions about the topic: Are the forces to conform stronger than the forces to be an individual It depends on the value formation of the individual. Does hard work build character Yes. It hones values and virtues. What are the strongest influences on my identity Genetic and environmental. How does the community around me influence me Psycho-social aspects. Your essay should make a specific claim that fits within the broad topic "self and society," and one of the narrower subtopics. 1. Write an essay that explores and defines your views about the topic you have selected. Yes. 2. Your intro paragraph should present the topic in general terms and outline the issues you will explore. At the end of your intro paragraph, include a clear, explicit thesis statement that expresses your claim and how you will develop it. Yes 3. The body paragraphs should focus on proving your claim by illustrating it with a personal narrative story, the detailed analysis of a literary text chosen from the reading selections for the unit, and some research that either helps contextualize the literary selection or explains your claim from an objective point of view or both--ideally, both. Yes. Read More