Recruitment and selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recruitment and selection - Essay Example The process of recruitment begins with job analysis which entails collecting information about the job through tools such as questionnaires and interviews to ensure the right employees are hired for right jobs (Mullins, 2010). The results of job analysis are then used to design a job description and person specification. The job description shows the activities, duties or tasks to be undertaken while the person specification shows the requirements of the job holder and is the basis for selection (Searle, 2003). The job at hand is that of a social worker in the healthcare sector. The job description entails: providing care and interventions to promote health, conducting patient education, making patient referrals, organising support groups and counselling family members and also collaborating with other professionals so as to evaluate the condition of patients. They are also entrusted with disease prevention and ensuring access to healthcare. The person is expected to collect and reco rd information in written and electronic form concerning patients, analyse information and interpret results and ensuring it complies with standards. The person to be recruited as social worker needs to have at least a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and possess the following skills: good negotiation skills, be an active listener, be good at written and oral communication, and good in making decisions and judgements and good time management skills. The person should have knowledge in psychology, proficiency in the English language, knowledge of the law and government regulations as well as agency rules, knowledge in therapy and counselling, and good interpersonal skills. The knowledge of clerical duties such as keeping records and designing forms is an added advantage. The person should also be of high integrity and have great concern for others. He/she should be able to exercise self-control, be cooperative and be able to work under stress. Section 2: How Employment Leg islation Affects Recruitment While recruiting potential candidates, it is important to take into consideration the employment laws in place to avoid unlawful discrimination. The current employment law under Equality Act 2010 enforced by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, sex, race, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and nationality (EHRC, 2013). This is aimed at ensuring equal opportunity in employment for all. It is very essential for the healthcare organisation to follow these laws while designing application forms or advertising jobs to attract potential candidates to avoid litigations which may destroy the reputation of the company as well as cause additional costs such as intervention fee to the company (HSE, 2013). For example, while putting an advert for a social worker, an age limit should not be stipulated unless it is objectively justifiable. The Equality and Human Rights Commission added new provisions to th e Equality Act 2010 extending a ban on age discrimination to cover services, and this has implication for social care workers. They cannot differentiate in treatment of service users in different age groups unless it is objectively justified (EHRC, 2013). Organisations are liable to third party offenders; hence, they must make sure to recruit individuals who can obey the law. In most cases, social work is considered to be

An analysis f Jevons' Theory of Women's Employment Essay

An analysis f Jevons' Theory of Women's Employment - Essay Example On the contrary, men’s participation in the labor market has never been challenged by proponents of the neoclassical tradition. Such assumptions push economists to view women as dependent beings. This essay discusses Jevons’s theory of women’s employment, and the inherent flaws of his arguments. Overview According to Pigou, the primary basis of women’s work is the labor earnings of their husband. Likewise, Becker argues that women look for employment because of a ‘household decision’ (as cited in Gupta, 2000). The question is, does the decision to look for employment a personal choice of women? Apparently such an assumption prevents one from wondering why women keep on working when their salaries are very unreasonable; such a decision may reveal an unproductive use of their capabilities; and women are prohibited by market forces to maximize benefits or returns to their personal investment (e.g. education). The participation of women in the lab or market is not viewed as a positive input to economic progress; it is rather seen as creating unfavorable outcomes for household work and national interest. Edgeworth cautioned that a huge population of women in the labor market would lead to â€Å"depression or debacle of industry†, a â€Å"debacle, ultimately ruinous alike to wealth and family life† (Kuiper & Sap, 1995, 19). However, one of the most fervent critics of women’s employment is William Stanley Jevons. He warns about the effect of employment on the household responsibilities of women and on rates of infant mortality. Paradoxically, the solutions to such dilemmas identified by the so-called ‘free market’ economists are largely influenced by draconian involvement in current labor market situations. Edgeworth supported the strengthening of barriers to women’s employment, and Marshall backed up the Factory Acts. Jevons was harsher, supporting the legalization of the total omission of mothers of children aged three and below from factories (Kuiper & Sap, 1995, 19-20). Likewise, where Pigou supported state involvement to remedy market malfunction in the employment sector, women were openly excluded. Specifically, Jevons argued that mothers of young children should be prohibited from working in factories, a rule which is thought to guarantee that children’s right and welfare were safeguarded. In 1882 Jevons called this subject matter ‘the employment of child-bearing women away from home’ as â€Å"the most important question touching the relation of the State to labor which remains unsolved† (Peart, 1996, 143). Because the participation of these women in the labor market discarded infants to â€Å"that scourge of infant life, the dirty fungus-bearing bottle† (Peart, 1996, 143), it was obvious that comprehensive policy was needed. The ills related to oppressive policy were in this case ‘overbalance[d]’ by the ‘i nfanticide’ that arose from unhindered action (Ege & Igersheim, 2011, 97): The objection may no doubt be made, that the exclusion of childbearing women from works in public factories would be a new and extreme case of interference with the natural liberty of the individual†¦ But I venture to maintain that all these supposed natural entities, principles, rules, theories, axioms, and the like, are at the best but presumptions or probabilities of good. There is, on the whole, a certain

Advertising media industry Essay Example for Free

Advertising media industry Essay I am student in a work placement agency called STG Media Corporation, a company which dedicates their mission and vision in providing accountable advertising solutions. In my 7 week placement here in the corporation, I learned a lot and discovered that nothing beats on-hand experience in working. Week One (provide date) It was a week of anticipation, stress and learning. How does one person deal with work placement? The first day was dedicated with meeting the executive staff, the working staff, and introduction to what the company is. STG Media Corp. is an interesting work placement agency. I learned about the company through one of my friends and I thought that working for a media company will be so great; little did I know that it is a lot difficult. The first thing that came up in my mind when STG Media Corp. was mentioned is that it is just an advertising company. But it is different. The company details their service in the concept of accountable advertising, in which they refine print advertising media in context of the 21st century need. As a communication student, this was beginning to worry me. After the primary day of introduction, I get to know more about the company and the thought that it is not the conventional type of advertising agency made me overwhelmed with the job and the condition in the work place. This week, I was designated to the Print Media Research, print Media Planning and Market Analysis of one of the company’s client. The company of a branded sports drink is asking STG Media Corp. to help them with the advertising promotion in one of the new products they will launch in about 5 months time. The first thing I did was to interview the sports drink company representative about the nature of their company. I went to their office was so anxious to do the interview that I forgot to bring my recorder, which is considered as one of the great mistakes before doing an interview, coming unprepared. But the good thing is, I did the interview well. I was given the set questions of STG Media Corp., questions that are required to be asked to the client, and throughout the interview, I inserted some of the questions I thought myself to be able to get a good amount of fact for the company. As inexperienced as I am in working for the company, one of the greatest skill I learned is to communicate effectively and luckily I am able to do that with this interview. During the week, one of the great challenges I faced was inputting the vital information of the company’s client to their database called the Print Media Buying System. The PMBS which is the company’s own database generates detailed market research, analysis reports accounting for all aspects such as demographic information, buying trends and other print media recommendations. I really asked for help this time as since I was not acquainted with the kind of technology they used in the particular system. But later I got the hang of it and was commended for a job well done in collecting information from the client. Week 2 (provide date) Before the work placement began, I was told that I will be working full time in one of the company’s venture with a famous sports drink brand. I thought that would be easy since I don’t have to do all the other work, but the challenged I soon found out during the second week is that the process of STG Media Corp. as an advertising consultant is a process to which many steps are taken. This week I am part of the Creative Team designated by the company to help the sports drink brand. Although I must be clear that I was just a part of the team, doing menial job that the professionals are tasked to do. I learned one great thing about the print media industry, 75% of advertisement fail because of weak creative and non-compelling ad copy. It’s true that one of the strengths of a great brand is not just with its quality, but through rigorous and effective advertising that they create. Before working here, I thought that companies only advertise for the sake of advertising, but companies do take this strategy very seriously. On the third day of this week, I was asked to look at one print ad for five seconds during one of the meetings of the Creative Team. They asked me questions rigorously, whether it be based on the appearance or the content. I answered them frankly and mention the things that I would personally think about the ad if I was just a normal consumer looking at the advertisement. Several times, the Team will press and argue their points with me, but all was attributed to presenting a better advertisement for the client. During this week, as unprofessional to assume the role of being a advertiser consultant, I was placed in the position of the consumer, the Team’s viewpoint on the things they realize about the brand and how they can effectively approach working for the client. I really felt like my ideas were respected and included to the Creative Team’s analysis of the product. This week, I also was comfortable with the workplace. I am familiar with the different employees and get to have small talks with them through several breaks. Its interesting how some of them had assumed I am part of the Creative Team when in fact; I am just a student on work placement.

Strategic HRM Case Study

Strategic HRM Case Study Introduction An organization is constructed of people. These people who assemble together as an organization’s workforce are recognized as human resources. Human resources department clutches all the scopes of employee concerns like recruiting, training and motivating. Basically, the function that focuses on how to manage the people within an organization is known as Human Resource Management (HRM). HRM deals with issues related to people such as compensation, recruiting,  performance management, organization development and employee concerns like- safety, wellness, benefits, motivation, communication, administration, and training. HRM thrives to manage the workplace  culture  and environment. Effective HRM enables employees to contribute efficiently and productively to the overall company direction and the accomplishment of the organizations goals and objectives. HRM is not managed using the traditional approaches anymore. Rather, the increased use of outsourcing has created the urge for building up new and innovative ways to manage the workforce in today’s workforce. It calls for comprehensive and thorough strategies to respond to the contemporary issues of globalization and diversity. Company overview: Complete IT (CIT) is an UK based IT support Service Company that has been providing with local IT support to SMEs for over 20 years now. They tend to maintain the highest levels of technical expertise and accreditations to resolve IT issues. They hold the motto of not just fixing problem, but finding ways to improve systems and positively impact on their clients’ tea, and business. Their services range from reactive support to proactive management of the clients’ IT, but each built specifically for each client. They promise to deliver IT support with passion and commitment with a friendly, honest and simple approach. 1. Role and Importance of Strategic HRM 1.1 Strategic HRM Strategic HRM is known as the preventive management system of the employees in an organization. More elaborately speaking, it is a technique of managing human resources that brings a strategic outline to upkeep long-term business objectives and outcomes. There are three major theories of strategic HRM used in today’s HRM. Like many other companies, CIT also uses these theories into application. Universalist Approach: Also known as Best Practice Approach, this theory assumes that high performance output in an organization can be achieved via a set of HRM practices. These practices are described in a set of four policy goals- Commitment: Confirming the faithfulness of employees to the organization so that they provide with their best of performance. Strategic Integration: The integration of the HRM to the company’s strategic planning so that HRM can be a part of company’s overall strategy should be ensured. Moreover it should also be ensured that the line managers use HRM strategies in their everyday work. Quality: The fact that employees should always be kept satisfied and motivated in order to bring out their optimum performance so that they can deliver products and of the highest of quality should be ensured. Flexibility: Today’s workforce seek out flexibility in their workplace. Administration should ensure this aspect in order to keep the staff driven enough to deliver the maximum productivity. However, it is to be noted that Guest believed all of these theories shall work only together, and not individually, to attain the company objectives. Fit or Contingency Approach: HR plans and practices must be coordinated with the organization’s plans and practices for the maximum performance to be produced. This synchronization of HR and Company strategies can be labeled as the â€Å"vertical fit†. This approach is also known as the â€Å"best fit approach†. The best fit approach:The best fit approach supports that HR strategies and organizational policies have to be aligned. There are three available simulations of this best fit approach- Lifecycle model: Organizational development is done in four stages Start-up, Growth, Maturity and Decline. The HR department should be well aware of the company’s ongoing stage so they can select the correct strategies to match up the company’s current stage. Strategic configuration: In this model it is said that companies can be on the operative front if they can implement tactical configuration policy (market-type structure or internal type structure), coordinated with company types (namely Defenders, Prospectors and Reactors, Analyzers), and (classified as; Machine Bureaucracy, Divisionalised form, Simple Structure, Adhocracy Professional and Bureaucracy). Best fit and competitive strategy: three competitive strategies are; Quality, Cost-Leadership and Focus (Niche). Companies should adopt competitive strategies in order to maximize performances. This is more important because of the increasing competition in today’s business world. It is always better to have a competitive edge and to use that edge in the best way possible. The Configurationally Perspective: This model deals with the importance of the outline of several HR policies and in what way these outline of HR policies (independent variables) affect the Organizational performance (dependent variable). The term configuration is explained differently by various scholars and writers for two reasons. The first one being â€Å"the scope to which HR policies are associated into an overall HR structure† and the second one- â€Å"the notch of fit amid an overall HR structure and an administrative type†. 1.2 Importance of HRM In CIT, HRM is perceived as one of the most consequential drives of the corporation. HR management’s significance can be classified into the following subsequent activities: Enrollment and Training: Recruiting new people and training them as per the organizations’ needs are the key responsibilities of HRM. To fill up the vacant position in the organizations, HR managers plan test and trials for potential candidates. HR also fixes the terms and conditions of the contract that takes place between the employee and the organization. Performance Evaluations: HRM prompts the workforce to bring out their finest performance. It provides with feedbacks to the employees that creates a proper communication between the employees and the employers. Nourishing Work Atmosphere: Work ambiance is a crucial aspect for employee satisfaction and high level of performance. HRM manages to maintain a decent, safe and clean working environment for its employees. The performance of the workforce largely depend on the work atmosphere and company culture. So, HRM strives to keep up the best possible work environment for its staff. Handling Disputes: Inner disputes and conflicts among colleagues is a very common element in organizations. It is always the HRM’s duty to mediate in such situation so as to resolve such clashes and therefore establish an order in the workforce. While it’s important to take care of the disputes in a fair manner, the HRM must also be very cautious in handling such cases as sometimes, the methods can easily create employee displeasure. Increasing Public Relations: Developing public relation with numerous interested parties and stakeholders of the organization is a vital role played by the HRM. HRM stands responsible for organizing meetings, seminars, workshops etc. to interconnect with these parties. In some cases HR department even helps into business and marketing planning. 1.3 Analysis of different Frameworks of HRM The Harvard Analytical Framework for HRM: Produced by Beer et al. (1984), is a good equilibrium between the Universalist Approach and the Fit Approach. CIT relates this model in its HR management. This framework works on the conjecture that the problems of managing employees can be explained when the general managers of the company have their own perspective about how they want the employees to be involved in the company and what sort of policies are best for this method. Ulrich’s Multiple Role Model: Ulrich et al. (2009) proposes a multiple competency framework involving of four potentials for HR mangers other than recruiting, training, and motivating. It is specified below: Figure 2: Ulrich’s Multiple Role Model HR roles are demonstrated in this framework into two axes. The horizontal axis designates the leading focus of HR—either Future Strategic or Day to Day Operational, and the vertical axis indicates leading actions of HR, either process and systems or people connected. These two axes form the four qualities of HR- Strategic Partner, Change Agent, Employee Champion and Administrative Expert. CIT’s HR managers ponder in these features with attention. 2. Formulation Implementation of HR Strategies 2.1 Analyzing the Strategic Human Resource Process Strategic HR Process can’t be constructed of any single approach, it can always vary between organizations. CIT uses a specific model for Strategic HR process that encompasses of the following key facts: Structuring the strategic course: When the HR policies are backed up by the company’s mission, vision and objective, this process is constructed. In CIT, the entire HRM process is established by concurring the company leaders’ long term objectives. So the entire process of recruitment, training, motivating and additional processes are planned to achieve long term company goal. Developing the HRM System: Since CIT is an IT based firm, it allows its employees to work from home by using internet. Also, CIT believes in creating variety in their workforce in lieu to which they are engaging female employees in definite positions. Planning the total workforce: Defining the essential future workforce depending on the company’s progress and necessity is a very challenging activity of the HRM, especially now-a-days. Producing the required human resources: The key focus of this process is to recruit, contract, organize, formulate and convey staffs grounded on the tactical provisions of the management’s workforce strategy. Dedicating to HR progress and performance: HR development process marks on the growth and use of business proficiency and the cooperating elements, all of which lead to a thriving organizational performance. A good encouragement program for the employees should comprise a mix of base pay, bonus, profit share, priority in company share etc. in overall. (Robert C. B., 2003). Evaluating and supporting managerial aptitude and performance: Basically, there is no exact approach to precisely measure the changes in HR policies or how performances affect the company’s output. This can be overcome by the usage ‘balance scorecards.’ 2.2 Roles in Strategic Human Resource Management The strategic roles of top management, front-line management, HR executive, HR specialists are the ones that sums up the roles of strategic HRM. Their roles in CIT are described below- Strategic Part of Top Management: The long term business goals of the company are set by the idealistic leaders of the company- the ones who forms the top management. This set consists of the CEO, CFO and President. They ensure the concurrence of the company growth and objectives with those of the individual departments. Strategic Part of Front-line Administration: According to Eduardo Salas et al (2001), front line managers ‘bring HR policies to life’. This means that if the managers are against a new HR strategy, it would be problematic to device the strategy which will gradually lead to dissatisfaction among employees. Tactical Role of the HR Director: Because they are the part of the top management, the HR Directors hold a great position in the strategic planning. They ensure the integration of HR policies and tactics with overall business goals and supervise the implementation of those plans. Strategic Part of HR Authorities: HR executives have various tasks like new preparation programs, performance management, granting employees, improving the work atmosphere etc. therefore, at any given point, they should work on a priority basis. 2.3 Development of HR Strategies There is no single way to advance HR strategies. For example, CIT uses the six step method proposed by Gratton (1999): Figure the superintendent association: Comprising people from all parts of the professional. Envisaging the upcoming: Building a shared idea for the regions of strategic prominence. Identifying present abilities and pinpoint the gap: Assessing the company’s present point and analyzing the break between company’s upcoming goals and current condition. Shape a map of the system: This is done to safeguard the small stages taken can be expressed into a whole plan. Model the refinements of the structure: All possible future results should be taken into account to evade any unexpected change or uncertainty in the strategic plan. Bridge into action: Involving line managers, creating guiding principles, forming cross-functional collections to recognize objectives and performance devices. 2.4 Implementation of HR Strategies HR strategies implementation can always vary from organization to organization, it has no perfect model. CIT practices the following tasks to implement HR policies. Supporting employees to understand the strategy: Employees must have the proper understanding of the ‘what and why’ of the policy to actually execute it in the workplace. A failure to comprehend the company policy properly will prohibit the employees from using their full level of talent to achieve company objective. Improving employee responsibility to the strategy: It is always known that change causes disharmony. Any kind of modification in strategy can easily cause displeasure among employees. Employees must be given the understanding that accepting the current change will lead to a better outcome. Reforming local work with the strategy: The proper understanding of the strategies by the employees is not always enough, it must also be executed by dismissing off-strategy works and starting on-strategy works with new vigor. Generating inter-departmental assistance: Creating bridging relation among the employees of different subdivisions is always a little challenging because of their different work nature. Activity 2 3. Contemporary Issues in Strategic HR Management 3.1 Identification of Contemporary Issues Affecting Strategic HRM Strategic HRM is mostly affected by the following issues- Job Stress: The adverse reaction that people tend to show when they’re incapable of coping up with the pressure and atmosphere of work can be defines as Job Stress. It can lead to illness, absenteeism, low efficiency rate, frustration, personal problems etc. Work-Life Stability: Everyone is always busy in today’s competitive corporate world. The use of advanced technology allows employers to engage employees in work even after office hours, via internet. Diversity: In any organization today, people from diverse backgrounds come together to work. Globalization has become a major issue in today’s HR management. Downsizing: Many companies are economizing their workforce due to recent economic recession, as a measure of cost cutting. 3.2 Analysis of Contemporary Issues Affecting Strategic HRM The increasing challenges in HRM management are forcing today’s organizations to consider strategic HRM in a different way. Recruitment procedure is now a two-way approach. Employers can use a resume record or ‘corporate poaching’. Because job switching has become a very common issue today, keeping employees, specially the most adept ones, motivated and satisfied is becoming much tougher. Even CIT has not been able to keep a hold of many of its most capable employees. So, they’re now forming new strategies to keep their staff driven. Activity 3 4. Assessing the range of HR Strategies its Application This section discusses different types of strategies in HR and their application in business organizations. 4.1 Range of HR Strategies The ranges of HR strategies include different tools. The ones used by CIT are discussed below: Strategies for improving organizational effectiveness: Concrete leadership from the upper management. A strong management team. Continual pressure to renovate and expand. Ability to react fast to opportunities and threats. Strategies for Learning and Expansion: This ensures the correct training of the employees in order to achieve organizational goals. This is related with housing a learning culture, encouraging organizational knowledge, providing for individual learning and launching a learning organization. Strategies for Performance Measurement: Performance Management â€Å"carries a mean of joining business strategy and technical assembly to direct the whole organization to achieving mutual organizational objectives† (Purcell et al, 2005), it delivers the best means to attain organizational goals. Strategies for Employee Relations: Here, the intents of the organization about what is required to be done and what is needed to be altered in the customs in which the organization maintains its relationships with employees and their trade unions is explained. It is to be noted that employee policies are different than strategies. Strategies are dynamic. 3.2 Application of HR Strategies CIT attempts to achieve its organizational goals by applying all the strategies defined above, including resourcing strategy and reward strategy. It can be quite impossible to measure the exact amount of return these applications of HR strategies bring; nonetheless, there are some indicative measures that can help us towards greater understanding of the impact of change in HR policies. For example, if the workforce management program has been integrated properly with the company’s goals and company is performing well, it can be said that we are getting good return on HR strategies. Another example of good HR outcomes is found on Michael Armstrong et al (2006) research reports on hospitals which decreased mortality rate by creating efficient HRM. Conclusion It can be concluded that human resource management is one of the crucial activities in today’s organizations. No workplace can be run proficiently without correctly trained and motivated employees. And with the increasing globalization today, proper Human Resource Management is becoming more and more challenging.

A Cure for Asthma :: Health Research Term Papers

A Cure for Asthma While the reality of a cure for asthma is a long ways off, the idea keeps many asthmatics hopeful and healthy. A cure is far down the road, but possible and very real. Asthmatics should realize both of these statements are true and keep their feet planted firmly on the ground while dreaming of the possibilities. The media plays a large role in how people view the possibility of a cure. Sometimes, news articles portray the positive side of a cure, showing how new developments and advancements are bringing us closer and closer to a cure. Other times, news articles portray the negative side of a cure, stating how far off a cure is and showing how insignificant new developments are. This can be a problem to those who are easily influenced by what they read. A news story written completely from the positive view will give readers false hope, but a story written completely form the negative view will leave readers with a hopeless outlook for the future. A happy medium is needed her e, and to make that happen, asthmatics should keep each other positive (but not too positive), stay informed, and get involved. Asthma and the Media The Negative Approach â€Å"A new report, finds strong causal evidence linking common indoor substances to the development or worsening of asthma symptoms.† ~UniSci, Daily University Science News The quote above illustrates how the media can emphasize the negative aspects of the disease. Instead of being hopeful and upbeat, the article describes to the reader the â€Å"development or worsening of asthma symptoms.† Granted, the quote is not related to the possibility of a cure, but it could hinder the moral of asthmatics. Pointing out the current problems and setbacks negates the positive things said about the disease. Steps in the opposite direction on the road to a cure can be just as damaging if not more so than the fact that a cure is so far away. By depicting asthma in a negative way, the media help one extreme of the problem. If people have no hope for a cure, their outlook on life cannot be as good as it could be. All people should live their lives and be happy, but the media could hinder this with negative views. The Positive Approach â€Å"The development of new products and treatments will provide a real advantage to people who currently suffer from asthma and allergies.

A Trip To Egypt :: English Literature Essays

A Trip To Egypt My name is Morgause, but you can call me Morgan. My family and I come from Egypt. An ancient land filled with mysteries and great ancient history of faros, tombs and buried treasure. I love Egypt, and mostly I miss it a lot. Now I live in Germany. My parents wanted to move here and they wanted me to study German. They never ever told me why, all they said was that that was their wish and I shouldn’t question it, and I didn’t, even though I wanted to know so badly. My family was really close; we never kept secrets from each other. So the only thing on my mind was if they were keeping a something from me. Why would we ever move away from Egypt? Why did we have to move to Germany? Why did we have to move at all? Germany is a great place, but for the Germans. My mom loved Egypt too, so why did she sacrifice it to move here? It just couldn’t get off my mind. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks and weeks, but it seemed that I would never be able to figure it out. This wasn’t my only problem. I don’t really like Germany; it’s a whole lot different from what I’m used to. Something keeps my heart and mind in Egypt- the ancient civilization. The Great Pyramid. It reminded me of the hard work the ancient Egyptians had to face on a daily bases, to build amazing things like that. I’ve always been interested in ancient history, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece; I just enjoy studying ancient times. I would like to visit Rome someday. I also love to travel. New and exciting places, and again, I love ancient cities and countries like Italy and Greece. It’s my second year here in Germany. I have no idea how fast those 2 years passed by. Germany is a pretty good place to live if you get used to it, but I can’t. I had a really hard time learning the language. German didn’t make any sense for me and my parents said that’ normal, but again I don’t think so. I know this Egyptian girl at school; at least I think she’s Egyptian. She never talks to me, and when she’s with her friends, she ignores me completely. She’s a few years younger than me, but I never saw a 10 year old acting so snobby and mean.

Anyone Except the Clutters: the Question of Meaning in Capote’s in Cold Blood

A strange thing happens when people like the Clutters experience an â€Å"undeserved† misfortune. Perhaps misfortune is an understatement in the Clutters case, but the fact is that when bad things happen to good people, everyone around them cannot help but question the nature of good and evil; with that comes the existence of God. Capote put it best in the quote he included from the schoolteacher: â€Å"Feeling wouldn’t run half so high if this had happened to anyone except the Clutters. Anyone less admired. Prosperous. Secure. But that family represented everything people hereabouts really value and respect, and that such a thing could happen to them –well , it’s like being told there is no God. It makes life seem pointless. † (88) The question of why bad things happen to good people is a very loaded question; one that is broader than the scope of this essay. The goal of this essay will be to determine what Capote’s answer to this question is, at least in the context of this novel. Does he believe that the Clutters died for a reason, or that it was simply a random act that they were caught up in by chance? Throughout the novel, the one character who is completely consumed by the question of meaning is Detective Dewey. His dedication to finding the Clutters murderers is driven by his belief that â€Å"he might suddenly ‘see something,’ that a meaningful detail would declare itself† (83). The Clutters murder didn’t seem to have any apparent meaning. But Detective Dewey was not alone in his belief that the actions people do are meaningful; that the events that occur in this world have an order, a design. This belief is prevalent, especially in religious groups, and we learn in the novel that Holcomb, Kansas is part of the â€Å"Bible Belt† (34). It was definitely a religious town, and the Clutters were churchgoing folk. Dewey, for this reason, cannot escape believing there is a reason for everything, and that the Clutters death had a purpose. Is that what Capote wishes to tell us? Because I have a difficult time understanding what purpose there could be for a hard-working, wealthy family of four to be murdered in their beds for â€Å"a few dollars and a radio† (103). The structure of this novel is rather strange for a â€Å"murder-mystery†; it is not told chronologically; the night of the murder is skipped over until the very end. More importantly, we are told right from the beginning of the novel that the four Clutters are murdered, and we know who murdered them. For a typical murder-mystery, the revelation of the killer is always the climax of the action. In fact, Capote has given us more than the names of the killers; he gives us insight into their lives, and thoughts, leading up the murders. The reason for this is because Capote has fashioned a novel where we are not reading to find out who perpetrated the crime, but why the killers killed the Clutters. I think, of all the characters in this novel, Dewey is the only one who tries to answer this question. In fact, the reason why he believes that the killers to be motivated by personal interests, even though the deaths were â€Å"brutal and without apparent motive† (70), is because he believes that there must be something he is not seeing. He mentions several times that the police department â€Å"didn’t have all the facts† (70) and didn’t really know what they were dealing with. He looks at all the clues; analyses all the data; interviews all the townspeople who had grudges, business, or any reason to dislike the Clutters. He knows that the information he is seeing doesn’t make sense, but he can’t figure out the key, the clue, the mystery that will make their deaths make sense. Dewey thinks that the key to understanding why the Clutters died is their killers. If he can find who killed the Clutters then he will know why they killed the Clutters. Unfortunately, all of the â€Å"knowledge† about the crimes from those who committed it does not give Dewey any definitive answers: But the confessions, though they answered questions of how and why, failed to satisfy his sense of meaningful design. The crime was a psychological accident, virtually an impersonal act; the victims might as well have been killed by lightning. (245) I don’t think that this is a fair statement for Dewey to make, although he is the character that would definitely believe this way. Saying that the Clutters might as well have bee â€Å"killed by lightning† (245) is to say that anything could have killed them. While this is true in the sense that anyone could die at any given moment, it is not true in the sense that the killers could not have been just anybody. The Clutters were a good, white, well-off and (reasonably) happy. Though when we read this novel, we may not feel extremely attached to the Clutters, we can easily see that they were good people. Their neighbours have only nice things to say about them, and the town thinks that â€Å"of all the people in the world, they were the least likely to be murdered† (85). They were not the kind of people who made other people want to murder them. The killings could be said to have been â€Å"impersonal†, but I think that the more correct statement is not that anything could have killed the Clutters, but that Dick and Perry could have killed anyone. The Clutters were the arbitrary part of the equation. The only reason they were chosen over any other family was the fact that they were tipped off about a safe on their property. If they had never been told about the safe I believe that Dick and Perry, in all likelihood, would never have met the Clutters. The killers, particularly Dick, were prepared to kill up to twelve people that November night. Dick had no way of knowing who would be there, but knew that it didn’t matter who was there, he would do what he had to in order to secure his and Perry’s venture. That they only got a radio and 40 or 50 dollars out of the bargain was secondary. The Clutters were the epitome of the American Dream, embodying a lifestyle that all Americans could relate to. But if they die and there is no reason for it, no meaning to it, then that means that the American Dream, by extension, is also dead; it would be â€Å"like being told there is no God† (88). If the American Dream is dead, then being a good person is not enough to protect you from the bad things in the world. I think that though Capote has Dewey searching for meaning to this tragedy, I would argue that Dewey never finds what he is searching for. The perpetrators were expected to be monsters; evil; remorseful at least. But I don’t think Dick and Perry fulfilled the public’s idea of the Clutter’s murderers. ? Works Cited Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. Toronto: Random House, 1993. Print.