Thursday, October 31, 2019

Managing Human Resource Issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Human Resource Issues - Assignment Example Hard HR focuses on business needs of HR and takes action accordingly i.e. hiring, firing and moving. 2. Soft HR Soft HR treats employees as their most important assets and resource. Many business, make their employees their competitive advantage. Special care is taken for planning and fulfilling the needs of employees and under soft HR, employees are treated as individuals. Soft HR focuses on the needs of employees that include motivation, rewards and roles. 3. Tight and Loose Dimensions of HRM Tight and loose dimensions of HRM depicts that some organizations prefer to provide a loose (informal) environment to their employees so that they can work in a more pleasant and easy environment whereas tight dimension of HRM refers to the more formally organized workforce where the main objective is to accomplish goals by any means. Review the differences between Storey’s definitions of HRM and personnel and IR practices Storey’s Definition of HRM According to Storey, human com mitment and capability is essential for every organization. He argues that human resource, capability and commitment are what differentiate an organization. Therefore, importance of human capital needs to be integrated at the highest level of management in organization. Human capital must be integrated in all the functions of an organization so as to enable the organization to achieve its goals. IR Practices Storey’s IR practices incorporate that employees needs to follow certain rules, regulations, policies, norms and customers within the workplace. It creates division of labor among workforce because the pays of workers are made on standard rules. Analyze HRM from a strategic perspective and its implications for the role of the line manager and employees Strategic Perspective of HRM Strategically, HRM is a fundamental tool that provides the organization a framework to hire the best possible human resources in the organization. Human resource is the only asset of the organiz ation which cannot be imitated by the other organizations. Due to this, the organizations focus on developing such an effective team of workers who can provide the organization an edge over its competitors. The role of line managers and employees is also quite influential for the HRM practices such that these are actually the line managers to whom the HR department provides the best available employees so that those employees can achieve the overall organizational goals by facilitating their line managers. Section 2 2. Review ways of developing flexibility within the workplace: Review and explain a model of flexibility and show how this might be applied in practice Flexibility is a key area that has emerged vastly across the world in relation to human resource practices. The model of flexibility reflects such workplace environment where the employees are allowed to enjoy flexibilities with respect to different sorts of their job related issues. For instance, they might be provided f lexible time opportunity to decide their own timings for their job, allowing them to work at their homes, allowing them the flexibility to choose a reward package as per their own needs etc. These sorts of flexibilities provide the employees more ease and they perform their best when they are at their ease and thus adding more productivity to the organization.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Mountain Property Essay Example for Free

Mountain Property Essay As Martin’s friend and attorney, I would advise him that he is the sole owner of mountain property. Since the property was purchased as a joint tenancy with a right of survivorship, Martin is now the only living tenant. Right of survivorship automatically divides the interest of the deceased tenant equally among the remaining tenants, until there is only one. Peter evidently misunderstand the right of survivorship when he indicated in his will that his share was to be transferred to his son Andrew. According to the text, under joint tenancy, all are co-owners of equal shares and may sell their shares without the consent of other owners. Their interest can be attached by creditors ( , p. 354). Since Peter never sold his share, Andrew has no claim, and therefore the creditor has no case, since the property in question was never legally Andrew’s. I would advise Martin that Otis has probable reasoning to believe he is in the right and North Carolina law could possible side with Otis in this case. Under North Carolina Adverse Possession Laws, if the occupant has resided on the property uncontested for a period exceeding twenty years he may be granted the title. In addition, it has been over 20 years since Martin had checked on the property. The justification for adverse possession in North Carolina is that it gives title to the person who gives a beneficial use to the land. Otis has been utilizing the land openly and publicly, this can be quantified by him building a residence on the property, thus giving him statutory period for adverse possession. If Martin had checked on the property over the years, he would have noticed Otis was trespassing and could have contacted the authorities to remove him if he refused. Coastal Property In reference to Martin’s legal rights with his beach house, I would advise Martin to file an appeal to the city taking his property under eminent domain. In order for eminent domain to be upheld, the property must be used for the good of the public, and not for transfer to another private party. In Kelo v. New London, Justice Stevens states â€Å"On the one hand, it has long been accepted that the sovereign may not take the property of A for the sole  purpose of transferring it to another private party B, even though A is paid just compensation.†(p. 361 ). Since the Tar Heel Family Resort is most likely a private venture, it clearly is not intended for public use. Public use would include parks, public transportation, museums, etc. Although the resort will be bringing additional jobs and tax revenue to the city, Martin’s house could only be seized by the city in this scenario if the house was beyond repair. In Berman v. Parker (1954), the court allowed the District of Columbia to establish eminent domain over personal housing that was beyond repair to construct public use facilities with the remainder of the land to be sold to private parties in order to generate low-cost housing. I would advise Martin that the city has no right to condemnation of his property under law and the court system would rule in favor of his appeal, just as it has in the past. Personal property I would first advise Martin to contact the police and file a report if he had not done so. I would also have Martin contact his insurance company, they may be willing to lend a hand in this scenario to prevent having to pay Martin the settlement cost if he had full coverage. I would then refer Martin to: NCGS 25-2-403. Power to transfer, good faith purchase of goods; â€Å"entrusting† 1. (1) A purchaser of goods acquires all title which his transferor had or had power to transfer except that a purchaser of a limited interest acquires rights only to the extent of the interest purchased. A person with voidable title has power to transfer a good title to a good faith purchaser for value. When goods have been delivered under a transaction of purchase the purchaser has such power even though (a) the transferor was deceived as to the identity of the purchaser, or (b) the delivery was in exchange for a check which is later dishonored, or (c) it was agreed that the transaction was to be a cash  sale, or (d) the delivery was procured through fraud punishable as larcenous under the criminal law. (2) Any entrusting of possession of goods to a merchant who deals in goods of that kind gives him power to transfer all rights of the entruster to a buyer in ordinary course of business. (3) Entrusting includes any delivery and any acquiescence in retention of possession regardless of any condition expressed between the parties to the delivery or acquiescence and regardless of whether the procurement of the entrusting or the possessors disposition of the goods have been such as to be larcenous under the criminal law. (4) The rights of other purchasers of goods and of lien creditors are governed by the articles on secured transactions (article 9) and documents of title (article 7). Benjamin committed the act of larceny when he took Martin’s car. Larceny is a matter of state criminal law, so the definition may vary slightly by state, but it can generally be defined as the secretive and wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal property of another with the intent to permanently deprive the rightful owner of its use or possession. ( p. 157). The real question is, who is responsible for accepting these stolen goods? The above NC law states that the car dealer could be held responsible for accepting stolen goods without proof of ownership. The car dealer should not have accepted the car without a title in hand or written/verbal confirmation from the lien holder. Martin will most likely have to sue the car dealer in order to gain control of the car if the police do not force the stolen property to be returned to the rightful owner. References Satterlee, A. (2013). Organizational Management and Leadership: A Christian Perspective (2nd Edition). Raleigh, NC: Synergistics International Inc.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

An Overview of Advantages and Disadvantages of Recycling

An Overview of Advantages and Disadvantages of Recycling What is  Single-Stream  Recycling? Recycling is a process that converts waste into reusable material. For example, aluminum cans will be melted and then made into new cans and paper will be mixed with water to make pulp,   which then pressed into new sheets of paper. Single-stream recycling means that a consumer can put all types of recyclable goods-like aluminum cans, glass containers, paper, and plastic- into a single recycling bin and then a company receives the mixture of recyclable items and sorts it all out in a factory setting. The reason why people recycle is because they would like to contribute less waste to landfills. Larger landfills contribute to larger greenhouse gas emissions, which is known to wreak havoc on the earths atmosphere and health. How  Does  Residential  Single-Stream  Recycling Work? A resident will either purchase or be provided with a recycling bin-American recycling bins are typically green or blue-that will be kept in or right outside their household. The resident will fill the bin with all types of recyclable items including but not limited to paper, plastic, and metal, and glass-more specifics will be discussed shortly. That bin of recyclables will be emptied into a community dumpster or will be directly placed on the curb for a recycling company to pick up. This pick up of recyclables   typically happens on a weekly or biweekly basis. The recycling company will then dump all of the recyclables into a materials recovery facility (MRF) where they are will be sorted by machines and manpower [6]. The materials that can be salvaged are then collected by type (paper with paper, glass with glass, etc.) and shipped to various companies for them to repurpose and use for their own products. A Brief  Timeline  on the History  of Recycling 1897:  New York City creates one of the first MRFs in America. [12] 1965  to  1970:  The Mobius Loop is introduced as the symbol for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, by Gary Anderson. [12] 1974  University City, MO becomes one of the first municipalities in the country to offer curbside recycling to its residents. [12] 1988  The number of curbside recycling programs in the US increases to about 1,050. [12] 1990s  Communities in California were the first to use single- stream recycling in America. [11] 2000 The EPA confirms a link between global warming and waste, showing that recycling and reducing our garbage decreases greenhouse gas emissions. [12] 2005  About 20 percent of all U.S. communities with recycling programs use single-stream recycling. [10] 2010  About 64 percent of all U.S. communities with recycling programs used single-stream recycling. [10] 2011  America recycled about 87 million tons of material, more than 60 percent of Americans have access to curbside recycling. [10] 2015  About 22 percent of standard American county is complying with the standards to put right things in there. [1] Advantages For  the  Resident Decrease  sorting  efforts: Single-stream recycling versus multi-stream recycling means that the efforts for sorting recyclables are reducedall recyclables are allowed in a single recycling bin. This may make residents more likely to participate in recycling and may lead to more recyclables placed at the curb or in the community recycling dumpster/receptacle. [8] Clarity  of  destination: For residents participating in curb side pick- up, the recycling trucks will come by with distinguished signs labeling their truck as a recycling truck. The emphasis on clarity of which company is picking up their recyclables, will ensure the residents that their recyclables are being sent to a MRF and not a landfill [8]. For  the  Participating  Communities Decrease  waste  management  costs: For any given city, labor costs and tipping fees for garbage management will decrease as the amount of recycling increases. This means that an average American single- stream recycling system that costs $200,000 per year should be breaking even by 2019 [4]. Recycling costs a city $39 per ton, versus $49 for garbage. Also, single-compartment trucks cost less to purchase and operate versus multi-compartment trucks used for multi-stream recycling systems. This will also contribute to a reduced collection cost. Increase  efficiency: Single-compartment trucks are able to use automated collection routines, which leads to collection routes being serviced more efficiently [8]. Safer  conditions  for  workers: The workers for the recycling companies may see a decrease in the amount of work-related injuries. Recycling bins for single-stream recycling are commonly in the form of wheeled carts. Multi-stream bins were typically not wheeled which makes workers prone to injuring their backs when they pick up and carry numerous bins [8]. For the Environment Increase  land fill  life: Recycling in general will extend the life of a landfill because, with less waste in the garbage bin and more materials in the recycling bin, the landfill wont fill up so quickly with waste, thus extending its life [4]. Recycle  more  materials: As research continues, single-stream recycling may make way for an opportunity to add new materials to the list of recyclables accepted. Also, with a single-stream sorting system, more grades of paper may be collected than ever before [8]. An increase is the amount of recycled materials will positively impact the environment. Disadvantages For  the  Participating  Companies Increase  in  taxes: A resident who lives in a location that has a single-stream recycling program is most likely going topay local taxes for the program. These taxes are subject increase becuase Residents who participate in single- stream For the Environment Contaminated  material  to  landfills: Due to the nature of single-stream recycling, different materials will cross-contaminate other materials. A typical, new single- stream program endures contamination in about 40 percent of its loads [4]. These contaminated parts of the load will be sent to the landfill. Mixing all materials together is convenient, but leads to wet paper and bits of broken glass that cant be sorted. About a quarter of single-stream recycling goes to the dump because of contamination [6]. Lower  quality  of  products: Susan Collins, director of the Container Recycling Institutea nonprofit research and advocacy group, says in terms of preserving the quality of materials so that the maximum materials collected can actually be recycled, single-stream is one of the worst options [6]. The purpose of recycling is so that materials can be repurposed and reused. If the MRFs are supplying poor-quality raw material to companies, they are costing those companies a loss in quality of their goods as well. What You Can and Cant Recycle You should only recycle paper, cardboard, commingled containers, plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars. Figure 2 offers some visual aids on what typical household recyclable goods look like. The  Big  DO  NOTS  of  Single-Stream  Recycling Do not recycle any container that has previously held oil because it is very likely to contaminate other items you place in your recycling bin [3]. Do not bag any items to be recycled-they should all be loosely placed into your recycling receptacle. Bagging items are very likely to be discarded during the recycling process and send to the landfill. Do not recycle plastic bags by themselves either because they can bind up the sorting machines gears and cause damage. Do not recycle Styrofoam or shredded paper. Excluding cardboard, make sure all commingled containers, bottles, jugs, and jars, are not flattened. Ball up on aluminum foil you recycle so that the sorting machines dont mistake it as a sheet of paper. Any material that was in contact with food or other messy substances should be emptied and rinsed out thoroughly.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Ghost Story of College Ghost Lure :: Ghost Stories Urban Legends

College Ghost Lore If one were to take the beltway to I-270 north, about an hour north of Washington, DC one would arrive at a town called Emmitsburg, Maryland. Is the town haunted? I collected several stories from a senior in college who is from Emmitsburg. This senior is a white female. The stories I collected, many of which have to do with the small Catholic college indicate a rich ghost lore in the town. There are several stories that this woman told me concerning her hometown. The first is one that most people who live in the town know. In the mid 1800s, a man by the name Larry was born. Larry was the son of a famous composer and musician and came to teach music at the college. His father wanted Larry to be a musician like himself; however Larry was not as skilled. Larry became popular with the college students who would come to his grocery store where he would sing songs for the pretty girls. In the late 1800s, his father died, and Larry was quite sad. The following Christmas, Larry took his flute and went to the cemetery at Mount Saint Mary’s College to play one of his father’s most famous pieces, â€Å"When the Glory Lit the Midnight Air†. The town folk thought he finally mastered the ability to play the flute to honor his father. So the town folk went up to the gravesite by the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the campus. The event became a tradition, and La rry would lead the people up to the gravesite each Christmas to play the flute. In the 1920s Larry died. Older residents say that if you listen very carefully on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning you can still hear the ghostly strains of beautiful flute music coming from the cemetery. A little while later, the music is gone, not to be heard again for another year. Another story the storyteller told me is that about Father Brute. One of the earliest presidents of the school was Reverend Simon Brute. He died in the mid 1800s. Brute still glides about the campus wearing long black robes. People who have seen his ghost describe the same sunken cheeks and other particular features. He usually smiles and nods and moves on. In Brute Hall is the room that Brute once lived in. Room 252 is supposedly still haunted by his ghost.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

“Don Juan” is a digressive satire

â€Å"Don Juan† is a digressive satire aimed at mocking the traditional characteristics of literary Romanticism and is atypical of Byron’s earlier poetry. The structure of the poem’s stanzas are written in eight line iambic pentameter, where the final two lines form a couplet and are often used to deliver a comedic punch line. At times the language is idiomatic and Byron often employs slang, which contradicts the traditional formality of Romantic poetry and further defines the poem’s satirical nature.The poem’s most striking feature, however, is that Byron employs his stream of consciousness throughout the poem, interjecting his cynical sense of humor upon the reader. â€Å"Don Juan†, as depicted by Lord Byron is not a character of permanent values; he is an individual of permanent interests to whom self-aggrandizement is a cardinal virtue. A poet is the master-feeler and he can not avoid the effects of two elements in his writing.Firstly, th e period to which he belongs; secondly the conditions of the society and the ‘standard of life’ and the ‘standard of living’ of people, as it prevailed at a given time. Simplicity and innocence of rural life, beauty and nature, fascinate the poet. His emotional chords respond quickly and he finds it difficult to tolerate or accept the abuses of society, against which he hits back in his own style, with sharp witticisms. He knows pen is mightier than the sword, and he uses his latent literary genius, to strike at the right time.A poet like Byron had the capacity to worship the positive qualities and attack the negative tendencies humanity in a disarming style. It is but strange that how he could maintain and nurture the intimate feelings or romanticism, considering the tough stages that he went through in his real life. The love-feeling remained intact in spite of the vicissitudes in his personal life. Is it one of the vagaries of Nature that The Romantic Er a (1776-1830) and the Industrial Revolution happened at the same time!Powerful and unexpected changes took place, drastic modifications occurred in the life of the common man during this period, the old values had to be shunted out, whether one liked that process or not, commercial angle replaced many unselfish virtues of human beings, and the poets of the era responded well to those changed circumstances. As described by Graham Hough about Lord Byron, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it is rather a picture of society-and Juan is there to show the way the natural man might live in. † To Byron, beauty is not renunciation; it is participation, what if an element of selfishness is involved in the process!He is fascinated by the grandeur of richness and the beauty that encompasses it rather than the dullness of poverty-ridden virtues. He is not a tragic-type of lover; he adores dynamic love, the variations in love, and considers the hurdles as jokes. Let us move away for a while from Lord Byr on’s ‘Don Juan’ to an allegory, to understand him better. ‘The full moon is shining in the sky. It is full moon day. Seeing the beauty of the moon, a tempest rises in the ocean beneath. The ocean, in an effort to reach the moon, sends the roaring waves (love thoughts) one after another.But alas! Can the waves reach the moon howsoever big they may be? Can the moon ever come down to the Earth (the reciprocal feelings) whatever be the intensity of the wish? ’—in such a situation, Byron would still believe in the fructification of the love, by taking the help of twinkling stars in the sky. He is thoroughly convinced about the human fascination with external beauty and he is vocal about its open exhibition, like the ocean and the moon. They enjoy the struggle and won’t mind others witnessing and experiencing the beauty of the struggle.Byron’s poems are deeply affected by thoughts of recollection of his own past, poor and not glorious, and his subsequent accomplishments, that took him to great heights and material welfare. He is candid and open about the virtues of wealth and the status-gains involved in the process. Enjoy them, he declares a jovial mood through his poems. He is not willing to keep morality on the high pedestal. Just as trials and tribulations are part of the life, so are comforts and luxuries and status. Why a human being should shy away from them? Byron doesn’t believe in the bifacial strategies and a show off as for morality.â€Å"Lord Byron reflects most of the characteristics of the Romantic Era such as the focus on emotions over reason, human nature and nature. He uses many historical references and poetic devices to emphasize the themes. The themes of human shallowness and artificial focus on wealth and beauty are conveyed through comparisons with nature and each other. The unexplored realm of human feelings that directly affect the humans’ actions is displayed through the m ultiple deeds of the characters. † (Lord Byron's†¦. ) Lord Byron is at the height of his satire and attacks the foundations of the society through his potshots at the institution of marriage.â€Å"As a Romantic, Lord Byron talks extensively about love and human nature. The poem greatly exposes loveless marriages and the mirage of expectations in the society of marriage being the ultimate nest of eternal love. According to Andrew Sanders, the recognized literature critique, â€Å"Juan’s adventures and misadventures, and the narrator’s worldly-wise commentary on them, served to debunk a series of received ideas and perceptions ranging from the fidelity in love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The perception of love and misunderstanding of feelings is evident in this excerpt: â€Å"The love and marriage rarely combine, Although they both are born in the same clime;Marriage from love, like vinegar from wine – A sad, sour, sober beverage – by time It sharpn’ d from its high celestial flavor Down to a very homely household savor. † (Lord Byron, Canto III, 5, lines 35- 41) Compare this to the traditional mind-set of the people as for the institution of marriage. ‘.. Marriage of two individuals means to flow together harmoniously. Two distinct individuals, two different personalities, born, bred and brought up in two different sets of circumstances, try to come together from the day of marriage, to find a common identity, a common goal, and to be precise, a common all!’ Byron moved from one woman to another, poor or rich, married or unmarried, like a monkey that would jump easily from one branch of a tree to another. He would forget the earlier relationship easily, and had no psychological problems about termination of the earlier intimate bond. Considering the time to which be belonged the satire of Byron is too strong to accept even by the yardsticks of beliefs of the 21st century. The literary dagger used by him is to o sharp. It wounds, hurts and sometimes kills, without actually killing!(The human values) â€Å"And finally, the thing Juan is best known for: both Byron and Juan seemed irresistible to women. Byron had numerous affairs with women from all walks of life, from ordinary housewives to rich countesses. Juan scored even better: not even sultanas or the Czarina could escape his spell. † (Don Juan†¦. ) Love, platonic love and carnal love were one and the same for Don Juan. He changed his ‘loves’ as the Nature would change the seasons. He lived the life of a butterfly that goes from flower to flower to enjoy the beauty of hues and to suck honey. ’ If the flowers won’t mind, why the butterfly should mind?’ seems to be the question of Lord Byron. Don Juan did not believe in deep planning about his future life. He lived life as it came and thought of crossing the bridge, when he arrived at that spot. He did condemn the society for its fixed values , but seemed to pity the people, and how they were caught in the cob-web of procedures, customs, traditions and thought very sincerely about their love-life. How they stretched extra to make the love-life work, fearing the backlash and criticism from the moral guardians of the society. Personally he scoffed them by his writings and actions!

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Nowhere in Africa

Desperate situations create good autobiographical novels. To meet those situations, an individual looks out for desperate remedies. To face worst situations, the best and the bravest within the human personality, surfaces. For the new and unexpected situations solutions are found. The seemingly impossible, becomes possible. New situations not only become tolerable, but acceptable. One comes to enjoy beautiful experiences. The routine and protected life, when suddenly disrupted, finds new vibrant alternatives. The new way of life, gives rise to new views about life. The strange surroundings turn out to be divine blessings. Nowhere in Africa turns out to nowhere in Africa! The Film: The autobiographical novel-based movie is about such happenings in the life of Stefanie Zweig. Walter Redlich was a successful lawyer in Germany, when Hitler rode to power. The persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany was gathering speed, and to remain in Germany was to invite grave danger to life and property for the Jews.   Walter moved to Kenya. But his wife Jettel and daughter Regina stayed back. This decision of Jettel, shows her love for the social life in Germany, her reluctance to give up the comforts of city life. She also wishes to keep her daughter under her protective wings. She doesn’t like the dark and backward country Kenya. She is a prominent figure in the social circles in Germany, and she is enamored by the glamour of social life in Germany. As the Nazi persecution goes on unabated, Jettel has no alternative and she joins her husband in Kenya along with Regina. Her worst fears about the life and living in Kenya come true. She is accustomed to live a cozy life in Germany, and she resents the rugged farm labor imposed in her new Kenyan pattern of life. Another psychological problem surfaces for Walters as he discovers that Germans are not liked by British settlers in Kenya. The young Regina suffers the most, initially. She finds herself lost in the new and unfamiliar surroundings and nothing fascinates this young girl—except their African family cook, Owuv. Gradually, she begins to like the natural beauty of Kenya. A deep friendship sprouts between Owuvr and the young child. Subsequently Germany invades Africa, and the German National Walter is taken to a British internment camp along with his wife and daughter. The beauty Jettel, seduces a British Army Officer, Walter is put in charge of another farm, and Regina is admitted to a boarding school. The strength of the movie is that it searches the real Africa, its soul, through the innocent and affectionate view point of the child, which has malice towards none. She is kindled with curiosity to know the ways of the world around her. The vast gorgeousness of Kenyan plains has tremendous appeal to her. The transformation that takes place in the city -kitten Jettel as a professional farmland Manager, is real and worth noticing. She understands now, and is not fussy. But human nature being what it is, she continues to be culturally insensitive. She came to Kenya to escape torture and certain death at the hands of Nazis, but it is tormenting to watch how she discriminates against the native Kenyans –then where lies the difference between her and the Nazis? The strength of the film lies in the authentic portrayal of the characters, how they face the ups and downs of the family relationship and the gradual growth and the relevant changes related to its characters. This film is suitable for family viewing. But the short sex scenes and those related to animal sacrifice do not contribute to the overall dignity of the movie. Nowhere in Africa, an Autobiographical Novel, Stefanie Zweig. That the movie is based on this best-selling autobiographical novel won the 2002 Academy Award for the best foreign language film speaks about the merit of the novel. The book describes the harsh realities for the Redlich family, moving from a western country, Germany, to the remote farmlands of Kenya. Regina, their five year old daughter has no problems to adjust and adopt the new way of life. Their cook, Owuor is their language teacher as well. They begin to love the country of their forced choice, but when the war is over, the real problem surfaces. Walter wishes to return to Germany, but once the- Kenya-hater Kettel, wishes to stay back in Kenya. The German children, on their return to Germany after the War, are strangers in their own land. They have to learn German from the beginning. Whenever a book is made into a film, changes in many areas are inevitable. The actress shown in then film (Kettel) and the real mother of the novel are diametrically opposed to each other. Many other parts of the film are true to the contents of the novel. The African cook speaking Swahili gives the genuine touch to the conversation. Stefanie wrote the book under strange circumstances. The paper for which she was working closed down and then she joined a tabloid paper in Frankfurt, as Arts Editor. There she did many a film reviews. She admits the limitations of making a film out of a book, when she says, â€Å"So I knew that the film and the book weren’t going to be the same.† The reality of Walter family returning to Germany after the end of the war has been very well depicted in the book. The great love of Stefanie for her father is also touchingly narrated on more than one occasion in the book. She was asked to do a thing, which she did not like-returning to her own Germany, which was a strange land to her on all counts but she did it for the sake of her love for her father. In a novel the author has lots of freedom to write detailed descriptions, but the director of the film has limitations. Therefore, then film is not the true representation of her life, as compared to the book. The emphasis in the book is for the story of the little girl Regina (Stefanie), but in the film it shifts to her parents and their marital problems. In a highly complicated novel like Nowhere in Africa, with several characters interacting with each other and shifting locales, film adaptation is very different from the original text. The undercurrent of love is seen through the characterization of all characters in the novel, that’s why it is said, the novel tells something deep within the author. It was her father’s advice not to hate. Also the life of 1938 as depicted in Kenya is much different from what is portrayed in the film. More importance is given in the film to the Walter couple and they talk of their marriage incessantly, sidetracking the real problems of their forced migration. Their intense talk about adjusting and saving their marriage looks unrealistic in the given circumstances. At least that is not what is described in the novel. The family escaped from Nazi Germany certainly not to settle scores about their marriage relationship, they had other priorities in life, according to the book. But the film ignores it. That is moving from the tracks of reality. From the point of view of generating revenue for the film, the leading lady of the novel has got to be glamorous, she has to have some peculiar characteristics either positive or negative, and Jettel has been accordingly shown as a cold, calculating and a woman filled with vanity. The book views the qualities in a different perspective. She is not at all that had as shown in the film. To be unhappy is one thing. But what is chiseled in the film is no justice to Jettel. The film presents a more luxurious pattern of life than what is depicted in the novel. As a child Regina was very poor and she could not afford the costly costumes shown in the movie-that is not what is shown about her at that age. But the Regina of age 12 in the book and the movie are one and the same. Her deep love for Ouwor is shown realistically in the movie as compared to the book. The book was hailed as the Society’s best juvenile title in The Netherlands. So also, the movie, whose main focus is on the parent’s relationship. She wrote the book out of respect for her parents. The strong influence of her father played a big part in shaping of the book, which the film could not show in detail due to the limitations of time and other related factors. The actress does not convey the real Jettel in the book. Besides being tough, she was a charming human being also. You see and experience the lasting human love between her and the family cook Ouwor. That’s a great characterization in the book. ———————— References: Nowhere in Africa, DVD, 2003 Zweig, Stefanie, Nowhere in Africa: An Autobiographical Novel, Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press; 1st edition (March 15, 2004) ISBN-10: 0299199606 ISBN-13 : 978-0299199609