Team Dynamics

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Team Dynamics

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." - Henry Ford

Many organizations are harnessing the power of teams to improve performance and replace traditional "command and control" methods. Robinson defines a team as "[…] a unit of people with complementary skills who are committed to a unilateral purpose and hold themselves mutually accountable for performance to goals using a common process" (Maintenance Management 506). While effective teams may indeed generate synergistic results, ineffective teams may actually prove to be counter-productive. Team dynamics are affected by the characteristics of the individuals and the ways in which they interrelate as a group. Achieving high performance levels with teams is dependent on constructive interaction among the members. Teammates must be able, and willing, to draw on the individual strengths of each other as well as to compensate for weaknesses. While teams are used in many different ways, for this discussion we will focus on project teams.

In constructing a project team, it is important to include members with complementary skills. The proper mix of skills and abilities is a crucial factor in the team's success. The selection process should ensure that the team is composed of people who possess the appropriate technical knowledge, the ability to solve problems effectively, and are able to make sound decisions. It is also important to include members with strong interpersonal skills (Thompson, Aranda, Robbins et al 5). The latter can be especially important since each team member brings to the group his or her own unique personality, biases, and interests. This diversity is one of the reasons that effective teams are able to achieve levels of performance greater than that of the individuals; however, these differences may also be a source of conflict within the group.

School papers on Team Dynamics

When a team is starting out, if those with stronger skills decide to move forward without consideration of those who do not possess the required skills, the team will begin to fall apart (Yager 11). To prevent this, and achieve optimal results, the team should draw on the knowledge and skills of each member, requiring them to be engaged in the process. Yager notes, "All learning, if it is to be effective, must proceed from awareness to choices and options, and then to applications and change" (11). In designing the way in which a team will operate, it is important to consider the different personality traits of the members and the affect on team dynamics. While some people are influenced more by their feelings, others require facts. Domineering personalities may cause those who are less assertive to withdraw and avoid voicing their views, potentially resulting in a loss of valuable insights. Personality and behavioral style tools such as the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator and the DISC Assessment can provide an insight into the ways individuals may interact with others. With a better understanding of their styles, team members can determine the most effective way to approach each other.

The attitude each member brings to the process will have an influence on the dynamics of the team. Volunteers normally approach the process more positively than those forced into participation will. Some individuals may come to the team with a strong positive or negative bias toward the team objective. For example, if one of the members has previously worked on a project that the team's responsibility, there may be resentment that he or she was not allowed individual credit for the work. Others may lack motivation to participate in a process that does not generate benefits for them as individuals. In an altruistic environment, each member of the team would only consider the benefits to the team goal in their interaction. However, as humans, each member brings their own interests to the team process and, to some extent, will tend to influence situations from a personal gain or loss perspective. If the team is working on a high profile project, some members may view it as an opportunity to improve their visibility within the organization. If individual interests override those of the team, there is likely to be conflict.

Creating a charter is an important first step in setting the team up for success. As the team works on its assignment, it will help maintain focus and guide the process. An effective charter covers areas such as the team's purpose, goals, methods, resources, boundaries, commitments, and process checks. Properly constructed, it can provide a basis to work through the normal issues encountered by new teams and help them deal more effectively with the conflicts that are certain to arise (Thompson, Aranda, Robbins et al 5). In addition to the charter, the team should develop a good set of ground rules to guide the expectations for interaction of the group. The ground rules should be clear and agreed upon everyone on the team.

Just as each person brings their own personal traits to the team, they also bring a unique background. This allows the team to draw from a variety experience, skill, and knowledge bases in working together. In forming a project team, it is important to assemble a group with the right skills and abilities for the work at hand. This often means the members will come from different functions and levels of an organization with various amounts of experience in working in teams. While building a team with individuals who bring a great deal of knowledge and experience relating to the project may seem ideal, it may also limit the creativity of the team. To obtain the best results, the team should find ways to challenge past methods and current thinking. Utilizing the diversity of experiences across the team may identify new approaches and options to the project at hand. Conversely, the team should contain a level of knowledge and experience to allow them to move forward at an acceptable rate.

As the team works on various aspects of a project, different skills are required. Time spent acquiring the capabilities required for that phase may hinder timely progress. The selection of team members should take into consideration the various functions required for success. Subsequent training and follow-up is necessary to support the team members if the project outcome is to be successful. Effective teams will incorporate learning into the process as a priority. At times, the team must rely on outside means to supplement their own abilities and must establish ways to access these resources.

Another consideration for team selection is the level of authority necessary to achieve results. If the project requires access to financial, labor, or other resources to execute the project, they must have the ability to obtain these resources. The scope and availability of resources granted to the team should be outlined early in the process and agreed upon by management. Teams often struggle in this area if tasked to achieve results without the necessary tools. Once these tools and resources are available, the members may require training and guidance in their use. A team sponsor or mentor may be able to provide the support and guidance necessary to keep the team moving forward.

In some situations, it may be beneficial to include a senior manager or executive with the authority to approve use of resources beyond the scope of the team. A concern with this approach is the effect on team dynamics. There is a natural inclination for people to defer to the "boss" rather than voicing their views. This may inhibit some of the beneficial interaction and idea sharing found in a group of peers. It may be preferable to establish a process for the team to present their needs to the appropriate manager or executive group for approval.

For a team to function effectively there are roles and responsibilities that must be fulfilled, such as leading meetings, agenda distribution, recording minutes, or arranging a meeting place. The ability to achieve results in a team environment is dependent the ability of the team to establish a structure that considers the combination of personalities, skills, and experience. In some teams, leadership responsibilities rest with one individual, others may rotate leadership at determined intervals, and still others may change leadership to best suit various stages of a project. Because of the varied interests, skills, knowledge and abilities of the members within a team, it is important to establish a leader within the team. Goals must be communicated by the leader so that the team members are inspired with a shared vision to maintain a commitment to the success of the project (Taylor 15).

A key role of the leader is to ensure that the group stays on task while promoting participation by all members. It is essential that the team establish the methods for performing tasks and monitoring progress. Since it is very easy for team meetings to get off track, agendas are useful to maintain order, structure, and time control. When meetings continually stray, members may become frustrated or lose interest; however, at times, it does make sense. The leader must make the judgment of when to allow a valuable process to continue despite the agenda. Team leaders must be careful to avoid the use of a member's positional influence to sway the direction of the team.

Most team members dread the task of recording minutes leading many teams to struggle with assigning this responsibility. The recorder must be careful to accurately capture the main meeting topics and decisions and avoid personal bias in presenting the information. Often this role limits direct participation; therefore, it may be desirable to rotate this role. An alternative would be to have a designated recorder who is not a team member to achieve that the greatest level of participation from all team members. Good record keeping will help prevent disagreements later in the process.

There may be other ongoing roles depending on the structure and focus of a team. Tasks such as updating a project timeline or updating a management group are often assigned to one or more members of the group for the duration of the project. Though often overlooked, being a team member is a role in itself. Mark Taylor, president and CEO of TAYLOR Systems Engineering Corp., maintains, "No leader exists without gaining the support of others. The first natural law of leadership changes our view of followers because it recognizes the collegial, partnering role they play. Followers are allies who represent the necessary opposite side of the leadership coin." (15)

A team can function at peak performance when all members take an active part in the team practice. Regardless of the team's structure or function, all members should participate in the process and provide feedback to the group. This can be difficult when there are strong personalities or authority figures on the team. A well-designed team charter and good ground rules will support a process where all team members feel equal and safe to share their views. This is especially important during brainstorming and problem solving processes where breakthroughs are often a result of one idea triggering another. By drawing from the diversity of the group, teams have a greater opportunity to identify new and innovative solutions to the problems they face.

With teams becoming increasingly important in business today, understanding team dynamics will help to ensure they operate effectively. Good teams are able to tap into the diversity of members to achieve higher levels of performance. Drawing upon the various skills and experience of each individual, teams can accomplish things that individuals cannot. Teams will function best in an environment that is committed to their success and provides the support necessary for their development. Establishing processes to evaluate and support teams in achieving effective interaction of members will support organizational goals as well. Without this process, team dynamics may inhibit performance of the group, leading to less than optimal results. The ultimate level of success achieved by the team will be a function of the effectiveness of member interaction. George Eckes, the primary consultant for General Electric Co. wrote in The Six Sigma Revolution, published two years ago "By far the greatest source of team failures is poor team dynamics and poor facilitative leadership behaviors" (qtd. in Taylor 15).Works Cited

Taylor, Mark. "When software fails The problem isn't the software, but the leadership."

Frontline Solutions 8 (00) 15. 10 March 00. http//search.epnet.com/direct.asp.

"Team Success You Can Help Make It Happen." Maintenance Management 506 (1) 5.

10 March 00. http//search.epnet.com/direct.asp.

Thompson, Aranda, Robbins et al. Tools for Teams. Boston Pearson

Yager, Ed. "Ropes Courses and Leaders." Enterprise/Salt Lake City 10 (000) 11.

10 March 00. http//web8.epnet.com/delivery.asp.

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What Is Happiness?

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"Pain is what we feel when our soul touches evil. Happiness is what we feel when our soul touches love!" That's a from a book by James McBride. Happiness is more than just being "content". Being "content" is a more settled, a passive feeling, maybe like after one has just eaten a large meal. Life feels good, life feels just right, you wish things could just stay that way. Happiness is a more active feeling, a vibrant joy that sings and dances inside you. Something we want to share with the world around us, and the people we care about. Often what we feel is contentment though, and not happiness.

Happiness is short-lived. That rush of energy is hard to maintain. We can get happy over the minute things in life. Like when a friend says hi, when we get something new. The happiness stays for but a minute though, and what we have left, if we are still feeling positive, is contentment.

The pursuit of happiness is in fact, useless. Its a losing battle because there is nothing to keep us permanently happy. When the friend goes away, when we tire of the toy, we fall back to contentment. Happiness leaves like a bird in the winter. Just leaving us to try to predict the date of its next arrival.

Whats wrong with just being content? Nothing, essentially, except that for some reason, we associate it with laziness, and we just start moping around kind of feeling satisfied. That's the mistake in our way of thinking. Happiness is available to me each moment of every day, it's a gift, and all I have to do is open it up. That's what I try to do on a daily basis. I try sharing a smile, playing with my nieces and nephews, hearing or telling good jokes, there are several opportunities to experience genuine happiness on a daily basis, and for most of my life, I missed them. Just because I thought I had to go find it. I would care less what anybody thought or did about anything. It wasn't until I became happy with myself that I started to spread happiness everywhere else, and I learned what real happiness was.

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Hong Kong vs Chile.A comparative Country Risk Analysis

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Why Hong Kong?

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research is to show and explain the comparative country risk analysis between the nations of Hong Kong and Chile. The findings of this research are to compare and evaluate the economic and political factors that affect the business environment of these two counties. The main purpose of this document is to illustrate why Hong Kong is better place to invest, compared to another country.

Hong Kong

Essay help on Hong Kong vs Chile.A comparative Country Risk Analysis

Hong Kong Country Profile

Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) on July 1, 17. Five years later, it remains the worlds freest economy, tenth-largest trading entity, and ninth-largest banking center. Hong Kongs standard of living exceeds that of Great Britain ($4,506 vs. $,41). The economy has been built on Hong Kongs status as a major trading port and financial center for East Asia. In particular, Hong Kong is renowned for its rule of law, lack of trade barriers, and low taxes. Despite a robust 10.5 percent GDP growth rate in 000, a drop in U.S. economic growth affected Hong Kong seriously and a concomitant fall-off in U.S. imports, with GDP growth collapsing to 0.1 percent in 001. The SAR was hit hard by the regional downturn of 17-8 and the US-led slowdown of 001-0. GDP growth will pick up again when external demand recovers, but the last five years have exposed economic shortcomings. The first is an over-reliance on the property sector for official revenue. This issue has attracted attention since the property price bubble burst in 17, leaving the government with a structural fiscal deficit. The second is rapid infrastructure development in China, which some fear risks sidelining the SAR. In response, officials are seeking to strengthen Hong Kong?s role as an entrep�t, focusing on financial services, logistics, tourism, and producer and professional services.

Hong Kong Country Risk

COUNTRY VIEW

FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT

Overall Overall Political Economic Economic Liquidity

rating score risk policy risk structure risk Risk

March B B A B A

February B B B B A

Short-term risk event

Failure to bring about an improvement in the fiscal position?the deficit rose to the equivalent of 5.5% of GDP in 00/0?could prompt renewed speculation over the future of the fixed link between the Hong Kong and US dollars.

Political risk

The passing of laws that prohibit acts of ?treason, secession, sedition and subversion? against the Chinese state, even if less draconian than initially feared, will impinge upon the freedom of expression in Hong Kong. The creeping erosion of Hong Kong?s autonomy could damage investor confidence.

Foreign trade

Hong Kong levies virtually no import tariffs or duties and is considered a duty-free port. It also does not maintain anti-dumping or countervailing duties legislation or import quotas. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, some excise duties are charged on four groups of commodities [including] hydrocarbon oil, liquors, methyl alcohol and tobacco. Overall, there are very few barriers to imports in Hong Kong, which has one of the worlds most accessible markets. It is an important market for U.S. exports and consumes U.S. manufactured and agricultural goods at a higher rate per capita than most of the worlds other economies.

Business environment ranking summary

Value of index() Global rank() Regional rank()

18-00 00-07 18-00 00-07 18-00 00-07

8.4 8.47 5 11 1

() Out of 10. () Out of 60 countries. () Out of 16 countries Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Economic outlook

Strong growth in re-exports will drive GDP growth of .7% in 00 and 4% in 004. However, consumer price deflation will persist in 00-04, as consumer and business confidence remains fragile. The current-account surplus will remain large in 00 (equivalent to 8.7% of GDP) because import growth is held back by weak domestic demand, but it is expected to narrow in 004 as stronger domestic demand boosts imports.

Debt outlook

Hong Kong?s total external debt is forecast to grow from around US$4.5bn (0.% of GDP) in 00 to US$60.bn (4.% of GDP) in 004, as private companies borrow in order to finance expanded operations in mainland China. The debt-service ratio will be low in 00-04, averaging just over .5%.

Economic forecast summary (Table 1)

00 00 004

Real GDP (% change) . .7 4.0

Consumer prices (% change; av) -.0 -1.5 -0.8

Exchange rate HK$US$ (av) 7.80 7.80 7.80

Current account (US$ m)

Goods exports fob 01,71 7,787 46,606

Goods imports fob -07,100 -,10 -54,47

Trade balance -5,8 -4,4 -7,741

Current-account balance 1,66 14,064 1,14

Current-account balance (% of GDP) 8.6 8.7 7.4

External financing (US$ m)

Financing balance ,74 ,44 7,886

Total debt 4,447 56,404 60,44

Total debt service 7,457 8,08 ,05

Debt-service ratio, paid (%) .6 .5 .6

Chile

Chile Country Profile

Chile has been a model of economic reform for Latin America since the beginning of the 180sa record of success that is due in large measure to a trade policy of unilateral liberalization coupled with an almost uniform tariff rate. Yet President Ricardo Lagos, who took office in March 000, has promoted a reversal of labor deregulation and spending restraint. Recently, Chile?s government approved long-promised labor legislation in September 001, adding significantly to the burden of doing business in Chile. Also, the tax on reinvested corporate profits rose from 15 percent to 16 percent, and will increase to 17 percent in 004. The tax increase will finance a cut in personal taxes to stimulate consumption. These two measures raise the cost of investment in Chile and will undermine prospects for lower unemployment, currently at percent; they also cast doubt on whether Chile will remain a model of reform for the rest of Latin America. The Lagos administration has committed to imposing a structural budget surplus rule of 1 percent of GDP but is struggling to keep its commitment. Chile recently signed a free trade agreement with the European Union, which now awaits ratification in Congress, and is engaged in trade negotiations with the United States. In addition, the low economic growth of the past five years, averaging .5 percent per year, prompted a meeting between representatives of the public and private sectors to elaborate a pro-growth agenda, which has yet to be introduced in Congress. Chiles fiscal burden of government score is 0.5 point better this year; however, both its government intervention and regulation scores are 1 point worse. As a result, Chiles overall score is 0.15 point worse this year, causing Chile to be classified as a mostly free economy.

Chile Country Risk

COUNTRY VIEW

FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT

Overall Overall Political Economic Economic Liquidity

rating score risk policy risk structure risk Risk

September B 1 A A C A

June B A A C A

Short-term risk event

A deterioration in crisis-hit Mercosur would have a negative impact on Chiles already volatile currency.

Political Risk

Although the ruling Concertacion and the opposition Alianza por Chile (the Alianza) coalitions have reverted to traditional consensus politics, the president, Ricardo Lagos, will use political polarisation in an attempt to stem the rise of Joaquin Lavin, the likely presidential candidate for the Alianza in 005. Nevertheless, the Partido Democrata Cristiano (PDC) constituent of Concertacion will maintain a moderating influence on government political strategy. Despite a wider than previously forecast fiscal deficit for 00, fiscal policy remains cautious.

Foreign trade

On January 1, 00, according to the U.S. Trade Representative, the government reduced the flat tariff rate of 8 percent on most products to 7 percent. Chile has by far the best tariff regime in its region; however, its tariffs are still high by global standards. On some agricultural goods, such as wheat, vegetable oils, and sugar, Chile applies duties on top of the existing tariff rate, and this can increase the effective tariff rate dramatically. The U.S. Trade Representative reports that due to low international wheat prices in 1 and 000, this system led to applied import duties as high as 0 percent, well above Chiles WTO bound rate. In May 001, the price band was temporarily lowered until March 00. Since agriculture is one of the most important export sectors, barriers on agricultural products distort trade significantly. If the price band increases after March 00, Chiles trade policy score could worsen in future editions of the Index.

Business environment ranking summary

Value of index() Global rank() Regional rank()

18-00 00-07 18-00 00-07 18-00 00-07

7.1 7.4 0 0 1 1

() Out of 10. () Out of 60 countries. () Out of 8 countries Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela

Economic outlook

GDP growth will weaken to .4% in 00, but should recover in 00 as confidence in both the domestic and global economies improves. Inflation is expected to remain within the -4% range set by the Central Bank. The current-account deficit will be manageable in the forecast period.

Debt outlook

The expansion of the debt stock is slowing and Chiles debt profile remains healthy. The debt-service ratio will decline in the forecast period on the back of higher export earnings and lower debt repayments.

Economic forecast summary (Table )

00 00 004

Real GDP (% change) .8 .4 4.

Consumer prices (% change; av) .6 .1 .

Exchange rate Ps US$ (av) 66. 685.47 60.54

Current account (US$ m)

Goods exports fob 17,440 18, 0,87

Goods imports fob -15,877 -16,0 -18,601

Trade balance 1,56 ,11 ,6

Current-account balance -0 -0 -565

Current-account balance (% of GDP) -1.4 -1.4 -0.8

External financing (US$ m)

Financing balance -5,7 -4,84 -4,10

Total debt 7,5 ,17 41,47

Total debt service 6,486 4,40 4,716

Debt-service ratio, paid (%) 7.8 1.1 18.1

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The GDP is measures the value of a nations output of goods and services for some period of time, usually a year. GDP can increase for two distinct reasons. It can increase because more goods and services are being produced, or it can increase because prices of goods and services have risen. The economic forecast summary tables (tables 1 and ), revel in recent data that Hong Kong?s is much stronger in its GDP than is Chile. Chile?s GDP is clearly poor compared to Hong Kong?s. Hong Kong?s GDP is definitively very high, compared to Chile?s and to other nation?s and this fact is really proven through both, recent and historical economic data.

Conclusion

According to the findings of this research, both nations have advantages and disadvantages over their economic, political and business environment factors. Hence, it is very hard to say that these two nations (Hong Kong and Chile) are similar in their country risk structure. What is a fact is that Chile and Hong Kong are very different in most ideologies of economic expansion and development. Political and economic risks of both countries are definitively the driven forces that control and expand the business environment of each, but at the same time these forces are the power that removes barriers of foreign trade and investment of both nations. Chile?s foreign trade status is low, limited and pessimistic. During many years, Chile has been struggling a lot in improving and expanding its foreign trade rank, even nowadays. During the time, Chile?s trade barriers have been fixed and improved, but they still high by global standards. In other hand, Hong Kong?s foreign trade and investment barriers are highly much lower than Chile?s in terms of import tariffs, quotas, duties etc. In short, Hong Kong is better place to invest, relatively to Chile, because of its low level of protectionism.

References

Library References (UHD) Historical Economic Growth

Online Journals. Web sites

http//www.heritage.org/research/features/index/

http//home.aigonline.com/country_view/0,4605,16,00.html

http//www.econ.pncbank.com/cra.htm

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Gothic furniture

If you order your research paper from our custom writing service you will receive a perfectly written assignment on gothic furniture. What we need from you is to provide us with your detailed paper instructions for our experienced writers to follow all of your specific writing requirements. Specify your order details, state the exact number of pages required and our custom writing professionals will deliver the best quality gothic furniture paper right on time.

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GOTHIC

The Gothic period, which came after the Byzantine and Romanesque age, was pushed by the growth and spread of Christianity in and around Europe. Furniture was a big part of peoples lives and they saw it as a way to express themselves. Gothic furniture was crude and heavy at first but later became decorative and lighter. The European crusaders helped introduce this change, and helped Europe to advance in their furniture styles. The general lines of the gothic style were heavy and based on church motives. Tall arches and very little furniture was the gothic style. The strictness of the churches demanded that furniture be proper and decorative rather than comfortable and cozy. Furniture from this age was often extremely heavy and most chests were often immovable. However the chest or hutch was probably one of the most popular pieces of furniture of the gothic age. These chests and hutches were used as benches or seats in the daytime but at night they were used as beds or couches. Hutches and trunks were also often used as storage bins for family articles so that when the family moved they could bring the chest with them. Pin hinges were often used to secure the roughly constructed tops. A very thick and wide piece of solid oak was used for the front and sides of the hutch. When chests and dressers became more common. It was at this time that the trestle table came into being, some even having drawers. Decorated armchairs were still only used in churches as seats for royalty or as choir stalls. X and triangle shaped chairs were also used in most churches. Throughout the gothic period, decorative furniture became more popular and it was beginning to be more comfortable. Probably the most notable floral pattern developed was the royal fleur-de-lis.

Oak was the most common wood used at this time, but in the late part of the Gothic period softwoods were introduced. Today, furniture of the Gothic design is mostly used in churches, but some families like to put gothic style furniture in their dining rooms, hunting lodges and summer homes. College papers on gothic furniture on gothic furniture will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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Creating Together

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Creating Together

In our daily lives, on our traveling path, we are always confronting obstacles and decisions that would affect the direction in which we are going. However, the ultimate end of a journey doesn't only depend on us, it is also influenced by people we encounter. Two novels, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Animal Dreams, by Barbara Kingsolver, had successfully drawn the main character's journey of life. Gatsby and Codi's lifestyles are totally different throughout both novels, but their journeys are similar in a way that they both affected by other characters they encounter on the way.

Gatsby became very wealthy, but he began life as just an ordinary, lower-class, citizen. Even before Gatsby is introduced, it is hinted that he is out of the ordinary. The first evidence of this is when Nick says, "Gatsby turned out all right at the end" (GG 6). Nothing was known about Gatsby at the time and Nick is already saying Gatsby was okay. There's an air of mystery surrounding Gatsby. Everyone knows of him but no one knows who he really is or where he comes from.

When Gatsby was still James Gatz, be had a dream of leaving his life on the farm behind and becoming a part of the upper-class. Even Gatsby's father knew when he said, "If he'd lived, he'd of been a great man" (GG 176). According to Berman "That phrase "great man" is important and will be widely intertextual from 106 to 1. Greatness is not simply personal; it has public shape and consciousness" (11~1).

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Gatsby's first real break in the outside world was when he met a wealthy yachtsman, Don Cody. Gatsby was seventeen at the time and had just left his life on the farm. "When Gatsby is seventeen years old, Don Cody comes sailing into his world"

(Lehan 4). It is Cody who showes Gatsby the ways of the world and develops Gatsby's appreciation for wealth. "[…] becomes Gatsby's image of the wealthy and successful man." (Bloom 8). "To young Gatz, resting on his oars and looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world" (GG 106). Fitzgerald uses this quote to mark the point at which Gatsby encounters wealth and power for the first time, and also, he uses it to symbolize Gatsby's social standing and economic status. By comparing Gatsby's rowboat with Codi's luxurious yacht, Fitzgerald presents the idea that money and power translate into bigger and better things. The event is symbolic in that it illustrates Gatsby's perception that wealth is a necessity. By saying that he was "looking up" to "all the beauty and glamour in the world," Fitzgerald makes it evident that Gatsby idolized this lifestyle. Lehan concludes that "Once Gatsby begins to go about Don Cody's business in the realm that has replaced the frontier, he indeed goes in pursuit of meretricious beauty" (51).

After Gatsby was introduced to Daisy, she was the only thing that mattered to him. To Gatsby, Daisy's character is metaphor for his hope and dreams. However, she married Tom Buchanan, "[…] who is so wealthy that he could give her a $50,000 pearl necklace for a wedding present" (Lehan 106). The most significant difference between Tom and Gatsby was their economic and social standing in society. Tom was wealthy and powerful, and Gatsby was from a middle class Midwestern family with little money or prestige to their name. Gatsby dreams of one day reuniting with Daisy and recapturing the love he lost, and he accomplishes this by acquiring the wealth and social status, which he lacked five years before. Gatsby invites Tom and Daisy to one of his parties and to display his new position among society's elite, Gatsby says, "You must see the faces of many people you've heard about" (111). Gatsby also refers to Tom as "the polo player", implying that Tom is insignificant compared to the many "celebrities" present at the party (111). Daisy, however, is impressed by Gatsby's exorbitant amount of wealth, but "once Daisy comes to understand the source of Gatsby's money her interest in him is gone forever" says Lehan (57). Daisy was both the main cause of Gatsby's great wealth, and also the only cause of foolishness in his life.

If Don Cody is the first of Gatsby's new fathers then Meyer Wolfsheim is Gatsby's second father figure, according to Lehan (56). Gatsby's life between the war and when he's introduced in the book is quite vague. It is known that he at some point went into business with Meyer Wolfsheim who was very much involved in New York bootlegging and had possible connections with the Mafia. Wolfsheim claims to have made Gatsby the man that he was.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have almost nothing to do with Gatsby throughout the novel, but it is a coincidence that Gatsby had to end his life by this two characters. Towards the end, Gatsby wouldn't give up on Daisy. After the accident in which Daisy killed Mrs. Wilson, it was the end for her and Gatsby. And yet "He couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do. He was clutching at some last hope […]" (GG 155). Daisy couldn't possibly face the fact that she might go to jail and she knew Gatsby would take her blame. Because of Tom's lie and Gatsby's willingness to accept the blame for Daisy, Gatsby had face death by a stranger, Wilson.

Gatsby's journey ends in a lonely and meaningless way. His death is cathartic because his dream is never satisfied. He could have never fulfilled a prosperous life living for a past love. When Daisy leaves with Tom, and Gatsby loses her, it is the death of his dreams. Gatsby's death is symbolic of the death of the dreams. If Mrs. George would not have come along to end his life, Gatsby would have killed himself. Everything he worked for and everything he did, he did for Daisy. Without her, his life was meaningless; however, he could have been a great man who would have "[…] helped build up the country" (GG 176). Because most of the people Gatsby encountered were bad influences, this is the only way his life could had ended. Don Cody and Meyer Wolfsheim affected Gatsby's idea of making money through illegal activities, and Daisy made Gatsby live in the past, he could never achieve the American Dream. If he never had met them, he might have had a better life and a better end of his journey.

Like Gatsby, Codi comes from an ordinary family, and had a normal childhood, except she lost her mother at age three. When her mother Alice passed away she took part of Homero with her. What she left was a misfit of time and circumstance; an emotionally distraught and distant man who attempted to resemble a father but veered more towards the tin man. Homero existed beyond his wife as only a page out of an instruction manual, the one with the caution statement. Homero's delicate heart decided that the only way to endure Alice's death was to flush any memory of her out of his fortified technical realm which throughout the novel becomes increasingly skewed. Kingsolver pushes home this idea by omitting Alice from any of Homero's frequent flashbacks which are usually mishaps from the past involving his daughters. These incidents are his only recollection of his daughters' estranged childhood in which he strained to create strong women out of confused, motherless children. Homer's fear of becoming attached to anything which reminded him of Alice resulted in an unorthodox childhood for Hallie and Codi. Homero was more of a baby sitter than a real father. Retaining only his technical aptitude after Alice died all he could do was providing his kids with orthopedic shoes and the correct medicine. When not fixing Codi or Hallie's present or future ailments, Homero took photographs of natural objects and slyly transformed them into man-made devices by doing what he seemed to be best at, distorting images.

Codi, similar to her father mentally, blocked out her past. Her childhood remained within her as only a series of stained and misplaced memories. Codi attempted to follow in her father's footprints, fixing every one of life's problems with an internal wrench. Homero is a metaphor for Codi's loss of memory and her attempt to find her past. By approaching life from behind this falsified image, Codi managed to distance herself from everything and everyone who could have hurt her. One aspect of life from which Codi was bred to be distanced is the past. As Codi grew older, she began wondering about her family's past. Homero basically told her they had no past. So with no past and no identity, Codi lived, searching for security and stability through a mother figure. Everywhere Codi went she managed to find a mother figure. Whether it be a man or a woman friend or even Hallie, Codi hid herself in other people's security. This search for stability is catalyzed by the lack of a mother in Codi's childhood. The lack of maternal instinct in Codi left her with no sense of direction, therefore; she searched aimlessly for years, for herself.

Codi is unable to become self-aware, because her dependency on her sister was so strong. A direct result of Codi's insecurities is the development of Hallie as a primary source of security. She is Codi's safe haven where she can escape when her problems become overwhelming or perplexing. Hallie is defined as her stability in this way. Hallie offers a blanket of protection from Codi's personal insecurities. Codi's dependence on Hallie as a haven from her feelings is evident in Codi's reaction to her old, high school friend Emelina. Emelina recalled Codi's childhood protests of killing chickens, but Codi said, "No, that was Hallie. She's the one that had such a soft heart. We've always been real different that way" (AD ). Codi's recollection of Hallie as the one who protested the death of the animals when in fact it was Codi, shows that Codi has no realization of her own cares and sensitivities because she projects them upon Hallie. Codi's inability to distinguish her individual feelings from Hallie's is because she continually projects them onto Hallie so she doesn't have to deal with them.

Hallie is a metaphor for a sense of direction and purpose. Hallie has knowledge of direction that seems to escape Codi. Hallie knows what she wants to do and what is necessary to attain it. Codi, however, drifts through life with no specific purpose. She maintains her existence anywhere that doesn't require any effort or emotional discomfort to her. Codi interprets Hallie's move to Nicaragua as an example of Hallie's keen sense of direction and her own lack of one. Codi doesn't see any future direction for herself. "[…] I had no mission beyond personal survival; it was nothing like Hallie's going to Nicaragua" (AD 107). Codi's lack of direction also stems from her dominant feelings of being an outsider. Codi has never felt accepted by any environment and she is constantly amazed by Hallie's instant ability to become comfortable. For example, she tells these feelings to Hallie in a letter expressing her admiration of Hallie at being able to be compatible with the environment surrounding her. "All I want is to be like you, to be brave, to walk into a country of chickens and land mines and call it home, and have it be home" (AD 00). However, she doesn't realize that it isn't her uneasiness with her environment but with herself that makes it difficult to be comfortable in any environment.

Codi's life since her fall from Grace is a long list of failures. But when she came back to her hometown, she finds herself busier that she expected. She meets Loyd Peregrina and they fall into an affair that threatens to turn serious. "Loyd is a fertile character, who has a profound understanding of how to carefully cultivate the fertile land" (Sparknotes). He drives her about neighboring reservations and takes her to some ancient Pueblo villages. She begins to see a difference between inhabiting the land and trying to conquer it. "To people who think of themselves as God's houseguest, American enterprise must seem arrogant beyond belief. Or stupid. A nation of amnesiacs, proceeding as if there were no other day but today" (AD 40).

Because Codi's education is a great help to their cause, Codi joins the Stitch and Bitch Club, and with Codi's help they set out to save the town from the mining company. As she becomes a part of the community effort to save the town, Codi begins to learn more about her own family's past, and gradually comes to understand that those women, twenty years before, were "[…] fifty mothers who'd been standing at the edges of my childhood, ready to make whatever contribution was needed at the time" (AD 8).

Hallie's departure in combination with Doc Homero's bout with Alzheimer's disease allows Codi an opportunity to confront her past and insecurities. After Hallie's death, Codi is able to retain Hallie's message of finding a direction and what purpose that direction should have. Hallie explains to Codi that "[…] the very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof" (AD ). This message allows Codi to find her direction and live it. She does this by coming to the realization that her lack of direction is from her innate feeling of not being accepted. The main criterion for acceptance in Grace according to Codi was to have been born with blue eyes. The legend of the town is that if you were born with blue eyes you were a descendent of the Gracela Sisters, after whom the town is named. Codi discovers childhood pictures which show that she was born with blue eyes. After discovering that she is part of the town's blue-eyed tradition, she feels a symbolic acceptance. She can then further pursue her personal direction by adhering to Hallie's advice. This direction is realized by the desire to remain in Grace. She stays in Grace to help the Stitch and Bitch Club protest against the environmental catastrophe they face. She is also able to accept the responsibility of her own stable career as a biology teacher and raise a family herself with respect from the people around her.

Codi expands her concept of family. She is able to feel an emotional attachment to the people of Grace and in particular to her boyfriend, Loyd Peregrina, an Apache who fathered Codi's miscarried baby. Codi began to discover an awareness of relationships and acceptance that made her secure within herself. She is now capable of identifying the immense love around her that includes Loyd, Emelina, her family, her students, and her fifty mothers from the Stitch and Bitch Club. Codi realizes the amount of support she has as a result of Hallie's funeral. All of the people who love Codi are present to share her grief. This enables her to feel an assurance of support. This sentiment is captured in the phrase, "[…] Whenever I thought I might fall or just cease to exist, the pressure of their shoulders held me there" (AD 7). Hallie's death allows Codi to redefine her ideological needs for a family. Codi is then able to settle down and conceive a child with Loyd.

Alice's early death causes the lack of a mother in Codi's childhood, and Homero's inability to make peace with the past confront Codi to fit in somewhere and to find a meaning for her life. Also, as long as Hallie is alive she is a safe haven for Codi to escape to when the truth of her personality becomes too apparent. But on the other hand, Alice, Homero, and Hallie are the great influences on Codi to find her identity and meaning of life. Especially Hallie might have taught Codi how to deal with insecurities and find a reason to live. Rudman says that "Siblings who grow up together learn each other's characteristics […]" (11). Even though she had many failures in her past, Codi truly grows up because of the people around her. Smiley states that "[…] her journey is a gesture, made to relieve her general sense of uselessness." Codi is able to find a direction in her life and she begins to establish a foundation for her future. She is able to secure a family, friends, a career, and an established place within Grace. According to Ryan, it is typical of Kingsolver's styles is that everyone in her books turns out to be good. (81)

We believe that our future is formed by us, and it is true that we create our own dream. However, as it has been shown in The Great Gatsby, and Animal Dreams, our life doesn't only depend on our decisions, it is also influenced by the people we encounter. The ultimate end of our journey could be as bad as Gatsby's, if we surround ourselves with bad influences. We could also find our meaning of life as Codi did, if we meet good people. Through these two novels, I realized that I can affect people around just me as I am influenced by people I encounter. Please note that this sample paper on Creating Together is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Creating Together, we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom research papers on Creating Together will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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