In Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s novel, This Earth of Mankind, various issues pertinent to the Dutch colonialization of Indonesia are explored. These themes include the Western influence on Eastern colonies’ cultures and the effect of race on opportunities in Dutch-controlled Indonesia. Notably, the novel consistently addresses the issue of gender and the societal roles it enforced.
The novel provides early evidence of how gender determines one’s position in Dutch Indonesian society. In a captivating scene, Minke encounters Nyai Ontosoroh, offering insight into the significance of gender in the Dutch East Indies during that period. Despite Nyai Ontosoroh’s wealth and authority as the host, Minke is unsure how to greet her.
He is uncertain about offering his hand as a greeting, but he differentiates between how to greet a European woman and a native woman. He is conflicted because Nyai Ontosoroh, although native, lives in accordance with Dutch customs, speaks Dutch fluently, and leads a wealthy lifestyle. Minke considers both shaking her hand or completely disregarding her, reflecting on the differing treatment of Dutch women and native women in his own country.
The protagonist is surprised when the woman offers her hand first. He decides to treat her respectfully, as he would a European, acknowledging the cultural norms of the society. This scene is significant in showcasing the treatment of women in Indonesian society. It reveals not only the belief that men held themselves superior to women in status and worth, but also the contrasting treatment between European and Native women. The protagonist is amazed that Nyai Ontosoroh, a native woman, can speak Dutch fluently and is at ease with a male guest.
The fact that Minke even considered the possibility that his hostess, a common native in her home, might not feel relaxed around him may surprise a modern reader. However, this reaction from Minke further indicates how women were viewed in society. Additionally, Minke’s introspection about Nyai Ontosoroh’s similarity to his mother provides more evidence of the low status held by native women in the Dutch East Indies. Nevertheless, Minke quickly criticizes himself for comparing the positive qualities of the two, thinking, “Beware, don’t equate her with Mother.”
According to Pramoedya (32), Nyai Ontosoroh is seen as a sinful woman who lives in immorality, giving birth to illegitimate children and selling her honor for a life of ease and luxury. This reveals the narrator’s lack of respect for native women, particularly nyais, and their way of life. In Indonesia, a nyai was similar to a concubine in other societies, such as imperial China, where she would cohabit with a man and bear his children without being legally married to him. However, the narrator establishes that Nyai Ontosoroh holds a higher status than that and even struggles to refer to her as ‘Nyai’ when introduced to her.
According to Pramoedya, Minke admires Nyai Ontosoroh because she spoke Dutch fluently and politely, unlike other native mothers. He notes that she behaved like an educated European woman, which impressed him and made him overlook her gender. Additionally, Nyai Ontosoroh’s daughter, Annelies, also deviated from societal norms by being outgoing and straightforward, surprising Minke initially.
All the women he previously knew had to be submissive and show deference and obsequiousness towards men. However, Annelies, like her mother, is different. She sets herself apart from Minke’s idea of a European by fully accepting and even envying his status as a native. Annelies wishes she could be a native like her mother. As she shows Minke around the Ontosoroh property, she continues to amaze him. Not only is she intelligent and refined like her mother, but she also possesses authority over numerous workers despite being a young girl.
When Annelies brings Minke to a work area connected to the house, he is taken aback to find women engaged in business. He is particularly shocked by their clothing: “Even wearing calico shirts! Village women wearing coats! And not in their own kitchens!” (Pramoedya 35). His surprise at simply seeing women outside of the kitchen further highlights the deeply patriarchal nature of society in the Dutch East Indies. If it is considered highly uncommon to see a woman outside of her own home and kitchen, and dressed in a shirt, then it implies that male domination over women in that society was almost absolute.
The trial in chapter seventeen exemplifies the role imposed on women, especially native women. Nyai Ontosoroh argues that pure love should be recognized as equally powerful, if not more so than the relationship between concubine and master. She questions whether purchases are more genuine than pure love itself (Pramoedya 287). However, the judge dismisses her defense by pointing out that Annelies is an Indo and therefore superior to her, just as Minke was allowed to testify in court.
As a native woman, she spoke eloquently and sensibly, but her words were ignored. “This World of Mankind” is a powerful and evocative story that depicts life in the Dutch East Indies during the 19th century. It highlights gender and the role of women in society, addressing poignant and emotionally-charged issues. Pramoedya’s work offers valuable insight into a foreign world and teaches lessons on equality and gender that extend beyond its time.
Literature Review
Literature review As for years hospitality industry is suffering from high staff turnover. The main aim to chose this topic for the literature review is that continuous problem and effect causing to the organization in terms of labor shortage especially skilled labor and organization having no control on the staff retention due to which it is become a challenge for hospitality industry especially human resource that how to attract and retain the talented and skilled staff (Barron, 2008).
Demographic change in UK Paul Barron has said the hotels in UK are struggling to retain and recruit the experienced and talented staff (Barron, 2008). Organization is also facing the significant demographic change in the population. As there has been tremendous increase in the aging population and also very low population of young people entering the industry. Due to this sudden transformation not only causing shortage of staff but also facing the problem to retain the knowledgeable and experience staff. (Govaaerts et al. , 2011).
According to the author the unevenly distributed population is the prime reason for the lack of skilled employees in the hotel industry. (Choi, Woods, Murrmann, 2000). Due to this sudden transformation not only causing shortage of staff but also facing the problem to retain the knowledgeable and experience staff (Govaaerts et al. , 2011). Paul Barron has criticized that industry always had a bad reputation of paying low wages to the staff, unusual working hours, boring job and limited opportunities for career growth due to which the hospitality industry has always found it difficult to motivate staff, and retain qualified and skilled labor. Barron, 2008). Future challenges for industry According to author, in the coming decade the demand of talent would be very high and companies would be fighting for the talent with their competitors therefore the company need to see that they can retain their talented and skilled staff so that they can have that competitive advantage and always be ahead with their rivalries (Govaaerts et al. , 2011). This high labor turnover issue in the hospitality industry has become one of the key problems for them.
The turnover culture identified in the UK and Australian hospitality industry found turnover rates as high as 300 per cent per annum (Barron, 2008). If organization not able to retain the staff then the employees would not only leave the company but also take the companies private information and company would also have to recruit and train new staff this would again be the additional cost for the organization (Govaaerts et al. , 2011). Hospitality industry spends alone ? 2,575 on training for one employee and when it is compared to average of all other industries it is ? ,725 a year. Even in recession in 2009, when the industry was not having a good time in terms of business still they were having highest labour turnover which is 31% per annum in 2009. 65% of the business report stated that their employees lacked the customer service skills and the other skill area shortage included management, chef, IT, leadership (Druce, 2010). The government new rule on immigration stating that only graduates will be only allowed to apply tier 2 visa which is a 2 years work permit for skilled migrants that till April 2012.
This would be a bad news for the ethnic restaurant which heavily dependent on 13,000 non European chefs around UK and according to British hospitality association feel that by tightening the law on migration could result in closure of ? 3 billion ethnic restaurant sector (heller, 2010). And now UK just facing with the line of events like Olympics 2012 which is just door away from England and it is still facing a huge skill shortage of labor who would be determining the success of Olympics. Of 257,000 chefs, 30,000 have no qualification and 51,000 have only basic qualification. (Heller, 2010) (Bawden, 2007).
Hospitality graduates changing career A number of researches have shown that the industry does not treat the hospitality student graduates properly instead of using their skills and their attitudes which is required for the industry. And in the other hand industry pointing out the students for being more theoretical and not being practically knowledgeable and also the hospitality expert have suggested to the institution to teach and provide student with more realistic view of the industry and prepare them more technically and knowledgeable according to the hospitality standard (Barron, 2008).
In the authors opinion Chi and Gursoy has said that even the industry believes that getting a degree of hospitality is important and valuable one. But in the past many hospitality graduates have left the industry even though having degree. Firstly because of the industry low paying wages method and also due to the lacking of skills and pressure which they have to face from the employers (Chi and Gursoy, 2009). According to author, when employees sees no future prospect or opportunities for themselves or getting weary with the company then they tend to leave the organization. Govaaerts et al. , 2011). Due to these the hotel industry started to look for the students firstly who had a good industry skills compared to their academics. (Chi and Gursoy, 2009). After doing research on hospitality students author baron came to know that 50% of the students (hospitality graduates) leave the industry after completing the college or university because of the poor working climate, having a bad experience while working in the hospitality industry and many could not see long term career in this industry (Barron, 2008).
The author Whelan and Carcar has said that performance management review helps the organization to get to know the talented and knowledgeable staff that are performing best and also willing to give the suggestion to the organization to improve the standard of the company. (Whelan & Carcar, 2008). According to author choi, woods, murmann, for most of the people hotel is always have been their first job and a learning process for most of the people and also moulds them to the real working world .
The labor intensity in hotel industry is almost one employee for one room, which shows the importance of the role of employment in this industry. (Choi, Woods & Murmann, 2000). International labour contribution to hospitality industry in UK Author suggested that the industry had always suffered from employment problems such as recruitment, staff retention, and lack of skilled staff and also the image of the industry.
International labor has always played a significant role in filling the gap of shortage of labor turnover in UK (janta, 2011). Due to shortage of staff in the industry Ireland introduced a new visa scheme for particular skilled labor and in 2003 uk also brought new visa scheme which is known as sector based scheme where lower skill labor from hospitality industry and food & beverage industry can come to uk and work in uk for up to 12 months (devineet et al. , 2007). Apart from job creation this provides the opportunities of employment for the entry levels in job market.
A recent study found that the skilled and educated migrants can be very productive and it creates the opportunities in the domestic job market. (Choi, Woods, Murmann, 2000). According to the author, survey done on labor force in 2007, got to know that 63 percent of the hospitality employees were from abroad and 43% of staff working from overseas in London’s pub was from Poland. (Janta, 2011). That means there is plenty of labor shortage in the international market which means that there are plenty of jobs for skilled labor in the industry. Choi, Woods & Murmann, 2000). In the growing population of the world there is a big hike in the number of skilled peoples. But still in developing countries many skilled people remain unemployed even if they have a good level of education. Employing the unemployed but skilled people in one part of the world would help in the skilled labor shortage in another part of the world. (Choi, Woods, Murrmann, 2000). Author suggests that the foreign migrant workers motive the employers and they are being used to supplement full time staffs during peak times.
These foreign born employees are usually reliable, committed and obedient. (Janta, 2011). Labor immigration & industry always try to attract an educated and skilled labor as they are the only one in demand in international market as they are the one who contribute maximum to the economy and also create more job opportunities for the other people. (Choi, Woods & Murmann, 2000). Recommendations: It is recommended that employers should consider the expectancies of benefits if they are seeking to retain the employees.
In order to retain the skilled and qualified employees the employers must pay extra attention towards the employee benefits which makes the employees more satisfied. Attitude towards giving the benefits to the employees is an important managerial implication. By doing the survey and getting the feedbacks periodically from the employees will help the organization to decide how the benefits should be distributed for the staffs and to decide whether the employees are eligible or not.
By giving the choices for the staffs, how to spent or utilize their benefits can tend the employees not to leave the job. But still the employees tend to resign the job even if they are satisfied with their pay and benefits in order to get a different exposure or experience. (Carraher, S. , 2006) The success of organization depends on giving employees exciting and challenging work. This will help them to develop their career as well. The main key for the managers and supervisors is to maintain a good relation etween new recruits and to understand how this will help for influence and retention level. It is recommended that the managers should help their employees to make understand about appropriate fit between their job responsibilities, value and behavior (Emerald, 2009). To retain the talented staff on board and to improve the stability with in the employee ranks, it is recommended that the organization must develop some strategies. The most important strategy is to acknowledge the employees contribution for the company.
Based on their acknowledgments, employee should be rewarded properly which makes the feeling in the employees mind that their contribution is valuable and they get motivated. The other strategies that can recommend is to focus on training of new recruits and implementing career development programs which makes the feels like they have advantages in career wise as well (Emerald, 2011). References: Barron, P. , 2008. Education and talent management: implications for the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, [online] 20(7), pp. 30-742. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/journals. htm? issn=0959-6119&volume=20&issue=7&articleid=1747877&show=abstract. [Accessed 12 August 2011]. Carraher, M. S. , (2006). Turnover prediction using attitudes towards benefits, pay and pay satisfaction among employees and entrepreneurs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Baltic Journal of Management, [online] 6 (1). Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/search. htm? st1=employee+retention&act=all&ec=1&bf=1. [Accessed 20 August 2011] Chi, C. G. , Gursoy, D. , 2009.
How to help your graduates secure better jobs? An industry perspective. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,[online] 21(3), pp. 308-322. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/journals. htm? articleid=1786302&show=html. [Accessed 25 August 2011]. Choi, J. , Woods, R. , Murrmann, S. K. , 2000. International labor markets and the migration of labor forces as an alternative solution for labor shortages in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, [online] 12(1), pp. 61 – 67. Available at: http://www. meraldinsight. com/journals. htm? issn=0959-6119&volume=12&issue=1&articleid=867315&show=abstract. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. Emerald, (2009) Building relationships for retention: How Time Warner Cable improves employee engagement, Strategic Direction, [online] 25 (7), pp. 6 – 10. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/search. htm? st1=employee+retention&act=all&ec=1&bf=1. [Accessed 20 August 2011] Emerald, (2011) Putting people first: Employee retention and organizational performance, Development and Learning in Organizations, [online] 25 (1), pp. 5 – 27. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/search. htm? st1=employee+retention&act=all&ec=1&bf=1. [Accessed 19 August 2011] Govaerts, N. , et. al. 2011. Influence of learning and working climate on the retention of talented employees. Journal of workplace learning, [online] 23(1), pp. 35-35. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/search. htm? st1=Influence+of+learning+and+working+climate+on+the+retention+of+talented+employees. +&ct=all&ec=1&bf=1. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. Janta, H. , 2011.
Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality industry: Profiles, work experience and methods for accessing employment. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, [online] 23(6), pp. 803-819. Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/journals. htm? issn=0959-6119&volume=23&issue=6&articleid=1944205&show=abstract. [Accessed 20 August 2011]. Website reference: Bawden, A. , 2007. Olympic shortfall. [online] available at:http://www. guardian. co. uk/education/2007/may/01/furthereducation. olympicga
George Milton And Lennie Small: Loneliness In Of Mice And Men
‘Of mice and men’ is a tale of loneliness and hardship felt by the people living in America during the 1930’s. Written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937, it tells the heartbreaking story of two ranch workers during the depression; George Milton and Lennie Small. At the time America was very poor, with a shortage of jobs so people had to travel in search of new jobs. As many people were constantly moving, lasting friendships or relationships were hard to come across. People became scared to have friendships, scared of each other making them lonely and isolated.
Most of the characters lived by ‘every man for himself’; only having to care for themselves, not having to worry about others and therefore making it easy to move on when need be. However, George and Lennie are vastly different; they have each other, they have grown up together, they travel together, they’re best friends and they depend on each other. George and Lennie keep each other going. George depends on Lennie for physical protection, whereas Lennie needs George for mental protection; George is the thinker but Lennie’s the fighter.
They rely on each other to balance things out. Lennie is George’s muscle; he is a huge man and as strong as bull. He helps him to get jobs on ranches, as he is a good worker. Also Lennie would rather die than see George hurt, so he would protect him with his life. While George is Lennie’s brains, as Lennie is mentally retarded so incapable of making any decision on his own, but George is quick witted and shrewd, so tries to stop Lennie from making accidental problems for himself, although when things do go wrong George is the one that has to clean up the mess.
When they first arrive at the ranch some of the characters are surprised or confused about the friendship, “Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. I just like to know what your interest is”. The ranch owner asks George this as he isn’t used to men just doing things for other men just because they’re friends, so George tells him they’re cousins, which they aren’t but Lennie’s aunt has brought up George so he feels like he must look after him now she’s dead. Lennie and George share a secret dream that, one day they will build a life together on a ranch and ‘livin’ off the fatta the lan’.
Most of the characters have a dream, and it’s their dreams that help them survive through this period, because without dreams there is no hope for a better life, a life without solitude. Right from the start, the book indicates the theme of solitude, as Soledad; where the scene is set, means solitude in Spanish (Soledad is in California, which was invaded by Mexico). Soledad is also described as a small town with a large heart, this could describe George. “Guys like us, that live on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. ” George is echoing this fact of loneliness which other characters will later mirror.
He knows that without Lennie he would be alone, yet he is still lonely in his relationship with Lennie, as they are both on different levels. George needs someone on his wave length but Lennie is like a child, so George sometimes gets lonely looking after Lennie. Steinbeck uses animals in the book to paint a picture of a person, or to symbolize a meaning or action. Lennie is portrayed as different animals quite regularly. To begin with he is compared to a bear “… and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. “. We can now picture the way Lennie walks heavily and slowly, as he is giant like a bear.
The next thing he does is very animal-like; he drops to his knees and slurps water from the river, just like a horse or a dog. “You’d drink out of a gutter if you was thirsty. ” From George’s comment we now see a man with a lack of intelligence who drinks like an animal. Then he is described as a terrier, “Slowly, like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again. ” Lennie doesn’t want to give the mouse back to George but knows there will be consequences if he does not obey; this shows us that George is Lennie’s master. This animal imagery carries on through the book.
This presents Lennie as almost less than human. It continued right till the end of the book when Lennie returns to where the book began. Lennie’s movement is compared to that of a bear, “As silently as a creeping bear moves”, when he gets to the river he falls to his knees and laps up the water like an animal, just as he did at the beginning of the book. The book rounds off nicely; starting just where it had begun. Plus the first and last scenes are both described in the same manner, and both scenes talk of a water snake, with a periscope head slithering across the deep green river.
In the first scene it’s just sliding along no problems. However in the last scene, as it copies this gilding along the river, it’s eaten by a heron. The heron symbolizes Lennie’s destiny. The first scene is set at sunrise, at the beginning of the week and the beginning of George and Lennie’s journey. When the week is ending and the sun is setting Lennie is shot, this the end of his journey (and the last scene of the book), but for George it’s just the beginning of guilt, despair and true loneliness. Crooks, Curley, Candy and Curley’s wife are all lonely, but all for different reasons such as discrimination and prejudice.
Crooks is a black man who has always been pushed aside from every group. He is treated as second class, he doesn’t (just like Curley’s wife) have a name, only a nickname- a disrespectful nickname that also mocks his disability, furthermore he is not allowed to participate in the things the other men do. He sleeps alone; away from everyone else “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t matter no difference who the guy is, longs he with you. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick”. Crooks is sick, he is so isolated that he has become harsh and twisted.
He takes advantage of Lennie because he is the only person he can take advantage of, the only person with not enough brains to know when he’s taking advantage of them, the only person (because he is mentally retarded) Crooks feels like he’s above. Crooks is insulted that someone as stupid as Lennie has a friend and he hasn’t, so he tries to mentally torture him by saying, “Well, s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then? ” He is saying this to wound Lennie, to bring him down to his lonely level. Crooks is desperate for acceptance, to be part of something, he would work for nothing if it meant being with others.
He even offers his services to Candy to work on their “dream ranch” to join in on the friendship and dream shared by Lennie and George, in order to leave behind him his lonely life. Candy, is an outcast because his age and disability, making him different from the rest of the men on the ranch, but he isn’t bitter about it like Crooks. He always tries to talk to them as much as he can. Candy has one true friend, his dog. However, when his dog dies, he has to look elsewhere for friendship. He hopes that these friends can be George and Lennie. Because of his age and disability, he feels useless “They’ll call me purty soon”.
Candy thinks that nobody wants to be friends with him because of his disability. Eventually, he tries to find friendship by attempting to join the dream of George and Lennie. Candy offered his services to become a part of George and Lennie’s friendship and dream, “Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden” This is one of Candy’s desperate attempts to find a place a meaning in life by making himself useful to someone, because at that time if you were old and you were useless, and you haven’t got no one to care for you, there weren’t nursing homes for you to go in; you were on your own . And who wants to die alone?
After Candy lost his dog, he felt much lonelier than he was before. The dog was something that was Candy’s own. Candy felt like the dog was part of him; it was old, disabled and played no real part on the ranch- just like Candy. When the dog is shot, Candy feels like he could be easily disposed of too. The ranch does not need him, but he needs the ranch because without it he has nothing. Candy wishes he shot his dog instead of letting Carlson do it for him; his dog was his only friend and letting a stranger kill him, caused Candy much guilt. This foreshadows the fact that George will shoot Lennie instead of letting Curley do it.
Curley’s wife is also very lonely, even though Curley’s wife is mentioned frequently, nobody asks what her name is. Nobody wants to talk to her because people are afraid of Curley; he is jealous and would start a fight with anyone who tried approaching her. She does not like Curley, and furthermore he doesn’t talk to her at all and there’s no-one in her life who cares about her.
The men on the ranch see her as a tart, which she is not, she dresses and acts the way she does as that is the only way she knows how to get attention. “What’s the matter with me? Ain’t I got a righ to talk to nobody? , She takes every chance she gets to talk to anyone, but there are no women on the ranch, and the men are afraid to talk to her. Curley’s wife like everyone had a dream, and hers was to be a Hollywood star. However, her mum quickly put a stop to any chance she had of this dream becoming reality. This caused her to rebel; leaving home early and marrying a man she doesn’t love. Curley’s wife like Candy has nothing of her own; she has no friends, no loving husband, no-one to talk to and nothing to do but most of all she has no name, she belongs to her mistake of a husband and always will do.
Her husband is also lonely however his loneliness is more self-inflicted then his wife’s. As the boss’s son he is automatically feared, he is also an ex-boxer- this enhances the fear. The other ranch workers really dislike him; he doesn’t work like the other workers because he’s the boss’s son and he’s arrogant, vain and aggressive. ‘He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists. He stiffened and went into a slight crouch. His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious. Curely is always looking for a fight, he is probably very insecure so he picks on or scares weaker characters.
For example he is insecure about his wife so he becomes possessive and controlling- this caging her more, making her turn to others for attention (flirting with the ranch workers) and creating a bigger distance between them. Curely is also small this is very important to his character, he doesn’t like being small, it won’t of helped when he was a boxer and maybe he threatens others to make himself feel ‘bigger’, this is also the reason why he picks on Lennie; he is little so he hates big guys.
Curley can’t connect with the others as they fear being fired (probably more than they fear him), so even if he wasn’t violent and unkind he would probably still be lonely. This book shows us how loneliness is like a disease. It effects nearly every character in the book, no matter how old, how young, how rich, how poor, it doesn’t matter. It gets them all, not because of who they are, but the society that they live in. Their society is sexist, is racist, it outcasts the mentally retarded and most of all its broke.
These things are what drive people into isolation and compel people to bitterness and resentment (like Crooks), or to being a trouble making tart (like Curley’s Wife), or to depression and desperation (like Candy) or just anger (like Curley). It’s hard to survive in that society with emotional baggage, because it just hurts all more if you lose it. The penalty of losing something as hard to find then as friendship, I believe is greater than not having it at all, even if that makes us lonely.
Loneliness spread through the whole of America, George and Lennie were a glint hope; somehow through the harsh depression and their immense differences they still managed to have a strong friendship. However when one of the members of a friendship is removed, it causes misery and pain; when Candy lost his dog, he kept thinking about him, and felt awful because he kept thinking that he should have shot his dog himself. When George had to shoot Lennie, he felt terrible, because he had just shot his best friend, his lifetime companion, his only friend in the world.
Because of this, he has to live the rest of his life, in guilt, alone and knowing that he killed his only friend. George now will have to start again, which is a hard process, because he will have taken the habit of his friend and being comfortable in his relationship and opening up towards others is harder. Lennie and George depended on each other, they were best friends, part of each other, now Lennie’s dead George will never be the same again. And he will forever feel like a part of him has died to. So is it truly better to have loved and lost than never loved at all?