Patti Johnson
I would like to pursue a career in international corporate training and curriculum
development. My areas of interest include sustainable business practices, global
marketing, and international logistics and transportation. I don’t know the official
position title yet, but it is probably “Sustainability Expert,” or “Global Marketing Guru,”
or “Logistics Magician,” or some other catchy marketable name. I plan to stay with my
current employer during this pursuit and beyond. They offer a perfect environment for
testing the waters of my chosen career in training. I am hoping that through my studies, I
can narrow my choices and sharpen my focus to find a specialty.
As a trainer, I will have fun every day. I will be fulfilling my career mission
statement of having a job where I get paid to talk to people about something I’m
passionate about. I will study and organize and find cool stuff to tell people. I will allow
my mind to be a constant sponge for all information related to my areas of expertise.
Then, when you sit in on one of my courses, learning about how to guide your company
in saving the planet through sustainable business practices, I will pour out my knowledge
to you. We will have fun, get to know each other, and hope to meet again someday in
pursuit of a new challenge.
One of the interesting aspects of this career will be the travel required. I don’t
feel the need to jet set around the world all the time, but I think I would enjoy an
assignment in Europe, Japan, or South America. I will gladly go to a company’s facility
in Amsterdam, Tokyo, or Rio de Janeiro and facilitate specialized training. I will even
consider taking a long-term assignment or permanent position that keeps me there for
several years or longer. I’ve never left the United States, and I’m ready to see first-hand
how the rest of the world works.
Something else that appeals to me about this career is that it is a constant learning
environment. In order to train other people, you have to train yourself first. This may
involve independent study, company training, seminars, or college courses. I believe that
in the constantly changing corporate environment, unique learning opportunities would
be abundant. To me, learning equals fun. The more I learn, the more fun I have and the
more driven I become to keep learning more.
Curriculum development is another facet of training that I find compelling. It not
only involves writing (which I love to do), but also involves research and data
organization – two of my current areas of expertise. Developing training materials on the
international level also requires knowledge of global issues and trends, diplomacy,
cultural specifics, and an excellent grasp of global customer service practices. All are
perfect opportunities to research and develop curriculum.
There are a couple of drawbacks in this career. I would have to say that frequent
travel could become a huge negative. I don’t really want to be in a new city every week,
but sometimes that’s what ends up happening when you agree to travel for your
employer. In the last 6 months I have made two round-trips from Seattle to Boston. The
travel days are long and grueling, and I always seem to be allergic to the canned air on
the plane. I would not mind traveling once every few months or relocating to an
international office for a longer term, but I don’t want to live in the air.
1
Another negative aspect of this career is the learning curve to reach my goal.
Now that I have decided to change my career path, I have a lot to get done. First and
foremost, I have to finish my Bachelor’s in International Business Administration. While
finishing my undergraduate degree, I need to keep learning my current job and searching
for my next promotion. I need to work on my public speaking skills – possibly by joining
the Toastmasters chapter at my office. I need to find out how to navigate my employer’s
complex corporate structure to locate job opportunities. Finally, I need to network
constantly.
I want to pursue this career because I believe I can make a difference. No, it’s not
the “save the world” kind of difference (although a Nobel would be gladly accepted).
I’m talking about the difference between having a memorable training experience that
leaves you inspired vs. training that puts you to sleep. I realize that corporations need to
provide product and process specific training to their employees. Most of the material is
either technical or boring or both. I believe that this landscape can be changed for the
better by employing trainers who are skilled and passionate presenters. Employers also
need training materials that inspire their people to stretch themselves and pursue growth.
When I reach my career goals, one of the trainers will be me.
2
Patti Johnson
Page 1 of 3
“The Yellow Wallpaper”, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935), is both a disturbing
and curious story of mental illness in the late 1800’s. According to the “Cultural Context”
paragraph in the text, the story’s narrator, and protagonist, was probably suffering from postpartum depression after the birth of a child (366). She was receiving the treatment of the day
from her husband, a physician of “high standing” in the community. Unfortunately for her, the
prescribed solitude, fresh air, and “phosphates” only seemed to fuel her mental instability (367).
This dark story was filled with tales of madness and its ineffective treatments. In spite of the
twisted nature, or perhaps because of it, I was intrigued to find out more about the author and the
story itself.
Charlotte (Anna) Perkins (Stetson) Gilman (1860-1935) was abandoned by her father,
Frederick Beecher, “a librarian and magazine editor”, when she was just a child (Johnson).
Biographical information also shows she had a peculiar relationship with her mother who
“knowingly abstained from affection.” (Johnson) It was interesting to note that this abstinence
was intended to prevent Gilman from “developing a need or desire for human affection.”
(Johnson) Perhaps this lack of connection is what fueled her brilliant descriptions of a person’s
disconnected state during full-blown mental illness. Her battle with depression is well
documented in the historical annals of literature. Gilman used her traumatic experiences with
her own treatment for depression as her basis for the development of the characters, making this
semi-autobiographical story even more chilling.
I was surprised to find out that the main character’s name was actually revealed at the end
of the story. (Barth) I completely overlooked this fact when I read the sentence: “’I’ve got out
at last’, ‘said I’, ‘in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put
Patti Johnson
Page 2 of 3
me back’.” (378) When I went back to re-read the end of the story knowing this fact, it put an
entirely new twist on the depths of Jane’s mania. The alliterative use of the letter “J” in the
names of the all of the characters, John (the husband), Jennie (the sister-in-law and nurse), and
Jane (the narrator), made the distinction so subtle that I missed it.
Researching the specifics about the “The Yellow Wallpaper”, and its author Charlotte
Perkins Gilman, shifted my thinking about the story. Learning facts about Gilman’s depression
and that she wrote this story as a “Poe-like rebuke to the neurologist who had so mishandled her
own illness” lent credence to her characters. (Johnson)
Reading the name of her real-life
psychologist, Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, in the biographical information, made this passage even more
evident of Gilman’s first-hand knowledge: “John says if I don’t pick up faster he shall send me
to Weir Mitchell in the fall.” (370). Ultimately, the revelation of Jane’s name at the end truly
makes this a story you want to read again once that fact is known.
Patti Johnson
Page 3 of 3
Works Cited
Johnson, Greg; “Gilman’s Gothic Allegory: Rage and Redemption in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’,”
in Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 26, No. 4, Fall, 1989, pp. 521-30.
Source Database: Literature Resource Center
"Charlotte Perkins Gilman." (1997). MagillOnLiterature Plus. EBSCO. [Library name], [City],
[State abbreviation]. 3 May 2008
<http://search.ebscohost.com.arktos.nyit.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mjh&AN=0170000093
&site=ehost-live&scope=site>.
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Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition © 2004 by Salem Press, Inc.
Essay by Melissa E. Barth
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Patti Johnson
Page 1 of 2
“Ozymandias”
By
Percy Bysshe Shelley
“Ozymandias” tells a story about the uselessness and impermanence of vanity. It
reminds us that even once powerful kings can fade into nothing but a pile of broken
stones in the desert, ravaged by the sands of time. It’s also interesting to note that,
although this “king of kings” (“Ozymandias” is the “Greek name for Ramses II, ruler of
Egypt in the thirteenth century B.C.”) had fallen from his place of high regard, his
“shattered visage” still evoked interest from a “traveler from an antique land.” (721). So,
the moral of this poem is: vanity fades, but history remains.
Percy Bysshe Shelley was born into a British “conservative aristocratic family” in
1792. His grandfather, Sir Bysshe Shelley, was a wealthy man of Sussex and his father,
Timothy Shelley, was a “conventional member of parliament.” He was considered a
“radical nonconformist” and especially enjoyed supernatural stories and science. Shelley
eventually “fell madly in love” and eloped with Mary Wollstonecraft (Shelley), the
daughter of one of his former mentors, William Godwin. Mary was also an author and is
probably most famous for her story “Frankenstein” (Bloom). When he was growing up,
he loved to entertain his siblings by enacting strange and fanciful scenes. It is noted in
biographical data that “he once dressed his sisters to impersonate fiends, and ran in front
with a fire-stove flaming with magical liquids,--a sport that readily developed with
schoolboy knowledge into rude and startling experiments with chemicals and electricity.”
His fascination with science and the supernatural were consistent themes throughout his
writings (Bloom).
Perhaps one of the most interesting things about this sonnet is how it can be
related to life itself. We are all subject to the decaying of our own bodies and
environments over time. Like the title character, neither fame nor fortune nor statues of
stone can bring us immortality. The wasteland of sand at the end of the poem is also a
fitting end for a tyrannical ruler’s once grand kingdom (Magill).
Works Cited
Shelley, Percy Bysshe. “Ozymandias.” Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed.
Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 6th ed. Boston:
Wadsworth, 2007. 721 – 722
Bloom, Harold, ed. "Shelley, Percy Bysshe." Percy Bysshe Shelley, Bloom's Major Poets.
Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2001. Bloom's Literary Reference
Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMPPBS02&SingleRecord=True (accessed May
10, 2008).
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mjh&AN=0089900327&site=eh
ost-live&scope=site
Magill Book Reviews © 1995 by Salem Press, Inc.
Patti Johnson
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
For this play review, I chose the 1991 film adaptation of the tragedy “Hamlet” by
William Shakespeare. The play was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starred Mel
Gibson as Hamlet, Glenn Close as his mother-aunt Gertrude, and Alan Bates as the
uncle-father Claudius. The play revolves around Hamlet, the crown prince of
Denmark, and his response to the death of his father the king. This filmed version of
the play is a somewhat lighter fare than the actual lengthy script based on the
adaptation for Hollywood movie goers. The movie does, however capture the main
themes of murder, death, suicide and revenge that Shakespeare intended with this
work.
The plot and sub-plot unfold rather quickly, although differently from the original
script. Rather than opening with the visitation upon Hamlet by the ghost of his father,
the director chose to open with the funeral of the king and the quickly developing
relationship between the characters of Claudius and Gertrude. When Gertrude
marries Claudius so soon after the death of the king, Hamlet is outraged and filled
with grief. His thoughts are revealed through the use of soliloquy as he speaks of the
heavy weight of his sadness and thoughts of suicide. In this lone speech, Hamlet also
indicates his fury with his mother’s weakness to be so easily swayed into a quick
marriage by stating “Frailty, thy name is woman” (Gibson). The sub-plot of the play,
involving Polonius, his son Laertes, and his daughter Ophelia are woven between the
scenes as the characters flaws and strengths are developed.
The staging and language of the film are appropriate to the Elizabethan era in
which Shakespeare’s writing was immersed. The language is elaborate and the
actors’ dress is indicative of royal courtiers and knights. The characters espouse the
surface niceties of the era while the skillful soliloquies reveal the true feelings of
madness and guilt of the characters. The sequences filmed on the shore beneath the
castle are especially breathtaking and indicative of a royal locale. The director
skillfully uses facial expressions, along with language, to replace the body
movements necessary to successfully reveal a character’s thoughts on stage.
Although a local librarian here in my neighborhood calls this adaptation “Hamlet
light,” I found the film lengthy but enjoyable. The irony frequently used by
Shakespeare was well enacted with the scene of the troubadours acting out the murder
of the king for the uncle-father and mother-aunt. The subject of the madness of
Ophelia (played by Helena Bonham Carter) vs. the believed madness of Hamlet was
well acted. The tragedies of murder, suicide, and the irony of revenge with the death
of Gertrude were strong adaptations of the original script. Overall, viewing this film
instilled in me the desire to see it on stage as Shakespeare intended it.
Patti Johnson
Interpretive Essay
Page 1 of 4
History is filled with descriptions of battles waged to restore or revenge the loss of
personal or family honor. “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, is one such story that
confronts this issue with captivating detail. Poe uses mystery, irony, and foreshadowing very
effectively to describe the lengths a person can and will go to in order to punish an enemy (or
perceived enemy) for such an offense.
The story begins with the statement: “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as
best I could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” ( 312). This statement in and of
itself does not seem mysterious. However, as the story unfolds and draws to a conclusion,
readers may suddenly ask themselves what the “thousand injuries” are that Montresor
experienced at the hands of Fortunato. What could Fortunato have done that was so bad it would
have made Montresor bury him alive? Poe never expands on this conflict that so distinctly
determines Montresor’s murderous actions. Instead, he creates a mystery that readers will never
discover the answer to but will still clearly understand the spirit of the insult. This use of
mystery insures that readers will come to their own conclusion or draw upon their own
experiences in relation to the wrongs suffered by Montresor.
Another effective literary tool used by Poe is irony. Our text identifies irony as “a
discrepancy between what is said and what readers believe to be true” (292). Verbal irony is
given a further identity of “when the narrator says one thing but actually means another” (292).
Poe skillfully employs verbal irony in this story to intensify the madness of Montresor. As
Montresor leads Fortunato to the prized Amontillado, he tells him “Come…we will go back;
your health is precious” and “Come, we will go back ere it is too late. Your cough – “ (314).
The cunning Montresor cares not about the health of his victim, he merely feigns concern and
good will. Montresor next proposes a toast with wine to “defend us from the damps” (314).
Fortunato lifts the bottle and says “I drink…to the buried that repose around us” and Montresor
replies “And I to your long life.” Neither Fortunato, nor the reader, has any idea that he would
soon become one of the dead buried there or that his life would certainly not be long. The
twisted Montresor remains calm through the lies and continues to use the ruse of the expensive
wine to lure Fortunato away from civilization and into a crypt where no ears can hear his cries.
Situational irony is also used to great affect in this story. Our text describes situational
irony as having occurred when “the situation itself contradicts readers’ expectations” (721). Poe
also employs this literary tool to enhance the horror level of the story. Although from the
beginning of the journey into the family crypt, readers are made aware of the darkness and
stench of the locale, the end of the trail is unexpected. Poe’s word usage insures that readers can
almost see and smell the stage these acts are being played out on. A reader may naturally
surmise using methods of sane thinking, that Montresor is leading Fortunato into a wine cellar to
exact his revenge by bludgeoning or knife or some other silent weapon of death used during the
era. However, leading Fortunato to a recessed nook in a crypt covered by the bones and rotting
flesh of his own ancestors provides this story with true situational irony. Poe’s use of both
verbal and situational irony is one of the things that make this creepy story of revenge one to
remember.
The use of foreshadowing in this story also reinforces the diabolical plot of Montresor’s
murderous revenge. While luring Fortunato into the crypt, he gives clues about his intentions
that are continually missed by his victim. The Montresor family motto of “Nemo me impune
lacessit (No one insults me with impunity)” (314) is a blatant verbalization of the reason behind
this murder. It ties directly into the opening statement about the “thousand injuries” suffered by
Montresor at the hands of Fortunato. Yet, Fortunato misses the clue and emphatically responds
to the knowledge of the motto with a prideful “Good!” (314). Had Fortunato known that this
motto was actually the mantra of his murderer, he most certainly would have chosen another
response. Additionally, the colorful description of the Montresor coat of arms paints a clear
picture of Fortunato’s upcoming demise. The coat of arms, consisting of “A huge human foot
d’or, (‘golden foot’ www.wordreference.com) in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant
whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” (314) sounds regal when used as a heraldic symbol.
However, it is actually a foreshadowing of Fortunato’s tragic end as he is buried alive.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is one of Poe’s most famous stories. It is a twisted tale of
murderous revenge by a man driven to madness as a result of personal or family insult. A brief
review of Poe’s family life could lead readers to believe this story may have been a fantasized
version of his own desires. Although he was “saved” from an orphan’s life of poverty after the
death of his parents, he suffered rejection, defeat and sorrow on a constant basis. Biographical
information indicates that Edgar’s adoptive father was a wealthy merchant but that he withheld
financial support. The relationship was tenuous at best and abusive at worst (Sova). Perhaps
Poe fantasized that he could lure his abusers into the bowels of the earth and bury them alive for
their crimes. Perhaps thoughts of revenge and murder were present daily within the mind of this
gifted but disturbed author. Whatever the inspiration, this story expertly describes, in horrifying
detail, the lengths a person can and will go to for revenge.
Patti Johnson
Assignment 4a
Page 4 of 4
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed.
Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 6th ed. Boston:
Wadsworth, 2007. 314-317
Online Translation
http://www.wordreference.com/fren/d'or
Sova, Dawn B. "Poe, Edgar Allan." Critical Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. A Literary
Reference to His Life and Work., Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc.,
2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin=
ffazpoe0957&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 15, 2008).
Patti Johnson
Literary Madness
Insanity as a literary topic is not new. Authors have been crafting men and women of
literary madness for centuries using a combination of personal experience and their own twisted
imaginations. The characters they create are frequently memorable and most often offer
disturbing glimpses of humanity off-kilter. Writers have many creative tools at their disposal to
shape a world where the insane seem sane and sane seem insane. Scenery, language, theme, and
historical content are all literary tools that have been successfully employed in the creation of
stories on this topic. In both William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Charlotte Perkins
Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” the authors use different, yet equally effective thematic styles
to develop the madness of their characters.
The madness of Emily Grierson is not immediately apparent to readers of William
Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily.” As seen through the eyes her neighbors, Emily was an eccentric
and reclusive southern aristocrat who is viewed as “a sort of hereditary obligation upon the
town” (Faulkner, “Rose” 206). Although she is a strange character who lives in a secretive world
of the once-affluent, readers would not initially consider her mad. Faulkner gradually reveals
Emily’s madness to the reader by providing “a succinct list of clues” (Snodgrass, “Rose” par. 2)
and then building upon them over time until the final climax. Some critics believe this “detailing
of temporal chronology, together with structural elaborations, provide some of the most lucid
and meaningful understandings of Faulkner’s fiction” (Davis, “Another Flower” par. 3).
Besides the description of Emily’s great-aunt that “had gone completely mad” and the
suggestion that there was “insanity in the family” (Faulkner, “Rose” 208) after her behavior at
the death of her father, the first revelation of possible madness comes when she buys poison
from the druggist “for rats” (Faulkner, “Rose” 208). This scene also foreshadowed the eventual
murder of the victim whose name was never fully revealed. Was it the body of her lover Homer
Barron that was found in “that region above stairs” (Faulkner “Rose” 211)? Faulkner describes
the silver monogrammed toilet set, a nightshirt, and full suit of men’s clothing found in the room
with the body. All three of these items were previously purchased by Emily for Homer Barron
(Faulkner “Rose” 210). Or, could it have been the dead body of the original lover that had jilted
her so many years before but had laid there so long that it eventually quit stinking and turned to
dust? Had she purchased the same items for him and preserved them, along with his remains, in
this sealed room of only private access? Faulkner skillfully “builds interest through suspense”
and leaves the ultimate secret until the end (Snodgrass, “Rose” par. 1). In this tale, Faulkner
skillfully characterizes a woman who, crushed by the heartbreak of unrequited love and the death
of her father, falls into madness, the extent of which is only revealed after her death. Faulkner’s
brilliant revelation of the rotting corpse, and next to it a lock of what a reader must assume is
Emily Grierson’s hair, solidifies Emily’s place as a “mad” woman of literature.
In contrast to the subtle madness of William Faulkner’s Emily Grierson, Charlotte
Perkins Gilman created her character Jane in “The Yellow Wallpaper” as obviously mentally
disturbed from early in the story. Initially, a reader might believe this physician’s wife is merely
ill (or suffering post-partum depression as the text suggested in the “Cultural Context” paragraph
p. 366) and receiving the prescribed “rest cure” typical of the era (Credo, “Insanity and Life
Writing”, ref 6778146, par. 7). This treatment for mental illness in women was basically a
“paternalistic behavior modification” that recommended a “six week to two month” regiment of
bed rest. It was believed that this treatment would be “sufficiently aversive so that women would
readily return to their roles as wives and mothers” (Credo “Mental Health and Illness”, ref
5867721, par. 5). However, when Jane begins imagining that she sees people out of her window
that are not actually there, readers are introduced to the first true description of Jane’s possible
madness. This early revelation by the use of the first person narrative format, effectively places
the reader directly inside the mind of the disturbed protagonist.
Gilman’s characterization of the husband John as being rather flippant about the ordeal
and about his wife’s health, injects some confusion into the story, expertly misdirecting the
reader’s thoughts towards John as villain. Jane also refers to her personal belief that “congenial
work, with excitement and change, would do me good” further enhances the supposedly
villainous physician-husband’s treatment of her (Perkins Gilman, “Wallpaper” 367). However,
Jane’s repeated statements about not being sick, her growing obsession with the wallpaper in her
room, and her references to the supernatural, place doubts about her sanity in reader’s minds.
Although the thought of psychosis is presented early on by Gilman, readers may choose to draw
their own conclusion about Jane’s state of mind. This cloudy characterization of Jane, and the
skillful injection of doubt into the mind of the reader, encourages the reader to keep reading
through the odd behavior to try to see what is really going on with her.
This story is also heavily influenced by the imagery produced from the mind of the
narrator. By using the image of the constantly changing wallpaper as Jane’s object of obsession,
Gilman subtly paints a picture of someone who is delusional. The descriptive words chosen by
the author enforce the idea that Jane believes the wallpaper is alive and purposely tormenting
her. The passage “This paper looks to me as if it knew what a vicious influence it had!” (Perkins
Gilman, “Wallpaper 369”) conveys a part of Jane’s thought process as her descent into madness
escalates. Gilman also chooses the action of light moving across the sky to illustrate another
level of Jane’s madness. She begins to think only of the wallpaper, how light changes it, and
finally how by moonlight “it becomes bars” with “the woman behind it as plain as can be”
(Perkins Gilman, “Wallpaper”, 364). Gilman continues to intrigue readers with descriptions of
Jane’s hallucinations and her reactions to them. The story’s finale illuminates the final onset of
dementia with Gilman’s description of Jane’s escape from her captive wallpaper and her final
creation Jane’s madness.
The semi-autobiographical nature of this story also lends some credence to the societal
issues addressed within it. Utilizing the first person narrative, Gilman persuasively imparts her
own beliefs upon the reader. Her own belief in “recovery affected through the process of
writing” (Credo, “Insanity and Life Writing”, par. 7) is evident in Jane’s statement “I think
sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and
rest me” (Gilman, “Wallpaper”, 369). Historical accounts of Gilman’s life also describe her
dedication to feminism and individuality for women. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Jane
knowingly and willingly allows her physician-husband to dictate her treatment. In spite of the
treatment (or maybe as a result of the treatment) Jane becomes completely mad. This thought
probably resulted in “contemporary readers being horrified not by figures in the wallpaper but by
a woman’s proclivity to go insane when confined within the home” (Dictionary of Literary
Biography, par. 10).
Both of these stories successfully reveal the madness of the characters using different
thematic styles. Through the addition of this particular theme in their stories, authors are free to
express the twisted tales of inner turmoil. It has been said that “Writers have always been
fascinated by madness, as well as afraid of it” (Credo, “Madness”, ref 6778977, par. 5). The
mad characters writers create are able to push the envelope of what is acceptable behavior. We
are at times both intrigued and repulsed by their creations. Sometimes, we may even envy the
character’s ability to act on their twisted desires without the remorse or punishment normally
experienced by a sane person. Whatever way our preference bends for characters in a story, our
memory will no doubt contain remnants of the madness that was revealed.
Works Cited
Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 221: American Women Prose Writers, 1870-1920. A
Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Sharon M. Harris, University of Nebraska,
Lincoln. The Gale Group, 2000. pp. 148-158.
Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed.
Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 6th ed. Boston:
Wadsworth, 2007. 206-212
"Insanity and Life Writing." Encyclopedia of Life Writing: Autobiographical and
Biographical Forms. 2001. CredoReference. 22 May 2008
<http://www.credoreference.com.libraryproxy.cardean.edu/entry/6778146>.
"MADNESS." Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760-1850. 2003. CredoReference. 22
May 2008 <http://www.credoreference.com.libraryproxy. cardean.edu/entry/6778977>.
"Mental Health and Illness." The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History. 1998.
CredoReference. 22 May 2008 <http://www.credoreference.com.libraryproxy.
cardean.edu/entry/5867721>.
Perkins Gilman, Charlotte. “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Literature: Reading, Reacting,
Writing. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 6th ed. Boston:
Wadsworth, 2007. 366-378
Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. "'A Rose for Emily'." Encyclopedia of Gothic Literature. New
York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
n=
EGL328&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 25, 2008).
Davis, William V. Another Flower for Faulkner's Bouquet: Theme and Structure in `A Rose for
Emily', in Notes on Mississippi Writers, Vol. VII, No. 2, Fall, 1974, pp. 34-8.
<http://my.ellis.nyit.edu/myellis/around_campus_frame.jsp?content_page=http://ac.ellis.
nyit.edu/library.php>
P. Johnson 1
Make Mine Flex Time
What comprises a flexible work schedule? For my employer, it describes an
employee’s ability to work remotely, or with variable start/end times. The global nature
of our business environment sometimes requires me to log-on to internet meetings,
trainings, or conference calls at odd hours due to time zone differences. I have personally
been very glad during these moments, that video conferencing is not yet a widely used
technology. I prefer not to share my bed head, pajamas, or fuzzy slippers with the rest of
the world. I also certainly appreciate not having to don my usual work attire, hairdo, and
makeup to be in the office by 5:00am for a call with the Netherlands! Having a flexible
work schedule has added a number of positives to my work and personal life that I hope
to retain for the rest of my working years.
While compiling my research on the origin of the concept, I discovered that there
are actually two different terms commonly used to describe a flexible work schedule.
The online encyclopedia Wikipedia lists both “Flextime” or “Flexi-time” and “Flexplace”
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex_time> as company policies geared toward alternative
work schedules. “Flexi-time” is described as having a “variable work schedule” while
“Flexplace” is described as empowering employees to “have more decision authority on
where they will work regardless of time of day.” The same source also credits the origin
of the word “Flextime (originally derived from the German word ‘Gleitzeit’ which
literally means ‘sliding time’)” to a South German businessman and entrepreneur named
Wilhelm Haller (1935-2004). For purposes of this essay, I will generally use the word
“flextime” in my descriptions. The online encyclopedia www.encyclopedia.com, lists the
origin of the concept as being “introduced in Germany in 1967 and spreading quickly to
other parts of Europe.” This site also indicates the Unites States has been using the
concept in their workforce for approximately 20 years.” http://www.encyclopedia.com/
doc/1G1-75434903.html I didn’t find very many specific dates that would indicate a
timeline of development in the United States. I did, however, notice the beginning dates
coincide with the formation of Hewlett-Packard, Apple, and Microsoft.
P. Johnson 2
Proponents of flextime will offer you a number of reasons why they believe it is
valuable in today’s global workforce. They will tell you that employees with more of a
balance in their life are happier employees. From someone who is living ‘Gleitzeit’, I
can say they appreciate life more, they are less stressed, and very productive. Many
Seattle area mega-companies, such as Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft, are wellknown for their flexible work offerings – especially for computer and database experts.
Their “campus” environments are small, self-reliant cities dedicated to their corporate
culture.
The December 11, 2006 cover story called “Smashing the Clock”, by Michelle
Conlin, paints an enlightening picture of Best Buy Co.’s efforts to incorporate flextime
into their corporate environment. The article calls it “a radical—if risky—experiment to
transform a culture once known for killer hours and her-riding bosses.” Their ROWE
program, which stands for “results-only work environment” has ultimately increased
productivity and decreased turnover. The company’s numbers showed them that “orders
processed by people who are not working in the office are up 13% to 18% over those
who are.” Kind of makes you wonder why more companies aren’t willing to try it.
In an interview with Mr. Jim Johnston, an HR Director at my workplace, I was
personally enlightened with the flextime concepts practiced internally. His views of the
advantages of flextime were very much aligned with others I’ve read in researching this
subject. He made an excellent point about how being flexible with start/end times helps
commuting employees avoid unnecessary frustration. However, a statement he made that
I found particularly interesting was in response to a question about the negatives of a
flexible work environment. He stated that it is sometimes difficult to judge “the
individual capacity an employee has for self-management”. He also stated that the
manager’s “ability to manage in the flexible work environment” is difficult to develop
and is sometimes where our company falls short.
P. Johnson 3
Opponents of flextime will point out to you that managers suffer from the
constraints placed on them by managing a flexible workforce. I found this statement in
the same article by Michelle Conlin I mentioned above “Flexible work schedules…heap
needless bureaucracy on managers instead of addressing the real issue: how to work
more efficiently in an era of transcontinental teams and multiple time zones.” Many
positions are not suited to this less structured environment. An article called “Flexible
Work Arrangements” in the small business section on the www.referenceforbusiness.com
website notes that “critics point out that ill-conceived (flextime) programs can have a
negative impact on businesses”. <http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/EqInc/Flexible-Work-Arrangements.html>. They also note a common thread I have seen
throughout researching the opposition: the concern that “employees are unwilling or
unable to put in a full day of work amid the non-work temptations) of a home setting.” A
work-at-home situation can also rob employees of accountability and a feeling of being
connected to a team.
The issue of equity in the workplace was also a main point touched on by the
opponents of flextime. Employees who are in positions unsuited to a flexible work
situation, may believe the company is unfair to them. I think this would negatively
impact employee motivation and retention. In my research, I was unable to come up with
statistics which included motivation and retention study results. However, I’ve had
discussions with several former co-workers who were unhappy with what they viewed as
inequity. Even though they knew their jobs were not eligible for flextime options, they
believed if they could not have the options, then no one should. This is commonly
viewed as one of the negatives in managing a flexible work force.
Having the option of a flexible work schedule is one of the main reasons I chose
my current employer. I believe that as our world continues shrinking, the need to provide
employees with remote work options, flexible start/stop times, etc., will move from being
a “benefit” to being a requirement. Employers who want to attract and retain driven,
high-performing employees, have to break the mold of traditional work schedules and
focus more on work-life balance.
P. Johnson 4
Works Cited
“Flexible Work Arrangements” Forum
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Eq-Inc/Flexible-Work-Arrangements.html
“Smashing the Clock”
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_50/b4013001.htm
“Disadvantages of a Flexible Work Schedule”
http://www.clicknewz.com/1308/disadvantages-of-a-flexible-work-schedule