Becoming agile through mindfulness Dissertation

Becoming agile through mindfulness - Dissertation Example Organizations dealing with information systems development (ISD) have started shifting to agile methods. This has been necessitated by the fact that the previous traditional methodologies, such as waterfall methodology, have been restrictive in terms of processes and extensive planning (Lee & Xia, 2010). The agile manifesto has been derived from the following four main tenets; interactions and individuals over roles and processes, contract negotiation through customer collaboration, response to change over plan following and a working software rather than an exhaustive documentation. Through these four doctrines, the agile manifesto came up with 12 principles that have led to the creation of different other methodologies. Such methodologies as XP (eXtreme Programming), FDD (Feature Driven Development), DSDM (Dynamic System Development Method) and Scrum have had lots of support from leading industry practitioners. Agile practices can be fused with mindfulness to ensure effective deliv ery of software applications to customers. Mindfulness involves attention to changes and the surroundings during the software development process (Argote, 2006). Through mindfulness, it is possible to achieve a certain degree of flexibility that allows an organization to be strategically at an advantage compared to the others. Literature Review Agile Global Information Systems Development (GSD) Many Information Systems Development Companies are migrating to Agile methods as a way of coping with the increased demands placed on such organizations. Most of them have gone further ahead to introduce a substitute solution, Global Systems Development (GSD). This alternative has resulted in numerous benefits including an increased potential for innovations, reduced costs of software development, large pools of talent, reduced proximity to markets or clients, transfer of knowledge, division of work across sites and reduction in duration for developing the software especially due to the effec tiveness in time zones (Conchuir, Agerfalk, Olsson & Fitzgerald, 2009). According to Carmel and Agarwal (2001), firms and organizations should be well aware of challenges posed by the implementation of such methodologies. Just like Agile methodologies this area has not been well researched. The little research that exists on this area represents problem reports rather than extensive research that provide solutions in terms of significant techniques and practices (Smite, Wohlin, Gorschek & Feldt, 2010, p. 91). However, developing distributed or global software development through the use of Agile methods has been an area of great interest (Agerfalk, Fitzgerald & Slaughter, 2009). Such collaboration between distributed development and Agile methods has been conceptualized due to the capability that is produced when the two are fused together (Ramesh, Cao, Mohan & Xu, 2006). According to Turk, France and Rumpe (2002), such collaboration was regarded as highly unlikely. This was largely due to the fact that distributed development methods rely on formal methods while Agile methods are reliant on informal processes. Further research into this area has indicated that apart from the excellent blend that results from this collaboration, it is also possible to address issues of control and communication that arise during development of distributed systems (Ramesh, Cao, Mohan & Xu, 2006). This is an indication that Global Software Development is becoming much popular (Stotts, Nagappan, Baheti, Jen & A J, 2003). Such systems have

Smoking cessation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Smoking cessation - Essay Example Evidence Based Practice is essential to the medical practitioners that deal with the smokers since it is from the information gathered from the evidence based practice that nurses are able to ensure quality service delivery in the smoking and smoking cessation services. However, the nursing knowledge and clinical skills must be incorporated just as much as the appropriate evidence and integrate them with an understanding of the patient’s needs i.e. how to handle patients with smoking-related illnesses (Julia 2014). Remarkably, a partial frame of suggestions on the efficiency of intercessions to moderate the amount of deaths due to smoking in underprivileged regions via exploiting practical circumstances, preservation and provision of services; however, some mediation initiatives are hopeful but request for additional evaluation and familiarity in the field, from the nurses and medical personnel. In the past, there has been biasness in evidenced based practice in relation to smoking, where some information does not appear in the report such as the socioeconomic data on the smokers making it hard to come up with stable suppositions for all associates (Susan, 2012). Typically, the data is vital in any evidence-based practice as it generally helps the effecting of the smoking termination interpositions that can help decrease the rising rates in death, and smoking as for those communities that have occupied its peak peal. Decisively, the journal describes the key findings form the Smoking Toolkit study relevant to the smoking cessation policy for the past three years (2007 to 2010); the smoking tool kit study focused on surveys conducted monthly of representative samples of the population of England aged 16 years and above (the surveys were conducted every six months). The results shows that only a small number of smokers were familiar to the smoking cessation programs and had had discussions in the past one year and only a quarter of these smokers had gone on to the next step of the program- being offered a prescription or advised to see a stop smoking practitioner.

Effects of Television on Child Development

Effects of Television on Child Development Effects of Television Shallene K Green Society looks at the effects of watching television, which raises the question- Does television harm children from an early age? Dr. John Grohol, Psy.D., an author, researcher and expert in mental health believes through research that television has a harmful effect on the development of children. He claims that it can negatively impact study skills and test scores. The research conducted by Dr. Grohol supported the claim that television has negative side effects on children by exposing them to sex and violence at an early age. Contradictory to this is that it can, and does, offer a view into other worlds by showing other cultures in a society different than a child’s own. Studies may show that exposure to television does affect a child; however, what also needs to be addressed and considered are: What programs were these children viewing? How much of an impact does a childs experiences with other outside sources of influence make on their educational performance? Surely, the data from these studies can be deemed as biased or supporting an already formed opinion that television alone was the cause of lower test scores and behavioral problems for children. Dr. Grohol supports the idea that television has a negative impact on the educational development of children. His study suggests that exposure to television resulted in low test scores. It showed that 70 percent of children with a television in their bedroom scored seven to nine points lower on a standardized test (Grohol, 2009). Dr. Grohol’s study additionally showed that childrens test scores during the testing period were lower than children excluded from the project. While evidence suggests that television negatively impacts the test scores of a child, it also has effects on behavioral and emotional development, such as aggression and anxiety, that could also have been caused by watching television (Mitrofan, Paul, Spencer, 2009). Dr. Grohol believes that a child watching television will be slower in school; therefore, leading to an unsuccessful and unproductive educational future. Another factor contributing to the effect that television has on certain individuals would be: how long was the childs interaction with the television program, what was the type of show that was being watched and how influential was a parents involvement as to what programs are available for the child. He believes that â€Å"babysitting† children with a television set deprives them of vital human interaction necessary for growth and development. Dr. Grohol explains that the sex and violence depicted in television have a detrimental effect on young minds. By monitoring and restricting the amount and the content viewed by children, their early childhood development would have a better probability of educational, emotional and social success. Researchers, like Dr. Grohol, need to take into account the effect that watching television has on the number of hours of sleep a child has every night. Sleep appears necessary for our nervous systems to work properly (Grohol, 2014). However, are children losing sleep because theyre watching too much television or is it because their brains are too stimulated to be able to fall asleep? It is far more likely that children are watching too much television at the fault of their guardians who are not regulating it. In which case, the blame for children doing poorly in school should be equally placed on guardians and not solely on television itself. When used properly, television may become a positive weapon for teachers and parents by providing children with brain stimulating educational programming instead of programs containing sexual innuendo and violent content. Television does have potential to be positive by giving children access to viewing new worlds, giving them a chance to trav el the globe, learn about different cultures, and gain exposure to ideas that they may never encounter in their own community (Boyse, 2010). The other side of this study process showed the windows of opportunity to learn about cultures around the world by gaining personal experience and applying that information to a child’s own upbringing and community. While there is reasonable evidence that shows how television can affect how a child does in school and everyday life, outside social and emotional interactions also need to be taken into consideration on their effect towards developmental success. When parents stay engaged with a child and provide guidance through educational programs, they can dictate what is appropriate for viewing and monitor the quantity watched. Television also affects children differently. When more research is studied it suggests that boys are particularly vulnerable to parental conflict, and with the combination of television, it can increase a discord in the classroom. Whereas a girl may, or may not, respond with an outburst of anger by displaying physical aggression by thinking less of themselves (Murray, Ducournau, Stein, 2005). Without parental involvement, these radical emotional portrayals are far more prominent and likely. The difference between boys and girls can be very different, and can influence h ow they react to the content of television. Keeping in mind that no two children are alike, everyone involved in a child’s life needs to stay in tune with how they are doing in school, with friends or even interactions at home in order to create the greatest chances for success. Watching too much television has the possibility of causing a drop in test scores, violent outbursts and overall struggle to develop and positively participate in society. Television is not the only contributing factor to these issues; therefore, the entirety of the blame cannot be placed solely on it. It may lead individuals to better understand how to change the choices and paths of children with proper supervision, influence and guidance. Unchecked, television has the ability to cause difficulties for children; however, if used properly it can also be a great educational asset. As technology becomes a bigger part of everyday life, it will be important to stay informed on how it works, how it helps society grow or the possible dangers that come with it. Society cannot hide from progress, but can help guide and direct choices for children today and into tomorrow. References Boyse, K., RN. Reviewed by Brad Bushman, PhD. August (2010) Television and Children Grohol, J.M., Psy.D. on 21 Feb (2009). Kids with bedroom TV sets have lower standardized test scores. Grohol, J.M., Psy.D. Jun (2014) Sleep Disorders Insomnia Hipwell, A., Murray, L., Ducournau, P., Stein, A. (2005). The effects of maternal depression and parental conflict on childrens peer play. Child: Care, Health Development, 31(1), 11-23. Mitrofan, O., Paul, M., Spencer, N. (2009). Is aggression in children with behavioural and emotional difficulties associated with television viewing and video game playing? A systematic review. Child: Care, Health Development, 35(1), 5-15. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00912.x

Essay on Race in Invisible Man and Black Boy -- Invisible Man Essays

The Question of Race in Invisible Man and Black Boy      Ã‚   In the early twentieth century black American writers started employing modernist ways of argumentation to come up with possible answers to the race question. Two of the most outstanding figures of them on both, the literary and the political level, were Richard Wright, the "most important voice in black American literature for the first half of the twentieth century" (Norton, 548) and his contemporary Ralph Ellison, "one of the most footnoted writers in American literary history" (Norton, 700). In this paper I want to compare Wright's autobiography "Black Boy" with Ellison's novel "Invisible Man" and, in doing so, assess the effectiveness of their conclusions.    Both books have many striking parallels. Each tells the story of a young and intelligent picaresque character who goes through a painful odyssey of racism and prejudice during which he intellectually matures. Disappointed by institutions like family, church and political parties, mainly because they try to deprive them of their individuality by instrumentalizing and categorizing them, both protagonists grow more and more disillusioned. At the peak of their cynicism they eventually reject the American society as a whole. They now have only two logically consistent ways out of their dilemma: Flight or fight.    Ellison's protagonist chooses to take the first way. He believes that he can now finally see how society really works and he finds that in it he plays the role of an "invisible man". His invisibility is due to the fact that the other people are blind for the characteristics that distinguish him as an individual human being and instead apply to him the same stereotypes they associate with A... ...llison ends. His protagonist does not have to look for the individualism that the invisible man is always struggling for because he seems to have been born with it. Therefore his efforts are much more focused and constructive.    In conclusion I can say that I understand Ellison's point of view on the emotional level but that I have to give Wright right on the political level.    Works Cited: Berry, W. Abner. "Ralph Ellison's Novel 'Invisible Man' Show Snobbery, Contempt for Negro People." The Daily Worker: 8 Nov. 1999 <http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/berry-on-ellison.html>. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. 2nd ed. New York: Vintage International, 1995. W. L. Andrews et al., ed. The Literature of the American South: A Norton Anthology. New York: Norton, 1998. 58 Wright, Richard. Black Boy. New York: Harperpennial, 1993. Essay on Race in Invisible Man and Black Boy -- Invisible Man Essays The Question of Race in Invisible Man and Black Boy      Ã‚   In the early twentieth century black American writers started employing modernist ways of argumentation to come up with possible answers to the race question. Two of the most outstanding figures of them on both, the literary and the political level, were Richard Wright, the "most important voice in black American literature for the first half of the twentieth century" (Norton, 548) and his contemporary Ralph Ellison, "one of the most footnoted writers in American literary history" (Norton, 700). In this paper I want to compare Wright's autobiography "Black Boy" with Ellison's novel "Invisible Man" and, in doing so, assess the effectiveness of their conclusions.    Both books have many striking parallels. Each tells the story of a young and intelligent picaresque character who goes through a painful odyssey of racism and prejudice during which he intellectually matures. Disappointed by institutions like family, church and political parties, mainly because they try to deprive them of their individuality by instrumentalizing and categorizing them, both protagonists grow more and more disillusioned. At the peak of their cynicism they eventually reject the American society as a whole. They now have only two logically consistent ways out of their dilemma: Flight or fight.    Ellison's protagonist chooses to take the first way. He believes that he can now finally see how society really works and he finds that in it he plays the role of an "invisible man". His invisibility is due to the fact that the other people are blind for the characteristics that distinguish him as an individual human being and instead apply to him the same stereotypes they associate with A... ...llison ends. His protagonist does not have to look for the individualism that the invisible man is always struggling for because he seems to have been born with it. Therefore his efforts are much more focused and constructive.    In conclusion I can say that I understand Ellison's point of view on the emotional level but that I have to give Wright right on the political level.    Works Cited: Berry, W. Abner. "Ralph Ellison's Novel 'Invisible Man' Show Snobbery, Contempt for Negro People." The Daily Worker: 8 Nov. 1999 <http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/berry-on-ellison.html>. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. 2nd ed. New York: Vintage International, 1995. W. L. Andrews et al., ed. The Literature of the American South: A Norton Anthology. New York: Norton, 1998. 58 Wright, Richard. Black Boy. New York: Harperpennial, 1993.

Report on the Condition of Psychological Pressure of College Students

Title page Resisting Pressure: Survey on Chongqing University's Students' Psychological Pressure Group6 Supervisor: Wang Xu Chongqing University May 7, 2012 Abstract page Abstract This survey examined the condition of Chongqing university's students' psychological health. Our main aim is to find ways to deal with the pressure we students face. 100 Chongqing university's students were surveyed on both pressure they face and ways they use to deal with that. We predicted that academic pressure,emotional pressure and the pressure of employment can be huge to our students and it's hard for them to deal with that.Actually,pressure from the above three aspects was not that huge for our students,no matter they are science students or arts students,girls or boys. Also,it seems like that our students have their own set of ways to handle these pressure. Still,there are a certain number of students find they struggle to handle pressure from the three aspects,suggesting that Chongqing university 's students mainly stay a healthy psychological condition,but there are still things we can do to improve that. Body Resisting Pressure: Survey on Chongqing University's Students' Psychological PressureNowadays,with the rapid development of China's economy,psychological pressure more and more appear in newspaper,TV,or someone's life,especially,a university student's life. Many factors can be pressure for a university student. For example,academic grade point(GPA),emotional problems or job-hunting difficulties. After summarizing most pressure factors, we classified them to three aspects:academic pressure,emotional pressure and pressure of the employment. So,how the three pressure source affect university students and how the students deal with that?As to psychological sources of stress for college students, foreign research results are generally believed to include academic factors, social factors, life and economic factors, career factors. [i] For example, Misra's research shows tha t the Students' largest source of stress are factors that directly related to learning , such as test scores and test results, the burden of learning;The second largest source of pressure are social environment-related factors such as economic problems, lack of time to communicate with parents and friends. ii]The Armeli group's study shows that students's anxiety caused by the pressure of two aspects;on the one hand, it's high academic expectations that caused them anxious;on the other hand, it is the will of self-development and maintaining good interpersonal relationships contributes to that anxiety. [iii]Domestic scholars found that the pressure sense of college students mostly come from life events when thay are trying to adapt to college life. Severe psychological problems are caused especially by life events which are linked to their personal lives, their parents and family, learning progress , and most of them are negative events. iv]Li Lun and Wang Qian, according to whose r esearch,they pointed out that the psychological pressure of college students can be summarized into the three categories: pressure from family, work , learning problems ,love and interpersonal problems. [v]Li Hong and Mei JinRong's study indicates that college students' main pressure source including:study,job-hunting,interpersonal relationships,life problems,romance,economy,society,tests,family,life and study environment,future,competence,personal affairs(development,outlook,confidence),health,competitiveness. 5 categories in total. [vi] However,it's not hard to see that the studies which have been done mostly are qualitative analysis . Most researches focused on frequency and type of event that caused pressure,but lack the discovery of the psychological experience of degree research. Therefore, we want to use the college students' psychological pressure gauge as a theoretical basis to provide a scientific analysis of mental health status of college students so to put forward some constructive ideas for college students to stay psychological health. . Method ParticipantsParticipants included 100 Chongqing university students (56 females, 44males;61 majoring in science,19 majoring in arts),most of them are in their freshman year,the other are junior students. Materials Stress in college students is texted by 25 questions listed in each of 100 questionnaires. We tested it in three different aspects–academic pressure,emotional pressure and the pressure of employment. participants are requested to make multiple-choice or single choice so let us know the degree of their psychological pressure. Pressure degree is measured on the basis of Students pressure measure table. vii]And ways to handle pressure are concluded from these analysis . Procedure As our first step,we gave away 100 questionnaires ,then we collected the data and made an analysis of it using the Students Pressure Measure Table,at last,we put forward our view and suggestions. Note:M–male( 44); F–female(56);ST–science students(61);AT–arts students(39) Academic pressure group Emotional pressure group I. [pic] [pic] Unexpectedly,a significant difference between science students and arts students was found. However,there was no obvious difference between boys and girls was indicated.We deduced that the former phenomenon was due to the following reasons:For one thing,science students are busy doing their homework or experiments ,when compared with arts students,they have less time to experience loneness and their life maybe much simpler. This point of view was supported by Figure 2—Academic performance was more important for science students than arts students. As the saying goes:Simple is beautiful. Simple life lead to a higher happiness level. For another,it's a new trend which was observed by many sociologists that boys majoring in science are more appealing for girls than boys majoring in arts.Combining with the fact that Chongqing Universi ty's Male to Female ratio is 7 to 1. It's no surprise that boys majoring in science are less pressed by factors like romance but money is a problem. Also unexpectedly,we found that girls we surveyed put more attention the academic factors,Perhaps that's why girls feel more happy than boys–girlfriends' mood may always changing but your GPA is always there. Is that a reason why girls are always studying hard than boys in college? II. [pic] [pic] [pic] We predicted that girls are more easy to feel lonely and have a stronger urge of taking with others.Moreover,they might be more good at dealing with their psychological pressure. Our survey results partly support our idea:most girls are not always troubled with the feeling of loneliness and girls do know how to deal with own pressure—they write letters or diaries;they can cry out or go shopping with friends.. Unexpectedly,compared with boys,they are less likely to talk about their problems than boys. So,why? After looking t hrough our data collecting results,here is the reason:among the 54 girls we surveyed,39 are majoring in science.As we all know,in some science majors,girls are rare,say,The Civil Engineering,so it's no wonder they don't like to talk about it:female friends around them,especially in a same class are are. So,how about build a relationship with boys,treat them as their â€Å"girlfriends†? III. [pic] [pic] [pic] Unexpectedly,it seems like that most students who received our survey all have a familiar results according to the figure1,2,3. Half students will be pressed by others' views ,pressed by the mainstream definition of success,and pressed by dealing interpersonal relationships no matter he or she,science or arts.This phenomenon can be explained by the theory of Group Psychological Effects. ,which says because of the need of seeking belonging sense,individuals will obey the norms and standards of a certain group. However,Group Psychological Effects are not equivalent to each member,that's why the other choose an opposite choice. Also unexpectedly,girls are more pressured by â€Å"success† though we traditionally thought that boy was the one who shouldered too heavy an expectation. All in all,we found that students in Chongqing University generally stay in a healthy emotional pressure level,and the existence of there pressure sources might be a good thing.Because it can help college students mature both physically and mentally thus they will learn to understand others and get along well with themselves. We always believe that EQ is more important than IQ,so the pressure can increase their EQ,even stimulate them to rebuild a better self. Job-hunting pressure group Discussion The purpose of this study was to find how different levels of pressure college students bear and put forward constructive methods to deal with that.We predicted that a large number of college students are experiencing or have experienced different levels of depression caused by pressure. In this study,those students that we tested mostly showed healthy psychological condition and a good knowledge of ways to let out pressure. Thus,our hypothesis was not supported by this study. But,how and why? Is it true that college students are living happily and without pressure given by society. We postulate that this result can be explained by the following reasons:First of all,the concept of â€Å"vanity† may explain this unusual phenomenon.Fear of being other people see themselves vulnerable and the trend to pretend optimism as all people like optimistic make them choose some options which are not true. Secondly,our participants mainly are freshmen,in their first year in university,the impact of pressure from the three sources are small as everything is new which attract their most attention. Last but not least,it's maybe cultural background that affects our students choice. For example,most westerners are used to express theirs feelings directly,however,we Chinese are more familiar with words like†just so-so†,†not bad†,which are not clear to escribe our feelings. And that may make an effect on our survey. In conclusion, the results of this study provide some fascinating insights into the pressure level Chongqing University students feel. Contrary to what we predicted, most students may indeed always stay in a good psychological condition and know a lot to get alone with their emotion. This research and other research to follow will contribute to knowledge of the main condition of Chongqing University students and good ways to deal with pressure. —and possible advantages—of skipping meals.The mixed results of this study suggest that we have much more to learn about resisting pressure in college. ———————– [i] Rawson H E,Bloomer K,Kendall A. Stress,anxiety,depression and physical illness in college students. [J]. The Journal of Genetic Psycholog y,1999,155(3);321-330. [ii] Misra R,Mc Kean M. College students' academic stress and its relation to their anxiety,time management and leisure satisfaction[J]. American of Health Studies,2000,16(1);41-51. [iii] Armeli S,Gunthert K C,Cohen L H.Stressor appraisals,coping,and post-event outcomes:The dimensionality and antecedents of stress-related growth[J]. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology,2001,20(3);366-395. [iv] Guo JinWu,She ShuangYu. A Preliminary Study of College Students' Sense of Life Stress. [J]Psychological Science,1996,19(2),;123-124. [v] Li Lun,Wang Qian. University Students' Mental Stress: Life Events And Coping Style Characteristics[J],Medicine And Society. 2002,8(1);27-31. [vi] Li Hong,Mei JinRong. Development of Stress Scale for College Students. [J]. Applied Psychology,2002,8(1),:27-31.

Hard Times Essay

Hard Times opens with a look at a Utilitarian educational system.   The readers are introduced to a method of teaching that is centered only on facts and nothing else: no imagination, and â€Å"unnecessary† information (Hard Times†¦..2006). Schoolmaster Thomas Gradgrind fully supports the Utilitarian system, and has brought up his children Tom and Louisa ( and their siblings) in this way. Mr. Gradgrind’s longtime pal Josiah Bounderby – a factory owner – is also an enthusiast of Utilitarianism (Hard Times†¦..2006). Louisa Gradgrind is a miserable and misled girl, while his brother Tom is an unwholesome and ambitious young man (Hard Times†¦..2006). When a circus performer’s daughter, Sissy Jupe, enrolls at the Gradgrind School, she unsettles the people around her by her interpretation of life, which could be turned fanciful in contrast with the facts of Utilitarianism (Hard Times†¦..2006). Sissy’s father had outlasted his usefulness at the circus and ran away, deserting Sissy. Mr. Gradgrind felt sorry for Sissy and hired her on as a servant (Hard Times†¦..2006). One day, Messrs. Gradgrind and Bounderby informed Sissy that she had to  decide between living a better life through obtaining education and leaving all her circus friends behind, or go with the circus (Hard Times†¦..2006). Sissy chooses the former, because she knew that this is what her father wanted for her, and why he abandoned her. In the first chapter, we are also introduced to the people at the mill, who is represented by Stephen Blackpool – who desired a divorce from his alcoholic wife (Hard Times†¦..2006). By the end of the first book, Mr. Grandgrind obtained Louisa’s consent to marry Mr. Bounderby (Hard Times†¦..2006). In Book one, Mr. Dickens established differences between fact and fancy. There are no hidden metaphors in Mr. Dickens’ style of writing in Book One. The teacher’s name is M’choackaumchild – reminiscent of choking children’s imaginations (Hard Times†¦..2006). Mr. Gradgrind’s name symbolizes grinding of facts† (Hard Times†¦..2006). As time went by, Sissy Jupe becomes a member of the Gradgrind family, and provides a contrast to the lackluster Louisa, who has gotten married to Mr. Bounderby (Hard Times†¦..2006). In the meantime, Tom tries his best to work his way up in life (Hard Times†¦..2006). Tom makes friends with a dashing associate of Mr. Bounderby, named James Harthouse, who develops an attraction for Louisa (Hard Times†¦..2006). In due time, he confesses his passion for  Louisa, who spurn his advances (Hard Times†¦..2006). Mr. Harthouse asked Louis to elope with him, but again, Louisa turned him down(Hard Times†¦..2006). Louisa returns to her father house and confronts his father about his pretentious way of educating her, and of depriving her of the real facts of life (Hard Times†¦..2006). Meanwhile, Mr. Blackpool travels to Mr. Bounderby’s place at the advise of his paramour, Rachel, and informs Mr. Bounderby that that he is not joining the labor union due to its crooked boss, Mr. Stackbridge (Hard Times†¦..2006). Mr. Bounderby accuses Blackpool of allegiance and fires him from his job, on the spot. Meanwhile, Tom tells Mr. Blackpool to wait for him outside a bank, for new about a job Tom could have for him. While waiting outside (with Mr. Bounderby’s mother, Mrs. Pegler), a larceny occurs at the bank (Hard Times†¦..2006). Mr. Blackpool and Mrs. Pegler immediately become suspects. When Mr. Gradgrind and Tom find that Mr. Blackpool has fallen into a mineshaft, the latter divulges that it was Tom who made him wait outside the bank (Hard Times†¦..2006). When Mrs. Pegler is found, she revealed that Mr. Bounderby is her son, and that all his stories of self-made success were a sham. Mr. Bounderby is humiliated (Hard Times†¦..2006). Mrs. Sparsit, a nosy woman working in a bank who was snooping on Mr.  Harthouse and Louisa decides to tell everything to Mr. Bounderby, who decided to give Louisa until 12 o’clock the next dawn to spurn Mr. Harthouse once and for all, or the marriage is forfeited (Hard Times†¦..2006). At the same time, Mr. Bounderby confesses to Mrs. Sparsit that she was aware of everything about Louisa and Mr. Harthouse, and of Louisa’s preserved honor, and how she went home to her father’s house in order to resist temptation. Mrs. Sparsit comes out in a bad light. Louisa and her father are both convinced that Tom was involved in the bank theft, and that he framed up Mr. Blackpool. Tom admits it, Sissy suggests that he hides with the circus, and his father finds a way to send him away from shame on board a ship. Mr. Gradgrind is outraged by how Tom turned out to be, and felt the weight of Utilitarianism collapse on him. Mr. Gradgrind gives up his system, and accepted the â€Å"circus philosophy†because of all the troubles that Utilitarianism has brought on their lives. Recurring Themes in â€Å"Hard Times† â€Å"Fact† vs â€Å"Fancy† The difference between fact and fancy is highlighted in the early pages of the novel. The Gradgrind system embraced a life full of facts and science, and scorned the concept of an imaginative life. Because of this, the Gradgrind system choked the souls of their students little by little. It took a Sissy  and her circus troupe to teach them that, in contrast, life cannot be devoted exclusively to labor, and that people have to be happy. Fidelity Fidelity touches on the conflicts in personal interests, honesty and faithfulness that happens all through out â€Å"Hard Times.† Messrs. Bounderby and Harthouse were consistently dishonest, while Louisa and Sissy were steadfastly truthful. In Louisa’s story, her fidelity is highlighted when she refused Mr. Harthouse’s advances even though she has attracted to him, in spite of her displeasure with her husband. Sissy’s fidelity is highlighted by her strong conviction that the day will come when her father will come back for her. Escape The theme of escape underscores the vast difference between the lives of the rich and the poor. In Mr. Blackpool, we see a man yearning to escape from his unhappy marriage but cannot even escape his dreams for serenity. Tom indulges in vices as escapes from his boring life. Louisa desires to escape from her father’s rigid system. Finally, Mr. Harthouse seeks escapes in adventures, easily escaping each time when his adventures lose their luster. Mr. Gradgrind represent the English ruling class during the Industrial Revolution. Mr. Bounderby symbolizes the Darwinist idea that anyone can  achieve success through hard work. This is very important because we find out later in the novel that he is a fraud. Te description of Coketown represents what the Industrial Revolution does to people – working but not living a meaningful life.