Impact of Parenting Styles: A Review

Impact of Parenting Styles: A Review Farah Nazneen Impact of Parenting Style in Bangladesh: A  Systematic Review Introduction Parents are teachers, guiders, leaders, protectors, and providers for their children. Our behavior, thought, motivation, belief, value, personality etc all are directly or indirectly depend on our parenting style. Research on parenting style is so important to determine the positive impact and negative impact on children. There are mainly four types of parenting styles. They are: Authoritative parenting style Authoritarian parenting style Permissive parenting Style Uninvolved parenting style Figure 1: Types of parenting style Bangladesh is a small south Asian country. Very few research has been conducted on the general picture of parenting style in Bangladesh. The majority of the research shown that there are positive correlation between parental acceptance and positive personal characteristics of children. Figure 2: Parents of Bangladesh The Review Information about the Studies: For the review 6 original papers of Bangladesh were selected based on the research on parenting style. All of the research was conducted through quantitative method. The samples (in total 744) of the studies were both school children and adult person. Table 1 depicts the studies with necessary information such as sample size, design, variables studied, data analysis techniques and results. Table 1. Description of the Studies Impact on Personality: Parental rejection can influence our personality (Shahid et al. 2009). In an investigation researcher found significant positive correlation of maternal rejection and neuroticism (anger, loneliness, anxiety, and depression) of adults. But they found no significant correlation between paternal rejection and neuroticism. It may be because in Bangladeshi culture mother used to play all the roles of child rearing and father only play the role in economic wellbeing of family. So father rejection merely affect the childs personality (Shahid et al. 2009). On the other hand, it was found that there is a significant positive correlation between paternal rejection and psychoticism. People with psychoticism have biological causes rather than neuroticism. Therefore, for biological causes, person would be less able to cope with the negative experience like paternal rejection (where some of the participants gave less priority to paternal rejection). That could be the possible explanation of positive correlation between paternal rejection and psychoticism (Shahid et al. 2009). It was also found that there is a negative correlation between parental (both paternal and maternal) rejection and extraversion (being outgoing, talkative, high on positive affect). As parental rejection is negative experience that may prevent them to be high on positive affect (Shahid et al. 2009). This study work with only 3 categories of personality. Further studies are needed to find the correlation between parenting style and other categories of personality like as introversion, openness,conscientiousness,agreeableness etc. Impact on Cognitive Emotion Regulation In an investigation among children researchers found that authoritative parenting was the strongest predictor of overall adaptive emotion regulation while authoritarian parenting was the strongest predictor of overall less adaptive emotion regulation. Permissive parenting has no impact on adaptive and less adaptive emotion regulation (Karim et al. 2013). This study offers some inconsistent results. Here, authoritarian parenting contributes significantly in both the adaptive and less adaptive cognitive emotion regulations. This was unpredicted and failed to explain by the present data. Marital adjustment of parents can also affect the cognitive emotion regulation of children. Because due to marital adjustment balance of parenting style between mother and father could vary. As better marital adjustment of parents help children to handle the negative experiences it is strongly and positively associated with childs adaptive emotion regulation (acceptance, positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal and putting into perspective strategies) and negatively with childs overall less adaptive emotion regulation (self-blame, rumination or focus on thought, catastrophizing, and blaming others strategies) (Ansary and Karim, 2011). Research evidence also shown that fathers positive affect (enthusiasm, active, and alert) is strongly and positively associated with childs overall adaptive emotion regulation; and negatively associated with childs overall less adaptive emotion regulation (Ansary and Karim, 2011). But in the case of mother it is little bit difference. Mothers positive affect and negative affect were not significantly associate with childs overall adaptive cognitive emotion regulation. In the case of less adaptive cognitive emotion regulation picture is different, researcher found strong positive association (Ansary and Karim, 2011). Impact on Self-esteem: In a research it was proved that parental rejection is significantly and positively correlated with lower self-esteem of person (Yasmin and Hossain, 2014). This result also suggests thatmaternalrejectionhasgreaterimpactonselfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ esteemthanpaternalrejection. However sample size of this research is so poor only 60. Which is not sufficient to generalize the finding. Again maternal rejection as a good predictor of self-esteem in early adulthood in which self-esteem had significant negative correlation with remembrance of maternal rejection in childhood (Din and Huque, 2013). In this research they didn’t see the effect of paternal rejection in early adulthood. Impact on life-satisfaction: Yasmin and Hossain (2014) shown that both maternal and paternal involvement in childhoodisimportanttodevelopoffspring’slifesatisfactioninadulthood. This result also suggests thatmaternalrejectionhasgreaterimpactonlife satisfactionthanpaternalrejection. However sample size of this research is so poor only 60. Which is not sufficient to generalize the finding. Impact on Academic Achievement: In a study with tribal and non-tribal student researchers found significant negative correlations between both maternal and paternal acceptance scores and academic achievement scores. It was also found from the results of the study that there were significant differences in maternal acceptance, paternal acceptance and academic achievement between tribal and non tribal children. That is, non tribal children were more maternally accepted, more paternally accepted and showed higher academic achievement as compared to their tribal counterpart (Aktar, Shahrier, and Rahaman, 2013). Conclusions Existing literature on parenting style of Bangladesh shown relatively same findings. Most of the research approved the positive impact on children for acceptance parenting style and negative impact due to rejected parenting style. Parental acceptance help to develop our positive aspect of personality and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation, increase self-esteem and life (Shahid et al. 2009; Karim, Sharafat, and Mahmud, 2013; Yasmin and Hossain, 2014; and Din and Huque, 2013). But in the case of academic achievement we get controversial finding from other research in different culture. In the study of tribal and non-tribal children parental acceptance does not facilitate child’s academic achievement (Aktar, Shahrier, and Rahaman, 2013). May be our educational system failed to evaluate our children in terms of academic achievement. Further studies are needed to establish a clear relationship between parenting style and academic achievement, and evaluating academic achievement. All of the research on parenting style were conducted with few samples. Here highest sample size was only 206. Few sample is not reliable tool to predict the nature of parenting style especially in survey research. The research finding of above studies are failed to generalize the overall finding for large population of Bangladesh. Again participants of the research are presentable for different class of people in our society like age, race, socio-economic status, occupation, locality etc. There are also no broad, reliable research on overall population of Bangladesh to establish norm of general parenting style in Bangladesh. Again most of the research in parenting style are conducted on quantitative research method. Qualitative research on parenting style could facilitate to understand the cause of different impact of parenting style in the context of Bangladesh. In conclusion further research is needed on this sector to establish a clear relationship between parenting style and positive impact on children. So parent’s awareness in raising child could be increase. We can also work with different types of variables related to parenting style. References Aktar, R., Shahrier, M. A., Rahaman, M. M. (2013). Parental acceptance and academic achievement of tribal and non-tribal children of Bangladesh. Journal of Life and Earth Science, 8, 31-39. Ansary, T. M., Karim, A. K. M. R. (2011). Cognitive emotion regulation in children as predicted by parents marital adjustment and their nature of affect. Bangladesh Psychological Studies, 21, 1-16. Din, F. A., Huque, P. (2013). Maternal rejection in childhood: its effect on self-esteem in early adulthood. Bangladesh Psychological Studies, 23, 15-28. Karim, A. K, M. R., Sharafat, T., Mahmud, A. Y. (2013). Cognitive emotion regulation in children as related to their parenting style, family type and gender. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Science, 39(2), 211-220. Shahid, S. F. B., Mullick, M. S. I., Nahar, J. S., Naher, J., Khan, S., Morshed, N. M., Shah, M. A., Qusar, M. M. A. S. (2009). Relationship between Parental Rejection and Personality. BSMMU Journal, 2(2), 61-65. Yasmin, S., Hossain, A. (2014). Relation of parental rejection with selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ esteem and life satisfaction of young adults. Dhaka University Journal of Biological Science, 23(1), 69-76.

Comparative: Equality 7-2521 versus Z :: essays research papers

Ego, a common word used in most people?s lives, unfortunately its not as common or even nonexistent in the lives of Equality 7-2521 and Z. They live their lives a bit different than most people. They live as a collective. Yes, a collective, they live in societies that don?t believe in individualism. Without individualism there are no ideas or opinions and without them its very hard for a society to function. Z , an ant who lives to help his colony, risked his life for the women he loved. Equality 7-2521, a determined man who broke countless laws to save the pride of his life, his light. Although Equality 7-2521 and Z have many similarities they have very different lives. Individualism, which is a big difference between Z and equality 7-2521. Z has a name that can distinguish him from other people. Were as Equality 7-2521 does have a very descriptive name. Another difference is Z is aloud to have opinions on issues. Conversely Equality 7-2521 has no opinions he is not even aloud to have them. Even though Equality 7-2521 and Z are different, in many ways they have very similar characteristics such as: the desire to be different without being an outcast because they are smarter or stronger. No matter how hard Equality 7-2521 and Z tried they always managed to

Genetically Modified Crops Essay -- GMOs Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically Modified Crops Genetically modified crops (GM crops) climb to the top on the hotly debated issues list of society. In 1996, no GM crops were cultivated on a commercial scale in the United States. In 2002, 75% of soya, 71% of cotton, and 34% of all maize grown in America is GM ("Grim Reaper" 1). Many issues surround this controversial topic such as safety, ethics, and foreign relations. Many of these concerns are well stressed in mass media, but sometimes biased views are the only ones presented. Safety with human health and the effects on the environment appear to be the strongest and most discussed subject matter. While issues of concern accompany the usage of GM crops, argument can be made to justify their production. HISTORY What many people do not know is that genetic modification has been going on since the founder of Genetics, Gregor Mendel, cross- bred his pea plants for different affects. Many of the flowers sold and bought in our society are mutations and mixing of genes. "The corn we eat today is the result of decades of · self-pollination followed by cross-pollination to produce vigorous hybrid plants" ("History" 3). For well over a century, playing with genes has given humans a more cost and space efficient means of mass-producing plants, whether that is corn, potatoes, strawberries or flowers. The National Research Council met in 1989 to discuss some concerns over field testing of GM organisms (GMOs). A report from the National Academy of Science said, "Crops modified by genetic engineering should pose risks that are no different from those of cops modified by classical genetic methods" (Hokanson 1). These classical methods range from Mendel's cross-breeding to wi... ...gy Products being Developed" Council for Agricultural Science and Technology December 2, 1999 "Public 'Misled' On GE Risk" Knowledge Centre par. 8; Feb 25, 2001: "Risks and Concerns" Center for Life Sciences and Dept. of Soil and Crop Sciences Colorado State University Par. 12; August 19, 2002 Robinson, Clare. "GM Issues: An Introduction to the Scientific Issues of GM" John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK 2000: Stokstad, Erik. "A Little Pollen Goes a Long Way" Science Now July 1, 2002: 1-2. "What's Wrong with Genetic Engineering?" Organic Consumers Association Par.1;

Geography of Cuba Essay -- Essays Papers

Geography of Cuba The geography of Cuba is very diverse, with large mountain ranges spanning the western and south central regions, and a beautiful 2,320 mile coastline that boasts white, sandy beaches to the north. The semitropical climate of Cuba supports lush, agricultural fields in which many species of plants and animals thrive. The main island of Cuba is about 40,543 sq. miles, and Cuba's Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth) covers about 1,180 sq. miles. Also part of the Republic are four sets of small archipelagos: the Sabana, the Colorados, the Canarreos and the Jardines de la Reina. The main type of soil found in Cuba is red clay, along with some sand and limestone hills. A surprising three quarters of Cuba's land is fertile countryside and is readily accessible to many harbors. Cuba has a unique advantage over the other Carribean islands because of its accessibility to harbors, which allows for the transport of agricultural goods easily and efficiently to foreign markets. ...

Defined Marketing

Many people incorrectly believe that marketing and advertising are the same. From an organizational point of view, marketing is the process of determining the needs and wants of consumers, as well as profitable providing consumers with goods and services they are looking for, or even overcome their expectations. Marketing activity needs to ensure that the products are provided to users in places where they want them, and at the price they are willing to pay, and that information is provided directly by users. This paper will provide several definitions of marketing and explain its importance in organizational success, supported by examples from the business world. Dr. Philip Kotler defines marketing as â€Å"the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. Marketing identifies unfulfilled needs and desires. It defines, measures and quantifies the size of the identified market and the profit potential. It pinpoints which segments the company is capable of serving best and it designs and promotes the appropriate products and services (Kotler, 2012)†. According to Kotler, marketing is also a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups – through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others, are getting what they need or what they want. Peter Drucker wrote the following: â€Å"Because the purpose of business is to create and keep a customer, the business enterprise has two, and only two, basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business (Drucker, 1973). Marketing plays a central role in achieving organizational success, because it talks about creating and retaining customers. For this reason, companies are focused on marketing, recognizing the importance of building relationships with customers by providing customer satisfaction, and the importance of attracting new customers by creating additional value. Gronroos, in his definition of marketing, emphasizes the importance of building relationships, in which he said that the goal of marketing is to stablish, develop and commercialize long-term relationships with our customers, so that the objectives of stakeholders are met (1999, Gronroos). Since the majority of the market is characterized by fierce competition, this statement indicates a need to monitor and understand the competition, as rivals are those that will turn customers when their needs are not being met. In the exciting world of business, successes and failures are common. Marketing is the essence of all the changes, and it is often the decisive factor in their outcome. This is because the focus is on the customers and their changing needs. Successful organizations are those that are able, not only to get new customers, but also to retain them, by always meeting their changing needs. The company's activities are both reflected and shaped the world in which we live. Almost every year there is a new product or service that fully occupies the attention of the market and makes a great success. Companies are responding to customer needs by proposing that value by providing number of benefits that are offered to customers to meet their needs. Value of the intangible becomes physical, the proposal that may be a combination of products, services, information, and experiences. Brand represents an offer from a known source. Name brand, like McDonald's raises many associations with people: hamburgers, fun, children, fast food, coziness, and so on. These associations make up the brand image. All the companies are struggling to build a powerful brand – to be strong, popular and unique. The essence of the brand is to emotionally connect with consumers and achieve lasting impressions. It should be summed up in a few words, a simple statement that defines the quality, character and uniqueness of the brand. For example, Hallmark sums up the essence of their brand through two words â€Å"enriching lives,† and those two words are the basis for everything in Hallmark, the greeting card design, product development through customer service, merchandising, in-store communications and advertising, and to create a positive working environment for their employment. Hallmark brand essence permeates every aspect of the company and its operations. If we ask marketing and advertising experts around the world, what is the secret of Apple’s success, the answer would always be the same: It's all about the brand. Apple's success owes little to innovative products such as the iPhone, iPad or iPod. The key to their success is the brand that they created. It is no coincidence that during the '80s and '90s, executive marketing director and CEO of Apple, was the former CEO of Pepsi, John Sculley. It is he who, with the vision and energy of Steve Jobs, is responsible for the tectonic shift in the perception of marketing personal computers, which was created using the marketing strategy that was used in the war with Coca-Cola. That strategy has turned Apple into the largest computer company today. â€Å"People talk about technology, but Apple was a marketing company,† Sculley told the Guardian newspaper in 1997. â€Å"It was the marketing company of the decade (Kahney, 2002)†. The company that is aware of the barely noticeable changes that are taking place every day in the market has an advantage over a company that ignores those changes. The ability to anticipate future needs and to respond appropriately is a challenge that is always present in the marketing strategy of any organization. Despite the long tradition, there are no guarantees that all organizations will adopt marketing orientation. Companies that are marketing oriented, primarily focus on customer needs. The changes are seen as a common occurrence, and the ability to adapt is seen as a necessity for survival. The aim of marketing is a long-term customer satisfaction, rather than short-term deceptions and tricks.

Greener Forms of Generating Electricity

A power station is a facility which is used to generate electric power. iAt the center of nearly all power stations is a generator, a rotating machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy by creating relative motion between a magnetic field and a conductor. In Bosnia there is a lot of hydro power plants, the biggest ones are: Grabovica, Jablanica, Salkovac, Visegrad etc. There are three different types of power plants, thermal power plants, hydro power plants and solar power plants. In order to make our lives and the lives of our offspring better, we need to investigate and design new greener ways of converting mass amounts of energy into electricity. Solar power plants use an endless power, which is the sun. Beams from the sun hit mirrors which convert the suns energy into electricity. Approximately, every 7. 2 hours, 3. 6kWh electricity is produced. Solar power is clean and green and it can provide enough energy. However, the downside to this type of power is that it isn't cheap. Building a single mirror of 3. 8 meters by 1. 6 can cost up to $60. 00. These mirrors are state of the art which capture the suns light, and turn it into energy. Thermal power plants are bad for the environment because they contribute to global warming by burning fossil fuels. These power plants are still in use today, because they provide a lot of energy and coal is cheap, so it can be burned in large quantities. Most houses today are supplied either by thermal or hydro. Thermal is very bad for the environment and since the industrial revolution kicked in global temperatures have been rising. Another type of power is wind power. Wind turbines are rotary devices that get provide energy using the air. This type of technology is not to be sniffed at as wind power can sometimes provide more energy than burning coal. There is a downside to this as well. Staying green and using wind powered turbines can cost a lot of money. Staying green and investing in these ideas will matter in the future. By burning excess fossil fuels we are creating green house gasses which are heating up the planet, thus destroying a lot of environments. (2) In Bosnia, the biggest hydro power plant produces around 170. 00 cubic meters of water that reach speeds of 60 km per hour. This is enough water to fill up around 100. 000 Olympic swimming pools every day. Hydroelectric stations have been up and running for about 100 years, and since been scientists have been searching for a way to harvest the energy better. The main idea behind these power stations is to convert the energy of flowing water into the flow of electrons or electricity. Most hydroelectric stations use either water diverted around the natural drop of the river such as a waterfall or rapids. In addition to this a damn is also built across the river to raise the river to create the drop needed to provide a force. Water in the higher level is collected in the reservoir, which flows into the pipe called the pen star which carries it down to a turbine water wheel at the lower water level. The water pressure increases as it flows down the pen star, it is this pressure and flow that drives the turbine which is connected to the generator. Inside the generator is the rotor which is spun by the turbine. Electro magnets are attached to the rotor located within coils of copper wires called a starter. AS the generator rotors spin the magnets, a flow of electrons is created in the coils of the starter. This produces electricity that can be stepped up in voltage through the stations transformers and sent to this transmission lines. The following water the proceeds down the river. Most of our energy comes from the spinning of the rotor of the AC generator in power stations like Nuclear power stations, thermal and hydro power stations. An AC generator is a device which converts mechanical energy into electricity. The working of an AC generator is based on electromagnetic induction which states that whenever the flux passing through a circuit changes, an EMF is induced in it and a current begins to flow. The direction of this is given by Lenz`s law or Flemings right hand rule. Lenz`s law which is more commonly used states that the direction of the induced current is such as to oppose the very cause producing it. (1) In our homes we use open electrical circuits which is very important as with them we do not use direct current. If we were to use direct current many more fires caused by electricity would happen and appliances would not function well and they would simple burn out. We need electric circuits for everything, they are what keeps our appliances running safely. Today using thermal power plants is a big problem as it affects many factors. Countries in the EU have to follow certain conduct when it comes to power plants. For instance Nuclear power plants have to have the right materials, funding etc, thermal power plants have to have filters, can`t produced to many greenhouse gasses etc. the waste that comes out of these plants are often dumped into the rivers or oceans, this kills a lot of marine wildlife which local farmers depend on. These power plants also affect our environment; they can both help and destroy our environment. The waste produced in power plants is often thrown out in the forest, or lakes and seas. On the other hand solar and wind power can help with the environment by providing a clean way to get energy.

The Significance of Spring and Summer in Thomas Hardy’s Poems

Weathers By Thomas Hardy This is the weather the cuckoo likes, And so do I; When showers betumble the chestnut spikes, And nestlings fly; And the little brown nightingale bills his best, And they sit outside at ‘The Traveller's Rest,' And maids come forth sprig-muslin drest, And citizens dream of the south and west, And so do I. This is the weather the shepherd shuns, And so do I; When beeches drip in browns and duns, And thresh and ply; And hill-hid tides throb, throe on throe, And meadow rivulets overflow, And drops on gate bars hang in a row, And rooks in families homeward go, And so do I. The Significance Of Spring And Summer In Thomas Hardy’s Poems – Document Transcript 1. The Significance of Spring and Summer in Thomas Hardy's Poems, If It's Ever Spring Again, and It Never Looks Like Summer Mehdi Hassanian esfahani (GS22456) The Victorian Age (BBL5101) Lecturer: Dr. Wan Roselezam February 2009 2. Introduction: Reading about Thomas Hardy, and as the master students of English Literature, we all know that Hardy had a pessimist view on life and love, was watchful about relationships and interested in psychology of behaviors. His meticulous description of events and characters is not limited to humans, and even nature and animals play a role in the setting of what he narrates and are related to the theme. The following study examines the description of ‘summer’ and ‘spring’ in two selected poems by Thomas Hardy, to observe the significance of climate and seasons in the theme of the poems. The reason of this particular selection is the similarity between the two, in their mood, atmosphere, theme and even the ending. As a result, the analysis will claim the same thing, although it may seem inappropriate to generalize it to Hardy’s poetry. Interpreting imagery, particularly visual imagery in these two poems helps to understand their usage and the role they play to create the theme and setting of time and place. In this way, figurative language and the relationship between words would be examined to lead us to the theme and bring about the importance of summer and spring regarding the poems. It is expected that Hardy uses seasons to refer to nature and its beauty, in order to create a romantic setting, like other Victorian poets, and also uses ‘summer’ and ‘spring’ in the sense attributed to optimistic qualities, hope, [2] 3. warmth and love. But the careful observation of this may reveal a contrast which is made to intensify the underlying theme, and lead us to a pessimist view of Hardy in these poems. Accordingly, it will show that the mood of these poems â€Å"differs from Victorian sorrow; it is sterner, [and] more skeptical as though braced by a long look at the worst† (Stallworthy & Ramazani, 1852). If It's Ever Spring Again (Song) If it's ever spring again, Spring again, I shall go where went I when Down the moor-cock splashed, and hen, Seeing me not, amid their flounder, Standing with my arm around her; If it's ever spring again, Spring again, I shall go where went I then. If it's ever summer-time, summer-time, With the hay crop at the prime, [3] 4. And the cuckoos – two – in rhyme, As they used to be, or seemed to, We shall do as long we've dreamed to, If it's ever summer-time, Summer-time, With the hay, and bees achime (594). The poem, or as Hardy called it the ‘song' If It's Ever Spring Again deals with spring and summer; two bright and shiny seasons which normally warm the nature and people by the energy and hope they spread around. Kinesthetic imagery of ‘going out’ in line three, stanza one and the plashing moor-cock supports the excitement which is in the air. Hardy depicts spring with many positive qualities, when happiness is all around. He doesn’t talk of common characters, but moor-cock and moor-hen, which according to Morgon, the editor and publisher of the annual Hardy Review, are â€Å"shy, undemonstrative creatures rarely drawn from their coverture under the river-bank to gladden the heart of spring† to emphasize this supreme enthusiasm. As a result of this depiction, the prominent imagery in this poem is the visual imagery; which suddenly puts us in the middle of the nature; but there are also auditory and, as we saw, some hints of kinesthetic imagery. 4] 5. At first, Hardy reminds himself a day in spring, when he (the persona) was able to stand next to the beloved ‘with arms around her’ and enjoy the beauty of spring. He feels prospered and thinks of spring as a complete season, as well as himself. Then in stanza two, he leaps to another memory in a summer day, with again the perfection of setting and t he inner sense of fulfillment, when the ‘day crop’ is ‘at the prime’, ‘bees achime’ and cuckoos are singing in rhyme. The visual imagery which is connected to the golden color of the sun and the repetition of ‘summer’ in addition to the auditory imagery of birds singing free and cheerful, are effective devices to insure us of the blissful man, he feels inside. But it is not all. Richards explains that Hardy was interested in nature, and for him, like other Victorian writers, nature was equal to beauty, but also clarifies that â€Å"he was more interested in strangeness than conventional beauty† (190). It is as if the beauty of nature is not the ultimate goal of his poetry. Narrator’s effort to give an adequate visual imagery and create the setting of place and time is just a tool to carry out the profound meaning which is implied in the poem. The ‘if’s and ‘ever’s convey a sense of regret. Thinking of past days, the narrator cannot understand the lack which is now in his life. And the poem ends on a note, as if he lives in the past and doesn’t dare to face the future. In this sense, the whole poem seems not a delightful praise of spring, but an envy of the past. That’s Mellers’ view who considers this poem ‘a song of [5] 6. ostalgia’. Taking birds and bees, according to Cortus, the Vice President of The Thomas Hardy Association, as â€Å"collectively a trite euphemism for sex†, two cuckoos can be a metaphor of lovers (which includes the narrator), and his doubt in line 14, about their singing ‘As they used to †¦ or seemed to’ be together, demonstrates the pessim ist atmosphere which is settled in the mind, as well as the heart of this narrator that even cannot trust his beloved, and the past. This may explain the reason for the cock and hen ‘seeing not’ the narrator ‘amid their flounder’. In this case, the whole poem presents a continual abstract dreaming, disclosing the dimness melancholy that the narrator feels inside. It can suggest that the narration of past and this memory is not reliable, due to the obsession of narrator to his relationship, and the traumatic lost he has in his life. In the second poem, It never looks like summer, Hardy strongly uses ‘summer’ to display the peak of a relationship, the satisfaction and joyfulness which this season, apparently is connected to or is responsible to bring us. The poem lacks descriptive statements or cliche details of nature, and is much modern in the sense which looks like an internal monologue. It is written in a way, that one can conclude it wasn’t supposed to be published (although there is no evidence of such a thing), and is more like the private thoughts of its poet than a poem about ‘summer’. [6] 7. It Never Looks Like Summer â€Å"It never looks like summer here On Beeny by the sea. † But though she saw its look as drear, Summer it seemed to me. It never looks like summer now Whatever weather's there; But ah, it cannot anyhow, On Beeny or elsewhere (507)! Here, the image of summer is overwhelming, though it is very general and there are no details. Hardy uses contrasts to express his feeling. Again, the prominent imagery in the poem is visual imagery, like the drear summer that surrounds us; however an abstract imagery can be derived from connotations of ‘summer’. Narrator implicitly attributes some positive qualities to summer, though he never names them. In the first stanza, he remembers a day when weather was not ‘summery’ a lot, but he felt so; perhaps due to a companionship. And now, in the second stanza, he feels cold although it is summer outside. The nature in general and ‘summer’ in particular is interweaved to persona’s life (both emotionally and [7] 8. physically), though they do not always match together. In other words â€Å"the thinnest partition divides man’s existence (including his mental existence) from the rest of nature† (Richards, 196). This is remarkable which in both If It's Ever Spring Again and It never looks like summer, climate and seasons metaphorically are used to explore the feeling of the persona and â€Å"to register inner states of [his] feeling† (Blackburn, 15). The pessimist view of life and [the lost] love is repeated again; when narrator can say which season it ‘is’, but doubts if the beloved’s presence was real or the feeling was true, and claims that it ‘seemed’ summer to him. He prefers to sing bereavement poems, than face the reality and live in present, and the last two lines support this idea that he cannot think of future. He generalizes the unsatisfactory consequence of his attempts and his lost to all other happenings anytime in future and anywhere else around the world, and decides not to move and not to change; he dares not to look at the future because of his tragic experience. Talking about Hardy’s poetry, Blackburn asserts that the magnetism of his poems â€Å"is built around a complex of love and loss, memory and guilt, pain and self-pity, beauty and regret intermingled with something of delight† (12). In these two poems, he uses images of spring and summer and refers to nature to express the emotions and create the setting, so that he compares two conditions of past and present. To conclude, and as Berger states in the abstract of her PhD [8] 9. roposal, â€Å"Hardy's epistemology can be found at a meeting point of the senses– primarily visual, emotions, imagination, will, and the external world†. Here, the primary setting and the visual imagery play a strong role, metaphorically, to the oppositions, and intensifies the sense of regret. This technique is effective in a way to create the atmosphere and express the sadness this persona feels in his present life. [9]