Captivity Essays - Fiction, Ojibwe People, Guggenheim Fellows

Captivity Louise Erdrich, the author of the famous poem titled Captivity, tells a story about a married mother who has been held captive by a tribe of Indians. The poem uses a wide variety of literary elements such as sympathy, guilt, submissiveness, and tentativeness. The two main themes of this first person, six-stanza poem, are love and fear. Erdrich also uses tricksters, which are supernatural characters found in the folklores of various primitive peoples. They often function as culture heroes who are given acts of sly deception. In this poem, the narrator's captor takes on the role of a trickster. In most of Erdrich's writings, she uses multiple characters as tricksters and this reflects on her Native American Heritage (Smith 23). One of Erdrich's main writing tactics is the use of ?historical ?captivity narratives'? (Wilson and Jason 2716). One of the interesting facts about this poem is that it is based upon a true story. Erdrich gives us that feeling of truth and captivity before the poem begins. ?He (my captor) gave me a bisquit, which I had put in my pocket, and not daring to eat it, buried it under a log, fearing he had put something in it to make me love him,? (Erdrich, 26). This quote came ?from the narrative of the captivity of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,? (Erdrich 26). Mrs. Mary was held captive by the Wampanoag Indian Tribe in 1676, when Lancaster, Massachusetts was demolished (Erdrich 26). The first stanza brings a strong feeling of some sort of imprisonment or captivity. ?But he dragged me by the ends of my hair,? (Erdrich 26). The narrator at this point is experiencing fear from her captor, however she also feels passion and love when she looks into his face. ?I could distinguish it from the others? I feared I understood his language, which was not human,? (Erdrich 26). Also, there is irony in this stanza when her captor saves her from the cold waters of the stream (Wilson and Jason 2715). In the second stanza, the tribe is pursued by white men who have ?guns loaded with swan shot,? (Erdrich 26). However, the tribe is put in danger because of her child's cries, which are from starvation. In my interpretation of the poem, she cannot ?suckle? her own child because she is so nervous and confused (Erdrich 26). Luckily for the tribe and captives, there is a woman who feeds the child ?milk of acorns,? (Erdrich 26). In the third stanza, the narrator is to the point of starvation as she tells herself not to take food from his hands. ?I told myself that I would starve/ Before I took food from his hands,? (Erdrich 26). I believe that Louise is trying to reflect the quote used before the poem taken from Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, trying to give the reader a sense of hidden desire. However, going against her will to not give in to her captor, she eats the fetus of a deer that her captor gave to her. ?He had killed a deer with a young one in her/ And gave it to me to eat of the fawn,? (Erdrich 26). The way that the narrator describes her meal is delicate, however Erdrich tells us that it is a fetus; that paints a distasteful picture for the mind of the reader. At the end of the stanza, Erdrich is very vague about what happens and leaves it up to the reader to decide the outcome. I felt that the narrator was tentative when she said, ?That I followed where he took me./ ? He cut the cord that bound me to the tree,? (Erdrich 27). In my interpretation, this is where Erdrich uses the literary element of submissiveness. I personally think that she slept with her captor because the next and last stanzas of the poem she feels guilty. In the fourth stanza, the narrator is frightened and hides herself in fear from God because she knows in her heart that she has sinned. ?After that the birds mocked./ Shadows gaped and roared/? He did not notice God's wrath./ God blasted fire from half buried stumps./ I hid my face? fearing that he would burn us all,? (Erdrich 27). Perhaps she

Effective Pieces of Advice on How to Write a Fantasy Novel

Effective Pieces of Advice on How to Write a Fantasy Novel How to Write Your First Fantasy Novel Many people are passionate about fantasy novels. Such stories expand our imagination, excite our emotions, and take us to a journey we have never been before. Fantastic fiction is everywhere in pop culture. With this unpredictable genre, many modern authors like George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, and Scott Lynch continue to stretch, overturn, and interpret the plots to attain exciting punchlines. However, creating a unique and convincing fantasy story is complicated. You should realize that you are creating an entirely new world with original characters, personified things and ideas, in which people should believe. This process requires thorough consideration and planning. To establish an imaginary world, you must create characters that will captivate and engage the audience. Although fantasy stories take place in fictional world, they still have certain rules. The genre fantasy is divided into plenty of subgenres where high fantasy is the thing which writers and readers admire the most. It is not enough to include magical objects and characters in the plot. The author’s main aim is to subvert the readers’ expectations and make him/her perceive the world as an entirely different place. If you are interested in how to write a fantasy novel, you must let loose your imagination. This article provides some tips that are designed to assist you in composing a fascinating story. Tips to Write a Fascinating Story Study the Useful Insights of the Genre Certainly, reading is essential if you want to become a good writer. This should be your first step to get into the fantasy fiction world. It is necessary for you to get a clear understanding of the elements that make fantasy novels different. It is also important to read extensively, as this will help you examine the specific features of the genre. Here are some pieces of advice: Examine the ways different writers create complex and immersive universes. Compare the examples from various fictional plots. For instance, think how differs the peaceful village from â€Å"The Lord of the Rings† from Mordor. Study the ways the writers develop the characters. If you want your first fantasy novel to be well-written, you should observe everything in other authors’ characters, from their demeanor to their quirks and vexes. Note the ways they go through all the challenges. Compare the internal logic of every imaginary world. What’s great in fantasy novels is that they never bind their readers’ thinking. Even some minor events in the plot always have certain logic. Every magic system has its own rules to follow. If you try to create your own magical world, you should examine the internal logic of any other fictional world. Thus, on the first stage of creating a fantasy novel, you have to learn to think beyond the boundaries of the real world. Now, your aim is to study the approach of the best fictional authors. Examine the ways they manage difficulties in fantasy writing process. It is very important to read a lot until you have an idea on how to create a convincing fictional world. Not only will it improve your writing skills but also help you create good outlines for your stories. Explore Various Ideas To learn how to write fantasy stories it is important to explore some exciting fantasy novel ideas. Some of the most known fantasy novels were only able to persuade readers because they contained original ideas. This genre has a great opportunity for exploring creative freedom. A huge number of young-adult fantasy stories, over the last time, have significantly explored the boundaries of science-fiction and reality. The main aim of this was creating something that will help the readers escape the present and run into the imaginary world. Therefore, to create a fictional universe, you must develop unique and fascinating ideas – particularly for the setting. Actually, you can find inspiration anywhere, for example: Watch a documentary on Animal Planet, which may trigger an idea to create an imaginary world for animals and other fantastic creatures Explore unusual settings and observe exceptional things Read top fantastic fiction series and compare settings while making notes of some interesting elements which make them unique Make sure to jot down all your ideas, including minute details such as weather, housing, and scenery to have a clearer picture of your fantasy universe. Describe Your Imaginary World Every good writer has his own tips for writing a fantasy novel and uses them to make the readers see the fantasy world through his/her eyes. Thus, if you want your novel to be more realistic, you should pay special attention to the description of the settings’ and the characters’ physical features. Make sure you already have a clear vision of your fantasy world so that you are able to describe it in detail. Depict physical features of the countryside, universe, or even a teeny hut, where your story takes place. Make every effort to provide your reader with the ability to picture the environment of the characters. Here are some ways to practice this: Start observing and depicting everything that is going on around you by using descriptive language. Describe everything, including feelings, smells, and looks. Connect all these scenes while illustrating them on the paper. Use this same strategy to describe your imaginary world. Describe plants, their appearance, colors, and smell. Describe the environment, weather, sounds, and so on. Add some contrasts to the atmosphere to enhance your readers’ perception. The most critical thing is describing your characters’ appearance, details which make them different so that your readers are able to create their pictures in mind. Map out Your Story By drawing a map with the story, you make it easier to write understandable fantasy novels. For this reason, many known writers practice this to incline their audience artistically. If it seems to you that it will help the readers understand the complex set of your story, you should draw it. Furthermore, include some significant landmarks and mark seas and rivers. It would be also great if you create symbols that will indicate cities and towns. Set the Time Frame It is one more important part of your story. It should be set in a specific timeframe as the story’s characters and setting greatly depend on the timeframe. For example, stories that are set in future mostly revolve around technological achievements. If the novel describes a specific historical era, the timeframe might represent a primitive society. Therefore, keep it in mind while looking for ideas to write a fantasy novel. Look through many ideas of timeframe and learn the ways various writers incorporate it into their stories’ themes. If you are going to write a futuristic story, it might be useful to do some research into the technology. It will help you do some assumes about the changes in human life, as well as get a better image of your characters and settings. If your story takes place in the ancient world, you should get sufficient information about past cultures and traditions. To write the most realistic novel, include the details which will portray the timeframe in your plot, like traveling, cultures, and ancient people’s appearance. Make Social Conventions Different social classes and lifestyles are inherent to our society. To write a fantasy novel step by step, make sure to include certain rituals and customs. One of the options is incorporating various aspects of the actual social conventions. Do the characters of your story have any festivals? How do they mark death? Think over these or similar ideas so that your audience is able to relate to them. One more great way to come up with some ideas of new social conventions is researching different cultures. Many writers borrow certain ideas of rituals from older cultures. Make an Outline of the Story As soon as you decide on the topic, plot, and other important aspects, you are strongly encouraged to write down the outline in the sequence. Draft an outline before you start writing. It will provide you an opportunity to analyze all the twists and turns of the plot. Besides, it is very convenient to create headings and divide the story into the chapters on this stage. The best way to structure the novel is by dividing it into three main phases: beginning, the body, and climax. Additionally, you can compile the events by describing the course of actions, turning points, conflicts, and resolution. Final Phase Now, it is about time you edited your novel. Go back and make final changes if needed. It is best told be great if you ask for feedback of an experienced writer or publisher to improve your novel before publishing it. In general, creating a fantasy story is mostly about playing with your imagination. Good luck to you with writing an original and fascinating fictional story.

Problem solving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Problem solving - Essay Example Additionally, organizations can resolve to have single mode of software installation authentication method. In this case, instead of selling licenses to customers and software users, the organizations can require that all software activation requirements are conducted online to ensure that every copy is only activated using one unique product key (Microsoft, 2015). For organizations that require software installation to a vast number of machines, the installation files can be configured to contain equivalent number of activation codes as the number of machines. For every used code, the installation media would connect to the internet verifying that the software is genuine and one among the provided codes has been used to activate one workstation. When addressing the issue of software piracy, there are various levels of consideration that organizations put take into account. For instance, the cost of data loss and the inability to generate sustainable profits are two major threats caused by piracy. With reference to the two examples, it is evident that based on value and use, different organizations address the challenge of software piracy differently. With respect to the magnitude of anticipated losses and the corresponding cost of software development, some companies invest more funds in developing anti-piracy strategies while others concentrate on economies of scale by developing free or cheap software (Microsoft,

Explain three ways in which governments shape labour markets and Essay

Explain three ways in which governments shape labour markets and Explain, using examples, three dimensions of the relationship between paid and unpaid work - Essay Example nt base in order to instill more confidence in the workforce and â€Å"focus on the context for investment† (Lecture 3, p.3) thus creating a congenial environment for business while addressing the social concern of employment. In the current economic situation where the role of government in protecting labor has been reduced to the bare minimum due to globalization and advancements in technology, it is flexibility of the job market that is more in perspective than formulation of laws to safeguard labor. However, the scope of employment also raises the issue of work where salary is high that consequently raises the standard of living and another type of work where workers are paid low wages leading to social disparity and discontent. The issue of low wages is compounded by globalization that firms use as bargaining chip to tame labor with threats of outsourcing, giving business the upper hand as trade unions have largely been marginalized in an environment where technology has reduced manpower. The government is not only responsible to oversee a strong and vibrant economy but also to ensure equitable living conditions for every citizen in general, and the weaker sections of society in particular. There are some countries like the Scandinavian nations where the citizens enjoy generous social packages even if they are unemployed. There are other nations where 5 percent of the population enjoys 95 percent of the nation’s wealth, whereas 95 percent of the population survives on 5% of the country’s resources. It may not be possible for every country to satisfy every citizen with generous social schemes, but it is necessary to create conditions where everyone feels cared for. Generally, the government is noncommittal when it comes to the interest of workers in the lowly paid services basically for two reasons: one, the government wants to encourage new entrepreneurs to rise to the occasion and take advantage of working conditions under the new technological order

Poverty and Pollution Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poverty and Pollution Case Study - Essay Example Firms that manufacture chemicals, which are too unsafe to manufacture within the first World will always acquire a market within third World Nations (The Environment..., 2013). There exist no regulations within the Third World Nations that govern dumping and pollution. Generally, Third World nations have to choose between food and a contaminated environment. Third World governments cannot limit nor have regulations, as it would be too expensive to their countries more specifically since most of their people are trying to earn a living (Hardoy, 2011). This paper is an analysis of the Pollution and Poverty Case Study. Ethical effects of pollution in a third world nation would directly affect the inhabitants of the Third World Countries (Hardoy, 2011). For instance, the dumping of toxic electronics within the south of Chinese town of Guiyu had Women melting hard drives and motherboards from CPUs to extract gold from them. This exposed them to toxic fumes. Ghana is another country, which has had wastes dumped in one of its regions. On the borders of Agbogbloshie town, there is an enormous wasteland as well as one of the highly polluted water bodies on Earth(The Environment..., 2013). ... Once they obtain the personal data in them, they sell the data for roughly $35 for each hard drive. Information obtained from these hard drives includes private financial facts, credit-card numbers, account data and reports of electronic transactions. Mostly, the original holders of the hard drives do not know that such information had been left in those drives. It becomes easier to clear out accounts with the account information. Ghana is listed as among the top cybercrime perpetrators in the globe conferring to the American State Department (Ghana Dumping..., 2012). During an off-camera interview, one of the drives purchased had a $22 billion United States government contract. The hard drive had come from an American military contractor known as Northrop Grumman; it is among the largest military contractors in the U.S. The hard drive contained very sensitive details such as multi-million dollar deals of the United States government with agencies such as the DIA (defense intelligenc e agency), Homeland Security and NASA (Ghana Dumping..., 2012). This poses an enormous security risk that places everyone at the vulnerability of the perpetrators. If regulations and laws had been established to govern e-waste disposal and pollution, then cybercrime might not be a huge issue as it is currently. Obtaining personal information about people is one thing, but it is another to obtain detailed information on government contracts (News Week Magazine, 2013). When 3rd World nations do not have any regulations or laws shielding them from 1st World Nations polluting and dumping in their nation, then it renders it difficult for them to prohibit 1st World Nations from dumping and polluting in their countries. Initially, some counties embraced the e-waste. A

Water Analysis to Determine River Tees Chemical Composition

Water Analysis to Determine River Tees Chemical Composition Water analysis to determine the chemical composition within a section of the River Tees, and the difference between freshwater samples and Sea water. Introduction Water is one of the most fundamental requirements for man’s existence on earth; it is required in so many functions such as for drinking, cooking agriculture and even transportation either biological, (blood) or non-biological such as cargo ships, (Hunt Wilson, 2002). Without water, life as we know it would simply cease to exist; Water is one of earth’s most renewable resources. As such, it is vital that water content is analysed to monitor toxic and non-toxic chemicals entering the water systems, monitor global anthropogenic impact, react rapidly to chemical contamination through accidents or industry, and to enable safe water systems for domestic and agricultural use. One such example of where water analysis has been instrumental is after the recent floods in the UK where overflow from sewers, rivers and run off from industrial sites has allowed chemicals to enter into water systems. Analysis of these systems allows for the damage to be assessed and necessary action to be taken, (Environment Agency, 2014). Our aim of the practical was for us to understand the different methods of water analysis. We conducted a number of tests on a number of freshwater samples and one sweater sample to determine the levels of pH, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, nitrate content, ammonia and phosphate content within the water samples; this enabled the analysis of whether there were differences in chemical content between the freshwater samples and sea water. Hypothesis: â€Å"That there is a difference in chemical composition within water samples taken from three sites along the river Tees and a difference between freshwater and sea water†. Method pH Water samples from the Durham University section of the River Tees were analysed using a mixture of both a hand held ultrameter (Myron) and a probe meter. A 10ml quantity of water from all the samples taken was placed in a test tube. A pH probe meter was inserted and the pH results recorded. Using the electronic hand held analyser, the samples were analysed by placing a small amount of the sample into the analysing cup attached to the device. The lid was replaced and the pH button pressed to start the analysis. The results were recorded as shown in table 1. Salinity Water salinity was measured by using a hand held salinity meter with a salinity range of 0-100% (density 0.001sg). A small amount of the water sample was placed onto the deviation prism. The cover plate was closed and the instrument was held up to a light source (natural light) and the reading taken from the salinity gauge and recorded. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 2. Conductivity As per pH but using the Conductivity function on the Myron multi-meter. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 3. Dissolved O2 As per pH but using the dissolved O2 function on the Myron multi-meter and the analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 4. Nitrate (Nitratest) Nitrates in the water samples were reduced to nitrites using a zinc based reduction agent, (Nitratest powder and Nitratest tablet). The solutions were then transferred to a clean test tube where a re-agent was added, (Nitrocol tablet). The solutions were then analysed for nitrate levels using the Palintest 8000 photometer and the analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 5. Ammonia We tested the water samples using the indophenol method by the addition of chlorine and catalysts that react with ammonia to form a coloured solution, (Indophenol complex). fig1. Reagents in the form of tablets were then added and the sample solutions analysed using the palintest 8000. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 6. Note: For the Sea water sample (Sample 1), Ammonia conditioning agent was added to prevent the precipitation of salts. Fig 1. Water samples in Indophenol complex form prior to testing for Ammonia. Phosphate LR We tested for phosphates by reducing the samples by ascorbic acid as phosphates react under acidic conditions with ammonium. Catalysts were added to ensure a rapid colour movement as well as an inhibitor to deter any influence from silica present in the solution. Reagents were then added and a period of 10 minutes elapsed prior to placing the samples for analysis testing using the palintest 8000. The results were recorded as shown in table 7. Results: pH The pH values of both the fresh water and sea water samples analysed all fell within close proximity to each other and within the parameters of normal surface water of pH>6.5 – pH Table 1. pH values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Salinity: Only one sample (Sea water) registered for salinity when tested. The Reference -Composition salinity (SR) was 30, (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008). Table 2. Salinity values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Conductivity: Electrolyte conductivity recorded in the samples ranged from 8.4 S/m in the sea water sample and between 9.6-10.85 S/m in the freshwater samples. The Seawater sample was higher than the normal range of 5 S/m, and the fresh water samples were within normal parameters 5-55 S/m. (California State Water Resources Control Board, 2004). As shown in Table 3. Table 3. Conductivity values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater Dissolved Oxygen: Sample 1, (Seawater) falls within the normal range for DO2 as recommended USEPA of >80% DO=83.6. (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999). Samples 2-4 (Freshwater), also fall within the guidelines of freshwater DO2 based on CCREM guidelines of 65% and 100%, DO=76.2-98.7% (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999), as shown in table 4. Note: All samples were analysed in lab conditions at room temperature and as such are subject to the relevant physiological conditions such as pressure and temperature which should be considered, (Henry’s Law etc). Table 4. Dissolved Oxygen values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Nitrate: All the samples tested were within the safe limits of nitrogen content in water, (0-10mg/l), as shown in table 5. (Seawater = 0.82mg/l and freshwater =0.047mg/l to1.52mg/l). (World Health Organisation, 2011). Table 5. Nitrate values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Phosphate: Phosphate levels found in sweater were within the normal range (1.2 mg/l and 1.6mg/l), (Paytan McLaughlin, 2007). The phosphate levels found within the freshwater samples exceed the recommended limits = . Table 6. Phosphate values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Discussion The ocean contains approximately 97% of all the Earths’ water. (Hunt Wilson, 2002). The ocean and fresh water although have similar properties such as the molecular structure H2O, the chemical properties can be quite different. There are many factors that affect the chemical properties of both fresh and sea water, such as pollution, natural occurrences (e.g Algae blooms) and acid rain, and it is imperative that constant monitoring of our water systems is undertaken to be able to act proactively and swiftly to any changes. (Environment Agency, 2014). When considering the results of our analysis, we can see similarities on pH and dissolved oxygen, (Table 1 and table 4 respectively). Both these chemical properties give a clear indication as to the health of the water systems being analysed. A high pH in the seawater sample for example could suggest an increase in acidification, or pollution in the freshwater should a high pH have been found, especially in an area of high industrial manufacturing such as Stockton and Middlesbrough. The most noticeable difference between the samples was the salinity of seawater against freshwater, (Table 2). As one would expect, seawater salinity is considerably higher due to the output of weathering of the Earth’s surface being transported into the oceans. This makes the ocean a different habitat than that of freshwater. Conductivity increases as salinity increases, however this was not found in our analysis. One possible reason could be the time that the sample took to be analysed and the sample temperature as these factors could have affected the results. (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008). Nitrate content was lower in seawater. Nitrates are a naturally occurring compound in the water system whether fresh or sea water. However the slightly higher levels of nitrates shown in freshwater could indicate anthropogenic influences due to farming. (World Health Organisation, 2011) High Nitrate composition is also harmful to health as this could cause methemoglobinemia. Nitrates reduce the ability of blood cells carrying haemoglobin resulting in infant deaths. This would also add weight to the higher levels of Phosphates present as it has been suggested that Phosphate increases could be attributed to fertilizer usage and above the levels suggested as acceptable. (White Hammond, 2006). In Summary, the water chemical composition of both freshwater and seawater in general fall within normal expectations and are good indicators of the quality of the water system within an industrialised zone. The hypothesis that there is a chemical difference between the two sample types, freshwater and seawater was proven if only somewhat marginal. Further testing for different chemical composition could find a different result. Exercise Chemical differences between saltwater and freshwater. The major difference between fresh water and salt water is salinity. Freshwater has little or no salt content ( The chemical composition differences between seawater and freshwater can be outlined in order of abundance in table 8. (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008) Table 8. Chemical composition of seawater and freshwater in order of abundance. Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen concentrations, (DO), in water is an important factor for all aquatic life. Should DO levels exceed 110%, it can become harmful to marine life and could case the blockage of gas exchange in what is known as â€Å"gas bubble disease†, whilst water that has a DO of less than 5mg/l or lower over a longer period of time can result in fish kills on a large scale and puts stress on all aquatic life. (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999).

Equality and Inequality Under Perfect Competition

Equality and Inequality Under Perfect Competition The mythical world of perfect wage equality Under certain very strict assumptions, a perfectly competitive market will lead to perfect equality of wage rates. All workers will earn exactly the same. These strict assumptions are as follows: All workers have identical abilities. There is perfect mobility of labor. All Jobs are equally attractive to all workers. All workers and employers have perfect knowledge. Wages are determined entirely by demand and supply.Given these assumptions, if consumer demand rose in any industry, the demand for labor would rise. As a result, wage rates would begin to rise. Immediately workers would flood into this industry, attracted by the higher wages. Very quickly, then, wage rates would be competed back down to the level in the rest of the economy. Likewise if wage rates began to fall in any industry, workers would leave, thereby eliminating any labor surplus and preventing the fall in wage rates.Under t hese conditions, therefore, not only would the labor supply curve to a firm be infinitely elastic, but so too would the labor supply curve to each industry at the universal wage rate. Of course, in the real world these conditions do not hold. Huge inequalities of wages exist. A financial dealer in the City can earn fifty times as much as a shop assistant. But even if markets were perfect, inequality would be expected to persist. Causes of inequality under perfect competitionIn the short run, inequality will exist under perfect competition because of the time it takes for changes in demand and supply conditions to bring new long-run equilibrium. Thus expanding industries will tend to pay higher wage rates than contracting industries. But even after enough time has elapsed for all adjustments to be made to changes in demand and supply, long-run wage differentials will still exist for the following reasons: Workers do not have identical abilities.