A Room with a View: Chapter by Chapter Analysis

A Room with a View: Chapter by Chapter Analysis Opening a Window A Room with a View by E.D. Forster explores the struggle between the expectations of a conventional lady of the British upper class and pursuing the heart. Miss Lucy Honeychurch must choose between class concerns and personal desires. Honeychurch is a respectable young lady from a well-known family. She travels with Miss Charlotte Bartlett to Italy at the turn of the century. In Italy they meet Mr. Emerson and George Emerson. George is young man who falls in love with Lucy. Mr. Emerson is an idealist and a dreamer. Only a couple of days after they get to Italy George kisses Lucy while standing in the middle of a waving field of grass. George does this with out her permission or discussion. Even though this surprises Lucy and backs away she still participates in the kiss that tells the readers that there is something in her heart that drives her toward George. Georges function in A Room with a View is clear: he is a source of passion in a society that is tightly sealed with convention, timidity, and dryness. When Lucy comes home to Britain she is proposed to by Cecil. She accepts the offer because she knows that it is the proper thing to do. Cecil is an intelligent, well-respected man but lacks the passion that George penetrates. When Cecil attempts to kiss Lucy it is very different than George. He first of all asks permission, then Cecil timidly moves in to kiss her, and lastly his glasses fall off. This example shows the difference between Cecil and George and how Cecil lacks the aggression an d desire that George has. Lucy has to make the decision between the mind and the heart. She is torn between Cecils world of books and conformity and Georges world of passion and nature. This decision is not easy for Lucy to make. Lucy came really close to marrying the wrong man due to her lack of thought. She has grown up and lived a life of proper existence. However, Lucy possesses passionate qualities they have just been repressed her entire life. Her only emotion outlet is the piano, in which she prefers dramatic pieces by Beethoven. She plays the piano in order to let out her frustrations brought on by her surrounding characters. Lucy is brought up to be proper and not outgoing or passionate. George will eventually show her how to be passionate and open to new ideas. George is a man that breaks the chains of conformity to free Lucys spirit and he does this efficiency. George kisses Lucy for the second time and he explains that love exists between them. He tells Lucy that she can not marry Cecil because he does not understand women and will never understand Lucy. George also explains that Cecil only thinks that he loves but in actuality only wants her for an ornament. George, on the other hand, wants her as his partner in the great adventure of life. Lucy has lied to herself and to everyone else around her until she is eventually cornered into tearfully admitting her love for George. A Room with a View is a love story about a young proper women who is engaged to a proper man she does not love, and the frantic efforts a another young man to her see what love is and that she loves him. Lucy struggles between what is expected of her and what she really wants. By the end of the novel, George will have offered Lucy a view out of the window of her life. George will have opened a window for her. British social comedy examines a young heroines struggle against straitlaced Victorian attitudes as she rejects the man her family has encouraged her to marry and chooses, instead, a socially unsuitable fellow she met on holiday in Italy. Classic exploration of passion, human nature and social convention. A Room with a View was published in 1908. It was one of Forsters earliest novels, and it has become one of his most famous and popular. E.M. Forster was twenty-nine at the time of publication; two earlier novels, Where Angels Fear to Tread and The Longest Journey, had been poorly received. A Room with a View was blessed with good reviews, but it would not be until 1910 and the publication of Howards End that Forster would have his first major success. The novel deals with a group of British characters in two major settings: Part One and the final chapter are set in Florence, Italy, and Part Two is set mostly in a quiet part of Surrey, England. Forsters characters, like Forster himself at the time of the novels writing, live in the time of the British Empires zenith. With possessions in every part of the globe, the British Empire was as yet untouched by the difficulties of the two world wars. The monarch of England was also the king of Canada and the emperor of India; English citizens enjoyed the fruits of a system of exploitation and oppression that touched the far corners of the world. The remnants of Victorian sensibilities were still very much alive. Prim and proper Brits worried about refinement, the virtue of young girls, and the control of the passions. But it was also a time of change. Women began to clamor more loudly than ever for equal rights. Socialists were challenging old ideas about class and religion, and artists and thinkers began to challenge Victorian attitudes about emotion and sexuality. A Room with a View was one of those challenges. The story of young Lucy Honeychurchs choice between propriety and love, the novel casts Socialists as heroes and prim spinsters as antagonists. Lucys dramatic choice at the end of the novel is not only a victory for passion, but for womans independence. It was common for British citizens, particularly young men and women, to take the grand tour of Italy. The idea was for educated Brits to expose themselves to the work of Renaissance and Roman artists and architects, but like tourists throughout the ages, many travelers only had a superficial experience of Italy. They stayed with other British travelers, looked down on the Italians, and went to museums and ancient churches with their books of art criticism in hand. Forster criticizes this kind of tourist, but with some gentleness and a good deal of humor. A Room with a View is wonderful social commentary, but it is no acrid satire. The novel prefers to laugh lovingly at its subjects, and in the end the good in people matters much more to Forster than their shortcomings. The novel deals with Lucys growth toward self-awareness; by the end, she has learned the importance of expressing passion honestly. At the time, Forster was at the beginning of his first important relationship. A Room with a View is dedicated to H.O.M., Hugh Meredith, Forsters first love and the model for George Emerson. Throughout the novel, Forster speaks with great insight on the subject of repressed passion and the war between desire and societys conventions. His experiences as a gay man at the beginnings of his first relationship undoubtedly had a great influence on the writing of the novel. His lack of sexual experience also explains some of the novels shortcomings; although he writes beautifully about the beginning stages of the courtship between Lucy and George, in the final chapter he seems less certain, less insightful. Still, the book is an accomplished and beautiful love story, full of cutting but ultimately generous insights. And there are unforgettable moments: the firs t kiss between George is Lucy, passionate and unexpected on a hillside covered with violets, is one of the finest kisses in modern literature. Propriety and Passion: The conflict between social convention and passion is a central theme of the novel. Lucys match with George, by social standards, is completely unacceptable. But it is the only match that could make her happy. Her match with Cecil is far more conventional, but marriage to Cecil would destroy Lucys spirit. The Emersons are truly unconventional people. They care almost nothing for propriety. Mr. Emerson, a Socialist, speaks with great feeling about the importance of passion and the beauty of the human body. The British characters of the novel have very strong ideas about the need to repress passion and control young girls. To achieve happiness, Lucy will have to fight these standards, many of which she has internalized, and learn to appreciate her own desires. The beauty of human beings: A Room with a View is social commentary, but Forsters depictions of people are ultimately generous. He gently mocks the Honeychurches for their bourgeois habits, but he does not shy from depicting their strengths. They are loving and sincere, generous with guests and with each other. Cecils greatest fault is that he is entirely too critical of people. He cannot appreciate the good in the simple country gentry with whom Lucy has grown up. Even Charlotte, the prim spinster who is a major obstacle to the love between Lucy George, is allowed to have a moment of grace. In the end, Forster appreciates his characters goodness much more than he mocks their faults. Travel and the idea of Italy: Travel is a powerful force in the novel, and at its best it can be a life-altering experience. The heart of travel is to allow a place to get under ones skin; staying at British pensions and scorning Italian peasants do not the constitute the best experience one can get out of Italy. Italy gives Lucy insights into her life back at Windy Corner. It changes her perspective of herself. Although her experiences there confuse her, in working through the confusion she becomes a self-assured and independent young woman. The beautiful and the delicate: Lucy asks in the first chapter if beauty and delicacy are really synonyms. One of Lucys important lessons is that beauty need not be refined; much is beautiful in the gesture of kindness that oversteps propriety, or the act of passion that ignores convention. Lucy has to learn to see beauty in things that her society scorns or condemns. Womans position and independence: The Emersons are fervent believers in the equality of men and women. Lucy is not a rebel at heart, but she is often frustrated by the limitation put on her sex. Her marriage to Cecil could never be one between equals. Cecil is not so much in love with Lucy as he is in love with some idea of what a woman is supposed to be. He constantly compares her to a work of art, which, although it may be flattering, also objectifies her and ignores that she is a living person. What Lucy needs, although she does not know it, is a relationship between equals. She has no desire to be protected or instructed. Connection between nature and man: One of Mr. Emersons convictions is that man and nature are inextricable from each other, and only the mistakes of civilization separate man from his natural state. Closely connected to the theme of passion and the body, this theme runs throughout the novel. Forster emphasizes it by having the weather often mirror the thoughts of his characters. He also connects George and Lucy to the land at key points. Passion and the body: If nature and man are inextricable from each other, it follows that there should be no shame for the body or passion. Societys conventions try to hide both. The body must be hidden, a thing of which one should feel ashamed; passions must be controlled and regulated by rules tied to class and gender. Lucy has to overcome these conventions if she is to allow herself to love George. The Medieval/the Renaissance/the Classical: Forster uses time periods to represent characters and their attitudes. Uptight Cecil is always associated with the medieval; George is associated with the myths of the classical world. Italy is the land of both the classical Roman world and the Renaissance, and Forster uses these eras as symbols of beauty and passion. Music: Lucys relationship to her music is an important insight into her character. Her playing is an indication that she has untapped reserves of passion; Mr. Beebe remarks that one day Lucy will live as well as she plays. Lucys music also articulates her feelings better than her words can, and after playing she is more certain of what she wants. The Muddle: Forster constantly uses the word muddle to describe Lucys state of mind. The muddle arises when everything that one has been taught suddenly is thrown into doubt. It is one of the marks of growing up. Lucys muddle is frightening and confusing, but in working through it she will become a stronger and wiser person. Class snobbery: Class snobbery is a constant feature of A Room with a View. The Emersons, because they are not refined, are the most frequent victims of this snobbery. Country gentry look down on those who work hard for a living; Cecil looks down on the suburban ways of country gentry. Lucy has to overcome the class bigotry that she has been taught. Short Summary Lucy Honeychurch, a young English woman, is vacationing with her cousin, Charlotte Bartlett, at an Italian pension for British guests. They are vacationing in Italy together, and currently they are in Florence. While bemoaning the poor views outside their windows, Lucy and Charlotte are interrupted by another guest, an old man by the name of Emerson. Mr. Emerson offers them a room swap; he and his son George are both in rooms that offer beautiful views of Florence. Charlotte refuses; for a woman to accept such an offer from a man would make her indebted to him. It would be a serious breach of propriety. But later that evening, after the intercession of another guest, a clergyman named Mr. Beebe, Charlotte accepts the offer. Their stay in Florence continues, and Lucy continues to run into the eccentric Emersons. They are socially unacceptable by the snobbish standards of the other guests, but Lucy likes them. One day, while Lucy is walking alone in Florence, she witnesses a murder. George happens to be there, too, and he catches her when she faints. On the way home, they have a strange, intimate conversation as they walk along the river. But George stirs up feelings in Lucy that she is not ready to face, and she resolves not to see him again. However, later that week, they both end up on a carriage ride into the hills near Florence. The various British travelers disperse and wander around the hills, and Lucy finds herself alone. She stumbles onto an earth terrace covered with violets, and finds herself face-to-face with George. He kisses her, but the kiss is interrupted by Charlotte. The next day, under Charlottes direction, Lucy and Charlotte leave for Rome. Part 2 begins after the passage of several months. We are back at Windy Corner, the Honeychurch home in Surrey, England. In Rome, Lucy spent a good deal of time with a man named Cecil Vyse. The Vyses and the Honeychurches are on friendly terms, but Cecil and Lucy only knew each other superficially before Italy. In Italy, Cecil proposed to Lucy twice. She rejected him both times. As Part 2 begins, Cecil is proposing yet again. This time, she accepts. Now that they are engaged, Cecil and Lucy must spend time with Lucys various neighbors. Cecil, an aristocratic Londoner, despises the ways of the country gentry. He also dislikes Lucys brother, Freddy, and is not overly fond of Lucys mother. But Lucy puts up with it. At Charlottes request, she has never told anyone about her kiss with George. But before too long, the Emersons move into Cissie villa, a home not far from Windy Corner. Lucy is forced to face George Emerson again, but she manages to deal with him at a distance. She continues her engagement to Cecil, even though signs indicate that she is anxious about the marriage on a deep psychological level. To the reader, it is obvious that they are completely unsuitable for each other, but Lucy persists in the engagement. Soon, things come to a head: Charlottes boiler is broken, and she comes to stay as a guest at Windy Corner. And during her stay, Freddy, who has befriended George, invites George to come play tennis. It is all to take place on Sunday, and Lucy is terrified of what might happen. On Sunday, Cecil refuses to play tennis and pesters everyone by reading aloud from a bad British novel. Lucy soon realizes that the novel is written by Miss Lavish, a woman who stayed at their pension in Florence. Cecil reads a particularly humorous passage aloud, but Lucy sees nothing humorous about it: it is a fictional recreation of her kiss with George. The names are different, but the situation is unmistakable. She realizes that Charlotte told Miss Lavish what happened. George is also present for the reading of the passage. On the way back to the house, George catches Lucy alone in the garden and kisses her again. Lucy confronts Charlotte angrily about her indiscretion. She resolves to put George in his place. She has Charlotte sit in the room as support and witness, and she orders George never to return to Windy Corner. George argues with her passionately. He tells her that Cecil is stifling and unsuitable for her; Cecil will never love her enough to want her to be independent. George loves her for who she is. Lucy is shaken by his words, but she stands firm. George leaves, heartbroken. However, later that night, Cecil refuses again to play tennis with Freddy. Something in his refusal makes Lucy see him truthfully for the first time. She breaks off the engagement that very night. But Lucy still cannot admit to anyone, including herself, her feelings for George. Rather than stay at Windy Corner and face George, she resolves to leave for Greece. But one day not long before she is supposed to leave, she goes to church with her mother and Charlotte and meets Mr. Emerson in the ministers study. Mr. Emerson does not know that Lucy has broken off the engagement, but Lucy realizes before long that she cannot lie to the old man. She talks with him, and Mr. Emerson realizes that she has deep feelings for George. He presses the issue, forcing her to confront her own feelings. Finally, she admits that she has been fighting her love for George all along. The novel closes in Florence, where George and Lucy are spending their honeymoon. Not having her mothers consent, Lucy has eloped with George. Things are difficult with her family, but there is hope that it will get better. Whatever happens, George and Lucy have each other, and their life together promises to be full of happiness and love. We open in Florence at the Pension Bertolini, a pension for British travelers. Young Lucy Honeychurch and her cousin, Charlotte Bartlett, are bemoaning the poor rooms that they have been given. They were promised rooms with views. The two women sit at dinner in their pension, along with the other guests. Lucy is disappointed because the pension hostess has turned out to be British, and the dà ©cor of the pension seems lifted right out of a room in London. While Miss Bartlett and Lucy talk, an old man interrupts them to tell them that his room has a nice view. The man is Mr. Emerson; he introduces his son, George Emerson. Mr. Emerson offers Miss Bartlett and Lucy a room swap. The men will take the rooms over the courtyard, and Lucy and Charlotte will take the more pleasant rooms that have views. Miss Bartlett is horrified by the offer, and refuses to accept; she begins to ignore the Emersons and resolves to switch pensions the next day. Just then, Mr. Beebe, a clergyman that Lucy and Charlotte know from England, enters. Lucy is delighted to meet someone she knows, and she shows it; now that Mr. Beebe is here, they must stay at the Pension Bertolini. Lucy has heard in letters from her mother that Mr. Beebe has just accepted a position at the parish of Summer Street, the parish of which Lucy is a member. Mr. Beebe and Lucy have a pleasant talk over dinner, in which he gives Lucy advice about the sites of Florence. This vacation is Lucys first time in Florence. Soon, almost everyone at the table is giving Lucy and Miss. Bartlett advice. The torrent of advice signifies the acceptance of Lucy and Miss Bartlett into the good graces of the pension guests; Lucy notes that the Emersons are outside of this fold. After the meal, some of the guests move to the drawing room. Miss Bartlett discusses the Emersons with Mr. Beebe; Beebe does not have a very high opinion of Mr. Emerson, but he thinks him harmless, and he believes no harm would have come from Miss Bartlett accepting Mr. Emersons offer. Mr. Emerson is a Socialist, a term that is used by Mr. Beebe and Miss Bartlett with clear disapproval. Miss Bartlett continues to ask Mr. Beebe about what she should have done about the offer, and if she should apologize, until Mr. Beebe becomes annoyed and leaves. An old lady approaches the two women and talks with Miss Bartlett about Mr. Emersons offer. Lucy asks if perhaps there was something beautiful about the offer, even if it was not delicate. Miss Bartlett is puzzled by the question; to her, beauty and delicacy are the same thing. Mr. Beebe returns: he has arranged with Mr. Emerson to have the women take the room. Miss Bartlett is not quite sure what to do, but she accepts. She takes the larger room, which was occupied by George, because she does not want Lucy to be indebted to a young man. She bids Lucy goodnight and inspect her new quarters, and she finds a piece of paper pinned to the washstand that has an enormous note of interrogation scrawled on it. Though she feels threatened by it, she saves it for George between two pieces of blotting paper. Analysis Lucy is young and naà ¯ve; she is bright but not brilliant, although she has enough imagination and compassion to begin to look beyond the social conventions of her class and time. Forsters novel is full of insightful social commentary on the stuffiness of British social conventions. Modern readers are often surprised by Miss Bartletts deep anxieties about accepting a room trade with the generous but socially outcast Emersons. Miss Bartlett is acting under social pressures from several different directions. For one thing, Lucys mother has paid for Miss Bartletts travel expenses, and Miss Bartlett therefore feels responsible for guarding Miss Honeychurch from any possible harm. For Miss Bartlett, life is lived in accordance with what are arguably very precious and ridiculous concerns. Nothing is worse than a scene, and she must also guard Lucy from feeling obligation to a young man. Sex is a source of terrible anxiety for the British of this period, and a young womans reputation must be guarded at all costs. Lucy brings up an important theme of the novel when she asks about the delicate and the beautiful. Lucy wonders if delicacy and beauty might be different things, while Charlotte assumes that they are synonymous. As her social world defines beauty and delicacy, the two qualities are one and the same; beauty is found in politeness, in circuitous and subtle conversation, in avoidance of direct confrontation or over-earnest expressions of emotion. There is not beauty, therefore, in Mr. Emersons generous offer of a room trade. But Lucy is more imaginative than her cousin, and she is able to see that there is beauty in Mr. Emersons socially clueless but generous offer. He is completely unaware of the anxiety he is causing Miss Bartlett; either that or his is completely unconcerned about it. The important thing to him is the generosity of his offer. He does not intend to put Lucy or Charlotte under obligation. He sincerely thinks that a room with a view should go to the one who most enjoys the view. Lucy will have to learn to come to her own understanding of beauty. We see more of Lucys sensitivity and naturally sympathetic and sensitive disposition when she realizes that she and Charlotte have been accepted by the other guests of the pension. She sees that Mr. Emerson and George have not been accepted, and this knowledge makes her feel sorry for them. But Lucy is not strong enough yet to affect the world around her. Note that Charlotte handles all the details of the room trade, and Lucy is not yet confident enough to articulate her doubts about the stuffiness and petty concerns of her social world. Italy and travel make another important theme. The heart of this theme is a new places ability to get under the skin of the traveler, transforming her. Though she is not yet fully aware of it, Lucy longs for this kind of experience. She is deeply disappointed by the Pension Bertolini, which to her seems like another piece of England. She wants to go out into Italy and feel it fully, as richly as she can, away from the safety of British dà ©cor and sensibilities. The pension is juxtaposed to the world outside; the inside of the pension is decorated like a room in London. British social conventions are preserved and protected from the foreign country that surrounds the pension on all sides. The pension protects the guests from Italy, and so it prevents the transforming experience that is the best result of travel. Italy is also a direct challenge to the idea of beauty and delicacy being identical. Italys beauty is refined and sophisticated, but there is nothing delicate about its colo ssal Roman ruins, dramatic countryside, or rustic peasants. Lucys longing for a room with a view is a metaphor for her longing to connect with Italy and the new experiences the country offers. Instead of a view of the courtyard, she wants a view of the country. The window opening out into Florence symbolizes Lucys openness to a new world. Chapter Two In Santa Croce with No Baedeker: Summary: Lucy looks out her window onto the beautiful scene of a Florence morning. Miss Bartlett interrupts her reverie and encourages Lucy to begin her day; in the dining room, they argue politely about whether or not Miss Bartlett should accompany Lucy on a bit of sightseeing. Lucy is eager to go but does not wish to tire her cousin, and Miss Bartlett, though tired, does not want Lucy to go alone. A clever lady, whose name is Miss Lavish, intercedes. After some discussion, it is agreed that Miss Lavish and Lucy will go out together to the church of Santa Croce. The two women go out, and have a lively (but not too involved) conversation about politics and people they know in England. Suddenly, they are lost. Lucy tries to consult her Baedeker travel guide, but Miss Lavish will have none of it. She takes the guide book away. In their wanderings, they cross the Square of the Annunziata; the buildings and sculptures are the most beautiful things Lucy has ever seen, but Miss Lavish drags her forward. The women eventually reach Santa Croce, and Miss Lavish spots Mr. Emerson and George. She does not want to run into them, and seems disgusted by the two men. Lucy defends them. As they reach the steps of the church, Miss Lavish sees someone she knows and rushes off. Lucy waits for a while, but then she sees Miss Lavish wander down the street with her friend and Lucy realizes she has been abandoned. Upset, she goes into Santa Croce alone. The church is cold, and without her Baedeker travel guide Lucy feels unable to correctly view the many famous works of art housed there. She sees a child hurt his foot on a tomb sculpture and rushes to help him. She then finds herself side-by-side with Mr. Emerson, who is also helping the child. The childs mother appears and sets the boy on his way. Lucy feels determined to be good to the Emersons despite the disapproval of the other pension guests. But when Mr. Emerson and George invite her to join them in their little tour of the church, she knows that she should be offended by such an invitation. She tries to seem offended, but Mr. Emerson sees immediately that she is trying to behave as she has seen others behave, and tells her so. Strangely, Lucy is not angry about his forwardness but is instead somewhat impressed. She asks to be taken to look at the Giotto frescoes. The trio comes across a tour group, including some tourists from the pension, led by a clergyman named Mr. Eager. Mr. Eager spews commentary on the frescoes, which Mr. Emerson heartily disagrees with; he is skeptical of the praise and romanticizing of the past. The clergyman icily leads the group away. Mr. Emerson, worried that he has offended them, rushes off to apologize. George confides in Lucy that his father always has that effect on people. His earnestness and bluntness are repellent to others. Mr. Emerson returns, having been snubbed. Mr. Emerson and Lucy go off to see other works. Mr. Emerson, sincere and earnest, shares his concerns for his son. George is unhappy. Lucy is not sure how to react to this direct and honest talk; Mr. Emerson asks her to befriend his son. She is close to his age and Mr. Emerson sense much that is good in the girl. He hopes that these two young people can learn from each other. George is deeply saddened by life itself and the transience of human ex istence; this cerebral sorrow all seems very strange to Lucy. George suddenly approaches them, to tell Lucy that Miss Bartlett is here. Lucy realizes that one of the old women in the tour group must have told Charlotte that Lucy was with the Emersons. When she seems distressed, Mr. Emerson expresses sympathy for her. Lucy becomes cold, and she informs him that she has no need for his pity. She goes to join her cousin. Analysis: Although Miss Lavish prides herself on being original and unconventional, Forster subtly shows that her radicalism is polite, precious, and limited. She disapproves of the Emersons just as much as everyone else does, and though she pretends to be worldly and well traveled (she takes away Lucys Baedeker guide), she gets the two women lost. Nor does she understand the value of getting lost: she is so fixated on getting the women to Santa Croce that she rushes past the beautiful Square of the Annunziata without noticing a thing. Her attitude toward the Italians is patronizing in the extreme: she defines democracy as being kind to ones inferiors. Although Forster is writing incisive social commentary on the stuffiness of British society, he uses Miss Lavish as an example of a certain kind of false rebelliousness. She is ultimately as snobby and precious as everyone else, and her brand of radicalism tends to reinforce stuffy conventions rather than challenge them. Lucy is not a brilliant girl, and she lacks the originality and confidence to make her own judgments about art. In Santa Croce, she longs for her Baedeker guide so that she can know good art from bad. She lacks the confidence to just look at the paintings; she wants to know which frescoes have been pronounced by the critics to be truly beautiful. Lucy has some generosity of spirit and often feels uncomfortable with stifling social conventions, but she is not a genius or revolutionary. She is still young and very naà ¯ve; by the novels end she will be a much wiser and independent person. Part of Forsters brilliance is his restraint. He resists the temptation to make Lucy into a brilliant firebrand, and instead makes her to be, in many ways, a very typical girl for her class and education. She is often caught between convention and an inner sense of what is beautiful rather than delicate. She is unquestionably drawn to George Emerson. In Santa Croce, she notices that his face is rugged and handsome, and she also notices the strength and physical attractiveness of his body. But his melancholy attitude puzzles her, and his angst seems humorous to her in some ways. Mr. Emerson compares him to the child that stumbled and hurt his toe on a tomb statue of Santa Croce. The tomb becomes a symbol of mortality, and George has stubbed his too; George is upset by mortality and the transience of human existence. Life itself hurts and puzzles him. Mr. Emersons social awkwardness and earnestness combine to make him a very unpopular man. Even Lucy rebuffs him at the end of this chapter, resenting his pity for her. But we can see from his attempted apology to Mr. Eager that he does not mean to offend; in fact, he earnestly desires that everyone should always have a nice time. And his criticism of Mr. Eagers romanticizing of Giottos art and time has its own valid perspective, although Mr. Emerson has difficulty expressing his ideas tactfully. Cha Human Resource Management: State Bank of Pakistan Human Resource Management: State Bank of Pakistan The purpose of this report is to give an overview of the Human Resource Management of the bank , which management of the State Bank of Pakistan practice provides to its employees to achieve his goals of high professionalism and productivity. Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of efforts toward organizational goals, conditioned by the efforts ability to satisfy some individual needs. The effort element is a measure of intensity. When someone is motivated, he or she tries hard. Efforts that are directed toward, and consistent with, the organizations goal is the kind of effort that we should be seeking. Motivated employees are in a state of tension. They exert effort. The greater the tension, the higher the effort level. If this effort successfully leads to the satisfaction of the need, tension is reduced. This tension reduction effort must also be diverted toward organizational goals. Individuals need be compatible and consistent with the organizations goals. The State Bank of Pakistan has embarked upon a major project to renew, build and strengthen its institutional capacity. Recently, State Bank of Pakistan has adopted highly motivated policies to transform the Bank into a highly professional, efficient and modern institution, which is fully equipped to play a meaningful role in the economic development of Pakistan. This report attempts to consolidate all motivational policies and guidelines in a summarized form for the benefit of students and perspective candidates for employment in the Bank. I hope that it would prove useful as a reference guide. INTRODUCTION State Bank of Pakistan is the Central Bank of the country. While its constitution, as originally lay down in the State Bank of Pakistan Order 1948, remained basically unchanged until 1st January 1974 when the Bank was nationalized, the scope of its functions was considerably enlarged. The State Bank of Pakistan Act 1956, with subsequent amendments, forms the basis of its operations today. Under the State Bank of Pakistan Order 1948, the Bank was charged with the duty to regulate the issue of Bank notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in Pakistan and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage. The scope of the Banks operations was considerably widened in the State Bank of Pakistan Act 1956, which required the Bank to regulate the monetary and credit system of Pakistan and to foster its growth in the best national interest with a view to securing monetary stability and fuller utilization of the countrys product ive resources. Under financial sector reforms, the State Bank of Pakistan was granted autonomy in February 1994. On 21st January, 1997, this autonomy was further strengthened by issuing three Amendment Ordinances (which were approved by the Parliament in May, 1997) namely, State Bank of Pakistan Act, 1956, Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962 and Banks Nationalization Act, 1974. The changes in the State Bank Act gave full and exclusive authority to the State Bank to regulate the banking sector, to conduct an independent monetary policy and to set limit on government borrowings from the State Bank of Pakistan. The amendments in Banks Nationalization Act abolished the Pakistan Banking Council (an institution established to look after the affairs of NCBs) and institutionalized the process of appointment of the Chief Executives and Boards of the nationalized commercial banks (NCBs) and development finance institutions (DFIs), with the Sate Bank having a role in their appointment and remova l. The amendments also increased the autonomy and accountability of the Chief Executives and the Boards of Directors of banks and DFIs. Like a Central Bank in any developing country, State Bank of Pakistan performs both the traditional and developmental functions to achieve macro-economic goals. The traditional functions, which are generally performed by central banks almost all over the world, may be classified into two groups: (a) the primary functions including issue of notes, regulation and supervision of the financial system, bankers bank, lender of the last resort, banker to Government, and conduct of monetary policy, and (b) the secondary functions including the agency functions like management of public debt, management of foreign exchange, etc., and other functions like advising the government on policy matters and maintaining close relationships with international financial institutions. The non-traditional or promotional functions, performed by the State Bank include deve lopment of financial framework, institutionalization of savings and investment, provision of training facilities to bankers, and provision of credit to priority sectors. The State Bank also has been playing an active part in the process of Islamization of the banking system. The main functions and responsibilities of the State Bank can be broadly categorized as under. MAIN FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Being the Central Bank of the country, State Bank of Pakistan has been entrusted with the responsibility to formulate and conduct monetary and credit policy in a manner consistent with the Governments targets for growth and inflation and the recommendations of the Monetary and Fiscal Policies Co-ordination Board with respect to macro-economic policy objectives. The basic objective underlying its functions is two-fold i.e. the maintenance of monetary stability, thereby leading towards the stability in the domestic prices, as well as the promotion of economic growth. To regulate the volume and the direction of flow of credit to different uses and sectors, the Bank makes use of both direct and indirect instruments of monetary management. Until recently, the monetary and credit scenario was characterized by acute segmentation of credit markets with all the attendant distortions. A number of fundamental changes have since been made in the conduct of monetary management which essentially m arked a departure from administrative controls and quantitative restrictions to market-based monetary management. A reserve money management program has been developed. In terms of the program, the intermediate target of M2 would be achieved by observing the desired path of reserve money the operating target. While use in now being made of such indirect instruments of control as cash reserve ratio and liquidity ratio, the programs reliance is mainly on open market operations. INTRODUCTION TO HRM Human resource management plays a pivotal and expanding role in shaping the success of organizations and is done by the Human Resource department. PURPOSE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: The purpose of Human resource management is to improve the productive contribution of people to the organization in ways that are strategically, ethically and socially responsible. To carry out this role managers and HR department needs to satisfy multiple objectives like societal, organizational, functional, and personal objectives. These objectives are achieved through variety of HR activities designed to obtain, maintain, utilize, evaluate and retain an effective work force. These activities are the responsibility of all managers in the organization, even though many of them may be delegated to specialists in the HR department. DEVELOPING HUMAN ASSETS Alongside the development of its physical facilities, SBP is deeply conscious of the pivotal role that human resources play in the success of the organization. As the matter of fact, human resource development has been identified as an area of key importance. While strengthening the rank of is workforce with quality professionals at various levels of management, the bank also undertakes several initiatives for improving productivity and efficiency at all levels. Through computer training, various in house courses, sponsorship of staff for studies at professional institution and seminars, the bank is providing its employees ongoing opportunities for continuous self-improvement and learning. SWOT ANALYSIS OF SBP Strengths Internal Competencies specially core competencies of SBP weaknesses Inability to perform activities Opportunities Positive trends in the environment for SBP Threads Negative trends in the environment for SBP STRENGTH SBP is sole authority to regulate monetary policy and it is also bankers bank. SBP departments are computerized, and with modern technological facilities. SBP every year inducting fresh blood to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of bank. SBP is guide to government on economical and financial affairs. Deals with foreign exchange and bank reserve position and also with NOSTRO balance. Computerized system of data collection and dissemination. Security to depositor Watch dogs for frauds and money laundering. WEAKNESSES Decision making system is totally centralized. There were routine work and long working hours that effect on the efficiency of employees that causes bore. Lower employees are not satisfied with salary and facilities. Virus safety system. Data is stored in single place. Slow processing No surety of data received from authorized dealers. OPPORTUNITIES Through higher educational scheme for abroad, SBP can maximize efficiency. According to modern requirement. SBP is implementing new comprehensive software system. SBP can increase the confidence of investor in FX market, to control on money laundering. System is upgradeable, upgrading will improve the efficiency. They can use create operate. SBOTS scheme is a big opportunity in future to increase the level for State Bank. THREATS Instability of political government that effect on SBP performance. Law and order situation in country; lose the confidence of foreign investor as well as local, that also effect overall performance of SBP. High pressure of external donor agencies, that effect on the policies of SBP. Due to dependence on computerized data different kinds of Virus can attack and damage the data. Data can be manipulated easily. ROLE OF HR: STRATEGIC PARTNER: The strategic partner of SBP is Hay group. CHANGE AGENT: They have special teams from each department who is responsible to face the environmental challenges and bring any necessary change regarding such changes in organization. For this HR works closely with these teams to implement theses changes successfully. HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING: In state bank of bank there is a key role of HR in developing the strategic management process of the company with the consultation of top management. The key role of HR in the planning process involves Compensation, Manpower requisition, Business growth, Evaluation and reduction of the costs of benefits given to employees etc. It is important to recall here that HR department has the influence only on the non-unionized staff, means any HR function related to non-unionized staff, like hiring, firing, Compensation, Perks and benefits etc, would be set by the HR department, while issues related to unionized staff would be handled by the Admin Department. Some of the major planning functions of Human resource department in state bank of Pakistan are discussed below: Reducing the Costs of Benefits: Here the department determines the costs that incurs to the company due to the benefits given to its employees and find ways how to reduce them. These human and financial costs include salaries and the perks and benefits given to employees. For example state bank gives Cars to its employees at managerial level positions and above. To Ensure the best use of Financial Resources: Here, the HR department monitors the ratio of manpower to other costs in order to assist decisions regarding the best use of financial resources. Succession Planning: In order to better meet the needs of business and to avoid external hiring, the HR department develops succession plans. In this process, they create a chart of succession plans, which lists down the acting head, and his particulars like age, qualifications, traits, etc and his alternative available options, this chart assists in the situation when the incumbent leaves the job due to any reason, then what are the best options, age wise, experience wise, qualification wise, etc. Salient Features of Human Resource Planning: To help in determining appropriate recruitment levels to avoid expensive and unsatisfactory panic measures, in case of staff shortage, or frustration of losing business through lack of trained staff. To anticipate redundancies and find ways of preventing them and their attendant human and financial costs. To monitor the ratio of manpower to other costs in order to assist decisions regarding the best use of financial resources. To provide the basis for training and development programs in order to meet the needs of business and related succession plans. To identify future accommodation requirements in the form of working space, lunchroom, library, conference room and prayers area, etc. To help in making cost of living and other compensation estimates. To have appropriate control over capital expenditures. HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM There is a centralized HR information system from which employees can access information. It consists of a website where employees can gain access to information about the company background, financial, careers/job opportunities and newsroom. JOB ANALYSIS In SBP job analysis is done through individual interview questionnaire and intermediate supervisor. JOB DESCRIPTION Job description: job description is design by HR joint director, immediate supervisor of that specific department .they has divided this job to their respective department, head. They have to design the job description of their respective department. RECRUITMENT SELECTION The quality of an organizations human resources depends on the quality of its recruits. Recruitment is the process of finding and attracting capable applicants for employment and Selection is a series of steps through which the applicants pass. It heavily depends on inputs such as job analysis, HR plans, and recruitment. Although operating managers are often involved, much of the recruitment process is the responsibility of professionals in the HR department. These professionals are called recruiters. Recruiters should be aware of constraints and challenges surrounding the requirement process before they attempt to find suitable applicants.SBP is very responsive organization and is always in a process of finding capable applicants for employment. This responsibility primarily belongs to personnel department and all the recruiters are trained for this purpose. METHOD OF RECRUITMENT INTERNAL HIRING: SBP is done through internal advertisement and mail to their respective department. It is done through notice board. EXTERNAL HIRING Giving an add in the leading newspapers does the job announcement. As per criteria of SBP, on receipt of the applications from candidates holding masters degree in any one of the following disciplines. Business Management. Economics. Maths/ statistics Computer Sciences. Are entered in the database and are sorted out w.r.t. Pre-requisites. The applicants are then called for a written test through a letter. The tests along with the result are handled by an independent institution (IBA)(IBP) and SBP The results are then submitted to SBP for further processing. The successful candidates are called for an interview. The short listed candidates from the first interview are then called for the second and then third interview. The successful candidates are then informed through a letter and called to give a joining date. The candidates confirm the joining dates to the Personnel department. The selected candidates are then given brief orientation about different department and functions of the bank. After orientation they are placed in to different departments according to their qualifications and department needs APPRAISAL SYSTEM CONDUCT IN SBP The Appraisal process commence with the performance standards in accordance with strategy set by the State bank of Pakistan. The policy of the State bank of Pakistan in respect of job measurement is skip span. The employees are asked to write a daily report on the work done by them. These reports are submitted to the subordinators on the daily bases , on the other hand the subordinators personally observe every employee and mach them with marks according to the work accomplished by the employee. The subordinator then submit the daily report after every four weeks to the managers along with the letter of recommendation written by the subordinators after evaluating employee performance. These reports are then send to the HRM department where these reports are discussed in the meeting and then all decisions take place according to the merit. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Training and development is a continuous process and is designed to bring about a change in the attitude of employees with respect to the job they are doing, the people around them, the new procedures, techniques and skills which they can use. It is also to make them more conscious of their responsibilities and how to perform them will. Therefore, all training is planned and coordinated in a systematic manner by the bank in terms of the needs and the talents required in the bank. The training and development efforts are not confined to a few formal class room courses but extended in all directions to remove employees weaknesses and making the most of their strengths. TYPES OF TRAINING 1. ORIENTATION TRAINING Every new employee will be given an orientation to familiarize him with the bank organization, functions, activities, policies, procedures and programs. This type of training would be an individual basis or group classroom training, depending on the number of participants available. The duration and content of the course will be determined to meet the needs of individuals concerned in consultation with respective Department Heads / General Managers. Depending upon the type of job and the expense needed, newly hired employees as well as the promotes assigned to new fields of activities, will be given on the job training for a period ranging from one week to twenty-four weeks as may be deemed necessary. 2. TECHNICAL AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING Job knowledge is an essential part of ones responsibility in any position. Since technology, methods, processes are changing at a fast rate, it is imperative that employees should learn new skills and techniques through specialized and technical courses organized within the bank, or by outside agencies. It is through these courses that the employee will be able to reach a high level of proficiency. 3. SUPERVISION/MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH IN-HOUSE TRAINING COURSES COURSES CONDUCTED BY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS IN PAKISTAN In order to have a balanced approach to n all-round development of our management employees, appropriate emphasis will also be laid on the development of supervisory and management skills employees. To this end, selected employees will participate in formal classroom course workshops, which may be either bank organized or conducted/sponsored by outside organizations such as Pakistan Institute of Management, Pakistan Management Association or other similar organizations. Standard basic management training programs, which may be considered for participation, are as follows: Effective Supervision Practice of Supervision Problems of Management Seminar Advance Management Course Management Course for Junior Executives Problem Analysis and Decision Making Conference Leadership Job Instructions Methods etc. The employee will be exposed to these development courses in a systematic manner. The supervisor of the participants will be responsible for follow up on the training and for ensuring that the techniques and methods learnt by their subordinates are applied to on-the-job performance. Nomination of an employee to attend such courses will be at the discretion of the Management. 4. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING It is well regarded that the best place for effective learning to occur is on-the-job i.e. the employee learning the job by doing it under skillful instruction and coaching by his superior. Since many Supervisors/Managers are not trained instructors, the Department will provide training the Job Instruction Methods through practice of Supervision Course. 5. SELF-DEVELOPMENT Recognizing that self-development is the primary responsibility of the individual, bank would provide opportunities for development through making available professional literature, job rotation, counseling and discussions and seminars relating to the job of the individual. 6. TRAINING OUTSIDE PAKISTAN For acquiring specialized skills, the bank may nominate management employees for training abroad with international training institutions of repute of such organizations that may be having commercial affiliation of technical collaborationAlso nominations may be made to suitable courses and seminars abroad if foreign governments or international institutions offer such opportunities to Pakistan through the Ministry. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS Steps have been taken to improve the motivation and morale of the employees with focus on employee training and development and performance appraisals. Computer training courses, workshops and seminars have been conducted to equip the employees with modern techniques. Relationships with all the employees have remained cordial. Management Division: All policy matters and planning for new initiatives is carried out in Compensation Benefits Performance Management Division. In this division some operational elements are running simultaneously. The Competency based Performance Management System is managed by this Division. This Division also handles Manpower Planning and Job evaluation process, which is another new area. IMPROVEMENT IN SERVICE CONDITIONS State Bank is the central bank of Pakistan. It provides matchless intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivations for development of the professionalism. The following is a brief of motivations provided to its employees by the State Bank of Pakistan:- SALARY STRUCTURE FRINGE BENEFITS STAFF LOAN POLICY FACILITY OF OUTSTANDING DUTY FACILITY OF BANKS CAR PETROL CEILING MEDICAL FACILITIES TELEPHONE CHARGES AT RESIDENCE FACILITY OF NEWSPAPERWS JOURNAL GROUP TERM ASSUARANCE CASH AWARDS FOR ACQUIRING RETIREMENT POLICIES PROFESSIONAL/ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION FAMILY PENSION GRATUITY BENEVOLANT FUND SCHEME GRANT FROM THE FUND GIFT TO RETIRING EMPLOYEES General Salary Structure (Officer Cadre) Salary Grade Minimum (PKR) Maximum (PKR) OG 7 58,500 135,300 OG 6 43,400 109,300 OG 5 40,200 103,000 OG 4 36,500 95,000 OG 3 30,000 83,000 OG 2 25,000 67,500 OG 1 16,481 47,850 (Support Staff Cadre) Salary Grade Minimum (PKR) Maximum (PKR) S- 7 14,400 37,400 S- 6 13,838 34,500 S- 5 11,903 31,600 S- 4 10,733 29,000 S- 3 9,675 24,500 S- 2 8,573 20,300 S- 1 8,100 18,700 (Specialized Salary Structure) Level Minimum (PKR) Maximum (PKR) Entry 40,000 80,000 Middle 60,000 120,000 Higher 80,000 150,000 Managerial M-1or M-2 Core Benefits (applicable across salary structure) Medical Full medical facilities for self, spouse, children and dependent parents as per bank rules. Also, applicable to retired employees Rest Recreation Leave Allowance 15 days leave with 50% of monetized salary as Rest Recreation Allowance each year for Officers. Leaves All officer-grade employees earn leaves for every 6 working day. All support-grade employees earn leaves for every 5 working days. Leaves earned can be accumulated up to 40 per year for Officer-grade employees. Leaves earned can be accumulated up to 72 per year for Support-grade employees. Upon accumulation of leave balance, the employee can proceed to perform Hajj once in the entire service 90 days maternity leaves (exclusive of regular leaves) are allowed to all female employees subject to maximum of three times. Staff Loans Personal loan (Interest free) to meet emergencies up to 03 monetized salaries payable in a maximum period of 2 years House Building Loan / Car Loan up to 60 monetized salaries payable in the entire remaining service (up to 60th birthday of employee). The bank on behalf of the employees free of cost also insures this loan with out charging of premium from employees. Computer loan of PKR 70,000 (maximum) payable in the entire remaining service Group Term Assurance (GTA) Group term assurance covers the employee as under: Salary Ranges (PKR) Sum Assured (PKR) Life Insurance Premium (PKR) 55,001 and Above 1,500,000 312.50 37,501 to 55,000 1,000,000 208.33 18,001 to 37,500 800,000 166.67 Up to 18,000 600,000 125.00 Deputation Allowance Employees are entitled to additional 20% of their monetized salary as a Deputation Allowance along with comprehensive medical facilities for self and dependent family members. Annual Merit Increases Annual Merit Increase (AMI) for the year 2005 is paid as per following schedule: For Employees in Grade OG-1 and Below: AMI for employees in grades OG-1 and below has been determined on the basis of their average marks awarded by the reporting and finalizing officers as per following grid: Range of Marks AMI 49 50 4.5% 47 48 4% 41 46 3% 11 40 2% 0 10 Nil For Employees in Grades OG-2 to OG-5: AMI for employees in grades OG 2 to OG 5 has been determined on the basis of placing the absolute performance ratings of employees as reported by their respective appraisers in appropriate clusters and thereafter categorizing these ratings in accordance with Bell Curve principles into four appraisal categories as follows: Appraisal Category AMI % A = Outstanding Performers 9 % B+ = Above Average 7 % B = Fully Satisfactory 5 % C = Below Average 1.5% For OG 7 employees: AMI for OG- 7 employees at a uniform rate of 6 %. For employees in Separate Salary Structure for Specialized Professionals: AMI for employees in cluster of Separate Salary Structure for Specialized Professionals has been determined at a uniform rate of 5%. Performance Bonus Top 10% of performers in the Bank are paid a one time Performance Bonus @ 3% of annualized monetized pay Bank Provided Car Entitlement (Pakistan assembled) OG-5 800 cc car (AC) without petrol ceiling and driver salary OG-6 1000 cc car (AC) without petrol ceiling and driver salary OG-6 (HOD) 1000 cc car (AC) with petrol ceiling (200 Liters) and driver salary OG-7 1300 cc car (AC) of their choice with petrol ceiling (340 Liters) on optional Banks driver or driver salary Transfer of Ownership Cars are provided to the employees on the basis of a loan depreciation scheme. On completion of 5 years deprecation life of the cars the assignee becomes the owner of vehicles. 10. Telephone Facility .OG.7 (900 calls) OG.6 (600 calls) OG.54 (400 calls) OG 32. (200 calls) 11. Post Retirement Benefits Officers Grade 4 and above on their retirement or their family members in the events of employees death are entitled for the following additional benefits for a period of six months: a) 40% Monetised pay in lieu of House Rent Ceiling b) Electricity, Gas and water charges as per entitlement at the time of Retirement/Death c) 50% of telephone charges as per entitlement at the time of Retirement/Death d) Cost of 50% Petrol Ceiling as per entitlement at the time of Retirement/Death Pension Policy Prior to 1997 Federal Government rules as contained in Compendium of Pension Rules and Order were applicable in State Bank of Pakistan. After monetisation, the concept of pay has been abolished and 50% of monetised salary is taken into account for the purpose of calculation of retirement benefits. 13. Education Allowance Rs.500/- per month is allowed to Clerical/Non-Clerical employees. 14. Traveling Transportation Charges a. Officers on their retirement are entitled to reimbursement of economy class airfare for self and eligible family members from the airports nearest to their place of posting and their hometown as per bank record or they can claim payment of ACC sleeper train fare. b. All officers and staff of the bank either on transfer or retirement are entitled to actual cost of transportation of household effects to their place of new posting/domicile outside Karachi against production of proper receipts subject to a maximum amount of one months monetised salary. Travel Daily Allowance (a) The rates of gross Daily Allowance for different categories of employees are as under: Category of Employees Positions Gross DA (Rs) S-1 to S-3 Non-clerical Staff 800 S-4 to S-7 Clerical Staff<