Difference Between Traditional File Systems Information Technology Essay

Difference Between Traditional File Systems Information Technology Essay Wikipedia, The traditional filing system is a method of storing and arranging computer files and the information in the file. Basically it organizes these files into a database for the storage, organization, manipulation, and retrieval by the computers operating system. For this method, a file name is assigned to a file in order to secure storage location in the computer memory or data storage devices such as hard disks or CD-ROMs are used to maintain the physical location of the files. By this file name a file can be further accessed. Whether the file system has an underlying storage device or not, file systems typically have directories which associate file names with files, usually by connecting the file name to an index in a file allocation table. A new concept for file management is the concept of a database-based file system. Files are identified by their characteristics, like type of file, topic, author, etc (DBMS) consists of software that operates databases, providing storage, access, security, backup and other facilities. This system can be categorized according to the database model and the type of computer that they support such as a server cluster or a mobile phone, the query language(s) that access the database, such as SQL or XQuery, performance trade-offs, such as maximum scale or maximum speed or others. Some DBMS cover more than one entry in these categories, e.g., supporting multiple query languages. Meanwhile database management systems are usually accessed in a client-server manner, where the database client and the server are located on different machines (in a local area network). Both systems deal with information management. File-based System File-based systems were an early attempt to computerize the manual filing system. File-based system is a collection of application programs that perform services for the end-users, such as updating, insertion, deletion adding new files to database etc. Each program defines and manages its data. When a computer user wants to store data electronically they must do so by placing data in files. Files are stored in specific locations on the hard disk (directories). The user can create new files to place data in, delete a file that contains data, rename the file, etc which is known as file management; a function provided by the Operating System (OS). Advantages of traditional file based system Disadvantages of traditional file based system No need of external storage Provides less security. No need of a highly technical person to handle the database. Redundancy is more. Processing speed is high as compared to DBMS Less integrity. High complexity in updating of database. Table 1.1.1 Database Management System The improvement of the File-Based System (FBS) was the Database Management System (DBMS) which came up in the 60s. The Database Management System removed the trouble of manually locating data, and having to go through it. The user could create a suitable structure for the data beforehand, to place the information in the database that the DBMS is managing. Hence, the physical organizing of files is done away with and provides the user with a logical view of the data input. A database is a collection of interrelated information stored in a database server; these data will be stored in the form of tables. The primary aim of database is to provide a way to store and retrieve database information fast and in an efficient manner. Advantages Control of data redundancy Although the database approach does not remove redundancy completely, it controls the amount of redundancy in the database. Data consistency By removing or controlling redundancy, the database approach reduces the risk of inconsistencies occurring. It ensures all copies of the idea are kept consistent. More information from the same amount of data With the amalgamation of the operated data, it is possible to derive additional information for the same data. Sharing of data Database belongs to the entire organization and can be shared by all authorized users. Improved data integrity Database integrity provides the validity and consistency of stored data. Integrity is usually expressed in terms of constraints, which are consistency rules that the database is not permitted to violate. Improved security Provides protection of data from unauthorized users. It will require user names and passwords to identify user type and their access right in the operation including retrieval, insertion, updating and deletion. Enforcement of standards The integration of the database enforces the necessary standards including data formats, naming conventions, documentation standards, update procedures and access rules. Economy of scale Cost savings can be obtained by combining all organizations operational data into one database with applications to work on one source of data. Balance of conflicting requirements By having a structural design in the database, the conflicts between users or departments can be resolved. Decisions will be based on the base use of resources for the organization as a whole rather than for an individual person. Improved data accessibility and responsiveness By having integration in the database approach, data accessing can cross departmental boundaries. This feature provides more functionality and better services to the users. Increased productivity The database approach provides all the low-level file-handling routines. The provision of these functions allow the programmer to concentrate more on the specific functionality required by the users. The fourth-generation environment provided by the database can simplify the database application development. Improved maintenance Provides data independence. As a change of data structure in the database will affect the application program, it simplifies database application maintenance. Increased concurrency Database can manage concurrent data access effectively. It ensures no interference between users that would not result any loss of information or loss of integrity. Improved backing and recovery services Modern database management system provides facilities to minimize the amount of processing that can be lost following a failure by using the transaction approach. Disadvantages Complexity A difficult software. All users must be familiar with its functionality and take full advantage of it. Therefore, training for the administrators, designers and users is required. Size Uses a substantial amount of main memory as well as large amount of disk space in order to make it run efficiently. Cost of DBMS A multi-user database management system may be very expensive. Even after the installation, there is a high regular annual maintenance cost on the software. Cost of conversion When moving from a file-base system to a database system, the company is required to have additional expenses on hardware acquisition and training cost. Performance As the database approach is to cater for many applications rather than exclusively for a particular one, some applications may not run as fast as before. Higher impact of a failure Increases the vulnerability of the system due to the centralization. As all users and applications reply on the database availability, the failure of any component can bring operations to a halt and affect the services to the customer seriously. The difference between TFS and DBMS Balajee B. (2005), There are number of characteristics that differ from traditional file management system to database management system. In file system approach, each user implements the required files for a specific application to run. (Example: in a sales department of an enterprise, one user will be maintaining the details of the number of sales personnel in that department and their grades. These details will be stored and maintained in a separate file. Another user will maintain the salary details of these sales personnel and the detailed salary report will be stored and maintained in a separate file. Although both of the users need the data of the salespersons, they will be having their details in separate files and they need different programs to operate their files.) When such data is isolated in separate files, it is difficult to access data that should be available for both users. This will lead to wastage of space and redundancy or replication of data, which may lead to c onfusion, as sharing of data among various users is not possible and data inconsistency may occur. These files will not be having any inter-relationship among the data stored in these files. Therefore in traditional file processing every user will be defining their own constraints and implement the files according to their needs. In database approach, a single store of data is maintained that is defined once and then accessed by many users, as database belongs to the entire organization and can be shared by all authorized users. The essential characteristic of database approach is that the database system not only contains data but it contains complete definition or description of the database structure and control. These definitions are stored in a system catalog, which contains the information about the structure and definitions of the database. The information stored in the catalog is called the metadata, it describes the primary database. Hence this approach will work on any type of database for example, insurance database, Airlines, banking database, Finance details, and Enterprise information database. But in traditional file processing system the application is developed for a specific purpose and they will access specific database only. But the processing speed in TFS is high compared to DBMS. The other main characteristic of the database is that it will allow multiple users to access the database at the same time and sharing of data is possible. The database must include concurrency control software to ensure that several users trying to update the same data at the same time, it should maintain in a controlled manner. In file system approach many programmers will be creating files over a long period and various files have different format, in various application languages, where duplication of data can occur. This redundancy in storing same data multiple times leads to higher costs and wastage of space. This may result in data inconsistency in the application; this is because update is done to some of the files only and not all of the files. Moreover in database approach multiple views can be created; External view User/Application view, Conceptual view Logical view, Internal view Details about the structure of data and physical storage of information. View is a tailored representation of information contained in one or more tables. View is also called as Virtual table because view does not contain physically stored records and will not occupy any space. A multi-user database whose users have variety of applications must provide facilities for defining multiple views. In traditional file system, if any changes are made to the structure of the files it will affect all the programs. Therefore, changes to the structure of a file will require to change all programs that access the file and whereby data dependence will be lost. But in the case of database approach the structure of the database is stored separately in the system catalog from the access of the application programs. This property is known as program-data independence. Database can also be used for continuous storage for program objects and data structures that resulted in object oriented database approach. Traditional systems suffered from impedance mismatch problem and difficulty in accessing the data, which is avoided in object oriented database system. Database can be used to represent complex relationships among data as well as to retrieve and update related data easily and efficiently. Hence DBMS does not automatically remove redundancies, but help to control redundancy. It is possible to define and enforce integrity constraints for the data stored in the database. The database also provides facilities for recovering hardware and software failures, as it has automatic and intelligent backup and recovery procedures. It reduces the application development time considerably when compared to the file system approach and availability of up-to-date information of all the users. It also provides security to the data stored in the database system and maintains integrity. A highly technical person will be required to handle the database, while for TFS, it is not so. File-based systems are very dependent upon the application programmer. Any required queries or reports have to be written by the application programmer. Normally, a fixed format query or report can only be entertained and no facility for ad-hoc queries if offered. DBMS has data independence. The way information is stored and the way information issued is independent of each other. File-based systems also give tremendous pressure on data processing staff, with users complaints on programs that are inadequate or inefficient in meeting their demands. Documentation may be limited and maintenance of the system is difficult. Provision for security, integrity and recovery capability is very limited. Whereas, DBMS has control over security as it provides tools such as use of User Code, Password / Privileges and Roles to ensure security of data. Data, Field, Record, and File are the main components of Database environment. Briefly explain those. Data Webopedia (Anon., n.d.), Distinct pieces of information usually formatted in a special way. All software is divided into two general categories: data and programs. Programs are collections of instructions for manipulating data. Data can exist in a variety of forms as numbers or text on pieces of paper, as bits and bytes stored in electronic memory, or as facts stored in a persons mind. Strictly speaking, data is the plural of datum, a single piece of information. In practice, however, people use data as both the singular and plural form of the word. The term data is often used to distinguish binary machine-readable information from textual human-readable information. For example, some applications make a distinction between data files (files that contain binary data) and text files (files that contain ASCII data). In database management systems, data files are the files that store the database information, whereas other files, such as index files and data dictionaries, store adminis trative information, known as metadata. Field Webopedia (Anon., n.d.), A space allocated for a particular item of information. A tax form, for example, contains a number of fields: one for your name, one for your Social Security number, one for your income, and so on. In database systems, fields are the smallest units of information you can access. In spreadsheets, fields are called cells. Most fields have certain attributes associated with them. For example, some fields are numeric whereas others are textual; some are long, while others are short. In addition, every field has a name, called the field name. In database management systems, a field can be required, optional, or calculated. A required field is one in which you must enter data, while an optional field is one you may leave blank. A calculated field is one whose value is derived from some formula involving other fields. You do not enter data into a calculated field; the system automatically determines the correct value. A collection of fields is called a record. Record Webopedia (Anon., n.d.), In database management systems, a complete set of information. Records are composed of fields, each of which contains one item of information. A set of records constitutes a file. For example, a personnel file might contain records that have three fields: a name field, an address field, and a phone number field. In relational database management systems, records are called tuples. Some programming languages allow you to define a special data structure called a record. Generally, a record is a combination of other data objects. For example, a record might contain three integers, a floating-point number, and a character string. In database management systems, a complete set of information. Records are composed of fields, each of which contains one item of information. A set of records constitutes a file. For example, a personnel file might contain records that have three fields: a name field, an address field, and a phone number field. Figure 1.2.1 Source Author Anon., File Webopedia (Anon., n.d.), A collection of data or information that has a name, called the filename. Almost all information stored in a computer must be in a file. There are many different types of files: data files, text files, program files, directory files, and so on. Different types of files store different types of information. For example, program files store programs, whereas text files store text. What is the Importance of DBMS in a Defense Organization and in an Education Department? Defence Organization Benjamin (n.d.), A Database Management System (DBMS) is a set of computer programs that controls the creation, maintenance, and the use of the database with computers of an organization and its end users. It allows organizations to place control of organization-wide database development in the hands of database administrators (DBAs) and other specialists. As organizations develop with time, their adoption to the latest technologies in the computer field becomes a necessity. A Defence organization is no different. In these turbulent times, when national security is more important, providing all Defence personnel with access to the latest technology and education opportunities not only directly contributes to Defence capability but also improve the defence personnels career development. Hence the importance of a DBMS in such an organization like Defence is vital. Because Database administrators could use this system to configure and operate databases as the software provides high level, privileged database access. But the management should restrict use of this software to authorized personnel. One function of the database administrator is to create particular views of information stored in the database that are unique for each type of user. For example, one officer will have a different view of information in the database than another, say Senior officer. The different user groups will also have different abilities to add, modify, or delete information. The database administrator is responsible for providing users with access to the appropriate level of information. The primary risk associated with database administration is that an administrator can alter sensitive data without those modifications being detected. A secondary risk is that an administrator can change access rights to information stored within the database as well as their own access rights. Database security is the last line of defence. So it deserves greater focus on the protection of private data from both internal and external. The sensitivity and classification of the information stored in the database form the basis for establishing controls. A database that stores confidential information may require a more significant control environment than a database that stores non-sensitive information. Management should consider the security and performance implications of the security options available with modern database management systems. Database security professionals and information security and risk management professionals could adopt a security strategy in DBMS to: 1) Align database security policies with information security policies; 2) Ensure well-defined and formalized database security procedures; 3) Enforce role separation; and 4) Apply advanced security measures such as database auditing, monitoring, database encryption, data masking, and vulnerability assessment to all critical databases that store private data. The DBMS can provide long-term benefits for the Defence organization reducing duplication of data and making it easier for HR to update personnel records. If not for DBMS, each time there was a personnel change, trainers would have to go through their entire content to make the necessary changes. Now, replacing Brigadier Xs picture in the content library with Commodore Ys picture can be automatically replicated through all relevant programs. Thereby reduce its expenditure on storage. But, initial training will be required for all programmers and users. Even though database systems are complex, difficult, and time-consuming to design, there is greater data integrity and independence from applications programs and Education Department Sue Bushell (2004), To improve teaching and learning with the help of modern information and communication technology eLearning is beneficial to education, corporations and to all types of learners. It is affordable, saves time, and produces measurable results. E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The Information and communication systems, whether networked or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process. E-learning services have evolved since computers were first used in education. There is a trend to move towards blended learning services, where computer-based activities are integrated with practical or classroom-based situations. E-learning is essentially the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classroom opportunities and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor-led and includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio The definition of e-learning varies depending on the organization and how it is used but basically it involves electronic means of communication, education, and training. Regardless of the definition you chose to use, designers, developers, and implementers make or break the instructional courses and tools. E-learning is simply a medium for delivering learning and like any other medium, it has its advantages and disadvantages. E-learning covers a wide array of activities from supported learning, to blended or hybrid learning (the combination of traditional and e-learning practices), to learning that occurs 100% online. As per wikipedia.org, the worldwide e-learning industry is estimated to be worth over $48 billion US according to conservative estimates. Developments in internet and multimedia technologies are the basic enabler of e-learning, with consulting, content, technologies, services and support being identified as the five key sectors of the e-learning industry. E-learning is naturally suited to distance learning and flexible learning, but can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching, in which case the term Blended learning is commonly used. E-Learning pioneer Bernard Luskin argues that the E must be understood to have broad meaning if e-learning is to be effective. Luskin says that the e should be interpreted to mean exciting, energetic, enthusiastic, emotional, extended, excellent, and educational in addition to electronic that is a traditional national interpretation. This broader interpretation allows for 21st century applications and brings learning and media psychology into the equation. E-Learning can also refer to educational web sites such as those offering learning scenarios, worksheets and interactive exercises for children. The term is also used extensively in the business sector where it generally refers to cost-effective online training There are many advantages to online and computer-based learning when compared to traditional face-to-face courses and lectures. There are a few disadvantages as well. Advantages of eLearning (Anon., n.d) E-learning is beneficial to education, corporations and to all types of learners. It is affordable, saves time, and produces measurable results. Cost effective E-learning is more cost effective than traditional learning because less time and money is spent traveling. Since e-learning can be done in any geographic location and there are no travel expenses, this type of learning is much less costly than doing learning at a traditional institute.   Flexibility Flexibility is a major benefit of e-learning. E-learning has the advantage of taking class anytime anywhere. Education is available when and where it is needed. E-learning can be done at the office, at home, on the road, 24 hours a day, and seven days a week.   Learners  like e-learning because it accommodates different types of learning styles.  They have the advantage of learning at their own pace. Students can also learn through a variety of activities that apply to many different learning styles. Learners can fit e-learning into their busy schedule. If they hold a job, they can participate in eLearning right at their desk. If the learner needs to do the learning at night, then this option is available while in their pajamas and do the learning if they desire.   Personalized learning E-learning encourages students to peruse through information by using hyperlinks and sites on the worldwide Web.  Learners are able to find information relevant to their personal situations and interest. E-learning allows selection of  learning materials that meet their level of knowledge, interest and what they need to know to perform more effectively in an activity.   E-learning is more focused on the learner and it is more interesting for the learner because it is information that they want to learn. E-learning is flexible and can be customized to meet the individual needs of the learners. Develops knowledge E-learning helps develop knowledge of the Internet. This knowledge will help learners throughout their careers. E-learning encourages students to take personal responsibility for their own learning. When learners succeed, it builds self-knowledge and self-confidence Disadvantages of eLearning Access One disadvantage of eLearning is that learners need to have access to a computer as well as the Internet. They also need to have computer skills with programs such as word processing, Internet browsers, and e-mail. Without these skills and software it is not possible for the  learner to succeed in eLearning.   E-learners need to be very comfortable using a computer. Slow Internet connections or older computers may make accessing course materials difficult. This may cause the learners to get frustrated and give up.   Software and files Another disadvantage of e-learning is managing computer files, software comfortability and learning new software, including e-learning. For learners with beginner-level computer skills it can sometimes seem complex to keep their computer files organized.  The lesson points you to download a file which the learner does and later cannot find the file. The file is downloaded to the folder the computer automatically opens to rather than a folder  chosen by the learner. This file may be lost or misplaced to the learner without good computer organizational skills. High motivation E-learning also requires time to complete especially those with assignments and interactive collaborations. This means that students have to be highly motivated and responsible because all the work they do is on their own. Learners with low motivation or bad study habits may not complete modules and may fall behind Isolation Another disadvantage of e-learning is that students may feel isolated and unsupported while learning. Instructions are not always available to help the learner so learners need to have discipline to work independently without assistance. E-learners may also become bored with no interaction with instructors or classmates.   Without the routine structures of a traditional class, students may get lost or confused about course activities and deadlines. Instructor may not always be available when students are studying or need help Conclusion Today many technologies can be, and are, used in e-learning, from blogs to collaborative software, E-Portfolios, and virtual classrooms. Most e-learning situations use combinations of these techniques. Even though the hardware and software start-up are costly, the advantages are; reduced data redundancy, reducing updating errors and increased consistency, greater data integrity and independence from applications programs, improved data access to users through use of host and query languages, improved data security and availability of facilitated development of new application programs and ability for intensive research are the benefits of DBMS. Task 2 Draw an Entity Relationship Data Model which describes the content and structure of the data held by the Medi Check Hospital. Produce the resulting tables of above Medi Check Hospital and clearly indicating the primary and foreign keys. Data Tables Doctor DoctorID (primary) Lname Fname Address Phone Pager Specialty Location Availability Patient PatientNo (primary) PatientFirstName PatientLastName PatientAddress PatientTelNo PatientDob PatientMaritalStatus PatientDateRegistered Appointment AppointmentNo (primary) PatientName Date/Time PatientTelNo Symptom SymptomCode (primary), SymptomName Description Treatment TreatmentTitle (primary) TreatmentType Duration Status TreatmentCost Medication MedicationNo (primary) MedicationType SideEffect Dosage Frequency Severity MedicationBrandName MedicationManufactureName MedicationManufactureAddress MedicationManufactureTel Normalize these tables to ensure that are all in BCNF. Show the steps you have taken in normalizing the tables. UNF Medication (DoctorID, Lname, Fname, Address, Phone, Pager, Specialty, Location, Availability, PatientNo, PatientFirstName, PatientLastName, PatientAddress, PatientTelNo, PatientDob, PatientMaritalStatus, PatientDateRegistered, AppoinmentNo, PatientName, Date/Time, PatientTelNo, SymptomCode, SymptomName, Description, TreatmentTitle, TreatmentTyp

recycling plastic :: essays research papers

Plastics are durable, lightweight materials that were invented in 1909. They are normally made from oil and natural gas. Using plastics to replace packaging materials such as metal and glass has allowed manufacturers to make packages that are more efficient. For example to bottle eight gallons of a beverage would take only two pounds of plastic but would take three pounds of aluminum, eight pounds of steel and 27 pounds of glass. The light weight of plastic packaging helps reduce transportation costs. It takes fewer trucks to transport plastic compared to metal or other materials. Fewer trucks mean less fuel usage and therefore less air pollution from truck exhaust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recycling plastic containers helps to conserve landfill space and natural resources and to cut down on pollution. Since the number of landfills continues to diminish, keeping plastic containers out of landfills is important. Plastics do not degrade in landfills. Therefore, containers you throw away will be taking up landfill space hundreds of years from now. Making plastic products from recycled plastic also reduces air and water pollution, and energy used for making plastics from raw materials. Recycled plastic is used to make products such as plastic lumber, toys, containers, carpet, fiber fill for jackets and flowerpots. There are over 1,500 products made with or packaged in recycled plastic. Such uses reduce natural resource consumption and pollution because fewer raw materials are required and less energy is needed to make recycled plastic products than to make plastic products entirely from raw materials. There are different kinds mixtures of resins that make thousands of types of plastics. Ink pens, car parts and plastic bags are all made from different resins. In order to recycle plastics, the different types must be kept separate. Therefore, plastic packages are coded to indicate the type of resin used to make them. The code numbers are found inside the chasing recycling arrows on the bottoms of containers. These numbers help you separate plastic containers for recycling collection or drop off. Uncoded plastics, such as plastic pipes, cannot be recycled but can be reused.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recycling is a six step process. First they must be cleaned and separated by the type of plastic and by color. The first step is the most important one in the process. Colored plastics cannot be mixed with clear plastics, and plastics with different code numbers cannot be mixed together. Mixing plastics can cause entire bales to be rejected and possibly to be sent to a landfill. They are then compacted and shipped off to the processing facility.

Managing Staff

Management for any healthcare facility has many different roles that they must complete. A health care manager must be able to handle running the daily operations, complete any financial duties, and also manage the employees of the facility. When it comes to keeping the facility properly staffed management must be aware of what is needed. To be sure that the facility is properly staffed, a health care manager should utilize a staffing plan. A staffing plan can show where employees are needed to work any hours that the facility needs.Annualizing is also important because if a facility is to be run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week will require many staff members because one employee would not be able to fill all of the positions. In understanding any staffing needs for a facility the manager must take into consideration productive and non-productive time. Productive time means the time spent that is actually worked by an employee. Non-productive time would mean any time the e mployee is not at work; whether it is the weekend, a holiday, sick time, vacation time, or a personal day.When it comes to using a staffing plan it is important for the manager to have this information in place because it will help to show what actual hours need to be covered and how many employees it will take to cover those hours. There are two ways to do a staffing plan; they are either done in the annualized method or by the scheduled-position method. In the annualized method the manager would take the non-productive and productive days of each staff person and account for them in the formula that is used to fill the hours.In the scheduled-position method the non-productive and productive days are accounted for when filling a scheduled shift. This is why recording non-productive and productive days in a staffing plan are necessary because all of the hours of each staff member are accounted for. When it comes to the cost for any healthcare facility they can be tied to the staffin g in a variety of ways. In a staffing plan the costs are attributed to the amount of staff that is needed to cover the hours that are needed to run the facility.It also can be attributed to the pay rates of each individual staff member and also the benefits that each staff member is entitled to. This information can be kept in the books which will help in preparing a budget or a staffing plan. If a health care manager did not have access to this information they would not have the correct information that is needed to properly staff and run the facility on a day-to-day basis. A healthcare facility is run by a staff that must provide care to its patients, provide daily care, and handle administrative duties.Without proper staffing a facility cannot be run properly and the quality of care that the patients receive will suffer which in turn can affect the overall reputation of the facility. To ensure that this does not happen, management must have quality staff members and also to make sure that all of the hours are properly covered. Reference Bureau of Labor Statistics. (January 2012). Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved from http://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos014. htm

Essay about Caucasia written by Danzy Senna - 1336 Words

Although society advocates believing in a ‘sameness’ between people who are black or white, individuals are still organized by race, class, gender and sexuality into social hierarchies. These hierarchies essentially formulate stigmas that suppress certain races and discriminate against them. Caucasia written by Danzy Senna is focused around a young mixed girl, Birdie, who encounters obstacles in her life that help her form her own perceptions about issues regarding class, race, and sexuality. These obstacles fundamentally shape her to have a unique outlook on society where she begins to question white privilege and also sympathize towards the mistreatment of black individuals. Senna explores the fundamental problems that are associated†¦show more content†¦When Birdie and her sister are sent to Nkrumah, Birdie is taught to recognize and accept her â€Å"black† identity. However, her identity is problematized by her physical appearance, especially her â₠¬Å"white† skin colour. Living in Boston, Birdie feels that she does not belong to the black community; in Nkrumah students don’t accept her for being a black girl, then she further feels isolated by her dad’s girlfriend, because she is not dark like Cole. â€Å"Others before had made me see the differences between my sister and myself – the texture of our hair, the tings of our kin, the shapes of our features. But Carmen was the one to make me feel that those things somehow mattered. To make me feel that the differences were deeper than skin,† (Senna, 1998, p.91). The students are not the only ones who make Birdie feel as if she doesn’t fit in; Carmen makes her feel as if inferior because of her lighter complexion. The concept of altering an identity in order to fit in relates to the bell hooks article â€Å"Representing Whiteness in Black Imagination.† In this piece, hooks talks about the terror of whiteness that black people face in which they are afraid and decide to â€Å"wear the mask† to fit into society, (Hooks, 1992, p.341). When Birdie is at Nkrumah, she seems to be wearing this mask to fit in with the children at her school when she forces herself to learn slang and adopt a different attitude and dressing sense. The character of Birdie in the novel constantly changesShow MoreRelatedPassing As An Integral Part Of African American Literature2601 Words   |  11 Pages Kevan Josephs 04/29/15 Dr. Rose-Brown ENGL-244 Caucasia â€Å"Passing as white is, of course, how modernists would have understood the term. But even in this, its first cultural sense, passing is far more complicated than the notion of Wearing a mask or of assuming a fraudulent identity would suggest†¦Passing—actual and Imaginary, conscious and unconscious—at once produced profound shifts in thinking About the boundaries of identity and aroused ambivalence about those shifting, unstable Borders†Read MoreEssay on Whiteness in Danzy Senna’s Novel, Caucasia 821 Words   |  4 Pages Danzy Senna’s Caucasia is a third wave feminist text that shows the reader how identities are socially constructed. It is a heartfelt story about the conflicts of an interracial family in an extremely racialised America during the 1970s. This novel treads on the border between whiteness and blackness through the standpoint of Birdie Lee. Birdie is able to manipulate her identity and fit into different spaces as required by her mother, Sandy Lee. Throughout the novel, the reader is shown how raceRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Caucasia By Danzy Senna Essay2343 Words   |  10 PagesCaucasia written by Danzy Senna, is similar and yet different compared to Song of Solomon. In Caucasia, Birdie is a young bi-racial girl, in which she is the daughter of a black man and white woman. While Birdie appears and passes for white, she embraces her black identity even more so. Birdi e is torn apart from those she loves, yet she undergoes a journey to find them. In Song of Solomon, there is an all black family- the Dead family, that struggles within itself and within an all black community