Destructive elements in systems and organizations

Destructive Element Traits in Literature

A destructive element refers to that one trait which can destroy a person or negatively impact his life in some manner. This element is usually acts as a barrier between men and their full potential and can also seriously impede their growth. Some critics are of the view that fear is the most destructive element and we know from observation that fear is what stops man from achieving his goals and from speaking his mind. Conrad believes that we must submit to this destructive element, which can interpret in two ways. Either we completely become a victim to it and allow ourselves to be gripped by its power. Or we can submit to it by admitting that it exists and then do something about it. Every author who has explored the psychological dimensions of his characters is aware of this destructive element and it is usually the leading character's struggle with this element that forms the basic plot of the story.

In Conrad's novel, "The Shadow Line," we come across this destructive element in the shape of immaturity, which makes the protagonist give up his job on whim and out of sheer boredom. The novel is autobiographical in tone and the author traces the growth of a young man from immaturity to a deep sense of responsibility. Nothing much happens in the story, which is actually a sea voyage where the protagonist gets a chance to grow. He submitted to his destructive element when he decided to leave his job in the opening pages and it is the same element of immaturity that makes him believe he could take command of this ship. When the author is describing the heart of Bangkok, we get a feeling that it is being used as a symbol to highlight the growth of the narrator himself. The author describes Bangkok with series of images which begin with "flat spaces of the land" move on to the "brown houses... sprung out of the brown soil," and go a little further up the "crowded mob of low, brown roof ridges" and finally reach the "great piles of masonry" that "towered" above. (Pp. 47-48). It is through this character that we understand that destructive element may turn in favor of a person if he opts for the second interpretation of the term "submit" and not the first one.

In The Dead by James Joyce, we come across another kind of destructive element, which is negative in nature because the protagonist has chosen to actually submit to it by becoming its victim. The story, which appeared in the collection Dubliners, revolves around a party scene that takes place at the house of two old ladies who are close relatives of the protagonist, Gabriel. Gabriel's character has a destructive element, which is conceit. He is highly conceited person and considers himself more educated than the rest. However because of this element, he suffers various setbacks and even some rude shocks, which make hi, understand that conceit had completely killed his ability to communicate with others. We notice that throughout the story, Joyce has refrained from exposing the true soul of each character with his own words; rather he helps the readers reach their own conclusions by observing the behavior, speech and thoughts of the characters. The story's main themes are conceit and resulting unhappiness, which are communicated effectively with the help of many symbols that become significant only after one reaches the last scene that takes place at the hotel. It is not exactly possible to decipher these symbols during the party scene, as it appears to be a lighthearted event, which is a common sight during Christmas season.

The author appears to say that often times the real cause of all unhappiness is an inability too communicate with others on their level. This is very clear in the beginning when Gabriel tries to engage in a pleasant conversation with Lily, which ends abruptly when the caretaker's daughter reacts sharply and rather unpredictably to a comment made by the protagonist. Gabriel, after admiring her physical beauty, asks about her marriage plans to which she retorts, "The men that is now is only all palaver and what they can get out of you." This remark takes Gabriel by surprise and perturbs him as he gets a feeling that the girl had read his thoughts. This sentence is significant because it brings both Gabriel's conceit and resulting miscommunication to the fore. It explains that often an inability to communicate on the same wavelength can lead to misinterpretation and confusion. These two can in their turn lead to friction in important relationships.

Gabriel appears to be a highly self-centered person even though he is constantly trying to decipher meanings behind various comments and remark made by the guests. This is clear from the fact that Gabriel's mind is pre-occupied with the speech that he was to deliver near the end of the party. Though he actually wants to talk about a famous English literary figure he condescendingly presumes that the guests would not be able to relate to such a speech, as they were not as well educated as him. "He would only make himself ridiculous by quoting poetry to them which they could not understand. They would think that he was airing his superior education. He would fail with them just as he had failed with the girl in the pantry." (179). Therefore he opts for a different topic which centers around praise for the hospitality shown by his two aunts, even though, he considers them "two ignorant old women."

This conceit is the result of death of Gabriel's soul in the end. Death had been foreshadowed throughout the novel with the help of various devices and it was pointing to the fact that Gabriel's destructive element and resulting happiness could kill his soul. For example the very name Lily makes the reader think of death and the season chosen for the story symbolizes coldness of death and feelings. Death resurfaces again when Gabriel finds out about his wife's past and her one true love. It is important to understand that death here also refers to death of one's feelings and love.

When judged in the mirror of Michael's love and passion, Gabriel's own love for his wife appears be shallow and lacks intensity. This is when Gabriel feels like his soul is dying too. "His soul had approached that region where dwell the vast hosts of the dead" (224). Gabriel considers himself better than others, which is evident from all the quotes mentioned above and in the end, this superiority complex results in a disaster as he fails to read his wife's mind. He also realizes that it was due to this miscommunication that he could never reach his wife's heart and their relationship thus kept deteriorating.