History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 28

History - Assignment Example Counterculture refers to a group whose beliefs are different from those of the common majority (Misiroglu, Gina p 24). The Free Speech Movement at the University of California: A socially fortunate group of students started identifying themselves as having different interests with regard to the requirements of practices and interests of the university’s corporate sponsors. The Beatles: New cultural forms emerged to oppose the old cultures. The Beatles rock band is an example of such cultural forms that rapidly evolved to mold and reflect the youth’s cultures emphasis on experimentation and change. The hippies: the hippie counterculture’s primary tenet was that life was all about being happy, and not about what others thought they should be. They did not consider the consequences that their actions bore. They sought to replace the dominant mainstream with a Utopian society. Countercultural ideas were embraced differently by different groups. Student movements viewed these ideas as platforms for airing their concerns. They aimed for an overhaul of the current systems that ran schools. The black power appreciated the countercultural ideas. They felt that they had been oppressed for long and wished to mitigate racism. They sought for equal opportunities in the new systems. The new left (activists, educators, et al) utilized confrontational tactics to break the older ideologies. They were concerned with antiwar, feminist, and ecological issues. The anti-Vietnam war groups opposed the Vietnam War. They used countercultural ideas to expose a deep schism within the American

Our Teacher, Our Hero Essay Example for Free

Our Teacher, Our Hero Essay â€Å"You’ve better changed being naughty playful†¦or else you’ll hurt not just me Carl! â€Å"Now, start cleaning our room†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"You do you work properly then you may go now, okay? That’s a very normal incident in a Freshmen’s atmosphere. We can’t deny the reality that 1st year level is under adjustment period to the new world they have just taken in†¦Thank you so much for all the very patient kind teachers†¦They perform their being 2nd parent to us†¦I love my Teachers as they love us,They take their livesto their duties roles†¦ They are very noble†¦ One of our favourite Teacher that inspires us is Miss Kendall†¦Her life story is so sad. Her father left her when her mother got sick. She is still single at the age of 32. She must work hard for her sick mother. She also helped her brothers sister in their schooling. She told us that she has many dreams for her family for her career as a teacher that’s why she is not yet ready to get married to her boyfriend. She told us that she’s not yet ready to balance teaching having family of her own. â€Å"Uuuuuyyy, uuuuyyyyyy†¦Ma’am ha†¦We saw your bf this morning Ma’am Kendall†¦Uuuyyyy†¦You’re a good match Ma’am†¦Your pretty hi’s handsome†¦he-he-he†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sssshhh, sssshhh†¦stop teasing me girls†¦We’re still under knowing each other†¦he-he-he† â€Å"But Ma’am really you’re a good match†¦please don’t forget to invite us Ma’am on your wedding, okay?†¦He-he-he! Pretty sure, we will all be there Ma’am†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sssshhhaaa, sssshhhaaa†¦That’s enough now. Let’s have your practice for your LitMus Pieces now†¦Please call the other candicates Chris†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Okay Ma’am, I’ll call them outside†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Susan, Alfred†¦pls. get inside now†¦we’re getting ready for our practice now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Now, let’s start with Alfred for his vocal sol o†¦Ready now Alfred†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Alfred singing his contest song†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..) (Ma’am Kendall applause Alfred for his performance†¦) â€Å"Alfred you’re getting better now†¦but you still need to practice more, Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thank you so much Ma’am for your great support†¦I promise to do it better†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It’s my great pleasure supporting you in times like this†¦be the best you can,okay?†¦Next, let’s have Susan for her Filipino Declamation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Basilio? Crispin? Mgaanakko? Nasaanna kayo?Nandito n siNanay†¦.Mgaanakko? Nasaan kayo?Basilio? Crispin?Basiliooooooooooo†¦Crispiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnn†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Bravo, bravo, Susan†¦You’re getting better everyday†¦It’s another great performance†¦I know, you can be everybody’s beat†¦ha-ha-ha!† â€Å"Thank you so much Ma’am†¦I’m getting better every day because of your great help Ma’am Kendall†¦I’m good because you’re also good Ma’am†¦ â€Å"I agree with you Susan†¦You, Ma’am Kendall all teachers are our happiness inspiration in school†¦ â€Å"Thank you also Susan for your kind words†¦It adds joy to my heart as you say it†¦You’re all the reason why I am here†¦he-he-he†¦Chris it’s your turn now†¦Ready?† â€Å"Yes Ma’am†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ballooooooot, Ballooooooooot†¦For sale†¦for sale Nutritious Ballooooot†¦For sale delicious Ballooooot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hey, girl! Come here!I’ll your ballot! (Drunk man)†¦How much is ten pieces?†Ã¢ € ¦ †Thirteen each Sir130 all in all Sir†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†What?!?your over-pricing young girl†¦That’s so expensive†¦here’s what is good to your Ballot†¦Uuummm†¦Uuummm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh no!!! No!!!Pls stop it!huhuhu†¦pls stop it Sir†¦pls†¦What have you than to my Ballot†¦huhuhu†¦what have you done? You have no pity, drunkard†¦huhuhu†¦You’ll be paying for this†¦huhuhu†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Wooowww!!! Amazing performance Chris†¦you did a great job! Your really getting better in your piece Chris†¦Congratulations! I am so happy that you really are practicing so well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thank you so much Ma’am†¦we are so happy doing this for all of us Ma’am†¦We will try to win in our contest.† In a surprise, Rommel rushed hurriedly inside our classroom and telling something bad news to Ma’am and his catching his breath†¦Rommel is Ma’am Kendall’s nephew†¦ â€Å"Tita Ram†¦please, pls†¦be in a hurry†¦Lola was brought to the hospital†¦she was again attacked of her Asthma†¦she seemed not to look good this time Tita†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?My goodness†¦oh my, oh my Good Lord, pls help my mother†¦ Please†¦Lord God please help her again this time†¦Okay†¦let’s go†¦Excuse me class†¦I should attend my mother in the hospital†¦Take good care of yourself†¦Be home early Okay?Don’t go anywhere†¦Go home early okay?† â€Å"Okay, Ma’am†¦don’t worry about us Ma’am†¦please take care also Ma’am†¦Please be calm relax Ma’am†¦we will help pray to God, that your mother will get better Ma’am†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We were speechless while following Ma’am Kendall on her way to the hospital†¦we just stared to each other without any sound from ourselves†¦I just realized we are all shocked†¦after a while, I asked my classmates to follow me in my prayers for Ma’am Kendall’s mother†¦We prayed not just for that moment but every moment we pray to God, we include our teachers in our prayers†¦Let us all pray for our Heroes, our Teachers†¦

Rap And Censorship Essays -- essays research papers

The beginnings of rap are believed to based on African rhythms which were used as a form of communication by the native peoples. The lyrical component of rap music is thought to have been greatly influenced by Cab Calloway with his repetitive chants and scats, along with his call-and-response technique with the audience. Rap evolved and gained in popularity in the 1960's when a few revolutionary "DJ's," including Kool DJ Herc, DJ Lovebug Starski, and DJ Hollywood, began to work block parties in the Bronx. They would bring in large speakers, hook them up to a turntable and play two of the same record at the same time, repeating the same section of the vinyl over and over by scratching it. Other performers would chant and yell to the crowd. In 1979, music companies recorded rap for the first time. Such acts as The Sugar Hill Gang, The Fatback Band, and Grandmaster Flash were among the first to gain popularity. In 1982, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released the first popular politically based rap. Grandmaster's song "The Message" deals with life in the inner city, and the stress of being around violence and drugs. It included such lyrics as, "Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat, I tried to get away but I can't get far, cause the man with the touch-up repossessed my car, don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge†¦" The early popularity of rap was hindered by an inability to reach new audiences. After much controversy, MTV began to run videos by black artists. These artists were showcased primarily on the new program "Yo! MTV Raps". The rhythms and the lyrics attracted a spectrum of listeners, from inner-city minorities to suburban upper-class whites. During the same era, as rap was rising in popularity, the infamous "PMRC hearings" occurred. Tennessee senator Al Gore's wife, Tipper, led the PMRC, or Parents' Music Resource Center. This group, which included a number of other wives of Washington legislators, convinced Congress to hold hearings regarding the placement of warning labels on "offensive" albums. The National PTA also called for warning labels on violent, sexually explicit, or vulgar albums in their yearly address in 1984. During the Congressional hearings, several ideas were considered including warning labels, a ratings system, and singer... ...ould be able to access? Rap music and all other forms of media have their places in this world. While some may argue strongly about whether certain types of music are beneficial or even safe for society to witness, their arguments remain their personal opinions. The true fight for free speech lies not in fighting for the right to hear what you agree with, but in fighting for the freedom of those with whom you disagree. When you take away the public's right to voice a differing opinion, either through their music, their writing, or their art you strike at the very heart of freedom for which America is supposed to stand. References ACLU News. May 31, 1996. Online. Biafra, Jello. "If Evolution is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve". Alternative Tentacles Records. 1998. Massachusetts Music Industry Coalition Newsletter. Volume 1, Issue 2. February, 1997. MMICN. Volume 1, Issue 3. September, 1997. MTV News. September 2, 1998. Online. Rock Out Censorship. Online. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #4. August, 1983. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #7. December, 1983. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #118. September, 1994. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #130. January, 1996.

Good Style is a Reflection of a Writer Making Good Choices :: Writing Style Styles Essays

Good Style is a Reflection of a Writer Making Good Choices When putting pen to paper or typing on a keyboard in order to write something, a writer makes decisions. These decisions will result in what will be the writer’s finished work and will unintentionally reflect what the writer knows about writing style. In just trying to convey his or her ideas, a writer will follow rules of grammar and spelling as well as various advice accumulated through formal and informal education. If the writer has a good understanding of what they’ve learned, it will come out in their writing. After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, I’ve learned that style is the culmination of many factors. Beginning in elementary school, people learn the basic, concrete rules of grammar. These aren’t so much elements of style as they are the foundation of writing. While necessary, a person can have perfect grammar but poor style. Many of the rules mentioned in the first chapter of Strunk and White, such as, â€Å"The number of the subject determines the number of the verb,† (9) are those that remain fairly rigid. If a writer didn’t follow this rule, and the number of subject and verb didn’t match for instance, the mistake would be glaringly obvious to the reader. Williams also discusses this toward the end of his book in a section titled â€Å"Real Rules.† Here, he includes rules such as not using double negatives and not substituting adjectives for adverbs (180). These rules are the building blocks of writing and that is why a writer would be looked down upon if he or she were to break them. Therefore, when writers break rules like thi s, it is usually to make a point by doing so. After these concrete rules, one begins to learn rules that are a little fuzzier in their application. These are rules that should be followed but can be broken given the right circumstances or if it is done systematically. For instance, Rule 14 in Strunk and White states, â€Å"Use the active voice.† What this means is using active verbs as opposed to inactive ones to prevent boring the reader.

Mental Disorder and Effective Treatment Methods

â€Å"Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder marked by severely impaired thinking, emotions, and behaviors† (qtd. in Gulli and Rosick 1). Many people are confused or misinformed on this mental illness. 85 percent of Americans are aware of Schizophrenia, however, only 24 percent actually understand what this disorder is (Tartakovsky 1). Awareness and knowledge on Schizophrenia can help lead to public acceptance. While this disorder is currently incurable, an increase in national funding can help researchers to find more effective treatment methods for those diagnosed.It will always be difficult for those who are mentally well to even remotely understand what it is like to live with Schizophrenia (Frith and Jonestone 2). Schizophrenics may hear false voices, believe others are reading their minds, controlling their actions, or are plotting to harm them (â€Å"What is Schizophrenia? † 2). Rebecca Stancil, age nine, suffers from Paranoid Schizophrenia. Her experiences with t he disorder are as follows:[She] has been haunted by images of wolves, men with monster faces, and shadows and shapes that scamper around a darkened room at night since she was three years old. Her hallucinations have driven her to act violently toward her mother, Cinnamon Stancil. She’s pulled knives on her before, hit her with whatever random things she can get, grabbed the lid off the back of the toilet seat and come after her with that†¦ One of Rebecca’s recurring hallucinations is â€Å"the man,† a six foot vision that can be a friend or a foe.He follows her everywhere†¦ But sometimes he does more than watch Rebecca. She sees him, and he’s putting a gun to her head telling her she has to run away†¦ In November 2008, to quell voices in her head, Rebecca tried to kill herself by slitting her wrists with a hairclip†¦ Stancil took Rebecca to a private doctor, who suggested trying a new psychotic drug, Saphris. Since she began taking t he new medication, Rebecca’s hallucinations and disposition have improved (Schadler, Weinraub, and Stohler).This mental disorder does not discriminate by race, culture, social status, or gender. Approximately one person out of every one hundred people worldwide suffers from Schizophrenia (Smith and Segal 3). While the exact cause is unknown, researchers have concluded that a combination of biological and environmental factors trigger the disorder. People with Schizophrenia are more likely to have family members with Schizophrenia than those who are not mentally ill.For those who are not diagnosed with this mental disorder, the likelihood that they will have a family member with Schizophrenia is less than one percent, while there is about a ten percent chance that relatives of those with Schizophrenia have also been diagnosed with the disorder (Veague 42). Schizophrenia, like heart disease and diabetes, is not curable. However, it can be managed and the symptoms can be reduced with the correct treatment (Tartakovsky 2). Brain disorders are legitimate medical illnesses. They can be treated with certain medications (Veague 94).Antipsychotic medication decreases psychological symptoms. Although medication affects people differently, most patients can see improvement anywhere from a few days to months after beginning their dosage (Smith and Segal 3). Taking medication is not the only answer to improve a person’s life with Schizophrenia. Rehabilitation can improve social skills and teach those who are diagnosed important job skills to help them build a better future. It can also improve communication and cognitive thinking skills (â€Å"What is Schizophrenia† 10).Along with taking medication and going to a rehabilitation center, a healthy and active lifestyle can aid in improvement. Those diagnosed with Schizophrenia should manage their stress, get enough sleep, avoid alcohol and drugs, and get plenty of exercise to help reduce negative symptoms . Supportive therapy is another great method to help patients fight delusional beliefs, ignore voices in their heads, and motivate them to live a normal life (Smith and Segal 4). Schizophrenics can live a successful live by getting the help they need.Schizophrenia affects a lot of people and causes great suffering. Treatment is very costly to the state and those diagnosed. The cause is still unknown and a completely effective treatment method has not been developed (Frith and Jonestone 168-169). Further research in genetics, neuroscience, and behavioral science will assist researchers to find the exact cause of Schizophrenia and how to prevent it (â€Å"What is Schizophrenia? †). Research can also help answer important questions such as: â€Å"what is the nature of reality? † and â€Å"To what extent are we responsible for our own actions?†These answers can help scientists to better understand mental illnesses (Frith and Jonestone 169). The budget of the Nationa l Institute of Mental Health has been raised from $230 million to $1. 4 billion. However, the economy and other areas of spending are causing cuts in federal funds. Also, only a small percentage of the National Institute of Mental Health’s budget is used directly for Schizophrenia research. The fraction of the budget used for Schizophrenia research is too small, given the importance, severity, and cost of Schizophrenic research needed.Advocates could help by gathering attention of Congress (Haycock 1-2). Families and individuals affected by Schizophrenia are encouraged to participate in future research to find new and better treatment options. Being diagnosed with Schizophrenia does not mean that the person’s life is ruined. With new research, these people can lead a more normal, fulfilling life. All in all, Schizophrenia is a disorder that changes the life of someone affected by it forever. Whether it be the person diagnosed, or their close family and friends, everyon e takes a toll.The many misconceptions of the disorder have caused those who are diagnosed with Schizophrenia to become outcasts and to be looked upon as someone with a problem that they should be able to fix. While Schizophrenia is a very serious issue, it is not something that a person can just fix on their own. A person with a mental illness can be compared to someone with a physical disease, such as diabetes. A person with diabetes will live with the disorder their entire life and there is absolutely nothing that the person can do by simply wishing that they did not have the disorder.Public knowledge on mental illness is very slim. With more funding from the national government, this confusion can be put to an end. By informing people on the disorder and helping them to understand what Schizophrenia actually is, those who have Schizophrenia will be better understood and more people will accept their behavior. Also, with more research, treatment will be improved and perfected to help Schizophrenics. With more funding, scientists can get closer to discovering the cause of the disorder and how to prevent it. Then, they can get closer to finding a cure.

Air Transportation - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Air Transportation - Smart Custom Writing Gay MarriagesIn the United States, homosexuality and consequently, same-sex marriages, has resulted in a lot of controversy and the trading of accusations and counter-accusations. Conceptually, marriage is defined as a legal and religious long-term commitment between two people of the opposite sex. This stretches further to incorporate rights in financial responsibilities and benefits as assigned to heterosexual couples. However, this traditional view is increasingly facing change and opposition. Several states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Iowa, the District of Columbia and, New Jersey have already reflected this clamour for change and adopted legislation allowing gay marriages. In these states therefore, homosexual couples have the freedom to decide whether to marry or not in a legally acceptable manner. The gay couples can enjoy mutual couple benefits such as legal spouse representation, medical visitations, pension benefits and inheritance rights accorded to the bereaved. In a few other states such as Rhode Island, Hawaii, Maine, Colorado and Wisconsin have instituted domestic partnership laws whereby gay couples can enjoy limited rights though gay marriages are out rightly outlawed. This has however not influenced the society to radically accept gay couples and end all stigma and discrimination directed unto them. Proponents of the entrenchment of gay rights into the United States Constitution argue that barring homosexual marriages is tantamount to discrimination. The essence of the United States Constitution is to protect and preserve minorities' rights and hence gay advocates feel that the federal government or anyone else should not bar marriage to any minorities. This argument is further supported by the Interracial Marriage Act whereby marriages across races were prohibited in the United States till 1967. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the pros and cons of gay marriages and evaluate them from a basis of whether it is plausible to not only legalise them but also mount awareness campaigns to de-stigmatize them, (Dunlap, 15 march 1995). There are various arguments that have been put forward in support of gay marriages. These range from rights in freedom in the Bill of Rights, inherent rights, societal perspectives and biological claims. First, lobbyists and advocates for gay couples feel that if they are not legalized, this will be tantamount to isolation of their rights to religious freedom. Opponents to this have expressed the fact that all major religions consider homosexual relationships as a sin. However, the First Amendment as entrenched in the American Constitution that every person’s rights and views pertaining to religion or lack thereof be it a minority group or not, must be protected. The marriage institution is a secular and societal activity in contrast to the widely acknowledged view as a solely religious perspective of people’s lives. Therefore, the government cannot base laws on a religious concept. This can be equated as entrenching the mentioning of God’s name in vain as a crim e. Secondly, benefits that accrue to a married couple such as joint property ownership and medical benefits are also accorded to gay couples if their unions are legalized. Vital societal and mutual benefits such as tax reduction, property ownership, insurance benefits and agency laws affect a couple’s decision-making. For instance, if a partner in a gay couple that has lived together for twenty years falls ill, visitation rights to the other partner are denied since they are not recognized by law as the next of kin or spouse. Therefore, critical decisions such as incapacitation are not discussed conclusively by the couple. This, as the advocates pointedly illustrate, is unfair just because these individuals do not fit a state definition. Thirdly, gay couples and various couples not only feel that this is an accepted lifestyle but also cite biological causation. Over time, the widely held conception that homosexuality is a deviant sexual behavior is fading out. History, dating back to the Greece indicates the existence of homosexual relationships and the origin of such terms such as Lesbos for lesbians. Psychological research is underway that has already achieved in showing that same-sex relationships have a biological causation. However, caution should be taken to differentiate this from a genetic causation which has no substantial basis. This is depicted by the fact that in most gay couples, one partner exhibits characteristics of the opposite sex such as softer voices in males and strong cheekbones in females. There would be absolutely no need for an individual to choose to be gay in a world that frowns upon the same. This argument therefore renders support to the implied theory that homosexuality is involuntary, ( Hetter, 3June 1996). Fourthly, denying gay couple the right to a legal marriage is discriminatory. America was founded on the concept of majority rule with the protection of minorities such as the anti-slavery acts and inter-racial marriages. Furthermore, it does not hurt anyone in particular or the society. A marriage is deemed as a personal commitment between two people and should not be dictated upon by society. On to the fifth argument for gay marriages, it is important to note marriages are founded on the basis of love not the mutual benefits accorded by the state on couples. This is a life-time commitment whereby the partners vow to support each other through thick and thin and forsake all others till death. It is noteworthy that legal maneuvers accorded to couples in several states have not served to quest the clamor for legalization and acceptance of marriages. This implies there is more to these marriages than just legal aspects. The sixth argument put forward is that gay marriages will entrench family values whereby couples will give up high-risk sexual behaviors. This is a two-edged approach whereby the opposite can be viewed as the erosion of family virtues. However, marriages encourage people to settle down and give up frivolous lifestyles which expose them to STDs and other risks. When married couples commit to building a life together, they depict a positive desirable behavior that should be encouraged, (Member Resolution and Opinion Poll, 2005 ). Finally, it is important to note that gay couples enjoy the same financial benefits and constraints encountered by heterosexual marriages. Therefore, a homosexual marriage ensures couples support each other especially in the face of the ongoing turbulent economic times. They can easily meet their bills and utilities and live the American dream if these unions are legalized. On the other hand, opponents to this legislation have come up with a myriad number of reasons as to why gay marriages should not be legalized. First and chief among these is the religious aspect. Most religions in the world today consider homosexuality a great sin. Homosexuality is not only deeply opposed by the various religions in the country but it is also deemed offensive. It is seen as limiting the freedom of religion enjoyed by the majority. The fact that the United States Constitution was founded under a religious perspective and highly borrows from the Christian Bible further serves to indicate the citizens’ opposition to homosexuality. Hence, laws prohibiting homosexuality should be upheld,. Secondly, the legalization of gay marriages shall weaken the definition and perspective attached to marriage as per se. With rising cases of divorce, which are projected at 50 percent, the respect accorded to marriages has already been weakened. Gay marriages, if legalized, are expected to increase the number of non-serious marriages viewed as making fun of this serious intuition such as individuals desiring to be tax-exempt. This shall be in utter contrast to the widely felt view that marriage is a sacred institution that should be well-adhered to. Further, this is supported by the fact that only people in the opposite sex can pro-create. Most activists against homosexuality feel that it encourages adoption while ignoring pro-creation, which is viewed as a gift from God. Secondly, the full adoption of marriage into the social setup shall ideally weaken the perspective in which traditional family values are held as the most vital in society. The chief building blocks of every society is the traditional nuclear family setup of man, woman and children. This has been the reason as to why societies have managed to remain rational throughout historical events such as the world wars, the great depression and other similar challenges. Family members have always stuck up close even when friends and lovers forsake thee. Therefore, it is noteworthy that our societies are crumbling due to the increasing change in perception of families and the weakening of their structure. Introducing another perceptive view to the already weakened family view shall definitely worsen the situation. Thirdly, this would trigger a slippery slope in the scope of the legality of marriages. Contrary to the proposition by gay proponents that these marriages would hurt no-one, this would trigger the onset of a chain reaction that would ultimately lead to a radical change in the whole idea of marriage. Abhorrent traits such as incest in which closely relate family members intermarry may come up. There is therefore a need to define the institution of family and marriage firmly, otherwise, the options and variations might prove to be endless. This may sound absurd, but it is vital to note that it does not take the majority to change this but a few activist judges to change these laws by interpreting them under the doctrine of stare decisis so as to impose this on everyone just as was the case in where two judges in California declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional, (Dunlap, 15 march 1995). Finally, the gay culture, under a psychological analysis and review, should not be encouraged. This is since it leads to psychological disorders, much lower life expectancy which is indicated at less than twenty years in comparison to the general population which can be attributed to the hassles experienced by this couples; and the highly likely transmittance of Sexually Transmitted Diseases as is the case in the studies conducted in Haiti by Centre of Disease Control. There is therefore a need to discourage unhealthy practices that are detrimental to humanity, (Hetter, 3June 1996). In conclusion, it is important to note the controversy on gay marriages and homosexuality is a societal issue that must be resolved. Either the proponents and advocates of homosexuality will attain legislative and mutual recognition over time or the opponents of this change will manage to contain this whirlwind. It is therefore vital to analyze various articles that have appeared in the recent past which act as pointers as to the direction this crucial debate is taking,. References D, W. (August 22, 2008). What's the Harm?: Does Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Really Harm Individuals, Families or Society? Lanham: University Press of America. Dunlap, D. (15 march 1995). Some States Trying To Stop Gay Marriages Before They Start. wall street journal , 18. Hetter, K. ( 3June 1996). The New Civil Rights Battle . U.S News and World Report , 28-31. Member Resolution and Opinion Poll. ( 2005 , August Friday,26). Retrieved November 18, 2010,

Family Adaptation to Leukemia Diagnosis Essays

Family Adaptation to Leukemia Diagnosis Essays Family Adaptation to Leukemia Diagnosis Essay Family Adaptation to Leukemia Diagnosis Essay We all know that life is non ever just, bad things happen to good people and that we can non foretell the hereafter. This becomes distressingly apparent whenever a kid is diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease. Harmonizing to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, approximately 12,400 kids in the U.S. are diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease each twelvemonth. It is the taking cause of disease-related decease for kids. Leukemia is the most normally diagnosed malignant neoplastic disease in kids, accounting for 31 per centum of the instances ( McGrath, 2001 ) . This type of malignant neoplastic disease originates in the tissues that form blood, impacting the white blood cells, doing jobs contending infections and production of other blood cells. While most patients now benefit from long periods of remittal or wellness after initial intervention, the acknowledgment of new psychosocial issues has come to the head. : An person s premises, security, and position of the universe are altered dramatically when the wellness of person they love is threatened. The safety and security of kids is the primary duty of their parents. Parents Teach and steer their kids through the hurdlings of their life and protect them from being harmed by others ; but the world is that they have no control over so many things in their kids s lives including malignant neoplastic disease. When a kid is diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease, both the parents and their households frequently feel the same sense of denial, weakness, choler, and depression similar to the fright felt by people who suffer through other traumatic events ( Horwitz A ; Kazak, 1990 ) . Frequently, they travel through these emotional provinces before geting at credence and sometimes non in neat and tidy patterned advances. Many of these emotions reappear at different times during the kid s intervention. In many instances, normal household life Mi chigans and parents are all of a sudden focused on the kid with malignant neoplastic disease, determinations about the right or best intervention, programming, trials, and fiscal and insurance issues. Additionally, many parents have other kids who require their attention and attending. Research workers estimate that 51 per centum of mas and 40 per centum of pas who have a kid with malignant neoplastic disease meet the standards for Acute Stress Disorder within 2 hebdomads of the malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing ( Kars, Duijnstee, Pool, Van Delden, A ; Grypdonck, 2008 ) . Many times the diagnosing of childhood malignant neoplastic disease comes at a clip when the household is in the early phases of its ain development. The consequence of unwellness on a household frequently changes the kineticss of that household ; these are the indispensable procedures by which the household maps, makes determinations, gives support to the single household members, and headers with day-to-day life. Based on the 10 Family Life Education ( 2009 ) content countries, the subject of household version to a leukemia diagnosing relates to the Internal Dynamic of Family content country. This content country focuses on household relationships including household strengths and failings and household interrelatednesss. Key processes of communicating, decision-making, and job resolution are included ( Bredehoft A ; Walcheski, 2009 ) . Concentrating on the countries of emphasis direction, struggle declaration, and job resolution in the husband-wife relationship and parent-child relationship will enable households to cover more efficaciously with the affects or jobs that arise with the diagnosing of leukaemia of a household mem ber. Developmental Time period This paper addresses the developmental period of early childhood development, specifically preschool elderly kids. Children in this age group, three through six old ages, are in the Freudian psychological science phallic phase, which is the 3rd phase of psychosexual development. In this phase kids are larning the physical differences between male and female , and the gender differences between male child and miss experiences, which alter the psychological kineticss of the parent and kid relationship ( Phallic Stage , 2011 ) . Preschool aged kids are able to follow simple regulations, take part in conversations, and develop concluding accomplishments. These accomplishments play a really of import function with parents when they are seeking to find what and how much information to pass on to their kid refering their leukaemia diagnosing and intervention. Preschool kids set up strong trust s on their female parent for support and attention and experience a great sense of anxiousness when separated from this health professional. This anxiousness is particularly noticeable when a parent is absent from a kid s medical visit or process ( Morrison, 2011 ) . It is good to the kid for the health professional to be at that place during medical interventions ; this allows them to go on a one on one connexion with their parent through their clip of intervention every bit good as maintaining a strong relationship with the kid as he or she continue to turn to adulthood. Thesis Although a diagnosing of childhood malignant neoplastic disease rivals most incubuss, it is critical to the wellbeing of the full household for parents to set those frights aside and concentrate their energies on what must be done to bring around the unwellness and to assist the kid header with leukaemia. Many kids, even preschool elderly kids, are able to understand the particulars of this disease. Helping the kid header with this life endangering disease will do the state of affairs easier on the whole household ( Labay A ; Walco, 2003 ) . Experience and instance surveies have found that it is best to be unfastened and honest with your kid, while supplying a reassuring and soft hope that the leukaemia will travel into remittal. How much and what type of information that is given to the kid at this point should be based upon the kid s personality and age ( Children with Leukemia , 1997 ) . Children have a better clip seting to long term intervention when they can be prepared for what lies in front. Part of that readying is assisting the kid feel comfy in the infirmary by familiarising them with the infirmary modus operandi and scene, specifically with the nurses and physicians, the installations including the location of rumpus rooms, public toilets, and waiting suites. This information will assist the kid feel comfy while undergoing intervention and stress the fact that infirmaries are non chilling topographic points but topographic points that focus on assisting them experience better. Preschool aged kids typically will believe that their leukaemia is due to a specific past action. It is of import to reassure a kid of this age group and their siblings that they did nil to do their unwellness or that the interventions and medical processs are non penalties for their actions. Behavior issues frequently occur with kids in this age class as interventions advancement. Younger ( pre-school ) kids are more likely to see higher degrees of projecting behavior jobs ( e.g. , aggression, impulsivity, or riotous behaviour ) during intervention than do striplings ( National Cancer Institute , 2010 ) . Other kids revert to more infant like behaviour, cleaving, inability to fall asleep entirely and demoing penchant for one parent. Behavior alterations are expected and sometimes can be averted by promoting the kindergartner to show how they are experiencing utilizing playthings, dolls, and graphics. This will frequently beg a more honorable revelation of emotions than will a norm al conversation. Preschool aged kids are active by nature so a major job for kids with leukaemia is seting to the physical restrictions. The kid who is ill and weakened by unwellness and intervention will by and large be unable to prosecute in traditional physical activities including out-of-door drama. Bing originative in developing alternate ways to divert a immature kid can forestall behavior issues while besides giving the kid a sense of normality to his or her twenty-four hours. While it is obvious that a kid s life will alter dramatically with the diagnosing of leukaemia, parents rapidly detect that the diagnosing non merely affects the kid but besides impacts the lives of the full household. It is non unusual for parents to reassess and do alterations in ends, outlooks, hopes, and dreams for the kid and their siblings. For many households the diagnosing of leukaemia leads to experiential daze for parents and a reversal in normal household life. Many parents face the duties of forming intervention and back uping their kid during their clip of unwellness and intervention. The research workers in this survey conducted one on one interviews with 12 female parents and 11 male parents of 12 kids. During the interviews the female parents, male parents, and kids were asked a series of inquiries to find what was the most influential support they needed to acquire through this diagnosing ( Kars, Duijnstee, Pool, Van Delden, A ; Grypdonck, 2008 ) . The research workers determined that Being there was identified as the nucleus construct. This thought allowed Dutch research workers to reason that the more the kid s female parent or male parent was at that place for them during intervention, the more likely they are to hold higher opportunities of endurance. The research workers besides concluded that the acti ons and reactions of parents increases the penetration into the implicit in inquiry ; that parents supply a higher go oning attention despite the fact that they are hurt by the diagnosing that has affected their household ( Kars et al. , 2008 ) . Equally shortly as the words your kid has malignant neoplastic disease are said, many parents face a daze of non cognizing what to make next. In a recent survey done on 45 parents with kids who were a twelvemonth or more out of intervention, research workers tried to analyse if the facets of the kid s malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing, intervention, and recovery were the hard parts of covering with and pull offing the malignant neoplastic disease experience. These parents were placed into seven focal point groups where research workers conducted interviews and concentrate groups to find which portion of the malignant neoplastic disease experience they viewed as the worst ( Papaikonomou A ; Nieuwoudt, 2004 ) . The research workers concluded that even though larning that your kid has malignant neoplastic disease was the worst feeling in the universe, it was even worse for the parents cognizing that there was nil that they could hold done otherwise ( Papaikonomou A ; Nieuwoudt , 2004 ) . Parents are placed in a state of affairs to inquire for whatever aid is available to guarantee that their kid will have the best available medical intervention. When covering with a serious unwellness, like leukaemia, support to the kid and parent is critically of import. The better the parents are supported that easier it will be for them to back up the kid and household. The can be every bit simple as aid with errands, shopping, carpooling and housekeeping. In many instances, this is where friends and household can lend. In a recent survey, research workers conducted interviews with parents during the clip their kid was at the terminal of their induction-remission 5-week period. The research workers were able to reason that the demand for support was high and that the offers of support tend to decrease over clip. The research workers besides concluded that spouses, household, friends, employers, hospital staff, and other parents in the same state of affairs were the chief beginnings the persons went to when they needed emotional and psychological support ( McGrath, 2001 ) . The research workers besides found that the more support that a ki d and the household receives, the easier it is for the household to go on medical attention. Families are more inclined to lodge with something when there is another person at that place to endorse them up along the manner. With the appropriate ejaculation of support, this clip can be a meaningful one for societal and emotional development. In households, the diagnosing of leukaemia in a kid is really hard to accept and this is compounded when the household includes a sibling. Some of the emotional challenges for a sibling are similar to those of the ailment kid and parent ; choler, denial, grief and credence. In a recent survey, 25 preschool siblings in households of kids with malignant neoplastic disease and 25 preschool siblings in households with healthy kids were assessed to find the sum of coherence and adaptability in the household ( Horwitz A ; Kazak, 1990 ) . These siblings were placed together in different suites where the research workers conducted simple trials to assist mensurate their adaptability and coherence. The siblings in the oncology group along with the healthy group had behavior and self-perceptions that were consistent with published norms. Siblings in both groups had the same behaviour and perceptual experiences of themselves as any normal kindergartners would. The consequences highlighted that 56 % of the households in the oncology group had an adaptability score classified as helter-skelter, whereas the households with the healthy siblings had a 20 % helter-skelter adaptability mark ( Horwitz A ; Kazak, 1990 ) . From these consequences, the research workers concluded that there is a demand to place factors that promote household version every bit good as ways for siblings to go more comfy with the malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing of their brother or sister. In many instances that involve a diagnosing of malignant neoplastic disease, siblings felt as though they were traveling to be left out of the state of affairs with no counsel. Their brother or sister was acquiring all the attending by their parents therefore go forthing them with feelings of weakness. They experience the loss of their brother or sister in day-to-day household modus operandis and particular state of affairss. They are placed in a state of affairs that has much uncertainness. With skilled professional support and a strong support system in topographic point sibling dealingss can be strengthen as everyone turns to each other for support and company. Bing a sibling to a brother or sister who has leukaemia is a hard experience. In a recent survey done on 29 siblings of 14 kids diagnosed with leukaemia, research workers examined how the life of a sibling was affected when their brother or sister had malignant neoplastic disease. The research workers were able to roll up the informations through questionnaires that were distributed to the siblings and the parents. The consequences of the survey showed that while siblings did non exhibit increased rates of behaviour forms, they did expose more societal and academic troubles ( Labay A ; Walco, 2003 ) . The research workers besides determined that birth order and the intimacy of the sibling besides affected how sibling adjusted with their day-to-day modus operandi while cognizing there brother or sister was undergoing life salvaging interventions. It was concluded that empathy might play an of import function in sibling accommodation following the diagnosing of malignant neoplastic di sease ( Labay A ; Walco, 2003 ) . Siting with the sibling and discoursing with them what is traveling to go on to their brother or sister may non look much but it will do the passage for them a small spot easier. The forecast and medical intervention of childhood leukaemia has evolved well over recent decennaries and is now considered a life endangering but often-treatable chronic unwellness ( Koocher A ; OMalley 1981 as cited in Horwitz A ; Kazak 1990 ) . The sick kid must postulate with the emphasiss of invasive medical processs, physical uncomfortableness, unpredictable symptoms, and separation from some household and friends. For many kids the intervention and side effects can be more painful than the existent malignant neoplastic disease itself. Therefore, the issues of quality of life for the kid and household have become turning countries of involvement ( Katz and Jay 1984 as cited in McGrath 2001 ) . It is critical to the well-being of the household to enlist in the assistance of support organisations whose exclusive intent is to back up, usher, educate and heighten the quality of life of the household, health professional and patient as they fight to get the better of their unwelln ess. Media The complete copiousness of ways in which people hear, see and read about intelligence has surely added to the information refering the diagnosing, intervention, and household accommodation for kids with leukaemia. This spread of information has expanded the resources available for preschool kids and their households in the signifier of skilled profession support, malignant neoplastic disease plans and instruction. The media is able to foreground the success of leukemia medical interventions, portion information with the populace and make an consciousness refering leukaemia. Human-interest narratives capture the Black Marias of everyone particularly those who focus on households endeavoring to convey a better life to households with ill kids. A recent poster on the ABC intelligence web site, describes how a household took stairss to convey some normality into their kid s life that was diagnosed with leukaemia. In this article Particular Preschool gives kids with malignant neoplastic disease a sense of normality , the writer states that holding malignant neoplastic disease is difficult in itself, but non being able to take part in the normal daily activities of school takes a toll on the kid ( De Nines, Hopper 2010 ) . Nancy Zuch and her hubby Rod started this particular preschool, the Morgan Center for their ill immature kid when they realized there was no preschool available to manage the particular demands of malignant neoplastic disease patients. They felt it was critical for their kid to be involved in activities that maintained the normality of their twenty-four hours. The Morgan Center prides itself on being like all other schools: crayons, drama dough, pencils and gum sticks, the lone difference is refering the p recautions that are in topographic point to cut down the menace of infections since the kids s immune systems are so vulnerable ( De Nines, Hopper 2010 ) . This school allows the preschool kid to restore a normal modus operandi but besides allows give the parents to interact with that are experiences they same test and trial. The most of import and chief thing that they want everyone to take away is that even with the hope and exhilaration of seeing the childs together, there are still cryings. However, do non be fooled ; this is non a sad topographic point ( De Nines, Hopper 2010 ) . Plans and Jobs A plan that is available for households who have a kid with malignant neoplastic disease is called Alex s Lemonade Stand ( ALSF ) . The ALSF is a foundation that grew from a immature miss s desire to assist other kids combating malignant neoplastic disease merely like herself. At the age of 4, Alexander Scott, a malignant neoplastic disease patient who lost her conflict with malignant neoplastic disease in 2004 had a desire to open a lemonade base in her front pace to raise money so physicians could assist other childs, liked they helped me ( ALSF, 2006 ) . After Alex s decease, her parents started the Alex s Lemonade Stand Foundation to go on her work and give hope to other malignant neoplastic disease patient and their households. To day of the month this foundation has raised more than $ 30 million dollars for funding research plans and supplying free plans to households. Their mission statement is: to raise money for and consciousness of childhood malignant neoplastic disease causes-especially research into new interventions and cures-and to promote and empower others, particularly kids, to acquire involved and do a difference for kids with malignant neoplastic disease ( ALSF, 2006 ) . Knowing the many battles that households face during their kid s battle to get the better of malignant neoplastic disease the ALSF has a plan in topographic point, the Alex s Lemonade Stand Travel Fund to assist households with travel disbursals as they travel for interventions that their kids need. This fund provides alleviation to the fiscal load many households face when seeking medical intervention for their kid. Alex s Lemonade Stand Foundation is acutely cognizant of the demand to supply educational resources for households of kids with malignant neoplastic disease. Each twelvemonth they host the Childhood Cancer Symposium to give households the chance to larn about issues and subjects of intervention. This symposium besides gives households a opportunity to portion experiences and support to other households confronting the same challenges. Recognizing that a kid undergoing medical intervention for leukaemia will pass the bulk of their clip in a infirmary scene has expanded the support, educational research, and services that infirmaries now offer to households. Many infirmaries offer monthly Sessionss for parents and their kids to discourse how the diagnosing is impacting them as a household. Emotional and practical support is critical for households and infirmaries offer different options such as support groups, peer support, and single guidance session. All support services offered to households are centered on the cardinal premiss to heighten the quality of life of the patient, their health professionals, and their household during their battles to get the better of their unwellness. One profession that focuses on this subject is a child life specializer. A child life specializer is a trained professional with expertness in assisting kids and their households overcome life s most ambitious events. They provide emotional support for households while besides assisting the kid header through drama, instruction, and self-expression activities. A child life specializer seeks to cut down the anxiousness and emphasis associated with medical processs assisting kids and their households to get by in a positive mode. The drama a critical function confer withing with parents and hospital staff on a kid s peculiar demands while in the infirmary. Professional Experience Cancer has ever been an point of treatment within our household. At an early age, I lost my grandma to malignant neoplastic disease, which had a great impact on all of my household. I was able to see, hear, and see the battles households encounter when get bying with the diagnosing, intervention and sometimes the decease of a loved 1. This early brush with malignant neoplastic disease gave me a sense of way in my demand for assisting people ; I became more focussed on helping people or organisations that provided support to persons who were diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease. One of my first voluntary assignments to carry through my community service hours while in high school was at the American Cancer Society to help with general office support. While executing some really generic office activities I was able to see the importance of this organisation in the lives of households. The dedication that the staff towards assisting people who face malignant neoplastic disease was astonishing, the full office was dedicated to the end of the organisation to back up research, early sensing, intervention and instruction. The staff s committedness influenced me to go on volunteering with the organisation as clip permitted. In the past twelvemonth, because of my college class choices, I one time once more was given the chance to finish service hours at the American Cancer Society. The general office work was minimum and the bulk of my clip was spent planning, back uping, and go toing different fund-raising events. The largest event was the Road to Recovery plan, which provides malignant neoplastic disease patients with transit to and from their medical interventions. Forming the contributions, dinner, invitations, and ornaments for this event gave me a sense of fulfilment in being able to supply a little part of the support critically sick patients need. I am presently interning at Casey Cares Foundation. The mission of this foundation is to heighten the lives of critically sick kids. This includes working with households to schedule a merriment holiday, forming caring connexion parties, and assisting cod contribution to assist back up their end of bettering the lives of critically sick kids. Bing able to interact closely with households of critically sick kids can be sad at times but it has besides given me great satisfaction in cognizing that I am conveying joy into this household. This experience has made me recognize the dependance that households have on support organisation such as Casey Cares and the American Cancer Society in assisting them through the mundane tests of lasting a malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing. Annotated Bibliography Gedaly-Duff, V. , Lee, K. , Nail, L. , Nicholson, S. , and Johnson, K. ( 2006 ) . Pain, sleep perturbation, and weariness in kids with leukaemia and their parents: a pilot survey. Oncology Nursing Forum, 33 ( 3 ) , 641-646. Department of the interior: 10.1188/06.ONF.641-646 To a kid that is ill and their household one of the most of import things that they can acquire is sleep, and when that is disturbed because of the chemotherapy, households try to happen ways to assist them and their kid slumber. In this survey, which was conducted in places in Oregon and southwesterly Washington, nine kids with leukaemia, six male parents and seven female parents, where encouraged to maintain a diary that described their sleep and different activities they had done throughout the twenty-four hours. They were encouraged to maintain these journals for an drawn-out period to see if their slumber forms changed when the kid was in chemotherapy or out of chemotherapy. The research workers found and concluded that a kid s hurting, sleep perturbation, and weariness are the symptoms that are act uponing their household s quality of life. They besides stated that larger surveies need to be done to analyze the symptom forms and wellness results of kids, male parents, and femal e parents over the class of chemotherapy. This article relates to my subject because it shows how a diagnosing of leukaemia can impact the parents in the same manner that it is impacting the kid. The parents begin to demo some of the after effects of the chemotherapy, which in bend helps them, better adapt to their kid s diagnosing. Horwitz, W. A ; Kazak, A. ( 1990 ) . Family version to childhood malignant neoplastic disease: sibling and household systems variables. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19 ( 3 ) , 221-228. Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //web.ebscohost.com.proxy-tu.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/detail? hid=17 A ; sid=f9f7b7e3-e95f-4c37-b23d-f871efc883ba % 40sessionmgr15 A ; vid=6 A ; bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ % 3d % 3d # db=aph A ; AN=6394052 In households with siblings the hardest thing that any brother or sister wants to cover with is cognizing that their sibling has to travel through intervention for malignant neoplastic disease. In this survey, 25 preschool siblings in households of kids with malignant neoplastic disease and 25 preschool siblings in households of healthy kids were assessed to find coherence and adaptability in the household. Social behavior perceptual experiences of similarity in the sibling braces were besides measured. The siblings in the oncology group had behavior, societal competency and self-perceptions that were consistent with published norms and did non differ greatly from the comparing group. The consequences added that 56 % of the households in the oncology group had an adaptability score classified as stiff or helter-skelter, whereas the households in the comparing group had a 20 % adaptability mark of stiff or helter-skelter significance that both households had jobs that would let them t o come together as a whole. The research workers concluded that there is a demand for households to place factors that promote version every bit good as ways for siblings to go more comfy with the diagnosing of their brother or sister holding malignant neoplastic disease. This survey relates to my subject because it allowed me to compare how siblings in households with malignant neoplastic disease and how siblings in households of healthy kids adapt to the milieus that they are given and how they deal with the tests and trials that they may confront. Kars, M. , Duijnstee, M. , Pool, A. , Van Delden, J. , A ; Grypdonck, M. ( 2008 ) . Bing there: rearing the kid with leukaemia. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17, 1553-1562. Department of the interior: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2007.02235.x The research workers in this article wanted to derive penetration into the lives of rearing a kid with leukaemia during intervention. For many households the diagnosing of leukaemia leads to floor for parent and a reversal in normal household life. Many parents face the duties of forming intervention and back uping their kid during the unwellness and intervention. The research workers in this survey conducted one on one interviews with 12 female parents and 11 male parents of 12 kids. The research workers determined that Being there was identified as the nucleus construct. This thought allowed research workers to analyze that the more the kid s female parent or male parent was at that place for them during intervention the more likely they were to hold a higher opportunity of endurance. The research workers concluded that the actions and reactions of parents increased the penetration into the implicit in inquiry that parents supply a higher go oning attention despite the fact that t hey are hurt by the diagnosing that has affected their household. This survey relates to my subject because it describes a twenty-four hours in the life of parents and how they have found ways to rear their kid that has been diagnosed with leukaemia. McGrath, P. ( 2001 ) . Identifying support issues of parents of kids with leukaemia. Cancer Practice, 9 ( 4 ) , 198-205. Department of the interior: 1065-4704/01/198-205 When covering with serious illness support is the most of import thing that any parent and kid could inquire for. In this survey, research workers had interviews with parents during the clip their kid was at the terminal of their induction-remission to the terminal of the 5-week period, which was collected over a twelvemonth. The research workers determined that the demand for support was high and that offers of support tend to decrease over clip. They besides determined that spouses, household, friends, employers, hospital staff, and other parents in the same state of affairs where the chief beginnings the persons went to when they need emotional support. The research workers concluded that the more support that an person and household receive the easier it is traveling to be for that household to go on with the interventions. Families are more inclined to vomit with something when there is another persons at that place to endorse them up along the manner. This survey relates to my subject because it shows ways that parents can acquire support in any manner that they can to assist them better understand the diagnosing. Papaikonomou, M. , A ; Nieuwoudt, J. ( 2004 ) . Researching parents narratives of get bying with their kid s malignant neoplastic disease: a qualitative survey. South African Journal of Psychology, 34 ( 2 ) , 283-300. Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //web.ebscohost.com.proxy tu.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? hid=17 A ; sid=f9f7b7e3-e95f-4c37-b23d-f871efc883ba % 40sessionmgr15 A ; vid=3 Covering with a diagnosing of malignant neoplastic disease is difficult in itself, but when the diagnosing involves your kid, you truly do non cognize what to make. In this survey, eight parents whose kids were diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease who had joined a support group had their life narratives about their tests in trials with the malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing analyzed. The subjects of common job, members associating one another as equals, and member playing double functions as both suppliers and receivers of aid were seen as the ways each parent coped with the diagnosing. The research workers determined from the parents narratives that there is a demand for a displacement in which persons understand the jobs with rearing a kid with a malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing. This article relates to my subject because it depicts the existent life narratives of how households deal with the diagnosing of leukaemia on their kid on a day-to-day footing. Patterson, J. , Holm, K. , A ; Gurney, J. ( 2004 ) . the impact of childhood malignant neoplastic disease on the household: a qualitative analysis of strains, resources, and get bying behaviours. Journal of Psycho-Oncology, 13, 390-407. Department of the interior: 10.1002/pon.761 Life comes with many tests and trials, but when you least anticipate one your stopped dead in your paths until you can happen ways to cover with it. In this survey, seven focal point groups with 45 parents of kids who were a twelvemonth or more out of malignant neoplastic disease intervention were analyzed to find if the facets of the kid s malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing, intervention and recovery were the hard parts in covering with and pull offing the malignant neoplastic disease experience. The research workers used the Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response theoretical theoretical account to form the informations and determine that the most bosom twisting portion was holding to hear the physician say that their kid is being diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease. The research workers concluded that even though hearing your kid has malignant neoplastic disease, the worst feeling is cognizing that, in most instances, it can non be fixed. Many households have a diff icult clip accepting that they need to inquire others for aid, to do certain that there child receives the right intervention to be every bit healthy as they can be. This article relates to my subject because it describes how difficult a diagnosing of malignant neoplastic disease can be on a household. It besides shows that the household needs to be unfastened to all the aid and support that they can acquire.

Free Essays on Catcher in the rye- Total Summary

The Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield, the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, begins with the novel with an authoritative statement that he does not intent for the novel to serve as his life story. Currently in psychiatric care, this teenager recalls what happened to him last Christmas, the story which forms the narrative basis for the novel. At the beginning of his story, Holden is a student at Pencey Prep School, a boarding school in rural Pennsylvania; he is an irresponsible and immature boy. Having been expelled for failing four out of his five classes, Holden goes to see Mr. Spencer, his History teacher, before he leaves Pencey. Mr. Spencer advises him that he must realize that "life is a game" and one should "play it according to the rules," but the sixteen year old, who has already left four private schools, dismisses much of what Spencer says. Holden returns to his dormitory where he finds Robert Ackley, an obnoxious student with a terrible complexion who will not leave Holden alone, and Ward Stradlater, Holden's roommate. Stradlater is conceited and arrogant, a secret slob' who asks Holden to write an English composition for him. Stradlater prepares for a date. He happens to mention that his date, Jane Gallagher, knows Holden. Holden remembers Jane quite well: he spent a whole summer with her the year before (their families have neighboring summer houses in Maine). Stradlater suggests that Holden go downstairs and say hello - she is waiting for Stradlater downstairs. Holden, however, declines, although he thinks about her and considers calling her throughout the book. Holden however goes with Ackley and Mal Brossard into New York City to see a movie. When he returns, Holden writes the composition for Stradlater about his younger brother’s baseball mitt. Holden tells about how Allie, the youngest member of his fam ily, died of leukemia several years before and how he broke all of the windows in his garage out of ange... Free Essays on Catcher in the rye- Total Summary Free Essays on Catcher in the rye- Total Summary The Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield, the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, begins with the novel with an authoritative statement that he does not intent for the novel to serve as his life story. Currently in psychiatric care, this teenager recalls what happened to him last Christmas, the story which forms the narrative basis for the novel. At the beginning of his story, Holden is a student at Pencey Prep School, a boarding school in rural Pennsylvania; he is an irresponsible and immature boy. Having been expelled for failing four out of his five classes, Holden goes to see Mr. Spencer, his History teacher, before he leaves Pencey. Mr. Spencer advises him that he must realize that "life is a game" and one should "play it according to the rules," but the sixteen year old, who has already left four private schools, dismisses much of what Spencer says. Holden returns to his dormitory where he finds Robert Ackley, an obnoxious student with a terrible complexion who will not leave Holden alone, and Ward Stradlater, Holden's roommate. Stradlater is conceited and arrogant, a secret slob' who asks Holden to write an English composition for him. Stradlater prepares for a date. He happens to mention that his date, Jane Gallagher, knows Holden. Holden remembers Jane quite well: he spent a whole summer with her the year before (their families have neighboring summer houses in Maine). Stradlater suggests that Holden go downstairs and say hello - she is waiting for Stradlater downstairs. Holden, however, declines, although he thinks about her and considers calling her throughout the book. Holden however goes with Ackley and Mal Brossard into New York City to see a movie. When he returns, Holden writes the composition for Stradlater about his younger brother’s baseball mitt. Holden tells about how Allie, the youngest member of his fam ily, died of leukemia several years before and how he broke all of the windows in his garage out of ange...

Response # 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Importance of joining a national professional nursing organization - Assignment Example This organization produces a number of publications in the form of various E-newsletters, HIMSS Books and various journals. The Journal of Healthcare Information Management is one such publication that serves the purpose of providing IT related information to its readers. This organization works to serve humanity by realizing that ambulatory practice is necessary to ensure delivery of accessible, high-quality and cost-effective treatment. Being a not for profit organization, the body engages in ventures that enhances patient care at all levels. Its publications include Care Coordination and Transition Management, Scope & Standards of Practice (Ambulatory & Telehealth) and Core Curriculum for Ambulatory care Nursing. This body takes into consideration the problems of the nursing community as a whole and aims to provide assistance to nearly all the nursing practitioners that reside in the United States. Their publications include Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, which is a scholarly peer review journal. Since occupational health services are extremely important for contribution to the health of workers of industries etc, this body takes into account the problems that are faced by nursing staff that is working in the occupational health. Its journal includes the ‘Workplace Health & Safety

The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks ( summary of part 2 of the book) Essay

The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks ( summary of part 2 of the book) - Essay Example Due to the fact that at its peak around 20,000 test tubes a week were being produced at Tuskeegee, it was at this juncture that the idea of personhood began to be diminished within the eyes of the researchers. HeLa became less and less of a person and more of a resource and a medical material rather than evidence of an original human being that gave rise to such cells. As with previous chapters within the book, the author runs between analyzing the medical research that is being carried out on the â€Å"still living† cells of Henrietta while contrasting this with the life that her children and family she left behind experienced. Although the medical experimentation was continuing and advancing, Henrietta’s family was experiencing trauma as a direct result of the lack of a mother. The children bounced from one location to the next, at one location the 2 year old girl was sexually abused, until they finally were reunited with Bobette and moved in with her. The author juxt aposes this personal story with the fact that HeLa was beginning to experience a great deal of discussion in the media of that time as news articles began to be published. Due to the fact that doctor-patient confidentiality was becoming an issue at the time, the patient was merely referred to in the news stories as Helen L. The author further uses this personal commentary to discuss the grave site of Henrietta. She juxtaposes the fact that the tomb itself is unmarked with the fact that the only remainder of Henrietta still in this world is her children and the cells which have continued to be kept, monitored, and multiplied. Chapters 18 and 19 tell the dual stories of trouble that the scientists faced with contaminated cell lines and the personal problems that Henrietta’s children were experiencing; no doubt as a function of her early passing (Skloot 129). Firstly, the medical experiments revealed that at some point, some of the cells in question had been contaminated with ot her lines; this meant that the rigor of the research was called into question and the researchers must go back and trace the mutations as a function of this contamination. Furthermore, the author juxtaposes these research issues with the fact that Henrietta’s children began to experience major issues of their own. The book proceeds to tell the story of the way in which HeLa’s cells have been found in 18 cell lines that have been used for cancer research. This revelation is juxtaposed with the personal story of Rebecca’s meeting with the Lacks family in early 2000. As she discusses the result of the experiments and the way in which HeLa’s cells have been used, the Lacks family is angry. First they are angry at the fact that Henrietta’s cells have been taken according to them â€Å"without her consent† and second they are angry due to the fact that they believe a great deal of money has been made on the sale of her cells. As such, the family d emands a share of that money. The darker side of humanity is herein presented as the medical advancement that has been made possible through the use of Henrietta’s cells is broken down as a function of its money making potential to the surviving family members. The analysis continues to depict a family that is not only interested in the overall privacy of their family but also worried by the fact that they

Play and pedagogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Play and pedagogy - Essay Example It is this ability to play such games that such children are able to become great men and women in future. Some of the games for instance prepare great mathematicians in future. They assist such children to develop mentally in terms of the ability to perform some simple arithmetic. Apart from the metal development, games have also played a major role for the social, physical and emotional development in children. In the former category for instance, the children are able to interact with each other developing communication skills. Children who at first may appear shy are able to show confidence after they have interacted in most of these games. In addition to that, games have been imperative in ensuring that children display their different talents and gifts. It is difficult to know the talents that children have unless they are engaged in this kind of activities. To understand the role of play in children, I visited a certain kindergarten and made observation of how the children wer e responding. The following is a record of the observation that I made. The class setting Recently I visited a certain kindergarten with a view of establishing the role of play and pedagogy in children’s development. The kindergarten had one main teacher and three assistants. They had to work together for the purpose of ensuring that each child received maximum attention. The classroom setting provided an environment that fostered mental development of the children. The walls were full of the pictures that the children had drawn in including the alphabets. Each of the letters also had words and pictures drawn against them. This was for the purpose of enabling the children learn easily. For instance, a letter ‘G’ would have a picture of a guitar or a girl. This form of learning enabled the children understand better. The setting of the classroom was also in a way that it could make it easy for children to play. For instance, there was a huge empty area, which was left for the purpose of play. In the cupboard that was used to store all the toys and other materials used by the children for playing. In addition to that, there was tables and chairs that were arranged in a carefully manner to ensure that children were safe. This is in accordance with rules and regulations that demand that safety has to be ensured for such children. It is imperative that they are protected against any physical harm, by creating a harmless environment. The children The class composed of children from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. The teachers made sure that the needs of each child were met. In addition to that, there were children with physical challenges who also benefited from the class setting that facilitated their learning and movement. The class therefore made it possible for inclusion to take place. The age of the children ranged between 3-5 years. They interacted well and each of them seemed to enjoy what was going on. The morning ses sion activities According to the teacher, all mornings began by ensuring that children sung. However, the types of songs and stories told depended on the themes that the teacher wanted to pass to the children. In this particular class, I was keenly following the response of two main children; in a view to find out how play enabled them develop mentally and emotionally. The two children were Natalie and John. They were both three years old and very jovial. When the teacher entered the classroom, it was mandatory for all the

Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Hinduism - Essay Example As for me, it is more than that, it should be a way of life for everyone including me and incorporated in every aspect in my life too. I believe in Hinduism as my spiritual healer and my way of living life. I belong to a Hindu family, and I am a follower of Lord Hanuman and Lord Krishna. I am not a Hindu just because my ancestral religion is Hinduism, but I have developed strong faith in its teachings and values. My family had always stressed on the importance of understanding the religious values and beliefs by reading the scriptures in order to get an in-depth and accurate knowledge. They have been the guiding force behind my perfect faith in Hinduism ideology. After a lot of research and thorough understanding, now my psychological roots are deeply attached to Hindu philosophy I chose not only to abide by the values which Hinduism incorporates but also would want to share the knowledge I have gained with as many people as possible. This paper is an attempt to provide all the important information on the birth and evolution of Hinduism and its salient features. Hinduism could be broadly described as a religion, culture and way of life. There is no specific timeline information about the origin of Hindu traditions. It can be said that it is a cumulative collection of communities, faith, beliefs and practices that have come together over the centuries. Its ancient roots are seen in the cultures of the Indus Valley, Saraswati River civilization and Indo-European people. Local traditions of these civilizations have entered Hinduism through the process of â€Å"Sanskritization,† whereby a regional deity becomes identified with pan-Indian gods and Brahmanization, the adoption of high-caste rituals by many communities (Narayanan). The stages of early Hindu history are marked not by remarkable personalities but by the composition of philosophically sophisticated and entertaining texts that were transmitted orally and through the generations primarily

Play and pedagogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Play and pedagogy - Essay Example It is this ability to play such games that such children are able to become great men and women in future. Some of the games for instance prepare great mathematicians in future. They assist such children to develop mentally in terms of the ability to perform some simple arithmetic. Apart from the metal development, games have also played a major role for the social, physical and emotional development in children. In the former category for instance, the children are able to interact with each other developing communication skills. Children who at first may appear shy are able to show confidence after they have interacted in most of these games. In addition to that, games have been imperative in ensuring that children display their different talents and gifts. It is difficult to know the talents that children have unless they are engaged in this kind of activities. To understand the role of play in children, I visited a certain kindergarten and made observation of how the children wer e responding. The following is a record of the observation that I made. The class setting Recently I visited a certain kindergarten with a view of establishing the role of play and pedagogy in children’s development. The kindergarten had one main teacher and three assistants. They had to work together for the purpose of ensuring that each child received maximum attention. The classroom setting provided an environment that fostered mental development of the children. The walls were full of the pictures that the children had drawn in including the alphabets. Each of the letters also had words and pictures drawn against them. This was for the purpose of enabling the children learn easily. For instance, a letter ‘G’ would have a picture of a guitar or a girl. This form of learning enabled the children understand better. The setting of the classroom was also in a way that it could make it easy for children to play. For instance, there was a huge empty area, which was left for the purpose of play. In the cupboard that was used to store all the toys and other materials used by the children for playing. In addition to that, there was tables and chairs that were arranged in a carefully manner to ensure that children were safe. This is in accordance with rules and regulations that demand that safety has to be ensured for such children. It is imperative that they are protected against any physical harm, by creating a harmless environment. The children The class composed of children from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. The teachers made sure that the needs of each child were met. In addition to that, there were children with physical challenges who also benefited from the class setting that facilitated their learning and movement. The class therefore made it possible for inclusion to take place. The age of the children ranged between 3-5 years. They interacted well and each of them seemed to enjoy what was going on. The morning ses sion activities According to the teacher, all mornings began by ensuring that children sung. However, the types of songs and stories told depended on the themes that the teacher wanted to pass to the children. In this particular class, I was keenly following the response of two main children; in a view to find out how play enabled them develop mentally and emotionally. The two children were Natalie and John. They were both three years old and very jovial. When the teacher entered the classroom, it was mandatory for all the

The Impact of Total Quality Management on Employees Productivity Research Proposal

The Impact of Total Quality Management on Employees Productivity - Research Proposal Example This research paper will is based on the concept of total quality management but it will take a detour from the common studies that have been undertaken in regards to this concept, which have largely been centered on management issues. Moreover, studies conducted by Creech (1994) stated that total quality management (TQM) is aimed towards creating excellence and due to this fact; it focuses on promoting the right attitudes within organizations and even implementing control measures in order to avoid costly mistakes. The detour will lead to a research study that seeks to investigate the impact of TQM on the level of productivity amongst the employees. Productivity in this context will refer to the performance measure of both employee effectiveness and efficiency. It will be important to conduct this research study because in a majority of the widely available scholarly literature there is very little mention of how TQM directly affects the level of employee productivity. This research gap provides a justification for conducting this present research study, as it will seek to establish the relationship between the fundament concepts of excellence or TQM and their direct impact on the level of employees’ productivity. This means that a method of a measure will be established in order to gauge the extent to which the fundamental concepts of TQM influence the level of employee productivity. First, Evans and Lindsey (2008) defined total quality management as a combination of socio-technical processes that are aligned towards doing the right things (externally), everything right (internally), first time and all the time, with economic viability considered at each stage of each process. In the writings by Goetsch and Davis (2010), they argued that organizations, which have  implemented TQM have always been able to undertake strategic planning in order attain the mission as well as make significant strides towards their vision. Goetsch and Davis (2010) further argued that such organizations are always capable of achieving a balanced set of results, which enables them to attain long-term as well as short-term objectives.

The Teacher as a Hero Essay Example for Free

The Teacher as a Hero Essay T here are heroes and heroes, national and local. Some of them are born, others are made. Many are still living while many others have long been gone. It is to the latter that monuments and museums were built to keep alive their memory in our hearts and mind. Public buildings, parks and plazas, streets and a few provinces have been named after them. Important dates and events are usually marked red in the calendar to remind us of their birth or death anniversary. During the celebration of these events, program speakers take turns extolling to high heavens whatever good they had done for the country. Sad enough the hero who is apparently taken for granted and therefore unsung is the poor teacher. Not having a pedigreed name, she has no influence, no power. She is regarded as belonging to the marginalized sector of society. Tactless people look down on her with contempt saying, â€Å"She’s only a teacher. † After all, unlike OFWs, teachers do not contribute to the national economy. What many do not seem to realize is that a teacher is truly a hero in her own way. For a teacher is not only about her lesson plans, her teaching methods, strategies and techniques. A teacher is also about her personal character, her values and her attitude. And more importantly a teacher is also about her missionary work which entails a great deal of sacrifice on her part and her family. Indeed, the pro-bono services that she renders involve numerous risks to life and limb. We have heard of teachers who were kidnapped for ransom, forced into marriage under pain of bodily harm, physically abused and the unfortunate, even beheaded. I remember a male teacher who reprimanded a student for provoking trouble in class. That afternoon the huffy father with fire in his eyes sought the teacher in school and mercilessly hacked him to death. I had a relative who was summoned to the Comelec office in Manila and made to explain her inadvertence to affix her signature on a pair of election forms. The financially distressed teacher was forced to take a long-term loan which she used to pay for her transportation fare, board and lodging while in Manila. In the meantime her family had to be sparing and frugal in order to tide them over until such period that the loan was fully paid. While other government employees are off after five, the teacher spends long hours of work at home writing lesson plans, checking test papers or preparing visual aids and similar teaching devices. Compared to those who work in the comfort of their office, thousands of our teachers go on long hours of journey to their far-flung stations over hill and dale, many times in harsh weather condition. It is no wonder that many of these teachers become decrepit long before their age or they get pitifully sick before retirement from the service. And yet their take-home pay is a mere pittance. Any increase in their starvation salary comes far apart and in trickles because this is dependent upon the members of Congress who remember the teachers only on election time. Come May of next year teachers will again be called upon to man the electoral ramparts of our democracy. They will be there to help safeguard the sanctity of the ballot, armed only with the nobility and integrity of their profession. Whatever people say to the contrary, the teacher as a hero is ready to lay down her life for the sake of country sans a loud flourish of trumpets. I salute our teachers as heroes, living or dead! ANTONIO A. MORAN of Camalig, Albay is a retired general education supervisor of the Department of Education.

Masculinity in Great Expectations

Masculinity in Great Expectations Late Victorian Masculinities are bound up with discourses of evolution and aesthetics. Analyse this statement in relation to Charles Dickens Great expectations and Oscar Wildes The Picture ofDorian Gray This essay will try to assess the validity of the abovestatement using the texts stated, and also referring to existing criticism onthe subject. In answering the question, I shall break the statement into twosections. Firstly, I will discuss masculinity in Great Expectations inrelation to evolution, looking at Pips transition from humble beginnings to amore flamboyant existence, and how this fits in with Darwins theory ofevolution. As well as this, I will look at how masculinity is represented insome of the other characters, and lastly to what extent Pips life story cantruly be said to be an evolution. Next, I will discuss masculinityin The Picture of Dorian Gray in relation to aesthetics. This part ofthe essay will focus on how the portrayals of masculinity in the novel fit inwith the idea of Art for arts sake, promoted by followers of the aestheticmovement. In particular I will examine the identity of the eponymous hero, whoembodies much of the aesthetic ideal. There will also be a consideration of theunderlying theme of homosexuality and how some criticism has suggested that theaesthetes used such themes in order to illustrate their own ideas aboutidentity and masculinity. I will then consider to what extent aesthetics arepart of the representation of masculinity in the novel. Masculinity in Great Expectations doescertainly intertwine with the idea of evolution. Pip is in many ways thearchetypal bildungsroman, progressing from a simple domestic life in ruralKent, to London and fortune (although his ending does represent a variation onthis concept). His masculinity is developed along the way. In earlier chapters,he is governed largely by fear, as in the readers first encounter with Mrs.Joe, in which he is informed that he is in trouble. At this dismal intelligence,Ilooked disconsolately at the fire. Tickler was a wax-ended piece of cane. Contrast this with his behaviour later on in the book, after he has begun to make his way in the world Being on one occasion threatened with legal proceedingsI went so far as to seize the Avenger by his blue collar and shake him off his feet. By comparisons such as this, we can observe a correlation between the kind of personal evolution, common to the Victorian novel, undergone by Pip, and an increase in perceived masculine traits, such as dominance and physical aggression. However, underneath this, there is perhaps amore scientific form of evolution under discussion. No novel exists in avacuum, and being published in 1861, Great Expectations Darwinsgroundbreaking Origin of Species by only two years. Darwin mentions theStruggle for Existence, in which all life strives to be successful,identifies some key factors in this success. I should premise that I use theterm struggle for existence in a large and metaphorical sense, includingdependence of one being on another, and including, which is more important, notonly the life of the individual but the success in leaving progeny. Pips struggle is clearly dependent on others, for example Magwitch, his benefactor, and it is ultimately Joe who helps him in his time of need. Interestingly, however, he does not have an heir. Indeed, in the original ending, Pip notes in an unmistakably gloomy tone Estellas reaction to Little Pip, She supposed the child, I think, to be my child. In this sense, Pips evolution can be seen to be incomplete. But what does this mean with regard to masculinity? It is interesting to note that masculinity in GreatExpectations is not limited to the male characters. One example of this isMrs. Joe, who, as one critic notes, wore the pants in the household, while Joeserves as an effete and effeminate child like figure.Since Joessimple character evolves less than Pip, this might be seen as fitting in withDarwin, but, as has already been mentioned, Joe achieves the ultimate inevolution leaving progeny while Pip does not. Similarly, Mrs Havisham isgiven a somewhat masculine-tinted description her voice had dropped, so thatshe spoke low, and yet she is arguably the most static characterin the book, being unable to move beyond the trauma of her past. In the lightof this, it seems doubtful that Dickens intended a purely evolutionary picture. Although there is a link in the novel between masculinity and evolution, the two do not go entirely hand in hand. Dickens uses the bildungsroman model, but Pips development is one of acceptance of his role in life rather than the outright triumph evolutionary theory suggests. However, I do not believe that Dickens set out to critique Darwin either. The novels discussion of masculinity sometimes coincides with evolution, and sometimes does not. I think it would be fair to say that Dickens was influenced by the effect of evolution on masculinity, but his characters successes and failures do not fit in with any definite theory. In The Picture of Dorian Gray,masculinity is linked less to evolution and more to aesthetics. This is largelya result of Wildes adherence to the principles of the aesthetic movement,particularly that of Art for Arts sake. This consists of the idea, outlinedin the novels preface, that Art is an entity in itself and that its ownbeauty, and not its meaning or purpose, is what gives it the right to exist -All art is quite useless.This idea permeates the main character,Dorian Gray, in lots of ways, not least in the identity of his masculinity.This can be seen in Lord Henrys description of him in the first chapter -this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose leaves.Whyhe is a Narcissus.With its classical references and focus onphysical attributes rather than personality characteristics, this represents aquite different masculine ideal from that which the evolutionists favoured.Masculinity here is perhaps closer to the Platonic ideal, and there is noparticular empha sis on such traits as physical strength and courage, eitherphysical or moral, with which the bildungsroman might be associated. Moreover, some of the most fundamental aspectsof masculinity are challenged. Wilde was, of course, a homosexual, and thistheme is implicitly covered in The Picture of Dorian Gray. For instance,although all of the main characters have heterosexual relationships, such asDorians love for Sybil Vane, there is a suggestion of homosexuality as well.The men are certainly homosocial, and there are implications in therelationship between Lord Henry and Dorian. The former talks very dotingly tohis protÃÆ'Â ©gÃÆ'Â ©, right up to the end of the book, My dear boy, You are much toodelightful, and so forth, and perhaps more significantly, it isDorians good looks that first attract him. This affects the way masculinity isdealt with in the novel in the respect that it removes the element of trying towin the female love interest that we see in Great Expectations. DespiteDorians brief fixation with Sybil, women seem largely incidental to the livesof the principal male characters. This is arguably b ecause they are onlyrequired when they are of aesthetic value, not for their emotional input.Dorian does not ultimately let Sybils suicide interfere with thepseudo-homosexual, and more aesthetic, relationship he has with Lord Henry. Critics have suggested that thisis part of a movement in society in which Wilde and others brought forwardidentity politics, the concept that individuals can view themselves in thelight of their deviations from the norms of society, often enjoying aspects ofthemselves that some might consider abnormal or even immoral. As Audrey Jaffenotes, the contrast between beautiful and ugly images of Dorian Grayreproduces the aesthetics of contemporary identity politics, in which identitytakes shape as the difference between negative and positive culturalprojections.This is perhaps the biggest contrast with GreatExpectations. Whereas Pips manhood is seen as complete when he has learned to accept his place in the world, Dorians masculinity is defined by his unwillingness to conform. It is his aesthetic makeup that makes him a man. The implied homosexuality is part of that, since it involves breaking the taboos of society. According to Jaffe, we may catch the early strains of an identity politics whose anthem will eventually become loud enough to make itself heard even on St Patricks Day.In this respect, aesthetics are central to the novels portrayal of masculinity, although characters like James Vane do represent a more traditional viewpoint, showing such traits as confrontation, family loyalty and defence of ones honour. In conclusion, the representationof masculinity in Great Expectations does nod to a discourse onevolution. Dickens uses the bildungsroman model, and there is a genuine senseof progression, and with it, the rise of masculinity. In some respects,Darwinian theory is supported, as in Pips dependence on others in thestruggle for existence. However, his failure to sire offspring and hissomewhat humbled ending conflict with theories of evolution. As well as this,there is the consideration that masculine characteristics are often given tocharacters that do not evolve, such as Miss Havisham, while the hen-pecked Joeachieves the ultimate evolutionary success in reproducing. This would seem tolead to the conclusion that Dickens was aware of evolution, and to some extentinfluenced by it, but did not use it as the sole basis for portrayingmasculinity. By contrast, The Picture ofDorian Gray shows a direct link to the principles of the aestheticmovement. With his looks and his sensual approach to life, Dorian embodies muchof the movements ethos, and his masculinity is defined in terms of his charmand visual appeal. The undercurrent of homosexuality in the book reinforcesthis. By failing to conform to the ideals of Victorian society, Dorian isrepresentative of a form of masculinity that relates to identity politics.Rather than taking the moralistic route to manhood, he celebrates the beauty ofhis deviance. In this respect, his masculinity is entirely aesthetic, as it isdefined by his individual beauty, and the contrast between positive andnegative views of him. However, Wild does portray other, more traditional formsof masculinity, albeit marginally, in the character of James Vane. Evolution and aesthetics,therefore, do play a major part in late Victorian masculinity. Thebildungsroman is an evolutionary figure, while aesthetic portrayals of men werebeginning to come to the fore in this period. However, it is important toremember that these ideas do not govern masculinity entirely, mainly becausewriters are artists and not merely theorists. Although Wilde does adhere to aprincipal more closely than Dickens, both authors show a willingness to breakaway from theory when it is necessary for artistic purposes. References Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (Ch. 2, pg. 7) Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (Ch. 34, pg. 223) Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, 1859, (Ch 3 The Struggle for Existence) Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (original ending) Wayne Huang, Problems of autobiography and fictional biography in Great Expectations, www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/huangcd.html (1997) Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (Ch. 8, pg. 50) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Complete Illustrated Works of Oscar Wilde, Chancellor Press, 1991, (Preface, pg. 4) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Complete Illustrated Works of Oscar Wilde, Chancellor Press, 1991, (Ch. 1,pg 5) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Complete Illustrated Works of Oscar Wilde, Chancellor Press, 1991, (Ch. 19, pg. 147) Audrey Jaffe, The Aesthetics of Cultural Identity: Embodying Culture, www.victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/jaffe2.html (No date) Audrey Jaffe, Sympathy and the Embodiment of Culture in Wildes Portrait of Dorian Gray, Cornell University Press, 2000 (pg. 167)