Close Critical Commentary Essay Example for Free

Close Critical Commentary Essay Thetis is a poem written by the British poet Carol Ann Duffy in her collection The Worlds Wife. Unlike most of the other poems in this collection, Duffy has not titled the poem as Mrs (such as Mrs Lazarus and Mrs Tiresias) but as just Thetis. This may be making the point that in this case, it is Thetis herself who was famous, not her lover, and this shows female independence. The poem shows the transformations of Thetis, a Greek goddess and sea nymph, as she attempts to escape her mortal lover, with whom she is destined to have a child. Duffy uses the poem to celebrate the adaptation and flexibility of women, just as she does with Mrs Lazarus- who moves on after her husband dies- and Mrs Midas, who moves her husband out and remodels her life without him. The poem is written in free verse, which helps keep the pace of the poem fast, and reminds us of the freeness of Thetis form. She is a slippery, darting creature, being a sea-nymph, and often changes her form rapidly. Despite this, the poem is in eight sestets, a regular shape, and this is to remind us of Thetis bonds, and her inescapable fate. The poem is written as a dramatic monologue, as are the other poems in the collection, and this means that we are seeing the world from the imagined view of one person- in this collection, always a woman. The sporadic rhyme- such as in stanza four where the majority of words rhyme, and the last stanza, where there are only two rhymes, one of which is internal- is again reminding us of freedom, and also speeding up the pace to match Thetis frantic changes of shape. Duffy uses enjambment freely here, running lines on to create pace and free movement. She only once uses a caesura in the poem, and this again creates fluidity, which is a reflection of not only her freedom of form, but her connections to water and the sea. Duffy varies her language throughout the poem to express thoughts and highlight her key ideas. By using religious metaphors such as shouldered the cross and [carried the cross] up the hill she brings in the idea of Christian suffering, and ties it to the suffering of Thetis. Similarly, the albatross and the squint of a crossbows eye are also images of suffering- that of the mariner in The Rhyme Of An Ancient Mariner- and could also signify the suffering felt by her suitor as he tries to capture her, only to be cursed by her hatred. The suitor is described in varying ways throughout the poem. He goes from being a charmer (the snake charmer image gives us the idea that she is under his power) to a strangler (a powerful image) in stanza three, and this shows his two personalities- the powerful man and the lover. The sudden change in description also gives the premonition of a sudden change in her feelings. In stanza four he is coldly described as the guy- an impersonal reference. This lets the reader see the development and progression of her feelings for him. Throughout the poem we perceive the suitor to be violent and powerful, particularly in the line I sank through the floor which sounds as though he forces her to sink, it is not through her choosing, and this exaggerates his power, and the line I felt the squeeze of his fist, which again suggests his violence and power. At the end of the poem, the suitor becomes the groom, and this sudden acceptance and a more personal feel shows the change in her emotions towards him. A chatty and conversational tone is used throughout the poem. This is a common feature of Duffys monologues- in Queen Kong the language used suggests a chatty American interview or real life story in a magazine, and in Mrs Midas, the poem is written as though it was being spoken to a close friend. In this poem the chatty tone helps to evolve a fast pace, and reflects the freeness of Thetiss form using the freeness of her language. Lines such as I changed my tune and his hook and his line and his sinker are clichi s used to give the end of the poem a tiresome feel, which reflects Thetis exhaustion at changing shape. They allow Thetis to seem bored of running from her suitor, as they are over-used phrases, and they are used in a satirical manner, which also shows humour. Similarly Stuff that is a chatty, every-day phrase, and Duffy also uses it humorously as a pun, referring to the art of taxidermy. Interestingly, the lines I shopped for a suitable shape. Big Mistake suggest a criticism of todays society, where size 8 is a perfect size to be. Duffy is criticising men for forcing women to be slim, and women for giving in to them, and this fits well with Duffys theme of being forced to change. The Big Mistake line shows Duffys contempt for the conformers. The internal rhyme speeds up the pace, and this fast pace mirrors the speedy lifestyle of women today, especially their high street shopping, which is frantic but ultimately meaningless, just like Thetiss changes. Duffy is making a joke of the ultimate shape and appearance so valuable to women in todays society. The last verse of the poem is different to the others. Thetis is no longer running from her suitor but embracing him. The references to fire -flame, burned, and asbestos- can be interpreted in many ways. Perhaps this is the heat of her passion, brought on by the relentlessness with which he has pursued her, or perhaps it is Thetis again trying to have an effect on him, by burning him, but he is still impervious to her- the groom wore asbestos. Perhaps when she says my kisses burned she means that it hurts her to be kissing him, and to have given in to him. The line between passion and destruction here is all but invisible, and this adds an interesting twist to the poem. The last two lines deal with the birth of Thetiss child, Achilles, and are fairly violent and almost visceral. The reference to her having turned inside out could reflect her change in opinion from hating him to loving him.

Missionary Journeys And Strategy Of Paul Religion Essay

Missionary Journeys And Strategy Of Paul Religion Essay The purpose of this essay is to describe appropriate examples and strategy Paul used for his missionary journey that can be considered for 21st Century missions. The way I plan to structure my essay; I will explore theology books to find out what the authors say of Pauls missionary journeys. I will compare the authors opinions and then I will search the Bible scripture and give reference as evidence. I will begin my essay and describe from the book of Acts the call of God upon the Apostle Pauls life to the mission fields. The book of Acts describe how the Apostle Paul became a missionary (Acts 9) says Paul had a supernatural encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul was temporarily with out vision. A disciple named Ananias had a vision of the Lord that he should go and pray for Paul. Ananias prayed for Paul and his sight was restored. (Acts 9:20) Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and he went out to the Synagogue and preached the Gospel. The Bible says in (Acts 13:2-3) the Apostle Paul gave himself as an example to follow Jesus Christ, Paul fasted and prayed when Paul received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he preached in different parts of the world for Jesus Christ. (Acts 16:13) says when Paul went to Philippi he had a prayer meeting at the riverside. Paul prayed and miracles happened, the Holy Spirit used him. B. Paul used the name of Jesus. The authors give reference to scholars who write their opinion of the missionary work Paul did. J. Louis Martyn, refers to Wilckens and Vielhauer who says how extensively however, did he function as a teacher of the scriptures? Specifically, did he take it as one of his tasks regularly to offer lengthy and detailed exegetical discourses to his congregations? His letters suggest no such thing. . Geoffrey Harris wrote first, his methods of reaching out to the Gentile world by first creating a Jewish Christian community; then, identifying and training leaders for the nascent churches; third, by deepening understanding of and commitment to the gospel in order to strengthen the churches in maturity. . Joseph Plevnik gives reference to Fitzmyer, he says what the apostle inherited from his Hellenistic and Jewish backgrounds, what he borrowed from tradition, and what he arrived at through his missionary experience, is all uniquely transformed by his knowledge of Christ, which he received at Damascus. . I have studied the theories of J. Louis Martyn and Geoffrey Harris, and Joseph Plevnik; The following Bible scriptures say Paul was dependent on the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:13) and (1 Corinthians 2: 4) (Luke 4:16-20) The Bible scriptures say Paul taught from scripture, he preached the gospel in the synagogues. (Acts 17:1) says Paul preached at a synagogues at Thessalonica, (Acts 14: 9-10) says Paul prayed for a crippled man with faith and told him to stand up the man was healed. J. Louis Martyn, who referred to Wilckens and Vielhauer goes on to say, that Paul made verbal attacks against scriptural instructions. The book of (Acts 17:16) says Paul was angered when he saw Athens, because the city of Athens was given to idols. I have studied the Bible scriptures and compared the authors opinions and I dont share the same view as, Wilckens and Vielhauer, however I have found Geoffrey Harris and Joseph Plevniks, opinions to be scriptural I prefer their views. Geoffrey Harris describes the strategy, Paul used to establish the churches. Joseph Plevnik says Paul received his knowledge through the experience he had with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. The Bible says, Paul wrote letters to Churches in Rome, Ephesians Philippians and Philemon. Paul would start his letters with a greeting and he would end his letters with a farewell (Act 9:15) and (Acts 11:1) say Paul wanted to reach the Jews and the Gentiles with the salvation message of Jesus Christ. The authors Martin Dibelius he refers to critical scholars, Joseph A. Grassi and Bernard T. Smyth describe their opinion of Pauls missionary work in spreading the Gospel. Martin Dibelius, refers to critical scholars and says scholars have referred for instance to improbability of certain scenes, as for example, to the fact that Paul assumes towards the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem a yielding attitude which we cannot possibly believe he would have adopted. . Joseph A. Grassi wrote one of the great reasons why Christianity spread like wildfire through the world in the first three centuries was precisely this that it was a proclamation of freedom addressed to a world. . Bernard T. Smyth, says to get this matter of Paul and prayer into perspective, it is useful to recall how, before the advent of Paul, the young Christian community was already very much a community of prayer. I have studied the theories of Martin Dibelius and Joseph A. Grassi and Bernard T. Smyth. Martin Dibelius referred to critical scholars who said, they cannot possibly believe that Paul, adopted a yielding attitude. The book of (Acts Chapter 9) says after Paul had a supernatural encounter with the Lord Jesus on the Road to Damascus, Paul was supernaturally transformed when he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave Paul a yielding attitude that enabled him to carry out his missionary work. Joseph A. Grassi describes his beliefs why Christianity spread throughout the world and the announcement of freedom in Christ Jesus. Bernard T. Smyth says that the Early Church was a praying community. The book of (Acts 14:23) says the early Church fasted and prayed. I have compared the views of the critical scholars and Joseph A. Grassi and Bernard T. Smyth, and I prefer the opinions of Joseph A. Grassi and Bernard T. Smyth, in contrast to the critical scholars, they have referred to Biblical scripture. Therefore the balance of the agreement is in favor with the view of Joseph A. Grassi and Bernard T. Smyth. Tom Wright, says Paul urges, the many splendoured wisdom of God must be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. . Krister Stendahl, says, Paul tells the Church, Jews and Gentiles in Rome, that his call to the mission fields is the plan of God. . I have looked at the views of, Tom Wright, he says Gods word must be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places and Krister Stendahl says, Pauls call to the mission fields was Gods plan. The book of (Ephesians 6:12) says the battle is not against flesh or blood but against principalities and powers of darkness in high places. The book of (Acts 13:1-3) says The Holy Spirit selected Paul for his mission work. I have studied the views of the authors and have compared them with the Bible scriptures after analysing the scriptures. I prefer the view of both the authors Tom Wright and Krister Stendahl. C. The Early Church Fasted and Prayed. The book of Acts describes the strategies Paul used for his missionary work. Paul took the message of the Gospel to the Gentiles and taught of the authority of Jesus Christ and his power. The strategy Paul used he fasted and prayed and achieved his missionary journey through prayer. The Bible says Paul would minister to groups of people in the Synagogue; meeting with groups of Christians, in Church is a good way of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, today. Paul wrote letters to communicate to the Churches, at that time there was not the technology there is today, such as the Internet, a telephone Christian television, Christian radio, tapes, or CDs, and DVDs. Today there are Christian organizations, such as Christian training courses, and Bible colleges and Church buildings that can be considered appropriate examples for 21st Century missions.

Analysis of Performance of Registered Nurse

Analysis of Performance of Registered Nurse INTRODUCTION Critical reflection acts as the precursor for transformative learning, which takes place by altering the level of personal understandings and the behavior (Mezirow, 1990). Critical refection leads to improved learning, assessment and thinking with respect to the system and the society (Smith, 2011). Critical reflection enables an individual to look beyond the horizon and visualize the bigger picture and develop reasonable views about the situation so that the assessment can become easier. Critical reflection is taught in various professional fields, including the health care system. This concept is not just theoretical but requires practical applicability also. Theoretically there are three models for reflecting critically. The first is the Dewey’s model of reflective learning which advocates that knowledge can be obtained by relating the past and present experiences. This approach is referred to as the pragmatic approach. The second model is that of Habermas’, which ad vocates the critical theory behind this approach and demonstrates three areas of knowledge, namely, practical, technical and emancipator. The third and the last model is the Kolb’s model of reflexive learning (Patricia Lucas, 2012). The Australian Nursing Federation’s standards of competency for a nurse have identified r put forward three domains of better level competencies: adaptation of practice, conceptualization of practice and leading on with the practice (Australian Nursing Foundation, 2005). AIM AND OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to critically examine and reflect on my professional skills and performance as a registered nurse, in the domain of adaptation of practice. The paper discusses about the main concept of critical reflection and also the competencies in the aforesaid domain. This essay is written in first person, as it will help in better understanding of the critical competencies possessed by an individual. DESCRIPTION The initial period of working in any professional field is very difficult and tiring. When I started to work as a nurse, in the emergency, I used to work for 6 days a week. The timings were also very stringent, from 8.00 AM till 3.00 PM. The work load was much higher as compared to the task force available. The number of nurses was reduced considerably and the health staff was under continuous stress as they had to cater to so many patients. Another problem faced by the health staff was the duration of stay of the patients and the workload on the emergency section. In my country, general statistics show that patients stayed for minimum two days. With each nurse catering to 6-7 patients at one time, it is nearly impossible to pay adequate attention to each on simultaneously. Plus this increases the work load to a greater extent. Most of the nurses, who worked, just had a diploma in nursing, while I and two others had the bachelor’s degree. This is what distinguished us. We had better theoretical as well as practical skills as compared to them. This plus point kind of added to the workload I had. I was made responsible for all the emergency situations and for looking after the patients who were brought in emergency conditions. One of the main procedures of emergency is suturing. Since suturing requires both practical as well as theoretical skills, I was the one who was given the task of suturing, assessing the wounds of the injured, examining any other damage like that to arteries or tendons or nerve fibers. The morning task was to review all the patients along with the doctors and then for the latter half of the day each nurse was assigned 6 to 7 patients to take care of. OVERVIEW OF CRITICAL REFLECTION Nursing literature frequently mentions about critical reflection but nowhere has this term been defined precisely (McBrien, 2007). Vaguely it has been mentioned as the process of analyzing practice through regulated self reflection (Crowe O’Malley, 2006). Although everybody has the ability to think with a different perspective, the aim of critical reflection is to enhance knowledge and redefine our understanding about self, by increasing self awareness and self consciousness, thereby focusing on the outcomes of our actions (Forrest, 2008). There are too many scenarios in the health care system, where the nurses are exposed to unexplained judgments, interpretations and decisions. To relieve the stress burden from our shoulders, it is important to inculcate critical thinking in our lives. Yes, it is true, critical reflection will give fire to anxiety, conflict and also cause self doubting issues but it will, eventually, alter the professional practice in an affirmative way (Oâ €™Connor, 2008). The new energy within will help in challenging the beliefs and assumption, that already exist and lead to better understanding of the things and thereby bringing about a change for benefit of all. Because of the increase in expectation from the nurses, they face complex demands, change and higher accountability. To comply with such situations, they need to develop skills of thinking on a higher level and improvement in the reasoning abilities (Crowe O’Malley, 2006). SchÓÂ §n (1983) has put forward two major reflections: reflection in action (which occurs when the action is being performed and is a result of thinking critically) and reflection on action (which is reflected after the action has been performed). Reflection in action involves many skills like being a good observer in every situation and trying to learn something out of every situation, interpreting, recording and understanding your feelings and responses to a certain situation and then inter relating your previous experiences, always make yourself counted in the experience via taking a ‘ witness’ stance. On the other hand reflection on action is the most common form of reflection as what you have learnt or understood from your past encounters, all reflects in your future actions (David Somerville, 2004). Critical reflection is important for nurses because they need to incorporate change in their daily interaction, apply and update their professional skills, should develop self awareness and self directedness. They can successfully utilize the opportunities only if they ponder upon the feedback of their interactions and their impact on the patient, their families, colleagues and the health care unit as a whole. Therefore, critical reflection forms the most important ingredient for cooking the recipe of good conduct. DOMAIN OF INTEREST Day by day the complexities of the health care system are increasing. Thus, to meet the requirements various competency standards have been set up for registered nurses for advanced nursing. These competency standards aim to distinguish between the general and advanced nursing practices (Australian Nursing Federation, 2005; International Council of Nurses, 2010). The domain of interest here is the domain of ‘adapting practice’. It contains the competency abilities of advanced registered nurses to comply with and adjust or adapt to the challenging and more complex situations and still yield in better outcomes in terms of services offered (Australian Nursing Federation, 2005). The standards that are set, help in encouraging post graduate education for development in the field of advanced nursing practices and also enable each individual to individually critically analyze their competency in different domains (McGee, 2009). Like every other domain, the domain of adapting pr actice also stresses on understanding and meeting the needs and requirements of the patients who are suffering from complex and critical conditions (competency standard 4). This domain also states that improvement in the predicted outcomes should be made by referring to the past experiences and gathering information from other sources as well (competency standard 6) (Australian Nursing Federation, 2005). This essay also reflects upon the competencies of a registered nurse and the abilities that were utilized during complex and stressful situations. FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS Adaptation to a new environment is extremely difficult and it takes lots of patience and practice to adapt comfortably. I face many challenges in my workplace and earlier found it difficult to adapt. I also felt embarrassed when I needed help and could not ask anybody, fearing that my reputation would go down and that my fellow colleagues would make fun of me. Being equipped with the interpersonal skills, theoretical as well as practical knowledge about taking care of the patients and delivering the best quality of service, enabled me to climb up the ladder of success. Even though earlier it was difficult for me to interact with my fellow colleagues, now I can converse comfortably with anyone including my colleagues, patient, families and other staff members. Most of this was the result of feedback which I received from the patients, who generally praised my ability to empathize with the patients and then cater to their needs. As quoted above, feedback is an essential component for c ritical reflection, the positive feedback that I received from the consumers and my fellow staff members helped me visualize things with a different approach. I started enjoying my work. There were situations when I feared the outcome of some medical action. In my country, there are no rules and regulations pertaining to the safety of the health care professionals. This causes safety issues with the carers. Even I found myself in such situation when the medical practices could not save the life of the patient and his family members were outrageous, blaming the hospital for their loss, intending to burn down the entire building and take revenge. But then one should not be afraid of shadows, as shadows mean there is light somewhere near. There is an instance that reminds me of my good work and better performance as a nurse. I once cared for a boy who had been stabbed in the abdomen. There was profuse bleeding and I had taken every possible measure to stop the blood flow and restore th e consciousness of the boy. Three weeks later, that same boy came with his parents and thanked me for saving his life. Such precious compliments and gratitude’s count a lot in the long run. EVALUATION I realized that during my performance in the hospital, as a registered nurse, I had some positive as well as negative traits. Good command over English language was counted among my positive traits. This enabled me to quickly read and understand the nursing articles written in English. Also since I could understand and associate what was mentioned, I was able to deliver effective care to the patients. Also my expertise in the fields of pathophysiology and emergency skills made me an important person in the hospital. Whenever there was a case of any emergency, I was made responsible to monitor the patient and do the needful. On the contrary, the nurses who lacked the knowledge about emergency skills or were not fluent in English language missed the opportunity. Ching Ying Lee (1998) has reported that nursing practice requires knowledge of proficient English as the nurses should be capable of using medical terms in fluent English. English is the most common language spoken worldwide and therefore, such a language should be known by all in order to address the cross cultural barriers in health care. Not only English is a common language but it has been named as the scientific language worldwide. Therefore, it is essential that all the communications pertaining to the medical condition of the patient, the health care outcomes and the treatment be explained in English to the patient as well as the concerned members (Mylaeus Renggli MI 1998). Another positive point that added to my portfolio was the good interpersonal and communication skills. With these skills I was able to interact efficiently with the staff and the patients as well. In order to deliver better services I followed the rule of empathy. Whenever any new patient was put under my care, I listened to him/ her and tried to picture myself in her/ his situation, so that I can understand better about the current situation of the patient and accordingly provide the guidelines to the family and the other medical staff. Most frequently we were faced with situations in which the burden on the health care unit was so much that all the patients were not being given equal attention, due to lack of task force and increased number of patients. In such cases one or the other patient or the family member would stand and start shouting in anger. I helped in controlling many such situations by calmly making the individual understand our plight and thereby promising him that I will take care of his/ her family member as soon as I get free. I utilized my good communication skills to deal with such patients. It is very important to have good communication skills in order to build trust between the patient and the doctor. It will consequently allow or enable the patient to disclose the information which might prove fruitful. Good communication also motivates the patient to get involved in the decisions related to health care, minimizes the risk of mishaps and errors and eventually enhances the satisfaction level of the patient (NHMRC, 2004). Literature has also shown the importance of understanding the cultural beliefs of the patients and making more accurate and meaningful decisions that are appreciated by the patient and the family both (Lawrence Dyche, 2007). Another important learning from my experience was that knowledge is never enough. Even after being a Bachelor’s degree holder, I found myself lagging behind in the field of pharmacology. Thus, it became the need of the hour for me to undergo a special three months training in this field and then I was all set and comfortable in explaining the patients about different drugs and their prescriptions. Although it is not advisable for the nurses to get into doctor’s role and prescribe drugs t the patients but they should know what different drugs are meant for, so that if the patient has a query related to which drug is administered to him or why it is administered, they should be able to answer them with confidence (Clare Lomas, 2010). One of the negative traits that I discovered within myself was not being able to extract the medical history of the patient. Emergency nurses should possess the skills of physical assessment as well as health history. This lag can be attributed to the overburden and work overload during the emergency situations. Another reason can be the demand for nurses as there had been shortage of nurses since of long time in my hospital. Joann Griff Alspach (2011) has laid forward the importance of knowing the medical history of the patient as well as of his family. This is important because a track record of all the details about the illness that have been occurring in the family can help in predicting the prognosis of the current state of the patient. Also prior information can help the doctors determine the allergies the patient possesses when subjected to certain chemicals or drugs. Another negative quality that I possessed was lack of team spirit. Whenever I had many patients and was overloaded with work, even though I wanted someone to help me, yet I never asked for help. I am now able to realize that team work is essential for efficient working of the team as it enables us to learn something new and benefit from each of the members involved. ANALYSIS My experience, expectations, feedback and results have majorly influenced the knowledge I have gained so far. My skills like being able to communicate proficiently in English and being able to understand the text presented in medical journals, which are generally written in English, has helped me gain recognition and my work has been appreciated by the authorities as well. Communication is an important aspect of health care as it promotes commonality of understanding and meaning (Sonia Allen, 2007). Also my skills like the knowledge of pathophysiology and dealing with patients during emergency situations helped me get positive response from the patients and their family members. Though there are certain negative aspects also, like lack of team spirit and lack of ability to get medical history out from the patient, yet I am happy that I am now able to analyze my performance as a whole and can work in the field of teamwork and improve my traits further. SYNTHESIS RECOMMENDATION FOR FUTURE PRACTICE I feel that I have precisely highlighted all my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats pertaining to the nursing practices. According to the standards for practice specified by the Nursing Council, the very first principle to e followed if to respect the individuality and dignity of all the health consumers. Treating with respect means interacting with the consumers in a polite and considerate manner, thereby helping them cope with their deteriorated condition and enable quick recovery. It is important to understand the cultural needs as well and decide upon the course of treatment accordingly. All the registered nurses are expected to work in partnerships as this enhances the working capability and also builds trust among the members of the staff, leaving no scope of discrimination. Another perception of working in partnerships can be with respect to the health consumers. It is important to listen to them, respond to their concerns and acknowledge their preferences as well . It is not necessary to give affirmation to all their preferences but only to those which are practicable. Also, it the responsibility of the nurse to encourage and motivate the consumers by providing them relevant and complete information about their condition, so that they can make decisions independently. Another point to be kept in mind is to respect and allow patient’s privacy and confidentiality. The code of conduct should comprise of integrity so that the consumer’s trust can be justified. Integrity means consistency in the principles and ethics that you follow and not abusing the position held by you or the trust of the authorities. Lastly, all the registered nurses must maintain public confidence and trust in their profession and also maintain the ethics involved (Nursing Counsil, 2011). CONCLUSION The aim of this essay was to provide a detailed outline of the analysis of the performance of a registered nurse, when working in the domain of adapting practice. The basic concept of critical reflection and how it modifies the outlook or the perception has been well explained with the help of live examples.

Technology and the Brave New World :: Brave New World

Technology and the Brave New World   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the book Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, was written long ago, its subject   has become more popular since most of the   technologies described in the book have, at least, partially, become a reality.   Huxley's community of Utopia is a futuristic society designed by genetic engineering, and controlled by neural conditioning with mind-altering drugs and   a manipulative media system.   Yet, despite the similarities, the reader also finds   many contrasts between the two societies.   Perhaps the most salient contrast between Huxley’s Utopia and our modern society, deals with the issue of procreation. The majority of babies born in our society today, are still the result of intercourse between a man and a woman.   In many cases the birth of a child is a memorable and joyous event for the woman. In Utopia, however, if a woman is caught bearing offspring, she will be punished by exile. Offspring not produced the society’s way is a threat to the society’s existence, in the eyes of the leaders.   As today, pregnancy, in Utopia, could be prevented using a variety of methods.   Where our society uses male and female birth control methods, Utopia has pregnancy substitute (a procedure   in which Utopian woman are given all the psychological benefits of childbirth   without undergoing   it) and malthusian drill (similar to today’s birth control pills).   However, modern society and Huxley’s Utopia both explore the advantages of artificial reproduction, although Utopia has taken it to the extreme: The   Bokanovsky Process, is a method whereby a human egg’s normal development   is arrested, then buds, producing many identical eggs.   â€Å"My good   boy!†...†Bokanovsky’s Process is one of the major instruments of social stability!†Ã‚   (Huxley, 7).  Ã‚   Not only did this method create millions of â€Å"robot like† citizens for Utopia,   but the leaders have supreme control over any threat of overpopulation. Utopian predestinators   decide the future function of each embryo, essentially   assigning   class status.  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this way, the leaders of Utopia are also able to   keep the social classes balanced in the way they felt benefited everyone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the reader sees some dissipation of social classes in modern society, in Utopia, the class distinctions were palpable. A five-tiered caste system is maintained which ranks Alphas and Betas on top followed by   Gammas, Deltas, and the semi-moronic, ubiquitous Epsilons. The motto   "Community, Identity, Stability" frames the Utopian social structure.

REGGAE AND ZYDECO :: Essays Papers

REGGAE AND ZYDECO If one were to look back into the world’s history, one would find that an important and consistent element is the world of music. Music has presented itself in various forms throughout its spread and through our identification of its magical realm, people have been fortunate enough to come across a means of relation. Whether it is blues and reggae or rap and pop rock, there is music out there for everyone. Music can serve as a stabilizer for some, a relaxant to others, and to many a form of inspiration. Music’s influence is felt everywhere and it brings about a stir of emotions in many people. Whether it is something as simple as relationship trouble or something deeper and more profound, such as one’s cultural history, music serves as a stimulant to the mind and in other ways, a stimulant to the body. Such music as country, rock, reggae and Zydeco all succeed in stimulating the body and convincing it that dancing will only increase the satisfactory feeling that the music tends to give off. Although there is a variety of music that could be examined to trace its evolution through time, there is one genre in particular that is quite interesting to examine. Though it differs from other types of music, it will be looked at in conjunction with Reggae music as they have similar ties. Reggae music is quite prominent today in the United States, parts of Africa, and of course Jamaica. Reggae is notoriously known for its most influential artist Bob Marley, and it is not unusual for one to have heard a few, if not many of his songs. Reggae’s popularity is steadily increasing and is doing so through both expansions of the music as well as increasing knowledge on the genre. The genre that has been chosen to focus on and examine is much less known than Reggae. It can be assured that a number of people asked on the subject will have no knowledge of the genre and perhaps not even recognition to the name. This particular genre is that of Zydeco music. Zydeco music is Louisiana based and most notably linked to Cajun music. Its roots are deep in the South and although it tends to not venture far from home, those around it have found music to fall in love with. Reggae and Zydeco, as well as many other musical genres have ties that go as far as Africa.

Having different plots the two stories nevertheless indicate the common concept

Are people part of this world or we really don’t belong to it? Maybe we’re just strangers, the incidental guests, who dropped in for a moment?This idea unites the two stories, which I’m going to analyze – A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and My Singular Irene by Jose Alcantara Alcanzar. Both stories create the impression of hopelessness, as they indicate bitter alienation of a human in a society, which is ready to swallow his identity.Having different plots, the two stories nevertheless indicate the common concept – they allegorically describe a person’s life from birth to death. However, in both stories birth and death change their meaning to the reverse one.The time, when the events start, is said to be the beginning of spring, which is naturally associated with the birth. In Marquez’s story the birth is also marked by the presence of a new-born baby, but it not him, who is symbolically born but a old man with enormous wings. It is suggestive that is born already old, like in the legend about Buddha’s birth.The reverse order of things is also demonstrated in the fact that he is born from the earth, even from mud (analogical to the traditional burial of a human body). That’s the picture Pelayo saw: â€Å"He had to go very close to see that it was an old man, a very old man, lying face down in the mud, who, in spite of his tremendous efforts, couldn’t get up, impede by his enormous wings† (p.371, paragraph 1).It is opposite to the beautiful concept, when a child, pure and innocent, is sent by the heaven. But in Marquez’s perception, a human is mercilessly thrown into this world, where he has to face loneliness and misunderstanding.The Angel is disempowered and helpless throughout his staying among people, and so is the heroine of Alcanzar’ story. And the reason for the condition is the same   – the wings. Irene is butterfly, which a ce rtain version of angelic image too. Besides, it is interesting to note that for ancient Greeks butterfly sounded exactly like the word, denoting a human soul – psyche.That why in the story My Singular Irene the same way from birth to death- in a conventional meaning – is symbolically described, which is in fact has the opposite direction – from death to life, to renaissance, to magic transformation.For years he’s been kept in her cocoon by her husband who embodies limits of the society. It is noteworthy, that in his narration he uses a lot of   restricting words as ‘allow’, ‘permit’, â€Å"demand†, ‘forgive’ and ‘forbid’. All of them he applies to Irene. He tries to control his wife’s life, leaving her no space for breathing. It would be wrong to say that he doesn’t love her, he does in fact in his own way, as a collector of butterflies.  Indeed, the metaphor of a butterfly acqui res a broader meaning: â€Å"Irene rolled down the window and by accident some butterflies got inside and were trapped† (p.12, paragraph 3) This sentence suggests the concept of human life as seen by Almanzar. It is evident that this view is very similar to the one presented by Marquez.An angel who was thrown into this world and was put by people into a cage reveals the same meaning as butterfly-person, who flew into this world accidentally an was trapped. For both writers, the metaphor for human existence is prison.For Almanzar it is both prison and journey, so that as a result we have a kind of prison on wheels. For Marquez life is a cage in a zoo with thousands of spectators watching and torturing you. I fact, life is a hell for angels.

Blinding Revenge-Hamlet

Michael Kuritnik 3/6/13 G-Block Blinding Revenge Fundamental themes are preserved throughout history because they relate to everyday aspects of life. Surprisingly, very little has changed since Shakespearean times. Although technology has changed the way in which humans communicate, people still react to emotional stimuli similarly to those of the middle ages. Anger has always triggered annoyance, uproar and violence. Like several characters in Hamlet, today’s society experiences a thirst for revenge because of something unsettling that ultimately stirred up anger.Individuals who strive for vengeance become overwhelmed with indignation. In some cases idiosyncratic deception and false imagery are used in order to attain what one seeks. Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare emphasizes that revenge leads to chaos and ultimately inevitable debilitating consequences Revenge has the overwhelming ability to deteriorate a man into a monster. It influences Hamlet to make reckless decisions th at ruin him and eventually lead to his downfall. Hamlet is driven to insanity by his own desire to kill Claudius. Hamlet becomes so obsessed with revenge that it quickly consumes him.He exclaims in one of his soliloquy, â€Å"Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause And can say nothing- no, not for a king Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made† (II. ii. 595-598), feeling guilty and remorseful for not yet acting on his impulse for revenge. At this point, calling himself a coward for not having taken revenge, Hamlet clearly demonstrates his madness for vengeance. Moments later, blinded by revenge, Hamlet stabs Polonius on the impulsive whim that it may be Claudius spying on him. He feels no guilt for his reckless action, suggesting that he acted out of madness and had little thought through the affair.Consumed by revenge, Hamlet has deteriorated into a murderer. Immediately after Hamlet murders Polonius, Claudius becomes blinded by his own desire for revenge. In his rage, Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with Hamlet to England, where Hamlet fools the English into killing them instead of him. After sending them off, Claudius states, â€Å"I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range,† understanding that the best method of containing Hamlet’s revenge is to keep Hamlet close; however Claudius’ anger leads him to send Hamlet to his unhonorable death (III. ii,L1-2). By attempting to avenge Polonius, Claudius ultimately sets up his own demise, as well as Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s. If not for Claudius’ rash decision to send Hamlet away, Hamlet would have never been able to contact Norway and send the spies to their deaths by sabotaging the letter. Laertes’ vengeful decisions lead to detrimental consequences and the deaths of virtuous lives. Enraged by his father’s death, Laertes decides to make an attempt on Hamlet’s life. Playing co ol and pretending to wish for a duel in fun, Laertes tries to gain his revenge.As a result of his recklessness, the entire court of Denmark is killed. Lying motionlessly on the cold marble floor, Laertes whispers to himself, â€Å"The foul practice Hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie, Never to rise again,†his lungs gasping for one last breath of air (V. ii. 348-350). Only on his deathbed does Laertes realize the irony and the mistake he made by seeking revenge. This is because Laertes’ obsession with vengeance for his father’s death tempted him to plot for murder with the devious Claudius.Treachery and vengeance, which blinded Laertes, actually lead to his downfall and make him feel at blame for the deaths of innocent people. Not surprisingly, the modern world is full of regretful acts of vengeance. Imperialist Japan shocked the world by bombing the United States at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. As a result, the United States launched a huge pacific off ensive while also sending troops and resources into a large Europe campaign to assist against the Nazis. Similarly, Claudius’ killing of Hamlet’s father triggered Hamlet to seek revenge at all costs.After essentially winning the war, the United States turned their eyes back to the Japanese who had so mercilessly brought them into the fight. Within a week of the dropping of the first atomic bomb, Japanese opposition crumbled. This historical win marked a huge accomplishment, but the US would soon come to regret their decision. By dropping the atomic bomb on Japan, the US gave away critical information as to the extent of their power. Major allies and enemies began constructing their own nuclear weapons, launching the world into the Cold War era.In addition, the atomic bomb obliterated Japanese morale and culture, reducing the island country back to the bottom of the food chain. It would take many years before Japan could return to its former prominence. Today in US hist ory classes students discuss the ethics behind the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan because of the death, despair, and world chaos that came as a result of payback for a small bombing at Pearl Harbor. In their pursuit for revenge, both America and Hamlet went too far, which resulted in mass killings and the destruction of powerful nations.Shakespeare’s message has proven to reiterate itself through the years. As shown when the otherwise noble Hamlet is driven to blindly kill Polonius, when Claudius dooms his servants unintentionally, and when Laertes’ actions result in the death of the Court of Denmark. Shakespeare makes it clear that revenge’s consequences are drastic. As in the bombing of Japan, this statement is tried and tested every day in the real world, albeit on a much smaller scale. Everywhere revenge is sought after, the aftermath is worse than the beginning.