King Lear and a Thousand Acres

King Lear and A thousand acres comparison The one social issue that hasn’t evolved since the 17th century is the ever present schisms between families. People have always cheated, parents have always chosen favorites, and the struggles for wealth and power have always torn families apart. Most notably, these conflicts have been portrayed in Shakespeare’s King Lear and Romeo and Juliet, but the theater of family argument has also shone through in modern works such as Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres.Both King Lear and A Thousand Acres are enduring pieces of literature that have redefined the family complex, portrayed the death of families through jealousy and greed, and examined the reoccurring theme of fate versus free will. Both King Lear and A Thousand Acres focus on the patriarch of a family and how he decides to distribute his assets. King Lear focuses on how Lear, the King of England, will distribute his kingdom amongst his three daughters, Cordelia, Regan, an d Goneril.A Thousand Acres, on the other hand, takes a much more modern approach by detailing the life of Larry Cook, a successful Iowan farmer, and how he attempts to evade inheritance taxes by dividing his farm amongst his daughters, Caroline, Rose, and Ginny. In both literary works, the father distributes his holdings before his death, which, while at the time seems like a savvy tactic, ends up having detrimental repercussions for both men. To highlight the actions undertaken by the main characters, both authors also develop a subplot focusing on a friend of the respective fathers and how he deals with his two sons.In King Lear, Lear’s friend, Gloucester, debates upon the merits of his two sons, Edmund and Edgar, wavering in his decision on which of his sons is loyal and which son will inevitably betray him. Similarly, in A Thousand Acres, Smiley develops the subplot of the tensions between Harold and his two sons, Loren and Jess. A major theme in both pieces is the issues of love, family relationships and the loyalty that can either be steadfastly present or blatantly nonexistent. In King Lear, Lear must decide how to distribute his kingdom.Instead of dividing it equally among his heiresses, he relies on superficial declarations of love from his daughters. Regan and Goneril flatter their father claiming unyielding love, while Cordelia, the daughter that Lear previously held closest to his heart, doesn’t quite flatter her father so blatantly. While Lear takes this as an insult, Cordelia is simply sure that her â€Å"love’s/ More richer than [her] tongue,† so there is no reason to even attempt to articulate her unabiding love for her father (I. i. 81-82).Lear’s egotism, however, prevents him from realizing that Cordelia actually does love him the most, so he capriciously disowns and banishes her from his kingdom. While King Lear’s naivete makes him disown a daughter that does love him more than the others, the distin ction in the quantity of how much a daughter loves her father is not nearly as evident in A Thousand Acres. In the novel, Caroline warns her father against incorporating the farm prematurely, which is shown in this dialogue between herself and Ginny: ‘He’s handling over his whole life, don’t you understand that?We have to receive it in the right spirit. And Rose and Pete and even Ty are ready to receive it. Just do it this once. Last time, I promise. ’ ‘That’s another thing. I’m not ready to receive it. I think it’s a bad idea for him, and it’s certainly a bad idea for me. Frank was appalled when I told him. ’ (Smiley 34) Like how Cordelia will take no part in complementing her father, Caroline refuses to go along with the transfer of the farm, citing that it will not only have deleterious effects on Cook, but herself as well.In A Thousand Acres, it doesn’t seem like Cook chooses how to distribute his farm ba sed on how much each daughter loves him, but the extent to which each daughter will stand up to him. Rose and Ginny go along with the farm transfer, but when Caroline stands up to her father, he â€Å"took the door in his hand and slammed it shut in her face† (39). So while Larry’s motives for why he disowned his daughter are slightly different, it doesn’t change the fact that out of rage and lack of thought he whimsically disowns a loving daughter.In both King Lear and A Thousand Acres, the concept of loyalty is ever present in regards to how the daughters treat their father once he no longer is in control. In King Lear, Lear chooses to divide his kingdom amongst his daughters Goneril and Regan. While initially doing so has no negative effects for Lear, eventually his daughters begin to treat him with uttermost disrespect. The below excerpt from the play depicts the turning point when Regan and Goneril begin to try to manipulate their father and remove every ou nce of his previous power: Goneril: Not only, sir, this your all-licensed fool,But other of your insolent retinue Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth In rank and not-to-be endured riots. Sir, I had thought, by making this well known unto you, To have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful, By what yourself too late have spoke and done. (I. iv. 191-197) In this section, Goneril is complaining to her father about his contingent of knights that have been causing distraction and disaster at Goneril’s palace. While her complaints are somewhat sensical, this shows the turning point where Goneril and Regan begin to no longer care about Lear’s own personal mental standing.The continued enlistment of Lear’s knights represent the last remaining token of Lear’s kinghood. By attempting to, and later succeeding in, disbanding Lear’s knights, the daughters take away the one thing that Lear still controls. He no longer rules over his kingdom, or even h is own house for that matter. This really shows how the daughters seem to care only for themselves and place little thought on Lear’s perspective. By contrast, in A Thousand Acres, Rose and Ginny don’t take away Cook’s power, but he actually forfeits it.Instead of staying active in the farm, Cook seems to be willing, on the surface, to take a backseat in the farm’s operation. Ginny describes Cook’s mentality accurately in the below quote: I paused at the kitchen door and watched the unyielding back of his head for a few seconds. When I drove past the front of the house again, he hadn’t moved. I couldn’t shake the sense that his attention menaced Ty, the guiltless cultivator, concentrating innocently on never deviating from the rose laid out before him. The green tractor inched back and forth, and my father’s look followed it like the barrel of a rifle. 67) While Cook may wish to be involved in the farm, he seems content sitting in his chair gazing over the fields that were previously his. Unlike Regan and Goneril, Rose and Ginny actually want their father to be more involved. When Cook drives under the influence and crashes his car, Ginny is incredibly upset with her father, saying that â€Å"They aren’t preventing him from working. He doesn’t want to do anything. He never goes out to the barn even to stand around. They do everything now, and that isn’t easy either† (116).So while Regan and Goneril want their father to become less active and be completely complacent, Rose and Ginny are urging their father to help with the farm and be a more active farmer. A major contrast in the two pieces is the differing motives fueling the daughter’s actions. In King Lear, Goneril and Regan’s actions seem to be empowered by greed and the accumulation of power. The daughters could care less about their father, but they dote him with complements because they know it will help the m gain control over more of the kingdom.In A Thousand Acres, on the other hand, it seems that Rose and Ginny want what is best for their father and the farm. While it is indisputable that their own interests are also at heart (due to the fact that the incorporation of the farm does leave Rose and Ginny with significant holdings), the character’s initial empathy for their father shows that unlike Goneril and Regan, the Cook daughters do care for their father’s best interest. Caring for their father’s standing shows that they are still loyal to him; unlike Regan and Goneril, Rose and Ginny do not betray their father, but their father betrays them.The characterization of the dramatis personae in King Lear, and especially how his daughters treat him, paint the character of Lear as a tragic hero. We feel for Lear and his tragic circumstances, while in A Thousand Acres, readers feel very little empathy for Larry Cook. Instead, Rose and Ginny act as the tragic heroes, who must face their father’s wrath and their sister’s frivolous demeanor. As with the main plots, the subplots in both pieces discuss the relationships between family members and the presence of loyalty versus betrayal. In King Lear, we note great loyalty in the character of Kent.Kent is the only character who stands up for Cordelia, and is the only character to warn Lear against her banishment. When Lear banishes Kent as well, Kent returns in disguise and acts once again as a loyal servant. This loyalty is repaid by Lear at the end of the play, when Lear decides to reward loyalty by passing the throne to Kent and Edgar. Conversely, the subplots in King Lear also show elements of betrayal, specifically in the relations between Gloucester and his two sons. Gloucester initially damns and mocks his illegitimate son, Edmund, and praises his legitimate son, Edgar, as is typical in the natural order.Edmund schemes against his brother, and eventually convinces his father that Edgar is in fact the one scheming against Gloucester. By turning in Gloucester to Cornwall, Edmund creates the situation that leads to Gloucester’s blindness, ultimately betraying him to the utmost degree. In addition to the concepts of loyalty and family relations, both authors breach the topic of women’s role in society. As an example, both the authors disrupt the natural order. Traditionally, kingdoms (and farms for that matter) would transfer from fathers to sons, not fathers to daughters.In both King Lear and A Thousand Acres, the male patriarch decides to pass on his land to his daughters. While it would be custom for the female heir to forfeit power to their husbands, neither Goneril or Regan allow their husbands to take control. In the following quote, Goneril debates with her husband on the merits of his passivity: Milk-livered man! That bear’st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs; Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning Thine honor from thy suffe ring; that not know’st Fools do those villains pity who are punishedEre they have done their mischief. Where’s thy drum? France spreads his banners in our noiseless land; With plumed helm thy slayer begins threats; Whiles thou, a moral fool, sit’st still, and criest ‘Alack, why does he so? ’ (IV. ii. 55-64) In this excerpt, Goneril is asserting herself against her husband, Albany. While Albany sympathizes with Lear, Goneril argues that all sympathy towards Lear and the French will end the â€Å"noiseless† state of the English kingdom. Goneril, the wife, is standing up to her husband and telling him how things should be done.Finally, Goneril ends the argument by saying â€Å"Marry, your manhood now† (IV. ii. 75). By saying this, Goneril is essentially asserting herself as the man in the relationship who will be making all future decisions. In A Thousand Acres, Smiley also touches on the theme of feminism, but more specifically womenâ₠¬â„¢s independence. Similar to the circumstances in King Lear, Rose and Ginny take over their father’s farm. Instead of the girls taking over the daily running of the farm, their husbands handle all of the farming and the women revert to their original roles: cooking, cleaning, and homemaking.When Pete dies, Ginny runs off, and Ty eventually leaves for Texas as well, Rose is left to handle many of the daily farming tasks herself. At one point, Rose is the only person farming their thousand acre farm, which is undoubtedly an arduous task. By ending the novel in this manner, Smiley is showing that while women in the sixties still had a demeaned role in society, they did have the ability to match or even supersede their male counterparts’ actions. A final theme present in both pieces is whether fate or free will dictate our daily actions and routine. In King Lear, the prevailing life force is definitely free will.All of the characters, even Lear, make numerous decisions ( note: these are decisions made by the characters, not decisions thrust upon the characters) that determine their final circumstance. An example would be how Goneril and Regan chose to treat their father. Their poor treatment of their father leads to a family schism, a war between nations, and their eventual death. Lear’s opinion of fate versus free will is also rather interesting. You see me here, you gods, a poor old man, As full of grief as age; wretched in both! If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts Against their father, fool me not so muchTo bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger, And let not women's weapons, water-drops, Stain my man's cheeks! (II. iv. 294-300) While Lear’s actions seem to fall under the category of free will (for he chose to disown Cordelia and to distribute his kingdom), his above statement makes it seem like he places merit with the Gods. He says to the Gods that if it is in fact them who have been meddling with his daughtersâ€℠¢ hearts, then they should just put him out of his misery by ending his life. In A Thousand Acres, by contrast, the bulk of the characters’ lives seem to be guided by fate.Rose didn’t choose to get cancer, Ginny didn’t bring on her miscarriages, and judge’s decision was out of the daughter’s hands. Similar to how the patriarchal figure has opposite beliefs as the majority of the other characters in King Lear, Cook seems to believe in free will. Ginny, describing her father’s beliefs: â€Å"The lesson my father might say they prove is that a man gets what he deserves by creating his own good luck† (137). Cook’s thought is that waiting for fate to act in your favor will do nothing for you, but instead, you need to make your own luck, which is a major concept in free will.Many people believe that A Thousand Acres is simply a copy piece of Shakespeare’s King Lear, but in fact, many elements give autonomy to Smiley’s n ovel. A Thousand Acres is a unique piece, with unique characterization, unique circumstances, and unique narration. In King Lear, Lear is the tragic hero and Goneril and Regan are the antagonists. In A Thousand Acres, however, Larry’s abuse of the daughters make him much more of the antagonist, with Ginny and Rose as the tragic heroes.While the reader’s alliances change between literary works, both pieces show the necessity of loyalty and the consequent disaster of betrayal. Additionally, the thematic value of both pieces at points can differ greatly; while King Lear focused on women’s independence, A Thousand Acres takes on a more modernistic approach by discussing what women must do to gain this independence. Overall, while the pieces do have many similarities, when read congruently, the contrasts only further enhance the overarching themes and morals of both works.

Brontie’ Swanston Essay

Sometimes early intervention for struggling learners is ideal. Most learning problems can be prevented if students are in positive school and classroom contexts that accommodate individual differences (Madden, 1991). However, even in the most positive environments, some students still experience difficulties. For these students, early intervention strategies must be implemented as soon as learning problems are noted. Early intervention means that â€Å"supplementary instructional services are provided early in students’ schooling, and that they are intense enough to bring at-risk students quickly to a level at which they can profit from high-quality classroom instruction† (Madden & Wasik, 1991). The intent of early intervention is to create general education support systems for struggling learners as a way to improve academic performance and to reduce inappropriate special education referrals (Madden, 1991). Examples of early intervention include clinical teaching, peer and expert consultation, teacher assistance teams, and alternative programs such as those that offer tutorial or remedial instruction in the context of general education. A critical concept for ELL students is comprehensible input. This concept expresses that in order to acquire a second language the learner must understand what is said to him. Learners should receive input that is appropriate to their age and language level. This language should be just beyond the learner’s current proficiency but easy enough for them to understand. Teachers need to develop background knowledge, deliver content that is contextualized, and use gestures, pictures and real objects to make input comprehensible (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). When newcomers are assigned to a mainstream classroom and spend most of their day in this environment it is especially critical for them to receive comprehensible input from their teachers and classmates (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). In other words, if the teacher prefers lectures, it leaves the English language learner will not be receiving this input. All teachers are aware of the need to â€Å"explicitly link past learning and new concepts† but some teachers fail to consider students’ backgrounds and experiences when planning lessons (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). One way to avoid making unwarranted assumptions about our students’ past learning, background or experiences is to create a common classroom experience as the basis for instruction (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). Another strategy is to help students make conscious links between their experiences and the text as described in the sample lesson below. Two good concepts to implement would be literature logs and instructional conversations. Before and after reading, students respond to prompts that help them link their experiences to those of the main character or main theme (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). The instructional conversations that follow these prompts provide oral language practice for Ell’s, and help deepen students’ conceptual frameworks for comprehension (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). Researchers found that using either the literature log or the instructional conversation increased comprehension for Ell’s but using both produced deeper understanding (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991). Teachers should apply the following steps to be successful in previous two concepts: Step 1 Create pre-reading and post- reading questions or prompts Pre-reading question or prompt: a generic probe about students’ experiences that might be similar to those of the main character/s. Step 2 Briefly review the story again building on student responses in a think-aloud format. Review the procedure for tracking story events and noting when these events are similar to or different from experiences discussed by the class. Examples: two-column notes, post its, adapted story sequence chart Students read or listen to the text: pairs, small groups, tape, and buddy reading Step 3 Present the second literature log question or prompt; model a response. Allow time for students to write about or discuss the prompt. Facilitate the second instructional conversation in which students discuss similarities and differences between and among their experiences and those of the characters. Variations: use picture books with limited text for non-readers or beginning Ell’s of any age. Allow students to respond in their first language. Older or more proficient students can respond to prompts that focus on the setting instead of, or in addition to, events, characters and theme or compare experiences across texts. (Saunders, &Goldberg, 1991) It is also vitally important to emphasize key vocabulary. Lack adequate vocabulary is one barrier to reading for Ell’s. Research on vocabulary acquisition indicates that a successful vocabulary development program should have a least the following five components: 1) Intentional word selection (words that represent new concepts, are important outside of the specific activity, or cross content areas) 2) Direct instruction in word meaning and in strategies used to learn new words 3) Modeling of strategies and processes for learning new words 4) Multiple exposures to new words and opportunities to use new words (wide reading, intentional word-focused activities, and ongoing review) 5) A system to help students track new vocabulary (Beck, McKeon, 2002) Here is a five-step vocabulary activity to implement with your ELL students: 1) Teacher provides a definition (tell, read, demonstrate) 2) Teacher creates a non-linguistic representation of the word while engaging in a â€Å"think aloud† that helps students identify key components of the visual and their relationship to the new word 3) Students write or say their own definition of the word 4) Students create their own linguistic representation of the word 5) Return to visual to add or revise elements as students deepen their understanding of the concept Adapted from Marzano, Pickering, 2001 It is important that the teacher shares a knowledge base relative to the education of students learning English (Thomas, & Collier, 1997). Efficient teachers should be familiar with second language acquisition, the relationship of native language proficiency to the development of English, socio-cultural influences on learning, effective first and second language instruction, informal assessment strategies that can be used to monitor progress (particularly in language and literacy development), and effective strategies for working with culturally and linguistically diverse families and communities (Thomas, & Collier, 1997). It is also imperative that there is recognition of the students’ native language. Language programs must have support of principals, teachers, parents, and the community (Thomas & Collier, 1997). School staff should understand that native language instruction provides the foundation for achieving high levels of English proficiency (Cummins, 1994). For regular education teachers and ESL/bilingual teachers, when it comes to language development, there should be a share responsibility. There also must be collaborative school-community relationships. Parents of students learning English must be viewed as capable advocates for their children and as valuable resources in school improvement efforts (Cummins, 1994). By being involved with families and communities of English learners, educators come to understand the social, linguistic, and cultural contexts in which the children are being raised (Ortiz, 1997). Thus, educators learn to respect cultural differences in child-rearing practices and in how parents choose to be involved in their children’s education (Garcia & Dominguez, 1997). It is vital to implement academically rich programs for ELL students. Students learning English must have opportunities to learn advanced skills in comprehension, reasoning, and composition and have access to curricula and instruction that integrate basic skill development with higher order thinking and problem solving (Ortiz, & Wilkinson, 1991). Students must have access to high-quality instruction designed to help them meet high expectations (Cummins, 1994). Teachers should employ strategies known to be effective with English learners, such as: 1) Drawing on their prior knowledge 2) Providing opportunities to review previously learned concepts and teaching them to employ those concepts 3) Organizing themes or strands that connect the curriculum across subject areas 4) Providing individual guidance, assistance, and support to fill gaps in background knowledge Although it is evident that students fail in school for a variety of reasons, in some cases, their academic difficulties can be directly attributed to deficiencies in the teaching a learning environment. These difficulties may become more serious over time if instruction is not modified to address the students’ specific needs. Unless these students’ specific needs. Unless the deficit in learning is caught early and the appropriate intervention is accessed, they will continue to struggle, and the gap between their achievement and that of their peers will widen over time. References Cummins (1994). Knowledge, power, and identity in teaching English as a second language. â€Å"Educating second language children: The whole child, the whole curriculum, the whole community† Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Garcia, S. B. , &Dominguez, L. (1997). Cultural contexts that influence learning and academic performance. In Silver, L. B. , â€Å"Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic Of North America: Academic Difficulties†. Philadelphia: Saunders Co. Madden, N. A. , Slavin, R. E. , & Wasik, B. A. (1991). Success for all, â€Å"Phi Delta Kappan. † Thomas, W, P. , &Collier, V. (1997). School effectiveness for language language miniority students (Resource Collection Series No. 9). Washington: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. Beck, I. , McKeon, M. &Kucan, L. (2002) Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. Guilford Press. Ortiz, A. A. &Wilkinson, C. Y. (1991). Assessment and intervention model for the bilingual exceptional student. â€Å"Teacher Education and Special Education, 14 Saunders, W. and Goldenberg, C. (1999) The Effects of Instructional Conversations and Literature Logs on the Story Comprehension and Thematic Understanding of English Proficient and Limited English Proficient Students. http://www. cal. org/crede/pubs/research/RR6. pdf Marzano, R. , Pickering, D. J. , & Pollock, J. E. (2001) Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: MCREL, ASCD.

Biblical Quotes In Tess Of The D

# 8217 ; ubervilles Essay, Research Paper Biblical Quotation marks in Tess of the D # 8217 ; Ubervilles Thomas Hardy # 8217 ; s Tess of the D # 8217 ; Ubervilles portrays the romantic battles of Tess Durbyfield with nature and other unmanageable fortunes. Hardy crafts his novel with legion Biblical quotation marks and allusions. As a self-proclaimed atheist, Hardy manipulates Biblical quotes out of their intended context in the Bible for his ain significance and consequence. Although Hardy is an atheist, he is erudite in the Bible and its instructions. This is really apparent in his book with 63 documented Biblical quotation marks and allusions. Hardy most commonly uses the quotation marks in idiomatic phrases and as similes or metaphors to break depict a character or state of affairs in the original Biblical context, but he besides abuses Biblical quotation marks. Job 42: 5-6 provinces, # 8220 ; I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my oculus sees thee ; hence I despise myself, and repent in dust and as hes. # 8221 ; In the Biblical context, to # 8220 ; repent in dust and ashes # 8221 ; means to atone with your whole being, which is made of dust and ashes. Hardy reveals Tess # 8217 ; s ideas about Alec: # 8220 ; Hate him she did non rather, but he was dust and ashes to her, and even for her name # 8217 ; s sake she barely wished to get married him # 8221 ; ( 80 ) . Hardy manipulates the Biblical significance and creates his ain significance for # 8220 ; dust and ashes. # 8221 ; Hardy # 8217 ; s definition implies that dust and ashes are scum and humble objects of no desire to Tess. Hardy exploits a Biblical quotation mark intended to intend every fibre of one # 8217 ; s being into the offal of Tess # 8217 ; s desire. Hardy besides eliminates the original purpose of Phillipians 4: 8-9: # 8221 ; Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is merely, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anythi ng worthy of congratulations, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do. # 8221 ; The adjectives Jesus references exemplify the highest qualities of adult male and should remind Christians of the lone perfect homo, Jesus. In Tess of T he D’Ubervilles, Angel describes Tess as â€Å"being numbered among those who are true, honest, and merely, and pure, and lovely, and of good report† ( 192 ) . Hardy’s citation of the Bible is misdirecting and hypocritical of Tess’ true character. Tellurium was non pure, true, or merely. Tess loses her virginity before she is married and has a kid out of marriage. Tess besides commits slaying, withstanding one of the 10 commandments God set before adult male. The purpose of Hardy’s citation is non to touch to Tess as a Christ figure but instead to qualify Tess as the heroine, who Hardy adored, and demo Angel’s love for Tess. In a continuance of Hardy’s tendency, he molds another Biblical quotation mark into his ain context when he refers to Tess’ character. Hardy’s cagey handling of the different quotes’ original Biblical context establishes Tess’ character with an added genius and singularity. In Matthew 5: 44 – 45, Jesus says, # 8220 ; But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be boies of your Father who is in Eden ; for he makes the sun rise on the immorality and the good, and sends rain on the merely and unjust. # 8221 ; This quotation mark refers to God # 8217 ; s blind love for everyone no affair if they are Christians or non. God does non seek wrath on evildoers, but instead he treats everyone every bit. Tellurium expresses that she would non # 8220 ; mind larning why # 8211 ; why the Sun does reflect on the merely and unfair alike # 8221 ; ( 125 ) . Tess # 8217 ; rhetorical ailment is precisely that and no more. God # 8217 ; s unconditioned love is non the point of Tess # 8217 ; duologue. Tess complains vocally that she feels life is non just. Hardy # 8217 ; s deceptive quotation mark shows Tess # 8217 ; ignorance of life # 8217 ; s unfairness, and she does non acknowledge that the original context of the quotation mark is to demo God # 821 7 ; s love. Hardy does non misapply Biblical quotation marks to turn out a point or raise inquiries from an atheist # 8217 ; s point of position. Hardy simply quotes the Bible out of context for word picture and dramatic consequence, giving new definitions to Biblical phrases that had antecedently been understood to connote other significances.

Canada's Prosperity at Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Canada's Prosperity at Risk - Essay Example The country at the focal point of the study happens to be Canada. Canada is one of the most developed and richest countries in the world. The country is blessed rich natural resources and has a diverse and highly educated population. However, the country is going through a phase of change and facing certain challenges on various fronts which could reduce the prosperity of the nation. (Cowan, 2005). Based on in depth research it has been decided that the country faces prosperity challenges in the domain of infrastructure, innovation, demographics, natural resource, government regulation and politics. From an infrastructural point of view it is to be said that the cities of Canada are at the cross roads. The government of Canada does not have any strong agenda on the infrastructural commitments. From the perspective of innovation the prosperity of the country is threatened on three fronts such as the global competition, demographics and productivity. There is very little doubt over the fact that China has a population which is highly educated and skilled. But from a demographic perspective off late the country has been facing a problem of aging population. As mentioned before, Canada has been blessed with rich and large amount of natural resources. Such resources are used for the production of energy which also happens to be a major contributor to the overall GDP of the country. But the growing demand of power has been creating a misbalance in the ecosystem. Also another major problem faced by the country has been the fact the present government regulations are believed to be quite complex and lack robustness. On the political fore front there lie various political complexities especially in the domain of taxations. The present looks to critically analyze all the cause and effects of the challenges mentioned above and looks to propose probable recommendations to over the challenges (Henry, 2008). Cause and effect From the perspective of innovation one of the majo r challenges faced by the country is the transformation face of the global economy. The global economy is still looking to recover from the after effects of the 2008 recession. Also the economy is going through a transformation phase due to the rise of the emerging economies like china, India, Brazil, etc. This most certainly creates opportunities for the exporters and investors of the country. But the continuous expansion of information and technologies would lead to a high value knowledge network. As a result each and every Canadian enterprise is faced with new levels of intense competition. Just like some of the other developed countries one of the major problems faced by the country is of aging population. The increasing number of proportion of senior citizens would add to the demand of the demand of services in the public domain, especially health care. Also aging the population would mean that there would less number of working and taxpaying Canadians. However, the biggest cha llenge would come in the form of its effect on the labour market; which would be discussed later (Burgemeister, 2003). Also the innovation of the nation would depend upon the growth of the productivity. However, the recent performance of Canada leaves a lot of scope for improvement. Over the last decade or so the productivity grew by just 0.7 percent. This is far below as compared to other developed countries like USA if the rate of growth in productivity in the near future then the potential economic growth of the

Trading for Meatingly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Trading for Meatingly - Essay Example It was 1985; I was 13 and had just beheld a goddess at the baseball card show. Looking back with the experience that years bring, I have often tried to unearth if she really was as beautiful as I first imagined, or if the impact of her appearance was simply some sort of ode to the relativity of all things. In essence, I have tried to discern if she really was as awesomely radiant in an absolute manner or if she appeared so simply because she was the only other girl of my age in the entire Ramada conference room that day. The crowd at baseball card shows in those days was predominately male and could be sorted into two general categories. First was the pre-to-young adolescent cohort. This was made-up of kids that were old enough to have some sort of job that provided income for their baseball card habit. They were also old enough to be trusted by parents to walk or ride a bike to the Ramada without stopping to take candy from strangers or getting into a rusty Dodge van with a man that promised to show you his pet turtle. We were a decidedly pimply lot with greasy hair, greasy smiles and pale skin from marathon baseball card trading sessions in basement entertainment rooms of friends and relatives. The second cohort was the gentlemen whose waist sizes were keeping pace with their age well into their late forties and early fifties. They were a beefy, jovial bunch of men that found great pleasure in statistics, speculation and talking with young adolescents for hours on end about baseball players. They never talked baseball. It was always the players. Like a secret language, the mention of certain surnames among these gentlemen could inspire awe and reverence or loathing and argument. Names from the recent past such as Yastremski and Morgan were invariably compared to older players such as Ruth and Young. Not just compared as players, but compared as commodities. This was the real love for these men. Who’s card would raise in value, fall in value? The future was the real interest for these men. Who was playing now that would be the next Ruth or Aaron? And more importantly, how can I get his cards cheap now so I can sell them at a profit in the future? So it is understandable why, given this backdrop of greasy, pimply, fleshy maleness, I might think that her beauty was somehow a mirage. How I might think she was the most beautiful girl simply because she was the only girl in the room at the time. For years, pondering on this first vision of her loveliness was one of my great pastimes. When I was too tired to pick up a book to read or simply didn’t want to invest the effort, I’d think about seeing her for the first time. Over time, I have come to believe that she was not lovely in relation to anything else, she simply was lovely. I now believe that had I seed her for the first time at poolside in the midst of a wild party full of gyrating, bikini-clad supermodels, her immaculate high-tops and ponytail would have had the exa ct same effect upon me. I would have forgotten my name, surreptitiously glanced her way at every opportunity and chiefly, nearly forgotten that I had embarked upon this particular trip to the card show on a special mission. I was, in fact, convinced that I had out speculated the men with the bellies. I was certain in 1985 that I had seen the future of baseball. I could see my fortune being made with a few purchases of a particular player.

How the sector matrix framework is useful for analyzing demand and Essay

How the sector matrix framework is useful for analyzing demand and supply in an industry - Essay Example A strategic management system is one that maintains good follow up on matters in the firm over time. It is important that management strategies be consistent and systematic (Ansoff 1979). According to Porter (1985), a firm’s competitive advantage is achieved by quality development of differentiation and leadership in the chain of that firm. Porter classifies these chain activities into two groups; the primary and the support activities. Primary activities are activities such as marketing and sales, inbound-outbound logistics, and service. Inbound logistics receive actual raw material during the beginning of the production process. Operations comprises of physical activities of processing raw materials. Outbound logistics involve storage of produced goods while marketing and sales refers to the actual and physical processes of sale of goods and marketing. Services relate to activities that follow after sale to customers. Support activities include technology advancement, firm infrastructure and management of human resource. Primary systems are aided by firm infrastructure which consists of the company’s culture and its systems of control. The human resource management engages in activities like hiring, firing and training staff. Technology advancement factors are useful support to activities during work process and procurement such as purchasing and obtaining material. Primary activities are those activities directly and physically involved in the production process while support activities comprises of those processes indirectly and not physically involved in production and sale of products created. Furthermore, Porter argued that support activity provides an anchor on speci fic primary activities while firm infrastructure support the entire line as a whole. Sector matrix is a long known phenomenon. Since organization of production processes was challenged, it has been a topic of debate. The challenges began after Porter. When observations made by scholars of management like Geffen came up with the commodity value chains. Value chains are further argued against the sector matrix Froud et al (1998). Maiden arguments made concern overall effect of a single factor such as firm infrastructure on the cause of competitive advantage. It is argued that competitive advantage is an aspect of many activities incorporated together to gain the firm a general step ahead. This argument led to value adding effect of more than one activity being achieved in production, marketing and delivery of products. Sector matrix system is developed especially for complex management structures. Though a popular system that is established effectively in many organizations, the matri x has its limitations. Sector matrix is a system of management with a number of managers in different departments who report to one overall manager. The strategy is excellent in some large firms. It is however yet to be adopted by other companies that follow trend and wish to use it. Sector matrix framework has been an issue of trying and making mistakes. It has created such downfalls and rising cycles for companies trying to incorporate it for the very first time. Sector matrix in general is only efficient in the long run. Some of the challenges faced by organizations with or trying to adopt the matrix include; decision process complications. These could be lengthy since major decisions have to involve departments while it could just be

Cardiovascular disease Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Cardiovascular disease - Term Paper Example This is usually in the legs. The symptom of the disease is pain in the legs when one is walking. The pain is like cramp that is felt as it comes and goes (Braunwald, 2007). Coronary heart disease occurs in the body of an individual when the flow of blood that is rich in oxygen is reduced or blocked by fatty material in the coronary artery. The coronary arteries are essential for supplying the heart with blood, when they are blocked; it results to the condition of a heart attack. The infection leads to chest pain, a condition referred to as angina (Braunwald, 2007). Aortic disease is a condition that results to weakening of the walls of the aorta and makes the blood vessel to bulge outwards. The condition is then associated to pain in the chest, the back or in the abdomen. The most common disease that is associated to aortic disease is aortic aneurysm. There are risk factors that make one more likely to get the condition. The several risk factors that are associated to cardiovascular disease include high blood pressure, being physical inactive, obesity, and high levels of cholesterol in the blood, diabetes and family history with infection by the disease (Hampton, 2003). With consideration of age, the elderly are likely to develop the condition as compared to the young. Prevalence in sex shows that men are more exposed to develop the condition as compared to women. Men are able to develop the condition at an earlier age as compared to women. Age is a risk factor that is associated to the disease. The risk is estimated to be 82% for those that are older than 65. The risk of stroke is observed from the age of 55. The explanation that is given to the age and risk of cardiovascular disease is relation to serum cholesterol level. In the large population the serum total cholesterol level increases with increase in the age. Cardiovascular disease through research has been considered a being health problem. A

Choose one topic in the attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Choose one topic in the attachment - Essay Example The saying on regret mentioned above is the best way to sum up or describe the plot and story of this movie. In this movie, every person is related or their story is linked and connected with the other person. Therefore, every scene and story of every individual in the movie consists of complex situations which get along very well with each other. "Magnolia" is a film of sadness and loss, of lifelong bitterness, of children harmed and adults destroying themselves. (Magnolia Movie Review & Film Summary (1999) | Roger Ebert) It is said that Magnolia is not one of those movies which could be understood by every viewer. Even when Magnolia was released worldwide in 1999, there were many viewers and those who reviewed the movie, their responses were quite conventional regarding it. They believe that it is a representation of emotional vulnerability. Therefore, due to these reasons, this movie can be looked through various aspects, perspectives, and prism as it includes a religious world an d dimension. After releasing the first trailer of this movie, it demonstrates that the movie about love which is either lost, gained, given, or withheld according to different situations. Basically, the religious aspect which is given in this movie shows the action of trapping the conflicted sinners and miscreants due to their wrongdoings in past relationships of reprobating. As it is clearly shown that this movie does not really have a plot but it conveys a very strong message as well as some great views and points. As this movie is about the lives and doings of 9 to 11 individuals, it is really hard to have a specific plot on which a movie had to be directed but the least a good movie can do is to motivate and spread out a strong message to its viewers. Not only the movie brings forward the shortcomings and fear but also sexual and emotional abuse. It is said that the people and viewers who call this movie exemplary are â€Å"actively dodging the social gravity, the psychological resonance, and the emotional poignancy of the conflicts mined in the film’s sensitive writing and talented ensemble acting. Most of the Magnolia’s characters have hit a crisis point at the start of the story. (Lane, 2) Anderson’s (the director) only philosophy was that bigger is better which was proven right with the help of this movie. However there are certain points in the movie where the director has shown inability to create a good film. It would be one thing if Magnolia offered multiple points of view, but Anderson is really only concerned with his own: a heavy-handed, self-pitying indictment of bad parenting and its sorry effects. Anderson expands his timeworn theme with a motif about chance and destiny (MAGNOLIA) As this movie is basically based on 9 to 11 people’s lives who are faced with regrets, his biggest failure in this movie is technical failing. As from every person to the stories and scenes, everything is linked and correlated. Therefore , switching the stories and making right decision at the right time is a difficult task. Therefore, the narration and writing of this movie is very complex. He has not perfected it yet that the way he crosscuts and switches from one scene to another which eventually is not the match of temporal relationships. For instance, there was a scene where a couple breaks up at one second, and the next moment the whole movie is switched Stanley who was the genius boy, deciding to put a stop at playing the tawdry game show. Even

Textual analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Textual analysis - Essay Example In this essay, description is an important technique to introduce and characterize main characters and settings. It helps readers imagine how these people look and where these incidences happened. The young lady was scared of Staples, not only because Staples is a â€Å"youngish black man†, but also because his clothes and his behavior made him look like â€Å"a mugger† or â€Å"a rapist†. Brent Staples described himself as â€Å"the youngish black man—a broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pocket of a bulky military jacket â€Å"(40) in his early twenties. He uses â€Å"broad†, â€Å"billowing† and â€Å"bulky† to make people see him as big and imposing. Staples also uses the word â€Å"shove† over the word â€Å"put†, which suggests violence and makes Staples appear more powerful. In this way, Staples successfully describes how he seems scary to other people. After Staples â€Å"felt [sadness] at so often being taken for a criminal† (42), he was forced to pay attention to his clothes and his behavior. Brent Staples says, â€Å"I give a wide berth to nervous people on subway platforms during the wee hours, particularly when I have exchange business clothes for jeans. If I happen to be entering a building behind some people who appear skittish, I may walk by, letting them clear the lobby before I return, so as not to seem to be following them† (42). Staples describes several sceneries that commonly happen in people’s daily lives. He puts readers into the platforms and buildings as if they are watching as things happen. In the last paragraph of the essay, Staples says, â€Å"I whistle melodies from Beethoven and Vivaldi and the more popular classical composers. Even steely New Yorkers hunching toward nighttime destinations seem to relax, and occasionally they even join in the tune† (42). In this description, Stap les puts readers onto the street where strangers whistle melodies to greet each other.

Mentorship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mentorship - Assignment Example es who have supportive working relationships benefit by accelerated leadership development, higher earnings, and increased job satisfaction (Sosik and Lee, 2002 Mentoring is a professional relationship with a focus on personal and professional development. It may occur through various communication venues including, but not limited to face-to-face interactions, phone, or email. The duration and intensity of the relationship may vary depending on the dynamic of the match and the needs of the individuals involved. (American Physiological Society, 2008). There are range of factors from a clinical environment which may impact upon the learning of individuals and groups in that environment. These factors can be related to the protà ©gà ©, mentor or the other factors of the environment (Chan, 2004). The factors related to protà ©gà © are educational background, knowledge and skills, level of commitment to learn and develop his or her skills and knowledge, dedication, communication with mentor and others. In the same way, mentor needs to have adequate knowledge, skills and experience to share with the protà ©gà © and help them in their development (Hand, 2006). Mentors are senior persons with experiences and usually have busy schedules. The time management with the students are the most challenging aspects of mentoring process (Papp et al, 2003). In many cases, mentoring is considered as important process to help new professionals to develop their skills and knowledge. The perception and attitude of mentor and protà ©gà © influe nces their developmental relationships. For me as a mentor, the most challenging factors of the clinical learning environment for mentoring process as identified are lack of time with mentor, communication gaps between mentor and protà ©gà © and very underdeveloped skills of protà ©gà ©s. Usually in the oncology department, the professionals are loaded with work and new challenges with each patient. Patients are the priority and this makes it very

Sustainability in the Manufacturing of Electronic Devices on a Global Scale Essay Example for Free

Sustainability in the Manufacturing of Electronic Devices on a Global Scale Essay Nowadays a world without electronic devices is unthinkable. We use them in every part in our daily routine. Electronic device helps us to wake up in the morning, brush our teeth, make our coffee and even read the newspaper. Each of us uses these devices, but no one thinks about their production or disposal after. Such thoughtlessness provides a general problem in our society. Electronic devices have a shorter product life cycle than in the past. Their numbers increased rapidly worldwide. But what happens with them when we throw them away? All too often our disused electronical equipment go to the global landfills where toxins pollute the environment and valuable commodities such as gold, silver or indium are buried unused. The consequences for humans and nature are devastating. In order to gain benefits form the e-Waste, it can be recycled. However, this leads us to another problem. Some industrialized countries, including the U. S. , Europe and Australia, export their electronic waste preferably in emerging and developing countries. It is estimated that 50 to 80 % of the electronic waste is exported form developed countries. There substances are removed from the electronic waste with simplest means (fire, hammer, acid bath, etc. ). This is a heavy strain on people and the environment. Already children are exposed to toxic substances. Diseases are often the result. On the other side the waste forms the livelihood for many people. For example in Ghana, 41 tons of electronic waste going to be handled. For thousands of people in the poorest countries in the world, this is the only way to earn a little money. Often it is the only was not to enter into prostitution or drug dealing for many people. The reasons for the high volume of e-Waste are varied. Neither often there are no replacement parts for defective equipment, so they cannot be repaired. Or in many cases it is cheaper to by a new device, than to repair an old one. Devices also often aged premature. This is provided by the manufacturer and should also lead to higher consumption. It is hard to find a mobile phone that does more than three years without problems. Another thing is that the design, functionality and trends are changing very fast. We want to have always the newest mobile Phone, Computer and Tablet. With an outdated device you will often be ridiculed. One way to solve the e-Waste Problem would be to make it attractive or possible to consumers to let old device repair. Produces should ensure that their products work a long time. That could lead to a reduction of electronic Waste. But it would also help to change our buying behaviour. Is it really necessary to have the newest mobile Phone, computer or tablet? However, e-Waste is not completely avoidable. So it is also important to find strategies for the recycling of e-Waste. The parts that can be reused should be extracted from the e-Waste. It must give strict guidelines to protect workers from toxic substances. In my opinion it is up to us to solve this problem. We are responsible for the e-Waste and we should also take care of it. First, it is important to make the issue known globally. Many people are not aware of the problem. It should already be taken care on sustainable manufacturing when buying products. But most of all new devices should not be bought as long as the old ones can still be repaired. And the newest iPhone is not the most important thing in the world.

Bronchial Colonization in Pulmonary Resection Patients

Bronchial Colonization in Pulmonary Resection Patients Bronchial colonization profile of patients undergoing lung resection and its impact on infectious complications in the postoperative period. Is it necessary to evaluate the collection method and risk of contamination? Abstract: Introduction: The pattern of bronchial colonization in patients requiring pulmonary resections is little described in the literature. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the profile of bronchial colonization in patients undergoing lung resection in a general hospital through the collection of the resected specimen only. The secondary objective is to evaluate prognostic factors of infectious complications after lung resection, including the colonization of the lower airways. Methods: This was a prospective study that included all consecutive patients undergoing lung resection for noninfectious disease and without signs of acute respiratory infections. Intraoperative bronchial or lung parenchyma culture of the resected specimen was collected by the surgeon still under completely sterile conditions. A patient was considered colonized if the quantitative endobronchial culture was positive at 48h with a predominant microorganism exceeding a cutoff value of 104 colony-forming units. Results: Negative cultures were found in 81.4% of patients. Colonization with predominant bacteria (at least 104 cfu/mL) was identified in 18.6%. The rate of infectious complications was 24.42%. The incidence of postoperative pneumonia (POP) was 20.9%. POP developed at a median of 4 days after surgery. Three patients developed empyema, and of the three, 2 had both POP and empyema. None of the studied factors was associated with postoperative infectious complications Conclusion: We conclude there is colonization of the lower airways in patients undergoing lung resection in our institution. This finding, as well as the other analyzed factors, did not result in increased POP risk in this sample. The intraoperative collection method employed in this study should be further evaluated in larger studies. Introduction The lungs of healthy humans have traditionally been considered to be sterile when examined by culture-based techniques (1). In patients with lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis, colonization of the lower airways (LAWs) has been well documented and associated to these diseases [2-5]. Regarding the subgroup of patients with lung diseases requiring thoracic surgeries, very few studies have described the profile of colonization of LAWs. And to the best of our knowledge, there has been no description of this subject in a Latin American country (3,6-8). However, the colonization of LAW has been associated with the risk of postoperative pneumonia (POP). Schussler et al., in a study with 507 patients and Bede et al., showed that there is significant association between bacteria in the lower airways and risk of POP [3,9], being an independent risk factor in the multivariate analysis. A study was carried out including all consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary resections for noninfectious diseases to investigate the profile of LAW colonization. The secondary objective is to evaluate prognostic factors of infectious complications after lung resection, including LAW colonization. Materials and Methods This prospective study consecutively included all patients submitted to lung resection for noninfectious diseases, without signs of acute respiratory infections. Patients presenting at the date of admission for planned surgery with clinical and radiological signs of pulmonary infection (fever greater than 37.7 °C, purulent sputum) were excluded from this study in cases of urgency surgery. Except for the urgencies, patients were treated with antibiotics and submitted to surgery at least 7 days after antibiotic discontinuation. Patients with a diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis were also excluded. The study was approved by the ethics committee of our institution under protocol number 209146141. All data on patient characteristics, results of microbiological studies, treatment procedures and outcome (POP) were prospectively collected through our database. We studied the following risk factors for POP: age, gender, surgical risk classification of the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA), cancer patients and the presence of bacteria in the lower airways. All patients were intubated with a double-lumen endobronchial tube to undergo single-lung ventilation. Bronchial or pulmonary parenchyma culture of the resected specimen was collected by the surgeon still under completely sterile conditions. A patient was considered colonized if a 48-hour culture was positive with the presence of a microorganism. A policy of early extubation was systematically employed. Decisions concerning intensive care unit (ICU) admission after resection were established based on type of resection, predicted postoperative lung function and associated comorbidities. Postoperative analgesia was achieved through one of the following methods: use of epidural catheter intermittently or intermittent intravenous analgesia with morphine and dipyrone. A regular physical therapy program was started on the day of the surgery. Oral feeding was started on Postoperative Day 1. Patients received antibiotic prophylaxis with second-generation cephalosporin (cefazolin, 2.0 g at anesthesia induction and postoperatively, 3 g/24 h for 24 h) except in cases of known or suspected allergy, or if a different type of prophylaxis was indicated [4,10]. Lung resections were performed according to standard techniques. The type of resection was recorded. The diagnoses were established by anatomopathological analysis of the resected lung specimens. Patients were assessed twice a day. Chest roentgenograms were performed postoperatively once a day during the chest drainage period. POP definition was (1) abnormal radiographic findings (new or changing radiographic infiltrates that persisted after physical therapy or bronchoaspiration) and (2) fever greater than 37.8 oC or dyspnea, and (3) one of the following criteria: a new rise in C-reactive protein level, WBC count in the previous 24 h (with WBC count > 12109/L) [3] or an increase and modification of the expectorate. All postoperative pulmonary complications were secondarily reviewed by a clinician and a thoracic surgeon. Infections occurring within one month of surgery or during in-hospital surgical stay were recorded. Wound infection was defined as a reddened, painful, and indurated wound, not necessarily associated with bacterial isolation. Empyema was defined as the presence of purulent fluid in the pleural drainage or as the isolation of pathogens from the pleural cavity. Results are expressed as percentages and means  ± standard deviation (SD). The correlation between the studied variables and postoperative infection was performed by logistic regression analysis. Data processing and analysis were performed using the statistical software MedCalc, release 12.7.0.0. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The risk factors found to be predictive of POP at univariate analysis were entered into a multivariate regression analysis, to identify independent variables. Results Between June 15, 2012, and December 15, 2013, 86 patients undergoing lung resections in our department were included in the study. Three patients were excluded from the study due to preexisting infections at the time of surgery (infectious interstitial lung disease) and six due to a diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Antibiotic prophylaxis with drugs other than cefazolin was employed in three patients due to known allergy to penicillin/cephalosporins or because of coexistent cardiac valve disease. Demographic data on the remaining 86 patients, type of diseases and surgical procedures are shown in Table 1. Cancer patients comprised 53.4% of the sample. Among them, primary lung tumors (non-small cell lung cancer) were treated through major lung resection (lobectomy or pneumonectomy). Pulmonary metastases were treated through segmentectomy. Also regarding cancer patients, some patients were submitted to segmentectomy for diagnosis of interstitial infiltrate, which showed to be lymphangitic carcinomatosis. Among the benign diseases, lobectomy and pneumonectomy were used in all patients with bronchiectasis. Segmentectomy was used for interstitial lung diseases and benign nodules that included patients with scar tissue and inflammatory nodules, in addition to hamartomas. Regarding the length of preoperative hospital length of stay, 52% of patients were admitted 1 (one) day prior to surgery (Figure 1). Negative cultures were obtained in 70 of 86 (81.4%) patients. Colonization with predominant bacteria was identified in 16 of 86 cases (18.6%). Colonization by pathogenic bacteria occurred in 10.4% of all patients (9/86). Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli species represented the most frequently involved microorganisms (Table 2). Gram-negative bacteria were obtained from cultures in nine cases. None of the patients had polymicrobial colonization. The complication rate was 24.4% (21/86). The incidence of POP was 20.9% (18 /86). POP developed at a median of 4 (1-9) days after surgery. Empyema developed in 3 patients, and of the three, 2 had both POP and empyema. Patients with POP frequently required mechanical ventilation (40.2%), and in-hospital mortality was 22%. Of the 16 colonized patients, 4 (25%) had POP, whereas among non-colonized patients, POP occurred in 14 of 70 cases (20%) (Figure 2). For all variables analyzed separately, the p value was greater than 0.05 and the 95% confidence interval (95%CI) included the number 1, indicating that no variable significantly influenced POP incidence, according to the available sample. Still, some alternatives were used aiming to identify some underlying statistical relevance, such as stratifying age ranges, transforming age into a categorical variable or considering the minimum value of p as 0.1, so that the variable would be subsequently analyzed in a multivariate model. However, no statistically significant impact was identified for any variable (Tables 3). Multivariate analysis was not performed due to the negative results of the univariate analysis. Discussion The colonization of LAW in patients undergoing thoracic surgery is scarcely mentioned in the literature. It is known that patients with some lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have atypical pulmonary flora [11-18], but patients submitted to lung resection usually include a much wider range of diseases. The study of this profile in different institutions is important to better understand the predominant bacterial flora and whether there is or not impact on the risk of infectious complications and whether antibiotic prophylaxis needs to be reviewed. Some studies have shown that LAW colonization increases the risk of POP (2,8,9). Other studies even suggest that, as it influences the risk of POP, LAW colonization would require a change in antibiotic prophylaxis in thoracic surgery (3,7). However, it is necessary to evaluate the collection method and risk of contamination of the collected samples. Our study described a heterogeneous flora, with many non-pathogenic microorganisms, but with an incidence (18.6%) that is comparable to that found in other studies. Yamada et al., in their study with 626 patients and Schussler et al., who assessed 478 patients in 2008, found 12.8% and 14.7% of LAW colonization, respectively (3,8). Belda et al. and Ionas et al. reported 83% and 41% of LAW colonization, respectively [9,6]. However, to the best of our knowledge, our study is the first that used the culture collection method performed by the surgeon, while still under completely sterile conditions in all patients. Previously, Ionas et al. used this technique, but in combination with protected specimen brush (PSB) through bronchoscopy in 41 patients (6). On the other hand, all studies used bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or PSB as collection method (2,3,6,8,9). Schussler et al. reported that they initially attempted to collect cultures from the resected specimens in the first 30 patients, bu t as culture results were negative, they gave up on the method, although it appears to be a more reliable result (2). It is also noteworthy that our study involved patients with different lung diseases and this fact may have influenced the incidence of bacteria in LAWs, unlike previous studies that were carried out in patients with the same disease, most with early-stage lung cancer. According to the literature, BAL is influenced by factors such as: the collected volume, when less than 100 mL, can increase contamination by mucus and airway cells; smokers and patients with COPD may have decreased volume of the recovered fluid. This method has sensitivity and specificity values ranging between 42-93% and 45-100%, respectively [19]. In addition to bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), the PSB method is a procedure with greater specificity, due to lower chance of sample contamination caused by the bronchoscope passage through regions such as the oral mucosa or contact with tracheal and bronchial secretions, compared to unprotected BAL [20]. On the other hand, the risk of sample contamination exists and operational costs are not feasible in most Latin American institutions. We understand that intraoperative collection eliminates the risk of contamination from other airway areas and the sterile conditions of the environment and operating team also warrants that the chance of c ontamination during material handling is also minimal. We found no association between bronchial colonization and POP, perhaps because there were few patients with pathogenic bacteria (10.4%). Yamada et al. also found no association between LAW colonization and POP in their study (8). Belda et al. described 35.8% of patients colonized with pathogenic bacteria. Schusller et al., in 2006, first reported an incidence of 22.8% of LAW colonization by pathogenic bacteria (9,2). These studies showed an association between LAW colonization and POP. However, once again, differently from our study, they collected culture samples through PSB and BAL, increasing the chance of contamination with the upper airways and thus, possibly increasing the number of patients with positive culture and pathogens. Consequently, our results might represent the actual bacterial flora of LAWs more accurately. Another interesting factor is that Schussler et al. found a correlation between the colonizing bacteria and the causative agent of POP in only 5 of 50 patients and this finding was not statistically significant. Ionas et al. and Yamada et al. also found the same result regarding this correlation between colonizing bacteria and bacterial agent identified in patients who developed POP (3,6,8). The incidence of POP was relatively high (20.9%), but compatible with literature data. Radu et al. described seventy-six cases (24.4%) of pulmonary resections that were complicated by postoperative pulmonary infections (7). Belda et al. described POP in 31% of the patients (9). Regarding mortality in patients with POP, the literature shows mixed results, with a mortality rate of up to 40% (2, 21). Possibly, the higher mortality is associated with the profile of operated patients. Belda et al. reported 13% of deaths in patients submitted to pulmonary resections only for early-stage primary lung cancer (9). Our study showed a mortality rate of 22% in individuals with POP. However, our sample included patients with metastatic cancer and severe inflammatory diseases. Our study has some limitations. Ours is a small sample and, therefore, we believe that other studied factors did not influence the risk of infection. Moreover, we did not isolate microorganisms during the postoperative period in patients who developed POP, to be compared with LAW cultures collected during surgery. The analysis of antibiotic prophylaxis was not performed, because LAW colonization did not appear as a risk factor for POP. In the last decade, culture-independent DNA-based techniques have demonstrated that much more complex microbial communities reside in the lower airways, where bacterial culture has failed to reliably demonstrate resident bacteria. (22). Unfortunately, these techniques are not yet available in our institution. We conclude that lower-airway colonization is found in patients undergoing lung resection in our institution. This finding, as well as the other analyzed factors, did not result in increased POP risk in this sample. The intraoperative collection method employed in this study should be further evaluated in larger studies to define the risk of POP associated with LAW colonization. Table 1 – Preoperative clinical status and surgical procedures performed Table 2 – Colonization profile of lower airways Table 3 – Univariate analysis to identify possible risk factors for postoperative pneumonia. Figure 1. Number of preoperative in-hospital length of stay. Figure 2. Incidence of postoperative pneumonia (POP).

Women Are The Soul Of Our Community Sociology Essay

Women Are The Soul Of Our Community Sociology Essay Introduction: Status and Social Position of Women The women are the soul of our community and they are self build and self trained human responsible for the morale development of their children, inspiration for the family and an example for the community to follow. As a wife, woman is his best friend and inspiration. The history conveys that, Each successful man has an inspiring woman responsible for success.  [1]   According to Swami Vivekananda- That country and that nation that do not respect women have never become great, nor ever be in future. According to Historian Romilla Thapper- Within the Indian sub-continent there have been infinite variations on the status of women diverging according to culture malice, family structure, class, caste, property rights and morals. Tagores said, Womens are the ornaments of society. The society was male dominated and he ruled mainly by ethics and morals. But now a days womens are enjoying the topmost supremacy and these have won over intelligence and mental capacity of the men. Today if it was that the society was Male-Dominated then india wouldnt have produced highlighting examples such as P.T.Usha-The Women Athlete, Lata Mangeshkar-The Nightingale and the Singer, Sonia Gandhi-Political and Klpana Chawla-The Indian Astronaut. Today the proverb given above has proved true. A woman is the pillar of a family, and concussively that of a nation. The statue of liberty which is symbol of peace and liberty is none other than that of a woman. Therefore, respect women and every life.  [2]   In spite of fifty percent of the population on the world wide, women were not in equal status with men. This differential position causes socialization raises from boys and girls are different roles. As a traditional form, the status and social role of the women in every society, specific Indian society have been women are weaker than men. Women are the teachers of the society and they are not competitors. Woman as the mother is the best friend and teacher for the child, especially girl child (Firestone, Catlett, 1993, the Mother-Daughter Bond). Woman as friend is an inspiring support for any task. Woman as wife is a best friend and supportive partner for the husband. Woman as a family member is a best family manager and care taker of family values and traditions. Women as a community member are an example of love, friendliness, inspiration and the best worker. These are the normal roles and responsibilities performed by the women community around the world. Woman is an all-round pla yer in the game where, playground is family. The only difference is that, woman is an all-round player at almost all such play grounds around the world. In family, woman is an excellent manger cum worker.  [3]   The social stratification of women in-India however leaves them as a second rate citizen. This is no more evident than the violence to which a woman is subjected in her domestic setup. Violence against woman is present is every society cutting boundaries of class, culture, education and age. Even though most societies proscribe violence against woman, the reality is that she is tortured physically, psychologically, sexually and economically, the right to equality, security dignity and self worth are denied to woman. At times the place where a woman seeks love, safety, security and shelter, becomes a place of terror and violence at the hands of somebody close to them whom they trust.  [4]   If we visualize the multiple view of the, woman from various families working for her children, family and herself; we will find that there several women working for the development of their respective families. In broad sense, they are working for combined development of the family, community and society in which they live because; community is the united from of varied families. A woman is never appreciated for her indirect participation in this strong development and in the progress of her children, family or external community. She can be said as a silent and selfless leader. We take woman as a strong pillar on which the progress of the family and community depends. If she is educated enough to utilize and manage the family resources in smart manner and every woman does so, than such community will definitely progress irrespective of the variations in the religion, tradition, culture and financial background that are present in any community around the world. There can be many ci rcumstances that can prevent woman from performing at her best. It can be lack of peer support, illiteracy, lack of knowledge, lack of resources or lack inspiration to name few.  [5]   Crime, atrocity and violence against woman is a manifestation of the historically unequal power relations between (revelation of the factual disproportionate power relation among) man and woman, which led to the domination of a womans fuller advancement. Violence in the domestic spare is usually committed by them who are or who have been, is position of trust and intimacy and power-husbands father, brother, uncle sons or other relatives. It does not mean that women are not violent but their actions account for a small percentage of domestic violence. Such as outside homes these type activity boy friend and unknown person. The criminals, atrocious abuser and the abused are tied together because of emotional, physical, biological, familial, residential and financial ties, and are often their intimate partners.  [6]  Perpetrators of domestic violence seek power and control over their survivors. The factors which contribute to the continued prevalence of violence are mainly the womens lack of access to legal information, aid or protection (womans lack of deprivation of approach to legal information, to provide support or safeguard) and also the lack of laws that effectively prohibit violence against women.  [7]  There is also failure to reform existing laws and the efforts made on part of public authorities to promote awareness of and enforce existing laws are also inadequate. The absence of educational and other means to address the causes and consequences of violence is also the reason behind the prevalence of violence. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) declares that Motherhood and childhood are entitled for special care whether born in or out of wedlock shall enjoy the same protection.  [8]  The Indian constitution enshrines in Art.14, 15, 39(a) (d) and (e) that the state shall ensure a just social order for women based on equality and dignity. In spite of all these, and on the sacred land of Sita, Sabitri and Damayanti it found that women are being seduced, tortured, and enjoyed and betrayed. In spite of Constitutional guarantees and legal protection there is a rise on the trend of committing offenses against women and the domestic violence is one of them. Women have always played a specific and crucial role which has been veiled in society and history. Traditionally, the Indian woman has been the keystone of the family and society in general. She creates life, nurtures it, guards and strengthens it. In her task as mother, she plays a vital role in the development of the nation.   [9]   Status and social position of women in India Women in India have been always topics of concern since ancient period. They can as a exact example of perfect home-makers. With their incomparable quality of the calm ness of mind they easily handle even toughest situation as well. The Indian women are fully devoted to their families. They are preached in the names like as Goddess Durga, Goddess Saraswati, Parvati and goddess Kali.  [10]  The evolution of the status and social position of women in India  [11]  has been a continuous process of ups and downs throughout history. For the purpose of depicting a brief survey of the changing position and role of women in India throughout history, four broad periods are considered: Ancient Period Medieval Period Modern India Period British-India Period. After Independence Period Brief described each period on following as:-

Antigone: Hero Or Fool? Essay -- Greek tragic hero

In Greek literature, a tragic hero is based upon an individual having several of the following qualities: having a high social position in society; not being overly good or bad; being persistant or stubborn in their actions; having a single flaw that brings about their own death and the death of others; and obtaining pity from the audience. Antigone was a prime example of a Greek tragic hero. Antigone, being the daughter of Oedipus, obtained a high social standing in Thebes. Prior to his self-exile from Thebes, Oedipus was the city's king. Because of her high standing in society, Antigone was capable of great suffering, in that she had a reputation and a vast amount of respect to lose. Antigone's good side is demonstrated by her insistance on respecting her brother Polyneices' right to be buried in the religious tradition of Greece. The Greeks believed that it was of most importance to bury a person who died in battle so that their soul may continue on in the after life. Antigone is willing to risk her own life so that Polyneices can have to proper burial that she so strongly feels he deserved; "but I will bury him: and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be dear to him as he to me." (Prologue, line 57-59) Having a fatal flaw is one of the characteristics of a Greek tragic hero. Antigon...

Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

scarlet letter as a symbol The Scarlet Letter As a Symbol Often throughout The Scarlet Letter there are symbolic references made. The story deals with a Puritan woman who commits adultery and raises an illegitimate child named Pearl. The author, Nathanial Hawthorne, uses many religious and natural images to symbolize different points. One of the purposes of this symbolism is to show that Puritanism is hypocritical and that their religious viewpoints are against the natural order, which is done by using contrasting natural and religious symbols in the descriptions of Pearl. Also through out the book, Hawthorne uses the letter as a major symbol. At the beginning of the story, the letter is a symbol of sin. The sin was adultery. Hester has had relations with man while she had a husband. At the time, she wasn’t aware that her husband was still alive. The evidence of her actions was her daughter, Pearl. For her sentence, Hester would have to wear the letter A and also stand on the scaffolds in the afternoon. In later chapters, the letter evolves into able. Some years after the beginning of the incident, Hester has tried to move on with her life and has become a big help to her community. She is well liked for her art in sewing, and is also helpful towards the sick and the dying. Most of the townspeople have forgotten what has happened and have accepted Hester for who she is and not what she has done. The product of Hester’s sin was also a symbol used in the book. Pearl was always a symbol for her sin. She was the evidence that convicted Hester. In one part of the story, Hester and Pearl visit the Governor and Pearl is dressed up in a red dress with gold trim. She was described as resembling the letter on her mother’s chest. Hester character is shown here because by dressing Pearl up to look like the letter, she admits that she is not ashamed of what she has done and what has come out of it. In the second scaffold scene, a scarlet A appears in the sky above Dimmesdale, Hes ter, and Pearl. In this scene, the letter actually represents two things. One of them is angel. One of the townsmen has just passed away and they believed that it was his angel overhead. The second symbol is forgiveness.

Power of Women in The Grapes of Wrath :: Grapes Wrath essays

Power of Women in The Grapes of Wrath Women are known for as holding families together. When times get rough women are the foundation to the family and help keep things together. A woman poses different qualities that can help keep the family strong. These qualities can be categorized in the four archetypes of a woman. The idea of the woman Archetype is presented by Carl Jung. The first being Mother Nature, the very physical aspect and the second is the virgin, which represents the spiritual aspect of the archetype. The third is the young which who is the physical state while the fourth is the old witch possessing the spiritual side of the woman archetype. The four women in John Steinbecks, The Grapes of Wrath represent these four archetypes and take on responsibilities that in the end help the family succeeds in achieving their dreams. Ma Joad is a woman of strength and hope who is the backbone of the family. She represents the Mother Nature archetype while she posses the physical aspect of guiding the family and staying strong when the family needs her most. Steinbecks shows the importance of ma's character by the syntax usage to describe ma. " Ma was heavy, but not fat; thick with child-bearing and work...her ankles, and her strong, broad, bare feet moved quickly and deftly over the floor", Ma is described with these features to show her strength as a mother who has control and survives through hard situations (95). Her 'bare feet' being close to the earth shows how she takes on a 'Mother Nature' archetype to her character. She is one with the earth just as Mother Nature is. Mother Nature is one that gives birth, produces, sustains life and nurtures her family. All of these archetypes are expressed in ma's character. Even though she is a very strong woman she knows her role in the family. Ma knows when it is her time to help the family and when it is appropriate to step back and let the father run things. It is an unsaid statement but known by all in the family that "ma was powerful in the group" and they look to her for important decision making (133).

Community Health Promotion Tool Essay

Kimberly Thomas: Good Evening, I am Kimberly Thomas. I’m interviewing Hypertension what is a disorder that affects cardiovascular system. Let’s talk about the population and treatment for hypertension. There are a lot of medications for hypertension. What is hypertension? Where do you start for treatment? Hypertension: Hypertension is high blood pressure. Well, there are several medication treatments for hypertension. Most doctor start patients with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), which is a diuretic. Diuretics are basically known as a water pill, which helps remove excess sodium and water from the body. Second most common medicine for hypertension is beta blockers. Beta blockers help the heart to beat a slower pace with less force. Again, there are several other medication treatments for hypertension, and your primary care physicians will discuss what options are best for you. Kimberly Thomas: Ok, thank you. Who are at risk of hypertension? Hypertension: There are some cultures that are more at risk than others. However, certain conditions and habits can put anyone at risk for high blood pressure. According to â€Å"Hypertension† (n.d.), â€Å"It’s more common in African American adults than in Caucasian or Hispanic American adults.† African Americans tend to get high blood pressure early in life. Also, Puerto Rican adults have higher rates of hypertension than any other Hispanic group. Kimberly Thomas: Why do you think African Americans and Puerto Ricans are more at risk than any other culture? Hypertension: There are several factors why these two cultures are more at risk than other cultures. According to â€Å"Hypertension† (n.d.), â€Å"The main factor is the choice of food both cultures eat. Both cultures diet include too much salt.† Kimberly Thomas: Heredity is a factor correct? Can the individual manage some of the risk factors? Hypertension: Yes to both of your questions. There are a few things you can do to manage your high blood pressure. If you’re overweight, it’s highly recommend that you start exercising. Eat healthy food low in saturated fat, Trans fat, cholesterol and salt. Limit your alcohol intake, and stop smoking. Always, take medicine the way your doctor tells you. Kimberly Thomas: I absolutely agree with that. Kimberly Thomas: What about impact it has on cost? Hypertension: According to â€Å"Hypertension† (n.d.), â€Å"In 2010, high blood pressure was projected to cost the United States $93.5 billion in health care services, medications, and missed days of work.† Kimberly Thomas: How does hypertension impact the society? Hypertension: The number 1 cause of death in the United States throughout most of the 20th century. Unfortunately, whether the hypertension is treated or untreated, only 34% of Americans with hypertension have their blood pressure controlled to 140/90. An estimated 30 to 35 million Americans have uncontrolled hypertension, and are therefore at unduly increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Kimberly Thomas: I completely agree with you. I think the number one problem we still have today is that there are many people out there who are not being adequately treated. People who are denial of their problem, is unfortunate because there is help for them. Kimberly Thomas: Well, that’s all for today and Thank you for your time. References: Hypertension. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hypertension/faqs.htm http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/basics/definition/con-20019580

New World slave societies Essay

Coercion and abuse experienced by enslaved people in New World slave societies have tended to focus on violence. This is how it should be because experiencing or witnessing violence was indeed an everyday part of life for slaves. Violence inflicted by slave holders on enslaved people did not take place in a vacuum. It was also meet with and often proceeded by abusive words. Yet while debates around negotiation, slave resistance and paternalism focus in detail on the cultural and discursive context of these relationships, discussions of violence tend to home in on their purely physical aspects. I will be discussing the context of violence in a society undergoing the transition from slavery to a post slave society in the West Indies. Abusive language was sometimes used in place of physical punishment and served as a substitute for personal violence in situations where physical punishment was not allowed. A period known as the apprenticeship period in Jamaica, 1834-38 slaveholders lost the legal right to directly punish their un-free workers so instead used abusive language. But fear is fear whether it is felt physically or verbally the threat was still present. The people of the West Indies today are mainly of African decent. Important minorities are East Indians, mainly Trinidad, Chinese and Europeans of British, French, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese. There are also many people of mixed blood and racial and cultural mixtures that makes the West Indies one of the more cosmopolitan areas of the world. The most important industry in the past and in the present day is the growing of sugar cane. Other crops include citrus fruit, bananas, spices, coca, coffee, tobacco and coconuts. All of these are agricultural and very labor intensive. The British colonialization of the West Indies brought slavery into the social context. Toussaint L’ouverture led a successful revolt in Haiti. The efforts of Englishmen like William Wilberforce helped bring an end to the slave trade to the New World and eventually led to the emancipation of slaves in British colonies. When European countries began their overseas explorations and colonization in the 15th century, the institution of slavery experienced a revolution. The discovery of the West Indies opened a new era. In every colony prosperity depended upon the production of some article which could be profitably exported, such as coffee, sugar and indigo. These crops called for large scale operations and cheap labor. Wage laborers were not available and it was necessary to resort to some type of compulsion to secure workers. The Indian appeared to be the obvious answer, utilized the institutions of tributary labor and repartimiento, the granting of land along with the Indians living on it. The Indians proved unsuitable for forced labor. They died off rapidly under oppression and even resorted to mass suicide and infanticide. Their number declined to the point of extinction. The Europeans turned to the African as a solution to their labor problems. The African was not unknown to Europeans prior to the 15th century, but there were very few Africans in Europe. The Portuguese exploring the Atlantic coast of Africa brought back two African slaves and subsequent expeditions resulted in the purchase or capture of other slaves. At this time Portugal faced a manpower shortage and African slaves proved to be the solution to its problems. By 1460, 700 to 800 were being imported annually. Spain soon followed the example of Portugal and adopted the importation of African slaves. It was not surprising that the colonists in the New World should have thought of the African slave when they needed labor.

A Hard Day’s Night- A Study in Fame, Paranoia, and Claustrophobia

Who among us has not heard of the Beatles, or know of their influence in everyday society. Their music fills elevators around the world, there have been thousands of books and movies recorded detailing every event of their personal and professional lives, and who can’t resist singing alone, if only under our breath, when ever we hear these classic songs.To watch the movie A Hard Day’s Night, starring the Beatles, created at the height of their popularity, your first thought is this is a movie to promote the Beatles and display their music.They are grown men, running around, having fun in the midst of a hectic lifestyle that very successful performers live. They seemingly don’t have a care in the world, but just need to show up and start playing their music on time, with much enthusiasm, while their manager, George Martin, does all the worrying for them.While the movie is entertaining, and has some great, full length versions of classic Beatles music, the underlyi ng theme is that of 4 grown men, dealing with the constraints and frustrations of enormous fame and popularity.They are not allowed to roam free about the city, or on the train they are riding, for fear of being overrun with groupies. Instead they are subject to do what George Martin tells them to do, because after all he is their ‘manager’, as if 4 grown men need someone to manage their personal lives as well as their professional.Their fame is so overwhelming, it often times disarms people who run into them unknowingly. When John Lennon meets a woman on the train who is taken back because she knows â€Å"it’s him†, he repeatedly denies it, and says he just looks like him. They start a conversation about how John is not really the persona of John Lennon the Beatle, but at that point in time he is John Lennon the private person, who wants to get to know the woman he just met, the woman, is insisting that she is right and knows John Lennon when she sees him .After a few exchanges, John convinces her that he just looks like John the Beatle, she ends up confessing, â€Å"You don’t really look like him at all.† Once she concludes that, she is not interested in him anymore.This is the prominent theme that is presented concerning their fame. Once recognized, people don’t really like them at all. At that time, they were criticized for having long hair, for wearing funny clothes, being brash and generally rebelling against society in general. It is mild to us today, but at that time they were radicals.This theme is seen again as Ringo is walking down the street. At first he is recognized and runs away from a young, female fan. When he steps out of a costume shop wearing a disguise, he speaks to the same woman who now tells him to â€Å"get lost.†One of the drawbacks of their fame is that because their personal life is examined so closely, and their inner most thoughts and feelings are put to music, arousing the sam e strong feelings in others, somehow total strangers feel as though they can walk up to them and act like they know everything about each one, right away.This causes a great sense of unsettled discomfort in the lives of the Beatles. They are desperately trying throughout the whole movie to be understood and accepted for just who they are.At the time of this movies release, in 1964, there were many big social changes going on around the world. Music before the Beatles, with the exception of Elvis Presley, was primarily either a solo singer, or a 3 piece band playing conservative music, that was well choreographed.When the Beatles came on stage, all of a sudden there were 4 instruments creating a loud, driving beat, with lyrics that spoke of love and desire, unlike anything that was ever heard before in mainstream America. Their entrance into this country is often times referred to as the ‘Beatles Explosion’.John Lennon himself stated that they were more popular the Jesus Christ at that time. The statement itself stirred up even more fame, and more attention- be it good or bad- adding fuel to the fire. It seemed as though their every move was documented, imitated, and capitalized on any way possible.

Explain and evaluate claims made by linguistic relativists regarding the relationship between language, thought and culture Essay

The relationship between language, culture and thought has been a controversial discussion over decades. Many linguists and thinkers have argued that language lead to large differences in culture and thoughts. Some argue that language controls people’s view and thought of the world, where language embodies worldview, and some argue the otherwise. Language, culture and thought may always refer as together, but any one of them implies the other two. In this essay, I am going to focus on linguistic relativism and I will evaluate claims made by linguistic relativists. Linguistic relativism is a weaker interpretation of linguistic determinism. It is â€Å"a window through which to view the cognitive process, not as an absolute. It’s set forth to be used in looking at a phenomenon differently than one usually would. † (Badhesha, 2001) Linguistic categorize and usage influence thought and certain kinds of non-linguistic behavior. Linguistic relativity hypothesis has always been a controversial and serious topic. In late-eighteenth and early nineteenth century, Boas claimed that there’s no intrinsic relationship between culture and language. (Boas, 1911) Acquainted with Boas, Edward Sapir was impressed with Boas’ statement. Later, he proposed a theory which becomes the most famous attempt in demonstrating relationship between language, culture and thoughts, â€Å"Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis† (Whorfian Hypothesis). The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis can be broken into two simple concepts: Linguistic Determinism and Linguistic Relativism. Linguistic determinism holds a stronger view. It refers to â€Å"the concept that what is said has only some effect on how concepts are recognized by the mind†, â€Å"A strict view that what is said is directly responsible for what is seen by the mind. † (Badhesha, 2002) This stronger point is supported by Sapir. Sapir: â€Å"language and culture are not intrinsically associated† but â€Å"language and our thought-grooves are inextricably interwoven, [and] are, in a sense, one and the same† (1921: 228, 232) Sapir believes that language and culture are not explicitly related but language, culture and thoughts are interwoven that cannot be unwoven each other. Sapir also expressed his view that language affects how we perceive the world, â€Å"Even comparatively simple acts of perception are very much more at the mercy of the social patterns called words than we might suppose. †¦ We see and hear and otherwise experience very largely as we do because the language habits of our community predispose certain choices of interpretation. † (1929, p. 210) Sapir here explained that language determines our thoughts and culture, it affects our views of the world and culture is a product of language. Sapir’s student, Benjamin Lee Whorf supported and made his theory stronger. Whorf’s claims are both to the extreme, strongest but to the weaker and more cautious at the same time. The extreme perspective is linguistic determinism, where the weaker is linguistic relativism. In fact, linguistic relativism is widely spread through Whorf’s work. Whorf: â€Å"The background linguistic system of each language is not merely a reproducing instrument for voicing ideas but rather is itself the shaper of ideas. † (1940, â€Å"Science and Linguistics,† Technology Review 42: 229-31, 247-8) In this quote, Whorf proposed the stronger form where language determines thought, language shapes our ideas. â€Å"The world is presented in a kaleidoscopic flux of impressions which have to be organized largely by the linguistic systems in our minds. † (Whorf, 1940a:231) This is a weaker form where Whorf argue that the world is somehow under the influence of our linguistic systems. Both in stronger and weaker form, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis argue that our thoughts, ideas, behavior and culture are under the influence of language. This hypothesis is supported with evidence. Perception of colors is one of the obvious evidence that support language influences our thoughts. Different languages has their way to encode and categorize colors, in English, there are sixteen basic colors and common two color terms â€Å"dark† and â€Å"light†. However, Russian has different words to distinguish light blue (boluboy) and dark blue (siniy). When Russian and English speakers are put to a test to discriminate the two blue colors, Russian is found to be better at it. As Russian perceive the two blue colors as different colors unlike English speakers who categorize it as blue generally. In both English and Chinese, when giving directions verbally, we tend to use â€Å"left† and â€Å"right† instead of E/W/S/N, this is also true in many other languages. However, Kuuk Thaayorra (aboriginal language spoken in Queensland, Australia), they use E/W/S/N to represent â€Å"left† and â€Å"right†, e. g. when they refer to right hand, they may say east hand. Their perception of the world differs from us due to the use of direction terms. To them, the world needs to include precise orientations. This is an example of perception of space which display language affects our perceptions and thoughts. Grammatical feature is another proof of language affects our culture. Whorf asserts that â€Å"users of markedly different grammars are pointed by their grammar towards different types of observations†¦ and hence are not equivalent as observers but must arrive at somewhat different views of the world† (Whorf 1940b:61) Whorf suggested that speakers of different languages will think about the world differently. Hopi language (aboriginal language spoken in Arizona) is early evidence to Whorfian Hypothesis on language and thought. In Hopi language system, they don’t have tenses such as –ed, -ing, -s in SAE [1], they have different perspective of time from SAE speakers. Also, in Hopi, the concept of time cannot be counted and talked like a physical quantity. Language also affects and reflects our culture and values. In Hong Kong, we refer to relatives in different terms, not only â€Å"aunt/uncle†, â€Å"cousins† unlike English. For example, we have different terms for cousins that are older and younger than us, e. g. â€Å"biu-gor† (older male cousin), â€Å"biu-mui† (younger female cousin). It reflects the hierarchy and projects the importance of respecting senior in Chinese family. We can see that Chinese family, including families in Hong Kong divides and identifies its members. For Chinese people, they perceive seniors as people to respect. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is the idea that the language that person speaks will affect their perception of the world and accordingly their behavior and culture. In stronger form, language determines the way we think and what we are capable to think of where as linguistic relativity; the weaker form indicates that our thoughts and culture are under the influence of language. Although there are more and more scientific and real life examples that support Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, anthropologists and linguists still argues weather the hypothesis is too strong or not today. Many argue that instead of language determining our thoughts and culture, they are in fact inter-related and none of them should be dominating the other two. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis has received criticism over the years, and it summed up to be three main criticisms, the idea of causality, the methods and translations. While Whorf and Sapir claimed that language affects our perception of the world and the formation of our cultures. Both of them didn’t include the evolution of language, what made up our language, the cultural values that may have been included while setting language system. It is possible that cultural values that might have developed language helped the way we perceive the world. Humboldt (late 18th century) also questioned Sapir-Whorf’s hypothesis, â€Å"The spiritual traits and the structure of the language of a people are so intimately blended that, given either of the two, one should be able to derive the other from it†¦ language is their spirit, and their spirit is their language; it is difficult to imagine any two things more identical. † He also questioned the causality of such hypothesis. Whether if language is the spirit of thoughts and culture or the otherwise. He claims that it is uncertain which one should be derives and to be the spirit of the others. Another obvious criticism is the methods Whorf’s methods. Some believed that Whorf deliberately translated Hopi language in a certain way to support his own hypothesis, to emphasis another thinking system. Linguists, Steven Pinker accused Whorf’s method with strong attitude, â€Å"No one is really sure how Whorf came up with his outlandish claims, but his limited, badly analyzed sample of Hopi speech and his long-term leanings towards mysticism must have helped. † (Pinker, 1994) He also overthrown Whorf’s claim of Hopi people has different perception of time as â€Å"anthropologist Malotki (1983) has found that the Hopi do have a concept of time very similar to ours. † (Neil Parr-Davies, 2001) Translation is another criticism of Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. Many critics raised the question, if our thoughts are really affected and determined by language, then presumably certain concepts would only be understandable to people that shared the same language. That suggested that if the hypothesis is entirely true, Whorf would have been failed to understand Hopi people’s concept, needless to say even to understand their first thought. Although criticisms are raised against Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, there are more evidence and claims that support it even in modern days. In fact, psycholinguistic have been studying far beyond perception of color and Hopi language currently, it has been studying and discovering more evidence in modern days such as emotion perception, memory etc. Modern famous researchers like Lera Boroditsky, John A. Lucy believe in Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, that language indeed influences thoughts, however in relatively narrow ways. I agree the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to a large extent. I believe language does influence our thoughts and perceptions of the world. Recently, I have been studying different accents in the world and discovered that it is evidence supporting the linguistic relativists. For example, if someone speaks English in BBC accents or Queen’s English, we would immediately refer them coming from higher social status in Britain. Indeed, our perception can be easily affected by the trivial elements in language as accents. Even nowadays, there are more and more evidence that prove linguistic relativists; we cannot deny the fact that language does somehow shape our daily thoughts and life. Language changes the way we see different culture, it can reflect a certain culture and background of people. Taking Soviet Ukraine as an example, as the prices and supply of product was centrally controlled, they were very cheap and hard to find, and instead of saying â€Å"What are they selling? † they ask, â€Å"Shcho dajut? †(What are they giving? ). Through the language, we can see the cultural values and background of a country, allowing us to understand and perceive different cultures. Nonetheless, I disagree to a small extent as I believe, on one hand, language may shape our thoughts and culture; on the other hand, our culture and thoughts also shape language. Language may act as a tool merely reflecting our thoughts and culture. Under patriarchy and stereotyping, many European countries referred male as a stronger, rational and more dynamic member of the society while female were emotional, silent and subtle one. Leading European languages like French, Spanish are some examples that reflect social stereotyping under patriarchal influence. In French, almost all sport and daylight activities are referred as male, â€Å"le soleil† (the sun) while almost all night time activities are referred as female, â€Å"la lune† (the moon). Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is a powerful and leading linguistic theory that suggests the relationship between language, culture and thoughts. It can be interpreted as linguistic determinism and relativism; it remains arguable and controversial whether this hypothesis is too strong. Much evidence arises even until today supporting the hypothesis. It is inevitable that every hypothesis receives criticism, but I truly believe the reason why Whorfianism is still being studied today is because we can never deny the influence of language on our thoughts and culture. Language may not be the one the strongly defines our perception and values, but it does affects us in our everyday life.