Medication to individuals Essay

Administer medication to individuals, and monitor the effects (ASM 34) Outcome 1 – Understand legislation, policy and procedures relevant to administration of medication 1. Identify current legislation, guidelines policies and protocols relevant to the administration of medication Health and Safety at Work Act, COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health), the Medicines Act, the Misuse of Drugs Act, the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) and the Essential Standards, the RPS Handling Medicines in Social Care Guidelines, Health Act 2006. Outcome 2 – Know about common types of medication and their use 1. Describe common types of medication including their effects and potential side effects Paracetamol – Side effects of paracetamol are rare but can include a rash or swelling – this could be a sign of an allergic reaction, hypotension (low blood pressure) when given in hospital by infusion (a continuous drip of medicine into a vein in your arm), liver and kidney damage, when taken at higher-than-recommended doses (overdose). ferrous sulphate (iron deficiency) – Possible side effects are allergic reaction e.g. itchy skin rash, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, constipation occasionally causing faecal impaction, diarrhoea, stomach pain, feeling sick and blackened stools. Warfarin (anticoagulant) – possible side effects are hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, skin changes, or discoloration anywhere on your body, little or no urinating, urine being dark in colour. 2. Identify medication which demands the measurement of specific physiological measurements Drugs like insulin (blood has to be taken from a pinprick so that glucose can be measured before the insulin can be given), warfarin to thin the blood – again blood levels must be checked regularly, digoxin to slow and steady the heart (pulse should be checked prior to administration and advice taken if the pulse dips below 60 beats per minute) 3. Describe the common adverse reactions to medication, how each can be recognised and the appropriate action(s) required Common adverse reactions  are diarrhoea, skin rashes, sickness, facial swelling, blistering of the skin and wheezing. These can all be recognised by reading the side effects on medication packets or contacting a pharmacist. The appropriate action to take if a person supported is having an adverse reaction is to contact doctors/hospital so they can be treated appropriately. 4. Explain the different routes of medicine administration The different routes are orally, anally and injected into arteries, veins and muscles. Outcome 3 – Understand procedures and techniques for the administration of medication 1. Explain the types, purpose and function of materials and equipment needed for the administration of medication via the different routes Types of materials/equipment you might us and the functions; Gloves to apply cream etc to the inidividual without coming into contact with them and increase the chance of spreading infections etc. Medicine spoon/pot to make sure the right ammount is measured and the individual is not accidentaly over or underdosed. Oral syringe so you can accurately measure medicine in liquid formtissues, Eye or ear drops so you can accurately administer drops into the eye or ears quickly and easily. Outcome 4 – Be able to prepare for the administration of medication 2. Explain the appropriate timing of medication eg check that the individual has not taken any medication recently If you look on the bottle itself it should tell you the appropriate time of day, how many to take, and it should also include a section that has warnings on it. There should also be a MAR chart in place to record what was taken and at what time to ensure no mistakes are made. Dosage cannot be altered unless a doctor alters or updates it. The person adminsitering the meds must observe the person they administer them to and ensure that they took them. Pocketing meds or refusing meds are handled according to the person’s meds and orders. Sometimes it is marked as declined / refused meds. Sometimes it is documented that they did not swallow it initially and had to be encouraged etc. or whatever happened according to the facilities guidelines. Outcome 5 – Be able to administer and monitor individuals medication 3. Describe how to report any immediate problems with the administration You would record the problem/refusal on the MAR chart available and annotate the care plan, then inform the Home Manager or who ever in charge at that time and then perhaps discuss the issue with the service user’s GP depending on what the actual problem is. 5. Explain why it may be necessary to confirm that the individual actually takes the medication and does not pass the medication to others There could be conflict of other medication if passed on to someone else. It could cause allergic reactions, risks of overdose or even storing up of medication. You are signing to say you saw them take the medication so if you sign without being sure those records will be incorrect. 7. Describe how to dispose of out of date and part used medications in accordance with legal and organisational requirements Your home should have a policy and procedure for disposal of medication so you would ask to see it if you are not familiar with it. Lots of organisations have a Returns Book and a specific place to store medication in sealed envelopes, with name date, name of drug etc, that needs to be disposed of or returned.

Education system Essay

Other major factor that impeded on development in Ireland is lack of education system that is responsive of development needs. According to Garvin, the education system that was present in Ireland in 1940’s and 1950’s were ‘archaic and clerical’ (Honohan, 352). The education system was laying more emphasis on professionalism rather than science and practical learning. Education system of any country is very important in its development efforts. The quality of labor force that a country has is directly proportional to the quality of education system that a country invests in. Labor factor is very important in economic production of a country and Ireland failed in building an education system that is responsive of economic growth and industrialization. The system did not inspire innovation and discovery and this held the country from seizing an opportunity to shift their economy from agricultural-based to an industrial-based. The education system also denied schooling to most young people beyond the age of 14 for decades until the revolution in education system that was pioneered by the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) in 1951 (Honohan, 350). Government’s lack of emphasis on education was evident as the Irish emigrants to the UK were seen to be of a very low educational standard. (Garvin, 193). Church has been at the centre stage in the Irish society. Most of Irish are staunch Catholics and thus church influence in the economic and social matters had been strong (Brown, 112). After independence, the Church in partnership with the government inherited the control of social services systems. Catholic Church has been important in provision of education, health and other social services in Ireland (Ibid, 132). According to Garvin, the Church was like a â€Å"second government† as it has command of civic life that went to the extent of vetoing policy proposals that government announced. Irish Catholic Church which commanded great authority in the way government was run and shaped attitudes of the society had an anti-economic mindset. The Church failed to guide the society and government into reform agenda that will liberalize the economy from decades of underdevelopment (Redmond, 101). The Church was opposed to modernization of education, which is a key factor in transition of the economy to a competitive one. The Church deliberately made effort to ‘block’ societal changes through scientific discovery and innovation, which would results to industrialization and urbanization, which the Church was uncomfortable with since they felt it will bring secularization and hence they lose their grip in the society. After independence, Britain conceded a major social role to the Catholic Church and a land settlement role. According to Garvin, this was uneconomic as it led to running of key resources in uneconomic way that resulted low production and development in the country (Garvin, 180).

E-business As the Present and the Future of Business Models Term Paper

E-business As the Present and the Future of Business Models - Term Paper Example This report will also describe how web pages and websites work, as well as state what are qualities of a good web page. Seatwave The company which is going to be subject of this report is Seatwave. According to the Wikipedia site, Seatwave is a ticket exchange site, in which buyers and sellers can purchase tickets. The site acts as a middleman, much like E-Bay or other auction sites. This is how Wikipedia describes the organization – â€Å"Seatwave is an online ticket exchange service operating in the European market.[1] It was founded by Joe Cohen in 2006 and allows the purchase and sale of tickets to live events including music, theatre, and sport. Seatwave acts as the middleman, with buyers and sellers never having contact with one another, but the site guarantees all tickets. If a buyer pays for tickets that never arrive, the company will find replacement tickets or issue a full refund. The company also guarantees that all tickets come from legitimate sources. Sellers are not paid for their ticket sales until after the event has occurred and buyers have gained entrance† (Wikipedia.org). Understanding the Scope of E-Business The Seatwave is a fan to fan site, so the most relevant business model would be the customer to customer model. That said, there are also value chain issues with even a fan to fan site, so this implicates the business to business models, as well as the business to consumer and consumer to business models. Most of the models today would be considered to be customer to customer, customer business, or business to customer. Good examples of the customer business and business to customer models would be several of the models described by Tvrdikova & Koubek (2010), which are described below. E-procurement is the one business to the business model described Tvrdikova & Koubek (2010), and this is where businesses use the Internet to obtain or provide products and services to one another. Usually, these procurement models use an int egrated approach, such as combining procurement and value chain into one model (Niles, 2008), or combining products, services, and activities into one model (Zott, 2010). This is echoed by Jovarauskiene and Pilinkiene (2009), who see business to business as two partners dealing with one another, as opposed to dealing with discrete tasks, such as just value-chain or just procurement. Stockdale and Standing (2004) enumerate some of the benefits and barriers to e-marketplace participation. They state that one of the benefits is that the business can keep up with changing business landscapes, so that they are flexible and nimble, which are two excellent advantages. The changes that they cite include global market access facilitation, changed production costs and methods, enhanced communication, stimulated competition and reduce transaction costs.They also cite lower transaction costs, improved product differentiation, improved ability to enter supply chain for larger companies, improved customer service, a great potential for partnerships, access to more markets, and convenience as also being

Politics since Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Politics since - Movie Review Example But America feels that while Iran’s help was great in some fields, it lacked substantially in others. The US believes that Usama bin Laden2 and other important leaders of Al-Qaeda escaped to Iran. Therefore, they demanded Iran to turn them over for investigation but Iran denied their presence in their country which is not believed by the US. Things took a pivotal turn from then on. George W. Bush3 called Iran a member of the Axis of evil4. This caused Iran to stop their supportive role in Iraq. There were a huge number of protests in Iran against America. Their national flag was disrespected and trampled on. George Bush was burned in effigy on several occasions. Mohammad Ali Abtahi5 calls this one of the biggest political blunders of George Bush. Iran was branded as a terrorist nation at a very crucial time by the US. Such remarks are an attack on the nobility and pride of a nation and any country in the world would have responded in a similar way. The US efforts to install democracy in Iraq have served the Iranian interest according to US because of the fact that Iran wanted Saddam Hussein6 to fall. The army that Iran fought for 8 years was subdued in just a few weeks as a result of US invasion of Iraq. For US, this is a great benefit to Iran but Iran is not content with just that. Iran indeed wanted Saddam to fall but not the way he did. For them, one enemy is replaced by an even bigger enemy. They are worried about the US encirclement of Iran. US efforts of democracy in Iraq mean the creation of a Puppet State controlled by the US. Iran also feels that it has been a home outside home for many Iraqi politicians through history. Therefore, they have a right to be consulted when a new government is being set up in Iraq. Iran helped to get the votes out in the first elections and many of their allies were elected in southern Iraq. Iran wanted participation in the overthrowing of

Human Resource Management in the Context of Organizations and Their Essay

Human Resource Management in the Context of Organizations and Their Environments - Essay Example Human resources management is an organization sector which is crucial for the performance of a specific firm. In its area, there are several theories that have tried to examine the conditions and the terms on which a hr strategy should be applied. In this context, Jackson et al. found that HRM can be used as ‘an umbrella term that encompasses (a) specific human resource practices such as recruitment, selection, and appraisal; (b) formal human resource policies, which direct and partially constrain the development of specific practices; and (c) overarching human resource philosophies, which specify the values that inform an organization's policies and practices’. On the other hand, Ulrich notices that ‘HR professionals can apply innovative ways to develop current employees, including: new and stretch job assignments, membership on project teams, action learning in training experiences, leaders running training programs, 360[degrees] feedback, coaching, Web-based bes t practice and learning mechanisms, and Web-based skill building’. In order for the above hr strategies to succeed in their mission, the existence of continuous employee support would be necessary. For this reason Elsdon et al. stated that ‘a person-to-person career counseling should be offered to the extension that such an activity creates greater workforce flexibility by enabling employees to respond rapidly to a changing environment and customer needs’.

All Immigrants need better support programs for cultural transition in Essay

All Immigrants need better support programs for cultural transition in the United States - Essay Example Significantly, the opportunity for economic improvement has been one of the most important motivations for immigrants in the United States. However, the immigrants have long been experiencing numerous challenges which turn up several issues, including work, education, and marital relationships. Cultural transition has been one of the most significant processes affecting the immigrants in the United States and this process of cross-cultural transition has given rise to several pertinent researches in the area. Immigrants in the United States belong to different countries of origin and dialects, and every group of immigrants has specific economic resources, educational systems, and class structures which keep the group distinct from other groups in the nation. The diversity in the cultural aspects of every immigrant population brings about numerous challenges with regard to cultural transition and the experience of the immigrants of Hmong culture in the nation illustrates these challen ges. The current system of support programs for the cultural transition in United States prove to be deficient in meeting the numerous challenges raised by the cultural practices and beliefs of various immigrant groups. Therefore, a reflective exploration of the experience of the immigrants in the nation, especially the people of Hmong culture, affirms that all immigrants need better support programs for the cultural transition in United States. Cultural transition has been one of the most dominant processes affecting the immigrants in the United States and the various groups of immigrants experience unmerited incidents which affect the process of cultural transition. Most often, difference in the cultural aspects of the individual cultures come to conflict with one another and the culture of the immigrant population usually suffer great loss. The role of social and cultural support programs to deal with these issues of cultural transition is often emphasized in various

Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Process - Essay Example Picking the correct restaurant is the first step in a dining program in Korea. There are different speciality restaurants in Korea; all have different types of foods and serving habits. Check the restaurant’s name or advertisements before entering the restaurant. The selection of the hotel/restaurant must be taken only based on your eating habits. Most of the restaurants have their names indicating their speciality of foods serving there. It may be a difficult decision for you; but select the restaurant properly; otherwise you will not get the proper food which you are looking for and will be disappointed later. After selecting the hotel/restaurant, the second step is making sure that you order only one or two kinds of food. This is because of the fact that the Koreans serve wide variety of foods even if you order only one or two kinds of foods. Most of the single orders accompanied with more than ten kinds of appetizers to everyone; which means if you order more things, the varieties of foods you are getting will be more than what you can consume. This will result in lot of wastages in food items you purchased. Third, order only one meal less than what you actually require. This is because the size or volume of the food will be more that what you have anticipated. It is not possible for a single person to eat all the foods provided for a single order. So if your group consist of four members, order only for three which will be more than enough. If your group consist of eight members, order only for 6 members. Same way you can plan the number of foods based on the number of members in your group. You are not wasting any foods and at the same time you can save a substantial amount of money also by ordering less number of foods. To conclude, while taking foods in Korea, you have to select the proper restaurant first based on your choice of food; then order

Trade commission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trade commission - Essay Example Mr. Clark is tied down by his Ph.D. studies. His quality time given to accomplish assigned tasks is reduced. Further, Mr. Clark has trouble prioritizing his job responsibilities. Mr. Clark prioritizes the Economics seminars over his responsibility in the company. He prioritizes making and attending arrangement of the Economists’ Association. Consequently, he cancels meetings with the Consul-General. Mr. Clark should be held accountable for his actions. Delegation does not absolve Mr. Clark of his responsibilities, as superior (Rees & Porter 116). Mr. Clark does not resolve Mr. Allen’s overburdened job responsibilities. One reason for the excess job responsibilities is Mr. Allen’s marriage to a local resident. Mr. Allen’s expertise in the local language gives Mr. Allen an added advantage. Because of Mr. Allen’s mastery of the local language, Mr. Clark assigns Mr. Allen to handle all local enquiries. Consequently, Mr. Allen communicates and enters int o agreements with all business contacts. Further, Mr. Allen helps Mr. Briggs craft reports to the Ministry of Commerce, during the first few months of Mr. Briggs arrival in the country. Mr. Clark should be made accountable for the effects of Mr. Allen’s overburdened responsibilities. Mr. Allen’s work overload results to delays and poor quality work outputs. Mr. Allen actually handled Mr. Briggs’ work, a new employee. Mr. ... Many very important persons and businessmen with significant relationships were invited. However, the original list of visitors was reduced from 50 to 30 invited guests. Miscommunication will trigger dissent among peers. Second, Mr. Clark should be made accountable for not involving his assistants in the transfer design of the whole government office (including the Consul-General’s staff) to a modern commercial building. When Mr. Clark was away for a two-week holiday, nobody could follow up important business matters because neither Mr. Allen nor Mr. Briggs knew what kind of wood and carpet colour Mr. Clark preferred. Consequently, the office decoration work was stopped until Mr. Clark returned for work. Third, Mr. Clark should be made accountable for the confusion cropping up regarding the use of the company’s official car. The Commission has a Mercedes Benz, which both Mr. Allen and Mr. Briggs is also entitled to use. However, Mr. Clark likes to ask the driver to wait for him at l0.00 am every day where Mr. Clark resides. This meant that either the Assistant Trade Commissioners also have to wait inside the official car for him or they have to proceed to the Commission by other means of transport. Both Mr. Allen and Mr. Briggs felt that they were refused some of their entitled benefits. Further, Mr. Clark must be accountable for abuse of official time. Mr. Clark wrongly prioritised the Minister’s needs over official needs. When the Minister’s family visited the city, Mr. Clark put aside his work. He spent two days accompanying them shopping around. Occasionally, when Mr. Briggs calculated the balance of the Commission’s account, he found that Mr. Clark had bought meals for his friends and family and debited

Accident Victim Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accident Victim Interview - Essay Example ample are respiratory disorders that are ailments allied to inhaling lethal biological chemicals, agents, gases, dust, fume or vapors at work(Reese 2008). Others include disorders contracted from poisoning by non standard dilutions of toxic matters in blood, other bodily fluids, other tissues or the inhalation that are triggered by the absorption or ingestion of toxic bodies into the human body. This paper will illustrate an interview with a victim of an occupational illness. On December 20, 2011, about 11:56 p.m., Graham John sustained serious, but non-fatal, injuries to his arms and legs when he was transporting coal. This took place when an eastbound transportation coal train consisting of 2 locomotives and 100 cars laden with coal, unsettled the lead 22 automobiles at signpost 12.9 on the Old Main Line Section in Ellicott City, Maryland. Seven of the 22 tumbled into an open bay area 15 feet beneath track level at the northern side. Other laden coal cars engaged in the derailment upended, dribbling their matter alongside the northern side of the trajectory (Reese 2008). The nature of his injuries with disabling condition included a sprained back, several cuts on some fingers and the arms, and a broken leg. The sprained back and broken leg was a result of the motion impacted when the derailment occurred, while the laceration on the fingers and the arms was due to the broken glasses shattered all round (Reese 2008). Graham’s injuries made him take a leave of absence from work for about two months. During the two months, Graham underwent a rehabilitation process for one month to aid him with the treatment and recovery from the ordeal. Some of the activities he undertook included therapist sessions and exercise sessions for the sprained back and the broken leg (Reese 2008). In conclusion, OSHA has standards that define certain types of accidents that should be reported to OSHA within 8 hours of their occurrence. They include all work fatalities, all cases

The Global Supply Chain Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Global Supply Chain Management - Assignment Example This essay discusses that  the globalization of trade in the last 10 years has expanded dramatically and when it comes to 'Fashion', the possibilities are unlimited. Supply chain management contributes the maximum for companies to leverage their business standards internationally. My goal in this paper is to present a study on Global supply chain Management along with its elements and compounds for a better understanding of its function. The paper explores the Global supply chain management through a rigorous study from available books and journals pertaining to the context, and then gradually I would move towards the purpose of this paper i.e. to conduct a case study on ' The Global Supply chain Management of ‘Zara’.  Ã‚  As the report highlights  the supply chain is referred to the sequence or series of events in which the product is flowing or circulating, and adding value to the value of that particular product. The events refer to the assembling, converting, a nd distributing the products. In other words supply chain management is all about creating a link which connects the producer/manufacturer with the distributors and most importantly to the final consumer. This link is a dedicated service which is transparent in its function. While the institute of supply management Inc USA, defines the term as a seamless management and a process that adds value to the organization by reaching the end consumer beyond boundaries.  ... In other words supply chain management is all about creating a link which connects the producer/manufacturer with the distributors and most importantly to the final consumer. This link is a dedicated service which is transparent in its function (Alan, 2009). While the institute of supply management Inc USA, defines the term as a seamless management and a process that adds value to the organization by reaching the end consumer beyond boundaries. Apart from the essential activities involved in its function, it also encompasses the association and contribution of their respective channel partners, providers, suppliers or intermediaries ("Supply Chain Management"). Fig. 1.0 – Supply Chain Activities Why Global Supply Chain Management? The globalization of the clothing industry has enabled designer brands, manufacturers and retailers to reach out to as many consumers as possible. However, the goods produced by this industry have a short life span, the demand for new concept is huge . To balance this complex chain of demand and supply; many firms have chosen to incorporate with channel partners all across the world in different countries ("SAHCC"). Today most of the top apparel companies are managing their competition through respective partners. it is quite evident that an independent company with all its resources may not be able to give stiff competition to its competitor and with the proper downstream arrangement of the production at the input level, up to the output level and finally being distributed by the collaborated efforts of the channel partners would ensure a successful strategy of overpowering any competition ("Supply Chain Management"). Components of Supply Chain management Joel, in his book highlights the most important

Shoe Horn Essay Essay Example for Free

Shoe Horn Essay Essay The use of distinctively visual elements allows responders to interpret and create meaning from otherwise complex concepts. John Misto’s play ‘The Shoe Horn Sonata’ and Mike Subritzky’s poem ‘Sister’ both challenges the audience’s interpretation of the traumatic experiences of war. Through a range of distinctly visual techniques both composers help create an understanding of the power of time and the human spirit as overcoming adversity of war. As Misto’s The Shoe Horn Sonata develops, the distinctly visual stage positioning of Bridie and Sheila changes to demonstrate how the protagonists’ friendship strengthens over time. Initially Bridie and Sheila are seated at a distance for each other, demonstrating the need for them to reveal their stories as a way of overcoming the metaphorical barriers created by the war. Whilst this metaphorical barrier creates a tone of tension, during their reconciliation a contrast in characterisation occurs. The protagonists now hold hands and sit beside each other on stage. This contrasts creates a shift in tone from one of dissonance to one of hope and friendship. Misto’s use of juxtaposed distinctively visual stage positioning allows the audience to recognise that time has allowed the protagonists to resolve their relationship flaws, and therefore shows how their relationship has changed over time from one of incongruence to one of togetherness. Despite the growth in Bridie and Sheila’s relationship however distinctively visual projected imagery is used to portray that while time can help heal bad experiences, it cannot completely erase these memories. Through strategic stage positioning, Misto places Sheila beneath projected images of â€Å"Starving male prisoners† as â€Å"she does some of kind of needlework with great intensity†. By positioning such distinctive and confronting images above Sheila, Misto shows that even when doing simple tasks such as needlework, the memories of war will always remain at the fore of the protagonists’ minds. This positioning acts as a metaphor for the great impact of the war and the difficulty in erasing these memories. This helps responders understand the protagonist’s difficulties in connecting with each other and their world. Misto’s utilisation of the recurring motif of music demonstrates the poetic and admirable friendship and bond these women have created and the power this bond has had in helping them to overcome the atrocities of the war. Music imagery is also reflected in the plays title ‘Sonata’, which evokes connotations of dual courage, strength and faith, rising as one to overcome past atrocities. The ‘Sonata’ acts as a symbolic metaphor for both Bridie and Sheila, their friendship, and how that relationship has allowed them to overcome their past wartime experiences, whilst reconciling in the present. The use of such powerful and distinctive visual imagery therefore creates awareness of the atrocities of war and helps responders’ honour people who endured such atrocities. The power of the human spirit in times of war is also addressed in Mike Subritzky’s Poem Sister. Distinctively visual repetition and personification help responders understand the violence and bloodshed of the Vietnam War. Repetition of blood imagery in â€Å"Bloodied, broken bodies†¦Bloody combat gear’ alludes to the prevalence of death during the War, thereby allowing the responder to better understand the feelings of helplessness and misery faced by wounded soldiers. The strength of humanity is symbolised in the characterisation of the nurse who acts as the vehicle of hope to the dying soldiers. The nurse comes to be a visual symbol of courage and hope throughout the poem. When juxtaposed against the imagery of death and dying soldiers – â€Å"Young lives ebbed away† Subritzky creates a sense of hope for humanity in their most extreme hour. Furthermore, by hyperbolising the loss of hope in â€Å"I kept the faith when even hope was lost† th e nurse is depicted as being the guiding light and life force for soldiers close to death. By highlighting the humility and selflessness of the nurse, responders become aware of the strength of the human spirit in times of hardship and its ability to make easier very difficult situations. Much like the preceding texts Guo Jian’s painting ‘The day before I went away’ alludes to the atrocities of war, although does so in a satirical way. Through the use of distinctively visual heightened colour and flat surface painting technique, the smiling faced captures the attention of the responder to convey the illusion that the military is a joyful experience  created by Chinese propaganda. The juxtaposed characterisation between the glamorous singer in the foreground and grinning soldiers in the background who are set before a looming tank depicts that although propaganda had the initial feel of ‘inviting’ the reality of war is backgrounded and hidden. The salient feature of the image is the glamorous singer, who is toned lighter than the rest of the picture, creating a tone of innocence. She has an outstretched hand, grasping onto the responder of the poster and pulling them into the military. Through distinctively visual elements we as the r esponder become privy to the falsity of wartime propaganda. The illusion of soldiers happiness when serving their country is contrasted against the harsh reality of the dangers of war symbolised in the thank trapped within the brinks of the painting, as a symbol of their sound and government constraints from which they are unable to escape without falling into dishonour.

Impact Of Dei Verbum In Roman Catholic Church Religion Essay

Impact Of Dei Verbum In Roman Catholic Church Religion Essay Throughout the history of Christianity, the church has convened a number of councils in order to clarify teachings, address problems, or enact reforms. In many instances, these councils have resulted in momentous turning point in the course of Christian church history. These councils also attempt to respond to the urgent needs of the emerging generation during this modern era. The general councils began in Nicaea in 325, convened at intervals throughout the first millennium and the medieval period, struggled with the age of reformations to the modern world, with a total of 21 councils convened in the span of more than 1600 years. Unlike other councils before the modern era, the opening of Vatican councils seemed to create new perspectives for the Roman Catholics especially in more specific areas on their beliefs and practices. Vatican II was reopened in 1962 by John XXIII which it stunned many by his actions. Shortly after ordination as the pope in 1949, John XXIII believed the church ought to look at the state of the world in order to meet the impending needs of the people. With that, preparation lasted for almost four years and the entire council stretched across four autumns until the 16 documents were completed. In the process, there are two majors camp of people, one who were called the conservatives disputing the fact that the church needed no change at all and the convening of Vatican II was not necessary. The church is self-sufficient and to avoid that happened during the Enlightenment period, the ideal way is to insulate itself behind a powerful structure that would claim to have all the answers. While others were keen to see a new millennium coming forth through Vatican II and Christians from other denominations such as the Lutherans, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Quake rs were cordially invited. This was a revolutionary move by the Pope John XXII. Although, John XXII did not manage to see through the council, his post-decessor Pope Paul VI continued this council and brought it to completion.  [2]   Among all the various key documents of Vatican II, Dei Verbum (DV) (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation) could be considered one of most well received and a foundational component on Catholics thinking on revelation, exegesis and the use of the bible in the Roman Catholic Church. Hence, to what extent does the DV theological idea applied in the 21st century context? Therefore, it would be attempted to present the impact of DV in the current and local context.  [3]   Looking at the rear mirror of church history, there were tremendous issues surrounding the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) especially during the medieval period. Probably the first threat to the divine revelation came from Marcions denial of the Scripture and the nature of God appeared in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Shortly after this, the Gnostics came into the scene whereby they typically claimed to have secret revelations from Jesus, incorporated new systems of beliefs which are inconsistent with the Church. Consequently, the Catholics became more restrictive in the availability of the scripture to the people. RCC believed that God revealed Himself to the people through Jesus Christ. On the other hand, RCC viewed these divine revelations as being originally transmitted primarily by oral means (Sacred Tradition) and later by written means (Sacred Scripture). These Scared Tradition Scared Scripture were additional to the bible. With this emphasis, the bible is not con sidered to be the exhaustive, comprehensive teaching of the Christian Faith. Rather, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture together are considered the integral source of divine revelation, as explained in the new Catechism of the Catholic Church: Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out of the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing and move towards the same goal. Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own always, to the close of the age.  [4]   With this notion, RCC tend to weigh more heavily on the catechisms as compared to the bible. For this reason, translation and transmission of the bible was not placed on emphasis. Besides this reason, extensive manpower and efforts required to recopy the text. RCC was fearful that the bible could be stolen and abused by individuals. Hence, the reproduction of this decreased during the middle ages and people generally do not have access to the bible.  [5]  The bible basically played a subordinate role in the lives of the believers. Ecclesiastical authorities restricted people to access scriptures and normally reserved for certain level of bishops.  [6]   With the introduction in DV through Vatican II, Scared Tradition was stated as not being static and unchanging but constantly developing through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to a fuller and deeper understanding of the truth. This ongoing of development does not mean the truth but rather the grasping of the truth by the believers.  [7]  Thus, DV call the RCC to return to the main source which is the bible. Like most of the sixteen documents, Dei Verbum was carefully, even passionately considered, but in many ways the subject of Revelation was exceptional, being fundamental to Vatican II in several respects.  [8]  Joseph Ratzinger mentioned that it is important to note that only Scripture is defined in terms of what it is: it is stated that Scripture it the word of God consigned to writing. Tradition, however, is described only functionally, in terms of what it does: it hands on the word of God, but it is not the word of God  [9]   As such a new movement brought forth many renewed faith within the Catholics and their access to proper understanding of the Scriptures.  [10]  The Council then laid down new direction which promoted the reading and studying of biblical texts in a new way. The manner through which Catholics gained new access to the Scriptures was at least the five following ways. Firstly, the Catholics are able to hear the preaching of the word in the communitys vernacular. Before Vatican II, the priest celebrated Mass in Latin with his back facing the people, making the action of the Mass seem far away. It was easy for the faithful to fall into the role of spectators. Now the assembly is more actively engaged, helping us to experience all of us celebrating the Eucharist with the priest. Vatican II liturgy mentioned that the members should be full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations (#14).  [11]  This phenomenon occurred during the 4th century when St Jerome was com missioned by Pope Damasus I to translate to the Latin language and by 13th century, it became the commonly used translation in the Roman Empire.  [12]  With that, most of the masses were conducted in Latin where the indigenous languages were ignored in this situation. Consequently, the nominal people would have minimum understanding of the passage. By and large, the language Latin was not well received in most part of the community and shortly after, the language seemed to be lost. Also, since this is not their native language, the believers would find it difficult to understand and make sense of it. With DVs proposal of using indigenous languages, the believers were able to understand the message preached. According to the Catholic leader, he mentioned similar phenomenon in the RCC in Singapore and how this new dimension added life within the Church and more people are eager to hear the message.  [13]  It appeared that in the past, most people attended the mass because of a form of obligation and doze off during the proceeding. The many reasons given were that they do not understand the meaning of the message. With this new initiative, the preaching became more relevant at least the native language to the local context. Secondly, there was a change in the form of sermons from just a regurgitation of the bible to homiletical preaching: From a liturgical format to a homiletically manner. DV recognized that biblical exegetical plays an essential and positive role in the understanding of the bible. Moreover, it would add substance to the delivery of the message and allow the revelation to fill human hearts more and more  [14]  The efficacy of the word of God depends on the careful preparation and delivery of the message on the pulpit; this requires good training. Efforts were placed in making the sermon digestible and applicable. Therefore, the use of preaching has been increasing to bring a biblical message into the hearts of believers, but sadly, it is not yet universal. In the local context, there seemed to be more of such homiletical preaching occurring among the RCC.  [15]   Next is the liberty for personal bible study by the individual Catholic. This is something uncommon before the Vatican II as the bible is known as the authoritative and scared text, where only the bishops, the academics or scholars were able to read and make interpretations of it. The effects of releasing the Holy Scripture to all were seen from the Protestants movement whereby numerous interpretations arise within the short span of time.  [16]  Besides, it might appear that the bible is not scared enough that only the bishop has the access to it. Thus, the availability of the bible to Catholics became restricted due to the theological, social and also various heretical religious movements. Looking in retrospection, Vatican II created some impact in this area whereby Catholics are able to access to the bible in their native language allowing the Logos and Rehma word of God to be spoken during their devotional time. From a unidirectional reception to a bidirectional, believers are able to directly communion with God through the bible. The Church today encourages its members to make use of new methods of Scripture study and to cherish the Scriptures. Catholics are growing in their understanding of the Bible through the benefits of historical research, literary analysis and archaeological findings. Church documents wisely steer Catholics away from literal-minded approaches and from reading the Bible as if it were a science or history textbook. Since Vatican II, there is fairly widespread of the RCC participation in bible study groups, often advance by Ecclesial movements such as the Neo-catechumenate and the monastic tradition of  Lectio divina. It is sometimes ecumenical in nature whereby the study with Protestants or the Jews and they almost always find both enlightening and enriching. This action was illustrated in the DV 6 (no. 22) if these translations are produced in cooperation with the separated brethren as well, all Christians will be able to use them  [17]  that encouraged the RCC to make peace with the Protestant Bible Societies and work with them. Although there have been a longstanding hostility, full collaboration between the Catholic Biblical Federation and the United Bible Societies was soon established, bringing a notable increase in production of vernacular versions all over the world.  [18]   Similar collaboration has developed with publishers of daily bible reading aids such as the Bible Reading Fellowship, though in this country, at least, nothing seems to check a lamentable decline in general knowledge of the Bible.  [19]   As such, bible study became a central activity of the reformer groups which sprang up especially among the poor. More often than not, it was their daily reading of the bible that brought light into their own situation which was the main cradle of liberation theology.  [20]  In the local context, similar trends were observed in Singapore as well where such practices mushroomed. Many RCCs instituted bible study within the congregations on a regular basis where the believers examine the scripture. Such phenomenon was not evident before Vatican II. With this, Catholics became more familiar with the bible and equipped to defend their faith.  [21]   Finally, the last trajectory, posed a more complex issue to be addressed. It is the formal and scholarly pursuit of biblical study in the academy. Although the goal of academic study is to enable the deepening understanding of the Scripture, the methodologies employed might be deliberately bracketed faith. Since, most Catholic biblical scholar adopted certain methodologies from the Protestants colleagues, they might realized some incompatibility of the certain traditions practiced in the Catholic Church to deviate from the original intention of the Scripture. However, such rigorous academic study facilitated the understanding of the bible from a more holistic manner (theological, cultural, social and context). Consequently, some Catholics started to realize that certain doctrines seemed to be inconsistent with the Holy Scripture and some abandoned certain practices in the Catholic faith. Conversely, some others turned away from the Catholic faith and embraced the Protestant beliefs.à ‚  [22]  Also, many lay leaders are able to learn the bible from a theological angle, able to defend their faith. In Singapore, there are many such theological training evolving within the different Roman Catholic Churches and programme were developed to educate and trained lay ministers.  [23]  Growing numbers of lay women and men are attending theology schools, leading and/or joining Bible study groups and reading an array of solid articles or books on the subject. Priests and religious are no longer the only Scripture experts. Therefore, it is evident in RCC that such changes are happening now and hopefully will be ongoing. Since Vatican II, many speculations about the impact were raised, and it seemed there is an effect of change in the RCC circle as being more biblical, and personal faith; returning back to the original intent of God. Although, many of us were too young to think of Vatican II except as history, this phenomenon caused an effect in the universal church especially in the Catholic circle. According to the RCC in Singapore, many of the believers started getting more involved and serious in studying the bible. In this sense, it also means that wave from Vatican II remain active in both the academic and among the people of the RCC. Although some changes were seen in the RCC, it is heartbreaking to see the overwhelming cases of sex abuse scandals within the RCC, which caused a stir among congregations. Questions were raised regarding the credibility of these priests and the role of the scripture in their lives and casted doubts on the transformation in the RCC due to Vatican II. In conclusion , with the inception of Vatican II, there has been a vast enrichment of the lectionary for Mass and the readings for daily prayer of the Church and made a tremendous impact in the RCC. Hopefully this will continue to fulfill its original intention by Pope Paul XXIII when he convened the pastoral council.

Mass Media Effect On Promoting Copycat Mass Murders Media Essay

Mass Media Effect On Promoting Copycat Mass Murders Media Essay This research paper highlights on the ways that the mass media has encouraged the copycat murders. The copycat effect is used in reference to the situation for which a sensational publicity about the violent acts of murders or suicides causes the tendency to result in more of similar effects through imitation. The Media influence or media effects are terms used in media studies, in psychology, communication theory and in sociology in reference to the theories concerning the ways in which the mass media affect the way in which the audiences think or behave. The critiques of the influences of media suggested that media can weaken or delimit an individuals capacity in acting autonomously by connecting the world to the individuals and reproducing of self-images of the society, this characteristic of media is ascribed as an influence which is reminiscent of the telescreens, These Include all the kinds of media namely; the newspapers, TV, Radio, Internet and the Books. . The media generates information in a networked setup, it then publishes the information using the articles, videos, and the photos to the consumers, this influences the individuals ability to interpret the delivered information while at the same time it potentially influences the unrelated cultural and the personal beliefs, basing on the propaganda model. The Mass media content which is created for the newsworthy events and the untold stories have consequences on the consumers and culture can also be influenced. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon the society. This is due to its ability to reach a wider audience with strong and influential messages. The Television broadcasts have a lot of control over the content delivered to the society depending on the number watching and the times in which the same content is viewed. The internet creates the space for diverse political opinions, social and the cultural viewpoints and a higher level of consumer participation. The process of agenda-setting is almost the unavoidable section of news gathering in the large organizations which are stakeholders of the mass media. The media is not a crude agent of propaganda, but it organizes the public understandings by providing the overall interpretations that are preferred by, and in most cases it is least challenging especially to those with the economic power. News coverage of violent crimes serves the public interest, depending on how much coverage is necessary if it is necessary to cover every violent crime and the level of detail. (McCombs Shaw, 1972) The coverage of crimes in the society can be a valuable tool in decision making. If the Individuals are properly informed, they can make rational decisions basing on their personal safety. In case the population has been misled, may it be intentionally or not, depending on the nature of the crimes, and the rarity or commonality of the said crimes. When the coverage is an endless repetition of the apparently meaningless tragedies, then it causes a numbing effect on the population. The public interest may be the justification for the coverage of the mass murders, but in reality profit is the real motivation, since the mass media are in the business of making money and therefore the mass media cannot ignore mass murders. The allegations the mass media unintentionally promotes the mass murder is a serious one. Hence the mass media determine the appropriate level of coverage and it is necessary to cover every such crime. There is need for the media to devise the methods for discouraging the shoot your way to temporary fame which encourages copycat murders. It is evident that this problem has not been adequately addressed in the existing works on the media ethics. Literature Review A review on a number of the recent works in this field have suggested a trend the general problems of psychological and economic harm caused by inaccurate or unethical mass media reporting has been considered in great depths, However the very severe form of harm which is the unintentional encouragement of copycat murders has not been specifically discussed. A Noted author and the cultural behaviorist Loren Coleman explores how the medias over-saturated the coverage of the murders, suicides, and the deadly tragedies made an impact on the society. This is The Copycat Effect-the phenomenon in which violent events spawn violence of the same type. He recognizes the emerging patterns of the Copycat Effect, how to deal with and counteract the associated consequences as individuals and as the culture. Loren Coleman translates the academic research on the copycat effects an understandable form in which He brings the imitation of violence to reality through the detailed case studies and the pe rson-centered examples, such as the sensationalized reporting on suicide, sniper sprees, suicide via the airplane, suicidal cults, the post-office killings, and the teenage suicide. The media is largely in a state of denial on how its coverage on the death incidents contributes to the violence and destruction of lives in the society. Loren Colemans in The Copycat Effect examined the major news events, which were encouraged and promoted by the mass media, and those which get repeated in lesser-known incidents which were covered primarily by the local news. Klaidman Beauchamp (1987, pp. 93-123, pp. 201-7)) discussed the issues on journalistic-induced harm, but only with respect to the damaged reputations and the business losses. Pointed to the problems of the news organizations which created the news events, including the problems international terrorism, they did examine the possibility that the journalists efforts can play a part in causing a specific murder. Lambeth (1986) provides a thorough theoretical model in addressing the ethical issues on journalism, However, he fails to address the problem of media-induced harm. Hulteng (1981, pp. 71-86) sampled out the ethical codes of a number of the American newspapers; he reprinted the complete text of codes of the ethics for the Associated Press Managing Editors, the American Society of the Newspaper Editors, and the Society of the Professional Journalists. All these ethical codes address the issue of harm and balance in a very general way but do not directly discuss how the coverage of a particular criminal act can lead to the copycat crimes. The news media is supposed to satisfy both the obligation of accurately informing the public about the nature of the societys murder problems, and the obligation of the stockholders to keep the circulation up. The inevitable public boredom with the coverage of the meaningless little murders makes this an impossible act to balance. The media coverage on some murders in the sensational manner has been customized in many events. The editors justify this time-honored tradition basing on the economic considerations and in light of the major roles. The editors need to figure out the many innocent lives that will be sacrificed in order to boost the circulation, or promote the political agendas. These mass media studies suggest that that there is need for standardized means in which a kind of crime violence should be given the attention proportionate to its size, in relation to the its magnitude, and base on the importance of its victims. The Violent crimes of all types should be highlighted, in a relative way to other causes of suffering, which are proportionate to the social costs. Meyer (1987, pp. 155-156) points to the problem of the unbalanced reporting of the health and safety issues in the mass media causes the wild and inaccurate notions on the relative risks of various causes of death. He gives an example where a surveyed group of the greatly underestimated deaths caused by the emphysema, relates to the deaths by homicide. Meyer described one of the studies carried out by researchers at the University of Oregon, in which it was found that the pictures formed inside the heads of the people who were interviewed tended to be influenced by the spooky, violent world of the newspaper content as compared to the real world. It is important that the studies recognizes how the misleading portrayal of the real world can become an artifact of the popular morbid curiosity, that the newspapers must satisfy or lose in their circulation, this reflects what Meyer terms as, The Distorting Effects of the Perceptual Models. In brief, the journalists through the mass media enhance certain assumptions in their work. They make use of the facts which do not fit into the journalists perceptual model that tends to be downgraded in its importance or ignored. This study bases on the facts which include the statistical analysis, even at the most basic level, but the primary liberal arts orientation given to the journalists comes to the forefront takes the precedence. (Meyer, 1987, pp. 48-50) David Lesters (1989) study titled, Media Violence and Suicide and Homicide Rates. He summarized the two reports extracted from the National Coalition on the TV Violence. The first report asserts that there exists a negative correlation between the suicides and violent, media related issues, and a positive correlation in relation to the homicide at the same time. The second report asserts somehow similar, which does not statistically signify the relationships between the best-attended films, suicide and the homicide. Lesters shows that the National Coalition on the TV violence is not an objective source, Lester did not attempt to analyze the methods used, or critically evaluate the significance of these reports. There are serious problems that prove or disprove the causal relationships that exist between the television entertainment and the violent behavior; therefore there is no reason to assume that the television news provides the easier opportunity for such research. Methodology This research employed a web based survey in gathering data on the Media influences and promotion of the copycat murders. I analyzed news coverage of the mass murders in Time and the Newsweek for the period ranging 1984-91 for the evidence of the disproportionate, coverage of certain categories of mass murder in a manner that influenced the occurrence of the subsequent incidents. I used this design in order to trace the root of copycat murders and at the same time justify the hypothesis which assumes that copycat murders are accelerated by media influences.. The instrument was divided into two parts; The Descriptive Analysis, which describes the influences of media in the individuals ability to commit a crime as a result of the interests developed from the media highlights.. The Critical Analysis, which assesses the extent to which the American based print media, perpetuates the copycat murders. This involved the analysis of two main Newspapers, the Times and the Newsweek based on their modes of reporting the violent criminal incidences. Sample description and selection the copycat murder cases In this research work the random sampling procedure was used in the process of data collection on the copycat murders, this was due to the nature of the topic which required many sources of information concerning the influences of mass media on copycat murders. The contexts for the study were based on the distinctive nature of the internet. Data was collected in the process of evaluation of the influences of the mass media and the mode in which the copycat crimes. Results    Table 1 shows the data gathered on the different types of murde , it is clear that the arson mass murderers and the knife mass murderers received relatively very little attention from the Time and the Newsweek. The data shows that, there is a very large discrepancy between the amount of coverage that given to the arson mass murders, and the mass murderers involving the guns exclusively. The fire arms leads with a factor of almost nine times as much coverage as seen from the comparison between the coverage given to the exclusive firearms mass murderers and to the arson mass murderers. Murderer Month/Year Dead Newsweek sq. in. Newsweek Sq. Inches/Dead James Huberty Jul-84 22 157.50 7.16 Sylvia Seegrist Nov-85 2 0.00 0.00 William Bryan Cruse Apr-87 6 0.00 0.00 David Burke Dec-87 43 57.75 1.34 Robert Dreesman Dec-87 7 0.00 0.00 Ronald Gene Simmons Dec-87 16 78.75 4.92 Richard Wade Farley Feb-88 7 0.00 0.00 Laurie Wasserman Dann May-88 2 54.00 27.00 Patrick Purdy Jan-89 6 370.34 61.72 Joseph T. Wesbecker Sep-89 8 52.50 6.56 James E. Pough Jun-90 9 0.00 0.00 George Hennard Oct-91 24 78.75 3.28 Firearms Murders 152 849.59 5.59 There is a large discrepancy that exists; however, this is because of the many articles which mentioned Patrick Purdys crime. But even with the exclusion of all coverage of Patrick Purdys crimes (there is still a very charitable assumption on the data by the Time and Newsweek, in consideration of the centrality to the Wesbeckers actions of the Times coverage), the square inches per dead body for the firearms mass murderers is still more than 5 times the coverage when it comes to the arson mass murderers. This dramatic difference was shown by Plotting the square inches per dead body mass media coverage on the selected murderers incidents as shown below. Plotting of the firearms mass murder coverage against time also showed some interesting results, as shown in Figure 2. In this case, the mass murder coverage rose dramatically with the crimes committed by Laurie Wasserman Dann and Patrick Purdy There is a sudden dived back from high to very low levels especially during the pre-Dann levels with the Wesbecker incident. The Time newspaper which is more prone to the coverage of the firearms mass murders before Dann and Purdy, was the noticeably restrained of the two magazines as seen in its coverage of the mass murders from Wesbecker and onwards. There is a unique relationship pertaining the Time seen from the connection between their coverage of the Purdy, and the Wesbeckers bloody rampage? Discussion The cases analyzed included the following; On January 17, 1989, a homosexual prostitute who was also a drug addict with a very long history of the criminal offenses and mental disturbance, Patrick Purdy, directly to the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. He firebombed his car, entered a playground during the recess time carrying a Chinese gun, a semiautomatic version of the full automatic AK-47), he shot to death five children, wounded 29 other children and the teacher, then shot himself in the head using a 9mm handgun. The Initial coverage of the Purdys crime was relatively restrained, where only the essential details were reported. The Time paper gave Purdy just part of a page in the first issue after the crime titled (Slaughter in a School Yard, 1989). The Newsweek gave a single page titled Death on the Playground, and pointed to the four prior attacks on the school children, it started with the Laurie Dann. The Newsweek included Purdys photograph in its article. Newsweeks article (Baker, Joseph, and Cerio, 1989) quoted the authors of a book with the content on mass murder: Theres a copycat element that cannot be denied. A week later, Patrick Purdys name had received a lot of attention, and consequently his fame increased. At one point the front cover of the Time openly showed the AK-47 and the AR-15 which were crossed, beneath the outline of the U.S. which was stylized into a jawless skull, and titled, Armed America. Inside, the George Churchs The Other Arms Race, (1989) this occupied almost 6 ½ pages, opening with Patrick Purdys name. Consequently the articles referencing Purdy or his criminal act continued to appear in Newsweek and Time for several months. Within the same year, On September 14, 1989, Joseph Wesbecker who was a disabled employee of the Standard Gravure Co. in the Kentucky entered into the printing plant similarly carrying the AKS and a 9mm handgun. A reminiscence of Purdys scenario, the Wesbeckers actions were shortly detailed by the UPI wire service stories, particularly the William H. Inmans which was titled Wesbeckers rampage is boon to gun dealers (1989a): The most important fact is how the news coverage of the Purdys crime influenced Wesbeckers actions, and eve the identification of the weapon of choice for such an act of savagery. ( Inman, 1989) The police investigated this incident and at Wesbeckers residence, they found the manuals on weapons and an article published on February 6 issue of Time magazine devoted to the mass killers, including the one on Robert Sherrill, who slaughtered 14 people in the Oklahoma post office three years ago, and another one on Patrick Purdy, who killed five children with the AK-47 assault rifle in the Stockton, Calif, in January 1989. The same AK-47 was the main weapon used by Wesbecker. It is obvious that Joseph Wesbecker was not a healthy and well-adjusted person driven to commit his crime as a result of the sensational news coverage. The Time newspaper might have been responsible for having indirectly caused the horrible crime; this temptation could have been avoided. The editors of the Time might have foreseen the high probability for this kind of coverage promoting the copycat crimes. In analyzing of the data, this research paper based on two related issues: The level of the coverage that was given by the print media, the Time and Newsweek where certain crimes appeared to encourage the unbalanced people, who were seeking a lasting fame, by copying these crimes as we seen in Joseph Wesbeckers 1989 homicidal rampage. The analysis of the quantity of the press coverage which was given to the mass murder as in the case of the Newsweek and especially the Time which gave the undue attention to the particular type of mass murder, hence to the detriment of the public safety. Conclusion There are some positive effects from the mass media portrayals of the violence murders, according to a study the print and television have significant effects on the copycat murders some news reports have the major effects of promoting the copy cat violence and the killings. Therefore study conclude that the reporters are in need of some kind of guide on how the violence murder should be reported so as to avoid the potential negative effects that emanates from the mode of reporting to the public. There is the need to develop a journalistic style guide to determine the type of information which is recommended due to the potential positive or the negative effects. (Cairns, 1990, Price, Merrill, Clause, 1992, Wood, Wong, Chachere, 1991) The mode coverage of crime incidences in the society forms a very valuable tool in an individual decision making. The properly informed Individuals, can make rational decisions basing on their personal safety. If the population has been misled, be it intentional or not, it depends on the nature of the crimes, and the rarity or commonality of the said crimes. If the coverage involves an endless repetition of the apparently meaningless tragedies, it can cause a numbing effect on the population. The mass media generates information in a network, then the collected information is published using the articles, videos, and the photos to the consumers, this has the influences the individuals ability to digest the delivered information while at the same time it potentially influences the unrelated cultural and the personal beliefs, basing on the propaganda models. The Mass media content is created from the events and the untold stories which have effects on the consumers and their cultural orientation.

Free Candide Essays: The Search for Truth :: Candide essays

The Search for Truth in Candide Voltaire's Candide is a novel which contains conceptual ideas and at the same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers sad themes disguised by jokes and witticism, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook on life. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas as taught to Candide about being optimistic, versus reality as viewed by the rest of the world. The main theme which is presented throughout the novel is optimism. Out of every unfortunate situation in the story, Candide, the main character, has been advised by his philosopher-teacher that everything in the world happens for the better, because "Private misfortunes contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes there are, the more we find that all is well" (Voltaire, p. 31). Pangloss, the philosopher, tries to defend his theories by determining the positive from the negative situations and by showing that misfortunes bring some privileges. As Candide grows up, whenever something unfortunate happens, Pangloss would turn the situation around, bringing out the good in it. Candide learns that optimism is "The passion for maintaining that all is right when all goes wrong " (Voltaire, p.86). According to Rene Pomeau, "Voltaire-Candide...have made him [Candide] acquainted with the bad and the good side of human existence. The moral of Candide is born out of its style; it is the art of extracting happiness from the desolate hopping-about of the human insect" (Adams; Pomeau p.137). Pomeau explains that Candide shows both sides of humanity; how both great and terrible events are standard in a human life. Also according to Pomeau, the whole point of the story is to debate between good and bad; for example, as Candide becomes more independent, he starts to doubt that only good comes out of life. Pangloss is a very hopeful character in the story because he refuses to accept bad. He is also somewhat naive and believes that he could make the world a better place by spreading his theories on optimism. When Candide had met up with Pangloss after a long period of time, Pangloss said that he was almost hanged, then dissected, then beaten. Candide asked the philosopher if he still thought that everything was for the better, and Pangloss replied that he still held his original views. No matter how little Pangloss believed in the fact that somehow everything would turn out well, he still maintained his original views.

Hockey vs. Football Essay -- Sports Compare Contrast Hockey Football E

Hockey vs. Football Football and hockey are two sports, which are similar in objective, but very different in their rules and guidelines. In each of these major sports there are rules and guidelines that the players must follow. The topics that will be covered are the weight differences between the players in football and hockey, the use of Creatine Monohydrate, and last the equipment restrictions. This first paragraph will discuss the weight difference between the players in the NFL (football) and the NHL (hockey). Although there is no written rule as to how much a player can weigh in either of the sports, there is the unwritten rule that the players and coaches follow. The average hockey player weighs about 185 pounds. The average weight of a full NHL hockey team consisting of 24 players is about 4,500 lbs. Coaches in the NHL do not want their players too weigh more than 200 though because as Mike Milbury the coach of the New York Islanders put it â€Å" when a player is as big as a football player (approx. 250 lbs.). It is harder for a player to move quickly and elude an upcoming check†. In the NFL, it is the opposite of the NHL. The coaches don’t want their players too weigh less than 200 pounds. The Punter/Kicker is the only position that it doesn’t really matter what the weight of player is. On average the weight of a NFL player is 250 lbs. The averag e team consisting of 48 players weighs about 12,000 lbs. This paragraph talks about a very controversial substanc...

‘Lady Lazarus’ by Sylvia Plath. Essay

The poem ‘Lady Lazarus’ gives us an insight into the troubled life of the poet Sylvia Plath. She lost her father at an early age. Supported solely by her mother she went through a very rough childhood. In fact, Sylvia Plath escaped a near fatal accident in her childhood and went on to attempt suicide twice in the following years of her life. In the poem, Plath lets her emotions flow and sheds light on her distress. In this poem, Sylvia Plath uses Holocaust imagery extensively. The Holocaust, as is widely known, refers to the inhuman torture and exploitation of the Jews by the Nazis. The first mention of the gruesome Holocaust comes in the form of a comparison between herself and a Nazi lampshade. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Nazis used the skins of the Jews to make lampshades. Plath feels that she has been used in a similar manner. Throughout her life Plath had been in and out of hospital. So much so that she felt like an object on display; a mere, inconsequential living thing on which the doctors happily carried out various experiments. The Nazis used to take away all valuable articles from the Jews, including expensive fabrics like linen. Plath refers to her skin as Jew linen, again indicating that she was used as an object. Plath suffered a nervous breakdown in her childhood. To cure her, doctors had no choice but to use shock treatment, subjecting her to unbearable pain in the process. In the poem, Plath uses the word ‘charge’ which has a pun on it, referring to the brutal pain inflicted on her by the doctors. In this instance, a parallel can be drawn to the inhuman torture experienced by the Jews. In the poem, Plath refers to herself as a ‘valuable’ and a ‘pure gold baby’, which is again an example of Holocaust imagery. It is widely believed that the Nazis were so cruel that they not only used the Jews to do physical work but also used their bodies to make objects like soap. Their golden teeth were plucked out and melted to make valuables such as wedding rings. Their corpses were then burnt to erase all trace of their existence. The mention of all this in the poem makes us believe that Sylvia Plath considered herself to be stifled, oppressed and exploited, just like the Jews. Finally, a striking similarity is noticed in the manner in which Plath chose to end her life and the methods used to exterminate the Jews. The Jews were killed in gas chambers where poisonous gases devoured their internal organs. Plath committed suicide by putting her head inside an oven, and died as a result of gas poisoning. In my opinion this was perhaps because she felt herself so alike the Jews that she preferred to end her life in the very same manner. Thus, we can safely conclude that Holocaust imagery forms a significant part of Sylvia Plath’s poem ‘Lady Lazarus’. b) After critically analyzing the poem, the Holocaust imagery which has been used widely, seems fairly effective in conveying the poet’s message. It is clear from the poem that Sylvia Plath felt she has been driven to suicide by society as a whole. Evidently, she believed that life had been too unfair to her. This feeling stems from her childhood, when she lost her father. This horrific incident left a gaping void in her life. A major part of her moral support had been cruelly snatched from her. To add to this, Plath had a pitiable medical record. She made frequent visits to the hospital throughout her life. The excruciating shock treatment she received shook her completely. Once Plath got married, her personal life suffered even more. Her husband had been unfaithful to her, further aggravating her pitiable condition. Overall, Plath’s life was depressing to say the least. Plath was consumed by self-pity throughout her life. In this regard, the Holocaust imagery used by Plath is very effective and appropriate. It reminds us of history’s most vicious tale of cruelty. This justifies its use to depict Plath’s life. However, in other respects, the Holocaust imagery cannot effectively portray Plath’s life. An important reason being that the Jews always had the will to survive. They were members of an affluent community who were stripped off all their possessions by the Nazis. Plath on the other hand had attempted suicide twice. This is a glaring difference between Plath’s life and the Holocaust, making it quite ineffective in conveying her message. Another important difference is that the Holocaust was a planned genocide which involved the death of approximately six million people. Plath’s comparison seems quite irrelevant in this aspect, as she talks about the death of a single person (herself). Finally, one of the most important differences is that Plath considered death to be a performance. At the end of the poem, Plath says that she was about to rise like a phoenix, referring to her own death. To her, attaining death was like being resurrected, as she would be freed from her troubled life. Plath believed death to be a means of attaining victory over life. She clearly mentions that when she survived her second suicide attempt, it was a theatrical comeback. In comparison, the Holocaust was only about forcing people into giving up their lives. Thus, in my opinion, taking these factors and many more subtle differences onto consideration, the Holocaust imagery is fairly effective in conveying Plath’s message.

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto Book Critique Essay

McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Chipotle, Subway, Jimmy Johns, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Popeye’s and countless other food places are visited by thousands of Americans each day. Sadly, because of the convenience and price I am one of these people who give in to the endless fast food options we have in America today. Grocery shopping for most Americans is buying food that is the â€Å"best bargain,† or something you can get your moneys worth for. Quantity over quality is the mindset that a lot of people have in today’s society and how can you blame them? With rising costs in every aspect of living, a lot of people cannot afford to purchase organic, better quality food. Reading Michael Pollan’s book In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto has surprisingly helped me in becoming a better consumer and to make healthier choices in what I eat on a regular basis. As the title suggests, throughout the book the author tries to get the reader to take common sen se approaches in improving the way they eat. The main argument he points out is that having science incorporated into the way we eat (especially the additives and chemicals put into foods) has vastly decreased the quality of our food and increased diseases and health complications in America. The â€Å"Western diet† compared to other regions of the world is obviously not the best diet and it would be in the best interest of everyone to go back to a more traditional diet. Pollan also wants us to remember to â€Å"Eat food, not too much. Mostly plants.† Interestingly enough while I was writing this paper I was drinking Mango Passion Fruit Juice from Welch’s and I thought I would read the ingredients because there is a section in Pollan’s book that says to not eat or drink things with ingredients you don not know or cannot even pronounce. My juice contained high fructose corn syrup, filtered water, apple juice concentrate, mango puree concentrate, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, gum acacia, beta carotene (color), and ester gum. Most of the ingredients listed sound like they are from a science laboratory experiment and not the ingredients needed to make simple fruit juice. Pollan discusses many methods an d guidelines of how to eat healthy and what foods to avoid and to eat more of. Throughout the book the main arguments that I thought were the most important and that I agree with was that having science dictate what we deem is healthy or nutritious in our diet should be changed and have us go  back to traditional diets, that foods are essentially the sum of their nutrient parts, nutritionalism (the history of the isolated nutrients in our diet) is not a good approach to eating and the food manufacturing industry does not help the consumer’s health because all they really care about is marketing their products and increasing yields, and that our mindset when eating and purchasing food should be quality over quantity. The first main argument from In Defense of Food is the one that says having science dictate what we deem is healthy or nutritious in our diet should be changed and we should go back to traditional diets (versus a Western diet). An article by Livestrong.com compares a specific Asian diet versus a western one. The traditional Japanese diet includes fresh fish, rice, soy, vegetables, fruits, and green tea, while the Western diet relies heavily on red meat, poultry, fried foods, and processed foods that are high in salt or added sugar (Campbell). Looking at the two diets from a broad perspective and not from a narrow scientific view, it seems that the Japanese diet seems much more healthy to the consumer. Another few guidelines he lays out is that people should eat whole foods, purchase free range meats, buy from fair and local farmers markets or even directly from the farmer, savor your meals at the table with friends or family, avoid foods your great grandmother would not recognize, and to grow a garden to get the most fresh, ripe produce. I whole-heartedly agree on all of these points. It seems that the most natural and close you can get your food from the original source itself, the better quality it will be. There are many health claims and benefits about eating free-range meats, which include less cruelty inflicted on the animals, being able to obtain better nutrients from the meat itself, and to help local farmers. Compared to free range meats, conventional meats are fed a specific grain diet that increases rapid weight gain (Walls-Thumma). There actually is a difference in the meat that comes from rapid weight gained animals from the slow free-range animals. Slow growing animals produce meat with lower lipid content and higher proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids, making this type of animal attractive from a nutritional point of view (Bianchi et al. 318). In today’s world, science and technology are a part of our everyday lives and has improved our quality of life tremendously. With such improvements in our well being due to science, it seems silly that there would be a drawback to having â€Å"too much science† in one’s life. However,  with the increase in health conscious consumers, most food products that are currently sold have added ingredients in them to make them more nutritious. Jennifer L. Pomeranz writes that health and nutrition claims have been shown to increase consumers’ perception of healthfulness and willingness to purchase the products. However, studies indicate that these claims are misleading and confusing, detract from the use of the Nutrition Facts Panel, generate inaccurate references and often convey healthiness for products that do not meet objective nutrition standards (2). Minute Maid’s Cranberry Apple Cocktail advertises that it is â€Å"all natural† but in actuality contains citric acid, while Thomas’ Hearty Grain English Muffins claim the muffins are â€Å"made with the goodness of whole grain† but is mostly unbleached enriched wheat flour (white flour) (Center for Science in the Public Interest). This goes along with not eating anything your great grandmother would not recognize as food. Too many people are informed on diet by untrustworthy marketing with little knowledge of real science, and even scientists cannot agree with each other. One report would claim that saturated fats are bad while another claims they are healthy (Parker-Pope). Pollan writes that in response to the 1977 and 1982 dietary guidelines, animal scientists genetically bred for leaner pigs and beef. A pork chop could now compete with chicken and be advertised as having â€Å"reduced saturated fat intake.† Genetically modified foods have been ever increasing in our supermarkets and grocery stores because they can be produced in greater quantities and at lower costs. Alcaraz, Bellows, and Hallman reports that by 2004 the U.S. accounted for 59% of the total area cropped with genetically modiï ¬ ed varieties worldwide. This proportion could grow in the coming years due to the increasing rate of adoption of genetically modified crops by U.S. farmers (541). Several health concerns have been raised by researchers on genetically modified foods including not having enough research done on the long and short-term effects on our bodies, how the changes may mutate within our bodies, and the loss of natural seeds (taken from native wild plants) from be ing replaced by genetically modified seeds (Domingo 722). The ideology of nutritionalism (isolated nutrients in our diet) is not in any means a good approach to eating. Throughout the book there are several examples of how overall a particular diet is great for a group of people, but when the nutrients are isolated and added to other  foods, the achieved health effects are not the same. Nonessential and essential nutrients cannot be considered to operate in isolation; rather, they work in a dynamic, constantly changing milieu. Greater attention to all components of the diet and elaboration of their interactions should make possible specific and appropriate recommendations for the general population and allow for recommendations tailored to specific subgroups or individuals (Milner 1658). Also, the food manufacturing industry promotes false health advertising in order to market their products and increase yield. They have helped to justify â€Å"foods† such as vitamin enriched Diet Coke and bread with Omega-3 fatty acids (Pollan 53, 80). Similar to nutritionalism, reductionism also takes complex things and reduces them to simpler constituents. Reductionism as a way of understanding how certain foods or drugs work may be harmless and quite beneficial, but when it comes to actually practicing it by applying to the way we eat (reducing foods and plants to their most salient compounds), can lead to problems. Nutrition scientists especially those involved with conveying health messages should adopt as their primary public health perspective one which recognizes that the influence of diet on health and diseases likely results not only from the subtle effects of a vast multitude of individual food components but from whole foods and the interactions that occur among t heir constituents (Appel et al. 1417). By isolating nutritional elements from the whole foods package in which they originate, food manufacturers can convince us that their highly-processed and nutrient-poor products are heart healthy, rich in omega-3’s, contain zero trans fat, provide daily fiber requirements, or contain no cholesterol. Lastly, I thought that one of the more important arguments Pollan talked about in the book was how we should consume and purchase food that chooses the value of that product over the amount of what we are purchasing. However, in today’s world where our food system is organized around quantity rather than quality, the more low quality food one eats, it seems that the more one wants to eat in a unsuccessful but highly profitable quest for the absent nutrient (Pollan 124). Farmers have doubled or tripled the yield of most major grains, fruits and vegetables over the last half-century. American agriculture’s single-minded focus on increasing yields over the last half-century created a blind spot where incremental erosion in the nutritional quality of our food has occurred. The concentration of a range  of essential nutrients in the food supply has declined in the last few decades, with double-digit percentage declines of iron, zinc, calcium, selenium and other essential n utrients across a wide range of common foods. As a consequence, the same-size serving of sweet corn or potatoes, or a slice of whole wheat bread, delivers less iron, zinc and calcium (Halweil 5). Understanding not just what to eat to obtain our nutrients in the best way possible, but in how to eat will help to improve people’s lives that are on the Western diet. Many health problems, avoidable deaths, and other negative factors that have come from the way they eat will be eliminated if we take into consideration the many valid points that Michael Pollan lists in his book. The few arguments Pollan listed that I was able to validate from other sources were the ones that I thought were the most important but by no means were they the only ones.

Analysis- Macbeth’s soliloquy Essay

Macbeth’s soliloquy at the start of Act 1, Scene 7, introduces us to a side of Macbeth that has not yet been portrayed earlier in the play. Here, instead of being the courageous and valiant soldier, Macbeth reveals himself to be a man who is being slowly tempted by ambition and power, though not determined enough to take the risks in order to achieve his goal, thus resulting in the repetition of â€Å"ifs† throughout the beginning of Macbeth’s soliloquy. Macbeth is also very much aware of the lack of reason for the murder of Duncan. The soliloquy effectively adds to our understanding of the internal conflict that plagues Macbeth as he struggles to determine whether or not he should kill Duncan, who is a virtuous man as well as his kinsman and king. He believes that it is against the nature of man to kill someone who is of such a status and relation to him and that it is immoral to do so, â€Å"he’s here in double trust: first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed† and that it would be a breech of Duncan’s trust in him if he decides to go through with the murder. We see Macbeth’s reluctance to murder Duncan himself as he is a guest in his own home. â€Å"†¦as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself.† Macbeth knows that his weakness is the desire he has to seize the crown. He knows that although he does not wish to murder Duncan but for the fulfillment of his own ambition, â€Å"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition†¦Ã¢â‚¬  it is something that must happen in order for Macbeth to achieve what he wants. The audience sees the conflict within Macbeth and the horrible imaginings he has for his own downfall and his fate. He knows that he is drinking from a â€Å"poisoned chalice† which symbolizes Macbeth’s yearning for moral desecration. Another aspect of Macbeth that the audience witness is the reluctance to mention the murder of Duncan. Instead, he uses euphemisms such as † it, assassination, this blow, the deed, bear the knife, his taking off, horrid deed, my intent† This gives the audience the impression that Macbeth is scared to name his fate and his intentions of murdering Duncan in fear of â€Å"jinxing† himself. Macbeth’s tone throughout his soliloquy is one of confusion, frustration and is filled with hellish images which are associated with what may become of Macbeth’s soul. â€Å"Bloody instructions, which being taught; return to plague th’inventor, deep damnation, poisoned chalice† Macbeth recognizes the guilt which may come with the murder of Duncan and we find ourselves feeling pity for him as he  struggles with morals and his own ambition. Personification and metaphors are also effective in Macbeth’s soliloquy. Through personification, various aspects of humanity such as virtues, justice, and pity have been exaggerated so that the audience may treat these aspects as humans, and feel the vulnerability of human goodness- pity is portrayed as a newborn babe, and virtues are portrayed pleading like angels. Through Macbeth’s soliloquy, the audience sees that this man, who was supposedly a virtuous, valiant person, has become a weak character, giving in to the temptations brought on by ambition, greed and power, even if it means having to abandon his morals. The audience recognizes that Macbeth is human and he is plagued with a troubled conscience but we are disappointed to see Macbeth slowly drifting towards corruption and his own downfall. He will eventually â€Å"o’erleap† himself.

Psychological Disorders and Treatment

Tatiana Saunders PS124: Psychological Disorders and Treatment Prof: Marjorie Vandemark Kaplan University Everyone has a personality with character traits, but when these traits are rigid and self-defeating, they may interfere with functioning and even lead to psychiatric symptoms. A psychological disorder is describe as any disturbance of emotional equilibrium, as manifested in maladaptive behavior and impaired functioning, caused by genetic, physical, chemical, biological, psychological, or social and cultural factors.Schizophrenia is a disease that strikes people in their prime. It does not matter who you are, you can be diagnosis with schizophrenia. Many people all over the world are affected by bipolar disorders. There are two phases of bipolar manic and depressive. There are many new types of treatments used, such as drug therapy and psychological therapy. Schizophrenia is a serious brain illness that causes changes in how you think, feel, and behave. While treating Sophia Smith since she was 12 years old for schizophrenia.Sophia has presented symptoms such as misbehaving in school and at home due to mother and father divorce when she was reaching the age of 13 years, Sophia was the only child and didn’t really get along with the other children at her school. Sophia has been struggling in school because at times she feels and behaves in the wrong way and she is afraid that her classmates are going to look at her differently because she has a psychological disorder and is currently taking medications to help her behave properly in the classroom.Sophia received therapy every week for six months so that she can feel comfortable talking about what makes her lash out and have trouble behaving in the proper way as well as the way she thinks before she lashes out. While reaching out to Sophia I also reached out to her parents and even though they were separated I introduced the different treatments options that would benefit Sophia in therapy.Cognitive the rapy and behavioral therapy was applied to Sophia’s treatment approach in order to addresses her dysfunctional emotions, maladaptive behaviors and cognitive processes and contents through a number of goal-oriented, explicit systematic procedures. There were long time goals set up for Sophia while attending school to engage in activities to help her nteract with the different people in her school, Sophia has also set up long term goals at home to be more productive and be more open to having two homes one with her mother and one with her farther, She will also have therapy sessions with both her mother and farther in order to understand that the divorce was not her mistake, as well as knowing she always can talk to her parents no matter what she is going through they should be the first step in showing her problems.As a professional my obligation is to continue going through therapy with Sophia and making sure she stays on the right path in while dealing with her disorder and always let her know that she can become anyone she wants, she won’t be judged because of her mental disorder. Sophia has made tremendous progress and is not currently taking any medications just receiving therapy once a week and also getting positive feedback from her parents and classmates. More than two million Americans suffer from some form of bipolar disorder, a persistent, severe, sometimes lethal, and lifelong illness (Campbell, 2003).Vanessa Sawyer, like many victims of this illness, struggled for fifteen years before climbing out of the deep dark pit. Primary care physicians play a critical role in recognizing, diagnosing, and treating this disorder. Many symptoms of bipolar disorder go either unrecognized or victims and families are in a state of denial. The majority of patients with bipolar disorder will experience significant symptoms before the age of twenty-five years the disorder is complicated by co-occurring alcohol or substance abuse.While treating my client Bobby Lopez for about three months he has shown little signs of improvement, He started out with another therapist and was reassigned to me for a further study. Bobby stated that he started feeling down and didn’t really want to come out his house at times he would push his wife of three years away just because his mood was unstable, Bobby recently had a child who just turned 3 months he has had no interaction with playing or taking care of his child due to his mood.Before Bobby came to see a therapist he was drinking very heavily and would drink for sunrise to sundown to bypass the time and to make himself feel better. As we have been working on his drinking in order to help him to improve his mood disorder. The main goals of humanistic therapy in Bobby case is to find out how he will perceive himself here and now and how he can recognize growth, self-direction and responsibilities. This method is optimistic and attempts to help individuals recognize their strengths by offe ring a non-judgmental, understanding experience.Bobby since his treatment has become a better father to his wife and his child, he has also gained a job and his mood is gotten a lot better. I also still her Bobby once a week for therapy at times he brings his wife for family therapy. My professional obligation in the case of Bobby is to make sure he continue on the right path and receiving therapy as well as getting more involved with the world and a better relationship[ with his wife and also to build his self-esteem.In conclusion with as many problems as there are in today’s society, psychological disorders are very common. Since any behavior that is considered abnormal and disturbing can be described as a psychological disorder, there are various types of disorders. Along with these disorders are different techniques used by therapists to diagnose and treat the disorders. http://www. behavenet. com/personality-disorder http://www. counselling-directory. org. uk/humanistic. html

Gothic Literature: the Fascination with Terror

Traci L. Pugh Dr. Amber Reagan-Kendrick ENG 45023-SU-2012-OA Seminar in American Literature 8 August 2012 Gothic Literature: The Fascination with Terror People have an intrinsic fear of the dark and the unknown. While each person’s level of anxiety and object of terror are different, the fascination to reveal them has inspired Gothic authors such as Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, and Stephenie Meyer for three centuries. Subjects of these classic tales include vampires, reanimation of the dead, ghosts, murder, witches, and love.These stories and poems can terrify audiences because they can encompass reality of things people cherish with a twist of the impossible. Gothic writers use terror, mystery, and excitement to probe the dark aspects of life by exposing inner human fear. Mary Shelley was a Romantic Gothic author, and it is speculated that Frankenstein symbolizes â€Å"internal conflicts and life experiences with what may have been their manifestations in the fictionalized characters she created† (D’Amato 117). She was orphaned at an early age, and death was no stranger to her due to the deaths of her sister and her husband’s first wife.Mary feared giving birth, mainly because her mother died eleven days after giving birth to her, but D’ Amato proposes that she â€Å"may have believed any child she produced would inherit the repressed, hated, and destructive parts of herself† (122). Shelley’s work may have mirrored her life, but it was common for Gothic authors of this time to write about â€Å"the nation’s dreams, and their own† (â€Å"Gothic Undercurrents†). The early nineteenth century was a time of fear due to rapid changes in the nation: abolition, the Great Depression, war, and the bank crisis.These events gave Americans the feeling that â€Å"life was an experiment that had gone horribly wrong,† and these writers explored this fear with prose (â€Å"Gothic Unde rcurrents†). This newfound style of writing exposed the dark side of humanity, but it also questioned the mystery of unsolvable problems. These works probed the demons of the nation and the writers. Frankenstein began as Mary Shelley’s dream in 1816, and her tale of loneliness, reanimating the dead, murder, guilt, and revenge has been dubbed a literary classic.The main character, Victor Frankenstein, believes he has discovered the secret of life and proclaims, â€Å"Darkness had no effect upon my fancy; and a church-yard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm† (Shelley 79). Once the monster is created, it feels abandoned and starts killing. The creature inadvertently causes the death of an innocent girl. Victor realizes his creation is lonely, and nothing more than an abomination, so he decides to destroy it.A journey into the mountains ensues, but a crack in the ice divides their paths. When Frankenstein dies, the monster comes to see him and says, â€Å"Blasted as thou wert, my agony was still superior to thine; for the bitter sting of remorse may not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall close them for ever† (Shelley 244). This story reveals the idea that the dead, once reanimated, are like an angry child who lashes out at a parent who has betrayed them. The feeling of abandonment was what Shelley tried to capture in this morbid tale of love and loss, and this theme would continue with future authors.Edgar Allan Poe, considered a Victorian Gothic, was also an orphan whose life seemed to be full of disaster. He suffered an unmerciful surrogate father, was kicked out of the University of Virginia, dropped out of West Point, married his thirteen year old cousin, and lived in poverty with his freelance lifestyle (Doctorow 241). The driving force behind his work was that he embraced his own misery because he believed that his s uffering was natural. His stories were written in the mid-nineteenth century, and people were still afraid of their uncertain futures.Poe used this to his benefit in what he called, â€Å"Imp of the Perverse – the force within us that causes us to do just what brings on our destruction† (241). This kind of thinking was the basis for many of his stories, and most of his characters were the reason for their own problems and demise. Poe â€Å"worked hard at structuring his tales of aristocratic madmen, self-tormented murderers, neurasthenic necrophiliacs, and other deviant types to produce the greatest possible horrific effects on his readers† (Baym 674).He was quite successful in this endeavor, as most people associate Poe’s name with dark, horrific, murderous tales. His â€Å"Philosophy of Composition† tells of his belief that â€Å"the supreme subject for a poem is the death of a beautiful woman† (Doctorow 242). This is evident in one of his most famous poems, â€Å"The Raven. † Possibly one of Poe’s most maddening poems, â€Å"The Raven† is rhythmic and could be set to music with constant mention of the door, Lenore, evermore, and nevermore. The use of vivid imagery causes the reader to see this black raven sitting on the door pecking at it.The main character is a man grieving for his lost love, Lenore, and he believes the knocking sound is her returning. The raven says but one word, â€Å"Nevermore. † The man wonders what this means, and asks the bird if it is a messenger from God or the devil. Again the Raven says, â€Å"Nevermore. † Spiraling into madness and grief, he begs the bird, â€Å"Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door. Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore’† (Poe 74). The Raven stays at the door and forever torments the man with his repetitive call.This uncertainty about death was a Gothic specialty, and the introduction of animals and their mysterious qualities would prove to inspire future writers. A century later, tales of Modern Horror would build on their macabre roots and incorporate popular culture to terrify readers like never before. Stephen King, often named the master of horror, has petrified audiences with tales of demonic cars, possessed children, undead pets and people, aliens, and the inherent evil in all people. King’s inspiration stems from â€Å"his own life experiences and fantasies, popular culture, and his reading of archaic burial lore† (Nash 151).Even though most literary critics do not agree with his writing style, horror fans are mesmerized by the images he creates. King and Shelley both play on fears â€Å"such as the problematic nature and popular fear of science and technology† (151), but King is â€Å"more willing to tackle explicitly cultural issues as opposed to the traditional Gothic preoccupation with personality and character† (152). Many of Kingâ⠂¬â„¢s stories concentrate on a fear of the dead, but they also raise the question of whether the dead want to come back and the consequences that follow.Love is a powerful thing and people never want to let go of a loved one, but at what expense are they willing to have that person back? Stephen King’s scariest tale, Pet Sematary, asks and answers this very question by illustrating a modern family and the horrific, yet normal, happenings that tear the family apart and invoke the need for the supernatural. The Creeds move to a new house in Maine to start a new life. Mr. Creed is a doctor at the University, and he befriends the old neighbor next door. The neighbor tells of an Indian burial ground beyond the pet cemetery where the dead can come back.The family cat, Church, is killed by a truck on the busy road in front of the house, and Mr. Creed desperately buries the body in the â€Å"magic circle† of the burial ground to keep from telling this horror to his daughter. The cat comes back to life, but is â€Å"changed, if not psychotic† (Nash 156). Soon, the youngest son, Gage, meets the same disastrous fate as the cat. The father is consumed with grief and frantically buries the little boy in the same place. Gage comes back in the same fashion as the cat and kills his mother and the neighbor.Even though the father is a doctor, and knows what the monster that resembles his son is capable of, he again makes a journey to the burial ground to bury his wife. He sits and waits for her to arrive. Love makes people desperate and willing to cross unrealistic boundaries in order to escape pain. Writers have used the connection between love and death to explore new avenues in horror. Stephenie Meyer has spellbound audiences with her Twilight series by introducing us to a world of supernatural beings, jealousy, ancient pacts, and love.Much like her Gothic predecessors, Meyers uses her dreams and popular culture to inspire her tales. Her vampires differ from the earlier versions in that â€Å"our vampires reflect our fears of new, changing or dissolved boundaries† (Mutch 76). New topics, such as â€Å"violent intolerance in the U. S. and elsewhere† are revealed by her characters going â€Å"to great lengths to hide their true identity† (78). This new generation of creatures reflect the thirst for blood and supernatural strength of the original monsters that began this era, but a regard for human life sets these apart.The overall view of the Twilight series, by Stephenie Meyer, is that love conquers all, even death. Much like Gothic literature itself, this story involves centuries of vampires hiding from the light to maintain existence among their prey. The human girl, Bella, is in love with a vampire, Edward, and they know that being together is impossible. She is willing to end her life and join his dark world, but he is unwilling to claim her mortality. In the same spirit as Frankenstein, Edward sees his cre ator as a father figure, but laments his own vile existence.It is revealed that her best friend, Jacob, who is also in love with her, is a werewolf. The vampires and the werewolves have a pact, but it will be breached if Bella joins the vampires. There are constant struggles between the humans, vampires, and the werewolves, but the undying love between Bella and Edward is unyielding. The two finally marry, and a baby is conceived that almost kills Bella. Although he has fought it diligently, Edward is forced to ferociously inject his venom into her lifeless body to save her in childbirth.The baby is half vampire and human, and instantly demonstrates supernatural powers, and captivates Jacob, which ends the battle between the coven and the clan. The book ends with a glimpse into the beauty of becoming a vampire when Bella remembers the first moments after she wakes as a newborn vampire: â€Å"his face when I’d opened my eyes to my new life, to the endless dawn of immortality . . . that first kiss . . . that first night . . . † (Meyer 753). The Twilight series is a love story with interjections of paranormal powers and the desire to want the things that cannot be obtained.This tale has consumed many and launched the â€Å"Twihard† generation. Meyer made vampires and werewolves vicious and bloodthirsty, but beautiful; unlike their nineteenth century counterparts, who burst into flames in the sunlight and transformed into hideous, drooling monsters, these beautiful creatures glitter in the sunlight and resemble overgrown dogs. Although Meyer made this less horrific than older horror stories, her series encouraged younger generations to discover the beauty of literature again. Stephen King once said, â€Å"Death is a mystery, and burial is a secret† (9).Although it is often grotesque, demonic, and depraved, people have an inherent need to explore the divide between good and evil, the known and unknown, and this world and the next. These tales have endured, yet changed, over the last three centuries. Future writers of the macabre will most assuredly follow in their predecessors’ footsteps and adapt to cultural changes in their own style. As long as people have inner demons, there will be a need for writers to expose them. Even though these horror classics are classified as fiction, what makes them terrifying is that they mimic the reality of everyday life. Works CitedBaym, Nina, ed. â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe. † The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 7th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Norton, 2008. 671-674. Print. D’Amato, Barbara. â€Å"Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: an orphaned author’s dream and journey toward integration. † Modern Psychoanalysis. 34. 1 (2009): 117-135. Web. 7 Aug 2012. Doctrow, E. L. â€Å"Our Edgar. † Virginia Quarterly Review. 82. 4 (2006): 240-247. Web 7 Aug 2012. â€Å"Gothic Undercurrents. † American Passages: A Literary Survey. Annenberg Learne r, n. d. Web 7 Aug 2012. King, Stephen. Pet Sematary. 1st ed. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc. , 1984. Print. Meyer, Stephenie. Breaking Dawn. st ed. New York: Atom Books, 2009. Print. Mutch, Deborah. â€Å"Coming Out of the Coffin: The Vampire and Transnationalism in the Twilight and Sookie Stackhouse Series. † Critical Survey. 23. 2 (2011): 75-90. Web. 7 Aug 2012. Nash, Jesse. â€Å"Postmodern Gothic: Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. † Journal of Popular Culture. 30. 4 (1997): 151-160. Web. 7 Aug 2012. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe With Selections From His Critical Writings. Expanded. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc. Alfre A. Knopf. Inc.. 1992. Print. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 2nd ed. Ontario: Broadview Press, 1999. Print.