Prose and poetry Essay Example for Free

Prose and poetry Essay Creative writing carries with it a myriad of challenges that are more than often conflicting or ironically similar. Let me start off by setting aside specific characteristics of languages. For instance, general talk typically employs ordinary language. Hence, verbs do what they are developed to do, and this also applies to nouns. Therefore, by examining diverse characteristics of language, it is crucial to assert that, such aspects as rhymes are characteristically poetic attribute of language and rarely is it employed in everyday language; when we do, we cackle because it assumes unnatural tone. And, yet, when employed decisively, or when brought to the forefront of an incident of lingo, rhyme acquires the dimensions of exquisiteness. In this regard, we have definitely treaded from mere lingo into sphere of literature. All in all, poetry and prose have common characteristics noticeably. This examination concludes that, there subsists a realm of equally poetic prose and prose poetry, meaning there subsists no broader variation involving the two. However, a poet cannot do without a well developed organization of language this is due to the fact that, poem thrives on the concepts of stanzas and rhymes among others. On the other hand, sentences lean towards prose, while metaphors are applicable to both poetry and prose (Bortolussi, et al, 2003). Prose writing generally tags along the standard regulations in syntax, punctuation, sentence structure and capitalization. Poetry time and again do not, this is commonly attributed to expressive grounds, and each word, interlude, is cautiously selected to say the most by using the minimal words. Therefore, for an individual to answer this question without being a poet, the remedy is to shun the use of stanzas, lines as well as meter. This is due to the fact that, prose is more of fiction or non fiction writing. Prose is the lingo of everyday communication, or the symbols medium that apes it. Sister Carrie (1900) is a classic novel authored by the reknowned American Theodore Dreiser. The novel revolves around the dramatic live of a young country girl who had moved to the big city in order to realize her own American dream. Examining this narration in the manner that Shakespeare treats his work, it would be pivotal to assert that, perhaps he could have developed a tragic sequel or another romantic episode. Consider the fact that, Shakespeare is commonly viewed as a feminist; therefore, there is a possibility that, he could have developed a satirical drama that resonate with the broader context of ordinary American folks. And this points to the fact that, he could have attempted to inject life to the characters as is exposed by his previous works. Equally, looking the manner by which Theodore Dreiser presented his case, it would be paramount to assert that, he could have changed the entire scope presented in The Tempest to fit his short stories fascinations. It is notable that, as an author he strongly employed prose to present his works which strongly departed from the realms of highly plotted fiction work. Therefore, if he was the one who had authored The Tempest, there is a possibility that, he could have presented a well articulated but a long novel. This has been established by the fact that, most of his works are crowded by bulk or long novels rather than short narratives. In essence, he could have revolved within an axis of creating a novel that catered for his audience who perhaps includes the middle class citizens. Moreover, Dreisers works extensively influenced the pragmatic writings by such authors as Stephen Crane, Jack London, as well as Ernest Hemingway. The Idiot† is basically on the thought that, Myshkin is not naturally bright, this is due to the fact that, as the author point, the lad was not educated, and typically criss-crossed the world with a mindset of simplistic virtuousness. When verbalizing his views, he struggles to clear himself with Charlie Brown-like stuttering and insipidity. It is on this ground that, the inhabitants reputed that he was an idiot, but actually, he was a fine, sincere, considerate, and gracious being. The novel appears to posit that a pious man, navigating his paths in a people that are apprehensive with covetousness and ruthless avarice, will be judged as foolish idiot for valuing integrity, kindness, and the plain things in life. Possibly, it is due to his ingenuousness that all and sundry, including Dr. Schneider referred to him as an idiot. From the novel, Prince Myshkin appears to subsist as if in an undying status of contemplation, of absolute-calmness. Equally, it looks as if that via Myshkin, Dostoyevsky perceives the spiritual familiarity as an enjoyable unknowingness. Therefore, in regard to chapter eleven, it can be assumed that, though the Prince was treated as an idiot, he loved to keep it simple and sincere. Hence, he opted to be uncomplicated rather than be wicked. In principal, the prince could not have objected or denied to be called an idiot, this can be linked to the fact that, he had spent a quite long time in the sanitarium where he had gone to seek medication. This coupled with his personal principles made him to withstand despite the fact that, he was innocent and candid in his ways. In as far as he was concerned, the remark fits considerably. Conceivably, this is why Dostoevsky prefers to use it now and then. Examining the kind of people who were surrounding the Prince, it is instrumental to realize that, the nature of their characteristics conflicted with what the Prince believed. Therefore, the features of virtue which he cherished and treasured were viewed and interpreted as a sign of weakness. Hence, the usage and application of the word idiot acquired another shape and meaning. A name or a title carries a wealth of honor and prestige. Therefore, a name can be said to be a sign of honor or as well prestige. To answer the question posed, it would be pragmatic to posit that, there are deep-rooted mystical powers in the names we give to others or objects. For instance, on Christian perspective, it is widely claimed that, one of the major act after creation that Adam was assigned was to name each and every beast. Hence, one of the most instrumental aspect of a parental power or authority is to decide and determining the nature of the name to be given to his or her child. Thus a name or a title may depict personality or ones social status as well as ones position in any given community. Also a name carries with it cultural and ethnic identity. Exploring the aspects of the novel The Idiot Fyodor Dostoyevsky, one cannot fail to realize the effect of a name on an individual. It is on that principle that, when the prince is addressed or viewed as an idiot because of his views and moral uprightness, the larger society perceived him to be so. Thus a name holds particular attributes that are allied to the bearer of that given name or title. From the ancient time, to the contemporary world today, names or titles are held in high. I consider that a name can assist to mould you into what you become but not establish who you will be. In conclusion, names as well as titles are given to reflect a sort of identity. There are those who take certain names or title due to ethnic identity, while others are propelled to do due to religious obligations. However, going back to the query â€Å"what is in a name or a title? Perhaps the answer may look ridiculous, but the general answer to this question is typically that nothing is in a name, and the factual person is within. Nevertheless, at some point in a time when individuals were graded in a class, it would be quite clear to assert that literature had a system of bringing or creating a new connotation to that subject (Bortolussi, et al, 2003). Reference Bortolussi, M; Dixon, P. (2003). Literary Response. N. Y: Routledge.

Factors Affecting Diabetes Management

Factors Affecting Diabetes Management REVIEW OF LITERATURE This chapter of review of literature helps focus on some of the recent literature related to diabetes. It helps throw light on the research articles relating to the knowledge, attitude and practices in diabetic patients. Further it also gives a brief account of studies related to the predictors of alternative approaches and the studies that are related to the sources that influence the usage of alternative approaches. The review is limited to the articles that were done between 1985-2014 of which some of them are quantitative and qualitative in nature. The databases through which the journals are referred include Pubmed, Springerlink, ScienceDirect, Sage, Wiley online library, Taylor Francis, Plos one, Mary Ann Liebert, American Diabetes Association, BioMedCentral (BMC) and Oxford Journals. This review helps in identifying the gaps that exist in the present literature. Knowledge, attitude and Practices amongst Diabetic adults Awareness of diabetes and diabetes care is needed for successful disease management. Low level of awareness of diabetes and its complications among patients results in poor glycemic control in Indians with diabetes. Knowledge about diabetes mellitus, appropriate attitude and practices are vital to reduce the incidence and morbidity associated with it. Obtaining information about the level of awareness about diabetes in a population is the first step in formulating a prevention program for diabetes (Mohan, Raj, Shanthirani, Datta, Unwin, Kapur, Mohan, 2005). A study from Pakistan highlighted the fact that proper education and awareness program can change the attitude of the public regarding diabetes (Badrudin, Basit, Hydrie, Hakeem, 2002) as a large gap between knowledge and attitude among the diabetes patients was found (Sivagnanam, Namasivayam, Rajasekaran, Thirumalaikolundusubramanian, Ravindranath, 2002) and proper knowledge regarding various aspects of health education program can improve the knowledge of patients and change their attitude (Mehta, Karki, Sharma, 2006). In a study that was conducted in Philippines to test the knowledge, attitude and practices among diabetic patients it was found that the overall knowledge scores are poor, with a percentage mean score of only 43%. The finding also reveal that only 1% of the 156 respondents believed that type 2 diabetes is a serious illness reflecting how most of the residents think of their condition as something to be taken lightly, this in turn had an effect on the participants practices where less than half of the respondents reported regular follow-up with their doctors (Ardeňa, Paz-Pacheco, Jimeno, Lantion-Ang, Paterno, Juban, 2010). Adequate knowledge has been associated with more adequate behavioural outcomes. In a cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitude and practices among diabetes patients about diabetes and its complications in Central Delhi, it was found that out of 170 patients 85.9% participants had the basic knowledge about the type of diabetes, about 87.6% of the participants revealed that they knew what they had to consume, while only 11.8% participants knew about normal blood sugar levels. The maximum knowledge that the participants had were about the eye problems (48.82%) and kidney problems (40%) while very little knowledge was noted for diabetic coma and stroke that results from diabetes. It was also found that the participants have a positive attitude (72.65%) that was not reflected in their practices (Singh, Khobragade, Anil, 2013). Another study done in Bijapur, Karnataka revealed the same results as the above where the positive attitude was about 60-90% among the participants and it was also found that 59.9% had poor knowledge and 24.8% had good knowledge about diabe tes. Further the study focused on the practices of the respondents where they took extra care in case they were injured and 40.7% were exercised regularly (Raj Angadi, 2011). A study that was conducted among 238 diabetes patients in Saurashtra region, Gujarat, Shah, Kamdar and Shah (2009) found despite being diagnosed with diabetes for eight years only 46% of them knew the pathophysiology of diabetes. The three main findings of the study revealed that low education about diabetes among the participants were because 40% of the participants belonged to the below poverty line, because of which they could not afford therapy or a minimum standard care. The second reason for having low knowledge was only 3% of the participants were being treated by an endocrinologist, the reason being Gujarat having very less number of endocrinologists with not even one in the Government hospital making it difficult for the poor to afford the private institutions. Third and the most important factor was the low level of education where only 10% of them were graduates and 37% of the participants were completely literate. The study also shows the attitude towards diabetes among t he participants where it was found that the participants believed that they are completely responsible for their own health indicating that if motivated and given education about diabetes they would make necessary changes in their lifestyle. A Cross-sectional study that used the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire among the out patients in Nepal revealed that the knowledge, attitude and practice level of the participants were low (Gul, 2010; Upadhyay, Palaian, Shankar, Mishra, Pokhara, 2008). Supporting this study another recent study involving young (31-40 years) diabetic Saudi women also reported poor KAP scores (Saadia, Rushdi, Alsheha, Saeed, Rajab, 2010). Another study done in Malaysia reported that diabetic patients in a primary care centre had good knowledge and better attitude towards the care of their own disease (Ranjini, Subashini, Ling HM, 2003). Some research articles revealed that diabetic patients possess adequate knowledge and have positive attitude towards their condition and that there is no relation between the KAP and actual control of Diabetes Mellitus (Ng, Chan, Lian, Chuah, Noora, 2012). A study that was conducted by Kheir, Greer, Yousif, Geed and Okkah (2011) evaluated the knowledge, attitude, practice (KAP) and psychological status of adult Qatari patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to study the role of these factors on the ability of the patients to manage their diabetes and to achieve desirable health outcomes. It was found that there were significant differences in the attitude and knowledge between educational levels. The study concluded that providing education and other support programs to diabetics could be more effective if the KAP of the patients are understood before conducting such programs. A study which was done in United Arab Emirates to find out the KAP in diabetic patients revealed poor knowledge among the participants. It was found that the majority of patients (72%) had a negative attitude towards having diabetes. However, only 6% expressed a ‘negative attitude’ towards the importance of DM care. The results also showed marginally significant associations between the practice score and level of education, marital status, mode of diagnosis, duration of disease, insulin use and frequency of seeing diabetes educator (Al-Maskari El-Sadig, Al-Kaabi, Afandi, Nagelkerke, Yeatts, 2013). Another research indicated that although the knowledge levels(56.14% of the respondents scored 100% in knowledge related questions) among our study participants are high, the levels of attitudes (17.5% scored above 50%) and practice (15.78% scored 100%) are lower than desirable (Saadia, Rushdi, Alsheha, Saeed, Rajab, 2010). Predictors of Alternative Approaches Various predictors have been found to play a role in an individuals behaviour to engage in alternative approaches. The studies below throws light on the recent research that has been done in this area. The demographic factor was not found to be a significant predictor of CAM usage which included age ( Nilsson, Trehn, Asplund, 2001; Singh, Raidoo, Harries, 2004). A study conducted by Mehrotra, Bajaj and Kumar (2004) shows that age was not significantly associated (p>0.1) with usage of complementary and alternative medicine. Whereas, on the contrary age was related to the usage of alternative approaches (Chang, Wallis, Tiralongo, 2007; Ogbera, Dada, Adeleye, Jewo, 2010). Adding to this, research conducted by Hasan, Ahmed, Bukhari and Loon (2009) indicated that variables such as age groups (above 50 years ), those in the 25-44 year age group (Metcalfe, Williams, Mc Chesney, Patten, Jettà ©, 2010), middle age (Bishop, Lewith, 2010; Ernst, 2000; Pirotta, Cohen, Kotsirilos, Farish, 2000) that is 46–60 years (Lee, Charn, Chew, Ng, 2004) contributed to the usage of complementary and alternative medicines. Findings from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey women reveal that middle age men reported to use complementary and alternative medicine more than younger or older individuals. Higher levels of education were associated with higher rates of use. Prevalence rates of use for each type of complementary and alternative medicine significantly increased with an individual’s income (Upchurch, Rainisch, 2013). According to Singh et al. (2004) level of education and income (Mehrotra et al., 2004) were shown not to influence the usage of Complementary and alternative medicine on the other hand in contrast to their findings education level (Bishop, Lewith, 2010; Ernst, 2000; Foltz et al., 2005; Harris, Rees, 2000; Hasan, Ahmed, Bukhari, Loon, 2009; McFarland, Bigelow, Zani, Newsom, Kaplan, 2002; Metcalfe et al., 2010; Millar, 2001; Nilsson et al., 2001; Ogbera et al., 2010; Park, 2005; Wiles, Rosenberg, 2001) and Income (Foltz et al., 2005; Hasan et al., 2009; MacLennan, Myers, Taylor, 2006; Metcalfe et al., 2010; Park, 2005., Singh et al., 2004, Thomas, Nicholl, Coleman, 2001; Wiles, Rosenberg, 2001) was found to influence the CAM usage. Research evidence also reveals that sex (Singh et al., 2004) predicts the usage of alternative therapies. Women were more likely to have used CAM services than men (Aziz, Tey, 2008; Bishop, Lewith, 2010; Ernst, 2000; Lim, Sadarangani, Chan, Heng, 2005; McFarland et al., 2002; Metcalfe et al., 2010; Millar et al., 2001; Nilsson et al., 2001; Park, 2004; Roth, Kobayashi, 2008; Vincent, Eric, Jean, Sui VL, Sian, 2007; Wiles, Rosenberg, 2001). The other predictors that were identified were the marital status (Singh et al., 2004), individuals who were currently not married or in a common law relationship (Metcalfe et al., 2010), medicine use, duration of diabetes, degree of complications and self-monitoring of blood glucose (Chang et al., 2007) and factors relating to an individual’s health status (Bishop, Lewith, 2010). In a health survey which was conducted in England the first independent predictors of 12 month Complementary and alternative medicine use were the presence of anxiety or depression, perceived low levels of social support, having a healthy diet, being female, and income that is above the national average (Hunt et al., 2010). Factors that influence Alternative Approaches People resort to alternative approached due to a number of reasons, it is important from both academic and applied perspectives to understand why such substantial numbers of people use CAM. In a study that was conducted among the Indian community in Chadsworth, South Africa, Singh et al. (2004) found that people chose Alternative medicine/ approaches because it was a natural and safe form of medical care (23.4%), secondly because modern medicine carried a risk of unwanted side effects or they had experienced side effects themselves (15.6%). They also found that more than half (51.9%) of people who use Alternative therapy did so upon advice from someone they knew or because they came across an advertisement in the local press. Similar results were found by Hasan et al. (2009) where friends were the main source of influence (32.5%) on patients with chronic diseases to use Complementary and Alternative Medicine, followed by health professionals (25.9%), family members (20.2%) advertisem ent (15.8%) and old folks or culture beliefs (4.4%). Family history (Hasan et al., 2009; Lee, Charn, Chew, Ng, 2004), poor perceived health, being recommended by social contacts who are close, holding on to strong traditional health beliefs and the perceived satisfaction with care influence the use of alternative methods (Lee et al., 2004) The way an individual perceives the illness/health influences the usage of Complementary and alternative medicine (Bishop et al., 2007; Hasan et al., 2009; Nilsson et al., 2001). People chose different treatment options depending on their perceptions of the kind, duration, cause and severity of their illness and the order in which they resort to these different options is dependent on the perceptions of illness. Perception of oneself in poor health leads to usage of alternative approaches (Bausell, Lee, Berman, 2001; Pirotta et al., 2000). Individual’s perceptions about effectiveness or the outcome of the treatment option and the perceived harm from treatment options also plays an important role in deciding the form of treatment/management (Rao, 2006). The various other reasons why people might be attracted to and use complementary and alternative medicines are because they hold beliefs that are congruent with Complementary and alternative medicine which include beliefs related to the amount of personal control/autonomy over their health (Bishop et al., 2007; Pal, 2002). Hence pro-beliefs about complementary and alternative approaches play a major role in influencing an individual to use them. Ineffectiveness (Menniti-Ippolito, Gargiulo, Bologna, Forcella, Raschetti, 2002; Sirois, 2008), having side-effects or dissatisfaction (Menniti-Ippolito et al., 2002) with allopathic/conventional medicine has led to people looking at other alternatives methods (Pal, 2002; Rao, 2006). It was also found that people value natural treatments/ holistic approaches (Sirois, 2008) which are non-toxic and hold ‘postmodern belief systems’ where the participants believe that psychological and lifestyle factors are important in the developm ent of illness (Bishop et al., 2007). Individuals who are more likely to select healthy lifestyle choices are also likely to engage proactively in other self-care (Sirois, 2008) behaviours which includes the usage of complementary and alternative approaches (Hunt et al., 2010, Nahin et al., 2007).Research evidence also shows that cost plays an important role in determining which different alternatives to choose for treating an illness (Pal, 2002; Rao, 2006). Studies have also focused on how general philosophies of life predict the usage of alternative approaches. Alternative therapies are attractive because they are seen as more compatible with patient’s values, world-view, spiritual/religious philosophy or beliefs regarding the nature and meaning of health and illness (Bishop et al., 2007; Pal, 2002; Weaver, Flannelly, Stone, Dossey, 2002). Further research has suggested that people use alternative approaches because they suffer from chronic conditions (Al-Windi, 2004; Astin, Pelletier, Marie, Haskell, 2000; Bausell et al., 2001; Menniti-Ippolito et al., 2002) which might not have been treated by conventional medicine effectively or satisfactorily or also use them as they experience psychological distress as a result of the life threatening disease and would try anything that would reduce or might offer a cure for such a condition (Bishop, Lewith, 2010; Ernst, 2000; Nilsson et al., 2001) to preserve their own health status (Furnham, Vincent, 2000, Goldstein, 2000). Mehrotra, Bajaj and Kumar (2004) found that out of 493 participants 290 (86.8%) resort to complementary and alternative medicine because they desire for the maximum and early benefit. Several specific chronic disorders such as arthritis (95%) other musculoskeletal disorders (95%) and stroke (95%) were significantly associated with CAM use (Lee et al., 200 4). In a research that was conducted with type 2 diabetes it was found that complementary and alternative medicine use was influenced by peoples beliefs, experience and their positive attitude towards the alternative approach, history of its use, having stronger health beliefs about diabetes, longer duration of diabetes, the outcome of complementary and alternative medicine in treating diabetes. It also associates the use to the persons behaviour (such as a higher degree of self-care activities by the individual) towards disease management rather than their demographic characteristics (Chang, Wallis Tiralongo, 2012). It was also found that diabetic patients used complementary and alternative approaches to improve their general well-being rather than treating diabetes itself (Arcury, 2006; Bell, 2006; Lind, Lafferty, Grembowski, Diehr, 2006). Summary of the review The review of literature highlights the level of knowledge, attitude and practices among diabetic patients indicating the importance of knowledge which affects the individual’s attitude and practices regarding management of their lifestyle and diet. Further the research evidence has also revealed a number of demographic factors that might have an effect in the usage of alternative approaches such as age, education level, socio-economic status (income) and marital status. A large number of reasons were found to influence people to use alternative approaches such as dissatisfaction or ineffectiveness of allopathic medication; friends and family members, advertisements that the individual encounters, individual’s attitude, holistic and cultural beliefs, cause, severity and duration and one’s perception of the illness, the cost of the treatment and having a chronic disease. The studies that have been done so far focus on the knowledge, attitude and practices in relat ion to managing the illness specifically with respect to diet and lifestyle modifications and it also shows the predictors and influencers of usage of complementary and alternative approaches. However, not much of research has been done integrating knowledge, attitude and practices with the usage of alternative approaches in Indian Context. Since India is a diverse country having high cultural diversity it is important to understand the influence it has on the level of knowledge, attitude and practices of the population with respect to the usage of the various other approaches that people indulge in other than allopathic medication so as to understand and provide the country with a culturally acceptable diabetes education programme.

The Lost Eden Essay -- Literary Analysis

The Lost Eden The story of Martin Eden is a dark but interesting one, written by Jack London, an author from early 20th Century California. Martin’s life is difficult, as he decides to defy society and join the upper class, ultimately alienating his own class while realizing the superficiality of the upper class. Through this journey, Martin embodies and evolves through three main personas, mind sets, or personalities. In the beginning, â€Å"Martin’s feeling of social inadequacy developed†(Sinclair 145), as he is a man seeking approval of society, trying to become a successful writer and win the love of an upper class woman, Ruth Morse. Then he turns into a man bent against society, or perhaps merely in great disproval, for his futile efforts to become a writer are thwarted and laughed at by everyone, from the editors of the magazines to his beloved Ruth and her family. Once Martin does become famous and rich, â€Å"his success snowballs, he is lionized by society† (La bor 118), but Martin â€Å"wishes he had never opened the books† (Lundquist 149). Through all of these struggles, Martin truly embodies none other than the author, Jack London, as the entire novel is something of an autobiography. London is â€Å"confronting himself in Martin† (Bader 150), although it is very true that Martin Eden is â€Å"a novel rather than straight autobiography†, â€Å"deliberately introspective† (Lundquist 150). Martin Eden is first a man who wishes to assimilate with high society, the upper class, as he believes that the upper class possesses an infinite amount of beauty and knowledge. Martin’s first true glimpses of the upper class come when he is invited to the Morse home, after saving Arthur Morse from a â€Å"gang of waterfront thugs† (Labor 117). This is ironic because M... ...n. 1909. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1984. Print. Lundquist, James. Jack London: Adventures, Ideas, and Fiction. New York, New York: The Ungar Publishing Company, 1987. Print. Magill, Frank N. â€Å"Jack London.† Critical Survey of Long Fiction. Vol. 4. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press, Inc., 1983. 1691-1699. Print. - - -. â€Å"Jack London.† Critical Survey of Short Fiction. Vol. 5. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1981. 1809-1813. Print. New American Bible. New York: Catholic Book Publishing, Co., 1991. Print. O’Conner, Richard. Jack London: A Biography. N.p.: Little, Brown, and Company, 1964. Print. Sinclair, Andrew. Jack: A Biography of Jack London. New York, NY: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1977. Print. Verde, Tom. â€Å"London, Jack.† Twentieth-Century Writers 1900–1950, American Profiles. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993. American History Online. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. The Lost Eden Essay -- Literary Analysis The Lost Eden The story of Martin Eden is a dark but interesting one, written by Jack London, an author from early 20th Century California. Martin’s life is difficult, as he decides to defy society and join the upper class, ultimately alienating his own class while realizing the superficiality of the upper class. Through this journey, Martin embodies and evolves through three main personas, mind sets, or personalities. In the beginning, â€Å"Martin’s feeling of social inadequacy developed†(Sinclair 145), as he is a man seeking approval of society, trying to become a successful writer and win the love of an upper class woman, Ruth Morse. Then he turns into a man bent against society, or perhaps merely in great disproval, for his futile efforts to become a writer are thwarted and laughed at by everyone, from the editors of the magazines to his beloved Ruth and her family. Once Martin does become famous and rich, â€Å"his success snowballs, he is lionized by society† (La bor 118), but Martin â€Å"wishes he had never opened the books† (Lundquist 149). Through all of these struggles, Martin truly embodies none other than the author, Jack London, as the entire novel is something of an autobiography. London is â€Å"confronting himself in Martin† (Bader 150), although it is very true that Martin Eden is â€Å"a novel rather than straight autobiography†, â€Å"deliberately introspective† (Lundquist 150). Martin Eden is first a man who wishes to assimilate with high society, the upper class, as he believes that the upper class possesses an infinite amount of beauty and knowledge. Martin’s first true glimpses of the upper class come when he is invited to the Morse home, after saving Arthur Morse from a â€Å"gang of waterfront thugs† (Labor 117). This is ironic because M... ...n. 1909. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1984. Print. Lundquist, James. Jack London: Adventures, Ideas, and Fiction. New York, New York: The Ungar Publishing Company, 1987. Print. Magill, Frank N. â€Å"Jack London.† Critical Survey of Long Fiction. Vol. 4. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press, Inc., 1983. 1691-1699. Print. - - -. â€Å"Jack London.† Critical Survey of Short Fiction. Vol. 5. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1981. 1809-1813. Print. New American Bible. New York: Catholic Book Publishing, Co., 1991. Print. O’Conner, Richard. Jack London: A Biography. N.p.: Little, Brown, and Company, 1964. Print. Sinclair, Andrew. Jack: A Biography of Jack London. New York, NY: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1977. Print. Verde, Tom. â€Å"London, Jack.† Twentieth-Century Writers 1900–1950, American Profiles. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993. American History Online. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

Playstation Vs. Nintendo 64 :: essays research papers

Video games are taking the entertainment business by storm. Systems are constantly improving and new systems are always in the process. The two latest systems are the Nintendo 64 and the Sony Playstation. Both have similar qualities, but they are very different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Software selection is a key point when in comes to deciding on a system. A few of the latest games, Madden 99, WWF Warzone, and NHL 99, have been made for both systems. However, the Playstation has a greater variety of role playing games. Playstation would be a better choice for someone who enjoys role playing games. It also has many more games than the Nintendo 64 does. Playstation has been out on the market for a longer period of time than Nintendo 64, this is why it has more games than Nintendo 64.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When it comes to graphics, the Playstation wins again. All of the Nintendo 64 games have polygonal graphics, where the Playstation can also support film graphics for games that star real life actions. If the gamer enjoys watching a story line in a real life situation, Playstation would be the better choice to go with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When it comes to wait time, the Nintendo 64 blows away the Playstation. Some games for the Playstation take up to a minute to load. This is due to the fact that the system uses compact discs for software. On the other hand, Nintendo 64 uses cartridges. These load instantly. If you have no patients for waiting on a game to load, then Nintendo 64 is the better choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accessorizing the systems is a minor point, but it is still there. The Nintendo 64 comes with four controller ports, so no additional purchase is necessary (besides the actual controllers). The Playstation, however, comes with only two controller ports.

Juan Rulfos Pedro Paramo and Religion :: Juan Rulfo Pedro Paramo Essays

Juan Rulfo's Pedro Paramo and Religion    In the novel Pedro Paramo, Juan Rulfo uses religiousness as a characteristic that contrasts with the characters lack of moral codes and lack of faith normally attributed to religion. The people in the town of Comala are obsessed with the afterlife and prayer, and they even attend church regularly, but these are just habits that have lost their original meaning. Rulfo uses these symbolic activities to make the charactersÕ dichotomous nature more apparent. Father Renter'aÕs occupation, the town priest, demands integrity, purity, and the power to believe his own teachings. Father Renter'a might, at one time, have had those attributes but something changed him. The realization and consequences of his own conflictive nature haunt Renter'a, and the town subconsciously senses his anguish, thus shedding light on ComalaÕs religious and psychological condition. A question arises about Renter'aÕs disillusionment with religion: Did the townspeople make Renter'a cynical or did his doubts lead them astray? I think it was more of the former, and the catalyst in Renter'aÕs religious failing was just one man: Miguel Paramo. Miguel Paramo killed Father Renter'aÕs brother and raped Renter'aÕs niece Ana. These events were merely taken in stride with Renter'aÕs philosophy of Ã’never hate anyoneÓ but it was the death of Miguel that dashed Renter'aÕs religious beliefs. Father Renter'a performed the funeral ceremony and did not offer a final benediction partly for selfish reasons of revenge, using his pastoral robe as a barrier. Disregarding Renter'aÕs condescending remarks of Miguel, Pedro Paramo offered gold to the priest as restitution, or a bribe, and said, Ã’Weigh him and forgive him, as perhaps God has forgiven him.Ó At ParamoÕs defiance, Renter'a realized that his religious power was no longer effective or revered in Comala, because ParamoÕs gold was now the controlling force in the land. Crushed and depressed, Renter'a no longer felt worthy of his office; Ã’What has their faith won them? Heaven? Or the purification of their souls? And why purify their souls anyway, at the last momentÉÓ Renter'a had lost all faith in his religion and himself. As if he had failed a test, he says, Ã’Alright Lord, you win.Ó Father Renter'a represents the constant struggle a person has to maintain personal integrity against outside corruption and personal vices.

What do you understand by the term ‘hegemony’?

Introduction This essay will consider the meaning of the term ‘hegemony’. It will weave personal interpretation with the academic literature, concentrating on Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony. Hegemony arguably originated with the Ancient Greek conception of political and military dominance (hegemonia means ‘leadership’ and ‘rule’) (Chernow and Vallasi 1994: 1215). According to the traditional conception of hegemony the ‘ruler’ (hegemon) imposes its will upon subordinate states through the exercise or threat of military power, which is then translated into political dominance (Antoniades 2008). In the modern world, this kind of hegemony has largely disappeared. The mechanisms of control now operate in civil society in more subtle forms, such as politics, ideology, and the media. This essay will discuss some interpretation of hegemony and how they relate to contemporary capitalist society. Some scholars and political commentators, suc h as the former French Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Vedrine, believe that the United States is currently a global hegemon due to its widespread influence in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. However, as realist scholars such as Mearsheimer and Nye point out, the United States has never established a system of governance in these regions (Nye 1993). This political and military hegemony has largely disappeared. In its place one might say that there is a kind of ‘cultural hegemony’. This concept was theorised in the early 19th century by the Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, who argued that the capitalist state was divided into two spheres, the ‘political society’, which rules through the use of force, and the ‘civil society’, which rules through popular consent. The latter is the public realm in which people, groups, trade unions and political parties interact. In this sphere, the ruling elite reproduce their ideology in popular cu lture and thus ‘manufacture consent’ for the bourgeois domination of the proletariat (Simon 1990). Domination is not imposed by force, but rather is adopted unwittingly and under the pretense of ordinary cultural development (Simon 1990; Bullock and Trombley 1999). This theory was adapted from Marx’s analysis of the socio-economic class system (another example of a hegemonic theory), and in a sense is part of a larger set of theories hypothesising that culture, ethics, and norms arise through what Bernard Mandeville called ‘the artifice of politicians’, although Gramsci placed greater emphasis on intellectuals. Indeed, it might be fitting to suggest that scholars such as Anderson and Hobsbawm, who spoke of ‘imagined communities’ and ‘invented traditions’, respectively, are also working within an intellectual framework of cultural hegemony. However, it is important to note that these theories do not describe an exploitative, alienating relationship in the same way as cultural hegemony does. Both Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony and the modernist theories of nation are accurate in their analysis. Whether in the form of informal social and moral traditions transmitted from parent to child, or more structured systems conveyed through instruments such religion and law, culture is a means for the elite to control and manipulate the masses. As modernist anthropologists argue, patriotism is a particularly potent hegemonic force. Created in its present form in the 18th century by the state, today it provides justification for the foreign conflicts of the bourgeoisie. George Bush’s rhetoric related to the Iraq War (2003 – 2011) employed subjective concepts of the ‘enemy’, as well as identity terms such as ‘them’ and ‘us’, linguistic and cultural constructs designed to win over the American population. Contemporary democracy is one of the clearest f orms of cultural and political hegemony. It is an idealised political type, inculcated in the civil domain since the enlightenment, and now ‘perfected’ through universal suffrage. In Britain, politicians are almost exclusively from the middle class (usually educated at Oxford or Cambridge). Western liberal democracy is presented by the bourgeois state, operating in the civil realm, as the only viable political system. Thus the entire population willing participates in a game in which the middle class is demonstrably dominant. Cultural hegemony can be seen with more clarity by looking at contemporary capitalist media. In many cases, the International News Agencies, such as Thomson Reuters, the Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse, control the information consumed by the public from start to finish. For example, in the coverage of the Egyptian Revolution, they commissioned the citizen-journalists who captured the news and then edited the copy that was distributed to clients, all of whom operated under contracts (Macgregor 2013). As Macgregor (2013: 35) argues, the coverage of ‘any major incident in the world originates as often than not in the words, photos, audio, and raw film footage coming from three main international agencies’. The American ‘televangelist’ movement, which is broadcast on channels such as the Trinity Broadcasting Network and The God Channel (featuring popular sensations like Joel Osteen), have been effective in propagating the religious ideals of a select few to a wider population. In this way, the state can feed the population the kind of information that supports its own cultural agenda. The best examples of this, of course, come from the pages of history, as in when the Nazi regime launched a calculated propaganda campaign through posters, the development of the ‘Hitler Youth’, and other devices to convince the people of Germany to support the persecution of the Jews. It can be arg ued that in postmodern society, which is somewhat apathetic and cynical with regard to bourgeois cultural grade narratives, hegemony is less dominant. However, even here hegemonic capitalist consumerism has taken hold. The products produced by firms such as Google, Apple, and Nike provide the cultural pabulum for the people, who are controlled to an extent by corporations. The meaning of the term hegemony is really a matter of interpretation. Cultural hegemony of the Gramscian type can clearly be seen in contemporary society. Some of it manifestations are centuries old, such as patriotism and religion, while others, such as consumerism, are relatively (but not entirely) unique to modern capitalism. Ultimately, hegemony has a variety of meanings, perhaps even one for every set of social, political and cultural instruments of control. Reference list: Antoniades, A (2008) From ‘Theories of Hegemony’ to ‘Hegemony Analysis’ in International Relations Bullock, A. and Trombley, S. (1999) The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought (3rd ed.) Chernow, B. A. and Vallasi, G. A. eds. (1994) The Columbia Encyclopedia (Fifth ed.). New York: Columbia University Press Simon, R. (1990) Gramsci’s Political Thought: An Introduction, London: Lawrence & Wishart Ltd Macgregor, P. (2013) International News Agencies: Global eyes that never blink, chapter in Journalism: New Challenges (ed. Fowler-Watt, K. and Allan, S.) Centre for Journalism & Communication Research, Bournemouth University: pp. 35-63 http://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/cjcr/files/2013/10/JNC-2013-Chapter-3-MacGregor.pdf [Retrieved 21/02/2014] Nye, J. S. (1993) Understanding International Conflicts: An introduction to Theory and History. New York: HarperCollins

Landslide Limo

Compensation and Benefits strategy The key to success in the long run for your limousine company is to be at or above the national average for small business when it comes to benefits and compensation. Through research we have found that on average 54% of companies with less than 100 employees offer medical coverage for full time employees. This is the first key to acquiring topnotch experienced workers and keeping them with the company for an extended period of time. Average salary for an experienced chauffeur/limousine driver ranges from he low end of $22,000 to a high of around $38,000 in the Austin area.If your company can offer a better medical benefits package I think it may give some leeway in the starting salary Of new drivers, along with those with more experience. Three main components to consider when deciding on compensation for your employees are; the position, experience level, and customer satisfaction. As far as wages are concerned the main law that your company has t o be aware of is the Fair Labor Standards Act. This sets the federal minimum wage and the overtime requirements for your employees. Your company has to provide at the lowest and hourly rate of $7. 5 and time and a half for any hours worked over 40 hours during one workweek. (U. S. Dept. Of Labor, 2009) Employees with little to no experience can start off at $22,000 to $23,500. Starting those with all the required credentials (CDC, training, driving experience) higher because they will need no training or certification and are basically ready to begin work once hired. Your company should also consider yearly salary increases to employees who have excelled in customer service ND fulfilling their job duties.