A Study of Homoeroticism in Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a major site for homoerotic discourse in queer studies. However, the play is largely concerned with the idea of love, like many of Shakespeare's comedies. In order to investigate his subject further, Shakespeare periodically uses homoeroticism in order to represent various forms of relationships. The pairings of Olivia and Cesario/Viola, Antonio and Sebastian, and Orsino and Cesario/Viola, demonstrate that same-sex erotic attraction is a major theme in the play. Viola's secretive cross-dressing causes Olivia to believe that both of them are participating in normal, heterosexual interactions, while in reality they interact in a homoerotic fashion. These complex, homoerotic representations serve to dramatize the socially constructed basis for determination of sexuality according to one's gender identity. I intend to establish that in this play Shakespeare dramatically criticises the idealized norms of heterosexuality (required by his society) through focussing his narr ative on representations of homoerotic pairings and deconstructing dominant gender categories.What is the difference between a figurative and a literal analogy? Viola's transvestism spurs various relationships that fall within the bounds of homoeroticism. Through the secret of her disguise, her actions illustrate the flaws of socially constructed gender identities, defined by the socially perceived opposites of aggressive, â€Å"macho† masculinity, and silent, yet coquettish, femininity, checked by behaviour of males. Viola's success in perpetrating her secret transvestism indicates that the construction and performance of gender is not dependent on one's physical characteristics but on one's behaviour, as well as upon a set of observed and internalised mannerisms. Viola's representation of homoerotic interaction in Olivia's love for her, and in her own love in Orsino as Cesario, disrupts the traditional, feminist â€Å"us vs. them† principle, and demonstrates that constructed, socially acceptable gender identities of the feminine and masculine are attributes that can be found in either male or female. In the final scene of the play, when Viola's act is exposed – â€Å"If nothing lets to make us happy both / But this my masculine usurped attire, [†¦] That I am Viola† (V.i.249-253), Sebastian, Viola's twin brother, easily steps into the vacuum left by the revelation of Cesario's identity marrying Olivia as he states, â€Å"So comes it, lady, you have been mistook. / [†¦] You would have been contracted to a maid, / Nor are you therein, by my life, deceived. You are betrothed both to a maid and man† (V.i.259-63). The twins' interchangeable nature demonstrates to us that even the natural perspective of the world is not a gendered duality. The differently-gendered identical twins show a collapse of sexual difference as a natural process, indicating that nature never intended man to be constrained by gender binaries. Orsino proclaims â€Å"One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons, / A natural perspective, that is and is not!† (V.i.215-6), stat ing that nature is able to create two identical beings despite the natural sex difference between brother and sister, male and female. The same concept that allows a female Viola to be a male Cesario also allows male actors portraying female characters to seem authentic, despite their natural gender. Upon mistaking Sebastian for Cesario/Viola, Feste remarks: â€Å"Nothing that is so is so,† (IV.i.8), indicating that gender is not dependent solely on physical attributes. Feste later adds, â€Å"That that is, is† (IV.ii.15), commenting on his own dressing as a Parson while Feste is really a fool. This same phrase extends to comment on the fact that Viola is male so long as she portrays a male, that gender is dependant on society's perception and not on one's private parts. When Olivia queries Cesario for his identity, â€Å"What are you? What would you?† (I.v.207-208) and Cesario/Viola cryptically replies that what he is and would be is â€Å"as secret as maidenhead† (I.v.211)), Viola alludes to her true gender. However, in addition, she also hints at Sebastian's virginity that the latter admits to in the final act of the play, stating Olivia is â€Å"betrothed both to a maid and man† (V.i.263). When the effects of these statements at combined, it is interesting to observe that Cesario's response to Olivia's query refers to the maidenheads of Cesario, Viola, as well as the boy actor playing her! As Viola states later on: â€Å"I am all the daughters of my father's house, / And all the brothers too† (II.iv.120-1). Twelfth Night interrogates the exclusive nature of constructed gender categories and challenges the heterosexual hegemony by constructing representations of same-sex love. Viola's imitation of the male gender demonstrates to us that erotic attraction is neither inherently based in gender, nor a solely-heterosexual phenomenon – since Olivia becomes attracted to Viola (as Cesario), and Orsino to Cesario. In the play, homoeroticism does not follow gender stereotypes of the effeminate male or the masculine female, as in the case of Antonio's affection for Sebastian – despite Antonio's stereotypically-masculine identity, that Shakespeare shows to us when Antonio â€Å"took [†¦ Sebastian] from the breach of the sea.† Antonio's love for Sebastian is portrayed, when Antonio states, â€Å"If you will not murder me for my love, let me by your servant† (II.i.33-4) and, later: I have many enemies in Orsino's court, [†¦] But come what may, I do adore thee so That danger shall seem sport, and I will go. (II.i.51-4) Both Antonio and Sebastian are swordsmen, possessors of a very â€Å"masculine† skill, and yet both engage in homoerotic relations. It is interesting to note that, despite the fact that Sebastian is more resistant and feminine in comparison to Antonio – as he wishes to avoid causing harm, utilizing only his dagger's hilt, despite Sir Andrew striking him and paying the pestering Feste to leave Sebastian alone, instead of striking him, in the first scene of act four (lines 17-25) – Sebastian is the one who succumbs to the social constructions of masculinity and heterosexuality when he marries Olivia in the final act of the play. Meanwhile, the â€Å"macho† Antonio remains homosexual, as seen in his silence at Sebastian's wedding, which speaks louder than any vocal protest. Such relationship dynamics in the play disrupt the social notion, prevalent in Shakespeare's (and even current) time – that the heterosexual man is supposed to be a â€Å"macho† figure and homosexual man is meant to be effeminate. Similarly, Viola's feminine quality in playing Cesario inspires love in Olivia rather than the aggressive â€Å"male† traits of Orsino. Viola becomes a â€Å"better† man when she deviates from the behavioural script set out in Orsino's Petrarchan sonnet – a male form that silences the woman as an unattainable distanced goddess. The Petrarchan sonnet form, although addressed to females, was commonly read by males, used to solidify elite homosocial bonds (Marotti 396-428) as well as to promote a social discourse designed by and for men (Vickers 96). Viola's deviation from this male form creates a new female (perhaps lesbian) poetic within the pastoral setting that she constructs in her response to Olivia's refusal to love Or sino: Make me a willow cabin at your gate And call upon my soul within the house; Write loyal cantons of contemned love And sing them loud even in the dead of night; Hallow your name to the reverberate hills, And make the babbling gossip of the air Cry out â€Å"Olivia!† (I.v.263-8) Thus, Viola (as Cesario) creates a space for Olivia's reply, whereas Orsino's script (â€Å"Lady, you are the cruel'st she alive / If you will lead these graces to the grave / And leave the world no copy† (I.v.236-8) prevents response, thus portraying Olivia as an object incapable of response. Olivia anticipates her own objectification, interjecting to say: Oh, sir, I will not be so hardhearted. I will give out divers schedules of my beauty. It shall be inventoried, and every particle and utensil labelled to my will: as, item, two lips, indifferent red; item, two grey eyes with lids to them; item, one neck, one chin, and so forth. (I.v.239-44) She understands the ways in which she is reducible to an item, whose qualities consist of a checklist of characteristics, which, in turn, identify her as an unattainable, silent object of beauty. In contrast to such a mode of communication, Viola's encouragement for response causes Olivia to present her ring to Cesario/Viola. While attempting to win Olivia's heart, Cesario deviates from socially constructed male behaviour; ironically, this results in Olivia pursuing Cesario – in a masculine action. This scenario undermines the construction of categorical sex via the success of Cesario by acting as a female. Similarly, the portrayal of a supposedly heterosexual relationship, that puts the female in the place of power, counters the social norm that places the male at the helm of a relationship. One finds a similar situation in the fourth scene of the second act, where Orsino remarks that in love, a woman does not suffer so much as a man (93-118), to which Viola (as Cesario) vehemently responds, telling Orsino of her love for him indirectly: In faith, they are as true of heart as we. My father had a daughter loved a man [†¦] She never told her love, But let concealment, like a worm i'th'bud, Feed on her damask cheek. She pined in thought, And with a green and yellow melancholy; She sat like Patience on a monument, Smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed? We men say more, swear more, but indeed Our shows are more than will; for still we prove Much in our vows, but little in our love. (II.iv.105-118). Viola aggressively and passionately describes her patience though a story, taking on the role of the man: she controls the discourse as she impersonates herself, and objectifies herself as allegorical â€Å"Patience on a monument† (II.iv.14), in a verbal tour de force. Paradoxically, Viola affirms her patience and feminine character by means of being masculine (according to the gender paradigms Orsino proposes). Viola strongly explains the patience and gentility of a woman, as a disguised woman, thus deconstructing the categories of sex in general, and those of femininity as â€Å"patience† and masculinity as â€Å"aggression,† in specific. As well, Viola challenges the patriarchal social order of her society by demonstrating how she, a transvestite, is capable of deconstructing gender categories. Further, the very fact that the action in the plot – the wooing of Olivia, unbeknownst to Sebastian, and the wooing of Orsino – is mostly attributed to Viola through her planning and action demonstrates the female in power instead of a male. This fact, combined with the inaction of the male characters in the play, destabilizes another traditional notion of gender identity: the female as the prized possession and the male as its conqueror. The final act of the play exposes the failure of the dominant, heterosexual regime to fully regulate its own narrative ideals, since, in order to achieve a â€Å"happy,† heterosexual ending, which befits a traditional comedy, a series of improbable plot turns must take place. This structural necessity indicates to us that Shakespeare is ambivalently invested in the heterosexual standards that he imposes upon his play. The unlikelihood of various irrational plot turns, and easily interchangeable affections, necessary to end the play with these successful, formed relationships shows the failure of imposing heterosexual ideals in society. Despite the absurd twists in the play, there remains some untouched deconstruction of gender as well as some latent homoeroticism in the play. In line 263 of the first scene of act five, Sebastian says that he is both man and maid, in reference to his virginity, but also in reference to his character traits being both male and female. This admission destabilizes the configuration of gender by attributing Sebastian with both male and female physical attributes, albeit figuratively. This also maintains a measure of homoeroticism in Sebastian's character. Further, Orsino comments that Viola is both man and maid as well – in that Olivia will remain a man so long as she dresses in man's garb: Cesario, come– For so you shall be, while you are man; But when in other habits you are seen, Orsino's mistress and his fancy's queen. (V.i.385-388) This remark concludes that identity, gender, and its foundations are simply as interchangeable as clothing, and gender depends on the character's actions and not their physical attributes. Ultimately, the ending of Twelfth Night is not entirely ideal, since many characters – Viola, Sebastian and Olivia – are not completely happy, having succumbed to the pressures of heterosexual conformity. The true homosexual union of male and female character pairs challenges the heterosexual dominance over homosexual interaction. Viola may have won Orsino; she may even marry Orsino, but she is not completely happy since Orsino mere moments ago was willing to destroy their friendship for Olivia's sake (â€Å"Farewell, and take her, but direct thy feet / Where thou and I henceforth may never meet† (V.i.166-7)). Likewise, Sebastian, although happy with Olivia, seems happier when he sees Antonio once again at the end of the play, and exclaims in a romantic manner upon seeing him, saying, â€Å"Antonio, O my dear Antonio! / How have the hours racked and tortured me / Since I have lost thee!† Finally, while Olivia is set to wed Sebastian, she seems more jubilant with regard to having Viola as a sister, â€Å"A sister! You are she† (V.i.327), thus expressing her deeper interest in Viola rather than Sebastian. Since Shakespeare's society chose to regulate the sexual and gendered expression of its people, Shakespeare comments on the â€Å"ideal† norms of heterosexuality in Twelfth Night, demonstrating, through carefully constructed contradictions, that gender is a mere social construction. That in actuality there are no boundaries to behaviour and that there is no such thing as â€Å"homoeroticism† or â€Å"hetero-eroticism† but only Eros, regulated by attraction, love and relationship. True homosexual union of male and female character pairs in this play (as both actors are male), challenges the heterosexual dominance over homosexual interaction. Having done so, Shakespeare, due to societal prejudice, reverts to heterosexual discourse, acknowledging that despite the truth of sex and gender, one must abide, for practical reasons, by the demands of social majority.

Delayed Gratification

â€Å"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable pre-requisite for success. † Brian Tracy, a self-help author who also makes presentations on leadership skills, sales topics, managerial effectiveness, and business strategy, is correct on the topic of delayed gratification. According to Google Dictionary, delayed or deferred gratification is the ability to wait in order to obtain something that one wants. This is what everyone should do so they can obtain what they want in the future, by working their hardest now.In the year 2010, young adults are having trouble grasping the idea of delayed gratification and if they don’t know what delayed gratification is they get into problems that many people don’t want to be in. People in high school must learn that delayed gratification will help them in the long run because if they do well in high school they will get int o a good college and then get a good job, but it can also go the other way too. If they do badly in high school they won’t get into college, they will work a job that doesn’t pay much and they will be unhappy because nobody respects them because they didn’t go to college.This concept also ties in with materialism because many students want the latest and greatest in technology and other gadgets and when they start to drool over the amazing things they can get, they start to take their mind off of school and onto getting a job. If they get this job and forget about school, they won’t be able to do well in the future and then they won’t be able to live by themselves, because they won’t have enough money to pay the bills, because the job they got to get the gadget they wanted, was an instant gratification job or a job that will pay small money very quickly.According to two professors of the University of Washington, in 1998, of 1000 high school students only 457 of them stayed on track through all four years of high school and were on time for graduation. This means that over 50% of students don’t do well in high school and mess up going into college, which also messes up their future. Four hundred thirty four of the 1000 dropped out, or transferred to a different school and 109 graduated later. These statistics maybe outdated but are still good to know about them so we can learn from our mistakes. These statistics are very bad for students and there is a way for them to ecome better and exceed in the future by also working hard now. Delayed gratification is a smart way to go if you want live a successful life in the future. Walter Mischel at Stanford University, conducted an experiment called, The Marshmallow Experiment. This experiment was done in the 1960s and tested what kids would do if marshmallows were sitting on a table. The idea was to see if the children that could wait would demonstrate they had the abil ity to delay gratification and control impulse, both significant and important traits for attaining wealth and being financially successful.The experiment was a group of four-year-olds were given one marshmallow and promised a second one on the condition that they wait twenty minutes before eating the first one. Some children were able to wait and others could not. The researchers then followed the progress of each child into adolescence and demonstrated that those with the ability to wait were better adjusted and more dependable, and scored significantly higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test years later. This shows that waiting is best and if you learn the ways of delayed gratification you can succeed in life.Delayed gratification is crucial to have a grand life in the future. If a person has learned delayed gratification and is able to apply it to their life, they will exceed in high school, exceed in college, get a superior job, and retire in good health. This is why people shou ld go by delayed gratification because not only will you be intelligent and will be able to speak about current topics easily, you will be respected by people you meet and have an easy life in the future.

Emergency Preparedness Essay

Role of Public Health Personnel During the Franklin County disaster, there were numerous individuals that participated in the disaster response. Each member had a specific role in the Public Health Team. The Community Health Nurse was crucial in the efforts to assure that the residents of Franklin County were safe and their houses were repaired from the damages caused by the storm. By going door-to-door to asking questions from a prepared survey, the Community Health Nurse was able to better evaluate the needs of the residents and assess the level of coping that was necessary and report back to the team in order to rally support in order to mend the damage of the storm. Later the Community Health Nurse was able to provide support by offering assistance by phone through the disaster hotline, to support the residents and offer guidance of whom to contact for further assistance in matters that need to be attended further by individuals with certain specialties. Chain of Command In the Franklin County crisis, the team put an Emergency Operations Plan in place to establish a clear line of people in the chain of command. At the top of the chain of command was the County Emergency Manager as the Commander, followed by the Operations Chief, Logistics Chief, Financial and Administrative Chief and lastly the Planning and Intelligence Chief. While the Commander has his hands full he delegated responsibility to the Operations Chief to oversee the responsibilities of the Medical and Health Branch Director, the Community Service Branch Director, the Fire Branch Director, the Law Enforcement Director and the Public Works Director. The Public Health Group was supervised by the Medical Health Director. The Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Finance and Administrative Chiefs all reported to the Incident Commander. All tiers worked hard together to communicate the needs that needed to be accomplished in order to keep the residents safe during the Franklin County disaster. Resources During the door-to-door visits that the Community Health Nurse conducted, different scenarios presented that required outside resources the nurse was unable to complete herself. In order to meet the needs of the residents the  Community Health Nurse used her resources of Environmental Health Specialist for the first household she visited, in order to assist in the cleanup of a spill. For the second household the nurse was able to suggest a nearby shelter that could help the family with their needs until a visit from a social service worker could be set up. With the third family who spoke Spanish only, the nurse was able to use her limited communication to provide information for cleanup after the disaster. The nurse can also plan for an interpreter to join her on her next visit to provide more thorough details. And lastly for the fourth resident, the nurse was able to plan for him to evacuate to a shelter in order for him to obtain his blood pressure medication. The Community Health Nurse was able to use resources provided by the community of Franklin County in order to meet the needs of all the residents she visited. Actions of Community Health Nurse Although the Community Health Nurse was able to use appropriate resource to help the residents, she was faced with emergency situations prior to her being able to use those resources. In the first house the nurse encounter a potential chemical spill and had to advise the resident not to attempt to clean it up prior to inspection from a specialist to avoid being expose to toxins. The second household was in crisis following the disaster; the nurse was able to calm the mother down by providing support to the desperate parents by assuring that social services would make a visit soon in order to find way to reduce the families stress. At the third house, although the nurse was faced with language barriers, she was able to provide knowledge through pamphlets to educate the family about potential exposure due to their poorly ventilated house. And at the last house the nurse was able to assess the resident for hypertension and arrange for him to get his blood pressure medication at a local shelter nearby. Throughout all the home visits, the nurse was able to remain calm in order to provide all the residents reassurance in their time of crisis. Coping with Aftermath In the first house the nurse was able to help the resident cope with his basement flooding and chemical spill in his shed by providing adequate information regarding chemical spills and cleanup techniques. The nurse was also able to reassure the resident by arranging for a visit from the Environmental Health Specialist to evaluate the chemical spill. By doing this the stress and concern was lightened for the resident. In the second house, the stress level was high for the parents. The nurse was able to provide supplies for the infant and suggest evacuation for the family while their power remains to be out. In order to move on from this disaster the nurse arranged a visit from social services to provide support in order to cope with their stressful time. At the third household the nurse was able to keep the residents safe by providing information about keeping water and dietary needs safe. This calmed their fears of keeping their family safe and healthy in their home. For the last house, the nurse was able to assess the man’s blood pressure immediately to assure him good health and alleviate his stress level. She was able to further lessening his stress by getting the man to a safe shelter in order to get his blood pressure medications in order. Techniques To further the support during the door-to-door visits the nurse could have offered to help put together volunteers to help the resident with the basement cleanup in order to move out any heavy object in order to remove the stagnant water. In the second house, the nurse could have also offered to arrange childcare for a few hours in order for the parents to complete necessary tasks or receive a mental break to lessen their stress level. The nurse could have immediately retrieved a translator for the third house to immediately alleviate stress of the residents. An in the last house, the nurse could have arranged for the resident to have daily blood pressure checks for the following week to assure that the blood pressure regiment was successfully in order. Preparation of Nurses Luckily the small community of Franklin County was able to pull their resources together in order to provide adequate care and safety for their residents. Similar steps would need to be taken if this similar situation were to happen in a larger affected area. Similar chain of commands would need to be put into place immediately in order to delegate tasks to those in supportive roles. It would proactive to have these roles in place for the local, state and federal agencies. Preparations can be made with education of preparedness of protocols and training for any given crisis. Having the hospitals and local shelters aware of policies to put into place at the first sign of disaster will make the initial hours of the disaster more manageable. In order to lessen the anxiety of the communities, constant communication about preparation and evacuation plans is necessary in order to be able to work as a team when disaster strikes.

Should the government provide free public education to children of Essay - 3

Should the government provide free public education to children of illegal immigrants - Essay Example Arguments for Educating †¢ Moral justification since the children are underage and did not choose to be illegals †¢ Criminal potential; uneducated immigrants might become criminals in future †¢ The American dream, America should welcome those who are projected for fighting for its ideologies in their countries such as democracy †¢ Economic Social and Educational Value, immigrants can play a role in the developing the country as teachers or business people IV. Conclusion †¢ Educating of immigrants children has both positive and negative impacts †¢ The position of Americans on the issue has softened over time †¢ These children should be given a chance at a better future Four hundred years ago, America welcomed visitors and immigrants from all over the world, with the passage of time, generations of these people and their descendants became the citizens of the United States. However, of late, immigration has become thorny topic and the American borders are no longer open to all due to a myriad of demographic and security issues. For one to become a citizen, there is a long process to be followed, and few people have the patience or the means to follow this up. Despite the legal restrictions, America is still, in the eyes of many people a haven of prosperity and security, and this has resulted to illegal immigrants who cross over the border through either land or sea to try their luck in the states. President Obama through the Dream act gave immigrant’s children who have been brought up in America a chance to pursue their education, which was previously impossible due to legal restrictions (Orchowski, 2010). This has elicited a myriad of reactions from different quarters with some agreeing, but many set against this move. This paper is will discuss the two sides of the argument and attempt to argue out that the children of immigrants should be given a chance at an education in the United States. Americans opposing this ofte n have come up with several arguments to support their position; they include claiming that; allowing the children of these immigrants access to public education in America is self-defeating. This is because it implies that the American government is using taxpayer’s money to fund the US border patrol to keep out illegal immigrants, while at the same time educating their children from the same coffers. They argue that the education of immigrant’s children will drive up the taxes especially in view if the fact that their parents, who have no social security numbers, do not pay taxes, as such it is the taxpayer who will bear the whole burden. In addition, another argument is that the education of illegal immigrants is a slap in the face of those legal migrants who have worked hard and paid the taxes. Besides, immigrants might be an encouragement to come to the country purposefully, so that they can get an education hence, in the end, they will spur more immigrants to com e over escalating the illegal immigrants problems. To mitigate this, the Dream act covers only the children who had been in America before it was enacted, but admittedly, it will be hard to ensure it will not encourage future immigrants to cross over illegally. While one must concede that these arguments are valid largely, they do not tell the whole story; neither do they represent all the variables that arise when an immigrant’s child is educated in the states. At the need of the day, it is essential one considers the advantages of

Religious Controversies on Contraception and Ethics Essay

Religious Controversies on Contraception and Ethics - Essay Example Religious groups such as Wheaton College claim that ACA policy that faith-based institutions should cover contraception is a violation of their religious freedom. However, these institutions forget that as much as a careful consideration is demanded by freedom of religion, so does the right of employees and students to obtain safe and affordable healthcare services. In other words, institutions like Wheaton College may be right to protect their religious freedom; however, they should consider the unethical bit of denying students their rights to medical coverage. Moreover, just as commented by Hollinger, there is much that can be commended in the Biblical teachings that sex is fundamentally procreative. However, birth control can be given defense through the use of contraceptive devices that are fundamentally not immoral. Wheaton College before exercising their complete removal of birth control coverage should consider this aspect. WHO estimates that provision of contraception to wom en living in developing nations can prevent 54 million unintended pregnancies, 7 million miscarriages, and 26 million abortions (whereby 16 million would be risky abortions). WHO therefore emphasizes that this would prevent infant mortality and maternal mortality (79, 000 maternal deaths). Generally, these statistics prove that most women rely on contraceptives for medical purposes, for instance, women may rely on birth control pills to help the lower menstrual pain, prevent migraines, and treat excessive bleeding.

Lap report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Lap - Lab Report Example Directly facing Polaris, the sky chart led to the location of the Big Dipper. The two locations were charted. By pointing one finger at Polaris and one at the middle of the â€Å"cup† of the Big Dipper, the relative angle to the earth position was estimated. Each 45 minutes thereafter, the same observations occurred and those findings charted. Conclusions and Analysis: Since the earth rotates toward the east, the Big Dipper appears to rise in relationship to the more westward star, Polaris. Lifelong observations of the sun and moon bear out this rising and setting phenomenon; however, viewing the path relative to another fixed point in space adds a layer of comprehension to the process. Interestingly, the Big Dipper, at first observation, seemed to be moving slightly east because the tail moved east relative to earth’s horizon. By measuring to the middle of the â€Å"cup†, the land visual cues were eliminated, and the Dipper then appeared to simply rise straight up. The results are as expected. Polaris does not move east or west noticeably, but does appear to rise then fall. The Big Dipper rises, but stays in a steady horizontal position from Polaris, but rises as Polaris falls during the observed

Study case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Study case - Essay Example The defendant had flouted the civil rights of the employees enshrined in the Civil Rights Act of 1991. The defendant had flouted Civil Rights Act of 1991 which prohibits employers from discriminating their employees. The company resolved this by setting up a prayer special room at the plant (Robert & John 103). Tyson Foods also had a conflict that arose when they attempted to replace Labor Day with Eid al-Fitr. The non Muslim employees complained about this move. The company addressed the issue by allowing all their employees (Muslim and Non-Muslim) eight paid holidays (Robert & John 103). The holidays included; Memorial day, Martin Luther King Day, New Years Day, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and a personal holiday. Subject to the approval of their supervisors, the employees had the option of spending their personal holidays either for their birthday or Eid  al-Fitr. The company thus incurred more operational expenses by increasing the number of paid holidays to eight. Comparing the solutions adopted by the two companies, unlike Tyson foods, JBS-SWIFT’s solution will yield the company the greatest positive yield because, it will not incur additional operational cost (Robert & John

Dorothea Orems Self-Care Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dorothea Orems Self-Care Model - Essay Example This theory held a number of major assumptions. The most overarching consideration was that the theory believed that people should be self-reliant and responsible for their own care. In this mode of understanding, she viewed people as distinct individuals. Orem believed that nursing was a form of action, specifically between two or more people. As Orem believed that self-care was a human need many of the theoretical tenants of this nursing theory considered ways that nurses could facilitate self-care. This theory then considered that the role of nursing was to ensure that the patient or members of their family were able to meet the patient’s care needs. Orem’s theory placed great emphasis on the notion of wholeness. This wholeness encompassed health concerns including biological, social, and symbolic elements. Orem was then concerned with establishing the differing means by which nurses could aid the patient with self-care. In this way, she was concerned with self-care, self-care agency, therapeutic self-care, and self-care requisites. Self-care agency refers to the extent that the patient is capable of taking control of their care needs. Therapeutic self-care is the â€Å"totality of self-care actions to be performed for some duration in order to meet self-care requisites by using valid methods and related sets of operations and actions† ("Dorothea Orem's self-care," 2012). Finally, self-care requisites are the steps the patient needs to take to assume greater self-care. In conclusion, these comprehensive elements formed Orem self-care theory of nursing. This model would greatly influence nursing theory throughout her time and continues to influence contemporary contexts.

Global Contraflows - Morocco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Contraflows - Morocco - Essay Example Global contraflows are a threat to Americanization. This is so because it enhances culture diversification that is contrary to what Americanization stands for. In the past U.S had dominated over the other cultures making the minority cultures to adopt their way of life thus deteriorating culture of individuals (Moran 67). Contraflows on the contrary provide avenues for culture exchange between two different regions thus nurturing culture and ensuring its maintenance. There is therefore need to rethink culture production (Pennycook 74). This is to ensure that productions are considerate of the ethics of other cultures. This is to ensure that they conform to the norms of the other cultures so as not to be faced with hostility when the product is aired (Thussu 86). This paper seeks to analyze whether the Gnawa music of Morocco had an impact on the social life of individuals globally and the role that media played in ensuring cultural exchange. Gnawa music was mostly experienced by the westerns who visited Morocco. This is due to the annual Gnawa festival that is held annually in one of the Moroccan beaches (Athique 49). This provided the visiting westerns with the chance to be able to experience cultural celebrations of the Moroccan people. This as well provided an avenue whereby the Moroccan people and the westerners could be able to exchange their culture (Kearey, Kleipes and Vine 53). This is because the performers went to perform having worn their full regalia that marks the celebration. This could offer the westerners with a chance to learn the culture of their hosts and at the same time the hosts could be able to learn through this interactions (Moran 65). With the advent of media, culture movement was further facilitated. This is because of the availability of equipment such as satellite televisions that made it

Da Vinci †The Genius at the Venetian Las Vegas Essay Example for Free

Da Vinci – The Genius at the Venetian Las Vegas Essay While plenty of people are familiar with Da Vinci the painter not as many realize his prowess as a Renaissance man. Perhaps he was the first true man of so many talents that it was hard to peg him as one type of individual. In Da Vinci – The Genius you get a good look at the results of a great mind. You won’t see original works of art but instead you’ll see what has transpired from notes and drawings that Leonardo da Vinci created. Da Vinci was an artist, scientist, mathematician, architect, inventor and so much more. This enormous amount of brain power from one man has been highlighted in various forms before but this traveling exhibition highlights some of his inventions that today we might take for granted. As a result of the research to put together such an exhibition the idea of one large exhibition that celebrated Da Vinci and his Genius was created and can be viewed in Las Vegas. For the Mona Lisa he used oil paint, on poplar wood, there doesn’t seem to be any brush specifications, so we can just assume he used normal brushes. He employed a couple of techniques called sfumato and velature. Sfumato, roughly translated from Italian, means evaporated or vanished. This technique involves mixing light and dark paint, using tiny brush strokes, to create a smoky blend between the two colors. Velature is when an artist mixes paint on the canvas, instead of on a palette. Leonardo perfected both these techniques, as well as having his general knowledge of the human anatomy and the laws of nature to make his paintings more realistic. Da Vinci was left handed and did not force himself to switch like most people did then. In his day with quill pens, it was important to pull the writing instrument rather than pull it. When a right handed person writes left to write he or she pulls the pen and his or her hand does not smear wet ink. When a left handed person writes left to write he or she pushes the pen for less control and his or her hand smears the ink for less legibility. Rather than change his writing hand, he changed the direction in which he wrote. This allowed him to more quickly and easily write notes to himself without having to conform to the stifling conventions at the time, an overall goal of the renaissance.

Howard Becker Studies in the Sociology of Deviance

Howard Becker Studies in the Sociology of Deviance Although there had been prior research into deviant labels, Howard Becker is hailed as the found of the modern labelling theory. Founded in Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, it is this labelling theory that is perhaps his most important influential contribution to sociological and criminological knowledge. Beckers influences came from Cooleys looking-glass self  [ii]  , Meads theories on the internalisation of the self  [iii]  , and Lemerts social constructionism  [iv]  . Becker suggests that deviance is based on reactions and responses of others labelling an individual as such. He states that no particular act is inherently deviant unless until a group with socially powerful statuses or positions label it as such.  [v]   This approach to labelling deviance has become manifest in criminological and sociological research, and the development of the labelling theory. Becker opens Outsiders writing: social groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labelling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is  not  a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an offender. The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label  [vi]  . Just as society uses the stigma of the deviant label to justify its disapproval, the individual labelled uses it to justify their actions. Becker attempts to put a complex argument in a few words: instead of the deviant motives leading to the deviant behaviour, it is the other way around, the deviant behaviour in time produces the deviant motivation.  [vii]   In Outsiders, Becker views deviance as the creation of social groups by persons in positions of power rather than the quality of some act or behaviour. Becker disagrees with other theories of deviance, which accept the existence of deviance, and by doing so, simply accept the values and of the majority within a particular social group. According to Becker, studying the act of the individual is unimportant as it is merely breaking the rules made by those in power the rule breaking behaviour is constant and it is the labelling of such behaviour that changes. He describes rules as the reflection of certain social norms held by the majority of a society, whether formal or informal  [viii]  . Clearly, in a society where criminal activity is the norm, the one who chooses not to conform, should not be labelled as deviant for not committing crimes. Nevertheless, it could be said that they are deviant as they are not acting as expected and are deviating from the norm. Beckers approach, however, focuses on enforced rules. He views those who are likely to engage in rule-breaking behaviour as essentially different from those of the rule-making or rule-abiding society. He believes that those persons who are prone to rule-breaking behaviour see themselves morally at odds with those members of the rule-abiding society  [ix]  . Becker uses the term outsider to describe a rule-breaker who accepts the label of deviant and therefore view themselves as outside mainstream society. Becker also focuses on those in positions of power that have the authority to deem what rules society should abide by and who enforce those rules. According to Becker, the creation and enforcement of these rules is an enterprising act  [x]  . He hints at disagreeing with the morals and reasoning behind those who make and enforce these rules, realising that while some may have a moral crusade to prevent crime, most engage in the process strictly because it is a requirement of their vocation. Becker wrote Rule enforcers use the process of formal enforcement to satisfy two major interests, the justification of their occupation and the winning of respect from the people he/she patrols  [xi]  . He recognises that individuals who would not normally be prone to rule-breaking may become so by the misuse of labelling powers as a result of the enforcer abusing the great deal of discretion they are armed with. Becker concludes Outsiders by calling for empirical research of his approach to the labelling theory. As a result, there has been a vast amount of response from social scientists. Some research has directly reflected Beckers approach, whilst others have used his labelling theory as a foundation on which they furthered the theory. Gideon Fishman, for example, tested his theory by studying a sample of juvenile delinquents in mid-western America. Fishmans study  [xii]  looked at negative self-perception and whether this self-perception affects future misbehaviour. His results indicated that, although some accept the label of deviance and further entrench themselves in deviant behaviour, it is by no means universal; individuals react to the label in different ways. A popular application of Beckers labelling theory is in the research into mental health. Thomas Scheff adopts Beckers views on labelling theory and explains how people are labelled mentally ill in order to explain certain rule-breaking behaviour that society cant categorise  [xiii]  . Wright  [xiv]  and Pfohl  [xv]  recognise that Scheff is not concerned with occasional acts of deviance, but the lasting and sporadic deviance that is often considered under mental illness. People who are subsequently labelled as mentally ill often adopt the behaviour they would personally expect of a stereotypical mental health patient as portrayed through the media. Scheff identifies that we will all display symptoms of mental illness at some point in our lives, and labels are attached to those without power  [xvi]  . Scheff argues individuals who become stereotypically mentally ill, or at least behave as such, are rewarded by enterprising psychology professionals  [xvii]  . Empiri cal evidence of this can be found in several studies by Scheff into the process of mental hospital commitment. In carrying out his own research into the labelling theory, Edwin Schur modifies Beckers approach in Labelling Deviant Behaviour  [xviii]  , by shifting some of the focus to the deviant individual. He claims that, if people who are labelled deviant can organize and gain power within the society, they will be able to change societal views on what is or what is not considered deviant  [xix]  .  Ã‚  Schur says that this change in power may come in the form of uprisings, social movements, and even civil strife, which could ultimately result in the formation of a strong political group.  [xx]   Howard Becker has been criticised on much of his work on many levels, and these criticisms must be explored before any evaluation of his contribution to criminological knowledge can be made. Becker himself examines some of the criticisms made of the theory in his book Labelling Theory Reconsidered  [xxi]  . Firstly, he addresses those who have said it is not a true theory. He points out that rather than being an all-encompassing theory of deviance, labelling theory was established as a way of looking at a general area of human activity  [xxii]  , and not, he claims, a theory, with all the achievements and obligations that go with the title, nor focused so exclusively on the act of labelling as some have thought  [xxiii]  . He points out that the concept of morality can be problematic in its research and interpretation. He contemplates on where the researchers sympathies should lie and considers whether one should side with the outsider or simply ascertain criminal activity as intrinsically wrong? He stresses the difficulties of the sociologist of this decision, recognising that the researcher, whether taking either side, will be accused of taking a one-sided and distorted view. So we then ask how is it possible to see the situation from both sides simultaneously  [xxiv]  ? I agree that Becker is right in raising this criticism, as it is somewhat impossible to be completely un-bias on the basis that no researcher is capable of not carrying any sort of pre-conformed opinion or view on society and will, without doubt, have moral values, right or wrongly. In Whose Side Are We On  [xxv]  , Becker goes as far as to say that the labelling theorist must side with the deviator, as it is up to the sociol ogists to remedy unfair situations  [xxvi]  . Becker also points out there is problems with secrecy. The deviant individual, in many cases, will commit deviant acts in secrecy and will not what their actions to become universally known, especially when those acts are criminal. This poses difficulty in gaining a true insight into the world of the deviant individual and therefore jeopardises the validity of the labelling theory. Beckers claim was found to be correct by Humphrey in his study Tearoom Trade  [xxvii]  . In many cases, the individuals participating in homosexual behaviour in the tearooms were married with children, and consequently, when later asked in a questionnaire about their views on homosexuality, very few admitted their own visits to the tearooms. This notion of secrecy among deviants will undoubtedly cause problems for researchers and their research. It is also very difficult for researchers to observe the day-to-day lives of deviant individuals, in what are perhaps highly dangerous places, as there are problems of infiltration and gaining the trust of what may be violent and dangerous people. If the researcher is able to gain such access, they then face the tasks of remaining impartial in their observations, to continue to observe without becoming involved in criminal activity themselves, and even trying to prevent crimes being committed. This can be seen in Parkers View from the Boys  [xxviii]  , where he studied boys in an area of Liverpool. Parker was only able to gain insight as he had previously met the boys he was studying at a centre for Liverpools deprived children. He says, however, If I had not been young, hairy, boozy, willing to keep long hours, accept permissive standards, the liaison would never have worked  [xxix]  . He also admits that his presence affected the behaviour and actions of the boys. On occasi ons he prevented them from committing crimes and even went as far as to help them if they were caught. In his research and development of the labelling theory, Becker doesnt address how factors such as biology, genetic effects and personal responsibility can influence, if at all, deviant individuals behaviour. After this met a barrage of criticism, he answered his critics in his 1973 edition of his work. He wrote that while sociological researchers are dedicated to finding an understanding about society, they are often too careful to look too closely. Becker noted I prefer to think of what we study as  collective action.  People act, as Mead and Blumer have made clearest,  together. They do what they do with an eye on what others have done, are doing now, and may do in the future. One tries to fit his own line of action into the actions of others, just as each of them likewise adjusts his own developing actions to what he sees and expects others to do  [xxx]  . Francis Cullen believed Becker was overly generous with his critics. He recognised that after 20 years, far from be ing supplanted, have been corrected and absorbed into an expanded structuring perspective  [xxxi]  . Beckers suggesting that rather than simply criticise him for not including these factors in his research, these sociologists should use those factors to help develop the labelling theory themselves. What I believe to be the greatest flaw in the labelling theory is the notion that no acts are inherently criminal  [xxxii]  , they only become criminal when society has deemed them as such. This seems to be suggesting that without the persons in power trying to satisfy two major interests: the justification of their occupation and the winning of respect from the people  [xxxiii]  by implementing laws, there would be no deviant. So does this mean that simply because it couldnt be labelled as such, it wouldnt exist? Just because something cant be specifically labelled as such does not mean that it ceases to occur. I agree with Beckers argument that people become deviant if they are expected to become so by society, but I fail be of the same mind that this is the reason behind the majority of deviant behaviour. In my opinion, the labelling of deviance comes after the deviant act occurs. The theory also claims that for a criminal to be successfully labelled, an audience must be present to provide a reaction to the crimes committed. So does this mean that if a murder is committed and the killer avoids suspicion or being caught, they are not a criminal and will not think of themselves in such a way? It is probable that the killer will have some idea of morals and what is conceived to be inherently right and wrong as a result of their own socialisation, and so could initialise self-labelling, but the theory clearly states the labelling must come from a third party. In attempting to evaluate the contribution of Becker to the study of criminology and more specifically the sociology of deviance, it is important to note that it depends on how the theory is viewed. If the theory is considered as a theory, with all the achievement and obligations that go with the title  [xxxiv]  then its flaws are many. Yet, if we consider the theory, as Becker suggests we do, as a mere way of looking at deviance, then the contribution could be said to be significant. Becker, unlike previous theorists, did not only look at the after-effects of a deviant act but considered the way one begins to fall deviant. In his study of marijuana users, for example, he considers how one begins to smoke. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Beckers approach to the labelling theory, the majority, if not all, will use that opinion to then form their own ideas and approaches to the study of deviance, as is evident from the amount of critique Becker has obtained. As a result, one c an conclude that Beckers approach to the labelling theory continues in its usefulness, and will remain to do so as long as deviant behaviour continues to exist.

The Implications For Social Work Practice Social Work Essay

The Implications For Social Work Practice Social Work Essay What are the implications for social work practice? What more can social work as a profession do to actively promote an education agenda for looked after children? What might an individual social worker do? There is an inherent barrier between social workers and looked after children and young people. This has been formed over time because of a number of factors, firstly the turnover of staff makes it near impossible for children and young people to form relationships with the social worker, reducing their confidence in discussing issues that may be of a great concern to them. The status alone of a social workers can prevent some children from wanting to discuss matters because of the societal stigma attached to having a social worker. The stigma is not something that social workers alone as professionals can eliminate, society can and only when society accepts that social workers are doing positive work, and start to learn about the positive work they are doing, through the media and other resources. Then we can start to break down the stigma attached to social workers and enable all individuals to have the confidence of discussing issues with their social worker. Staff turnovers within children services have been high and highlighted in the media on numerous occasions (ref). To reduce the turnover, staff need to feel confident in the work they are conducting and safe from media scrutiny when the problems lie out of their hands. The caseload they have could also be investigated to ensure that the number of cases they have does not start to affect their practice. When there are particular cases that are quite complex and need lots of time allocated to, meaning other cases may be neglected. In 2010, the Ofsted safeguarding and looked after children national results of the childrens social work practitioners survey stated that social workers caseloads are unmanageable and because of an underlying ethos of disciplinaries, those who were struggling with their workload were too frightened to say that they could not manage. To enable a change within this area of social work, management and Local Authorities need to look at a different approach to caseload work, and to facilitate their staff to have the confidence when they cannot manage the caseload they have (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009). Social workers who work with children and families also need the best possible training and support to meet the usual and complex demands of their work. Looked after children, their families and carers need to know that the social workers whom they are working with have the right skills, knowledge, and experience to help them through often complex situations. Since 2008 the Childrens workforce Development Council has focused on ensuring social workers have more support within their role in childrens services. Social workers can embrace this change to ensure that they can stay within this area of social work. The opportunities of training will enable more experienced social workers to remain in childrens services. Looked after children have a number of needs that must be met to ensure their educational outcomes can be achieved. Recent legislation (Jackson et al, 2002) has attempted to address the factors that can contribute to successful educational outcomes including stable and consistent care, regular attendance at school, if they miss any school to catch up so they are at the same level as their peers. Research (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009) has shown that looked after children and young people need support from their carers whether foster carers or carers within residential homes in all areas of their lives. The carers need to understand the importance of education so the child can have educational opportunities in the future. They also need to be informed by social workers about the financial support that is available for those children who are not reaching expected standards of attainment. The paper Care Matters: Transforming the Live s of Children and Young People in Care (2007) proposed new initiatives and recommendations including agency links between adults and childrens services to ensure that professionals within the departments ensure they see the family as a whole. To implement a tired framework of foster carers that work at different levels of need. To implement new recruitment changes of foster carers so those with more experience and higher qualifications are suitable for those children who have more needs to meet. Social workers are responsible for placing looked after children and young people within placements that match. Having more understanding of the importance of education both as individual social workers and as a profession will enable them to highlight how important it is to their possible carers. The reasons why young people in care are in need of educational support are because the Local Authority is the corporate parent social workers should advocate for them like they would their own child. As Local Authorities have a legal duty to promote the education of children in care, specifically children in care because of the research (Jackson et al, 2002) that shows the number of looked after children who considerably underachieve at school. Research has shown that (Jackson et al, 2002) a good education can help provide a basis to enter adulthood successfully (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009). To ensure that young people in care attend school social workers must promote the value of a good education. Discuss with the young person their ambitions, expectations and achievements like any other parent would. The Children Act (2004) states that Local Authorities are required to ensure appropriate education provision can be provided before the young persons placement starts, unless in an emergency. Social workers are also required to support those care leavers who have entered higher education until they are 24, and until 21 otherwise. Social workers need to continue to promote the education of looked after children, be available to give advice and support to professionals as well as family, the child and their carers. Social workers must also promote a stable environment for the young person in care. Jackson and Thomas (2000) maintain that stability is universally seen as a desirable goal in relation to  looked  after  children. This is because staying in the same place lets  children  to recover from separation  and  adverse experiences, it provides them with the opportunity to make new attachments. Jackson and Thomas (2000) argue that if they are of school age, it will probably allow them to progress at the same school, enabling them to keep their friends and stay near to their usual environment. Stability gives  children  the opportunity to learn, to feel they belong to someone  and  to be nurtured. When  children  cannot have stability in the place where they live, it is important for them to have consistency as far as possible (Jackson  and  Thomas 2000). For example maintaining the same school  and  social  worker are very important. There are many reasons why  children  change placements. There can be changes to the child  and  familys circumstances. Sinclair (2005) suggests that when foster care breakdown has occurred lack of  social  work support may have contributed to placement breakdown. Unless looked after young people have the stability to form relationships, engage within school and have educational achievements how can social work as a profession promote entering tertiary education when the basics of meeting the childs needs are not available. Within research (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009) there seems to be a lack of focus on education and achievement of looked after children from the earliest point. Children do their best when there is stability and consistency. Giving education a priority seems too risky. Most social workers would place the child nearer to the family rather than to keep the stability of the childs education. When making these decisions around placements social workers and management seem risk averse, they focus on the childs present situation not taking account of the long term impact of how much a good education can offer. There has often been a short sightedness within social work of looked after young people leaving care at an early age of 18 when legally the Local Authority is still responsible for them until 21 or until 24 if in higher education. In 2008, of the young people who left care aged 16 or over, 39% were aged 16 or 17, and 61% left on their 18th birthday (Department for education, 2008). The average age of young people not in care who leave home is 24 (Care matters, green paper, 2006). Some looked after young people may have chosen to leave care at the earliest possibility because the time spent in the placement has been so miserable. But they should still be given the option to stay within care until the Local Authority is no longer legally obliged to care for them. Do parents stop being parents at 21 or 24? Why should the Local Authority be able to stop and cut off their support that the young person has relied upon. Consequently, those looked after young people who are particularly vulnerable who have been supported hopefully positively by social workers and carers who when the child turns 18 are no longer entitled to benefits to accommodate them, its only on their good will the young person is then expected to cope with life with very little help and support (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children third report, 2009). As a profession and individually social workers need to recognise that young people will transition into adulthood at different times and in different ways. Many may take to it easily and enjoy the independence it brings, some may find it harder and need extra support. Social workers should show more commitment to reducing the age gap of those leaving care and those young people whom leave their families homes independently (Children, Schools and Families Committee, looked after children, third report, 2009). The White paper care matters (2007) introduced new schemes which addressed the number of looked after young people who were leaving care too early. These included the Right2BCared4 and Staying put. The right to be cared for allows the young person to make decisions around leaving their placement, with the Children and Young Persons Act (2008) a looked after child has to have a statutory review before they are moved from a care placement. The staying put scheme allows a looked after young person to stay in foster care until 21. If young people in care have the desire to continue their education and enter higher education then social workers should support them as much as possible to help them achieve their goals. The main implication for social work practice is arguing for resources. If you help one young person in care get resources for extra tutoring, like most parents are now seen keen to do can we help all? Whether it is fair or not within different Local Authorities young people in care are now offering more than others, the postcode lottery could mean going onto further education, getting a better job or finishing care early and coping on the fringes of society. Some would argue that it is unfair to offer an assessment, but as long as the social worker can evidence the different needs then why should they not argue and advocate on behalf of the young person like any other parent would, especially when the young person is particularly bright, if not given the help these are the individuals who would be hurt the most. When the young person in care has decided that further education is a goal they may find it difficult to enter University straight away because of their psychological state. Not everyone who has not in care enters University at 18, because of age limits and support available until a certain age young people in care are given a time limit of when they can enter University. As a profession social work can promote the possibility of entering University at an older age and highlighting to the Local Authorities and Governments that they can be available for support until the young person has finished their University course. The practical arrangements of entering University can be that daunting that some young people in care may decide its too much. Unlike others who can go home when time term has ended, where can the young person in care go? Who takes the responsibility to provide accommodation during this time? Social workers should understand the benefits of further education. Therefore employ the role as advocates on behalf of all young people in care to highlight these potential problems and how to overcome them, for example work with foster carers to be able to provide accommodation on short term basis whilst not at University, Investigate into other young people in care within the Local Authority accessing tertiary education and see what voluntary organisations can provide if resources are low. Social workers should also promote the approaches other countries use, as they have a higher amount of young people in care accessing tertiary education, it may be that the style of social work could change. Social work may have to employ more resources into residential care, some of the most vulnerable and challenging young people in care are accommodated within residential care, why should these individuals have fewer opportunities than those who are easier to place and care for. They may also have to be more involved with foster carers and families to ensure that they understand the importance of education, and its potential benefits if the young person has good educational achievements.

Nursing Home Evaluation Essay -- Nursing Home Healthcare Elderly Essay

Nursing Home Evaluation I am seeking to find a home for my 76 year old Grandfather Leroy. It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to take care of himself and no family members are available to take care of him as it is becoming a full time job. He was diagnosed with colon cancer a few years back and his disease, in conjunction with chemotherapy, has taken away his capacity to care for himself. He was also recently diagnosed with Parkinson ¡Ã‚ ¯s disease. The name of the Nursing home that I chose to evaluate is the Lakeview Nursing Center.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This facility on the outside appears to be well maintained. It is composed of brick and is set in a good neighborhood. Upon entering the facility, the first thing I noticed was the pleasant odor that it had. I had been to nursing homes in the past and could recall how they stank mostly of urine and waste. This facility smelled fresh and clean. Cleanliness is a great attribute for a home that features 180 beds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This home offers care to those with Parkinson ¡Ã‚ ¯s disease, recent stroke victims, as well as Respiratory, Hospice and Respite care. Not all of the residents of this home suffer from any of these diseases, or require special care, but care is available to these particular patients should it be applicable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first question that I asked Nurse Egan was what she thought was the best part about working for Lakeview. She told me that one of the better things about working here is that many of the residents of this home are from or have family living in the Lincoln Park Area. Living in such close proximity to loved ones in a nursing home promotes more frequent visitation from family members. She tells me that typically the happiest residents are the ones that have the most friends and family visiting them. Frequent interaction with loved ones as well as living in a positive environment like the one at Lakeview leads to satisfied residents. When she finished giving me her answer, I decided to put what she had to say to the test. So I decided to simply walk through the corridor and see if the residents seemed happy or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first room that I passed by had two older gentlemen playing chess. I knocked on the door and identified myself as a curious college student that wanted to ask them a few questions. Kenneth and John eagerly invited me in and immediately offered me something to dri... ... taken with his family and displayed for all too see.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have been to other nursing homes in the past and found them to be unsanitary and downright boring to be in. This nursing home is extremely clean and welcoming as far as nursing homes. While I don ¡Ã‚ ¯t think that someone would choose to live in a nursing home, if they had to, this home would prove sufficient. The impact of this assignment was greater that expected. I expected to walk into a stench-laden home with old people gathered around a television. Rather I found a clean home with older residents engaged in social situations with both the help and each other. While nobody wants to send my grandfather to a home, it is something that needs to be done. This home could adequately provide for his health care needs as well as expose him to a socially productive and enriching environment. I feel that most importantly the family must uphold their end of the bargain if they are to put a loved one in a home. They must frequently visit their resident and show them that they are missed and loved every bit as much as they were when they weren ¡Ã‚ ¯t in a home. My family will visit Grandpa as often as when he lived in his apartment.

Film Essay examples -- essays research papers

Everyone lives in a different reality, that is why people enjoy watching movies. It gives insight into the world’s of others. Film directors strive to portray their characters’ lives as believable as possible. Many help set up the authenticity with costumes and such.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Governess Goldbacher sets the historical reality with subtle elegance. In the scene where Rosina enters the dining area to inform her employers of her departure, all are dressed in attire associated with the English Victorian era. The son in an oversized baggy shirt, the father with a smart suit and a string bow tie. The daughter is sporting a child like dress which drops just below her knees, and the mother in a high neck lace dress. Although the scene is somewhat dramatic with Rosina’s abruptness about leaving, she retires with the calm gracefulness women were expected to conduct themselves with in that day and age. As she begins speaking to them the camera zooms in some, and then follows her as she makes her way over to the Mistress and presents her with the nude of her husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Elizabeth director Kapur did an excellent job portraying the many different phases in the Queen’s life. From her carefree days before her rein where she wore long flowing and light dresses, to that of her rebirth as the â€Å"Virgin Queen.† In her last phase she dons the most elaborate attire, huge and stiff dresses with high neck lines. She even cuts most of her hair o...

How Pop Culture Affects Teens Essay

Popular culture is all around us and it influences many teens across the world. Teenagers are affected by pop culture in almost every aspect of life whether it is music, media, celebrities, fashion, and even literature. These kinds of things have become top priority for teenagers of today’s world. They have surrounded themselves by it and have grown to love, even worship pop culture. Our main objective is to raise awareness to the significance of popular culture in comparison to the cultures of the world. â€Å"Popular Culture is the new Babylon, into which so much art and intellect now flow, it is our Imperial Theater, Supreme Temple of the Western Eye. We live in the age of idols. The pagan past, never dead, flames again in our mystic hierarchies of stardom.† Parental angst about teenagers’ musical preferences is as old as popular culture itself. Ever since Elvis first swiveled his hips for 1950s TV audiences, consensus has zigzagged sharply on how strongly music impacts its teen listeners. Critics see desensitization toward violence as one major consequence of long-term exposure to music with antisocial themes, while defenders of popular culture simply view it as one more signpost in the era of teen rebellion. Popular culture’s influence on teens? It is a known concept that younger teens can be easily influenced. There are several studies that have been done that show the fact that the younger the age, the more likely the person is to follow a crowd. Peer pressure plays a huge role in this also, but the fact is that during the early teen years, one is more likely to pick a role model based on who is considered popular by a majority. The thing is, that may not always be the best thing. This is why there have been several efforts made to regulate the content in popular culture that is reachable to younger children. This includes putting warning labels on CDs, having ratings on television shows, and requiring ID in order to view certain movies. Even though parents and political figures have made several efforts, it may not be enough. Who is really to blame? Is it right to blame the celebrities whose sole purpose is to entertain us? In my opinion, popular culture has had an influence on teens. And depending on the day it is, the influence may not be a good one. Even though I do not feel music or movies should be to blame for the troubles that teenagers have gotten into, there are some teens who feel the need to follow whatever trends that are shown in popular culture, whether it is positive or negative. It is the responsibility of the public figures who are involved in these forms of entertainment to try and be a positive influence. But the one thing that we all must keep in mind is that celebrities are people too and are bound to make mistakes. Teenagers are the group most strongly influenced by popular culture (more commonly called pop culture). What exactly is popular culture? According to Wikipedia English: â€Å"Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred through an informal consensus within the mainstream of any given society.† Thesaurus.com refers to pop culture as a â€Å"modern way of living.† Effects on teens Not only are teens strongly influenced by pop culture but it affects them on many levels. It affects them cognitively (how they think), emotionally (how they feel) and behaviorally (what they do). The last decade has seen exponential growth in the media – with the advent of the internet, mass media has almost been overtaken by social media. The teens have latched onto social media with intensity and this has had both negative and positive effects. Conclusion The relationship between teens, pop culture and the media (mass and social) is deeply symbiotic – and here to stay. The teens of today have grown up with mobile phones and internet access, information always at their finger-tips. Popular culture continues to affect teens in both positive and negative ways. On the other hand, teens also affect pop culture. The sophisticated teen of today is the creator and innovator of the future. Today I am going to talk about the topic: è ¯ Ã© ¢Ëœ Firstly, I’ll present the causes of pop culture. Next, I’ll give the consequences of this trend. Finally,I’ll sum up the conclusion in the short sentences.

Superhero and Comic Book

Superhero By Numbers – Lisa Watson and Phil Stocks January 29, 2009 by angelan Abstract: This paper reports on results of a statistical analysis correlating superhero characteristics such as powers, motivations, weaknesses, and costumes with commercial viability as represented by comic book sales and number of appearances in new media such as cinema and television. Results indicate that features of a character have little impact in the comic book market, and that new media trends support a move away from god-like, untouchable heroes to heroes displaying more human frailties and highly visual super abilities.Introduction The superhero is an ingrained part of popular culture that has seen resurgence in the last decade through the introduction of prominent characters to new audiences through expanded media. There was a time when superheroes were entrenched firmly in the comic book medium. However, advances in technology and changes in distribution channels have changed the superh ero industry considerably. With comic books barely achieving a fraction of early sales volumes, publishers are trying to revive their comic book heroes by taking them from the â€Å"Silver Age† to the silver screen and other fora.However, with greatly advanced media come great financial risks. In order to secure their investments, the sponsors of these types of ventures must have a solid understanding of the modern superhero audience and what it is looking for in an iconic protagonist. Heroes and villains express cultural values regarding what society reveres as admirable and fears as deviant (Klapp 1962). Bradford Wright’s (2001) book â€Å"Comic Book Nation† outlines the evolution of comic book stories and characters mimicking cultural change; however, this discussion was done retrospectively (as were others).These types of observations tell us that what was popular during the golden age of comic book heroes will surely not be desirable in today’s socie ty. It would be useful if publishers were able to determine what readers are drawn to now so that they might better meet the demands of this generation of reader. Empirically studying the popular appeal of superhero traits can give us insight into our society and trends within its development. What makes a character popular or prominent as we enter the Aquarian age? How important is boundless virtue or courage in the face of insurmountable odds?How relevant is the softer, vulnerable side of a character? Do readers have preferred super powers? Is an Achilles’ heel necessary? Moreover, what characteristics are enduring? Answers to these sorts of questions should provide the insights that will tell companies which avenues should prove the most lucrative and least risky to pursue in bringing superheroes back to the masses. The aim of this study is to analyse trends in superhero characteristics empirically in order to establish current popular superhero traits.Following standard p ractice for writing academic articles in the applied social science of marketing, study findings are then used to develop a series of managerial implications for businesses. In this instance, findings may be used to reduce risk in choosing existing heroes to introduce to modern audiences, or to create a new breed of hero that is better able to reach the target readers, viewers and players of the future. Literature Review Superheroes made inroads into popular culture in the 1930s at newsstands around America.The â€Å"Golden Age† of comics set a precedent of seemingly indestructible superheroes who held secret identities and were dedicated to upholding truth and justice (Bongco, 2000). After struggling to maintain reader interest through the early 1950? s, the â€Å"Silver Age† of comics saw revamping and reintroduction of characters thought to be buried deep in the archives at the Hall of Justice, this time bringing some more human qualities to the fore. Now, â€Å"wh en you think of Superman, you most likely think of the Superman that was in vogue when you were a child.There’s been a Superman for every decade since the character was created† (Fingeroth, 2004, p. 20). Even today, one man’s Dark Knight is not necessarily another boy’s Batman. The eighties and nineties saw a bold break from tradition as comic publishers started directly targeting more mature readership by introducing not just human struggles within the characters, but hints of amoral and anti-heroic tendencies as well (Bongco, 2000). Do superhero fans of today prefer the altruistic heroes of yesteryear like Spiderman, the bad-boy good guys like Wolverine, or looking into the darkest depths of the Dark Knight?The comic book companies that own our superheroes have used in-your-face tactics to increase sales figures before. The Justice League of America and The Avengers were, after all, â€Å"the fictional result of the real world commercial desire to gathe r the company’s most popular heroes into one magazine or animated series† (Fingeroth, 2004, p. 104). However, when companies are betting multi-billion dollar budgets on public interest in particular superheroes, they should be sure they are choosing wisely. Only the most popular of the comic book superheroes can make it to the silver screen or video game monitor.Which character is the right one? Which iteration is the right one? Or should we abandon our superheroes of yesteryear and create new ones, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, exclusively through new media to show us the way? It is impossible to have a discussion of superheroes without the issue of gender being raised. Superwomen generally are parts of super teams rather than stand alone characters, and often they are in relationships with male counterparts. However, both partners need not be super, and significant others can be used as plot devices in stories.Therefore, it is worth exploring whether being in these s orts of relationships increases a character’s popularity. What do we look for in our superheroes? Kevin Smith (2003) has a simple view: â€Å"altruism and clothes† (p. unknown). On a more serious note, Fingeroth (2004) asserts that strength of character, positive values, and a determination to protect them start the list. So what separates superheroes from our other heroes? Bongco (2000) offers a costumed, secret identity (p. 102). Fingeroth (2004) argues that they have to possess skills and abilities that normal humans do not.Physical, mental and sensory attributes may be heightened. They may have superhuman powers that can range from magical gifts, to scientifically engineered mutations, to high-tech equipment or weaponry combined with an inexplicable ability to walk away from every battle unscathed. But most importantly, they always have to win in the end. By considering a wide range of these characteristics, we hope to be able to determine which combinations of the se characteristics are related to commercial success in a modern market. Method A database of superheroes was constructed incorporating a wide range of superhero characteristics.The purpose of this article is to determine what characteristics are most popular and commercially viable in today’s market. Marvel and DC Comics make up two thirds of the comic book market; thus it was decided that limiting characters to those in these comics would not be detrimental to sampling frame representativeness. An initial breakdown of character attributes and super abilities, including numerical rankings, was derived from information from fantasy role-playing games written for the Marvel and DC universes, specifically Marvel Super Heroes by TSR, Inc. , and DC Heroes by Mayfair Games.Independent variables included attributes and powers listed in the role playing games, as well as variables for their secret identities, weaknesses, motivations, costumes, significant others, and whether they ar e human, not human or mutant. The Marvel Super Heroes template and numeric scale was used and DC characters were translated from the DC Heroes system into the Marvel one. Both systems relate their numeric rankings to feats accomplishable in real-world terms (e. g. , able to lift 100 tons) and the attributes and powers are similar enough that this translation is formulaic and involves negligible speculation.Costume variables consisted of whether the heroes wear a cape and whether their costumes are primarily spandex. Significant other variables included whether the significant other is aware of their secret identity and whether he or she is used as a plot device; however, because not enough information was readily available about this variable it could not be used in the final analysis. Cape and secret identity were dichotomous (yes/no) variables. Weaknesses, motivation, humanness and spandex were short scales. Weakness scaled from none to debilitating (0-2). An example debilitating weakness is Superman’s vulnerability to Kryptonite.An example intermediate weakness is Iron Man’s alcoholism. Motivation ranged from none-given (0) to vigilante/revenge (1) to sense of duty (2) to desire to serve (3). Humanness extended from not human (0) to mutant (1) to human (2). Spandex ranged from no spandex (0) to sometimes appears in spandex (1) to all spandex all the time (2). Because the majority of superpowers are unique, they were grouped according to common attributes: powers derived from weaponry or equipment, the power to manipulate matter or energy (external to oneself), powers that are inherent to one’s physical body, powers of the mind, and magical powers.The very common powers of being impervious to harm and being able to fly were given separate entries. These variables were regressed on dependent variables representing commercial popularity to see which combinations of characteristics should prove most successful in the current marketplace. Tw o dependent variables were used to determine characters’ commercial success. The first was the collective number of movies, television programs and video games in which they have featured as main characters. The sampling frame for this data was the Internet Movie Database (http://www. mdb. com, 2005). The second variable was an estimated comic book sales figure for 2004. It used the monthly Top 300 comic sales lists published by ICV2. com (2004) to calculate the total number of Top 100 comic issues sold in 2004 that featured each of the heroes as central characters (based on title characters for individual titles and feature characters in the case of group titles). While these data can not be entirely accurate, they should provide reasonable estimates of heroes’ market popularity in popular media.Results There are 75 heroes in our database; some individual data points are missing for some characters. This sample is small for the number of independent variables in our a nalysis. Therefore, the first step was to conduct a factor analysis to group individual measures together to create a smaller, but still representative, variable list. A principal components analysis with a varimax rotation was used. It yielded 9 factor components. Factor loadings above 0. 400 may be seen in Table 1.The first factor was labelled â€Å"Physical Attributes,† incorporating health, strength, fighting ability, endurance and agility. Wearing a cape also loaded onto this factor, suggesting that particular fashion item is reserved for only the most powerful of superheroes. Apparently the new cape-less trend started by top superhero designer Edna â€Å"E† Mode has not yet caught on with the big boys. The second factor, â€Å"Sensory Attributes,† included karma, intuition and psyche, which may represent such characteristics as â€Å"spidey senses. † The third factor included resources, reasoning ability, popularity and motivation.This combination s uggests someone who is smart, rich, resourceful, charming and philanthropic, and was thus labelled â€Å"Appeal. † The fourth factor seemed to consist of the most stereotypical traits of a superhero: being bullet proof or indestructible, the ability to fly, and a desire to help protect mankind. As such, it was decided to call this factor â€Å"Golden Age† attributes. Factor five consisted of powers derived from weapons and/or equipment and the power to manipulate matter and/or energy, and was thus labelled â€Å"External Powers. † The sixth factor was labelled â€Å"Secret Identity. Powers associated with the body loaded negatively with secret identity, suggesting that characters without superhuman defences are more likely to require secret identities to protect themselves. The next factor, labelled â€Å"Mysticism,† included magical powers and powers of the mind. These powers were also associated with capes, which are still used by such modern media mag ical superheroes as Harry Potter. At first glance, factor eight appeared to be a bit of a mosaic of collected variance; however upon further inspection it is quite enlightening.This factor encompasses a weakness combined with powers related to the character’s body and high endurance. This factor captures the Achilles heel of the character, along with the struggle to overcome it; thus it was assigned the label of â€Å"Tenacity. † The ninth factor demonstrates the humanness of the character. Amusingly, wearing spandex is positively related to being human. It must just fit better under a wider variety of everyday street clothes. [pic]These factors were used as independent variables in two regression models relating the factors first to appearances in movies, TV shows and video games (new media), and then to comic book sales volumes (as outlined in the method section). Neither of the dependent variables was normally distributed, so natural log transformations were conduct ed on each of them before analyses were conducted. When the superhero factors were regressed on the new media variable, residual analysis uncovered a non-random error distribution that suggested weighted least squares was required.Thus, a weighted least squares regression analysis was conducted using unstandardized residuals as the weighting factor. The model returned an adjusted R? value of 0. 77, meaning that 77% of the variance in new media appearances for superheroes could be explained by the nine superhero factors (Table 2). Four factors had significant effects on how often a character appeared in new media. Sensory abilities, external powers and humanness had positive relationships with new media appearances. It is easy to see why external powers would be desired in today’s visually focused media.Interestingly, the Golden Age factor had a negative relationship with new media appearances, with Golden Age characteristics making a character 35% less likely to appear on scr een. Some of our favourite superheroes have been recreated and revamped over the years. An example of a Golden Age character shedding these stereotypical powers in new media would be the television program Smallville, in which Superman can’t fly and has not yet devoted his life to saving mankind. This example is also an apt one for demonstrating the appeal of the other two factors, humanness and sensory attributes.Directional results indicate that audiences want characters to be less untouchable and more human and to have an innate ability to understand their fellow man. They want to empathize in some way with the protagonist in the story. These results could describe the hardened street smart Batman or the gentler Tobey Maguire version of Spiderman, both of whom are due to make reappearances at the box office, and both of whom will be sporting spandex. Alternatively, these results could be used as a skeleton around which to build new characters to debut in video format. [pic ]A second regression analysis was conducted using comic book sales figures estimates as the dependent variable. The mass audience for movies is a much broader one than the comic book niche market, and as such is looking for more sophisticated superhero stories. Thus, what these two audiences are looking for in superhero characteristics may also be very different. As in the first analysis, the 9 superhero factors were regressed on the transformed dependent variable, in this case Top 100 comic book sales. Linear regression results did not require weighting. Results can be seen in Table 3.Only one of the measured superhero factors, tenacity, played a significant role in determining comic book sales. The ability to overcome weakness in the face of insurmountable odds is something that comic book fans have come to expect from their superheroes over the decades. When writers gave their characters flaws in the Silver Age it was meant to make them look even better when they beat the bad guy (Lang and Trimble, 1988). Apparently the formula still works. These results indicate that changing superhero characters, or developing new ones, will have little effect on sales. pic] This stagnancy with respect to characters may be caused by a general shift among comic book fans away from emphasizing characters and more towards purchasing issues based on their artists (Brown, 1997). Alternatively, this is a small market that is steeped in tradition. Fans involve themselves heavily in these products and are quick to point out inconsistencies. They may simply not be open to change, meaning that the superheroes themselves are hardly considered at this point, so long as they are consistent.In short, this small market is not where growth will happen and is not representative of a broader audience so pursuing alternative characters in this medium could prove to be a waste of resources. Managerial Implications Apart from shedding light on current cultural values, these findings can be ap plied commercially. While results suggested that the comic book market is not strongly character driven, results indicated that characters have a major impact on on-screen popularity.Television and movie audiences seem to want to see heroes that are intuitive human beings that have powers that are external to themselves, whether they stem from equipment or the ability to manipulate matter or energy outside of themselves. They are no longer interested in god-like characters that can fly and can’t be killed. This combination includes mutant characters. Results can be applied to choosing existing characters to introduce into these media, developing new characters specifically for those media, or altering existing characters to better suit the wants of the audiences viewing those media.For example, Iron Man fits these criteria, making him a perfect choice for an upcoming silver screen venture. Findings also suggest that Professor X would be a more popular character if he were to develop the ability to move things with his mind. Alternatively, an entirely new breed of superhero could be introduced to the world. A league of new and improved, culturally customized superheroes to rise from the wake of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter, never having been restricted by the walls of a comic book panel.Limitations There are several issues that require the reader to interpret these results with caution. First, for reasons of practicality, we use quite a small sample of the most well established characters created by the two biggest comic book publishers for our analysis. Therefore, innumerable other superheroes developed by them, smaller companies and independents, as well as those that did not originate in comics, but in some other medium such as television or movies, are not accounted for.Next, much of our analysis was based on comic book sales figures, the overwhelming majority of which were published by Marvel and DC; however, these sales figures were us ed as a surrogate measure of character popularity. It must be recognized that collectors now often consider the comic book artists rather than the characters that they create when purchasing issues, as well as purchasing multiple copies of those they believe will be valuable (Brown, 1997).Thus, character popularity may not be as highly correlated with comic book sales figures as we assume in our analysis. Similarly, Marvel, DC and the majority of the new media depicting those superheroes come from North America. As such, our results may not be generalizable across cultures. Finally, audience demographics for Marvel Comics, DC Comics and the various other superhero media discussed here are proprietary, so we are unable to consider how the audiences for these media are similar or how they differ in our analysis.Instead we are making an assumption that there are differences and inferring that comic book producers have been successful in their bids to increase the superhero audience thr ough the use of new media channels. Future Research This study could be expanded to include a more representative sample of heroes from a wider range of publishers and media if a consistent system for quantifying many of the superhero traits could be agreed upon. Findings would be much more robust and reliable if this were achieved. Demographic or cross-cultural comparisons of preferred superhero traits and media could also be introduced.Villains should also be included in any future analyses. These additions would make the findings more inherently interesting because â€Å"comic book evildoers†¦help define the comic book hero† (Fingeroth, 2004, p. 15). Should further sociological analysis be of interest, a longitudinal study of these characters’ traits, their associated artists and their evolutions could be compared empirically to the observations provided to date and used to attempt to predict current popular trends and their changing sociological implications f or now and into the future.Little empirical work exists in the realm of superheroes as they relate to popular culture, leaving endless opportunity to test the many sociological theories being advanced about them. References Bongco, M. 2000. Reading Comics: Language, Culture, and the Concept of the Superhero in Comic Books. New York, NY: Garland Publishing. Brown, J. A. 1997. Comic Book Fandom and Cultural Capital. Journal of Popular Culture 30 (4): 13-34. Fingeroth, D. 2004. Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society. New York, NY: Continuum.Grinfeld, M. J. 1997. Superheroes Impart Life’s Lessons. Psychiatric Times 14. Klapp, O. E. 1962. Heroes, Villains, and Fools: The Changing American Character. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lang, J. S. , and Trimble, P. 1988. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? An Examination of the American Monomyth and the Comic Book Superhero. Journal of Popular Culture 22 (3): 157-173. Smith, K. 2003. The Superhero. Rolling Stone, May 15. Wright, B. W. 2001. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.