The Scarlet Letter Pearls Impact on Main Themes free essay sample

Impact on the Main Themes In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl is a bastard child living in Boston during the 1600’s. Although she is the youngest character, she is arguably the most important because she emphasizes the main points in the story indirectly through her observations and questions. Two of the main points are that the scarlet letter represents sin and that sin is an inevitable part of life. Throughout most of the book, all the townspeople and even her own daughter, Pearl, associates the scarlet letter as a symbol of adultery, which is a sin. During their walk in the forest, Pearl makes several comments that reveal her opinions on the impact of the scarlet letter in her mother’s life. Firstly, she points out that â€Å"the sunshine does not love† her mother and when it sees her, the sunshine â€Å"runs and hides itself† due to the fact that â€Å"it is afraid of something on [her] bosom† (Hawthorne 220). We will write a custom essay sample on The Scarlet Letter: Pearls Impact on Main Themes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this context, the sunshine refers to the innocence and the pureness of oneself which is the opposite of the scarlet letter, which represents sin. Because Hester committed adultery and is forced to wear the scarlet letter, the sunshine does not shine upon her because she is neither pure nor innocent. Additionally, the sunshine is also a representation of the community, because they too tend to ostracize her for the same exact reason. Since the sunshine and the scarlet letter are two polar opposites, they tend to avoid each other. In contrast, Pearl realizes that she is â€Å"a child† and since she does not â€Å"wear [anything] on [her] bosom†, then the sunshine will not flee from her (Hawthorne 221). Pearl indirectly makes the connection that the scarlet letter is a negative symbol, due to the fact that sunshine tries to avoid her mother, who wears it all the time. Conversely, due to the fact that she is a child and does not bear the sinful meaning of the scarlet letter on her bosom, the sunshine welcomes her under its rays. Even from a very young age, Pearl understands that the scarlet letter dictates her mother in every way. She also understands that it is a symbol of sin and nothing good can amount to it since sinful people are often ignored. Similarly to the point mentioned above, Pearl again, indirectly finds out that sin is a part of growing up. After making the association that the scarlet letter is a sinful thing, she tells her mother that she does not wear the scarlet letter yet. Hester responds to Pearl and says that she hopefully never will. Pearl is confused, and proceeds to ask her mother if the scarlet letter â€Å"will not come of its own accord when [she] [is] woman grown† (Hawthorne 221). The confusion among the young character reveals that she believes that her mother represents all the women in the community. By that, Pearl essentially believes that it is only natural that all people will eventually become sinful and bear the scarlet letter to represent it. It is a valid point but, Hester does not tell her whether she’s correct with the assumption. Instead, Hester avoids the topic and tells Pearl to â€Å"runaway†¦and catch the sunshine! It will soon be gone† (Hawthorne 221). Hester’s response can be interpreted in both a literal and figurative way. The literal response is telling her daughter to run and play before its starts getting dark. The figurative meaning is much more complex. In the paragraph above, sunshine has already been identified as ones pureness and innocence. When Hester tells her daughter that the sunshine is receding and advises Pearl to catch it while she still can, she is emphasizing the fact that sin is a part of life. Like the rotation of the sun, there comes a time in the day where it sets and all becomes dark. Pearl is currently pure and innocent because she is in the sunlight. However, her mother warns her that the sunlight is not going to be present forever and once it gets dark, she too will be sinful. The combined information about Pearl’s assumption and Hester’s figurative response to her daughter reveals to the reader that sin is an inevitable part of life. Pearl, being the youngest character, does not have the maturity to understand the complex world around her. However, her indirect observations and questions highlight the main points in the story. In this case, a few lines of her interaction with her mother reveals that her mother’s scarlet letter is a representation of sin and that sin is an inevitable part of life, which Hawthorne feels very strongly about.

Free Essays on The Concept Of Diversity

Diversity is the â€Å" differences and similarities in the experiences, needs, and beliefs of people. â€Å" (Lum, pg 3.) There are many ways to classify diversities yet all agree that diversities are not a choice. Diversities relates to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and size to name a few. The experiences of diversity that a person has make up their life. â€Å" Finding out about these multiple identities which shape the critical consciousness of an individual is part of understanding the unique diversity of a person.â€Å"(Lum, pg40.) My Own Diversity What makes me diverse? I am a female, a mother, student, computer operator, 35, Caucasian, single, Irish, English, American Indian, a Veteran, and an actor. I was born in Michigan however, my dad was in the military so, we moved. Following in my father’s footsteps I also joined the military this exposed me to 45 different states and 7 different countries. With the exposure to different lifestyles nothing is as shocking as it was when I first joined the military. My morals have not changed, just the way I apply them to others. What I expect from myself in the next 5 years is to finish my MFA in Theater and to continue raising my children to the best of my ability. The Diversity of a Group Native Americans have 55 different tribes in North America. Even though it seems that this is a large number of tribes, it was not until the census in the 1990 that more people declared their ancestry. Native Americans were forced into assimilation in earlier years because of their heritage; however, in today’s society the Native Americans are protected by Constitutional amendments, which allow them to preserve their heritage. With the approval of the gaming laws on Native American Reservations, it provides Native Americans employment and a growth in income. Yet with all the progression that the Native American society has made a misconception of teepee’s and alcoholics still exists in... Free Essays on The Concept Of Diversity Free Essays on The Concept Of Diversity Diversity is the â€Å" differences and similarities in the experiences, needs, and beliefs of people. â€Å" (Lum, pg 3.) There are many ways to classify diversities yet all agree that diversities are not a choice. Diversities relates to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and size to name a few. The experiences of diversity that a person has make up their life. â€Å" Finding out about these multiple identities which shape the critical consciousness of an individual is part of understanding the unique diversity of a person.â€Å"(Lum, pg40.) My Own Diversity What makes me diverse? I am a female, a mother, student, computer operator, 35, Caucasian, single, Irish, English, American Indian, a Veteran, and an actor. I was born in Michigan however, my dad was in the military so, we moved. Following in my father’s footsteps I also joined the military this exposed me to 45 different states and 7 different countries. With the exposure to different lifestyles nothing is as shocking as it was when I first joined the military. My morals have not changed, just the way I apply them to others. What I expect from myself in the next 5 years is to finish my MFA in Theater and to continue raising my children to the best of my ability. The Diversity of a Group Native Americans have 55 different tribes in North America. Even though it seems that this is a large number of tribes, it was not until the census in the 1990 that more people declared their ancestry. Native Americans were forced into assimilation in earlier years because of their heritage; however, in today’s society the Native Americans are protected by Constitutional amendments, which allow them to preserve their heritage. With the approval of the gaming laws on Native American Reservations, it provides Native Americans employment and a growth in income. Yet with all the progression that the Native American society has made a misconception of teepee’s and alcoholics still exists in...

12 Angry Men Essay Example For Students

12 Angry Men Essay Every man put on trial is considered innocent until proven guilty. In 12 Angry Men Essay this theory can almost be considered false to the jurors involved in this murder case. But one man can be credited with sticking to the innocent until proven guilty theory that most likely saved a mans life. This juror must show 11 other jurors that he can prove with enough valid evidence that this boy is be wrongfully accused of killing his father. Reginald Rose shows us how that one mans integrity can prove to make a big difference in a kids life. Juror #8 can be credited with saving someones life. Under intense and hostile scrutiny juror #8 is the only juror to vote not guilty on the stabbing death of a boys father. #8 doesnt believe straight out that this boy is innocent of this crime. #8 believes that it would wrong to send a boy off to be executed without discussing it first. Jurors #3 and #10 are the most hostile of the jurors. They believe deep down that this boy killed his father. They believe that everything they heard in the courtroom holds true and they dont really want to see this kid live any longer. Juror #8 still had reasonable doubt about the murder. He doesnt want to vote guilty until he has enough evidence that this boy did indeed kill his father. Many different points are made about the boy who supposedly stabbed his father, that are cross examined well by juror #8 who still stands alone at not guilty. All of the evidence that the 11 jurors found contains flaws in them. For instance the woman who supposedly witnessed the stabbing wasnt wearing her glasses. Also the stab wound in the boys father was made so that a taller man or boy could have made that type of wound with a switchblade knife. When these key pieces of evidence becomes clearer to the 11 jurors we start to see jurors questioning there own guilty vote. #9 is the second juror to vote guilty, because he too has some reasonable doubt. As more evidence is put on the table the 12 jurors come together and decide that this boy is innocent. In conclusion, juror #8 believes that every person is innocent until proven guilty. He was given many pieces of key evidence that showed this boys guilt but the evidence was examined carefully, and as more evidence was put out more jurors believed this boy was indeed innocent bringing them all together to believe this boys innocence English Essays .

Discussion 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Discussion 6 - Essay Example They have very accurately turned their tourism into an ecotourism which actually deals with tourism on educational basis and does not necessarily require the encouragement of buildings and economic activity. In result they can emphasis more on research and development in a professional way. They are also practicing â€Å"sustainable development† with the development of more â€Å"national parks† which lemmatize the economic constraints. Every tourism industry is based on some guiding principles and follows specific rules and regulations. Moreover the authorities, which majorly work under the government make sure to follow every rule to make tourism successful. They promote understanding and enjoyment of the national reserves and parks, conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of a country and seek to foster the economic and social well-being of the country by working closely with local

E-Commerce Purchasing Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-Commerce Purchasing Behaviour - Assignment Example 5. I worry about providing financial and personal information, whether it’s safe to use a credit card; retailers have sufficient controls in place to keep my data safe; personal information remains private 6. The web vendor would be competent, honest, and not seek to take advantage of me. For me, it’s important that the product be delivered in a timely fashion, that a web vendor be honest in its dealings and not seek to take advantage of its customers 12. I believe that airline websites have the necessary technology knowledge, will perform to the utmost for their customers’ benefit, and that technical failure is pretty unlikely. I can always predict the performance of the websites from my past experience. I tend to relax when I’m dealing with airline websites; they demonstrate the airlines’ belief that the customer is always right 19. A trustworthy website will ensure the product is reliable; an online store that seems reliable will encourage me to repurchase more often. I will repurchase if the purchase terms and conditions are clear and the technical infrastructure is dependable 5. I worry about providing financial and personal information, whether it’s safe to use a credit card; e-commerce retailers have sufficient controls in place to keep my data safe; personal information remains private 6. The e-commerce vendor would be competent, honest, and not seek to take advantage of me. For me, it’s important that the product be delivered in a timely fashion, that an online vendor be honest in its dealings and not seek to take advantage of its customers 12. I believe that airline websites have the necessary technology knowledge, will perform to the utmost for their customers’ benefit, and that technical failure is pretty unlikely. I can always predict the online performance from my past experience. I tend to relax when I’m dealing with airline

Characterisation Essay Example for Free

Characterisation Essay Main character: The character that plays the biggest role in the plot of the story. Major character: Characters that play a big role in the story. Minor character: Characters that play a minor role in the story. Round characters: Round characters are like real people. They have complex, multi-dimensional personalities. They are capable of growing and changing. They are often, but not always, major characters. Flat characters: They have one-dimensional personalities. They represent or portray one particular characteristic. They are a type, e. g. the jealous lover, the fool or the grumpy, old man. They are often, but not always, minor characters. Dynamic characters: They change as a result of their experiences. Static characters: They do not learn from their experiences, and, thus, remain unchanged. How does the author convey character? 1. Telling: The narrator tells how the character is, feels, thinks, etc. 2. Showing: The character reveals his or her personality through what the character says and does. 3. Setting: The author might use the setting (time and place) to say something about the character, e.g. about the character’s emotions or feelings. 4. Comparison to other characters: It might be useful to analyse how the character relate to the other characters in the story, e.g. if there are characters that are in opposition to, or different from, the character in question. 5. Appearance: The character’s clothes, looks and general appearance can often tell us something about the character’s personality. Questions to ask when analysing characters: 1. Is the character a main, major or minor character? 2. Is it a round or a flat character? 3. Is it a dynamic or a static character? 4. Does the author reveal the character through showing or telling, or both? 5. What does the way the character speaks reveal about his character? 6. What does his behaviour reveal about his character?  7. Is she similar or different from other characters in the story? How does she relate to the other characters? 8. Has the setting shaped the character’s personality? 9. Does the setting reflect the character’s mood or emotional state?

Man vs. Himself: Betrayal and Abandonment Shown in Arthur Miller’s Deat

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man trying and failing to obtain success for him and his family. Willy Loman, a traveling salesman, has been trying to ‘make it big’ for the majority of his life. Miller’s play explores the themes of abandonment and betrayal and their effects on life’s success. Willy sees himself as being abandoned by his older brother, Ben, and constantly views his sibling’s betrayal as one that changed his prospects forever. Willy, in turn, is guilty of a different type of abandonment and betrayal of his sons, especially Biff. Willy first experiences abandonment through the actions of his brother, Ben Loman. In the first act, Willy sees Ben in his dream, â€Å"walking away down some open road; I was going to find father in Alaska†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Miller 1575). Willy continues a discussion with his brother in which Ben lies and jokingly admits going to Africa. Willy regrets not going with Ben to Africa, because that is where Ben became rich. Because he was not as successful as his brother, Willy views Ben’s going to Africa as a betrayal. Willy’s issues with abandonment began at a young age. He suffered a lot emotionally and he strived to find a role model. This emotional instability and lack of a role model continued to affect Willy later in life physically, Centola makes the comment â€Å"something which often surfaces in his contradictory statements and emotional outbursts† (1). Willy would be vigorous, energetic, and nimble for one minute and then moody, sulky, and cheerless the next. This abandonment and self-worth continued to suffer and became evident when he started a family of his own. This motif of abandonment and betrayal is carried through to Willy’s son, Biff. Biff feels betrayed whe... ... in a cyclical fashion. The Loman family gets so wrapped up in betrayal that it eventually takes someone’s death for the family to finally be ‘free’. Works Cited Centola, Steven R. "Family Values in Death of a Salesman." CLA Journal 37.1 (Sept. 1993): 29-41. Literature Resource Center. Web. 7 Dec. 2010. Martin, Robert A. "The Nature of Tragedy in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." South Atlantic Review 61.4 (Fall 1996): 97-106. Literature Resource Center. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. Miller, Arthur. â€Å"Death of a Salesman.† The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Alison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 1556-1621 Print. Ribkoff, Fred. "Shame, Guilt, Empathy, and the Search for Identity in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." Modern Drama 43.1 (Spring 2000): 48-55. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Dec. 2010.

Just Be Nice

James Q. Wilson have described as the elevation of self expression over and over self control. Such as a black child was discipline in a Connecticut (1996)for wearing his pants sagging. Stephen Carter’s summary â€Å"Just Be Nice† starts out by talking about how life was different back in the day compared to how life is today. Children were taught right and wrong, yes mam and no sir and just simple rules of etiquette in school. Now teachers have to be very careful on what they talk about with students. He believes that if these types of things were taught in school more openly today, then everything would be less violent.Carter then goes on to explain the reasons he feels that society is not trying as hard as it could be. He believes people are more focused on trivial things, then the important things. Carter feels schools have gotten rid of greatly needed academic school programs for less academic inclined programs. Carter makes several very good points on why society in this age is vastly different than what it was decades ago. He believes that society as a whole group must work together to handle things better, so that society may learn to love each one another again and not just tolerate other people.Carter also believes people are mean to each other because they have the right to be and can get away with it. The constitution is there for a reason, but sometimes those rights can be used and abused. â€Å"We have let cynicism replace civility. † (672). The world is a bit cynical. Carter explains that even the simplest gesture can become a problem. He feels that people are afraid to do anything nice, for fear of it back firing. Everyone is suing everyone, and that has major consequences. Accidents happen, so sometimes you just have to trust that they didn’t mean to hurt you.There are people in this world that do abuse our freedom of speech, like Carter says. Many children (and adults) cuss severely on a day to day basis, and need t o understand that language is a key element in what happens next in life. If a person talks foul, then they receive foulness. If you talk nice, however, you receive niceness back. It all depends on how you act and react to things. If we as a whole try to improve our foul mouths and attitude’s, the world would be a happier place. Cussing and acting up in public is very inappropriate and people should respect other people by not doing it or trying to dial it down.It is hard to do because this generation grew up doing it and habits are very hard to break. Carter makes some very good points in throughout his essay. Everyone on Earth is raised differently, so no two people act the same. But regardless of where we live, who we are and how we grew up, we are all taught one very specific and golden rule, â€Å"Treat others as you would want to be treated and have respect your elders. † Stephen L. Carter: Just Be Nice In the essay Just Be Nice, written for the Yale Alumni Magaz ine and later included in â€Å"Civility Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy†, Stephen L.Carter addresses several issues in today’s society. He describes the differences in common courtesy, freedom of Speech, and polite etiquette, while expressing his opinions on manners between the older generation and the new age generation in today’s society. Carter also compares the normality’s of today’s society to the time when he was growing up. He partly blames society’s etiquette problem on this generations youth and school systems, he suggests that schools are not disciplining children like they used to and are always under constant scrutiny by todays parents.Carter states that when he went to school in the 60’s teachers and parents were different then they are today. He implies that the modern person takes hard earned rights for granted and gives examples that show people today do not understand the difference between a want and a right. Just because you want to do something, does not necessarily mean it is your right to do it. In his article, Carter compares life today to life in the past. At the heart of heart Carter’s argument are the notions of manners, civility and differences in generational ages.Carter believes that the standards of civility have declined immensely; people have forgotten how to conduct themselves and don’t trust anyone. He believes if we â€Å"place our trust in the vague and conversation stifling language of rights instead. )((paragraph. 4). † This means that if we trusted each other more, then everyone would be more civil with each other. The author states that nowadays when a school tries to discipline misbehaving youths or teach simple rules on manners, it is a crime and it makes news. Carter implies that when he was a child, schools would have classes dedicated to manners, and parents trusted the school’s judgment.

Health for All Children

Is health for all children an achievable goal? The world’s children have rights to health which are enshrined in international law. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Articles 6 and 24 pertain to the rights of children to life, survival and development, enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of health and facilities for the treatment of illness and the rehabilitation of health (Block 4, p. 94).However, every year throughout the world vast numbers of children suffer ill health and die. Nearly 11 million children still die each year before their fifth birthday, often from readily preventable causes. An estimated 150 million children are malnourished (UNICEF 2001) (Block 4, p. 94. ) What follows is an exploration of the causes and treatments of ill health looking at the major challenges of poverty, inequality, culture and gender, and the social and political dimensions of such matters.The effectiveness or otherwise of international health intervention programmes is analysed and a measure of the progress made so far and the possibility of health for the world’s children becoming a realistic goal is discussed. Health is a culturally constructed concept, a collection of ideas and beliefs gathered from our experiences of living within a family, community and wider society. It is recognised by health professionals, theorists and researchers that being healthy means different things to different people.When considering matters of health it needs to be understood that health and disease are complex terms that are more than just a matter of genetics. Health is influenced by personal, cultural, social, economic and political circumstances. The definition of the term health as used by the World Health Organisation (WHO) since 1948 is as follows: ‘a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. (WHO, 2009). The WHO definition promotes an holistic view of h ealth that has been criticised for being idealistic and difficult to put into practice.What is important about this definition is that it is a positive interpretation that implies that health for all is something that can be achieved. Certainly this definition has aided thinking around health as more than simply the absence of infirmity and emphasises a social dimension. Globalisation, economics, adverse living conditions, the lack of availability of primary health care, differing social practices and cultural notions of health are all factors that impact on the health of people.These factors present both challenges and opportunities for the world regarding the possibility of achieving health for all children. Medical advancements in the latter half of the twentieth century has seen most notably the development of antibiotics, vitamins, vaccinations for serious infectious diseases such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Chicken Pox, to name but a few, along with a vaccination that eradi cated Small Pox.One advantage of globalisation is the increasing awareness of the plight of children in developing countries which has marshalled medical intervention and has resulted in a drastic decrease in child and young people’s mortality rates. However, despite advancements in medical technology, the availability of health treatments has not guaranteed the eradication of some preventable and curable illnesses (for example, Diarrhoea).Diarrhoea can be treated very effectively with a low cost intervention. Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) prevent dehydration which is the cause of deaths amongst children with diarrhoea. However, in studies of the Huli people in Papua New Guinea it was noted that although at first the mortality rate from diarrhoea fell as a result of the ORS intervention programme, the improvements were not sustained and the Huli people became dissatisfied with the treatment.The Huli people desired a treatment that would address the symptoms of diarrhoea: dry u p the runny stools of the sick children. Administering ORS fluids didn’t make sense and clashed with their understanding of the illness. Furthermore, the need to dissolve the ORS medication in water necessitates a clean water supply, something so basic but something that isn’t always available in communities in the South. The ‘Miracle cure’ or ‘Magic bullet’ for diarrhoea, ORS, is an example of how selective, vertical interventions may save lives.But it is also a prime example of how a purely medical approach to health does little to improve the quality of lives when other causes of illness such as poor sanitation and lack of clean water are not addressed. (Block 4, p. 125). A Western biomedical approach to the treatment of ill health has its limitations. Technological cures in the form of drugs, although vitally important, will on their own do little but not enough to make health an attainable goal for the world’s children.The concept of human rights and rights for children has gained increased recognition across the world. The status of children has been raised and children’s interests placed on political agenda’s throughout many states. ‘As of November 2009, 194 countries ratified, accepted, or acceded to the UNCRC (some with stated reservations or interpretations) including every member of the United Nations except Somalia and the United States. Somalia has announced that it would shortly do so’ (Wikipedia, 2010).Yet there remains concern about the real levels of commitment to concepts of children’s rights and concern about the lack of accountability to make nations uphold right’s for children. Through media coverage of world catastrophes, such as famines and droughts and through campaigns delivered by humanitarian and charitable organisations an ethical and moral debate is taking place about the need to address global health that has pricked the moral conscience. What is now required is effective systems that can help realise children’s rights and mobilise efforts to make health for all an achievable goal.The economic power of some nations and global corporations, and structural adjustment programmes (SAP’s) have created imbalances of power and forces that have worked against health goals with the effect of widening economic disparities between rich and poor across and within nations. SAP’s have been imposed to ensure debt repayment and economic restructuring. But some poor countries have had to reduce spending on things like health, education and development, while debt repayment and other economic policies have been made the priority.For many basic health care has become a service that can only be accessed if an individual has money to purchase it. Free health care has become less about a human right and more of a commodity to be bought. A further challenge to health for children in relation to economics is that within coun tries where there is political instability and conflict nations priorities become one of national security, funding arms and defense programmes and as a result there is decreased funding for basic care and education. At present an attitude prevails that nations should ‘look after heir own’. There does exists a humanitarian approach to supporting poorer countries at times of emergency but there are no effective systems that legally oblige nations to work together to ensure that basic living conditions, health care and the right’s of children are upheld. A change of attitude within and across nations and governments regarding whose responsibility it is to intervene and the importance of intervening to produce more egalitarian societies would go a long way to making health for all children an achievable goal.Global medical advancements, the development in the concept of rights for children internationally and world economic systems have been investigated to demonstr ate how they have resulted in both opportunities and challenges to improving health for all children. Yet it is also necessary to look closer at the more personal experiences encountered by children and families and focus on the social and cultural factors that impact on health.Securing health for all children requires more than having medical expertise and drugs on hand to prevent and/or treat medical ailments. Several examples of differing cultural understandings around illness can be offered that illustrates this idea. The Bozo tribe of Mali believe that red urine in adolescent boys, a condition caused by a parasitic infection, is normal and indicates sexual maturity; as such it is celebrated as a sign of males reaching manhood. Within the Bozo tribal people the symptoms are not viewed as a sign of illness and the condition goes untreated.In Nigeria 76% of women perceive diarrhoea as a symptom of teething and as such a normal part of growth and development and not something which requires treatment (Block 4, p. 103). In both these examples the cultural and social dimensions of ill health contrast with Western biomedical approaches to children’s health. When culturally interpreted ideas of health conflict with medical systems where there is a focus purely on the biological causation of illness, the acceptance of a diagnosis and treatment of a condition can be problematic.Some challenges in achieving health for all children is managing and resolving the clash of differing world views regarding health, that is, people’s perceptions of health together with their level of understanding and acceptance of scientific notions of health, and how to increase community participation in health programmes. UNICEF states that ‘chronic poverty remains the greatest obstacle to fulfilling the rights of children’. In the UNICEF book, ‘We are the Children’, it is cited that half of humanity is desperately impoverished and half of the 1. billion people forced to live on less than $1 per day are children. (Block 4, p. 108). UNICEF and the World Bank have defined absolute poverty (less than $1 per day per person) as being the minimum amount that purchases the goods and services deemed necessary for basic survival. (Block 4, p. 49). This definition is most appropriate for those living in the poorest countries of the South, however, poverty affects many children living within the richest countries of the world also.Relative rather than absolute poverty, that is, the inequality and deprivation experienced relative to those better off living in the same society, can impact on health causing emotional stress, humiliation and social exclusion. Andrea Ashworth writing about her experiences of growing up in Manchester in the 1970’s described the multiple effects of poverty that she experienced; living in a flea infested home, eating a less than nutritious diet, the shame of not being able to afford certain basic items of food, the stress that poverty had on her mother and how it manifested symptoms of depression that impacted on the whole family. Reading B, Ashworth). Studies by the Child Poverty Action Group in the United Kingdom concludes that children growing up in poverty are more likely to be born prematurely, suffer chronic illnesses in later life, die from accidents, live in poor quality homes, have fewer employment opportunities, get in trouble with the police and be at greater risk of alcohol or drug misuse. Poverty impacts on both the physical and mental health of children and their overall quality of life. (Block 4, p. 57).In order to make improvements in the health of the world’s children it is necessary therefore not simply to make health care freely available to all but to confront and tackle wider issues of social justice, inequality and poverty. Cuba is an example of a country with limited material resources that has created a more egalitarian society by providing food, emp loyment, education and health care for all. They now have infant mortality rates on a par with some of the world’s wealthiest countries.Similarly, in Bangladesh as a result of a national commitment to invest in basic social services, the under fives mortality rate has decreased substantially. (Block 4, p. 109). This is strong evidence of the ability to make health for all an achievable goal if there is government commitment to tackling social justice and inequality. A further dimension of inequality is the discrimination in matters of health based on gender, birth order and social status at a local level.In cases of malnutrition in Mali, Dettwyler identified that access or entitlement to resources is shaped ‘by the social relations prevailing between and within families within communities’ (Block 4, p. 119). Dettwyler provides an example of discrimination against children that begins with discrimination against the mother. Aminata, since she was fostered by the f amily, was considered to be of low status. When she became pregnant with twins her status was further lowered along with her entitlement to food and freedoms.She had to accept a life of drudgery and hard work providing for others in the family which took precedence over caring for her own children who were suffering from malnutrition despite food being in plentiful supply. Aminata’s quality of life only improved when one of her children died, the other was sent away and Aminata married into a new family. Her social standing increased along with her quality of life. Aminata gave birth to three more children, two of whom survived and were reported to be only mildly malnourished. Reading C). Beliefs about female inferiority within many parts of the world impacts on rates of malnutrition and mortality amongst girls compared to boys. Studies have shown in India and China that girls are less likely to be breast fed for as long boys, are less likely to be given extra food and more l ikely to be abandoned. These social attitudes and practices towards girls can be changed through development policy on the education of females.Through education the chances of health and survival of children can be improved (Block 4, p. 116) It has been argued that to achieve health for all children multiple factors need to be addressed. Free basic primary health care needs to be available to all, yet this on its own will do a little but not enough to sustain health and survival. Sustainability requires adequate housing, sanitation, clean water and an environment free from pollutants. Education, skills training and employment enable people to contribute to society.They are determinants of health in that they raise self-esteem, feelings of worth and have the ability to empower, organise and rally people together to make changes to advance wealth and health. The health of the world’s children cannot be left in the hands of humanitarian and charitable organisations. Unscrupulou s governments and some economic policies are malign forces that impede progress. The ethical and moral questions regarding international intervention and the level of responsibility that different nations should or can have towards the peoples of other nations are difficult to answer.However, the goal of health for all, as complicated or impossible it may at first seem, has seen progress which should not be underestimated. Within sixty years the WHO has been set up, the UNCRC has been established, international policies have been devised that have bound nations to working together, unprecedented medical knowledge has been gained, lessons regarding what has worked and hasn’t worked have been learnt, cultural understandings have been developed and ethical and moral debates keep the issue of poverty and health in the minds of all.The world is entering a crucial phase where the scope to tackle world poverty and health of children is beginning to be realised. The know-how, experti se and resources exist to achieve health for all children. Perhaps the greatest challenge to success is establishing worldwide commitment to the endeavour.Word count 2,505 References Open University (2007) U212, Changing Childhoods, Local and Global, Block 4, Achieving Health for Children, Milton Keynes, The Open University Open University (2007), Changing Childhoods, Local and Global, Block 4, Achieving Health for all Children, Reading C, ‘Cases of Malnutrition in Mali’, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Open University (2007), Changing Childhoods, Local and Global, Block 4, Children, Poverty and Social Inequality, Reading B, ‘Once in a House on Fire’, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Wikipedia 2010 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/UNCRC [accessed 5 September 2010] World Health Organisation 2003 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/UNCRC [accessed 5 September 2010]

Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Essays

Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Essays Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Paper Sociological theories of interpersonal violence Paper Violence can mean many different things to different people. The term violence can be used precisely or vaguely and can take many different forms including physical, sexual, verbal, psychological, emotional, social, spatial and financial abuse. This makes it very difficult to find a definition of violence that works for all situations and at all times. Therefore violence, what is meant by violence, and whether there is a notion of violence at all, are historically, socially and culturally constructed (Hearn 1998: 15). What is named as violent in one situation may not be named as violent in another; therefore violence is both historically and culturally specific. There are many different theories as to why men are more violent than women. These theories include biological theories, which focus on hormonal patterns and aggression; psychological theories, which focus on personality types and disorders; psychoanalysis, which looks at projection and displacement and sociological theories, which focus on concepts grounded in interpersonal, collective, institutional, structural or societal processes (Hearn 1998: 17). Biological theories propose that women are naturally less violent than men. Maccoby and Jacklin (1975) describe how women display aggression and interpersonal responses which are different to that of men, which mean that situations are usually resolved without incurring violent behaviour. Biological theories of how violence naturally occurs rely on explanations of differences between male and female chromosomes, hormones, genetics and territoriality. During research in the 1960s biologists found a number of genetic abnormalities in the cells of humans. As Ainsworth (2000) describes, one of these abnormalities was a condition which was labelled XYY. The name came from the discovery that a small proportion of males had an extra Y chromosome (males normally have one X and one Y chromosome, hence XY). This meant that the men with XYY had double male chromosomes, an abnormality which became nicknamed the supermale syndrome. The syndrome became associated with violent crime as it was claimed that these men were twice as aggressive and violent than the average male (Price et al. 1966 and Jarvik et al. 1973 Cited in Ainsworth 2000). However, later research showed that while XYY males were more likely to be involved with crime they were not necessarily more likely to be involved with specifically violent crimes (Witken at al. 1976 Cited in Ainsworth 2000). Some biologists suggest that human aggression is hereditary. As Ainsworth (2000) describes, one way of examining this claim is through the studies of twins. Identical twins have identical genetic make-up, so if aggression is hereditary then both twins should, in theory, display identical levels of aggression. However from studies carried out of identical twins that are brought up in different environments it has been shown that they often display different levels off aggression and therefore theorists have suggested that levels of aggression are much more closely related to environment rather than genetic make-up. Biological explanations are highly criticised for neglecting ideas of power, cultural and historical relativity and morality. Psychological explanations, on the other hand, locate explanation in mind, mental processs that transcend sex/gender or nature of the male of masculine psyche (Hearn 1998: 20). However, both biological and psychological explanations are criticised because they dont address interrelations of body and society, and of body, mind and society. (Hearn 1998: 20). This leads us to the psychoanalytical explanations of violence which include intrapsychic conflict, personality disorders, denial mechanisms, developmental deficiencies/impaired ego, narcissism, traumatic childhood, machoism (Dankwort 1992-3 cited in Hearn 1998: 21). Through the psychoanalytical perspective it is not violence that is the focus of attention, but instead the dynamics of violence which are more closely considered. Hearn (1998) describes how Freudian and Neo-freudian theorists believe that violence is internally driven, in other words violence is located inside a person. Freud describes how exaggerated masculinities cause men to act violently to compensate for their fears of femininity and of women taking control. Chodorow (1978 cited in Hearn 1998) goes on to explain how the development of a rigid ego is created by men to cope with separation from their mother and the absence of their father. This rigid ego derives from notions of how to be a man which involves the idea of the need to be aggressive in order to show masculinity. However psychoanalytical theories are criticised for placing too much blame on the victim. For example, in the case of domestic violence it is suggested that women let it happen because of treatment they received as children. Because of this psychoanalytical theories are often labelled as not feminist or antiwoman. (Hearn 1998: 21). Despite this, psychoanalytical explanations remain very powerful and influential in the social sciences, although more socially located theories have become increasingly significant. Socially located theories suggest then it is men with social dispositions, not psychological dispositions who are prone to violence (Hearn 1998). There are various socially located theories which include the Social Learning Theory, Socialization and Cognitive-Behavioural Analysis. All of these are based on the same basic idea that mens violence is behaviour which men learn. Although psychoanalytical theories suggest that observing other people committing violence or even expressing ones anger in a non-violent way may actually reduce violence in a person, this is not the case in sociological explanations where it is believed that violence is externally derived. Sociologists argue that violent behaviour can be closely related to an individuals socialization, namely through learning theories. Jones (2000) describes how there is a possibility that the expression of some violent behaviour is causally connected to either observation or experience of aggression. He discusses how human behaviour is based on learned experiences rather than instinct or some other innate characteristic (Jones 2000: 49). One of the best-known sociological theories of socialization is Sutherlands theory of differential association (Sutherland 1947 cited in Jones 2000). He argues that cultural, in this case delinquent, behaviour is learnt through interaction with others. Most people come into contact with both law-breaking people and law-abiding people, but it is when a person has more contact with the law-breakers that they become delinquent. Ray (2000 cited in Hearn 1998) describes how the crisis of masculinity could also be a causal factor of male violence. The crisis of masculinity refers to, amongst other things, increasing unemployment combined with increasing womens equality. Due to unemployment young men or lads begin spending more time on the street, (they dont want to go home as they believe that home is the womans place) and so have more chance to commit crime. Real manhood is based on devotion to group membership, particularly that of street gangs. These gangs or subcultures (Hearn 1998: 30) use violence as a way of confirming status in street culture and so encourage young men to act aggressively and violently. Sutherlands theory of differential association (1947 cited in Jones 2000) becomes clear in Rays (2000 cited in Hearn 1998) connection between real manhood and male violence; a person becomes violent because of stronger exposure to people who commit violence than those who dont, through association with other violent males on the streets. The social learning theory outlines the idea that violence is observed and then reproduced or imitated and focuses on past experiences, especially from childhood (Hearn 1998). According to social learning theorists early experiences in the childhood form a persons personality, basically if a child witnesss a parent being violent they are more likely to be violent themselves, even if it does not become obvious until later in their adult life. However social learning theorists also accept that if children witness violence being used as a punishment then they are less likely to copy, and therefore will be deterred from violence (Bandura 1973; 1977). Children develop learned patterns of violence through intergenerational relations (Hearn 1998; Hoffman et al 1994; Ainsworth 2000). However the exact process of learning violence is often less clear and there is a divide between theorists who believe that individuals learn through cognitive structuring, personality formation, behavioural reinforcement and modelling (Jones 2000; Hearn 1998). Cognitive-behavioural analysis looks at particular forms of learning that have taken place for particular individuals and how reproduction of violence occurs through intergenerational learning and socialization. Goldstein (1989:124 cited in Hearn 1998) identifies the three main areas in which aggression is learned: in the home, school and the mass media. He theorises that learning is either direct through individual practice of aggression or indirect through observation of people being rewarded for aggressive behaviour. Hotaling and Sugarman (1986) suggest that men who are violent to their wives were traumatized as children, either through being abused themselves or through witnessing abuse of their mother by their father, again focusing on the intergenerational production of violence. Bandura (1973; 1977), a major proponent of Social Learning Theory, combined aspects of behaviourism and cognitive psychology. He argued that people learn their behaviours not only through the idea of rewards and punishments achieved through certain types of behaviour but also through observing other peoples actions. By doing this individuals can learn to anticipate the effectiveness of particular courses of action in achieving desired goals (Jones 2000: 51; Hoffman at al 1994). To reinforce his theory Bandura conducted an experiment involving a Bobo doll (Bandura 1973; 1977). In this experiment, he had some children witness an adult aggressively attacking a plastic clown called the Bobo doll. The children watched a video where a model aggressively beat up a doll. In order to frustrate the children, after the video they were placed in a room with attractive toys, but they could not touch them. Then the children who had watched the video and some other children who had not witnessed the violence, were led to another room where there were identical toys to those used in the Bobo video. Bandura found that the children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to act in physically aggressive ways than those who were not exposed to the aggressive model (Ainsworth 2000; Bandura 1973; Bandura 1977; Hoffman et al 1994; Jones 2000). However there are also many criticisms of these theories as the exact process of how social learning or socialization takes place is often unclear and often represent a very simple explanation of how violence happens and is reproduced. Hearn (1998: 27) also claims that there is an under theorization of gender amongst the socially located theories. Certain questions such as why dont girls copy violence like boys do? and why do boys understand and imitate the violence of men but not the violation of women? are extremely important issues which are not addressed in these explanations of male violence. Another set of theories which attempts to explain why men are more violent than women are reactive theories, which can be either psychological or sociological in focus. Reactive theories are based on the idea that violence is a response to external conditions, men use violence when their goals are blocked and non-violent alternatives are ineffective (Hearn 1998). The stress theory suggests that certain factors such as low income, unemployment, part time employment and a large number of children are more likely to cause stress to men which can make them more prone to violence. Despite this, it would be unfair to isolate stress as a causal factor of violence because it is a constant feature of everyday life which everyone, both men and women, have to deal with. Another criticism of this theory is that if stress is a single causal factor of violence then why is it mainly men and not women whoare violent? (Hearn 1998). Reactive theories also look at the abuse of alcohol as an exernal factor, and how this can cause men to act violently. However as Horsfall (1991) outlines alcohol cannot be seen as a direct cause of violence. She concludes that if alcohol is a causal factor of violence, why do some men react violoently when others do not and why does the social structuring of boys and men bring them up to think that in order to feel like a manyou must drink with the boys, often to excess. The construction of gender is a very useful starting point to understand why men are more violent than women. As Moore (1994) writes, discourses about gender construct women and men as different sorts of persons. Discourse that is used to describe men is active; men are portrayed as aggressive, thrusting and powerful (Moore 1994: 138). Whereas discourse that describes women is usually passive; women are portrayed as essentially powerless, submissive and receptive (Moore 1994: 138). However, these constructions actually only have the most peripheral relation to the behaviours of individual women and men. Moore (1994) goes onto describe how discourses engender women and men as persons who are defined by difference(Moore 1994: 139). They produce discursive effects which produce gender difference, therefore producing symbolic or culturally constructed categories of women and men as different from each other. The discourse used to conceptualize violence is also very important as it often tends to take the focus, blame and responsibility away from the man who commits the violence and pushes it towards the family. Phrases such as domestic violence, conjugal violence, marital violence and family violence are often used and although it is important to acknowledge the relational nature of gender and relational context of violence it is equally important not to reduce violence to the product of the relationship' (Hearn 1998: 28). So far we have identified that, according to socially located theories, violence is produced and reproduced through learning, socialization, modelling and imitation, and this can be conceptualized as producing an environment of violence which operates over time (Hearn 1998: 29), for example intergenerational violence. Cultural theorists go on to discuss how these environments can be thought of as a culture with norms and values, or a system with systematic characteristics. They shift the focus away from the individual to take into consideration social relations and raise important issues such as cycles of violence, whereby the victimiser may once have been the victim themselves (Geffner 1989: 107). Multi causal explanations of violence are very important and claim that violence is a result of not just one individual force, but numerous factors working together. Multi causal theorists bring all, or at least some, of the theories I have already discussed together. Edleson et al (1985) put forward a multicausal explanation where they combine: ideas of violence in the mans family origin from the social learning theory; personal characteristics, such as an individuals attitudes and ideas towards violence taken from the psychoanalytical approach; the use of substances as an external force from the reactive theory; and they also condsider the context of violence by looking at demographic and relationship variables and specific violent events from a mans past.

Employment law, trade unions (uk) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Employment law, trade unions (uk) - Essay Example Human nature is essentially the same the world over and "man is a social animal at all times" (Bates, April 1888) and in all places. It is this basic nature of man that controls and directs the organization and development of society in all its spheres of activity. The inevitable landmark of social advance has been the family , the tribe, the state and the world organisation. Further advances in world organisation have however to be made if man is to benefit from and not to be destroyed by the power of the atom. Different approaches may be made in this regard. But world organisation has persistently proceeded, ever since the industrial revolution in England, on the basis of social system subjected to industrial modes of production. One of the most fruitful approaches would, therefore to explore the possibilities of the dynamic forces that have already manifested themselves in modern industrial society (Fung, 2003). The industrial system has increased the inter dependence of people ev erywhere and it is constantly emphasising the ever-growing importance of the technique of cooperation. The trade union have, therefore become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy is closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. TRADE UNION The term 'trade union' is in constant and popular use, and it is usually clear when a body is or is not a union. However, a statutory definition is necessary to determine what organisations are eligible for the various rights and duties accorded such bodies. Thus s.1 of the "Trade union and Labour Relations (consolidation) act 1992 characterizes as a union, 'an organisation(whether permanent or temporary) which.. consists wholly or mainly of workers of one or more descriptions and is an organisation whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers of that description of those descriptions and employers or employers associations" (Trade Unions, n.d.). "The largest organization of trade union members in the world is the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation. it has approximately 309 affiliated organizations in 156 countries and territories today, with a combined membership of 166 million" (Wikipedia, 13 April 2008). PURPOSE OF TRADE UNION The trade unions have, therefore, become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. The immediate objectives with which trade union have been formed in different parts of the worlds are essentially the same. The objectives and activities of trade unions may differ but general objectives are follows: To ensure the benefits of the worker from unemployment, ill health, old age and working environment. So that they can get professional training,

Final test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final test - Essay Example The passage reveals that she accepts this fact, and decides to live the submissive role. 2. â€Å"No, dearest Georgiana†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This passage has been taken from Natalie Georgiana’s â€Å"The Birthmark†. This passage tells about Aylmer’s discontentment with the little birthmark that Georgiana had on her cheek. He believed that his wife’s beauty was imperfect due to that birthmark. This passage points out the discontentment of man, and also the imperfection of human beings. The perfect beauty of Georgiana’s was made imperfect by way of the birthmark, which implies that only God is perfect, and human beings can never become perfect. This passage also reveals that man is very thankless toward the blessings of God. No matter how much God blesses man with, he is always complaining and looking for faults instead of appreciating positive things. 3. â€Å"Live with your head†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This passage is from Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Battle Roya l†. This passage is very significant as it portrays a very important theme: compliance. The grandfather is advising his grandson that the only way he can survive in the white-dominated society is compliance. He should never show open rebellion against the discrimination. He should pretend to be okay with the demeaning racism he would be experiencing in the future life, and should sit back and see what happens. However, the advice of the old man is based upon self-denial. The narrator wishes to be true to his self throughout, but the words of his grandfather echo in his mind and teach him treachery. 4. â€Å"She saw the man’s face†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This passage has been taken from Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†. This passage contains the redemption and epiphany the grandmother shows for the first time in the whole story, and this is what makes this passage so significant. She used to live in her own world of selfishness and indif ference, where she is not ready to consider the importance and views of others around her. But she comes to realize this just before she is going to die. Her head gets cleared for a moment, and she understands the Misfit and his inner person. But it is too late. In short, the passage is about sudden self-realization of one’s self-centeredness. Part II- Essay Questions Q. 1: Symbol in â€Å"The Hand† Colette has not only described the spiritual dominance of the husband in the short story â€Å"The Hand†, but has also described how physically dominant was he, by giving special focus on his hands. Hand depicts power, control, masculinity, and aggression. â€Å"†¦powerful knuckles and the veins engorged by the pressure on his arm† (Colette, qtd. in Meyer 241) shows how powerful the hands of the husband are, which basically portrays the height of male dominance. The powerful hands, the hair on the arms, and the wife’s feeling of lying with an anima l, all shows the animal-like fierceness and ruthless dominance exhibited by the husband. She thinks of the hands as â€Å"apelike†, and calls them â€Å"claws†, which strengthens the symbolic meaning of hand. At one point, the wife describes hand as â€Å"offended, reared back and tensed up in the shape of a crab and waited, ready for battle† (Colette, qtd. in Meyer 242), which again depicts the animal like ferocity and domination. The man can make his hand defensive when the wife feels disgusted. This shows the level of prowess and cleverness the