Religions wage peace Essay Example for Free

Religions wage peace Essay Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi used his influence as a revolutionary spiritual leader to bring about political and social improvement. Despite holding no government office, he was a major participant in India’s struggle for independence. On the 2nd of October, 1869, Gandhi was born in the coastal town of Porbandar. His family belonged to the wealthy Vysya or merchant caste. His father Karamchand Gandhi was the prime minister of a princely state. At the age of thirteen he was married to Kasturbai, who was of his own age (Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869 1948) , 2001). His approach was that of a pacifist and he based his independence movement on non –violent non – cooperation or satyagraha, which means truth and firmness. He started this movement in 1915 and was imprisoned on several occasions by the British authorities. He exerted great influence on the Congress Party and the 1947 independence negotiations. In 1948 British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan, which resulted in a great deal of religious violence. At that point of time he was assassinated. His preaching served as an inspiration for non – violent movements and was adopted by Martin Luther King Jr in the USA, who fought for the rights of the blacks and by Nelson Mandela in South Africa, who opposed apartheid (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). In the beginning, in 1893, Gandhi was practicing law in South Africa, when he started to formulate and practise the principles of satyagraha or non – violent resistance to injustice. Till the year 1914, he led the movement started by the Indian community of that place, which was opposing racial discrimination. In that year, the South African government bestowed a number of important concessions in accordance to his demands. At that juncture he decided to return to India and in the month of January 1915 he set sail for India. In India he assumed the leadership of its freedom struggle from British rule (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). His actions took the form of hunger strikes, the boycott of British goods and civil disobedience. At the same time he made serious attempts to bring about social reform. Even after several rounds of talks and demonstrations, the British chose to ignore the demands of the freedom fighters of India, consequently, Gandhi initiated a non – cooperation movement. This movement had a large number of supporters and many Indians holding official posts in the British Government resigned from their jobs, government agencies were spurned and Indian schoolchildren were removed from schools managed by the British Government. The British were compelled to release Gandhi whom they had arrested (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). Gandhi wanted to usher in Swaraj or self rule in India and economic independence was an essential component of this movement. British industry had adopted measures that had exploited the Indian villagers and had reduced them to extreme poverty. In order to counter this situation, Gandhi advocated the adoption of cottage industries and employed the spinning wheel as a symbol of the movement to revive the indigenous Indian industries and lead the simple lifestyle of the villagers of India (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). He was granted total executive authority by the Indian National Congress, which was the pioneer in India’s freedom struggle, in 1921. Due to the outbreak of a number of violent and armed insurrections against the British, Gandhi stepped back from active politics from 1924 to 1930 (Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) , 2005). On the 26th of January, 1930, a proclamation regarding the Declaration of Independence of India was made by Gandhi. In order to catalyze the process of obtaining independence, Gandhi embarked on a novel civil disobedience campaign. In India the British exercised a monopoly on the production of salt and deemed it a criminal offense for anyone else to produce it. Salt constituted an essential and invaluable commodity for the Indians, a large number of whom were poverty stricken agricultural laborers. Gandhi realized that salt was used by all sections of the society and that an attempt to manufacture salt would appeal to every strata of the Indian society (Graham, 1998). On the 12th of March, 1930 Gandhi and seventy eight of his followers commenced the march from the Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi on the Arabian Sea. The distance covered by them was two hundred and forty one miles and it took them twenty four days to do so. Along the way, they were joined by a tremendous number of people and at one stage the procession was two miles in length. Finally on the 6th of April, 1930 Gandhi reached the sea coast at Dandi and picked up a sod and some salt and boiled it in seawater (Graham, 1998). This act of his shook the British Empire, on which the sun never set, to its very foundations. The man whom a disparaging Churchill had described as a half naked fakir had single handedly defied the might of the British Empire. The British Empire swung into action and arrested Gandhi and his associates. The number who courted arrest was immense and all the jails were overflowing with freedom fighters. Such was the response of the Indians to Gandhi’s call to oppose the British monopoly on the production of salt (Dandi: Salt March). According to Gandhi, there were two difficulties involved with human nature. One was the scope of making a human being perfect and the other related to nonviolence. Gandhi always had an optimistic view regarding men. However, a thorough examination of Gandhi’s political opinions reveals that he never assumed that man had a nature that could be rendered perfect. Further, he opined that reform could only transform a man to a certain extent, but it could never be made perfect. Gandhi proclaimed that it was incorrect to dogmatize in respect of the capacity of human nature to be either besmirched or exalted. This statement clearly elicits Gandhi’s views on man. He also opined that the environmental factors would significantly influence human behavior (Power, March, 1963). Due to individual feelings and thoughts, these efforts have suffered a setback by the negative and irrational forces that reside in them. In particular strong forces like greed and lust could not be diverted by availing oneself of the help forthcoming from other issues. He strongly believed that illogical forces motivated men and this belief was subscribed to by moralists. This is evidenced in situations where there arises a need to participate in a mass movement for realizing socio – psychological interests. Most individuals have shown reluctance to join such movements in the absence of a competent leader. This situation arose in Gandhi’s political career and his opinion regarding this subject was that it was the task of the leader to draw the people towards the objectives. The other issue involves the reshaping of Gandhi’s opinion about the capability of man to engage in acts involving nonviolence. Gandhi had explained in great detail in his thesis that every man had the ability to evaluate the value of ahimsa, where the term ahimsa denotes love or non – injury. Gandhi interpreted ahimsa as individual and social love in thought and deed towards all human beings (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi was prone, on occasion, to restrict this concept of ahimsa as being restricted to himself and his closest followers. For instance, in 1942, the Japanese Army was poised to attack India; at that point of time he permitted all those who did not subscribe to nonviolence to join the effort underway to defend the country. However, the question that remains unanswered is whether he granted such permission because Japanese rule would have been worse than the British rule (Power, March, 1963). The philosophical beliefs of Gandhi were founded on a number of scholarly authorities and social experiences. He staunchly believed that last stage in a man’s journey was the absolute truth, which was described by resorting to theism, pantheism or atheism. He believed that by the use of reason and also by taking the help of faith and intuition, an individual by relying on partial truths could attain the absolute truth. Moreover, Gandhi held that every person was required by dharma to search for this ultimate truth (Power, March, 1963). The method advocated by Gandhi to attain this goal was to follow the path of anasaktiyoga or path of selfless action, which entailed the performance of one’s duty without entertaining a desire for the results of such action. He considered involvement in Indian nationalism to signify selfless action. One of the qualifications to tread this path was the possession of physical, psychological and spiritual courage. He also stated that the man devoid of fear succeeds in realizing his latent prowess by comprehending and practicing ahimsa (Power, March, 1963). The most important characteristic of ahimsa is the attainment of the most advantageous, practical good while treading the path that leads to the absolute truth. The usefulness of such a conviction has to be Its merit is to be elucidated in the light of Gandhis firm belief that it is better to resort to violence than to adopt an attitude of submissiveness or to adopt cowardice in the garb of nonviolence. He also stated that violence to some extent was inherent in the process of living (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi based his interpretation of ahimsa on the Laws of Manu and the tenets of Jainism; however, his views were closer to the beliefs of Jainism. His objective and expectation was that he would be successful in transforming every person in such a manner that they would adapt this ideal as an integral part of their life. This precept of ahimsa was one of the foremost requirements of Gandhi. However, he considered truthfulness to be much more important than ahimsa. In this context he stated that truthfulness was far more important than being peaceful (Power, March, 1963). Despite the recurrent description of his pacifism as being absolute, the fact remains that he did not consider nonviolence to be his main goal. Moreover, when ahimsa is considered to be absolute pacifism, then a distortion of the beliefs that were subscribed to by Gandhi occurs (Power, March, 1963). Some other issues that had been addressed by Gandhi are to be found in his opinion of the optimal political system. In his writings, one sees the recurrence of the panchayati raj or the village republic and a system to ensure the welfare of everyone, which he designated as sarvodaya. These ideas reveal the fact that he sought to usher in a political system that was based on his opinions of truth and ahimsa. Moreover, he abhorred the divorce of political and social responsibility from dharmic obligations or obligations required by the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence (Power, March, 1963). Despite being committed to establishing a functionally and physically decentralized political community, he was not in favor of a society that was stateless. The concepts of Sarvodaya and Swaraj or self rule that is personal or corporate, constitute claims for impartiality, freedom and uprightness, and they do not constitute assaults on the government (Power, March, 1963). If he had been desirous of establishing a stateless system, then he would have had to entertain a more sanguine opinion about people than he did under normal circumstances. Moreover, he would have been compelled to eschew political power like he had rejected personal property. The varieties of Sarvodaya as comprehended by Vinoba Bhave, who advocated the redistribution of land and Jayaprakash Narayan, who was an ideologue, had perhaps aimed at a stateless society. However, this was not a component of Gandhi’s political ideologue (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi never struggled against power, and his disagreement was directed against the legal structure of power and the influence of the bureaucracy on it. This was due to the fact that he considered these factors to be hindrances in allowing self realization among the people, prevented them from obtaining justice and precluded rule based on the universal dharma. The acceptance of these views regarding Gandhi’s beliefs, implies that Gandhi’s display of a lack of interest for public office, both during the freedom struggle and during the transfer of power only shows that he did not believe in special forms of power and not that he disliked political power (Power, March, 1963). Gandhi was attached to political power and this is vindicated by his theory of satyagraha, which he construed to be soul force or direct action of a nonviolent nature, because this stratagem was a system of power, which was used by him in the expectation that he would be able to engender reform in institutions and effect the fulfillment of men. This method assumes that an opponent is redeemable and that it can be used for realizing a range of objectives as long as there is no violation of the principle of ahimsa. However, despite its prominence in his political beliefs, this theory was not a dominant principle of his ideology (Power, March, 1963). Amongst all the political thinkers of India, Gandhi was the most modern. He combined the best practices of the Orient and the Occident and formulated a political philosophy that obtained results bordering on the miraculous. The present day politics, which is steeped in corruption, could benefit enormously by implementing his political teachings. Gandhi has never ceased to be an integral part of the politics of India. Gandhi subscribed to a political philosophy that was founded on a number of tenets that had emerged from what was fundamentally his humanistic outlook towards life. He did not encounter any differences between spiritual and worldly matters. However, he subscribed to a few fundamental beliefs, which he adhered to with great firmness. In an article in his journal Harijan he stated that there existed certain eternal principles which could not be compromised on any account and that a person should uphold such principles even at the cost of one’s life. Gandhi was as good as his word and there were some principles that he never deviated from throughout his life. Moreover, he extended these principles in order to rekindle the flame of the nationalist spirit among his fellow Indians. Non – cooperation and nonviolence have not lost their relevance even in modern times. Violent incidents, lack of interest in addressing major issues and in conducting a rational and meaningful dialogue by political parties are the characteristics of present day Indian politics. The only way to rectify this dismal situation is to adopt the principles that had been formulated by Gandhi. Gandhi gave great prominence to power, which he considered to be a means by which people could improve the quality of their life. His political actions were aimed at attaining power, which according to him was not to be concentrated in the hands of a few members of the elite, but was to be distributed among the public. Further, people had become firmly convinced that revolt was a legitimate manner of expressing one’s dissatisfaction. In the final analysis Gandhi was mainly seized with elevating the consciousness of the masses and bestowing upon them the required authority to determine their destiny. This was a unique contribution to Indian politics. References Dandi: Salt March. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 4, 2007, from Manas: History and Politics: http://www. sscnet. ucla. edu/southasia/History/Gandhi/Dandi. html Gandhi, Mahatma (1869 1948) . (2005). Retrieved July 4, 2007, from The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas: http://www.credoreference. com/entry/6428505 Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869 1948) .(2001). Retrieved July 4, 2007, from World of Sociology, Gale: http://www. credoreference. com/entry/4785371 Graham, S. (1998). The Salt March to Dandi. Retrieved July 4, 2007, from emory: http://www. english. emory. edu/Bahri/Dandi. html Power, P. F. (March, 1963). Toward a Re-Evaluation of Gandhis Political Thought . The Western Political Quarterly , Vol. 16, No. 1, Pp. 99 – 108.

Literature Review And Analysis Paper Social Work Essay

Literature Review And Analysis Paper Social Work Essay Ageing is the universal phenomenon encountered by every human individual across the life span. All human beings expect for a healthy and happy old age but not many of them manage to get all those in reality. In this current century, world scenario is changing rapidly in the form of rise in elderly population than before. Many developing countries including Pakistan are affected by this global change. A report on global health and ageing shared recent statistics that in 2010, an estimated 524 million were aged 65 years or older making 8% of world population. It is interesting to note that by 2050 this number is expected to triple to about 1.5 billion signifying 16% of worlds population (WHO Report, 2011). Ironically, in developing countries, geriatric population between 2010 and 2050 is expected to increase more than 250 percent as compared to developed countries. Ali and Kaini (2003) add that this trend in ageing is the result of the demographic shift in fertility rates in combinatio n with mortality rates resulting in ageing of the population (p. 1). Having a glance at our national scenario, it is estimated that the proportion of population 60 years and above in Pakistan will increase from 5.8 percent in the year 2000 to 7.3 percent in 2025 and 12.4 percent in 2050 (United Nations, 2002). Reason for the selection of this topic I came up with my thesis topic as every year particularly on festivals such as Eid, different media channels broadcast programs where views of elderly who are residing in the shelter homes are taken. The eye catching moment was the pain and cry these ageing parents expressed, when their children neglected and dumped them in shelter homes, when they most need support in their last years of life. This event influenced me to work for my thesis in the field of geriatrics. Therefore, based on the significant global and national figures, increase in ageing will predispose the elders to suffer in chronic illnesses, disabilities and new disease patterns. Another, considerable growing fact is that, due to the shift of societal paradigm, elderly population will be the most vulnerable group requiring health attention currently and in the years ahead. Therefore, it is recommended that older adults should remain socially active in their later years (Bergstrom, Holmes Pecchioni, 2000). The findin gs from the proposed research contribution in this area particularly in Pakistani context will assist in filling the gap where elderly population can regenerate themselves without being isolated from social life, and can live with quality, dignity and free of violence in their empty nest days. Significance of the problem Many decades ago the concept of violence against women and children was objected throughout the world but researches in these areas have resulted in the protection and formation of laws for these groups. Likewise, elderly abuse is yet another novel and critical public health and social issue that need prompt attention. Infact, it is one of the most serious subject which is under reported nationally and internationally resulting in thousands of silent victims. Numerous studies are being conducted in the developed countries on the various aspects of the ageing population in order to ensure optimum quality in the later phase of life time. However, many of the South Asian countries including Pakistan are facing serious challenges of decreased economy, low savings, high inflation rates; financial benefits for few percentages of government employees, lack of health insurance coverage are making the life of this vulnerable group questionable. Apart from these encounters, elderly population are confronting with the decline of extended family system and the emergence of nuclear families (Jalal Younis, 2012). In Asian cultures, many of socio cultural practices are grounded on concept of extended family system. Old members of the family are taken care by the young generation and it is regarded as dishonorable if any elder lives alone or in nursing home. In addition to it, this transition has led to the decline in elder decision making power and position and to enjoy later years with dignity and self-worth. Due to this conversion the elderly are at risk, as the younger and more productive members of the family take over, marginalizing the elderly into positions of dependence both social and economic(Subzwari Azhar, 2010, p. 2). Another important change that has taken place in the last couple of years is that younger individuals are migrating for better employment opportunities leaving behind parents with no one to care for them, causing elderly to live alone or they are shifted to shelter homes. Sabzwari and Azhar (2010) supports that one in five patients at the tertiary care hospital in Karachi are elderly. It is estimated that at least 6-7 % of the elderly visiting geriatric clinics at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi are living alone with little assistance. Increase in life expectancy has led to substantial increase in aging population globally and it is predicted that the worlds elderly population will continue to increase with an estimated rate at 67 % residing in developing countries by the year 2020 (Karunakara Stevenson, 2012, Ageing population section, para. 1). In Pakistani context, 60 years is designated as the age of elderly. Jalal and Younis (2012) shares WHO report that: 5.6 % of Pakistans population was over 60 years of age, with a probability of doubling to 11 % by the year 2025. Pakistans life expectancy was increased from 45.6 years in 1950 to 66.8 years in 2008 with a probability of increasing to 72 years by 2023 (p. 2). Hence, the decline of popular extended family system and rise of career oriented families, and change in familial values compounded by substantial increase in ageing, subjects older population to maltreatment and this area requires immediate consideration. Jamuna (2003) rationalizes that a series of developments, such as urbanization, industrialization, and migration, and a growing sense of materialism and individualistic orientations have threatened the culture of yesteryear (p.129). One significant cause for underreporting of abuse in Asian cultures is compliance to the value of respect for their elders whereas western cultures sideline them. Research question Older people are left with countless problems in their later phase of life where these years are believed to live in respect, solemnity and self-worth with their married children and grandchildren. On the contrary, this age group has to spend their lives in isolation at home or in shelter homes due to neglect and cruel treatment by them. Although, these old homes are answer to most in need yet they still not provide a solution to majority of the population. Our culture despite its gradual transformation still adheres to the value of caring for their elderly at home (Subzwari Azhar, 2010). Elder abuse is the alarming public health issue present in both developed and developing countries. Very little information is available regarding the extent of maltreatment in elderly especially in developing countries, it is estimated that 4-6% of elderly people have experienced some form of maltreatment at home. (WHO fact sheet, 2011). However, older people are often afraid to report cases of ma ltreatment to family, friends, or to the authorities. There is no reliable data or research conducted in Pakistani context, where sufferings of these elderly populations living in nursing homes could be researched and addressed. Dildar, Saeed and Sharjeela (2012) mentions that elder abuse and neglect are difficult to quantify as these occur in the privacy of the home, institutions and under reported in our country (p. 662). Based on the above facts and literature I came up with the research question that, what are the experience and the perception of elderly people living in nursing home in Karachi, Pakistan? Literature search strategy Literature search was conducted in a systematic way by utilizing available electronic databases, in order to review and explore existing literature related to abuse of elderly population in nursing home. In order to detect relevant literature, two major databases, CINAHL plus with full text and PUBMED was used. Another search engine like Google scholar was also searched to find the relevant literature sources. These databases were searched for the time period between the year 2000 and 2012. Different key words or combination of key words along with the use of Boolean operators were used for all search engines, like elder abuse and nursing homes, elder maltreatment and nursing homes. A synonym for elder abuse like geriatric abuse and for nursing home like shelter home was typed on the search bar. Relevant articles were hunted when the key words were written in research title, abstract of review articles of all data bases. A separate search was carried out for identifying the available literature in Pakistan for this purpose the term Pakistan was added along with other key words to search relevant Pakistani sources. Reference lists of retrieved articles from these databases were also checked for relevant literature. Search from all data bases were narrowed down by the use search filters like year range, gender, age and language. For detail literature search and number of hits (See appendix A). Literature review analysis on elderly abuse in nursing homes Definition The subject of elder abuse began to receive recognition since 1970, and the first boom on elder abuse appeared in UK medical journals in 1975 as granny battering. It was identified by British Gerontologist and the first population based study was done in USA in 1988. International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) defines elder abuse is a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person (INPEA, 2002, p. 3). Age bracket for elderly is 60 years and above. Some predictions indicate that one million people turn 60 every month and 80 % of these are from the developing world (WHO/INPEA, 2002). All the susceptible victims of abuse who are 65 years or more largely depend on the funded institutions but if there is financial constraint then these vulnerable groups have to be confine to home (Paranitharan, Eidrisinghe William, 2009). There is considerable debate on the definition of elder abuse because some cultures foster certain behaviors that may be considered as abuse in different cultural context. In Australia, elder refers to older local people who have specific positions of power within native communities. It was recommended that elder abuse be replaced with senior abuse in an Australian context as it referred to original and senior population (Ryan, 2009). It can be argued that abuse occurs within a relationship where there is an expectation of trust, no matter different cultures gives different definitions on elder abuse. However McFerran (2009) asserts that research on domestic violence in elderly women, is based on unequal power relations and traditional devaluation of women, not on relationships based on trust (as cited in Ryan, 2009, Definition of elder abuse, para. 3). Therefore, irrespective of the type of abuse, it will definitely result in pointless miseries, pains and sorrows, and decrease quali ty of life of elderly. Types of elder abuse Elder abuse is categorized into five different types: physical abuse, psychological /emotional abuse, financial/material abuse, sexual abuse and neglect (WHO/INPEA, 2002). Most recent data from USA states that, there are about 570,000 cases of elder abuse reported each year, 55% of the cases suffer from neglect which is the most common form of elder maltreatment (Facts on elder abuse, 2012). Economic abuse is one of the most frequently reported forms of abuse, followed by neglect, psychological or emotional and finally physical abuse. Sexual abuse of elders is not reported as frequently as any other type of abuse (Ryan, 2009). Another dimension of elder maltreatment is that it is not restricted to home environment, risk is even leaving them in nursing homes, hospitals and long term care facilities. An empirical study in New Zealand reveals that psychological abuse (59%) is followed by material/financial (42%) and physical abuse (12%) were most frequently identified types of abuse. Sexual abuse occurred in 2% of reported cases (Gadit, 2009). Implications of the proposed research in nursing It is a challenging task for all health care providers to efficiently assess the elderly group so that abuse can be identified and reported for the immediate interventions. Proposed research on this subject will make people aware, that elder abuse will prevent older members from being favorable and positive members of the society. Furthermore, evidence based knowledge on this matter will assist in safeguarding and promoting welfare of the elderly clients. According to Lachs and Pillemer (1995) guidelines from the American Medical Association suggest that all older adults be asked by their physicians about family violence, even in the absence of symptoms potentially attributable to abuse or neglect (p. 438). A careful history taking and interviewing technique is crucial in identifying accurate information on the possible abuse. If the violence on elder is confirmed then priority is to ensure safety of the elderly person by separating from the perpetrator. In the western countries, bas ed on their cultural background, majority of the old age population resides in shelter homes. In Karachi, nursing homes are managed by private NGOs or religious organizations. The Catholic Church runs three old homes in Karachi, and people residing in these old homes pay a minimal fees, and rest are generated through the church (Subzwari Azhar, 2010). Some nursing homes are governed by religious communities functioning with the help of volunteer and donation support. Gadit (2009) identifies that Edhi Foundation is one glaring example of a service where abandoned elderly people are housed. These elderly people are avoided by their children under different grounds like poverty, illness among elderly and general intolerance (p. 3). Recommendation for the prevention of elder abuse A national policy for the promotion of better health of the elderly was designed in 1999, but implementation is yet to be seen. This policy involved the training of health care professionals. An equally important recommendation is the initiation of awareness programs among health care professionals on the subject and the formulation of assessment tools to detect abuse. Another suggestion is the workshops for nursing and medical graduates should be conducted to detect and manage elder abuse more effectively resulting in prompt treatment measures. Potential research on various aspects of care of elderly can urge in the development of policy at governmental level for the protection of geriatric population1. At national level, electronic and print media can play a key role in raising awareness on this subject. It can act as a medium for the provision of specially funded and recreational shelter homes, free health care facilities, and formation of legislative policies (Marshal, Benton Barzier, 2000). Research Methodology The research approach which would best fix on the research question would be qualitative in nature. I would like to go for Phenomenological method as it deals with the truth about reality built in peoples lived experience (Polit Beck, 2008, p. 227). This approach can be applicable on those concepts which are central to the life occurrences of the human being. The core goal is to completely understand persons lived experience and perceptions that it will generate. Inclusion Criteria and Exclusion criteria The inclusion criteria of this proposed research will be all elderly people with an age of 60 years and above in both the genders. Another standard would be all elderly population living in nursing homes in Karachi. The exclusion criteria of this planned study would be all elderly below 60 years of age. Conclusion Transition into old age is another experience which everyone has to encounter. Importance lies in the fact that to be old and live with self-respect, dignity and free from violence, neglect and maltreatment should be an important objective. Geriatric has always been a neglected area, but due to an increase in ageing population, challenge to meet the needs of the elderly is extremely crucial. Elder abuse occurs as a result of strained intergenerational relationship along with the gradual cultural transformations. This critical and under reported phenomenon needs prompt attention by the researchers and government in order to enhance quality of life in their remaining years of life.

Relationships In The Novel The Road

Relationships In The Novel The Road The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a fantasy which revolves around two characters, a father and a son. I am doing a character sketch on the man and the boy because I find them to have the most fascinating personalities. The book narrates a father and son journeying through what happens to be North America, to the warmer South America. They have no money, few clothes, and barely any food. They stop at every village and town too scavenge and search for food. This is represented when the man and the boy find an underground bunker in a village full of useful essentials. The author lays emphasis on the theme of survival, and the significance it has on the man and the boy. The father appears to be very smart with a good eye for danger. He is quite skillful with weapons this is portrayed when he fond an underground bunker, he had found bullets but for the wrong gun so he whittled fake bullets from a treebranch with his knife. He also understands how to use his surrounding accurately, this is shown when in the end of the novel the man has an encounter with some villagers and has to think fast. On the other hand, the boy seems somewhat illiterate about the outside world, he knows nothing about firearms and all he knows is what his father has taught him during the years. The boy is also very scared in the novel, when it comes to looking in the towns or cities for food. The novel shows the progression of father and sons relationship, you see it growing bigger and stronger. Knowing that the boy does not have a mother anymore the father tries as much as he can to compensate for that. For example the boy and the man find a locked door in the ground while out s earching in a village. The man is tired and was resting between each shovelful while trying to uncover the bunker. However a few weeks before they had found a door and inside were they found other people whose limbs worn torn off and a boy on a splint on top of a fire being roasted for food. The man, no matter how scared the boy was, opens the door and finds a safe house full of food, water, gasoline, and other useful things. This tells that whatever the boy says to his father he will not listen however important it is, but only to save their lives. Therefore we learn that he is a father who would do anything for their son, and that he is the stereotypical Dad. He is the protector, provider and preserver for his son. This is shown in many instances as the father put the boy in the bunk and smoothed his filthy hair on the pillow and covered him with blankets. During the course of the novel, you see the boy become an independent man. He has got more confidence and has much more awareness around him. He understands that what his father does is only for him, and he loves no-one more. His mother died some time before this New World came to life. The man has raised the boy all by himself. He tries to teach him everything there is to know. The boy has also missed out on many luxuries that the man finds in one instance. The father finds Coca Cola and he asks the boy to try it and the boy responds by saying What is it, Papa? He also teaches him his alphabet. You get to know this from reading the end of the book, where he asks him Can you write the alphabet?, and he the boy responds by saying I can write it. We also learn that the boy wants to help other people that have lost their way, need help, or food. For they meet a man who cannot see well. The boy then insists on spending the night with this man and giving him some food and some warmth for the night. This shows us that even though the boy is very scared he is also very caring and wants to help other people that come across their path. He doesnt mind giving up his own food or his own clothing he just wants to help people around him. The boy shows a lot of compassion and a sense of social responsibility; you can see that the boy has a warm character and a soft heart towards everyone. However the father is not like a mirror image of the son, he trusts no-one. He believes in one for ones self, and has experienced a lot of suffering. The father has also lost a lot of loved ones and is emotional scarred and he thinks that the only way to stop this is to cut out all other people in his life. At the end of the novel, the father dies because he loses too much blood from an arrow wound, when the man was trying to protect the boy when they were at a town, trying to get some food. However, some village folk started to shoot at them thinking that they are carnivores. The boy waits by his side for 3 days, waiting for someone to come and help him. At the end a man, his wife and children were walking pass and decide to take him with them. He sees that the boy has supplies that they need and offer to help. The boy doesnt leave without covering his dad with a blanket, and saying his last goodbyes. The novel is written in sparse but moving prose. Cormac McCarthy uses simplifed formatting for his novel. There are no speech marks throughout the story. To provide us the adrelinin rush and to create tension throughout the novel McCarthy uses short sentences. The style that he writes in highlights the bond between the father and the son. I think that the boy is a symbol for hope, courage, and commitment. I felt a sense of pride in the ability of men to look after children even in difficult times. The novel inspires me to understand what families go through when they fight for survival.

violence in tv Essay -- essays research papers

Violence in our Children’s Cartoons How Does Television Violence Affect Children’s Behavior Does television promote violence and crime among children? Although most people look at television as an entertaining and educational way to spend time, some people think there is too much violence in television and that is influencing our young into becoming aggressive in nature and to tolerate violence. Cartoons are the most violent programs on television (Johnson, 1999). Mostly all cartoons have consent fighting between hero and villains. Some cartoons have funny looking character torturing another character. Can violence on cartoons make a kid or a young adult to do some kind of violent act? Yes, in Ohio a five year-old boy set his house on fire that killed his little sister. The boy said he developed the idea by watching the cartoon Beavis and Butthead (Josephson, 1995). Other example of a child performing a violent act was a six year-old Jeremy Nezworski imitated an act of hanging himself like a ghost after he watch the act on the cartoon The Scooby Doo Show, and the boy killed himself (Josephson, 1995). Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtles is thought of to be one of the most violent cartoons that ever appeared on television according to Terry Harrison, a preschool teacher (Brady 60). The sound of a three-year-old boy yelling "cowabunga" is a war cry that unleashes chaos in the classroom. "Suddenly we are faced with a little gang of ninja's trying to kick and punch each...

Essay Considering Gertrude of Shakespeares Hamlet -- GCSE English Lit

Gertrude of Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Hamlet, Gertrude is a woman who means no harm but whose poor judgment contributes greatly to the terrible events that occur. There are only two female characters in the play, and neither one--Gertrude or Ophelia--is assertive. But the decisions Gertrude does make eventually lead to her death and the downfall of others as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We first realize in Act I, Scene 2 that poor judgment is her major character flaw. As the mother of a grieving son, Gertrude should have been more sensitive to Hamlet's feelings. Instead, less than two months after King Hamlet's death, Gertrude remarries Claudius, her dead husband's own brother. Gertrude should have realized how humiliated Hamlet would feel as a result, because at that time it was considered incestuous for a widow to marry her husband's brother. There is also jealousy on the part of a son, who feels that his mother should be giving him more attention during the mourning period. Gertrude is not in touch with her own son's feelings to see why he is angry. Hamlet expresses this outrage during his first soliloquy: O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! (I.ii 156-157) Gertrude is shown to be a loving mother but a parent who cannot read into her sons's behavior. When answering Hamlet, she says that it is common for all men to die, but this is not just any man who has died, she should realize; it's Hamlet's own father! Also, when Gertrude asks Hamlet:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If it be, Why seems it so particular with thee? (I.ii 74-75) she means to calm him down, but the word "seems" only makes Hamlet more suspicious. She fails to realize that in his sensitive mood, the word "seems" will give Hamlet the ... ... him! But she finally has to admit to herself that Claudius is guilty of murdering old Hamlet and of trying to murder Hamlet. When she warns Hamlet not to drink the wine, she again is showing compassion for her son and her wish to protect him from danger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In other words, the play's last scene summarizes Gertrude's two sides. As a mother, she means well and does have concern for her son but her bad decisions and failure to judge people correctly are a major cause of the tragedy. If Gertrude had been a different kind of person, many of the deaths might not have happened.    List of Works Cited Bradley, A.C. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York, 1965. Cohen, Michael. "Hamlet" in My Mind's Eye. Athens (Georgia), 1980. Coyle, Martin, ed. New Casebooks: Hamlet. New York, 1992. King, Walter N. Hamlet's Search for Meaning. Athens (Georgia), 1982-.

Media Convergence Worksheet Essay

Questions Answers What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to technology, and how has it affected everyday life? Since I have been going to school I had never heard of the word â€Å"convergence† I first learned about this when I enrolled in my Humanity 176 course. Convergence by definition is the exchange of various digital media such as music, radios, pictures. Convergence used in a technical sense is the exchange and sharing of digital media through computers and other mobile devices. Over the years Media has expanded and excelled across the world to bring the people all sorts of media attention and the ability to be able to converge onto there devices allows an assortment of options such as Internet TV whether it is free or on demand, voice telephone options such as Skype and other simple internet services which include Facebook and Windows Live Messenger. †¦ I believe that our technology has an extreme affect on everyday life, most of us would not know how to function without it, including myself. What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to business, and how has it affected everyday life? Media convergence gives businesses an opportunity to share information regarding any topic within and to others outside of the business like costumers with easy methods. This is really appropriate to meet consumer’s desires for instant and easily practicable and easy to acquire any information from any business. Media convergence regarding to business is used to offer media more professionally or efficiently and in an on demand way. In other words media convergence brings the opportunity to provide information to be acquired when a customer wants to and regarding any topic. Media convergence’s cons embrace less serviceable performance or fewer personnel to reach more people daily. Some elements are acquired from medi a devices or procedures in order to add on stipulate material. Thanks to  today’s technology, people can receive information regarding any services provided by any business or company. Through sources like the internet, customers can browse and purchase products through websites and other business providers. With this technology it makes it very easy for the customers to be able to find many different products for fair prices on what the business needs. Of course, business convergence also deals with far more than buying and selling from a store front. People are also able to set up their business through their own home via the internet. Business goes hand in hand with technology also, as they are able to advertise through television, radio and internet sites with their ads and commercials. Business convergence has become a big source in today’s media, and will continue to grow with technology as they work together to provide people with better and easier ways to conduct business. What are some of the issues that result from depe ndency on modern media? Describe at least three issues. They are things like ethical Issues. We depend on the media to tell us that what we are doing is wrong while we still do what we know is wrong. More and more people who depend on media and need the media is that much closer to being constantly influenced by the media. Our society depends on media and without it we would fall apart. We tend to believe what the media says instead of formulating our own thoughts.With the media the way it is we tend to accept this as part of our lifestyle without question The public also has an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what the world is really trying to tell us. Another topic of discussion is drugs. Everyday you see ads and commercials and people talking about not doing drugs and we depend on this to teach are kids but in reality we need to learn to teach our kids morals instead of constantly relying on the media.. Commercials that promote alcohol and drinking are abundant on television. While other media shows people doing drugs a nd getting money from the sale of them. The media also tends to butt heads between other countries due to mis-information that was released over the media sites. Terroism comes in all forms when it comes to the internet. Some examples are identity theft, hacking into databases, creation of viruses and other deliberate means to destroy or harm personal objectives are all forms of cyber-terrorism. People seem to have an addiction to technology and cling to it as the world would end without it. Dependency of modern media has taken over and does not allow society to  function thoroughly as it should. The issues it brings with it outweighs the benefits because it’s mostly used in negative ways instead for good. How does media literacy help with responsible media consumption? The literacy of the Media is out there to challenge people with the understanding the representation of the media, with how it influences our culture. Media is out there to give the students the ability to read and write and be more competitive in our media culture. It uses an inquiry-based instructional mold that encourages people to ask questions about what they watch, see and read. Media literacy can also aim to enable people to be skillful creators and producers of media messages, both to facilitate an understanding as to the strengths and limitations of each medium, as well as to create independent media. †¦ By transforming the process of media consumption into an active and critical process, people gain greater awareness of the potential for misrepresentation and manipulation (especially through commercials and public relations techniques), and understand the role of mass media and participatory media in constructing views of reality. †¦ Protectionist approaches to media literacy emphasize the need to be aware of the negative aspects of mass media and popular culture, including the dangers and risks of online social media.

Does Crime Pay

Does crime pay? This is one of the most debated questions that has hit our shores in recent year. Ever since the introduction of basic human rights and many successful rallies against prisoner abuse, prisons have and are becoming increasingly pleasant places to lived. In this essay I aim to cover both sides of the story and give advice to the government on what is the next step. During my recent research I have found that roughly the average price to put one prisoner into prison cost ? 95,000 for one year. I also learnt that in prison you get an average wage of ? 9. 0 based on a 32 hour working week, and most surprisingly that prisoners get some fine food like Indian curries and Italian pastas. If we put this in contrast to the daily diet of a homeless person, who can go days without food and water, these people our victims of crime and yet our government still spends almost ? 100,000 on the people who victimise these helpless people in prisons. A logical and short term thinking home less person would be silly not to commit crime – a working wage, food, a bed and toilet facilities and showers provided and the option to complete a degree are just some of the perks.So crime does indeed pay on this level. Job seekers allowance now stands at ? 67. 50 for a single person, however these people need an address to receive this, the average price of a loaf of bread is approximately ? 1 and a pint of milk is now ? 0. 40, this shows that it is nearly impossible to survive from day to day as they are not eligible to apply for jobseekers allowance and therefore are depending on busking or begging money. For many homeless people, they have been forced to make crime pay, but there is a problem†¦