Ethics Game Simulation Essay Example for Free

Ethics Game Simulation Essay In simulation game, two dilemmas were presented. The first case is happened to a 16-year-old mother, RB. She is in her tenth hour of labor. Her parents are at bedside with her. Because of religious belief, they have chosen to limit the amount of medication and other medical assistance. Due to the length of her labor, her unborn child’s situation is getting worse. RB has not received any medication so far. Because of her fear and distress, fetal distress has been increasing gradually. RB’s brother stated that their parents want the staff hold the painkiller and treatment because they punish her for getting pregnant before she was married. RB is still a minor, her parents are informed of her health status, but we are not sure whether or not they understand how dangerous her situation could get. In the second case, one of the ICU patient, AT, was brought to the hospital by his domestic partner, YM. YM was accompanied with him while both of them were in the ER, but he was not allowed to visit his partner in the ICU. The shift supervisor nurse stated she would follow the rules and allow actual family members visit the patient. AT has been unconscious for one day and no definitive diagnosis has been reached. He was in critical condition and cannot make decision by himself. There is no related information on patient’s file whether or not approve or refuse the current treatment. In order to address ethically, I need to be attentive. So I have to identify the real dilemma first. In the first case, the teen and her unborn child need medical care but her parents are the legal guardian that have legal responsibility for her care. Now I have already now the problem, the next step is to be intelligent. I need to use my critical thinking skill to evaluate the facts. Also, I need to think about my obligation to my patient and how my decision affects each person involved in this case. Hence, the decision needs to be fair, fulfill my duty, and reasonable. I have to assure that the patient and her unbor n child get appropriate medical care, her parents’ wishes are being honored, and I will follow hospital’s policies and  rules. After careful consideration, my decision is to ask the assigned nurse to call a physician to make sure the mother and baby are assessed medically, they will get appropriate and necessary care, and both of them will be safe. Meanwhile, I will contact the chaplain to make sure patient’s parents’ values are respected by the medical care team. In the second case, I have to identify patient’s domestic partner’s rights and each person’s emotional state. Then I have to consider how to perform my job duty responsibly and my obligations to the patient, and patient’s best interest. The issue they have now is how to assure access for same-sex partner’s patients on equal footing with heterosexual couples. Because the same-sex partner do have some rights in this situation such as right to make decision for an unconscious family member. Since my patient, AT, is still unconscious and he can’t make any decisions for himself. So, my decision is to give YM access to his loved one and treats him as family. I will also speak to my supervisor about my decision. When utilizing ethical lenses, it will guide me make a sound decision. In the first case, I used right/responsibilities lens and results lens. The right/responsibilities lens focuses on duties and obligations, and be ethically acceptable. The results lens focuses on the duties and what meets individual desires, which means I have to consider how my action will affect each person. Hence, I have to combine all the analysis and my knowledge to make a sound decision in order to satisfy each person’s ethical desires. The second case, I used relationship lens and reputation lens. The relationship lens focuses on being fair. In order to be fair, I have to use my power appropriately and everyone’s rights as a person. For instance, I need to know the patient’s domestic partner’s rights and what kind access I can give to him. The reputation lens guides me focus on the virtues of each person. The rights/responsibilities lens allow me to consider my duty as a nurse and how to accomplish my duty. My patient and her baby’s safety ar e my top priority. Hence, I have to call the physician and notify him that my patient needs medical care. When using the results lens, I need to consider how to create a satisfied result to meet my patient and her family member’s needs and honor patient’s parents’ wishes as well. Hence, I have to contact the chaplain to comfort patient’s parents in order to meet their spiritual needs. The relationship lens allow me to consider my patient and his domestic partner’s rights. Hence, before I make a decision. I look at  hospital’s policy and rules. I want to make sure I give my patient’s partner his rights to access his loved one while I am still implementing hospital protocols. The reputation lens leads me to think about how to be a good nurse and how to provide best care for my patient. Also, I have to let my supervisor understand my decision and my standard as an employee and a nurse. As a home health nurse, we meet patients who from countries and who has different beliefs, and cultural backgrounds. I think when I have an ethical conflict, I have to assess the situation and gather data instead of making assumptions. After I collect data, I need to think about how the decision will impact each person involved in this case (right/responsibilities lens). As a nurse, I also need to remember ANA Code of Ethics. I have to remind myself I need to References EthicsGame.com, LLC. (2007). The troubled teen and policies an politics. Retrieved from: http://www.ethicsgame.com References Guido, G. W. (2010). Legal ethical issues in nursing (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Hemoglobinopathy for Malaria Protection

Hemoglobinopathy for Malaria Protection Redcells and  anaemia:  What  evidence exists to  support  the hypothesis that  haemoglobinopathies confer protection against  malaria? Introduction Haemoglobinopathies can be divided into two areas, abnormal haemoglobin synthesis and decreased haemoglobin synthesis. Abnormal haemoglobin synthesis is usually a result of genetic defects, caused by amino acid substitutions in the ÃŽÂ ± or ÃŽÂ ² chains of the haemoglobin molecule. Decreased haemoglobin synthesis is also caused by genetic disorders and arise from gene deletions of either ÃŽÂ ± or ÃŽÂ ² globin chains. This group of diseases is called thalassemia. Malaria is a parasite infection caused by the Plasmodium genus. There are 4 types that affect humans, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparam), Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), Plasmodium malariae (P. malariae) and Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale). The most common form is P. falciparam, which is responsible for 80% of all cases and 90% of deaths. Malaria affects between 300-500 million people each year and is prevalent in tropical areas where mosquitoes act as vectors for the parasite. Hence, much of research undertaken to date focuses primarily on P. falciparam infection. Upon entering the body the Plasmodium parasite migrates to the liver. After multiplication, they are released into the blood as merozoites. The merozoites then bind to and enter the red blood cell. The hypothesis that haemoglobin disorders confer protection against malaria can be evaluated by reviewing the evidence in support of malarial protection. However, evidence showing that these disorders do not confer protection should not be ignored. Sickle cell disease The protective effect of Sickle cell disease (SCD) against malaria was first described over 60 years ago (Beet, 1946). SCD is an inherited disease, caused by the production of abnormal haemoglobin, HbS. The gene for sickle haemoglobin (HbS) substitutes valine for glutamic acid at the sixth position from the amino terminus of the ÃŽÂ ² chain (Serjeant). Under low oxygen tension, the HbS polymerises resulting in sickling of the red blood cell (haem mal 4). Homozygous individuals for HbS carry the genotype HbSS, inheriting abnormal genes for ÃŽÂ ²-globin from both parents. Without adequate treatment, this form of the disease is fatal in early life. However, heterozygous individuals who inherit one abnormal and one normal ÃŽÂ ²-globin gene are asymptomatic and carry the genotype HbAS. This genotype is known as Sickle cell trait, which various studies claim confers protection against malaria (Allison, 1964, Freidman, 1978) ( ref 1011, haem mal4). The mechanism by which HbAS prevents malaria is unclear and is an area that requires greater research. However, there have been many suggested mechanisms over the years. These mechanisms involve the interactions between red blood cells and parasites, without excluding the role of the immune system. A study conducted by Cholera 2008 examined the role of cytoadherence of parasite and red blood cells. The findings showed that parasite infected HbAS red blood cells showed reduced binding capability to endothelial cells and blood monocytes when compared to parasitized normal Hb red blood cells. This impairment caused by HbAS is caused by a reduced expression of P. falciparam erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), responsible for cytoadherence of infected red blood cells to critical tissues such as the brain. The role of the immune system in resisting parasite infection has also been explored. Increased phagocytosis of infected HbAS erythrocytes in comparison with normal infected erythrocytes was observed ( ref smith et al 2002, akide et al 2003, Roberts Williams 2003 etc Haem mal). Further evidence showing the central role of the immune system has been illustrated by increased protection with age, strengthening the importance of immunological responses to parasite infection. Other mechanisms include the inhibition of parasite growth within erythrocytes by HbS polymerisation caused by low oxygen tension ( Haem mal). Haemoglobin C Haemoglobin C is found in west Africa, and in its homozygous state, referred to as HbCC, causes haemolysis and splenomegaly. Heterozygotes are asymptomatic and display the genotype HbAC. Haemoglobin C arises from a point mutation where glutamate is replaced by lysine at the sixth position of the ÃŽÂ ²-globin chain.   Acquired immunity against P. falciparum was reported in HbC and HbS due to abnormal display of PfEMP1 (Verra et al, 2007). However, studies on HbC malarial protection have produced contradictory results. Some studies claimed homozygous HbCC individuals were protected from developing severe malaria(haem mal) and were also at a reduced risk of malarial infections (modiano et al, 2001, haem mal). ÃŽÂ ±-Thalassemia ÃŽÂ ±-thalassemia is caused by decreased synthesis of ÃŽÂ ±-globin. It is caused by deletion of ÃŽÂ ±-globin genes on chromosome 16 (Yuthavong Wilairat 1993, haem mal). ÃŽÂ ±-thalassemia results in mild anaemia, and lower levels of haemoglobin in red blood cells. Population genetics have shown ÃŽÂ ±-thalassemia to protect against malaria, but similar to SCD, there is no consensus on the mechanism of action. Studies have shown ÃŽÂ ±-thalassemia protects against severe and fatal malaria, whereas parasiteamia is unaffected (72-78, haem mal 3). A reduction in complement receptor 1 (CR1) expression caused by ÃŽÂ ±-thalassemia has been proposed as a possible mechanism of protection. CR1   deficient erythrocytes reduce rosetting of cells, which is associated with severe malaria ( Cockburn 2004). This rosetting of cells mediated by CR1 can potentially obstruct capillaries (Stoute, 2011). ÃŽÂ ²-Thalassemia ÃŽÂ ²-thalassemia results in either no or little ÃŽÂ ²-globin production, caused by mutations on chromosome 11. Heterozygotes experience mild anaemia and ineffective erythropoiesis whereas homozygotes suffer from severe anaemia and leads to death without proper treatment (Weatherall,2000, haem mal). Protection in early life from malaria was seen in ÃŽÂ ²-thalassemia carriers as a result of foetal haemoglobin levels declining more slowly than usual ( Pasvol 1978). Other researchers reported P. falciparam growth inhibition in vitro (Brockleman 1978) and higher phagocytosis of ÃŽÂ ²-thalassemia infected erythrocytes compared to normal erythrocytes. Like ÃŽÂ ±-thalassemia and SCD, there is not yet a definitive mechanism by which ÃŽÂ ²-thalassemia protects against malaria and suggested mechanisms put forward until now require greater research. Conclusion By examining the evidence, haemoglobinopathies do confer protection against malaria. However, the protection varies from one disorder to the next as does the level of protection from malarial infection and parasite progression. The protection revolves around the red blood cell which is central to the life cycle of the malaria parasite. The different haemoglobin abnormalities disrupt parasite and red blood cell interactions in diverse pathways, resulting in differing mechanisms of protection and subsequently different levels of protection. The lack of consensus regarding mechanisms involved highlights the necessity for further research. In addition to the possible protection pathways mentioned earlier, the analysis of population genetics cannot be ignored. The haemoglobinopathies discussed have a higher prevalence in malaria endemic regions due to the protection conferred from this lethal parasite.

Relationship Between Multiculturalism and Liberalism

Relationship Between Multiculturalism and Liberalism In the context of political thought, it would be so hard to think of multiculturalism separate from liberalism. Beyond the scope of political theory, the internal and external dynamics of the countries, the relationship between state and the society have been built on the values of democracy and liberalism. This essay aims to explore and explain the relationship between multiculturalism and liberalism –especially liberal egalitarianism within the frame of minority rights. Multiculturalism started to manifest itself in the political realm after 1980s. There are two main events that triggered the rise of multiculturalism: Firstly, after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, nationalism has become the prominent element of the democratization process. Secondly, a new wave of nationalism has risen among some groups in Western democratic countries. It has been observed that even the Western states that built on liberal values could not completely overcome the problems regarding ethnic and religious groups in their societies. Now, we live in more and more diversified and multicultural societies. Immigration and minorities have been an imminent part of the debates of everyday politics for a very long time. The politicians include their views and policies in their electoral campaigns, surveys are held to get more information about public opinion and more importantly political theorist are looking for new ways and perspectives as coping or integrating strate gies. For instance, the question of the illiberal minorities and the risk of them to violate the liberal principles was always there as a problematic and debatable one. Thus, this case brings us two important questions to discuss: To what extent should we protect the minority rights and how should we recognize the minority identities? For many, it is an undoubtedly accepted fact that liberal state should be neutral but what should be the attitude of this neutral state when it comes to the clash between the values of majority and minority? If we ever need to take one thing for granted in liberal state, it would be the strong idea that each individual should have the necessary rights and opportunities to follow the ways which lead them to a good life. Moreover, individuals should be free while deciding on their own understanding of good life and should pursue their goals freely. Therefore, this principle requires that individuals who are coming from different backgrounds from the majority and having different religious and cultural customs and values should also pursue their understanding of good life without giving up their own. Another important aspect of liberal ideology concerning individual rights is that no state or government has the right to conceptualize a project of good life and impose it upon its citizens. (Kukathas, 1992: p. 108) Thus, in my opinion any attempts stepping out of this line could be easily labelled as assimilative regarding religious and cultural minorities. At this point, it would be notable to remind that, in the liberal state, an individual’s realm of freedom ends when another individual’s begins. This is accepted as another important principle of liberal state regarding individual freedom which is also seen as a guarantee of the individual freedom of each member in the society. In this case, the rights that groups have been entitled could go as far as that they would threat or violate the human rights and values. What should be the attitude of the liberal state about an intervention? Do individuals choose to be a part of these groups and communities? The Proper Attitude of the Liberal Egalitarian towards Multiculturalism Liberal egalitarians favour a system in which state treats its citizens equally and creates such an environment that each member of the society gets a fair share from the resources and available opportunities. Although, this might seem as a clear principle at first sight, two conclusions can be driven from this principle. First, the state should not intervene with the distribution of resources or try to balance the gap its citizens and second, liberal egalitarian attitude requires that each religious and cultural community should have equal chance to survive and continue to practise their customs in the society. In contemporary modern democratic states such as UK, France, USA and Canada we see that states spare necessary social, political and financial resources for the survival and continuity of different religious communities and minority cultures. The reason for that is culture is considered as an important aspect in shaping one’s own identity and his/ her own interpretatio n of good life. The second point of view acknowledges that the state should be neutral and acts within the frame of laissez faire liberalism. Otherwise, the state can create inequalities among its citizens by implementing redistributive policies or entitling minority groups with special rights. Thus, the state should take the minimum part in the affairs of different cultural and religious groups and by nothing or minimum it allows citizens to be treated equally. (Patten, 1992, p.1-3) Kymlicka and Multiculturalism Debate Kymlicka locates his whole ideas on liberal theory and he is an important successor of liberal tradition. Thus, he places individual autonomy prior to the community and communal values. As a political philosophy, liberalism has often been seen as primarily concerned with the relationship between the individual and the state, and with limiting state intrusions on the liberties of citizens (Kymlicka,Liberalism, p. 1). For some scholars, this component of liberalism is seen as a strong one about multiculturalist affairs. In my opinion, this can be easily seen as one of the weaknesses of liberalism when it comes to the deal with the problems regarding minorities and minority rights. If we are stuck with the idea that liberal ideology is the only roof under which both majority and minority values can be represented and peoples can live happily together. In one of his essays, Two Models of Pluralism and Tolerance, Kymlicka also argues against Rawls’s ideas about individual rights and defends the capabilities of group rights. Whereas Kymlicka believes that a well-functioning model can be built on the idea of group rights, some scholars like Kukathas argue that there is no necessity for abandoning the liberal ideology’s individualist principles and create new inequalities. (Kukathas, 1992: p.4) Thus, this part will be focused on this second form of tolerance which is named as group rights by Kymlicka. (Kymlicka, 1992: p.1) Kymlicka’s theory is also famously known for his distinction between different types of minorities based on their cultural aspects. According to him, there are societal cultures of national minorities and the cultures of poly ethnic societies. National minorities are the ones who continuously claim for their self-governmental rights. It is hard for them to get satisfied just by being entitled to some special rights. For them, self-government is the only option for their survival in multicultural society which is composed of a majority and different minority groups. Kymlicka argues that poly ethnic groups would always be weaker and less demanding in their right claims because of the fact that they are immigrant communities. Their right claims would be about practicing their cultural and religious customs. These communities should always bear in mind that they come from another country and culture to be hosted in a new one and they also have some duties such as learning a new la nguage or integrating with the local community. In his book, Politics in the Vernacular, Kymlicka frequently uses the term ‘societal culture’ and states that societal culture should be considered as a fundamental basis for the modern state. It is a concept consisted of both private and public spheres of life which is composed of a common language which has historical roots on a given territory, common educational, political, legal institutions. Moreover, societal culture is mostly the result of a national building process and it includes linguistic standardization and institutional integration. (Kymlicka, 2000: p. 53) Thus, he goes one step further from the idea that culture is an important aspect of self- respect and self-recognition which paves the way for self- realization i.e. a good life. He adds institutionalization and certain functioning administrative mechanisms to the shared history and values. National minorities mostly have certain tragic events, massacres or genocides in their history and they always feel or face the threat of assimilation or discrimination in the nation building process. This is why Kymlicka makes certain distinctions between immigrant groups and national minorities. National minorities face with the results of the events that they did not have no say in the decision making process in the most undesirable ways whereas immigrants mostly (here he seems to forget that some immigrants are forced to leave their countries because of wars or other terrific events) leave their country,in which they could practice their culture in the ways they want, voluntarily for the sake of better economic opportunities. What Kymlicka understands from citizenship based on group differentiated rights is that ensuring the justice between members of different groups. Thus, the idea behing establishing group rights are not only about the idea of that communal rights are prior to individual ones but also about the need for establishing different rights for different groups according to their needs and vulnarabilities in the society. ( Luoboyck, p.9) Tolerance vs. Recognition I think in the most of the relevant literature, scholars did not pay enough attention to the distinction between tolerance, acceptance and recognition. Specifically, for the followers of the liberal tradition, the emphasis has always been on the rights, equality, equal rights, equal opportunities, equal treatment and so on without even asking the people that ‘is that what you really want?’ It is observed that these ‘different’ people are not only in the need to be differentiated but also recognized as who they are. The special rights that they are entitled to by liberal democratic state do not always give them to chance of being recognized or accepted in the eyes of the members of the society or even before law. This is why the ideas of Taylor is really important in the multiculturalism debate. ( Taylor, 1994: p.25) In the history of politics, there has been an important shift from honor to dignity which has also come with the emphasis on the equalization of rights and identities. The age of the ‘more privileged’ citizens has come to an end, at least in the eyes of the state and before law. It would be very optimistic to claim that all inequalities have been disappeared in this way. As Taylor argues, for many people this equalization only brought an equality for civil rights and voting rights. There are also others who claim that it also has affected the socioeconomic aspects of life but I would not agree with them. It requires more than changing votes to shape public opinion and regulate everyday life which contains many social and economic inequalities like equal pay or integrated settlement policies. Although, there are still many problems to overcome, equal citizenship has been accepted as an universal value. Thus, in the new age of politics of difference, liberal egalitarians should be ready to reconsider the classical understanding of the principles of liberal democratic state in order to give more than they used to. They should be ready to present a lot of rights and immunities in order to recognize and accept the differences and try not to create a melting pot. Some still might argue that individual rights come before communal or group rights but the implications of this idea is mostly seen in Anglo- American world. (Taylor, 1994: p.32) I think this is one of the major reasons for why in Anglo- American world, there is always an on-going effort for creating a common identity, one nation, one language for all on the one hand, and promoting the ‘self’ and the individualism on the other. In my opinion, from the perspective of Taylor, they can easily be accused of implementing assimilation strategies in the name of creating a melt pot. This would be a dangerous trap that the liberal state should carefully avoid. The equal use of resources, equal rights and treatment and state’s ‘hands off’ laissez faire policies may lead to the danger of extinction for some cultures and identities. In today’s political realm, the functioning of state mechanisms prove that the state cannot isolate itself from the decision making process of cultural affair. As Kymlicka and Taylor also mentions, the state still has the power of making decisions about official language, some religious ceremonies, official languages that are used in education, public radio and television broadcasting. Thus, the state still remains as a powerful figure to decide which cultures and religions continue to exist in the society. Thus, the liberal state should be ready to intervene when and where there is a necessity. When it comes to the features of these special rights for minorities, Lubbock indicates some principles. First, he states that all the members of the community in question have to accept the culture as it is acknowledged and there must always be an open door for anyone wants to exit in necessary cases. Moreover, a liberal democratic government can never adopt an attitude which tolerates illiberal actions of minority cultures or their customs. The basic principles of human rights are always prior to other policies and special rights. Second, liberal democratic governments have the responsibility to keep the religious and special cultural practices of minorities at a minimum acceptable level which would be ‘sufficient enough’. If a minority group is able to practice their customs at a sufficient level, than there would be no part to take for government. Otherwise, government should intervene and try to create a balanced situation in order to make sure that the minority peo ple in question are able to practice their culture and religion. Thus, while polyethnic groups are being protected by some special rights within the boundaries of existing laws and regulations, this should not allow these groups to have internal restrictions. The intention behind establishing polyethnic rights is to protect these groups from external suppressions and the danger of extinction or assimilation. Thus, it would not be so rightful to allow polyethnic groups to have the right to make regulations and restriction on its members’ individual rights and freedoms. ( Loobuyck, p.8-9) New Challenges Kymlicka believes in the supremacy of societal cultures over immigrant groups and more importantly lesbian and gay community. It appears to me that Kymlicka andh his contemporaries do not give enough importance to LGBT community as a minority group which has serious right claims. In many books of Kymlicka, there is nearly no words about LGBT people and recently he tackled the issue with respect to the Quà ©bà ©cois gays and lesbians and his use of language gives the impression of he is not quite familiar with the gender studies literature – he does not even use the term LGBT. â€Å" Gay separatism would involve cutting oneself off from the culture one was raised in, and relinquishing one’s sense of national identity and cultural membership. Thus gay nationalism is neither feasible nor desirable for most gays. The task, therefore must be fight homophobia within the larger society, to gain recognition and acceptance for gays and lesbians within its schools, media, cour ts, businesses and so on† ( Kymlicka, 1992: p. 90- 95) Although, Kymlicka continues to produce valuable ideas and theories, it should be accepted that there are some challenges that he could not foresee. The liberal democratic state would also be challenged by the problems or right claims that come from contemporary political movements and groups which do not have to be ethnicity based. Now there are the questions of the right claims of non-ethnic groups particularly LGBT community, forced migration, refugees and new generations of immigrant communities who did not choose to migrate but their parents made a decision to migrate like the Turkish people in Germany. In these situations, it becomes harder to talk about a matter of choice. In these cases, is it still possible to claim that societal culture and the minority groups that are based on societal culture are more valuable than the others? This could be one question that the liberal state had to answer. These ideas blur the line between integration and assimilation. It should be considered that the members of these groups are also political subjects that can influence the legislations through their political power. Thus, the leading elements of liberal state should consider the option of recognition rather than mere inclusion and integration with the majority. Conclusion This paper has opened the debate with the strong relationship between liberalism and multiculturalism to elaborate the question of â€Å"How far should liberal egalitarians be prepared to countenance the special rights claims of minority cultures?†. References

The House on Mango Street Essay -- Character Analysis, Esperanza

When I grow up, I want to be a black gum tree. Black gum trees are known for their internal strength. Instead of dwelling on outward beauty, they spend more time focusing on their inner growth and developing their core. Only after they have achieved this goal can they produce beautiful fruits that draw animals near to them. Any surfaces that the berries touch are stained as to say, â€Å"I was here and made a permanent difference.† After they have utilized their outward influences, they use their internal scars and hollow places to protect the animals surrounding around it. If human lives were to reflect the concepts of the black gum tree, governments, individuals, and communities would be radically transformed. While this is a beautiful image, communities will never fully reach this aspiration. Sandra Cisneros shows the positive and negative effect of community on human growth in The House on Mango Street when Esperanza subconsciously reads the four skinny trees as a stand-in for herself. The layer of concrete surrounding the roots of the trees is a metaphor for the barrier between Esperanza’s success and her community. These four skinny trees are located in the middle of an impoverished city that is plagued with crime, prostitution, and sense of hopelessness. Because all of these cycles are nearly impenetrable, they are a metaphor for the concrete that lay on top of their roots. This slab will forever sit on top of the downward facing roots separating them from the vertical growth that is above them. Ironically, the roots under the concrete support the same slab that is hindering their growth. Without the support of the individuals living on Mango Street, the layer of socially formed concrete would crumble into dust; however, becau... ...Cisneros 110). Her internal strength is strong enough to let her grow beyond the constraints of her community, but she will never reach her full potential until she returns to change the roots that made her that way. Esperanza then chooses to develop the core of her personality despite living in the middle of tangled roots, which ultimately leads to her escape. When I grow up, I want to be Esperanza. I want to think critically, exhort change, find beautiful elements in ordinary texts, and affect my fallen community with the fruits of my internal strength. If Esperanza had not chosen to use both the positive and negative effects of her community as inspiration, she would have entrapped herself and failed to influence the hurting society around her. Instead, she chooses to act like the trees and build her internal strength so that she may reach others effectively.

Chinese Religion Essay -- Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism

Chinese Religion The region of China is extensive and profound. â€Å"In China lay people did not belong to an institutionalized sect, nor did their religious life have anything to do with signing articles of faint. Religion in China was so woven into the broad fabric of family and social life that there was not even a special word for it until modern times, when one was coined to match the Western term† (Thompson, 1). In China, Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism are all blended. In the earliest period, Shang Dynasty (2000 BC), people in China had worshipped a lot of different gods (polytheism) such as weather god, river god. People in the Shang Dynasty believed that their ancestors become like gods after they died, so people worshipped their own ancestors. The basic features of Chinese Ancient Philosophy consist of five stresses, spiritual existence, practice, morality, harmony, and intuition. The philosophy in Pre-Qin times was marked by the emergence of various ancient philosophical views. The most influential schools were Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism and Legalism. In China lay people did not belong to an institutionalized sect, nor did their religious life have anything to do with signing articles of faint. Religion in China was so woven into the broad fabric of family and social life that there was not even a special word for it until modern times, when one was coined to match the Western term (Thompson, 1). The school takes the teachings of Confucius as its core of thought and regards the words and deeds of Confucius as it highest code of behavior. It advocates the benevolence and justice, allegiance and forbearance, the doctrine of the golden mean and values the ethical relations of men. In the Chinese world view there was an ... ...ey hoped to avoid plagues, ensure rain in due season, and to be granted children. Believing their livelihood, both present and future, to be guaranteed y the favor of the hallowed place of their assemblies, the members of the local community felt themselves bound to it by a relationship teeming with benefits, which caused them to adhere to it as faithful vassals to a powerful lord† (Liu, 30). Liu, James T.C. China Turning Inward Intellectual-political Changes in the Early Twelfth Century. 4th ed. Vol. 23. Council on Ast Asian Studies, 1919. Print. Shankman, Steven, and Stephen W. Durrant. Early China/Ancient Greece. Albany: State University of New York, 2001. Print. Thompson, Laurence G. Chinese Religion: An Introduction. Belmont: Dickenson Company, Inc, 1969. Print. Thompson, Laurence G. The Religious Life of Man. Belmont: Dickenson Company, Inc, 1973. Print.

Early Christian Art Essay

The present state of Christianity is completely different to its past. During the early years of Christianity, Christians were persecuted for their faith. Due to heavy persecution, early Christians had to use some kind of secret communication. This had given way to the birth of Early Christian art. Due to the proximity in the timeline, Early Christian art had shown much influence from Byzantine art. However, Early Christian art had to undergo change during the Late Antiquity in the Roman Empire. Much of the early Christian Art in the Late Antiquity was influenced by the prevalence of wars and political instability (Spier 2007). Since there was no more need for secrecy, Early Christian art had become more focused on politics rather than the religion. During the early years of Christianity, storytelling was regarded as the most effective way of mass communication. Written language was still unavailable for the consumption of all, thus people had used Oral narratives to communicate and preserve cultural ideas. One of the propagated stories was that of Christianity. On the other hand, symbols were used to avoid persecution from those against Christianity. Through storytelling and symbols, early Christian artists were able to continue their faith and avoid persecution at the same time. Perhaps two of the most common symbols in Early Christian art are the dove, lamb, and the fish. The dove was used as a symbol for purity and peace, something of high value to Christians. On the other hand, the fish was used as a symbol for Christ. The fish had become an ingenious symbol for Christ as it symbolizes the last supper and the water used for Christian baptism. And lastly, the lamb had become another symbol for Christ, particularly when he had bled during the crucifixion. In addition to that, the lamb could also serve as a symbolism for Christians wherein Christ is the good shepherd. Reference Spier, Jeffrey. (2007). Picturing the Bible: the earliest Christian art. Connecticut: Yale University Press

Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay

Referring to at least two extracts in detail, explain why A Midsummer Night’s Dream is still popular, 400 years after it was written. Comment on a production you have seen, or consider how you would like to produce the play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is set in Athens in Greece. It is a journey into a mid-night forest, where fairies put spells on people. The story begins with Hippolyta and Theseus (Duke of Athens), getting married and the events that surround it. There are a group of workers who have decided to put on a play for the wedding. â€Å"Here is a scroll of every man’s name wish, is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the Duke and the Duchess on his wedding-day at night. † In the play, a carpenter, called Peter Quince, gives this speech. He is informing the workers about the play, they will be putting on. â€Å"The most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. † Bottom agrees with Peter Quince, that Pyramus and Thisbe is a great play to be putting on. Another main part of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is the quarrelling that has been going on between Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the fairies. They are arguing about a little Indian boy, who Titania has looked after, since he was a baby. Oberon wants the boy to be his henchman, but Titania totally disagrees. â€Å"Give me that boy and I will go with thee,† says Oberon. â€Å"Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away! We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. † By this comment, Titania has made it clear, that, there is no chance of her giving the boy to Oberon. Titania also says, she is going to go, otherwise things will become violent and out of control. In Athens there was a law, that stated daughters had to, marry, whoever their father wanted. Otherwise there were serious consequences, if the daughter refused. The father could have his daughter put to death. This was the exact situation for a young lady named Hermia. Hermia was in love with a young Athenian called Lysander, he was also besotted with her. But her father Egeus had chosen another young Athenian called Demetrius, (who was from a very noble family) to marry his daughter, Hermia. Hermia’s best friend, Helena was frantically in love with Demetrius, however, he did not have a care in the world for her. Egeus had gone to the Athenian court, to plead with Theseus (the Duke of Athens) to do something about Hermia. Theseus could only give Hermia, four days to agree to marry Demetrius; otherwise she would be put to death. â€Å"For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself, to fit your father’s will; or else the law of Athens yields you up to death, or to a vow of single life. † Hermia was in a huge dilemma, what was she going to do? Oberon decides to take the Indian boy off Titania. He told Puck, his attendant, to put a love juice on Titania’s eyes, while she was asleep. So that when Titania woke up, she would fall deeply in love with, the first thing that she sees, whether it is an animal or human. Oberon has seen Helena and Demetrius arguing in the forest. Oberon informs Puck to put, the love juice on Demetrius’ eyes, so he falls in love with Helena. But Puck accidentally, puts the love juice on Lysander’s eyes, so Lysander ends up falling out of love with Hermia and in love with Helena. â€Å"What has thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite and laid the love-juice on some true-love’s sight. † Puck had put the love juice in Lysander’s eyes but he was already in love with Hermia. The language and poetry used, is so effective, you can easily picture it in your mind. English has changed in the last four hundred years, so some little grammatical words are no longer used and there are also words for things, which are not used anymore. ‘Girdle means belt, vestal is a girl who is a virgin and a votaress means to a worshiper. ‘ These words no longer exist. ‘Ere meaning before and hither meaning here,’ are both little grammatical words, which are not used anymore. The second person singular, ‘thou, thee, thy, thyself,’ are not used in English. Although used in modern French and German. Pronunciation has also changed a great deal, instead of taking the first letter of a word and replacing it with an apostrophe. The third letter is taken out instead. ‘It is – tis’ – nowadays ‘it is – becomes it’s. ‘ Shakespeare’s language has a big impact, on his plays because the English now is very different. These are words in his plays, which mean something, totally different in modern English. ‘Civil – smooth, rude – rough, bolt – arrow, maiden – virginal. ‘ These words are called ‘false friends’, because we think we know them, but we do not. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the poetry is immense; you are able to imagine things, which cannot be seen. Oberon and Bottom’s poetry sticks out, because it is of high quality. In Shakespeare’s plays, there are many complex lines. The poetry’s quality has strength, to entertain and engage the audience. ‘The raging rocks, and shivering shocks, shall break the locks, of prison gates; and Phibbus’ car, shall shine from far, and make and mar, the foolish fates. ‘ This bit of the play was spoken by Bottom, it is almost like a limerick but it is a bit longer. The rhythm makes it gripping, ‘rocks, shocks, locks, car, far, mar. ‘ Rhythmic poems are good to listen to, as they are fairly easy to understand. Oberon’s poetry is more descriptive and the poetry is rhythmic. ‘My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest since once I sat upon a promontory, and heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back, uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, that the rude sea grew civil at her song and certain scars shot madly from their spheres, to hear the sea-maid’s music,’ Oberon’s poem was relaxing, because you could just close your eyes and imagine it. He creates a picture that can only be seen in your mind. Oberon gets love across by pictures, ‘loosed his love-shaft, Cupid’s fiery shaft, now purple with love’s wound. ‘ Cupid has let his arrow go and it has hit them right in the heart. On stage, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is really effective, especially when there are squabbles between characters. When Bottom wanted to play everybody’s part, it was as if he was a little spoilt child, who wanted everything. Theatre can do things that a film cannot; a film cannot interact with you. The actors on stage can really express their feelings and emotions. Like love, anger or sorrow. ‘O spite! O hell! I see you are all bent, to set against me for your merriment. ‘ Helena is very furious because she feels that; Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius, are trying to make a fool of her, and laugh about her behind her back. When Helena says â€Å"O spite! O hell! † I think it is really effective because when you are reading the play, you can really feel her anger. It would be quite hard to make the fairies look small and real on stage. I saw a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on video. I did not enjoy watching it because the play was too modern. The fairies were just like other actors; they were life size and just acted normal. The actors and actresses wore modern day clothes, like plain dresses, casual trousers and plain T-shirts. The film is based on a little boy’s dream. To get into the play you have to realise that fairies only exist if you believe in them. In Shakespeare’s theatre four hundred years ago, there were not women performers. Young boys used to play women’s parts because their voices had not yet broken, which meant they were quite high pitched. The theatre was almost like an arena. Most people stood up and watched the play, but there were seats in the balcony, for the richer people. The audience’s were usually, socially mixed. This meant that, Shakespeare’s plays had to appeal to lots of different people, whether they were illiterate, poor, rich or literate. This helped Shakespeare’s plays, to still be famous today because they are multi-faceted. The play has many archaic words, because the English language has changed, a great deal in the last, four hundred years. ‘Dulcet-sweet, votaress-virgin, and sirran – to address a boy or man servant or child. ‘The theme of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a love story, with lots of comedy. After all the downsides, there is a happy ending. But life is not always like that. Hermia gets to marry Lysander and Demetrius marries Helena. In real life in Athens 400 years ago, I doubt it would be a happy ending for someone in Hermia’s situation. The fairies put a spell on the lovers and Titania to sort the misunderstandings out, which the love potion caused. Oberon and Titania have both made up with each other, and as king and queen of the fairies they bless the house together.