China Essays -- essays research papers

â€Å"Government in China: three perspectives† In the Ming period of government in China, it is evident that the characteristics and learning of the emperor are essential to the essence of good government. Under the Confucian system, it was vital to conform to the strict hierarchical structure of the social and political codes which formed the foundation of the system: therefore, the basis of good government was something which permeated all levels of society but was ultimately inspired by, and dictated by, the higher levels of the power structure and ultimately the emperor. Within the hierarchy, there were certain aspects of rights and responsibilities which could not be transcended and which ensured that each member of society retained their appropriate place within the overall structure. There would invariably be those above, to whom one owed deference and respect, and those below, to whom one owed protection. No-one was isolated, but rather seen as an integral part of a network which could only function successfully if everyone played exactly the role which was allotted to them, and did not attempt to transcend their designated status. The concept of government, therefore, was something which was dictated from the top of the power structure but permeated to all its levels. Government of the country, of a province, of a household, were all aspects of the same strictly enforced social order and each level could be seen as reflecting the pattern of the one above. However, according to Confucian practices it was not sufficient to understand good practice and to put it into effect, it was also essential to demonstrate to others that the individual was aware of their particular place in the social and political hierarchy. There was therefore a heavy reliance on custom and ritual, which affected every aspect of everyday life and acted as a constant reiteration of the dictates of the hierarchy. To carry out these rituals not only reinforced one’s social standing, both to oneself and to others, but also showed that the lower orders of the social structure maintained their faith in, and obedience to, the higher orders. In this way not only could the government be maintained, its efficiency could be seen to be exemplified at all levels of the social and cultural hierarchy. This strictly codified and rigidly enforced system, however, was at least to some extent de... ...hose who are at the top of the hierarchy and disseminate their virtues to those below. If this system breaks down, becomes corrupt or deteriorates into a faà §ade, then only the outward trappings of order remain, in the practices of ritual: there is no inner core of wisdom and sagacity of which these practices should be the outward representation. Government may continue to function, but it is no longer motivated by the virtues and philosophies which originally motivated it, and the continuation of custom and ritual loses its meaning and significance. We see this in ‘Woman Wang’, for example, in the way that marriage is perceived: the Confucian ideal in which the man is superior, but has a responsibility to respect and protect the woman, has gone and in its place is an abusive relationship where the power remains, but the impetus to protect is gone. Wang is still confined by custom to her marriage, but it is no longer the enlightened hierarchy of Confucianism but the darker control relationship of a patriarchy. References Huang, R. (1986) 1587: a year of no significance. Yale University Press. Kuhn, P. (1990) Soulstealers. Harvard. Spence, J. (1978) Death of Woman Wang. Penguin.

Explore John Steinbeck’s presentation in Of Mice and Men Essay

Explore John Steinbeck’s presentation in Of Mice and Men of the culture and experience of the itinerant workers in 1930’s America. Of Mice and Men is a well known novel written by John Steinbeck. It was published in a highly traumatic time, in America. When the Wall Street crash catalysed the Great Depression and the United States suffered an economic collapse. Due to the lack of money there was a high level of unemployment of men and women and many businesses closed down. Additionally America experienced terrible droughts known as the Dust Bowl in which many crops died. The lower the American economy sank the higher the numbers of migrant workers rose, it reached approximately 13 million in 1932! The only way for many Americans to earn money was to travel into the countryside, where work was hard, dangerous, and lonely. They became itinerant workers; the workers moved from place to place for work, to follow the harvest across California-USA. Itinerant workers travelled alone, Steinbeck’s character George describes them as the ‘loneliest guys in the world’. They usually travelled by cheap buses, hitch hiking rides or simply walking. The pay was not bad; they earned $2 to $3 a day and in addition received accommodation and food. As they were lonely and didn’t have much they blew their ‘jack’ at the local pubs and ‘cat houses’ every Saturday night, this meant that they essentially trapped themselves in this style of living. I personally think that Steinbeck chose to focus on the lives of itinerant workers to show the problems facing America and its people during that period. People just saw the economic problems, not the desperation of the workers, or the racial discrimination of the black community and I think that is what Steinbeck was trying to show, the personal effect to millions of men and women. Further more, as Steinbeck had worked on a ranch, he felt sympathy to the workers, and portrays their situation sensitively. George and Lennie are the two main characters in ‘Of Mice and men’. Steinbeck’s detailed description of them allows the reader to easily relate to the characters’ strong personalities and sympathises with their situation. George and Lennie get on very well; they look out for each other. One of the main things that hold them together is their dream; they are not like other ranch workers because they all travel alone, they are the ‘loneliest guys in the world.’ They travel together, they have ‘got a future†¦somebody to talk to that gives a damn’ about them. Lennie acts like a child, although he is very strong, ‘Strong as a bull.’ George on the other hand is sharp, intelligent, and quick. Their personalities deeply match their physical appearance, George is quite short, and skinny whilst Lennie is tall, muscular, and broad shouldered. The relationship, as strong as it is, is quite uneven, George has a lot of authority over Lennie, and we know this as ‘they walked in single file†¦ and even in the open one stayed behind the other.’ So even when there was room for them to walk next to each other, they didn’t, showing that even though they are together they are separate, lonely and they have no community to look after them, no one that is their equal and their friend. The setting of the novel is important for Steinbeck to convey his views on how the workers lived. Steinbeck makes many references to light though-out the whole of the novel, about how weak the lighting in the workers bunk house is as it didn’t light up the corners, and how Curley’s wife blocks off the ‘rectangle of sunshine in the doorway’ when she enters. This shows how she had ‘cut off’ everything good and pure, as light colours and the sun shows hope; it is almost like she is bringing trouble with her. In the last chapter Lennie is shot, killed by George, his death is sudden but the book was written so we would be expecting it. The description of the setting contains many references to light, how the ‘sun left’ the ‘valley’, ‘mountains seemed to blaze†¦increasing brightness.’ The sun is setting the day is ending, so is the novel and their dream; it is all inevitable, including their lives. Steinbeck was a pessimistic and the theme of trouble is very prominent throughout the novel. John Steinbeck also uses other descriptions linked to the weather to convey atmosphere, like the wind, a ‘far rush of wind sounded†¦ gust drove though†¦ tops of trees like a wave.’ Compared to chapter one in the same setting where there is no sound of wind, it is calm. In chapter six we can tell something is brewing, a disturbance is coming, and something is going to happen. In chapter two he describes the small bunk house, which is where all of the workers on the ranch live, from this detailed evocative description we can see how little the workers actually do have, and how they depend on very plain objects, like magazines and their dreams. The room itself is extremely simple and only provided the necessaries for the workers. ‘Walls were whitewashed†¦ floors unpainted.’ The dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor in the basic four walled rectangular room is cheap, and hardly luxurious, by using words like, ‘whitewashed’ makes the walls seem boring, cold and hard, almost as if the paint had just been thrown onto the walls, almost like no true care had been put into the comfort of the ranch workers living quarters. Steinbeck refers to the room looking like a dank prison, ‘in three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch.’ The ‘solid door with a wooden latch’ makes the ‘bunk house’ seem enclosed, kept in the dark, yet by having a ‘wooden latch’ it makes the room seem like it does not need protecting, the possessions are not worth keeping safe. With very small windows and a big heavy door it gives you the idea of a coffin with thick stale air, this idea seems more like reality as you read on and find out that the sunlight is choked with ‘dust’ when it shines in the bunk house, which strongly reflects the claustrophobic atmosphere, it also shows how dirty and unhygienic the living areas actually are, as ‘flies shot like rushing stars’, though the beam of sun light. In one of the bunks in the room there was a spray-can to kill bugs; one of the characters in the novel called Candy explains that the man who slept there before was just very consciously clean. The ‘bunk house’ was obviously very cramped as it contained eight bunks, meaning there was no privacy, it was a communal living, and a communal life, as they ate, slept and spent 24 hours of their day with each other, not only is there a lack of privacy, but none of the dignity that grown adult men should have. Inside the ‘bunk house’ there was a ‘nailed apple box†¦ so that it made two shelves’ above the bunks, this allowed the men to keep their limited amount of possessions in one area of the room, a small area of privacy. Also in the room there was grouped boxes, where the men sit to play cards, all the furniture is very make-shift and cheap, representing that the men don’t stay there long, they are only temporary workers. On the make-do shelves the workers had, ‘articles, soap†¦talcum powder, razors and those western magazines that men love to read†¦and their medicines†¦ little vials, combs; †¦a few neck ties.’ All simplicities, but they treat them like luxuries; they can not have anything more as they would not be able to carry it from place to place, as they worked. Near one of the walls on the bunk house was a ‘black cast-iron stove’, in those times men did not cook, it was degrading. The workers’ having to cook for themselves is not as bad as having to clean for the rest of the ranch, especially if you were a man. One character on the ranch does have this job, Candy. He has what is seen as a women’s job, yet he does it as he had a physical disability, this is an example of the levels of hierarchy on the ranch. Even though all of the men are different there is a certain category of men that can only be itinerant workers, white, young, strong men. Everyone else is below them in the hierarchy, Crooks being black and disabled, Candy being crippled, and Curly’s wife being a woman. Even Curly feels that he needs to be more physically strong to make up for his height. The start of chapter two deeply contrasts with the start of chapter one, chapter one is a hillside bank, which the Salinas River runs by. It is a beautiful setting and a lovely time of day, as it is the late evening of a hot day. The river runs ‘deep’ and it is ‘warm’, the river had ‘slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool’. To one side of the river was the ‘strong and rocky Gabilan mountains’ and on the other side the ‘water is lined with trees’. Steinbeck goes in to specific detail for this setting, even describing the ‘lead junctures’, showing just how important and picturesque this place is. Steinbeck goes on to tell us about the animals ‘skittering’ lizards and ‘rabbits†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ sitting ‘†¦on the sand in the evening’, the tracks of deer and coons. The scene changes and the marks left by man are described, the har d beaten path, the piles ‘made by fires’ and the limbs of a ‘giant’ sycamore ‘worn smooth by the men who have sat on it’. As George and Lennie enter the area the animal ‘hurried noiselessly for cover’, birds ‘laboured into the air and pounded down the river.’ The place was lifeless for a few moments before the men came into the opening. I think Steinbeck changes the peaceful atmosphere as the men enter, to show the power men have over the environment, the power and strength they posses. When they sit down Lennie starts to drink from the water, it might look nice, but George tells Lennie to stop as it looks scummy. This is not the only dark side of nature, there are water snakes, which the herons would eat then the coyotes that would eat herons. It is survival of the fittest, just like at the ranch and in America at that time. None-the-less the expansive setting – distant mountains, a free flowing river, and the natural wildlife contrasts with the enclosed bunkhouse where the men are trapped. Steinbeck does this to show the predictability of existence; the cynical lives t hat they lived and worked in. Steinbeck does not just show the different levels of power in animals and humans, but with humans together, for example the Boss not really being present in the novel, except when George and Lennie arrive, when he is questioning them, the Boss was ‘sore as hell’ when they were late, as the Boss did not get that little bit of money more that he could of earned. The character is obviously only concerned about the money, not the workers, as he says, you ‘don’t need any brains to buck barley bags’. The Boss’s name is never written in the novel, which almost gives us the idea that he has no personality, as if he is just a person making others work for him. On the way to meet the Boss, George asks Candy about him, he says that he is a ‘pretty nice fella. Gets pretty mad†¦ he’s pretty nice’. Throughout the description Candy repeats the same word pretty often, showing that he really does not know the true nature of the Boss as he is not a constant figure on the ranch, he mainly stays in his house. This could be because the Boss does not want to mix with people below his status, or because he does not want to get attached to people who he knows will leave soon, but most likely it is just because he does not care, all he wants is money, he employs strong men and lets them get on with it, Steinbeck presents him as a harsh capitalist. As the Boss is not on the ranch that often and looking out for his workers, the workers can get away with a lot, with out even concerning him, he doesn’t care what happens to them, he can always employ someone else. However the Boss is not evil, as he brought the workers a ‘whole gallon’ of beer for Christmas, and is very concerned about whether Lennie is taking George’s money at the end of the month. When Steinbeck describes the Boss himself, he tells us how he is a short man, but with quick steps, he does not dress extravagantly, but he does not wear ranch clothing that working men wear. His shoes were ‘high-heeled boots’ they had ‘spurs to prove he was not a labouring man.’ His son also wears this style of boot, the boots are described like cow-boy boots, the American Dream, and the pioneering of America’s past. Not only were the boots meant to show that the Boss had his own land but that he had authority and power, he de manded respect, and the boots were another object that could be used to show the hierarchy on the ranch. The Boss and Curly, (his son) demand authority, contrasting to Slim’s natural authority, Slim is one of the ranch workers who is respected by everyone else because he is a good man; he is emotionally intuitive, which makes it easy for him to make friends. The workers feel like they can trust him, talk to him, in one part of the novel, Lennie tells Slim about when they were kids and how he used to make Lennie ‘jump in†¦ the Sacramento River†¦ he jumps†¦ He damn near drowned’ but George had forgotten that Lennie told him to jump in, and just thanked him for pulling him out. George also told Slim why they left Weed, about how Lennie had touched a girls dress; just to feel the material, and how George and Lennie were chased out of Weed. George and Lennie are itinerant workers, on this ranch they earn approximately $2 a day, we know this as they get ‘fifty bucks’ at the end of each month. Their personal job was to ‘buck barley bags’ which meant that they had to throw large bags of grain on a truck, the barley is poured into large burlap bags, around 75 or more pounds and then is passed brigade-style to the truck. The work was dull, and repetitive, and once it was done, the workers could spend the rest of the day, doing what they want. In Of Mice and Men, the men usually play cards, in their ‘bunk house’. The men play solitaire, a one man game, which shows the continuous theme of loneliness throughout the novel. There are many references to the men playing cards, usually in awkward circumstances, for example the shooting of Candy’s dog. Carlson offered to kill the dog because he was old and smelled, however Candy does not like the idea, when the dog is being shot the room is very awkward and the other ranch workers play cards to take their minds away from the subject that obviously hurts Candy. Everyone they meet find it hard to imagine George and Lennie going around together, even Slim, who is a very friendly and kind worker on the ranch. ‘He is also very intelligent and perceptive, and he has a good sense of justice and fairness.’ (1) Slim’s comment on the fact that there ‘Ain’t many guys’ that ‘travel around together’. Men don’t usually go around with each other. Altogether I think Steinbeck does this to show the solitude and loneliness of a ranch worker, throughout their whole life. The Boss’s son is called Curly; Curly is a mean and a power craving little man. Because he is so small he tries to be very aggressive and strong, he takes boxing lessons as if to show that he might be short but he is better then everyone else, almost as if he is trying to prove his masculinity. He wears the high healed boots with spurs like his father, to portray his authority and power, but also to add to the height. Curly’s name like most of the characters represents his physical appearance, he has Curly hair, and his fists are often described as being wound up, curled. Curly ‘hates big guys’- he has little man syndrome. From what all the characters say about him he is horrible, trouble and loves to show people how he is better then them. I think Curly does all of the boxing to make up for is height, to show that he might not be a strong working man, but he is better then that, he can look after himself and no one can stop him. There are two main relationships in the novel, Curley and his wife plus George and Lennie, neither of these relationships last. It is almost as if Steinbeck is trying to say that even if you want to be with someone in this lonely life style it would be impossible. Once you start to work in this business it corrupts you, in each of those relationship one person dies. Steinbeck’s very pessimistic views probably come from when he was a ranch worker; he experienced the harsh reality of loneliness himself. Curly married a few weeks before George and Lennie arrived, the name of his wife is not written down in the novel one, she is referred to as Curly’s wife, a possession, not a true person. It was a very sexist view, and that was what Steinbeck was trying to show by not giving her a name, that some of the American’s views were still very sexist. Curly has no control over his flirtatious wife; they spend more time asking other members of the ranch where the other one is then they do with each other. They both realise that they are not suited to each other; Curly just likes the fact that he has something over the other men; he has something to do at night, every night if he wants, and what other men can’t. To show this he wears a glove on one of his hands filled with Vaseline everywhere he goes, to flaunt it to the over men he has someone to touch. He tries to keep one ‘hand soft for his wife’ (2) George thinks this is very dirty; it must be very degrading and embarrassing for his wife. The whole relationship seems awkward, Curly’s wife only married him because she was on the rebound from losing her dream, and she was confused about her mother and was upset about her missed opportunities. Curly sees a young pretty girl and likes the opportunity to have a wife to make him look better. This is the only role for women, to look pretty to stay at home, they had very little opportunities. Curly’s wife had a dream to become an actress, the ranch workers all share the American Dream, which is ‘all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.’ (3) This dream was no longer possible in America due to the great depression. Curly’s wife’s dream was created by men, men who told her how fabulous she was, how they would take her away, put her in the movies. It all sounded amazing except none of it was true, they just used her. George and Lennie build a future in their heads, a dream. To ‘live off the fatta the lan’ to have their own house their own garden and animals, to be their own Boss, to live a free life and to be able to do what they want, which is impossible for them while working on the ranch. Their shared dream helps them through tough times and it also affects others like Candy, who is willing to pay for about half of the land on his own. But this is all a pretend future, George says ‘I got to thinking maybe we would’ This could be because Lennie likes hearing it so much, he has convinced himself that it will come true, we know this as he starts telling the dream rhythmically, then monotonously. George has other dreams, like having a girl, playing cards by a pool, having an easy life and panning for gold, but ‘the only one that’s truly idyllic’ (2) is the one he shares with Lennie ‘because it’s impossible’ (2). It is almost as if the dream hides them from their lives, which could be described as beans with no ketchup, all they do is work and just about function, they have no fun, or luxuries, nothing in their lives is complete. The Dream is nothing but a trick, an illusion. I think Steinbeck was trying to say this about the real American Dream as well, that it is just a dream, something for people to cling to in times of need and despair. It is almost inevitable that George and Lennie’s dream will fail because of the cynical style of Steinbeck’s writing, and the continuous references to death and the destruction that is created by mankind, like the peaceful area by the river, that had recently been left with the marks of man, the men scare all of the animals away on top of the destruction they leave behind them. The diverse range of characters show that not all ranch worker were the same. Not just men were effected by the economic collapse, women were thrown in to a mans world, Steinbeck creates three female characters in the novel to show the problem of their surroundings and their lifestyles. The novels characters consist of black and white men, some of them disabled, but all of them have a little power in their own way, for example most people would think that the ‘nigger’ Crooks is the lowest person in the hierarchy of the ranch, but he can very easily annoy Lennie, so I think he has a little bit of power over Lennie this shows how the ranch society is self-destructive, in times of trouble they don’t help each other they make things worse for each other. The workers live on a rota of work, play cards, sleep, on Saturday they go out to Cindy’s ‘cat house’ and Sunday they get a day off. All of the characters bring something new or different to the no vel, even Whit who is very young and shows the type of an enthusiastic new ‘Brothel-crazy’ (2) man who is just starting to adapt to the ranch workers life. Carlson’s character is what the true ranch workers were like; I believe that Steinbeck included many different characters and their problems, to express the types of problems that America were facing at the time. The role between men and women is hard to understand, men looked down on women also the men stereotype the women, and the women stereotype the men, George says ‘She’s a rat-trap if I ever seen one.’ Whilst Curly’s wife says ‘I seen too many you guys.’ as if she assumes they are going to be ‘basically useless.’ (2) The great detail Steinbeck took into creating the divide between men and women show that he was trying to get us to understand all of their lives, to understand their personal problems and the problems that they faced by living in America at that time. The people living on the ranch with the least amount of authority are definitely Crooks, Candy and Lennie, the three of them get relatively along quite well, they even start to talk about George and Lennie’s dream, Crooks and Candy want to join in, they offer their money and they offer to work for nothing. ‘The optimism and hope in this briefly shared dream is shattered by Curly’s wife’ (2). Curly’s Wife does not like Crooks or Candy; she sees them as weak, they are only at the ranch to do simple, easy jobs. She treats them like dirty, calling Crooks a ‘nigger'(2), Lennie a ‘dum-dum’ (2) and Candy a ‘lousy old sheep’ (2). Curly’s Wife gets along with the men on their own, flirting with them and chatting with them, but when they are together she finds them defensive and competitive. She believes she knows everything there is to know about men, their weaknesses for drink and women; she likes to put them down and threatens them with the power she has from being Curly’s wife, ‘I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny’ (2). By acting and saying things like this it makes her feel better, like she has more power, not just some worthless girl living in her father-in-laws house with a short-bully for a husband. Steinbeck gives her so much attitude and certain characteristics to portray the emotional difficulties that faced American women at the time, to show that their lives were truly hard, they were treated differently to men and considered not as important, for example the men in Curly’s Wife history only talk to her, and give her company because they want somebody that night. They do not consider the feeling of the young beautiful woman. This is how it was in America in the 1930’s because every one was losing money and struggling with the crops the less fortunate had to ask for jobs way beneath them, to have a home and a place to bring up their family. The American Dream was dead, due to critical economic collapse and the dreaded dust ball that swept the plains; no one could believe in the dream any more, it seemed completely impossible, they felt that it was inevitably not going to happen. The rich tried to hold on to their money, so the poor ultimately stayed poor. There were no unions to protect the migrant workers, so they lived by their own laws, like all the men wanting to shoot Lennie because during the novel he murdered Curly’s wife. They made their own rules about the hierarchy, and followed it, similar to an unspoken promise; the Boss and his family were at the top, the rest followed in a big group unless there was someone with some natural authority, which was very rare. The whole society was very violent and they did not have any concern for death, they shot Candy’s dog for little reason and there was no emotion involved in the process and Lennie easily killed the mouse in chapter one, and the puppy later on. Carlson has a Lugar, which is gun; he cleans it and keeps it safe under his pillow, showing how little respect he has for death. The disrespect for death is commented on throughout the whole novel, different members of the ranch end up killing something or someone. Steinbeck clearly shows that predictably, something is going to happen at the end; we see this as the deaths increase and happen to higher people in the table of hierarchy. It shows that death was a large part of their lives, their lives were not memorable so they had nothing to fear when they died; lost memories, times or people they would sorely miss. It is as if Steinbeck is trying to say that they had nothing to look forward to, their lives came and went. Just like clock work. Some of the characters on the ranch are friendly, for example Slim, he does not have a plan or a dream, it is as if he accepts his role in society and moves on, he never gets angry or shows much emotion, he is always calm and cool. He ‘moves with majesty’ showing he knows what is to happen and does not fear it, he does not dread the future because he is intelligent enough to realise that it will happen no matter what he can do. He is very intelligent and this is probably why he out of all the men is able to understand his position. It is like Steinbeck is trying to say it does not matter if you are smart or friendly, once you start in this line of work you can’t really get out, it is like a vicious circle; it traps everyone and releases no one. Nature holds a strong power over men in Of Mice and Men, the beautiful setting at the start of chapter one is like a paradise, but it is an illusion. Lennie is often described as an animal, he himself says that he would go and live in a cave, he is almost better suited to the outside, as he would not be able to disrupt, or destroy the lives of other humans. It is almost ironic then that Steinbeck chooses Lennie’s death bed to be the floor of an almost enclosed area of woodland. The time of day he dies is one of the most picturesque, dusk, the ‘light is fading’ (2) everything is returning to its home, even the heron flies off. The pool side setting is a place of death, every time we visit the area in the novel there is death, whether it is a mouse, heron eating the water snake, or Lennie’s death. The Salinas River also has an air of destiny about it as George told Lennie to go there if there was trouble, almost as if he knew it was going to happen, which makes the novel so predictable and pessimistic. John Steinbeck makes the area feel pessimistic with all of the deaths, just like in America at the time, the people were losing hope because of the devastating economic collapse, and many crops were dieing because of the great Dust Bowl. The men play solitaire, a one man game, which shows the continuous theme of loneliness throughout the novel. The solitude that comes with being a ranch worker, Steinbeck almost tries to defy that by bringing George and Lennie together, however some would argue that the relationship is not equal at all, Lennie is the little child that always get in to trouble where as George is the quick intelligent grown up, he has all of the responsibilities. Even though the two look out for each other, they still are lonely, George looks for other people to talk to and confide in as he knows that Lennie would not understand, or be of help to him if he got into trouble. The relationship is still highly important, it highlights the fact that even those who went into the career expecting loneliness need someone, or something, and for example most of the ranch workers have their dreams to depend on. George and Lennie are completely different which is one of the reasons people struggle to come to terms with their relationship, I think George knows that he would not be friends with Lennie if they were not in this line of work as they are total different. The solitude in the novel is not only apparent in humans, but in the environment as well, the constant lack of sound, and awkward conversations in time of death make the whole atmosphere drop. The Salinas River’s description contains a very limited amount of animals, and all of the animals leave at one point or another, so the setting becomes silent and cold. This shows the men’s destructiveness and how they are feared as all of the animals run away when George and Lennie enter the clearing . It is the men who always are there and create the eerie silence, whether it means that they are scaring something away, or they are killing some thing or someone. Of Mice and Men, was published in 1937, it was the 2nd most frequently banned book in the 1900’s. It was criticised for the language, swearing, racism, morality and the violence contained in the novel, many members of the 1900’s American society disagreed with the book and the writer’s views, Steinbeck was even known to have issues with the government and the FBI. There were many problems that came with the book, but the book also brought along the realisation of the troubles facing America during that period, the problems facing the black community, and the effects of the economic depression on the less fortunate areas of society. Steinbeck was hit from both the Left-wing and the Right-wing politicians, Right-wing saying that he went too far, whilst the Left-wing saying that he should have gone further, more on the delicate issue’s. However Steinbeck did not write the novel to rouse the Right or the Left, but to show his country, what was happening. The novel shows us the terrible living conditions and basic desires that the ranch workers craved things that we would consider daily items. Steinbeck expresses clearly the attitude of the workers, and the lonely environment that they lived in. Some people would say that the way in which he writes and describes certain aspects of the workers lifestyles would make the reader biased by making them feel sympathetic for the people that live on ranches. Steinbeck had such a pessimistic feeling towards the lives of the ranch workers because he had experienced how harsh it was as a ranch worker in California-USA in the 1930’s, the style of work made him lonely and he even once said that he ‘just needs to get away from being John Steinbeck for a little while’ (2) because being a public figure was too much, he was shy and liked privacy. He knew how the job affected the workers, mentally and physically, he was very good at adding subtle hints of these throughout the novel. One of the reasons Steinbeck wrote the book was I think to educate the public about these problems in society, and to also tell the world how direr the ranch workers situation was, what they had to deal with and address. America was not the only country facing issues at that time, a civil war broke out in Spain, and the Nazis were in power in Germany, the whole of Europe was effected by Americas economic depression, ‘especially because of the rise in fascism in Germany, Italy and Spain.’ The novel is not about all of these problems throughout the world, but nearly everyone could relate to the novel. Before I read the book I knew nothing of the way the economic collapse affected the millions of less fortunate members of America’s society in such a harsh and incomprehensible way. I knew nothing of how lonely men and women could be. I knew nothing of the way the dust ball had such a vast devastation effect, not only to the crops, but also to the people and their profit. The novel is relatable, but I think that is one of the strong points about the book, because you could say that life in those days was predictable, you knew what position you were in, and if you were a ranch worker your whole life was virtually planned. Steinbeck starts and ends the novel in the same place to show the cyclical style of the life of the ranch workers, he does this in many ways, referring back to the sun rising and setting, the working time, and the weekly visits to the ‘cat house’. This is another example showing how the lives were already laid out in front of them. I personally enjoyed the novel; I found it an interesting insight to the lives of itinerant workers, and the in-depth study of America’s agricultural history showed me how the workers existed and how they adapted to the dog-eat-dog-world, and how resilient we humans can be. References- 1. http://www.newi.ac.uk/englishresources/workunits/ks4/fiction/ofmicemen/smallheath/charnote.html#Slim 2. GSCE English, Of Mice and Men, The text guild. CGP, coordination group publications. 3. http://www.americanrevwar.homestead.com/files/DECLARA.HTM

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Qualitative Research - 1170 Words

Explore the strengths and weaknesses of any two approaches to analyzing qualitative data. Explain why you might be more likely to use one type than another in qualitative research. Introduction Research is vital in the Social Sciences because a noteworthy understanding of our social reality will be gained which may influence policies and practices (Schutt, 2009). However, to commence a research study the researcher needs to determine their research method of either Qualitative Methods, Quantitative Methods or sometimes both to â€Å"enrich their research† (Schutt, 2009, p. 17). The main focus of this assignment will be assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Narrative Analysis and Thematic Analysis. Both these approach are categorised under†¦show more content†¦However, there is no guarantee that the data collected are reliable as participants may not be able to recall experiences from a long period of time, therefore, it will lead to unreliable results (Schutt, 2009). To overcome this issue, the researcher can possibly interview/observe more participants such as a relative who belong in the same ‘story’ to gain similar yet accurate accounts. However, this may prove time-consuming because of the process of Narrative Analysis, requires a large amount of time to conduct. As stated above, the Narrative Analysis approach has a time management disadvantage as the process is time-consuming (Bornstein and Lamb, 2010). The researcher needs to examine the seven elements in the Narrative Analysis process which includes, the plot, the story, the events, the text and subtext, kernels, satellites and the actors. Although it is argued that the process carries a detailed examination, it is still considered laborious, therefore, samples for the Narrative study is kept small (Bornstein and Lamb, 2010) which will be problematic as the results will be considered unrepresentative to the general population. Furthermore, the researcher will need to read their notes repeatedly and transcribe each account said by the participants with great detail and accuracy as some texts may include interwoven and partial stories (Lee et al, 2013), consequently, the researcher will spend more time collecting the data than analyzing the data. Nonetheless,Show MoreRelatedCompare the Strengths and Weaknesses of Quantitative and Qualitative Research1847 Words   |  8 PagesCompare the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research. Illustrate your answer with appropriate research situations. Introduction There are two board research approaches: called qualitative and quantitative research. The writer is going to compare the strengths and weaknesses of both two research approach by introducing two different research papers both related to elder abuse. The content of a qualitative research â€Å"Elder Abuse and Mistreatment in Residential Settings†Read MoreResearch ‚Äà ¬ Methodology and Ethics1001 Words   |  5 PagesRESEARCH – METHODOLOGY AND ETHICS This essay attempts to identify and sum up two research methods (Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods), assess their relative strengths and weaknesses and explain how two ethical issues arise from research. Qualitative and Quantitative research approaches are two of the various methods used in sociological research. The use of these methods can be very important and can normally produce efficient, realistic and logical results. So what is qualitativeRead MoreQualitative And Quantitative Methods Of A Humanitarian Crisis Essay1711 Words   |  7 Pages Qualitative and Quantitative methods Introduction:- Qualitative and quantitative methods and its information are very significant and it tends to develop a shared understanding of people how are they affected by any emergency problems. It is also helps us to understand the importance and measure of a humanitarian crisis by giving a numbers of picture of its impact upon the affected communities. Quantitative addresses the question, like how many, orRead MoreWorkplace Violence in Corporate America Essay1547 Words   |  7 PagesThe proposed research is an examination of workplace violence in Corporate America. As a growing concern in all industries, preventive measures need to be explored. Three types of research methods will be compared and contrasted in relation to the proposed research. The methods to be analyzed are quantitative designs, qualitative designs, and mixed methods designs. The appropriateness of each design will be examined as they relate to the topic. Workplace violence is a serious problem that deservesRead MoreM odule 1 Slp . Introduction To Research Methodologies .1219 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction to Research Methodologies MAE 504 Research Methods in Education Dr. Wilson Tiaqunia Hayes Your task for the Module 1 SLP assignment is twofold: FIRST, fill in the matrix with information pertaining to the following items: identify the type of research represented by each methodology listed in the matrix (i.e., quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods) describe the purpose of each research methodology listed in the matrix, provide an example of a research problem for each methodologyRead MoreStrengths And Weaknesses Of Experimental Research1459 Words   |  6 PagesExperimental Research: Is a form of quantitative research where the experimenter manipulates the conditions in one group to see if certain activities or materials will change the outcome. The strengths of experimental research are researcher can have control over variables, can be used in many fields of research, there are clear conclusions, research can tailor the experiment to his or her needs easy to determine the causes and effects. The weaknesses of experimental research are thereRead MoreUnderstanding Business Research Terms and Concepts: Part 1 Essay824 Words   |  4 PagesBusiness Research Terms and Concepts: Part 1 Two research studies, The Workers Compensation Experience: A Qualitative Exploration of Workers Beliefs Regarding the Impact of the Compensation System on Their Recovery and Rehabilitation and A Comparative Study between Army Civilian Workforce and Private Industry Workforce Workers Compensation Claims Management, pertaining to worker’s compensation will be analyzed. This paper will identify the research design used in each article, the strengths and weaknessesRead MoreQualitative Research On Scientific Merit Essay1694 Words   |  7 PagesQualitative: Scientific Merit Consequently, qualitative research approach emerges from the philosophical belief that truth is socially constructed and subjective to individual experiences associated with critical theory, constructivism, interpretatism, and naturalistic paradigms (Feilzer, 2010; Ponterotto, 2010; Ryan, Coughlan, Cronin, 2007; Scotland, 2012; Venkatesh, Brown, Bala, 2013; Vishnevsky Beanlands, 2004). Paradigms are the philosophical underpinning that guides qualitative researchRead MoreMindfulness Based Stress Reduction Creates Happiness Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pagesmindfulness-based stress reduction creates happiness in people suffering from major depressive disorder. Therefore, for the purposes of this research and either proving or disproving my hypothesis, one question needs to be asked. Does mindfulness-based stress reduction create happiness in people diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Method For the purpose of this study, the research will be conducted in an exploratory manner. Attempting to satisfy the curiosity that mindfulness-based stress reduction createsRead MoreThe Purpose and Need for Research983 Words   |  4 PagesResearch can be viewed as an undertaking to discovery or as a means to confirm or reject proposed hypotheses. It is an endeavor to understand and explain our environment, nature or societies as they are perceived by our senses and diverse viewpoints. Designs used to frame these studies are formed under three types of methodologies: qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method headings. These methodologies propose to answer the theories that underline the research design and each comes with its own

Comtemplative - 1368 Words

Life of San Pedro Calungsod Blessed Pedro Calungsod (c. 1654 – April 2, 1672) was a young Roman Catholic Filipino sacristan and missionary catechist, who along with Spanish Jesuit missionary Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom on Guam for their missionary work in 1672. Calungsod was beatified on March 5, 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II. On February 18, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially announced at Saint Peter’s Basilica that Calungsod will be canonised on October 21, 2012. Pedro was just one of the boy catechists who went with San Vitores from the Philippines to the Ladrones Islands in the western North Pacific Ocean in 1668 to evangelize the†¦show more content†¦The victim of all this invasion is the traditional Faith, the traditional moral standards, the cultural ways of life and behavior which 400 years of Christianity have tried to make part of the Filipinos’ way of life. Against the attacks on Christian life, against the prevailing lack of commitment to anything beyond material gain in contemporary culture, against the confusion and relativism of post-modernism, the unrestrained struggle for wealth and pleasure of the global culture preached by the media, we can place before the eyes of the young a role model of commitment to Christ and to his Gospel. We can invoke the intercession of a 17-year-old native Filipino to pray for, inspire and lead young people to a new understanding and love for Christ and his way, to a willingness to give witness to what the Gospel teaches, to a readiness by a young person to give his life for Christ and his Church. More: in an age when, as Pope John Paul II has said, youth in the Philippines must be willing to bravely proclaim their Christian Faith, both at home and even in other lands, what more splendid thing can be done than to give a concrete young person, catechist and missionary who is alive in the Crucified and Risen Christ today, for our young people to know, to pray to, to imitate? Christmas New Year’s Vacation Blessed Day! It was a vacation but most important it is the birth of

Salem Witch Trial Hysteria Essay - 818 Words

Twenty people were put to death for witchcraft in Salem during the 1692 Salem Witch Trial Hysteria. In The Crucible, a woman, Elizabeth Proctor, gets accused of witchcraft by a young girl by the name Abigail Williams, who just so happens to be having an affair with Elizabeth’s husband, John. Once John finds out Abigail accused his wife, he starts trying to find proof that all of these young girls are pretending that they are being hurt by these older women, just so that they will be hanged. The officials take Elizabeth and put her in jail, but cannot hang her because she becomes pregnant and she had no idea, so they are not going to harm the innocent child. John Proctor has no evidence that the girls are lying because his house servant,†¦show more content†¦The second cause of the Salem Witch Trials was lying little girls, who just wanted to start some drama. Document C and D states that the girls were acting, which is lying, and once they would say something and get themselves caught in a snare, they would go into a fit like someone was messing with them. Charles W. Upham writes, â€Å"They soon... became intoxicated...by the terrible success of their imposture (acting), and were swept along by the frenzy they had occasioned†¦. Once or twice they were caught in their own snare; and nothing but the blindness of the bewildered community saved them from†¦ well-deserved punishment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Document D). So the girls could of been great movie actors because they had everyone in the town of Salem fooled except for the people that were being accused of witchcraft, but because they were being accused nobody would listen to them, as a result twenty innocent people were killed during this horrible time. Paradoxically, the next cause of the Salem Witch Trial Hysteria of 1692 was lying little girls. The final cause of the Salem Witch Trial Hysteria was jealous girls. Analyzing the table in Document B, shows that most accused were females and they were mostly married. They also happened to be between the age forty-one through sixty. Document B, also shows that the accusers were mainly females that are single and around the ages sixteen through twenty. As a matter of fact, â€Å"TheShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Salem Witch Trials, Hysteria and Religion794 Words   |  4 PagesSalem Massachusetts became the center of a horrible tragedy, which changed the life of many people. It was a hard time, because of the bad crops and diseases. The people in Salem had to blame someone or something. This people accused innocent people by calling them witches. They were accused by having contact with the devil, hurting people, to pinch people on their bodies and more. These actions were result of hysteria. Maybe those extraneous symptoms were result of an illness or bacteria. On theRead MoreWhat Caused the Salem Witch Trials Hysteria? Essay801 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ The salem witch trials hysteria of 1692 was caused by the Puritans strict religious standards and intolerance of anything not accepted with their scripture. The largest account of witch trials as well as deaths by witch trials occurred in Salem, a village heavily populated with the Puritans. Because most of the trials were occurring in Salem, this meant that the accusations were happening among the Puritans themselves, which could very well be anything as long as the Puritans found it as contradictingRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials : The Biggest Faults Of Mass Hysteria By Fear772 Words   |  4 Pages Crucible Essay Many say the Salem Witch Trials was one of the biggest faults of mass hysteria by fear. The Crucible, a nonfiction play, was written by Author something. The play tells of a group of girls who were dancing in the woods expect Abigail. Abigail was trying to make a charm to kill Proctor’s Wife named Elizabeth because Abigail thinks she is in love with Proctor. Parris finds them in the woods and gets suspicious. This leads to the downfall of the whole town of salem. The posed questionRead MoreThe Effects Of Hysteria In The Crucible1489 Words   |  6 Pagescountless number of elements can be accounted for. Hysteria is a major leader in past and present day society when it comes to how people act and think in different situations. The Crucible provides great examples with how hysteria can affect a group of people. Back in Salem, Massachusetts 1692, hysterics swept the town, creating storms of emotion. Everyone is wondering, what to do? What to think? In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the effects of mass hysteria to reveal his purpose of using it in his writingRead MoreHysteria In The Crucible1474 Words   |  6 Pagess behavior and thoughts. Hysteria, uncontrollable emotion among groups, is a major leader in past and present day society when it comes to how people act and think in different situations. The Crucible provides great examples with how hysteria can affect a group of people. Back in Salem, Massachusetts 1692, hysterics swept the to wn, creating a storm of emotions. Everyone wondering, what to do? What to think? In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the effects of mass hysteria to reveal his purpose ofRead MoreCallous attitudes in the Crucible789 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿The Crucible Essay In the Crucible, Arthur Miller writes of the hysteria during Salem Witch Trials, hoping that the world will never do anything stupid again because of hysteria. During the Salem Witch Trials there were many people that chose to act as individuals, rather than a community. Judge Danforth, Reverend Parris , and Abigail Williams had the power to stop, and even prevent the trials, but chose not to because they did not care for anyone except themselves. Judge Danforth could have stoppedRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1700 Words   |  7 Pagesand 1693, Salem, Massachusetts had a huge political conflict over religion. Spring of 1692, was the when witchcraft became the center cause of the Salem Witch Trials, thereafter spreading fear throughout the citizens by questioning their ways of life. Hysteria tortured the people located in Salem for the next year by means of having twenty-three people hung, pressed, or drowned. This essay is the understanding of how witchcraft attempted to cre ate political order in Salem Town and Salem village andRead MoreEssay on The Theories of the Salem Witch Trials1135 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theories of the Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch trials and what caused them is very debatable. Some theories lead to Rye poisoning from bread to even people faking it. The most believable claim is that people were faking it. Everyone had a motive and they all just wanted to save themselves. It was a time when people were selfish and only cared for themselves. This time in Salem was a troubling time, making it seem likely that satan was active (Linder). The townsfolk are believed to haveRead MorePuritans And The Church Of England1301 Words   |  6 Pageswitchcraft/interacting with the devil, also known as the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials began in February 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts. It all started with a group of young girls that claimed to be possessed by the devil that started all of the mayhem soon to follow. The allegedly possessed group of young girls began accusing several local women of witchcraft; the town broke out into mass hysteria. (Salem Witch Trials, 2011) As a strongly religious community, fear of the devilRead MoreReasons : The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials741 Words   |  3 Pagesarrested in Salem, Massachusetts. All but one of these people were believed to be witches (Background Essay). Prior to the hearing in Salem witch trials were carried out in several different towns. â€Å"In 17th century New England witchcraft was a serious crime (Background Essay).† Two girls aged nine and 11, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, identified a slave name Tituba and two other local women as witches. This led to the accused women being carted off to jail starting the Salem Witch Trials. Without

Critical Assessment of the Danone Website †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Critical Assessment of the Danone Website. Answer: 1. Critical assessment of the Danone website as a nutrition advisory website stands out quite well than other websites as it almost in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health in New Zealand (Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women/Ng? Kai Totika m? te Wahine Hap? | HealthEd, 2017). This website can benefit pregnant women and nutrition experts alike as well as researchers who are looking to gather information about nutrition. It is not advised to solely depend on this website for information and always a professional nutritionist should be consulted (Nutrition while Pregnant | Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Australia, 2017). The website gathers collective data from peer reviewed journals as well as the guidelines of Ministry of Health, so the information is not fictional. This provides the website proper recognition for collecting useful information. The strength of this website is it has comprehensive data set according the need of the reader and is readily available on the internet. The weakness of this website is that since it a representation of a company, it does not provide primary evidence based research to support its facts but focuses on secondary data samples, but depending solely on the website for advise and knowledge is unacceptable and a professional advise should be taken seriously. The website provides a good initiative and can help many people who are searching for answers regarding pregnancy and infancy health. 2.Comparison between DANONE website and New Zealand Ministry of Health Nutritional Advice DANONE Website New Zealand Ministry of Health 1. Vegetables 2. Fruits 3. Fibre rich foods 4. Milk Products 5. Lean meat, eggs, beans, legumes, nuts 6. Fluid intake 7. Unsaturated oil, margarine and almond oil Things to Avoid: 1. Processed meat 2. Raw meat 3. Sea food(canned tuna, mercury fish et cetra 4. Pre cooked food 5. Unpasteurised food items 6. Caffeinated products 7. Soft serve ice creams, raw egg added food( mayonnaise, custard et cetra) 8. Alcohol 9. Smoking 1. 5 servings per day 2. 2 servings per day 3. Approx 8 servings 4. 2.5 servings 5. 3.5 servings 6. 9 glasses 7. Yes 1. Avoid 2. Avoid 3. Avoid 4. Avoid 5. Avoid 6. Not more than 300mg per day 7. Avoid 8. Strictly avoid 9. Strictly avoid 10. 6 servings per day 11. 2 servings per day 12. At least 6 servings 13. 3 servings 14. 2 servings 15. 9 glasses 16. Yes 1. Avoid 2. Avoid 3. Avoid 4. Avoid 5. Avoid 6. Limit intake 7. Avoid 8. Strictly avoid 9. Strictly avoid 3. Nutritional advice requires a lot of knowledge and especially in cases of pregnant women a lot has to be kept in mind regarding the health of the mother as well as the baby. The Danone website is a fairly good example of a nutrition advice website, as it contains a good explanation as of what food and care should be taken during the conception period (Nutrition while Pregnant | Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Australia, 2017). The sources of information provided in the website are fairly justified and in accordance with the Ministry of Health recommendations in New Zealand, so the website seems to be trustworthy (Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women/Ng? Kai Totika m? te Wahine Hap? | HealthEd, 2017). It has to be kept in mind that focussing on just one website cannot provide complete nutrition advice in any medical condition. The approach to better nutrition in pregnancy should be based on extensive and focussed research, which cannot be obtained from just one source. 4. Lowered levels of vitamin D are a major concern among all the general population, especially in children and pregnant women. This poses a concern among the nutritionists and paediatricians across the globe. The Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society and Osteoporosis Australia along with Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group, Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, released a public statement addressing the fact in the public scenario (Paxton et al., 2013). The paper states that the deficiency of Vitamin D and calcium absorption and the entire associated imbalance in these two parameters affects the absorptive mechanism in the foetus. The primary outcome of the scientists was to survey previous and current research articles to re-evaluate the dietary threshold ingestion for vitamin D in adults specifically on ladies amid pregnancy and lactation. The proper threshold intake of vitamin D amid pregnancy and lactation is not yet known, despite the fact that it has all the estimated values is more than the what the present dietary suggestion admission of 200400 IU/d (510 g/d). Measurements of 10,000 IU vitamin D/d (250 g/d) for up to 5 mo don't elevate flowing 25-hydroxyvitamin D to focuses 90 ng/mL, although dosages of 1000 IU/d, much of the time show up to be insufficient for keeping up typical circulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the body to about 15 to 80 ng/mL. Evaluation of the research article shows that the review is based on secondary data but no analysis of the data is provided. Absence of primary data also fails to support the findings of the article, which is a major flaw and does not provide statistical data to derive a conclusion. In the light of assessment question, vitamin D intake is very essential for the health of both mother and the baby for its growth and development of bone strength. Women also are associated with decrease of calcium in the body with age and with pregnancy extra care has to be n taken to ensure safety and health of both baby and the mother. The New Zealand Ministry of Health suggests taking dietary vitamin supplements, but the Danone website does not mention the importance of incorporating the vitamin D supplement during pregnancy, this is a flaw in the nutrition advice of the website. The article was published in accordance with the Early Nutrition Academy who evaluated a methodical review of human studies on the role of prenatal and postnatal feeding of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) on the growth and development of a newborn baby. The scientists observed statistical data published between 2008 to 2013 and evaluated the data as well as formulated recommendations specifically concentrating on Asian populations. Their research showed that the risk of preterm delivery, before 34 weeks of conception can be minimized if the consumption of n3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy is increased. Additionally it is recommended that during pregnancy more than 200 mg docosahexaenic acid (DHA) to be consumed per day along with LC-PUFA to minimize the preterm delivery issue more. Higher consumptions of DHA (600800 mg DHA/day) have been proven to be essential for protecting against premature preterm delivery. The article consists of peer reviewed articles from Pubmed set in randomized control trails as well as cohort based study approaches to find out a set of outcomes for consumption of DHA and LC-PUFA. Evidence based research has shown the impact of prenatal and postnatal DHA supply on child improves neurological development and minimizes allergy sensitivity (Sun et al., 2017). Breast-feeding during infancy provides the best source of nutrition to develop the childs immunity and brain development. Increased cognitive function, immunity, reduced allergy sensitivity, maternal depression have all been associated with the intake of DHA and LC-PUFA. More than 200 mg DHA per day consumption is advisable to women undergoing breast-feeding to ensure approximately DHA content of 0.3% fatty acids in breast milk. 100 mg DHA/day and 140 mg AA/day are recommended from end of first trimester. The evidence for quantitative data was not provided in the article on the AA levels in breast feeding as well as external feeding. The article fails to provide solid prim ary data to support its hypothesis but provides an in depth review of many secondary data in a mix of randomized control trials as well as cohort studies. This makes the analysis of statistical data considerable. The scientist think that more research needs to be done to find out the effects of the needs and effects of LC-PUFA during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood. In review of the assessment, this is new recommendation that nutritionists should consider. The Danone website failed to provide the relationship between these two substances and pregnancy in their website but is mentioned a little in the Ministry of Health website. The reviewed journal recommendations are closely evaluated to come to the conclusion that eating healthy food is essential in facilitating child and mother health during and after pregnancy. Both the articles reviewed have detailed descriptions about their recommendations and set amount of the substances they focussed on their nutritional requirement. Based on the recommendations of these two journals it can be concluded that nutritional advice requires a lot of research and focussing on just one website or journal does not provide an all rounded guidance. The Danone website is a good example of nutritional advice and its contents are parallel to that of the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, but both the websites lack in one point or other. It is advisable to review as many websites and journals possible before providing guidance to a pregnant lady. The Danone website is a good example of basic nutrition requirement and can be advised to would be parents, but fact assessing is neces sary. References: Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women/Ng? Kai Totika m? te Wahine Hap? | HealthEd. (2017).Healthed.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 March 2018, from https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/eating-healthy-pregnant-womenng%C4%81-kai-totika-m%C4%81-te-wahine-hap%C5%AB Hollis, B. W., Wagner, C. L. (2004). Assessment of dietary vitamin D requirements during pregnancy and lactation.The American journal of clinical nutrition,79(5), 717-726. Koletzko, B., Boey, C. C., Campoy, C., Carlson, S. E., Chang, N., Guillermo-Tuazon, M. A., ... Su, Y. (2014). Current information and Asian perspectives on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: systematic review and practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop.Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism,65(1), 49-80. Nutrition while Pregnant | Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Australia. (2017).Danonenutricia.co.nz. Retrieved 16 March 2018, from https://www.danonenutricia.co.nz/first-1,000-days/pregnancy/ Paxton, G. A., Teale, G. R., Nowson, C. A., Mason, R. S., McGrath, J. J., Thompson, M. J., ... Munns, C. F. (2013). Vitamin D and health in pregnancy, infants, children and adolescents in Australia and New Zealand: a position statement.Med J Aust,198(3), 142-143. Sun, G. Y., Simonyi, A., Fritsche, K. L., Chuang, D. Y., Hannink, M., Gu, Z., ... Beversdorf, D. Q. (2017). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for brain health and diseases.Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (PLEFA).

Power And Hierarchy Are Intrinsic To A Healthcare System In Australia

Question: Discuss about the Power And Hierarchy Are Intrinsic To A Healthcare System In Australia. Answer: Introduction Governments all over the world are aiming to provide value for money health benefits for its citizens. As the health costs across the world are spiraling out of control special focus is being paid on beliefs of illness, modalities of treatment and beliefs about health. Health professionals and the hospitals are under constant pressure to diagnose the illness accurately and to find its cure. We are living in an age where people are obsessed with health. They are continuously being bombarded with images and messages from fitness gurus, health authorities and health professionals where ever they go (Berry De Geest, 2012). In this essay, we will discuss how power and hierarchy are intrinsic to a healthcare system in Australia. We would discuss about theories and perspectives such as the biomedical approach, Pluralist theory and socialist dominance theory. We will also discuss how biomedical approach has failed to capture the impact of hierarchy and power on the healthcare system in Aust ralia. (Cockerham, 2013).Like many other countries, Australia has maintained a symbiotic and interdependent relationship between the community, government, and medicine. This relationship has been based on reciprocity and mutual resource dependency. But there are evidence that social trends such as proletarianization, corporatization, and managerialism are giving rise to challenges to the power of the medicine. (Cockerham, 2013). Australian healthcare has been influenced by ideologies of the center right and center-left parties. (Rayner Lang, 2012). Sociologists of science and medicine have always argued how modern health professionals are seeking opportunities to secure their legitimate position and gain their turf in the healthcare sector. These studies stress how labor division in the healthcare settings is maintained, challenged, constructed and negotiated by daily actions (Kieft, et al., 2014). In Australia, the Biomedical approach is the one that is predominant to illness and health. The health care system focuses on the biological and physical aspects of illness and disease. This model ideologically underpins the contemporary beliefs of nature as well as the remedies of disease and illness. Firstly, illness was an imbalance within the individual. But this model changed the perspective from bedside medicine to being hospital medicine shifting to an object orientated approach. Body The health care professionals (doctors, nurses etc) experience a privileged position in the healthcare industry due to this biomedical approach (Wilson, 2012). Sociologists have argued that it is necessary that economic factors along with political factors are incorporated in this profession. Eliot Friedson in the year 1984 focused on the medical profession and explained how government needs to regulate the autonomy on the work of the health professionals (Kieft, et al., 2014) . He showed his concern that due to the nature of this profession and its knowledge and expertise healthcare professionals have an autonomy. Even when they have numerous ideological and political conflicts. He explains how once this profession has achieved autonomy they will easily secure government authority and will set educational requirements and standards for their profession. Willis has also identified how healthcare workforce in Australia have practiced medical dominance on different levels. Firstly, the se professionals have autonomy on their work and do not have any evaluation by any other body or organization (Wilson, 2012). Secondly, they hold authority of direct supervision as well as limiting of other health professionals groups such as dentists, physiotherapists and homeopaths. Thirdly they practice absolute power on health occupations through referrals, paid leaves, pensions etc. Friedson explains how medical dominance is prevalent in four dimensions in healthcare sector. Firstly, it is in the form of medical research and knowledge which is approved by health professionals, secondly physicians treat and diagnose, thirdly physicians supervise other healthcare professionals and lastly healthcare professionals do not possess equal status in their profession (Cronin, et al., 2015). This gives the physicians the occupational power to easily influence the decisions for resource allocation and on organizational authority. This present status of medical practitioners is due to the s ocial, technological, economic and political factors. But many developments are challenging this medical sovereignty (Rayner, Lang, 2012) . Some of these developments are other health professions such as physiotherapy, nursing, and psychology seeking their own independence and power. Physiotherapists have majorly achieved this independence as they have got the status of being an allied health profession. But other professionals such as nurses still are subordinate to the physicians . This has led to many incidences of struggle between health personnels. Medical dominance is not limited to patient-doctor relationship but could present it in forms like subordination where higher healthcare providers direct their subordinates (Kieft, et al.,2014). social forces such as deskilling, technology, cost-cutting policies by the government and deprofessionalism are also undermining the power of medicine (Wilson, 2012). To understand it lets take an example of a patients family that wants to b e involved in the treatment and decision making regarding the care of their family member. This changes the authority that the physician had to a more team orientated partnership. She explains how this arrangement will include open communication, cross-referrals, reviews etc. this team orientated approach in restructuring the Australian healthcare system can be great as it will give equal power to all its members. Another factor that can curb the autonomy of the physicians or their medical dominance is through cost containment measures and malpractice suits as followed by other countries like United States of America. Despite these points the public legitimacy and prestige related to this profession is very high. The power of this profession is increasing with the advances that are made in technology, surgery and diagnostic techniques. Gender and class factors also play a vital role in medical dominance as it is observed that allied professionals are usually females and of a low soc ial class. These allied professionals are continuously making demands through their unions for better working hours and pay. (Wilson, 2012). Many studies have supported the view that independent status of allied professions such as dentists, physiotherapists etc will affect the medical dominance (Wilson, 2012) . While many other studies have shown that this has not caused any difference in the medical dominance but has increased the dominance of medicine through the division of labor. There is a shortage of empirical data that can prove how the independence of allied professions has affected medical dominance. There was a study conducted by Brian S. Turner in the year 1986 who studied the complaints made by nurses in their daily work. These complaints were about the constraints that are imposed with by their superiors in a hospital setting. The data showed that the nurses were made clear that they are subordinate by their profession and cannot make any autonomous decisions for the patients care. (Kieft, et al.,2014). The Biomedical model does not discuss the impact of power and hierarchy in the health care setting. (Neilson, 2017). Numerous studies have shown that there is a link between social domination and boundary demarcation. Lets first understand what is a hierarchy? Hierarchy is a layered system that has members of a society or organization that are ranked according to the relative authority or status (Cronin, et al.,2015),( Knight, Mehta, 2016). Whereas power is the capacity or ability to act and do something in a specific way (Neilson, 2017). This capacity influences the course of events and influences others. In Australia healthcare system, should give universal access to its citizens in the form of services that are funded by taxes. Medicare is the health program that covers this universal access to treatments in hospitals and other medical services (Sav, et al.,2015). But does this philosophy of universal access is underpinning Medicare as Medicare has always been based on equity? Th is equity should ensure equal access to all services. This is just an ideal form of definition for equal access which in the case of Medicare is not getting justified (Neilson, 2017).. The dilemma that health educators and administrators feel is that the medical profession that is dominant in the country is maintaining its status in the healthcare system but other allied professions are also striving for their power and autonomy. This is affecting the patients as professional autonomy and medical shortages are strengthening their medical dominance over the sector but the people are getting affected due to lack of quality healthcare. (Greenfield, et al.,2014). Social epidemiologists and scientists have shown how time and place as dimensions are involved in influencing the health of an individual. Different theories like social dominance theory explain how inequality is based on age, sex and the arbitrary set. Where age explains how adults have more power and status than children in the society, sex discrimination shows how men are more powerful in the society than women and arbitrary set is about discrimination based on ethnicity example whites used to hold power over blacks (Willis, 2011). Pluralist theory: A functionalist perspective is about power distributed in veto groups where the government is just an impartial participant (Muntaner, et al.,2015).. This theory could be understood by taking an example of parents being impartial arbiters while their kids are fighting. So, the government acts a referee to ensure that competition is fair among all the groups. Another theory called the elite theories: conflict perspectives explain how po wer in the democratic society is in the hands of few wealthy organizations and individuals. This power in the hands of few influences even the government and shape the decisions in the interest of these wealthy people (Muntaner, et al., 2015). A government where in any country should be neutral, but with the impact of this theory government officials and politicians cater to the interests and needs of the few. In Australia, power and hierarchy are affecting the health and care giving in numerous ways. One such setback is the inability of the poor to quit smoking. The Australian government has recently increased the tax on tobacco to which now a pack of cigarette will cost almost 40$ (Tropman, Nicklett, 2012). But it will only affect the poor in more adverse ways, as now they will spend their income on tobacco and forego the expenses on essentials as food and shelter. New Zealand faced the same problem when the poor income families faced more difficulties when the government increas ed the tax on tobacco (Tropman, Nicklett, 2012). A study titled Socio-economic disparities in tobacco exposure and use: are the gaps widening? and another study Impact of tobacco control interventions on socioeconomic inequalities in smoking: a review of the evidence concentrate on the fact that how power relations are influencing the social geography of tobacco use and smoking. Power is defined as the capacity to act in the interest of an organization or individual (Cronin, et al.,2015). It was in the year 1997 Grabb identified how government can control the production by controlling the materials used for production, they can also control the production by controlling labor power, and by controlling ideology and cultural dominance. This study stresses on the fact that there may be an intentional class profiling and intentional racial profiling while advertising for tobacco. Greenhalgh, EM, Scollo, MM, Pearce, M. in their article Smoking, ill-health, financial stress and smoking -related poverty among highly disadvantaged groups explained how citizens who were living in remote and regional areas of the country which comprised of over 30% of the Australian population have higher rates of smoking than people who were living in the major cities and regions (Hill, et al.,2013). Prevalence of smoking in areas around the cities have reduced over time but the percentage of people smoking in these remote regions have remained the same. These people have also reported having more tobacco-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and asthma. (Bonevski, B., Bryant, J. Paul, C., 2010), (Hitsman, 2016), (Jiang, et al.,2017), ( Millett, et al., 2011), (Wang, et al.,2015). Conclusion In this essay we learned how healthcare cannot be relied on only the use of the healthcare models. These models have various implications for the society, patient, and for the credibility of the healthcare sector. As a health professional, we need to focus that we should not take advantage of the power that we are given by the healthcare model. We should not engage in self-regulation and should point out any irregularity in our profession. Medical errors and fatalities need to be reported even when they are done by a superior (Rayner Lang,2012). We should not treat patients as through put and should not treat them based on quantified averages. Example how long should a mother take to give birth etc. We need to learn that absolute control of the profession is neither helping the public nor it is helping the health professionals as decreased waiting list numbers are a proof (Wilson, 2012). Clinical governance and managerialism are needed to control the autonomy of physicians which in turn will help us to gain the trust of the public in the healthcare sector. While the structural dominance intrinsic to the healthcare sector but the medical dominance is not needed in this profession. This struggle to gain control and turf on the healthcare sector is only reducing the trust that the public has in this profession. Further empirical research is needed to learn about the struggle and the perspectives that the patients, medical professionals, and health professionals have on this issue. As a health professional, we need to monitor our self-perception of competence as this is influencing our perception about authority and in turn medical dominance. We need to perceive our own position in the health care industry and build our attitude for a team orientated patient-centered care. Where we have a realistic relationship with our allied counterparts and our patients. References Berry, E. De Geest, S. (2012). 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