Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis Essay Example For Students

Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis Essay Vampires, Obsession Throughout EternityObsession. A persistent, disturbing preoccupation with an often-unreasonable idea, feeling, object or person; broadly: compelling motivation (Collegiate Dictionary). Many stories have been told of obsessed men and women who waste their lives on lost causes, calling them tragedies. But what if you were immortal? What if you were forever? Then your life would not be wasted, but instead a reason for living would become instinctive. And what if having an obsession, something criticized by mortal humans, was the only way to keep your sanity and appetite for life through eternity? When looking through the vampire’s eyes in film and literature, we see that the foremost vampires have an obsession, a calling that drives them. Without this obsession, it seems, vampires would be lost through time, wandering the earth with no motivation, and though this may sound redundant, with no life. Vampires, it seems, are more capable of going through time when they have a passion. Whether this passion comes from love, knowledge, or power, vampires – such as the ones from Blade, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Interview with the Vampire – are all driven by their own obsessions, without which they become lost, empty. We will write a custom essay on Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now According to the film Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1995), Count Dracula was a man who had sworn to protect the church from its enemies until he found out that his beloved had committed suicide because she thought he had been killed in battle. His love and obsession for her, â€Å"Whom he prized above all things on earth,† was so strong that he then swore off the church and thus became vampire. When we again see Count Dracula, he looks old and weak, and has become very eccentric and seemingly insane. But when by accident he discovers that his beloved is alive in Mina, the fianc? of Jonathan Harker, he embarks on a quest to be with her. He becomes youthful and cunning; his mind seems to be that of a charming and intelligent nobleman; instead of that of an elderly recluse. We see the undead come to life, with powers that overwhelm the imagination. But when Mina decides to leave him to wed Jonathan Harker, he again turns into a monster, a shadow of his former self. The life seems to have drained out of him. This proves that it was his love for Mina, his eternal infatuation with her that had kept him going through the ages. It is this obsession that forced him to become a vampire, and he then hoped that one day he would be reunited with his love, because he knew that she would not have been able to join him in heaven. And though he knew of the dangers that surrounded him, he risked everything to be with her, for he would have rather die than to lose her again. Love also drives Louis, the hero (or victim, depending on the point of view) of Interview with the Vampire. Louis was a sad person when Lestat turned him into a vampire; his sole reason for living was his own guilt and misery. He did not even allow himself the ultimate pleasure a vampire has and needs, human blood. He feeds off rats and other animals, and wanders the street aimlessly, lost. As he puts it after Lestat tells him that there is no hell, â€Å"But there was a hell, and no matter where we moved to, I was in it.† But when Lestat gives him an undead companion, a young girl named Claudia, his whole world is turned upside down. He has a new â€Å"thirst† for life, literally. He begins to enjoy the very things he had denied himself. As he put it when narrating his story, â€Å"Time can pass quickly for mortals when they’re happy. With us, it was the same.† But when his search for knowledge leads to Claudia’s death at the hand of other vampires , he loses his spirit and once again becomes lost. As he describes his new life:For years I wondered: Italy, Greece†¦ all the ancient lands. .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .postImageUrl , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:hover , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:visited , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:active { border:0!important; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:active , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: My Educational Goals and Future Aspirations EssayBut the world was a tomb to me. A graveyard full of broken statues. And each of those statues resembled her face. There was another driving force for the vampires of Interview. It was a quest for knowledge, a mission to find answers, or a link, to a world that was beyond their grasp. Louis and Claudia, who became â€Å"orphaned† after they left Lestat for dead, were then involved on a search for other vampires, in hopes of finding out their origin and nature. We booked a passage to Europe. Over the weeks, while waitingFor the boat, she studied the myths and legends of the Old World. Obsessed with the search for what she called ‘our kind’†Thus the two of them had a driving force, as Louis narrates: â€Å"We searched village after village†¦ ruin after ruin†¦ country after country. And always we found nothing.† But when they find the vampire Armand and his Theatre of Vampires, they found none of the answers they so desperately searched for. The vampire Armand had his own agenda, and thus sets into motion the events that would lead to the death of Claudia and the destruction of the Theatre of Vampires. He Knew that he needed something to help him adhere to the changing times, he needed Louis to guide him, to be his obsession. â€Å"The vampires from the new world came to guide us into a new era, as all we love slowly rots and fades away.† But when Louis turned down his offer, knowing that Armand had been responsible for Claudia’s death, Armand realizes that without Louis as his obsession, he is â€Å"dead.† As is, in a way, Louis:I go on night after night. I feed on those who cross my path. But all my passion went with her golden hair. I’m a spirit of preternatural flesh. Detached. Unchangeable. Empty. The action movie Blade, though relying more on the action sequences and Hong Kong style martial arts, contains a captivating plot with some interesting twists on the vampire myth. Yet one thing remains constant, and it is the driving obsession behind the two main vampires. In this case, it’s power. Deacon Frost, leader of a vampire cult, is obsessed with finding LaMagra, a supernatural being that he believes will give him the power to conquer the world. Blade, on the other hand, is driven by a fanatical passion and power rush he gets from killing vampires. Their obsessions lead to several confrontations, which set the stage for the final showdown. What makes Frost the strongest vampire among his kin and makes him stand out is his passion to conquer the world with LaMagra. But he is met with opposition from both the House of Erebus (the ruling council of vampires) and from Blade. Yet his drive is so strong he is seldom seen sleeping nor feeding, but always working on a way to a ccomplish his goal. He becomes strong enough by this that he is eventually able to take on and destroy the House of Erebus. This obsession is apparent when he throws a party and the question on everyone’s mind is â€Å"But, where is he?† He is then shown in front of his computer, still working on finding LaMagra. Blade also seems to have given up everything for his desire to kill vampires. He allows himself to feel nothing, not even love for his father figure, Whistler. He is so driven that he often loses sight of the very humanity he tries to protect. At an instant where Frost throws a little girl in front of a bus in order to escape, Blade actually hesitates in choosing between taking out Frost and saving the little girl. Furthermore, when Blade is offered a cure for his vampirism, he decides to turn it down, saying â€Å"You keep your cure. It’s not over†¦ there is a war going on. And I have a job to do!† Thus, this eternal passion is what gives B lade life. Because without vampires to hunt, Blade would have nothing to live for. .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .postImageUrl , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:hover , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:visited , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:active { border:0!important; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:active , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: After The Atomic Bomb EssayVampires are often described as immortal beings of superhuman strength and eternal beauty. Yet this seems to be more of a curse than a gift. Because how can a vampire live through eternity in an ever changing world while they remain the same. This is why the extraordinary vampires of Interview With the Vampire, Blade, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula stood out, because they found the answer, they found a reason for living. Since this reason for living had to be in eternal proportions, it could come as nothing less as an essential obsession that drives through the ages, without which the vampires would be lost. Yet this obsession comes in the same shape as those fundamental human obsessions (thus showing a glimpse of the vampire’s fledging humanity) – Love, Knowledge, and Power. English Essays

Impact of caring for a patient with dementia The WritePass Journal

Impact of caring for a patient with dementia Abstract Impact of caring for a patient with dementia AbstractDementia Background:IntroductionCareerPoliciesImpact/Burden of Caring What about the impact?Reference ListRelated Abstract Dementia Background: Dementia is most commonly misunderstood and misrepresented in terms of what it is and what actually causes it and most importantly who it affects. The Royal College of Physicians (2005) relatively defines Dementia as: â€Å"the global impairment of higher cortical functions including memory, the capacity to solve the problems of day-to-day living, the performance of learned   perceptuomotor   skills, the correct use of social skills and the control of emotional reactions, in the absence of gross clouding of consciousness (i.e. drowsiness and the lack of alertness in the person). The condition is often irreversible and progressive†. Drawing on observations in all the health and all the social care settings, Kitwood ( 1997) suggested that people with Dementia were frequently denied personhood, mainly because of ‘ malignant social psychology’ in layman’s terms the negative attitudes and unhelpful behaviours of professional staff . Carers (Recognition and Services) Act ,1995 defines carer as: ‘someone who provides a substantial level of care on a regular basis’ people who are under a contract of employment   are excluded. Carers for people with Dementia advocate for the development of person centered care which is one of the key ideas of the new culture of dementia care, which was formulated by the now deceased Tom Kitwood and the Bradford   Dementia group and professionals as well as researchers who used and disseminated Kitwood’s work. The idea of person centered care is helpful.† It reinforces the PERSON and   not the illness and when we consider the stigma associated with a diagnosis   of dementia and how the person can become invisible this concept is a very good way of redressing th is balance. It is felt that a person centered/relationship centered approach to care will help to promote social Inclusion we felt that it was also necessary to consider within the context of Relationship centered care It encourages people caring for people with Dementia, such as staff in residential homes to find out about the whole Person, their life history, likes and dislikes etc. which will then improve the Care given to the person with dementia, and also make caring for them easier. It is a well recognised fact that Carers play a significant role in providing Support to people with dementia. Quite often this support is unpaid or contracted out   with people frequently providing in excess of 50 hours per week with almost half of those providing such high levels of care being over 60 years of age. It is identified in the New Dementia Strategy (2009)that â€Å"family carers are often   old and frail themselves and have high levels of carer burden, depression and   Physical illness, and decreased quality of life†. Family carers need specific   Emotional and   practical support. Many family carers find the diagnosis of dementia traumatic. Where the family are the main carers, they must be offered a comprehensive Carer’s Assessment. Introduction As we all grow older, there is always the inkling of wonder about the illness of dementia, we have all witnessed it by either seeing our friends and family and neighbors somehow exhibiting   some form and symptoms of the Dementia illness, and we just wonder   if   they are sufferers?. As a psychiatric nurse i often become involved in the lives of carers of people with Dementia usualy when a change or a   crisis occurs, involving either the person cared for or the   carer which by then the family find it hard to manage   by themselves. I have come to realise that the carers often give up many of their outside interests rearrange or reorganize the home or even getting some neighbours   for an hour or two to provide a sitting service for them   to catch up with sleep and other necessary chores. This type of contribution from the carer I have come to acknowledge and to see it as recourses which have made me see the carer of a person with dementia in a different light. The support and care for older people with mental health needs as well as their carers had become the gradual responsibility of a constellation of   statutory agencies in as much as volutantary   organisation s and the independent   companies. Research suggests there has been a cultural change in the role of the carer. Carers don’t choose to become carers: it just happens and they have to get on with it; if they did not do it, who would and what Would happen to the person they care for. In my current working Environment I have come across â€Å"The Essex, Strategy for Dementia 2011- 2014 which is based on national guidance set out in living well with dementia: A National Dementia Strategy,2009 (NDS), the subsequent Department of Health Quality Outcomes for people with Dementia   and the NICE Quality Standard for Dementia The purpose of the Strategy is to provide an overarching statement of how the Objectives are met. With the new concepts and new statutes coming out for the Carers of people with Dementia I decided to under take a review on the Impact on Carers for caring for a person with Dementia as this is still a forgotten issue. I am hoping to empower myself with the information gathered to get a better understanding and insight into my named topic and also to determine if this is a Burden to the carer or it is simply an impact   to the carer. There used to be sparce information on the role of the carer, but now there is an abundance of literature to support. With a better understanding of the subject topic I am hoping to share my findings with my colleagues   and carers that might benefit from the little I may have gathered. Dementia Dementia is most commonly misunderstood in terms of what it is, who is affected and what the causes is. Definitions of Dementia have become more precise and to the point in the last twenty years or so, the current diagnostic criteria for Dementia mainly refer to the multiple cognitive and intellectual deficiencies. The term Dementia which derives from the Latin word â€Å"Demes† which translates into English as out of one’s mind .This is commonly used as though there was only one illness or disease.(  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ). Dementia describes signs and symptoms that transpire when the brain is affected by a number of specific diseases and conditions. According to the definition given in the revised version of the International Classification   Of Diseases (WHO 2010) ‘Dementia is a syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature’ further explained as an acquired   and   usually irreversible disorder which is commonly regarded as a disease of the old age of 65 years plus. This highlights that most of the research has concentrated on elderly sufferers possibly to the detriment of the younger suffers and their careers. In 2006 the Alzheimer’s Society commissioned the London School of Economics and the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London to produce a report on dementia in the UK. The research team was commissioned to provide the most up-to-date evaluation of the numbers of people with dementia in the UK, projections on numbers of people in the future and to explain the financial cost of dementia Health and social policy makers need accurate estimates of the numbers of people who currently have dementia and those who will develop it in the future in order to plan the services needed to support them. The research that underpins this report has used a methodology known as the Expert Delphi Consensus to produce the best possible estimates using currently available research data.   Dilip V et al 92010) Ten leading UK and European experts systematically reviewed the evidence base and reached a consensus that:   The prevalence of both young onset and late onset dementia increases with age, doubling with every five-year increase across the age range. The prevalence of young onset dementia (under 65 years old) was adjudged to be higher in men than in women for those aged 50–65, while late onset dementia was considered to be marginally more prevalent in women than in men. Alzheimer’s disease was considered to be the dominant subtype,   particularly among older people, and in women. Frontotemporal dementia was considered to account for a substantial proportion of young onset cases among younger men. The report estimates that there are 11,392 people from black and minority ethnic groups with dementia. It is noteworthy that 6.1% of all people with dementia among Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups are young onset,   compared with only 2.2% for the UK population as a whole, reflecting the   younger age profile of BME communities. The prevalence of dementia among people in institutions varied little by age or gender, increasing from 55.6% among those aged 65–69 to 64.8% in those aged 95 and over. The consensus group also generated estimates of the prevalence of dementia among all those aged 65 years and over living in EMI (elderly mentally infirm) homes (79.9%), nursing homes (66.9%) and residential care homes (52.2%). The proportion of deaths attributable to dementia increases steadily from 2% at age 65 to a peak of 18% at age 85–89 in men, and from 1% at age 65 to a peak of 23% at age 85–89 in women. Overall, 10% of deaths in men over 65 years, and 15% of deaths in women over 65 years may be attributable to dementia. Annually, 59,685 deaths among the over 65s might have been averted if dementia were not present in the   population. The majority of these deaths occurred among those aged 80–95 years. Delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of UK deaths due to dementia to 30,000 a year. It is   estimated   that there are now 683,597 people with dementia in the United Kingdom. This represents one person in every 88 (1.1%) of the entire UK population. For simplicity the Alzheimer’s Society(2001) will be using the figure 700,000 for people with dementia in the UK in public messages. The total number of people with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to 940,110 by 2021 and 1,735,087 by 2051, an increase of 38% over the next 15   years and 154% over the next 45 years†. ( DEMENTIA UK 2011) The prevalence and incidence of Dementia is currently continuing to rise, according to the Department of Health’s statistics brought up in the new Dementia strategy of 2009 shows that both incident and prevalence of Dementia continue to rise in a linear manner among the patients who are over 65 years. Age continues to be the most important risk factor for dementia and it needs to be further understood of the role it plays for effective preventative an   therapeutic plans and strategies to be put in place for future development. There are about 700 000 people with dementia in the UK. Dementia has a big effect on our society; there are at least 15,000 people under 65 who have the illness. The number of people with dementia in minority ethnic groups is about 15,000 but this figure will rise as populations get older. Dementia makes the lives of people who have it, and the lives of their families and carers, very difficult. Department of Health (2009). Career The Role of the carer   is rarely chosen ,it is often thrust upon individuals as a consequence of a sudden illness, disability or accident of a family member . A carer is someone who provides unpaid care   by looking after someone else who can either be a family member or a relative, or maybe a friend who is either ill or frail or possibly have a disability. (CarersUK 2011) Carers save the economy  £87 billion per year an average of 315,260 per Carers Many people who are carers do not necessarily recognise themselves as carers. They are parents, children, partners, friends or neighbours doing what needs to be done to maintain the quality of life for those that they are looking after. They may not realise that support is available to them in their caring role. It is vital that carers are identified and supported. Carers provide unpaid care and support, involving, for example, personal care (washing, bathing, dressing, feeding,) cooking, shopping, housework and giving emotional support. Carers have the right to an assessment of their needs and may be able to get extra help and financial support. They can discuss this with a member of staff who can signpost them appropriately to the social work team. Carers should have the opportunity to be involved whatever their age, gender, sexuality, disability or religion. Many children are carers and should be acknowledged as such. The important part is recognising and valuing carers as partners in the well-being and recovery of the patient. Their involvement is important, not least because of the emotional bond between carers and the   people they care for. Good information enables carers to become partners in   the provision of care and supports them in best helping the person they care for. Carers are an important people in our society. Most health and Community care is provided by family, friends, and relatives. Statistics from the Charity Carers UK indicate that 1 in 8 adults are cares, which is about six million people in retrospect of the United Kingdom population. It is also estimated that by the year 2037 it’s anticipated that the number of carers will increase to 9 million. Every day another 6000 people take on the caring responsibility. The latest figures on carers are from the 2011 census, this indicates that the 6 million carers are actually 10% of the total population and approximately this is 12% of the adult population. The 2001 census showed that women are more likely to be carers than men, across the UK the number of female carers totals 58% than man 42%   Census Carers UK( 2001). Carers have achieved agreat deal in the last 15 years and it is essential that these gains are not lost or traded away in any new legal or policy initiative. One way which has been identified to charter these achievements is to plot them against the evolutionary scale pronounced by Twigg Artkin 1994. It is argued that the NHS and Community Care (1990) treated carers as a resourse valued only in terms of their ability to provide support , the act made no refernce to the rights for carers, relying instead opn the rhetoric of the guidance to deliver the message that they were valued. There are many impacts of caring for a person with Dementia, these vary from financial costs as caring can be significant, health, the impact of caring can be detrimental to the health of carers. The 2011 Census took place on 27 March 2011. Statistics obtained from a Census   improve the understanding of people’s needs. Government and local Authorities in England and Wales depend on this information to help ensure that citizens get the services they need in their community. Scotland had a separate census, which will also took place on 27 March 2011. The ONS distributed questionnaires in March to around 25 million households. The survey covered questions ranging from information about work, health, national identity, citizenship, ethnic background, education, second homes, language, marital status and so on. Carers needed to fill the Census 2011forms as it also inquired about carers and cared for. All information provided was kept in strictest confidence and only to be used to produce statistics. The answers were to be turned into statistics used to build a picture of today’s society. It was deemed simple If the census could not   see you, the organizations’ responsible for delivering the services you need would   not be able to see you either. Policies Some legislation have been achieved as a successful campaigning by numerous local and national organizations, such as the work and families act 2006, this act gave carers the right to request flexible   working times from their employer this came into effect around 2.65million carers. On 3rd of February 2009 the government published Living   well with Dementia, a new national Dementia strategy which sets out to plan for action that should benefit the half a million carers looking after someone. The National Carers Strategy published in June 2008 and sets out a ten year vision for government and public bodies. Carers like everyone else in the UK are entitled to rely on the protection of the Human Rights Act 1998. The Government’s National Strategy – Caring about Carers published in 1999 (http:www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics)   requires organisations to ensure inclusion of the carer as well as the individual patient or service user as partners and to give them real choices and control over the range, nature and timing of services. In June 2007, the DoH announced the introduction of a ‘New Deal for Carers’. This programme of work was a commitment in the DoH’s 2006 White Paper ‘Our Health, Our Care,Our Say’ . It includes proposals for a revision of the Prime Minister’s 1999 Carers Strategy, setting up: a help and advice telephone line; provision of cover in emergencies; and an expert carers’ programme. The UCLH Carers’ Policy has taken this new programe into account. A core principle of The NHS Plan (2000) states â€Å"The NHS will shape its services around the needs and preferences of individual patients, their families and their carers†. The Carers and Disabled Children Act (2000) means that carers have the right to be consulted about their willingness and / or ability to provide or continue to provide care for another person. ‘Being Open (National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) initiative, 2005) set out the obligation for trusts to be open and honest when communicating with patients and carers about the causes of any unexpected harm that resulted   from the treatment and care of patients.   The National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People (2001) standards set out the importance of information for carers. ‘Consent A Guide for Relatives and Carers’ (2001) states that friends and relatives cannot make decisions on behalf of patients who cannot decide for themselves. Even so they may be able to tell health professionals about the person’s opinions and beliefs, for example if they have strong views about particular health conditions or treatments. In the case of children and young people , parents/guardians are able to consent for their children. However children and young people are also able to consent for themselves if they are deemed competent and capable of informed decision making. Please see the UCLH Consent Policy and Procedure for further guidance to staff on this issue. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 allows a person to use a LPA (Lasting Powers of Attorney) to appoint someone to act on their behalf if they should lose capacity in the future. This is like the Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA), but the Act expanded this to allow people to let an attorney make health and welfare decisions. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 took effect from April 2007. The Act provides a statutory framework to empower and protect patients who have made Advance Decisions commonly known as Living Wills. Please refer to the UCLH Policy on Advance Decisions (Living Wills) about Treatment and Care for guidance to staff on this issue The Carers Equal Opportunities Act (2004) promotes the health and welfare Of carers and states all carers’ needs should be assessed by their local council taking into account the carers’ wishes to work or undertake any education, training or leisure activities. Impact/Burden of Caring When caring roles have become well established their impact on the   lives of carers and their family can be very significant. Most carer identify that caring had impacted negatively on their health and wellbeing ,mainly focusing on some reporting having suffered from a range of illness including Arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia and IBS exacerbated by their caring role (carers Scotland 2011) Almost half the carers interviewed reported that their condition had started after they began caring . The 2001 Census findings found out that those caring for 50 hours a week or more are twice likely to be in poor health as those not caring 21% against 11%. Income and finances continue to be a factor in affecting carers health and wellbeing. Other factors contributing to poor health amongst carers are low incomes and lack of breaks. Giving and receiving care is an essential part of each person’s humanity crucial for the well being of the overall society fabric, often you see carers feel unsupported with their needs unrecognized and their contribution taken for granted.(Stiell et al 2006) According to research by Carers Uk Finacial costs of caring can be significant .72% of carers wee found to be worse off financially as a result of becoming   carers. The reasons cited for this include the additional costs of disability, giving up work to care , the inadequacy of disability benefits and the charges for services Once a diagnosis has been established and appropriate medical treatment initiated, more long term patterns of care may need to be considered. Any form of intervention needs to be guided by an understanding of what dementia is. (British journal of medical psychology, 1998). More in general the impact of caring for a person with Dementia is highlighted by a few more aspects mainly the change in behaviour presenting challenging behaviours,loss of recognition of people, loss of the person also known as the living bereavement, spouses often become labelled as carers when they wish to be seen as husband or wife leading to the loss of identity. One of the biggest impacts is the loss of freedom and flexibility to have a life because the constant role of looking after someone and limiting what you can do and where you can go. There is also the lack of understanding by society as a whole. The goal of good dementia care should be to improve people’s sense of well being the inner resources available to them and to lift their quality of life just as valid a set of therapeutic aims as cure. Because the giving of care is often seen as a matter of common sense, rather than as a complex, sophisticated and subtle process, there is a high use of unpaid carers. The diversity of this network is illustrated by the cost estimates for dementias in the UK ranging from  £1 billion to over  £14 billion per year ( Bosanquet colleagues 1998). If we are to transform quality of life we need to empower service users and their carers   to make choices about what they want and enabling them to care for themselves and putting them and their carers at the heart of planning . What about the impact? The impact that is experienced or needed will vary over the course of the illness and from person to person and family to family. The most common areas the carers would need assistance with would be a key person to contact when help is needed. Empathetic understanding of   the problems for both the person with dementia and the carer. A chance for the family carer to understand   the experience of the person with dementia, which helps them to cope better. Quite often situations affecting the carers and even the person with dementia raise ethical problems   such as issues around truth telling and reality orientation how to respond to things such as the person   in their 80s who belives their parents are still alive. Peoples understanding of dementia from family to family are different   Regardless of the ethnic, cultural or social group they belong to. However we   have identified a number of concerns regarding how different groups understand dementia and access services People from BME groups are often more reluctant to approach services for help/support and diagnosis The understanding of dementia as an illness is variable amongst different communities and cultures some view it as something to be ashamed of and hidden.   The common misconception amongst professional teams about BME families and communities â€Å"looking after their own†   The lack of culturally appropriate services. This ranges from carers in the home to carers in care homes Some Admiral nurses have noticed that some cultural groups are reluctant to accept respite services; this could be linked to the lack of culturally appropriate services.   Nurses identified that some assessment tools used to assess dementia are not culturally appropriate. The use of interpreters for assessment is problematic, a number of nurses spoke about the difficulties involved in assessing a client using an interpreter. The Nurses questioned the training of the interpreters used and wondered about levels of awareness of the importance of even slight differences in the way they interpreted answers could make. Literature review Studies used and research methods(general) Studies Results Discussion Conclusion Reference List

0610 BIOLOGY Essays (1277 words) - Secondary Education In England

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS International General Certificate of Secondary Education MARK SCHEME for the May/June 2007 question paper 0610 BIOLOGY 0610/02 Paper 2 (Core Theory), maximum raw mark 80 This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners meeting before marking began. All Examiners are instructed that alternative correct answers and unexpected approaches in candidates scripts must be given marks that fairly reflect the relevant knowledge and skills demonstrated. Mark schemes must be read in conjunction with the question papers and the report on the examination. CIE will not enter into discussions or correspondence in connection with these mark schemes. CIE is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2007 question papers for most IGCSE, GCE Advanced Level and Advanced Subsidiary Level syllabuses and some Ordinary Level syllabuses. Page 2 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper IGCSE May/June 2007 0610 02 UCLES 2007 1 (a) (i) leaf B has parallel veins/veins not branched; [1] (ii) organism D has body divided into segments/rings/OWTTE; [1] (iii) organism E has four pairs of/eight legs/limbs ; I - ref to cephalothorax (erroneous) [1] (iv) organism G has more than 4 pairs of legs/limbs/non-identical/varied legs/limbs/2 regions to body/cephalothorax and abdomen; I refs to exoskeleton [1] N.B. No letter given no mark (b) show division of 50/5; (magnification) x10/times 10; R 10mm If no working then 2 marks for correct magnification If wrong working can gain 1 mark for correct magnification I ratios [2] [Total: 6] 2 (a) A = sepal/calyx; B = anther/stamen; Accept androecium [2] (b) to receive/trap pollen/OWTTE; Accept ref to male gamete [1] (c) 1 no nectary (in wind pollinated flower); 2 smaller/less obvious petals (in wind pollinated flower); 3 stamens outside of petals/flowers (in wind pollinated flower); 4 stigma/style outside of petals/flowers (in wind pollinated flower); 5 feathery stigma (in wind pollinated flower); any two 1 mark each [2] (d) process flowering plant human fertilisation germination implantation pollination sexual intercourse Each vertical column correct 1 mark each [2] I crosses in other boxes Page 3 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper IGCSE May/June 2007 0610 02 UCLES 2007 (e) (i) 1 dispersed by animals/mammals/birds/named examples; R insects 2 red outer coat attracts them; 3 flesh encourages them to eat fruit; 4 seeds hard coats allow it to avoid digestion/discourage swallowing; 5 dispersal in faeces/dropped while removing flesh; any three 1 mark each [3] (ii) 1 moisture/water/OWTTE; 2 with minerals/named mineral; 3 warm conditions/suitable/optimum temperature; 4 in light/not shaded area; any three 1 mark each [3] [Total: 13] 3 (a) continuous (variation); [1] (b) (i) plotted as four bars, all clearly identified (beneath or on bar); accurate plotting (+/ half a square); [2] (ii) genes/alleles/genotype/DNA/OWTTE; [1] (c) (i) a change/alteration in a gene/allele/DNA/chromosome/chromosome number; [1] (ii) chemical/named example/cigarette tar; (gamma/beta/alpha/ionising) radiation; X rays; UV light; any two 1 mark each [2] [Total: 7] Page 4 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper IGCSE May/June 2007 0610 02 UCLES 2007 4 (a) (i) F; [1] (ii) E; [1] (iii) no tropical forest left/all destroyed; [1] (iv) D; [1] (b) (i) bacteria/fungi; [1] (ii) carbon dioxide; minerals/named mineral salt/ion; I nutrients R nitrogen (gas) [2] (c) 1 crops take/use mineral salts from soil; 2 crop removed from land; 3 soil becomes infertile/low in mineral salts; 4 crop yield drops to worthless levels; 5 no fresh/replacement of humus/no recycling of materials; 6 crumb structure lost; any three 1 mark each [3] [Total: 10] 5 (a) (i) carbon compounds in animals; [1] (ii) C; D; E; any two 1 mark each [2] (iii) B; [1] (iv) A; [1] (b) (i) arrow labelled P parallel to C but in opposite direction/ linking boxes from air to plants around outside of diagram; [1] (ii) carbon dioxide + water; = glucose/(simple) sugar/starch + oxygen; [2] I ref to water on product side A correct formula as substitute for word no need for equation to be balanced [Total: 8] Page 5 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper IGCSE May/June 2007 0610 02 UCLES 2007 6 (a) A; D; E; [3] I named parts (b) root hair cell 1 long extension/description to cell; 2 increase surface area (for absorption); 3 no chloroplasts/chlorophyll; 4 underground/hidden from light; [4] I - ref to photosynthesis

Applying Mathematical Concepts to Business Administration Essay

Applying Mathematical Concepts to Business Administration - Essay Example Despite this, many students still fail to realize just how important mathematics can be in their chosen profession. Other students mistakenly believe that the extent to which mathematics will play a role in their profession will be a minor role. In truth, mathematics is used daily in a variety of professional fields including business administration, and can often play a role in problem resolution. Some business related problems that can be solved with mathematics are payroll discrepancies and funding needs. Business Administration entails a multitude of tasks and responsibilities. Many of these components can become problematic if proper mathematics is not applied. For example, a business owner or manager may, at times, be held responsible for pay roll, accounts payables, accounts receivables, determining advertising or marketing needs, and writing various proposals. Although business owners can and often do hire help to perform these many functions, understanding the concepts will ensure that the business owner can accurately monitor the progress and effectiveness of his or her employees or contracted associates. Owning a business can present a variety of problems, including conflict resolution, competition, and establishing a loyal customer base. Some of these problems cannot be solved by the use of mathematics. However, several other problems can arise that will require a solid knowledge of mathematics and an understanding of how to apply mathematical skills: Having [at least] an introduction to these topics will provide you with the basics needed for initial analysis of financial situations in your business. This information is critical to successfully managing the financial aspects of your business (Jones International University 1). Although it may appear trite to first reference financial aspects of an organization as a source of potential problems faced by business administrators and owners, the problems that can stem out of a business's financial matters can be immense. If these problems are handled improperly, they could prove to be fatal for the business. One such problem is with proper payroll accounting. Payroll embodies the life-blood of a company's employees, contracted employees, and management staff. Put simply, payroll is the monetary compensation such employees receive in exchange for their work and services provided to the company or on the behalf of the company. The most common problem that can occur with payroll is inadequate tracking of hourly employees (Corpus Christi Caller 1). Hourly employees, or those employees who receive compensation based on the number of hours they work during a specific amount of time, can make mistakes regarding their time tracking. Additionally, managers can make mistakes when calculating the wage amount for an employee for one specific pay-period. When a mistake is found, several mathematics concepts will come into play to find the mistake and work to resolve the issue. First, to find the exact mistake, the manager's first step will be to recalculate the wages based on the employees hourly pay-rate and the number of hours that employee has reported working. Doing this will require a basic mathematical concept; simply multiply the number of hours worked by the employee's hourly wage amount and round the product up or down to the nearest 100th. Should this answer not match the amount shown on the check, then the problem can be resolved by issuing a new check for the amount of the difference. However, if this new product does match the amount

Target career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Target career - Essay Example In my view no matter how well executed and implemented the strategies of the company are; it is actually money which guarantees a company’s success. With the ever increasing impact of advertising, one cannot deny the importance of numbers because at the end of the day a company has to make profits for the shareholders and survive. Further reasons of choosing accounting fields are: An accountant is very important in every company or bank or government departments. Every project and every initiative taken by the company requires money. An accountant deals with the whole money handling procedures of a firm. My target career is to work with the government to manage the countrys money inside and outside the country such us students scholarships and getting treatment abroad and employees truing courses. Working with government will give me more exposure to practical world. The responsibility of an accountant is very high because it is all about money which makes it not an easy job, but it seems interesting and fun with a high social position. The salary for the accountant in Qatar is about $10,000 to $15,000 a month, but if you have a Certified Public Accounting (CPA) your salary could be about $20,000 to $30,000 a month. In my view, this is a handsome salary package which I would want to pursue. Since I am joining it also because of my personal strengths, I find it interesting to play with numbers and I really hope that it will be an interesting as well as a fruitful and learning experience for me and I am grateful to you for the guidance which you give

Person-Centered Therapy Essay Example for Free

Person-Centered Therapy Essay Person-Centered Therapy is a form of psychoanalytical counseling developed in the 1940s by Carl Rogers. The foundation of this form of therapy stemmed from Rogers’ belief that all people have an inherent desire to be good. Every person has a self-concept or an ideal self which represents what type of person they want to be or think they are. However, a person’s self-concept may not be reflected in their real life experiences and this incongruence creates psychological stress. Rogers’ main goal is to allow the client to explore where their incongruences are rooted and have the clients decide for themselves how to change their behaviors to fit their self-concept. Though the client may reflect on past experiences, Person-Centered Therapy focuses on the client’s current feelings and their current perceived self-worth. The ideal end result of this type of therapy is that the client experiences self-actualization through positive self-acceptance and personal growth. In Person-Centered Therapy the relationship between the client and counselor is crucial to eliciting any progress in the client. The counselor must provide an environment in which the client can disclose their deepest feelings comfortably and safely. This establishes trust in the relationship and allows the client to further explore their thoughts. The main components to Rogers’ theory is that the therapist must have unconditional positive regard for the client and must be able to empathize with them genuinely. To do this, the therapist should focus on the client’s positive attributes. Constant positive reinforcement given sincerely makes the client feel secure and supported and they will feel more comfortable speaking about their issues. This increases the likelihood that the client will attempt to make a change in their life. A second key element in Person-Centered Therapy is that it is non-directive therapy. The counselor does not try to direct the client in any part icular direction, but lets the client lead the discussion in their own direction. The counselor must allow the client to do so and encourage them to continue to explore that direction. This way, when the client does decide to make a change in his/her life, it is done on their own terms. That is the most important feature of this type of counseling. In terms of the Helping Skills Model, Person-Centered Therapy focuses primarily on the Exploration Stage. Rogers’ theory is based on the same principles that define the Exploration Stage. The Exploration Stage is a time where the therapist and client develop a rapport and where the therapist really learns about the client’s behavior and personality. The establishment of a trusting relationship between the therapist and client is the goal of the Exploration Stage and is critical for the Person-Centered Therapy theory to be effective. This type of therapy relies heavily on the use of restatements and open-ended questions to encourage the client to open up about their thoughts and emotions. The Exploration Stage and this type of therapy focus on mainly on the clients as they do most of the speaking. Person-Centered Therapy has its strengths and weaknesses/limitations. One important feature of this type of therapy is that the client does not become dependent on the therapist. If the therapy is done correctly, the client will become to realize that he/she is capable of changing his/her life on their own. This type of therapy empowers the client to take control of their issues and solve them independently and in favor of their own desires. Another strength of this type of therapy is that once the client realizes his/her full potential and has gained a high level of self-understanding, the need for therapy is no longer there. They can now go out into the world feeling confident about overcoming any future obstacles. A limitation for this theory of therapy is that it may seem too simple. The theory at its core basically says if someone is in a safe, unprejudiced environment and speak their thoughts to an empathizing person, they will solve their own issues. This means anybody can do this and no real professional is needed. Another limitation is that there is no direction given for clients who cannot come up with their own solutions. This can be very frustrating for both the therapist and client because there is no progress being made. If a client is not capable of realizing his/her own potential and recognize the changes that need to be in their life, there is nothing the counselor can really do without jeopardizing the high level of client autonomy this type of therapy allows. References Hill, C. E. (2009). Helping Skills: Facilitating exploration, insight, and action. (3rd ed.) Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Rogers, C. R. (1992). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 827-832. (Original article published 1957).

The Theme of The Death of Ivan Ilych :: Tolstoy Death Ivan Ilych Essays

The Theme of The Death of Ivan Ilych One Work Cited In "The Death of Ivan Ilych", Leo Tolstoy examines the life of a man, Ivan, who would seem to have lived an exemplary life with moderate wealth, high station, and family. By story's end, however, Ivan's life will be shown to be devoid of passion -- a life of duties, responsibilities, respect, work, and cold objectivity to everything and everyone around Ivan. It is not until Ivan is on his death bed in his final moments that he realizes what will become the major theme of the story: that the personal relationships we forge are more important in life than who we are or what we own. This point of the story is indirectly brought out in the very beginning when Ivan's colleagues, and supposedly his friends, learn of his death. The narrator states in paragraph 5: So on receiving the news of Ivan Ilych's death the first thought of each of the gentlemen in that private room was of the changes and promotions it might occasion among themselves or their acquaintances. This line reveals that among Ivan's peers, he was no more than an obstacle. It also reveals that these men regarded Ivan with the same respect and cold, professional indifference with which he regarded them. Ivan's own wife appears to be just going through the motions of grieving, when in fact she is more concerned with monetary matters. Of all the characters presented in this story, none truly mourns the passing of Ivan Ilych. Of the things Ivan seemed to pride himself on during his lifetime was his professionalism while performing his job at the Court of Justice. The narrator explains in some detail how Ivan was able to detach himself from the emotional turmoil surrounding a case while "eliminating all considerations irrelevant to the legal aspect of the case" (paragraph 65). This portrays Ivan Ilych as a shrewd, calculating, apathetic magistrate, whose only concern was for the process of justice, and not for the people his rulings affected. He is made to realize, too late, the dehumanizing effect his unemotional demeanor has had on others when a physician gives him like treatment. Ivan recognizes that "the doctor put on just the same air towards him as he himself put on towards an accused person" (paragraph 115).

Management Education in India, Opportunities and Challenges Essay

Management education in India is a new concept as because the preferred careers in the 1940s and the 50s were medicine and engineering and in the 1960s and 70s the IAS and the Central services, the craze since the 1980s has been for management and IT Jobs. As a result, there has been an explosion in the number of business schools in India. Management study is very popular for imbibing versatility and multi-tasking abilities As the demand for management education grows so do the challenge and opportunities too. Today business schools in India face the challenge of creating an indigenous model of management curriculum. Although the area of action to implement management education is a global one but it is also necessary for the curriculum to reflect local aspirations. For eg: curriculum should focus on local case studies where the management principles are broadly examined, questioned and streamlined to meet the challenges of the local/national business environment optimistically. Unfortunately, Indian Business schools vary widely in terms of the caliber of the faculty, quality of curriculum, infrastructure, and placement record. Apart from the premier list of B Schools in India the academic standards of most of he B Schools are not upto the mark. In fact at the low end of the spectrum we find institutes charge exorbitant fee from gullible students but provide negligible academic value addition. The other challenges facing management education in India is to promote research and establish a global quality assurance and accreditation system and above all to continue working upon to improve against the competitors to enhance its ranking is a challenging task for every institute.

Comparing Numeracy Theorists

There are several theorists that link to mathematical development; their views are very distinct as to how mathematical understanding develops. One theorist that is linked to this development is Jean Piaget, in his research he discovered that children’s thoughts develop through taking in information. His researches also lead him to believe that children learn in stages according to an estimated age range. These stages are as follows: * Sensori-Motor – age 0-2 years (using senses) Pre-Operational – age 2-7 years (using symbols and language) * Concrete Operational – age 7-12 years (logical thought) * Formal Operational – age 12+ years (abstract thought) He also devised the concept of schemas for children to develop, for example some children relate to the rotation schema where they learn by rotating things such as turning taps on and off, watching the wheels on toy cars and stirring water and other resources in a circular motion.Another example of a s chema is transporting, these children will enjoy moving object around the room in different ways for example moving blocks from one side of the room to the other in a bag. Another theorist linking to mathematical development is Jerome Bruner, he believed that children learned by doing and then reimagining what they have done by drawing, writing and copying symbols such as numbers.Bruner believed that children in stages, these stages are as follows: * Enactive – age 0-1 – learning through doing physical movements * Iconic – age 1-7 – developing mental images * Symbolic age 7+ using symbols such as language to transfer thoughts He believed that a child is prone to learning and there are certain procedures for the child to follow for cognitive process.

Discomfort vs. Discomfiture

Discomfort vs. Discomfiture Discomfort vs. Discomfiture Discomfort vs. Discomfiture By Maeve Maddox A reader asks the difference between the words discomfiture and discomfort. Although you may find the words given as synonyms in a list, a distinct difference exists. Discomfort connotes a lack of ease. Discomfiture connotes unease together with embarrassment. discomfort (noun): 1. Something that makes a person feel (mentally or physically) uncomfortable; an inconvenience, a hardship. Also: a slight physical pain. 2. The state, condition, or fact of being (mentally or physically) uncomfortable; uneasiness. Here are some examples of both physical and mental discomfort: Why Fear of Discomfort Might Be Ruining Your Life Depending on where you experience the discomfort, eye pain can fall into one of two categories: ocular pain (occurs on the eye’s surface), and orbital pain (occurs within the eye). Rub-on pain reliever can ease arthritis discomfort Computer-related posture and discomfort in primary school children Turkey Summons US Ambassador In Ankara To Express Discomfort [over US speech] Other leaders expressed similar discomfort with the law but were not as outspoken, including the prime ministers of Canada and the United Kingdom. discomfiture (noun): 1. Defeat in battle, overthrow, rout. 2. Frustration of plans or hopes; utter disappointment; perplexity, confusion; unease, embarrassment. Discomfiture in the sense of a literal rout or defeat in battle is the word’s original meaning and occurs with some frequency in historical and religious works, but in current usage the usual sense is figurative. Here are some examples of the use of discomfiture: The Cup day at Goodwood was remarkable for the discomfiture. France’s Foreign Policy: the Discomfiture of Gambetta’s Enemies [Lebanon] has clearly been delighted by President Bashar al-Assads discomfiture Divest yourself of Bad Breath to Avoid Discomfiture in Public Meanwhile, Democrats who have few things to cheer them are enjoying the Republicans discomfiture. (Washington Post) Republican leaders are delighting in the Democrats discomfiture. (Los Angeles Times) To sum up, â€Å"physical discomfort† is what you feel with a pebble in your shoe. â€Å"Mental discomfort† is what you feel when you hear a government spokesman or news anchor say â€Å"have went.† Discomfiture is what you feel when you are all set to give a PowerPoint lecture to a room full of people, and the projector won’t work. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Rhetorical Devices for Rational WritingUsing the Active Voice to Strengthen Your Writing20 Ways to Laugh

'Short and harsh'. Is this a fair description of life for the majority Essay

'Short and harsh'. Is this a fair description of life for the majority of 'ordinary' rural Scots between 1300 and 1500 - Essay Example It was essentially a pandemic which had severe social and drastic economic consequences therefore a discussion of these effects becomes very important when we are dealing with the social issues of the time. The Plague came to Europe from the East through trade routes that had ships which carried the Bubonic Plague. It hit Europe during an economic recession and only caused the economy to go down further (Bolton, 1970). Anyone struck with the plague would be dead within three to five days and some towns lost as much as 90% of their population within a matter of months. The rural areas were also affected by the plague even though the extent of the disease was comparatively lower. It was indeed a horrible experience as major European cities such as Venice and Pisa lost more than 70% of their population. Modern estimates show us that 25 million people died in Europe within a period of just five years between 1347 and 1352. The reaction to so many people dying at once was naturally one of fear and hatred. Fear of the wrath of god which started the Flagellant Movement and the fear of the outsider such as Jews who were blamed for having caused the plague. Artists also created works of art to deal with the huge number of dead and dying they saw around them and saints were made of individuals such as St. Roch and St. Sebastian who took it upon themselves to help the sick in those times. While Scotland was already in trouble before the plague, the coming of the plague only made matters worse (Hale et. al., 1965). The agricultural system in particular suffered greatly since the output was not high enough during those years to create food surpluses. In this manner, the plague only lowered the standard of living for many Scots. The church which was present in Scotland and across Europe was simply unable to deal with the disease and

The Odyssey, by Homer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Odyssey, by Homer - Essay Example This is certainly something Telemachus would do later on in the story when he would help Odysseus not only defeat the suitors but also show himself to be a good son. The irony in the passage comes across quite clearly when we realize that Achilles was indeed the mightiest of warriors and essentially had god like qualities of strength and bravery. However, in death he is little more than a weak spirit who is helpless to assist his father or even to know how his son is doing. The finality of death and of losing your abilities which you had once is an allusion to how mortality is perhaps is the ultimate answer to hubris as all living humans, regardless of their strength, abilities or heroics, must die. The external connections of this passage are varied and many since they not only describe the parentage of Achilles, they also discuss his progeny. Achilles is noted by Odysseus to have been quite a hero who was revered as much as the gods themselves. The passage also reminds us that Odysseus has not yet reached home which is the seemingly never-ending quest he is engaged in. Rugged Ithaca eludes him as much as the news about the son of Achilles eludes Achilles. Thus the passage certainly refers to earlier parts of the same tale while pushing the idea that Achilles is an important character in some other story. That story of course is the Iliad which is a part of the greater tale of the Battle of Troy itself. It also shows the great respect that Odysseus had for Achilles since even after his death Odysseus considers Achilles to be a prince amongst the dead. The most moving element of the entire passage is that even though Achilles is dead, he does not want to be so since he has lost all that he had and the realm of the dead has nothing to offer him. Moreover, his lack of information about his lordly son and even his dear father certainly troubles him since he does not know if his father has managed to keep a hold of the empire he had or if he has lost it