Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Can Religion Be Studied Academically Essay Example for Free

Would religion be able to Be Studied Academically Essay The scholarly investigation of religion isn’t a methods for simply taking in sacred texts or sections from a hallowed book like the Bible. It is an increasingly mind boggling process and can be considered multidisciplinary †it can incorporate craftsmanship, writing, semantics, history, reasoning, brain science, humanism and significantly more. Religion can’t be concentrated without recognizing what we are attempting to consider, and keeping in mind that some would contend it just doesn’t exist, the likeness among the differing strict conviction frameworks around the globe are sufficiently able to legitimize a far reaching field study enveloping the elements recorded over, some of which fall into Livingstone’s ‘seven methods of contemplating religion’. Be that as it may, to adequately contemplate religion in a scholarly way, it is imperative to incorporate basic investigation, which implies it is significant not to be one-sided towards your own convictions. By doing this you can turn out to be all the more socially mindful of different religions and convictions, and therefore get a more prominent comprehension of religions. Scholarly analysis assumes a significant job in the scholastic investigation of religion. Religion in the religious way is about the lessons of a specific hallowed book. The Bible for Christianity, the Quran for Islam and Sutras for Buddhism, for instance, all contain the lessons and laws of the separate religions, which is basically how individuals can comprehend religion in any case. Livingstone, in his hypotheses on religion, says questions are the way to examining and understanding the importance of consecrated writings. Is it dependable; who was the writer; when was it composed and where; how has the work been gotten, deciphered and passed on? These are the issues that should be replied before a genuine comprehension of religion can be acquired, and who preferred to answer them over an abstract pundit, as indicated by Livingstone. The connection among religion and language likewise identifies with this thought of artistic analysis. Language in religion doesn’t regularly work as it does in regular day to day existence †it isn't found at the surface degree of words or signs, as indicated by Livingstone. Getting language and how it is utilized in religion gives knowledge, yet it likewise stretches to incorporate the nature and capacity of language itself. In view of religion’s job in human societies, it is difficult to understand the progression of history without some essential establishing in an assortment of strict convictions. Livingstone says it would seem clear that the verifiable investigation of religion has to do with building up what job strict experience and thoughts play in the lives of people and networks. You just need to take a gander at the Bible and see the Old Testament is dated in years ‘before Christ’. Livingstone gives a case of the Protestant Reformation. The reasons for the Protestant Reformation have been a subject of dispute among students of history, and the discussion represents both the significance of history in increasing a more full comprehension of that occasion in western history, and the troubles in proposing a solitary easygoing clarification ever. Be that as it may, the idea of history and religion can be laid somewhat more out plainly †strict customs give structure to the world and gives individuals a feeling of where they fit in, which thus influences decisions today, for instance choices about governmental issues. The philosophical investigation of religion is one of the most established and most educational methods of looking at strict experience and conviction, as indicated by Livingstone. In this century philosophy’s connection to religion is to break down the employments of strict language and to test its legitimate status and importance. It asks whether a strict articulation is essentially playing out an activity or bringing out the feelings. Livingstone says logicians accept a significant part of the issues with religion originate from these befuddling employments of language. Throughout the hundreds of years and spreading over various mainlands, the thought of theory has stayed noteworthy in a few strict conventions, which underscores the significance of it in an instructive manner †In India, reasoning has remained related with verifiable improvements in Hinduism and the equivalent goes for Buddhism in Asia. The manner by which religion cooperates inside a social measurement is likewise a critical component to examining religion. Humanist, Max Weber, showed that specific types of public activity and conduct could profoundly mirror the strict conviction and practice of society. For instance: Weber investigated how the new Protestant ethic, which accompanied the Reformation of the sixteenth century, end up being unequivocal in molding the soul of present day industrialist society. All religions have an idea of being an individual from a strict society, how it should work, how it ought to be sorted out, and how the general public identifies with the outside world. Accordingly it is imperative to have a comprehension of the human science behind religion, particularly in the occurrence that culture and religion become hard to recognize. It is comprehended that religions offer scrutinizes of contemporary society dependent on ideas of a perfect society and must comprehend the association among sacrosanct and mainstream power and the political and strict establishments speaking to each. This is the place an investigation of human science and humanities become significant for religion. The connection among strict and vicious clash is notable. It tends to be contended that religions are slanted to be absolutist, which means they don’t take into consideration the legitimacy of different religions. This demoralizes the conversations and arrangements and bargains expected to determine contrasts of sentiment calmly, which would then be able to affect society itself. Without bargains, it can here and there emit into brutality †so as far as the significance of examining religion, it is perfect to know the interconnection among human science and religion to get why and how clashes, for instance, can now and then happen. And afterward there’s the brain science behind the significance of considering religion. One of the early laborers in this specific field was William James. He investigated the mental elements of wonders as transformation, otherworldliness and righteousness. Livingstone says the association among brain science and religion is maybe the most firmly connected with incredible figures in therapy. He likewise utilizes a case of Gordon Allport’s work, who considered the connection among religion and bias. He says studies, for example, Allport’s show the estimation of mental investigations in uncovering the likely impact of types of religion on social relations and practices. Allport especially found that there were various relationships among's partiality and sorts of being strict, what he alluded to as extraneous and inherent religions. This specific examination into brain science and religion is critical on the grounds that it can caution us against making too-straightforward connection among's partiality and religion, as indicated by Livingstone. Notwithstanding Livingstone’s thoughts behind considering religion, there are different components that interlace, similar to craftsmanship, for instance. Nobody can see craftsmanship without seeing the impact of religion. Each religion gives thoughts, stories, social images, and ideas imperative to making craftsmanship. It very well may be contended that without the social assets accessible today that have been made by religions, some craftsmanship would be difficult to make or even comprehend. It isn’t especially basic for making workmanship, yet religion’s job socially makes the association more grounded. Taking everything into account, it is hard to genuinely or considerably evaluate religion if it’s not comprehended. It is hence that an understanding language study, humanism, history, brain research and theory, for instance, is so significant. Livingstone says the scholastic investigation of religion can help individuals to consider religion to be an entirety. These insightful perspectives and orders can help individuals to see parts of their own religions that they might be incognizant in regards to, which thusly can help succeed more gratefulness for different strict customs.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Culture in Aruba Free Essays

The individuals of Aruba come basically from European, African, and Latin American nations and the way of life of the island mirrors these differed foundations. The language, food, religion, and festivities on Aruba are made out of a sound blend of these nations. Aruba is intently attached to Holland due to its long occupation and present association in the Netherlands realm. We will compose a custom exposition test on Culture in Aruba or then again any comparable point just for you Request Now The official language is Dutch, which is seen on the road signs, official records, and numerous neighborhood papers. Notwithstanding, numerous parts of Aruba’s culture uncover solid impacts of contributing societies, for example, the normal language Papiamento. Papiamento goes back to the sixteenth century, as a methods for African captives to speak with their proprietors. Papiamento mirrors the attitude and culture of the numerous people groups who have possessed the locale, including the Arawak and Carib Indians, African slaves, South American dealers, Spanish overcomes, Dutch traders, Portuguese ministers, and French and English pilgrims. While punctuation is essential, numerous non-Arubans discover its sentence structure and pitch testing. A lot of Papiamento has been passed on verbally from age to age. Its axioms contain a basically expressed abundance of reasoning and knowledge. Through amusingness and allegory, using food, creatures, and items from regular day to day existence, Papiamento loans all inclusive direction and intelligence. Some mainstream phrases are â€Å"Bon Dia† for greetings and â€Å"Masha Danki† for bless your heart. Aruban food is basic in readiness and taste. Generally flame broiled without a great deal of oil or zest, chicken, fish and vegetables are frequently joined by nearby vegetables, for example, corn, broccoli, potatoes or rice. Johnnycakes are singed scones arranged with brace fish from Canada and Norway, which are well known in Aruba. Likewise well known are stews of hamburger, chicken, and goat, with elements of a cucumber called concomber and rice with dark beans. Stuffed cheddar, called keeshi yena, is a customary Aruban dish going back to the times of the Dutch West India Company. It was initially made by emptying out the round Dutch cheeses and stuffing them with a blend of chicken, vegetables, and flavors. Increasingly present day plans incorporate raisins, ground cheddar, breadcrumbs, olives, escapades, and gherkins, and hamburger, fish or shrimp is at times utilized in lieu of chicken. Frequently eaten instead of bread is an ornmeal pudding like polenta. Slaves carried this formula to the Caribbean from West Africa. Dishes of Asian birthplace, for example, the Nasi Goreng and rijstaffel of Indonesia and the Chinese vegetables bok choy and snow peas, are remembered for Aruban menus. Treats in Aruba are rich and sweet. Dark cake, or bolo preto, is the Antillean rum and cognac-drenched delicacy of decision at Family occasions, for example, weddings and birthday events. It takes a little while to get ready before decorated with white icing and sprinkled with silver treats balls. Other most loved Aruban pastries are sweet and beautiful cakes and gelatins. The individuals of Aruba are overwhelmingly Christian. Roman Catholics make up the dominant part with 82 percent of the populace, while Protestants are second with eight percent. Different religions present on the island incorporate Judaism, Muslim, Hindu and Confucian. There are a few places of worship on the island that have become vacation spots for their artifact and excellence. The Santa Anna Church in Noord was worked somewhere in the range of 1914 and 1919. The neo-gothic wood-cut raised area was etched by Hendrik van der Geld of the Netherlands and the recolored glass windows were made in 1932 by Wilhelm Derix of Germany. Worked in 1877, the parsonage of this congregation is the most seasoned in Aruba. Our Lady of Alto Vista is situated on a high plain close to the north coast. It is an interesting, basically built sanctuary, which had an away from of moving toward privateer ships from the north. The first structure was worked of stone and wood in 1750 and the antique Spanish cross is the most seasoned show-stopper in the Netherlands Antilles, aside from Indian Artifacts. Carnaval, Aruba’s most energizing festival, is gone before by long stretches of festivity, marches, decisions, challenges, and gatherings. Numerous schools, business’s and associations spruce up in expand ensembles to vie for pined for titles. Toward the start of the festival, Aruba’s Prime priest emblematically moves order of the nation to the ruler of Carnaval. Tivoli, Aruba’s most established social club, has created an astonishing evening lighting march for this occasion. The Grand Carnaval Parade in San Nicolas starts in the night and goes on until first light, and the Oranges touch march happens that following day, making for a debilitating end of the week for celebratory Arubans. The consuming of King Momo, a real existence size model, denotes the nd of Carnaval at 12 PM on Shrove Tuesday, before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Focal figures in Carnaval legend are the delightful sovereign and the ruler, who is the definitive figure controlling the procession and later reestablishing request with his sidekick, pancho. Music is a vital component at Carnaval and most mainstream are the Cari bbean beats of Tumba and Calypso. The sources of Carnaval are discovered a great many years back. The work is gotten from the Latin carne vale, which means goodbye to tissue, implying when numerous Christians surrendered meat and different penances. The most effective method to refer to Culture in Aruba, Papers

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Cry, the Beloved Country

Cry, the Beloved Country Cry, the Beloved Country Home›Literary Analysis Posts›Cry, the Beloved Country Literary Analysis PostsIntroductionThe theme of gender inequality is evident in this novel. It features various women demonstrating the role of women in this particular society. Women like Mrs. Kumalo and Mrs. Lithebe highlight the subservient role of women to men. They try to serve everybody around them. They suffer in silent. We also have nameless woman from Johannesburg illustrating the same role. Gertrude and the girl (Absalom’s wife) fall prey to abuse traps and turn into prostitution for survival. Some fall prey of misuse by boyfriends who impregnate and leave them. These abuse occurs because women have limited rights and means to control and take care of themselves.Role women play in the novel cry the beloved country. First, women are used to show the nature of life in Johannesburg. This is demonstrated by Gertrude, who goes to the city and turns into a prostitute and an alcoholic. She works as a liquor seller and has she has many husbands”. (Paton A. Cry, The Beloved Country, Chapter. 5) as stated by Msimangu. The girl also goes to the city and gets impregnated after which she returns to Ixopo.  This is also highlighted by the woman who was knocked on a man’s door after she was assaulted and raped. Second, women also play the role of serving men. After Gertrude joins the family, she helps Mrs Lithebe in house chores. Women have also been used to plays roles where kindness needs to be derived.The pregnant girl still wants to marry Absalom even after she well knows that Absalom impregnated and left her also she knows that Absalom is a killer. We also find Mrs. Lithebe being very kind to Kumalo and Gertrude. She finds a buyer for Gertrude’s table and chairs. Mrs. Della is also very kind in directing Kumalo on where to find Absalom. She also accommodates the girl from Pimvle into her house. As quoted “…prepares to bring the girl to a happier place than she has e ver known.” (Paton, A. Cry, The Beloved Country, chapter 16). She allowed Absalom to stay in her place because he didn’t have any other place to go.How the injustices they face affect them. There are various injustices being done to women. First, Gertrude was forced to move to the city with her child when her husband, Absalom, left for mining work and never returned when the job was over. This made her get into alcoholism and prostitution. It also led to the death of her baby and being imprisoned severally for theft allegiance. [T]hey go to Johannesburg, and there they are lost, and no one hears of them at all. (Paton A. Cry, The Beloved Country, Chapter. 2). We also find a man Masimangu telling a story about how a white woman who was knocked down near a mans door after being assaulted and raped. More so, the girl impregnated by Absalom has been married twice before and her husband’s caught for crimes. Now she also is imprisoned.Women are also suffering silently. Gertrude does not want to speak to Stephen about her problems; she prefers discussing them with Mrs. Lithebe  Do they suffer from the same injustices that men do?Women and men are suffering from different injustices. Women are suffering from injustice concerning misuse and abuse by men while men are suffering out of their own predicaments. While Stephen Kumalo is trying to reunite a family as a man, women are getting suffering from completely different injustices. While Absalom is getting imprisoned for allegedly having killed a white man, the girl he impregnated is imprisoned for theft charges.ConclusionIn this context, half of the population in the Johannesburg population comprises women and their roles have hence been integrated into the novel as discussed above. Generally, in this novel, women’s roles have been related directly to serving men or women falling prey to men or women assisting men achieving their objectives. This is demonstrated by women in the novel such as Mrs. Lithebe, and Gertrude among others.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Terms Of Service For [ Websitename.com - 2978 Words

TERMS OF SERVICE FOR [WEBSITENAME.COM] Updated as of February 1, 2016 The following terms and conditions (the Terms of Service) govern your access to and use of the [WEBSITENAME.COM] (Site), any services provided by [INSERT COMPANY NAME] (?Company?) through the Site (Service) and any information, text, graphics, or other materials appearing on the Site or Service (Content). By accessing or using this Site, Content, or Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. We reserve the right to modify these Terms of Service from time to time. If this occurs, we will provide prominent notice of it on [WEBSITENAME.COM]. The revised terms will take effect when they are posted. You acknowledge and agree that if you use the Site†¦show more content†¦If you are at least 13 but not yet 18 years of age: Please have your parents or legal guardian review these Terms of Service with you and discuss any questions you might have. Please have them give you their consent to use the service with both your and their full understanding of these Terms of Ser vice. By using the Services, you are confirming that you and your parent or guardian have joined in this agreement. Parents and Guardians: Please supervise your children s on-line activities. If you do not agree to these Terms of Service, do not let your child use the Services. If you have any further questions about our Services please contact us. If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 13 and believe that he or she is using the Services, please contact us at support@[WEBSITENAME.COM]. Parents and Guardians: please oversee your child s use of the Site. The Site facilitates the private sharing of user-generated-content. However, Company assumes no responsibility for screening, filtering, or monitoring the content that is shared or viewed by its members, some of which may not be appropriate for children under age 18, and which may contain R-rated material, comprise nudity, violence or mature subject matter. Minors parents or guardians shall be solely responsible for overseeing, screening, filtering, and/or monitoring their child s use of the Site and its Services. Company assumes no responsibility for

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Divorce Conflict Hurts Children - 2278 Words

Divorce Conflict Hurts Children Christina Henderson DeVry University Divorce Conflict Hurts Children Six year old Olivia stands alone in front of her bedroom window, silent tears streaming down her tiny face. She watches her father put his suitcase in his car and drive away. She does not know what divorce is, but she does know on some internal level, that her life will never be the same. Olivia is right; divorce is a watershed event in the life of a child. Life following a divorce is dramatically changed from how life was before. The purpose of this proposal is to convince divorced parents to stop engaging in hostility and conflict with their ex-wives and ex-husbands so the children do not continue to suffer more. Divorce is†¦show more content†¦It â€Å"consumes social capital and weakens the social fabric† (p. 715). The economic impact of divorce is evidenced in an analysis of income patterns from 1994. It shows that married-parent households, with only a high school diploma, have a median income that is 10 percent higher than college-educated single-parent househo lds (Whitehead, 2013, p. 715). This statistic clearly shows how children from divorced households are less well-off. The parents’ time and money is now split between two households and two sets of bills. Marriage creates stability, emotionally and socially for a child. According to Dr. Pickhardt, a psychologist and author of 15 parenting books, a child’s social life is primarily found in his or her family. A child depends fully on his or her parents, and after a divorce a child loses trust in dependency since the parents are now behaving in an undependable way. The child is now divided between two different households and shuttled back and forth. This creates unfamiliarity, instability, and insecurity. The child can never be with one parent without being apart from, and missing, the other parent (Pickhardt, 2011, para. 6). Rosalind Sedacca, CCT, is a divorce and parenting coach and the founder of the Child-CenteredShow MoreRelatedHow Divorce Affects Children1359 Words   |  6 PagesHow Divorce Affects Children When a person starts considering marriage, that person is looking for the marriage to last for a life time. That person thinks that they have found their soulmate in life, the person they want to spend eternity with. Maybe one day start a family with and start a life of their own together. What someone thinks is the perfect marriage or perfect relationship for them could turn out to be the exact opposite. What they thought was a nice a person turned out to be an abuserRead MoreDivorces Have Negative Effects on Children Essay1050 Words   |  5 Pages In our nation divorce is a big part of life. Divorce is the legal dissolution of marriage or the termination of an existing relationship or union. Divorce starts with two adults but always ends up impacting the children in the biggest way. Sons and daughters of divorce often feel confused and abandoned, lose their family structure, and experience identity crisis. Many parents never bother to think of how divorce will affect their children. Children are impacted by divorce in multiple ways.Read More Children and How They are Affected by Divorce Essay1269 Words   |  6 PagesChildren and How They are Affected by Divorce   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In years past, the American Dream for most young girls’ is to grow up and be married to Prince Charming and to â€Å"Live Happily Ever After!† Although this may be expected - it is rarely fulfilled. Marriage is the legal and binding union between a man and woman. Yet when couples marry, they vow to stay by their partner’s side ‘till death do us part.’ Currently that vow seems to have little or no value in today’s society. The current statisticsRead MoreIf I Was In A Rocky Marriage, Would I Stay In The Marriage1372 Words   |  6 PagesIf I was in a rocky marriage, would I stay in the marriage for the sake of my children or would I get a divorce? Divorce isn’t ideal for anyone. No one wants to think that the person they vowed to forever love and always be with through thick and thin would ever want, let alone consider a divorce. No one wants this! But in certain situations, what would you consider is the best option, especially if the kids were involved? Divorcing is probably the toughest decision for any marriage. The parentsRead MoreNegative Effects Of Divorce1475 Words   |  6 PagesDivorce is the termination of a marriage or marital union, the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, Divorce occurs after a husband and wife decide not to live together anymore and they do not want to marry one another. They agree to sign legal documents that allow them to marry other people if they so wish. Divorce is a problem that is increasing every year. It also affects our society, which most countries face. Divorce causes many negative effects, someRead MoreDivorce : A Major Sociological Issue1080 Words   |  5 PagesRebecca Eron Mrs. Small Social Issue paper 21 November 2014 Divorce Problem Statement: Divorce is a major sociological issue. Divorce rates continue to rise annually and more and more the definition of ‘family’ begins to change. Around 40% of marriages ended in divorce in 2004 (West). This is an epidemic that at one point shocked many People. While, divorce use to be socially and for many, religiously unacceptable it is becoming more and more a social norm. Even though it is becoming more commonRead MoreDivorce Where Children Are Involved Essay1561 Words   |  7 PagesDivorce has become a major part of our society and affects many people every year. In some instances of divorce, families have been torn apart leaving children stuck in the middle of conflict. This is where children start lashing out at their parents and everyone around them and it is because they are hurt and out of their comfort zone. One cannot forget about the children that divorce affects in a negative way. However, this is not always the case. There are children of divorce that g et throughRead MoreThe Negative Effects of Divorce689 Words   |  3 PagesWith approximately 876,000 divorces per year in the United States alone, many people today are bringing up the controversial topic: should divorces be made harder to obtain? Many people think that it would be best if families stayed together, while others believe that an unhappy marriage is useless, and the dissolution of the marriage is the best choice. However, with current laws being the way they are, the process of getting a divorce is too simple, which is why people tend to opt out of theirRead MoreDivorce is not an exception anymore. In fact, with the rate of marriage decreasing over the past1200 Words   |  5 PagesDivorce is not an exception anymore. In fact, with the rate of marriage decreasing over the past decade, and the divorce rate remaining steady, we are likely to know more people who are divorced than those who are legally bound. During this semester we read four novels. Divorce was a common theme in all of them. Only a few generations ago, American culture rejected divorce as scandalous. Today, law, behavior, and culture embrace and even celebrate it. It got me to wondering about the children ofRead MoreWhy A Good Divorce Is Better Than A Bad Marriage For Kids1747 Words   |  7 Pagesa Good Divorce Is Better Than a Bad Marriage for Kids†concurs when she notes ,†If you stay married for the sake of your children, you expose them to daily arguments, negative undercurrents, shouting, possible violence, and an atmosphere that is in no way calm and peaceful. This has a huge impact on your child† (Sember). In other words, she asserts that the children are exposed to negative conflict from their parent’s. The children will be affected if they stay together. Even though divorce provides

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Twilight Saga 4 Breaking Dawn 17. What Do I Look Like … Free Essays

17. What Do I Look Like? The Wizard Of Oz? You Need A Brain? You Need A Heart? Go Ahead.Take Mine. We will write a custom essay sample on The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 17. What Do I Look Like? †¦ or any similar topic only for you Order Now Take Everything I Have. HEART? GO AHEAD. TAKE MINE. TAKE EVERYTHING I HAVE. I sort of had a plan as I ran to the Cullens’ garage. The second part of it was totaling the bloodsucker’s car on my way back. So I was at a loss when I mashed the button on the keyless remote, and it was not his Volvo that beeped and flashed its lights for me. It was another car – a standout even in the long line of vehicles that were mostly all drool-worthy in their own ways. Did he actually mean to give me the keys to an Aston Martin Vanquish, or was that an accident? I didn’t pause to think about it, or if this would change that second part of my plan. I just threw myself into the silky leather seat and cranked the engine while my knees were still crunched up under the steering wheel. The sound of the motor’s purr might have made me moan another day, but right now it was all I could do to concentrate enough to put it in drive. I found the seat release and shoved myself back as my foot rammed the pedal down. The car felt almost airborne as it leaped forward. It only took seconds to race through the tight, winding drive. The car responded to me like my thoughts were steering rather than my hands. As I blew out of the green tunnel and onto the highway, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Leah’s gray face peering uneasily through the ferns. For half a second, I wondered what she’d think, and then I realized that I didn’t care. I turned south, because I had no patience today for ferries or traffic or anything else that meant I might have to lift my foot off the pedal. In a sick way, it was my lucky day. If by lucky you meant taking a well-traveled highway at two hundred without so much as seeing one cop, even in the thirty-mile-an-hour speed-trap towns. What a letdown. A little chase action might have been nice, not to mention that the license plate info would bring the heat down on the leech. Sure, he’d buy his way out of it, but it might have been just a little inconvenient for him. The only sign of surveillance i came across was just a hint of dark brown fur flitting through the woods, running parallel to me for a few miles on the south side of Forks. Quil, it looked like. He must have seen me, too, because he disappeared after a minute without raising an alarm. Again, I almost wondered what his story would be before I remembered that I didn’t care. I raced around the long U-shaped highway, heading for the biggest city I could find. That was the first part of my plan. It seemed to take forever, probably because I was still on the razor blades, but it actually didn’t even take two hours before I was driving north into the undefined sprawl that was part Tacoma and part Seattle. I slowed down then, because I really wasn’t trying to kill any innocent bystanders. This was a stupid plan. It wasn’t going to work. But, as I’d searched my head for any way at all to get away from the pain, what Leah’d said today had popped in there. That would go away, you know, if you imprinted. You wouldn’t have to hurt over her anymore. Seemed like maybe getting your choices taken away from you wasn’t the very worst thing in the world. Maybe feeling like this was the very worst thing in the world. But I’d seen all the girls in La Push and up on the Makah rez and in Forks. I needed a wider hunting range. So how do you look for a random soul mate in a crowd? Well, first, I needed a crowd. So I tooled around, looking for a likely spot. I passed a couple of malls, which probably would’ve been pretty good places to find girls my age, but I couldn’t make myself stop. Did I want to imprint on some girl who hung out in a mall all day? I kept going north, and it got more and more crowded. Eventually, I found a big park full of kids and families and skateboards and bikes and kites and picnics and the whole bit. I hadn’t noticed till now – it was a nice day. Sun and all that. People were out celebrating the blue sky. I parked across two handicapped spots – just begging for a ticket – and joined the crowd. I walked around for what felt like hours. Long enough that the sun changed sides in the sky. I stared into the face of every girl who passed anywhere near me, making myself really look, noticing who was pretty and who had blue eyes and who looked good in braces and who had way too much makeup on. I tried to find something interesting about each face, so that I would know for sure that I’d really tried. Things like: This one had a really straight nose; that one should pull her hair out of her eyes; this one could do lipstick ads if the rest of her face was as perfect as her mouth___ Sometimes they stared back. Sometimes they looked scared – like they were thinking, Who is this big freak glaring at me? Sometimes I thought they looked kind of interested, but maybe that was just my ego running wild. Either way, nothing. Even when I met the eyes of the girl who was – no contest – the hottest girl in the park and probably in the city, and she stared right back with a speculation that looked like interest, I felt nothing. Just the same desperate drive to find a way out of the pain. As time went on, I started noticing all the wrong things. Bella things. This one’s hair was the same color. That one’s eyes were sort of shaped the same. This one’s cheekbones cut across her face in just the same way. That one had the same little crease between her eyes – which made me wonder what she was worrying about___ That was when I gave up. Because it was beyond stupid to think that I had picked exactly the right place and time and I was going to simply walk into my soul mate just because I was so desperate to. It wouldn’t make sense to find her here, anyway. If Sam was right, the best place to find my genetic match would be in La Push. And, clearly, no one there fit the bill. If Billy was right, then who knew? What made for a stronger wolf? I wandered back to the car and then slumped against the hood and played with the keys. Maybe I was what Leah thought she was. Some kind of dead end that shouldn’t be passed on to another generation. Or maybe it was just that my life was a big, cruel joke, and there was no escape from the punch line. â€Å"Hey, you okay? Hello? You there, with the stolen car.† It took me a second to realize that the voice was talking to me, and then another second to decide to raise my head. A familiar-looking girl was staring at me, her expression kind of anxious. I knew why I recognized her face – I’d already catalogued this one. Light red-gold hair, fair skin, a few gold-colored freckles sprinkled across her cheeks and nose, and eyes the color of cinnamon. â€Å"If you’re feeling that remorseful over boosting the car,† she said, smiling so that a dimple popped out in her chin, â€Å"you could always turn yourself in.† â€Å"It’s borrowed, not stolen,† I snapped. My voice sounded horrible – like I’d been crying or something. Embarrassing. â€Å"Sure, thatW hold up in court.† I glowered. â€Å"You need something?† â€Å"Not really. I was kidding about the car, you know. It’s just that†¦ you look really upset about something. Oh, hey, I’m Lizzie.† She held out her hand. I looked at it until she let it fall. â€Å"Anyway†¦,† she said awkwardly, â€Å"I was just wondering if I could help. Seemed like you were looking for someone before.† She gestured toward the park and shrugged. â€Å"Yeah.† She waited. I sighed. â€Å"I don’t need any help. She’s not here.† â€Å"Oh. Sorry.† â€Å"Me, too,† I muttered. I looked at the girl again. Lizzie. She was pretty. Nice enough to try to help a grouchy stranger who must seem nuts. Why couldn’t she be the one? Why did everything have to be so freaking complicated? Nice girl, pretty, and sort of funny. Why not? â€Å"This is a beautiful car,† she said. â€Å"It’s really a shame they’re not making them anymore. I mean, the Vantage’s body styling is gorgeous, too, but there’s just something about the Vanquish___† Nice girl who knew cars. Wow. I stared at her face harder, wishing I knew how to make it work. C’mon, Jake – imprint already. â€Å"How’s it drive?† she asked. â€Å"Like you wouldn’t believe,† I told her. She grinned her one-dimple smile, clearly pleased to have dragged a halfway civil response out of me, and I gave her a reluctant smile back. But her smile did nothing about the sharp, cutting blades that raked up and down my body. No matter how much I wanted it to, my life was not going to come together like that. I wasn’t in that healthier place where Leah was headed. I wasn’t going to be able to fall in love like a normal person. Not when I was bleeding over someone else. Maybe – if it was ten years from now and Bella’s heart was long dead and I’d hauled myself through the whole grieving process and come out in one piece again – maybe then I could offer Lizzie a ride in a fast car and talk makes and models and get to know something about her and see if I liked her as a person. But that wasn’t going to happen now. Magic wasn’t going to save me. I was just going to have to take the torture like a man. Suck it up. Lizzie waited, maybe hoping I was going to offer her that ride. Or maybe not. â€Å"I’d better get this car back to the guy I borrowed it from,† I muttered. She smiled again. â€Å"Glad to hear you’re going straight.† â€Å"Yeah, you convinced me.† She watched me get in the car, still sort of concerned. I probably looked like someone who was about to drive off a cliff. Which maybe I would’ve, if that kind of move’d work for a werewolf. She waved once, her eyes trailing after the car. At first, I drove more sanely on the way back. I wasn’t in a rush. I didn’t want to go where I was going. Back to that house, back to that forest. Back to the pain I’d run from. Back to being absolutely alone with it. Okay, that was melodramatic. I wouldn’t be all alone, but that was a bad thing. Leah and Seth would have to suffer with me. I was glad Seth wouldn’t have to suffer long. Kid didn’t deserve to have his peace of mind ruined. Leah didn’t, either, but at least it was something she understood. Nothing new about pain for Leah. I sighed big as I thought about what Leah wanted from me, because I knew now that she was going to get it. I was still pissed at her, but I couldn’t ignore the fact that i could make her life easier. And – now that I knew her better – I thought she would probably do this for me, if our positions were reversed. It would be interesting, at the very least, and strange, too, to have Leah as a companion – as a friend. We were going to get under each other’s skin a lot, that was for sure. She wouldn’t be one to let me wallow, but I thought that was a good thing. I’d probably need someone to kick my butt now and then. But when it came right down to it, she was really the only friend who had any chance of understanding what I was going through now. I thought of the hunt this morning, and how close our minds had been for that one moment in time. It hadn’t been a bad thing. Different. A little scary, a little awkward. But also nice in a weird way. I didn’t have to be all alone. And I knew Leah was strong enough to face with me the months that were coming. Months and years. It made me tired to think about it. I felt like I was staring out across an ocean that I was going to have to swim from shore to shore before I could rest again. So much time coming, and then so little time before it started. Before I was flung into that ocean. Three and a half more days, and here I was, wasting that little bit of time I had. I started driving too fast again. I saw Sam and Jared, one on either side of the road like sentinels, as I raced up the road toward Forks. They were well hidden in the thick branches, but I was expecting them, and I knew what to look for. I nodded as I blew past them, not bothering to wonder what they made of my day trip. I nodded to Leah and Seth, too, as I cruised up the Cullens’ driveway. It was starting to get dark, and the clouds were thick on this side of the sound, but I saw their eyes glitter in the glow of the headlights. I would explain to them later. There’d be plenty of time for that. It was a surprise to find Edward waiting for me in the garage. I hadn’t seen him away from Bella in days. I could tell from his face that nothing bad had happened to her. In fact, he looked more peaceful than before. My stomach tightened as I remembered where that peace came from. It was too bad that – with all my brooding – I’d forgotten to wreck the car. Oh well. I probably wouldn’t have been able to stand hurting this car, anyway. Maybe he’d guessed as much, and that’s why he’d lent it to me in the first place. â€Å"A few things, Jacob,† he said as soon as I cut the engine. I took a deep breath and held it for a minute. Then, slowly, I got out of the car and threw the keys to him. â€Å"Thanks for the loan,† I said sourly. Apparently, it would have to be repaid. â€Å"What do you want now?† â€Å"Firstly†¦ I know how averse you are to using your authority with your pack, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I blinked, astonished that he would even dream of starting in on this one. â€Å"What?† â€Å"If you can’t or won’t control Leah, then I – â€Å" â€Å"Leah?† I interrupted, speaking through my teeth. â€Å"What happened?† Edward’s face was hard. â€Å"She came up to see why you’d left so abruptly. I tried to explain. I suppose it might not have come out right.† â€Å"What did she do?† â€Å"She phased to her human form and – â€Å" â€Å"Really?† I interrupted again, shocked this time. I couldn’t process that. Leah letting her guard down right in the mouth of the enemy’s lair? â€Å"She wanted to†¦ speak to Bella.† â€Å"To Bella?† Edward got all hissy then. â€Å"I won’t let Bella be upset like that again. I don’t care how justified Leah thinks she is! I didn’t hurt her – of course I wouldn’t – but I’ll throw her out of the house if it happens again. I’ll launch her right across the river – â€Å" â€Å"Hold on. What did she say?† None of this was making any sense. Edward took a deep breath, composing himself. â€Å"Leah was unnecessarily harsh. I’m not going to pretend that I understand why Bella is unable to let go of you, but I do know that she does not behave this way to hurt you. She suffers a great deal over the pain she’s inflicting on you, and on me, by asking you to stay. What Leah said was uncalled for. Bella’s been crying – â€Å" â€Å"Wait – Leah was yelling at Bella about me?† He nodded one sharp nod. â€Å"You were quite vehemently championed.† Whoa. â€Å"I didn’t ask her to do that.† â€Å"I know.† I rolled my eyes. Of course he knew. He knew everything. But that was really something about Leah. Who would have believed it? Leah walking into the bloodsuckers’ place human to complain about how /was being treated. â€Å"I can’t promise to control Leah,† I told him. â€Å"I won’t do that. But I’ll talk to her, okay? And I don’t think there’ll be a repeat. Leah’s not one to hold back, so she probably got it all off her chest today.† â€Å"I would say so.† â€Å"Anyway, I’ll talk to Bella about it, too. She doesn’t need to feel bad. This one’s on me.† â€Å"I already told her that.† â€Å"Of course you did. Is she okay?† â€Å"She’s sleeping now. Rose is with her.† So the psycho was â€Å"Rose† now. He’d completely crossed over to the dark side. He ignored that thought, continuing with a more complete answer to my question. â€Å"She’s†¦ better in some ways. Aside from Leah’s tirade and the resulting guilt.† Better. Because Edward was hearing the monster and everything was all lovey-dovey now. Fantastic. â€Å"It’s a bit more than that,† he murmured. â€Å"Now that I can make out the child’s thoughts, it’s apparent that he or she has remarkably developed mental facilities. He can understand us, to an extent.† My mouth fell open. â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Yes. He seems to have a vague sense of what hurts her now. He’s trying to avoid that, as much as possible. He†¦ loves her. Already.† I stared at Edward, feeling sort of like my eyes might pop out of their sockets. Underneath that disbelief, I could see right away that this was the critical factor. This was what had changed Edward – that the monster had convinced him of this love. He couldn’t hate what loved Bella. It was probably why he couldn’t hate me, either. There was a big difference, though. I wasn’t killing her. Edward went on, acting like he hadn’t heard all that. â€Å"The progress, I believe, is more than we’d judged. When Carlisle returns – â€Å" â€Å"They’re not back?† I cut in sharply. I thought of Sam and Jared, watching the road. Would they get curious as to what was going on? â€Å"Alice and Jasper are. Carlisle sent all the blood he was able to acquire, but it wasn’t as much as he was hoping for – Bella will use up this supply in another day the way her appetite has grown. Carlisle stayed to try another source. I don’t think that’s necessary now, but he wants to be covered for any eventuality.† â€Å"Why isn’t it necessary? If she needs more?† I could tell he was watching and listening to my reaction carefully as he explained. Tm trying to persuade Carlisle to deliver the baby as soon as he is back.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"The child seems to be attempting to avoid rough movements, but it’s difficult. He’s become too big. It’s madness to wait, when he’s clearly developed beyond what Carlisle had guessed. Bella’s too fragile to delay.† I kept getting my legs knocked out from under me. First, counting on Edward’s hatred of the thing so much. Now, I’d realized that I thought of those four days as a sure thing. I’d banked on them. The endless ocean of grief that waited stretched out before me. I tried to catch my breath. Edward waited. I stared at his face while I recovered, recognizing another change there. â€Å"You think she’s going to make it,† I whispered. â€Å"Yes. That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about.† I couldn’t say anything. After a minute, he went on. â€Å"Yes,† he said again. â€Å"Waiting, as we have been, for the child to be ready, that was insanely dangerous. At any moment it could have been too late. But if we’re proactive about this, if we act quickly, I see no reason why it should not go well. Knowing the child’s mind is unbelievably helpful. Thankfully, Bella and Rose agree with me. Now that I’ve convinced them it’s safe for the child if we proceed, there’s nothing to keep this from working.† â€Å"When will Carlisle be back?† I asked, still whispering. I hadn’t got my breath back yet. â€Å"By noon tomorrow.† My knees buckled. I had to grab the car to hold myself up. Edward reached out like he was offering support, but then he thought better of it and dropped his hands. â€Å"I’m sorry,† he whispered. â€Å"I am truly sorry for the pain this causes you, Jacob. Though you hate me, I must admit that I don’t feel the same about you. I think of you as a†¦ a brother in many ways. A comrade in arms, at the very least. I regret your suffering more than you realize. But Bella is going to survive† – when he said that his voice was fierce, even violent – â€Å"and I know that’s what really matters to you.† He was probably right. It was hard to tell. My head was spinning. â€Å"So I hate to do this now, while you’re already dealing with too much, but, clearly, there is little time. I have to ask you for something – to beg, if I must.† â€Å"I don’t have anything left,† I choked out. He lifted his hand again, as if to put it on my shoulder, but then let it drop like before and sighed. â€Å"I know how much you have given,† he said quietly. â€Å"But this is something you do have, and only you. I’m asking this of the true Alpha, Jacob. I’m asking this of Ephraim’s heir.† I was way past being able to respond. â€Å"I want your permission to deviate from what we agreed to in our treaty with Ephraim. I want you to grant us an exception. I want your permission to save her life. You know 111 do it anyway, but I don’t want to break faith with you if there is any way to avoid it. We never intended to go back on our word, and we don’t do it lightly now. I want your understanding, Jacob, because you know exactly why we do this. I want the alliance between our families to survive when this is over.† I tried to swallow. Sam, I thought. It’s Sam you want. â€Å"No. Sam’s authority is assumed. It belongs to you. You’ll never take it from him, but no one can rightfully agree to what I’m asking except for you† It’s not my decision. â€Å"It is, Jacob, and you know it. Your word on this will condemn us or absolve us. Only you can give this to me.† can’t think. I don’t know. â€Å"We don’t have much time.† He glanced back toward the house. No, there was no time. My few days had become a few hours. don’t know. Let me think. Just give me a minute here, okay? â€Å"Yes.† I started walking to the house, and he followed. Crazy how easy it was, walking through the dark with a vampire right beside me. It didn’t feel unsafe, or even uncomfortable, really. It felt like walking next to anybody. Well, anybody who smelled bad. There was a movement in the brush at the edge of the big lawn, and then a low whimper. Seth shrugged through the ferns and loped over to us. â€Å"Hey, kid,† I muttered. He dipped his head, and I patted his shoulder. â€Å"S’all cool,† I lied. â€Å"I’ll tell you about it later. Sorry to take off on you like that.† He grinned at me. â€Å"Hey, tell your sister to back off now, okay? Enough.† Seth nodded once. I shoved against his shoulder this time. â€Å"Get back to work. I’ll spell you in a bit.† Seth leaned against me, shoving back, and then he galloped into the trees. â€Å"He has one of the purest, sincerest, kindest minds I’ve ever heard,† Edward murmured when he was outof sight. â€Å"You’re lucky to have his thoughts to share.† â€Å"I know that,†! grunted. We started toward the house, and both of our heads snapped up when we heard the sound of someone sucking through a straw. Edward was in a hurry then.He darted up the porch stairs and was gone. â€Å"Bella, love, Ithought you were sleeping,† I heard him say. â€Å"I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have left.† â€Å"Don’t worry. Ijust got so thirsty – it woke me up.It’s a good thing Carlisle is bringing more. This kid is going to need it when he gets out of me.† â€Å"True. That’s a good point.† â€Å"I wonder if he’ll want anything else,† she mused. â€Å"I suppose we’ll find out.† I walked through the door. Alice said, â€Å"Finally,† and Bella’s eyes flashed to me. That infuriating, irresistible smile broke across her face for one second. Then it faltered, and her face fell. Her lips puckered, like she was trying not to cry. I wanted to punch Leah right in her stupid mouth. â€Å"Hey, Bells,† Isaid quickly. â€Å"How ya doing?† â€Å"I’m fine,† she said. â€Å"Big day today, huh? Lots of new stuff.† â€Å"You don’t have to do that, Jacob.† â€Å"Don’t know what you’re talking about,† I said, going to sit on the arm of the sofa by her head. Edward had the floor there already. She gave me a reproachful look. â€Å"I’m so s – † she started to say. I pinched her lips together between my thumb and finger. â€Å"Jake,† she mumbled, trying to pull my hand away. Her attempt was so weak it was hard to believe that she was really trying. I shook my head. â€Å"You can talk when you’re not being stupid.† â€Å"Fine,I won’t say it,† it sounded like she mumbled. I pulled my hand away. â€Å"Sorry!† she finished quickly, and then grinned. I rolledmy eyes and then smiled back at her. When I stared into her eyes, I saw everything that I’d been looking for in the park. Tomorrow, she’d be someone else. But hopefully alive, and that was what counted, right? She’d look at me with the same eyes, sort of. Smile with the same lips, almost. She’d still know me better than anyone who didn’t havefull access to the inside of my head. Leah might be an interesting companion, maybe even a true friend – someone who would stand up for me. But she wasn’t my best friend the way thatBella was. Aside from the impossible love I felt for Bella, there was also that other bond, and it ran bone deep. Tomorrow, she’d be my enemy. Or she’d be myally. And, apparently, that distinction was up to me. I sighed. Fine!I thought, giving up the very last thing i had to give. It made me feel hollow. Go ahead. Save her. As Ephraim’s heir, you have my permission, my word, that this will not violate the treaty. The others will just have to blame me. You were right – they can’t deny that it’s my right to agree to this. ‘Thank you.† Edward’s whisper was low enough that Bella didn’t hear anything. But the words were so fervent that, from the corner of my eye, I saw the other vampires turning to stare. â€Å"So,†Bella asked, working to be casual. â€Å"How was your day?† â€Å"Great. Went for a drive. Hung out in the park.† â€Å"Sounds nice.† â€Å"Sure, sure.† Suddenly, she made a face. â€Å"Rose?† she asked. I heard Blondie chuckle. â€Å"Again?† â€Å"I think I’ve drunk two gallons in the last hour,† Bella explained. Edward and I both got out of the way while Rosalie came to lift Bella from the couch and take her to the bathroom. â€Å"Can I walk?† Bella asked. â€Å"My legs are so stiff.† â€Å"Are you sure?† Edward asked. â€Å"Rose’llcatch me if I trip over my feet. Which could happen pretty easily, since I can’t see them.† Rosalie set Bellacarefully on her feet, keeping her hands right atBella’s shoulders. Bella stretched her arms out in front of her, wincing a little. â€Å"That feels good,† she sighed. â€Å"Ugh, but I’m huge.† She really was. Her stomach was its own continent. â€Å"One more day,† she said, and patted her stomach. I couldn’t help the pain that shot through me in a sudden, stabbing burst, but I tried to keep it off my face. I could hide it for one more day, right? â€Å"All righty, then. Whoops – oh, no!† The cup Bella had left on the sofa tumbled to one side, the dark red blood spilling out onto the pale fabric. Automatically, though three other hands beat her there, Bella bent over, reaching out to catch it. There was the strangest, muffled ripping sound from the center of her body. â€Å"Oh!† she gasped. And then she went totally limp, slumping toward the floor. Rosalie caught her in the same instant, before she could fall. Edward was there, too, hands out, the mess on the sofa forgotten. â€Å"Bella?† he asked, and then his eyes unfocused, and panic shot across his features. A half second later,Bella screamed. Itwas not justa scream, it was a blood-curdling shriek of agony. The horrifying sound cut off with a gurgle, and her eyes rolled back into her head. Her body twitched, arched in Rosalie’s arms, and then Bella vomited a fountain of blood. How to cite The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 17. What Do I Look Like? †¦, Essay examples

Sunday, May 3, 2020

The Path to Peace Begins with Me free essay sample

When considering the most influential and inspirational people in the world, Martin Luther King Jr. Indeed comes to mind. Respectably, he is possibly the greatest leader due to his prominent role as a civil rights activist and advocacy for peace. His character embodied the most important qualities such as righteousness, courage, compassion, and virtuousness. Throughout his life, he faced obstacles such as prejudice, racism, and other social challenges. Despite risks and anything stacked against him, he persevered through the hardships and has left an unprecedented mark on the world. Undoubtedly, he earned the Nobel Peace Prize. His work included many movements toward civil rights including boycotts, marches, speeches, and other means of peaceful protest. Notably, his most famous speech I Have a Dream discussed the segregation in America and the need for equality and unity among all citizens. Regardless of all of the hate in the world, he put himself in danger for the better of the world. We will write a custom essay sample on The Path to Peace Begins with Me or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was these ideals and values that have led him to have an everlasting legacy. To practice nonviolent morals and taking a stance for change allowed those alongside him to effectively reach unimaginable heights to be heard. Without their efforts, todays world would not be the same. With Martin Luther Kings extraordinary achievements to revolutionize civil rights, he may serve as an optimal example for those to carry on the journey for combating all injustices. Understanding the difficulties he faced and impact on the world further inspires me to believe in the unobtainable. I would like to challenge myself to always choose peace as an option and carry out the morals Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. has desired and strived for. He alone may not have been able to accomplish all of the work he was able to complete. It was with the help of those who agreed with him to aid in his cause. Therefore, a path to peace should be a common goal for all.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight The Role Of Women Essays

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: The Role of Women Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: The Role of Women In the fourteenth century, chivalry was in decline due to drastic social and economic changes. Although feudalism-along with chivalry-would eventually fall for other reasons, including a decrease in cheap human resources due to a drop in population caused by plague epidemics and the emergence of a mercantile middle class, the Gawain author perceived a loss of religious values as the cause of its decline. Gawain and the Green Knight presents both a support of the old feudal hierarchies and an implicit criticism of changes by recalling chivalry in its idealized state in the court of King Arthur. The women in the story are the poet's primary instruments in this critique and reinforcement of feudalism. The poet uses the contrast between the Virgin Mary with Lady Bertilak's wife to point out the conflict between courtly and spiritual love that he felt had weakened the religious values behind chivalry. The poem warns that a loss of the religious values behind chivalry would lead to its ultimate destruction. Although superficially Sir Gawain and the Green Knight appears to be a romantic celebration of chivalry, it contains wide-ranging serious criticism of the system. The poet is showing Gawain's reliance on chivalry's outside form and substance at the expense of the original values of the Christian religion from which it sprang. The first knights were monastic ones, vowing chastity, poverty and service to God, and undertaking crusades for the good of their faith. The divergence between this early model and the fourteenth century knight came with the rise of courtly love in which the knights were led to their great deeds by devotion to a mistress rather than God. The discrepancy between this and the church's mistrust of women and desires of the flesh is obvious, and the poet uses women in the story to deliver this message. In contrast to reality at the time, women in the story are given great power: Mary, when properly worshiped, gives Gawain his power, Lady Bertilak operates alone in the bedroom and singlehandedly taints the chevalier, and Morgan the Fay instigates the entire plot, wielding enough power. The author is using them as a metaphor for other anti-social forces and dangers outside the control of feudalism and chivalry, drawing upon biblical and classical examples in his audience's minds of where femininity is linked with subversiveness. Lady Bertilak is clearly seen in the Biblical role of the temptress, the Eve who led Adam astray--in Gawain, she represents the traditional female archetypes of courtly love, disobedience, lust and death. Eve's antithesis is the Virgin Mary, who is the only women who achieves motherhood while maintaining her chastity; she represents spiritual love, obedience, chastity, and life That Gawain is Mary's Knight is made clear as he is robed for battle; the pentangle represents the five joys of Mary, and he has "that queen's image / Etched on the inside of his armored shield" (648-649). As long as he is solely focused on his quest for the Green Knight, he derives his prowess and courage from his special relationship with Mary. On his journey to look for the Green Knight he is beset by a number of hardships, and is finally brought to the point of despair. Alone and freezing in the forest, he prays to Mary for shelter and a place to say mass on Christmas Eve. She answers his prayers and leads him to Bertilak's castle; however, his arrival at Bertilak's court throws him into a totally different world. Here, Gawain impresses courtiers of Bertilak's castle with his prowess in the field of courtly love rather than the feats of daring or his upholding of his honor, traits that would draw compliments in Arthur's court. Camelot is portrayed in its youth, long before it too is tainted by Lancelot and courtly love; Arthur is young, "child-like (86)" and the "fine fellowship [of Camelot] was in its fair prime." The analogy is obvious: Arthur's court embodies chivalry's pure roots, where martial exploits were the primary subject of interest, whereas Bertilak's castle represents the low point of the degeneration the poet perceives chivalry to have undergone. The Lady's association with courtly love also ties this aspect of chivalry with degeneration and sin. Immediately upon his arrival in Bertilak's court, the separation between courtly love religion is clear: Gawain at Mass is "in serious mood the whole service through"(940). This serious mood is immediately forgotten with the sight of the Lady, whom he immediately focuses on at the expense of

Friday, March 6, 2020

La Venta Olmec Archaeology site La Venta

La Venta Olmec Archaeology site La Venta The La Venta is an archaeological site in the Mexican State of Tabasco. At the site are the partially excavated ruins of an Olmec city which thrived from approximately 900-400 B.C. before being abandoned and reclaimed by the jungle. La Venta is a very important Olmec site and many interesting and significant artifacts have been found there, including four of the famous Olmec colossal heads. The Olmec Civilization The Ancient Olmec were the first major civilization in Mesoamerica, and as such are considered the parent culture of other societies that came later, including the Maya and Aztec. They were gifted artists and sculptors who are best remembered today for their massive colossal heads. They were also talented engineers and traders. They had a well-developed religion and interpretation of the cosmos, complete with gods and mythology. Their first great city was San Lorenzo, but the city declined and around 900 A.D. the center of Olmec civilization became La Venta. For centuries, La Venta spread Olmec culture and influence throughout Mesoamerica. When La Ventas glory faded and the city declined around 400 B.C., Olmec culture died with it, although a post-Olmec culture thrived at the site of Tres Zapotes. Even once the Olmec were gone, their gods, beliefs and artistic styles survived in other Mesoamerican cultures whose turn for greatness was yet to come. La Venta at its Peak From about 900 to 400 A.D., La Venta was the greatest city in Mesoamerica, far greater than any of its contemporaries. A man-made mountain towered over the ridge at the heart of the city where priests and rulers carried out elaborate ceremonies. Thousands of common Olmec citizens labored tending crops in the fields, catching fish in the rivers or moving great blocks of stone to the Olmec workshops for carving. Skilled sculptors produced colossal heads and thrones weighing many tons as well as finely polished jadeite celts, axe heads, beads and other pretty things. Olmec traders crossed Mesoamerica from Central America to the Valley of Mexico, returning with bright feathers, jadeite from Guatemala, cacao from the Pacific coast and obsidian for weapons, tools and adornments. The city itself covered an area of 200 hectares and its influence spread much further. The Royal Compound La Venta was built on a ridge alongside the Palma River. At the top of the ridge are a series of complexes collectively referred to as the Royal Compound because it is believed that the ruler of La Venta lived there with his family. The royal compound is the most important part of the site and many important objects have been unearthed there. The royal compound - and the city itself - is dominated by Complex C, a man-made mountain built of many tons of earth. It was once pyramidal in shape, but the centuries - and some unwelcome interference from nearby oil operations in the 1960s - have turned Complex C into a shapeless hill. On the northern side is Complex A, a burial ground and important religious area (see below). On the other side, Complex B is a large area where thousands of common Olmecs could gather to witness ceremonies taking place on Complex C. The royal compound is completed by the Stirling Acropolis, a raised platform with two mounds: it is believed that the royal reside nce was once located here. Complex A Complex A is bordered on the south by Complex C and on the north by three massive colossal heads, clearly setting this area aside as a privileged zone for the most important citizens of La Venta. Complex A is the most complete ceremonial center to have survived from Olmec times and the discoveries made there redefined modern knowledge of the Olmec. Complex A was evidently a sacred place where burials took place (five tombs have been found) and people gave gifts to the gods. There are five massive offerings here: deep pits filled with serpentine stones and colored clay before being topped with serpentine mosaics and earthen mounds. Numerous smaller offerings have been found, including a set of figurines known as small dedicatory offering four. Numerous statues and stonecarvings were located here. Scuplture and Art at La Venta La Venta is a treasure trove of Olmec art and sculpture. At least 90 stone monuments have been discovered there including some of the most important pieces of Olmec art. Four colossal heads – out of a total of seventeen known to exist – were discovered here. There are several massive thrones at La Venta: huge blocks of stone brought from many miles away, carved on the sides and meant to be sat or stood upon by rulers or priests. Some of the more important pieces include Monument 13, nicknamed â€Å"the Ambassador,† which may contain some of the earliest glyphs recorded in Mesoamerica and Monument 19, a skillful depiction of a warrior and a feathered serpent. Stela 3 shows two rulers facing one another while 6 figures – spirits? – swirl overhead. Decline of La Venta Ultimately La Ventas influence petered out and the city went into decline around 400 B.C. Eventually the site was abandoned altogether and reclaimed by the jungle: it would remain lost for centuries. Fortunately, the Olmecs covered up much of Complex A with clay and earth before the city was abandoned: this would preserve important objects for discovery in the twentieth century. With the fall of La Venta, Olmec civilization faded as well. It survived somewhat in a post-Olmec phase referred to as the Epi-Olmec: the center of this age was the city of Tres Zapotes. The Olmec people did not all die out: their descendants would return to greatness in the Classic Veracruz culture. Importance La Venta The Olmec culture is very mysterious yet very important for archaeologists and modern-day researchers. It is mysterious because, having disappeared over 2,000 years ago, much information about them has been irrevocably lost. It is important because as the parent culture of Mesoamerica, its influence on the later development of the region is immeasurable. La Venta, along with San Lorenzo, Tres Zapotes and El Manatà ­, is one of the four most important Olmec sites known to exist. The information gleaned from Complex A alone is priceless. Although the site isnt particularly spectacular for tourists and visitors - if you want breathtaking temples and buildings, go to Tikal or Teotihuacn - any archaeologist will tell you its just as important. Sources: Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008 Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004. Gonzalez Tauck, Rebecca B. El Complejo A: La Venta, Tabasco Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). p. 49-54.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Locating Topics of Interests Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Locating Topics of Interests - Research Paper Example This paper will seek to develop eight topics based on virtual project management where it will locate peer-reviewed journals and annotate at least four of them. 2. The Journal of the American Medical Association A review of authors revealed that, conflicts of interests in matters concerning safety of vaccine research seem to have a place for authors withholding CO1s declaration. This journal modified part of its policies to make sure less transparency of CO1s investigations. This appeared so since the ties between the author and the manufacturers of the vaccine are pervasive. A review carried out by authors of vaccine safety articles shone light on this issue and published it on top journals making the claims as well as the ties invasive. In conclusion, this topic puts across that the safety of people should come before instilling experimentations in order to avoid side effects. 3. The scientific journal fall In this topic, the writer gave priority all editorial findings regarding di sputes between a vaccine produced by a particular vaccines manufacturer and the author who published the article. In this sense, professionals such as psychologists took this opportunity to clear any negative issues that could affect their profession. In conclusion, the topic describes the ties between the vaccine manufacturer and the author of the article as pervasive. 4. Virtual project management: The rise of internet The development of the internet and the rise of collaborative software as described in this except instilled a fresh dimension into management of projects. The recent literatures explored in this topic depict evaluation of virtual project management as well as virtual teams have received great influence from different technologies. Furthermore, the extent of development of technologies affect members in dispersed cites with their projects (Dunford, Doyle, & Doyle, 2011). This topic concludes by deducing that, besides the objective that communication channels have br ought about opportunities for members participation, it is still agreeable that it is hard to manage virtual teams than an on-site team. 5. Identification of virtual teams Definitions available in this literature explain that, a virtual project management involves systems whereby virtual teams join forces for a finite length of time with a specific goal. As this topic concludes, it explains that there is truth in the statement made by many that, with technology everything becomes new even it is old. Recently, technology led to enhanced possibility of enabling geographically dispersed employees to work on a similar project. Corporate structure within virtual enterprises and virtual companies weave the same related thread of thoughts into their telecommunication departments (Taylor, 2011). 6. Virtual teams in an organizational system Those promoting the concept of virtual teams assert that these teams are very advantageous. Upon conclusion, this topic makes it clear that, even though there no disputes, most of the literature expounding on such a topic focuses on team networking, and project teams either implicitly or explicitly. 7. Interests of virtual team management As opposed to just mere curiosity, virtual teams have drivers of leading interests in which they attract the best workers

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Norton Lilly International Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Norton Lilly International - Case Study Example The agency's mission is to restore operational efficiency thereby helping to increase its profitability. The company sort to achieve this mission by pursuing growth which would see it double its size (Burton and Gamble 368). In addition, the agency had an objective of ensuring a smooth transition as it was on the verge of being passed over to the next generation of in the family (Burton and Gamble 368). Basically, the company wanted to have a turnaround strategy which would ensure both operational efficiency and profitability. In the first stage of the endeavor to bring about efficiency at the agency required the development of a strategy. The strategy was based on ensuring the company achieves sustainable competitive advantage and could be based on five different perspectives that include; Dominant Industry Economic Features, Five Forces Analysis, Competitive Analysis, SWOT and PESTEL and Financial. Generic strategies may also form the basis for crafting a business strategy. A business can rely on a combination of perspectives or all of them. Based on the dominant industry perspective economic features, Burton first role in developing the strategy was to assess the business to identify the areas that could help the company get a strong foundation for execution (Burton and Gamble 370). Under this approach, core business areas are assessed and addressed given that they support other parts of the company. This is also incongruent with the competitive advantage approach which calls for one to assess the stren gths and maximize them to ensure achieve the mission set out. The crafting of the strategy execution was also based on PESTEL analysis which  postulates that a strategy must assess the social perceptions of the people involved (Goodstein and Burke 5). Consequently, Burton understood that he was bringing change among a group of people who were equally competent and therefore he had to introduce ideas hat could be easily accepted and therefore he chose an incremental approach. The other components of PESTEL require the political, environmental, technological, economic and legal macro-environment within which a business is conducted given that they may affect its growth.

Monday, January 27, 2020

Developing Equality and Transparency

Developing Equality and Transparency Platon School Model United Nations 2014 | 7th –9th March 2014 Forum: Special Political Decolonisation Committee Issue: Promoting good governance and democracy through transparency and equality Student Officer: Anastasios Kardamakis Position: Chair PERSONAL INTRODUCTION Esteemed Delegates, My name is Anastasis Kardamakis and it is an honour to serve as a chairman in the fore coming 4th PS Model United Nations Conference. I am 16 years old and I am currently a student of the second class of the Arsakeio High School of Patras. hope that you will all take particular interest in the issues of the Political committee since they are crucial and affect us today. I would like to endorse personal research on the multiple aspects of the issues and come prepared to the conference acknowledging your countries’ policies as well as current affairs. My final advice will be to come up with creative solutions and have a strong will for participation in all procedures. INTRODUCING TOPIC â€Å"Addressing todays inter-linked challenges requires sound,  forward-looking public policies and transparent, accountable governance  structures that embody solidarity with the poorest and most vulnerable Secretary General Ban Ki-moon â€Å"Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.† Former Secretary General Kofi Annan   The dawn of the 21st century has been marked by the unlimited access to information and international efforts aiming at the protection of human rights and equality of all forms. Both the aforementioned social trends are key aspects of the universally recognized ideal of democracy as well as the so called good governance in the community of nations. Therefore, it is the duty of every national government and a responsibility of the United Nations system to ensure that every governmental activity is transparent and every group has equal rights with the others regardless of their origin, religious beliefs, social status, sex, educational and financial background as ways to promote democracy and good governance. DEFINITION OF KEY-TERMS Governance: the activity of governing a country (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary). Governance is considered  «good to the degree in which a countrys institutions and processes are transparent. Democracy: a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary) Transparency: the fact of being transparent (Longman dictionary of contemporary English). In the context of the state â€Å"transparency† means that the citizens are aware of the plans and actions of the government and its institutions. Equality: the fact of being equal in rights, status, advantages etc ( Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).The equality forms that are associated with the issue are gender,political,religious,racial and legal ones. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Good democratic governance and Equality â€Å"In a democracy there is, first that most splendid of virtues, equality before the Law† Herodotus, ancient Greek historian Equality is a key aspect of democracy and good governance. When the mob revolted in France in 1789, among others, they demanded equal status of all the citizens before the law and human rights .The female movements all over Europe and America in the 19th and 20th centuries called for gender equality and the African people rose their arms against the western colonizers because the wanted to gain their independence and bring an end to the discrimination owing to their origin. These examples from human history confirm how important gender, social, racial and legal equality is for the progress of humanity and the promotion of democratic reforms. When all the citizens of a nation are equal, then all the opinions on collective matters can be heard and therefore the purpose of pluralism is served. Many conventions have been signed and ratified by States aiming at the maintenance of equal rights such as but not limited to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination again st Women (CEDAW),the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Those treaties protect and cordially endorse the aforementioned forms of equality. When women are empowered and able to vote and work, foreign nationals are not afraid to practice their cultural and religious beliefs in public. Everyone is subject to the same laws and their personal freedom is ensured, then the states are able to achieve sustainable development, the economy flourishes and the ties between the members of a society are tight. In essence, these are the characteristics of good governance. So it is apparent to anyone that strengthening equality of every form is a solid way to promote good governance and democracy. Good democratic governance and transparency â€Å"Information is the currency of democracy† Thomas Jefferson, 3rd US President According to the United Nations, democracy and good governance must be characterized by transparency. Transparency and more specifically social transparency is the cornerstone of democratic governance as it enables citizens everywhere to hold institutions and governments accountable for their policies and performance. It is based on a combination of politics and ethics in which the interests and needs are focused in the citizen. When the citizens are fully aware of the implementation of national policies, the work of institutions and the actions of their elected governments, there is trust and better cooperation between individuals and the authorities, the public sector is free of corruption and bribery and the right of every person to know the way his government acts is not being abused. The new technologies allow the continuous flow of information regarding a country’s policies and as a result everyone can be informed about the latest updates. In other words, transparency pr ovides â€Å"a universal rationale for the provision of good records management systems, archives, and financial regulatory and monitoring systems† whilst fighting corruption which hinders the right of knowledge of the society. Last but not least it has to be mentioned that the large movement toward transparency dates back only in 1990s when international organizations such the UN,IMF ( International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank wanted to see democratic practices and stable political Leadership in various Member States. TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT INCIDENTS Events related to equality 1787: United States constitution was the first to include equality before God and Law as the Founding fathers realised that this was a way to promote democracy in the newly founded State. However, this was a premature statement because it lacked basic forms of equality such as racial and gender one and it would take many years to develop as a constitutional idea. 1789: This year the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was signed. Its first article reads â€Å"Men are born and remain free and equal in rights† .This declaration was the foundation of the brief French Republic. Neither the French nor the American revolutions and their philosophical foundations however led to full gender or political equality. It would take many years of revolutions, feminist and anti-discrimination movements as well as wars until equality became a basic concept of legislation. 1948: The United Nations General Assembly adopts the Universal declaration of Human Rights. Its first article reads â€Å"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights†. This phrase is not just important because it stated that any form of discrimination towards an individual is outlaw. It also promoted democracy as most constitutions today include it as their first clause. Many Member States of the UN have signed acts or treaties so as to end inequality. One example is the United Kingdom which in 2010 implemented Equality Act 2010 that aimed at reducing socio-economic inequalities, reforming and harmonising equality law and eradicating differences in pay between male and female employees. Events related to transparency Some extent of transparency existed in the Athenian democracy where there was a system of civilian oversight of public funds and the wealth and incomes of all public figures (including generals), so that they did not benefit from their public positions. In the 18th and 19th centuries with a rise in representative government accountability and transparency became much broader in scope. The U.S. Constitution required the legislative and executive branches to publish laws, regulations, and proceedings. Most western countries though began to adopt domestic legislation for accountability and transparency in the 1950s.In addition to that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has adopted standards and proposes model legislation to govern institutions, such as corporations, nonprofit organizations, and trade unions. The United Kingdom has also enacted comprehensive freedom of information legislation for the public sector. In 1996, the IMF stressed the importance of promoting good governance in all its aspects, including by ensuring the rule of law, improving the efficiency and accountability of the public sector, and tackling corruption, as essential elements of a framework within which economies can prosper. Finally, in 2003 the United Nations adopted the United Nations Convention against corruption (UNCAC) which proposed mechanisms to combat corruption. MAJOR PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE ISSUE Organisations and agencies United Nations: Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the Office of the High Commissioner for the Human Rights (OHCHR), promote human rights, the rule of law, and women’s participation in political life to ensure the access to information by strengthening legislation and media capacities. In particular, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted the resolution A/RES/55/96 which promotes and consolidates democracy. Moreover in 2007 the UN adopted resolution A/RES/61/245 making the organization more transparent. Countries This issue is general and therefore affects all countries both those which need a political transition to democracy and those which are in need of democratic reforms. Countries with non democratic systems: In this category belong states with authoritarian regimes, monarchic, communistic or theocratic ones. In order to exemplify, some of these countries are DPR Korea, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ,the Peoples’ Republic of China ,Kazakhstan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Because of their political system freedom of expression and participation in democratic procedures do not exist. There is no transparency or equality, even legal or gender one which have been deemed fundamental nowadays. United Nations statistics show that in these Member States high levels of corruption especially among high officials and poverty problems have not been eradicated. Democratic Nations: The majority of the modern states fall into this category. However, there is always the prospect of reforms so as to ensure that all governmental actions are transparent and the human rights in terms of equality are not violated. This is because many cases of suspicious illegal governmental actions have been reported among with human rights abuse ones. States have to realize that so as for them to savour the benefits of good governance, fundamental human rights must be respected. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS All delegates are highly encouraged to find their own solutions to this issue after taking into consideration their countries policies. This study guide is purely to help them gain an insight into this political topic but some realistic and possible solutions would be that all Member States ,despite their different views about politics, engage in negotiations for better equality of their citizens and also agree on the establishment of an independent UN agency under the Secretary General whose main responsibility will be to promote transparency by encouraging and consulting governments to publish their decisions on line and in newspapers as well as combat corruption and bribery because both actions undermine good governance. Also, each Member State can open a national-level dialogue with individuals in order to increase participation of all national groups to governance and become more transparent. Finally, Non-Governmental organizations such as Transparency International and Human Ri ghts Watch can assist the Member States’ work by organizing educational campaigns and reporting any case of corruption, lack of accountability and inequality to the United Nations and its relevant agencies. BIBLIOGRAPHY AFRICAN CHARTER ON DEMOCRACY, ELECTIONS AND GOVERNANCE 28 Dec. 2013 http://www.achpr.org/instruments/charter-democracy/ Democracy Web 28 Dec.2013 http://www.democracyweb.org/accountability/history.php UN adopted resolution A/RES/61/245 28 Dec. 2013 http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/issues/resolutions/a-res-61-245.pdf United Nations cyberschoolbus 28 Dec. 2013 https://cyberschoolbus.un.org/briefing/governance/gvprogress.htm United Nations global issues /governance 28 Dec. 2013 http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/governance/ United Nations global issues/ democracy 28 Dec. 2013 http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/democracy/index.shtml Wikipedia / Equality Act 2010 28 Dec.2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equality_Act_2010 Multimedia resources http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoQFKv7SFzA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao0qAoApT1M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV6epYm5h18

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Burn out of social workers in the work place Essay

Social workers are people committed to better the lives of others and this is done through varying capacities. Some work with families, children as well as in school while others work in the medical field especially those dealing with mental health. They assist people to amicably deal with domestic conflicts, disabilities, challenging health conditions, economic problems that precipitate housing problems, unemployment as well as issues like drug and substance abuse. (www. bls. gov). Their role in policy making can also not be underscored given their efforts in conducting research and making relevant recommendations as to the best or appropriate strategies. Social workers are also quite influential in the adoption processes as well as single parent assistance. Medical and public health social workers are committed to offering psychological support to people with life threatening conditions for instance HIV Aids and Alzheimer’s disease patients. Social workers can also work in local authorities as well as in government. In pursuit of making the lives of others worth the while, social workers in their respective fields are faced by many challenges. (www. bls. gov). They have to be in constant movement from their offices to where their clients are located and back to their offices where clerical work is done. Most often than not they experience burn outs while in their work a condition that affects their productivity levels. The focus of this paper is to explain why burn out occurs among the social workers, it will illustrate how it occurs, its effects on the organization and thereafter suggest that appropriate solutions to resolve it. The term ‘burn out’ is used to refer to the process or state of mental exhaustion that has a high impact on one’s productivity. In the book Handbook of human factors and ergonomics in health care and patient safety, Carayon presents some signs and symptoms of burn outs in the work place. Burn outs leads to anxiety and lack of zeal. It causes depression and mental exhaustion, poor concentration and memory as well as increased instances of absenteeism and general poor productivity. (Carayon P, 2006). Burn outs are not good for any profession in any organization. They cause a negative impact on interpersonal communication among the various employees in an organization would definitely have a bad effect on the company’s output. (Azar T, 2000). Burn outs increases people irritability and minor issues are magnified and this can be a source of conflicts among the various employees. The overall effects of burn outs are transferred from the individuals affected to the organization as a whole. Organization risk registering high dissatisfaction levels, increased job turn over as well as low morale. In Carayon’s book burn out is defined as ‘the persistent negative work related state of mind that is characterized by exhaustion which is accompanied by distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness and the development of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors at work’. (Carayon P, 2006). This psychological problem develops gradually and may initially be unnoticed. It arises from the contrast between one’s objectives or intentions and the reality at the job. In most cases burn outs are caused by the adherence of inappropriate or rather inadequate stress coping mechanisms. Prolonged job stress leads to burn outs among the employees in question. Burn outs lead to decreased motivation and creates anti work attitudes. (Carayon P, 2006). Social workers in the various fields experience burn outs while in their work places. This occurs when the organizations they work for fail to meet their high goals and expectations. They feel dissatisfied with their work and this dissatisfaction leads to feeling of disappointment and grief. (Soderfeldt M and Soderfeldt B, 2003). According to a 2006 research it was clear that most social workers are not contented with their work. A high percentage reported high levels of job dissatisfaction and were ready to leave their various organizations. According to them, the value of the work they did was not equivalent to the pay they received. (The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2006). Social workers suffering from burn outs may feel detached with their clients and this will definitely affect their productivity levels. (Takeda F et al, 2005). Although different people will react differently to burn outs some could isolate themselves and have poor eating and sleeping habits. Others may find solace in alcohol or smoking all of which has a negative effect on their health. The relationship between the social workers experiencing burn outs and their clients as well as with fellow workmates is negatively affected by burn out as it triggers anger. (Lewandowski A, 2003). Organizations suffer economically whenever social workers leave due to the burn out problems. They incur the costs of hiring new employees and training them to be effective. This is made worse by the fact that they have the constraint of scarce resources. Organizations or agencies that fail to address the issues presented by their employees in this context the social workers are more likely to register higher incidences of job turnover which translates to increased costs. (Lewandowski A, 2003). A major cause of the increased instances of burn outs among the social workers is attributed to lack or failure by some agencies to involve them in the decision making processes. The lack of autonomy and the increased bureaucratization in their work place makes them feel alienated or isolated. (Lundy C, 2003). The problems to be handled by social workers become difficult by the day and this demands that the organizations adjust with the changing times if amicable solutions are to be arrived at. In her book, Social work and social justice, Lundy explains that social workers have a challenging job. Financial constraint is a major set back hindering their efficiency or productivity. They have to undergo or rather face job related stress as they try to allocate the minimal resources to match the overwhelming demands. The structure of the social welfare delivery, the mandate of the agencies they work for as well as the needs of their clients also lead to increased stress which precipitates burn outs among the social workers. (Lundy C, 2003). Most social workers are in the job due to a call or vocation to help others and the failure to involve them in the decision making process hinders their effective performance. (Kreisher K, 2002). Great control of funding sources also has a negative effect on the level of satisfaction that social workers derive from their work. The reduced commitment by the government to boost the welfare sector has led to the reduction of funds which makes social work a very challenging profession. (Lewandowski A, 2003). Without the autonomy or involvement in the decision making process they are denied the chance to apply their findings or expertise to directly affect their practice. This hinders the effectiveness of various welfare programs and on not realizing their goals they are frustrated and feel helpless. The ineffectiveness of the sector that they work for may have a direct negative impact on the social workers. They may place themselves in the shoes of their clients who could be victims of abuse or violence and live in fear especially with the knowledge of how ineffective the system is. (Kreisher K, 2002). Given the emerging social and economic conditions, the involvement of social workers in the decision making process would be more of a necessity then a requirement. This would ensure that there is effective division of labor and the work load could be minimized. Workload has negative effects on the employees’ health. This can be backed by a 1999 survey by the Canadian Union of Public social workers which established that increased work load among the social workers in the development services in children aids societies had a negative impact on their well being. To a tune of 87% social workers in the various fields confessed that the increased work load had a negative on their health. (Kreisher K, 2002). Work overload precipitates burn outs. With minimal finances at their disposal, agencies or organizations dealing with welfare hire fewer people than would be required a condition that sees the social workers with a large work load at their disposal. The social workers job predisposes them to risks of physical and verbal abuse and threats at work all of which have negative implications on their mental, physical and social well being. It also has an effect on their job satisfaction levels. In the article ‘Burned out’ Kreisher Kristen argues that the poor pay given to social workers dealing with children and the youth, in the face of the tough economic times has a big role to play in boosting ‘burn outs’ among the social workers. Their job demands are increasing while their reward or pay is dwindling and this is a major disincentive for them. There is need for the welfare organizations to adjust the compensation rates to match the difficult economic times. (Kreisher K, 2002). As Lewandowski in Organizational factors contributing to worker frustration: The precursor to burnout notes disappointments among the social workers have also been aggravated by the fact that their roles or responsibilities have changed and are in contrast with their expectations. Instead of spending more time with their clients in the field they spend more time carrying out clerical work. (Lewandowski A, 2003). For the agencies or organizations accountability is of essence as they are under pressure from the financiers to show how their resources are spent. In other words the agencies are more concerned with the number of people served while the social workers are more concerned with the quality of services provided. The social workers pay is at times affected by gender bias where for instance women dealing with children are lowly paid. (Kreisher K, 2002). The burn out problem can be resolved if appropriate strategies are adopted to help the social workers face the challenges in their work effectively. Prevention of burn out can be handled both at an individual level as well as at an organizational level. Social workers can be advised to take well balanced diets, have enough sleep, talk with their workmates and share their challenges as well as create some time away from the stressful conditions. Social networks are vital as they enable one to connect with their friends and make the stress that they face easier to deal with. Identifying hobbies that would ease the work tension and pressure is also an effective way of reducing the effects of burn outs. Of mush significance is the role of organizations in resolving burn outs among the social workers. Organizations must adapt all inclusive strategies where social workers have a significant role in the decision making process. (Azar T, 2000). This makes them feel appreciated for the roles they play in the organizations. To enable social workers better manage the challenges attached to their work it is important that the social work curriculums be modified to train them on the appropriate ways to handle complex situations. Spending more time training would also ensure that they acquire immense knowledge on how to deal with real life situations. Mentorship programs would also suffice in resolving the problem of burn outs. Strong mentorship where older and experienced social workers share their experiences with younger and inexperienced social workers will provide them with adequate knowledge on how to deal with difficulties while in this job. It will reduce their job stress as they will understand that it is part of their job. Mentorship also provides them with relevant solutions to would be problems while in their jobs. Strong supervision is also vital in ensuring that work load problems that cause burn outs are effectively handled. (Kreisher K, 2002). An organization culture is also crucial in creating or reducing burn out in the work place. Positive cultures must be embraced by all means. Organizations with positive cultures go the extra mile to ensure employee retention. They make them feel that they are part of the organization and involve them in the decision making processes. They also provide financial incentives like paid vacations and health benefits. Team work is also embraced in such organizations and it ensures that job stress does not have adverse effects on the employees. Supportive co workers are essential in reducing job related stress. (Kreisher K, 2002). Organizations must also invest in making the work place safe such that the risks of being physically harmed are minimized. They can train the employees on how to deal amicably with incidences of violence. The effects of social workers burn outs on the individuals, clients and on the organizations are not desirable. The organizations must by all means ensure that employees are retained as increased job turn over sees them lose skilled, experienced and dedicated employees. They must therefore be committed to minimize the job stressors in the work environment to curb burn outs. References Azar T. 2000. Preventing burnout in professionals and paraprofessionals who work with child abuse and neglect cases: A cognitive behavioral approach to supervision. Psychotherapy in Practice, 56, 643-663. Colleen Lundy. 2003. Social Work and Social Justice: A Structural Approach to Practice. Broadview Press. Fumi Takeda. Naoko Ibaraki, Eise Yokoyama, Takeo Miyake and Takashi Ohida. 2005. The Relationship of Job Type to Burnout in Social Workers at Social Welfare Offices. Journal of Occupational Health Vol. 47 (2005), No. 2 119-125 Kristen Kreisher. 2002. Burned Out Children’s Voice Article, July/Aug 2002. Retrieved on 12 August 2008 from http://www. cwla. org/articles/cv0207burnedout. htm. Lewandowski A. 2003. Organizational factors contributing to worker frustration: The precursor to burnout. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 4, 175-185. Pascale Carayon. 2006. Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care and Patient Safety. Routledge Publishers. Soderfeldt M and Soderfeldt B. 2003. Burnout in social work. Social Work, 40, 638-647. Social Workers. Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Editions. Retrieved on 12 August 2008 from http://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos060. htm The Royal College of Psychiatrists. 2006. Mental health, burnout and job satisfaction among mental health social workers in England and Wales. The British Journal of Psychiatry (2006) 188: 75-80. doi: 10. 1192/bjp. 188. 1. 75.