Analyse the ways in which sociologist point to the social nature of Essay

Analyse the ways in which sociologist point to the social nature of living with cancer as a teenager - Essay Example This is the moment that human beings use to plan for their future lives and school life. It is also the most vibrant stage in the human lifecycle because teenagers experience major changes in their bodies and they discover who they are i.e. their personality traits, likes and dislikes. Teenagers are also highly active and interactive thereby developing a large social network. However, this is not always the case with teenagers suffering from cancer. The diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer greatly interfere with the activities of this critical growth stage (Wawsczczyk 2005). According to sociologists this is the stage in life where teenagers learn to be independent from their parents and family members thereby focusing more on their future. However, this is not possible for teenagers suffering from cancer because they need utmost support, attention and care from their parents and family members for emotional, psychological and social support. Therefore, such teenagers are taken a step back from discovering their independence, potential, strengths and weaknesses (Kleinman1988). Also the school life, social life and employment are put on hold for an unknown period of time, which is in contrast to what should be happening in their lives. This is because they become isolated from their peers, adults and school; which is an important social setting for a child’s growth. Cancer treatment is too severe for them to concentrate in school work or find lenient jobs that are conducive to their state of health. It is also quite common for insurance companies to cancel insurance policies for such teenagers because they are not in school. Insurance companies demand that all children still living under the care of their parents should be attending school to enjoy the benefits of the life insurance policies taken by their parents (Wawsczczyk 2005). Various surveys and research conducted by sociologists

Men, friendship and companionship in Divine Comedy Essay

Men, friendship and companionship in Divine Comedy - Essay Example He ends his pilgrimage into vision of "the Love which moves the sun and the other stars. (Michael Novak 2003)" The dual allegory of Commedia is the progress of soul toward Heaven, and the anguish of humankind on Earth. Throughout his journey, Dante's relationship with Virgil becomes more distinct as does that of the other characters who occupy the realm. In much of Dante's work, he turns the people who he was directly or indirectly associated with in real life into characters in his work. His feelings towards them can only be understood when observing the interactions between himself and the characters. To understand how these real life characters came to be involved in his epic poem, a little of Dante's history must be explained. Living in Florence, Dante was active in both political and military life. As a youth he entered the army and held several key posts in the Florence government during the 1290's. At this time Florence was politically divided between Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Guelphs supported the church and were conservative, preferring to keep things as they were. The Ghibellines on the other hand supported the German emperor but were relieved of their governance. During this time, the Guelphs whom Dante's family was associated with took the reigns of power. Though born into a Guelph family, Dante believed the church should only involve itself in spiritual affairs and later in life he became more neutral after realizing that the church was corrupt. When the new century dawned, Dante gained position from city councilman to ambassador of Florence. In 1301 when the Black Guelph and their French allies seized control of the city his career ended. The authorities seized Dante's possessions and permane ntly banished him from Florence, threatening the death penalty upon him if he returned. From this sprang some of his misgivings about those in high positions and used their characteristics and 'sins' in his work. It is during his exile that Dante wrote new pieces of literature. Between 1307 and 1314 he began writing The Divine Comedy where Dante introduces his invention of the three-line stanza as well as himself as a character. Dante's epic poem consists of three parts, The Inferno being the first. It depicts the journey of Dante, who himself is the hero, through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. He writes in the first person enabling the reader to identify and understand deeply the truths he wished to share about the meaning of life and man's relationship with the Creator. Dante's vision stems from personal experience and expresses them through images to convey his analysis of the nature of human existence. In the poem, Dante is around about the halfway point through his life and he finds himself wandering alone in a dark forest, having lost his way on the "true path" (Spark Notes 2006). In the first lines of the Divine Comedy, Dante says "In the middle of the journey of our life I came to my senses in a dark forest, for I had lost the straight path. (123Helpme 2005) " This is the typical stereotype of today for when a person becomes "lost" or consumed in sin. The sinful life is a dark life and a sinless life is a bright, white, and pure life. Dante's coming to his senses in a dark forest symbolizes his realizing how "lost" in sin he truly is and realizes he needs to do something. He remembers nothing about how he lost his way, but here he is in a fearful dark place. Above, he notices a

How do the governments of the Communist East and the Capitalist West Essay

How do the governments of the Communist East and the Capitalist West perpetuate the Cold War - Essay Example Yet this perpetuation of the Cold War corresponds to the anticipation and autonomy to those subjugated in the East Germany and, on the other hand, the cruel existence of Communism to the Capitalist West. This particular transitional zone situates Alec Leamas, a spy of Britain coming up for the defection of one of his secret agents. The subjected man emerges over the border and seems to be set to make his 'run away' when, all of a sudden, he is chopped down in a bombardment of gunfires. Leamas is called again to London by his supervisor, Control (Cyril Cusack), anticipating him to be fired from his job. And then Control changes his mind to keep more Leamas in a Cold War. Though, Leamas is immediately started searching for a job and finally he got a tedious librarian job. With his only companion, whisky, for company, Leamas simmers in his own beliefs, buttressing the detestation not in favor of the British Secret Service. Nobody seems able to make a way into his shell (developed over the time when he was a secret agent) even though his associate librarian, Nan Perry, takes a predilection to him. Regrettably, Leamas beats up a storekeeper and finishes up in a lockup. Nan should like him nonetheless, and also the Leamas in return, since she congregates him on his liberation from jail. The interesting thing that took place is that, there is one more there to see his come back and he comes up to him in the park. Claiming to be from an aid organization which facilitates ex-convicts, Carlton (Robert Hardy) takes Leamas to a pricey lunch. This is completely gibberish for sure -- as a matter of fact it's an approach from the foe, inspecting a peeved previous secret agent and detecting if he'll defect. Leamas appears to undergo that he doesn't owe Britain anything and, rather grumpily, looks to believe (of course, by means of having the only purpose of wealth). After that Leamas circuitously moves towards Smiley's residence, for a get-together with Control. Everything turns out to be obvious Control sketches the plan, a deceitful and wicked endeavor to harm the reputation of the apex East German secret agent, Hans-Dieter Mundt. With eagerness, Leamas is rushed towards Holland for de-briefing by Fiedler, the second in power to Mundt. The bottom line of the arrangement is that Fiedler loathes Mundt and would wipe out him at all cost. By plummeting slight clues in his discussion with Fiedler, Leamas lets the spy to pencil in his own thoughts without so much delay - the unbelievable ability that Leamas has for spying and espionage, and his great understanding skills, embraces him in good stead as he intertwines a compelling story for Fiedler. Realizing the "certainty", Fiedler sent Leamas back to East Germany, where he looks forward to to overthrow Mundt in a closed trial and assessment. Leamas is an additional snag though since his persistence that Mundt couldn't have been a spy or espionage (he was leader of East German maneuvers and probably would have acknowledged). Fiedler still controls to induce an assessment however, completely influenced that Mundt is being disloyal to his State, and then the closed session starts on. It appears as though the court will rule alongside Mundt, ensuing in his carrying out, in anticipation of his defense representative presents an unforeseen and unanticipated

Money & Banking - economics 321 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Money & Banking - economics 321 - Coursework Example It is in these circumstances wherein the so-called boom emerges. This boom in the financial sector as most crises have demonstrated is typified by a fragility that made much worse by credit and speculation. According to Kindleberger, this leads to a series of events such as how price increases leads to a rush for investment as profit opportunities loom large. This is an event that feeds upon itself: the opportunities that promise profit would bring in a new wave of investors and that the positive feedback that is perceived in the process and the outpour of investment increases further profit, which then encourages further investments. He then explained how this leads to what Minsky called as euphoria and when the speculation variable is thrown in, it finally results in overtrading, which aggravate the fragility of the situation. As speculation and overtrading bring in more investors, the probability of crashes increases as speculation for profit drives the ‘manias’ or â €˜bubbles’.† During the feverish economic activity driven by speculative boom, a point is identified to emerge wherein prices start to level and uncertainty start to creep in. This situation, in Kindleberger’s theory creates a period of financial distress, which finally launches a steady downward spiral: There is an inevitable burst as the market started the race to withdraw. In the event of a rush to liquidate, the bubble bursts and further panic ensues. The problem will reach crisis proportions as financial institutions fail, prices decline and the number of bankruptcies spike. This stage, according to Kindleberger, is called revulsion when panic finally seizes the economic system, which is aggravated by liquidity, which, though orderly at times, can actually degenerate and spin out of control, feeding the panic further in the process. The Kindleberger’s revulsion of concept is more popularly known in the nineteenth century as â€Å"discredit.† There are other variables

Anthropology of humor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anthropology of humor - Assignment Example Humor is a part of our day-to-day life and people use humor while conversing, imagining, and observing. Humor is also beneficial as it gives social, psychological, and material advantages to the persons who make humor. Humor is soothing for pain, grief, anxiety, and nervousness. Mcgraw and Warren are of the view that â€Å"humor is a positive and adaptive response to benign violations. Humor provides a healthy and socially beneficial way to react to hypothetical threats, remote concerns, minor setbacks, social faux pas, cultural misunderstandings, and other benign violations people encounter on a regular basis. Humor also serves a valuable communicative function† (1148). Humor whatever may it be is not innocent; it reveals as much as it hides. Also, humor does not actually produce aggression, it is not unrelated to aggression. Gruner, Humor and Aggression There have been so many attempts by philosophers, scientists, critical theorists, and comedians to theorize humor and delin eate its intricacies. There are several theories, which try to interpret humor. What is humor? What is its social function? What ought to be considered as humor? Humor theorists have tried to find answers to all the above questions and beyond. These theories try to understand all sorts of humor by assuming some antecedents, like incongruity, tension release (Freud) or superiority (Gruner). However, the problem with them is that they speculate humor as an outcome of some tragedies. According to Gruner, â€Å"[p]rostitution could serve as the subject matter in a joke in order to make fun of others besides the girl and her client† (122). Humor, even it is on some people only, is always related to the society as a whole. Therefore, humor could reveal the social unconscious and the traces of repressed aggression within it. Many times, apparently, â€Å"the subject matter is sex [of humor], but the object of ridicule the conceited nature of both a young man and a young womanâ€⠄¢ (italics original) (Gruner, 126). Certainly, humor is an attack, a rebellion against the conceited nature of transactions in a non-transparent society. Charles R Gruner has offered a deep-going superiority theory of humor. He has contributed a lot in conceptualizing the humor. The central theme of Gruner’s theoretical formulation regarding the complexities of humor is that ‘much sexual humor is can also profit in humorousness by its active ingredient of aggression. That is, if both aggression and sexual content each make for good jokes, a combination of the two adds up to double enjoyment.† (emphasis original) (127). He equates humor with a game and firmly believes that there are winners, losers, and spectators in humor. Gruner is of the view that ‘sexual humor is one of the most prevalent and best-enjoyed kinds of humor† (127). Gruner's Superiority Theory of Humor has three fundamental assumptions. First, in the entire humorous situation there will be a winner and a loser. This notion is compatible with the human nature. Gruner believes that human beings are always competitive in their mind. In addition, humor has substituted the actual fight. Through humor people are competing with each other for hundreds of years. The winner, in Gruner’s notion, always makes fun of the loser. If we go to any talk show there we find comedians, who winners, making fun of politicians and elites, who are considered as losers.

Pay Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pay Structure - Essay Example This will also help create an insight of the company’s payment plan. I will also analyze the compensation structure where the employees stand to receive their salaries depending on their roles, duties and distinctive responsibilities. In this aspect, I will seek to find out whether the company distributes salaries fairly to every employee irrespective of their social status (Foubert, 2010). This will help me find out any instance of gender or minority discrimination. I will seek to establish whether the company has a rewarding system, such as bonuses for work well done. I will also find out whether the company distributes rewards fairly to its employees. I will delve into the promotion process of the company, which is a crucial part of establishing incidences of fairness or elements of discrimination in the company (Foubert, 2010). Additionally, I will weigh the promotion system of the company against the present-day market standards in order to establish true and valid gender or minority based

Lamb to the Slaughter Essay Example for Free

Lamb to the Slaughter Essay Sir Arthur Conan Doyles style of making the reader want to read on is a world apart from Dahls efforts, although the actual plot hooks you immediately in any Sherlock Holmes story. Doyle focuses on the man himself to ensure the readers full attention to the story. He uses Holmes superb character, a man sharper than a knife, more cunning than a fox and an untouchable track record to reel in the readers. The way he talks, he acts and follows out investigations and eventually solving them gives the reader an air of unpredictability around Holmes. Questions roll through your mind as you advance through a story featuring the famous detective, of how he ever unveiled something so sealed from view, its beyond belief, how he cheated death in the most frightening circumstances. Sherlock Holmes intelligence as a detective is matched by none and its this that Doyle uses to keep the reader entertained and on the edge of his/her seat throughout all of his Sherlock Holmes novels. Which proves that characters in a book, not always its plot make a story memorable. The endings of the two stories were an underlining big factor in what set them apart. Lamb to the Slaughter saw Mary Maloney murdering her husband spontaneously with a bizarre object, which proved much to her advantage as the story ended with the local police, who were investigating the murder, eating the only evidence to actually put Mary Maloney away for the ultimate crime. And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle. As I read this, my feelings towards Mrs Maloney suddenly doubled back and began moving in the opposite direction. From the point when Mr Maloney sternly gave his loving wife the cold shoulder early on in the story, I had been resentful to him and a supporter of Mrs Maloney. Even when she had murdered her cold husband and proceeded to pull the wool over everyones eyes with her guilty conscience, I remained faithful, but as I read that last sentence, Marys crime came into perspective and it repulsed me to see her get away with such a terrible crime and be smug about it. This however, in my opinion was intended by Dahl. In a clever twist he had been playing with our emotions throughout and had left it until the last moment to cease his spell over the reader. This ending was certainly unexpected and made the story twice as enjoyable and successful as it already was. The Speckled Bands ending, as mentioned earlier is immensely diverse from that of Lamb to the Slaughters. From the outset, the result of Holmes investigation was clearly obvious. No case goes unsolved when Sherlock Holmes takes it by the horns. The point of reading Holmes stories is in order to experience Sherlock himself, as explained earlier this is Sir Arthur Conan Doyles way of making the reader want to read on. Once again, Holmes didnt disappoint us by solving the case. He picked up on the detail much forgotten by myself, the fact that Dr Roylott, Miss Stoners father had a collection of animals inspired by his work in India. Once Sherlock had studied the room in which the death of Helen Stoners sister had taken place, he had it in mind that a venomous snake was the culprit. This was in fact the reality of the matter and Sherlock had saved the day again. The way in which Holmes solved the case, as always provided the superb story we have come to expect from Doyle. Some of the blows of my cane came home, and roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr Grimesby Roylotts death, and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavily upon my conscience. These final sentences of the story, not only demonstrate Holmes renowned intelligence, but wit as he printed a smile on my face with the final quip about the doctors death weighing on his conscience. The ending had me imagining a film adaptation of the story, Sherlock stepping from view, leaving a bemused Watson to follow, trusty notepad in hand, as credits rolled across the screen. To say what my favourite ending was would be unfair as I am evidently a Sherlock Holmes fanatic, but both stories were fantastic and worth the hour or so I spent on each. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.