A Seperate Peace :: essays research papers

In John Knowles book A Separate Peace he communicates how the war in him was taking its toll on him. He uses the characters in a complicated plot to show the destructive forces of war. The characters, Gene and Finny, are the opposing forces in a struggle between the reality of war (World War II) and a separate peace. A peace away from the real war and the awful things that come from it. Through their relationship, which is a struggle on both sides, Knowles establishes the reality of war through a relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gene Forrestor is established as the force of reality. This idea is established clearly in a speech Gene gives as the narrator of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him. It is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, and afterward when you say to this person â€Å" the world today† or â€Å"life† or â€Å"reality† he will assume that you mean this moment, even if it is fifty years past. The world, through his unleashed emotions, imprinted itself upon him and he carries the stamp of that passing moment forever.† (Knowles, 32)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This statement explains that Gene must have something that is his â€Å"stamp†. This stamp defines an individual standing up for something he believes in. The next paragraph shows that this is true where Gene continues, â€Å"For me, this moment-four years is a moment in history-war the war. The war was and is reality for me. I still live and think in its atmosphere.† (Knowles, 32) Later in the same paragraph he goes on to say: â€Å"America is not, never has been, and never will be what the songs and poems call it, a land of plenty. Nylon, meat, gasoline, and steel are rare. There are too many jobs and not enough workers. Money is very easy to earn but rather hard to spend, because there isn’t very much to buy. The war will always be fought very far away from America and it will never end. Nothing in America stands still for very long, including the people, who are always either leaving or on leave.† (Knowles, 32) This is what Gene stands for in the book A Separate Peace. Gene appears to understand the reality of war and how it affects people. Throughout the entire story Gene is used to bring the destructive reality of war into everyday life at Devon High School where there is an attempt to create and exist in a separate peace.

Of Mice and Men †Did George have any alternative than to shoot Lennie? Essay

Of Mice and Men tells the story of two men, George and Lennie, who seem to be uncannily paired in a society of loners. Lennie is very tall, and very muscular with massive strength, but also appears to have a major learning handicap. George is shorter, and far less strong, but has the greater intelligence of the pair. Their companionship is rare, and even though George sometimes threatens Lennie that he will walk off and leave him, George never does. George sometimes becomes frustrated with Lennie and momentarily believes he would be better of with out him, so he could stay in one place for longer and spend his â€Å"fifty bucks at the end of the month on what ever he wanted†. They do seem to rely on each other for more than companionship however. Lennie relies on George because of his lack of intelligence, and George carries on the companionship because of the thought that Lennie would die if he were not there to care for him. Lennie also craves a parent figure, someone to care for him, and someone to one day give him something soft to touch and some rabbits to look after. The reward George has for this is hard to see, but eventually you see why they are together. Lennie represents company and security to George. There was also a promise George gave to Aunt Clara, a character that is talked about little and never seen, that he would look after Lennie, and that promise seems to mean a lot to both characters. At the end of the novel, George is still looking out for Lennie. Lennie never hurt anyone due to being mean or cruel, just out of not knowing his own strength and out of defence when he was afraid. George knows this. But in the society in which ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set, the penalty for a death is death, and anyone who is weak, crippled or old with no use any longer was killed. This is shown clearly when Candy’s dog, his best companion was shot. This is almost foreshadowing of what is going to happen. There are three pairs on the ranch, Curley and his wife, George and Lennie, and Candy and his dog. Curley’s hand is crushed by Lennie, and Lennie later kills his wife, ending in Lennie’s death. Candy’s dog is shot when the other men believe he has no more use on the ranch. After all that Candy and his dog had been through and all the years of loyal service that his supposed best friend had performed for Candy, when pressured into a decision, he chose to defy his loyal companion and make the decision on when he should die. Candy later is angry that he did not kill his dog himself. George has the same belief than Candy, when he killed Lennie he seems to oppose that belief. George knows that in this society, when they find Lennie they will hang, bludgeon, beat and torture him to death. George does not want this tale to end in a painful death for his lifelong companion, and therefore he does not want Curley and the group of other ranch hands to find him alive, because the consequences will be far worse. George realises that the other options are to send Lennie from his side into a mental institution where he would be a danger to himself and a danger to others, or to run to the next town again, to complete the cycle once more and to have again someone else killed and to again have to run from another gang. George realises that they are both not options he is willing to try. George also realises that Lennie will one day realise that they will never have their own land, and the dream of providing for themselves will never come true. â€Å"All kin’s a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there† (p. 54). There will never be any rabbits to tend to and if George and Lennie remain together they will never have enough money, because they are always on the run. George did not kill Lennie out of spite, not because of his thoughtless, innocent, act had dashed George’s hopes of having a small farm. Simply because the other options were so much worse. Lennie died believing that one-day they would have their own farm, with rabbits and alfalfa and enough to live on for them both. A happy place, with the sun and the rain and no one to boss them around. Just a place where they would belong. And Lennie died believing the dream that many other men had died dreaming of. But there are two sides to the story, and people also believe that George should have tried to spare Lennie’s life. Due to his apparent lack of loyalty to Lennie and his selfishness he chose to take Lennie’s life. It is significant to the story how George decides to kill his friend. He does not even give Lennie a chance to get away from his pursuers but instead he shoots him in the back of the head just like what had been done to Candy’s dog. This shows how, after all of the loyalty and love that both of these creatures had given to their respective â€Å"friends†, both of the superior creatures decide that they don’t need them any more and choose to end the dominated creatures lives in a less than honourable manner. However in Candy’s case it was more a cause of not being able to stand up to the other men on the ranch, but in George’s case, it was George either trying to spare Lennie, or to give up on the companionship because of greed and the belief that the universal dream was obtainable without Lennie behind his back. When the other men find George, he manipulates the situation further, telling them that he murdered Lennie out of self-defence when he wrested the gun that Lennie supposedly stole from him. He rids himself of any blame for the killing. Slim senses George’s feeling of remorse over the situation. However, the book ends with Carlson wondering why George is upset, once again demonstrating that the other men cannot comprehend the bond of friendship between George and Lennie. Although Steinbeck is not trying to say that you can never trust the people that you call your friends, he is saying to be careful of those who call you a friend but only think of themselves while saying it. I, however, do not believe that George killed Lennie out of greed, I believe that the remorse George shows towards Lennie’s death is valid and enough proof of that. I imagine George in two ways at the end of this novel. My wish is that George somehow gets enough money to buy his farm with Candy, and they live the dream. The probable ending is that George continues living, trying to scrape enough money to one day have his farm, but gives up hope, realises the dream will never happen and follows the other men, spending his fifty bucks in the cathouse and drink, to drown his sorrows.

The fall of the City: unnatural growth Essay

Every child has their own maturity and prefrence level. Should one’s behaviour be forced to change because of the stereotypes in society? In Alden Nowlan’s The Fall of the City, he writes in first person about a young honorable boy ,named Teddy, disagreeing with his uncle to be a well taught normal boy. It is important for a child to grow up and become an adult ,but they need to be the one building themselves up. Instead of being forced like Teddy. Alden Nowlan develops Teddy by comparing him with his uncle with a strong tone stereotipical man of the house. He also created hidden messages by having the war between Danova and Upalia relate to the conflict between Teddy and his uncle. Throughout the story, Teddy’s imagination falls apart slowly as he roughly transitions from an imaginative boy into his father’s fantasy, to protect himself emotionally. After his uncle told him to start his homework, â€Å"his uncle stood in the doorway between kitchen and living room, his shoulders shaking with laughter. ‘you’d never guess what that kid has been doing up there!’ †¦ that great lummox has been playing with paper dolls!† while Teddy knows that he will need to grow up sometime. his guardians that are living with him are trying to help, Teddy does not think that they he is playing with paper dolls. The Uncle creates his own opinion and forces Teddy to change by making fun of him. Teddy should be influenced to change instead of forced. Nowlan uses an interesting tone to create complicated and a somewhat confused emotional quality to the story. During the argument with Teddy and his uncle, The tone starts to be more vulnerable when â€Å"Teddy’s fists were clenched †¦ his voice shaking †¦ his uncle pointed a warning finger† which converts the atmosphere to be more serious.

Counselling Skills Essay

The counselling process is based on the exchange of emotions between the client and the counsellor which aims to form an alliance (Hough, 1998). It involves the counsellor using skills in which they possess in order to communicate effectively with clients (Hough, 1998). This reflective essay clearly articulates my application of counselling skills used in this practice session and suggestions for improvement. It will provide a summary of the session, identification of a range of skills used and a brief explanation of the reasons for using the skill. It will also provide an evaluation of my application of the skills chosen, including verbatim examples, suggestions for improvement, also including verbatim examples to demonstrate what could have been said or done and an overall reflection of my effectiveness as a counsellor and the implications for future reference. My client met with me for 20 minutes to discuss an issue she had based on her sense of balance in relation to her study and other commitments. She felt it wasn’t going very well and she came to counselling to talk about strategies that would make her life easier. During the session I tried to demonstrate skills learnt in counselling skills 1 and 2. The skills that I reflect on include non verbal communication, development of rapport, active listening, paraphrasing and open ended questions. My use of non verbal communication was effective as I greeted my client with a positive hand shake and a smile to ensure security when entering the room. I feel I succeeded in my active listening skills as I demonstrated my listening through non verbal eye contact and nodding. I paraphrased my client’s statements effectively to demonstrate my understanding of her issue. However, I feel I needed to decrease the amount of times I stroked my hair and used negative expressions to ensure my security and confidence towards my client. I also needed to be aware of how I asked my open ended questions by excluding questions beginning with the word ‘why’. Finally I needed to be clear and concise when terminating and reflecting on the session. At the beginning of the counselling session, I tried to adopt an open and positive attitude towards my client. I demonstrated this by employing the use of non verbal communication to assist in the creation of the joining relationship. Non verbal communication refers to communication without words (DeVito, 2010). Joining with a client refers to a meaningful and constructive relationship that has developed with a counsellor and a client (Armstrong, 2006). The most crucial part of the joining process occurs within the first 60 seconds of meeting the client (Armstrong, 2006). Within seconds of meeting my client, I greeted her with a positive hand shake and a smile. As a counsellor moves towards the client to greet them, this will in some way affect their feelings towards the counsellor and their confidence inside them (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). I decided to use non verbal messages towards my client to ensure comfort when entering a new environment. I also thought by demonstrating these messages I would establish a sense of rapport. Rapport refers to the harmonious communication between a client and their counsellor (Hough, 1998). By using the usual person-to-person encounter, expressing equality, I thought my client would feel secure when ready to communicate. It was effective as she responded with the usual positive hand shake and smile. Further along in the session, I felt I was using a skill known as active listening. Active listening refers to the observation of the client’s non verbal behaviour as well as the understanding of their verbal content and meaning (Hough, 1998). I demonstrated this through verbal and non verbal communication. I tried to monitor her feedback and secured my attention with the use of my focused eye communication. Eye contact is considered to be an expression of genuineness and honesty and when glancing directly at one’s face; this demonstrates a high interest in the interaction (DeVito, 2010). I was nodding when my client was explaining her issue and I made use of minimal expressions. A good way to let a client know you are listening is by the use of minimal responses including expressions and non verbal responses that occur in our everyday conversations (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). For example at the beginning of the session my client said â€Å"†¦ , Sometimes I feel I choose my job or something else in my life over my uni†¦ † I replied by nodding and made use of the expression â€Å"Mm-hmm†. I demonstrated this skill to allow the client to speak without interruptions and to verbally express my interest in her issue. Another skill I used within this session is a technique also known as paraphrasing. Paraphrasing refers to stating in one’s own words what they think the client means helping to ensure their understanding and interest in the client (DeVito, 2010). I felt that I demonstrated this when the client said â€Å"As the term progresses I get lazier, but at the beginning of the semester I am productive, and it feels rewarding when I do, do well nd I feel better about myself and everyone is proud of me as well when I get the results and stuff, but there’s this thing that comes into my mind that said I can’t do this and maybe I start rethinking about staying in uni and I start considering dropping it, so I can have more free time. † I reply by saying â€Å"Ok so you are saying that it is kind of a relief when the work is done, however you are finding it hard to kind of keep up, and maybe you don’t have the will power or the drive to continue this planning all the way through the semester. † The client replied saying â€Å"Ye that’s right†¦ I demonstrated this skill to ensure the meaning of my client’s statement was true, resulting in a positive response. During the session I noticed I demonstrated a hair stroking gesture. According to Eunson (2008) the hair stroking gesture is a shorthand way of showing insecurity. I felt that I was feeling a bit nervous at the beginning of the session only due to the recording taking place. I need to be self aware about how I come across to the speaker and how the speaker interprets my non verbal behaviour (Brems, 2001). For future reference, to allow the speaker to discern easily, I need to decrease hand gestures. Moreover, I found when I was communicating verbally I would use an insecure expression such as â€Å"umm†¦ † a number of times during the session. I was a little nervous at the beginning; however as the session progressed my use of that expression did decrease demonstrating I was feeling more confident in what I was saying and through the positive responses from my client. In time and through experience, this feeling will pass as I grow and develop, however I will need to hide my feelings so I can build a stronger relationship with my client. In addition, I found I made use of open ended questions throughout the session. Open ended questions explore the clients issue in greater depth (Hough, 1998). I demonstrated this when I asked â€Å"What is it that makes you feel that you can’t do it? † My client was then able to explore her reasons for the word â€Å"cant† by responding â€Å"I don’t know, I just feel when the term progresses I get lazier†¦ † I feel this allowed her to explore her main area in relation to her issue. However, later on in the session I asked â€Å"Why do you think you can’t continue this behaviour for the rest of the semester? According to Geldard & Geldard (2001) in response to such questions clients tend to look for an intellectually thought out response, rather than centring on what is occurring internally. To allow the client to elaborate for future reference I could ask â€Å"What is it that is stopping you from continuing this behaviour all the way through the semester? † During the session I tried to help my client develop a strategy for enabling a better future. Strategies are actions that help clients to accomplish their goals (Egan, 2010). When my client said â€Å"†¦ I feel it may also be that I am worried about coming home and doing my work on the computer and getting headaches and migraines†¦ † I asked my client â€Å"Have you ever considered checking your eyes at the optometrist? † She replied by saying â€Å"Yea I have†¦ and they said everything is alright†¦ † I then replied â€Å"Let’s try to explore some other options here, how about instead of using the computer all the time, maybe you can try and print out all of your readings for the semester, rather than using the computer as your resource, use writing pads and paper†¦ She responded by saying â€Å"That’s a good idea actually, it’s funny that you said that because at the beginning of the semester†¦ I spent time at the library printing off all my readings and all my learning guides and I sort of bound them professionally so then I can be organised†¦ but I didn’t think of it in the context of not being on the computer to help with my migraines†¦ † When exploring options with my client I found it was effective as she agreed with the new strategy and said she had put it in place for other reasons, however it made her realise it was a useful tool for this issue. Moreover, I attempted to conclude the session by specifying a time and reflecting on what was discussed, however I feel I didn’t end the session well and my closing statement wasn’t clear. I ended the session by saying â€Å"We have a couple of minutes left; I hope we can continue this in the next coming session, but I hope we have kind of resolved something today. We have had our options open with the prioritising thing, at least we know now that it is about prioritising, so we need to try and structure that and say this is my first priority†¦ nd once that is stuck in your head then hopefully we can progress and next time after you try these strategies at home and it still isn’t working then we can fall back on ways in which you can open up your time†¦ † It is sometimes important for the counsellor to provide a summary of the information discussed by the client to serve as a natural ending (Geldard & Geldard, 2001). Prior to concluding the session I felt another topic was introduced too late when the client said â€Å"That’s been really helpful, maybe we just find a way to prioritise my stuff† I replied by saying â€Å"†¦ With prioritising, in your life what is highest on your list? † It is important to avoid introducing new subjects at this stage, and if the client introduces a different topic or to extend the topic, schedule this for discussion in the next session (Hough, 1998). I could have ended the session without appearing intrusive or insensitive if I said â€Å"We have ten minutes left. Maybe we could look at what you have said so far, and highlight any points which you would like to talk about in your next session. † I feel this would have given a more clear termination to the session and would have provided a clear and concise summary. Upon reflection of the session, I believe my strengths lie in my ability to develop and maintain rapport. This was evident when I greeted the client using verbal and non verbal communication skills. I demonstrated a non verbal hand shake and smile to ensure my client’s comfort and security when entering a new environment. I believe my strengths also lie in the use of active listening. I demonstrated this through the use of non verbal eye contact and nodding when the client was speaking and through the use of paraphrasing. My learning edge is to be able to sit comfortably without too many hair stroking gestures and insecure verbal expressions to allow the client to feel that she isn’t being disturbed. Finally I need to ensure I conclude my session demonstrating a clear termination and concise summary. In conclusion, during the session I used a range of skills learnt in counselling skills 1 and 2. I demonstrated the use of a non verbal handshake and smile when greeting my client ensuring security and the establishment of rapport. I was able to demonstrate active listening when nodding and maintaining eye contact. I condensed my client statements showing my true understanding when paraphrasing. However, I needed to ensure I decreased insecure verbal and non verbal expressions to ensure the comfort of my client. I also felt I needed to choose the correct way in asking an open ended question, without using the word ‘why’ demonstrating my initial focus on her issue alone. Lastly I needed to correctly conclude my session by clearly and concisely summarising my client’s issue.

Liquid Sunshine-Beneficial Fad or Human Carcinogen Research Paper

Liquid Sunshine-Beneficial Fad or Human Carcinogen - Research Paper Example Investigations soon found the ill effects of long-term exposure to radium. The use of radium as therapeutic agent was discontinued, but the victims of this metal died painful deaths. In 1900s, radium became a treatment option for many illnesses of the day. However, its popularity as a promoter of health soon declined. This paper aims at recounting the rise and fall of radium as a therapeutic agent. Radium (atomic number 88) is a radioactive alkaline earth metal, belonging to the same group as calcium and barium (Radium, 2009). Its radioactive nature makes radium a luminescent metal that glows in the dark. Radium is a decay product of radioactive uranium 238. Nobel laureates Pierre and Marie Curie discovered this metal in 1898. Marie Curie received her second Nobel Price for Chemistry in 1911 for her work on radium and polonium (Pasachoff, 1996). Pierre Curie was the first scientist to advocate the medical uses of radium. Pierre exposed his arm to radium for many hours, which caused a burn that took many months to heal. He concluded that diseased cells may be destroyed by exposure to radioactivity and that radium could be a potential cure for cancer and skin diseases (Clark, 1997; Pasachoff, 1996). The results of Curies trailblazing research on effects of radium catapulted this element to instant fame. Radiation therapy with radium became a standard treatment for cancer, benign tumors, warts, and even facial hair (Clark, 1997). By early 1900s, radium laced water was advertised as a therapeutic agent for a host of other problems (Clark, 1997). This radium water was called liquid sunshine as it was considered a magic elixir for better health and longer life (Rosch, 2004). As radium was expensive, radon, a product of radium decay, was used often to manufacture radium water (Clark, 1997). Radium water was prescribed as germicida l, antibacterial, and antifungal to treat diseases such as diphtheria, malaria, typhoid, and liver diseases (Clark, 1997). Many

Principles and Foundations of Physical Education Essay

Principles and Foundations of Physical Education - Essay Example This undergraduate Physical Education program aims at enlivening and educating youth for Holistic Lifestyles(Carroll,1994). This mission is achieved holding on to beliefs expressed in the following statements. Physical Education will challenge and strengthen the self. It is a continuous process and has physical, mental and social domains. It recognizes the equality of all. It believes in investing in the participants so that they can get the returns. It believes that total quality can be achieved through competent instructors, infrastructure and technology. Philosophy of sports is not a static idea. Different peoples had difference approach to sports. The Greco-Roman world wanted wellness with physical skill in the sports training. War was somewhat regular in their experience combat involved physical skill in success and survival. The association of character formation with physical training was not their primary aim.In fact compared to the Greeks , the Romans somewhat neglected physical education for their elite: "In significant contrast with common Greek practice, the Romans of the Republic neglected to provide youths with an organized system of Physical education".(Lee Too,2001) However, they knew, physical training imparted moral lessons: obedience, discipline and patriotism. In brief they had a philosophy of physical training suited to their needs. The meaning of Philosophy is not static. In the modern sense philosophy is dedicated to finding general principles in local circumstances. In the American context the meaning of philosophy derived from the reflections of great philosopher John Dewey. "This new physical education was grounded on the philosophy of education of American philosopher John Dewey, which emphasized learning-by-doing rather than rote learning and dogmatic instruction. Dewey also stressed that education must be an exploration of thinking and reflection, an interaction with and an environment for learning, and must be democratic where all share in a common life that provides associational settings."(Sage, 2003, p. xi)Prior to the twentieth century physical education programs in colleges were aimed contributing students health. Instructors in pre-1900 programs were usually medical doctors or individuals holding certificates from department of education. After 1900 there was increasing tendency to insist on a ba rralaureate degree for a physical education trainer. This tendency continued and with the end of war more fund was available for sports in colleges and this also gave an impetus. Eventually the global interest in sports promoted also by the media a sports culture became part and parcel of education. Education Aims of Undergraduate Physical Education In the present program the target group is the undergraduate students. Educational aims at each stage of education are different. This applies to also to physical education. "What may be true of the play of children is not necessarily true of the sport which interests those a dozen or so years older. The sport of men and the play of children are distinct from one another in structure. They have different aims

Liberty is the true path to morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liberty is the true path to morality - Essay Example This in itself can lead to deeper and more profound questions and analyses'. As society's collective morality can be influenced by a variety of factors, some of which could be considered arbitrary and fleeting. Examples of such factors could be the media and those with strong political influence. By allowing the state to enforce morality, a number of questions must be answered. First and foremost, in what manner do these moral laws relate to the Constitution and the right of individual freedom People have free will and the right to choose for themselves, to choose their own morality and ethics and their own way of life, as long as no one is harmed. Another question to address is the reasoning that the morals that are being enforced by law based upon Those writing law can consciously or unconsciously provide their own interpretation of morality in the legal doctrine. Milsted writes, "Democracy represents the people in the middle. The government represents the immoral as well as the moral. Thus, we can expect the government to be more moral than half the population and more immoral that the other half "(Milsted). It also should not be forgotten that law is not magic. Moral norm, which becomes a part of law, needs to be provided into the real life. Practice has shown that perso nal morality laws are general ineffective and can have very unpleasant sequels. "The war on drugs has led to higher crime, broken families, increased poverty, the clogging of the court system, the funding of international terrorism and higher taxes. Furthermore, the laws against prostitution have led to an increase in the abuse of women and the spread of deadly sexually transmitted diseases" (Milsted 2005). Lord Devlin in an essay entitled, Introduction... Practice has shown that personal morality laws are general ineffective and can have very unpleasant sequels.   â€Å"The war on drugs has led to higher crime, broken families, increased poverty, the clogging of the court system, the funding of international terrorism and higher taxes.   Furthermore, the laws against prostitution have led to an increase in the abuse of women and the spread of deadly sexually transmitted diseases† (Milsted 2005).     Lord Devlin in an essay entitled, Introduction to Law and Morality, is quoted as saying that a society requires a public morality.   â€Å"A society is created by a sort of community of ideas, not only political ideas but ideas about the way the members of the society should behave and govern their lives† (2001).   The institution of marriage was used as an example of this, in that a society has to choose whether they will govern themselves by the rules of monogamy or polygamy, as the society can not have both.   Lord Devlin takes this example even further by stating that the institution of marriage would be damaged by morally accepting adultery, but that this is not a crime and should not be, yet the public and government should be compelled to protect itself and its valued institutions, such as marriage.   A look at paternalism allows for a greater analysis of the role that morality should have within the legal system.   Paternalism is the institution of laws that are meant to keep individuals from harming themselves, i.e., the use of drugs, gun laws, euthanasia, etc.