Essay --

HN 377: Studies in Child & Adolescent Development Unit 6 Assignment- Bullying Among Children and Adolescents Caren Nicole Glover 12/15/2013 Studies in Child & Adolescent Development: Bullying The article, â€Å"Bullies and Their Victims†, by Berk (2010) gives an analysis of how bullies and their victims develop, what makes them persistent and how they and their victims can be assisted. Bullying is an activity that thrives mostly in a school setting because of peers and the various cultures and diversities among them. Interactions are inevitable among children, but bullying is destructive because it aims at peer victimisation. Both boys and girls have the ability to become bullies but the majority of them are boys who use physical and verbal attacks on their victims. In the more recent generations, the means of bullying is amplified in the adolescent stage by using electronic means like cyber bullying. Students will rarely like bullies but if they do, it is because of their leadership abilities or influential personalities. Their peers may join or stand by to watch as the victims are bullied. Victims of bullying will eventually show the effects of bullying by being passive or secluding themselves from other individuals. The background or culture of a victim will most likely determine how they progress or react in a bullying experience. A victim may retaliate to the bully's attacks depending on the level of aggressiveness used. Parenting affects the decisions made by both victims and bullies in the peer interactions. Intervention approaches to this social vice will include changing the victims’ opinions about themselves through encouragement and teaching them how to effectively respond to attackers... ... the bullying activities (Farmer et al, 2011). The majority of these strategies should not affect a limited school budget, as many schools are not able to provide certain services due to budget cuts or limitations. These strategies are possible because they mainly require community involvement, awareness and communication. Bullying is a worldwide problem and it requires immediate attention because it psychologically affects both the victims and the bullies. Victims may ultimately have suicidal thoughts and bullies will have uncontrolled behaviors that carry on through school and after school, but they can be helped. Although cyber bullying is a big obstacle due to the large-scale usage of internet and the ability to conceal identities, technological advancements and child supervision help to single out these individuals to reduce the amount of bullying that occurs.

Treatment and Management of Shyness in Children Essay -- Papers Person

Treatment and Management of Shyness in Children Research and studies have found that shyness in children could be due to genetic, temperamental, and environmental influences (Jaffe, 1991, p. 270, & Zimbardo 1995, p. 56). This paper aims to discuss the types of shyness, the influences on shyness, the difference between normal and problematic shyness. Lastly, strategies will be presented to help the shy child. The basic feeling of shyness is a common problem not only among children but also among adults. According to Zimbardo (1995, p.56-57) and Jaffe (1995, p. 270), shyness is a mix of emotions, including fear and interest, tension and pleasantness. A shy child may display in his/her behaviour a downward gaze, physical, and verbal reticence. That is he/she will try to avoid eye contact or withdraw slightly or totally when being touched or talked to. The speech is often soft, almost inaudible, and at times, very hesitant. Shyness is very often a mistaken and misunderstood emotion. It ought to be distinguished from two related behaviour patterns: wariness and social disengagement. It is very normal that young infants are very wary of strangers as it is a time that attachment to familiar faces of caregivers are very important during this period of growing and trusting in the surrounding physical and human environment (Gonzalez-Mena, & Widmeyer Eyer, 2001, p. 77). For older children who may prefer solitary play and appear to have low needs for social interaction, would usually not experience the emotional tensions of the genuinely shy child (Van Hoorn et al, 2003, p. 242-243, & Cohen et al, 1987, p. 80). Children ... ...docId=5000962656&offset=1. (July 12, 2004). Feldman, R.S.(2003). Essentials of Understanding Psychology. 5th ed. USA: McGraw Hill. Gonzalez-Mena, J. & Widmeyer Eyer, D. (2001). Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers. 5th ed. USA: Mayfield Publishing Company. Hendrick, J. (1992). The Whole Child. 5th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. Jaffe, M.L. (1997). Understanding Parenting. 2nd ed. USA: Allyn & Bacon. Reid, B., & Vans, S. (1989). In J. Valsiner, (Ed.). Child development in cultural context (pp.199-218). Toronto: Hogrefe Inc. Van Hoorn, J., P.M. Nourot, Scales, B., & Alward, K. R. (2003). Play at the Center of the Curriculum. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Zimbardo, P.G. (1995). Shyness: What it is? What to Do about it? USA: Perseus Publishing.

How Can the Different Ways of Knowing Help Us to Distinguish Between Something That Is True and Something That Is Believed to Be True

How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true? By using different ways of knowing, we can distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true. In order to express these distinctions, personal experiences, their implications, and their counterclaims are needed to be stated. For something to be â€Å"true† it must be public, eternal, and independent. If the â€Å"truth† does not follow these guidelines then it can not be â€Å"true. The ways of knowing that something is â€Å"true† is comprehended by one’s own perception, language, reason and emotion. With these â€Å"ways of knowing† than the â€Å"truth† can, in theory, be understood. Perception is one of the most broad and vague ways of knowing. It is hard for someone and another to have the same â€Å"perception† of an object or event. Take example that Jimmy, a y oung yet intellectual boy who wears glasses, has just seen the biggest bully Bob assault the youngest and smallest kid in school Fred. Their teacher comes over and asks the three boys what happened. According to Bob, Fred fell and received the bruises that way; Fred says that he was attacked by Bob; and Jimmy states that, due to his glasses fogging up, that Bob had inflicted the pain to himself. This vagueness is why the judicial system takes so much time to resolve problems between one party and another. This has implication due our ability to not ever â€Å"know† the whole â€Å"truth†. The cause of not â€Å"knowing,† due to inability to not see â€Å"everything,† leads to the effect of problems between us and our kin based solely on our perception of the events that took place. According to the definition of â€Å"truth† is that it must be public, eternal and independent and thus begins the problems of â€Å"knowing† between Jimmy, Bob, and Fred. The fact that there was a fight and Jimmy watch is public and everyone â€Å"knows† thus the first part of â€Å"truth† is correct. Eternal works as well due to that point in time there was an incident between those three boys. Lastly it was independent from all outside sources, however the problem arises with what is â€Å"true† and who believes that their story is â€Å"true. Bob believes it was not his fault; Fred believes that he was attacked by Bob; and Jimmy believes that Fred did it all to himself. This causes the problem of who â€Å"knows† the â€Å"truth. † The teacher, being unbiased of course, has no real way of â€Å"knowing† who the culprit is based off what the children believe to be â€Å"true†. This has global implications as well for cultures perceive things differently than that of another culture. Take example the United States and Japan; the United States shakes each other hands when greeting someone politely were as in Japan they would bow to each other first. This could cause a massive global conflict if for example the United States offends the Japanese Councilor at the United Nations due to not bowing when greeting. As a counterclaim, someone could say that just using perception as a tool for â€Å"knowing† is simple not enough. Also perception just is not solely based off the ability of someone to see something but the usage of all five senses. The ability to use the five senses would be the correct way in order to learn the â€Å"true. There is no real way of â€Å"knowing† something solely off the assumption of our perception and there is no real â€Å"truth,† rather just a collection of â€Å"believed truths† that we choose to be the â€Å"truth. † Vladimir Lenin stated that â€Å"a lie told often enough become the truth. † We want to believe that we have found the â€Å"truth† and we will not stop look for that â€Å"truth. † Yet how can we communicate this â€Å"knowledge? † Thus we need the usage of language and its imprecations in â€Å"truth. † Language plays an important role in our lives. We created this tool to pass on the â€Å"knowledge† of others, empirical, and thru this we â€Å"learn. † With Vladimir Lenin’s previous quote can be applied to language as well. The winners of wars are the one’s that create the history. It happens to every culture and every civilization that every existed with the ability to record their history. This has global implications that can be recognized off the fact that if a war were to be started and ended than the victory most like would right about how â€Å"morally righteous† their country was and how their opposition, the losing country, was. Now as a counter argument to that claim would be that maybe the country was â€Å"telling the truth† but then we are right back to the beginning in where â€Å"how do we really know what we know? † Can that country account for every action that each one of its civilians, and, or army infantry did during the course of the war? Most likely neither county could. Therefore they can not â€Å"truly know† based off their beliefs or their â€Å"truths. † This in conjecture with perception is adequate but not 100 per cent sufficient in â€Å"knowing† something. We add a third way of knowing: reason. Reasoning skills are a hard thing to explain about it terms of how we â€Å"know† something. Some things can be taught and thus learned by reasoning: putting your hand down on a hot pan thus teaches us to not do it again because it hurts. However when it comes to reasoning skills with moral can be hard to comprehend. One person may see that killing a human is wrong, were as a military general may see the killing of a human a necessity. Bishop Beilby Porteus states that â€Å"one murder made a villain; millions a hero. † Is he telling the â€Å"truth? Do we glorify war? The implication of reasoning is of the greatest importance because it literally comes down to our inner instincts. In contrast how should we let our animalistic emotions control us or should we have a higher level of â€Å"knowledge? † Can any creature or object ever obtain such a thing? Do we or will we ever â€Å"know? † In my option, I believe not; then again what do I â€Å"know? † Emotion is the final piece to the puzzle of knowledge. With the raw passion with what emotion is cannot be simply summed up or described with words along. How can we describe what an emotion is between people? Take for example the emotion of â€Å"love. † One passionate couple may explain there definition of what â€Å"love† is, however if a restaurant owner was asked the same question he or she may say that their â€Å"love† is their restaurant. Hence this gives us the emotion of sympathy towards dictionary writers. Describing such a raw and passionate feeling is incredible. Globally how can one culture translate the emotion of â€Å"love† from one culture to another? Our love could not possibly be the same as someone in Russia or India. Is emotion something that we are born with, or grow into? We will never â€Å"know,† yet this is the final piece of ways of knowing and thus while using all four pieces of â€Å"knowledge† stills leaves us with the belief that we will never â€Å"truly know. † The difference between truth and believed truth can only be answered thru the ways of knowing. The problem is that there is more than one answer. By assuming that there is a finite answer undermines the whole idea of our â€Å"ways of knowing. † The age old question of the creation of life has been the greatest battle between science and religion. Who is to say that one side is â€Å"right† and one side is â€Å"wrong† when we ourselves do not even â€Å"know. † There is no â€Å"obtainable truth†, only the â€Å"truth† that we â€Å"believe to be true. † â€Å"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth. † -Marcus Aurelius How can the ways of knowing help us distinguish between what ‘is true' and what ‘is believed to be true'? â€Å"? i need examples from real life and how you can tell the difference between truth and the believed truth. Best Answer – Chosen by Voters It seems to me that what is true can also be what is believed to be true. Example: the world is not flat. To answer your question, though, look for scientific evidence. For example, some people believe that the earth is only a few thousand years old. Age dating techniques and the fossil record indicate an age of several billion years. 1) Truth is simply the statement of a fact. A fact is something real, whether an object or an occurrence. Consider the following: I say to you â€Å"I ran a marathon,† but you didn't see me run it. Thus the FACT – the ‘truth' – is that I did SAY it; you know that because you were right there. Whether I actually DID run the marathon or not is another question entirely. Did I lie? Did I exaggerate? You can't be sure. And then you go check the records and see that I was registered to run this marathon. You now know that it's true that I was registered, but you still don't know if I actually ran. You might also find witnesses that SAY they saw me running (catching on yet? lol); so you know it's true that those witnesses SAID that they saw me, because you watched them physically speak the words, but you didn't SEE them seeing me, so you still can't be sure I ran. You could, by now, BELIEVE that I ran, but you still don't KNOW it to be true. Now a time-stamped video that clearly shows me running, that might be about the only thing that could convince you that I truly did run†¦ although that could be doctored†¦ It all comes down to the level of evidence you're personally willing to trust. Do you trust a scientist's data? Do you trust a priest's truthfulness? (And don't get me started on God and faith lol) (And don't get me started on your textbooks, either) The difference between what ‘is true' and what is ‘believed to be true' in the Arts? This could be in painting, art, or english I have an essay to wrote about: â€Å"How can the ways of knowing (language, perception, reason, emotion) help us distinguish between what ‘is true' and what ‘is believed to be true'? † apply this question with examples in the Arts 1) I see art as a representation of reality or a mimic or mirror and the representaitons set at different levels, standards or views depending on who is presenting in whatever form. I see truth as having different levels as well. What we call something is indeed what we call it like a flower is red or whatever. Then there are all sorts of cause and effect relatinships that are indirect or direct cause and effect. One thing can be caused by many things acting together to cause it or a sequence of events and it can make it tough to find the true or the first or most significant root cause (to solve the problem). Mostly, one has to see something to its conclusion to find out what is true vs. what is false, what is consistant vs. hat is inconsistant. Sometimes what is believed is actually true and sometimes what is believed is actually false. Experience is such a great teacher! I guess these ideas can be represented in the arts in various ways in colors, masks, shadows, inconsistancies, demeanor, etc. Some of it left open to interpretation just as art imitates life. We all have the need to believe things we think are true and might also turn out to be true. It is wh at life is about mostly, faith. I don't know if I answered your question or not, but that is what I think so far. ) the difference between what ‘is true' and what is ‘believed to be true' in the arts is the same as that of what is true and what is believed to be true in any other field. you will apply the value ‘true' to that which you can empirically evidence (the type of oil the artist used in a particular painting or the economy of words of a certain novel) and you will apply ‘believed to be true' to that which may or may not be true (evidenced) depending on the individual involved (the feeling of melancholy the particular painting evokes). guess my feeling is that anything highly susceptible to subjectivity isn't really there to help us to distinguish but will serve greatly to enhance our experience of the thing (the objet d'art) itself. Source(s): i don't know a great deal about the philosophy of art nor about the art of philosophy but your question stru ck me as interesting. †¢ Read Karl Popper â€Å"take' on this. He correctly identified the â€Å"arts from â€Å"science†,and in doing so realised that all our knowledge ,in Both(! ), was really â€Å"Suspect†. Hence he became famous for the modern way-of-using and deciphering just how real(or knowledge based) â€Å"criticism† can enable all the mistakes-within Science and even the Arts-†¦. to †¦.. be†¦. learned†¦. from ! (and if you study his work,you should quite easily see that serious-and-dangerous mistakes SHOULD NOT BE MADE. So†¦ this is almost the sole â€Å"point† to our -all our-traditions. That we CAN learn from our mistakes(E. g. in the Arts as well as in the sciences), and even gain a glimmer of good,critical knowledge from those previously,dangerous and deadly ones,too. And†¦. after rereading the above†¦ i think its a virtual responsibility of the arts, to HELP IN THIS; and one obvious modern way is for artists everywhere to â€Å"look† at the current serious and dangerous mistake(s) being made with our environment- and this is just one ONE example that i can think of here;(and although works-of-art should,i think be direc ted to show awarness of this type-of-real-complex problem;i do NOT think that the Arts should promote the breaking-of-laws,ecetera. Rather,the Arts should â€Å"take-our-minds† to new places,to new and better ideas,especially so when in search-of better solutions to the above problem-and other critical problems,too! ). Source(s): The work of the late scholar,teacher and philosopher; Sir Karl. R. Popper, et al. Are Some Ways Of Knowing More Likely Than Others To Lead To Truth? In this essay I will discuss whether some ways of knowing are more like than others to lead to the truth. There is no single definition of the truth where every philosopher agrees with. What we can say is that the truth is ne of the most important elements in our society which extends from â€Å"honesty, good faith and sincerity in general to agreement with fact or reality in particular†. Instead of just concentrating on the four ways of knowing, language, perception, reason and emotion, I will also look at the areas of knowledge, such as sciences and mathematics to help finding which of the four ways of knowing is the most lik ely to lead to the truth. To answer the research question, we first have to look at the truth itself. In a dictionary is said that truth is â€Å"The degree to which a statement corresponds with reality and logic †. Every human being defines truth in a different way. Truth can be what one is prepared to accept as truth, as well as something which is proved by a study for being true or what for example the media, books, government and yourself name to be true. In the first area of knowledge I will discuss, the sciences, truth will always change during the time. A good example is Isaac Newton’s theory of mechanics and universal gravitation. In this time everyone believed his theory describing the universe as being â€Å"true† and there was no evidence for it being not the truth. Than after some centuries some scientist discovered things where Newton’s theory didn’t account for. Therefore his theory was than called â€Å"untrue† and Albert Einstein’s evidence which fitted more into these discoveries was named as being true. This is evidence therefore, that science is a process, the truth will always change in time, but in this particular time period the truth cannot be named as â€Å"untrue† because it cannot be disproved by knowledge or technology. On the other hand in mathematics, one has these principles like â€Å"1 + 1 = 2† or â€Å"2 + 2 = 4†. People do not†¦ ‘ All Of The Other Ways Of Knowing Are Controlled By Language. What Does This Statement Mean And Do You Think It Is A Fair Representation Of The Relationship Between Perception, Emotion, Reason And Language? Language is such a universal phenomenon in human society. Whenever we write or speak, we use it; whenever we make a promise or ask a question, we use it. In the statement ?  §All of the other ways of knowing are controlled by language , language is defined as ?  §words and this ?  §control can be defined as ?  §dominate. Then this saying seems not so fair to represent the relationship between the four ways of knowing. It is more sensible to say language gives some support or limit to our reason? Aperception and emotion. It may influence them, but not only one way ? V the four ways of knowing interact with each other. The function of language is particularly relevant in reason. We should believe our application of reason is within our mind before we express it into words. Most natural science is called logic facts and we often use the name of theories to represent our reason instead of explaining the essence in details. For example, if your hand pushes against the edge of a desk, the desk pushes against your hand. Probably we will tell others this phenomenon is because ?  §Newton?  ¦s third law of motion but won?  ¦t explain the content of this theory word by word. In this case, language has no meaning itself, but it is more like a symbol to represent reason. Another example is ?  §Chaos Theory. Ten years ago, Chaos is just a simple English word, but as Chaos theory become part of modern science, people easily associate the idea of finding the order in random data? when they see the word ?  §Chaos. However, reason requires precision. Scientists use scientific language to give strict definition of a theory before they name it. Newton?  ¦s third law of motion states: ?  §Whenever one object exerts a force on a second object, the second exerts an equal and opposite force on the first. (Isaac Newton 1687) People must have the sense of reaction before this theory is built, but it needs a m edium to become verbalized and communicated in order to evaluate its validity†¦. Best Answer – Chosen by Voters The â€Å"how† of something that is believed true is called â€Å"justified true belief. † (Google it) On the other hand, another way of knowing â€Å"how† something is true or not is called the â€Å"correspondence theory of truth,† wherein everything is true or false according to the context in which you are using the word, phrase, or premise. The correspondence theory can be described this way: â€Å"The degree to which our metaphysical worldview is correct is the degree to which we are able to comprehend the world, and act accordingly. Without this firm foundation, all knowledge becomes suspect. Any flaw in our view of reality will make it more difficult to live. † http://www. importanceofphilosophy. com/Me†¦ http://www. iep. utm. edu/truth/#H3 How Can The Different Ways Of Knowing Help Us To Distinguish Between Something That Is True And Something That Is Believed To Be True? 4. How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true? â€Å"We create knowledge ourselves, through the four ways of knowing;† (Dombrowski, 91-92) sense perception, language, reasoning and emotion. These ways of knowing are also the means by which knowledge claims are judged for their credibility, validity and most importantly, their likelihood to be true. When a knowledge claim is made, three scenarios are presented with the least problematic being that the claim is false based on the four ways of knowing coupled with past experiences. A claim is not said to be true just because it is false. The aim of this essay will be to illuminate how certainty, confidence and the convincing nature of claims distinguish between claims believed to be true and claims that are known to be true. True† and â€Å"false†, in simplicity, can be viewed as divisors for separating knowledge claims or beliefs but in reality, we view â€Å"true† and â€Å"false† as the extreme boundaries of a scale that determines with reason whether or not claims should be accepted as true or not. In history, where we make value claims, â€Å"Claims that embed evaluations on a scale that is not calibrated in measurable units† (Dombrowski, 106), there seems to be a lot of subjectivity as these claims themselves are subjective. They hold some truth because they are actually made from observational claims. In the story of Nazi Anschluss with Austria, where a plebiscite was held to ask whether Austria wanted to become a part of Nazi Germany and the Nazi’s â€Å"claim to have received 99. 73% of the vote† (â€Å"Anschluss†), two value claims that could come out will be that the Austrians loved Nazis and wanted to be a part of it or that the Austrians feared Nazi Germany and did not have any other option than to be part of Nazis. These two opinions show the subjective nature of such areas but these statements cannot be taken as false. The fact that there is†¦ 1. No comments Join Now For Free

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 39. TheHappily EverAfter

â€Å"So it was a combination of things there at the end, but what it really boiled down to was†¦ Bella,† Edward was explaining. Our family and our two remaining guests sat in the Cullens' great room while the forest turned black outside the tall windows. Vladimir and Stefan had vanished before we'd stopped celebrating. They were extremely disappointed in the way things had turned out, but Edward said that they'd enjoyed the Volturi's cowardice almost enough to make up for their frustration. Benjamin and Tia were quick to follow after Amun and Kebi, anxious to let them know the outcome of the conflict; I was sure we would see them again – Benjamin and Tia, at least. None of the nomads lingered. Peter and Charlotte had a short conversation with Jasper, and then they were gone, too. The reunited Amazons had been anxious to return home as well – they had a difficult time being away from their beloved rain forest – though they were more reluctant to leave than some of the others. â€Å"You must bring the child to see me,† Zafrina had insisted. â€Å"Promise me, young one.† Nessie had pressed her hand to my neck, pleading as well. â€Å"Of course, Zafrina,† I'd agreed. â€Å"We shall be great friends, my Nessie,† the wild woman had declared before leaving with her sisters. The Irish coven continued the exodus. â€Å"Well done, Siobhan,† Carlisle complimented her as they said goodbye. â€Å"Ah, the power of wishful thinking,† she answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. And then she was serious. â€Å"Of course, this isn't over. The Volturi won't forgive what happened here.† Edward was the one to answer that. â€Å"They've been seriously shaken; their confidence is shattered. But, yes, I'm sure they'll recover from the blow someday. And then . . .† His eyes tightened. â€Å"I imagine they'll try to pick us off separately.† â€Å"Alice will warn us when they intend to strike,† Siobhan said in a sure voice. â€Å"And we'll gather again. Perhaps the time will come when our world is ready to be free of the Volturi altogether.† â€Å"That time may come,† Carlisle replied. â€Å"If it does, we'll stand together.† â€Å"Yes, my friend, we will,† Siobhan agreed. â€Å"And how can we fail, when /will it otherwise?† She let out a great peal of laughter. â€Å"Exactly,† Carlisle said. He and Siobhan embraced, and then he shook Liam's hand. â€Å"Try to find Alistair and tell him what happened. I'd hate to think of him hiding under a rock for the next decade.† Siobhan laughed again. Maggie hugged both Nessie and me, and then the Irish coven was gone. The Denalis were the last to leave, Garrett with them – as he would be from now on, I was fairly sure. The atmosphere of celebration was too much for Tanya and Kate. They needed time to grieve for their lost sister. Huilen and Nahuel were the ones who stayed, though I had expected those last two to go back with the Amazons. Carlisle was deep in fascinated conversation with Huilen; Nahuel sat close beside her, listening while Edward told the rest of us the story of the conflict as only he knew it. â€Å"Alice gave Aro the excuse he needed to get out of the fight. If he hadn't been so terrified of Bella, he probably would have gone ahead with their original plan.† â€Å"Terrified?† I said skeptically. â€Å"Of me?† He smiled at me with a look I didn't entirely recognize – it was tender, but also awed and even exasperated. â€Å"When will you ever see yourself clearly?† he said softly. Then he spoke louder, to the others as well as to me. â€Å"The Volturi haven't fought a fair fight in about twenty-five hundred years. And they've never, never fought one where they were at a disadvantage. Especially since they gained Jane and Alec, they've only been involved with unopposed slaughterings. â€Å"You should have seen how we looked to them! Usually, Alec cuts off all sense and feeling from their victims while they go through the charade of a counsel. That way, no one can run when the verdict is given. But there we stood, ready, waiting, outnumbering them, with gifts of our own while their gifts were rendered useless by Bella. Aro knew that with Zafrina on our side, they would be the blind ones when the battle commenced. I'm sure our numbers would have been pretty severely decimated, but they were sure that theirs would be, too. There was even a good possibility that they would lose. They've never dealt with that possibility before. They didn't deal with it well today.† â€Å"Hard to feel confident when you're surrounded by horse-sized wolves,† Emmett laughed, poking Jacob's arm. Jacob flashed a grin at him. â€Å"It was the wolves that stopped them in the first place,† I said. â€Å"Sure was,† Jacob agreed. â€Å"Absolutely,† Edward agreed. â€Å"That was another sight they've never seen. The true Children of the Moon rarely move in packs, and they are never much in control of themselves. Sixteen enormous regimented wolves was a surprise they weren't prepared for. Caius is actually terrified of werewolves. He almost lost a fight with one a few thousand years ago and never got over it.† â€Å"So there are real werewolves?† I asked. â€Å"With the full moon and silver bullets and all that?† Jacob snorted. â€Å"Real. Does that make me imaginary?† â€Å"You know what I mean.† â€Å"Full moon, yes,† Edward said. â€Å"Silver bullets, no – that was just another one of those myths to make humans feel like they had a sporting chance. There aren't very many of them left. Caius has had them hunted into near extinction.† â€Å"And you never mentioned this because†¦ ?† â€Å"It never came up.† I rolled my eyes, and Alice laughed, leaning forward – she was tucked under Edward's other arm – to wink at me. I glared back. I loved her insanely, of course. But now that I'd had a chance to realize that she was really home, that her defection was only a ruse because Edward had to believe that she'd abandoned us, I was beginning to feel pretty irritated with her. Alice had some explaining to do. Alice sighed. â€Å"Just get it off your chest, Bella.† â€Å"How could you do that to me, Alice?† â€Å"It was necessary.† â€Å"Necessary!† I exploded. â€Å"You had me totally convinced that we were all going to die! I've been a wreck for weeks.† â€Å"It might have gone that way,† she said calmly. â€Å"In which case you needed to be prepared to save Nessie.† Instinctively, I held Nessie – asleep now on my lap – tighter in my arms. â€Å"But you knew there were other ways, too,† I accused. â€Å"You knew there was hope. Did it ever occur to you that you could have told me everything? I know Edward had to think we were at a dead end for Aro's sake, but you could have told me.† She looked at me speculatively for a moment. â€Å"I don't think so,† she said. â€Å"You're just not that good an actress.† â€Å"This was about my acting skills?† â€Å"Oh, take it down an octave, Bella. Do you have any idea how complicated Ms was to set up? I couldn't even be sure that someone like Nahuel existed – all I knew was that I would be looking for something I couldn't see! Try to imagine searching for a blind spot – not the easiest thing I've ever done. Plus we had to send back the key witnesses, like we weren't in enough of a hurry. And then keeping my eyes open all the time in case you decided to throw me any more instructions. At some point you're going to have to tell me what exactly is in Rio. Before any of that, I had to try to see every trick the Volturi might come in with and give you what few clues I could so you would be ready for their strategy, and I only had just a few hours to trace out all the possibilities. Most of all, I had to make sure you'd all believe that I was ditching out on you, because Aro had to be positive that you had nothing left up your sleeves or he never would have committed to an out the way he did. And if you think I didn't feel like a schmuck – â€Å" â€Å"Okay, okay!† I interrupted. â€Å"Sorry! I know it was rough for you, too. It's just that†¦ well, I missed you like crazy, Alice. Don't do that to me again.† Alice's trilling laugh rang through the room, and we all smiled to hear that music once more. â€Å"I missed you, too, Bella. So forgive me, and try to be satisfied with being the superhero of the day.† Everyone else laughed now, and I ducked my face into Nessie's hair, embarrassed. Edward went back to analyzing every shift of intention and control that had happened in the meadow today, declaring that it was my shield that had made the Volturi run away with their tails between their legs. The way everyone looked at me made me uncomfortable. Even Edward. It was like I had grown a hundred feet during the course of the morning. I tried to ignore the impressed looks, mostly keeping my eyes on Nessie's sleeping face and Jacob's unchanged expression. I would always be just Bella to him, and that was a relief. The hardest stare to ignore was also the most confusing one. It wasn't like this half-human, half-vampire Nahuel was used to thinking of me in a certain way. For all he knew, I went around routing attacking vampires every day and the scene in the meadow had been nothing unusual at all. But the boy never took his eyes off me. Or maybe he was looking at Nessie. That made me uncomfortable, too. He couldn't be oblivious to the fact that Nessie was the only female of his kind that wasn't his half-sister. I didn't think this idea had occurred to Jacob yet. I kind of hoped it wouldn't soon. I'd had enough fighting to last me for a while. Eventually, the others ran out of questions for Edward, and the discussion dissolved into a bunch of smaller conversations. I felt oddly tired. Not sleepy, of course, but just like the day had been long enough. I wanted some peace, some normality. I wanted Nessie in her own bed; I wanted the walls of my own little home around me. I looked at Edward and felt for a moment like I could read his mind. I could see he felt exactly the same way. Ready for some peace. â€Å"Should we take Nessie †¦Ã¢â‚¬  ‘That's probably a good idea,† he agreed quickly. â€Å"I'm sure she didn't sleep soundly last night, what with all the snoring.† He grinned at Jacob. Jacob rolled his eyes and then yawned. â€Å"It's been a while since I slept in a bed. I bet my dad would get a kick out of having me under his roof again.† I touched his cheek. â€Å"Thank you, Jacob.† â€Å"Anytime, Bella. But you already know that.† He got up, stretched, kissed the top of Nessie's head, and then the top of mine. Finally, he punched Edward's shoulder. â€Å"See you guys tomorrow. I guess things are going to be kind of boring now, aren't they?† â€Å"I fervently hope so,† Edward said. We got up when he was gone; I shifted my weight carefully so that Nessie was never jostled. I was deeply grateful to see her getting a sound sleep. So much weight had been on her tiny shoulders. It was time she got to be a child again – protected and secure. A few more years of childhood. The idea of peace and security reminded me of someone who didn't have those feelings all the time. â€Å"Oh, Jasper?† I asked as we turned for the door. Jasper was sandwiched tight in between Alice and Esme, somehow seeming more central to the family picture than usual. â€Å"Yes, Bella?† Tm curious – why is J. Jenks scared stiff by just the sound of your name?† Jasper chuckled.†It's just been my experience that some kinds of working relationships are better motivated by fear than by monetary gain.† I frowned, promising myself that I would take over that working relationship from now on and spare J the heart attack that was surely on the way. We were kissed and hugged and wished a good night to our family. The only off note was Nahuel again, who looked intently after us, as if he wished he could follow. Once we were across the river, we walked barely faster than human speed, in no hurry, holding hands. I was sick of being under a deadline, and I just wanted to take my time. Edward must have felt the same. â€Å"I have to say, I'm thoroughly impressed with Jacob right now,† Edward told me. â€Å"Thewolves make quite an impact, don't they?† â€Å"That's not what I mean. Not once today did he think about the fact that, according to Nahuel,Nessie will befully matured in just six and a half years.† I considered that for a minute. â€Å"He doesn't see her that way. He's not in a hurry for her to grow up.He just wants her to be happy.† â€Å"I know. Like I said, impressive. It goes against the grain to say so, but she could do worse.† I frowned. â€Å"I'm not going to think about that for approximately six and a half more years.† Edward laughed and then sighed. â€Å"Of course, itlooks like he'll have some competition to worry about when the time comes.† My frown deepened. â€Å"I noticed. I'm grateful to Nahuel for today, but all the staring was a little weird. I don't care if she is the only half-vampire he's not related to.† â€Å"Oh, he wasn't staring at her – he was staring at you.† That's what it had seemed like†¦ but that didn't make any sense. â€Å"Why would he do that?† â€Å"Because you're alive,† he said quietly. â€Å"You lost me.† â€Å"All his life,† he explained,† – and he's fifty years older than I am – â€Å" â€Å"Decrepit,† I interjected. Heignored me. â€Å"He's always thought of himself as an evil creation, a murderer by nature. His sistersall killed their mothers as well, but they thought nothing of it. Joham raised them to think of the humans as animals, while they were gods. But Nahuel was taught by Huilen, and Huilen loved her sister more than anyone else. It shaped his whole perspective. And, in some ways, he truly hated himself.† â€Å"That'sso sad,†I murmured. â€Å"And then he saw the three of us – and realized for the first time that just because he ishalf immortal, it doesn't mean he is inherently evil. He looks at me and sees†¦ what his father should have been.† â€Å"You are fairly ideal in every way,† I agreed. He snorted and then was serious again. â€Å"He looks at you and sees the life his mother should have had.† â€Å"Poor Nahuel,† Imurmured, and then sighed because I knew I would never be able to think badly of him after this, no matter how uncomfortable his stare made me. â€Å"Don't be sad for him. He's happy now. Today, he's finally begun to forgive himself.† I smiled for Nahuel's happiness and then thought that today belonged to happiness. Though Irina's sacrifice wasa dark shadow against the white light, keeping the moment from perfection, the joy was impossible to deny. The life I'd fought for was safe again. My family was reunited. My daughter had a beautiful future stretching out endlessly in front of her. Tomorrow I would go see my father; he would see that the fear in my eyes had been replaced with joy, and he would be happy, too. Suddenly, I was sure that I wouldn't find him there alone. I hadn't been as observant as I might have been in the last few weeks, but in this moment it was like I'd known all along. Sue would be with Charlie – thewerewolves' mom with the vampire's dad – and he wouldn't be alone anymore. I smiled widely at this new insight. But most significant in this tidal wave of happiness was the surest fact ofall: I was with Edward. Forever. Not that I'd want to repeat the last several weeks, but I had to admit they'd made me appreciate what I had more than ever. The cottage was a place of perfect peace in the silver-blue night. We carried Nessie to her bed and gently tucked her in. She smiled as she slept. I took Aro's gift from around my neck and tossed it lightly into the corner of her room. She could play with it if she wished; she liked sparkly things. Edward and I walked slowly to our room, swinging our arms between us. â€Å"A night for celebrations,† he murmured, and he put his hand under my chin to lift my lips to his. â€Å"Wait,† I hesitated, pulling away. He looked at me in confusion. As a general rule, I didn't pull away. Okay, it was more than a general rule. This was a first. â€Å"I want to try something,† I informed him, smiling slightly at his bewildered expression. I put my hands on both sides of his face and closed my eyes in concentration. I hadn't done very well with this when Zafrina had tried to teach me before, but I knew my shield better now. I understood the part that fought against separation from me, the automatic instinct to preserve self aboveall else. Itstill wasn't anywhere near as easy as shielding other people along with myself. I felt the elastic recoil again as my shield fought to protect me. I had to strain to push it entirely away from me; it took all of my focus. â€Å"Bella!† Edward whispered in shock. I knew it was working then, so I concentrated even harder, dredging up the specific memories I'd saved for this moment, letting them flood my mind, and hopefully his as well. Some of the memories were not clear – dim human memories, seen through weak eyes and heard through weak ears: the first time I'd seen his face†¦ the way it felt when he'd held me in the meadow†¦ the sound of his voice through the darkness of my faltering consciousness when he'd saved me from James†¦ his face as he waited under a canopy of flowers to marry me†¦ every precious moment from the island†¦ his cold hands touching our baby through my skin†¦ And the sharp memories, perfectly recalled: his face when I'd opened my eyes to my new life, to the endless dawn of immortality†¦ that first kiss†¦ that first night†¦ His lips, suddenly fierce against mine, broke my concentration. With a gasp, I lost my grip on the struggling weight I was holding away from myself. It snapped back like stressed elastic, protecting my thoughts once again. â€Å"Oops, lost it!† I sighed. â€Å"I heard you,† he breathed. â€Å"How? How did you do that?† â€Å"Zafrina's idea. We practiced with it a few times.† He was dazed. He blinked twice and shook his head. â€Å"Now you know,† I said lightly, and shrugged. â€Å"No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you.† â€Å"You're almost right.† He smiled, his eyes still a little wider than usual. â€Å"I know of just one exception.† â€Å"Liar.† He started to kiss me again, but then stopped abruptly. â€Å"Can you do it again?† he wondered. I grimaced. â€Å"It's very difficult.† He waited, his expression eager. â€Å"I can't keep it up if I'm even the slightest bit distracted,† I warned him. â€Å"I'll be good,† he promised. I pursed my lips, my eyes narrowing. Then I smiled. I pressed my hands to his face again, hefted the shield right out of my mind, and then started in where I'd left off – with the crystal-clear memory of the first night of my new life†¦ lingering on the details. I laughed breathlessly when his urgent kiss interrupted my efforts again. â€Å"Damn it,† he growled, kissing hungrily down the edge of my jaw. â€Å"We have plenty of time to work on it,† I reminded him. â€Å"Forever and forever and forever,† he murmured. â€Å"That sounds exactly right to me.† And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever. the end

“Cat’s eye” by Margaret Atwood Essay

This passage from Cats Eye by Margaret Atwood, illustrates the alikeness between Elaine and Cordelia by comparing the girls and the old ladies in the streetcar. Detailed descriptions of the characters contribute to highlighting different themes like friendship, disguising ones true identity and the notion of time. These are highlighted through various literary features such as metaphor and imagery. The passage shows a relationship between two girls, Cordelia and the narrator. They seem to be friends in the passage as it is mentioned by the narrator that [they] think [they] are friends. The phrase we think reflects the narrators uncertainty about her friendship with Cordelia. Yet, there are many references to them being almost twin-like and identical in the way they dress and act. Were impervious, we scintillate, we are thirteen- the use and repetition of the inclusive pronoun we further highlights their alikeness. Even though they are friends, the reader is able to sense the narrators inferiority to Cordelia through her tone of voice. It is shown through her comments such as I am almost as good or that Cordelia is opaque and glinting that the narrator admires or wants to be like Cordelia. The detailed descriptions of the appearance of the old ladies on the streetcar highlights the theme of superficiality. The descriptions show that the narrators bias on people stems from their outer appearances, as shown in her observations such as some are respectably dressed and others are poorer and foreign looking. Further, her comment that Cordelia can tell cheap cloth at a glance once again reinforces Cordelias superiority and her attitude towards superficiality. These attitudes of young girls like the narrator and Cordelia convey how prejudices are deeply embedded in our society. Metaphors like costumes and stage props, were used to describe peoples willingness to disguise their true identity; costumes are normally worn by actors who are impersonating someone else. Description of the old ladies make-up further highlights the theme of hiding a true identity of one. The ladies on the streetcar dye their hair straw-blonde or baby-blue and their lipstick mouths are too big around their mouths, their rouge blotchy, [and] their eyes drawn screw-jiggy around their real eyes. Their costume-like  clothes and thick make-up like actors on a stage allow them to disguise themselves from others. They reflect some members of the society who do not wish to reveal who they really are because they are afraid of what other people would think about them. These descriptive language and colour imagery invite readers to engage the narrators experiences; bright colours to distract peoples attention to their outer appearance. Anything other than white is suggestive. Also, the two girls wearing mens work socks inside their boots and wearing [their coats with] collars turned up to look like those of movie stars shows their desire for glamour and outer beauty which form societys expectation of girls. The notion of time is another significant factor in the passage, as can be seen through its structure. The first part recounts the narrators childhood and the second is set in her adulthood, when she herself has become like the old ladies, having that [eye problems]now too. However, both the present and the past are written in the present tense, indicating that the memories of the narrator when she was thirteen still take an important part in her life. It is also mentioned at the start of the passage that time is not a line. This suggests that experiences that we had are not just past, but stays within us to build up what we are now. This passage from Cats Eye by Margaret Atwood explores the themes of friendship, self identity and notion of time through various literary techniques. Friendship, in conjunction with the notion of time, is valued as a very big part of life of the narrator; not only the friendship, but also ones memories of childhood are important in a persons life as well. The passage also reflects prejudices in our society and how deeply they are rooted in us through illustrating people who wish to disguise their true identity. By allowing us to explore the narrators experiences, the author allows us to think about the values of relationships and how we can solve the problems of prejudice.

Compare the Ways in which John Steinbeck and Thomas Hardy Explore the Theme of Loneliness Essay

The two books have one clear element in common. The two authors, Steinbeck and Hardy, give us a great outlook on loneliness in its many forms. They communicate their ideas and thoughts to us in a very similar manner, despite being from very different times and walks of life. Of Mice and Men, is set and was written during the Great Depression of the United States of America in the early 1930’s, in the Salinas Valley of California, tells us the story of George Milton and Lennie Small. The two migrant workers, bound together by an unusual and sure friendship, are in pursuit together of the â€Å"Great† American Dream – their dream. They will have their own land, be their own masters and no longer have to answer to anyone, and finally live in peace. On the other hand we have The Withered Arm, set in the early 19th Century as one of Hardy’s Wessex Tales, where he lived all his life. Hardy tells us the tale of a young woman, Gertrude Lodge, as she begins her new life. However, things are not what they should have been as Gertrude is afflicted with an unknown blight, her happiness both threatened and later destroyed. She is not completely alone – her plight is intertwined with that of Rhoda Brook, who carries a great pain in her heart and a great power, or perhaps a curse, that not even she realises. The two texts are each set in the same rural environment as that of their authors, both bringing us the tale of so many people struggling through their lives as best they can. In Of Mice and Men we see that every man, and woman, has their own dreams, their own obsessions to pine away for, to imagine and envisage when they are so often so lonely – each has their own thoughts, their method, of escapism from the reality they live in. The Withered Arm, again, in a different manner shows characters angry, obsessed, with lives they could have had and the possibilities that they have lost or had taken away from them. Each are victims of circumstance, each yearn for lives that are no longer theirs, each for a chance now gone. In each difficulty we can see a parallel, and in both books we can see characters sharing the same basic challenges to overcome, and obstacles in their path. Both show us some of the many facets and characteristics of loneliness and trouble in this world – no matter how little they look for difficulty and dilemmas, people will always manage to find them, no matter how hard they strive against it. â€Å"The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft agley [Often go wrong] And leave us nought but pain For promised joy† Robert Burns As Of Mice and Men begins, we are shown the two migrant farm workers, George and Lennie, on their way to a new job, a new start, â€Å"bucking† barley at a Californian ranch; fleeing much undue upset in their last town, mostly thanks, despite his original intentions, to Lennie. It is late evening and they both spend the night by the Salinas River before continuing on to their new place of work the next morning. It is here that we first discover some of the main personality differences, and conflicts, between the two characters, and learn of their aspirations and their future. We immediately see much of their natures and that of their friendship as Lennie â€Å"flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool†¦snorting into the water like a horse.† Lennie dives headlong, dunking his head into the murky waters of the Salinas like an animal, all for a drink of water; George restrains him, attempting to keep him in line and to keep him safe. George and Lennie have struggled their way through life together, as an inseparable pair, not like all the other hopefuls out there, â€Å"Because I got you an’ you got me† – together they might just get somewhere. The way this particular phrase is repeated so much tells us a lot about their friendship and how they both so desperately need it to survive. â€Å"The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features†¦every part of him was defined.† We see George as the sharp and able leader who gives Lennie his direction, blunt and bitter when it comes to his frustrations. All too often feeling taunted by the world, his life, and the problems they each throw at him – no matter how hard he tries and how much he accounts for it. Despite his quick temper and scathing reprisals, he holds a great care and affection for his travel-partner and the companionship he brings him – much more than is at first apparent. George feels responsible for Lennie, he has been Lennie’s guardian ever since the passing-away of his Aunt Clara, and no matter how hard he tries he always, and always will, feel that Lennie’s troubles, Lennie’s mistakes and faults are his own and that which he must resolve and reconcile – however much they may cause him yet more problems of his own. George feels a great loneliness inside, believing in his heart himself to be as worthless as every other like him, and as a result of this he gains his purpose – to become somebody, and he knows that is something he and Lennie must do and can only do together. Without Lennie he would be nothing, no more than every other man like him – alone and without hope. â€Å"Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders†¦he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws†¦his arms did not swing but hung loosely at his sides.† Lennie, we can already see if very different to George, a slow simpleton, likened to an animal on two counts now, expressing his simple personality and impulsive nature. It is thanks to the pair’s great bond and need that we see Lennie as such a vital character in the book, for George is not the only man to whom Lennie brings a purpose, it is around him that so much of the story unfolds and revolves about. Despite the simplicity in his manner and unsure path throughout the story, Lennie brings certainty to all those around him. They are drawn to the raw and basic companionship that his presence brings – he is both consort and confidant for all their thoughts and feelings. He neither understands nor takes in much of what they say but, rather than wasting their breath, it seems even more a boon unto them. Lennie is like a wandering sheep and it is George that gives him his direction and his purpose, and as he takes his lead from George, Lennie in turn gains his own shape and dream. Lennie’s simple, cumbersome shape walks always in George’s shadow, always behind him wherever he may go, no matter what. For Lennie life is as simple as he is – it is that which seems to create so many problems for them both, in turn presenting the answers to so many others, and it is this which gives Lennie such a lasting effect on all those around him. The two are together in the pursuit of their own dreams, each finding both a purpose and the means in the other. George dreams of his own land, his own life, and it is much the same for Lennie, on his own basic level. Lennie wishes to care for his own creatures, his rabbits. He loves to hear every word of them that he can get, and George loves to tell them to him – so obsessed and incensed are they with merely the thought of what lies ahead for them with the success of their great plan. This form of â€Å"dreaming† and hoping that many of the characters of this story holds shows how everyone of them wishes to escape from the present world that they live in, where society demands everything of them when they have nothing to hold as their own, and nothing to give. Together these two continue their journey, their unique bond always apparent as they cross upon the lives of many others, all showing the properties of loneliness and all for different reasons, giving us an outlook on how so many in this world are alone and isolated, and how what George and Lennie have is so valuable. â€Å"Ain’t many guys travel together†¦maybe everyone in the whole damn world is scared of each other.† The pressure of the â€Å"American Dream† and the demands of that society’s doctrines and social structure to achieve are imposed upon everyone and anyone and this is why it becomes such a great feature and driving force behind so much of the loneliness of this book. Every common man goes to America to succeed and achieve something, but society inflicts quite the opposite upon them – projecting, forcing upon them, an image of how people should think and most certainly be resulting in loneliness and isolation, a dissatisfaction of themselves and those around them and the ongoing fear of amounting to absolutely nothing. It is ironic that this very society which sets out to have everyone achieve and succeed does quite the opposite, causing so many problems along the way. The nature of the â€Å"American Dream† that so many in this story hold in their minds is that very thing which isolates every one of them from each other, and dooms them to failure. Upon arriving at the ranch, they are met by an old man named Candy and his now old and scrawny dog. It is Candy who explains to them the ways of the ranch, first showing them around and then, as the story progresses, introducing the personalities of the other ranch hands to them. We learn much about Candy himself and who he is, seeing in the second chapter Candy caught listening in on George and Lennie’s words together, as George attempts to keep Lennie in check and keep him safe. Candy was listening simply to feel as a part of their conversation, to feel involved in something, for Candy craves conversation in any form, so alone does he feel. It can be seen that now for so much of his life Candy has been separated from the other men, isolated from all others. Since Candy lost his hand in an accident upon the farm he has been unable to work with the others, condemned to the menial tasks and solitary life during the day, and now thanks to his advancing years he is even more isolated. His only companion throughout all this time has been his pet dog, a source of consternation for the other men as it nears the end of its days, its presence being an eyesore to them all and odour a cause of much dismay. The animal had been his companion since its birth, and now old and suffering from rheumatism, the men convince Candy to allow them to put it out of its misery for him. As Candy grudgingly agrees, against a great sadness, he loses his oldest and closest friend, and again he feels truly alone. Having no one, he attaches himself to Lennie and George and to the dream they both share and makes himself a part of it, willing to offer all he has, his life’s work and savings, for it to be so. However, as that dream is again jeopardised, perhaps fatally, he still wishes to carry on and fulfil the dream – for it is all he has left. It this desperation of Candy’s to make his new dream, their dream, become so, that yet another man becomes tied up in the illusion and the hope that it brings. Crooks is a fellow worker upon the ranch, a stable buck, working to repair saddles, tools and to look after the horses, unable to do other work since he was crippled, kicked in the back by one of the horses he was working with. We have never heard much of Crooks, only chance phrases from the other men, snatches of comments in the middle of a conversation; he is not often talked about, and never talked to – Crooks is a Negro. We do not see him for the majority of the book for he is never with the other men, always separated from everyone, simply because of the discrimination, the ignorance and the prejudices of that time. As the only Negro in the area, he is completely alone, without anyone but himself for so much of his life, but it was not always so. Crooks used to have someone – he used to live with his family, they owned a farm, he was with his brothers, his parents – his family, and he was counted as someone; now he isn’t even counted. The â€Å"American Dream† tells us of equality, of everyone having a chance to attain their dreams, to have something to hold, be proud of and call their own – in America everyone and anyone can have just this and be somebody unless, of course, if they are black. â€Å"This is just a nigger talkin’†¦so it don’t mean nothing, see?† This contradiction and hypocrisy intermittent throughout the dream is that which causes Crooks to be just who he is – alone and isolated, helpless and unable to anything about it. When Lennie wanders into Crooks’ living area simply looking for company as the other men are all away in the town, Crooks shows outrage and indignation that a white man would presume it his right to simply walk into his room without leave. However, Lennie’s innocence wins through, despite Crooks’ irritation, â€Å"Crooks scowled, but Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him.† As Crooks begins to talk to Lennie, and discover the nature of his relationship with George, we see his jealousy that another man could have someone so easy to talk to, such a simple and easy friendship. Such is his bitterness and jealousy over the pair’s companionship that Crooks goes on to taunt and tease Lennie with the possibility that George is injured and is no longer going to be there. He tells Lennie that he too is alone and must look after himself and continue life knowing he had someone, had something, and lost it as Crooks did. Crooks wants Lennie to feel what his pain is every day, every hour, and make someone else feel how he does – and, in doing so, make himself feel less alone. â€Å"A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†¦a guy gets lonely and he gets sick†. As Lennie’s anger flares up, we see that perhaps Crooks isn’t so malicious after all, for he placates Lennie – he wants him to stay, despite him being a white man, one who took his life away from him, an enemy. So alone is he that any company will do, black or white – it doesn’t matter any more; and so â€Å"It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger,† as Candy joins Lennie. He only has himself and what little company that he can find; he has been separated from others, alone for so long, simply because of the colour of his skin, so isolated thanks to an ignorant and naive prejudice, so much for a dream – when Crooks came to America he found an ongoing nightmare. There should be equality, and this is what America shouted aloud to the world – everyone in America has a dream to live out, and everyone who comes to America has a chance. However, this is not the case for Crooks – despite what people claimed, despite what the â€Å"American Dream† told them, he has nothing but material possessions, and to him they re nothing. Reading books is his only source of company, but â€Å"Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody – to be near him.† When Crooks first learns of their dream, not quite as they intended for it was their dream and nobody else’s’, he scoffs for has heard this kind of a story all before – he has seen hundreds of other hopefuls come through the ranch and continue on into nothing. He tells them this mockingly, and also to end their hopes for they too are going nowhere. However, as Candy justifies their hopes in defence, he subsides for he sees the possibilities himself, gets caught up in the trio’s aspirations and dreams, as Candy did, and pleads to be taken along, to join them – simply to be somewhere with others who might accept him for who he is and not for what. Crooks begins to open up, he finally believes himself to be an equal and to be counted, and he has been given back both his hope and a real chance. However, things are not to be as they hoped as the wife of Curley, the boss’ son, enters. As always the men are wary and bid her leave and in response her bitter temper rises. Crooks stands up to her, thinking outside his place in his newfound happiness, and she drills into him, makes him again realise just who he is, how little all he says and thinks is valued and how much power she holds over him. For a moment Crooks had become a man again and believed in his own freedom, but Curley’s wife put an end to that, to his open thought and his belief in all his hopes of being his own man again. â€Å"Crooks stared hopelessly at her, sat down†¦and drew into himself†¦Crooks had reduced himself to nothing, no personality, no ego†¦Everything that might be hurt drawn in†¦into the indomitable pride of the Negro.† Crooks the Negro presumed to think himself on the same level as Curley’s wife, to cap all the isolation and rejection from every other person on the ranch. So enraged is she that we see the malicious and bitter side of her nature born out of the oppression, the distress and torment of countless similar situations where no one ever listens, where she is always alone. She gives him no quarter as her scathing, bitter anger lashes into him. This conflict amongst and between the oppressed and repressed – first between Candy and Crooks, Crooks believing their dream to be as hopeless as all the rest, so demoralised has he become thanks to the life that American society has put him through, and then between Crooks and Curley’s wife, simply leads them in a circle, and right back to square one. Both are without freedom and hold little control over their own rights, and still they are brought into conflict by the ways in which society portrays the world and treats each of them, one putting the other’s hopes and liberty again into doubt, painting a wholly despondent and bleak future -all the more separated from each other, all the more isolated and alone. Curley’s wife always appears as a woman up to no good, spoken of hurriedly in whispered conversations. She is always out looking for trouble with the other men, always holding apparent bad intentions as she flaunts herself in a vain attempt to attract them to her, willing to do anything for companionship, and as a result getting quite the opposite. George had always recognised her danger, but Lennie is blind to every bit of it. However, we begin to see that she isn’t up to such wickedness as we are first led to believe, and her bitter tongue is simply born of a life of loneliness. The men always shy away from her fearing blackmail from a work mate or Curley’s wrath if they were to dare the stigma and go against the rules of society, and become friendly with another man’s wife. This fear of the bosses’ authority and their abuse of it is yet another barrier that stands between ever establishing some true ideals of equality. She has been alone and isolated by everyone for so long, not even her husband listens to her, simply telling her what he wants to say and never waiting for a response. Lennie, never vigilant nor wary for he has no reason to be, is the first person that hasn’t looked at her with fear in his eyes, for he is different; she has tried everything and seems doomed to failure – everyone is repulsed, everyone resists her, everyone bar Lennie, and she latches onto him because of this. One day she catches him on his own and without George always looking over his shoulder. He is like an open book to her, and instantly accepts her for exactly what she is. She delights in finally finding someone who is such a perfect companion, who no longer draws back away from her in fear, but talks to her as he would anyone else. Despite what is first apparent, she simply wants to be with someone who listens. We learn that she once had a life, once had a chance and could have been somebody, been somewhere and just perhaps have got somewhere in life, but had it taken away from her through no fault of her own, but the unjust and unreasonable actions of another – her own mother. To escape that, to escape a dead end and lonely life where one that should be so close to her takes her chances and dreams away from her, she married Curley and inadvertently runs into something much worse. She had a dream, found a chance and lost it thanks to a situation entirely out of her control, and things only go down hill from there. She is alone unable to do anything to escape the life that she now leads, no one is willing to talk to her, she is confined to the ranch and no longer has any chance of happiness, or simply of finding a friend. Yet again, a pursuer of the â€Å"American Dream† finds quite the opposite. She revels in Lennie’s companionship, temporarily feeling as if she were no longer alone in the world as Crooks did, and so tells him things that she has told no other, opening herself to him and finding that he accepts all that she says without doubt or uncertainty. However, as she learns of Lennie’s love for the touch and feel of soft things, she lets him closer without restraint or forethought, lets him touch and hold her hair. As she draws away in worry that her hair (and subsequently her looks) are being dishevelled, the one thing she believes herself to truly hold is mishandled, and so she pulls away, expressing her distress. Lennie panics and does the only thing that his simple mind can think of – resist, and so he grips hold of her tighter, unwilling to let go, he is confused and frightened and understands nought of what is happening. He fears that if George were to find out that he had made someone unhappy and done wrong by them he would abandon and discard him, fearing disapproval if his actions were ever discovered; and so he clamps his hand over her mouth, hoping that none would hear the noise. He grips even tighter as she struggles all the more desperately in the pain that his awesome strength is causing her, and he jerks and shakes her body in response, in an attempt to silence her. In this he succeeds, but to an extent that he never intended – he unwittingly breaks her neck. Yet again Lennie has caused great harm without ever realising it possible, and this time the outcome is greatly worse. She was always alone, always without somebody, even those closest to her appear to have wished against her happiness; John Steinbeck signifies this to us by never naming Curley’s wife – she was never important to the person, and the people, that she should have been. As soon as she finds someone that was conceivably different, perhaps wasn’t like all the others, she takes it all too far too soon, without thinking of the consequences. As a result she loses everything. The story ends in the pursuit of Lennie, George goes after him with the other men for he cannot let them get to him first and it is here that we are reminded of Candy’s words upon his own companion, his pet dog, â€Å"I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t have let no stranger shoot my dog.† George finally catches up with Lennie at their meeting point where they stayed that first night before making their way onto the ranch. Lennie has been plagued by images and hallucinations from his past and his imagination, so distraught has he become over doing something so wrong and upsetting George in such a huge way, without ever intending to he managed to take away every hope the two had of achieving their dream all thanks to the pressure put upon him to do right by everyone, make no mistakes and allow none to hear of the rest, which leads to him causing more problems than ever before. George has Lennie imagine their dream once more, for that was always how Lennie was happiest – imagining his future, escaping from the present. It is in this moment that George puts the gun to the back of Lennie’s head, and, fighting off his shaking hand, pulls down upon the trigger. He never wanted to, but he had to – this was the only possible choice George could have made for the ultimately innocent Lennie, nothing he could do would have been easier, or better, for Lennie. George in doing so loses his one and only companion, every hope he ever had of being somebody and every hope of those around him that became a part of their dream – all in that instant every hope was lost. Such is the despair that Candy finds it difficult to let go, he wants to continue the dream and to finish it, despite all which has happened, but he knows that is never possible now. Lennie was the one that held everything, everyone, together and gave them all hope and a chance, and now he was gone. The Withered Arm tells us a story of the ordeal of Rhoda Brook, her son, Farmer Lodge and his newly married wife, Gertrude, as Thomas Hardy chooses to constantly switch your attention, not concentrating on single character’s loneliness and hardships, but that of four. We first meet Rhoda Brook working in the cow sheds, a milkmaid, and we instantly recognise how emotionally isolated and detached from others she is. As the other characters about her chat among themselves she chooses to remain apart, and uninvolved, from them all. We see how alone and different from the other simple farm hands she is, â€Å"He hasn’t spoken to her for years,† whilst they talk about her and the notorious love affair she had with the Farmer Lodge – and his recent marriage to a young lady not from nearby, but the city. She is one apart from the rest, not like them, and no longer does she care or worry over their words and thoughts of her. She remains impassive throughout the conversation and the others comments about her, â€Å"She knew she had slyly been called a witch.† Her physical loneliness and separation, probably much out of choice, is also elaborated upon as â€Å"She milked slightly apart from the rest,† as well as through the description of where she has chosen to live, â€Å"their course lay apart from the rest†. The truth about Rhoda and Farmer Lodge’s affair, now many years in the past, is widely known in the area. Long ago they were together and for unexplained reasons she was abandoned – perhaps upon the realisation of Rhoda’s pregnancy. The very thing meant to bring a couple closer together and bring with it happiness and companionship may have brought completely the opposite for Rhoda. However, Farmer Lodge has developed very materialistic views, adhering and conforming to those of the society he lives in. Rhoda was below his class, below him, and he could never have been seen in a permanent relationship with her because of that – society would never have accepted him. Another possible reason is that of Rhoda’s advancing years and waning beauty – her age is closer to that of Lodge’s and so his materialism again pushes him away from her as he chooses to marry a young and still beautiful girl not long out of her teen.This is what he feels he must have – the best. With the arrival of Gertrude Lodge the final brick is laid in the wall standing between Rhoda and her happiness, between her and Lodge and both of them and their son. We recognise instantly that Gertrude is neither country-born nor country-bred, and knows little of her new life and what lies ahead. From the beginning she is almost completely alone – she is a young lady, highborn, and not long out of her teens, lady-like and beautiful, and there are none like her that she can communicate with. Gertrude worries much over others’ opinions of her, as she desires so much to be readily accepted into her new community. However, things are not to be all she could hope for, as she soon realises how alone she is to be as society separates her from the majority of those around her, thanks to the strict taboos on cross-class relationships and of a lady socialising with those of the lower class. When Rhoda learns of Gertrude’s arrival she has her son discover ever detail and feature of the girl, sizing her up and comparing herself to Gertrude in her jealousy, for she believes that it should be she, not Gertrude, that Farmer Lodge should have married and is bitterly angry that he refuses to acknowledge their son and even what they both had between each other as anything but insignificant and irrelevant. The son that Rhoda and Lodge both had together is yet another great example of the loneliness that this story portrays as his mother’s loneliness and emotional feelings merely add to that of his own. Hardy chooses to give him no name, as did Steinbeck with Curley’s wife, emphasising how unimportant and worthless he is in the eyes of those that he should mean so much to. His father rejects him outright – barely ever acknowledging his presence, â€Å"He took no outward notice of the boy whatsoever,† and when he does it is only as an inferior and one of no consequence as the boy is described as â€Å"Just one of the neighbourhood.† Even his own mother, with whom he has lived for all his years, is unconcerned with him, so obsessed and incensed with her own dilemma that she simply uses him as ammunition, and justification, of her right over others to Lodge. He is used as a spy upon Gertrude and Lodge by his mother, if not that then he is always at work upon one household duty or another, and despite all that he does none of it seems to satisfy his mother. He is barely ever given any affection at all, seemingly only useful for errands and chores that Rhoda cannot bring herself to do. Despite her anger over Farmer Lodge’s total lack of acceptance of their son, she too does much the same, and never realises the frustrations that he hides underneath as a result of this all, â€Å"His mother not observing that he was cutting a notch with his pocket knife into the beech-backed chair.† The son has no father figure to follow, but certainly not a good example, and his mother tries to set him one no better – she doesn’t even make the effort. Rhoda develops an obsession with Gertrude whom she has neither met nor even seen. Such is her fixation that one night she is visited in a troubled dream by an image, the distorted and repulsive impression of Gertrude that Rhoda has built up in her mind through her bitter jealousy. â€Å"The figure thrust forward its left hand mockingly, so as to make the wedding ring it wore glitter in Rhoda’s eyes.† This thing that Rhoda believes Gertrude to be taunts her, thrusting the proof of her marriage to Farmer Lodge before her very eyes – the thing that Rhoda herself so covets and desires for herself. As the creature draws closer, Rhoda grips its arm in fright and hurls it to the floor. One day Gertrude visits Rhoda in her small house upon the hill, and Rhoda sees her for what she really is. Gertrude, in her loneliness in Lodge’s great manor house, comes to Rhoda for companionship, and in her she finds a friend. At first Rhoda is unresponsive, but slowly she begins to come round, to see through all the lies she has told herself all too often in her resentment at being alone. However, all is not to be so perfectly resolved, as we learn of Gertrude’s arm – the strange marks, like as that of fingers’, upon the flesh and over time they gradually worsen and deteriorate. â€Å"It looks almost like finger marks†¦as if some witch, or the devil himself, had taken a hold of me there, and blasted the flesh.† Gertrude’s other sorrow becomes apparent as she too has realised the faith that the farmer puts into face value and beauty – for she believes that he will begin to love her less if the arm does not heal as it should. As a result, over time, Gertrude begins to preoccupy herself and obsess about her arm as Rhoda did over Farmer Lodge and it continues to worsen. No one understands its nature, no one knows of a cure and Gertrude, stricken with worry and concern, turns again to Rhoda, following perhaps a maid’s, or a worker’s, advice, and the irony in this is how many would believe Rhoda to be the guilty party, the witch, cursing upon Gertrude and that she of all people would know her adversary best. Rhoda meanwhile says nothing upon the matter of the arm, merely inquiring upon it, hoping that it might recover. For Rhoda neither understands what effect she has had upon Gertrude, nor knows how she caused it – much of the time she vainly tells herself that it is nothing but a coincidence. All the same, Rhoda apprehensively leads Gertrude across the hills and fields one day to Conjuror Trendle, a man renowned for powers that other people believe in more than he. â€Å"He affected not to believe largely in his own powers and when warts that had been shown him for the cure miraculously disappear†¦he would say lightly, ‘Oh I only drink a glass of grog upon ’em†¦perhaps its all chance’, and immediately turn the subject.† Trendle lives many miles apart from other men, separated by their views and taboos of that society upon witchcraft and anything related. He has been cast away by their prejudices all because he has a talent that they neither possess nor understand, and they fear him for this. He merely uses what he has to help people as best he can, getting nothing but fear and aversion in return, and this he does for Gertrude too. Despite the rumours and whispers that people speak behind his back, he does what he knows to be best all the same – rejecting the constraints of society for his own freedom, and in turn having much of it taken away. He shows to Gertrude the image of an enemy, the only one capable of causing such a blight, and Rhoda’s fears are to be realised as, despite Gertrude never telling her who the image she saw was, she never spoke to Rhoda again, never mentioned the arm and never called around her house, simply looking for a companion, again – for now her unsee n assailant had a face, that of Rhoda. Over a very short period their friendship began to break down very quickly, almost instantly as realisation had dawned upon Gertrude, and so she never saw anything of Rhoda, or her son, again for many years and eventually the two both slipped out of the community and were never seen again – they were forced out by the fears of others, by Rhoda’s desires of things that were no longer hers to covet and by the entire community, for none really cared. Gertrude was now truly alone and without a single companion- her husband no longer even looked at her, such was his revulsion of the withering of her arm and displeasure at the fact that she had not even managed to produce him an heir in all their time together. Gertrude’s beauty was waning as the full anguish of the arm and being so alone in the world assailed her. She became obsessed with the arm and the search for cures, attempting every crackpot remedy that she could find in her maddened struggle – but none ever worked or had any effect. Driven into desperation by her husband’s and society’s demands for young ladies to be beautiful and perfect always, for Gertrude fears the rejection of her husband as Rhoda was rejected many years ago. In many ways this despair and incensed search for a cure drove even larger a void between Gertrude and her husband, for in the end it was both she and the arm driving him away, so obsessed did she become – much thanks to the pressures and expectations of the world around her. Again she goes to visit Trendle in the vain hope that perhaps he will be able to cure her at last, however, this time she makes the journey alone – showing just how much more lonely and separated from others she has become. Upon arriving she sees Trendle, now an old man and barely able to even leave his house – he has lost even that little bit of freedom that life had allowed him and has absolutely no one but himself to rely on, and no one to be there when he dies. In his last days, Trendle tells her simply what had to be done – he was too old to help now, she would have to cope alone with this task as always, but he could point her in the right direction. She agrees to all that he tells her, whatever it may be, such is her desire to again be beautiful for her husband again and to allow her to again conform to the views of those around her – much the opposite choice to that of Conjuror Trendle. Gertrude must touch the body of an executed man just cut down from a hanging – not dead for more than an instant so as to turn the blood of Gertrude and cure the withering of the arm. Finally, after many weeks wait the chance arrives and Gertrude’s prayers, driven to wishing upon the death of a fellow man, are answered and she strikes up a deal with the old, isolated hangman, separated from others by the nature of his trade, who was not wholly unused to requests of her sort. The condemned that is to become Gertrude’s saviour is a young man, charged of arson – the burning down of an old warehouse. The young man was apparently simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but an example had to be made to satisfy the people. On the allotted night, Gertrude goes to the hangman as planned, and he then leads her to the open casket and she pulls back the covering and touches the figure beneath. To her horror she sees it to be Rhoda’s own son – the son of Farmer Lodge. Gertrude backs off in dismay and turns to discover both Rhoda and Lodge standing behind her. Rhoda shouts in anger and pushes Gertrude away from them both, for even now she still stands between the Farmer Lodge and their son once again – as always Gertrude comes between Rhoda and Lodge, always in the way of Rhoda’s hopes, desires and always keeping her completely alone. Gertrude screams in fear and falls to the floor, for the shock and extreme stress, together with the draining nature of the arm finally get the best of her, for she has died. Her blood had been turned, but all too far. Here the story concludes, as Rhoda moves farther away and separates herself from the local community entirely yet again, totally alone thanks to her own bitterness. Even after her son is lost still nobody goes to pay their respects or offer their company – she becomes even more alone than ever, all thanks to her own negligence. Farmer Lodge is also alone now, perhaps as he deserved, for his uncaring and selfish ways led to the grief of many and his dishonesty to the death of his wife for he broke his marriage vows that he made before God – â€Å"In sickness and in health.† His wife is dead and his son is lost forever and with him any chance of ever having an heir to all his estate. In his despair Lodge sells all his farm and land and moves away – only now do we realise how truly alone he has become, and all thanks to him, his materialism and conforming to what society dictates as to how he should live his life. He offers Rhoda an annual income, as an attempt at a final reconciliation but she never accepts it and none see her again. He loses everything and is doomed to die alone, leaving us later to discover that he has left all that is his to a reformatory for boys, showing how he did have thoughts and feelings regarding his son, but never had the strength to show them which is perhaps his greatest sin. Both Lodge and Rhoda isolated themselves from others and both are now even lonelier as a result of this. Gertrude’s vanity may have played a part in her own undoing, represented by the extremes to which she was willing to go as she even wished for the death of a fellow man, guilty or innocent alike, but it was Lodge, and those around her, that drove her to such desperation and in the end she dies alone, above all emotionally, as her husband stands apart from her with Rhoda. The young son meanwhile, brought to his end by Gertrude’s desperate wishing is always portrayed in Hardy’s novel as the innocent throughout, trapped between his two parents never being truly loved or cared for – always alone and always innocent. Towards the end we assume that perhaps he has got involved in a youth gang. This leads to his later arrest at the crime scene showing that no father figure and role model at all would have perhaps been better than that of a bad and unloving one who rejects him outright, he may have been innocent but he never had anyone who would stand up for him. This rejection by his father and ignorant negligence on his mother’s part leads to his tragic death, similar to that of Candy’s wife – who also remains unnamed as they are never important to those that they should be, leaving both of them completely alone and hopeless. The unfortunate tragedy that we see at the end of each novel is but one of the many similarities between these two novels. As we begin, each story features two central characters, George and Lennie, Rhoda and Gertrude, around which the story unfolds. As they live their lives we are introduced to many others, each with their own individual problems and dilemmas besetting them. These unlikely friendships between our central characters ultimately end in a tragedy, first with one unknowingly causing great problems for the other and finally one must put the other out of their misery, and at the same time condemn themselves to loneliness and hopelessness yet again. In Of Mice and Men we see at the root of everyones’ problems the desperation to achieve and become somebody – to find the American Dream. The society in which they have lived tells them that they are nothing without achievement, and they all agree for much of their sadness originates from this feeling of worthlessness. In George and Lennie’s case it drives them onwards, in search of their dream, but the others do not have the friendship that they each possess and have no hope of getting anywhere. Candy is old, crippled, with no hope of being able to work for something anymore and no hope of ever actually finding a companion as everyone deserts him each day. Crooks has nobody, he lost everything thanks to American society and the fact that the dream doesn’t work if you are black, he is hopeless for all time. Curley’s wife, a seemingly dangerous character of this story is isolated for just that. She has nobody bar her husband, who neither loves her nor listens, separated from others by both him and other peoples’ fear of the stigma that would ensure should they become her friend. She had her one chance at achieving something taken away from her many years ago. For Lennie the necessity to conform and do right by people is too much for him – he can never understand and in the end this leads to his death. His fear of disapproval forces him to take a life without ever intending to. It is upon George’s shoulders to end the story, for there is only one possibility – he must end all his hopes, condemn himself to being alone with his guilt, every chance that they had together and those around them found upon their arrival for he must take Lennie’s life to save him from misery. This pressure from American society and the unbending rules on what people should and shouldn’t be causes so much dissatisfaction and unrest, leaving everyone feeling hopeless and alone, that they have been brought up to believe. They thought they had a chance, and they found nothing. The Withered Arm, on the other hand, is set in a world of tradition, of British society and its harsh social structure. In everyone’s mind there is desperation to conform to the rules and agree that unless you are upper class, or in the case of the women – married, you are no one. Rhoda isolates herself from all others in her desperation to become someone, Farmer Lodge’s wife, and be counted and in doing so sentences herself to a life of loneliness, and starts much more for many others. For Gertrude there is a desperation to be what the materialistic views of those around her tell her to be, and in her search for this she ends up isolating her self even more than before. The young son, who nobody ever really looks to care for, there is isolation of a different kind and through no fault of his own. His parents never truly acknowledge him as their son and this ultimately ends in his tragic death. For Farmer Lodge, it is his materialistic conformism that causes many problems, and he isolates himself from all others in this story until the end, where it is he and Rhoda left and doomed to each be utterly alone for their sins.

Media Influence On Nursing Image

?The media and especially Hollywood have been one of the most influential factors on how the public view nursing as a profession. As nurses we need to recognize both the negative and positive images the media have on nursing and try in our day to day interactions with the general public to change these perceptions. Negative stereotypes are everywhere and involve almost everyone no matter what profession or business you are in. A nurse has long been stereotyped as â€Å"helper† and still is in today’s world.Many patients I work with now still feel that, when they are admitted to the hospital the nurse is to do everything for them including catering to their activities of daily living, although they can do it themselves. For example, I assist a patient out of bed to the wash basin to wash their face and brush their teeth and they sit waiting for the nurse to come in and perform these tasks as’ it is their duty’. Here I have to redirect and encourage them to do as much as the can and staff will assist to take of the rest. It is safe to say the media and especially television seem to get a’ kick’ out of portraying nurses negatively.Almost all TV shows I can think of portray nurses in a negative way. Although there may be a positive as seen in ‘Mercy’ where the doctor told the interns, ‘these are the nurses, they should be your be your best friend, they most times know more than you do’ holds so much truth in that statement and should be seen as a positive. The same show over shadows this positive with numerous negative behaviors of the same nurses. I am not a big fan of television but happened to see one episode of’ Nurse Jackie’ that made me very upset. I can just imagine the negative image of the uneducated public watching such a television show.At Halloween the nurse is portrayed as a sex symbol in tight, short and skimpy costumes, when in fact nurses are neatly attired and depict professionalism on and off the job. It is our duty as nurses to practice professionalism at all times so that the public can differentiate the Hollywood portrayed TV nurse as opposed to the professional nurse they will meet in the healthcare system. We can talk to the public at health fairs, church, schools etc. about the nurse’s roles and scope in nursing practice so they will have informed impressions of nurses. Media Influence On Nursing Image The media and especially Hollywood have been one of the most influential factors on how the public view nursing as a profession. As nurses we need to recognize both the negative and positive images the media have on nursing and try in our day to day interactions with the general public to change these perceptions. Negative stereotypes are everywhere and involve almost everyone no matter what profession or business you are in. A nurse has long been stereotyped as â€Å"helper† and still is in today’s world.Many patients I work with now still feel that, when they are admitted to the hospital the nurse is to do everything for them including catering to their activities of daily living, although they can do it themselves. For example, I assist a patient out of bed to the wash basin to wash their face and brush their teeth and they sit waiting for the nurse to come in and perform these tasks as’ it is their duty’. Here I have to redirect and encourage them to d o as much as the can and staff will assist to take of the rest. It is safe to say the media and especially television seem to get a’ kick’ out of portraying nurses negatively.Almost all TV shows I can think of portray nurses in a negative way. Although there may be a positive as seen in ‘Mercy’ where the doctor told the interns, ‘these are the nurses, they should be your be your best friend, they most times know more than you do’ holds so much truth in that statement and should be seen as a positive. The same show over shadows this positive with numerous negative behaviors of the same nurses. I am not a big fan of television but happened to see one episode of’ Nurse Jackie’ that made me very upset. I can just imagine the negative image of the uneducated public watching such a television show.At Halloween the nurse is portrayed as a sex symbol in tight, short and skimpy costumes, when in fact nurses are neatly attired and depict p rofessionalism on and off the job. It is our duty as nurses to practice professionalism at all times so that the public can differentiate the Hollywood portrayed TV nurse as opposed to the professional nurse they will meet in the healthcare system. We can talk to the public at health fairs, church, schools etc. about the nurse’s roles and scope in nursing practice so they will have informed impressions of nurses.