My Position in Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Essay Example for Free

My Position in Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Essay In Maslows hierarchy of needs, I would like to see myself in the fourth level. I must say I am already fulfilled when it comes to physiological, safety, and belongingness needs. As I grow old, I realize my needs and as I become mature I started to aim for satisfaction. I have a very supportive family and I could say that I have gained a lot of friends along my journey whom I can consider as part of my success. I am no longer a child to aim for belongingness nor too old to aim for self actualization, I am still on my quest for achievement and reputation. Even though, I have already finished my college education, I still have a lot of plans for my future. Just like what Marlows say about the â€Å"needs† of a person, esteem needs talks about the pride. I must say I am already in the stage where I am aiming for others recognition and respect. Since I have a strong belief that respect and reputation are gained not only through kindness, I am still planning for more not only to have them but also because those achievements are what I consider as real success in ones life. In my two decades of existence, I have learned to value the achievements that I have gained and aim for more as I grow old. When a person desire for independence and competence, I must say that that is the time when he or she is already satisfied with his or her other needs. That is what I feel for myself right now. I have learned to mingle with different kinds of people for more knowledge, go to different places for adventure, and face adversaries to win every competition. I won a lot of friends but I have also encountered a lot of enemies on my way to what I called success. Maybe because I have been considered as competent and a dreamer, what I already have right now seem not enough for me to be satisfied. I think that is because I am still young to stop and be satisfied for what I have gained in my short journey of life. I also think that being a member of a family of achievers gives me an inspiration to dream more and go further than what I have already accomplished. The prominent people around me give me encouragement to make all my plans reachable. Apparently, my goal in life and my perspective of satisfaction rely heavily on my quest for independence, respect, and reputation. I have realized that I am already satisfied with other needs in life and those things that I want to do today reflect what I want to be in the future.

A Family Affected By Elderly Dementia

A Family Affected By Elderly Dementia Introduction This is a case study of a gentleman with dementia, a condition defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2003) as a syndrome caused by a range of illnesses and which affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgment (p.1). Dementia can have a huge impact on health, well-being and quality life for both the person with dementia and their family. It can result in deep feelings of loss for the person with dementia, who often can no longer do all of those activities that were once an enjoyable part of their life. Similarly, family can feel a sense of bereavement at losing loved ones to dementia, a condition that often changes the personality of the person who develops it (Doka, 2004). This provides the rationale for gaining further insight into the care and support needs of people with dementia and their families via case studies such as this one. In particular, this case study will focus on every day and night decisions that affect the person with dementia, including activities of daily living, social activities, and most importantly communication and inclusion. The case study will be formed from a review of case notes for which permission was initially sought from the appropriate line manager as well as from the client with dementia and his family. The client was shown his case notes in order to ensure that he was fully informed as to the documents being requested for use. The client can read and communicate verbally, supporting this method of establishing informed consent. He was also given the opportunity to ask questions. The case study will commence with an introduction to the gentleman with dementia, as well as a description of the current circumstances surrounding his care and the involvement of both himself and his family in care plans and decision-making. Theories and models related to communication and inclusion will be reviewed, followed by the rationale for the participatory approach utilised when working with the client and his family. The case study will conclude with a summary of the key issues identified within the case study, as well as any reflections for future work. Client Profile For the purpose of this case study, the gentleman with dementia will be referred to as Bob. His real identity and that of anyone else within this case study will remain anonymous in order to maintain confidentiality. Bob lives in residential accommodation with other people who have dementia. His profile is presented in Box 1, using the Roper, Logan and Tierney Activities of Living Model (Roper et al, 2000) to present a holistic overview of Bobs care needs on 12 activities of living (ALs) relevant to communication and inclusion and essential to health and well-being. Box 1: Bobs Profile CLIENT PROFILE Patients Name: Bob Stephens Age: 95-years old (Date of birth: 22nd October, 1915) Ethnicity: Jewish (non-practicing) Activities of Living (D=dependent; I=independent): Maintaining a safe environment D I Communication D I Breathing D I Eating and drinking D I Elimination D I Personal grooming D I Controlling body temperature D I Mobilising D I Working and playing D I Expressing sexuality D I Sleeping D I Dying D I Comments: Bob shows dependency in two ALs (i.e. maintaining a safe environment; working and playing) and requires support in four ALs: (i.e. communication; personal grooming; mobilising; elimination). Influencing Factors Biological: Bob is 95-years of age. He requires a hearing aid and walking stick. Psychological: Bobs dementia can sometimes result in confusion and disorientation. He also becomes tearful frequently and does not participate in residential activities. Socio-cultural: Bob is Jewish, but non-practicing and with no preference for Kosher food. He has a wife, Sue, who visits twice a week and with whom he has a close and affectionate relationship with. He also has a son, John, who visits him regularly. Environmental: Bob does not like noisy environments. Politico-economic: No current issues. Additional Notes: Bob has a care plan devised to reduce the risk of harm to himself and others. Despite this, Bobs carers have noted that he is polite and charming when his situation and circumstances are to his preference. Bob was born in the East End of London. He retired from the Royal Air Force (RAF) 15-years ago and expresses that this was my life. Sue has shared that it was after retirement that Bob lost interest in all activities, including socialising. Relevant Theories and Models The theories and models relevant to this case study are those pertaining to communication and inclusion. These two issues are complementary in that communication is an important component of working with people who have dementia and their families in a participatory way that encourages inclusion. Theories of communication are described, followed by a definition and outline of social inclusion. Communication There tends to be two broad perspectives on communication, these being Transmission Models and Communication-as-Interaction Models. Transmission Models purport that communication is the transference of information from the sender to the receiver, with the sending hearing or reading the message as they interpret it. Although this model of communication is limited in its simplistic view of communication, it does hold some relevancy to Bobs situation. Within the Transmission Model, the concept of noise is used to refer to the wide variety of different factors that can affect the success of transmitting a message from one person to another. Since Bob is hard of hearing and wears a hearing aid, he can find noisy environments difficult to cope with. He does not like noise and thus it is important to communicate with him in a quiet environment where there is little distraction. Communication-as-Interaction theories view communication as a shared process with active participation from all parties, thus recognising the complexity of human interaction. This model of communication proposes that the meanings that emerge from the interaction are affected by a wide range of psychological and social factors. As with the Transmission Model, this model is also relevant to Bob. In particular, it provides insight into why Bob might shout or become verbally aggressive in noisy environments. In such situations, psychologically Bob is likely to be overwhelmed. Furthermore, due to social withdrawal following retirement, it is plausible that Bob becomes anxious in social situations that are no longer familiar to him. Robb et al. (2004) note that in the case of dementia care, Communication-as-Interaction perspectives, which take a biopsychosocial approach, provide a more person-centred element to caring for an individual with dementia. Therefore, whilst Transmission Models are also relevant to Bobs situation, it is important to also apply elements of Communication-as-Interaction, especially in efforts to promote inclusion. Indeed, viewing communication as a shared process is productive of supporting social interaction. To expand on the role of interaction in communication and inclusion, the Symbolic Interaction perspective provides further insight. This perspective posits that in individuals identity is formed on the basis of messages they receive from other people about the kind of person they are and the nature of the world they live in (Kontos, 2005). Bob does experience agitation and frustration and it is important to be aware that if carers or family react to this in a consistently negative way, it is likely that Bob will use this information to form a self-identity that promotes social exclusion through the avoidance of interaction with others. Bob, as do other people, has a daily regime and if this is changed he can feel unsettled. An understanding of this via insight into the theory of Symbolic Interaction can facilitate better management of Bobs care needs. Utilising the Symbolic Interaction approach further, there needs to be an emphasis on positive communication being about talking with the individual rather than at them, as has been the case with Bob (Parker, 2003). Inclusion Social inclusion has been defined by the Local Government Improvement and Development Group (2010) as relating to the ability to fully participate in normal social activities, and engage in political and civic life (p.1). In contrast, social exclusion has been defined as relating to being unable to participate fully in normal social activities, or to engage in political and civic life (p.1). Using these definitions it becomes clear that social inclusion is a broad concept involving a wide range of social and political activities. In terms of mental health and dementia, inclusion involves maximises opportunity personally and within the wider community (MIND, 2008). Thus, social inclusion is about ensuring that people have the opportunity to get involved in the activities they want to get involved in and are not excluded from society on the basis of any disability. It is believed that in the field of dementia care, social inclusion begins by changing attitudes towards people with demen tia and considering what people can and want to do, i.e. giving them a choice in their care, in the way they live, as well as helping them develop the tools to self-manage effectively and thus maintain their independence. As described within this case study, maximising opportunities and providing Bob with choices are a key part of communication and interaction with him. Participatory Approach A person-centred approach has been taken in supporting Bob and his family with issues of communication and inclusion. This has been essential in ensuring that the issues important to Bob and his family have been targeted, as opposed to care being based on assumptions or preconceptions of carers (Whitworth et al., 1999). The Participation Ladder, developed by Arnstein (1969), has been applied in work with Bob and his family. This model is based on the observation that the fundamental point [is] that participation without redistribution of power is an empty and frustrating process for the powerless. It allows the power holders to claim that all sides were considered, but makes it possible for only some of those sides to benefit. It maintains the status quo (pp. 216-233). This Ladder is particularly pertinent in dementia care, where an imbalance of power comes from the person with dementia being in a vulnerable position compared to their carer. The Ladder comprises eight levels, as follows: Manipulation this is a non-participative level where the aim would be to cure or educate Bob. Therapy this is also a non-participative level where the aim would be to cure or educate Bob. Informing this is an important first step to legitimate participation, but often the emphasis is on a one-way flow of information from the carer to the individual with dementia. Consultation another important step towards participation, which would comprise surveys, meetings and enquiries with Bob and his family. Placation this step would enable Bob and his family to be involved in planning his care, but the power would still reside with the carer as they would make the final decisions. Partnership this is when power is redistributed through negotiation, in this case, between Bob, his family, and professionals involved in his care. Planning and decision-making responsibilities are shared, supporting the co-creating health initiative currently underway by the Health Foundation (Health Foundation, 2010). This initiative promotes active partnership between individuals receiving care and their carers. This is the step of the Participation Ladder utilised within Bobs care. Delegated Power Bob would hold the majority of power for certain decisions. Citizen Control Bob would have complete control and power over his own care, which is not always feasible within healthcare, especially in the care of people with dementia. Work with Bob resides on level 6 of the Ladder, partnership, as Bob can communicate verbally and shows clear preferences and needs, which demonstrates a capacity to identify his own needs, voice these needs, and make decisions accordingly. However, there are instances where Bob can become confused and agitated and might not make the most appropriate decisions; this is when carers and family become more involved in the decision-making. In particular, in order to promote social inclusion there are some instances where Bob does need encouragement or motivation to interact with others or with the community. Input from carers and family on such matters are vital for Bob to maintain his independence and quality of life. Bobs family have been included in every day and night decisions that affect themselves and Bob. Families can experience the same power imbalance as those with dementia in that once the person with dementia enters care the family lose a sense of control. They also lose an established role within the relationship. Involving them in care plans regarding communication and inclusion initiatives can help them maintain a satisfactory role and remain involved in the persons life. It also adds some structure and meaning to their visits, which is important because some families can find this a stressful situation. Loss of control is heightened by being excluded from decisions, difficulty in getting information, lack of interest in their special knowledge of the person, and negative reactions to their worries and concerns (Woods et al., 1999). The family have a good relationship with Bobs carers and in particular with the manager of the residential home, who has developed a unique bond with Bob that others have not been able to establish. Thus, Bobs family are comfortable asking questions and raising concerns. They are also closely involved in planning activities and opportunities with Bob, which has greatly facilitated the trust built between Bob and the manager of the residential home. Discussion of Case Bobs case notes and care plan highlight a key issue with communication and inclusion being that he can become agitated and frustrated, resulting in him striking out at carers and other residents. The goal of his care plan has been to reduce the risk of harm to others and keep Bob and others safe in order to enhance inclusion. Bob is most likely to become a risk when he becomes agitated or frustrated, which most often arises when he experiences confusion and disorientation. This can result in him shouting at carers and other residents. It is noted within the literature that feelings of confusion can be a way of people with dementia retreating from an overload of painful information; it is not always caused by neurological impairment (Cheston and Bender, 2000). It could be that Bob is struggling to make sense of his life and might even be experiencing feelings of fear and grief at the loss of past activities and living circumstances that have resulted from dementia. Bobs care plan advises that in these situations, when Bob becomes a risk to himself and others, that carers speak to him in a calm and polite manner. It is important that they do not use challenging or confrontational language or gestures, so as to avoid arguments and disagreements. It is also advised that efforts are made to divert Bobs attention from the situation that has caused his agitation. However, Bob does pick up on these diversion tactics and will challenge them, thus carers try to divert him with activities he enjoys and that involve him in communication with others. For example, Bob enjoys reminiscing about the past, talking about his birthplace, and his time in the RAF as a pilot. His family have helped with locating his flying logbooks and Bob enjoys talking about these at length. Indeed, these are instances were Bob engages well and according to the Communication-as-Interaction model discussed previously. In particular, Bob becomes verbally enthused by the interaction, but can also focus on listening to others. An important component of enabling communication and inclusion in dementia care is getting to know someone and forming a relationship. One way in which this has been achieved with Bob has been to listen to his stories about the past and to engage his family in this process. The literature suggests that such an approach can also help build trust and balance power (Bartlett and OConner, 2010). It is easy to get to know Bob as he enjoys talking about his past experiences. It has thus been vital that carers hone listening skills (i.e. attentive listening and person-centred listening skills). It has been found that using this technique to divert Bob away from frustrating situations has also helped carers in their reactions to Bobs outbursts. This is extremely important as, according to the Symbolic Interaction model discussed previously, repetitive negative reactions could be used by Bob to form a self-identity that promotes social exclusion through the avoidance of interaction with others. Rather than raising ones voice with Bob or provoking further agitation, carers identify the reasons behind Bobs frustration. For example, it could be the result of an inability to communicate need in the social context. Evidence of this can be seen in the way that Bob can become easily frustrated if his morning routine is changed. An understanding of this as opposed to a focus on his abusive verbal response facilitates better management of these situations when they arise. This approach supports the biopsychosocial approach, which suggests that behaviour and non-verbal communication has a meaning and provides insight into how a person is feeling or what they might be thinking. Indeed, Stoke (2002) suggests that meeting needs requires some flexibility in the care environment; even if needs cannot be met or behaviour changed, understanding what it means can make it easier for staff and family to accept. Working out the meaning of behaviour can be facilitated by taking into consideration a persons history, physical and mental health, social context, and their abilities and disabilities. For example, talking to Bob in an inclusive way has been important. In particular, being mindful of phrases used to refer to Bob, either to him or his family, and the implications of this have been considered (e.g. referring to Bob in a personal and individualised way as opposed to as a dementia sufferer, or patient, both of which could promote a victim role). Bobs hearing difficulties and dislike of noise are likely to explain some of the agitation and frustration experienced when others are around. Bob can be offered one-to-one sessions in a quieter room when other residents around, but it is important not to isolate him and to encourage reintegration with the group afterwards. Bobs other interests, such as reading the newspaper with his breakfast each morning, is also used to facilitate communication and inclusion. The fact that Bob enjoys reading newspapers provides him with knowledge of current affairs and what is going on within his local community. In order to maintain and promote this activity, special care is taken to ensure Bob has choice in which newspapers he reads and when he reads them. In particular, when Bob receives his newspaper he prefers that all cutlery, teapots and crockery are placed at his table. Choice is very important to Bob and carers make every effort to provide choice in every day and night activities, including the provision of a menu so that he can select his choice of lunchtime sandwich on a daily basis. This provides more than choice, but also promotes continued independence. In order to facilitate communication, a communication log has been devised for Bob in order to ensure that all carers are sensitive to the way in which he communicates. For example, when Bob says that he needs an appointment, this means that he needs the toilet. Making all carers aware of this ensures that Bobs dignity and is preserved and he is not confronted by embarrassing situations that might make him withdraw. Another sensitive area for Bob is that he does need assistance with personal hygiene. Bob is aware of his appearance and becomes agitated if he is not clean-shaven or if his clothes are unkempt. It is known that people with dementia can avoid situations that might cause embarrassment or shame, which might explain Bobs social isolation. It also provides emphasis on resolving any issues that might further prevent social interaction through shame or similar feelings. Social well-being is a core aspect of inclusive care practice and involving people, as well as making sure they feel in control and connected to the world around them. The literature suggests that social well-being is achieved through social relationships, involvement in social activities and participation in the society (Victor and Scharf, 2005). It is believed that a lack of social well-being occurs when people do not have opportunities for social contact and relationships, lack friends and support networks and are socially excluded. Bob does need encouragement and motivation to keep physically active and interact socially, but including his wife and family in this process has enhanced the effectiveness of any efforts made to assist Bob with inclusion. Furthermore, opportunities are made available to Bob, such as going to the coffee shop or visiting places of interest, such as RAF establishments. Since Bob requires a walking stick, the locations of planned outings are first checked for accessibility in order to ensure Bob is not confronted by problems of exclusion when accessing the community. There are many interventions that can be used to improve communication and enhance inclusion for people with dementia. One such intervention is advocacy (Cheston, Bender, and Byatt, 2000). The need for dementia advocacy is becoming more recognised in the field and it is evolving to enable people with dementia to have more self-determination (Cantley and Steven, 2004) and to protect them from harm and abuse (OPAAL UK, 2009). There are a variety of models and approaches to advocacy, including professional advocacy that can be received from the professional carer and self-advocacy which is when someone with dementia speaks up for themselves. Both of these are pertinent to Bobs situation as there are some areas where he can act as self-advocate, such as expressing his preferences for his morning regime. However, there are instances where the professionals caring for Bob need to act as his advocate, such as when informing new staff of Bobs communication needs, etc. There are also instance s where Bobs family can act as his advocate, for example, in circumstances where they know more about Bob than the professional carers do but where Bob is unable to express his needs. By including Bobs family in his care, the importance of Bobs time in the RAF and the impact that retirement had on his health and well-being have provided key information on ways to communicate and include Bob. The need to offer more support for family carers has been recognised in the National Dementia Strategy (2011), where increasing emphasis has been placed on working with and supporting families of people with dementia. Furthermore, the literature and public policy encourages ways of working that take more account of the wider family, empower rather than disempower family members, and build partnerships between professionals, families and people with dementia (Moriarty and Webb, 2000). This is promoted due to the well-documented benefits to people with dementia of working with their family, which has also been evidenced in work with Bob and his family (Oyebode, 2005). Overall, Bobs care involves a great deal of facilitation, which has been defined by Kitwood (1997) as enabling a person to do what otherwise he or she would not be able to do, by providing those parts of the action that are missing (p. 91). Facilitation is aimed at helping the person with dementia to maximise their own potential and express themselves as fully as possible. Facilitation can also, as has been the case with Bob, act as a safety net, helping to reduce fear of failure that may prevent some people with dementia from initiating or participating in an activity. It is an important aspect of the person-centred approach taken within Bobs care and is further referred to by Kitwood (1997) as positive person work. In terms of the communication and inclusion support provided to Bob, facilitation has meant not just providing or organising activities, but being involved in helping the activity to take place. To achieve this, it has been crucial to be aware of how Bob is feeling, how he is responding to what is happening, and sharing the experience with him. It has also involved being sensitive to the parts of the activities that Bob can no longer partake in, such as flying aeroplanes. In this sense, Kitwoods (1997) theory of dementia care and the interpersonal process utilises the Communication-as-Interaction approach. Interacting with Bob and his family on an interpersonal level has facilitated communication and inclusion. Conclusion and Final Reflections This case study has provided a detailed description, exploration and analysis of every day and night decisions that affect a gentleman with dementia, Bob, and his family in regard to communication and inclusion. A key point emerging from this case study is the link between communication and inclusion and the importance of recognising that one cannot exist without the other. Communication is needed to facilitate inclusion and vice versa. Furthermore, the importance of involving family in every day and night decisions that affect the person with dementia have been highlighted as not only improving the well-being of the family and the person with dementia, but also as being a way in which a deeper and more trusting relationship can be built between the carer and the person with dementia. On establishing this bond, communication and inclusion become easier to support and facilitate when working in partnership with the person who has dementia. This has been the case with Bob and his famil y. A partnership approach to working with Bob has been vital in maintaining his autonomy and independence, which in turn has helped form a supportive relationship productive of communication and inclusion.

Analysis of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West Essay -- The Day o

Analysis of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West Nathanael West’s The Day of the Locust tells the story of people who have come to California in search of the American Dream. They travel west hoping to escape less than perfect lives and pursue success in Hollywood. The characters in this novel dream of a life of luxury, having lots of money, and living happily ever after. They eventually come to the realization that the seemingly picture perfect life that California represents is not as easy to attain as they once thought. The characters in The Day of the Locust grow discontented and disappointed with their lives and embittered towards the world, which instigates the downfall of this lower level of Hollywood society. Todd Hackett, Faye Greener, and Homer Simpson all depict failed attempts to achieve the American Dream. Todd Hackett is a main character who lives with the continuous threat of failure while he attempts to fulfill his personal dreams amongst the lower classes of Hollywood. Hackett comes to California hoping for a career designing movie scenery, but he faces many obstacles that he must overcome before he can move up in the Hollywood society. Todd’s life begins to go downhill as he associates more frequently with the lower levels of Hollywood society. This prevents him from climbing the ladder of fame which he so desperately aspires to accomplish. He is shown a darker side of Hollywood which plays with his emotions and distracts him from h...

Epic of Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Significance of Scyld Scefing Scyld Scefing often deprived his enemies, many tribes of men, of their mead-benches. He terrified his foes; yet he, as a boy, had been found a waif; fate made amends for that. He prospered under heaven, won praise and honor, until the men of every neighboring tribe, across the whale’s way, were obliged to obey him and pay him tribute. He was a noble king! (BEO 4-11). At first glance to any reader, the above passage that opens Beowulf may seem perplexing. Why is this poet rambling about some other great ruler? In fact, another 50 or so lines are dedicated to this Scefing character. Wasn’t this poem titled Beowulf? It appears that the poet of Beowulf is rambling, ranting unrelated events and apparently digressing from the main topic. However, even though no concrete conclusions or links are presented between Scefing and Beowulf, the reader learns soon enough that the seemingly digressive poet had in truth, slyly and with all intention inserted some indirect indications in the tale of Scefing. As the poem reaches its finale, the reader recognizes in an epiphany the sophisticated construction employed by the poet in the weaving of Scefing as foreshadowing of Beowulf. In retrospect, Scefing is essentially Beowulf himself. It is stated that Scefing is a warrior, a conqueror, gifted the spoils of his enemies as he defeated them. Beowulf was interested in the spoils and trophies of war in a similar fashion, always mindful to bring a piece or two of any recently dominated monsters back with him for display purposes. In addition, the poet mentions the pure prosperity, praise, and honor of Scefing; and in parallel form, the reader is exposed to the wealth, recognition, and reverence for the hero Beowulf. From the double victories over Grendel and his mother to the final battle against the dragon, Beowulf retains his status and his persona as a hero, a definite king and without a doubt a noble one. As the reader recalls Scefing was also described as a noble king, the pieces and reasoning of the previously digressive tangent rapidly falls into place. “Then Scyld departed at the destined hour, that powerful man sought the Lord’s protection. His own close companions carried him down to the sea, as he, lord of the Danes, had asked while he could still speak'; (BEO 26-30). This is the exact sequence of events which happens to Beowulf, his “destined hour'; being the fatal wound inflicted by the dragon.

Dulce et decorum est :: Free Essays

Dulce et Decorum est is a poem written about the first world war. Its Wilfred Owens first hand account of World War I, the War that, ultimately, killed him. Wilfred Owen was an anti-war poet. He wrote of the horrible conditions encounter by the young soldier in the trenches. Owen used imagery to portray the horrors of war, he paints a vivid picture with his words. This is especially evident when he writes: â€Å"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,- â€Å" When you hear these words you can almost feel the pain of the people experiencing it. The author chooses to use raw, real words to get his message across. Unlike many other poets who would use flowing, beautiful phrases, as to almost make you forget about the horrid subject matter being discussed, Wilfred Owen poem has an unconventional structure to make the reader think outside the box. There is hardly any rhythm, in order to portray the chaos surrounding him. The last line of the poem: The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. Witch is Latin for ‘it is a sweet and glorious thing to die for ones country’ is VERY fitting to end this poem. Dieing at war is anything but â€Å"sweet and glorious† and the poet recognizes that this is nothing more then an â€Å"old lie.† No one WHO has experienced war first hand thinks that it is noble and honorable. The memories of war haunt their dreams. Wilfred Owen states In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. The memories of his companions dieing make it that much harder to see the meaning behind the warfare. Fighting doesn’t bring peace.

Family and kinship terms Essay

Based on the interviews I performed for this exercise, I now have a broader view of the term family. For this exercise, I interviewed four individuals that were of Asian origin, specifically Filipino, or individuals originating from the Philippines. Based on my research and talk with my interviewed subjects, the Philippines is such a small country in the South East but these Filipinos can be found living all around the world. To an anthropologist, the term family simply pertains to the biological structure composed of two parents and at least one child. This structural unit is what has long been accepted in the Western world as the basic unit in society. However, there are quite a few modifications to Asians and more specifically, to individuals originating from the Philippines. In Philippine culture, the terms family and extended family can be used interchangeably, because their culture is often associated with a home that is inhabited by a married couple with children, as well as the grandparents and relatives-in-law. In the Western world, the extended family is seldom observed in one household and would only be necessary in special circumstances such is health conditions that affect the normal functioning of a family. In the Philippine tradition, the term family simply means the entire family as well as all the relatives that could possibly fit into the house and live for even an extended period of time. It has been explained to me that such close-knit family ties have been adapted by Filipinos from the Chinese travelers in the early centuries (Joaquin, 1988). Hence in the household, one bedroom can be inhabited by two girls that are not sisters but actually cousins. The term kinship, on the other hand, technically means the biological connection of an individual such as the kinship of the father or the kinship of the mother of a family. In the Asian point of view, kinship can mean any individual that is related to any member of the family. This not only includes those of with a biological connection, but also those individuals that have been related through marriage, or the in-laws. It is thus interesting to see how different cultures perceive the terms family and kinship. What amazes me is that the Filipinos that I interviewed have such a great attachment to the idea of family, that they call other elder non-related Filipino friends â€Å"Uncle† or â€Å"Aunt†. It has been explained to me that such adaptation of these greetings are a form of respect to these elder individuals, even if they are not really biologically related. It can thus look like one Filipino can have a thousand uncles and another thousand aunts because all of them are addressed with the same term that is used to address their biological aunt or uncle. Another interesting observation that I collected from my interview is that Filipinos tend to consider a non-biologically related individual as family if they have been in touch or in communication with that person for at least a couple of years and that they would even attempt to help these individuals out to the best of their abilities, even offering the last of their food to such friend. These individuals have big hearts and are more than willing to help out any individual who needs support. When I asked how they would consider a group of unrelated individuals that have lived together in a particular place, they responded that they consider this group as a family, too, and not a residence group. The members of this residence group are thus considered as brothers and sisters, depending simply on the age of each member of the group, or if one individual is elderly, then that individual will be called and considered as the group’s father or mother and that the youngest member of the group will be considered and called the group’s baby. Reference Joaquin, N. 1988. Culture and history: Occasional notes on the process of Philippine becoming. Solar Publishing, Metro Manila.

Lord of the Flies. Utopia and Dystopia Quotes

A Utopia is a place or society that appears perfect in every way. The government is perfect, working to improve society’s standards of living rather than their own, social aspects of the community run perfectly. There is no war or disease, only peace and happiness. Dystopia- Dystopia came from the term Utopia. It defines a place or society which is in complete chaos. The citizens are all suffering and are miserable. Often times in novels what appears to be a Utopian society it first by the visiting protagonist is actually revealed to be a dystopian society.The citizens are often revealed to live in terror, under complete control by the government, unaware of corrupt world in which they actually live in, or suppressed by the society as a whole. 3. ) This island in Lord of the Flies used to be a utopia because in the beginning of the story they had this beautiful new environment they could explore and run wild through without any adult supervision or anyone to tell them what to do. The boys were only concerned, at first, about having fun with no adult supervision. The island than became a dystopia when Ralph was struggling to regain his power while Jack was trying to have complete control.It also became a dystopia when everyone started to fight amongst each other and then when two of the boys died the island had defiantly become a dystopia. Utopia Quote: â€Å"Aren’t there any grownups at all? † â€Å"I don’t think so. † â€Å"The fair boy said solemnly; but then the delight of a realized ambition overcame him. In the middle of the scar he stood on his head and grinned at the reversed fat boy. † â€Å"No grownups! † Dystopia quote: â€Å"But then the fatal unreasoning knowledge came to him again. The breaking of the conch and the deaths of Piggy and Simon hung over the island like a vapor.These painted savages would go further and further. Then there was that indefinable connection between himself and Jack; who th erefore would never let him alone; never. † 4. ) The Running Man by Richard Bachman, 1984 by George Orwell, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 5. ) In the article Utopias and Dystopias: A Comparison of Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm, I believe the author did a very good job. I liked how the author organized the article and how she included quotes that went well with what she was just talking about.I also liked how she had a small summary of the stories she was talking about because since I had only read Lord of the Flies and not Animal Farm I would have been very confused with what her point was and what she was trying to get across. But since she had a small summary that went with what she was talking about, not a huge summary of the ientire book chapter by chapter, I understood just what she meant. I also appreciated how the author included page numbers after the quotes she used. Such as, â€Å"Apart from food and sleep†¦ found time for play, aimless and trivial† (Golding 49).