Christianity And Hinduism .According To The Human Truth

Christianity and Hinduism According to the human truth foundation (2017) â€Å"religions are shared collection of transcendental beliefs that have been passed on from believers to converts, which are held by adherents to be actively meaningful and serious and either based on formally documented doctrine or established cultural practices.† There are many religions in the world some are old as the beginning of time and some are newer. Hinduism is one of the oldest organized religion in the world. Hinduism originated around 1500 BCE in India by the involvement of thousands of different small religions and their beliefs. Hinduism is a religion with very little boundaries, many different beliefs and practices, so offering a comparison of†¦show more content†¦They believe that other God and Goddess are the reincarnation of the one soul. They believe that there were 600 different reincarnation of the one soul (Kauai’s Hindus Monastery, 2017). Because of wide beli efs they embrace Jesus as a guru. They do not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, just as teacher like many others (All about religion.org (2017). However, Christianity is a monotheistic religion, which only have one God. Christians believe in one true and living God, who exists as three distinct: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (Crain, 2017). Third difference between the Christianity and Hinduism is each religions believes of soul and body connection. Christians believe that a person has one soul and one body. That when a person dies the soul leaves this earth and go to a place called heaven or hell. Soul of person sends to heaven or hell, depending on their actions in the earth. However, the Hinduism believes that person’s soul can be reincarnated to different life after bodily death. They believe that life cycle will happen until that soul does actions to please the God. Hinduism believes the people life and fate are interconnected with their previous life. Personà ¢â‚¬â„¢s fate or events in their life depend on their actions of their pervious life (Jayaram, 2015). Another difference between the Hinduism and Christianity are their concept of sin. Christians believe when a person commits sin, he or she is breaking the law ofShow MoreRelatedBuddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism And Monotheistic Religions1108 Words   |  5 PagesIn life, one will undertake a spiritual journey in which you will uncover the meaning of the self. Many religions, including Hinduism, Confucianism and monotheistic religions, have developed philosophies placing importance of the â€Å"self.† Emphasis on morality, virtues, honest contribute to the development of the inner self. In religions such as, Islam and Judaism the importance of conducts and worship will lead you to paradise in the after as promised by Allah or Yahweh. The teachings of proper behaviorRead MoreClassification of Religions1509 Words   |  7 PagesABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS: Abrahamic religions are the religions that originate from one source i.e. Abraham (A.S). These are monotheism religions i.e. belief in the existence of one and only one GOD. The main three Abrahamic religions are: * Judaism * Christianity * Islam JUDISM Judaism is among the worlds oldest monotheistic religions and the first of the three Abraham religions. Around 12 million people in the world believe in Judaism. They are mostly in the United States and Israel. The Torah, orRead MoreThe Complexities of Hinduism803 Words   |  4 PagesThe religion of Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world. The many aspects of Hinduism present a complex religion. However complex and intellectual this religion seems, the over whelming branches and diversities of Hinduism pose problems for the Hindu worldview. The history, nature of the world, practical outcomes, and superiority of Christianity display the challenges that Hinduism presents. From Hinduism’s pantheon of gods to its dysfunctional caste system, this religion has wreakedRead MoreChristianity And Buddhism And Christianity1468 Words   |  6 PagesChristianity and Buddhism exist as two of the predominant religions throughout the world. While Buddhism ranks around fifth in number of followers of religions, it is the third most widespread religion behind Christianity and Islam. Buddhism and Christianity are arrantly distinct in their principle standpoints: Buddhism rejects the existence of a greater being and Christianity proudly professes the power of a universal God. However, despite this rigid dissimilarity, both religions developed and spreadRead MoreThe Nature of Ethics in Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism Essay1360 Words   |  6 PagesThe Nature of Ethics in Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism When asking the question about the nature of ethics, it is hard to explain where they came from because not everyone has the same views or religions. Since religions have different standards, there are different sources to them and different reasons for why people should follow them. When trying to find answers to questions about the nature of ethics, it is impossible to know which religions view is correct. This paper willRead MoreDeath Is An Occurrence That Brings1200 Words   |  5 Pagesthe arrival of departure, the coming of the end on their doorstep. Scientific discoveries have added to the human understanding of how death works, teaching it logical and literal explanations. But the thought of leaving the marvelous determinates; the love, laughter, and exhilaration of life just to rot, decay, and to enter a void of nothingness could never be comforting. How can the human mind continue to find purpose in life if it is just living to reach a despicable conclusion? Well, that ’s whereRead MoreReligion And Its Impact On Religion Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pagesto rituals and daily life. Humans look for answers to questions naturally instilled in our minds and one can hope to gap the divide of differences by thinking we are all here together at the same time. Religions of the world have similarities in their belief systems like peace with respect of other religions, however they celebrate different rituals and practice contrasting customs in daily life leading to inaccurate stereotypes especially in Christianity and Hinduism. Studying beliefs worldwideRead MoreHinduism, Buddhism, and Shinto1049 Words   |  5 PagesHinduism, Buddhism and Shinto, while vast in differences there is much to learn about these three religions similarities as well. Some facts and history of Hinduism include, Hinduism (being the oldest of the three) is dated back in pre-history before 10000 BC even believed to predate the Indus River Valley Civilization! The Vedas (the holy text of Hinduism) is the foundation for Indian culture and also the basic belief system of Hinduism. The basic belief structure of Hinduism is as follows, theRead More Appreciating other Religions Essay684 Words   |  3 PagesAppreciating other Religions Religion is a set of practices and beliefs that allow human beings to search for the meaning of life and the purpose of their existence. These common practices set the foundation for such beliefs to have validity. Every individual must wonder why he/she exists on earth. Questioning about the purpose in one’s life and whether or not there is meaning allows an individual to seek a supernatural, Supreme Being or some form of deity. Technically, religion is essentiallyRead MoreWhat Is Spiritual Conditions May Impact The Success Of Patient s Treatment And How Helpful Human Faith?1394 Words   |  6 Pagestreatment at same time. It is imperative to assess whether spiritual conditions may impact the success of patient’s treatment and how helpful human faith can be.The aim of this paper is to share the spiritual perspectives of people with diverse faiths and to analyze those with Christian philosophy of faith and healing. People from distant beliefs, which include Hinduism, Si khism and Islam were interviewed. Summary of the interview, comparison of diverse belief systems and writer’s personal insights gained

Dystopian Novels A Dystopian Novel - 1943 Words

A dystopia is defined as a futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of perfect society are maintained through different forms of control. These types of readings point out norms in society and breaks down the political system. There are many themes that are explored in these types of readings. For example, restricted freedom, constant surveillance, fear of change, ignorant to the real world, and conformity are often central themes in dystopian novels. The basic idea is that the world is not perfect and by controlling every aspect of society, it controls the terrible things that may take place. The purpose of a dystopian novel is to explore structures that we don’t think about, whether it be in a†¦show more content†¦These types of reading usually have a life changing event that take place and it alters the way that the world thinks and naturally is. It is also likely something bad will happen, such as war if certain guidelines aren’t followed. One major event is usually war. War and the down spiral of a society are usually ideas found these types of readings. There is also a character in the book who stands out. This person can be the main character. This is the person who is not ignorant to many situations and can tell what is going on. The reading also makes you think about real life. There are themes pointed out in the novel that are currently taking place in the real life. This gives the reader a clearer picture of what the future could be like and that’s the overall purpose. Also, order, control, and organization is always important and extremely visible. There is a structure that all members of the society must follow. The society is highly organized to the point it makes readers feel that it is weird. These are all themes and ideas one can look for while reading. You must be able to identify what kind of reading you have in front of you so that you can explore deeper. This paper will explore some more ideas in A Clockwork Orange. This presentation will examine how the novel A Clockwork Orange implicates issues with mental illness and personality problems to the dystopian theme. Through plot and characterShow MoreRelatedDystopian Fiction : Dystopian Novel1559 Words   |  7 PagesWhy is dystopian fiction important? Some may say that it is because of the high-tension environments, the action, or the gripping storylines. While those aspects certainly play a significant role in the continued success of dystopian fiction, being well-written stories is not the only goal. This paper will detail various reasons why dystopian fiction continues to be popular and successful with all audiences, using The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Giver, and Ready Player One as examples. In orderRead MoreDystopian Novels901 Words   |  4 Pagesincluding that of dystopian novels. Dystopian novels, like any other well-written novel, contain a strongly developed protagonist and a mysterious, controlling antagonist. Often, the author labels the government or leader of the corrupt society as the antagonist. The authors have a propensity to use the ignored social injustices in modern society and embellish them in a future society where they eventually lead to mankind’s demise. Frequently, the protagonist of the dystopian novel is the point ofRead MoreThe Dystopian Novel Of Literature2214 Words   |  9 Pagesgeneral population aware of large problems that need to be fixed. This genre of course is the Dystopian one. Every single dystopian piece of literature is not just a book with a lesson in it, but a warning. Almost all dystopian books pick at flaws that the author has seen in their society, and the book just is an alternate universe in some sorts where those flaws were never fixed. And of course with these dystopian books their needs to be a concrete style to go with them. Most of these books have usuallyRead MoreWhat are Dystopian Novels?966 Words   |  4 PagesDystopia is common theme which dates hundreds of years in literature worldwide. Dystopian novels and short stories often depict a society repressed by a totalitarian government which comes to power after a cataclysmic occurrence, wielding unforgiving power and control over inhabitants for their own good. These dystopias are often perceived by the average citizen as a normal or unavoidable way of life, sometimes even a better way of life, yet there is often a single person or group of protagonistsRead MoreThe Giver By Lois Lowry831 Words   |  4 PagesResponse to Literature Essay for The Giver In the dystopian novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, the story takes place in the future. The setting of the novel revolves around sameness. Same weather, same houses, same furniture, and even the same, flat landscape. There are no colors or animals, other than fish, in the small community. The government is strictly controlled by the Elders. They make decisions and control every aspect of the society, limiting emotions and choices. In The Giver, the settingRead MoreThe Year Of The Flood By Margaret Atwood1993 Words   |  8 Pagesas reinforce the information in my memory. In addition, if I wanted to review that information later, I could have it handy. Margaret Atwood is indeed an interesting author. She sees society from a unique point of view and likes to write dystopian novels which depict the eventual fate of humanity if we continue down the path of unforeseen and uncontrolled technological advancements and greed filled politics. She does not oppose progress or technology but is rather mainly concerned about the pathRead MoreDystopian Novel, The Lord Of The Flies1736 Words   |  7 Pagesenvironmentally degrading government. A dystopian novel can be described as a dark vision of our future. Based off all of the works read the character’s fit into the dystopian lifestyle. The dystopian lifestyle practiced by the characters can also depict the way other people felt during time of the dystopian time period. Many of the people affected were not able to survive, and therefore turned themselves in for death or for other unsettling situations. In the novel, The Lord of The Flies, by WilliamRead MoreIs 1984 A Dystopian Novel Analysis1251 Words   |  6 PagesAhmed Ali College Prep Senior English Mr Arcuri 7th September 2017 Why 1984 is a Dystopian novel A dystopian novel is a story relating to or denoting an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. 1984 by George Orwell, is indeed a dystopian novel as it describes a nightmare vision of future society which is opposite to a perfect world. George Orwell creates this image using a few different techniques including,Read MoreThe Masses And The Dystopian Novel Elysium Essay1557 Words   |  7 PagesThe connection between these texts is they all feature compliancy of the masses, and all feature in some form of dystopian worlds. The texts all feature varying forms of dystopia, Bioshock features a dystopia brought on by evolutionary war, whereas brave new world features a world where the state has unlimited control over the technology and the people that rely on it. Paragraph 1 In Elysium, the film has an imaginary space station called â€Å"Elysium† this station hold only the most elite people, everybodyRead MoreThe Dystopian Novel By Margaret Atwood1991 Words   |  8 PagesThe dystopian novel written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, is a twisting futuristic forecast of what a religious intolerant society is leading itself into with a totalitarian government with traditional Old Testament values, who do not see women as anything more than vessels to continue the human population. This story spins from a government takeover to the oppression of women under the rule of the new theocratic government known as The Republic of Gilead, whose agenda was to reclaim the dying

Discrimination and Social Care Workers free essay sample

Principles of diversity, equality and inclusion in adult social care settings Task A Short answer questions Ai Explain in your own words what each term means. Give one example from care practice to illustrate your explanations. Diversity- Diversity refers to something that is diverse, means that has different kinds or types. Example different languages, culture, religion, colour and background come together in a group is a diverse group. Equality- Treating everyone same with equal respect and providing them same opportunities is equality For example: In care setting can be described as breaking down barriers, eliminating discrimination and ensuring equal opportunity and access for all groups in all areas, which is supported and protected by legislation. Inclusion- Inclusion is being a part of what everyone is, being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. In other words, to make others feel included. For example: everyone in care home must feel welcome, accepted, confident that they can participate in all activities. Discrimination- When a person is treated less well, in comparison with someone else, because of his or her racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. As examples, hanging signs indicating infection status, or talking in public areas about a person’s infection or disease status is unacceptable. Aii For each of the following people/groups of people, describe two different possible effects of discrimination. * An Individual They will feel like they being punished for something you had no control over, feel that’s unfair, feel like someone is telling you’re â€Å"not good enough† also depressed, stress etc. Their Families They will feel like relationship with the person every day is more difficult, they personality is change, don’t want to talk, anger. * Wider society They will feel like they loss of confidence. * Those who discriminate Aiii Identify three ways of challenging discrimination, and describe how each will promote change. Practicing active participation. Active participation allows individual to realise their value and reduce isolation. Such a way an individual can gain self esteem which helps to reduce any form of abuse and discrimination. Quick and effective complaint procedure. Quick and serious effective complaint procedure helps to let individual to know that how seriously the act has taken and the consequences of discrimination. And it restrains people to engage in such act knowing the consequences of this acts. Meeting and discussion. It helps to increase awareness and carefulness to discriminatory acts. Also discussing and exercising this issue in day to day tasks help individual to challenge discrimination. Task B Leaflet Bi Your work setting is running an induction course for new social care workers in an adult social care setting. Create a leaflet, which can be used to support this course. The leaflet must include the following: a) A description of the legislation and codes of practice relating to diversity, equality, inclusion and discrimination. b) An explanation of the possible consequences for individuals, social care workers and others if the legislation and codes of practice are not followed. c) A description of how inclusive practice can promote equality and support diversity. ) An explanation of how to support others to promote diversity, equality and inclusion. Bii Givetwo examples of how you could raise awareness of diversity, equality and inclusion. Task C Reflective account Ci Write a reflective account describing: †¢ How your personal preferences, attitudes, heritage and beliefs might impact on working practice. †¢ How to ensure that your own practice is inclusive and respects the beliefs, culture, values and preferences of individuals. Suggested word count: 500 – 700 words I work in the care industry and have clients and honour other people’s religion or non religion that I look after that have had a totally different upbringing that myself. Some of these clients have dementia, I was raised in a different country with different beliefs. I had a traumatic upbringing but I cannot ever let my clients know about what my beliefs and life experiences are about. I through my experience with working in this environment have learnt that I have had to research other religions and beliefs and have learnt to respect all people and their beliefs. Prayers are a daily thing for me even though this was not taught to me in my earlier years. Religion affects people in many different ways mainly because we all come from different backgrounds and were all taught differently. It is therefore very important to respect and honour their personal beliefs. Some want to go to church on Sundays and others do not want to speak about church at all and I must respect the fact that they do not want to speak about anything about the Church. It is part of the work that I do to make sure my clients are happy and therefore am conscious at all times that they feel comfortable about anything they want to talk to me about. It is most important to remember that my own preferences are different to others and that I can never expect others to think, act and feel the same as I do. For example, I like to bath at night and shower in the morning but some of my clients fear water and they really hate the idea of being showered, washed or bathes even once a week. I have to respect their decision but at the same time I need to encourage them to maintain a healthy and clean state of mind and body. I in cases like this will spend more time encouraging the client that they will feel better and not try and tell them how I feel when I am clean and fresh.

Understanding of Marketing Strategy

Introduction Every product has to be marketed to help businesses increase their revenue as well as widen their market base. For that reason, researchers have come to a conclusion that there is need for respective departments to have a full understanding of the different stages of product life cycle to develop the right marketing strategies for a product or service (Kotler Keller, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Understanding of Marketing Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As suggested by Perreault, Cannon McCarthy, 2011 in the current competitive world of business, organizations need to regularly analyze their products and services in order to improve how they serve their customers. Relationship between differentiation and positioning Product differentiation and positioning has been attributed to iconic nature of such firms as Apple Inc., McDonalds, and Coca-Cola among others (Kotler Keller, 2012). Product differentiation has been thought of as the inclusion of all types of attributes or characteristics for instance packaging, pricing, quality, design of product, courtesy of those who offer the service or product, product functionality among others in order make the end users to have a perception that the product or service is different and desirable. An example is products offered to customers by Apple Inc. the company has differentiated their product in numerous ways for instance through sleek designs, functionality, delivery, quality to mention but a few. Ideally it has been shown that there are five dimensions of differentiating a product or service and they include; product through quality, performance and conformance. Other dimensions include service, personnel, channel and image differentiation (Perreault, Cannon McCarthy, 2011). On the other hand, it has been shown that although one might have cleverly differentiated his or her product, failing to position it in the market will counter such efforts. In layman language positioning means how the company positions its products and services in the market (Perreault, Cannon McCarthy, 2011).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Product positioning is what the firm tells potential buyers about a given product or service. This is accomplished through advertising, sales promotions among others. As in the example previously used, Apple has constantly position its products to be of unmatched functionality, unique design and flawless. There is no doubt that the two concepts are directly related to each other. Upon deciding on the ways to differentiate the products or services, then how to position the same in the market follows. There is need for the two concepts not to contradict since it will send mixed messages to potential buyers. Identifying appropriate price strategy According to Kotl er Keller, 2012 developing an appropriate pricing strategy is more important in the present world of hyper-competition. Pricing strategy has a direct impact on the profits to be made by any business organization. A better pricing strategy should be systematic as well as strategic. Ideally it is worth noting that pricing strategy should be part and parcel of a firm thus it should be an integral part of marketing plan from the initial stages of product development. Additionally there are a number of factors that need to be consider while identifying pricing strategies they include; survival of the business, differentiation, maximizing profit margin, maximizing quantity, maximizing short-term revenue, maximizing short-term profit, cost both fixed and variable, positioning and demand curve (Perreault, Cannon McCarthy, 2011). Similarly a better pricing strategy is arrived at after carrying out research to establish how much potential customers are willing to pay for a given service or product. Additionally there is need to factor in the issue of distributors, a price that will ensure that distributors make profit will for sure ensure that the firm continue running. There are various ways to set prices for instance cost-plus, competition-based pricing among others. Researchers have shown that no single pricing method is appropriate and there is need to use a combination of these methods (Kotler Keller, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Understanding of Marketing Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Kotler, P. Keller, K. (2012). Marketing management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Perreault, W., Cannon, P. McCarthy, E. (2011). Basic marketing: A marketing strategy planning approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. This assessment on Understanding of Marketing Strategy was written and submitted by user Eli Cook to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A True Heroine In Wuthering Heights Essays

A True Heroine In Wuthering Heights Essays A True Heroine In Wuthering Heights Paper A True Heroine In Wuthering Heights Paper Essay Topic: Wuthering Heights The story of Emile Brontes Wuthering Heights takes place during a time in history when women existed and were important to family and society, but had no legal or social rights, as their well-being, health and happiness depended upon the men in their lives. From the start of the novel, as told by Mr. Lockwood we see that Cathy did not seem to belong in the Heathcliff household, but by the end of the story, it was Cathy who owned the entire Wuthering Heights estate. Her accomplishments were impressive, as she over came whatever obstacles the men in her life put in her way! Bronte emphasized Cathys passion, and determination, making her the only character who was able to rise above the hatred, discrimination and cruelty. Cathy inherited her mothers pride and beauty, and her fathers mildness and devotion but she also had a spirit all her own, a fighting spirit of a hidden warrior. It was important for Cathy to have these characteristics (especially her will to survive) because it was these inner strengths that enabled her to be my heroine. One of Cathys strongest forces was her intense loyalty and love for her father I care for nothing in comparison to papa, Ill never to an act or say a word to vex him (231). I love papa better then you (273). Cathy was the only character in this novel and Jane Eyre that actually showed love, and dedication to a parent. Her respect for her father is an important aspect in Cathys character as it made her an honourable woman. A strong-willed Cathy enjoyed disobeying orders from Nelly as a child, and continued to do so as she grew up by sneaking letters to Linton. I wish you to avoid his house and family (223). She continued to develop a relationship with Linton, although it became clear very early that they were not meant to be together. He had no spirit, was spiteful and demanded constant attention, but it was because Linton was so defenseless and an easy target for Heathcliff that Cathy had feelings for him. They were not feelings of true love, but a desire, or duty to protect and support Linton, in his days of need. It was as if Cathy sacrificed herself for Lintons well being. Cathys sympathy and humanity for Linton was impressive and courageous. Im not crying for myself Ellen, its for him- He expected to see me again tomorrow, hell be so disappointed (224). Even though my heroines goal was to please Linton, when he pushed too hard, she also had the resolve to fight back Cathy, beside herself, gave the chair a violent push (239). And, unlike everyone else who feared Heathcliff she had no problem in attacking him. You cant make us hate each other, I defy you to hurt him, I defy you to frighten me (287). Catherine told Hareton who she was and where she was going and asked him to show her the way (197). It was fate that she met Hareton through her relationship with Linton, but my heroine had to be patient before she experienced her own happiness. It was Cathys strength which enabled her to survive the torture and suffering during her days as Lintons wife and Heathcliffs prisoner. This awful experience only made her a better person. It prepared her for her destiny as Haretons wife and as landlord of Wuthering Heights. Bronte wanted the reader to have confidence in Cathys future success by displaying her heroic attributes; having the stamina to endure those long, lonely days separated from her dying father. At one point, Heathcliff owned all of Wuthering Heights and the Grange, but Cathy still showed spirit and optimism by planting a delicate flower bed in the middle of the dark and depressed black currant trees. This rebellious act showed Cathys passion for life, as she looked at her beautiful flowers as a new healthy and fresh beginning (Lybyer, online). Perhaps Cathys garden represented her future achievements as a blossoming flower amongst the weeds. As she was determined to overcome injustice, she stated You shouldnt grudge a few yards of earth for me to ornament, when you have taken all my land and my money, and Haretons land and his money (319). Cathy was a heroine who showed that it is possible to rise above adversity not with revenge, but with forgiveness, and dignity. As Ellen observed, Miss Cathy, conversant with no bad deeds, except her own slight acts of disobedience, repented on the day they were committed, was amazed at the blackness of spirit that could brood on and cover revenge for years (223). Cathy had something just as powerful as the will to survive, she was humane, and she was able to forgive and forget. At the end of the novel, Cathy married Hareton. Their relationship was one of happiness and true love. Ill come and teach him to read it right, if he refuses Ill go upstairs and never tease him again (314). She knew that Heathcliff tried to corrupt Hareton, He will never be bale to emerge from his bathos of coarseness and ignorance (219). She realized that Heathcliff only succeeded on the surface. Deep down in spite of his influence Hareton remained a kind, innocent, loving man, a perfect match for my heroine. The pupil claimed a reward and received at least five kisses, which he generously returned (308). Cathy was now at peace with herself and with life; something that none of the first generation of characters was able to achieve (especially her own mother) Cathy triumphed over adversity in a subtle, almost innocent way. She won back the land that was rightfully hers and Haretons. It is true that eventually Heathcliff merely gave up the fight, but it was Cathys spirit for life and hatred of revenge which allowed justice to prevail. When other characters in the novel were gloomy, sinister and sad, Cathy was a breath of fresh air, giving the reader a feeling of calmness. She also proved that good can win over evil and that humanity goes hand in hand with success. For all these reasons, Cathy must be respected and honored as a true heroine of Wuthering Heights. Bibliography : References : Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Ed. Ian Jack. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981. Jack, Ian, ed. Introduction. Wuthering Heights. By Emily Bronte. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981 Lybyer, J. M. Cliffs Notes on Wuthering Heights. Ed. Gary Carey. Inc. Lincoln, Nebraska, 1982 (Also, Available Online. April 2002. cliffsnotes. com. Downloaded product) Works Consulted: Abitbol, Jen. Colonial Visions of the Other (Wuthering Heights), University of Montreal. April 2002. Novel Guide: Novel Analysis: Wuthering Heights. April 2002. Online. Available: novelguide. com/wutheringheights/novelsummary. html Novel Guide: Character Analysis: Wuthering Heights. April 2002. Online. Available: novelguide. com/wutheringheights/characterprofiles. html

Beginning the Journey essays

Beginning the Journey essays After reading this chapter, I realized the importance art in a childs learning development. Free exploration of arts should start early in a child life such as when they are toddlers. I agree with Linda Edwards that it is through the process of exploring the arts that they build a rich storehouse to ways to state what they need to say. To explicitly illustrate this point, we take for example young toddlers who are not yet capable of speaking in vocabularies to express themselves. However, the toddlers will try to convey their thinking and feeling through arts with picture drawings, hand signs, and exert certain behaviors. As mature adults, we should respect and encourage their ways of convey messages. As stated by Linda Edwards, They need a positive reaction from the adults around them, and they need to be recognized for their own individual value. Through positive reinforcement, a child can recognize what is right versus wrong. This type of reinforcement further enhances a chi lds self-esteem. No matter what kind of method that we use to teach these children, I agree with Edwards that it is the process that counts since you cannot underdetermine what a child can learn from it. Therefore, I absolutely agree that art education should be a national standard. Art is a part of us and what makes us individuals. Art defines our identity and background. If we do not educate our children in the symbol system called the arts, we will lose not only our culture and civility, but our humanity as well. It is through the expression of art that we learn more about each others ethnic cultural from around the world. This is part of what makes our country, America, so rich and sets us apart from other countries. Through art, children will learn to explore and exchange ideas and creativities. I have the same point of view as Vygotsky who states, children learn thought, language, a...

Human Resources Strategy in Multi Unit Service Organisations Assignment

Human Resources Strategy in Multi Unit Service Organisations - Assignment Example According to the research findings the hospitality industry mostly comprised of small and medium organisations, often administered by the owners. It provided series of suitable services and attractions within local range. However, with respect to global perspective, the appreciation of customers and corporate effectiveness of hospitality industry started to transform during 1950s with the growth of large scale groups or hospitality chains. These hospitality chains are devoted to the long-standing business plan to global expansion, demonstrated by the numerous brands. These expansions have predictable outcomes for the organisational structure as the hospitality businesses are becoming increasingly large, multi-site corporations, regulating business operations and manipulating the supply chain from central production to arranged service distribution systems. This structural transformation resulted in a rising hierarchy of management in order to control complex network, including the se lection of multi-unit managers. In present times, the hospitality sector is ruled by global brands and chains. The succeeding development of managerial structures and arrangements has been characterised by a prerequisite of ‘middle management layers’ with respect to multi-unit managers. Such managers create the level of direction instantly upon division managers and are vital interface between the divisions and the strategic hierarchy of the administration. (D'Annunzio-Green & et. al., 2004). Purpose of the Study The report is intended to gain an understanding of the role of multi-unit manager in one of the biggest hospitality chains named Westin Grand Hotel. The investigation is focused on obtaining information from the employees including role of multi-unit managers, selection, training, remuneration, business and other conversion matters in Westin Grand Hotel of Munich. It also identifies the human resource strategies designed by Westin Grand Hotel for business opera tions. The purpose of this report is to recognise the importance of multi-unit managers in service organisations and understand their job roles and significance. Human Resource Strategy in Hospitality Organisations Traditionally, human resource was more suitably named as â€Å"personnel†. In this role, professionals are liable for recruiting, employing, compensating, program planning, negotiating, and managing collective bargaining settlements, strategy development, workers record keeping and serving as a channel for employee opinions and concerns. Role of human resource experts are expanded to include communications, training, safety, employee relations and recognition and reward programs (Rutherford & O’Fallon, 2007). Human resource strategy in hospitality organisation is directorial in nature. A nationwide tendency in human resource is to shift from directorial role to the combination of human resource in strategic planning. This drive was supported by growth of hum an capital or human asset in a company. Human assets can be described as talent, judgement and cleverness of organisation’s employees. In large hotel chains, human assets are regarded as one of the three constituents of organisations which include intellectual assets, customers and operational assets. The measurement of human resource strategy as competence can be identified as improvement in systems, intellectuality, dexterity, performance, assertiveness and enthusiasm (Boella & Goss-Turner, 2005). According to a

The links between the global war on terror and the issues of human Essay

The links between the global war on terror and the issues of human rights and distributive justice in the international system - Essay Example If one incorporates the idealistic framework, one will have to point out that the government should do what ever it takes to make sure that its citizens are safe, even if it involves going over some limitations that were placed on its powers. A realist would argue that surveillance of the ordinary citizens is not likely to prevent new terroristic acts, since the evil doers know how to conceal their communication. As a result, the government has access to personal files of the citizens for not particular reason. Finally, the religious framework would condemn actions of the government when it violates some constitutional rights of the people since this may hardly be justified: as has been noted, the effectiveness of these actions is relatively long, but it surely undermines the trust in the validity of power of the government which might result in further disruptions of the political world. In other words, a country might experience riots of people who want to protect their

Disability Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Disability Paper - Essay Example There is a requirement to provide education in the least restrictive environment. According to Kaplan et. al. (2007), "BU failed to demonstrate that it met its duty of seeking appropriate reasonable accommodations for learning disabled students with difficulty in learning foreign languages by considering alternative means and coming to a rationally justifiable conclusion that the available alternativewould lower academic standards or require substantial program alteration." "On May 26, 2006, in School Board of Henrico County VA v. R.T., a minor, Judge Robert Payne of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia issued an extensive pro-child decision on behalf of RT, a child with autism, in a tuition reimbursement case" ("Court Cases of Interest," 2009). In this case, the student was awarded funding because the school system did not give the child an appropriate educational program ("Court Cases of Interest," 2009). This is similar to Guckenberger II in the way that the education being provided was inappropriate for the students' needs. According to Wright (2005), in another court case, Schaffer v.

Two Faces Of Multiple Personality Disorder Psychology Essay

Two Faces Of Multiple Personality Disorder Psychology Essay Multiple Personality Disorder, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, as it is now identified by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM IV -TR) continues to be a disputed diagnosis after decades of diagnoses, treatment, and research. Psychiatrists, medical doctors, psychologists, counselors and social workers, as well as attorneys and judges, continue to seek the validity of this mental disorder. While the primary concern of those in the medical community is a correct diagnosis in order to direct treatment, the legal community relies on a proper diagnosis to determine both guilt and sentencing for those who use the diagnosis to plead a not guilty by reasons of insanity defense. Despite the lengthy battle between the opposing sides debating the actual existence of the disorder, the disorder will be included in the May 2013 edition of the DSM V. Neither the medical nor the legal community doubts the need for therapy or counseling of some form for these patients. However, the proper treatment is, or should be, directly related to an accurate diagnosis. Determining the validity of Multiple Personality Disorder continues to be, after all these years, a serious concern. The question remains, Is there sufficient scientific research to prove the validity of Multiple Personality Disorder? I was 23 years old when the movie When the Rabbit Howls aired on television. The true story film adaptation of Truddi Chases story of extreme child abuse and subsequent diagnosis and treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder was a horrific tale of severe family dysfunction leading to vicious sexual abuse beginning at the age of two. Despite the massive volume of books I have read, the many movies watched, and the television shows viewed, none of them continue to haunt me as this movie has. Apparently, I was not alone in my fascination of Truddi Chase. Oprah Winfrey invited her to be the first guest on her radio program, as well as an early guest on her television program. Chase later returned in 1990 for a second interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Her appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show was later listed as one of TV Guides Top 25 Oprah Moments. Chase claimed to have 92 distinct personalities. Despite my awe and fascination of the life of Truddi Chase, I am left wondering; is this possible? Does this disorder actually exist? To be able to blame all of our faults, sins, or shortcomings on another, someone other than our self could be the ultimate fantasy for some. If one is caught in a compromising position of sexual infidelity, drug use, driving under the influence or any other serious crime, one could simply wake up and claim someone else did this, another self. To walk benignly through life accepting responsibility for only the noble deeds we perform, the good we display, would that not be the best of all possible lives? Perhaps. Or perhaps it is a life of tormented existence, lost time, forgotten experiences, disrupted, fragmented pieces of a life half lived. While some claim Multiple Personality Disorder was diagnosed as early as the 1800s, the first famous or possibly infamous case in the United States was the case of Christine Costner in 1951. The classic 1957 film, The Three Faces of Eve was the story of Dr. Corbett Thigpen, a young neuropsychiatrist who treated Christine Costner (called Eve White to protect her identity) in 1951. The existence of more than one personality became manifested gradually during treatment, in 1952. After about 100 therapy sessions over 2-3 years, Ms. Costner seemed well. Ms. Costner subsequently wrote three autobiographical books. She revealed her identity in 1977 (as Chris Costner Sizemore, her married name). She has claimed that she actually had about 20 personalities, that they were not resolved until years after her treatment with Dr. Thigpen, and that they were not the result of childhood trauma, as she had reported during treatment. (Atkinson, 2009) Even after this rather dubious case, the disorder did not fully manifest itself until after the renowned story of Sybil in the 1970s. Sybil was a television miniseries, based on a 1973 book by science journalist Flora Rheta Schreiber. Sybil Dorsett was a pseudonym for the patient, Shirley Ardell Mason. Dr. Schieber was asked to write a book by the patients psychiatrist, Dr. Cornelia Wilbur while Dr.Herbert Spiegel was asked by Dr. Wilbur to consult on the case as a hypnotist. The hypnotist reported he did not think that Ms. Mason had MPD, he believed Dr. Wilbur had suggested this to her patient, and that Ms. Masons allusions to separate personalities amounted to game playing in a hysterical patient prone to dissociation. He said that Ms. Mason told him that she had read The Three Faces of Eve during her therapy and was impressed by it. According to Dr. Spiegel, Ms. Schreiber visited him and said, But if we dont call it a multiple personality, we dont have a book! The publisher wants it to be that; otherwise it wont sell. After treatment (more than 2,000 sessions), Ms. Mason always maintained the truth of her claims of experiencing multiple personalities (16 in all) and childhood physical and sexual abuse by her mother. (Atkinson, 2009) After the popular movie of Sybil, the diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder ballooned from perhaps no more than 100 beforehand to 40,000 or more 20 years later, mainly in North America. (Atkinson, 2009) Was it merely cases of misdiagnoses? Or was this a new phenomenon, a new disorder? There are many reasons I believe the diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder to be faulty, overzealous, or patently untrue. I will attempt to provide both sides of this argument for or against the validity of this diagnosis as I found many professionals weighing in. Psychiatric, as well as medical diagnosis can change. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was first published in 1952. Since then it has been through five revisions the newest edition DSM V coming out in May 2013. According to the current DSM-IV-TR, Diagnostic criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder300.14 must include the following, A. The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self).   B. At least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the persons behavior.   C. Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.   D. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts or chaotic behavior during Alcohol Intoxication) or a general medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures).  Note:  In children, the symptoms  are not attributable to imaginary playmates or other fantasy play (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) Therefore, my first argument would be that Multiple Personality Disorders appearance in the DSM was late in being included and has changed with each issuance of the manual. Multiple Personality Disorder did not appear in the DSM until 1980, the Third Edition. The criteria and terminology changed in the 1994 DSM IV edition, and according to Helen Farrell in Current Psychology, the American Psychiatric Association Work Group has proposed new diagnostic criteria for DID for DSM-5, which is scheduled to be published in May 2013. (Farrell, 2011) I have been unable to find the proposed changes, but am anxious to see if they were approved and what those changes are. The questions remain. Why was this disorder not observed in a number of patients prior to the 1980s? Why does the criterion continue to be so difficult to define? Many of the patients diagnosed with MPD have been found to have been highly suggestible and easily hypnotizable, with a tendency to fantasize, and unreliable in their counseling sessions. Roland Atkinson reports Subjects who are highly hypnotizable (virtuosos) may self-induce trance states or respond to a therapists instruction to enter such a state with rudimentary, or even unwitting, cues. Thus, personalities may also have been cued, even if they seemed to have emerged spontaneously. In such circumstances, patient and therapist alike may inadvertently and honestly believe in an MPD diagnosis, and in memories of childhood trauma, which are not valid. This may have occurred in the filmed cases; that is, both may have been at least partly iatrogenic in origin. (Atkinson, 2009) Iatrogenic means Induced in a patient by a physicians activity, manner, or therapy. (Dictionary, 2000). In fact, it is not until the person is in therapy do they become aware of the multiple personalities. (Leuder Sharrock, 1999) (Murray, 1994) The patient becomes aware of these alter egos through regression therapy or hypnosis. Most of the patients discover they were sexually abused as children, causing such trauma, the child forms another personality to deal with the pain and mental stress. (Piper Jr., 1998) The argument for the lateness in the diagnosis of MPD in patients is the clients use of repression, denial, and rationalization. According to John Murray in The Journal of Genetic Psychology, the alter egos may present themselves only during a window of diagnosibility and be unable to detect at later times, remaining latent in the patient. (Murray, 1994)The MPD symptoms may be present in one session only to disappear in another, much like bipolar depression symptoms. The issue of childhood sexual abuse also becomes an issue of concern in the MPD diagnosis due to the difficulty in proving abuse. Sexual abuse is very hard to confirm in a child, it becomes even more difficult in an adult victim of child sexual abuse. This is NOT to say the abuse never happened, merely that it is difficult to substantiate. As the clients are highly suggestible, implantation of false memories becomes easily arguable. A few of the memories are so bizarre as to be unbelievable, consider the following one patient claimed to have witnessed a baby being barbecued alive at a family picnic in a city park; another patient alleged repeated sexual assaults by a lion, a baboon, and other zoo animals in her parents back yard in broad daylight. (It should be mentioned that both therapists in these cases are prominent MPD adherents, and neither appeared to have any difficulty believing these allegations). (Piper Jr., 1998) Independent corroboration would be very helpful in cases such as these and certainly helpful in the prosecution of current cases today, but, alas, this has never been, and will doubtfully ever be, the case. The preponderance of sexually abused patients succumbing to MPD leads to another factor of the disorder. Ninety percent of the patients are women. (Atkinson, 2009), but it has been reported to have been as high as 92 percent in a 1996 study. (Murray, 1994) Ruling out gynecological concerns, I can think of no other illness with such a high rate of gender inequality. However, one must take into consideration that girls are subjected to higher rates of childhood sexual abuse than boys are. Another concern deals with how psychiatrists and other professionals diagnosis MPD. The doctors assert that they had been alerted to the possibility of MPD when a client reported such benign symptoms as headaches, insomnia, listlessness or forgetfulness. Even more ridiculous was the absolute randomness and inanity of the following diagnostic clues reported by August Piper Jr. glancing around the therapists office; frequently blinking ones eyes; changing posture, or the voices pitch or volume; rolling the eyes upward; laughing or showing anger suddenly; covering the mouth; allowing the hair to fall over ones face; developing a headache; scratching an itch; touching the face, or the chair in which one sits; changing hairstyles between sessions; or wearing a particular color of clothing or item of jewelry In one case known to the author, a leading MPD proponent claimed that the diagnosis was supported by behavior no more remarkable than the fact that the patient changed clothes several times daily and liked to wear sunglasses. (Piper Jr., 1998) With such diagnostic alerts to the doctor, one cannot be surprised at the large number of MPD cases some doctors had the opportunity to treat. MPD diagnosis and treatment became a cottage industry for some self-promoting doctors and therapists. In his article Film, fame, and the fashioning of an illness, Atkinson believed the films portraying Sybil and Eve perpetuated this mass diagnosis. Many cases shared features in common with false memory phenomena, such as the influence of coercive suggestion by therapists in producing the desired but invalid memory reports of highly susceptible patients. (Atkinson, 2009) There are many diagnostic tools used by therapists to confirm the MPD diagnosis. A few include: Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociative Disorders, Dissociative Disorder Interview Schedule, Dissociative Experiences Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Farrell, 2011) (Murray, 1994), as well as the Thematic Apperception Test (T.A.T) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) (Murray, 1994). Most notable in all of these tests and diagnostic tools is that they are all self-reporting. While many would argue you cannot beat the test, I find that argument to be untrue in some cases, particularly if an eager or leading therapist coaches the patient. However, Murray contends in a blind test for 63 adult psychiatric patients, using the MMPI MPD profile, and correctly identified 68% of the 25 MPD patients. The MMPI seemed a valuable aid in diagnosing MPD. (Murray, 1994) The fact that no clear, specific method of treatment for MPD has been established also deals a blow to MPDs validity. Even staunch supporters, such as David Hartman MSW of the Wellness Institute and psychologist Dr. John B. Murray agree that there are no particular methods of treatment and that it was all still very experimental. Some of the methods currently being used are psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, behavior modification, group therapy sessions (with some difficulty, I will not mention the humor I found in this, as I was unsure if the group therapy would include multiple personalities and one physical person), psychodynamic therapy, the use of sodium amobarbital (a drug with sedative/hypnotic properties) and of course hypnotherapy. (Murray, 1994) (Piper Jr., 1998) (Hartman, An overview of the psychotherapy of dissociative identity disorder, 2010) (Hartman, Treatments for dissociative disorders, 2010)While hypnotherapy often led to the initial diagnosis, it is also part of the t reatment. However, Murray warns while Hypnosis is usually a constructive intervention, it can be misused. (Murray, 1994) And while hypnosis provides access to secret personalities, it may enhance rather than repair the dissociation process. (Murray, 1994) In his support of hypnosis, he continues, hypnosis is useful in therapy when it helps MPD patients understand and use the past and present for better self-understanding and direction. (Murray, 1994) There are several diagnoses which MPD patients could also be diagnosed. A few include, schizophrenia, affective disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders other than MPD, depression, bipolar disorder, even drug abuse. Prior to the diagnosing of MPD, I would hope all other possible disorders be completely ruled out, rather than MPD being ruled in. Again, despite being a advocate of the validity of MPD, Dr. John B. Murray writes, MPD features can overlap with other psychiatric diagnoses, and clinicians have been wary of inducing MPD in patients and of treating MPD patients. (Murray, 1994) He, too, recognizes the danger of MPD inducement! Though life may often be stranger than fiction, I found the ridiculousness of the many reports derived from MPD cases to further cause my doubts of its validity. I will list several I found particularly absurd. C. A. Ross writes of alters that force [the patient] to jump in front of a truck. [The alters] then go back inside just before impact, leaving the [patient] to experience the pain (Piper Jr., 1998), or the French woman who spoke no German would suddenly speak in another language. Carter writes, as her French self, she could remember everything she had said or done during her previous French episodes. As a German woman, she knew nothing of her French personality. (Carter, 2008) Some multiple even have different immune systems and bodies, Felida X, for example, had three different personalities, each with their own illnesses. One of them even had her own pregnancy, unknown, at first, to the others. (Carter, 2008) The fact that some alter egos can create their own alter egos is a lso incongruous. Sheila claimed she consciously chose a masculine identity. (Layton, 1995) Another absurdity are the form alter egos may take according to their therapist, There are alters of people of the opposite sex, of the treating therapist, of infants, television characters, and demons. Alters of Satan and God, of dogs, cats, lobsters, and stuffed animals even of people thousands of years old or from another dimension have been reported by MPD proponents. (Piper Jr., 1998) And lastly in the area of ridiculousness, throughout the reading about MPD, I found time after time, journal article after journal article, from proponents to nay-sayers, asserting that the alter personalities identities,, alter egos, ego states, personality states or merely alters, could number two, sixteen, ninety-two, two thousand, or even ten thousand! How does a therapist keep up with these characters? After all, many are deceitful, some are aging, some stay nine years old, some will split yet again, some will be hidden, and others will be repressed. Keeping track of the multiples would create a full-time job for a therapist with a single patient! Lastly, MPD simply does not meet the legal test. Some in the legal community have said the diagnosis may be the most controversial diagnosis introduced into the criminal justice system. (Hafemeister, 2009) In fact, most recently, courts have rejected the admissibility of DID evidence, including expert testimony, because the scientific evidence failed to meet reliability standards, and therefore is not ultimately useful to the judge or jury. (Farrell, 2011) The State of West Virginia has also spoken to the validity of this controversial diagnosis, Similarly, in State v Lockhart (2000), Mr. Lockhart contested his conviction of first degree sexual assault on the basis that he was not permitted to present evidence of DID to support his insanity defense. The West Virginia Court held that the diagnosis of DID was speculative and therefore did not meet reliability standards for evidence. (Farrell, 2011) Does it matter? Does a diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder versus another matter? I maintain that it does. Billy Milligan, a serial rapist from Ohio in the 1970s, was excused from any criminal responsibility with his diagnosis of MPD. In Current Psychiatry, Helen M. Ferrell writes, The court declared serial rapist Billy Milligan insane due to lack of one integrated personality and therefore not culpable of the crimes he committed. Public outrage was extraordinary. Since this case, most DID defenses have not been successful. (Farrell, 2011) Public outrage was extraordinary. Indeed! I am sure it was. As I suggested previously, being able to blame all of our faults, sins, or shortcomings on another, someone other than our self, could be the ultimate fantasy for some. Commit multiple rapes? Milligan would simply wake up and claim someone else did this, his other self. Another case making this argument matter, is the woman in Chicago who consulted a psychiatrist for depression. He concluded that she suffered from MPD, that she had abused her own children, and that she had gleefully participated in Satan-worshiping cult orgies where pregnant women were eviscerated and their babies eaten. Her failure to recall these events was attributed to alters that blocked her awareness. No one had produced any evidence for the truth of any of this, no one had seen her do anything unusual, no one had come forward to say they had participated in satanic activities with her. But no matter. The doctor notified the state that the woman was a child molester. Then, after convincing her that she had killed several adults because she had been told to do so by Satanists, he threatened to notify the police about these criminal activities. The womans husband believed the doctors claims. He divorced her. And, of course, because she was a child molester, she lost custody of her children. (Piper Jr., 1998) The validity of a MPD diagnosis also matters so we, as counselors, therapists and others in the mental health field can provide appropriate treatment to these patients. For, despite the label we may wish to give an illness, the illness MUST be treated. Multiple Personality Disorder was a fad, a psychological trend, a craze, perhaps. Therapists, the public, even Oprah Winfrey, became enthralled by these captivating stories of abuse, human survival and the minds incredible fortitude. However, the diagnosis has led to more harm for the patients, abuse from malingerers, and prevented those with true mental illnesses from receiving the treatment they need and deserve.

Roger and Me

The movie â€Å"Roger and me† by Michael Moore is a documentary about Roger Smith's takeover of General Motors in the late 1980's. Moore documents the transition from prosperity to poverty in the city of Flint, Michigan. There are three different angles from which to look at the situation in Flint. These three different angles are a conflict theorist’s view, a functional analysis’ view, and a symbolic interactionist's view. The first view, conflict theory, is looking at who has the power, how they're using this power, and who they're exploiting with it. A conflict theorist would view the situation as Roger Smith using his power to ruin Flint, Michigan. Smith became the CEO of General Motors and started making massive changes immediately. He started by laying off thousands of auto workers at the Flint, Michigan auto plants so that GM could make new plants in Mexico, even though GM was making record profits. The auto workers were devastated and although they strived to better themselves and get new jobs, there were none available. Secondly, the functionalist's view can be applied to this situation. A functional analyst's view is a pretty broad one that consists of looking at the big picture and how everything works or doesn't work together. Functionalists would say that it was a necessary step for GM to close its plants in Flint because it will bring in more profits and allow the company to grow larger. Having cheaper labor in Mexico will lower the prices of new cars too. On the other hand, GM is being dysfunctional by closing the plants since that is where most of the citizens of Flint work. With so many people unemployed, the economy of Flint became horrible. No one bought anything so stores went out of business, creating even more unemployment. The final view if that of the social interactionist's. Throughout the movie, Roger Smith is portrayed as an evil figure. Everyone that Moore interviews view General Motors and Smith as the devil. Flint, Michigan is viewed as dying town that isn't worth anything anymore. Celebrities such as Robert Schuller, Pat Boone, Anita Bryant and Bob Eubanks all come to Flint in an attempt to raise the citizens’ spirits. Robert Schuller looks like a savior when he comes with motivational ideas to preach to the towns unemployed and tell them what they should do. Bob Eubanks, who is seen as the guy who made it out of Flint and became famous, comes and has a live newlywed game to cheer everyone up. Even the President of the United States comes to talk to some of Flint's citizens, but he doesn't have much to offer other than a free lunch. To bring it all together, Michael Moore did a very good job at documenting the reactions of everyone involved from the workers to the CEO of the company. Conflict theory, functional theory, and social interaction are the three important views that can be applied to the â€Å"Roger and Me† film. Looking at all three views together is essential to seeing the whole story and how everyone involved feels about it.

Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums Essay

â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† by John Steinbeck and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman are short stories which have a female protagonist struggling through a suffocating marriage and living in a society that says that women can not exist outside of marriage. â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† written by John Steinbeck is a story about a woman worn and oppressed by a male dominated world. A world which breaks a woman’s will, strips away their humanity, and obscures who they really are and what they really want out of life. Eliza, a married woman forgotten by her husband and the world, has found a bit of happiness in her garden. It is here that she finds solace and comfort. The flowers are her companions. Similarly, in The Yellow Wallpaper, written in the century before The Chrysanthemums, is also about the oppression of women in society by men. On the surface it was the story of a woman who has a child and suffered from depression. Her husband, who is also her doctor, prescribed the â€Å"The Mitchell Treatment†. This was a standard treatment for all mental disorders during this time which consisted of isolation and rest. The woman, the main character, was placed in an attic for a month of recovery. Her only companion was the peeling yellow wallpaper. In the end, both women find, brief as it may be, freedom. Though written decades apart, both Steinbeck and Gilman use symbols and character development to develop a theme of female oppression and survival. The major symbol in Steinbeck’s short story is the Chrysanthemum flower. Chrysanthemums are hearty flowers which need specific care, patience, and tending. Like children, they must be cared for daily, treated with delicate and gentle hands. Within her garden paradise she hides herself, as a woman. Steinbeck describes her as a woman that wears â€Å"a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1). Eliza, who is childless, takes pride and comfort in her ability to grow these amazing flowers. They represent for her the children she was never able to have. She is extremely protective of these flowers caring and feeding them like mother nursing her baby. She creates a â€Å"crib† of wire to ensure that â€Å"[n]o aphids, no sowbugs or snails or cutworms† are there. â€Å"Her terrier fingers [destroy] such pests before they [can] get started† (1). Like pointy corners of tables and light sockets, Eliza protects her â€Å"children† from the hazards of life. She cares for this flowers like she wishes someone had cared for her — gentle fingertips caressing her own blooms. These flowers inspire the only intimate moments that occurred between Eliza and her husband in the entire short story. He husband stops by her garden and tells her how lovely her flowers are. She blushes and Steinbeck observes â€Å"on her face there [is] a little smugness†(1). Eliza gives â€Å"birth† to these amazing creatures which bring so much beauty to the world, and supplies Eliza with her only taste of motherhood (Demott 3). Similarly, Gilman uses the symbol of yellow wallpaper. The Yellow Wall-Paper† is a small literary masterpiece. For almost fifty years it has been overlooked, as has its author, one of the most commanding feminists of her time. Now, with the new growth of the feminist movement, Charlotte Perkins Gilman is being rediscovered, and â€Å"The Yellow Wall-Paper† should share in that rediscovery. The story of a woman’s mental breakdown (Gilman 37). A major symbol in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ is the wallpaper itself. The â€Å"Yellow wallpaper was a familiar character in realist fiction and was often found to be distasteful.† (Roth). The narrator is annoyed and eventually repulsed by her only companion, the yellow patterned wallpaper. The evolution of what the wallpaper symbolized parallels the mental state of the narrator. When the narrator first settled down to her month’s worth of rest in the attic of her house, it is the wall paper she hated most. It was old, tattered, and a dirty yellow color. She commented that the worse part of the wallpaper was the dull pattern. She pondered about the wallpaper : It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide–plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions. The color is repellent, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight (Gilman 24). The pattern became the focus of much of the narrator’s time. She attempted on many occasions to figure out what the pattern was with no success. â€Å"She is mad, of course, by this time, reduced to a paranoid schizophrenic who writes, â€Å"I’ve got out at last †¦ in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back!† (36).†(Bak). After several days of trying she began to see a sub pattern which can only be seen at certain parts of the day depending on the amount of light being filtered through the windows. She decided that the sub pattern is that of a woman who is creeping along the floor on her knees, not even being able to stand. She states â€Å"There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down† (Gilman 25). This woman was imprisoned by the main pattern and wished only to escape her cage. The main pattern became clear to the narrator. She believed the main pattern were heads of those women who attempted to escape but were caught between the bars. It was clear that as the month passed the mental state of the narrator became increasingly unstable. The wallpaper and it’s pattern also represented the societal chains (treatment, family, and marriage) which have imprisoned her for so long. The yellow wallpaper has become synonymous with the domestic bars which trapped women in their inferior roles as wives and mother in the 1800s. Through the use of both symbols, Steinbeck and Gilman track the internal conflict of their respective protagonists. In Steinbeck’s short story, it is the Chrysanthemum which are indirectly responsible for Eliza awakening. The chrysanthemums create a situation in which Eliza meets a man which stimulates and re-ignites her female sensuality, that has been long forgotten. Steinbeck describes Eliza stripped of her female side and like her home, that she was â€Å"hard-swept and hard-polished† (1). Henry fails to notice and takes for granted the feminine qualities which Eliza brings to the relationship. His love for her did not exist anymore. The couple lives like strangers. Eliza, submissive and loyal, does not addresses her discontent with her husband and their relationship remains empty. He remarks, to her about her chrysanthemums, â€Å"I wish you’d work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big† (1). She is resentful and unhappy which causes her to hide in her garden. One afternoon while she is attending to her flowers she meets a traveling salesman who stops and admires her flowers. Steinbeck describes the stranger in the following way: Elisa saw that he was a very big man. Although his hair and beard were graying, he did not look old. His worn black suit was wrinkled and spotted with grease. The laughter had disappeared from his face and eyes the moment his laughing voice ceased. His eyes were dark, and they were full of the brooding that gets in the eyes of teamsters and of sailors. The calloused hands he rested on the wire fence were cracked, and every crack was a black line. He took off his battered hat. (1) When he flirts with her indirectly, she melts. She is thirsty for the attention a man gives to a woman. The stranger visually caresses the flowers, commenting that the flowers were like delicate â€Å"quick puff[s] of colored smoke,†(243) and she can feels his fingers like they were on her skin. Chrysanthemums represent Eliza long last sensuality and her need to be fulfilled physically and emotionally. Eliza quickly responds and â€Å"[tears] off the battered hat and [shakes] out her dark pretty hair†(1). The cold Elisa suddenly becomes the image of perfect femininity soft and flowing, contrasting against the strong male. She is attracted to him and offers him the only gift she can, a singe red chrysanthemum — a symbol of her sacred femininity. Through this stimulation, Eliza is inspired to again get in touch with her body and soul (Wilson 34). After a dinner eaten in silence with a man who does not love her, Eliza is forced to endure the car trip home. Weeping, and staring out the window she sees her bloody red chrysanthemums tossed on the side of the road, and she feels her soul die once again. Gilman utilizes her symbol of the yellow wallpaper in the same way, her protagonist is first imprisoned and then awakened by the wallpaper. Gilman actively asserts through her use of symbolism and the mental deterioration of the narration that women, at the turn of the century, suffering from mental illness were mistreated. Her husband, who is also her doctor, prescribed the â€Å"The Mitchell Treatment† (Hume). This was a standard treatment for all mental disorders during this time which consisted of isolation and rest. The woman, the main character, was placed in an attic for a month of recovery. Her only companion was the peeling yellow wallpaper. Slowly the unnamed narrator slipped into deep depressive psychosis. It is not until she shirked off the treatment and the invisible societal chains that she becomes well again. The theme of oppression is overwhelmingly present in both short stories. Eliza’s gift of the chrysanthemum represents the physical interaction between a man and a woman. After the stranger leaves, with quicken breath, she almost floats into her house and draws herself a hot bath. She finds her â€Å"little block of pumice† and literally scrubs her body — â€Å"legs and thighs, loins and chest and arms, until her skin was scratched and red†(1). She urgently washes, symbolically bringing blood back into her lifeless body and soul. She dresses slowly finding her best lingerie and dress. She applies makeup and prepares to go out on a â€Å"date† with her husband. She patiently awaits for her husband to come in from the fields. She hopes her husband will feel romantically toward her again. She hopes that he provide her with the same sensual stimulation that those few brief moments with the stranger. Unfortunately, her hopes are not fulfilled. When Henry finally sees his wife, he casually comments â€Å"You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happy enough to eat it like a watermelon† (1). Eliza laments her husband’s lack of charm, as if he is intentionally trying to crush her soul. She slowly loses the woman that she had found hours before. After a dinner eaten in silence with a man who does not love her, Eliza is forced to endure the car trip home. Weeping, and staring out the window she sees her bloody red chrysanthemums tossed on the side of the road, and she feels her soul die once again. Gilman’s narrator is also mistreated by her husband and society in general. John, her husband, a â€Å"wise† man of medicine, inflicts a loutish and gender-biased â€Å"cure† on her–and this tale, as Gilman claims, exposes such boorish barbarism. However, Gilman’s mad narrator unveils not only the ills of the rest cure treatment and a repressive domestic culture filled with Johns and Jennies, but also her hatred for a domestic (and maternal) role she has no desire to assume. â€Å"The Yellow Wall-Paper† not only rejects, as Gilman intended, the gender-biased rest cure of the nineteenth-century, but also indicts, less successfully, gender-biased definitions of mental illness. Married women during this time were â€Å"’freed’ from the necessity of contributing to society outside the home, presumably because marriage befit her for motherhood and motherhood required all of her energies.†(O’Donnell). Despite her triumphant unmasking of medical (predominantly male) gender bias in this tale, Gilman’s narrator falls apart so completely in the end that she tends, unfortunately, to reinforce the common nineteenth-century gender stereotype of the emotionally and physically frail nineteenth-century woman. Steinbeck through the use of chrysanthemums asserts that women are oppressed and imprisoned by world that was built for men. Through intricate detail, wit, and symbolism Steinbeck breathes life into the story of a woman completely controlled by her husband, and suffocated by world. She experiences momentary awakening during a brief interaction with a stranger. Steinbeck uses chrysanthemums evoke the feeling of rebirth, renewal, autonomy, and femininity. Eliza completely broken down and she crumbles â€Å"crying weakly-like an old woman†(X). Her husband takes her granted and does not notice that she is woman with needs and desires. Not only does her husband ignore her but so does the world. The stranger which seemed to admire all of Eliza’s qualities represents the world. Just as that man tossed away Eliza’s beautiful flowers because they were unnecessary. Steinbeck’s point is that is exactly the male dominated world views and treats women. Society is oppressive to women, allowing them not to â€Å"bloom†, keeping women submissive and docile. Eliza is not valued by the world because she is female. She meant only to exist for her husband and family. Eliza tries to be a woman in world where her womanly charms are ignored by her husband and the world in general. To survive she forgets about who she truly is and finds happiness in her garden. When she is briefly re-awakening, she attempts again to find her true self. However, her husband and the world will not let her and she must once again, for the last time, suppress who she is and what she wants. Through the use of similar literary devices the theme of female oppression and liberation is explored differently in â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The oppression of women in a male dominated world has plagued society for centuries. The stories of women are often left untold and considered unimportant. To fully explore this theme both authors use symbolism and careful character development. The main symbol found in The Yellow Wallpaper is that of the decaying yellow wallpaper that is in the attic where the narrator is sent for isolation. It’s decay parallels the decay of the narrator. In addition, Gilman details this decline and explores the inner workings of the narrator through the character development leading up to the narrator’s decision that she did want to live. Similarly, Steinbeck uses the symbol of the Chrysanthemum to represent Eliza’s life, isolation, liberation, and emotional death. There is only a small set of literary tools available to authors, of any genre, through which themes like oppression can be examined. It is through the unique manipulation of these tools, and the intense expertise of great American authors that such a varied approach to survival can be interrupted, demonstrated, and shared. Works Cited Bak, John S. â€Å"Escaping the Jaundiced Eye: Foucauldian Panopticism in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.†.† Studies in Short Fiction 31.1 (1994): 39+. DeMott, Robert. Steinbeck’s Typewriter: Essays on His Art. Revised ed. Troy, NY: Whitston Publishing, 1997. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wall-Paper. Revised ed. New York: Feminist Press, 1996. Hume, Beverly A. â€Å"Managing Madness in Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wall-Paper†.† Studies in American Fiction 30.1 (2002): 3+. O’Donnell, Margaret G. â€Å"A Reply to â€Å"Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Reassessing Her Significance for Feminism and Social Economics.† Review of Social Economy 54.3 (1996): 337+. Roth, Marty. â€Å"Gilman’s Arabesque Wallpaper.† Mosaic (Winnipeg) 34.4 (2001): 145+. Steinbeck, John. â€Å"The Chrysanthemums.† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 4th Compact ed. New York: Prentice Hall, 2007. Wilson, Edmund. The Boys in the Back Room: Notes on California Novelists. San Francisco: Colt Press, 1941. Questia.

Is College Worth the Time and Money Essay Example

Is College Worth the Time and Money Essay Example Is College Worth the Time and Money Essay Is College Worth the Time and Money Essay Is College Worth the Time and Money? Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, has been widely recognized for his talent in creating a company that totally revolutionized the computer hardware industry. There is no doubt that he is a very successful person and his net worth confirms this. Mark Zuckerberg, who designed and created the innovative social network Facebook, is another example of vision and talent coupled with effort that translated into success. What do these men have in common? They are brilliant, worth billions of dollars and they both dropped out of college. Even though these men did not complete their college education, they still achieved success. We love success stories. We love that in America we can start with nothing but an idea, out of the garage, and become one of the richest people in the world. These Cinderella stories however are not the rule but the exception, each is one out of a million, perhaps millions. These are they that the media likes to highlight because they are the rags-to-riches exception to the rule. There are young minds now conceiving of ideas that will make them successful beyond their dreams and we should encourage their development. However, the reality is that there are many times more young minds that need the education that our colleges and universities can provide. Most CEOs of fortune 500 companies may never have attained that kind of success without the education behind them. They possibly wouldn’t even have been given the chance without a college degree. Of the CEOs from the top 100 of the fortune 500 list, 95 have at least an undergraduate degree with nearly half earning an advanced degree. While many are very successful without a college degree, what are the consequences of getting or not getting a degree on potential income? Many people go to college, get into debt, work hard, and sacrifice other opportunities, but don’t end up getting the jobs they were hoping for after graduation. Earning a college degree does not guarantee a job. What are the consequences then of going to college and getting a degree? Why do people get into debt for something that does not give financial security? Is there something else that is beneficial to obtaining a college education? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate decreases on average as education increases. Additionally, earnings are also roportional to the level of education. The structural unemployment is not the entire problem that we see in our economy. Frictional unemployment accounts for a big part of the entire unemployment picture and that is because of voluntary decisions to work based on each person’s valuation of his own work and personal preferences. All things being equal, someone with a degree is more likely to be h ired than an individual who is without a degree. But even those with a four-year education couldn’t use their diplomas to ward off unemployment in the recent economic downturn. In fact, it was the educated financial and business industry that lost their jobs first. According to the most recent statistics from Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, college graduates have a lower rate of unemployment than those without a degree, with a rate of 4. 3 percent compared to 9. 5 percent for high school graduates and 13. 9 percent for those with less than a high school education (Farrell par. 8). With nearly 14 million unemployed workers in America, the Economist reports that many have gotten so desperate that they are willing to work for free. Even though this has many legal and economical implications, this clearly shows that the weak labour market favours those who are willing to work for free and it benefits the workers because they can maintain and improve their skills while networking with potential long-term employers. Of course a bachelor’s degree is not the golden ticket to a lifestyle of the rich and famous, but according to the Pathways to Prosperity Project at Harvard Graduate School of Education, â€Å"In 1973, a high school diploma was the passport to the American Dream†¦72% of the workforce of 91 million had no more than a high school degree. The study goes on to say that today’s reality is much different in that â€Å"workers with a high school education or less now make up just 41% of the workforce. † Today’s reality is much different when it comes to college as getting that education is becoming increasingly more expensive. Money is a factor, but what can someone hope to g ain outside of the classroom that can help the student in the future? The chance to meet and interact with a large variety of people is sometimes only found in a college environment. Many lifelong friendships are formed during one’s college career and the importance of networking for future opportunities cannot be overstated. Exposure to interpersonal relationships and learning how to work with others in a professional environment is very important. A college degree can say to a potential employer that you can commit to something until it is completed and that you have learned to work well and get along with others. Moreover, most four year degrees require proficiency in basic computer skills. I can’t tell you how many times over the years I have wanted to create colorful and eye-catching documents or complete a spreadsheet for   business and didn’t have the necessary time to go through the learning curve of teaching myself how to perform these basic skills. Students also have access to the college or university career center that can greatly assist students to prepare and to be aware of job possibilities. Many companies go straight to colleges and universities looking for employees. How would one who isn’t in school even know about jobs that are posted at colleges? Many job opportunities are not typically posted in the local newspaper, but instead companies will go straight to colleges and universities looking for individuals with the education to fill those positions. Furthermore, those that complete a four year college degree are more secure in their occupation as well as the income it provides. Those that enter the workforce with a Bachelors degree are more likely to keep their job even in times of economic downturn. In 2008 the unemployment rate was recorded at 2. 8 percent for those that completed a four year degree while those with only a high school diploma were recorded at 5. percent, two times greater (Hammond freebooks. uvu. edu). Moreover, those that didn’t finish high school are almost four times more likely to be laid off. This data was collected prior to the recession and the large increase in unemployment. Even with the recession those that had a degree only had an unemployment rate of 4. 6 and 4. 7 percent for 2009 and 20 10 respectively (Bureau of Labor Statistics). In the same two years, those that only graduated from high school reached an unemployment rate of 9. 7 and 10. 3 percent. This in itself is reason to not only attend but complete a degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics). As a college graduate there is more than just security in the workforce but security in your income, even in times of recession. Results show that in 2008 those that completed a degree received a monthly average income of about $3,900 as compared to just over $1,000 for high school graduates (Hammond freebooks. uvu. edu) . In 2009-10, during times of recession and then recovery, where the market was at its worst for offering laborers adequate income, college graduates received on average about $4,500 monthly while high school graduates brought in only $2,500 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Earning a college degree takes at least four years and costs thousands of dollars. It also takes a lot of time and money when it is possible to be earning a living without one. While this is true, it is also true that there’s still value in higher education. According to Chris Farrell from Bloomberg Businessweek, â€Å"the median earning of a college graduate with a BA working full-time in 2008 was $55,700. † Even those with an Associate Degree earned $42,000 compared to $33,800 for workers with just a high-school diploma, and $24,300 for those without a high school education. The statistics show that college graduates earn more money, but it takes money to get a degree in the first place. Students and their families look at the price tag of education, an average of $15,213 at a public institution and $35,600 for private, and decide that the cost is too much (Strauss par. 3-4). When choosing to go to college or start out in the work force, it makes more sense to begin making money rather than go into debt. However, researchers at Georgetown University Center on Education estimate that the share of jobs requiring a postsecondary degree is 59 percent, and will rise to 63 percent in the next decade. The Public Policy Institute of California predicted that â€Å"the supply of college-educated workers won’t meet projected demand and that by 2025, â€Å"41 percent of workers in the state will need a bachelor’s degree† in the state of California. According to the predicted trends, it would be worthwhile for students to go to college. More and more workers with a college degree will be required in the work force, and if students regard an education as an investment, they will be prepared for the future. There are valid arguments for and against receiving a college education. The idea of so much time and money spent on a degree that may not result in a job is disheartening. But in a changing world where everything is uncertain, researchers and experts agree that it is better to have a degree than not. It’s harder to be successful today than in the past without a college education, and when considering the trends and what it means for the future, it makes sense to invest in yourself through education. Every parent should encourage their child to go to college and work hard for a degree, even though it means sacrificing time and money. Even parents who did not complete their college education and had lucrative careers have the responsibility to encourage their children to receive an education. Although a degree is not a guarantee against unemployment, it does provide a safety net and improves the chances of finding and keeping a job, even in rough economic periods. Right now, going to college seems like a daunting task, but down the road, children will thank their parents for encouraging them and for making the necessary sacrifices to enable them to earn their degree. Billitteri, Thomas J. The Value of a College Education. CQ Researcher 20 Nov. 2009: 981-1004. Web. 26 Mar. 2011. Bureau of Labor Statistics. â€Å"Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers Fourth Quarter 2010. † News Release, 20 Jan. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. bls. gov/news. release/pdf/wkyeng. pdf Burnsed, Brian. â€Å"Where CEOs at America’s Largest Companies Went to College. † US News 15 Nov. 2010. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. Co wen, Tyler. â€Å"Jobs don’t pay what they used to. † The Economist. 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. Farrell, Chris. â€Å"A College Degree Is Still Worth It. Bloomberg Businessweek. 25 Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2011. Hammond, Ron J. â€Å"What is the Relationship Between Education and Money. † Intro to Sociology, 2009. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. http://freebooks. uvu. edu/SOC1010/index. php/ch14-education. html. Strauss, Valerie. â€Å"Costs of Public vs. Private College. † Washington Post. 12 Jan. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. Symonds, William C. , Schwartz, Robert B. , Ferguson, Ronald. â€Å"Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century. † Harvard Graduate School of Education. Feb. 2011.

Bech Boys Essays - Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Brian Wilson

Bech Boys Essays - Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Brian Wilson Bech Boys The Beach Boys Beginning their career as the most popular surf band in the nation, the beach boys finally emerged by 1966 as Americas biggest pop group, the only one other group to challenge this was the Beatles. In 1961 debut with the popular hit Surfin, the three Wilson brothers, Brian, Denies, and Carl. Plus cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine constructed the most intricate, gorgeous harmonies ever heard from a pop band. With Brians studio proficiency growing by leaps and bounds during the mid-60s, the Beach Boys also proved to be one of the best produced groups of the 60s. Though Brians escalating drug use and obsessive desire to trump the Beatles, eventually led to a nervous breakdown after he heard Sgt. Peppers Lonely heart club band, the group soldiered on long into the 1970s and 80s, with Brian only an inconsistent participant. The bands post 1966 material is often maligned , but the truth is the Beach Boys continued to make great music well into the 70s. Displayed best on 1970s Sunflower, each member revealed individual talents that had never been fully developed during the mid-60s, but they still became Americas first, best rock band. Situated close to the pacific coast. The three sons of a part time song writer and occasionally abusive father, Brian, Denies and Carl grew up a few miles from the ocean, but only Denies had any interest in surfing. The three often harmonized together as youths, spurred on by Brians fascination with 50s vocal acts like the Four Freshmen and the Hi-Los. Their cousin Mike Love often joined in on the impromptu session, and the group gained a fifth with Brians high school football teammate, Al Jardine. His parents helped rent instruments, with Brian on bass, Carl on guitar, Denies on drums, and studio time to record Surfin, a novelty number written by Brian and Mike Love. The single, initially released in 1961 on candix and billed to the Pendletones, prompted a little national chart actions and gained the renamed Beach Boys a contract with capitol negotiated by the Wilsons father Murray, who took over as manager for the band. Finally, in mid 1962 the groups released their major-label debut, Surfin Safari. The single hit the top 20 and helped launch a surf-rock craze that blossomed around southern California and sparked artists like Dick Dale, Jane and Dean , the Chantays, and dozens more. A similarly theme follow up, Surfin USA, hit the top in early 1963 before Jardine returned from school and resumed his place in the group. By that time , the Beach Boys had recorded their first two albums. By the end of 1963, the Beach Boys had recorded three full LPs, hit the top ten as many times, and toured incessantly. Brian had begun to grow as a producer, and was acknowledged as such by their third LP, Surfer Girl. Though there were still plenty of surf songs on the album, Catch A Wave, In My Room, and the title track presented a leap in song writing, production and group harmony that was simply astonishing considering the brief length of time that the group had actually been recording artists. Inspired by Brians intense scrutiny of the wall of sound productions by Phil Specter, the song revealed a depth of musical knowledge that was intuitive and unerring. With the Beach Boys as his musical messengers to the world, Brian began working full time in the studio, writing songs and enlisting the cream of Los Angeles session players to record the instrumental backing tracks before Carl, Denies, Mike and Al returned to add vocals. The single Help Me, Rhonda became the Beach Boys second chart topper in the early 1965. The groups seventh studio LP, the Beach Boys today!, was the great leap forward that saw Brians production skills hit another level entirely. The rock eras first flirtation with extended album length statements, side two of the record presented a series of downtempo ballads, arranged into a suite that stretched the groups lyrical concerns beyond youthful infatuation and into more adult notions of love. In late 1965, the Beatles released rubber soule, and Brian was amazed at the consistently high quality of the songs on the