Dorian Gray and the Theme of Beauty

Commonly deformity is symbolic†¦ whether it represents the good and purity in someone or the corruption in their very soul is a different story. In the book, â€Å"Dorian Gray† by Oscar Wilde, deformity is used to symbolize the corruption and degradation of Dorian’s soul. Dorian’s own beauty could be considered a deformity and this deformity destroyed Dorian’s life. He has an unnatural, surreal beauty and it’s this beauty that causes him to become so evil and corrupted. It’s the reason behind his madness. He actually traded his soul to keep his youth and beauty; â€Å"†¦If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that- for that- I would give everything! I would give my soul for that! † His beauty was so symbolic because it was pure, innocent and divine at the beginning of the novel yet it ended up causing the decay and destruction of a young man’s life. Though his looks should have been a gift it became a curse that corrupted his soul and destroyed his life. He became too obsessed with his looks and thus lost his soul. When Dorian saw the portrait painted he soon begins to loath it because â€Å"I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day in June†¦ I am jealous of the portrait you have painted of me. † He in turn wishes that he was to stay young and beautiful and the portrait was to show all the signs of aging and sin. This is the beginning of Dorian’s troubles. He goes through his life looking young and innocent but all the sins he commits shows on the canvas, â€Å"The terrible portrait whose changing features show him the real degradation of his life†¦He had a secret pleasure of the misshapen shadow that had to bear the burden that should’ve been his own. Any time Dorian does something sinful, selfish, cruel, or falls to temptation it all shows up on the canvas to mar his idyllic beauty. â€Å"A sense of infinite pity, not for himself, but for the painted image of himself, came over him. It has altered already and would alter more. For every sin he committed, a stain would fleck and wreck its fairness. † Dorian knew that his soul was being corrupted because he could see it on the painting, but he took no notice. Since the signs of sin don’t show up on him (but rather the painting) he participates in immoral temptations, He uses the painting as an outlet for all his desires. One example of his corruption is when he is cruel to Sibyl Vane; that is the first act of evil he commits and it’s when the first sign of deformity shows on the painting. Dorian only loved Sibyl for her acting and when she acted badly in Romeo and Juliet, even though she did it because she loved Dorian enough to learn that true love isn’t what she had been acting, he completely abandons her and breaks her heart. He said that, â€Å"There is always something ridiculous about the emotion of people whom one has ceased to love. Sibyl Vane seemed to him to be absurdly melodramatic. Her tears and sobs annoyed him. As soon as Dorian got home he first noticed that the portrait changed, it revealed his cruelty. It was described that â€Å"The face appeared to him to be a little changed. The expression looked different. One would have said that there was a touch of cruelty in the mouth. This was the beginning of the corruption of Dorian’s soul, the corruption of the painting. He was unnecessarily cruel to Sibyl Vane and his soul was changed as a result; the deformity of the mouth on the painting was a visual resemblance to Dorian’s soul and the corruption it was beginning to feel. Dorian Gray was the definition of beauty; he was pure, innocent and stunning but he had a soul as corrupt as the seven deadly sins. He traded his soul to stay young forever but in turn a portrait of himself was a visual representation of his soul. Over time it grew deformed and hideous and this showed that Dorian’s own soul was also becoming deformed, corrupted and hideous. The degradation of the painting shows that corruption of the soul is a type of deformity.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 40

Mad Nipper When I wake, the rain has stopped, but I am shivering. I sit up, and my whole body hurts. My overcoat is gone. My leather loafers are gone. All the money I had in my pocket is gone. My leather belt is gone. The new watch my mother gave me for Christmas is gone. I touch my fingers to my face, and they turn red. Looking around, I see that I am on a narrow street full of parked cars. Row houses on either side. Some are boarded up, many of the porches and steps attached to the fronts are in need of repair, and the streetlights above are not on – maybe smashed by rocks – making the whole world look dark. I am not in a good neighborhood, with no money, shoes, or any idea where I am. Part of me wants to lie on the sidewalk forever, but I'm afraid those bad people might come back to finish me off, and before I can really think about anything, I'm on my feet, limping down the block. My right thigh muscle feels locked in place, and I cannot bend my right knee very well. One house on the block is decorated for Christmas. On the porch is a manger scene with a plastic Mary and Joseph – both black. I limp toward Baby Jesus, thinking that people celebrating the holiday are more likely to help me than people without Christmas decorations, because – in the Bible – Jesus says we should help shoeless people who have been mugged. When I finally get to the decorated row house, a funny thing happens. Instead of knocking on the door, I limp over to the black Mary and Joseph because I want to look into the manger and see if Baby Jesus is black too. My cramped leg screams with pain and gives out just as I reach the Nativity scene. On my hands and one knee, between His parents, I see that Baby Jesus is really black and plugged in – his dark face glows like amber, and a stream of white light blasts up through His little baby chest. Squinting, taking in the light of Baby Jesus, I instantly realize that I was mugged because I cursed God, so I pray and say I'm sorry and I understand what God is telling me – that I need to work on my character some more before I will be allowed to find apart time's end. My pulse is pounding so hard in my ears that I do not even hear the front door open, nor do I hear a man walk out onto the porch. â€Å"What you doin' to Aunt Jasmine's Nativity scene?† the man says. And when I turn my head, God lets me know He has accepted my apology. When they first brought Danny to the bad place, he wouldn't talk. Like me and everyone else, he had a scar, but his was much larger and on the back of his head, making a bright pink line in his Afro. For a month or so, he just sort of sat in a chair by the window of his room as speech therapists visited and left frustrated. Me and the boys would stop in and say hello, but Danny only looked out the window when we talked to him, so we thought he was one of the people whose brain trauma was so bad he was most likely going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life – sort of like my roommate, Jackie. But after a month or so, Danny started taking his meals in the cafeteria with the rest of us, attending music and group therapy sessions, and even going on a few group excursions to the shops by the harbor and the Orioles games down at Camden Yards. It was obvious that he understood words and even was pretty normal – he just wouldn't talk. I don't remember how long it took, but after a time, Danny started talking again, and I happened to be the first person he spoke to. A girl from some fancy college in Baltimore came in to provide what we were told were â€Å"non-traditional treatments.† We had to volunteer for the sessions, as this girl was not a real therapist yet. We were skeptical at first, but when she came to promote the program, we were soon persuaded by her girlish figure and cute, innocent-looking face. She was very nice and quite attractive, so we all did whatever she said, hoping to keep her around – especially since there were no women patients in the bad place and the nurses were extremely ugly. For the first week, our college student had us look into mirrors a lot as she encouraged us to really get to know ourselves, which was pretty out-there. She'd say things like, â€Å"Study your nose. Look at it until you really know it. Watch how it moves when you breathe in deeply. Appreciate the miracle of respiration. Now look at your tongue. Not just the top, but underneath. Study it. Contemplate the miracles of taste and speech.† But then one day she paired us randomly, had us sit facing each other, and told us to stare into our partner's eyes. She had us do this for a long time, and it was quite weird because the room was completely silent, and men do not usually look into each other's eyes for long periods of time. Then she started telling us to imagine that our partner was someone we missed, or someone we had hurt in the past, or a family member we hadn't seen for many years. She told us to see this person through our partner's eyes, until that person was in front of us. Looking into another person's eyes for an extended period of time proved to be a powerful thing. And if you don't believe me, try it yourself. Of course I began to see Nikki, which was strange because I was staring into Danny's eyes, and Danny is a six-foot-three black man who looks nothing like my ex-wife. Even still, as my pupils remained locked on Danny's, it was as if I were looking directly into Nikki's eyes. I was the first one to start crying, but others followed. Our college girl came over, said I was brave, and then hugged me, which was nice. Danny said nothing. That night I woke up to the sound of Jackie's grunting. When I opened my eyes, it took a few seconds for my pupils to adjust, but when they did, I saw Danny standing over me. â€Å"Danny?† I said. â€Å"My name's not Danny.† His voice scared me because I was not expecting him to speak, especially since he had not spoken to anyone since he arrived. â€Å"The name's Mad Nipper.† â€Å"What do you want?† I asked him. â€Å"Why are you in our room?† â€Å"I only wanted to tell you my street name, so we could be boys. But we're not on the streets right now, so you can keep calling me Danny.† And then Danny walked out of my room and Jackie quit grunting. Everyone in the bad place was pretty shocked when Danny began speaking regularly the next day. The doctors said he was experiencing a breakthrough, but it wasn't like that. Danny just decided to talk. We really did become boys and did just about everything together in the bad place, including our exercise routine. And little by little I found out Danny's story. As Mad Nipper he was a rising gansta rapper from North Philadelphia who had signed on with a small record label in NYC called Tougher Trade. He was playing a club in Baltimore when some beef broke loose, and somehow – Danny often changed the details of his story, so I can't say what happened for certain – he was struck in the back of the head with a tire iron, driven to the harbor, and thrown in. Most of the time Danny claimed that a Baltimore rap group – one that was scheduled to perform before Mad Nipper – asked him to smoke up in an alleyway behind the club, but when he went outside with these other rappers, they started giving him some shit about headlining in their neighborhood. When he brought up his superior record sales, the lights went out, and he woke up dead, which is actually true, as his file says he was dead for a few minutes before the EMTs managed to revive him. Lucky for Danny, somebody heard the splash Mad Nipper made when he entered the harbor, and this person fished him out and yelled for help right after the other rappers left. Danny claims that the salt in the water kept his brain alive, but I don't understand how that could be, especially since he was thrown into the filthy harbor and not the ocean. After an operation that removed tiny parts of his skull from his brain, and a lengthy stay at the hospital, Danny was brought to the bad place. The worst part was that he lost his ability to rap – he just couldn't make his mouth rap anymore, at least not as fast as he used to – so he took a vow of silence, which he broke only after looking into my eyes for a very long period of time. Once, I asked Danny who he saw when he looked into my eyes, and he told me he saw his aunt Jasmine. When I asked him why he saw his aunt Jasmine, he told me she was the woman who had raised him up until he became a man. â€Å"Danny?† I say, kneeling before the manger. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"It's Pat Peoples.† â€Å"White Pat from Baltimore?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"You're bloody. What happened?† â€Å"God punished me, but then He led me here.† â€Å"What you do to make God angry?† â€Å"I cursed Him, but I said I was sorry.† â€Å"If you really Pat People, what's my name?† â€Å"Mad Nipper, a.k.a. Danny.† â€Å"You eat Christmas dinner yet?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"You like ham?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You wanna eat with me and Aunt Jasmine?† â€Å"Okay.† Danny helps me stand, and when I limp into Aunt Jasmine's home, it smells of pine needles and baked ham and pineapple sauce. A small Christmas tree is decorated with popcorn strings and colorful blinking lights, two green-and-red stockings are hung on a fake fireplace mantel, and on the television the Eagles are playing the Cowboys. â€Å"Sit down,† Danny says. â€Å"Make yourself at home.† â€Å"I don't want to get blood on your couch.† â€Å"It's got a plastic cover, see?† I look, and the couch is really covered with plastic, so I sit down and see that the Eagles are winning, which surprises me, since Dallas was favored. â€Å"I've missed you,† Danny says after he sits down next to me. â€Å"You didn't even say goddamn goodbye when you left.† â€Å"Mom came and got me when you were in music relaxation class. When did you get out of the bad place?† â€Å"Just yesterday. Out on good behavior.† I look at my friend's face and see that he is serious. â€Å"So you get out of the bad place yesterday, and I just happen to run to your neighborhood and get mugged on your street and find you here?† â€Å"Guess so,† Danny says. â€Å"It sort of seems like a miracle, doesn't it?† â€Å"Miracles happen on Christmas, Pat. Everybody knows that shit.† But before we can say more, a petite, serious-looking woman – who is wearing huge black-rimmed glasses – walks into the living room and starts screaming, â€Å"Oh, my Lord! Oh, Jesus!† I try to convince Aunt Jasmine I'm okay, but she calls 911, and then I am in an ambulance being driven to Germantown Hospital. When I arrive at the emergency room, Aunt Jasmine prays for me and yells at a lot of people until I am taken to a private room, where my clothes are removed and my wounds are cleaned. I am given an IV while I tell a police officer what happened. After X-rays, the doctors tell me that my leg is really messed up; my mother, Caitlin, and Jake arrive, and then my leg is put in a white cast that starts at my heel and ends just below my hip. I want to apologize to Danny and Aunt Jasmine for ruining their Christmas dinner, but my mother tells me that they left soon after she arrived, which makes me really sad for some reason. When I am finally released from the hospital, a nurse puts a purple sock over my bare toes and gives me a pair of crutches, but Jake pushes me in a wheelchair to his BMW. I have to sit sideways in the backseat, with my feet on Mom's lap, because of the cast. We drive through North Philadelphia in silence, but when we pull out onto the Schuylkill Expressway, Caitlin says, â€Å"Well, at least we'll never forget this Christmas.† She means it as a joke, but nobody laughs. â€Å"Why isn't anyone asking me how I ended up in North Philadelphia?† I ask. After a long pause, my mother says, â€Å"Tiffany called us from a pay phone and told us everything. We were driving around North Philadelphia looking for you when the hospital called your father. He called Jake's cell phone, and here we are.† â€Å"So I ruined everyone's Christmas?† â€Å"That crazy bitch ruined our Christmas.† â€Å"Jake,† Mom says. â€Å"Please.† â€Å"Did the Eagles win?† I ask Jake, because I remember that they were winning and am hoping my father will be in a decent mood when I get home. â€Å"Yeah,† Jake says in a clipped way that lets me know he is upset with me. The Eagles beat T.O. and Dallas – in Dallas – on Christmas Day, locking up a play-off spot, and Jake, who has not missed a game since he was in elementary school, misses perhaps the best game of the season because he was searching all of North Philadelphia for his mentally deranged brother. And now I realize why my father is not with the search team – there was no way he'd miss such an important Eagles game, especially against Dallas. I can't help feeling guilty, as it probably would have been a really nice Christmas, especially since my father would have been in a phenomenal mood, and I am sure my mother prepared food, and Caitlin is even wearing an Eagles jersey, and I keep messing up everyone's lives, and maybe it would have been better if the muggers had killed me, and †¦ I start to cry, but quietly, so that my mom won't be upset. â€Å"I'm sorry I made you miss the game, Jake,† I manage to say, but the words make me cry even harder, and soon I am sobbing into my hands again, like a baby. My mother pats my unbroken leg, but no one says anything. We ride the rest of the way home in silence.

Chinese Traditions Essay

Values for one society may seem strange to another society, but nonetheless, they are important to that society. For instance, the painful and debilitating Chinese tradition of foot binding, as bizarre as it may seem to our culture, to the Chinese people, it was the esoteric essence of pure beauty and signified status within the family structure, allowing young women with lotus feet better opportunities for marriage with well-to-do families. Traditional Chinese courtyard life – in existence until the early 1900’s, was a unique lifestyle where Chinese families and neighbours lived in very close quarters – sharing a common courtyard and everyone knowing everyone else’s business. Special rules applied for who occupied which space in certain directions Chinese Courtyards Chinese courtyards are the traditional folk house of China. Courtyards reportedly date back to the Han Dynasty, however none remain from that time period. The oldest among the surviving courtyards are from the Ming Dynasty, while the majority still found today are from the Qing Dynasty. Chinese Chopsticks – born of necessity in the earliest times, highly influenced the eating and cooking traditions still followed today in China. Chinese Knots – One of the most popular knots is double happiness, which in Chinese tradition is given to newlyweds, signifying a wish for their luck and happiness to double. Chinese family names – Xing, Shi and Ming are the most common. There are only 22 ancient Chinese surnames still in use today. The family name indicated a blood tie within the Chinese social structure and was a symbol of class. In ancient China, 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, women were the clan leaders and marriages were only allowed among certain classes. Chinese Festivals Chinese New Year/Spring Festival Gong Xi Fa Cai! Is the greeting that wishes you great prosperity. You’ll hear it constantly during Spring Festival, better known as the Lunar New Year. This is a time when everyone tries to get back to their ancestral home to celebrate with their families, perhaps visit the local temple, pay off debts, buy new clothes, drive off evil spirits with firecrackers and start off the new year with a great feast. Qing Ming Festival Qing Ming is the time when the Chinese honour their ancestors. They visit the family graves to clean them and share a picnic with the spirits of the dead. (12th day of the 3rd moon) Dragon Boat Festival Over 2000 years ago, Qu Yuan, a righteous mandarin, threw himself into a river to protest against the corruption and mismanagement of the government. His friends took to the water in boats, thrashing at the fish that would devour his body. Today he is remembered with the Dragon Boat Festival, which features races by long skiffs bearing dragon heads and tails. (5th day of the fifth moon) Qi Xi Festival. A special Chinese Valentine’s Day. Qixi is the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day. It’s celebrated on the seventh night of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Usually that happens sometime in August on our calendar. And that’s why it’s also called the Double Seven festival. Mid-Autumn Moon Festival The Mid-Autumn moon is the biggest and best of the year, so the Chinese try to watch it from the vantage point of hills or open fields. At the same time they eat moon cakes in memory of an uprising against the Mongols, which was secretly coordinated by messages hidden in the cakes. (15th day of the eighth moon) October 1st – Founding of the People’s Republic October 1st is the day when China celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic. It has been a week of holiday time when many travel as tourists to other parts of China or Asia – or make their way back to their hometowns for a family holiday. Other Ethnic Minority Chinese Festivals Throughout China, minority peoples have their own ancestral festivals when they dress in traditional costumes and celebrate. In Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan, the Dai minority (cousins to the Thai) welcome the Lunar New Year with the Water Splashing Festival. For 3 days in mid-April, everyone can expect to have water thrown over them. There are also parades, fireworks and dragon boat races. The Tibetan New Year is celebrated with a week of horse races, archery contests, carnivals and temple rituals, in all the major towns. In the wild west of Xinjiang, the Kazhakh communities have their own Chinese festivals that celebrate the life of the grasslands. There are breathtaking displays of horsemanship, including shooting contests on horseback and buzgashi, a form of polo, plus huge feats that include whole roast sheep and fermented mare’s milk. Beijing Opera. Beijing Opera is the most widely known Chinese theatrical style with over 200 years of history. Although the art form started in China’s Yangtze River Yan’an region, it only became fully developed in Beijing, and that is how it’s name came to be. The form employs song and dance with exaggerated movements that leave a strong impression on viewers. While this Chinese style opera is a comprehensive art form utilizing diverse elements such as drama, acting, music, song, props, make-up and costume, it is distinguished from western performance art by its use of such elements for symbolic and suggestive purposes, rather than realism. Performers must adhere to a variety of stylistic conventions and rules. They must master songs, acting and their lines, in addition to dance. The art form uniquely combines traditional song, music, narration, dance, circus and martial arts, contrary to the western tradition that separates song, dance and theatre. Chinese Shadow Puppetry Is an ancient form of storytelling which was popular during the Song Dynasty during the holiday season. The stories of the shadow puppets told of events that had happened elsewhere in the country and stories with a Buddhist background. Chinese Culture Chinese Culture – Special 10th Birthday On the day a child turns 10, most families will hold a party for the child. It is common to have this party in a hotel and invite everyone you know – which could be more than 100 people. There is a western style birthday cake served – and all the guests are invited to a meal. Each guest is subtly expected to make a donation of about $20 and before leaving, each guest receives a small gift. The one birthday party I attended in 2000, I received a box of facial tissue. Others in attendance received rolls of toilet paper – and the gifts were happily received and highly appreciated. Chinese Culture – Common Greetings Ni hao – is the common greeting for â€Å"hello† (sounds like KNEE-HOW) There are some terms for good morning(zao- sounds like ZOW), good afternoon (xia wu hao), good evening (wan shang hao), but most often you will hear just ni hao. Good–bye is zaijian. Mintian jia – is also very common – â€Å"see you tomorrow†. Chinese Culture – Children are Pension Plan With the one child policy enforced in China, most families will rely on that one child to support them in their old age. All the money the family can afford is spent on the best education that they can buy for their child – in hopes that their child will make it into a good university and have a good paying job in the future – thereby, being able to support his own family and his parents. This puts an extreme amount of pressure on the child to perform well amidst tremendous competition for a place in a prestigious university. If a child does not do well in school, he is scorned by his parents and family and loses face. Those parents lucky enough to have a government party job will enjoy a small pension when they retire. But most Chinese have no social support to look forward to as they age – so they must rely on their family. It is common for families to live together. The older parents will take care of the house, the cooking and any grandchildren, while their child and his spouse go out to work each day. Chinese Culture – Chinese Men Carrying Handbags You will see Chinese men carrying two different types of handbags. They might carry a small personal bag – like the French men do – or you may see them carrying their girlfriends handbag – as they walk or shop together. I found this quite amusing – and even more so after I married my Chinese husband . . . as before we would go out – he would choose for me which handbag I should carry –so that his things could fit inside too – and of course, he would carry it for me! It is almost like a sign of affection – like a boy carrying a girls schoolbooks for her. Chinese Culture – Best Chinese Hangover Cure If you’ve had too much to drink with your friends – don’t be surprised if you end up in a restaurant and are served pig intestine soup – sworn to be the best cure for a hangover. Chinese Culture – One Child Policy Most families in China have adhered to the one child policy. In the autonomous provinces, where Beijing does not have absolute control over the ethnic groups, they don’t have to adhere to the one child policy. However, if you have the money, or if your family is connected to the right people – for a price – you can pay a fee to have a second child. The one child policy has caused a lot of female babies to be abandoned – so that the mother could have another chance to try to have a boy baby. A large part of the Chinese population still believe it is better to have a boy than a girl – because a boy is more likely able to support his family in later life, than a girl. There are a lot of Chinese baby girls up for adoption – and North American families are scooping them up. This one child policy, however, is creating a new problem. There is becoming a shortage of Chinese females in the population. Already, there have been kidnappings of women – to make them into wives in mountain villages. The situation is predicted to grow worse in the future – with many young men unable to find a woman to marry. Chinese Dress: Qipao * The one-piece dress featured a high neck and straight skirt. It covered all of a woman’s body except for her head, hands, and toes. The qipao was traditionally made of silk and featured intricate embroidery. * The qipao worn today are modeled after ones made in Shanghai in the 1920s. The modern qipao is a one-piece, formfitting, floor length dress that has a high slit on one or both sides. Modern variations may have bell sleeves or be sleeveless and are made out of a variety of fabrics. Sports Martial arts. * China is one of the main birth places of Eastern martial arts. Chinese martial arts are collectively given the name Kung Fu ((gong) â€Å"achievement† or â€Å"merit†, and (fu) â€Å"man†, thus â€Å"human achievement†) or (previously and in some modern contexts) Wushu (â€Å"martial arts† or â€Å"military arts†). China also includes the home to the well-respected Shaolin Monastery and Wudang Mountains. The first generation of art started more for the purpose of survival and warfare than art. Over time, some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has produced some of the most renowned martial artists including Wong Fei Hung and many others. The arts have also co-existed with a variety of weapons including the more standard 18 arms. Legendary and controversial moves like Dim Mak are also praised and talked about within the culture. Tai Ji Quan Tai Ji Quan, which is also known as Chinese shadow boxing, is a major division of Chinese martial art. Tai Ji Quan means â€Å"supreme ultimate fist†, and is a kind of Chinese boxing, combining control of breath, mind and body. It emphasizes body movement, following mind movements, tempering toughness with gentleness and graceful carriage. The traditional legend goes that the wise man, Zhang Sanfeng of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), created Tai Ji Quan after he witnessed a fight between a sparrow and a snake. Most people agreed that the modern Tai Ji Quan originated from Chen style Tai Ji Quan, which first appeared during the 19th century in the Daoguang Reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Chinese Wedding Traditions Welcoming the Bride: * The Chinese wedding ritual begins with the groom going to the bride’s home. Younger brides often have a few girlfriends at the home who will tease the groom before handing over the bride. The girls will barter with the groom who must beg and bribe the girls with small gifts or red envelopes stuffed with money are handed over in exchange for the bride. * Before leaving her home, the bride and groom bow before the bride’s parents. Then, they head to the groom’s home. In the past, the bride was picked up from her home and taken to the groom’s home in a sedan chair with trumpets blaring to announce her arrival. Today, most brides arrive in a car. Bowing to Heaven and Earth: * Once at the groom’s home, the bride and groom bow to heaven and earth in front of the groom’s family’s home altar or at a local temple. Then, the couple bows before the groom’s parents before bowing to each other. Traditional Tea Ceremony: * At the groom’s home, the couple offers tea to their elders including the groom’s parents. Acceptance of the tea is confirmation that the family has welcomed the bride into the groom’s family. Auspicious Days The Chinese still rely on fortune tellers to predict the most auspicious days (and years) to marry. Many couples will postpone their wedding plans until the right day or right year that promises success. In some provinces, you will find very large groups of couples getting married the same day – because they believe in the luck of that day – for most success in their marriage. In China, it is common for many young couples live together the year before they are actually married and start on the paperwork process. The most common time to celebrate a marriage is at Chinese New Year or on auspicious days. Chinese Cuisine. The history of Chinese cuisine can be traced back to primitive societies and their use of fire. Cuisine was invented some 400,000 years ago. Some other accounts of the history of Chinese cuisine takes the beginning to the Chinese stone age, when the cultivation of rice and the production of noodles, both typical representations of Chinese cuisine as we have known today, are understood from archaeological findings. Over the centuries, as new food sources and techniques were invented, the Chinese cuisine as we know it gradually evolved. Chopsticks, which are made from all sorts of materials and which are one of the hallmarks of Chinese cuisine, have been used as eating utensils at least as far back as the Zhou Dynasty. Stir-fried dishes became popular during the Tang Dynasty. The stir-fry method of cooking was invented out of necessity, in order to conserve expensive and scarce fuel. As early as the 7th century B. C. Chinese cuisine began to be separated as Southern and Northern cuisines. In general, the southern dishes emphasize freshness and tenderness. Northern dishes, due to its colder climate, have more fat and garlic which is offset with vinegar. During the period of the Tang (618-907 A. D. ) and the Song (960-1279 A. D. ) dynasties, people went in a great deal for nutritional medical value of different plants: fungus (mushrooms), herbs, vegetables. At this time â€Å"medicinal food† for prevention and cure of diseases, for overall health became important. Cantonese/Guangdong Cuisine Guangdong cuisine is characterized by their cooking methods of mostly steaming, boiling, saute and stir-frying with thick gravy. Dishes are lightly cooked and not as spicy and hot as the other 3 groups. Due to the long duration of summer, they prefer light and refreshing foods and seafood. Only in the winter do they eat fatty foods and strongly flavoured foods. Shandong Cuisine The third major Chinese cuisine is Shandong cuisine – also known as Lu cuisine. It has a long history and wide popularity and was developed from the Qi and Lu culture of ancient China. It is said to have traces of palatial cuisine. Dishes are strongly flavoured and made of costly ingredients such as shark fin, abalone, sea cucumber, deer meat, white fungus and others. Due to the long duration of the cold winter in north China and a shortage of vegetables, Shandong cooks are skilled at making high-calorie and high-protein dishes. Sichuan Cuisine The second major Chinese cuisine is Sichuan. World famous Chan cuisine traces back to the ancient Ba Kingdom (modern day Chongqing) and Shu Kingdom (modern day Chengdu) and is known for it’s oily, hot and spicy taste. The uniquely hot, pungent flavour is created with a mixture of red pepper, garlic and ginger. Su Cuisine. The forth major Chinese cuisine originated from Shuzhou, Yangzhou and Hangzhou area and is known as Su cuisine. It is an exchange of northern and southern cuisines, dating back to the time the region was the home of Emperors during the Six Dynasties and the Southern Song Dynasty. It is a combination of high-heat and high-protein dishes, plenty of lake fish and seafood, and exquisite refreshments and snacks such as pine nut crystalline meat sweet cake, crab yellow soup bun, crab yellow steamed dumpling and Ningbo dumpling, all of which are famous throughout China.

Bottled water commodity chain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bottled water commodity chain - Research Paper Example ny bottled water companies have been faced by numerous challenges, with others even being forced to close down due to excessive competition that exists in this industry. To evaluate the issues that exist in this industry, it is important to carry out a commodity chain analysis using FWC as an example. Fiji water has always been ahead of other companies when it comes to the production of bottled water. The production process begins with the tapping of rain water that is purified by the equatorial winds after travelling through the Pacific Ocean. The water is then filtered for a long period during which essential minerals such as ions and silica are gathered to increase the health of the consumers. The company’s marketing structure has been one factor that has enabled them to gain popularity and acquire a competitive edge against rival companies such as Dasani water from Coca Cola, Nestle’ water among others. FWC bases its strategy on the premise that when the consumers understand that their product originates from a remote aquifer in Fiji, they will have a liking towards it since it would represent an â€Å"untouched water with untouchable taste,† (Sorrells, 2012, para.1). This therefore implies that creating an identity to the customers would increase the cus tomer reliance on the product. Fiji’s marketing strategy has been a success over the last few years. This success can be attributed to the use of ideal aspects such as perfect market timing, a unique product positioning, premium product pricing, creating image publicity, innovative packaging and effective distribution. For instance, they have created a notion to the customers defining that their premium product is far from pollution, acid rain, industrial waste, and it is uncontaminated, untouched and uncompromised. According to Jessop, this product has been â€Å"preserved and protected by geography and geology† (2013, p. 10). This therefore results to a fine taste and mineral properties that are enjoyed

Website Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Website Analysis - Essay Example I believe this was probably because blogging and social networking is a very common tool nowadays. The â€Å"Business Intelligence† section was useful for corporate visitors and had enough material to keep people interested in business intelligence tools busy. The IT Management section was probably the best as it kept me on the hook for the longest time period during my visit. The website’s look was professional and the color, images, texture, font sizes, and arrangement of different modules are best suited with the purpose for which this site was built. Furthermore, I felt that the website I feel that the website graphic developers did an excellent job and designed the website so that long and returning users would not get bored of a single style. With a white background, a lot of rotations are possible and the way the content was laid out was seemingly a temporary arrangement a combination that was simple yet powerful and that could be expected to attract and most importantly retain users on the website who would ultimately create earnings for baselinemag by clicking on the advertisements that were lined up in a strategic manner along the website.

How will an MBA degree will benefit the Company and me Essay

How will an MBA degree will benefit the Company and me - Essay Example The completion of the course means that I have a better understanding of the day to day issues that we face at the company. I believe that completing the MBA course will help me to be better prepared for the opportunities and threats that are as a result of the dynamic business culture or environment. The MBA will prepare me for the new opportunities that will come up in the environment. This is because the course will provide me the much needed understanding of the functional aspect of the company. Working at the company often calls for one to motivate the other members of the team, and I believe that having an MBA qualification will enable me to organize, lead, as well as motivate other members of the Tech Company to produce the best possible results at any given time. Upon the completion of the MBA, it is my belief that I will be able to understand the economic pressures that the company may face. The understanding of the financial condition of the Tech Company will help me in helping the management in the company to come up with policies that will ensure profitability of the company. Having completed my Bachelor of Science in Network Communication Management while still at the company, I believe that the MBA will further enhance my ability to predict the needs of the different clients at the company. This will in turn help me gain insight into how to build lasting and fulfilling relationship with the clients. The MBA program, as well as the combination of my education background and work experience enables me to effectively advance the different technologies as opposed to looking at new technologies as a threat. The MBA will enable me to change my attitudes about the business to be in tune with the international dimension of doing business. This will be of benefit to me as an individual, and the benefit will also extend to the business. The program I intend to enroll in is a part time.

The Making of Buddhist Modernism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Making of Buddhist Modernism - Assignment Example A considerable number of Buddhists believe in modernist tradition. The followers of non-convertible Buddhists are against the hold of western countries in leading the Buddhism. Therefore, they are trying hard to keep its originality from diluting by the converted Buddhists. In other words, it is being shifted from historical traditions to de-traditions (Lopez 264). Yes, it is correct to say that the mentioned characteristics introduced by modern reformists have no coincidence with the teachings of Lord Buddha (Lopez 267). 2. Blavatsky, Arnold, Olcott, and Carus have thoroughly studied the teachings of Buddhism and traveled to India and Sri Lanka before its transformation to modern Buddhism, which is easily understandable and accessible to the westerners. Yes, there is a difference between modern Buddhism and the actual Buddhism in view, that many rituals of original Buddhism are not performed by the modern Buddhists. In accordance with Professor Lopez and Christian missionaries, the lives of Buddhists are under the command and control of superstitious and exploitative forces. The mentioned segments of the society believe that time has come for ethnic and non-ethnic Buddhists to return back to the essence of real Buddhism. The foundation of Buddhism lies within the text and philosophy of Buddha and not in the regular round of monks, chanting sutras, performing rituals for the demise and keep intact monastic properties (Steinfels 2012). In modern Buddhism, the major shift was meditation. It has now become a practice for the modern western Buddhists who do not have confidence in old age rituals of solemn commitments for the cherish purpose of life, purification, expiation, and binding by faith which are so common and in vogue throughout Asia and considered as an external ingredients which made its way to the traditions (Steinfels 2012).

Show 'n Multimedia project presentation Assignment

Show 'n Multimedia project presentation - Assignment Example We apply Mathematical skills in our daily life. We also need to learn the concepts of Mathematics at earlier stages in order to conceptualize the Mathematics knowledge from an earlier stage of learning. Carry out the Smart Notebook activities with the students. These activities will include: installing the smart notebook software and showing the students how to do the same, use the software to show the students how to solve mathematical problems involving Mathematical operations using the Math tools in the smart notebook such as protractor, dividers, rulers, compass, and squares. Show the students step by stem method of using smart notebook and let them repeat the exercise several times until they master the concept and understand how to apply smart notebook software with Math tools to handle Math problems. The students can then be divided into groups to learn the same smart notebook activities for practice. The use of PowerPoint presentation is applicable in aiding visual understanding. For students with different special needs, the use of DI strategies such as balancing individual work and teamwork. Giving formative assignments to differentiate them, conduct mini-lessons within the lesson, differentiate them through the groups, give them a chance to speak and choose groups in class, and reflect on the setting of the lesson goals in order to make them master the content of the lesson. In addition, I will use UDL Principles in order to ascertain their mastery of the

Manage Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Manage Projects - Essay Example Procurement management plan was designed to define the process and requirements for the project and a closeout report is presented here. This plan united the scope of the project with the risks associated with procurement. The plan elaborated the process from procurement planning to procurement closeout. From the first step of documentation to the contract closeout, procurement management takes into account all the risks that may occur in the process. The damage of these risks was not enormous however; procurement management deals with these risks beforehand and protects the organization from loss. The procurement process runs smoothly as all the precautionary steps were taken. There was no risk of understatement or overstatement of goods which protected the project from bearing high cost. This project was chosen because the organization needed high quality shrubs, tires and bricks and company’s capacity isn’t enough to produce such items inside the company. The project remained well under the limit of $575,000 with $5000 to spare and they were spent on taking care of buyer’s claims. Project finished before the planned deadline. Out of the identified risks, delayed delivery affected the schedule of the project by two days but it was covered up due to manager’s efficiency. Financial forecasts were very accurate as the whole project was accomplished within the monitory limitations. Management was present and available for supervision. All major management was performed by the procurement project manager but senior management was available for support and necessary tasks; approval for solicitation etc. Finances were also managed adequately. Approval from CFO was taken before planning the whole procurement. Project team worked effectively and efficiently with the stakeholders. Hierarchy was designed specifically for the whole procurement process. The project manager was responsible for the success

Women And Their Adversities Essay Example for Free

Women And Their Adversities Essay Woman, half of the population is made up of us. Woman is the mother of life. If we are not here, there will be no father, no sons, no husbands, and no human beings. Adversity is a very difficult situation or problem that you face in lifetime. Every day women around the world face their adversities because of their sex, their colour, their religion, and what they wear. Good morning, everyone! I am Alice Walker. I am a black woman. From my experiences I have to say being a woman in a patriarchal society is not easy, and being a black woman is even harder. I lost one of my eyes when I was eight. It was the one of the major adversities in my life. And I overcame it by working to my full potential in school. Education plays a big part in my life. I overcame many adversities by education. The education I am talking about is not just going to school and learn the thing in the textbook. It can also mean watching TV, read book, and learning new things and skills. I believe that the quickest way to learn new things is through the media. One of my favourite movies is called Paradise Road. It based on a true World War II story. It tells a group of women with different background who were held captive in Singapore by the Japanese in 1942. With the support from one another and their incredible courage they survived the inhumane conditions in the concentration camp. They formed a music band with their voice, which expressed their unbreakable spirit of survival. The strong bonding developed among them and their courage touches me and inspires my writings. I also like to read novels and poems. In the poem Legend by famous Australian poet Judith Wright, the adventure of a blacksmiths boy was described. It shows the aspects of the human journey of transformation and growth through adversities. I always believe that the Blacksmiths boy in the poem symbolise all of us, especially those willing to climb mountains on their both physical and psychological journey of life. It gives me strength and courage when I am in face of my adversity, if a young boy can do it, so can I. Once I read a novel called The Cage of Butterfly by Brian Castle. Some people said it is a novel for children. But I think it suits everyone in todays society, just like the poem Legend does. It talks about how a group of young people helped other five children to escape from the lab in which they were used as lad rats. It explores the power of love, unity and friendship among these young people. It shows me that no matter how weak you are, with true love and true friendship everything is possible in life. Ive gained knowledge and inspiration from others work, and used them as sources for my own writings. My novel The Colour Purple tells the life story of a black woman Celie. From the beginning of her life, because of her gender and her colour, she experienced environmental adversities in patriarchal society, such as the discrimination from the white people and also from her people who had lighter skin. She also experienced physical adversity caused by her stepfather who raped her and sold her two children. Because of the lack of education and poverty, which were the other two adversities faced by her, she developed a low self-esteem and a negative feeling towards men and it soon became the psychological adversity for her. After she married Mr.__, her life was miserable filled with slavery and abuse from her husband. But thankfully she met a series of other black women who became her salvation: Nettie, her beloved sister; Shug, a woman with free spirit; Sofia, the strong-willed daughter in law whose strength and courage inspire her; and Squeak, who goes through awakenings of her own. In the process of escape from the cage of abuse and discrimination, the strong relationship between these women gave her inspiration and both emotional and physical support. Celie finally found the new meaning of life. My experiences of racism and sexism and the things I saw and heard about sex abuse, low education and poverty has influenced my writing deeply. The life of Celie was common in her time, and we know, it is still happening in the society today. May be less, but there are cases like this. Probably those women are sitting with us in this room now. They need our support and love. If we dont help them, no one can. Remember we are all women, black  women. We are meant to be free and live happily in the sun. We are not nothing; we are everything that we want be.

Reflection on Leadership, Communication and Teamwork

Reflection on Leadership, Communication and Teamwork 1.0 Introduction Complexities in assignments and projects have facilitated the adoption of team approaches to problem solving. In many learning institutions and places of work, team approach has led to different people being brought together in order to benefit from their varying but combined experience and manpower. Studies by Pokras (2002) have revealed that team members perform to their best standards if a common target or goal had been readily identified before the formation of the team. Identification of the common goal in initial stages is the key to team success since every team has its own defined roadmap for achieving the identified goal. Achievement of the target also involves each team member identifying his role in the team and doing his best to achieve it. Team members are likely to encounter challenges when working on achieving their common goals. To ensure success in their teams, they need to understand overall issues that affect the performance of their members. In line with the above, this written report seeks to reflect on the overall team experience as was displayed by Team 4 members when they undertook tutorial preparation and tutorial discussion assignments. The report identified the observations on team experience; dynamics and development. The varying characteristics of Team 4 members were also noted and are also described in this report. The report goes ahead to link the observations of Team 4 members to the various academic theories on team experience. Secondary literatures addressing team experience themes are consulted for the proposed academic theories. The report then concludes with reasons on why Team 4 experiences were as observed and noted. Recommendations are the provided on how best Team 4 members can improve their future team spirits and experiences. It is our desire that any team reading this report will find it interesting and valuable for their future use. 2.0 Observations of Team Experience As the name suggests, Team 4 was constituted by 4 members; 1 female and 3 males. To hold each member accountable on his/her role in the group, Team 4 members decided to nickname each member. As such, the following members made up Team 4; Member 1, Member 2, Member and Member 4. The observations below have adopted this naming. During their first meeting, Team 4 members unanimously agreed on the use of face to face, Skype, and mobile phone services of voice and short messaging services (sms) as avenues of carrying out the discussion. Amongst the 3, face to face communication was the most frequently used method of carrying out the team work since members consented to the idea that immediate feedbacks were easily passed between them when using this method. Most observations were therefore noted during the face to face sessions. The overall rating for the observations made can be summarised as 70% positive and 30% negative. The following is a presentation of some of the major observations as displayed by Team 4 members. The presentation involved identification of key variables and the observations made on members. 2.1 Leadership Roles Though it was earlier on agreed that leadership role at Team 4 was to rotational, it was observed that some members feared the responsibility of assuming leadership roles when it came to their turns. The creation of the tutorials for presentation in class called for each team member to assume a leadership role on a rotational basis. This was considered key to success of any team since each team was to be later on required to successfully present their tutorials before the class. The presentations required every member of the group to take a leadership role at the time of presentation and therefore the reluctance by Member 2 and Member 4 to assume leadership roles caused a lot of worries to Member 1 and Member 3 since it was projected that it would impact negatively on the overall performance of Team 4. During the initial meetings, Members 2 and 4 would faithfully request any of their colleagues to volunteer by taking up the leadership roles on their behalf. Reasons put forward in the ir defence were that they deemed themselves less skilled when it came to creating slides and providing the logical structure upon which discussion topics were to be handled. One member, Member 2, was even bold enough to state before the other members that he lacked the courage to articulate issues before a group of people. To correct on this, Members 1 and 3 had to assume guidance and encouragement roles. In encouraging the two to improve on their courage, Members 1 and 3 borrowed Topchik (2007) motivational quote that called on fearful people to focus on by speaking up and listening openly for them to built trust (p.10). As time wore on and more meetings were held, Members 2 and 4 were able to develop their courage and lead the discussions to the best of their understanding. They could usher in members to give out their suggestions as well as interrupt them to allow their colleagues to seek clarifications in areas where they felt dissatisfied. 2.2 Knowledge on Topics Discussed It was observed that the four members experienced variations when it came to understanding the topics under discussion. For instance, in one session Member 1 emerged as the most knowledgeable in identifying and linking the relationships between various sub-topics. In the succeeding session, Member 3 assumed this role. These variations helped the sharing of knowledge amongst Team 4 members. 2.3 Contributing Towards Discussion Topics Though Members 2 and 4 had initially shown fearful factors, it was observed that all Team 4 members took an active role in contributing towards topics at hand. Everybody would seek an opportunity to express his ideas, and his colleagues would either agree or disagree on the particular members points. 2.4 Conflicts and Disagreements As every member became active in the discussions, it was observed that Team 4 members could not hold to each others opinions and wishes. A practical case emerged one Saturday when Member 1 proposed and insisted that every member was to present to the class the section which he or she oversaw as the leader of the team. In sticking to his view, Member 1 claimed that it was common sense that as a leader of the session, each leader stood a better chance of presenting the section to the class. However, his colleagues completely objected to his opinion on the view that teamwork and team spirit called on all members to have an even understanding of all the issues discussed by the team, and as such, each had an equal understanding of the sections. To them, anyone could comfortably present any section. The disagreement arising from this varied opinions boiled to the extent that all members had to unanimously agree to call off the session to avoid on the impending physical fights. However, on a positive note, Member 1 had to drop his hard line stance and adopt other members suggested random selection. 2.5 On the Issue of Time It was observed that members attended to sessions on time. Only one chance of late arrival was observed when Member 3 arrived 30 minutes late into the discussion. However, she had written a phone message to every member of the team to inform them of her late arrival since she was held up on traffic at the time of the meeting. 3.0 Theoretical Evaluation Institutions of learning and business organizations have continued with their adopted norm of using team approach as the tool for achieving specific tasks. Teams continue to gain increasing attention as potentially important organization assets (Zayed and Kamel, 2005, p.1). The increased adoption of team approach or team experience across these institutions has called for the need to provide information on the themes and dynamics involved in teamwork to help them achieve or attain their set targets. These may include amongst others; 3.1 Definition of Teams Teams are groups of individuals who accomplish designated objectives by working independently, communicating effectively, and making decisions that affect their work (Topchik 2007, p.7). On their part, Zayed and Kamel (2005) defined teams as two or more independent individuals who interact with and influence one another in order to accomplish a common purpose (p.1). From his research, Pokras (2002) summarised team chemistry as consisting of the following three parts; communication, consensus and contracting (11). From the definitions above it can be deduced that Team 4 comprised of the four individuals who worked to achieve a common goal of preparing tutorials on selected topics for presentation. They interacted through face to face, Skype or messaging and talking on phone. Zayed and kamel (2005) noted that many people across business fields had come to replace the term group with team. To such people, the two words mean the same and can therefore be used interchangeably. 3.2 Succeeding as a Team: Levels Involved The joining together of members to form a team does not guarantee the success of the particular team. The formation stage may bring together quiet, cautious or tentative members who may take a while before starting to go through the storming stage (Zayed Kamel, 2005, p.10). The storming process may involve team members studying each others tensions, differences as well as conflicts. After learning of members characteristics, team members advance into the second stage where they actively concentrate on solving their problems. Teams achieve their goals when members start interacting smoothly. At this level, each member is energetic, dynamic and productive leading to the team attaining success by achieving their set common goal. 3.3 Characteristics of a Good Team According to RIC Publishers (2003), good team members listen to each other, cooperate, have clear team goals and allow each member to freely express his or her opinions (p.24). On his part, Topchik (2007) went on to postulate that best team experiences had roles of each member clearly defined, had members who were open and honest in communication, had a supportive and knowledgeable manager, allowed members to freely make decisions and rewarded or recognized its members when they successfully achieved its goals (p.6). 4.0 Conclusion Though little disagreements were observed in Team 4s meeting sessions, the team successfully achieved its goal of creating presentation tutorials. This was reflected in the comprehensive and detailed tutorials that were successfully presented to the class on the presentation day. The ability of the all Team 4 members to respond confidently and accurately presentation questions also contributed in highlighting the teams success. In assessing the hard line stands taken by some team members, it was concluded that the decision by the teacher not to give due attention to members characteristics at the time of forming the teams may have played a facilitation role. As Topchick (2007) notes, when forming a team, the individuals skills, knowledge and experience should constitute the number one criteria for team membership (p10). 5.0 Recommendation Best on Team 4s achieved results; the following recommendations stand to be made. Team 4 members should learn the importance of recognizing each others contributions. This makes every team member to feel that his/her work is very meaningful and important. As such more contributions are likely to be forwarded by the motivated team members. The rotational team leaders should know that their leadership roles involve coordinating member activities. They should therefore not get discouraged or shy away from assuming these leadership roles based on their inferiority complex. Drawing from Dan and Lane (2008) works, team members who initially declined to take up their leadership roles are informed that effective team leaders are tasked with enabling everyone to contribute their unique skills (p.307). Members should be in a position to accommodate the views of other members by dropping their hard line stands. Team works are intended to avail avenues for their colleagues to share their opinions and arrive at common stands. Lastly and as Exley and Dennick (2004) opine, in cases where members are handling complex topics, several discussion sessions should be created to help members to research more on the topic at hand. This will help them to develop and accumulate knowledge on these topics.

Current cognitive models of PTSD

Current cognitive models of PTSD The treatment literature of the past twenty years reflects an enormous interest in discovering the most effective psychological therapy for clients with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD. The overall aim of this paper is to critically evaluate current cognitive models of PTSD and literature on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapies to treat this disorder based on these models. Definitions of PTSD In the Fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) trauma is defined as: (a) The person experienced, witnessed or was confronted with an event that involved actual or perceived threat to life or physical integrity; and (b) the persons emotional response to this event included horror, helplessness or intense fear. Foa and Meadows (1997, p. 450). In DSM-IV psychological symptoms of PTSD are categorised into three cluster symptoms: re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing and increased arousal, which arise after the person is exposed to a traumatic stressor. The recurrent re-experiencing symptoms e.g. flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, have been considered the hallmark of PTSD (e.g. Foa Rothbaurn, 1992). The second cluster includes avoidance of trauma-related stimuli and numbing of general responsiveness e.g. deliberately avoiding trauma-related stimuli and symptoms of emotional numbing (Foa, Hearst-Ikeda, Perry, 1995; Litz, 1993). The latter are considered distinguishing features of PTSD (Foa Meadows, 1997). The third symptom cluster includes increased arousal e.g. hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, difficulty sleeping and irritability (APA, 1994). Current Government Guidelines on the treatment of PTSD Determining effective and efficient treatments for PTSD has become a priority in light of the conditions prevalence and the many techniques and interventions available. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence, NICE, reviewed the most robust outcome research and produced guidelines, to inform and guide clinical practice for the psychological treatment of PTSID in adults (NICE, 2005). The guidelines were based on an independent, systematic, rigorous and multistage process of identifying, reviewing and appraising evidence for the effective treatment of PTSD. These guidelines conclude that individuals with PTSD should receive either trauma focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, TFCBT or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, EMDR. However, a distinction is made between single incident trauma and more complex presentations, and the guidelines suggest increasing the total number of sessions accordingly. Although the guidelines appear helpful for the treatment of single incid ent PTSD, they are arguably not as informative for treatment approaches for a large group of individuals with complex PTSD. This presents difficulties for the clinician and client in deciding the most effective therapeutic options. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most extensively researched therapy for individuals with PTSD (Foa Meadows, 1997) and many studies support its efficacy in reducing symptom severity (e.g. Foa et al., 1995; Foa Jaycox, 1996; Foa, Rothbaurn, Riggs, Murdock, 1991; Resick Schnicke, 1992; Richards, Lovell, Marks, 1994; Thompson, Charlton, Kerry, Lee, Turner, 1995). However, CBT for PTSD encompasses diverse techniques. These include exposure procedures, cognitive restructuring procedures, and combinations of both these techniques. Exposure Therapy Exposure therapy is based on the premise that imaginal exposure (IE) to the trauma or feared situation, leads to symptom reduction. The theory argues prolonged activation of traumatic memories leads to emotional processing of the affective information, habituation of anxiety and integration of corrective information (Foa et al., 1995). Numerous studies have demonstrated that treatment based on exposure therapy is efficacious in reducing PTSD (e.g. Foa et al., 1999; Frueh, Turner, Beidel, Mirabella, Jones, 1996; Keane, Fairbank, Cadell, Zimmering, 1989). Foa, Rothbaum, Riggs, and Murdoch (1991) investigated exposure therapy, stress inoculation (a type of Anxity Management Treatment, AMT), supportive counselling, and a non-treatment group in the treatment of PTSD as a result of rape. Clinical ratings of symptoms and standardized psychometric tests were examined before and after treatment as well as at a 3-month follow-up. The stress inoculation intervention showed greater results than the counselling and non-treatment conditions at post-test. However, at the follow-up, the individuals participating in exposure therapy showed more improvements of PTSD symptoms than individuals in the other groups. Research has investigated the efficiency of exposure therapy compared to different methods of treatment. For instance, Tarrier et al. (1999) investigated exposure therapy and cognitive therapy in the treatment of individuals with PTSD arising from several different traumatic incidents. The two groups demonstrated noteworthy decrease in PTSD symptoms that was still present at the 6-month follow up. Although results were positive for both groups, there was no non-treatment control against which these two active treatments could be evaluated. Similarly, Foa et al. (1999) compared exposure therapy to AMT and then combined the two treatments. These three groups were compared to a non-treatment control group. All three of these treatments effectively reduced symptoms of rape-related PTSD and resulted in functional improvement. There were no differences among the three treatment groups on outcome measures, but all three groups improved more than the non-treatment comparison group did. In a study that once again compared exposure therapy to cognitive therapy, Marks, Lovell, Noshirvani, Livanou, and Thrasher (1998) examined these two treatments alone and in combination in outpatients with PTSD secondary to a wide range of traumatic events. A relaxation therapy condition was employed as the primary comparison group. All three active treatment conditions showed significant improvement, and greater improvement than that observed in the relaxation group. The three active treatments did not differ from one another on the key outcome variables. Several investigations have advanced the field of PTSD treatment, even though the methodology utilized in the outcome study limited the conclusions that could be drawn. Frank and Stewart (1983) reported the effects of systematic desensitization on women who had been raped and who developed significant psychological symptomatology. Compared to an untreated comparison group, those women treated with graduated exposure improved most on a range of anxiety and depression symptom measures. Richards, Lovell, and Marks (1994) compared imaginal and in vivo exposure in a randomized study of survivors of diverse traumatic events. At the 12-month follow-up, patients reported consistent reductions in PTSD symptoms and improved social adjustment. These data further substantiate the effectiveness of exposure therapy for some individuals, and also suggest that improvements in symptoms are also reflected in critical domains of life functioning. In summary, the existing data support the use of exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD. In a previous review of this literature, Solomon, Gerrity, and Muff, (1992), (Sited in Shapiro, 1995) derived the same conclusion from data available at that time. Similar conclusions were drawn by Otto, Penava, Pollack, and Smoller (1996) in a more recent review of the literature. In what may ultimately prove to be an important lesson for the treatment of individuals exposed to traumatic events, Foa, Hearst-Ikeda, and Perry (1995) examined the efficacy of a brief intervention to prevent the development of chronic PTSD. For women who had been recently raped, the authors developed a program based upon that which worked so well in earlier trials with chronic PTSD. Exposure therapy figured prominently in the package of treatments assembled. This package also included elements of education, breathing retraining, and cognitive restructuring. When individuals receiving the package were compared to a matched control group, this study found that at 2 months after intervention only 10% of the treated group met criteria for PTSD, while 70% of the untreated comparison group did. As information continues to grow on exposure therapy, there is a distinct need for studies to examine combinations of treatments, to employ measures that assess social and occupational functioning, and to address the impact of treatments on comorbid psychological conditions. Clearly, the available efficacy studies demonstrate the value of extending the use of exposure therapies to patients with PTSD. However future studies assessing the generalization of exposure therapy from laboratory trials to clinical settings would be particularly useful. When exposure therapy has been compared to other forms of cognitive therapy, such as cognitive restructuring (see below), it has proved to be more successful in reducing PTSD. Tarrier et al., (1999) compared Cognitive Therapy (CT) with imaginal exposure therapy (IE) for 72 people with chronic PTSD, and concluded that there was no significant difference between the two groups initially or at 12 month follow up. Participants recruited were obtained from a sample of referrals to primary and secondary mental health services and voluntary services, indicating that they were representative of a genuine clinical sample. However, 50% of the sample remained above clinical significance for PTSD symptoms after treatment was completed, although this dropped to 25% at six-month follow-up. This lack of improvement may have been influenced by participants failure to attend sessions regularly. Furthermore, those who did not show improvement rated the therapy as less credible and were rated as less m otivated by the therapist. Therefore, it is argued that motivation for therapy and regular attendance plays an important role in outcome of therapy regardless of treatment model. A further limitation of this study was that no control group was used and non-specific treatment factors and spontaneous remission could also account for the improvements in reported symptoms. Cognitive Restructuring Cognitive restructuring is based on the theory that identifying and modifying catastrophic and unrealistic interpretations of the traumatic experience leads to symptom reduction. Recent models have emphasised the importance of correcting cognitive distortions in the adaptive recovery of people following trauma (Ehlers Clarke, 2000). Ehlers, Clark, Hackmann, McManus, and Fennell (2005) utilized cognitive therapy based on the cognitive model of PTSD (see Ehlers Clarke, 2000). From this model, the aim of therapy is to modify excessively negative appraisals, correct the autobiographical memory disturbance and to remove the problematic behavioural and cognitive strategies. In a randomised controlled trial, twenty-eight participants who were referred to a community mental health team were diagnosed with PTSD. Fourteen participants were randomly allocated to immediate cognitive therapy or a 13-week waiting list condition. Those receiving cognitive therapy had 12 weekly treatment sessions, based on the Ehlers and Clarke (2000) model of trauma focused CBT. Participants completed self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety and also completed the Sheehan Disability Scale (APA, 2000). Measures were completed pre and post treatment and at 6 month follow up. Results found that CT for PTSD was superior to a 3-m onth waiting list condition on measures of PTSD symptoms, disability and associated symptoms of anxiety and depression. This study had no dropouts, which is a significant improvement on other studies, which Yielded high dropout rates. (e.g. Tarrier et al., 1999). Participants displayed a positive change in cognitive appraisals. The Ehlers and Clarke (2000) model suggest that two other pathways of change, change in autobiographical memory of the trauma, and dropping of maintaining behaviours and cognitive strategies as integral in reducing symptoms of PTSD. Although the treatment addressed these other two factors, these have not been systematically measured, so it is difficult to conclude whether clients experienced a change in these two areas. Further analysis indicated that demographic, trauma and diagnostic variables did not predict treatment outcome, suggesting that the treatment is applicable to a wide range of trauma survivors. However, the degree in variation of trauma and small sample numbers suggests that this finding would not be present in a larger sample. Co-morbid depression and previous trauma history, which was present in over half the sample, did not negatively affect outcome. Combinations of therapy Resick and Schnicke (1992) have proffered a multidimensional behavioural treatment package for women who have rape-related PTSD. This package, entitled cognitive processing therapy (CPT), combines elements of exposure therapy, Anxiety Management Training (AMT), and cognitive restructuring. The cognitive therapy component of CPT involves addressing key cognitive distortions found among women who have been assaulted. In particular, these authors have designed interventions for addressing difficulties in safety, trust, power, self-esteem, and intimacy in the lives of survivors. In a preliminary evaluation of CPT, the authors compared outcomes at pre-treatment, post-treatment, 3 months follow-up, and 6 months follow-up for a treatment group and a non-treatment comparison group (no random assignment was used). On clinician ratings and psychometric inventories of PTSD, the individuals receiving CPT improved markedly. At the post-treatment assessment, impressively, none of the treated patie nts met criteria for PTSD. In a recently completed study, Resick, Nishith, and Astin (2000) reported on a comparison of CPT and exposure therapy in the treatment of rape-related PTSD. In general, the two treatments were equally effective and more effective than a non-treatment control condition. CPT did also seem to reduce comorbid symptoms of depression, as well as those of PTSD. Combination treatments that include an array of cognitive-behavioural strategies have the advantage of addressing multiple problems that people with PTSD may exhibit, as well as incorporating techniques that have considerable empirical support in the clinical literature. Keane, Fisher, Krinsley, and Niles (1994) described a treatment package including exposure therapy, AMT, and cognitive restructuring as central features of their approach to treating PTSD. This package employs a phase oriented approach to treating severe and chronic PTSD that includes the following six phases: (1) behavioural stabilization; (2) trauma education; (3) AMT; (4) trauma focus work; (5) relapse prevention skills; and (6) aftercare procedures. Although this approach has clinical appeal, it wasnà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t until psychologists Fecteau and Nicki (1999) examined such a package in a randomized clinical trial for PTSD secondary to motor vehicle accidents that the impact of a combination package such as that proposed by Keane et al. (1994) was assessed. Their intervention consisted of trauma education, relaxation training, exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and guided behavioural practice. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention or to a non-treatment comparison group and received some 8à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬10 sessions of individualized treatment. The results of the intervention were successful as measured by clinical ratings, self-report questionnaires, and a laboratory-based psycho-physiological assessment procedure. Described by the authors as clinically and statistically significant, these treatment effects were maintained at the 6-month follow-up assessment. Bryant, Moulds, Guthrie, Dang, and Nixon (2003) studied the effects of IE alone or IE with CR in the treatment of PTSD. They hypothesised that CR combined with IE would result in greater PTSD symptom reduction than exposure alone, which in turn would have greater benefits than a supportive counselling condition. Fifty-eight civilian trauma survivors, diagnosed with PTSD as measured by Clinician Administered. PTSD Scale, version 2, CAPS-2, (Blake et al., 1995) were randomly allocated to one of the three conditions. Each participant received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of either IE, CR and IE or supportive counselling. Participants completed assessments at pre and post treatment and 6 month follow up. These measured PTSD symptoms and psychopathology. Forty-five participants completed treatment and analysis indicated that dropouts had higher scores for depression, avoidance and higher catastrophic cognitions than those who completed. Results indicated that participants receiving bot h IE and IE/CR had greater reductions in PTSD symptoms and anxiety than supportive counselling (SC). The major finding of this study was that therapy involving IE and CR leads to greater reductions in CAPS-2 intensity scores than therapy involving IE alone. Furthermore, those receiving IE/CR, but not IE alone, reported fewer avoidance, depression and catastrophic cognitions than those receiving SC. The results from this study indicated that the combination of IE and CR are effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD. It can be argued that the reasons why IE/CR may have been more effective than augmented treatments in the past (e.g. Foa et al., 1999) was that the study carefully controlled for the amount of time actively spent on each treatment component. Furthermore, participants were instructed on CR before commencing IE so they understood the rationale behind the techniques prior to addressing the strong emotional components of IE. This may have increased their understanding and belief that it was a credible treatment approach. The finding that CR enhanced the treatment gains of IE may have been mediated by several possible mechanisms. IE and CR may involve common elements, including processing of emotional memories, integration of corrective information and development of self-mastery (Marks, 2000). Combining both interventions may provide the individual with greater opportunity to benefit. CR may have lead to greater symptom reduction as it specifically addressed identification and modification of maladaptive cognitions that may contribute to maintenance of PTSD and associated problems (Ehlers Clarke, 2000). Paunovic and Ost (2001), compared treatment outcome data for CBT and exposure therapy for sixteen refugees with PTSD. The authors excluded those who became too distressed in the initial interview, expressed a lack of confidence in the therapist or were misusing alcohol or drugs. Results indicated there was no significant difference between participants completing CBT or exposure therapy, being simila r to Tarrier et als (1999) findings. Criticisms of Paunovic and Ost (2001)s study are that participants did not use a self-report trauma measure, so although results are positive, there is no clear analysis of whether participants felt their trauma symptoms decreased as a result of the treatment. Further, it is not possible to generalise these findings to traumatised refugees in general, as this work is unique. Working with the use of an interpreter raises several ethical and sensitive issues, as the participant must be able to develop a therapeutic alliance with the therapist and trust the interpreter (Tribe, 2007). It could be argued that participants may have been experiencing a greater degree of trauma, not least because they had not yet learned the native language. Discussion The most effective CBT programs appear to be those that rely on repeated exposure to the trauma memory (Foa et al., 1999; Foa et al., 1991; Foa Rothbaum, 1992) on cognitive restructuring of the meaning of the trauma, (Ehlers Clarke, 2000) or a combination of these methods, (Resick Schnicke, 1992). Importantly, studies have concluded that trauma focused CBT is more effective than supportive counselling (Blanchard et al., 2003; Bryant et al., 2003). Whilst the studies reviewed have helpfully added to our understanding of PTSD there are numerous limitations of the applications of the findings. One in particular is an over-reliance on non-clinical samples of participants such that many claims of clinically effective therapy have been made from research with participants who were not within mental health systems, and despite having PTSD symptoms had not actively sought treatment. In addition, dropout rates in studies are high, particularly for those studies that did not use a clinical sample. This might have skewed the evidence particularly with approaches that used exposure-based therapy. Furthermore, most of the studies reviewed screened out those individuals experiencing the greatest amount of distress, avoidance and co-morbidity. Therefore results are biased towards those clients who were able to tolerate treatment and whose symptoms were not as chronic. Indeed, inclusion and exclusion criteria appear to have a great impact on outcome of treatment. For example, studies with a strict inclusion criteria (e.g. no co-morbidity, substance misuse, self harm) appear to have significant improvements, whilst other studies i.e. Kubany et al., (2003), allowed participants to continue with other therapy while embarking on their therapy. This makes it methodologically difficult to ascertain exactly what has been effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. As inclusion and exclusion criteria are idiosyncratic across studies, it makes it difficult to draw general conclusions regarding treatment effectiveness with a clinical population across studies. Studies often chose to focus therapy on identified groups, e.g. police officers. However, clients who experience PTSD do not form a homogeneous group and further, the symptoms experienced may be diverse even within a sample of individuals who have experienced the same trauma. Treatment studies often do not control for other factors that may be important contributing factors in outcome such as the role of education, quality of the therapeutic relationship, therapeutic alliance and other nonspecific factors. The literature was generally from American, British or European sources although clearly trauma is intercultural. This raises issues about how different cultures interpret PTSD, an essentially Western concept, and also whether the treatments advocated would be effective cross-culturally. Previous research has strongly indicated that PTSD is not an appropriate term to use in non-western situations (Summerfield, 1997), hence therapeutic approaches need to account for this. It is not clear in the majority of the research when the participant experienced the trauma, and at what point therapy started. Frequently these characteristics are omitted from studies, therefore making it difficult to compare effectiveness of studies. It is important to consider the types of clients who have been represented in the research and to look at whether it is representative of those who seek treatment. Finally, very little has been reported on the impact of other difficulties an individual is experiencing as PTSD can have a wide ranging impact on an individuals quality of life and functioning and most often clients have more complex presentations. Only very few studies reviewed controlled for this variable (see Ehlers et al., 2005). This is an inherent difficulty when completing research with a trauma population as within research it is important to obtain a sample that have a similar degree of difficulties in order to assess treatment efficacy. Several papers have evaluated different types of therapy according to particular groups. However, it appears that one size does not fit all in relation to PTSID. In particular the issues of culture and gender are of importance (see Liebling Ojiambo-Ochieng, 2000; Sheppard, 2000). Individual formulations of presenting problems and contexts, which informs therapy that is adapted to suit individual clients needs, may in fact be more helpful. It remains important to consider individual differences and client choice when offering trauma therapy. Trauma therapy outcome studies are limited by the fact that sufferers usually have other mental health problems alongside PTSD such as depression or social anxiety. Evaluation of effective treatment of trauma survivors therefore might need to go beyond medical diagnostic categories as most of the research excludes clients with co-morbid problems. A multifaceted intervention, based on clients own views, which addressed these other difficulties, may help reduce relapse and improve long-term efficacy of any PTSD treatment. As outlined in the methodological limitations section, much of the research reviewed has not used a genuine clinical sample, there are high dropout rates, widely variable inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the heterogeneity of PTSD has perhaps not yet been accounted for. It is therefore difficult to ascertain what is specifically helpful or effective within the treatment components. This seems to be the next area for consideration in research. Further research into the optimal length of treatment and timing of therapy, the effect of co-morbidity and the differing effects of individual and group therapy approaches for traumatised clients are required. Further controlled research is needed to ascertain if the types of therapies reviewed can provide long term lasting effects in reducing PTSD symptomatology. Currently the empirical data is generally limited to the assessment of short term, focused interventions, and it would be helpful to have controlled studies on longer-term treatment for more complex trauma cases. Further research would benefit from considering the clients views and experiences of therapy, this perspective was lacking in the literature reviewed. Service user and carer perspectives are beyond the scope of this review, however they have been highlighted as an important consideration within the NICE guidelines and therefore require further consideration in future research. Conclusion There appear to be at least three treatments with excellent empirical support for treating PTSD; exposure therapy, cognitive therapy or a combination of these methods. These three approaches have excellent empirical support in well-controlled clinical trials, manifest strong treatment effect sizes, and appear to work well across diverse populations of trauma survivors. However future studies to examine the effectiveness of these approaches in clinic settings are warranted. There is much to be learned about the treatment of PTSD. It is certain there will be no simple answers for treating people who have experienced the most horrific events life offers. Undoubtedly, combinations of treatments as proposed by Keane et al. (1994) and Resick and Schnicke (1992) may prove to be the most powerful interventions. PTSD research in this area is only in the earliest stages of its development. Finally, an assumption about the uniformity of traumatic events has been made in the literature in general. Although it is reasonable to speculate that fundamental similarities exist among patients who have experienced diverse traumatic events and then develop PTSD, whether these patients will respond to clinical interventions in the same way is an empirical question that has yet to be addressed. Studies posing a question such as this would be a welcome addition to the clinical literature: Will people with PTSD resulting from combat, torture, genocide, and natural disasters all improve as well as those treated successfully following rape, motor vehicle accidents, and assaults? This is a crucial issue that requires additional scientific study in order to provide clinicians with the requisite evidence supporting the use of available techniques. Research on the prevalence of exposure to traumatic events and the prevalence of PTSD has mainly been carried out in the United States. Yet there are fundamental errors in assuming that these prevalence rates apply even to other Western, developed countries. Studies that examine the prevalence of PTSD and other disorders internationally are clearly warranted. Implicit in this recommendation is the need to examine the extent to which current assessment instrumentation is culturally sensitive to the ways in which traumatic reactions are expressed internationally. Much work on this topic will be required before definitive conclusions regarding prevalence rates of PTSD internationally can be drawn. Studies of the effectiveness of the psychological treatments across cultures and ethnic groups are also needed. What may be effective for Western populations may be inadequate or possibly even unacceptable treatment for people who reside in other areas of the world and who have different world views, beliefs, and perspectives. This issue will need to be more closely examined before we can draw definitive conclusions. It is suggested that despite the type of treatment provided to individuals with trauma there is ultimately a need for a flexible, integrative approach to treatment in order to deal with the complex and varying needs of individual trauma survivors. A range of outcomes has been found with the types of approaches outlined in this review, it is unclear who will respond best to which treatment approach. However, what is important in determining the success of any psychological treatment of PTSD is that it is dependent upon establishing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance that is strong enough for the client to experience as safe and trusting for positive emotional change to occur.

Pompey :: essays research papers

Pompey the Great Gnaeus Pompeius, better known as Pompey, was born on September 29, 106 BC. He was four years older than Julius Caesar. Pompey’s father was a rich Roman noble, who was elected to the consul in 89 BC. Pompey distinguished himself as a great leader early in his life. In the civil war between Gaius Marius and Lucius Sulla, Pompey sided with Sulla. Sulla, with the help of Pompey, made some vary impressive defeats in Africa and Sicily. In 79 BC Sulla resigned and died the next year. Two of his patrons, who had fought for him, Pompey and Marcus Crassus, moved to leading military positions in the seventies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crassus and Pompey fought together in a battle against a Marian rebel, Quintus Sertorius, and a slave rebellion lead by Spartacus in Italy. They returned, having won, in 71 BC. Pompey then spent time campaigning successfully in Rome before he was elected to consul, with Marcus Crassus for the year 70 BC.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Pompey served his time on Consul he was given command over the Mediterranean, where he did what nobody else had successfully done before. He rid it of Pirates. Pompey, then, went to various places, establishing an ally of the King of Armenia, capturing Jerusalem, and making Syria a Roman duty. Pompey was a great general, but not a very good politician.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 59 BC Pompey returned to Rome to find that tensions with himself and Crassus had grown. Both Crassus and Pompey had large armies, but also pieces of the city that were loyal to them. Cicero, the leader of the sena te, allied himself with Pompey through great flattery. Cicero told Pompey that he must be the protector of the republic. Crassus had other plans, and by 57 BC both men were in Italy with their armies. Before war broke out Julius Caesar stepped in.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Caesar being a neutral negotiator used these well-known talents and convinced Pompey, Crassus, and Cicero to meet. The men worked out an agreement. This settlement had never been made before among the leaders of Rome. Caesar convinced Crassus and Pompey to join their power and influence with his own. Caesar was a successful leader of Gaul at this time. So the three agreed, and formed what is today known as the First Triumvirate. During this time Pompey married, most likely for political reasons, Julia, Caesar's daughter.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two of the three men returned to Rome and forced the Senate to obey them.

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley Essay -- Inspector Calls Priestle

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley An Inspector Calls, by J.B. Priestly, is the story of the visit by an Inspector to an apparently normal family, the Birlings. They are celebrating Sheila Birling's engagement to Gerald Croft, who is also present, when the Inspector arrives telling them of the suicide of a young girl called Eva Smith. At first they deny any knowledge of the girl, but as the play goes on the Inspector manages to show that they all helped kill her. Mr Birling had her dismissed from his factory for demanding a small increase in wages; Sheila ordered her to be dismissed from her job in a shop simply because of her pride; Gerald Croft kept her as his mistress before leaving her suddenly; Eric Birling (Mr & Mrs Birling's son) also had an affair with the girl and stole money to keep her living; and Mrs Birling used her influence to deny help to Eva Smith when she needed it most, driving her to suicide. After the Inspector's visit we can see which of the characters have learned their lesson from what the Inspector has said and which are steadfastly clinging to their old beliefs. The differing attitudes between the older and younger characters are shown by their conversations following the Inspector's departure. It is Birling's speech in Act 1 that sets the scene for the action in the play. Birling is confidently talking to Eric and Gerald about what he thinks about the future. He thinks of everything in business terms (for example, he says to Gerald that he hopes that his firm and Gerald's father's will become partners) and also is a man who thinks that a man should make his own way in life and does not believe in living in a "community. He disregards the people who preach this philos... ...ia and the Germans invaded Belgium, sending Britain and France into battle. The result was a hellish war in which millions died. Had the countries been able to live together then there would not have been a war. The fact that the play was written in the midst of the Second World War suggests that Priestly was saying that the lessons of what happened in the First World War had not been learned. In summary, An Inspector Calls details the differing attitudes of the Birling family to the events leading to Eva Smith's death and how they accept the responsibility for their actions. The older characters are too rigid to change but the younger ones are able to see their faults and accept what they have done is wrong. The play also reflects various cultural, social and historical, which reflect on the time both in which the play is set in and when it was written.