Sport Psychology Essays - Behavioural Sciences, Applied Psychology

Sport Psychology In our society today it seems like sports rule the land. Everywhere we look, there is some kind of sporting event going on or being televised. Almost everyone could be considered a fan of at least one sport. Some people follow sports like a religion. With such an increased focus on sports, the athlete's performances are put under a microscope. This puts more pressure on athletes to give a winning performance. No longer do athletes play for fun, they play to win. This isn't happening just on the professional level; it is happening on all levels of sport. From little league to backyard football, the goal is to win at all cost. With this increase pressure, athletes are looking for more and more ways to better their performance. One such way, which is now gaining popularity, is Sports Psychology. Though this isn't a new field, its popularity is just beginning to take off. There is still a lot of skepticism about the validity or worth while of the practices used. The following is a review of a number of articles that outline different studies done that show how athletes can improve their performances. The articles were found using a database search of PsychInfo. Keywords such as increased performance, psychological practices, and sports were used to narrow the search. What is Sport Psychology? Over the years there have been many different definitions offered as to what Sport Psychology is. One of the best ways to look at it is to ask what does a psychologist do? A psychologist does a variety of things. They provide psychological assessment, crisis intervention, and psychological service. Just to name a few broad areas. All of these are areas that can also be useful to an athlete. A lot of the tools used by a sport psychologist are adapted directly from clinical psychology. Concepts such as Freud's Psychodynamics, Caltel's Personality Test, and The Piagetial Cognitive Theory are widely used. (Sloubanov, 1999) All of these are critical tools used by a sport psychologist to assist an athlete with his or her problem. Sport psychology involves preparing the mind of an athlete, just as one prepares the body. Sport psychology is an emerging field in the worlds of psychology and athletics. What Methods are Used? The problem that an athlete is facing will dictate what type of approach a sport psychologist takes. Issues such as motivation, self-efficacy, and depression are common in the athletic arena. (Miserandino, 1998, p. 287) Athletes can also suffer greatly from anxiety and stress. (Holm, Beckwith, Ehde, Tinius, 1995, p. 463) Any of these conditions can be detrimental to ones competitive ability. Techniques such as mental imagery training and relaxation techniques can be used to attack problems in these areas. (McKenzie, Howe, 1997, p. 196) Marianne Miserandino's research was focused on failure, and why athletes believe that they don't accomplish their goals. She learned that starting at young age, athletes are told that failure comes from their lack of ability. This is called learned helplessness. (Miserandino, 1998, p. 287) In her study she approached this problem by splitting her subject into two groups. One group received feedback about their shooting techniques and were told that lack of effort was the reason for missed shots, not lack of ability. The other group received only feedback on their techniques. After her 4-week study was done, the group that received the positive reinforcement showed more mastery of the skills and greater improvement than their counterparts. (Miserandino, 1998 p. 286) Another study also used basketball free throws as the basis for its study. Craig Wrisberg and Mark Anshel did this study. It looks at the effectiveness of applying cognitive techniques to improve performance of shooting free throws. (Wrisberg, Anshel, 1989, p. 95) Participants in the study were asked to shoot a number of free throws to provide a baseline for the study. Over the next three days, the athletes were giving instruction in between shooting sessions. They were introduced to mental imagery as a way to help with their shooting. The results showed a significant improvement in shot percentages of the players. (Wrisberg, Anshel, 1989, p. 99) The Holm, Beckwith, Ehde, and Tinius study also looked at the use of cognitive approaches to athletic performance. They we interested in the role of stress and anxiety. College athletes were split into two groups. One group participated in daily two-hour group sessions that introduced them to a variety of cognitive-behavioral interventions. These methods were discussed and practiced. The subjects were also asked to do a homework assignment outside of

Pituitary Gland - Function and Hormone Production

Pituitary Gland - Function and Hormone Production The pituitary gland is a small endocrine organ that controls a multitude of important functions in the body. It is divided into an anterior lobe, intermediate zone, and posterior lobe, all of which are involved in either  hormone production or hormone secretion.  The pituitary gland is termed the Master Gland because it directs other  organs  and endocrine glands to either suppress or induce hormone production. Key Takeaways: Pituitary Gland The pituitary gland is called the Master Gland because it directs a multitude of endocrine functions in the body. It regulates hormone activity in other endocrine glands and organs.Pituitary activity is regulated by hormones of the hypothalamus, a brain region connected to the pituitary by the pituitary stalk.The pituitary is composed of an anterior and posterior lobe with an intermediate region between the two.Hormones of the anterior pituitary include adrenocorticotropin hormones (ACTH), growth hormone (GH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).Hormones stored by the posterior pituitary include antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin.Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) is an intermediate pituitary hormone. Hypothalamus-Pituitary Complex The pituitary gland and hypothalamus are closely connected both structurally and functionally. The hypothalamus is an important brain structure that has both nervous system and endocrine system function. It serves as a link between the two systems translating nervous system messages into endocrine hormones. The posterior pituitary is composed of axons that extend from the neurons of the hypothalamus. The posterior pituitary also stores hypothalmic hormones.  Blood vessel connections between the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary allow hypothalamic hormones to control anterior pituitary hormone production and secretion. The hypothalamus-pituitary complex serves to maintain homeostasis by monitoring and adjusting physiological processes through hormone secretion. Pituitary Function The pituitary gland is involved in several functions of the body including: Growth hormone productionProduction of hormones that act on other endocrine glandsProduction of hormones that act on the muscles and the kidneysEndocrine function regulationStorage of hormones produced by the hypothalamus Location Directionally, the pituitary gland is located in the middle of the base of the brain, inferior to the hypothalamus. It is nestled  within  a depression in the sphenoid bone of the skull called the sella turcica. The  pituitary gland extends from and is connected to the hypothalamus by a stalk-like structure called the infundibulum, or pituitary stalk. Pituitary Hormones The posterior pituitary lobe does not produce hormones but stores hormones produced by the hypothalamus. Posterior pituitary hormones include antidiuretic hormone and oxytocin. The anterior pituitary lobe produces six hormones that are either stimulated or inhibited by hypothalamic hormone secretion. The intermediate pituitary zone produces and secretes melanocyte-stimulating hormone. This image shows hormones of the pituitary and their affected organs. ttsz /iStock / Getty Images Plus Anterior Pituitary Hormones Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH):  stimulates the adrenal glands to produce the stress hormone cortisol.Growth Hormone:  stimulates growth of tissues and bone, as well as the breakdown of fat.Luteinizing Hormone (LH):  stimulates male and female gonads to release sex hormones, testosterone in men and estrogens and progesterone in women.Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH):  promotes the production of male and female gametes (sperm and ova).Prolactin (PRL):  stimulates breast development and milk production in women.Thyroid-stimulating Hormone (TSH):  stimulates the thyroid to produce thyroid hormones. Posterior Pituitary Hormones Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH): helps maintain water balance by decreasing water loss in urine.Oxytocin - promotes lactation, maternal behavior, social bonding, and sexual arousal. Intermediate Pituitary Hormones Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone (MSH): promotes melanin production in skin cells called melanocytes.  This induces skin darkening. Pituitary Disorders Pituitary disorders result in the disruption of normal pituitary function and the proper functioning of target organs of pituitary hormones. These disorders are most commonly the result of tumors, which cause the pituitary to produce either not enough or too much of a hormone. In hypopituitarism, the pituitary produces low levels of hormones. The insufficiency of pituitary hormone production causes a deficiency in the production of hormones in other glands. For example, a deficiency in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) production can result in an under-active thyroid gland. Lack of thyroid hormone production slows down normal body functions. Symptoms that may arise include weight gain, weakness, constipation, and depression. Insufficient levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) production by the pituitary results in under-active adrenal glands. Adrenal gland hormones are important for maintaining vital body functions such as blood pressure control and water balance. This conditio n is also known as Addisons disease and can be fatal if not treated. In hyperpituitarism, the pituitary is overactive producing hormones in excess. An overproduction of growth hormone may result in acromegaly in adults. This condition results in excessive growth of bones and tissues in the hands, feet, and face. In children, overproduction of growth hormone may result in gigantism. Overproduction of ACTH causes the adrenal glands to produce too much cortisol, which results in problems related to metabolism regulation. Overproduction of the pituitary hormone TSH may result in  hyperthyroidism, or the overproduction of thyroid hormones. An overactive thyroid produces symptoms such as nervousness, weight loss, irregular heartbeat, and fatigue. Sources Acromegaly. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 Apr. 2012, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/acromegaly.Pituitary Gland. Hormone Health Network, Endocrine Society, www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/glands/pituitary-gland.

Article Summary Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary - Article Example If clinicians know more about these aspects of emotional intelligence of their AN patients, they can help the latter improve their emotional functioning skills as part of their core treatment approaches. Clinicians would then be more sensitive to identifying emotional functioning skills deficits and help their patients with eating disorders manage their emotions more effectively. 3. How the author’s literature review supports the authors’ choice of hypotheses The author’s literature review showed support to the authors’ choice of hypotheses, by describing studies that showed that people with eating disorders tend to have emotion recognition deficits. For instance, Harrison et al. (2009 cited in p.349) illustrated the study by Zonnevijlle-Bender and colleagues, where they used three separate studies and discovered deficits in emotion recognition in people with an ED. Furthermore, Harrison et al. (2009) used literature on bingeing and restriction to explore the difficulties of people with eating disorders in managing their emotions. ... Second, there would be a relationship between emotion recognition and emotion regulation (Harrison et al., 2009, p.350). 5. Independent/predictor and dependent/criterion variables The independent variable is the ailment of AD. The dependent variables are emotion regulation and emotion recognition. 6. Operational definitions of the variables Anorexia Nervosa (AD) is diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV. The authors no longer defined AD itself, aside from connecting it with the dependent variables of emotional recognition and emotional regulation. The authors did mention, however, that â€Å"disordered eating is used to regulate affect† and that according to Mayer, Waller and Walters (1998) â€Å"eating pathology† aims to â€Å"block emotions† and ED behaviors commonly consist of â€Å"bingeing, vomiting and restriction may be used in order to regulate and manage painful emotional states experienced by the individual† (Corstorphine, 2006 cited in Harrison et al., 2009, p.350). Emotion recognition pertains to the ability to accurately perceive emotions in â€Å"faces, music and designs† (Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 1999 cited in Harrison et al., 2009, p.349). Emotion regulation refers to the ability to â€Å"manage emotions in the self and others† (Harrison et al., 2009, p.350). Emotion recognition was measured using Emotion Recognition: The RME Task (revised) (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001). Emotion regulation was measured using The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004). 7. The research subjects The research subjects consisted of twenty female participants with AN and twenty female healthy control (HC) participants. Participants with AN were came from the South London and Maudsley National

Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Literacy - Essay Example The theories and concepts which relate to literacy can be understood based on different viewpoints and perceptions. This paper seeks to present a critical analysis about the concept of literacy. It will seek to communicate how selected studies contribute to my understanding of literacy theories and issues, and how these studies have practical applications for teachers and trainers in adult and vocational education or for students in the university. This essay is being carried out in order to establish an improved conceptualization of literacy and how its elements can impact on the overall education and development of students and learners. Body Literacy in its most basic context refers to the ability to read in order to gain knowledge and coherently and critically conceptualize the written word (Kress, 2003). Literacy also refers to the ability to understand the different means of communication, including language, videos, and images (Kress, 2003). Changing conceptualizations of lite racy include various symbols which are crucial to any community. Literacy includes various complex skills which seek to understand and utilize major symbols of culture for general development (Kress, 2003). For technological societies, the idea of literacy is developing to encompass the media and the electronic tools, including the alphabets and numerical systems. These areas are different and based on varying social and cultural applications (Street, 1984). Literacy is still equivalent to a lifelong and intellectual progression of establishing meaning of the written words (Goody, 1986). The idea of literacy is to establish development, to improve skills, which starts with the power to understand words and to deconstruct them. In the end, these processes lead to a deeper understanding of the text (Goody, 1986). The development of reading includes different and complex language processes which include an understanding of speech, spelling, word meaning, grammar, as well as word format ion (Goody, 1986). All of these establish a strong avenue for the development of fluency in reading and comprehension. As these skills are gained, readers can then ensure strong literacy in language and communication, which then includes the power to understand printed materials and conduct critical analysis or make inferences (Graff, 1991). With these skills, it is also possible to develop accuracy and coherence and to use data from the text to make decisions and develop creative ideas. The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) declares that literacy is based on the power to identify, interpret, and communicate related ideas (UNESCO, 2004). Literacy includes a wide array of learning processes which help enable individuals to secure their goals, to support knowledge, and to take part in their society. Being literate is associated with the idea of one’s familiarity with literature (UNESCO, 2004). In the 19th century, it has also been relate d to one’s abilities to read and write and to be educated in a particular field. Scholars have given much attention to defining literacy, and their activities have had much impact on various approaches to practice as well as policies (Bowman and Woolf, 1994). Scholars from various fields of psychology, economics, linguistics, philosophy and history have been involved in the highly contentious process of defining literacy and what it implies for education and knowledge (Graff, 1991). In considering these discussions, there are several possible understandings of literacy: literacy as an independent set of skills; literacy as applied in practice and also contextual; literacy as a learning process; and literacy as text (UNESCO, 2006). In relation

Java zone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Java zone - Essay Example As a consequence, birds, reptiles and other animal species in these forests have increasingly been endangered as almost all forests are gone only to create space for this lucrative plant. It took the intervention of North America to realize that there has been a significant drop in the number of birds in Central America. As per the reports of the researchers, this is attributed to cutting down of tree previously used as coffee shades. As such, this work pertains to biodiversity more than anything else. The information is similar to the context that constitute of biodiversity. This is due to the reality that most farmers in Nicaragua and other Central American nations have been affecting biodiversity through their own action. In biodiversity, people look at the short term benefit of their action, which similar to the java zone farmers who cut down the forest not caring for the long run impacts. Cutting down the trees negatively affects biodiversity, given that they are natural habitats of some other creatures such as birds, and mammals. Is it right to compromise the biodiversity to increase the sales volume of

Prevention and Control of Locally Endemic Diseases

Prevention and Control of Locally Endemic Diseases Worldwide, countries are facing various public health problems but at unequal intensity. Low and middle-income countries are more suffering from high burden of disease than developed countries (Lopez et al., 2006). Public health issues in the world have existed for hundreds of years and to cope with them different interventions from different people have been put in place and have been improved over time depending upon new health-related discoveries. In September 1978, World Health Organisation in collaboration with The United Nations Childrens Fund organised the famous International Conference on Primary Healthcare in Alma-Ata, former Soviet Union, where 3000 delegates from various national governments and international bodies convened to find new ways of dealing with public health setbacks. This conference was a landmark in the promotion of population health around the world given the introduction of the theme of Health for All with the slogan Health for All by the Year 2000 (Wooding, Nagaddya Nakaggwa, 2012). In the Declaration issued at the end of the conference, Primary Healthcare was defined as essential healthcare based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination (World Health Organisation, 1978). In this essay, with relevant examples, the explicit meaning of this definition will be discussed. Later on, gaps and lessons drawn from the conceptualisation and implementation of Primary Healthcare in Rwanda will be identified. Finally, the relevance of Primary Healthcare in the Rwandan health system will be examined. A.EXPLICIT MEANING OF DEFINITION OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE ACCORDING TO WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION The definition of primary healthcare, as it was issued in the Alma-Ata Conference Declaration, was general and needed some precisions and common understanding to avoid any misinterpretation. To fully grasp the explicit meaning of primary healthcare, as was defined by the World Health Organisation, it worth, firstly, to break it into basic terms: A.1.Primary healthcare as essential and appropriate activities for promoting the health of the population Primary healthcare is a set of activities aimed at promoting the health status of the population. Through these activities, prevailing health problems that the community suffer are addressed properly by providing promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services (World Health Organisation, 1978). World Health Organisation (1978) states that the essential services that primary healthcare would provide were : education on prevailing diseases and the ways of preventing and controlling them; promotion of food supply and proper nutrition; maternal and child healthcare including family planning; adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation; immunisation against major infectious diseases; prevention and control of local endemic diseases, appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries; and provision of essential drugs. These services were expected to vary according to the country and community provided their economic and social aspects that they reflect and from which they evolve and health system had the social responsibility to avail essential healthcare to all (World Health Organisation, 1978). A.1.1.Education on prevailing diseases and the methods of preventing and controlling them This component of primary healthcare aims to support personal and community social development by informing them through education for health. The enhancement of their life skills leads to behaviour change at individual or collective level in order to tackle health problems prevailing in their community. Additionally, this activity makes people aware of other factors that determine their overall health like environmental factors, lifestyle and genetics. As a result, people are empowered to have informed options to have control over their own health and over those factors determining their health status. Various ways are used ranging from mass media tools to simple messages transmitted to individuals or to the community regarding the strategies to fight against common diseases in their communities (Wooding, Nagaddya Nakaggwa, 2012). Further, health educational materials can be developed, supplied in the schools by those working in education sector to be integrated in health system. To illustrate this activity in the community, the strategies regarding the prevention of malaria should include the education on what is malaria, its causes, signs and symptoms of the disease, treatment and preventive measures in place. A.1.2.Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition The Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition in the families and in the community in general is a cornerstone in fighting against ill-health. Under nutrition and micronutrients deficiencies mostly in women in reproductive age and children largely contribute to a global burden of disease (Caulfield al., 2006). A.1.3.Maternal and child health including family planning Maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates, mostly in resource limited countries, are still high and more action is needed to tackle this public health issue. Women and childrens deaths are attributed to the causes which in many cases are preventable and avoidable through collaboration of various stakeholders (Wooding, Nagaddya Nakaggwa, 2012). A.1.4.Adequate supply of safe water and improved sanitation This component of primary healthcare ensures that population has not only access to safe and clean water but also to clean environment. The role of contaminated water and environment in spreading diseases is known. The supply of safe and adequate water, sanitation and disposal of liquid and solid waste play a key role preventing diseases transmission (Howard et al., 2002). A.1.5.Immunisation program against major diseases Immunisation against major diseases plays a key role in preventing serious contagious diseases mostly in children like Tuberculosis, measles, tetanus, whooping cough, etc .Women in reproductive age are also vaccinated for Tetanus. A.1.6. Prevention and control of local endemic diseases Some persisting diseases in a community contribute to the burden of disease and are attributable to the increasing morbidity and mortality in many countries. Regular screening and appropriate treatment of these diseases done by skilled healthcare workforce with appropriate health technology are key to the control of them (Wooding, Nagaddya Nakaggwa, 2012). A.1.7. Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries This component of primary healthcare deals with the treatment of common diseases and injuries that members of the community suffer. These diseases include common infectious diseases that prevails in the community, skin lesions due to injuries, infections or other disease conditions that affect the skin all of which contribute to the burden of disease. A.1.8.Provision of essential drugs The provision of essential drugs contributes greatly in effective management of common pathological conditions in the community. They are of an utmost importance in preventing and treating diseases which have a greater impact on lives of millions of people around the world. Essential drugs save lives and improve health (Balkan et al., 2013). A.2.Primary healthcare as essential activities based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology To achieve its ultimate goal, which is better health for all, primary healthcare should be evidence-guided. Primary healthcare practice has to be based on scientifically-proved methods, techniques, equipments and drugs (World Health Organisation, 1978). To avert health problems, various methods, techniques, equipments and drugs are used in prevention, diagnosis, treatment of diseases and patient rehabilitation once the disease in treated. Selection of health technology to be used has not to be only based on scientific evidences but also on its affordability and acceptability in the context of local value, culture and belief (World Health Organisation, 2011). For example, primary healthcare providers should use those healthcare technologies that enable clients to have access to high quality, safe and cost-effective healthcare. A.3.Primary healthcare should be made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community All members of the community should equally and universally have access to health services regardless of their social economic standing, religion, sex, age, race, language or geographic location and to ensure that it is effectively achieved, the concept of equity should be taken into consideration. The availability of health services itself is not the assurance that the primary healthcare would be successful. There are other components to be addressed to ensure that health services made universally accessible are appropriately used by all members of the community. World Health Organisation (1978) recommended that states government should make use of available resources effectively by increasing the funds allocated for health and firstly giving priority to the extension of primary healthcare to disadvantaged communities. Countries should make sure that all barriers including social economic barriers are properly addressed by reducing exclusion and social economic disparities to help those in need to have access to health services. A.4.Primary healthcare should involve full participation of community members at a cost that the community and the country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination The participation of communities in primary healthcare care activities forms an integral part in the health system. Central level should take into consideration the role of communities that play in primary healthcare activities planning process. To achieve this, communities have to be enabled to understand their role, especially in primary healthcare strategies and in the development process at community level in general, by providing with them the guidance and the necessary information that they do not have at their level. Once community members fully understand the part they play in the national primary healthcare strategy and in the overall development process at community level, then they are able to give their contribution in the formulation of primary healthcare programmes by examining themselves the health problems that they face in their community, setting priorities, adjusting national solutions to their local communities and organising themselves and put in place support an d control mechanisms (World Health Organisation, 1978). Also, the effectiveness of primary healthcare depends on the use of means that are affordable and acceptable by both the community and the country. The necessity of involvement of other health system components and other sectors that contribute to general countrys social economic development is of paramount importance in the implementation of primary healthcare programmes as health cannot be attained by the health sector alone (World Health Organisation, 1978).The linkage between primary healthcare and other sectors in the context of community development needs a coordinated effort in planning process at the community level. The joined effort from various community development stakeholders results in a sort of collaboration which has a greater impact on primary healthcare. As an illustration of the above, malnutrition reduction programme in less than five should involve community members, healthcare workers, and agricultural worker as they might have the key information that can help in planning process. Additionally, community members can actively participate in the implementation of some components of the programme jointly with other development initiatives from other social economic development sectors. B.GAPS AND LESSONS DRAWN FROM THE CONCEPTUALISATION OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE IN RWANDA The implementation of primary healthcare in Rwanda has been proven to be effective in recent years. Despite the four years of civil war and genocide that left more than one million of people dead, thousands of hundreds displaced and health system totally collapsed, Rwanda has made remarkable progress in improving the health status of its population (Rodriguez Samuels, 2011). The above remarkable progress is imputable to various factors including ambitious political will that predominantly played in key. Health sector reforms which included community health insurance commonly known as mutuelle de santà © and a boost of health services done by providing the incentives to healthcare staff through performance-based financing schemes have also been a cornerstone in the achievements of such results. Furthermore, strong leadership, strong health policies together with involvement of community health workers in participatory decentralisation and effective coordination of donations from health and development partners have been implemental in implementation of primary healthcare strategies. B.1.Lessons to be leant Primary healthcare conceptualisation and implementation, in Rwanda case, offers great lessons to be learnt for future primary healthcare initiatives either in Rwanda itself or elsewhere in the world mostly in resources-limited countries. Rodriguez and Samuels (2011) highlighted that putting in place a strong leadership and accountability mechanisms at all levels, involvement and creation of ownership of health services seekers, collaboration of all stakeholders in planning process supported by evidence-based policies are more likely to help in achieving the desired outcomes of primary healthcare as it has been shown for Rwandas experience. B.2.Gaps In spite of the above mentioned remarkable achievements that Rwanda has made in implementation of primary healthcare, there is still chasm to be addressed.

Lord Of The Flies :: essays research papers

Throughout The Lord of the Flies, the author shows how different Simon is from the rest of the savages on the island. He is much more innocent and pure than the others and has a religious demeanor. Light, very commonly a symbol of holiness and purity, is used quite often during Simon’s â€Å"funeral†. In the last four paragraphs of chapter nine, â€Å"A view to a death†, Golding makes clear the use of light imagery to suggest the apotheosis of Simon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During chapter nine, the sky and water are used to convey a sense of innocence during Simon’s glistening funeral. For example, the air becomes clear as the rain ceases, indicating a calm and peacefulness. When the â€Å"silver tide† comes in and washes away his blood and â€Å"streaks of phosphorescence† mend his battered body, it is as though Simon’s body is being prepared for ascension into heaven. â€Å"Lamps of stars,† â€Å"bright constellations,† and the moonlight provide much radiance. In addition there are brilliant flashes of lightning from the still lingering storm. The luminous sky provides light while the clear, silver water works on restoring Simon’s body after he has been savagely killed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simon’s body and the creatures around it also show his holiness. Light images of the creatures that surround Simon glorify his body, and as light falls on his corpse he is transfigured into an icon of expiation. Also, the water covers Simon in a â€Å"coat of pearls† and â€Å"creatures† (interpreted to symbolize angels) begin to spread a layer of silver over him. The apotheosis of Simon is complete, as he becomes completely silver.

History of South Africa’s Apartied Essay

South Africa is a land of abundant natural resources with a mild climate, and lush fertile land. With natural resources like diamonds, gold, and platinum, it’s no wonder that the Dutch East India Company set up settlements on the Cape of Good Hope. These settlements established a trade port between South Africa and other countries. The 17th and 18th centuries, saw settlements popping up all over Africa. Settlers from France, England, Portugal, Belgium and Spain came, forcing the Africans from their lands and turning them into a labor force. By the 20th century the British had taken over most of the settlements in the northeast, east, west, and the center of South Africa and the French controlled most of the northwest. The Republic of South Africa has had a very turbulent 20th century. Although apartied officially started in 1948, South Africa’s history for racial domination began much earlier. The Land Act was put into place in 1913, restricting Black African citizens from buying land outside special areas or reserves. This act also allowed for black sharecroppers, living on â€Å"white land†, to be relocated to these reserves. Although the Act was not enforced often, it set the stage for the â€Å"Black Homelands†, which would come into play later. The National Party, a white pro-segregation party, was voted into power after WWII. They began preparing racial legislation, and in 1949, the Mixed Marriage Act became law, prohibiting whites and blacks from marrying. In 1950, the Immorality Act made it a crime for whites to have sexual relations with any other race. The Population Registration Act required all people living in South Africa to register their race. A child born from any union would immediately be registered with their race/ethnicity. Many other acts were introduced in the coming years. All were passed to seriously limit any economic, political, or educational opportunities for the black South Africans. These Apartied Acts actually resulted in the promotion of the Black Self-Government Act in 1958, and the Black Homeland Citizenship Act in 1971. The Self-Government Act established ten areas in South Africa called Homelands. These â€Å"Homelands† were divided based on the tribe formally living there. All tribe members were expected to return to this land, where they would live and be governed by their own self-government. With the 1971 Citizenship Act, tribes were no longer citizens of South Africa. Instead they would be citizens of their Homelands. RESISTANCE TO APARTIED One of the first political organizations that opposed apartied was Lumumba Yama Africa; they believed that African unity was the only way to fight the white government . This party started in the 19th century, encouraging many other parties to join them in this goal. The apartied was also influenced by outside powers, such as Gandhi. These organizations instituted revolts beginning in 1960, leaving 69 dead and 190 injured. Apartied did not receive international awareness when the laws were created in 1948. With the rise of the Civil Rights movement in the United States, and the troubles in Asia and the rest of the African continent, awareness was finally brought to light to the rest of the world. In November 1977, the United Nations also became involved, by imposing arms embargos December 1977saw other sanctions. Many countries brought more awareness by not allowing South African Airway to land in their country. The South African government, because they were experiencing great economic growth, chose to show indifference to any criticisms from other organizations or countries. Because the white South Africans were prospering economically, sanctions continued to be ignored. IT’S OVER Apartied finally came to an end in 1990. By 1991, all apartied laws were repealed. The sanctions by other countries and organizations were also repealed. Since then, the government has been working hard to improve economic growth by creating jobs and integrating the workforce. Even though racism still exists in South Africa; cooperation between races has improved significally. REFERENCES Apartied Timeline. (n. d. ). Apartied Timeline. Retrieved from http://cyberschoolbus. un. org/discrim/race_b_at_print. asp Apartied in South Africa. (n. d. ) In Wikipedia (Rep. ). (n. d. ). Retrieved from www-cs-studentsstanford. edu/~cale/cs201/apartied. hist. html White, G. W. , ;amp; Bradshaw, M. J. (2011). Essentials of world regional geography (2nd ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Germans essays

Germans essays The German society is alomst as the American society is, but there are some differences between those two cultures. Germans spend their money for traveling all over the wolrd, the Americans (which isnt quite the right expression for people who live in the US, because there are a lot more people, who live in America) spend their money for their freetime... they buy more stuff that is more fun. The drivers license is a lot more cheaper in the US, the Autobahn is better than the highway, because its more fun. And no, their is not just one Autobahn in Germany, there are a lot of Autobahns. The freedom the people from the US have, because its written down in the constitution doesnt really exist. You are bind to your parents for al ong time...longer then 18 years. You arent allowed to drink till youre 21, you cant have your girlfriend spend the night at your house, also if you are 18 ...but youre supposed to be an adult with 18. ...so whats the problem over there? ...A lot of parents make their children go to church...why? ...dont you have the riht to choose your own religion...and you should be old enough with 17 or 18 to decide weather to go to church or not... you parents dont want you to have sex...but you are adult and can make up your own mind... its really strange. There are also lots of things in Germany that suck, but I wont mention them yet. ...

FRIARS essays

FRIARS essays Lawrence's works details how the mendicant orders arose before and during the thirteenth century. Europe supported the establishment of the church, implemented change and reform leading to heresy and separation. Lawrence regards the "revolutionary situation" (page 225), as one resulting partly by the growth of towns and the general population. Due to social changes within medieval Europe itself it sought control and threatened the stability of the Church and of the religious beliefs of the people. In a way, the rise of the mendicant orders at this time is an answer to the problems in this situation. Mendicant orders are seen by Lawrence as "a revolutionary answer to a potentially revolutionary situation" (page 225) because of the long-term effect to help preserve the church hierarchy. This sometimes was in conflict and even become partly incorporated into that hierarchy themselves. Although, to some extent the mendicant orders were innovative, they cannot be seen as itself revolutionary. In order to be considered revolutionary, they would have had to overthrow the previous church order and perhaps replacing it with a new one. But mendicant order did nothing of the sort. The establishment of monasteries and schools allowed them to later become part of the Catholic Church, government system. The Friars were well trained in theology and pastoral skills which is why they were chosen by the papacy to completely destroy the religious beliefs that opposed the orthodox views (page 188). At this time religion in the West was a relatively new concept. The friars are noted to have had some importance in the Inquisition: "suppressing the heresy" (Webster's New World Dictionary, 249). "Developing... out of... measures... to combat the dualist heresies... rampant in France and in northern and central Italy by the middle of the twelfth century." (Page 189). Here the Church used its various means to combat the Cathars and others ...

Write a critical commentary on part 3 of the Prologue of Nietzsches Term Paper

Write a critical commentary on part 3 of the Prologue of Nietzsches text. (Thus Spoke Zaratustra) - Term Paper Example Nietzsche positions the Superman as the most effective solution to the nihilism which, according to him, is the definitive feature of his reality and the world around him. In part 3 of Zarathustra’s prologue, Nietzsche refers to the analogy with Darwin’s philosophy of evolution, to prove that the process of transition to the Superman is in no way a product of natural selection; rather, it is something an individual can achieve only through a profound self-transformation and sacrifice. Part 3 of Prologue in Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra offers an insight into the concept of the Superman and the ways individuals can achieve the highest state of spiritual being. Actually, the Superman is the highest state of each person’s being and the only way individuals can combat nihilism which dominates their society: â€Å"The Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: The Superman shall be the meaning of the earth!† (Nietzsche). Those, who are unable to grasp the meaning of the Superman and are not willing to lead themselves to the spiritual self-awareness and revival, are bound to spend their lives surrounded by disguise and blasphemy. The Superman is something that can help people to look beyond their bodily urges and concerns. The Superman can help the society to look contemptuously on their bodies from the viewpoint of a supreme thing (Nietzsche). The Superman will work to reduce the poverty and pollution of the society’s spi rit and soul and justify the happiness of its existence. It is interesting to see, that in his explanation of the Superman concept, Nietzsche (or Zarathustra) refers to the concept of evolution and Darwin’s theory. Zarathustra uses Darwin’s concept of evolution, to illustrate the point of the Superman and to show the best way toward the ultimate point of happiness and self-fulfillment. Zarathustra criticizes the society’s belief in evolution and points out that achieving the highest state of consciousness is spirit

The brief and frightening reign of Phil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The brief and frightening reign of Phil - Essay Example In this case, people are focused on stripping the natural resources of Inner Horner (Saunders and Saunders 15). Additionally, the political leadership of the location becomes power-hungry, which leads to grisly political murders in order to hold onto power. The demagogic Phil seizes the chance to assume power of both Outer and Inner Horner. Phil uses unethical strategies such as ruthlessness, flattery and deceit in order to assume to power. The story by Saunders points to human tendencies towards political and social ruthlessness in order to gain power. In order to highlight these tendencies, Saunders uses allegories and symbolism to express his purpose. The symbolism and allegories used in the story represent real world events. Question 1 Saunders’ main purpose in writing the novel is to highlight human tendencies. The story aims to highlight mass hysteria and series of injustices following the assumption to power of power-hungry and tyrannical Phil. Saunders uses symbolism t o describe Phil and the people of Inner Horner, and allegory to describe outer and inner Horner. For instance, Saunders states that Phil is a despot in a fabulous country in Horner. The citizens of this country are cockamamie fusions of organic substance and machine parts. The author uses symbolism by using elements, animals, places and colors in order to represent Horner and Phil. For instance, Saunders states that Carol, â€Å"an Inner Hornerite who resembled a gigantic belt-buckle with a blue dot affixed to it, as if a gigantic belt buckle had been stapled to a tuna fish† motivated Phil to device senseless and cruel systems of leaderships (Saunders and Saunders 22). The author aims to expose the nature of rulers as jealous and power hungry people. According to the author, citizens of a country deserve leaders they can trust. These leaders should act as reflections of the society. The systems used by Phil focused on depressing citizens through unsustainable tax regimes, gen ocide and harassment (Saunders and Saunders 31). This compares events in Horner to recent events in countries such as Bosnia and Iraq. Saunders used symbolism by using abstract characters. Additionally, he uses allegory to create the setting of the story. For instance, the characters in the story are not strictly humans though the story uses the term human. The characters have three arms, legs, unique mechanical parts and organic matter. They have other features such as antlers and additional brains, â€Å"one on the side of his neck and one on his hip† (Saunders and Saunders 42). Allegory is seen when the author describes inner Horner as a small place that only one Inner Hornerite could fit. This means that the other Inner Hornerite had to wait for their opportunity to live in their country. Question 1b This story connects with the ideas of genocide and harassment. Leaders use genocide and harassment to oppress citizens or people deemed as threats to their leadership. Philâ €™s ascent to leadership was motivated by jealous. He aimed to deprive the region of its natural resources in order to deprive its habitats their livelihood. Phil was jealous because Outer Horner was not blessed with the natural resources of inner Horner. As a result, he organized supporters from Outer Horner and hired giants in order march to power. He began by instituting unsustainable tax regimes and relentless mining of the natural resources (Saunders and Sa