Communication From Child s Family And / Or Specialist

There are million different ways to communicate. When someone’s communication received by none one all the time or all most of time, it will be frustrating, because the person are not treated as a full human being. Barriers to doing and barriers to being can be removed when shared communication is facilitated. The first step to allow communication to flow in early childhood centre, educator require to understand and research about children’s communication from child’s family and/or specialist. As educator we need to support for communication by make sure that we are facilitating that successful shared communication, allows different communication to be use in the center, and to enable everyone to be heard, and to enrich different communication in the centre, because it is a human right, and fundamental to inclusion, so when Amari’s start attending the centre, other children can understand and respect Amari’s language. Educator can also teach children some of the basic key sign language for children to communicate with Amari, or educator can plan activities and learn the sign language that is around Amari’s interest to make Amari feel welcome. A wide variety of communication format need to introduce to the children, for children to understand there are different ways to decoded and deliver different type of communication, and promote inclusive practices. This can also enable children receive communication in different format, and allows communication to flow for everyoneShow MoreRelatedChronic Illness Of The American Population947 Words   |  4 PagesA child is not their disease, neither is their family. However, it is often difficult for them to disconnect their self from the detrimental effects of it. In spite of the fact that the majority of the American population appears quite healthy, over 32 million children are currently suffering from a chronic illness. According to njhealth.org, chronic illness is â€Å"an illness that may last throughout a person’s life, although the frequency and severity of symptoms can change.† Nearly 43% of AmericanRead MoreThe And Social Work Welfare History1085 Words   |   5 Pagessocial work welfare history that empowers families’ lives. This semester I have been given the opportunity to work, as an intern, at Head Start Nacogdoches following a social worker understanding the importance of being efficient in my future career. At Head Start my job is to observe, take notes, and ask questions to my field instructor Ms. Celena Garrett in understand the importance of developing programs to help parents build a suitable lifestyle for their child. Social Work/ Social Welfare HistoryRead MoreHearing Speech : Deaf And Deaf1659 Words   |  7 Pagesalike, nor are any two families with deaf or hard of hearing members. Due to the various ways that hearing loss can occur, the occurrence of hearing loss in any one family can vary. There are families with deaf parents and hearing children. There are families with deaf parents and deaf children. There are families who have never encountered a deaf or hearing impaired person that suddenly have a child who is deaf or hard of hearing. Hearing impairment affects different families in different ways. ManyRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) And Autism Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesAutism Autism is really come along ways from where it use to be. There’s been so much research done to try and track it early and see if there’s something that can done to try and prevent it. There are celebrities with the disorder as well as some celebrity kids or their children with it. The definition of autism is a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment as defined by Dictionary.com and is a part of theRead MoreImportance Of Generalist Approach In Social Work1743 Words   |  7 PagesApplying the Generalist Practice Approach to Social Work with Child Advocacy Centers The basic foundation of the generalist practice approach began in the early 1900s. By the 1960s, the generalist approach started evolving into the description of individuals who had the abilities to work at different practice levels ranging from individual to community (Schatz et al, 1990). In the mid-1970s, the core curriculum for the generalist practice social worker was generated. In 1987, Schatz and JenkinsRead MoreKuwait Society For The Welfare Of The Disabled1670 Words   |  7 Pagesof Kuwait with complete free services. It is supported by Kuwaiti s government. It established in 1971 from a group of volunteers who believed it is their own duty to be next people with disabilities and support them to achieve their right in community were unable to accept them, and give them their rights as human. Kuwait Society for the Welfare of the Disabled tray to carry the burden for people with disabilities and their family, relieve them of their suffering. Also, Society for the Welfare of Read MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Child Development1194 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effects of Divorce on Child Development I met the love of my life in my financial accounting class. He was charming, and intelligent, and he carried himself well. Early into our relationship I realized underneath this assuring exterior, was a broken, unstable man. He had issues with trust, and he always took many health risks. He explained to me how hard it was for him to attach himself to people because he figured they would leave anyways. Nothing is forever. he seemed to believe. On topRead MoreTeaching Methods For Children With Asd Essay1424 Words   |  6 PagesWhen working in early intervention you tend to see tons of children, some typical and others not. How do we distinguish these students? Each child is different and the support required for them varies. There are a series of tests that can be administered for your child if you have concerns and anyone can recommend you for testing or an evaluation. The earlier the better. At Kindering Center we administer a test called the MCHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers) as a screener tools forRead MoreA Childhood Disorder Most Common In The Field Of Mental923 Words   |  4 Pagesor autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a complex neurodevelopment disorder defined by abnormalities and lack of social communication and unusual behaviors. ASD involves most of the part of the brain and affects humans ability to communicate and interact with others. ASD begins at an early age. The more common symptoms include difficulty with communication, difficulty with social interactions, obsessive interest, and abnormal behaviors. Recognizing these symptoms at a very young age isRead MoreWolfgang Mozart Was Born In Salzburg, Austria In January1057 Words   |  5 Pagesimpairments in social interaction — such as being aware of other people’s feelings — and verbal and nonverbal communication.† Experts are still uncertain about the causes of autism. Unlike other disorders autism spectrum disorder has multiple causes. Genetic factors are a big part of the development of autism. â€Å"In a family with one autistic child, the chance of having another child with autism is about 5 percent-or one in 20-much high than in normal population† (What Causes Autism, 2017). Genes

Essay on The Play Years - 755 Words

The Play Years nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Early childhood is often characterized by endless make-believe and sociodramatic play which indicates the development of mental representation. Sociodramtic play differs from simple make-believe play in that it involves play with peers. This stage of play is often referred to as the Preoperational Stage. This is the stage immediately after Piagets Sensorimotor Stage. The Preoperational Stage spans from two to about five or six years of age. At this stage, according to Piaget, children acquire skills in the area of mental imagery, and especially language. They are very self-oriented, and have an egocentric view; that is, preoperational children can use these representational skills only to†¦show more content†¦For example: Joe and Judy both receive a box of raisins each. Joe eats his from the box while Judy spreads hers out onto the table. Joe seeing that Judys raisins appear to take up more space, declares that Judy got more than I did.; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although the skill of reasoning makes improvements during childhood, often times, children link two unrelated events together in a cause-and-effect fashion. This reasoning is called transductive reasoning and results from the lack of reversibility, or the ability to work backwards to the starting point. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Children, in their play, develop animistic thinking: assigning inanimate objects lifelike qualities. Cardinality is another important development from play. Children begin to associate the last number in a counting sequence with the quantity of items in front of them. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory stresses the social context of cognitive development during early childhood. Much of Vygotskys theory is based around the development of language and the social impacts that result. During early childhood, young children frequently talk aloud to themselves as they go about their activities at play and at school; (Berk 1986). Piaget referred to this speech as egocentric speech, in reference to his belief that children cannot take any perspective except that of their own. On the other hand, Vygotsky objected thisShow MoreRelatedThe Play Years805 Words   |  4 PagesThe Play Years Early childhood is often characterized by endless make-believe and sociodramatic play which indicates the development of mental representation. Sociodramtic play differs from simple make-believe play in that it involves play with peers. This stage of play is often referred to as the Preoperational Stage. This is the stage immediately after Piaget#8217;s Sensorimotor Stage. The Preoperational Stage spans from two to about five or six years of age. At this stage, according to PiagetRead More Love and Lust in Play-By-Play, Sex without Love, and Junior Year Abroad867 Words   |  4 PagesLove and Lust in Play-By-Play, Sex without Love, and Junior Year Abroad      Ã‚  Ã‚  Lust is an incredibly strong feeling that can prove to be almost uncontrollable, leading it to commonly be mistaken for love. Due to the relative closeness of these emotions, both are often confused, and even when one is in love he or she does not recognize it. Many think that love just comes knocking on ones door and one will know when it does, but they dont realize that for love to occur a relationship hasRead More The play A Memory of Lizzie is a fictional look at the childhood years876 Words   |  4 PagesThe play â€Å"A Memory of Lizzie† is a fictional look at the childhood years of the infamous murderess Lizzie Bordon The Memory of Lizzie Bordon The play â€Å"A Memory of Lizzie† is a fictional look at the childhood years of the infamous murderess Lizzie Bordon. Set in America the late eighteen hundreds, the play takes place in an average middle class neighbourhood in Massachusetts at that time. The play takes place in an average suburban school, and the characters are (or at least the childrenRead MoreImportance Of Play Education And Development Of Children Under 5 Years1754 Words   |  8 Pages Importance of Play in Education and Development of Children Under 5 Years David Moore Charter Oak State College â€Æ' Introduction The training and development of an individual begins at birth and continues well into adulthood. However, the first five years offer a strategic platform for establishing an individual’s intellectual foundation. Since, it is in these formative years that a child learns the language and simple arithmetic, which are rudiments on which further knowledge is built onRead MoreStages Of Children s Development1367 Words   |  6 Pageschildhood because their play behavior develops dramatically. They may play independently but within close proximity. We learned the five types of play, Parten talks about in her article, which are Solitary Play, Onlooker Play, Parallel Play, Associative Play, and Cooperative Play. In addition, Parten also found that different ages correlate to the type of play preschool children engage in. For example, older preschool children are most likely to engage with one another and play cooperatively to completeRead MorePlay Time : A Child s Work1135 Words   |  5 PagesThe term â€Å"play-time† may seem like a description of just fun and games, but it proves to be much, much more, especially in a young child’s development in early childhood. Play is a child’s work, it is how they begin to learn and grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally at a young age. In addition, play-time also helps introduce and initiate proper motor skills and cognitive thinking. 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It is their life and they should be able to make choices based on what think isRead MoreThe Importance Of Play For Early Childhood Education Programs1699 Words   |  7 PagesGDTCS 101 PLAY AND PEDAGOGY GDTCS 101 PLAY AND PEDAGOGY GDTCS 101 PLAY AND PEDAGOGY Assessment 2 Respond to scenarios that examine?the relevance of the main discourses of play for early childhood education programs This essay introduces the definition of play, its importance in early years. It also makes us understand the different contributions made by theorists in enhancing our understanding the value of play. It also examines the implications of play on children and early childhood servicesRead MoreShould the Minimum Age for the NBA be Increased to 20?689 Words   |  3 Pagesplayer entering the draft must be at least one year removed from high school. Most players elect to spend that year, and only that year, playing at the collegiate level, creating what is known as the â€Å"one-and-done†. This is because most players decide that they do not want to risk injury playing another year or two in college, and would rather go into the NBA to receive the paycheck that entering the league promises. Since most players only spend one year in college, they come to the NBA still prettyRead MoreThe Importance of Childrens Play1653 Words   |  7 PagesThe importance of play in young children cannot be stressed enough. It has be shown numerous times through research the benefits that play can have. When you think of children playing it brings a smile to your face. The importance of play definitely plays a big role in a child’s life especially between the ages of 5 to 7. What does â€Å"play† mean? There are many different types of definitions because everyone â€Å"plays† differently. Play â€Å"engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a

Comparisons of Inca and Aztecs Free Essays

The Aztecs had city-states and were people of a stratified society. Each of one of these city-states is ruled by a speaker that is chosen by the pipiltin(the nobility). This speaker would have to sacrifice his own blood regularly to show that he is a true king and has good intentions for his empire. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparisons of Inca and Aztecs or any similar topic only for you Order Now The nobles grew stronger with every conquest. The Aztecs also had a governing council but they weren’t all that successful because they had lacked real power. The Aztec system was very successful, because it was aimed at political dominance and not head on control of the people. The calpulli had authority over the government but during the 1st hundred years the emperor took over. The Aztecs were very smart in creating â€Å"flower wars†(to leave a few territories unconquered so that periodic wars could be staged so that both sides could obtain captives for sacrifice) ,because it ensured sacrifices. The Incas believed that their ruler was a living god there to represent the sun god on earth. Everything the Incas did ,religiously and politically, had a religious meaning in it. The Incas had a queen(senior wife of king) and she was believed to be linked to the moon. The Inca believed that integration was very important. By using their language(Quechan) they integrated by teaching it too their conquered peoples. They were smart to adopt the split inheritance from the Mayans. The Inca expansion was closely tied together by ancestor worship. They had developed a state bureaucracy of which almost all of the nobility had played a part in. The Aztecs and Incas are alike because the kings of each of the two peoples were elected by siblings of the royal family. The governing council also had a say so in. Both rulers and kings had a â€Å"right hand man† the Aztecs had a prime minister where as the Incas had a high priest. Both the prime minister and high priest(which both had tremendous power) were usually close relatives of the king. Aztecs’ and Incas’ highest deity was the sun god. In both empires men and women were mostly equal but since the military virtue was emphasized it gave men more power so it wasn’t completely balanced. Women were mostly in the household but they still contributed to the empire. The military in both had great power because they were the backbone of the empires; they supplied the peoples with war captives for human sacrifice. Both of the empires used sacrifice as a political terror. Where the Aztecs demanded mostly tribute as well as some labor the Inca people demanded mostly labor. Both took tribute from their conquered peoples. How to cite Comparisons of Inca and Aztecs, Essay examples

Jonas salk Essay Example For Students

Jonas salk Essay Poliomyelitis (shortened to polio) has been around for thousands ofyears, and there is still no cure, but at the peak of its devastation in the UnitedStates, Dr. Jonas Salk introduced a way to prevent it. Polio attacks the nervecells and sometimes the central nervous system, causing muscle wasting,paralysis, and even death. The disease, whose symptoms are flu like, stuckmostly children, and in the first half of the 20th century the epidemics of poliowere becoming more devastating. Salk, while working at the Virus ResearchLab at the University of Pittsburgh, developed a polio vaccine, and themedical trials to prove its effectiveness and safety are still being analyzed. Fifty years ago the largest medical experiment in history took place totest Salks poliomyelitis vaccine. Close to two million children across theUnited States and Canada were involved in the trial, which was administeredby the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), also known as theMarch of Dimes. The foundation, created in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (a polio victim) and his law partner Basil OConnor. Across theUnited States, 623,972 school children were injected with the vaccine or aplacebo, using a double blind technique in which neither recipient noradministrator knew which one there were getting. The results, announced in1955, showed good statistical evidence that Jonas Salks killed viruspreparation was 80-90% effective in preventing paralytic poliomyelitis. The statistical design used in the experiment was singular, promptingcriticism. Eighty four test areas in eleven states used a textbook model: in arandomized, blinded design all participating children in the first three gradesof school (ages 6-9) received injections of either vaccine for placebo andwere observed. At the same time though, 127 test areas in 33 states used anobserved control design: where the participating children in the secondgrade received injections of vaccine, no placebo was given, and children in allthree grades were then observed for the duration of the polio season. The useof the dual protocol illustrates both the power and the limitations ofrandomized clinical trials. The control trials with the placebo were importantto define the vaccine as the product of scientific medicine, while the observedtrials were done to maintain public support for the vaccine. In 1953, Salk presented his tests of a polio vaccine to the ImmunizationCommittee, the scientific advisory committee for the NFIP. The test resultsseemed promising to Basil OConnor, as the children had shown no ill effectsand the levels of polio antibodies in their blood had risen. However, severalof the senior virologist on the committee questioned the relation of antibodiesto permanent immunity. Despite the virologists critique, OConnor believedthat his organization owed it to the volunteers and donors to proceed andcalled for the planning of a major field study. OConnor, in November of 1953, announced that the field trials wouldbegin in the spring and the observed plan would be used. Within a month,health departments in 38 states had responded, enthusiastic about theprospect of a vaccine. A few state officials however, questioned theimpartiality of the evaluation run by the foundation, and not by scientists. Responding to the criticism OConnor called an meeting of an advisorygroup to review the statistical design. When the group convened, it haddecided to go strictly with the placebo controlled studies. This change lessened slightly the criticism of the field trials, and theNational Foundation for Infantile Paralysis tried to reconcile it scientific andpolitical problems by working through state health departments. The criticsstill denounced the trials as flawed, and the debates of the scientific validityof the experiment continue to this day.Words/ Pages : 570 / 24

Biblical Allusions And Imagery In Steinbeck free essay sample

# 8217 ; s The Grapes Of Wrath Essay, Research Paper Biblical Allusions and Imagery in Steinbeck # 8217 ; s The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck ever makes it a point to cognize about his topics foremost manus. His narratives ever have some factual footing behind them. Otherwise, he does non believe that they will be of any value beyond artistic feeling. Therefore, most of his novels take topographic point in California, the site of his birth and immature life. In readying for composing his novels, Steinbeck would frequently travel with people about whom he was traveling to compose. The Grapes of Wrath was no exclusion to his other plants. To fix for it, he joined migrators in Oklahoma and rode with them to California. When he got to California, he lived with them, fall ining them in their pursuit for work. By printing these experiences and tests of the migrators he achieved an consequence that won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962. The authorship of The Grapes of Wrath coincided with the Great Depression. This clip of adversity and battle for the remainder of America gave Steinbeck inspiration for his work. Other peoples # 8217 ; narratives of mundane life became issues for Steinbeck. His Hagiographas spoke out against those who kept the oppressed in poorness and therefore was branded as a Communist because of his # 8220 ; voice. # 8221 ; Although, it did go a best seller and receive countless awards, his book was banned in many schools and libraries. However, critics neer attacked The Grapes of Wrath on the artistic degree and they still consider it a attractively down work of art. More than any other American novel, it successfully embodies a modern-day societal job of national range in an artistically feasible expression.1 In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck utilizes Biblical imagination and allusions to exemplify the battle of the Joad household as a direct analogue with that of the Hebrew people. Steinbeck bolsters the strength of construction and character development in the book through Biblical allusions and imagination. Peter Lisca has noted that the novel reflects the three-part division of the Old Testament hegira history which includes imprisonment, journey, and the promised land.2 The Joads # 8217 ; narrative is a direct analogue with that of the Hebrews. Just as the Hebrews were prisoners of the Pharaoh, the Joads # 8217 ; are prisoners of their farm. Both make long and backbreaking journeys until they reach their promised land. Israel is the concluding finish for the Hebrews and California plays the same function for the Joads. Hunter references several of the analogues in the novel. When the Joads embark on their journey, there are 12 members which corresponds to the 12 folk of Israel who are go forthing the old order behind. They mount the truck in Ark manner, two by two, as Noah Joad observes from the land. This chapter 10 scene is an allusion to the narrative of Noah # 8217 ; s Ark: 3 # 8220 ; . . . the remainder swarmed up on top of the burden, Connie and Rose of Sharon, Pa and Uncle John, Ruthie and Winfield, Tom and the sermonizer. Noah stood on the land looking up at the great burden of them sitting on top of the truck. 4 # 8243 ; Grampa # 8217 ; s character is an allusion to the narrative of Lot # 8217 ; s married woman. He is unable to come to clasps with the chance of a new life, and his remembrance of the yesteryear consequences in his decease. Lot # 8217 ; s married woman died in the same mode. She turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back into her yesteryear. The analogue is emphasized by the Bible poetry, a direct citation from Lot, which Tom uses to bury him with.5 Uncle John # 8217 ; s character resembles that of the Biblical character Ananias because he withholds money from the common fund merely as Ananias did. Both characters are similar in their selfish desires and they each undergo a minute of grace when they admit to their wickednesss therefore going closer to God. Lewis suggests that Tom Joad is an enlightening illustration of what Steinbeck considers to be the picaresque saint.7 Tom besides serves as a Moses- type leader of the people as they journey toward the promised land. Like Moses, he has killed a adult male and had been off for a clip before rejoining his people and going their leader. Like Moses he has a younger brother ( Aaron-Al ) who serves as a medium for the leader. Shortly before making the finish, he hears and rejects the evil studies of those who have visited the land ( Hebrew # 8220 ; undercover agents # 8221 ; Sooners traveling back ) .8 This parallel ends before the completion of the narrative merely as most others in the novel do. Many analogues are non worked out wholly and as Hunter notes, the deficiency of elaborate analogue seems to be deliberate, for Steinbeck is reflecting a broader background of which the hegira narrative is merely a part.9 Several Biblical allusions come from New Testament narratives. Most prevailing among these allusions is the function of Jim Casy as a Christ figure. Hunter provides a plentiful supply of analogues between the life of Jim Casy and the christ whose initials he bears. Just as Christ did, he embarks upon his mission after a long period of speculation in the wilderness. He corrects the old thoughts of faith and justness and altruistically forfeits himself for his cause.10 Unlike the analogue of Tom and Moses, this one is followed and comp leted throughout the novel. The Annunciation of Casy’s message and mission sets the ideological way of the novel before the journey Begins merely as the christ construct influences Judaic idea for centuries before the New Testament times.11 Merely bit by bit does he do an feeling on the Joads who likewise to the Jews were used to populating under the old dispensation. Steinbeck eventually completes the analogue when Casy tells his tormentors, merely as Christ did, # 8220 ; You don # 8217 ; t cognize what you # 8217 ; re a doin # 8217 ; . # 8221 ; 12 Steinbeck uses other New Testament allusions in add-on to that of the christ. One of them is the concluding scene of the novel with Rose of Sharon. Just as Mary did, she becomes the female parent of all the Earth, regenerating the universe with her compassion and love.13 Hunter makes several decisions from this scene. First he notes that it is an imitation of the Madonna and her kid, babe Jesus. He besides states that by giving life to the alien she is symbolically giving organic structure and vino. In making this she accepts the larger vision of Jim Casy and her committedness fulfills the footings of redemption harmonizing to Casy # 8217 ; s ultimate plan.14 Geismar notes the symbolic significance of the concluding scene. He states that Rose of Sharon # 8217 ; s sacrificial act represents the concluding dislocation of old attitudes and flood tides the novel # 8217 ; s scriptural movement.15 Harmonizing to Robert Con Davis, Steinbeck # 8217 ; s usage of Biblical imagination shows a echt sense of # 8220 ; reassertion # 8221 ; and trust in an otherwise inhospitable modern world.16 Once once more, a Steinbeck novel has related the predicament of an laden people. This clip it is a parallel between the Joads and the Hebrews. The novel reflects the history of the chosen people from their physical bondage to their religious release by agencies of a messiah.17 In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck does more than use the novel to voice his societal positions. He uses the novel as his medium to relay another set of his beliefs, his spiritual positions. Warren Gallic notes that Steinbeck feels as though traditional faith no longer enables a adult male to see himself as he is, that is Torahs are non applicable to state of affairss in which modern-day adult male finds himself.18 Sin, as he sees it, is a affair of the manner one looks at things. Steinbeck illustrates this feeling best through the undermentioned citation made by Jim Casy in the novel, # 8220 ; There ain # 8217 ; t [ sic ] no wickedness and there ain # 8217 ; t [ sic ] no virtuousness. There # 8217 ; s merely stuff people do.20 # 8243 ; The overall subject of the novel is that faith is a sort of affliction.21 Once once more, Steinbeck has embodied a serious job of society in a attractively structured novel. It is through the usage of Biblical allusions and imagination that he gives The Grapes of Wrath a powerful message along with pure artistic mastermind. Endnotes 1 Robert Con Davis, erectile dysfunction. Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath. ( Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. , 1982 ) , p. 1. 2 Peter Lisca. # 8220 ; The Dynamics of Community in The Grapes of Wrath, # 8221 ; in From Irving to Steinbeck: Surveies of American Literature in Honor of Harry R. Warfel. ( Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press, 1972 ) , rpt. in Hunter, J. Paul. # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation, # 8221 ; in Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath, edited by Robert Con Davis. ( Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. , 1982 ) , p. 40. 3 J. Paul Hunter. # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation, # 8221 ; in Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath, edited by Robert Con Davis. ( Englewood, New jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. , 1982 ) , p. 40. 4 John Steinbeck. The Grapes of Wrath. ( New York: Bantam Books, 1965 ) , p. 84. 5 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 40. 6 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 40. 7 R.W.B. Lewis. # 8220 ; The Picaresque Saint, # 8221 ; in Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath, edited by Robert Con Davis. ( Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. , 1982 ) , p. 144. 8 Michael G. Barry, # 8220 ; Degrees of Mediation and their Political Value in Steinbeck # 8217 ; s The Grapes of Wrath, # 8221 ; in The Steinbeck Question, edited by Donald R. Baronial. ( Troy, NY: Whitson Publishing Company, 1993 ) , p. 109. 9 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 42. 10 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 41. 11 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 41. 12 George Ehrenhaft. Barron # 8217 ; s Book Notes on John Steinbeck # 8217 ; s The Grapes of Wrath. ( Woodbury, NY: Barron # 8217 ; s Educational Series, Inc. , 1984 ) , p. 19-20. 13 Keith Ferrell. John Steinbeck: The Voice of the Land. ( New York, NY: M. Evans and Company, Inc. , 1986 ) , p 110-11. 14 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 46. 15 Maxwell Geismar. # 8220 ; John Steinbeck: Of Wrath or Joy, # 8221 ; in Writers in Crisis: The American Novel, 1925-1940. ( New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 1961 ) , p. 265. 16 Davis, Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath. p. 4. 17 Hunter, # 8220 ; Steinbeck # 8217 ; s Wine of Affirmation. # 8221 ; p. 40. 18 Warren French. John Steinbeck: Twayne # 8217 ; s United States Authors Series. ( New York, NY: Twayne Publishers, Inc. , 1961 ) , p. 109-111. 19 Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath. p. 328. 20 Gallic, John Steinbeck: Twayne # 8217 ; s United States Authors Series. p. 108-109. 389

Georg Baselitz, Creator of Upside-Down Art

Georg Baselitz, Creator of Upside-Down Art Georg Baselitz (born January 23, 1938) is a Neo-Expressionist German artist best known for painting and exhibiting many of his works upside down. The inversion of his paintings is a deliberate choice, aimed at challenging and disturbing viewers. According to the artist, he believes that it makes them think more about the grotesque and often disturbing content. Fast Facts: Georg Baselitz Full Name: Hans-Georg Kern, but changed his name to Georg Baselitz in 1958Occupation: Painter and sculptorBorn: January 23, 1938 in Deutschbaselitz, GermanySpouse: Johanna Elke KretzschmarChildren: Daniel Blau and Anton KernEducation: Academy of Visual and Applied Art in East Berlin and Academy of Visual Arts in West BerlinSelected Works: Die Grosse Nacht im Eimer (1963), Oberon (1963), Der Wald auf dem Kopf (1969)Notable Quote: I always feel attacked when Im asked about my painting. Early Life and Education Born Hans-Georg Kern, the son of an elementary school teacher, Georg Baselitz grew up in the town Deutschbaselitz, in what would later be East Germany. His family lived in a flat above the school. Soldiers used the building as a garrison during World War II, and it was destroyed during a battle between Germans and Russians. Baselitzs family found refuge in the cellar during the combat. In 1950, the Baselitz family moved to Kamens, where their son attended high school. He found himself heavily influenced by a reproduction of Interlude During a Hunt in Wermersdorf Forest by 19th-century German realist painter Ferdinand von Rayski. Baselitz painted extensively while attending high school. In 1955 the Art Academy of Dresden rejected his application. However, he began studying painting at the Academy of Visual and Applied Art in East Berlin in 1956. After expulsion due to socio-political immaturity, he continued his studies in West Berlin at the Academy of Visual Arts. In 1957, Georg Baselitz met Johanna Elke Kretzschmar. They married in 1962. He is the father of two sons, Daniel Blau and Anton Kern, who are both gallery owners. Georg and Johanna became Austrian citizens in 2015. Lothar Wolleh / Wikimedia Commons / GNU Free Documentation License First Exhibitions and Scandal Hans-Georg Kern became Georg Baselitz in 1958, when he adopted his new last name as a tribute to his hometown. He began painting a series of portraits based on observations of German soldiers. The focus of the young artist was the German identity in the aftermath of World War II. The first Georg Baselitz exhibition took place in 1963 at Galerie Werner Katz in West Berlin. It included the controversial paintings Der Nackte Mann (Naked Man) and Die Grosse Nacht im Eimer (Big Night Down the Drain). Local authorities deemed the paintings obscene and seized the works. The ensuing court case was not settled until two years later. Various Signs (1965). Hans-Georg Roth / Getty Images The controversy helped propel Baselitz into notoriety as a rising expressionist painter. Between 1963 and 1964, he painted the Idol series of five canvases. They focused on profoundly emotional and disturbed renderings of human heads echoing the emotional angst of Edvard Munchs The Scream (1893). The 1965-1966 series Helden (Heroes) represented Baselitz at top form. He presented ugly images that were designed to force Germans to confront the ugliness of their violent past during World War II and political suppression in East Germany. Upside-Down Art In 1969, Georg Baselitz presented his first inverted painting Der Wald auf dem Kopf (The Wood on its Head). The landscape subject matter is influenced by the work of Ferdinand von Rayski, Baselitzs childhood idol. The artist has frequently stated that he turns the works upside down to irritate the view. He believes that people pay closer attention when they are disturbed. While the paintings displayed upside down are representational in nature, the act of inverting them is considered a step toward abstraction. Some observers believe that the upside-down pieces were a gimmick to draw attention to the artist. However, the prevailing view saw it as a stroke of genius that rattled traditional perspectives on art. St. Georgstiefel (1997). Mary Turner / Getty Images While the subject matter of Baselitz paintings stretches far and wide and defies simple characterization, his upside-down technique quickly became the most easily identifiable element of his work. Baselitz was soon known as the pioneer of upside-down art. Sculpture In 1979, Georg Baselitz began creating monumental wooden sculptures. The pieces are unrefined and sometimes crude, like his paintings. He refused to polish his sculptures and preferred to leave them looking like rough-hewn creations. BDM Gruppe (2012). FaceMePLS / Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons 2.0 One of the most celebrated of Baselitzs sculpture series is the eleven busts of women he created in the 1990s designed to commemorate the bombing of Dresden during World War II. Baselitz memorialized the rubble women he saw as the backbone of efforts to reconstruct the city after the war. He used a chain saw to hack away at the wood and help give the pieces a crude, defiant appearance. The emotional intensity of the series echoes the 1960s paintings of the Heroes series. Later Career In the 1990s, Baselitz expanded his work into other media beyond painting and sculpture. He designed the set for the Dutch Operas production of Harrison Birtwistles Punch and Judy in 1993. In addition, he designed a postage stamp for the French government in 1994. The first major U.S. retrospective of the work of Georg Baselitz took place at the Guggenheim in New York City in 1994. The exhibition traveled to Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Georg Baselitz continues to work and produce new art in his 80s. He remains controversial and is often highly critical of German politics. Georg Baselitz exhibition at White Cube Gallery (2016). rune hellestad / Getty Images Legacy and Influence The upside-down art of Georg Baselitz remains popular, but arguably his willingness to confront the horrors of World War II in Germany in his art has the most enduring impact. The emotional and occasionally shocking subject matter in his paintings exerted a powerful influence on Neo-Expressionist painters around the world. Oberon (1963), one of the most recognized masterpieces by Baselitz, demonstrates the visceral impact of his work. Four ghostly heads stretched into the center of the canvas on elongated and distorted necks. Behind them, what looks like a graveyard is drenched in a bloody red color. Oberon (1963). Hans-Georg Roth / Getty Images The painting represents the rejection of the prevailing winds of the art world in the 1960s directing young artists toward conceptual and pop art. Baselitz chose to dig even deeper into a grotesque form of expressionism laying bare the emotional horrors that continued to impact post-war Germany. Discussing the direction of his work, Baselitz said, I was born into a destroyed order, a destroyed landscape, a destroyed people, a destroyed society. And I didnt want to reestablish an order: Id seen enough of so-called order. Sources Heinze, Anna. Georg Baselitz: Back Then, In Between, and Today. Prestel, 2014.

MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION Essay

MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION - Essay Example However, the absence of an integrate intra organisation system will impact the performance of the company in the long-run. Hence, it is crucial for the managers of a corporation to monitor the effectiveness of communication systems so that the desired results can be successfully attained (Parson & Urbanski, 2012). Proper cooperation and coordination should be ensured in the organisation regarding work and communication procedures. Information and knowledge system at Tesco One of the leading corporations in UK is Tesco, and Tesco has been dominating the retail sector for decades. The key drivers of achieving the level of success for the retail giant are based on its excellent operational philosophy that is among the core competencies of the company (API case study, 2009). In order to ensure appropriate coordination among the widespread outlets of Tesco, the store managers have to monitor the operational needs at every outlet so that the customers are provided with an amazing shopping experience. The store managers and customers are the main stakeholders of the organisation who are an important part of its business efficiency. The store manager is the person who has the requirement of having quick access to the latest information about the market trends and the satisfaction level of customers with the store’s products and service offerings. ... The system is updated frequently by IT experts and all the information is collected and stored in the database. The managers can access the data easily and get the market analysis and store performance reports on a daily basis (Cisco, 2009). The managers may constantly need to review the data to make different types of decision for the store and hence this system is very useful for the managers in retrieving immediate information. One drawback that is evident from the analysis of API case study (2009) is that the sales and customer representatives who are in direct contact with the customers are not provided feedback opportunities. Since these members are in close contact with the target market, their input can allow the store to make necessary improvements for enhancing the customer’s shopping experience. The employees dealing with the client end need to be constantly associated with the decisions taken by the organisation as they are in a better position to shed light upon t he demands and requirements of the customer. Personal Networking at ONUS At ONUS, the communication strategy is ineffective as the recent changes in the industry are causing negative impact on its business operations. The direct stakeholders who are affected by the change in the communication framework are the senior managers and staff members. As a result of decline in performance of the key personnel, the students are dissatisfied with the service quality of the organisation. The service standards need to be improvised so that all the stakeholders are pleased with the new system and are willing to make effective contribution in ONUS business activities. If the communication activities are impacted, then there would be unclear goals and objectives in the minds of the

SOCIALIZATION - POLITICAL SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SOCIALIZATION - POLITICAL SCIENCE - Essay Example The left (democrats) claim that the rights to marry should not be intruded upon. I think people should be allowed to exercise their rights (Martin 93). If homosexuals think that gay marriage is good for them, they should be permitted to do it; marry the ones they love based on their informed decisions. Also, as the left speak about their rights that gay marriages should be allowed, I am reminded of my secondary school pal who was believed to be a gay. When the suspect was discovered by other students she was neglected badly and yet nobody had a proof on the same. The student was chased from school without enough evidence; I wish there could be rights to protect such victims. Second, memories of leadership which I learned in secondary school were handy in my liberalism since I learned that institutions or parties are different from leaders. Having heard the poor representation of political parties on the right and on the left, I decided to be a liberal since I discovered that whether a leader is a republican or a democrat as long as he or she can listen to its people, the party will not matter. Based on real leadership, our county can be a good place to be due to its governance; a government for the people, of the people and by the people. Looking at the mess created by the former president of United States: Bush, in banking, market and oil issues among others, it is a fact that the mess will not be fixed by either a republican or a democrat. People might not like what Obama is doing but allow me to say he is trying. Give a Republican to rule United States but magic will not be done to fix the mess. Being a liberal I advocate for good leaders but not goo d parties; right and left will not help (Martin 100). Third, when I was in college I change my mind due to advanced level of thinking; I realized that foreigners are important people in our society since they provide labor. Many foreigners owning businesses, good cars,

Visual analysis of an artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visual analysis of an artwork - Essay Example The appreciations of Art as a significant and integral part of the society lead to the development of Visual Arts and Film Studies as a discipline of study by the scholars. In that respect, this paper seeks to give a vivid description of the Georges Seurat's "A Sunday on La Grande gatte" which offers a nice scene. This marvelous piece of art is found in Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, the United States of America and reflects the wonderful nature of Art . Seurat's balance is carefully positioned and proportioned so that the entire work is interesting to look at. The river to the left is full of yachts and rowing boats, while this balance is matched by the closely placed large figures to the right (Seurat and Hajo 36).In the center of the work is a flurry of activity, which makes the painting's center as appealing to look at as the left and the right. Despite the activity in the piece, however, the artist's placing of his figures lends a degree of formality and static to his piece.His decision to only depict people facing sideways or straight on makes the entire scene seem very rigid and like toy soldiers, which was a criticism leveled against the artist at the time. Seurat utilizes this blending technique through his use of shadows. In traditional painting, shadows are primarily represented by the color black. Following the principles of pointillism, Seurat is able to define his shadows by the color that they come into contact with. The skirts of the women provide the best examples for this. The clothing of the women in the center of the piece seems to be casting a blue shadow on the ground (Seurat and Hajo 37). Seurat's shadows here are not being defined by traditional means but are instead a combination of the colors in its proximity. Here the mix of green provides a blue shadow, which does not follow the conventions of shadow casting. Such a different approach in the creation of shadows is repeated in the dress of the woman on the right. Where the mix of light and green casts a yellow halo for the trees the same effect is mimicked here. The woman's dress creates a slight yellow line before the onset of the shadow and this yellow hue can be seen particularly towards the back of her skirt. Furthermore, the shadow of her dress is a slight shade of blue as Seurat's green grass dots intermingle with the dress' blue and purple dots (Seurat and Hajo 39). Seurat's use of light is one of the unique points of the piece. The work is vibrantly portrayed and the magnificence of the sun bathes the scene's inhabitants in a celestial mid-afternoon glow. Where the technique of pointillism shows its unique aspect is where the light from the left comes into contact with people and objects in the piece. The blend of such colors is pointillism's primary concern and as its founder Seurat's work epitomizes the technique. The tree line at the top of the painting is one example of such a blended effect. The luminous bright white day to the upper left section of the piece steadily becomes less and less white until it blends seamlessly with the vibrant greens of the trees leaves. Seurat's technique means that such tiny dots of white are placed next to dots of green until the relevant effect is actualized (Seurat and Hajo 46).The mix of white and green creates a halo like yellow in parts before it turns fully into green. Seurat's techniq

Research Critique of Qualitative Research on Registered Nurses

Research Critique of Qualitative Research on Registered Nurses All healthcare professionals are required to understand and promote evidence based practice, and therefore are required to identify and evaluate primary research which is relevant to their own areas of practice and professional activity (Rycroft-Malone et al, 2004 p. 81-82). Nurses can critique evidence for practice that is available within peer reviewed publications, and can choose from a spectrum of research evidence derived within qualitative and quantitative contexts. While it has long been established that within medicine and healthcare, the scientific paradigm and the quantitative domain are considered to provide the best evidence to inform practice, (Upshur, 2001 p. 5; Sackett et a, 1996 p. 71), there is an increasing drive for the recognition of the contribution of qualitative research to the evidence base of an essentially human-oriented discipline (Rycroft-Malone et al, 2004 p. 81, Upshur, 2001 p. 5; Stevens and Ledbetter 2000 p. 91). In this essay, the author will undertake a critical evaluation of an identified qualitative research study. The article will be reviewed using the Cormack (2000) framework for evaluation of primary research articles, and will draw on other published research on qualitative methodologies to evaluate the article and its importance for nursing knowledge and practice. Critique of the Article The chosen article is Pang et al (2009, p. 312), a study of professional values of Chinese nurses, published in the journal Nursing and Health Sciences. It is published in a reputable, peer-reviewed publication, which would suggest that it is likely to be of sufficient quality to warrant a full critique. Title The title is concise: Nursing values in China: the expectations of registered nurses. (Pang et al, 2009, p. 312). As such, it informs the reader of the focus of the study, and its subject matter. However, it does not indicate in this title the nature of the study. Authors The authors qualifications and places of work are given. All are registered nurses, and four out of the five have doctoral qualifications, while the fifth has a masters level qualification. This suggests that they have both the clinical knowledge and experience and the research expertise to carry out such a study. They are all employed in academic settings, and four out of the five are employed within the Chinese/Asian context, while one is employed at an American university. This could be argued to be a positive strength of this study, because the authors have the local and contextual knowledge to research within this cultural arena, but have a non-partisan author as well to provide balance and a wider perspective. Abstract The article starts with an abstract which immediately introduces the reader to the purpose of the research, which was to identify the essential professional values of Chinese nurses and their manifestations in the current health-care environment (Pang et al, 2009, p. 312). This is a positive aspect of this article because it clearly indicates to the reader the focus of the article. The abstract then summarises the sample, data collection method and method of analysis, followed by the results and an evaluation of the findings and their implication for practice. However, this abstract does not at any time discuss the qualitative approach used in this study, or make reference to ontological framework or any influencing models or theories (Silverman, 2001 p. 85). Introduction/Literature Review The introduction contextualises the research by introducing the reader to the Chinese context, in terms of cultural change and its relationship to a global context. They link the evolution of professional ethics to reform and the working conditions of nurses within China, with specific reference to values (Pang et al, 2009, p. 312). This author would argue that it would have been better to perhaps provide more detail here so that the reader could better understand Chinese culture and politics. The authors introduce key concepts within the introduction, which is a strength of the reporting of this study. This relates to their focus on values, and they explore this concept with reference to relevant literature, linking values to key aspects of nursing knowledge and practice. This allows the reader who is a nurse to understand and identify the importance of this study for their own practice, and the relationship between their practice and professionalism and this analysis of values. They further discuss the rationale for the research by making reference to nurses awareness of their values and how these values impact their behaviour and link this to humanistic nursing practice (Pan et al, 2009, p. 312). They then show that the issue of professional values in China is something reasonably novel, and therefore, worthy of investigation. Because the concept of professional values is relatively new in China, there is limited research to guide professional development. (Pang et al, 2009, p. 312). This introduction, therefore, is the only aspect of the study which involves a critical review of the literature, in terms of contextualisation of the research and providing a rationale for the study. While this is appropriate, there is no evidence of any real critical analysis of the quality of the research cited within this section, although more research is referred to later on in the discussion section of the paper. This author would argue that a wider range of research which demonstrates the importance of the concept of values in nursing should have been included here. Cormack (2000) argues that the literature review should identify the underlying theoretical frameworks and present a balanced evaluation of material which supports and goes against the position that the authors propose, and in this paper, there is not enough exploration of the theoretical frameworks, and certainly no attempt at a balanced evaluation of the focus on values here. The hypothesis There is no hypothesis in this paper as this is a qualitative study, and qualitative studies do not use hypotheses these are a characteristic of quantitative studies (Silverman, 2001, p. 80). Operational Definitions The authors do identify terms used in relation to nursing values, and to the Chinese context, but this author would argue that there is not enough exploration of operational definitions, particularly in relation to the methodological approach which has been used. Methodology Cormack (2000) suggests that the methodology section should provide a clear statement about the chosen research approach, and the authors clearly state that they have used a qualitative approach to obtain thick description of nurses perceptions and experiences of professional values (Pang et al, 2009, p. 313). However, this is the only reference to the nature of the study. Sandelowski (2009 p. 77 states that using qualitative description as a distinctive research methodology in its own right is erroneous. It does justify the choice of approach, because of the paucity of related research in China (Pang et al, 2009, p. 313). However, the authors have made no attempt to describe, explore or evaluate any philosophical orientation, research paradigm, framework, ideological underpinnings, or qualitative theories which relate to the work they are carrying out. The field of qualitative research methodology is vast, complex and full of a wide range of methodological frameworks and theoretical models (Silverman, 2001 pp. 85-102), and there are a number of ways in which qualitative research principles are applied to research projects. Therefore, it could be argued that this paper has a serious lack of methodological explanation and transparency, which would not only limit the ability to replicate and reproduce this study, but also limits its transferability to populations beyond the study sample (Blaxter et al, 1996 p. 185; Dale 2005 p. 184). The reporting of the study does not provide enough transparency to allow this author to evaluate its methodological rigour, as there is no exploration of any of the above concepts, and no evidence that the authors of the study have attempted to justify their approach or evaluate the pros and cons of their methodological framework. However, the use of a qualitative method is justified. Subjects The authors of the study do clearly identify their subjects (Cormack, 2000). Sample Selection The sample is described as a purposive sample (Pang et al, 2009 p. 313), and this is an appropriate method of sampling for a qualitative study such as this (Dale, 2005 p. 183). However, the authors could have explained the nature and rationale for purposive sampling, to make this report more accessible to the reader who is less familiar with research terms and concepts. The sample size is described, but no details are given of how the participants were recruited, which does not allow the reader to evaluate this process and its appropriateness. Data Collection Cormack (2000) suggests that the reader should consider whether data collection procedures are adequately described. Pang et al (2009 p. 313) have used focus groups and in-depth interviews to collect data, and they justify their use of focus groups. They describe their individual interviews as semistructured, which is an appropriate approach within most qualitative methodologies (Bowling, 2000). However, they further state that the participants were allocated to either method according to their interests. Based on the available time, the focus group participants were assigned to homogenous groups. (Pang et al, 2009, p .313). While this is not necessarily outside the remit of a qualitative study, it does suggest that the ordering of the data collection process may include or introduce some bias, particularly as participants who preferred it went into focus groups. There is good clarity about the process of data collection, but it would have been useful, particularly for replication studies, if the authors had included a table or chart with the questions used, and provided examples of the additional probing questions that were used to explore the answers to the main questions (Pang et al, 2009, p. 313). Silverman (2001 p.85-101) supports the use of supplementary questions within semistructured interviews, and certainly this is a valid way of eliciting as much information as possible from the participants. Ethical Considerations The authors of the study do include a section on ethical considerations, which is crucial in nursing research which involves vulnerable individuals, including nursing staff themselves. There appears to be ethical approval from appropriate bodies, and some level of review. The authors state they gained informed consent, maintained confidentiality and assured participants of the right to withdraw (Pang et al, 2009 p. 313). Results The results are presented within the text, under sub-headings. The authors provide demographic data, and then an exploration of the themes which were found under the sub-heading of Essential professional values (Pang et al, 2009, p. 313). There is a good level of detailed description of each theme, and there are several direct quotes from the research data, which aids transparency and auditability of the research (Dale, 2005 pp. 183-186). However, there is no graphic representation of findings, or modelling of themes or how themes were arrived at. Using models or other graphical representations of thematic findings can enhance accessibility. Data Analysis In the case of qualitative research, it is important that the reader can identify the processes involved in arriving at thematic results such as this (Silverman, 2001, pp. 85-101; Kearney, 2001 p. 145). The process of thematic analysis is described in detail, which not only shows a degree of methodological rigour but also enhances replication. However, this author would argue that more detail could have been included here for even greater clarity, and there could have been some explanation of the justification for this methodological approach, showing the provenance of this type of analytical process, as well as usefulness of the measures used to promote rigour. The trail of the analysis could have been made clearer (Koch, 2006 p. 91). Discussion The discussion included in this article is very interesting, particularly to the non-Chinese reader. It presents some of the issues in relation to culture and ideology. Cormack (2000) asks whether the discussion is balanced, and reading this, there does appear to be a balanced evaluation, especially of conflicts between Chinese or personal ideologies, and professional ideologies. Each theme is discussed sequentially in this section, making reference to key literature, and to other research which is relevant to the findings. The differences between Western and Chinese values are highlighted, as would be expected given the focus of the article. Limitations of the study are described and discussed in a separate section, but there is not really much explicit evaluation of the implications for practice. The discussion clearly links the findings of these studies with a number of universal concepts and concerns of the nursing profession and healthcare practice. Nursing values are linked wit h nursing ethics (Arman and Rhensfeldt, 2007 p. 372). This is closely linked to viewing patients as individuals, and with the concept of caring (Arman and Rhensfeldt, 2007 p. 372), which is also a central theme of the critiqued article. Issues of conflict with personal and professional ideologies also appear elsewhere in nursing research and debate, and can occur outside of cultural conflicts (Juthberg et al, 2007 p. 329). There are ongoing debates on how much nurses change during their professional lives, in relation to their personal and professional values, and Lindh et al (2007 p. 129) argue that nurses should not have to compromise their values in order to practice their profession. Pang et al (2009 p. 315) show that nurses in China were entrenched in positive ideologies and that nursing values relate closely to the identified themes. Conclusions The article presents a small conclusion, but no separate recommendations for practice. The conclusion summarises the findings, of identifying these seven essential values of Chinese nurses, and their correlation with established codes of ethics for nurses (Pang et al, 2009 p. 315). They state that professional values are influenced by traditional Chinese culture and the current socioeconomic trends (Pang et al, 2009, p. 315). They recommend the development of a culturally sensitive professional values scale for China, for use in future quantitative or mixed methods designs, suggesting that this study provides useful information for development of such an instrument (Pang et al, 2009, p. 315). This author would argue that this is a sad state of affairs, to only see these qualitative findings as contributing to future quantitative studies, but it reflects the general perception of qualitative research being of significantly lower status than quantitative in relation to evidence for pra ctice (Upshur, 2001 p. 5). This author would argue that this study provides a good exploration of Chinese nursing ethical and value-based meaning, and as such demonstrates the commonality of nursing practice across what are considered to be significant and clearly demarked cultural boundaries. Conclusion This review has highlighted the relevance of this article to wider nursing theories and concepts, and has shed light on the values possessed by Chinese nurses which appear to be similar to those of other nurses. There are issues with the quality of reporting of this study, particularly in relation to methodological transparency, but this author would argue that the study does contribute to nursing knowledge in a very real way. The type of reporting may be the limitation, not the research itself. 2. Research Critique (on Quantitative research) Nurses are expected to provide the best standards of care possible for their patients and clients, and in order to do this, they are required to provide evidence-based practice wherever possible. Part of this process of providing care based on the best available evidence involves appraising primary research (Elliott, 2001, p. 555). If nurses are to improve their practice, and apply evidence to improve their clinical and theoretical knowledge and skills, they must be able to assess the quality of the available research which is relevant to their practice (Freshwater and Bishop, 2003k p23; Hek, 2000, p. 19). According to Hek (2000 p. 19-21), evidence based practice incorporates professional expertise, patient need and preference, and the best available evidence. But in order to identify this best evidence, the nurse must undertake an evaluation and critical review of research studies, to see if the research is useful and of sufficient quality to be applied to their practice (Fink, 2005 ). This essay evaluates a quantitative research article which has relevance to nursing practice, because it deals with a chronic condition and one which is prevalent in worldwide populations. The author will review Tangkawanich et al (2008 p. 216) Causal model of health: health-related quality of life in people living with HIV/AIDS in the northern region of Thailand. This article is published in a reputable journal, The Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences which addresses issues of interest and concern to nurses internationally, and as such, offers specific insight into HIV/AIDS and nursing within a global context. There are a number of appraisal tools available to healthcare practitioners to assist them in analysing and critiquing primary research articles. Such models are developed over time in relation to standardised conceptualisations of what constitutes quality and rigour in research and in its reporting. For the purposes of this essay, the primary tool used is that proposed by Cormack (2000), but the author will make reference to other critiquing guides and information, including the popular CASP tool (PHRU, 2009, online) Discussion 1. Title The title is concise (Cormack, 2000) and describes the focus of the research itself. While it clearly indicates what the purpose of the study was (Cormack, 2000), it could be clearer and more indicative of the nature of the study. While the nature of the research in setting out to examine the causal relationships between age, antiretroviral treatment, social support, symptom experience, self-care strategies and health related quality of life (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 216) in the chosen sample and population, is apparent in the abstract, there is little indication of these particular variables in the title, although the description of the causal model (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 216) does indicate the nature of the research. The use of the word causal (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 216) also suggests that this is a quantitative research article. It does not clearly indicate the research approach used (Cormack, 2000). To the less research-aware reader, it would be difficult to divine this information from the title alone, and it could be argued that it would be better to include in this title a clearer indication of the nature of the study. This would then help the reader to identify if this is the type of research study that would be applicable to their own practice or learning. 2. Authors The authors qualifications are provided, and they all are registered nurses, all of which have postgraduate degrees, and two of which have doctorates. They all work within nursing education within a University context. This would suggest that they have the research skills and expertise to carry out such a study. However, there is no indication in the author list whether or not any of them have the statistical expertise for the study. 3. Abstract Tangkawanich et al, (2008 p 216) provide an abstract, which is identified by Cormack (2000) as an important introduction to the article. The study effectively summarises the research, by identifying the variables being tested. The authors do not, however, present the hypothesis in the abstract (Cormack, 2000). The abstract contains a summary of the study sample, and also identifies the research tools that have been used. They include the results and a summary of conclusions from these findings. As such, the abstract does represent the article itself (PHRU, 2009, online), and for the reader, it does make it easy to identify whether or not the article is relevant to their interest. In particular, it does indicate clearly that it is a quantitative paper which uses recognisable data collection tools. 4. Introduction and Literature Review Although Cormack (2000) separates these two into distinct subheadings, within this article, the introduction and literature review are contiguous. The author has noted that this is often the case in the reporting of such studies, but this may simply be a convention of the publication itself, and not the preference of the authors of the study. The authors use the introduction to contextualise the problem in relation to published research, stating the importance of health-related quality of life (HRQL) for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), because of the impact of the disease on these individuals daily lives (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 216). They discuss changes and advances in treatment options for this condition, and relate this to HRQL, and then discuss the disease itself, and how these impact upon HRQL (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 216). They summarise some research about this topic, and also look at self-care strategies, symptom management and treatment (Tangkawanich et al, 200 8 p. 216). There is some exploration of HRQL and its relationship to nursing and to existing literature on this topic, which aids understanding of the concept prior to reading the rest of the article. They highlight some important topics in relation to the focus of the article, including treatment, social support, and other issues (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 216). Although the introduction/literature review contextualises and introduces this study, this author believes that a more detailed critical analysis of the literature would be warranted here. It is not enough to cite previous research as a means of establishing the credentials of the study, as it were. A wider range of research could have been included (Gerrish and Lacey, 2006, 38; Fontana, 2004, p.93), and this research could have been evaluated to identify its quality. It is left to the reader to pursue this matter and determine the quality of the research upon which they base the premise and justification for this study. This could be considered a limitation in the reporting of this research. 5. The Hypothesis The authors do not state a hypothesis (Cormack, 2000), as such, but instead present a research question. The purpose of this study was to examine the causal relationships between age, antiretroviral treatment, social support, symptom experience, self-care strategies, and the HRQL in Thai PLWHA ((Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 217). The nature of this statement would suggest that it is not an experimental study, but that it is within a quantitative research paradigm. 6. Operational definitions Cormack (2000) suggests that people appraising research question whether operational definitions are clearly presented. In this study, operational definitions are explained within the introduction but in language that would make it inaccessible to the less experienced or less knowledgeable reader. 7. Methodology The methodology section does not clearly state or discuss the choice of a quantitative approach (Cormack,2000). The focus of the section on Methods is rather on the instruments that are being used. The quality of this study seems to rest in the choice of a quantitative approach, and the choice of data collection instruments. Quantitative research approaches offer a better standard of evidence, with generally greater ability for replication and greater rigour (Kitson et al, 2000 p. 149; Duffy, 2005, p. 233). As far as research for healthcare practice is concerned, quantitative studies hold better status than those based with a qualitative paradigm (Hek, 2000 p. 19; Newman et al, 1998 p. 231; Pepler et al, 2006, p. 23). There is however no real discussion of the underpinning principles of quantitative research (Parahoo, 2006). It is good that the research instruments are explained in such detail, because it helps overcome one of the limitations of quantitative research, that of not asking the right questions to elicit answers that relate to person al experience (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie, 2004 p. 14). 8. Subjects There is very limited detail given of sample selection, save stating that eight hospitals were randomly selected using a lottery method without replacement and that the 422 participants were randomly sampled (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 217). This could constitute a limitation of this research, as it is not possible to identify if there was any sampling bias, how participants were recruited, who recruited them, and any ethical issues in relation to participant recruitment (Hek, 2000, p. 20; PHRU, 2009, online, Bowling, 2002). This author would argue that this is a weakness of the study, as these are crucial elements of quality measurement in primary research within healthcare (Austin, 2001 p. 1; Cooper, 2006, p. 439; Nuremberg Code, 1949, online). 9. Sample selection Sample selection is not discussed in any detail, which could be a weakness of the study, as mentioned above (Cormack, 2000). Sample size is stated, but it is not stated whether this was statistically determined, which could also be considered a weakness, as achieving a statistically sound sample size is important within quantitative research (Daggett et al, 2005, p. 255; Donovan, 2002). 10. Data Collection Data collection procedures are not adequately described in this study (Cormack, 2000). This would be problematic for replication and for rigour. There is no indication who administered the questionnaires, whether or not they were self-report in the participants own time and convenience, or whether a researcher was present at the time of completion. This could be considered a weakness of this studys reporting. The issue of researcher bias is important in the completion of data collection tools, and while questionnaires may be considered a way of avoiding this, if they are remotely administered, it is not always possible to check they are full, or honest, or completed by the intended target (Gillham, 2000, p. 48). Having the researcher present, however, could introduce bias or influence of some kind, particularly in vulnerable people (Bowling, 2001). As these are vulnerable adults attending clinics for their chronic condition, not discussion how the data was collected from them is a se rious failing and may also constitute an ethical issue. However, a strength of this study could be considered to be the use of multiple data collection instruments, and the detail with which they are described, and their provenance accounted for. They have used the Social Support Questionniare, the Symptom Experience Questionnaire, the Self-Care Strategies Questionnaire, and the Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 217). These are described in detail, and where they are based on previously developed research or derived directly from previous studies, this is also described. As these are established research data collection tools, this would suggest they have been previously validated, which adds to the quality of the research (Yu and Cooper, 1983 p. 36; Oppenheim, 1992; McDowell and Newell, 1996; McColl et al, 2001 p. 1). The demographics of the sample are addressed to some extent, and the use of multiple tools also helps to address potential confounding variables or factors (PHRU, 2009, online). 11. Ethical Considerations It is clearly stated within the study that ethical approval was derived from an appropriate body, and that informed consent was achieved, both of which signify good ethical consideration here (Cormack, 2000). However, there is no explanation of what information was given to the participants, how informed consent was achieved, or if there was any issue with communication or accessibility for people with different communication needs. It does not specifically address issues of anonymity and confidentiality (Cormack, 2000), but instead seems to focus on safety (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p 218). 12. Results The results of this study are presented in tables, diagrams, and in great detail within the text of the paper. The key results and demographic issues are presented, but data presentation is summarised in a results section and then in more detail in the discussion. The findings are not very accessible, but p values are clearly stated, which is important in a study of this kind. PHRU (2009, online), within the CASP tool, poses the question of do you believe the results?. This is an important question. The results seem plausible, and relate to established statistical analysis procedures (see below). But because of the lack of detail about the sample, and the selection method, it is not possible to eradicate the doubts about these findings, in relation to potential bias. But in the context of the authors wider knowledge and understanding about people living with HIV/AIDS, the results seem believable. However, the issue of bias cannot be overlooked. More transparency in reporting of key e lements of this study would have made it easier to determine whether these results constitute good evidence for practice (Rosswurm and Larrabee, 1999 p. 317; Pepler et al, 2006, p. 23). 12. Data analysis The authors carried out the statistical analyses using SPSS, which is an established statistical programme, and LISREL, which is not a programme this author is familiar with. They describe generating descriptive statistics for each of the variables under consideration, but do not present these in any detail (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 218). They then describe the use of multivariate analysis for specific model development, and using other tests, some of which are familiar to the author, some of which are not. While the multivariate analysis and X2 tests are acceptable tests of inference or relationships between variables (Duff, 2005 p. 234), anyone who does not have the specialist knowledge of the other tests would find it hard to determine their appropriateness here. The level of specialist statistical knowledge required to understand this would be significant. More transparency could have been achieved by including an explanation of these tests. 13. Discussion The discussion appears quite balanced (Cormack, 2000), and is very detailed, which is good, given the complexity of this study, involving as it does multiple data collection instruments. The study relates the findings back to a wide range of other research studies, which is a strength of this part of the report, showing congruence with many other findings in relation to quality of life, age, socioeconomic status, social support, antiretroviral treatment, symptoms, and self-care (Tangkawanich et al, 2008 p. 219). Limitations of the study are also acknowledged (Cormack, 2000). However, the implications for practice are presented in a separate section. 14. Conclusions The conclusion supports the results obtained (Cormack, 2000), although it is not a very detailed summation of the complexity of the findings. H

Paideia, Prejudice and the Promise of the Practical Essay -- Philosoph

Paideia, Prejudice and the Promise of the Practical In an age of radical pluralism it is increasingly difficult to affirm and sustain the educational aspirations of Greek paideia (Latin humanitas). The most challenging attacks on these aspirations come from standpoints which share a postmodern attitude of opposition towards inherited cultural ideals, especially those which claim universality. This paper first examines optimistic and pessimistic prospects for the educational heritage of humanitas, concluding that, in the face of cultural disparateness which is increasingly evident in post-Enlightenment cultures, the pessimistic case seems to be more convincing. Recognizing that this gives added impetus to postmodernist standpoints, the second section examines some key features of these, taking as its examples arguments of Lyotard, Foucault and Rorty. I show that the prejudices of the postmodernist arguments are as invidious as the discriminatory assumptions and the neglect of the quality of educational practice in the Western cultural inheritance. Recalling some insights which can be gleaned from the educational practices of Socrates, the last section joins these with findings of contemporary philosophers on the pre-judgements and partiality which are inescapable features of human understanding. This is a reclamation and elucidation of a practical and promising humanitas which does justice to the claims of diversity and universality. Introduction: Hard Times for Paideia To many it may seem quaint or quixotic to make the ancient notion of paideia the theme of a world conference of philosophy in cultural circumstances which are variously described as post-industrial, post-Marxist, post-Christian, post-religious, or post-mod... ..." in R. Hollinger (ed.) Hermeneutics and Praxis (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame, 1985). (16) Richard Rorty, "Private Irony and Liberal Hope" in his Contingency, irony, and solidarity (henceforth CIS) (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989). (17) Richard Rorty, Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (henceforth PMN) (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1980) pp.357-365. (18) Hans-Georg Gadamer, Truth and Method (T&M) translation of Wahrheit und Methode (W&M) by G. Barden & J. Cumming (New York: Seabury Press, 1975). (19) T&M, pp.10-11; W&M, pp.6-7. (20) PMN pp.358-359. (21) PMN p.351. (22) CIS, p.73. (23) CIS, pp.74-75. (24) Heraclitus, Fragment 45, quoted by Jaeger in Paideia, Bk.1, p.179. (25) These earlier Dialogues include Gorgias, Protagoras, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Bk.1 of Republic. (26) Plato, Apology, 23. (27) D&P, p.27.

Interventions to Meet the Needs of Consumers

Interventions to Meet the Needs of Consumers with Mental Health and Add Issues. BY songster CHAMBER Provide interventions to meet the needs of consumers with mental health and ADD issues. Introduction Case study of Susan a female patient age 40 years old. Name change due to confidentially and I had been given consent to obtain and access her personal medical file for the purpose of my study. In her ass, Susan is beginning to experiencing bouts of unhappiness. She turned to alcohol. The trauma early in Suntan's life, coupled with the subsequent health problems had placed Susan at risk or developing a serious psychiatric disorder as an adult.Despite getting help for depression, her drinking gradually increased. Following the death of her mother in 2003, Suntan's addiction escalated to the point that she could not start the day without a drink. It was in great emotional pain, and her drinking increased. At this point, she was never sober. Recently she had turned herself to cannabis smok ers. Susan had identifying her first problem. She wanted to get well and be normal allowing her greater freedom from the horrible side-effects of alcohol. She was placed on an antidepressant medication to assist her in functioning better. Her family is very supportive.She had a secure and stable family. Susan is fully aware of her mental state. She scored full in Mini mental state examination. Her speech is normal and calm. Therapeutic relationship Susan and I had a nurse-patient relationship that's based on mutual trust and respect. I had been providing care in a manner that enables Susan to be an equal partner in achieving wellness. I had always make sure Susan has privacy when provide care and be sure that her basic needs are met, including relieving pain or there sources of discomfort. I too had actively listened to her to make sure I understand her concerns by restating what she has verbalized.I had maintained professional boundaries like respecting differences in her cultures. We as nurses help Susan achieve harmony in mind, body, and spirit when engaging in a therapeutic relationship based on effective communication that incorporates caring behaviors. It's a win-win situation in which the nurse and Susan can experience growth by sharing the moment with each other. Assessment We did assessment for Susan as the first part of the nursing process, and thus form he basis of the care plan. The essential requirement of accurate assessment is to view Suntan's holistically and thus identify her real needs.Through the use of a scoring formula identification of evidence to support decision making and practice. The assessment tool will assist nurses to both articulate and quantify the nursing contributions to care. Suntan's chart provides information about his health status. It includes details about the current medical condition, treatment plan, related past medical history and other important data required to create a care plan. Vital Signs, jugular monitoring of a patient's heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and evaluate a Suntan's overall condition.Abnormalities can indicate a variety of problems ranging from anxiety to heart failure. Suntan's interview is the one of the most important assessment tools the patient herself. An initial detailed interview to get a full picture of Suntan's physical and mental status. Patient Safety Plan There was a Patient Safety Plan for Susan. The purpose of the safety plan is to encourage Susan to identify calming strategies that may be of assistance to them while she is in hospital. This plan helps to list those things that can be assistance and encourage helping prevent a crisis developing that might place the patient and others at risk.The plan helps to list Suntan's activities and strategies that find helpful in keeping calm. For example Susan likes listening to slow and sentimental music and doing artwork to calm her nerves. She does not like noise and being bullied these will act as triggers and she will get angry. Risk Factors Alcohol abuse also can have serious repercussions on a person's life, leading to financial and legal troubles, impaired thinking and Judgment, as well as marital tress. If we're struggling with money or grappling with a failed relationship, we're more likely to feel depressed.A person's home and social environment also can play a big role in determining whether they will develop both depression and a drinking problem. Children who have been abused or who were raised in poverty appear to be more likely to develop both conditions. Researchers have been searching for a common gene or genes that might lie behind both conditions. They have pinpointed at least one a variant of the gene CHARM that is involved in several important brain functions, including memory and attention. Variations in this gene might put people at risk for alcohol dependence and depression. Surveillance, R.A Primer of Drug Action, Macmillan, 2005. J. Goldberg, 2012. Minimize social isolation We had suggested that Suntan's family members and friends can also benefit from the hospital support group that they learn more about the disorder and become more constructively involved in recovery of Susan. Possible alternatives to traditional treatment. Here is some traditional treatment that Susan attends in her day activities in the day Centre in the hospital itself for relaxing. A number of essential oils are believed to be specially beneficial in the treatment of depression as they help to balance and relax the nervous system.Aromatherapy can be helpful in alleviating mental disorders including depression. Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to produce different emotional and physiological reactions. Some essential oils affect the nervous system, can help relieve tensions and anxieties, and even reduce blood pressure. Massage therapy is believed to be helpful for people with depression. Massage produces chemical changes in the brain that result . In a feeling of relaxation, calm and well- being. It also reduces levels of stress hormones – such as adrenalin, cortical and morphogenesis – which in some people can trigger depression.Yoga breathing exercises are beneficial for depression. Yoga is an ancient Indian exercise philosophy that provides a gentle form of exercise and stress management. It consists of postures or ‘asana' that are held for a short period of time and are often synchronized with the breathing. It is very helpful for reducing stress and anxiety which are often precursors to depression. We have given leaflets on acupuncture for traditional medicine China, Japan and other eastern countries. Acupuncture is based on the principle that stimulation of specific areas on the skin affects the functioning of certain organs of the body.Fine needles are inserted into specific points called acupuncture points Just below the surface of the skin. It is believed that acupuncture can help to relieve depression, along with anxiety, nervous tension and stress. Other self-help measures include: Meditation, relaxation, diet, alcohol and drug avoidance and exercise. Withdrawal symptoms The common symptoms of alcohol intoxication include slurred speech, euphoria, impaired balance, loss of muscle coordination, lushes face, dehydration, vomiting, reddened eyes, and erratic behavior.Which Susan does not have but she does not sleep well, not thinking clearly, irritability and loss of appetite. These symptoms are related to withdrawal from another drug as well Management of dependent drug intoxication and withdrawal Encourage and monitor diet and fluid. Reduce all environmental stimuli like providing single room with dim lights 4 hourly vital signs Administer medication prescribed by MO Consider assessment of breath or blood alcohol level where there is a concern of polycrystalline use. Report mental state and concerns, discuss with MO Referral to psychiatry.Treatment her treatment includes Disappear, Thia mine, and multivitamin and foliate supplements. Mobility: Performs falls risk assessment on falls risk management tool (FROM) On going assessment and management Assessment of the patient's risk and protective factors status at the current time. Provision of feedback on the patient's risk level. Review of progress since the last towards achieving current goals. Identification of upcoming high-risk situations. Development and practice of coping responses Addressing any problems the patient may currently experience and Setting new oils for the time until the next.For Susan the goal is to disrupt the cycle and reduce the risk of relapse. Treatment can include continuing care. We use intensive inpatient care based on 12-step principles. Followed by continuing care involving self-help groups, 12-step group counseling, and some individual therapies. Alternative approaches to enhance treatment retention in both initial and continuing care. The 12-step programs that provide a spiritual and b ehavioral guide to self improvement and offer social support for people seeking to achieve abstinence Each of these groups offers several hypes of meetings like speaker meetings.With invited speakers such as discussion meetings in which all participants contribute to the discussion of a given topic or â€Å"12- step meetings† that discuss one of the 12 steps and participants are encouraged to attend all types of meetings. Cognitive-behavioral therapy begins with an analysis to identify beliefs, attitudes, and situations that contribute to the patient's ADD use. Based on this analysis, coping responses that the patient can use are developed and practiced in high-risk situations to avoid relapse (Carroll 1998; Month et al. 1999). Monitoring of her sleep pattern.Monitoring of her fluid and diet intake. Being The aim is addressing Suntan's social care needs including possible triggers or substance misuse. To give her education in improving awareness of risks taking behavior and e xplaining how to find support. To give her treatment of mental health problems, drug treatment, psychosocial therapy and complementary therapies.

A Year in the South 1865: The True Story of Four Ordinary People

A Year in the South 1865, written by Stephen V. Ash, was published by First Perennial Press in 2004. It runs to 304 pages and deals with a year in the American south during the final year of the bloody United States Civil War.This war cost more American lives than any other conflict in the nation’s history and turned families against each other as sides were drawn. Stephen V. Ash, appropriately enough, teaches history at the University of Tennessee and has authored other books on the Civil War, including When the Yankees Came: Conflict and Chaos in the Occupied South.A Year in the South 1865 covers the twelve month span between January and December of 1865 as the war was winding toward its rather foregone conclusion. Ash has chosen to revisit this story of the fall of Dixie in a personal way, using four citizens of the bellicose Confederate States of America that stood in armed rebellion against the federal government of the United States as narrators.The year 1865 was chaotic in the United States, seeing the assassination of a great American leader, the end of the armed conflict, the beginning of the period termed Reconstruction and the emancipation of slaves in American States.Each narrator has a unique vantage from which he views the occurrences related in this work. One of the figures is a former Confederate soldier, one is a slave, wanting his freedom more than anything else, one is a widow, hungry and hopeless and the fourth is a planter and Christian minister whose faith is sorely tried.By 1865 the handwriting was on the wall. Early in the year North Carolina’s effectiveness as a haven for blockade-runners was broken.   William T. Sherman’s sweep through Georgia, creating a swath of scorched earth as he marched, was repeated in South Carolina, virtually destroying the state. It was blitzkrieg without the air support. It was lightening on the ground and it was devastating in its intensity and frightening in its brutality.Sherman lef t nothing behind. Against this backdrop the forces of the Army of the United States Federal Government came closer and closer to Richmond, and all but the deaf and blind understood the fall of Old Dominion was a fait accompli.Lee evacuated the capital in early April and the end was imminent. Jefferson Davis had made peace overtures to Lincoln early in the year, with demands that the independence of the south be recognized. Lincoln knew the war was all but over and dismissed the peace feeler out of hand.The Old South is dead and the four protagonists of the Stephen Ash work bear witness to the birth of the New. Ash captivates the reader with vivid tales of triumph and tragedy as the protagonists try to cope in a society whose very fabric is rent and bloodied in the ashes of disheartening defeat. Each of the individuals presented in this book are writers and keep journals of their times.This is a fascinating look into the lives of four ordinary people who are witness to a microcosmic view of the death throes of an age now long dead and of the nova that produced the New South, which is much the same today as when it first began in that painful birthing period in the year 1865. The subtitle of this book calls 1865 the most tumultuous 12 months in American history. It is not merely hype.John Robertson was a Confederate soldier, doing his duty as he saw it, though this duty caused him to stand in rebellion against his nation’s government and take arms against that institution. It must be understood today that the American civil war is more than just a difference of ideologies that lead to an armed confrontation.It is a renunciation of vows and oaths of loyalty to one’s own. It is to turn traitor to the homeland. â€Å"If such there breathe, go, mark him well; for him no minstrel raptures swell;†¦and, doubly dying, [he] shall go down to the vile dust from whence he sprung, unwept, unhonored, and unsung,† wrote Sir Walter Scott in The Lay of the Last Minstrel.Robertson is the target of vigilantes during the year of 1865, pursued by those with different ideologies. In the course of the year he is to flee over a thousand miles to escape the wrath of those bent on taking revenge on him for his perceived part in the bloody conflict.The cities of the South are occupied by what amounts to an alien army, while the frontiers of the relatively young republic are less civilized, and the citizens of the wilderness territories are subject to more than a modicum of frontier justice as well as to the dockets of more than a few kangaroo courts.The politics of this period are such that the victorious north is determined, by hook or crook, to impose its will upon the defeated insurgents in general, and those it can identify as ex-soldiers in particular. Ideally it will achieve its aims at the polling place, but if it can not, it is not adverse to a bit of armed confrontation of its own.Robertson finds himself the subject of reprisals as union loyalists seek their revenge on those who are available to them and he is forced to flee for his life.At one point he finds it expedient to move into the north, and comes to rest in a community in Iowa, where he feels like a fish out of water, unable to cope with cultural differences and what he perceives as a cold and calculating veneer spread over the peoples.Yankee and German immigrant merchants are not as warm as his fellow Southerners. The lack of Southern charm and hospitality is more than he can bear and he ultimately realizes that he cannot stay in such a place.This same hospitable citizen of a once genteel South hates Negroes with a blind passion and is willing to give his life to see that a form of government that holds some human beings to be chattel will survive and prosper. Ash quotes him as describing some blacks as, â€Å" ‘the greasiest bunch of nig[g]ers I ever saw.’ Just being around them made him sick,† (56).   When the shoe is on the other foot there is a great lack of understanding as to why man must be so callous in regard to his fellow man. Robertson is shocked to learn that bigotry can be directed toward him. Isn’t he white? Isn’t he a Southerner? Did he not fight to preserve his heritage? He feels forced to flee from is home in Knoxville.He feels that the Negro is rising above his station and the world, it must seem, has turned upside down. It is ironic that Robertson’s saga, his tale of misery in the aftermath of a war which he violently abetted, is found in the same tome as is found the tale of a former slave whom he considered below him and fit only for servitude. Robertson would not have liked to share the stage with a Negro in all likelihood.He is stunned that he becomes the second-class citizen in his travels and he has difficulty believing the incredible lack of manners exhibited by northerners. He finds it unacceptable that they do not offer the simple hospitality of a hot meal to visitors and he feels that they are looking down on him. Robertson eventually becomes a preacher, accepting the call to spread the gospel of Christ to his fellow man.Louis Hughes begins his narrative as a slave who has risen to what is stereotypically considered to be a plum assignment for a man in his position, that of house-slave.He becomes the family butler eventually. Having a good job as a slave seems similar to the old adage of enjoying a comfortable seat in hell. His is witness to the death of his twin children as his wife is too over-worked to see to their needs and they die of neglect.He tries to escape, and is recaptured by a military patrol. When he is returned to his rightful owner he is beaten by the kindly old white master, who puts him in stocks to administer the requisite justice, pausing when he tires, to rest and read the newspaper (120).It is the disparity of view and juxtaposition of these two narrators that adds so much flavor to this history. Hughes seems to be the more sympathetic of the two, and is the more altruistic.He is called upon to demonstrate his intestinal fortitude and acquits himself well. He manages to save members of his family and proves his ability to learn and expand. He comes to Milwaukee, where he becomes a nurse, doing much good for those in need. Both men travel far and see much. Their sojourns give added dimension to their tales and prevent them from narrating with a frog’s eye concept of life in the post-bellum American South.Cornelia McDonald is the widow of a Confederate officer. She lives in Lexington, Virginia. Her story is the only one told from a woman’s perspective and it fills in many of the gaps left by the tales related by the male narrators in that she deals more with the domestic issues of her day. She is also witness to the abject hunger and devastating poverty which settled over the south like an all intrusive fog, penetrating to the core of the land, pervasive and all encompassing.He r bitter struggle to simply find enough food to subsist is a telling point in this work. All too often a history will deal only with the nuts and bolts of the events, relating the politics and mechanizations that occurred in the reconstruction of a defeated and fallen society, overlooking the seemingly insignificant issue of bread.McDonald’s tale covers this aspect of the bitter year when a once proud and even arrogant people lost everything, falling lower than they believed it possible to fall.McDonald is left with seven hungry children and struggles daily just to find them enough food to survive. She relates a tale of how she unwove a mattress to recycle the threads into a suit of clothing for one of her sons (36). It is a story reminiscent of the classic scene described by Margaret Mitchell of how Scarlett O’Hara took the velvet drapes from the windows of her once glorious Tara and had the material tailored into a ball gown.Planter cum preacher, Sam Agnew is the fou rth member of this group of narrators of the year 1865 in this southern history. He bears further witness to the hunger and utter destitution left in the wake of the merciless marauding Union army.He comes bearing tales of the land and people in a way unique to a farmer who has witnessed a period when even heaven seemed to conspire against the south, withholding rain and desiccating the crops, bringing famine and disease (150).McDonald is perhaps a metaphor for the land, relating how she survived that year of infamy, prospering eventually, and becoming a friend of the revered icon of all that is Southern, General Robert Edward Lee.She relates rather poignantly how Lee remains the courtly Southern aristocrat in defeat and urges his fellow Southerners to forgive and forget and move on with their lives. She does not mention how this courtly aristocrat, a graduate of West Point, reneged on his solemn oath to the United States and took up arms against it.She fails to mention that what he and the other Southern officers, who had once been Union officers, had done was treason and could have resulted in their execution.It seems the least bit fatuous for an historian like Ash to glorify the mien of Southern gentry who were largely responsible, if not for causing the war, then at least for extending it by years with the military expertise they had been taught in a United States military academy. Had they all refused to gainsay their sacred oaths the war might not have been prosecuted for lack of leadership.Works CitedAsh, S.V.   A Year in the South 1865: The True Story of Four Ordinary People Who Lived Through the Most Tumultuous Twelve Months in American   History   New York: First Perennial Edition 2004