Monday, September 30, 2019

The Depiction of Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet

Set in the city of Verona during the 12th/13th century, Romeo and Juliet, is a typical love story by William Shakespeare with a tragedy twist. When Romeo Montague and his friends gate-crash Lord Capulet’s party, the last thing he imagined he would do is find the love of his life, Juliet. After realising Romeo is the son of her father’s sworn enemy they decide to keep their relationship secret and get married behind her families back. When Romeo’s best friend Mercutio is stabbed and killed by Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, Romeo kills Tybalt and is declared banished.Meanwhile, Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, decides to cheer his daughter up by allowing her to marry Paris, though unknown to him, she is already married. Severely wanting to get out of this marriage and with her husband, Romeo, in a different town, Juliet seeks assistance from the priest, father Lawrence, who hands her a ‘poison’ which will mimic death for 24 hours, after her funera l she would be placed into a vault and when she awakes from her deep sleep her and Romeo would be able to run away to be together.Romeo is unaware of this plan as he is out when the messenger arrives so when his friend Balthasar learns of the death he immediately travels to tell Romeo. With Romeo thinking his love is dead he takes the risk of going back to Verona to say his final farewell to Juliet, when he arrives he is automatically spotted and the police, once Romeo had purchased poison he makes his way to the church.Soon enough, father Lawrence learns that Romeo has no idea Juliet is actually still alive. Inside the church Romeo drinks the poison which begins to kill him.. just as Juliet begins to wake, she realizes it’s too late and takes his gun to her head, Killing her instantly. Act 1 scene 1, we see several men from two families (the Capulet’s and the Montague’s) take part in a fight led by Tybalt, a Capulet and Juliet’s cousin, and Benvolio, Rom eo’s cousin and therefore a Montague.This is where we get the feel of absolute hatred between the two families. A loathing which has been passed down through generations, started between Lord Capulet, an overpowering and very controlling man and Lord Montague and equally powerful man. We are first introduced to Lord Capulet when he gets involved in a fight between Sampson, Gregory Benvolio and Tybalt. He is shown to be aggressive and confrontational because he says ‘What noise is this?Give me long sword ho! ’ as soon and he arrives. Which could indicate he doesn’t think about what he says and can be immature as well as how willing he is to get involved in the pointless feud, this is until Prince informs them ‘Once more, on pain of death, all men depart’ which implies if there is another street both Lord Capulet, Lord Montague and any other men involved will be executed, This is when Lord Capulet’s mood changes and he becomes calm.In Act 1 scene 2 Lord Capulet seems calm and willing to make peace with Lord Montague, we know this because he says ‘†¦ ‘tis not hard, I think for men so old as we to keep the peace. ’ ‘†¦ _we_ to keep the peace’ This shows he is trying to approach Lord Montague in an equal and friendly manor as he accepts there cannot be any more violent outbreaks in the streets anymore. We next see Lord Capulet in the Capulet household in the midst of a party when he is calmly talking to Paris about his daughter Juliet.Women in the Elizabethan age could refuse marriage but would be disowned by their families. In the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, Lord Capulet thinks Juliet is ‘too young’ and ‘still a stranger to the world’ . This is showing himself to be a very caring and loving father, this could be because he has no other children and could also be the reason he treats Tybalt like the son he never had. He refuses Prince the hand of hi s daughter because he doesn’t want to lose her yet, he goes on to change his mind later in the story.In the next scene Romeo Montague gatecrashes the Capulet’s party, Lord Capulet appears to be very respected by Tybalt because when Romeo is spotted and threatened by him, Lord Capulet looks at him and says â€Å"Content thee, Gentle coz, let him alone;† He goes on to say â€Å"Here in my house do him no disparagement; Therefore be patient, take no note of him; It is my will, the which if thou respect†.This is showing himself to be a fair man, treating his family and his enemy’s son the same and shows that he is clever, powerful and respected as he doesn’t want to make a scene in public and in front of his friends and family, Surprisingly Tybalt doesn’t go against his word at all, he listens and respects the wishes of his uncle. Shakespeare is showing this man to be kind and rational, we make a judgment at this stageon how he isnâ€℠¢t reacting to the fact Romeo is his the son of his arch-rival. In this scene Lord Capulet also compliments Romeo by calling him ‘A virtuous and well governed youth’ which shows how relaxed he is about the young Montague’s presence because we couldn’t imagine him complimenting an enemy in such a way. By the next point in the story, Tybalt and Mercutio are dead and we start to get an idea of what sort of a man Lord Capulet really is.In Act 3 Scene 4 he changes his mind and allows Prince to marry Juliet for a few reasons i. e. He wants her to be married and settled to a man he approves of, He wants to be proud of her, He wants her to be married to a man who has money, is generous, powerful and respected †¦ not knowing that she is already married to Romeo. After Tybalt is killed we know Juliet is devastated because she locks herself in her room, only letting Romeo in because he appears on her balcony, unbeknown to her father.We also know Tybalt’s death isn’t the only reason for her upset the other reason she is in such shock is the fact her ‘true love’, Romeo, is the reason for Tybalt’s death although her father doesn’t know , if he knew Romeo and Juliet were married she would be disowned by him and the rest of their family. Lord Capulet decides to bring the wedding forward in order to cheer her up, we know this because he says ‘She loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly’, He sees the wedding of his only child an opportunity to lift the mood after such death in the family.Unfortunately Juliet doesn’t want to marry Prince because she is in love with the now banished, Romeo. When Lady Capulet tells Juliet of her husband’s plans for her to be wed ‘early next Thursday morn’ she is surprised but refuses and tells her mother ‘When I do marry, I swear, It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris’ , We can tell from this sentence that she hasn’t told her mother of her relationship with Romeo and that her mother thinks Juliet hates Romeo for killing Tybalt.As Lord Capulet enters her room he immediately describes her body as a ‘fountain’ and says ’in one little body thou counterfeit’s a bark, a sea, a wind, For thy eyes, which I may call the sea, Do ebb and flow with tears. Thy bark thy body is, Sailing in this salt flood. Thy winds thy sighs†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Which shows us he is concerned about her and her wellbeing, showing him to be a caring father for a split-second. He is angered when he hears that she will not bemarrying Paris and disowns her straightaway, he says unforgivable things to her such as ‘Out, you green sickness, carrion! Out you baggage! You tallow face’ he also calls her a ‘Disobedient wretch’ He goes on to say ‘Get thee to church o’ Thursday, Or never after look me in the face’ , so he’s saying she either marries Pa ris or she’ll lose her father, She has to make the decision. There is a suggestion of physical violence when Lord Capulet exclaims ‘My fingers itch.’Implying he wants to hit her for disrespecting him by disagreeing with him. He reminds her of the importance of family and marrying to obtain a high status, we know this because he says ‘And having now provided A gentleman of A noble parentage, Of fair demesnes, youthful and nobly trained, stuffed as they say, with honorable parts’ he describes Paris in this way because he is trying to persuade Juliet to marry him, its as if he doesn’t want to disown her.Lord Capulet decides that she can ‘No longer house with me’ unless she marries Paris and he would rather see her beg, starve and die in the streets than live with her if she doesn’t go through with the marriage. Lord Capulet’s behavior in this scene shocks us because we are used to seeing him as a caring and loving fathe r towards Juliet and we don’t expect him to go this far when she refuses because he has seemed like a calm man in previous scenes. It’s sad to see his behavior change this dramatically towards her because a father should look out for his daughter.It’s also sad to see because it was his decision and she hasn’t had a choice in the matter at all and the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s was started between the two fathers so it isn’t Juliet’s fault and she should be able to see Romeo if she wants to. During the play, the language Lord Capulet uses to describe Juliet changes a lot. In the beginning of the play he describes her as ‘still a stranger to the world’ and ‘too young to marry’ which shows he is a caring father.He is looking out for his daughter and by saying she is too young to marry, he is trying to protect her from growing up too fast. His behavior towards her changes vastly when she ref uses to marry Paris possibly because he has spent time trying to protect her and now she throws it back in his face by disagreeing with him. Although Lord Capulet is unaware of the fact she is already married, she has just delayed being disowned by her father by keeping her marriage to Romeo a secret. We notice the change immediately  because one minute he’s describing her sadness and acting like he cares about her enough to be concerned about her happiness and then he change into a stubborn and, what seems like, a care-free father .We notice the change when he says ‘What is this? â€Å"Proud† and â€Å"I thank you† and â€Å"I thank you not† And yet not â€Å"proud†? Mistress minion you. ’ We don’t think he is capable of disowning his only child but he continues to call her ‘Baggage’ and ‘Green sickness’ which shows just how upset and angry he is with her.He uses harsh words by saying ‘An you b e mine, I’ll give you my friend. An you be not, Hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, For, my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee, Nor what is mine shall never do thee good’ saying he no longer will want anything to do with her if she doesn’t marry Paris and he would rather see her beg, starve and die on the streets rather than give her somewhere to live and he’ll never want anything to do with her, however if she agrees to marry Paris then he will forgive her for disagreeing and she can stay living there etc.Act 4 scene 5, When Juliet is found ‘dead’ in her bedroom , Lord Capulet appears to be grief-stricken and genuinely upset even though he had said he would disown her if she didn’t marry Paris. His sadness over rules his power in this scene as he turns to Lady Capulet and says ‘ O Heaven! O wife, Look how our daughter bleeds! ’ showing that he is so upset, he doesn’t care about how he appears to any one else. We realise he doesn’t see how he is partly responsible for her ‘death’ by forcing her into a marriage just to bring joy to himself, not in fact thinking at all about what Juliet would want.If he had realised this, we may be able to feel more sympathetic towards him as he would have probably been really upset and angry with himself which, in turn, could have saved his daughter’s life when she awoke. When she does awake to find Romeo had poisoned himself, oblivious to the fact Juliet wasn’t dead at all, she shoots herself in the head with his gun so as they can be together after all, even if that means in a different life.We notice that Lord Capulet realises the feud between the two families have been to blame for the two lovers’ deaths because he offers Lord Montague his hand and overall peace between the Montague’s and Capulet’s, Again showing the loving and caring fatherly side to himself. Throughout the entire play L ord Capulet’s mood varies between a loving, concerned father and an angry, heartless, powerful man. There are 4 main points in his behaviour.In the beginning he comes across as a powerful man when he takes part in a fight , his attitude in this scene is limited as he seems to be this man who is only interested in showing the Montague family who owns the city. When he engages in a conversation with Paris about marrying Juliet, he becomes more of a caring father and try’s to look out for her by saying she is ‘Too young’ to marry and although he says she is ‘still a stranger to him ´ which suggests that he has doubts about her loyalty to him and this also shows an absence of trust in her.The next main point is when he changes again to become an angry and somewhat cold man, we think this because he feels let down and his fears of loyalty towards him are true to an extent. He decides to disown her as a daughter unless she marries Paris because he feels let down and he obviously though he was doing right by her. He says he would rather see her beg and die on the streets than stay in that house, he calls her ‘baggage’ which we can guess means she was a ‘mistake’.The last point we can gather how remorseful he is because he is totally overwhelmed with grief, we see the caring fatherly side to him for the last time in the final scene when the two lovers are found dead together in the chapel. We can tell he knows the feud has been the main reason for their deaths and rightly blames himself. We know how sorry he is when he offers peace to Lord Montague and we realise he has been a loving father and husband all the way through the play, he just thinks what he is doing (i. e. feuds, arranged marriages etc.) is all for the right reasons and he feels he is doing right by his family.He finally understands that his wants and Juliet’s wants were completely different and all that she wanted was irrelevant by him at the time. We feel sympathy for him at this final point in the play because we can see how he realises everything now and it’s now too late to make up for the mistakes he has made, The only thing he can do is make peace with his rival. Lord Capulet chose his power over his family and by doing so, two young people ended up dying, making this the perfect tragedy and love story. The Depiction of Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet Set in the city of Verona during the 12th/13th century, Romeo and Juliet, is a typical love story by William Shakespeare with a tragedy twist. When Romeo Montague and his friends gate-crash Lord Capulet’s party, the last thing he imagined he would do is find the love of his life, Juliet. After realising Romeo is the son of her father’s sworn enemy they decide to keep their relationship secret and get married behind her families back. When Romeo’s best friend Mercutio is stabbed and killed by Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, Romeo kills Tybalt and is declared banished.Meanwhile, Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, decides to cheer his daughter up by allowing her to marry Paris, though unknown to him, she is already married. Severely wanting to get out of this marriage and with her husband, Romeo, in a different town, Juliet seeks assistance from the priest, father Lawrence, who hands her a ‘poison’ which will mimic death for 24 hours, after her funera l she would be placed into a vault and when she awakes from her deep sleep her and Romeo would be able to run away to be together.Romeo is unaware of this plan as he is out when the messenger arrives so when his friend Balthasar learns of the death he immediately travels to tell Romeo. With Romeo thinking his love is dead he takes the risk of going back to Verona to say his final farewell to Juliet, when he arrives he is automatically spotted and the police, once Romeo had purchased poison he makes his way to the church.Soon enough, father Lawrence learns that Romeo has no idea Juliet is actually still alive. Inside the church Romeo drinks the poison which begins to kill him.. just as Juliet begins to wake, she realizes it’s too late and takes his gun to her head, Killing her instantly. Act 1 scene 1, we see several men from two families (the Capulet’s and the Montague’s) take part in a fight led by Tybalt, a Capulet and Juliet’s cousin, and Benvolio, Rom eo’s cousin and therefore a Montague.This is where we get the feel of absolute hatred between the two families. A loathing which has been passed down through generations, started between Lord Capulet, an overpowering and very controlling man and Lord Montague and equally powerful man. We are first introduced to Lord Capulet when he gets involved in a fight between Sampson, Gregory Benvolio and Tybalt. He is shown to be aggressive and confrontational because he says ‘What noise is this?Give me long sword ho! ’ as soon and he arrives. Which could indicate he doesn’t think about what he says and can be immature as well as how willing he is to get involved in the pointless feud, this is until Prince informs them ‘Once more, on pain of death, all men depart’ which implies if there is another street both Lord Capulet, Lord Montague and any other men involved will be executed, This is when Lord Capulet’s mood changes and he becomes calm.In Act 1 scene 2 Lord Capulet seems calm and willing to make peace with Lord Montague, we know this because he says ‘†¦ ‘tis not hard, I think for men so old as we to keep the peace. ’ ‘†¦ _we_ to keep the peace’ This shows he is trying to approach Lord Montague in an equal and friendly manor as he accepts there cannot be any more violent outbreaks in the streets anymore. We next see Lord Capulet in the Capulet household in the midst of a party when he is calmly talking to Paris about his daughter Juliet.Women in the Elizabethan age could refuse marriage but would be disowned by their families. In the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, Lord Capulet thinks Juliet is ‘too young’ and ‘still a stranger to the world’ . This is showing himself to be a very caring and loving father, this could be because he has no other children and could also be the reason he treats Tybalt like the son he never had. He refuses Prince the hand of hi s daughter because he doesn’t want to lose her yet, he goes on to change his mind later in the story.In the next scene Romeo Montague gatecrashes the Capulet’s party, Lord Capulet appears to be very respected by Tybalt because when Romeo is spotted and threatened by him, Lord Capulet looks at him and says â€Å"Content thee, Gentle coz, let him alone;† He goes on to say â€Å"Here in my house do him no disparagement; Therefore be patient, take no note of him; It is my will, the which if thou respect†.This is showing himself to be a fair man, treating his family and his enemy’s son the same and shows that he is clever, powerful and respected as he doesn’t want to make a scene in public and in front of his friends and family, Surprisingly Tybalt doesn’t go against his word at all, he listens and respects the wishes of his uncle. Shakespeare is showing this man to be kind and rational, we make a judgment at this stageon how he isnâ€℠¢t reacting to the fact Romeo is his the son of his arch-rival. In this scene Lord Capulet also compliments Romeo by calling him ‘A virtuous and well governed youth’ which shows how relaxed he is about the young Montague’s presence because we couldn’t imagine him complimenting an enemy in such a way. By the next point in the story, Tybalt and Mercutio are dead and we start to get an idea of what sort of a man Lord Capulet really is.In Act 3 Scene 4 he changes his mind and allows Prince to marry Juliet for a few reasons i. e. He wants her to be married and settled to a man he approves of, He wants to be proud of her, He wants her to be married to a man who has money, is generous, powerful and respected †¦ not knowing that she is already married to Romeo. After Tybalt is killed we know Juliet is devastated because she locks herself in her room, only letting Romeo in because he appears on her balcony, unbeknown to her father.We also know Tybalt’s death isn’t the only reason for her upset the other reason she is in such shock is the fact her ‘true love’, Romeo, is the reason for Tybalt’s death although her father doesn’t know , if he knew Romeo and Juliet were married she would be disowned by him and the rest of their family. Lord Capulet decides to bring the wedding forward in order to cheer her up, we know this because he says ‘She loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly’, He sees the wedding of his only child an opportunity to lift the mood after such death in the family.Unfortunately Juliet doesn’t want to marry Prince because she is in love with the now banished, Romeo. When Lady Capulet tells Juliet of her husband’s plans for her to be wed ‘early next Thursday morn’ she is surprised but refuses and tells her mother ‘When I do marry, I swear, It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris’ , We can tell from this sentence that she hasn’t told her mother of her relationship with Romeo and that her mother thinks Juliet hates Romeo for killing Tybalt.As Lord Capulet enters her room he immediately describes her body as a ‘fountain’ and says ’in one little body thou counterfeit’s a bark, a sea, a wind, For thy eyes, which I may call the sea, Do ebb and flow with tears. Thy bark thy body is, Sailing in this salt flood. Thy winds thy sighs†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Which shows us he is concerned about her and her wellbeing, showing him to be a caring father for a split-second. He is angered when he hears that she will not bemarrying Paris and disowns her straightaway, he says unforgivable things to her such as ‘Out, you green sickness, carrion! Out you baggage! You tallow face’ he also calls her a ‘Disobedient wretch’ He goes on to say ‘Get thee to church o’ Thursday, Or never after look me in the face’ , so he’s saying she either marries Pa ris or she’ll lose her father, She has to make the decision. There is a suggestion of physical violence when Lord Capulet exclaims ‘My fingers itch.’Implying he wants to hit her for disrespecting him by disagreeing with him. He reminds her of the importance of family and marrying to obtain a high status, we know this because he says ‘And having now provided A gentleman of A noble parentage, Of fair demesnes, youthful and nobly trained, stuffed as they say, with honorable parts’ he describes Paris in this way because he is trying to persuade Juliet to marry him, its as if he doesn’t want to disown her.Lord Capulet decides that she can ‘No longer house with me’ unless she marries Paris and he would rather see her beg, starve and die in the streets than live with her if she doesn’t go through with the marriage. Lord Capulet’s behavior in this scene shocks us because we are used to seeing him as a caring and loving fathe r towards Juliet and we don’t expect him to go this far when she refuses because he has seemed like a calm man in previous scenes. It’s sad to see his behavior change this dramatically towards her because a father should look out for his daughter.It’s also sad to see because it was his decision and she hasn’t had a choice in the matter at all and the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s was started between the two fathers so it isn’t Juliet’s fault and she should be able to see Romeo if she wants to. During the play, the language Lord Capulet uses to describe Juliet changes a lot. In the beginning of the play he describes her as ‘still a stranger to the world’ and ‘too young to marry’ which shows he is a caring father.He is looking out for his daughter and by saying she is too young to marry, he is trying to protect her from growing up too fast. His behavior towards her changes vastly when she ref uses to marry Paris possibly because he has spent time trying to protect her and now she throws it back in his face by disagreeing with him. Although Lord Capulet is unaware of the fact she is already married, she has just delayed being disowned by her father by keeping her marriage to Romeo a secret.We notice the change immediately  because one minute he’s describing her sadness and acting like he cares about her enough to be concerned about her happiness and then he change into a stubborn and, what seems like, a care-free father . We notice the change when he says ‘What is this? â€Å"Proud† and â€Å"I thank you† and â€Å"I thank you not† And yet not â€Å"proud†? Mistress minion you. ’ We don’t think he is capable of disowning his only child but he continues to call her ‘Baggage’ and ‘Green sickness’ which shows just how upset and angry he is with her.He uses harsh words by saying ‘An you b e mine, I’ll give you my friend. An you be not, Hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, For, my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee, Nor what is mine shall never do thee good’ saying he no longer will want anything to do with her if she doesn’t marry Paris and he would rather see her beg, starve and die on the streets rather than give her somewhere to live and he’ll never want anything to do with her, however if she agrees to marry Paris then he will forgive her for disagreeing and she can stay living there etc.Act 4 scene 5, When Juliet is found ‘dead’ in her bedroom , Lord Capulet appears to be grief-stricken and genuinely upset even though he had said he would disown her if she didn’t marry Paris. His sadness over rules his power in this scene as he turns to Lady Capulet and says ‘ O Heaven! O wife, Look how our daughter bleeds! ’ showing that he is so upset, he doesn’t care about how he appears to any one else. We realise he doesn’t see how he is partly responsible for her ‘death’ by forcing her into a marriage just to bring joy to himself, not in fact thinking at all about what Juliet would want.If he had realised this, we may be able to feel more sympathetic towards him as he would have probably been really upset and angry with himself which, in turn, could have saved his daughter’s life when she awoke. When she does awake to find Romeo had poisoned himself, oblivious to the fact Juliet wasn’t dead at all, she shoots herself in the head with his gun so as they can be together after all, even if that means in a different life.We notice that Lord Capulet realises the feud between the two families have been to blame for the two lovers’ deaths because he offers Lord Montague his hand and overall peace between the Montague’s and Capulet’s, Again showing the loving and caring fatherly side to himself. Throughout the entire play L ord Capulet’s mood varies between a loving, concerned father and an angry, heartless, powerful man. There are 4 main points in his behaviour.In the beginning he comes across as a powerful man when he takes part in a fight , his attitude in this scene is limited as he seems to be this man who is only interested in showing the Montague family who owns the city. When he engages in a conversation with Paris about marrying Juliet, he becomes more of a caring father and try’s to look out for her by saying she is ‘Too young’ to marry and although he says she is ‘still a stranger to him? which suggests that he has doubts about her loyalty to him and this also shows an absence of trust in her.The next main point is when he changes again to become an angry and somewhat cold man, we think this because he feels let down and his fears of loyalty towards him are true to an extent. He decides to disown her as a daughter unless she marries Paris because he feels let down and he obviously though he was doing right by her. He says he would rather see her beg and die on the streets than stay in that house, he calls her ‘baggage’ which we can guess means she was a ‘mistake’.The last point we can gather how remorseful he is because he is totally overwhelmed with grief, we see the caring fatherly side to him for the last time in the final scene when the two lovers are found dead together in the chapel. We can tell he knows the feud has been the main reason for their deaths and rightly blames himself. We know how sorry he is when he offers peace to Lord Montague and we realise he has been a loving father and husband all the way through the play, he just thinks what he is doing (i. e. feuds, arranged marriages etc.) is all for the right reasons and he feels he is doing right by his family.He finally understands that his wants and Juliet’s wants were completely different and all that she wanted was irrelevant by him at the time. We feel sympathy for him at this final point in the play because we can see how he realises everything now and it’s now too late to make up for the mistakes he has made, The only thing he can do is make peace with his rival. Lord Capulet chose his power over his family and by doing so, two young people ended up dying, making this the perfect tragedy and love story.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Bureau of Prisons Regulatory Agency Essay

Health Care is not just of concern to the private sector. Health Care reaches into the prison system as well. Federal and state laws have been created to ensure that the prison system provides health care through the medical facilities available. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is the government agency that regulates the health care that is given to federal inmates in the United States. The BOP licenses’, certifies, accredits, and runs the background checks necessary to obtain employment. Agency’s role Created on May 14, 1930 by President Herbert Hoover the Federal Bureau of Prisons is a subdivision of the United States Justice Department. The BOP is responsible for the administration of the Federal prison system. According to the Bureau of Prisons, â€Å"Our inmate population consists of people awaiting trial for violating federal laws or those who have already been convicted of committing a federal crime† (â€Å"Federal Inmates,† n.d., p. 1). The BOP is responsible for providing compassionate care to the inmates in the system and to help the employees that work in the system to maintain open minds towards the situation of the inmates. This does not mean to give the inmates special treatment but being able to have some understanding of what the inmate is going through being incarcerated. The BOP is responsible for providing health care to the inmates in agreement with federal and state laws. Health care impact The BOP provides health care for the inmates. The services provided by the BOP are medical, dental, and mental health services. As of May 1, 2014 there are 216,787 inmates and 39,226 staff members in the Federal prison system. For some of the inmates, the health care services received while incarcerated are the first they have ever had in their lives. As the current trend of health wellness is moving forward throughout the rest of the country the BOP has adopted the same thought process. Health wellness and prevention is being taught in the prison system to inmates. Counseling is given during visits with health care professionals. Education is given about medications, body wellness, infectious disease prevention, and chronic  care management for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health care problem the inmate may have. The medical staff is included in the care the BOP extends throughout the prison system. Clean air environments, safe work spaces, correct equipment is provided to health care workers to provide the best care they can. Care services are coordinated with health care providers in the community that are willing to help inmates with their health issues or that are employed by the BOP to provide services. Example of duties Tele-health care is a new and innovative way that inmates are able to access care that is not onsite at the facility they are housed in. Efficient health care is recognized in the State of Wisconsin where weekly trips to the closest health care facility were 55 miles away. Dr. Armand Start says, â€Å"The system allows physicians to evaluate the inmate while discussing the case with correctional personnel. Communication is an integral part of diagnosing and treating patients. The physician-to-physician contact also empowers the corrections staff to learn more about the conditions of their inmates† (â€Å"Telemedicine,† 1995, p. 1). Citizens are very aware of the possibility of the danger involved when transporting prisons anywhere outside of the facility. This option also gives the surrounding community a sense of peace. Telemedicine also gives inmates the ability to continue mental health care with their established physician. Inmates who are not able to leave their cells because of sickness, injury, or discipline reasons can still attend their sessions through telemedicine. Also, access to other specialized health care services is recognized through telemedicine that historically would not be available to inmates. The Federal Bureau of Prisons is responsible for executing lethal injections on the federal level. The Bureau of Prisons maintains the federal location where lethal injections are carried out when an inmate has exhausted all available options to fight their conviction and sentencing. The facility is  in Terre Haute, Indiana. The last person executed at the Terre Haute facility was Timothy McVey who bombed the Oklahoma City Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building killing 168 people. He was executed June 11, 2001. Regulatory authority The Federal Bureau of Prisons must adhere to regulations when providing health care to the inmate population. Regulations and guidelines may vary from facility to facility, but the BOP has the authority to intervene regardless the situation. The BOP is responsible for maintaining the regulations that are used so that inmates are not abused or under cared for. Health care services are regulated by the BOP and adherence to the regulations established must be followed by the individual facilities. The Bureau of Prisons carefully lists the inmate’s health care rights and the inmate’s responsibilities in order have access those rights. In the Federal Correction Institution at Terminal Island, California the Inmate Information Handbook lists out the specific rights to health care access each inmate has and then the handbook lists the inmate’s responsibility to be able to access the health care. An example is the inmate has the right to access all services on Terminal Island including medical, dental, and all support services but the inmate has the responsibility to â€Å"to comply with the health care policies of this institution, and follow recommended treatment plans established for you, by health care providers. You have the responsibility to provide accurate and complete information about complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters of care† (Handbook, 2011, p. 19). The BOP establishes with the inmate that the inmate does have rights and is entitled to health care but only if the inmates can control themselves and be responsible for their actions. Inmates usually do not distinguish the two aspects listed out in the handbook and believe their rights are being violated when they are acting violently or unsafely around health care providers. The BOP is very clear on what is expected of the inmate so they can access their health care rights. Accreditation The American Correctional Association (ACA) develops national standards for the accreditation of correctional facilities. The ACA states, â€Å"Through accreditation, an agency is able to maintain a balance between protecting the public, and providing an environment that safeguards the life, health and safety of staff and offenders† (Accreditation n.d., p. 1). Participating in the accreditation is voluntary by the facility. If a correctional facility wants to be accredited there is an intense 18-month process that has to be completed by the facility. Self-evaluations, procedures, and policies are reviewed during the entire three-year accreditation process. Employees are required to have the correct certification or licensure in order to be hired and to maintain employment that is required by the state or agency they work for. Employees must continue to renew their licenses and stay current on their required continuing medical education credits. Although employees are ultimatel y responsible for their licensure the facility must do reviews of employee records to start the process off reminding the employee of eminent expirations. Conclusion The Federal Bureau of Prisons is the regulating agency that sets the precedent for correctional facilities and prisons in the United States. The Federal Bureau of Prisons regulates the health care given to the inmates that are incarcerated in the prison system. The health care given to the inmates is their right to receive, but they are held to their own responsibilities to be able to access the health care offered to them. The prison health care system is evolving to create a better system for inmates just as the private health care system is evolving throughout the Unites States to provide better health care for its citizens.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Brachytherapy in Treating Cervical Cancer-Free-Samples for Students

Brachytherapy is a form of cancer treatment where radioactive pounds sealed in a wire, pellet or capsule is introduced into the body with the help of a catheter in order to damage the DNA of the cancer cells. It has a wide spread of application in the treatment of prostate cancer and cervical cancer. The benefits of brachytherapy are that it allows an augmented dose of radiation in a limited area unlike the other types of the radiation treatments. It actually helps to lessen the damage to the surrounding tissues due to radiation. The last two papers are about improving the image guided brachytherapy techniques in the treatment of cervical cancers. Two of my chosen papers are related to the same, as IGBT helps in a more accurate treatment and lesions that are too large for applying the other treatment techniques.   Significant improvements have occurred in the last three decades due to the use of the 3-D image guided procedures. Incorporation of the transrectal US in the image guide d brachytherapy have been found to be effective in centers that have do not access to MRI. The monly used method in the treatment of the cervical cancer is the Manchester Point A system. But the 2-D X ray image shows no contract of the soft tissues. Image guided brachytherapy helps to target the desired tissue.   There had been increasing evidence of the benefits of the image guided brachytherapy in cervical cancer, which is the main rationale behind the chosen papers. The objective of this paper is to give an overview of the gynecologic brachytherapy, with a focus on the recent advancements and their implications on the cervical cancer in women. The paper describes about the evaluation and the staging of the patient, According to this paper the initial stages of evaluation includes the cervical biopsy of the hystopathological diagnosis. According to the FIGO r mendations, patients with who would be receiving the radiation treatment should have a planning of the CT stimulation before the initiation of the EBRT. The paper also brings about a parison between the high dose rate brachytherapy and low dose rate brachytherapy. Previously LDR was used exclusively for treating the cancer by using a cesium -137 isotope. Since 2000s, the utilization of the HDR has increased considerably. The HDR employs a remote after loading technology allowing a small iridium source connected to the end of a cable that is robotically driven via the multiple channels ceasing at the dwell positions for different span of time.   The article also refers to a third type of treatment that is monly not used in the US known as the pulse dose rate (PDR) brachtherapy. The paper also gives an account of the choices, by which cervical brachytherapy can be performed, namely the intracavitary, interstitial, or a binatory approach. A cohort study was done in order to measure the clinical ou es of the image guided brachytherapy. The study pared the 2D versus the 3D IGBT . In the patients treated with both the EBRT plus chemother apy followed by a brachytherapy could show a local relapse free survival 74 % of the selected patients. Similar improvement was found in another study containing patients from Vienna. It can be understood from the paper that brachytherapy can improve the local control, reduce the toxicity and improve the overall survival rate of cervical cancer in women. The study of the paper also enables one to understand that the disadvantage of brachytherapy is that, it is invasive. The randomized control study involving 2D planning and 3D planning in selected patients showed better results in patients being treated with image guided brachtherapy. The paper also gave an account of the appropriate treatment target volume, the appropriate dose and the fractionation scheme. Although the progression from the 2D- 3D based imaging and the treatment planning for the cervical cancer has increased the overall survival of the women. Further data from the 3-D based treatment is required associated with the decrease in the toxicity of the technique. The previous paper focused on the effectiveness of overall brachytherapy in cervical cancer, but this article will aim to focus on the advantages of using imaging brachytherapy over conventional methods of brachytherapy.   The paper involves a retrospective analysis of the ou es in patient suffering from stage IB-IVA cervical cancer treated with primary radiation therapy. The ou e measures were the relapse free survival of the patient, distant metastasis, pelvic control and other adverse events related to the treatment. 126 patients have been analyzed out of which 43 patients have been treated with CBT between the years 2000-2007, and 83 patients have been treated with IGBT between the years 2007- 2012. The conventional bracgytherapy involved the application of the low dose brachytherapy and high dose rate brachytherapy was used after 2005. The standard brachytherapy applicators used were intracavatary ovoids and tandem.   From 2011, interstitial needles can be introduced in to t he ovoids for optimizing the dose distribution around the neoplasia. All the records of the adverse events were recorded if prompted by the signs and the symptoms.   The results concluded that cervical cancer survival rates have increased with the introduction of IGBT. The application of the MRI based adaptive IGBT technique was found to be useful for the patients with stage IB-IVA cervical cancer. The overall survival rate was found to improve from 51% to 83% with the shift from conventional brachytherapy to imaging brachytherapy. The study confirmed that there had been a significant decrease in the distant metastasis in the group treated with IGBT. The pelvic control rates were also found to be improved in the IGBT group. Data obtained from the patient’s record found that the IGBT patients were more likely to plete the chemotherapy faster than the patients’ receiving the conventional brachytherapy. The use of IGBT in the primary chemo radiation of the cervical cancer is superior to the CBT and should be considered as the new standard of care. It can be known from the paper that there is a requirement of improvement of the nodal and the PAN tumor control, using the PET-CT and the lessening of the adverse events in both the standard and the adaptive IMRT. A 3D MRI based image guided brachytherapy have been found to reduce the toxicity as discussed in the previous paper. The objectives of the paper were realistic. One of the limitations of the paper is that the sample population of the cohort was not large. Although there are several studies that have actually provided the evidences of imaging brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is an essential ponent for the treatment of the cervical cancers that have progressed locally. It allows the dose of the tumor to be amplified sparing the nearby tissues. Image guided brachytherapy have found to lessen the local recurrence. The article focuses on how the 3D conformal brachytherapy can be used in a hospital setting and how the brachytherapy services can be improved. The radiological studies operative parameters and patient workflow and intensive therapy planning can pose challenge to the clinical resources. The paper also discuses about the translational research opportunities in the field of brachytherapy. One of the concerns is that some proportion of the tumor will display biological resistance to the radiations and even to brachytherapy. The objective of the paper was to find new advancement in the field of imaging-brachytherapy. Hence the paper had been appropriate in stating the recent advancements in the radiotherapy techniques like the intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and the stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). This research paper also enables one to understand the demerits of the therapy, such as IMRT had been unsuccessful in achieving the target volume doses unlike that of the image guided brachytherapy. The paper informs that IGBT is more time consuming and requires individual planning and contouring. Additional resources such as MRI/CT scans and the patible applicators are required. The cost of setting up an IGBT is about 10-15 % more than that of the conventional procedures of brachytherapy. In a clinical setting with IGBT facilities there should be provisions for an intrauterine brachytherapy applicator as most of the patients will be having an intact uterus, which will require the placement of an intrauterine tube. It can be understood from all the three papers that image guided brachytherapy makes 3D models by using the cross sectional image. It should be mentioned that the points of similarities between the three papers were much more than the differences as all the three papers focused on the advancements in the field of brachytherapy in treating cervical cancers and the advantage of using image dependant brachytherapy over the conventional treatment of the brachytherapy. The difference between the three papers is that the last two papers focused more on the improvements in the image guided brachytherapy. The last papers exclusively mentioned the advancements rather than just paring with the conventional standards. Various retrospective studies and the cohort studies described in the three papers have showed better survival rates in patients with cervical cancer. Among the three papers my choice of paper was the first one as it had elaborately stated the difference between the new techniques and the old ones such as the difference between the HDR brachytherapy and the LDR brachytherapy, the selection of the applicator. It further gives information about the intracavity brachytherapy, interstitial brachytherapy. An appropriate treatment planning was mentioned. This assignment has not only aided us to know about the different image guided brachytherapy techniques but have also informed us with the procedures undertaken in brachytherapy Banerjee, R., & Kamrava, M. (2014). Brachytherapy in the treatment of cervical cancer: a review. International journal of women's health, 6, 555.   Otter, S., Franklin, A., Ajaz, M., & Stewart, A. (2016). Improving the efficiency of image guided brachytherapy in cervical cancer. Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy, 8(6), 557–565. https://doi.org/10.5114/jcb.2016.64452 Rijkmans, E. C., Nout, R. A., Rutten, I. H. H. M., Ketelaars, M., Neelis, K. J., Laman, M. S., ... & Creutzberg, C. L. (2014). Improved survival of patients with cervical cancer treated with image-guided brachytherapy pared with conventional brachytherapy. Gynecologic oncology, 135(2), 231-238

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Effects of Overcrowding on Tokyo City Essay

The Effects of Overcrowding on Tokyo City - Essay Example Overcrowding has had many negative effects on Japanese over the years. It has caused severe indirect and direct health risks to all sections of the population, especially the young children, elderly, and the disabled. It has led to insufficient aeration in homes leading to or exacerbating respiratory illness like Asthma. In addition, overcrowding has aggravated health hazard s linked to deprived and inadequate water supply and poor systems for hygiene. This is mainly because there has been inadequate fresh water for sewage treatment as well as for consumption in Tokyo due to an increase in human population. Consequently, the demand for fresh water is high than the supply due to overcrowding. Overcrowding has also led to lack of space directly affecting the psychological well being and physical development of the disabled in the society. Disabled people require enough space to move about from one place to another as wheel chairs and other objects aid them. Lack of adequate space due t o overcrowding makes it difficult for people to move from a point to the other. In addition, disabled people require enough space for their exercises in order for them to be more flexible. In addition, overcrowding has contributed to extensive social problems. It has made it hard for women to access economic and social resources by augmenting their responsibilities at home. A significant number of women in Tokyo are left at home taking care of their children and household chores making it difficult for them to have time for these resources. Overcrowding has also led to increased levels of air pollution, noise pollution, and soil contamination. There has also been a reduction of natural resources, particularly fossils fuels.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

European & Equity Law of UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European & Equity Law of UK - Essay Example The Treaty obligates UK to legislate in line with the international law in securing universal human rights it envisages. The Treaty also established the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) to give individual British citizens an appeal option for those who feel that their rights have been violated under the local law (Davies, & Virgo, 2013). As such, many UK citizens have filed their appeals at the Strasbourg Court, with a majority of the cases being decided in their favour and thus piling more pressure on UK government to make more liberal laws. Such EU Decisions prompted the UK parliament to pass the Human Rights Act 1998, which has been in effect since 2000. The Act is deemed as a local reflection of the human rights provisions under the EU Convention, which the Labour government promised the voters in 1997. The domestication of the EU law arguably ensures justice by limiting the cost and time of having to pursue justice at the Strasbourg Court. The HRA Act 1998 also imposed an obligation on the local UK courts to adopt the precedents set by the ECtHR when deliberating similar cases in a manner that explains the tremendous influence on local law. In the event that local courts and parliament disagree with the international law, UK would be deemed as failing to safeguard individual rights. As such, I believe UK would be at pains to fend off arguments that it is in utter violation of its international duties under the treaty. The ECtHR has in it its rulings attempted to create harmony with local state mechanisms by ensuring that its rulings are flexible under the principle of margin of appreciation. When issuing its verdicts on cases, this principle gives states some freedom in enforcing human rights based on their customized needs. Regardless, this has been insufficient on the issues where London starkly is in conflict with the ECtHR decisions. In the recent past, UK’s government has been in

Graduate Accounting Capstone - Accounting and Audit Enforcement Research Paper

Graduate Accounting Capstone - Accounting and Audit Enforcement - Research Paper Example It provides high level of care to the patients for recovery from conditions like stroke, orthopaedic and neurological disorders, brain injury, spinal cord injury, cardiac and pulmonary conditions. HealthSouth Corporation was found to be involved in corporate accounting scandal. The Founder, who was also the Chairman and CEO of the company, was accused of influencing the employees to manipulate the figures in the financial statement and exaggerate the earnings for meeting the expectations of the stockholders. He was the first executive to be caught in the Sarbanes Oxley Act for manipulating the financial returns of the company (Will, Handelman, & Brotherton, 2012). Richard M. Scrushy was accused of conspiracy, money laundering charges, securities fraud and charges of overstating the company’s earnings by approximately $ 3 billion (Forbes, 2013). The federal investigators stated that the company intentionally overstated the earnings in the financial statement for meeting the est imates of the analysts. At the same time the company had to make efforts to hide the accounting fraud attempt from auditors. Now, the question that was raised was whether the auditors failed in finding the fraud activity or they overlooked the company’s fraud. SOX Regulations in Public Healthcare Organizations There are strict regulations imposed by the SOX Act on the public companies (Greene, 2009). It includes: Creation of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for overseeing the entire process of accounting of the organizations. Limitation in the types of services that will be provided by the accounting firms to the public companies (clients). Increase in the disclosure requirements for the public companies. Requirement of top executives in the public companies who will take the responsibility of all the contents in the financial statements. Requirement of excellent analysts for disclosing the probable conflicts of interest. Added rigorous punishments for various misdee ds and frauds. These provisions have been imposed to public companies for controlling the regulations of corporate governance and business ethics. This will prohibit them from violating the GAAP rules and manipulating the financial statements of the companies for their own benefit. SOX Regulations in For-Profit and Not-For-Profit Healthcare Organizations There has been increase in the scrutiny for both for-profit as well as not-for-profit organizations by the regulators, donors, bondholders and the rest of the external stakeholders. It is because there have been an increased suspicion among the investors and other external stakeholders about the proper maintenance of corporate governance and business ethics in the healthcare organizations. It has been found that for Not-For-Profit companies including the hospitals as well as other different healthcare organizations, there have not been very strict disclosure requirements as mandated in case of the public For-Profit organizations. Th is is a problem faced by the bondholders, investors and other stakeholders who want to judge the quality of corporate governance and management in these Not-For-Profit organiz

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 5

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example the report is limited to the discussion and analysis of psychological and consumer environment factors and their impact of consumer purchasing decision of Red Bull energy drink. The case study of Richey & Michaels (2001) has been used to study the various marketing activities and strategies of Red Bull. In consideration to the consumer behaviour models and theories, the marketing practices of Red Bull have been discussed. In the first section, the consumer decision process has been discussed. In the second section, the impact of psychological core factors on consumer decision process has been studied and in the last section, the impact of consumer environment factor on consumer decision process has been discussed. As shown by Schiffman & Kanuk in the model of Consumer Decision Making, the three steps are very important in decision making process. These steps shape the psychological core factors of consumers, which directly influence the decision of the consumer; therefore, the three steps are very important for the companies to influence the consumer behaviour. A consumer recognises a need when he faces a problem. For example, the need for a drink may arise when an athlete has exhausted after playing a game, a spectator in the audience is lacking energy to fully participate in the concert, a truck driver is staying at the rest area on highway after long driving, a working person is back home from office, a student is lacking energy to keep a pace in studies etc. Out of the two states of consumers for problem recognition including actual state or desired state, the need for a drink will be the desired state of the consumer. After recognising the need, the repurchase research beings, if the consumer perceives that purchasing or consuming a particular product can satisfy his need. In most of the decision making process, the consumer recalls his past experiences however, when the consumer does not have any prior experience, he may need to conduct an extensive

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

A Very Long Engagement by Jean-Pierre Jeunet Movie Review

A Very Long Engagement by Jean-Pierre Jeunet - Movie Review Example A Very Long Engagement is a French romantic war film and the series of awards and accolades that greeted this film makes people that have not watched the film have the feeling that they have missed a lot. The film was the fictional storyline that was based on the experience of some individuals in the concluding stages of the First World War. The film is a must watch for everybody that loves romantic films with a spice of war scenes in it. As earlier said the film won several awards and was nominated for awards in different categories. The film won about eight awards and was nominated (but did not win) about twelve times. The nomination and the awards that the film won show the film’s quality. A Very Long Engagement is based on a novel written by Sebastien Japrisot in 1991 with the same title and it brings the details of this novel back to life. The film chronicles the search of a young woman named Mathilde Donnay (Audrey Tautou) for her fiance, Manech Langonnet (Gaspard Ulliel ). Manech was one of the soldiers that took part in the First World War. Mathilde was aware that Manech could have been killed during the battle of the Somme during the First World War, but the fact that she still had hope that he was still alive showed the kind of affection that Mathilde had for Manech and this is just one of the ways that the producers of this great film brought the romantic details of the First World War back to life.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Women's Rights Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Women's Rights - Thesis Example It further investigates how the modern day African societies reverse the effect of such retrogressive beliefs, which have contributed to the denial of human rights to women in the societies. In doing the research analyses a number of sources primary of which are films and videos obtained from you tube and other digital video disc formats. These videos depict the different forms of women maltreatments and the rights denial mechanisms that the African women face in their daily lives. Some of these videos show how the female genital mutilation a vice that have through time denied the African girl child equal academic opportunity since after the practice the young girls are immediately married off to elderly men (Ogundipe-Leslie 21). The research also uses secondary sources, which include books and newspaper articles, which recount the struggle of the African woman for liberty and equal opportunity in the society. These seek to depict the progresses made by different governments in the continent to level the playing ground for both sexes thus uplift the status of the girl child thus that of the African woman by extrapolation (Rwomire

Sunday, September 22, 2019

African influence on Western Culture Essay Example for Free

African influence on Western Culture Essay Africa, a continent with a not so peaceful history, has always been mysterious and amazing, all at the same time. â€Å"Afri† was a Latin name used to refer to the Carthaginians who lived in Northern Africa from the 9th century B.C to the 7th century A.D when the last Punic culture was destroyed in the Arab conquest. Before I start recounting my general point of view on the topic above, I would like to share a brief opinion about multiculturalism. Defining it is not that simple. Some people refer to multiculturalism as a word that describes society where many different cultures live together in peace. But is it always like that? What about inherent racism and fear? Over the last few years, lots of people have been exploiting it in order to abuse other cultures and discriminate people who are different from them. In a normal world, they would be reprimanded and heavily fined. In most countries, that’s not the case and even the authorities do not care about them. On the other hand, all cultures deserve respect, including the African ones. Cultures have been developed over centuries to allow people to live together, reasonably and peacefully. Multiculturalism can mean a country accepting some practices it tends to object to, but it can also mean that a culture becomes exposed to other ways of living, which could have quite a bad impact on the other dwellers. In conclusion, we must learn that accepting people as they are is of great importance. It is important to respect each other, and one should know that living by moral standards is one irreplaceable thing.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Effects of Internet Online Booking in Travel Agencies

Effects of Internet Online Booking in Travel Agencies Can High Street Travel Agencies Survive  With Online Travel Agencies? Contents (Jump to) Chapter 2 Literature Review Chapter 3 – Methodology Chapter 4 Findings and Analysis 4.1 UK Travel Industry, Current Analysis 4.2 Composition of Travel The travel industry represents the classic example of firms operating as agents between the seller and buyers as represented by the multitude of offers that are present in the industry. The foundation for this process was established in the pre-computer era that utilized direct reservation systems. This mode inculcated the industry and became the accepted operational norm as airlines had an exterior sales force as represented by these independent operations, and customers had a means to wade through the difficult maze of airline flight possibilities. The advent of the internet brought a new variable into the scenario whereby it provided consumers with a choice as a result of the capabilities of this medium to collect and display flight availability, schedules and pricing through search engine compiling. Transaction costs were lowered as a result of economies of scale and 24 hour availability, with the heart of the process fueled by utilizing consumers to conduct the work in finding b argains. This examination will seek to equate whether the traditional travel agencies known as High Street, representing brick and mortar operations in the industry parlance, can survive the onslaught to their business as represented by online travel agencies. The travel industry represents a phenomenon that we are all familiar with in terms of verbiage, however, the definitive meanings as represented by specific words may not be as clear as one would think. In order to provide the necessary verbal underpinnings for this analysis of ‘if High Street Travel Agencies can survive with online Travel Agencies’, a definition of terms seems in order. Travel represents a word that emanates from ‘travailen’ in Middle English, which means to toil, and has its roots in the French word ‘travailler (Wikipedia, 2007). It, travel, is defined as (American Heritage Dictionary, 2007) 1. being transported â€Å"†¦ from one place to another †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as represented by either a trip or journey, and, 2. the process and or time entailed in moving a person from a particular location to another. Travel can be further explained as tourism, which is the visiting of family and or friends, the process of commuting as represent ed by traveling to either work or other functions, the act of migration in moving one’s local or as a constant series of moves as illustrated by nomadic peoples, and as pilgrimages for religious reasons (Wikipedia, 2007). In the context of this examination, travel shall be defined by the transport of individuals for pleasure, tourism, business and personal reasons. A travel agency â€Å"†¦offers its services in the capacity of an agent †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and provides â€Å"†¦ travel and tourism related services to the public †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as achieved through the agency’s arrangements and agreements with â€Å"†¦ airlines, cruise lines, hotels and other suppliers of travel related services† (Department of the Treasury, 2002). Travel agencies â€Å"†¦ may contract directly †¦Ã¢â‚¬  with the aforementioned companies or through what is termed a â€Å"†¦ coordinating body such as the Airlines Reporting Corporation †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as other such agencies or bodies (Department of the Treasury, 2002). In addition to the aforementioned services, travel agencies may offer varied financial related services such as traveler’s checks and trip insurance. An important segment of the travel industry is represented by tourism, which Hermann Von Schullard, Austrian economist, stated is the â€Å" †¦ sum total of operators †¦ which directly relate to the entry †¦ stay and movement of foreigners †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (MedLibrary.org, 2007). The introduction of internet based online travel information, booking and ticketing systems introduced a new variable into the market which allows consumers to research ticket prices, schedules and related aspects at discounted prices as a result of the lower commissioning fees online services charge airlines for acting in their capacity as middlemen. This phenomenon caught on with the public and market share increasingly shifted in favor of online travel services as lower prices, instant access and no frill airlines captured their imagination. High Street travel agencies are thus caught in a battle for survival as a result, however there are market variables that indicate the penetration rates of online travel agencies has been slowing, but massive damage has already been done. If High Street travel agencies are to survive, they will have to capitalize upon inherent facets of customer attitudes and preferences as well as what their service type offers that can not be duplicated by c omputerized access that does not offer human problem solving skills for complex travel related problems that exist in varied circumstances. Chapter 2 Literature Review The rapid pace of changes and developments in the travel industry as a result of travel packages, consumer attitudes, economic variables, utilization histories with varied forms of booking methodologies and related aspects rendered the examination of the subject matter as contemporary. The research methodology deemed best suited to this study was ‘descriptive’ in that it is based upon the use of data, information, facts and associated resources to reveal the way things are. To this end, this examination relied heavily on Internet sources to provide the aforementioned. The definitions utilized herein to provide a basis for understanding of travel agencies as represented by the statement provided by United States Department of the Treasury was used as it represented a definition honed from a governmental classification of an industry sector which represented the culmination of intensive study to arrive at its meaning in a universal sense that is applicable. This same approach was utilized to conduct data and survey research which entailed the collection of information from the Tourism Society of England, the International Air Transport Association, ITB Berlin and IPK International, Internet World Stats and other sources. In conducting the research on the question as to whether High Street travel agencies can survive with online travel agencies, the first aspect that was noted is that the various travel and tourism books offered information on each sector from a dated perspective that did not take into account new developments, many of which appeared in 2005 through 2006 as new travel packages and the a new travel sector, cruises, emerged as an industry force. The preceding contention is supported by the data uncovered by surveys conducted by Travel Weekly in the United Kingdom that asked respondents in the travel agency sector direct questions regarding their impression and view of their industry. Such a source represents more viable research that was conducted during 2006, offers a more comprehensive base of industry information on how things actually are as it asked the experts in the field of study, travel agents themselves. Their responses on what they viewed as the emerging segment of most importance, cruises, which also represents their most viable revenue stream is data which was not found in the numerous research studies conducted by the World Trade Organization, PricewaterHouseCoopers, Accenture and World Stats. These sources were extremely valuable in providing supporting data on trends, patterns and other facets of the travel and tourism sector, however, information from industry insiders in the High Street sector represented t he foundation for the question being examined. ITB Berlin and IPK International offered invaluable information concerning the breakdown of consumer utilization of travel agency sectors, as did PriceWaterHouseCoopers and Internet World Stats. Accenture’s research gave depth to the previous information as it provided data on how and what consumers do in the process of seeking travel services. Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model provided the means to correlate all of the indicated data and survey information into a concise summary of High Street and online travel agency competitive points to hone in on the variables and factors that the prior sources offered. Chapter 3 Methodology In examining the context of whether High Street travel agencies can survive with online travel agencies it was determined that the research would have to delve into the nuances of the travel and tourism sector to determine the following: Components of the industry from an historical perspective Key aspects of varied consumer attitudes, preferences, trends and views Travel industry product components, trends, developments and projections Trend of High Street and online travel agency market share progressions Relationships and importance of differing travel segment components in both sectors in relationship to their inherent strengths and weaknesses as applied against each service model Variables and factors at work, along with developing trends that might have a bearing on the examination To accomplish the foregoing the methodology selected entailed the utilization of secondary research of a limited historical nature to provide background information to understand the context of the industry sectors and their changing relationships. The preceding was accomplished through the use of books and journals along with statistical information. Since changes in any industry occur quickly the reliance upon books and journals for contemporary developments was deemed as inappropriate and inconclusive. Therefore, to determine the present status of both sectors, the research and operative methodology centered upon the analysis of data as well as trends and inherent characteristics. To accomplish the preceding quantitative research was determined as the methodology as it â€Å"†¦ generates new information about the world †¦Ã¢â‚¬  by virtue of (University of North Carolina, 2007): Objectivity, whereby the potential for bias that could potentially affect and or influence the outcome is kept to a minimum through the collection of varying points of view from a number of differing sources. Rigorous, in that the researcch process utilizes data to uncover obvious as well as obsure information, with attention to accuracy and detail as underlying precepts. Systematic, in that the conduct of research seeks coherent data and information in order to equate the true undercurrents of what is the case as opposed to what appears to be the case in the study and analysis. The subject under examination represents a puzzle that is ruled by the governing question (International Research Network, 2007). The preceding helped to determine the reseach process, the identification of the sources of data as well as information, and the methodologies to be utilized. Kravitz (2006) states that there are differing types of research which can be used in a study. The one selected for this examination included descriptive along with quantitative as it entails the collection of information and trends through the review of data, surveys and examination of varied sources. Kravitz (2006) indicates that this research type is best at describing the way things are, and that the review of prior research aids in the process, along with contempory information. Chapter 4 Findings and Analysis 4.1 UK Travel Industry, Current Analysis As of 2002 there were 3,181 travel agencies in the United Kingdom, representing a growth rate of minus 17.2% that generated $11, 659 billion in sales (International Air Transport Association, 2002). Globally, the travel industry generates in excess of one trillion USD annually and is the largest industrial sector (Vogel, 2006, pp. 50-59). The Tourism Society of England indicates that domestically this segment of the industry generates 75 billion pounds in a highly fragmented industry (Tourism Society, 2007). In polls conducted by Travel Weekly, the British based industry travel magazine, travel agents were asked their views on a number of areas (Travel Weekly, 2007). 47% indicated that cruises would represent the biggest growth area in travel in 2007, followed by long haul trips at 32%, and domestic breaks at 21% (Travel Weekly, 2007). The implications of the preceding seemingly bode well for travel agencies in that these types of trips consumers seek the aid of professionals to aid them with arrangements, features, pricing and the varied packages that are available, which can be quite extensive. Travel agents indicated that they were worried, however regarding the state of the travel industry entering 2007, registering 61%, with 26% indicating confidence and 13% checking indifference as their response (Travel Weekly, 2007). Travel agent responses provide a valuable insight as to how they feel concerning various aspects and as the most up to date informational source such is being utiliz ed to provide a gauge on the prospects of High Street travel agencies and their battle for market share with online travel agencies. A significant response to the polls in this regard can be found in what travel agents thought about the price wars lowering High Street fares. 36% indicated that they believed that such would end up in lower prices, while 42% replied no, with 21% indicating probably (Travel Weekly, 2007). With respect to the dollar to pound exchange rate that has increased in favor of the pound, travel agents indicated that they felt Christmas shoppers would benefit the most, 51%, followed by New York City retailers at 23%, High Street travel agencies, 15%, and online retailers and airlines at 11% (Travel Weekly, 2007). The preceding represents an indication of travel agent’s attitudes toward High Street travel agencies that mirrors their responses concerning their battle for market share. This view was also confirmed by travel agent responses to if there is any future for independent High Street travel agents. 54% stated that they felt there would always be room for independent agents, with 27% indicating the affirmative but as part of a larger buying group, and 19% stating that they would not be able to compete against the larger companies (Travel Weekly, 2007). When asked about the importance of cruises to their industry, travel agents responded in the following fashion. 53% indicated that this area is growing in importance, with 21% stating that it represents the one area that they make money (Travel Weekly, 2007). 17% indicated that this segment is too complex and that they do not sell cruise packages, and 9% stated that cruise business is vital to their business only if they sell these via self packaging (Travel Weekly, 2007). Given that 47% indicated that the cruise business will enjoy the largest segment of growth in the industry in 2007, that seemingly indicates that High Street travel agencies are factoring in this segment as an important revenue stream. The utilization of the Internet as a booking method has seen high growth in Europe, mostly in flights as well as accommodations (ITB Berlin and IPK International, 2006, p. 13). The foregoing represents an approximated one/third of all outbound trips and also entails online booking for some segments of an individual’s trip as represented by hotel and vehicle reservations (ITB Berlin and IPK International, 2006, p. 13). ITB Berlin and IPK International (2006, p. 13) reports that the utilization of the internet is primarily the mode used for airline ticket purchases, with accommodations second, however, vehicle reservations leads both categories as a percentage of sales of the total. Table 1- Travel Bookings in Europe, January Through August 2006 (as a percentage of pre-bookings in total travel) (ITB Berlin and IPK International, 2006, p. 13) Total Internet Accommodations 78% 37% Flight 63% 38% Travel insurance 23% 6% Bus/coach 15% 2% Rental car 15% 10% Ferry 9% 7% Train 7% 4% Others 5% 3% Interestingly, travel agents utilize the internet as a source of information and the use of tour operators in placing their rates and packages online represents a key reason for the preceding (ITB Berlin and IPK International, 2006, p. 13). Consumers utilize the Internet for a large percentage of their travel arrangements, especially in the area of airline, accommodation and auto rental, as shown by the following: Table 2 – Information Sources Used by European Outbound Travelers, January through August 2006 (ITB Berlin and IPK International, 2006, p. 14) Source % share Internet 45 Travel agency 20 Friends/relatives 17 Travel guide 8 Travel brochure 7 Newspaper 3 Tourist office 2 TV 2 Others 5 The preceding seemingly indicates that incursions by Internet based booking in the cruise travel segment is going to remain low as a result of the complexities encountered in making selections and wading through the complex data and choices. As the main revenue source and growth area for High Street travel agencies, consolidation of the services offered in this area represents a strong foundation to be built upon. The consumer climate in the United Kingdom exceeds the confidence of travel agencies with respect to their outlooks. Travel Weekly’s (2007) poll in this segment indicated that 26% of them were confident, while ITB Berlin and IPK International (2006, p. 18) found that the United Kingdom and Spain are at the top of its consumer confidence survey as well as percentage of household consumption. Termed as a willingness to buy, said factor represents increased demand in the UK during 2007, and as the United Kingdom’s placement in this category has consistently been at the top, bodes well for the continued growth forecast in the industry. The growth in eCommerce has shifted the manner and way individuals utilize travel services. Originating in a paper on packet switching by Leonard Kleinrock of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1961, the theoretical underpinnings of Klienrocks work set the stage for the ARANET which was the distant forerunning to the internet (Internet Society, 2007). That beginning has reshaped the manner of global commerce, information availabilities, and created an entirely new set of industry classifications. One such manifestation is illustrated in the travel industry. The ability to search large quantities of data easily and instantly through varied online web sites, and travel agencies without any sales or pressure tactics makes the internet a technology that is ideally suited to the travel industry. In this medium consumers can search and explore at their leisure at any time reviewing all manner of destinations, travel times, pricing and comparative offers. This used to be the exclu sive domain of travel agencies, the search for fares, times, routes, seating, destinations and packages, through information networks that were unavailable to the public. Consumers do not have to queue at call centers, telephone or take a trip to High Street travel agencies, they can simply click online and search easy to find categories from their Internet browser. Online travel agents are able to offer 24 hour access to information that consumers can access and compare at any time, representing a boon to locating the best prices, dates, deals, destinations and packages. The online travel industry is just a decade old, however the impact of online agencies has been tremendous (Economist, 2005). The benefit of the Internet to consumers and travel providers such as airlines, hotels, car rentals and associated sectors is that it saves administrative costs enabling them to offer lower fares and rates (Economist, 2005). There are 37,600,000 internet users in the United Kingdom estimated for 2006 against a population of 60,000,000 people representing a 62.5% penetration rate with user growth rising by 144% between the period 2000 and 2006 (Internet World Stats, 2007a). The UK ranks 6th globally in the total number of Internet users (Internet World Stats, 2007b), and ranks 20th on terms of penetration rate (Internet World Stats, 2007c). Table 3 – Top 20 Countries with the Highest Number of Internet Users (Internet World Stats, 2007b) Rank Country Internet Users Population (2006 est.) Internet Penetration 1 United States 209,024,921 299,093,237 69.9% 2 China 123,000,000 1,306,724,067 9.4% 3 Japan 86,300,000 128,389,000 67.2% 4 Germany 50,616,207 82,515,988 61.3% 5 India 40,000,000 1,112,225,812 3.6% 6 United Kingdom 37,600,000 60,139,274 62.5% 7 Korea (South) 33,900,000 50,633,265 67.0% Table 4 Top 20 Countries with the Highest Number of Internet Users (Internet World Stats, 2007c) Rank Country Penetration (% Population) Internet Users Latest Data Population (2006 Est.) 1 Iceland 86.8% 258,000 297,072 2 New Zealand 76.3% 3,200,000 4,195,729 3 Sweden 74.9% 6,800,000 9,076,757 4 Portugal 74.1% 7,782,760 10,501,051 5 Australia 70.7% 14,663,622 20,750,052 6 Falkland Islands 70.4% 1,900 2,699 7 Denmark 69.4% 3,762,500 5,425,373 8 United States 69.3% 207,161,706 299,093,237 19 Netherlands 65.9% 10,806,328 16,386,216 20 United Kingdom 62.5% 37,600,000 60,139,274 The significance of these figures is that online travel agencies effectively are accessible to 62.5% of the UK population, which becomes more imposing when one considers that 16.7 million United Kingdom residents traveled outside of the country during 2006 (National Statistics, 2007). The utilization of travel outside the UK is utilized as internal country travel represents means generally using short air trips, train, car and coach for brief trips and stays and does not factor into the type of business profile utilized to a high percentage by High Street travel agencies. The impact of the Internet has caused a dramatic decrease in the number of brick and mortar travel agency locations in the United Kingdom as a result of shifting consumer booking patterns. During 2005, the intrusion of the Internet into the brick and mortar travel agency business caused 28 travel agency companies to fail, not to mention the numerous closing of the offices of the larger chains (m-travel.com, 2005). I n 2005, the number of brick and mortar travel agencies totaled 6,124, down considerably from the 7,513 in 1989 (m-travel.com, 2005). The good news is that cruise ship travel is up substantially, and the travel / tourism industry has been experiencing solid growth. However, the cruise ship segment is the sector of the industry that has shown the most dramatic gains. Lines such as Carnival, Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean have either ordered or put into service over 30 ships in a few years representing a tremendous capital investment (Prestige Travel Systems, 2007). The lure of cruise ships lies in their first class accommodations and immersing passengers into a totally contained package of luxury, gourmet meals, on ship shops, athletics, movies, entertainment, restaurants all while cruising to destinations. Carrying in the area of 4,000 passengers, with 10 to 15 decks, the typical cruise ship boosts in the area of 10 restaurants, 250 waiters, and most are the same size or larger than the Queen Mary 2 (Guardian Unlimited, 2006). Industry executives in the cruise ship sector report that projections in cruise ship travel forecast it to increase in 2007 (Cruise Critic, 2006). The growth of this segment is good news to brick and mortar travel agencies as airline travel booking has been and is shifting to the online sector. The airline travel segment as a result of the Internet, and user penetration in the UK, 62.5%, has seen an increase in online bookings to the point where it now registers 53%, according to a survey conducted by Accenture (2005). The Report stated that 63% of respondents have booked hotels online, and that nearly two-thirds of those responding to the survey indicating that they expect to increase their use of low cost airlines where price is the primary consideration (Accenture, 2005). One of the key facets uncovered is that consumers are highly price sensitive and that since the 2003 survey it was noted that there has been a significant shift to online bookings from a live agent (Accenture, 2005). Table 5 – Primary Method of Booking Business Travel (Accenture, 2005) Online 53% Phone with a live agent 27% In person 12% Other 8% Table 6 – Internet Use for Flight Arrangements (Accenture, 2005) Research flight times and availability 79% Purchase airline tickets 66% Update and or change reservations 28% Specify personal flight preferences 26% Airline check in 22% Access account history or receipts online 19% None of the above 12% Other 2% Table 7 – Personal Travel Preferences, Airline Type (Accenture, 2005) Major network carriers 48% Low cost airlines 46% Not applicable 5% Other 1% The foregoing indicates a high do it yourself mode in airline bookings whereby the comparisons are rather straight forward. Features incorporated into online sites such as arranging your own seating has proved to be extremely popular, as has the printing of boarding passes and tickets (Economist, 2005). In fact, many online travel agencies are offering more than simply travel tickets and accommodations. Some have gifts shopping, hotel ranking sites, comments from other travelers, tickets to events and more, all in the effort to make the experience personable and get consumers to either remain on the site longer or return (Economist, 2005). As indicated under Table 6 Internet Use for Flight Arrangements, 79% of Internet users utilize online sites to research flight times and availability, while 66% actually purchase tickets. Naturally the more comfortable one

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Cabaret :: essays research papers

Brian says 'you're about as fatale as an after dinner mint!' Is Sally really harmless? Brian's exasperated accusation that Sally is 'as fatale as an after dinner mint' is expressed at the end of a weekend away with Max. The outburst reveals Brian's opinion that Sally is not the seductress she fancies herself to be, but is simply 'deluding' herself. However, one must stop to consider the meaning of harmless when applied to Sally Bowles. She is essentially self-absorbed and theatrical, a confused and childlike character, used in the film to demonstrate to the viewer the dangers of complacency and self-indulgence in a dangerous political environment. Sally is, in fact, unintentionally harmful, for her actions can corrupt and she is politically ignorant. Throughout the film Sally boasts her personal corruption, and perpetuates an acceptance that 'divine decadence' and debauchery are desirable lifestyles. A representative of the seedy and superficial cabaret world, Sally flaunts her promiscuity and chooses to live a life where external problems do not undermine her opinion that 'life is a cabaret'. Her world is an illusion; nothing will obstruct her view that Berlin's decadent society is a wonderfully exciting setting for her rise to stardom. Her self-absorption is obvious when she tells Brian she wants to know 'absolutely everything' about him, and then proceeds to talk over him. Similarly, her inability to assist Natalia in her romantic dilemma with Fritz suggests that she has immersed herself so completely in the amorality of the cabaret world that she cannot comprehend Natalia's emotions, or even face reality enough to contextualise her problem. This lack of empathy for those in tune with the real world rather than Sally's constru cted fantasy has the potential to damage her relationships. Sally is ardently ambitious, and her shameless espousal of hedonism is exemplary of her preparedness to do corrupt things to achieve her dreams. Sally is highly atuned to the potential of power and money to advance her career. To attain these things, she uses her sexuality as a commodity, simply another means for the advancement of her aspirations. Her liberal sexuality may ultimately harm both herself and Brian, as it makes him feel used, and her potential for any kind of real relationship is continuously pushed into the background until it becomes almost an impossibility. Sally's initial approach to all strangers is to attempt to seduce them, as seen with both Brian and Max.

The Powerful Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Adventures Huckle

The Powerful Adventures of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Samuel Langhorne Clemens first published his story, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he was criticized severely. On top of that, the book was banned from libraries and schools alike. The book was thought to be a bad influence on children because it represents the breaking of the law as moral, it recommends disobedience and defiance on the part of young people, it portrays churchgoers as hypocritical, and the most admirable characters in the book habitually lie and steal and loaf (Johnson XII). In this day and time, though, the book has become required reading for many schools, and is found in almost every library in the country. Why has there been a change in attitude about the book? I believe that it was Twain's ideas on slavery, and his views on the "code of honor" of the South that made critics and readers alike come to love his book and see it for what it really was below the surface.    Twain was completely and utterly against slavery. He viewed it as immoral and wrong. In Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain writes on two aspects of slavery that particularly bothered him. One is the legal concept of the slave as property, and the other is the endorsement and support of slavery on religious and moral grounds by the established church. Repeatedly in the novel, the reader is reminded of the cruel absurdity by which one human being pretends to own another, much as one would own a cow or a horse, and that this is done in the name of religion adds makes it even more perverse (Johnson 110). The idea of a slave as property is introduced immediately after Jim, one of the main characters and a slave, runs away. He speaks of himself as property: "... ...m completely that it was a very foolish way of life.    Works Cited Adams, Richard P., Unity and Coherence of Huckleberry Finn. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Simpson, Claude M., ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1968. Crowley, Donald J., ed. One Hundred Years of Huckleberry Finn: The Boy, His Book, and American Culture. Columbia: U of Missouri, 1985. Johnson, Claudia Durst. Understanding Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood P, 1996. Poirier, Richard, Huck Finn and the Metaphors of Society. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Simpson, Claude M., ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1968. Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (1884) Secaucus: Castle, 1987.   

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Cancer of Ebonics :: Expository Exemplification Essays

The Cancer of Ebonics        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American society has made concessions for many groups of people with special interests, such as animal activists, environmental activists and a host of ethnic groups. Tough animal rights laws have been passed to ensure the safety and future of a variety of species ranging from the domestic cat to the bald eagle. The development of Wetlands has been curtailed in an effort to protect our swamps and forests from extinction. Our educational system has implemented a program known as, English As a Second Language, which lends itself to the special needs of immigrants in our school systems. This program offers extra tutoring and extra time on tests for immigrants who primarily speak a language other than English. Dudley Scholarship and Bethel Foundation Scholarship, along with over twelve-hundred others, have been created exclusively for minorities in an effort to encourage furthering their education. A list of these scholarships can be found in Directory of Financial A ids for Minorities, 1993-1995. In an effort to promote equal opportunity in the work place, the United States Government adopted the Affirmative Action program, which forces companies to place a certain number of minorities within their work force. Now, some politicians and educators in this country want to make concessions for those Americans who have grown up learning to speak what some people call street slang, as opposed to speaking standard English, which at last I heard was still America's primary language. According to Caroline Boarder, a political columnist, a program known as Ebonics has been introduced in Oakland, Ca., as a way to bridge the gap between black English or bad English-speaking students and standard English-speaking students in an effort to raise reading and writing test scores of African Americans. She also states that the Oakland school board contends that this bridge is necessary because the speaking of Ebonics is genetically related to African Americans. ( Educators Sound Off on Ebonics, Washington Post, Jan 97) This hypothesis suggests that black students are incapable of learning the English language through conventional teaching methods, and we must devise an easier way to teach them. I encourage every tax paying American citizen to take a close look at this program; after all, it is you who will be paying the bill for its implementation. I agree with politicians and educators who have at least acknowledged the fact that our education system needs an effective way to instill proper English in all students across the country regardless of their race, but is Ebonics the answer?

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Great Balls of Flowers Essay

Throughout Steve Abees’s book Great Balls of Flowers the reoccurring themes that arise are sex, love, family and life. Within each poem he threads in a minimum of two themes, interweaving them so all the themes eventually overlap. The themes of sex, love and family are each representative of a major component of his life. His book gives readers insight as to what Abee is thinking and feeling within each poem, making them extremely personal for the reader. The title of the book was seemingly derived from Jerry Lee Lewis’s Song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† which was written in 1957 on the movie based on Jerry Lee Lewis which was released in 1989. The movie discusses Lewis’ controversial life and his rise and fall as a rock star. Lewis suffered from substance abuse and resorted to alcoholism when times got bad. His song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† is purely sexual discussing the arousal of a man, this song was one of Lewis’ major hits. Abee’s title â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers† is so appropriate especially with his replacement of fire with flowers. Flowers hold the softer connotation of love and peacefulness as Abee explains how he’s overcome his issues with the love he feels and receives from his family. Within select poems his love for his wife and children are startlingly apparent. He portrays himself with raw emotions that seem unbreakable. In the poem â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, he states, â€Å"I love you so much that when I touch you my fingers turn into miniature suns shining. † His portrayal of everlasting love and lust for his wife gives the reader insight as to his most personal and inner thoughts and emotions. Because of the rawness and bluntness of his emotions It is evident his poetry was used as an escape for Abee. His attachment to his wife leads the reader to think as a child there were issues with his family. Romance isn’t the only type of love Abee discusses, as he also mentions the love he has for his children. For his youngest daughter, Abee states â€Å"her voice opens me like breath. † He continues on to state â€Å"I’m trying to be good now I’m trying not to be bad†, this gives the reader the idea that his children are now the motivation for him. It seems as if he had previously struggled with a personal issue that has disappeared because of the arrival of his children. Substance abuse seems appropriate as he refines it in the poem â€Å"Sucks† when he says â€Å"beer sucks. It’s good but it sucks. Marijuana sucks†¦ Crystal Meth sucks so bad. † His allusions to these substances would tie in as a strong connection to the title, â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers. † Abee never fails to insert a sexual innuendo within the majority of his poems. One example of his sexual references arise in the poem â€Å"Gas†, Abee states â€Å"when I lick your secrets, bombs begin to fall from your thighs. † His continual sexual references tie in greatly with the title, Great Balls of Flowers because it alludes to the 1957 hit song discussing sex. Sex seems to be a dominant theme throughout the book, as it was throughout many of Jerry Lee Lewis’ songs as well. Abee’s continuous blunt sexual references free him from the shackle soft society as he isn’t scared to discuss topics that seem controversial. His direct statements give the book a potent feel and, honest take on life. As the book goes on you can see the meniscal details in life that are typically overlooked are what Abee thrives upon. His poems are real portrayals of his daily routine and it gives the reader a personal connection with him and his mindset. Great Balls of Flowers consists of poems covering the themes of sex, love, family and life. His title is so appropriate these four themes are the pieces of Abee’s life which he discusses in his poetry giving readers in insight into his alternative perspective on life and love. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses imagery to help develop his tone and themes in his various poems. His use of imagery creates a clear picture that the reader can connect with. Those images, which are typically familiar to the reader help the reader, better understand the point Abee is trying to make. Abee uses a mix of concrete imagery alongside symbolic imagery, creating numerous layers for the reader to divulge in as the poems go on. One example of the imagery used is in the poem â€Å"Hail to the Things I Can Not See. † Abee states â€Å"Oh wind keeping seagulls aloft, squawking and hovering over my daughters and my hot dogs at Santa Monica Pier. † His use of imagery in this quote sets the setting for this poem. Along with it building a setting, it gives the poem a nostalgic feel because that’s where the author grew up. The familiar sounds he describes connect the reader to the beach, which carries light and happy connotations, reinforcing the nostalgic feel while integrating the positive tone. The city scape imagery portrays Abee as a city boy, giving readers an image of him. His juxtaposition of the city scene with more symbolic imagery gives the reader insight to what he sees life as helping him break free from the connotations that come with â€Å"city boy†. The stanza after the one previously stated says, â€Å"oh the gravity that holds the trees up and my bones together†, using imagery in more of a symbolic sense. Although gravity is something not visible to the human eye, Abee portrays it in a way that is viable to the reader. The contrast of the tangible with the symbolic give the poem a deeper feel. Another example of imagery can be seen in the poem, â€Å"Poem to My Wife†, Abee states â€Å"the innocent sea shore of our kiss, where hippies play on tambourine brain fried ukulele and we dance on crab grass sand†. His use of imagery in this quote not only sets the scene for this particular stanza but sets the mood for the entire poem. His use of the word ukulele gives the reader the view of the upbeat instrument that plays purely cheerful melodies, while the sand gives the reader an image of the beach giving the poem a bright tone. As he explains how they dance to the upbeat tunes, the reader can feel the joy radiating off the happy couple. This portrayal of why Abee is so infatuated with this wife, not only gives readers an insight into his marriage but an insight to his heart and what makes him happy. Within the poem previously discussed Abee states, â€Å"words†¦ rising up into a ball of Christmas lights, poof, explosion of holiday love. † This use of imagery is purely symbolic; words are personified to express his love for his wife giving the reader an idea of how extreme his passion is for his mate. His use of the image â€Å"Christmas Lights† give off the connotations of the holiday which is centered on love and happiness. These connotations give the poem an upbeat and warm tone, while the reader starts to see Abee in a different more loving sort of light. Along with the holiday connotations, his use of words like explosion give the poem a more passionate and yearning sort of feel, giving readers visuals of the intensity of his love. Abee’s use of imagery greatly constructs the tone and theme of the poem. Throughout the book there are instances where symbolic and tangible imagery contrast, following the same sort of pattern showed in this poem. This contrast sets the setting then divulges into Abee’s inner thoughts, giving readers a better perception of the author and a deeper understanding of his poetry. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses personification, similes and metaphors in various poems. Each of these devices holds a different effect over the reader, emphasizing and creating different images for the reader. Each example of figurative language holds a different effect on the reader but in all the point of the insertions of the figurative language is to accentuate the purpose of each poem. Steve Abee uses various similes in the poem, â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, one example of this can be seen in the quote, â€Å"loving you is like surfing the wave of benevolent impulse. † In this poem he is describing the intese love he feels for his wife and uses a simile to explain to the reader the extensity of his overwhelming emotions for her. Using the word benevolent describes the gentleness of the love the duo share while impose gives readers a sense of the intensity that kindness carries. Abee compares the love they share to surfing a wave giving readers a familiar image to compare the ‘ride† he feels with her. The insertion of a metaphor adds another layer to the poem , leaving room for interpretation from there reads, which contrasts well as Abee is explaining like his poetry , his love for his wife has numerous layers. Within the poem previously discussed, Abee uses personification to further explain the love he feels for his wife. The quote goes as follows, â€Å"But it (poem) wouldn’t be able to help itself. † Abee is explaining what a poem to his wife would consist of, and that is where he inserts the above quote. The use of personifications gives the reader a sense of how alive his love for his wife is. The intensity of his love can’t be explained with the used of an inanimate object so personifying the poem gives his love an image. Along with the aspect of imagery rat personification brings, it sets a tone for the entire poem. The personification of the â€Å"poem† gives the literal poem a loud but allusive tone. In the poem â€Å"Gas Station†, the entire first stanza consists of metaphors, Abee states, â€Å"Steve Abee is a gas station. † To start things off the first impression this holds on the reader is a whirlwind of thoughts in hope to analyze what he could possibly mean by this statement. As he continues on he states numerous other figures are â€Å"gas stations† such as Jesus Christ, and Jack Kerouac. Continuing on he states how gas stations are â€Å"lonesome and lovely† and sit on the â€Å"edge of a sandy skirt desert†. His descriptions of gas stations set the tone for the poem as morbid and sad  as the reader is visualizing a delegate area that people use then leave. Both Fries and Christ underwent great suffering throughout their lives which ultimately resulted in their deaths, which connects to the end of the stanza where Abee states, â€Å"As we move from seashore to graveyard. † Using the metaphor not only on himself but on other figures not only gives readers an image to connect his emotions to but it also shows readers that personally this is what he perceives life as, a journey where humans are used and abused , then die. His metaphor emphasizes his main idea for that poem while accentuating the tone that is apparent throughout the rest of the poem. Abee uses all these forms of figurative language to emphasize are ideas and highlight the tones that are seen in his various poems. They also all help connect back to the main themes which can be seen throughout the poem. In all each device helps give readers the image in which Abee intends from them to see, while showing readers how he personally feels. If I was to write a poem to you it would go something like this As I sit and reminisce, a wave of nostalgia overcomes me, leaving me choking and gasping for relief, as I drown in memories of forgotten promises faded secrets Next, id talk about how your laugh was like the church bells ringing on Sunday morning, clear and crisp in the sunny sky, particles of sound dancing with the rhythm of love If I were to write you a poem I would use words like gifted and good, the gentle gem in a mound of rocks, something like that. I would have pointless passages explaining the magnetic pull we felt between us, I would illuminate the page with the sparks we once shared, fireworks over a lake of washed out feelings, calmly disappearing into a an abyss of darkness If I was going to write you a poem it would have words It would have words describing our love, words only cupid knows, words of joy and happiness. Words to explain how you make me feel , words that would flow out of my mouth into my hand and onto paper like a stream flows into the ocean, twisting and turning then eventually colliding with the salty sea water, slowly integrating themselves till they are one. To be honest the poem I would write would have a dark side, a side of sadness and longing, unreasonably irrational and unhealthily attached. I would say things like I miss you and come back. I love you more than you could ever know; I need you more than the grass needs rain. Your love warms me and keeps me alive, your love completed me. The poem would say you can’t love another, you can only love me. I would say please come back, I would say I’m sorry. I would say we were perfect together, we were soul mates. I would say no one else can hold you; no one else can touch you or call you theirs. The poem would say how could you? How could you love another, how could you be with another or kiss another. How could you leave me? The poem would be like that, angry. Yes angry, sad, mournful and dark, with flashes of light flickering in the darkness. The poem would be sealed in a bottle, and thrown into space, where it only company would be the sun, until eventually it would fade away, never to be read by my forgotten love.