Food Trend 2013

Techno, the nation's leading foddering research and consulting firm, brings together the best Judgments of its consultants and editors to peer ahead to food trends that may significantly impact the restaurant industry in 2013. These expert insights are based on site visits evaluating the restaurant scene in cities across the country as well as interviews and surveys of operators, chefs and consumers, backed up by qualitative data from its extensiveDigital Resource Library and quantitative data from its vast Monitored database. Some of these developments are mainstream trends among major players, others are edgy urban movements that may or may not spread to the wider American public, and some are in the process of evolving from leading-edge to mainstream. 1. Vegetables take their star turn. As more diners discover the Joys of occasional meatless meals, the flirtation with vegetarian fare evolves into flexibility fascination with actual vegetables.That meaner not only innovative salads but creative reservations of roasted or steamed veggies, even the assertive ones like carrots, kale or Brussels sprouts. Vegetables at the center of the plate are welcomed by diners†who continue to seek fresh, local, healthful fare†and operators squeezed by rising costs for proteins. 2. Great grains. Recognized as nutrition powerhouses† packed with protein as well as texture and full, rich taste†grains are also playing star roles on trendy menus. Dishes like pollute, couscous or bulge are central to some of today's hottest ethnic cuisines.And a number of grains† quinoa, amaranth, little, wild rice, corn, oats and buckwheat†do not contain gluten, so they're being nudged to the fore as part of the movement to gluten-free eating. 3. Chicken surprise. Yes, chicken is ubiquitous thanks to its always-reasonable price and remarkable versatility, but now it's actually trendy as well. New quick-service and fast-casual fried-chicken concepts are popping up , offering Southern or spicy takes on a classic. And now that Latin-accented marinated chicken has established a niche, African pert-peer chicken may be next. . Snacking nation. Habits of around-the- lock eating, the street-food/food-truck craze, consumers' demand for flexible portions and prices, and operators' need to move beyond price-cutting on core menu items all combine to make snack fare a key trend. Taps, mezzo and upscale bar bites in full-service restaurants are matched by flavor novelties in limited-service restaurants, from Spicy Chicken Incites at McDonald's and Chicken Littlest at KEF to mini corn dogs at Jack in the Box and cheesecake bites at SONIC. 5. More is more.On the other hand, there's an opposite value-as-volume movement. Look for more eels like Pizza Hut's Big Dinner Box (two pizzas with multiple sides) or Olive Garden's Dinner Today & Dinner Tomorrow (a dine-in meal plus a to-go meal), as well as multi-course feasts for two, four or more†even whole-hog pig roasts. 6. Traditional and contemporary diners and delis for inspiration. We'll see a proliferation of premium diner- and deli-inspired meaty sandwiches, full-flavored soups, even pickles†from traditional dill cues to pickled red onion. . Noodle-shop noodles. Ramee done right is a long way from dorm fare; it's nutritious, subtle, satisfying and redolent of exotic Far East street markets. Look for Ramee, don, sobs, cellophane and rice noodles to show up in hearty layered bowls, fragrant soups and even mixed-texture salads, not only in a burgeoning number of big-city noodle shops but in seafood and varied-menu restaurants as well. 8. South America†the next frontier.Just as diners who love Asian fare have explored beyond Chinese to develop a taste for Thai and Vietnamese, those who favor Mexican are now looking south†all the way to Brazil, Argentina and Peru. We'll see mainstreaming of South American-style grilled meats, chummier sauce, achieve, South American-As ian suasion seafood dishes and iconic drinks, from Brazier's chaplain to Peer's Pico sour. 9. Fast casual goes globe-trotting. Success in the exploding fast-casual sector is no longer limited to bakery cafà ©Ã‚ ©s and Mexican concepts.Build-your-own-better-burger chains and gourmet brick-oven pizza restaurants have been on the rise for some time, but now we're also seeing more ethnic foods and flavors†from American barbecue to Southeast Asian soups and sandwiches to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. 10. Restaurants thirsty for differentiation turn to beverages. Trends include fresh fruit (especially tropical fruit) beverages; natural energy drinks; housemate sodas; cocktails made with candy-like flavored vodkas; microdensitometer liquors that promote drinking locally; regional craft brews starring in beer-and-food pairings; and the rise of hard ciders.December 4, 2012 wry. Restaurant. Org by Monika Stevenson WHAT'S HOT 2013 Chef survey When asked how to best handle the i ncreasing cost of ingredients, one-third (32 percent) said changing menus, one-quarter (25 percent) said adjusting plate composition, and another quarter (24 percent) said exploring new sourcing options. Only 4 percent said that raising menu prices is the best strategy. Just over one- quarter of the chefs (27 percent) ranked tablet computers, such as pads, as the hottest technology trend in restaurants in 2013, followed closely by semaphore APS (25 percent).Nineteen percent said mobile/wireless/pay-at-the-table options will be the hottest tech trend. Highlighting that the restaurant industry is one of opportunity for advancement and entrepreneurship, nine out of 10 (89 percent) of the chefs started their foddering career at entry level, with dishwasher, busses, line cook and prep cook being the most common first Jobs. Rounding out the top 20 hot menu trends are: 11. Farm/estate Branded Items 12. Non-wheat noodles/pasta (e. G. Quinoa, rice, buckwheat) 13. Non-traditional fish (e. G. Bronzing, Arctic char, scrambled eggs, coconut milk pancakes) F 15. Tit/vegetable children' side items 16. Health/nutrition as a culinary theme 17. Half-portions/smaller portions for a smaller price 18. House-made/artisan ice cream 19. Black/forbidden rice 20. DOD trucks F For complete What's Hot in 2013†² survey results, visit http:// www. Restaurant. Org/footrests The National Restaurant Association's â€Å"What's Hot in 2013† survey of more than ,800 professional chefs – members of the American Culinary Federation (ACE) – reveals that children's nutrition and local sourcing will continue to be the hottest trends on restaurant menus.The chefs also said the best ways to address rising food costs are change menus, adjust plate composition and explore sourcing options. The top 10 menu trends for 2013 will be: 1. Locally sourced meats and seafood 2. Locally grown produce 3. Healthful kids' meals 4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme 5. Children' s nutrition as a culinary theme 6. New cuts of meat (e. G. Denver steak, pork flat iron, trees major) 7. Hyper-local sourcing (e. G. Restaurant gardens) 8. Gluten-free cuisine 9. Sustainable seafood 10. Whole grain items in kids' meals Items that received the highest scores as waning trends (I. . Yesterdays news) are: froth/air/foam, Ramee, gazpacho, â€Å"fun-shaped† children's items, mini- burgers/sliders, flavored/ enhanced water, bacon-flavored chocolate, flavored popcorn, fish collars, and desserts with bacon. Items that received the highest scores as perennial favorites are: Italian cuisine, hamburgers/cheeseburgers, egg dishes, French toast, barbecue, fruit desserts (cobbler, pie, tart), comfort foods, rolling, milkshakes and Mexican cuisine. Also included in the survey were questions about technology trends, rising food costs, and nutritious recipes.More than half (55 percent) of the chefs said they always make efforts to adjust dishes and recipes to be more healthful , while 37 percent said they cook with nutrition in mind, but that not all recipes are easily adjusted. For more menu ideas you can use, ask your Marketing Associate about Mix it Up! And be sure to download Scads Chef Ref app for your tablet or smart phone, free for Android and Apple ISO. Http://chef. Cisco. Com 3 www. Bodleian. Mom The Food Channel has released its 2013 Trends Forecast – the top ten food trends we see for the coming year.This report is compiled in conjunction with [email  protected] and the International Food Futurist† Here's a look at what we see happening in the world of food for 2013.. 1. Castrating New Food Concepts. Yes, Streakier, Expounded and other grounding sites have been around a while, but we see them really kicking it up to a new level in the food and hospitality arena in the coming year. Got a new food product idea, or want to build a new restaurant? Go for it, and make it a cordilleras. . Smoking' Hot. Some people call it the new bacon , and beverages†is big and getting bigger.At the dinner table, it's going way beyond barbecue, and the trend is spreading. We're starting to see things like smoked cocktails, smoked olive oil, and even smoked water. Nordic/Scandinavian cuisine is one to watch in the coming year, too, and you'll find a variety of smoked food choices driving that trend. 3. Home Bakers Hone Skills. High-end specialty bakery products are becoming widely accessible for home use. It's never been easier to get professional restaurant quality ingredients and supplies. At-home bakers have found a new way to make what used to be hard†¦ Well, if not easy, at least easier.Thanks to new parchments, new pans, new recipes, and tutorials, baking up fancy pastries at home is becoming a more realistic goal. Premium French pastries are getting incorporated into more desserts and into more breakfast/brunch items, and more people embracing the idea for home cooking. The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King Co llege in Chicago is expanding for those thinking about going Pro, as well as some who are simply serious about getting really good at it. 4. The Fix Is In. PRI-Fixed, That Is. No choice† is becoming the new choice when it comes to dining out.The European-style PRI-fixed (fixed menu) restaurant policy is making its way to American shores. Fine dining establishments offer a limited range of set choices, and are holding firm on no substitutions. It's trickling down to the casual dining segment, too. Chains are bundling a selection of appetizer-entry ©e- dessert three-course meals for two–for a value price. 4 5. The Rise of the Supermarket Concierge. Grocery stores have executive chefs, offer cooking classes, and have specialists who can direct you to the best cheese, best meats, and best baked goods.We began to see it a few years ago when we predicted the rise in butchers, and it's gone beyond. Cooking classes are everywhere – sponsored by grocery stores, private caterers and restaurants of all sorts. The supermarket concierge is the next logical step in the progression. (Photo of Chef Chadwick of Why-Eve) 6. Brunch Becomes the New Fourth Meal. The late-morning meal that usurps breakfast and dinner is becoming the hot new meal occasion. You can find eateries that feature karaoke during brunch, or offer a free-flowing Bloody Mary Bar.We found a bowling alley that hosts a brunch, serving such choices as fried chicken, deuterium pancakes and cinnamon toast pizza. So stay up late, then sleep in and enjoy the new fourth meal. 7. Seasonal for All Seasons. Traditional seasons are getting stretched out, with people making things like pumpkin muffins in the summer. The health benefits and the flavor are turning the fall favorite into a year-round flavor in all kinds of dishes. Percent in the last two years. Tomatoes have been an all-year staple for years, but new breakthroughs in agro-science are making the off-season varieties actually worth eating. Then there's the continuation of the canning trend (which we spotlighted last ear), that lets folks enjoy the bounty of summer all winter long. 8. Cooking too Tea. Earl Grey and other tea flavors are starting to be used in cooking. The consumption of tea in general is still growing, and now it's moving beyond beverage onto the ingredient list for some menu items. For one thing, teas have great names and can help spice up a menu in many ways. Look for tea rubs, the way there are coffee and cocoa rubs. Tea†¦ It's not Just for drinking anymore. 9. Comfort Food with an Ethnic Accent.Yes, we still love our meatloaf, roast chicken and Mac ; cheese. But younger generations have expanded what fits into this catalogs category, with an emphasis on ethnic cuisines. Comfort food for the twenty- and thirty-something crowd includes choices like Japanese Ramee, Korean chime, Chinese pot stickers, sun cakes and Vietnamese pooh. Look for new twists in the coming year like Jumbo-sized â€Å"man sushi. † 10. Here's the Skinny. We're finally starting to see the obesity trend level Off bit with a growing number of Americans striving to eat healthier.But a developing subset of the movement to eat smarter is a new desire to be†not Just at a healthy weight† but actually skinny. The â€Å"skinny-fit† trend is moving from a blue Sears category too ay of eating, and some restaurants are responding with tiny portions that cater to this vanity-driven crowd. Will it go too far? 5 www. Restaurant-hospitality. Com Novo. 26, 2012 by Bob Grummet Top Dining Trends 2013: A New Perspective Two food cost-friendly options make this top 10 trends list worth a look. 6. American artisans save you a trip to Europe. â€Å"For years, budding food artisans have sprung up in the U.S. , crafting everything from booze to charcuterie,† SIR declares. â€Å"And as their craze becomes a lifestyle, you can count on every major city to proudly sport local, artisan food destin ations in 2013. â€Å"7. Small plates for me only. Have customers had enough of pass-turnaround dining? SIR tells us small plates meant for sharing will be replaced with smaller, singular servings of meat, veggies or starches for a truly customized dining experience. 8. Savory fruit. Look for fruit used with savory flavors, incorporated as a touch in appetizer, soups and meat dishes. Chefs are fermenting, pickling, drying, dehydrating, salting, grilling, frying and generally manipulating fruit more to get new flavors out of what we are used to eating raw,† says SIR culinary team member and Top Chef Season 5 winner Hoses Rosenberg. 9. No diner left behind. From gluten-free to vegan, more and more restaurants will offer all-inclusive menus and services to accommodate all eaters. â€Å"Gone are the days associate culinary director Aziza Jackson's. â€Å"Chefs who are cutting edge realize this and are planning ahead in the kitchen to have the flexibility to meet the varied requ ests. 10. Popcorn is the snack of 2013. Sweet or savory, the all-time favorite (and healthy) snack will pop up everywhere†in ice cream, as croutons, as a bar snack and more. SIR points to examples from restaurants such as Linger in Denver, which serves complimentary popcorn with seasonings like Cancan Mole and Madras Curry and Dill instead of a bread basket; and Halcyon in Charlotte, NC, which offers salted caramel popcorn croutons atop a North Carolina winter greens salad served with boiled peanut vinaigrette. From a food cost perspective, what restaurant wouldn't want to Jump all over this one?We don't know how many of these trends will make the leap into the mainstream this year. But we've already seen a couple of them gain a foothold on a number of restaurant menus, and we wouldn't be surprised if a few more don't make their presence felt in 2013. Beclouded, CO-based ad agency/food brand consultancy Sterling's Group took a horrors approach to developing its list of sass's top food trends. First, it queried celebrity chefs, product developers and other food world luminaries about what they saw on the horizon. Then the agency's in-house culinary team drew on those findings to compile its list.Here are the 10 dining trends Sterling-Rice Group (SIR) thinks will move from the cutting edge into the mainstream in 2013. 1. Sour gets its day. The American dining scene will explore additional parts of the flavor spectrum beyond sweet, salty and fatty, says SIR. â€Å"Next year we'll have a plethora of tart, acidic ND bitter flavors to choose from as menus feature flavors like fermented cherry juice, varietals vinegars, even sour beer. † 2. Chefs watch your weight. Healthful dining is a perennial entrant on most trend lists, but will we actually see healthful dining manifest itself on menus this year? Butter, bacon, and cream have been chefs' best friends since the beginning of time,† notes SIR. â€Å"But in 2013, chefs will be working quietly beh ind the scenes to make your dishes better for you with ingredients like brown rice, high-fiber grains and vitamin-rich veggie broths. † 3. Asian infiltrates American comfort food. The spicy and fresh flavors of Thailand, Vietnam and Korea take comfort food in a new direction, and this could be the year more restaurant operators position these cuisines as such. â€Å"Expect to walk into a classic American diner and see options like Vietnamese chicken sandwiches, Scratch mayo and Korean-glazed pork ribs. 4. Veggies take over the plate. No longer prepared as Just a side or salad, vegetables will get their chance to star as the main dish this year. SIR points to entrees like the Kohlrabi Burgeoning at AS in San Francisco and the Cauliflower T-bone at Superb Snack Bar in L. A. We know restaurant owners will love he food cost on items like these. 5. Kids' menus grow up. One of these years, a forecast like Grog's†that Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets will take a backseat to kid-friendly versions of adult dining options† is bound to come true. Is 2013 that year? Drinking Your Dinner and Bulge With Your Burger 1 . Drink Your Dinner Is it a food or a drink? Marketers in 2013 will continue to experiment with putting traditionally solid foods into liquid form, while pitching drinks as replacements for solid meals. The moves come as consumers put a premium on convenience. Kellogg Co. Recently rolled out â€Å"Breakfast to Go† shakes ailed as providing a â€Å"nutritious and filling breakfast that helps give consumers the energy they need to get through the busy morning, even if they don't have time to sit at the breakfast table. Meanwhile, PepsiCo is moving forward with plans to put snacks in beverage form. The company has a â€Å"whole range of products in the pipeline that are value-added products that can be snacks made into beverages,† CEO Indri Onion said recently at Beverage Digested Future Smarts conference, according to Bennett. Com. â€Å"A way to grow the beverage business is to take foods and drinking them,† she added. 2. Heat's On Meat Is meat going out of style? Yes, we've heard this one before, but 2013 might be a watershed year for the meatless movement.One reason is that last summer's drought is expected to boost the price of beef and chicken. So consumers will increasingly look for energy from so- called â€Å"new proteins,† says Phil Element, who runs supermarkets. Com. â€Å"A major shift is anticipated in the nation's protein food supply away from meat-based proteins and shifting to meatless proteins like eggs, nut butters, tofu, beards, legumes, with an increase in awareness and consumption of vegetarian and vegan meals,† Mr†¦ Element reported recently as part of his â€Å"Top 10 Food Trend Predictions or 2013. The trend also holds for restaurants. Techno in its 2013 outlook said that vegetables and other meatless options, such as veggie burgers, will continue to evol ve. While major chains may not roll out vegetarian-specific menus in the near term, chains such as McDonald's, Burger King and Wend's have revamped veggie- centric items such as salads. 3. Salad or Fries with that? Though a bulge salad may not be on the menu at McDonald's this year (or any year, for that matter), smaller health-food fast-casual chains are popping up and offering items such as quinoa and Brussels sprouts.It's likely these types of chains will take years to expand, but ones that have only a couple of locations now have already been making waves. Life Kitchen, the brainchild of former McDonald's global chief operating officer and president Mike Roberts, was started in California and offers healthful dishes that include local, organic, healthful fare; the chain also has grand expansion plans. British chain Prà ªt A Manger, which specializes in fresh items that have no preservatives or chemicals, continues to expand in the U. S. , even if it's only in a handful of citie s currently.Local health chains, such as Protein Bar in Chicago, will keel also continue to pop up, though time will tell how far they'll expand. Restaurants Surveyed for Trend Predictions http://www. Factual. Com January 8, 2013 Restaurant. Com, an online restaurant deal resource, has polled 106 restaurants throughout the quick-service, fast casual and full-service segments to gain insight into 2013 culinary trends. Respondents' top predictions for the New Year include: Healthy: Sixty-four percent of restaurants responding accordingly: 80 percent of restaurants say they will add healthier menu items in 2013.Fifty-two percent of restaurants surveyed selected healthy options as he most influential factor in planning their 2013 menus, followed by vegetarian options (39 percent) and gluten-free options (38 percent). Vegetables: As consumers demand healthier options, vegetables will have a more prominent position on menus. Vegetable dishes ranked No. 2 on the list of most popular food t rends for 2013 as voted by the surveyed restaurants, with 43 percent picking them to be an actual trend.For measure, 62 percent of restaurants said they will feature locally- sourced produce this year. Comfort food: In spite of the healthy movement seen elsewhere in the survey, restaurants selected comfort food as the most popular rend for 2013, with 50 percent of respondents selecting it over newer trends such as spicy foods (37 percent), mini foods (34 percent) and small plates (39 percent). Drinks: Specialty cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are thought to be growing in popularity, with 35 percent of respondents selecting them as a 2013 trend.New items: Eighty-five percent of restaurants surveyed plan to add new items to their menus in 2013, though it may come at a price: 70 percent of restaurants expect to raise prices this year. 7 Smoked Tomato, Rosemary, Chile Peppers & Sweet Onion Anise & Cater Faro Grain, Blackberry & Clove Artichoke, Paprika & Hazelnut Flavor For ecast 2013 www. Efflorescent. Com This year, the Flavor Forecast reveals a common thread connecting food cultures around the world. In restaurants and kitchens far and wide, cooks are elevating authentic ingredients through individualized inspirations, modern sensibilities and innovative techniques.The result? A delicious medley of unique flavor experiences that is more creative, more diverse and much more personal. TREND No Apologies Necessary Diving headfirst into sumptuous flavors to enjoy the gratification of a momentary escape FLAVOR COMBINATION 1 . Decadent Bitter Chocolate, Sweet Basil & Passion Fruit An intensely indulgent combo that delights all the senses. 2. Black Rum, Charred Orange & Allspice Tropical getaway; a sultry collision of richness & warmth. 3. Cider, Sage & Molasses A hands-on approach to showcasing the very best of ourselves Rustic and comforting, natural goodness for every meal 4.Smoked Tomato, Rosemary, Chile Peppers & Sweet Onion Smoky, sweet & spicy flavo rs energize handcrafted ketchup, sauces, Jams and more. 5. Faro Grain, Blackberry & Clove Empowered Eating Creating health and wellness harmony through a highly personalized, flexible approach Healthy ancient grain with powerful hits of fruit and spice. 6. Market-Fresh Broccoli & Duke Duke is a blend of cumin, coriander, sesame and nuts. Satisfying flavors and textures, mixing unexpected varieties of broccoli with Middle Eastern spice blend. 7.Hearty Meat Cuts, Plantain & Stick Cinnamon Hidden Potential A waste-not mentality, uncovering the fullest flavors from every last part of the ingredient A new take on meat and potatoes inspiring creative approaches. 8. Artichoke, Paprika & Hazelnut Ingredients you thought you knew invite new exploration to unleash their deliciously versatile starring qualities. . Japanese Status Sauce & Oregano Global My Way Discovering the unlimited flavor possibilities of global ingredients, beyond traditional roles in â€Å"ethnic† cuisines Tangy fl avors of BBC and steak sauce create the next go-to condiment. 0. Anise & Cater (Mexican caramel sauce) Sweet, rich delight transports desserts and savory dishes to new places. 10 18 Top 10 Food Trends for 2013 shine. Yahoo. Com Jan. 7, 2013 By Sherry Franken 1 . Carrots Move over kale and Brussels sprouts. Some of New York City's trendiest and priciest restaurants are already giving carrots pride of place on their menus. At the Auber HCI, super-expensive, four-star Eleven Madison Park, carrot tartars is prepared to order tables. Impel ¶n Cochin on the hip lower east side serves roasted carrots with mole Plano and yogurt to die for.Also up and coming: cauliflower and parsnips! Like to make new friends and have an adventurous palate and big bucks to shell out as these experiences in dining usually cost $100 or much more. 6. No Stir Risotto Quinoa, barley, faro, Israeli couscous are all ultra delicious when they're cooked risotto-style with broth, tomato sauce, or even seasoned water until the grains are plump, swollen and chock full of flavor. But unlike arbor rice, these good-for-you whole grains don't require constant stirring†¦ Just an occasional swipe with a wooden spoon. . Juice, Juicing, and Juicers They're back and more popular than ever! While here at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, we believe in filling up on firebrick whole fruits and veggies, the world at large seems convinced that Juices concocted of everything from apple to beets to parsley and fortified with healthy doses of kale and wheat grass, will help us all stay healthier and feel better. A Juice emporium is bound to spring up at a shopping center near you. 7. Ash Not a typo. We've all long loved the way smoke complements food†¦. Once the popularity of bacon, sausage, and barbecue. But ash is a new way to give food the primal taste of fire. Chefs are burning vegetables and grains, then pulverize them into a dust and sprinkling it on plates and food. Chicken's trendy†¦ Even more so topped with a layer of hay ash. 3. Family Style Dining When you eat out with with bodies, as I often do, everyone passes their plates around the table so everyone can taste everything†¦ It's a practice I abhor as by the time a dish has gone half way round it's no longer recognizable or appealing. So I

Does Person-Centred Therapy Differ from Other Helping Relationships?

â€Å"How do person-centred counsellors use the therapeutic relationship to facilitate change- and in what way (s) does person-centred therapy differ from other helping relationships? † word count: 2,495 Person centred counselling originated and was evolved on the ideas of American psychologist Carl Rogers. The influences on Carl Rogers and he’s conceptualisation of Person centred counselling are numerous, from his early family life living on a farm, his interest and involvement in theology and his formative professional career. One incident which appears to have had a particular impact on Carl Rogers was when working in his first job as a psychologist, at Rochester New York, for an organisation for the prevention of cruelty to children, whilst working with a parent (Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1989). At this stage in his career Carl Rogers, being trained in or influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis, was essentially working in a diagnostic and interpretative way, helping a child or parent gain insight or an intellectual understanding of their own behaviour and what was unconsciously driving or motivating it (Thorne B 2002) . He formalised that the problem with the child stemmed from the Mother’s rejection of the child in his early years. But despite a number of sessions was unable to help the Mother gain this insight. He concluded that it wasn’t working and finally gave up. The Mother was leaving when she asked Carl Rogers if he takes adults for counselling. He began working with the mother, where she subsequently expressed her despair of unhappiness and feelings of failure, which was more emotive and authentic in expression, than the previously intellectual and matter of fact account given previously of her history and current life. Carl Rogers said that ‘real therapy’ began at this moment and concluded in a successful outcome (Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1990). This is Carl Roger’s view and what he learned from this experience: â€Å"This incident was one of a number which helped me to experience the fact- only fully realized later- that is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. It began to occur to me that unless I had a need to demonstrate my own cleverness and learning, I would do better to rely upon the client for the direction of movement in the process†. Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1990 p13). This statement is arguably the beginnings of what, in many ways would later define and becomes a way of working within person centred therapy – that is a therapy that allows the client to be whom the client is, without any active direction from the therapist. Carl Rogers through clinical experience, research an d development later defined his model of therapy. He based it upon the principles of a person as having at it’s a core an instinctive tendency towards growth, to fulfilling their potential as a person in what he termed ‘self actualisation’ (Mearns D, et al. 988). Carl Rogers believed that every living organism has a desire to increase, widen and broaden. Essentially, a fundamental urge to improve upon itself and that although, in the case of human beings, this urge may be buried or hidden by multiple psychological structures and conflicts, he strongly believed in the existence of this actualisation tendency in all of us and that given the correct conditions, it could be freed and realised in all of us (Rogers C 1961- becoming a person). Personally, I have recognised a need to develop and grow within myself for sometime and this has again been highlighted to me during this term. The more I become aware of my insecurities and pre judgements, the greater the desire to become bigger than them only becomes more apparent to me. Through my clinical experience working with adults with mental health problems, I have certainly recognised a desire in many, to become bigger or more than their issues, although, I am not certain if that was a desire to escape from their often intolerable suffering, or a fundamental need to self actualise†¦ at the very least, I would suggest self actualisation is an entirely relative supposition and will differ from person to person, dependent upon their own experiences, circumstances and perhaps even expectations. These correct conditions which are required within person centred therapy in order that the client can achieve self actualisation and personality change were outlined by Carl Rogers and he believed that if this 6 conditions were met, it would facilitate change within the client: Two persons are in psychological contact- both client and counsellor are present physically and psychologically. The client is in a state of incongruence, (which will be discussed in more detail) the communication of the counsellor’s empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard is met at a minimal level. The last condition mentioned involves 3 other conditions, which are essential attitudes and qualities necessary for the counsellor to posses for successful therapy; empathic understanding, unconditional positive regard and congruence. (Rogers C, 1957). Before looking at the latter 3 in more detail, it is important to understand Carl Rogers’s view of the person and perhaps what is ultimately bringing the client to therapy. Carl Rogers believed that there is incongruence between the self that is the actualisation part, that has a desire to grow, is open to experiencing in the moment and ultimately psychological well being and the actual experience of the self. He believed this effect was caused by ‘conditions of worth’, by external expectations, such as by parents and teachers, i. e. f you behave in a certain way that pleases me, that perhaps doesn’t evoke anxieties in me, you are a good boy- there are certain ‘conditions’ attached to being in this relationship- the child tries to internalise these conditions in order to maintain the relationship (Mearns D 1994- developing PC). Consequently, people deny or distort the experiences to their selves, which differ to how we are supposed or are condi tioned to be. Therefore, Carl Rogers believed that we begin to believe in what we are not and refute who we really are (Mearns D 1994). The person has a fixed and inflexible view, or self concept (Rogers C 1980). It’s almost as if the person is driven in implementing or adopting certain behaviours in order to be accepted or loved and denying, or at the cost of their true self and feelings. This is the state of incongruence Rogers was referring as apart of the necessary conditions. Carl Rogers recognised, through his development of this approach, that distinctive and essential qualities are necessary within the therapist, for successful therapy and to facilitate character change. The emphasis being on the therapist’s attitude towards the client, as opposed to any technical skills or interventions, in comparison to many other modalities. As already mentioned, the key attitudes or qualities being empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard (Rogers C 1980). Empathy can be considered as having an ability to perceive and understand in the other person their feelings, experiences and their meaning to that person. To understand the internal world of that person, to be fully aware of the feelings they are experiencing, their anger or sadness for example, as if they are your own, but being aware that they are the clients, in order that your own feelings do not become the focus or blur the clients own experiencing (Rogers C, 1957). To absolutely see from the clients view, the feelings they may have from their position or personal experiencing, but recognising them as separate from your own. I recall a moment during this term, when in skills practise, being in the ‘client role’, when I received empathy. I was speaking about a personal situation, which I was aware on some level had meaning to me, but wasn’t fully aware of, or experiencing the feelings relating to this meaning. My perception later was that the person listened so intently, was so with me in trying to make sense of my situation, that they really did know and fully understand how it must feel for me. It was almost if I had no choice in allowing my feelings to be present, to come to my awareness and I was left with a sense of loss, feelings of loss, that I wasn’t aware of and made tremendous sense to my circumstances and why I had some anxiety and confusion in relation to this particular issue. This highlights for me how powerful empathy can be, as well as actively listening to and showing an interest sufficient in trying to understand the client, but also how it has the potential to provoke in the client in becoming aware of hidden feelings or realisations. Unconditional positive regard (UPR) is another important aspect and described as having total acceptance of the client, without conditions, whoever and whatever the client is, or how they may behave. An acceptance of not what they may or could be, but as they are now, regardless of what desired qualities the counsellor may wish for. It means total respect and valuing the person, without judgement. It also involves a sense of genuine care and wanting the best for them, including warmth for the person (Rogers C 1961). David Mearns talks about the often confusion in trainees, when understanding UPR, with a statement such as, ‘how is it possible to like all my clients’? He makes a distinction that liking is generally selective, as we perceive a similarity in values and complementary needs and UPR and liking are two very different concepts (Mearns D 1994). Unconditional positive regard is completely about valuing the person, without conditions, with all the facets of the person, their struggles, protective layers, confusion and perhaps inconsistencies. This unconditional stance is a contradiction to the conditions of worth spoken of earlier and is a vital component of person centred counselling (Kulewicz S, 1989). If a client is holding a believe that they will only be accepted, depending on the condition of others, essentially they do not see themselves as being wholly acceptable. The stance and communication of UPR can break this believe and the client is able to be in a relationship, with the counsellor accepting them without conditions (Rogers C 1961). If the counsellor is consistently valuing the client, the client perhaps has no reason for the protective layers and can be more open to their own inner experiences. Also, I wonder if the counsellor is almost giving permission and communicating a message to the client that it is ok to accept who they truly are. Another essential attitude for the counsellor, recognised by Rogers is congruence. This is the counsellor being who they are, no facade or ‘professional’ barrier. The counsellor is open and genuine in the relationship, allowing all feelings and thoughts to be in his awareness and available to him (Rogers C 1961). It’s being present with yourself and owning your feelings, not necessarily expressing what you are experiencing at the time to the client, but also not denying it. How congruence is conveyed is ultimately depended upon the counsellor themselves and when appropriate. It is about allowing a trust to be formed with the client, without pretences, where the counsellor is being human and willing to be seen (Thorne B 2002). If the counsellor is willing to acknowledge his feelings, strengths, perhaps their mistakes or weakness, it can not only allow for a more open and flowing relationship, but again I see this as perhaps giving permission to the client to embrace themselves, their strengths and weaknesses. How this differs from a helping relationship, are mainly the quality of contact and the nature of the differences in relationship. What if our client seeks help from a non person centred counsellor, perhaps a professionally respected person, a Doctor, teacher, perhaps even a work place manager, or colleague. They will listen, perhaps are sympathetic, are likely to offer advice and some direction the person may take in order to resolve their problem. But there is no ongoing process, no consistency of a relationship, with all the qualities discussed, empathy, UPR and congruence. The person centred therapist offers a safe and non judgemental relationship, with the client being valued for who they are, where they can grow in understanding of themselves, gain insight and become psychological stronger and independent. A helping relationship, although perhaps useful and supportive, will not facilitate change and allow a person to grow. In conclusion, person centred therapy is about an effective relationship, or aspires to be one, in which a person through experiencing a positive connection with another person, namely the therapist, receives deep empathy, understanding and genuine care. This enables a person to question or challenge their self concepts, to begin to experience buried or hidden feelings and gain a deeper understanding of themselves, with more acceptances and the autonomy to live without fear of their own feelings and perhaps their truer selves. It is without any difficulty from me to admire the sheer humanity of what Carl Rogers achieved with person centred therapy, the whole ethos of accepting and allowing the person to grow through such a positive and caring relationship. It appears to me that this is an incredibly challenging model of therapy, for both client and therapist. For the client the person centred therapist may appear safe and accepting, even inoffensive or unchallenging to his protective mechanisms or fixed self concepts, but that is perhaps the greatest challenge to the client, who may want answers or ways of dealing with their issues, perhaps unbearable anxiety and will perhaps look to the therapist for solutions and will find the person centred therapist completely and deeply sharing their distress, but essentially leaving it with client to be able to tolerate and accept for themselves, with of course as discussed, with the intention for the client to grow, understand the meaning behind their distress and ultimately in becoming psychologically independent. I would imagine, at least initially or in the short term, it must be difficult for the client, who is still searching and looking outside of himself, for the apparent safety and false ‘conditions’ that will make it all well again. For the therapist, the challenge is potentially numerous, but what I recognise is the trust he must have in the process of person centred therapy, in maintaining all the attitudes as discussed and consistently so. I can see that taking great strength and discipline, when he could perhaps temptingly turn to direction and advice giving. I am also left wondering if the strengths within PC therapy are also its weaknesses. The quality of therapy can only be as effective as the quality of therapist, or the limitations of the therapist. This could be said of other therapies, but for example, the CBT therapist has a direction and structure to fall back on. The challenge to the PC therapist is to be constantly growing and developing, as there is such a dependence upon who they are in the relationship. References: Kirshenbaum, H. and Henderson, V. L. (1989) The Carl Rogers reader Bury St. Edmunds: St Edmundsbury Press Limited. Kulewicz, S. F. (1989) The twelve core functions of a Counselor (5th Edn). Marlborough, CT: Counselor Publications. Mearns, D. and Thorne, B. (1988) Person-centred counselling in Action (3rd Edn). London: Sage Publications Ltd. Mearns, D. 1994) Developing Person Centred counselling (2nd Edn). London: Sage Publications Ltd. Rogers, C. R. (1957) The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Vol. 60, No. 6, 827-832 . Rogers, C. R. (1961) On Becoming a Person London: Constable & Robinson Ltd. Rogers, C. R. (1980) A way of Being Boston: Houghton and Mifflin Company. Rogers, C. R. (1980) Client Centred psychotherapy In: Kaplan, H. I. et al, ceds, Comprehensive text book of Psychiatry (3rd Edn). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Co. Thorne, B. Dryden, W. (2002) Person Centred Counselling in W. Dryden Handbook of Individual Therapy (4th Edn). London: Sage. pp. 131-157.

Discussion on Various Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discussion on Various Articles - Essay Example The article is about the comparison between two mythical characters named Adam and Adapa that came from near East culture. They were both part of stories about the origin of men. They both failed to gain immortality, but in different ways (Hess 1994, p. 35). Adam did not gain immortality because of his disobedience while Adapa lacked the access to immortality because of his faithfulness to the choice of his father named Ea, the God of Wisdom. Other parallels had been seen by Andreasen between the two as Adapa was shown to follow wisdom while Adam was more of self-follower. They were both challenged by the gods, failed the test, and gave serious consequence to humanity. Their names were also related based on the phonetics (Walton 1989, p. 64). They differ in terms of views on men as Mesopotamian view which is in the character that shows nobility and respect to the gods while Adam showed the opposite which is being sinful. Discussion 2 The Song of Songs is considered to be written by S olomon and a part of the Bible in the Judeo-Christian tradition. It has been studied by various scholars across centuries as the contents are subjected to various interpretations. The contents may be interpreted literally or they may convey deeper meanings in life. People may argue that the verses contain eroticism about the discovery of love and sexuality between a man and woman from adolescence to adulthood. It involves figures that may be considered taboo if people relate them to sexuality (Marieselvam 1987, p. 31). It may be found to be contradicting the teachings of the Christian Church if interpreted literally. For Christians, it is about the relationship between Jesus and the Church as the groom and bride. They talk about the so-called agape or selfless love. Some sexual involvement may be seen but it is part of the love within marriage which is actually a giving and receiving relationship (Hunt 2008, p. 21). Likewise, interpretation truly makes Song of Songs erotic and holy at the same time. It is considered holy in the lines â€Å"My beloved is all radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand,† (Songs 5:10) and â€Å"Look, it is the litter of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men of the mighty men of Israel,† (Songs 3:7). They talk about the coming of the Messiah in the person of Christ who is a descendant of David. In terms of eroticism, Song of Songs should be interpreted literally as â€Å"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,† (Songs 1:2a) and â€Å"for your lovemaking is better than wine,† (Songs 1:2b). The last two quoted lines showed the acts done by lovers and compared to the taste of wine. Discussion 3 The tale that the author read in Arabian Nights is Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. It is comparable to another famous Arabian Nights story entitled Aladdin. They are both famous tales from the Middle East which are mostly occupied by Muslims. Their common setting shows palace in the deserts as Arab c ountries are located in those hot dry areas. â€Å"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves† follows the story of a son of a merchant and his brother being left behind after the death of their father. Cassim, the brother of Ali Baba, was so greedy that he took over the business of their father and married a rich woman. On the other hand, Ali Baba was married to a poor woman and they lived on woodcutting. One day, Ali Baba accidentally discovered the cave of the

Genesis of Different Cranial Placodes in Vertebrates Essay

Genesis of Different Cranial Placodes in Vertebrates - Essay Example Vertebrate six genes play major roles in eye, muscle, kidney, and craniofacial development (Kawakami et. al 1996; Brodbeck and Englert , 2004) In vertebrates, Six and Eya genes are also coexpressed with Dachshund (Dach) and Pax genes (including Pax6 but also members of other Pax subfamilies such as Pax2) in various tissues. These include the kidney, somites, retina, and several placodes. Three six genes are expressed in vertebrate PPE, placodes, and/or placode derivatives. However, as reviewed by Brugmann and Moody (2005) the expression patterns across the vertebrates are not identical. The result is not clear whether the differences are the result of true species variation or whether incomplete descriptions from diverse experimental techniques and different developmental stages make the patterns appear disparate. (Sally, 2007). In general the six1 and six2 are expressed in the PPE, the placodes, the lateral line organs, the muscle precursors, the kidneys, the genitalia, and the limb buds. Six4 is typically expressed in the PPE, the placodes, the muscle precursors, the kidneys, the brain, and the eye. It is important to fully describe the developmental expression patterns of these six genes across all of the animal models and humans to fully understand their roles in placode development and congenital syndromes. (Sally, 2007). Eya genes encode protein tyrosine phosphatases, which act as transcriptional coactivators of Six genes (Due to gene duplication, there are four Eya genes in vertebrates, whereas invertebrates have only a single Eya gene All Eya genes except Eya3 are widely expressed in cranial placodes, with each placode expressing at least one Eya gene, although the distribution of the different paralogues among placodes differs for different species. (Schlosser, 2006) Eya1 and Six1 were both identified as genes underlying particular forms of inherited deafness in humans known as branchio-otic (BO) or branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome, which are associated with branchial or branchial and renal defects, respectively. In Drosophila, it has first been shown that sine oculis and eyes absent-homologues of the vertebrate Six1/2 and Eya genes, respectively-form a regulatory network essential for compound eye development together with the nuclear protein dachshund and the Pax6 homologue eyeless. compound eye development. Conversely, these genes synergize in promoting ectopic eye formation after misexpression and Niimi et al., 1999 T. Niimi, M. Seimiya, U. Kloter, S. Flister and W.J. Gehring, Direct regulatory interaction of the eyeless protein with an eye-specific enhancer in the sine oculis gene during eye induction in Drosophila, Development 126 (1999), pp. 2253-2260. View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (68). Because the same set of genes is also coexpressed elsewhere in the embryo, a similar regulatory network may operate in other developmental contexts, although this has not been rigorously analyzed. Furthermore, some regulatory intera

Ethical Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical Assessment - Essay Example Hence, practically speaking the onus to retain ethical integrity in the health care is primarily confined to the ability of an executive to resort to ethical words and actions during the course of one’s duty (Kultgen, 1988, p. 7). Considering that the professional ethical standards contrived by the bodies like ACHE do continue to serve as the standards following which, a health care executive could chalk one’s course. It goes without saying that the Code of Ethics constituted by the ACHE does serve a viable standard as per which the executives could assess one’s ethical credentials (American College of Healthcare Executives, 2012). In my personal capacity I believe that this ACHE Code of Ethics furnishes to me a touch stone going by which I could assess my individual role as a professional, especially more so when my role is directly linked to my identity and capacity as a health care executive. I emphatically hold that the availability of ethical standards do ma ke way for the inculcation of the values like human dignity and human welfare at the health care facilities and do make the health care more equitable, efficient and accessible. The ACHE Code of Ethics do pragmatically enables me as an executive in being true to my commitments to the patients, my colleagues, the organization which I serve, the society and the larger statutory and state guidelines and rules that govern the healthcare in the United States of America. The ethical assessment undertaken by me not only extended to me ample encouragement regarding the ethical spheres regarding which I was upright, but also furnished to me much insights regarding the aspects where I was unaware or perhaps deficient. While being involved with this assessment I do realized that I make it a point to conduct myself professionally while being in consonance with the values like fairness, integrity and honesty (Montefiore & Vines, 1999). I make it a point to assure that all my decisions and action s do tend to be in consonance with the statutory and legal guidelines and norms (Montefiore & Vines, 1999). I do have in place a personal program aimed at a realistic self assessment and a continual up gradation of my proficiency and skills. Besides, I never tend to be biased and unrealistic in my expectations from others. To continue my professional education I am right now pursuing a Masters program for mha/msn. I never tend to exploit my professional relations or position to accrue unwarranted advantages or favors. Yes, I do believe that it is imperative for an executive to divulge one’s financial or other conflicts of interest (Montefiore & Vines, 1999). Though, actually speaking, I had never been in the need to comply by this code, I do believe in its validity and relevance. I make it a point to never to misuse the confidence placed in me by others in a professional capacity. Yes, I do sometimes get a bit misplaced in the context of this ethical code. In a futuristic con text, I do believe that it is worthwhile to ask for the advice of someone who is not involved in the situation I face to get a better perspective. It is always my intention to carry myself in a way that bolsters and enhances the dignity and image of my profession. I also realized that I am quite aware of my responsibilities towards the patients. It is always my intention to continually access and gauge the quality and standards of health care services being accorded to the patients

Marketing and Social Networking Web Sites Essay

Marketing and Social Networking Web Sites - Essay Example It's a straightforward concept that assists build integrity when you are able to put a face to the messenger. Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace have turned out to be the party lines in this 21st century. They are attractive and fascinating and a powerful tool for communication between people. Learning the way to use them intelligently for marketing can add to any businesses profile. Social networking Web sites provides an important media channel for broadcasting to a diverse demographic, ranging from teens and young to adults, women, moms, prosperous consumers, to elder individuals. In fact experts suppose U.S. ad expenditure on social networks to rise by about 200% by 2011. Consumers react less to conventional media and advertising, and are changing towards consumer-to-consumer communication including mobile messaging, blogging, word-of mouth marketing, similarity shopping sites, and peer-to-peer networks. Study shows that 80% of consumers belief in the advice from online friends, representing thrice as much trust compared to through traditional media. Additionally, one of every three users of the internet visits Web sites comprising of user-generated stuff to aid make purchase choices (Ward, 2007, 3). There are several companies, including P&G, Morgan Chase, Toyota, Unilever and JP Burger King that have successfully leveraged their marketing communications through social networking Web sites to accomplish different marketing strategies. These social sites permit people to communicate freely on anything. However, most significantly allow people to share knowledge that might be helpful to both parties. Numerous common things shared via these sites are fashionable recipes, sites to visit, trustworthy mechanics in their area, superlative place to acquire a steak and still great areas to go fishing. A number of the most well known and established Networking sites comprise of MySpace, SlingAd Videos, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Social Media on the internet is a vast untapped source of leads, projections and partners to business and the good news with this is they are FREE. Thus, in order to take advantage of the social media madness, businesses have to recognize how precisely to monetize this critical untapped resource of prospective business partners. Numerous Online business proprietors have learned the way to establish a Blueprint of themselves over the internet with the rationale of presenting to their consumer that they have used up the time perhaps writing articles, redistribution videos and presenting photos of themselves and their relatives in order for this new consumers not to be intimidated when they contact them through either email or calls. This enables the consumers to easily be capable of

Meno's Paradox Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Meno's Paradox - Assignment Example This evidenced in the argument between Meno and Socrates, whereby, they both agree on prior knowledge. Meno can be referred to as Socratic dialogue written by Plato. It aims to find the definition of arà ªte or virtue. In this regard, it means virtue in general manner rather than particular virtues such as temperance and justice. In response to Meno’s paradox, Socrates comes up with new ideas of immortality of the soul, the theory on knowledge as a recollection, which Socrates illustrates by posing a mathematical puzzle to one of Meno’s slaves. In this paradox, Socrates tries to find a distinction between true belief and knowledge. In this dialogue, Meno suggests that inquiry is not possible. The argument that meno brings forth is known as meno’s paradox. As a solution to this disturbing paradox, Socrates constructs a theory of recollection (Meno 71). Meno asks Socrates whether virtue can be taught. In response, Socrates says that he does not know anything like virtue and in his entire life; he has never known anyone who is virtuous. In their argument, Meno tries to define virtue as power of command with exceptions in that there are virtues for those who command and those who obey and that the power of command must be exercised either justly or unjustly. On his part, Meno is willing to accept that virtue exist and can be taught. On his side, Socrates had no difficulty of admitting that there is virtue of good, and that the goods whether of mind or body are under direction of knowledge. Basing on this assumption, it can be deduced that virtue is teachable. In this paradox, there are two notions involved in that it is possible to overcome Meno’s paradox without difficulty and on the other hand, Socrates theory of recollection which is used as a response to the paradox but as the solution. The Meno’s paradox states that a man cannot inquire either about what he or she does not know or what

The relation between globalisation and the hospitality industry Essay

The relation between globalisation and the hospitality industry - Essay Example This has ensured that business activities are carried out without the limitation of boundaries between nations since numerous currencies are utilised while people travel across the world while coping up with varied political and social systems that are present in different societies. Hospitality, on the other hand, is a service based industry that integrates hotel, tourism, tour and airline industries. Unlike products where the impression attracts potential clients the hospitality industry is based on the service or experience that clients get after experiencing service the level of satisfaction is the one that will influence whether to come for the same service or not. Globalisation and tourism have integrated to a large extent especially in the 21st century as a need for business firms to venture into international markets has increased (Go and Pine, 2005). Globalisation is all about integrating the economic aspects of an industry. For instance, in the hospitality industry it has experienced massive changes that are aimed at positioning the industry to cater for the global market rather than the local or regional markets, which most establishments are meant for. The hospitality industry is fundamentally dependent on tourism be it domestic or international; thus, the players in the hospitality industry are competing with each other to market their countries as the best holiday destination whereby they can experience cutting edge hospitality that is offered by their firms. This has led to hotels partnering with airlines and local tour companies to provide all-inclusive packages for their clients to experience all services under a single package; thus, making it more lucrative and attractive for the clients to be enticed by the deals. That notwithstanding, branding of hotels and lodges has been a significant trend over the years, it is evident that some brands have an international

Doubt by John Patrick Shanley Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Doubt by John Patrick Shanley - Assignment Example For this reason, she harshly declares that the priests is a pedophile and must leave the school immediately. Her doubt cannot be seen in a positive view as she has picked a very irreconcilable argument yet she has no evidence to show that Father Flynn is guilty. Based on her interaction with people, Sister Aloysius reveals to be a distrustful person especially to men and that is why she thinks that Father Flynn is guilty of pedophile. She is a very strict person who thinks that teachers who are not doubtful are naà ¯ve. When a boy nose-bleeds in class, she concludes that he induced the bleeding to get out of class. She shows how strict and doubtful she is when she makes such utterances as; â€Å"There is a chain of discipline. Make use of it.† (p.8), â€Å"Every easy choice today will have its consequence tomorrow.† (p.9), and â€Å"The best teachers do not perform, they cause the students to perform,† (p.11). When Sister James tells her that Father Flynn has always paid more attention to Donald Miller since he became an altar boy, she is certain that the Father has always had sexual interest in the boy or worse that the boy has already been violated by the priest. Despite all the barriers preventing Sister Aloysius from finding the answers she is seeking, she still pushes the argument of Father Flynn too far as she is torn between her personal emotions and her role as a school principal. She wants to straighten the wrong which she perceives the priest is creating in the school. However, she does take it too far in her pursuit for the truth. When she says: â€Å"In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God. Of course, there’s a price.† I believe she stepped â€Å"away from God† by relying on her personal speculation to lie and contradict the same rules she is trying to safeguard. She feels immature and selfish at the end of the parable due to her blind rampage as she declares â€Å"I have doubts! I have such doubts!† (58).

Belonging Essay Essay Example for Free

Belonging Essay Essay As human individuals, we search for a niche to which we belong. It is ingrained within human nature to want for acceptance, for inclusion. This primal instinct drives our actions, often altering the perceptions we form of both others and ourselves. Barriers to belonging can negatively affect us psychologically and personally. Our individuality may be questioned due to social, cultural or historical influences. However, the effects of external pressures will be minimal if an individual is already confident in themselves. A study of the collection of poems, ‘Immigrant Chronicles’ by Peter Skrzynecki and the book ‘The Island’ by composer Amir Greer explore the multiple facets involved in the dynamic process of belonging or not belonging. If we are able to have a place in which we belong, our sense of self can be sustained. The heritage and experiences which an individual has within a culture cannot be forgotten; instead they may even become stronger. When placed in a new and confronting environment we can draw on past routine to provide comfort and security. The poem, ‘Felicks Skrzynecki’ written by composer, Peter Skrzynecki, uses poetic devices to explore how an individual can maintain a sense of belonging due to a strong cultural identity. Multiple descriptions throughout the poem display how Felicks is not affected by his lack of belonging to Australia, ‘Did your father ever try to learn English?’ instead he remains confident in his sense of self and is able to develop a distinct identity as shown through the metaphor â€Å"kept pace only with the Joneses/of his own mind’s making†. The commitment which he has for his garden, ‘walked it’s paths ten times around the world’, highlight how he has been successful in creating an environment to which he belongs and is happy and content. Felicks remains unaffected by the way he is judged by a society, for example his ability to draw upon past memories and experiences with his polish friends. Belonging to a place and culture remains ingrained within us, even when in a foreign environment. By establishing a strong connection to place an individual can maintain a sense of self; a strong bond will continue to enrich an individual’s lifestyle. Lacking a place to belong to has adverse effects on a sense of individuality. The poem ‘Felicks Skrzynecki’ explores difficulty of integrating into a contemporary Australian society. The persona within the poem is unable to form a connection to his past heritage displayed with the repetitive use of the exclusive pronoun ‘his’; ‘his garden’, ‘his polish friends’ and ‘his house’. The disconnection between father and son is highlighted through emotive simile, ‘loved his garden like an only child’. The strong juxtaposition between the two emphasises their differences and the struggle which the main person has. He is caught between two cultures, his Polish Heritage and the Australian society, and is unsure of which he belongs to; ‘words he taught me, remnants of a language I inherited unknowingly’. The main persona in the poem, ‘Felicks Skrzynecki’ suffers psychologically because he is unable to discover who he is or find a place to which he belongs. The sense of dislocation in Australia stems from conflict of a polish heritage he cannot remember. Lacking a sense of belonging to place inhibits the ability to form a sense of self; furthermore these negative experiences can accumulate and be detrimental to individuality. The choice of whether to belong, or not, is complex. Instinct drives us to crave for the acceptance of others; and to integrate into a society. The traits which make us unique and interesting individuals can be alienating and preventing belonging. Composer, Peter Skrzyneckis poem ‘St Patricks College’ is a personal recount of his experiences as a migrant undergoing education in Australia. The persona in the poem experiences a disconnection to the place and culture, which negatively affects his wellbeing. The mothers desire for her son to be seen as equal to others, through a common ‘uniform’, compels her to enrol him in an upper class school. Symbolism throughout the poem establishes the mothers need for her son belong as she is, ‘impressed by the uniforms of her employers sons’ The persona is clearly uncomfortable in his school, due to differences between he and the other students. Repetition of his mothers words, ‘What was best’ j uxtaposes with the personas opinion, ‘the darkness that surrounded me wasn’t â€Å"for the best† ’. As demonstrated in ‘St Patricks College’ not belonging will have adverse effects on an individual’s sense of self. Similarly in Amir Greders Picture Book, ‘The Island’ the alienation of an individual due to physical differences is  explored. The first impression which we form of others is based on how we see them and these physical differences can create barriers to belonging. Greder has incorporated a range of visual techniques to explore this flaw in humanity. The islanders are portrayed through illustrations as brutish, with stout legs, broad foreheads, blunted noses and large hands. The distortion of their features contrasts strongly to the newcomer who is naked, thin and small. Highlighting his vulnerability; in comparison to the fully clothed and pitchfork wielding islanders, ‘he wasn’t like them’. The islanders fear of the newcomer, who ‘haunted their days and often their dreams’, is enhanced by emotive exagge ration of their facial expressions. Gossip about his dissimilarity is made into a story to scare children, for example the school teacher who gives lectures ‘about savages and their strange ways’. The text aims to be didactic whilst displaying flaws in human nature. It forces the audience to question the moral values of those ‘monstrous’ figures. The islanders isolate him completely from their community ‘locking him in the stables’. Distrust of those who look or sound different causes groups of people to act in a harsh and inhumane manner. Individuals who are unable to conform whether it is due to physical differences or choice may be isolated or discriminated against by the society. When trying to belong it is integral that we first are able to define ourselves. This occurs through connections and experiences with places, people and cultures. Both Peter Skrzynecki and Amir Greder have explored the multiple aspects which are involved in the formation of an individual’s identity and various barriers to belonging, which prevent inclusion and acceptance. All three texts explore the issue involved in the migrant experience, issues of dislocation and lacking identity. The human experience is constantly being challenged by external pressures. Nevertheless when an individual is able to establish who they are, without relying on others, they become an independent individual. These individuals do not require a place or group to feel as if they belong, and instead belong to themselves.

Gender Differences in Personality

Gender Differences in Personality With relevant theory and research evidence, critically discuss the view that there are gender differences in personality One’s sex, or biological reproductive chances, can be seen as a discrete component to one’s gender, or their psychological perception of themselves used for identification (Phares, 1991). These perceptions of gender differences can be extremely influential from an early age, as seen in Rubin, Provenzano and Luria (1974) study examining the gender-role stereotype labels parents place on their children from a young age. Girls were described as ‘cute’ or ‘sweet’ whereas boys were described as ‘stronger’, both gender specific traits, even though the babies were almost identical in weight, height and activity. Gender differences can be predominantly seen in personality and have been apparent since ancient civilizations. Monuments would depict essentially feminine or masculine characteristics, females were originally viewed as ‘incomplete’ or imperfect males, and these ideologies persisted for years with reinforcement from p hilosophers such as Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas (Friedman Schustack, 2009). Personality, defined by Holt (2012), is the ‘distinct and enduring way in which we perceive and behave in life situations’. The view of differences in personality gender traits can confirm the defined enduring nature, with the female assuming an expressive role, directed towards nurturing and caring tendencies. The male takes on an instrumental role, exerting dominance and competitiveness (Parsons, 1955). However, it is reasonable to question and explore how these gender differences can be measured, the theories behind them and whether female and male traits can really be distinguished into two separate categories in today’s society. The Five Factor Model (McCrae and Costa, 2003) is a trait approach that has attempted to identify and measure gender personality traits. They distinguish women as scoring higher in neuroticism and agreeableness, whereas men scored higher on some aspects of openness and extraversion, such as openness to ideas and excitement seeking. However neither gender scored significantly on conscientiousness (Chapman, Duberstein, SÃ ¶rensen Lyness, 2007). Other trait approaches have endeavoured to classify masculine and feminine traits as multi-dimensional and overlapping. For example the Bem Sex Role Inventory classifies individuals to feminine, masculine, undifferentiated and androgynous (expressing both female and male traits) categories (Bem, 1974). Sexual behaviour and emotion has also been studied to a great extent to help further differentiate between gender differences in personality. Schmitt, Shackelford and Buss (2001) stated that men prefer short-term sexual relations with many partn ers, compared to women who prefer one stable partner over a long period of time. This can be seen in Clark and Hatfield (1989) findings where 3 out of 4 male students would enthusiastically agree to a one night stand compared to none of the women accepting the offer. Holt et al (2012) also state that when looking for a partner, men would seek a younger woman, whereas women prefer older and ‘well to do’ men. These are all gender specific differences in personality that can be explained by gender difference theories. Firstly, biological effects on sex have been suggested to have a major influence on gender personality and behaviour. In terms of genetic influence, the prenatal stage of foetus development can be manipulated to affect gender-specific traits when born, such as higher levels of aggression. Parsons (1980) exposed animal male and female embryos to androgens, the male hormone, during early prenatal development. After birth, both sexes produced higher levels of aggressive play compared to animals not exposed, which suggests the presence of male hormones had an influence on the physical development and personality of the foetus. This supports the idea that aggression can be seen to be predominantly a ‘male trait’ in Reinisch and Sanders (1986) findings. Male and female participants were asked to rate themselves on their physical and verbal aggression. Even though both sexes reported similar verbal aggression, males reported much higher demonstrations of physical aggression. Ho wever, this is not always the case, as Feshbach (1969) work describes, females largely exclude and reject newcomers compared to males, which is a form of indirect aggression, suggesting the cognitive intent of the aggression presented by females may be further internalised, compared to the outward aggressive display be males. This biological view to gender differences in personality can be related to the evolutionary perspective that males and females are genetically adapted for successful reproduction and preservation of their genes. Evolutionary pressures led to natural selection that created fundamentally different gender roles to promote survival (Shaffer, 2009). Males needed to seek as many partners as possible to ‘spread’ their gene, whilst females needed to avoid wasting their short reproductive opportunities by finding a mate that will protect and provide. This in turn created the gender roles seen today including masculine traits in their personality such as co mpetitiveness, assertiveness and aggression, compared to feminine traits such as nurturing, kindness and gentleness (Geary, 1999). Furthermore, Buss (1995) describes male superiority in visual spatial performance as skills gained from natural selection due to their advantage for hunting, killing and providing for the family. The evolutionary theory can be seen in sex differences in the personality trait jealousy, for example Buss, Larsen, Western and Semmelroth (1992) found that men portray more jealousy over the idea of their partner sleeping with another male, compared to women who present more jealousy over the idea of their partner being in love with another woman. Males don’t want the risk of providing resources for a child that may not be theirs, whilst women don’t want their mate to abandon them and leave them with nothing. However, these evolutionary differences in gender personality are not always consistent. Buss (2003) found that some women instead like to e ngage in casual sex with multiple partners because experience has resulted in securing better genes and better resources. This consistency between both sexes therefore leads to question whether females and males really do have specific differences, and suggests socialisation and learned experiences may have more of an impact on gender differences than biology. The Behaviourist approach to gender differences suggests that social learning has created gender-typed personality characteristics. Through operant learning, modelling, observation and classical learning, children develop gender- typed traits that can be used for identification and as a primary socialiser (Bandura Bussey, 2004). For example Henley (1977) describes operant conditioning in a little girl called jenny. Her mother tells jenny off for dirtying her party clothes, and praises her for showing passive and gentle characteristics, which are all reinforcements. Moreover, Peters father wrestles with peter, watches football games with him and promotes more aggressive behaviour, teaching and confirming to peter that these are the traits a male should portray. Repetti (1984) further explains how these gender traits are reflected in the types of toys children are given to play with. Girls were found to be given female orientated toys such as dolls, whereas boys were given masculine t oys such as cars or guns, reflecting the gender-typed personality traits. Also, Maccoby and Wilson (1957) studied the orientation towards same-sex role models in children. They found after the children had watched a film presenting interactions between opposite sex characters, the children recalled more information about the character that mirrored their own sex. The children’s memories had a ‘sex-linked’ quality. However, it could be suggested that socialisation is not a successful theory in determining gender differences in personality. Friedman and Schustack (2009) describe the David Reimer case, where a child, who was born a boy, was brought up and socialised to be a girl after a circumcision went wrong. David was given hormones and was taught to be caring, nurturing and take on a feminine role. However when David reached his teenage year he returned to his male identity, after what he described as an unhappy and ‘misleading’ childhood. Money and Ehrhardt (1972) insist that socialisation is still primary to gender assignment, as their research findings of androgenized girls suggest that before 18 months of age, it is possible to bring up a child as the opposite gender because the child hasn’t ‘internalised’ the gender at that age. However ‘failure’ to correctly socialise gender can still be seen today. Friedman Schucstack (2009) outline Dr. Joan Roughgarden case. She was born a boy and lived 52 years of her life as one. She was socialised to be masculine and had the biological make up of a boy, despite always seeing herself as a girl, and consequently ended up having a sex change. These findings suggest that human gender personality cannot solely be reliant on socialisation, however they do suggest that there still are differences within gender traits and socialisation advocates what traits each gender ‘should’ portray. The significance of different gender traits in gender socialisation is part of the explanation for gender schemas incorporated in the cognitive approach to gender differences. The gender schema theory suggests that culture and socialisation provide organised mental structures that help understanding of the way in which a male or female should behave and think (Bem, 1981). Gender schemas act as cognitive filters to help humans depict gender relevant material, and to use it in everyday life. For example Deaux and Major (1987) describe these cognitive filters being activated by each gender as females enter a beauty salon and males enter a car repair shop. Again, gender differences can be seen to be realistic and apparent. Nevertheless, the theories above do not explain concisely why there are female and male traits in personality. An Integrative theory could be used to see how biology, social-learning and cognitive developmental can overlap and contribute equally to gender differences. This theory suggests that different processes are important at different stages of development. As Halpern (1997) suggests, the prenatal stage consists of biological gender processes developing physically. Birth to three years consists largely of social learning about gender differences and gender schema comes in at three to six years of age. This theory shows a dynamic and interpretive way in which gender traits can be developed and distinguished. On the other hand, all these theories do not take in to account cross cultural differences, individual findings and the growing concept that gender differences all together may be disappearing. Sue and Sue (1999) suggest that African American families, compared to white American families, are observed to be matriarchal, where the mother of the family is the head decision maker. These findings suggest that what would be considered as ‘masculine’ traits can be seen presented in women. Mead (1935) observed differences between two New Guinea people, where in one group, both sexes would display certain considered ‘female traits’ of nurturing and caring, and both sexes of the other group would display certain male trait characteristics such as aggressiveness. These trait findings are opposite to what would be expected to be found in western culture and can suggest that gender traits are not as specific and defined as first thought. Research also suggests that soci al-class can affect the flexibility and ‘acceptable’ gender traits presented by men and women. For example Shaffer (2009) states that people from middle-class background have overall more acceptable views of gender trait presentation in men and women. They may feel more flexible to the idea of a male demonstrating a nurturing role, and a woman being the sole bread winner of the family, than working-class people. This can be seen as a typically modern idea, and can suggest that women and male gender personality traits are swapping, in terms of the roles they take on. This can therefore suggest that male and female gender personality traits are not so specific, but are only presented by the certain sex at certain times. This idea can be seen in Weisner and Wilson-Mitchell (1990) study where children raised in ‘countercultural’ homes, instead of traditionally at home with a mother and father, are seen to present an equal amount of male and female traits, and a re less gender-stereotyped. However, these children are still very aware of the traditional gender traits and the differences between them. Finally, this is not to suggest that cultural differences don’t mirror typical western views of gender trait differences. Williams and best (1990) carried out a longitudinal study over 30 different countries were they found overlapping traits most common found in both women and men, such as aggression and nurturing tendencies. Overall, gender differences in personality are both clearly affected by biological and behavioural influences. Males are born with an evolutionary inclination to behave aggressively, and this behaviour is encouraged by socialisation from parents and other role models. This can be seen in female evolutionary inclinations to nurture and protect their children, and socialisation such as being encouraged to play with dolls and care for them promotes these gender traits. Generally, gender traits in personality present more similarities between females and males than they do differences, but this does not mean they do not exist and are not portrayed differently over cultures and social classes. The way gender traits in personality are measured can determine to what extent male and females differ, but with modern ideas becoming the forefront of gender trait presentation, the distinguishing of gender differences in personality may be swapping over, becoming narrower, and becoming far less de fined.

Reviving Psychophysical Supervenience Essay -- Argumentative Persuasiv

Reviving Psychophysical Supervenience ABSTRACT: Many philosophers have lost their enthusiasm for the concept of supervenience in the philosophy of mind. This is largely due to the fact that, as Jaegwon Kim has shown, familiar versions of supervenience describe relations of mere property covariation without capturing the idea of dependence. Since the dependence of the mental on the physical is a necessary requirement for even the weakest version of physicalism, it would seem that existing forms of supervenience cannot achieve that for which they were designed. My aim is to revive the concept of supervenience. I argue that if we construe supervenience along Davidsonian lines — as a relation connecting predicates rather than properties — then it avoids the shortcomings of the more familiar varieties. When it first appeared on the scene in the philosophy of mind, the concept of supervenience was warmly embraced. Supervenience was thought to capture the idea of dependence without reduction and thus promised to provide a useful framework for discussions of mental causation, phenomenal experience, and, more generally, the relation between the mental and the physical. Since then a great deal has changed. Much careful work has been done to show that philosophical applications of supervenience do not, in fact, achieve what they were thought to. For example, Jaegwon Kim, whose name is closely associated with the concept, has shown convincingly that the standard formulations of supervenience in the philosophy of mind (weak, strong, and global) do not capture the idea of psychophysical dependence. (1) Many philosophers believed that supervenience could express a form of physicalism, but since the concept of dependence is a minimal req... ...dson, ‘Thinking Causes’, in Mental Causation, ed. John Heil and Alfred Mele (Oxford, Clarendon Press: 1993) p. 13. (4) Donald Davidson, "Mental Events," in Davidson, Essays on Actions and Events (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980) p. 214 (emphasis added). (5) Davidson, "Radical Interpretation," in Davidson, Inquiries into Truth and Interpretation (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984) p. 137. (6) Donald Davidson, ‘Mental Events’, op. cit., p. 214. (7) For example, see Simon Evnine, Donald Davidson (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1991) pp. 69-70. (8) Davidson, "Mental Events," op. cit., p. 214. (9) For example see, Terence Horgan, "From Supervenience to Superdupervenience: Meeting the Demands of a Material World," Mind 102 (1993) pp. 554-586; Thomas Grimes, "Supervenience, Determination, and Dependency," Philosophical Studies 62 (1991) pp. 81-92. Reviving Psychophysical Supervenience Essay -- Argumentative Persuasiv Reviving Psychophysical Supervenience ABSTRACT: Many philosophers have lost their enthusiasm for the concept of supervenience in the philosophy of mind. This is largely due to the fact that, as Jaegwon Kim has shown, familiar versions of supervenience describe relations of mere property covariation without capturing the idea of dependence. Since the dependence of the mental on the physical is a necessary requirement for even the weakest version of physicalism, it would seem that existing forms of supervenience cannot achieve that for which they were designed. My aim is to revive the concept of supervenience. I argue that if we construe supervenience along Davidsonian lines — as a relation connecting predicates rather than properties — then it avoids the shortcomings of the more familiar varieties. When it first appeared on the scene in the philosophy of mind, the concept of supervenience was warmly embraced. Supervenience was thought to capture the idea of dependence without reduction and thus promised to provide a useful framework for discussions of mental causation, phenomenal experience, and, more generally, the relation between the mental and the physical. Since then a great deal has changed. Much careful work has been done to show that philosophical applications of supervenience do not, in fact, achieve what they were thought to. For example, Jaegwon Kim, whose name is closely associated with the concept, has shown convincingly that the standard formulations of supervenience in the philosophy of mind (weak, strong, and global) do not capture the idea of psychophysical dependence. (1) Many philosophers believed that supervenience could express a form of physicalism, but since the concept of dependence is a minimal req... ...dson, ‘Thinking Causes’, in Mental Causation, ed. John Heil and Alfred Mele (Oxford, Clarendon Press: 1993) p. 13. (4) Donald Davidson, "Mental Events," in Davidson, Essays on Actions and Events (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980) p. 214 (emphasis added). (5) Davidson, "Radical Interpretation," in Davidson, Inquiries into Truth and Interpretation (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984) p. 137. (6) Donald Davidson, ‘Mental Events’, op. cit., p. 214. (7) For example, see Simon Evnine, Donald Davidson (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1991) pp. 69-70. (8) Davidson, "Mental Events," op. cit., p. 214. (9) For example see, Terence Horgan, "From Supervenience to Superdupervenience: Meeting the Demands of a Material World," Mind 102 (1993) pp. 554-586; Thomas Grimes, "Supervenience, Determination, and Dependency," Philosophical Studies 62 (1991) pp. 81-92.

The invention of the Human Essay -- Shakespeare Literature Papers

The Invention of the Human In his recent book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human (1998), Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare’s characters provide the full measure of his continuing legacy. Shakespeare, Bloom maintains, created self-conscious characters who breathe life. Shakespeare’s characters are so alive, possess such "interiority," that they catch themselves looking at themselves. This quality is the essence of becoming human—to know we know, to be aware we are aware, to sense our own presence on the stage of life. Prior to Shakespeare’s ascendancy on the English stage, Bloom argues, there was no concept of the individual self, just types. These types persist in Shakespeare’s plays as residual stock characters displaying humours, like Malvolio (melancholic) and Hotspur (choleric). In Shakespeare these crude concepts of personality give way to major and minor characters who evolve and grow almost within themselves. They possess a special energy that touches all other characters within the play. But it is Bloom’s provocative remark, "Shakespeare invented us," that stretches us beyond our conditioned response to the plays and invites us to define a new relationship with Shakespeare. Bloom argues that Shakespeare so interpenetrates our consciousness and our cultural existence that we do not know the boundary between him and us. One suspects that we are receptive to Bloom’s idea because of the mysterious ambivalence of Shakespeare himself. Shakespeare’s elusive self, the stuff of Keats’s Negative Capability, may indeed be found in his 100 major characters and hundreds of minor personages dispersed through his histories, comedies, and tragedies. Bloom, however, takes Shakespeare and his characters out of dramatic con... ...al world of Elizabethan England—essential to an understanding of Shakespeare’s history plays can easily be lost if we regard the characters as existing beyond their origins. We cannot neglect the social, intellectual, and historical context in which the histories derive their meaning. Bloom asserts that the plays’ characters transcend their origins and operate in a universe that is still being created. We can appreciate his thesis as it reverberates through our consciousness. Bloom has successfully helped us secure a new relationship with Shakespeare and his dramatic art. At the same time, we must wonder if we can separate Shakespeare—and his characters—from the plays. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. The invention of the Human Essay -- Shakespeare Literature Papers The Invention of the Human In his recent book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human (1998), Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare’s characters provide the full measure of his continuing legacy. Shakespeare, Bloom maintains, created self-conscious characters who breathe life. Shakespeare’s characters are so alive, possess such "interiority," that they catch themselves looking at themselves. This quality is the essence of becoming human—to know we know, to be aware we are aware, to sense our own presence on the stage of life. Prior to Shakespeare’s ascendancy on the English stage, Bloom argues, there was no concept of the individual self, just types. These types persist in Shakespeare’s plays as residual stock characters displaying humours, like Malvolio (melancholic) and Hotspur (choleric). In Shakespeare these crude concepts of personality give way to major and minor characters who evolve and grow almost within themselves. They possess a special energy that touches all other characters within the play. But it is Bloom’s provocative remark, "Shakespeare invented us," that stretches us beyond our conditioned response to the plays and invites us to define a new relationship with Shakespeare. Bloom argues that Shakespeare so interpenetrates our consciousness and our cultural existence that we do not know the boundary between him and us. One suspects that we are receptive to Bloom’s idea because of the mysterious ambivalence of Shakespeare himself. Shakespeare’s elusive self, the stuff of Keats’s Negative Capability, may indeed be found in his 100 major characters and hundreds of minor personages dispersed through his histories, comedies, and tragedies. Bloom, however, takes Shakespeare and his characters out of dramatic con... ...al world of Elizabethan England—essential to an understanding of Shakespeare’s history plays can easily be lost if we regard the characters as existing beyond their origins. We cannot neglect the social, intellectual, and historical context in which the histories derive their meaning. Bloom asserts that the plays’ characters transcend their origins and operate in a universe that is still being created. We can appreciate his thesis as it reverberates through our consciousness. Bloom has successfully helped us secure a new relationship with Shakespeare and his dramatic art. At the same time, we must wonder if we can separate Shakespeare—and his characters—from the plays. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

Explain how Steinbeck describes the differences in character between Lenny and George Essay

Explain how Steinbeck describes the differences in character between Lenny and George The author, John Steinbeck described Lenny as the opposite of George. Lenny and George are good friends but mostly have nothing in common except that they both share the same dream, the American dream. Steinbeck described what the characters are wearing at the beginning of the story. Then he started describing the difference in characters between George and Lenny. George is the smart one and Lenny is the one who’s childlike. Lenny always depends on George because George is the only friend he’s got and George is like the only family of Lenny. At the beginning of the story, Steinbeck first described what George and Lenny are wearing at the beginning of the story as â€Å"Both dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons†. Then he started describing the difference between George and Lenny. First he defined George as â€Å"small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose†. Then he described Lenny with no similarity to George as â€Å"a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders†. Steinbeck uses a simile to describe Lennie. He tells us how he walk by ‘dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’, he described Lennie by comparing him to an animal. Steinbeck wants us to draw an image in our mind of how Lennie moves. In the next paragraph he compares Lennie to an animal again, when he ‘drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse’. The author described Lennie like an animal so that we’ll imagine it clearly by picturing Lennie like the way an animal move. The role of George in novel is like a parent to Lennie who’s a big guy but has a mind like a child. Since Lennie’s Aunt died, George is the one taking care of Lennie. ‘When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’, George said to Slim. Sometimes he tells Lennie the things to do and thing he’s not supposed to do. Lennie, for God’s sakes don’t drink so much’, George told him off like telling off a child. George acts as a parent to Lennie. Lennie imitates George sometimes. He copies George by the way he acts and the way he tells Lennie something to do, as if he’s also looking after George. ‘You drink some, George. You take a good big drink’, he told George. Steinbeck told us many things that describe how childish Lennie is. For example, when Lennie found out what Lennie had in his pocket. ‘It’s only a mouse George’, Lennie said nervously. He is afraid that George might take the mouse from him. Lennie love to pet animals like the way a child pets an animal, but Lennie doesn’t realise his strength. He accidentally kills the animals he pets because he’s stroking them to hard. George and Lennie argue sometimes. And when they did at the beginning of the story, George told Lennie about all the stuff he would do if Lennie was never with him. ‘if I was alone I could live so easy†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, George described what it would be like without Lennie because George always gets in trouble because of Lennie. George said to Lennie angrily, ‘You keep me in hot water all the time’. George would like to be alone, but he doesn’t know how it feels to be a loner, he imagines what it feels like to take care of nobody except himself and he wants to know how it feels without the trouble of Lennie. He also wants to know if he would be happy or he might be lonely without Lennie. This is the feeling of George that Steinbeck wants us to know. Although, George is not the only one who would like to have a feeling of being alone. Lennie is a very confused man that cannot think very well. However, Lennie sometimes feel that George hates him because George doesn’t want him by his side. ‘If you don’t want me, you only jus’ got to say so and I’ll go off in those hills right there – right up in those hills and live by myself,’ Lennie talks like he’s defending himself. He’s acting strong and he’s trying to show George that he can live and he can take care by himself alone. But then George realises how mean he was when he talked about the things he would do if Lennie wasn’t with him. George changed his mind in the end. Then George replies, ‘I want you to stay with me, Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself†¦.’ George replies to his thinking of living alone. George feels bad about what he said to Lennie. He is still worried about Lennie. He only imagines the bad things that might happen to Lennie if he was by himself. Steinbeck wants us to know that George don’t want Lennie to go, not only because Lennie can’t take care of himself alone, but it’s because George and Lennie are also best friends and have already known each other since childhood. Steinbeck tells us that George is the only that describes Lennie the way he is. George is the only one who knows him very well. ‘Hell of a nice fella, but he ain’t bright. I’ve knew him for a long time’ George described Lennie proudly. When he tells someone, like Slim, about Lennie, he doesn’t use the word â€Å"crazy† to describe Lennie because he already know what ways to describe Lennie. He even tells Slim that having Lennie isn’t so bad at all because they got each other to take care of. ‘I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun†¦.’ George was sincere when he was talking to Slim about them being friends. I think Steinbeck wants us to know that even though George and Lenny have nothing in common, they always had each other as friends. The author wants us to realise how strong George and Lennie’s bond. Their friendship can’t be broken by anyone, easily. The two characters played a good role to people to show how important friends are. Even though Lennie wasn’t bright, George accepted Lennie as he is because he is his friend. Both of them know that they have each other to take care of. Compare to other people who are alone, are the loneliest people. John Steinbeck described each of the character uniquely, unlike any other character in a novel. At the very beginning of the novel, Steinbeck described the surroundings of the Salinas River. He wants us to picture in our mind what the place looks like. He creates an image in our mind that relate to the senses, including sight and touch. ‘The Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He also uses a metaphor to describe things clearly. ‘the golden foothill’. He wants the reader to imagine what its like and because he knows that we’ll understand what it means because it’s just a metaphor. The writer did all this at the beginning of the novel to make the target audience want to read this novel. And once they become really interested in reading the beginning of the story, they’ll plan to read the whole book.