Death, Tragedy and Community at Wartime Essay Example for Free

Death, Tragedy and Community at Wartime Essay Dying in War: Implications for the family, the community and the social worker Death is a phenomenon that evokes mixed reactions and views from a community. For some, it a blessed release from the trials and problems of life. To others, it may very well be the end of the world when they lose a loved one. What remains constant however is the grief, bereavement and loneliness experienced by those left behind. Even more so when death was sudden and unexpected as like what happens in times of war, disaster, and terrorist attacks. Grief goes through many stages, each stage more difficult that the last. While most people generally manage to cope with time, some experience more difficulties and tend to develop psychological and emotional problems. During the First and Second World Wars, the knock of the postman was a thing of dread. They either brought telegrams summoning the sons and fathers of families for the draft or telegrams announcing the death or loss of loved one. An estimated 8 million military personnel in 14 European countries were killed in World War I, and 14. 4 million military personnel in 17 European countries were killed in World War II (Aiken, 2001, p. 111). Parents who suddenly lose their children such as what happened to most wartime mothers with adult sons usually have a harder time coming to terms with the death of their child (Gilbert, 2005, p. 6). The loss and feelings of helplessness and anger can be intense. There is a common belief that something is wrong when a parent buries his/her child. Most parents who have experienced this report that they feel dissociation with life and everything just felt so unreal (p. 6). That it is not right that parents should survive their children is often the thought that haunts bereaved parents. What role do social workers play in times of war and terror? Social problems are defined as the challenges that face and exist in communities (Hardcastle, Powers Wenocur, 2004, p. 62). It is the social workers job to help the community and its members formulate and implement solutions to these problems. Social workers usually work with problems related to economic disadvantages, illness and disability, crime and delinquency, abuse and maltreatment, service provision to special parts of the population and mental illness. All these problems call for leadership attention and trained intervention (p. 62). No situation can put all these things together more than times of war. What may be the biggest challenge to a social worker though is the task of helping a family and community deal with the sudden losses of loved ones in combat. In addition to this, they should also be prepared to cope with the rehabilitation of those who have been able to come back home but exist with scars that are not only physical but also mental and emotional. The events of September 11, 2001, though technically not a part of any formal war except the one on terror, had an impact that was not dissimilar to armed conflicts. There was confusion, anger, anxiety and above all, people who in an instant lost their loved ones. As with wartime, sudden death can only be viewed as unfair and untimely (Clements, Deranieri, Vigil Benasutti, 2004) For example, the September 11, 2001 terror attacks left behind families and children who have lost moms and dads in that instant. Even adults and children who were indirectly affected by the attacks have grown to suffer feelings of anxiety and shattered security in their personal and familial safety (Smith Reynolds, 2002). Besides the inevitable feelings of grief, children especially were left behind and often had to contend with nightmares and morbid pictures of the traumatic deaths their loved ones experienced as well as the stress and difficulty of trying to picture lives without mom or dad. It is also important to remember that the effects of trauma are not limited to those who suffer it directly (Sims, Hayden, Palmer Hutchins, 2000, p. 41) The ubiquity of television also afforded children at home not only news of the attacks but also vivid pictures and descriptions of the tragedy and all its violence. This made it even more problematic for children and people who have lost loved ones in the Twin Towers and the plane crashes as coverage of each horrific scene gave them fodder for the imagination and subsequent nightmares. The case of a 7-year old boy named Johnny is cited in the study (2002) by Smith and Reynolds. : Following the 9/11 attacks, Johnny developed a constant fear of his parents leaving home and getting killed by bad men. He also developed a phobia of elevators and would throw tantrums whenever his parents tried to make him use one. Johnny admitted to his therapist that his fear of elevator stemmed from a story he heard of how people in the Twin Towers were trapped and killed while riding in the elevators. (Smith Reynolds, 2002) Neither Johnny nor his family were directly involved or affected in the terror attack. The mental and emotional strain suffered by survivors and those affected by this very high profile event led to the American Psychiatric Associations setting up of counseling services focusing on grief, acute stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Smith Reynolds, 2002). The difficulty that most surviving relatives meet is in the un-timeliness of death. While conventional wisdom holds that sons and fathers who go to war may not come back again, more often than not, there is a strong hope that they will be able to come home. Despite the knowledge of all the possibilities, the sudden and traumatic nature of death often creates problems among surviving relatives. They become victims in their own right. Muller and Thompson believe that the manner of death plays a vital role in determining the reaction of the survivors (Muller Thompson, 2003). If its bad enough for people to suddenly lose their loved ones, how much more would it be for children to live and go through an environment of war and death? In his article in the Journal of Multi-cultural Counseling and Development in 2004, Clinical psychologist and Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Gargi Roysircar relates the case of 20-year old Yugoslavian emigre Stephen, who at the age of 10 witnessed the height of the civil war between Christians and Muslims in Kosovo in 1990. In interviews with his counselor, Stephen recalls witnessing about 80% of his classmates get killed by bombs, sniper shots and gunfire as they walked to and from school. At age 14, Stephen was taken by his father to the frontlines for training in combat to fight with the Serbian army. The next two years wold take Stephen all over the Balkans and would expose him to all kinds of death, privation and war atrocities. Eventually migrating as political refugees in the United States, in 1999, Stephen demonstrated difficulty in acculturation and adjustment. The constant displacement he experienced in war along with the mistrust bred by his past and cultural paranoia fostered by the Croatian community they lived with made it difficult for Stephen to acclimatize to peacetime setting. Roysircar describes Stephen as having recurrent thoughts and images of his violent experience in the Balkans. He experienced nightmares, hostility and a profound sense of a lack of belonging. Stephen also often recounted the difficulties he experienced including hiding in a basement and eating rats especially when angry. He also displays a deep-seated hatred for the Muslims and believes the Middle East should be wiped off the face of the Earth (Roysircar, 2004). While there may be models detailing stages of grief and recovery, social workers must be prepared for instances that do not adhere to such models. In Stephens case while he did not directly lose any of his close family members, he was exposed at an early age to violence and death. He has also experienced being the cause of another human beings death as he and his father fought on the Serbian army. This is no different from the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder exhibited by American soldiers returning from Vietnam or any other area where they fought in combat. A person does not have to lose anyone in order to feel grief, bereavement and suffer any disorder that may result from it as evidenced by the little boy Johnnie and Stephen. Death in wartime is not limited to just the loss of a loved one. In a community where all able bodied men are called to arms, anybody can lose husbands, brothers, fathers and sons at any day. Families left behind are left to their own devices and imaginings of what horrors their loved ones are facing. Those who do lose family members are haunted by the manner by which their loved one died. There is also the unfortunate circumstance in war where death is an ambiguous issue. In the Vietnam War, many people were reported missing in action. The families of such people were left at an awkward and horrible position of not knowing whether they should be mourning or holding out hope for their loved ones return (Worden, 2003, p. 40). In some cases, some families do accept the reality that their loved one may be dead and go through the entire process of mourning and recovery only to be told later that their husbands and sons were simply prisoners of war and has since been released. While ordinarily this may sound like a fairy tale ending, there may come unbridgeable gaps and tension that can only ruin relationships and lives (p. 85). On the other hand, some families may keep clinging to the hope that their loved ones are alive and therefore refuse to give way to grief and acceptance. Stacy Bannerman (2007) is one of the many army wives whose marriage was broken up by war. In her article that appeared in The Progressive, she relates how her once happy marriage with one of the militarys mortar platoon commanders started heading downhill with every death he caused and witnessed during his stint in Iraq. She decries the insensitivity and lack of support for military families from the National Guard. She further cites how there was an absolute lack of prompt attention to the mental and emotional needs of returning military men who more often than not suffered from PTSD like her husband, Lorin did. Because of this, there have been military men who have survived their tour of duty only to succumb to mental and emotional anguish and end up committing suicide on American soil (Bannerman, 2007). It is the soldiers, their families, and the people of Iraq that pay the human costs. The tab so far: more than 3,000 dead U. S. troops, tens of thousands of wounded, over half a million Iraqi casualties, roughly 250,000 American servicemen and women struggling with PTSD, and almost 60,000 military marriages that have been broken by this war (Bannerman, 2007). The problem here is that most of those left behind are left to cope with their own fears without the support of anybody else except family and members who are also wrapped up in their own concerns. In this case, social workers must be able to take the lead in establishing outreach and community groups so people do not have to cope and suffer in isolation. Carpenter (2002) states that the psychological well-being of the members of a community is one of the jobs of a social worker. While it is true that the trauma brought on by exposure to violence and death may be an individual process, healing and recovery needs societal support and strong relationships (Carpenter, 2002). This may become a challenge to families and communities who are dealing with their anxiety and grief. However, Carpenter reminds social workers that one of the primary goals of social work is to help empower the oppressed. Oppression in itself can take on many definitions and forms. In this particular case, it is the trauma and grief that is debilitating and oppressing the individual and the community. Social workers must also be prepared to look for signs of repressed grief. Some individuals choose to withhold and fail to express grief and therefore develop problems later in life often developing manias, paranoia and demonstrate abuse towards other people. At times, the feelings of grief or multiple losses of loved ones may lead to a grief overload that would cause an individual to delay grief (Worden, 2003, p. 91) The community as a social system can provide a network of support. Given the right leadership, empathy and sensitivity, it can also become a safe place where people can come to terms with their grief and slowly move on toward recovery. In the cases of Johnnie and Stephen, it took time before they were able to face and admit their anger, anxiety and grief at the bad things that they experienced and fear. Sometimes, self-reflection and a ready ear is all thats necessary. As clinically trained counselors and diagnosticians, social workers are tasked with the duty of helping people recognize and understand what problems they may have. Community-wise, social workers should have enough knowledge of the communitys demographics in order to unify and create a solid network of safety and interaction that may assist troubled and grieving individuals particularly in conflict filled times such as war. Death at wartime comes in many forms. It could be the actual death of a loved one, anxiety at the possible death, loss at whether somebody is dead or not, or even those who continue to physically live but have broken spirits and permanent disabilities as a result of war wounds. Much as death is a big thing that affects not only the family but also the community as a whole, war brings with it so much more problems and issues that will undoubtedly challenge most social workers. Undertaking social work means one must be in sync with the community. By in sync, it covers everything from issues, key people, and resources that may be mobilized in times of need. War is a time of immense crisis and tragedy that the social worker must be prepared to face head on and ably lead and facilitate the processes by which the community may be transformed into a supportive societal system that each member may be able to depend on. This does not mean however that social workers cannot be affected or lose their sense of self in dealing with all these tragedies. Tsui and Cheung (2003) recommend a self-reflection on the part of the social worker in order to understand and come to terms with their own reactions and feelings to tragedies they both witness and hear about from their clients before attempting to deal further with the grief of others. They also stress that once social workers attend to their duties, they should do so intellectually yet with empathy and focus on assessing and addressing the needs of the community rather than ones own (Tsui Cheung, 2003) References Aiken, L. R. (2001). Dying, Death, and Bereavement (4th ed. ). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=22091057 Bannerman, S. (2007, March). Broken by This War. The Progressive, 71, 26+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5021139792 Carpenter, J. (2002). Mental Health Recovery Paradigm: Implications for Social Work. Health and Social Work, 27(2), 86+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5000778618 Gilbert, K. R. (2005). 1 When a Couple Loses a Child. In Family Stressors: Interventions for Stress and Trauma, Catherall, D. R. (Ed. ) (pp. 5-30). New York: Brunner Routledge. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=109184971 Catherall, D. R. (Ed. ). (2005). Family Stressors: Interventions for Stress and Trauma. New York: Brunner Routledge. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=109184958 Clements, P. T. , Deranieri, J. T. , Vigil, G. J. , Benasutti, K. M. (2004). Life after Death: Grief Therapy after the Sudden Traumatic Death of a Family Member. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 40(4), 149+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5008586582 Hardcastle, D. A. , Powers, P. R. , Wenocur, S. (2004). Community Practice: Theories and Skills for Social Workers. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=104722138 Roysircar, G. (2004). Child Survivor of War: A Case Study. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 32(3), 168+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5012181947 Sims, M. , Hayden, J. , Palmer, G. , Hutchins, T. (2000). Working in Early Childhood Settings with Children Who Have Experienced Refugee or War-Related Trauma. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 25(4), 41. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5001127890 Smith, S. , Reynolds, C. (2002). Innocent Lost: The Impact of 9-11 on the Development of Children. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 5(5), 12+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5002560442 Tsui, M. , Cheung, F. C. (2003). Dealing with Terrorism: What Social Workers Should and Can Do. Social Work, 48(4), 556+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5002045024 Worden, J. W. (2003). Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner. Hove, England: Brunner-Routledge. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=108479290

How Does Child Labour Effect Society Young People Essay

How Does Child Labour Effect Society Young People Essay In order to overcome our daily living needs we need to work and earn according to individual capacities. In a healthy society individual perform their role according to their age, capabilities and health condition. In contradiction to this, many of the children are deprived of their basic right of freedom and education and they are compelled to start work in a very early age. They are paid very less so they start to work long hours in order to full fill their needs. This causes compromise in normal physiology. So it starts to affect every aspect of life from health, education and off course the socioeconomic status, thus automatically affecting the family and the whole society. According to Freedman (1998), Child labor is Work done by kids full-time under the age of 15. Work that prevents kids from attending school, such as unlimited or unrestricted domestic work. Work that is dangerous for kids and that is hazardous to their physical, mental or emotional health. There are number of children who are engaged in different kind of labours. According to International Labour Organization (2009), in Pakistan there are 40 million children age between 5- 14 years and among them 3.3 million children are engaged in labour. There are many serious social issues which are not yet addressed properly and not getting attention from the public, media and the government. Child labor is one of them. I would be highlighting few of the impact of child labour on the society with the help of a story of a boy who suffered from child labour at the age of 8 years. This story was told by one of my friend. I was born in a very low socioeconomic class. I am the only son to my parents and elder to my three sisters. My father was a laborer and worked for a company on a daily wages. Still we were spending prosperous life in our limited resources and I had the opportunity to get admission in a school. It seemed that education and comfort was there for my first eight year only as my father expired on road traffic accident. After this tragic movement my mother who at that time was expecting fourth child started working for the same company to overcome our financial needs, but she couldnt continue it for longer and has to quit it as she had end up with serious gynecological issue which I hardly remember. One my relative suggested my mother to send me to work as she thought that was healthier than my mother and can earn enough if worked with dedication so I was referred to a gentleman who had an automobile workshop near by my house. I had cross by this workshop multiple times but didnt ever think of the life there. So many MACHINES (which I call it at that time), three men wearing unique costumes busy in fixing things together, very strong smell of different nature which couldnt stop me to cover my nose for a while till one of them asked me to come to him in his autocratic voice. The sooner I get there he asked me wash an instrument and instruct me not to make it fall. That was so slippery but I did manage to wash it and get a smile from him. This helped me to believe that they are also human being. By the end of the day I get my first pay for the day which at that time my mother thought is enough for us and it was wise decision to quit mu school and get into job. Oh yes I did show my dedication towards my work and by the time I was ten years old I had started to do overtime twice a week to overcome my familys increasing need. I get very much used to the routines and was able to do stuff like cleaning, oil application and fixing very easily, so it was easy for me to work for longer hours without any complaints. I was able to handle scolds and verbal abuses from my seniors and was luckily safe from an accident in which I could have lost my right arm. Things never remain the same and I have entered in my late twenties no more dedication to work and family, I have chosen my own way which gives me pleasure and Im not alone as well, have my own group of deprived friends. We work for a person to transport opium to different places, he is happy with my work provide me all the drugs without witch I cant think of life. I have no regrets and I think I was born to get here. This issue has a great negative impact on individual and family life. It starts to effect health right from the beginning where the working environment comes. The environment plays a very crucial part in maintaining optimum health especially in early developmental age. In this age a child is very much susceptible to catch infections, acquire unhealthy behaviors and at a very much risk for physical and mental disability. Lawrence (2007), Healthy children grow into healthy adults. The health of our children is one of the most important investments that we can make and should be among our top priorities. In the above story the person is not playing its role as a healthy individual e.g. getting into drugs not only spoil his own health but also harmful to others. Not supporting the family can be cause of another social issue that his sisters may involve in other unhealthy practices for their survival. This becomes an unbreakable chain, unless it is addressed at family society and country level. There are many causes of child labour e.g. poverty, illiteracy and least concerned parents. But to me the most important cause of child labour is the economic instability of the country. In an economically stable country there would be no unemployment issues, people will get proper salary secured job, health and education benefits. There are certain situations in which accommodation and negotiation is difficult but not impossible, like the example of the child in the above mentioned story he was left with no other option except to get a work and to support the family. Serious action taken by the family and the country starting from base could help reduce in child labour. In need child can work but its his right that he should be provided particular hours and adequate salary by the employer so that there will be no need of overtime and he has the time to rest and prevent exhaustion. If these issues are not taken care it start to affect the economy of a country as a whole, and there wi ll be no contribution by the people to countrys economy. People will be living in hand to mouth condition and will be not able to identify countrys strength and hidden recourses causing economic recession and affecting whole society as well as globally. Least concerned parents, illiteracy and unawareness these are all directly linked to educational level of the society. Uneducated parents do not understand the value of education and have no priority for it. Without knowing the consequences they encourage their children to engage in labour and quit education which hinders the society growth by providing less educated people. Thus people become resistant to change and there is no advancement in the field which they are working. In this way the country is deprived of their human power. Parents education also counts when it comes to speak for their right and they can identify that if their child is being misused by the employer or the child is getting in to unhealthy habits. In Pakistan the Employment of Children Act 1991, describes almost all the condition in which a child can work and prohibition of work in certain hazardous environment and long working hour. According to Pakistan National Statics, more than two-third of child is working in the agricultural sector, 1.2 million Children are bonded in the carpet factories.   35 million soccer balls stitched in Pakistan, children produce one quarter of the balls, most of them as bonded servants. Child labour does affect the whole society in every aspect. Making the law is the not the solution is not the solution to overcome it. The law should be practical enough so that it can be practiced. It has to have a check and balance also, to make sure its applicability. Strict action should be taken against them who misuse child by providing very less incentives and unhealthy work place. They underlying cause should be identified first so that alternative arrangement could be done. E.g. what if the child is the only earning member of the family, if he is stop by doing work the remaining whole family suffer from it. Since it is not an overnight process it can be reduced by using the accommodation and negotiation according to situation. REFFERENCES: Freedman, Lewis. (1998). Kids At Work: Lewis Hine And The Crusade Against Child Labor. Retrieved from, http://www.nynetresources.org/Future%20Grant%20Projects/Projects/Child%20Labor/childlabor1.htm International Labour Organization. (1998). Retrieved from, http://www.oit.org/legacy/english/regions/asro/newdelhi/ipec/index.htm Lawrence, D., Deirdre, I. (2007). Environmental Injustice: Childrens Health. Pediatrics, 3, 5. Employment of Children Act, (1991). Retrieved from http://www.albarrtrust.com/Al%20Baar%20Web/SCAN%20RULES/Employment%20of%20Children%20Act,%201991.pdf Pakistan National Statistics. (1999). Retrieved from, http://www.globalmarch.org/worstformsreport/world/pakistan.html

The theme of revenge in hamlet

The theme of revenge in hamlet This play written in 1601 by Williams Shakespeare is one of his most popular works. The major theme of the play is a tragedy as the quest for revenge resulted in numerous deaths of innocent people. The writer focused on the problems of prince Hamlet who is portrayed as an elegant instead of the evil deeds of his uncle, king of Denmark. In the beginning of the play, the ghost of Hamlets father appears to him and tells him that king Claudius has poisoned him. Prince Hamlet mourns both his fathers death and his mother remarriage to the new King Claudius which happened a few weeks after the late kings death. Hamlet then seeks out to find out the real truth about his fathers death and plot revenge. In the process of finding out the truth, Hamlet acts mad and deceives a lot of people in order to mask his true intentions. The Major Characters in Hamlet Prince Hamlet The protagonist in the play, Hamlet was the prince of Denmark and son of the late King Hamlet of Denmark and nephew to the present King Claudius. In the beginning, Hamlet meets King Hamlets Ghost and learns that King Claudius murdered his father and this was the trigger that started his plot for revenge. Part of his plan required him to pretend to be mad in other to distract and hide his intentions from those around him and particularly the King. Hamlet distrusts and rejects almost everyone around him because of his paranoid belief that they are spying on him for King Claudius. His plan works and everyone believed he was mad then to confirm his suspicions of the King; Hamlet changed the lines of a play and got people to act it in front of King Claudius. The changes he made in the play made it cunningly tell the story of the murder of King Hamlet. This play made King Claudius uncomfortable and helped Hamlet confirm his suspicions about the murder of his father. Hamlet was also in love with Ophelia who is the daughter of Polonius. After his pretence of madness, Hamlet found out that Ophelia betrayed him which hurt him deeply. In his quest for revenge, Hamlet killed Polonius, Ophelias father accidentally. In the end, Hamlet was killed by the sword of Laertes but he made sure that he killed King Claudius before his death. King Claudius He was Hamlets uncle and the King of Denmark who was the antagonist of the play. Claudius murdered the previous king of Denmark to satisfy his ambitions and replace him as king and he took his wife in the process. Two months after he murdered the king, he got married to Queen Gertrude and prince Hamlet did not approve of this marriage. After Hamlet started his pretence of insanity, King Claudius sent Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Ophelia to go and spy on him as he believed Hamlets intentions were not clear. When King Claudius got the impression that Hamlet was a threat, he sent for him to be killed but Hamlet survived. When Hamlet returned to Denmark and King Claudius found out that he wasnt dead, he tried to trick Laertes into poisoning Hamlet as Laertes at that time was looking for a way to kill hamlet to avenge the death of his father Polonius. At the end of the play, King Claudiuss plan to poison Hamlet failed as he killed his wife queen Gertrude instead and then Hamlet killed Ki ng Claudius with the poisoned sword. Queen Gertrude Gertrude was Hamlets mother and the Queen of Denmark. She was married to the dead king Hamlet and after he passed away, she went on and married Claudius who was the brother to the King Hamlet and the present King of Denmark. Gertrude loved Hamlet deeply but disappointed hamlet when she got married to Hamlets uncle not long after her husbands death. Queen Gertrude later realizes her mistakes when Hamlet scolds her and she promised to not sleep with the uncle anymore. When she found out that Hamlet wasnt really mad, she helped him to continue his pretence of insanity. In the end, Queen Gertrude was killed by the poisoned drink which was meant for Hamlet. Lord Polonius He was the father of Laertes and Ophelia and also the Lord Chamberlain of Claudiuss court. Polonius owned his duty to kind Claudius and when he heard about Hamlets madness, he believed his daughter was responsible for that and warned his daughter to stay away from prince Hamlet. He later used his daughter to spy on the prince and this hurt him deeply. Polonius was later killed accidentally by prince Hamlet when he was caught eavesdropping on a conversation between Hamlet and his mother. Ophelia Ophelia was hamlets love interest and the daughter to Polonius and sister to Laertes. Ophelia was loved deeply by hamlet but never married him. She listened to her fathers advice and avoided Hamlet when she taught of him as mad. Her father then used her to spy on Hamlet but Hamlet knew this and it disturbed him deeply. After Hamlet killed Polonius and left Denmark, Ophelia became mad and ended up committing suicide by drowning herself Laertes He was Polonius son and played a minor part in the play until the death of his father Polonius. After finding out that prince Hamlet killed his father, he set out to avenge his fathers death by killing Hamlet. His plan was to kill him in a battle with a poisoned sword but King Claudius advised him to kill the prince with a poisoned drink. Laertes went with his original plan of using the poisoned sword and succeeded but was also killed by Hamlet in the end. The Theme of Revenge in Hamlet Revenge is the major theme portrayed in the play. The major events of the play portrays different characters showing their intent to revenge previous deeds by someone against them and this set up the tragic conclusion of the play as revenge most times leads to tragedy. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, sought revenge on his uncle, the present king of Denmark, for killing his father the previous king of Denmark. Hamlet decides to act mad in order to achieve his revenge but in the process kills Polonius, Lord Chamberlain and the father of his friend Laertes accidentally, as a result of mistaken identity with Claudius the king. On the other hand, Laertes plots with King Claudius to kill hamlet by poisoning, to avenge his fathers death although King Claudius also wanted to kill Hamlet for his own personal reasons. Hamlets father killed the king of Norway, and his son Fortinbras the prince, also sought revenge on Denmark but later becomes the only one to avoid revenge and therefore being the only survivor of the tragedy and became the future king of Denmark. It is believed that all this took place because of the death of king Hamlet. In the plot of revenge, innocent souls were killed and Shakespeare uses the theme to explain that the quest for revenge often leads to tragedy. Conclusion Hamlet is a tragic play. The appearance of the dead Kings ghost marked the beginning of the tragedy as after persuading Hamlet to avenge his death, everything fell apart in Denmark. In the process of killing King Claudius, who was responsible for the Kings death, some innocent people also died. King Claudiuss marriage to Hamlets mother, Queen Gertrude disturbed Hamlet. At the same time Denmark is under threat of attack from young Fortinbras, whose father was killed by the late king Hamlet and had come to avenge his fathers death. In the end, every major character died except for Prince Fortinbras of Norway who ended up being the only heir to the throne of Denmark.

On Line Recruiting Essay -- Business Hiring Job Jobs Employer Essays

On-Line Recruiting On-line recruiting is the process of attracting and hiring applicants for positions within an organization through use of the internet. In this paper I will assess an on-line recruitment service, identify the advantages and disadvantages of this vehicle as a recruiting technique for an organization, evaluate the pros and cons of dealing with virtual resumes, and develop criteria an organization can use for selecting an on-line recruiting service. CareerBuilder.com is an on-line recruitment service based out of Reston, Virginia. Their resume database contains of over 1.5 million resumes, utilizes over 250 search agents, and has over 48,000 jobs posted on the main site, as well as 243,000 on their network, which consists of over fifty participating sites and network job boards. CareerBuilder.com was rated by the February 2000 Forester Report as the most efficient on-line service, and claims to provide employers with the best access and exposure to top websites such as MSN and USA Today, along with various industry sites and localized new sites. CareerBuilder.com also provides interactive banner advertising on its home site, as well as all participating job sites and career centers on the internet, providing additional advertising exposure to their cclients (Career Builder, Inc.,1996-2000). Although the Job Search Agent only hunts through jobs posted on the Career Builder network, which limits the amount of informa tion available to their clients, CareerBuilder.com was rated by The Standard.com as ?by far the best job megasite for employers... practically perfect in every way? (Slayton,2000,popup chart). There are several advantages and disadvantages to using this particular vehicle to recruit potential employees. Using an internet recruitment service is more cost effective; a newspaper advertisement costs between $50 to $100, and is good for approximately ten days. An internet listing costs as little as $10, and lasts up to thirty days. Internet services also provide immediate results, where as newspaper ads can take as long as one week for the company to receive any responses. Lastly, utilizing the internet provides an employer access to a greater number and range of applicants . Disadvantages include a greater amount of responses to review, which can be very time consuming, many of which may not be ... ... In summary, the introduction of the internet has completely altered the way employers hire, how individuals seek out work, how employees feel about their current employer, and how companies manage human resources. The utilization of an on-line recruitment service has become a necessary, as well as very effective way, to organize and manipulate the information available to both employers and employees adequately in today?s job market. References Career Builder, Inc. (1996-2000). About Us. CareerBuilder.com. [On-Line]. Available: http://corporate/ourcompany.html. Career Builder, Inc. (1996-2000). What We Do. CareerBuilder.com. [On-Line]. Available: http://corporate/employers.html.. Slayton, Joyce (2000). Recruiter Beware. The Industry Standard Magazine. [On-line]. Available: http://www.thestandard.com/article/table/0,213,18304-1,00.html?popupw=511 Dessler, Gary (2000) . Human Resource Management. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. Human Resources at Wharton (2001). How On-Line Recruiting Changes the Hiring Game. Knowlege at wharton.Com. [On-Line]. Available: http://knowlege.wharton.eupenn.edu/articles.cfm?articleid=314&catid=10.

Comparison Between the Play and Movie Versions of Death and the Maiden :: English Literature

Comparison Between the Play and Movie Versions of Death and the Maiden There is a significant difference between the play and movie versions of Death and the Maiden. The movie version emphasizes visual and sound effects, while the play highlights the importance of language. The movie version starts by playing a section from Schubert’s quartet Death and the Maiden. After the melodious music, viewers immediately see and hear lightening outside a small house as well as ocean waves clash against rocks. This contrast not only shocks the viewers, it also prepares them for the upcoming â€Å"action† in the movie. However, the play presents a different perspective. There are only two sentences that cover the above scene, â€Å"Sound of the sea. After midnight.† This simple language will generate imaginations inside readers’ mind and let them create their own movies. The movie version adds more stage directions to create an additional dramatic situation. We first saw Paulina cooking in the kitchen while listening to the radio. She then hears from the radio that Gerardo Escobar has been selected to be the head of the commission. She immediately drops the knife and walks out of the kitchen furiously. However, the above situation does not actually exist in the play Death and the Maiden. The play states that Paulina was sitting in a chair drinking before she heard a car stopped in front of her beach house. The movie version gives viewers evidences that Paulina knew Gerardo Escobar and was not happy about him being the head of the commission. The movie also adds a dialogue between Gerardo Escobar and Roberto Miranda. The main focus in the dialogue is the same as the â€Å"monologue† by Gerardo in the play. However, we can learn from the dialogue that a guy named Roberto Miranda helped Gerardo to get home. We can also tell from Paulina’s facial expression that she was shocked to hear Miranda’s voice. I like the added stage directions in the movie because it made me became very curious about what is going to happen next. The play’s beginning was no as interesting as the movie’s. I also liked the acting in the movie.

Doll House Essay

In the play â€Å"A DOLL’S HOUSE†, we are presented with a very idealistic version of life in the late 1800’s, and along with that, the very confined roles both men and women were placed into. â€Å"A DOLL’S HOUSE† lends proof to the fact that women do not always enjoy the freedom to say, do and choose a lifestyle that they find fulfilling. The story that the play presents sheds a very domineering light on males as heads of households, and in society in general, and portrays women as dependent and subservient. In the opening scene of â€Å"A DOLL’S HOUSE†, the main character Nora very tellingly hides, and later lies to her husband about eating a sugary treat (Ibsen). Although Nora’s husband Torvald grills with questions such as â€Å"Hasn’t Miss Sweet Tooth been breaking rules in town today? † she continues to deny that she has, despite having hidden a few macaroons in her pocket moments earlier (Ibsen). The question might arise: â€Å"would a man ever be subject to such questioning and severe restrictions†? We do not often see the roles reversed, were the woman controls so much of what a man eats, how much he spends, what he does in his spare time, etc. , especially in literature and other sources of entertainment. Too often, the â€Å"traditional† views of marital and societal roles regarding men and women are presented over and over; the male â€Å"wears the pants†, dictating to the woman how much she should spend, where she should spend it, and how to behave â€Å"Properly†. As the play progresses, we learn that Nora has committed a grievous crime, forging her fathers signature on a bond secured in order for she and her husband to spend time in Europe as part of Torvalds recovery from a grave illness. Nora is shown to be very dependent on money, and things of monetary value, and therefore her husband since he was obviously procurer of their financial status. Nora comes across as is very dependent on Torvald for her financial needs, and also extremely greedy as evidenced when she exclaims like a child â€Å"Money!  Ã¢â‚¬  at the sight of her husband producing more money to give her (Ibsen). She follows that with â€Å"ten shillings–a pound- -two pounds! Thank you, thank you! † (Ibsen). Such exchanges throughout the play place such a childlike dependency on Nora towards her husband. It is interesting that Nora takes a secret pride in her crime, feeling that it sets her apart and gives her more purpose, while at the same time worrying about how â€Å"humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything!  Ã¢â‚¬  even fearing that their â€Å"beautiful happy home would no longer be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ibsen). Further still throughout the play, we are faced with more evidence to support the fact that women were not seen as equals in marriage, but as someone to be either proud of or shamed by according to their looks, actions, and ability to keep a home running smoothly. Nora herself is very aware of her place as a thing to be admired when she remarks to her friend Mrs. Linde, â€Å"someday†¦when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now†¦when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have palled on him;† (Ibsen). Another very telling exchange between Torvald and Nora takes place during the preparation for a ball in which Nora is to dance. While trying to discourage her husband from getting the mail, and finding a letter from the man who was going to reveal her crime, Nora plays to Torvalds dominant tendency insisting that she cannot do it correctly without his help. Although their conversation is in reference to her dance and practicing, it seems to shed some light on the type of relationship they have. Nora exclaims â€Å"I can’t dance tomorrow if I don’t practice with you†¦criticize me, and correct me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to which Torvald replies â€Å"with great pleasure, if you wish me to† (Ibsen). As they practice, Nora’s nerves about her crime being exposed get the best of her and she is unable to perform correctly. Torvald cries â€Å"you will need a lot of coaching†¦you can depend on me† (Ibsen).

Literary Device Essay

Bianca Lynch Literary device essay In the novel At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks He uses mood to help you understand the main character, this also helps you to empathize with his problems and correlate to how they may feel. Another literary device he uses to help you connect to the novel is imagery; he paints an elaborated picture of the town Jeremy Marsh now lives in with his new wife Lexi. The Author describes Boone Creek, a small town in NC Jeremy Marsh has recently moved to for his fiance Lexi Darnell, as a small country hick town that anyone coming from NYC would be ashamed to call home. As Jeremy starts to feel more at home, His perspective of the town is changed. It changes from being a hick town to somewhere refreshing where he could see himself settling down with Lexi and their Daughter to come he expresses this early on in ch. Four of the novel, â€Å"The last month in Boone creek, boring as it had been, was actually†¦refreshing† (Jeremy pg 52). In fact he gets so used to the town that when he went back home to NY for his bachelor party he felt out of place, as if something just didn’t fit. His brothers and best friend Alvin criticized his clothes, the â€Å"lumberjack† shirt Lexi bought him. Although Jeremy always did consider himself a somewhat â€Å"stylish† man and if he was still living in NY would have never been seen in those clothes by wearing it made him feel somehow connected to Lexi and his new home Boone Creek. As I read this novel I pictured a clean cut New Yorker moving so a small country town and becoming lost in all the small town gossip and unfamiliar country ways. † They’ll talk behind our backs, they’ll gossip, and it’ll take folks along time to forget that we ‘lived in sin’† (Lexi pg. 4) Lexi told Jeremy when trying to explain to him why they couldn’t live together before getting married. What Jeremy could not become accustomed to was the constant gossip about other people’s lives, although this did go on in the city it wasn’t as bad because new Yorkers don’t have enough time in the day to just sit around and talk about other people’s lives. Another literary device Nicholas Sparks used to absorb the readers attention is mood. Throughout the whole first half of the novel I was left in suspense s to how Jeremy and Lexis relationship would turn out. In the first four chapters the author tries to get the reader to think that there may be some kind of unfaithfulness going on between Lexi and Jeremy on Lexi’s part. Jeremy goes to Lexis job early one day to surprise her and she wasn’t there and did not mention getting off early to him beforehand. When he went to look for her he found her on the bench that overlooked the river with Rodney, her childhood love,† until , that is they shifted on the bench, and he then realized they were holding hands. (Jeremy pg. 73), this along with many other unexplained disappearances by Lexi leads to the suspense in the novel. As I read the end when lexi dies after labor it puts me in a doleful mood. With Jeremy mourning his wife’s death and the thought of their baby girl not having a mother in her life, he refuses to go see his daughter; in fact he said he never wanted to see her. Since Lexi died during Claries birth Jeremy feels animosity towards her, when asked if he saw her yet he said no. â€Å"Jeremy turned away. He didn’t want to heart that, didn’t want to hear anything about the baby†¦would he ever be happy again? †(Jeremy pg 258) Doris, Lexi’s grandmother finally convinces him to go see her, â€Å"And in that instance, while staring at his daughter through a thousand tears, he fell in love and wanted nothing more than to hold Claire forever. † (Narrator pg 263). Jeremy learns to accept Lexis death and accept the gift she left behind, Claire. Although the novel jumps from suspense to love to distressing times Nicholas Sparks still manages to consume the readers attention by using mood and imajery.