Wyatt vs. Stickney and Social Welfare Policy Essay Example

Wyatt vs. Stickney and Social Welfare Policy Essay The late Dr. Stonewall B. Stickney was a writer for The Harbinger between the years 1986 and 1996. It is while at this job that he penned a column titled Ask Dr. Salvo. Dr. Stickney, or Stone, as he was known by his friends, was a crucial figure in the field of public health psychiatry (Yarbruogh, 2001). He played a critical role in public health in his capacity as the Alabama State Commissioner of Mental Health (Raskin, 2004). It was at this time that the Supreme Court ruling of 1971 found it unconstitutional the way mental health patients were housed in state institutions for long periods without any treatment being administered to them. Consequently Dr. Stonewall initiated the famous Wyatt vs. Stickney lawsuit. This suit did not start out with that name initially, but was filed by a group of psychologists from the University of Alabama (Minis Freyer, 2001). Stone and the Alabama Board of Mental Health wanted to make some big changes. There was a shortfall in funding due to cigarette taxes. Their rationale was to lay off some members of staff, starting with some of the executives at the top. They wanted to keep most caregivers there that were with the patients most of the time. At that time, the two sources of employers in Tuscaloosa were the University of Alabama and Bryce and Partlow Hospitals. We will write a custom essay sample on Wyatt vs. Stickney and Social Welfare Policy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Wyatt vs. Stickney and Social Welfare Policy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Wyatt vs. Stickney and Social Welfare Policy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In October 1970, Ricky Wyatt, a fifteen-year-old boy who had always been labeled a juvenile delinquent and who stayed at Bryce despite not being diagnosed with a mental illness, became the named plaintiff in the Wyatt vs. Stickney lawsuit (Yarbruogh, 2001). His aunt, W. C. Rawlins, was one of the employees at the Bryce hospital who  had been sent off. Together, the two testified about intolerable conditions and improper treatments and care designed only to make the patients more manageable. In 1971, the plaintiff class was expanded to accommodate patients at Alabamas two other mental health facilities. These were Searcy Hospital and Camp Partlow (Raskin, 2004). The resultant court ordered agreements formed the basis for federal minimum standards for the care of patients with mental illness or mental retardations who resided in institutional settings. Wyatt vs. Stickney In 1999, a new settlement agreement was enacted leading to a great and substantial level of progress. The case was finally dismissed on December 5, 2003, with the finding by Judge that Alabama was in compliant with the agreement (Minis Freyer, 2001). The standards elaborated in that agreement have over the years served as a masterpiece nationwide. Referred to as the Wyatt Standards, they are founded on four pre-requisites of care: l Humanely Psychological and Physical Surrounding The environment and surroundings within which the mental patients were to be held, according to this agreement, had to cater for their physical and psychological wellbeing (Raskin, 2004). This included the treatment from the members of staff. l Qualified , Competent and Sufficient Staff for Administration of Treatment The members of staff for the institutions had to meet three criteria. They must be qualified to handle the duties that they are entrusted with. The members of staff also have to be competent, meaning that they can effectively perform their duties. The members of staff also have to be adequate to handle the number of patients that they are entrusted with. This will greatly reduce the health care giver to patient ratio. l Individualized Treatment Plans and Programs According to this settlement, the one size fits all programs will no longer apply. Every patient has to be treated individually, given that each and every patient has unique needs and requirements. l Minimal Restriction of Patients Freedom This standard recognizes that despite their status as patients, the latter do not cease to be human beings (Yackle, 2004). As such, the restrictions imposed on their freedom by the care givers have to be minimal. The case of Wyatt vs. Stickney came to a conclusion after 33 years (Yackle, 2004). It spanned through nine Alabama governors and fourteen state mental health commissioners. As a result of this, it is regarded as the longest running mental health case in national history (La Fond Dulham, 2002). Relationship between Past Events and the Current Policy In 1970, Alabama was ranked last among American states in funding for mental health. Bryce Hospital at that time had 5,200 mental patients living in conditions that were akin to those of a concentration camp (Springer, 2005). The same year, a tax on cigarette aimed at mental health treatment was slashed. One hundred Bryce employees were sent off, including twenty members of professional staff (Yackle, 2004). Members belonging to the Department of Psychology at the Alabama University attempted to file a lawsuit on behalf of the laid down workers, but Johnson Federal Judge ruled that the courts had no powers to intervene on behalf of fired employees (Weiner Wettstein, 2002). The judge however pointed out the possibility of a suit being filed on behalf of patients, whose quality of care was badly affected (Weiner Wettstein, 2002). The historic 1970 Alabama case recognized for the first time that the constitutional rights of mentally disabled patients living in state ran psychiatric hospitals had been violated and undermined under the 14th Amendment (La Fond Dulham, 2002). This case had far reaching consequences and interest beyond the state of Alabama. As a matter of fact, Judge Johnsons ruling forever changed the way mental health services would be delivered in the United States of America and beyond (Raskin, 2005). The Wyatt vs. Stickney lawsuit resulted in minimum standards for the care and rehabilitation of people with mental ailments and mental retardation throughout the nation. This lawsuit, filed on October 23, 1970, was finally dismissed on December 5, 2003 (Springer, 2005). In 1970, Bryce State Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, had 5,200 patient living in inhuman conditions and receiving substandard medical treatment (Johnson Freyer, 2001). Remembering what he had seen in his coverage of the Nazi war trials, Hal Martin- the editor and publisher of The Montgomery Advertiser, went so far as to point out the conditions at Bryce and the state’s other mental health institutions to be similar to those at concentration camps (Yackle, 2004). Few members of the public were conversant with the horrible and deplorable living conditions and treatment of patients in these hospitals. In that year, as earlier indicated, a cigarette tax whose income was aimed at funding mental health services was slashed (Raskin, 2004). As a result, Bryce was forced to fire almost one hundred of its employees. Of the employees fired, 20 were professionals such as psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists. As a result of the layoffs, only one physician catered for about 350 patients, while one nurse catered for 250 patients (Yarbruogh, 2001). The same applied to psychiatrists, whereby one psychiatrist catered for about 1,700 patients (La Fond Dulham, 2002). The staffing ratios and conditions at the Partlow State School and Hospital in Tuscaloosa and the Searcy Hospital in Mount Vernon were worse. At Searcy, only one registered nurse attended to all the 2,500 patients and she was not  permitted to access the male wards (Springer, 2005). This particular lawsuit was filed on October 23, 1970, on behalf of Ricky when the Bryce send offs were carried out (Raskin, 2004). Additionally, the lawsuit emanated from two occurrences in the care and interventions of people with mental illness. The first occurrence involved the research and writing of attorney cum physician Morton Birnbaum who published an article in 1960 entitled The right to treatment (Yarbruogh, 2001). In this article, Birnbaum pointed out that each person in a mental institution had a fundamental right to treatment that would ultimately give the person a chance to be cured or improve his mental condition (Springer, 2005). Birnbaum held the opinion that if the person did not receive appropriate treatment, they were to be released at will despite severe condition of his mental illness. This theory was not used as an enforcement mechanism, or rather, a tool to force adjustments in the treatment and attention given to people with mental illness residing in hospitals and other institutions (Minis Freyer, 2001). The second occurrence that prompted the lawsuit was the rise of a mental health bar, whose goal was to abolish or impose a limited involuntary commitment of people with mental illness to institutions (Minis Freyer, 2001). Fulfillment of Policy Makers Intention The plans and programs for a state hospital for the mentally ill in the state of Alabama began in 1852 (Raskin, 2004). The new facility was planned from the start to utilize the moral architecture concepts of 1830s activist Dorothea Dix. Dixs reformist ideas, in particular, are credited as the ones that played a pivotal role in the construction of the hospital (Weiner Wettstein, 2002). Construction of the building began in 1853 and completed in 1859. The hospital was the first building in Tuscaloosa state with gas lighting and central heating (Yackle, 2004). The Alabama Insane Hospital was opened in 1861. It was later renamed after its first psychiatrist superintendent, Peter Bryce, who was 27 years old (Yarbruogh, 2001). Bryce had been conversant with the hospital through his colleague Dix. His tenure was marked by absolute and diligent discipline among the staff of the hospital (La Fond Dulham, 2002). He demanded and pushed for patients to be treated with courtesy, kindness and respect at all times. The use of shackles and other restraints was effectively discouraged and condemned, and finally abolished altogether in 1882 (Raskin, 2004). Various programs and other activities were in effect encouraged, such as farming, sewing, maintenance and crafts. Between the period 1872 and the early 1880s, some of the patients wrote their own newspaper, The Meteor (Raskin, 2004). These contributions provided a rare and informative look at life in a mental institution in the late 19th century (Springer, 2005). Moving Closer to or Away from Social Welfare Goals? Governor Riley had announced on December 30, 2009, that Bryce Hospital was to relocate to a new facility across McFarland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa, and that the Alabama University was to take over the current Bryce campus. For several years, the university had a parcel of land, which was adjacent to its campus (Minis Freyer, 2001). Riley pointed out that a hospital of about 268 patients had been envisioned but the final size had yet to be arrived at. The deal, approved by Governor Bob Riley and Alabama Department of Mental Health on December 30 thee same year, was worth $72 million for Mental Health to build another hospital. The university was to pay $50 million and Mental Health was to get another $22 million in state bond money (Yackle, 2004). The Alabama university had pledged another $10 million to clean up surrounding environment on the Bryce grounds and restoration of the main hospital building, construction of which started in 1853 (La Fond Dulham, 2002). The state had explored other options to replace Bryce, including the possibility of renovating neighboring Birmingham facility and moving Bryce clients there. Wyatt vs. Stickney lawsuit spanned 33 years. It was the longest running mental health lawsuit in the nation and it helped set standards of care, which have improved and boosted the lives of countless persons with mental illness and mental retardation (Yackle, 2004). Litigation costs to the state over the 33 year time span of the case were estimated at over 15 million dollars. In the year 1970, there were over 8,000 patients in mental illness facilities and over 2,200 residents in mental retardation facilities. In addition, there were fewer than 15,000 persons from both populations who were receiving community based services (Springer, 2005). At present, over 110,000 people with either mental illness or mental retardation are served in community based care and fewer than 1,500 are in state institutions. Implications of Wyatt vs. Stickney This 1970 Alabama case resulted in recognition, for the first time, of the constitutional rights of mentally disabled patients living in state run psychiatric hospitals which were being jeopardized under the 14th Amendment. This case garnered overwhelming interests beyond the state of Alabama.   The ruling forever transformed the way mental health services would be administered. The Wyatt vs. Stickney lawsuit resulted in consideration and introduction of minimum standards for the care and rehabilitation of people with mental ailments and mental retardation. The case was a success since its determination ensured that patients with mental disabilities did not suffer from discrimination and inhuman conditions that they experienced before. Consequently, it brought to an end the sufferance of the mental patients. Ten years after Federal Judge Frank M. Johnson gave the Wyatt vs. Stickney decision in 1972, the case was again scheduled for a hearing in January, 1983. Many of the issues which were in court the previous decade were again considered in the preceding hearing. The issues presently before the court included the motion for diversion of general fund and oil and gas funds to the Department of Mental Health, request for ending of the receivership under which the department presently operated, motion for declaration of the governor as receiver and appointment of a new receiver and fourth, motion for modification and the withdraw of the Wyatt standards to be substituted with other standards. From the original ruling, significant changes occurred at both the national and state levels that in effect affected the outcome of Wyatt. The antecedents of this case were carefully scrutinized in order to understand the decision which will be arrived at. The decision that ultimately occurred in the Wyatt hearings of 1983 had a significant effect on services for the mentally retarded throughout the United States. They included: 1. No patient was to be subjected to any oppressive conditioning or other attempt to alter their behavior by means of painful experience, except under the following conditions: a. A program for invasive conditions has been given by a qualified mental health professional, trained and experienced in the use of aversive conditioning. This directive was to be made in writing with clinical justification and an explanation of which substitute treatments were considered and why they were rejected. The recommendation was to be supported by another qualified mental health professional trained and experienced in invasive conditioning and approved by the superintendent or medical director of the institution. b. The patient has given expressed and informed consent in writing to the administration of the conditioning. It was the responsibility of the treating psychiatrist to provide the patient with full information concerning the nature of the invasive treatment, to assist the patient in understanding the significance of such information, and to consider and identify any barriers to such comprehension (Raskin, 2004). In addition, the written consent signed by the patient was to include a statement of the nature of the treatment consented to, a layout of its purpose, dangers and possible   effects, and a notice to the patient that they have the right to withdraw their consent at any time. 2. No aversive conditioning was to be imposed or administered on any patient without the approval of the Extraordinary Treatment Committee, whose primary responsibility was to determine, after inquiry and interview with the patient, whether the patients consent to such therapy is, in fact, based on knowledge, intelligence, and voluntary and whether the treatment is in the interest of the patient (Springer, 2005). 3. The patient shall be represented throughout the proceedings including the signing of the consent and the meetings of the Extraordinary Treatment Committee, by legal counsel appointed by the Extraordinary Treatment Committee (Springer, 2005). The counsel was to ensure that all considerations mitigating the use of aversive conditioning have been explored and resolved and that the patient was ready to consent to such medical treatment. 4. Written records of consent and approval were to be kept. 5. Aversive conditioning procedures were to be administered only under direct supervision of and in physical presence of a qualified mental health professional trained in aversive conditioning (Yackle, 2004). 6. No patient was to be subjected to aversive conditioning program which attempts to alter socially appropriate behavior or to develop new behavior patterns for the primary purpose of institution (Yackle, 2004). 7. A patient was to withdraw their consent to aversive conditioning at any time and for any reason known to them. Such a withdrawal of consent was to be either oral or written and is to be effected immediately it is written. Conclusion In the lawsuit, some of the psychologists who were laid off were suing the Mental Health Department for their lost jobs and this can be described as another salient feature of the lawsuit. In spite of this, the intention of the plaintiffs to address the welfare of the mental patients was adequately adhered to during the lawsuit. Many people felt and believed that Frank Johnson was the leader and champion in Alabama as the State leadership had proven time and again that they were not able to govern. The suit filed by the psychologists was lost at the Federal Level but allegedly as they were leaving the courtroom, Frank Johnson said that they were missing the critical point, what determines adequate care.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists Essays - James Madison, Free Essays

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists Essays - James Madison, Free Essays Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists Most people think that the U.S. constitution was just ratified and there was no arguments over its passing. In fact there was almost enough opposition that it came very close to not being passed. It was the Hamiltonians vs. the Jeffersonians in almost all cases. Even before the United States Constitution was ratified there was debate over whether or not to have a strict interpretation or a loose one. There was also debate over a States right to nullify a law. As memories of Shays rebellion and the reality of the Whiskey rebellion came to the front the issue of undue force became an issue. One of the other major issues during this era was the debt and the national bank. Although the constitution was passed there was much debate over whether it should be a strict or loose interpretation. Hamiltons federalists thought it should be loose and Jeffersons democratic-republicans strict. If it was strict then the federal government would only have the powers specifically given to it because of the tenth amendment. Too justify it being loose the federalists used the elastic clause (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18) and then they could decide what was necessary and proper. Hamilton thought that the only way to protect states sovereignty and at the same time have a national government would be to have a strong central authority. The Kentucky and Virginia resolutions brought to the front a very important matter of concern, a states right to nullify a law. The federalists said that if a state could nullify a law then what did the laws mean. The democratic-republicans thought that if a law hurt a state unduly then it could be nullified. Resolved, the Kentucky Legislature declared in its opening paragraph, that whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force. Supreme authority in America, it argued, was held not by the federal government but by the people and the states, and Congress and the president had only those powers clearly delegated to them by the Constitution. This issue would not be settled until the civil war This is one of the pivotal moments of politics at that time the federalists were thrown out in 1800 mainly because of this. Another cause for concern about the new government was the use of undue force. The democratic-republicans thought that Washington used too much force in putting down the whiskey rebellion. He used 12,950 men to put down that rebellion or the so-called insurrection as he called it. Washington did another thing to anger the democratic-republicans when he left Hamilton in charge or making the arrests. They thought that that was too much force for people who in their mind had good reason to rebel. The federalists thought that this was a good move. They based this on what happened with Shays rebellion. After the ratification of the U.S. Constitution the debt became an issue. The United States all told owed 54,000,000 and the States debts were 21,500,000. Hamilton came up with a brilliant plan to help pay off the debt. He would sell bonds to pay it off and keep the debt solely owed to the citizens of the U.S. Thus the only burden to the taxpayers would be the interest on the bonds, which would actually go back to the people. The Jeffersonians opposed this not because they doubted that it would work but because they thought that those who deserved the least would make the most. They were referring to the speculators who had purchased the papers at below their value. Also part of this plan was the bank of the United States. The bank was a good idea but too reminiscent of the Bank of England which some believed had caused England to be so harsh. The Jeffersonian and the Hamiltonians disagreed on almost every issue. There arguments can almost all be traced back to states rights vs. a strong central government. Although they agreed on some issues those were few and far between. These two parties would be the dominant force in politics for the next few decades.

The History and Purpose of the European Union

The History and Purpose of the European Union The European Union (EU) is a unification of 28 member states (including the United Kingdom) united to create a political and economic community throughout Europe. Though the idea of the EU might sound simple at the outset, the European Union has a rich history and a unique organization, both of which aid in its current success and its ability to fulfill its mission for the 21st Century. History The precursor to the European Union was established after World War II in the late 1940s in an effort to unite the countries of Europe and end the period of wars between neighboring countries. These nations began to officially unite in 1949 with the Council of Europe. In 1950, the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community expanded the cooperation. The six nations involved in this initial treaty were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Today, these countries are referred to as the founding members. During the 1950s, the Cold War, protests, and divisions between Eastern and Western Europe showed the need for further European unification. In order to do this, the Treaty of Rome was signed on March 25, 1957, thus creating the European Economic Community and allowing people and products to move throughout Europe. Throughout the decades, additional countries joined the community. In order to further unify Europe, the Single European Act was signed in 1987 with the aim of eventually creating a single market for trade. Europe was further unified in 1989 with the elimination of the boundary between Eastern and Western Europe- the Berlin Wall. The Modern Day EU Throughout the 1990s, the single market idea allowed easier trade, more citizen interaction on issues such as the environment and security, and easier travel through the different countries. Even though the countries of Europe had various treaties in place prior to the early 1990s, this time is generally recognized as the period when the modern day European Union arose due to the Treaty of Maastricht on the European Union- which was signed on February 7, 1992, and put into action on November 1, 1993. The Treaty of Maastricht identified five goals designed to unify Europe in more ways than just economically: 1. To strengthen the democratic governing of participating nations.2. To improve the efficiency of the nations.3. To establish economic and financial unification.4. To develop the community social dimension.5. To establish a security policy for involved nations. In order to reach these goals, the Treaty of Maastricht has various policies dealing with issues such as industry, education, and youth. In addition, the treaty put a single European currency, the euro, in the works to establish fiscal unification in 1999. The EU expanded in 2004 and 2007, bringing the total number of member states to 27. There are 28 member states today. In December 2007, all of the member nations signed the Treaty of Lisbon in hopes of making the EU more democratic and efficient to deal with climate change, national security, and sustainable development. How a Country Joins the EU For countries interested in joining the EU, there are several requirements that they must meet in order to proceed to accession and become a member state. The first requirement has to do with the political aspect. All countries in the EU are required to have a government that guarantees democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, as well as protects the rights of minorities. In addition to these political areas, each country must have a market economy that is strong enough to stand on its own within the competitive EU marketplace. Finally, the candidate country must be willing to follow the objectives of the EU that deal with politics, the economy, and monetary issues. This also requires that they be prepared to be a part of the administrative and judicial structures of the EU. After it is believed that the candidate nation has met each of these requirements, the country is screened, and if approved the Council of the European Union and the country draft a Treaty of Accession which then goes to the European Commission and European Parliament ratification and approval. If successful after this process, the nation is able to become a member state. How the EU Works With so many different nations participating, the governance of the EU is challenging. However, it is a structure that continually changes to become the most effective for the conditions of the time. Today, treaties and laws are created by the institutional triangle that is composed of the Council representing national governments, the European Parliament representing the people, and the European Commission that is responsible for holding up Europes main interests. The Council is formally called the Council of the European Union and is the main decision-making body present. There is also a Council President here, with each member state serving a six-month term in the position. In addition, the Council has the legislative power and decisions are made with a majority vote, a qualified majority, or a unanimous vote from member state representatives. The European Parliament is an elected body representing the citizens of the EU and participates in the legislative process as well. These representative members are directly elected every five years. Finally, the European Commission manages the EU with members that are appointed by the Council for five-year terms- usually one commissioner from each member state. Its main job is to uphold the common interest of the EU. In addition to these three main divisions, the EU also has courts, committees, and banks which participate in certain issues and aid in successful management. The EU Mission As in 1949 when it was founded with the creation of the Council of Europe, the European Unions mission for today is to continue prosperity, freedom, communication, and ease of travel and commerce for its citizens. The EU is able to maintain this mission through the various treaties making it function, cooperation from member states, and its unique governmental structure.

Land Power Versus Sea Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Land Power Versus Sea Power - Essay Example This dichotomy has not been limited to the perspectives of the Anglo-Americans on hegemonic power. Alexander Dugin, the geopolitical theorist from Russia, argued that this was core to international conflict, contending that these positions are the basis of cultural differences that will be in conflict all the time. This paper aims to discuss the two concepts and show whether they are relevant or obsolete in international relations. Mahan’s idea contends that the potency of a nation is dependent on unobstructed access to the sea in order to conduct trade. His interpretation of sea power was the total of factors and forces, geographical circumstances and tools, operated to attain sea command and secure it from enemies (Gray, 2009). In Mahan’s formulation, sea power included colonies, shipping, and domestic production. America, he said, had to build and maintain a massive combat navy to be fuelled by coal stations in the colonies. His argument was on the basis that the Uni ted States should become internationally competitive for the protection of itself. Mahan articulated ideas on sea power importance and the desire to see an expansionist philosophy for the American nation. Mackinder, on the other hand, extended his land power theory. He said the land surface could be subdivided into various parts. One was the world island that included Africa, Asia, and Europe interlinked together. This combination was the richest, most populous, and largest of them all (Kennedy, 2004). Another part was the offshore islands which included the Japanese and British Islands. Finally, he identified the outlying islands such as Australia, South America, and North America. It was the heartland which he saw as lying at the centre of the island of the world, extending from the arctic to the Himalayas and from the Yangtze to the Volga. During his era, the heartland was that controlled by the empire of Russia, later by the Soviets without the Vladivostok and the area around it . Mackinder predicted that the rimlands, as he called them, would become less relevant as industrialization caught on in the heartlands and as the inland became more accessible by the railway system. This would make land an asset rather than a barrier to communication. Eventually, Russia would tap the massive natural resources and manpower it had and overshadow its fellow powers in the west. Mahan’s theory remains relevant to date especially as far as its logic goes. America’s power in the sea has now turned on the ability of the navy to preserve access to the Eastern part of Asia, as well as the Middle East, which are the theatres of American maritime operations. The strategic gaze of the Americans now lies on Asia as its maritime target. However, costs for such projects are increasing while budget acquisition becomes stagnant. This, in turn, has led to downward pressure on the fleet size of the American Navy. The ability of the Sea Services to carry out the maritime strategy of 2007 is now becoming a doubt. The Chinese Navy, on the other hand, is on a quite different trajectory (Gilboy & Higginbotham, 2012). It now has new aircraft, submarines, and new ships. While these assets may not be equal to the American assets, their fleet is more focused on Asia. With the US placing more focus on a global scale, they could not apply adequate force at a theatre. An ASBM under construction

LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL, the trial and death of socrates book Essay - 1

LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL, the trial and death of socrates book - Essay Example He knows that his own death comes with the morning and he doesn’t really want to die, but he continues to reject his friends’ attempts to save him by helping him escape. Socrates feels that a virtuous man is a man who stands up for what he believes in even when this is not the common practice of his countrymen or when it means hardship for himself. For his defense, Socrates relies on logic and reasoning to present his case to the people of Athens, clearly summarizing his actions and demonstrating them to be neither harmful nor malicious toward the state. His friends try to convince him to adopt a different approach in his defense by turning to the cultural norms of working on pity and family need, but Socrates felt it more important to uphold the ideals of logic, truth and justice. However, Socrates has wisely already calculated his chances to escape death and chooses instead to be judged by history based upon his own merits rather than attempt to win over a group of individuals who are already disposed against him. In his example, Socrates reveals that the virtuous man does not worry so much about things like danger or fear of death because as long as he is standing up for truth, his spirit cannot be long overcome. According to Socrates, a man can know whether his decisions are virtuous or not based on his feelings of shame, which is an emotion that signals wrong action. It arises from feelings of guilt and remorse when one breaks contracts made both with himself and with others and can only be avoided when one acts in perfect acco rdance with what he knows is right without fear or pursuit merely of self-interest. In drinking the hemlock, Socrates is able to prove to history, if not to the jurors, that he has consistently acted in ways that he deems to be in the right, in support of the laws and in the best interests of the people. Finally, in accepting his punishment, he is able to prove the depth of his convictions and continue

More Than Just the Disease by Bernard McLaverty Essay Example for Free

More Than Just the Disease by Bernard McLaverty Essay More Than Just the Disease, written by Bernard McLaverty has one major character, Neil. The story is seen through his eyes and illustrates the problems that he has to deal with at this point in his life. Arguably the biggest problem Neil has in the story is his psoriasis, this is also a contributor to another of his problems, which is his huge lack of confidence, and it also contributes in a profound way to his insecurity. McLaverty has written the character of Neil Fry with many quite complex problems one of which is the astonishing influence Mrs Fry Neils mother has on him. He frequently hears her voice in his head commanding him, telling him how he should act, what he should do in certain situations and how to feel on certain matters. This occurs when Neil is having breakfast with Michaels family. His mother, without being present, tells him that he should, Close his mouth when he is eating she goes on to say, Others have to live with you Neil. He hears her again when he is unpacking after arriving at Michaels holiday home. She says Be tidy at all times and then no one can surprise you. I could go on for pages listing more and more instances of this but I wont get any marks for doing that! I regress. Although Mrs Fry means absolutely no harm, in fact quite the opposite, when implanting these views, ideas and reactions into Neils head, she is actually contributing to many of Neils problems: such as his lack of confidence, his ignorance and his insecurity. Neil finds, when he goes to stay with Michael on the coast, that his mother is entirely wrong about the middle classes and how they live and behave. He finds contrary to his expectations that they do not fit the stereotype, they are not posh but in fact they are reasonably laid back. Neil is very insecure possibly, again, owing to his mothers domination over him and because Neil kept hearing his mothers voice A good example of this is him going to the bathroom to put on his pyjamas and buttoning the jacket right up to the neck, whereas Michael while bending his arms and flexing his biceps announces proudly; I only wear pyjama bottoms. This, as well as illustrating Neils insecurity, also is a good illustration of Neils massive under confidence and Michaels abundance of it. Neil lives in a very sheltered world and does not know a lot about the world beyond his home and school life. This is evident in one instance in particular; when Neil is making an excuse for not going swimming to hide his psoriasis he says, The fact isIve got my period. Mrs Wan helps Neil with his lack of confidence. She is a duchess and owns the house in which Michael and his family stay throughout the summer. While doing this she lives in a dirty caravan at the bottom of the garden with her millions of cats. Mrs Wan proves another one of Mrs Frys stereotypes is utter nonsense, she does not dress as expected not at all glamorously but does not seem to be interested in her appearance in the slightest. McLaverty describes her as being, An old woman in a bottle green cardigan and baggy mouse coloured trousers anda pair of mens leather gloves. She is a complete contrast to Mrs Fry who likes to be tidy at all times and cannot abide milk bottles at the table. If, with no background information you were asked to choose the duchess between the two of them it is most likely that Mrs Fry would be the one chosen. Mrs Wan, although only meeting Neil briefly, has a large influence on him, which is rather more positive than that of his mothers. She listens to his and seems interested in his opinions and experiences. Most importantly, however, she gives him confidence, the confidence to reveal his psoriasis instead of making excuses to get out of going swimming. She shares her experience of lepers with him this also helps him and boosts his confidence in a big way. The end of the story illustrates very well how Mrs Wans advice affects Neil. The closing scene could be taken as a symbol for life. Neil because of his under confidence dabbles in the shallows nervously, meanwhile Michael is out in the deep riding the waves and happily accepting all the challenges thrown at him by the sea knowing he will succeed. The story teaches Neil a lot. He is taught to move out with his mothers domination. Not to worry too much about how other people perceive him and that he should not be at all afraid of revealing his psoriasis, not keeping it hidden. He has nothing to be ashamed of and therefore he should not hide away or dabble in the shadows but be sure of himself, confident enough to do what he thinks best not what his mother often wrongly thinks he should do, to be his own person and not a clone of his mother.

The Public Choice Essays -- Education School Essays

The Public Choice For some parents, deciding on a school for their children can be a difficult decision. Many parents do not spend much time thinking about it; they place their children into the local school designated by where they live. Others attended a private school themselves and found that it was a beneficial experience and therefore want the same for their kids. But which is better: private schools or public schools? While there are many advantages and disadvantages in each (nothing is going to be absolutely perfect), we are going to focus on the benefits of an education in the public school system, or in other words, schools funded by the government that are for anyone to attend. An accurate definition found in the Encyclopedia of American Education (1996) states: â€Å"Any elementary or secondary school under control of elected or appointed civil authority, supported entirely by public tax monies, and, with few exceptions, open to all students in a designated district, free of any tuition charges.† (780) These include elementary, secondary schools and vocational schools. Public schools are a good choice in education because they provide a wide variety of subjects to study, are diverse in their student body, available to everyone, yet can sometimes be misunderstood. Imagine sitting in a class, completely bored out of your mind. This is not difficult considering everyone has taken a class like this somewhere along the road of their education. Not every class can be exciting and we should know that. Now imagine every class is of this level, with no â€Å"break†, or elective, classes incorporated into your day. Although this may not apply to all private schools, there are many that focus on specific topics. So even though the... ...des. Students who do well in a public school setting tend to feel better about themselves. They succeed because they want to, not because someone else forced them to. Whether someone prefers a public school or a private school, it all depends on the person. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to appreciate all that public schools have to offer because they get their vision blurred by all the benefits of private schools. The only thing holding them back may be cost. If these people would just take some time to find that there are just as many wonderful things about the schools our governments provide, they may feel more confident in their choice. Those never exposed to anything but private education miss out on the diversity among students, extra vocational and extracurricular classes, and may even continue to not understand all that public schools have to offer.

Racism, Responsibility and Death Essay

Set in the late 1950s, the play Fences portrays the life of a fifty-year old Black named Troy, depicting his life as a husband, a father, a friend, and an individual set in the time where racism was highly dominant in America. Beyond cultural discrimination, themes like death, duty, friendship, and lost opportunities are also being seen in the play. Thesis: Real- life conditions are the backdrop of Wilson’s Fences as reflected through the story’s salient themes like racism, responsibility, and death. Topic Sentence1: Racism happening towards Black Americans during Wilson’s time is the backbone of the playwright’s story. Being an African- American himself, Wilson easily relates in his story the actual situation that was happening during that time in America where Blacks were being seen differently from White Americans. He was able to create a story depicting this theme, which I believe is very intriguing and crucial on that time since the issue was given a new angle at the mark of the industrialization age in the country. This claim was clearly seen through Wilson’s use of biases in Troy’s workplace. The main character noticed that it was only the Whites who were being promoted to drivers. On the first scene, he complained on the biases he has observed Quote 1: â€Å" †¦ what’s the matter, don’t I count? You think only white fellows got sense enough driving a truck? † (p. 2). Topic sentence 2: Family responsibilities are commonly perceived as burden in economically- ill families. Issue on responsibility, I can say, is still related with Troy’s race. Since he is a Black, his chances of getting promoted were affected. Troy assumes many responsibilities in the story: a husband, a father, and a brother to his disabled brother Gabriel. Although surrounded by such duties, Troy was trying to keep everyone satisfied with what he is giving. With this, his relationship to another woman, Alberta, was his escape from the burden he was carrying since for him the woman is not his responsibility, not until they found out that she was pregnant. Although Troy was earning not enough money, he was still brave for not abandoning his child. Instead of ducking it, he accepted the consequences of his actions. Quote 2: â€Å" I ain’t ducking the responsibility of it. As long as it sets right in my heart†¦ then I’m okay. † ( p. 63). Topic sentence 3: Death was presented in the play as an idea one should face bravely. In some stories, death is being portrayed as an aloof, mysterious thing. However, in the Fences, death was portrayed as something that one should face and battle with. Troy once told his story about how he wrestled and won against death. However, when he and his Cory had a major dispute causing for the latter to leave the house, Troy was left calling for death to come and defeat him. Quote 3: â€Å" †¦ I can’t taste nothing no more. ( Troy assumes a batting position and begins to taunt Death†¦ ) †. ( p. 89). Sticking to the conventional and traditional approach of writing a play, August Wilson has able to weave and combine dynamic characters , plausible plot, creative language, sophisticated style, and timeless themes all in a life-reflecting yet unusual and genius work of art. Work Cited Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Penguin Books, 1987

Fedex Essay

If you were the HR Head of a major competitor of FedEx: a) List down the 3 HR practices which you would emulate of FedEx. Explain reasons for the same. Ans) * Leadership Evaluation And Awareness Process (LEAP) – This policy gave FedEx’s Non-Managerial Employees an opportunity to seek Managerial Positions. LEAP created the chance for Non Management Employees to try out their Managerial Skills. LEAP helped Employees of FedEx check whether they were capable of managing Organizations or not. It also gave a chance to FedEx to check out the leadership and managerial skills of its internal Employees. * â€Å"Guaranteed Fair Employee Procedure† (GFTP ) Via â€Å"People –Service-Profit â€Å" (PSP) Philosophy – One of the major HR practices which made FedEx a success story was the Guaranteed Fair Employee Procedure where all type of Employee Grievances were taken care of. The philosophy of â€Å" People-Service-Profit† where Employees were kept before the company’s profit making motives lead to more motivated employees ,leading to more profits in the long run . It was believed that people before profits were would lead to more efficient work on behalf of the employees to the customers , thus strengthening the brand image of FedEx. * Succession Planning Executive Education (SPEED) – The SPEED program introduced at FedEx were done mainly to give feedback to the high level employees reporting directly to the CEO or to the top management of FedEx. Feedback was given periodically n order to rate the skills and promotability of the people who were likely to replace them in the near future. Such Employees were suggested which areas they needed to work on to improve their skills for their new positions some years down the line. b) If you had to attract top Talent from Fedex, what would be your strategy for this, assuming compensation and role were not the key factors for attracting talent from Fedex? Develop your response based on the case study (identifying areas where Fedex may not be as good) and state your assumptions, if any. Ans) To lure top Talent from FedEx, we can go in for the following strategies: * Fringe Benefits – * Perks – * Job Enlargement And Enrichment More Exciting Job Opportunities Q2. Based on the industry FedEx is in and on the nature of its business, list down 1 or 2 competencies which you think are core to the organization (across functions and levels) and which are essential for employees to possess in order for the organization to succeed. Justify your answer suitably Ans) * Recruitment Focusing on Entrepreneurship – The rec ruitment style followed by FedEx is to hire people who have a mind for new Entrepreneurial ventures. They have to be creative in nature and have the ability to think out of the box. This Recruitment strategy has worked well for FedEx. * Employee Centricity and Retention – FedEx Core Competency lies in the fact that all the Employees are treated equally and every grievance are taken care of. No stone is left unturned to see to it that all problems faced by employees are always addressed to before the company objectives. Q3. What do you think would be the top 5 measures the CEO of FedEx would want his HR Head to measure and report on an ongoing basis.

Why America Dropped Atomic Bombs essays

Why America Dropped Atomic Bombs essays Political and economic reasons: During the period of the development of the atomic bomb, the Allied troops were planning to launch a combined offensive against the Empire of Japan. The Soviet Union sought control in the governance of Korea and Manchuria in exchange for entering the war against Japan after the defeat of Germany. When President Truman heard about the successful testing of the atomic bomb, he was involved in a discussion with the Soviets in Potsdam. The American politicians realized that this new weapon significantly changed the equation when going to war against Japan. They realized that they can put an end to this war by using the weapon even before the Soviets could launch an offensive on Japan from Korea and Manchuria. Truman showed his distrust in the Soviets by keeping this test a secret at the meeting. Also, the devastation that the bomb would cause would show the Soviets that they could not safely challenge the American leadership after the war had ended. On the economic front, the war had revived the American economy from a depression. But prolonging the war would again have a negative effect on the economy. The American leadership wanted to put an end to the war swiftly and regain its economic interests in the Pacific islands and boost their own economy. Another reason was the actual use of the bomb itself. American scientists, led by Oppenheimer, had done a great job in building the bomb but all the calculations about its use and destructive power were done on a test site. A successful deployment of the bomb would prove to the world that it was for real and give the American military supreme confidence in further advancement of this technology. ...

Caucasion chalk circle

The chalk circle is a symbol of truth. Within the circle, all will be revealed. In the play, Azdak cannot come to a rational decision on who should have the child. His methods of justice are not by the Book of Statutes he sits upon. By putting the women in a circle and observing them act towards the child, he can see which woman is best for it. The circle levels the playing ground, removing the advantage of money or rank or history. There are no distractions to the problem or its solution. Azdak lets justice reveal itself. Similarly, the play opens with another circle of justice, when the members of the two communes sit together to decide who should have the valley. The Expert from the Government Reconstruction Commission is like Azdak, who announces the outcome but does not push; he observes. Within this friendly circle where the communes have equal social status, they can impartially decide the best use of the valley, and it is peacefully and mutually decided for the fruit growers. This circle symbol is reinforced by the Wheel of Fortune brought up by the Singer in Scene 2. He sings about the downfall of the Governor, who was so secure in his power and assumed he would always have it. â€Å"But long is not forever. / Oh Wheel of Fortune! Hope of the people! † (p. 15). This wheel of change is always turning and fits the Marxist message of the play. The Wheel celebrates the historical dialectic where the center of power is always shifting from one group or class to another. It is the hope of the people because eventually, this turning circle of fortune produces justice, as we see in the first scene. The first scene depicts the same landscape where the medieval civil war had taken place that we observe through the rest of the play. In the present time in Scene One, however, there is a socialist society that strives for fairness to all. Looking back, the people perform their own history and see how the Wheel of Justice kept moving until the people were free of their class bondage. When the artificial constructs of society are removed that favor the few, then it is clear who deserves what. Christian Symbolism Brecht often criticizes the Christian church as a tool to support the upper classes and keep the lower classes in their places. The historical church subverts the original teaching of Christ who treated all humans with respect. Brecht uses Christianity symbolically in this play, either to criticize religion, or else to transpose Christian rites into secular ceremonies of brotherhood. For instance, critics have pointed out use of the sacraments of the Catholic Church. The sacraments are the sacred ceremonies that convey God’s grace: Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Penance, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Extreme Unction (Last Rites or the Anointing of the Sick). In the play the first sacrament performed is the engagement of Simon and Grusha on Easter. He gives her a cross that belonged to his mother and asks her to wait for him. It symbolizes a true marriage. Later, the sacrament of marriage is made a farce when Grusha is forced into marrying Yussup, and he crudely tells her the purpose of marriage is for her to serve him in bed and in the fields. Simon on the other hand, stands by Grusha, â€Å"for better or worse. † When Grusha flees with Michael to the mountains, she finally decides he belongs to her and performs a Baptism, saying: â€Å"Ill wash you and christen you/ With glacier water† (Scene 3, p. 39). This is not the Church’s baptism but a human bond recognized by Grusha towards the child. At Jussup’s farm in the mountains, the drunken priest represents Holy Orders, and he performs a wedding and offers to do Extreme Unction on the groom. These rites are a parody of religion, but at the same time, they ensnare Grusha into the exploitive social structure that keeps her a slave. She is blackmailed into being respectable for the sake of the child. Another sacrament is Penance, comically performed by Azdak when he rushes into town with his confession that he let the Grand Duke escape. The sacrament of the Eucharist, or Communion, happens when Azdak shares wine with Granny and the bandit, Irakli. Finally, Brecht makes the fool Azdak into a type of Christ figure. He is beaten by the soldiers and almost hung, but is â€Å"resurrected† by the Grand Duke. The Singer says, â€Å"To feed the starving people/ He broke the laws like bread/ There on the seat of Justice/ With the gallows over his head . . . a poor man judged the poor† (Scene 5, p. 80). Azdak is no saint or supernatural figure. He is humane, performing acts humans can do, and is thus both hero and example. The Garden In Scene Two, Governor Abashvili is remodeling and enlarging his palace, in honor of his newborn son, whom he wants to carry on after him. He proposes to knock down the peasant shacks on the estate to do this. Natella says, â€Å"All these miserable slum houses are to be torn down to make room for a garden† (p. 11). This will be a garden for the privileged at the expense of the poor. The slum people are of no account as humans. In fact, in Scene Six, Natella complains about their smell, as if they were animals. Ironically, this same estate is confiscated for the state in Scene Six when Azdak declares it will be given to the people and made into a playground for children. He calls it â€Å"The Garden of Azdak† (p. This is a human Eden, and the Singer speaks of it as a brief â€Å"Golden Age† (p. 96). The garden is also evoked in Scene Three as Grusha is fleeing to the mountains. She meets a carriage of aristocratic women from the south, who stay at an inn. The innkeeper describes the beauty of the land to the ladies, saying, â€Å"We’re planting fruit trees there, a few cherries† (p. 28). He shows them farther away where the land gets more stony, and that is where the shepherds have their flocks. The ladies say, â€Å"You live in a fertile region† (p. He asks what their land is like, and they say they don’t know. They have not paid attention. This scene reinforces the first scene where the fruit growers and goat herders argue over the same valley. The common people have a relationship with the land and are contrasted to the aristocratic ladies who have not paid attention to the land at all. They are just trying to get through it to someplace else. The Rosa Luxemburg Commune wins the valley in the Prologue because they will make great orchards there, a garden for everyone. Making the land into a garden is the symbol of making the land productive and the sscene of social harmony and justice, so everyone can share the fruits. When the Abashvilis try to make a garden for themselves alone, there is only war and misery. The fact that it is Easter Sunday is thus the first of the many religious themes present in the play. For example, the fact that the Fat Prince is the Governors brother brings to mind the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. Grusha goes through ten developmental steps that start in this act. Each of these steps requires that she sacrifice a part of herself to Michael. She does this financially, emotionally, in terms of her promises to Simon, and in terms of her life. The first step occurs when she gives up her money for the child, paying two piasters for milk. The second is when she decides to go back for Michael after leaving him with the peasant woman. The third is when she hits the Ironshirt over the head. Four is when she adopts Michael, the helpless girl adopted the helpless child. Five is when she is offered the chance to leave the baby with the merchant woman so that she can cross the bridge and save herself. Six is when she risks her life and Michaels life to cross the bridge. The remaining developmental steps occur in the next act. This is almost a direct comparison of Azdak to Christ. Brecht will continue this comparison in the next act, when Azdak is killed, resurrected by the Grand Duke, and finally disappears. Theme Analysis Class Warfare The Grand Duke of Grusinia (Georgia) is involved in a foreign war in Persia when the play opens, yet the action focuses on the civil war at home caused by the coup of the Princes. While the aristocratic regimes come and go during the action of the play, the common people are always regarded as less than human. They suffer no matter who is in charge. The Singer uses Governor Abashvili who is executed by his brother, the Fat Prince, as a warning to other aristocrats: â€Å"Oh blindness of the great! They walk like gods/ Great over bent backs, sure/ Of hired fists, trusting/ In their power which has already lasted so long† (Scene One, p. 15). The soldiers or â€Å"hired fists,† like the Ironshirts, change loyalties with regimes and let themselves be used by the rich to persecute the poor. Simon Chachava is an exception to this, remaining loyal to the Duke. One of the most passionate denunciations of the upper classes is by the maid Grusha in Scene Six when she denounces Azdak the Judge and the justice system itself as a servant of the rich. She complains that the wealthy â€Å"drag our men into their wars† (p. 92). Simon’s memories of the war in Scene Four reinforce her complaint as he witnessed his brothers slain around him for the sake of the Duke’s cause. Grusha tries to disguise herself as an upper class lady when she escapes, but she is found out when she knows how to make beds. The women look at her hands and know she works for a living. The servant at the inn sympathizes with her, saying, it is hard to pretend to be â€Å"a lazy useless person . . . once they suspect you can wipe your own arse . . . the game’s up† (Scene Three, p. 32). Natella Abashvili becomes the stereotyped and heartless noble lady who can only run around picking out the right dresses to pack and berating the servants while her husband is being executed and her son is abandoned. In court, Natella’s notion of motherhood has to do with station. She wants her son back so they can be restored to their estate. She only notices what the child is wearing and is shocked to see him in rags. When Azdak asks Grusha if she wouldn’t like the child to be rich, she thinks to herself it is better for him to be poor than to mistreat the poor: â€Å"Hunger he will dread/ Not those who go unfed† (Scene 6, p. 94). He will not always have to be afraid of who is going to chop off his head, as was done to his father, because of a power struggle or because he was unjust to others. Human Sympathy What is it that can heal class divisions? The play answers that human sympathy makes everyone equally valuable. Grusha does not hate Michael because he is the son of the Governor, who oppresses everyone. She is won over because he is a baby, like any other: â€Å"He looks at you like a human being† (Scene 2, p. 23). When Grusha sits with the baby all night trying to consider what to do with it, she hears it call to her as if saying: â€Å"Don’t you know woman, that she who does not listen to a cry for help/ But passes by shutting her ears, will never hear/ The gentle call of a lover† (Scene 2, p. 24). When she risks her life for the child’s, the Singer asks, â€Å"How will the merciful escape the merciless/ The bloodhounds, the trappers? Grusha does get some sympathy along the highway. A peasant woman was willing to take the child until the Ironshirts came. The servant at the inn tried to give her food. The merchants wanted to help her cross the ravine or take the child so she could go on. Her brother gives her a roof for as long as he dares and arranges a marriage for her. Yussup takes in both her and the child without asking questions. She is given partial help but she is the one who has to sacrifice her whole life for Michael. The child would not have survived but for her. She wants to tell Simon this when he comes for her but only thinks it: â€Å"I had to tear myself to pieces for what was not mine/ But alien. / Someone must be the helper† (Scene 4, p. 60). Grusha deserves to be Michael’s mother because of what she passes on to him. From her, his inheritance will not be money or rank, but wisdom: â€Å"I’ve brought him up according to my best knowledge and conscience . . . I brought up the child to be friendly with everyone. And from the beginning, I taught him to work as well as he could† (Scene 6, pp. 88, 89). She wants him to treat others humanely, and that is a priceless gift for him and the future. Azdak recognizes this humanity in Grusha, demonstrated by her unselfish letting go of the child’s arm so she won’t hurt it. Azdak himself is the other great example of human sympathy as he risks his own life for two years to help the poor. It is a great and comic juggling act he performs with great humility. In the case of Granny, for instance, who claims the stolen cow, ham, and waiving of the rent were â€Å"miracles,† Azdak fines the farmers for not believing in miracles. He sits on the floor with Granny and the bandit, treating them as equals. He calls Granny â€Å"Little Mother† or â€Å"Mother Grusinia,† seeing her as the suffering poor. The Singer says, â€Å"So, so, so, so Azdak / Makes miracles come true† (Scene 5, p. 77). Miracles are not supernatural events for Brecht, but human acts. Justice The play uses the dilemma of the child, and the debate of the communes over the valley, to ask, what is Justice? Who should get the child? Who should get the land? Azdak the fool, who is made into a Judge, works his way through to an answer. It is not an expected or a ready-made answer, for, as the Singer comments, â€Å"Truth is a black cat/ In a windowless room at midnight/ and Justice a blind bat† (Scene 5, p. Justice will never come from â€Å"willing Judges† like Prince Kazbeki’s nephew ( Scene 5, p. 75). Azdak’s antics, such as demanding bribes in the court from the rich, comments on the accepted corruption. He says, â€Å"It’s good for Justice to do it in the open† as he moves around in a caravan among the people (Scene 5, p. 75). Everything he does or says satirizes the court system. He asks Grusha, â€Å"You want justice, but do you want to pay for it? When you go to the butcher, you know you have to pay (Scene 6, p. 91). The rich are used to equating money and rank with truth, but it is their truth, not impartial Justice. Out of Azdak’s comic theater in the courtroom, he creates a crazy logic so that the people who need help get it, despite the law. â€Å"His balances were crooked,† says the Singer (Scene 6, p. 77). Grusha, not understanding Azdak’s intent, scolds him for being corrupt. She claims that what would be true justice is to choose â€Å"only bloodsuckers and men who rape children† for judges as a punishment to make them â€Å"sit in judgment over their fellow men, which is worse than swinging from the gallows† (Scene 6, p. Judging is a punishment to an unjust man who will only blacken himself with hypocrisy. This is the justice the poor are used to. Azdak’s reply to her is, â€Å"I’ve noticed that you have a weak spot for justice† (Scene 6, p. 93). After Azdak rules in Grusha’s favor, the Singer states the principle of Justice that Azdak uses: â€Å"what there is shall belong to those who are good for it, thus/ The children to the maternal . . . the valley to the waterers† (Scene 6, p. 97). The play opens and closes with true justice served. Essay Questions What is Brecht’s concept of epic theater? Because Brecht was a Marxist, he did not like the classical Aristotelian concept of theater as a drama focusing on the story of individual characters. In traditional drama, the audience has a vicarious experience through identification with certain characters that ends with an emotional catharsis. The audience leaves with its personal experience of the drama and does not think about society as a whole. Brecht’s epic theater hopes to do the opposite—it increases the scope to let the audience witness, rather than identify with, the forces of history, and thereby creates a rational reflection on social conditions. Brecht wanted a critical response that would make spectators want to change the world. Theater should be a teaching and political forum. In order to create this new theater, Brecht breaks the dramatic illusion of reality. The spectators should be reminded they are watching a constructed play (such as the play within a play in Caucasian Chalk Circle), because they should understand that all reality is a human construct, and thus can be changed. One way to break the dramatic illusion is through the â€Å"alienation† or â€Å"defamiliarization† effect. The event portrayed is made strange in different ways, such as having characters address the audience directly, or by the use of harsh lighting, by having songs comment on the action, by using camera projections and signs, by speaking the stage directions aloud, or by having a narrator on stage. Brecht also uses what he called â€Å"separation of the elements,† in which the words, music, and sets are self-contained artistic expressions, combining to produce an overlapping montage rather than a unified effect. Brecht was influenced by the subject matter and techniques of Charlie Chaplin and Soviet filmmaker, Sergei Eisenstein. He learned the techniques of avant-garde theater from his mentor, Erwin Piscator. In addition, his epic theater expressed Marxist ideals by being a theater collective rather than the work of individuals. The playwright exchanged ideas with composers, artists, singers, and actors. Brecht wrote the text with such collaborators as Elisabeth Hauptmann, Margarete Steffin, Ruth Berlau, and Emil Burri. Brecht’s techniques have influenced other writers and filmmakers such as Peter Brook, Peter Weiss, Robert Bolt, Jean-Luc Godard, Nagisa Oshima, and Lars von Trier. How does Marxism influence The Caucasian Chalk Circle? Brecht was a Marxist, and his work reflects this philosophy, formulated by Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), the most famous statement of which is The Communist Manifesto (1848). Marxism is a materialist philosophy that denies any supernatural forces shaping human life. History is therefore a struggle between classes for the means of production and distribution of goods. Marx criticized capitalism as exploiting the workers, because ownership was in the hands of the few. The laborers have to sell their services to capitalists and are not given a fair share of what they themselves produce. Private ownership, Marx felt, must be abolished to create a fair society. Marx advocated revolution by the proletariat or workers against the bourgeoisie, or capitalists, to advance to the next stage of civilization in which the workers would dominate. He saw civilization evolving in stages (the historical dialectic): first, primitive or tribal communism; then slavery with an aristocracy; feudalism with peasants and lords; capitalism with bourgeosie and proletariat; socialism where private property was abolished; and finally, true communism where there would be no property and no supervising state. Inequality would be abolished for good. Exploitation is demonstrated in the play with Grusha and the other servants and peasants doing all the work, and the Governor and his wife doing nothing to contribute to society. The Marxist concept of alienation is demonstrated by the ruling classes losing their humanity or feeling of kinship with others. The Governor’s wife only sees her child as the means to get the inheritance. The ruling classes are contrasted with the common people who appear more human; the rulers seem monstrously selfish and insensitive. The military and the judges support the princes and governors. Even as the princes fight among themselves for power and create chaos with their wars, the common people suffer, and no government is better than another. According to Marxism, however, the forces of history are not static, and we hear of the revolt of the carpet weavers in Nukha in Scene Five. Their revolt is short-lived, but when Azdak becomes the Judge and rules in favor of the poor people, it predicts the time coming when the people will be victorious. What is the underlying structure of the play and what is the purpose of the prologue? Brecht uses a frame story in the prologue, where the workers of the Rosa Luxemburg Commune are putting on the Chalk Circle play. In the main drama, Brecht cobbled together two tales into one: part one sets up the chalk circle motif of the rival mothers derived from a fourteenth century Chinese play and the judgment of Solomon in the Bible (told in scenes 2-4, 6), and part two is Azdak’s story that resolves the dilemma (scenes 5-6), apparently derived from Brecht’s own imagination and folklore. There had already been a version of â€Å"The Chalk Circle† in German by Alfred Henschke (also known as Klabund) in 1925, which differed from Brecht’s by making the biological mother win the test. Brecht disliked Klabund’s sentimental tone and worked on his own revision of the story, experimenting with settings in Denmark and Germany, before choosing to set the story in medieval Georgia, with the prologue in Soviet Georgia, after World War II. At first, the frame story took place in 1934 without reference to the Nazis, but then, he moved the time of the frame story to after the war. Using Soviet Georgia as the frame in the prologue caused problems in the United States where the play was first performed in English during the Cold War. The play had to be performed without the prologue referring to the Soviet communes, leaving it as a mere retelling of the fables. Brecht felt this destroyed the play and thereafter the prologue was treated as a vital part rather than a tacked-on afterthought, as some claimed it was, to make the play more Communist. The prologue is necessary because it sets up the occasion for the telling of the chalk circle story, and Brecht wanted the setting to be a real one: â€Å"this parable-like play has got to be derived from real-life needs† (Notes by Brecht, p. 104). Brecht claimed that the fable the Singer tells the workers is not meant to be a literal parable. The two Communist collectives arguing over a piece of land solve their differences amicably without war before the play starts, and the story is a simply a celebration of their just decision. Brecht calls the prologue a â€Å"background† and the fable a â€Å"true narrative† that contains â€Å"a particular kind of wisdom† (Notes by Brecht, p. The Singer Arkadi says, â€Å"old and new wisdom mix very well† (sc. 1, p. 8). The foreground of the play (the chalk circle story) and the background of the play (the modern Soviet communes) come together to display the forces of history. The workers in present-day Soviet Georgia hear a tale about their ancestors in medieval Georgia who were exploited. The fair judging of Azdak in favor of the peasants foretells their own time of greater justice under the Soviet collective system. How are the characters of Grusha and Azdak important to the message of the play? Brecht comments on Grusha that she is a â€Å"sucker† (Notes by Brecht, p. 100) for taking on the child since it nearly costs her own life and dreams. Grusha, like the workers and peasants, only pays and pays and pays without getting anything back, for the child is not even hers. She is a â€Å"producer† who gets none of the fruits, like the proletariat. Brecht comments that Grusha does not expect justice from Azdak; she just wants â€Å"to go on producing, in other words to pay more† (p. 101). After the hearing, â€Å"She is no longer a sucker† (p. 101). Like the other poor people Azdak has helped, she gets back some of the fruits of her labor and gets back her self-respect. She is accepted by Simon, though she had to break her promise to wait for him, for the sake of the child. Their new family unit represents a constructed or just family that rejects the old prejudices and notions of ownership. The child is divorced from a mother that only wants to gain money from it and given to the woman who loves it. Grusha is divorced from the farmer who married her for his own convenience and given to a man who loves her. Simon takes on a woman and a child who are not technically â€Å"his† in the conventional sense, but he appreciates them and is the proper father and husband. This accords with the Marxist idea of economics and justice, of reassigning property and social roles to be more just and fair. It does not matter what went before or who has â€Å"owned† something in the past. On the other hand, Grusha has earned her reward. Brecht remarks that â€Å"Bit by bit, by making sacrifices, not least of herself, Grusha becomes transformed into a mother for the child† (p. 104). Like the people themselves who make sacrifices, suddenly the tide turns, as Marx predicts. Through small quantitative changes, there is a sudden qualitative change. This is the historical dialectic, the process of evolution, and the character of Azdak becomes the means for that to happen in the play. In every case he judges, there is a sudden shift from the side of the dominant landowner to the poor peasant. Azdak is the trickster figure who turns the law upside down. His Robin Hood justice is the Marxist kind that will be rendered by the sudden shift of history, illustrated by the carpet weaver’s revolution in Nukha. Brecht’s directions call for an actor who can portray â€Å"an utterly upright man† (p. 102) to play the part of Azdak. He is â€Å"a disappointed revolutionary posing as a human wreck, like Shakespeare’s wise men who act the fool† (p. 102). But, Brecht comments, â€Å"Azdak is the disappointed man who is not going to cause disappointment in others† (p. 105). He risks his life, like Grusha, to be human and to make a difference. That is the only way justice can come, Brecht insinuates. The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht Leave a reply The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Brecht uses epic theatre to bring forth an idea or meaning for the audience to consider while entertaining the audience. Epic theatre involves the use of alienation techniques to distance the viewer from the story but still concentrate on the overall meaning. The person who just views the story would likely take it as fantasy and not reach the true depth of the play. Brecht shocks the viewer by making the events and actions in the play â€Å"strange and abstract† this contrasts with dramatic plays where the audience sympathises and relates to the characters of the play. The theme throughout the play is natural justice versus class justice. The title has links to other parables and stories before it. The Chalk Circle, a Chinese play involved a legal action where the false claimant was granted custody due a bribe to claim her dead husbands estate. This however was overturned by the emperor, the guarantor of the law, in a retrial as the emperor was the father. This particular story is a whisper to the result of Grusha’s trial. The emperor is portrayed as the epitome of justice and gives a true verdict. The trial scene is also adapted from the parable of King Solomon. Solomon the paragon of justice and truth oversees the trial of two mothers, one child is dead the other alive, they seek custody of the alive child. The king asks the child to be cut in half, the real mother relinquishes her claim and thus gains custody of her rightful child. In these two whispers the law is shown to be equated with justice, however Brecht seeks to highlight that within Grusinia this is not the case and it takes a greedy Azdak who despises the upper classes to give a just Verdict. The class justice presented in the novel has close links to the Marxist view of the law, with the law serving all, but in reality it protects and secures the interests of the ruling classes. The play seeks to emphasise that within this class justice the poor can only gain justice under exceptional circumstances. Azdak as the judge and arbiter of justice has come to this position only through a matter of chances and mistakes. Firstly he harbours the Grand Duke from Shauva, then he confesses to the Ironshirts only to be made judge because the Duke escaped. Then through shear chance just before his execution the Duke redeems him and makes him judge, finally making him the arbiter of justice between Natasha Abashvilli and Grusha. This shows that the poor class can only get justice under a system of whims and extraordinary circumstances and that justice is intrinsically linked to a series of chances and not linked to the law as it should be in a feudal regime. Azdak finally decides in Grusha’s favour on the spur of the moment, the chalk circle is a real test, and it is through this test that Azdak decides the child’s fate. In order to entertain the audience, Brecht sought to keep the verdict in flux, keeping the audience in suspense as to the final outcome. Azdak although seen as the arbiter of justice between Natasha Abashvilli and Grusha is shown throughout the play as greedy and corrupt when dealing with the upper classes. The humour that Azdak displays toward the upper class is entertaining, he constantly refers to them as â€Å"arse-holes.. sows.. well-born stinkers. † This anal imagery is continued right through the novel. Azdak is so disgusted by the odours the upper classes emit that he occasionally â€Å"before passing judgement, I went out and sniffed the roses. † This helps Azdak give the verdicts he gives to the â€Å"monied classes† such as the Invalid, and the landowner. He swindles them into giving him money for a bribe then turns about and gives a contradicting verdict against the upper classes. This duplicity when passing judgement is seen by the audience but the lower classes see that for once the law is on their side. This is the final hint that Grusha will get the child, as she is good for the child and will continue to do good for the child, contrasting to Natasha Abashvilla’s intent to get the child only to keep her late husband’s estate. The singer sums up the meaning of the entire play, linking the prologue with the stories of Azdak and Grusha. â€Å"That what there is shall belong to those who are good for it, thus the children to the maternal, that they thrive; the carriages to good drivers, that they are driven well; and the valley to the waterers, that it shall bear fruit. † Brecht in the play seeks to highlight the difference between justice and the law within Grusinia. The feudal society, or Marxist society, is shown to have harder implications for the poor than the even distribution of wealth which is the main emphasis of the Marxist state. The Marxist law is not equated with justice for all rather justice for the upper classes, or class justice, where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Descartes and Dreaming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Descartes and Dreaming - Essay Example What he was actually hinting at was the fact that although the concept of sensation could be utilized for different ideas, a difference could take place from other points of view on the object in discussion. In other words, states of being that were realized through the experience of sensation could in fact be found to be an actual illusion. Such as with dreaming. An individual might sense that they are awake and lucid but in actuality they are still dreaming, so, according to Descartes there is no factual way to prove when a person is awake and when they are dreaming, all the time. However, Descartes admittedly pointed out that sense perception did hold value for some states of being. For example, if you are clothed and sitting at the table having a meal with your family, this can not be denied because your senses prove this is what you are doing. You can feel the morsels of food pass your lips, and go down as you swallow. In this regard, senses can be found to be a valid way of dis covering the truth (Monarch Notes 1963). Descartes had the renowned ability to make a person question the truth in the most valid of concepts. As with knowledge, he asked how a person could know for a certainty how the intelligence that they possessed could actually hold any truth How do you know for a certainty This can phase back into the idea of being asleep and dreaming and being in a state of wakefulness. Descartes would ask, "How do you really know" (Monarch Notes 1963). Therefore, sense knowledge alone can not be counted upon to fulfill all the requirements needed to prove the truth to a specific state of being, object, or even a persons existence. If this was totally relied upon, one would never fully know when they were awake or asleep because the senses can fool you. The senses form a type of illusion over the mind in a dreaming state, so in this regard a persons rationalization would be clouded and not wholly fact based. Because it is understood that sense impression is independent of free will, a dream state can not be for certain, nor can a wakeful state (Monarch Notes 1963). However, since human beings are rational thinkers, and we can rationalize the idea of wakefulness, humans thus have the ability to be able to discuss the feelings of being awake and interpret the concept. Nevertheless, in a state of sleep, human beings are not aware when they go to sleep and because of that can not logically state when they are asleep, even though they might be (Kumar 2001). For example, the experience of a dream within a dream has taken place with more than one person. In this type of state you feel your awake when you really are still asleep. So, the senses can be very tricky and inaccurate when trying to solve certain questions about life, spirituality, and objects. It appears that Descartes is right in his belief that there truly is no accurate way to state for sure when an individual is really asleep, and when they actually move into wakefulness. Not if a person is looking for definitive proof, anyway. The same is true for dreaming. Though people do dream (as this has been researched), individually a person can not know that they are dreaming because they can't even prove they are asleep. Dreaming and sleeping or not conscious thoughts, and therein lies the reasoning why they can not be proven when they