The theme of William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis,” published in 1817, is that death is nothing to be afraid of. The poem begins by describing nature, and commands us to "Go forth, under the open sky, and list / To Nature’s teachings” (14-15). To “list” here means to listen; With this, Bryant makes the very Wordsworthian assertion that in life, we should turn to nature for personal edification. Then the poem turns grim. Bryant reminds us that one day, we’ll die. We’ll be “resolved to Earth again” and “mix for ever with the elements” (23, 26). However, Bryant then reveals why we shouldn’t dread this fate. He states, “Yet not to thine eternal resting-place / Shalt thou retire alone,” and then, “Thou shalt lie down / With patriarchs of the infant world—with kings, / The powerful of the earth—the wise, the good” (31-32, 33-35). These lines may be interpreted in two distinct ways. Firstly, Bryant may be positing a Christian worldview, and that when we die, we’ll be taken to heaven and join the company of the world’s most prominent individuals. Secondly, he may be suggesting that since everyone eventually dies, our ultimate fate is equal to that of kings and the wisest and best among us, and thus we should be content with this fate. Either way, he concludes, we should be resigned to our destiny, and be calm and satisfied in death. The last five lines of the poem best evoke this theme, for they state that we should not meet our deaths in distress or vexation, but rather collected and at peace.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
How is physical control implemented in 1984?
In 1984, control as a whole is one of the major defining themes, with physical control being tied into every aspect of it.
In Orwell's novel, Big Brother is able to physically control its people through the use of various technologies, most notably the telescreens that are located everywhere from outside in the public domain to the absent privacy of one’s home. With telescreens in abundance everywhere one looks, how can the government not have physical control over everyone at all times?
Every act, expression, spoken word is be captured by Big Brother, and just a small act of rebellion or sign of disloyalty by the people could mean torture and even death. Therefore, anyone like Winston, has to constantly be on guard to make sure they don’t make the wrong expression or even believe the wrong thing, such as 2+2= 4 (Chapter 23).
Additionally, every morning, the people are required to complete physical exercises in front of the telescreens; just another way to control their whole morning routine from the time they wake up to the time they go to sleep, their physique, and so on, no matter how sick or how tired they felt.
Another way the government controls the people physically is through allowing the people to only engage with another sexually for the purpose of reproduction only. For any other reason, such as love, is strictly prohibited. No matter what one desires or feels for another person, no matter how their bodies react, they must be in control of their actions, less Big Brother find out.
And as the novel concludes, there is no worse pain than physical pain (Chapter 18).
What type of joint has synovial cavity, articulate cartilage, synovial membrane and ligament?
There are three types of joints - synovial, fibrous and cartilaginous. Synovial joints have a synovial cavity, articular cartilage, synovial membrane and ligaments.
The synovial cavity is formed around the two ends of the intersecting bones. The cavity is filled with synovial fluid, which lubricates the joint. Articular cartilage is the smooth layer of cartilage which covers the ends of the two bones and provides a smooth surface which the bones glide against as they move about the joint. The synovial membrane surrounds the synovial cavity, forming a space which holds the synovial fluid around the joint. Ligaments are pieces of tough connective tissue that holds the bones together at the joint.
Fibrous and cartilaginous joints are different classes of joints. Cartilaginous joints are joined by cartilage and allow very little movement. Fibrous joints are joined by fibrous connective tissues and allow no movement.
Monday, December 10, 2012
In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, what did Mrs. Flowers want Marguerite to accomplish?
Mrs. Flowers wanted Marguerite to foster her ability to express herself with confidence. She told Marguerite that self-expression was a form of communication and that language was what separated human beings from the lower animals.
In order to encourage Marguerite to express her inner thoughts, Mrs. Flowers lent her some books to use for personal read-aloud exercises. She urged Marguerite to read aloud using different types of intonation or diction; Mrs. Flowers not only wanted Marguerite to develop her own unique voice, but also to hone her own style of delivery and address.
To that end, Mrs. Flowers also lent a book of poems to Marguerite and encouraged her to choose a poem that she could memorize; during her next visit, Marguerite would recite the selected poem for her new friend. Mrs. Flowers' goal was to highlight to her young protege the role education could play in enriching one's life. She maintained that one should "always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy."
What is a prognosis?
Screening and Diagnosis
Every diagnosis has a prognosis. The diagnosis of any disease (tuberculosis, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, chickenpox), any chronic condition (asthma, vitiligo, alopecia, cardiomegaly, multiple sclerosis), any cancer (melanoma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, testicular cancer, lymphoma), any reaction to a bite or sting (rabies, spider or wasp venom, scabies), any medical emergency (gunshot wound, stabbing, motor vehicle accident), or any symptom or medical circumstance (hypothermia, dizziness, pregnancy) will create the need for a prognosis.
A prognosis may be described in words, numbers, charts, percentages, or graphs. If the chances of surviving or eliminating a given medical circumstance are good, then the prognosis is termed favorable. If not, then it may be said that the prognosis is poor or that the prognosis has become not favorable. Other possible words include excellent, good, fair, unfavorable, not good, failing, bleak, dim, or taking a turn for the worse. A prognosis may also be stated by how the patient is now compared to the expected outcome: For example, the situation may be critical now, but if the patient continues improving, he or she will have a favorable outcome.
A numerical prognosis is often given in the form of a number scale of 1 to 10, or 1 to 100. The health care provider will state if the number 1 is the best case or the worst case in each scenario. A numerical prognosis may also be explained by using percentages. For example, the patient has a 25 percent chance that the disease will return or, conversely, a 75 percent chance that the disease will disappear. An example of long-term prognosis is that the patient’s five-year outlook has a 90 percent chance of a full recovery.
Future Outlook
Many factors are taken into consideration when determining a prognosis. A certain factor may help improve a prognosis favorably, while others may affect a prognosis unfavorably. The following factors all influence a patient’s prognosis: type of disease or illness, type of injury or affliction, nutritional habits, weight factor or obesity, current medications, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking, work environment, care of or neglect of general overall health, previous health history, family history, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, financial status, education, religion, and culture. For example, by avoiding alcohol consumption and avoiding smoking, the patient can help to create a more favorable prognosis.
Early detection of any condition, disease, or illness will help to improve the odds of producing a more favorable prognosis. For example, according to the American Cancer Society, early breast cancer detection saves thousands of lives each year. This information can encourage women earlier in life to perform monthly self-breast examinations and to seek routine annual breast exams by their health care provider. Routine physicals are also helpful in finding afflictions such as high blood pressure early, so that patients may be given medications to help improve the long-term prognosis for a healthier life.
Early intervention also includes the point at which care is first administered, which can be a determining factor in the favorability of a prognosis. For example, if a patient has a heart attack and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is administered within the first three minutes, then the patient will have a more favorable outlook for a good recovery (a better prognosis). If the patient does not receive any CPR until ten minutes after the heart attack, however, then the prognosis is not very good in terms of the patient surviving. In addition, the more severe an injury that may include extensive blood loss, the lower the chances of survival.
Understanding the Disease or Condition
Patient education is beneficial in helping produce a more favorable, long-term prognosis for any patient. This education may come in the form of pamphlets or books dispensed by the health care provider. Patients may also educate themselves through medical online sources or books pertaining to a particular situation.
In general, certain diseased or traumatized organs tend to have a less favorable prognosis, such as the liver, lungs, kidneys, ovaries, testicles, and pancreas. Certain diseases have their own stages of prognosis. For example, cancers that are detected while the patient is in stage 1 are considered more easily treatable and often the prognosis is more favorable if the disease is treated early, versus cancers that are found in stage 4. Stage 4 cancers have spread to other organs and may be difficult to control or stop. Stage 4 cancers often have a prognosis of not favorable (more likely resulting in death); if treated at this later stage, these cancers also have a greater tendency toward reoccurring.
Treatment Plans
Every treatment plan, therapy, or medication has the potential to alter a prognosis. Some alternative therapies that may be incorporated into treatment to help improve a prognosis include acupressure, acupuncture, herbal remedies, meditation, guided imagery, massage therapy, laughter, biofeedback, chiropractic, energy healing, yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, breathing and relaxation techniques, and a positive mental outlook.
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) analyzes data and calculates statistics from every death that occurs. These lists can help the health care provider determine a treatment plan and a prognosis. By knowing a prognosis and understanding its recovery rate, a patient can make an informed decision regarding a treatment plan.
Bibliography
American Heart Association. “Cardiac Arrest.” American Heart Association, February 2, 2013.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "MMWR: Summary of Notifiable Diseases." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 31, 2012.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "MMWR Weekly: Current Volume (2013)." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 21, 2013.
Morra, Marion, and Eve Potts. Choices: The Most Complete Source Book for Cancer Information. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
Seaman, Andrew M. "Patient Communication Has Room to Grow." Reuters Health Information. MedlinePlus, May 27, 2013.
How does Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" reveal an unreliable narrator?
In "The Black Cat," Poe's first-person narrator reveals his unreliability throughout the tale.
First, he calls what he has done--cut out the eye of one cat, hang that cat, try to kill a second cat, and axe-murder his wife--"a series of mere household events." Anyone who would think these were "mere household events" is probably not living in the same reality as the rest of us, and cannot be assumed to be a reliable narrator. He also says these "are nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects." "Ordinary" and "natural" are the last words most people would use to describe what happens in this story. That the narrator would use these terms should cause us to question his state of mind.
He would have us believe he was a kind, compassionate person who has had some momentary lapses. He later blames his alcoholism ("he blushes to confess" that he drinks) for his cruelties, but provides no good excuse for cutting out the eye of a cat--that is a horrible, unspeakable thing to do no matter how much the narrator tries to normalize it by blaming it on drinking.
Moving on, he says he hangs the cat out of an impulse all of us have had to do a "vile or a silly action" just because it is forbidden. Again, he is trying to rationalize or normalize a sadistic act. Yes, many of us do "silly" things for no good reason, but that doesn't include torturing and killing an animal.
Finally he blames the second cat for his wife's murder, calling it "the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder," and ending with characterizing the cat--and not himself--as the "monster."
His very odd view that his behaviors are mere "household" acts, along with his inability to take responsibility for murdering his wife, call everything he says into question. Was he really so good to his animals as a child? Did he really only "accidentally" hit his wife with the axe? Is it really the cat's fault his wife is dead?
What message does Claude McKay want to send in Banana Bottom?
Festus Claudius "Claude" McKay was a Jamaican-American writer and part of a movement known as the "Harlem Renaissance", in which black writers and other artists attempted to create works that reflected the lived black experience and recover the authentic voice of black traditions which had been suppressed by European colonialism.
McKay wrote Banana Bottom in 1933 to address issues of the conflict between white and Jamaican society as seen through the viewpoint of Tabitha “Bita” Plant who has just returned to Jamaica after having spent seven years being educated in England. On the one hand, superficially, she appears to be a perfect example of assimilation, a black woman who has succeeded in fully conforming to the norms of British colonial society, in part as a result of the help of Malcolm and Priscilla Craig, a missionary couple. When she returns to Jamaica, the Craigs plan for her to marry Herald Newton Day, who is also a native Jamaican, and who is studying to become a minister. Herald, unlike Bita, has fully assimilated to white colonial culture and religion. As we come to know the characters, we begin to realize that while Herald has fully internalized European values, Bita has not, and her increasing unhappiness with Herald in emblematic of her conflicted identity.
The main message of the novel deals with the tension between Bita's authentic self, grounded in island culture, and two forms of racism. The first form is the racism of the imperial British, and the notion that the worth of a person was dependent on how well a person assimilated to that culture. The second form of racism is that of the islanders themselves who have become complicit in a racialized hierarchy. The very color of Bita's skin limits her social and marital prospects:
If she had happened to be born a light-brown or yellow girl, she might, ... easily get away with a man of a similar complexion — a local functionary of the law courts, ... or a manager of a business ... in the city. But she was in the black and dark-brown group and there were no prospects of her breaking into the intimate social circles of the smart light brown and yellow groups.
It is only when she returns to the fully black world of Banana Bottom, escaping from the social hierarchies of not only British society but of an upper class Jamaican society complicit with imperialist ideology, that she can live authentically and be happy. The message therefore of the book is an anti-imperialist one that emphasizes the importance for blacks of finding authentic roots in black culture rather than getting caught up in European ideologies and prejudices.