Mrázová and Celec

Table of Contents Introduction Reasons behind the use of Sound Therapy Sound Rhythm Different Levels of Appreciation Conclusion Works Cited Introduction The analysis of Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec explained that music/sound therapy can create a positive effect on an individual since it helps to calm their nerves and induce feelings of relaxation, peace and security. This is one of the reasons why music/sound therapy has become an increasingly popular method of addressing the problem of stress caused by environmental sounds.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it must be questioned what aspect of music/sound therapy actually contributes the most towards a better mental state. In certain cases it has been shown that the higher the decibel level of the ambient noise produced (applied through music/sound therapy or even through the general environment), th e greater the adverse impact on the human body. This means that just because a person plays loud music to counter the ambient environmental noise does not mean that this constitutes proper music/sound therapy. It is based on this that this study will examine two characteristics of music/sound therapy, namely sound and rhythm. This study assumes that sound, while an important component of musical therapy is supplanted in its level of importance by rhythm due to the ability of the latter to induce positive psychological reactions. Reasons behind the use of Sound Therapy From the point of view of Maguire, daily sounds associated with human activity (i.e. ranging from the sounds of ship engines, the noise heard during the construction of a nearby building or the general environmental noise brought about by cars) can cause an adverse reaction in the human body (Maguire 947-961). This is one of the reasons why the term â€Å"noise pollution† came into being within the past 40 years or so due to the effect that loud environmental sounds had on the human psyche and body. As a result, prolonged exposure resulted in a continued deterioration of an individual’s mental and physical health to the point that it can cause significant health problems in the future. The O’Callaghan study which attempted to examine the problems associated with noise pollution stated that some of the common symptoms of sound induced psychological stress come in the form of higher levels of stress hormones as well as an increase in the amount of headaches a person gets (O’Callaghan 779-788). It can also have an impact on the body creating issues with a person’s blood pressure, heart rate and has even been shown in the most extreme cases to cause strokes in the individuals that have been exposed to adverse environmental sounds (O’Callaghan 779-788).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Psychological symptoms often come in the form of anger management issues, high stress as well as being agitated easily (O’Callaghan 779-788). This was evidenced by the study of Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec which noted similar symptoms in animals that were in areas with high concentrations of predators and had to be constantly on guard against threats. (Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec 1089-1095) Through such an analysis it can be assumed that if loud annoying environmental sounds can cause an adverse physiological and psychological reaction, then the reverse could also be true wherein soft, soothing sounds can create a positive physiological and psychological reaction (Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec 1089-1095). Sound Sound, within the context of music/sound therapy, is the backbone of the process wherein through the use of soft and melodious music; a person is invited to enter into a state of complete and utter peace. Depending on the type of sound utilized, ranging f rom sound waves, singing, violin playing and an assortment of other types of sources, sound can induce different kinds of internal psychological reactions in a person. The study of Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec, which examined the effect of sound waves on children, showed that when exposed to different types of sound, children were more likely to express different emotional states. It was determined that loud sounds often annoyed children while on the other hand soft and melodious sounds usually calmed them down. Not all sounds though are created equal in terms of their positive impact on a person’s psychological state. The music of Beethoven, Chopin, Mandel and other such composers supposedly help to calm the mind, however, the Abrams study stated that patients preferred the sound of gentle ocean waves, the soft strumming of a guitar or the sound of rain as a better method of relaxation (Abrams 114-119). The apparent basis behind these responses was explained by Abrams as being co nnected to the general rhythm and repetitiveness found in the sound of rain, ocean waves and the soft strumming of a guitar. Rhythm Rhythm, within the context of music/sound therapy, refers to the regulated movement of sound/music based on a series of successive strong and weak elements. In essence, rhythm refers to the way in which sound goes through a cycle of different beats, tempos and patterns to create a coordinated output. When applied to music therapy, various researchers such as Cutshall explain that proper rhythm applied in sound therapy induces a more therapeutic reaction as compared to merely exposing a person to an assortment of sounds (Cutshall 16-23).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What Cutshall is attempting to say is that the different types of rhythm evident in various types of sounds can create differing levels of psychological reaction s. This is one of the reasons why in the Abrams study the participants explained that they preferred the sound of rain, ocean waves and the soft strumming of a guitar as compared to the work of Beethoven, Chopin, Mandel and other such composers. It is the general repetitiveness of the rhythm evident in the aforementioned â€Å"nature sounds† that is more appealing to an individual as compared to the overly complex sounds evidently found in the music of Beethoven (Sekiya 1). This is not to say that any type of sound would work, rather, when it comes to music therapy soft sounds combined with an equally soft and steady repetitive rhythm seems to work better than overly complex music (Sekiya1). For example, the unique aspect of the song â€Å"Drifting† by Andy McKee is that even though he is merely using a simple string guitar he is able to derive a variety of different tones from a single instrument. There is no singing, no overly elaborate background music, no wailing, shouting, or cursing rather the entire song is the embodiment of simplicity with just one person plucking away at a single instrument. Yet, despite the utter lack of accompaniment the very texture of the song is vibrant, at times overwhelming yet calming. It distinguishes itself from other songs in that the melody is a combination of short plucking combined with idle strumming. It could be considered slightly repetitive due to the rhythmic quality of the plucking involved however this is accompanied by several incorporations of slight strumming which helps to break the repetitive quality of the plucking. It is this very repetitiveness that makes the song easy to remember and identifiable with a conjunctive motion that helps to develop its melodic quality and likeability. Doing a brief YouTube search of the song and merely listening to it is evidence enough of how simplicity in sound and repetitiveness in rhythm help to immediately calm a person down. Different Levels of Appreciation Before proceeding, it was determined that a brief overview should be done regarding the different types of musical appreciation out there and how this impacts the ability of a person to actually be affected by certain types of music therapy. First and foremost, different genres of music appeal to different listeners and different time periods in music appeal to fans from different time periods. Rock music was adopted by teenagers due to its apparent â€Å"shock value† to older generations due to the overtly sexual, anti-establishment and aggressive quality of the songs.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rock music was used as a means of distinction, a manner in which teenagers at the time defined themselves as being separate from the distinctions associated with older generations. As such, rock music composers followed this trend by composing songs in such a way so as to incorporate aggressiveness, anti-establishment and sexuality in the way the songs were sung or played. The reason rock music is mentioned is due to the fact that music created by Beethoven, Chopin and Mandel may not be as appreciated or liked by members of the current generation as compared to the previous generation (Rapoport, Eliezer and Blass 37-60). Thus, if such music is used in their music therapy sessions, it is unlikely that it would be as effective due to the lack of general appreciation the current generation would have towards the music (Rapoport, Eliezer and Blass 37-60). This particular piece of information helps to support the argument that focusing on rhythm instead of sound in music therapy is more important since sounds related to falling rain, ocean beaches and the light strumming of a guitar helps to cross the generational barrier resulting in more or less equal levels of appreciation. Conclusion The issue with high pitched, loud or otherwise annoying environmental sound has been determined by Maguire to be a form of stressor. This can be defined as an outside factor that impacts the ability of normal individuals to continue on with their daily tasks due to increased mental stress which can cause an adverse psychological and physiological reaction over the long term. The inherent problem with the modern day environment is that in most cases you cannot simply turn off the ambient environmental sounds off with a switch. The perceived physical and psychological reactions brought about by high levels of ambient environmental sound has been theorized as a holdover phenomenon from humanity’s evolution wherein perceived loud noises acted as an external trigger reaction towa rds a predatory presence. This is where sound therapy enters into the equation. Based on the findings of this study, it was shown that sound, while an important component of musical therapy is supplanted in its level of importance by rhythm due to the ability of the latter to induce positive psychological reactions. This shows that merely exposing a person to loud sound would be the same as noise pollution and, as such, music/sound therapy needs an appropriate rhythm to the music/sound that is being played to be effective. The reason why this examination was done was so that better processes in music/sound therapy can be created so as to improve the rate by which patients are helped. Works Cited Abrams, Brian. â€Å"Understanding music as a temporal-aesthetic way of being: implications for a general theory of music therapy.† Arts in Psychotherapy  38.2 (2011): 114-119. Print Cutshall, Susanne. â€Å"Effect of the combination of music and nature sounds on pain and anxiety i n cardiac surgical Patients.† Alternative Therapies in Health Medicine 17.4 (2011): 16-23. Print Maguire, Melissa. â€Å"Music and Epilepsy: A Critical Review.† Epilepsia 53.6 (2012): 947-961. Print Mrà ¡zovà ¡, Marcela, and Peter Celec. â€Å"A systematic review of randomized controlled trials using music therapy for children.† Journal of Alternative   Complementary Medicine 16.10 (2010): 1089-1095. Print O’Callaghan, Clare. â€Å"Music’s relevance for pediatric cancer patients: A constructivist and mosaic research approach.† Supportive Care in Cancer  19.6 (2011): 779-788. Print Rapoport, Eliezer, Smadar, Shatz, and Noa Blass. â€Å"Overtone spectra of gongs used in music therapy.† Journal of New Music Research 37.1 (2008): 37-60. Print Sekiya, Yoshimasa. â€Å"Using fractal music as sound therapy in TRT treatment.†Ã‚  Audiology Online (2013): 1. Print This essay on Mrà ¡zovà ¡ and Celec was written and submitted by user Bennett Carver to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

15 Frequently Confused Pairs of Verbs

15 Frequently Confused Pairs of Verbs 15 Frequently Confused Pairs of Verbs 15 Frequently Confused Pairs of Verbs By Mark Nichol These similar-looking words below have dissimilar meanings. Make sure you’re using the write one in each pair. 1. Amused/bemused: To be amused is to be entertained; to be bemused is to be confused. 2. Appraise/apprise: To appraise is to evaluate; to apprise is to inform. 3. Ascribe/subscribe: To ascribe is to attach an idea to a source; to subscribe is to hold belief in an idea. 4. Attain/obtain: To attain is to reach; to obtain is to acquire. 5. Barter/haggle: To barter is to trade; to haggle is to negotiate. 6. Born/borne: To be born is to be brought forth; to be borne is to be carried along. 7. Borrow/loan: To borrow is to receive something for temporary use; to loan is to provide something on those terms. 8. Careen/career: To careen is to lean over to one side or to sway; to career is to hurry carelessly. (And to carom is to ricochet.) 9. Censor/censure: To censor is to ban; to censure is to reprimand. 10. Criticize/critique: To criticize is to judge harshly or in a negative manner; to critique is to evaluate. 11. Denigrate/deprecate: To denigrate is to defame or belittle; to deprecate is to disapprove or deemphasize (but can also, like denigrate, mean to disparage). 12. Differ/vary: To differ is to disagree or to be distinct from; to vary is to change (although differ can also refer to variation). 13. Espouse/expound: To espouse is to support; to expound means to state, explain, or defend (which is also distinct from the phrase â€Å"expand on,† which means to provide additional or digressive details). 14. Rebut/refute: To rebut is to argue in response to another argument; to refute is to deny an argument. 15. Wangle/wrangle: To wangle is to obtain by underhanded means; to wrangle is to wrestle. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should KnowDriver License vs. Driver’s LicenseDrama vs. Melodrama

Coursework Writing

Coursework Writing Coursework writing tips will help the students write their courseworks effectively in an academic manner. Those who dont have time may contact our coursework writing service. What Is a Coursework? Coursework refers to writing essays and other types of papers such as reports, project writing, book reviews or other forms of case studies. It can include a varied range of undertakings such as hands-on practice, experimentation, and research work. Coursework is generally graded and there are exams periodically through the coursework cycle that test what one has learned. Sometimes instead of exams, educators allow students to complete the coursework over a period of time and can use study guides, notes, and the Internet to research the topics. Coursework writing is very important and requires a lot of preparation. Below are some course work writing tips that might be useful for college students. Coursework Writing Tips: Structure and Outline 1. Any assignment must be directly related to the educational track being undertaken and relevant to the learning objectives to be achieved. 2. Think about all the possible activities that could be utilized to achieve the most beneficial learning experience. 3. If coursework predominantly involves writing an essay, there should always be a clear understanding of the question being asked. The preliminary reading on the topic at hand is always a good first step. It will help to organize ideas and plan any relevant research to gather pertinent information. Ultimately the plan of work should include main points that will form the basis of the hypothesis to be proven or rejected. Taking notes will allow you to clearly list main points to be discussed, and comprehend what has been read.   4. Identify the page of the resource that the note was taken from for future references in your coursework. 5. Develop a system to store any research notes and other applicable documentation. A system of file folders or some other electronic filing system would work best. 6. When structuring a coursework essay, it should consist of an introduction that lays out the question to be examined and the direction the essay will go. Second, the discussion develops the logical argument to prove or disprove the question. Last the conclusion of the coursework brings together thoughts into a very succinct summary. Weve got a great and FREE  APA Referencing Tool. Check it out in case you are to write your coursework using APA referencing format. Coursework Writing: What Is Important? Coursework encompasses a general framework, that when followed will result in the best grades and the most efficient learning process to retain the information studied. When writing the  course works the following should be included: 1. Document Resources and Provide References Quality coursework requires that references and resources be fully documented which may include slides, relevant handbooks done by others, online studies and studies conducted in an academic setting. The more data that is sourced the more relevant and useful the coursework will be. 2. Evaluation and Study Evaluation of the materials gathered is of utmost importance to determine whether all the information is relevant to the coursework topic at hand. After proper evaluation, one must study the materials to draw out that which will be most beneficial in developing the final product to be produced. 3. Writing and Editing After proper evaluation and study, the writer can then begin to develop the actual essay or other written material to be produced. As the process unfolds, there will be revisions of what was written, with additions and deletions occurring regularly. Headings and sub-headings will be developed as the writers  develop  their thoughts and ideas to best reflect the topics to be discussed and presented. There will be moments of writer’s block. Don’t worry about it. Leave the section being written and start another. Fresh ideas may come when new thoughts are developed for subsequent sections. Coursework Writing: the Dos and Donts Due to the independent nature of the coursework, many students tend to take the opportunity for granted and don’t realize how important it is to make steady, incremental progress toward completion of the tasks at hand. There sometimes is a very aloof attitude that a student has that they can complete under pressure at the last moment. Sometimes this works and a student will produce some of their best work under this pressure scenario. However, more often than not, the end result is a shoddy product that is not well thought out and could have been a much better product if the requisite time had been spent to complete it. There are some do’s and don’ts that should be adhered to when completing a coursework: Writing and completing the  course works can be a very challenging experience for students and other in a learning environment. Some students are bogged down with a lot of classes and cannot spend the quality time that they should be spending on a project. There are some writing services that will do the project for a student with their direction and guidance. Make sure the service can provide the quality product you seek. Look at who the service hires to write coursework and that they have requirements that any writer passes multiple and difficult custom tests to prove their experience. If you are lack of time or have no idea of what and how to write in your coursework, our coursework writing service is able to give you advises and help. If you are ready to let us working on your coursework Place an Order.

The war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The war - Essay Example The period between the first gulf war in 1990s and the second in early 2000 has witnessed many changes in the military. The changes include application of more advanced technology and overhaul of tactical approaches, transformations that have achieved mixed results. This paper discusses the benefits and drawbacks of applying United States’ advanced military technology in Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan is one of the major United States military offensives aimed at destroying the terrorists’ hideouts that had inflicted heavy damages on American interest around the globe. Iraq war was launched to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein accused by the government of possessing weapons of mass destruction with intention of using them to spread terror. Both wars were executed with highly sophisticated weapons that allowed the United States forces to demolish the enemy defenses with high precision aerial weaponry and at unprecedented rate. The quick demolition and annihilation of strategic enemy areas enabled subsequent entrance of the ground forces into the countries to finish off the remaining resistance (DOD, 2007). According to Anne(2004,p15), the execution of both wars heralded a new era of military tactics, which heavily relied on technologically enhanced devices in carrying out of both aerial and ground combat. This strategy was more precise, faster, and resulted to lower number of military and civilian casualties. DOD (2007) noted that the war strategy in both wars was culmination of coordination high technology military hardware with enhanced communication devices that enabled them to strike with pinpoint precision. The war in Afghanistan witnessed the first application of robots that were used to carry out surveillance, clearance of mines, identification of targets and rescuing soldiers. The robots included Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) that undertook the aforementioned tasks without carrying human operator in them (David, 2005, p2 7). These robots helped in protecting soldiers from enemy attacks. According to David (2005, p 28), advanced technology has produced better robots that are equipped with high precision equipment and artillery to strike detected target. The 2003 war in Iraq saw a combination of precision weapons, exemplary surveillance of the targeted enemy grounds, and swift ground combatants aided by highly advanced communication network that enabled monitoring of distant operations from a remote region (DOD, 2007). Though the application of advanced military technology enabled quicker executions of the mission, the war has dragged on for many years, resulting to heavy economic and human loss. According to DOD (2007), the number of United States troops killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan exceeds those killed in actual combat at the beginning of the war. Anne (2004, p31) notes that threat of improvised explosive devices or roadside bombs continue inflicting damage on American forces. According to DO D (2007), the explosive devices have killed over 2000 American soldiers in Iraq, while more than 21,000 have suffered debilitating injuries that have effectively compromised their physical and psychological performance for life. In Afghanistan, the improvised explosive devices have claimed lives of over 250 American soldiers, with over 1,700 suffering serious injuries (DOD, 2007). Anne (2004, p21) notes that the explosive devices are the highest killer of the Allied forces in both countries and they have greatly undermined the efforts achieved the application of the advanced military technology. However, continuous innovation in the American military has produced mine- resistant ambush –protected all terrain vehicle(M-ATV) that offers better protection from roadside bombs than the heavier mine- resistant- ambush-

The Information Technology in Business Organizations Essay

The Information Technology in Business Organizations - Essay Example TESCO is a multinational which has worked for many different things. Because of its existence in the market for many years, it has been seen that TESCO has been able to create a brand image which the customers love. â€Å"Tesco operates 923 stores and employs 240,000 people, giving us access to a population of 260 million across our nine markets. Over the past five years, we have expanded from our traditional UK supermarket base into new countries, products and services, including a major non-food business, personal finance and internet shopping. The increasing scale and internationalization of our sales and purchasing operations make a significant contribution to our efficiency and profitability, as we progress towards our long-term goal of becoming a truly international retailer† (Global Sources).Tesco is a company which has its ventures throughout the world. The revenue that it is able to generate from its retails has helped Tesco to grab the third position globally. Tesco started as a small grocery store in 1919 by Jack Cohen which turned out into a huge venture in 1924. Tesco opened its first store in Burn Oak, Edgware, Middlesex in the year 1929. In 1947, it was introduced into the London Stock Exchange and made public and this floatation started the great success story of Tesco plc which has now emerged as one of the tops most renowned supermarket chain is not just the United Kingdom but the entire world. The first supermarket under the name of Tesco was opened in 1956 in Maldon.... This section provides an overview about the efficiency of IT for Tesco’s overall operations and business strategies. The fourth section provides the results of the research carried out in order to study the implications of IT on Tesco’s business operations. This section also provides realistic measures and some recommendations to improve the current IT integration in company’s activities. The last section provides a brief conclusion about the report findings and summarizes the main points of the report. This section gives an independent opinion generated from the information collected. It provides a personal opinion about the alignment techniques of Tesco and summarizes the impact of IT on Tesco’s overall efficiency in terms of operations, performance and stakeholders’ satisfaction. Tesco Supermarket TESCO is a multinational which has worked for many different things. Because of its existence in the market for many years it has been seen that TESCO has been able to create a brand image which the customers love. â€Å"Tesco operates 923 stores and employs 240,000 people, giving us access to a population of 260 million across our nine markets. Over the past five years, we have expanded from our traditional UK supermarket base into new countries, products and services, including a major non-food business, personal finance and internet shopping. The increasing scale and internationalization of our sales and purchasing operations makes a significant contribution to our efficiency and profitability, as we progress towards our long-term goal of becoming a truly international retailer† (Global Sources). Tesco is a company which has its ventures throughout the

Why Did the English Civil War Begin Essay Example for Free

Why Did the English Civil War Begin Essay This essay will discuss a balanced argument on how the English Civil War began and who was responsible for it. The war was between King Charles I and Parliament. The winners in the end were Parliament on the 3rd of September 1651, when Parliament defeated Charles’ army. This will also include the 4 main factors, which were Power; Money; Religion and also King Charles’ personality. To begin with, some people believe that the worst reason why the Civil War started because of religion. Charles’ reign got off to a bad start, so he decided to marry a French princess catholic called, Henrietta Maria. This was very unpopular with Parliament. The Scots hated the new prayer book and decided to go to rebel against Charles. In the 1630s, King Charles I and Archbishop Laud made some changes to the Church of England. They claimed they tried to make it better, and believed that people would feel closer to God if churches were beautiful and decorated. But they were wrong. The idea made a lot of people annoyed with Charles, especially the Puritans. Henrietta Maria actually had her own chapel and priest, so maybe King Charles I was Catholic. Charles was responsible for it and King Charles was to blame for the cause of the war because of how he tried to change the Church of England. Secondly, it could be said that Money was a problem for Charles. We know that this was true because Charles had left Parliament and went out by himself, so he had to find a new way of raising money. Charles started wars often and practically lost all of them and this was costing him money. However, he did find a new way of getting money by having a thing called ‘Ship Money’. The money was used to improve the navy ships, but only counties on the coast would pay the ‘Ship Money’. King Charles I in 1634 asked the counties on the coast for the money; however the navy didn’t really need improving! In 1635, the following year, Ship Money needed to be demanded from the inland counties as well. It looked like Charles was going to make it permanent, which means it would have to be paid every year. Another way of finding out if tax was popular is that you know if people pay it or not. This then made Parliament very angry and I think Charles was convinced people weren’t paying, therefore he began the Civil War and he was responsible. Thirdly, it is true to say that Charles’ power was a long-term problem. In 1642, Charles attempted to arrest 5 MP’s, which makes the House of Commons very angry. The MP’s never trusted Charles and though the he planned to get rid of Parliament again after 2 years coming back with Parliament, which would mean he would rule by himself once again. In the early months of 1642, Charles most definitely convinced the MPs that this was what he was certainly planning. Charles charged into the House of Commons with 400 of his soldiers and demanded that five leading MPs were to be handed over for arrest. Luckily, the MPs had been warned and already fled to their boat down by the River Thames. They were then protected by the Council of London and treated like big heroes. Lastly, Charles’ personality wasn’t good. Charless personality as a politician was shaped by a difficult childhood. He was born on 19 November 1600, the third child of James VI of Scotland and his wife Anne of Denmark. During his early years he suffered from a combination of poor health and lack of parental affection. When he moved to England after Jamess accession in 1603 it was difficult to find a noble family to look after him because of fears that he might die on their hands; and he grew up very much in the shadow of his glamorous elder brother Prince Henry and his sister Elizabeth. People didn’t like Charles’ personality and therefore made him start the English Civil War. Finally, and in conclusion, it is my view that Charles was responsible for the English Civil War because of his actions towards Parliament. The reasons were because of his power he had, money issues, that he left Parliament then came back and that religion was an issue for his country.

Human Nature: Good Or Evil? Essay -- essays research papers

Human Nature: Good or Evil?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many things can be said about the gallons of blood, miles of entrails and seemingly endless array of bones, muscles and other fascinating odds and ends that we call our human bodies. For instance, as you break down the body into different categories each part can be examined endlessly. Such can be said about a very intricate part of the body. This is the most important part and without it the rest of the body would have no direct, this part is the brain. The brain contains many chambers, ones that trigger memories, hunger, sexual arousal, and so forth. However, there is one part of the brain that is rather ambiguous to human being. This section of the brain is where we get our instant reactions to act how we do. This isn’t as simple as it seems though. Do we act kindly and well natured by instinct? People like Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Theresa would like to thinks so. Or do we act in a negative, more primitive and bloodthirsty way, like Adolph Hitler, or Ted Bundy. I feel that human nature is more evil than good, because of the examples that people like the ones I mentioned have acted, by our primitive urges that we have inherited from our Neanderthal fore-fathers, and by our instinct to protect ourselves over all others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adolph Hitler, almost single handedly, killed off hundreds of thousands of Jews, and so-called imperfect people in Germany during the 1...

“As Good As It Gets” Film Essay

Hollywood film producers and authors of fictional novels destined for the big screen have often given their characters psychological disorders. Producers and writers seek ways to add depth to their characters’ personalities and give them something to struggle against during the course of the story. The average movie-goer does not necessarily have the knowledge to determine if the disorder displayed on the big screen is accurate. To understand the dilemma of the average movie watcher, this paper reviews As Good As It Gets (Mark, Sakai, Ziskin, Producers, 1997) in the context of Melvin Udall, the protagonist, who suffers from at least two psychological disorders. The film followed Melvin Udall, a romance novel author, who exhibits a score of odd behaviors. During one scene Melvin visits his psychologist who states the author’s diagnoses as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, Melvin also seems to struggle with the more troubling antisocial personality disorder, previously known as narcissistic personality disorder. David Myers (2014) defined obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as â€Å"an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and actions (compulsions), or both.† The character, Melvin Udall, certainly exhibits OCD traits. His behaviors are compulsive and are often triggered by anxiety. For instance, he compulsively locks his door and flips the light switch in groups of five. He washes using extremely hot water and several bars of soap per washing. These are typical compulsions for those with OCD and are notable as those attributed to evolution and natural selection.  Other behaviors Melvin Udall exhibited include his preference for a particular table at a restaurant, his organizing of items by color and hyper-organized packing, and his refusal to step on the cracks of New York sidewalks. While Melvin’s behaviors seemed linked to anxiety, his OCD only manifested as compulsive behaviors. No evidence of obsessive thoughts was dramatized. Melvin struggled against an undiagnosed antisocial personality disorder throughout the movie as well. Melvin’s narcissistic tendencies manifested in his egotistical actions and his inability to show interest in another’s point of view. This often led to verbally abusive behavior. â€Å"Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City â€Å"Sailor wanna hump-hump† bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we’re all stocked up here.† – Melvin Udall, As Good As It Gets Myers (2014) described a person suffering from antisocial personality disorder as generally a man who exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. Melvin greets each person he interacts with his own sterotyped beliefs regarding their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference and so forth. Nothing he says is considered culturally acceptable. He often hurts the feelings of those he interacts with and is not the least bit affected by the knowledge. At times he seems to know hurting someone’s feelings by his words and actions is wrong, but does not understand why what he said was improper. He has trouble understanding, for example, why his love interest Carol Connelly is offended when he refers to her carefully selected dress as a â€Å"house dress†. At other times, he only seeks others out for what they can do for him, but are unwilling to reciprocate any sort of friendship. This is the case when he asks his publicist for a personal favor from her husband to treat Carol’s sick child, but this is unwilling to listen or even pretend to be interested in a story about her own son. The movie, albeit entertaining, is a poor substitute for education on psychological disorders. Because the only disorder mentioned is OCD, the viewer may be left with the impression that the antisocial behaviors, symptoms of a personality disorder, are a product of the  obsessive-compulsive disorder, an anxiety disorder. Melvin’s behaviors begin to normalize toward the end of the movie as he makes closer attachments with several other characters. This may falsely imply to the movie-goer that his psychological disorders are easily treatable or curable. People with mental illnesses suffer from a stigma from the greater community. Unfortunately, this movie perpetuates the dangerous notion that mental illness is something one can take a stance against and overcome through will and action. Mental illness, just like an illness of the body, requires medical intervention. References Mark, L., Sakai, R., Ziskin, L. (Producers), & Brooks, J. L. (Director). (1997) As Good As It Gets [Motion Picture]. United States: Tristar Pictures. Myers, D. G. (2014). Exploring Psychology. New York, NY: Worth Publishers

What are the key similarities and differences between Freud and Jung’s theories of dreams?

Introduction Historically, dreams have often been given cultural significance all over the world, and various speculations abound on the origin and function of this intriguing phenomenon. However, it was the pioneering work of Freud in the late 19th Century which truly revolutionised the way dreams are discussed in much contemporary discourse. Although as a theory it is unfalsifiable and does not easily lend itself to empirical investigation, it subsequently remains somewhat outside of the conventional scientific approach to the study of psychological phenomena, as do the ideas of Jung. Psychodynamic theories have nonetheless been influential particularly with regard to dreams since their exact purpose and the genesis of their content is not demonstrably explicable in terms of mechanistic perspectives on sleep and mind. Clearly then these theories appeal to people, and they have resulted in psychotherapeutic methods of analysis that have been helpful to some people (Freud, 1940). With this in min d, this essay will seek to establish the individual contributions of Freud and Jung, where they concur and where their theories come into conflict. In order to do this each theory must first be outlined. Freud ascribed a crucial central position of dreams in his overall model of the psyche (Jones, 1913). He saw dreams as indicative of pathologies and emotions affecting conscious life, either directly or through the action of his proposed concept of the unconscious. Freud believed that in fact the majority of the mental processes governing an individual’s thoughts, feelings and therefore behaviour, take place in the unconscious mind, and that an intrinsic censor keeps these processes and underlying drives from conscious awareness (Freud, 1922). This unconscious-conscious distinction is necessary, Freud argues, because the feelings evoked by conscious knowledge of true motivational drives and internal struggles would be unacceptable, and therefore these must be hidden in the un conscious. These unacceptable notions only become available to consciousness in transformed appearance; becoming something analogous but more acceptable to the individual. One of the primary ways Freud supposed that the unconscious communicated its contents to the conscious mind was via dreams. The actual experienced content of dreams Freud names the manifest content, whereas the true meaning of the dream as it is stored in the unconscious was dubbed the latent content (Freud, 1900). Through the method of psychoanalysis, utilising such techniques as free association and projective methods using external stimuli, such as the Rorschach inkblot test, Freud believed the latent content of dreams could be uncovered, and that the revelation of this information In the light of consciousness could alleviate many neurotic symptoms (Fenichel, 2006). As far as Freud was concerned, dreams communicate their message through symbolic means. Images encountered in dreams represent some aspect of the dreamer’s psyche and their interpretation can result in profound insights into the inner life of an individual. For Freud, the meaning of certain dream symbols could be ubiquitous between individuals; if one person was dreaming of the Eiffel tower then this could be interpreted in much the same way as if another person were also dreaming of the Eiffel tower. The only way the interpretation would differ would be in regard to the dream context; that is, the place the object of the Eiffel tower occupied in relation to other dream objects, the motifs and themes involved in the dream as well as more ambient feelings surrounding dream objects. Therefore, two dreams involving the Eiffel tower could be interpreted quite differently, but the symbolic Eiffel tower could be said to have similar if not synonymous meaning between persons, according to Freud (1954). A key aspect of Freud’s theory of the unconscious is that the ego (the symbolic self) develops defence mechanisms to p rotect itself from thoughts and feelings that it finds unacceptable, typically these are feelings of inadequacy, social comparisons or unbearable desires of some kind. This arsenal of defence mechanisms includes repression, denial, sublimation and projection. This list is not comprehensive but these are the primary mechanisms by which feelings that are deemed harmful to the ego are exiled to the unconscious (Freud, 2011). In Freud’s theory, these unconscious desires and feelings then manifest themselves symbolically in dreams through almost universally recognisable and interpretable symbols. Another aspect of this theory is that dream objects may form categories. In other words, different but perhaps similar objects may mean the same thing in terms of latent content. One classic example of a semantic category of this kind is phallic symbols; essentially anything cylindrical is often interpreted to denote a phallus, or more abstract ‘power’ (Orrells, 2013). The dr eam analysis would then proceed with the latent content supplanted in the place of the manifest content, and the true meaning of the dream could be interpolated depending on the dream context. Freud was essentially working towards an encyclopaedic knowledge of the meaning behind each dream symbol (Freud, 1900) and although there was some acknowledgement that these symbols could be represented differently between diverse people, much of his theory lacks generalizability. This point becomes especially relevant when it is remembered that his theory was developed using only qualitative data obtained from neurotics (Freud, 1922). As a contemporary of Freud’s, Jung developed his theories largely without his input. When the two met they found that most of their ideas regarding the unconscious and its expression in dreams were compatible if not identical. However, there were some key areas of divergence; chiefly there are new concepts introduced by Jung, and disagreements over the ex act nature of the unconscious. Despite specific differences, there is no denying the striking similarity of the theories with regard to the genesis of dreams, the structure of the individual psyche and to a large extent the interpretation of dream content. Freud and Jung agreed that dreams harbour feelings, thoughts and desires which are unacceptable or painful to conscious awareness. Jung took this notion a step further and coined the term ‘complex’. A complex centres on a certain theme which pervades a person’s life again and again in many different ways. It must be a recurring theme which profoundly influences the psychology of the individual. Unlike the more general terms used by Freud, the idea of a complex provides a more structured way of understanding an individual’s unconscious expressions through the methods used in psychoanalysis, and the term was adopted by Freud into his psychology (Schultz and Schultz, 2009). Jung also introduced the concept of the collective unconscious, as he felt that Freud’s formulation of the unconscious was apt when applied to the individual, but incomplete as it could not account for the consistency of certain dream themes and even specific symbols between individuals (Jung, 1981). Jung believed that the consistency of dreams between individuals was best explained by introducing a new level to the unconscious; a communal level where universally relevant archetypal symbols filter in disguised form into the conscious awareness of individuals through dreams. These archetypes are fundamental aspects of life which apply to all people, and as such are ingrained in some way in all cultures, but are expressed differently between cultures in their respective myths, legends and deities. For Jung, archetypal images include that of the mother, to give an idea of the sort of motifs supposedly inherent in the collective unconscious. Although Freud would later acknowledge the idea of a collective unconsc ious (Jung, 1936), he still did not attribute particular importance to it like Jung did, seeing it as more of an ‘appendix’ to the personal unconscious. The collective unconscious was of paramount importance in Jung’s theory of dreams; he supposed that many dream images and themes could be interpreted as representing archetypes present in the collective unconscious (Jung, 1981). It is necessary here to delve a little further into Jung’s theory of the general human psyche to fully appreciate his perspective on dreams. Jung believed the ultimate goal of life was ‘individuation’ (Jung, 1923), which refers to the unification of personality, and an acknowledgment of all unconscious impulses. This integration of the unconscious with consciousness can only occur with the two still operating in relative autonomy but with the conscious mind achieving a degree of acceptance of the unconscious; both the collective and personal unconscious that is. Until individuation can be achieved, the individual must continue to attempt to differentiate themselves from the collective consciousness through the establishment of an individual persona. The persona is shaped through the processes of socialisation and individual experience and therefore the persona an individual choses to project may not truly reflect how they are feeling or thinking. Jung argued this persona is also shaped by the collective unconsciousness, and this struggle for individuation against the archetypes, and the strain felt by wearing the persona like a ‘mask’ is expressed in dreams (Jung, 1923). The idea of integrating opposites features heavily in Jung’s theories, and he believed that dreams could be expressions of this internal struggle, which is a perspective shared by Freud. However, it is clear that there is disagreement on the origins of the internal struggles; for Freud they arise only from the pressure of individual desires which are deemed as unacceptable by the conscious mind, whereas Jung saw in dreams the process of socialisation via exposure to the collective unconscious and the archetypes, while at the same time the ego struggles against such influence for the possibility of individuation. It can be gleamed from this description of the theories of Jung compared to those of Freud that Jung’s had more of a spiritual aspect to them. The idea of a collective unconscious inhabited by concepts that are familiar to all people does have an air of transcendence compared to the personal unconscious, which is concerned only with the unbearable thoughts of the one individual concerned. The objectivist worldview of Freud can be clearly contrasted here with that of Jung who did not discount spiritual perspectives, but saw in them analogies, representations and affirmations of his own concepts, albeit expressed with some artistic licence and cultural influence. The goal of individuation, Jung thought, was at the mystical h eart of all religions, whereas the collective unconscious gave rise to all manner of representations in religious texts. This brings us to another way in which the theories differ. Freud conceptualised the unconscious as being overwhelmingly focused on negative emotions and thoughts concerning the ego. The complex for Freud was always a malevolent phenomenon. Jung did not believe this necessarily had to be the case, and stipulated that the unconscious could contain desires, thoughts and feelings of any emotional valence. Jung believed that the contents of the personal unconscious could have been repressed from consciousness for any number of reasons, which differs drastically from the opinion of Freud who believed that this was only possible through the activation of the defence mechanisms he conceived of. Indeed, Jung saw many of the archetypes as benign abstractions (Jung, 1981) shared by all cultures which are universally effective in shaping the socialisation of all members of a society. Jung’s theory then has greater scope, in encapsulating the macro-level influences which affect all people as well as individual tendencies expressed in dreams; Freud focused to heavily perhaps on the individual and their immediate relations. Both Freud and Jung believed that unconscious underlying emotions for certain concepts drive external behaviour, the primary disagreement is over the placement of these emotional drives. Jung proposed that images filter up from the collective unconscious and are given individualised guises appropriate to each individual (but they nonetheless represent the same archetype). Feelings regarding this archetype arise from personal experience and inherent inclinations. These feelings are then expressed in the personal unconscious through dreams and take on personal significance in the conscious mind. In Freud’s theory, the process of unconscious expression takes place solely in the personal unconscious and is concerned with emot ions, thoughts and desires surrounding personal relationships and experience (Williams, 1963). Both of these psychodynamic theorists saw dreams as a key diagnostic tool in psychotherapy. However, there was some divergence in interpretative technique; primarily that Jung did not believe that the meaning of one dream symbol could be transferred effectively between people. To reuse the earlier example, to dream of the Eiffel tower could be interpreted completely differently depending on who dreamed it, their personal circumstances and the dream context. The dream image of the Eiffel tower for Jung does not inherently mean anything in and of itself. Although both methods of interpretation have resulted in the lessening of neurotic symptoms for some patients (Freud, 1954; Jung, 1936) the fact that these theories are essentially speculative cannot be overlooked lightly. Both Freud and Jung attached paramount significance to dreams in the functioning of the human mind, reading great meanin g into sometimes seemingly arbitrary dream images, but the fact that these theories cannot be empirically tested and rely on mainly neurotic patients for the acquisition of evidence is a serious criticism of both theories. The purpose of dreams is another area in which these theories put forward different views. Both theorists agree that the unconscious is expressed in dreams, but Jung adds that socialisation occurs through exposure to the collective unconscious, and individuation is sought through the establishment of an appropriate place for the ego in relation to the archetypes (Jung, 1936). Therefore, dreaming is a process of growth for Jung, whereas Freud saw dreams as expressive and in need of interpretation for them to really be of use to the dreamer. A common theme in both theories though when it comes to the purpose of dreams is compensation. In psychoanalytic theory, it is assumed that dreams can arise to compensate for a conscious attitude thus balancing the position of t he ego, this perspective is shared by both Jung and Freud. In a compensatory dream, the dreamer may be expressing a contrary attitude to one consciously held, although this would occur in disguised form as the manifest content in the dream. This assumption would factor into the psychoanalytic strategy employed by both theorists, where they would most notably differ would be in their interpretation of the meaning of certain symbols; whether they represent archetypes (as in Jung’s theory) or are analogous to personal relationships with people or objects in conscious life (as in Freud’s theory). To conclude, there initially appears to be many more similarities than differences between the theories of Freud and Jung regarding dreams. Both postulate the existence of an unconscious which expresses itself with symbolic images through dreams for the purpose of compensation; both see the interpretation of the unconscious expression as potentially beneficial, and the pathology o f neuroses is seen to have a causal influence in the unconscious desire. Despite these fundamental similarities there is also much divergence. Most of the theoretical difference is created by the proposition of the collective unconscious by Jung. This introduces a spiritual element, and an additional purpose of dreaming, which involves communing with archetypal forms to establish personal identity, and maintain a properly socialised persona. This is mostly incompatible with Freudian theory, which takes a more objective view and focuses on patterns of unconscious expression within the personal unconscious between individuals, seeking to establish a universal method of dream interpretation, something Jungian theory would deem impossible. References Fenichel, O. (2006). The psychoanalytic theory of neurosis. London: Routledge. Freud, A. (2011). The ego and the mechanisms of defence. Exeter: Karnac Books. Freud, S. (1900). Distortion in dreams. The interpretation of dreams, 142-143. Freud, S. (1922). The unconscious. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 56(3), 291-294. Freud, S. (1940). An Outline of Psycho-Analysis. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 21, 27-84. Freud, S. (1954). The origins of psycho-analysis (p. 216). M. Bonaparte, & W. Flie? (Eds.). New York: Basic Books. Jones, E. (1913). Freud’s theory of dreams. London, England: Bailliere, Tindall & Cox Jung, C. G. (1923). Psychological types: or the psychology of individuation. Oxford, England: Harcourt, Brace Jung, C. G. (1936). The concept of the collective unconscious. Collected works, 9(1), 42. Jung, C. G. (1981). The archetypes and the collective unconscious (Vol. 9). Princeton: Princeton University Press. Orrells, D. (2013). Freud’s Phallic Symbol. Classical Myth and Psychoanalysis: Ancient and Modern Stories of the Self, 39. Shultz, D. and Shultz, S. (2009). Theories of Personality (9th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Williams, M. (1963). The indivisibility of the personal and collective unconscious. Journal of Analytical Psychology, 8(1), 45-50.

Free Essays on Narritave Essay

Narrative Essay PAGE1 My name is J. I’m going to tell you about something very frightening that happened to me. It all started with me and a few of my friends. I got a call around ten o’clock on a Saturday night. It was my friend Aaron, who wanted to know if I was going out. I told him that I had been planning to go to Club South Beach. This club is located at 5 Dove St. on Hilton Head Island. We met up inside the club at half past eleven. Then Aaron’s older brother Sheldon showed up. We started to drink a bit, dance, and have fun. You know the type of things that should be done at a dance club. Sheldon and I were not drunk but Aaron was buzzing at bit. This created a problem because when Aaron gets drunk he tends to enjoy fighting. It was around one o’clock when my cell phone rang. It was my best friend Isaac. He told me to bring myself, Aaron, and Sheldon to Club Life. This club was just around the corner so it was no problem to go there, so we did. Isaac was there with Chelesy, Vicki, Karen, Beau and a few of our other friends. We all started dancing, drinking and just having fun there. Aaron was not always dancing in the little group that we formed though. He seemed to be making his way around the club dancing with all the other ladies. Then out of nowhere a catfight* broke out. It was a pretty nasty one. The two girls were fighting like grown men, with PAGE 2 their fists balled up. *A catfight is two ladies fighting. It was around 1:45 when the DJ said last call. We quickly went to the bar so we could all have a Red-Headed-Slut*. Then all of us proceeded to make our way out the door to exit the club. We stood out side the club for a while then we went to the end of the walkway to talk in one large group. We were about five minutes into a group discussion when two Mexicans in an old Cammaro pulled up. They were obviously drunk... Free Essays on Narritave Essay Free Essays on Narritave Essay Narrative Essay PAGE1 My name is J. I’m going to tell you about something very frightening that happened to me. It all started with me and a few of my friends. I got a call around ten o’clock on a Saturday night. It was my friend Aaron, who wanted to know if I was going out. I told him that I had been planning to go to Club South Beach. This club is located at 5 Dove St. on Hilton Head Island. We met up inside the club at half past eleven. Then Aaron’s older brother Sheldon showed up. We started to drink a bit, dance, and have fun. You know the type of things that should be done at a dance club. Sheldon and I were not drunk but Aaron was buzzing at bit. This created a problem because when Aaron gets drunk he tends to enjoy fighting. It was around one o’clock when my cell phone rang. It was my best friend Isaac. He told me to bring myself, Aaron, and Sheldon to Club Life. This club was just around the corner so it was no problem to go there, so we did. Isaac was there with Chelesy, Vicki, Karen, Beau and a few of our other friends. We all started dancing, drinking and just having fun there. Aaron was not always dancing in the little group that we formed though. He seemed to be making his way around the club dancing with all the other ladies. Then out of nowhere a catfight* broke out. It was a pretty nasty one. The two girls were fighting like grown men, with PAGE 2 their fists balled up. *A catfight is two ladies fighting. It was around 1:45 when the DJ said last call. We quickly went to the bar so we could all have a Red-Headed-Slut*. Then all of us proceeded to make our way out the door to exit the club. We stood out side the club for a while then we went to the end of the walkway to talk in one large group. We were about five minutes into a group discussion when two Mexicans in an old Cammaro pulled up. They were obviously drunk...

Top 10 Websites for Book Lovers

Top 10 Websites for Book Lovers Top 10 Websites for Book Lovers Top 10 Websites for Book Lovers By Sharon There is something magical about reading books. Whether you like fiction or non-fiction, fantasy or sci-fi, there are many books out there. Still, it isn’t always easy to make a trip to the bookstore or library to find that specific book that you are looking for. If you find yourself itching for a new read, reviews, or discussion, here are 10 websites that every book lover should check out. 1. Goodreads Goodreads is one of the best websites for booklovers that want to read the latest reviews, interviews, feedback, and plot discussion. Look, most of us called R+L=J in â€Å"A Song of Ice and Fire.† All the clues were there, but if you didn’t, you could have easily have read that theory on Goodreads. Where are we going with this? You should use Goodreads if you want all the details about books, new and old, and want to discuss them with other likeminded individuals. 2. Project Gutenberg Who doesn’t love free books? Project Gutenberg is the oldest and largest collections of free books on the Internet. To date, it boasts well over 49,000 titles and it continues to grow each year. The project aims to publish all books that have surpassed their copyright dates. The website even caters to audiobooks fans seeing as it has a large collection of them readily available. 3. Amazon You might think this is a lame one to feature in a book lover’s list, but is it? Amazon completely changed the book market and made books more affordable and accessible. Sure, Barnes Noble had a warm vibe, but let’s not kid ourselves, they overcharged for their books. There is something special about ordering a book and having it delivered to your doorstep in 1-2 days. It is because of this that Amazon has been featured on this list. 4. Whichbook Whichbook won’t win any design awards, but it works. This website helps you choose what book to read next. Users can interact with several personality sliders to help them decide what book they should read next. The sliders include happy and sad, funny and serious, safe, and disturbing, gentle and violent, and many others. The website also offers other ways to help you screen news books. If you ever find yourself struggling to pick your next book to read, let Whichbook help you choose. 5. ReadPrint ReadPrint is a lot like the Project Gutenberg. It features a lot of free books that can be downloaded and accessed across all of your devices. Topics include classics like Shakespeare all the way to science fiction. 6. Google Book Search Google is considered the king of search. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that they would be featured on a list that is designed to help you find book-friendly websites. What makes Google Book Search neat is the fact that you can search for specific lines of text from a book and it will tell you various locations where you can buy it. Google’s database also features free works like books, magazines, journals, and various e-books. 7. Indie Store Finder Are you craving that small bookstore feel? Indie Store Finder is the perfect tool for any book lover that is located in the United States. Simply plug in your zip code and Indie Store Finder will provide you with a list of all nearby independent book stores. 8. AddAll.com Look, it’s perfectly fine to want to find the best price for the books you buy. Who wants to pay more, especially if you are buying a book that is mass produced? AddAll.com lets you compare books across the various major book retailers, helping you find one that is close to you and cheap. Users can search by title, shipping destination, price, and state. 9. Comics Alliance Comic books count as books, alright? They have the word book in their name. Jokes aside, the Comics Alliance is a great website for comic book lovers. It features the latest news, releases, opinions, merchandise, and much more. Comics Alliance really is the be-all-end-all of comic books. You’ll never be out of the loop when it comes to comic books if you bookmark this website. 10. Book Cover Archive While you should never judge a book by its cover, you can admire beautiful book covers for the art that they are. In our fast-paced world, it is important to slow down and admire true artistic beauty. The Book Cover Archive features thousands of book covers organized categorically by title, subjects, authors, and several other unusual categories. If you think we missed an important website, feel free to let us know below. We’d love to know what other websites exist out there for book lovers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whether"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

Setting of Farewell of Arms Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Setting of Farewell of Arms - Research Paper Example The setting of weather in A Farewell to Arms has been manipulated by Hemingway through the symbols of dryness and cold, frost and rain. Different war conditions have been described through these meaningful metaphors. Weather and War At the start of the novel, the writer describes the situation as cool and calm as â€Å"there was not the feeling of storm coming† (3). But with the arrival of the rain, the country has become â€Å"wet and brown and dead with autumn† (4). This happens as the fight grows. Hence the change in the weather has also changed the situation of war. The impending dangers of death and annihilation have been emphasized through the deadness of the autumn. Now from the very beginning of the novel, the reader gets the impression that weather and war will go side by side. The calamities of war will be further aggravated through weather condition of rain and wetness. With rain came cholera which has claimed seven thousand lives. It is obvious from the desc ription that the weather has proved more deadly than war, and its capacity of taking lives is even greater than the war itself. The agents of the weather like rain have been shown as the entities which are not in human control and their presence during war is â€Å"permanent†. Rain as an Omen of death Rain traditionally is used in a positive sense, and it symbolizes growth and fertility. But Hemingway has inverted the connotative meaning of this traditional symbol. In A Farewell to Arms the rain has been constantly portrayed as a symbol of death. It portends Catherine’s death. Catherine is afraid of rain, and she asks Henry to come out of the rain. Hence, the use of rain in war setting is ironic. It forebodes death and destruction. â€Å"The treatment of bad weather as a portentous mood-setter is a good indication of Gothic literature† (Shoomp Editorial Team 60). Hemingway also has manipulated this technique. The weather has been related to the war and human moo ds. Catherine Berkley is so afraid of rain that she thinks that the rain would part them from each other. She gets assurance from Henry that rain would not mitigate his love for him. She asks, "And the rain won't make any difference?" "No." When Henry reassures her that the rain would have no effect on their love, she says, "That's good. Because I'm afraid of the rain" (134). When asked by Henry why she is afraid of rain, she is not able to explain the cause of her fears. She tells Henry, "I don't know, darling. I've always been afraid of the rain." But at the insistence of Henry she blurts out: "All right. I'm afraid of the rain because sometimes. I see me dead in it." "No." "And sometimes I see you dead in it." (135). Rama (2007) observes the following in this connection: There appears some association in Hemingway’s mind between â€Å"Cat in the rain† and Catherine of A Farewell to Arms (called Cat by Henry). Cathrine sometimes sees herself and Henry dead in the rai n. Hemingway uses rain as an important symbol first time in â€Å"Cat in the Rain† and, later, as a major symbol in A Farewell to Arms (59). Hemingway has also used the symbol and setting of snow and frost in his story. The same metaphor has been used differently in various situations. Hemingway again has betrayed the traditional symbolical connotations of this metaphor. At first, the snow is the symbol of inertia. No development is made during snow time. Henry remarks, â€Å"looking out of the window of the bawdy house, the house of officers, where I sat with a friend and two