Concern Related to Embryonic Stem Cell Technology Research Paper

Concern Related to Embryonic Stem Cell Technology - Research Paper Example Introduction Embryonic stem cell technology is developing rapidly at present because of the huge developments in genetic engineering. Many of the genetic diseases and other chronic diseases can be treated effectively with the help of embryonic cells. Starr et al (2010) pointed out that â€Å"Stem cells are self-renewing in nature† (Starr et al., p.449). In other words, patients who are suffering from cell damages or malfunctioning of cells can be treated with the help of stem cells. Stem cells are usually classified into two broad categories; embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Even though adult stem cell related technologies are developing fewer controversies, embryonic stem cell related technologies are generating huge controversies. As the name indicates, embryonic stem cells are collected from embryos. It forms soon after fertilization whereas adult stem cells form during adulthood. It is evident that embryos which undergo stem cell collection may not survive. The l ogic of saving the life of a person by destroying the life of an embryo is often questioned by religious leaders and sociologists. In their opinion, there is no point in saving a life at the expense of another life. On the other hand supporters of embryonic stem cell technology are of the view that human life is more important than an embryo’s life. ... Embryonic stem cells have the ability to replicate indefinitely and it can help the formation of all adult cell types. It should be noted that adult stem cells do not possess such abilities. Under such circumstances, embryonic stem cells are extremely useful in the treatment of many of the genetic diseases and other chronic diseases which cause cell destruction. Starr et al pointed out that â€Å"embryonic stem cells could be used to provide new nerve cells† (Starr et al., p.449). Many of the adult population are currently suffering from nerve problems such as Parkinson disease, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, dimenisia Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS etc. All these diseases are extremely difficult to treat with ordinary medicines. No medicines are capable of regenerating cells. Stem cells are useful and perhaps the only option in the treatment of above diseases. For example, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS is a disease which affects nerve cells in brain and spinal co rd. ALS prevents people from free moving because of the inability of muscles in receiving instructions from brain as a result of the damaged nerve cells. â€Å"Even though genetic defects were reported in some cases, the exact reasons for ALS are still unknown in majority of the cases†(Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers' is caused by problems in cortical neurons whereas in dementia, Lewy bodies, or frontotemporal lobar degeneration is causing the disease. Parkinson disease is caused by dopaminergic neurons whereas upper and lower motor neurons cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (Inou, p.2560). Choia et al (2010) mentioned that â€Å"As a rare and fatal

History of Indian art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Indian art - Research Paper Example 2000 years ago the Indian sub continent came under the rule of the Kushans and during this period we see the first images of Buddha in stone and plaster. These sculptures were made for shrines and monasteries in the Gandhara region and the city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. The sculptures particularly from Gandhara show a distinct Hellenistic influence which involves naturalistic depiction of human body, rich draperies that define the rounded shape of the body, symbolic postures, use of Halo behind the head and clear hand gestures like meditating, teaching and protecting. Buddha’s face is shown with expressions of tranquility and inner satisfaction. He has clearly modeled fish shaped eyes, straight nose, elongated earlobes and curly hair tied in a bun. Gandhara region also shows sculptures of Buddha as a royal figure with moustache, flowing hair, adorned with jewelry, dressesd in robes and sandals with clarity of facial expression. Apart from free standing sculptures of Buddha, we also find reliefs showing Buddha along with his devotees in meditation, scenes of sermon, and stories from the life of young Buddha, female Yakshi figures along with Buddha. 3 Central Indian temples are also known for their depictions of sexual scenes in sculptural reliefs of couples known as Mithunas. We often find these Mithunas in various Indian temples showing love making scenes since it was regarded as a divine practice. The women are always shown with full breasts, narrow waist and ample hips adorned with bangles and necklaces. 3Short essay on the Sculpture of Gupta age One of the most prominent sculptures of North India is the Lion Capital of Ashoka, Sarnath and it gives a hint of the grandeur of Mauryan Empire. The Kushana kings encourage the gandhara artists to make sculptures of Buddha’s life and jatakas. Excavations also show mythical figures and animals like atlantes, tritons, dragons and sea serpents. Sculptures are also decorated with acanthus, laurel and vi ne, Indian motifs, lion heads and lotus petals. Though we now see representation of Buddha in human form but still him symbolic interpretation was used alongside in the form of white elephant, boddhi tree, lotus flower, bull, chakra etc. We also find many sculptures of the highly adorned Bodhisattvas or Buddha as a prince before Nirvana. Gupta style: The Gupta style is said to have no foreign influence but is purely Indian in nature and existed during the time of Gupta dynasty 4th century AD. During this period sculptures flourished in aesthetics and accuracy. The prominent names sites for Gupta sculptures

The Abolition of Man Cs Lewis Review Essay Example for Free

The Abolition of Man Cs Lewis Review Essay The Abolition of Man was written by C.S. Lewis in 1943. It was subtitled Reflections on education with special reference to the teaching of English in the upper forms of schools†. C.S. Lewis was born in 1898 and died in 1963 (same day as Robert F. Kennedy). He was a fiction and non-fiction writer whose most popular non-fiction work was â€Å"The Chronicles of Narnia†. Lewis was a Classicist who agreed philosophically with Plato and Aristotle and also considered himself a â€Å"Pagan in a World of Apostate Christians†. Lewis was also a friend of JRR Tolkien. The Abolition of Man is listed as #7 on the top 200 greatest works of the 20th Century. In Abolition Lewis writes of two opposing views: The World off the Green Book vs. the World of the Tao. â€Å"Abolition of Man† is a short philosophical work about moral education. In Chapter 1 â€Å"Men Without Chests† the Tao is described as a broad generalization of traditional moralities of the East and West consisting of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Confusion, Jewish, Muslim, and Socratic ideologies. The Tao is the sole source of valued judgments and something we cannot change otherwise the Tao would cease to exist. Within the Tao judgments are either right or they are wrong. Within the â€Å"World of the Green Book† all valued judgments and morality are subjective. The green Book itself is really an English textbook used in English upper advance primary schools. The text of the Green book teaches students that sentences containing the predicate of value are not statements about qualities in their subjects but rather unimportant statements about the speakers own feelings. Lewis believed that this philosophy was out of place in an English text book, regardless o f its validity, and proceeds to tear the philosophy apart. The Green book states that objects can merit our approval or disapproval. Lewis describes The Mind of Man in a platonic division of three: Head- the Center of man’s intelligence Stomach- The center of man’s desire Chest- The center of man’s will Lewis argues that removing all sentiments from the mind (as rationalists try to do) produces â€Å"Men Without Chests†. Lewis believes that making valued judgments are an essential part of clear thinking. In Chapter 2, â€Å"The Way†, Lewis hacks away at all other alternative system of values. Lewis goes on to argue that no one can debunk the Tao. To debunk the Tao and have a defensible position against it, one must invoke it. While attempting to debunk the Tao all other systems such as Progressivism, Utilitarianism, and instinct based ethics can be debunked themselves. â€Å"Debunking the Tao debunks itself† Lewis write of other systems. Lewis states that all other systems fall apart among further examination and people who try to debunk the Tao are trying to substitute some other system for it. In Chapter 2 arbitrary goals of other systems are described as necessary, progressive, and efficient. Lewis asks of these systems: Necessary for what? Progressing towards what? Affecting what? What are these goals and why are they desirable? The Tao states that â€Å"certain states of affairs are intrinsically meritorious†. To Lewis, Utilitarianism fails because it is a social ethic and that it lacks personal obligation. Instinct based ethics are our moral values that are derived from animal instincts. Lewis asks â€Å"Do our animal instincts make our morality?† Concerning ethics Lewis tells us that ethics are not something that tell us what we actually do but rather ethics is about telling us what we OUGHT to do, should do, should have done, ought to have done, and OUGHT to be doing. He goes on to say that basing our ethics on instincts does not make sense and that basing ethics on instincts is basing ethics on what people tell us to do. â€Å"People say different things†¦so do our instincts. Our instincts are at war with each other.† There are times in which we should control and suppress our instincts and that there is no one great instinct we should obey. In summation, ethics cannot be derived from our instincts. Chapter two ends with Lewis concluding that the Tao is the sole source of all valued judgment and that nothing is intrinsically evil. All evil is the result of twisting something good and that moral progress is â€Å"timeless, constant, and unchanging.† Lewis referred to chapter one â€Å"Men without Chests† as the present, chapter two â€Å"The Way† as the past, and chapter three â€Å"The Abolition of Man† as the future. The Abolition of man comes in when one tries to exercise the Tao from humanity, because man cannot be man without it. The Tao is a defining characteristic of man, found in no animals, and nowhere else in the universe that we know of. â€Å"To become a race that rejects the Tao is to become something other than human.† I have to admit, â€Å"The Abolition of Man† is one of the hardest reads I’ve ever had. I think if there was some way to modernize it and translate some of what Lewis was talking about it could end up b eing one of the great works of the 21st century. All in all I have probably read this book three times and I’m still a bit confused. My take on it is this; Lewis describes a principle of right and wrong. There is no grey area of the Tao, it is what is intrinsically good in the universe regardless of which philosophy you choose to follow. By trying to discredit what is intrinsically good you are discrediting yourself as any argument that stands against what is all good must contain something that is bad†¦therefore it is wrong to even try. Ethics are not instinctive and instincts themselves, although natural, are not always good just because they are instinctive.

Theories on Conflict

Theories on Conflict Introduction Conflicts today abound which demand explanation. Understanding the roots of conflict is especially true now given the rise of populism which catapulted controversial leaders like President Donald Trump of the United States and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, each of their own right riding onto the wave of either anti-immigration or anti-crime sentiment. Trump has sparked numerous protests due to his contentious Muslim travel ban (Thrush, 2017) while Duterte has earned international condemnation for the spate of extrajudicial killings arising from his all-out war on drugs and criminality (Al Jazeera, 2017). Each of these leaders claim to be resolving root causes of conflict in their respective countries Trump, restricting immigration in order to address the imminent security threat that the liberal immigration policies of erstwhile US administrations have posed, while Duterte, clamping down on the drug trade which he considers to be a top cause of underdevelopment and n ational degeneration. The theories on conflict discussed and learned over the course of three weeks helped me frame a deeper understanding as to why both Trump and Dutertes analysis may be critically attacked and in what instances, they are either correct or fall short. A school of theories under the systems theory consider how the roots of violence are all interconnected and are products of social, political and economic interactions. New emerging theories such as the human needs theory consider the deprivation of basic human needs to be a direct cause of conflict and suggest that addressing the same would eradicate conflict. Lastly, various social theories from Karl Marx to Franz Fanon provide me with lenses to be used in studying social disruption for these theories really enunciate what causes societal fractures and what can be done about it. This paper is a critical reflection of the following body of conflicts theories. Discussion of Conflict and Social Theories Systems Theory Simply stated, the systems theory considers conflict to be the whole of many problematic parts of society which are inextricably linked. Conflict therefore arises not due to individual or micro-level differences and contradictions but of a general system. Systems theories seek to understand conflict by looking at how several elements located in a social system interact with one another. Violence, according to systems theorists, should be viewed from the level of (1) individuals (2) dyads; (3) subsystems (family, community, religious groups and general society). Subsystems are organized in a manner which could either encourage or deter or regulate violence. Direct efforts at changing elements of the system will not prosper since the system will immediately provide a replacement for the missing element. Hence, ending violence, which is a systematic problem requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach. The general systems theory is useful in uncovering relationships and interaction s which contribute to violence from different levels. However, its weakness lies in the fact that it is a value-free theory which requires theoretical directions. Structural violence Structural violence, according to John Galtung, pertains to a form of violence arising from a social structure or institution which harms people by deliberately depriving them of capacity to satisfy their immediate human needs. This kind of violence does not take a physical form or image but consists of avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs (Galtung,ÂÂ   1969, p. 32). The notion of structural violence impels one to look for inequalities within social structures may it be inequalities in wealth, power, privilege, access and opportunity which breed injustice. In the same light, structural violence also compels one to look at the connections between what might be falsely considered as mutually exclusive worlds. In essence, the theory of structural violence as a way of addressing conflict encourages people to proceed with moral outrage and critical participation where previously our reflexive response would be passive acceptance of these inequalities. Institutionalized ra cism, classism and sexism are forms of structural violence which are usually considered as inherent characteristics of society. Galtung however encourages to look beyond these inequalities and to find connections in order to dismantle structures which permit these injustices. In my view, structural violence is a timely method of deconstructing conflict in todays world. For instance, the notion of viewing refugees as a potential source of conflict is a worldview tacitly accepted in global policy. Acceptance of refugees is viewed to potentially open the floodgates for terrorism, crime, and other degenerate activities that threaten national security. However, when viewed from perspective of structural violence, we can proceed to view the refugee crisis more critically and conclude that instead of treating refugees as potential threats, they should instead be viewed as people who deserve to be treated with dignity. Relative Deprivation Theory This theory assumes that social conflict arises due to peoples perceptions of inequality. When people perceive that there exists a disparity from what they deserve to enjoy from what they currently enjoy, they became discontented with their situation (Walker Pettigrew, 1984). The relative deprivation theory hypothesizes that conflict arises when the gap between two groups within a particular population is too wide, the possibility of rebellion becomes more likely. The assumption is that people are bound to perceive that they enjoy certain entitlements from society and when they are deprived of this while a number of other people belonging to the same population enjoy the same, dissent comes into being. Relative deprivation theory focuses on value expectations which need to be met within a certain society. Thus, when a society has a relatively high rate of economic inequality, the more likely it is that people will rebel. While the origin of the deprivation is economic, a state of po verty does not necessarily translate to violence. However, when individual expectations of poor people become transformed as a group identity, they become a political force that will not hesitate to use violence in order to combat their perceived discrimination. In other words, relative deprivation theory considers that violence stems from a persons judgment of his or her economic circumstances in the community. To a certain extent, an individuals subjective evaluation of his or her community status is essential to their conduct. Theory of cooperation The theory of cooperation proceeds from the notion that conflicts are generally characterized by cooperation and cooperation as twin motives. Deutsch (1949, 1985) formulated this theory in order to comprehend the conflict process better and how to come up with more effective conflict resolution methods. Deutschs primary thesis is that in order to resolve conflict, it is a key step to understand the nature of interdependence of both parties in conflict. Interdependence could be negative or positive. When the goals of both parties are negatively interdependent, a partys success automatically means the others failure. Upon the other hand, when the goals of both parties are positively interdependent, one partys success is correlated with the other partys success while one partys failure is also correlated with the other party failure. In the latter form of interdependence, cooperative relationships can be had in order to secure a win-win outcome for both parties to a conflict. Cooperative relationships are considered to demonstrate several positive features such as effective communication, openness, a friendly atmosphere and commitment to mutuality. In contrast, competitive relationships bring about the opposite results such as closed communication, lack of coordinated activities, an atmosphere of suspicion and a sense of domination. Based on Deutschs research, constructive conflict resolution is more linked to cooperative processes rather than competitive processes which he considered destructive. In order to foster cooperative relationships towards constructive conflict resolution, Deutsch likened it to friendly social relations. This is marked by empowering gestures and a reframing of attitudes. Thus, he recommends that both parties agree to commit to adherence to norms in the conduct of talks and negotiations. Among these norms include respect, honesty, responsiveness, forgiveness, and acknowledgment of responsibility. These values, due to their universal value and acceptance, can pose as common grounds for both parties to stand on. Emerging Conflict Theories: Human Needs Theory An emerging trend in conflict theory shifts the focus from the political economy to basic human needs. This perspective is anchored on the fact that human beings need to acquire essentials in order to live with dignity. Human needs theorists place the cause of conflict to unmet human needs. In this light, they argue that violence happens when certain groups or individuals are deprived of basic human needs (Burton, 1979). Theorists however have disagreed on what human needs means. In Burtons (1979) view, human needs that need to be addressed in the context of conflict go beyond the basic biological or subsistence needs. Instead, unmet needs related to social conflict include identifiy, recognition, security and development. As Burtons human needs theory progressed, he highlighted how existing state systems have miserably failed to provide a sense of identity thereby fueling ethno-linguistic separatist movements. If certain ethnic groups are deprived of their freedom to express their own national identities within the status quo, they will tend to establish parallel revolutionary systems in order to achieve the same. Burton provides as concrete examples the ethnic nationalist struggle in Kosovo in 1989 as well as various gang subcultures. Burton opined that human need theory can help explain conflict and pave the way for better conflict resolution because Rubenstein (2010) considers the human needs theory as providing a better explanation to social conflict compared to theories which focus only on the errors of a few manipulative leaders or institutions, as embodied in Samuel Huntingtons clash of civilizations theory. Echoing Burtons view, Rubenstein views the human needs theory to provide the study of conflict with a more objective basis which goes beyond local or cultural differences. The needs-based approach to understanding social conflict defies traditional notions of conflict and instead uses unsatisfied human needs as the independent variable to explain why elite dominance or cultural differences lead to conflict. However, Park (2010) critiqued Burtons positivist framework of needs theory and encouraged a more critical definition of needs to mean that there are needs that do not directly bear upon material sustenance like recognition and freedom from coercion that must also not be obstructed lest there be undesirable consequences (p. 1). Park took issue with Burtons reliance on the biological explanation for Needs Theory to support protection of rights and universal freedoms. Instead, she advocates for a psychoanalytic view to suggest that not needs are not universal. According to her, needs are essentially socially constructed. The needs which people pursue are socially engineered and they may even pursue false pleasures. In sum, Park considers with caution the use of the black box that is human needs. The definition of human needs is not simple but very complex and difficult to understand. Conflict from the Lens of Social Theory Equally relevant to the study of conflict is the development of social theory arising from social disruption. In Charles Lemerts (2016) book, multiple social theorists and their viewpoints on conflict are critically discussed. From the classical Great White Men theories arose alternative views on social relationships and social conflict which can be applied to the contemporary context. Among the most notable of these social theorists include of course, Karl Marx, publicly voted as the worlds greatest philosopher (BBC News, 2015). Marx wrote Das Kapital as well as the Manifesto together with Friedrich Engels at a time of extreme economic discontent. Marx focused on his critique of political economy which obscures the internal relationships of labor and capital and discussed a pivotal feature which is the workers alienation and estrangement. What is the most striking and palpable among these types of alienation is what fuels labor unrest: that of labor commodification and the reduction of the worker to a mere object. Simply stated, the more a worker produces out of his labour power, the cheaper he or she becomes as a commodity. Because the worker is paid at a fixed rate, more and more profit is being gained by the capitalist due to his work but unfortunately the worker does not earn additional wages for it. Marxist thought has gained traction especially with the cris is of global capitalism, environmental destruction, and global poverty. Until, his theory of class as the root cause of contradiction in society remains very relevant. However, many theorists developed a more expansive construction of his view on social classes. Max Weber, another classical theorist, came up with an alternative approach to the study of classes. For Marx, ones class is defined and determined by ones ownership of the means of production. Thus, Marx considered historical class antagonisms and identified these two groups in contemporary capitalist society as the proletariat and bourgeoisie. The contradictory relationship that the classes have pushes social development forward. Weber considers social groups and classes as determined through the distribution of power. Social stratification then, occurs through overlapping means and not only through economic differentiation. Other social theorists also focus on micro-level analysis to understand conflict. Sigmund Freud uses psychoanalytic theory to understand inner conflict among human beings. Freuds treatise laid down the anatomy of the self as made up of the interaction between three components dynamically interacting: the id, ego, and superego. All of these components of the self develop with socialization hence constructing the social self. Biology interacting with socialization shapes a human beings personality. When one of the three elements is allowed to dominate the other two, social problems may arise. Also developing Marxs theory of alienation, Horkheimer and Adorno criticized the use of cultural goods in order to project false consciousness. Cultural goods are appropriated into transforming humans as passive and docile objects of a system which was actually oppressing them. Aside from creating a false consciousness, they also suggested that popular culture is geared at creating false needs in order to engineer human beings into consuming in a massive scale. This cultural appropriation in turn heightens humans alienation and creates possible sources of conflict. The readings also tell us that social theories do not stay static. Even among key capitalist thinkers, there have been different approaches to address economic problems. For instance, John Maynard Keynes challenged the neoclassical economic paradigm advanced by Adam Smith and disciples which advocated for minimal to no government interference in favor of full-out control of the invisible hand of the market to attain equilibrium.ÂÂ   Instead, Keynes suggested implementing government regulation and intervention in order to arrest the economic recession. Social theories also help us understand racial conflict. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for an end to racial discrimination which he considered a ghastly reality America must face as a nation. In describing the horrendous social conditions which African Americans and other colored peoples are subjected to, King claimed that America had manacles of segregation and chains of discrimination which breed chronic poverty and injustice for certain segments of the population. Franz Fanon provides a stirring account of decolonization as a form of liberation. His work remains relevant especially in light of the fact that many of todays underdeveloped countries are former colonies of imperialist nations which have not completely been unshackled from their former masters economically, politically and culturally. It is only through liberation, which is necessarily violent that the colonized thing becomes fully a man. C. Wright Mills teaches the student to develop the sociological imagination which is a way of looking at themselves as the result of both biology and history and in always looking at the world through fresh eyes. One is challenged to go beyond looking at ones self as well and instead consider ones development as product of several processes occurring within a system. Conclusion Given the reality of global conflict today, conflict theories and social theories enable one to look at the phenomenon with renewed understanding and critical outlook. There are classical and alternative approaches of looking at conflict and conflict resolution processes. There are also classical and alternative ways of interpreting social conflict throughout history. Having a steady grasp of these theories assist the student thoroughly by providing him with several lenses to look at the problem and identify solutions. References Al Jazeera (2017). Thousands march against Dutertes war on drugs. Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/thousands-march-duterte-war-drugs-170218034827033.html Deutsch, M. (1985). Distributive justice: A social psychological perspective. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Galtung, J. (1969). Violence, Peace, and Peace Research. Journal of Peace Research, 6 (3), 167-191. Lemert, C. (2016). Social Theory: The Multicultural, Global and Classic Readings (6th ed.) Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Park, L. (2010). Opening the black box: reconsidering needs theory through psychoanalysis and critical theory. International Journal of Peace Studies. Retrieved from https://www.gmu.edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol15_1/PARK15n1-IJPS.pdf Rubenstein, R. E. (2010). Basic Human Needs: The Next Steps in Theory Development. The International Journal of Peace Studies, 6 (1), 51-58. Thrush, G. (2017). Trumps travel ban blocks migrant from six nations, sparing Iraq. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/travel-ban-muslim-trump.html?_r=0Deutsch, M. (1949). A theory of cooperation and competition. Human Relations, 2, 129-151.

Nathaniel Hawthorne :: essays research papers

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, the descendent of a long line of Puritan ancestors, including John Hathorne, a presiding magistrate in the Salem witch trials. After his father was lost at sea when he was only four, his mother became overly protective and pushed him toward more isolated pursuits. Hawthorne's childhood left him overly shy and bookish, and molded his life as a writer. Hawthorne turned to writing after his graduation from Bowdoin College. His first novel, Fanshawe, was unsuccessful and Hawthorne himself disavowed it as amateurish. However, he wrote several successful short stories, including "My Kinsman, Major Molyneaux," "Roger Malvin's Burial" and "Young Goodman Brown." However, insufficient earnings as a writer forced Hawthorne to enter a career as a Boston Custom House measurer in 1839. However, after three years Hawthorne was dismissed from his job with the Salem Custom House. By 1842, however, his writing amassed Hawthorne a sufficient income for him to marry Sophia Peabody and move to The Manse in Concord, which was at that time the center of the Transcendental movement. Hawthorne returned to Salem in 1845, where he was appointed surveyor of the Boston Custom House by President James Polk, but was dismissed from this post when Zachary Taylor became president. Hawthorne then devoted himself to his most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter. He zealously worked on the novel with a determination he had not known before. His intense suffering infused the novel with imaginative energy, leading him to describe it as the "hell-fired story." On February 3, 1850, Hawthorne read the final pages to his wife. He wrote, "It broke her heart and sent her to bed with a grievous headache, which I look upon as a triumphant success." The Scarlet Letter was an immediate success and allowed Hawthorne to devote himself to his writing. He left Salem for a temporary residence in Len ox, a small town the Berkshires, where he completed the romance The House of the Seven Gables in 1851. While in Lenox, Hawthorne became acquainted with Herman Melville and became a major proponent of Melville's work, but their friendship became strained. Hawthorne's subsequent novels, The Blithedale Romance, based on his years of communal living at Brook Farm, and the romance The Marble Faun, were both considered disappointments.

Richard Wrights Native Son :: Essays Papers

Richard Wright's Native Son The book Native Son by Richard Wright is about an African American man growing up in the south. The main character Bigger Thomas often finds himself in trouble throughout his life from the beginning to the end. The author uses his views and thoughts through Bigger about American society. Bigger worked for a rich man named Mr. Dalton and had â€Å"accidentally† murdered his daughter Mary. As a result of that a domino effect of misfortune began to happen. Bigger was later arrested and put on trial because of his actions I felt like I was watching a man sinking through quicksand and with every movement or attempt to free himself making the situation worst. He only murder because fear of getting caught in her room, a white woman’s room. Mary was drunk and the Dalton’s would have thought Bigger was trying rape her or something. It was very distressing that Mary had to die but Bigger was only doing what he thought at the time was right. When in an apartment building Bigger overheard a conversation between two men, Jack and Jim. They were arguing about if they had the chance to capture and turn bigger in would they. I agree with Jim who said that he stirred up a lot of trouble. Because of Bigger actions, mistake or no mistake, they were costing many black families their privacy, jobs and dignity. There comes a point were you have to take responsibility of your own action so others don’t get hurt. I also agree with Jim in the fact that he says that all black people look guilty to the police and that no matter how you try to stay out there way, you’ll still get messed with. Bigger’s last moments of freedom was when he was running on the roofs of apartment buildings. It was very cold out that night and a lot of snow on top of the buildings. Before he was running, he was in the trapdoor and had heard a lot of noises, footsteps, shouting, and it was getting him nervous. He was about suicide but his pride got in the way. When he came to the last ledge their was no more roofs.

Naturalistic Observation Essay

? Naturalistic Observation In order to study human development and perform naturalistic observation I went to the mall. I selected a 9-year-old white girl as the subject for my observation. I observed the subject for 30 minutes. During my observation the subject was not interrupted and was not aware of my study. The girl was spending time with her mother and brother at the mall. She was enjoying herself. She played some games with her brother. The games included jumping and running. During one of the games the girl had a short conversation with her brother. After that the girl started drawing pictures in her notebook. Mother of the subject had a very satisfied expression on her face when she saw the drawing her daughter made. During the whole observational period the girl looked relaxed and happy. The approximate height of the subject is 4ft 2in, the approximate weight is 70 lbs. She was well-dressed, her clothes were new and tidy. The girl was physically developed according to her age. During my whole observation the subject was very active, the girl was running and jumping, it was obvious that she had a good coordination. The child was also drawing pictures in her notebook, so I came to the conclusion that both her gross motor skills and fine manipulative skills were developed properly. Cognitive development of the subject was on a sufficient level. I observed the girl when she was buying an ice cream, she saw that one of the portions was on the bigger plate, but she chose one on the smaller plate because she liked the shape of it more. The girl was able to understand that if something changes in appearance it does not mean that the quantity of it changed. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, the girl was on the concrete operational stage. It is the very important stage, because the child starts thinking logically and operationally. Being on this particular stage is absolutely adequate for children at the age of 9. The girl was emotionally and socially well developed. She obeyed the rules of the game and the rules of the mall while playing. During my observation the girl demonstrated that she was able to work in a team with her brother. She was friendly and well socialized. According to Erikson’s stages of social and emotional development this kind of behavior means that the girl was on the ‘school age’ stage. It is absolutely normal to be on this stage of social and emotional development at the age of 9. After my observation I came to the conclusion that the subject meets the milestones and stages for the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Judging from the drawing that the girl made we can assume that the girl is gifted. According to my naturalistic observation there is nothing unusual in the development of the girl. According to her age she is absolutely adequate. The observation was a very interesting and informative process. It gave me the opportunity to apply different theories of development. The biggest advantage of this psychological method is the opportunity to observe the subject in the natural surrounding and watch his natural behavior. To sum up, during my naturalistic observation I applied Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Erikson’s theory of emotional and social development. Both of these theories gave me the opportunity to understand the subject better. According to my observation, all physical skills of the girl were developed properly. After analysis I came to the conclusion that the subject is on the concrete operational stage of cognitive development, and on the ‘school age’ stage of social and emotional development. The girl is normally developed according to her age.