English coursework (Oscar Wilde) Essay Example for Free

English coursework (Oscar Wilde) Essay In an essay of 3-4 pages discuss how Oscar Wilde uses stereotypes and concepts from traditional fairy-tales and in invert them in his short stories. In the majority of Oscar Wildes fairytales there are numerous stereotypical characters and concepts. In an exemplary fairytale there is the philanthropic character, who is very important to the format of fairytale, for instance a Prince or King, This individual usually, forms an advantageous partnership with a bi-character such as Princess, Queen, Frog, or a Wizard, this may work in reverse in some fairy tales where e. g. the Princess is the leading character and the King is the sub-role. The enemy of the protagonist is called as a villain whose only existence in a fairytale is to try and prevent the leading character and his/hers acquaintances from saving the day or more importantly the world. The evil being is primarily associated with negative images for example bad manners, ruthless personality, or the trademark evil express of amusement. In contrast the valiant hero/heroine is linked with a clean depiction. Witches, Dragons, and Wolves are more often than not portrayed as Villains. Fairy-tale writers use techniques in which they lead the reader to believe that the hero/heroine will prevail in the battle against evil, because the story gives the impression that the villain is superior to the central character. Almost ever fairy-tale begins with the opening phrase Once Upon a Time and end with and they live happily ever after. Use of these phrases result in the reader instantaneously recognises that it is a fairy-tale. Castles are prominent buildings in fairytales because most of fairy-tales were written in medieval-times where castles were the biggest buildings you would see, and they are also related to Kings and Queens. Wilde makes extensive use of traditional fairy-tale characters, which do not exist in real life, in his stories such as ogres, giants and talking birds. I think Wilde choose to do this because he knew bizarre creatures put the message of his choice across much easier to the readers, children in particular. I know this from The Happy Prince and The Selfish Giant where the winter season is given human characteristics and actually given a voice to speak: He is too selfish. What separates Oscar Wilde from other writers in Victorian times is that he uses traditional fairy-tale characters to address contemporary issues to express his opinion. In The Happy Prince Wilde embarks upon the difficulty of poverty and privilege, which were disregarded subjects in that era. When the Prince was alive he lived in the palace of San-Souci, here he wasnt allowed to see the outside world, that didnt bother the Prince because there he had everything he wanted and needed. He was very happy this led to people naming him the Happy Prince: My courtiers called me The Happy Prince, and happy I was indeed, if pleasure be happiness. In the Palace no grief would enter, his courtiers fearing the happy prince would see true misery and sadness. The Prince lived a very luxurious and rich life and was easily pleased with his wealth. When he died they made a statue of him and placed high above the city. From this position he had a respectable view of everything. This meant that he was able to life outside the Palace: Beggars starving, children being abused, poverty all this made the Happy Prince grieve because he was powerless to stop any of this as he was a statue. Here Wilde makes a direct comparison between the rich and the poor. Wilde does this to make the reader sympathise with the poor people: When the Swallow flies over the city he sees rich people sitting in the warmth of their expensive residences and beggars sitting outside of their gates. The Swallow also spots to children hungry and cold lying in each others arms for warmth under a bridge to seek shelter from the heavy rain, but they are told to leave by the watchman, and they walk back out into the rain. Incidents like this make the Happy Prince cry every single day as he sits and watches the wretchedness of the city. Wilde sends the message that human fickleness is a weakness in The Happy Prince. As a statue the Happy Prince was very beautiful and expensive. His body was covered in leaves of fine gold, he has two bright sapphires as eyes and a large red ruby encrusted in his sword-hilt. The Happy Prince was admired by many people in the city as a consequence of this awe-inspiring appearance. A mother says to her child: Why cant you be like the Happy Prince She uses the Happy Prince as a role model for her son, little does know of the Happy Prince but him being a very expensive statue. This show how people judge based on small assumptions of physical appearance only. Eventually the Happy Prince loses all his fine possessions, as he has given them away to those whose needs are greater, and two townsfolk spot the statue. They decide to take it down; they compare its value to that of beggars: As he is no longer beautiful he is no longer useful. The Arts Professor believes that without beauty the statue is useless. This indicates that they didnt place the statue above the city as a symbol representing something with a deep philosophical intent, but merely as an appealing decoration for the city. Wilde also shows some fickleness and its consequences in The Nightingale and the Rose where the nightingale observes a young student who is in love with his teachers daughter. He wants to give her a rose which symbolises his love for her, but cannot afford one. The nightingale sympathises for the young student, he decides to go through agony and in the end sacrifice his life to get that rose for him. The student receives the rose, and goes to the professors daughter to ask her if she will accept his rose, but she frowns and says that she has been given far better gifts from another man. The student walks away in disgust and throws the rose into the gutter where gets flattened by a cart-wheel. The nightingales sacrifice was in vein. The student decides to exclude himself from ever loving again and he dedicates the rest of his life to studying philosophy. This tale has had an important morale stressed by Oscar Wilde. He uses a dramatic ending to emphasise his point. He undoubtedly show s the destructiveness of a fickle nature. The fairytale The Selfish Giant explores selfishness and ignorance by portraying the stereotypical character of a giant as a ruthless monster in some part of the story. Wilde uses little children to contrast the enormous giants dominance. When the giant arrives at his castle he finds children playing innocent games in his garden. The giant furiously chases them away and builds a high wall around his garden. As a result of this no seasons but winter enters his doomed garden. As summer, autumn and spring comes and goes one constant climate remains in the giants garden and his only. Wilde uses the endless winter a metaphor for the ongoing sentence of the giants misery, that winter has sentenced him for being selfish and cruel to the children. The giant soon realises his that all that time he was away, the little children had been preserving his garden and now that they were away it was winter forever. He figures this out when he sees one of his trees blossoming because a group of children climbed upon it. The giant apologises to the children and breaks down the stone fence: and my garden shall be the childrens playground for ever and ever. The giants change of heart causes his garden to blossom and allow the other seasons to enter accordingly. When the giant dies, he goes to paradise. Wilde does this to stress the storys morale and message by showing that if you stop being selfish you will be rewarded. Wilde does use many traditional fairytale conventions but still his stories are different from the tradition in a variety of ways. Traditionally the good triumph when they have made a noble sacrifice. Wilde doesnt necessarily do this. In fact he tends to not do it at all. This is evident in The Nightingale and the Rose where a nightingale unselfishly sacrifices his life for something as minor as getting a red rose to a student who is in love. In the end the student is rejected by the girls he loves, and the nightingales sacrifice was in vein. This story shows that Oscar Wilde will write sorrowful endings if he has to emphasise his point. A reasonable amount of Wildes tales do not introduce the story with the phrase Once upon a time and conclude it with And they all lived happily ever after. Wilde is very attentive in the ways in which he opens a fairy tale, but when it comes to ending one he usually goes with a harsh approach, and does not include psychological twists. In a world of magic and wonder Wilde does not exclude the use of religious imagery, this is hardly ever done in fairy tale. For example; when the Happy Prince and his little assistant the swallow both die doing their heroic deeds. God orders an angel to bring Him the two best things in the city the angel chooses the Happy Prince and the Swallow, because they were recognised for doing good deeds and therefore rewarded with an entry to Gods paradise. In the Selfish Giant we also see Wildes strong belief in God, when the giant dies and allowed entry in Paradise by God, because the giant has become a better individual. I think Wilde does this because he himself believes that good things come to those who deserve it, and he wants to encourage the readers to believe in that too. This is especially aimed at younger readers. Though Wildes stories are fairy tales they bare a resemblance to modern day life. In the beginning of storytelling fairy tales were used as a form of entertainment and written for that purpose as well. Where Wildes tales differ is when the tales carry a message hidden behind a great storyline, this not only done to give the reader a good read but also to teach and educate things that they perhaps didnt know or had a different perspective of. Nowadays stories always have these messages in them, but Oscar Wilde was one of the first to introduce this style of story-formatting, as readers crave for more than just a good story. The drama and intensity was also quite unusual elements Wilde added in his tales. These days drama is an essential ingredient to almost every genre of literature, Wilde was one of the first to discover this, which is one of many reasons why his tales are still loved and admired across the world to this day.

Providing Rehabilitative Care To People Post Stroke Life Nursing Essay

Providing Rehabilitative Care To People Post Stroke Life Nursing Essay Stroke is a catastrophic event for survivors and their families because significant numbers of stroke survivors experience biophysical and psychosocial limitations after they return to home (Oswald 2008, p.241). Stroke is a common disabling disease that requires the involvement of family caregivers for patients successful rehabilitation (Lui Thompson 2005, p. 2514). After a stroke most people return to their home environment quickly despite suffering from various impairments and disabilities; most often without having received any care and rehabilitation services to reduce or compensate these dysfunctions (Vincent et al 2007, p. 21). Timely access to appropriate rehabilitation services for stroke survivors is needed to optimize recovery and reduce the long-term burden of stroke for patients, families and communities (Dawson et al, 2008, 174). Family caregivers play a key role in the rehabilitative care for stroke survivors, who require prolonged periods of recovery outside structured health care settings. Providing care to stroke survivors in home settings is an increasingly common experience (McCann Christiansen, 1996 ,p.914). However, family caregivers are usually faced with lack of health care education and they need assistance in learning how to manage to help the survivors in activities of daily living (ADL) and other aspects of physical care. Instrumental support, including social support, help with transportation, and financial support or compensation are also commonly requested by caregivers (Grant et al.2006, p.67). In general, care giving responsibilities follow a hierarchical order with spouses being preferred most often, followed by adult children, other relatives, and finally friends and neighbours (Moore et al. 2002, p.291). In Iran the situation is the same, the stroke survivors are usually referred to public or private care centres and to their own homes after discharge from hospital. This may result in many difficulties and long-term problems for stroke survivors and their family caregivers (Dalvandi et al, 2010). In Iran, there seems to be a lack of supportive systems in home care services as well as in knowledge and skills among family caregivers can be assumed to lead suffering from complications and probably even from less effective recovery processes for both patients and their families (Alaei, 2008,p. 7). Therefore, we need to explore the experiences of Iranian stroke survivors family caregivers about the providing rehabilitative care in order to identify aspects that should be con sidered in developing delivery rehabilitation care for both patients and their families.. Aim and research questions The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of family caregivers about the providing rehabilitative care for stroke survivors at home. The following questions were raised: How do Iranian family caregivers experience the provision of rehabilitative care at home after stroke? How should the rehabilitative care for stroke survivors assistance be provided and organized? Method The constant comparative method (CCM) was used in this study. The constant comparative method of analyzing qualitative data combines inductive category, coding with a simultaneous composition of all units of meaning obtained (Glaser Strauss,1967). According to Boeije (2002) the constant comparative method together with theoretical sampling constitute the core of qualitative analysis in the grounded theory approach developed by Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Strauss, 1987; Glaser 1992.(p.391-394) .The constant comparative method, which can be seen as the core category of grounded theory, includes that every part of data, i.e. emerging codes, categories, properties, and dimensions as well as different parts of the data, are constantly compared with all other parts of the data to explore variations, similarities and differences in data. The constant comparative method of grounded theory is strict enough to be helpful to the researcher in exploring the content and meaning in the data, but no t saddled with so many strict rules to be too rigid for a grounded theory researcher (Hallberg, 2006, P.141-145). According to Strauss and Corbin (1998) the art of comparison has to do with creative processes and with the interplay between data and researcher when gathering and analysing data. The cycle of comparison and reflection on old and new material can be repeated several times, it is only when new cases do not bring any new information to light that categories can described as saturated (Boeije ,2002,p. 391-394). Participants Twelve family caregivers participated in the study .The characteristics are shown in Table 1: Insert Table 1. The inclusion criteria for selecting family caregivers was: those family members who had the main responsibility to take care for stroke survivors in stroke survivors homes, such as offspring, spouses or other relatives, willingness to participate in this study, being able to communicate in Farsi and reside in an urban area in Tehran. The first author (AD) referred to hospitals and rehabilitation clinics formally and asked for permission to undertake the study. After the permission, he read more than 400 stroke survivors documents and then selected 35 case documents based on inclusion criteria. Then researcher contacted participants by telephone with the permission of universitys authorities. They were informed about the aims of the study and their rights as participants, and were asked to participate in the study. Finally twelve family caregivers agreed to participate in the study. Data-collections Techniques Data were collected through open-ended interviews and observational field notes. The open-ended interviews started with a general question: As a family caregiver, how do you experience providing rehabilitation care of a survivor after stroke at home? Then, step by step the interview continued to more specific and directed questions. Probing was performed according to the reflections offered by each respondent but sought to cover themes such as their experiences of the post-stroke life and the role of family caregivers in this situation. Interviews lasted between 45 to 60 minutes. The venues of the interviews were chosen by the participants at the survivors homes and it took from February 2007 to June 2007. In two cases, a second interview was conducted after some ambiguities had aroused during the first. During interview main researcher have been observed and considered all situations regarding the participants and focus on what participants said about doing one thing but in reality they are doing something else. Data Analysis All interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed word by word and then approved by some participants, together with the observational field notes. Following Corbin Strauss (2008, p.160-167) instructions, data collection and data analysis took place simultaneously by using the process of constant comparative analysis method. Every interview was analyzed directly after the interview in order to identify ideas, which guided the next interview. During the phase of open coding, the researchers thoroughly read all interviews several times word by word and selected incidents, facts, key words or phrases in the text as in vivo codes (codes which directly came from interview with participants, not from other sources). In this phase, 482 primary codes were extracted. Open coding requires a brainstorming approach to analysis because, in the beginning, analyst wants to open up the data to all potentialities and possibilities contained within them (Corbin Strauss, 2008, p.160). Whereas open coding fractures the data into concepts and categories, axial coding puts those data back together in new ways by making connections between categories and subcategories. Thus axial coding refers to the process of developing main categories and their sub-categories. Then, the codes were compared to contents in order to find points of similarities and differences as base for those categories and sub-categories that were developed. These codes outlined properties and dimensions of each category and subcategory. This process resulted in eight conceptual categories. After axial coding at the end of the process, in selective coding phase, the core variable was identified. lack of continuity in rehabilitative care, which was clearly observed in all data, was identified as a core variable. Selective coding involves the integration of the categories that have been developed to form the initial theoretical framework (Corbin Strauss 2008, 163). Trustworthiness The conformability and credibility of the data were established in 3 main ways: First, the participants were contacted after the analysis and were given a full transcript of their coded interviews with a summary of the emergent themes to determine whether the codes and themes were true to their point of view (member check). Four participants chose to validate their transcripts and a few minor comments regarding spelling were made. As a further validity check, faculty members checked about half of all transcripts (peer check) when researcher presented the aim process and summary of data gathering. Finally, all the authors checked an English version of the coding and the coherence of the categories .The researcher documented the steps followed in the research and the decisions made to save the audit ability for other researchers to perform the steps of the research in future studies. Ethical considerations This study has been approved by Iranian National ethical committee in the Ministry of Health Medical Education (P/361-31/JUL/2005). All participants have received information about the aim of the study and what is expected from them as study participants. They also were informed that the participation is voluntary and they have the right to terminate their participation any time they want, without giving a reason, and their right to confidentiality. They also were informed that their continued care or rehabilitation was not dependent by their decision to participate or not. The researcher used all his attempts to make the participants comfortable to tell about their experiences and needs freely, and tried to note any non verbal signs of wishes for going out from the study, all participants signed the written informed consent paper after reading it carfully. When participants needed to have counselling in their homes, researcher coordinated by experts rehabilitation and some time researcher referred them to Neuro-rehabilitation clinic and also with hospitals to follow his/her problems clinically or in-patiently. Findings The participants ranged in age from 20 to 68 years. Seven main categories were identified within the analysis process: family integrity, modifying homes environment, managing co-morbidities, accessibility of rehabilitative services, expanding nurses roles, utilizing social insurance, and acquiring knowledge and skills. Family integrity conceptualized the way the participants continued their attempts to maintain family structure and function despite of the complications caused by the stroke. Modifying homes environment experienced as to facilitate the stroke survivors to live at home conveniently, and managing co- morbidities perceived as essential to prevent recurrent of strokes by controlling other symptom and diseases. Accessibility to rehabilitative services experienced as inappropriate and misdistribution of these services. Expanding nurses roles means that nurses roles should be developed as coordinator in rehabilitation teams to decrease biophysical and psychosocial limitations. Utilizing social insurance wished for as the main rehabilitation supportive service, acquiring knowledge and skills perceived as the basic needs for facing with the stroke event and help caregivers to accept the reality of their own situation. Conceptual relationship statements Researcher inferred that the lack continuity of rehabilitation care at survivors homes is the main variable concepts on the advancement of the providing of survivors rehabilitation because family caregivers experience accessing to services and covering rehabilitation services by social insurances could provide continually for leading, helping and supporting survivors to be independent sooner. In this way they perceived that special educational programs and skills are needed to be well-adapted with new situations. It causes the pressure on family members would be made less. As the part of Iranian cultural values, Islamic religious believes, preserving, unity ,maintain family structure and emotional feeling during event are the essential strategies which families adapt with .In this case family caregivers have been involved to continue providing rehabilitation care and changing home environment to facilitate better situation for survivors in their homes. Lack of continuity of rehabilitation care services cause overload working by family care givers such as survivors; lifting, transferring, feeding and caring because fatigue, frustrations and loss of energy. Therefore assisting by lay care givers could help them a lot especially during the first few months in this process. Lack of knowledge and skills regarding survivors care made them to be agitated and later on disappointed. They believed that the nurses roles are as important as the family care givers on the recovery of these patients regarding education and skills, introducing recourse, emotional support and medicine recommendations, timely teaching of patients and caregivers, and assessment and information exchange regarding patient progress and care needs. Lack of access to these services could delay survivors recovery. Continuity of care specifically relates to the nurses continued presence with the patients and involved coordination of the multi professional teams diverse efforts. Nurses, interacting with patients and relatives frequently throughout the day in many diverse situations, are in a unique position to facilitate the interpretive work that stroke survivors and their families go through and which is a prerequisite for moving ahead in the adjustment and rehabilitation processes following a stroke. Family integrity Family caregivers experienced that maintaining integrity, morale and durability were important to maintain family structure and their roles despite of the complications caused by the stroke. Family caregivers were also forced to look for new ways to compromise with this real event, as the part of their Iranian cultural values, Islamic religious believes, unity and emotional feeling that were the essential strategies which families had adapted. Whereas in Iran, family structure is so important for its members, therefore religious and emotional behaviors help us to stand, It should be continue by culture and empowered (Family caregiver 2), Modifying home environment Participants perceived that after the unpredictable event of stroke, their home environment needed to be changed, depending on survivors condition. The changes aimed at helping both the survivors and the family caregivers to play their roles better and live an active life by participating in the family life, whatever is available at home. We have to change the home environment to help survivors by using devices such as grab bars in bathroom, a raised toilet seat and a long-handled brush, and also electric toothbrush and an electric razor. (Family caregiver 9). Managing co- morbidities Participant perceived that managing other symptoms like body pain, and diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, as well as hypercholesterolemia and obesity were important to prevent recurrent period and prevent progressive diseases. I have tried to manage other disease such blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders with helping Doctors and nurses as well the control of dietaries and drugs management ,besides of stroke and its complications (family caregiver 6). Accessibility to rehabilitative services There are only a few special rehabilitation centres for stroke survivors in Iran and usually the stroke patients are referred to public or private caring centres and  to their own homes, because these clinics are very far from their homes. These services were regarded to be expensive and not easy to access from home and community, therefore stroke survivors and their family caregivers suffered of not receiving rehabilitation services. My family has lost their energy and in times, we are so tired and agitated If somebody comes to our home for caring and helping us it would be fantastic (Family caregiver5). I really need to get some facilities in my place, close to my home, suitable for our incomes; going far from my home is very expensive to access and so difficult for me and my family as well to bring services in our home (Family caregiver 11) . Expanding nurses roles Most participants experienced that nurses have a multidimensional role in rehabilitative care and they can act as team coordinators and educators for patients and their families. They were also regarded to be able to promote healthy lifestyle, advocate available recourses, nutrition, and medication, rehabilitative care recommendations to survivors and family caregivers, as well as prevention of stroke relapse. Nurses have a sense of advocacy and morale besides the care delivering, this is a fact, and I do emphasis that the role of nurses for patients is vital and important.(Family caregiver 3) Utilizing social insurance Participants regarded their friends or family members as the source of encouragement to seek social support. They experienced that social support from relatives, community and close personal relationship each has a beneficial effect in stroke patients life. The social support from them gave a sense of self-confidence and self-sufficiency in stroke survivors. Family caregivers expressed also that lack of assistant to care and insufficient social insurances for covering and receiving services from therapists caused the families a burden. The provision of social support was regarded to help the survivors to be enforced regarding the sense of belonging to others and also to friendship. During these times my family network visited and encouraged us to be happy and satisfied, I am so grateful to them because they come at my home to give a lift again.(Family caregiver 4). The cost of care and treatment that are extra in our life , if we had more support in advance, it would be more helpful and could be more effective.(Family caregiver 10). Acquiring knowledge and skills Family caregivers experienced lack of knowledge and skills to provide care for the survivors and deal with new situation; they perceived the need for information and education at their homes regarding transferring, lifting, feeding, drug taking and how to care I faced with lack of information and skills related to the event, the provision of supportive education is necessary for stroke survivors and their family caregivers from hospital to home , I dont know what to do (Family caregiver 12) Discussion The first author (AD) faced with some limitations in this study, such as cultural barriers to be accepted into the participants houses. The study shows that the need of continuity of care and rehabilitation services is pivotal for promotion of ADL and the health situation of stroke survivors and their family caregivers, after discharge from hospital. Depending on survivors situation, communication between family caregivers and rehabilitative care providers could be coordinated to improving rehabilitative care issue in order to achieve self-care and self-management. Even the social support from relatives was a strategy which was used and recommended by the family caregivers of stroke survivors. Thus, the delivery of continuous support and rehabilitative care is needed to reduce burden of care giving. Lack of continuity of rehabilitation was extracted as core concepts among data and concepts and related categories because family care givers have been following the process of receiving rehabilitation services for reducing physical disturbances; socio psychological limitation and help survivors to be self -independence ,they believed social insurance could involve these services at the survivors homes ,provide the transportations to rehabilitation centers and support nursing care and lay care givers for preventing of family burden. They experience that lack of these kinds of supports resulting in: cause less integrity and enduring among family members despite of their efforts and to incomplete rehabilitation services for stroke survivors. Family caregivers need many skills and have many difficulties associated with the involvement and tasks of care giving (Bakas et al 2004,p.243). Establishing comprehensive intervention programs in order to address the unique needs of individual family caregivers is emerging as a critical focus for research, as well as an important topic for policymakers, both in Iran and other countries. Han Haley (1999,p. 1479) also mean that stroke survivors have, besides of stroke and its complications, other diseases, such as diabetes, blood pressure, cardiovascular disorders, and even these needs to be taken into consideration in dietaries and drugs management. Our study participants expressed the need of education programs. Bakas et als study (2004,p.245) show that family caregivers have concerns about managing the symptoms and deficits of the stroke survivor. Lui Thompson 2005,p. 2515) indicate that teaching family caregivers to cope with these problems and to relieve their stress is essential. There is also some evidence that caregivers well-being affects even the health and recovery of stroke patients (ibid.). Our study findings show the same in Iranian context. Our study shows also that the home environments need to be modified, as the modifications can help the family caregiver to play their roles better and to have active daily lives. Vanhook (2009) found that that the quality and quantity modification in home environments depends on survivors condition although there is minimal consideration of the psychological, social, environmental needs during and after rehabilitation: when the survivor returns home, the environment is a foreign one (Vanhook, 2009 ,p.7). The participants in our study considered that there is need to expand the roles of nurses in rehabilitative care. As Steiner (2007) claims, nurses have a holistic approach through coordinating and integrating with other team members to deliver rehabilitation services for survivors and help caregivers to manage the situation. Besides, nurses are often the first to interact with the stroke patient in both acute care and intensive rehabilitation. Using evidence-based knowledge, the nurse has the responsibility to expand the nursing history to include such factors as previous cognitive state, previous perceptions of health status, present role within the family dynamic, previous self-concept, cultural influences, and relationships both personal and social. In our multicultural society, it is also imperative that we recognize and develop an understanding of the power of ethnicity as it relates to individuals health perception, thus affecting the recovery process. Steiner (2007,p.48-54) The participants in our study experienced that providing informations and appropriate education in responding to their needs, were the most important and valuable things which improve efficacy of these services. Family caregivers perceived that covering of rehabilitative services by social insurances agencies can help survivors and their family caregivers to get better rehabilitation facilities and improve functional performances. The social insurances can also reduce stress in the survivors situation by providing lay caregivers for helping family members.. Previous studies have examined the effect of different types of social support on functional recovery after stroke (Friedland McColl 1992, p.575), similarly to our study showed that social support from family, community and from close personal relationships each has a beneficial effect in stroke patients. As Shah (2006,p. 472) and Weimar et al. (2002,p. 2055) claim, the post stroke family support, financial status, and community resources should be evaluated to optimize successful return to the community. This study confirms the results of Oswald et al (2008,p.245) who found that stroke is expected to continue to be a major concern for survivors, their families and health and social care providers because stroke continues to affect the survivors and their family members life situation a long time. Besides, most stroke survivors live in the community and are assisted by family caregivers, especially by spouses. Stroke-related impairments and post stroke depression interfere with recovery and result in impaired relationships and reduced life satisfaction for the survivors and their spouses.By increasing the patients participation in rehabilitation, their ability to solve problems in ADL and to transfer knowledge to new situations we hope that patients and relatives satisfaction in daily life will increase. Conclusion The study illustrates that the family caregivers are stricken of the stroke because the providing care for stroke survivor in order to rehabilitate the survivor major engagement is needed from the family caregivers. Enhanced discharge planning and nurses follow-up with collaboration of stroke survivors families should be considered as essential in maintaining the well-being of the family caregivers and bridging the gap between the hospital and the community , reducing family burden ,receiving high quality of rehabilitative care and make decisions regarding their own life and care. Relevance to clinical practice There is a need to develop family caregivers abilities to provide care that is more suitable to survivors needs. Both educational practice and financial support should be provided to the stroke survivors and their family caregivers in order to enhance better coping in the difficult life situation. Social and emotional support should also be provided to minimize the family members burden and help them managing the consequences of stroke. Therefore, the Iranian Government should improve the social and financial support and order a social insurance for stroke survivors and their family caregivers both by public and private social insurance agencies. There is also a need for organizing and extending rehabilitation services in health programs for reducing physical dysfunction, thus helping the patients and their family caregivers to apply better role performances and encourage independency in activities of daily living. Further, a rehabilitation team should plan and focus on functional disturbance and social support. There is also a need to write a stroke rehabilitation protocol that coordinates team work. In this work, nurses experiences are highly needed. Funding: This study is funded by deputy of research at University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences. Conflicts of Interest: The first researchers have no conflicts of interest regarding financial support and official affairs in this study.

An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

An Inspector calls is set in 1912 and was written for a 1946 audience. What can it have to offer an audience in 2002? An Inspector calls. 'An Inspector calls' was written by J.B. Priestly in 1945, and was first shown to an audience in 1946. It was set in 1912, before the Second World War had started, and was to be shown, after the Second World War had ended. 'An inspector calls' is a dramatic, moralistic thriller. It is set around the death of a young woman: Eva Smith. The play begins with the Birling family celebrating the engagement of their daughter Sheila, to the wealthy Gerald Croft. In this part of the play you learn a lot about the social system of that era, the way people acted, and the way they thought. The doorbell, and the arrival of an Inspector interrupt their 'celebration'. From now on the mood changes, contrasting the light-hearted and happy mood; it now becomes tense and serious. The Inspector reveals each characters involvement in the death of Eva Smith, side by side with the flaws and evils in each characters' personality. This slowly reveals to the audience that the Inspector is a lot more then he seems, and that the play is not only a 'murder mystery', but also resembles a moralistic play of the middle ages, but in it's own socialistic manner. It also shows the flaws in the social system at the times, which are displayed in each character, and in the consequences of their acts. The audience are shown how some people ignore the reality of their actions, and even after seeing the consequence of their actions, refuse to change. Mr and Mrs Birling are portrayed as selfish and ignorant of their actions, while Sheila and Eric, as a contrast, have fully realised their mistakes and have changed the way they think. The inspector is successful in changing two of the characters, but is not successful in the rest. Priestly is in a way playing the Inspector, to his audience, showing them the consequences of their actions, and what will happen if they do not change. 'An Inspector calls' has many underlying messages, most of which are still relevant to us today. The question as to whether 'An inspector calls' is out of date, is a long argued and debated question. Both sides of the argument have valid points, and in order to come to a fair decision, you must consider both these sides of the argument. I am going to consider three statements about 'An Inspector calls' and after studying each one, am gong to come up with a decision.

Domitian :: essays research papers

Domitian was born in Rome on Pomegranate Street 0n October 24th AD51. He was the second son born to the future emperor Vespasian. Domitian’s older brother was named Titus. Even when very young Domitian was of the opinion that he should be treated like a god. “Throughout Domitian’s early years and adolescents, the family’s status remained high, but progress was most marked in the 60s.'; (Jones, 1992) One example of the family’s good fortune was that they inherited a great deal of money. This allowed them to gain access to the imperial court, as well as granting them senatorial rank. In order to accomplish this four different families became one family which enabled Domitian to gain power. “Domitian’s brother Titus, now in his mid-twenties, found a suitable wife in Arrecina Tertulla and it seems that Domitian’s first cousin Sabinus the third had also married into the same family, selecting one of Arrecina’s sisters. Unfortunately, Arrecina soon died and Titus sought a second wife. Marcia Furnilla, daughter or niece of Vespasian’s amicus Barea Soranus, was an excellent choice, with consular senators in her father’s and mother’s family.'; (Jones, 1992) Domitian was an educated person, although it is unknown where he got his education. He loved to write and wrote poetry. His poems were very sensitive no matter what the topic. Later on Domitian even wrote and published a book about baldness. Apparently, Domitian was interested in many different types of literature. People often said that he spoke intelligently, and made memorable comments. In his later years, Domitian began to read Tiberius’s commentaries. He established a way of thinking and developed his own ideas on standards and morals. Around 70 AD Domitian married Domitia Longina, the daughter of the great general, Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. They had lots of troubles in their marriage. The couple had one child, but the child died at a very young age. In 83 AD Domitian wanted nothing to do with his wife and dismissed her. “Later, she was recalled to the palace where she lived until Domitian’s death.'; (http://www.ga.k.12.pa.us/academics/MS/8th/romanhis/Forum/Stephm/early.htm) Domitian inherited the empire when his brother suddenly died after ruling for only two years. He became Roman Emperor in 81AD which fulfilled his lifelong dream. He was now able to follow in his father and brother’s footsteps as emperor. When he was emperor he traveled outside of Rome many times. He was said to be a hostile ruler.

Juan Gris :: essays research papers

Juan Gris was born in 1887. He was a Spanish born French painter who went to the cubist school. Originally his name was Jose Vittoriano Gonzalez, he was born in Madrid and educated there. He left Madrid in 1906 and went to Paris, making the acquaintance of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and of the French painter Georges Braque. Gris's first cubist paintings, generally more calculated than those of Picasso and Braque, appeared in 1912. He spent the next summer in Cà ©ret, France, with Picasso, and while there adopted the use of papier collà ©, shapes cut from paper and glued to the canvas. During World War I (1914-1918) he worked in Paris he had his first one-man exhibition in Paris in 1919. From 1922 to 1924 he designed settings for two ballets of the Russian producer Sergey Diaghilev, Les tentations de la bergà ¨re (The Temptations of the Shepherdess) and La colombe (The Dove), as well as continuing work on his own paintings. After 1925 he worked mainly on gouaches, watercolors, and illustrations for books. Some of his famous works include Portait of Josee, The Table and The Open window.Portrait of Josette was created in 1916 and is now in the Musea del in Prado, Madrid. This was deffinetly one of Gris's greatest achievements. The portrait of Josette is based on his studies after Corot and Cezanne. To perfection he seemed to create a stunning mixture of the foreground and the background. This beauty is accomplished through color patterns that ensemble different spatial planes. The blacks which are used around the bosom, butox and leg are used to enhance this women's shapely figure. The transparency does not result in an illusion of depth instead it acts as something to join the planes together. The table was created in Spring of 1914. Today it is located in Philadelphia in the Museum of Art. The surfaces of collages such as The Table are nearly entirely covered with a wide variety of overlapping papers. These fragments, moreover, are now deployed in increasingly complex ways: the shape of a piece of paper may correspond to the shape of the depicted object or it may itself provide a ground for figuration, whether drawn, painted, or in the form of additional, superimposed collage elements. And Gris continued to appropriate materials for their literal representational function as mere images, as he had in his earliest collages.

The Implementaion of Reverse Policy for Discrimination

Should we be punished for the mistakes of our ancestors? In recent times, Affirmative Action has implemented policies of reverse discrimination to help oppressed minorities gain an advantage over majority groups in college admissions and in employment. The term â€Å"Affirmative Action† was originally used by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 when referring to his executive order that required all federal contractors treat their employees and applicants â€Å"without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin. † In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order #11246 at Howard University that required federal contractors to undertake Affirmative Action to increase the number of minorities that they employ. He wanted to ensure that minorities were recruited to have real opportunities to be hired and then eventually get a promotion. In 1969, the Department of Labor exposed widespread racial discrimination of the Construction Department so President Richard M. Nixon decided to incorporate a system of â€Å"goals and timetables† to evaluate federal construction companies according to Affirmative Action. This idea of â€Å"goals and timetables† provided guidelines for companies to follow and comply with Affirmative Action regulations. During the presidency of Gerald R. Ford, he extended Affirmative Action to people with disabilities and Vietnam veterans but there were no goals or timetables for these two groups. This type of Affirmative Action required recruitment efforts, accessibility, accommodation and reviews of physical and mental job qualifications. President Jimmy Carter consolidated all federal agencies that were required by law to follow the Affirmative Action play into the Department of Labor. Before Carter did this, each agency handled Affirmative Action in its own individual way, some were not as consistent as other agencies were. He created the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (OFCCP) in 1978 to ensure compliance with the Affirmative Action policies. Affirmative Action began to go downhill when Ronald Reagan and later George Bush came into office. Affirmative Action lost some gains it had made and was more or less ignored by the Republicans in the White House and in Congress. Affirmative Action was silently being â€Å"killed† by our federal administrators. In the Civil Rights Act of 1964, initiated by Kennedy, and the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972, equal opportunity was established. While there was little controversy over equal opportunity, the main issue with Affirmative Action was equal results. Although equal opportunity was established with Kennedy's original executive order in 1961, the statistical results showed that the number of minority workers employed or in certain higher level positions was not in proportion to the surrounding population, making the actual existence of equal opportunity suspect. As a result of this discrepancy, it became necessary to create more aggressive legislation that ensured equal opportunity and equal results. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 required both, and new Affirmative Action programs were instituted to further support this. These programs range from encouraging minorities and women to apply for certain positions to setting up actual numerical goals, such as quota systems and set-aside programs. However, is Affirmative Action, as many critics assert, just passing on the oppression? The basis behind Affirmative Action is that because of past discrimination and oppression, such as the dispossession of Native Americans, the unequal treatment of women, and the enslavement of Black Americans, minorities and women have difficulty competing with their white male counterparts in mainstream American society. But is this true? Why must white males be oppressed by Affirmative Action just because their ancestors enslaved and oppressed another race and gender, and be victims of reverse discrimination in college admissions and employment? The U. S. Supreme Court has faced many cases regarding this controversial issue, including The Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. Bakke, a white medical student, was denied admission to a University of California medical school because of a quota system. Bakke claimed that he was a victim of â€Å"reverse discrimination† and sued. In a close decision, the Court ruled that schools might not enforce a rigid quota system if whites are not allowed to compete equally. The issue was still muddied, however, because in the same decision, the Court ruled that race could be used as a factor. The various regulations and court rulings have made Affirmative Action one of the most paradoxical issues facing America. On one hand, differing local, state, and federal laws require employers to avoid discrimination in up to nine criteria: race, color, sex, age, national origin, sexual preference, handicap, veterans' status and religion. On the other hand, Affirmative Action rules also require certain employers, such as companies with federal contracts, to give preference to racial minorities, women, and others. Consequently, when considering both sides of the issue, it becomes apparent that reverse discrimination and preferential treatment of minorities is absolutely ludicrous when people are preaching equal rights and that â€Å"all men are created equal,† and that Affirmative Action should be outright abolished from all aspects of society as an unnecessary evil in order to ensure an equal playing field for all. Those who wish to retain Affirmative Action regulations argue that America has a moral obligation to right the wrongs of the past – that Blacks and other minorities, whose ancestors have suffered institutionalized discrimination for hundreds of years, have earned preferential treatment. Race-neutral hiring, say proponents, actually discriminates against minorities because the majority of available jobs are not advertised. Rather, they are learned about by word-of-mouth, and minorities are not plugged into the â€Å"old-boy networks† through which they might hear of these jobs. Affirmative Action must be maintained for minorities to rise above the glass ceiling to management positions, and for poor minorities to rise from poverty and unemployment. Affirmative action has been the subject of increasing debate and tension in American society, and through this heated debate, the fight between Angle males and minorities actually sets the two groups apart instead of bringing them together. However, the debate over affirmative action has become ensnared in rhetoric that pits equality of opportunity against the equality of results. The debate has been more emotional than intellectual, and has generated more tension than shed light on the issue. Participants in the debate have over examined the ethical and moral issues that Affirmative Action raises while forgetting to scrutinize the system that has created the need for them. Too often, Affirmative Action is looked upon as the panacea for a nation once ill with, but now cured of, the virulent disease of racial discrimination. Affirmative Action is, and should be seen as, a temporary, partial, and perhaps even flawed remedy for past and continuing discrimination against historically marginalized and disenfranchised groups in American society. Working as it should, it affords groups greater equality of opportunity in a social context marked by substantial inequalities and structural forces that impede a fair assessment of their capabilities. However, its failure highlights the potential for an aura of racism in this country which may perpetuate for many generations on. As Martin Luther King once said, â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. † Affirmative Action would make this dream virtually impossible, bringing race in as a factor in judging college admissions and employment. Those who want to eliminate Affirmative Action regulations argue that preferential programs encourage racial tensions when white students and workers feel they are not getting fair consideration. Why should whites suffer for society's past mistakes? ask Anti-Affirmative Action activists who also note that Affirmative Action programs make whites the victims of reverse discrimination. Affirmative Action works against minorities, the argument continues, because it is assumed that an individual who benefits from such programs is automatically considered inferior to other candidates for jobs or schools, and because the majority who benefit from Affirmative Action are already middle-class, those most in need of the programs, rural and inner-city blacks, have gained nothing. Protestors against Affirmative Action have already taken steps to abolish the abominable doctrine through the passing of Proposition 209 in California. The measure would eliminate Affirmative Action programs used to increase hiring and promotion opportunities for state or local government jobs, where sex, race, and ethnicity are preferential factors in hiring, promotion, training, or recruitment decisions. In addition, the measure would eliminate programs that give preference to women-owned or minority-owned companies on public contracts. Contracts affected by the measure would include contracts for construction projects, purchases of computer equipment, and the hiring of consultants. These prohibitions would not apply to those government agencies that receive money under federal programs that require such Affirmative Action. The elimination of these programs would result in savings to the state and local governments. These savings would occur for two reasons. First, government agencies no longer would incur costs to administer the programs. Second, the prices paid on some government contracts would decrease. This would happen because bidders on contracts no longer would need to show †good faith efforts† to use minority-owned or women-owned subcontractors. Thus, state and local governments would save money to the extent they otherwise would have rejected a low bidder–because the bidder did not make a †good faith effort†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand awarded the contract to a higher bidder. The measure also could affect funding for public schools (kindergarten through grade 12) and community college programs. For instance, the measure could eliminate, or cause fundamental changes to, voluntary desegregation programs run by school districts. (It would not, however, affect court-ordered desegregation programs. ) Examples of desegregation spending that could be affected by the measure include the special funding given to †magnet† schools (in those cases where race or ethnicity are preferential factors in the admission of students to the schools) and designated †racially isolated minority schools† that are located in areas with high proportions of racial or ethnic minorities. Up to $60 million of state and local funds spent each year on voluntary desegregation programs may be affected by the measure. In addition, the measure would affect a variety of public school and community college programs such as counseling, tutoring, outreach, student financial aid, and financial aid to selected school districts in those cases where the programs provide preferences to individuals or schools based on race, sex, ethnicity, or national origin. Funds spent on these programs total at least $15 million each year. Eliminating Affirmative Action programs in America would thus save the government a substantial amount of money and pave the road for truly equal opportunity and treatment of all races. In light of the conflicting arguments for and against Affirmative Action, it is readily apparent that Affirmative Action essentially implements reverse discrimination as an â€Å"acceptable† solution to racial inequality in America, giving preferential treatment to minorities and women, and should thus be forbidden morally and legally if there is to be any sense of â€Å"color-blindness† in race relations in the future. As Daniel Boorstin once said, â€Å"The menace to America today is the emphasis on what separates us rather than what brings us together. † Truly, doing so would further separate embittered races and pit them against each other in heated debate and controversy. Calling for an alternative to Affirmative Action, Randall Kennedy states, â€Å"†We ought to construct a society and set of laws that focus on an individual's character, not color of skin. If Affirmative Action should be banned and society should be â€Å"color-blind,† there should be an alternative to Affirmative Action to ensure this. There are a few possible alternatives to Affirmative Action, some of them are very simple and some are a little more complex. The alternatives include reconstruction of civil society in minority communities, increasing minority and female applicant flow, and most importantly promotion of broad policies for economic opportunity and security that benefit low- and middle-income Americans, both black and white. Building up civil society means strengthening ‘intermediate' institutions, lying between the state and the individual, such as community associations, schools, media, and independent social agencies, which provide the organizational foundation for collective development and effective public representation. † If the same capital was made available for minority institutions as other institutions, they would be able to develop in the society and eventually become a strong part of the minority community. These institutions would give direction and guidance that is needed by all to play a major role in their community. Increasing minority and female applicant flow would be very easy for a company to do. They simply need to include minority colleges and universities in campus recruitment programs, place employment opportunities in minority oriented print and broadcast media, and retain applications of unemployed minority applicants to be reviewed as a position opens. This would be a great opportunity for applicants and employers. We should work toward broad based economic policies by consistently emphasizing broad-based, race-neutral policies; for example, public investment, national health reform, an enlarged earned income tax credit, child support assurance, and other policies benefiting families with young children. Widely supported programs that promote the interests of both lower- and middle-income Americans and that deliver substantial benefits to minorities on the basis of their economic condition will do more to reduce minority poverty than narrowly based, and poorly funded, measures for minority groups or the poor alone. These efforts can also be designed to coincide with intermediate institutions and thereby to contribute to the overall process of civil reconstruction and renewal. Ultimately, if there is to be any sense of racial equality and equal opportunity in this world, we must abolish Affirmative Action and ensure an equal playing field for all races in America.

The Significance of the Three Scaffold Scenes in the Scarlet Letter

The scaffold played an important part in identifying the characters of the Scarlet Letter throughout the novel. At each scene, the reader comes to understand something of the main characters and glimpses how that sin represented by the scarlet â€Å"A† has affected them. Hester Prynne, clutching both the living and the imposed () of her sin to her breast, is seen atop the scaffold, sternly looked on by all, but without her lover.She stood there in quiet defiance, refusing to reveal to the multitude before her who the father of her child was, and in this the reader sees a picture of a woman scorned and fearing for the life of herself and her child, but bearing the scrutiny of all with a calm defiance. Nearby, stood Arthur Dimmesdale, asking his secret lover to reveal the name of the father of that child. He did not, at that time, have the strength or the will to do so himself, and was begging Hester to reveal him for what he was.Among the crowd, Roger Chillingworth, Hester†™s wronged husband, adds his voice to the multitude in demanding that Hester reveal her secret. He seems an old, disappointed man, finding that the one he had waited three years to join had, during that time, left him for another. Thereafter, he would pledge to avenge himself of the man that had partnered in wronging him. Late one night, Dimmesdale could have been seen on the scaffold, looking for some peace from the guilt tormenting his mind.His penitence, however, lacked an audience. Here, the reader sees a nearly mad man, too weak to reveal himself for what he really was, but too pious to otherwise ignore it. Hester and Pearl discover him there and join him, acknowledging the bond between the three before none other than themselves. Hester comes to realize the poor state in which Dimmesdale has borne his guilt, and resolves to lend him her strength, which has served to uphold her throughout the years of her public shame.Pearl questions the minister as to whether he would stand with them there noon the next day, but he refuses. Chillingworth discovers the trio atop the scaffold, and any suspicions he harbored of the identity of Pearl’s father is all but confirmed. Finally, again atop the scaffold, Hester again stands before the scrutiny of the town of Boston, but this time with her fellow sinner. Dimmesdale confesses before all his part in Hester’s sin in a final show of strength. There, the minister dies, along with Hester’s dreams of throwing of her public shame.Before his death, however, Pearl acknowledges him as her father with a final kiss and gains her humanity in the sight of the townspeople. His prey having escaped him and lacking another purpose for which to live, Chillingworth shrivels and dies, a mere shell of the man he once was. In each of those scenes revolving around the scaffold, Nathaniel Hawthorne revealed to the reader the state and mentality of the main characters, along with the effects of guilt, bitter revenge, an d an attempt at human penitence rather than repentance.