The solitary reaper by William Wordsworth; Romantic Gods grandeur by Hopkins; Victorian Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth Element of content About the writer and which school he belongs to William Wordsworth is the author of the Ballard â€Å"The Solitary Reaper†. The author is a romantic English writer and in this poem, he successfully describes his amazement at the song of a highlands Scottish girl in a solitary field as she reaps grain. He merely made guesses of the meanings of the words the girl sung and decided not to look at its theme leaving him to make guesses of the meanings and themes of the tale in the girls’ song.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The solitary reaper by William Wordsworth; Romantic Gods grandeur by Hopkins; Victorian Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Paraphrase of the poem The poem is about a highland girl reaping grain in the fields and as she sings a song, it captivates the attention of a passerby. The bewitching of th e song is in its notes and tones leaving the listener engrossed in the endless song whose words he can only imagine. Themes in the poem The main theme in the poem is romanticism. It is in the beauty of the song that the beauty of the girls voice forms the presentation of the melancholic presentation of imaginations left on the listener and transferred to the audience of the poem. In the last stanza, there is evidence of the impact that the singing had on the writer as he maintains that regardless of the time duration that passed by, he could still hear the words and melodies of the singing girl. â€Å"The music in my heart I bore, long after it was heard no more†. There is the use of the influences nature can have on people manifesting its influences in the human mind. It eludes the production of passionate emotions helping individuals to connect social and spiritual worlds with the people spending time in nature like farmers having the chance of maintaining the nobility of n atural beauty. The other theme is in the power of the human mind since it is through the memories he has about the singing girl that he manages to write his poem. It is through the apprehension of the tone of the song that the writer assumes that sad tune of the song means that it could be about a painful historical past such as battles fought from long time. It is also presumable about past sorrows and incidents that do commonplace in everyday life making the song easy to relate with despite his not understand the words. The tone of the writer in the poem The poet is happy about the singing of the girl such as when he says,†The music in my heart I bore/Long after it was heard no more.† However, his disappointment is in the fact that he cannot understand her words because the girl sung in the local Gaelic Scottish dialect. Nonetheless, the poet is happy in the line when he describes the effect of the song in him claiming that it was a permanent source of joy. He had the feeling right from the moment he heard the girl singing in the fields and had to stop to listen to her. He enjoys the sweet voice, which he describes to be sweeter than that of the nightingale.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 2- Elements of form The poet places the poem in a rustic context adorned by natural settings established through the song of a rustic girl all alone in the fields reaping grains. It is in a simple structure, with the first stanza being a setting of the scene and the second stanza introducing a bird companion for musical introduction. The third stanza details the songs content while the fourth stanza is a description of the effects the song has on the speaker. The final lines of the poem reinforce the power of the mind creating soothing effects of memories and human thoughts. The poets’ choice of words makes the poem outstanding in the presentation of the song sung by the girl in the fields. He uses the words ‘solitary’, ‘alone’ and ‘single’ on the foreground. By using the word ‘single’, he implies that the girl was alone in the fields. The word ‘solitary’ expresses the melancholic mood of the poem while the use of ‘alone’ is a reference to the fact that the girl is on her own without assistance from anyone as she works in the fields. In the poem, there is use of two forms of images. There are word pictures used to describe the refreshing melodies of the song sung by â€Å"the solitary reaper† The author uses iambic tetrameter and employs a-b-a-b-c-c-d-d as his rhyme scheme. However, the rhyme â€Å"A† is off in the first stanza, but there is a keen focus on the tone of the poem. This is regardless of the fact that the poet is incapable of comprehending the words of the singing girl leaving him to focus on the beauty of the blissful mo od created in him. There is spontaneous flow of emotion coupled with expression of praise of beauty. In the use of alliteration in the poem, the poet uses ‘plaintive’ and ‘perhaps’ to conjure that the song is painful and about the things of the past such as in the place that says â€Å"old and unhappy far off things†, (line 22). He remarks that the song has some connection to a historical painful past though he later wonders if the song is merely an association to a solitary daily life of the reaper. The poet successfully expresses his idea of the painful stories of the finite phenomena guided by imagination. It leads to a successful perception about the boundless eternal melodies of language, which can express and affect the emotions of a listener producing sticking musical expressions of humanity.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The solitary reaper by William Wordsworth; Romantic Gods grandeur by Hopkins; Victorian Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Romantic Gods grandeur by Hopkins Element of content The writer and which school he belongs to The poem ‘God’s Grandeur’ is a traditional poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins written in the romantic era. It focuses on the changes, which need to take place and away from them in the places, which have not faced the misery in the world. In the poem, Hopkins makes an expression of his feelings regarding the wretchedness of man in comparison to the beauty of nature. Paraphrase the poem In the poem ‘God’s Grandeur’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins, there is the use of Biblical presentation of typological allusions defining the idea of the love of God to humankind and the destruction of nature because of industrial activities of trade. There is the expression of divinity and the insight of change as an enticement of improvement of the turmoil of life. There is tr anslation of spiritual devotion through the presentation of the relationship between the natural world and human nature through the guidance and protection of God. The themes in the poem The themes in the poem are such as the exploration of the relationship of man and the natural world. There is a deep look at the natural world in the poem, ‘God is Grandeur’, with the expression of the almighty nature of God, who does not hold his contempt against people, because they keep destroying nature through industrial activities. However, Hopkins claim about this treatment lies on the surface with the exploration of a renewal idea cutting across the damages of the earth and of the hearts of people. He feels that the damage on the earth is reparable and explains it through his presentation of the process of renewal. The other theme is on life, consciousness and existence and in these; there is the exploration of the meaning of life and existence through the protection and appreci ation of nature. This produces intense joy and anxiety with the poem being very serious about the destructiveness of life creating a different perspective for considering existence in a consciousness about nature. There is also a deep exploration of religion with the speaker talking about religious beliefs. The tone of the writer in the poem The poet is not happy about the activities of man about the destruction of the earth and human soul. The disappointment the poet has in the destructive nature of man is concerning the reasons why people keep destroying the earth in claims of trade. He is not happy about the sacrificing of nature and that is his reason for the emphasis on the possibilities of renewal. These are disappointing points for the writer and he is clear about the fact that there is no true happiness for man as long as there is continued damage of the earth. The only joy the writer has is on the possibility of renewal and rescue of nature other that the compelling destruc tion in the search of means for meeting of needs. This situation leaves the speaker wondering why there is so much turmoil when options for making a difference remain so close.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Elements of form The writer uses an exotic language, which moves the reader through the fascinations of a religious journey and creates a consciousness of the relationship of nature and the existence of humankind. The poet uses repetition to present his opinions such as in the repetition of the word ‘trod’. He simply implies that the problems faced on the earth are basically on its surface. He rhetorically presents hope in the poem showing that the changes people need are right in their reach though they choose alternatives, which only lead to their destruction and the destruction of nature. He combines concrete phrases with words such as ‘freshness’ and ‘dearest’ for the creation of beautiful imagery about the coolness of underground springs, little seedlings coming out of the ground. Further, the use of the ‘west’ for the setting of the sun is in context to the direction where the sunsets. Ametonimy presents a clear knowledge abo ut sunset. In line 11, there is the personification of the word ‘morning’ saying by talking about its jumping and running across the sky. That is metaphorical for clarity in the mind and hope in life since morning comes with new shade of light. The poem uses distinct rhyme schemes, similes and language for the proposition of the views held about the world. It uses traditional the structure of traditional petrachan sonnet in the poem through employment of an octave and a sestet, which aids him in the display of two distinct views of the world. In the first quatrain, Hopkins shows his idea of the God being present. He uses the second quatrain to shows the manner in which the humankind has rejected and destroyed nature with all the beauty it creates. This elements create pressure within the poem. Hopkins relieves it by introduction of a volta, shifting the argumentative direction between the sestet and the octave. Within the sestet, Hopkins argues that despite the humankin d being rebellious, God has not abandoned them and the earth. ‘And for all this nature is never spent’. In the sestet, the creation of renewal and hope is shown with the display of God as one who takes care of the fallen world in need of redemption and protection. This needs to take place in areas that have seen no misery and away from the nature of man in areas that are still clear of the miseries of the world. God takes care of man in a manner similar to a maturing mother feeding its child from the breasts and, thus, offers full protection regardless of human detachment from nature. The poem is full of alliteration creating a melodic repetition of consonants like in use of ‘Grandeur of Gog’, ‘Shining from Shook’ and ‘lasting lights’ among others. Victorian Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson Element of content About the writer and which school he belongs to Victorian Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson creates an ironic tension for the p resentation of romantic heroism. The poem grants the power presented by features like physical weaknesses and age. It portrays denial of situations and forces that catch the lives of people despite clear knowledge of the situations. The poem is a blank verse illustrating the form of dramatic monologue. Paraphrase of the poem This is a poem about a man without the faith for the preservation of order within his kingdom and in his own life. He sees no necessity for the guidance of the gods and through the monologue in the poem; no quest exists to pressure him into a change of opinion. It is relatively indulgent in fantasy about the possible existence of his mariners in some sort of a dream and the desire for escaping from the present environment. The presentation takes place in the deathbed of Ulysses and he gets the chance for staying in the company of his dead sailors and accepting his final fear of death. The themes in the poem In the poem, the separation of the existence of an indi vidual and communal values seem to be the onset of true existence. The primitive self denies the need for communal existence and starts focusing on self, leaving out associated values of order, unity and harmony. This leads to decline in the need for family, love and nation, which are treated as ‘little profits’ leading to the need for corrective measures to uphold social and moral values, â€Å"Love and all other mere externals are flattened and reduced to insignificance. The affirmations are all on the surface† (line 43 44). The tone of the writer in the poem The tone of the writer is an expansive and positive one presenting a rhetorical breather presenting life as a hunger for flattering needs to the real requirements for existence. The write expresses the power of the ego, â€Å"I have enjoyed / Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those / That loved me, and alone† (line 6-32). The thoughts of the writer are muddled and that displays an inconsist ency in the structure of the poem probably because of his personal; bewilderment from the extreme desires of death and life. There is complexity in the nature of the writer that pours out through the lines of the poem showing the disappointment in the failure of learning some lessons in life just as in the case of Ulysses and the eventual suffering of the consequences. In these lines, he is expressly disappointed by the circumstances he has gone through despite his heroic past, â€Å"Life piled on life / Were all too little, and of one to me / Little remains† (line 24–26). 2- Elements of form The strategy used in the poem attacks the presented ironic dualism for the magnification of isolations of individual ego. There are extremes in the desires presenting the need for striking the extreme ends of needs such as the presentation of equality of the desire of life and that of the desire of death. There is a presentation of the demands of social constructs, and the need fo r social acceptance within the society, which offers substitutes. In the opening lines, there is scorn of the social world confidently patronizing the life of people though they are inferior and not deserving of significant attention. There is focus on the heroic self with no consideration of the positions of others and only focus on self, â€Å"He works his work, I mine† (l. 43). The language used describes the attainment of elevations of Ulysses and an affirmation of his triumphant ego. This can be seen through the fellowship of the mariners and at this point, there is rhetoric inclusion of readers into the plans of eloquent persuasion used to sway others as proven in the display of pride. This leads to the reminder of humankind and his identification with self. This self-assurance is rhetoric with individuals becoming masters of their own situations enjoying the exhilarating forms of loneliness and triumphant egos through use of alerting language within the poem. There is restlessness in the poem presented by the speech used to describe the return of the king to Ithaca and it shows the discontent in the experiences of the travels. This is something that does not leave his desire for more traveling settled because of his undying desire for more knowledge beyond human reach. The consolation of domestic life is not enough to give him joy in the kingdom ‘savage race’ (line 4), where he serves and his only desire remains in the heroic past he adores. In his search for continuity, the speaker starts using forceful and unadorned language in order to show the conflicts in the moods traversing between the past and the present situations of life. The contrast is used in the words and their sounds used by Ulysses. For instance, there is a persistent use of iambic pentameter through interruptions of spondees of long syllable slowing down the movements within the poem. This essay on The solitary reaper by William Wordsworth; Romantic Gods grandeur by Hopkins; Victorian Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson was written and submitted by user Jaime Estrada to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay on Self Awareness

Essay on Self Awareness Essay on Self Awareness Essay on Self AwarenessThe main aims of the assignment are to discuss several things that are related to self awareness, and to demonstrate how the concept influenced my life.The first thing for discussion is the statement that there is nothing so delightful than being aware. It means that self awareness is not the original entity inherent in man because self awareness is a product of personal development. It can be said that many new aspects of life open their specific features in the process of gaining experience by a person, while a man also receives an opportunity to make a deep and thorough rethinking of the own life. This process of rethinking goes through the whole human life, and it forms the most intimate and basic content of the person’s inner being, which determines the motives of his activity and the inner meaning of the tasks that the person resolves in life. So, being aware, every person receives much more opportunities to achieve the own goals and to find the tr uth in the own mind and heart.The next thing to discuss is a possibility of a person to realize that every situation needs its reaction and that in a tough situation, it is always important to make right deeds and do not be worry about them because these deeds are right in the moment and they are the better reaction to the situation. It can be also added that to know the truth and to live in accordance with the truth are very different things. Consciousness does not live and act; it has no direct contact to the real world because only the central human will lives and acts, therefore, consciousness can implement an experienced truth only through the will. Thus, being aware of the surrounding reality and having a specific life experience, a person is able to act in one or another way, and to choose what to do on the base of the means that are accessible right in the moment.Giving a critique of the class, I want to say that I enjoyed it because it gave me new knowledge and changed my o utlook on life and myself. The class opened me that consciousness and self awareness are inseparable in the individual’s mental life, although they are qualitatively peculiar. Consciousness as a whole can only be done on the basis of its spatial awareness of belonging to the outside world. If consciousness is focused on the objective world as a whole, the object of self awareness is the subjective world of the individual.Moreover, the class also demonstrated that self awareness creates in people a sense of their own uniqueness and originality. This feeling is constantly kept by the memory of our past, present experiences and hopes for the future. Exploring the concept of self awareness, I found that all my attempts to self-improvement are a result of my search of the sense of my activities, and it gave me an opportunity to reconsider my place in society and plans for the future. In addition, I realized that only due to self awareness the person acquires the ability to self-co ntrol, self-direct and control of the own actions as well as it leads to self-education.In conclusion, I have discussed the assigned things and demonstrated the ways how the concept of self awareness and the class that I took recently influenced my life and the development of my personality.

The effecst and changes in parenting of Asian families after Essay

The effecst and changes in parenting of Asian families after immigration to Western societies - Essay Example If the perceptions of parents and children are dissonant and based on lived historical experience or current realities, then their ability to manage the stresses of forced migration will be diminished even further. If the perceptions of each generation can be made more congruent, then it is likely that both parents and their children will see each other as resources rather than as additional stressors. To understand this problem, Asian parenting styles and characteristics need to be studied. Warmth and dominating control offer two important dimensions of parental style that may be universal, and against which the meaning of specific practices might be elucidated. The use of these styles as touchstones was an important strategy which can be used in understanding data from new western cultures. Immigration of Asian families to Western Societies usually involves major changes in parent–child relationships. The results of some studies have shown that the relations between immigrant parents and their children are vulnerable to the risks commonly associated with immigration, especially during the adolescent years (Nguyen & Williams, 1988). On the one hand, during adolescence, children become more cognitively sophisticated and think differently about what their parents can and cannot control in their lives. This developmental shift is compounded by the process of acculturation for immigrant adolescents, making them more likely to downplay their parents’ values and modes of behavior and adopt values and modes of behavior from the new society. Immigrant parents, on the other hand, may resist change in their traditional values. Some scholars suggest that despite years of living in the country of resettlement, many immigrant parents preserve their ideas about child-rearing, their expectations, norms, rules, and beliefs (Nguyen & Williams, 1988). The research findings suggest that family values that center around household chores,

Safe Injecting Facilities Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Safe Injecting Facilities - Term Paper Example These Safe injections sites also known as drug consumption rooms (DCRs), safe injection rooms, and supervised injection sites/facilities/centers, began in Europe in the 1980s. They now exist in cities in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Australia. The first safe injection site in North America, Insite, began operating as a pilot project in Vancouver, BC in 2003, and was recently given the go-ahead to remain open after a Supreme Court battle with the federal government (Keen, 2003). Injection drug use continues to be associated with an array of significant health and social consequences throughout North America. These consequences are tied directly to the consumption of illicit drugs of unknown potency and composition, and the sharing of contaminated injection equipment; and indirectly, through unprotected sex with drug injectors, and through injectors’ immersion in black-market pursuits that result frequently in violent exchanges with criminals and the police. Keen (2003) states that in the United States, injection drug use accounts for approximately 25% of all cumulative AIDS cases nationwide, but closer to 50% of all cases in several northeastern States. The number of new HIV infections reported nationwide among injectors increased 300% in the 1990s, from 6,474 new infections in 1993, to 13,969 in 1995, 17,344 in 1998 and 18,882 in 1999. Disease Injectors also suffer from very high rates of hepatitis C infection – 90% of people who have injected for 5 years or more are infected - and from endocarditis, an acute infection of the heart valves that is not commonly seen among young adults. Fatal and nonfatal drug overdose (OD) is also a prevalent medical problem among injectors, and hospital emergency rooms throughout the country attend to ODs virtually everyday. Emergency room (ER) visits involving heroin alone doubled from 33,900 in 1990 to 70,500 in 1996. Some medical experts have recently declared that the United States is in the midst of another heroin epidemic. On the other hand, injectors are known to use primary care services erratically and only after they are very sick, which drives up health care costs (Drug Policy expert Committee, 2000). The argument for safe injection sites Several research studies have shown that safe injection sites have advantages for drug injectors and for the community including reduction in many of the harmful aspects of drug use on the individual (spread of infections, risk of overdose) and to society (drug-related crime, public exposure to drug injecting paraphernalia), as well as positive benefits (increase in education about safety among injectors, more drug users accessing treatment and other services). Extensive research has been conducted at Insite in Vancouver, with positive results. The argument against safe injection sites Critics have argued against the introduction of safe injection sites largely based on the principle that drug addiction is wrong, and should not be condoned in any way. The political focus on reducing harm to drug users deflects the focus from where it belongs, which is on the prevention and treatment of drug abuse. Introducing safe injection sites is seen as a step towards drug legalization, and undermines law enforcement principles and practices. Researchers conclude that police surveillance may end up scaring away the very people North America's first sanctioned safer injecting facility is intended to help. While there have been methodological criticisms of the evaluation studies supporting safe injection sites, and Insite in particular, critics on the other side argue that there is no substantial basis for these criticisms. Ultimately, the strong views on both sides

Geology of Shanghai Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Geology of Shanghai - Term Paper Example Upon further study, it has been discovered that â€Å"In the Shanghai area, unconsolidated materials, about 300 meters thick, of alternating marine and continental [material] were deposited on the bedrock during the Quaternary Period† (Jiangang, 2007, p. 21). This provides for quite an array of soil and rock formations present in Shanghai and the surrounding areas. There is, for example, 150 meters of clay soil alone along the delta region. This data also provides the researcher with a living history of the structure of the entire region that explains how life has evolved in the region over time. All of the clay and soil formations have caused at least five aquifers to be created over time. These aquifers are quite flat and thick. They provide for an extensive flow of ground water that continues to this day. These aquifers cover all areas of Shanghai, except for certain parts of the Eastern coast and localized areas along the Whangpoo River (Xu, 2009, p. 481). In essence, nearly every area of Shanghai, if properly resourced and developed, has access to a continual and ground water supply. For the most part, as mentioned, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact date that landforms around Shanghai were created. Because the area is so flat, there are not many rock formations to speak of, other than spots of bedrock. The main geographical feature of the region lies in its system of tributaries and natural canals. This is what has sustained life in the area around Shanghai for thousands of years.

Community Health Needs Assessment Tools Health And Social Care Essay

Community Health Needs Assessment Tools Health And Social Care Essay The research need to generate qualitative and quantitative data regarding a particular community health need is directly proportionate to the impact that the particular health need has on the community and sometimes even the mortality/morbidity generated by the particular health problem. In this regard, in this current assessment we review the health needs of coal mining workers in West Virginia, USA to identify hazards and risk factors pertaining to their health, by virtue of their designated profession. Community health needs assessment is a rigorous project that serves the population under study by elucidating the current needs, reflecting the situation which is often not balanced between health providers, insurance schemes, health administration and/or community leaders. It also serves at identifying particular needs that are overlooked by healthcare officials that are either novel or problematical by elucidating perceived and expressed health and wellbeing needs. In other words, it can be a useful means to depict the selected communitys horizon in respect to health needs, healthcare shortfalls and aetiology, all useful areas for the facilitation of better public health management. In order to perform an accurate community health needs assessment, research should be grounded on an up to date background study of the selected populations demographics and census (socioeconomic, workforce and other) data, where available. Moreover, particular health factors should be taken into account by managing information currently disseminated through healthcare officials (such as mortality, disease prevalence, risk factors analysis). This research would also benefit from an on-site review of environmental and work related conditions, if possible. The most useful and widely used instrument to conduct a community health needs assessment and subsequent analysis is by means of a structured questionnaire based survey that will employ cross sectional and population specific items targeted at the current health need. Moreover, the instrument should be designed with attention to environment and state specific conditions, such as regulations and laws, insurance coverage and even so, local traditions and unwritten codes of conduct. For the above reasons, in this essay we will conduct a review of available information on the community of Coal Mining Workers in West Virginia, USA. After the acquisition and analysis of the pertaining data, we will present a structured survey instrument, aiming to identify health needs with respect to existing health problems and patient satisfaction. BACKGROUND-RESEARCH We searched a wide array of online databases and organisations providing demographic and other information for the population in question. We also conducted a MEDLINE search, to draw the picture of already identified health needs and/or needs assessments already conducted in this population. Search terms employed were coal workers, west Virginia, health needs, pneumoconiosis, interstitial lung disease, occupational hazard alone or in combination. West Virginia is a state in the Mid-Atlantic section of the USA, capital Charleston. The state is notorious for its mountain composition and significant coal mining industries. The mineral and coal resources in the area are vast, and West Virginia has been considered to have fuelled a great part of the industrial revolution of the developed world. Moreover, coal mining and related work constituted major part of the employment activities of the state, while still in the 21st century, it is believed that mining safety and environmental concerns are amongst the most challenging issues facing the state. In 2009, West Virginia was inhabited by 1,819,777 people. 5.6% of West Virginias population were reported as under 5, 22.3% under 18, and 15.3% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.4% of the population (United States Census Bureau, 2010). Moreover, according to US Census Bureau Data, West Virginia is the third lowest in per capita income state. It also ranks last at median household income. Virginias adult population with a bachelors degree is the lowest in the U.S. At 17.3%. The main economy is coal, and the state is the lead in coal production, second only to Wyoming.From the West Virginia Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training we find that the West Virginia Coal Industry provides about 30,000 direct jobs in WV, including miners, mine contractors, coal preparation plant employees and mine supply companies. In particular 20,715 are registered as employees in the 188 active coal mines in WV, while an additional 4,842 work as an independent contractor. From the same source we read that for 2009, fatal accidents were 3, non fatal accidents 1,164 and the accident frequency was estimated to be   2.79%. Involved in accidents are mainly high voltage equipment, and areas in and around river load outs. But apart from fatalities, a major health problem for VW coal mining workers is pneumoconiosis, or black lung. The CDC has implemented a safety and health chapter regarding occupational Respiratory Disease Surveillance, and especially for coal miners, the Enhanced Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program (ECWHSP). The ECWHSP includes surveys that include specifically designed standardized health questionnaires, work histories, spirometry testing, radiographic examinations, and collection of other relevant health information, which are gathered in a specially designed mobile examination unit by trained personnel on site.Results of the ECWHSP 2009 survey on mine workers in West Virginia are shown on table 1: Finding Examined Rate Total Participation 1,884 20% 9,593 pneumoconiosis (>=1/0 or PMF). 93 5% 1,884 pneumoconiosis (>=2/1 or PMF). 43 2% PMF 24 1% advanced pneumoconiosis 35 2% have a chronic cough. 624 34% bring up phlegm from their chest. 690 38% have chest sounds of wheezing. 613 34% have had an attack of wheezing 738 41% have experienced dyspnea on level 741 41% have experienced dyspnea on a hill 1,119 62% have chest tightness 672 37% have chronic bronchitis. 142 8% have emphysema. 79 4% have had pneumonia 337 19% have asthma 132 7% have tuberculosis. 4 0% never smoked. 954 53% former smokers 455 25% current smokers 393 22% Although under a lot of argumentation, coal and in general volatiles (dust) have been proven by sufficient evident as causes of respiratory damage. In detail, in coal miners a significant association between the level of FEV1 and dust was found, even after adjustment for age, physique and smoking (Cowie ,1999; Soutar 1989). Some more interesting figures arise from the State Health Facts website, shown in Table 2: Measured index WEST VIRGINIA USA Age-Adjusted Invasive Cancer Incidence Rate per 100,000 Population, 2005 484.2 458.4 Births of Low Birth weight as a Percent of All Births, 2006 9.7 8.3 Number of Deaths per 100,000 Population, 2007 951.7 760.31 Life Expectancy at Birth (in years), 2005 75.3 78.0 Percent of Adults Who Have Ever Been Told by a Doctor that They Have Diabetes, 2008 11,9 8,2 Number of Deaths Due to Diseases of the Heart per 100,000 Population, 2006 236,9 200,2 Asthma prevalence among adults 9.0 8,2 Percentage of Adult Population Aged 21-64 Years Who Reported a Disability, 2007 22,4 12,8 The above figures need to be assessed in caution regarding the high prevalence of occupation of coal worker in West Virginia. Apart from the apparent pathophysiology of dust entering the lungs and rendering them chronically inflammatory, with signs of fibrosis and atelectasia or other interstitial pneumonic disease or pneumonoconiasis, health needs of coal mining workers are extended to a variety of diseases that are not as commonly identifiable at the first look. Although current screening methods and occupational policies do exist for these workers, they tend to be centred on respiratory diseases. Coal Mining however, is a demanding, time consuming manual labour that is often exigent and causes a variety of clinical manifestations. As such we can consider lower back pain, physical limitations (Galagher,2005) cervical spine degenerative changes, vibration-hazard related body changes, sudden coronary death (Kopytina et al, 1993), skin lesions (Begraca et al, 1991)and mental health changes (Lagunov,1991). Moreover, the coal mining community often has unmet needs on the level of healthcare access and utilization, that different stakeholders are usually unaware. In a study by Smith et al,2005 a community health needs assessment was the means to the provision of a community nurse and a revision in healthcare provision among former miners in Kent. Having reviewed the major components of community health needs assessment for mine workers in West Virginia and having conducted the appropriate background review, we propose the following questionnaire as a tool to conducting an effective and fruitful evaluation of perceived and actual health needs, in a community of mine workers. This tool comprises of a health needs assessment part, where the answers are left open and views are encouraged for propositions in order to facilitate the analysis of expected health and participation to health concerns. The second part is a standardized demographics and health questionnaire that is used widely in this form, with minor alterations in assessing the perceived health and demographic information of the study population in question. Emphasis is given on other diseases that might affect the coal mining community ( participants are requested to count five-5 major health concerns) and on perceived level of attention and care this community is receiving or should be receiving according to its needs. A question regarding their siblings health is put in the end to elucidate concerns that are also documented in the literature regarding out of site contamination with dust by coal workers that bring their occupational hazard in the family home or by dispersion in neighbourly areas (Pless-Mulloli et al, 2001). QUESTIONNAIRE: We are conducting a review of the Health Needs within the WV coal mining community. Along with statistical data and analysis we are also interested in your viewpoints. Instructions Part One: Health Problems There are several factors that influence or determine whether the people in your coal miners community are healthy. From the following list, please rank from 1-5 (1 being the highest priority) what you think are the top five health and disability issues affecting your community? Health Issue Your Ranking (1-5) Asthma / Respiratory Disease / Pneumoconiasis Cancer Cardiovascular Disease Depression / Psychiatric Disorders Diabetes Disability Drug and Alcohol use Nutrition Obesity Oral Health Physical Injury (including violence and accidents) Self harm / Suicide Sexual Health Smoking Other (please specify below) What do you think is needed to address the top three priority issues identified above and what difference will this make? Issue 1: Issue 2: Issue 3: What is needed? What is needed? What is needed? What difference will this make? What difference will this make? What difference will this make? How much influence do you think the following have as to whether people in your coal mining community are healthy? Please mark each factor with an X, ranking influence from 1-5 following with an X Influence (1 is most, 5 is least) Factors 1 2 3 4 5 Cost of services Ease of access to health services Education Employment Family support Housing Income Social Isolation Transport Community support Insurance status Other (please specify below) Your details Please provide us with some information about yourself. This will assist us with the analysis of the questionnaire results. Please mark the following that applies to you with an X Name (optional) Ethnic Group American German decent Hispanic Other Gender Male Female Age Range Children (aged 0 14) Adults (aged 25 64) Youth (aged 15 24) Older People (aged 65+) Where do you live? metropolitan area county How many years have you worked in the coal mining sector? ( number of years) Do you consider your self healthy? Yes No What is your principal concern? How often do you visit a doctor? List one preventive diagnostic test that you had the previous 6 months: ( colorectal screening, pap test, ECG, CXR, ultrasonogram etc): Does your employer offer health promotion/wellness programs? Yes No Type of health insurance( state) : In the following section, select which answer describes you. *Note that N/A stands for not applicable Always Sometimes Never N/A You wear a seat belt: You wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, rollerblading or skateboarding: You drive the posted speed limit: You eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day: You eat fast food more than once a week: You exercise at a moderate pace at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week: You consume more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day (female) or more than 5 per day (male): You smoke cigarettes: You chew tobacco: You are exposed to secondhand smoke in your home or at work: You use illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, etc.): You perform self-exams for cancer (breast or testicular): You wash your hands with soap and water after using the restroom: You undergo physiotherapy for lower back pain You apply sunscreen before planned time outside: You get a flu shot each year: You practice safe sex (condom or other barrier method, etc.): You take vitamin pills or supplements daily: You spend money on gambling more than once a month: You attend religious services regularly: You volunteer in your community (church, schools, civic organizations, etc.): You donate money to community based organizations (churches, non profit organizations, etc.): You get enough sleep each night (7-9 hours): You feel stressed out: You feel happy about your life: You feel lonely: You worry about losing your job: You feel safe in your community: You are afraid for your childrens health You feel that the government is liable for your health You feel that the government is liable for your childrens health

Free Grendel Essays: Good Requires Evil :: Grendel Essays

Good Requires Evil in Grendel The classic struggle of good versus evil is taken from a different perspective in Grendel, a story in which John Gardner demonstrates that neither one can exist without the other. As in the parallel comparison of beauty to ugliness, it can be seen that good and evil are only identifiable in their contrast of one another. If there was nothing defined as beautiful, for instance, nothing could be ugly. There would be no such concept. Similarly, having no definition of good would make evil, too, a non-existent idea. In Grendel, Gardner grasps this thought, and maximizes its importance with the help of a horrendously confused monster and the society that he terrorizes. Throughout the novel, this monster, Grendel, seems confused as to whether he wants to view life like his existentialistic dragon mentor, or like the ignorantly optimistic humans on which he feeds. At times he is captivated by the romantic songs of the Shaper, and feels no desire to kill, while at others he thrives on the "knowledge" of the dragon, and goes on bloody rampages. At one point during Grendel's insecure state, the dragon tells him something that changes his outlook, and gives him a new feeling of self-worth. "You improve them, my boy! Can't you see that? yourself? You stimulate them! You make them think and scheme. You drive them to poetry, science, religion, all that makes them what they are for as long as they last. You are, so to speak, the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves. The exile, captivity, death they shrink from--the blunt facts of their mortality, their abandonment--that's what you make them recognize, embrace! You are mankind, or man's condition: inseparable as the mountain-climber and the mountain." (72-3) In short, the dragon is saying, "You are evil and they are good, but the only thing that makes them good is you." In this statement, it is apparent that good and evil have inseparable, yet undefinable boundaries, and are actually two in the same. Grendel's evilness motivates the fearful people to work, to strive, to think, and to overcome their problems. In this, however indirect or abstract it may seem, Grendel is actually producing good. Amazingly, he manages to be both evil and good at the same time. On the other hand, it is obvious that "evil" Grendel could not survive without the "good" humans. Free Grendel Essays: Good Requires Evil :: Grendel Essays Good Requires Evil in Grendel The classic struggle of good versus evil is taken from a different perspective in Grendel, a story in which John Gardner demonstrates that neither one can exist without the other. As in the parallel comparison of beauty to ugliness, it can be seen that good and evil are only identifiable in their contrast of one another. If there was nothing defined as beautiful, for instance, nothing could be ugly. There would be no such concept. Similarly, having no definition of good would make evil, too, a non-existent idea. In Grendel, Gardner grasps this thought, and maximizes its importance with the help of a horrendously confused monster and the society that he terrorizes. Throughout the novel, this monster, Grendel, seems confused as to whether he wants to view life like his existentialistic dragon mentor, or like the ignorantly optimistic humans on which he feeds. At times he is captivated by the romantic songs of the Shaper, and feels no desire to kill, while at others he thrives on the "knowledge" of the dragon, and goes on bloody rampages. At one point during Grendel's insecure state, the dragon tells him something that changes his outlook, and gives him a new feeling of self-worth. "You improve them, my boy! Can't you see that? yourself? You stimulate them! You make them think and scheme. You drive them to poetry, science, religion, all that makes them what they are for as long as they last. You are, so to speak, the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves. The exile, captivity, death they shrink from--the blunt facts of their mortality, their abandonment--that's what you make them recognize, embrace! You are mankind, or man's condition: inseparable as the mountain-climber and the mountain." (72-3) In short, the dragon is saying, "You are evil and they are good, but the only thing that makes them good is you." In this statement, it is apparent that good and evil have inseparable, yet undefinable boundaries, and are actually two in the same. Grendel's evilness motivates the fearful people to work, to strive, to think, and to overcome their problems. In this, however indirect or abstract it may seem, Grendel is actually producing good. Amazingly, he manages to be both evil and good at the same time. On the other hand, it is obvious that "evil" Grendel could not survive without the "good" humans.