School Safety Essay Example for Free

School Safety Essay In the last decade, school violence cases have drastically increased. Between 1997 and 1999, there was a rash of school shootings, the most notable occurring at West Paducah, Jonesboro, and Columbine. These examples are just a few instances in the long list of tragedy that occurs in the school setting. There is a broad spectrum of school violence and misconduct that keep school officials on alert: handbook violations, drug use, harassment, bullying, fighting and school shootings. With school violence on the increase, administrators are forced to re-evaluate school policies to ensure safety and security for the students and staff members. The National Education Association (NEA) supports policies developed by states, districts and schools to effectively address bullying and harassment that lead to school violence (NEA, 2002-2010). Although some officials feel that a zero-tolerance stance is the most effective means to combating bullying and harassment in the school setting, the NEA takes the position of educating school officials, parents, community members, and students on the effects of bullying and harassment. In an attempt to reduce bullying and harassment, the NEA works to promote school safety by presenting strategies to â€Å"reduce and eliminate bullying and harassment; expand access to counseling, anger management and peer mediation; provide ways for students to communicate with adults about rumors and threats; and develop instruction that teaches values like respect and responsibility† (NEA, 2002-2010). The school environment is one of the safest environments for children today. Students should feel comfortable coming to school and should be allowed to learn in an environment free for intimidation and fear. The NEA agrees with this statement and supports legislation requiring states, districts, and schools to adopt plans to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment incidents. References NEA. (2002-2010). School safety. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/16364.htm

Prayer Important Spiritual Discipline Theology Religion Essay

Prayer Important Spiritual Discipline Theology Religion Essay Historically, a praying church has been a spirit-filled and consistently growing church. An example of such a church is found in Acts 2. It is stated in verse 42: They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of break and the prayers. The people that this verse is talking about are the new converts, ; the three thousand added. Through prayer the apostles asked for the entire house of Israel to know that God has made Jesus Christ Lord and Messiah, and because of this, three thousand converts were added to the group of apostles. The new converts did not pray for a few minutes a day, they devoted themselves to prayer and to being taught by the apostles. Many churches in the postmodern era wonder why they are not growing in congregation members, and the truth is because they simply are not asking God for it. It says in Gods Word, You do not have, because you do not ask (James 4.2). The church is not growing because it is neglecting the holy communion wi th the Lord.  [3]   Matice 2 From Christ, it is expected that Christians will pray to God. This is seen in the Bible multiple times, for example: the Lords prayer (Matthew 6.9-15).  [4]  This is the prayer that Jesus tells while preaching the Sermon on the Mount to the crowds; it is a concise way that shows people how to pray. Another example is found in Luke 18.1, where Jesus tells a parable about how people need to always pray and to not give up on anything. Because Jesus was so forward about the need for prayer, Christians should give heed to prayer time in a more disciplined fashion, and definitely more often. Prayer should ideally be constant communion with God; it is never losing sight of the fact that one needs to turn their attention to God.  [5]  It is a way that Christians can become more like Christ; by spending time with Him. It is important that Christians are prayerful people because if the Holy Spirit were to come into ones life, it would be through prayer, and also because if the Holy Spi rit is going to work in or through a person, it would start by prayer.  [6]  It is also very important that when a Christian is praying, that they are praying in the Spirit. Because the Spirit prays in agreement to the will of God, there is a one hundred percent chance that the prayer will be answered.  [7]  Prayer is the key that will unlock Gods grace and power.  [8]   Ephesians 1.3 asserts that God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In order to get a hold of those gifts and blessings that God has placed within each of us, we must first ask for them with eager desire through prayer.  [9]  It is Matice 3 confirmed in James: The power of the righteous is powerful and effective (James 5.16). In other words, prayer actually works. Prayer brings the power of God into His childrens work. It is a supernatural gift and ability that can even save peoples souls, as said in 1 John 5.16.  [10]   Donald Whitney positively asserts: To abandon prayer is to fight the battle with our own resources at best, and to lose interest in the battle at worst.  [11]  Without asking for Gods grace during times of struggles or even times of prosperity, they are not fruitful. In order to truly learn how to pray, one needs to meditate on the scriptures. By reading Gods Word, meditating on it, and then praying about what one has meditated on, the Holy Spirit teaches the follower how to pray.  [12]  When we pray, we are speaking to God. It is a privilege to be able to speak to our Maker. It has been so fruitful and productive to study everything about the spiritual discipline of prayer. This year I have decided to take a more orthodox view of Lent, and so I have been studying that in my spare time as well. For Lent, I am going to refrain from sleeping in on school days. I am going to wake up at 6:00 to pray for at least an hour, along with reading the Bible. (good for you Mackenzie) After Christmas this year, when I had come back from my home (in Belgium), as I was jet-lagged, I would be awake at 5:00 here. I read for several hours and prayed each morning for those few weeks, and they were very productive days and I grew intimately with God. I would like to spiritually discipline myself to be able to wake up early in the morning to be with God, and I hope that He will see the yearning in my spirit and will give me the grace to wake up to pray to Him.

The Heart, Hands and the Mind in Midwifery

The Heart, Hands and the Mind in Midwifery The Art of Midwifery Midwifery places the woman and the midwife at the centre of midwifery care. It is said that midwifery is an art that uses the heart, the hands and the mind. In relation to working with woman in childbearing this essay will discuss this statement. The essay will look at these three essential elements of midwifery, the heart, the hands and the mind, showing detail of how each are related and the importance of each element when working with women in childbearing. The heart looks at the key values of compassion, respect for the women, the baby and oneself, and the importance of women centred care. The hands focus on the skills, techniques and therapeutic touch of the midwife and the mind highlights reflective and ethical practice, and the knowledge required to practice safely and competently. The Heart At the heart of midwifery practice is the relationship between the midwife and the woman. This involves a relationship of trust. The women, relies on the midwife to give her confidence. The midwife is trusted by the woman to know what is best for herself and her body. The midwife benefits the childbearing woman with clinical knowledge, skills and recommendations, forming a relationship of mutual trust and respect (Alef Thorstenson, 2004). The mother and the baby are the central focus for the midwife. Pelvin (2006) describes the midwifes role as one of privilege. The intimate relationship between the midwife and the women exists, through a personal and momentous event in the life of a woman. The physiological procedure of birth and the post natal relationship between mother and baby is facilitated by the midwife however the midwifes influence does not end there, the role attempts to assist the women to have a deeper understanding of herself and of her family relationships. A fundamental value of midwives as stated in the (Australian Nursing and Midwifery council [ANMC] Code of ethics, 2005) is the value of kindness and compassion to others and self, by respecting the fundamental rights and choices of the mother and ensuring that practice is ethically and culturally appropriate. Acts of kindness such as being gentle, considerate and caring should be a constant approach to midwifery care. The art of midwifery involves achieving a balance between being competent and professional whilst showing heart by still demonstrating emotion. Hunter (as quoted in Jacob and Lavender, 2008, p. 78), says that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦expressing emotion and sharing feelings with others is immensely valuable, both for enhancing relationships and also for developing a type of practice that is open-hearted and genuine. This relationship is extremely valuable with pregnancy outcomes which may involve unexpected miscarriage, where supporting women and their families can be difficult. The Hands The hands in the art of midwifery looks at the benefit of therapeutic touch. Therapeutic touch can reassure the woman of her safety with the knowledge that her midwife is confident in her actions and sensitive to her needs. When situations do not allow words, the hands can convey reassurance and express confidence, compassion and care (Ernst, 2009). Touch can be used in many forms including close contact for physical support, helping the women to maintain her posture or just being there as a shoulder to lean on. Touch can provoke different responses by different women. While massage can be good for relieving pain for some, others find a simple light touch to the forehead is all thats needed to reassure a woman she is not alone and that the midwife is there for her (Page McCandish, 2007). Another important hands on skill for the Midwife is the ability to use palpitation and touch examination of the mothers abdomen to assess and determine the babys growth, position, size and wellbeing (Grigg, C. 2006). Other skills utilizing the hands can include, teaching breastfeeding, blood pressure measurement, supporting the women through labour and birth, baby assessments and supporting the newborn infant and the use of interventions such as epidurals. The (Australian Nursing and Midwifery council [ANMC], Code of Professional Conduct for Midwives in Australia, 2006) describes many other midwifery skills not only relating to the care of the woman but also her family and the community. It is the duty of the midwife to provide antenatal and parenthood education. The midwife is committed to working with the women, providing support and advice during her pregnancy/birth and through the postpartum period. The midwives responsibilities also extend to preventative care, detections of complications, promotion of normal birth and accessing the need for medical intervention and the carrying out of emergency procedures should an emergency occur. Creating a positive atmosphere and environment for the birth is an important factor for many women. Most women have their babies in the unfamiliar and unwelcoming environment of the hospital, a positive attitude assists in reducing anxiety and stress, allays fears and allows the woman to feel secure in her surroundings. Page McCandish (2007) suggest that simply by making more space and moving furniture in the room offers the woman more area to move and by providing different props such as benches, pillows, and cushions give the women more choices so as for example she can lean or rock when experiencing the intense pain of contractions. The skills of the midwife are many and varied and the hands are vital in conveying messages to the woman. The Mind As the Australian College of Midwives, ACM Philosophy for Midwifery (2004) states midwifery is informed by scientific evidence, by intuition and by experiences. This involves the midwife using knowledge gained from research evidence, individual values and preferences, seeking out evidence to support decisions and discussions with the woman to decide on her individual birthing plan. Page McCandish, (2007) describe evidence based clinical practice as the judicious use of the best evidence available, so that the clinician and the patient arrive at the best decision, taking into account the needs and values of the individual patient.(p.205) Birth is a normal life event and not a disease process thus making health promotion the basis for midwifery care. Health promotion and education involves more than the provision of information to woman in antenatal classes lead by a midwife, where the midwife discusses topics the professional deems relevant. Education needs to move to a more client-led agenda (Beldon Crozier, 2005). When working with women it is important to always focus on women centred language and effective communication. Thinking and imagining how the woman is feeling assists in providing comfort and reassurance to the woman. Giving women information about the progress of the labour in positive terms that the woman will understand is most valuable. Knowing when to be quiet is also important. The midwife has to be mindful of her own facial expressions as these can have a huge impact on the womans feelings, a smile conveys reassurance that everything is ok and going well (Page McCandish, 2007). The midwifes mind needs to be aware of the changes occurring in maternity care and know that the traditional medical model that once served the doctors and the hospital, is antiquated. As we move towards emerging midwifery models of care which favour continuity of mother and baby care by the same midwife throughout the womens pregnancy, birth and beyond (Barlow, 2008). A midwifes autonomy is increasing in maternity care. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council, Code of Ethics for Midwives in Australia (2005) also states midwifery care includes the promotion of normal birth, prevention and detection of complications in the mother and baby, medical care access and the carrying out of emergency measures as important responsibilities of the midwife. Conclusion The heart, hands and the mind all play important roles in the midwifery model of care. Each area can be difficult to explain as separate components of midwifery as the three areas are intertwined and each just as valuable as the other in providing women with women centred care throughout the life changing experience of childbirth. It is evident from research into the art and science of midwifery that midwives are essential in providing care to the childbearing women that supports and guides women through healthy pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period. Midwifery care involves the promotion of normal birth, prevention and detection of complications in the mother and baby, medical care access and the carrying out of emergency measures. Our role is to work in partnerships with women and their families by helping them to explore their options and make informed decisions. WORD COUNT: 1440 words with in-text referencing.

Joan of Arc Essay -- Essays Papers

Joan of Arc In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City the painting â€Å"Joan of Arc† by Jules Bastien-Lepage hangs in the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Gallery. This Piece is rather large and was done with oil paint on canvas, its dimensions being approximately eight feet tall with a width of ten feet. When walking toward Bastien-Lapage’s painting, it’s size and realism grabs one’s attention, and then holds it while this scene of Joan of Arc seems to take place right before one’s eyes. The corridor where the painting is displayed is part of the museums permanent collection. The gallery is composed of many sculptures with paintings placed between them; almost all of the work is French and done sometime in the 1800’s. This long and wide corridor has Ionic styled pillars at each end, and all together the subtle architecture goes nicely with all the different art work displayed. Bastien-Lepage’s painting is placed third from the end of this corridor and fits there nicely, although one might expect it to see it somewhere else for the amount of attention it receives. To the right of the painting is the wall sign that states the artist’s life span, which was 1848 to 1884, along with the following brief history: â€Å"After the Province of Lorraine was lost to Germany following the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, the French saw in Joan of Arc a new and powerful symbol. In 1875 Bastien-Lepage, a native of Lorraine, began to make studies for a picture of her. In the present Painting, exhibited in the salon of 1880, Joan is shown receiving her revelation in her parents’ garden. Behind her are Saint Michael, Margaret, and Catherine.† Joan appears to be the focus of the painting as she stands in the foreground and to the right. Her image is almost life size, and, along with an enormous amount of detail that has been used, she appears very lifelike. Joan stands with her head and shoulder leaning slightly against a tree and her eyes looking upward. Her left arm is stretched out away from her body and holding the end branch of a young flexible tree, while her right arm is at her side with her hand cupped against her dress. The smoothness in the contours of her skin and the ways the textures are represented on her clothing, with the folding and shadowing, are all done well. The use of the different shades of color for the skin tones, clothing, and their... ...ts position in the museum seems to have been well thought out. Unfortunately, this painting loses some of its grandeur when one gets up close. The only real detail work that is put into this piece that looks great up close is ironically the one element that can not be seen from a distance, which is a group of men at the bottom bathing in the waters. While this piece can be positioned on this wall so that it receives its first attention from afar, a piece like Bastien-Lepage’s would not be completely at home in this location. When passing by Joan in her present location, at about a distance of 6 feet as the flow of the room so works, the feeling of being right there with her is exemplified. Then as one moves away to the wall opposite the painting at a distance of about fifteen feet, the furthest distance that the room allows, the beauty of the whole painting is taken in with nothing being lost. After taking in every detail up close and then stepping back to let the painting consume the viewer on a whole, Jules Bastien-Lepage’s painting of Joan of Arc shows the artist’s fine tuned skills in capturing the essence of realism while also conveying a deep humanistic compassion.

Transcendentalism Essay -- essays papers

Transcendentalism The highly religious philosophy of Transcendentalism developed as the response of a group of people who felt that it was unnecessary to practice a religion (and live a life) that was based on fear. The first Transcendentalists set out to create a more liberal way of life that allowed for personal growth, justice and freedom. To truly understand the implications of Transcendentalism and why Transcendentalists believed what they did, one must first look at the root of Transcendentalism, Unitarianism. Unitarians were a liberal, cutting edge group of people that completely discarded the standards of Calvinism. Where Calvinists believed that man had a degraded and depraved nature, Unitarians believed that people are basically good. Where Calvinists believed that knowledge of God and ethics came to people through the Bible and Clergy, Unitarians believed that people were capable of discerning truth and goodness with their own capabilities. Unitarians rejected the ideas that people were born into sin and that one had to work hard and suffer all of one’s life in order to secure passage into heaven. Moreover, they strongly advocated the idea that people had free will and that rational thinking was the way into heaven. One particular Unitarian, William Ellery Channing helped personify the ideas and ideals held by Unitarians. William Channing (1780-1842) was a pastor at the Federal Street Church in Boston and stressed the idea that it was an individual’s responsibility to listen and act according to his own conscience. Channing also supported the humanitarian reform and helped to link the liberal ideas of Unitarianism to those of humanitarianism. Channing managed to balance the rationalism of Unitarianism with a concern for the welfare of humanity. As time went on, the ways of Unitarianism began to change and the pillars of the religion began to evolve into something that struck many as â€Å"distressingly cold and formal† and â€Å"vague and passionless.† (The National Experience, pg. 261). The religion was also beginning to focus more on material success, rather than spiritual well being. While the foundation of Unitarianism began to lose its fervor, a new movement was forming. In and around Boston, a romantic movement was beginning and the rational ideas of Unitarianism began to lose favor. Romanticists rejected the idea that e... ...chings that men are evil and corrupt. The origins of the spiritual movement of Transcendentalism were fueled not only by religions of the day, but by a yearning for something more than what was believed in those religions. The rise of Transcendentalism was due to the transformation of Unitarianism as well as the beginning of a romantic movement which opened people’s eyes to the idea that everything could not be proven through rational thought. This idea paired with the thought that people were essentially good opened the door to a society based on human decency rather than fear. Bibliography 1. Rose, Anne. Transcendentalism As A Social Movement, 1830-1850. Michigan: Edward Brothers, Inc., Copyright 1981, pg. 93-95. 2. Blum, John; McFeely, William; Morgan, Edmund; Schlesinger, Arthur; Stampp, Kenneth and Woodward, C. The National Experience. Orlando, FL: Hartcourt Brace, Inc. Copyright 1993, pg. 260-262. 3. â€Å"Transcendentalism,† Compton’s Encyclopedia. Volume 23, Copyright 1990, pg. 248 4. â€Å"Transcendentalism,† Collier’s Encyclopedia. Copyright 1994, pg 405-406. 5. â€Å"Ralph Waldo Emerson,† Dictionary of American Biography. Volume 3, Copyright 1959, pg. 132-141. Transcendentalism Essay -- essays papers Transcendentalism The highly religious philosophy of Transcendentalism developed as the response of a group of people who felt that it was unnecessary to practice a religion (and live a life) that was based on fear. The first Transcendentalists set out to create a more liberal way of life that allowed for personal growth, justice and freedom. To truly understand the implications of Transcendentalism and why Transcendentalists believed what they did, one must first look at the root of Transcendentalism, Unitarianism. Unitarians were a liberal, cutting edge group of people that completely discarded the standards of Calvinism. Where Calvinists believed that man had a degraded and depraved nature, Unitarians believed that people are basically good. Where Calvinists believed that knowledge of God and ethics came to people through the Bible and Clergy, Unitarians believed that people were capable of discerning truth and goodness with their own capabilities. Unitarians rejected the ideas that people were born into sin and that one had to work hard and suffer all of one’s life in order to secure passage into heaven. Moreover, they strongly advocated the idea that people had free will and that rational thinking was the way into heaven. One particular Unitarian, William Ellery Channing helped personify the ideas and ideals held by Unitarians. William Channing (1780-1842) was a pastor at the Federal Street Church in Boston and stressed the idea that it was an individual’s responsibility to listen and act according to his own conscience. Channing also supported the humanitarian reform and helped to link the liberal ideas of Unitarianism to those of humanitarianism. Channing managed to balance the rationalism of Unitarianism with a concern for the welfare of humanity. As time went on, the ways of Unitarianism began to change and the pillars of the religion began to evolve into something that struck many as â€Å"distressingly cold and formal† and â€Å"vague and passionless.† (The National Experience, pg. 261). The religion was also beginning to focus more on material success, rather than spiritual well being. While the foundation of Unitarianism began to lose its fervor, a new movement was forming. In and around Boston, a romantic movement was beginning and the rational ideas of Unitarianism began to lose favor. Romanticists rejected the idea that e... ...chings that men are evil and corrupt. The origins of the spiritual movement of Transcendentalism were fueled not only by religions of the day, but by a yearning for something more than what was believed in those religions. The rise of Transcendentalism was due to the transformation of Unitarianism as well as the beginning of a romantic movement which opened people’s eyes to the idea that everything could not be proven through rational thought. This idea paired with the thought that people were essentially good opened the door to a society based on human decency rather than fear. Bibliography 1. Rose, Anne. Transcendentalism As A Social Movement, 1830-1850. Michigan: Edward Brothers, Inc., Copyright 1981, pg. 93-95. 2. Blum, John; McFeely, William; Morgan, Edmund; Schlesinger, Arthur; Stampp, Kenneth and Woodward, C. The National Experience. Orlando, FL: Hartcourt Brace, Inc. Copyright 1993, pg. 260-262. 3. â€Å"Transcendentalism,† Compton’s Encyclopedia. Volume 23, Copyright 1990, pg. 248 4. â€Å"Transcendentalism,† Collier’s Encyclopedia. Copyright 1994, pg 405-406. 5. â€Å"Ralph Waldo Emerson,† Dictionary of American Biography. Volume 3, Copyright 1959, pg. 132-141.

Did the Nazis solve Germany’s economic problems from 1933 to 1939?

Between 1933 and 1939 Germany suffered economic problems. The main economic problems were Germany was dependent on the foreign market and the imports, the industrial production, unemployment, the cost of living and wages. Hitler and the Nazis tried to solve the problems, they were successful but there were hidden factors to each solution. Firstly unemployment was a problem because it had risen to over six million by 1933 and that was 25. 9% of the country. With people out of work the standards of living dropped. By 1939 Hitler had reduced the number of unemployed, it was now just above three hundred thousand, which was 0. 5% of the country and thanks to one of Hitler's schemes to reduce unemployment, new roads had been built. Hitler reduced unemployment by introducing the autobahn scheme, which created many jobs for men as the Nazis were aiming to build over 7000 km of road. Hitler also continued with the national labour service, which became compulsory for German men between 18-25 years old. The men had to work on public works schemes such as land reclamation, tree planting, construction and road building. The schemes seemed to work, removing thousands of young men from the unemployment figures. The schemes appeared to be working but the results were that the unemployment figures hid a lot, such as the impact on women and Jews. The loss of rights for workers because trade unions were banned. There was no negotiation of wages and there was no right to strike. The national labour service was temporary and there was low wages for those who joined. The autobahn was actually part of war plans. The next problem was that Germany was too dependent on the foreign market and its imports. Hitler felt that Germany was too reliant on the foreign imports, which he felt made Germany to venerable and Hitler wanted to stop the need for the foreign market. Hitler's solution to this problem was â€Å"Autarky†. Autarky was the creation of artificial substitutes (using ersatz) for products such as oil, textiles, food and rubber. The effect of Autarky was ersatz materials. These were developed, produced and ordered. The increase of ersatz made Germany more self reliant but it was still not totally reliant, as Germany continued to import 33% of its raw materials and 17% of its food. The result of Autarky was ersatz was a complete failure because they were inferior products. Ersatz contributed to the decrease in living standards for German people. The third problem was the industrial production of Germany. Due to high unemployment, many factories were closed down. This meant that production was at a low level and by 1933 the production of goods ad fallen by a third since 1929. Between 1933 and 1939 the production in heavy industry increased largely. Coal and chemical production doubled, oil, iron and steel production trebled and iron ore extract production increased by five fold. Consumer goods were not as important so they were produced at a slower rate. Hitler managed to increase production by firstly introducing autarky. By doing this it enabled the country to become more self sufficient for wartime production. Hitler began rearmament, which opened up job opportunities both in the factories and the army. Rearmament helped to reduce unemployment levels. Hitler's other solution was to increase working hours. In 1933 on average, per week, working hours were 42. 9 but had increased to 47. 0 in 1939. This meant that production increased. The result of Hitler's solutions was Germany became more likely to start war. The next problem was the issue with wages. The problem was that because of the high unemployment, employers had lots of people wanting jobs, so they could offer low wages and people would have to accept them. This lead to the working class not having a very high standard of life. Hitler's solution was to get rid of local and national wage rates and introduce performance principle. This scheme meant that the more work a person did the more money they earned. The effect was that the real value of take home pay increased and longer working days let people gain more money. The positive result of Hitler's solutions was that the quality of life got a little bit better for a majority of the working class. The negative results of Hitler's solution were it didn't suit older people and less fit people, as they could not work as long as others. Sickness and absenteeism increased meaning people didn't earn money. Longer working days and hours meant people do not have much energy to work and trade unions were taken away, which gave the people little rights. The last problem was the cost of living. The problem was that everyday items were too expensive because of the average pay; there was not enough money. Hitler did nothing about this problem because he wanted to keep the support from the farmers. The effect from this problem was the cost of living in 1939 had increased since 1933. All basic groceries, except fish had risen in price. This was because food items were in short supply and it was the Nazis policy to discourage agricultural production because it had to keep up prices for the benefit of farmers. The result was the standard of living was very low for most Germans, mainly the working class. Hitler did manage to solve most of Germanys economical problems but it was not entirely down to Hitler and the Nazis. Before Hitler can chancellor in the early 30's, the Weimar government was in power and this was during the 1920's depression. After the 1920's depression, the German economy was starting to recover, the worst of the depression was over, unemployment was decreasing and inflation was going back to a suitable amount. With the economy going back to normal the Weimar government started to set up new schemes to help solve all the problems. The Weimar government set up the national labour service, but Hitler improved it by making it compulsory to join in 1935 and the Weimar government also came up with the autobahn idea but lack of money in the 20's meant it could not go ahead but in 1934 Hitler had enough money to start the construction of the autobahn. So although it may have seemed that Hitler came up with these ideas and solved the economical problems he didn't, he made the Weimar governments ideas better because he had the money to do so. When Hitler was came into power there was a worldwide recovery happening after the depression and in Germany. This factor led to an increase in production, which helped solve one of the economical problems in the early 30's in Germany. Hitler's solution did bring about some improvements such as the fall in unemployment, new roads and German citizens having a slightly better quality of life, but there were a lot of hidden and negative factors to these improvements. Women could not work nor the Jewish, so there standard of living dropped, a lot of the improvements were for the war effort, not the country, the autobahn, rearming and conscription were part of the war effort and trade unions were abolished meaning workers had no or very little rights. This was all part of Hitler's plan for dictatorship. Another factor was most of these solutions were not long term and Hitler hadn't really thought about the consequences because the standard of living was still going down, there was still food being imported and the working hours were getting longer.

Individualism in Literature Essay

Individualism is one of the most wondrous themes of literature because of its contribution to the pursuit of human dignity. Individualism is a moral stance and a philosophical concept which puts emphasis on the moral worth and the supreme and intrinsic value of human beings (Lukes 51). Literature has proved to be an outlet for an artist’s own definition of individualism. Due to the fact that such philosophical concept is associated with so many aspects of life including society and culture and art, authors have devoted ample time in using individualism creatively while demonstrating social awareness and way of life. Among the authors who explore the concept of individualism are Ayn Rand, Charlotte Gilman and Margaret Atwood. The characters in the literary works of such authors reflect how the pursuit for individualism can be disturbed ans stunted with the occurrence of love. Rand’s dystopian book called Anthem explores the turbulent period in which mankind is forced to live with the harsh setbacks of irrationality and collectivism, and the failures of socialistic upbringing and economics. In Anthem, a youth named Equality 7-2521 finds himself in a hidden tunnel, isolating himself from an anti-individualistic society and realizinng how much solace and solitude suit him. But his search for individualism is being disrupted by the Golden One, a beautiful peasant girl whom he considers as a valuable element in his eyes (Rand 19). In Gilman’s novel titled Herland, three adventurous friends journey into an all-female land called Herland and its women deprived of social realities of the modern world and the contribution of masculinity to their maternal well-being (Gilman 95). Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale presents to readers the search for individualism in a Puritan society established using ruins of war. Atwood explores how love can redefine and inflluence a person’s search for human dignity in The Republic of Gilead that discourages the pursuit for individualism and legalizes slavery (Atwood 8). Individualism in Herland Herland is a novel that sees women in an isolated land become fascinated with the beauty and mystery of the real world where there is a sense of conformity and recognition for femininity and masculinity. One of the characters in book, Moadine, affirms such fascination to the societal settings of the real world by declaring how wonderful and supremely beautiful man’s civilization must be due to the countless contribution of science and technology (Gilman 96). It is clearly manifested that Moadine, being one of older women who teaches the three men in the way of life of Herland, has fallen into the conundrum of the Utopian society of the modern world. Moadine’s curiosity on the civilized ways of man which women in Herland are being deprived with becomes an avenue for them to enter in the mysterious homeland of the three men. Moadine is in charged in guarding one of the three male captives, Terry, a classic male chauvinist attempts to fascinate Moadine with his knowledge and control over the female mind (Gilman 37). Terry is a portrait of individualist kind of male who only recognizes the strength of the males and perceives women to be as secondary beings. Terry deeply resents women in Herland who can exist without the help of men and dares to call them sexless, epicene, and undeveloped neuters (Gilman 157). But the bitterness of Terry and his negative attitude towards the women are set aside upon his realization that he is madly in love with Alima (Gilman 157). Alima is one of the girls of Herland and embodies the attitudes and non-conformist traditions of the land. She is a tall long-limbed lady, well-knit and strong and agile (Gilman 18). The personality and upbringing of Alima voices out female superiority over men and her individualist character is deeply rooted out from her self-confidence and belief that women should never consent to an unequal relationship with the opposite sex. Alima’s eyes are full of splendor and mirrors out her wide, fearless and reluctance to pain and losing which is indicative of her interest as more that of an intent male playing in the field than of a female lured by ornaments and gentleness of romance (Gilman 19). Knowing that women love to mastered, Terry is convinced to woe Alima using sheer brute force, pride and passion of his strong masculine side (Gilman 146). Alima eventually fall in love with Terry and eventually marries him. Their love confirms the failure of individualism as they both try to live in the Utopian society as husband and wife. Another character in the story who reflects the failure of individualism is Jeff, one of the three explorers who found out about Herland. Jeff is the complete opposite of Terry and is strongly challenged by the independent and athletic girls of the isolated land. Jeff’s individualist attitude is seen upon his involvement with the almost natural advantages of Herland and its people (Gilman 137). Jeff becomes confounded with Herland’s way of living and declares his personal love for the land (Gilman 138). Prior to the discovery of the land, it is known that Jeff is so much absorbed with the realities of the Earth but maintains a priestly and angelic approach to masculinity and womanhood. But his individualist view of the modern world is changed upon the discovery of Herland that makes him realize that there is a better world than the real one. His profound appreciation for the Herlandian culture is evident in the way he treats it women and Jeff has refined conception about the women in Herland and deep thoughts about the idealized femininity. Jeff is strongly in love with Celis, showers her with a mystique kind of romance, and keeps on insisting that he take care of her rather than doing the typical thing of treating her as his equal better half. Jeff worships Celis and the ideals which she presented (Gilman 137). Celis’s mild-mannered attitude and vulnerability force Jeff to think that twice of going back to the real world together with Celis (Gilman 149). Van, one of the explorers and also the narrator in the novel, thinks of Herland critically and philosophically. Van has always stood at the middle ground, thinking of the Herlandian culture using science and used to argue about the physiological limitations of sex (Gilman 11). As the girls of Herland think that sex is just for procreation, both Van and Jeff have learned to overcome difficulties concerning sex. Van used to declare the discovery the land is aiming at friendship, a civilized attitude on both sides (Gilman 24). Both Jeff and Van do not want to leave the different kind of utopian society which Herland has for their own patriarchal and male-dominated world. In this notion, it is evident that Van falls in love with the perfection of Herlandian culture and the ways of its women. It is seen in the attitude of Van that he is no longer interested with the pursuit of individualism as he is so much swept off by the beauty and perfection of Herland. Van’s wife Ellador is equally intelligent as Van and is being motivated by her curiosity of the utopian modern society of her husband as well as her love for Van. Ellador explains things sweetly and kindly and thinks of Van as a wise man with no foolishness (Gilman 117). Such concept of him makes Van reluctant to rejoin the realities of his world and present to Ellador the harshness and stupidities of the Earth (Gilman 117). Individualism in Anthem The story of Anthem revolves around its protagonist, the youth named Equality 7-2521. Equality 7-2521 finds himself in an unspecified date in which mankind is forced to negate all the concepts of individuality and conform to the productive and capitalist values which technological advancement brings. It is clearly manifested in the novel that the author tries to eliminate the philosophical idea of individualism by eliminating the pronoun â€Å"I† and replacing it with â€Å"We† and â€Å"our† and other plural pronouns which are all indicative of conformity. Being the protagonist in the story, Equality 7-2521 struggles between individualism and collectivism. In the beginning part of the story, it is already given that the protagonist fears to be alone and dreads the consequences of having one head and one body (Rand 1). The protagonist is caught up in a world that views individualism as an illegal act, great transgression and source of all evil (Rand 1). Equality 7-2521 is a street sweeper who believes in the concept of individualism and discourages the collectivist society which the Council has established. He can be described as vain and self-centered, brave and intelligent. His curiousity and desire for freedom are what makes him fearless of the society of brainless drones who surround him. The protagonist is a symbol of superiority of a singular intellectual being to the homogeneity of the whole society which does not have the courage to think for themselves and is indistinguishable from each other. In order to hide from the evils of the Palace of the Great Council, Equality 7-2521 hides in an underground tunnel where he is alone and fulfils his longing for solitude (Rand 23). He describes the feeling hiding inside an abandoned tunnel and writing about his sentiments on the world which has gone wrong as a liberating experience. According to the protagonist, the air is pure and odorless in the tunnel which gives him enough strength to survive underground (Rand 23). One of the sentiments of Equality 7-2521 is that there is no solidarity among the brotherhood because almost everyone seem to have their own personal problems, ideal and aspirations. Fraternity 2-5503 is described by the protagonist as a quiet boy with gentle eyes who suddenly cries without reason and whose body shakes at night with unexplainable sobs (Rand 24). Solidarity 9-6347 also belongs to the brotherhood and is described by Equality 7-2521 as an intelligent and bright youth, sometimes fearless, and screams in his sleep at night (Rand 24). These observations instigate an idea that the protagonist may be different from those around him and realizes how disturbing and troubling it is to be different. Such realization makes him regret his differences and attempts to bring himself into conformity which the Council continuously promotes. The friendship of Equality 7-2521 and International 4-8818 is said to be an evil thing as they both exist in a time of great Transgression of Preference that declares loving someone better than the others in the brotherhood as illegal as it is written that they should love all men and make friends with all of them (Rand 11). The friendship of Equality 7-2521 and International 4-8818 is suggestive of the protagonist’s half-hearted attempts to erase all of his preferences for individual people, to help and care for each person equally, and to be identical to his fellow brothers. International 4-8818 considers the protagonist as a prophet. When he and Equality 7-2521 found out about the tunnel, he is torn between loyalty to his friend and to the Council. He represents an individual who secretly search for his own meaning but is disrupted in his pursuit because of the fear of breaking the law of the Council. Another character from the story is The Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word. The protagonist describes the Transgressor as young and tall and has hair of gold and blue eyes (Rand 26). The Transgressor suffers no pain as he is burned alive and his tongue had been torn out so that he can no longer speak of the true essence and meaning of individualism (Rand 26). It is said that the Transgressor has an honorable death as there was no pain in his eyes and no hints of agony in his body (Rand 26). It is said that there was only joy and pride, a pride holier than what is fit for the human pride (Rand 26). The Transgressor’s fate is reflective of the Council’s resentment of the word â€Å"individualism† which The Transgressor had been longing to proclaim. Collective 0-0009 is the leader of the World Council of Scholars. Equality 7-2521 considers Collective as the oldest yet the wisest of the Council who hates and fears him (Rand 42). Collective 0-0009 questions the superiority and the intelligence of the protagonist and accuses him of breaking the laws of the Council and boasting infamy (Rand 44). The individualistic view of Collective 0-0009 is seen through his appreciation of the Council as the sole brain of the society (Rand 44). Collective 0-0009 symbolizes the thinking force behind the evils of the collectivism in the society. Though he resents Equality 7-2521, the Collective 0-0009 is shapeless and cowardly and deeply reliant on the Council. When Equality 7-2521 meets the Golden One, his search for individualism is destroyed because he enters into a new phase in his life in which there is more to life than battling collectivism. He ventures into perfection and utopia that love insinuates as he no longer desires to deny that he prefers some of his fellows over the others. The Golden One is the name given to Liberty 5-3000 (Rand 19). Because the protagonist thinks about her all the time and his desire for love is overwhelming, he gives himself to the illegal deed. In so doing, he no longer presents to readers an individualistic Equality 7-2521, but shows to them that he is swept off by the utopia which love brings. Moreover, the Golden One gives the protagonist the privilege of having a meaningful relationship with another human being. According to Equality 7-2521, he feels all of a sudden that the Earth is good and that it is not a burden to live (Rand 19). It is evident from the beginning that the Golden One tends to be haughty and proud and does not recognize all of the constituents of the society except for Equality 7-2521. The Golden One strongly adores the protagonist because he is the bravest and the sharpest among the brotherhood. Such qualities of the protagonist make her subservient to him almost instantly as she initiates to take care of him as early as the third time they meet. When she follows him to the Uncharted Forest, she becomes the possession of Equality 7-2521 totally and she remains in that manner until the end. Individualism in The Handmaid’s Tale Atwood’s novel explores the theme of female subjugation set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian and theocratic country that has replaced the United States of America in the map (Foster 6). The story is being narrated by Offred, one of the handmaids in the state. It is noted that the handmaids in the country are assigned to bear children for rich couples that have trouble conceiving. The country is founded by a male chauvinist, theocratic-organized military coup as a radical response to the pervasive social, moral and ecological degradation of the country. At the first chapter, the narrator briefly describes the differences between the social setting of the country prior to the establishment of the new republic and the present time in which women are seen as objects whose value depends on their ability to give birth (Atwood 9). The novel presents to readers an individualistic view of women as utilities for childbirth. Offred, the narrator, considers herself as a walking womb because of her duty as a handmaid whose only duty is to help maintain the declining white population (Foster 6). In the newly established country, women are stripped off of their economic and social opportunities and privileges and are recognized for their role of giving birth. The wife of the Commander, Serena Joy, fails is ashamed of herself because of her inability to conceive and somewhat envies Offred for her reproductive capacity (Atwood 20). Offred is a patronymic slave name that refers to the Commander which she serves, such as Fred. Offred is the protagonist in the story who reflects the failure to possess an individualistic attitude by engaging in an affectionate affair. Following a continuous prodding by the Commander’s wife, Offred succumbs to an illegal affair with Nick to save herself from the uncertainties which lay ahead (Atwood 226).