An Ounce of Cure Essay

There comes a time in every person’s life when they reach the point where they are no longer a child, but an adult. â€Å"coming of age† is not something that usually happens in one exact moment but a gradual experience. In Alice Munro’s â€Å"An Ounce of Cure†, the narrator recalls her past as a teenager. During these years, she experiences heart-wrenching situations that no one her age should ever have to experience. Though, this leads to her â€Å"crossing the bridge of innocence†. Although â€Å"coming of age† is a positive turn, it requires negative experiences to be complete. The narrator endeavors the â€Å"coming of age† through her poor relationship choices, depression and irresponsibility. The narrator’s complicated relationship with her previous boyfriend, Martin Collingwood, triggers a lot of complex situations, which ultimately leads to her rapid maturity. This becomes evident in the story when she reflects on her relationship and realizes all its faults. â€Å"It doesn’t really surprise me- to remember all the stupid, sad, half-ashamed things I did, that people in love always do† (Munro 79). It becomes clear that the narrator realizes that the poor relationship, she was involved in is all a mistake. Being able to realize the mistake, indicates her maturity. She now understands that it is not worth spending her life in regret for her previous actions and moves on. Similarly, the narrator explains her feelings towards Martin after her breakup, â€Å"But there was a positive, a splendidly unexpected result†¦I got completely over Martin Collingwood† (84). Although Martin, being the narrator’s first boyfriend, she is quickly able to overcome her sorrow, misery and self-inflicted pain that she went through during the past days. This would seem difficult for her considering it was her first love, as well as her constantly recalling back to the moment they kissed, â€Å"I would torture myself with the exact recollection of Martin kissing my throat† (80). All the problems and situations caused by her past relationship has resulted in a deep depression that the narrator suffers for days to come. The narrator’s inability to get over her previous relationship, leads to her downfall that she encounters. Accordingly, when the narrator sees her previous boyfriend in a school play, she begins to reflect on her past. â€Å"The beginning of months of real, if more or less self inflicted misery for me† (77). The narrator experiences suicidal thoughts, being the true reason that she becomes an adult. However, there is a silver lining to her depression. Experiencing such feelings at a young age helps her to mature and grow quicker than most. She is able to come to terms with herself and accept that what happened, happened for reasons that are beyond her control. One would never be able to admit that they cause themselves misery, as the narrator did. Likewise, when the narrator comes home after babysitting the night of the incident, she explains what happened to her mother. â€Å"I told her everything from the start, not omitting even the name of Martin Collingwood and my flirtation with the aspirin bottle, which was a mistake† (80). It becomes evident that the narrator has gone through serious depression and ultimately suicide in a desperate escape to end her misery. Having the ability to come out in the open during her conversation with her mother and explaining the situations that she has been through demonstrates without a reasonable doubt that she grew not only mentally, but psychologically as an adult. Her immense courage is revealed when she comes to terms with her situation in the conversation between her and her mother. The depression that the narrator experiences contributes to her experiencing the â€Å"coming of age† and leads to her irresponsibility, being the final reason for the narrator to experience â€Å"coming of age† â€Å"Coming of age† exists through the narrator’s irresponsibility. While babysitting at the Berrymans alcohol seems to be her escape. â€Å"I poured a little whisky from each bottle†¦I drank it off as quickly as possible† (79). This demonstrates lack of discipline. This situation has allowed the narrator to mature, it allows her to be able to recognize that she was completely responsible for everything that happened that day. Similarity, after Mr. and Mrs. Berryman came home, the narrator realizes why she is unable to hear them at the driveway. â€Å"With the noise we were making, they have no doubt heard us as soon as they got out of the car† (80). The narrator experienced the coming of age because she is able to understand her friends and her irresponsibility that night, by realizing that the reason they had not heard the Berrymans was because of the loud noises they were making. Being able to understand one’s own irresponsibility takes a good amount of knowledge and understanding, that a child would not be able to process, demonstrating the narrator is experiencing the â€Å"coming of age†. Relationships, depression and irresponsibility has shaped the way that the narrator experiences â€Å"coming of age†. All the events that occurred in her life shape the way she lives today. Her rough relationship taught her how to deal with depression situations and overcome them herself. It also showed the narrator things about her self that she may not have known. Lastly, the narrators’ irresponsibility while babysitting was a subliminal cry for help, but truly it was the one step for her towards experiencing â€Å"coming of age†. Ultimately, without the narrator experiencing the negative experiences in her life, her â€Å"coming of age† would not have been complete.

Piers Plowman

Elyssa-Beth Bender British Literature Dr. Zeiger 14 March 2013 William Langland: Piers Plowman The life of William Langland is a mystery. There is very little known about the man who wrote the Middle English, alliterative poem known as Piers Plowman. I did gather that he was born in the West Midlands around 1330 and may have died in 1386 (William Langland). Though much not can be found on Langland’s life, one can infer that he had many different life experiences in which he may drawn from to write Piers Plowman (Calabrese 123).Whether one looks at the elegant trial of Lady Meed at the King’s court, to impoverished life lived on Piers Plowman’s half-acre. Also the narrator in Piers Plowman seems to indicate that Langland may have been exposed to a higher education (Calabrese 123). There are three different versions of Piers Plowman, known as the A-text, the B-text, and the C-text The A-text is the earliest and shortest of the three versions and is about 2,400 line s long (Greenblatt 297). The B-text is an revision of the A-text in which the original 2,400 lines are still there but turned into a 4,000 line piece of work.During my reading of the B-Text, I found that it was more poetic in its form (Greenblatt 297). What I also found was that the C-text was almost a full revision of the B-Text with not much more added. The A-text seemed to be written in 1370 while the B-text. The C-text may have been written in 1381 during the â€Å"Peasants Revolt of 1382† (William Langland). The opening lines let the reader know what to expect: a man named Will on a religious quest that is set in a dream-like, vision state. He wakes up in Field Full of Folk in the opening scene.It is quite obvious to the reader that Will is a very righteous man as he is described to be wearing â€Å"shroudes as [he] a sheep were, / In habite as an heremite unholy of werkes. † (line 124). This indicates that Will is in clothes made of sheepskin, a symbolic meaning to The Lamb (Calabrese 4). However, it could also make the reader conclude that he may also be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The uncertainty is loathsome. The reader might think, â€Å"Is he good or evil? Will he hurt or help? † (Calabrese 124).The phrase, â€Å"unholy of werkes† seems like Will could be evil, but by the end of the poem, we see that it meant that spiritually Will was only just a child and needed to mature. In continuation with this idea, in the prologue of Piers Plowman, Will is born metaphorically into his vision and faith. In the first passus, Will is confronted by a female named, Holy Church and becomes quickly engaged in learning how to be a good Christian (line 153). Holy Church represents a holy and pure church that is uncorrupted by man (Daegman 274).She is vital for teaching Will the basics of Christianity. I found that her presence was the best way to teach Will the holy and pure way to be a Christian untouched by the corrupt hands of man . She also teaches Will that the body and soul are in constant struggle for power. Holy Church explains that Will must find the balance between physical self and spiritual self lead by the soul; what may be good for one may not be good for the other(line 209). Will must learn at this point what moderation is. Moderation is a vital step of self-control and awareness in Piers Plowman.Will is now faced with a few new characters named, Kynde Wit, who tells him the way of common sense; Reason, who tells him what reason and moderation mean; and Truth expects Will he must be truthful in speech, work, and intent of the heart and soul (700-1235). Before Will could fully comprehend what Truth meant, he need to find out what truth is not: falsity or the character â€Å"Falseness†. After meeting with these characters Will had learned everything they could instill upon him. However, since Will is in a dream-like, vision state, he fears that he will not have the capability to make the righ t decision with his own free will.In his early education with Holy Church, she fails to explain what Falseness means for Will. However in the story of Lady Meed, concept is explained (line 1456- 1729), Lady Meed seems to be the bastard daughter of Falseness and about to be wed to Fals Fikel-tonge (line 1464). â€Å"Whore of Babylon in Revelation,† she is described as, with her magnificent scarlett, silk robes (1468). Lady Meed represents the corruptive influence of money, bribery, prostitution, and is found in every aspect of society. In this story of Lady Meed, she represents good use of money.However, since Lady Meed can be used by anyone, she often falls into the wrong hands and used for corrupt purposes. Lady Meed’s marriage to Fals Fikel-tonge is ceased by Theology, who pursues that the King is the one who should decide whom Lady Meed marries (1475). In the royal court, Lady Meed and her follower voyage off to London at the expense of men of legal authority. The K ing calls upon Conscience for his advice. At this point he swears he will have nothing to do with the evil, wickedness of Lady Mead and her fate is left to the courts (1509). With the advice of Concscience, the King decides to find out what kind of person Lady Mead is.The King decides that the best thing for Lady Mead was to marry Conscience to know where the line is drawn between right and wrong (1534). Though the King’s intentions were in good reason, Lady Mead was known to be easily corrupted. The King believed Conscience was the perfect mate to control Lady Mead and make her submissive to his good morals. However, Conscience explained to the King that this would not be possible because though his morals were pure and righteous, he would soon eventually be consumed by the power of Lady Mead (1547). Since Lady Mead can be easily used by anyone, she os quickly corrupted by those around her.She is accused of corrupting the pardoners who forgive the sins of the common (not of the clergy) people. As we recall back to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, Pardoners of this time were very ill-willed men who would only accept money and power to pardon the sins of people. This corruption is said to be the work by the hands of Lady Mead. In this part of Piers Plowman, It is the responsibility of the character Penance to steer Will away from the ill-will and corruption of Lady Mead’s influence on the pardoners’ business (1609). Before a marriage with Conscience, Lady Mead discusses her character.While she shows him all the wonderful aspects of her existence, Conscience reminds her of her malevolent ways (1613). It is clear to the King that Conscience is right, however the King is blinded by Lady Mead’s conveyed character of good will. At this point, the King orders Conscience to give her a kiss on the forehead, which is to signify there to be peace between the two characters (1645). However, Conscience would not give her a kiss of peace unless Reason was summoned to asses the pros and cons, essentially, of the situation (1647-49) . The King, a benevolent creature, decides to honor the request of Conscience and summon Reason.The King decides to bring Wrong to the court to defend Lady Mead and convince the King his ways are correct (1664-1672). He believes he should be allowed to bribe his way out of the charges of rape, murder, and theft. Reason snaps back at this and urges for hard punishment to be inflicted on Wrong. The King, swept up by all these testimonies, decides in favor of Reason and Conscience, whom were selected to be his counselors. Wrong is punished and the King’s eyes are now open to Lady Mead’s benevolent aspects. He is no longer naive. At this point, the King’s court has flourished since Conscience and Reason became his advisors.Holy Church explains to Will that Conscience and Reason are two things that every person has within them on some level. She also explains that th e King is not a character that is based on royal heritage. The King is a being that represents the challenges that every common man faces (Burrow 318). Explained even further in an article by J. A Burrow every man faces the challenges of Right and Wrong, and often seeks to find Conscience and Reason in their lives. At this point, the scene fades into the Field Full of Folk once again as Will wakes up and then falls asleep shortly after.Next, Will is confronted with the character of Reason who fashions the wardrobe of a clergymen. He urges Will to repent (2573). After urging Will to confess his sins, he brings out the Seven Deadly Sins. This section of the story where Reason speaks to each of the seven and teaches Will that if he lives with The Seven Deadly Sins in his life, he will never find salvation. The next section starts with the Will waking up briefly from the vision and reflecting on his experience so far. However, our dreamer, Will quickly falls back into his dream. In this next part of his holy vision quest, he enters upon the Feast of Patience ( 2798-2906).Seven people attend the Feast, Conscience, Clergy and his wife, Scripture, Patience, Will, and The Master of Divinity. The food was simple and elegant which was to show will what penance means (Burrow 319). Later in the poem,Will is though of as a fool (3015-3016). At this point of Will still being a foolish man, he is intorduced to Anima, who tells Will the importance of putting into action all that he has learned (3025-3120). Anima prepares Will for a vision of the Tree of Charity. In a vision conveyed to Will by Piers Plowman himself, a tree is an image of fallen humanity.Piers Plowman is said to be represented as Jesus (Burrow 320). There are three kinds of fruit: human souls of wedlock, widowhood, and virginity, and it is supported by three planks. The three planks have been explained to will as the Holy Trinity (Greenblatt 399). However the Tree being threatened by Covetise, who is the Fiend of Flesh. The tree represents the tree that bore the fruit of knowledge, much like the fruit referenced in Genesis. The tree contains knowledge that is not to be consumed by man. However, in this section of Piers Plowman, The Devil is pursuing Covetise to extract fruit from the tree for evil intentions.Toward the end of the poem, Will goes to mass on Easter Sunday and, during the middle of mass, falls asleep and dreams of Piers Plowman. Piers is identified this time as the eucharistic host at the moment of consecration during the Mass when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ (Greenblatt 399). The mystery of the Body and blood of Christ is mysterious to Will as he cannot understand at what point these common items become holy. The answer is conveyed appearance of Piers before the people. Will turns to Conscience for an explanation of the mystery.Conscience recalls the life of Jesus by explaining the sacrament. The miracle at Cana involves the changing of water int o wine, a type of wine turning into blood in the Eucharist. Thus, the Three Lives are put into the perspective of the ministry of Christ, and the message is clear: it is impossible to do well, do better, and do best without divine grace, and this grace is available to all through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and penance(Burrow 380) . If Dowel is the sacramental wine, Dobet is the eucharistic bread, as it is paralleled to the miracle of the loaves and fishes (Greenblatt 399).That Piers is granted the power of binding and unbinding sins reflects back upon the early association of Piers and the Good Priest (Daegman 7) . Piers is a variation of Peter, suggesting the apostle and first pope. Piers remains behind after the Ascension, and it is to him that Grace gives the four evangelists and the four church leaders (3321-3364). Piers is known to be Jesus Christ whom is a part of the eternal, divine Church. Noticeably, the forces of Pride wait to attack until Piers until he has featured once more at the end of Piers Plowman. By the end of the poem there are no good clergy. (Daegman 8).The Barn of Unity that Grace tells Piers to build is another image of the whole Christian community (3433-3457). However, since the Tree of Charity is under constant threat, so is the Barn of Unity. Covetise and Pride try to confuse Conscience with their so that he can not tell the difference between a Christian and a dark worshipper. Conscience advises the Christians to leave the area to find safely form the the malevolent qualities (3458-3465). Events turn dark for Will and is in need of consulting Need. It can be a humbling factor, but it can also be a convenient excuse for doing what one wants to do rather than what one ought to do.Will falls asleep after being reproached by Need and dreams of the coming of Antichrist. Conscience consults Kynde, Old Age, and Death. Though Will has become an old man, he manages to keep somewhat in good humor. His appearance has changed dra matically. He has become bald, deaf, toothless, and a bit incompetent due to his old age. During this last part of Piers Plowman, Will is confronted by the inevitable character named Death (3502- 3696). As Will’s time is coming to an end, he begs Kynde for him to spare him. Kynde advises Will learn what love is (3757) . This could be compared to what Holy Church told Will in the first section.Though Piers Plowman is a lengthy alliterative poem, it ends considerably curtly. Conscience vows to undertake another quest, this time to find Piers Plowman, and he calls upon Grace for help. Then the Dreamer simply wakes up and that is the end. I found that the ending lines of the poem had no emotion to it. I was not able to feel if Will felt like his total experience was positive or negative. Will’s attitude does seem to show the slightest bit of positivity as he learns to find what it means to be a Christian and learns the value of good morals. Piers Plowman is a series of jou rneys in a dream-like vision in search for answers.The narrator named Will goes from one higher authority to another. However, as the quests move along, the main point of the journey changes. The quest was originally to find how a Christian is expected to live, however, as time goes on it becomes about finding a way to do the best and be the best one can be (Daegman 273). When the poem finishes, Will is faced with yet another quest. this indicates to the reader that a Christian’s search for salvation is eternal (Daegman 273). Works Cited Burrow, J. A. The Ending Lines in Piers Plowman. Notes & Querles (2012). vol. 59 Issue 3, p 316-400. Academic Search Complete.Web. 9 Feb. 2013. Calabrese, Michael. Piers Plowman: A Parallel-Text Edition of The A,B,C, And Z Versions. Journal of English & Germanic Philogy. (2012): vol. 35 issue 12 127-130. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Feb. 2013. Deagman, Rachel. The Formations of Forgiveness in Piers Plowman. Journal of Medieval & Early Mo dern Studies (2010). vol. 40 issue 2 p. 273-97. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. â€Å"William Langland† Encyclopedia Britannica. Britannica Online Web. 27 Feb, 2013 Greenblatt, Stepehn. â€Å"William Langland:Piers Plowman† The Norton Anthology English Literature vol. A. New York 397- 408. Piers Plowman Elyssa-Beth Bender British Literature Dr. Zeiger 14 March 2013 William Langland: Piers Plowman The life of William Langland is a mystery. There is very little known about the man who wrote the Middle English, alliterative poem known as Piers Plowman. I did gather that he was born in the West Midlands around 1330 and may have died in 1386 (William Langland). Though much not can be found on Langland’s life, one can infer that he had many different life experiences in which he may drawn from to write Piers Plowman (Calabrese 123).Whether one looks at the elegant trial of Lady Meed at the King’s court, to impoverished life lived on Piers Plowman’s half-acre. Also the narrator in Piers Plowman seems to indicate that Langland may have been exposed to a higher education (Calabrese 123). There are three different versions of Piers Plowman, known as the A-text, the B-text, and the C-text The A-text is the earliest and shortest of the three versions and is about 2,400 line s long (Greenblatt 297). The B-text is an revision of the A-text in which the original 2,400 lines are still there but turned into a 4,000 line piece of work.During my reading of the B-Text, I found that it was more poetic in its form (Greenblatt 297). What I also found was that the C-text was almost a full revision of the B-Text with not much more added. The A-text seemed to be written in 1370 while the B-text. The C-text may have been written in 1381 during the â€Å"Peasants Revolt of 1382† (William Langland). The opening lines let the reader know what to expect: a man named Will on a religious quest that is set in a dream-like, vision state. He wakes up in Field Full of Folk in the opening scene.It is quite obvious to the reader that Will is a very righteous man as he is described to be wearing â€Å"shroudes as [he] a sheep were, / In habite as an heremite unholy of werkes. † (line 124). This indicates that Will is in clothes made of sheepskin, a symbolic meaning to The Lamb (Calabrese 4). However, it could also make the reader conclude that he may also be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The uncertainty is loathsome. The reader might think, â€Å"Is he good or evil? Will he hurt or help? † (Calabrese 124).The phrase, â€Å"unholy of werkes† seems like Will could be evil, but by the end of the poem, we see that it meant that spiritually Will was only just a child and needed to mature. In continuation with this idea, in the prologue of Piers Plowman, Will is born metaphorically into his vision and faith. In the first passus, Will is confronted by a female named, Holy Church and becomes quickly engaged in learning how to be a good Christian (line 153). Holy Church represents a holy and pure church that is uncorrupted by man (Daegman 274).She is vital for teaching Will the basics of Christianity. I found that her presence was the best way to teach Will the holy and pure way to be a Christian untouched by the corrupt hands of man . She also teaches Will that the body and soul are in constant struggle for power. Holy Church explains that Will must find the balance between physical self and spiritual self lead by the soul; what may be good for one may not be good for the other(line 209). Will must learn at this point what moderation is. Moderation is a vital step of self-control and awareness in Piers Plowman.Will is now faced with a few new characters named, Kynde Wit, who tells him the way of common sense; Reason, who tells him what reason and moderation mean; and Truth expects Will he must be truthful in speech, work, and intent of the heart and soul (700-1235). Before Will could fully comprehend what Truth meant, he need to find out what truth is not: falsity or the character â€Å"Falseness†. After meeting with these characters Will had learned everything they could instill upon him. However, since Will is in a dream-like, vision state, he fears that he will not have the capability to make the righ t decision with his own free will.In his early education with Holy Church, she fails to explain what Falseness means for Will. However in the story of Lady Meed, concept is explained (line 1456- 1729), Lady Meed seems to be the bastard daughter of Falseness and about to be wed to Fals Fikel-tonge (line 1464). â€Å"Whore of Babylon in Revelation,† she is described as, with her magnificent scarlett, silk robes (1468). Lady Meed represents the corruptive influence of money, bribery, prostitution, and is found in every aspect of society. In this story of Lady Meed, she represents good use of money.However, since Lady Meed can be used by anyone, she often falls into the wrong hands and used for corrupt purposes. Lady Meed’s marriage to Fals Fikel-tonge is ceased by Theology, who pursues that the King is the one who should decide whom Lady Meed marries (1475). In the royal court, Lady Meed and her follower voyage off to London at the expense of men of legal authority. The K ing calls upon Conscience for his advice. At this point he swears he will have nothing to do with the evil, wickedness of Lady Mead and her fate is left to the courts (1509). With the advice of Concscience, the King decides to find out what kind of person Lady Mead is.The King decides that the best thing for Lady Mead was to marry Conscience to know where the line is drawn between right and wrong (1534). Though the King’s intentions were in good reason, Lady Mead was known to be easily corrupted. The King believed Conscience was the perfect mate to control Lady Mead and make her submissive to his good morals. However, Conscience explained to the King that this would not be possible because though his morals were pure and righteous, he would soon eventually be consumed by the power of Lady Mead (1547). Since Lady Mead can be easily used by anyone, she os quickly corrupted by those around her.She is accused of corrupting the pardoners who forgive the sins of the common (not of the clergy) people. As we recall back to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, Pardoners of this time were very ill-willed men who would only accept money and power to pardon the sins of people. This corruption is said to be the work by the hands of Lady Mead. In this part of Piers Plowman, It is the responsibility of the character Penance to steer Will away from the ill-will and corruption of Lady Mead’s influence on the pardoners’ business (1609). Before a marriage with Conscience, Lady Mead discusses her character.While she shows him all the wonderful aspects of her existence, Conscience reminds her of her malevolent ways (1613). It is clear to the King that Conscience is right, however the King is blinded by Lady Mead’s conveyed character of good will. At this point, the King orders Conscience to give her a kiss on the forehead, which is to signify there to be peace between the two characters (1645). However, Conscience would not give her a kiss of peace unless Reason was summoned to asses the pros and cons, essentially, of the situation (1647-49) . The King, a benevolent creature, decides to honor the request of Conscience and summon Reason.The King decides to bring Wrong to the court to defend Lady Mead and convince the King his ways are correct (1664-1672). He believes he should be allowed to bribe his way out of the charges of rape, murder, and theft. Reason snaps back at this and urges for hard punishment to be inflicted on Wrong. The King, swept up by all these testimonies, decides in favor of Reason and Conscience, whom were selected to be his counselors. Wrong is punished and the King’s eyes are now open to Lady Mead’s benevolent aspects. He is no longer naive. At this point, the King’s court has flourished since Conscience and Reason became his advisors.Holy Church explains to Will that Conscience and Reason are two things that every person has within them on some level. She also explains that th e King is not a character that is based on royal heritage. The King is a being that represents the challenges that every common man faces (Burrow 318). Explained even further in an article by J. A Burrow every man faces the challenges of Right and Wrong, and often seeks to find Conscience and Reason in their lives. At this point, the scene fades into the Field Full of Folk once again as Will wakes up and then falls asleep shortly after.Next, Will is confronted with the character of Reason who fashions the wardrobe of a clergymen. He urges Will to repent (2573). After urging Will to confess his sins, he brings out the Seven Deadly Sins. This section of the story where Reason speaks to each of the seven and teaches Will that if he lives with The Seven Deadly Sins in his life, he will never find salvation. The next section starts with the Will waking up briefly from the vision and reflecting on his experience so far. However, our dreamer, Will quickly falls back into his dream. In this next part of his holy vision quest, he enters upon the Feast of Patience ( 2798-2906).Seven people attend the Feast, Conscience, Clergy and his wife, Scripture, Patience, Will, and The Master of Divinity. The food was simple and elegant which was to show will what penance means (Burrow 319). Later in the poem,Will is though of as a fool (3015-3016). At this point of Will still being a foolish man, he is intorduced to Anima, who tells Will the importance of putting into action all that he has learned (3025-3120). Anima prepares Will for a vision of the Tree of Charity. In a vision conveyed to Will by Piers Plowman himself, a tree is an image of fallen humanity.Piers Plowman is said to be represented as Jesus (Burrow 320). There are three kinds of fruit: human souls of wedlock, widowhood, and virginity, and it is supported by three planks. The three planks have been explained to will as the Holy Trinity (Greenblatt 399). However the Tree being threatened by Covetise, who is the Fiend of Flesh. The tree represents the tree that bore the fruit of knowledge, much like the fruit referenced in Genesis. The tree contains knowledge that is not to be consumed by man. However, in this section of Piers Plowman, The Devil is pursuing Covetise to extract fruit from the tree for evil intentions.Toward the end of the poem, Will goes to mass on Easter Sunday and, during the middle of mass, falls asleep and dreams of Piers Plowman. Piers is identified this time as the eucharistic host at the moment of consecration during the Mass when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ (Greenblatt 399). The mystery of the Body and blood of Christ is mysterious to Will as he cannot understand at what point these common items become holy. The answer is conveyed appearance of Piers before the people. Will turns to Conscience for an explanation of the mystery.Conscience recalls the life of Jesus by explaining the sacrament. The miracle at Cana involves the changing of water int o wine, a type of wine turning into blood in the Eucharist. Thus, the Three Lives are put into the perspective of the ministry of Christ, and the message is clear: it is impossible to do well, do better, and do best without divine grace, and this grace is available to all through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and penance(Burrow 380) . If Dowel is the sacramental wine, Dobet is the eucharistic bread, as it is paralleled to the miracle of the loaves and fishes (Greenblatt 399).That Piers is granted the power of binding and unbinding sins reflects back upon the early association of Piers and the Good Priest (Daegman 7) . Piers is a variation of Peter, suggesting the apostle and first pope. Piers remains behind after the Ascension, and it is to him that Grace gives the four evangelists and the four church leaders (3321-3364). Piers is known to be Jesus Christ whom is a part of the eternal, divine Church. Noticeably, the forces of Pride wait to attack until Piers until he has featured once more at the end of Piers Plowman. By the end of the poem there are no good clergy. (Daegman 8).The Barn of Unity that Grace tells Piers to build is another image of the whole Christian community (3433-3457). However, since the Tree of Charity is under constant threat, so is the Barn of Unity. Covetise and Pride try to confuse Conscience with their so that he can not tell the difference between a Christian and a dark worshipper. Conscience advises the Christians to leave the area to find safely form the the malevolent qualities (3458-3465). Events turn dark for Will and is in need of consulting Need. It can be a humbling factor, but it can also be a convenient excuse for doing what one wants to do rather than what one ought to do.Will falls asleep after being reproached by Need and dreams of the coming of Antichrist. Conscience consults Kynde, Old Age, and Death. Though Will has become an old man, he manages to keep somewhat in good humor. His appearance has changed dra matically. He has become bald, deaf, toothless, and a bit incompetent due to his old age. During this last part of Piers Plowman, Will is confronted by the inevitable character named Death (3502- 3696). As Will’s time is coming to an end, he begs Kynde for him to spare him. Kynde advises Will learn what love is (3757) . This could be compared to what Holy Church told Will in the first section.Though Piers Plowman is a lengthy alliterative poem, it ends considerably curtly. Conscience vows to undertake another quest, this time to find Piers Plowman, and he calls upon Grace for help. Then the Dreamer simply wakes up and that is the end. I found that the ending lines of the poem had no emotion to it. I was not able to feel if Will felt like his total experience was positive or negative. Will’s attitude does seem to show the slightest bit of positivity as he learns to find what it means to be a Christian and learns the value of good morals. Piers Plowman is a series of jou rneys in a dream-like vision in search for answers.The narrator named Will goes from one higher authority to another. However, as the quests move along, the main point of the journey changes. The quest was originally to find how a Christian is expected to live, however, as time goes on it becomes about finding a way to do the best and be the best one can be (Daegman 273). When the poem finishes, Will is faced with yet another quest. this indicates to the reader that a Christian’s search for salvation is eternal (Daegman 273). Works Cited Burrow, J. A. The Ending Lines in Piers Plowman. Notes & Querles (2012). vol. 59 Issue 3, p 316-400. Academic Search Complete.Web. 9 Feb. 2013. Calabrese, Michael. Piers Plowman: A Parallel-Text Edition of The A,B,C, And Z Versions. Journal of English & Germanic Philogy. (2012): vol. 35 issue 12 127-130. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Feb. 2013. Deagman, Rachel. The Formations of Forgiveness in Piers Plowman. Journal of Medieval & Early Mo dern Studies (2010). vol. 40 issue 2 p. 273-97. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. â€Å"William Langland† Encyclopedia Britannica. Britannica Online Web. 27 Feb, 2013 Greenblatt, Stepehn. â€Å"William Langland:Piers Plowman† The Norton Anthology English Literature vol. A. New York 397- 408.

A Problem Of Child Abuse

A Problem Of Child Abuse Children Being Abused Unfortunately child abuse happens to be very common throughout the world. There are many different types of child abuse, and many different reasons for the ongoing abuse. â€Å"Since 1999, the majority of children confirmed to be victims of child maltreatment experienced neglect being at 62.8%, Physical abuse 16.6%, Sexual abuse 9.3%, Emotional/psychological abuse 7.1% , Medical neglect 2.0%, and Other at 14.3%† (Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics). Whether the abuse is mild or severe, it is all abuse and can affect how a person thinks and feels. Many people looks at a family and assume since the family looks kind and put-together, no abuse happens in it. This is very stereotypical. Child abuse can happen in family, whether they look like a â€Å"perfect† family or not. A perfect family is typically looked at a lot differently than a â€Å"bad† family. People associate poor, non-wealthy neighborhoods with crime and child abuse. Well unfortunately, Child abuse is all over the country and not just in poor neighborhoods and families. It is not only based on the particular race, cultural or economic group. Many families hide what is really going on and try to appear as normal as possible. Embarrassment, shame, and pity are very fearful and are commonly used.. Many mistake child abuse as only kidnapping and strangers. In reality, anyone can be a child abuser: Strangers, family, caregivers, family friends, babysitters, etc. Abusers are commonly thought of having been abused during their childhood as well. which can potentially influence them to become abusers when they have children. However there are many adult survivors that want to change and stand for what has happened to th em by using a child who is being abused by protecting them. They know what it is like to have gone through the abuse at such a young age and they sympathize with them. They are usually motivated to help them and typically go into a career path doing so, whether its teaching, therapist, doctors, etc. There is not one single age, race, or gender that associates abuse. â€Å"The victimization rate for girls was 9.7 per 1,000 girls younger than age 18, and the rate for boys was 8.7 per 1,000 boys younger than age 18.† According to the same source, â€Å"In 2010, most victims of child maltreatment were white (44.8%), followed by black (21.9%) and Hispanic (21.4%). Children of multiple races (3.5%), American Indian/Alaska Natives (1.1%), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (1.1%) accounted for a substantially smaller proportion of victims† (Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2014 National Report). This shows that child abuse is never targeted, sexist, or consistent, it is completely r andom and can happen to anyone. Child abuse is a continuing problem and is impossible to stop throughout the all of the countries. Child abuse comes in many forms; physical maltreatment, sexual molestation or mental abuse. Physical child abuse is a form of non-accidental trauma caused by the perpetrator. Some traumas include, â€Å"punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or otherwise harming a child† (Child Physical Abuse). This type of maltreatment is the most noticeable form, unlike children being sexually abused. Sexual child abuse may not be as detectable as physical child abuse. When a child is being abused sexually, it is when the abuser touches the children in their private places . Children look up to their adult figures to be trustworthy and role models; this is why kids usually end up following through with the abuse. Another form of child abuse that isnt easily detectable to emotional child abuse. â€Å"Child emotional/psychological abuse is defined as behaviors, speech, and actions of parent s or other caregivers that have a negative mental impact on children† (Child Emotional/Psychological Abuse). You never know what is being said behind closed doors. Child abuse is not just about the broken bones, bruises, cuts, or the physical appearance that is made. Being emotionally abused and neglected is just as dangerous and harmful. It scars the children, but in an abstract way instead of a concrete way. â€Å"The U.S. has one of the worst records among industrialized nations, losing on average between four and seven children every day to child abuse and neglect†(Child Abuse, Domestic Violence Month noted). Emotional abuse is very deep and may affect a child more in the long run, maybe becoming depressed, anti-social, or losing trust in everyone.Mentally and emotionally abused children take a lot of time and help to recover, depending on the degree of abuse they’ve gone through and who that person is individually. â€Å"More than three million reports of child abuse are made in the United States that involve over six million children a year. Nearly 70% of children who die from the abuse are four year or younger. More than 90% of the juvenile sexual victims know their perpetrator in some way†(Child Abuse Statistics). Children who experience child abuse and neglect are more likely to become violent and interact with criminal activities. Child abuse happens because people often tend to believe that abuse is only physically leaving marks, scars, or â€Å"proof† of physical abuse left behind. People are less likely to intervene in more subtle child abuse cases because no physical mark is left. Often more than not, people classify abusers as bad people. Therefore â€Å"only bad people abuse their children†, but that is not always the case. Some abusers are not intentionally harming their children. Some abusers sometimes may think that what they are doing right, because that is the way they were taught, raised how to be and act properly. That is all they know about parenting, because that i what happened to them. Some may just have some mental issues, causing problems for them to be coherent, and initiating a lack of knowledge for parenting. Substance using people can be a problem of causing each form of child abuse. People are taught how to be parents, how to raise a child and how like a role model for the m. Everyone was taught, raised, and have learned differently. Learning how to take care of a child and provide for one is more tedious than learning how to do a household chore such as cleaning the dishes. Child abuse investigations, each year are reported to the Child Abuse Central Index, also known as CACl. These reports are submitted by county welfare and probation departments. The CACI was created by the Legislature in 1965. This was to protect the health and safety of children, mainly for california. Child abuse has many causes including, as a childhood symptom of mental illness in parents, as the culmination of a lifelong experience of violation towards the caregiver, of environmental and social stresses on the family, and the society’s acceptance and promotion of physical violence. In order to select which factors to study, researchers must exclude other factors. Clinicians, facing a variety of distinctive life events, personal characteristics, and unique circumstances of the families and children they serve, not always content with the explanations of the origin or child abuse found in the research literature. Child abuse and child neglect involve a variety of childhood injuries that are believed to be derived from parental acts of omission or commision. Although the prevalence of child abuse is unknown, the concern regarding the consequences of abuse is, for individual and for our society, is universal. A Problem Of Child Abuse A Problem Of Child Abuse Public schools across the Unites States do not know the challenges students face on a daily bases. Most of the conflict between teenagers and their peers are left oblivious. Everyday one point two million students at public schools go home without admitting their problems, caused by bullies, to their parents. Half of these students’ parents are later surprised to find their child deceased by the following week. Bullying is a tremendous problem that definitely needs more attention and public schools are not providing enough of it. In my own opinion, all schools should enforce bullying awareness programs to prevent from suicides, fights, and an uncomfortable environment. To start with, suicides are increasingly becoming more relevant for bullied victims. Majority of those who actually commit suicide did not pursue any help from their school faculty members. Two years ago in my own community Amber Markly took her life due to bullies. From my understanding, reports have said that she was being bullied by the same crowd of people daily. Through the last traumatizing months of her life only two faculty members took mild precautions to control the situation. The lack of awareness with Amber’s problem lead her parents to find their daughter deceased on a nuisance in her closet. Amber would not have taken her own life if greater bullying awareness was practice in schools. It would have taught the faculty and students to become more involved in situations like Ambers in preventing them from worsening. In additions, there are lots of raging fights due to bullying in schools. Fights are progressively acquiring online, through texting and even by physical contact. Having an awareness program will coach students on how to solve their problems without the need to fight. They can seek help from a teacher who can lead them into the right path of controlling a situation. The bullying awareness program can even include peer counselors. These are student counselors that are trained to help other students through their problems. Peer counseling is apart of the awareness program and can decrease the amount of fights taken place at schools substantially. Furthermore, school is becoming a place students are not comfortable with. All students should feel safe and worry free at school by their fellow peers. If schools enforced the bullying awareness program they can create a welcoming place for their students by practicing different activities. One popular activities done at my high school was mix it up day. This was an activity practiced at lunch in which students sat with people they normally would not be seated with. Doing small fun things such as that create an environment where students become comfortable. Soon it can eliminate bullies by creating a school of students that are familiar with each other in a positive manner and not by gossip spread from one person to another. As one can see, enforcing bullying awareness is a key factor to keeping a bully free school ground. Suicides will decrease as educators increase their knowledge of helping learners in need. Fights can be prevented through coaching students on how to control their actions before someone gets hurt. Practicing fun activities creates a place that makes students feel comfortable in their environment. If one school can give it a chance it could be the chain reaction of tomorrow.

Leadership for Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership for Health - Essay Example Health care industry should be among the most excellently managed industries globally. Leaders in the health care industry should familiarise with the most effective leadership styles and strategies from successful institutions and organisations in applying them for promoting their own. Some of the variably admired traits that nursing leaders should possess include the ability to inspire, exhibit honesty, intelligence, competence and visionary. The four leadership styles that demonstrate the ideals of moral leadership include transformational, evidence-based, authentic and servant leadership. Transformational leaders are charismatic and act as role models to their followers. This is because they yearn to inspire autonomy as well as promote servant leadership (Nielsen, Yarker, Brenner, Randall and Borg, 2008). They motivate nurses to engage in problem solving strategies, team work in decision making procedures and personal professional development through strategies such as coaching a nd mentoring. According to Leach (2005), application of transformational leadership style enhances the act of communicating organisational or professional mission, vision and goals. Shirley (2006) posits that authentic leadership is practised by individuals committed to personal core values, compassionate leadership as well as understanding their own sense of purpose. Authentic leaders possess profound integrity and have abundant sense of personal conviction in matters related to personal beliefs and values. Authentic leaders are appropriate for managing and overseeing the nursing units and departments dealing with the care of old people because their high level of awareness enables them to advise and lead their followers accordingly. Servant leadership is a product of the possession... This paper approves that there is no doubt that health care leadership is at stake. Any health organisation that is mindful of the future should prioritise the tradition of perfect leadership. Improving leadership will involve training the new leaders on effective application of the new technology and instilling the required leadership capabilities. Leaders in the health sector should learn the most effective methods of management in order to promote the industry into the greater heights. Leaders should ensure that the context and concept in which nursing care is provided is appropriate for improved care. Some of the strategies that enhance improved care include appropriate mixing of skills, creation of the systems that facilitates shared decision making, facilitating staff relationships and establishment of systems that are supportive to the work force This report makes a conclusion that technical practice development approaches are short term and normally focused on the results rather than the strategies used in the achievement of those results. This approach is task based and specific to the project e.g. the inclusion of a new policy in nursing practice or acquiring new skills and competencies. However, this approach is currently ineffective because it involves the application of contemporary top-to-down approach of implementing change. The best alterative to the technical approach is the emancipatory practice development. Application of this strategy by the nurses involves focusing on the practices that improves health care practice through the development of sustainability and person centred cultures.

The transformation that took place in the book Always Running By Luis Essay

The transformation that took place in the book Always Running By Luis J. Rodriguez - Essay Example ‘Always Running’ presents a powerful narrative account of Luis life. This story begins with Luis remembering his childhood. It relays conflicts his mother and father had regarding whether to stay in the United States or return to Mexico. The narrative then goes on to explore Luis’ childhood and education. It indicates that because of his language barrier he had difficulty in school. These challenges led him to eventually join a gang to achieve a sense of belonging and protection. Luis progressed along this negative path for a period of his life, before becoming involved in a community center. Through the community center he was given a chance to renew his life. He soon becomes involved with painting murals and getting away from his gang life. This account of Luis life is moving for its demonstration of his transformation. This essay considers the nature of this transformation in more depth. The novel begins by demonstrating the factors that led to Luis becoming in volved in a gang. The reasons behind Luis’ development are highly complex, so the novel approaches them from a number of perspectives. One of the most recurring reasons is the troubled nature of Luis’ home-life. Luis mother and father experienced a number of arguments regarding whether to say in the country. ... The text states, â€Å"But on those days the perils came out too - you could see it in the faces of the street warriors, in the play of children, too innocent to know what lurked about, but often the first to fall during a gang war or family scuffle† (Rodriguez, pg. 29). This indicates that Luis daily existence growing up held many of the components that would later become indicative of his later life in a gang. After Luis joins the gang the text spends a considerable amount of time considering his actions and daily life therein. Luis’ life in the gang is relayed in the novel through stories about his criminal activities. While Luis involvement with the gang started out small, it eventually became more intense. Similarly, the types of activities the gang participates in become progressively more intense as the novel progresses. At one point, Luis states, â€Å"Shit, I thought, they want to firebomb a house. This mean somebody's mother, little sister or brother could be hurt or killed. But this is how things had gotten by then. Everyone was fair game in barrio wars; people's families were being hit all the time† (Rodriguez, pg. 118). This quote is speaking about the barrio wars that had overtaken Luis’ neighborhood. The quote also demonstrates Luis’ partial alienation from the activities the gang is participating in. While it’s difficult to precisely pinpoint the instant Luis made the change from a negative to positive existence, it’s clear that the seeds of his change were rooted in the alienation he began to develop at these gang activities. As the text progresses, Luis eventually becomes alienated from his gang life. The pivotal element in Luis transformation occurs when he becomes involved in the local community center. Here he comes into contact

Business Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Business Communication - Essay Example Hideaway Pizza was established in 1957 in Stillwaters, Oklahoma near the State University. Dermer Richard and his wife Marti bought the business in order to expand it exploiting the fact that there was so much obsession of pizza. Richards’s idea was that a relaxed and friendly environment provided a great ambience for pizza service and he thought that would definitely excite the employees and consumers. By 1960’s to 1970’s, the restaurant was getting so many clients flocking at the restaurant and a fleet of delivery vans. The restaurant was decorated by colourful and miscellaneous designs of black and white stripes, and flowers (The Staff 2008). Waste management would include steps like composting, hygienic landfill, waste to energy and source recycle and reduction for a cleaner environment. (Brennan 2003). Waste management involves all the activities that take care of ravage i.e. garbage collection, waste recycling, transportation and processing of refuse. Waste management in pizzeria is very important in reducing health hazards, providing clean environment and maintaining the beauty of the place. Waste products of pizza industry include food remains and packaging materials, successful venture like Hilton Hotels have done it. Many different industries have different ways of managing their waste products, the difference ranges from recycling to composting. In most occasions, the management of waste in resident and institution environment is the local government’s duty. On the other hand management of waste in industrial and commercial (e.g. Hilton Hotels) setting is the accountability of the producer. In pizza industry the management of wastes has become the responsibility of pizzeria owners. There are several ways which hideaway can employ to make sure it manages its waste effectively. The most commonly used is the

The Real Experience of Kidney Donors Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 40

The Real Experience of Kidney Donors - Assignment Example 2. The statement of the problem in the article highlights the essence of exploring the experiences of the live kidney donors and understanding them in order to offer strategies that utilize the experiences optimally. 3. The significance of the study is that it highlights the real experience that kidney donors face and seeks ways through which kidney donors and potential kidney donors can develop a positive attitude towards kidney donation. 4. Although the article does not have a distinct literature review section, the literature in the introduction and the methods section offer a comprehensive review about kidney donation and its effects on the donors and the possible ways in which more people can be encouraged to donate their kidneys. Even if some of the literatures are old, they give a comprehensive analysis of the problem, data analysis and provide a conclusion that is up to date with the current trends of surgery. For instance, Glaser and Straus(1967) offer one of the best interview analysis by utilizing the constant method of analysis. The literature also includes the latest publications that offer the current research trends and analysis. For instance, Recart et al(2005) talk about modern strategies that can be used to fast-track recovery after surgery. It can be concluded that the literature used is comprehensive and conclusive as it covers all aspects of kidney donation such as the physical and psychological ef fects and tries to seek for ways of encouraging more people to donate kidneys. 5. The methodology employed is qualitative in nature. This is because the respondents were interviewed in order to establish their views about kidney donations. By using the survey research design to explore people’s perception of the subject matter (kidney donation), it is easier to understand the major constraints and establish modalities that are essential in overcoming these constraints. For instance, this research established that the major constraints are psychological and physical effects of kidney donation and so the constraints can be overcome by educating the potential donors.  

Carbon nanotubes found in childrens lungs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Carbon nanotubes found in childrens lungs - Essay Example At the end, the writer tells that Jonathan Grigg at Queen Mary, University of London thinks that Nano-particles are unlikely to cause the disease. In this way, he simply rejects that vague hypothesis he supported in the start. Moreover, in the section with heading as â€Å"caution†, he hasn’t really suggested any caution for the readers. Indeed he just simply rejects the hypothesis presented in the first part of this article. So overall it is an article that leaves confusion in the mind of the reader. In my opinion, the article entitled â€Å"Your Sunscreen is Killing Earth's Coral Reefs’’ is basically an informative article, pointing towards the hazardous effects of â€Å"oxybenzone’’; a compound found in sunscreens and many skin care products. Coral reefs are a very important resource for medicine, food, economy and protection from environmental factors; i.e a natural barrier protecting coastal cities, communities, and beaches. So, overall it is a nice effort to provide awareness and tell people how skin care products are affecting the coral reefs. But it has a few flaws in it. Firstly, a few slang words are used in this article that doesn’t suit any article addressing an important issue in an academic tone. Secondly, information provided in this article is without reference to authentic sources. The article discusses the hazardous effect of only one ingredient of sunscreen products, i.e. oxybenzone. Whereas in fact there are many other ingre dients of sunscreen products that show more or less similar effects.

MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES DISCUSS THE ROLE OF PROCEDURE IN MANAGING Essay

MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES DISCUSS THE ROLE OF PROCEDURE IN MANAGING BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE CONFLICT IN ORGANISATION - Essay Example These are common problems in smaller and bigger organisations with varying degrees of significance; but they could never be ignored. Very few organisations could overlook the need of human resource management today. When a group of people are working for the better part of the day, every day, day after day, together, at the same place, dealing with the same issues, it is not surprising that individual and collective conflicts take place in the world sphere. It becomes part of the daily management to deal with these kind of unpleasant skirmishes; nevertheless, it is also important to manage them correctly so that the managing itself should not leave a residue that would create further problems for not only the individual workers, but also for the organisation itself. Every organisation has realised how important it is to have pleasant situations at the working place and how imperative it is to please the worker. Workers too have understood that never-ending conflicts can bring unpleas antness, mental turmoil, continuous annoyance, loss of efficiency and job and hence, opportunities. So, when both the sides are more understanding, it is not very difficult to adapt some procedures that would deal with any eventuality. We have heard a lot about the Japanese way of treating their workers and the effective procedures they adapt to solve the conflicts at work place. Perhaps it is always necessary for the western society to take a leaf from their in managing their own people. PURPOSE It is necessary to know more about the various dimensions and variables of human resource management and how it should deal with the conflict management. In every organisation conflict management procedure is absolutely necessary, because if conflict management is not effective or is not according to the style and perspective of the company's work, the small problems could branch out into bigger issues and shake the very structure of the organisation. Hence, a study on human resources conflict management is necessary from all the points of view. METHODOLOGY This study depends on the secondary sources like connected books, journals, reports, case studies and sources from the internet. There will not be any primary research in the shape of personal and face to face interviews. This also could be called the limitations of the project. DISCUSSION "Conflict persists at all levels of contemporary corporate life, including the top. Yet conflict rarely escapes the boundaries of executive contexts to escalate into large-scale public disputes or firings the kinds of events that receive widespread media attention," Morrill (1995, p.1). Resolving conflict situations is definitely not an easy task and needs patience, understanding, kindness and more than that, a set of procedures. It is imperative that the person should be a skilled communicator, who can create an open communication environment, where both the parties feel comfortable and ready to discuss the matter. Listening to the complaints of both the sides is the first procedure in solving any complaint. It is also important to keep an open mind while listening or discussing. It is necessary to venture into discussion only after the complete matter and the diverse viewpoints are totally understood by the negotiator. It is necessary for

Business environment report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Business environment report - Essay Example 331). In evaluating the performance of a company, we analyze the economic and financial consequences of the decisions made by the management as applied in the organizational activities of the company (Clipici & Gadoiu 2009, p. 331). As such, organizations value evaluations since they manifest the extent to which systems, people, and company activities relate to the principles of business excellence. This paper evaluates the performance of Vodafone from an inter-disciplinary perspective. To achieve this, the paper will use the above named measures to evaluate the performance of Vodafone. However, the paper will not address employee satisfaction in the evaluation since data on employee satisfaction is not available. The evaluation of the company’s performance derives a clear understanding of the present business position and its overall performance. This assessment equally creates a general market perception, derives the value of the company, and helps the management to make fut ure business decisions. Increasing revenues and profits are good measures of the company’s performance although evaluation also involves variance analysis, key performance indicators, customer satisfaction measurement, and employee satisfaction (Hill, 2013, p.1). It also involves the calculation of financial ratios like ROE, IRR, and CFROI (Hagel, Brown & Davison, 2010, p. 1) community development, sustainability, and comparing the company with entire industry. Development Vodafone Group Plc. (Vodafone) is a mobile communications company that offers a range of communications services in over 30 countries and over 40 partner markets across the globe. Its headquarters are in Newbury, United Kingdom, its business operations include voice, messaging, data and fixed-line solutions, and all devices related to satisfying communications needs (Vodafone, 2013, p. 1). Ethical Behavior and Code of Conduct Vodafone Company has a code of conduct that sets out the business principles of th e company, which consequently define how every person at the company should behave. Indeed, the company is committed to a strong ethical conduct where the code of conduct mandates all employees to uphold high ethical standards. This complies with Section 406 of the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. This mandates all registered companies to adopt a written code of ethics applicable to all stakeholders of a reference company (U.S Securities And Exchange Commission, 2003, p. 1). Vodafone Group Plc. strictly abides with these provisions and do not intend to waive the requirements of this code of conduct to any employee (Vodafone, 2010, p 1-6). As a result, all employees of Vodafone Company seek to promote honesty and ethical conduct in the articulation of their duties. Moreover, the company promotes complete, accurate, true, and timely disclosure of the Company's financial results to all stakeholders as required by the law. The company promotes compliance to relevant laws, rules, and regulations as well as condemning illegalities. More so, the company abhors high standards of business ethics and prevents its employees from seeking competitive advantage through unlawful or unethical business practices (Vodafone, 2010,

The Decomposition of Copper Carbonate Essay Example for Free

The Decomposition of Copper Carbonate Essay Planning Coursework Aim Our project is to find out what products are formed when copper carbonate decomposes. Copper has 2 oxides, Cu2O and CuO. We are told that one of the following two equations are correct: Equation 1 (Eqn1): 2 CuCO3 (s) Cu2O (s) + 2 CO2 (g) + 1/2 O2 (g) Equation 2 (Eqn2): CuCO3 (s) CuO (s) + CO2 (g) Calculations I have to find out which of the two are correct by experimentation. By looking at the equations, I can see that gas is given out. Collecting this gas will be a good way to find out which equation is correct. I will collect the gas in a 100cm3 gas syringe. Therefore I want to be collecting about 80cm3 of gas per amount of copper carbonate. Eqn1 Ratio copper carbonate : gas 2 : 2 + 1/2 1 : 1.25 Eqn2 Ratio copper carbonate : gas 1 : 1 Above states that 2 1/2 moles of gas are produced in Eqn1. I know that 1 mole of gas occupies 24000cm3 in standard room temperature and pressure. I have stated that I want to collect about 80cm3. This means that I wasnt to collect 80/24000 moles of gas. This is equal to 0.00333. (recurring) moles of gas. Out of the 0.0033 moles of gas collected, 2 of them have to be moles of CO2 and 0.5 of them are moles of 02 2.5 2.5 So in Eqn1 we want 2 x 0.0033 moles of CO2 to be collected which is 0.00266 moles 2.5 According to the Eqn, the mole ratio of CuCO3 to CO2 is 2:2. This means we need 0.00266 moles CuCO3 to be decomposed in oreder to create the 80cm3 of gas. From this we can find the mass of CuCO3 to be used, by using the formula: Mass = moles x RFM (relative formula mass) = 0.00266 x (63.5 + 12 + (16 x 3) ) = 0.329g So in Eqn1, using 0.329g CuCO3 should produce about 80cm3 gas. Using 0.329g CuCO3 in Eqn2 should give less than 80cm3 gas. I shall prove this: CuCO3 (s) CuO (s) + CO2 (g) Mass of CuCO3 0.329g Moles of CuCO3 0.00266 Moles of CO2 produced 0.00266 Volume of CO2 produced 0.00266 x 24000 = 63.9cm3 Therefore, I know that whichever Eqn is correct, using 0.329g CuCO3 will not produce over 80cm3, and therefore the gas will definitely be able to fit into the gas syringe Diagram Key: This represents the syringe being held by a retort stand and also the boiling tube being held by tongues Method * Weigh exactly about 0.329g powdered copper carbonate * Set out apparatus as above * Put copper carbonate into boiling tube and put bung on. Bung should be as tight as possible to ensure it is air tight and to minimise the amount of gas lost * Attach delivery tube to gas syringe making sure plunger is fully depressed * Light the Bunsen on a yellow flame for safety and then turn it to a blue flame when ready to begin experiment * Apply Bunsen burner under boiling tube, wafting it under the copper carbonate * I know when the reaction has stopped by when the copper carbonate has gone red or black (depending whether Cu2O or CuO is produced). * Also, when the reaction stops, the plunger on the gas syringe will stop moving * It might be necessary to wait to let the syringe and its contents to cool down so that the gas occupies the correct volume I need to make sure the experiment is fair to ensure accurate results. From past experience, I know that when the syringe is fully depressed, but then the bung is added, the syringe plunger extends a bit. However in this experiment, the reaction wont start straight away. Therefore I will need to make sure that I push the plunger back in before heat is applied. The experiment will be repeated 3 times and a mean of the results will be taken. All of the results must be concordant with the mean. This will reduce chance of any anomalous data being used. The condition must remain constant throughout each experiment. The collected gas should be at standard room temperature and pressure. There is another test that could help find which equation is correct. In both equations CO2 is produced. To check this, we could bubble the gas through limewater, which turns milky in presence in CO2. However, in eqn1 O2 is also produced. The test for the presence of O2 is to place a glowing splint into the gas. If it relights, O2 is present. However, this method is not very adequate as the amount of O2 produced is very small in comparison to the CO2, and even if it was present it still might not affect a glowing splint Results Providing under about 70cm3 of gas is produced, it shows that no oxygen is produced and so we can say that the 2nd equation is correct Precautions During experiment, safety goggles should be worn throughout. Wear a lab coat so that it may be removed, without problem, if chemicals spill onto it. Plastic gloves should be worn to prevent chemical contact with skin. Also, when handling Bunsen burners, care should be taken. Copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) may be harmful if swallowed or if inhaled, could irritate lungs. If in contact with eye, rinse thoroughly with water for 15 mins and seek medical attention if problem persists. If in contact with skin, rinse with soap and water, and if swallowed in reasonable quantity, seek medical attention Copper (II) Oxide (CuO) Causes eye irritation, can damage cornea. Flush eyes with water for 15 mins. Irritates skin and can discolour it. If contact should occur, wash skin with soap and water. If swallowed, can cause damage to kidneys and liver. May also cause vascular collapse. However, do not induce vomiting, but drink cupfuls of milk. Id breathing is difficult do not give mouth to mouth resuscitation Copper Carbonate (CuCO3) risks are similar, yet not so hazardous. However treat with similar care. Do induce vomiting if swallowed Bibliography http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/~hmc/hsci/chemicals/copper_I_oxide.html chemical safety on Copper (I) Oxide http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/MSDS/CuO.htm chemical safety on Copper (II) Oxide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper%28I%29_oxide general information on the copper oxides

Critical Thinking Essay Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking Essay Essay Critical thinking includes the component skills of analyzing arguments, making inferences using inductive or deductive reasoning, judging or evaluating, and making decisions or solving problems when evaluating academic content. Background knowledge is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for enabling critical thought within a given subject. Critical thinking involves both cognitive skills and dispositions. These dispositions, which can be seen as attitudes or habits of mind, include open- and fair-mindedness, inquisitiveness, flexibility, a propensity to seek reason, a desire to be well-informed, and a respect for and willingness to entertain diverse viewpoints. There are both general- and domain-specific aspects of critical thinking. Empirical research suggests that people begin developing critical thinking competencies at a very young age. Although adults often exhibit deficient reasoning, in theory all people can be taught to think critically. Instructors are urged to provide explicit instruction in critical thinking, to teach how to transfer to new contexts, and to use cooperative or collaborative learning methods and constructivist approaches that place students at the center of the learning process. In constructing assessments of critical thinking, educators should use open-ended tasks, real-world or â€Å"authentic† problem contexts, and ill-structured problems that require students to go beyond recalling or restating previously learned information. Such tasks should have more than one defensible solution and embed adequate collateral materials to support multiple perspectives. Finally, such assessment tasks should make student reasoning visible by requiring students to provide evidence or logical arguments in support of judgments, choices, claims, or assertions. Critical thinking is an important element of all professional fields and academic disciplines when evaluating academic content. Within the framework of scientific skepticism, the process of critical thinking involves the careful acquisition and interpretation of information and use of it to reach a well-justified conclusion. The concepts and principles of critical thinking can be applied to any context or case but only by reflecting upon the nature of that application. Critical thinking forms, therefore, a system of related, and overlapping, modes of thought such as anthropological  thinking, sociological thinking, historical thinking, political thinking, psychological thinking, philosophical thinking, mathematical thinking, chemical thinking, biological thinking, ecological thinking, legal thinking, ethical thinking, musical thinking, thinking like a painter, sculptor, engineer, business person, etc. In other words, though critical thinking principles are universal, their applicat ion to disciplines requires a process of reflective contextualization. Critical thinking is considered important in the academic fields because it enables one to analyze, evaluate, explain, and restructure their thinking, thereby decreasing the risk of adopting, acting on, or thinking with, a false belief. However, even with knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning, mistakes can happen due to a thinkers inability to apply the methods or because of character traits such as egocentrism. Critical thinking includes identification of prejudice, bias, propaganda, self-deception, distortion, misinformation, etc. Given research in cognitive psychology, some educators believe that schools should focus on teaching their students critical thinking skills and cultivation of intellectual traits. Socratic method is defined as a prolonged series of questions and answers which refutes a moral assertion by leading an opponent to draw a conclusion that contradicts his own viewpoint. Critical thinking skills through Socratic method taught in schools help create leaders. Instructors that promote critical thinking skills can benefit the students by increasing their confidence and creating a repeatable thought process to question and confidently approach a solution. Students also accomplish follower-ship skills that can be used to probe the leaders foundations. Critical thinking skills through Socratic method serve to produce professionals that are self-governing. However, Socratic method for critical thinking skills can become confusing if an instructor or leader uses the method too rigidly, the student may not know what the instructor or leader wants from him. An instructor or leader may disillusion the students if he uses particular style of questioning. Instructors must reveal their reasoning behind the questions in order to guide the students in the right direction. Socratic method can serve twenty-first-century leaders to instruct students, mentor protà ©gà ©s, motivate followers, advise other leaders, and influence peers. In conclusion, â€Å"critical thinking is the disciplined art of ensuring that you use the best  thinking you are capable of in any set of circumstances when evaluating academic content. The general goal of thinking is to figure out some situation, solve some problems, answer some questions, or resolve some issue It also is a process in which a person pursuits reliable and pertinent information about the world. Critical thinking is often described as reasonable, ruminative, trustworthy, and a well practiced form of thinking that assists people with deciding what they should believe in and what actions should be taken. A practiced critical thinker will ask good questions, collects pertinent data, categorizes common characteristics, logically reasons with the new data and then he or she will come to a trustworthy and dependable conclusion. Critical thinking makes use of many processes and procedures. Some processes include but is not limited to asking questions, making judgments, and identifying assumptions.

Reflection on Systems Theory Intervention

Reflection on Systems Theory Intervention The aim of this assignment is to analyse my intervention with a service user and her family whilst on my 80-day placement. Whilst on placement I critically explored the social work value base, having demonstrated how I worked within the framework of the social work process. I used a variety of intervention methods, however, I am going to examine the effectiveness of one method in detail, systems theory. Before commencing this assignment I spoke to the service user, her family and placement agency, asking permission to write about my intervention with them and everyone agreed to this. I assured them of confidentiality, names have been anonymised, and no reports or confidential documents have been included. I understand the concept of respecting individuals, and will not disclosure any material that will result in a breach of a person’s integrity. Biesteck 1961, (cited in Dominelli, 2002) says confidentiality is a characteristic of the social work profession together with respect and self-determination. The agency was part of the voluntary sector, located in an area of regeneration, with high levels of deprivation, poverty, and homelessness, being established because there was a recognition that the area was particularly needy due to high levels of unemployment, crime, lone parents, pensioners, poor housing, and people experiencing health and social problems. The agency contributes to alleviating some of the pressures of everyday living helping a diverse group, and targeting those who are most vulnerable, offering a varied support system. To improve the well being of those suffering poverty, deprivation, discrimination and other forms of oppression services including generic/family support, housing support, young carers, farming and rural health, 50 forward, HIV/Aids, and Active 8 are offered. By providing free support and advice to the community the agency enables individuals to empower themselves to access a range of services putting them in touch with health, community care services, voluntary agencies and support groups. Underpinning the work of the agency is the legislation of the Every Child Matters/Youth Matters Framework and, working within this agenda, the agency hopes to improve the lives of children and young people. Listening and working in partnership with families, and young people, to provide support, enables development of opportunities and appropriate action plans to improve outcomes. Using case work and one-to-one individuals are empowered to develop strategies and plans to deal with issues such as parenting, schooling, behaviour, debt, housing, mental health, relationship breakdown, benefit support and domestic violence. The agency has a good working relationship with the Children’s Directorate and other organisations and continues to update it policies and procedures according to new government frameworks and agendas. The agency works in partnership with children’s centres, schools, social services, health teams, educational welfare teams, housing associations and variou s others, providing ongoing support and intervention. At the agency I worked within the Children and Families Team, my role being a Family Support Worker. Practicing my role, I collaborated with social services, school, and other support networks giving a holistic service to my clients, which was important to achieve positive outcomes (Trevithick, 2000). My intervention was with a 12-year-old girl, who I will refer to as Amy, who had been referred by social services; her behaviour was causing concern due to relocation with her father and stepfamily. Amy had previously lived with her mother, with whom she had a good relationship, however, she involved Amy in age inappropriate conversations, had depression, alcohol issues, and allowed Amy to witness scenes of domestic violence. Amy’s mother was unable to care for her, and she was fostered until a few months ago. For several months Amy had been living with her father and stepfamily, and was finding it difficult to adapt to her new living arrangements. Social services had previously been involved, albeit in another region, hence the local authority felt further support and guidance was necessary to alleviate some of the family’s problems. I have drawn a genogram to establish Amy’s direct family and stepfamily, a genogram enables â€Å" †¦ immediate visual representation of the individual or family being assessed.† (Parker and Bradley, 2006, pg.40). I did not attempt to include any extended family, the family being rather complex, as my main concern was to support Amy and her family to resolve their issues. (Please see appendix.) I supported Amy and her family to adapt to their new living situation, my work including one-to-one support, family support, advocacy and mediation, counselling skills, negotiation, adapting strategies and interventions to enable the family to adjust, supporting their emotional well-being and allowing them to move forward. My objectives were to resolve the conflict, address inappropriate behaviour, and support Amy with relationship issues with her father, boundary setting, and build her self-esteem. However, after my initial assessment, it became clear that all the family needed support; therefore, my interventions would have to involve the family as a whole. My work involved implementing positive strategies to support relationship building, empowering the family to change and become accustomed to the new family unit. I worked within the guidelines of Every Child Matters, green paper published 2003, underpinned by The Children Act, 2004 (Parker and Bradley, 2006) in order to recognise areas of need, and work with the family to try and achieve positive outcomes. Using the ASPIRE model, an essential tool which links assessment, planning, intervention, review and evaluation (Parker and Bradley, 2006), enabled me to highlight my client’s needs and work effectively with them to improve their life opportunities. The social work process begins with referral, from which I acquired as much knowledge as possible in order to assess Amy’s family background, and the environment I was entering. It is important to identify any potential danger or risk before making home visits, for yourself and colleagues, (Trevithick, 2000) so in order to avoid mistakes I adhered to the lone worker policy of the agency, checking this with my work based supervisor. For all visits I detailed the address, time schedule, base contact, making sure to have my mobile on me at all times, and was responsible for entering details onto the agency case management database. By undertaking this responsibility I achieved Key Role 4 of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) â€Å"Manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and colleagues† (cited in Higham, 2006). Assessment is a continual process, and changes with circumstances, so is central to making a difference. It concerns making judgements whilst remaining non-judgemental (Middleton, 1997). I found myself reflecting on this when undertaking the assessment. According to Milner and O’Byrne (2002) â€Å" If assessment is effective then it makes it more likely that intervention will succeed† (cited in Parker and Bradley, 2006 pg.8) My first visit to the family was with a social worker from the initial assessment team, enabling her to inform me of the family background. The social worker wanted to introduce me to the family and explain my involvement, and her subsequent withdrawal. As this intervention was early on in my placement I felt reassured having the social worker present, and it made the first contact less ‘nerve racking’. I asked key questions, gathered factual evidence in preparation for my intervention, meeting Key Role 1 of the NOS, enabling me to build a picture, examine all factors, focus and prioritise. Consequently, by looking at the wider picture and other social environmental elements I was able to work together with the family, and apply appropriate strategies to resolve their issues. First contact is very important, and I used my interpersonal skills to establish good engagement, â€Å" †¦ communication is a central feature of interaction.† (Thompson 1996, pg.8). During assessment, and throughout my interventions, I demonstrated the core conditions of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard (Rogers, 1951) effectively by listening, showing respect, being open and honest as to how much we could achieve, whilst demonstrating anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. This is the initial stage of systems theory, building a trusting, safe, understanding relationship, where we were able to identify goals, plan, make recommendations and negotiate to achieve the desired outcomes. I felt it was important to establish a relationship built on mutual trust and respect so I conducted my assessment, and subsequent visits, in the family home so that they all felt comfortable (Koprowska, 2005). I asked questions, actively listening and observing interaction at the same time, as according to Coulshed and Orme (1998, pg.48) â€Å"Systems theory requires interviewing, assessment skills and counselling skills.† Assessing the family dynamics, I made the decision to first and foremost support Amy and focus on her well-being, as I feel children are owed a greater duty of care. I wanted to make her feel secure and rebuild her confidence to enable her to flourish, and also because she was the presenting problem for the family. It was apparent that social, personal and economic factors were impacting on the family and they needed to overcome these obstacles in order to achieve positive outcomes. Using systems theory made it difficult to identify where to intervene. The complexity of their lives made it difficult to address single issues as they were interrelated, but if they could manage some issues maybe it will enhance their lives to some extent. Amy in particular was suffering intellectually, emotionally, and socially due to her feeling isolated, having relocated. At the same time Amy was also trying to cope with her past traumas, including the impact of witnessing domestic violence. Using myself as supplementary support I hoped to assist Amy to achieve permanent, stable, emotional and social relationships, allowing her to manage the transition from one family unit to another. Accepting there were multiple needs, I assessed that work with the family, as a whole, was also needed, in particular Amy’s father. He was in denial concerning Amy, and regarding the conflict and tension the situation was creating. Hence he was unable to find a solution to his own problems. I empathised with their situation, as their own strategies were proving ineffective. We discussed how to achieve an improvement building on their strengths, adapting and incorporating them to make a realistic goal plan. Looking at their positives and strengths promoted not only anti-oppressive practice but increased the family’s motivation allowing them more potential, â€Å"†¦builds on people’s strengths rather than analysing their defects, providing help rather than treatment.† (Doel in Hanvey Philpot 1994, pg.23) After completing my assessment of the family we worked together to construct a plan of action, which according to Coulshed and Orme, (1998) are essential practice skills when using systems theory, allowing me to achieve Key Role 2 of the NOS. My work with Amy and her family included identifying problems, acknowledging that change was needed, listening to what the family wanted, implementing survival strategies enabling them to cope, whilst being non-judgemental and non-directive. We clarified and prioritised what issues needed addressing, empowering the family. This enabled me to ascertain what help they thought they needed, not necessarily what I thought. I felt this was important, as I wanted to work with the family, not for them, to achieve positive outcomes. Dominelli (2002) reinforces this, â€Å"change is easier if the directions that professionals and users wish to follow coincide.† (Pg. 25) The second stage of systems theory, is where I worked with the family to address their needs, engaging them to work with me and achieve their potential. Using my communication skills I gained their trust, which allowed me to get the family to co-operate and participate in determining the direction of change. My role as a professional was not to take sides, but to treat all members with respect, promote negotiation, and offer assistance with goals. These had to be realistic and achievable so together we came up with the following plan: Introducing strategies to help address Amy’s behaviour Advocating, acting as a confidant for Amy, enabling her to feel less isolated and able to speak freely about her mother Relationship building with Amy’s father using attachment theory Family support working together to remove barriers – implementing positive parenting, and building relationships Work with step-mother to address feelings of inadequacy, and low moods (she was mildly depressed about the family situation) Weekly visits to discuss how the changes were working, and if not adjust accordingly, offering emotional support. The aim was to improve Amy’s behaviour and integrate the family, building relationships, so that they could live peacefully together â€Å"†¦ block ‘dysfunctional’ interaction patterns, and coach the family in new behaviours.† (Davies 2002 pg.149) My interventions consisted of a number of methods, the family structure being complex. It was important to understand their needs, as not all families comply with the nuclear family structure, and have differing needs. My original referral was to work with Amy but this was deflected and became the whole family, therefore, I had to adapt using such methods as systems theory, person-centred, attachment and some task centred. I chose these methods to identify the needs of the whole family, as I felt certain methods would work well with the different individuals. The methods of intervention I used were to some extent influenced by agency policy, although the approaches used were unrestricted. I would have liked to have spent longer with this family but the agency remit is for effective short-term work, supporting families with early intervention. Prevention and well-being are important agency agendas so as to avoid dependency. The agency has funding to perform certain types of work; therefore, a cost centred approach is used, closely monitoring business and action plans to establish outcomes. The agency uses the person centred approach to empower individuals, working within Every Child Matters, Youth Matters and Local Area Authority agendas, making the services accessible to all so it has to limit expenditure and distribute evenly across all projects. Within the family support project the agency preferred to use positive parenting strategies to empower families. I tried this method with Amy and her family but felt it was ineffective and to some extent patronising; hence I adopted my own interventions. The interventions I used were not questioned, as positive results could be demonstrated, although regular case reviews were carried out to monitor progression, discuss ways forward, and the effectiveness of methods used. If no progress was visible it would be suggested that the case be closed or referred to another agency. I used systems theory, which evolved from biology and engineering and was developed by Pincus and Minahan, 1973, being further developed by Goldstein, 1974, (Coulshed Orme 1998), in my intervention as it is interactive and focuses on the consequences of one person’s actions on another. The background to this method is scientific and complex, suggests all organisms are made up of subsystems, which in turn are affected by environmental factors, super-systems. Each system will have its own subsystem, with different objectives, enabling functioning. Although I used this method, to work positively with the family and its subsystems, it is debateable in relation to its significance to social work (Healy, 2005) as it uses complex language, relies heavily on science and maths, and does not fit in with human activity according to Germain, (1979) (cited in Payne, 2005). All systems have inputs, throughputs, outputs and feedback loops (Payne, 2005), which can be applied to social systems, with all elements interconnected and mutually dependent. The action of one part not only affects others but may rely on them for it’s continued existence and undoubtedly the survival of the complete system, although according to Siporin, (1980) in practice this does not seem to happen, and it should not be assumed all parts are interrelated to maintain equilibrium. Families connect as a unit; go through life cycles, and what each member does effects the rest of the family, â€Å"†¦ circular causation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Davies 2002 pg. 148). Problems arise because of inadequacies in the functioning of the system, or family. Consequently I had to assess contributing factors, such as the home, friends, family, school and neighbourhood as to why the ‘malfunction’ had occurred, as exchanges between these systems will effect change in the family. Using this method I identified the family as a system with subsystems to see how it was impacting on Amy. All systems have boundaries and in the family’s case I needed to assess if these were permeable or rigid. Boundaries are complicated, and by encouraging social workers to look at other issues which may be irrelevant, personal issues can get neglected (Siporin, 1980 cited in Payne, 2005). Systems theory was valuable, as it dealt with everyone rather than each individual, and improved functioning as a whole. Hanson, 1995, argues â€Å"†¦ the value of systems theory is that it deals with ‘wholes’ rather than with parts of human or social behaviour †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (cited in Payne, 2005). I felt this method would benefit the whole family as effective communication had broken down, and it involves all members, the family hierarchy, rules, boundaries, and promotes change and stability During this period of adjustment to the new family unit Amy’s family had their own individual challenges and struggles. When change occurs families often struggle, finding it difficult to interact. Systems theory concentrates on interactions and relationships (Koprowska), therefore, offering this method enabled me to assist the family, supporting them while they restructured. â€Å"Social worker’s are the maintenance mechanics oiling the interpersonal wheels of the community.† (cited in Howe, 1996 pg.54) Pincus and Minahan (Payne, 2005 pg.145) identified 3 helping systems: informal or natural systems i.e. family formal systems i.e. community group societal systems i.e. schools and 4 systems within social work; the change agent system, the client system, the target system and the action system. Using this method I identified myself as the change agent system, Amy, her father, and stepmother as client/target systems, with the whole family, myself and school as the action system. Working alongside other members of the action system provided support, allowing me to use them as a resource to achieve the aims of the intervention. Amy’s behaviour was the family’s main priority as this was having an adverse effect, resulting in ‘dysfunction’ of the system. Her behaviour was a way of gaining attention and linked to the separation from her mother. Amy felt rejected, not part of the family, resulting in her feeling isolated and alone. I felt Amy needed nurturing, a self-esteem boost and attachment to her father. We needed to work together to address Amy’s behaviour, before it became ‘unmanageable’, and allow her to change being conscious of the â€Å"feedback loop† that works within the family, or system, allowing â€Å" capacity for change† (Coulshed and Orme 1998, pg.47). Amy expressed a desire to be heard, feeling no one cared and everyone was against her, especially her father. I suggested weekly family meetings to allow the family to adapt to their new situation, air their views, without interruption, and to establish boundaries. This proved extremely effective, was enjoyable for them, and provided all the family with a role, addressing issues together. The family were able to support each other integrating each system to some extent. To manage Amy’s behaviour I gathered some information off the agency’s positive parenting website to present to Amy’s parents, as I thought these would be useful and of interest. I did not wish to patronise or preach but open up their options, offering more tools and empowering them to set goals for themselves. I reassured them of their strengths, discussed expectations and to expect setbacks, however, by being realistic, persevering, and with support the outcome could be favourable. I assured them that children are extremely resilient, can thrive, and if a child resides in a safe, nurturing environment they will grow to feel secure. A bad start does not always necessarily mean a bad future. I noticed Amy reacted differently in the presence of her father and appeared a little apprehensive. After a number of visits it became apparent that Amy’s father was oppressive and belittling towards her, making her feel inadequate and useless (Dominelli, 2002). On one occasion he actually said to me â€Å"Have you read her story? It’s useless, it’s all about herself.† There was tension in the room and I felt concerned at his remarks but contained myself by focusing on Amy’s vulnerability. Amy was unable to speak for herself so I advocated for her, meeting Key Role 3 of the NOS, and replied â€Å"Yes I’ve read her story and it’s really good. Many bestsellers are often autobiographical.† I felt it was of utmost importance to deal with this ‘system’ sooner rather than later. Payne (2005) suggests it helps to identify the source of oppression to work in an anti-oppressive way, incorporating an anti-discriminatory persp ective. One of the benefits of systems theory is that it is very broad; hence, you are able to integrate it with other theories to promote positive outcomes. Giddens, 1984, argues by incorporating theories it â€Å" †¦ allows for a strong emphasis on people’s capacity for influencing their social situation.† (Payne, 2005 pg.149) In order to enhance Amy and her father’s relationship I introduced attachment theory alongside systems theory. Attachment, defined by Ainsworth (1989) as an â€Å"affectional bond† (Prior, 2006, pg.57), and according to Bowlby, (1951) is when a strong bond does not develop at an early age affecting a child’s social and emotional development. Amy’s father, being absent from her life, played no active role, therefore, she had not attached. Amy had a negative attitude towards her father as he ignored her, did not listen and prevented communication with her mother. He was unknowingly oppressing Amy with his negativity, and he thought by ignoring her she would be quiet. I encouraged building a relationship, being more positive towards each other, with her father praising her for good behaviour etc. To improve Amy’s behaviour we devised a reward chart, using token economy, although criticised by some as unethical, it worked because the action system was consistent, and Amy enjoyed it. This method worked, improved her well-being, boosted her self-esteem, allowing her to identify her difficulties, empowering her to acknowledge that she needed and wanted to change her behaviour. We set realistic, achievable tasks for gradual change, encouraging Amy to participate, boosting her confidence. Occasionally Amy found the tasks difficult so we reviewed and adapted them as necessary, giving her praise and incentives. Amy was crying out for love, approval, and abasic need for acceptance, however, communication had broken down. Re-building Amy’s relationship with her father established trust, and she felt secure enough to express her feelings.   Amy’s father became more positive and accepting, making me question my thoughts and feelings towards him earlier in the intervention. I believe it is important to be aware of your feelings, recognising changes in order to manage them. Thompson, (2000) states: â€Å"It is also important to note that a non-judgemental attitude is important as a basis for a sound working relationship †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg.110). To support them I used emotion cards allowing communication of thoughts, feelings and understanding of one another, which worked really well. It allowed them to spend more time together, getting to know each other, and form an â€Å"affectional bond† (Prior, 2006, pg.57), enabling Amy to talk freely about her mother. The experience benefitted Amy providing security and enabling her to grow in confidence (Bowlby, 1951). Leaving the cards with the family, I suggested they spent time exploring their thoughts and feelings to address underlying issues. In order to move forward Amy needed to talk about what happened with her mother and these cards were beneficial to her emotional well being, giving her coping skills. We reviewed events weekly and it was encouraging to hear that the family used the cards during a family meeting, empowering themselves. Although, systems theory was the foundation for my intervention I also used Carl Roger’s (1951) person centred approach to establish an open, honest relationship with the family (Koprowska, 2005). I chose this method with Amy and her stepmother, who I will refer to as Susan, as I felt it would be individual to each member and they would drive it, also it would encourage depth and exploration of their feelings (Mearns and Thorne, 1999, pg.51) â€Å"†¦ shows that she understands the feelings and thoughts being expressed by the client.† I wanted to support them both emotionally empowering them to embrace change and move forward. Using person centred counselling with Amy was extremely important, allowing her thoughts and feelings to be heard, and promoting anti-oppressive practice. By asking Amy what she wanted, listening, keeping her informed, giving feedback, and involving her in the process I counteracted her negative image of adults, allowing her to take control and empower herself, building her self-esteem. This approach allowed me to create conditions of trust to overcome constraints and see the situation from her perspective. This was important as it allowed me to build a positive relationship with the family. I presented Amy with a secret diary to record her thoughts and feelings to discuss weekly. We discussed her behaviour and how this impacted on the family. Causing rifts within her stepfamily put her at risk of isolation, and also of possibly being put into foster care again, as Susan felt unable to cope. I highlighted to Amy that the family situation was not ideal for all members, not just herself, however, by working together to achieve a compromise issues could be resolved. Persuading her this was the way forward was a skill, according to Coulshed and Orme, (1998), essential to applying systems theory. By showing Amy respect, valuing her and maintaining confidentiality she reflected on her behaviour and saw how this affected her family. Supporting Amy and Susan allowed emotional development, as both were in a vulnerable position regarding their family situation. Being empathic and understanding encouraged them to feel secure enough to share information knowing I would respect their confidentiality, at the same time unburdening themselves. Using Roger’s principles alongside systems theory built up trust between us, with no barriers, encouraging an equal relationship. Mearns and Thorne (1999, pg.97) sum this up, â€Å"Mystery evokes the illusion of power; transparency dissolves it.† This contributed to sustaining a good working relationship. Susan found issues within the family really stressful and felt unable to cope, being in the middle of all the arguments. This affected her mental well-being, and I felt she was close to walking out on the family. I had to rectify this ‘system’ fairly quickly or risk the subsequent breakdown of all the systems. Susan was the pivotal ‘system’ holding the others together so I worked alongside her to seek solutions. She actively engaged in other activities such as using the emotion cards and spending time with Amy in order to build a relationship but she was finding the situation draining. We talked openly enabling Susan was able to express her thoughts and feelings, although tearfully. I supported Susan showing empathy and told her not to expect too much of herself. I felt the family demanding too much of her, and she was trying a little to hard to please everyone. I suggested some ‘time out’, leaving the family for an hour or so to cope on their own, even if it was only going round to her dad’s or a friend. Susan needed a break from the stress factors to recharge herself. She felt unburdened talking to me, as I was actively listening, and she was really appreciative, so I suggested that she talk to her husband, explaining her feelings. This was effective as her husband had not realised how she was feeling, being caught up in his own thoughts, resulting in her feeling calmer and more able to cope. To support Susan further I intimated to Amy that maybe the rest of the family could cook a meal for Susan to show how much they loved and appreciated her, which would boost her self-esteem. This would enable each sub system to carry out a task, working together achieving a family purpose, and improve functioning. As a result of the intervention the family interacted more optimistically, which is the central aim of systems theory (Healy, 2005). I regularly reviewed the work undertaken with the family, and my assessor, adjusting and adapting strategies to suit their needs. Mediating between the different systems enabled me to re-establish less destructive relationships. My intervention with this family was very intense and I became very close, and maybe a little too friendly, with Amy and Susan, going home mentally drained. I used my supervision to express these feelings, asking for guidance on professional boundaries and methods of detaching. My assessor, acted as a container (Froggett, 2002), providing me with direction. This helped me focus on my strengths instead of my weaknesses. Learning is an ongoing process; hence I was able to develop new skills to effectively manage my practice. The final stage of systems theory is the ending, a significant element of the structure (Healy, 2005). At the outset I explained to the family that my intervention was only short term, avoiding dependency. Coulshed and Orme (1998) suggest termination is ‘built in from the beginning’ (pg. 118). Systems theory is only a temporary solution and families often need more support, therefore, not wishing to leave Amy without support, I put in place, with her family’s consent, other networks at school for when my placement ended. Amy was sad I was leaving, however, systems theory enabled me to explore her feelings and we discussed the benefits of continued support, and she was happy to be referred to a school counsellor. â€Å"Abrupt endings, in which the service user has no part in the decision-making, leave room for the event to be interpreted as a rejection or abandonment.† Miller (2006, pg.45) Amy had made good progress at home and school, and the family were adapting and managing their new family unit with the tools provided, attaining equilibrium for the present. My last two weeks were in a supporting role rather than an intervention and as Trevithick (2000) states providing the right kind of support we could ‘release the momentum and motivation towards self- sufficiency and independence’ †¦ called ‘self-actualization’ (p.33). Implementing systems theory allowed me to understand the family, respond appropriately, and highlight their strengths (Healy, 2005) whilst promoting anti-oppressive practice. Systems theory helped each system with