Basic personality of an individual

Basic personality of an individual Its very important for an individual to know about his personality. â€Å"Personality has been defined as an individuals characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, and behaviour, together with the psychological mechanismshidden or notbehind those patterns†. No two persons can be the same they differ at any point even the twins possess different personality behaviour. Over period of research analysis it was found out that the personality is determined by the Heredity, Environment and Situation of the individual. (Robbins Judge, 2009) I have never thought of what my personality is, so when i was asked to write an essay on what my personality was it was just a great task for me to writing about my personality. Later with the help of Prentice Halls Self Assessment Library i came to know a little about my personality. At first it seemed to be a normal one for me to attend the test but later after seeing the results had me to take the test seriously and was involved in the test to find my personality. So with the help of this Self Assessment test, this essay will be discussing my personality behaviour and the thing that motivate me in the job environment. My basic personality: Emotional stability, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and openness to experience. These are called as Big Five models of personality (Robbins Judge,2009).Emotions are the intense feelings that are directed at someone are something. I am always enthusiastic person but becoming a calm person by and by. I always lose my calmness easily but by doing some personality development classes I have started being a calm person and enthusiastic person. When a work is assigned to me and if it is capable of me to work i do it with enthusiasm and finish it. I am a person who thinks that the responsibility is achieved and cannot be taken. It is us who are responsible for ones future and about dependability to say I depend on many sources like my friends, elders during some actions. As I used to like in the residential campus from my schooling so in the starting days i used to be an introvert person being alone and used to talk to only few persons but by and by as the time passes I changed myself into an extrovert person and started getting together with other persons and like the company of others. I am also not an openness person because comfortableness is found in the ones which are familiar to me rather than the ones that are not familiar to me. Jungian 16-Type Personality: This test tells that my score result is ENTP which means i am an innovative, individualistic, versatile and entrepreneurial. I have an idea of establishing an sole business for profits and also like to face risks and take challenges it was easy forme to adopt to the surrounding and I am an person who does not like to be independent and like to be a fellow person in a group rather than a some person in a group. Am I a Type-A? : In this personality test i achieved A+ personality type. I believe that it reflects only some of my qualities like that aggressive, moving, walking, eating rapidly and the impatient quality and job satisfaction in routine and really on speed. As of doing work i dont like to do both things at a time but rather like concentrating on each thing and like to work out in groups I dont like to wok on long term results but rather like to work on fast yielding results.. Ambiguity: Ambiguity refers to the term doubtfulness or uncertainty. This can be interacted as the uncertainty in the behaviour of the person seen at different situations. (Ritov and Droary, 1996) I do agree with the test partially as it reflects my personality because i tend to be more comfortable in front of the known people rather than the ones whom i dont know. I like the things going in the same way rather than changing immediately. But this one is worked out to be only outside the organization but within the organization the result reflects my personality. So for me the result reflects my personality in the work place or an organization because I like to work in a group if i am uncertain of what i am i cant be friendly to the other people. So by this I cant say that i can handle ambiguity depending on the circumstances around me. Creativity: Creativity is one of the finest ability to survive in the present world. â€Å"Roger von Oech Creative thinking involves imagining familiar things in a new light, digging below the surface to find previously undetected patterns, and finding connections among unrelated phenomena.†Ã‚   I am not an creative person but was good at studies and score good percentage but the creative ability is very less in me .During my group presentation I could find the things that are available only but could not come up with anything new which my fellow mates could come up with on a particular idea. Hence i can judge to myself that i am low at creative thinking Being creative is seeing the same thing as everybody else but thinking of something different All the five assessments test discussed above are about my personality now we will discuss about the things that motivate me and there insights. The first test is about what Motivates Me? Motivation means â€Å"The process that accounts for an individuals intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal†. (Robbins Judge, 2009: 175).The key elements in motivation are Intensity, Direction, Persistence. For the test the analysis was made on the Growth, relatedness and Existence needs. I prefer to be given an loyal pay for the work done that was done me rather than adjusting with the unbalanced pay and if you are paid according to the work this would motivate you and make you to work hard .It was during my job as a marketing sales executive where my boss called everyone up and said he would be giving an bonus payment for the ones who makes more sales for every three months, this announce by the boss has made everyone to work hard and it helped everyone on both sides. Dominant Needs: The dominant test was carried out on four social needs Achievement, Affiliation, Autonomy, Power. I agree with the test result because i am so much focused to excel in my studies during my under graduation time because of my failure in a unit ,so during the next exam I thought to improve myself and perform better than the past result and achieved it and the similar one is being following in my life like doing the things with comparing the past results. Even the companies take the past result into consideration and plan the present strategy. The other social needs are still satisfactory for me. On the test result of what i value most? It Is a very good test question for me because it reflects most of my ideas in doing or choosing an job at an organization. As of the result shows my ideas of an ideal job whether it is a good pay, prestigious title, vacation time, security in job, recognition,interesting work, plesent working conditions friendly co-workers but i scored quite low in the flexible schedule which says that i like to work in an designed schedule rather than frequent changes. The next test is Whats my view on the nature of people? This test result was based on the Douglas McGregors Theory X and Theory Y. It is said by the Douglas McGregors that the person with Theory X possess to be lazy, disinterest in working while the Theory Y is quite contradictory to Theory X. Persons with Theory Y tend to work interestingly and are very responsible in their work.Based on the scores of the result the personality of a person is divided evenly. According to the assessment test result I am flexible in the selection of my senses. An example for this can be during the group formation of a particular unit. Each and everyone are new for me and I have no idea of their knowledge, personality and behaviour. Few of them looked to be smart , not active, lazy and thought I had fallen in an unexpected group and have decided to try my luck in the group but as the timed passed by the group was more friendly and everyone are quite different from what I judged. The next test is on the course performance goals? The test is basically trying to test our reasons to study and whether it is an goal oriented study course work or not. I have come to Australia from India for doing my Post graduation in Telecom and Business Management. As I want to explore my knowledge globally and three would be no sense if I have come here without any goal and waste my money. I have done my Under graduation in India and as have a goal of establishing an business and thought to establish that business in Australia. So thought to do my post Graduation in Australia which help me in two things like getting to know the Australian culture and will also be obtaining a study degree. The next question is about how confident am i in my Abilities to succeed? Without self confidence and hard work achieving goals is not easy. Robbins and Judge (2009) states that self-efficacy refers to an individuals belief that he or she is capable of performing a task .An example for this can be the recent job which i had got in an software company .My role is to call the customers and remind them to make their outstanding balances, at first when i started making calls i was so much shocked by the responses of the customers and as it a new challenge for me to compete i thought to withdrew from the job by the response of the customers but the team leader helped me in rising my confidence and after that the job was not as it is before . The next test is about my Attitude toward Achievement: this test helps in understanding the reaction of the individual on the success of the others. The scores tell me that i favour very less seeing the successful people fall. An example for this can be the present fall of an Indian originated MNC company SATYAM. The chairman of the company had worked hard to build-up the company but he had been cheating the company share holders from past few years showing fake annual results of the company. I do also like to see the successful people being rewarded. An example for this can be the Issue of Oscar award to the Indian Musician A.R.Rahman. I like to get paid for what i do and expect to be given the same importance as other who do the same work as I do. In a short and simple to say i expect the outcomes to be the same as the incomes of which i keep. The assessment result says my character as the equity sensitivities which is an mirror image of my quality and idea. The job motivation potential is calculated depending on the factors of skills,task identity,task significance,Autonomy and Feedback.I like to work in a job where there is variety ,less contribution moderate autonomy and a constant feedback for my work. During my job as an call centre operator i used to have variety tasks to complete and my contribution would be less for the company and used to get a constant feedback for every call I talk. Do I want an Enriched job? Everyone like to have a enriched job. â€Å"job enrichment strategies may not have the same effects in more collectivistic cultures than they do in individualistic cultures† (Robbins and Judge, 2009: 237).The result shows that i like have a job with innovation, security, friendly employees and my ability to excel. It would be wonderful thing to summarise my essay in few lines. With the help of this essay it was able for me to know my personality and motivation. My personality is an emotional stability one with a less creative knowledge and stress based and have ambiguity quality and need to reduce this. On for the ones that motivates me are the during my job is the good pay for the job ,friendly environment, power to do, security in the job, mindset of the people, aim oriented and the attitude towards the achievement and the level of confidence in achieving the goal.

Investigation of Thyroid Emergencies

Investigation of Thyroid Emergencies Unit 1 Thyroid Emergencies Authors: Dr. Khalid Khatib Dr. Subhal Dixit 1.0 Objectives After reading this unit, you will be able to: Enumerate thyroid diseases which will land the patient in the intensive care unit; Describe the clinical features, investigation and treatment of throid storm; Describe the clinical features, investigation and treatment of hypothyroid coma; and Describe the clinical features, investigation and treatment of obstructive symptoms due to goiter. 1.1 Introduction Thyroid emergencies comprise a miniscule fraction of patients with thyroid dysfunction, who land up hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) as a consequence of their abnormal thyroid physiology or anatomy. As these conditions are infrequently encountered in the ICU, a proper understanding of the hormonal pathophysiology and varied clinical features will lead to appropriate and timely institution of hormonal and supportive treatment, ultimately rendering survival benefit to the patient. The following conditions constitute thyroid emergencies: i) thyroid storm, ii) hypothyroid coma, and iii) massive goiter causing compression of the airways and large blood vessels. 1.2 Thyroid Storm It is also known as thyroid crisis or thyrotoxic crisis and is an extreme physiological condition due to thyroid hormone excess. A very severe, life threatening and decompensated form of thyrotoxicosis, it is rare (seen in 1-2% of patients admitted for thyrotoxicosis); but mortality rates approach 10-20%. Thyroid storm may be seen even in patients who have not been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. The male to female ratio is 1:3. Causes: i) Grave’s disease, Ã ¬i) Toxic multinodular goiter, iii) Solitary nodular goitre iv) Subacute thyroiditis v) Postpartum thyroiditis, vi) Thyrotoxicosis factitia, vii) Metastatic thyroid malignancy. Whatever the etiology of hyperthyroidism, its conversion to thyroid storm requires the addition of precipitating factors. Precipitating factors: i) Infection, ii) Trauma, iii) Surgery- of the thyroid gland or non-thyroidal, iv)Acute myocardial infarction or Acute coronary syndrome, v) Pregnancy, labor, complicated delivery vi) Burns vii) Medical illnesses- congestive heart failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary thromboembolism, sepsis, viii) Stress- emotional ix) Abrupt interruption of thyroid drug therapy, x) Administration of iodine compounds or radioiodine (I131 or I123 ), xi) Others- chemotherapy for leukemia, radiation therapy to neck malignancies, aspirin overdose, organophosphate poisoning, exercise, status epilepticus and drugs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors, lithium, biological agents like interleukin 2 and interferon). Clinical features: i) Central Nervous System- apathy, agitation, delirium, confusion, paranoia, and coma. ii) Cardiovascular System- congestive heart failure, tachyarrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation,) sinus tachycardia, dilated cardiomyopathy, high cardiac output state, and pulmonary hypertension. iii) Gastrointestinal tract- vomiting, diarrhoea, jaundice, diffuse abdominal pain occasionally presenting as acute abdomen. iv) Respiratory system- dyspnea, tachypnea and acute respiratory failure. v) Thermoregulation- fever, hyperthermia and diaphoresis. vi) Nutrition- weight loss. vii) Renal- proteinuria, acute renal failure.viii) Electrolyte disturbances- hypercalcemia, ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis. viii) Hematology- leucocytosis, hypercoagulable state leading to thromboembolism. Some elderly patients may have very few signs of hyperthyroidism and present with stupor, apathy, coma, and congestive heart failure (apathetic thyroid storm). Diagnosis: i) It usually needs to be based on clinical judgment and treatment started even before laboratory results are available. A semiquantative scale developed by Burch and Wartofsky can be used to definitively identify patients with thyroid storm. ii) Thyroid function tests(TFT): TFTs reveal increase in free T3 and free T4 while TSH will be very low (even undetectable). iii) Other laboratory investigations: Serum bilirubin, transaminases, blood glucose levels may be increased while potassium and total cholesterol may be decreased. Treatment: Principles of treatment: i) Treat the hyperthyroid state. ii) Prevent the effects of circulating T3 and T4. iii) Treat the multiorgan dysfunction. iv) Treat the precipitating cause. i) Treat the hyperthyroid state: 1) Prevent new thyroid hormone synthesis (Thionamides) 2) Prevent new thyroid hormone release (Thionamides) 3) Prevent conversion of circulating T4 to T3 ( steroids, lithium, high dose iodine and iodinated contrast medium) Thionamides: Propylthiouracil, Carbimazole, Methimazole are used in the treatment of hyperthyroid state. Propylthiouracil (PTU): a) Dose: Loading dose- 500-1000 mg followed by a maintenance dose of 250 mg every 4-6 hours. b) It additionally prevents peripheral conversion of T4 to T3. c) It is given either orally (if patient is conscious and able to swallow) or through the nasogastric tube or rectally. d) Onset of action is rapid. e) PTU has potential for hepatotoxicity. f) Hence it is preferred now only in pregnancy, where other thionamides cannot be used. Methimazole or Carbimazole: a) Dose: 20-30 mg every 4-6 hours may even go up to 60-80 mg every 4-6 hours. b) They are preferred over PTU unless the patient is pregnant. c) They can be given orally, through the nasogastric tube, rectally, or even intravenously. Steroids: a) Hydrocortisone is used in the dose of 100 mg intravenously or intramuscularly every 6 hours and continued till the condition of the patient improves completely. b) If Dexamethasone is used, the dose is 2 mg intravenously every 6 hours. c) Doses of both the drugs need to be tapered appropriately before they are stopped. Lithium: a) Dose: 1200 mg per day in 3-4 divided doses. b) Lithium is used if thionamides are contraindicated and patient is allergic to iodine. c) Serum lithium levels are monitored to prevent toxicity. High dose Iodine: a) Lugol’s iodine or potassium iodide solution is used. b) Dose: 0.3 ml or 10 drops of Lugol’s iodine diluted to 50 ml every 8 hours, orally or through the nasogastric tube. c) Its action is due to the Wolff-Chaikoff effect leading to the suppression of thyroid hormone release and peripheral conversion of T4 to T3. d) It should be administered at least one hour after administration of thionamide drugs. e) Sodium iodide may be used intravenously (dose- 500-1000 mg), but it is not easily available as a sterile solution. Iodinated contrast solution: 0.5-1 gm every 12 hours. Cholestyramine at a dose of 4gm, 2-4 times a day orally, reduces enterohepatic circulation of thyroid hormones. In refractory cases, plasma exchange, peritoneal dialysis or hemofiltration may be used to reduce the circulating thyroid hormones. ii) Prevent the effects of circulating T3 and T4: Beta blockers: 1) They block the hyperadrenergic effects of the excessive thyroid hormones. 2) They can be used if there are no contraindications to their use (history of asthma, COPD or congestive heart failure). 3) They must be used with continous cardiac monitoring. 4) Propranolol is used most commonly at the dose of 60-80 mg, three times a day, orally or through the nasogastric tube. It may also be used intravenously at the dose of 10 mg; at the rate of 0.5-1 mg per minute till heart rate is less than 100 per minute and then continued orally as above. 5) If propranol is contraindicated, cardioselective betablockers (metoprolol, atenolol), calcium channel blockers or digoxin may be used. 6) Esmolol, an ultra short acting beta blocker, is preferred by some, as an intravenous infusion of 50-100 mcg/kg/min with a loading dose of 250-500 mcg/kg. iii) Treat the multiorgan dysfunction: 1) Manage the patient in intensive care unit. 2) Take care of ABC (airway, breathing, and circulation). 3) Respiratory support with oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation (noninvasive or invasive) as required. 4) Resuscitation and hemodynamic support- Intravenous infusions to correct fluid and electrolyte disturbances. 5) Antipyretics- cooling mattresses and cold sponging are used along with paracetamol to reduce the raised temperature. Salicylates are avoided as they reduce thyroid hormone binding to thyroglobulin and may in fact worsen thyroid storm. 6) Treat hypertension. 7) Treat delirium and agitation by sedation with haloperidol and benzodiazepines. 8) Provide nutritional support with adequate dextrose infusions and vitamin (especially thiamine) supplementation. 9) Treat the tachyarrythmias with antiarrythmic drugs if patient is hemo- dynamically stable or by electrical cardioversion if unstable. Treat congestive heart failure with diuretics and ACE inhibitors. iv) Treat the precipitating cause: 1) Search and treat the focus of infection. 2) Use broad spectrum antibiotics on empiric basis as appropriate. 3) Send urine and blood cultures. 4) Treat trauma, diabetic ketoacidosis, myocardial infarction and other precipitating factors as per usual principles. Once thyroid storm has been treated the hyperthyroid state should be treated definitively with antithyroid drugs, radioiodine or thyroidectomy. 1.3 Hypothyroid coma It is also known as myxedema coma or myxedematous coma and is due to very severe, untreated hypothyroidism manifesting with reduced temperature and altered mental status. It is an emergency to be treated in an ICU and has high mortality, but fortunately it is rare. Typically the patient is an elderly female with history of hypothyroidism with or without adequate treatment, who may have stopped treatment, or may have suffered an intercurrent stressful situation (infection). Occasionally coma may be the first presentation of hypothyroidism. Rarely hypothyroid coma may be seen in young females, some of whom may be pregnant. Precipitating factors: i) Burns, ii) Trauma, iii) Surgery, iv) Severe infection- pulmonary or urinary tract infection, sepsis, v) Low ambient temperature, vi) Cardiac diseases- myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, vii) Cerebrovascular accident viii) Labour, ix) Anesthesia x) Drugs- neuroleptics, sedatives (benzodiazepines), xi) Intake of large amounts of liquids, xii) Seizures, xiii) Gastrointestinal bleeding. Some of the common causes of hypothyroidism are: i) Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, ii) Thyroidectomy (total or partial), iii) Graves disease treated with radioiodine, iv) Secondary hypothyroidism- hypopituitarism, v) Drugs- amiodarone, lithium. Clinical features: i) Hypothermia- is usually severe with temperature approximately 26.70C (800F). Rarely, temperature may even reach 210C. In some cases, temperature may be normal in the presence of infection. ii) Altered mental status- may present as disorientation, depression, paranoia, hallucination, cerebellar signs, amnesia, disturbed memory, abnormal EEG findings, seizures, status epilepticus, stupor, obtundation or coma. iii) Cardiovascular system- abnormalities present as bradycardia, prolonged QT interval, varying degrees of AV block, ventricular arrhythmias (torsades de pointes), pericardial effusion, reduced cardiac output or shock. iv) Respiratory system- disturbances present as hypoventilation and hypercarbia or respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. v) Renal and electrolyte disturbances- manifests as hyponatremia, edema, retention of urine or rarely renal failure. vi) Gastrointestinal- manifestations are constipation, paralytic ileus, ascites, gastropare sis, and gastrointestinal bleeding. vii) Hematological- problems are coagulopathy due to vonWillebrand syndrome and reduction of coagulation factors, DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation), granulocytopenia and microcytic or macrocytic anemia. viii) General- manifestations of hypothyroidism like macroglossia, ptosis, generalized skin swelling or cool dry skin, periorbital edema, obesity and depressed deep tendon reflexes. Diagnosis: i) It should be suspected clinically. ii) TSH is raised in most cases. It may rarely be normal in pituitary causes of hypothyroidism. Severe systemic illness and drugs (inotropes, steroids) used to treat the associated systemic illness will cause blunting of the TSH elevation. iii) T3 and T4 levels are low. iv) Hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, hypoxia, respiratory acidosis, hypercapnia, hypercholesterolemia and elevated LDH and serum creatinine kinase levels may be present. Treatment: Principles of treatment: i) Thyroid hormone supplementation. ii) Steroids. iii) Correction of fluid and electrolyte disturbances. iv) Treatment of precipitating cause. i) Thyroid hormone supplementation: a) Supplementation with L-thyroxine with or without addition of liothyronine. b) Therapy is preferably intravenous. c) There is no consensus on the best therapeutic regime. d) Dose of L-thyroxine- High dose (300-400mcg on day 1 and then 50-100 mcg/day on subsequent days) is preferred by some. Though tolerated by young patients, it may cause sudden cardiac death in the elderly. Hence a lower dose is preferred (100mcg on day 1 and then 50-100mcg on subsequent days). e) Liothyronine- at a dose of 10-25 mcg (bolus), intravenously and then 10 mcg intravenously every 4 hours for the first 24 hours and every 6 hours over the next 48 hours and then oral therapy with L-thyroxine (50-100 mcg daily), as feasible. Initial therapy with liothyronine may be preferred, as it has better bioavailability and peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 is impaired in hypothyroid coma. Care should be taken during liothyronine therapy as excess T3 may increase mortality. f) Combi ned T4+T3 approach: to avoid above complications, a combined approach with L-thyroxine and liothyronine is advised as shown in Table no. 1. Table No. 1 Combined L-thyroxine and liothyronine therapy ii) Steroids: a) Hydrocortisone at a dose of 50-100 mg intravenously every 6 hours, is preferred. b) It is required to treat the associated adrenal insufficiency. iii) Correction of associated fluid, electrolyte and other disturbances: a) Maintain airway and provide mechanical ventilation if necessary. b) Hyponatremia- is a frequent occurrence and needs correction by restricting water intake or by intravenous infusion of isotonic saline (if serum sodium is less than 120). If hyponatremia is more severe, infusion of 3% NS is used very carefully. Occasionally, Conivaptan may be used in patients with euvolemic or hypervolemic hyponatremia. c) Hypothermia- is treated with passive and gradual heating with blankets and air warmers. iv) Treatment of precipitating cause: a) Appropriate antibiotics (broad- spectrum) are started for bacterial infections. b) Diuretics are used to treat volume overload and pulmonary edema. c) Intravenous glucose is used in the presence of hypoglycemia d) Inotropes are used if shock is present while digoxin is used with care for congestive heart failure. 1.4 Airway and vascular obstruction due to goitre Gross enlargement of the thyroid gland, especially substernal and intrathoracic extension, causes compression of the airway and the great vessels at the thoracic inlet. Sometimes massive hemorrhage inside a thyroid nodule, malignant thyroid disease, metastasis to thyroid gland and Reiter’s thyroiditis may cause compressive symptoms. Symptoms and signs: i) Dyspnea- usually chronic with acute or subacute exacerbations, ii) Stridor, dysphonia, iii) Dysphagia, choking, iv) Fullness and pressure in neck, v) Superior vena cava syndrome- causing facial edema, cyanosis and venous engorgement of face and arms, vi) Esophageal varices, vii) Phrenic or laryngeal nerve paralysis, viii) Horner’s syndrome, ix) Chylothorax, and x) Sleep apnea. Treatment: a) Continous positive airway pressure (CPAP) application or intubation and mechanical ventilation for maintaining patency of the airways and to treat respiratory distress. b) In a few cases where intubation is not possible, emergency tracheostomy may be required. c) Surgery to relieve the obstruction in the form of thyroidectomy and associated sternotomy, if required. d) Radioiodine and percutaneous laser ablation may be preferred in some patients. 1.5 Let us sum it up Thyroid storm occurs in hyperthyroid patients in the presence of precipitating circumstances leading to a hyperadrenergic condition which is fatal unless treated with care. It is treated with thionamides, beta blockers and correction of abnormal organ function. Hypothyroid coma usually presents in the winter months, in elderly females, in the presence of a precipitating cause. The patient has profound hypothermia and altered mental status or coma. It is treated with supplementation of thyroid hormones and treatment of the associated multiorgan dysfunction. Obstruction of the airway and blood vessels in the neck by an enlarged thyroid gland is very rare.

Transformation of Carl in A Bridge to Wisemans Cove Essay -- James Mal

A BRIDGE TO WISEMANS COVE By James Maloney *Compare the character of Carl at the end of the novel with the person you met at the start* James Maloney in A Bridge to Wisemans Cove takes us on a journey into the life of a young, awkward, self-conscious teenager with the name of Carl Matt. We watch Carl grow into a confident, head strong young man through his experiences of making friends and starting relationships. These experiences all lead him to finally feel loved and free. We follow Carl through the challenges that he faces and endeavours to find where he stands in life. The Carl we meet at the end is completely different to the one we met at the start. Carl matures into a person who has friends and high self esteem, someone who is comfortable with his decisions and makes independent choices. At the beginning of the text when he and Harley first arrived at Wattle Beach, Carl didn?t belong, he didn?t fit in with anyone his own age. He arrived with a reputation, constantly shadowing him, seemingly pinned to the name that he bore. Matt. Everyone looked at him and his relatives in disgust. But throughout the story, Carl has tried and succeeded in proving them wrong. Everyone pushes Carl around but through the experience of getting the job at the barge, befriending Skip Duncan, joy, Justine and Maddie, Carl learns to stand up for himself and the people he loves and cares about. He shows this when he stands in the way of Maddie and Nathan when he believes that Maddie may possibly be in harms way. ?It was no different from standing on the barge, confident in what he knew.? Carl has turned into a young man who is confident in what he knows and will let nothing stand in the way of what he thinks is right. Carls jo... ... then meets Joy Duncan and Justine who just like him the way he is, they are not concerned with his social status, they like him because he is a kind, genuine boy. As the text goes on, we watch Carl and Justine?s relationship flourish into something bigger. This helps him with his self esteem. Justine shows him the true meaning of friendship and shows him that he is loved and worthwhile. There is also Carl?s relationship with Maddie. At the beginning of the story, Carl follows Maddie around because he notices her, she stuck out from a crowd. He then helped her on New Years Eve. Maddie was quite cruel to Carl but he never gave up and near to the end of the novel, they form a true friendship. Maddie, Carl and Justines friendship was very important because they all leaned on eachother through hard times, like the hard times Carl and Maddie were going through.

Symbolic Analysis of Alice Walkers Everyday Use Essay -- Alice Walker

Symbolic Analysis of Alice Walker's Everyday Use Alice Walker?s ?Everyday Uses (For Your Grandmother)? is a story about a woman?s struggle with the past and her inability and unwillingness to accept the future. The three main characters in the story are Dee, her younger sister Maggie, and their mother. The story is narrated by the mother in an almost reminiscent manner, and it is on her that the focus of the story centers. Her eldest daughter, Dee, is the first in her family to embrace modernization and to attempt to improve her way of life. Dee?s view of the world and her feelings about developing her own sovereign identity are foreign to Maggie and her mother. The mother has lived her whole life in a manner that Dee simply does not wish to live hers. The mother shows some recognition of this as the story opens and she describes her own life and childhood and compares those of her two girls. The daughters, then, represent to their mother opposing forces in regards to socioeconomic and educational standards of living. Through out her recollection of the story, the girls? mother learns to accept and even appreciate the fact that she and Maggie are resigned to living the only way they have ever known, while Dee has chosen to abandon that legacy and sees it only as a way of life to be honored, not lived. The author?s decision to narrate the story from a first-person point of view allows the reader to gain insight into the mother?s struggle that wouldn?t have been available otherwise. Throughout the beginning of the story, the mother describes both her views of herself and of her daughters. She sees Dee as being superior to both she and Maggie. Dee always gets what she wants, whether it be through her family... ...ally important in life. Dee will always want more. She will never experience the pure joy that Maggie and her mother now share in the knowledge that they may not be the richest or the brightest or the best looking folks, but they are satisfied with what they have. Before she leaves, Dee makes and assertion that is at least partly accurate. She tells Maggie that ?it?s really a new day for us?. She is correct. It is indeed a new day, but not for Dee and Maggie. They have already gone their separate ways. Instead, it is a new day for Maggie and her mother. They now share a love and understanding that they had not known prior to these events. They?ve found an everyday use for their grandmother by forming a bond of love that will hold their family and their heritage together for another generation, not unlike their grandmother was able to do with the pieces of a quilt.

MaDNesS :: Essays Papers

MaDNesS (1) In many short stories and plays there are persons involved which [who] help characterize other main characters. This process of characterization is called a foil. [A foil is not a process.] "A foil is a minor character, who by similarities and differences, reveals characteristics of a more important character, and who, as an element of plot, is there for the more important character to talk to" (Vavra). The foils in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, help the reader understand the main character; [, not ;] Hamlet. (2) Hamlet’s "excellent good friends", Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are prime examples of a foil (Act 2, Scene 2 line 218). [Note] Claudius, the king, sent for them explicitly to find out what has been bothering him. [Ref - "him" here grammatically refers to Claudius, not to Hamlet.] When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive in Denmark, Hamlet is aware that something is amiss. He begins to question them in a puzzling manner. Through Hamlet[']s questioning of them, we learn that Hamlet is very observant of suspicious behavior. This is seen again in Act 3, Scene 2 when Hamlet has the "players" perform a play of his father’s murder. Throughout the theatrical performance, Hamlet had no doubt that Claudius, his uncle, murdered his brother for the throne. (3) The realization of his father’s murder begins with the conversation he had with his father’s ghost. The ghost tells him to "revenge his foul and most unnatural murder"(Act 1, Scene 5 line 26). [Note] Because of his father[']s murder[,] he begins to go insane. This insanity, or madness, increases during the play’s progression. The idea of madness is suggested later on in the play when Laertes learns of his father’s death. Laertes’s madness comes about suddenly, rather than gradually. The characters, Hamlet and Laertes, have other comparisons [similarities?] which help characterize Hamlet. (4) Laertes, brother of Ophelia, has a unique type [Can a "type" be "unique"?] of love, known only to brothers and sisters. He cares for his sister, and advises her to stay distant from Hamlet, because his love for her might be false. Hamlet has a strong love for her, but until the end of the play it is questionable, to both the reader and the other characters. When he sees that she has died, he states his love for her, "forty-thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum" (Act 5, Scene 1 lines 243-245).

Dramatic devices in “Romeo and Juliet” Essay

In this essay I will explain and show how Shakespeare makes the audience feel increasingly sympathetic towards Juliet in Act 3, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet. This play is one of the most well known love stories in history. Shakespeare’s uses of dramatic devices cleverly create twists and tension throughout the entire play. Towards this climax Shakespeare uses the following events that build up to the scene. These are traditional/historical aspects of marriage and family loyalty; cross purposes (Romeos exit) dramatic irony and use of language. Before this scene there are several things that make us feel sympathetic. Juliet is 13 and is in the midst of all the action. She is helpless and Is unable to cope with it. This puts her under a lot of pressure. This makes us feel more sympathy as she has no comfort from her mother or farther Her relationship with her mother is very formal, she does this by addressing her mother â€Å"mistress† or lady. This shows her relationship with her mother is unlike a normal relationship, but more like a respectful relationships, this makes us feel sympathetic towards her as she cannot explain or tell her things. Juliet’s relationship with her nurse is more like a mother daughter relationship. Another reason to feel sympathetic towards Juliet is that her cousin Tybalt has been killed by her husband Romeo. This is a blow to Juliet as she slept with Romeo. I feel that this is a big factor to the build up towards act 3 scene 5. The traditional and historical aspects of this marriage and family loyalty also play a large role in the build up towards the climax. Juliet must abide by her parents rules in order to say in the house. This brings us onto the marriage, normally in this era in time, rich families arrange there children’s marriage so they can have more land and wealth. Juliet breaks this rule and marries Romeo. This makes us feel sympathetic as she has to hide the fact she has feelings towards Romeo. Just before this scene Romeo leaves for Verona; this makes us feel even more sympathetic towards her as she has lost her husband and has no idea of the day of his return. Shakespeare makes us feel sympathetic in this scene by making Juliet use ambiguous language like â€Å"Madam, I am not well.† This has two meanings – she’s either physically ill or love-sick (she’s missing Romeo). This makes us sympathetic towards her as being ill is generally not a pleasant thing to experience. Shakespeare makes us feel increasingly sympathetic in this scene as Lady Capulet says â€Å"Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death?† This shows us Juliet is misunderstood by her family – this plays a part in making us feel sorry for her along with the fact that she has just lost her cousin brutally. In Act 3 Scene 5, we feel sorry for Juliet as she says â€Å"†¦Till I behold him -dead- is my poor heart.† The word ‘poor’ makes the readers obliged to feel sorry for her as it makes us feel she is suffering. This phrase is ambiguous – it can mean she will never be satisfied until her holds the killer of her cousin dead, or will never be satisfied because her ‘poor’ heart is dead. We feel sympathetic as she is being continually misunderstood – she does not want to hold the killer of her cousin dead, but her poor heart is dead because she misses Romeo. When Lady Capulet breaks the news of Juliet’s marriage to Paris, and Juliet rejects this, her mother passes her onto her father – like a burden or a ‘baggage’. We feel sympathy as she is not receiving love from her parents like we’d expect. We feel that she is neglected, unwanted and unloved. When Capulet is fuming over Juliet’s refusal to marry the ‘young and noble’ Paris, he calls her a tallow face and other words meaning pale and tells her that if she does not go to church on Thursday morning to marry Paris, he will drag her to church, similar to how a criminal would be dragged through the streets for doing a crime. He also calls her a ‘green-sickness’, a ‘tallow-face’ and ‘baggage’. This makes us very sympathetic towards her as we don’t expect a father to drag his own daughter through the streets like a prisoner, and to call her spiteful names. Near to the end, the Nurse changes her mind and advises Juliet to marry Paris; â€Å"I think it best you married†¦O, he’s a lovely gentleman!† Juliet feels betrayed and feels like the Nurse is a traitor. This action from the Nurse makes Juliet feel very alone. We sympathise with her as we feel sorry for her being all alone, we want to do something but we are powerless. Overall I feel that this scene gives most impact and makes us make  sympathetic towards Juliet’s most in the entire play due to its twists, it is also the epicenter of the play as it gives most effects. The scene was shocking enough with Juliet being attacked by her father but when her nurse turned on her, this was the turning point in the entire play.

Respryn and the Cornish Country-side

It would be a normal day in the summer holidays when suddenly the phone would ring. My friends and I were off to Respryn. We'd all grab our bags, put our swimming shorts in along with a towel, and jump onto our bikes and go. We'd all somehow meet up and then ride along the busy Cornish town roads, which was full with cars at this time like an ant's nest in the summer, up and along many steep hills, past our school and then out of Bodmin into the countryside of Lanhydrock. We'd go down a fairly steep hill which as we go down we see fields ahead of us that are laid out like the squares on a patch work quilt. Lots of different shapes and not all connected properly together like they should. At the bottom of the hill we turned right into a dimly lit small forest where the ground in autumn is filled with the vibrant colours of dead leaves. Every time our wheel rotated we herd the crackling of a bonfire as despatched twigs and branches crumbled beneath us. In the background we would hear the faint cry of an owl but the main sound was the rumbling and roaring of the cars passing by on the nearby main road. We left the forest and then mounted onto a newly built bridge that crossed the main road we herd from the forest. Myself and my Friends, Craig and Jamie like to stop here and look down on the passing cars. We like to play a game we call Emmett spotting, which is where we'd try and spot as many tourist or foreigners we can that aren't from Cornwall. I found it amazing how so many cars enter my hometown and how so little leave; they all can't be here to stay! Occasionally a passing lorry or truck would honk its horn at my friends as they try and provoke other drivers to do the same. Once we had a driver make a gesture at us, which included him making the middle finger on his hand stand up, we all stared at each other and laughed as we were out to enjoy ourselves and not let any body spoil our day. On we would go! We all rode along a crop filled fields where the power of the wind made an on going wave where the yield swept side to side. This effect was spoilt though by the sound and look of the nearby motorway, which was built straight through the middle of the farmland and beautiful scenery which makes me proud to call this tiny corner of England, I live in, home. As we exited the field we had the first site of the task ahead of us, a giant hill which took us to Richard's house. On would go our serious faces as we normally treat this hill as a competition to see who can get the furthest up, without putting a foot down and that day wasn't going to be an exception. I rode and rode; firstly Jamie regrettably put his foot to ground as the size of the hill overcame him. I fell back a bit just to keep him company as Craig pushed ahead because he doesn't like to lose. The top was in our sight, one last right turning and we would be treated to the smell of cattle from the farm that was really close. Okay maybe treated isn't the right word to use, but this would be the sent that would great the winner. Craig was the first to the top, but it ended in a draw, he wasn't the only one who managed to get to the top without putting his foot down, I made it as well. I now couldn't wait to get to Richards house to give my legs a rest. At the top of the hill we were able to look across all across Bodmin. From the highest point, where The Beacon stood to the industrial estate where most of the main work in Bodmin took place. The sky didn't look like the sky, but a sea of nothing. It was cloudless with not even a patch of white to be seen. After I had stopped looking across Bodmin I was greeted by the undesirable smell of the farm animals which swept along the cobblestone roads that seemed to act like a funnel directing the scent directly towards us. Once we had overcome the smell we meandered along the mud layered roads. A farmer passed in his tractor as we turned our last corner and glided down the last hill. We did this is a childish manner trying to go as fast as we could and then suddenly turn into the driveway of Richards house. His house is set in a lovely location, a generous garden with a pond in the middle, ducks and geese in his back garden along with sheds where the pony's and horses were kept. We couldn't see much from his house but if we walked out into the road in front of his house, there are hills in all directions with popcorn like bails of hay scattered around like houses on a Monopoly board. Richard was waiting for us and as soon as he saw us came out into his front garden. We talked for a couple minutes, had a drink which was well earned after the hill we managed to climb earlier, and just before we left got showed the motorised three wheeled bike he and his twin brother had been working on for the past couple weeks. This was it, we were on the last leg in till we would arrive at our final destination, Respryn. We'd rumble down a small hill and then took our bikes up a narrow stinging nettle filled hidden lane, which turns into a woodland area. The woodland area was packed full of trees, with man made paths for us to struggle ahead on. We had to be careful because there were brambles spurting out in all direction and Jamie would some times squirm after seeing a spider in it's water droplet filled web. I can remember coming through this woodland area before with Richard after a night full of rain. The paths weren't any more than a stream of muddy water and swamps that would suck you into the ground at any chance possible. It was impossible for us to pass, without getting soaked to the skin. We would exit the forest, cross a main road that was deserted with no cars to be seen and then pass a small cottage that had ivy crawling up all the walls in all directions. â€Å"Straight ahead then!† Richard would yell at the top of his voice, just to make sure every one knew where to go. We would then act in the same childish manner as before and soar down the unstable country lane road as fast as possibly, just that time taking more care because there was more chance of us falling off. Coming down the hill we were able see Respryn in the distance. The river slowly running through the woods and One or two cars on the granite bridge, which had one meter slots in to let horses get out of the way of cars. At the bottom of the hill we'd slam our brakes to there full because of a red gate which stands in our way. I get off my bike and open it for the rest to pass and then struggle through myself. The excitement would start to generate as we got closer to Respryn and as we went through the field at the bottom of the hill, we passed a dog walker who smiled politely. We were there, as I looked around I saw a canopy of leaves above, which protect the ground from the sun like an umbrella protects a small child on a beach on a very hot day. This canopy was only disturbed by small gusts of wind or the occasional sparrow or blackbird flying from branch to tree and tree to branch. Even when it's raining the ground remained dry because of the thick shelter created by the tree canopy. In some of the very rare gaps there is in the roof, I couldn't see anything apart from a large streak of light that missiles to the ground like a laser streaking from a gun. There was no noise to be herd apart from a distant barking dog in the background and the nearby stream that runs straight through the woods. As we kept on riding I noticed some of the graffiti carved into the trees. One I saw had the date 1987 on, this was before I was born and made me realise that many children of our age have enjoyed these woods and the streams for many years before us. We rode beside the cascading river for a bit, which on one side has a sea of blue bells, daffodils and many other plants. On the other is a never ending wood, full of lots of different types of trees and hundreds of passages that had different explorations in each direction. Here we were, we all stood and stared at a huge island in front of surrounded by the river. Ankle deep on one side and on the over two and a half meters deep, but you have to jump one and a half meters first off the island to reach the water. â€Å"Last one in is a wimp,† I shout so we all ran into the forest in different directions and strip naked. We chucked on our swimming shorts and then ran back to the island leaving our belongings in a safe place apart from one person, Craig, who unsurprisingly, accidentally forgot his swimming shorts and towel. We weren't going to let him stop us having fun so we sprinted into the water and got on top of the island. We stopped for a bit and then leaped forward off the island into the crystal clear deep water. The stream has a higher than average current but we still jumped in. As soon as we hit the water, we'd all swear and shout because of the shock about how cold the fast flowing river is. Even though it was the middle of summer the water was still freezing because of the canopy stopping the sun heating it up. We quickly swam out and catch our breath before doing it again. We went a bit higher up the island this time and then jump of again and again, in till we either get too cold or bored. Once we were this we grab our bags and hopped back onto our bikes. We then rode back through the forest we just came and crossed a small wooden bridge. As usual we stopped and played the classic game from the â€Å"Winnie the Poo† novel â€Å"Poo sticks† which I always win. We rode past some walkers who sounded like there tourists and who make a few unwanted comments about what were doing, we also passed some empty fishing platforms that I sometimes jumped of but today we didn't so we exited the woods. I can remember a couple months before coming to these woods with another friend at night during the winter. It was totally silent and as black as the hot chocolate I was thinking of having when I got home. Every time there was a flutter in the trees we would look up immediately. We kept on trying to scare each other because at night the trees look like people and in pitch black in the middle of the woods, another person isn't someone who you really wanted to see. The atmosphere could have been cut with something less than a knife a blunt pencil would have done the trick. I told my friends about this experience but they just laughed because they couldn't imagine how something so beautiful during the day could become so scary at night. After we left the wood we went to another area of Respryn, it was still part of the woods but you had to go in a different direction to get to it. So we picked up our bikes and took them over a fence, rode through a field of cows and went through a gate. Like earlier we were meet with the same woods but something was different about this one. There was less of a canopy but still as elegant and pleasing. After riding on for a bit we came to another area where we going to go swimming. Of came our bags, onto the floor went our bikes and into the river we went. In the corner of my eye I saw a tree, which was drooping over the river so, I got out and climbed it. While I was doing this my friends had realised what I was about to do, I pushed off and plummeted into the water. My friends laughed and I tried to get them to have ago but they weren't as mad as I was. Twenty minutes later we were starting to get cold and fed up of the small flies that came and landed on us, of which we wouldn't notice until they starting biting. They starting arriving in ones and twos, giving us one byte every ten minutes or so but then they came to us like children go to their Grandma's sweet bowl. Once we were all out and dry we slowly started walking back through the woods, which had all the shades of brown and green in one place at once. We came across a few strange bugs and insects that we never new existed. We left Respryn and then headed towards the ancient Lanhydrock house. Up the main driveway we went, which was some five hundred meters long. Its massive gardens where both sides of us, on the left was a giant field of which I crept into once to see a Jazz and Blues concert with Richard and On the right is another field but unlike the other has huge Oak trees and hedgerows in. At the top of the driveway is the actually house, we didn't want to go in but to go to the court yard around the back where we could get a delicious proper Cornish dairy ice-cream. Our bikes were locked up in the designated area for the bikes, we quickly used the toilets and then walked over to the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ where the ice-cream shop was. We got our ice cream and then sat on a hill that looked over Respryn and into the surrounding countryside. Our minds were more focused on the French teenagers playing in the gardens and of course our ice creams. We played around with the French teenagers for a wile talking to them and trying to get them confused, at one point I think we told them â€Å"My dog gave birth to a herd of donkeys†. We finished our ice creams and then decided it was time to leave so we peddled up to another exit of the house and back onto the main road. Richard headed in one direction and had to master the hill that we had, on the way to his house in the morning wile Jamie, Craig and I travelled straight across the road into the Crop fields that we visited earlier in the day. We then retraced our steps home and said good bye to each other. It was the end! All I need to do now is wait for the phone to suddenly ring on a normal day in the summer holidays. My friends and I would then be off to Respryn.