The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Fish by Elizabeth Bishop - Research Paper Example Although the main character in the poem is a fish, the situations described therein are not only applicable to the fish itself but is reflective of the struggles of common human beings. Therefore, the discussions in this paper will be dealing with the literary devices used in the poem as well as their relations to the poet. Elizabeth Bishop clearly describes the fish in her poem and brings her readers to think about common things in life observed everyday as a way of bringing connections from the fish to the reader. She brings out common observances as a way of saying, â€Å"This is not simply a talk about a fish but this is also about us†. First and foremost, the author calls the attention of her readers to the â€Å"tremendous fish† that she caught by describing how the fish hung from her hook, looking â€Å"battered and venerable and homely†. In real life, there are so many people with such situations- people who have been through a lot of troubled times but b y overcoming, they have gained a respectable status. The word â€Å"homely† expresses the thought of the poet of this circumstance as a common predicament and not an extraordinary situation and therefore, makes a common ground for the fish and the reader. Early in life, Bishop experienced several troubles herself and was introduced to the words ‘struggles’, ‘trials’, ‘tests’, ‘grief’, ‘disappointments’ and many other difficulties even when she was still unable to understand words. While she was merely eight months old, Bishops’ father died from a disease he has been suffering for six years. This became the start of her troubled life because although her mother was a respectable woman, she was greatly distressed with the death of her husband which led her to get in and out of the mental hospital for the rest of her life (harvardsquarelibrary.org, Miller). As a result, Bishop had a short-lived relationship with her mother because she eventually died when the poet was but five years old. Nevertheless, she tells of memories about her mother such as the boat ride they had when she was around three years old wherein one of the live swans bit her mother’s finger when she tried to give it some peanuts. On another occasion, she picked up a â€Å"woman’s black cotton stocking† which represents an intimate clothing and she was reprimanded of her curiosity by her mother. As a result, she became indignant of her mother and did not have such a good relationship from then on (Miller). From the accounts above, it is clear that even at a young age, Bishop has been through tough times and she sees herself in the fish but as mentioned earlier, she also sees other people’s lives in the fish. She then describes the physical appearance of the fish, commenting on its skin. Bishop uses simile not only to give a vivid description but also to bring the reader from the setting wher e the speaker is fishing to the world beyond it where other people are living. Similes such as â€Å"his brown skin hung like strips†, â€Å"like ancient wallpaper† and â€Å"like full blown roses† give color to the images presented and make the fish an interesting character contrary to what really happens in daily life. Such commonality and vivid descriptions come together as attractions to the reader to consider what the poet is saying. Sure

Influencing Other’s Behavior and Its Impact Essay Example for Free

Influencing Other’s Behavior and Its Impact Essay As an individual, we have the capacity to affect other’s behavior, characters and attitudes. in fact, what we did to influence othetfr has the more impoact thyan what an anidicidual do it to himself. However, the power to persuade depends upon on what kind of persuasion we did and how the manipulation takes place. As an individual, we have then eytnmdecy to believe hwat opthewrs said and what others do towards us. Actually, it is more likely to believe other’s idea. Influencing others thohuhts and actions msut be continually improve his perception and quality towards quality and productivity (Seminar Information Service, 2007). However, how could we do this and what is the inpact of persuading our thought s and isea upon others? II. Influencing Others Thgoughts and behavior Communication with a person is one of the major concern on how to persuade others upon your ideas and belkifs. Constant communication will build a strong confidence and will mark trust and support when you are arguing or discussing something with him. It is also a way to get his attention ans support when you are in the midst of conversation with him. In fact, inidivucdual and group victory towards others mainly depends on the ability on how to communicate woth others. The process on how a person cvommunicatye wotu pthers strogly influence others perception on you. If you have the capability and skills in persuading others ideas to your own by means of well-built communicatiuon, you have also the powers to be understood and the influence to be inculcated toerda others. The communication skills are the key on how to exploit individual and even group potential and beliefs. Indeed, individual and group success mainly rooted from their ability to exchange words clearly and with persuasion. Explore and examine another person’s way of communication stryle in ordewr to adapt the implication and delivery and idea to the approach of that person. Well-defined relationship can sway other’s actions and judgments. However, how could a person buiuld strong relationship without the ability to communicate well? Building good relationds comes from building good communication skills. As constaent communicatiuon build authority, good relkationship also build power to plead one’s case. However, before entering to the relationship, it is important to underdtanr anf analyze forst one’s style of communication and relationship towdrs opther. The skill to analyze them will improve one’s way and strategy on how to relate woith them. The dynamica of the communicationa and rekationships of others pave the way on how to approach them in suach a way that they could handle our means of camaraderie amd acquaintance. The analysisi and defining our approach and goals and identifying the most effecvtove methopd will emphatically influcnec positively anothers’ behavior and their way of perception. In terms of psychological approach, assess and analyuze how the style natuarally encourage others type of relationship. Plan an influence strategy, and use an examined and analyzed techniques for association and rapport. There are studies conducted shoews that conformity has a strong influence towards individual. It increases conformity towards individual. The deegeree of comfomiryt is basewd on the levels of sympathty being shown and felt for that person (GERHART, 2006). There are many well-known studies in social psychology that demonstrate various influences on conformity. Conformity is defined as a change in behavior, belief, or opinion so that the change is more congruent, or agreeable, with an influential individual or group. Among these influences are group pressure, guilt, and authority (Kiesler Kiesler, 1969). Research has also indicated that these influences hold much more power on conformity than originally preconceived. They can potentially become very powerful tools for subtle, human manipulation when used correctly. Due to this, it is very surprising that no direct research on the influence of sympathy on conformity exists. Sympathy is defined feelings of sorrow or concern for another person (not to be confused with empathy). Although no solid, empirical evidence for the influence of sympathy on conformity exists, it is often used effectively. Many strategies for donation collection aim at getting other people to conform to the belief that money is needed, and sympathy is typically used as a marketing tool. People in everyday situations also, either intentionally or unintentionally, elicit sympathy in others so that they may conform to their beliefs or comply with their requests. For example, Perina (2002) found that college students admit that 70 percent of their excuses for missed assignments are lies. A vast majority of these lies concern health problems and deceased relatives, which is likely to elicit sympathy in the professor. Another example of the influence of sympathy on conformity is the Christian religion. The Bible states that God gave His only Son, Jesus, so that no one else would have to suffer. People could sympathize with this, which would influence their conformity to the religion. Yet even with these powerful implications, no direct research can be found on this probable relationship. There does exist, however, some research where sympathy is applicable. Many psychologists and philosophers have suggested that sympathy mediates altruistic behavior (Eisenberg Strayer, 1987; Wispe, 1991). Altruism is defined as intentional, voluntary behavior the benefits another and is not performed with the expectation of receiving external rewards or avoiding external punishment. Given this definition, conformity could be labeled as a subcategory of altruism. In many cases, people intentionally conform to the beliefs of others with no intent other than to please, or benefit, them. More recently, Eisenberg, Zhou, and Koller (2001) reported findings of sympathy predicting prosocial behavior. The only difference between altruism and prosocial behavior, by definition, is that prosocial behavior lacks a specified motive (Eisenberg Strayer, 1987). Again, conformity can be identified as a subcategory of prosocial behavior, which is closely related to altruism. Other research can be interpreted as sympathy being a confounding variable, influencing conformity. Studies of guilt on conformity (Freedman, Wallington, Bless, 1967) suggest that when participants experience guilt, they are much more likely to comply. Guilt is defined as feelings of responsibility for offensive actions. In their research, participants were induced to perform a negative behavior (e. g. , knocking over a thousand ordered note cards) at the expense of the perceived researcher, subsequently producing guilt. It could be argued, however, that the negative behaviors alone are likely to elicit sympathy, which in turn, could influence conformity to requests. Basically, the experimenter’s exposure to negative behaviors, regardless of the person responsible, could elicit sympathy and influence the participant’s conformity. This could have been controlled for had there been a group where confederates, followed by measurement of participant conformity, performed the negative behaviors. Therefore, sympathy is potentially applicable to this research. The purpose of this study is to examine the direct influence of sympathy on conformity. It is predicted that sympathy will promote the onset of conformity with the assumption that participants will only conform to the sympathized person. It is also predicted that women will display higher conformity, because they are more likely to be influenced by sympathy (Bond Smith, 1996; Ickes, 1997). It is hypothesized that people experiencing sympathy for an individual are more likely to conform to that individual’s opinions than people of the general population. GERHART, A. D. (2006) THE INFLUENCE OF SYMPATHY ON CONFORMITY. SEMINAR INFORMATION SERVICE, I. (2007) Communicating with Influence: Building Successful Interpersonal Team Communication.

Understanding and analysing self harm

Understanding and analysing self harm Self harm in all of its forms is one of the greatest dangers that face vulnerable adolescents, promoting unhealthy cycles, and increasing the risk of suicide and from the perspective of a school nurse, the problem is very evident. Whilst providing duties to young people with, or prone to, psychological, emotional or mental help problems it is clear that self harm is an ever increasing issue. There is evidence that would suggest that the rates of self harm within the UK are the highest in Europe (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a) and as such, this act should be considered one of our nations significant health concerns. Self harm is a complicated and very challenging problem to face and as such a deep understanding of self harm is vital to combating it. In reviewing literature we must interpret a comprehensive volume of information relating to a given topic. In this instance the topic at hand is self-harm, and as such we are required to study and absorb as much of the available information in order to digest it into new insights and to provide evidence to inform our practical decisions. In this specific review the aim is to use the available literature to identify the most prominent and prevalent challenges that could face a school nurse in the treatment and management of youths that self harm. The act of self-harm has become all the more common amongst adolescents (Fortune and Hawton, 2005) (Laukkanen et al, 2009), wherein as many as one in 15 youths undertake self harm at one point or more in their lives (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a). Self harm involves many types of personal injury, from poisoning to starving, though cutting is the predominant method of self injury (Lakkanen et al, 2009) and because of this, I have ensured to differentiate cutting, from other means of self harm within this review. The primary approach of this review is to attempt to identify the most prominent literature relative to this topic within the UK. Unfortunately there is only a small pool of literature governing the topic of self harm in youths; even foreign literature on the topic is just as underdeveloped and lacking, often using differing terminology, such as self-Mutilation (Derouin and Bravender, 2004). A further category of self harm that requires specific definition is the term Deliberate self harm, otherwise known as DSH. Whilst it is most frequently used in UK literature pertaining to the subject, it has been regarded as controversial, because of the mental connotations behind the disorder. (NICE, 2004). People who commit self harm, tend to not feel comfortable with the use of the word deliberate, as it disrupts the notion that the act is voluntary, which a lot of sufferers disbelieve (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2007). In recognising different perspectives on the matter, the term deliberate should no longer be used in relation to self harm, to give an enlightened view of the topic within this literature review. When discussing young people or adolescent in this report, the terms will refer to any young person between 12 and 18 years of age. The average age of onset for self harm is 12 years (mental health foundation, 2006, a), however children as young as five years old have been reported to self harm (Bywaters and Rolfe, 2002). The cases of children that young performing self harm is very uncommon, and the rate tends to increase rapidly with age throughout adolescence (Hawton et al, 2003). Methodology. Gathering literary sources was done by utilising a search of CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), a database for nurising based literature reviews. It is particularly suiting as it relaties specifically to nursing and allied health literature (Aveyard, 2010). In order to get the most comprehensive list of resources, several terms were used within the search; Cut* self-harm self-mutilation, Adolescent and School nurse in order to provide a wide range of literature related to the topic. Recent papers, such as those published within the last five to ten years were used. In order to gather enough information, the limit was extended to ten years, as there was simply not enough sources within a five year bracket. When performign these searches, the search terms were often linked in order to provide the best set of results. Other databases were used, using a similar method as this to good results. They included The British Nursing Inde, and PsychINFO. It is often emphasised how important it is to combine search strategies (Greenhalgh and Peacock, 2005), within literature reviews. Despite the advantage electronic searches provide, it is still possible to miss key sources of literature. (Montori et al, 2004). Every step to ensure the best quality of literature is provided should be taken, and as such within this review, any appropriate cited references have been thoroughly checked and sourced. In following various searches, the extracts from the articles were read for relevance to the review. They were also regarded to see if they met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and for general relevance and importance. The critical apraisal skills programme was used to great effect in ascertaining the quality of certain articles (Aveyard, 2010). Further articles that did not meet criteria at this stage were disregarded from the study. As could be expected, all literature that had been collated showed similarities in their findings and themes. These have been used to link the findings in a systematic manner for the purpose of this review (Pope et al, 2007). Prevelance, rates, reasons to harm, the factors behind harming, suicidal intentions and intervention are all themes which need to be studied and examined for the problems and considerations faced by a medical professional when encountering them. Prevelance One thought that is unanimous within studies concerning self-harm is that the act itself is much more than simply attention seeking behaviour. (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a). This is supported by the instances in which youths attempt to hide their attempts behind long sleeved tops, or by cutting in areas of the body that are hidden from view, such as the inner thigh or the axilla (Freeman, 2002). Because of this, many acts of self-harm do not come to the attention of the healthcare services, so it is almost impossible to discern the true scale of the matter. However in one study 13 .2% of adolescents reported to have purposefully harmed themselves within their lives (Hawthorn and Rodam, 2006). There have been many studies on the matter, but it is difficult to compare results due to varying age groups and conditions. Two facts seem t o be agreed upon however, and they are that cutting is the most prevalent type of self-harm (Laukkanen et al, 2009) and that in all likelihood the true scale of the problem goes unrecorded. The latter could be due to several reasons; between youths hiding the fact they perform self-harm and that parents who have no fears in regards to their children, are less likely to give consent to permit these studies recording data. (Hintikka et al, 2009). With all reports agreeing that the situation as a whole reflects merely the tip of an iceberg, and that findings do not cover the majority of acts that go unnoticed by the medical services, health professionals require a greater understanding of the topic, in order to tackle the problem when they do encounter it. As School Nurses are often the first to contact youths who self harm (McDougal, 2003), it is even more vital to provide an understanding and means to address this problem. Whilst establishing a professional where pupils feel comfortable in disclosing their behaviour , it is also vital to promote awareness in the school and community at large of the dangers of this self-harming behaviour (Hackney, 2009). However the root of the problem lies in identifying those who are prone to cutting and other acts of self harm, and understanding why they choose to take this step. Why Adolescents Self-Harm There appear to be many reasons offered as to why adolescents choose to harm themselves including to feel more alive, to distract from the reality of their situation, and to even gain relief from the pressures that surround them (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a). It can be used as a means of dealing with emotional extremes of anger, sadness or depression (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a), or even as a means of expressing negative emotions such as self-loathing or loneliness. Whatever the cause, the reason behind it is often that the adolescents mind finds it easier to deal with physical pain and trauma than the emotional pain that is the root of the problem (Medical Health Foundation, 2006, a). Physically, there are endorphins released during the act of cutting which serve as to calm the person down (Starr, 2004). In doing this, the anxiety is reduced and not only is the adolescent satisfied emotionally, but also potentially addicted physically. Adolescents often feel that betwee n studies and their family, they have no control over their own life; and as such cutting can be a means of exerting control over themselves physically. (Derouin and Bravender, 2004). However in certain circumstances, it can be used to exert control of those around the youth, such as friends, family, and other loved ones. (Freeman, 2002). With this in mind, it is understandable why youths take to self harm as a means of resolving their emotional issues, as it has been recorded that most youths who have undertaken the act, hold it in a positive light (Griesbach, 2008). However it is only a temporary solution and an often dangerous one at that. Any gratification gained from the act itself does nothing to relive the underlying problem (Mental Health Foundation, 2006), and as such cannot be expected to resolve itself. Those who choose to self harm, tend to do so because of a complex combination of reasons and experiences, rather than a single, governing event (Fox and Hawton, 2004). As such, it can often be difficult for a Nurse to address these issues as a collective when dealing with those who self-harm. Factors associated to Self Harm Girls are more prone to internalise their problems than boys and as such, certain pieces of literature believe that girls are far more likely than boys to resort to self harm (Hawton et al, 2002). In contradiction to this, certain texts would state that in a study of admissions to an accident and emergency department, almost as many boys were admitted as girls, for the act of self harm (Lilley et al, 2008). As such, it is important to acknowledge that the differences between genders, may not reflect the likelihood of cutting as any greater than the other. There a re also emotional factors tied to self harm, tha t include feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression, frustration and worthlessness (Griesbach, 2008). These feelings in and of themselves often a re enough to cause concern that a youth could self harm, however combined with other factors such as separation from loved ones (through arguments or neglect), bullying or even abuse could amplify the risk of self-harm (Griesbach, 2008). It is just as important when considering these factors, that not everybody who has suffered neglect or abuse will self-harm, and that those that have will often handle things in a less destructive manner (Turp, 2002). Other behavioural factors have been linked to those who self-harm, which include aggressive tendencies, poor educational performance, substance abuse, and most commonly depressive moods (Laukkanen et al, 2009). There are also those who suffer from stress, or who feel as if they have little control over their life. (Griesbach, 2008) Family and Relationships Whilst behavioural problems can be tied to the reasons behind self-harm, often it is those closest to the adolescent that promote these issues, knowingly or otherwise, such as a parental figure providing either overprotection, or a lack of care (Marchetto, 2006). There are many psychosocial issues that may impart negative emotions, stress, or pressures upon a youth, with serious family and relationship problems being the more common (Laukkanen et al, 2009). With this to consider, a school nurse must realise that even the most superficial act of self harm could be linked to a very deep and complex series of psychosocial problems. Young people often feel uncomfortable opening up about such backgrounds, regardless of family circumstance (Griesbach, 2008) and consequently it can be difficult for a school nurse to uncover the true cause of self-harm with a patient. This difficulty in opening up must be considered when assessing a youth suspected of self harm in order to best establish a r elationship with the patient and thus a level of trust (Griesbach, 2008). Mental concerns. A high proportion of children can be diagnosed with mental disorders. With mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and even eating disorders being strongly linked to those who self-harm (Hintikka et al, 2009), these high proportions become all the more concerning. According to The Mental Health Foundation (2006, b) One in ten children have a mental health disorder, coupled with the strong links between self harm and these disorders gives cause for concern as to how much goes unrecorded. Depression has even been recognised as a major factor behind self harm (Derouin and Bravender, 2004), which is becoming even more common with girls who choose to cut. (Hintikka et al, 2009). However there is often a stigma attached to mental health issues that a school nurse will have to overcome when addressing these problems. Often establishing a heightened awareness of these disorders within the community will remove some of the stigma related to these disorders, and in turn will encoura ge youths to be more open and healthy with their thoughts (Hackney, 2009). Some adolescents however, have been discovered to have self-harmed for years by successfully hiding their injuries, and have shown no signs of a mental disorder (Derouin and Bravender, 2004) that stimulates the necessity to cut. Even if mental problems are not to blame however, the act of self harm is a sign that something is wrong within the youths life; self harm often being the outward response to unfavourable circumstances (Griesbach, 2008). Social Circumstances Peer pressure is an all too common part of adolescence. In regards to self-harm, this combined with curiosity and risk taking behaviour will often act as encouragement to try it (Derouin and Bravender, 2004). It is important for a school nurse to understand the presence of peer pressure, and be mindful of it when assisting those who have to overcome self-mutilation. Indeed it is necessary to be mindful of all outside social developmental issues when a school nurse attempts to break the cycle of cutting with a patient. (Derouin and Bravender, 2004). Suicide. Whilst those who choose to self cut or self mutilate often are not intending to attempt suicide, there can often be a risk. Often they are simply attempting to release extreme anxiety or inner pain, (Derouin and Bravender, 2004). However, there are difficulties when addressing this problem as a school nurse. Those who choose to cut are often less likely to be at risk of suicide than those who harm in a different manner; often their only aim is to release tension, and they are more in control of the damage they are inflicting than other methods. (Griesbach, 2008). However, evidence supports the notion that those who self-harm, will repeatedly self-harm, and in turn this increases their risk of suicide, intended or not (Cleaver, 2007). It is important to remember that in general young people will see suicide, and self-harm as two very separate things. Unfortunately for a school nurse, the characteristics of those who self-harm and those who intend to commit suicide are often shared (Hawton and James, 2005). Thus it can be a very challenging experience for a School Nurse to identify pupils who self harm who are at risk of suicide in a medium or a short term. It is vital for School Nurses to recognise the differences between the two, and intervene at the earliest possible opportunity, for every case of self-harm. Whilst Suicide is a rare event (NICE, 2004), it is still the third most common cause of death in the adolescent age group. As such any discovery of self-harming should be fully assessed for needs, emotional, psychological and social factors that are specific to the individual case (NICE, 2004) so as to better assess the problem at hand. Interventions There is some debate as to the best method to stop repeated self-harm, and unfortunately there is a lack of good evidence to support one method over another (NICE, 2004). Randomise Control Trials (RCT) are often the premier choice of researching and comparing differing interventions (Harner and Collinson, 2005). There had been positive results found within the realm of group therapy. Wood (2001) found promising results from a study into developmental group psychotherapy, recording a clinically significant difference to favour group therapy above other forms of aftercare and upon this evidence a first line of treatment should be prescribed as group therapy. Unfortunately in contrast to this a recent repetition of the study failed to yield any positive results to suggest that group therapy was a superior treatment (Hazell et al, 2009). As we can see there is a great difficulty in assessing the value of any research into treatment, and the importance of repeating the tests for grounded evidence. Young people say that they wish to be helped in a way that feels comfortable for them. This is understandable, as they are often discussing a private matter. Private support groups, one on one sessions and drop in services are viewed as particularly helpful (Griesbach, 2008). One of the most important factors is overcoming the negative attitude associated with the disorder; something that is even possessed by the nurses who treat it (Cleaver, 2007). As such it is important to treat the patient with respect and to listen to their problems, even if their roots do not stem from self-harm, but from daily, or emotional issues. Many who have self harmed state that had this service been available to them in the first place, they would not have started their disorder (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a) Preventative measures must be taken to address self-harm in all of its forms. A school nurse is positioned at the forefront of these preventative measures, and often can find themselves in the best possible position to assist the youth. However; self harm is a very large, and very complex problem for a school nurse to address, with evidence suggesting nurses to feel overwhelmed and under supported when tackling the issue (Cook and James, 2009). With this in mind, the further education of school nurses to equip them to deal with these issues cannot be disregarded (NICE, 2004). When preventative measures fail it is good practise to advise people who repeatedly self injure with management techniques such as, how best to deal with scarring, alternative coping strategies, and harm minimalisation techniques (NICE, 2004). This concept is well established in health promotion and has been applied in recent years successfully to both sexual health education and in a reduction of teenage pregnancies (Lesley, 2008). Adolescence is a time for striving for independence, experimenting and taking risks (Lesley, 2008) and this approach of minimising self harm can often be the best approach to tackling those who have already self harmed. Evidence to suggest an effective treatment is not abundant (NICE, 2004) but to focus on minimising the damage is a pessimistic approach. Certain voluntary organizations advocate the thought If you feel the need to self harm, focus on staying within the safe limits (Mind, 2010). Young people want a range of options for self help best suited to them, even if it is something as simple as something to distract themselves from self harm for just a short period of time (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a). Successful distraction techniques have been known to include using ice instead of cutting, or even marking with a red pen; other means involve simply venting pent up frustration such as by punching a punch bag (Mental Health Foundation, 2006, a) not all reliefs have to be physical, however, and often creative pursuits such as writing, drawing and painting can have a very positive effect (Griesbech, 2008). Often, it is much more constructive to engage in creative rather than destructive be haviour and is even more likely to change behavioural response to self harm (Norman and Ryrie, 2004). If unavoidable, it is advocated that those who cut use clean, sharp instruments and avoid areas that include veins and arteries (Pengelly, 2008). When advocating this a nurse must consider both the legal and ethical arguments of endorsing any form of self harm (Pengally, 2008). Many do not feel comfortable discussing these minimalisation techniques over the concern that this could be construed as encouragement and leave the nurse vulnerable to backlash (Pengally, 2008). That said, often self harm may be the only control that a young person feels that they have over their lives (Derouin and Bravender, 2004) it is essential for a nurse, when supporting adolescents, to make effective clinical decisions. Ethical dilemmas and diverse situations often arise in this field of medicine and must be balanced with the needs of the patient and community (Bennet, 2008). Ultimately, when undertaking these decisions, practitioners must consult with the rest of the clinical team and maintain in depth records. Similarly, the decision whether or not to inform the parents raises another ethical question. Inititally, it can damage trust between the nurse and patient in future consultations, however, should a youth be considered mature enough they should be treated as adults and thus given the same level of confidentiality (Hendrick, 2010). Limitations. The majority of sources of information within this review is qualitative research which is related to the desire to obtain the opinions of individuals alongside their experiences (Watson et al, 2008). The benefits of qualitative methods are that often a greater wealth of information is obtained, in terms of social and personal experiences and insights than would otherwise be available (Hall, 2006). Unfortunately, there are many criticisms that beset qualitative studies. For instance, many disregard the findings as they are not ecologically valid due to the small sample size (Parahoo, 2006) as such, findings of many studies often only reflect the characteristics of that particular sample as opposed to the diverse population that engage in the act of self harm. Furthermore, it is difficult to justify evidencing qualitative research as often its results are interpretative (Aveyard, 2010) of course, findings can also be affected by the differing assessment methods used to collate the inf ormation, such as whether the assessment was done autonomously or if it relied on parental consent. Recommendations. Harm minimalisation techniques need to be widely available to adolescents who self harm with recognization of the ethical dilemmas, in order to support school nurses within this field of practise. Future literature on the subject also needs to choose its terminology carefully and focus upon one form of self harm rather than generalising. This is the only manner in which a specific treatment can be formulated to address each individual form of self harm allowing nursing to develop appropriate preventative interventions. School nurses should also refer all youths who harm to CAMHS. The presumption that young people that cut are not suicidal or that they do not have mental illness is too high a risk to consider and even though the majority hold neither of these disorders, they can not be overlooked due to the minority that do possess them. Conclusion. The true extent of self harm or self cutting is very difficult to determine due to the inconsistencies and definition and underreporting that often it goes unnoticed. What can be agreed upon, is that self cutting is an increasing and serious problem among adolescents. School nurses hold a vital role in the management of this disorder and are often at the forefront of any prevention, treatment and education. An understanding of why adolescents self harm and all linked factors are vital for undertaking treatment of a patient. However, this challenge is complex and requires a large amount of training and support; it is very important to avoid any stigma attached to self harming when treating youth, they are often not attention seeking and frequently posess a lot of problems in their lives. Self harm masks underlying emotional, psychological and social trauma and can simply be a youths only outlet to relieve stress and emotional tension. It is undeniable that self harm is a rapidly expan ding area of research, however upon reviewing this literature many questions are still left unanswered. There is still the underlying moral and ethical difficulties that a school nurse must consider when supporting those who self harm

The Dialogue of Teenage Boys Essay -- Dialogue Conversation Essays

The Dialogue of Teenage Boys Beep! Beep! Beep! That damned alarm, the most hated of Joe’s possessions, began its insistent whining at precisely 7:15 AM on July 5th. A fist groggily snaked out from underneath the Charlie’s Angels blanket and hit the top of the clock. It stopped whining. After some very peculiar movements, the mound of blankets gave birth to a bleary-eyed seventeen-year-old boy. The inhuman apparition staggered towards the bathroom. It paused when it came upon the mirror, seemingly startled by the ghastly visage reflected in the honest glass. Joe groaned, swore, spat and returned to the place affectionately called "The Pit" by the rest of the family. He visited the bathroom an hour later, reemerging looking considerably more human than the thing previously spotted. He was wearing a smart, but casual, luminous green shirt and bright blue jeans. He looked like something from the nightmares of the Jolly Green Giant. Citrus colored and smelling like soap, Joe ambled slowly downstairs for his breakfast. Joe met up with his best friend Ross at around twelve, just outside McDonalds. As was the custom by this time, both argued over whose turn it was to pay for the food, resolved, as ever by the tossing of a coin. As they munched on their soggy Big Mac burgers, their conversation steered towards the party that night. "You goin' then?" "Aye, widnae miss it fur onythin' in the world. Anyhow, Martine's gonnae be there, mebbes I'll hae a chance wi' her this time." "Aye, Ross, and my bum's jist swallied China." "Ah thought ye were lookin' a bit heavier that usual, but ah wis too polite tae mention it." At this, the two friends collapsed in fits of laughter, not even stopping when Ross began to choke on h... ...Joe looked apologetically at Sam. She nodded, a resigned smile upon her lips. "Yeah, I know. You've got to help your friend. It's OK. I understand. I'll see you later. Give me a call sometime." With that, Joe took the dumbstruck Ross by the arm and gently led him out of the door. As they walked home, the two friends reflected upon the night's events. "Ye should have seen your face, Ross! Ye were like a wean caught stealin' a sweetie!" "Yeah," answered Ross, sadly, "But it wis a' goin' so well up tae then." "Talk tae her the morra, explain whit happened. If she's worth it, then she'll gie ye another chance." "Aye," interrupted Ross, a cheeky grin on his face, "And if she isnae, at least I got tae feel her ar-" The two friends laughed their way down the darkened, but familiar, old streets. It looked like the holidays were going to be a lot of fun.

Nora and Medea Essay

Medea, in ‘Medea’, and Nora, in ‘A Doll’s House’, are both women who seem to suffer badly at the hands of their husbands in two male-dominated societies; the former in ancient Greece, the latter in nineteenth century Norway. Each does something important for her husband involving personal sacrifice, for which she expects certain treatment in return, but when this is not forthcoming, how do they react? Do they accept the roles of conventional wives, demure and weak? Or do they rebel and behave unconventionally? Medea’s culture dictated that women had almost no rights, and were regarded as little more than possessions: â€Å"we have to buy a husband [and] what we buy is someone to lord it over our body.† Although Nora’s culture allowed women more rights, they were still forbidden certain privileges; for example, â€Å"a wife can’t borrow without her husband’s consent.† This shows the male dominated societies the two women lived in, and the inferior role the wife was expected to play. Medea was not, however, quite the conventional female of her culture for she is described as, â€Å"a lioness, not human, wilder than Tyrrhenian Scylla.† Her use of masculine language – â€Å"I would rather fight three times,† – suggests she is almost male despite being a ‘model’ wife of her time: â€Å"I have borne you sons.† Nora also acts unconventionally for her era, â€Å"[borrowing] without her husband’s consent,† but is still a stereotypical wife in a sense, playing with her children and being her husband’s inferior, a ‘featherbrain’ and ‘skylark’. The sacrifices made by Medea for her husband Jason are considered â€Å"evil arts† in her society, and cause her banishment. It is interesting to note that Medea made those sacrifices because her heart was, â€Å"smitten with love for Jason.† She even lists them to Jason: â€Å"it was I who killed the sleepless serpent . . . . I betrayed my father and my home. . . . I killed King Pelias.† The severity of her sacrifice would be great in any culture, but to be stateless represented a death sentence in the Ancient Greek world. It is discernable from the above that Medea’s sacrifices were to protect Jason’s life and destroy his enemies, which mirrors the society they lived in, as it revolved around war and violence. Nora’s sacrifices seem mediocre in comparison to Medea’s, since they do not involve murder. â€Å"It was I who saved Torvald’s life,† is a simple statement, which gives the audience Nora’s motive for borrowing the money. Throughout the play, it is obvious that Nora loves Torvald, as she says, â€Å"if anything as horrid as that were to happen,† when Torvald jests about his demise. Nora borrowed the money to enable Torvald to go to Italy to recover his health, but she obviously did not wish to worry him: â€Å"[she] told him how nice it would be to have a holiday.† Nora accepted the roll of the ‘skylark’, even though it was demeaning, to hide the truth from Torvald. This reflects her society too, because keeping up middle class appearances was essential. After all the sacrifices made by Medea, and when she has come â€Å"to live . . . with her husband,† Jason refuses to acknowledge anything she has done for him, and claims, â€Å"that [his] only guardian on [his] travels . . . was Aphrodite, she alone.† In this sense, Jason expects Medea to be a ‘sacrificial lamb’ in their marriage, and to do his bidding without a thought of decent treatment or appreciation from him. He also becomes, â€Å"the traitor who has betrayed her bed,† by his marriage to the princess. He twists the facts of their lives to create the illusion that Medea is unjust in her expectations of him, and even goes so far as to say that it is for her own good: † I did it to safeguard you.† Furthermore, after Medea’s heart is broken, she is dealt a cruel blow when Creon tells her, â€Å"take your two sons and go, into exile.† Because of her love for Jason, and the sacrifices she has made for him, she is hated and feared by men; as she says, â€Å"I am alone and stateless.† Medea’s path seems to make her a ‘sacrificial lamb’ for Jason, since her situation is so hopeless: â€Å"plundered from a barbarian land, I have no mother, brother†¦ â€Å" In Nora’s case, when Torvald finds out about the borrowed money, he does not appreciate what she has done for him either, and does not reassure her as she anticipated. He overwhelms her with his reaction, not even allowing her to speak: â€Å"you wretched woman what have you done?† He insults her by saying she has, â€Å"no religion, no morality, no sense of duty.† This is ironic  because it is her love and ‘sense of duty’ that compelled her to break the law and borrow money in order to save his life. He rages at her, forcing her to see the reality that he only cares about himself: â€Å"you wrecked my happiness†¦my future.† He even asks her, â€Å"do you realize what you have done to me?† When Krogstad returns the bond, Torvald displays his selfishness further, and shocks Nora by declaring, â€Å"I’m saved!† But he then insults her and demeans her position by asserting that Nora’s ‘feminine helplessness’ made her, â€Å"twice as attractive to him.† Throughout this whole event Torvald exhibits his true self to Nora, astounding her by being a manifestation of selfishness and cowardice. Nora had expected him to be willing to sacrifice himself for her, as she had been willing to do for him. The harsh reality, however, was that Torvald was fully intending to sacrifice her to save himself. Therefore, Medea and Nora both expect a certain treatment from their husbands, which they do not get. In Medea’s case, Jason knew of her sacrifices, and refused to acknowledge them. Torvald did not know what Nora had done for him, but when the time came, he failed her in his reaction. In this, it is obvious that Torvald and Jason are very similar. Both wish to benefit from their wives’ sacrifices and refuse to commend them for their evident love. Their selfishness reflects the fact that in their respective societies the men expected their wives to do their bidding. Jason is typically male in his reaction, accusing Medea of being sex-crazed. Torvald, likewise, is the typically middle class husband concerned only with his own position, not his wife’s. Both Nora and Medea, after realizing the true characters of their husbands, seem blatantly to refuse to accept their roles as conventional victims of male dominance, and react in their own ways. They behave against what was expected of them. Medea’s reaction is not as astounding for an audience as Nora’s in my opinion, because Medea has a degree of blood lust and vengefulness about her, whereas Nora had been behaving like a ‘good’ wife  throughout the whole play, so her reaction is more powerful. Because of Medea’s character, she is, in my opinion, expected to take revenge on her husband: â€Å"let no one think me weak†¦ I am made of different stuff.† Nora does the exact opposite. She does not leave Torvald as an act of revenge, but does this for herself, as an act of self-discovery. This may again be linked to the societies the two women lived in. Medea’s culture was very violent and warlike, almost primitive, whereas Nora’s culture was not at all violent, and offered more opportunity for her to break free. Medea declares that she will, â€Å"triumph over [her] enemies,† and murders Creon and his daughter. The use of the words ‘triumph’ and ‘enemies’ is rather sinister imagery, which reinforces her vengeful spirit and masculine language. The two murders come as no surprise as that has been Medea’s method of treating her enemies. Her second bout of revenge truly shocks readers, for infanticide is completely against maternal principles. She is willing to sacrifice her own sons to torture Jason, as she coldly decides that, â€Å"Jason will never see alive again the sons he had by me.† Nora’s reaction is more modern and feminist, as she resolves that her most sacred duty is the, â€Å"duty to [herself].† She simply informs Torvald that she is leaving him and her children. Though this may not be so controversial today (at least in the West), in Nora’s culture, the family’s reputation would suffer greatly, and her own reputation would be almost certainly lost. Through the sacrifices the two characters willingly make for their husbands, whom they love, the two women act conventionally. After they see their husbands in their true lights, they each react in their own unconventional ways, and refuse to play the role of victim often given to women. In this, at least, they revolt totally against the stereotypes enforced by their respective patriarchal societies two thousand years apart, and behave similarly to women in more modern egalitarian societies.

A Comparison Between ‘Requiem For The croppies’ And ‘The Tollund Man’, both by Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heany is a poet, born in Northern Ireland in 1939. He currently divides his time between his home in Dublin and Harvard University, where he is ‘Emerson poet in residence'. Heaney's poems are rarely political but two poems which comment indirectly on sectarian violence are ‘Requiem For The Croppies'- written in 1966, and ‘The Tollund Man' which was published in 1972. Each poem is inspired by the past but is revolving to the recent troubles. Heaney was awarded the ‘Nobel Prize for Literature' in 1995. ‘Requiem For The Croppies' was written in 1966 to mark the anniversary of the Easter rising (the Easter rising refers to a rebellion against the British by the catholic Irish which brought about the civil war.). The poem tells of an earlier rebellion of the Irish against the protestant British in 1798 and how this rebellion can be linked to the Easter rising and current sectarian violence in Ireland. Heany writes the poem in the first person, as if he were one of the croppies; a peasant youth rebelling against the protestant British who are running catholic Ireland. ‘The Tollund Man' is another of Heaney's poems in which he comments indirectly on the sectarian violence in Ireland. This poem was written after Heaney was inspired by a book by P.V Glob which features recently discovered two-thousand year old bodies, which had been perfectly preserved in a peat bog in Denmark. This poem opens with the poet, Heany, saying how he would like to visit the body of ‘The Tollund Man' at a museum in Aarhus, Denmark; something he actually did in 1973. ‘Requiem For The Croppies' opens with the lines: ‘The pockets of our greatcoats full of barley – No kitchens on the run, no striking camp- We moved quick and sudden in our own country', This refers to how the croppies, a small unprepared army of catholic Irish citizens, marched across a land they believed to have been theirs. These lines describe how the croppies filled their pockets with barley for food as they had no travelling kitchen or organised meal arrangements. The poem tells how war is a great equaliser among men. In 1798, classes rarely mingled with each other, however, these men are all fighting for the same cause and so see each other as equals and sleep together, as told in line four: ‘The priest lay behind ditches with the tramp'. The fact that a priest is fighting the war also gave the Catholics moral legitimacy. The croppies appeared as hikers to passing folk, they did not march as it was an informal undisciplined army. The croppies had small victories fuelled by spontaneity The word ‘until' shows the sudden pivot of luck in the croppies tale; the rebels were slain on the Vinegar Hill in what Heaney described as ‘the fatal conclave'. ‘Terraced thousands died, shaking scythes at cannon. The hillside blushed, soaked in our broken wave.' These lines describe just how pathetic the weapons of the rebels were compared to those of the British. The Irish rebels had scythes to defend themselves in battle, which were generally no match for a prepared army with cannons. And so, the rebels, fighting in rows side-by-side (like terraces), were slaughtered. The idea of the ‘blushing' hillside, gives the idea of how blood was spilt on the land and giving it the red, ‘blushing' appearance. The croppies were buried without ‘shroud or coffin'; this explains how the croppies were given a mass burial with no ceremony or funeral rites which is very important to the catholic religion. ‘The barley grew up out of the grave. This line has a lot of meaning in the poem, the croppies were buried in the clothing they wore and the barley from their coats literally took root and grew, this implies that you can defeat an army but the spirit of resistance lives on. ‘The Tollund Man' is divided into three parts. The first part of the poem opens with: ‘Some day I will go to Aarhus To see his peat-brown head, The mild pods of his eyelids, His pointed skin cap. This first verse expresses Heaney's wish to visit the Tollund man in Aarhus, Denmark, he has only seen photographs of the body and wants to see it in person. Heany describes the ‘Tollund man' as having a ‘peat-brown head' this is because when the body was discovered the skin was stained brown from the peat. The ‘mild pods of his eyelids' refers to just how well the body had been preserved (the Tollund man still had his hair, teeth and eyes, as well as the contents of his stomach, perfectly preserved (‘the last gruel of winter seeds caked in his stomach)). Heaney then says how he would stand in awe of the body, full of reverence, if he were able to visit it (I will stand a long time, bridegroom to the goddess'). In the fourth verse of the first section Heaney describes the Tollund Man's death quite sexually; ‘She tightened her torc on him, And opened her fen, Those dark juices working him To a saints kept body' This is Heaney's way of describing the Tollund man's execution (a sacrificial ritual to the pagan god of fertility, Nerthus). The Tollund Man's neck was broken in a vice (tightening the torc) and he was buried in the peat bog (‘opened her fen') where he sank deeper into the peat to be preserved perfectly for two thousand years (‘those dark juices working him to a saint's kept body). The final verse closes with Heany commenting on how valuable the find was to the archaeologists and now the mud stained face ‘reposes' at Aarhus. Part two of this poem is about four catholic brothers who were ambushed by protestant men. The brothers were tied to the back of a train and dragged to their death over several miles of train line, parts of their bodies were found up and down the line including teeth and patches of skin. Heany says that if it were possible to bring the brothers back to life by risking blasphemy and praying to the Tollund man, then he would do so. The third section of this poem discusses Heaney's journey to Aarhus. He will feel estranged because of ‘language barriers' but at home because he can link the death of the Tollund Man to the deaths of people in his homeland, both die for their religion. ‘Requiem for the croppies' is in Miltonic sonnet format, it comprises of fourteen lines in an octave plus sestet format. The poem also features a complex rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD EFEFEF. The dashes on the third line regarding the croppies' feeding habits add parenthesis (conversation aside). Heany uses a few metaphors (e.g. ‘terraced thousands' ‘hillside blushed') to add imagery to this piece of writing and the antithesis of ‘shaking scythes at cannon' is a good contrast to use when comparing the weak to the strong. ‘The Tollund Man' is written in a conversational tone and comprises of several quatrains per section and it has no rhyme scheme. The poem uses metaphors to describe the shape of the eyes; ‘pods' allows the reader to visualise a thin layer containing some sort of round object e.g. a pea pod. The paradox ‘unhappy and at home' is an ironic paradox relating to his how he has become accustomed to killing around him yet it still makes him sad to know it is going on. The oxymoron ‘sad freedom' is ironic because you wouldn't tend to use two words which involve opposite emotions to be next to each other in descriptive writing. I prefer ‘Requiem for the Croppies' because I find it more dramatic and moving. The pivot in the story adds a thrill to the tale and it is not as long and cryptic as ‘The Tollund Man'.