Importance of Understanding Biological Basis of Behaviour

Importance of Understanding Biological Basis of Behaviour This essay will first of all attempt to briefly distinguish between some of the bases of understanding behaviour. Next, the biological approach will be elaborated and this will be followed by a succinct evaluation of the strengths and criticisms of this approach. Behaviour can be understood from different bases (approaches). Among these include Behaviourist, Cognitive, Psychodynamic, Humanistic and Biological approaches (Glassman and Hadad, 2013). The behavioural approach assumes that behaviour is created or modified by environmental factors, irrespective of the mind (Chance, 2013). Vice versa, understanding behaviour from a cognitive basis involves the consideration of internal events (mediators) between a stimulus and behaviour. Contrary to the biological approach, these internal events are conceptual rather than physiological (Gardner, 2008). Similarly, the psychodynamic approach assumes that behaviour is shaped by internal mental processes. On the contrary, it focuses on the motivation of behaviour (intentionality). Such motivation influences personality and thereby influences behaviour (Glassman, Glassman and Hadad, 2008). From a humanistic perspective, behaviour is understood from an individual’s subjective experiences (phenomeno logical viewpoint), a free will of individuals to behave which is not influenced by immediate or past stimuli (the capacity of choice) and the value individuals place on their experiences and actions (the role of meaning) (Fernald, 2008). In the biological approach, behaviour is as result of neurological, genetic and physiological processes. The brain and the central nervous system play a key role in determining behaviour. Changes in the growth of the brain are genetically determined and result in psychological and behavioural development. A well-functioning nervous system depicts normal behaviour. Abnormal behaviour is usually characterised by bodily (organic) or genetic disorders, chemical imbalances, brain injury or mental illness. Consequently, the modes of treatment include the use of drugs, psychosurgery and electroconvulsive therapy. These are used to treat the underlying causes of the illness or to relieve symptoms (Sanders, 2014). There are various strengths in understanding behaviour from a biological basis (approach). The biological basis of understanding behaviour has improved our understanding of behaviour. It has successfully proved the impact of genetic factors in explaining behaviour (including individual differences) such as intelligence and some mental disorders. For example, twin studies have shown that behaviour such as susceptibility to mental disorders (Posthuma and Polderman, 2013) and intelligence (FraniĆ¡ et al, 2014) is shaped by genetic factors. The biological approach to understanding behaviour often takes a reductionist approach. Hence, various experimental studies have provided useful results in understanding behaviour. For example, physiological and genetic studies have contributed immensely to our understanding of sleep (Wyatt et al, 1999, Allebrandt et al, 2011, Dauvilliers, Maret and Tafti, 2005). Understanding behaviour from a biological basis has been usefully applied in psychopathology. It has been beneficial in the use of chemotherapy to treat mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia (Rockstroh, 2001). Genetic counselling for couples is as a result of our understanding of the relation that exists between genes and behaviour. This could be of great relief for some couples who carry a gene that makes their children susceptible to a fatal disease (Harper, 2010). It is also believed that understanding behaviour in its biological context could help in generalisations between animals and humans (Larsson, 2003). Despite these strengths, the biological basis of understanding behaviour faces some criticisms. It is argued that a thorough understanding of behaviour cannot be established from studying only biological factors. Social, cultural and psychological factors have also been shown to have an influence on behaviour. It has therefore been criticised for not including these factors in explaining behaviour (Glassman and Hadad, 2013). Furthermore, some have stressed that behaviour is a process and not a substance as portrayed in the biological approach (Greenberg, 2011, Overton, 2006). From a biological perspective, there is great emphasis of the role of genetic factors in shaping behaviour. However, this relation has been shown to be indirect and understood poorly. For example, a twin study by Plomin et al. (1990) found that television watching is influenced by genetic factors, but it is unclear how genes cause such effect. In conclusion, understanding behaviour from only a biological basis seems inadequate. This calls for consideration of other approaches to address its limitations. Total word count: 699 References: Allebrandt, K., Amin, N., Mà ¼ller-Myhsok, B., Esko, T., Teder-Laving, M., Azevedo, R., Hayward, C., Van Mill, J., Vogelzangs, N. and Green, E. (2011) A KATP channel gene effect on sleep duration: from genome-wide association studies to function in Drosophila. Molecular Psychiatry [online]. 18 (1), pp.122-132. [Accessed 16 October 2014] Chance, P. (2013) Learning and Behavior. Cengage Learning. Dauvilliers, Y., Maret, S. and Tafti, M. (2005) Genetics of normal and pathological sleep in humans. Sleep Medicine Reviews [online]. 9 (2), pp.91-100. [Accessed 14 October 2014] Fernald, L.D. (2008) Psychology: Six Perspectives. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. FraniĆ¡, S., Dolan, C.V., van Beijsterveldt, C.E., Pol, H.E.H., Bartels, M. and Boomsma, D.I. (2014) Genetic and Environmental Stability of Intelligence in Childhood and Adolescence. Twin Research and Human Genetics [online]. 17 (03), pp.151-163. [Accessed 19 October 2014] Gardner, H. (2008) The Minds New Science: A History of the Cognitive Revolution. Basic books. Glassman, W., Glassman, W.E. and Hadad, M. (2008) Approaches to Psychology. McGraw-Hill International. Glassman, W.E. and Hadad, M. (2013) Approaches to Psychology. London: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Greenberg, G. (2011) The failure of biogenetic analysis in psychology: Why psychology is not a biological science. Research in Human Development [online]. 8 (3-4), pp.173-191. [Accessed 14 October 2014] Harper, P.S. (2010) Practical Genetic Counselling. Hodder Arnold London. Larsson, K. (2003) My way to biological psychology. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology [online]. 44 (3), pp.173-187. [Accessed 25 October 2014] Overton, W.F. (2006) Developmental psychology: Philosophy, concepts, methodology. Handbook of Child Psychology. Plomin, R., Corley, R., DeFries, J.C. and Fulker, D.W. (1990) Individual differences in television viewing in early childhood: Nature as well as nurture. Psychological Science [online]. 1 (6), pp.371-377. [Accessed 29 October 2014] Posthuma, D. and Polderman, T.J. (2013) What have we learned from recent twin studies about the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders? Current Opinion in Neurology [online]. 26 (2), pp.111-121. [Accessed 30 October 2014] Rockstroh, B. (2001) Contributions of biological psychology to psychopathology. Biological Psychology [online]. 57 (1), pp.1-4. [Accessed 20 October 2014] Sanders, R.L. (2014) Biological Psychology. London: Learning Matters. Wyatt, J.K., Ritz-De Cecco, A., Czeisler, C.A. and Dijk, D.J. (1999) Circadian temperature and melatonin rhythms, sleep, and neurobehavioral function in humans living on a 20-h day. The American Journal of Physiology [online]. 277 (4 Pt 2), pp.R1152-63. [Accessed 30 October 2014] 1

Congo Poverty

Poverty has worsened in the Republic of Congo since the 1980s and half the country’s people now live below the poverty line. This average, however, masks wide geographic and economic inequalities. Most of the country’s poor people (64. 8 per cent) live in rural areas and women are among the hardest hit by poverty. In 2006, more than a third of children under five in rural areas suffered from malnutrition. Access to water is also poor in rural areas where only 11 per cent of people can get water compared with 75 per cent of people in urban areas.Rural people also have a higher unemployment rate with close to 50 per cent of the economically active rural population being out of work. Young people and vulnerable groups are particularly hard hit. The country’s turbulent history — a troubled transition from centralized planning under a Marxist government to a market economy, together with economic mismanagement, military coups and brutal civil conflict during th e 1990s — have all left their marks. The vital national rail line and adjacent rural roads forming the Congo's economic lifeline were ruined.At the height of the conflict, about one third of the country's people were displaced. The chronic financial crisis became acute and the financial sector came close to collapse. Poverty became deeper in the rural areas of the Congo where poor people are now powerless, vulnerable and isolated. Transportation costs are very high which seriously hampers small producers’ access to markets. HIV/AIDS affects 5. 3 per cent of the population, but affects the 15-49 year age group the most and is an obstacle to reducing poverty in the Congo.An estimated 90,000 adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2003. The government supports a multi-agency initiative implementing a ten-year programme to assist people living with HIV/AIDS. Who are the Congo's rural poor people? Although half the country’s people live below the poverty line, the poorest people are in rural areas where they earn a livelihood as are small-scale farmers and fishers. There are also poor people living in peri-urban areas who have no access to land. Because of the low population density in rural areas, access to land is not a major problem for most rural people.But in peri-urban areas, where small plots can be profitable, land has become a scarce resource, and people without access to land or off-farm employment are the poorest of the poor. The most vulnerable of all poor people are young people and women, who are the primary agricultural producers and processors. Where are they? Poverty is most severe in the Congo's rural areas where people are more isolated and there is little investment. Why are they poor? Despite the country’s huge potential, there are several causes of the poverty in the Congo: * microfinance in rural areas is almost non-existent; low agricultural productivity as a result of traditional cultivation m ethods, insufficient use of inputs such as improved seeds and planting materials and fertilizers; * vehicles, access roads, crossings and navigation channels are in very poor condition which makes transport and other costs high; * difficulties in marketing because of weak collection and distribution organizations, basic processing equipment and a frail communication system connecting producers, traders and consumers. Not to be mixed with the neighboring Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the poorest country in the world as of 2010.Democratic Republic of the Congo was known as Zaire until 1997. Congo is the largest country in the world that has French as an official language – the population of D. R Congo is about six million larger than the population of France (71 million people in D. R Congo vs 65 million in France). The Second Congo War beginning in 1998 has devastated the country. The war that involves at least 7 foreign armies is the deadl iest conflict in the world since World War II – by 2008 the Second Congo War and its aftermath had killed 5. 4 million people. Congo Poverty Poverty has worsened in the Republic of Congo since the 1980s and half the country’s people now live below the poverty line. This average, however, masks wide geographic and economic inequalities. Most of the country’s poor people (64. 8 per cent) live in rural areas and women are among the hardest hit by poverty. In 2006, more than a third of children under five in rural areas suffered from malnutrition. Access to water is also poor in rural areas where only 11 per cent of people can get water compared with 75 per cent of people in urban areas.Rural people also have a higher unemployment rate with close to 50 per cent of the economically active rural population being out of work. Young people and vulnerable groups are particularly hard hit. The country’s turbulent history — a troubled transition from centralized planning under a Marxist government to a market economy, together with economic mismanagement, military coups and brutal civil conflict during th e 1990s — have all left their marks. The vital national rail line and adjacent rural roads forming the Congo's economic lifeline were ruined.At the height of the conflict, about one third of the country's people were displaced. The chronic financial crisis became acute and the financial sector came close to collapse. Poverty became deeper in the rural areas of the Congo where poor people are now powerless, vulnerable and isolated. Transportation costs are very high which seriously hampers small producers’ access to markets. HIV/AIDS affects 5. 3 per cent of the population, but affects the 15-49 year age group the most and is an obstacle to reducing poverty in the Congo.An estimated 90,000 adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2003. The government supports a multi-agency initiative implementing a ten-year programme to assist people living with HIV/AIDS. Who are the Congo's rural poor people? Although half the country’s people live below the poverty line, the poorest people are in rural areas where they earn a livelihood as are small-scale farmers and fishers. There are also poor people living in peri-urban areas who have no access to land. Because of the low population density in rural areas, access to land is not a major problem for most rural people.But in peri-urban areas, where small plots can be profitable, land has become a scarce resource, and people without access to land or off-farm employment are the poorest of the poor. The most vulnerable of all poor people are young people and women, who are the primary agricultural producers and processors. Where are they? Poverty is most severe in the Congo's rural areas where people are more isolated and there is little investment. Why are they poor? Despite the country’s huge potential, there are several causes of the poverty in the Congo: * microfinance in rural areas is almost non-existent; low agricultural productivity as a result of traditional cultivation m ethods, insufficient use of inputs such as improved seeds and planting materials and fertilizers; * vehicles, access roads, crossings and navigation channels are in very poor condition which makes transport and other costs high; * difficulties in marketing because of weak collection and distribution organizations, basic processing equipment and a frail communication system connecting producers, traders and consumers. Not to be mixed with the neighboring Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the poorest country in the world as of 2010.Democratic Republic of the Congo was known as Zaire until 1997. Congo is the largest country in the world that has French as an official language – the population of D. R Congo is about six million larger than the population of France (71 million people in D. R Congo vs 65 million in France). The Second Congo War beginning in 1998 has devastated the country. The war that involves at least 7 foreign armies is the deadl iest conflict in the world since World War II – by 2008 the Second Congo War and its aftermath had killed 5. 4 million people.

How Organisations Has Been Affected By Two Contrasting Economic Environments

Task 1)When the country is in the recession everybody is trying to save money and go to shops which are cheap. Some companies cut jobs and are trying to maximise profit. Lidl is making lots of profit in the recession therefore they don’t have to worry that there is a recession because everybody is trying to save money and people are going to cheap shops and Lidl is one of them and because of that they are making lots of money in recession. Lidl is in England for a very long time and when recession came, it made tens of thousands of people to try Lidl for the first time.The same thing happened to Aldi. Lidl and Aldi have cheap products at high quality. When the country is at boom then lots of business like Lidl hire lots of people therefore there is high employment level and their wages will go high as well because they want to attract more people because the business can afford to hire lots of people therefore the business will run in a very good way also businesses are invest ing more to make the business expand and meet peoples demands, and in a boom people have lots of money which they want to spend on their want and needs and because of that shops will make lots of profit.Task 2)Human resources in a recession have to make hard decisions, one of them is cutting jobs because they can't afford to have lots of employees, finance department have to calculate how much money they can spend on the business and try not to bankrupt therefore they would have to change their suppliers on cheaper suppliers which have less quality products as they would have from their normal suppliers and that could affect their business because they could lose customers. The company would have to stop investing and save money for their suppliers and pay their employees.He company would have to stop investing and save money for their suppliers and pay their employees. If the country is at the recovery, then Human resources might start hiring new people but not a lot like they had at boom therefore unemployment will fall a little. Finances will have to consider about increasing production and start investing into the business again, demand would rise and because of that sales will rise as well therefore slowly the business will be making profit.

Where to Find Full-Text Sociology Journals Online

Finding full-text sociology journals online can be difficult, especially for students with limited access to academic libraries or online databases. There are a number of sociology journals that offer free full-text articles, which may be especially useful for students who do not have easy access to an academic library. The following journals offer access to a selection of full-text articles online. The Annual Review of SociologyThe Annual Review of Sociology, in publication since 1975, covers the significant developments in the field of Sociology. Topics covered in the journal include major theoretical and methodological developments as well as current research in the major subfields. Review chapters typically cover social processes, institutions and culture, organizations, political and economic sociology, stratification, demography, urban sociology, social policy, historical sociology, and major developments in sociology in other regions of the world. The Future of ChildrenThis publications aim is to disseminate information on issues related to childrens well-being. The target of the journal is a multidisciplinary audience of national leaders, including policymakers, practitioners, legislators, executives, and professionals in the public and private sectors. Each issue has a focal theme. Topics covered have included the protection of children, children and poverty, welfare to work, and special education for children with disabilities. Each issue also contains an executive summary with recommendations and a summary of articles. Sociology of Sport OnlineSociology of Sport Online is an online journal that deals with the sociological examination of sport, physical education and coaching. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive HealthPerspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health (formerly, Family Planning Perspectives) provides the latest peer-reviewed, policy-relevant research and analysis on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States and other industrialized countries. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular CultureThe Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture is a scholarly record of research and opinion on the intersection of crime, criminal justice, and popular culture. Western Criminology ReviewThe Western Criminology Review is the official peer reviewed publication of the Western Society of Criminology which is devoted to the scientific study of crime. Keeping with the Societys mission -- as stated by the president of WSC -- the journal is meant to provide a forum for publication and discussion of theory, research, policy, and practice in the interdisciplinary fields of criminology and criminal justice. Globalization and HealthGlobalization and Health is an open access, peer-reviewed, online journal that provides a platform for research, knowledge sharing and debate on the topic of globalization and its effects on health, both positive and negative. Globalization essentially refers to anything supra-territorial, anything that transcends the geopolitical boundaries of the nation-state. As a process it is being driven by liberalisation of markets and technological advancements. In essence, it is about human proximity -- people are now living in each others metaphorical pockets. Behavior and Social IssuesBehavior and Social Issues is an open-access, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal that serves as a primary scholarly outlet for articles that advance the scientific analysis of human social behavior, particularly with regard to understanding and influencing important social problems. The primary intellectual frameworks for the journal are the natural science of behavior, and the sub-discipline of cultural analytic science. The journal is particularly interested in publishing work related to issues with social justice, human rights, and environmental implications, but all significant social issues are of interest. IDEA: A Journal of Social IssuesIDEA is a peer-reviewed electronic journal created for the exchange of ideas related mainly, to cults, mass movements, autocratic power, war, genocide, democide, holocaust, and murder. International Journal of Child, Youth, and Family StudiesThe International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies (IJCYFS) is a peer reviewed, open access, interdisciplinary, cross-national journal that is committed to scholarly excellence in the field of research about and services for children, youth, families and their communities. Social MedicineSocial Medicine is a bilingual, academic, open-access journal published since 2006 by the Department of Family and Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Latin American Social Medicine Association (ALAMES).

A Renewed Sense Of Hopelessness American Sentiment...

- My project is titled â€Å"A Renewed Sense of Hopelessness: American Sentiment Following the Vietnam War.† Since I’m interested in studying how film actively molded Americans’ interpretation of the Vietnam War, I picked Francis Ford Coppola’s film, Apocalypse Now, as my artifact. I thought that it would be a good choice because it’s one of the most well-known war films and it came out just a few years after the Vietnam War. This image from the beginning of the film shows napalm being dropped on the Vietnamese forest, setting everything on fire. - The Cold War began shortly after the end of WWII. Since the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the primary victors, each nation wanted to become the top world superpower. This tension led to a series of proxy wars, such as the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War, America aimed to prevent Communism from spreading into Southeast Asia because they feared that if one country, such as Vietnam, became communist, then all of the others would soon follow. Although Americans were ambivalent about the Vietnam War from the very beginning, the Tet Offensive—which was a surprise attack by communist forces during a Vietnamese holiday—significantly increased American disapproval of the Vietnam War. This image shows the streets of Saigon during the Tet Offensive. - Francis Ford Coppola is a prominent director, producer, and screenwriter. His most famous works include The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now. Although he faced manyShow MoreRelatedRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagessensibility. What is clear is that Rastafarianism is one of the most complex and insightful reactions to colonialism and the oppression of blacks that has emerged in the last hundred years. Rastafari: From Outcasts to Culture Bearers helps us to make sense of Rastafarianisms strange oddities that have puzzled many. Most important, the book helps us to understand this religion as one that patterns the emergence of religions in so many other cultures. There is an immense social and cultural logic toRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesThree Ethical Decision Criteria 187 †¢ Improving Creativity in Decision Making 188 Summary and Implications for Managers 190 S A S A S A L L L Self-Assessment Library What Are My Gender Role Perceptions? 166 glOBalization! Chinese Time, North American Time 171 Myth or Science? Creative Decision Making Is a Right-Brain Activity 181 Self-Assessment Library Am I A Deliberate Decision Maker? 183 An Ethical Choice Whose Ethical Standards to Follow? 185 Self-Assessment Library How Creative Am I? 190

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens - 1948 Words

Introduction Wuthering Heights was composed by Emily Bronte and Great Expectations was composed by Charles Dickens as they were illustrations of the Victorian novel. Both novels reflect the conditions of the 19th century in England which showed a lot of progress in many aspects. Through the growth and development of the English Empire, industrialism and capitalism which caused a lot of dramatic changes in the society. Causing cultural differences among the classes, changing the social roles, meanwhile it made a lot of financial concerns which created a conflict in people’s lives. Which was clearly seen in the characters of these novels where they tried to adjust concerning on their personal individual desires and expectations of the society especially during their transition from youth to maturity. In my research my objective is that both novels deals with nearly similar issues that can be compared to each other in theme of love, marriage, revenge, and social class. Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, he was the most popular British novelist of the Victorian era. Great Expectations mirrored a lot of events from Dickens’s early life when great social changes were sweeping the nation. This conflicted dickens family dramatically and causing him to belong to a low class family. As he was the second child of eight children. At the age of twelve he was removed from school because his father was arrested and taken to debtors’ prison. Dickens’s motherShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadventures that the male characters go on. This seems to be relevant in a lot of movies and books like the story Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations there are multiple female characters like Estella, Biddy, and Miss Havisham who all play a large part in the main character, Pip’s life. One of the first that we meet the character Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is when Pip goes to Miss Havisham’s to play with her. The two kids play the game beggar my neighbor when EstellaRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagespoor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that ofRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1426 Words   |  6 Pages Twelve-year-old Charles dickens gets ready for bed after a long day at the blacking house. These Victorian-aged memories will provide him with many ideas for his highly acclaimed novel Great Expectations. Set in 1830 England, Great Expectations is a coming-of-age story about a common innocent boy named Pip and his road to becoming a gentleman through the influence of others. Pip is influenced both positively and negatively by Estella, Herbert, and Magwitch. Estella left a huge impression on PipRead MoreGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens984 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringingRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations943 Words   |  4 Pages This is true in many cases but none as much as in Great Expectations. In many ways the narrator/protagonist Pip is Charles Dickens in body and mind. While there are many differences between the story and Charles Dickens life there remains one constant. This constant is the way Pip as the narra tor feels, because these feelings are Dickens s own feelings about the life he lead. Since Great Expectations was written towards end of Charles Dickens life, he was wiser and able to make out the mistakesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. Both of these texts consider the criticisms of rich social contexts (wealth and status), societal morality (whether a society is good or not. Status [can lead to the wrong people being in a high position i.e. making bad decisions affecting the community/society] Appearance [society appears to be moral/good (if you’re from a higher status) {dickens criticisesRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1223 Words   |  5 PagesBeloved author Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Growing up in a life of poverty, his childhood hardshi ps provided the inspiration to write a myriad of classic novels including his 1861 seminole masterpiece, Great Expectations (â€Å"BBC History - Charles Dickens†). Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who’s perspective of the world is altered when he is attacked by an escaped convict in his parents’ graveyard in the town of Kent. Throughout hisRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens924 Words   |  4 Pagesa character driven novel, or a mix of the two. In order for a novel to be character driven, it must revolve more around the characters’ individual thoughts, feelings, and inner struggles, rather than around the quest of the story. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a character driven novel. While the story does have a plot, it is not contingent upon that plot, but rather is reliant upon its characters and their natures. This is evident from the beginning of the novel. From the opening ofRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1344 Words   |  6 Pagessomething that is not what they truly need? Often, they use social class to fill a void in their lives that can not be filled by materialistic possessions. Many people realize this, but it is often too late. Charles Dickens demonstrates the effects of social climbing in his novel, Great Expectations. This novel explores the connections and effects of human nature and society, which are the two most powerful forces that guide people’s decisions. Some may say that social climbing is good, but as will beRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1669 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Dickens He was one of England s greatest authors of the 1800 s, better known as the Victorian era. The various themes and ideas of that time are perfectly showcased in his many novels and short stories, such as Nicholas Nickelby, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol. Much of the inspiration for these works came from the trials and conflicts that he dealt with in his own life. His volumes of fictional writing show the great

Dementia in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Essay Example For Students

Dementia in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Essay On the surface, it would seem that the short story is pretty straightforward. Walter Mitty, a man constantly badgered and hen pecked upon that he purposely escapes into a fantasy world in his mind just to escape his wife. But let’s look deeper past the surface and there we will find a darker reason for these â€Å"daydreams† to happen in his everyday life. Walter’s daydreams are a symptom of his mental illness, dementia, not his desire to leave his dull, boring life behind. Walter’s progression of violence in his dreams portray how his cognitive stability is devolving. In the beginning his daydream starts off much more benign. He’s a pilot, a commander to be precise. But while he is engaging with his fight to get his hydroplane off the Naval Ship, he is also driving in traffic. Meanwhile his wife is asking him to slow down because he is driving too fast. Leading directly into â€Å"Hmm? said Walter Mitty. He looked at his wife, in the seat beside him, with shocked astonishment. She seemed grossly unfamiliar, like a strange woman who had yelled at him in a crowd. † (Thurber). This deals directly with how his mental state is not what it should be and is symptomatic of dementia. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as a â€Å"Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain. † His actions and reactions to these situations show how tenuous his grasp on reality really is. Directly after Mrs. Mitty says, â€Å"It’s one of your days. I wish you’d let Dr. Renshaw look you over† (Thurber). This gives even more credence that Walter is sick and has a physician he sees to monitor his health. Walter also can’t seem to stay engaged in real life activities like he should if he was in good health. The perfect example is that after dropping off his wife he once again loses touch with reality while driving, now alone. It continues into a fantasy where a man’s life is in danger and he must save him. In this portion Walter is showing a three on the GDS (Global Deterioration Scale) which is used to assess primary degenerative dementia, developed by Dr. Barry Riesberg. A three is considered mild cognitive decline (Reisberg) and the person can still maintain a semblance of a normal lifestyle, with some decreased memory and/or concentration deficit. The GDS has levels, one being the mildest going to seven being severe dementia. Another example is while he’s walking on the street he thinks he is on the witness stand with an injured arm on trial for murder. Every time he loses himself in a separate world someone else is the one to bring him back out of them. We have also seen that each incident has become increasingly violent as well, which can tie into how his sickness is becoming more debilitating. The fact remains that Walter keeps losing himself in these altered realities. But what reveals even more how he is sick is that he takes on the personalities as himself. In the grocery store, â€Å"The greatest pistol shot in the world thought for a moment. It says ‘Puppies Bark for It’ on the box,† (Thurber). The juxtaposition of the statement alone brings a surrealist feel standing for itself. The principal point being he is not the greatest pistol shot in the world, he had just been in that state of mind and brought it back to the real world. This shows how his health is declining because before he was always someone else and never bringing back the persona with him. Also â€Å"To hell with the handkerchief, said Walter Mitty scornfully. He took one last drag on his cigarette and snapped it away. .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 , .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .postImageUrl , .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 , .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:hover , .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:visited , .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:active { border:0!important; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:active , .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39 .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u239d6789d133e0995475446459d6ba39:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Two Hurricanes that Changed My Life EssayThen, with that faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last† (Thurber). He took his alternate reality and placed himself as the character. Walter was then mimicking what went on there and carrying out those actions in real life. With these particular actions Walter then falls on level six severe cognitive decline (Riesberg). That includes the symptoms he has already been portraying and â€Å" include: (a) delusional behavior, e. g. , patients may accuse their spouse of being an imposter, may talk to imaginary figures b) obsessive symptoms (c) anxiety symptoms, agitation, and even previously nonexistent violent behavior (d) cognitive abulla, i. e. loss of willpower because an individual cannot carry a thought long enough to determine a purposeful course of action† (Riesberg). The incidents have also gone from his injured arm and eventually to death, his own. A particularly strong image of death as well, he stands erect against something (the firing squad) that he has no control over. The similarity between his mental deterioration due to his illness and his final incident can also show that in the end he knows he is not well but he can’t change it. Through the short story Walter was losing his ability to remember names and words that were common to him, including his wife’s name. Occurring during his first incident he was shouting â€Å"Full strength in No. 3 turret! † (Thurber). When in reality that means a gun on a platform whereas he was meaning full power to the engines. Keep in mind this was after WWI and the beginning of WWII, all likelihood points to him knowing the definition of the word. Walter Mitty took the gun and examined it expertly. This is my Webley-Vickers 50. 80 (Thurber). This is not a real make and model of a gun. Which follows along with the previous point during that time he would know some type of fire arm, his mind just could not grasp it. The way in which Walter’s illness took place was deceptive and could be construed differently if one did not look at the underlying problems he faced daily. He started off in this short story sick and unfortunately got worse until the end. How the story ended gave both the story and character great closure. Even though the sickness was taking things away from him in the end he was able to recognize what was happening and come to terms.