Comparing poems about identity Essay

In this essay I will be comparing two poems about identity-â€Å"Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan† by Moniza Alvi and â€Å"Welsh Landscape† by R.S. Thomas. â€Å"Welsh Landscape† was written in approximately 1963. It’s a poem of dismay; Thomas is despairing about what is happening to his country. Although he has an obvious love for his country, in â€Å"Welsh Landscape† this is almost hidden by Thomas’s feelings of bitterness and frustration at what’s happened to the once infamous landscape, history and language of Wales. Thomas wishes that Wales would just move forward and embrace its heroic past, but in his eyes this just isn’t happening. â€Å"Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan† was written in the late 20th century. It’s also a poem of despair-but in a different way. Thirteen-year-old Moniza Alvi isn’t angry, but she’s uncomfortable where she is and wishes that she could fit in. She’d give anything for that. She wishes desperately that she could feel more at home and ordinary in Britain, where she’s lived practically all her life, but she can’t. She can’t reconcile her two cultures-Pakistani and English-and she’s confused and upset about this. Moniza Alvi wonders why she can’t fit in and feels utterly trapped. This is like Thomas’s poem; he feels that his country is trapped between two cultures-English and Welsh-too. Both Alvi and Thomas feel that they’ve completely lost their identities. Both poets explore their culture in these poems. They’re both proud of many aspects of their cultures, but feel that a lot needs to be done to enable them to live in their idea world. RS Thomas seems angry. He talks about how in Wales you â€Å"cannot live in the present† and how there’s â€Å"only the past†. He’s angry that that over the years, the Wales he knows and loved has crumbled away. It could have been avoided. Thomas directly addresses his reader when he comments that â€Å"You cannot live in the present†. Here, he’s saying that this is the same for everybody in Wales; it’s unavoidable. Although you can tell that Thomas is proud of his culture (he talks about the â€Å"immaculate rivers† and the â€Å"soft consonants†) he believes that a more negative atmosphere has now taken over his country. He believes that Wales should remain purely Welsh, and anybody who defies that is â€Å"inbreeding†. Overall, I think that RS Thomas is trying to say that we should appreciate Wales but be conscious of its violent past and try to move on from that-instead of being trapped between the past and present. At the moment, people just aren’t moving on. Moniza Alvi, on the other hand, feels lost. She’s confused. She longs to be able to wear her â€Å"glistening†, â€Å"satin-silken†, â€Å"embossed† clothing, but can’t fee comfortable in them. â€Å"My costume clung to me and I was aflame,† she says. â€Å"Aflame† implies that when she wears these clothes, she feels embarrassed and angry that she doesn’t look right. â€Å"Costume† suggests that these don’t feel like her ordinary clothes; it’s like she’s trying to be something that she’s not. However, although she longs for â€Å"denim and corduroy† (ordinary, plain British clothes) she doesn’t describe them with anywhere near as much enthusiasm. They’re plain, even if they are comfortable, and here we see that Moniza Alvi is again torn between her two cultures. She’s envious of her Aunt Jamila, who can â€Å"Rise up out of its fire, half English†. She feels that she can’t do this at all. She simply wants to be accepted for who she is. She loves her Pakistani clothing-it looks â€Å"radiant† in her wardrobe-but on her, it just doesn’t look right. She talks about her mother’s â€Å"cherished† jewellery which was stolen from her car. The jewellery, like her, was stolen from its roots-now it’ll never be cherished in the same way again. She then goes on to discuss the â€Å"camel-skin† lamp. Just like her, the camel-skin lamp has been taken out of its own culture and put somewhere else. She says that she considers its â€Å"cruelty†-we see here that the lamp is a metaphor for herself. She feels that she has been treated cruelly when she was taken out of her culture and put somewhere else-and she’s having difficult dealing with it. Ever since she left Pakistan, she’s felt out of place. On the journey to England, Moniza Alvi says that â€Å"prickly heat had me screaming on the way†-her trek to England even started off on the wrong foot. She â€Å"ended up in a cot†-this implies that as soon as she arrived in England she was completely trapped. She then immediately â€Å"found myself alone, playing with a tin boat†. She;s already lost, and the tin boat insinuates that she already wants to sale back home. She just wants to feel right where she is; she doesn’t have an identity. Here, we see a contrast between the two poems that I’m studying-brittle as it is, at least RS Thomas has an identity. The mood throughout â€Å"Welsh landscape† is that of frustration. RS Thomas is irritated because he sees the potential in Wales-â€Å"the constant noisy tractor† and the â€Å"hum of the machine† which implies that work in Wales is indeed moving forward. He sees the beauty of Wales in the â€Å"immaculate† rivers and the â€Å"wild† sky, but is angry that people aren’t willing to maintain this beauty in other aspects of Wales-the â€Å"wind bitten towers and castles† and, â€Å"mouldering quarries and mines†. He’s frustrated that people aren’t maintaining the areas that his country has always been famous for. He feels that he’s been affected unnecessarily-if the Welsh people did what in his eyes are their duties, he wouldn’t be in this situation. He’s extremely aggravated that this has been allowed to happen and that Wales’ reputation and condition is continuing to deteriorate. He’s worried that eventually, Wales won’t even have its â€Å"soft consonants† and, â€Å"wind-bitten towers and castles† to its name-they’ll be allowed to die out.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Peppermint Oil Essay

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Peppermint Oil - Essay Example Though IBS is rarely associated with any mortality, patients with the irritable bowel syndrome often have poorer quality of life due to its chronic, relapsing nature, increased morbidity and higher health care utilization than persons without the disorder. Although the cause of the disorder is not fully understood, manometric studies have shown that disordered bowel motility may be responsible for causing some of the symptoms. Diagnostic Criteria for IBS as described by Thompson et al (1999) is as follows: conventional therapy, comprising of dietary changes like increasing dietary fibre intake, etc, and drugs such as anticholinergics, antispasmodics, and sedatives is often not significantly effective and may not be tolerated by the patient due to the presence of side effects. Until the precise cause of IBS is understood, treatment would be symptomatic and not curative and would aim at relieving symptoms. In a review of randomized, controlled trials regarding the most optimum therapeutic option for IBS by Jaiwala, Imperiale &, Krroenke (2000), no convincing evidence to support the efficacy of any medication currently being used for IBS was found. In fact the reviewers were unable to reach any significant conclusion as many studies considered in the review suffered from significant flaws in their methodology. Some of the most commonly used therapeutic options in the patients with IBS include, smooth-muscle relaxants, which are beneficial when abdominal pain is the predominant symptom, b ulking agents are used for constipation and anti-motility agents like loperamide for diarrhea. Presently the evidence supports the efficacy of smooth-muscle relaxants in patients whose predominant symp

Research Method - Feasibility Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research Method - Feasibility Study - Essay Example As one of the most common mental health disorders, it is important for nursing staff to have a good understanding of bipolar disorder and how it affects the patient and their health. The most common pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder is lithium salts, used as a mood stabilizer (Peacock, 2000). However, one of the most common side effects of taking lithium is that it increases appetite and thirst, and thus can cause significant weight gain in some patients. Some patients therefore request medication for their bipolar disorder that is not linked to weight gain, and thus the following PICO question (Chiappelli, 2010) was formatted: P – patients with bipolar disorder worried about weight gain I – other medication used in the treatment of bipolar disorder that are not associated with weight gain C – weight gain using lithium salts for bipolar disorder treatment O – control psychiatric symptoms whilst reducing the likelihood of weight gain The purpos e of this investigation is to search the existing literature on bipolar disorder and various medications to see if there are any that can be used to reduce mania, depression and weight gain. Discussion The literature chosen for this topic was found using the databases MEDLINE and OVID, two well-respected databases providing access to detailed and current nursing information. To complete the search, the search terms ‘bipolar disorder AND treatment AND weight gain’ were chosen, because this returned results providing the information necessary to complete the task. The search returned 6642 results, ordered by relevance. The five articles chosen were selected because they each discussed how a type of medication used for the treatment of bipolar disorder (not lithium salt based) affected patient weight and their symptoms of the disorder. As the search results were ordered by relevance, so results at the top were assumed to be the best for the research of weight gain and bipo lar disorder, although it would be impossible to brose 6642 results to ascertain whether this was the case. A search using ‘bipolar disorder AND medication AND weight gain’ was also conducted but the results from this search were not used because it returned many more results (over 10,000) and the returned results seemed to be irrelevant or all secondary sources. It seems that it would be extremely possible to complete a dissertation on this topic. The fact that 6642 results were returned from these two databases suggests that there is existing research on the topic that can be used to answer the PICO question in detail. It also suggests that the topic is of interest to those working in clinical situations, and that the weight gain aspect of lithium salts is bothering to many patients. The five articles suggested each describe a different type of treatment and how they can be used for bipolar disorder and how they affect the metabolism and weight changes within the body , and there were many more describing different treatments that may possibly be equally effective in treating bipolar disorder but avoid weight gain issues. The fact that there were so many resources in the literature also means that information can be found easily and used to the advantage of a dissertation. There were issues when conducting the search. There do not seem to be comparisons within the literature between lithium salts and the other types of medication suggested

Quantitative Data Analysis 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative Data Analysis 5 - Essay Example se figures, it may be noted that in general, the participants have not provided a very high rating on any of the questions, rather the average result for most of these questions is an overall â€Å"Fair†, although some aspects rate slightly higher than others. For example, Q5 which rates the facilities in the room gets the highest average rating, while the availability of tourist facilities is ranked the lowest. It may also be noted that on an overall basis 24 respondents have responded in the negative to the question of whether they are satisfied overall with the quality of service, which is about 48% of the sample. One important aspect to be tested in this survey on quality is the extent to which the levels of service available meet the expectations of the respondents. The quality of service is said to be the gap between customer expectations and the actual performance they receive. (Parasuraman et al, 1994; Tsang and Qu, 2000). Therefore, it is this aspect that will determine whether or not the four star hotels are delivering the levels of quality of service that are expected. Q8 tests the extent to which front desk services met the expectations of the participants, Q 9 tests the quality of the room and Q10 tests the quality of housekeeping services. As demonstrated above, only a few respondents have accorded a rating of 4, in terms of the level of service meeting their expectations. Most respondents rate this variable between 2 and 3, although one respondent gives it a very negative ranking of 1. As shown above, there are a higher percentage of respondents who appear to have accorded this variable a favorable ranking of 3 to 4. None of the respondents ranks this as low as 1, while there are only a few who have ranked this variable at 2. Therefore, on an overall basis, it appears that the facilities in the room have tended to meet the expectations of customers fairly favorably. In this case, a greater percentage of respondents have ranked this at 2 or 3,

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Proposal - Essay Example Moreover, the kinds of issues raised by this saga are concentrated on interesting for this social group ordinary relations within family and school institutions, romantic love, and superpowers. Thus, analyzing this text enables discovery of the main messages that are accepted by contemporary adolescents in terms of Hollywood cultural industry, Twihards fan culture, and phenomenon of contemporary globalization process. For this purpose, both text written by Stephanie Mayer and its film adaptation are considered in the current research. In case of Hollywood cultural industry, the way the screening of Twilight saga happened was made in a standardized way described by Theodor Adorno. In this context, regular referring to the movie’s celebrities in general and romantic real love between main actors in particular is reflected in the usual way Hollywood movies are promoted nowadays. Therefore, the way Twilight Saga was presented on the screen determines the whole context of teenagers’ behavior and ideals in the society. As for fan culture, the fact that most Twihards (Twilight fans) have female gender corresponds with the observation made by Henry Jenkins on distinguishing eroticized fans from all the others. But, this approach should applied not only on exotic forms of culture but also in such an ordinary case of customer culture. Thus, the fan communities should be also considered from the Gender Studies perspective. Finally, contemporary globalization with the phenomenon of â€Å"eating the other† stated in Hook’s essay is literally used in Twilight. In particular, Edward Callen and all the members of his family have extremely white skin. Moreover, they are superior to all the others as they are able to kill by eating blood. And so, in this case Hook’s theory can be applied even more accurately than the author supposed to use it. In context

Ethics & Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics & Business - Essay Example In Mexico, it has been reported that workers are offered very little wages to an extent that they are forced to send their kids to offer labor in garment factories instead of going to school (Esbenshade, 2004, pp.4). This denies the young children from achieving their rights to education and forces them into the same torturing manual professions like their parents. The word â€Å"sweatshop† was first coined in the early 1900s i.e. during the industrial revolution. It was a term used to express the kind of abusive working situation several workers in Latin America used to and are still put to go through by middlemen who make an income off their sweat. For every pay a worker receives, there is a percentage that is taken by the middlemen. This percentage is what is said to be sweated from the laborer despite the fact that, they received minimal wages for disproportionate work, under unhygienic conditions. Basically, the greatest victim of sweatshops is often women. Under these wo rking conditions, these women’s right to wages that meet basic costs of living is violated; they live and work under substandard and hazardous working condition; they receive no compensation for overtime work; and also endure sexual harassment. In many instances, the women fall victim to this inhuman habit as they are lured by recruiters who promise heaven but only offer hell. Worse still, is the fact that in most instances, they pay lots of cash in recruitment and contractual fees that tie them up to commitments that would probably last for endless years. Some even go for several years without receiving even a single penny as they try to pay off their debts. Those who attempt to escape back home without meeting their contractual commitments are in most cases blacklisted or jailed. The laborers, who often are not quite familiar with their labor rights frequently, carry on with work even when their wages delayed for weeks. Some employers even lure the women into offering them sexual favor for better opportunities and wages, something that never comes to bare fruits (Hapke, 2004, pp.3). Global Corporations’ Perspective and Ethics Ethics among global corporations is a widespread issue that impacts not only in the economies of Latin America, but also the economies of other nations as well. In a time when technology has enhanced accessibility all across the world, the global economy is continually becoming more and more vital. Labor standards of the firms targeting foreign workers must aptly take into consideration the principal form of human rights, and the persona of both the individuals targeted as well as that of the company. When discussing ethics among global corporations, some of the key areas of debate include â€Å"extortion, moral norms and human rights† (Hapke, 2004, pp.3). The behavioral traits exhibited by firms in the hosting nations normally impact negatively on the economies and persons of both the targeted nation as well as the host firms doing business. Due to this, the ethical standards under which a company ought to operate under has been a source of extensive debate for a very long time. There are two fundamental ethical issues in human rights that need to be largely taken into consideration by global business players. First and foremost, is the question of whether global business players should carry out business in nations which consistently

Issues and controversies in management project Case Study

Issues and controversies in management project - Case Study Example McDonald's evidences the validity of the stated. Renown for its corporate social responsibility record in its home country, and owing a sizeable percentage of its market share to this, upon expansion into foreign markets, McDonald's exported its CSR principles along (Bronn, 2006). Hence, in the 32 of the countries in which it operates, it has over 200 Ronald McDonald Houses, charity organisation which support underprivileged children (Bronn, 2006). It has also embraced environmentalism and committed itself to green practices, publicly acknowledging its responsibility towards the preservation and conservation of an increasingly fragile environment and ecosystem (Paton, 2007). Operating on the basis of these and other practices designed to underscore its commitment to CSR, McDonald's has successfully entrenched itself in the communities within which it operates. Indeed, a significant part of its market success and ability to penetrate the barriers to foreign market entry are a direct o utcome of the fact that it projects an image of a company which wants to give, not just take, from its community (Paton, 2007). Corporate ethics, albeit strongly related t... rnationalisation, it is imperative that multinationals acquire an understanding of the ethical systems particular to the foreign markets in question and adhere to them. For instance, in some cultures, gender segregation is an inviolable ethical principle, with the implication being that foreign entrants should adhere to this practice. In others, child labour is not viewed as unethical and the employment of children may be interpreted as the extension of assistance to an impoverished family. However, since this last is not viewed as an ethical practice and its implementation as universally unethical, not to mention a violation of international law, multinationals who engage in this practice may irreparably damage their market standing. This means that in designing their ethics guidelines, companies must create a fine balance between international and national ethical systems. McDonald's has managed to achieve this balance. On the one hand, it adheres to universal ethics guidelines whi ch dictate the imperatives of fair wages, non-discriminatory labour practices Royle, 2005) and quality goods from suppliers (Verschoor, 2001). On the other, it respects the cultural ethics of its host environments whereby, for example, it does not employ women in its restaurants, in concession to the segregation precept, although it does in its offices (Heck, 2003). The point here is that upon entry into foreign markets, the company does try to embrace and adhere to local ethical precepts, even as it abides by international ones, so as to facilitate entry and acceptance. Branding Competitive advantage is a critical determinant of successful entry into foreign markets and of surviving the challenges of globalisation and realising its promises. Branding is a managed process to