Value of lessons Essay Example for Free

Value of lessons Essay When the monster recounts the early memories of his life, he explains: it was a long time before I could distinguish between the operations of my various senses. This helps us to sympathise with him as we view him similarly to a helpless new born child. By Shelley providing this knowledge of his innocence, it acts as evidence that he is not an evil creature, and started his life with no malicious intentions, which helps us to identify his motives which occur later in his narrative and drive him to commit his crimes. In his narrative the monster also tells us of the friendship he formed with the cottagers during his observation of them from his hovel. He expresses how he longed to join them, but dared not because the only interaction he has had with humans before this point had left him miserable from the barbarity of man. We sympathise with the monsters feelings of isolation and loneliness as it is clear that the monster longs to feel compassion and belonging, but knows from his previous human reception that this is not a possibility. He takes to doing favours for the cottagers, such as collecting firewood, in an effort to ease their sadness and poverty. We find it endearing how the kindness of the cottagers towards each other inspires the monster to show kindness towards them, this shows evidence of the monster longing to be part of the family which he so avidly admires, thus furthering our sympathy towards him. As the monsters knowledge develops it brings him both happiness and misery. He first feels happiness, as his new found knowledge of language instils him with the hope that this acquired skill will ensure the acceptance of the cottagers. He hopes that upon presenting himself to them his gentle demeanour and conciliating words should win their favour and afterwards their love. This hope is heightened by arrival of spring causing his past recollections of cruelty and the hard learned lessons of the barbarity of man to be blotted from his memory with the disappearance of winter. This increases our sympathy as these delusional hopes he has created for himself emphasise his desperate longing and determination to be accepted and loved. As the monster then continues to observe the cottagers with his new found understanding of their language, he comes to learn more about the strange system of human society. He discovers that he does not possess any of the qualities that will allow him to be accepted amongst mankind, which brings him great misery. He comes to question his existence: was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth? This realisation brings the monster great pain, which Shelley emphasises by its contrast with the hopes and happiness that his earlier knowledge gave him. The monster tells of when he went to speak with De Lacey, the blind man who lives in the cottage, in an attempt to gain his friendship. De Lacey responds to the monster with kindness and sympathises with his plight. He cannot see the monster and believes him to be human, so here Shelley is convincing the reader of the monsters humanity by showing us that only his appearance sets him apart from other humans. The children return home to the cottage during the conversation between De Lacey and the monster. Upon seeing him they react with horror and Conternation. When Felix struck the monster violently with a stick, we feel greatly sympathetic towards him as he was not given the chance to prove himself the way had done to the old man. Shelleys use of this anti-climax reflects the monsters disappointment at the outcome of his plan and helps the reader to empathise with him. This empathy is also created through his language, as he expresses his feelings of pain and anguish and how his heart sank within him as with bitter sickness. The fact that he could have torn [Felix] limb from limb but refrained, conveys how defeated he feels at the loss of his only chance of being accepted by his protectors, who have now become his attackers. The monsters final appearance in the novel shows his reaction to seeing his creators dead body. He is immediately filled with remorse for his crimes and begs for Frankensteins forgiveness: Oh Frankenstein! Generous and self-devoted being! What does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? The fact that the monster mourns his creators death, after Frankenstein had shown him nothing but rejection and hatred, shows that the monster is a very compassionate creature. This helps us to feel that we can still sympathise with monster, despite his crimes, as it reassures us that it was the cruelty that life had dealt him which drove him to commit these murders. I think Shelley wanted us to realise that Frankenstein was not born evil; it was the brutal treatment he received by mankind that turned him to be bitter and resentful. Perhaps Shelleys intended to convey that society could have this same effect on anyone, and urge readers to think of the consequences that their actions could have on the lives of others. Or perhaps Shelley is simply urging us not to judge a book by its cover, as the monster is judged solely on his appearance throughout the novel. More specifically, this could be aimed at scientists, like Frankenstein, warning them to think of the potential consequences of their work. Although Shelleys motive for this novel is unclear, evidently she intended for her novel to teach readers a lesson, and I feel the sympathy she creates for the monster helps us to appreciate the value of these lessons.

Puritan Society In Hesters Life :: essays research papers

The Godly beliefs and punishments followed by the Puritans stemmed from their English experience and complete involvement in religion. The Puritan society molded itself and created a government based upon the Bible and implemented it with force. Hester’s act of adultery was welcomed with rage and was qualified for serious punishment. Boston became more involved in Hester’s life after her crime was announced than it had ever been before—the religious based, justice system formally punished her and society collectively tortured her. Based upon the religious, governmental, and social design of the society, Hester’s entire existence revolved around her sin and the Puritan perception thereof; this association breaks way to society significantly becoming involved in her life. The importance of a social framework for the new society, where the Church would be all encompassing, developed from the teachings of such religious reformers as John Wycliffe and John Calvin. The Church would be directly involved in the running of the community and its regime. Enforcing such laws established by scripture read from the Bible, the government disciplined Hester for her committed sin. The Puritans considered the Bible as the â€Å"true law of God that provided guidelines for church and government†. They wished to shape the Church of England to meet their ideals, emphasizing Bible reading, prayer, and preaching in worship services. They simplified the ritual of the sacraments and also wanted more personal and fewer prescribed prayers. The Puritans stressed grace, devotion, prayer, and self-examination to achieve religious virtue while including a basic knowledge of unacceptable actions of the time. Obtaining virtue was expected to secure order and peace within the Puritan community. The Church officials, who played a direct role in the government, calculated the penalties for various sins. When sins arose, the government took the role as chief executive of corrective punishment and instituted castigation. Hester found herself very much a part of the local Church and government’s heavy hand. Everyone was aware of her sinful act, for she was placed on a scaffold amidst the entire people for a painful viewing. The religious morals instilled in the Puritan society caused her much pain long after the public humiliation. Permanently â€Å"symbolized as a sinner†, Hester was branded for life with a cloth letter worn on her bosom. For years after the letter was first revealed on the scaffold, Hester was associated with the sin and the scarlet letter. Because the Puritans contoured religion, social life, and government together, each member of the society was involved in the religion, social life, and government—everybody in Boston saw the â€Å"A† on Hester’s chest in the same light.

Palliative Care and Hospice Care: The Principles and Goals They Set Essay

The principles of palliative care and hospice care have similar goals that may often come together in an effort of providing the best care for a patient. Palliative care is holistic care of an individual with a chronic life debilitating condition whereas hospice care is for those with a terminal condition who have been diagnosed with 6 months or less to live. Palliative care usually will begin prior to the hospice care and continues to be joined with hospice care. â€Å"It is important to note that the prognosis-based distinction between palliative care (eligibility based on need, no prognostic restriction) and hospice (eligibility based on a prognosis of living less than six months) is unique to the United States, whereas in other countries the terms palliative care and hospice are largely synonymous†(1) â€Å"The Institute of Medicine ([IOM], 2003) defined palliative care as the total active care of the body, mind, and spirit. The aim of palliative care is to prevent or les sen the severity of pain and other symptoms, and to achieve the best quality of life† (IOM, 2003, p.2) throughout the course of any life –threatening or life-limiting healthcare condition.† (2) In providing palliative care to an individual the possibility of curing the illness still exists. The patient is made as comfortable as possible but has not been given a time frame for death. An â€Å"Interdisciplinary palliative care teams assess and treat symptoms, support decision making and help match treatments to informed patient and family goals, mobilize practical aid for patients and their family caregivers, identify community resources to ensure a safe and secure living environment, and promote collaborative, and seamless models of care across a range of care settings (i.e., hospital, home, and nursing home).†(1) Palliative care begins when an individual’s quality of life has decreased because of their disease process and the prognostic restriction is not available. With hospice care, the illness is terminal. The interdisciplinary team will also assess the patient but will not seek a cure for the condition. Their goal now is care and comfort with the emphasis being comfort. â€Å"Hospice is a movement that offers palliative care to terminally ill patients; this type of care eases pain and suffering and helps a patient die with dignity but does not attempt to cure illness. This care may take place at home or in the  hospital. Some larger communities have a separate facility devoted to hospice care.†(3) With hospice care the individual and family have accepted the imminence of death with a six month period and the care the patient will receive will be based on making sure the patient is comfortable at all times. The facilities that provide hospice care are successful because the dignity and comfort of individual and critically important to both the patient and their family. Hospice care gives support to not only the patient but also to the family during this difficult time. This process of beginning hospice care is often delayed by the patient and patient family because it is makes the phase of dying a reality. Hospice confirms that there is not a cure available for a loved one and makes death more of a reality. Hospice also makes this last phase of dying more acceptable, and provides the spiritual comfort for the patient and their family. Hospice care is not just patient based care, it is family based care. In discussing palliative care versus hospice care we can ascertain that â€Å"palliative care may be appropriate for anyone with a chronic progressive disease when symptom management becomes a challenge.†, but hospice care is palliative care for the terminally ill. The difference in these two types of care and the phase of death an individual is currently experiencing meaning the prognosis of death. â€Å"Hospice care is appropriate when patients and their families decide to forgo curative therapies in order to focus on maximizing comfort and quality of life, when curative treatments are no longer beneficial, when the burdens of these treatments outweigh their benefits, or when patients are entering the last weeks or months of life†(1) References Bonebrake, D., Call, K., Culver, C., & Ward-Smith, P. (2010, June). Clinically differentiating palliative care and hospice. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 14(3), 273+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA231807936&v=2.1&u=lincclin_fccj&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=cb9b3d9659946c2bae4f99e7c40bd81c Kincaid, L., & Labell, L. (2011). Death and Dying: Hospice . Human Growth and Development (Third Edition ed., ). Jacksonville: Florida State College. Meier, D. (2011). Increased access to palliative care and hospice services: opportunities to improve value in health care. The Milbank Quarterly, 89(3), 343-380. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0009.2011.00632.x

Human Liver Anatomy and Function

The liver is an important vital organ that also happens to be the largest internal organ in the body. Weighing between 3 and 3.5 pounds, the liver is located in the upper right area of the abdominal cavity and is responsible for hundreds of different functions. Some of these functions include nutrient metabolism, detoxification of harmful substances, and protecting the body from germs. The liver has a unique ability to regenerate itself. This ability makes it possible for individuals to donate part of their liver for transplantation. Liver Anatomy The liver is a reddish-brown organ that is located below the diaphragm and superior to other abdominal cavity organs such as the stomach, kidneys, gallbladder, and intestines. The most prominent feature of the liver is its larger right lobe and smaller left lobe. These two main lobes are separated by a band of connective tissue. Each liver lobe is internally composed of thousands of smaller units called lobules. Lobules are small liver segments containing arteries, veins, sinusoids, bile ducts, and liver cells. Liver tissue is composed of two main types of cells. Hepatocytes are the most numerous type of liver cells. These epithelial cells are responsible for most of the functions performed by the liver. Kupffer cells are immune cells that are also found in the liver. They are thought to be a type of macrophage that rids the body of pathogens and old red blood cells. The liver also contains numerous bile ducts, which drain bile produced by the liver into larger hepatic ducts. These ducts join to form the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct extending from the gallbladder joins the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct. Bile from the liver and gallbladder drain into the common bile duct and are delivered to the upper portion of the small intestines (duodenum). Bile is a dark greenish or yellow fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It aids in the digestion of fats and helps eliminate toxic wastes. Liver Function The liver performs a number of vital functions in the body. A major function of the liver is to process substances in the blood. The liver receives blood from organs including the stomach, small intestines, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder through the hepatic portal vein. The liver then processes, filters, and detoxifies the blood before sending it back to the heart via the inferior vena cava. The liver has a digestive system, immune system, endocrine system, and exocrine functions. A number of important liver functions are listed below. 1) Fat Digestion A key function of the liver is the digestion of fats. Bile produced by the liver breaks down fat in the small intestines so that it can be used for energy. 2) Metabolism The liver metabolizes carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the blood that are initially processed during digestion. Hepatocytes store glucose obtained from the break down of carbohydrates in the foods we eat. Excess glucose is removed from the blood and stored as glycogen in the liver. When glucose is needed, the liver breaks down glycogen into glucose and releases the sugar into the blood. The liver metabolizes amino acids from digested proteins. In the process, toxic ammonia is produced which the liver converts to urea. Urea is transported to the blood and is passed to the kidneys where it is excreted in urine. The liver processes fats to produce other lipids including phospholipids and cholesterol. These substances are necessary for cell membrane production, digestion, bile acid formation, and hormone production. The liver also metabolizes hemoglobin, chemicals, medications, alcohol and other drugs in the blood. 3) Nutrient Storage The liver stores nutrients obtained from the blood for use when needed. Some of these substances include glucose, iron, copper, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K (helps blood to clot), and vitamin B9 (aids in red blood cell synthesis). 4) Synthesis and Secretion The liver synthesizes and secretes plasma proteins that act as clotting factors and help to maintain proper blood fluid balance. The blood protein fibrinogen produced by the liver is converted to fibrin, a sticky fibrous mesh that traps platelets and other blood cells. Another clotting factor produced by the liver, prothrombin, is needed to convert fibrinogen to fibrin. The liver also produces a number of carrier proteins including albumin, which transports substances such as hormones, fatty acids, calcium, bilirubin, and various drugs. Hormones are also synthesized and secreted by the liver when needed. Liver-synthesized hormones include insulin-like growth factor 1, which aids in early growth and development. Thrombopoietin is a hormone that regulates platelet production in bone marrow. 5)Immune Defense The K​upffer cells of the liver filter the blood of pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and fungi. They also rid the body of old blood cells, dead cells, cancer cells, and cellular refuse. Harmful substances and waste products are secreted by the liver into either the bile or the blood. Substances secreted into bile are eliminated from the body through the digestive tract. Substances secreted into the blood are filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine.