Character-defined Destiny Essays -- Literature Heroic Epics Essays

Character-defined Destiny The Greek poet Homer established the heroic epic literary genre more than two-and-a-half millennia ago with the composition of two voluminous works of art, the Odyssey and the Iliad. From its inception, the heroic epic cast human fate as a type of whimsical recreation for the gods. In fact, the word fate was adopted from the name of the Greek gods in charge of spinning the thread of human life and then cutting it when a person’s destiny had been fulfilled. Hence, a person’s fate in the Homeric epics was largely determined by providence, and a person’s individual actions had little bearing on what became of him or her. We see a new understanding of fate begin to take form in the two primary heroic epics of thirteenth century German literature. The story of Parzival introduces the role of individual maturation in the fulfillment of one’s destiny, notwithstanding its predetermination by God through birthright. The Nibelungenlied, on the other hand, suggests that predestination is the result of the inevitability of one’s own idiosyncrasies: one acts in accordance with one’s own character traits and cannot act otherwise. Both understandings of fate, however, afford man a much larger share in the determination of his own destiny than the Homeric epics ever did and, as such, can shed light on the evolving notion of the â€Å"heroic† informing each work. The story of Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail was first told by French author Chrestien de Troyes in the 12th century; naturally, the fate of Parzival would have already been well known to Wolfram von Eschenbach’s 13th century audience. Then the focus of the epic is certainly not Parzival’s destiny, but his development and maturation throughout th... ... The reason for this is that Gawan (and the code of chivalry he represents) regards his relationship with God in feudal terms, expecting reward in return for service. Even though Parzival once fell from grace and the favor of the round table, he was able to gain redemption through God with the help Trevrizent. By confessing his sins before God and atoning for his trespasses, Parzival was thus able to attain a higher level of honor. Redemption is the pivotal piece of the heroic puzzle that the society of the Nibelungenlied lacks. In Parzival there is no sense of the imminent doom that pervades the Nibelungenlied, because of the society’s steadfast belief in God’s eternal mercy. And, as long as the society of the Nibelungenlied remains bereft of the potential for redemption, it will remain entangled in its own type of Atreus curse and doomed for self-annihilation.

Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Wr

Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Writing Whenever we try to imagine the feelings or motives of a writer, we impose our own thoughts and ideas, our own biases, onto that person and their work. Perhaps in order to justify our choices or legitimate the philosophies that we hold dear, we interpret texts so that they fall into place in our own ideological frameworks. Literature, because it engages with the most important and passionate questions in life, evokes responses in readers that emanate not only from the mind but also from the subconscious and from the deepest places in the heart. Writers like Virginia Woolf ask, and sometimes answer, questions about life's meaning, about the nature and importance of relationships, about spirituality, work, family, identity and so on. It is what makes writing fascinating and the critiquing of writing something more than an intellectual exercise. When we interpret a text, we bring our own hopes, fears, joys and beliefs to the forefront, despite our claims of intellectual objectivity, and what is at stake is not just an evaluation of the work itself, but often an evaluation of our political, social, psychological and emotional identities. What we see or read into a text can become a kind of experiment, a literary depiction of the way we see, or would like to see, and interpret ourselves and our world. Often, in the course of interpreting, we feel compelled to name and label both writer and text in order to talk about them in ways that make sense to us, and in order to pinpoint them in relation to ourselves. When we label anything, we attempt to control or own it; we assign values or a set of rules to that person or object. What is lost in that process... ... Voyage Out." Modern Fiction Studies 38.1(1992): 269. Meese, Elizabeth. "When Virginia Looked at Vita, What Did She See; or, Lesbian: Feminist: Woman - What's the differ(e/a)nce?" Feminist Studies 18.1 (1992):105. Nicolson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage. New York: Atheneum, 1973. Nicolson, Nigel and Joanne Trautmann, eds. The Letters of Virginia Woolf. Vol. 3. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1977. Smith, Patricia Juliana. Lesbian Panic: Homoeroticism in Modern British Women's Fiction. New York: Columbia UP, 1997. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1979. --- . "A Sketch of the Past." Moments of Being. Ed. Jeanne Schulkind. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1976. --- . Mrs. Dalloway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1925. --- . Three Guineas. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1938. --- . To the Lighthouse. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1927. Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Wr Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Writing Whenever we try to imagine the feelings or motives of a writer, we impose our own thoughts and ideas, our own biases, onto that person and their work. Perhaps in order to justify our choices or legitimate the philosophies that we hold dear, we interpret texts so that they fall into place in our own ideological frameworks. Literature, because it engages with the most important and passionate questions in life, evokes responses in readers that emanate not only from the mind but also from the subconscious and from the deepest places in the heart. Writers like Virginia Woolf ask, and sometimes answer, questions about life's meaning, about the nature and importance of relationships, about spirituality, work, family, identity and so on. It is what makes writing fascinating and the critiquing of writing something more than an intellectual exercise. When we interpret a text, we bring our own hopes, fears, joys and beliefs to the forefront, despite our claims of intellectual objectivity, and what is at stake is not just an evaluation of the work itself, but often an evaluation of our political, social, psychological and emotional identities. What we see or read into a text can become a kind of experiment, a literary depiction of the way we see, or would like to see, and interpret ourselves and our world. Often, in the course of interpreting, we feel compelled to name and label both writer and text in order to talk about them in ways that make sense to us, and in order to pinpoint them in relation to ourselves. When we label anything, we attempt to control or own it; we assign values or a set of rules to that person or object. What is lost in that process... ... Voyage Out." Modern Fiction Studies 38.1(1992): 269. Meese, Elizabeth. "When Virginia Looked at Vita, What Did She See; or, Lesbian: Feminist: Woman - What's the differ(e/a)nce?" Feminist Studies 18.1 (1992):105. Nicolson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage. New York: Atheneum, 1973. Nicolson, Nigel and Joanne Trautmann, eds. The Letters of Virginia Woolf. Vol. 3. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1977. Smith, Patricia Juliana. Lesbian Panic: Homoeroticism in Modern British Women's Fiction. New York: Columbia UP, 1997. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1979. --- . "A Sketch of the Past." Moments of Being. Ed. Jeanne Schulkind. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1976. --- . Mrs. Dalloway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1925. --- . Three Guineas. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1938. --- . To the Lighthouse. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1927.

Ashoka Maurya’s Conversion to Buddhism: Effect on the History of India Essay

Ashoka Maurya was one of the most influential leaders in India’s history. The British historian H. G. Wells in his work The Outline of History said of Ashoka, â€Å"amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history†¦ the name of Ashoka shines, and shines almost alone, a star† (94). Ashoka’s eventual aversion to violence and war, his honesty in admitting his mistakes, and his concern for the welfare of his people not only made him shine as brilliantly as a star, but also dramatically changed the history of India. Yet since many legends were simply nothing more than a popular yearning for an exemplary ruler, none of the references were taken too seriously at first. Ashoka was portrayed as too good to be true: the ruthless, cruel leader who saw the light and transformed into the supreme benevolent ruler. When he was evil, Buddhists legends contended he killed ninety-nine brothers to obtain the throne after his father. As the transformed benevolent king, Buddhist legends claimed he built 84,000 monasteries and almost as many stupas in one day. Scholars did not take this king too seriously. Renewed interest in this legendary figure came with the discovery of rock and stone pillars containing edicts engraved during the reign of Ashoka. In 1879, Alexander Cunningham published a translation of these inscriptions. Even more engravings were discovered with the latest four found in 1969. These stone inscriptions provided a rare access to the personalized edicts dictated by Ashoka and thus, were a primary source concerning this king. Gradually, as rock and pillar inscriptions were scrutinized, scholars began to consider Ashoka a legitimate historical figure and to evaluate his place in India’s history. The rock and pillar edicts were critical in understanding and documenting the changes Ashoka brought to India for they were a record in his very own words. Romila Thapar described the benefit of these exclusive inscriptions: â€Å"It is rare in Indian history to have access to the personalized edicts of a king†¦ in this we are fortunate† (Thapar 16). Ashoka’s edicts, engraved on rocks and stone pillars between 264 and 262 BCE, were scattered throughout India, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The location of the rock engravings was governed by the accessibility of suitable slabs of stone. The pillars, on the other hand, were placed in very specific locations. For example, one marked the birthplace of Buddha. Others were found near populated areas to be seen by as many people as possible. The pillar edicts, between forty and fifty feet in height, weighed up to fifty tons. They were all quarried between 247 and 242 BCE in the Chunar Hills along the Ganges River and sometimes transported over one hundred miles to the location where they were erected. The pillars were originally capped with a roaring lion, a bull, or a spirited horse. These stone works reflected the great art and design of the Indian culture. The history regarding Ashoka was chiefly known from these rock and pillar edicts. This research shows the transformation that occurred in the country of India because of Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism. First, this study investigates the three aggressive generations of the Mauryan Dynasty to provide background and to shed light on the caliber of leadership training Ashoka received from his upbringing. One must understanding Ashoka’s family history in order to comprehend the difference he made after his conversion. Secondly, this research covers the causes of Ashoka’s conversion, which builds an understanding of the personal and political benefits for him. His remorse and shame after a bloody battle, which he instigated and took responsibility for, were the catalyst to his conversion. The methodology for this paper places the highest emphasis on the translations of rock and pillar edicts found throughout the Indian subcontinent. These inscriptions are a primary source: Ashoka’s own words. From numerous readings of these edicts, evolves this research query: how much did India change after Ashoka’s conversion? The various edicts contain Ashoka’s interpretation of Buddhist doctrine, his personal changes, or India’s policy changes. Not every edict is documented in this paper for there is not room or need to do that. The edicts of primary impact on India are discussed. Scholars and translators have labeled and numbered the rock and pillar edicts inscribed by Ashoka. Most of the rock edicts were catalogued simply by the abbreviation RE with a number. For example, the fourteenth rock edict was labeled RE 14. The pillar edicts were handled the same way only using PE as the abbreviation. Sometimes the edicts listed the location in front of the abbreviation, as with Kalinga RE 1. This study uses these abbreviations within the text. Gokhale (1966) includes citations from Arthastastra, a book on government and economics written during the Mauryan Dynasty. This book is critical in understanding the impact of the changes Ashoka makes. How Ashoka Maurya’s Conversion to Buddhism Affected the History of India Ashoka Maurya was the third ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty about 263 BCE. After a bloody battle in Kalinga, he renounced brutality and endeavored to rule his empire rule according to the Buddhist doctrine of nonviolence. His grandfather and father did not follow Buddhism. Chandragupta, Ashoka’s grandfather, was the founder of the Mauryan Dynasty about 325 BCE. After Ashoka’s father, Bindusara, ruled for approximately twenty-five years, he handed the empire over to Ashoka. Northwestern India, in the fourth century BCE, consisted of independent tribes ineffective in uniting against outside resistance. Alexander conquered one tribe after another like a tornado ripping through the country. Yet after he returned to Greece, the leaders he left in place were soon murdered or overthrown. There was not enough support to sustain Alexander’s conquests. The significance of the Greek invasions and aftermath for India was that â€Å"Alexander had shattered the power of numerous petty kingdoms†¦ and created a military turbulence and a political weakness that were soon exploited by Chandragupta Maurya† (Gokhale 25). The young, strong, and ruthless Chandragupta, an opportunist with Kautalya’s encouragement, took advantage of this time to seize power. Under Chandragupta, the empire enjoyed great success. Much of the wealth came from widespread foreign trade with Greece, Rome, and China. The affluence was not gained for him, but he used the wealth to improve his empire, including irrigation systems and new roads. His example of investing in the empire would later be seen with Ashoka. Megasthenes, a Greek historian living in India at the time, recorded his personal observations concerning the Mauryan rule in Indika. Gokhale quoted excerpts from Indika: Ashoka’s father, Bindusara, extended the Mauryan Empire and conquered the land between the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. At the time of Bindusara’s death, about 273 BCE, almost the entire Indian subcontinent was part of the Mauryan Dynasty. The only troublesome territory was Kalinga on the eastern coast. His son, Ashoka, would eventually obtain this area by brutal force and regret thisaction for the rest of his life. Ashoka was next in line to rule the flourishing Mauryan Dynasty. During the first years of Ashoka’s rule, he was as warlike as his grandfather conquering tribes in the east and earning the name â€Å"one without sorrow. † The province of Kalinga, a rich and fertile land outside Ashoka’s empire, remained independent and was particularly troublesome to him. Ashoka determined that the future of his empire was threatened, if he did not control Kalinga. Another motive for wanting control of this province was that valuable trade routes passed through it. About 261 BCE in the eighth year of his reign, Ashoka marched towards Kalinga. King Ashoka’s reaction to the battle was unique. â€Å"Never before in the history of humanity, nor afterwards, has a king publicly expressed genuine grief for a deed commonly regarded as the legitimate business of kings. The war of Kalinga was the first and last war waged by Ashoka† (Gokhale 59). History did not record exactly when Ashoka converted to Buddhism, but his own words in stone certainly recorded the impact this battle had on his moving towards the non-violent doctrine of Buddhism. Some historians believed that Ashoka had already converted before the battle at Kalinga. Scholars felt his commitment to the non-violent doctrine of Buddhism simply grew after he witnesses the destruction (Guruge 52). Using the dates of K. Rangaswami, Ashoka was crowned as king and joined the Buddhists as a laymen the same year, 269 BCE (145). The battle at Kalinga was fought three years later. Rock inscriptions found in three different sites said: â€Å"I did not progress well for a year. † Another important piece to understanding why Ashoka chose Buddhism was his upbringing. His early education under Hindu beliefs paralleled particular Buddhist doctrine, including the importance of one’s dharma, or moral duty. Ashoka was raised under the teachings Kautalya, a Brahmin and a contemporary of Aristotle. Kautalya’s ideologies regarding a king’s responsibilities were recorded in his book, Arthashastra, literally meaning principles of wealth. The writings expanded beyond wealth to a pragmatic philosophy regarding all the responsibilities of statehood: taxation, administration, law, diplomacy, trade, labor, and land occupancy. The Arthashastra explained that a king had two objectives: â€Å"one of which was the exercise of power, and the other the practice of benevolence† (Gokhale 39). This balance was ingrained in the Mauryan rulers as all three were raised under Kautalya’s principles of statehood. Kautalya taught that power â€Å"could be legitimate only if used in pursuit of the dharma† (Gokhale 38). Dharma was a central concept in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Ashoka embraced the doctrine of dharma before his conversion for this belief was part of Kautalya’s training. Buddhism was appealing to this king because he was comfortable with dharma. The Mauryan king eventually rejected the Brahmin’s teaching regarding the necessary show of force, and became infamous for proclaiming dharma in every area of government. Who was personally responsible for Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism? The rock and pillar inscriptions did not give one-person credit. History recorded a few personal encounters Ashoka had with Buddhists: his nephew, a monk in northern India and his first wife. These experiences were a positive influence in his choice of Buddhism. Ashoka throughout his whole life, before and after conversion, was tolerant and respectful of all religions. Not only did he permit all faiths to worship freely, he often invited them to the palace for their advice. Mahavamsa, a Sri Lankan Buddhist text from the fifth century CE, told the tale of how dissatisfied Ashoka was after a session with Brahmins and holy men of other sects regarding the distribution of charity moneys (Gokhale 61). He stood by the palace window and noticed a young man, Nigrodha. It turned out that Nigrodha was his nephew, the son of Ashoka’s elder brother, who had been killed in a struggle for the throne after Bindusara. Given audience with the king, his nephew preached a sermon; Ashoka heard Buddhist doctrine from a family relation. The Sanskrit Buddhist text, Divyavadana gave a monk, Upagupta, the credit for Ashoka’s conversion. A whole sequence of Buddhist stories concerning Ashoka, the proverbial poster child for this religion, was quite contradictory making it hard to give them much credence. Buddhist texts tended to glorify Ashoka’s conversion (understandably so for he was great advertisement). Regardless, one can imagine that a personal encounter with a very convincing monk made an impression on Ashoka. The most historically documented encounter Ashoka had with Buddhism was with Devi, his first wife. At approximately age eighteen, Ashoka was given the responsibility to govern Avanti, a province in central India. Here tribal villages were often rebelling against their incorporation into the Mauryan Dynasty. Avanti was vital to the Mauryan Empire for its agriculture (wheat in particular), its trade, and its commerce (Gokhale 39). This province was a center for Buddhism with two major monasteries located near important trade routes that connected southern and western cities. The deeply entwined political and religious climate during Ashoka’s lifetime was an important clue in understanding his choice of Buddhism. Hinduism, the major religion at the time of Ashoka, began between 2000 BCE and 1500 BCE with the entrance of the Aryans, nomadic herders from central Asia. By the third century BCE, Buddhism (still considered a sect) was emerging as an adversary to many Hindu social values, in particular the priestly hierarchy. History would later show that it was Ashoka’s attention to Buddhism that was the catalyst for its growth into a major religion in India. Economically, Buddhism was advantageous to Ashoka, also. Partially due to the Buddhist influence, the Indian social hierarchy started to see a transfer in power. Buddha’s teachings encouraged the people to reevaluate the Brahmin traditions, including the need for priests. The authority of the Brahmins was slowly shifting away to favor the merchant class. Prior to the Mauryan Dynasty and certainly during it, India was enjoying strong economical advantages. The development of trade and commerce was partially due to the growth of several trade routes crisscrossing northern, central, and western India. Many factors contributed to Ashoka’s conversion and choice of Buddhism. Ashoka had many emotional, pre-existing connections to move him in the direction of a non-violent philosophy. The battle at Kalinga produced a deep-rooted emotional response as he declared in a rock edict that he was filled with remorse, sorrow and regret. His personal encounters with a nephew, a monk, and, most importantly, a woman he loved, Devi, all contributed to favorably looking towards Buddhism. As the ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty, he wanted to provide the best for his people, and politically, Buddhism was becoming more popular than the ritualistic Brahmin ways. With many encounters with this rising religion, it was not surprising to see the third ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty embrace Buddhism. Ashoka Maurya transformed himself and his state before the very eyes of his people. He changed from a ruler trained in the Indian tradition of military conquest to a benevolent monarch. His desire for his people was inscribed in stone: â€Å"All men are my people†¦ I desire that they be provided with complete welfare and happiness in this world† (Kalinga RE 1). India for him was now a large family over whom he presided with the Buddhism as his guide. The concept of dharma was not solitary to Buddhism alone. Hindus, Jains and other popular sects at that time included a code of ethics. Dharma was part of the currency of ethical norms propounded by various teachers (Thapar 32). What made Ashoka unique was that as the most powerful man on the Indian subcontinent, he adopted a policy of goodness to all (previous enemies included) and non-violence in domestic and foreign affairs.

Zenzele Review

Zenzele Review If you recall my previous comments on the novel Zenzele, by our contemporary J. Nozipo Maraire, you undoubtedly know that my appreciation of this book ends on the first page. I have previously stated that because of her elementary writing style and child-like narration (un-befitting of the adult narrator), I have hopelessly lost any interest that I could hold to this piece of literature. For this essay, I will attempt to stifle my true opinion of the book and address the social significance of the themes and ideals expressed to racism and prejudice in society today.Shiri, our narrator, lives a simple life in Zimbabwe. That is, if simple includes a massive revolution for independence and facing brutal racism every minute of every day. By mixing history, memory, and tradition, Shiri recounts her life experiences into a symphony of wisdom in which she advises her daughter, Zenzele, a student at Harvard, on how to live her life.'RACISM/THERE IS MORE TO LEARN' Dominic JacquesMost importan tly, Shiri teaches her daughter how to survive as an independent woman in the alien and oppressive culture that is the United States of America. Shiri coaxes her daughter not to forget the culture of her homeland. She insists that stories and traditions from the past can be applied to any point in history, and encourages Zenzele to find meaning in her anecdotes about love, conflict, prejudice, and tradition.While Maraire tells of family and marriage, much of the novel is centered around the revolution of Zimbabwe natives against their European colonial enemy. The import of such a xenotypic culture sparks much civil unrest that leads to brutal prejudice of the natives by the white folk. "Prejudice is in the eye of the beholder... Racism is a phenomenal thing; it is like a thick mist that obscures the vision...

Free Essays on Eyes Of The Dragon

The role of animals in The Eyes of the Dragon is a very significant theme in the novel. Through the development of the novel, the animal kingdom is very apparent in the novel from insects to dogs and they all play their own, individual roles. The great black and white Andean Husky named Frisky who is, out of all of her dogs, Naomi’s favorite, leads Ben Staad and Naomi directly to the whereabouts of Dennis, Peter’s butler. Flagg’s animals are symbols of his plans for the downfall of Delain. The dragon that is killed by King Roland may be considered the most the memorable of all. In this tale, Thomas sees Flagg murder Thomas’s father through the eyes of the dragon. In the end of the novel, though, all of the animal’s roles fall into place. Frisky, Naomi’s companion, is a strong-willed, over-confident, Anduan Husky who may have been the greatest tracking dog that ever lived. This dog sums up the meaning of a man’s best friend. Frisky, who can track a three-day-old scent in the middle winter, is the reason the story takes place as it does. Frisky uses her keen sense of smell to pinpoint exactly where Dennis, son of Brandon, has journeyed to from Peyna’s farmhouse. Dennis’s mission is to go back to the castle where Thomas the Tax-Bringer and Flagg, the king’s magician, live and are at high power. Peyna, who has just given up his Judge-General’s bench, has a feeling that there is some reason why Peter has asked for the Royal Napkins and his mother’s dollhouse. Dennis is to find this reason by sending a letter to Peter, who is imprisoned at the time. Dennis journeys from Peyna’s farm in the Inner Baronies back to the fearful castle with nothing except f or the risks of getting killed. Five days later, with not a soul knowing the whereabouts of Dennis, Naomi and Ben Staad (Peter’s best friend) come upon the deserted farm. Naomi’s dogs have been pulling the sleds for thirty miles all the way from... Free Essays on Eyes Of The Dragon Free Essays on Eyes Of The Dragon The role of animals in The Eyes of the Dragon is a very significant theme in the novel. Through the development of the novel, the animal kingdom is very apparent in the novel from insects to dogs and they all play their own, individual roles. The great black and white Andean Husky named Frisky who is, out of all of her dogs, Naomi’s favorite, leads Ben Staad and Naomi directly to the whereabouts of Dennis, Peter’s butler. Flagg’s animals are symbols of his plans for the downfall of Delain. The dragon that is killed by King Roland may be considered the most the memorable of all. In this tale, Thomas sees Flagg murder Thomas’s father through the eyes of the dragon. In the end of the novel, though, all of the animal’s roles fall into place. Frisky, Naomi’s companion, is a strong-willed, over-confident, Anduan Husky who may have been the greatest tracking dog that ever lived. This dog sums up the meaning of a man’s best friend. Frisky, who can track a three-day-old scent in the middle winter, is the reason the story takes place as it does. Frisky uses her keen sense of smell to pinpoint exactly where Dennis, son of Brandon, has journeyed to from Peyna’s farmhouse. Dennis’s mission is to go back to the castle where Thomas the Tax-Bringer and Flagg, the king’s magician, live and are at high power. Peyna, who has just given up his Judge-General’s bench, has a feeling that there is some reason why Peter has asked for the Royal Napkins and his mother’s dollhouse. Dennis is to find this reason by sending a letter to Peter, who is imprisoned at the time. Dennis journeys from Peyna’s farm in the Inner Baronies back to the fearful castle with nothing except f or the risks of getting killed. Five days later, with not a soul knowing the whereabouts of Dennis, Naomi and Ben Staad (Peter’s best friend) come upon the deserted farm. Naomi’s dogs have been pulling the sleds for thirty miles all the way from...

Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Example

Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Example Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Running head: Associate Degree Nurse versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse Associate Degree Nurse versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse Valerie Castillo Grand Canyon University NRS 430-V September 19, 2010 Associate Degree Nurse versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is defined as a highly trained and skilled professional who cares for those that are sick (Quan, 2006). They are educated and trained to care for those that have chronic and acute illness, they are also taught to help those with wellness issues. They use these learned skills along with their compassion to provide care to those in need. There are two very common types of nursing degrees earned: associates degree nurse (ADN) and baccalaureate degree nurse (BSN). Both degrees enable a nurse to work as nurse as long as they have passed the NCLEX-RN, licensing exam, so what is the difference between an ADN and BSN degree, is one RN more competent than the other? The biggest, most obvious difference is the length of education required in each degree. An ADN nurse often goes through 2-3 years of education before receiving a degree and becoming eligible to take the NCLEX-RN. An ADN program focuses more on technical skills rather than theory (Entry-Level Nursing Degree Programs, n. d. ). Whereas, a BSN nurse goes through 3-4 years of education before receiving a degree and becoming eligible to take the NCLEX-RN. A BSN program is the entry point for professional nursing and is often a requirement for many nursing positions (Entry-Level Nursing Degree Programs, n. d. ). Although all nurses must take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam to become a RN that is allowed to practice, this exam is only one indicator of competency and doesn’t test the skills learned in a BSN program. In 2001, the National Council of State Boards for Nursing conducted an Employer’s study, in this study they found employers had a strong preference for hiring experienced BSN nurses for management and RN specialty positions (Rosseter, 2010). Another survey published in Journal of Nursing Administration showed 72% of manager’s noticed differences in practice between BSN prepared nurses and ADN prepared nurses, particularly in regards to strong leadership skills and critical thinking skills (Rosseter, 2010). With regards to more critical thinking skills, studies have also been conducted with correlation to more BSN staff and lower rates of mortality. In the January 2007 issue of Journal of Advance Nursing, they found that â€Å"a 10% increase in the proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses was associated with 9 fewer deaths for every 1,000 discharged patients† (Rosseter, 2010). In today’s society, practicing as an RN requires more than the ability to take doctor’s orders, follow them through and show competency in technical skills. It requires the nurse to take in consideration the patient as a whole and be able to make critical decisions; it also means that the nurse should be able to question a doctor’s order when they seem inappropriate. An RN with a BSN has often had more liberal arts classes which enables them to have sharper critical thinking skills along with having been exposed to more cultures and different people (Forster, n. d). An example, a 70-year old female patient was admitted on Tuesday for a skull fracture as a result of syncope. Initial cat scans showed a small subdural bleed in the left side of temporal and parietal lobes. The patient has since then been in the ICU, now out of the ICU on a neurological floor. The patient’s assessment has been stable with no changes noted in the neurological assessment; however the patient continues to complain of a headache, increased lightheadedness and dizziness with ambulation along with nausea. The days come and go, with the intent of discharging the patient but exactly a week later, still hospitalized the patient complains of the worst headache of her life and extreme nausea despite being given every anti-nausea medication possible. The doctors are made aware, a stat Cat Scan is performed, no change is noted to the bleed. The pain and nausea however are only worsening causing the patient to actually make herself through up. What next, disregard the patient’s pain and nausea as a result of the injury, so just continue to treat it or be the patient’s advocate and call the doctor insisting that something is still wrong? An ADN nurse, as she was educationally prepared to medicate patients as needed and based on their complaints, may disregard the headache and nausea and attribute it to a complication of this type of head injury. With that said the ADN RN is most likely to keep trying to give the patient more pain and nausea medication, in hopes that with time this phase of the injury may pass. A BSN nurse would more likely do a little more critical thinking and give it a holistic approach such as looking at all patient care aspects. This RN would probably redo a complete head to toe assessment and thorough neurological assessment. She may also look into the patient’s labs, further investigate the headache and nausea such as precipitating and aggravating factors, when it occurs, what makes it better or worse if anything and then call the doctor if indicated. All in all, both types of degrees enable a nurse to practice their job with competence however a BSN degree definitely opens up more opportunities and gives nurses the ability to give their patients the very best care possible. A BSN degree also prepares an RN to develop the critical thinking skills and communication skills that set a BSN nurse apart from an ADN nurse. References Entry-Level Nursing Degree Programs. (n. d. ). All Nursing Schools. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from allnursingschools. om/faqs/programs Forster, H. (n. d. ). ADN vs. BSN. Nursing Link. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://nursinglink. monster. com/education/articles/3842-adn-vs-bsn Quan, K. (2006, October 12). What is a Nurse? Retrieved September 17, 2010, from Http://www. suite101. com/content/what-is-a-nursea7761. Rosseter, R. (2010, March). Fact Sheet The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from aacn. nche. edu/Media /FactSheets/ImpactEdNp. htm

Visual Rock Music Stars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Visual Rock Music Stars - Essay Example Above I provided some background information on the topic of rock and roll that will help me get closer to the topic that will be dealt with lower. The aim of my study is to examine the relationship between dress and ideology of visual rock music stars. This group was chosen as the visual nature of the group allows for a thorough analysis of the ways in which the beliefs of the group may affect their decisions relating to dress. In the frameowkr of my project, an interview was conducted with members of a rock music group in order to collect primary data on the topic. The interview is used in this study to ascertain the history of the group and the beliefs of the group. The interview was also used to obtain information about how the group's beliefs have changed over time. The information from the interview is presented here alongside with the relevant current literature to ascertain how the two are interlinked. The interview revealed several things, some of which were expected, but others which were surprising. The interview found that the band did not claim to hold any strong beliefs which related to politics or religion. The band members claimed that their ideology, focused more on having fun, and this was the image that they tried to portray. The band did acknowledge that there are many rock bands which do have strong ideologies. One such example, which they quoted was the British group the Sex Pistols, who were famous in the Punk Rock era of the 1980s. They were as famous for their strong beliefs in anarchy and hatred of the British political regimes as they were for their music. The interview also revealed that the rock group was heavily influenced by other counterpart rock groups. Though, not only other... This "Visual Rock Music Stars" essay outlines the history of rock’n’roll music and how it affects the fashion. There was a rock band specifically mentioned in the interview that was the Sex Pistols. This band is considered to be an iconic rock band on many levels. Their music was highly controversial and being produced and released independently. That state of things allowed the band a large degree of freedom that many other bands which having signed to corporate brands did not possess. The entire stance which was adopted by the group was â€Å"anti-establishment†. It is for this reason that the Sex Pistols selected their dress. They aimed to take the clothes which were seen as socially acceptable at that time and transform them into a dress code, which would be highly controversial. It was not only the clothes which the Sex pistols altered in an attempt to shock, moreover, they also adopted hairstyles such as the Mohican, died their hair dramatic colors, and dec orated their bodies with tattoos and piercings. Other rock bands at the time did not possess the same levels of freedom, and as a result, their images were far more controlled by the record label and have not been so distinct. Goshert (2000) suggests that although the majority of modern bands would not consider themselves to be ‘punk’ bands, they are still heavily influenced by the ideology of bands such as the Sex Pistols. For example when the photos of the band interviewed were inspected it would be possible to see some elements of ‘punk’ dress in their early photos.