Scene analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scene analysis - Essay Example Gilbert said â€Å"It’s gonna take a crane to get her out† to which Ellen cried â€Å"There’s gonna be a crowd. I just know there’s gonna be a crowd.† At this point it is obvious that all of them are worried that the death of their mother would also be a source of her ridicule. They want to have a peaceful funeral for her and would not want to make her a laughing stock on her death. This was also a pivotal time where it is apparent upon the intensity of Gilbert that he will do just about anything to ensure that his mother’s honor will not be shamed. Though he said it matter-of-factly and without hint of remorse or discouragement, it is evident that the perplexity of the situation has caused him to think deeply. Gilbert’s character is consistent with how his actions are in a manner his redeeming quality which further shows his love for his family and how he will take measures to protect them no matter what cost. He stands as the father figure and this extends not only to his younger siblings but generally as the dominant male figure in the whole household. His sister’s reaction, although primarily to circumvent mockery, is also geared for their protection and this is also reasonable since she is a teenager. The subtext of Gilbert’s confusion and his devised plan aimed at protecting their mother ennobles his action for the general good. His face is not a contradiction of his intent but a forthright characterization of his ultimate

Christ in the Old Testament Essay Example for Free

Christ in the Old Testament Essay The Old Testament was like a world where God would unexpectedly appear to humans and interact with His creations. The main reasons for this particular action was to inform that person of what He was about to do. God would also use his appearances as a way to to strengthen and encourage his people. In this world, where God sneaks down to conform into the physical form of a human, was for the purpose so that His creations would be more easily able to relate to Him and receive His message more adequately. These appearances are known as Christophanies, and are shown throughout the Old Testament. James Borland writes a book named Christ in the Old Testament. Borland paints a detailed picture of what this world of Christophanies consisted of during that time. Appearances of God date all the way back to the early chapters of Genesis. Even though God appeared several times in throughout the book, not all those appearances are considered theophanies. It is difficult to find a comprehensive definition of what theophany is. For an example, God’s brief appearances to Abraham, Joshua, and Gideon are different than the appearances made in Shekinah, or as Jesus the Messiah. Borland quotes The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, which states â€Å"the idea of theophany is something temporary and not permanent† (15). There are Several different connotations of the term theophany, that will help better formulate the term Christophany. The different connotations can be distinguished in dreams, visions, shekinah glory, incarnation of Christ, after his resurrection, his second coming. They all differ from Christophany. Borland presents the idea of Christophany as concrete reality of the time before God began to reveal an ample amount of the Scriptures. The book is divided into different chapters that are in logical order. In the beginning of the book Borland first defines a Christophany, distinguishing and making it clear from other types of God’s manifestation. The primary difference between the Old Testament Christophany and the incarnation of Christ according to Borland,â€Å"Is not only in the transitory nature of the one and the permanency of the other. More importantly the incarnation of Christ involved a permanent union between God and complete manhood†(20). Christophany and incarnation are two different ideas. Christophanies were actual occurrences. They were not imaginary, or a hallucinatory experience. Borland said that a Christophanies must stand or fall with the entire word of God and cannot be separated out as later additions to legitimatize certain holy places (21). These were very special events. Some Characteristics of a Christophany that were included in the book: Christophanies could only be initiated by God, and He revealed Himself as He willed. Christophanies were revelatory or revealing. Each had an immediate purpose, such as the assurance of promises, warnings, or instruction. Christophanies were for individuals rather for multitudes, That is why the incarnation of Christ would not be considered a theophany. Christophanies were intermittent occurrences. There was no predictability as to when a Christophany might occur. They were random. Christophanies only lasted several minutes and they were always audible and visible. The recipient were not â€Å"hearing things† as the world today might say if a Christophany were to happen. Because of the incarnation of Christ, Christophanies are no longer necessary today (33-34). In the other chapters Borland offers several proof that the Old Testament Christophanies were actually appearances of God, Such as Scriptural, and theological. the person that appeared in the Old Testament was all deity and was proved to be the Father Son and the Holy spirit. The author often addresses the objections of various dissenting theologians, and various Scriptures that seem to preclude Christophanies. In the case such as in the book of Joshua where the text explains that Joshua saw a â€Å"man†, Borland is convinced that this is still an appearance of God, or Jehovah. In the last few chapters Borland explains the form of Christophanies. He explains that they are visible and were not through a vision. They were audible, and completely put in a human form in every and any recognizable way. Borland examines in depth several individual passages in where God appears or speaks. Borland also focused on the theology of the Christophany in the last few chapters, relating these appearances to four major forms of theology: bibliology, theology proper, Christology, and biblical theology. The main point that is made is that God had a purpose for revealing Himself in each Christophany. The world that existed during the time of the Old Testament is evident that it is not the same world that exists in the New Testament. Throughout the years since the Old Testament, God has appeared to humanity in different ways. Ways that are not considered Christophanies. It is amazing how God is willing to step out his throne and step down to communicate to a sinful person. The whole idea of God making an effort to communicate with his creation Whether it was in the old testament or in modern times, demonstrates his humility and love. As Christians we should respect and honor him for that. In writing this book James Borland did a wonderful job writing this book. It was very informational, and this book should be passed down for generations to come.

A Study Of Indian Space Technology Environmental Sciences Essay

A Study Of Indian Space Technology Environmental Sciences Essay India has an impressive array of achievements in the development of space technology for various applications. From a humble beginning with a small RH 75 rocket in the sixties to the successful launch of PSLV-D2 with 804 kg IRS-P2 in October, 1994, the Indian space programme has made remarkable progress through a well integrated, self-reliant programme. Eight Indian satellites are now in various stages of operation in the space. These are INSAT-1D, INSAT-2A, INSAT-2B, INSAT-2C, SROSS-C2, IRS-1B, IRS-P2 and IRS-1C. IRS-P3 when launched during 1996 will be the ninth satellite in the series. 1995 was an eventful year for the Department of Space. INSAT-2C was successfully launched on December 7, 1995. It has got Ku-band and more powerful transponders to provide mobile satellite services and business communication. The launch of IRS-1C from Russia on December 28 was also successful. It has many advanced features providing better spatial resolution, additional special bands, stereoscopic imaging, wide field coverage and more frequent revisit capabilities. Indias position in world space programmes has gone up after the establishment of United Nations Asia Pacific Regional Centre for Space Education in India. The Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was formed by the Department of Atomic Energy in 1962 . The same year the work on establishing Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) was started. While the year 1965 saw the establishment of Space Science And Technology Centre, Thumba, the Satellite Telecommunication Centre was set up at Ahmedabad in 1967 . The first sounding rocket was launched from TERLS on November 21, 1963. The TERLS was dedicated to the United Nations on February 2, 1968 . The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was formed under Department Of Atomic Energy on August 15, 1969. The Government of India set up the Space Commission and the Department of Space (DOS) in 1972. In the seventies Indian Space Programme was formally organised in a self-reliant manner. Now the scope of space programme ranges from development of Space Launch Systems, sophisticated satellites, their operation in the orbit, to the conducting of extensive application-oriented research and execution of different missions. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plays a key role in the planning and execution of National Space activities. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS The Indian space programme, having the objective of providing space-based services to the nation in a self-reliant manner, crossed an important milestone when the 283 tonne, 44 metre tall, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-D2), launched on October 15, 1994, successfully accomplished its mission by placing the 804 kg Indian remote sensing satellite, IRS-P2, in the intended polar sun-synchronous orbit. India has, thus, joined the exclusive group of just six nations in the world to achieve this multi-disciplinary, technologically complex feat. Even as PSLV-D2 unequivocally demonstrated Indias capability to launch indigenously built remote sensing satellites from within the country, the mission has also proved, in flight, a number of systems which will be employed in the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), thus, bringing the country closer to achieve the capability for launching INSAT class of communication satellites as well. During 1995 the INSAT-2C and IRS-1C have been launched successfully and commissioned in orbit . The next development flight of the vehicle PSLV-D3 is scheduled in 1996. The fourth developmental flight of the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV-D4) successfully achieved its mission on May 4, 1994 by placing the 113 kg SROSS-C2 scientific satellite in a near-earth orbit. With this success, all the objectives of ASLV project, including proving, in flight, a number of complex vehicle systems employed for PSLV and GSLV, have been fully realised. Considerable progress has also been made in the development of GSLV with a number of advanced technologies having been qualified and fabrication of most of the vehicle hardware initiated. The successful development and qualification of the silicon phenolic throat for the GSLV liquid propellant engine is another significant achievement. The L-40 liquid propulsion stage of GSLV is now getting ready for qualification . SCOPE OF SPACE PROGRAMMES Space programme continues to support space science research in the country. The National Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere Radar Facility (NMRF) near Tirupati, has been fully operationalised with the commissioning of the remaining part of the antenna array and associated transmitters for measurements in the Mesospheric region. It is a versatile facility for the atmospheric scientists. Sounding rockets and balloon flights continue to be undertaken for several space science experiments. The detection of a few Gamma-ray bursts by SROSS-C satellite has given further fillip to such experiments. Space Science research encompasses a wide spectrum of activities including study of cosmic rays, astronomical investigation using space and ground-based systems, study of meteorites and lunar samples and physical observations of sun. Another major branch of activity relates to the study of earths atmospheric system through rockets, balloons and orbiting space systems. REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS The remote sensing applications using IRS have proliferated into almost every facet of national development. The data is now used regularly for agricultural crop acreage and yield estimation, drought monitoring and assessment, flood mapping, land use and land cover mapping, wasteland management, water resources management, ocean/marine resources survey and management, mineral prospecting, forest resources survey and management, etc. We have surpassed many developed nations in putting into use the satellite based remote sensing data. For example, IRS data is used for pre-harvest acreage and production estimation of all major Indian crops like wheat, rice and sorghum. Estimates of production of cotton, oil seeds, mulberry, etc. are also made using satellite data. The data from IRS satellites is used for soil mapping, grassland mapping, forest survey, land use/land cover mapping, locating underground water resources, estimation of snow cover and snow melt/run-off, monitoring water level in reservoirs, environment monitoring, etc. The data has been extensively used for flood mapping and identifying flood-risk zones and for forecasting drought conditions. Satellite remote sensing is now used for identifying potential fish zones helping the fishermen in the coastal areas to increase the catch. Twenty two states have established remote sensing applications centres, which are carrying out several application projects of relevance to their regions, besides participating in national level projects. The Department of Space is helping state remote sensing centres through review of progress , conducting regional workshops, providing funds on case- by- case basis and providing research and development support. Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Satellite The launch of the first operational Indian Remote Sensing satellite, IRS-1A on March 17, 1988, on board a Soviet Vostok rocket, ushered in a new era in the countrys resources survey and management system. The second satellite in the series, IRS-1B, identical to IRS-1A, was launched on August 29, 1991. IRS-1A and IRS-1B have become the mainstay of the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) for effectively managing the countrys natural resources. IRS-P2, launched by Indias PSLV on October 15,1994 has joined IRS-1A and IRS-1B in enhancing the remote sensing services. IRS-1C has also been successfully launched on December 28, 1995 on board a Molniya rocket of Russia. Satellite images have been used to study the earthquake in Maharashtra during September 1993, Satellite data shows three major lineaments intersecting just south of the Latur-Killari village and this trijunction of lineaments appear to coincide with the epicentre of the earthquake. Based on the nature and extent of damage to various structures as observed in the field and the information provided by the District Collectors, the isoseismal intensity contours have been drawn. Application of IRS Satellites In Agriculture What do the Satellite people know about agriculture? Officials in Agriculture Departments used to ask. Recently the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Technology Utilisation Centre (KSRSTUC) has given a befitting reply. It has wrapped up a satellite data-based study of Kolar Districts Gudibanda Taluka and prepared an action plan to turn the rocky, rain-starved and drought-prone environs into an agricultural oasis. It is a tiny example of the unique Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD) which has been launched in 157 districts of our country. Now farmers of India have growing interest in harvesting the miracles of the IRS series of Remote Sensing Satellites. IMSD aims at generating locale-specific prescriptions for development at micro-level using integrated analysis of the thematic maps generated using data from IRS Satellite, meteorological data and socio-economic information. Several States like Karnataka have set up their own Remote Sensing Application Centres. Efforts are being made to introduce courses on remote sensing in school and university curricula. INSAT Revolutionises Telecommunication And Media Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) besides revolutionising the telecommunication and TV broadcast scenario in our country, has improved the weather forecasting and is providing advance warning on disasters. About 150 telecommunication terminals are today operating under the INSAT network providing more than 4,000 two-way telephone channels along about 170 routes. Telegraphy services have been provided in the north-eastern region covering most of the inaccessible rural areas. The National Informatics Centre has set up over 600 micro-terminals. Many business houses now use the INSAT system for their corporate communication. The two indigenously built multipurpose satellites, INSAT-2A launched in July 1992 and INSAT-2B launched in July 1993, as well as, INSAT-1D, the last of the INSAT-1 series of satellites launched in 1990, continue to perform well in orbit providing vital services for telecommunications, television broadcasting, meteorology, disaster warning and distress detection. The successful launch of INSAT 2C on December 7, 1995 from Kourou, French Guyana and its commissioning in the orbit has added to INSAT series. It will provide mobile satellite services and business communication through newly introduced Ku-band transponders. More powerful C-band transponders for television programme will reach beyond the Indian boundaries. The work on the follow-on satellites in this series 2D and 2E has progressed further and are slated for launch in 1996-97 and 1997-98 respectively. These satellites will have additional spectral channel and improved coverage for meteorological payload. INSAT has brought about a rapid expansion of the TV network in our country covering over 65 per cent of the land mass and over 80 per cent of our population. National TV network, regional services and metro channels have already become operational. The INSAT network is extensively being used for educational purposes such as countrywide classrooms conducted by the University Grants Commission for two hours every day primarily meant for the university and college students, educational television programmes broadcast in the local languages for the benefit of the rural population and curriculum-based lectures broadcast by the Indira Gandhi National Open University. It is also used in continuing education for industrial workers, training of bank employees, training of block and village level extension agricultural workers and farmers, etc. INSAT is helping us in improving weather forecasts by providing high resolution radio-metric imageries. More than a hundred unattended meteorological data collection platforms relay weather information through INSAT to a central meteorological data processing centre. INSAT is also providing disaster warning receivers installed along the cyclone-prone east coast of the country. These disaster warning systems have enabled evacuation of thousands of people well in advance of impending cyclones. OTHER SATELLITES Aryabhatta Aryabhatta, the first Indian satellite, was launched on April 19, 1975, by the erstwhile USSR Intercosmos rocket into a near -earth orbit. Bhaskara Bhaskara-III , launched on June 7, 1979 and November 20, 1981, respectively, by the Intercosmos rockets of the erstwhile USSR, were experimental earth observation satellites. APPLE APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment), an experimental communication satellite, was launched on June 19, 1981 by the Ariane launch vehicle of the European Space Agency (ESA). Rohini Series Two Stretched Rohini Series satellites, SROSS C and SROSS-C2, were launched successfully by Indias Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) on its third and fourth developmental missions (ASLV-D3 and ASLV-D4) on May 20, 1992, and May 4, 1994, respectively. Both the satellites carried identical scientific payloads, namely, Retarding Potential Analyser and Gamma Ray Burst experiment. SITE Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), hailed as one of the largest experiments of its kind, was conducted during 1975-76 using USAs Application Technology Satellite (ATS-6). It demonstrated the potential of satellite technology as an effective mass communication media. STEP Satellite Telecommunication Experiment Project (STEP), conducted during 1977-79 using the Franco-German satellite. Symphonie, provided experience in the operation of a geo-stationary satellite system for domestic telecommunication and in designing and building ground infrastructure. LAUNCH VEHICLES SLV Indias capability in the launch vehicle technology was first demonstrated through the successful launch of SLV-3 in July 1980, which placed a 40 kg Rohini satellite into a near-earth orbit. Two more launches of SLV-3 were conducted in May 1981 and April 1983 with the Rohini satellites. ASLV The Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) was successfully launched twice from Sriharikota Range (SHAR) on May 20, 1992 and May 4, 1994, respectively. These were the third and fourth developmental launches (ASLV-D3 and ASLV-D4). They injected the SROSS-C and SROSS-C2 (Stretched Rohini Satellite Series) satellite, respectively into a near-earth orbit. PSLV D 2- A Total Success The 280 tonne, 44 m tall, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV, is capable of putting 1,000 kg class remote sensing satellite into 900 km polar sun-synchronous orbit. The first developmental flight of PSLV took place on September 20, 1993. Though it could not place the IRS-1E satellite, on board, into the intended polar orbit, the flight proved, in flight, almost all the vehicle systems, including the propulsion systems. The second launch of PSLV-D2 on October 15,1994 was a total success. Cryogenic Project The Government has approved the indigenous Cryogenic Upper State Project during April, 1994 following the renegotiation of the Cryogenic technology contract with Russia. GSLV With the operationalisation of GSLV towards the end of the century, ISRO will achieve self-reliance in launch vehicle technology for launching all its scientific remote sensing and geo-stationary satellites. PSLVD-3 PSLV D-3 will be launched during 1996. After this 3 PSLV continuation flights have been planned at the rate of one flight a year. SPACE PROGRAMME ENTERS WORLD MARKET There has been a significant progress in the commercial exploitation of the space capabilities developed by the country. The Antrix Corporation Ltd. established in September 1992, has shown promising results by securing orders for the study of satellite communication system for INMARSAT, providing training to ARABSAT and Korean engineers and for the supply of space hardware for Brazilian space agency. Space based remote sensing technology has drawn the attention of world market. US company EOSAT Co. has entered into a commercial contact with Antrix Corporation of the Space Department to receive and market data from IRS Satellites. Several other contracts have been bagged for supply of space hardware and services. Cooperative agreements have been signed with the Ukrainian National Space Agency and the Russian Space Agency. A high-level United Nations experts team has selected India for the setting up of a UN Centre for Space Science and Technology Education which will cater to the needs of the region.

Kinos Lust for Money in The Pearl by John Stienbeck :: essays research papers

Kino's Lust for Money in The Pearl by John Stienbeck In the novel The Pearl, written by John Steinbeck, Kino is a poor, hardworking man who dives for pearls as a living. Kino?s lover, Juana, fathered his baby boy, Coyotito. One day while fishing, Kino finds a giant pearl referred to in the story as ?The Pearl of the World?. He thinks it will bring him great wealth and status. Kino planned to marry Juana in a church and send Coyotito to school with the enormous profit he would gain from the pearl. While trying to sell the pearl, Kino?s greed and lust for money turned out to cause the destruction of his family. One of the ways we can see Kino?s lust for money was after he found the pearl and took it to get an appraisal. When the dealer offered a fraction of the pearl?s real value, Kino became angry thinking that they were trying to swindle him. Instead of taking the money offered by the dealer, which was a considerable amount to a man of Kino?s status, Kino rejected the offer. Each step to find a buyer brought more trouble and danger. When Kino was leaving to go to the capital to get his pearl appraised, he was attacked by thieves and was forced to kill them out of self-defense. He lost the pearl in the struggle, but his wife, Juana, found it again. Even though it was evident that the pearl was causing evil, instead of throwing the pearl back from where it came, his greed drove him to continue his journey to the capital to sell it. Now that Kino had killed a man, he believed he was being followed by a group of trackers sent to bring him back to La Paz. Kino?s greed scared him to believe that the trackers wanted the pearl for their own and he would be forced to murder them. As Kino, Juana, and Coyotito began their journey up the mountain, the trackers were getting closer and closer. Finally, Kino decided he must do something to get rid of the trackers. After leaving Juana and Coyotito in a cave, he crept to the trackers? campsite and waited. While waiting, he observed that only one of the trackers had a gun. He made a mental note to attack that man first so that he might obtain the gun.

Free Color Purple Essays: The Characters of The Color Purple :: Color Purple Essays

The Characters of The Color Purple  Ã‚   In The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, Celie, Nettie, and Mr.______ are developed gradually throughout the novel and their actions all seem to be intertwined and what happens to one of them effects one if not both of the other two. There is a strong relationship between Celie and Nettie not just because they are siblings but because Nettie is one out of two people Celie loves, and this doesn't exist between Celie and any other of her siblings. There are various things that bring these two even closer, one being the discovery that they both come from a different father which Celie discover from a letter from Nettie which reads "...and I pray with all my heart that you get this letter, if none of the others. Pa is not our Pa." (182) and the one they thought was there flesh and blood father was actually only their step father. This brings them closer for it is so important and they are each others direct relatives for both parents are dead and they do not have any other brothers or sisters. The second point is that they keep in contact when Nettie is traveling to and from Africa. This is more or less an escape for Celie for she does not really have anyone except for Shug that she loves so the letters are a way for Celie to keep not only with Nettie but also her two children that she has only seen for a for a couple of days in her entire life. So the main bond between Nettie and Celie is one of love, and they demonstrate this by constantly trying to stay in touch even though they don't know if the other is receiving the letters. The relationship between Mr. ______ and Nettie changes drastically from love to hate. Nettie first introduces Mr. ______ into the story as the man she is going to marry, Celie says to Nettie one day "I say marry him, Nettie." but when the marriage is disallowed because she is to young plus pa wants to keep her in school, but Mr. ______ is given Celie along with a cow so in the marriage to Celie Mr. ______ realises he'll never get Nettie but he still loves her but Nettie begins to go off him, for his marriage to her sister.

Analysis of the Movie “Juno” Essay

Sixteen year-old Juno MacGuff is the type of girl that beats to her own drummer, and doesn’t really care what others may think of her. She learns that she’s pregnant from a one-time sexual encounter with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker. Juno and Paulie like each other, but don’t consider themselves to be exclusive boyfriend/girlfriend let alone be ready to be a family complete with child. Although she would rather not be pregnant, Juno is fairly pragmatic about her situation. Paulie really leaves all the decisions about the baby to Juno. Initially, she decides that she will have an abortion, but that’s something that she ultimately cannot go through with. So she decides to have the baby and give it up for adoption. But first she has to tell her father, Mac, and stepmother, Bren, that she is pregnant. Although they would have preferred if Juno was on hard drugs or expelled from school, Mac and Bren too are pragmatic about Juno’s situation. The next step is to find prospective parents for the yet unborn child. In the Penny saver ad section, Juno finds Mark and Vanessa Loring, a yuppie couple living in the suburbs. Juno likes the Lorings, and in some respects has found who looks to be a kindred spirit in Mark, with whom she shares a love of grunge music and horror films. Vanessa is a little more uptight and is the one in the relationship seemingly most eager to have a baby. On her own choosing, Juno enters into a closed rather than open adoption contract with the Lorings. During the second and third trimesters of Juno’s pregnancy which she treats with care but detachment, Juno’s relationships with her family, with Paulie, and with the Lorings develop. She gives the baby to Venessa, when she gives birth. At the end, Juno and Bleeker get together and they realized their feeling to each other. After summarizing the movie, I want to analyze it. The 2007 film release of Juno offers certain challenges to past conceptualizations of girlhood, yet the representation of female sexuality as tied to traditional notions of ‘‘femininity’’ remains substantially unchanged. Juno represents a cultural artifact of changing ideologies of girlhood, yet it also functions as an example of the pervasive ambivalence towards the sexual subjectivity of girls. The representation of girls as sexless is challenged. Rather than a stereotypical depiction of the female body as sexual object, sexual desire is visibly expressed and acted upon by the girl character. Throughout the film, Juno is shown as agentive in the decisions she makes about her body, sexual desire, and modes of self-expression; her classification as a girl who identifies as a ‘‘freak,’’ cares little about what other people think of her, and dresses in grunge style clothing connote an independent self-confidence that is apparent in all of her intimate relationships. Although Juno has received praise for its originality, the story is most notable as a surprisingly familiar cultural fairy-tale. Juno’s character is understandable as a metaphor for conditions of female sexuality that continue to limit girls’ full expressions of sexual desire. Like the character of Juno, girls today are caught between increased expectations of agency on the one hand and continuing restrictions of their sexual expressions of desire on the other. In conceptualizing Juno’s agency it is important to recognize the material and social ways in which Juno’s agentive ‘‘choice’’ is constrained. Juno is not a free agent; her actions and her agency operate in connection to material and social structures influencing her daily livelihood. The central paradox within Juno is that it celebrates agency for girls while simultaneously linking that agency to their physical desirability and role as potential reproducers.

Psychological Disorders and Therapy Essay

I. Introduction Schizophrenia is not only the most dreaded psychological disorder but also one of the most heavily researched. Some important new discoveries link schizophrenia with biological factors, such as brain abnormalities and genetic predispositions. Schizophrenia is one of the most heavily researched psychological disorders. Several factors have been proposed as causes of schizophrenia, from biochemical imbalances in the brain to faulty family relationships and socioeconomic environment. Although a great deal of interesting research has been carried out, to date no single factor has been isolated as the cause of schizophrenia. II. The Understanding and Search for Causes Schizophrenia a) Brain, Structure, Function and Abnormalities Recent advances in the measurement of brain structure and function have set the stage for comparing normal individuals with those suffering from schizophrenia. One brain-imaging technique, computer-assisted tomography, or CT scan, uses many low-energy X-rays of the living brain taken at a number of different points and integrated into pictures by a computer. Studies using this technique show that many individuals with schizophrenia have enlarged brain ventricles, compared to normal persons. Some researchers believe a link sexists between the enlarged ventricles and the lower frequency of alpha waves observed among individuals with schizophrenia. The idea that imbalances in brain chemistry might underlie schizophrenia has long intrigued scientists. Strange behaviors, they knew, can have strange chemical causes. The saying â€Å"Mad as a hatter† refers to the psychological deterioration of British hatmakers whose brains, it was later discovered, were slowly poisoned as they moistened the brims of mercury-laden felt hats with their lips (Smith, 2003). Scientists are beginning to understand the mechanism by which chemicals such as LSD produce hallucinations. These discoveries fuel hope that a biochemical key to schizophrenia might be found. One chemical key to schizophrenia involves the neurotransmitter dopamine. When researchers examined patient’s brains after death, they found an excess of receptors for dopamine (Wong, 2000). What is more, drugs that block dopamine levels, such as amphetamine and cocaine, sometimes intensify schizophrenia victims overactive to irrelevant external and internal stimuli. Modern brain scanning techniques reveal that many chronic schizophrenia patients have a detectable brain abnormality. Some have abnormally low brain activity in the frontal lobes (Cohen, 1999). Others, most often men, have enlarged, fluid-filled areas and a corresponding shrinkage of cerebral tissue (Andreasen, 2000). b) Genetic Factors A popular line of research in recent years has been the search for a genetic link in schizophrenia. Several approaches to the study of genetic relationships have been used. Overall, results of this research are consistent with a genetic basis for the disorder. For example, identical twins are more likely to share schizophrenic diagnoses than fraternal twins, whether the twins are reared apart or together. The greater the severity of schizophrenia, the more pronounced this relationship is. Furthermore, children whose parents both have schizophrenia are three times more likely to develop the disorder than are children with only one parent with schizophrenia, whether children are reared with their parents or not. Children who are reared by an adoptive parent with schizophrenia but whose biological parents are normal do not have higher rate of schizophrenia (Kestenbaum, 2001). The most convincing evidence for a genetic relationship comes from research showing a characteristic defect on c hromosome 5 among family members who have some types of schizophrenia (Sherrington, 2000). Naturally, scientists wonder whether people inherit a predisposition to these brain abnormalities. The evidence strongly suggests that some do. The 100-to-1 odds against any person’s being diagnosed with Schizophrenia become 10-to-1 among those who have an afflicted identical twin. Although there are only a dozen such known cases, it appears that an identical twin of schizophrenia victim retains that 50-50 chance whether they are reared together or apart. Adoption studies confirm a genetic link (Gottesman, 2001). Children adopted by someone who develops schizophrenia are unlikely to â€Å"catch† the disorder. But adopted children do have an elevated risk if a biological parent is diagnosed with schizophrenia. The genetic contribution is beyond question. But the genetic role is not so straightforward is beyond question. But the genetic role is not as straightforward as the inheritance of eye color. After all, about half the twins who share identical genes with a schizophrenia victim do not develop the disorder. Thus, behavior geneticists Susan Nicol and Irving Gottesman (2000) conclude that some people â€Å"have a genetic predisposition to the disorder but that this predisposition by itself is not sufficient for the development of schizophrenia.† c) Psychological Factors If, by themselves, genetically predisposed physiological abnormalities do not cause schizophrenia, neither do psychological factors alone. As Nicol and Gottesman report, â€Å"no environmental causes have been discovered that will invariably, or even with moderate probability, produce schizophrenia in persons who are not related to a schizophrenic.† Nevertheless, if genes predispose some people to react to particular experiences by developing schizophrenia, then there must be identifiable triggering experiences. Researchers have asked:   Can stress trigger schizophrenia? Can difficulties in family communications be a contributing factor? The answer to each question is a strong, clear maybe. The psychological triggers of schizophrenia have proved elusive, partly because they may vary with the type of schizophrenia and whether it is a low-developing, chronic schizophrenia, or a sudden, acute reaction to stress. It is true that young people with schizophrenia tend to have unusually disturbed communications with their parents. But is this a cause or a result of their disorder? It is true that stressful experiences, biochemical and abnormalities, and schizophrenia’s symptoms often occur together. But the traffic between brain biochemistry and psychological experiences runs both ways, so cause and effect are difficult to sort out.   It is true that schizophrenic withdrawal often occurs in adolescence or early adulthood, coinciding with the stresses of having to become independent, to assert oneself, and to achieve social success and intimacy. So is schizophrenia the maladaptive coping reaction of biologically vuln erable people? Most of us can relate more easily to the ups and downs of mood disorder that to strange thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors of schizophrenia. Sometimes our thoughts do jump around, but we do not talk nonsensically. Occasionally we feel unjustly suspicious of someone, but we do not feat that the world is plotting against us. Often our perceptions are distorted, but rarely do we see or hear things that are not there. We have felt regret after laughing at someone’s misfortune, but e rarely giggle in response to bad news. At times, we just want to be alone, but we do not live in social isolation. However, millions of people around the world do not talk strangely, suffer delusions, hear nonexistent voices, see things that are not there, laugh or cry at inappropriate times, or withdraw into their private imaginary worlds. Because this is true, the scientific quest to solve the cruel puzzle of schizophrenia continues. d) Environmental Stress Approaches to schizophrenia have not been exclusively biomedical. Even studies of identical twins show that more than half these pairs do not have share diagnoses of schizophrenia. Because they do share all genetic material, there must be environmental factors that also contribute to the disorder, either by protecting constitutionally vulnerable individuals or by precipitating symptoms of the disorder (Kestenbaum, 2001). One way of conceptualizing the relationship between the environment and schizophrenia is through the concept of stress. A stress hypothesis holds that individuals are genetically vulnerable to the disorder. III. Treatment Behavioral Therapy Voluntary behaviors are strongly influenced by their consequences. This sample fact enables behavior therapists to reinforce desired behaviors, while withholding reinforcement for undesired behaviors. Using operant conditioning to solve specific behavior problems is called behavior modification, a therapy that has raised hopes for some cases thought hopeless. Retarded children have been taught to care for themselves. Autistic children have learned to interact. People with Schizophrenia have been helped to behave more rationally on the hospital ward. Physical   methods or therapy This includes electroshock therapy and brain surgery. It consists of passing electric currents through the brain, producing convulsion coma. Psychoanalysis A procedure requiring that the patient and analyst meet for hour- long sessions several times a week for many months. During these hours the analyst helps the patient bring into consciousness the repressed conflicts that have caused the illness. If the treatment is successful, the patient learns realistic methods of dealing with conflicts. The technique of free association is an important part of psychoanalysis. The patient is encouraged to talk about whatever comes to mind, without regard to apparent relevance or propriety of the material. The analyst helps the patient to understand the meaning of this material. Patients develop resistance in their efforts to talk freely, and it is the analyst’s task to help them overcome such resistance. Resistances are usually associated with feelings of guilt in regard to fantasies about hostility, dependency and sexuality. IV. Conclusion Schizophrenia literally translated means â€Å"split mind.† Split mind refers not to a multiple-personality split, but rather a split from reality that shows itself in disorganized thinking; disturb perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions. The schizophrenia victim experiences an altered world. Minute stimuli, such as the grooves on a brick or the reflections of a voice, may distract attention from the whole scene or from the speaker’s meaning. Worse, the person may perceive things that are not there. Such hallucinations are (sensory experiences without sensory stimulation) usually auditory. The person may hear voices that seem to come from outside the head and that make insulting statements or give orders.   The voices may tell that patient that she is bad or that he must burn himself with a cigarette lighter or even commit murder. Less commonly, people see, feel, taste, or smell things that are nonexistent. Such hallucinations have been compared to dreams breaking into waking consciousness. When the unreal seems real, the resulting perceptions are at best bizarre and at worst terrifying.