Friday, January 31, 2020
Health Disparities in Uninsured Americans Essay Example for Free
Health Disparities in Uninsured Americans Essay According to (Kilbourne, Switzer Fine, (2006), Health disparities are significant differences that are needed and viewed clinically and statistically in health care and health outcomes. These differences between groups of people can affect how often an illness(disease) have group affects, the number of people who have gotten sick and how many times do this particular disease or problem ends up with death occurring. There are a number of populations that can be affected by health disparities. ( Felton, (2013). Some of these differences are: Ethnic and racial minorities Rural area residents The elderly, children and women People with disabilities. (Medline Plus.com., (2013). Health disparity can also be defined as differences of populations in health care access, environmental exposures, health status, quality or utilization and outcomes involving your health. Health disparities are related generally to social issues and healthcare systems. The worldwide web coming in existence in the mid 1990s also can lead to health disparities since some ethnic groups would not be able to afford the internet. One of the objectives of Healthy People 2010 was to provide more internet services to the home. (Gibbons, (2005). Since this study will be a quantitative study it will focus on the total number of uninsured or underinsured Americans who didnt have health insurance by the end of 2012. Another focus of this study will be coming up with possible solutions to this growing trend in healthcare. In this study we will also seek to discover how the uninsured or underinsured individuals or families are being effected positively and negatively by gaining feedback from these individuals. There are several ways to obtain this feedback for this study in which we will be conducting surveys and questionnaires to get the answers we need. These ways are: the reasons why they do not have insurance to determine how this may affect their access to care, to determine whether the cost of care is directly affecting the reason why these individuals may not be insured and in this study we need to try to find the problems, come up with solutions and look for ways to get rid of any barriers to persons so that they can find affordable health care policies. Since the Affordable Care Act of 2010 is in effect we need to study how the introduction of a new healthcare law to totally replace the healthcare system that has been in place for years will effect uninsured and underinsured Americans. According to the article by (parkdatabase.org.,(2012). For the surveys we will be conducting our survey samples will be coming from males and femalesà who are American citizens, all races or ethnic groups, 200 participants will be equally divided by gender. In order to cover a wide variety of people that are being effected by health disparities in quantitative research usually will require a large sample size in order to quantify the research. (Felton, 2013). Background of the Study There are several factors that join together populations to influence someones health and health status which results into health disparity. According to the Healthcare Fairness Act of 2000 House Resolution #3250, populations that have health disparities suffer from numbers that are significant as it relates to the total rate of incidence of disease, mortality, survival and morbidity when compared to the population in general. The most contributing factor to health disparities most often mentioned when watched in the United States population is Socioeconomic status (SES). Other factors related to health disparities include: physical and cultural environment, lifestyle, working and living conditions, and community and social networks. Socioeconomic status can be defined as how persons, households, families, and aggregates and census contracts as it relates to the size to consume or create goods that our society values. (Shavers, (2007). The quality of healthcare experienced by our patients may be related to issues of disparity, socio-environmental determinants of health, practice variation, and substandard of care as scientific evidence seemed to show by the late 1990s. (Gibbons,(2005). Since Disparities in the United States can be caused by rather a mixture that is complex, historic injury intertwined with problems with access along with systematic quality. Health disparities have many sides which include ethnicity, status, geography and race. For policymakers it is critically important to give meaning to the problem in the correct way to make sure any solutions that are goal-related will be able to address the solutions reached. The goal is to provide health security for everyone no matter what your socio-economic characters are. Even though the United States goal is to completely get rid healthà disparities there will be efforts to become a part of a broader effort to change health care and by doing so, there must be focus on improving the quality of care delivered to patients individually first and foremost. (Frist, (2005). We can now ask the question, Why the study of health disparity should be pursued and for whom is the study important to? The study of health disparity should be pursued because if nothing else but to determine if the research into health disparity will show any differences in organizational features that are specific. Furthermore the idea that organizational factors may play a significant role in health disparity has brought about more of a deep research on the role of organizational processes that are mutable when you look across the treatment setting. (Kilbourne, Switzer Fine, (2006), Purpose of the Statement The purpose of this study will be to test the framework that is conceptual that will cover health disparities in 3 phases. Detection Reducing and/or Eliminating Understanding The survey will include 200 male and female divided equally on uninsured Americans adults 18 years and older to gain feedback on why they do not have health insurance. (Felton, 2013). Viable Research Questions and Hypotheses What role if any how access to care directly affected your health status because you dont have health insurance? How has the cost of healthcare affected you individually, your familiesà health status because of no health insurance? How do you think your health status would change if you could afford health insurance? Do you think the new health care law will positively or negatively affect your ability to purchase health insurance? What factors do you believe are directly associated with the uninsured status as it relates to health insurance access? (Felton, (2013). Hypotheses Having no health insurance is directly impacting my access to care. Also the cost of care while having no health insurance is directly affecting my general health of me as well as my family. Also, if I had no cost for health insurance or low cost this would positively affect my health status as well as my family. With the Affordable Care Act of 2010 partially enforced, how do you believe this law will be directly associated with your uninsured status when it comes to access to health insurance. (Felton, 2013). Nature of the Study Design The strengths of Experimental Designs research according to the textbook, (Frankfort-Nachmias, Nachmias, (2008), designs begins with the understanding of the 4 components of research design which are: _comparison(correlation of two variables), manipulation(control over), control, (removal of other factors(, and generalization(different settings, larger populations can be use)._ (Frankfort-Nachmias, Nachmias, (2008).à The strengths of experimental designs is it will help a researcher understand the logic behind all other research designs, another strength is that an experiment lets the researcher observe and draw inferences that are casual with less difficulty no matter what type of variable is used and it allows researchers to be able to understand other design limitations. (Felton, (2013). According to the author,( Bhattacherjee, (2012). The limitations of Experimental Design research can be in the world of experimentation, the situation in the real world may not always relate, in situations where you have to randomly assign the persons to groups this may be impossible and unethical and another limitation would be getting rid of variables that are extraneous may not even be possible. (Felton, 2013). According to textbook by, (Frankfort-Nachmias, Nachmias, (2008). When I consider the quantitative research plan I am developing and my research questions, hypotheses, and variables, I would recommend the classic experimental design for research. The reason is my research plan involves, Health Disparities, which is a topic that can touch on several specific groups whether it be based on race, gender, insured, uninsured. In the classic experimental research design as the researcher you do have more control over the intrinsic and extrinsic variables for your research which is an advantage for me. Also in experimental design it allows the researcher to have control to introduce the variable that independent to help determine which direction the causation is being led to. Since Health Disparities will need to cover several areas in order to be effective I feel that experimental research design offers me the best chance of reaching the goal of my research which are three phases: 1. Detection, 2. Understanding of the problem and 3. getting rid of or eliminating health disparities all together. ( Felton, 2013). Since there are so many issues that are affecting Health Disparities in our world today, I feel I need to choose a research design plan that offers flexibility to the researchers which allows them to properly research theà issue, look at all sides to the issues to help come up with valid and ethical conclusions. Also, since I want to focus on uninsured Americans, just like me, and a hot topic in our world today, I will need an research design that will aid in my success to properly research this issue fully. iii. Instrumentation and materials According to the authors, (Keppel, Pamuk, Lynch, Carter-Pokras, Kim, Mays, Pearcy, Schoenbach, Weisman, (2005). S The levels of measurement that will be important for my study in Health Disparities can involve at the nominal level, ordinal level and ratio level. Health disparities can be measured according to six issues that are between populations and groups: 1. a reference point will need to be selected in order to measure disparity. 2. Disparity need to be measured in either relative or absolute terms. 3. Measurements for health disparities need to be in terms of adverse or favorable events. 4. Health disparity needs to be measured in summary fashion or pair-wise. 5. In health disparity you need to choose whether to weigh groups according to the size of the group. 6. In health disparity there needs to be a decision whether to order the groups in a inherent way. (Felton, (2013). According to the textbook, (Frankfort-Nachmias, (2008). The nominal level will be important to my study on health disparity because at this level you can measure a different symbol that will represent each symbol. For example: ethnicity, gender, nationality, martial status, religion, and where you live. According to Messer, (2008). The ratio level is also another level of measurement that can be used in my research study on Health disparitiesà because variables at this level have fixed natural zero points and absolute because these variable can be based on length, time, weight and area. Frankfort-Nachmias, (2008). Ratio measurement are the most common level of measurement used in disparity due to the scale of measurement. At the ratio level when measuring disparity it can be used in both as an absolute measure as well as a level of ratio. (Felton, (2013). Validity in research is concerned with whether you are measuring what you really need to or intend to measure for your research. There are three kinds validity in research: content, empirical and construct validity. I will ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for my study in health disparity in uninsured Americans by first understanding what each of the three types of validity mean: 1. Content validity is when your measurements are actually covering all areas you are intending to measure. In other words, nothing is left out. According to the textbook authors (Frankfort-Nachmias, (2008). Under content validity we have what is called face validity or the researchers evaluation that is subjective in their research. Another content validity is called sampling validity which is concerned about whether the population given in the research is sampled adequately. (Frankfort-Nachmias, (2008). Since health disparity covers a large area to be sampled, as a researcher I will have to find one area to focus on such as uninsured Americans, covering persons 18 years and older, male and females, all ethnic groups will all be a part of the sample. (Felton, 2013). According to authors (Hidalgo Goodman, (2012). Empirical validity refers to the relationship that is between an instrument that needs to be measured and the outcomes of the measurements. Construct validity relates the issues you are measuring to theoretical framework that is general. In disparities research it will be important to assess the standard criteria needed for the research to do what it is intended to do, especially if you are using different populations. In some cases, questionnaires may be needed to create validity in the study, but not in all studies. If in your disparitiesà research for uninsured Americans, where things like racism, race, ethnic groups which are considered constructs that are social can be hard to measure. (Felton, 2013) According to the article from (Active Campaign, (2009). In order to ensure validity in my research using content research which will be requiring all areas in my research I want to cover as it relates to health disparities for the uninsured American I would need to use a subjective form of measurement.(Felton, 2013). In the textbook, (Frankfort-Nachmias, (2008). The strengths and limitations in the reliability and validity I chose Construct validity strengths are based on how many dimensions and measures construct validity has, construct validity can be operated in a number of ways. (Felton, 2013). In order to ensure reliability for the measurement in my study, first I need to understand as a researcher the importance in the degree of reliability. Reliability is when your measuring instrument contain variable errors or mistakes that appear not all the time between your observation of your research for one time only or every time a variable is measured. So measurements contain two components which are called error component and true component. To further explain reliability which is measured on a ratio between true-score variance and variance in the total score measured. To ensure that my research study on health disparities is reliable for the measurement I will need to be able to distinguish that the results of the research may not be the exact same each time it is done. (Felton, (2013). The strengths and limitations when it comes to health disparities in the terms of reliability and validity can be linked to the fact that there are several components by which health disparities can be measured. Empirical validity and reliability are part of the research that deals with health disparities. One strength of empirical validity is relationships between prediction and results. According to the authors, (Ogden and Lo, (2011). The scale that is most appropriate to use for researching health disparities in uninsured Americaà Likert scale (tests attitudes) since it requires the researcher build a list of items that needs to be scaled, random research, then total of results. In using Likert scales there will be some limitations in the research involving health disparities. Some limitations are due to the debate on the role of comparisons socially and the impact it would bring on how the scales are completed and the results of the data being researched. ( Felton, 2013). According to authors Lobo and Mateus, (2013). Since in health disparities there are so many areas that need to be measured even access to health care and scales for measurement can help to achieve the needed results for the researcher if you take into account the aspects of the scale that you can enhance and you will continue to need to validate scales in your other populations. (Felton, (2013). According to ( Nowjack-Raymer, (2013), the test that is appropriate for my health disparities research plan would probably looking to better understand inequalities as well as health disparities, another test could involve developing testing with interventions that would be targeting people living in poverty, and we could also consider testing implementation and dissemination approaches for exploration to findings that would be effective in order to assure translation that is fast that could be put into practice, bring about some policies with action within communities. (Felton, (2013). The populations used for the scale and test as it relates to health disparities according to the NIDCR authors (Nowjack-Raymer, (2013), will involve research that will be focused on the vulnerable and disadvantaged population in subgroups. The testing population could include: Elders All ethnic and racial populations that are considered to be under health disparities, this will include Hispanic(Mexican, Puerto Rican, South and Central America, Cuban, and all Spanish speaking nations), African Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islander, and Alaskan Rural low income persons, urban dwellers, including Appalachians Persons who are unable leave their homes due to disabilities and persons who are in institutionsà the special needs populations that includes persons living with AIDS, developmental or acquired intellectual or physical disabilities. (Nowjack-Raymer, (2013) Data analysis plan: Since in program research there a number that is limited in the efforts to evaluate and create health disparities involving new strategies with the health care system. Here are some of these program that are being supported by the AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for example: (EXCEED) or Excellence Centers to Eliminate Ethnic/Racial Disparities, this is a grant program that looks for ways to eliminate health disparities. (Gillian, (2004). Sampling According to website (HHS.gov.,(2013), For my Quantitative Research Plan on Health Disparities using ratio measurement because it is the most common level used to measure disparity. The population (units of analysis that are relevant) for this research will include all uninsured African Americans in the United States today. Statistically according to the new Health Care Law or the Affordable Care Act there are 6.8 million African Americans eligible for benefits under the ACA. (Felton, 2013). The population for my study includes all uninsured African Americans in the United States according to the ACA. Population: 6.8 million African Americans (including male and female), almost half of this number of young adults. This population need to be defined on the basis of: A. Content, B. Extent, and C. Time. Size: 6.8 million. (HHS.gov.,(2013). I have made aà change in my population for research which will be first finding a reference point which is critical when doing research on disparity. According to the authors, (Keppel, Pamuk, Lynch, Careter-Pokras, Kim, Mays, Pearcy, Schoenbach, and Weissman,(2005). I will also need to measure disparity in relative or absolution terms. Disparity is very obvious when you realize that disparity occurs when the amount that separates a group from a reference point that is specified on a measure that is particular to health that is expressed in the terms of percentage, rate, means or some other measure that is quantitative. (Felton, 2013). . According to authors, (Keppel, et al, (2005) Sampling: an individual within the Population such as for example the young adult population size of 3.2 million or 47% don t have health insurance from the ages 18 to 35 years of age. Type of Sampling used: Probability sampling. A sample need to be able to represent the population it will be used for. When you want to measure a sample and your objective is to work from individual groups in a certain domain then use comparisons that are pair-wise. When you summarize the measures used in your disparity this will quantify all the groups in opposition and any conclusions based on your summary results should be joined and interpreted using all groups. (Felton, 2013) How the sample will be drawn? When disparities are measured, first the reference point need to be identified, next if any two groups need to be compared the reference point with the favorable group need to be used(lowest rates). When using disparities samples it should be measured in both relative and absolute terms and when you are measuring disparities over various of health indicators it should be shown in terms of events that are adverse. Why did you choose this sample size and why it was chosen in relation to the size of your population? I initially chose this sample size since I had 3 populations to choose fromà for the uninsured African American population which were male, female, or young adults and I chose the young adult population since I had a solid statistical number of how many of young adults between the ages of 18 to 35 who are uninsured. I am not totally convinced that choosing a sample size representing millions of people will be the correct course for me to take and I had a terrible time trying to create a graph or chart to show my numbers and I could not get the graph to show. Since the number of uninsured Americans is very high even with the Affordable Care Act being in place, I may have to consider working in another area in health disparity. I was attempting to doing a basic line graph chart showing the age of young adults with no health insurance. Since health disparities covers such a wide range of issues I will have to reconsider what area under health disparity I want to cover and research. Ethical Concerns Health Disparities research has emerging advances which include comparative effectiveness studies and controlled trials that are often conducted at academic sites and multiple communities. The institutional review boards (IRBs) has presented a impediment that is major to the effective and timely conduct of health disparity research. When the research involved the underserved communities and minority along with institutional requirements, ethical standards interpretation may be different. These differences can cause complications in the research protocol and informed consent process and may have a negative effect on how the participants will respect this type of research and the quality of the trials. Also the IRB or institutional review board, can also lead to delays that are unnecessary, jeopardizing the capacity to perform collaborative projects and funding. The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI), Translational Research Network (TRN) have created a community-partnered approach to run side by side with the IRB review directly across the 18 RCMI institutions grantees that make sure compliance while making it better quality of health disparity research. (Hammatt,. and Nishitani, Junko and Heslin, Kevin and Perry and Szetela, and Jones, and Williams, and Antoine-LaVigne, and Forge, andà Norris, Keith C, (2011). Even though Americans are living longer and are healthier, health disparities still exist. However, policymakers are making a response to the health disparity issue by putting together and introducing legislation that are geared toward getting rid of health disparities. (ncsl.org., (2014). The Uninsured Americans as a health disparity There is about 44 million Americans total without health insurance and another 38 million Americans who do not have enough health insurance to meet their healthcare needs. If persons do not have health insurance it will usually mean putting also necessary care such as: Childhood Immunizations Preventive care Routine check-ups no Primary care doctor no access or limited access to prescription drugs being hospitalized for a condition that otherwise would not have led to a hospital stay that could have been avoided if you had health insurance Because of fear of medical bills you may choose to delay care which will usually lead to more cost to you, especially if you have to go to the emergency room. We must also understand that when the uninsured persons face a health crisis because they cant pay the burden of the cost will be to the insured population. (Glied, (2014). References: Active Campaign, ( 2009). Validity in Research Design. Retrieved from website http://www.activecampaign.com/blog/validity-in-research-design/ Bhattacherjee, A.,(2012). SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH: PRINCIPLES, METHODS, AND PRACTICES. Retrieved from website http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002context=oa_textbooks Felton. (2013). _An analysis of personality theory._ Unpublished manuscript, Walden University. Frankfort-Nachmias, C., Nachmias, D. (2008). Research Methods in the Social Sciences 7th Ed. New York: Worth Frist, W., (2005). Overcoming Disparities in U. S. Healthcare. _Health Affairs. Retrieved from website http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/24/2/445.short._ Gibbons, M., (2005). A Historical Overview of Health Disparities and the Potential of eHealth Solutions. _Journal of Medical Internet Research. Retrieved from website http://www.jmir.org/2005/5/e50/_ Gillian, S., (2004). Addressing Unequal Treatment: Disparities in Healthcare. _The Common Fund. Retrieved from website http://www.commonwealthfund.org/usr_doc/SteelFisher_unequaltreatment_cong2004_70 9.pdf?section=4039_ Glied, S., (2014). The Uninsured. Retrieved from the website http://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/uninsured.html HHS.gov(Health care.,. The Affordable Care Act and the African Americans. Retrieved from website http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts/factsheets/2012/04/aca-and-african- americans04122012a.html012). (HAMMATT,. AND NISHITANI, JUNKO AND HESLIN, KEVIN AND PERRY AND SZETELA, AND JONES, AND WILLIAMS, AND ANTOINE-LAVIGNE, AND FORGE, AND NORRIS, KEITH C, (2011). PARTNERING TO HARMONIZE IRBS FOR COMMUNITY-ENGAGED RESEARCH TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES. PUBMED.GOV. RETRIEVED FROM WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV/PUBMED/22102302 (Hidalgo Goodman, (2012). Validation of Self-Reported Measures in Health Disparities Research. _Journal of Biometrics and Biostatistics. Retrieved from website_ http://www.omicsonline.org/validation-of-self-reported-measures-in-health-disparities- research-2155-6180.1000e114.pdf (Keppel, Pamuk, Lynch, Carter-Pokras, Kim, Mays, Pearcy, Schoenbach, Weisman, (2005). Methodological Issues in Measuring Health Disparities. Retrieved from website http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_02/sr02_141.pdf Kilbourne, A., Switzer, G., Hyman, K., Crowley-Matoka, M., Fine, M., (2006). Advancing Health Disparities Research within The Health Care System: A Conceptual Framework. Retrieved from website http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1698151/ LOBO, A., MATEUS, S., (2013). VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF AN EQUITY IN HEALTH CARE SCALE. _SAGE JOURNALS. RETRIEVED FROM WEBSITE_ HTTP://SGO.SAGEPUB.COM/CONTENT/3/4/2158244013506716 Messer, L., (2008). Invited Commentary: Measuring Social Disparities in Health-What Was the Question Again? _American Journal of Epiderminology._ Retrieved from website http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/167/8/900.full.pdf ncsl.org., (2014). 2014 Health Disparity Legislation. Retrieved from website http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/2014-health-disparities-legislation.aspx nlm.nih.gov., Medline Plus., (2013). Health Disparities. Retrieved from website http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthdisparities.html Nowjack-Raymer, (2013). Health Disparities Research Programs. Retrieved from website http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/DER/ClinicalResearch/HealthDispar.htm Ogden, J., Lo, J.,(2011). How meaningful is data from Likert Scales? An evaluation of how ratings are made and the role of the response shift in the socially disadvantaged. Journal of Health Psychology. Retrieved from website http://hpq.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/08/06/1359105311417192, Parkdatabase.org.,(2012). Qualitative and Quantitative Research Techniques for Humanitarian Needs Assessment. _An Introductory Brief._ Retrieved from website http://reliefweb.int/report/world/qualitative-and-quantitative-research-techniques- humanitarian-needs-assessment. Shavers, V., (2007). Measurement of Socio-economic Status in Health Disparity Research. _Journal of National Medical Association. Retrieved from website_
Thursday, January 23, 2020
gatdream F. Scott Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s The Great Gatsby - Seeking the Unattain
Great Gatsby - Seeking the Unattainable Dream What is the American Dream? America has evolved from an infant, struggling, nation to become a world power through its unprecedented economic growth. Driven by the tenets of independence, self reliance, and freedom, Americans have had the opportunity to pursue economic success. To many, this is the American Dream; to have freedom and the opportunity to pursue financial freedom. To others, such as Gatsby, Walter, and Jake, the American dream is happiness. They are driven by their dreams, seeking what they believe will make them happy. Gatsby and Jake seek happiness through love while Walter seeks happiness through money. The belief that bliss, utopia, and tranquility are within their grasps drives these characters. Yet the mere fact that their dreams are unattainable makes them flawed. Without dreams, Gatsby, Walter, and Jake lose their sense of purpose in life. Thus the pursuit of the American dream is a paradox. Achieving it is impossible, but without it, life will lose its purpose. Gatsby, Walter, and Jake are representations of the American dream because the love and happiness they seek are impossible to obtain. The birth of the desire for the happiness and love of the American dream in Gatsby occurred when he met a man named Dan Cody. After his disgust with college, Gatsby sought a new life. He found the promise of his fame and fortune in Dan Cody's yacht. "To young Gatz, resting on his oars and looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world" (Fitzgerald 106). As soon as he borrowed the row boat that transported him to the yacht, Gatsby was no longer James Gatz, he had became Gatsby, inst... ... education and money do not necessarily lead to happiness. "But excited monetary pursuit, Fitzgerald shows, goes hand in hand with personal anxiety: under the strain of competition, social life has become a medium of unease" (Fitter 8). The students of Mission should follow Walter's example and realize that their dream is oversimplified and flawed. They need to mature and realize that there are many pitfalls and problems that are created by money, and that they can find happiness through other things besides money such as family, religion, and love. Gatsby, Walter, and Jake are a representation of the American dream because the love and happiness they seek is impossible to obtain. Despite the impossibility, human beings need a dream in order to have a purpose in life. Without dreams life will become aimless, drying up like a raisin in the sun. gatdream F. Scott Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s The Great Gatsby - Seeking the Unattain Great Gatsby - Seeking the Unattainable Dream What is the American Dream? America has evolved from an infant, struggling, nation to become a world power through its unprecedented economic growth. Driven by the tenets of independence, self reliance, and freedom, Americans have had the opportunity to pursue economic success. To many, this is the American Dream; to have freedom and the opportunity to pursue financial freedom. To others, such as Gatsby, Walter, and Jake, the American dream is happiness. They are driven by their dreams, seeking what they believe will make them happy. Gatsby and Jake seek happiness through love while Walter seeks happiness through money. The belief that bliss, utopia, and tranquility are within their grasps drives these characters. Yet the mere fact that their dreams are unattainable makes them flawed. Without dreams, Gatsby, Walter, and Jake lose their sense of purpose in life. Thus the pursuit of the American dream is a paradox. Achieving it is impossible, but without it, life will lose its purpose. Gatsby, Walter, and Jake are representations of the American dream because the love and happiness they seek are impossible to obtain. The birth of the desire for the happiness and love of the American dream in Gatsby occurred when he met a man named Dan Cody. After his disgust with college, Gatsby sought a new life. He found the promise of his fame and fortune in Dan Cody's yacht. "To young Gatz, resting on his oars and looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world" (Fitzgerald 106). As soon as he borrowed the row boat that transported him to the yacht, Gatsby was no longer James Gatz, he had became Gatsby, inst... ... education and money do not necessarily lead to happiness. "But excited monetary pursuit, Fitzgerald shows, goes hand in hand with personal anxiety: under the strain of competition, social life has become a medium of unease" (Fitter 8). The students of Mission should follow Walter's example and realize that their dream is oversimplified and flawed. They need to mature and realize that there are many pitfalls and problems that are created by money, and that they can find happiness through other things besides money such as family, religion, and love. Gatsby, Walter, and Jake are a representation of the American dream because the love and happiness they seek is impossible to obtain. Despite the impossibility, human beings need a dream in order to have a purpose in life. Without dreams life will become aimless, drying up like a raisin in the sun.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
The Da Vinci Code Chapter 100-101
CHAPTER 100 Bishop Manuel Aringarosa's body had endured many kinds of pain, and yet the searing heat of the bullet wound in his chest felt profoundly foreign to him. Deep and grave. Not a wound of the fleshâ⬠¦ but closer to the soul. He opened his eyes, trying to see, but the rain on his face blurred his vision. Where am I? He could feel powerful arms holding him, carrying his limp body like a rag doll, his black cassock flapping. Lifting a weary arm, he mopped his eyes and saw the man holding him was Silas. The great albino was struggling down a misty sidewalk, shouting for a hospital, his voice a heartrending wail of agony. His red eyes were focused dead ahead, tears streaming down his pale, blood-spattered face. ââ¬Å"My son,â⬠Aringarosa whispered,â⬠you're hurt.â⬠Silas glanced down, his visage contorted in anguish. ââ¬Å"I am so very sorry, Father.â⬠He seemed almost too pained to speak. ââ¬Å"No, Silas,â⬠Aringarosa replied. ââ¬Å"It is I who am sorry. This is my fault.â⬠The Teacher promised me there would be no killing, and I told you to obey him fully. ââ¬Å"I was too eager. Too fearful. You and I were deceived.â⬠The Teacher was never going to deliver us the Holy Grail. Cradled in the arms of the man he had taken in all those years ago, Bishop Aringarosa felt himself reel back in time. To Spain. To his modest beginnings, building a small Catholic church in Oviedo with Silas. And later, to New York City, where he had proclaimed the glory of God with the towering Opus Dei Center on Lexington Avenue. Five months ago, Aringarosa had received devastating news. His life's work was in jeopardy. He recalled, with vivid detail, the meeting inside Castel Gandolfo that had changed his lifeâ⬠¦ the news that had set this entire calamity into motion. Aringarosa had entered Gandolfo's Astronomy Library with his head held high, fully expecting to be lauded by throngs of welcoming hands, all eager to pat him on the back for his superior work representing Catholicism in America. But only three people were present. The Vatican secretariat. Obese. Dour. Two high-ranking Italian cardinals. Sanctimonious. Smug. ââ¬Å"Secretariat?â⬠Aringarosa said, puzzled. The rotund overseer of legal affairs shook Aringarosa's hand and motioned to the chair opposite him. ââ¬Å"Please, make yourself comfortable.â⬠Aringarosa sat, sensing something was wrong. ââ¬Å"I am not skilled in small talk, Bishop,â⬠the secretariat said,â⬠so let me be direct about the reason for your visit.â⬠ââ¬Å"Please. Speak openly.â⬠Aringarosa glanced at the two cardinals, who seemed to be measuring him with self-righteous anticipation. ââ¬Å"As you are well aware,â⬠the secretariat said,â⬠His Holiness and others in Rome have been concerned lately with the political fallout from Opus Dei's more controversial practices.â⬠Aringarosa felt himself bristle instantly. He already had been through this on numerous occasions with the new pontiff, who, to Aringarosa's great dismay, had turned out to be a distressingly fervent voice for liberal change in the Church. ââ¬Å"I want to assure you,â⬠the secretariat added quickly,â⬠that His Holiness does not seek to change anything about the way you run your ministry.â⬠I should hope not!â⬠Then why am I here?â⬠The enormous man sighed. ââ¬Å"Bishop, I am not sure how to say this delicately, so I will state it directly. Two days ago, the Secretariat Council voted unanimously to revoke the Vatican's sanction of Opus Dei.â⬠Aringarosa was certain he had heard incorrectly. ââ¬Å"I beg your pardon?â⬠ââ¬Å"Plainly stated, six months from today, Opus Dei will no longer be considered a prelature of the Vatican. You will be a church unto yourself. The Holy See will be disassociating itself from you. His Holiness agrees and we are already drawing up the legal papers.â⬠ââ¬Å"Butâ⬠¦ that is impossible!â⬠ââ¬Å"On the contrary, it is quite possible. And necessary. His Holiness has become uneasy with your aggressive recruiting policies and your practices of corporal mortification.â⬠He paused. ââ¬Å"Also your policies regarding women. Quite frankly, Opus Dei has become a liability and an embarrassment.â⬠Bishop Aringarosa was stupefied. ââ¬Å"An embarrassment?â⬠ââ¬Å"Certainly you cannot be surprised it has come to this.â⬠ââ¬Å"Opus Dei is the only Catholic organization whose numbers are growing! We now have over eleven hundred priests!â⬠ââ¬Å"True. A troubling issue for us all.â⬠Aringarosa shot to his feet. ââ¬Å"Ask His Holiness if Opus Dei was an embarrassment in 1982 when we helped the Vatican Bank!â⬠ââ¬Å"The Vatican will always be grateful for that,â⬠the secretariat said, his tone appeasing,â⬠and yet there are those who still believe your financial munificence in 1982 is the only reason you were granted prelature status in the first place.â⬠ââ¬Å"That is not true!â⬠The insinuation offended Aringarosa deeply. ââ¬Å"Whatever the case, we plan to act in good faith. We are drawing up severance terms that will include a reimbursement of those monies. It will be paid in five installments.â⬠ââ¬Å"You are buying me off?â⬠Aringarosa demanded. ââ¬Å"Paying me to go quietly? When Opus Dei is the only remaining voice of reason!â⬠One of the cardinals glanced up. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry, did you say reason?â⬠Aringarosa leaned across the table, sharpening his tone to a point. ââ¬Å"Do you really wonder why Catholics are leaving the Church? Look around you, Cardinal. People have lost respect. The rigors of faith are gone. The doctrine has become a buffet line. Abstinence, confession, communion, baptism, mass ââ¬â take your pick ââ¬â choose whatever combination pleases you and ignore the rest. What kind of spiritual guidance is the Church offering?â⬠ââ¬Å"Third-century laws,â⬠the second cardinal said,â⬠cannot be applied to the modern followers of Christ. The rules are not workable in today's society.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, they seem to be working for Opus Dei!â⬠ââ¬Å"Bishop Aringarosa,â⬠the secretariat said, his voice conclusive. ââ¬Å"Out of respect for your organization's relationship with the previous Pope, His Holiness will be giving Opus Dei six months to voluntarily break away from the Vatican. I suggest you cite your differences of opinion with the Holy See and establish yourself as your own Christian organization.â⬠ââ¬Å"I refuse!â⬠Aringarosa declared. ââ¬Å"And I'll tell him that in person!â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm afraid His Holiness no longer cares to meet with you.â⬠Aringarosa stood up. ââ¬Å"He would not dare abolish a personal prelature established by a previous Pope!â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm sorry.â⬠The secretariat's eyes did not flinch. ââ¬Å"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.â⬠Aringarosa had staggered from that meeting in bewilderment and panic. Returning to New York, he stared out at the skyline in disillusionment for days, overwhelmed with sadness for the future of Christianity. It was several weeks later that he received the phone call that changed all that. The caller sounded French and identified himself as the Teacher ââ¬â a title common in the prelature. He said he knew of the Vatican's plans to pull support from Opus Dei. How could he know that? Aringarosa wondered. He had hoped only a handful of Vatican power brokers knew of Opus Dei's impending annulment. Apparently the word was out. When it came to containing gossip, no walls in the world were as porous as those surrounding Vatican City. ââ¬Å"I have ears everywhere, Bishop,â⬠the Teacher whispered,â⬠and with these ears I have gained certain knowledge. With your help, I can uncover the hiding place of a sacred relic that will bring you enormous powerâ⬠¦ enough power to make the Vatican bow before you. Enough power to save the Faith.â⬠He paused. ââ¬Å"Not just for Opus Dei. But for all of us.â⬠The Lord taketh awayâ⬠¦and the Lord giveth.Aringarosa felt a glorious ray of hope. ââ¬Å"Tell me your plan.â⬠Bishop Aringarosa was unconscious when the doors of St. Mary's Hospital hissed open. Silas lurched into the entryway delirious with exhaustion. Dropping to his knees on the tile floor, he cried out for help. Everyone in the reception area gaped in wonderment at the half-naked albino offering forth a bleeding clergyman. The doctor who helped Silas heave the delirious bishop onto a gurney looked gloomy as he felt Aringarosa's pulse. ââ¬Å"He's lost a lot of blood. I am not hopeful.â⬠Aringarosa's eyes flickered, and he returned for a moment, his gaze locating Silas. ââ¬Å"My childâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Silas's soul thundered with remorse and rage. ââ¬Å"Father, if it takes my lifetime, I will find the one who deceived us, and I will kill him.â⬠Aringarosa shook his head, looking sad as they prepared to wheel him away. ââ¬Å"Silasâ⬠¦ if you have learned nothing from me, pleaseâ⬠¦ learn this.â⬠He took Silas's hand and gave it a firm squeeze. ââ¬Å"Forgiveness is God's greatest gift.â⬠ââ¬Å"But Fatherâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Aringarosa closed his eyes. ââ¬Å"Silas, you must pray.â⬠CHAPTER 101 Robert Langdon stood beneath the lofty cupola of the deserted Chapter House and stared into the barrel of Leigh Teabing's gun. Robert, are you with me, or against me? The Royal Historian's words echoed in the silence of Langdon's mind. There was no viable response, Langdon knew. Answer yes, and he would be selling out Sophie. Answer no, and Teabing would have no choice but to kill them both. Langdon's years in the classroom had not imbued him with any skills relevant to handling confrontations at gunpoint, but the classroom had taught him something about answering paradoxical questions. When a question has no correct answer, there is only one honest response. The gray area between yes and no. Silence. Staring at the cryptex in his hands, Langdon chose simply to walk away. Without ever lifting his eyes, he stepped backward, out into the room's vast empty spaces. Neutral ground.He hoped his focus on the cryptex signaled Teabing that collaboration might be an option, and that his silence signaled Sophie he had not abandoned her. All the while buying time to think. The act of thinking, Langdon suspected, was exactly what Teabing wanted him to do. That's whyhe handed me the cryptex.So I could feel the weight of my decision.The British historian hoped the touch of the Grand Master's cryptex would make Langdon fully grasp the magnitude of its contents, coaxing his academic curiosity to overwhelm all else, forcing him to realize that failure to unlock the keystone would mean the loss of history itself. With Sophie at gunpoint across the room, Langdon feared that discovering the cryptex's elusive password would be his only remaining hope of bartering her release. If I can free the map, Teabingwill negotiate.Forcing his mind to this critical task, Langdon moved slowly toward the far windowsâ⬠¦ allowing his mind to fill with the numerous astronomical images on Newton's tomb. You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb. It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb. Turning his back to the others, he walked toward the towering windows, searching for any inspiration in their stained-glass mosaics. There was none. Place yourself in Sauniere's mind, he urged, gazing outward now into College Garden. What wouldhe believe is the orb that ought be on Newton's tomb? Images of stars, comets, and planets twinkled in the falling rain, but Langdon ignored them. Sauniere was not a man of science. He was a man of humanity, of art, of history. The sacred feminineâ⬠¦the chaliceâ⬠¦the Roseâ⬠¦the banishedMary Magdaleneâ⬠¦the decline of the goddessâ⬠¦the Holy Grail. Legend had always portrayed the Grail as a cruel mistress, dancing in the shadows just out of sight, whispering in your ear, luring you one more step and then evaporating into the mist. Gazing out at the rustling trees of College Garden, Langdon sensed her playful presence. The signs were everywhere. Like a taunting silhouette emerging from the fog, the branches of Britain's oldest apple tree burgeoned with five-petaled blossoms, all glistening like Venus. The goddess was in the garden now. She was dancing in the rain, singing songs of the ages, peeking out from behind the bud-filled branches as if to remind Langdon that the fruit of knowledge was growing just beyond his reach. Across the room, Sir Leigh Teabing watched with confidence as Langdon gazed out the window as if under a spell. Exactly as I hoped, Teabing thought. He will come around. For some time now, Teabing had suspected Langdon might hold the key to the Grail. It was no coincidence that Teabing launched his plan into action on the same night Langdon was scheduled to meet Jacques Sauniere. Listening in on the curator, Teabing was certain the man's eagerness to meet privately with Langdon could mean only one thing. Langdon's mysterious manuscript has touched a nerve with the Priory. Langdon has stumbled onto a truth, and Sauniere fears its release.Teabing felt certain the Grand Master was summoning Langdon to silence him. The Truth has been silenced long enough! Teabing knew he had to act quickly. Silas's attack would accomplish two goals. It would prevent Sauniere from persuading Langdon to keep quiet, and it would ensure that once the keystone was in Teabing's hands, Langdon would be in Paris for recruitment should Teabing need him. Arranging the fatal meeting between Sauniere and Silas had been almost too easy. I had inside information about Sauniere's deepest fears.Yesterday afternoon, Silas had phoned the curator and posed as a distraught priest. ââ¬Å"Monsieur Sauniere, forgive me, I must speak to you at once. I should never breach the sanctity of the confessional, but in this case, I feel I must. I just took confession from a man who claimed to have murdered members of your family.â⬠Sauniere's response was startled but wary. ââ¬Å"My family died in an accident. The police report was conclusive.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, a car accident,â⬠Silas said, baiting the hook. ââ¬Å"The man I spoke to said he forced their car off the road into a river.â⬠Sauniere fell silent.â⬠Monsieur Sauniere, I would never have phoned you directly except this man made a comment which makes me now fear for your safety.â⬠He paused. ââ¬Å"The man also mentioned your granddaughter, Sophie.â⬠The mention of Sophie's name had been the catalyst. The curator leapt into action. He ordered Silasto come see him immediately in the safest location Sauniere knew ââ¬â his Louvre office. Then he phoned Sophie to warn her she might be in danger. Drinks with Robert Langdon were instantly abandoned. Now, with Langdon separated from Sophie on the far side of the room, Teabing sensed he had successfully alienated the two companions from one another. Sophie Neveu remained defiant, but Langdon clearly saw the larger picture. He was trying to figure out the password. He understands the importance of finding the Grail and releasing her from bondage. ââ¬Å"He won't open it for you,â⬠Sophie said coldly. ââ¬Å"Even if he can.â⬠Teabing was glancing at Langdon as he held the gun on Sophie. He was fairly certain now he was going to have to use the weapon. Although the idea troubled him, he knew he would not hesitate if it came to that. I have given her every opportunity to do the right thing.The Grail is bigger than any one of us. At that moment, Langdon turned from the window. ââ¬Å"The tombâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ he said suddenly, facing them with a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. ââ¬Å"I know where to look on Newton's tomb. Yes, I think I can find the password!â⬠Teabing's heart soared. ââ¬Å"Where, Robert? Tell me!â⬠Sophie sounded horrified. ââ¬Å"Robert, no! You're not going to help him, are you?â⬠Langdon approached with a resolute stride, holding the cryptex before him. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠he said, his eyes hardening as he turned to Leigh. ââ¬Å"Not until he lets you go.â⬠Teabing's optimism darkened. ââ¬Å"We are so close, Robert. Don't you dare start playing games with me!â⬠ââ¬Å"No games,â⬠Langdon said. ââ¬Å"Let her go. Then I'll take you to Newton's tomb. We'll open the cryptex together.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not going anywhere,â⬠Sophie declared, her eyes narrowing with rage. ââ¬Å"That cryptex was given to me by my grandfather. It is not yours to open.â⬠Langdon wheeled, looking fearful. ââ¬Å"Sophie, please! You're in danger. I'm trying to help you!â⬠ââ¬Å"How? By unveiling the secret my grandfather died trying to protect? He trusted you, Robert. Itrusted you!â⬠Langdon's blue eyes showed panic now, and Teabing could not help but smile to see the two of them working against one another. Langdon's attempts to be gallant were more pathetic than anything. On the verge of unveiling one of history's greatest secrets, and he troubles himself with a woman who has proven herself unworthy of the quest. ââ¬Å"Sophie,â⬠Langdon pleaded. ââ¬Å"Pleaseâ⬠¦ you must leave.â⬠She shook her head. ââ¬Å"Not unless you either hand me the cryptex or smash it on the floor.â⬠ââ¬Å"What?â⬠Langdon gasped.â⬠Robert, my grandfather would prefer his secret lost forever than see it in the hands of his murderer.â⬠Sophie's eyes looked as if they would well with tears, but they did not. She stared directly back at Teabing. ââ¬Å"Shoot me if you have to. I am not leaving my grandfather's legacy in your hands.â⬠Very well.Teabing aimed the weapon. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠Langdon shouted, raising his arm and suspending the cryptex precariously over the hard stone floor. ââ¬Å"Leigh, if you even think about it, I will drop this.â⬠Teabing laughed. ââ¬Å"That bluff worked on Remy. Not on me. I know you better than that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you, Leigh?â⬠Yes I do. Your poker face needs work, my friend. It took me several seconds, but I can see now that you are lying. You have no idea where on Newton's tomb the answer lies. ââ¬Å"Truly, Robert? You know where on the tomb to look?â⬠ââ¬Å"I do.â⬠The falter in Langdon's eyes was fleeting but Leigh caught it. There was a lie there. A desperate, pathetic ploy to save Sophie. Teabing felt a profound disappointment in Robert Langdon. I am a lone knight, surrounded by unworthy souls. And I will have to decipher the keystone on my own. Langdon and Neveu were nothing but a threat to Teabing nowâ⬠¦ and to the Grail. As painful as the solution was going to be, he knew he could carry it out with a clean conscience. The only challenge would be to persuade Langdon to set down the keystone so Teabing could safely end this charade. ââ¬Å"A show of faith,â⬠Teabing said, lowering the gun from Sophie. ââ¬Å"Set down the keystone, and we'll talk.â⬠Langdon knew his lie had failed. He could see the dark resolve in Teabing's face and knew the moment was upon them. When I setthis down, he will kill us both.Even without looking at Sophie, he could hear her heart beseeching him in silent desperation. Robert, this man is not worthy of the Grail.Please do not place it in his hands.No matter what the cost. Langdon had already made his decision several minutes ago, while standing alone at the window overlooking College Garden. Protect Sophie. Protect the Grail. Langdon had almost shouted out in desperation. But I cannot see how! The stark moments of disillusionment had brought with them a clarity unlike any he had ever felt. The Truth is right before your eyes, Robert.He knew not from where the epiphany came. The Grailis not mocking you, she is calling out to a worthy soul. Now, bowing down like a subject several yards in front of Leigh Teabing, Langdon lowered the cryptex to within inches of the stone floor. ââ¬Å"Yes, Robert,â⬠Teabing whispered, aiming the gun at him. ââ¬Å"Set it down.â⬠Langdon's eyes moved heavenward, up into the gaping void of the Chapter House cupola. Crouching lower, Langdon lowered his gaze to Teabing's gun, aimed directly at him. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry, Leigh.â⬠In one fluid motion, Langdon leapt up, swinging his arm skyward, launching the cryptex straight up toward the dome above. Leigh Teabing did not feel his finger pull the trigger, but the Medusa discharged with a thundering crash. Langdon's crouched form was now vertical, almost airborne, and the bullet exploded in the floor near Langdon's feet. Half of Teabing's brain attempted to adjust his aim and fire again in rage, but the more powerful half dragged his eyes upward into the cupola. The keystone! Time seemed to freeze, morphing into a slow-motion dream as Teabing's entire world became the airborne keystone. He watched it rise to the apex of its climbâ⬠¦ hovering for a moment in the voidâ⬠¦ and then tumbling downward, end over end, back toward the stone floor. All of Teabing's hopes and dreams were plummeting toward earth. It cannot strike the floor! I can reach it! Teabing's body reacted on instinct. He released the gun and heaved himself forward, dropping his crutches as he reached out with his soft, manicured hands. Stretching his arms and fingers, he snatched the keystone from midair. Falling forward with the keystone victoriously clutched in his hand, Teabing knew he was falling too fast. With nothing to break his fall, his outstretched arms hit first, and the cryptex collided hard with the floor. There was a sickening crunch of glass within. For a full second, Teabing did not breathe. Lying there outstretched on the cold floor, staring the length of his outstretched arms at the marble cylinder in his bare palms, he implored the glass vial inside to hold. Then the acrid tang of vinegar cut the air, and Teabing felt the cool liquid flowing out through the dials onto his palm. Wild panic gripped him. NO! The vinegar was streaming now, and Teabing pictured the papyrus dissolving within. Robert, you fool! The secret is lost! Teabing felt himself sobbing uncontrollably. The Grail is gone.Everything destroyed.Shuddering in disbelief over Langdon's actions, Teabing tried to force the cylinder apart, longing to catch a fleeting glimpse of history before it dissolved forever. To his shock, as he pulled the ends of the keystone, the cylinder separated. He gasped and peered inside. It was empty except for shards of wet glass. No dissolving papyrus. Teabing rolled over and looked up at Langdon. Sophie stood beside him, aiming the gun down at Teabing. Bewildered, Teabing looked back at the keystone and saw it. The dials were no longer at random. They spelled a five-letter word: APPLE. ââ¬Å"The orb from which Eve partook,â⬠Langdon said coolly,â⬠incurring the Holy wrath of God. Original sin. The symbol of the fall of the sacred feminine.â⬠Teabing felt the truth come crashing down on him in excruciating austerity. The orb that ought be on Newton's tomb could be none other than the Rosy apple that fell from heaven, struck Newton on the head, and inspired his life's work. His labor's fruit! The Rosy flesh with a seeded womb! ââ¬Å"Robert,â⬠Teabing stammered, overwhelmed. ââ¬Å"You opened it. Whereâ⬠¦ is the map?â⬠Without blinking, Langdon reached into the breast pocket of his tweed coat and carefully extracted a delicate rolled papyrus. Only a few yards from where Teabing lay, Langdon unrolled the scroll and looked at it. After a long moment, a knowing smile crossed Langdon's face. He knows! Teabing's heart craved that knowledge. His life's dream was right in front of him. ââ¬Å"Tell me!â⬠Teabing demanded. ââ¬Å"Please! Oh God, please! It's not too late!â⬠As the sound of heavy footsteps thundered down the hall toward the Chapter House, Langdon quietly rolled the papyrus and slipped it back in his pocket. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠Teabing cried out, trying in vain to stand. When the doors burst open, Bezu Fache entered like a bull into a ring, his feral eyes scanning, finding his target ââ¬â Leigh Teabing ââ¬â helpless on the floor. Exhaling in relief, Fache holstered his Manurhin sidearm and turned to Sophie. ââ¬Å"Agent Neveu, I am relieved you and Mr. Langdon are safe. You should have come in when I asked.â⬠The British police entered on Fache's heels, seizing the anguished prisoner and placing him in handcuffs. Sophie seemed stunned to see Fache. ââ¬Å"How did you find us?â⬠Fache pointed to Teabing. ââ¬Å"He made the mistake of showing his ID when he entered the abbey. The guards heard a police broadcast about our search for him.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's in Langdon's pocket!â⬠Teabing was screaming like a madman. ââ¬Å"The map to the Holy Grail!â⬠As they hoisted Teabing and carried him out, he threw back his head and howled. ââ¬Å"Robert! Tell me where it's hidden!â⬠As Teabing passed, Langdon looked him in the eye. ââ¬Å"Only the worthy find the Grail, Leigh. You taught me that.ââ¬
Monday, January 6, 2020
Modernism Just another Word for the 20th Century - 599 Words
Modernism is just another word for 20th century. It was a movement which started in the beginning of the 20th century and carried on until about the 1960ââ¬â¢s. To understand the reasons behind the rise of modernism, one must understand the eras that came before it, namely the Romantic Period and the Victorian Era. Romanticism is mostly concerned with subjectivity. Poets and others such as composers drew inspiration from their own experiences and feelings. They exalted emotion over reason and senses over intellect. Romanticists also loved (drew inspiration from) nature and often used it in their poems or compositions. Whereas in the Victorian era (which came after the Romantic Period), the subject matter for poetry was often socially-oriented. Victorian literature often saw a drive for social advancement. There was a set of standards and codes of conduct making people have, what was seen as ââ¬Å"properâ⬠behaviour. This in turn led to Modernism. The Modernist Period was first a reaction against the previous Victorian culture. Intellectuals and artists of the 20th century believed that the previous eraââ¬â¢s way of doing things was a cultural dead end and they wanted to break away from traditions. What further contributed to the rise of modernism was the First World War, which shell-shocked many. People lost their sense of certainty and it made them change their points of views. It made modernists question civilisation. This is seen in T.S Eliotââ¬â¢s poem ââ¬Å"The Wastelandâ⬠which questionsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Modernism in Literature1532 Words à |à 7 PagesThe turn of the 20th century conveyed revolution in psychological, social, and philosophical thought. It was time for something neoteric. It was time to break out of the mundane tradition. This time of revolution conceded men, such as Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud, to rise to fame with their radical and cutting edge theories. Also, women were exasperated of their modeled roles in society. They sought to be independent, they longed to have the ability to vote, and most of all, theyRead MorePostmodernism And The Future Of Literature1214 Words à |à 5 PagesPostmodernism and the Future of Li terature During the 19th and early 20th, Western world experienced numerous historical events and influential changes, including the Word Wars and technological revolutions. These phenomenons affected the society at large, including in the aspect of art and literature. Literary historians often classified literature from late 19th century until the end of World War II as modernism and literature after World War II as postmodernism. Although there are no explicitRead MoreModernism : The Age Of Rebellion Essay1228 Words à |à 5 Pages Modernism was a progress to society, in many ways it helped shape and form what we call the western culture. Modernism was a time period during the 20th century that promoted changes to the Western culture. Many of the changes occurred in the attitude and functioning of society, modernism is often referred to the age of rebellion. During this time many people were rejecting the social norms that have been practiced for years and finding more about their own individuality. Modernism was not onlyRead MoreEssay on The Bloomsbury Group1644 Words à |à 7 Pagesthese aspects as well as a few others. The most well recognized writer of this group was Virginia Woolf. The Bloomsbury Group is a popular collective designation for, a number of English intellectuals prominent in the first quarter of the 20th century, all of whom were individually known for their contributions to the arts or to the social science (www.funkandwagnall.com/encyclopedia/low/articles/b/6003001758.html). Bloomsbury is a residential and academic district in London. Bloomsbury beganRead More`` Design Is For Living ``1601 Words à |à 7 Pageswere a husband and wife team whose unique synergy led to a whole new expression in furniture and architecture. The couple advocated the principles of Modernism through the adaptation of innovaà ¬tion from wartime technology .Their design style can be branded as ââ¬Å"California Modernism,â⬠a term that is often used interchangeably with ââ¬Å"Mid-Century Modernism.â⬠This distinct style embodied an approach to design that opposed the ââ¬Å"social conscienceâ⬠of the Bauhaus in order to embrace looser, warmer design whic hRead MoreToni Morrison And Virginia Woolfs The Bluest Eye1629 Words à |à 7 PagesEssentialistsââ¬â¢ claim by making a novel about racism, and how it affected African American culture in the 20th century. Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaidââ¬â¢s Tale, challenged this notion by addressing issues about sexual violence and political issues, except in the shape of an extremist and dystopian world. Moreover, Virginia Woolf, author of To the Lighthouse, not only helped bring about modernism in the early 1900s, but dared to give a time to start it. I want to address and prove the Essentialistsââ¬â¢Read MoreModernism In The Great Gatsby1728 Words à |à 7 Pages Modernism in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows the story of Jay Gatsby in the Jazz Age of the United States. Although this novel tells a fictional tale, it also gives readers a window into the social and economic environment of America in the time period following World War I. For this reason, The Great Gatsby is considered one of the most important examples of Modernism in American literature. The Modernist themes in this novel comeRead MoreDominion of Death1106 Words à |à 4 Pagesheaven if they were to live holy and sinless lives. However towards the beginning of the 20th century this belief started to weave towards the belief that the afterlife would be the eternal end of ones life on physical earth, with some even believing that there wouldnââ¬â¢t be an afterlife. This all leaded to people overall living happier and longer lives. This all inspired a type of writing style called modernism; to be more specific Neo-romanticism. One of the most famous writers of this genre was DylanRead MoreAnalysis Of Joseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness And The The Mystic Masseur 1544 Words à |à 7 Pages In Joseph Conradââ¬â¢s Heart of Darkness and V.S. Naipaulââ¬â¢s The Mystic Masseur, the concept of modernism is established through two supporting characters, both of which have only brief physical interactions with our protagonists. Kurtz, from Heart of Darkness, and Mr. Stewart, from The Mystic Masseur, both represent the idea of modernism through both their beliefs and their actions, in a time when modernism was finding its footprints and was viewed differently to those foreign to the movement. AlthoughRead MoreModern Poetry978 Words à |à 4 PagesA word that can be heard in every day conversation is the word ââ¬Å"modernâ⬠. Everything has to be modern in the 21st century: modern technology and books and clothes, nobody wants the old stuff anymore because it is not worth as much as what is around now. Modern poetry is: ââ¬Å"For artists and writers, the Modernist project was a re-evaluation of the assumptions and aesthetic values of their predecessorsâ⬠(http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossary-term/Modernism). Even poetry that has been around
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