The expansion and settlement of the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The expansion and settlement of the U.S - Essay Example itiated the greatest sustenance mainly from Democrats especially northern states, through which the Democratic newspaper addressed an ultimate dream of widening philosophies of the U.S through no forceful and no brutal ways (Huntington). Congress and the slavery act was another reason that the US expanded. When the congress failed to pass a bill against slavery people fled in search for new territories. People fled to Kansas-Nebraska to make the positions pro or anti-slavery. Gold is a rich resource for a long time maintained the precious state. The discovery of gold in California and Klondike became a reason for people to settle in those areas in search for jobs and better lives. In addition, the completion of transcontinental Railroad 1869 as decreed by the government was another facilitator of expansion (Huntington). The ability to transport goods and people for a longer distance convinced citizens to settle wherever they wanted. People’s perception and how they have portrayed the US, has shaped the nation’s development in terms of population. Many songwriters, book authors, artists, influential leaders have painted America to be a nation flowing with milk and honey. A painting entitled American Progress has for a long time been an inspiration to most Americans and revealed the real picture of American development and expansion (Huntington). Most immigrants to the US have that thought in mind as they move to settle in the US. Among other reasons, American-Mexican war, acquisition of Hawaii and Alaska mid-19th century, French war and the Oregon Trail Dispute among many other

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10

Assignment Example In essence, meditation plays a crucial role in this religion and with this; many people have embraced different methods of meditation. Meditation The purpose of meditation is to still the brain, relax the body, and boost concentration. Many of the skills learnt in meditation produces an understanding that this practice focuses on the notion of the mind. Meditation develops the mental ability of developing love and kindness for the self and others. In other words, meditation sweetens the mind. There major types of meditation include the following. Tranquillity Meditation (Samatha) The main purpose of Tranquillity or Samatha meditation is to still the brain and improve its concentration. This meditation helps an individual to develop through four stages. These include detachment from sorrow and suffering and embracing the consciousness of joy and happiness, having logic reasoning in life, pure thoughts, and embracing virtues that promote the well-being of people. Insight Meditation/Vip assana Insight meditation helps an individual to realize important truths of life. A person who practices this meditation hopes to embrace the truths of suffering, impermanence, and no-self. The practice of this meditation concentrates on improving the mind. The most methods prescribed to develop a sober mindfulness are walking, sitting, and mindfulness of daily activities. Walking mindfulness is often practiced in retreats and monasteries, especially in regions such as Theravada. Gaining this mindfulness requires one to find a quiet place, takes some time to relax, and attempts to concentrate on the sensations and movements of walking. This practice brings an individual closer to the insight of understanding the fundamental truths of impermanence and no-self. Sitting Meditation is very similar to walking meditation. However, the focus of this meditation is on the breadth instead of walking. A person practising this meditation focuses the breath and its observation. The ultimate goa l of this practice is to enhance truth on no-self, impermanence, and suffering. Mindfulness of Everyday Activities emphasizes more on the skills learned in sitting and walking. This mindfulness helps an individual to participate fully in everything he or she does (Religion Facts, 2013). Loving-Kindness Meditation/ Metta Bhavana Loving and kindness are important virtues of Buddhism and this meditation is a way of obtaining and developing these virtues. The purpose of this meditation is to develop the mental component of having love for the self and others. The practitioner evokes the feelings of love and kindness to those around him. Still, he or she radiates feelings of unconditional love and acceptance. This meditation helps people to live in harmony with one another. As people learn to love one another, it brings forth unity, joy, happiness, and peace in the society. This meditation also helps people to be kind with one another regardless of the cultural, ethnicity, or race differ ences. Discursive Meditations A successful participation of this meditation helps one to elevate the mind and cultivate awesome and wholesome feelings. A poem, a hymn, or a passage from Dhamma or any inspiring literature can create these feelings. Most Buddhists set aside a few minutes to study and reflect upon an inspiring teaching. This allows one to reflect upon human values, dignity, and integrity. Countries where Meditation Rites are Practiced According to Religion Facts (2013), Japan and China largely

Implementing Guidelines for Pediatric Tonsillectomies

Implementing Guidelines for Pediatric Tonsillectomies Practice Paper: Implementing Quality Based Procedures  Guidelines for Pediatric Tonsillectomies at Credit Valley Hospital Kathryn DePass Trillium Health Partners, encompassing three sites- Credit Valley Hospital, Mississauga Hospital, and Queensway Health Centre, claims their hospitals are leading with outstanding performance, fiscal responsibility, and quality patient care (Trillium Health Partners, n.d.). With the emergence of the Health System Funding Reform in 2012, drastic changes were made to hospital funding. In particular, to promote innovative and evidenced-based practice, thirty percent of hospitals overall funding was allocated towards Quality Based Procedures (QBP) (Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Heath Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, 2013). QBPs are specific clusters of patient services that offer opportunities for healthcare providers to perform services based on best practice. It is suggested that when organizations adopt clinical evidenced-informed practices, quality patient care will flourish, while also increasing system efficiencies and decreasing costs (Ontario Health Association, 2013). One of the procedures covered under QBPs is Pediatric Tonsillectomy, with or without Adenoidectomy. The Quality-Based Procedures Clinical Handbook for Paediatric Tonsillectomy with and without Adenoidectomy (2013) articulates the specific evidence-based components of care that should be provided for these patients from pre- to post-operation. The Director of Women and Childrens Health indicates that practice variation, lack of standardization, lack of evidenced-based practices, and physician resistance all contribute to the organizations inability to enact QBP standards for this procedure since it was issued in 2014. Specifically, no standardized pre-screening tool exists to assess for complications prior to surgery. In particular, children are neither assessed nor properly diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) using a sleep study, the gold standard. This assessment, however, is vital since OSAS patients have a high risk of postoperative respiratory complications (Le ong Davis, 2007). On the day of surgery, it is not standard that patients receive a pre-operative acetaminophen loading dose for prophylactic pain management. Some anesthesiologists vocalize their discomfort with administering acetaminophen rectally, while others are not aware of the significant impact of this administration on post-operative pain management. The American Academy of Otolaryngology Clinical Practice Guideline for Tonsillectomy in Children states that rectal administration is better tolerated than oral administration and is the most effective in reducing pain and opioid requirements following surgery (Baugh et al, 2011). In addition, children with adequate acetaminophen analgesia have less post-operative nausea and vomiting. Both the Director and Educator of Pediatrics argue that physician resistance has been a significant barrier to implement QBP standards (Cathie Boudeau, personal communication, April 27, 2015). Nonetheless, both the surgical and pediatric nurses have disclosed that they look forward to changes that encourage standardization and quality patient care. The Educator has explained that she has already began drafting a post-operative standardized PPO form, which has, surprisingly, gained significant approval by physicians. Therefore, the Educator has requested the writer focus on standardizing the pre-operative experience. Currently, patients and families receive a Pre-Operative Information Sheet. The Educator has noted, however, that this form does not align with QBP advisement. In addition, families have vocalized that the sheet should be more comprehensive and visually appealing. In addition, a standardized pre-assessment form to screen for complications needs to drafted. Changing behaviour in regards to administration of pre-operative acetaminophen will also be considered in this project. The Quality-Based Procedures Clinical Handbook for Paediatric Tonsillectomy with and without Adenoidectomy (2013) will be used as the reference to create a Pre-Operative Information Sheet for families and patients, as well as a pre-assessment checklist to screen for complications. In order to encourage adoption of all new changes and to change behaviour, knowledge of change management is imperative. Therefore, a literature review was conducted to guide the implementation of this project. Inclusion criteria parameters for the literature search included the years 1995 to 2015. Search terms included organizational change, management of change, and change management. Databases used were MEDLINE, PubMed, and CINAHL. Many articles were retrieved (about 300 hits). The search was then narrowed to focus on health care and hospitals. Roughly 145 articles were reviewed. Empirical studies were assessed for clarity of methodology, peer review, and external evaluation. Finally, the number of articles was narrowed down to 45, which met the specific criteria for change management in health care. Change management literature draws from a wide range of disciplines, as well as theoretical and organizational perspectives, such as psychology, sociology, business policy, and social policy, creating a complex and robust body of evidence which is challenging to appraise and synthesize. Furthermore, the literature contains numerous and varying frameworks, models, evidence, and illustrations; that may describe, analyze, guide, approach, and test initiatives, programmes, and tools for change. There are no frameworks or models of change unique to healthcare organizations although several models are conducive to change efforts in these areas. Therefore, the literature that was reviewed focused on dominant change management models that are often applied to health care organizations. Furthermore, some models are used primarily for higher levels of leadership. For the purpose of this project, literature focusing on micro-level processes was selected. Case studies, surveys, and pilot studies are the most common methodologies in change management literature. While these methodologies are considered low on the evidence hierarchy, due to the limited ability to control subjects in healthcare, these methodologies do seem the most realistic and accessible means of implementing and evaluating change. Within the literature, one of the most influential perspectives of change management originates from the planned approach created by Lewin in 1951, which argues that change occurs in three progressive stages: unfreezing current behaviour, moving to the new behaviour, and refreezing the new behaviour (Elrod Tippett, 2002). For many years this three-step model has been the dominant approach to organizational change. Critics argue, however, that planned theories are based on the assumption that organizations act under constant conditions that can be controlled and planned for. As a consequence, an alternative approach, namely an emergent approach was developed. This approach considers change to occur so rapidly and unpredictably that it cannot be managed from the top down. Instead, it is argued that change is a process of learning, whereby the organization responds to both internal and external changes (Barnard Stoll, 2010). This approach speaks to the concepts of change readiness and facilitation of change which are viewed as superior to the planned approach with specific pre-planned steps for change initiatives (Todnem, 2005). Nonetheless, emergent approaches do suggest that a sequence of actions should be enacted to increase the likelihood of change being successful (Luecke, 2003). Emergent theories assume that in order to respond to change, managers of change have to have possess a in-depth understanding of the organization, its structures, strategies, people and culture. With this understanding, managers of change are able identify the most appropriate approach to change while recognizing possible facilitators and barriers (Burnes, 1996) The literature argues that while these two approaches are often cited to be polar opposites, it is important to note that they are theoretical approaches. Therefore, the best strategy for organizations to manage change is to utilize both these approaches, in the form of frameworks or models that best meets the particular needs of the organization (Burnes, 2004). When the variety of frameworks, models, and approaches to change management are applied to health care organizations, common trends emerge. These trends include environmental circumstances, organizational harmony, power dynamics, organizational capacity, nature of change, and process of change (Antwi Kale, 2014). Environmental circumstances include the external conditions to the organization that forces change, such as increased competition and technological innovation (Lau, 1999). Organizational harmony illustrates an agreement among individuals and units within the organization. All members should have congruent missions and visions and be working collaboratively towards the same goal. Further, overall organizational plans, processes, and goals should also be compatible (Antwi Kale, 2014). Power dynamics refers to the hierarchy of influence within an organization. Understanding which individuals can influence the change process is important. Change leaders should have buy-in from these individuals before undertaking a change initiative; this will increase likelihood for success (Mitchell, 2013). Organizational capacity indicates that the organization has the necessary human and financial resources to undergo change. Moreover, it is essential that the necessary skill sets and knowledge be present to allow change to occur (Bazzoli, Dynan, Burns, Yap, 2004). Nature of change refers to the rationale behind a change initiative. Change initiatives must consider an organizations external and internal situation. Furthermore, ample evidence must be available to justify that a proposed plan for change has the ability to solve a presented problem (Antwi Kale, 2014). Finally, process for change is the actual step-by-step approach to implement a change. Change leaders must make certain that these steps are agreed upon by all stakeholders and evidenced to create the desired change (Antwi Kale, 2014). The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF)s Evidence Informed Change Management Approach was chosen to be the main model to guide the project as it contains all of the mentioned concepts. In addition, it is structured around specifically targeting the needs of Canadian healthcare organizations and outlines change as it pertains to micro level contexts. The approach presents a practical model for change management and contains four stages: planning, implementing, spreading, and sustaining change (CHSRF, 2012). The planning stage of change involves understanding the context and influential forces of change while determining the organization ability or readiness to change. To understand the context, change managers must determine which steps and people need to be involved to implement change and garner support. Readiness and capacity for change is determined by assessing all individuals at any level of the organization and considering how they will be affected by the chang e. Furthermore, the capacity for the organization, for example, financially, to undergo change, needs to assessed. After the planning stage, change agents can implement change by executing their planned approach. Spreading change entails promoting change beyond its initial context and influencing the culture to introduce new customs, traditions, and ways of practicing. Lastly, sustaining change entails surveying and modifying the change process as practical experience is gained over the course of implementation. The literature also emphasizes that the key to successful change management is strong leadership. Gill (2002) explains that effective change leaders are able to frame the change in terms of results for all involved. Further, change leaders foster and create environments that allow people to experiment with new ways of practicing. This coincides with the Leadership Competency from the Canadian Nurses Associations Advanced Nursing Practice National Framework (2008). Learning about a patients experience and collaborating with other interprofessional disciplines assisted in identifying gaps in care, specifically the lack of adoption of QBP standards for Pediatric Tonsillectomies, resulting in practice that is not evidence-based and negatively impacts patient care delivery. In addition, while changing practice has been attempted in the past, the application of knowledge learned from the competition of a literature review on change management and discovery of an influential model on change , the writer can be successful in enacting a new and effective means of practicing, ultimately improving patient care. Also, the specific nature of this projects focus, to ensure QBP standards are followed, which promotes advocating for system efficiency, quality patient care, and low cost, aligns with the leadership competency of understanding and integrating the principles of resource allocation and cost-effectiveness in all levels of decision-making (CNA, 2008). Literature on change management is diverse and robust, with applicability to health care organizations. In this literature, it is apparent that in order to manage change specifically in healthcare, a model or approach needs to be selected to address an organizations specific needs and current issues. Understanding the organization as a whole and the people within it is an imperative and first step in planning change. Collaborative work among change managers and targets of change will ensure readiness for change, ease of implementation, and sustainability (World Health Organization, 2010). In addition, strong leadership is a significant component of organizational change, laying the foundation to support the change through its continuum. Utilizing these concepts and knowledge will be imperative in guiding the implementation of QBP Standards for Pediatric Tonsillectomies with and without Adenoidectomies at Credit Valley Hospital. References Antwi, M. Kale, M. (2014). Change Management in Healthcare. Queens School of Business.  Retrieved from http://business.queensu.ca Barnard, M. Stoll, N. (2010). Organizational Change Management: A rapid literature review. Centre for Understanding Behavioural Change. Retrieved from http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/cubec/migrated/documents/pr1.pdf Bazzoli, G., Dynan, L., Burns, L. Yap, C. (2004). Two Decades of Organizational Change in Health Care: What Have we Learned? Medical Care Research and Review, 61(3). doi: 10.1177/1077558704266818 Baugh, R., Archer, S., Mitchell, R., Rosenfeld, R., Amin, R., Burns, J., Patel, M. (2011). Clinical practice guideline: Tonsillectomy in children. Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, 144(1),p 30. Burnes, B. (2004). Emergency change and planned change- competitors or allies? The case of XYZ construction. International Journal of Operations Production Management, 24(9), p 886-902 Burnes, B. (1996) No such thing as a â€Å"one best way† to manage organizational change. Management Decision, 34(10), p 11-18 Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. (2012). Evidence-Informed Change Management in Canadian Healthcare Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.cfhi fcass.ca/Libraries/Commissioned_Research_Reports/Dickson-EN.sflb.ashx Canadian Nurses Association. (2008). Advanced Nursing Practice: A National Framework. Ottawa, Canada : Canadian Nurses Association Elrod, P. Tippett, D. (2002). The death valley of change. Journal of Organizational Change  Management, 3. p 273-291 Gill, R. (2002) Change management- or change leadership? Journal of change management,  3(4), p 307- 318. Lau, A. (1999). Making sense of contemporary strategic implementation: towards a conceptual  model. Public Administration Management, 4(4), p 494-507 Leong, A., Davis, J. (2007). Morbidity after adenotonsillectomy for paediatric obstructive  sleep apnea syndrome: waking up to a pragmatic approach. The Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 121, 809-817 Luecke, R. (2003). Managing Change and Transition . Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press  Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change. Nursing  Management, 20(1). Ontario Hospital Association. (2004). Toolkit to Support the Implementation of Quality-Based  Procedures. Retrieved from https://www.oha.com/KnowledgeCentre/Library/Toolkits/Documents/OHA_QBProcedur es_toolkit_FNL.pdf Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Heath Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. (2013). Quality-Based Procedures Clinical Handbook for Paediatric Tonsillectomy with and without Adenoidectomy. Retrieved from www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/ecfa/docs/qbp_tonsil.pdf Todnem, R. (2005). Organizational Change Management: A Critical Review. Journal of Change Management,5(4), p 369-380. Trillium Health Partners. (n.d.). Who We Are. Retrieved from  http://trilliumhealthpartners.ca/aboutus/Pages/Overview.aspx World Health Organization (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education and  collaborative practice. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.  http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010/WHO_HRH_HPN_10.3_eng.pdf

Potential Impact of Blogs on Communication Essays -- Internet Online C

The Potential Impact of Blogs on Communication The advent of weblogs as instruments of Web-based conversation shall surely increase the exchange of news-related and academic information; probably not to the extent that books or newspapers have, but certainly in an open and accessible way. Gradually as they gain in popularity, blogs shall transform the field of journalism from one of complacent reporting to a more competitive and less elitist industry. Motivated individuals, with the use of their personal blogs, shall weigh in on important and controversial topics related to politics and social issues. Similarly, separated networks of academics shall benefit from more convenient access in communicating their ideas across long distances, giving them greater opportunities to organize large collaborative projects. Although books and libraries shall continue to be the preferred and overwhelming choice of students, educators, and interested persons as a place for acquiring knowledge, weblogs, through the global network called the I nternet, shall bring people ever closer together to inform the general public and to exchange technical and academic ideas. The influence that blogging shall have on the news industry and on academia should, for the sake of objectivity, be placed in comparison with the advent of mechanized printing. Both these technologies (i.e. blogs and printing) have made general news coverage and advanced scholarship related to professional and academic disciplines more readily available than what was the case before their creation. Prior to the invention of moveable type and the printing press, only a small number of trained scribes and privileged aristocrats knew how to write. Books took painstaking effort ... ...ve understanding about the social and physical sciences shall be fostered by this new on-line forum. Works Cited Mumford, Lewis. "The Invention of the Printing Press." Communication in History : Technology, Culture, Society. Ed. Crowley, David and Paul Heyer. Pearson Education. pp. 93-97. Lasica, J.D. "Blogging as a Form of Journalism." We've Got Blog. Ed. Rodzvilla, John. USA: Perseus Publishing, 2002. 163-71. Pryor, Larry. "A Weblog sharpens journalism students' skills." Nieman Reports. Vol. 57, Iss. 3. pg. 97. Regan, Tom. "Weblogs threaten and inform traditional journalism." Nieman Reports. Vol. 57, Iss. 3: pg. 68. Reynolds, Glenn Harlan. "Weblogs and journalism: Back to the future?" Nieman Reports. Vol. 57, Iss. 3: pg. 81. Duke University. Center for Instructional Technology.

Political Poetry by Margaret Atwood

â€Å"Backdrop addresses cowboy† by Margaret Atwood Creating a masterful poetic movement through the American mythos, Atwood skewers â€Å"manifest destiny† by embodying the voice of the Other, the discarded â€Å"I am. † Writing political poetry that artfully confronts dominant ideology – thus exposing the motivation and effects of misrepresentation – is a difficult challenge. The process can easily be derailed by temptations to write strident, overly didactic verse that elevates sentiment above nuance and craft.While passion is certainly important, it is the poem itself that transforms political intent into a dynamic act of oppositional literature. To be effective as a statement, it must first be effective as a poem. In â€Å"Backdrop addresses cowboy,† Margaret Atwood delivers a scathing indictment of imperialist power that, through its elegant craft and conceptual framework, is also a breathtakingly vibrant poem. The core message, a poten t denunciation of reckless power from the perspective of those who suffer its consequences, is simultaneously unequivocal and oblique.Though Atwood’s indictment is readily apparent, close reading reveals a brilliant poetic foundation comprised of nuanced language, double-meanings, and a metaphorical structure that satirically lambasts American exceptionalism by skewering the individualist ‘cowboy' myth with imagery from its own construction. In short, Atwood's poem succeeds as a political statement because she allows the demands of exceptional poetry to drive its articulation. From the outset, Atwood chooses language that economically expands the meaning of each phrase.For example, â€Å"Starspangled,† the poem’s first word, focuses a personification of ‘cowboy mentality’ into a subtle critique of nationalist manipulation. In addition, other connotations come to mind, like â€Å"starry-eyed,† or the gaudiness of â€Å"spangles. † Even elements internal to the American anthem apply: bombs bursting, a nation under siege, victory against all odds. Though speculative, a reading like this is supported by the poem’s representation of a cowboy who violently protects his own interests in an imagined landscape filled with heroes and villains.Regarded as a heroic figure by the myth of manifest destiny, he is conversely seen as a reckless tyrant by those who suffer the effects of his violence. The first stanza reveals a comic figure – â€Å"Starspangled cowboy† sauntering through his child-like fantasy while pulling a prop from the Hollywood simulacrum that supports his myth. Atwood complicates this image in the second stanza when she introduces violence to her â€Å"almost- /silly† characterization of the mythical â€Å"West. Using a line break to accentuate the transition, she plays the impact of a stand-alone line against the expanded meaning of its grammatical context. Isolated, line s ix (â€Å"you are innocent as a bathtub†) relates directly to the opening stanza’s child-like caricature, forming an aphoristic trope that is both interesting and oddly mundane. Accentuated by the break, the line’s reading adds dramatic nuance when its sentence unfolds into a broader meaning: â€Å"you are innocent as a bathtub / filled with bullets. Contrasting the ironic character of opposed readings (innocent and not-at-all-innocent) within the space of shared words, Atwood foreshadows an overall conceptual structure in which â€Å"backdrop† refers both to the simulacrum of Hollywood sets and to the genuine environment of a beleaguered world. Despite its obvious quantitative reference, â€Å"bathtub / filled with bullets† also infers a Hollywood cliche – the bullet-riddled bathtub – that reinforces a theme inherent to the myth: if you’re not ready to fight, they’ll get you when you’re vulnerable.An inference l ike this reflects back on the subtle statement of the earlier use of â€Å"starspangled†: a nation that imagines itself as besieged can use that camouflage as justification for militarism and imperialist expansion. Again, supported by the poem, these significations demonstrate a complicated structure that works internal logic to frame an effective (and damning) political statement. Oppositions and Conceptual Structure This is a poem about power and disenfranchisement.It employs oppositions as a conceptual device to turn manifest destiny on its head. Exploding the cowboy myth by use of its own imagery and overarching theme of heroes and villains, Atwood draws complex parallels to American exceptionalism, a black and white ideology that drains color from alternative perspectives. By use of satire, she effectively removes the shroud that justifies questionable actions as being both inevitable and heroic. As stated in the title, the voice of this poem is that of â€Å"backdropâ €  (i. . the environment of scenes portrayed by the myth and recontextualized by the poem) addressing â€Å"cowboy. † The expanding focus on â€Å"cowboy† and his violent milieu reaches a pivot in the fifth stanza when the Hollywood backdrop is fully exposed, and the speaker finally reveals herself. Using the word â€Å"ought† (implying mandatory obligation), she questions her expected role on the set (passive, â€Å"hands clasped / in admiration†) while asserting, â€Å"I am elsewhere. Spoken as â€Å"backdrop,† and expanded in the final stanzas, this statement implies a conceptual flip wherein â€Å"backdrop† becomes subject, inhabiting an environment desecrated by the reckless actions of a transient â€Å"cowboy†. Simulacra In the essay â€Å"Simulacra and Simulation,† philosopher Jean Baudrillard states, â€Å"The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth–it is the truth which conceals that there is none . The simulacrum is true. † While Baudrillard perhaps overstates his case, the point is clear: actions instigated and justified by myth play an undeniable role in shaping both material and social reality.Applying this concept to Atwood’s poem, manifest destiny can be seen acting as ‘truth’ in its own regard – concealing no truth, because instead it has replaced truth with artifice. Accordingly, â€Å"cowboy† becomes backdrop to the postmodern world from which Atwood addresses the genuine existence of other, more substantial truths conveniently denied by myth. The Alternative Power of Effective Verse As representation itself, replete with borrowed imagery and the detritus of experienced consequence, this poem enacts a self-reflexive reversal of the social forces it speaks against.With a vocabulary full of bullets, Atwood crafts a poem that stands the test of both ‘truth' and time – yet does so peacefully, through an act of oppositi onal literature. Whether her poem is construed as feminist, environmentalist, post-colonial, or just-plain-political (from a Canadian perspective), its verity is affirmed by continued relevance. Written in the mid-seventies, it speaks just as powerfully in our current era. In terms of effective poetics, how good is that?

Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” -Analysis Essay

In Jack London’s To Build a Fire the setting of the short story plays a significant role. Jack London uses specific techniques to establish the atmosphere and tone of the story. By introducing his readers to the setting, London prepares them for a tone that is depressed and fear-provoking. Isolated by an environment of frigid weather and doom, the author shows us how the main character of the story is completely unaware of his surroundings. The only world the man is actually accustomed to is the world he has created for himself. Since many of us have never been exposed to such a harsh climate, London’s account that the environment is the determining factor of his survival paints an accurate picture. Anything that the man and his dog come into contact with creates an expectation for disaster in the story. The significance of the words ‘dying and death’ in the story continuously expresses the man’s dwindling warmth and bad luck in his journey along the Yukon trail to meet his friends at camp. London associates dying with the man’s diminishing ability to stay warm in the frigid Alaskan climate. The main characters predicament slowly worsens one level at a time finally resulting in death. London places a strong emphasis on the setting in the introduction to the story. â€Å"Day had broken cold and grey, exceedingly cold and grey†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He repeats these phrases to emphase to the reader the impact the setting has on the lives of the characters. The gloominess of the setting causes the man and his dog to fight a constant battle in a world of depression. Lacking the virtue of imagination, the man is only gifted with his practical knowledge. This ignorance will hamper his ability to adapt to the conditions and stresses surrounding him. Typically the man never wants to deal with reality especially when the reality is unpleasant. â€Å"But all this-the mysterious, far-reaching hairline trail, the absence of sun from the sky, the tremendous cold, and the strangeness of it all- made no impression on the man.† He is able to tolerate the troublesome temperatures and climate he is surrounded by, he never attempts to face monster within him. Facing what he would do if the inevitable were to happen is this mans worst fear. This fear causes the man to become selfish, only focusing on the actions and thoughts that are  pleasurable to him. The man’s ignorance to his surroundings and self-indulgence foreshadows a possible downfall. London provides us with subconscious hints that lead the reader to believe that the man will suffer a tragedy in the end of the story. Only relying on his previous experiences causes the man to be a disadvantage to his dog. A dog by nature is an animal that has the natural gift of instinct. Under these bitter conditions, the dog was capable of survival because of those instincts. The dog follows the man throughout his ill faded journey, but after the man succumbs to the weather, the husky relies upon his instincts to survive. Being placed in this type of environment is the main conflict of the story for both the main character and the dog. Relying only on his judgment, the man can not prepare to prevent a disaster from occurring. London’s constant focus on the how the environment affected the man and his reaction to being unable to survive like his dog gives the reader certain hints. At this point London has already given an insight to the conclusion of the story. The theme of London’s ‘To Build a Fire’ is how we should all take heed to modern knowledge and learned behavior has its benefits, but our primal instincts should never have ignored. The man in the story had lots of knowledge but neglected to pay attention to his ‘sixth sense.’ The dog on the other hand, followed as long as he could but then let his instincts carry him to safety. We can never have enough knowledge to replace the survival skill that nature has provided us. Lured in by the plot of the story the reader keeps on reading, waiting in anticipation of the danger of the climate to overcome the man. â€Å"On the other hand, there was no keen intimacy between the dog and the man. The one was the toil slave of the other, and the only caresses it had ever received were the caresses of the whip lash and of harsh and menacing throat sounds that threatened the whip lash.† Although the dog was obviously anxious, he was unconcerned with the safety of the man. If the man was to come upon serious danger, the dog would not be willing to help him. Not being concerned with anything somewhat inventive, the man put himself in a position to anticipate death. His selfishness and ignorance keeps him in a situation of danger and  disaster. The climax of the story is when the man falls through the ice, wetting himself up to his knees. Preparing himself in advance might have prevented the man’s accident in the water. The man ignorance once again caused him to be unprepared for this kind of situation. The man never took the proper precautions because he never thought of how to cope with a deadly situation. The only help he was given for a similar situation was the advice of an old timer from Sulphur Creek. Viciously, the man attempted to stop his appendages from freezing, but was unsuccessful as the dog watched. London’s portrayal of the man does not initially give the reader the theme of dying, but slowly develops the theme as the story develops. The story doesn’t mention death until the last several pages. The main character changes from an enthusiastic pioneer to a sad and desperate man. The conclusion of the story portrays the man accepting his fate and understands the old-timer at Sulphur Creek had been right; â€Å"no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below.† Using characterization, London is able to present why certain people are alive at the end and how one benefits from being social. The old-timer at Sulfur Creek is alive because he is experienced and wise enough to benefit from others’ experiences that it is not wise to travel alone in the Yukon. The boys at camp are also alive because they are together and can benefit from each other. The man’s husky is alive because it is well-suited for the Yukon environment, while the man is not. Unlike the other characters, London has the man die at the end of the story to illustrate that he dies because of his arrogance in his ability to travel alone. If the man travels with a companion or a companion of equal instinct, he can benefit from him and possibly return safely to camp. In the opening paragraph London presents us with a scene that is gloomy, depressing, and ominous, these elements foreshadow an outcome that will be fatal to our protagonist. Our man has no name, but he does not need one, he could be any man that has bitten off more than he can chew; he does not  considered the consequences of his actions until it is too late. By then there can be no return, he has crossed the line that cannot be uncrossed, because he trusts his intellectual thought process, not paying attention to man’s intuitive thoughts, the instinctual ones that some men consider less valid because they come from the unconscious mind. His unwillingness to contemplate the extreme cold, the barely used trail, his dog’s instincts, reflect the man’s inability to view the whole picture. As London puts it â€Å"the man had no imagination† he thought only to keep moving and stay dry, then he would be fine, however the man in the end could do neither.