Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers

Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt is a genuine memoir that vividly tells the story of a young, Irish Catholic boy during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. Frank’s memory of his impoverished childhood is difficult to accept, however, he injects a sense of devilish humor into his biography. He creates a story where the readers watch him grow beyond all odds and live through the pinnacle of the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. â€Å"People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years†(McCourt 11). His interaction with his family proves that despite the hunger and pain, love and strength come out of misery. Although the book tells the experience of an individual, the st ory itself is universal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born in Brooklyn in 1930 to recent Irish immigrants Malachy and Angela McCourt, Frank grew up in Limerick after his parents returned to Ireland because of poor prospects in America. Due to the Great Depression, Malachy could not find work in America. However, things did not get any better back in Ireland for Malachy. A chronically unemployed and nearly unemployable alcoholic, he appears to be the model on which many of our more insulting cliches about drunken Irish manhood are based. Week after week, Angela would be home expecting her husband to come home with money to eat, but Malachy always spent his wages on pints at local pubs. Frank’s father would come home late at night and make his sons get out of bed and sing patriotic songs about Ireland by Roddy McCorley and Kevin Barry, who were hung for their country. Frank loved his father and got an empty feeling in his heart when he knew his father was out of work again. Frank described his father as the Holy Trinity because there is three people in him, â€Å"The one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland† (McCourt 210). Even when there was a war going on and English agents were recruiting Irishmen to work in their munitions factories, Malachy could not keep a job when he traveled to England. Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt is a genuine memoir that vividly tells the story of a young, Irish Catholic boy during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. Frank’s memory of his impoverished childhood is difficult to accept, however, he injects a sense of devilish humor into his biography. He creates a story where the readers watch him grow beyond all odds and live through the pinnacle of the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. â€Å"People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years†(McCourt 11). His interaction with his family proves that despite the hunger and pain, love and strength come out of misery. Although the book tells the experience of an individual, the st ory itself is universal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born in Brooklyn in 1930 to recent Irish immigrants Malachy and Angela McCourt, Frank grew up in Limerick after his parents returned to Ireland because of poor prospects in America. Due to the Great Depression, Malachy could not find work in America. However, things did not get any better back in Ireland for Malachy. A chronically unemployed and nearly unemployable alcoholic, he appears to be the model on which many of our more insulting cliches about drunken Irish manhood are based. Week after week, Angela would be home expecting her husband to come home with money to eat, but Malachy always spent his wages on pints at local pubs. Frank’s father would come home late at night and make his sons get out of bed and sing patriotic songs about Ireland by Roddy McCorley and Kevin Barry, who were hung for their country. Frank loved his father and got an empty feeling in his heart when he knew his father was out of work again. Frank described his father as the Holy Trinity because there is three people in him, â€Å"The one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland† (McCourt 210). Even when there was a war going on and English agents were recruiting Irishmen to work in their munitions factories, Malachy could not keep a job when he traveled to England.

Difficulties Attending College :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Difficulties Attending College Today everyone thinks in order to succeed financially in life they need to have a college education, or at least most of the time this is true. I personally think that despite the many difficulties that a person is faced with they can overcome their troubles somehow, even though sometimes they can not help but think otherwise. I, myself have three different reasons why people find it difficult to stay in college. For one sometimes they still have to keep on working while going to school. Two, they have children. Lastly, there's just not enough time for anything in their life, like they can't mentally or physically handle school and their lifestyle. Take me for example, a college student and a mother of one. I find it hard to successfully attend college and keep a job at the same time. My family and myself, right now, are at the bottom of the barrel. When we moved back from Tennessee, we had to use all the money we had saved. After paying one month and a halt of rent, both phone bills, and the electricity bill, we had to turn around scrape for food and the following months rent, not including our other bills. At first it was too hard. We felt like ends were not meeting, so I had to find a job. So now the way it works at my house is we both split the bills. My fiancà ©e has the really big bills like the rent and the insurance payment while I have the light bill, both phone bills, cable, and the internet bill. We both share the food bill, household items, and clothing. It is essential for me to work to help make ends meet. This is an example of one of the ways some households work. Even though I sometimes have a tough time with s chool I still manage to stay in school. This is one family that needs to have two incomes to make ends meet. The second reason why I think people find it difficult to succeed in college is because of children. For example, children need to go to the doctor's office, or to get shots, or your children are on vacation and you're not. Even when your children get out of school for the day and they are too little to take care of themselves, this is a common problem.

Trials and Tribulations in James 1:12-18

Trials and Tribulations in James 1:2-18 The Epistle of James is one of the books of the New Testament that deals with the Christian character and how to deal with daily Christian life. The author of James identifies himself in the opening verse as â€Å"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ†. Many speculated that the author was the attributed to the apostle James, brother of John and the son of Zebedee. The text refers to present persecutions and the time of writing is consistent with the persecution in Jerusalem during which the apostle James was martyred and put to death by Herod (Acts 12). There seems to be evidence that the author was the other James, the son of Alpheus and the half-brother of Christ. He was also one of the twelve apostles. I will in this paper attempt to expound on the trials and tribulations in James 1: 2-18. After research and study, I have found that in the first eighteen verses James is teaching Christians how to conduct themselves when under the cross. He is giving comfort to Christians who are under the oppression of temptation and trials. He pronounces that blessings and rewards are assured to those who endure their trials and afflictions as the walk throughout this Christian life. James also points out that all of those sins that bring sufferings and the temptations that men endure are not created by God. God cannot be the author of sin; he is the author of all that is good. James is allowing us to understand in these verses that we will endure trials and we will endure tribulations. As Christians our trials and tribulations works for a purpose and not just as a punishment in our life. This concept should help us even today to know that our suffering is purposeful and that God rewards us for bearing our own cross as Christ bears his cross. As we break down these verses let us look at who James was writing to. This will give us an understanding of the message. In the first verse James mentions the condition of those to whom he writes: The twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. The greatest part of, ten of the twelve tribes, were lost in captivity; but yet some of every tribe were preserved and they are still honored with the ancient style of twelve tribes. These however were scattered and dispersed. They were dispersed in mercy. Having the scriptures of the Old Testament, the providence of God so ordered it that they were scattered in several countries for the diffusing of the light of divine revelation. They began now to be scattered in wrath. The Jewish nation was crumbling into parties and factions, and many were forced to leave their own country. Even good people among them shared in the common calamity. These Jews of the dispersion were those who had embraced the Christian faith. They were persecuted and forced to seek for shelter in other countries, the Gentiles being more merciful to Christians than the Jews were. Now let us breakdown each verse from verse 2 through 18. The overall breakdown of verse 2 through 12 shows us the suffering of the Christians in this world is that of an instructive manner. As we can see from the original Greek language, that James uses imperative commands that is illustrated through this Epistle. James is implying that troubles and afflictions may be the result of being mature Christians, even those Christians who have been serving well and being faithful unto the Lord. The devil embodies faithful Christians in trials and tribulations in order to cause separation between Christians and God. The devil expects that temptations and trials will result in sin which will cause further separation from God. It is the duty of Satan to cause doubt in the mind of the Christian so that they will believe that God is incapable of delivering us from those situations. James is instructing us not to look at our trials and tribulations as hopeless but hopeful because we know that we are fulfilling a greater purpose by enduring those trials and tribulations in our life. As we, as Christians, go through our storms in our life it causes us to understand and gain a greater trust in the Lord because we are yet spared by his grace and we are made advocates of his mercy. The twelve tribes that James is writing to have been dispersed from their land and are going through difficult hardships and persecution. James is reassuring them not to give up but to rejoice because their persecutions and hardships are working a greater purpose in their lives. These temptations, as James points out, are â€Å"divers† temptations. The word â€Å"divers†, in the Greek, means that it is varied or of different kinds. James lets us know that the temptations that you may endure, the afflictions you may endure, will be of different nature, stature, size and makeup. They may be more than one or more of the same. Since our trials may be of many and different kinds we have to put on the Armor of God as Paul states in Galatians. In the second verse of James he tells us to â€Å"Count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations†. In order for us to count in all joy we must not fall into a pitiful state of mind which would make us vulnerable while we are in our trials. The world would have you to believe that you should just throw in the towel when you have endured pain and suffering. The world is not set up as a vehicle for grace. When is despair, the world presses down even further in order that hope is a mere distant idea. The world would have you to believe that weakness is a disease that should be cured. But God lets us know that we should not be conformed to the world or that of the world but we should live knowing that He is there for us. In the third verse, James says that when you endure your trials and tribulations you must know that the testing of your faith produces patience. In other translations it mentions that the testing of your faith produces endurance or perseverance. The word produces lets us know that it is brought forth or manufactured. James is saying that every time your faith is tested – it will cause you to increase your patience, endurance or perseverance. The faith that is spoken of here as tried by afflictions consists in a belief of the power, and word, and promise of God. Many readers of the New Testament feel as though Paul and James contradict each other on the issue of faith. They have differences in the emphasis on faith but the fundamentals are the same. Both Paul and James agree that both faith and works are essential parts of the Christian life. They each have different roles. They also agree that salvation comes from God and it is not based on works. We cannot do anything to earn salvation. The difference is that Paul and James are writing to different audiences so their letters have different interpretations. Paul needed to deal with the fact that people thought that Gentiles needed to be circumcised and adhere to other works of the law in order to be converted to Christianity. James on the other hand had to deal with the fact that people thought the faith in God is enough for salvation and he wanted to stress that we have to put that aith into action. As Christians, we have to possess patience, endurance and perseverance. Too often we believe that those adjectives are not popular in our daily lives. Once again, as Christians, subscribe to the concept that we have to humble ourselves and not allow pride to be visible in our lives. When we are tried, we are tried of our grace but that trying of our grace produces another gr ace that we give. Christian patience is an active process in the life of the believer. That patience should outweigh our passion. We should not allow the indulging of our passions to hinder the operation and effects of patience. When we allow patience, endurance and perseverance to have its perfect work, we train ourselves to increase our handling of future situations. As a football player I can remember in practice running plays over and over again. My coach said that we will run the play until it is perfect. As the coach, his job was to prepare us for the battle, team vs. team. He was perfecting us so that when we get into the battle we can execute without having to think about the fundamentals. When we go through the testing of our faith, it is allowing us to mature and grow our faith so that the more we are tested; the better we should be able to handle the situation. When we bear all that God appoints, and as long as he appoints, and with a humble obedient eye to him, and when we not only bear troubles, but rejoice in them, then patience hath its perfect work. After the work of patience is complete is will allow the Christian to want for nothing. The Christian will be endure and possess all that is needed to get through and persevere through the end. In verse 5 James tells us that if we lack wisdom all we have to do is ask God and He will give it to us liberally and generously. When the child of God has to endure trials and tribulations they do not have to endure it alone or confused. James imperatively tells us that we can ask God for the wisdom to understand what we are going through and why we are going through it. Like the Christians in James’ time they had the opportunity to ask God for the wisdom that they lacked. This was different because before Christ they did not have direct access unto God. Because of Christ we now have direct access unto the father and now we can go to God and ask Him for the things that we lack. The key is that we ask for the understanding and not ask for the removal. Like Paul states in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, he had a thorn in the flesh and he did ask God to remove it but God’s answer to him was that he wasn’t going to remove it but He will supply Paul with enough grace to see him through his thorn. In this way we don’t have to solely desire to be delivered, we can embrace our presence in the trial and tribulation which gives us a greater understanding of the purpose of God in our lives. I believe that going through the storms and coming out of the storms gives us a better advantage in our Christian walk than if we just went in our storms and was pulled out immediately. God does not want to keep anything from us. He will reveal to us the â€Å"Mystery of the Kingdom of God†. This word mystery is not our human interpretation of the word but divinely it is what is not known but will be revealed. If you ask God for understanding he will give it to you without reproach. God doesn’t get tired of us asking nor does he limit us to our asking. I can see how we as humans can get irritated at children who continuously ask over and over for things. God is the opposite. He wants us to ask and be totally dependent on Him. As we look at verse 6, James lets us know that there is a requirement to us asking God for wisdom. He states that we have to ask God in faith and not waver. This is critical in our approach to God for wisdom. The children of Israel went back and forth with God, in one instance they believe after God has done something for them, in the next instance they are doubting God and worshipping other idols. The children of Israel exemplified a wavering attitude. This is critical for us today. James is once again imperatively telling us that when you approach God you must have faith in God and have faith in the wisdom that God will provide through the trials and tribulations. James is telling us that as a Christian when we approach and pray to God for wisdom we have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has the power to do whatever He wants to do and we must not waver in God’s word. The additional idea of that verse is that a man that wavereth is like a wave of the sea that the wind will toss to and fro. As Christians we cannot be like a wave from the sea that depending on which way the wind blows that is the way we go. James gives us more insight on the path of the man who is wavering in his faith unto the Lord. James lets us know that the man that wavereth will receive nothing from the Lord because a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. This is crucial because the proclamation is that the man is unstable in all aspects of his life. If you are not strong in your faith unto the Lord, He will not give unto you the wisdom that you need to live a strong Christian life. Such a distrustful, shifting, unsettled person is not likely to value favour from God as he should do, and therefore cannot expect to receive it. In asking for divine and heavenly wisdom we are never likely to prevail if we have not a heart to prize it above rubies, and the greatest things in this world. As we journey into the latter verses of this passage we start to see similarities of language with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and the sermon on the plain in Luke. In verse 9 James gives a comforting insight that the people who is of a low degree can rejoice in that he will be exalted. This is prophetic language in that James is assuring exaltation after being in a low degree. Once again James is giving assurance that those who are weak, those who are humble will be lifted up by God. It is not a hypothetical uplifting but a commanding promise that those who are low, are weak, and endure through their trials and tribulations will be lifted up by God. Not only does James point out the lifting of those who are humble but he also personalizes them by calling them our brothers. The term â€Å"our brothers† allows us to embrace those who are low and in despair and not to cast them away. As James speaks to the twelve tribes of Israel he is letting them know that all, even those who are not like them, are their brothers and that Christ will raise them up and exalt them. In comparison to the Sermon on the Mount, James gives us confidence and then warns of despair. In the 9th verse he tells those that are rich, in that they will be low, will pass away like the flower that is within the grass will pass away. Take a look at what reason rich people have, notwithstanding their riches, to be humble and low in their own eyes, because both they and their riches are passing away: As the flower of the grass he shall pass away, he and his wealth with him. Trials serve to remind the rich and the high that though they are comfortable in this life, it is still only this life, which fades as the grass grows brown and the flowers fade away. The riches of this world will certainly fade away – but James says that the rich man also will fade away. If we put our life and our dentity into things that fade away, we will fade away also. How much better to put our life and our identity into things that will never fade? If a man is only rich in this world, when he dies, he leaves his riches. But if a man is rich before God, when he dies he goes to his riches. In verse 12, James again resembles the Sermon on the Mount language and gives a blessing for those who endure temptation. In those great statement s of blessing, Jesus wasn’t finished telling us how we can be blessed. Here, we learn we can be blessed as we endure temptation. Temptation is one of the various trials (James 1:2) we face. As we persevere through temptation, we are approved, and will be rewarded as the work of God in us is evident through our resistance of temptation. The crown of life which the Lord has promised reminds us that it really is worth it to endure under the temptations we face. Our steadfastness will be rewarded as we demonstrate our love for Jesus, to those who love Him, by resisting temptation. At the end of the passage let’s look at verse 13 – 16. Temptation does not come from God. Though He allows it, He Himself does not entice us to evil, though God may test our faith without a solicitation to evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. James knew that most people have an evil tendency to blame God when they find themselves in trials. By His very nature, God is unable to be tempted in the sense we are tempted, nor can He Himself tempt anyone. God doesn’t tempt us. Instead, temptation comes when we are drawn away by our own fleshly desires and enticed – with the world and the devil providing the enticement. James warns us that when the flesh begins to produce and give birth, it brings forth sin. That sin then will produce death. Springing forth from corrupt desire is sin. Springing forth from sin is death. This progression to death is an inevitable result that Satan always tries to hide from us, but we should never be deceived about. Satan’s great strategy in temptation is to convince us that the pursuit of our corrupt desires will somehow produce life and goodness for us. If we remember that Satan only comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10), then we would resist the deceptions of temptation more easily. James imperatively warns us not to make a mistake and err. In the last two verses in this passage, we see that every good and perfect gift comes from God. From our own fallen natures and from those who would entice us, we expect no true goodness. But every good and every perfect gift comes from God the Father in heaven. Let us also observe that God is the Father of the Lights. The visible light of the sun and the heavenly bodies is from him. He said, let there be light, and there was light. Thus God is at once represented as the Creator of the sun and in some respects compared to it. What the sun is in nature, God is in grace, providence, glory and infinitely more. Every good gift is from him. As the Father of lights, he gives the light of reason. God’s goodness is constant. There is no variation with Him. This means that God never changes. His word is the same yesterday, today and will be tomorrow. God never sways nor is he swayed. He is unlike the wavering man that James spoke of before. He will not change his word to justify our lives. God’s word is there for us. We can see God’s goodness in our salvation, as He initiated our salvation of His own will, and brought us forth to spiritual life by His word of truth, that we might be to His glory as firstfruits of His harvest. James may be speaking of his own generation of believers when he calls them firstfruits. Some have speculated on this even more, saying that James has in mind a wider redemption among unknown creatures of God, of which we are the firstfruits of that wider redemption. In brief summation, James has given us the recipe to deal and embrace the trials and tribulations that come in our life. We as Christians must realize that trials and tribulations will come and we must be ready to count it all joy and to be prepared for God to exalt us even from low places. Bibliography The Bible, King James Version Believer’s Bible Commentary. William MacDonald and Art Farstad. Nashville;Atlanta;London;Vancouver : Thomas Nelson Publishers. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Walter A. Elwell, Ph. D. and Philip W. Comfort, Ph. D. Tyndale House Publishers, 2001. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 10 Oct. 2006. Grace Online Library, 20 Nov. 2006.

Marriage and Happiness Essay

Humans are in search of two things: love and happiness. Whether it is from kids or significant others, people strive to reach feelings of connection in fear of being alone. In Gilbert’s, â€Å"Does Fatherhood Make You Happy? † and Crittenden’s, â€Å"About Love,† the authors question the roots of personal happiness. By comparing and contrasting Daniel Gilbert and Danielle Crittenden, it can be concluded that oneself does not solely determine happiness. The presence of children and significant others serve as major factors in emotional feelings of love and pride contributing to feelings of happiness. Gilbert’s, â€Å"Does Fatherhood Make You Happy† discusses how kids have an effect on a parent’s life along with their happiness. Starting his essay off by exchanging ideas in which children decrease the happiness of a parent by adding stress into their life, he ends with thoughts that kids make us happy nonetheless, since they are a product of two partners. For instance, Gilbert proclaims that the happiness children bring into a couple’s life may exhibit a small impact. In his words, â€Å"Children may not make us happy very often, but when they do that happiness is both transcendent and amnesic† (Gilbert 985). Children have the capabilities to make any individual happy. Gilbert’s point initially is that married couples start off blissful with each other, worrying only for themselves. Over time when the mates produce offspring, they progressively become unhappy, from when their kids are in diapers to when they hit adolescence. Research conducted by psychologists revealed that couples reach initial happiness when their kids grow up and move along with their lives. Gilbert refers to such a thought to show readers the truth of what really happens in parenthood. He states, â€Å"Our children give us many things, but an increase on our average daily happiness is probably not among them† (Gilbert 986). Parents withhold an unconditional love for their kids going beyond measures. Being patient and kind is in every parents’ nature to love and care for their children. A simple â€Å"I love you† can erase moments of despair. Crittenden’s â€Å"About Love† argues that people have been in search for autonomy, defined as the need to be oneself. Crittenden believes that in this newfound generation, humans are on a quest for independence yet they are also on a journey to find love. She also believes postponing â€Å"true feelings† such as trust, faith, and honesty can be like a prison (1010). If individuals are not able to display such emotions, they will trap themselves in their own prison. Crittenden’s point of view assumes that not being able to live for one person can be a negative and positive thing: â€Å"A woman will not understand what true dependency is until she is cradling her own infant in her arms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1009). She shows creating and maintaining a family helps women find their identity. She starts her essay off with views of being in search of autonomy, and ends with statements that women want the family aspect as well as children in life to complete them. Crittenden states: We all want the warm body next to us on the sofa in the evenings; we want the noise and embrace of family around us; we want at the end of our lives to look back and see that what we have done amounts to more than a pile of pay stubs, that we have love and been loved, and brought into this world life that will outlast us (1008). To love and be loved amounts to more than just fulfilling another lone soul, helping humans create lives and opportunities of happiness. People are often too fearful of taking responsibility of not only themselves, but of others. In Crittenden’s words, â€Å"Too often, autonomy is merely the excuse of someone who is so fearful, so weak that he or she can’t bear to take on any of the responsibilities that used to be shoulder by much younger but more robust and mature souls† (1008). Fear of commitment, and bearing others serves as a block in the road to find happiness. Gilbert and Crittenden both assert in one way or another that individuals attempt to find a source of happiness by raising a family, or taking responsibilities from others. On one hand, Gilbert overlooks what I consider an important argument about the happiness a kid brings. Objecting with his proposals, I argue against Gilbert, as children do indeed stimulate joy. Believing that the impact of happiness kids deliver is rare and trifling is ludicrous. How could you ever disagree with what makes an individual happy? Happiness is within the eye of the beholder. It becomes apparent that kids make their parents smile, laugh, and show emotions no one else can achieve. My thoughts come to more common ground with Crittenden as she argues that letting go the fear we hold and opening our hearts to love would help individuals reach a sense of happiness. I strongly agree with this argument because we won’t fully understand what happiness can truly reveal until we can make others beside ourselves happy. Having someone to share goals, dreams, and aspirations with creates a new bond. Being able to witness another person be proud of what you accomplished can help you acquire personal happiness. I wholeheartedly endorse what Crittenden refers to as strengthening a muscle by using it (1009). We train our muscles such as our heart to be strong. If we are not able to put our heart into use, we will never know how to express feelings of love and merriment to others. Growing up, getting married, and having children is what most women envision in the future. The risk of commitment and willingness to be open is scary, but it’s a risk worth investing in. Many people argue that looking for love is only a petty excuse to get away from loneliness. They assert that relationships only create madness, kids are a waste of time, and families make you lose sanity. However, if one were to argue against my beliefs I would assure them finding a partner is not as daunting as it sounds. Along with kids are put on this earth for a reason: to bring joy. Finally that family is always there for love and support. Love finds a wonderful place in this world to make humans experience acceptance. As Crittenden would point out, â€Å"the moment we say, ‘I Do,’ we have answered one of the great, crucial questions of our lives: We now know with whom we’ll be spending the rest of our years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1009). Content with the emotional connections, the commitment of love opens a whole new spectrum of happiness. Although many individuals argue that being alone is far off better, having someone to love and care for is a beautiful experience. My discussion of love and happiness is in fact addressing the larger matter of what really is happiness. Assuming the bigger picture, one will define personal happiness as surrounding themselves with a big family with a husband and five kids. Another may define bliss as merely two soul mates being together forever. Many others will define joy as autonomy and coming home to a lone household. These conclusions have significant applications on Gilbert’s idea of a couple being satisfied without kids, as well as Crittenden’s point of considering someone to love and be open to. Humans are able and willing to find their own personal happiness. To love and be loved is one of life’s greatest aspects to being able to complete an individual. Works Cited Crittenden, Danielle. â€Å"About Love. † What Our Mothers Didn’t Tell Us: Why Happiness Eludes the Modern Woman. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 1008-010. Print. Gilbert, Daniel. â€Å"Does Fatherhood Make You Happy? † Stumbling On Happiness. N. p. : HarperCollins, 2006. 984-86. Print.

Humanae Vitae Reflection Essay

Humanae Vitae – Encyclical Letter on the regulation of birth As a Roman Catholic, I have been raised to believe what the Church has taught for centuries. As we are living in Humanae Vitae, surely challenges will arise for some people in today’s society when they read this text. Although I had difficulty seeing one statement noted in the text the way in which the Church had, I found myself agreeing with the Pope in the problems presented in terms of today’s society. Beginning with the â€Å"problem and competency of the magisterium,† Pope Paul writes at the start of the document, â€Å"†But the most remarkable development of all is to be seen in man’s stupendous progress in the domination and rational organization of the forces of nature to the point that he is endeavoring to extend this control over every aspect of his own life — over his body, over his mind and emotions, over his social life, and even over the laws that regulate the transmission of life† (n. 2). Although Human life did come from God, belongs to God, and goes back to God, I believe that we are our â€Å"own† spirits, and that we were created with choices, including the fact that we in a sense control our realities that make up the way we live our lives and the things we do on a daily basis. I do not believe it is an illusion as Pope is suggesting and further more do not believe we are bought at a price from God – although in a sense, the choices in which God gives us are the prices â€Å"we pay† to live the life in which we were granted, it is up to us as individuals. Forward looking, as the new question of â€Å"principle of totality† comes into play, I believe that the problem of sex in society today, or perhaps the way in which the younger generations view sex, is flawed. I agree that sexual activity in which Pope Paul was writing that it is wrong to diminish its message and that it does belong to the context of committed love, sealed by marriage and openness to life because it is the greatest reflection and reasoning to which the gift of sexuality was given to us. Furthermore, I wholeheartedly believe in the doctrinal principles in section II that present â€Å"a wholistic vision of man† (n. 7). The underlying joints to a faithful life are chastity and marriage, demanding â€Å"conjugal love, responsible parenthood, and conformity to the creative intention and design of God† are clear. In the section of Consequences of Artificial Methods, I gree that in limens terms, how easily using birth control and other artificial methods could open the door to marital infidelity and a lowering of moral standards, especially our generation. Today, sex has become a part of the American society that has led the young to be easily swayed in believing and succumbing to various forms of temptations, including pre-marital sex. I think a large part in this is the way in which you are raised, the kids in which you surrounded yourself with, and how much influence parental figures had in their children’s sex lives. It is consistent in the opinion of the encyclical letter that not much experience is needed to be aware of and understanding human beings and that the young need to be taught early on to not sway from the â€Å"moral law. † Instead, they need â€Å"incentives† to keep the moral law because temptation is everywhere, and without supervision and someone to be there as a guardian, I believe the child is more apt to fall victim to such evils, which could potentially have dire consequences as they move into their adult life. Another powerful statement in which I fully agree with has to do with a man who gets accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget â€Å"the reverence due to a woman† and disregard her physical and emotional equilibrium, reducing her to an instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection. In my opinion, these are very warranted and strong, loaded statements. My reasoning is that, again, I feel like younger generations of men were not raised with the same level of respect for the way in which to treat their female peers. This I contribute to a number of factors, including the media of today’s society and the parenting of the child’s adolescence. However, I believe simply because a woman uses contraceptives does not entitle the man to view the woman any differently. Rather, I believe that the man is aware of the way in which he treats women, or in other words, that he either respect women physically and emotionally entirely, or he does not. And from that point, if he does not, that man could then use contraceptives as a â€Å"tool† in a sense to further his selfishness. I think a good reasoning behind this may come also from the way in which the boy was raised and the way in which he was brought up to view women. For example, if a young boy was raised with a father who abused his mother, he may take either extremes depending on the way it effected him: A, the boy could despise his father for what he did to his mother and swear that he will always respect women and never be like his father, or B, he could revert to his father’s ways and treat future women with the disrespect that was taught by his dad. Either way, I believe it is not where you come from, it is what you do with your situation and I believe faith can have a lot of encouragement in that. In summary, a good concluding statement found in the Encylical Letter about the authority and responsibility of the Church to always declare the truth is powerfully presented in n. 18: She does not, because of this, evade the duty imposed on her of proclaiming humbly but firmly the entire moral law, both natural and evangelical. Since the Church did not make either of these laws, she cannot be their arbiter—only their guardian and interpreter. It could never be right for her to declare lawful what is in fact unlawful, since that, by its very nature, is always opposed to the true good of man. With that said, I believe having faith in today’s society can yield a better life for everyone who opens their mind to a new way of thinking. Yet, although with today’s influences and high paced life, living a faithful life may not be easy, it is rewarding and purifying. The views of the Church keep you grounded as it reminds you to fulfill your blessings given to you by God.

Compare and Contrast Emily and Miss Brill Essay

Miss Brill in Katherine Mansfield’ short story â€Å"Miss Brill† and Emily in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner exhibits interesting similarities and differences. The differences and similarities are evident in their characters. The two stories appear different but the relationship they share is very profound. The stories openly to the reader the realization of similarities and dissimilarities in them and the readers in terms of themes within the story, character traits and plot advancement. The plots of the stories unfold to review the dissimilarities in the social lives between Miss Brill and Grierson Emily. The dissimilarities cannot overweigh the similarities between the two characters in the luck of romantic and genuine social lives and their fateful states of denial. The pride that associates with the community involvement is the major difference between the two characters. Normally people are proud to associate with the community since the involvement gives them a sense if something bigger. Miss Brill takes a community level with more seriously and to a higher level than Emily Grierson who does not take it with much seriousness. This fact makes them different. Miss Brill has a boring life. This fact is evident when she goes to the dark cupboard room. In the room, the almond slice of cake excites her. The depth of Miss Brill loneliness and sadness convinces her that she is an important member of the community. He fills that her contribution is the key driver of her community and in case she withdraws, the community will not survive or operate properly. She thinks that they (community) â€Å"were all stage acting. She was assigned a part sand came every Sunday. No doubt if she hadn’t been somebody there would have noticed; after all she was part of the performance† (Mansfield 20). On the other hand, Emily’s character is a clear contrast of Brill’s character. The narrator brings out the difference when he speaks of Emily’s death. According t the narrator, â€Å"the whole town attended Miss Emily Grierson’s funeral†. The narrator continues to add that, the males attend  the funeral â€Å"as a sign of respect to a fallen monument.† The females attend the funeral because they â€Å"were driven by curiosity to find out how the inside of her house appeared like since no one other than an old manservant had seen it in at least ten years† (Faulkner, 32). Miss Emily Grierson’s father confined her to into the house and continues with the state even after her death. The situation makes the people of the town curious about the life of Miss Emily Grierson’s. The only thing the Miss Emily Grierson did with people was to teach children how to paint china, a craft the people considers useless and outdated. Her l ack of involvement and disinterest in the society is clear when she evades taxes. Read Also:  Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for College She says, â€Å"See Colonel Satoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson† the colonel is dead for almost ten years. The relationship is another point of comparison between the two characters. The both lack romantic and ordinary relationship. None of the two ended up with a functional social life, although there is a bid difference between their public lives. The two stories reveal to the reader a life of two lonely women. Brill would spend her Sunday outings watching people with hopes that she would hear their voices. To her disappointment, people â€Å"did not speak.† (Mansfield, 18). Brill’s gets boredom, a mixture of feelings, and joy from things that she sees and unconsciously relates them to her own life. Comparing herself from a woman who gives her a flower confuses her about whether to reject or accept them. She finally â€Å"she throws flowers† (Mansfield, 19). Emily’s distinctive relationship with her father is the reason she lacks social relationship. His father overprotective nature denies Emily a chance to relate socially. She remembers the â€Å"the young men that had been driven away by her father† (Faulkner, 36). Her father denies her a chance to meet people, not only during the time she is alive, also after she is dead. Brill comes up with a reason for apparent signs of poor circulation ensuing from old age. The grief in her life is what causes the feeling in her. She suppresses and denies the feeling. She says, â€Å"And what they played was sunny, warm, yet there was a mere faint chill or something, what was it?-it is not sadness but rather -a something that made you desire to sing† (Mansfield, 21). The rebuff in Emily’s side is first apparent when she fails to accept her father is dead. She is dressed normally. Despite the  efforts of doctors and the ministry efforts to convince her that her dad is dead, â€Å"She said to them that her father was still alive. She remained in this state of denial for three days (Faulkner, 36). This shows the results of suppressing grief. In conclusion, even though the two stories, â€Å"A Rose or Emily† and â€Å"Miss Brill† seem to revolve around two dissimilar women living lives that completely differ; they are the same in many subtle, but valuable ways. At the same time, their lives differ in how the two women socialize.

Analysis of Thomas Teo’s Theories

Analysis of Thomas Teos Theories First review The first article focuses on whether psychological codes of ethics are morally oblique, authored by Thomas Teo. The researcher hypothesizes that both American and Canadian moral code in their current form are not equipped to address challenges like epistemological violence. The second hypothesis is that the codes are not immune to ideological changes especially with regard to war on terror and lastly the researcher hypothesizes that the psychological codes are blind or inarticulate with regard to issues touching on financial conflicts of interest that are observed in recent versions of Diagnostics and statistical manuals. The researcher uses examples derived from academic papers and also psychological practices; the researcher hopes to uncover the discrepancies between the psychological codes that make them lack flexibility. The first issue tackled in the paper concerns epistemological violence in psychological practice; epistemological violence can be viewed from the c ontext of interpreting empirical information; psychological research provide both empirical information and theoretical interpretations made by the researcher. Most time the empirical data does not influence the theoretical interpretation made by the researcher and thus calls for the hermeneutic process. The term epistemological violence stems from interpretations made which are detrimental to a particular person or group; for instance, Black people are naturally violent and less law-abiding as compared to their white and Asian counterparts; these are interpretations based on speculative hermeneutics and they have the potential to bring more disruption than good to the society. Both Canadian and American psychology associations address this issue by stating that psychological research should provide insight that is beneficial to the society and not do harm; the Canadian code emphasizes that research should be knowledgeable and sensitive to the cultural differences. But the proponent s of scientific sexism and racism can argue that the harm to society is irrelevant with respect to the truth; others can argue that putting the harm clause in research psychology is tantamount to censorship and impede progress in psychological research. It is imperative that psychological society include statements in the code that emphasize the harm that emanate from research interpretations. Application of psychological knowledge in the fight against terror is the next issue of interest. Both Canadian and American psychology Associations have clear code that prohibit their members from participating in acts of torture of terrorism detainees. It is imperative to understand that psychology as a profession is open to political, social influences which have always propelled the development of the discipline. The ethical code 1.02 that underpins the relationship between ethics and law was changed; in 1992, the code stated that is a psychologist’s ethics conflicted with the law, he/she was to make his contention apparent and take steps to reconcile the contention in a sober manner. But as a consequence of the happenings the September 11 th , the code was modified to state that if a psychologist encountered a conflict between ethics and the law, he/she was to make his/her commitment to ethical code be known and take requisite steps to resolve the conflict. If the dilemma could not be reconciled, the psychologist would abide by the requirements of the law. It is thus apparent that political-economic influences led to the alteration of the ethical code, and both the American and Canadian psychological societies did not put requisite safeguards to prevent psychologists from engaging in torturous activities. It is necessary that when changes are made to the code, the highest standards of ethics are involved so as to prevent violation of human rights.