The Unredeemed Captive Essay Example for Free

The Unredeemed Captive Essay Some are born literary genius, some achieve literary genius, and some have literary success thrust upon them. As for John Demos in his book, ‘The Unredeemed Captive’ seems to be the blend of the last two categories. Through this book,   Demos takes you to the 18th Century, to explain the tension-ridden and violence-prone confrontation   between three communities (segments of a society).They are the puritan settlers of New England, the Roman-Catholic French of New France (currently parts of Canada) and the Native Americans.   It was a peculiar type of confrontation fought for several types’ self-interests. The conflicts, where religion, culture, race and territorial interests are involved. The story takes savage turns and the reading seriously affects the emotions of the readers! The contents of writing are a mixture of fact and fiction. The book has great historical significance. The mentioned communities then did not believe in peaceful negotiations to settle the ‘border disputes.’ They fought for territorial gains and the borders continued to shift and relocate. The mini-Hitlers were out to establish their moral and racial superiority. The animal tendencies in them surfaced forth and they did not hesitate to capture (kidnap) young girls belonging to the enemy camp, as war trophies, eventually for their sexual gratification.   John Demos is a Yale History Professor. His primary intentions and efforts in this book are to provide an objective analysis of the encounters between the mentioned ‘groups’. He has drawn upon the experiences of one family to achieve the objective in view. It is the John Williams family. Williams is a puritan minister. The family was captured in 1704 in their Massachusetts home by a group of Frenchmen and Native Americans. They were marched off to Canada. Of the seven members of the family his wife died en-route, Williams and four children were released later, his daughter Eunice became a convert (forced conversion?) to Catholicism to marry a Native American. Desperate attempts were made by the family for the return of Eunice to Massachusetts, but she came for short visits only to return back, till her death at the age of 95.   The stunning and heart-rending part of the story is that of Eunice. Remember, she was only 7 when she was captured—what values did her captors defend by torturing the mind of an innocent girl child? Religious principles? Cultural traditions? Racial superiority? Human values? Such persons deserve to be the offspring of the Satan. She was converted to Catholicism and married off at the age of 16, for which the perpetrators of such a crime can face severe punishment in the present times. Probably that was the age when male/female married as per the social customs prevailing then. Well, she spent the rest of her life, but what might be the thought-currents circling and torturing her mind within? Her 88 years of silent suffering is difficult for the printed pages to capture, the most sensitive and imaginative writer will not be able to probe the inner layers of her mind. If someone is able to do proper research on this mind, it can as well reveal the history of the century to which she belonged in the correct perspective.   Her life is a great example of the bitter fruits of cross-cultural bloody encounters. It is the saga of the perpetrators of the torture and those who were tortured. That God and destiny were often quoted to justify the cruel happenings shows the macabre and sadistic mind-set of the groups involved in those conflicts. It was an open exhibition of animal tendencies, by the two-legged devils   The Unredeemed Captive is a systematically researched history by John Demos. To sieve through the 300 year old data (the later 1600s) and make out a factual, historically relevant story is a skilled job. Demos has done justice to his job as the Professor of History. He knows the essentials of the history, the requirements of a research student of history. The research pages do make a slow reading, and that is no fault of the author. The narratives sections are quite fascinating. Basically, this book is written by a history man for the history people   In the present times also, people live dangerously in the border areas of a country, especially when the neighbors are unfriendly. This is the situation when civilization has made advancement and there are international laws for protection. Guess, what would have been the conditions 300 years ago, when might was right and jungle laws prevailed? John Demos describes well, with authority and proof, the dangers of living on the American frontiers in the early days of settling America, when the borders shifted constantly.   A tough subject has been chosen for the book and the area covered is vast.   One can not expect the book to make a good reading from page 1 to page 336. The first five chapters are very exciting; the flying start is the highlight of the book. The story and the incidents related to the family of John Williams are interesting and touching. The rest of the book is about facts, customs and traditions. One needs to make efforts to sustain the interest as for this portion of the book. But overall, the book is no drag.   Finally, the important points of the book: The clash of cultures of the diverse communities is well depicted. Through the personal tragedy of a family, the political story of an era has been told. The doomed role of the religion is described well. Eunice’s rejection of her own family is a mysterious psychological drama. But Demos shows the balanced approach in writing this part of the story, and does not blame exclusively any party involved in the conflicts.    References Cited: Demos, John, Book: The Unredeemed Captive. Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (March 28, 1995) ISBN-10: 0679759611 ISBN-13: 978-0679759614

Enthalpy of Displacement

Enthalpy of Displacement Saran Singh Sound Aim: To determine the enthalpy change of displacement between zinc powder and copper sulphate Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) Cu (s) + ZnSO4 (aq) Chemicals – CuSO ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­4 Solution ( concentration = 0.5 mol.dm3 ) Zinc (s) Powder Data Collection – Table 1: List of apparatus and Least Count and Uncertainties of Measuring Instruments Used S. No. Instrument Unit Least Count Uncertainty 1. Butter Paper n/a n/a n/a 2. Cardboard Lid n/a n/a n/a 3. Digital Laboratory Thermometer Celsius 0.1  ºC  ±0.1  ºC 4. Digital Weighing Balance Grams 0.001g  ±0.001g 5. Measuring Cylinder cm3 1cm3  ±0.5cm3 6. Polystyrene Cup n/a n/a n/a 7. Digital Stopwatch Seconds 0.01s  ±0.01s Qualitative Data Time Temperature Table 2.1: Mass of Zinc Powder Mass of Zinc (s) /M/g/ ±0.001g Trial 1 0.244g Trial 2 2.523g Trial 3 2.416g Table 2.2 : Collected Data Time/t/s/ ±0.01s Temperature/T/ °c/ ±0.1 °c Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 30.00 28.4 28.6 60.00 28.4 28.6 90.00 28.4 28.6 120.00 28.4 28.6 150.00 29.1 33.0 180.00 31.2 38.4 210.00 32.9 41.9 240.00 35.0 44.8 270.00 37.5 46.3 300.00 40.0 47.2 330.00 41.6 47.4 360.00 42.5 47.1 390.00 42.5 46.6 420.00 42.3 45.9 450.00 42.1 45.4 480.00 41.6 45.0 510.00 41.0 44.4 540.00 40.5 43.4 570.00 40.0 42.8 600.00 39.4 41.9 630.00 38.7 41.0 660.00 38.0 40.6 690.00 37.4 39.8 720.00 36.6 39.2 750.00 36.0 38.4 780.00 35.5 37.6 810.00 34.7 36.8 840.00 34.0 36.0 870.00 33.2 35.6 900.00 32.6 34.6 930.00 33.7 960.00 32.9 990.00 32.1 Qualitative Observation: It was observed that when Zinc (s) powder was added to the CuSO4 ­ solution it immediately reacted making the solution warmer .The color of the solution at the beginning was greenish in color which then turned colorless after the Zinc (s) powder had reacted. After the reaction was over, it was observed that Copper had precipitated at the bottom of the cup as a result of it being displaced by Zinc (s) powder. Formulas: Mass = No. of Moles (aq) x Molar Mass (s) And No. of Moles = Concentration x Volume And à ¢- ²H = Extrapolation Temperature Initial Temperature And Enthalpy Change = Mass x Specific Heat Capacity x à ¢- ²H And Molar Enthalpy Change = And Mass of water = volume of copper sulphate solution And Percentage Deviation = x100 Trial 1: Volume of CuSO4 (aq) 60.0cm3 Mass of Water 60g Specific Heat Capacity 4.18 J.g‑1. ºC-1 Initial Temperature 28.4  ºC Extrapolation temperature 53.0  ºC Time at which Zinc (s) powder was added 120s The graph is used to estimate the change in temperature of the displacement reaction between CuSO4 solution and Zinc (s) powder. The gradient of the best fit line shows the rate of decrease of temperature. Calculation:- No. of Moles of 60.0cm3 CuSO4 (aq) = (60/1000) x 0.5 = 0.03 mol ... Mass of Zinc (s) powder = 0.03 x 65 = 1.961g However for this experiment, mass of zinc had to be taken in excess. Therefore, Mass of Zinc is greater than actual mass required as seen in Table 2.1 à ¢- ²H = 28.4 – 53.0 = -24.60  ºC  ±0.01s Enthalpy Change = 60 x 4.18 x -24.6 = -6169.68 J = -6.16968 kJ Molar Enthalpy Change = = -205.7 kJ.mol-1 As this reaction is exothermic i.e heat is released, enthalpy change is negative. The literature value of Enthalpy Change for this displacement reaction is -217kJ.mol-1 Percentage Deviation = x 100 = 5.2% Deviation. Note: There were two assumptions made during this experiment. The Specific Heat Cpacity of the solution is same as water No Heat is lost to the surrounding Trial 2: Volume of CuSO4 (aq) 70.0cm3 Mass of Water 60g Specific Heat Capacity 4.18 J.g‑1. ºC-1 Initial Temperature 28.6 ºC Extrapolation temperature 57.0  ºC Time at which Zinc (s) powder was added The graph is used to estimate the change in temperature of the displacement reaction between CuSO4 solution and Zinc (s) powder. The gradient of the best fit line shows the rate of decrease of temperature. Calculation:- No. of Moles of 70.0cm3 CuSO4 (aq) = (70/1000) x 0.5 = 0.035 mol ... Mass of Zinc (s) powder = 0.035 x 65 = 2.275g However for this experiment, mass of zinc had to be taken in excess. Therefore, Mass of Zinc is greater than actual mass required as seen in Table 2.1 à ¢- ²H = 28.6 – 57.0 = -28.40  ºC  ±0.01s Enthalpy Change = 70 x 4.18 x -28.40 = -8309.84 J = -8.30984 kJ Molar Enthalpy Change = = -207.7 kJ.mol-1 As this reaction is exothermic i.e heat is released, enthalpy change is negative. The literature value of Enthalpy Change for this displacement reaction is -217kJ.mol-1 Percentage Deviation = x 100 = 4.3% Deviation. Note: There were two assumptions made during this experiment. The Specific Heat Cpacity of the solution is same as water No Heat is lost to the surrounding Trial 3: Volume of CuSO4 (aq) 70.0cm3 Mass of Water 60g Specific Heat Capacity 4.18 J.g‑1. ºC-1 Initial Temperature 28.6 ºC Extrapolation temperature 57.0  ºC Time at which Zinc (s) powder was added 120s The graph is used to estimate the change in temperature of the displacement reaction between CuSO4 solution and Zinc (s) powder. The gradient of the best fit line shows the rate of decrease of temperature. Calculation:- No. of Moles of 70.0cm3 CuSO4 (aq) = (70/1000) x 0.5 = 0.035 mol ... Mass of Zinc (s) powder = 0.035 x 65 = 2.275g However for this experiment, mass of zinc had to be taken in excess. Therefore, Mass of Zinc is greater than actual mass required as seen in Table 2.1 à ¢- ²H = 28.6 – 57.0 = -28.40  ºC  ±0.01s Enthalpy Change = 70 x 4.18 x -28.40 = -8309.84 J = -8.30984 kJ Molar Enthalpy Change = = -207.7 kJ.mol-1 As this reaction is exothermic i.e heat is released, enthalpy change is negative. The literature value of Enthalpy Change for this displacement reaction is -217kJ.mol-1 Percentage Deviation = x 100 = 4.3% Deviation. Note: There were two assumptions made during this experiment. The Specific Heat Cpacity of the solution is same as water No Heat is lost to the surrounding Conclusion: The displacement reaction between Zinc (s) powder and CuSO4 solution is exothermic as heat is released to its immiediate surroundings. This is supported by the calculations of all the three trials. The Zinc (s) is in powder form which reacts faster with CuSO4 solution as it has a larger surface area. By observing the graph it is found that after reaching the peak temperature, the new solutions temperature starts to decrease which means that its is loosing heat to its surrounding. The line of best fit on the graph shows the temperature change in an ideal situation. However, in reality heat is lost to the surroundings and the specific heat capacity of the solution may not be the same as water. This reaction between Zinc (s) powder and CuSO4 ­ takes place becaude Zinc (S) powder is more reactive thancopper in CuSO4 solution. Therefore, causing copper to precipitate. It is also possible that the concentration of the Cuso4 solution was lower , causing less energy to be released then expected. The temperature change increases as volume of CuSO4 is increased as more Zinc (s) powder is required to react therefore releasing more energy. This is suggested by the calculations for Trial 1, Trial2 and Trial 3. The percentage deviation of the experimental readings to the literature value is not that high suggesting few errors in the experiment. However, we attributed them to certain and possible errors.

The Perception Of Listening And Interpersonal Communication English Language Essay

The Perception Of Listening And Interpersonal Communication English Language Essay Listen up! Are people really listening? What is listening and why is it important? This paper will address the viewpoint of listening skills and its outcome. Listening is an essential tool, which is one of the constructive aspects in the communication process, for communicating with other people. To listen well is a talent that is learned. However, for people to listen effectively, they would need to practice to obtain the skill. As with any new skill, learning to listen takes effort, attention, and practice (Stewart, 2006, p. 202).Listening skills allow people to make sense of and understand what another person is saying. In other words, listening skills allow people to identify with the meaning of what other people are talking about. Listening skills is a skill that is a useful sensible approach for doing what is appropriate when it comes to communicating with other people. In todays society, listening has become a modern way of life since people are always listening to something, such as the television, the radio, or merely a conversation with family and friends. Stewart (2006) comments that about 45 percent of our day are spent on listening (p. 199). However, the attention span for some people needs improvement, especially if they are easily distracted. Consistency should be a concept of listening and the only way to make this happen is by practice. In other words, people can develop a habit to be able to communicate their knowledge of what the other person is talking about. For example, if a speaker talks about the need to improve various types of environmental issues in our society, the listener or receiver should be able to execute his or her listening skills to clarify what was addressed by questioning and summarizing the speakers theory. The following characterizations are based on listening skills: awareness, interpretation, and questioning. Although developing listening skills is a matter of choice, it is imperative everyone accomplish effective listening habits to avoid misunderstanding in all relationships. The first aspect of listening is to learn how to listen effectively. In todays society, communicating appropriately has everything to do with listening effectively. Learning to be a good listener will help improve all relationships both professionally and personally. If people do not know how to listen well, they can easily be distracted and their mind will start to wander. Since listening plays an essential role in the communication process, developing listening skills are important because they will help interpret what the speaker is saying during feedback. In other words, the listener should be able to respond to what the speaker talked about for clarification purposes. There are three types of listening strategies that would be beneficial to ensure effective communication with other people. Hybels and Weaver (2007) state that active listening, critical listening, and empathic listening are three different tactics that can be used in diverse situations (p. 92). For instance, critical listeners focal point is to listen with determination and an open mind. They need to recognize and expect to learn something new from the speaker and ask questions about their viewpoints, such as an election. Critical listeners analyze the statement of all the members involved to decide who to vote for. In other words, critical listeners need to try to understand the speakers speech before they evaluate the information. A second instance is that of empathic listeners. Their center of attention involves listening with emotion-they actually understand and can relate to how the speaker is feeling. I actually had an overwhelming experience concerning this specific aspect of effective listening. For example, after my husband passed away two years ago, I expressed my emotions with my mom often. My mom always listened with full attention to my tone of voice and other relevant signals, such as body language and facial expression-she was able to see and feel the message I was sharing about the ordeal I was going through. My mom listened patiently and shared the pain and love I had for my husband. Moreover, my mom could relate to the emotions I was feeling about the passing of my husband, since she experienced similar emotions when her mom passed away in 1990. In other words, empathic listeners attempt to imagine what the speaker had gone through. Consequently, empathic listeners usually lead the conversation to self-disclosure, which is when people tell each other something personal they would not disclose to everyone (Hybels Weaver, 2007 p. 168). The final instance for listening types is that of active listeners, which entails reflection. Specifically, active listeners listen intensively to the speaker so that they would be able to express what was said, by paraphrasing or summarizing their statement. Furthermore, active listeners repeat in their own words what the speaker discussed for clarification purposes. Overall, people listen to acquire information and the impact of these listening techniques will certainly lead to thriving professional and personal relationships. The second aspect of listening is to avoid the barriers to efficient listening. Since words can be influential, there are some issues that may get in the way of listening effectively, such as bias, accents, and noise. These specific matters will result in poor listening communication because there are some people who are collective listeners because of their favoritism toward specific speakers; the language is not clear due to diverse accents, and depending on the surroundings, the interference of loud sounds. In addition, there are other barriers that can make listening difficult as well. Hybels and Weaver (2007) note that, most people are not ready to listen well, physically, mentally, and behaviorally and adds that some people are too lazy to listen, some avoid eye contact while listening, and some have a very short attention span (p. 88). Since these are some of the most mutual obstacles to effective listening, to learn how to listen will take practice and diligence to obtain concentration. However, there are some valuable strategies people could do to avoid listening barriers, such as preparing to listen with appropriate eye contact, concentrating on what the speaker is saying to determine the speakers meaning, and taking notes to consider what was discussed. In short, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦savor the conversationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Stewart, 2006 p. 201). Ideally, there are plenty of barriers that occur to block people from listening properly. Once awareness is accomplished, people will be able to avoid these barriers easily. The last aspect of listening is how to manage interpersonal conflict. Conflict occurs in most relationships-professional and personal and conflict can cause resentment and possibly the ending of a relationship as well. People embrace different ways to face conflict and to learn how to manage conflict involves being able to adhere the positive aspect of the relationship, which is to listen well. For example, I actually witnessed an incident when two doctors disagreed on a prognosis on a specific patient, which lead to an interpersonal conflict. After exchanging a few words, the doctors began to become agitated and verbally attacked each other. At this point, both doctors did not want to listen, instead, they both wanted to talk. The approach these doctors were using was not an effective way to handle conflict. Hence, it is obvious skillful communication was not enforced in this situation. Accordingly, all interpersonal interactions can learn how to improve their relationships by discussing how to find a resolution for their discord (Hybels Weaver, 2007 p. 202,203). In this professional environment, proper conflict management should have been applied because at this point, the companys image may be at stake. A final example of interpersonal conflict is lack of communication because lack of effective communication can result in interpersonal variation. For instance, a few months ago my relationship with a friend dispersed because of an emotional distance. The one -year date of his moms passing was approaching and my friend said that he had some personal issues to resolve and decided to try to handle them on his own. Since I was bothered by his unsettling actions, I continued to show my concern. Therefore, I suggested my friend talk about what was troubling him. In most situations, both partners would want to talk and not listen. In this case, I was willing to listen, but my friend refused to talk. In short, my friend was not ready to open up and listen to reason and continued with his depressing distance. Therefore, the relationship was dissolved because of the interaction conflict. Assuredly, to resolve interpersonal conflict in our society, an appropriate balance between personal ambition and optimistic conduct must be developed. Since the act of resolving conflict is a skill that can be taught, determination can help people blossom through their actions and help them receive respect in his or her life. Furthermore, there are effective communication methods to improve interpersonal conflict and to resolve interpersonal conflict following interaction techniques will be helpful: Encouragement-encourages each person to share their concerns Simplicity-ask questions to avoid misunderstandings Recognition-observe accurately to provide clear feedback However, conflict can lead to a deeper understanding and closeness between each person. In essence, [many interpersonal conflicts] can be traced to problems in listeningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Hybels Weaver, 2007 p. 86). The main cause of interpersonal conflict is that both partners want to talk and no one is willing to listen. While resolving interpersonal conflict is a work-in-progress, people should start focusing on how to listen, which will eventually lead to constructive relationships. In summary, the stance of listening skills is important to analyze and review what the speaker discussed. In other words, when an interest is made known about what was conversed, the listener would be able to summarize the main points and supporting details of the speaker. Hence, listening is an active and productive process, which is an attribute people should practice in their professional and personal lives. Moreover, good listening skills builds a foundation as a means of learning that involves consistency in all areas in life. However, if people engage in poor listening habits, misunderstandings will arise and they will not understand the speaker sufficiently to respond efficiently. Since conflict materializes in both professional and personal relationships, it is best to have a face-to-face encounter because each person can benefit by enhancing their listening habits, such as eye contact and body language. Depending on the situation, the three learning styles, active listening, critical listening, and empathic listening should suffice for effective communication. On a final note, while listening skills consist of paying attention to words and interpreting those spoken words correctly, people can develop a creative character as they express such a rewarding attribute. In addition, when people gain listening skills, it is an impressive tool for learning new concepts about other people. Above all, the perception of listening is his or her personal choice if they decide to be an effective interpersonal communicator.

Comparing the poems Neutral Tones and Absence Essay -- English Literat

Comparing the poems Neutral Tones and Absence Both the poems 'Neutral Tones' by Thomas Hardy and 'Absence' by Elizabeth Jennings mention and describe the poets' feelings about losing their partners. Even though the general theme, the loss of love, is the same, many features such as tone, imagery, language and rhyme scheme differ from each other. Hardy emphasises more on his feelings towards his break up. He doesn't actually mention how he feels, but instead, the imagery he uses and the way he describes his ex-girlfriend shows that he feels broken and angry. The tone in this poem is very solemn and dull, though it is quite strong in some areas like "The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing" and "your face, and the God-curst sun grayish leaves". Hardy also got more vigorous and frustrated towards the end of the poem. In Jennings's poem, the tone is much different. Unlike Hardy, she describes her surroundings and loneliness, not how her partner looks like. Jennings's poem builds up from a calm tone to an irritated one. The first stanza of 'Absence' describes her surroundings, the second, how she is alone and in the third, how her loneliness affects her. The last stanza is the fiercest, much more vigorous compared to the first stanza. "For under all the gentleness there came an earthquake tremor" The second stanza of her poem is like the balance between the first and last stanza. This stanza links her cheerful images to her exasperation. "Singing an ecstasy I could not share, played cunning in my thoughts" Jennings's poem is also more 'factual' as she talks more about the scenery around her - "The fountains sprayed their usual steady jet". The tone in this poem is steady, and her anger builds gradual... ...e landscape, colours, and facial features to convey his heart brokenness. I liked the way Hardy chose an aggravated tone for his poem and how he has developed it towards the end to describe his girlfriend's face. From his poem, I could actually feel Hardy's devastation because he even brought in the bitter side of nature to enhance his feelings. Hardy also had a dramatic ending where he used the alliteration "wrings with wrongs". I also liked the way Hardy had combined all his anger and problems and merged them into his ex-girlfriend's face. I think Hardy was successful in using imagery by describing the surroundings in the beginning of the poem and concluding with the surroundings as well. Hardy's choice of language was also appropriate to describe his emotions. All in all, I think Hardy was very successful in using vivid imagery to portray his feelings.

Relating to EE Cummings Poetry :: Biography Biographies Essays

Relating to EE Cummings' Poetry It's not necessarily easy to read. And it's probably harder to understand. But the poetry of ee cummings has made a nitch in our society of innovative minds and experimental art that we cannot argue. Whether we like it, hate it, or throw it down in frustration, we have to appreciate the door this poet has opened for so many generations of writers and stylists. We picked "my sweet old etcetera" because if was the simplist poems to understand, and there's a lot we could say about it (and we each had a 750 word responce paper ahead of us to think about.) "my sweet old etcetera" begins by describing the folks back home and their conversations of know-it-all nothingness. He describes how they share their righteous opinions about a war they know very little about. He uses the word "etcetera" throughout the poem as some people today use the phrase "blah blah blah" to trail the ends of their sentences. Come on, you know you say it. I know I do all the time..."my story is going to be about chasing dreams, and hopefulness, da da da da da." This poem discribes how hypocritical we all are. How we can talk about something that's happening a million miles away as if we know all, when we really can't possibly know anything about it. After reading it over and over again, I find that I can relate to this poem in one way. Last year, I had my first taste of being away from home. Back home, everyone was so proud of what I had accomplished--going so far away to follow my dreams. They knew without a doubt that I was going to be successful. They knew without a doubt that I was happy, that I was driven. They said so all the time. But what they didn't talk about were my everyday mistakes and misfortunes. They didn't mention that I no longer took center stage--that I rarely ever performed in town. they seems to pass over that awful semester of sociology and my first heartbreaks away from home. They didn't talk about it because in the long run, they knew all of that didn't matter.

Communication in Marriage Essay

Marriage is a beautiful thing, but at times can be very challenging. Making a commitment and keeping it takes a lot of work and patience. One reason that a marriage may face a problem is due to the lack of communication. At certain times women may need someone to hear them out whereas on the other hand men want someone to give them advice and support. In â€Å"His Talk, Her Talk† by Joyce Maynard, the author introduces us to her marriage and communication between her and her husband. In the other article â€Å"Man to Man, Women to Women† by Mark A. Sherman and Adelaide Haas, talks more about how men talk more directly and women think, and watch what they say. In â€Å"His Talk, Her Talk† by Joyce Maynard, she gives us an outlook on her marriage and the way she communicates with her husband. Maynard states that the opposite sexes are usually excluded from the conversation, such as the idea that there is a thing as â€Å"men’s talk† or â€Å"women’s talk† (Maynard 31). Men and women usually divide into two groups when there is a party or any sort of gathering. Immediately we redistributed ourselves which was a shame (Maynard 31). This tends to happen often and one may wonder as to why? Why can’t men and women have a long conversation about certain subject that both are interested in? Some women may argue that speaking to another woman, their point will be taken a lot more seriously whereas men tend to disregard the entire point altogether. Men like to have more simple straight forward conversation that gets to the point. Women are more verbal and they like to express themselves and detail their conv ersations. In the article â€Å"Man to Man, Women to Woman† by Mark A. Sherman and Adelaide Haas, the authors use a questionnaires, interviews, and observations to see how different types of genders communicate. Herman and Haas, in their research tested one hundred sixty-six women and 110 men, ranging in age from seventeen to 80, returned a questionnaire asking how often they discussed each of 22 topics with friends of the same sex (Herman and Haas 33). Women’s topic tends to be closer to the self and more emotional than men’s (Sherman and Haas 33). This does not mean that men do not have emotional talks; it just takes a right person to bring it out of them. As stated in the article men can be good listeners, as well as women can give direct advice (Sherman and Haas 33). Communication is key to any happy relationship whether it may be a marriage, girlfriends or just male companionship, women and men due indeed complete each other. When a woman is full of emotions, the man is always there to comfort her. Men tend to bottle up their emotions and they know that they can open up to a woman for emotional support. The first article â€Å"His Talk, Her Talk† by Joyce Maynard, was acknowledgement of her own personal life, whereas the second article â€Å"Man to Man, Woman to Woman† by Sherman and Haas, was based on the questionnaire and observation of other women and men and how they communicate. I would recommend the article â€Å"Man to Man, Women to Women† by Sherman and Haas, because it is well written, explaining the core problems that men and women have in their communication between one another. Citation Maynard, Joyce, †His Talk, Her Talk† Text and Contexts: A Contemporary Approach to College Writing. Ed. William S. Robinson et al. Boston Wadsworth, 2009. Print Sherman, Mark and Haas, Adelaide. â€Å" Man to Man, Woman to Woman† Text and Contexts: A Contemporary Approach to College Writing. Ed. William S. Robinson et al. Boston Wadsworth, 2009. Print

Nurse Ratched Essay

A former army nurse, Nurse Ratched represents the oppressive mechanization, dehumanization, and emasculation of modern society—in Bromden’s words, the Combine. Her nickname is â€Å"Big Nurse,† which sounds like Big Brother, the name used in George Orwell’s novel 1984 to refer to an oppressive and all-knowing authority. Bromden describes Ratched as being like a machine, and her behavior fits this description: even her name is reminiscent of a mechanical tool, sounding like both â€Å"ratchet† and â€Å"wretched.† She enters the novel, and the ward, â€Å"with a gust of cold.† Ratched has complete control over every aspect of the ward, as well as almost complete control over her own emotions. In the first few pages we see her show her â€Å"hideous self† to Bromden and the aides, only to regain her doll-like composure before any of the patients catch a glimpse. Her ability to present a false self suggests that the mechanistic and oppressive forces in society gain ascendance through the dishonesty of the powerful. Without being aware of the oppression, the quiet and docile slowly become weakened and gradually are subsumed. Nurse Ratched does possess a nonmechanical and undeniably human feature in her large bosom, which she conceals as best she can beneath a heavily starched uniform. Her large breasts both exude sexuality and emphasize her role as a twisted mother figure for the ward. She is able to act like â€Å"an angel of mercy† while at the same time shaming the patients into submission; she knows their weak spots and exactly where to peck. The patients try to please her during the Group Meetings by airing their dirtiest, darkest secrets, and then they feel deeply ashamed for how she made them act, even though they have done nothing. She maintains her power by the strategic use of shame and guilt, as well as by a determination to â€Å"divide and conquer† her patients. McMurphy manages to ruffle Ratched because he plays her game: he picks up on her weak spots right away. He uses his overt sexuality to throw her off her machinelike track, and he is not taken in by her thin facade of compassion or her falsely therapeutic tactics. When McMurphy rips her shirt open at the  end of the novel, he symbolically exposes her hypocrisy and deceit, and she is never able to regain power.