Sunday, November 10, 2019
Hunger in America
****** Willingham M. Handran English 112 Hunger in America We live in a nation where a large percentage of its inhabitants suffer from economic hardship and are left with no other option but to pick and choose between certain necessities over other fundamental needs due to a lack of financial resources. Many of these people are forced into having to choose between taking their life-saving medications or being able to eat for that day, while others simply have no choice at all.These people simply have no other choice but go hungry despite the copious amounts of food produced in this nation. Some of the primary factors responsible for this heartbreaking predicament stem from a lack of consistent public awareness outside of the quick fix Band-Aid approach during Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday food drives and other short-term feeding campaigns coupled with an inadequate job market for both the unemployed and the underemployed which causes poverty.Insufficient and inconsistent charita ble donations to assist those in need are also contributing factors along with the physical and financial barriers which prevent general access to food to a large population of children, the elderly and the disabled. Another high profile reason for this wide spread problem is due to the direct relationship between the increase in the cost of fuel and how it affects the price of food. Hunger is an equal opportunity destructive force which gives no preference to sex, age, race, religion or educational background.Food insecurities in the United States alone affect an outrageous percentage of citizens in the worldââ¬â¢s most affluent nation, afflicting millions of Americans on a daily basis. Hunger in America is neither widely acknowledged nor highly publicized due to the fact that the United States is the worldââ¬â¢s wealthiest nation. In light of the facts as stated by our governmentââ¬â¢s Department of Agriculture and in the minds of all hungry persons in this country, Ameri ca should be recognized as being the worldââ¬â¢s most wasteful and irresponsible nation on earth.The United States disposes of billions of pounds of high-quality edible food every single year. Hunger in America is an egregious and inexplicable indictment against our society, and it has created an environment of extreme hardship and suffering that is completely inexcusable in a land where hunger should not even exist and where something more must be done to alleviate hunger in our great nation. Our Citizenââ¬â¢s Health and Sustenance We live in the worldââ¬â¢s wealthiest and most plentiful country, yet almost 15 percent of U. S. amilies, about 49 million Americans, including 16. 2 million children struggle to acquire sustenance (Bread for the World). About 15 percent of the American population find themselves struggling at varying degrees from day to day in order to provide food for themselves and their families. Why, in the midst of plenty, are people forced to go without b asic necessities? Tens of millions of Americans are directly affected by this silent plague known as the American hunger crisis which is directly proportional to the level of poverty existing in the United States.As a matter of fact, ââ¬Å"The nationââ¬â¢s official poverty rate in 2010 was 15. 1 percent, up from 14. 3 percent in 2009â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Income, Poverty and Health Insurance in the United States: 2010). These proximate percentages between hunger and poverty blatantly illustrate the relationship between the two. Without poverty, hunger doesnââ¬â¢t exist. In the discussion of poverty and hunger, inevitabilities such as food, healthcare, basic and adequate shelter, utilities and transportation expenses are severely limited and some of these necessities are either cut back drastically, or they are simply inaccessible.One might have enough money to feed their family, but not have the ability to pay for their childrenââ¬â¢s health expenses or clothing. ââ¬Å"The numbe r of people without health insurance coverage rose from 49. 0 million in 2009 to 49. 9 million in 2010â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Income, Poverty and Health Insurance in the United States: 2010). The vast number of people without health insurance is simply another statistic where the figures are obviously too much of a similarity to be justified as mere coincidence.Without their health, how can any American citizen be expected to obtain, much less maintain an adequate paying job and continue to be able to provide sustenance for themselves and their families? Regarding jobs, for a significant number of Americans, the U. S. labor market is not very efficient and doesnââ¬â¢t work as a reliable way to create a steady career to provide for their families (Bread for the World). The job market in the United States has continued to remain stagnant with an unemployment rate that has surpassed eight percent since February 2009, and it has been projected that the very same percentage is oing to exist i n our country until 2014 (Understanding and Responding to Persistently High Unemployment). When the unemployment rate is coupled with the rate of underemployment, those who are employed only part-time but possessing the skills necessary for full-time employment, the percentage of food insecure individuals more than doubled. People that are having a hard time finding full-time work, and those who are willing and able to work, but who have been discouraged from searching so long has risen to 17. percent in the month of September 2010 (Record Underemployment Devastates American Workers). Far too many people are in desperate need of both food and full-time employment. Hunger in America ââ¬â Hidden in Plain Sight Not only is it extremely disconcerting and an indictment against the government at both the federal and state levels, but itââ¬â¢s also a direct reflection of American society in general that the issue of hunger in America has not been given the recognition or public awar eness that is warranted for such a national and catastrophic epidemic.While there are organizations and individuals that continue to bring this concern into the light of the public eye, it is still neither adequate nor consistent enough to bring a broad awareness to our current hunger plight in this country. Members of Bread for the World continue to write letters to members of Congress to emphasize the severity of this situation hoping that those with the political power and clout will actually do something (Bread for the World). Many American children are at risk because they have not been recognized as being the victims of this national disaster which is American hunger (Lichter et al, 97).While there is promising news on the war against hunger, there are many more battles to be won. The House of Representatives recently passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act which was signed into law on December 13, 2010 by President Barrack Obama (Advocacy). This legislation authorized the fu nding and set the policy for the United States Department of Agricultureââ¬â¢s primary child nutrition programs (Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act). This is definitely a step in the right direction but much more must be done.For example, becoming an advocate for individuals suffering from food insecurity is critical to fighting hunger because it offers many ways to become active not only in important public policy issues of the day, but also within our communities (Advocacy). More focused and stringent efforts from the public and private sectors are necessary to keep this critical issue in the arena of public awareness since a large majority of the American population is completely unaware of the reality that almost 50 million of their neighbors, friends, family and coworkers suffer daily from this silent epidemic.Single Mothers and Others Among the several millions of people that do suffer from food insecurity in America, there are certain groups of people from distressed backgrounds that tend to deal with much more pressure than others when it comes to hunger and poverty. Fathers all over our nation are deserting their partners and children. In merely three decades, the percent of children living without their fathers increased from 17 percent to 36 percent, more than doubling the number ( Popenoe, 33). As disturbing as it may seem, the percentage that exists today continues to grow.Young developing children and their struggling mothers that strive to endure the difficulties of life without a father in the home or with an estranged father who doesnââ¬â¢t pay child support has resulted in huge numbers of women and children to be left in great need of financial aid. In fact, single mother families are the group of citizens that are most at risk. Their numbers are rapidly growing, and they are becoming the poorest segment of the population in the country (Dodson, 109). Many of the worst tragedies in situations like these are the children that go to bed without enough to eat at night.Millions of children are left to sit in hunger and are helpless because their guardians cannot provide an adequate amount of food for their nourishment. In fact, one in five children or 20 percent suffered from hunger in the year 2000. That was ten million children. Even worse, three million of those children underwent an even more stomach wrenching hunger predicament where they had no other choice but to eat even less and were forced to skip meals due to a lack of food (Food First). A major contributing factor that has had a direct negative impact on these families is the seemingly ever increasing cost of fuel or access to energy.Whenever the price of oil and gas increases, every aspect of our economy is affected. The worst of which is the increase in the cost of food. Beginning with the farmers who require fuel to operate their tractors and other farm equipment along with oil-based pesticides and other chemicals needed for large crop production, this is jus t the beginning (Heinberg ). As manufacturers require energy to produce food for public consumption, they must increase their costs of production to cover the extra energy expense.The large semi-trucks that deliver those food products have to pay more for fuel, and the grocery store is forced to increase their prices in order to remain in business (Gas Prices Start to Affect Food Prices). While single mother families are at the top of the food insecure pyramid, another group of individuals is suffering just as much. These people are our senior citizens and the disabled who must survive on fixed incomes, the majority of whom depend solely on the federal government through social security payments they receive along with certain entitlement programs if they qualify (Sepulvado).Furthermore, the fact that the United States of America disposes of over 100 billion pounds of editable food annually is an ignominious slap in the face to the masses of hungry American citizens (Hunger In Ameri ca). Hunger in America ââ¬â Conclusion Alleviating hunger in America may be a disheartening and seemingly overwhelming task, but there is an untold and extremely underpublicized confidence among many public and private organizations and individuals that it is possible with persistence and dedication. The facts are clear. Approximately 50 million American citizens suffer from a lack of food.In our politically correct society, the phrase ââ¬Ëfood insecureââ¬â¢ was adopted as a more palatable euphemism to avoid and hide the harsh reality that the wealthiest nation on earth is filled with millions of desperately hungry people, over 16 million of whom are children. Lack of consistent public awareness, inadequate government funding and insufficient charitable contributions, the unemployment and underemployment rates and the increasing costs of fuel are all contributing factors that continue to feed the national disgrace of American hunger.There are quotes from famous individuals concerning hunger that seem fitting to include and conclude this research. ââ¬Å"Most of our citizenry believes that hunger only affects people who are lazy or people who are just looking for a handout, people who donââ¬â¢t want to work, but, sadly, that is not true. Over one-third of our hungry people are innocent children who are members of households that simply cannot provide enough food or proper nutrition. And to think of the elderly suffering from malnutrition is just too hard for most of us. UnlikeThird World nations, in our country the problem is not having too little ââ¬â it is about not caring enough! Write your elected representatives and promote support for the hungry. ââ¬Å"-Erin Brokovich. Another quote from the most iconic civil rights leader in the United States said this: ââ¬Å"Why should there be hunger and deprivation in any land, in any city, at any table, when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic nec essities of life? There is no deficit in human resources. The deficit is in human will. ââ¬Å"-Martin Luther King, Jr.The 32nd President of the United States said this about hunger: ââ¬Å"But while they prate of economic laws, men and women are starving. We must lay hold of the fact that economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings. â⬠-Franklin D. Roosevelt. This final quote comes from a woman who many would claim was the most selfless individual in our lifetime: ââ¬Å"When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed. -Mother Teresa. Hunger in America is an incomprehensible condemnation against our nation. This social injustice directly inflicts extreme hardship upon millions of Americans and causes unnecessary and completely avoidable suffering simply because we as individuals and federal and state agencies are poor stewards of the food resources which we have in an abundant supply; yet we deliberately dispose of billions of pounds of good edible food which is more than enough to alleviate hunger in the most prosperous and the most powerful country on earth.Works Cited ââ¬Å"Advocacy. â⬠Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. . ââ¬Å"Bread for the World: Have Faith. End Hunger. ââ¬Å"U. S. Hungerâ⬠â⬠Homepage. Web. 17 Mar. 2012. . Dodson, Lisa. ââ¬Å"Chapter 5. â⬠Lost Fathers. By Cynthia R. . Daniels. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. Print. Food First. ââ¬Å"Ch. 1. â⬠Poverty: Opposing Viewpoints. ââ¬Å"Hunger Is a Serious Problem for Americaââ¬â¢s Poorâ⬠San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2004. 19-21. Print. ââ¬Å"Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. â⬠Web. 18 Apr. 2012. . Heinberg, Richard. ââ¬Å"Article. Soaring Oil and Food Prices Threaten Affordable Food Supply. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. . ââ¬Å"Hunger In America. â⬠Hunger in America Diminished by Gardeners and AmpleHarvest. org. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. ââ¬Å"Income, Poverty and Health Insurance in the United States: 2010. â⬠Census Bureau Homepage. Web. 17 Mar. 2012. . Lichter, Daniel T. , Vincent J. Roscigno, and Dennis J. Condron. ââ¬Å"Chapter 7. â⬠Challenges for Rural America in the Twenty-first Century. Ed. David L. Brown, Louis E. Swanson, and Alan W. Barton. University Park: Pennsylvania State UP, 2003. 97-98.Print. Popenoe, David. ââ¬Å"Chapter 2. â⬠Lost Fathers. By Cynthia R. . Daniels. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. Print. ââ¬Å"Record Underemployment Devastates American Workers. â⬠GOP. gov. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. . Sepulvado, John. ââ¬Å"Rising Food Prices Could Drive up Rates of Hunger. â⬠CNN. Cable News Network, 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. . ââ¬Å"Understanding and Responding to Persistently High Unemployment. â⬠CBO. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. . Vivek, S. ââ¬Å"Chapter 8. â⬠Global Obligations for the Right to Foo d. By George Kent. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008. Print.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Essay Example
Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Essay Example Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Paper Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Paper A health assistantââ¬â¢s procedures are affected by own communication, ethics and organization in many instances. For efficiency, a health assistant has to also recognize required proficiencies, the style of occupation and prevailing environment. The paper will elaborate three instances in which a health assistantââ¬â¢s procedures were affected by personal principles, organization and communication of the health assistant. The first instance illustrates how a health assistants actions were influenced by the communication element. An arthritic woman had lost her husband in the immediate past. The woman was battling with her disease in a hospital lobby and still visibly mourning her husband. To add insult to injury, a patient who was friends with the departed husband was asking how the husband had died. The receptionist health office aide noticed the womanââ¬â¢s agony and her extreme discomfort in the prevailing circumstances ( oppapers. com/essays/Medical-Role-Influencing-Factors/151299). The health assistant walked out of the receptionist enclosure, approached the distraught woman and touched her warmly. The assistant inquired whether the lady would be more comfortable waiting at another location. This show of concern made the woman more composed. The health office aideââ¬â¢s empathy with the bereaved lady is good examples of how a model health assistant ought to behave. The health assistant illustrated to the distraught woman that she truly was devoted to and was concerned about the bereaved womanââ¬â¢s wellbeing in line with the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) dogma. In another instance, a patientââ¬â¢s illness had been erroneously diagnosed and inappropriate medications prescribed for them. That same day, upon realizing the error, the doctor who had attended to the patient about three hours earlier urgently called the health assistant and requested her to immediately trace the patientââ¬â¢s file. That particular health assistant had the habit of clearly and distinctively filing patientsââ¬â¢ records as they came. Patientsââ¬â¢ phone contacts were conspicuously shown in the very first page of the file. There were no incidences where files were strewn all over the place making it extremely hard to locate a particular file. Thanks to the health assistantââ¬â¢s orderliness, the file was promptly retrieved and the patient called to warn them against taking the earlier prescribed medication. The prompt and orderly personality of the health assistant was very critical since the patient said that she had just had her supper and was contemplating taking the medication. Episode three involves a health assistants ethical principles influencing their actions. One health ethical principle expressly defends the rights of patients to privacy as regards their health records. A man who had previously divorced his wife discreetly approached a health assistant and requested for a copy of his former wifeââ¬â¢s hospital records. He explained that he wanted to use them against his former wife in an ongoing divorce lawsuit. The health assistant was even offered a tidy sum of money if he complied. However, the health assistant remained firm and categorically told the man thatââ¬â¢s he couldnââ¬â¢t compromise medical ethics for whatever reason. In addition, the health assistant informed the health facility management of the estranged manââ¬â¢s intentions and thus the particular records in question were kept under lock and key in safe custody. This action of the health assistant facilitated the indirect protection of the former patientsââ¬â¢ integrity and privacy ( ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/ama-code-medical-ethics/principles-medical-ethics. shtml). References AMA ââ¬â Principles of medical ethics ââ¬â retrieved on 3rd April 2009 from ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/ama-code-medical-ethics/principles-medical-ethics. shtml
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Long Story Short
Long Story Short Iââ¬â¢ve often heard writers of nonfiction complain that theyââ¬â¢re the Rodney Dangerfields of the literary world. Not that they donââ¬â¢t sell a lot of books and articles (because they do) or that they donââ¬â¢t make money from their writing (because they do). Their complaint is that they arenââ¬â¢t recognized as ââ¬Å"realâ⬠writers until theyââ¬â¢ve published fiction. The same might be said of short-story writers. Some feel they arenââ¬â¢t truly fiction writers unless and until theyââ¬â¢ve sold a novel. Many people who are not themselves writers have asked me, ââ¬Å"Why waste your time writing short stories?â⬠Well, Iââ¬â¢ve written three novels- two are out with an agent and the other is sitting here at home aging like tobacco leaves, or (as I prefer to think) fine wine. But mostly I write short. One reason, honestly, is that since Iââ¬â¢ve sold so many short stories and have never sold a novel, I just feel more comfortable with the short stuff. Itââ¬â¢s safe ground for me, and Iââ¬â¢m as reluctant as the next soldier to venture far from my foxhole unless someone orders me to. Does that mean Iââ¬â¢m not a real fiction writer? Maybe so. But itââ¬â¢s not a question that bothers me much. Having said all that, what possible advantages could there be to writing short stories instead of novels? Well, here are a few: (1) They can be resold. Iââ¬â¢ve had some of my shorts published half a dozen times each, in different markets. If youââ¬â¢ve not signed away ââ¬Å"all rights,â⬠you can sell reprints over and over again. (2) They give you a sense of completion. Finishing a story and writing THE END is a great feeling, to me. I can write a short story in a matter of days, and then turn around and write something else, something completely different. (3) Thereââ¬â¢s less time invested. A novel takes months or even years to write, and if it doesnââ¬â¢t sell, youââ¬â¢ve spent an enormous chunk of time with those characters and that plot. (4) They can help build a rà ©sumà ©. Story credits in quality magazines and anthologies can make you more marketable to agents and publishers of longer works. (5) Theyââ¬â¢re good practice. Crafting publishable short stories teaches you how to write ââ¬Å"tight.â⬠Novels might be long, but the best novels are still focused and compact, with few wasted words. Writing short also gives you experience in creating the story arc that is so necessary in novels, screenplays, etc. (6) You donââ¬â¢t need an agent. I had a wonderful agent for several years who represented my short fiction (he passed away in 1999), but few agents now will take on short-story authors, and the truth is, you can probably do as well without them. (7) Itââ¬â¢s fun. I think the process of putting together a good plot and believable characters in only a few thousand words is a thrill as well as a challenge. A final note. Some writers donââ¬â¢t write short because they donââ¬â¢t think they can. Several novelist friends (one a New York Times bestseller) have told me they think short stories are extremely difficult to write. Lawrence Block once agreed, saying: ââ¬Å"Novels arenââ¬â¢t harder; theyââ¬â¢re just longer.â⬠And Faulkner said he tried writing short stories when he found he couldnââ¬â¢t write poetry, and then turned to writing novels when he found he couldnââ¬â¢t write short stories. Iââ¬â¢ve also heard that writing a good novel requires a better storyteller, while writing a good short story requires a better craftsman. Is that true? Beats me. It doesnââ¬â¢t matter anyway. Thereââ¬â¢ll always be room for both.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Blog Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Blog - Assignment Example On a general level, I am a team player. I love working in groups and experiencing learning together with other people. I like communicating a lot and I tend to always pave the way for group members to share their ideas and knowledge. I like asking a lot of questions because I love details. In working in teams, I like to set a common goal. It is possible that despite being in a common group, members may not have the same ideas regarding the activity and not everyone could be sharing the same goals (Benjamin 25). This is why even at the onset, I know that setting a common objective is essential in setting the foundation for success in any group activity. Everyone should be on the same page, and ââ¬Å"despite the individual differences that exist, the work flow should be towards nothing else but the common and main group objectiveâ⬠(Benjamin 26-7). In the group activity for Solano Canyon Community Garden, aiming for the common goal is one of the things I am still very proud of. My group mates and I were able to establish a solid aim right from the very start. It was a good thing because while each member was given the freedom to decide and work on their own, we were all confident that we will not be straying away from what we really want to achieve as a group. Also, whenever we feel in doubt of a decision we were about to make, we consulted with the other group members to know their ideas about it. In this area, the essence of teamwork was truly at play. I learned that through this, we feel more bonded with each other because we work for a common goal. There were of course some issues with other people, because it is understandable that in every activity, feedback is always sought for. Either through giving or receiving, feedback is a necessary tool in improvement and progress. This was one of the things we lacked in either giving or receiving. Although there were several reasons or causes why this is lacking, I still feel that everyone
Friday, November 1, 2019
Discrimination and disparity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Discrimination and disparity - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that discrimination refers to the act of treating someone in a less favorable way either because of some specific reasons or because of the race, gender, or class of that person. This essay discusses that discrimination injects a sense of dejectedness in a society and destroys the concept of equality. The basic understanding underlining the case study is that disparity, on the other hand, refers to the differences that exist between different groups of people. As Rivera states, ââ¬Å"Disparity is believed by many to be a product of discrimination and starts with the process of arrest all the way to the sentencing structuresâ⬠. The present research has identified that in the criminal justice system of a country, discrimination is a serious issue. The author has rightly presented that people having low social status usually face more trials as compared to the people having good financial status. This paper illustrates that this is a pur e example of discrimination. The researcher states that, on the other hand, a high figure of people of the same race held in a jail does not indicate that there is a high level of discrimination in the criminal justice system of that country. à Rather it indicates the group differences that exist between every two groups living in a society. This refers to group disparity. People belonging to one particular group are likely to do more crimes because of their way of living.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Operation Management asignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Operation Management asignment - Essay Example In formulating and implementing the organisationââ¬â¢s strategy, the operations management takes the organisation through the main strategic levels (Slack 2003, p23). The managers of these departments ensure the strategies are formulated through three different levels. These are the corporate level, the business unit level, and the departmental level. In the corporate level, the operations management plays a role in selecting the businesses that the organisation has to compete. Additionally, in this level, the operations managers often develop and coordinate the growth of business by ensuring the organisation has achieved its overall goals (Robinson 2012, p 56). In the Business Unit Level, the operations management department works independently in coordination of operating units that sustains the competitive advantage of the organisationââ¬â¢s goods and services. It is in this level that the operation managers implement the changes in demand and technologies. They bring on board the strategies that accommodate them (Mahadevan 2010, p 45). The operations management plays a vital role in the departmental level. In this level, the operations managers deal with strategic issues that relate to value chain and business activities. Additionally, in this level, the members of the operations department coordinate the resources that are important for the operations of the business. In any business, managers are aware strategies are important in maintaining the competitiveness and survival of a business. Such situations demand the top leadership of any business to strengthen their operations management section. Consider the Citizens Advice Bureau in England; it is a successful advice corporation, which pursues profits through a range of operations. The company has ten core business segments. For the growth of the business, the corporation must manage its portfolio of businesses. The operations manager
Monday, October 28, 2019
A Christmas Carol Essay Example for Free
A Christmas Carol Essay Charles Dickens writing has had a colossal influence on millions of people by using what Victorian London and major cities of time were like. Through his novels he campaigned for the poor. Charles Dickens childhood was blighted by his fathers financial problems but by the end he was lecturing about his works to large and enthusiastic audiences. Driven by a need to separate himself from early poverty and by a desire to help those children who were as poor as he had been. Charles Dickens was born on Friday, February 7th 1812 at No. 1 Mile End Terrace, Landport; when the Industrial Revolution was gathering pace. As Charles Dickens grew up many large family groups living in villages were breaking up and moving to towns either singly or as nuclear families. Perhaps Dickens had a fear of the breaking up of the family group in the changing times. The bond of the family is shown for example when the Cratchits gather at Christmas; phrases like Bob hugged his daughter to his hearts content. are used. At age of 12 Dickens was removed from school and sent to work in a boot-blacking factory earning six shillings a week to help support the family. Charles considered the period to be the most terrible time in his life and would later write that he wondered how I could have been so easily cast away at such an age despair in his tone. This childhood poverty could have been an enormous influence on Dickens later views on social reform and the world he created through his novels. Dickens emphasised the big difference between family life and those who lived alone. He seems to try and show that happy people live in families for example this is shown when Mrs. Crachit greets Martha with obverse joy. Why bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are. He suggests that sad people live alone. He starts the book A Christmas Carol with death Marley was dead. This is a grim start. He shows Scrooge as the sole executor, administrator, assign, legatee, friend and mourner. He also adds about the death of Hamlets father to increase the gloom. The book starts by pouring on the solitude and gloom of scrooges situation with the absence of a families love. Charles Dickens chose the Christmas time of year because it is a family time where many families split up by work join together to see and rejoice with one another. In the novel the Christmas season and children the families are linked to one another. The first cheerful words are from the Christmas greetings from Scrooges nephew cried a cheerful voice. This is followed by an argument of the value of Christmas between the Nephew and Scrooge. Scrooge talks of boiling people who like Christmas in their own pudding. Scrooges nephew then argues how much a good thing Christmas is I believe that it has done me good Scrooges nephew believes Christmas even though an expensive time for the rich is a good time for the poor families in the major cities of the time and gives Scrooges nephew a happy feeling of what goes on at Christmas. A few pages deeper into stave 2 Scrooge is taken back to his childhood by the Ghost of Christmas Past and sees all of his childhood friends and remembers the road they are on. The Ghost asks if Scrooge recollects where they are and Scrooges reply is a surprise I could walk it blindfold said Scrooge strange to have forgotten it for so many years! Replied the Spirit Scrooge had blocked out his childhood because it was a sad and poor time for him. Scrooge was seeing these boys were in great spirits. This implies that children represent joy and have appreciation for life making everything happy. Scrooge was thinking that he had watched these boys but had never been one himself. He was the solitary child, neglected by his friends. The importance and affection of families is shown when his sister takes him home. Also the joy of children is shown. As she is bending down to laugh she talks of, home being quote homes like heaven. An important figure in the story is his sister a child who Scrooge has affection for in his memory, this laughter pops up again. To hear Scrooge expending all the earnestness of his nature would have been a surprise to his business friends. Suddenly emotions are pouring out of Scrooge and he is excited because his inner child has had a slight play. Skipping to stave 3 and Tiny Tim who is a small boy with the power of delivering the message of Jesus. God bless us everyone. The picture of Tiny Tim greatly affects Scrooge who now sees the prejudice in his opinions. When the Crachit family celebrates Christmas they revel in each others company love and appreciate the things they have. They are unlike the stereotypical Victorian image of the working class commonly held at this period of time. Alas Tiny Tim he bore a little crutch his limbs supported by an Iron Frame Tiny Tim, their small crippled son will die with out the treatment needed. He is a small symbol of society failing to provide for the poor. The picture of Tiny Tim greatly affects Scrooge and he begins to realize how prejudice his opinions really are. The irony of his own words, spoken to him by the Ghost of Christmas Present if he is to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Children are yet again used to show social problems in society. A boy and girl called Ignorance and Want are used to show the problems they were wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable Scrooge is also shocked by the sight of Ignorance and Want, two children so named because of the treatment they received from society. Dickens is speaking to the reader at this point. Society is ignorant of the peoples needs. People are in want of basic supplies of food and drink, clothing and shelter. One example of this change in Scrooge is when he realises Tiny Tim has died. Tell me what man that was whom we saw lying dead? This then leads to a demonstration by the spirit of Christmas yet to come of Scrooges own death, this part of the text increases Scrooges realization of the significance of Tiny Tims death. Throughout the story, Scrooge has numerous warnings of his future from the people he meets, his nephew, Marley, the spirits, Belle etc. Although from the beginning of his acquaintance with the first Ghost, Scrooges gradual change is clearly perceptible, it is the spectacle of his own death, which makes him realize he must change his ways. On Christmas morning Scrooge wakes up and is cheerful. I am as happy as an angel Scrooge has Christmas fever and acts as if he was a child, he becomes generous sending Bob Crachit the prized turkey and promising the boy half a crown for buying the turkey. Does this show the sort of attitude Dickenss wants in society? The end of the novel contrasts well with the beginning. The story has a very typical fairy tale ending and a clear moral to the story. Scrooge has under gone a metamorphosis. Does Scrooges change symbolize the change in society that Dickens wanted?. Tiny Tim will live and so will everyone else, happily ever after. By Thomas Bailey 10CHB English Coursework 5/8/2007.
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