One of Ours by Willa Cather - 785 Words

Margaret Elliot is â€Å"beautiful, talented, critical, unsatisfied, tired of the world at twenty-four† (Great Short Works, 8). Engaged to a man she has no feelings for, life feels bleak and without purpose. She feels true love once with Eric, but just for a moment. For her whole life, Margaret â€Å"had searched the faces of men for the look that lay in his eyes. She knew that look had never shone before, would never shine for her on earth again, that such love comes to one only in dreams or in impossible places like this, unattainable always. This was Love’s self, and in a moment it would die† (Great Short Works, 29). For Willa Cather this is how love exists. Happy relationships are plentiful, but the enchanted, all encapsulating love of dreams only exists in glances. For Eric this glance is enough. He does not regret his decision or the damnation he is sure it will cause. For him â€Å"a day shall be as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day† as his love lives on. In most cases, however love is not enough. Both Margaret and Claude, the protagonist of Cather’s novel One of Ours feel this shimmer of love, but in the end must search for meaning elsewhere. Set in a small Nebraska farm town, One of Ours opens several years before the start of the First World War. Claude is unsatisfied with his simple life in the fields, and possesses an idealistic, romantic outlook that propels him to search for meaning on a much different field in Europe. For Claude, who wants nothing more thanShow MoreRelatedWilla Cather s O Pioneers ! 1152 Words   |  5 PagesCather portraying herself in the characters and the flipped gender roles Considering I am one of the only two males in the Intro to Women’s Literature class, I felt moved to touch on Willa Cather’s flipping of the gender roles in the book O Pioneers! I will be using my own opinion in this essay, along with textual evidence to back up my claims. I will also be establishing connections between Cather’s portrayals of herself within the themes and characters in the book. As we know, Willa Cather wasRead MoreAnalysis Of O Pioneers By Willa Cather1038 Words   |  5 Pages O Pioneers by Willa Cather sets itself apart from other novels of its time because of what its stands for, feminism. It exemplifies women’s equality, represented by the main character, Alexandra, by showing her survival in a male dominated society. She succeeded in building her female identity and achieved a sense of female attainment by revolutionizing the wild land and struggling for her equal rights with all that surrounded her. This paper focuses on the feminist thoughts and the positive attitudeRead MoreBiography of Willa Sibert Cather1473 Words   |  6 PagesWILLA SIBERT CATHER BIOGRAPHY Willa Sibert Cather was born in Winchester, Virginia on December 7, 1873 to Charles and Mary Cather. Willa’s father was a deputy sheriff and farmer, and her mother was a school teacher. When Willa was nine, in 1883, her family moved to the Nebraska prairie to follow her grandparents, William and Caroline in Webster County. The prairie life was an unfamiliar landscape, which was crucial in Cather’s life. In 1888, Cather decided that she wanted to become a surgeonRead More Importance of the Past in Willa Cathers My Antonia Essay685 Words   |  3 PagesThe Importance of the Past in Willa Cathers My Antonia    In My Antonia, Willa Cather emphasizes the importance of the past through Jum Burdens narration. Jim Burden realizes at the conclusion of the novel how much he enjoyed his childhood days and how much his memories mean to him. There are three events that Cather included in the novel which contribute greatly to the overall theme, concerning the importance of the past. One event is in Chapter II of Book III. Jim decides to writeRead More Willa Cathers Death Comes for the Archbishop: A Narrative Essay756 Words   |  4 PagesWilla Cathers Death Comes for the Archbishop: A Narrative When one thinks of a novel, a word that usually will come to mind is fiction. In fact, other meanings for the word novel are new and unique. Although an author may use real places, real time, or base their story on real events in part, their outcome is essentially a creation. We, as readers, are in a sense captive to the writers imagination and must conform to the rules of the worlds they create. If we accept this, then Willa CathersRead More An Immense Career Essay example2113 Words   |  9 PagesAn Immense Career Career Willa Cather, American novelist and short-story writer, was born Willela Sibert Cather on 7 December 1873, in Back Creek Valley, Virginia, near Winchester. At nine years of age, in 1883, her family moved to Red Cloud, Nebraska. Many of her novels were set in Red Cloud. She attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and graduated in 1895. She spent a few years after college working on a newspaper, and then worked an editorial job at the magazine Home Monthly in Read More Self-imposed Estrangement in Pauls Case Essay1314 Words   |  6 PagesSelf-imposed Estrangement in Pauls Case, by Willa Cather Many times, we try to separate ourselves from the world around us; we distance ourselves from society that gives us life. What is worse, we are voluntarily subjected to the lonesomeness which precedes wallowing in our own self pity. Pauls Case, in which the theme of the fatal progression of deliberate seclusion presents the major conflict, centers around a young man, in his alienation, suppressing his need for attention and satisfyingRead MorePauls Case by Willa Cather Essay622 Words   |  3 PagesPauls Case by Willa Cather Willa Cather was born near Winchester, Virginia in 1873. At age ten, she moved with her family to Nebraska where most of her stories were set. In 1913, she began an extensive writing career which included many short stories and several novels. In her stories, she depicted the lives of prairie farmers on the great plains. She glorified them over the city dwellers. In 1922, she won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel One of Ours. She left behind a heritage forRead MoreInfluenced by Land and Man: Willa Cather and Catherine Porter, Writers of the Southwest1316 Words   |  6 Pagesscene of a saloon shootout and John Wayne materialize. Southwestern literature is more than the O.K. Corral. Writers such as Willa Cather and Catherine Porter do not have the prototypical storyline stated above, but they are writers of Southwestern literature. In order to understand why Willa Cather and Catherine Porter should be considered a part of Southwestern literature, one must consider the difference between the American West and Southwest and understand that their writing is deeply influencedRead MoreEssay about The Beauty of the Lack of Structure in My Antonia1587 Words   |  7 PagesJr.s, My Antonia; A Frontier Drama of Time, Willa Cathers novel, one of her most important and perhaps most popular works, is defective in structure (Bloom, 21).   He quotes E. K. Brown, who defends that: Everything in the book is there to convey a feeling, not to tell a story, not to establish a social philosophy, not even to animate a group of characters (21).   The reader undoubtedly feels the impact of the story of Antonia and Jim as Cather intended, but critics blind themselves to the

Mistakes and Misquotes on Memorials and Statues

Designing a building or memorial is hard enough. What happens when the work also includes words? Suddenly the focus shifts from visual to verbal as the artist and architect agonize over typography—making language visible. Words, quotations, and lists of names and dates must convey information and, ideally, flow seamlessly with the design. Hopefully the words will also be historically accurate. How do architects grapple with the challenge? Do the words to be inscribed influence the overall design? Or, do the demands of the design alter the text? Here are some examples of this design challenge. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial: The 1997 memorial dedicated to the life, times, and words of Americas 32nd president incorporates over 20 quotes into its design. From March 15, 1941, inscribed in stone behind a seated FDR and his dog, Fala, are these words: They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers...call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order. The inscription is accurate, although an English teacher may frown on using all capital letters and using parentheses when square brackets are more appropriate. Accurate inscriptions, however, did not save the FDR Memorial from sins of omission. Most noticeable, Roosevelts disability from polio was initially disguised until a wheelchair was eventually added. Less noticeable, however, was the omission of one of FDRs most famous lines: Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date that will live in infamy.... is a line not found within the 7.5 acre park in Washington, DC. Inscriptions at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial: According to some critics, architect Dr. Ed Jackson, Jr. ran afoul of the truth when he helped design the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, DC. The 2011 Memorial included words from Dr. Kings 1968 sermon known as The Drum Major Instinct. Toward the end of that rousing sermon, King said: Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. (Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace. (Yes) I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. (Amen!). However these were not the words engraved on one side of Dr. Kings statue. The architect had agreed to shorten the quote so it would fit in the space that the sculptor had allotted. Dr. Kings words became: I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness. Poet Maya Angelou, who was a member of the Council of Historians for the Memorial, expressed outrage. She asked why the words of the slain civil rights leader had been paraphrased. Other critics joined her in saying that the the shortened quote alters its meaning and makes Martin Luther King appear arrogant. Dr. Jackson argued that designing a beautiful monument required abbreviating some of Kings words. For him, aesthetics trumped authenticity. After some resistance, officials eventually decided to remove the historical inaccuracies from the Memorial. The National Park Service had sculptor Lei Yixin fix the disputed quote. Inscriptions at the Jefferson Memorial: Architects John Russell Pope, Daniel P. Higgins, and Otto R. Eggers faced a design challenge similar to the MLK Memorial. For the 1940s-era Jefferson Memorial, how could the prolific writings of Thomas Jefferson be fairly represented under one dome? Like the architects of other memorials, they opted to edit famous quotes from Jefferson. Panel 3 of the Jefferson Memorial reads: Commerce between master and slave is despotism. But, according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello.org, Jefferson originally wrote: The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Indeed, some of the inscriptions carved in stone at the Jefferson Memorial are composites created by patching different documents together. Inscriptions at the Lincoln Memorial: When architect Henry Bacon designed the 1922 Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, he combined a mammoth 19-foot statue by Chester French with historically accurate inscriptions of speeches written by Lincoln. Imagine, however, if Bacon had taken short cuts. What if Lincolns famous words With malice toward none, with charity for all became, With malice...for all? Would the shortened version change our perception of Abraham Lincoln? The opposite wall of the Memorial contains the entire, unedited text of Lincolns Gettysburg Address. If the architect had desired to save wall space, he might have shortened the speech to: that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not. What story would the revised quote tell about the great leader? Inscriptions at the US Supreme Court Building: Supposing that architect Cass Gilbert had been cramped for space when he designed the 1935 U.S. Supreme Court building. Imagine if he wanted to avoid the wordy balance and scale metaphors. Couldn’t he simply remove the word Equal from Equal Justice Under Law? Does the meaning change by simply saying Justice Under Law? Inscriptions at the 9/11 National Memorial: The 2011 National 9/11 Memorial in New York City took nearly a decade to construct. The project might have been completed more quickly if the architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker hadnt spent so long on the arrangement of nearly 3,000 names around the fountain parapet. Could they have left out a few? Would editorializing change the memorials meaning and impact? Inscriptions at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Maya Lin, designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, felt that politics had eclipsed the veterans, their service, and their lives. She kept the memorial design elegantly simple so that attention could focus on the names of the men and women who died. Over fifty-eight thousand names are arranged in the chronological order of their deaths or MIA status from the Vietnam conflict. The height of the stone slowly rises and falls, as does any story of conflict. At first, few die. Then escalation. Then withdrawal. The story of the Vietnam conflict is gracefully and visually told in stone with room enough for each citizen soldier. Questions For Designers: Was poet Maya Angelo correct to condemn architect Ed Jackson, Jr.? Or, do architects and artists have the right to change the wording in historical documents? How important are written words in the language of architecture? Some would argue that architects who are inarticulate with words also might be inarticulate with design.

Essay on Dreams Deferred in Hansberrys A Raising in the Sun

Dreams Deferred Everything has a price; not just material items that one purchases with currency, but also intangibles that do not appear costly. For example, how much does it cost to get an A in school? It may not require money, but it undoubtedly requires hard work and dedication. This example is synonymous with achieving one’s dreams, no matter what those dreams are. Often in school, ambitious students must sacrifice another facet of their lives in order to achieve their academic goals. In A Raisin in the Sun, many of the characters must give up something important to them to achieve their own idea of success. Everybody has his or her own dreams. Although some people may have homogeneous aspirations, no two are exactly the same.†¦show more content†¦This is why she speaks more like an intellectual. For example, she says, â€Å"There is simply no blasted God-there is only man and it is he who makes miracles!† Another reason Beneathas speech is differe nt from the rest of her familys speech is that her friend Asagais eloquence has influenced her. The more time Beneatha spends around school and Asagai, the more eloquent she becomes. It is notable that all of the characters who speak incorrectly are African American. In the story, this is used as a contrasting element to show the disparity between the African American and Caucasian communities. The other anomaly to this presumed perception is Asagai. He is African American, just like the rest of the Younger family, but he shows his increased education in the way he speaks. The following quote shows Asagai’s diction, as well as his supportive relationship with Beneatha. Then isn’t there something wrong in a house—in a world—where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?† He wants her to be the best person that she can because he truly cares about her. The text has immensely descriptive language throughout. Hansberry excel s at describing all aspects of the Younger family’s lives, in turn further developing the theme. Next, Hansberry uses characterization to convey her theme. In his essay for the University of North Carolina, Sutton says, â€Å"The characters have different personalities, goals and beliefs.† TheShow MoreRelated Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun - Dignity and the American Dream1248 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Dream in A Raisin in the Sun   Ã‚  Ã‚   The American Dream, although different for each of us, is what we all aspire to achieve. In Lorraine Hansberrys, play, A Raisin in the Sun, each member of the Younger family desperately hopes for their own opportunity to achieve the American Dream. The American Dream to the Younger family is to own a home, but beyond that, to Walter Younger, it is to be accepted by white society.    In the book entitled Advertising the American Dream, RolandRead MoreStruggles, Dreams And Hopes : Lorraine Hansberry s Play1874 Words   |  8 PagesStruggles, Dreams and Hopes Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, is a great example of the struggles faced by an impoverished black family; who strive to deal with the realities of life on the ghetto side of South Chicago. Written in the 1958, this play illustrates the destructive consequences of impecuniousness and repression on African American families. Throughout the play, Hansberry (who is he, describe) shows the day-to-day struggles of a black family and explains the different perspectives

Gender Stereotypes - 732 Words

The National Institute of Mental Health in America (NIMHA) investigated the various brain regions and how they develop. The study was led in 2007 by neuroscientists and compared the different sequences and speeds of brain development in girls compared with boys. NIMHA used 829 brain scans which were gathered over a span of two years from 387 subjects aged 3-27 years old. The results from this investigation show that the occipital lobe, which is associated with visual processing shows development of a rapid speed in girls aged between 6-10 years. In comparison, boys show the largest development in this region of the brain after 14 years. Similar studies conclude that in the area of language processing the brain of a 5-year-old boy is†¦show more content†¦(Gauja, 2012) Leonard Sax (psychologist) â€Å"What we’re doing right now – pretending that gender doesn’t matter – isn’t working. We are losing ground.† In a single-sex classroom, teachers are able to use teaching strategies that don’t work well in co-educational classrooms. (Novotney, 2011) Whilst co-educational schools provide an environment similar to the real world, it can also provide distractions. Students may stray their focus from their studies in an attempt to impress others. In a single sex environment students are less worried about how they look and what they are wearing and can focus on themselves and concentrate on their academics. (Kim, 2014) , (Boarding School Beak, 2015) Additionally, going through puberty can make teenagers uncomfortable with their bodies, and being surrounded with people who are experiencing similar changes is helpful. (Kim, 2014) In my opinion, whilst it may distract some students from their studies it can also motivate them to work harder and impress others. Although, I agree with the point about puberty, many teenagers that I’ve known have been uncomfortable in their bodies, and being in an environment with people who will support you and these changes would be beneficial. Girls who attend Single-Sex schools were 50% more likely to attend a 4 year college and the figure rises to 80% in boys. (Park, 2014) The AssociationShow MoreRelatedGender And Gender Stereotypes1141 Words   |  5 PagesGender and race stereotypes are primordial. They have existed forever and are still prevalent in today’s society. The most prominent of these are feminine, masculine, and race stereotypes. With these stereotypes, it can easily be demeaning and make people feel trapped. Films, childrens books, literacy, and fairy tales often convey these stereotypes. Females have been seen as the lesser gender for years. Women are seen as weak, insecure, and dependent people. They are most typically portrayed asRead MoreGender Stereotypes : Gender And Stereotypes Essay1973 Words   |  8 PagesGender stereotypes emerge across time and throughout different cultures and typically they are ascribed to individuals in order to conform to sociocultural ideas and biological norms (Johnston Diekman, 2015). This behaviour is often influenced upon individual s in the earliest stages of life when a infant is not yet capable of expressing his or her own preferences in terms of gender identity, leaving the young child s parents and other adults to choose for them (Pomerleau, et al., 1990).Read MoreGender Stereotypes1352 Words   |  6 Pagesname of Tyler. I am a walking victim of Gender Stereotyping. For as long as I can remember I have been stereotyped by my name and always have heard â€Å"Tyler is a boy name†, â€Å"I thought you were a boy wh en I heard your name† growing up my name was always questioned and people always would ask me the question of â€Å"why did your mom name you Tyler?† After 20 years of life, I am still faced with the question of â€Å"isn’t Tyler a boy name?† I am a walking Gender Stereotype. I have often come to even ask myselfRead MoreStereotypes And Stereotypes Of Gender Stereotypes Essay939 Words   |  4 Pagesbetween which gender was more superior than the other. Males won the battle of the sexes and women had to fight hard for their freedom of equality and right to vote. Even though today women are no longer restricted, like they were once were, they are still unable to achieve their dreams. This is from the gender role-stereotypes. These stereotypes affect their everyday life, school work, and even career choices. Question are often asked about gender stereotypes like ‘Where did these stereotypes first originateRead MoreGender, Stereotypes, And Stereotypes Essay1434 Words   |  6 Pagesgiven rules. We are taught that straying away from stereotypes is anything but good and encouraged to build our lives upon only these social rules. Recently, stereotypes based on genders have been put into the limelight and have become of high interest to a generation that is infamously known for deviating from the established way of life. Millennials have put gender roles under fire, deeming it a form of segregation and discrimination by gender. Researchers have followed suit. Mimicking millennialRead MoreStereotypes And Stereotypes Of Gender Stereotypes1588 Words   |  7 Pagestoday holds many stereotypes, and sometimes people will rebel against the stereotypes in order to embrace the individual and oppose social norm s. However, some stereotypes are harder to rebel against than other. A stereotype that might be harder to break, either because the people who believe in that stereotype are too ignorant to look past it or because the people who need to rebel are not able to, is gender based stereotypes. One example of this type of stereotype is when gender roles appear inRead MoreGender Stereotypes In Nickel And Dimed1636 Words   |  7 PagesHowever, people in our society today have filled their heads with stereotypes in order to judge people and their abilities. And when hiring employees, stereotypes and first glances is all an employer sees and therefore care about. In her book, Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich proves that a person’s race and gender have a massive influence on the type of low-wage work a person can find, due to the stereotypes that are associated with gender and race in our society today. Ehrenreich exploits the abuseRead MoreGender Stereotypes in Literature1570 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history women have been victims of many stereotypes. The stereotypes that will be analyzed in this essay are the ideas that women are somehow inferior to men, the weaker sex, both mentally and physically; they are self-sacrificing mothers and wives and that they are dependent on men. This is seen in the play Medea, set in Greece during a time that was dominated by men. Women could only, under exceptional conditions, obtain a divorce yet any Greek man could rid himself of a wife simplyRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Stereotypes1582 Words   |  7 PagesThere are multiple examples and instances where the object of a joke has something to do with gender and gender stereotypes. These types of jokes seem to take center stage at any comedy performance or routine, and the audience loves it. Gender in association with humor brings up a great deal of questions. Do males and females see humor differently? Are there any similarities in the way the sexes view humor? And is there any truth to the thought that humans enjoy crass humor more than other typesRead MoreGender Stereotypes1847 Words   |  8 PagesLiving in 21st century United States, being a  much more liberal  and inclusive environment than prior decades, gender â€Å"roles† and their normalities are being severely questioned and challenged. Americans have defined and established gender stereotypes that have become a critical part of how we look at gender roles and create biases about each gender. Stereotypes assume people who belong to a group will appear, behave, look, speak or sound like others from that group. The values, norms, practices

Interview about Personality Free Essays

I have conducted an interview with regards to someone’s personality. This paper intends to compare the interviewee’s answers to that of mine. It also aims to ask questions that are related to cognition, effects of culture on emotions, effects of gender on emotions, intelligence, learning, memory, motivation, personality, as well as, problem solving. We will write a custom essay sample on Interview about Personality or any similar topic only for you Order Now Allow me to first post the question, my friend’s response, and the last one to be placed is mine. 1) Question: Do you remember information more accurately if you observe the behavior? Or do you prefer to read how the behavior is performed? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"I am more likely to remember if I have personally observed what happened† (White, 2008). â€Å"I cannot really explain it but I can better remember things that I have seen than if I only read it† (White, 2008). My Response: I am not very sure how to weigh it. My memory is extremely sharp that I can remember very well an occurrence that I have observed, as well as, a behavior that I have merely read. 2) Question: Do you prefer to study in the library? Or at home where it is noisy and distractions are present? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"I prefer to study in places where I can concentrate a lot better, so yes, I prefer the library† (White, 2008). â€Å"I never really study at home because it is too noisy: first of all, there’s my brother who never seems to know how to tone down the volume of his computer’s speakers, television, or stereo; second, my younger sister and brother who always seem to be in an argument; and last but not least, my mom and dad who always discusses about several issues that interest them† (White, 2008). My Response: I prefer to stay at home. Although, there may be distractions at home, like the television, the radio, or the computers, and my family, I still prefer to study at home. I do not like it when it is too quite. For instance, in the library, not hearing anything at all, makes me go crazy, I will probably even fall asleep in there. I just feel so much better studying at home. 3) Question: Have you taken the Myers Briggs test? Would you mind sharing the result/s? My Friend’s Answer: Yes I already did take that test, the results stated that, â€Å"I am a slightly expressed introvert, that I have a slightly expressed sensing personality, a slightly expressed thinking personality, and a slightly expressed judging personality† (Humanmetrics, 2008). â€Å"According to the test, it means that I am an introvert, not sensible, not a thinker, and quite judging† (White, 2008). My Response: Yes, I took that test as well and the results were the following, â€Å"I am a slightly expressed extrovert, a slightly expressed sensing personality, a slightly expressed thinking personality, and a slightly expressed judging personality† (Humanmetrics, 2008). Simply put, it means that, I am an extravert somehow, not sensible, a bit of a thinker, and not a judging person (Humanmetrics, 2008). 4) Question: Do you feel that the Myers Briggs test results are accurate? Why/Why not? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"For me, it was not accurate as the results did not actually match with my personality† (White, 2008). My Response: I can only agree with the interviewee’s claim. Mine did not match my personality as well. 5) Question: Which experiences do you feel contributed most in the development of your personality? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"There are times when I am exceedingly impatient. There are also times when I would lash out at other people. I get irritated easily and get mad over trivial issues† (White, 2008). â€Å"Such personality of mine developed because I grew up with a terrible and violent grandfather, who actually lived with us for quite some time† (White, 2008). â€Å"I have witnessed how she would yell at my mom (his daughter) if money is being discussed about, for instance if he asks from her and my mom says no because she knows that the money will only be spent at the casino and other forms of gambling† (White, 2008). â€Å"When I was young, I even saw him hit my mother and my elder sister† (White, 2008). â€Å"When he lost his job, he began to borrow money from all sorts of people, and when he was not able to pay, these people pressed charges and that was also when he showed more aggression to everyone around him including my parents, sister, brother, and I (White, 2008). â€Å"This is why I turned emotionally unstable; there are times when I am extremely nervous and easily frustrated† (Meyers, 2004). The aforementioned experiences made me â€Å"disagreeable†, meaning, â€Å"ruthless, irritable, as well as, uncooperative† (Ticao, 2001). â€Å"Not to mention, the fact that I don’t seem to have enough drive and discipline; I felt hopeless about life every time I remember my grandfather† (White, 2008). My Response: I have encountered violence in my home as I grew up as well. But I never let myself get too engaged with such a negative occurrence. I did not allow myself to feel exceedingly fearful of such happenings. Lucky, I had the â€Å"ability to make a coping response†, if not I will probably become aggressive, impatient, irritable, uncertain, etc as well (Ticao, 2001). What I actually did was to make myself avoid thinking about my dark past and move on to the brighter side of everything. 6) Question: Do you feel that you are self-monitoring when it comes to attitude? How or how not? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"I believe that I am not self-monitoring, this is because, I am sure that I won’t have a terrible personality and set of attitudes if I was actually one† (White, 2008). I could have watched myself better, regulated or controlled myself, and became a better individual if I only became self-monitoring† (White, 2008). My Response: I have always been monitoring myself. I weigh things, reflect on whatever happened to me, and learn from it. I use my experiences instead to do something about myself and avoid turning into a terrible individual. 7) Question: What was the strongest influence to your attitude? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"I believe that the person who played a large role in molding the attitude/s that I possess now is my grandfather† (White, 2008). My Response: For me, all the people who showed aggression towards me played a role in who I am today and in what attitudes I now possess. I owe it to them how courageous and strong I am now. I have learned so much because of them. For instance, I am disciplined, driven, and motivated to improve the standards of my life because of the negative experiences that I have been faced with. 8) Question: What role does a person’s race, gender, or ethnicity play when forming that person’s personality and attitudes? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"I believe that the aforementioned elements may have an effect on one’s personality and attitude† (Carson et. al., 1992). â€Å"For example, we all know that observing the behaviors of a particular race, gender, and ethnicity will already affect one’s attitude through what is known as â€Å"observational learning† (Carson et. al., 1992). Merely observing will infuse an attitude to the observer (Carson et. al., 1992). My Response: I feel that because the elements are stereo-typing inclined then it really means that it has the capability of affecting one’s personality/attitude (Carson et. al., 1992). 9) Question: Do you feel that you are better at tasks which are intrinsically motivated or extrinsically motivated? My Friend’s Answer: â€Å"I am not driven to carry out things. In fact, there are times when I do it only for the money; thus I am extrinsically motivated† (Brophy, 1998). My Response: I am just the opposite though, I do things without anything in exchange (Morris et. al., 2005). References Brophy, J. (1998). Motivation. Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill. Carson, R.C. Butcher, J.N. (1992). The World of Abnormal Psychology. New York: Harper Collins. Humanmetrics. (2007). Jung Typology Test. Retrieved March 13, 2008 from http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm Meyers, D. (2004). Psychology: Seventh Edition. New York: Worth Publishers. Morris, C.G. Maisto, A.A. (2005). Psychology: An Introduction, 12th Ed. New York: Prentice-Hall. Ticao, C. J. (2001). Introduction to Psychology. Quezon City: UP Press. White, U.P. (2008). Personal Interview.    How to cite Interview about Personality, Essay examples

Reduced Exploration and Stereotyped Behavior †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Reduced Exploration and Stereotyped Behavior. Answer: Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term that encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by developmental delay, abnormalities in langugage comprehension, social interaction, reciprocity, communication, and repetitive stereotypical behaviors and interests [1]. Although previoius studies provided evidences for the underlying genetic, prenatal, early postnatal, and biochemical pathways that are responsible for the disorder, the etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear. Epidemiological studies suggest that there is not a single reason that leads to the occurrence of ASD. Mulitfactorial conditions (genetic and environmental) contribute to the development of autism [2,3]. Recent studies have focused on the possible role of cerebellar atrophy and loss of Purkinje cells in these neuropsychiatric disorders [4-6]. The most widely known abnormalities associated with ASD are atrophy of the cerebellum and selective loss of Purkinje cells [7]. ASD appears to d ecrease the volume of neocerebellar vermis and results in loss of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar hemispheres. These factors are thought to contribute to impaired attention, vigilance, and sensorial processes in children with ASD [8-10]. Developmental abnormalities and damage to the cerebellum result in impaired cognitive functions, poor verbal skills and increased stereotypical behaviors [11-12]. These findings support the idea that abnormal density of Purkinje cells could contribute to development of autism phenotype [13]. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is another common child neuropsychiatric disorder that persisits into adulthood. A meta-analysis study showed a frequency of 5-29% among children [14]. ADHD and ASD have similar biological features and are likely to be found together [15-16]. Although, the etiology of ADHD is unclear, both neurobiological and psychosocial factors are thought to play a role. Recent studies have mostly evaluated cerebellar atrophy and loss of Purkinje cells [17]. Cerebellar abnormalities are consistently found in ADHD structural neuroimaging studies [18,19]. Additionally, many studies have reported impaired developmental differentiation and decreased cerebellar volume among ADHD children [20-23]. Studies that investigated the pathophysiology of both ASD and ADHD pointed out common structural differences in cerebellum [8,9,18,19]. However, previous studies failed to compare the disorders in terms of cerebellar degeneration. Presence of Anti-Yo antibodies i s the most common and well defined characteristic of cerebellar degeneration [24]. Additionally, distribution of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in the neuroendocrine tissues and antibodies against GAD act on the cerebellar pathways [25]. These findings highlight the need to (1) compare anti-Yo and anti-GAD serum levels between children with ADHD, ASD, and healthy control group, and (2) investigate the association between antibody levels, sociodemographical features and symptom severity among children with ASD. A total of 119 Caucasian children aged 4 to 12 years of age, who were admitted to the Ankara Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital between July 2015 and July 2016, were included in this study. The children were gender matched and belonged to the same grade level. They were also matched for their intelligent levels. The sample population consisted of 40 children diagnosed with ASD and 39 children diagnosed with ADHD, according to DSM-5 criteria. A stratified sampling method was used to select 40 healthy children belonging to the same age group from three different pre-school institutions and three primary schools. They formed the control group. Children with comorbid psychiatric disorders, chronic medical illnesses, mental retardation (intelligence quotient 70) and developmental delays were excluded from the study. Additionally, patients with pure ASD or ADHD were included in the appropriate groups. The parents and children were informed about the study. Verbal and written consent was obtained from the parents. The study was financed by the Ankara Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital Scientific Research Support Commission. It followed the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, and was approved by the Ethical Committee of Ankara Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital. Researchers determined the socio-demographical features and clinical features of all participants. The children were assessed by child and adolescent psychiatrists. They were diagnosed with ADHD or ASD according to the DSM-5 criteria. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS PL) was applied to the clinical sample to evaluate the differential diagnosis of each symptom. The reliability and validity of K-SADS-PL was assessed by Gkler [26]. An assessment of the children aged between 4-6 years was done using the Denver-II (Denver Developmental Screening Test) or Stanford Binet test, to exclude developmental delays from consideration. The revised edition of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children was used to exclude mental retardation among the participants aged between 6-12 years. The Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised Long Form (CPRS) and Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised Long Form (CTRS) were completed by pa rents and teachers of children diagnosed with ADHD. The Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (AbBC) were completed by parents of autistic children. Researchers applied the Childhood Autism Checklist Scale (CARS) to all participants with autism. The serum anti-Yo and anti-GAD levels were analysed from all participants via the Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) method, in a laboratory at the hospital. The method was used as a quantitative measurement to investigate the antigen-antibody relationship, and the activity of an enzyme bound to an anti-core antibody. Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised Long Form (CPRS): It is an assessment tool used by parents to report behavioral problems and severity of ADHD symptoms in their children aged 3-17 years [27]. This four-point Likert scale consists of 80-items. The translation, validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the scale were done by Kaner [28]. Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised Long Form (CTRS): This scale is given to teachers to evaluate behavioral problems and ADHD symptom severity among their students aged between 3-17 years [27]. This four-point Likert scale consists of 59-items. The validity and reliability of the Turkish version was tested by Kaner [29]. Aberrant Behavior Checklist (AbBC): This scale is used to determine the severity of behavioral problems among children with autism. It is a five-point Likert scale consisting of 58 items that assists parents to score problematic behavior in their children [30,31]. Assessment of five different subgroups namely, irritability, lethargy, social withdrawal, stereotypies, and hyperactivity give different scores. Validity and reliability studies were done for the Turkish sample [32]. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS): This autism behavior rating scale, which consists of 15-items and 14 domains, is mostly used by clinicians for diagnosing and determining autism severity. Each item is scored from 1 to 4 [33]. A minimum score of 30 is required to determine if a child is autistic [34]. Validity and reliability studies were completed for a Turkish sample [35]. The value of Cronbach coefficient was 0.95. Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC): This checklist was developed by Krug [36]. It consists of 57 items, placed in five different categories: sensory, relational, body and object use, language, social and self-help. It is used by clinicians to quantify behaviors associated with autism. Turkish reliability and validity studies had been conducted. High scores were reported for internal consistency and split-half reliability (.92) [37]. The cut-off point for the scale is 39. Preparation of the sample Anti-Yo: 5 cc of blood was kept at room temperature for 15 minutes and subjected to 4100 cycles of centrifugation for 5-10 minutes. The serum was studied using ELISA method, which is an analytical biochemistry assay, used to detect and quantify presence of a substance. The upper layer (serum) was tubed using a pipette. Anti-GAD: 5 cc of blood was kept at room temperature for 15 minutes and subjected to 4100 cycles of centrifugation for 5-10 minutes. ELISA method was used to study the serum. The method is biochemistry assay that detects and quantifies presence of a substance. The reference value was accepted to be Analysis was done using the SPSS 17.0 software package. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) statistical test revealed the absence of any normal distribution between the variables. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used in combination with Bonferroni correction to compare the variables among ASD, ADHD and control groups. p The participants were divided into three groups based on their diagnosis: children with ADHD, children with ASD, and healthy children. No significant differences were observed among them with respect to their socio-demographical features (age, BMI of children and the age and education level of their parents), as shown in Table 1. (p .05). Anti-Yo levels and GAD levels were compared between the groups (Table 2). The median GAD levels were 293.4 pmol/L for ASD, 360.4 pmol/L for ADHD, and 311.2 pmol/L for healthy subjects respectively. No significant differences were observed between GAD levels among the groups. Median anti-Yo levels were 2.1 pmol/L for ASD, 2.9 pmol/L for ADHD, and 1.6 pmol/L for healthy subjects. Significant differences were detected in proportion of antibodies between the three groups (X2=12.162, df=2, p=0.002). Dichotomic analysis using a Mann-Whitney U test revealed that comparison between children with ADHD and healthy subjects resulted in a significant anti-Yo ra tio (U=460, 500, z=-3.133, p=0.002). The anti-Yo levels of ADHD group were higher than corresponding levels among healthy children. A correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the association between anti-Yo and GAD levels with age, ABC and AbBC scores. Poor positive correlation was found between children age and GAD levels (Spearman rho=0.187, p=0.042). However, no correlation was found between groups (autism: r=0.105, p=0.519; ADHD: r=0.285, p=0.079; healthy subjects: r=0.253, p=0116). A negative correlation was observed between children age and ABC scores (Spearman rho=-0.475, p=0.002) as well as with CARS scores (r=-0.437, p=0.005). Positive correlation was also observed between AbBC and CARS scores among children with ASD (r=0.353, p=0.001) (Table 3). The study investigated the levels of cerebellar antibodies among children diagnosed with ASD or ADHD. According to the findings, no significant differences in antibody levels were observed among the 2 groups. However, children with ADHD reported significantly higher levels of Purkinje cell antibodies, when compared to the healthy subjects. These results supported the possible role of cerebellar damage in ADHD etiology. Most recent studies on ADHD have established association of the disease with abnormalities in Purkinje cells, reduced cerebellar volume, and developmental differences [20-23]. Studies have also been conducted to investigate the relationship between anti-Yo antibodies and ADHD. Passarelli and colleagues investigated the relationship between ADHD and cerebellar antibodies and pointed out a possible association between anti-Yo antibodies and ADHD combined subtype [17]. In addition, Donfrancesco and his colleagues compared 58 children diagnosed with ADHD with 36 healthy ch ildren and reported higher levels of antineural antibodies in the ADHD group [38]. High levels of cerebellar antibodies among ADHD subjects in this study showed consistency with earlier findings [17,38]. Structural imaging studies on autism have reported a decrease in number of cerebellar Purkinje cells and differences in cerebellar volume [39,40]. The potential role of immune system in ASD etiology have been consistently supported by evidences that demonstrated functioining of autoantibodies against brain-specific antigens among autistic children [41,42]. Although, higher levels of antibodies were found in the ASD group when compared to controls in the present study, no significant difference was observed. Therefore, further investigation is required to evaluate the association between cerebellar antibodies and ASD. However, the results did not provide definitive support for excluding the association and etiopathogenetic connection between cerebellar degeneration and ASD. The study was a first-in-human study that investigated the presence of cerebellar antibodies in ADHD and ASD, and compared it to a control group. The findings point to the fact that cerebellar degeneration has a po ssible role in ADHD. However, the study had several limitations. Firstly, the sample groups were relatively small, and this might have affected the levels of significant differences among the groups. Secondly, the study did not include any long term follow-up period. In the study, a poor positive correlation was observed between the ages of the children and their GAD levels. Therefore, a change in the levels of antibodies might occur as the children grew older, independent of a disease. Furthermore, the values were momentary. Thus, presence of fluctuations in antibody levels could not be assessed. Conclusion In conclusion, the study pointed out an association between the presence of cerebellar antibodies and ADHD. There is a need to increase focus on common neuropsychiatric disorders such as ADHD and ASD, in order to develop effective treatment approaches. In this context, the study forms an important foundation for prenatal and postnatal diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. It may act as a pioneer of further research in this field. 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