The Handmaids Tale as a Biblical Allusion Essay -- Handmaids Tale Es

The Handmaid's Tale: A Biblical Allusion Imagine a country where choice is not a choice. Â  One is labeled by their age and economical status. Â  The deep red cloaks, the blue embroidered dresses, and the pinstriped attire are all uniforms to define a person's standing in society. Â  To be judged, not by beauty or personality or talents, but by the ability to procreate instead. To not believe in the Puritan religion is certain death. Â  To read or write is to die. Â  This definition is found to be true in the book, The Handmaid's Tale (1986) by Margaret Atwood. Â  It is a heartbreaking story of one young woman and her transformation into the Gilead society, the society described above. In the book, we meet Offred, the narrator of the story. Â  This story is not the first to create a society in which the only two important beliefs in a society are the ability to procreate and a strict belief in God. Â  It is seen several times in the Old Testament, the Bible. Â  The Biblical society is not as rigid as the Republic o f Gilead, which Margaret Atwood has built, but it is very similar. Â  The Handmaid's Tale holds several biblical allusions. The first biblical allusion is that of the Republic of Gilead. Â  Gilead is mentioned several times in the Bible as a place of fertile lands. Â  The Bible states, "To the east [the Israelites] occupied the land. . . , because their livestock had increased in Gilead" (Numbers 32:1, NIV) and "The [tribes], who led very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock" (1 Chronicles 5:9, NIV). Â  The Biblical land of Gilead was a land of prospering livestock. Â  Families and tribes came to Gilead because of the land's lush, green and fertile soil. Â  The Republic of Gilead was also... ...n individual, but each person is noticed only by the clothing that they wear. Imagine a country where the husband is the head of the family, and no other members of the household hold any rights at all. Â  Imagine a country where reading and writing are crimes punishable by death. Â  One can imagine, but no one can comprehend the pain and suffering and emotional death that one must acquire to live in a society such as the Republic of Gilead. This story of the future may very well be a story of the past; a story based upon principles found in the Bible, but taken so literally and enforced so strictly that the country becomes a theocracy to hate. Bibliography Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1986. The NIV Study Bible. Barker, Kenneth: General Editor. Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation, 1995

Every End Is a New Beginning

Every end is a new Beginning They say old habits die hard but what if they never died? What if they were buried under our sub-consciousness? It had been a month since I left rehab. I still remember being confined within the cold stone grey concrete walls going through hours of mental and physical therapy. The sessions seemed long, painful and torturous but the most devastating ache of all was time. The nights spent were mostly sleepless and uncomfortable and at times the chronic insomnia left my body weak and sore.I missed my house, my family and friends at work but change is the only constant in life and life itself is very unpredictable indeed. Never in a thousand years would I have ever imagined myself a prisoner of what seemed like sniffing harmless white powder and inhaling the smoke of a burning herb. I recalled the first time I experimented with my college friends before attending a concert. The night that I termed then as â€Å"the best night of my life† was now the ni ght I would remember as my downfall.It had been five years since college ended and five years of continuous substance abuse that made me fall from grace and I couldn't do anything about it. I was helpless and utterly dependant. That is when I checked myself in a rehabilitation centre just a block away from my house. People can judge all they like but we all have a few skeletons hiding in our closets and none of us have a clean slate. No one can relate to the problems of others as long as they do not go through the same kind of hurdles themselves and me being the person I am generally disregarded any act of sympathy or spurious attempts of concern directed at me.I got myself in this mess and I was determined and adamant to get myself out of it. After spending three months in rehab I discovered that the treatment did not abide by the cookie-cutter approach, as the quality of treatment consisted of an individualized treatment plan. It not only encouraged me to explore the causes of my addiction but also made sure that I was provided with the emotional and mental tools to strengthen my resolve to stay sober.Therapy, though it seemed challenging and agonizing at first, helped me find meaning in life and in the end lifted the dark veil of misery I was hiding under to reveal a stronger and a morally sound ‘me'. I had learned not to give up on life but more importantly taking accountability of my own actions and being more responsible. At the end of it all, life presents us with certain challenges and obstacles. It tests us with hurdles that we need to overcome in order to learn and make progress as human beings but what we must never forget is that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and that every end has a new beginning.

Tattos

English 105 Instructor Jim Higuera Tattoos A tattoo is a mark (a person or a part of the body) with an indelible design by inserting pigment into punctures in the skin. There is so many opinion and arguments upon tattoos. Yes tattoo is permanent life can change, and so can your tastes. The thing is, most of those things can be changed, but a tattoo can’t. Yes I do have tattoos but each tattoo has a special meaning I wouldn’t get a pointless thing tag on me for life it has everyone gets a certain tattoo for they own personal reasons.I love my tattoos ( I have 6 myself) but before you get any, you need to think about the fact that getting a tattoo is a big deal. It might come out looking terrible, you might hate it, you might be allergic to the ink they use, your parents may never speak to you again, you may become unemployable (depending on what you get & where) & YOU WILL HAVE IT FOREVER. Unless you can afford laser removal which, I understand, is very expensive. There are lots of good reasons for getting a tattoo. There are also a lot of bad ones.For example you want to piss off your parents, you want to look tough, All your friends have them and you feel left out. You want to profess your undying love to your significant other with ink on your skin. You want to be cool. You’re drunk. Your friend needs someone to practice on etcetera. I have seen so many bad tattoos so bad they make me cringe when I think about them. I know a guy who went somewhere â€Å"cheap† to get it done he went to a guy who did tattoos at his house and he ended up with a tattoo that is crooked and not dark enough. The point is its so embarrassing and a waste of money.My point is, getting a tattoo which doesn’t suck isn’t that easy. The proliferation of ugly tattoos on the shoulders of the great unwashed is proof of that. These days tattoos are more common than ever. Tattoos have grown in popularity quite a bit over the years, giving people the ab ility to stand out and display their individuality. Both men and women both have them on display – some with them covering the whole body! The choice is totally up to you, of course, as you can get a tattoo in virtually any size you want. Most of the general public who get tattoos get them for the symbolic value.Of course, some get them as part of a trend, but such people usually end up regretting their tattoo later on in life. Tattoos are great for showing off, though this depends a lot on the pattern of course. There are a variety of motifs and colors to take your pick from, which adds to the positive benefits you can get from your tattoo. You can check out the many different designs at your tattoo parlor or through magazines, or over the Internet. The Internet in particular can yield an intense supply of tattoo patterns, as there are literally thousands to look at.You can also look at pictures of those who have been tattooed already, so as to get an idea as to what a parti cular style will look like, once it has been finished. Why do we get a tattoo when we know that although tattoos can be removed by lasers, surgery and other methods, they are altogether permanent. Many people have very distinctive reasons for these lifelong marks and some even have stories attached to every one One plain reason for a typical tattoo is just for looks. The tattoo may be one that resembles another seen on a public figure.It may also be a background detail that is merely pleasing to the eye. Maybe the tattoo has bright colors or neat shapes. Aesthetics are one typical reason for many tattoos. Another rationalization why one might get a tattoo is as a memorial. Friends and family who may have passed away are often memorialized with tattoos. These memorial tattoos are also often created in the memory of a particular public figure or celebrity. These might be designed with flowers, crosses and other shapes and dates of birth, names and death dates.They might embody specifi c sayings that were important to the deceased. They may also involve complicated tattoos that have been copied from an actual photograph. These might be designed with flowers, crosses and other shapes and dates of birth, names and death dates. They might embody specific sayings that were important to the deceased. They may also involve complicated tattoos that have been copied from an actual photograph. Very many individuals will get tattoos designed to commemorate specific events experienced during their lifetimes.Achievements, difficult times and other unique events are usually displayed as a lifetime reminder of a significant time in one's life. Tattoos also represent spiritual status for some cultures. They can also sometimes be a symbol for social ranking. Some social groups are known for particular tattoos which would require a member to display the same. Others are known for having tattoos in general, the designs being unimportant. Expressing individuality and personality are often the reasons for getting a tattoo. If an individual likes butterflies, they might get a single tattoo or multiple tattoos flaunting butterflies.If someone else enjoys a particular field in which they worked, they may have tattoos representing what they do for a living. There are other ways to pore over expressing individuality around tattoos, however. Numerous tattoos are designed to reflect heritage. Ancient designs that are associated with the history of some cultures are routinely displayed on those who are of a particular culture's descent. As an example, someone of Irish descent may choose a tattoo depicting the Claddaugh background while another of Egyptian descent might lean towards one similar to their ancient ancestors.On the other hand, very many people choose designs from other cultures just for aesthetics Regardless of where you crave having your tattoo applied on the body or where you get the procedure done, it's important to understand why you really love the tat too. Unlike many other forms of body art tattoos are enduring. So why do we get a tattoo done? Having a tattoo created for the right reasons, and reasons that are truly important to you will help to increase the joy of the design for many years to come.

The Eradication of Smallpox essays

The Eradication of Smallpox essays Although it has taken a huge collective effort by many individuals and nations, the eradication of smallpox was mainly brought about by the pioneering efforts of Edward Jenner. Smallpox had been killing humans for over 3000 years and has been referred to as one of the greatest all-time scourges to mankind. One of the first known efforts to fight this horrible disease by immunization was in China where powdered scabs of smallpox pustules were blown into the nostrils of healthy persons through a tube. This method of immunization was called variolation and involved taking samples (which consisted of vesicles, pus from pustules, or ground scabs) from patients who had a mild form of the disease and inoculating the material into other persons through the nose or skin (Hopkins 24). The practice of variolation came to Europe from the East at the beginning of the 18th century by Lady Mary Wortley Montague, and English aristocrat. Lady Montagues husband was an ambassador to the East for England and while in Istanbul, she observed their method of variolation. She was so impressed by the Turks method that she had her 5-year-old son inoculated then her 4-year-old daughter when they returned to England. This was the first variolation performed in England (Hopkins 38). This method of variolation slowly gained general acceptance throughout all of Europe, although it had varying degrees of success. A portion of patients treated with variolation became ill with smallpox and subsequently died from the infection or started a new epidemic, and thus there was a fear that the inoculation did not provide immunity, but just provided infection. A few innovative scientists saw that there must be a better way to provide immunity, and Edward Jenner saw this better way in a correlation between cowpox and smallpox that eventually dubbed him the father of the smallpox va ...

Butterfly Bush Alternatives for Environmentally Friendly Gardeners

Butterfly Bush Alternatives for Environmentally Friendly Gardeners Gardeners who want to attract butterflies to their gardens often plant butterfly bush (genus Buddleia), a fast growing shrub that blooms prolifically. While butterfly bush is easy to grow, inexpensive to buy, and a good attractant for butterflies,  some argue its one of the worst choices for a butterfly garden. For years,  butterfly bush  (Buddleia) has divided gardeners into two camps: those who plant it without apology, and those who think it should be banned. Fortunately, its now possible to plant butterfly bushes without negatively impacting the environment. Why Gardeners Love Butterfly Bush Buddleia  is well-loved by butterfly gardeners because it is well-loved by butterflies. It blooms from spring to fall (depending on your  growing zone), and produces an abundance of nectar-rich flowers that butterflies cannot resist. Butterfly bush is easy-to-grow and tolerates poor soil conditions. It requires almost no maintenance, other than an annual hard pruning (and some gardeners even skip that). Why Ecologists Hate Butterfly Bush Unfortunately, a plant that produces such a bumper crop of flowers also produces a bumper crop of seeds.  Buddleia  is not native to North America; butterfly bush is an exotic plant from Asia. Ecologists deemed the shrub a threat to native ecosystems, as butterfly bush seeds escaped backyard gardens and invaded forests and meadows. Some states banned the sale of  Buddleia and listed it as a noxious, invasive weed. For commercial growers and nurseries, these bans were consequential. According to the USDA, the production and sale of butterfly bush was a $30.5 million industry in 2009. Despite  Buddleias environmental impact, gardeners still wanted their butterfly bushes, and growers wanted to continue producing and selling it. While butterfly bush provides nectar for butterflies, it offers no value for butterfly or moth larvae. In fact, not a single native North American caterpillar will feed on its leaves, according to entomologist Dr. Doug Tallamy, in his book Bringing Nature Home.   For Gardeners Who Cant Live Without Buddleia Butterfly bush spreads easily because it produces thousands of seeds during the course of a growing season. If you insist on growing butterfly bush in your garden, do the right thing: deadhead Buddleia flowers as soon as the blooms are spent, all season long. Shrubs to Plant Instead of Butterfly Bush Better yet, choose one of these native shrubs instead of butterfly bush. In addition to  providing nectar, some of these native shrubs are also larval food plants. Abelia x grandiflora, glossy abeliaCeanothus americanus, New Jersey tea​Cephalanthus occidentalis, buttonbushClethra alnifolia, sweet pepperbushCornus spp., dogwoodKalmia latifolia, mountain laurelLindera benzoin, spicebushSalix discolor, pussy willowSpiraea alba, narrowleaf meadowsweetSpiraea latifolia, broadleaf meadowsweetViburnum sargentii, Sargents cranberry bush BuddleiaBreeders to the Rescue Just when you were getting ready to compost your butterfly bushes for good, horticulturalists found a solution to the problem.  Buddleia  breeders produced cultivars that are, in effect, sterile. These hybrids produce so little seed (less than 2% of traditional butterfly bushes), they are considered non-invasive varieties. The State of Oregon, which has a rigorous ban on  Buddleia  in place, has recently amended their ban to allow these non-invasive cultivars. Seems you can have your butterfly bush and plant it, too. Look for these non-invasive cultivars at your local nursery (or ask your favorite garden center to carry them!): Buddleia  Lo Behold ®Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœBlue Chip’Buddleia ‘Asian Moon’Buddleia  Lo Behold ®Ã¢â‚¬ËœPurple Haze’Buddleia  Lo Behold ®Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœIce Chip’ (formerly ‘White Icing’)Buddleia  Lo Behold ®Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœLilac Chip’Buddleia ‘Miss Molly’Buddleia ‘Miss Ruby’Buddleia Flutterby Grandeâ„ ¢Ã‚  Blueberry Cobbler Nectar BushBuddleia Flutterby Grandeâ„ ¢Peach Cobbler Nectar BushBuddleia Flutterby Grandeâ„ ¢Ã‚  Sweet Marmalade Nectar BushBuddleia Flutterby Grandeâ„ ¢Ã‚  Tangerine Dream Nectar BushBuddleia Flutterby Grandeâ„ ¢Ã‚  Vanilla Nectar BushBuddleia Flutterby Petiteâ„ ¢Ã‚  Snow White Nectar BushBuddleia Flutterbyâ„ ¢Ã‚  Pink Nectar Bush One important thing to remember, though, is that  Buddleia  is still an exotic plant.  While it is an excellent source of nectar for adult butterflies, its not a  host plant  for any native caterpillars. When planning your wildlife-friendly garden, be sure to include  native shrubs  and flowers to attract the most butterflies.

Critical Issues Module 1 Paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Issues Module 1 Paper - Coursework Example Jim Hill understood aspects of the merger between the two companies. It required an intervention for each company to realize that working together was best for the growth of both companies. As a leader and a manager, Jim experienced resentment from the other company as the Boston based company handled the marketing. Indifferences between the modes of operation caused a drift in the profits hence hindering the growth of the two companies. While the Boston based company was interested in maintaining the merger, Jill knew that it would hinder the progress and growth of Vanguard (Atrill & Mclaney, 2010). Jim exemplifies some of the aspects of the active board member through holding a meeting with the aim of discussing the future of the company. He uses the interest of the members to gain a common ground of understanding on the success of the company. The investment company needed an increase in the health of the company through improving their financial statements. Hill knew that the siz e of the business and its complexity would produce complex financial statements. This was the case for Vanguard as it had subsidiaries in oversea companies (Firstenberg, 2009). The merger of two or more companies pros and cons which lie mainly in operations. A financial investment company like Vanguard plays a key role in ensuring its customers are satisfied. Merging the company comes with taking the time to make decisions on operations of the organization. The process of decision-making requires the consent of both companies. This is time consuming if the decision needs a fast approval. Jill required the presence of Bogle to make a decision on the company’s operational structures. It took him time before he could resolve an issue concerning the operation of the company (Firstenberg, 2009). Merging may turn to be a disadvantage when it comes to the share of profits and losses.

Qualitative Evaluation Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative Evaluation Plan - Assignment Example The first factor that must be addressed is how much progress the patients who participated in the initiative have made. An analysis of the effectiveness of a community health worker intervention among African American and Latino adults with Type 2 diabetes was done in a controlled trial by Spencer, Rosaland, Kieffer, Sinco, Valerio, Palmisano & †¦ Hessler which determined that â€Å"participants in the intervention group had a mean HbA1c value of 8.6% at baseline, which improved to a value of 7.8% at six months, for an adjusted change of -0.8 percentage points† (2011). Through their particular study, they were able to see a noticeable change in the ability of those who participated in the initiative to be able to manage their diabetes more effectively. The next factor to consider in evaluating the effectiveness of a community outreach program for diabetes care in the community is the method used to collect data. Bielamowicz, Pope and Rice attempted a different form of community outreach program for those with Type 2 diabetes, which involved teaching the use of healthy cooking practices as related to controlling diabetes. They utilized an online data collection method to track their progress. Data collection was done prior to the start of the initiative, after the third lesson, and after the final, fourth lesson (2012). By using this method of data gathering, they were able to gain a more accurate image and portrayal of what was working and what was not, as well as the amount of progress made at each step. This form of data collection also allowed them to have a concrete set of data as the starting point to go off of. Another important factor to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of diabetes care in a particular community is the socioeconomic status of the community. Those in lower income communities are not as likely to have access to the same types of outreach programs that a traditional middle class