Jet Blue Airways Case Study

Crafting and Executing Strategy Jet Blue Airways case study In 2008 businesses began to cut back on employee travel, and consumers tried to save money and used stay-cations instead of vacations, during a summer the U. S. economy slowed and oil prices rose; jet fuel prices went through the roof as a result. to offset the higher fuel costs, airlines began increasing revenues by means such as: fuel surcharges, charges for the first checked bag, charging for blankets, pillows, and headphones, and finally lowering wages and grounding airplanes.Some airlines didn’t survive, some decided to form a merger to try to buoy the rising costs. Beyond cost, there was the prospect of increasing competition, shortages in pilots, flying schools lacked instructors, and labor costs. Some companies as a result of the impact of these new changes employed a new tactic of their own: large airlines would steal pilots from smaller companies, luring them with better pay and benefits. JetBlue’s st rategy was to be a company that would combine the low fares of a discount airline carrier with the comforts similar to a den in people’s homes.Passengers could save money while they ate gourmet snacks, sat in leather seats, and watched television. The goal overall, was to bring humanity back to air travel. 3. Discuss Jet Blue’s financial objectives and whether or not the company has been successful in achieving these objectives. JetBlue was a discount airline carrier, offering passengers low fares, point to point systems, and maintained quick turnaround times at airports. Its operating costs were low, especially in comparison to other major airlines.The company’s turnaround time was 20-30 minutes, because they did not serve meals, meaning they did not have to wait for catering services; flight attendants stowed carry-on bags in overhead bins, and everyone on staff helped to throw away the trash after each flight. The company’s organizational culture was a strong one, and it achieved extraordinary results by implementing five steps: defining the company values, hire employees that mirrored company values, exceed employee xpectations, listen to customers, and create the organizational culture. First step; defining the company’s values: safety, caring, integrity, fun and passion. These values guided the decision making process for employees. Safety was a number one priority, and to exhibit their commitment to safety, JetBlue teamed up with Medaire Inc. , so that crew members could immediately consult with land based physicians anytime a passenger fell ill; it was also the first airline to install Kevlar cockpit doors and surveillance cameras.Step two was to hire employees that mirrored the company’s values. During the hiring process, JetBlue wanted to hear that a candidate had done something special for someone else. The third and fourth steps involved ensuring that the company continued to exceed employee expectations an d to ensure that it listened to its customers. The final step in creating the company’s organizational culture was to create a culture of excellence; the company had to continually improve its services and set itself apart from its competitors.Jet Blue’s strategies for 2008 and beyond included following several new strategies: To reevaluate the ways the company was using its assets, reduce capacity and cut costs, raise fares and grow in select markets, offer improved services for corporations and business travelers, form strategic partnerships, and increase ancillary revenues. (Thompson, Jr. , Strickland, III. , Gamble, 2010). During the deployment of these strategies, Jet Blue further laid out their plans.To reduce capacity and cut costs, JetBlue agreed to sell nine used Airbus A320s in 2008, which netted a cash gain of $100 million. The company delayed the delivery of 21 new Airbus A320s, which were scheduled for 2009-2011, to 2014 and 2015. This allowed JetBlue to p ut off payment for the airplanes, and save on operating expenses. (Thompson, Jr. , et al; C-72). The company suspended service in and out of several states, and cancelled plans for service between Los Angeles International Airport and Boston and New York.Doing so helped save money on fuel expenses. JetBlue started to employ their plan to grow in selective markets, and raise its fares. In March 2008, JetBlue announced that Orlando would become a focus city, and that it would open service between Orlando and Cancun, Mexico, as well as Orlando and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This would become tentatively approved to be Orlando’s only service to South America. Also in March 2008, JetBlue’s average one-way fare reached a high of $138.This was still very competitive with other airline carriers. According to the U. S. Department of Transportation, the average domestic fare in 2007 was $331. JetBlue made efforts to appeal to business travelers by introducing refundable fares, and allowed corporate meeting planners to receive meeting specific discounts as well as a complimentary travel certificate for every 40 customers booked to the same event destination. The company entered into a five-year agreement with Expedia Inc. to reach leisure travelers.The goal of forming strategic partnerships was achieved when it developed an agreement with Aer Lingus that let passengers make a single reservation between Ireland and 40 different destinations in the U. S, via JetBlue’s hub John F Kennedy international airport. It also developed a marketing partnership with the Massachusetts based Cape Air, so passengers could transfer between the two carriers to get to places such as Hyannis, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. References http://www. flightglobal. com/news/articles/interview-jetblue-chief-executive-dave-barger-345289/

Target Financial Analysis

Juan A. Torres Rodriguez D01596038 Mini Case Assignment Target Corp. started in 1902 as Dayton’s Dry Goods company. At 1911, Dayton’s Dry Goods is renames as Dayton Company, and commonly known as Dayton’s Department Store. In 1946 Dayton’s Department Stores started giving the community back 5% of their pretax profits, a practice that Target Corp still maintains. During the 1960’s Dayton’s create a new kind of store to appeal the masses called Target, opening the first Target store in the Twin Cities on May 1, 1962. The industry sector in which Target Corporation competes is in the retail sector reaching the $62. 7 Billion in sales. As mentioned above, Target competes in the retail sector, which makes the operating risks of the company mainly focused on customer’s perceptions, differentiation of brand, and anticipating consumer preferences to boost their sales, gross margin and profitability. If we take a look at Target’s 10K, th e first risk factor they mention is the ability of differentiate the business from other retailers by creating attractive value propositions through a careful combination of price, merchandise assortment, convenience, guest service and marketing efforts.Another risk that all companies in this sector face is the macroeconomic condition of the country and the impact this has in their consumers. This lead us to the financial risk the company might have. One of the financial risks we have to consider in any type of company is the debt to total capitalization ratio. Based on financial information of their 2011 report, we can calculate the debt to total capitalization ratio in the following manner: Total debt: 15,726 million Total stockholder’s equity: 15,487 million, therefore: 15,726 / 31,213= . 50 or 50%Comparing their debt to total capitalization ratio with industry average, Target’s is too high. The industry debt to total capitalization ratio is 0. 36. Comparing the fin ancial information of previous years Target went from 0. 58 in 2009 to 0. 52 in 2010, to 0. 50 in 2011. Overall, Target is improving significantly their debt to capitalization ratio, but still has some work to do. In regards of Target stock, currently they don’t have any preferred stock outstanding, just common stock. Target’s common stock is traded in the NYSE as TGT. The price of it’s common stock as of today is $62. 0, going up 0. 06 points. Target’s cash dividend yield on the Common Stock is 0. 0192 = 1. 92% = 2. 0: Cash dividends declared per share: $1. 20 Current stock price: $62. 50 Cash dividend yield= 1. 15 dividends declared/ 62. 50 stock price = 1. 92 = 2. 0 Target’s market capitalization is: 668. 4 million shares issued and outstanding x $62. 50 of stock prices = 41. 8 Billion Continuing with Target’s capital structure, if we look at Target’s liabilities section: Short portion of Long-Term Debt = $3. 3 Billion Long-term de bt = $15. 2 Billion Therefore the total debt for Target would be: . 3 B + 15. 2 B = 18. 5 Billion Dollars Taking the previous calculation of Targets market capitalization of 41. 8 the total capitalization would be: 18. 5 B + 41. 8 B = 60. 3 Billion, or: 31% Debt 69% Equity As of November 18, 2012, Target’s current beta is . 48. Now if we would like to calculate what would be Target’s new beta without the long-term debt (unlevered beta) we need to use the Hamada formula for the unlevered beta bu= b/ [1 +(1-T)(D/S) bu= . 48 / [ 1 + (1-34. 3%) (18. 5/40. 6)] bu= . 37 If Target would not have any long-term debt, its beta would be of . 7. Moving to Target’s current Marginal Tax Rate, according to the Income Statement found at Target’s annual report, the rate is 34. 3%. In order to calculate Target’s Cost of debt before and after taxes, we need to look for the bonds issued by a corporation. Since Target has not issued bonds, I took the cost of a long-ter m debt due in 2020 as my example. The rate of that long-term debt is 3. 875%. This would be the Cost of debt before any taxes taken. Now to calculate the Cost of Debt after tax, we need to proceed with the following calculation: 3. 875 ( 1 – 34. %) = 2. 545875 As mentioned before, Target doesn’t have any preferred stock. We can calculate the Cost of Equity using the Risk Free Rate of 3. 00% and a Risk Premium of 7. 5% points. Using the new beta of . 48 we can determine what is the Expected Total return by Common Stockholders: rRF = 3. 00 rRP = 7. 5 b= . 48 Cost of Equity = rRF + (rRP x b) =3. 00% + (7. 5% pts x 0. 48) = 0. 066 ? 6. 6% Given the dividend yield of 2. 0 we can also determine the Expected annual appreciation of Target’s Common Stock: 6. 6% Total Return – 2. 0 Dividend Yield = 4. % of E. A. A. With the previous information calculated we could proceed and calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital: wd = 31% ws = 69% rs = 6. 6% rd = 3. 875% Tax = 34. 3 WACC = wd ( 1 – T)rd + ws(rs) =31% ( 1 – 34. 3%) 3. 875% + (69% x 6. 6%) = 0. 053432 = 5. 3432% One of the last things used to evaluate in order to consider investing in a company is its Price Earnings Multiple. Target’s Price Earnings Multiple is calculated the following way: Stock Price= $62. 50 Earnings Per Share = $4. 50 P/E = Stock Price / EPS = 62. 50 / 4. 50 = 13. 89If we compare Target’s P/E ratio with Wal-Mart, which is in the same industry, (14. 03 P/E), Target’s P/E is within ndustry. http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bc? s=TGT+Basic+Chart&t=5y This chart was retrieved from Yahoo! Financial. In here we can see the performance of Target’s Stock (TGT) during the past five years. In 2008 Target’s started at approximately $55. 00; looking at 2009, the stock plummeted from the 60’s to the mid 20’s, which reflects the market crash. After this episode in the economy we can see that Target’s stock has re covered significantly.After performing the calculations, Target’s capital structure is optimal. However, the debt to capitalization ratio is high, at 50%. Target needs to lower its Long-Term Debt. Comparing Target’s debt to capital to the industry average, the industry average is 0. 36. However I would invest in Target. I think I would have an advantage over outsiders, because I used to work at Target Corporation. Target is a company that is constantly growing, and their sales demonstrate their market advantage over other retailers. What convinced me to invest into Target mostly was the P/E ratio.Comparing it to a corporation like Wal-Mart, which is really successful, Target’s P/E ratio is acceptable and attractive. References 1. Scovaner, Douglas A. (2011). Target 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved on November 18, 2012: https://corporate. target. com/annual-reports/2011/images/company/annual_report_2011/documents/Target_2011_Annual_Report. pdf 2. Stock Analysis on n et. (2012). Retrieved on November 18, 2012. http://www. stock-analysis-on. net/NYSE/Company/Target-Corp/Ratios/Long-term-Debt-and-Solvency#Debt-to-Capital 3. Retrieved on November 18, 2012 http://ycharts. com/companies/TGT/pe_ratio 4.Yahoo! Finance. (2012). Retrieved on November 18, 2012. http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bc? s=TGT+Basic+Chart&t=5y ——————————————– [ 1 ]. https://corporate. target. com/annual-reports/2011/images/company/annual_report_2011/documents/Target_2011_Annual_Report. pdf, page 5. [ 2 ]. http://www. stock-analysis-on. net/NYSE/Company/Target-Corp/Ratios/Long-term-Debt-and-Solvency#Debt-to-Capital [ 3 ]. https://corporate. target. com/annual-reports/2011/images/company/annual_report_2011/documents/Target_2011_Annual_Report. pdf, [ 4 ]. http://ycharts. com/companies/TGT/pe_ratio

College Rights versus Gun Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

College Rights versus Gun Rights - Essay Example In my opinion, colleges should not be able to ban arms since this flawed decision may result in a probability of increased rate of rapes and murders at the campuses. Banning arms at the educational setup is simply a government’s guarantee to the trouble maker students that they are allowed to pursue their criminal activities and create pandemonium since the law-abiding innocent students would not have any weapon with them for their defense. Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (2009) present a valid report regarding the peace situation at the campuses which did not ban the right to carry guns. According to the report, eleven US universities allowed concealed carry and following this decision, no disturbing incidents like gun theft and gun violence have been reported by the college administrations. Proponents of gun rights argue for banning weapons from the campuses because in their opinion, carrying guns strengthens the bravado of emotional students who may shoot their profe ssors dead over trivial matters. Schulte (2009) says that nearly all states, except Utah, agree that carrying weapons on campus is a really bad idea. â€Å"Increased incidence of high-risk behaviors on college campuses, such as binge drinking and drug use, are commonly cited by anti-gun advocates as reasons to keep weapons off campus† (Smeck, 2011). ... he law with criminal intentions will get green signal for hitting the vulnerable targets and easily get away with their horrendous actions without being hit in reaction. Nowadays, the situation has worsened so much that violent crimes like rapes are happening on college campuses every single day. How are the innocent students supposed to react in a situation where they are forced to face serious danger by their enemies? They do not have any option but cowering silently after being cornered by the criminal student gangs. Proponents of gun rights seriously overlook the number of disadvantages brought on by banning gun rights by fervently sticking to the single factor that guns on campus policy is potentially conducive fore mass shooting breakouts, which can shatter the quality of educational atmosphere that is the hallmark of any good institution. In their report, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (2009) claim that gun-control policies have visibly failed at many prestigious Ameri can institutions like University of Memphis, Delaware State University, University of Washington since the year 2000, causing many students injuries and death as a result of being virtually unprotected. Unfortunately, within two years of the horrific incident in which a Virginia Tech student deliberately shot 32 students and professors dead, a debate has initiated between the gun-rights advocates and the supporters of gun-carry laws (Roth & Haman, 2009). The gun-rights advocates have failed to convince the state authorities to pass a bill for allowing carrying guns at the campuses. Following the ruthless murders performed together by the Virginia Tech student, government’s decision to ban gun rights and not pass a bill that allows the students the right of concealed carry on campuses is

Retailing story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Retailing story - Essay Example Man’s breaking his bond with nature came about when Victor decided to play god and deprived nature of its natural prerogative to create life. Victor wanted to separate himself from the rest of nature by validating to himself that he can be god through the creation of another life which is a validation of his superiority compared to other men. In today’s context, this could be taken as Victor’s pride that he is better than everyone else of which almost all societies and culture suffer. When Victor came to life, he became the personification of man’s desire to be god which the product of such attempt attests how vile the idea is. The monster, being an assortment of parts of men, is an unhappy product of man’s inexorable nature and its heart is â€Å"a collection of the emotions that he has to be bear throughout his strange life† (Kessler 87). It has no â€Å"center† or a soul because it failed to grasp the breadth of human experience tha t includes joy, happiness, ecstasy, that makes one a truly human being. The monster had only a glimpse of hope of what it is like to be compassionate when the family cottagers took him in. â€Å"Nothing could exceed the love and respect which the younger cottagers exhibited towards their venerable companion. They performed towards him every little office of affection and duty with gentleness, and he rewarded them by his benevolent smiles† (Shelley 82). But even that hazy idea of hope and compassion was immediately extinguished when the same family who took him in drove him away. One can only imagine what the monster felt when the only positive experience he had was taken away from him leaving him hanging and in pain. In sum, the tale was an articulation of man’s arrogance and the consequential pain and suffering because of it which is a theme that is universal to all culture which explains why Frankenstein is still told today not only in our books, but also in our movi es, plays and even comics. II. Retelling the story Shelley’s novel Frankenstein reveals the flaws of human character with the character of Victor Frankenstein. It revealed man’s tendency to become arrogant and to act like God when he already knows so much. When Victor assented to the monster that he will create him a partner, he already assumed to have God like capabilities with what he knows about science. As it was wrong in the beginning, a series of tragedy followed beginning with the murder of Victor’s bride Elizabeth during their wedding night. Victor was inconsolable and filled with revenge as what the monster did to his bride that he became preoccupied about chasing the monster to avenge Elizabeth’s death and became a figurative monster himself. But since he does not have the physical prowess to overcome Frankenstein, Victor created another formula to make him a greater monster to defeat Victor and avenge his wife. He also had the impression that F rankenstein must have a good time destroying everything he touches because he is invincible and therefore cannot be punished with its consequences. So he made a formula to the effect of Mr. Hyde only ten times stronger to make him stronger than Frankenstein. The formula was so potent that when it was injected to Victor, he became uglier than Frankenstein and his physical state became permanent. In the process of

Need to add more on the paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Need to add more on the paper - Essay Example Such students pose future detrimental effect to employers in a sense that they tend to enter the job market half-baked. Managers looking to outsource competent fresh and innovative minds who with a little coaching can be on top of their game, risk ending up approving candidates with the little cognizance of their expected performance. On the other hand, employers are vulnerable to making unintended decisions with respect to higher education in the event of other better options that could have been given first priority. The managers looking to recruit in the same way suffer the propensity of having to deal with the rigorous task such as micromanaging its employees. Such situations could emerge in the occasion of hiring uneducated staff as opposed to educated individuals. It is known that the human resource would tend to be inclined in reasoning and equally efficient in service delivery and resource management to yield targets. In summary, operations managers looking to hire could best consider devising a benchmark for assessing incumbent candidates when outsourcing employees as they stand to benefit from future prospects that come with dealing a manageable team that is goal-inclined and better placed in developing logical ideas in strategic marketing options. Higher education presents the need for better scrutiny on how educational institutions should reform their learning standards with the view of the current situations present that operational managers have to deal with when recruiting personnel in the diverse job

Events that Led to the Revolutionary War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Events that Led to the Revolutionary War - Essay Example Their combined population now exceeded 1,500,000-a six fold increase since 1700 (Greene, 1987). The implications of the physical growth of the colonies were far greater than mere numerical increase would indicate. By the mid-eighteenth century, as the pre-American Revolutionary War was raging on, many Americans had a change of heart and mind with respect to their attitudes about the mother country. As the French and Indian war was coming to a close, and the period of salutary neglect was flourishing, there was a profound shift in American's feelings. The Americans started to become infuriated with England, and wanted their freedom to life, liberty, and property without interference. The zeitgeist, or "spirit of the times," included the far-reaching period of salutary neglect and the conclusion of the French and Indian War. Salutary neglect refers to the state of Anglo-American relations before the end of the French and Indian War. British Parliament did not interfere in the government of the colonies during this time, and America existed in relative political isolation. Britain was the mother country; however, Britain was looked upon as a lenient and easygoing parent, not interfering with its child's (America's) decisions. Many Americans even took pride in the mother country, and respected and honored it as their legacy. "For the great majority of Americans who still spoke of England as 'home' even though they had never been there, being English meant having a history that stretched back continuously into a golden age of Anglo-Saxton purity and freedom." Britain served as the mercantilist dominating country, and not a monarchy over America. Britain helped America's trade; and, as far as many colonists thought, America was just an extension of England itself. Initially, before the change in attitude toward England occurred, the Americans did not even want independence. They merely wanted to be treated justly under English law. When the Stamp Act was passed in 1765, colonists did not believe that this "internal taxation without representation" was abiding by the law. They thought this was unjust and wrong. As Benjamin Franklin tried to point out to England, America was pretty much exclusively opposed to internal taxes. He made England believe that the colonists were more likely to comply with external or "indirect" taxes. However, the Stamp Act, one of the first direct taxes on the American people, caused the most uproar, and foreshadowed what was to come within the next two decades. Down to 1763, Great Britain had formulated no consistent policy for her colonial possessions. The guiding principle was the confirmed mercantilist view that colonies should supply the mother country with raw materials and not compete in manufacturing. But policy was poorly enforced, and the colonies had never thought of themselves as subservient. Rather, they considered themselves chiefly as commonwealths or states, much like England herself, having only a loose association with authorities in London. At infrequent intervals, sentiment in

Toys Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Toys - Essay Example Industrialization grew exponentially after WWII. Immediate gratification took away the pain many suffered as a result. Our future offspring and what tasks were needed to survive in the 1950's as a functional model of society became a main focus. The start of this revolution wasn't intended to create failures in society; it was to teach our young the importance of the societal rules and what is expected of them as adults. The first 'mini mom' model of a kitchen and the vacuum cleaner came to the market. The idea was new to most households and families wanting to beat the Jones' at being the first to have the finest toys possible. Society says it is acceptable and expected to mimic our parents and their roles they play. This is good training, Right Barthes says, "French toys are based on imitation, they were meant to produce children who are users, not creators" (Barthes, pg. 55). Social acceptance in gender based toys was positive and this increase in popularity enticed engineers to create even more plastic, gender based toys forgetting the roots of what society was made from. Girls cooking on plastic miniature stoves, setting the table for the family, or ironing her husband's clothes before he heads off to work - these roles they play are socially obligated and expected in the future. This tells the girls of our future - it's not our place to engineer or design the tallest building in the world. We must leave it up to the men in our society to construct and design. When I was in high school, I was told not to apply to college. I was to be a housewife and mother; there was no need for me to waste my parent's money by attending college. We are to accept our 'place' in society as shown to us by our parents. These "French Toys" (Barthes, pg. 53) restrict children and condition them for failure. Children look up to their parents for guidance. If they say we should play with these toys they are bringing home, why are we to question their motives Barthes implies the use of simple wooden blocks as a "demiurge" (Barthes, p. 54) rather than just a user of the objects. The Builder creates the foundation of all buildings, bridges, homes, school, and more. Creating the largest building of the physical universe with only the limitations of his/her imagination is a great accomplishment as a child. A little girl smiles wildly, "Mom, look what I built!" just as her brother plows through them. "Mom, Now I have to start all over!" The success of a master piece or the destruction from your brother as he swooshes his arms through your newly constructed bridge builds your knowledge base and your foundation in understanding what it takes to make things stand on their own. Barthes refers to the Vosges Mount ain range (Barthes, pg 55) to bring a personal relationship to the wooden blocks. It's harder to dismiss an object if it has a name. These skills and knowledge are needed for future development to start and complete tasks. The value in learning how to manage a project from start to finish is imperative whether it is building a house out of blankets throughout the living room or building a

Analyse the impact of a range of contextual influences on classroom Essay

Analyse the impact of a range of contextual influences on classroom processes - Essay Example To effect learning, a teacher prepares for her daily lesson from the motivation or preliminary activity to make students relate prior knowledge to new concepts about to be learned to the evaluation or assessment of students’ learning either through paper and pencil exercises or performance-based activities for better retention of concepts. Classroom Management, on the other hand, refers â€Å"to the set of strategies that teachers and students use to ensure a productive, harmonious learning environment to prevent disruptions in the learning process,† (Rothstein-Fisch, and Trumbull, 2008, p. 2). Finally, Instruction refers to orchestration of student learning. The second part of classroom processes is student behaviour which comprises of the actions a student would make in the classroom which highlights one important variable which is Academic Learning Time – the time spent for learning tasks (Huitt, 2003, p. 5). Other variables which complete the classroom processes include home, peer groups, community, religious institutions, society, culture, and international conditions. Variables related to home involves educational levels of parents, socio-economic status, age and marital status, and other variables including educational materials and equipment in the home like books, magazine, computer technology, etc. (Huitt, 2003, p. 8) Other important context subcategories include the community – its location, emphasis on education, peer groups; the society – emerging TV/Films; state and national policies- laws, programs, and funding; the culture – prevailing values, language, art, music, etc.), and international/global conditions – knowledge explosion or information age movement (Huitt, 1995 as cited in Huitt, 2003, p. 9). To further illustrate how cultural diversity works at students’ advantage, take a social studies class, for instance. For students to have a full grasp of any concept of war, they have to be situated in a context either direct

Learning log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning log - Essay Example I think that a company should consider remunerating sales people well because they intrigue the revenue sources for the company hence deserve a motivation. Given the work they do they should be motivated more and with all the sources available. The company in an insurance setting should also consider the economic situation and always make policies that make the work of sales people easier in terms of adjustable terms (Sukiennik, Bendat & Raufman 2007). What I would do differently next time is to make a list of all the clients and categorize them according to need as opposed to handling them one at a time. I would also ensure I do more research on the subject I intend to share with the clients to make them see the need of purchasing insurance policies. This is prompted by the rising demand for insurance schemes and policies. In the future I would also ensure that I create a stress free work environment as it only adds more burdens (Honey 2000). As a volunteer teacher in the NGO schools I had an interesting experience of interacting with teenagers of ages 6-12 years. What I did was majorly to creatively formulate activities for the kids which brought together so many kinds of games. I had to ensure that the activities that we come with were always new and up to date as the leadership of the school highly discouraged traditional learning. This made me have the roles of linking between a topic and the likeliness by the children. What I think is that the school should allow for all forms of learning for the kids. As opposed to rote memorization and spoon feeding as practiced in the school currently, the learning should be student centered and generated (Rijlaarsdam, Bergh & Couzijn 2005). This is as portrayed by the â€Å"Cognitivism Learning Theory† which according to my experience helped me do my job well. Therefore what I would do differently entails allowing

Personal Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Personal Philosophy Essay Educational philosophy is sometimes referred to as the immediate objectives of education. Immediate objectives on the other hand are purposes which a subject at a given time must aim to achieve through the courses of study or the curriculum. Its aims constitute a very important aspect of the total education. They are more specific and they can be accomplished in a shorter period of time, maybe a day or a week. These, too, are considered goals of specialization. This study aims to develop an educational philosophy and relate its important to one’s classroom teaching. Role of the teacher. The life of the teacher everywhere is full of responsibility. The teacher should recognize that the welfare and interest of the child is the principal objective of his profession. The school is for the children and the teacher’s first thought should be for them. At least during the time the pupils are in the school the teacher stands for the parents. The teacher should guard the health, moral, and well-being of the pupils with intelligent care. He should also be alert to discover physical defects of his pupils, and prompt to inform and interest the parents so that relief may be offered. Curriculum. Through the years, schools have taken on many new subjects without dropping old subjects. Schools must relinquish subjects that can be learned readily outside the school system and should be child-friendly and child-centered school. It should provide a variety of programs to meet the special interests and talents of the students. The Child. The child is the center of the matter. The teacher must know the nature of the child to be motivated, directed, guided, and evaluated. To understand the child, the teacher must know him as a biological organism with needs, abilities, and goals. He must know the social and psychological environment of the child and the cultural forces of which the child is a part. The behavior of the child at any given moment is the result of biological environment factors operating simultaneously. The child behaves as he does because he is a human being with needs and motives, and because he is surrounded by environmental and cultural forces which determine his behavior, these needs and motives shall be met. Methods of Education. The literature on the subject of teaching generally makes no distinction between method of teaching and technique of teaching. Writing on educational theory and practice has presented different classroom procedures as methods of teaching/education or techniques of teaching. These two terms have different meanings and values, but both are integrated in any teaching and learning situation. The method of education covers the psychological processes involved in learning, and the technique of teaching covers the use of devices and the application of principles in teaching in order to effect the proper development of the individual student. In addition, method relates to the learning performance rather than to the teaching performances, and method of education involves steps to guide the mental processes (Demiashkevich 43-48). Aims of Education. The philosophical aims of education require all public and private schools in this country to pursue, in the development of every child, regardless of color, creed, or social status. All educational institutions shall aim to inculcate love of country, teach the duties of citizenship, and develop moral character, personal discipline, and scientific, technological, and vocational efficiency. The study of the Constitution shall be part of the curricula in all schools (Peterson, pp. 64-69). The State shall provide citizenship and vocational training to adult citizens and out-of-school youth, and create and maintain scholarship for poor and deserving students. Moreover, philosophy of education is one of the major ground bases of education as field of profession; hence, focused study of such condition is essential. The case study involves the subjects of philosophical perspective of education linked with the condition of determining the future trends of the system. Utilizing five aspects of contributing factors, such as standards of teaching, bilingual education, cultural diversities, special education and the public policies, we shall determine the possible implications of such factors in professional philosophy of education. As a conclusion, as for the philosophy of education, and the continuity of learning and the aspects of continuous teaching without regards to any exceptions as incurred by the society, divine law, and human rights. Every minority with no considerations to race, gender, and possibly realistic health conditions should be deprived with education. The philosophy of education involves the general principle of conducting education as a means of providing universal treatment for the development implicated in a universal perspective. Furthermore, the philosophy of education, on the perspective of professionalism, involves that the educator must also be under the said umbrella of development and continuous learning despite of the governed tasks of teaching. Reference: Demiashkevich, Michael (2003). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. Pp. 43- 48American Book. New York. Peterson, Michael L. (2000). Philosophy of Education: Issues and Options. Pp. 64-69, InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, IL.

Pregnancy Foetus Mother

Pregnancy Foetus Mother Pregnancy is a state whereby there is a symbiotic union between a mother and her foetus. During this period, all systems of the body change to accommodate the trophoblast, the immune system (a complex biological signalling system responsible for protecting us against infection, disease and foreign objects due to its ability to differentiate between self and non self) being one of these systems also undergoes a number of changes (Markert, 2005). The foetus is like a homograft attached to the uterine wall of the mother via the placenta, it inherits half its genetic makeup from its mother and the other half from its father. The paternal genes that it expresses are seen as antigens by the mothers immune system and are expected to cause the rejection of the foetus as a semi-allogenic tissue graft(2). Instead, the mothers immune system teaches itself to tolerate these genes and the development of the foetus is supported and regulated (Marker, 2005). The immunological puzzle that leads to t he sustainment of the foetus for the 9 months gestation period is known as the â€Å"immunological paradox of pregnancy† (Claman. 1993). A question that begets to be asked is how does the maternal body prevent rejection of the histoincompatible foetus and at the same time maintain enough maternal host defence mechanisms to fight disease and infection? To date it is not fully understood how this takes place, but it is known that in order to allow the foetus to escape rejection and immunological attacks by the maternal immune system, this symbiotic relationship must have distinctive immuno-regulatory actions. At the same time the mothers immune system must also provide protection against foreign antigens for her as well as her young. A number of explanations have been proposed during the last century as to why foetal rejection does not take place in healthy pregnancies. It is now agreed upon that the placenta plays an important role in this. The placenta is a very important organ because not only does it aid the transportation of nutrients and waste products and immunity between mother and foetus, it acts as an endocrine organ because it secretes growth factors and female hormones which helps maintain and support the pregnancy (Knobil and Neil, 1994) and finally the placental expression patterns of majorhistocompatibility complexes (MHC) is one of the vital factors that determine if a foetus is accepted or rejected, in humans these complexes are known as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complexes (Claman. 1993). Although the mechanism for the maternal tolerance of the MHCs expressed by the fetus is still not fully known it is known that in humans, a number of HLA class I expressions have been detected in the placent a, these include HLA-C and HLA-G complexes. HLA-G is essential for the successful implantation of trophoblast and its protection from invasion. It does so by binding inhibitory receptors on T-lymphocytes and maternal uterine natural killer cells and thus protects the trophblast from maternal attacks caused by these cells. They also regulate cytokine secretion of cells, thus offering protection to the foetus (hla class 1 molecules reference). A recent study has also shown that HLA-G might inhibit the migration of NK cells across the placental endothelial cells. Till this day, no evidence has been brought forward to suggest that HLA-A, HLA-B and Class II MHCs are expressed in the placenta thus it is inferred that they are normally absent from the placenta during pregnancy (Bulmer and Johnson, 1985). Foetuses are protected not only from rejection during the gestation period but also from infections by the transmission of passive immunity from the mother.In 1892, Paul Erlich used mouse models to demonstrate that fetuses and neonates acquire protective immunity from their mothers both in utero and through breast milk. It has been shown that this involves the active transport of IgG from mother to her offspring. Passive immunity is transferred from the mother to her foetus through the placenta in the form of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and also via breast milk postnatally (Arvola et al 2000). IgG is the main defence against bacteria thus it accounts for 70-75% of antibodies found in human serum. Before birth the foetus is immunologically naà ¯ve because its synthesis of antibodies is very low. The immature immune system of the foetus is compensated for by the active transport of maternal IgG across the placenta into the foetal circulation. Before IgG reaches the foetal circulation, it h as to cross two cellular barriers, the barrier in contact with the maternal blood known as the syncythiotrophoblast and the capillary epithelium of the foetus. IgG antibodies are conveyed across the placenta and the intestinal epithelium via the human Fc receptor (add more). Although the ability of IgG to cross the placenta acts to convey passive immunity to the foetus there are instances where its ability to cross the placenta can have detrimental effects on the baby. An example of this is a condition called haemolytic disease of the new born (HDN). HDN is an alloimmune disease that develops in rhesus positive foetuses that have a rhesus negative mother. the mother produces IgG antibodies against the rhesus positive red blood cells which cross the placenta and attack red blood cells in the foetal circulation. It has been established that breast milk are rich in maternal cells including small proportions of epithelial cells, macrophages, leukocytes and T and B lymphocytes which make up a majority of cells found in milk on the other hand, 80% of the total cells found in the colostrum (first milk secreted after delivery) are mononuclear phagocytes. These cells aid the neonate by protecting the lumen of its gut and transferring immunity passively. Breast milk macrophages enter breast milk via the epithelium of the mammary gland, they are found to be highly phagocytic in breast milk and can easily be differentiated from other cells by the lipid rich inclusions found in their cytoplasm (breast milk macrophages reference). Milk and colostrum are also rich in the dimeric immunoglobin A. IgA antibodies are very important to the newborn because they are highly specific for pathogens found in the mucosae of the gut. This form of passive immunity from the mother thus conveys protection to the newborn until its immune response is mature enough to mount a good enough response (PDF2D). As well as transference of immunity, a mother can also convey infections to her foetus. The maternal transmission of an infection such as HIV, Hepatitis B and syphilis to foetus in utero, as a result of body fluid transmission during child birth and through breast milk is known as vertical transmission. During pregnancy, the maternal transmission of infection can result in a number of sequela. Infections found in mother have the potential of infecting the foetus or newborn. Side effects of infections include abortion or stillbirth, acute illnesses, congenital abnormalities, neonatal death and many more. The newborn can acquire infections in utero also known as intrauterine (congenital), during child birth (intrapartum) or after birth (postpartum). Different forms of infections can be vertically transmitted, these include viral and bacterial infections which are both covered in this essay. The most common examples of viral infections transferred from mother to her unborn child are cytomegalovirus, rubella both of which may cause severe neonatal disease or congenital defects, HIV and Hepatitis B. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a sexually transmitted virus that attacks the immune system by infecting CD4 cells thus leaving the host vulnerable to other infections. This virus can lead to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome which is characterised by a very low CD4 cell count (less than 200/ml). The transmission of this virus from mother to child can occur in utero, during child birth and via breast milk. The most common mode of transmission of HIV occurs during labour or at child birth, about 50-80% of vertical transmission occurs via this route. The reason being that the fetus is in direct contact with infected blood and secretions, as a result of ruptured membranes and transmission of maternal blood to the foetus during labour (birth by caesarean section before the beginning of labour and membrane rupture is proven to reduce this risk of transmission of HIV) (www.aafp.org). HIV transmission can also occur in utero. The foetus can become infected if it comes in contact with infected maternal blood and secretions. This contact can be the result of placental haemorrhage or by the foetus swallowing some amniotic fluid (www. the-aids-pandemic.blogspot.com). The final mechanism by which vertical transmission if HIV can take place is through breast milk which occurs in 16-29% of cases (www. the-aids-pandemic.blogspot.com). Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (a double stranded DNA virus which caused liver damage). In 2004, Zhang et al provided evidence that the main route of transmission of hepatitis from mother to foetus was via the placenta. Mothers that have the acute form of the virus and that are also infected in the first trimester of pregnancy have a 10% chance of passing the virus to their neonates. This percentage increases to a staggering 80-90% if the mothers were infected in the 3rd trimester. 90% of neonates on the other hand acquire the infection if the virus chronically infected the women (Hieber et al 1977). Transmission is also caused by the exposure of the foetus to infected blood and body fluids. A hepatitis positive mother has a 20% chance of passing the infection to her offspring during child birth, this risk increases to 90% if the mother is also positive for the hepatitis B e antigen (www.perinatology.com). According to Hill et al (2002), breast milk of infected individuals contains HBV DNA, but using appropriate immunoprophylaxis nullifies the transmission of HBV. Rubella (the German measles) is a condition caused by the rubella virus. This virus is moderately contagious. It can cross the placenta causing a condition known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) which leads to a number of side effects to the baby including low birth weight, deafness, mental retardation, congenital heart failure and death. The severity of the effect depends on the period that the fetus is infected; during the first two months of gestation the chances of foetal damage caused by infection is 65-0%, this chance decreases to 30-35% during the third month and finally to a mere 1-2% in the 20th week. There are two routes through which a newborn can acquire a bacterial infection, these routes include intraturerine (transplacental and assending infection) and intrapartum when the new born comes in contact with infected secretions and blood during delivery. Congenital syphilis is a severe and life threatning multisystem infection caused by the vertical transmission of the spirochete Treponema palladium to the foetus. The transplacental transmission rate is 60-80% Vertical transmission of congenital syphilis can occur at anytime during pregnancy although the infection is more likely to be transmitted by women in the primary and secondary stages of the disease as opposed to the latent stage.Just like in adult syphilis, this infection is categorised into early disease which is seen in children two years or younger and late disease which is seen in children over the age of two(http://www.merck.com). During child birth organisms such as N. gonorrhoea, B. streptococci and C. trachomonas bacteria that are naturally found in the female reproductive system can also colonise the newborn. A list of these bacteria are shown in fig 1 of the appendix attached. Vertical transmission of Immunity during pregnancy is complex and one that intrigues many a soul. Till this date its mechanisms are not fully known. What is known is that a number of complex systems are involved in the process and without the foetus will either be rejected or infected by pathogens.

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Life is a journey that has its â€Å"ups and downs,† but for most of us the happy memories prevail more than those that are of our dislike do. Victor Frankenstein is one of those few persons that will not agree with me on this statement. As far as we know the story, we realize that there are plenty of moments that he is filled with joy, never the less, as time passes, he creates his own misery and every moment becomes his final doom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frankenstein’s childhood is, as we very well know, a wonderful and even an envied time. Life for him couldn’t be more perfect, he had amazing experiences with Elizabeth, had good relationships with his parents, and most of all he was a kid who knew no limits or prohibitions. He says, â€Å"No human being could have passed a happier childhood that myself1,† which just couldn’t state more clearly the amazing in fancy he had. Moreover, he continues saying that â€Å"We [Elizabeth and himself] felt that they [his parents] were not tyrants to rule out lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights which we enjoyed2.† This sentence makes me think that he can’t even complain about a single episode in his early times, they were just about perfection. Life goes on and the older people get, the more knowledge they obtain, and so did Frankenstein. He began with self-instruction and continued studies in Ingolstadt, which may sound terrific, but we know that his thirst for knowledge was one of the reasons that led him to misery. He sets away that wonderful world of joy and friends for a filthy laboratory and a dream that is consumed of ambition. In my personal opinion I think that the opportunity he had in going away for college was worth gold, but it doesn’t explain the fact that he ceases the relationship with his family and friends. He know it and he reveals it when he says, â€Å"And the same feelings which made me neglect the scenes around me caused me also to forget those friends who were so many miles absent, and whim I had not seen for a long time3.† Here is when he first begins to suffer from his own cause and his own fault. His misery was enriched when the monster was finally completed and further more, when his brother William dies and Justine is found guilty for a crime she didn’t commit.

The Importance Of Learning Spanish :: Learning Spanish

As we approach the 21st century and as the idea of a "global village" is fast becoming a reality, it is vital that we enlarge our worldview and reach an understanding of, and appreciation for, the cultures of the other peoples who share the planet with us. As cultural beings, we are raised with an certain way of giving order to the world around us. Very soon, these "cultural filters," which allow us to make sense of reality and shape it, become fixed, invisible and unconscious; they are part of our worldview which - as unique as we might think it is - rests on the shared values of a particular linguistic community. This network of basic assumptions which affects everything in our life (love, family, friendship, child rearing, work, sense of community and of our place within it, view of nature, sense of self, etc.) is never put into question until it is brought to our awareness by the clash with another system, different from our own. Language, which is the bearer of culture par excellence, opens the door to the world of the other and gives us the means to apprehend other ways of viewing our common world and our common humanity. Why study Spanish? Beyond the argument just made for the truly cosmopolitan view, there are, for the US citizen, compelling internal and external reasons. First, one has to consider the rise of the Hispanic community within our midst. The US Census Bureau shows that the Latinos residing in the United States total about 27 million people and make up almost 10% of the population. Projections indicate that, by the year 2050, almost half of the US population could be Spanish speaking. This fact has strong implications for employment, not only in the Southern belt ( from Florida to California ) but also in all major cities of the nation. In the job market, the bilingual employee will increasingly have the edge over other candidates, especially in the service sector. But employment is only part of the picture. The Hispanic community with its pride in its old traditions - native and European - its own cultural diversity, its strong family values, its artistic genius and its rich literature, will make its own unique and distinct contributions to the living cultural tapestry of this nation - today and tomorrow. Learning Spanish is essentially learning to relate to our next door neighbor and, more than ever, this makes sense.

Edgar Allen Poe Essay examples -- essays research papers fc

Edgar Allan Poe; A Man of Secrecy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 as Edgar Poe. He was the second son to Elizabeth Arnold Poe and David Poe. Both parents were actors, and shortly after Poe’s birth, his father deserted his family around 1810. Edgar became an orphan before the age of three years, when his mother died on December 8, 1811 in Richmond, Virginia at the age of twenty-four years. His father died at the age of twenty-seven years old. After his mother’s death, the childless couple, John and Frances Allan, took in Poe; his paternal grandparents took in brother William Henry; and foster parents cared for sister Rosalie. Allan was a strict and unemotional tobacco merchant and his wife was overindulgent. Poe was educated by the Allan’s aid, in private academies, excelling in Latin, in writing verse and declamation. However, regardless of his education, he was looked down upon by the upper class of society, perhaps because Poe was never legally adopted by the Al lan’s, nonetheless he was regarded as an outsider by the Richmond elite. However, being the child of former actor’s could have also added to his reputation of not fitting in with Richmond’s culture at that time. The loss of his mother at an early age definitely affected Poe, â€Å"The angels, whispering to one another, Can find, among their burning terms of love, None so devotional as that of ‘Mother’† (To My Mother). In Tamerlane, he not only wrote about his father, but he wrote about his mother too. He had more respect for his mother than he did for his father. In Tamerlane he speaks much nicer of his mother. â€Å"O, she was worthy of all love! Love – as in infancy was mine – ‘Twas such as angel minds above Might envy; her young heart the shrine on which my every hope and thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tamerlane). He thought of life with his mother and how it might have been.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1831 Poe moved to Baltimore to live with his aunt, Maria Clemm. There he fell in love and married her daughter and his cousin Virginia Clemm, who was not even fourteen at the time. Ten years later she also died of tuberculosis. He dearly loved his wife and after she died his life just went to pieces. In â€Å"The Raven†, the character is morning over the death of â€Å"Lenore† when a raven visits him. Poe used the raven because it is a bird that feeds on dead flesh – a symbol of death. â€Å"... ... of common usage—it is the work of nine tenths of his critism† (221). Edgar Allan Poe was in fact born before his time! Works Cited Bohner, Charles H. â€Å"The John Hopkins Press†. John Pendleton Kennedy URL: http.//www.usna.edu/EnglishDept/poeperplex/kennedyp.htm (21 July 2000). Buranelli, Vincent. Edgar Allan Poe. Boston: Twayne Publishers. URL: http.//:www.toolcity.net/~zrm/lit/telltale/html (21 July 2000). Ljunguist Kent P. Edgar Allan Poe. ‘Guide to Literary Theory & Critism†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  URL: http.//www.press.jhu.edu/books/hopinks_guide_to_literary_theory/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  entries/edgar_allan_poe.html (20 July 2000). Ljunguist Kent P. Edgar Allan Poe. The World Book Encyclopedia. 2nd Edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chicago, Ill: World Book Inc, 1987. Vol. 15. Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849. The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poe. New York: Modern Library, 1992. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 5th Edition. New York, New York: Norton & Company, 1999.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

The Influence of Rationalism on the French Revolution

Ben Jorgensen Professor Wakefield English 5 3 April 2013 The Influence of Rationalism on the French Revolution What was the driving force behind the French Revolution? Many people may say it was financial, or political, and while I would agree that these things were part of the force that propelled the French Revolution, I would assert that the philosophies of the Enlightenment were the dominant force that blasted late eighteenth century France into revolution .In his article, â€Å"The French Revolution: Ideas and Ideologies â€Å"Maurice Cranston of History Today articulates that the Enlightenment philosophies were pivotal in the revolutions inception. He writes that: â€Å"The philosophes undoubtedly provided the ideas. † Cranston goes on to write that: â€Å"†¦the unfolding of the Revolution, what was thought, what was said, and what was advocated, was expressed in terms and categories that came from political theorists of the Enlightenment. While many of the Enlig htenment concepts contributed to the revolution, I would propose that the philosophy of rationalism was foundational to the French Revolution because of its reliance on reason, and its opposition to superstition. Rationalism in its epistemology is defined by the Online Oxford Dictionary as: â€Å"A belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response. The Online Encyclopedia Britannica adds: â€Å"Holding that reality itself has an inherently logical structure, the rationalist asserts that a class of truths exists that the intellect can grasp directly. † There are many types and expressions of rationalism, but the most influential expressions of rationalism pertaining to the French Revolution were in ethics and metaphysics. The first modern rationalist philosopher was Rene Descartes (1596-1650).The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states that: â€Å"Descartes is known as the father of mod ern philosophy precisely because he initiated the so-called epistemological turn that is with us still. † Descartes interest in philosophy stemmed from a fascination with the question of whether humans could know anything for certain. Descartes desired to create a philosophy that was as solid as say the concepts of algebra, or geometry, a philosophy based purely on quantifiable reason and logic.In this way, Rene Descartes laid the foundation for philosophies built on reason as opposed to superstition, chief among them: rationalism. While Rene Descartes defined the terms and laid down the agenda for the philosophy of rationalism, Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) and Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716) completed the triad for the chief philosophers of rationalism. Spinoza and Leibniz took the terms and agenda of Descartes philosophy of rationalism, and developed their own views on rationalism, both publishing a number of books, and journals on their rationalist philosophies.Although these e arly modern philosophers of rationalism did not directly influence the French Revolution, it cannot be doubted that their general epistemological philosophy of rationalism helped create a new way of thinking in which man was not ordained by God to rule over other men, but that it was through reason of the mind that man chose to be ruler or subject. The French Revolution began between the years 1787 and 1789.It is no wonder that the revolution occurred at this time when the Enlightenment was in its prime, shining light onto the social and political issues of the day with new philosophies like rationalism that challenged the old feudalistic and monarchist regimes of Europe that were built on irrationality and superstition. William Doyle, in his book, â€Å"The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction,† conveys that the French Revolution was: â€Å"†¦triggered by King Louis XVI’s attempt to avoid bankruptcy. (19) However, while the trigger was financial, the soc ial and political rumblings of the Third estate is what shook, and toppled the old regime under Louis XVI, afterword which came to be called the ancien regime by the French people. Author William Doyle says that: â€Å"In political terms pre-revolutionary France was an absolute monarchy. The King shared his powers with nobody, and was answerable for its exercise to nobody but God. (21) The ancien regime government lacked reason, but was bursting with more than its fair share of divine laws and rights that the â€Å"creator† had set in place in order to insure social stability. In fact, as Doyle points out in his book, this concept that God had set forth a divine law to be followed was directly stated in a document that parliament wrote: â€Å"This social order is not only essential to the practice of every sound government: it has its origin in divine law. (24) The document goes on to say that: â€Å"The infinite and immutable wisdom in the plan of the universe established an unequal distribution of strength and character, necessarily resulting in inequality in the conditions of men within the civil order†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (24) This document summed up the ancien regimes ideology: God has placed the king the clergy, and aristocracy above the common people and that is how it is, because that is how it has been.The words irrational, divine, and superstitious come up many times when describing the ancien regimes government and society; in fact, these things were actually integral to the maintenance of government and society in France during the ancien regime. Indeed, you could not have this form of government without divine law, irrational organization, and superstitious beliefs. The rumblings of the French Revolution began as rates of literacy increased.With the rise in literacy, the French people demanded more newspapers, and books, and as much as the aristocracy and Church tried to filter what the public read, the French people began to read the writings of philosophers like, Leibniz, Spinoza, Descartes, Voltaire, and Montesquieu. With this increase in literacy, and thus knowledge, the French people became more involved in politics than they originally had been. Now Louis the XVI was scrutinized for his actions, for his mishandling of his citizens finances.Now the people of France came to expect their King to act for his people in observance of laws, as a representative of the people, instead of a man who had divine superiority over them. William Doyle writes that: â€Å" in the eighteenth century these expectations were reinforced by the widespread conviction that since nature had herself (as Isaac Newton had shown) worked by invariable laws and not divine caprice, human affairs should also be conducted so far as was possible according to fixed and regular principles, rooted in rationality, in which the scope of arbitrariness was reduced to a minimum. To have a government and society â€Å"Rooted in rationality† was what th e French revolutionaries so passionately fought to attain. In his book Europe in Retrospect, Raymond F. Betts writes that â€Å"It must be remembered that the French Revolution was the first major social revolution, of far greater dimensions and of deeper purpose than the American Revolution that had preceded it. Betts continues to explain in his book that the ideology of the French Revolution was unique for its time in what it sought to accomplish, and what it stood for: â€Å"To sweep away the old and begin the new was the liberal solution; it was predicated upon the assumption that human nature was essentially good, mankind essentially rational, and the purpose of life the ‘pursuit of earthly happiness. † The assumption that humankind was rational was a belief that the revolutionaries espoused, but I would also say that the French Revolution was built on a belief that government, society, and the individual were all capable of thriving on reason, in part on the phil osophy of rationalism. Although many events that took place during the French Revolution were controversial, and at times the actions taken by the revolutionaries were irrational, the French Revolution originated from a place of enlightenment.Indeed, more specifically, from the philosophies of the Enlightenment, and while many of the philosophies of the Enlightenment contributed to the inception of the French Revolution, the philosophy of rationalism contradicted so much of pre-r revolutionary French society that to subscribe to rationalism at that time was a revolution in itself. Steven Kreis of The History Guide. com summarizes the eventual results of the Revolution eloquently stating that: â€Å"Man had entered a stage in human history characterized by his emancipation from superstition, prejudice, cruelty and enthusiasm.Liberty had triumphed over tyranny. New institutions were created on the foundations of reason and justice and not authority or blind faith. The barriers to fre edom, liberty, equality and brotherhood were torn down. Man had been released from otherworldly torment and was now making history! † Works Cited Cranston, Maurice. â€Å"The French Revolution: Ideas and Ideologies. † History Today. History Today, 1989. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Doyle, William. The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: New York, 2001. Print.Kreis, Steven. â€Å"Lecture 11: The Origins of the French Revolution. † Lecture 11: The Origins of the French Revolution. The History Guide. com, 30 Oct. 2006. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. Lennon, Thomas M. , and Shannon Dea. â€Å"Continental Rationalism. † The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Fall 2012 ed. N. d. Web. â€Å"Rationalism Definition. † Oxford Dictionaries Online (US). N. p. , n. d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Rationalism†. Encyclop? dia Britannica. Encyclop? dia Britannica Online. Encyclop? dia Britannica Inc. , 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2013

George Orwell 1984 Essay

In this essay I intend to investigate experiences and historical events in Orwell’s lifetime. These events may have significantly influenced Orwell’s style, structure and theme, contributing to the political and artistic nature of his novel. I also intend to compare the contradictory interpretations of Orwell’s ‘message’. Did he intend 1984 as a warning, a prediction, or a historical novel? Despite its critics 1984 has made a significant impression on the modern world. Its infiltration into reality television may not be a tribute Orwell would have appreciated but many of his terms and phrases have been used to highlight threats to social and personal freedom. I will use this as a basis to ascertain whether there are other aspects of Orwell’s novel that have become reality in the modern world. 1984 by George Orwell was written in1947/48. This era has been referred to as ‘The age of anxiety, the age of the lost generation’. (www. historyguide. org/europe/lecture10) It was a nightmare world where individuality was lost. The totalitarian states of the time, exercised complete control over the lives of their human subjects. The Great War (World War One) facilitated totalitarian regimes, simply because war has only one objective: victory. â€Å"Individuality is sacrificed for collectivism and freedom is restricted as governments reject liberal values†. (www. historyguide. org/europe/lecture10) This mood of anxiety and conformity, is clearly illustrated in 1984; this is portrayed in the early pages of the novel and is maintained throughout. Orwell cleverly uses his descriptive talent, to set the scene for his reader. At the very beginning of his novel ‘the vile wind, the swirl of gritty dust’ (Page 4) projects a negative image of life in 1984. The maintenance of these visual images is preserved and comparisons, between post-war Britain and 1984, are recognisable. Examples of these are the shortages, rationing and the bombsites of the 1940’s. Orwell successfully engages the readers’ senses to conjure up images within the mind of the reader. ‘The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats’. (Page 4) I found phrases like this one actually made me feel the squalor and deprivation he was describing. The use of visual cues is also a theme, which starts on the first page of Orwell’s novel. He continually presents images that could be describing London during the 1940’s, but are in fact describing life in 1984. ‘A coloured poster too large for indoor display has been tacked to the wall ’(Page 4) Orwell has managed to reaffirm the squalid surroundings by the use of the word ‘tacked’ before he has even described the poster. ‘It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a metre wide: the face of a man of about forty-five with heavy black moustache and ruggedly hand-some features’. Many have suggested that Orwell based his character â€Å"Big Brother† the leader of the party on Stalin and Hitler because they all shared similar physical characteristics and had the ability to â€Å"manipulate the minds of the masses†. (The Worlds Most Evil Men). However, Churchill was also â€Å"recognised for his skill in altering peoples minds†(The History Of World War II) which could be interpreted that, the people of the 1940’s were being manipulated, regardless of their countries political status. His creative talent excelled itself with the name of his totalitarian leader. Big Brother conveys an image of trust and loyalty with the idea that he is a member of your family who is a figure affording protection and security. This is a complete contradiction to the lives of the Russian citizens under Stalin or the German people during Hitler’s rein and indeed the population of nineteen eighty four had little opportunity to feel safe. The naming of other characters within his novel, I suspect, had a deeper meaning. For example Emmanuel Goldstein’s face was described as It resembled the face of a sheep and the voice, too, had a sheep like quality. The significance of this description becomes more meaningful if you look at a poster (see appendix 1) used during World War II. Henri Guigon represented Churchill as a British bulldog in an American poster. To the whole world Britain’s new prime minister epitomised the stubborn and proud nature of the British. Orwell uses animals for descriptive comparison frequently in his writing but the use of a sheep, in this instance, is a curious choice. The character Goldstein is the leader of the opposition and sheep like qualities conjure up images of low intelligence and all following the crowd. This is a form of sarcasm that implies ridicule, disapproval, or contempt Sarcasm often includes an element of irony. Winston’s description of the opposition is not dissimilar to party members. Orwell could have been expressing his concerns with how Churchill’s War Cabinet, had on occasions, behaved no differently from the fascist regimes of the era. News was censored, wages controlled and travel restricted under the guise of wartime necessity. (Guardian 2002). However Goldstein is a Jewish name and World War II had just ended when this book was being written. Goldstein is used as a scapegoat in 1984, which has, parallels with the Nazis attempt to blame their problems on the Jews. In my opinion the name of Orwell’s main character Winston Smith also had a deeper, if somewhat personal meaning. Orwell was a dying man, when he wrote this novel, and he was probably aware it would be his final legacy to the world. He had a reluctant admiration for Churchill. Although he did not always agree with his policies he admired him not only for his courage but also a certain â€Å"largeness and geniality†. The History Of World War II) This admiration was expressed in the form of poetry that he rarely wrote. (See appendix 2). It is a fitting acknowledgement of this respect, that Winston became the name of his primary character. Smith is simply a very common English name, which gives the impression that Winston Smith is a very ordinary citizen not dissimilar to oneself. The caption under the Big Brother posters read â€Å" Big Brother is watching you† (Page 4) Orwell’s use of capital letters for this caption, and indeed others later in the book, gives increased impact to the reader of the significance of these words. It gives a sense of the controlling nature of the society in which the citizens of 1984 lived; constantly being watched by the eyes of Big Brother. It was similar to the blackouts enforced during World War II where wardens’ patrolled neighbourhood, and failure to conform, resulted in humiliating offenders in front of their neighbours. (The History Of World War II) The use of posters and slogans in Orwell’s novel may well have been inspired by the vast array of similar images used during World War II. England and Germany, among others, used large images, in a poster format, to send messages to their people. These were used to encourage conformity, solidarity and patriotism within each nation. At times they were also used to inflate morale at home and abroad, while at the same time humiliating and ridiculing their opponents. (See appendix 3) A good example of this, used in World War II, is the appearance of ‘V’ on walls in German- occupied Belgium. The Flemish speaking Belgians would interpret this as ‘vrijheid’, which means freedom, and the French speaking Belgians would understand this to mean ‘victoire’ (victory). This is a cruel psychological attack on an already defeated nation. Winston describes party slogans, in 1984, on the walls of buildings, which also have contradictory meanings. â€Å"War is peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength† (Page 6) Orwell uses this type of psychological approach in different ways throughout his novel. Orwell’s wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy (1905-1945) had a degree in psychology from Oxford University. Obtained in the 1920’s this would have been a significant achievement for a woman at that time and her influence on Orwell’s writing has been recognised. Eileen wrote a poem called â€Å"End Of The Century, 1984†(1934). There are similarities between the futuristic vision of Eileen’s poem and Orwell’s 1984, including mind control and the destruction of personal freedom. (www. arlindo-correia) The aggression, described by Winston, during the two-minute hate, and the hangings could have been influenced by Eileen’s psychological knowledge. There are various psychological theories as to why people display aggression. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed aggressive impulses are a reaction to frustrations of daily lives. This theory could easily be applied to the citizens in 1984. Freud’s theories were very influential during the 1940’s/50’s and his written articles had an almost political language, when referring to human behaviour, which may have appealed to Orwell’s political and artistic nature. Behavioural psychologists believe behaviour is learnt through reinforcement; their theory is that humans respond to social reinforcement such as social approval. In the 1940’s solidarity and conformity in Britain was achieved via camaraderie â€Å"every one doing their bit†. (Yesterdays Britain) In 1984 it was built on fear. In the following quote Winston describes what happens to citizens who don’t conform to the party’s political orthodoxy. In the vast majority of cases there was no trial, no report of the arrest. People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was removed from the registers, everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized. (Page 22) This type of enforcement was common after the death of Lenin in 1924. His successor Josef Stalin turned a popular revolution based on freedom and equality, into a totalitarian dictatorship maintained solely by terror. He said â€Å"The death of a man is a tragedy; the death of a thousand is a statistic† (World Most Evil Men). A census in 1937 estimated that Russia’s population was twenty million short of what it should have been, although this information was withheld and emigration and famine were factors Stalin’s purges accounted for millions of deaths during his rule. Winston describes the use of purges during the formation of the party. The intense anger and hatred that Winston describes are characteristic of mob behaviour and learning. The characters of Orwell’s novel show almost animal like hatred for the opposition and hero worship for Big Brother. This behaviour appears unrealistic, but if you look at Britain during World War II there are some striking similarities. The people of Britain were suffering a savage war with horrors, deprivation, shortages and bombings. Death and loss were a constant threat, yet ordinary British people obeyed government instructions â€Å"keep calm and carry on†. The conformity of the people of 1984 is portrayed in different ways firstly; party uniforms remove any possibility of individuality. The idea that men and women wore the same uniform also removed gender as a source of identity. ‘ I’m going to get hold of a real women’s frock from somewhere and wear it instead of these bloody trousers’. Julia goes on to say ‘In this room I’m going to be a woman, not a party comrade’. (Page 164) During the war women’s role changed and they were required to do the work previously done by men. The uniforms they wore, although practical, had a distinctly masculine appearance. Clothing was rationed until March 1949 and women had learnt to live independently. The Bible (Deuteronomy 22. 5) clearly states, â€Å"The women shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man† highlighting the social unacceptability of women wearing trousers. This did not change until the 1960’s. Gender identity refers to the psychological and biological dimensions of sex. Freud (1925) described this as â€Å"Psychical consequences of anatomical distinction between the sexes†(Freud 1925) In the modern world, there is legislation that prohibits discrimination, because of a person’s gender identity, which is part of the human rights laws. (www. ransgenderlaw. org) Although Orwell gives his characters names, the society he is describing mainly refer to each other as comrade. This was also a common term used in Nazi Germany, during World War II. Removing the use of personal names is another means of removing an individual’s identity and individuality. The party is all-powerful, friendships and family structure is suppressed to limit the possibility of divided loyalties. The party demands absolute loyalty in thought and deed. Children are brainwashed via organization such as the Junior Spies and Youth Groups these are similar to Adolph Hitler’s Youth League, during World War II. Education was designed to suppress independent thought and sources of information were restricted and controlled. In the 1940’s most educational establishments, educated children via the ‘didactic model’ sometimes called teacher- centred teaching. This method is where knowledge is passed from teacher to pupil. The teacher speaks and the pupil’s listen. In the modern world students are educated via the ‘critical method’ this is sometimes called ‘student-centred learning’. This is a process where students are taught to explore, question and formulate truth and opinions for themselves. The use of investigating, discussing and debating are used to facilitate the development of independent thought. (Pollard1998) One of the most chilling depictions of the repressive and controlling nature of life in 1984, in my opinion, is the inclusion of the telescreen.. â€Å"The telescreen receives and transmitted simultaneously, you had to live did live, from habit that became instinctive in the assumption that every sound you made was over heard, and except in darkness, every movement scrutinised†. Page 5) The use of the telescreen was an ingenious concept, taking into account the era. Technology was primitive compared to the modern world. However, the military during World War II improved radar and rockets, this enabled the post war development of television (1946) and close circuit television (CCTV) (1949). The Star newspaper (January 14 1949) included an article explaining a â€Å"New system of television being used to aid road safety†. This system carried signa ls direct from a camera to a screen with both visual and audio reception, this was known as CCTV. The summer of 1949 saw the technology and the knowledge but not the resources available to launch satellites (The Star 1949) which we now know can be used to monitor, observe and transmit around the world. In today’s society Britain has earned a reputation as a world leader of surveillance. It is estimated that the average British citizen is caught on camera up to three hundred times per day (The Star 2005). However, observation of British citizens is not a new concept. During World War II mass observation was the government’s way of keeping in touch with the mood of the people. Tom Harrison, the director of mass observation called for observers to monitor war morale. Citizens’ reactions in cinemas were monitored to perceive the mood of the nation (Yesterdays Britain). Orwell used irony extensively through out his novel. For example He was alone: no telescreen, no ear at the keyhole, no nervous impulse to glance over his shoulder or cover the page with his hand. (Page 214) This contradicts appearance with reality and allows the reader to understand Winston’s motives and rebellion. Later the reader is informed that in fact the telescreen is hidden behind a picture, which was offered for sale by Mr Charrington earlier in the novel. This suggests to the reader that an enemy is not always obvious. The friend and foe situation between the Communists and the Nazi’s during the 1940’s is a clear example of a hidden enemy. In the present world, America and Britain are fighting a War on terrorism. It appears ironic that we are fighting a war against an unknown enemy; at home and abroad. Orwell’s character Winston Smith is frequently concerned with the parties’ alteration of facts and history. The quote â€Å"He who controls the past controls the future† is a terrifying notion. The alteration of history, whether personal or social removes individuality and identity it also, to a certain extent, changes reality into anything the ruling party deems it to be. Stalin, after the Russian revolution, had history rewritten to magnify his part in events. Trotsky’s part had been erased from Soviet textbooks. (Time Archive 1940) For information and historical events to be constant and unalterable they need to be remembered. Humans have a complex memory system, which enables information received from the environment to be processed. Short-term memory (STM) is information that is held temporarily and long-term memory (LTM) is a permanent storage system. For information to pass from STM into LTM individuals need to pay attention to the received information. Repetition, relearning and making the information meaningful help to maintain the information permanently. Orwell’s 1984 society appears to be attempting to remove LTM from its citizens. Information is received via telescreens but due to poor LTM development this information can be altered without the individual remembering the original information. This is achievable partly due to the act that new information interferes with previous memories. Orwell expressed his concerns (Politics and the English language) that government officials debating on historic events trivialised the truth and found ways to convince everyone that history never happened or happened but it didn’t mater any way. Young children have a limited memory capacity due to underdevelopment of the pre frontal cortex but also because they are not particularly interested in remembering the past thus make little effort to develop ways of making memories meaningful, which also makes recall more difficult. Orwell use’s this concept in his novel in a variety of ways. Firstly the characters in 1984 are more concerned with survival than the past. The present is more relevant to this aim than events from the past. With the invention of Newspeak, the official language of Oceania it enables the party to restrict speech, thought and consequently memory. Many in today’s society, would suggest that politicians have perfected their own form of â€Å"Newspeak†. The use of text messaging is also a modern day form of newspeak. Orwell was concerned with the use, or misuse of the English language. He felt that words with variable meaning were often used with the intent to deceive and that language was intended for expression not concealing or preventing thought. In the modern world the media is required to present a ‘balanced’ coverage of news and public affaires. However this results in a form of ‘double think’ in which truth is immediately neutered by an opposite truth. The second section of Orwell’s novel deals mainly with the love affair between the characters Winston and Julia. This gives the novel direction and hope. However, the inclusion of â€Å"the book† makes this a difficult section to read. Orwell’s intentions may well have been to explain the futility of war where there are no winners or indeed losers; just simply the maintenance of war. Hitler wrote a book called Mein Kampf (My Struggle) outlining his vision of the future of Germany. It was a ranting, sometimes unreadable vision of the future of Germany (The world’s most evil men). This may have been the inspiration for the inclusion of â€Å"the book† in Orwell’s novel. Orwell uses various figurative language through out his novel, this gives the writing greater power of expression and meets Orwell’s criteria for artistic purpose (Why I Write). For example the melodramatic use of the nursery rhyme â€Å"Oranges and lemons†, say the bells of St Clements’s! (Page 112) Is an epigram, the rhyme symbolizes, in an almost child like way, the past. Orwell maintains the original historical names of the London churches before the formation of the party. Through this symbolic representation it gives Winston hope that, fragments of the past can survive. Other characters gradually piece together the rhyme until Charington finally completes it during the capture of Winston and Julia. These Churches are recognisable in London today and keep the novel relevant after the year 1984. Orwell uses innuendo with the words â€Å"we shall meet in the place where there is no darkness† (Page 118). Winston believes these words are from O’Brien but Orwell manages to keep the origin and the significance of these words unknown until Winston and Julia are captured. This creates and develops a sense of foreboding and suspense, which maintains the controlling and manipulating society, which is being portrayed in 1984. Winston’s dreams of the â€Å"Golden Country† are the direct opposite of his reality in 1984. They represent peace, beauty, unity and uniqueness. These are Freudian theories as they reveal Winston’s subconscious. The capture and subsequent torture of Winston shows a curious, horrific and terrifying journey. The absolute and total destruction of the mind and body. However, the language and tone is calm and detached with surprisingly little malice, anger or hatred. This gives a deeper more powerful description of what Orwell is suggesting the future could be. It also gives the character O’Brien a more complex personality. He is constantly switching between ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy’. This intrigues the reader, as well as Winston. Is he friend or foe? He has the â€Å"power† to do good or evil, which will he choose? Orwell is using an interesting psychological theory. He is suggesting that not all evil men are bad all the time and thus good people do not always act nicely. The reader is left with a feeling of wanting to like O’Brien but at the same time hating him for his cruelty. This strange relationship is as contradictory and confusing as Churchill and Roosevelt’s involvement with Stalin (1939). Despite the catastrophic purges, and the negative value that Stalin had demonstrated over human life, they still became allies. Churchill said of Stalin, at the Yalta summit, â€Å"I walk through the world with greater courage when I find myself in a relationship of friendship and intimacy with this great man. † Stalin concealed a cruel and calculating nature prepared to commit war crimes at least as evil as those of the enemy. (Worlds Most Evil Men) Winston represents mankind (us)†If you are a man, Winston, you are the last man. †(Page 309) Winston’s torture and re-education is his or our chance to save humanity, freedom, individuality, choice, beliefs and the right to be different. Orwell has used psychological manipulation of the mind to project a horrific interpretation of the destruction of mankind Orwell uses a terrifying concept, by taking Stalin and Hitler’s atrocities to a whole new level: total and absolute conformity in life as well as in death. So long as human beings stay human, death and life are the same thing. (Page 156) Orwell’s novel in my opinion is a plausible projection of the future as he saw it in 1948. Projections of the future, often allows the reader to become detached because the people appear different from oneself. However, Orwell creates characters that are not dissimilar from us (the reader). The inclusion of the proletarians, that cleverly maintain sentimental songs and normal human compassion, also prevents detachment and preserves recognisable modern parallels. The setting of this novel is used to maintain the past, the present and the future. For example, the central administration building of The University of London which was used during World War II as the headquarters for the ministry of information. All censoring systems were coordinated from here. It bears a striking resemblance to the Ministry of Love described in 1984 and amusingly its telegraphic address was â€Å"miniform†. (www. orwelltoday. com) All other significant buildings, described in 1984 can be located in London today. This was probably Orwell’s intention and it keeps the novel viable even after the year 1984. In returning to the original question I feel I have demonstrated that George Orwell used many sources of inspiration, from the world, in his writing of 1984 and it powerfully reflects the times in which it was written. After the publication of Animal Farm (1945) Orwell explained that he intended â€Å"to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole†(Why I Write). This suggests that Orwell was concerned with Britain’s future. Even with overwhelming evidence of the evil nature of the Stalin regime, they still became allies with Britain and America. Malcolm Muggeride said of Orwell â€Å"He loved the past, hated the present and dreaded the future. I strongly believe that Orwell intended 1984, as a warning of what the world could become, not necessarily what it would become, if ‘we’ (the future) did not take action and responsibility. Orwell has left a legacy, a permanent warning. For the present and the future, to prevent the formation of the totalitarian states of the past. His terminology has given modern day man, the language to express themselves and to protect civil liberties and influence human rights. 1984 is a political satire that exaggerates all that was wrong with the world in 1949 to hopefully shock and horrify a nation into action and prevent this type of society becoming a reality. Although the date of the book has passed the message is still clear and in some ways more relevant today, than when it was written. The advances in technology have made the surveillance and monitoring of citizens easier and more commonplace. Freedom, in the true sense of the word still depends on where you live, your age and your gender. However, I feel Orwell’s novel should be recognised for its extraordinary impact and significant contribution to human rights in the modern world. Although Orwell’s warning has been subjected to many interpretations I feel a novelist is supposed to make you think and possibly reflect: you must agree, job well done. Despite its critics 1984 has sold millions of copies and has been translated into 65 languages.

The experiences of family members who provide care for their relatives with Alzheimer’s disease

Taking care of an elderly relative can be quite challenging. When this relative is diagnosed with a terminal condition, with no known opportunity for recovery additional challenges are added. Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating condition which paralyzes the patient’s ability to function normally and thus require personal care from either a nursing professional or an at-home care provider in the form of a family member.Since the survival rate with the disease could reach to as much as 15 to 20 years (Coen et al. , 1999), caring for an AD patient is a long-term commitment. The experiences encountered by these caregivers must be quite unique and would of course vary among families. It is useful therefore to discover some of the commonly challenges faced by caregivers in order to obtain a better understanding of the issue and to develop appropriate strategies to address the issues.2. 0 Literature Review Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among ol der people (Coen, O’Boyle, Swanwick & Coakley, 1999).Dementia is a slow-onset neurodegenerative disorder marked by a severe decline of cognitive abilities (Ward, 2007) with obvious effects on daily life, mostly memory, which seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. AD begins slowly. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know.According to Carradice, Beail & Shankland (2003) this disease is more common among those persons older than eighty years. Given that there is a noted increase in life expectancy where more and more persons are living longer it is quite understandable that the incidents of dementia are also increasing (Zarit & Edwards, 1996). The prognosis for elderly patients with AD is quite dismal. While there are treatment options available that may improve some of the behavioural and cognitive ill ef fectives of the disease.No treatment current exists that will halt the progression of the disease of lead to full recovery (Mittelman, 2002). In order to ensure that the condition is controlled as far as possible and that AD patients are well cared for long-term care options have to be sought. While there are countless long-term care institutions, many with qualified nursing and other medical personnel to cater to the needs of the AD patient, most AD patients are given this long-term care within the domestic situation, primarily by family members (Coen et al., 1999). Research indicates that family members are the ones who are more often than not responsible for providing care for their relatives with Alzheimer’s disease (Mittelman, 2002; Tettelman & Watts, 2004 and Caregiving & Alzheimer’s Disease, 2004). In fact health professions usually feel it best that the elderly continue living at home for as long as possible (Teeri, Leino-Kilpi & Valimaki, 2006), and the elderl y themselves also desire to be home (Aggarwal, 2003).Additionally researchers have often criticized institutions on the basis that often many elderly are registered in these institutions against their wishes and are also often unhappy in these non-private situations (Teeri et al. , 2006). However for those relatives who opt to provide care for AD patients there are considerable day to day strains and difficulties that they face. The financial burden is one of the most apparent. Grahm (2001) highlights that the costs of taking care of an elderly relative are very overwhelming, particularly one who has suffered a stroke or who has AD.Statistics suggest that the usual cost of taking care of an elderly relative ranges between $148 and $158 billion dollars (Caregiving & Alzheimer’s, 2004). Most research has, however, discovered that the greatest challenges for at home caregivers to elderly AD patients is not so much the financial burden, but the psychosocial and emotional difficul ties faced by these caregivers. Thus considerable attention has been paid not only to the dismal prognosis of those suffering from the disease but also those who have to provide at-home care for Alzheimer’s patients.Various researchers have attempted to isolate the various challenges faced by caregivers of AD patients. Grahm (2001) contends that the pressures faced by caregivers are of both an emotional and physical nature. Gwyther (as cited in Caregiving & Alzheimer’s Disease, 2004) mentions chronic stress and decrease health as one of the ill effects of caring for the elderly. Tettleman and Watts (2004) also allude to stress in additional to mental strain as issues of concern faced by these caregivers.Anxiety (Caregiving & Alzheimer’s Disease, 2004), fatigue and depression (Mittelman, 2002) and psychological distress (Carradice et al. , 2003) are other issues commonly noted in the literature. The preoccupation of researchers examining this disease is, therefor e, not only on the debilitating effects that it has on the patient but also the demands that are placed on caregivers who are required to take care of these patients. Evidently caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease at home is not without its challenges as significant strains are put on the caregivers.Each individual situation where a family member is responsible for taking care of a relative with Alzheimer’s disease comes with its own challenges and it is very difficult to generalize specifically about the experiences of these caregivers. This study will seek to identify and categorize some of the more common experiences shared by them. This research will be of considerable importance to medical practitioners who have to interact with patients and their families as well as to the individual family members/caregivers.The findings from this research will be useful to current caregivers in helping them realize that other persons face the same challenges as they do and therefore a network of caregivers facing similar problems could be formed where they formulate strategies to deal with problems together. Medical professional would also have this information and could share this with new caregivers that enter their offices in order to prepare them for the challenges ahead. 3. 0 Research design and justificationConsiderable research has been conducted on the problems associated with Alzheimer’s and challenges that have been associated with caring for a patient with Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research has highlighted the challenges faced by caregivers of ill relative but not much research has focused specifically on the condition of Alzheimer’s disease (Teeri et al. , 2006). Where research was specific to Alzheimer’s disease, the focus on caregivers was not specific to family members providing this kind of care, but generalized on the various categories of caregivers including compensated professionals (Ellor, 20 05; Teeri et al., 2006). Further, research has failed to classify the problems faced by these family caregivers and place them into meaningful categories (Mittelman, 2002; Caregiving & Alzheimer’s Disease, 2004). This will be a qualitative study explaining the common experiences of family members who are caring for elderly relatives at home. Where other researchers were not specific to Alzheimer’s disease this research will be exclusive to this category of caregivers. The experiences of a cross-section of such caregivers will be compared and analyzed for common themes.Unlike previous researchers this study will conduct a comprehensive categorization of the most common experiences based on the information garnered from the caregivers. The information gathering instrument will be primarily interviews. The use of interviews to gather information has long been lauded by researchers. Interviews may either be structured where the researcher directs the line of the conversati on with specific questions requiring direct responses. Unstructured interviews allow the researcher to approach the interviewee with a general objective and allowing the conversation to flow in whatever direction it will.Both of these interview tactics have their benefits. The first forces the respondent to focus specifically on the information that is required for the purposes of the research. The second type allows the research to gather a vast amount of information, even information that was unanticipated when the research was being prepared. For the purposes of this research the unstructured interview would be quite useful as the research does not wish to restrict the extent of the responses given by the interviewees.This research will therefore add to the wealth of knowledge about the nature of Alzheimer’s disease and the direct and indirect effects it has on patient and family. This research will also help to improve understanding of the role that caregivers fulfil and the challenges they face in dealing with ill and elderly relatives, specifically those who have Alzheimer’s disease. Respondents will not be restricted in the type of responses they produce thereby allowing the researcher to get a comprehensive and true picture of the real lived situation of caring for an AD patient.