Analysis Of Scared To Death Of Dying, Article By Herbert Hendin :: essays research papers

Analysis of "Scared to Death of Dying", Article by Herbert Hendin The background for this work is that the existing conflict over legalizing assisted suicides and euthanasia could bring our values down and society apart. The problem is not legalizing or opposing to it, the real problem is to find a way to care for the terminally ill. We have the responsibility to help the terminally ill die in a decent way not killing them. If we don't have a policy or rule against this we are permitting doctors, like Jack Kevorkian, to become famous for killing people. The claim for this work is that assisted suicides and euthanasia should be illegal. The Oregon Law would allow people to die quicker and without dignity. We can see that this is true in the story of the 30 year-old man that has leukemia. He had a 25 percent chance of survival if he was medically treated; if not he was given a few months to live. When told this, the man wanted to suicide. At first he was scared but after talking with the doctor he decided to take medical treatment and be closer to his family in his final days. If this had happened under the Oregon Law, he would have asked a doctor to assist him in suicide and the doctor would have assisted him without any problem since he had no mental illness. Doctors can cause or hastened death without the patient's request. This can be seen in the Netherlands were a 30 year-old man who was H.I.V.-positive, but had no symptoms and may not develop them for years, was helped to die. Probably the doctors didn't explain that even if he had a terminal disease he could enjoy the rest of his life with his family and friend that were about to lose him. Doctors aren't trained to do this in medical school and the public doesn't know better. This is because doctors aren' t trained properly in the relief of pain and discomfort in terminally ill patients. And time should be devoted in medical schools to explain to the future doctors that there are going to be some patients that they are not going to be able to save but must address their needs. Also the public hasn't been properly educated about the choices they have at the end of their life. The purpose of this work is to create a national commission that would study the care of the terminally ill giving treatment to the dying patients. Both people who support and oppose euthanasia will be able to participate having

Perception of a Tragic Hero: “Hamlet” Essay

Perceptions and understanding of Shakespearean language evolve as time passes. It is reasonable to believe that Laertes is more of a tragic hero than Hamlet. In order for this to be seen effectively, a comparison must be made between Laertes and Hamlet. In the play Hamlet, Laertes is a character who grabs the audience’s attention. His devotion to succeed, despite disadvantages is both motivational and tragic situations, is inspirational to some extent. His portrayal as the antagonist is very effective in conveying the message that, the easy way may not always be the right path to pursue. In the end, people are accountable for their own actions. To Laertes, the urge to avenge a loved ones death was worth taking, and is understandable in all cultures. One must remember that Laertes is not only after revenge, but also after loyalty to avenge. If Laertes were to take revenge on Hamlet, this would show only that he is interested in satisfying his own needs. However, by performing t hese acts in the name of loyalty, Laertes is ensuring that his father Polonius does not die in vain. Laertes can be thought of as more of a tragic hero than Hamlet due to greater loss in his fall, the fact that he is optimistic, his nobility and him showing a tragic flaw. A tragic hero must show a considerable loss in their fall. Hamlet went through many hardships. He lost everyone close to him, but sustained his legacy. This differs from Laertes who simply died. Unlike Hamlet, who was carried out â€Å"like a soldier, to the stage; For he was likely, had he been put on, To have proved most royally,† (V, II, 390-392). Laertes was forgotten. There was no one to remember his legacy, and because of this, Laertes has more to loose in his fall than Hamlet. Hamlet on the other hand, shows little optimism, although this is crucial characteristic of a tragic hero. The audience understands the mourning of a loved one, but the time must come when people move on. In Hamlets case, the time of mourning must have past since he is the only one that continues this. Gertrude, his mother questions this behaviour. She does so by saying, â€Å"cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever with thy veiled lids Seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know’st ’tis common; all that lives must die, Passing through  nature to eternity,† (I, II, 68-73). On the other hand, Laertes, despite loosing his father by the hands of his friend Hamlet, still shows optimism. He had every reason to mourn, and would have the added feeling of betrayal, but even so, he is not as distraught as Hamlet. This goes to show that his optimism in justice will be served makes him a greater tragic hero than H amlet. However, another characteristic possessed by Laertes is that he is noble. He wins the admiration of the audience because of his bravery and non-hesitant behaviour. Not only does the audience admire this man, so do the characters of this play. We see that men follow Laertes to offer assistance where needed, â€Å"save yourself, my lord: The ocean, overpeering of his list, Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste Than young Laertes, in a riotous head,† (IV, V, 96-99). The devotion he has towards his cause can be shown with his self-sacrificial statement, â€Å"and like the kind life-rendering pelican, Repast them with my blood,† (IV, V, 143-144). Perhaps, the flaw that leads to Laertes’ detriment is that he is easily manipulated. Claudius, who is Hamlet’s uncle, uses Laertes for his own revenge on Hamlet. This begs the question if the first two blows encountered within the fencing match were intentional. Because of the death of his beloved sister, and the fact that his father was murdered, Laertes may have felt he no longer had anything to live for. His friend Hamlet can be linked to both deaths. Only towards the end is Hamlet able to rationalize his actions by saying, â€Å"this presence knows, And you must needs have heard, how I am punish’d with sore distraction. What I have done, that might your nature, honour and exception roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.† (V, II, 217-223). Another factor which would lead the audience to believe Laertes intentionally let Hamlet hit him, was that Hamlet was not confident in his own fencing skills. In this statement, Hamlet is quoted saying â€Å"I will win for him an I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits,† (V, II, 171-173). This gives circumstantial evidence that Laertes was better at the sport, and therefore let Hamlet hit him the first two times on purpose. This would go with the plan set by Claudius; the first hit, he would drink to Hamlets health and then put a poisonous gem in the  wine. The second hit, Hamlet would drink the poison. Because of this manipulation, and not seizing the appropriate opportunity, Laertes was killed by Hamlet. The flaws shown in Hamlet are that he is procrastinates and that he is indirect. Hamlet shows his procrastination with the delayed killing of Claudius. An example of when Hamlet was indirect is with his feelings towards Ophelia, Laertes sister. It is clear to see what is going through her mind, when making reference to Hamlet with this song she sings while presumed insane, â€Å"by Gis and by Saint Charity, Alack, and fie for shame! Young men will do’t, if they come to’t; By cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed. So would I ha’ done, by yonder sun, An thou hadst not come to my bed,† (IV, V, 57-62). The irony in this is that Laertes warned Ophelia earlier to be cautious of Hamlet by saying:Perhaps he loves you now, And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch The virtue of his will: but you must fear, His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own; For he himself is subject to his birth†¦ Then if he says he loves you, It fits your wisdom so far to believe it As he in his particular act and place May give his saying deed; which is no further Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. Then weigh what loss your honor may sustain, If with too credent ear you list his songs, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open To his unmaster’d importunity. Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, And keep you in the rear of your affection, Out of the shot and danger of desire (I, III, 14-35). In this statement, Laertes is warning Ophelia about Hamlet, he is telling her to watch out because of Hamlets status. He claims that Hamlet will never truly love her. Common characteristics of both Laertes and Hamlet are that they are obligated to commit murder. What is unique about this situation is that they both are compelled for the same reason, the murder of their father. Depending on the perspective of the audience, one of these two men can be looked at as a tragic hero. They both demonstrate the characteristics needed to be a tragic hero, but what separates Laertes from Hamlet is that he was optimistic from  the beginning and shows more ambition. He ventured into a journey in which he knew that he would never be successful. This did not stop him from attempting to achieve his objective. Laertes made it clear to Claudius that he would do anything in order to reach where he was going, he says:To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation. To this point I stand, That both the worlds I give to negligence, Let come what comes; only I’ll be revenged Most thoroughly for my father. (IV, V, 129-134). Hamlet on the other hand is contradictory to himself. In one scene, he talks about how he does not want to commit suicide because it is a sin, this is shown by saying, â€Å"to be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more,† (III, I, 57-62). Yet in another scene he comes up with a scheme to get Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed, and plots the same as Claudius. What divides our society on a literary level is the understanding of meanings and perspective on which we see them in. Because of our culture, the audience has the ability to analyze in a way impossible in Shakespearian time. It is understandable now that Laertes is an inspirational character that was destined on a path of failure. Despite all obstacles, he accomplished his task, which represents the ambition and virtue within all people. This inspiring struggle symbolizes similar hardships known to many. Due to this, Laertes can signify the life of a realistic character. He meets the criteria of a tragic hero and represents the eternal struggle. Laertes looses more in his fall, he showed optimism and nobility, while demonstrating a tragic flaw, and by understanding the information given above, one may conclude that the memory of Laertes will no longer be forgotten.

Fantasy Books

What if you discovered a magic spring that would keep you forever as young and vital as the day you drank from it- would you partake it? Fantasy represents that which is impossible and outside the parameters of our known reality. Although some people believe that fantasy books, movies and TV shows are corrupting the minds of teens nevertheless fantasy books should be read because they teach the difference between good and bad. Fantasy books often tend to be very appealing to teenagers and help develop their personality, which is why a lot of teenagers who previously never used to read books started reading books.Reading fantasy books such as Harry Potter and twilight instills love for reading books in young teens. These adolescents can partially relate to some of these stories, as most of the characters of the novels are the same age as the readers. Hence, teenagers undergo a similar experience, though they are restricted by realities of life. These books tend to be a temporary escap e from daily life. This is evident from the fact that before Harry Potter it was usually unheard of kids queuing in front of book shops to buy books (CITATION . Teens are interested in reading books that let them explore the world beyond their immediate surroundings. It helped them think out of the box. This allowed them to dream much bigger than they could ever before. It also develops critical reading skills of the teenagers which later helps in their academics. For example reading lengthy books such as Harry Potter, not only increases the reading speed of these children but also helps them read effectively when in class, as it helps them save time.Therefore it is beneficial not detrimental for teenagers to read fantasy books as it instills in them the habit of reading from an early age which later helps them in life. Fantasy books and movies increase the imagination and creativity of teens. When a teenager reads fantasy books and watches fantasy movies, the thought provoking natu re of his/her mind is triggered. It makes the reader intrigued by what is happening in the plot, and what will happen? They will want to speculate the story and be surprised by what they read.This increases the sensible predicting capacity of an individual. According to UK’s fantasy book reviews, fantasy books such as Earthsea Saga (CITATION5) Fantasies allow readers to consider and speculate painful realistic themes sometimes in a way that is more acceptable than in reality. This enables them Therefore teenagers are interested in reading books that let them explore the world beyond their immediate surroundings. It helps them think outside the box. This allows them to dream bigger than they could ever before.These books and movies allow teenagers to see how different situations instigate different emotions in people and how can they be overcome. Although critics argue that reading fantasy corrupts young minds, however Fantasy books and television shows can often be productive . This is because fantasy books help develop the young minds, rather than corrupt them. They help individuals think outside the box, and go beyond what they see in their daily lives. They . They develop values, and desire and passion for excellence. For example, inFantasy books and movies often portray being part of the good team as a norm that is supported by society and almost always results in a good outcome, whereas evil leads one astray and leads to eventual defeat and shamefulness*. This is evident from fantasy movies such as Spiderman and Batman. For example in Batman, Firstly, it is believed by certain sections of society that reading fantasy books and seeing television shows do not develop but rather corrupt young minds. This view is often supported through examples such as Twilight and the need

Reflection of “A Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr.

For our honors portfolio this quarter we were required to read three documents. We, then, were quizzed over each of the readings. First, we read â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King, Jr. , then, we read the transcript of President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, and last but not least, we read â€Å"Millennial Makeover† by Morley Winograd and Michael Hais. Furthermore, we had to read and analyze the documents because the quizzes required us to think deeper than the written words on the paper. I believe these documents are critical because they have shaped the government and our society today.My favorite of these three documents, if I had to pick, would be â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail†, not only because I admire Martin Luther King Jr. , but also because this letter is a very powerful and inspiring piece of work. Luther wrote while being confined in a jail in Birmingham, Alabama, for participating in civil rights demonstrati ons. His letter states that he will continue resisting nonviolently against racial discrimination and pleads the readers to see segregation from a different point of view. Moreover, I noticed that he quoted many people including Apostle Paul, St.  Augustine, Reinhold Niebuhr and many others.This made me realize that he most likely had the quotations memorized since he didn’t have access to those sources while imprisoned. He mentions that â€Å"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† and that â€Å"an unjust law is no law at all† (Luther). This means that an unjust law causes harm; for example, if it is lawful to torture a certain group of people, then that is not a law whatsoever. This idea of injustice affects many directly, but also affects everyone else indirectly in the fact that prejudice is occurring around them.Furthermore, his words describe in detail what segregation was like and what people like him had to go through. This impacted me b ecause now, the idea of racial discrimination is completely frowned upon, while in the 1900’s it was something that seemed right and normal. It took years of hard work, bloody massacres, and non-stop action to obtain equality and I hate to see that a little bit of racism still exists today. The idea that immigrants are taking away jobs and opportunities that should be for U. S. citizens, surprises me because this country was founded and created by immigrants.Instead of seeing different countries and different people in one world, we should see the whole world as one, because every human being, no matter what race, has his/her own rights and should have the same opportunities that his neighbor does. Luther is one of the most charismatic and persuasive people in history and has not only inspired many, but also revolutionized a country’s view. He wrote this letter hoping to stir up some emotion and I think he got his point across in a very non-violent and mature kind of w ay that was unexpected and at the same time, admirable.His stance of a nonviolent action and the desperate cry for an end to social discrimination is as powerful now as it was 50 years ago. We now stand by these liberal values and believe the God has made us all equal and has given us certain rights that no law can take away. Although this was not an easy project, I certainly did learn something from it and it inspired me to stand up for my beliefs, but also, in a way, allowed me to see that anything is possible through hard work.

Thematic paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thematic paper - Essay Example The New Testament is a succession of the old testaments, despite the presence of Jesus Christ in the new testaments God retains a substantial aspect of the book often appearing in a confirmation of the holy trinity. In the New Testament, He appears withdrawn as Jesus undertakes most of His assignments. However, through the Holy spirit especially after the death of Jesus Christ God’s omnipresence becomes conspicuous. The wrath of God becomes eminent right from the book of Genesis, God punishes Adam and Eve after they eat from a tree he had forbade them not to. God expressed His anger by cursing man and sending him out of the garden and promising that He would toil and eventually die. God’s anger becomes evident again in the same book when Cain and Abel offer him sacrifices. Abel pleased God by offering the best of his produce, Cain’s sacrifices on the other hand failed to please God. Cain therefore killed his brother because of the jealousy, God became angry and banished him from his presence and cursed his entire descendants. The two stories portray God as a perfect being who does not glorify sin. He curses man and bestows death upon him when he falls to the snares of the devil. However, the two also portrays Him as a compassionate being who despite His anger retains his calm and gives man a second chance despite his failures most of which annoy him. God retains a personal touch with man often blessing some of his most faithful servants while banishing and punishing those who sin against him thereby provoking his anger. The story of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah exhibit yet another portrayal of God’s anger. The two cities had fallen into anarchy with the people resorting to sin. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah fornicated and worshiped idols. God expressed his anger by sending Lot, his most faithful servant in the city, and his family out of the city before setting the two cities ablaze thereby destroying property and killing all the sinful

Just War Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Just War Theory - Essay Example However, two problems arise when trying to justify the use of JWT in shaping the United States and allies’ strategies in Afghanistan, where it is fighting an untraditional enemy that does not share the same kind of ethical ideals. The first problem arises from the thought of each of two sides in the nontraditional war as moral agents, when one has clearly rejected the moral code the other follows. Since a moral code sets the ethical guidelines governing a community, when one party does not accept the moral code, the one that does accept the code is not obligated to follow that code. For instance, it is generally accepted that killing an animal that is known to be dangerous is ethical, insofar as doing so protects other members of the moral community from being harmed. Similarly, if a nontraditional army does not accept these rules of conduct, like the animal, it is well within the moral right of the traditional one to ensure its enemy does not harm another member of the moral community. From this assumption that militaries are moral agents, and the fact that moral codes provide the ethical guidelines for the community, an entity that does not accept the moral code is not obligated to ethical treatment accordi ng to this code. A war is nothing more than murder of other human beings; but instead of being punishable murder, it is sanctioned by states. JTW theory proposes the means by which one can create a more ethical war, but it does not address the issue of whether war itself is ethical. This relatively conservative answer to whether JTW applies to a nontraditional war is supplemented by a second problem, which is tangentially addressed in â€Å"The Call to Arms†1. This issue has to deal with the source of JTW moral prescriptions, and whether a nontraditional fighting force like that seen in Afghanistan is to be dealt with ethical principles based on notions like â€Å"Christian love† or within the tradition

English writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English writing - Essay Example Based on the poor treatment that Catherine receives from her husband, she opts to use her beauty and wits to her advantage and also finds lovers for herself. Her plot is that of seizing power once the ruler of the time, Empress Elizabeth dies and Catherine forms secret alliances in preparation for this. At first opportunity, Catherine succeeds in taking the crown and she takes charge of the kingdom as he rules instead of her husband. Her quest is that of conquering more territories as a way of expanding the Russian kingdom, which was one of the visions that Empress Elizabeth had sought to achieve. Catherine faces the challenges of war and conspiracies that seek to undermine her role, but she manoeuvres by using all the power she has in order for her rule and control to survive. All this comes at a cost as she has to contend with being unhappy, which is the cost of being at the helm of a significant kingdom. Her past is overshadowed as she started as a pawn and rises to become the wife of the Duke and the Empress of the Russian kingdom making her to be more powerful. Her kingdom becomes modernized through her efforts and wits in which it grows to be an expansive and civilized one (Moss 267). In the end, the film title explains how Czar ended up becoming Catherine the Great as portrayed in the