Reality and Illusion in Death of a Salesman :: Arthur Millers play Death of a Salesman

Reality and Illusion in Death of a Salesman In Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, the major theme as well as the main source of conflict is Willy's inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. Willy has created a fantasy world for himself and his family, a world in which he and his sons are great men who "have what it takes" to make it in the context of business and free enterprise. In reality, none of them can achieve greatness until they confront and deal with this illusion. Willy's most prominent illusion is that success is dependant upon popularity and personal attractiveness. Willy builds his entire life around this idea and teaches it to his children.   When Willy was young, he had met a man named Dave Singleman who was so well-liked that he was able to make a living simply by staying in his hotel room and telephoning buyers. When Dave Singleman died, buyers and salesmen from all over the country came to his funeral. This is what Willy has been trying to emulate his entire life. Willy's need to feel well-liked is so strong that he often makes up lies about his popularity and success. At times, Willy even believes these lies himself. At one point in the play, Willy tells his family of how well-liked he is in all of his towns and how vital he is to New England. Later, however, he tells Linda that no one remembers him and that the people laugh at him behind his back. As this demonstrates, Willy's need to feel well-liked also causes him to become inten sely paranoid. When his son, Biff, for example, is trying to explain why he cannot become successful, Willy believes that Biff is just trying to spite him. Unfortunately, Willy never realizes that his values are flawed. As Biff points out at the end of the play, "he had the wrong dreams." In many ways Biff is similar to his father. In the beginning of the play we see that Biff shares many of the same ideas as Willy. He values being well-liked above everything else and sees little value in being smart or honest. One of Biff's main flaws is his tendency to steal. Early in the play we learn that he has stolen a football from the school locker. When Willy finds out about this, instead of disciplining Biff, he says that the coach will probably congratulate him on his initiative.

Ethical Principles and Codes of Practice Essay

Ethical principles and codes of practice can provide guidance in day-to-day practice. Analyse Peter’s situation in the case study and come to a conclusion about what would be an appropriate response. This essay will analyse the ethical principles and code of practice in relation to the case study of Peter, a man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and will suggest a course of action for Peter’s situation based upon the application of these principles and the code. It will do this by examining the term ‘ethics’ and will focus on four ethical principles found to be relative to the kinds of ethical issues and challenges met within health and social care settings, these will be applied to the case study. Peter’s situation is that of a man, who, at the request of his family, unhappily (but apparently necessarily), moved to Parkside Manor, a small residential care home. Of late Peter’s condition of Alzheimer’s disease has advanced and he has become progressively uninhibited. His behaviour has caused the staff to question Peter’s placement at the care home, as some of the other residents are beginning to become troubled and distresse d by his behaviour. Some staff feel that with the number of residents needing attention, Peter’s needs require more time than they have to give. However Peter’s family are resolute in their decision for him to remain at Parkside. ‘Ethics’ are defined as ‘the philosophical study of the moral value of human conduct and of the rules and principles that ought to govern it’ (Collins, 2006, p535). Individual values develop over time through socialisation, upbringing and experiences. These values when viewed on a personal level, guide individual actions. Individuals working in the health and social care setting also hold professional values derived from professional training and ideology. Decisions are made using both personal and professional values and all decisions will have an ethical dimension. Historically health and social care practitioners have been directed by principles and guidance, enabling them to develop what is described as a professional morality. Codes of practice have long been seen as regulations guiding practice, with clear standards of conduct (General Social Care Council, 2010, p 4). These usually include some exclusion’s such as disclosure of information but they mainly describe expected forms of conduct. In areas of health and social care ethical principles are used along with codes of practice to guide and enhance the decision-making process. These principles are related to a sense of doing the right thing or that which is moral and with ideas of what is good and bad practice (K217, Book 4, p28).This idea can be problematic and can be viewed both objectively and subjectively. If viewed from an objective point of view, who should be trusted to know what is the objective truth? If subjective, who is the one whose opinion should be listened to? Questions such as these are often at the core of dilemmas. Professionals working within health and social care environments do not just deal with decisions based upon the right and good. Consideration should also be given to ‘ethical dilemmas’, these are situations when two choices are apparent, both eq ual in morality and ethics (K217, Book4, p29). Pattison and Heller (2001) suggest, ethics and value issues thread their way through normal, daily health care practice, the interpretation of which is open to more than one explanation (K217, Offprints, p131). Although principles guide actions, there is still a need to assess a situation and devise an appropriate response. This assessment and response derive from an individual’s values and training as much as from principles. Ethical principles are important in the field of health and social care. Practitioners need to have the ability to make informed, ethical and justifiable decisions relating to the individuals in their care. This can be difficult when faced with a challenging case. Using a framework to develop a structured way of thinking through a particular ethical situation or challenge can be helpful. The ETHICS framework was developed to assist people working in care settings and offers a structured way of assessing a course of action in order to come to an ethically informed decision. It emphasizes the need to be able to select a course of action based upon guidance, information and established principles, as well as the individual’s beliefs. The framework requires practitioners to firstly, Enquire about the relevant facts of the case, Think about the options that are available to all involved, Hear the views of everyone (including service user, family members and relevant providers), Identify any relevant ethical principles and values which may help to guide the decision–making process, Clarify the meaning and consequences of any key values and finally Select a course of action offering supporting arguments (K217, Book4, p32). When taking into account the case study, four ethical principles will be examined. These are: respect for autonomy, non-malfeasance, beneficence and justice. The principles are seen as the starting points for the development of ethical approaches to care practice, providing a practical set of principles, which rather than offe ring direct answers to ethical dilemmas, set out useful guiding principles for practitioners when faced with controversial decisions (K217, Book 4, p34). In Peter’s situation, Autonomy or self-determination is complex. Respect for Autonomy refers to a commitment to respect the decision-making capability of an autonomous individual. Autonomy is the freedom to act as a person wishes, to be able to make decisions about their own life and not to be controlled by others. The case study points out that Peter ‘unhappily’ left his home, at the request of his family to move into Parkside Manor, indicating that Peter had no control over this situation. This lack of right to choose where he lives, directly impinges on Peter’s ability to be autonomous and make reasoned informed choices. Beauchamp and Childress (2009) identify two areas necessary for autonomy: Liberty or independence from control and Agency, the capacity for deliberate action (K217, Book 4, p39). When applying this principle to Peter’s case, it could be argued that a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s limits his capabilities to make decisions for himself, limiting capacity for intentional action and so reducing Peter’s ability to function as an autonomous individual. The codes of practice for social care workers (2010) state: ‘a social care worker must respect the rights of service users while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or others’ (General Social Care Council, 2010, p9, 4.2). This causes a conflict of interest between Peter’s rights to act in a manner that he chooses and that of the other residents, who deserve to be able to move freely about the home without the risk of being upset or distressed by Peter’s actions. Staff may wish to take steps to minimise the potential risk of Peter’s behaviour causing mental harm and upset to other residents and by following risk assessment policies could asse ss the potential risks in this situation (General Social Care Council, 2010, p9, 4.2). Identifying harmful behaviour is multifaceted and open to interpretation. The assessment of risk could have serious consequences for Peter perhaps leading to a limiting of his rights and liberty in the interest of protecting others from harm (K217, Book 4, p60). Therefore over protection or unnecessary limitation could be considered an infringement upon Peter’s human rights (K217, Book 4 p65). The case study does not accurately point out if Peter has the mental capability to understand that his actions could be disruptive and upsetting for others. This being the case it may also be appropriate to talk to both Peter and his family about the situation in order to find a solution. As the code of practice maintains, ‘care workers must promote the independence of service users and assist them to understand and exercise their rights’ (General Social Care Council, 2010, p8, 3.1). It is suggested, that in cases where decision making capacity is deemed to be impaired, respect for autonomy may involve the care worker acting appropriately in an in dividual’s ‘best interests’ (K217, Book 4, p40). The difficulty here is that Peter’s best interests cannot be viewed without taking into account the best interests of other residents, care workers and relatives. This shows the limits of the code of practice in taking a narrow â€Å"ethical† view rather than trying to take a wider and more balanced perspective. Beneficence and the promotion of welfare are concerned with the provision of benefits and the balance of these against risk in the care and treatment of service users. It requires that care providers make a positive contribution to help others, not just refrain from acts of harm. It could be argued that in Peter’s case, moving into a residential setting may be seen as ‘doing good’. The theory of beneficence or ‘doing good’ is embedded in health and social care practice. Although, rather than being straightforward in its attempts to solve ethical dilemmas, beneficence can be viewed as being rather vague (K217, Book4, p34). The application of beneficence in Peter’s situation could be seen as a controversial one. The need to ‘do good’ in this situation could be seen to be against Peter’s best interests, as in the case of consent. The case study alludes to the fact that Peter’s family are making decisions on behalf of Peter and that the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease means that he is incapable of contributing to decisions around his care and wellbeing. It could therefore be argued that this results in a paternalistic approach to care, whereby the family (who are making decisions on behalf of Peter) may be guided by practitioners views of what is in Peter’s ‘best interests’ and in doing so may neglect the choice and personal responsibility of the individual (K217, Book 4, p36). However paternalism may be viewed as acceptable if it is proved that Peter’s autonomy or decision-making capacity is compromised. In this case it may be advisable to initiate an assessment of Peter’s mental health capacity in order to justify the families’ involvement in the decision-making process. Beauchamp and Childress (2009) claim, the philosophy of non-malfeasance is an obligation to do no harm. Unlike beneficence, which promotes welfare and concentrates upon positively helping others, non-malfeasance focuses upon guiding health and social care practitioners to avoid harm-causing activities, this includes negligence. Having a duty of care for a person or persons in care is an ethical concept, neglect is an absence of ‘due care’ the lack of which would be seen as falling below the standards expected by the law and code of practice. The principle of non-malfeasance can be difficult to apply in practice (K217, Book 4, p37). Peter has not been physically harmed himself, although it could be disputed that his behaviour around Parkside Manor could be having a detrimental effect on the wellbeing of the other residents who are beginning to be upset by Peter’s uninhibited behaviour. Section 3 of the codes of practice for social care workers may guide staff in pr omoting the independence of other service users (residents) in assisting them to understand and exercise their rights to autonomy. Also for staff to use the appropriate procedures and protocols in which to keep other service users safe from harm (General Social Care Council, 2010, p8, 3.1). As stated, Peter’s ability to make decisions about his care could be impaired, as in the right to choose where to live (which was made at the request of his family). However, maintaining Peter in his own home, as was his wish, would require extra resources such as daily social care help. If this was unavailable, Peter’s wish to remain in his home could be seen as detrimental to his health and wellbeing as his condition deteriorated and this would not uphold the principle of non- malfeasance. The moral principle of justice according to Beauchamp (2006) is fairness in the distribution of benefit and risk (K217, Book4, p42). It can be viewed as fair, impartial and suitable treatment for the autonomous individual. This suggests that everyone has the right to participate in the decision-making process surrounding the ir own treatment. This clearly is not the case for Peter, as he may no longer be classed as an autonomous service user and may not be able to articulate his needs or desires in respect of his care. In this case the staff may wish to assign a person as an advocate to represent and support (where appropriate) Peter’s views and wishes (General Social Care Council, 2010, p6, 1.2). The case study also identifies the staffs growing concerns about their own abilities to be able to give Peter the care that he requires, with some suggesting that his needs demand more time than they have available. The code of practice sets out clear guidelines for staff in Section 3, stating that any resource or operational difficulties experienced by the care worker is to be brought to the attention of the employer or the appropriate authority (General Social Care Council, 2010, p8, 3.4). Staff working within the care home are under increasing pressure to cope with the demanding behaviour that Peter displays and in this case may feel that they are neglecting the other residents because of Peter’s growing needs. This highlights the problem staff have in distinguishing fairly between those that are seen to need support and those that are not. Discrimination such as this all be it without intention of causing harm, raises questions of inequality. As highlighted, codes of practice and other ethical guidelines are not without their limitations. These limitations are often down to an individual’s freedom of choice and their views of what is right and wrong. Codes of practice deal in respect of that is the ‘norm’ not the ‘usual’ and at this point common sense and a corporate view are necessary. Using the four principles to analyse Peter’s situation is far from simple as the principles themselves are open to individual interpreta tion. The task for those directly involved in Peters care, such as family, professionals and the care workers at Parkside, is to ascertain their legal, professional and ethical positions and balance these against the need to protect and care for other residents and staff within the care setting. This may involve identifying ways to reduce the risk to others and to Peter’s dignity and privacy. As the code of practice states ‘a social care worker must respect and maintain dignity and privacy of service users’ (general Social Care Council, 2010, p6, 1.4). Some of the staff at Parkside have begun to question if the placement is an appropriate one given Peter’s growing needs. Staff at Parkside Manor could begin to examine ways of improving the care and support on offer to both Peter and the other residents by firstly initiating an assessment of Peter’s mental health capacity, in order for staff to better comprehend Peter’s level of understanding and to further meet his needs. This will form part of a support plan that will identify resources necessary to meet his growing requirements. The case study does not adequately highlight if Parkside Manor is equipped to deal with mental health problems such as Alzheimer’s or if the population is that of older residents with general care needs. One solution for the family may be to investigate the possibility of an alternative placement for Peter. Placing Peter in a more suitable setting where the staff are more used to dealing with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease could enhance quality of care and increase Peter’s quality of life. Bibliography Collins, 2006, Collins Concise English Dictionary. Glasgow, HarperCollins Publishers. Open University (2010) K217, Adult health, social care and wellbeing, Chapter 14, Ethics in health and social care. Milton Keynes,The Open University Open University (2010) K217, Adult health, social care and wellbeing, Offprints, Swimming in a sea of ethics and values. Milton Keynes,The Open University General Social Care Council, 2010, Codes of Practice for social care workers. Available at: http://www.gscc.org.uk/cmsFiles/Registration/Codes%20of%20Practice/CodesofPracticeforSocialCareWorkers.pdf [Accessed 25/02/12] Gillon Raanan, 1994, Medical ethics : four principles plus the attention to scope. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2540719/pdf/bmj00449-0050.pdf [Accessed 09/03/12]

Fitz John Porter - Civil War - Major General

Radioactive Decay and Half-Life Beryllium Isotopes

The Death Penalty Is Not Ethical - 1855 Words

It is clear in our society that violent crimes, such as murder, should carry some sort of stiffer punishment than that of other, lesser crimes. What is not clear is what that punishment should be. One punishment that is a constant source of debate is the death penalty. In this paper, I will examine whether the death penalty is or is not ethical. Both sides of the issue will be explained, through examination of various aspects of it, which include religious and financial considerations, whether the death penalty is a deterrent or not, and whether or not it can be regarded as justice. I submit that the death penalty is an ethical and equitable punishment for murderers, and should be used throughout our country. The seemingly greatest amount of debate comes from a religious standpoint. Depending on whose interpretation one hears, the Bible is for or against capital punishment. Verses from The Bible are used by both sides of the argument to support their own beliefs. The United S tates is made up of numerous different religious cultures. A sample of a few official policies from some denominations’ web sites shows an almost fifty-fifty split for and against. For example, the Assemblies of God (USA) do not take a stance for or against the death penalty. The same is true for the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, who say that it should be left to â€Å"†¦the prescribed processes of civil law.†(November 28, 2011). The Catholic catechism posted on their web siteShow MoreRelatedIs The Death Penalty Ethical? Essay934 Words   |  4 Pages A Test of Faith: Is the Death Penalty Ethical? Growing up in the United States has been the biggest blessing because it is recognized as the most fortunate country in the world. The U.S. represents freedom and would do anything to serve justice for those that have been victimized. Even those that have been accused of being guilty for committing horrendous crimes, our country still promises them their constitutional rights. Because of having parents in law enforcement since before I was even bornRead MoreDeath Penalty : An Ethical Dilemma1184 Words   |  5 Pages Death Penalty: An Ethical Dilemma Philosophy branch which streamlines, protects and guides the concepts of being correct or incorrect is referred as Ethics. People learn this concept from their parents who got it from their parents and it is a chain. However philosophers claim that it is people’s belief which decide ethics along with human intuition. An individual at singular level conscientiously decides what is right and wrong and define a limit of pushing ethical behaviour and moralityRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Justified And Ethical1190 Words   |  5 Pagesdrugs had been administered. This occurrence expanded the widespread dispute over the death penalty. People began to acknowledge the risks involved with executions. In fact, a poll last year showed that 62% of Americans believed the death penalty was acceptable, but in the past year, the poll dropped to 50%. The government should take notice of these polls and reconsider if the death penalty is justified and ethical. In one year, the percentage of people in support of executions dropped 10%, and thatRead More Is the Death Penalty Ethical? Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagescontroversial topics. One of those topics is the death penalty. When a question is raised on such a topic, there are many ideas that are sparked. One controversial question that people ponder on is; is the death penalty an ethical way of reducing crime? It is interesting not only to see different opinions but to see data that supports and complements those opinions. Searching for information I came across three different arguments concerning the topic of the death penalty and its ability to reduce crime ethicallyRead MoreEthical Issues On Death Penalty1864 Words   |  8 PagesResearch Paper: Ethical Issues On Death Penalty It is surprising to me how many people are actually pro capital punishment. For those who aren t too sure what capital punishment really is, it is the execution of a criminal who is legally convicted of a capital crime (i.e. murder). Even though the death penalty is the best way to punish criminals of their heinous crimes, I believe it is unethical because it is inhumane and hypocritical, it s way too costly, also, most criminals put on death row have psychologicalRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is An Ethical Practice1111 Words   |  5 PagesJordan Alford Mrs. Blake PreAP English II - 6th 4 April 2016 The Death Penalty According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there has been a total of 1,434 executions since 1978 (Part I). The death penalty is the penalization of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime (Part I). According to DPIC, there are 5 ways to do execution. Lethal injection (1977), electric chair (1888), gas chamber (1924), hanging (1890), and the firing squad (2010) all have a historyRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of The Death Penalty1814 Words   |  8 Pages17 The Ethical Dilemma of the Death Penalty as Viewed From a Utilitarianist and a Deontologist Viewpoint There are many ethical issues that beset our society in this day and age. This paper will discuss the ethological dilemma of the death penalty from the perspective of the philosophical outlooks of Utilitarianism and Deontology, present arguments in light of both, and proceed to show why Deontology offers the best insights into the justification for the death penalty. The death penalty, also knownRead MoreIs Death Penalty Ethical? Or Should It Be Abolished?1717 Words   |  7 Pages Is Death Penalty Ethical? Or Should it be Abolished? Capital punishment, or death penalty is an ongoing controversial issue that has been discussed among people today. Different people view capital punishment differently. Some may oppose such punishment while others may agree with it. Some people have viewed capital punishment as a deterrence of crime, and others have seen it as murder and thus unethical. Despite the fact that over 135 countries across the world have prohibited the use ofRead MoreThe Ethical Ambiguity Concerning the Death Penalty Essay1289 Words   |  6 Pages The question of ethical behavior is an age-old conundrum. The prevailing issue with ethics is that it is extremely difficult to measure. A person’s moral fabric is largely based on their particular personality traits, as well as, their psychological state and environmental influences. Many believe that ethics are tied to a person’s conscience, and that good morals are often facilitated by a strong religious background. Furthermore, a personâ€℠¢s moral development can be linked to their economic situationRead MoreIs the Death Penalty Ethical? Essay examples974 Words   |  4 Pagespeople were executed and this doesnt even include the unreported deaths. Decades ago, death penalty cases were not even to be reported in many times. For many years, people have been rationalize themselves for death penalty as an eye for an eye(2010).This eye for an eye statement is no longer giving any excuses for killing humans. The controversial idea of whether humans are rational enough to decide someones life or death has been questioned. Humans absolutely dont have any right to judge

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 1 Free Essays

string(110) " to shock as the evil developer thwacked the Latin Santa-ette in the breadbasket with a satchel of minicubes\." This book is dedicated to MIKE SPRADLIN who said: â€Å"You know, you oughtta write a Christmas book.† To which I replied: â€Å"What kind of Christmas book?† To which he replied: â€Å"I don’t know. Maybe Christmas in Pine Cove or something. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stupidest Angel Chapter 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † To which I replied: † ‘Kay.† Acknowledgments The author wishes to acknowledge those who helped: as always, Nicholas Ellison, my intrepid agent; Jennifer Brehl, my brilliant editor; Lisa Gallagher and Michael Morrison for continued confidence in my ability to tell stories; Jack Womack and Leslie Cohen for getting me in front of my readers and the press; the Huffmans, for preparing a landing pad and a warm welcome; Charlee Rodgers, for the careful reads, thoughtful comments, and just putting up with the process; and finally, Taco Bob, from whom I joyfully (and with permission, which almost ruins it) swiped the idea for chapter 16. Author’s Warning If you’re buying this book as a gift for your grandma or a kid, you should be aware that it contains cusswords as well as tasteful depictions of cannibalism and people in their forties having sex. Don’t blame me. I told you. Chapter 1 CHRISTMAS CREEPS Christmas crept into Pine Cove like a creeping Christmas thing: dragging garland, ribbon, and sleigh bells, oozing eggnog, reeking of pine, and threatening festive doom like a cold sore under the mistletoe. Pine Cove, her pseudo-Tudor architecture all tarted up in holiday quaintage – twinkle lights in all the trees along Cypress Street, fake snow blown into the corner of every shop’s windows, miniature Santas and giant candles hovering illuminated beneath every streetlight – opened to the droves of tourists from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Central Valley searching for a truly meaningful moment of Christmas commerce. Pine Cove, sleepy California coastal village – a toy town, really, with more art galleries than gas stations, more wine-tasting rooms than hardware stores – lay there, as inviting as a drunken prom queen, as Christmas loomed, only five days away. Christmas was coming, and with Christmas this year, would come the Child. Both were vast and irresistible, and miraculous. Pine Cove was expecting only one of the two. Which is not to say that the locals didn’t get into the Christmas spirit. The two weeks before and after Christmas provided a welcome wave of cash into the town’s coffers, tourist-starved since summer. Every waitress dusted off her Santa hat and clip-on reindeer antlers and checked to make sure that there were four good pens in her apron. Hotel clerks steeled themselves for the rage of last-minute overbookings, while housekeepers switched from their normal putrid baby-powder air fresheners to a more festive putrid pine and cinnamon. Down at the Pine Cove Boutique they put a â€Å"Holiday Special† sign on the hideous reindeer sweater and marked it up for the tenth consecutive year. The Elks, Moose, Masons, and VFWs, who were basically the same bunch of drunk old guys, planned furiously for their annual Christmas parade down Cypress Street, the theme of which this year would be Patriotism in the Bed of a Pickup (mainly because that had been the theme of their Fourt h of July parade and everyone still had the decorations). Many Pine Covers even volunteered to man the Salvation Army kettles down in front of the post office and the Thrifty-Mart in two-hour shifts, sixteen hours a day. Dressed in their red suits and fake beards, they rang their bells like they were going for dog-spit gold at the Pavlov Olympics. â€Å"Give up the cash, you cheap son of a bitch,† said Lena Marquez, who was working the kettle that Monday, five days before Christmas. Lena was following Dale Pearson, Pine Cove’s evil developer, through the parking lot, ringing the bejeezus out of him as he headed for his truck. On his way into the Thrifty-Mart, he’d nodded to her and said, â€Å"Catch you on the way out,† but when he emerged eight minutes later, carrying a sack of groceries and a bag of ice, he blew by her kettle like she was using it to render tallow from building inspectors’ butts and he needed to escape the stench. â€Å"It’s not like you can’t afford a couple of bucks for the less fortunate.† She rang her bell especially hard right by his ear and he spun around, swinging the bag of ice at her about hip level. Lena jumped back. She was thirty-eight, lean, dark-skinned, with the delicate neck and finely set jawline of a flamenco dancer; her long black hair was coiled into two Princess Leia cinnabuns on either side of her Santa hat. â€Å"You can’t take a swing at Santa! That’s wrong in so many ways that I don’t have time to enumerate them.† â€Å"You mean to count them,† Dale said, the soft winter sunlight glinting off a new set of veneers he’d just had installed on his front teeth. He was fifty-two, almost completely bald, and had strong carpenter’s shoulders that were still wide and square, despite the beer gut hanging below. â€Å"I mean it’s wrong – you’re wrong – and you’re cheap,† and with that Lena put the bell next to his ear again and shook it like a red-suited terrier shaking the life out of a screaming brass rat. Dale cringed at the sound and swung the ten-pound bag of ice in a great underhanded arc that caught Lena in the solar plexus and sent her backpedaling across the parking lot, gasping for breath. That’s when the ladies at BULGES called the cops – well, cop. BULGES was a women’s fitness center located just above the parking lot of the Thrifty-Mart, and from their treadmills and stair-climbing machines, the BULGES members could watch the ins and outs of the local market without feeling as if they were actively spying. So what had started as a moment of sheer glee and a mild adrenaline surge for the six of them who were watching as Lena chased Dale through the parking lot, turned quickly to shock as the evil developer thwacked the Latin Santa-ette in the breadbasket with a satchel of minicubes. You read "The Stupidest Angel Chapter 1" in category "Essay examples" Five of the six merely missed a step or gasped, but Georgia Bauman – who had her treadmill cranked up to eight miles per hour at that very moment, because she was trying to lose fifteen pounds by Christmas and fit into a red-sequined sheath cocktail dress her husband had bought for her in a fit of sexual idealism – bowled backward off her treadmill and lan ded in a colorful spandex tangle of yoga students who had been practicing on the mats behind her. â€Å"Ow, my ass chakra!† â€Å"That’s you’re root chakra.† â€Å"Feels like my ass.† â€Å"Did you see that? He nearly knocked her off her feet. Poor thing.† â€Å"Should we see if she’s all right?† â€Å"Someone should call Theo.† The exercisers opened their cell phones in unison, like the Jets flicking switchblades as they gaily danced into a West Side Story gang-fight to the death. â€Å"Why did she ever marry that guy, anyway?† â€Å"He’s such an asshole.† â€Å"She used to drink.† â€Å"Georgia, are you all right, honey?† â€Å"Can you get Theo by calling 911?† â€Å"That bastard is just going to drive off and leave her there » â€Å"We should go help.† â€Å"I’ve got twelve more minutes on this thing.† â€Å"The cell reception in this town is horrible.† â€Å"I have Theo’s number on speed dial, for the kids. Let me call.† â€Å"Look at Georgia and the girls. It looks like they were playing Twister and fell.† â€Å"Hello, Theo. This is Jane down at BULGES. Yes, well, I just glanced out the window here and I noticed that there might be a problem over at the Thrifty-Mart. Well, I don’t want to meddle, but let’s just say that a certain contractor just hit one of the Salvation Army Santas with a bag of ice. Well, I’ll look for your car, then.† She flipped the phone shut. â€Å"He’s on his way.† Theophilus Crowe’s mobile phone played eight bars of â€Å"Tangled Up in Blue† in an irritating electronic voice that sounded like a choir of suffering houseflies, or Jiminy Cricket huffing helium, or, well, you know, Bob Dylan – anyway, by the time he got the device open, five people in the produce section of the Thrifty-Mart were giving him the hairy eyeball hard enough to wilt the arugula right there in his cart. He grinned as if to say, Sorry, I hate these things, too, but what aw you gonna do? then he answered, â€Å"Constable Crowe,† just to remind everyone that he wasn’t dickmg around here, he was THE LAW. â€Å"In the parking lot of the Thrifty-Mart? Okay, I’ll be right there » Wow, this was convenient. One thing about being the resident lawman in a town of only five thousand people – you were never far from the trouble. Theo parked his cart on the end of the aisle and loped by the registers and out the automatic doors to the parking lot (He was a denim- and flannel-clad praying mantis of a man, six-six, one-eighty, and he only had three speeds, amble, lope, and still). Outside he found Lena Marquez doubled over and gasping for breath. Her ex-husband, Dale Pearson, was stepping into his four-wheel-drive pickup. â€Å"Right there, Dale. Wait,† Theo said Theo ascertained that Lena had only had the wind knocked out of her and was going to be okay, then addressed the stocky contractor, who had paused with one boot on the running board, as if he’d be on his way as soon as the hot air cleared out of the truck. â€Å"What happened here?† â€Å"The crazy bitch hit me with that bell of hers.† â€Å"Did not,† gasped Lena â€Å"I got a report you hit her with a bag of ice, Dale. That’s assault.† Dale Pearson looked around quickly and spotted the crowd of women gathered by the window over at the gym. They all looked away, heading for the various machines they had been on when the debacle unfolded. â€Å"Ask them. They’ll tell you she had that bell right upside my head. I just reacted out of self-defense.† â€Å"He said he’d donate when he came out of the store, then he didn’t,† Lena said, her breath coming back. â€Å"There’s an implied contract there. He violated it. And I didn’t hit him.† â€Å"She’s a fucking nutcase.† Dale said it like he was declaring water wet – like it was just understood. Theo looked from one of them to the other. He’d dealt with these two before, but thought it had all come to rest when they’d divorced five years ago. (He’d been constable of Pine Cove for fourteen years – he’d seen the wrong side of a lot of couples.) First rule in a domestic situation was separate the parties, but that appeared to have already been accomplished. You weren’t supposed to take sides, but since Theo had a soft spot for nutcases – he’d married one himself – he decided to make a judgment call and focus his attention on Dale. Besides, the guy was an asshole. Theo patted Lena’s back and loped over to Dale’s truck. â€Å"Don’t waste your time, hippie,† Dale said. â€Å"I’m done.† He climbed into his truck and closed the door. Hippie? Theo thought. Hippie? He’d cut his ponytail years ago. He’d stopped wearing Birkenstocks. He’d even stopped smoking pot. Where did this guy get off calling him a hippie? Hippie? he said to himself, then: â€Å"Hey!† Dale started his truck and put it into gear. Theo stepped up on the running board, leaned over the windshield, and started tapping on it with a quarter he’d fished from his jeans pocket. â€Å"Don’t leave, Dale.† Tap, tap, tap. â€Å"You leave now, I’ll put a warrant out for your arrest.† Tap, tap, tap. Theo was pissed now – he was sure of it. Yes, this was definitely anger now. Dale threw the truck into park and hit the electric window button. â€Å"What? What do you want?† â€Å"Lena wants to press charges for assault – maybe assault with a deadly weapon. I think you’d better rethink leaving right now.† â€Å"Deadly weapon? It was a bag of ice.† Theo shook his head, affected a whimsical storyteller’s tone: â€Å"A ten-pound bag of ice. Listen, Dale, as I drop a ten-pound block of ice on the courtroom floor in front of the jury. Can you hear it? Can’t you just see the jury cringe as I smash a honeydew melon on the defense attorney’s table with a ten-pound block of ice? Not a deadly weapon? ‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this man, this reprobate, this redneck, this – if I may – clump-filled-cat-box-of-a-man, struck a defenseless woman – a woman who out of the kindness of her heart was collecting for the poor, a woman who was only – ; â€Å"But it’s not a block of ice, it’s –  » Theo raised a finger in the air. â€Å"Not another word, Dale, not until I read you your rights.† Theo could tell he was getting to Dale – veins were starting to pulse in the contractor’s temples and his bald head was turning bright pink. Hippie, huh? â€Å"Lena is definitely pressing charges, aren’t you, Lena?† Lena had made her way to the side of the truck. â€Å"No,† Lena said. â€Å"Bitch!† Theo said – it slipped out before he could stop himself. He’d been on such a roll. â€Å"See how she is,† said Dale. â€Å"Wish you had a bag of ice now, don’t you, hippie?† â€Å"I’m an officer of the law,† Theo said, wishing he had a gun or something. He pulled his badge wallet out of his back pocket but decided that was a little late for ID, since he’d known Dale for nearly twenty years. â€Å"Yeah, and I’m a Caribou,† Dale said, with more pride than he really should have had about that. â€Å"I’ll forget all about it if he puts a hundred bucks in the kettle,† Lena said. â€Å"You’re nuts, woman.† â€Å"It’s Christmas, Dale.† â€Å"Fuck Christmas and fuck you.† â€Å"Hey, there’s no need for that kind of talk, Dale,† Theo said, going for the peace in peace officer. â€Å"You can just step out of the truck.† â€Å"Fifty bucks in the kettle and he can go,† Lena said. â€Å"It’s for the needy.† Theo whipped around and looked at her. â€Å"You can’t plea-bargain in the parking lot of the Thrifty-Mart. I had him on the ropes.† â€Å"Shut up, hippie,† Dale said. Then to Lena, â€Å"You’ll take twenty and the needy can get bent. They can get a job like the rest of us.† Theo was sure he had handcuffs in the Volvo – or were they still on the bedpost at home? â€Å"That is not the way we –  » â€Å"Forty!† Lena shouted. â€Å"Done!† Dale said. He pulled two twenties from his wallet, wadded them up, and threw them out the window so they bounced off of Theo Crowe’s chest. He threw the truck in gear and backed out. â€Å"Stop right there!† Theo commanded. Dale righted the truck and took off. As the big red pickup passed Theo’s Volvo station wagon, parked twenty yards up the lot, a bag of ice came flying out the window and exploded against the Volvo’s tailgate, showering the parking lot with cubes but otherwise doing no damage whatsoever. â€Å"Merry Christmas, you psycho bitch!† Dale shouted out the window as he turned onto the street. â€Å"And to all a good night! Hippie!† Lena had tucked the wadded bills into her Santa suit and was squeezing Theo’s shoulder as the red truck roared out of sight. â€Å"Thanks for coming to my rescue, Theo.† â€Å"Not much of a rescue. You should press charges.† â€Å"I’m okay. He’d have gotten out of it anyway, he has great lawyers. Trust me, I know. Besides, forty bucks'† â€Å"That’s the Christmas spirit,† Theo said, not able to keep from smiling. â€Å"You sure you’re okay?† â€Å"I’m fine. It’s not the first time he’s lost it with me.† She patted the pocket of her Santa suit. â€Å"At least something came of this.† She started back to her kettle and Theo followed. â€Å"You have a week to file charges if you change your mind,† Theo said. â€Å"You know what, Theo? I really don’t want to spend another Christmas obsessing on what a complete waste of humanity Dale Pearson is. I’d rather let it go. Maybe if we’re lucky he’ll be one of those holiday fatalities we’re always hearing about† â€Å"That would be nice,† said Theo. â€Å"Now who’s in the Christmas spirit?† In another Christmas story, Dale Pearson, evil developer, self-absorbed woman hater, and seemingly unredeemable curmudgeon, might be visited in the night by a series of ghosts who, by showing him bleak visions of Christmas future, past, and present, would bring about in him a change to generosity, kindness, and a general warmth toward his fellow man But this is not that kind of Christmas story, so here, in not too many pages, someone is going to dispatch the miserable son of a bitch with a shovel. That’s the spirit of Christmas yet to come in these parts. Ho, ho, ho. How to cite The Stupidest Angel Chapter 1, Essay examples

The Architect That Inspired Me the Most free essay sample

In a way we could humbly express the concept of what we design of a particular structure which I believe is really what architecture is all about. It is part of our journey to look up some of the famous and brilliant architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, whose works were so impressive that it could inspire me more to become not only just an ordinary one, but a brilliant one as well. Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin on June 8, 1867. His parents were William Cary Wright and Anna Lloyd-Jones. When he was helve years old, Wrights family settled in Madison, Wisconsin where he attended Madison High School.During summers spent on his Uncle James Lloyd Jones farm in Spring Green, Wisconsin, Wright first began to realize his dream of becoming an architect. In 1885 at the age of fourteen years old, he left Madison without finishing high school to work for Allan Conniver, the Dean of the University of Wisconsin Engineering department. We will write a custom essay sample on The Architect That Inspired Me the Most or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since the university of Wisconsin had no course in architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright spent n. ;vow semesters studying civil engineering before moving to Chicago and ceded to go to work in some real architects office in 1888.In Chicago, he worked for architect Joseph Lyman Sessile in six years. Wright drafted the construction of his first building the Lloyd-Jones family chapel, also known as unity Chapel. One year later, he went to work for the firm of Adler and Sullivan, directly under Louis Sullivan. Wright adapted Sullivan maxim Form Follows Function to his own revised theory of Form and Function Are One. Then later believed and developed a theory that American Architecture should be based on American function, not European traditions.Throughout his life, Wright acknowledged very few influences but credits Sullivan as a primary influence on his career. His works and design were organically spatial which means characterized as radical and conscious with surrounding natural environment. Wright had a style of his own, mimicking that of a horizontal plane, with no basements or attics. Built with natural materials and never painted, Wright utilized low- pitched roofline with deep overhangs and uninterrupted walls of windows to merge the horizontal homes into their environments. He added large stone or Rick fireplaces in the homes heart, and made the rooms open to one another. His simplistic houses served as an inspiration to the Prairie School, a name given to a group of architects whose style was indigenous of Midwestern architecture. Wright gained an appreciation for nature, particularly Midwestern nature, from working on his uncles Wisconsin farm during his teenage summers. There he could observe the horizontal line of the land, the line that he considered domestic and democratic and freeing.It would signify comfort, a quality that Wright wanted to characterize his alluding, particularly his houses. To this end Wrights Prairie Style house typically features a large, centrally-placed fireplace, a hearth that grounds the house and becomes its focus. Frequently he designed benches on either side of it, in effect creating a room within a room. In at least one instance he elevated this space from the rest of the area and set it off by a series of arches. Also Frank Lloyd Wright employed design that to the natural environment and honesty of material use which merges for a unified character.Most the building materials that were used in Prairie Style homes ere simple. Some examples of this material were: plaster (stucco), wood and brick. Its aim was to develop sympathy and inclination towards the design, aesthetic or beauty and ideals of the art crafts movement. Also to produce an indigenous North American style architecture with minimal European influence. One of his highlights was also the Suasion concept the word Sunnis is an abbreviation for United States of North America. Designed to control costs, Wrights Suasion houses had no attics, no basements, and little ornamentation as being said earlier. Frank Lloyd Wright aspired to create a emigration, distinctly American style that was affordable for the common people or the middle class and designed to be run without servants. Suasion architecture grew out of Frank Lloyd Wrights earlier Prairie style homes. Both styles featured low and flat roofs, large cantilevered overhangs for passive solar heating, natural cooling and natural lighting with clerestory windows.Both styles made abundant use of brick, wood, and other natural material. However, Wrights Suasion homes were small; one-story Structures set on concrete slabs with piping for radiant heat beneath, had L-shaped plans to accommodate a garden terrace with indigenous materials. The kitchens called workspaces by Wright were incorporated into the adjoined the dining and living areas. Bedrooms were typically isolated and relatively small, encouraging the family to gather in the main living areas. Also open car ports took the place of garages.The conception of spaces instead of rooms was a development of the Prairie ideal as the built-in furnishings related to the Arts and Crafts principles from which Wrights early works grew. Spatially and in terms of their construction, the Suasion houses represented a new model for independent living, and allowed dozens of clients to live in a Wright-designed house at relatively low cost. The diversity of the Illusion ideal can be seen in houses such as the Gregory S. And Elizabeth B. Fleck House. His Suasion homes set a new style for suburban design that was a feature of countless developers.Many features of modern American homes date back to Wright, including open plans, slab-on-grade foundations, and simplified construction techniques that allowed more mechanization and efficiency in building. Over the next 20 years Wrights influence continued to grow in popularity in he United States and Europe. Eventually his innovative building style spread overseas. In 1915, Wright was commissioned to design the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. It was during this time that Wright began to develop and refine his architectural and sociological philosophies.Because Wright disliked the urban environment, his buildings also developed a style quite different from other architects of the time. He utilized natural materials, skylights and walls of windows to embrace the natural environment. He built skyscrapers that mimicked trees, with a central trunk and many branches projecting outward. He proclaimed that shapes found in the environment should be not only integrated, but should become the basis of American architecture. A great example is the Larkin Company Administration Building in Buffalo, New York and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City which resembles the structure of a shell or a snail.He also included external influences like the knowledge about Japanese art and architecture, Wright first traveled to Japan in 1905, where he bought hundreds of prints. The following year, he helped organize the worlds first retrospective exhibition of works by Hiroshige, held at the Art Institute of Chicago. For many years, he was a major presence in the Japanese art world, selling a great number of works to prominent collectors such as John Spaulding of Boston, and to prominent museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He penned a book on Japanese art in 1912. Frank Lloyd Wright spent more than 70 years creating designs that revolutionized the art and was considered as one Of the most influential and imaginative architects of the twentieth century. Many innovations in todays buildings are products of his imagination. In all he designed 1 141 works including houses, offices, churches, schools, libraries, bridges, museums and many other building types. Of that total, 532 resulted in completed works, 409 of which still stand. However, Wrights creative mind was not confined to architecture.He also designed furniture, fabrics, art glass, lamps, dinnerware, silver, linens and graphic arts. In addition, he was a prolific writer, an educator and a philosopher. He authored twenty books and countless articles, lectured throughout the United States and in Europe, and developed a remarkable plan for decentralization urban America that continues to be debated by scholars and writers even to this day decades after its conception. One example of a building may have been influenced by his principles is the Main Building at the university of Santos Atoms.This unique and impressive structure is a famous landmark in the City, designed by the Dominican priest and engineer; FRR. Rogue Uriah it was completed on July 2, 1927. It has the distinction of being the first earthquake-proof building in the country. The building is composed of 40 independent structures separated from one another by a gap of one inch which is filled with loose cement. One of these trustees rises beyond the level of the fourth floor to form the tower, at the top of which is a Cross. This tower and cross can be seen from many parts of the city.The Main Building of the Leistering of Santos Atoms functions as the universitys administrative center and home of the Faculty of Civil Law, Faculty of Pharmacy and the College of Science. The Main Building is also the home of the Museum of Arts and Sciences. The building designed by FRR. Rogue Raffia, is the first earthquake-proof building in the Philippines. Aurao was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wrights Imperial Hotel, Tokyo due to its horizontal orientation which signifies comfort. Conclude that Frank Lloyd Wright practices inspire me by the simplicity in which he designed.There is a real sense of freshness to the way in which projects are carried out. His works and theories truly inspired due to even presentation and honesty of materials used in his style. He has similar approaches in regards to allow architecture to be seen as fun. I believe that Frank Lloyd Wright simply means or is equals to organically spacious architecture and freedom, and freedom cannot exist without conscience. And the condition of freedom is a developed conscience so you cant be free until you have it because you are afraid. Then no designer is free who is afraid. And he is afraid until he has developed the certainty that comes from a creative life and a creative role in life by way of art, religion, and science. Id also realize that Wright often promote a real sense that architecture is for the people. As what he learns from Sullivan that Form follows Function at the end of the day I could see that the user is has a lot of the time to use the spaces and was indeed being showed through the design and planning of his arks. However what I like the most about F-rank Lloyd Wright was the use of honest materials in at his time.As being observed on his projects he uses the indigenous material as an architectural and artist to create an interactive facade that is both enjoyable to view and live amongst. I have also enjoyed looking at the alternative; Wright use furniture and try to find other uses. Agents of Change are another inspirational practice for me. He looked into the detail of the purpose of the the site to the structure and then design specifically with respect for that user, using that level of detail.