Marriage in The Ceiling by Kevin Brockmeier - 892 Words

In today’s society, the notion and belief of growing old, getting married, having kids, and a maintaining of a happy family, seems to be a common value among most people. In Kevin Brockmeier’s short story, â€Å"The Ceiling,† Brockmeier implies that marriage is not necessary in our society. In fact, Brockmeier criticizes the belief of marriage in his literary work. Brockmeier reveals that marriage usually leads to or ends in disaster, specifically, all marriages are doomed to fail from the start. Throughout the story, the male protagonist, the husband, becomes more and more separated from his wife. As the tension increases between the protagonist and his wife, Brockmeier symbolizes a failing marriage between the husband and wife as he depicts†¦show more content†¦The city lights were burning, and Joshua was sleeping in his room† (Brockmeier 94). In society and in most modern cultures throughout the world, the aspect of city lights and brightly lit stars, gives off the sense of love and intimacy. However, the bright lights and stars, did not give off a sense of love and intimacy. Instead, the narrator describes the couple mentally broken and distraught as they sat in silence pondering about their problems. They sat together, but respected each other’s stillness as they â€Å"wrapped† their own silence. Although right next to each other, they were both in their own worlds and not sharing their thoughts and emotions. This scene is a significant indication of understanding the beginnings of their skewed relationship. Brockmeier shows Melissa as someone who ceases to exist. Throughout the short story, Melissa is limited in dialogue, and the few instances when she speaks, it seems as if Melissa is hiding and concealing her genuine thoughts. The night of her son’s birthday, the narrator realizes that he is faced with a distressed wife as she reveals that her, â€Å"life is a mess† (Brockmeier, 94). She foreshadows the object of the sky or the ceiling as a symbol, as it comes closer to the ground. Like

Alzheimer s Disease And Dementia - 2089 Words

Abstract This analysis of degenerative diseases covers four main diseases in today’s world, including: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Dementia. Alzheimer’s is a degenerative form of dementia that attacks neurons causing the total or partial loss of memory, thinking abilities, language skills, and basic behaviors. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease that targets the central nervous system. Generally the disease will cause tremors, loss of coordination, paralysis, and eventually death. Huntington’s is potentially the most deadly as it attacks both the central nervous system and the individual’s cognitive abilities. Huntington’s disease causes the affected to lose the ability to walk, speak, eat, think, and even how to breathe. Dementia is simply the beginning junction to all these diseases as it is the most â€Å"basic† form of degeneration of the brain. One may ask, how do these horrible diseases come to be and who may be affected? Hopefully this analysis will clarify some of these questions. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Dementia, and Degenerative Diseases. Since the early 1900’s scientists and doctors have been scrambling to obtain the knowledge of how to cure and prevent degenerative diseases. Since these illnesses are currently the fifth-highest cause of death in the United States (State of Aging and Health in America, 2016), it has become imperative to find a cure. However, there are manyShow MoreRelatedDementia And Alzheimer s Disease1923 Words   |  8 Pagesperson with dementia might say. Many patients with dementia lose their memories of growing up and may think they are a child again. Or perhaps they think they are still at home and caring for their families. You could see why some dementia patients may be upset or have behaviors because of this. Not every person with dementia is the same, but most symptoms are similar. In the knowledge of health science there are four different types of dementia which are Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, FrontotemporalRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Type Of Dementia1154 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with your memory and behavior. Dementia is a term for the severe loss of mental ability that it interferes with your daily life. This is caused by damage to the brain cells. Alzheimer s disease is the most common type of dementia and is characterized by gradual declines mental abilities (Journal of Clinical Diagnostic Research, 2016). The disease slowly attacks nerve cells in all parts of the brain and some surrounding structuresRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Type Of Dementia1117 Words   |  5 Pagesmy grandmother passed away after battling with Alzheimer’s disease for more than ten years. During the last couple of years she was alive I barely ever visited her, and I never understood why she was always in bed, and whenever I went to go see her she never remembered who I was. I feel that because of this disease, I lost my grandmother a long time ago; hopefully by the end of this paper I w ill have a better understanding about the disease that took her away, years ago. According to the Alzheimer’sRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease, And Vascular Dementia1565 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Dementia is considered to be discovered by a German psychiatrist by the name of Alois Alzheimer. This discovery was made during the process of his examination of a patient with unusual behavior. In that discovery he found similarities that are linked to having Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is known as being a slow, yet steady decline of one’s mental ability. The disease eventually becomes so severe that it will interfere with one’s daily living ability. This is not one specific disease, butRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Type Of Dementia910 Words   |  4 Pages Alzheimer’s disease Jordyn Marcx Anatomy Physiology 2 Professor Leal November 12, 2015 Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time. Alzheimer s is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss. Alzheimer s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s disease attacks the brain’s nerve cells causing memory loss. Alzheimer’sRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease, Or Senile Dementia1715 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimer s disease, or senile dementia, is a form of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Brain cells and their connections are killed, and this is what causes people s brain functions to fail. Scientist have yet to know what causes Alzheimer s, but have discovered that age, family history, and genes contribute to developing the disease. Symptoms experienced by people with Alzheimer s are poor judgement, poor decision making, inability to manage a budget, losing track of theRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease Vs. Dementia2014 Words   |  9 Pages Alzheimer s disease vs. Dementia Name Institution Alzheimer s disease vs. Dementia Alzheimer’s is an irreversible, progressive disease of the brain that gradually destroys memory as well as thinking skills. It eventually destroys the ability to perform the simplest chores. In many individuals with Alzheimer’s, the symptoms manifest after 65 years of age. Among the elderly people, Alzheimer’s illness is the leading cause of dementia (Stern, 2006). Dementia includes a loss ofRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Vascular Dementia1277 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Dementia is a chronic illness that effects millions of Americans annually with increasing numbers. The general understanding of dementia is that it affects the mind, and while it does affect the mind, entangles much more than just that. Dementia engulfs a patient s mind, family, a level of caregiving, and an involvement in research of the disease. The Mind Adults age 65 years and older make up around 13 percent of the population (39 million people). This number is likely to increaseRead MoreMusic And Dementia And Alzheimer s Disease1219 Words   |  5 PagesMusic and Dementia Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease have been becoming more and more prominent in our society. he number are rising each day. Using music to better the lives of people with dementia and Alzheimer s disease has been sweeping across the country. These people have been known to have a reduction of troublesome behaviors, enhanced emotional and cognitive skills, increased social skills, maintaining and improving active involvement, and have improved memory and language skills. The methodsRead MoreDementia and Alzheimer ´s Disease1636 Words   |  7 Pages1. Throughout this line of study, Alzheimer’s disease is a specific form of dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that is severe enough to hinder daily life. Memory loss is a symptom of dementia and the most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s. One of the most common and severe symptom of Alzheimer’s is difficulty remembering newly learned information. The changes of Alzheimer’s normally begin in the part of the brain that affects

Othello has been called a ‘domestic tragedy’ Free Essays

A domestic tragedy takes place in a personal setting. In Othello, the men are in Cyprus to fight a war. However, the tragedy is the events within the relationships of the central characters. We will write a custom essay sample on Othello has been called a ‘domestic tragedy’ or any similar topic only for you Order Now There is little discussion of the war and, although Desdemona blames state matters for Othello’s change in behaviour, the real problems Othello faces are matters of the heart. The women in the play have no part in the war, but still their presence contributes to the downfall of both Othello and Iago, creating repercussions for the state. The historical context of the play is important when considering the female characters contained in it. The play was first performed in 1604 at the start of the reign of King James I. It is generally thought that wives were expected to be obedient to their husbands at this time, and play the â€Å"maiden never bold†, as Desdemona is described by her father in Act One, scene three. However, the time of the play’s first performance was shortly after the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth never married and is known to have been of strong character. It is therefore likely that a strong-willed female character would have been accepted by an audience of this time. A feature of the play that should be considered is the misogyny shown by the male characters. In the first scene of the play, the language used by Iago to describe the sexual acts of Desdemona and Othello is coarse, â€Å"an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe†. The sexuality of women is valued little by the men in the play, except for Othello who seems to over-romanticise it. Iago is coarse and rude. Cassio is seen as a ladies man, but uses women for sex. Roderigo shows very little knowledge of Desdemona but loves her for her beauty. Othello is similar to this, he idealises Desdemona, showing little understanding of her as a person. As Leavis says, Othello has a â€Å"preoccupation with his emotions rather than with Desdemona in her own right.† The three men, Othello, Iago and Cassio, all have a typically male profession, that of a soldier. They are all, including Othello (despite his romanticism), very masculine characters. Othello’s lack of understanding and failure to attempt to understand, the complexity of women contributes greatly to his downfall. The character of Desdemona is a complex one. She has strong beliefs and shows complete devotion to Othello. Her main belief is in true love, and her views on this never falter. She will do anything to maintain her love with Othello. Her first appearance in the play shows bravery, a true love of Othello and complete trust in him. It is here she first expresses her views on love. â€Å"to his honours and valiant parts Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate.† Desdemona believes that to love someone is to give oneself to them completely. She has a very idealistic view on love and this is shown again in Act Four, scene three when she is discussing unfaithful women with Emilia. â€Å"Dost thou in conscience think – tell me, Emilia – That there be women do abuse their husbands In such gross kind?† It is her innocent and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve views that show what Desdemona represents in the play. In ‘The Othello Music’, Knight says â€Å"In Othello, pure love is the supreme good†. Desdemona’s main belief is in pure love. This leads to the conclusion that Desdemona represents goodness and purity within the play, as when she is dead, Knight says â€Å"pure love lies slain.† Another value Desdemona possesses is compassion. When Cassio loses his status as Othello’s Lieutenant, it is Desdemona that he goes to for help, under the instruction of Iago. Even though Iago is doing this to benefit himself, what he says to Cassio of Desdemona is entirely true. â€Å"She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, that she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested.† As Knight states in ‘The Othello Music’, Desdemona â€Å"is typically feminine in her attempt to help Cassio, and her pity for him.† Othello also tells the Senate in Act One, scene three that he loved Desdemona â€Å"that she did pity† him for the dangers he had passed. It is femininity that Desdemona also represents in the play. She is loved and admired for her girlish innocence and feminine compassion. Emilia represents a more down-to-earth, common sense woman. Her personality, like Desdemona’s is feminine in many ways. For example, she is highly protective over Desdemona, acting as a mother figure to her. The femininity she represents is more mature than Desdemona’s. As she is older than Desdemona, and has been married to Iago for a longer time than Desdemona to Othello, she is far more knowledgeable about love and life. She is also more cynical and far less romantic in her views. In her conversation with Desdemona about unfaithful women, she openly admits that she would be unfaithful to her husband if the whole world were her reward. Lianne Evans â€Å"who would not make her husband a cuckold, to make him a monarch?† Emilia knows that love and men are not as ideal as Desdemona believes them to be. When Othello’s behaviour towards Desdemona changes, Emilia, unlike Desdemona realises that something is wrong with the relationship and that Desdemona should not let Othello treat her in such a way. â€Å"I would you had never seen him.† She stands for strength and common sense, and her views about marriage show this clearly. â€Å"Let husbands know Their wives have sense like them†. Bianca represents a quite impure love within Othello. She shows that she loves Cassio, but her lifestyle as a prostitute also shows this as quite corrupt. She represents the opposite of the innocent and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve Desdemona. She is a woman with no responsibility to anyone but herself in the play. She has a relationship with Cassio but her reputation does not allow this to be taken seriously by anyone, including Cassio himself. She represents a love with few morals. Desdemona believes in completely faithful, perfect love, Emilia believes that being unfaithful is acceptable for a large price and Bianca, although she seems to care greatly about Cassio, has still made her living as a prostitute. She may show strong character in some areas, for example, when Emilia insults her, she comes back with, â€Å"I am no strumpet, but of life as honest As you that thus abuse me.† This shows that she is prepared to stand up for herself and her lifestyle, implying that she believes it is right. It is important when performing Desdemona to a modern audience to portray the strength of her beliefs. Bradley has described Desdemona as â€Å"helplessly passive† and I believe that this view of Desdemona should be avoided. To achieve maximum impact with a modern audience, it is important not to show Desdemona as a helpless victim of abuse, or too stupid to do anything about her unhappy relationship. For Desdemona to be admired and sympathised with, it would be necessary to show her stronger qualities. The reason she allows Othello to treat her with such disrespect is not because she is passive or helpless. She has already shown courage when she first appeared in the play, betraying her father for her love of Othello, and speaking out in front of the Senate. Her dogmatic nature, belief in pure love and loyalty to Othello are the qualities that would achieve a maximum impact with a modern audience. However, it would also be important to show her youth and innocence, being careful not to confuse this with stupidity. She always knows what she is doing, even though it is sometimes misconceived. When standing up for Cassio to Othello, it would be important to show her feminine charms and kind intentions. This would make it believable for Othello to suspect her of adultery, as her nature is so friendly. Emilia appears to be the most modern character of the three women in Othello. Her views on marriage would be much appreciated by a modern audience and her cynicism and wit would be found amusing. Many modern women could easily relate to Emilia. Portraying her mature, worldly personality would be very effective with a modern audience. It would also be important to show her loyalty, especially to Iago. It is clear that Emilia loves Iago as she stands by him throughout the play, until she discovers the real truth about him. According to Bradley, Emilia â€Å"remains perfectly true to herself†, but this is not true. Iago has a great influence over Emilia’s actions, and because of Iago, Emilia compromises her own judgement. In stealing Desdemona’s handkerchief she is doing something that she knows is wrong, but she does it all the same, just to gain the love of her husband. Showing his power over her would create sympathy for her. Her belief in her husband’s honest nature, along with everyone else’s, is part of the tragedy of Othello. At the end of the play however, Emilia’s common sense returns and her most important scene would need to be performed effectively to create maximum impact. To do this it would be necessary to show Emilia’s anger, frustration, hurt and disgust. The character of Emilia is very likeable with a modern audience, and it would be important not to lose any of her strong, amusing and loyal qualities. Performing Bianca would be a difficult task. Her character has little substance and it would be easy to lose her in a performance. Within the play she is mainly ridiculed and insulted. A modern audience could show admiration for her when she approaches Cassio about the handkerchief he gave her. As an actress, it would be important to show Bianca’s strength here, and her belief in herself. Bianca could also be sympathised with as her love for Cassio is unrequited and despite her attempts to woo him, he only ridicules her. In general, a modern audience can sympathise with all the women in the play. All, despite their strengths, suffer at the hands of the men in their lives. Desdemona’s unfaltering belief in pure love only results in Othello’s killing her. Emilia’s loyalty and strength leads her to being murdered, also by her own husband. Bianca’s love for Cassio only brings her ridicule. In a modern society this supports the radical feminist view that no relationship with a man is beneficial to a woman. Each woman displays different feminine qualities. Desdemona’s approach is obedience, Emilia’s is loyalty and Bianca’s, persistence, but none of these bring them any rewards. The women in Othello are so often misunderstood. The majority of criticism on the play is written by males and there is very little comment on the female characters at all. This has led to difficulty in performing these characters to create a Lianne Evans maximum impact with a modern audience. However, their roles are clear. They all show the negative qualities in the male characters, but at the same time have an effect on their lives. The play is a domestic tragedy but the effects of the domestic lives of the characters are shown in all aspects of their lives. The misunderstanding of Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca, within the play and in audiences has led to misinterpretations of their characters. To create a maximum impact with a modern audience, the female characters need to be given their own personality, and the effects they have need to be shown. Without the women going to war with their husbands, the tragedy of Othello would be a very different one. How to cite Othello has been called a ‘domestic tragedy’, Papers