Sin And Virtue What Role Does Religion Play In Life Essays

Sin And Virtue: What Role Does Religion Play In Life It is not surprising for an author's background and surroundings to profoundly affect his writing. Having come from a Methodist lineage and living at a time when the church was still an influential facet in people's daily lives, Stephen Crane was deeply instilled with religious dogmas. However, fear of retribution soon turned to cynicism and criticism of his idealistic parents' God, the wrathful Jehovah of the Old Testament, as he was confronted with the harsh realities of war as a journalistic correspondent. Making extensive use of religious metaphors and allusions in The Blue Hotel (1898), Crane thus explores the interlaced themes of the sin and virtue. Ironically, although he disbelieved it and hated it, Crane simply could not free himself from the religious background that haunted his entire life. His father, a well-respected reverend in New Jersey, advocated Bible reading and preached the right way. Similarly, his mother, who lived in and for religion, was influential in Methodist church affairs as a speaker and a journalist in her crusade against the vices of her sinful times . This emotional frenzy of revival Methodism had a strong impact on young Stephen. Nonetheless, he -- falling short of his parents' expectations on moral principles and spiritual outlook -- chose to reject and defy all those abstract religious notions and sought to probe instead into life's realities. Moreover, Crane's genius as an observer of psychological and social reality was refined after witnessing battle sights during the late 19th century. What he saw was a stark contrast of the peacefulness and morality preached in church and this thus led him to religious rebelliousness. As a prisoner to his surroundings, man (a soldier) is physically, emotionally, and psychologically challenged by nature's indifference to humankind. For instance, in the story, what traps the Swede is his fixed idea of his environment, but in the end, it is the environment itself -- comprised of the Blue Hotel, Sculley, Johnnie, Cowboy Bill, the Easterner, and the saloon gambler -- that traps him. To further illustrate how religion permeated into Crane's writing, many scenes from The Blue Hotel can be cited. Similar to the biblical Three Wise Men, three individuals out of the East came traveling to Palace Hotel at Fort Romper. The issue explored is the search for identity and the desire of an outsider (the Swede) to define himself through conflict with a society. Referring then to the martyr-like Swede, who is convinced that everyone is against him, the Easterner says ... he thinks he's right in the middle of hell. On the contrary, the Blue Hotel can be seen as a church, with its proprietor Patrick Scully who looks curiously like an old priest and who vows that a guest under my roof has sacred privileges. Personification of a wrathful God is portrayed when the guests are escorted through the portals of a room that seemed to be merely a proper temple for an enormous stove...humming with god-like violence. Additionally, alluding to baptism, the guests then formed part of a series of small ceremonies by washing themselves in the basins of water. To further prove the innocence of his building, Scully points out the pictures of his little girl on the wall. All in all, in contrast to the safe haven of the hotel, the reality is that hell turns out to be the red-lighted town saloon where the Swede is eventually murdered. Another recurring topic in Crane's writing is the responsibility for a man's death. For not acting upon his knowledge of Johnnie's sin (his lying and cheating at the card game), the Easterner is portrayed as a betrayer, with guilt eating him inside. At the beginning, no one at the hotel would discuss fear or death with the Swede. Thus, in repentance on his part, the Easterner comments, Every sin is the result of a collaboration. Indeed, in the end, the conspiracy of silence between the 5 men involved in the murder leads to a brutal result: The Swede losses fear and gains death. A rhetorical question is left then for the reader to reflect upon, posed innocently by the Cowboy, Well, I didn't do anythin', did I?. In conclusion, it can be seen that -- through the exploration of responsibility, guilt, betrayal, and repentance -- Stephen Crane develops the theme that man is alone in a hostile society and nature. The virtuous religious dogmas cannot always explain and help make sense of the cruel realities that each of us faces. Thus, it is only through trusting the God of [one's] inner thoughts

Immune System - the Bodys Natural Defense Mechanism

Immune System - the Body's Natural Defense Mechanism Immune System Function Theres a mantra in organized sports that says, defense is king! In todays world, with germs lurking around every corner, it pays to have a strong defense. The immune system is the bodys natural defense mechanism. The function of this system is to prevent or reduce the occurrence of infection. This is accomplished through the coordinated function of the bodys immune cells. Cells of the immune system, known as  white blood cells,  are found in our bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, tonsils, and in the liver of embryos. When microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses invade the body, non-specific defense mechanisms provide the first line of defense. Key Takeaways The immune system is the bodys natural defense mechanism whose function is to help fight infections.The innate immune system is a non-specific response that includes deterrents like the skin, enzymes in saliva, and inflammatory reactions by immune cells.If organisms get past the innate immune system, the adaptive immune system is the backup system. This backup system is a specific response to specific pathogens.The adaptive immunity system has two primary components: a humoral immune response and a cell mediated immune response.Disorders and diseases that can result from a compromised immune system include: allergies, HIV/AIDS and rheumatoid arthritis. Innate Immune System The innate immune system is a non-specific response that includes primary deterrents. These deterrents ensure protection against numerous germs and parasitic pathogens (fungi, nematodes, etc.). There are physical deterrents (skin and nasal hairs), chemical deterrents (enzymes found in perspiration and saliva), and inflammatory reactions (initiated by immune cells). These particular mechanisms are named appropriately because their responses are not specific to any particular pathogen. Think of these as a perimeter alarm system in a house. No matter who trips the motion detectors, the alarm will sound. White blood cells involved in the innate immune response include macrophages, dendritic cells, and granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils). These cells respond immediately to threats and are also involved in the activation of adaptive immune cells. Adaptive Immune System In cases where microorganisms get through the primary deterrents, there is a backup system called the adaptive immune system. This system is a specific defense mechanism in which immune cells respond to specific pathogens and also provide protective immunity. Like innate immunity, adaptive immunity includes two components: a humoral immune response and a cell mediated immune response. Humoral Immunity The humoral immune response or antibody†mediated response  protects against bacteria and viruses present in the fluids of the body. This system uses white blood cells called B cells, which have the ability to recognize organisms that dont belong to the body. In other words, if this isnt your house, get out! Intruders are referred to as antigens. B cell lymphocytes produce antibodies that recognize and bind to a specific antigen to identify it as an invader that needs to be terminated. Cell Mediated Immunity The cell mediated immune response protects against foreign organisms that have managed to infect body cells. It also protects the body from itself by controlling cancerous cells. White blood cells involved in cell mediated immunity include macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and T cell lymphocytes. Unlike B cells, T cells are actively involved with the disposal of antigens. They make proteins called T cell receptors that help them recognize a specific antigen. There are three classes of T cells that play specific roles in the destruction of antigens: Cytotoxic T cells (which directly terminate antigens), Helper T cells (which precipitate the production of antibodies by B cells), and Regulatory T cells (which suppress the response of B cells and other T cells). Immune Disorders There are serious consequences when the immune system is compromised. Three known immune disorders are allergies, severe combined immunodeficiency (T and B cells are not present or functional), and HIV/AIDS (severe decrease in the number of Helper T cells). In cases involving autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks the bodys own normal tissues and cells. Examples of autoimmune disorders include multiple sclerosis (affects the central nervous system), rheumatoid arthritis (affects joints and tissues), and graves disease (affects the thyroid gland). Lymphatic System The lymphatic system is a component of the immune system that is responsible for the development and circulation of immune cells, specifically lymphocytes. Immune cells are produced in bone marrow. Certain types of lymphocytes migrate from bone marrow to lymphatic organs, such as the spleen and thymus, to mature into fully functioning lymphocytes. Lymphatic structures filter blood and lymph of microorganisms, cellular debris, and waste.

Decker Surname Origin and Family History

Decker Surname Origin and Family History The  Decker surname most commonly originated as an occupational surname for a roofer or thatcher, derived from the Old High German word decker, meaning one who covered roofs with tile, straw or slate. The meaning of the word expanded during the Middle Ages to encompass carpenters and other craftsman and was used to refer to one who built or laid the decks of vessels.  The popular Dutch surname Dekker has the same meaning, derived from the Middle Dutch  deck(e)re, from  decken, meaning to cover. The Decker surname may also derive from the German decher, meaning the quantity of ten; this may also have been a name given to the tenth child. Alternate Surname Spellings: DEKER, DECKER, DECHER, DECKARD, DECHARD, DEKKER, DEKKES, DEKK, DECK, DECKERT Surname Origin: German, Dutch Where in the World Is the Decker Surname Found? According to World Names PublicProfiler, the Decker surname is the most commonly found, based on percentage of population, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is also a very popular surname in the countries of Luxembourg and Germany. The Forbears surname distribution map for 2014 identifies the Decker surname as being very popular in Sierra Leone, based on frequency distribution. Famous People With the Decker Surname Jessie James Decker -  American country pop singer-songwriter and reality T.V. personalityEric Decker - American National League Football wide receiverDesmond Dekker - Jamaican  singer-songwriter and musicianThomas Dekker -  English  dramatist and pamphlet writer Genealogy Resources for the Surname DECKER Decker Family Genealogy Forum - Search this popular genealogy forum for the Decker surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Decker surname query.FamilySearch - DECKER Genealogy - Explore over 1.3 million results, including digitized records, database entries, and online family trees for the Decker surname and its variations on the FREE FamilySearch website, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.GeneaNet - Decker Records - GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Decker surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.Ancestry.com: Decker  Surname - Explore over 2.4  million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Decker surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com Resources and Further Reading Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Forum on Executive Branch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Forum on Executive Branch - Essay Example The timely and intelligent use of words expressing his concern towards the Americans and aboriginal people also plays a vital role in convincing the people with his rationale. For instance, while discussing Indian removal obliquely, the use of terms "physical comforts" and "moral improvements of the Indians" in context of the resources that will be provided to Indian after their removal simply convey that the President aims to preserve the security and wellbeing of the United States of the America. Moreover, at the very outset of his speech, he mentions the absence of danger from external foes due to the unexampled growth and prosperity of the country during his reign. This way, he successfully manages to grapple the attention of the people from the very start. In short, it is pertinent to say that his attempt to make his policies sound practically acceptable through the use of appropriate words and logical arguments is responsible for making this particular speech stand apart from

Mecbeth play design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mecbeth play design - Essay Example Macbeth has numerous characters all of who play specific roles that enhance the success of the play. The coordination of the characters contributed to the central message in the play. This relies on numerous features key among which is the characters’ costumes. Written in the late 1500s the costumes must help place the play in the particular society. Setting is vital in enhancing the message in the play since it validates the claims of the author. Specific themes are appropriate in particular settings. Among themes Shakespeare addresses in the play is witchcraft. The subject remains underexplored in the contemporary society in which scientific inventions continue to make life easier. Placing the play in the early English society thus validates the theme since witchcraft and magic was rampant at the time. Costumes therefore play the integral role of placing the action in the play in specific society. The characters must dress specific costumes that portray the prevailing styles at the time. The costumes of the characters readily place the play to a specific time in history a feature that validates the author’s claims. The characters dress unique clothes that do not only portray their varied roles in the play but also uniformly place them in a specific period in the history of the country, a key feature that validates the plot of the play (Garber 41). The unique attire places the play in the early Scottish culture. Additionally, costumes helps identity the characters. Each of the numerous characters in the play dress differently and in accordance to their roles. The first scene for example opens up with two witches meeting Macbeth. The costumes readily distinguish the witches from Macbeth and the trend continues in all the succeeding scenes in the play. Costumes also help set the various characters apart thereby

Analysis Of The South West Airlines

Analysis Of The South West Airlines The South west airlines are part of the airline industry in U.S.A and are a low cost airline located in Dallas U.S.A. An external analysis of the environment in the airline industry was carried out through a PEST analysis and the 5 forces of the Porters model and the below conclusions were reached. Political environment-the policies that governments have come up with. For instance the UK government and environmental activists that aviation degrades the environment greatly and should therefore be controlled. A government is a very powerful entity and therefore it could pose a threat to airlines if it decided to impose regulatory practices on airlines.Limitations regarding the terms and legal obligations of the airline may make it hard for the airline. Scanning the political environment in this case, we find that south west airlines sought to make use of the opportunity created by the airline Deregulation Act passed by the U.S congress in 1978.this law permitted interstate flights. But Southwests attempt to becoming an inter-state airline soon faced political obstacles. Southwest wanted to operate all its interstate flights from Love Field Airport which was very close to downtown Dallas. On the other hand, all the other airlines operated from Dallas Fort Worth Airport, which was far away from the main city. Rival airlines fearing that South west would get a larger share of passengers, tried to use their political influence to ban operation of flights from Love Field, Congressman Jim wright tried to pass this law. Social environment. These have positively affected the industry in that with the introduction of more and more airlines, even people from the middle-class can now travel by air. Beyond that, there has also been more job creation through the establishment of these airlines. An important aspect of the social environment concerns the values consumers hold. Values mainly revolve around a number of fundamental concerns regarding time, quality, total environment, financial conditions and diversity. The ultimate taste of a business is its social relevance. When it entered the airline industry, the social environment for air passengers was discouraging, the fares were too high, flight schedules were not convenient for passengers and the time required for travelling from the city , to park and take off from the airport was lengthy and tiring. The aptitude of managers of southwest airlines is seen whereby they refuse to move their flight operations from Love Field. This was a clear indication that they were observing the social environment and building their organization against this. With this recognition of the social environment, the southwest Airlines gained popularity among the citizens and thus attracted more customers. Economic environment. These can take several dimensions, first how the industries that airlines depend on affect airlines and how the airlines are directly affected by a countrys economy. The changes in the economy have had a tremendous effect on the airline industry. Another thing that the economy is affecting the airline industry is the competing airlines. The bigger airlines can afford lower fares which make it hard for the smaller airlines to compete. Different airlines have plans to expand but will not be able to until the cost of fuel is under control.Fuel price hauls and fluctuations are a major reason for the Southwest for not incurring more profitable operations. (Southwest counters this by strict financial spending on fuel i-e fuel-hedging) For the low carriers who allow advanced booking, they will need to work on a plan to avoid bankruptcy. This will make the airline industry continue to boost prices due to the fact that oil prices are expected to continue rising due to th e supply. Traveling by air is both elastic and inelastic depending on whom it is that is traveling. If a family is planning a trip just to take a vacation and the price of an airline ticket is extremely high, more than likely they will decide to wait on the trip until the prices are lower. This shows that the airline industry in considered elastic. However, if a businessman needs to be at a seminar across the country by the next day, he will need an airline ticket regardless of the cost. In this example, the airline industry would be considered inelastic because it is a necessity. The current market has a big part in the supply and demand in the airline industry. For instance, with the price of oil rapidly increasing, the cost of an airline ticket is also increasing and the demand for leisure travel is decreasing. After the bombing of the World Trade Centre on September 9th 2001, people were afraid there would be another terrorist attack involving a plane and the demand decreased. Another factor in the cost of an airline ticket is the date it is purchased. If there is an emergency and someone purchases a ticket close to the departure date, even though there are unsold seats available the cost will increase. Technological environment. This basically means that some technological advancement has proven, and may in future prove to affect the airline industry negatively thus a decrease in the air travel demand. A good instance would be video conferencing which reduces the need for people to constantly travel. If not planned for properly, an airline could suffer greatly from ignorance to technology. Social networking sites like Facebook and Skype allow for people around the world to share information they may not have been able to before. One can chat with a relative and avoiding travelling by air throughout the world. The 5 forces of Porters model Threats of new entrants. There has been a never ending expansion of the aviation industry with new airlines coming up every day. Airline managers should therefore ensure that they are prepared and have a strategy on how to deal with new entrants into the industry. This can be clearly portrayed by the way Braniff and Texas international Airlines reacted to the entry of a new airline, Southwest Airlines, they even decided to work together in a bid to destroy the airline even before it started their operations. This would go to show that the treat of new entrants in the airline industry is very high. Availability of substitutes. They exist because there is more than one way of doing anything. For instance when travelling, one can use vehicles, trains bicycles, airplanes, ship and so forth. Apart from alternative methods of transport, technology has gifted us with the gift to do a lot of things without moving. The ease of substitution in the airline industry is surprisingly very high the greatest contribution being from technological advancement. This has led to a drop in the demand for air travel causing airlines to constantly register losses. The ease of substitution in the Airline industry is very high since other alternatives have come up mostly due to technological developments. Degree of rivalry among competitors. How competitive is the industry? Is there a dominant airline and many other small airlines or are there many powerful airlines how many other airlines are there in the industry. These are some of the questions that are raised under competition. If theres one dominant airline then the degree of competition is quite low in the industry. The airline industry in the USA is very competitive and has a lot of rivalry going on. In the case of southwest airlines, its major competitors, Texas International and Braniff Airlines even joined hands in a bid to destroy the southwest airlines even before they started operations. This goes to illustrate how competitive the airline industry in USA can get, the competitors were threatened by an airline that hadnt even started operations. Bargaining power of suppliers. The bargaining power of suppliers is basically quite low in the industry in that, much bargaining doesnt take place. Suppliers are mostly big shot aviation companies and can only compromise prices with airlines so that during their low period, they are able to negotiate prices with their buyers. It may not be exactly bargaining but it counts for something. And therefore the bargaining power of suppliers will be considered to be low. Bargaining power of customers. The airline industry rarely allows room for customer bargaining, you can either afford to travel by air or not and with more and more new airlines coming up, almost all social classes are catered for. South airlines however havent classified their passengers which reduces discrimination. Through observing the social environment, the Airline has been able to cater for the diverse needs of the customers, this though does not count as bargaining power of the customers towards the airline. The bargaining power of customers in the airline industry is quite low compared to other industries. Conclusion After carrying out the PEST analysis and analysing the environment using the Porters Model the following conclusions were reached. There are threats and opportunities that affect the Southwest airlines Threats The decreasing demand for air travel Fuel price hauls and fluctuations. Terrorist activities make it more of a threat to travel. Opportunities There are still many national and international markets that are still untapped. There are many industrial opportunities for development in the airline industry. It can haul longer flights to cover more expansion. It can also tap the travel business option for the business class passengers, and offer private flights. It can get the latest technology, which would give it a further cost effective lead, as well as providing new services and products.

Looking for patterns in elements of life Essay

Looking for patterns in elements 59 of the 92 naturally occurring elements had been discovered by 1850. Much of the work of trying to search for patterns in the elements was done by Johann Dobereiner and Lother Meyer in Germany John Newlands in England Dimitri Mendeleev In Russia Mendeleev’s Groupings Group1 Group2 Group3 Group4 Group5 Group6 Group7 Group8 Period1 H Period2 Li Be B C N O F Period3 Na Mg Al Si P SCl Period4 K/Cu Ca/Zn / Ti/ V/As Cr/Se Mn/Br Fe,Co,Ni Period5 Rb/Ag Sr/Cd Y/In Zr/Sn Nb/Sb Mo/Te /I Ru,Rh,Pd. Indicates element yet to be discovered Mendeleevs groupings were seen as more credible than previous attempts to find patterns in element. Unlike newlands, mendeleev left gaps in his table. They allowed for the discovery of new elements. He predicted the properties of an element called eka-silicon. He predicted that the element would go between silicon and tin in his table. The element was discovered in 1886 and called germanium. Since mendellevs death in 1907:   8 elements have been discovered   24 elements have been made in the laboratory the modern periodic table is based on mendellevs original table. See: Assignment 3 Activity EL3. 1 Activity EL3. 2 Activity EL3. 3 Ideas 1. 2 Ideas 11. 1 Ideas11. 2.