Nursing and Nurse Practitioner

My Career goal Tiffanie Brown My all time career goal is to become a Nurse Practitioner. I will have a lot of hoops to Jump through in order to get there but I am determine to achieve my goal so I no I will Succeed in this process. Currently I am working as an LPN at a long term care facility which I enjoy very much I attended almost 2 years of school to be able to sit for my license board for my LPN It was not easy at all I had a lot of long nights studying and early clinical mornings I first started out in a computer class to make sure I had general computer knowledge. Then I currently moved to pharmacology and my basic nursing classes.Each class was A month long and focused solely on that specific class. After 6 months of nursing classes I currently moved on to my clinical piece of nursing School. Which were sometimes all day and night. We had to pass each portion of our Clinical rotation in order to be able to move on to the next clinical. It was not easy but I made it through my clinical rotation, it took a lot of focusing on my certain tasks but I took my time and proceeded to pass all subjects, after my clinical portion was complete I had to take an exit exam so I was able to sit for my boards, I studied days and nights andIt paid off I passed my exit exam and was able to sit for my state boards. I took them And passed on my first try, I received my license and been practicing for the last two years. Currently I am at U. C Raymond Walters College taking my necessary pre-reqs so I can Get into the LPN-RN bridge program they offer. I will have to take a year almost Of my pre-req classes in order to qualify for the program, I have to take several Math classes, English comp 1,2,3 I have to take bio-organic chemistry, global Community, anatomy 1,2,3 I will have to take pharmacology, pediatrics, med surgeAnd my year of clinical so I am ready to take my exit exam in order to sit for my RN Exam. Once I take my RN exam and pass that I will be able to get accepted into the Bachelors program, to complete that program I will gave a lot of papers to complete On history as well as the clinical aspects of nursing, I will have to do a few week Internship In order for me to qualify to be able to receive my bachelors. It will Take about a year for Me to receive my bachelors from my associates degree give or take a little more or little Less time. After that is complete I will move onto my process of being accepted toThe masters program. Once I am officially accepted into my masters program I will have Almost a year of classes such as advanced pediatrics, advanced acute care, advanced Family practice, advanced women’s health and a basic nurse practitioner course, also Primary care on the adults and the aged. My instructor will have to make sure I pass Every course with a 3. 5 or better GPA in order for me to pass the program. I will Have several hands on clinicals with live patients as well as dummies. I will also have Several research papers I will have to do in order to complete my program . This processWill take quite a few years to complete, considering I am doing this process in a step By step manner. But I like to learn all aspects of this field and what the limits of practice Are for each title, I would also like to learn the acute care versus the trauma care, Surgical care, pediatrics care, and OB care before I move into the full blown Nurse practitioner care when I am not working fully one on one with a certain patient At all times, that is why I want to take this process slow and learn all aspects before I focus solely on one thing. And that is what it will take me to receive my all time goal Of a Nurse Practitioner.

Characteristics of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay

I am writing about the play called Macbeth. Macbeth is a play written by Shakespeare based on the lines of a true story, about Macbeth changing his whole personality throughout the play. He has many obstacles on his way up, from being king. Lady Macbeth, started in the play, very brave cunning and immoral, and felt that Macbeth was too moral and good-willed. She forced him to do many things in order for him to gain the title in the throne. As she helped him however, she became very self-conscious and ended up killing herself through guilt. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was brave and loyal to king Duncan, and Duncan thought greatly of him. Duncan quoted â€Å"Brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name† in; act 1 scene 2. He also quoted â€Å"The service and the loyalty I owe, / in doing it, pays itself†. In act 1 scene 3. In these quotations, it shows that Macbeth is known as brave- even others think he is. He does not expect to be paid; he only does things for loyalty. This shows that he is moral, and is polite to everyone and is popular and liked by pretty much everyone around him. However, Lady Macbeth feels he is too nice for his own good. Macbeth had strong moral values, and never agreed to murder someone in order to get himself a claim in the throne. Lady Macbeth quoted â€Å"do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’th’milk of human kindness†, in act 1 scene 5. This is showing that Macbeths own wife thinks he is too kind to do anything evil- the milk represents that he is natural and pure of heart, whereas Lady Macbeth is not, she is evil. At the end of the play, Macbeth seems brave, but too brave, almost insanely brave. Lady Macbeth does end up persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan, which turns Macbeth evil, and makes his own plans on killing other people, in order to make him self the highest and the place on the throne. Macbeth says â€Å"I have almost forgotten the taste of fears† in act 5 scene 5. This shows him to be over confident and does not fear anything. The witches’ predictions, which appeared at the beginning of the play, and gave, correct predictions every time, said that Macbeth cannot be killed by any man born of woman and when Burnham wood comes to his castle. This makes him feel that he cannot be defeated. His wife, Lady Macbeth, commits suicide as she became so full of guilt, but when he found out, he seemed that he doesn’t seem to care much about lady Macbeth as he says † She should have died hereafter†¦life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/ That struts and frets his hour upon the stage† in act 5 scene 5. This seems to indicate that he does not care about anyone besides himself, and that he is selfish. He compares life to being in a theatre, he doesn’t think he is going to die, he’s like the actor, and thinks he knows exactly what is going to happen next. However, Macbeth is very wrong, as he comes face to face with reality, as Macduff and his army come to Macbeth’s castle, and Macbeth is told that Macduff is not born from woman, but he was a caesarean. Macbeth then becomes slightly worried. Macbeth still puts on a strong hard battle, but Macduff defeats him. Lady Macbeth At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth was a lot stronger and evil than Macbeth. She was more like the man of them both, and she always tried to make Macbeth stronger. She said to Macbeth â€Å"Unsex me here/ and fill me from the crown to the toe top full/ of direst cruelty†. Here, she I trying to say, make me more manly- she is asking to be filled with cruelty, so she can make Macbeth to have the title of the throne. She is trying to show that she will do anything bad in order to fill her ambitions. She is not maternal. Lady Macbeth was very good at being misleading, as she acted innocent in front of Duncan, but behind his back, she was plotting to get Macbeth to murder him. She says to Macbeth, â€Å"look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent uder’t†. She is saying to be like a deadly flower, looks innocent but will snap at any unpredictable and unexpected moment. The serpent represents evil and temptation; in which, Macbeth has to have. After Macbeth and herself finally murdered Duncan, she begins to feel very guilty and insecure. She had many nightmares of when she murdered Duncan. One night when she started sleep walking, in act 5 scene 1 she said † what will the hands ne’er be clean?†, she is still left with the stains of her actions. This shows her feminine side breaking through. She was being constantly reminded of when her hands were covered in blood; her dreams are showing her that she does not have a clean conscience. Lady Macbeth becomes very ill, and emotionally mental. She has many more nightmares, which shows a shadow of her old self. She quoted in one of her nightmares, â€Å"Old damned spot†¦Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeared†. She is here, cursing the blood; she now has anxiety over everything. She spoke in short sentences, showing her being not at all confident, creating a tense atmosphere. The use of repetition in questions to her husband when she slept talked showed her anxiety. Throughout the whole of this play, the two characters seemed to have almost switched placed. Macbeth grew courageous and confident after killing Duncan and felt he was undefeatable, while Lady Macbeth became disillusioned and emotionally mental, after her first murder encounter. Macbeth became too full of him self and felt he was â€Å"immortal†. The play created very tense and frightening atmospheres and had a strong storyline, which became clearer further on through the play.   

Cultural relativism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural relativism - Research Paper Example The customs, for example practiced by many cultures and religions such as infanticide, human sacrifice or self-mutation are considered right in those particular cultures and religions, while at the same time they are abhorred in other societies. In cultural relativism there is considered no concept of universal truths. The relativists claim that since every culture has its own distinct and diverse moral and ethical codes therefore there cannot be any universal standards to judge anything other than to consider it in the context of that particular culture. As in the case of abortion, which is highly abhorred and considered illegal in many countries, is considered completely legal and an act of birth control in Japan and many such countries. The idea of cultural relativism advocates the idea that everything is valid and right in its cultural context. This means that there is nothing truly right and wrong or moral and amoral, rather there is only different cultural aspects which may or may not validate an act or practice. The anthropologists, who contradict the idea of cultural relativism, consider the ethical subjectivism more appropriate in term of morality of actions. Ethical subjectivism implies that whatever an individual does or feels is right as far as he considers it right. This means that one thing that is morally justified for one person may not be so for another person. In other words the concept of right and wrong on a culture basis shrinks to an individual basis. For example extra marital relations or open marriage may be considered right for some while it will not be a justified act for others (Rae, 2009). There is another term of situational ethics generally applied by anthropologists which implies that morality is situation based. This term is introduced by Joseph Fletcher, advocating that all morality is relevant to the particular situation in which an individual finds himself. The most cited example of situational ethics is that of a woman impris oned in Nazi camp. She asked a guard to make her pregnant so that she could be released and meet her family (Rae, 2009). All these terms of cultural relativism, ethical subjectivism or situational ethics are valid in their own context, yet they can’t all be correct. If we truly follow ethical subjectivism, it would mean that there is no concept of society or culture but individual choices. This would only alienate individuals from one another. If everything has to be justified according to individual choices and preferences than no one will think of the consequences of their actions, rather there will only prevail selfishness and biased natures. To accept the individuality and diversity of different cultures and to give space and freedom of practice is essential, but to accept all the aspects of a particular religion or culture whether they are right or wrong is definitely not essential. Respecting cultures does not mean we respect their inhumane practices as well. Every cult ure teaches the basic doctrines of humanity and justice and they should be appreciated for whatever is good and humane in them. Yet there can’

Real fashion marketing campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Real fashion marketing campaign - Essay Example The paper "Real fashion marketing campaign" concerns the success of the Nike company. Reebok and other rivals of Nike were getting the better of it in the late 1980s but after the Just Do It campaign everything changed significantly. The main idea of this campaign was to convince the consumers to accept sneakers as a fashion statement and that is precisely what they did. The new range of shoes became a fashion statement and almost everyone jumped on the bandwagon and the campaign became a huge success. A few years later Nike was quick to capitalize on the fitness and jogging craze, they rolled out merchandize which looked very attractive and sold like hot cakes. Aerobics was also gaining popularity and the top brass working for Nike was aware of it, the ad campaign never focused on the product, the sole focus was on the person wearing the merchandize and Nike recruited the best athletes to feature in their commercials. This was another reason for the mass popularity of the just do it campaign. â€Å"The â€Å"Just Do It† campaign received mixed ratings, ranging from â€Å"an instant classic† to â€Å"sociopathic.† One critic went so far as to say the ads were â€Å"an impatient bordering-on-contemptuous exhortation to the masses. Cool is one thing. Poverty of warmth is another.† Eventually the campaign was credited with embracing not just resolve and purpose, but also the â€Å"beauty, drama and moral uplift of sport—even, every now and then, fun.† Bo Jackson, John McEnroe, Michael Jordon were some of the athletes.

Journal critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Journal critique - Essay Example And this study was carried out to understand the factors that affect the international students so that in the future, programs can be designed so as to make their stay comfortable, easy and enjoyable rather than a stressful experience. Although the study started with a good intention, while reading the article, it becomes evident that the research was not well planned and many things were missed out. First of all, depression and anxiety are two different things. ‘Depression’ can be defined as a condition of emotional dejection and sadness which can go on for weeks, months and also for years ( Depression â€Å"n.d.†). While ‘anxiety’ is a mental ‘state’ or a feeling of apprehension characterized by stress ( Anxiety â€Å"n.d.†). The major difference is that depression can be for months together while anxiety is temporary state of mind which occurs in response to certain event in life . The study of the depression and anxiety should be carried out separately and not together. While answering the questions, the participants might not be able to clearly point out if what they are feeling is a something temporary or permanent in nature. The second most important thing about the study is the method that was used to conduct the study. The article says that the e-mail of request to participate in a study was sent to 3000 students and only 440 actually participated. This narrowed down the scope of the study and so, some of the conclusions could not be considered permanent. For e.g. It was found that the students from Latino ethnicity had higher level of depression than the students from Asian ethnicity. However, as the sample which was studied had very small number of

The age of reason and Evangelical Biblical Interpretation Essay

The age of reason and Evangelical Biblical Interpretation - Essay Example To give substantial foundation of the argument, the proponent also includes basic information about evangelicalism and after this the analysis of how enlightenment affects the way evangelicals interpret the Scripture. Implications and findings are generated from reputable sources about concerning evangelical approaches to biblical hermeneutics. These references are in line with understanding and analysing the prevailing way of biblical interpretation of evangelicalism. It is evident that the age of reason or enlightenment had considerable influence on how to interpret biblical text. First, this is quite expounding when evangelicalism developed during and after the age of enlightenment. This has probable implication that there was an evolution on how the Bible was interpreted, because evangelicalism in the first place defined a movement that could substantially lead us to another style of interpreting the Scripture. Second, the age of reason clearly has illustrated us how evangelicals used their ability not only to stay at the literal point of view of interpreting the Bible, but now many of them could explore their actual opinion and even associate their actual experiences on the associated biblical text just to expound the linked context. Third, it is also clear that from traditional evangelical movement, the interpretation of the Bible evolved to being subjective in the sense that there would be actual implementation of interpretation of the Bible with one’s opinion, experience and so on. The age of reason has indeed remarkably influenced the evangelical interpretation of the Scripture. However, it is also clear that the evangelicalism even though it might be influenced by enlightenment and post-enlightenment period, but still it remains a movement to regard the Bible as with higher authority. Thus, part of evangelicals’ interpretation of the Bible is associated with giving substantial authority to concerned biblical text. Keywords: Evangelicalis m, Evangelical, Enlightenment, Bible Table of Contents Page Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Background of the Enlightenment period 4 The probable impacts of Enlightenment on the Biblical interpretation 4 What is Evangelicalism? 8 Features of Evangelicalism 8 Evangelicals acknowledge the authority that the Bible holds 9 Christ, the center of Scripture 9 The Bible and its complete objectivity 12 Evangelicals prevent distorting views of the Bible 12 Evangelicals’ considerations of the Bible 13 Evangelicals subject their viewpoints to the Bible for correction and change 13 Evangelicals and their point of view on the reliability of the Bible 14 Conclusion 16 References 18 Introduction In this paper, the proponent investigates and critiques the developments that have taken place since the enlightenment in the way evangelicalism interprets the Bible. To justify this further, the proponent starts with the background of the enlightenment period, then its probable impact on biblical interpre tation. To give substantial foundation of the argument, the proponent also includes basic information about evangelicalism and after this the analysis of how enlightenment affects the way evangelicals interpret the Scripture. Implications and findings are generated from reputable sources about concerning evangelical approaches to biblical hermeneutics. These references are in line with understanding and analysing the prevailing way of biblical interpretation of evangelicalism. Background of the Enlightenment period The age of enlightenment created a major impact on how interpreters interpret biblical text. Enlightenment is the age of reason which took place between 17th and 18th century first in

Incident at Oglala Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Incident at Oglala - Movie Review Example At preliminary glance, the main focus is on the shooting on the reservation which clearly flaunts violence. But if glimpsed upon a different perspective, the film also tackles the positive power of concinnity among the traditional natives. American Indian Movement, an organization established by natives, is a quintessence of unity among its people. During that time, the reservation is a clear cut picture of a forlorn landscape. Despondency is a norm, but the cohesiveness of the indigenous people has been evidently seen through the foundation of AIM. The respect for their culture and amongst the full blooded natives prevails. Leonard Peltier’s obedience to his Indian values has also been accentuated through his statements. He mentioned that being an AIM warrior makes him responsible to other people, whether it is menial task like fixing houses. Although the film is obviously made to illuminate Peltier’s innocence, it is noteworthy that Michael Apted made an effort to inc lude interviews from former FBI agents and members of the prosecution. This is certainly an attempt to make opinions of opposing parties known. Before the shooting at Oglala, there is already an atmosphere of violence throughout the reservation due to tribal conflicts. Traditional and nontraditional Indians are in dispute. This infighting has left many American Indians dead. Women and children ingenuously lost lives when caught in cross fires. Most of those who managed to survive may presumably suffered psychological trauma. The part that had made the situation worse was the ostensible ignorance on the part of the government. According to the film, the death toll is the highest in this area than of any other places in the country. On the day of the shooting, not only did two federal agents died, a native also died in the person of Joe Stuntz. Nobody was sued for the killing of the said native. The government is presumably either taking

Technology and Training Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Technology and Training Systems - Essay Example A number of the participants stated that the interviewing phase acted as a means of exploring the training system, debate the findings, and change the evaluation into an academic expedition. With no proper questioning, employees who may record poor productivity in the training system may get the wrong impression about the organization or its training system. In my assessment, I also learned that subjects should draw on the entire experience of the training session and not simply the outcome. This drawing should include shifting the focus of the debate from matters employees enjoy conversing about to topics that are more important (LÃ ©ger, Feldstein, Babin, Charland, Robert, & Lyle, 2011). For instance, participants of my assessment ought to have talked about group behaviors that either aided or limited them during training. Other questions that employees in similar career development systems could ask are the significance of clarity, the full exploitation of all group members’ contribution, requirements for complete usage of the knowledge of fellow employees, and the effects of such combined effort. During the questioning in my assessment, I emphasized the fact that a group that did not produce desired results in the training system but can explain the root of this poor delivery is at an advantage compared to a group that produ ced desired results but cannot explain why they performed well. My assessment also established that a more official and ready teaching presentation can be helpful for questioning. This is a good chance for analyzing some of the key concepts behind incorporation and technology-supporting training systems and offering explanations and features of these systems. With the simulation training experience, employees can most probably relate to these accounts better because they have applied the technology in a virtual environment. A conventional strategy to questioning can aid in maturing training processes

Intellectual and Cognitive Development Essay Example for Free

Intellectual and Cognitive Development Essay Intellectual and Cognitive Development Explain the sequence and rate of development Age Range 0-3 Months Babies at this age are learning a lot about their parents they are beginning to recognise the sound of their voices, especially Mums voice and smell, they may stop crying when Mums voice is heard. 3-6 Months Objects and toys become very interesting to babies at this time. Toys are explored with fingers and mouth. They are very alert. 6-9 Months Around this time babies will cry when their primary carer leaves the room but then around 8 or 9 moths learn that people and objects do not disappear but continue to exist even when they are out of sight. 1-2 Years At this time in their life they recognise routines throughout the day, babies may get excited when they see a familiar face or toy or when a bib is put on for feeding. They enjoy toys that they put things in to containers and out again, they may pull off hats and socks repeatedly. They also respond well to brothers and sisters. 2-4 Years Children begin to know what they like and play with the same games over and over again. They like pretend play games like drinking from an empty cup or dressing up in clothes of their heros. 4-7 Years This is the age they gain load of confidence and co-ordination. They start school and learn to read, write and count they also do simple maths. -12 Years By this age children are well co-ordinated, the way children think and reason is reflected in their play, they are much more organised and focused. 12-16 Years Children of this age have learnt how to solve problems and have an understanding of reasoning. 16-19 Years Decisions have to be made at this tae of ones life, if to stay in education or to find a job. If leaving your familiar environment you have to embrace new settings, rules and people.

Teen Suicide Essay Example for Free

Teen Suicide Essay Over the last 15 years teen suicide has significantly increased in the United States due to cyber bullying. Teen suicide in the United States has been relatively high in the 15 to 24 age group with 4,000 suicides since 2004. Teen suicide is the 3 leading cause of death in the United States. Teenagers tend to commit suicide after large changes, significant losses, or abuse has occurred in their lives. An important change in a relationship, bulling in school or cyber , body image may contribute to a teenagers tendency to commit suicide. The death of a loved one, the loss of a valued relationship, and the loss of self-esteem are some significant losses, which might be a factor in teen suicidePerceived abuse such as physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, social abuse or neglect can lead to suicide. Suicide can also be lead on by severe depression, getting peer pressured to do something, and even schizophrenia. The following paraghphs will explain teen suicide. A close investigation of teen suicide in the United States will make it clear the reasons why teen suicide occurs at a time when all teen suicide are preventable. Our nations has increased stress on teen and their families. There is now exteme violence amongs teenagers, severe depression,drug,alcohol,teen pregnancy and its obvious that the youth and teens are growing up with hidden anger and self-destructive impasses (Buliding a Better Self Image). Teen suicide in the United States had been relatively high in the fifteen to twenty-four age group with four-thousand suicides since 2004. Teen suicide is the third leading cause of death in the Unitied States. Federal statistics say the surge in suicide among the nations youths is fueled by exceptional increase in such deaths in certain populations. The suicide rate among 10-To-14-year olds have doubles in the past few decades. African American teenagers are now more than twice as likely to kill themselves as they were just 20 years old. It has been found that nearly 700,000 American high school students annually who attempted to kill themselves and millions that are contemplating on doing it ( Many Factors Contribute to Teen Suicide ). Approximately 10 percent of high school students suffer from depression. For many teens the mental pain of depression is so overwhelming that they believe the only way to except it is to commit suicide. One out of every ten high school students can be diagnosed with depression. Many professionals, friends, family down play or over look the signs of depression and they dont realize it till its too late. The mental pain of depression is all-consuming and its impossible to take any type of pleasure in anything you do , youre not satisfied with your life and everything becomes unimportant. They become isolated and think that that are worthless and just a waste of space. They start to become antisocial or have deliquent behavior or may become very hostile to the people that are close to them. That makes life seem the only way to get away from the mental pain of depression is suicide. When there are talks about suicidal gestures a lot of people think of it as someone trying to seek attention, but really they are asking for help and for someo e to hear their story. Some suicidal gestures are self-harming,taking a nonleathal number of pills, or every waving a firearms around in front of people. Teens that do this are waving red flags, in a way as suck it shows that the teen is not ready to die yet its just simply a cry for help. Amy substantial catastrophe that can be related to depression regardless of how it may manifest should be viewed as a statement about the life of a teen or anyone. All the stress that this person is going through or societys response to their behavior. American Acadamy of Pediatrics national conference in New Orleans Found a clear relationship between cyber bulling and suicide. In the study , researchers collected data about youth suicide from the Internet , including information about the demorgraphics of the individuals involved. Of the 41sucide cases they identified , researchers found that 78 percent of the people involved had been victims of bullying at school and online. Less than 20 percent were targeted solely online. The study concludes that cyber bullying is only one of many issues involved in youth suicide. One of the reasons that social media has been getting so much attention in recent weeks is that it can make it much easier to engage in bullying behavior and more difficult for young people to escape or avoid the abuse Tragic deaths have brawn public attention to the problem of cyber bulling. On October 17,2006, In dardenne prairie, Missouri, 13 year old Megan Meier hanged herself after receiving cruel mssages from a boy she befriended on a social network. In reality the messages where a hoax and came from Lori Drew. The mother of a friend of Megan. On September 22,2010, Tyler Clementi, an 18 year old freshman at Rutgers University , jumped to his death off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate , Dharun Ravi and a fellow dorm mate , Molly We, used a hidden webcam transmit images of Clementi having a gay encounter. On January 13,2010, 15 year old Phoebe Prince , who had recently moved to south Hadley, Massachusetts, from Ireland, hanged herself after high school classmates harasses her Facebook, in text messages , and at school calling her an Irosh whore and Irish slut . Experts have found strong links between bulling and suicide. Bullying victims are nearly twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to those who were not bulling victims. However, they caution, it is unlikely that experience with cyber bullying by its self leads to youth suicide. Rather it tends to exacerbate instability and hopelessness in the minds of adolescent already struggling with stressful life circumstances. In a slate article, What Really Happened to Phoebe Prince? journalist Emily Bazelon claims , The whole story is a lot more complicated that anyone has publicly allowed for. The events led to Phoeboes death show how hard it is for kids, parents,and schools to cope with bullying, especially when the victim is psychological vulnerable . ( Introduction to Cyber Bullying : At Issue page1 ) The study found that bullying was only one risk factors for suicidal thoughts. Young people who have been sexually assaulted in the past year were 3. 4 times more likely to have suicidal ideation , while those who expericenced maltreatment by a parent or caregiver were 4. 4 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts

Reducing Carbon Emissions in Construction and Housing

Reducing Carbon Emissions in Construction and Housing Introduction In recent times new buildings have been the main focus in terms of improving energy efficiency in the construction industry. This agenda has been led by the introduction of minimum energy performance standards in Part L of the buildings regulations back in 2006. In recent times the code for sustainable homes has already set the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2016 for all new domestic buildings. Recent Part L amendments are geared towards ensuring the target is met. The proposal for 2010 is for a saving of 25% in CO2 emissions per year compared with 2006 levels. (Rabin, 2009) These challenging standards proposed for the building regulations in regards to new builds means that the industrys attention will continue to focus heavily on new buildings. However, new buildings only account for 1-2% of the total building stock each year, meaning that, if the government is to get close to its target of cutting carbon 80% by 2050, (Summers, 2008) significant CO2 reductions will need to come from existing buildings. 87% of the homes that will be standing in 2050 are already built, (DCLG, 2008) which is why government, industry and home owners are all looking into the benefits of refurbishing the existing housing stock. Aims The main aims of the research project are to: Investigate how existing housing can be upgraded to reduce carbon emissions Investigate whether eco-refurbishment is cost-effective in terms of both monetary costs and Co2 emission reduction. Objectives The main objectives of the research project are: To introduce the concept of eco-refurbishment To explain why upgrading an existing housing stock is necessary To investigate options for fabric service upgrades. Existing housing stock Carbon emissions output The code for sustainable homes is pushing forward in terms of the new build sector and the aim of zero carbon construction by 2016. The focus on the new build sector overshadows the existing housing stock despite it having an even bigger role to play in terms of reducing Co2 Emissions. Current predictions estimate that in 2050, the existing (pre-2006) housing stock will still make up two thirds of the UKs housing. This stock is typically poorly performing when measured by todays heightened energy efficiency standards, and hence it is essential that measures are taken to reduce its associated carbon emissions. (Greenbang, 2009) Each household in the UK creates around five and a half tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Thats five and a half times the weight of the rubbish a household throws away in a year. Its also nearly double the carbon dioxide emissions that the average car produces in a year. (Energy Saving Trust, (n/d)) Options for fabric upgrade Priorities From the outset consideration must be taken as to which measures are cost effective in terms of both monetary cost and Co2 emission reduction. The options for fabric upgrade can be split into ten specific groups- Walls Most post -1930 homes have cavity walls and still the majority in the UK do not have the benefit of cavity-fill insulation. (Smith, 2004) Immediate increases in comfort, as well as lower energy bills could be met if this deficiency was to be rectified. Roofs Poorly insulated roofs offer rising heat the ideal escape route. Floors The British climate causes floors to be a particular drain in terms of heat lost. Windows Double Glazing has gained a hold on the housing sector, not least because of the assertive marketing tactics of some double glazing companies. In part, this is because it is perceived as a fashion accessory to a home. (Smith, 2004) High performance double glazing which uses low emissive glass is now required by the building regulations. Doors Double glazed doors can now be manufactured in a similar fashion to double glazed windows. Space heating and hot water A number of central heating systems remain in use within the UK which are well below current best practice. Air tightness straightforward draught-proofing can have a benefit out of all proportion to its cost. However, if the draught sealing has been carried out really effectively, it may be necessary to provide fan-assisted ventilation. (Smith, 2004) Ventilation Controlled ventilation is necessary to provide a healthy internal environment. Lighting and Appliances Appliances and white goods are often major energy drains, especially fridges and freezes. (Smith, 2004) When replacing appliances it is vital the appliance carries an energy saving recommended certificate mark Renewable and low carbon technologies Renewable technologies can offer additional reductions in environmental impact. The energy saving trust Best practice in refurbishment The energy saving trust produced a report in which a refurbishment standard was designed to give optimum balance of environmental performance and practicality. Using the best practice specification ensures that refurbishment work is carried out to the highest practical standard, and the maximum cost and carbon savings are realised for residents, and the environment. (The Energy Savings Trust, 2008) Table : Summary of Energy Saving Trust best practice in refurbishment standard Areas of Improvement Walls Where possible, walls should be insulated to achieve a maximum U-value of 0.30W/m ²K. Roofs For best practice, aim for a U-value of 0.16 W/m ²K when installing insulation between the joists or rafters. Flat roofs should be insulated to achieve a U-value of 0.25 W/m ²K or better. Floors Exposed floors should be insulated to achieve a maximum U value of 0.20-0.25 W/m ²K. Windows Replacement windows should have a BFRC rating in band C or above. Any retained windows should be draught-stripped. Doors Replacement doors should have a maximum U-value of 1.0 W/m ²K if solid, or 1.5 W/m ²K if half-glazed. All existing doors should be draught-stripped Space heating and hot water Domestic wet central heating systems and hot water should be installed to meet central heating system specification (CHeSS Year 2008 standard HR6 or HC6. Where electricity is the only option, the recommendation contained within Domestic heating by electricity should be followed Air tightness Air leakage paths can be identified using a pressure test and removed by undertaking remedial sealing. The best practice recommendation is to aim for an air permeability of 5m ³/(hm ²) at 50Pa. Ventilation A purpose-provided ventilation system should be installed. Lighting and appliances When re-wiring dedicated lamp fittings should be installed which accept only low-energy bulbs. Ideally greater than 75% of all fixed luminaries should be dedicated low energy fittings. Low energy appliances should be specified which carry energy saving recommended certification mark. Renewable and low carbon technologies After all basic energy efficiency improvements have been undertaken the specification of renewable technologies, such as solar hot water heating or photovoltaics, is encouraged where appropriate to further reduce environmental impact. Source: Figures taken from Roadmap to 60%: Eco-refubishment P.8 The Building Fabric Insulation Assumptions The costs and paybacks shown in tables under each area of potential fabric upgrade are approximations made by the energy saving trust; they are based on a gas heated semi-detached house with 3 bedrooms. A gas price of 3.80p/kWh has been used in their calculations. External Walls To reduce the amount of heat lost through external walls, the installation of insulation is required. Three common methods are traditionally used, the most cost effective being cavity wall insulation. Alternative methods include external wall insulation, or internal insulated dry-lining, these are generally used if the wall has no cavity. Cavity Wall Insulation Typically all masonry cavity walls built since the 1930s are suitable for the installation of insulation. Polystyrene beads or mineral fibre with a U-value of 0.30W/m ²K are blown in the wall cavity through a hole. It is recommended that installation be undertaken by an approved company using an approved system under the British Board of Agreement (BBA). Internal Wall Insulation When either a cavity wall or solid masonry wall are un-suitable for cavity insulation then internal wall insulation can be a cost effect solution. This is most cost effective when the existing plaster is being renewed. The wall should be insulated to achieve a maximum U-value of 0.30W/m ²K. (Energy Saving Trust, (n/d)) External Wall Insulation External wall insulation offers an alternative method of insulating a masonry wall. The installation and design is a specialist job, and advice should be sought from an approved company. External wall insulation is the most expensive of the three methods (Smith, 2004) but can be cost effective when other works are being carried out. (City of Westminister Council, (n/d)) Pitched Roofs Typically insulation is fitted between ceiling joists and rafters, covering the ceiling area. Any pipes which run through the loft space need be insulated as best possible. The insulation must be at least 250mm thick and have a U-value of 0.16 W/m ²K. Two layers of insulation is preferred, one between joists and one across the top. Loft Ventilation is required to maintain air flow. Flat Roofs For best practice insulation should be placed above the structure as part of the roof finish, referred to as a warm deck. If this is not possible the insulation may be fitted within the roof structure, often referred to as a cold deck. To keep costs low it is recommended to replace the insulation in roofs when the covering requires replacing. A rigid board material of 100mm thickness should be used; a U-value of 0.25 W/m ²K or better is required. Ground Floor Heat is typically lost through the ground floor; the amount lost is dependent on the shape and size of the flooring area. It is best to insulate a ground floor whilst works are being carried out. The floor should be insulated to a U-value of 0.20-0.25 W/m ²K. Intermediate Floors Intermediate floors allow for rooms over an un-heated space, such as a garage or storage room to be insulated. Where there is access from below this can be cost effective. (City of Westminister Council, (n/d)) Mineral fibre insulation should be used to achieve a U-value of 0.20-0.25 W/m ²K. Windows Traditional windows are usually single glazed without draught proofing and by todays standards offer a poor standard of energy efficiency. (City of Westminister Council, (n/d)) Switching to double glazed windows offers many benefits. Double glazed windows consist of two specially made glass panels with a space in between them; a gas such as argon is generally filled in this cavity as a form of insulation. They also often have a UV coating, which can be customised to the British climate. In many instances when frames are worn out and need replacing cost effective energy efficiency improvements can be made. External Doors Double glazed doors as well as windows are now a common sighting throughout the UK. They offer a much better standard of thermal insulation in comparison to that of a solid timber door. Glazing units in doors can be made to the same standards as windows. (City of Westminister Council, (n/d)) And as such should be replaced when frames are worn out. Draught Proofing and Ventilation A ventilation and airtightness strategy should be part of any refurbishment works. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) The main objective of draught proofing and ventilating is to provide a balance between energy efficiency and the indoor air quality. Air leakage is the infiltration of air via unwanted gaps and cracks in the building envelope. Too much air leakage leads to heat loss as well as discomfort from cold draughts. As thermal insulation standards improve the proportion of total heat lost via infiltration increases significantly. Ventilation of the dwelling is desirable and necessary to remove moisture and other pollutants from the air. Airtightness The potential to improve airtightness of a dwelling will depend on the nature of the existing building and the type of works being undertaken. It is therefore difficult to set absolute targets but the best practice recommendation is to aim for an air permeability of 5m3/(h.m2) @ 50Pa. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) Some simple measures can be taken to improve the airtightness. Draught proofing around windows, door; sealing around service pipes which pass thorough floors, walls and roofs; block up unused chimneys, but include ventilation to the room by means of a ventilator. Ventilation Purpose-provided ventilation (e.g. ventilators and windows) and extract fans are required to replace stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) Adequate ventilation is needed for both the comfort and the safety of occupants, as it removes or dilutes pollutants that accumulate in the dwelling. Once the dwelling is sufficiently airtight, controlled ventilation can be installed. One of the more beneficial ventilation systems is the single room heat recovery ventilator. This is a development of the extract fan which incorporates a heat exchanger. It recovers 60 per cent or more of the heat in the outgoing air. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) This can then be used to preheat incoming air. Options for Service Upgrade Domestic Heating Hot Water By upgrading predated boilers a significant reduction in energy consumption can be achieved. Furthermore it is very cost effective. If the house has been insulated prior to the replacement or installation of the energy efficient boiler further improvement in the energy efficiency of the house can be felt. The followings points need to be considered when choosing an energy efficient domestic heating system The system is correctly sized to warm up the dwelling from cold taking account of heat gains from the sun, people, lights and appliances It uses fuel as efficiently as possible Provides heating and hot water only when required and where needed Have controls that are easy to use and understandable. The installation of an energy efficient boiler such as a condensing boiler will reduce running and costs and will in most cases add value to a property. The energy performance standard for new and replacement boilers was raised in England and Wales in April 2005, Northern Ireland in November 2006 and Scotland in May 2007. When replacing a boiler, a condensing boiler (with a seasonal efficiency of greater than 86 per cent) must now be installed in the majority of cases. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) Heating assumptions Below, savings are shown for the upgrade of a condensing boiler from a G rated boiler to an efficient A rated boiler. These savings are approximations made by the energy saving trust and are based on a gas heated semi-detached house with 3 bedrooms. Savings assume a gas price of 3.80p/kWh. Lighting Electricity for lights and appliances (including cooking) can account for a significant proportion of total energy costs and CO2 emission. Energy demand for lighting can be reduced by: Using energy efficient lamps and luminaries (light fittings). Directing light to where it is needed. Controlling lighting use. Making the most of daylight. Immediate results can be made in the first three areas through basic home improvements. 75% of all fixed luminaries should be dedicated low energy fitting for best practice. The annual savings shown in the table below are based on a home owner changing 3 light bulbs to energy efficient light bulbs a year. Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks for Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Measure:  Energy-efficient light bulbs Annual saving ( £/yr):  Up to  £30 CO2saving a year:  Around 136kg Source: http://www.reduceyourco2.co.uk/tips.html Appliances Appliances account for a large proportion of total domestic energy use. As energy efficient appliances use less electricity, they are less expensive to run and are responsible for lower CO2 emissions. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) Appliance assumptions The table below shows the energy ratings and savings when upgrading appliances. These savings are approximations made by the energy saving trust, they also assume replacing an average appliance purchased new in 1998 with an Energy Saving Recommended model of similar size and an electricity cost of 12.96p/kWh. Source: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Energy-saving-assumptions Renewable and low-carbon technologies Several types of renewable technologies can generate electricity for a dwelling, including photovoltaics (PV), wind and micro-CHP. Other renewable or low-carbon technologies can also provide heating and hot water, such as heat pumps, biomass and solar hot water. Solar Water Heating By installing a solar water heater the house can use the suns energy to produce hot water. For a more cost effective approach it is advised to install a solar collector where other heating improvements are already being undertaken. There are two main types of solar water heaters, a flat plate collector or evacuated tube collectors. Both types have liquids in them which collect heat from the sun, this then passes through a coil in a hot water cylinder. These systems are typically only used for water heating, and are rarely used to provide space heating. Solar Water Heaters are amongst the most cost-effective renewable energy systems for existing dwellings. During the summer months, a typical system can supply between 80 and 100 per cent of hot water demand, the percentage being much lower in winter, of course. (The Energy Saving Trust, 2007) Even when it is decided not to include solar water heating, it is worth making properties solar ready, to allow systems to be added later with minimal disruption. Photovoltaics PV panels allow solar energy to be converted into electricity. The panels can generate power to satisfy some of buildings electrical demand even in the northern latitudes, in some cases all of the buildings electrical demand can be met. The PVs are versatile and can be installed in numerous locations, glass roofs and conservatories being one option, a more common option being to install an array of them on a south facing roof. Grants Most of the grants and offers you can benefit from are provided by three main groups. The Government Energy Suppliers Local Authorities The Government A number of schemes are funded by the government, in some cases up to  £3,500 can be given to help people improve their heating and energy efficiency. In England the scheme is known as Warm Front, in Wales it is known as the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. The eligibility criteria for the schemes differ between both countries, some schemes you need to be in receipt of certain benefits, whilst others are available to anyone over a certain age. Guidance as to the availability of these grants can be found on their websites. Examples of Home Energy Efficiency Scheme eligibility criteria; Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Grant of up to  £2,000) Householders who either have a child aged under 16 or are pregnant and have been given maternity certificate MAT B1 and are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits: Income Support Working Tax Credit (with income less than  £16,040) Council Tax Benefit Child Tax Credit (with income less than  £16,040) Housing Benefit Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Source: http://www.heeswales.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm The following websites offer further examples and information regarding eligibility criteria. Warm Front grant (England) http://www.warmfront.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Wales) http://www.heeswales.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm Energy Suppliers The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) came into effect in April 2008, obliging electricity and gas suppliers in Great Britain to help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from homes. (Energy Saving Trust, (n/d)) This means energy suppliers with a certain number of customers operating in Great Britain are obliged to achieve targets for improving home energy efficiency. The suppliers therefore provide a range of offers which significantly reduce the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. Local authorities Most Local authorities provide grants and offers for local residents to install certain energy efficiency measures in their home. (Energy Saving Trust, (n/d)) Case Study There are a number of case studies which show the benefits and tribulations of eco-refurbishment, one of particular interest is describe below. Nottingham Eco-home Architect Gil Shalom and his wife Penney Poyzer set out the task of refurbishing their Victorian home whilst reducing emissions by 85%. As well as reducing emissions by 85% they hoped to use only low impact materials. In the process they hoped to demonstrate how green design can appeal to a wider audience and be an aspiration lifestyle choice. (Sustainable Development Commission, (N/D)) Overview A typical 5-bedroom semi detached Victorian house that was refurbished over a six year period in a low energy and ecological way. Dating from around 1898, it was in a very run-down state and has been thoroughly upgraded by the owners, to provide a good example of eco retrofit. It is a demonstration of a variety of eco-friendly features including super-insulation, solar hot water and wood burning boiler, rainwater harvesting and waste composting systems. (Sustainable Development Commission, (N/D)) The project set out specific priorities to aim for during the refurbishment, they were to: Upgrade thermal performance through insulation, heat recovery ventilation and air tightness and thermal mass improvement Be as autonomous as possible in energy, water, sewage treatment and food Experiment with different low-impact materials It was estimated that an overall energy saving of 85% in terms of Co2 and 75% in terns if costs was made. This was a direct result of the refurbishment work which took place. Image 1 shows the areas of the house the refurbishment took place. The list below corresponds to Image1. (Sustainable Development Commission, (N/D)) Flat-Plate solar collectors for heating water Roof insulation 300/400mm thick (shredded newspapers) Roof lights with insulating low-emissivity glass Natural plasters- clay and lime based Super insulated hot water tank 100mm ozone friendly drylining to front face to maintain brick appearance 150mm external wall insulation with rendered finish Space saving bath and thermostatic shower controls Heat recovering fans Environmental-friendly paints Draught lobby triple- and double-glazed timber windows treated with natural fungicides and stains Energy efficient appliances Second hand reclaimed furniture tripped floorboards Copper rainwater goods with filters for rainwater harvesting 160mm natural floor insulation Rainwater storage for use in WCs and washing machine Low-flush toilets Non-PVC waste pipes Composting chamber for solid waste from WCs Separator lets liquids drain off and solids into composting chamber Decking Organic garden utilizing the principles of permaculture Table: Case Study- Energy and costs at the Nottingham Eco-home Research findings and discussion Fabric and Service upgrades In cases considered cavity wall insulation is shown to be highly cost-effective, however the current savings potential from the installation is beginning to tail off. The resultant reduction in Co2 emissions following the installation is a clear indication that the measures taken are cost effective in terms of both monetary cost and Co2 emission reduction. From the outset this was a main priority. Table : Costs and Paybacks for Cavity Wall Insulation issued by the Energy savings trust illustrates these potential savings. Although cavity wall insulation is reaching saturation point in terms of potential savings and cost-effectiveness, its counterpart solid wall insulation is not likely to reach this point for the next few years, this is a result of slower uptake. There are still significant potential savings to be had. Currently solid wall insulation is barely a cost-effective upgrade unless other work is being carried out. This may be the cause of a slower uptake. Advances in the technology behind solid wall insulation are likely to improve over coming years and the potential savings could be realised quicker as a result. The annual CO2 saving shown in Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks for Internal Wall Insulation shows significant savings could be made despite not being the most cost effective in terms of monetary cost Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks for Roof Insulation illustrates that loft insulation is a cost effective way to save energy and reduce domestic carbon emissions. The greatest saving is made when the loft previously had less than 150mm of insulation. If the loft previously had 150mm of insulation or more, the table shows that it is not cost effective to add more. Floor insulation can offer some potential Co2 savings, but is only truly cost effective if the floor is undergoing repair anyway. Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks for Floor Insulation gives us a figure of two years for the payback time which isnt the most cost effective. Older, less eco-friendly windows are slowly being replaced by low-emissivity double glazing, the potential savings will be realised gradually over the coming years. Currently replacing windows unnecessarily is highly inefficient in terms of cost-effectiveness, this is mainly because of high capital costs. Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks of Installing Double Glazing illustrates the potential reductions in Co2 emissions is significant, despite not being very cost-effective. Draught proofing is one of the more cost-effective fabric upgrades, though the potential Co2 emission savings are fairly low. To gain the most beneficial results from draught proofing, central heating upgrade, as well as glazing upgrade is advised. The full potential of draught proofing is realised when combined with these upgrades. Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks for Condensing boiler upgrade suggests that the installation of a class A condensing boiler and heating system offers potentially large Co2 emission savings, whilst also being one of the more cost-effective service upgrades a dwelling can undergo. Again the true potential of the installation is only realised when the dwelling receives draught proofing and glazing upgrades. Replacing at least 3 light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs is proven by Table : Annual Savings and Paybacks for Energy Efficient Light Bulbs to be both cost-effective and offer small savings of Co2 Emissions. It is one of the easier service upgrades to achieve. Table : Appliance Energy Ratings and Savings shows upgrading to energy efficient appliances of class A or more is a cost-effective energy measure, significantly cutting down on Co2 emissions, especially if all appliances are replaced. There is potential to save a considerable amount of carbon emissions with the use of solar water heating; as illustrated in Table : Annual Savings for installation of Solar Water Heater. The cost-effectiveness is currently very inefficient though with advancements in technology this may become more cost-effective within a few years. PV offer similar results to solar water heaters, despite offering significant savings in Co2 emissions; they are still not a cost-effective service upgrade. The cost far outweighs the reduction in Co2 emissions. Analysts predict that the cost of PV will fall dramatically over the coming decades, slowly becoming more cost-effective over time. Case Study The case study looked at was the Nottingham Eco-home, an ambitious refurbishment of a Victorian house. The owners set out specific priorities at the start of the project which they were aiming to achieve; Upgrade thermal performance through insulation, heat recovery ventilation and air tightness and thermal mass improvement Be as autonomous as possible in energy, water, sewage treatment and food Experiment with different low-impact materials The case study shows that as ambitious as it was initially, with the correct information and guidance, as well as clear aims objectives, eco-refurbishment offers attainable goals. Table : Case Study- Energy and costs at the Nottingham Eco-home clearly indicates that significant reductions in the energy costs led to savings per year for both money and Co2 emissions. With additional upgrades the table shows that even more improvements are to be had. Although some of the fabric upgrades and service upgrades are slightly out dated by todays standards, the case study shows that cutting Co2 emissions is very achievable, and the benefits of eco-refurbishment should not be overlooked The owners clearly achieved the specific goals they set out initially; an eco-refurbishment was carried out with beneficial results in regards to the cost-effectiveness and savings in Co2 reductions. Summary and Conclusion 87% of the homes that will be standing in 2050 are already built, (DCLG, 2008) There is evidence that the eco-refurbishment of these homes is definitely a viable option, though whether or not they will achieve the proposal for a 80% reduction in Co2 Emissions by 2050 (Summers, 2008) is still unclear. The cost-effectiveness and carbon savings of the fabric and service upgrades looked at varies tremendously. Many Assumptions have to be made when calculating the cost-effectiveness and annual Co2 saving of an upgrade, be it fabric or service. This is partially due to there being so many varieties and options for the upgrades. Technological advancements take place daily, and will have a dramatic impact on many of the upgrades looked at, the cost-effectiveness as well as the potential for carbon savings will rise slowly year by year. There are almost 25 million dwellings throughout the UK, if only half of these were to adopt energy efficient measures, the savings would be highly significant in driving the UKs housing stock emissions down towards the target 80% r

Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own :: Virginia Woolf A Room of One’s Own

Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own Though published seventy years ago, Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own holds no less appeal today than it did then. Modern women writers look to Woolf as a prophet of inspiration. In November of 1929, Woolf wrote to her friend G. Lowes Dickinson that she penned the book because she "wanted to encourage the young women–they seem to get frightfully depressed" (xiv). The irony here, of course, is that Woolf herself eventually grew so depressed and discouraged that she killed herself. The suicide seems symptomatic of Woolf's own feelings of oppression within a patriarchal world where only the words of men, it seemed, were taken seriously. Nevertheless, women writers still look to Woolf as a liberating force and, in particular, at A Room of One's Own as an inspiring and empowering work. Woolf biographer Quentin Bell notes that the text argues: the disabilities of women are social and economic; the woman writer can only survive despite great difficulties, and despite the prejudice and the economic selfishness of men; and the key to emancipation is to be found in the door of a room which a woman may call her own and which she can inhabit with the same freedom and independence as her brothers. (144) Woolf empowers women writers by first exploring the nature of women and fiction, and then by incorporating notions of androgyny and individuality as it exists in a woman's experience as writer. Woolf's first assertion is that women are spatially hindered in creative life. "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction," Woolf writes, "and that as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of women. . .and fiction unresolved" (4). What Woolf seems to say is that being female stifles creativity. Woolf does not assume, however, that a biological reason for this stifling exists. Instead, she implies that a woman's "life conflicts with something that is not life" (71). In other words, mothering, being a wife, and the general daily, culturally defined expectations of women infringe upon creativity, in particular the writing of fiction. The smothering reality of a woman's life - - housekeeping and child-rearing duties, for example - - distract a woman from writing. Sadly, Woolf notes, even if a woman in such circumstances manages to write anyway, "she will write in a rage where she should write calmly.

The Red Badge of Courage Essay -- English Literature Essays

The Red Badge of Courage The Red Badge of Courage, by Steven Crane, has been considered one of the greatest war novels of all time. It is a story that realistically depicts the American Civil War through the eyes of Henry Fleming, an ordinary farm boy who decides to become a soldier. Henry is very determined to become a hero, and the story tells Henrys voyage from being a young coward to becoming a brave man. This voyage is the classic trip from innocence to experience. To begin, the story starts out with a huge debate between the soldiers. One boy had heard a rumor that the regiment would be moving on to fight a battle the next day. Some of the soldiers agree with this boy. Others think that their regiment will never go into a real battle. While watching this argument, Henry, the protagonist, decides that he would rather go lay down and think rather then take part in the heated argument between the soldiers. Henry, a simple farm boy, is rather excited when he hears the rumor that they will be fighting soon. It had always been a dream of his to fight in a war, and become a hero. Now his dream was coming true. Henry begins to think about what life was like before he entered the army, and remembers some stories of war he has heard from old veterans. This flashback is very effective in showing how his previous experiences have affected his thoughts on war now. It is very clear that he is afraid that he will not be able to withstand the pressures of a war. He keeps telling himself that if he wants to become a hero and realizes he can not run away. He must stick out the battle with the rest of his fellow soldiers. While marching along, Henry sees the first corpse he has ever seen. He shows sorry for the m an because the dead man had died in such poor conditions. The souls of his shoes were worn bare. When Henry sees the corpse, he begins to wonder if his generals actually know what they are doing. He thinks that the generals are leading him right into a trap and right into the middle of the enemy, the rebels. Henry deals with his fear of battle by acting calm and confident. He acts as if he has been in a thousand battles, and complains about the walking. It shows one of Henry’s defense mechanisms and how he can use his arrogance to hide his innocence. Regiment 304 moves on to battle the next day. Henry is getting very scared, but is too ... ...hey are going to be fighting is going to be very tough, and the general is looking for spare regiment. The leader feels that there is no way Regiment 304 will survive the battle alone, and calls the soldiers ‘mule drivers’, thinking that they are slow, and rather stupid. When Henry and Tom hear this, they are very upset. They are determined to fight as hard as they can, and with all their heart and souls. Henry and Tom prove themselves well in the battle. They steal the confederate flag, and are both brave enough to go out on the field without weapons. After the regiment retreats, the general recognizes both soldiers as extremely brave, and comment that they are fit to be generals themselves. This final action is what finalizes the movement from innocence to experience for Henry and Tom. They went into the war as little boys, and now they are moving on as men. They have both earned their red badges of courage, as well as the hero status they had dreamed of obtaining forever. In conclusion, The Red Badge of Courage is a great novel and I hope you will take the time to read it. But, if The Red Badge of Courage is not for you, Steven Crane has many more great novels