Chronic Illness in Age Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chronic Illness in Age Groups - Essay Example It was also discovered that malignant hypertension commonly affected this age group. The causes of asthma in this group is mainly allergies to dust and pollens which are aggravated by second hand cigarette smoke that is inhaled by the children (In Burkhart & Krau, 2013). Leukemia in this group is mostly idiopathic. However there is a genetic predisposition among family trees where close relatives have had the condition. Malignant hypertension on the other hand is found among pediatrics whose mothers showed excessive weight gain during pregnancy ( Cheriyan et al 2010). Among the middle age group, demographic data portrays type II diabetes, dyslipidemia and HIV/AIDs as the main chronic conditions of crisis (Pattman, 2010). The main risk factors that culminate to the predominance of the conditions diabetes mellitus type II to the young adults is excessive weight gain culminating to obesity (Wood & Casella, 2010). However, obesity is only known risk factors among those whose relatives are obese thus is mostly an genetically inherited chronic disease. Poor weight control is seen in the group with high incidences of obesity. HIV/AIDs, although not a chronic non communicable disease per se is over contracted among these youths and young adults due to sexual promiscuity among adolescents and poor control mechanisms. This is a sexual active group that has been a reservoir of the killer illness. The aged have not been spared of chronic diseases either (Crimmins et al, 2010). Musculoskeletal disorders like arthritis are very common amounting up to 14.8% of the adult population (Conaghan et al, 2010). The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD) is also very immense with most adults succumbing to lung cancers after prolonged irritation from smoke and other air pollutants that find their way to the respiratory tract (Abramovitz, 2015). Coronary heart disease and low back pain prevail

In a Street Car Named Desire Essay Example for Free

In a Street Car Named Desire Essay In a Streetcar Named Desire there is a conflict between Illusion and reality, Blanche Dubois arrives in New Orleans with the impression of a patronising, wealthy school teacher who has no time for those who she believes to be below her class as we see in her rudeness to Eunice at the very beginning. As the play progresses we see that Blanche is merely projecting a persona which hides both her past and the inevitably grim future that awaits her. On the other side we have Blanche’s brother-in-law Stanley who acts in opposition of the illusion which Blanche has created and takes it upon himself to expose Blanche for what she really is. Blanche like all human beings is not infallible in her illusion as her own body and actions betray her at times reveal that the true Blanche Dubois lies just beneath the surface, for example her nerves show her reliance on alcohol. Blanche throughout the entire play portrays a character which is not truly her own, from the beginning she appears to believe herself above everyone she meets, especially her own sister Stella as we see in Blanche’s disappointment at Stella’s home. Despite this from the very beginning it’s obvious that Blanche is prone to hiding the true image of herself, physical and mental â€Å"Turn that over light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare. † Blanche’s aversion to be seen clearly in the light is evident throughout the entire play and symbolises her need to impair people’s view of her true self. Blanche gives the impression of being superior incessantly through showing her culture and telling false stories like that of Shep Huntleigh. Williams establishes the extreme difference between illusion and reality with Blanche’s conversation with Stella on how the ceremony of the funeral does nothing to illustrate the truth of death â€Å"Funerals are quiet with pretty flowers. And, oh, what gorgeous boxes they pack them away in! Unless you were there at the bed when they cried out, ‘Hold me! ’ you’d never suspect there was a struggle for breath and breathing. † This illustrates human need to hide reality, with a beautiful ceremony we hide the harsh reality of death, dressing up our mortality and ignoring the reality of the pain and anguish which accompanies death. Just like Blanche trying to look as attractive and collected as possible in order to disguise the true reason behind her arrival at her sister Stella’s apartment. The character of Stanley, Blanche’s brother-in-law is constantly referred to as a primitive, instinctive male with Tennessee’s constant use of animal imagery while describing him and lowering him to an almost sub human level as we see in Blanche’s description of him â€Å"He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! † This explains Stanley’s decision to take the role of exposer, he is a male protecting his home from an intruder who threatens the dominance which he has established over it. When Blanche first arrives she annoys Stanley as he assumes the role of the head of the household, Blanche’s education and condescending manner are a challenge to his hold over Stella â€Å"Tennessee Williams writes that the most pressing moral problem of man in the twentieth century is to avoid extinction. † Stanley instinctively knows Blanche is hiding her past and her persona is all a facade, it is when his control of the household is challenged that he decides to expose the reality behind the illusion of Blanche Dubois. Stanley exposes Blanche to Stella after discovering her misdeeds in a town called Laurel where she had been a sexual deviant, having relations with many men. Blanche had to move to this town because she was fired from her job as a schoolteacher for having a sexual relationship with a seventeen year old. Blanche constantly wears white and her name actually means white, the colour that represents innocence and purity but Stanley begins revealing her past by saying, â€Å"Sister Blanche is no Lily. It is easy to judge Blanche, condemning her for her falsity but Blanche created this character to hide her past so she could have a future. Blanche was married to a man named Gray but found him with another man and the guilt forced him into suicide. This caused Blanche to seek fulfilment in the arms of strange men, Blanche married young and once an adult she then proceeded to lose â€Å"her husband, her inheritance, her home, her employment and nearly all her family. Blanche’s transition child to adult is traumatic and the harsh reality of the world is thrust upon her through death and meaningless relations with men which is why she maintains the illusion of childhood, that of the pure and innocent southern girl who needs to be courted â€Å"You didn’t know Blanche as a girl: Nobody, nobody was as tender and trusting as she was. But people like you abused her, and forced her to change. † It was the harsh reality of the world which made Blanche create the false persona we see in the Kowalski home. Blanche sense’s that her only hope for salvation is to attract a partner and she targets Mitch (Stanley’s friend) as a possible candidate for this role. Mitch is a sincere character as we see by his awkwardness and openness especially when explaining his fear of loneliness once his mother passes to his friends at the poker game. Even though Mitch appears to be the most honest character, Blanche is so insecure that â€Å"she assumes that she must pretend to be the innocent romantic in order to attract men, she hides her past, her age and her sexual appetites. This is in vain however as Stanley tells Mitch the truth of Blanche’s past therefore revealing that Blanche isn’t the innocent girl he had hoped she was to replace his mother as the main woman in his life. Blanche not only uses illusion but is also an example of the illusion of the typical southern lady. Due to her upbringing in the south Blanche has unfair expectations placed on her from an early age , which she reverts back to after her tragic marriage ends, taking the role of the pure, innocent girl. This reflects a situation that Williams saw first-hand as he â€Å"watched his sister struggle to become the kind of southern belle that his mother expected, he knew how cruel this definition of roles could be. † Blanche has created this false personality based on the perfect southern women she failed to become. Stella is put in a situation where she must choose between illusion and reality. Blanche tells Stella of Stanley’s rape however Stella shortly after giving birth doesn’t believe her and instead chooses Stanley over her own sister. We cannot totally fault Stella for forsaking her sister, it is a decision made with the future in mind for her and her baby â€Å"When Stella chooses him (Stanley) over Blanche we understand she is choosing survival of the species rather than the dream of a dead past† Stanley is the provider for her family and she must remain with him. Adhering to his animal instincts Stanley has defeated Blanche and remains the king of his household by exposing her past, therefore chasing away her only remaining suitor Mitch and finally by the brutal act of rape, â€Å"having been raped by the man of the house in which she sought refuge, her mind unhinges. At the time of production it was believed that Stanley should be punished for his crime and that the poetic character of Blanche should not have such a bleak end, but like the play, Williams is more concerned with portraying a realistic ending rather than creating an ending more digestible for the audience, â€Å"We know that Williams unc ensored ending was more realistic. †

Comparison of Indian and Mediterranean Diet

Comparison of Indian and Mediterranean Diet INDIAN DIET OVER MEDITERRANEAN DIET         Ã‚   13 MARCH 2017 Introduction In nutrition, the term diet refers to the intake of adequate quantity of essential nutrients which are vital for the effective functioning of the body and various metabolic mechanisms. Humans, in general practice an omnivorous diet but the dietary pattern of people vary in accordance with the region and personal diet preferences. The selective dietary behaviour among people led to the emergence of various type of diet categories such as ketogenic diet, fruitarian diet, vegan diet, pescetarian diet and carnivorous diet. Mediterranean diet emphasizes on the intake of plant based foods, healthy fats such as canola and olive oil, alcohol in moderate quantity, fish and poultry instead of red meat which is considered to be a balanced health diet and the Indian diet includes a higher proportion of carbohydrates. The essay specifically focuses on comparing the dietary pattern of Indian and Mediterranean diet. Literature review Mediterranean diet Mediterranean diet refers to the traditional dietary pattern that is highly practiced in the Mediterranean region. The traditional Mediterranean emphasize on the higher consumption of fruits and nuts, legumes, unprocessed cereals, minimal consumption of meat and dairy products. Adefinition to Mediterranean diet was first made by Ancel Keys as the diet which is low in saturated fats and high in vegetable oils which was initially observed in Greece and Southern region of Italy. Olive oil constitutes the key element in the Mediterranean diet and the monounsaturated fatty acid and antioxidant content in olive has found to exhibit profound effect in the control of coronary heart diseases, various cancers and age-related cognitive disorders(Keys, 1995). Olive oil comprises about 55-85% of monounsaturated oleic acid content and rich in antioxidant compounds such as vitamin E and a range of phenolic compounds such as hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and complex phenolic compounds (Visioli Galli, 200 1). The unique feature regarding the Mediterranean diet when compared with other healthy diets is that it limits the intake of alcohol during meal and the source of fat in the Mediterranean diet are Virgin olive oil, tree nuts and fatty fish. Another key ingredient of the Mediterranean diet is the legume which has proven to lower the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). Legumes are composed of larger proportion of bean protein and water soluble fibres and serves as a good source of proteins, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and non-starch polysaccharides. Fish is another prime ingredient of the Mediterranean diet which is a rich source of long chain omega-3 fatty acids and confers a lot of health benefits. Alcohol intake pattern in the Mediterranean diet has considerably decreased the mortality rate. Recent research studies have shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the incidence of breast cancer, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease and cardiac diseas es(Trichopoulou et al., 2014). South Indian diet The Indian traditional foods are referred to as functional foods as it includes functional components such as body-healing chemicals, dietary fibres and probiotic constituents in it. The functional properties are enhanced via food processing techniques such as sprouting, malting and fermentation. The typical dietary pattern of south India includes the grain-based foods such as idly, Dosa (fermented foods), white or brown rice, dhals such as toor, urad, Bengal gram and mung, animal protein foods include fish, chicken, lamb, mutton and eggs, green and starchy vegetables, fruit or fruit juices, desserts such as kheer made from reduced milk and white sugar, jilebi , appam and Pongal made from brown sugar based cooked rice and lentils and desserts made out of jaggery such as Halwa (MISRA, 2011).The grain-based foods have a high calorific value and confer a lot of health benefits when included in diet. Idly and dosa falls under the category of fermented food products prepared from rice and black gram by steam cooking. Fermentation process enhances the nutritional and protein efficiency value and the fermentative bacteria is capable of synthesising vitamin B12 and beta-galactosidase enzyme which promotes the promotes the probiotic activity and confer health benefits. Idly is more digestible due to fermentation process and is widely consumed as breakfast meal. The food stuff that is widely consumed for lunch include the rice meal which include the rice, dahi (Indian yogurt), Non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. The rice meal is rich in carbohydrates , Vegetable dishes such as Sambar ( mixed vegetable curry), Rasam ,Vazhai poo poriyal which is prepared out of small chopped pieces of banana floret seasoned with green chilly, mustard, onion and coconut which is highly nutritious and is effective against diabetes and heart burn , Non-vegetarian dishes are prepared out of red meat which are rich gravies composed of saturated fats and salts , dahi or Indian yogurt is rich i n B-complex vitamins, folic acid and riboflavin and lactic acid bacteria which exhibit probiotic effect and controls diarrhoea in children . The dinner preparation includes the chapatti (indian bread) which is made out of wheat flour and fish gravy (indian style fish curry). Wheat is highly nutritious due to its high content of protein and fibre. Similarly, the fish used in the diet is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, proteins and minerals which makes it an ample diet as it confers a lot of health benefits. (Sarkar, Dhumal, Panigrahi, Choudhary, 2015) Comparative study of Indian diet with Mediterranean diet and other diets(Trichopoulou et al., 2014) Oil used: In India cooking oils differ region wise, certain mono unsaturated fatty acid like ground nut oil, mustard oil and rice bran oil commonly used in India has similar nutritional properties to olive oil which is widely used in the Mediterranean. However, oils used in India dont show any impact on the cardio-protectiveness though certain studies on the usage of mustard oil shows 50% reduction in the risk of ischemic heart diseases. Whereas usage of rice barn oil shows effect on hypolipidemia and further studies on these oils also show positive effects on the cardiovascular health. Despite the positive effects of olive oil, it is not considerably used in India due to the traditional cooking methods, availability and the cost of olive oil. Olive oil not being an indigenous is not commonly available and is quite expensive making it less popular however subsidises provided from the Agricultural ministry on olive oil and olive cultivation along with its nutritional facts is developing interes t among people in India. Fruits and Vegetables: Mediterranean diets key factor is the high consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Indian diet shows low consumption in fruit and vegetables compared to Mediterranean diet despite India being the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world. The main reasons noted for low consumption of fruits and vegetables are availability, affordability and lack of awareness. Early start, multi- component interventions and subsidies on growing and storing of fruits and vegetables may offer supportable solutions on promoting intake of fruits and vegetables in India. Legumes: Another important Mediterranean diet is the consumption of legumes. Legumes reduces the Coronary heart disease risk and is high in protein and fibre. Legumes are also found to be rich in vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and non-starch polysaccharides. Even though Indian diet contains a legume it is not up to the ideal consumption levels. India has a high production rate of legumes despite the intake levels, this is due to the cost factor. The challenge lies in increasing production rate at a lower cost, which makes legumes affordable for everyone in India. Fish: Fish plays a vital role in Mediterranean diet, due to its long chain omega 3 fatty acids(n-3) it is known for being very heart healthy. Fish intake ratio in India depends from region to region considerably, whereas it is widely consumed in the Mediterranean. Alternate source of n-3 in India is commonly nuts, flax seeds and mustard oil, but it contains shorter chains of n-3 compared to fish. Drinks: Mediterranean diet consists of mainly wine as drink, whereas in India whiskey and beer are highly consumed instead of wine. The consumption pattern of alcohol also varies between the Mediterranean and India, for instance in India alcohol is consumed before food as compared to the Mediterranean where it is consumed along with food. This pattern and the type of alcohol consumed has effects on the risk of CVD. Meat: High CVD risk is associated with red meat intake, people following Mediterranean diet usually consumes less red meat. The United Nation food and Agricultural organization reported a rise in meat consumption in India, this shows there is change in the usual dietary preferences. Religion plays a main part in meat diet in India, Hindus usually avoid beef and Muslims avoid pork among the non-vegetarian population in India. The comparison of Mediterranean and Indian diet is elucidated in table 1 Summary: The Mediterranean diet shows it is a balanced diet all together, whereas the diet particularly followed in India has all the required nutrients but doesnt meet the required standard to meet a complete nutritional balanced diet. This can be mainly noted due to regional food being more available than the others and as well as the fact of affordability of certain food items, pattern of dietary consumption in India also does play a role in it. Despite this the constituents of the Mediterranean diet plays separate roles in their relationship with one another and with the items which are consumed alongside with the diet. Therefore, fusing Mediterranean diet with the traditional Indian food processing methods followed in the Indian diet to create mixed dishes could affect few of the preventive and nutritional benefits that Mediterranean diet alone holds, and this could also lead to increased risk of CVD substantially. Thus, successful dietary interventions should be implemented mainly for t he patterns of diet followed instead of having isolated nutrients along with usual diet, hence aiding to develop an ample, stable and nutritional diet. The Ministry should also see to it that there are enough food items available at affordable rates so that adequate portions of food is consumed, thus meeting the ample nutritional standards in the diet. References:       Keys, A. (1995). Mediterranean diet and public health: personal reflections. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 61(6), 1321S-1323S. MISRA, R. M. R. (2011). Indian Foods: AAPIs Guide Indian Foods: AAPIs Guide To Nutrition, Health and Diabetes: Chennai: Sunil Sachdev. Sarkar, P., Dhumal, C., Panigrahi, S. S., Choudhary, R. (2015). Traditional and ayurvedic foods of Indian origin. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 2(3), 97-109. Trichopoulou, A., Martà ­nez-Gonzà ¡lez, M. A., Tong, T. Y., Forouhi, N. G., Khandelwal, S., Prabhakaran, D., . . . de Lorgeril, M. (2014). Definitions and potential health benefits of the Mediterranean diet: views from experts around the world. BMC medicine, 12(1), 112. Visioli, F., Galli, C. (2001). The role of antioxidants in the Mediterranean diet. Lipids, 36, S49-S52.

Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton :: Cry, The Beloved Country Essays

Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton As an advocate for the natives, the death of Arthur Jarvis is a blow to the South African community. Although dead, Arthur Jarvis has a significant influence in the book Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Arthur Jarvis is a white man who believes in equality between the white men and the native men. Before dying Arthur Jarvis was a president for the Africans Boys Club and involved in many other such organizations. (He wholeheartedly believed that all men were created equal, a belief reinforced bye the wall of books on Abraham Lincoln. Jarvis’ passion to read all about Abraham Lincoln, who firmly believed that all men were created equal, reinforces.) Jarvis is placed in the story to symbolize the fight for equality that occurs in South Africa. With the rise of native crime in South Africa, Arthur Jarvis begins to write a book. In the book Jarvis states that the reason for native crime stems from the fact that the white man oppresses the black. The white man leaves the black uneducated, yet expects him to be civilized. When the natives commit crimes, it shocks the white man, yet the white man does nothing to better the situation. This, states Jarvis, is unacceptable. For as long as the white man does this, there will be native crime in South Africa. Yet the most significant thing that results from Arthur’s death is the effect it has on his father James Jarvis. James Jarvis is a white farmer who lives near Ndotsheni and notices the poverty, yet does nothing. Nothing, that is, until his son dies. The death of Arthur cases James to rethink some of his beliefs, and in the end results in his helping out the natives of Ndotsheni. For example, when one of the children I the valley falls sick and needs milk to survive, Jarvis sends milk for the child.

Proverbs in Things Fall Apart

Proverbs are wise sayings that address the heart of the discourse in any given context, truthfully and objectively. In Africa and in Nigerian cultures especially, they are considered the reliable horses, which convey meanings to their destinations or hearts of the listeners. This study investigates aspects of the meaning of proverbs in the work of a Nigerian author, Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. It is contended that meanings of Nigerian proverbs can be worked out within the semantic, referential, ideational, stimulus-response, realist and contextual theories. Types of meaning and proverbs are addressed and situated within the two works. It is advanced that proverbs play significant roles in clarifying, exemplifying, underscoring and influencing communication . With the broadly analyzed proverbs, the study attempts to further demonstrate the vitality of semantics and pragmatics in negotiating meaning especially in a second language context. Proverbs are common features of conversational eloquence in many African cultures, especially in Nigeria. Such â€Å"wise sayings† are usually acquired and learnt from listening to the elders’ talk. Given the vintage position that the elders occupy in various African traditions as the human repository of communal or primordial wisdom, they are the masters of eloquence, rhetoric and meaning. They are the ones who know how to impregnate short expressions with vast meanings, implicating the proverb, â€Å"it is the elder’s mouth that determines a ripe kola nut†. Several definitions of the term â€Å"proverb† abound in literature. The central idea in the definitions is that a proverb is â€Å"an adage, saying, maxim, precept, saw or any synonym of such that expresses conventional truth†. From Things Fall Apart The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them p. 6 Theory: Referential Type: Denotative/Connotative Analysis: The proverb makes reference to a cosmic body, the sun, with a view to evoking its sense – that those who strive and work (by remaining standing) will benefit from the fruit of their work before those who depend on them (by kneeling or deriving succor from them). While the inference of discouraging dependency can be made, the message is mainly that those who do not face the challenges of life and work assiduously defying sunshine should satisfy themselves with the crumbs that fall from the table of the hardworking ones. The proverb discourages laziness and implies the need for everyone to be hard-working. If a child washed his hands, he could eat with kings. p. 6 Theory: Realist Types: Denotative, thematic Analysis: The proverb portrays the honor and dignity attributed to cleanliness and responsibility. It thematizes hands washing, a good character training and hygienic way of eating as a sine qua non to honor. We infer that if a person does the right thing at the right time, as the proverb entails good fortune, honor, reverence, esteem and credit will be his, just like eating together with kings. The pragmatic understanding of how really high the Nigerians rate their traditional rulers provides a further clue to the semantic import of the proverb. 3 When the moon is shining, the cripple becomes hungry for a walk. p. 9. Theory: Referential Types: Collocative, Stylistic Analysis: Reference is made to another cosmic body, the moon, in this proverb, as â€Å"shining† collocates with â€Å"the moon† and â€Å"cripple† collocates metaphorically with â€Å"walk†. The sense of the proverb lies in the cause-effect theory that if motivation is given, action arises. In essence, night is conventionally taken as a period of rest but in a situation where there is moon-light, not only the able-bodied feels the need to walk or work in the night but even the cripple does. Night is implied and not stated for stylistic purposes while â€Å"hungry†, a marked word that ordinarily does not apply to â€Å"walk†, is also used for stylistic effect. The underlining message is that a good cause or motivation occasions a good effect or line of action. 4 A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness p. 14. Theory: Stimulus-Response Types: Denotative, Affective. Analysis: There is a tact advice almost coinciding with the English proverb, â€Å"one good turn deserves another† here. If a person accords honor or reverence to the successful ones, it is likely that he is also going to be successful. In other words, the sense of the proverb is that a person who helps another man helps himself indirectly as he gets familiar with what that man engages in – and this will ultimately lead him also to greatness, directly or indirectly. 5 A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing. 15 Theory: Ideational Types: Denotative/Stylistic Analysis: The proverb tasks our mental conception or general knowledge of the toad as a nocturnal animal. If such an animal therefore does â€Å"run† (a lexical item preferred by the author for metaphorical or stylistic effect, against the normal collocative word, â€Å"jump†) in the day, there must be something amiss. The sense of the proverb is that there is a cause for anything strange that happens; there must be a reason, at least â€Å"no smoke without fire†. A toad running in daytime is probably pursuing something or certainly something is pursuing it. It has to do with the â€Å"cause-effect† relationship. An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. p. 15 Theory: Stimulus – Response Types: Denotative/Thematic Analysis: This proverb also exhibits â€Å"causes-effect† relationship as it thematises the old woman. It means that people who have negative features feel disturbed when such features are being highlighted. There is the effect or response of uneasiness with reference to the dry bones because an old woman whose dry bones are signs of impending death is always scared of death. The sense of the proverb, essentially, is that conscience worries people of negative attributes even when they are not addressed but their excesses (so to say) are being condemned. The lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did. p. 16. Theory: Referential Types: Denotative/Connotative Analysis: The proverb elicits the self-contentment and joy of good work. A good work, we can infer, is itself commendable whether people appreciate it or not. Reference is made to the lizard which nods after any activity it engages in, implicating its self-praise. The animal is personified for poetic effect. The English equivalent of â€Å"if you don’t blow your trumpet, nobody will blow it for you† may further illustrate the sense of the proverb – that if you do not appreciate your worth and dignify yourself, people may not bother to do it for you. Eneke the bird says since men have learnt to shoot without missing, he has learnt to fly without perching. . 16. Theory: Referential Types: Denotative/Connotative Analysis: Like the previous proverb, this proverb derives its message from folklore, in which human attributes are given to animals/non-human creatures. The meaning is both literal and figurative as well as multi-dimensional in scope. Changing situations give birth to innovations. If students, for example, develop novel means of cheating in the examinations, referentially, the authorities also devise ipso facto, new strategies of apprehending or detecting the cheats. When a man says yes, his Chi says yes also. p. 9 Theory: Ideational Types: Denotative/Connotative. Analysis: The proverb aptly sums up the essence of determination and strong will, within one’s psychological context. Reference to chi, a person’s personal god in Igbo culture, is of connotative import. The message interpreted is that man must always take decisive decisions for himself and resolve to do whatever he tasks himself to do for that will always be the will of his supposed â€Å"god†. A possible English equivalent is that â€Å"heavens help those who help themselves†, and as such, man should always be responsible for all his actions. A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches. p. 46 Theory: Realist Types: Denotative/Connotative. Analysis: The proverb explores the logical sequence of things/ phenomena: that a general analysis can be made from specific traits. In the real world, from the initial stage, from countenance and appearance, one is able to identify the good, the bad and the ugly. The reference to the chick in our psyche is illustrative: the chick that will not live long will probably look frail and sickly, right from the day it is hatched. Our actions, at particular times, are indices of our character, the proverb tells us. A child’s finger is not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm. p. 47 Theory: Contextual Types: Denotive/Collocative Analysis: Given the contextual/pragmatic knowledge of a mother’s love for her child especially in the Nigerian cultures, it is implied that whatever she does, even if such superficially appears harmful, will be of benefit to the child. This is because it is presupposed that nobody loves a child better than his/her mother. Thus, the sense of the proverb, which for effect parades â€Å"child/mother†, â€Å"finger/palm†, â€Å"a piece of hot yam† etc collocates, is that love bears no harm. If there is love, there is no need for reservation in taking a beloved’s piece of advice, whether one considers it good or not, because a beloved person will not recommend a harmful antidote for whom he loves. 12 If one finger brought oil, it soiled the others. p. 87. Theory: Ideational Types: Denotative/Connotative/Stylistic Analysis: The proverb underlines the concept of collective responsibility: what one does implicates the involvement of the others. With tact reference to our knowledge or ideas of the world, if a finger is dipped into the oil, other fingers get smeared alongside since they are together. In other words, a shameful act by a person brings shame, odium and opprobrium to him and by extension, to his family and community. Stylistic considerations impinge on the choice of â€Å"brought† and â€Å"soiled† from the existing alternatives – which could further communicate the same idea. A child cannot pay for its mother’s milk. p. 117 Theory: Realist Types: Connotative/Collocative. Analysis: This proverb anchors an axiomatic fact: certain things are unquantifiable or priceless. No matter how much the child gives the mother later in life, such is not worth her milk, given the child at infancy. By extension, kindness, love (and such virtues) cannot be fully reciprocated, as they are inestimably valuable. Collocates like â€Å"child, mother, milk† enhance the sense of the meaning. An animal rubs its aching flank against a tree, a man asks his kinsman to scratch him p. 17. Theory: Realist/Stimulus-Response Types: Connotative/Stylistic. Analysis: By drawing our attention to the real world of human-animal behavioral patterns, the proverb draws a line between a human being and an animal. The proverb is suggestive of the social nature of man, and the fact that â€Å"no man is an Island†. The proverb suggests that it is love that distinguishes men from a nimals. People who do not seek their fellow human beings’ help when in danger or difficulty are therefore animalistic. Marked word patterns like â€Å"aching†, â€Å"flank†, â€Å"kinsman†, â€Å"rubs†, â€Å"scratch†, that one would ordinarily prefer other words for, are used for stylistic purposes, engendering the connotative, figurative sense. Living fire begets cold, impotent ash. p. 118 Theory: Ideational Types: Connotative/Stylistic Analysis: The sense engendered by this epigrammatic statement is the vanity of arrogance. By creating the image/idea of fire in our mind, we are implicitly told that fire flares up in pride but its consequence is cold, impotent ash. The connotative meanings of â€Å"cold† and â€Å"impotent† are quite essential and their stylistic association with ash lends credence to the force of the meaning. Both fire and â€Å"ash† conjure in us human qualities – the fire gives birth to a cold and impotent child in ash. The sense of the proverb or its message is that people should be good and level-headed when they are opportune (to be in a position) or alive; for, when they lose such position and die, they become useless and unwanted – subsequently becoming objects of public disdain.

Chinese Gardens essays

Chinese Gardens essays Tu Fu once said Even if the nation should be destroyed, the mountains and rivers will remain. The Chinese people are well aware of the grandeour in the geography of their land. Chinese civilization has developed over thousands of years in an environment composed of five mountain ranges forming a criss-crossing grid and whose upland account for eighty-five percent of the country, leaving a mere fifteen percent of land available for farming. In addition to the mountains is the element of water. There run three great rivers and their tributaries which flow into the East China Sea, with the East China Sea accounting for Chinas entire eastern boarder. These geographical features have long been ingrained into their culture. The view of landscape as well as villages have long been partitioned by the mountains and the rivers and ocean have long played a part in fertility and deployment of goods. The facination with such enviornmental elements as discussed in the former can been seen reflect ed in the Chinese garden as well as many other elements of importance to their culture. The desire for and luxury of having a garden in China grew out of the lack of ownable land. Starting from the beginning of society all farmable land was being carefully used and recycled to feed the growing population through hunting and farming. Then thorough time hunting was stopped and the population piled up in both the countryside and in large cities which developed though thoughtful organization. The repercussions of this are threefold; first, gardens created a space to retreat to in such crowded conditions; second, the gardens needed to be designed in such a way as to maxamize the asthetic capabilities in a limited spaces; and thirdly, these spaces needed to appear in contrast with the planned space. Hense owning land soaley for personal, aesthetic pursposes in China developed as an attribute to the wealthy. The earliest conc...