Child Abuse Research Paper

Child Abuse Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Child Abuse Research Paper Child abuse does not discriminate against a child because of age, sex, race, religion, or socioeconomic background. Any child can fall victim to this sometimes a silent problem. I will discuss the major types of child abuse in the following paragraphs. Every child is vulnerable to abuse. Parents today face the possibility that someone they know or don’t know may hurt or take advantage of their child. Research indicates that as many as one out of every four children will be the victims of some kind of abuse. Very young children as well as older teenagers are victimized. Almost all of these children will be abused by someone they know and trust; for example a relative, family friend or a caretaker. Maltreatment of children is not a new phenomenon. Child abuse dates back to biblical times. During recent years the public eye has become more focused on child maltreatment. There are many factors to child maltreatment. There are four general categories of child maltreatment now recognized; physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abues, neglect and emotional maltreatment. Each category covers a large range of behavior. Some causes of child abuse are the use of drugs, or alcohol abuse or an abuser was also abused when they were younger. Another problem is that when an abused child grows up they could join the next generations of child abusers. Child abuse can be prevented in a number of ways such as counseling for the adults as well as the children. Another way is for the school to educate the children about child abuse. Teachers should help children understand what to do if someone abuses them. Tactics like telling an adult they trust and coming forward when they see abuse could prevent continued abuse. In my opinion everyone should try to prevent child abuse any way they can. Child abuse should never start because it can ruin a childs life forever, and causes serious injures to the child, whether this be physical or emotional. All 50 states have passed some form of a mandatory child abuse and neglect reporting law in order to qualify for funding under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (Jan. 1996 version) 42 U.S.C. 5101, et seq.. The Act was originally passed in 1974, has been amended several times and was most recently amended and reauthorized on October 3, 1996, by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Act Amendments of 1996 (P.L. 104-235). Types of Abuse: Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse can also take the form of verbal abuse and mental abuse. This includes acts, or the failure to act by parents or caretakers that have caused or could cause serious behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders in the child. As well as parents/caretakers using extreme or bizarre forms of punishment. There are several different types of emotional abuse, rejecting, ignoring, terrorizing, isolating, and corrupting. Emotional abuse accounts for eight percent of all child abuse. Neglect Neglect is a failure to provide for a childs basic needs. Neglect could be physical, educational, or emotional. Physical neglect could include not providing food or clothing, appropriate medical care, supervision, or proper weather protection. Educational neglect is the failure to provide schooling or special educational needs, for example, not helping them on homework or teaching them how to read. Emotional neglect includes the lack of any emotional support and love. Physical Abuse Physical abuse is the intentional infliction of physical injury upon a child. This may include: burning, hitting, punching, shaking, kicking, beating, or otherwise harming a child. Physical abuse may be best defined as any non-accidental physical injury by a person who has care, custody, or control of a child. Accidental harm does not qualify as child abuse. There are many signs of physical abuse. Bruises found on the backs of the arms, legs, lower back, the butt, and genitals are suspicious bruises and should be questioned. Patterned bruising is also a sign of abuse. Normal bruises usually appear in various shapes and sizes, while some bruises that are patterned may indicate strong signs of abuse. These are bruises that have definite boundaries and sharp or curved edges. Burns can also be signs of abuse. Fractures are another sign of physical abuse. Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is any inappropriate sexual behavior with a child, such as: fondling a childs genitals, making the child fondle the adults genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, and sexual exploitation. These acts can be committed by a baby sitter, parents, daycare provider, or someone related to the child. Child molesters can also be friends, neighbors, or even strangers. History One of the biggest ironies of a child’s life is that the family, what should be a child’s primary source for love, support, and security, can also be the most abusive group that a child belongs to. Society assumes that parents act in their child’s best interest. Therefore, parents have the right to care for and protect their own children. When parents cannot meet their child’s needs or protect the child from harm, society has the responsibility to protect the health and safety of the child. Laws that protect animals from unjust cruelty were in effect and enforced long before any cases against child abuse were argued. Just imagine being a nine-year-old girl who is beaten on a daily basis. This happened to a little girl who lived in New York in 1874, her name was Mary Ellen. She was burned and cut with scissors. She resided with her foster mother who would leave her in a closet while away from the house. Mary Connolly, her foster mother, had abused her for seven years. Mary Ellen lived in an apartment building with her foster mother. Mary Ellen’s landlady made many attempts to help Mary Ellen but none were successful. The person who finally came to here aid was Etta Wheeler a Methodist caseworker. The police said that they could do nothing without proof of assault. Although there were laws to protect any person from assault and battery, there was no precedent for intervening inside a childs home. The frustrated Wheeler turned to Henry Bergh, founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. She reasoned that children were members of the animal kingdom and could therefore be protected under the laws governing the mistreatment of animals. Bergh rejected this strategy, but became involved in the case. A petition was presented to the New York Supreme Court on behalf of Mary Ellen that proved she was being held illegally by the Connolly’s, who were neither her legal guardians nor her natural parents. Witnesses testified about the abuse suffered by Mary Ellen and the leather whip that was kept near her at all times. As the child stood and spoke in court, all could see the terrible scar across her face as she calmly related how her foster mother had s lashed her face with scissors. Burn scars from an iron were visible on her arms. Her foster mother was sentenced to prison for one year. Mary Ellens case had a large impact around the nation and resulted in the foundation of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (SPCC) in 1874. The SPCC was the first organization to focus on the legal protection of childrens rights in the United States. In its first year, the SPCC investigated 300 cases of child abuse. It also introduced legislation to prevent and punish wrongs to children that occurred in the home. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Can the Federal government, State government, and sovereign nations effectively mesh their practices and policies to adequately meet the safety and placement needs of American Indian Children? The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was made a federal law in 1978 after many years of political struggles between Native American Indian tribal leaders, state agencies, various church groups and court systems. â€Å"By passing the law Congress hoped to prevent the continuing abuses of power by state agencies, the courts, and various church groups in the disruption of Indian families by enacting procedures for the removal and foster placement of Indian children and defining the roles and responsibilities of authority† (Matheson, 1996, p.233). The Indian Child Welfare Act brought with it the hope that the law would protect Indian communities, tribes, and families against further disintegration of their traditional systems. Native American Indians have experienced massive losses of lives, land, and culture from Caucasian contact and colonization resulting in a long legacy of chronic trauma and unresolved grief across generations. Congress has vacillated between two conflicting themes: self-government for tribes and assimilation of the reservations into the existing framework of state and local government. Native American children were removed from their families and homes, placed in government boarding schools and Christian mission schools, and educated in the Caucasian ideals. When a Native American family resisted mandatory schooling at the boarding schools, â€Å"Congress responded by authorizing the withholding of food and clothing rations from them.† (George, 1997) During the 1950’s when the boarding schools began to close, people became concerned about the number of children that would be returned to the reservations and a life of poverty if other arrangements could not be found. Native American children were then placed in non-Indian homes for long term care and adoption. This new adoption trend resulted in 25%-35% of Native children being separated from their families by state courts, welfare agencies, and private adoption agencies. (George, 1997) The Indian Child Welfare Act states that child abuse and neglect cases that involve foster care and adoption of Indian children must give tribes the opportunity to take jurisdiction in order to move court proceedings to a tribal court as opposed to the individual state courts when these children are placed out of the home. The act is a Federal Statute governing the placement of Indian children who are in any out of home placement, voluntary or involuntary by the state, county, city or federal government. The act applies to all public and private agencies that remove children. There are several types of child welfare custody proceedings that apply to the Indian Child Welfare Act. One is foster placement, the temporary removal of the child from his or her biological parents. When biological parents are unable to fulfill their role, children may need substitute care, shelter care, group homes, and institutional care placements. Each of these alternatives is more appropriate for some children than others. Other custody proceedings include Termination of Parental Rights, and adoption placements. Both of these custody proceedings result in a permanent plan for the child. Permanent planning is the one aspect of child welfare systems where cultural differences are the most heartfelt. In state and public child welfare systems, permanent planning is based on set timelines. Usually if a parent does not show that he or she can resume care for a child after a period of one year, the case is considered for a permanent alternative. Termination of parental rights is a ke y factor in freeing a child for adoption in the child welfare system, however, it has the potential of severing the child’s connection to their extended family or tribe. Even with the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act there are still issues related to state child welfare agencies and Native American Indian tribes, especially with respect to adoption. The conflict comes up when a Native American Indian child is placed for adoption. â€Å"Tribal officials fear that the flow of Indian foster children to non-Indian homes threatens their survival as a people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lacayo, 1988, p.64). A misconception from non-Indian people is, â€Å"†¦of children growing up on the reservation that is, the images of poverty blot out the virtues of cultural identity.† (Lacayo, 1988, p.64). Unfortunately, these opinions are hard to change and have often brought about bitter courtroom battles. The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) was passed by Congress in 1997 because children languished in foster care for extended periods of time while waiting for permanent placement. Children remained in care without stability or family for extensive periods of time because of a number of factors. Primary causes for delays in placing children were the need for parents to complete substance abuse rehabilitation, systemic barriers including overburdened child welfare workers, the and resulting delays and postponements of court hearings. The Adoption and Safe Families Act establishes unequivocally that our national goals for children in the child welfare system are safety, permanency, and well-being. The Adoption and Safe Families Act should not be reviewed as affecting the application of the Indian Child Welfare Act in the case of Indian children involved in state child custody proceedings. The Adoption and Safe Families Act deals with all children who become involved with the foster care or adoption system, whereas the Indian Child Welfare Act is a specific enactment dealing with one subsection of children – Indian children involved in child custody proceedings. There are many aspects to ASFA, but the most significant pieces are: The health and safety of children must be the paramount concern in all decisions regarding provision of services, placement and permanency planning decisions; states are required and encouraged to establish or utilize various mechanisms to achieve this goal, including criminal background checks of prospective foster and adoptive parents. Reasonable efforts to reunify a family are not required where a parent has a pattern of or the parental rights of a parent to a sibling of the child in question have been previously terminated involuntarily. Other mandates that the Adoption and Safe Families Act has are the requirements for a permanency hearing within twelve months after the initial foster care placement, and a petition for termination of parental rights once a child has been in foster care for a period of fifteen out of twenty-two months. Indian children received little specific attention regarding the policies under ASFA that were being discussed in spite of their unique circumstances. About one half of the Indian children served by child welfare programs in the United States are served by tribal programs and not by the states which ASFA targets. Indian children have a unique political status not afforded other children as members of sovereign tribal governments. This political status, as well as the history of biased treatment of Indian children and families under public and private child welfare systems is the basis for the Indian Child Welfare Act. Adoption and Safe Families Act and Indian Child Welfare Act integrations issues are most likely to arise during implementation of ASFA by states. In the case of an Indian child, the state should refrain from moving to terminate parental rights at the fifteen month mark of foster care; considerations need to be made if this is in the best interest of the child. Problems with ICWA Problems with state child welfare agencies and Indian child welfare programs include the lack of experience state agencies have in working with tribes; staff turnover; lack of funding; concern about tribal accountability for providing services and caring for the children; and the absence of tribal courts with authority to assume jurisdiction over proceedings involving tribe members. State child welfare agencies and courts are not thoroughly educated on Indian law or history, and do not take into consideration the practices of the Native American Culture when determining child placements. The ICWA does not specifically state that professionals working with tribes must have any tribal education; There has been progress in implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act, although implementation has been uneven across geographic areas and governmental levels. A lack of stable and adequate funding for tribal child welfare programs has proven to be one of the most serious barriers to the tribe’s ability to protect their children, thus creating the need for assistance from state and public child welfare agencies. With the accomplishment of ICWA’s intent, many tribal governments have revised their existing tribal codes or developed new codes to directly address the issues of dealing with child abuse. Many tribes also work with the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) who assist and represent tribal governments, urban Indian social service programs, and staff from various state child welfare agencies that work with Indian children and their families. The Indian Child Welfare Act has not reduced the flow of Indian children into substitute care. Even though the number of Indian children in public care has decreased, the caseloads of tribal programs are rising sharply as these programs expand and cases are transferred from public agencies. NICWA helps various tribes with services such as family preservation programs for Native American families. These programs assist families with solving the child abuse or neglect issues and aid in a speedy reunification if the child is placed out of home. The legislative intent of ICWA is being accomplished- tribal governments are assuming responsibility for more and more of their children as the state and the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) transfer jurisdiction and recede from the picture (Mannes, 1993, p.143). It is important for the tribal courts to keep the Indian child with a relative, the child’s tribe and/or another Indian family for foster care or adoption. The reason for this is that the tribe feels placement of a Native American, whether it is for foster care or adoption, should stay with the tribe or other tribal avenues to keep this child in the realm of their culture. These extended kin networks support identity formation, a sense of belonging, recognition of a shared history, and survival of the group. Keeping Native American children with extended family members can become costly. Food, shelter, income, and a sense of having access and availability to services is in short supply. Income to care for these children and families comes from the limited funds tribes have available and only small amounts of money are accessible through the federal government. If the tribal courts have jurisdiction of the case, oftentimes the state system is no longer involved, therefore the state does not contribute monetary assistance. By following the Indian Child Welfare Act and placing Indian children with relatives also in a poverty situation in lieu of other placement options, how can one say the best interest of the child is being considered? Hopefully, the future will bring a more harmonious union between Native American Indian tribes and state child welfare agencies. Conclusion After analyzing child abuse, it is obvious that this issue will continue to be the center of much debate, controversy, and consideration until the problem is taken care of. Realistically speaking the problem is not likely to ever disappear. The lack of control that government, and society for that matter, has on the rearing of children will not allow the problem to go away. Until we are able to find a way, within the limits of the law, to insure the safety of all children, child abuse will forever be a problem in our society. We as social workers advocate for critical legislation that impacts children and families, work to obtain and maintain funding for prevention programs, and collaborate with organizations, community leaders and public policy makers. I would like to help ensure that local, state, and federal policy-makers adopt, implement, and maintain important policies and programs that support children and families. In order for this to happen we need to educate the public on advocacy. They need to make their voice heard throughout the nation. Voting is a great way to advocate. You can control who our future policy makers are by taking an active role in voting. By voting, you are exercising your most basic right as a citizen. Always vote; one person can make all the difference. I always vote. Get to know the people who are out there representing you. This could be anyone from your local city council to your federal Congressperson. They are here to serve you. Your elected officials depend on their constituents to let them know the concerns of people around your community. There are a few ways you can contact your policy-makers and communicate your support. I would like to go and meet some of city council and let them know my concerns. I would also use letter writing to get my point across. Calling elected officials is another way I would get my voice heard. Remember to call and thank them when a bill gets passed through that I have supported. REFERENCES Finkelman J. D. (1995) Child abuse a multidisciplinary survey short- and long-term effects. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc. Kalichman, S. C. (1993). Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Sagatun I. J. Edwards L. P. (1995). Child abuse and the legal system. Chicago, IL: Nelson- Hall Publishers U.S. department of Health and Human Services. (1988). STUDY FINDINGS Study of National Incidence and Prevalence of child abuse and Neglect: Childrens Defense Fund. (1999). The state of americas children. Boston: MA: Beacon Press. DeBenedictis, D.J. (1990). Custody controversey:tribe can’t intervene in indian’s mothers adoption decision. ABA Journal, 76(5), 22-23. Retrieved March 19, 2006, from George, L.J. (1997). why the need for the indian child welfare act? Journal of Multicultural Social Work. 5(4), 165-175. Mannes, M. (1993). seeking the balance between child protection and family preservation in indian child welfare. Child Welfare, 72(2), 141-152. Retrieved November 11, 2006, from Matheson, L. (1996). the politics of the indian child welfare act. Social Work, 41(2), 232-235. Retrieved November 11, 2006, sfsu.edu/~multsowk/title/520.htm NICWA: History and Who We Are, Retrieved date 2006. nicwa.org Research Papers on Child Abuse Research PaperThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UsePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenStandardized TestingArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Moral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesHip-Hop is Art

Hoover Dam - History and Construction

Hoover Dam - History and Construction Dam Type: Arch GravityHeight: 726.4 feet (221.3 m)Length: 1244 feet (379.2 m)Crest Width: 45 feet (13.7 m)Base Width: 660 feet (201.2 m)Volume of Concrete: 3.25 million cubic yards (2.6 million m3) Hoover Dam is a large arch-gravity dam located on the border of the states of Nevada and Arizona on the Colorado River in its Black Canyon. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 and today it provides power for various utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. It also provides flood protection for numerous areas downstream and it is a major tourist attraction as it is close to Las Vegas and it forms the popular Lake Mead reservoir. History of Hoover Dam Throughout the late 1800s and into the early 1900s, the American Southwest was rapidly growing and expanding. Since much of the region is arid, new settlements were constantly looking for water and there were various attempts made to control the Colorado River and use it as a freshwater source for municipal uses and irrigation. In addition, flood control on the river was a major issue. As electric power transmission improved, the Colorado River was also looked at as a potential site for hydroelectric power. Finally, in 1922, the Bureau of Reclamation developed a report for the construction of a dam on the lower Colorado River to prevent flooding downstream and provide electricity for growing cities nearby. The report stated that there were federal concerns to building anything on the river because it passes through several states and eventually enters Mexico. To quell these concerns, the seven states within the rivers basin formed the Colorado River Compact to manage its water. The initial study site for the dam was at Boulder Canyon, which was found to be unsuitable because of the presence of a fault. Other sites included in the report were said to be too narrow for camps at the base of the dam and they too were disregarded. Finally, the Bureau of Reclamation studied Black Canyon and found it to be ideal because of its size, as well as its location near Las Vegas and its railroads. Despite the removal of Boulder Canyon from consideration, the final approved project was called the Boulder Canyon Project. Once the Boulder Canyon project was approved, officials decided the dam would be a single arch-gravity dam with the width of 660 ft (200 m) of concrete at the bottom and 45 ft (14 m) at the top. The top would also have a highway connecting Nevada and Arizona. Once the dam type and dimensions were decided, construction bids went out to the public and Six Companies Inc. was the chosen contractor. Construction of Hoover Dam After the dam was authorized, thousands of workers came to southern Nevada to work on the dam. Las Vegas grew considerably and Six Companies Inc. built Boulder City, Nevada to house the workers. Prior to constructing the dam, the Colorado River had to be diverted from Black Canyon. To do this, four tunnels were carved into the canyon walls on both the Arizona and Nevada sides beginning in 1931. Once carved, the tunnels were lined with concrete and in November 1932, the river was diverted into the Arizona tunnels with the Nevada tunnels being saved in case of overflow. Once the Colorado River was diverted, two cofferdams were constructed to prevent flooding in the area where men would be building the dam. Once completed, excavation for the foundation of Hoover Dam and the installation of columns for the arch structure of the dam began. The first concrete for Hoover Dam was then poured on June 6, 1933 in a series of sections so that it would be allowed to dry and cure properly (if it had been poured all at once, heating and cooling during day and night would have caused the concrete to cure unevenly and take 125 years to cool completely). This process took until May 29, 1935, to complete and it used 3.25 million cubic yards (2.48 million m3) of concrete. Hoover Dam was officially dedicated as Boulder Dam on September 30, 1935. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was present and most of the work on the dam (with the exception of the powerhouse) was completed at the time. Congress then renamed the dam Hoover Dam after President Herbert Hoover in 1947. Hoover Dam Today Today, Hoover Dam is used as a means of flood control on the lower Colorado River. Storage and delivery of the rivers waters from Lake Mead is also an integral part of the dams usage in that it provides reliable water for irrigation in both the U.S. and Mexico as well as municipal water uses in areas like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. In addition, the Hoover Dam provides low-cost hydroelectric power for Nevada, Arizona, and California. The dam generates more than four billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and it is one of the largest hydropower facilities in the U.S. Revenue generated from power sold at Hoover Dam also pays for all of its operating and maintenance costs.Hoover Dam is also a major tourist destination as it is located only 30 miles (48 km) from Las Vegas and is along U.S. Highway 93. Since its construction, tourism was taken into consideration at the dam and all visitor facilities were built with the best materials available at the time. However, due to security concerns after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, concerns about vehicle traffic on the dam initiated the Hoover Dam Bypass project completed in 2010. The Bypass consists of a bridge and no through traffic will be allowed across.

Strategic and Tactical Goals of Memorandum Assignment

Strategic and Tactical Goals of Memorandum - Assignment Example The first tactical goal involves having all divisional leadership examine their current employee volumes and determine which positions do not require the use of current office space. This tactical goal would involve assessing the current job design and job responsibilities of each employee and then reporting on these functions via a formal report. This goal is designed to give the senior managers an opportunity to understand what is specifically behind each employee’s job description and determine whether they actually need ongoing use of limited office space. A secondary tactical goal in order to meet the restructuring strategic goal is to conduct a technology audit in order to determine which jobs could benefit from telecommuting without causing disruption to the current productivity outputs. Currently, the BRP and SAP software in the business allows for flexible, off-site job function if the employee is equipped with a remote software and computer package in their own homes. Divisional managers would need to evaluate which employees are the most likely to benefit from an autonomous working environment and would produce the largest, most motivated job outputs. It is the responsibility of managers looking for potential employees to move to a telecommuting environment to address their past history of attendance, performance, or ability to work with others in a large corporate environment. Those employees with the best track record should be considered first and discussions held with the information support desk to assist in getting the ri ght technology and supplies to the worker’s homes for immediate transfer through telecommuting. The largest issue with the tactical goal of assessing job roles is that employees might be resistant to being examined in this way, fearing that they may have future issues of job security as though the business may be  attempting to phase them out.

European law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

European law - Essay Example The moot question that arises in William case’s is whether the requirements spelt out by the Italian Government for import of his cheese into Italy could constitute a violation of Article 28 and therefore a restriction on imports? Their first requirement is (a) an inspection test to determine the listeria content of the cheese (b) a requirement that William change the label on his product. The meaning of quantitative restrictions was clearly stated in the case of Riseria Luigi Geddo v Ente Nazionale Risi1 in which it was stated that â€Å"any measure which amounts to a total or partial restraint on imports, exports or goods in transit constitutes a quantitative restriction.† For example, a quota system was held to be a restriction of trade in the case of Salgoil SpA v Italian Minister for Foreign Trade.2 Directive 70/50 must also be taken into consideration because it lists out all measures which are equivalent to quantitative restrictions, however in William’s case, there are certain existing EU Directives which member States are expected to comply with, which will also be relevant. The EU Directives which will apply in the case of William is Directive 92/46/EEC, which has held that listeria must be absent in 1 gm of hard cheese, however in soft cheese it must be absent in 25g samples taken from the product3. Also, the Directive 93/43/EEC is intended to ensure that all food products sold within the EU meet certain minimum health standards. Therefore, under this Directive, it may be noted that any requirements of the Italian Government on the inspections for listeria in the cheese will be only indistinctly applicable4, because it applies to cheeses produced within Italy and outside the country. Since manufacturers within Italy are also expected to comply with this requirement of inspection at their own cost, it is unlikely that that this will qualify as a measure that infringes Article

Threatening Women of Homers Odyssey Essay example -- Homer, Odyssey E

The Threatening Women of Homer's Odyssey      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristotle called this poem 'a story of character' which is very true, as the analysis of people in the Odyssey id detailed and they are carefully depicted. Though the women still remain a fairly mysterious force that test Odysseus' determination for 'nostos' (hero's return home), requiring the man whose words are "like snowflakes" to use every trick he has to evade their threat, his civility not allowing him to strike them. In the Underworld, Agamemnon made it very clear in his enlightened state (consider the wiser Achilles who now regrets his noble death - "rather work the soil as a serf...than be King of all these lifeless dead" 11.490), as one of the dead that women "are no longer to be trusted". It is no co-incidence then that the female figures that Odysseus meets after this point are the most ferocious and dangerous. Both Scylla and Charybdis are hideous monsters, depicted as female, and so too are the tempting Sirens, all which test the hero. It is evidence that even after all his endeavours, Odysseus is still an Iliadic hero at heart, as he dons his armour uselessly to face Scylla's 12-headed threat and look at the good it does him ("Obstinate fool" 12.115). The actions of Odysseus' men result in him swimming in the sea and hanging over the swirling Charybdis, holding onto a fig tree ("clung like a bat" 12.433). Without warning from Circe, Odysseus would not have gone past the Sirens without doo m, since we see what the effect was without the wax in his ears ("longing to listen...set me free" 12.193). However, it is the humanoid females which are to add the most to the poem. The monsters test and batter the hero whilst the women test the man. To threaten Odysseu... ...ly). When he wishes to leave also, no effort is made by Circe to try and stop him unlike her counterpart above, Calypso ("do not stay on unwillingly" 10.484). Odysseus has been kept for the pleasure of Circe and he could have left at any time. This tarnishes our view of the hero's withstanding of the females' subtle threat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whether successfully or unsuccessfully, the female figure of the Odyssey all attempt to stop Odysseus on his inexorable journey home to his own female. Portrayed in contrasting depictions to draw out emphasis and focused details, the women and monsters threaten the hero in slightly different ways each time, testing Odysseus' flexibility and forcing him to break the Iliadic mould. Work Cited: Homer (Translated by Robert Fagles. Preface by Bernard Knox). 1996. The Odyssey. New York: Viking Penguin, div. of Penguin Books, Ltd. Threatening Women of Homer's Odyssey Essay example -- Homer, Odyssey E The Threatening Women of Homer's Odyssey      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristotle called this poem 'a story of character' which is very true, as the analysis of people in the Odyssey id detailed and they are carefully depicted. Though the women still remain a fairly mysterious force that test Odysseus' determination for 'nostos' (hero's return home), requiring the man whose words are "like snowflakes" to use every trick he has to evade their threat, his civility not allowing him to strike them. In the Underworld, Agamemnon made it very clear in his enlightened state (consider the wiser Achilles who now regrets his noble death - "rather work the soil as a serf...than be King of all these lifeless dead" 11.490), as one of the dead that women "are no longer to be trusted". It is no co-incidence then that the female figures that Odysseus meets after this point are the most ferocious and dangerous. Both Scylla and Charybdis are hideous monsters, depicted as female, and so too are the tempting Sirens, all which test the hero. It is evidence that even after all his endeavours, Odysseus is still an Iliadic hero at heart, as he dons his armour uselessly to face Scylla's 12-headed threat and look at the good it does him ("Obstinate fool" 12.115). The actions of Odysseus' men result in him swimming in the sea and hanging over the swirling Charybdis, holding onto a fig tree ("clung like a bat" 12.433). Without warning from Circe, Odysseus would not have gone past the Sirens without doo m, since we see what the effect was without the wax in his ears ("longing to listen...set me free" 12.193). However, it is the humanoid females which are to add the most to the poem. The monsters test and batter the hero whilst the women test the man. To threaten Odysseu... ...ly). When he wishes to leave also, no effort is made by Circe to try and stop him unlike her counterpart above, Calypso ("do not stay on unwillingly" 10.484). Odysseus has been kept for the pleasure of Circe and he could have left at any time. This tarnishes our view of the hero's withstanding of the females' subtle threat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whether successfully or unsuccessfully, the female figure of the Odyssey all attempt to stop Odysseus on his inexorable journey home to his own female. Portrayed in contrasting depictions to draw out emphasis and focused details, the women and monsters threaten the hero in slightly different ways each time, testing Odysseus' flexibility and forcing him to break the Iliadic mould. Work Cited: Homer (Translated by Robert Fagles. Preface by Bernard Knox). 1996. The Odyssey. New York: Viking Penguin, div. of Penguin Books, Ltd.

Is Odysseus a Hero? Essay

The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Robert Fagles, is an epic poem focused on Odysseus, an Ithacan soldier, and his journey that helps him grow as a hero. Odysseus makes idiotic mistakes that end up costing his crewmembers’ lives. His immature ways are sometimes interrupted by occasional courageous acts, but do not outweigh the negative ones. Even though he possesses some hero archetype qualities, Odysseus is not a hero. One way Odysseus proves himself to not be a hero by having an affair with Calypso while married. â€Å"And now, withdrawing into the cavern’s deep recesses, long in each other’s arms they lost themselves in love.† (250,159) This shows that even though Odysseus is so eager to get home to his family, he is willing to make love with another woman instead of staying faithful, like a hero would. We are also shown this through his acts in the Cyclops’s cave. Although he was warned by fellow shipmates to leave the island as soon as possible, Odysseus refuses to leave with the thought of being able to stay there and feast on the food found in the cave of the Cyclops, Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon. Polyphemus is at first a polite host, until the men overstay their welcome. The Cyclops then blocks the exit from the cave so Odysseus and his crew may not leave, but not before killing some of the shipmates. â€Å"Lurching up, he lunged out with his hands towards my men and snatched two at once, rapping them on the ground he knocked them dead like pups—â€Å" (325, 220) This shows that if Odysseus had not acted selfishly by staying in the cave, his crewmates would be alive. A final example of Odysseus not fulfilling the hero archetype is when he refuses to trust his men and does not tell them the content of the bag of winds. This causes the men to come up with the idea that the bag holds riches of coins and treasures. The men are so close to home they can see people on the shore, but the men are too curious and open the bag of winds. Upon the opening of this bag, the ship of Odysseus is then sent back to sea. â€Å"They loosed the sack and all the winds burst out and sudden squall struck and swept us back to sea, wailing, in tears, far from our own native land.† (53, 232) This tragedy could have been avoided had Odysseus shared with the shipmates what was being contained in this bag, instead of being secretive and trying to be the man of the hour. In conclusion, Odysseus may be learning from the mistakes he has made and growing as a hero, but is not at all a hero yet. He makes decisions based on selfish desires that cost many lives throughout the story. A hero is supposed to support his peers and stand up for what is right instead of making choices based on what he wants, and Odysseus does not. Although Odysseus may be perceived as a hero through many readers’ eyes of The Odyssey, he is not at all a hero.

The Rising Sea Levels Are Affected By Climate Change

The United States is made up of eight regions, Northeast, South East, Midwest, Great Plains, Northwest, Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaii. The report â€Å"Risky Business† touches on how these areas will be affected by rising sea levels, rising temperatures, or an increase in â€Å"extremely hot days† if the United States keeps on going about it’s business as usual. Every aspect of the U.S. economy is affected by climate change this means all our lives are influenced by climate change. The authors of this article communicated very clearly and effectively their points and evidence. The rising sea levels are associated with almost every region of the U.S., besides those on tectonic plates or landlocked regions. According to the report, most regions have a large majority of their gross domestic product, GDP, and population living in costal counties. This is a problem for areas like the South East which has thirty six percent of it’s inhabitants living on the coas t and thirty three percent of its GDP coming from its coasts. â€Å"In Florida, because of the porous limestone on which the major southern cities are built, even modest sea level rise comes at a significant economic cost.†1 Within the next half a century it reasonable to assume, based on the evidence from the report, that between fifteen and twenty three billion dollars of existing property in the South East will be submerged by the rising sea levels. Furthermore, there is a â€Å"1-in-100 chance that more than $682 billion in property willShow MoreRelatedThe Alarming and Troublesome Global Warming Issue 1407 Words   |  6 Pages Global warming has been one of the most challenging problems our society has encountered and people dont acknowledge that our climate change is becoming worse as the time goes by. 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