Social media has negatively changed our culture Essay

Social media has negatively changed our culture - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to examine some of the popular accusations of social media and explain that the positive consequences of social media for the culture outweigh the suggested threats. At present, the world of social media is broad and presented by the variety of widely available networking sites that provide opportunities for socialization. The most popular among them can be considered Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other actively used by people across generations and social groups. All together they created the new digital arena for maintaining relationships, communicating, making business, or sharing news. (Sawyer, 2011) Obviously, such extensive popularity and influence which social media managed to gain in relatively short period of time could not leave one ignorant of the possible consequences of the tendency to spend time online instead of the real-life alternatives. As a result, the possibility of both positive and negative outcomes of social media is recognized. Both sides have elaborated particular set of arguments that seemingly contain the grain of truth and common sense, therefore, they need to be closely and thoroughly examined in order to formulate a personal position in this regard. The base of arguments of people who are trying to prove that social media represents a destructive force for a culture is the long one, but, to my mind, includes issues that can be prevented by careful use and conscious approach to social media. Among such negative claims can be mentioned disregard of privacy and sharing too much personal information that can be used for inappropriate goals. Also, much is being said about cyberbullying, online harassment that make people feel insecure and treat peace in the society. ("Technology can have,") Apart from that, social media is often blamed for promoting the culture of narcissism – excessive interest in oneself and one’s appearance. ("Technology can have,") All

Case for the Resurrection of Jesus Book Review Essay Example for Free

Case for the Resurrection of Jesus Book Review Essay Case for the Resurrection of Jesus By Gary R. Habermas, Michael R. Licona Zerrrouk (pen name) The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, was written by Gary R. Habermas, and co-authored by Michael R. Licona. Haberma is a distinguished professor, and the chairman of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University, in Virginia. Habermas, using a minimal amount of facts, gives a provoking argument for the historicity of the Jesus Christ’s resurrection. This book was not meant as a 100% sure way of proving the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection, as Haberma even admits, there is no way to prove for sure that it actually happened, but based on the information that he has compiled, he believes that it is completely and entirely probable. Habermas starts out this book by bring to light five historical facts that will accomplish his goal to provide provoking proof for the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection. First, he states the fact that Jesus died on the cross by crucifixion; secondly, that the disciples believed that Jesus had risen from the dead and had appeared before them as a bodily figure; thirdly, that Paul, as a former persecutor of Christians, was converted when he bet Jesus Christ; fourthly, that James was also converted in the same way that Paul was; and lastly, that the tomb was empty (although there were some theologians who have challenged this last point as an historical fact, therefore, not considered to be necessarily widely accepted as the other four points). With these five facts, Habermas includes a wealth of scholarly research to back up his main thesis and argument. In my general opinion, I found the second-last chapter of this book to be the most interesting. In a neutral and non-argumentative fashion, Habermas has focused this chapter on giving insight, for teaching Christians how to engage non-believers on the topic of Jesus’ resurrection. He includes how, as Christians, we must be Christ-like in our approach towards non-believers; by talking through love, humility, truth, and passion; and that we must avoid being argumentative in our approach, or else we lose the audience that we are trying to minister to by creating conflict. I found this book to be very useful for many different things. This has an excellent source to use in Christian apologetics and evangelism, by using Habermas’ non-conflict approach. He has articulated a very clear and resourceful account of Jesus’ resurrection, without pushing too much facts upon the reader so that he would not lose their attention, or automatically have them conclude that Jesus was never resurrected; therefore, he avoided very eschatological sourcing and arguments. He stuck to this focus from the beginning of the book, and he carried on with it throughout the entirety. Lastly, this book is an excellent source for people who do not acknowledge the Bible as an authoritative piece of writing.

The existence of culture bound syndrome

The existence of culture bound syndrome This essay will explore whether culture bound syndrome exist or not. First, the essay will first define what culture bound syndromes are and how they are categorised. Then this is followed by a discussion of arguments supporting the existence of CBS and arguments challenging their existence. Introduction Most mental health disorders are based on the Western scientific model of medicine. It is assumed that mental health disorders stem from a biological basis and that they are found in all cultures. The view that mental health problems are culture free is a universalist perspective. However a universalist perspective ignores the role of culture on mental health. Ignoring the role of culture can lead to misdiagnosis and lack of understanding about mental health problems in general. Definition Classification systems like the DSM IV ( Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental health disorders)are a diagnostic tool for psychiatrists. The current DSM is the DSM IV, where Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) has been designed for use across clinical settings (inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinic, private practice, and primary care), with community populations. It can be used by a wide range of health and mental health professionals. The current edition of the DSM has made modest attempts to include mental health disorders from other cultures in order to address cultural issues. These are known as culture-bound syndromes and are defined as; Culture Bound syndromes are a culturally relative approach to mental health disorders in which specific symptom are unique to that particular culture. recurrent, locality-specific patterns of aberrant behavior and troubling experience that may or may not be linked to a particular DSM-IV diagnostic category. Many of these patterns are indigenously considered to be illnesses, or at least afflictions, and most have local names The word culture refers to the beliefs, norms and also values that govern the way people that are within a defined group such as a certain society or nation that interact with each other and these must be in a standard of acceptable behaviours and thoughts and each new member of the society has to learn these beliefs and understandings. This links to culture bound syndromes since as mentioned before, Culture bound syndromes are syndromes in which are very unique to a certain culture only which would mean that their symptoms are only seen and experienced within that culture. An examples of a culture bound syndromes is Amok found in Malaysia. This CBS is where this is a dissociative episode featuring a period of brooding followed by an outburst of aggressive, violent or homicidal behaviour aimed at people and objects.   It seems to occur only among males, and is often precipitated by a perceived slight or insult.   It is often accompanied by persecutory ideas, automatism, amnesia or exhaustion, following which the individual returns to their pre-morbid state.   The victim, who is almost always a male between 20-45, has often experienced a loss of social status or a major life change.   It is now rare, and occurs primarily in rural regions. 4 Another culture bound syndrome would be Dhat which occurs in India. Dhat is defined as vague somatic symptoms of fatigue, weakness, anxiety, loss of appetite, guilt and sexual dysfunction attributed by the patient to loss of semen in nocturnal emissions, through urine and masturbation.   The anxiety related to semen loss can be traced back thousands of years to Ayurvedic texts, where the loss of a single drop of semen, the most precious body fluid, could destabilize the entire body. These examples of culture bound syndrome represent some syndromes are found in Asia. Culture bound syndromes also exist in Western society one of the most well known ones is anorexia. It is an eating disorder in which people intentionally starve themselves. It causes extreme weight loss, which the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), defines as at least 15 percent below the individuals normal body weight. Categorizing culture bound syndromes Culture bound syndromes have been categorised by McCajor Hall (1988) in the six following ways. The first way is that he believes that in order to be a culture bound syndrome, it must be a psychiatric illnesses that has not been originally caused and it must be recognised as an illness locally, however it must not be matched within a recognised category. The second way is that, it must be a psychiatric illness that has not been originally caused and is also recognised as an illness locally but it must also resemble a western category though it may lack some symptoms that are usually regarded as the important part within other cultures. The third way is just simply that the psychiatric illness has not yet been recognised in the west. The fourth way is that the psychiatric illness that is found in many cultures may be originally caused but must be only regarded as an illness in one or a few of the cultures. The fifth way is that the psychiatric illness is accepted culturally as a form of illness but it would still not be regarded as an acceptable illness in the mainstream of west ern medicine. The sixth way is that the psychiatric illness or syndrome supposedly occurring in a given culture, but in fact does not exist at all in reality but is used to justify the expulsion and execution of an outcast in the same way witchcraft was. Psychiatrist, Berry et al (1992) has argued that there are three types of syndromes. Firstly, absolute syndromes where the same symptom and incidence rates are found around the world. The second is universal syndromes where the same symptoms are found around the world but where the incidence rates may vary between culture to culture and lastly culturally relative syndromes where the symptoms are unique to a particular culture. However there remains speculation about the existence of culture bound syndromes, some psychologists take a universalist position and maintain they dont exist, whilst others take a relativist position and argue they do. Culture Bound syndromes do exist Culture bound syndromes are unique in their own way since it can only be seen within specific cultures. People who support this idea are psychologists like Pfeiffer and McCajor Hall. Hall believes that in order for a syndrome to be considered a culture bound syndrome, the syndrome itself must essentially be recognised by the locals of the specific culture and must be not known by another category like from the western culture. If it is recognised as or resembles a western mental illness, then the syndrome should at least have a few of its symptoms but not all. Pfeiffer has argued that culture bound syndromes might not be at home in the classification system such as the DSM IV. He believes that culture bound syndromes should be viewed at a level of the culture individually itself and not just from one specific place like the vantage point of Washington DC ( the home of the American Psychological Association) and believes that it is specific in the following four aspects. The first aspect is that he believes that cultures differ in those things that place people under unbearable stress, for example, in one culture it may be due to work, status or health issues while in another culture it may be due to family relations. The second aspect he proposed was that different cultures allow and ban certain expressions and behaviours and what might be permitted as a culturally acceptable release mechanism in certain cultures may perhaps not be allowed in others if they do not accept it. For example within some cultures, drinking alcohol is prohibited. Without this release mechanism certain frustrations may be expressed in certain ways that are disguised in cultures where drinking alcohol is viewed as a acceptable behaviour. Therefore a behaviour may be unique to that behaviour. The third aspect is that we may have culture- specific interpretations within us; this would mean that a behaviour is one thing, however what we take it to mean for ourselves and what sense we make from it, can be a totally different thing. An example of this would be that back in the past, certain women were discovered or rather accused of being witches because of culturally specific interpretations of their behaviour (Ussher 1992). The fourth aspect that Pfeiffer proposed was that we have not explored the variety of culturally specific ways of treating disorders, but folk medicine is a good example of the ways in which indigenous people treat their illnesses. Another good example would be that through western sciences, people can be cured from their illness like fever, cough and so on though the usage of drugs but in the Asian culture, the Chinese use natural sources such as herbs or use acupuncture to cure the same illness the western culture is curing but the only difference between the two cultures is the method that is being used. From this, if it is true that Culture bound syndromes are a form of folk illness that are to be treated by folk medicine, then this would mean that they are qualitatively inconsistent with the aims and purpose of the ICD and DSM. Though Pfeiffers view was different compared to Halls view, there are some similarities, and the most obvious one would be the fact that the syndrome is determined by the culture itself. This shows that both psychologists view believe that not every culture bound syndrome has to be under Western science and that it can be unique in its own way. Behaviours can be misunderstood and misinterpreted. What is considered normal in one culture may not be in another and vice versa. In a study in the early 1960s, Lee noted that out of a random sample of Zulu women more than a third had reported visual and auditory hallucinations involving angels, babies and little short hairy men. In the same study he found that more than half of the women engaged in screaming behaviour, often yelping for hours, days and even weeks. Either of these reported behaviours would be viewed as grossly abnormal in the west. Yet few of these women showed any other signs of mental disorder. Within their own culture their hallucinations and screaming were legitimate. Such a study shows that though not accepted globally, different societies have different morals and different beliefs. Zulus considered having hallucinations and screaming as acceptable and normal however such behaviours would be pathologised in the West. The opposite then can be true, behaviour can be deemed unacceptable or a mental illness if it violates a societys norms. Sam (1996) states that western psychological explanations dont account for all the experiences and behaviour of people from other cultures, psychology being western culture bound and blind to influences from elsewhere Culture-bound syndromes do not exist Yap (1974) has argued that human mental disorders are very broad and span across all culture and so it could be argued that the symptoms emerge from within the individual and these symptoms cluster together to form discrete categories of mental illness. The second point is that he believes comparative psychiatry aims to establish common links across cultures in a similar manner to the way in which comparative psychology explores links within humans which could be seen as culturally specific expressions of common human problems and disorders that are addressed by the ICD and the DSM. Yap also mentions that he believes that a CBS such as Latah is a local cultural expression of primary fear reaction. There are also other arguments which show that culture bound syndrome in fact do not exist. One example is that of Dhat, mentioned earlier. The British Journal of Psychiatryincludes a study called Culture-bound syndromes: the story of Dhat syndrome The study had two objectives; the first was to gather information on studies which were clinical and empirical about the syndrome called Dhat and to review the literature that was done. The second was to extract the information on historical data in different countries at different periods. The method in which they decided to do it was by manual literature searches and electronic literature searches in order to gain information. They did it on the existence and description of the semen-loss anxiety in different cultures and also settings. The result was that although Dhat syndrome usually came from Asia, the syndromes concepts, historically have been explained by other cultures in Britain, USA and Australia for example. This shows that fro m the sources gained, the symptoms show global prevalence of this condition, even though its mostly seen as a syndrome from the east. The conclusion they came up with was that It appears that  dhat  (semen-loss anxiety) is not  as culture-bound as previously thought. We propose that the  concept of culture-bound syndromes should be modified in line  with DSM-IV recommendations. Also when they were collecting and analysing the results they found out that semen loss anxiety in Western culture, Chinese culture and in the Indian subcontinent were the same and what their views on the loss of semen meant to them within the culture. In fact the historical information could be traced back to Aristotles time whilst on the Indian subcontinent this view could be found In Ayurvedic texts which are dated between the 5th millennium BC and the 7th century AD . This show that people think alike about same but its just called in different names. This is very significant as this supports wi th the universal idea where it is proposed that mental health disorders are universal and that culture bound syndromes are in fact just variations of the mental health disorders depending on what sort of symptoms they have. This supports the view that culture bound syndrome should not need a new diagnostic criteria due to it being variations as mentioned before. The British Journal of Psychiatryargues that the syndrome called taijin kyofusho from Japan is similar to the western category of social phobia. Both syndromes cause the patients to suffer an intensive fear about their bodies, body part or even body functions in which may be displeasing to other people. If we compare the syndrome taijin kyofusho with social phobia, both have symptoms like anxiety, although to different degrees, so we can say its the same syndrome or mental illness. Culture bound syndrome may in fact only be considered a syndrome for a specific culture in that it may not have all the symptoms from the western culture. Thomas Szasz an American psychologist also believed that the idea of culture bound syndromes existing is obsolete though he also believed that the idea of mental health disorders existing is also obsolete too. The idea on mental illnesses or mental health disorder in which Thomas Szasz has came up with is the idea in which that these dont really exist. He believed that these are just a myth as all the mental illnesses has no real evidence in which show they are a biological cause of mental illnesses. In a article about him by the new atlantis, Szasz mocked the efforts of almost every major American psychiatrist back to Benjamin Rush, the professions founding father. The subjects [mental diseases] have hitherto been enveloped in mystery, Rush wrote in the late eighteenth century. I have endeavored to bring them down to the level of all other diseases of the human body, and to show that the mind and the body are moved by the same causes and subject to the same laws. This was the error Szasz aimed to correct. This can be seen Within his The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct .It is a Thomas Szaszs classic book revolutionized thinking about the nature of the psychiatric profession and the moral implications of its practices. By diagnosing unwanted behavior as mental illness, psychiatrists, Szasz argues, absolve individuals of responsibility for their actions and instead blame their alleged illness. He also critiques Freudian psychology as a pseudoscience and warns against the dangerous overreach of psychiatry into all aspects of modern life. Thomas Szasz believes that psychiatry is just a social control system and not a truly medical science as he believed that psychiatry is nothing but just for people to deal with other peoples problems in living that has been troubling them in life on and on. Thomas Szasz also feels that psychiatry is nothing but a pseudo science that pretend its a medicine by using words in which would make psychiatry sound medical over the last century. From this Thomas Szasz show people that such ideas like mental health disorders and culture bound syndromes do not exist. Conclusion In conclusion, the culture bound syndromes do exist to some extent as people such as Yaps idea believe on the universal approach and believe that culture bound syndromes are just mental health disorders but just at a lower scale. Another psychologists who believe that culture bound doesnt exist is Thomas Szasz, though he also believes mental health disorders do not exists, his idea still nonetheless show it to be non-existence. However according to the article in the new Atlantic Szasz has been   passed into legend, bearing little resemblance to reality. At this time now Szasz is mostly remembered, if he is remembered at all, as the great silly, a flat-earth adherent in the time of telescopes and globes. Most medical students graduate without ever hearing his name. They believe that his believes and views are now obsolete and One can hardly be surprised if Szasz has assumed the role reserved for all failed revolutionaries. The British Journal of Psychiatryhave also done historical research on the culture bound syndrome Dhat where they looked at how the view of losing semen was approach. They found that the views were the same , where they all believed that semen are very precious and valuable and a undesirable trait. This show and supports the idea of universality where all mental health disorders exist everywhere and they are all the same. This shows that the culture bound syndrome Dhat was not really a culture bound syndrome and it could have been exaggerated. The journal has concluded within their research that since the Dhat syndrome is not really a culture bound syndrome they thought it would be, they suggested that the Dhat syndrome should modify its criteria along the lines which is similar to the DSM IV. This once again supports the universality idea. Unfortunately despite various arguments showing culture bound syndromes existence to be obsolete, there are still quite a few psychologists who have their own views and believes that show that that culture bound syndrome does in fact exist. A good example would be psychologist McCajor Halls believes. Hall believed that since culture bound syndromes are only present in specific cultures; he believed that so long a syndrome does not have all the symptoms that are from a western category it is indeed, a culture bound syndrome. McCajor Hall with his own views and ways lets people realize that, not all disorders or syndromes in fact have to be compared to western science nor does it have to be under a western category in mental health disorders and the syndromes can be in anywhere in different forms. The psychologist Pfeiffer also has his own views and believes strengthens the culture bound syndrome furthermore, saying that culture varies from one to another. Pfeiffer believed that one problem in one culture may not have the same problem in another culture and has mentioned that depending on the culture, behaviours can be only acceptable or unacceptable only according to their culture. From here we see that culture bound syndromes in fact do exists but not entirely and the extent in which it is exist may not be very high. What shows culture bound syndromes do exists, are from psychologists ideas such as Pfeiffer and Hall. Their views tells us that even though some culture bound syndromes may have similar symptoms from the western category on mental health disorders, it still is a culture bound syndrome. The reason for this is because the universal approach may lead to misdiagnosis. Also from Pfeiffers first point where one cultures problem is may not be the same as the other, we can see that in reality, its impossible to say that cultures all around the world have the same problem. This is quite true as there are a lot of mental health disorders in this world which have yet to be discovered and the psychologists and psychiatrists are yet at a level which can understand the human mind completely since its so complex. With this we can once again say that culture boun d syndromes exist.

The Atkins Diet: A True Diet Revolution Essay -- Low Carb Diet Program

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a society where ones’ pants size measures their self worth, it is no wonder why fad diets, have taken over in the struggle to lose weight. Over the past few decades, Hollywood has painted an unattainable image of the perfect body. Although many celebrities' physical appearance may appear healthy, the measures taken to obtain their body shape can cause numerous health risks. It seems as though, every time people turn on their television, or flip through a magazine, there is a new diet claiming to â€Å"melt away† the pounds. Many of these "miracle diets" do take off weight- temporarily. But which diets really work in the long hual?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The definition of diets is, regulated selections of foods, specially designed and prescribed for medical and/or general nutritional purposes. The purpose of diets is to promote an overall lifetime-wellness plan for good health ( Larson). Recently, there has been more interest by the public, geared towards the Revolutionary Atkins’ diet. Although the Atkins’ diet appears to be the dream diet in the battle against the bulge, it can cause serious health problems if done incorrectly ( Dr. Atkins’ 72-80).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Atkins’ diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, which has been attributed to the weight loss success of thousands. The Atkins’ diet is based on the belief, that by increasing protein and decreasing carbohydrates, the body is forced to burn stored fat. Many researchers, who study the success of diets rich in protein, believe that insulin is the hormone that makes people fat. The body is an energy machine that powers its operations mainly through the use of glucose. Glucose, which is a basic form of sugar found in the blood, is predominantly found in carbohydrates. After consuming carbohydrates, the blood-sugar levels in the body are raised. When the sugar in the blood is raised, a hormone known as insulin is secreted. The insulin then converts a portion of the glucose into glycogen, which is found in muscle tissue and the liver. If the glycogen storage areas are filled, and there is still more glucose in the blood, that the body does not ne ed, the remaining glucose is then converted into triglyceride. Triglyceride is the main chemical component of adipose tissue- otherwise known as the visible fat on the body ( Dr. Atkins’ 46-50).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does the Atkins’ diet differ from other diets? Why is it that, through... ...used by extra weight. Work Cited â€Å" American Kidney Fund Warns About Impact of High-protein Diets on Kidney Health.† 25 April 2002. American Kidney Fund. 10 Nov 2002. Atkins’, Robert C. Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. New York: M. Evans Inc., 1992. Cordain, Loren. The Paleo Diet. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002. â€Å"Doctors Weigh in on ‘ Diet War’. Cover Stories in NYT and Time Magazine: Nutrition Experts Warn Against ‘ Carbophobia’; Applaud Coverage of Vegetarianism.†Ã‚  8 July 2002. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 13 Nov 2002 http://www.atkinsalert.org. â€Å"Health Risks of High Protein Diets.† Atkins’ Diet Alert. 2 Aug 2002. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 13 Nov. 2002 http://www.atkinsalert.org. Larson, Jeffrey. â€Å" Diets.† Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 10 Nov. 2002. â€Å" New Studies Confirm Calorie Reduction Not Only Reason Atkins Nutritional Approach (TM) Works; Other metabolic aspects of controlled carbohydrates nutrition impact on fat loss, and reduction of heart disease risk factors.† PR Newswire. 26  Aug. 2002 http://www.findarticles.jhtml?term=The+atkins%27+diet. Williams, Sara. Personal Interview. 17 Nov. 2002.

Romeo and Juliet Movie Comparison

In Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 version of  Romeo and Juliet, is a traditional adaptation of Shakespeare’s original Romeo and Juliet, with some variations. Baz Luhrmann directed the 1996 version, also known as the MTV  Romeo †  Juliet. This version is very modernized, but keeps the language intact with few changes. There are many differences between Zeffirelli’s  Romeo and Juliet  and the Signet version of  Romeo and Juliet. Romeo’s entire speech that begins â€Å"Alas that love, whose view is muffled still, Should without eyes see pathways to his will! † (at act 1 scene 1 line 174) is deleted.With the deletion of these lines, the audience, is not privy to his longing for Rosaline. Even though Friar Lawrence mentions Rosaline later in the movie, we are not shown Romeo as a boy whose heart is easily captured, but rather, ready to be caught. In Luhrmann’s version of  Romeo †  Juliet,  this scene, even though cut in some ways , is shown with Romeo writing in his diary. He talks of his love, but he does not seem like he’s in love, but rather a repressed adolescent or a typical teen. Romeo doesn’t confide later to Benvolio as in the Signet version.In the MTV version of  Romeo †  Juliet,  the Nurse’s role is cut considerably. Her speech about â€Å"weaning† Juliet, and Juliet falling with her first steps, and the reference to the earthquake are deleted. This is a major change because it completely changes the dynamics of the relationship between the Nurse and Juliet. We do not get the same sense of closeness between the two as we do in the Zeffirelli film. We also do not see the scene where the Nurse tells about Romeo’s banishment and Tybalt’s death. The reason for this is because of the speed of the film.Luhrmann keeps the pace of this film at very high speeds, and when you look back at the text, the Nurse’s role slows the pace considerably. Sheâ₠¬â„¢s older, she’s slower, and she’s trying to extend her importance to Juliet and Romeo, but in the MTV Version, her role is cut drastically, which only contributes to Juliet’s isolation. In both movies, the presence of Paris at Juliet’s grave is discluded. This is probably for the better. While reading the play, it seemed like overkill, like just one more obstacle to prevent Romeo from getting to Juliet. Even though the audience know the outcome, they are still anxious to see Romeo get to her.Plus it helped keep the movies within two hours, give or take some. We also do not get the lamentation speeches from Juliet’s family after her fake death. Both films go straight to the funeral. The film allows directors to keep the audience from investing too much grief for the family by swiftly showing the funeral. The lamentation speeches of Shakespeare’s plays were needed, because they did not have the same visual choice that the filmmakers of toda y have. Romeo, being one of the protagonists of  Romeo and Juliet, is played very differently between Leonardo De Caprio and Leonard Whiting.While Leonard Whiting plays the typical adolescent to a tee, Leonardo De Caprio has much more depth and expresses his anguish in much more dramatic ways. For example, when Romeo being played by De Caprio is challenged by Tybalt he knows the consequence of his fighting and tries with all his might to prevent fighting with Tybalt, even though Tybalt is kicking his butt. We get the impression that he is truly trying to befriend him and make him understand that fighting should be left aside and that there will be great regrets. In Zeffirelli's version, Leonard Whiting plays a younger spirited Romeo.When Whiting is challenged by Tybalt, he is playful and does try to prevent a fight, but it is more with playful words and not because he knows the consequence of the fight or duel. We also get the feeling that De Caprio is much more mature than Whitin g. While Whiting plays a lovesick kid from an upper class family, he still appears to be naive and does not grow to the depths that De Caprio does. From the very beginning, De Caprio is seen as a street smart, savvy, mature young man. His writing in his diary shows us depths that does not show on Whiting, where he is only twirling a twig of flowers.The balcony scene is another scene that shows the differences between the two actors. In the '68 version, Whiting is very childish and playful. He plays around in the trees while he's waiting for Juliet. This reminded me of the young Kevin Costner in  Silverado  when he was swinging from the jail cell bars, showing his youth. He is also like a puppy, very young and immature; he seems unconcerned about his safety; he only has eyes for Juliet. We can see that is his only thought or concern. When he leaves we see him jumping and skipping, and once again we are aware of his youth. Leonardo De Caprio shows much more passion and desire.We d o not get the sense of immaturity with De Caprio, but rather a sense of manhood. His eyes show deep desire, like he knows what she looks like naked. He also is very sure and thrilled, he is aware of the danger by his presence and takes caution to be careful. Whiting seemed oblivious to his danger. His only concern is his love and desire for Juliet. De Caprio is more aware of the consequences of their love; Whiting is only aware of his love. One of the most important relationships in  Romeo and Juliet  is the relationship between the Nurse and Juliet. In Act 1, Scene 3 we are introduced to the most vivid character of the play, the Nurse.With her speech that begins â€Å"Even or odd, of all days in the year, Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen. † (1. 3. 16-48), we learn that she nursed Juliet, she lost a child the same age as Juliet, and also lost her husband. The Nurse’s role is very important to Juliet. The Nurse is the one that is there for Juliet, she is her confidant, she is her friend. This is especially important near the end of the play when Juliet realizes she is alone after the Nurse tells her to go ahead and commit bigamy and marry Paris. In Zeffirelli's  Romeo and Juliet  the Nurse plays the role of the Nurse as it's written in the play.She is affectionate; she is giggly, and loving. We see Juliet and the Nurse being openly affectionate with each other and can tell from this film that Juliet depends on the Nurse. This is especially so when Lady Capulet tells Juliet about the marriage to Paris. After Juliet gives her â€Å"I'll look to like, if looking liking move† (1. 3. 97) speech, she looks to the Nurse for approval. After the Nurse smiles back at Juliet, we see relief and trust in Juliet's eyes. In Luhrmann's version of  Romeo †  Juliet,  we get a very different version of the Nurse, and a very different version of Juliet because of the changes.The Nurses speech about how she weaned Juliet and the r eference to the earthquake are omitted. The affection that is so apparent in the Zeffirelli version is non-existent in the MTV version. This changes the character of Juliet considerably. She is perceived as more isolated and alone from the very beginning. We see her as a teen that does not have someone to confide in other than God. When the Nurse tells her to commit bigamy, we do not get the same sense of betrayal as we do with the Zeffirelli version. There Juliet was extremely pained and had to take a stand for herself, by herself, for the first time in her life.As the Nurse is Juliet's confidant, the Friar is Romeo's trusting friend. In the MTV version of  Romeo †  Juliet, Pete Postiethwaite plays a very different Friar compared to the 1968 version and the text. Pete Postiethwaite plays a tattoo bearing, Jerry Garcia-like horticulturist who is Romeo's only confidant. Milo O'Shea's version of the Friar is very sympathetic and caring. He only has the best of intentions in min d. Friar Lawrence is very important to Romeo. The Friar is the one who guides him and also picks him up when he is down.Even though both Friars are different in appearance and personality, I believe they both portray a very sympathetic, caring friend to both Romeo and Juliet. The Friar may ultimately be the one to blame, but he only led Romeo and Juliet because he believed their union would bring the feuding families together. I believe both played a regretful Friar when it all ended. The '96 version shows Friar Lawrence frantically tracking the express letter. He is sweating and projects urgency into his voice, albeit his role in the church is omitted.In the '68 version, when the Friar sees the Page outside the tomb, he frantically rushes to Juliet's side. He is careful with Juliet but in the end must abandon her to escape blame. Once again Juliet is abandoned. The most dynamic conflict is between Tybalt and Romeo. Tybalt is not nearly as literate or well spoken as Romeo, plus he h arbors much hate for Romeo. In both films we get the sense that Tybalt might be aware of Romeo's and Juliet's love during Capulets party, even though it is not played out any farther, but may be the fuel for Tybalt's challenge.In Zeffirelli's film, Romeo, Leonard Whiting, is oblivious to Tybalt's challenge and when he is called a â€Å"Villain† he does not seem fazed, while Tybalt, played by Michael York, is extremely perplexed. He does not understand why he is not getting a reaction from Romeo. He came ready to fight, and when Romeo does not face his challenger, Tybalt tries to provoke Romeo by slapping his hand away and smelling his own, as if Romeo has a stench. But Romeo is still not provoked, and his friend Mercutio steps up to the plate for him. The fight between Mercutio and Tybalt is light hearted and playful.The crowd is laughing and cheering them on. The only one who sees the seriousness is Romeo, who is trying to stop them. Once Mercutio is killed, Romeo is fueled and goes after Tybalt. The conflict for Romeo is revenge for his friend's death. The fight between Romeo and Tybalt takes on a much more serious tone; the crowd is no longer cheering and laughing. The anger and hatred show in both characters. They are fighting till the end. In Luhrmann's version, Tybalt, played by John Leguizamo, is very much like a gang member whose mind is set on destroying Romeo. He appears much more dangerous and dark and looming.When Romeo, De Caprio, appears, he is instantly aware of Tybalt's hatred and is concerned for both their safeties. Tybalt is determined to go after Romeo, whether or not Romeo wants to fight. When Romeo tries to shake his hand, Tybalt slaps it away and attacks Romeo from behind when Romeo starts to walk away. Romeo keeps yelling to stop, he does not want to fight, but Tybalt is relentless. It isn't until Mercutio steps in that the scene changes to their fight and Mercutio's death. Mercutio's death is what fuels Romeo to fight and go aft er Tybalt. Romeo shows courage and hate, and he’s screaming at Tybalt.It is highly emotional and charged. Romeo is aware of his consequences if he goes farther, but Tybalt pushed him to the limit. Then he kills Tybalt. De Caprio instantly regrets his actions. The setting for Zeffirelli's film is in classical Verona. The set has many domineering walls and tons of concrete. It gives the feeling of coldness. The only warmth is the balcony scene, with the trees and soft lighting. The setting keeps the audience's attention on the actors and helps them to see the actors as Shakespeare may have directed them. In Luhrmann's version, the town is called Verona, but resembles downtown Los Angeles more than Italy.The set is current and up to date. It did not try to recreate Shakespeare, but rather, to show how Shakespeare evolves. The physical location of this film helps to understand the story better. It uses our own experiences and our own visual setting, and even though the language i s still hard to understand, the setting brings it all together. Luhrmann handles the death scene very differently from the text and Zeffirelli's  Romeo and Juliet. Luhrmann's version is much more intense and more tragic. It begins with Romeo, De Caprio, fleeing from the cops. There is a lot of action, with noise and intense music, to keep the audience in suspense.We even see the apothecary scene which is deleted from the '68 version. When Romeo gets to the church he takes a man hostage before he enters the church. This also adds to the suspense. Once inside the church, and not a tomb, Romeo shows many of his emotions through his facial expressions. We can see the fear and foreboding in his eyes. The church is tacky with neon crosses and lights shaped as candles. When Romeo finally reaches Juliet, Claire Danes, he shows concern and anguish in his eyes over her death. He is crying, and the audience can see his pain. He lies next to her,   pets her and cries uncontrollably.We can t ell he understands that death is final. Juliet begins to awaken from her self-induced sleep right as Romeo takes his deadly poison. We want Romeo to see Juliet is still awake, but he is too late. The look in his eyes as he becomes aware of Juliet is heart wrenching. It's that realization that he has made a mistake. While Romeo is still alive, Juliet whispers her line â€Å"O Churl! Drunk all and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips† This final kiss is so sweet and so desperate. If only Romeo saw Juliet's hand move. Juliet's choice of weapon in this movie is a revolver, rather than a dagger.She blows her brains out. In Zeffirelli's  Romeo and Juliet, the scene is not changed much from the text, except we do not see Romeo, Leonard Whiting, go to the apothecary. As mentioned previously, the only omission is Paris as it is in the Luhrmann film; otherwise, it is true to Shakespeare. Romeo breaks the door of the tomb down with a rock. We do not get the sam e sense of urgency as we do in the MTV version. The tomb is dark and dingy and full of dead people. When he sees Juliet, Olivia Hussey, he is still very childlike and actually smiles. This gives the audience a sense that he does not realize the finality of death.He tries to awaken Juliet with soft, cooing words. He does not seem serious until he sees Tybalt, who is not present in the Luhrmann film. At this point, he makes his final speech and says good-bye to life. This is where we get the feeling that Romeo is finally getting it: death is the end, and there is no turning back. When he takes his last kiss from Juliet, he cries for the first time and does show anguish. In the Zeffirelli version, the Friar comes into the tomb right as Romeo dies. This scene is omitted from the '96 version. The Friar sees the outcome of his actions.He takes responsibility for the fate of these children. When Juliet wakens he tries to protect her from the news of Romeo's death. He pulls her gently away from where Romeo is lying. But he fails to protect her, and she finds Romeo all the same, at which point the Friar leaves. Juliet looks at Romeo with concern and confusion. She kisses him, and then cries like a child at the fact that he is gone and she is there. She kisses him all over his face; she does not want to give up, but then she hears a noise and finds the dagger. The final scene with them dead seems to embody them; they will be eternally beautiful.

The eNotes Blog How to Study for a Test on a LiteraryWork

How to Study for a Test on a LiteraryWork When being tested on a literary work, you are demonstrating your understanding of a text. What your teacher or professor looks for in a literary examination is your comprehension of various literary elements. When studying for a test on a literary work, focus on the details and devices employed by the author rather than rereading the whole work again. Before you start, gather any notes, activities, or guides that may be useful to review. Let’s look at 11 tips designed to help you prepare for a test on a literary work. 1. Read the entire work Do not wait until the last minute to read what you’re being tested on. You probably won’t have time to reread all the material you will be expected to know. Therefore, allow yourself enough time to process what you have read and ask your teachers any questions before you start studying. By the time you’re ready to study, you want to have a basic understanding of the text   so that you can spend more time reviewing specific details and literary devices that may appear on the test. 2. Create an outline Create an outline of the plot that highlights the rising action, the climax, and falling action of the story. This will be a handy reference while you study so that you can keep track of the series of events and what characters are involved. For example, in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the rising action is the meeting of the young lovers, the climax is their mutual deaths, and the falling action is the realization by all involved that they too were responsible for the lovers’ tragedy. 3. Note the characters’ roles Start by identifying the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) of the story. The protagonist is the leading character in a literary work. She is the advocate or champion of a particular cause or idea. The antagonist is the main character’s chief opponent. Both of these characters will have different objectives and it’s important to know who they are and what they want. For example, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is the protagonist and Roger Chillingworth is the antagonist. Chillingworth is the main impediment to Hester Prynne’s happiness. He represents the stern moral values of Puritanism, whereas Hester relies on her own internal moral compass and her personal relationship with God. Once you’ve identified the protagonist and antagonist, you should make a note of any other major or minor characters that influence the plot. In literary works with a bunch of characters, like Shakespeare’s plays, there’s often a character list at the beginning of the text. It may be useful to create a character map or list that showcases the characters’ relationship throughout the text. 4. Identify major conflicts Most plots center around a conflict that is internal or external. Conflict can enhance the readers’ understanding of specific characters and what drives the storyline. There is often more than one type of conflict taking place at the same time. The four major types of conflict include: Person versus Person One character against another Person versus Nature Character(s) against the forces of nature Person versus Society Values and customs of the majority being challenged by an individual Person versus Self A character with an internal conflict For example, in William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies, we have several different conflicts happening at the same time. Ralph and Jack continually engage in conflict throughout the novel. Ralph is initially elected as the leader of the boys and attempts to establish a civil society on the island; Jack, on the other hand, opposes Ralph and gains support from other boys on the island who want to hunt and rest rather than completing necessary tasks. Although these characters may oppose each other, both of these boys are also in conflict with nature. Trapped on an uninhabited island, all of the boys are forced to build shelters and find food in order to survive. 5. Detect what actions develop from conflict Most plots center around conflict; therefore, it’s important to understand the motivation behind the action and how it influences the rest of the story. For example, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a good example of conflict that propels action. When a group of young girls is caught doing improper things in the woods, they try to cover their tracks by accusing people of witchcraft. Their conflict leads to the witch trials depicted in the play. 6. Determine if the characters achieve their goals You need to know what the major characters set out to do in the beginning of the text and if they achieved their goals by the resolution. However, this may not always be obvious. Hamlet, for example, does achieve the mission given to him by the ghost of his father, but determining his overall success is a more contentious matter. Yes, his mother and uncle pay with their lives, but so too do Ophelia, Laertes, Polonius, and Hamlet himself. 7. Take note of the structure Revisit your initial outline of the text. The structure of the text may not always be in chronological order because many works will purposely present events out of sequence or work backwards. One example of events taken out of sequence is William Faulkner’s story â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† which begins with her funeral, jumps to her early life, her later life, and then the discovery of her deed and death. The structure of the plot is a deliberate choice made by the author, therefore you should always consider why a story is told in the format that it is. 8. Identify patterns within the text Patterns often lead to a critical climax or resolution of the plot. For instance, one symbol might give you an idea of where the plot is going, but repeated events and symbols, or motifs, can foreshadow and add thematic depth to the plot. For example, the character of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman constantly repeats that he wanted more than anything to be â€Å"well-liked.† Because he mentions this so often, readers gain insight into Willy’s extreme lack of self-confidence. 9. Make note of symbols Symbolism is a person, place, or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings. Things, characters, and actions can be symbols. Note here that symbols are deliberately open to a reader’s interpretation, so carefully consider the context in which they appear. For example, if a color is repeated or particularly associated with a character, think about what it might mean. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† yellow can be viewed as symbolic of the narrator’s sickness, like jaundice. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Faith’s pink ribbon can be interpreted as representing her innocence. 10. Consider the work’s historical and cultural context You should always put the characters actions and thoughts in context and refrain from making contemporary judgments about the past. For example, if you are reading Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, it would be helpful to know something about the realities of poverty in London in the 1800s. What’s more, it’s also helpful to know that telling ghost stories around Christmas time used to be a popular tradition in 19th-century England. Seeking an understanding of the historical context will help you determine if the author is criticizing society through the depiction of its values and characters. In addition, many authors use allusion, a literary device, in their words to provide references and hints to their cultures and historical contexts. 11. Review your study materials At this point, you have revisited all major aspects of the text and hopefully feel like you have grasped its overall meaning. Whether you choose to make notecards, take a practice test, or swap questions with your classmates, it’s a good idea to actively engage with your study materials until you feel confident enough to address it on the test. If there are still some points that seem unclear, focus your attention on finding those answers rather than spending your time on material you already know. Whatever you do, don’t wait until the day before to review for your test. Allow yourself enough time to rest and relax before your test so that you can perform to your greatest potential. If you’ve read the literary work and reviewed your study materials, you’ll do just fine! For more how-to lesson, visit How To Series.