Unattainable Perfection

The expression â€Å"I am only human† is a phrase coined by people in order to blame their faults on humanity. The question many philosophers have asked is if perfection is attainable. In his short stories, â€Å"The Birthmark,† â€Å"The Minister and the Black Veil,† and â€Å"The Gray Champion,† Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates the human condition as one of human imperfection and sin that can be destructive if not controlled. Hawthorne effectively portrays what can happen if an individual is not monitored by society in his stories. He emphasizes the role of the individual in the society and the limitations that the society must place on that individual. Using symbolism, characterization, and paradoxes, Hawthorne emphasizes humankind’s faults and their imperative role in the character of all men. Most importantly, he emphasizes that perfection and the cleansing of all sin is not possible. Hawthorne uses symbols and extended allegories to elucidate the true nature of human attributes. â€Å"The Birthmark† is a story about an obsessive scientist name Aylmer who strives to prefect his wife. The predominate symbol in this story is the birthmark on his, other wise perfect, wife: a mark of â€Å"deeper crimson, which imperfectly defined its shape† (Hawthorne148). This mark is identified very closely with Georgiana, Aylmer’s wife, because it changes with her emotions and motions. This suggests that Georgiana does not merely have an imperfection embedded in her skin, but that she is imperfection embodied. Hawthorne specifically marked Georgiana as an imperfection because she is a woman, tainted with sin from the dawn of Adam and Eve (Fetterley 3). Because all of mankind is Eve’s children, this mark is â€Å"the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature†¦stamps ineffaceably on all her productions† (Hawthorne 149). Hawthorne thus emphasizes that men are supposed to be imperfect in comparison to pristine and refined nature. Therefore, humans should look upon nature as a role model so that they can be as close to perfect as possible. This is what Aylmer does as he attempts to perfect the flower he shows Georgiana. However, he does this is a frenetic, destructive way which is his flaw and proves that not only women are imperfect. His elusive goal is evident when, at first, the flower is perfect, but then the â€Å"whole plant suffer[s] a blight, its leaves turning coal-black as if by the agency of the fire† (Hawthorne 155). The moral is that humans should not meddle with nature because nature is already perfect: Hawthorne’s unique way of expressing a â€Å"universal sympathy with Nature† (Longfellow 1). The parallel result of Georgiana dying after achieving perfection represents that the perfection of man goes against nature. Mr. Hooper’s veil in the â€Å"Minister and the Black Veil† is also an example of human lubricity. This veil covers the majority of his face, and does not â€Å"intercept his sight, further than to give a darkened aspect to all living and unanimated things† (Hawthorne 10). The Black Veil represents the sin that he has committed and the facade that he chooses to hide it behind. However, it also shields him from the sin of his entire community (Emmett 1). His own sin has allowed his vision to see things in â€Å"a darkened aspect† so as to see that everyone has his own dark secrets (10). He realizes that although everyone professes to be pure, their entire life is a front to hide their true selves: their imperfect selves. If each individual and the society they make up is imperfect as stated in the â€Å"Minister and the Black Veil,† then so is a country made of humankind. As America was the first country formed from the true aspirations of mankind, it is destined for corruption. This is why Hawthorne has created the symbol of â€Å"The Gray Champion†. Representing a â€Å"type of New England’s hereditary spirit, and his shadowy march, on the Eve of danger,† this champion is the guardian angel of the country: the faith that has founded and developed the nation (Hawthorne 9). Although Hawthorne specifically speaks of protection from war and enemies, inner corruption also looms. The individual flaws of its citizens can eat at a country from within without religion and a faith in God to keep them on a righteous path. Hawthorne’s characterization allows the reader to understand the state of mind and decisions of his characters. This, in turn, helps establish the weaknesses that they have that make them human. Although the character with the apparent imperfection in the â€Å"Birthmark† is Georgiana, it is Aylmer that best depicts the human condition. He is said to represent â€Å"a type of spiritual element† and yet Georgiana observes that â€Å"he handles physical details as if there were nothing beyond them, yet spiritualized them all and redeemed himself from materialism† (Hawthorne 153). This suggests that while Aylmer considers him a man of science, it is the supernatural and abstract things that he is experimenting with. His â€Å"faith in man’s ultimate control over nature† is his tragic flaw (Hawthorne 148). Killing his wife in the pursuit of an impossible goal is an example of an individual not being checked by the natural flow of the society. By making this vice so evident, Hawthorne reveals that ultimately, everyone’s faults are obvious. With this blunt style, Hawthorne fights against the ambiguous nature of humans. Father Hooper is likewise flawed, but his uncleanliness is even more apparent. His obvious flaw is his secret sin that involves his association with a recently deceased young lady. The community respects him, but also fears him to the point that â€Å"their instinctive dread causes him to feel more strongly than aught else† (Hawthorne 19). Consequently, the respect and responsibility he bares from the society, the hatred of himself, and his understanding that everyone and â€Å"the Earth, too, [has] on her Black Veil,† forces the reader to sympathize with him (20). In Poe’s words, it â€Å"smothers the sin† (2). By creating sympathy for his character, Hawthorne clearly expresses that sins should be pardoned because they are human nature. He conveys that humans should accept their condition. Although the Gray Champion is an allegory, he too has characterization. He is a â€Å"shadowy march† and â€Å"follows darkness, and adversity, and peril† (Hawthorne 9). Although he is the hero and protector that the country needs, he must be darkness to face the malfeasance that is present in battle. Thus, human kind must be willing to accept their impurities in order to face the evil that is found in the world. The small amount of sin and evil they posses, can protect men from evil because those that are all good are innocent and naive. Because Hawthorne creates forgivable characters who are clearly â€Å"only human†, it is clear that he believes that people do have some good in them and should strive to express this instead of absolute perfection. The paradox is a statement that is both true and untrue. Hawthorne viewed human nature as a stream of paradoxes that seems incompatible, but is the base of humanity. Ergo, he uses contradictory words and characters throughout his stories. Perfection is an element that is judged differently by different individuals. One common perception is that, despite the phrase â€Å"practice makes perfect†, no one is perfect. This is a key theme in the story â€Å"The Birthmark† where Georgiana is described as â€Å"so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect (the birthmark), which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty [is] †¦ the visible mark of earthly imperfection† (Hawthorne 148). Illustrating that humanity craves for perfection; this quote exemplifies how imperfection highlights perfection. This is why one rejoices when others do poorly (so they can stand out as extraordinary). The birthmark can be both beautiful and imperfect because there is a small difference between perfection and imperfection. Humans are imperfect beings that can harm themselves when striving for perfection, an abstract and indefinable concept. The minister grows sad and frustrated in the â€Å"Minister and the Black Veil,† when â€Å"children flee from his approach† and he is deemed an â€Å"irreparable bugbear† (Hawthorne 19). This becomes paradoxical because, as the minister, he still retains the respect of the society. The community is to be criticized for being judgmental without true fact, but Hawthorne indubitably accepts this as an inescapable component of human nature. Humans easily judge their peers based on fickle allegation and slander. This is why the media in our time is so destructive. While this is most definitely one of our greatest flaws, it also helps us protect ourselves from dangerous individuals that, from Hawthorne’s point of view, need to be controlled by their society. In â€Å"The Gray Champion,† Hawthorne described the soldiers as â€Å"solemn, [but with a] warlike peale of †¦voice, fit either to rule a host in the battlefield or be raised to God in prayer,† a contradictory statement (Hawthorne. 5). This behavior can be compared to how people can be so full of faith yet so violent and how religions can preach peace and compassion, but declare war on each other. These are the many great paradoxes of human kind. The truth is that both faith and violence are instincts of human nature( the former to compensate for death and the latter to defend oneself or obtain what is wanted or needed) This is ironic because without violence, there would not be so much death. It is a good thing that these components are â€Å"deeply meshed in the texture of human experience† (Arvin xv). Without the paradox of human nature, the entire world would be off balanced with too much evil, or too much good. Without one, the other can not be distinguished. Humans have one thing in common with each other: our imperfect and sinful nature. Hawthorne’s purpose is to force readers to see this as he did in his â€Å"observation journals† (Hilton 2). He believed that once this is acknowledged, people can succeed without pretending to be pure or punishing themselves for their nature. Society should instead concentrate on restricting the dark part of humanity. In his stories, Hawthorne creates symbols, characters, and paradoxes that represent the complex state of the human condition. He clarifies that perfection is not attainable, but that perfection of human nature is not essential for mankind to thrive and be good.

Practice HSC Questions – Community and Family Studies

Examine the influence that socio-economic status can have on the parenting and caring relationship. (6 marks) An individual’s socio-economic status is influenced by the income they receive, the occupation of the person and the area in which they live. These influences affect the way people carry out their parenting and caring tasks, thus determining the quality of the relationship. Parents and carers with higher incomes may be more indulgent with toys, gifts and holidays, which can create a close relationship with their dependent as they feel valued and appreciated. On the other hand, this could also indicate that they may not necessarily have a close bond, as their high income could require them to spend a lot of time away from their family and at work. Alternatively, a family with a low socio-economic status may invest in cheaper activities such as camping or fishing which can allow them to spend more time together and develop a closer relationship. Although, a lower income and education can hinder the quality of care provided to a dependent as the carer may not be able to afford the medication and services required, or have the skills to meet the needs of the dependent. Describe an ethical issue that needs to be considered when conducting research. (2 marks) Ethics are a set of principles determining what is good or bad. When conducting research it is important to consider the privacy and feelings of all involved. Researchers have to ensure the information remains confidential and that if preferred the people involved remain anonymous. Before carrying out primary research, or using equipment such as video recorders it is crucial that the researcher has got written or verbal permission. The data and opinions collected should not be provided to anyone else, until the final product and lastly, all information should be stored securely and shredded before disposal. Explain the unique challenges that adopted children and their social parents may experience. (4 marks) Adoption is the process by which the legal responsibility of parenting of a child is given to someone who is not the biological parent. Therefore, the child and social parent may look different. This can present many challenges itself, as society will be aware of the difference in appearance which may influence the child to question heir differences. In this same sense, it can negatively impact on the parents and child’s self-esteem. The significant problem that social parents may face is the question of ‘how and when’ do they tell the child that they are adopted. Adoptive parents may have concerns of the child wanted to find their biological parents or that they will feel betrayed. Desc ribe the difficulties experienced by the disabled in meeting the following needs: †¢housing †¢sense of identity. (6 marks) The disabled have a physical or intellectual disadvantage opposed to those who are not disabled. A disability is a restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in a way which is considered as ‘normal’. The degree and type of disability will determine the housing needs of a disabled person. Housing modifications, such as the installation of handrails and ramps or relocation may be necessary for the individual to maintain independence. Although, many disabled people are socio-economically disadvantaged and cannot afford appropriate housing that is nearby services or the funds to make their house safe and secure. Therefore, many live with family or in group homes that can be accessed through the Department of Housing; although this decreases their independence and negatively impacts on their sense of identity. The factors that contribute to the difficulties of meeting housing needs, also relate to establishing a sense of identity. A person’s sense of identity comes from involvement in work, family life and activities. Some people with a disability need full-time care and have little sense of identity because they are interdependent and are unable to contribute to the larger community. A person who has become disabled as an adult might find it difficult to establish a renewed sense of identity, opposed to a person who has been disabled their whole life. The larger society can have a perception of disabled people being incapable and don’t give them the opportunity to participate in activities. But, often the disabled gain a strong sense of identity thyough their involvement in charity and fundraising activities that benefit the group. Compare the housing needs of the aged with the housing needs of the socio-economically disadvantaged. 6 marks) The aged are those who have lived for 65 years or longer, they are often retired, have a contracting family and experience deteriorating health. Therefore, they need safe and secure housing that accommodates for their declining health and mobility (no steep stairs, low maintenance backyard). They may need to make modifications (install handrails, shower seats, non-slip bath mats) to their homes or require assistance fro m community nurses to complete duties around the house. As the aged generally rely on the pension and superannuation, it is important that the housing is affordable. The aged may need to relocate to a smaller home or retirement village if they cannot independently meet their physical and emotional wellbeing. Socio-economically disadvantaged people are associated with low income and high unemployment. Similarly, to the aged they need cheap, safe housing (although they are less concerned with safety facilities such as handrails). They generally need rental housing, as they cannot afford to purchase a home, and may need support from the Department of Housing to locate low-cost housing. Explain how the age of dependents affects a parent’s management of resources. 6 marks) The age and maturity of the dependent will determine the level of care required. The age of a dependent, will therefore determine how much time, energy and finance will be required to care for them. For instance, a parent with a young child has to allocate time and energy for feeding, bathing and changing nappies. Alternatively, a parent of older children will have to provide the funds and time to take children to leisure and sporting activities. The age of a dependent will influence which resource is more greatly required, consequently affecting how the parent manages those resources to make them priorities. For example, a mother with a newborn baby will have to take maternity leave to regain the energy lost in pregnancy and childbirth, and use the time to develop a close bond with the child. In this example, time and energy are the most important resources. Often parents with younger children and those who are facing economic problems will have a strict routine and budget to ensure that time, energy and money are all used effectively; as a young child can be very tiring and require routines. Older children (adolescents) often take up less energy, but potentially more time and money. Parent’s may focus on earning more money to manage their funds effectively and afford the child’s expenses. Outline the role of support services in assisting foster parents. (4 marks) Foster carers are authorised volunteers who provide alternate living arrangements for children whose parents are temporarily unable to care for them. Support services can provide foster parents with the funding, skills and resources to meet the needs of the child and protect their own wellbeing. The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS) provides foster parents with ongoing advice and assistance to care for the dependent. DoCS initially ensures that people meet the requirements and would be suitable foster carers, and once a foster child is involved they provide the foster parent with funding. This funding covers the cost of necessities such as food, schooling essential and clothing whilst the child is in foster care. Explain the effects on family members when a parent changes employment. 6 marks) People change their employment for many reasons, including retrenchment, promotion, injury or a different working location. A change in employment can alter a parent’s income, working hours, travelling time and energy levels; which will ultimately affect all family members. Parents may have to adjust routines in order to meet their new demands, this could include making dinner later because they are required to work back later. Children may also have to take on addition al responsibilities for the parent’s to cope with the change. For instance, the eldest sibling might have to watch their younger siblings after school before their parents return home from work, or may have to give up leisure and sporting activities as the parent’s working hours may not accommodate for it. The other parent may be required to take on more roles too, such as cooking dinner or taking children to and from activities on certain days. Identify ONE workplace entitlement, and explain how it empowers employees. (4 marks) Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) ensures that all individuals have equal access to employment. EEO employers follow anti-discrimination laws and promote equality within the workforce. EEO empowers employees to try to advance within their career and have expectations of respect and equality within their place of employment. EEO attempts to allow all people regardless of gender, sexual preference, age, marital status, culture or religion to achieve the same or similar employment outcomes if they have the right skills and attributes necessary. It gives employees the right to report their employer if they feel as though they have been disadvantaged, treated unfairly or basically discriminated against.

Word of the Day

Omnipotent- unlimited authority or influence a. The king was an omnipotent force in the kingdom. 2. Asunder- into parts, torn apart a. Cats asunder mice for dinner. 3. Usurpation- to seize, take hold of through force, without rights, infringement a. The usurpation of Poland by Germany was unexpected. 4. Evinces- to clearly display, show evidence a. Clearly, the note evinces that you are guilty. 5. Abdicated- to cast off, to formally relinquish a. The queen abdicated her power due to her old age. 6.Perfidy- being faithless or disloyal, treachery a. The perfidious servant became a double agent for the enemy. 7. Magnanimity- lofty spirit, bear trouble calmly, display noble generosity a. The dog displayed much magnanimity in rescuing the young drowning boy. 8. Acquiesce- to accept, comply, submit a. The submissive girl always acquiesced to her overbearing mother. 9. Countenance- mental composure, facial expression a. In despite of his pain, the man maintained his countenance. 10. Accosti ng- to approach and speak to in a challenging or aggressive way a.Marry, in an accosting way, approached Jessica to start a fight. 11. Supinely- with the face upward, an indifferent manner a. Supinely, the king ignored the requests of the farmers. Part A: Dear Corporate America, You are making us fat. You are making us fat through your trans-fat-rich foods complete if, and only if, they contain enough saturated fat to clog our arteries and heart. It is the foods that you are creating that are resulting in the downfall of American health. Daily, processed foods asunder any nutritional integrity that we possess.In a way, such corporations, producing unhealthy foods, are an omnipotent force that usurper our everyday lives in an effort to produce revenue. We acquiesce to societal norms by ingesting the slop that corporations like you produce; yet, we are the ones making the decision to put poison into our bodies. You do not accost us and force feed us your food; nay, we enthusiastically devour crunchy chips out of shiny bags without considering the lifetime consequences. You are the devil snake tempting us with fruit, and we are Eve: innocent and blissfully unaware of the future effects that your fruit will have.While it is not your responsibility to ensure that people are consuming your food responsibly, it is your fault that foods that cause atherosclerosis and heart attacks are even available. While the American public does need to change its thoughts about nutrition, large corporations need to change their ingredients and their mentalities. Respectfully, part a: French fries are delicious. Truly, they are a staple food in the American diet. Any American that doesn't regularly partake in the consumption of fries is essentially omitting perfidy.To date, McDonald's is an omnipotent leader in the fast food world. Other fast food chains may try to accost the spread of McDonald's' successful corporation, but they are forced to acquiesce to the standards that have al ready been set. Recently, there has been much debate over the use of healthy foods and their practical use compared to unhealthy, fatty foods. Many have evinced data concerning heart disease and other health problems. These people are in favor of creating healthy alternatives for regular fast food buyers to choose.However, it is my belief that by implementing healthy choices will not change the lifestyle of people that are accustomed to eating fatty foods every day. Americans should make their own food choices and be actively aware of what they are consuming; supinely choosing meals anymore is not an option. It is not the duty of the fast food restaurants to change America's eating habits. Those that wish to live a long and healthy life need to abdicate unhealthy foods from their life and make a true lifestyle change.

Personal Finance Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal Finance Concepts - Essay Example Secured loans are those that are lent by the bank or other financial institutions with some form of collateral or security. Collateral may include personal property that serves to assure the lenders that they will receive their payment or take over the collateral should the borrower fail to pay. On the other hand, unsecured loan is the amount of loan that is lent with an understanding that the borrower will repay it in future according to the agreement without defaulting. The secured loans normally attract lower rates, higher borrowing limits as well as longer repayment period. As a result, they do create less risk to the lender as they can usually sell off the collateral should the borrower fail to make payment (Garman & Forgue, 2012) There are a number of alternatives to loans that can be used by businesses and individuals to finance their financial needs. Such include factoring which refers to a situation in which a business sells its accounts receivables to financial institutions known as the factor and they in turn advance funds to such business under some specified terms and conditions. Hedge-Fund lenders is an alternative financing method that money is lent to higher risk businesses depending on the pitch made by the borrower. The decision to make such a lending is undertaken with due diligence with much

A ban on the wearing of items of clothing and other symbols of Essay

A ban on the wearing of items of clothing and other symbols of religious significance - Essay Example These Islamic dresses have raised various questions related to gender equality, freedom of religion and liberalism, and currently these issues are under serious contentions in Western Europe. Within this atmosphere of hot debate, France, which has around five million Muslims (the largest in population of Muslims in Western Europe), has taken a ?rm stand and became the first nation to pass a legislation that banned both headscarves and full veils (BBC News, The Islamic Veil Across Europe, 22nd September 2011). As per the legislation which became effective from 11 April 2011, it is now illegal for women in France (French or foreign), to leave their homes with their face covered with a veil, and women found flouting rules are liable to pay a heavy fine. UK, which promotes multiculturalism, have not imposed any ban on clothing or other accessories with religious significance; however, schools are allowed to establish their own dress code following a 2007 court directive (BBC News, The Is lamic Veil Across Europe, 22nd September 2011). However currently in UK, Face Coverings (Regulation) Bill 2010/11 brought in by Mr Philip Hollobone is under consideration, which proposes to ban the covering of faces in public spaces (Face Coverings (Regulation) Bill 2010/11, 2011). ... Russian Supreme Court had ordered a complete ban on use of veils in public spaces and offices, which is however not followed in Chechnya. In Germany, even though the court ruled in favour of a teacher wanting to wear a scarf to school, there are provisions for modifying laws locally, and many states have imposed a ban on Islamic veils. Austria and Switzerland are also considering a probable ban, in case there are too many women wearing the veil (ibid). From a scholarly viewpoint, even though the hijab and the niqab may have various cultural and religious connotations, but in the context of present debates over issues of gender equality and tolerance, there are claims that Muslims often tend to use veils to make their presence felt in the European countries (Teitelbaum, 2011). It is owing to such suggestions that the issue of wearing veils has currently taken a political shape, and many citizens and politicians view Islamic veils as a sign of radical Islam or fundamentalism. In the co ntext of the current debate, that questions the reasoning behind implementing a legal ban on wearing of Islamic veils, there are varying viewpoints. According to the Commissioner  of Human Rights (Council of Europe) Thomas Hammarberg, this ban on veils would not help to achieve the desired effects of gender equality or end oppression of Muslim women. Instead, he claimed, â€Å"Prohibition of the burqa and the niqab would not liberate oppressed women, but might instead lead to their further alienation in European societies. A general ban on such attires would constitute an ill-advised invasion of individual privacy. Depending on its precise terms, a prohibition also

Information Handling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Information Handling - Essay Example The source where accuracy posed the greatest problem was the marketing database.So I think usefulness informations need have accuracy and reliability, accuracy and reliability determine the quality of information."Information that is timely is available when it is needed for managerial action, not after the decision has been made" (Gareth, 2000,P614) In today's speedily changing world and technology 's developing, lead to information changing frequently. Real-time Information is reflecting current conditions. (Gareth, 2000,P614) For example, productions' price changing frequently in marketing because manager wants to make profit in competition's marketing. So manager should be pay attention to information's changing. Catch Real-time information is very importance. Look at timeliness in accounting"Timeliness: accounting information should be made available to external decision-makers before it loses its capacity to influence decisions." (Dyckman, 1992, P44) Like the news of the world, old financial information never carries the same impact fresh information carries. Otherwise lack of timeliness reduces relevance."Information that is complete gives managers all the information they need to exercise control, achieve coordination, or make an effective decision." (Gareth, 2000,P615) information's completive will provided good help to manager to decision. When you set up a new business, look at complete information is importance. Such as, how is this productions sold, how long can make profit.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 233

Assignment Example e 12 workweeks of leave in a 12 month period and twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12 month period in the instances when one has to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness in instances where the eligible employee is the spouse of a service member or even a parent, son, daughter or next of kin. In the first video, while Mark will need more time, 2 to 3 days every week for his chemotherapy which push his total leave weeks to between 14-15 weeks for the year, and the fact that he will still need some time off at the end of it all, Danielle cannot do anything about extending the FMLA leave for him since the act is very clear about an employee being entitled to twelve workweeks of leave in a 12 month period. In the case of Lucy, the fact that she refuses to disclose the main reason for which she will require the leave makes it difficult to determine whether she will qualify. However, in the case that she still qualifies, then it would be difficult to allow her 2 months off if she has already exhausted his recommended 12 weeks. This will be left to the HR to determine. In the third video, the fact that the employee is pregnant makes her qualify for the FMLA leave for 12 weeks. However, since she has already used 3 weeks to take care of her mother will leave her with only nine weeks hence her request for three more weeks could only be considered in the event that her mother was a covered service member in which case she would be entitled to twenty six workweeks of leave during a 12 month period. and Families of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Second Session, on the Implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Act, May 9, 1996. Washington: U.S. G.P.O, 1996.