Mental Health: Concepts of Race and Gender

Mental Health: Concepts of Race and Gender Mental distress/disorder as a function of the society we live in: implications for the practice of mental health social work in terms of gender and race Introduction Mental illness/disorder/distress is a rather ambiguous umbrella term for describing a wide range of diverse disorders of the mind. According to the Oxford Medical Dictionary, mental illness is â€Å"a disorder of one or more of the functions of the mind (such as emotion, perception, memory, or thought), which causes suffering to the patient or others† (Oxford Medical Dictionary, 2007). The global burden of mental illness was estimated at 12.3% at the beginning of the millennium and is expected to rise even further in the next decade (Murray and Lopez, 1997; Patel et al, 2006). Critical perspectives that refute the biological definitions of mental illness started to arise in the 1960s. Szasz (1961) and other critical theorists have continually challenged the classification of normal and abnormal behavioural categories, and focused instead on the role of social factors on the development of mental illness (Martin, 2003). Key among these factors are gender, race and ethnicity, sexual preference, age and class. Apart from several medical theories that explain the aetiology of mental illness with neurological chemical imbalances, the actual causes of such psychological disorders are largely unknown. However, as outlined above, there are myriad known factors that trigger or prompt such mental impairment. Work stress and work-related psychosocial conditions, for example, plays an important role in self-reported mental health (Kopp M et al, 2008). Furthermore, gender is generally accepted as a significant risk factor for the development of mental distress. The World Health Organization acknowledges that a large majority of common mental health diseases are more frequently reported in the female gender than in their male counterparts. As an example – common psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety are predominant in women. Conversely, there are other disorders of the mind that are more common in men. These include, but are not limited to, substance misuse (including alcohol dependence) and antisocial personality disorder (The World Health Organization). Nevertheless, there are no reported differences in the incidence of some severe mental disorders, like schizophrenia, in men and women. In addition to the gender-related differences documented in the incidence of these disorders, there have also been reported differences in terms of the epidemiology and severity – age of onset, symptom frequency, soci al adjustment, prognosis and trajectory of the illness. The World Health Organization proffers possible explanation for the observed differences between genders – men and women have differential withstanding power over socioeconomic determinants of their mental health, social position, status and treatment in society and their susceptibility and exposure to specific mental health risks (The World Health Organization). Similarly, race could also be a determining factor for the development of mental illness. In addition, mental illness in some races, e.g. black and minority ethnic (BME) groups can be further exacerbated by alleged discrepancies in the mental health services available to this potentially vulnerable groups of patients (Ferns P, 2008). A possibly rational explanation for the reason behind any disparities in mental health across diverse races could be the societal differences that are inherent to various cultural backgrounds. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the social factors that can prompt mental distress, especially in women and people from BME populations, and to rationalise how these factors may actually pathologise the discourse of mental health. Mental Illness in Women The natural subordinate role of women and gender stereotypes in most societies makes them prone to disorders of the mind. Psychoanalytic theories believe that patriarchy-based communities are associated with a higher rate of mental illness in women (Olfman S, 1994). These supremacy-governed organisations in which men are largely in control leave women with a consistent feeling of repression, which could culminate in mental distress. Indeed, in some extreme societies, women with more independent views who express anger or dissatisfaction with the standard patriarchal social structure are often seen as having psychological problems (Martin, 2003). According to The World Health Organization, gender-specific roles, negative life occurrences and stressors can adversely affect mental health. Clearly the impact of the latter factors (i.e. life experiences and stressors) is in no way exclusive to the female gender. However, it is the nature of some events that are sometimes commonplace in women’s lives that could account for the documented gender-related differences. Risk factors for mental illness that mainly affect women include women-targeted violence, financial difficulties, inequality at work and in the society, burdensome responsibility, pregnancy-related issues, oppression, discrimination, and abuse. There is a linear correlation between the frequency and severity of such social factors and the frequency and severity of female mental health problems. Adverse life events that initiate a sense of loss, inferiority, or entrapment can also predict depression (The World Health Organization). Furthermore, in a domino-effect way some female factors can also lead to mental illness, not just in the individual concerned, but also in subsequent generations and/ or interacting family and friends. For example – maternal depression has been shown to be associated with failure of children to strive in the community, which in turn could culminate in delays in the developmental process and subsequent psychological or psychiatric problems (Patel et al, 2004). In the past three decades, the debate of women and mental health illness and their treatment in mental health services has been quite controversial (Martin J, 2003). From a social constructionist point of view, it is believed that some women are wrongly labelled as ‘mentally ill’ merely because they do not accept certain (usually unfair and unfounded) gender-related stereotypical placement in the society. In this often-cited and somewhat controversial book chapter by Jennifer Martin (Mental health: rethinking practices with women) she expresses great concern for the biological explanations of mental health which have the tendency to lay undue emphasis on the female reproductive biology that supposedly leads to a predisposition to mental illness. Such sexist notions tend to disproportionately highlight female conditions such as pre-menstrual tension, post-natal depression and menopause, in a bid to foster the notion that women are at higher risk of developing mental distr ess (Martin J, 2003). Instead of this allegedly short-sighted approach to the medicalisation of mental health in women, feminist theorists focus on female mental illness as a function of the lives they are made to live within patriarchal, and often oppressive, societies. Women are disadvantaged – both socially and psychologically – by these unreasonably subservient role expectations (Martin J, 2003). Mental Illness and Race The United Kingdom (UK) is a home to a very diverse and multicultural population, and BME communities make up approximately 7.8% of the total UK population (Fernando S, 2005). There are innate differences in the presentation, management and outcome of mental illness between the different races and ethnic groups (Cochrane R and Sashidharan S, 1996; Coid J et al, 2002; Bhui K et al, 2003). In a recent policy report for the UK Government Office of Science, Jenkins R et al, (2008) explained that while some mental disorders appear to be more common in the BME populations, others are not. In addition, incidence rates of different mental disorders also vary among different ethnic groups within the BME populations. For example, depression is increasingly common in the Irish and Black Caribbeans, but not necessarily in the Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi sub-populations (Jenkins R et al, 2008). In the UK, the risk of suicide also varies by gender as well as ethnicity, with Asian men and Black Carribeans having lower rates than the general UK population, and Asian women having higher rates. Similarly, the incidence of psychoses is not uniformly elevated in all BME groups – the highest incidence is seen in Black Caribbean and Black African groups in the UK, (4 – 10 times the normal rates seen in the White British group) (Jenkins R et al, 2008). In a retrospective case-control study of a representative sample of more than 22,000 deceased individuals, Kung et al (2005) highlighted important disparities in mental health disorders, such as substance misuse, depressive symptoms and mental health service utilisation as possible determinants of suicidal behaviours and/ or attempts. Also, clear associations have been demonstrated between racism and the higher rates of mental illness among BME groups (McKenzie K, 2004). The rising incidence of suicides in some developing countries, as seen with Indian farmers, South American indigenes, alcohol-related deaths in Eastern Europe, and young women in rural China, can be partly attributed to economic and social change in these nations (Sundar M, 1999; Phillips M et al, 1999). Pre-, peri- and post-migratory experiences can be major stressor determinants for the development of mental health illness (Jenkins R et al, 2008). Therefore, in order to understand the differences in these populations, it is of utmost importance to gain some insight into their cultural backgrounds and the happenings in their countries of origin all of which could be determinants of mental health. There is a direct relationship between social change and mental health and, in the recent past, many developing countries have undergone incomparable, fast-paced social and economic changes. As Patel et al (2006) have pointed out, such economic upheavals commonly go hand-in-hand with ruralà ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ­urban migration and disruptive social and economic networks. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that The World Health Organization has acknowledged that such changes can cause sudden disruptive changes to social factors, such as income and employment, which can directly affect individuals and ultimately lead to an increased rate of mental disorders. Also Alean Al-Krenawi of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has extensively explored how exposure to political violence has influenced the mental health of Palestinian and Israeli teenagers (Al-Krenawi A, 2005). Al-Krenawi goes on to emphasise that the concept of mental health in the Arab world is a multi-faceted one and is often shaped not only by the socio-cultural-political aspects of the society, but also by the spiritual and religious beliefs. In addition, the perception of racial discrimination has been identified as a significant contributory factor to poor mental and overall health in BME groups – even more important that the contribution of socio-economic factors (Jenkins R et al, 2008). It is disheartening to note that institutionalised and/ or constitutional racism is rife in the conceptual systems that are employed in the provision of mental health services (Wade J, 1993; Timimi S, 2005). Implications for the Practice of Mental Health Social Work In general, people suffering from mental illnesses receive substandard treatment from medical practitioners both in the emergency room and in general treatment, and insurance coverage policies are usually unequal compared with their mentally balanced counterparts (McNulty J, 2004). For BME populations, especially Black and Asians, access and utilisation of mental health services are very different from those recorded for White people (Lloyd P and Moodley P, 1992; Bhui K, 1997). Exploring the pathway to care in mental health services, Bhui K and Bhugra D (2002) highlight that the most common point of access to mental health services for some BME groups is through the criminal justice system, instead of their general practitioner, as would be the case in their White counterparts. Major areas in which institutional racism is rife in the provision of mental health services to BME patients include mental health policy, diagnosis and treatment (Wade J, 1993). For example, Black patients with mental illness are more likely to be treated among forensic, psychiatric and detained populations (Coid J et al, 2002; Bhui K et al, 2003) and are also disproportionately treated with antipsychotic medication than psychotherapy (McKenzie K et al, 2001). Having said this, it is important to differentiate between racial bias and the consideration of racial and ethnic differences. In fact, ignoring these essential differences could actually be seen as a different type of bias (Snowden L, 2003). Already, members of the BME population face prejudice and discrimination; this is doubled when there is the additional burden of mental illness, and is one of the major reasons why some of these patients choose not to seek adequate treatment (Gary F, 2005). As such, stigma arising from racism can be a significant barrier to treatment and well-being, and interventions to prevent this should be prioritised. It is therefore also of utmost importance that institutional racism be eliminated. As far back as 1977, Rack described some of the practical problems that arise in providing mental health care in a multicultural society. These include, but are not limited to: language, diagnostic differences, treatment expectations and acceptability. Some effort has been made to address some of these problems in England, by the development of projects for minority ethnic communities both within the statutory mental health services and in non-governmental sector (Fernando S, 2005). In addition, overcoming language barriers should help in eliminating racial and ethnic disparities towards achieving equal access and quality mental health care for all (Snowden L et al, 2007). The World Health Organization also draws attention to similar bias against the female gender in the treatment of mental disorders. Doctors are generally more likely to diagnose depression in women than in men, even with patients that present with similar symptoms and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) scores. Probably as a result of this bias, doctors are also more likely to prescribe mood-altering psychotropic drugs to women. Considering that immigrants and women separately face challenges with the provision of mental health care, it is expected that immigrant women would have even more setbacks, owing to their double risk status. Using Kleinman’s explanatory model, O’Mahony J and Donnelly T (2007) found that this unfortunate patient group face many obstacles due to cultural differences, social stigma spiritual and religious beliefs and practices, and unfamiliarity with Western medicine. However, the study did also highlight some positive influences of immigrant women’s cultural backgrounds, which could be harnessed in the management of these patients. To effectively target and treat the diverse population that commonly present with mental illness in the UK, it is necessary to promote interculturalisation, i.e. â€Å"the adaptation of mental health services to suit patients from different cultures† (De Jong J and Van Ommeren M, 2005). Hollar M (2001) has developed an outline for the use of cultural formulations in psychiatric diagnosis, and advocates for the inclusion of the legacy of slavery and the history of racism to help understand the current healthcare crisis, especially in the Black population. Conclusion As we have discussed extensively in this paper, females and patients of BME origin are commonly disadvantaged in the treatment of mental illnesses. Mental healthcare professionals need to eliminate all bias in the treatment of these patients, while at the same time, taking into consideration their inherent differences to ensure that mental health services provided are personalised to suit the individual patient. References Al-Krenawi A. Editorial: mental health issues in Arab society. Israeli Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences 2005; 42 (2): 71. Bhui K. Service provision for London’s ethnic minorities. In London’s Mental Health, London: King’s Fund (1997). Bhui K and Bhugra D. Mental illness in Black and Asian ethnic minorities: pathways to care and outcomes. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2002; 8: 26 – 33. Bhui K, Stansfeld S, Hull S, Priebe S, Mole F, Feder G. Ethnic variations in pathways to specialist mental health care: a systematic review. The British Journal of Psychiatry 2003; 182: 5 – 16. Cochrane R and Sashidharan S. Ethnicity and health: reviews of the literature and guidance for purchasers in the areas of cardiovascular disease, mental health, and haemoglobinopathies. York: University of York, 1996: 105 – 126 (part 3). Coid J, Petruckevitch A, Bebbington P, Brugha T, Brugha D, Jenkins R, et al. Ethnic differences in prisoners. 1: criminality and psychiatric morbidity. The British Journal of Psychiatry 2002; 181: 473 – 480. De Jong J and Van Ommeren M. Mental health services in a multicultural society: interculturalisation and its quality surveillance. Transcultural Psychiatry 2005; 42 (3): 437 – 456. Fernando S. Multicultural mental health services: projects for minority ethnic communities in England. Transcultural Psychiatry 2005; 42 (3): 420 – 436. Ferns P. The bigger picture. If racism exists in society, then surely it must influence mental health services. Mental Health Today 2008 March; 20. Gary F. Stigma: barrier to mental health care among ethnic minorities. Issues in Mental Health Nursing 2005; 26 (10): 979 – 999. Hollar M. The impact o0f racism on the delivery of healthcare and mental services. Psychiatric Quarterly 2001 Winter; 72 (4): 337 – 345. Jenkins R, Meltzer H, Jones P, Brugha T, Bebbington P, Farrell M, Crepaz-Keay D and Knapp M. Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project. Mental health: Future challenges. The Government Office for Science, London (2008). Kopp M, Stauder A, Purebl G, Janszky I, Skrbski A. Work stress and mental health in a changing society. European Journal of Public Health 2008; 18(3): 238 – 244. Kung H, Pearson J, Wei R. Substance use, firearm availability, depressive symptoms, and mental health service utilization among white and Africa-American suicide decedents aged 15 to 64 years. Annals of Epidemiology 2005; 15 (8); 614 – 621. Lloyd P and Moodley P. Psychotropic medication and ethnicity: an inpatient survey. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 1997; 27: 95 – 101. Martin E ed. (2007). Oxford Concise Colour Medical Dictionary. Oxford University Press; 4th edition, page 445. Martin J (2003). Mental health: rethinking practices with women in Critical social work: an introduction to theories and practices. By Bob Pease, June Allan, Linda Briskman. Published by Allen Unwin, 2003 ISBN 1865089079, 9781865089072. McKenzie K, Samele C, Van Horn E, Tattan T, Van Os J, Murray R. Comparison of the outcome and treatment of psychosis in people of Carribean origin living in the UK and British Whites. Report from the UK700 trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry 2001; 178: 160 – 165. McKenzie K. Tackling the root cause: there are clear links between racism and the higher rates of mental illness among ethnic minority groups. Mental Health Today 2004; 30 – 32. McNulty J. Commentary: mental illness, society, stigma and research. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2004; 30 (3): 573 – 575. Murray C, Lopez A. Alternative projections of mortality and disability by cause 1990 – 2020: global burden of disease study. The Lancet 1997; 349: 1498 – 1504. O’Mahony J and Donnelly T. The influence of culture on immigrant women’s mental health care experiences from the perspectives of health care providers. Issues in Mental Health Nursing 2007; 28 (5): 453 – 471. Olfman S. Gender, patriarchy, and womens mental health: psychoanalytic perspectives. The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis 1994; 22: 259 à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ­ 271. Patel V, Rahman A, Jacob K, Hughes M. Effect of maternal mental health in infant growth in low income countries: new evidence from South Asia. The British Medical Journal 2004; 328: 820 à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ­ 823. Patel V, Saraceno B, Kleinman A. Beyond evidence: the moral case for international mental health. The American Journal of Psychiatry 163: 8; 1312 – 1315. Phillips M, Liu H, Zhang Y. Suicide and social change in China. Cultural Medical Psychiatry 1999; 23: 25 – 50. Rack P. Some practical problems in providing a psychiatric service for immigrants. Mental Health Soc 1977; 4 (3à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ­4): 144 – 151. Snowden L. Bias in mental health assessment and intervention: theory and evidence. American Journal of Public Health 2003; 93 (2): 239 – 243. Snowden L, Masland M, Guerrero R. Federal civil rights policy and mental health treatment access for persons with limited English proficiency. American Psychology 2007; 62 (2): 109 – 117. Szasz (1961) in Martin J (2003). Mental health: rethinking practices with women in Critical social work: an introduction to theories and practices. By Bob Pease, June Allan, Linda Briskman. Published by Allen Unwin, 2003 ISBN 1865089079, 9781865089072. Sundar M. Suicide in farmers in India. The British Journal of Psychiatry 1999; 175: 585 – 586. The World Health Organization. Gender and womens mental health: Gender disparities and mental health: The Facts. [WWW] Available online at http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/genderwomen/en/ (Accessed Friday November 15th 2008). Timimi S. Institutionalised racism lies at the heart of the conceptual systems we use in psychiatry. Mental Health Today 2005; 21. Wade J. Institutional racism: an analysis of the mental health system. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1993; 63 (4): 536 – 544. Cervical Cancer: Types, Causes and Cures Cervical Cancer: Types, Causes and Cures By: Omar Abdulle What is Cervical Cancer? Cervical cancer is a disease that affects the cervix of the female reproductive system. The cervix is located in the lower part of the uterus; it connects the vagina to the uterus. Cervical cancer can be classified to two types, Squamous cell carcinomasand Adenocarcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas account for 80-90 % of all cervical cancer cases. Meanwhile, Adenocarcinomas in found in the glandular cells of the cervix makes up for 10-20% of cervical cancer cases.1 Most cervical cancer starts in the cells in the transformation zone. The cells do not immediately change into cancer. The normal cells of the cervix slowly develop benign tumours that turn into cancer. Only some of the women with pre-cancerous tumours in the cervix will develop cancer. It normally takes several years for benign tumours to turn into malignant tumours. Statistics indicate that 1,500 Canadian women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016. An estimated 400 will die from it.2 Causes Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by a high-risk type of HPV. HPV is a virus that is passed from person to person through genital contact, such as vaginal, anal, or oral sex. If the HPV infection does not go away on its own, it may cause cervical cancer over time.3 The viruses in the sexual transmitted (HPV) trigger abnormal behavior in the cervical cells causing pre-cancerous conditions. Risk factors Many sexual partners. Early sexual activity. Weak immune system. Smoking. Detection and Diagnosing Detecting Cervical cancer that is detected early can be treated successfully. Doctors recommend regular screening to detect any abnormal cells in the cervix. During screening Doctors will conduct Pap tests to find out the DNA of the cervical cells. The purpose of Pap test is to spot the cancer cells in the cervix. If not diagnosed with cervical cancer, doctors highly suggest continuing screening as risks of getting cervical cancer are high. Diagnosing If cancerous cells are found in the cervix, Doctors will perform the following tests to examine the cervix. The tests are; Punch Biopsy Involves a sharp tool to pinch off cervical tissue for further examination. Endocervical curettage small spoon-shaped instrument to brush a tissue sample from the cervix. The final stage of detecting and diagnosing cervical cancer is called staging. At this point, Doctors have determined you have cervical cancer. Staging can be divided in to for sub-sections. They are: Stage I Cancer is restricted. Stage II Cancer is existent in the cervix and upper vagina. Stage III Cancer is moving. Stage IV Cancer has spread to other nearby organs and parts of the body. Precautionary steps Taking precautionary steps is the right path to reduce the risk of contracting cervical cancer. Experts suggest; Avoid exposure to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Get a HPV vaccine. Avoid smoking. Forms of Treatment Just like other forms of cancer, cervical cancer can be treated through the main forms of treatment. I.e. Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiation therapy, and Targeted therapy. Surgery Determines how far the cancer has spread. Treats cancer successfully during the early stages. Radiation Treats cancer that has spread excessively. Chemotherapy Treats cervical cancer that returns after treatment. Targeted therapy Drug used with chemo to stop cancer growth. This method is still in process Current research and Potential Cures Doctors and scientists are working hard to find out the best ways to prevent and best treat cervical cancer. These methods will improve the functionality of the treatments method, detection and diagnosing. Improvements are being to screening and detection methods. Another innovative and also potential cure is called Immunotherapy, also known as biologic therapy. This is designed to boost the bodys natural defenses to fight the cancer. It uses materials either made by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function.5 References Types of Cervical Cancer | CTCA. (0001, January 01). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.cancercenter.com/cervical-cancer/types/ Cervical cancer statistics Canadian Cancer Society. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/cervical/statistics/?region=on EPublications. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/cervical-cancer.html Cervical Cancer: Latest Research. Cancer.Net. N.p., 10 June 2016. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.

English Literature GCSE- Controlled Assessment Essay

Explore the ways Shakespeare and Dickens present Lady Macbeth and Miss Havisham as disturbed characters Shakespeare and Dickens both show disturbed characters in their play or novel. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in1606, this gives us better idea of the time were they thought that witches were real and Shakespeare wrote this play because he wanted to impress the king. On the other hand Dickens didn’t want to impress anyone by writing a novel based on someone else. In Great Expectations Dickens introduces Pip as a weeping boy who is grieving over his dead family in the churchyard, immediately we can see that something is wrong and this is not normal behaviour for a child. Pip is all alone and terrified; the reader senses that something disturbing is about to happen. In the Victorian times many people believed in ghosts and the supernatural, therefore they would have expected disturbing events such as this. However, Pip is not met with ghosts nut instead faces a convict Magwitch. Ma gwitch is described as â€Å"A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with an iron on his leg.† Dickens conveys to the reader through the word â€Å"fearful† and furthermore in using the colours â€Å"grey and iron† this suggest that somebody is made of metal and is washed out of colour. An â€Å"iron† on his leg represents that he has escaped from prison and he is danger towards people. But in Great Expectations he might be disturbed but Magwitch is good hearted, Dickens shows this by making out that he is decent enough to take the blame for Pip’s theft, although Pip was terrified to meet his at first he comes to love Magwitch a good and noble man. In Macbeth, William Shakespeare describes Macbeth by a brave and noble soldier, ready to die for his king, Duncan. However when Macbeth was introduced to the three witches, they had a powerful effect on him. When he realised that what they say had become true, especially when he learns that when the three witches had said that he would become the Thane of Cawdor. The three witches were placed in a heath which tells the audience that they are not within society because they wanted to be alone and not be civilised. This suggests that the witches would have made Macbeth a disturbed character because they say things to him like â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!† this would make him a bit big headed, because he thinks more and more about being king, and he is easily persuaded to agree  to murder Duncan. Occasionally he appears weak by having strange visions, he asks a lot of questions he cannot make a decision and never really seems sure of himself. For example when he murders King Duncan he relies on his wife to find him an alibi because he was in a panic and couldn’t think straight. Later in the paly he appears to be in control more often and less dependent on his wife. For instance he plans to murder Banquo wi thout telling his wife what he his plans were, he also ignores his vision and make decisions quickly and gives orders rather than asking the questions. This suggests that Macbeth might be the most disturbed character in Macbeth because he has no control over the witches and what he feels. I think that Macbeth is a more disturbed than Pip because he was influenced by his wife to murder king Duncan and others that he was close too. He was very easy to convince, as his wife stated to kill the King he was scare at first but then agreed to it. Also when he spoke to the witches they found it easy to convince him that he would be king and everyone would obey him. This shows that Macbeth is a disturbed character because in the being of the play it shows that he was a loyal leader that fought for his king in war but during the end he became unfaithful and turned against them killing them. In Great expectations Pip wanted to become a â€Å"gentleman† because he wanted to impress Estella so she wouldn’t despise. Not knowing what this could do to him he went to London to learn manners. Pip grows shallow and conceited. This shows that he is disturbed by changing and forgetting everyone that has helping him in the past when he was all alone. Pip was taken by his Uncle Pumblechook to Satis house. Miss Havisham being left at her wedding had stopped all the clocks to the time of her ceremony, and sits in her wed ding dress. Miss Havisham had told Pip to play cards with her adopted daughter Estella, Estella is beautiful and Pip falls in love with her. But Miss Havisham has bought her up to wreak revenge on men, and Estella humiliates him. After 5 years a London Lawyer had come to visit Pip and tells him that unknown benefactor has given him a huge sum of money for Pip to become a ‘gentleman’. Pip assumes that it was Miss Havisham that had given all that money to him and wants him to marry Estella. After a while Pip receives a visitor Magwitch the convict. Magwitch made a fortune in Australia and it was him that had sent Pip the money

The Women s Rights Movement - 1339 Words

On July 19th, 1848 a convention took place in Seneca Falls, New York at Wesleyan Chapel to discuss the rights of women. Never in the history of the western civilization had a gathering like this ever taken place. Women had to fight for their right to vote, right to work, and their right to freedom. Women as a whole play a huge role in our society. Women are no less than men, so we figure they should be treated equally as men. That is exactly what Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Stanton, and many other women’s rights supporters set out to do, creating the Women’s Rights Movement. (1848-1998) Women in the 1800s through the late 1900s had to fight for their rights. The Women’s Rights Movement was a huge victory in every woman’s life, all with†¦show more content†¦They were not encouraged to vote or even have property rights. Most people believed women were less intelligent than men when it came to making a decision in politics. The perspective of women w as that men and women should be equal and, if that were true, men would not be able to treat women with respect. That only was easy enough to set them off. They wanted to remain superior. With the Women’s Rights Movement also came the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote, although many women did not. Many husbands restricted women from even being able to vote, even though it was now legal. It was said that if women were to get in on politics, they would stop marrying and having children. The men were completely against that. The 19th Amendment was passed on August 18th, 1920, which granted women the right to vote. Eight days after the 19th Amendment was ratified over 10 million women joined the electorate, making it the biggest event in American history. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton were the original authors of the 19th Amendment. Wyoming was the first state to grant voting rights to women and also elected the first, state female gover nor. The amendment states â€Å"the right of citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.† Women were so determined and focused that Congress actually passed a law on their

Abortion An ethical dilemma. - 1944 Words

Abortion, the intentional termination of a pregnancy through surgical or medical devices, was legalized in 1973. This issue of abortion has caused a great segregation in our country. Often the debate is thought to be conservative versus liberal, republican versus democrat, but more accurately it is pro-life versus pro choice. A pro-life stance opposes the belief that a woman should have the freedom to choose an abortion in the case that for any reason she does not want to have a baby. Pro-choice takes the opposite stance; pro-choice is a belief that a women should have the autonomy to chose an abortion in the case of an unwanted pregnancy (Freesearch, 2005). Difficult questions get thrown around between the two views. Where does life†¦show more content†¦It is believed that the health care decisions should be made by the individual not to be persuaded by politicians or legislation (Prochoice.com, 2004). Depending on where her virtues stand, her decision should be completely autonomous. From a pro-life prospective life begins at conception. When a sperm fertilizes an egg an impending baby is formed. A heart beat begins around eight to twelve weeks after conception a body systems are present eight weeks after conception; therefore, conception is the beginning point of life (Answers.com, 2005). Since murder is considered the active preconceived termination of life, abortion, to a pro-life supporter, would be a form of murder. Not only is the pro-life argument based on protection of the fetus, it is also concerned with the wellbeing of the women. Consider this story. Christi, a remarkably friendly and outgoing seventeen year old girl was devastated; her world as she knew it was suddenly crumbling to pieces. Frantic over her undesired situation, Christi and her parents could only think of one solution: abortion. The day after Christis eighteenth birthday, her mother drove her to the Mayfair Womens Clinic in Aurora, California, hoping to solve the intruding problem that had arisen. Christi and her mothers fears diminished when they saw how clean and professional the clinic seemed to be. The doctor led Christi into a counseling room before they proceededShow MoreRelatedAbortion Ethical Dilemma1643 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion Ethical Dilemma An 18 year old girl gets pregnant and can’t decide whether to keep the baby or have an abortion. Her parents are very religious and do not believe in sex before marriage therefore would not take to kindly to their daughter being pregnant. She does not want to kill her unborn child but feels like there is no other option besides having an abortion. 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