Commentary: “Two Hands” Essay

There are various familial relationships that most of us would often take for granted. Jon Stallworthy, for example, highlights that of a father and son in his poem, â€Å"Two Hands†. Throughout his depiction of these two characters, he emphasizes how two people who seem so similar, and are supposed to be intimate or close by default, can be almost alien to each others’ personalities and emotions. Several techniques, such as diction, themes and structure are utilized to portray the contrast between father and son. In â€Å"Two Hands†, there are two main characters present: the son, who also narrates the text, and his father. The reader can depict the father to be a surgeon, or at least have a profession in the field of medicine, because of the use of terms such as â€Å"scalpel† or â€Å"lancet†, as well as expression like â€Å"fingers that have stitched new life†. In contrast, the same ‘two hands’ of the son have been utilized in a rather contrasting way; that of the field of literature. We can deduce this from his â€Å"fingers [that have] some style on paper.† Furthermore, there is no mention of any other characters in this poem, which can portray the significance of his father to the narrator, or even display how much he truly needs a father who is too preoccupied with his career. One of the primary reasons that Stallworthy is able to spark a great deal of emotion from his reader is due to the choice of speaker. In this case, the son’s voice has been used to describe his relationship with his father. I think this has been done because his emotions of abandonment, sorrow and loneliness are very expressive and therefore make readers feel empathy for the son. He depicts himself as a son whose father pays no attention to him, and only to his work; almost as if being a father is an obligatory duty rather than a valued relationship. There are several themes that bring out the emotions felt by the narrator in this text. For example, love is something that is lacking in the relationship between father and son. While it can be said that the son admires his father, which is depicted through the phrase, â€Å"Hand, you may have your chance to stitch a life for fingers that have stitched new life for many.† The narrator is describing his father’s accomplishments by stating that he has saved the lives of many, which shows love and respect for his father. However, there is no portrayal of emotion from the father’s side in the text, which can only show that according to the son, there is no love provided from the father’s side at all. Another vivid theme in the text is that of the conflict between family and career, which can be looked at individually for the son, as well as for the father. This poem clearly implies that the father is married to his career, as he has almost no time to devote to his son. The final line, â€Å"he will be out again† is extremely powerful in showing how often he is out of the house. Furthermore, even when he is at home, he is â€Å"in his study†¦ up late,† because â€Å"he has articles to read.† Overall, we can infer that the father feels like by working hard and supporting the family, he is fulfilling his duties, and therefore the concept of spending time and expressing love to his son are almost redundant, and of no value. On the other hand, you have a son, who feels nothing but love, respect and adoration towards a father who has no regard for such emotions. He also feels that his career is worthless in comparison to that of his father’s. His hands have â€Å"save[d] no one, serve[d] no one, dance[d] with this pencil.† The use of the word ‘dance’ has playful and amateur connotations to it, which shows that his work of literature is meaningless to him. This tone of abandonment informs the readers of the son’s feelings of insecurity and inferiority in front of his father, while all alone he tries only to be close to him. In a poem, the structure and topography play an extremely crucial role in the way a readers depicts the writing. Stallworthy has laid out â€Å"Two hands† in one long stanza, with a great deal of enjambment as well. This implies run-on thoughts, as well as providing a tone of overall reminiscence to the text. The lack of a concise structure gives the effect of thoughts being haphazardly thrown onto paper, in whichever order they may occur. Moreover, this style makes it seem like a story is being told. This is useful in depicting the character of the narrator, as well as provides the impression that he is writing a biography on his father. Once again, the line, â€Å"Hand, you may have your chance to stitch a life for fingers that have stitched new life for many,† reveals the narrator’s intentions. Where ‘stitching a life’ means writing a book to the son, to the father the very same phrase has a more literal meaning; that of saving a life, perhaps in surgery. Over the course of this poem, the use of rhyme or rhythm is extremely subtle, and perhaps is only used in order to emphasize certain points. Stallworthy hasn’t used a specific rhyme scheme in his poem, to demonstrate that no conclusion has been drawn from the thoughts conveyed by the son. There is a great deal of expression of emotion; however he isn’t able to make anything out of it. In contrast, in the few places where slight rhyme has been utilized, there is some logical reasoning involved. For example, â€Å"Down the lancet margin his hand moves rapidly as mine moves slow. A spasm shakes the phone at this elbow.† In these lines, he is claiming that his father’s expertise exceed that of his own in the field of medicine, allowing him to scan the medical journal more rapidly. Overall, it can be reasoned that there are very few decisive or exact points being made, which is why the use of rhyme has been avoided. The way a message is interpreted relies a great deal on the diction in which it has been said; therefore the word choice is another vital factor in â€Å"Two Hands†. Firstly, all the words describing emotions are of negative connotations. For example, â€Å"curse† or â€Å"sob†, imply feelings of frustration and helplessness. There is also no mention of love or family values, directly signifying that there is no evidence of it in their relationship either. In contrast, there are plenty of words to describe the father’s career, such as â€Å"lancet† and â€Å"scalpel†. The use or lack of use, of difference words indicates their existence and importance in the lives of the father and son. This would also explain why there are no emotions linking to the father, but many saddening ones linking to his son. Throughout this text, Stallworthy implicates a very negative atmosphere, relation directly to the bumpy relationship between father and son. A mood of intensity is depicted through the use of phrases such as, â€Å"I curse tonight,†, where the son expresses his frustration over the fact that while his father is at home, with him, he is busy working. Even though they may be physically near, the father’s heart and mind do not stray from work. The tone is also often depressing or gloomy, which is highlighted by the fact that it is set during night time; this is when all fears are at their peak, and when one feels most lonely as well. Finally, the poet’s extensive use of personification helps in illuminating the overall impression he wishes to bring across in the text. For example, â€Å"the pencil nodding stiffly† provides an image of a man working hard into the depths of the night; stern and focused. Furthermore, the personification of the scalpel in the phrase â€Å"led a scalpel an intricate dance† portrays the act of surgery as an art form, requiring a great deal of grace as well as skill. These two models illustrate the father as extremely hard working and skilled in his field of work. In contrast, an expression like â€Å"The phone has sobbed itself to sleep† highlights an extremely striking image of a young boy trying to cry himself to bed. It provides a saddening effect on the reader, and also emphasizes the lack of emotion in the father. It is almost as if the situation is so depressing that even inanimate objects are crying out in sheer desperation. Finally, the son’s confusion and uncertainty is represented through the symbol of his hands, â€Å"whose indecisions keep [him] cursing nightly; fingers with some style on paper, elsewhere none.† He is perplexed by his current situation where his own hands seem so worthless in comparison to that of his fathers’, which leaves him in an unknowing state. In general, Stallworthy utilizes various poetic devices in order to provide the simple of contrast between the father and son. The â€Å"Two Hands† signify that of the sons’, which seem so insignificant relative to his fathers’, who have saved so many lives through what can be called a graceful art. His inferiority, loneliness and helplessness are highlighted throughout the text, through the symbol of the two hands.

Time Stands Still(play) By Donald Margulies Example

Time Stands Still(play) By Donald Margulies Example Time Stands Still(play) By Donald Margulies – Book Report/Review Example number Book review The play, â€Å"time stands still,† is about a couple who try to make their affiliation work after theIraq war. It revolves around two couples Sarah and James, and Richard and Mandy. James is a writer while Sarah is a photojournalist. They share a common job covering war zone areas. While on duty, Sarah survived an explosion and is discharged from hospital. The explosion left Sarah’s face with a scar and almost made her to lose her leg. She has to reunite with her long-term lover. However, there is a problem with their relationship related to the Sarah’s success. Richard, an ally to Sarah and James, is their editor at a magazine. Richard is dating Mandy who is an event organizer at a tender age of twenty-three. Sarah feels Mandy’s job is less of a challenge compared to her career. Sarah has to choose between having a regular life and going back to the cover news in war zone. She says that Mandy’s job is rather childish when she qu otes, â€Å"there’s the young and there’s the embryotic.† James has spent most of his career documenting the mayhems of battle and as a freelancing writer. He is of the opinion that people have not learnt anything from the war. He says the wars consume people and turn their perspective towards life (Margulies, 24). The costumes used by the cast symbolized the various roles they undertook. Richard’s attire was more stylish. His sky blue shirt and brown khaki pants made him to appear more senior than James. James wore blue jeans and brown striped shirt which indicated he was a freelancer, as opposed to suits and ties which are normally worn by office employees. Sarah’s costume did blend in with the play. She had a grey sweater and jeans which gave her an elderly look compared to Mandy. The leg cast, crutches and the red scar on Sarah’s face demonstrate how severe the explosion was. The stage is set up to bring in the old Brooklyn apartment by using the window backdrop and the cabinet. The seats, the wall portrait, the wooden table bring the home effect into the play. The teacup used by James when talking to Richard shows that it is truly a home. The play would be better if Mandy’s attire were up-to-date. Instead of the long leather boots and spotted dress, maybe some heels and nice modern suit would showcase the event organizing aspect better. The actor’s performance managed to get Donald Margulies thought. They managed to own their individual roles. James and Sarah’s final marriage marks the climax of the play (Margulies, 58).Margulies, Donald. Times Stands Still. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 2011.Print.

Free Essays on To Kill A Mockingbird Symbolism

Symbolism is indeed used extensively throughout Harper Lee’s timeless classic, To Kill A Mockingbird. Many of the main ideas and points were put across through hidden meanings and phrases. Some examples of symbols in this book include the occurrences of the rabid dog, the fire at Miss Maudie’s house, and the extended symbol of the mockingbird. This paper will explore the usage and significance of symbolism in this novel. The connection between innocent people and mockingbirds is made openly throughout the book. â€Å"Mockingbirds don’t do one thing†¦ but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,† states Miss Maudie when explaining to Scout what her father meant by saying it is a sin to shoot a mockingbird. These lines are the source of the novel’s title and introduce one of the key images of the book. This image is of innocent people who are destroyed by evil. Mr. Underwood associates Tom Robinson’s trial and murder to â€Å"the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children.† Similarly, Boo Radley never intends to harm anyone. Instead, he leaves presents for Jem and Scout, covers Scout with a blanket the night of the fire, and eventually saves Jem and Scout’s lives from Bob Ewell. The usage of the rabid dog is very important to the understanding of racial inequality. Just as when a rabid dog spreads its disease, the disease of racism is spread rapidly through Maycomb. A dog does not choose to contract rabies, the same way an African-American does not choose to be colored. The narrow-mindedness of the common citizens of Maycomb County are revealed through the prejudices and stereotypes they place upon minorities. Miss Maudie’s house burning down was also a major symbol in this novel. This establishes the fact that bad things can, and do happen to good people, and also is used to foreshadow the events to come in the novel. Miss Maudie’s optimism and sanguinity rep... Free Essays on To Kill A Mockingbird Symbolism Free Essays on To Kill A Mockingbird Symbolism Symbolism is indeed used extensively throughout Harper Lee’s timeless classic, To Kill A Mockingbird. Many of the main ideas and points were put across through hidden meanings and phrases. Some examples of symbols in this book include the occurrences of the rabid dog, the fire at Miss Maudie’s house, and the extended symbol of the mockingbird. This paper will explore the usage and significance of symbolism in this novel. The connection between innocent people and mockingbirds is made openly throughout the book. â€Å"Mockingbirds don’t do one thing†¦ but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,† states Miss Maudie when explaining to Scout what her father meant by saying it is a sin to shoot a mockingbird. These lines are the source of the novel’s title and introduce one of the key images of the book. This image is of innocent people who are destroyed by evil. Mr. Underwood associates Tom Robinson’s trial and murder to â€Å"the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children.† Similarly, Boo Radley never intends to harm anyone. Instead, he leaves presents for Jem and Scout, covers Scout with a blanket the night of the fire, and eventually saves Jem and Scout’s lives from Bob Ewell. The usage of the rabid dog is very important to the understanding of racial inequality. Just as when a rabid dog spreads its disease, the disease of racism is spread rapidly through Maycomb. A dog does not choose to contract rabies, the same way an African-American does not choose to be colored. The narrow-mindedness of the common citizens of Maycomb County are revealed through the prejudices and stereotypes they place upon minorities. Miss Maudie’s house burning down was also a major symbol in this novel. This establishes the fact that bad things can, and do happen to good people, and also is used to foreshadow the events to come in the novel. Miss Maudie’s optimism and sanguinity rep...

Sample of an Effective Grad School Letter of Recommendation

Sample of an Effective Grad School Letter of Recommendation Whether a letter is good or simply adequate depends not just on its content but on how well it fits the program to which you’re applying. Consider the following letter written for a student who is applying to an online graduate program: In this case, the student is applying to an online graduate program and the professors experiences with the student are entirely in online courses. Considering this purpose, the letter is good. The professor speaks from experiences with the  student in an online class environment, presumably similar to what he will experience in an online graduate program. The professor describes the nature of the course and discusses the students work within that environment. This letter supports the students application to an online program because the professors experiences speak to the students ability to excel in an online class environment. Specific examples of the students participation and contributions to the course would improve this letter. This same letter is less effective for students who are applying to traditional brick-and-mortar programs because faculty will want to know about the students real-life interaction skills and capacity to communicate and get along with others. A Sample Letter of Recommendation Dear Admissions Committee:    I am writing on behalf of Stu Dents application to the online master’s program in Education offered at XXU. All of my experiences with Stu are as a student in my online courses. Stu enrolled in my Introduction to Education (ED 100) online course in Summer, 2003.    As you are aware, online courses, because of the lack of face-to-face interaction, require a high degree of motivation the part of students. The course is structured so that for each unit, students read the textbook as well as lectures that I have written, they post in discussion forums in which they converse with other students about issues raised by the readings, and they complete one or two essays. The summer online course is especially grueling as a full semester’s worth of content is covered in one month. Each week, students are expected to master the content that would be presented in 4 2-hour lectures. Stu performed very well in this course, earning a final score of 89, A-.    The following Fall (2003), he enrolled in my Early Childhood Education (ED 211) online course and continued his above average performance, earning a final score of 87, B. Throughout both courses, Stu consistently submitted his work on time and was an active participant in the discussions, engaging other students, and sharing practical examples from his experience as a parent.    Though I have never met Stu face-to-face, from our online interactions, I can attest to his ability to complete the academic requirements of XXUs online masters program in Education. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx or email: profxxx.edu    Sincerely,Prof.

Administrative ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Administrative ethics - Essay Example Administrative Ethics The issues of protection of rights of patients pertinent to ensuring privacy and confidentiality have continued to pervade various health care institutions globally. In the United States, the â€Å"Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) addresses patient confidentiality and protects patients and their medical records, including current and past medical treatment and past medical records, in addition to billing records† (Finkelstein, 2007, 3). In this regard, after finding an issue pertinent to patient confidentiality, the essay aims to achieve the following objectives, to wit: (1) to describe the issue and its impact on the population it affects most, (2) to determine the arguments or facts used in the article to support the proposed solution, (3) to identify the ethical and legal issues reported for the administrative issue, (4) to explain the managerial responsibilities related to administrative ethical issues, and if none were stat ed, to state what should have been done, and finally, (5) to identify any proposed solutions. ... The nurse approached the patient in the perioperative waiting area before the surgery and asked what procedure she was undergoing† (1). As a consequence, the nurse’s action dealt with the utmost penalty of firing her from employment because of breach of confidentiality. The decision precludes other nurses and health care practitioners from repeating the same offense. The gravity of the issue was addressed by severing the employment from the health care institution to show other health care practitioners that there is no compromise to the issue. The issue’s impact on health care practitioners focused on giving primary importance and utmost care in adhering to the laws and regulations prescribed by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), specifically on the protection of patient privacy rights. Arguments Supporting the Solution As revealed by Mehnke (2010), there were standard operating procedures followed by the nurse’s superiors upon pr esentation of the issue for evaluation. As mentioned, â€Å"the nurse’s manager contacted human resources, the nursing administrator, and the legal department for advice and guidance on the best way to investigate the issue. The manager met with the nurse involved to discuss the confidentiality breach† (1). Legal and ethical issues were addressed with proper decorum and observance of protocols. Only after the proper channels were advised would a full investigation of the case be implemented. Preliminary actions institute corrective measures to the nurse for infractions committed. As averred by Mehnke (2010), â€Å"after careful consideration and in accordance with the corrective action policy, the nurse was

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

Research paper - Essay Example Hence I chose to explore about health issues in adulthood. This is a vast topic and to discuss it is beyond the scope of this essay. Hence I chose to discuss a particular health related issue based on my personal experience. Recently, I was staying with my 55 year old aunt and her 60 year old husband during a short holiday. Though my aunts over all health appeared good, she was taking many pills for diabetes and high blood pressure. My uncle had no such problems and he was an active man. My aunt appeared obese and was not active. She would watch lot of television and would prefer not to move out of the house. One night, my uncle woke me up and told me that my aunt was sweating profusely and was having difficulty in breathing. He was in panic and did not know what to do. Even I did not have any experience in handling such situations. However, I called the emergency number and asked for help. Within 5 minutes a team of health professionals arrived and shifted my aunt to the hospital. In the hospital, me and my uncle were told that my aunt suffered from heart attack and any delay in shifting her to the hospital would have cost her life. My aunt was kept in the cardiac intensive care unit for a few days whe re many tests were done. Based on the reports of these tests, a procedure called cardiac catheterization was done. A few days later, she was discharged home. I am thankful to God and the team of doctors for keeping my aunt alive. This episode has a lasting impact in my mind. I have heard of many people suffering from heart attacks. But I visualized this heart attack. This episode made me do a little research on the subject. What I was most interested is What causes heart attack, how can it be prevented and how to identify it? Cardiovascular diseases are diseases and injuries of the heart and the blood vessels of the body. According to the WHO (2009), globally, cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of death. In the year 2005, it was estimated

The Role of Nursing Theory in Research and Practice Essay

The Role of Nursing Theory in Research and Practice - Essay Example This theory explains the reason that the patients environment is important due to its effect and affectation to a person’s health in a positive or a negative way—attributed with diseases. Providing a therapeutic environment is viewed essential for a person to heal himself (Chen, n.d.). Some examples of the environmental factors affecting health according to Nightingales theory are fresh air, pure water, sufficient food and appropriate nutrition, efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light or direct sunlight. If any of these factors is lacking, it can delay the patients recovery. Nightingale also emphasized providing a quiet, warm environment for patients to recover in. The theory also calls for nurses to assess a patients dietary needs, document food intake times, and evaluate how the patients diet affects his or her health and recovery (â€Å"Florence Nightingale,† 2011) The Nightingale’s concept views a person to have reparative powers and can be affected by the environment. Health on the other hand is the utilization of the person’s power to maintain well-being and is affected by the environment through the utilization of the nursing process by providing fresh air, warmth, cleanliness, and proper diet to facilitate person’s reparative process. The goal of nursing is to put the patient in the best possible condition in order for nature to act. The advent of nursing theories benefited the whole healthcare system by virtue of guidance in the nursing practice through research and empirical studies. Aggleton and Chalmers cited that practicing within the scope of nursing without a theory to underpin is an empty approach often described as ‘practicing in the dark’ (1986 as cited by Mckenna, 1997, p108). Nursing theories therefore provides nursing practice with a systematic basis for assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation offering a way of revitalization (Mckenna, 1997, p. 108) As a guide to