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Essay on madness
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Zero and Asylum in the Snow by Lawrence Durrell What is madness? Is madness a brain disorder or a chemical imbalance? On the other hand, is it an expressed behavior that is far different from what society would believe is "normal"? Lawrence Durrell addresses these questions when he explores society's response to madness in his short story pair "Zero and Asylum in the Snow," which resembles the nearly incoherent ramblings of a madman. In these stories, Durrell portrays how sane, or lucid, people cannot grasp and understand the concept of madness. This inability to understand madness leads society to fear behavior that is different from "normal," and subsequently, this fear dictates how they deal with it. These responses include putting a name to what they fear and locking it up in an effort to control it. Underlying all, however, Durrell repeatedly raises the question: who should define what is mad? In line with these questions, Durrell emphasizes that the inability to understand often leads to fear. Moreover, with little or no knowledge of an event or concept, people tend to feel powerless and out of control. Without this necessary understanding, they are unable to have any influence on the situation. One such situation is madness, which is little understood, and the source of madness virtually unknown. People often fear madness, and try to avoid others who seem "weird," different, or exhibit some sign of madness. The people who fear are "poor cattle, they do not understand" ("Zero" 266), and "they will never discover…for they have no faith" ("Zero" 264). Durrell encourages them to put away their fears and stop looking for a logical explanation to "madness": "Come. Enter into the creative activity in which you do not need your understandings. Do not mistake truth for the possessive process any longer – ratiocination, knowledge" ("Zero" 252; emphasis added). Durrell believes that not everything needs a "rational" and "logical" explanation. Furthermore, though "madness" cannot be completely explained, it does not need to be feared. The old man in the asylum attempts to understand, "look[ing] profoundly cautious, asking questions, and gathering the answers" ("Zero" 268), and he comes close to understanding the narrator. However, his fear keeps him from grasping the truth: "For the first time there is an understanding in him, but it is hidden in fear" ("Zero" 258). Throughout the two stories, there are many instances where Durrell portrays this fear brought by a lack of understanding.
...ing horror movies. Stephen King’s “Why We Crave Horror Movies” is a well written essay with convincing analogies, comparisons, and urban humor. With the use of logos, ethos and pathos in unison he easily wins his argument persuading his audience to believe his thesis, convincing normal people they are mentally ill. Kings argument convinces his readers not only that mental illness lies within us all, but that without horror movies we wouldn’t have a way to fix our mental state. If sanity is being normal, and insanity is madness, then how is it that being normal is watching insanity repeatedly?
In the book “The Boys of Winter” by Wayne Coffey, shows the struggle of picking the twenty men to go to Lake Placid to play in the 1980 Olympics and compete for the gold medal. Throughout this book Wayne Coffey talks about three many points. The draft and training, the importance of the semi-final game, and the celebration of the gold medal by the support the team got when they got home.
Madness, madness, madness. It is but a word, yet those who possess it are capable of doing the most amazing or terrible of things. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, madness is defined as “a state of severe mental illness.” Perry Edward Smith is the best individual to depict this characteristic. Throughout Truman Capote's novel “In Cold Blood” the main character, Perry Smith, as Dr. Jones says “. shows definite signs of severe mental illness” (Capote 296).
Stephen King begins this essay by saying how we are all, to some degree, mentally insane and how that shapes our outlook and thoughts
Poe endured more than any individual should endure, and experienced so much negativity it was almost inevitable that the theme of insanity would appear in his works. He suffered from an excessive amount of hardships and tragedies throughout his life that placed him on the brink of insanity. The first sign of Poe’s insanity is found in his short story “The Black Cat” where the narrator claims “mad [he] is not”. Present in the state of denial, Poe’s character will say or do anything to relinquish the claim of ...
Winter in the Blood, a Native American novel written by James Welch, takes place on a cattle ranch in Montana, around 1970. On the surface, this is a story of a Blackfoot Indian sleepwalking through his life, tormented by visions, in search of a connection to his heritage. Welch's language is, at once, blunt and poetic, and the pictures it conjures are dreamlike and disquieting. Furthermore, the narrator of the novel is disheartened by the loss of his brother, Mose, and his father, First Raise ? the two most cherished people in his life. After struggling with guilt, sorrow, and alcoholism, the narrator overcomes these down falls through re-identifying with himself and his culture? specifically through the help of his grandfather, Yellow Calf.
Rett syndrome is a particular neurological disorder that is first found in the first few months of life and typically almost always diagnosed in girls, but can be seen in boys, rarely, but it is possible (International Rett Syndrome Foundation, 2014). Rett syndrome symptoms soon appear after an early period of regular or near regular development until six to eighteen months of life, when there is a slowing down or stopping of skills. A period of backsliding then follows when the young female child loses communication skills and purposeful use of her hands. Soon, the known physical handicaps became visible such as washing hands, difficulty walking, and head growth abnormalities, the head will grow slower than it supposed to. More symptoms that may be brought on by the syndrome can include seizures and rapid and/or slow breathing repetitions while the child is not sleep. In the younger years of childlife, there may be a time of separation or withdrawal when she is irritable and cries inconsolably. With time, motor skill problems may increase, but in generally, the irritability the child endures lessens and eye contact and communication improve (International Rett Syndrome Foundation, 2014). According to rettsyndrome.org, Rett syndrome is caused by mutations on the X chromosome on a gene called MECP2. There are more than 200 different mutations found on the MECP2 gene. Most of these mutations are found in eight different spots. It strikes all racial and ethnic groups, and occurs worldwide in 1 of every 10,000 to 23,000 female births (Rett Syndrome Foundation, 2014). It is not a degenerative disorder, saying that this syndrome does not cause the body or the mind of the infected child to become weaker. It also causes problems in brai...
Experts believe that failure to vaccinate your child based on unfounded and inconclusive reports will only result in an increase of infectious diseases. This fear is seen in a statement given by some of the most respected medical professionals; “Using an unsubstantiated hypothesis to question the safety of vaccination . . . could lead to widespread rejection of vaccines and inevitable increases of serious infectious disease” (qtd. in Allen 411). Some studies have revealed that in places where vaccines have been associated with autism vaccinations go down, and consequently, certain diseases resurface or grow in number (Autism and Vaccines). Overall, though vaccinations are accompanied by risks, they are also the best defence against our children developing many deadly infectious diseases (Meadows).
A Cold Day in Paradise is a book that was written by Steve Hamilton and takes place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The name of the book is very significant to the meaning of the book. The cold day represents the metal bullet that is in Alex McKnight’s chest and on cold nights, it is a reminder of a traumatic event that took place. While Paradise is the place that he lives and where the last death took place and it was also on a cold windy night.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 children were saved and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to parents preventative vaccinations. (Vaccines 1). With 732,00 children saved from death and illness there should be no question on whether parents should vaccinate their children. Vaccines are an important part of saving children’s lives, all parents should get their children vaccinated, this prevents their child from catching diseases and passing it on to other children and adults, some parents fear that vaccinations can cause autism when there is no scientific evidence; vaccines are safe in the amount used.
Is society too egotistical? In Hunters in the Snow, Tobias Wolfe gives an illustration of the selfishness and self-centeredness of humankind through the actions of his characters. The story opens up with three friends going on their habitual hunting routine; their names are Frank, Kenny, and Tub. In the course of the story, there are several moments of tension and arguments that, in essence, exposes the faults of each man: they are all narcissistic. Through his writing in Hunters in the Snow, Wolfe is conveying that the ultimate fault of mankind is egotism and the lack of consideration given to others.
History shows that signs of mental illness and abnormal behavior have been documented as far back as the early Greeks however, it was not viewed the same as it is today. The mentally ill were previously referred to as mad, insane, lunatics, or maniacs. W.B. Maher and B.A. Maher (1985) note how many of the terms use had roots in old English words that meant emotionally deranged, hurt, unhealthy, or diseased. Although early explanations were not accurate, the characteristics of the mentally ill have remained the same and these characteristics are used to diagnose disorders to date. Cultural norms have always been used to assess and define abnormal behavior. Currently, we have a decent understanding of the correlates and influences of mental illness. Although we do not have complete knowledge, psychopathologists have better resources, technology, and overall research skills than those in ancient times.
In recent years, the correlation between vaccines and autism has become the subject of much debate. On one side, there are the anti-vaccinators, or anti-vaccers. On the other, there’s pretty much everyone else. Despite the fact that the anti-vaccination movement has little base in scientific fact, their campaign to end early infanthood vaccinations rages on. While doctors and scientists try desperately to make parents look at the research studies, vaccination rates continue to fall. But, even in these dark times, there is still hope that scientific fact will prevail and defeat the anti-vaccination fear mongers who have caused many children to fall ill and even die because their parents did not properly vaccinate them. This is one of the most saddening scientific failures of the twenty-first century. A failure to educate the public properly has resulted in child, even infant, fatalities. The anti-vaccination movement was started based on falsified data and continues only because of a lack of knowledge and proper education of the general public.
Many parents ask, are vaccines safe for my child? I am one of those parents but the more research that I have done, has put wondering thoughts to rest. Many parents believe that vaccinations are linked to the causes of autism, multiple sclerosis, asthma and many other health problems. Although many parents have legitimate reasoning to not have their children receive vaccines, there are more pros than cons to receiving the vaccines. In rare cases children have became sick after immunizations, some life threatening. Because of vaccine safety and studies, the change in affordability of the vaccines, and recent decreasing results of major disease outbreaks, vaccines are helping keep children and our society safe.
Vaccines against diphtheria, polio, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella, and more recent additions of hepatitis B and chicken pox, have given humans powerful immune guards to ward off unwelcome sickness. And thanks to state laws that require vaccinations for kids enrolling in kindergarten, the U.S. presently enjoys the highest immunization rate ever at 77%. Yet bubbling beneath these national numbers is the question about vaccine safety. Driven by claims that vaccinations can be associated with autism, increasing number of parents are raising questions about whether vaccines are in fact harmful to children, instead of helpful (Park, 2008).