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The character and characterization of the young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
An assignment on the character of young goodman brown
An assignment on the character of young goodman brown
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Good and Evil in Young Goodman Brown In "Young Goodman Brown." Nathaniel Hawthorne considers the question of good and evil, suggesting that true evil is judging and condemning others for sin without looking at one's own sinfulness. He examines the idea that sin is part of being human and there is no escape from it. Of the many symbols he uses in this story, each has a profound meaning. They represent good and evil in the constant struggle of a young innocent man whose faith is being tested. As the story begins, Young Goodman Brown bids farewell to his young wife "Faith, as [she] was aptly named" (211). When she " ...thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap" we associate the purity of "Faith" and the "pink ribbons" as a sign of the innocence and goodness of the town he is leaving behind (211). As he continues "on his present evil purpose" he sets off at sunset to enter the forest (212). A place "darkened by all the gloomiest trees," unknown territory, and a place where "there may be a devilish Indian behind every tree," with this we know the forest represents evil and sinfulness (212). His decision to enter the forest and leave his "Faith" behind is the first decision, of many, between good and evil that he must make. After entering the forest he meets a traveler whom he later finds out is the devil. He is carrying a staff representing evil, "which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought, that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself, like a living serpent" (213). When the traveler offers his staff to Young Goodman Brown he resists by replying, "having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose to return whence I cam... ... middle of paper ... ...the forest ultimately causes him to believe that he is better than everyone else and he disassociate himself from all those in the town as he judges them as being sinners. He becomes "a stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man..." after his journey when he commits the ultimate sin of judging and condemning others without looking at one's own sinfulness. In the end "they carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone; for his dying hour was gloom (221). Works Cited and Consulted Benoit, Raymond. "'Young Goodman Brown': The Second Time Around." The Nathaniel Hawthorne Review 19 (Spring 1993): 18-21. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Complete Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc.,1989. Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.
The main character, Goodman Brown is introduced as a well-mannered man who is happily married to Faith. Initially, the language such as "sunset" and "pink ribbons" symbolizes light and a positive environment in Salem Village, where the story takes place. Then, as Goodman Brown journeys through the woods, changes in the environment make him change the way in which he sees the world and people around him.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Complete Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc.,1959.
“Nathaniel Hawthorne.” The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.
“Nathaniel Hawthorne.” The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.
When one examines managed health care and the hospitals that provide the care, a degree of variation is found in the treatment and care of their patients. This variation can be between hospitals or even between physicians within a health care network. For managed care companies the variation may be beneficial. This may provide them with opportunities to save money when it comes to paying for their policy holder’s care, however this large variation may also be detrimental to the insurance company. This would fall into the category of management of utilization, if hospitals and managed care organizations can control treatment utilization, they can control premium costs for both themselves and their customers (Rodwin 1996). If health care organizations can implement prevention as a way to warrant good health with their consumers, insurance companies can also illuminate unnecessary health care. These are just a few examples of how the health care industry can help benefit their patients, but that does not mean every issue involving physician over utilization or quality of care is erased because there is a management mechanism set in place.
Health Maintenance Organizations, or HMO’s, are a very important part of the American health care system. Also referred to as managed care programs, HMO's are combinations of doctors and insurance companies that are formed into one organization. This organization provides treatment to its members at fixed costs and decides on what treatment, if any, will be given based on the patient's or doctor's current health plan. Sometimes, no treatment is given at all. HMO's main concerns are to control costs and supposedly provide the best possible treatment to their patients. But it seems to the naked eye that instead their main goal is to get more people enrolled so that they can maintain or raise current premiums paid by consumers using their service. For HMO's, profit comes first- not patients' lives.
Fogle, Richard Harter. "Hawthorne's fiction: The Light and the Dark." Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Study of Short Fiction. Ed. Nancy Bunge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. 133-35
In the early 1990s insurance companies, in attempt to control spiraling medical costs, created what would be termed “health maintenance organizations”, also known as HMOs. What HMOs do is create a team of physicians and medical personnel that the patients agrees to use. Within the contracts both the patient and the doctor sign, limits and restrictions are put on what the hospital will reimburse and what they will or will not provide in order to keep the costs down. At the beginning, these organizations were successful in bringing medical costs down and has made health insurance more affordable than ever. However, the contracts that the HMOs have you sign basically limits the doctor on how he or she can treat their patients, thus putting their job as the physician in the hands of the HMO. As profits began to go up and down these organizations have put more effort into keeping their costs down and have lost sight of actually caring fir the patients they are insuring.
In conclusion, managed care integrates the functions of financing, insurance, delivery, and payment within an organization. It also exercises formal control over utilization. Managed care is viewed as accepting the lowest competitive bid for services rendered. Today, HMOs and PPOs are the most common and widely used models for managed care. Although managed care is here to stay, it requires revision in some areas. Challenges that are to be faced include double agentry, fidelity, confidentiality, honesty, and vulnerability. With the help and guidance of health information professionals, managed care will continue to escalade and become better for all.
The use of dark imagery throughout the story gives you a sense of fear of the unknown that lies ahead of Goodman Brown on his journey. The beginning sentence of the story illustrates an image of a sunset and the approaching of night as Goodman Brown sets off on his mission. ?Young Goodman Brown came forth, at sunset, into the street of Salem village, but put his head back, after crossing the threshold.? (196) Here, the light of the sun represents the knowledge that Goodman Brown already has. The imagery of darkness setting in is the unknown knowledge Goodman Brown is out to discover. Goodman Brown must first travel through the darkness of the unknown before he reaches the light of enlightenment and truth that is why he is embarking on his journey throughout the night hours. ?My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done ?twist now and sunrise.? (197)
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (2013) reported that, more than 35% of U.S. adults are obese and suffer metabolic syndrome which can include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and a variety of cancers, causing the US more than hundreds of billion dollars for their medical care. It makes some wonder whether the health care Americans have chosen to support our country was the right choice. A managed health care system might not be the most efficient at times but compared to a Universal plan, Managed care looks golden. America’s managed health care dates back to the 19th century when rural American workers agreed to a set fee for physicians to deliver care to them and their families. After World War II however, hospitals and clinics started popping up all over our country enrolling more than half a million people. By the 1970’s healthcare became common place and the choice of HMO, PPO etc... were formed. Employers began to see managed care as a necessity for their employees and now healthcare comes as a job benefit (Tufts Managed Care Institute, 1998). Having a health care plan through work The alternative choice to a managed healthcare is a Universal healthcare which is a government-funded program. This health care system dates back just as far as managed health care however, this has never been much of a success in the American System (Karen S. Palmer,1999).
What is the broader implication of managed care for health care services is how healthcare providers control health care cost and quality care. With all the competition to pick from and the rising cost of health care the consumers’ needs to look at all options available. The keys to manage care are the types of organizations and insurance options that include health (HMO’s) maintenance organizations, provider organizations PPO’ and POSS. The health insurance industry is big on wellness and prevention as part of managed care.
Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Revised Edition. Twayne’s United States Authors Series. G.K. Hall & Company. Massachusetts. 1983.
However, during the long tradition of rising health care costs there was a temporary break in the 1990’s. The period of this break actually corresponded with the time of ‘managed care revolution’. The time, when special types of health care plans aiming to reduce health care costs (managed care) expanded with huge amount. At the end of the 1990’s almost 90% of the US population took part in some form of managed care.
The American Health Care system has prided itself on providing high quality services to the citizens who normally cannot afford them. This system has been in place for years and until now it did a fairly decent job. The problem today is money; the cost of hospital services and doctor fees are rising faster than ever before. The government has been trying to come up with a new plan these past few years even though there has been strong opposition against a new Health Care system. There are many reasons why it should be changed and there are many reasons why it shouldn’t be changed. The main thing that both sides heads towards is money. Both sides want to save money just in different ways.