The Issue of Happiness in Gooseberries Essay - 919 Words

The Issue of Happiness in Gooseberries nbsp; One who seeks their own happiness through life will fail to do much good for others. A preoccupation with achieving this ideal state of happiness will certainly lead to an inconsiderate view of the world. Anton Chekhovs story Gooseberries portrays a man who has come to this realization. He has seen the consequences of pure unadulterated happiness, and describes his subsequent emotions as melancholy. Why should an educated man, a veterinary surgeon none the less, have such issues with human happiness? This paper seeks to understand the question and relate it to the motives of the author, Anton Chekhov. nbsp; It is important, first of all, to ascertain the meaning of the word†¦show more content†¦The happiness that Ivan seems so opposed to and ashamed of, is the happiness that one strives for, seeks, dreams of, and forgets the world for. nbsp; Gooseberries are referred to more than a few times throughout the story. But what do these bittersweet fruits represent? [The] vision differed according to the advertisements he came across, but for some reason gooseberry bushes always figured in them. Ivan Ivanichs brother Nikolai has dreamt of living a country life for many years. His head was full of visions of garden paths, flowers, carp ponds... and gooseberries. Nikolai was a dreamer. He envisioned a happy life complete with his prized gooseberries. The gooseberries then, are meant to represent a longing for happiness. Such a longing that all other realities in life are faded until all that one knows is their own happiness. nbsp; Money, like vodka, makes a man eccentric. How does happiness harvest greed? For an answer to this one, look at the whole of history. On page 177, Ivan Ivanich is describing his brothers relationship with his wife. At last I heard he was married. All for the same purpose, to buy himself an estate with gooseberries on it, he married an ugly elderly widow, for whom he had not the slightest affection, just because she had some money. Here, Chekhov ties greed and longing for happiness into one line, which shows how the two emotions can build on each other. Gluttony isShow MoreRelatedDessert Buffet Marketing Plan14068 Words   |  57 Pages1. Executive Summary 3 2. Situation Analysis 4 2.1. Market Demographic 4 2.2. Market Demands 5 2.3. Product Life Cycle 6 2.4. SWOT Analysis 9 2.5. Competition and Buying Patterns 10 2.6. Product offering 13 2.7. Keys to success 15 2.8. Critical Issues 15 3. Marketing Strategy 16 3.1. Mission Statement 16 3.2. Vision 16 3.3. Slogan 16 3.4. Target Market 16 3.5. Product Positioning (Niche) 16 3.6. Marketing Mix and Strategies 18 3.7. Marketing Research 22 4. Financial Analysis 24 4.1 Desired

Essay on The Kite Runner Literary Critism - 1452 Words

In Khaled Hosseini’s inspirational novel The Kite Runner; Amir as a young boy is forced to step up, face his fears and right what once was wrong. The haunting past event that occurred during his childhood creates a dark shadow that has strongly carried its way to Amir’s adulthood. Even after moving away from his home country to another continent, with the hopes to bury those old memories away, Amir finds himself having to go back home to a land that he no longer knows of, and is forced to relive his past childhood with Hassan; his dearest friend. For the first time, he must learn on his own to step forth and face his fears. Can you really make things right again – even after all hope is lost? With the struggle of social stature between†¦show more content†¦Hassan steps in and fends them off. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. And when they come home, I say to him, how did Hassan get that scrape on his face? And he says he fell down. I’m telling you Rahim, theirs something missing in that boy.† – Baba (Page 24) After all the times Hassan stood up for Amir the one time Hassan needed him most Amir stood back in the shadows turning a blind eye to what was going on. Hassan was cornered alone by Assef and the neighborhood bullies, and was distastefully held down and sodomized by these boys in the dirty ally right after the kite fight. It was this moment the ultimate betrayal came to pass. This incidence decayed the boy’s relationship in a way Amir never imagined. This guilt followed him all throughout his adulthood. His fathers words constantly kicked him back down to that very same dirty ally where he could not stand up for his dearest fr iend - for his brother. It was the fear of seeing Hassan in a position where he needed someone to stand up for him because Amir was used to seeing Hassan as being strong and always standing up for himself. So when it came to the point where Hassan needed him the most, he didn’t know what to do, simply because he was the one always needing Hassan - not the other way around. This fear traveled with Amir for years and even after moving away he could not over come and bury these â€Å"skeletons.† After this incident, the relationship between Amir and Hassan

A Blind Man Leads the Way Free Essays

A Blind Man Leads the Way â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver, describes a couple who is awaiting the arrival of the wife’s blind friend, Robert. The husband is not too fond of a blind man staying in their house and is judgmental about meeting him. It’s not until the family sits down to watch t. We will write a custom essay sample on A Blind Man Leads the Way or any similar topic only for you Order Now v. that the husband gains respect for Robert. A show about cathedrals comes on, and Robert asks him to describe them to him. When Robert and the husband draw the cathedral together with their eyes closed, the husband begins to see what he could not describe with his eyes open. Carver uses the cathedral in the story as a symbol of sight, insisting that the narrator was blinded by prejudice before he met Robert and also as a symbol of teaching, Robert acting as a preacher in a church. The husband is very judgmental and negative toward blind people. He states, â€Å"My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing eye dogs† (526). The husband views all blind people as the same and gives them the same respect, which is none. He brings them down to make himself feel better. Carver’s figures close themselves off from their worlds, walling out the threatening forces in their lives even as they wall themselves in and retreat destructively into the claustrophobic inner enclosures of self† (Davis). When the narrator meets Robert and they all sit down for dinner, his opinion about Robert begins to change. He says, â€Å"The blind man had right away located his fo ods, he knew just where everything was on his plate† (531). The husband was in shock that Robert did not need someone to cut up his food and help him eat his meals. He begins to see and appreciate Robert as a person and not just as a blind man. His sight is in full affect when he begins describing the cathedral from the t. v. show. The narrator could see the cathedral, but he could not quite describe what he saw. He and the blind man began to draw the cathedral, and for once the narrator felt like he was the blind and that the blind man was the one who could see. The husband states, â€Å"It’s really something† (537). This is when he can fully see the picture not only of the cathedral, but also the understanding that even the blind can see and understand things with their eyes closed. The narrator comes to understand Robert and learns a lot from him. Robert helps him to open his eyes and become less judgmental of the blind. The husband learns from Robert that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and that sometimes it’s the important things in life that you can’t see that really matter. Cathedrals are holy structures that people go to and receive an understanding of a higher power. In this story Robert is represented by the cathedral being the teacher, and the seeker is the husband. Robert is the one who gives the understanding of what it is like to be blind. Robert teaches the husband along the way by his actions and shows him that being blind is not a disability, but sometimes even a gift. Robert insists they draw a cathedral together and as the husband draws, Robert guides him through the process. Robert states, â€Å"That’s right. That’s good,† he said. â€Å"Sure. You got it bub, I can tell. You didn’t think you could but you can, can’t you† (536)? Robert is guiding the narrator through the process, just as a preacher would guide his church through a service. Robert is guiding the husband step by step, making sure he is getting an understanding of the Cathedral. In the beginning, the narrator was less passionate about Cathedrals, but through Robert’s eyes, he grew found of them. The narrator states, â€Å"The truth is, cathedrals don’t mean anything special to me. Nothing. Cathedrals. They’re something to look at on late-night TV† (535). The narrator viewed cathedrals differently by the end, and they made him feel something he had never felt before. The narrator states, â€Å"My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything† (536). At this point the narrator feels outside of everything at the moment and spiritually feels like he is part of something greater. â€Å"As a symbol represents a kind of common humanity and benevolence, and of human patience and fortitude, in the process of â€Å"a-spiring. † Curiously enough it is within the walls of the cathedral that the narrator ultimately ends up† (Nesset). Robert showed the narrator that there is a higher power out there. He did not want to pester the husband by talking to him about religion so he showed him through drawing the cathedral. The narrator felt like he was outside of his own body and felt like he was part of something higher. Robert taught the husband along the way showing him that seeing isn’t believing, but believing is seeing. By this point, the narrator witnessed himself opening up and becoming less judgmental of the situation. â€Å"Only in Cathedral does the reader witness the rare moments of their coming out, and process of opening up in closed-down lives that comes across in both the subjects and events of the stories†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nesset). Robert was a Christian man, and believes that he showed the narrator that there is a higher power out there, and helped the husband understand that through the cathedral. â€Å"The narrator of â€Å"Cathedral† communicated verbally and non-verbally with Robert, resulting a renewed sense of empathy and a remarkable, almost religious experience† (Champion). The narrator did experience a religious experience through the cathedral, and it made him feel like he was not himself. Through the cathedral, the husband is a changed man. Robert shows and guides him along the way, teaching him that seeing is not everything and that even someone blind can help you to see and understand things you never thought you could describe. In the beginning the husband was very judgmental of Robert and did not want him in his home, and by the end he felt like his life had been missing something and that was the guidance of the cathedral. The sight he encountered as he sat there with Robert and drew the cathedral was like something he had never seen before, and could only be seen with his eyes closed. How to cite A Blind Man Leads the Way, Papers

Work Related Stress and Counseling

Question: Discuss about theWork Related Stress and Counseling. Answer: Work- Related Stress Introduction Stress can be defined as a disturbance of individuals mental or physical equilibrium as a result of a reaction to a given stimulus(Dorothy, 2013). A stressful event initiates biological responses, fight-or-flight, that triggers hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that flow through ones body. According to John Shepherd Kims video on How to manage work-related Stress, he outlines several ways to manage work-related stress. This section will review the concepts presented in the video. Features of Work-Related Stress John suggests that work is a major component to an individual's psychological well-being as it provides one with social support, engage in physical and mental activities as well as gaining a sense of identity. According to research, is noted that work-related stress is one of the most assessed health risks in Singapore, as most professionals underperform in their daily tasks due to mismanagement of work-related stress. In episode 41, John presents us with how an individual can be classified as experiencing work-related stress. First, if one experiences fatigue he or she might be experiencing work-related stress. Arguably fatigue can arise from overworking or brain strain. Fatigue is a common workplace-related stress as individuals feel they are not able to achieve their daily tasks at a given moment. Additionally, another salient feature that is associated with work-related stress is multiple episodes of insomnia. Scholars define insomnia as a sleeping disorder where an individual ex periences shortness in sleep(Pandi-Perumal Kramer, 2010). Furthermore, John states that workers who are diagnosed with work-related stress tend to experience multiple headaches and migraines associated with diarrhea. Stress as a disturbance t the physical well-being of an individual tends to alter the functioning of the body. Other bodily symptoms that depict work-related stress include constipation and multiple heart palpitations as postulated in the video. Additionally, there are other bodily symptoms of stress such nausea, chest pains, frequent colds and infections and loss of sexual desire and ability(Pandi-Perumal Kramer, 2010). Also, he asserts that pessimism and feelings to overwhelm encompassed with the inability to cope with work the daily work tasks as activities. Notably, with the dysfunctions of the physical activities an individual will experience feelings of being unable to complete tasks. Pessimism refers to feelings of hopelessness in accomplishing an objective. Therefore, it is evident that a stressed worker will automatically possess such symptoms. To add on, John suggests that other symptoms result in work-related stress such as workers experiencing diminished creativity and inability to make rational decisions. When one is faced with a stressful event at work, he will tend to be less creative as the mind is settled for proper functioning. Furthermore, unsettled minds tend to create some discrepancies in making credible decisions. Such results to making risky decisions that might lead to a poor business performance regarding service delivery. Lastly, he emphasizes that work-related stress tends to be associated with irritability, reduced ability to make adequate decisions, diminished creativity, isolation, aggression, problems with interpersonal relationship with other workers. With these symptoms related to a person with work-stress, it is evident that an individual will depict poor work creativity that will lead to a drop in job performance. Stress Management: Video Review According to the YouTube Video, John suggests crucial steps in starting a work-related stress management scheme. First, one has to identify the stressor. He suggests that one must be able to determine the source of work stress such as from the top most management or fellow workers, from physical issues such as commuting to work, or for a given work task. Scholars suggest that when one can identify a stressor, it will be much easier for him to manage the work-related stress. Furthermore, research suggests that individuals who are aware of their stressors tend to collaborate in counseling sessions accordingly and they recover from the stressful events (cite). John suggests that if one can identify a stressor such as the boss. One must formulate queries to detect what elements in the stressor are the main cause of stress. Therefore, it is imperative to acknowledge the main cause of stress emerging for the boss and dealing with it at a personal level. As such if one can deal with the work-related stress from the boss he/she has achieved a milestone in the first stage of stress management. He adds on and says that if one identify that the work task is the main source of stress, it is an individual responsibility to change the parameters within the stressor. Consequently, he stipulates the second stage, tip to managing work-related stress as a product of organization. He advises individuals that being organized helps one to have a clear mind. Organization skills are a significant component of work-related stress management. It is easier to avoid stressful events when one is fully organized. John suggests the use of to-do lists where individuals can be able to meet work task deadlines to avoid stressors such as accumulation of work tasks. The fourth step in managing stress as suggested by John in the video focusses on the balancing health and work. He suggests that one must take good care of himself when it comes to health matters so as to enjoy the fruits of their labor in a healthy state. Research suggest that workaholics tend to experience stressful events more often. Overdoing something will initiate some bodily dysfunction which might lead to poor health, as such, an individual will not be able to balance both parameters. Conclusively, John gives a fourth tip basing on the direction of stress. He proclaims that when one is stressed up it is not advisable to direct anger and aggression towards a family member or co-workers, instead, he should learn to share with them and in the process, he might get help. Alternatively, one can seek further support from family members or counseling firms so that they can contribute in managing stress levels. Reflection The video outline the building blocks that counselors can focus on during therapy sessions. Work-related stress has been a major issue with most corporate workers in Singapore. The video also acts a form of treatment which might help the client best understand the dynamics involved in managing work-related stress. In a workplace scenario, it evident that one can experience work overload and pressure from top management. Therefore, after viewing this video, I find it helpful in areas of one being able to identify a specific source of stress and being able to manage ones own stress. Furthermore, the video reveals some simple tips that can help individuals manage stress at a personal level. Applying Counselling Skills Incorporating counseling skills in managing work-related stress is essential for any counselor. First, one must create a therapeutic relationship with the client. After creating a positive relation, a counselor must gather relevant data regarding work-related stress as specified in the video. Secondly, one has to set therapeutic goals in achieving the objective of letting the client out of the facility when he or she is stress-free. After goals are created, there is always room for restructuring or modeling the set goals of therapy by looking at alternatives through utilization of theories in psychology. Lastly, a generalized action must be postulated that will focus on treating the patient(Ivey, Ivey, Zalaquett, 2013). For the case study of Mary and Allen, the following table will outline the possible strengths and weakness of the counseling session. Comments Table Basic Counselling Skills Comments Attending Skills Verbal Visual Vocal Body Language The counselor clearly used verbal skills and vocal skills appropriately. The counselor did not utilize the use of body language and visual patterns from the client. It could be of help from the authenticity of information given by the client Questioning Open-Ended Questions Close Ended Questions The counselor utilized the use of both types of questions pro-actively and was able to formulate feasible alternatives. Active Listening Skills Encouraging Paraphrasing Summarizing The counselor was undoubtedly encouraging to the client and utilized summarizing skills that are appropriate for a decisional model. Reflection of feelings In my own view, the counselor was well focused and outlined the objectives accordingly to the intervention process of the client 5 Stages of Counselling Rapport Data Gathering Mutual Goal Setting Working Action All the five stages of counseling were out rightly followed. Confrontation Skills Confrontation skills were used as it was relevant to know of other activities that are more liked by the client. Focusing (which dimensions did the counselor focus on) The counselor focused on creating alternatives that the client will make a decision on career development. Reflection of Meaning (What counseling approaches did the counselor use during the session?) Logo-therapy Person-centered Therapy Cognitive-Behavioral The counselor used person-centered therapy as he focused on the personal values of the client Influencing and Integration Skills (evaluate based on which influencing skills did the counselor used most) The counselor repeatedly used self-disclosure feedback so that he could know more of the clients personal values to generate possibilities that will let the client make a viable decision Conclusion Counseling skills are essential for the betterment of a therapeutic session with a client who tends to experience work-related stress. Work-related stress can be managed by an individual as well as seek family or counseling services depending on the nature of the source of stress. As per the video and the case study, it is important for individuals to understand themselves better and take good care of their health to avoid work-related stress. References Dorothy, C. H. (2013). Formulation and Definition in Stress Management. In Stress Management: An Integrated Approach to Therapy (pp. 27-48). New York: Brunner/Mazel Inc. Douglas, B., Woolfe, R., Strawbridge, S., Kasket, E., Galbraith, V. (2016). The Handbook of Counselling Psychology. SAGE Publishers. Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M., Zalaquett, C. P. (2013). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society. Nelson Education. Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Kramer, M. (2010). Sleep and mental illness. London: Cambridge University Press.