Every Woman Is A Novel :a Jest Of God :: essays research papers

Rachel often addresses her thoughts to God. How does she imagine Him (Her or It)? Does Rachel's concept of God change during the course of the Novel? Explain. Rachel Cameron, the heroine of "A Jest of God", is not simply as an individual literary character but as a psychological portrayal of women of Rachel's time and inclination. Even we can easily find someone who has the same problem Rachel has in the friends of us, or maybe in an early morning when we get up; stand at front of the mirror; we will suddenly have a idea, "I am Rachel too." She has a common Cameron heritage. She is a gawky, introverted spinster schoolteacher who has returned home to Manawaka from university in Winnipeg, upon the death of her alcoholic undertaker father Niall Cameron, to care for her hypochondriac mother May. Nevertheless, the family resemblance is obvious: their shared Scots Presbyterian ancestry, which Laurence views as distinctively Canadian, provides an armour of pride that imprisons her within their internal worlds, while providing a defence against the external world. To overcome that barrier between personalities, she must learn to understand and accept their heritage in order to liberate her own identities and free herself for the future. She must also learn to love herself before she can love others. Rachel receive a sentimental education through a brief love affair: as a result of learning to empathize with their lovers, she learn to love herself and the people she lives with. Laurence's emphasis is, as always, on the importance of love in the sense of compassion, as each of her solipsistic protagonists develops from claustrophobia to community. The beginning of "A Jest of God" extends beyond its Canadian perimeters in Rachel's branching imagination, both into the fairytale dream world which gives depth and pathos to the disappointment and despair of her present and out into a wider world in time and space than the grey little town of Manawaka. The first lines of the novel tell us everything basic to Rachel's mind, her temperament, and her situation. The wind blows low, the wind blows high The snow comes falling from the sky, Rachel Cameron says she'll die For the want of the golden city. She is handsome, she is pretty, She is the queen of the golden city. They are not actually chanting my name, of course, I only hear it that way from where I am watching the classroom window, because I remember myself skipping rope to that song when I was about the age of the little girls out there now. Twenty-seven years ago... (p. 1) The reader is engaged in sympathy with Rachel by the sadness of the gap

Autism and Symptoms

Autism which is a complex brain developmental complexity which usually results in disability is a disorder that occurs in children in their first years of life usually before they are three years old.   Autism affects individuals of all races the same way hence the condition has no race prevalence. This disorder is so common that it is approximated that one in every five hundred individuals suffers from it.Latest statistics carried out in the United States show that at least one million people suffer from the disorder. This disease has a high prevalent rate making it one of the common developmental complexity or disorder  Ã‚   in the country.   Despite the significantly high numbers of affected individuals, most members of the public including professionals in the different fields have no idea on what causes the disease and its effects and how they can effectively help, live and work with individuals with this disorder.In this study, the causes and symptoms of autism disorder i n affected individuals will be discussed. The research data will be collected by use of questionnaires and interviewing of the patients. The results will be discussed and limitations of the method used to collect data evaluated.IntroductionAutism is a serious complex disorder whose effects limit the potential of the affected victims. It is important to have knowledge of the causes and symptoms of this disorder so that the disorder in infants can be detected and diagnosed early enough and appropriate treatment sought soonest. Autism is a disorder that is lifelong and can occur in mild or severe forms (Landa, 2007).Individuals with mild form of the disease can live independently while those with the severe form need to be supported and supervised medically throughout their life.This disorder which is neurological tampers with the brain impairing its parts that are concerned with communication and social interaction.   This disorder is said to affect boys more than girls (USA Today, 2009). Research shows that the prevalence of the disorder is around four times more in boys than girls.It is approximated that one in every five hundred individuals suffers from this disorder whose cause has not been clearly established and makes the affected individuals to have problems in communicating both verbally and non verbally (USA Today, 2009).Causes of AutismThe specific causes of autism have not clearly been established but studies done suggest the following to be some of the possible causes of the disorder. Autism is said to be one of the disorders that genetic disorders that are genetically passed on (USA Today, 2009).This implies that children born in families that have history of the autism disorder could inherit hence develop it. Trauma to a child in their early years of life could also cause them to develop the disorder. Traumatic experiences that affect the social interactions part of the brain especially usually result to the development of this disorder; examples of such are sexual abuse or exposure of children to violence (USA Today, 2009).Viral infection such as rubella in pregnant women especially during early stages of pregnancy has also been suggested to be a possible cause of autism (Landa, 2007). ). Autism is also said to occur at higher rates in children and infants with tuberous sclerosis and Fragile X syndrome compared to the general population.   Research has also proven that the way an individual is brought up and parenting can not cause autism. The only concrete cause of the disorder is neurological differences in the brain of individuals as they develop.Symptoms of AutismAutism symptoms can be mild or very severe depending on the part of the brain that has been affected. The first symptoms of the disorder include children developing normally in the first and second years of their life and then having retardant growth and development afterwards.Infants with autism may also react abnormally to sensory stimuli such as touch, sm ell and noise (Howlin, Magiati, & Charman, 2009). This includes crying when touched normally or when they hear noises that are normal as they feel pain.This could cause them to resist being held or cuddled (Volkmar, 2005). It also involves finding normal scents as unpleasant. The disorder may cause over reaction and in other circumstances under reaction (Howlin, Magiati, & Charman, 2009). Other symptoms include the infants not being interested in their surrounding, toys, other children and objects that normally are of interest to children. The infant may also appear to be happy and comfortable playing alone.Symptoms that develop later in life as the affected infants develop include problems in communicating both verbally and non-verbally, where non-verbal communication implies that there is difficulty in use of gestures (Volkmar, 2005). They end up crying or laughing a lot for reasons that are not clear to those around them.Autism patients usually develop echolalia which refers to r epetitive behaviour in their language where words and phrases are continuously repeated without making any sensible sentence (Coleman, 2005).In other cases, these patients may develop self injurious behaviours such as hitting, biting and scratching themselves. They may also become aggressive with repeated movements of the body such as rocking of their bodies and flapping of body parts such as arms and hands. Autism patients may also extremely resist changes that are of any kind as they maintain certain established behavioural patterns a specific set environment, this causes them to develop rituals in their activities such as play (Coleman, 2005).They may also display seizures, tantrums and are unpredictable. The unpredictable symptom is very risky and dangerous for these patients as they usually have poor judgement and could pull risky stunts such as jumping off buildings without fear of harming themselves. Deafness is another symptom of this disorder (Coleman, 2005). The patients m ay not be literally deaf but do not respond to instructions.

Asking Professors to Sit on Your Dissertation Committee

Graduate study can best be explained as a series of hurdles. First is getting in. Then comes coursework. Comprehensive exams typically are the culmination of coursework in which you demonstrate that you know your stuff and are ready to begin your dissertation. At this point, you are a doctoral candidate, unofficially known as ABD. If you thought coursework and comps were difficult you’re in for a surprise. Most students find the dissertation process to be the most challenging part of graduate school. It’s how you show that you are an independent scholar capable of generating new knowledge. Your mentor is critical to this process, but your dissertation committee also plays a role in your success. The Role of the Dissertation Committee The mentor is highly invested in the dissertation’s success. The committee serves as an outside consultant, offering a more broad perspective as well as support for the student and mentor. The dissertation committee can serve a checks and balances function that can boost objectivity and ensure that university guidelines are adhered to and that the product is of high quality. Members of the dissertation committee offer guidance in their areas of expertise and supplement the student and mentor’s competencies. For example, a committee member with expertise in specific research methods or statistics can serve as a sounding board and offer guidance that is beyond the mentor’s expertise. Choosing a Dissertation Committee Choosing a helpful dissertation committee isn’t easy. The best committee is composed of faculty who share an interest in the topic, offer diverse and useful areas of expertise, and are collegial. Each committee member should be carefully selected based on the project, what he or she can contribute, and how well he or she gets along with the student and mentor. It’s a delicate balance. You don’t want to argue over every detail yet you need objective advice and someone who will offer insightful, and tough, critiques of your work. Ideally, you should trust each committee member and feel that he or she has your (and your project’s) best interests in mind. Choose committee members whose work you respect, who you respect, and who you like. This is a tall order and finding a handful of faculty who meet these criteria and also have the time to participate on your dissertation committee is a daunting task. It’s likely that not all of your dissertation member s will fulfill all of your professional and personal needs but each committee member should serve at least one need. Give Some Warning Work with your mentor to select committee members. As you select potential members, ask your mentor if he or she thinks the professor is a good match to the project. Aside from seeking insight – and making your mentor feel valued – professors talk to each other. If you discuss each choice with your mentor beforehand he is she is likely to mention it to the other professor. Use your mentor’s reaction as an indicator of whether to move forward and approach the potential committee member.  You may find that the professor is already aware and may have already implicitly agreed. Make Your Intentions Known At the same time,  don’t assume that each professor knows that you’d like them as a committee member. When the time comes, visit each professor with that as your purpose. If you haven’t explained the purpose of the meeting by email then when you enter, sit and explain that the reason you’re asked to meet is to ask the professor to serve on your dissertation committee. Be Ready No professor will agree to participate in a project without knowing something about it. Be prepared to explain your project. What are your questions? How will you study them? Discuss your methods. How does this fit with prior work? How does it extend prior work? What will your study contribute to the literature? Pay attention to the professor’s demeanor. How much does he or she want to know? Sometimes a professor might want to know less – pay attention. Explain Their Role In addition to discussing your project, be prepared to explain why you are approaching the professor. What drew you to them? How do you think they will fit? For example, does the professor offer expertise in statistics? What guidance do you seek? Know what the professor does and how they fit in with the committee.  Likewise, be prepared to explain why you think they are the best choice.  Some faculty might even ask, â€Å"Why me? Why not Professor X?† Be prepared to justify your choice. What do you expect expertise-wise? Time-wise? How much or little time and effort will you require? Busy faculty will want to know whether your needs outstrip their time and energy. Dealing With Rejection If a professor declines your invitation to sit on your dissertation committee, don’t take it personally. Easier said than done but there are many reasons people decide to sit on committees. Try to take the professor’s perspective. Sometimes it’s that they’re too busy. Other times they may not be interested in the project or may have issues with other committee members. It’s not always about you. Participating on a dissertation committee is a lot of work. Sometimes it’s simply too much work given other responsibilities. If they are not able to meet your expectations be grateful that they’re honest. A successful dissertation is the result of a great deal of work on your part but also the support of a helpful committee that has your interests in mind. Be sure that the dissertation committee you build can meet these needs.