Thursday, December 26, 2019
In essay two of Nietzscheââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËOn the Genealogy of...
In essay two of Nietzscheââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËOn the Genealogy of Moralityââ¬â¢, ââ¬ËGuiltââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëbad conscienceââ¬â¢ and related matters, Nietzsche seeks to explore the origins and constructs of guilt and in doing so, presents us with an account where the concept of guilt has been misconstrued by the evolution of society. This very shift in our understanding of guilt has subsequently led to, what Nietzsche claims to be, ââ¬Å"bad conscienceâ⬠. To understand this evolution of guilt and the entity of ââ¬Å"bad conscienceâ⬠it is necessary to closely analyze Nietzscheââ¬â¢s account and in doing so, delve deeper into the mechanics of Nietzscheââ¬â¢s understanding of our morality. ADD FIRST PART! Nietzsche identifies the etymological properties of the word guilt, noting the similaritiesâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Nietzsche believes that this value system of suffering, which was at the heart of ancient civilization, did not go against life but celebrated the vitality of it, Nietzsche claims that guilt today has been misconstrued as a result of the slave morality. The internalization process that man underwent through the ââ¬Ëslave revolt in moralityââ¬â¢ created depth and inner reflection that led to what Nietzsche calls ââ¬Å"bad conscienceâ⬠. This notion of bad conscience was ultimately caused by the forced turning of our violent instincts to punish others inward. This ââ¬Ëturningââ¬â¢ resulted in frustration as man lacked the capability to express himself, in result of this, we created an inner life and conscience that sought to remove these instincts. Bad conscience is therefore something that goes against life, that sickens humanity, it does not allow for an expression of manââ¬â¢s vitality for life. Instead, bad conscience defines a new set of values for humanity that insist suffering to be something that destroys life. The concept of guilt now takes on a different meaning; it represents an internal punishment. Nietzscheââ¬â¢s account of the original meaning of guilt seems to reflect a Hobbesian approach to the way humanity works. Hobbes believes that society works under the terms of a social contract just as Nietzsche does, however whilst these accounts may share the same views onShow MoreRelatedHepatitis B951 Words à |à 4 PagesPage 2 Hepatitis B is a potentially life threatening liver infection caused by the virus HBV. A Hepatitis B infection could potentially become a chronic disease for some people because they run the risk of developing liver failure, cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer if precautions are not taken. Cirrhosis causes permanent scarring to the liver. Some adults that have become infected with Hepatitis B do fully recover even if their symptoms are relentless. Symptoms can be mild toRead MoreHepatitis B3288 Words à |à 14 PagesRunning head: EPIDEMIOLOGY PAPER - HEPATITIS B 1 Epidemiology Paper - Hepatitis B Concepts in Community and Public Health NRS-427V-0102 EPIDEMIOLOGY PAPER - HEPATITIS B Epidemiology Paper - Hepatitis B 2 ââ¬â¢Communicable diseaseââ¬â" means an illness caused by an infectious agent or its toxins that occurs through the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent or its products from an infected individual or via an animal, vector or the inanimate environment to a susceptible animalRead MoreHepatitis B1826 Words à |à 8 PagesHepatitis B What is hepatitis B? Hepatitis means the inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis B, ââ¬Å"formerly called serum hepatitis (Richard Adler)â⬠, is caused by a serious liver infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the infection has two phases: acute and chronic (eMedicineHealth). Acute hepatitis B is short-term and occurs after being exposed to the virus and only few develop fulminant hepatitis which is very severe and life threatening. Chronic hepatitis can lead to ââ¬Å"liver failure, liverRead MoreEpidemiology Hepatitis B1639 Words à |à 7 PagesEpidemiology of Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is a disease that affects many people worldwide and can cause serious and potentially fatal complications. This paper will provide an overview of this disease, including demographic information, while discussing contributing determinants of health, the implications of the epidemiological triangle as it relates to the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), the role of the community health nurse, as well as identify a national organization that addresses the disease and howRead MoreImportance Of B Tree1005 Words à |à 5 PagesB-TREES B-tree is a tree data structure that keeps data sorted and allows searches, insertions, and deletions in logarithmic amortized time. The main idea of using B-Trees is to reduce the number of disk accesses. It is optimized for systems that read and write large blocks of data B- trees are: â⬠¢ Balanced ââ¬â It is a self-balancing data structure, which means that performance can be guaranteed when B-Trees are utilized. â⬠¢ Broad ââ¬âB-Trees are broad and expand horizontally instead of vertically.Read MoreHeppatits B: an Epidemic1566 Words à |à 7 PagesHepatitis B: An Epidemic The World Health Organization defines epidemiology as ââ¬Å"the study of the distribution and determinants of health- related states or events, and the application of the study to the control of diseases and other health problemsâ⬠(CDC, 2014). Determinates of health are ââ¬Å"the circumstances in which people are born, live, work and age as well as the systems put in place to deal with illnessâ⬠. The communicable disease chain is a model beneficial to integrating the many conceptsRead MoreEpidemiology Hepatitis B737 Words à |à 3 PagesEpidemiology Hepatitis B affects 1 in 3 people worldwide (Hepatitis B Foundation [HBF], 2014). A vaccine has been available for over 30 years, yet it is the ninth leading cause of death worldwide (HBF, 2014). The epidemiology of hepatitis B, the role of the community health nurse along with the knowledge about what is being done to combat and reduce the impact of the virus gives a comprehensive look at hepatitis B. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus, and belongs to the Hepadnaviridae familyRead MoreMmwr Hepatitis B1032 Words à |à 5 PagesMMWR Paper on Hepatitis B Microbiology 212-A April 27, 2012 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that affects the liver and belongs to the Hepadnaviridae group (Takkenberg, Weegink, Zaaijer, amp; Reesink, 2010). According to an article in Vox Sanguines, an international journal of transfusion medicine, (Takkenberg, Weegink, Zaaijer, amp; Reesink, 2010) ââ¬Å"about 400 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HBV, and 2 billion people have serological evidence of past or presentRead MoreThe B 171110 Words à |à 5 PagesOn July 28, 1935, the first porotype of the B-17 or also known as the B-299 took off from Boeing Field in south Seattle on its first ever test flight (Boeing ââ¬Å"B-17â⬠). Seattle Times reporter Richard Smith dubbed the new plane, with its many .30 caliber machine-guns, the ââ¬Å"Flying Fortress,â⬠(qtd.in Boeing). A name that Boeing quickly adopted and trademarked for the gigantic bomber (Boeing ââ¬Å"B-17â⬠). The U.S. Army Air Corps designated the plane as the B-17. Boeing created the plane in response to theRead MoreHep B and Dq1 Essay820 Words à |à 4 PagesHepatitis B 1. Description of the communicable disease (causes, symptoms, mode of transmission, complications, treatment) and the demographic of interest (mortality, morbidity, incidence, and prevalence). 2. Describe the determinants of health and explain how those factors contribute to the development of this disease. 3. Discuss the epidemiologic triangle as it relates to the communicable disease you have selected. Include the host factors, agent factors (presence or absence), and environmental
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The Period Of The Middle Ages - 1007 Words
Contrary to popular belief, the Renaissance is not a time period, but a movement of the middle ages. The middle ages began at the fall of the Roman empire in 476 and lasted all the way to 1500; a 100 year period. During this time was when the Malthusian Crisis / Deadlock occurred. Killing much of the population, by famine, disease, etc, this was in a sense a positive thing because of the overpopulation. Famine had a rather large effect. This included ergotism which produces a chemical that causes delusion and loss of circulation and loss of fingers and/or limbs. The cause was poisoning from ergot, a fungus, which grows on rye grass. The fungus contaminated bread because of the rye flour used. Also, if you are malnourished in childhood you immune system is basically wrecked for life. With that said, people had a very hard time feeding their families so this had an immense effect on many children. The Plague was a notable and gigantic disease during the middle ages. The cause of it was a bacterium called, Yersinia Pestis. There were three types of Plague. The first was Bubonic Plague, which affects the lymphatic system (swelling). Some symptoms are a fever and achiness, as well as the development of a bubo somewhere on your body. Although this is the least severe type of plague, you still would have a 66% chance of dying in this time period. The second was Pneumonic Plague. Some symptoms are a high fever, coughing blood, then you basically die within two days tops. Like aShow MoreRelatedThe Middle Ages And Renaissance Period1586 Words à |à 7 PagesFrom the time period of knights, kings, and queens, women have often been seen as a damsel in distress; one in which needs rescuing, taking care of and protected as a prize possession. This possession was just that, the possession of a man for which she was to be subservient, meek, honoring, and bowing down before her man. Hence , any deviation from this behavior, she was charged with treason whether justified or not. She was expected to act and behave in a proper manner, beseeching power to thoseRead MoreThe Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages1183 Words à |à 5 PagesDuring the Middle ages countless disputes over power occur. From corrupted government officials, to establishing a proper structure for Roman Catholicism. However, one can argue whether itââ¬â¢s good or bad intentions with great powers comes great responsibility. The Medieval period began from the 5th century when the Western Roman Empire collapsed, to 15th century. During the Medieval Period the Roman Church was the dominated church. The church controlled religion, philosophy, morals, politics, artRead MoreThe Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages901 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Medieval Bestiary During the middle Ages there was thought to be a spiritual aspect to animals ââ¬â real and imaginary. The bestiary was an odd compilation, even to today s standards. It combined observations from nature, zoological commentaries, imaginative illustrations and a good dose of moral and religious lessons to bind it all together. In a time where there was no distinct separation between church and science, it seems almost natural that a book like the bestiary evolved from such an unlikelyRead MoreMedieval Period : The Middle Ages1964 Words à |à 8 PagesThe period of time from approximately 500 AD - 1600 AD is commonly know as the Middle Ages. It is also known synonymously as the Dark Ages; a time devoid of any art, literature, theatre, or innovations. A Medieval scholar will be quick to dispute these claims for when one begins to study this time period it becomes hard to deny the plethora of artistic development over the thousand year period. Theatre scholars and practitioners are n ot immune to this common misconception. In the long history ofRead MoreThe Middle Ages A Period Of Three Divisions Essay1611 Words à |à 7 PagesThe Middle Ages a period of three divisions in Western history. The Medieval period being at the center of the three divisions. A period which brought insecurities within the economic, judicial, social, and political spheres. Falling empires such as the Roman Empire increased the urge of society for protection, thus to also formed alliances in order for survival. One of the greatest and most dominant alliance among the empires became to be known as feudalism. The alliance in the feudal system organizedRead MoreThe Early Middle Ages And Early Medieval Period Essay1435 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe late antiquity, early middle ages, and the early modern period. These periods were all crucial in the formation of modern government, philosophy, culture as well as many other aspects and qualities of society today. The late antiquity, the early mid dle ages and the early modern period were all named by historians to mark significant changes in politics, culture and spirituality. The late antiquity period is said to have started after the end of the classical age and was characterized withRead MoreThe Late Gothic Period And Early Middle Ages2372 Words à |à 10 PagesAlthough the late Gothic Period proved a faster rate in development of clothing in Northern Europe than earlier in the Middle Ages, it did not compare to the Italian Renaissanceââ¬â¢s radical development of costume in both pace and style. There were many changes in costume and clothing during the Late Gothic period compared to the previous centures, as urban areas and populations grew and continued to influence the regions surrounding them. With the feudal system gone, little attention was paid to theRead More Differentiating the Renaissance Period and Middle Ages Era in Europe1013 Words à |à 5 Pageseras. Unlike the Renaissance, the Middle Ages were a thousand years of ignorance and superstition. The Renaissance men were leaders in an era of rebirth and learning looked to the Ancient Gre eks and Romans for models of advance. Many historians felt that the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were one era. The debate centers around whether the Renaissance was a unique age or a continuation of the Middle Ages. ââ¬Å"Was the Renaissance a period distinct from the Middle Ages, or was it a continuation?â⬠ParRead MoreThe Momoyama Period : A Turning Point Between The Middle Ages1576 Words à |à 7 PagesMomoyama period was a turning point between the Middle Ages in Japan. This period began by the overthrow of the Ashikaga Shogunate who was the ruler during the Muromachi period, in the late 15th century. During the Muromachi period, Japan was experiencing violent conflicts over territory and power. In 1573 Oda Nobunaga became the ruler and with him was the birth of the short-lived Momoyama period; only three warlords seized power during that time . Even though, the Momoyama was a brief period betweenRead MoreThe Origins Of Humanity And Major Periods : Middle Ages, Renaissance, And Enlightenment1454 Words à |à 6 Pages Exam One: Origin of Humanity Alexis Jayne Milligan Bethune-Cookman University SS 245 WO Interdisciplinary Social Science Dr. Dorcas E. McCoy April 10, 2016 This paper will discuss the origins of humanity and three major periods: Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Enlightenment. The relevance of evolution, natural selection via Charles Darwin, intelligent design, and scientific creationism. Then the human thought and social thought on these epochs will be further debated. Biblical reference has
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Overview of counseling and psychotherapy Essay Example For Students
Overview of counseling and psychotherapy Essay Overview of counseling and psychotherapy Essay Psychotherapy is the treatment of individuals with emotional problems, behavioral problems, or mental illness primarily through verbal communication. At one time the term psychotherapy referred to a form of psychiatric treatment used with severely disturbed individuals. Counseling, on the other hand, refers to the treatment of people with milder psychological problems or to advice given on vocational and educational matters. Counseling psychologists usually work in schools or industrial firms, advising and assisting people. Today the distinction between psychotherapy and counseling is quite blurred, and many mental health professionals use the terms interchangeably. Psychotherapy is an important form of treatment for many kinds of psychological problems. In most types of psychotherapy, as well as counseling, a person discusses his or her problems one-on-one with a therapist. The therapist tries to understand the persons problems and to help the individual change distressing thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. People often seek psychotherapy when they have tried other approaches, like counseling, to solving a personal problem. For example, people who are depressed, anxious, or have drug or alcohol problems may find that talking to friends or family members is not enough to resolve their problems. Sometimes people may want to talk to a therapist about problems they would feel uncomfortable discussing with friends or family, such as being sexually abused as a child. Finding a therapist to talk to who is knowledgeable about emotional problems, has patients best interests at heart, and is relatively objective can be extremely helpful. Psychotherapy differs in two ways from counseling or from the informal help or advice that one person may give another. First, a trained, certified, or licensed therapist conducts psychotherapy. In addition, treatment methods in psychotherapy are guided by well-developed theories about the sources of personal problems. The concept of counseling, on the other hand, is essentially liberal in that the assumptions underlying its theory and practice are, first, that each individual has the right to shape his own destiny and second, that the relatively mature and experienced members of the community are responsible for ensuring that each persons choice shall serve both his own interests and those of the society to which he belongs. Anybody can give advice to anyone who needs it. Thus, counseling can take place almost anywhere and at anytime. The counselor does not attempt, however, to solve the persons problems for him. Adjustment is an individual matter that each person must discover for himself, and the counselor mainly tries to clarify the persons own thinking so that he can be guaranteed the fulfillment of his personal needs and aspirations. Mental health professionals agree that the effectiveness of therapy depends to a large extent on the quality of the relationship between the client and therapist. In general, the better the rapport is between therapist and client, the better the outcome of therapy. If a person does not trust a therapist enough to describe deeply personal problems, the therapist will have trouble helping the person change and improve. For clients, trusting that the therapist can provide help for their problems is essential for making progress. The founder of person-centered therapy, Carl Rogers, believed that the most important qualities in a therapist are being genuine, accepting, and empathic. Almost all therapists today would agree that these qualities are important. Being genuine means that therapists care for the client and behave toward the client as they really feel. Being accepting means that therapists should appreciate clients for who they are, despite the things that they may have done. Therapists do not have to agree with clients, but they must accept them. .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 , .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .postImageUrl , .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 , .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:hover , .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:visited , .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:active { border:0!important; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:active , .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76 .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u039b8b236090ba8df69aaee61953db76:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: George Meredith - Comedy Essay Being empathic means those therapists understand the clients feelings and experiences and convey this understanding back to the client. What is more effective then? Psychotherapy or counseling? This question has been hotly debated for decades, and research on this issue presents many difficulties. In conducting studies that compare different therapies, researchers seek to make sure that each treatment group is as similar as possible. For example, researchers may limit the groups to people with the same severity of depression. In addition, within each treatment group, researchers try to make sure that therapists are using the same techniques and are trained similarly. However, patients do .
Monday, December 2, 2019
The Role of Truth in The Things They Carried Essay Example
The Role of Truth in The Things They Carried Paper The Purest Form of Truth: Truths Role in The Things They Carried ââ¬Å"War is hell, but thatââ¬â¢s not the half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you deadâ⬠(76). According to Tim Oââ¬â¢Brien, all of these generalizations about war are the truth. However, as Oââ¬â¢Brien continuously reshapes readersââ¬â¢ concept of truth throughout The Things They Carried, one quickly comes to realize that none of these facts represent truth about war. Readers experience the essence of Vietnam through each of Oââ¬â¢Brien and his squadronââ¬â¢s vivid memories: Rat Kileyââ¬â¢s loss of a friend as Curt Lemon stepped into his last ray of sunlight and was blown up into the trees, Norman Bowker resigning to letting Kiowa slip under the mud and out of this life, and the ââ¬Å"dainty young manâ⬠with his jaw in his throat and his eye as a star-shaped hole that was Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s only kill. Though portrayed as true life experiences, these events and even most of these characters are eventually revealed as fabrications of Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s mind. Does this mean that the stories are not true? We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Truth in The Things They Carried specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Truth in The Things They Carried specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Truth in The Things They Carried specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As explained in another passage, ââ¬Å"You can tell a true war story by the questions you ask. Somebody tells a story, letââ¬â¢s say, and afterward you ask, ââ¬ËIs it true? ââ¬â¢ and if the answer matters, youââ¬â¢ve got your answerâ⬠(79). So, does it matter that Oââ¬â¢Brien never really killed a man, that Bowker never sacrificed the Silver Star medal, and that Curt Lemon never trick-or-treated through a Vietnamese village during Halloween? After the undeniable impact on readers associated with the human experience, war experience, and essence of individuals captured within these stories, the answer to that question proves to be a resounding ââ¬Å"no. One of the main reasons for differentiating between ââ¬Å"story-truthâ⬠ââ¬â which may not be true in real life but gives a genuine glimpse of the Vietnam experience ââ¬â and ââ¬Å"happening truthâ⬠ââ¬â what really occurred ââ¬â is that ââ¬Å"happening truthâ⬠lends itself easily to glorification of war. For example, the story of a man winning a medal for outstanding bravery in saving his friend, or Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s example of a man sacrificing himself to save his group from a landmine, both convey a sense of pride, honor, and valor associated with having gone to war and even having died in Vietnam. Having been told these stories, learning that they were false would come as a shock because stories like these seem to reassure society that although hundreds of young men lost their valuable lives or came back as changed men, it was all worth some sort of grand distinction in the end. On the other hand, Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s stories, possessing ââ¬Å"story-truth,â⬠retain their significance whether they have ââ¬Å"happening-truthâ⬠or not. As Oââ¬â¢Brien puts it, ââ¬Å"A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done. If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lieâ⬠¦You can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evilâ⬠(65). This quote presents a case of inherent irony in which the fabricated stories ââ¬â complete with the gore of torturing a baby water buffalo after a friendââ¬â¢s death, the guilt of having a man die under your watch, the terror of looking a man you just killed in the face, and the disappointment of returning home only to find youââ¬â¢ll never fit back in ââ¬â convey much more truth than most conventionally ââ¬Å"trueâ⬠war stories, which sweep the utter brutality of war under the rug. Thus, only through Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"story-truthâ⬠do we see that these young men did not arrive in Vietnam for honorable reasons. These men went to war for fear of shaming their friends and families, these men gave their lives for a battle that did not enhance their life experiences, and even failed to result in progress for our nation, and those men that escaped with their lives were faced with the burden of death each and every day in that they could never escape the memories, could never truly communicate the horror they went through, and could never completely transition back into normal life. Though Oââ¬â¢Brien did not truly kill a man or witness some of these events, the stories leave no doubt in readersââ¬â¢ minds that similar occurrences did happen in war and that the emotions conveyed by the stories truthfully capture how they made the men feel ââ¬â which was anything but gratified and honored. Therefore, the lessons one can take away from these stories makes ââ¬Å"story-truthâ⬠much more valuable than most cases of ââ¬Å"happening-truthâ⬠about the Vietnam War. While Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s stories leave readers with the knowledge of how human emotions are impacted in a setting none of us are able to imagine, they also serve another purpose that also ceases to rely on truth: capturing the essence of a specific individual. We see this first in the case of Curt Lemon, whose personality is perpetuated throughout the novel by the stories of his best friend in Vietnam. Oââ¬â¢Brian states that ââ¬Å"To listen to the story, especially as Rat Kiley told it, youââ¬â¢d never know that Curt Lemon was dead. He was still out there in the dark, naked and painted up, trick-or-treating, sliding from hootch to hootch in that crazy white ghost mask. But he was deadâ⬠(227). Although this story about Lemon is highly exaggerated, and the question remains whether it is even true at all, readers can trust that what it reveals about Lemonââ¬â¢s character ââ¬â his spontaneity and daring behavior ââ¬â are in fact accurate, so it comes as no offence when it is revealed that Kiley regularly embellished the tale. ââ¬Å"Story-truthâ⬠gains its final point of relevance when Oââ¬â¢Brien describes how he uses stories to preserve his childhood love, Linda. Lindaââ¬â¢s character compares being dead to being like a library book, safe on the very top shelf where no one has checked it out for a long, long time. Like Curt Lemon, Kiowa, Ted Lavender, and even the man Tim killed, Linda and all the memories surrounding her would tend to disappear with time if she were not illuminated by Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s novel. Oââ¬â¢Brien remarks that now when he incorporates Lindaââ¬â¢s essence into his stories, ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s not the embodied Linda; sheââ¬â¢s mostly made up, with a new identity and a new name, like the man who never was. Her real name doesnââ¬â¢t matterâ⬠(232). Whether ââ¬Å"happening-trueâ⬠or just ââ¬Å"story-true,â⬠Lindaââ¬â¢s presence solidifies the idea that even if the characters in The Things They Carried have fake names, false actions, or entirely fictitious identities, they each bring forth a unique set of characteristics that alight on ââ¬Å"truth. â⬠For instance, even if Linda were not real, the way she made Tim (and readers) realize the purest form of love cannot be denied, and even if the man Tim killed had no story besides the one Tim developed, the way he represents men who never wished to fight, whose opportunities are cut off in early life, will live on forever. In this, the feigned truth of ââ¬Å"story-truthâ⬠creates legends; it sheds light on interpersonal relationships and validates the lives of those who no longer have the ability to do so for themselves. As one progresses through The Things They Carried, it becomes more and more evident just how masterfully Oââ¬â¢Brien has blurred the lines between truth and reality. Readers begin the book assuming it contains stories of fiction. It is not until the third chapter that one finds the narrator is a writer plagued by memories of war, and assume the stories to take on an element of truth. Soon after, one sees that Oââ¬â¢Brien the narrator and Oââ¬â¢Brien the author are two very different personas, and finally, towards the end of the novel, Oââ¬â¢Brien reveals that, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦a long time ago I walked through Quang Ngai province as a foot soldier. Almost everything else is inventedâ⬠(171). Seemingly, traveling through such ups and downs of truth and falsity would be recognized as a sort of betrayal to readers. Yet, Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s framework of war stories, within the story of the Vietnam War, within the larger story of Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s actual life serves to undermine any disappointment concerning the authenticity of events. Readers quickly learn that the statement ââ¬Å"This is trueâ⬠has double meanings, and truth itself is redefined as any incidence lending sincere insight into war and how it affects people, whether it occurred, did not occur, or very well might have occurred. Overall, when it comes to opening societyââ¬â¢s eyes to a situation capable of bringing out the most evil, the most desperation, and the most appreciation for life simultaneously, one realizes Oââ¬â¢Brienââ¬â¢s novel to be absolutely and undeniably ââ¬Å"true. â⬠Works Cited OBrien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Boston, MA: Houghton Miflin, 1990. Print.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)