The Redefinition of female gender roles in the 19th century and the Essay

The Redefinition of female gender roles in the 19th century and the use of Darwinism toward Political objectives - Essay Example History reveals the very fact that women had been leading an oppressive life in England as well as the rest of Europe for centuries, and their activities were confined to the four walls only. Being the reflection of the contemporary society, early nineteenth literature portrays the women busy in performing domestic chores and obligations without taking part in any political, social or economic activity. They used to go to excursions and attend balls and dinners under the supervision of family members; hence, they were not allowed to travel alone or without the prior permission of the family. The novels produced by Jane Austen, Dickens, Bronte sisters, Eliot and others depict the same male-dominated cultural scenario, where women were the direct target of discriminative behavior at the hands of male members of society. Somehow, the situation took a drastic turn during the second half of the same century, and the same Mary Evans Ann, who used to produce works under the male name George Eliot, got such courage that she started living with G. H. Lewes for more than 20 years quite as if his wife did not exist; Sarah Austin (the wife of the famous jurist), who wrote letters of such ardor and indiscretion to a visiting German prince as to invite blackmail. (Himmelfarb, 1961) The Victorian literature reveals that female writers, poets, intellectuals and artists used to feel hesitation in participating into any literary, social or political activity, for they were discouraged to get their works published. It is therefore the renowned authors and novelists including Bronte sisters, George Eliot and others had to conceal their female names while creating the pieces of literature. Though Victorian literature contained the works of female writers, but the atmosphere was not appreciable at all. The share of women community in social construction was not acknowledged, although they worked in fields, hospitals, teaching institutions and other professions at limited scale. Stil l the male domination was oppressive and tyrannical. At first, Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 19th century and Emma Goldman in the beginning of 20th century raised their voice for the women rights. However, later part of nineteenth century observed imperative changes in women’s role and responsibilities in society. It was the era when Charles Darwin presented his astounding Evolution Theory under the title â€Å"Survival of the Fittest† in his magnificent work On the Origin of Species (1859), and proved that only strong and powerful species maintained the right to survive and reproduce. Darwin vehemently argues in favor of the notion natural selection, and declares it as the law of nature. He is of the view that it is the law of nature that the favorable traits and features in species contain more probability of inheritance and transformation into next generations. (1872: 159) Renowned sociologist Herbert Spencer extended the same survival theory, called social Darwinism, a nd claimed that socially strong communities make sure headway in the world, while the financially weak people are sure to eliminate sooner or later. Nineteenth century women also got inspiration from this very notion to obtain freedom from the awkward clutches of suppression and humiliation. Thus, women’

Policy memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Policy memo - Assignment Example tain Conversation Area Act is bill which seeks to create conversation to the mountain national conservation Area surrounding Lake Mendocino, Yolo Counties and Solano in the area of California. Core visitations of this act are target of scenic, ecological, recreation, wildlife, natural, education and scientific resources. This act will seek to create conservation to the jurisdiction by ensuring government and local responsibilities are adhered to. The act is comprehensive to cover issues related to environmental cleanup, public safety, and a comprehensive weed management strategy. The act is significant to ensure it initiate a management plan by issuance of target permits. In this light, the act will focus on the core advantages on a comprehensive environmental management strategy. This act is crucial since it will target protection of encroached areas by ensuring that residents in those particular have proper permits to conduct certain environmental conscious activities. The US congress should pass the bill since it seeks to, boost local economies, and develop methods of working landscape and economic viability of Native American groups residing in those areas. Thirdly, promote and enhance recreation and conservation areas. In all cases, the bill is vital to since it will seek to request public responsibility in conserving the environmental. However, while deciding to pass the bill, the congress should consider the question of impartiality of the process stipulated by the bill. This paper has attempted to establish why the congress should pass the Berryessa Snow Mountains Conversation Area. The paper has cited better environmental advantages as the leading advantages in considering whether to pass the bill. In any case, environmental consciousness should topple over

Areas of Legal Liability for Advanced Practice Nurses Essay

Areas of Legal Liability for Advanced Practice Nurses - Essay Example The failures to follow standards of care may include failure to institute a protocol or failure to use proper procedure for a particular skill. Under such circumstances, nurses are liable for damages caused as a result of their failure to implement proper actions. Hence, management should be ready to take necessary actions against nurses who violated proper standards of care. Such a response may assist the management to limit the liability for managers and the facility. Failure to use equipment responsibly falls under the category of direct breach of care, standards and it can be more easily proved. If a nurse deploys a clinical equipment for any use other than it was actually intended, he/she is liable to face legal consequences. In addition, it is observed that nurses often use equipments that they have not been adequately trained to use. If the misuse of the equipment causes any harm to patients, the nurse is in legal jeopardy. Hence, the management must ensure that they have employed adequate number of skilled and experienced nursing staff to prevent nurses from risking the life of patients. An effective nurse-patient ratio would reduce equipment errors significantly. In most of the nurse malpractice suits, an element of poor communication between nurse and patient, nurse and physician, or nurse and other healthcare providers is identified. The communication failure cases may include nurses’ failure to communicate all relevant patient data to the physician or discharge information to the patient. In order to avoid such troubles, the management may insist nurses to record all matters concerning patient care appropriately. In addition, it is advisable for the management to establish an effective reporting system in the care facility so that the flow of communication between nurses and other parties would become effective. In the eyes of law, if a nurse fails to document something appropriately, the court will consider as it

Professional Development of the Nursing Professionals Essay Example for Free

Professional Development of the Nursing Professionals Essay In 2010 the Affordable Care ACT was signed into law. With these laws, the United States is being provided an opportunity to completely redesign its health care system. The model includes heath care that is easier to access, affordable by all, higher safety standards, and higher quality with improved patient outcomes (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). The United States’ health care workforce is largely comprised of nursing professionals. Their role can be pivotal with the reorganization, but are faced with a number of barriers. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the IOM responded to the need for the assessment and transformation of the nursing profession by producing a report which provides recommendations for the future of nursing. Within this report, four key messages were created, the first three being our focus today: * Nurses should use their education and training to its fullest extent * Nurses should expand their education levels and training via seamless, progressive educational models * Nurses should play a leadership role with other health care professionals to reorganize health care * Improved medical health records data and containment systems for more efficient planning and policy creation (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). Obtaining an RN degree should be only the beginning of the lifelong learning process for nursing professionals. Obtaining a higher degree level (BSN or above) should be a smooth process which is encouraged and rewarded. The report recommends licensing, certifying and accrediting bureaus create mandatory competencies and evidence of skills mastery as a complement to the degree program and board exams (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine,  2010). This will ensure effective critical thinking processes and increase patient safety. Creating a more diverse nursing population will open otherwise previous barriers to this vastly expanding field, while allowing the patient population to widen their views of what nursing really entales. After all, the nursing population should be as diverse as the patient population. Finally, educating nursing students alongside other health professionals, including physicians, throughout their nursing careers will encourage them to become future lead ers working collaboratively together. (Cresaia Friberg, 2010) The Affordable Care Act of 2010 will challenge health professionals to create a more patient centered system. Opening new opportunities for expanding the nursing role and scope will help to bridge the gap in care for chronic conditions, preventative medicine, palliative care, and coordination and transition of care (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). By delivering care to the community and focusing on wellness, prevention and education, healthcare will again be reinvented and adapt to the growing needs of the communities. Creating new careers and scopes of practice for advanced degree nurses will enable patients to have easier access to health care, and more affordable care. Advanced degree nurses are known to provide longer consultations, and provide more education-based, preventative medicine, and increase recall (Laurant, Reeves, Hermens, Braspenning, Grol, 2009). With the nursing profession continuing to change, more nursing leadership roles are evolving. Though the community is not accustomed to visualizing a nurse in leadership capacity, all nurses must become leaders in order to transform the current working model into the patient centered model. More leadership skills and positions will be necessary to design, implement, evaluate and advocate for the future of health care needs. Working alongside physicians and other health professionals require these leadership skills to achieve a targeted outcome. This also transcends to the care environment by ensuring evidence-based improvements are implemented. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 will provide an opportunity for the health  care system in the United States to be completely redesigned. With nursing being the largest health care profession, nurses can assist with obtaining the objectives in the IOM report which suggests recommendations for the future of nursing (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). Allowing nurse to use their education and competencies to their fullest, more higher degree level nurses will emerge. By expanding their education and training, more leaders in nursing will be created and new opportunities will arise. Community oriented, wellness and disease prevention will be crucial to the growing community needs. By placing Nurse Practitioners in these areas of expertise, cost will be lowered and patient satisfaction, as well as outcome will rise. Furthermore, working as a partnership with physicians and other health care professionals will create a more collaborative working environment and provide b etter patient outcomes as well. References Cresaia, J., Friberg, E. (2010). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Laurant, M., Reeves, D., Hermens, R., Braspenning, J., Grol, R. (2009). Substitution of doctors by nurses in primary care. The Cochrane Library. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001271.pub2/abstract?systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+4+Feb+from+10-12+GMT+for+monthly+maintenance Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine. (2010, October 5, 2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (Institute of Medicine). : Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing.

Raney :: Essays Papers

Raney In my opinion, I did not like this book. I do not like books, which involve racist notions. How could she be so narrow-minded? Her parents taught her everything when it came to treating people who were different as different, and she could not manage to ignore their advice. She was a very racist woman, which caused a conflict between her and her husband, whose best friend was a black man named Johnny Dobbs. Raney believed that if her mother could be racist that she could be too. This caused conflict with Charles because she believed she could eaves drop on Charles’s phone conservations through the heating vent in the bedroom. Charles and Raney had very different beliefs and that is why they have trouble getting along with each other sometimes. Raney comes from a family who has strong family and religious ties. Charles is not a serious church attendant, and his family is very spread out across the nation, preventing him from seeing them on a regular basis. Charles is a highly educated man, whereas Raney has only a High School degree. The only things that they have in common are that they both have respect for each other and they both like music. This is not a very strong basis for a relationship between two people who are supposed to be in love. In the beginning, Raney is a mama’s girl who wants to do everything that her mother did when she was young. On the honeymoon she was upset with Charles because he didn’t do exactly what he was supposed to do, which means that he did not do exactly what Raney’s father did on his honeymoon. On his honeymoon, he just stood there in his Fruit of a Loom underwear drinking champagne out of a plastic cup. She was probably told how the honeymoon went from her mother. One of the biggest conflicts the couple had was the fact that Raney was very racist and Charles best friend was black. Charles was upset because he did not agree with Raney’s feelings towards Mr. Dobbs. This is another thing that Raney was taught by her parents to be racist. At one point, it appears that Raney is getting over her racist views when Johnny Dobbs is named the godfather of her child. The only thing that keeps it the same way, racist, is that he still stays at the Ramada Inn.

Angels Demons Chapter 16-19

16 Hundreds of miles from CERN, a voice crackled through a walkie-talkie. â€Å"Okay, I'm in the hallway.† The technician monitoring the video screens pressed the button on his transmitter. â€Å"You're looking for camera #86. It's supposed to be at the far end.† There was a long silence on the radio. The waiting technician broke a light sweat. Finally his radio clicked. â€Å"The camera isn't here,† the voice said. â€Å"I can see where it was mounted, though. Somebody must have removed it.† The technician exhaled heavily. â€Å"Thanks. Hold on a second, will you?† Sighing, he redirected his attention to the bank of video screens in front of him. Huge portions of the complex were open to the public, and wireless cameras had gone missing before, usually stolen by visiting pranksters looking for souvenirs. But as soon as a camera left the facility and was out of range, the signal was lost, and the screen went blank. Perplexed, the technician gazed up at the monitor. A crystal clear image was still coming from camera #86. If the camera was stolen, he wondered, why are we still getting a signal? He knew, of course, there was only one explanation. The camera was still inside the complex, and someone had simply moved it. But who? And why? He studied the monitor a long moment. Finally he picked up his walkie-talkie. â€Å"Are there any closets in that stairwell? Any cupboards or dark alcoves?† The voice replying sounded confused. â€Å"No. Why?† The technician frowned. â€Å"Never mind. Thanks for your help.† He turned off his walkie-talkie and pursed his lips. Considering the small size of the video camera and the fact that it was wireless, the technician knew that camera #86 could be transmitting from just about anywhere within the heavily guarded compound – a densely packed collection of thirty-two separate buildings covering a half-mile radius. The only clue was that the camera seemed to have been placed somewhere dark. Of course, that wasn't much help. The complex contained endless dark locations – maintenance closets, heating ducts, gardening sheds, bedroom wardrobes, even a labyrinth of underground tunnels. Camera #86 could take weeks to locate. But that's the least of my problems, he thought. Despite the dilemma posed by the camera's relocation, there was another far more unsettling matter at hand. The technician gazed up at the image the lost camera was transmitting. It was a stationary object. A modern-looking device like nothing the technician had ever seen. He studied the blinking electronic display at its base. Although the guard had undergone rigorous training preparing him for tense situations, he still sensed his pulse rising. He told himself not to panic. There had to be an explanation. The object appeared too small to be of significant danger. Then again, its presence inside the complex was troubling. Very troubling, indeed. Today of all days, he thought. Security was always a top priority for his employer, but today, more than any other day in the past twelve years, security was of the utmost importance. The technician stared at the object for a long time and sensed the rumblings of a distant gathering storm. Then, sweating, he dialed his superior. 17 Not many children could say they remembered the day they met their father, but Vittoria Vetra could. She was eight years old, living where she always had, Orfanotrofio di Siena, a Catholic orphanage near Florence, deserted by parents she never knew. It was raining that day. The nuns had called for her twice to come to dinner, but as always she pretended not to hear. She lay outside in the courtyard, staring up at the raindrops†¦ feeling them hit her body†¦ trying to guess where one would land next. The nuns called again, threatening that pneumonia might make an insufferably headstrong child a lot less curious about nature. I can't hear you, Vittoria thought. She was soaked to the bone when the young priest came out to get her. She didn't know him. He was new there. Vittoria waited for him to grab her and drag her back inside. But he didn't. Instead, to her wonder, he lay down beside her, soaking his robes in a puddle. â€Å"They say you ask a lot of questions,† the young man said. Vittoria scowled. â€Å"Are questions bad?† He laughed. â€Å"Guess they were right.† â€Å"What are you doing out here?† â€Å"Same thing you're doing†¦ wondering why raindrops fall.† â€Å"I'm not wondering why they fall! I already know!† The priest gave her an astonished look. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Sister Francisca says raindrops are angels' tears coming down to wash away our sins.† â€Å"Wow!† he said, sounding amazed. â€Å"So that explains it.† â€Å"No it doesn't!† the girl fired back. â€Å"Raindrops fall because everything falls! Everything falls! Not just rain!† The priest scratched his head, looking perplexed. â€Å"You know, young lady, you're right. Everything does fall. It must be gravity.† â€Å"It must be what?† He gave her an astonished look. â€Å"You haven't heard of gravity?† â€Å"No.† The priest shrugged sadly. â€Å"Too bad. Gravity answers a lot of questions.† Vittoria sat up. â€Å"What's gravity?† she demanded. â€Å"Tell me!† The priest gave her a wink. â€Å"What do you say I tell you over dinner.† The young priest was Leonardo Vetra. Although he had been an award-winning physics student while in university, he'd heard another call and gone into the seminary. Leonardo and Vittoria became unlikely best friends in the lonely world of nuns and regulations. Vittoria made Leonardo laugh, and he took her under his wing, teaching her that beautiful things like rainbows and the rivers had many explanations. He told her about light, planets, stars, and all of nature through the eyes of both God and science. Vittoria's innate intellect and curiosity made her a captivating student. Leonardo protected her like a daughter. Vittoria was happy too. She had never known the joy of having a father. When every other adult answered her questions with a slap on the wrist, Leonardo spent hours showing her books. He even asked what her ideas were. Vittoria prayed Leonardo would stay with her forever. Then one day, her worst nightmare came true. Father Leonardo told her he was leaving the orphanage. â€Å"I'm moving to Switzerland,† Leonardo said. â€Å"I have a grant to study physics at the University of Geneva.† â€Å"Physics?† Vittoria cried. â€Å"I thought you loved God!† â€Å"I do, very much. Which is why I want to study his divine rules. The laws of physics are the canvas God laid down on which to paint his masterpiece.† Vittoria was devastated. But Father Leonardo had some other news. He told Vittoria he had spoken to his superiors, and they said it was okay if Father Leonardo adopted her. â€Å"Would you like me to adopt you?† Leonardo asked. â€Å"What's adopt mean?† Vittoria said. Father Leonardo told her. Vittoria hugged him for five minutes, crying tears of joy. â€Å"Oh yes! Yes!† Leonardo told her he had to leave for a while and get their new home settled in Switzerland, but he promised to send for her in six months. It was the longest wait of Vittoria's life, but Leonardo kept his word. Five days before her ninth birthday, Vittoria moved to Geneva. She attended Geneva International School during the day and learned from her father at night. Three years later Leonardo Vetra was hired by CERN. Vittoria and Leonardo relocated to a wonderland the likes of which the young Vittoria had never imagined. Vittoria Vetra's body felt numb as she strode down the LHC tunnel. She saw her muted reflection in the LHC and sensed her father's absence. Normally she existed in a state of deep calm, in harmony with the world around her. But now, very suddenly, nothing made sense. The last three hours had been a blur. It had been 10 A.M. in the Balearic Islands when Kohler's call came through. Your father has been murdered. Come home immediately. Despite the sweltering heat on the deck of the dive boat, the words had chilled her to the bone, Kohler's emotionless tone hurting as much as the news. Now she had returned home. But home to what? CERN, her world since she was twelve, seemed suddenly foreign. Her father, the man who had made it magical, was gone. Deep breaths, she told herself, but she couldn't calm her mind. The questions circled faster and faster. Who killed her father? And why? Who was this American â€Å"specialist†? Why was Kohler insisting on seeing the lab? Kohler had said there was evidence that her father's murder was related to the current project. What evidence? Nobody knew what we were working on! And even if someone found out, why would they kill him? As she moved down the LHC tunnel toward her father's lab, Vittoria realized she was about to unveil her father's greatest achievement without him there. She had pictured this moment much differently. She had imagined her father calling CERN's top scientists to his lab, showing them his discovery, watching their awestruck faces. Then he would beam with fatherly pride as he explained to them how it had been one of Vittoria's ideas that had helped him make the project a reality†¦ that his daughter had been integral in his breakthrough. Vittoria felt a lump in her throat. My father and I were supposed to share this moment together. But here she was alone. No colleagues. No happy faces. Just an American stranger and Maximilian Kohler. Maximilian Kohler. Der Konig. Even as a child, Vittoria had disliked the man. Although she eventually came to respect his potent intellect, his icy demeanor always seemed inhuman, the exact antithesis of her father's warmth. Kohler pursued science for its immaculate logic†¦ her father for its spiritual wonder. And yet oddly there had always seemed to be an unspoken respect between the two men. Genius, someone had once explained to her, accepts genius unconditionally. Genius, she thought. My father†¦ Dad. Dead. The entry to Leonardo Vetra's lab was a long sterile hallway paved entirely in white tile. Langdon felt like he was entering some kind of underground insane asylum. Lining the corridor were dozens of framed, black-and-white images. Although Langdon had made a career of studying images, these were entirely alien to him. They looked like chaotic negatives of random streaks and spirals. Modern art? he mused. Jackson Pollock on amphetamines? â€Å"Scatter plots,† Vittoria said, apparently noting Langdon's interest. â€Å"Computer representations of particle collisions. That's the Z-particle,† she said, pointing to a faint track that was almost invisible in the confusion. â€Å"My father discovered it five years ago. Pure energy – no mass at all. It may well be the smallest building block in nature. Matter is nothing but trapped energy.† Matter is energy? Langdon cocked his head. Sounds pretty Zen. He gazed at the tiny streak in the photograph and wondered what his buddies in the Harvard physics department would say when he told them he'd spent the weekend hanging out in a Large Hadron Collider admiring Z-particles. â€Å"Vittoria,† Kohler said, as they approached the lab's imposing steel door, â€Å"I should mention that I came down here this morning looking for your father.† Vittoria flushed slightly. â€Å"You did?† â€Å"Yes. And imagine my surprise when I discovered he had replaced CERN's standard keypad security with something else.† Kohler motioned to an intricate electronic device mounted beside the door. â€Å"I apologize,† she said. â€Å"You know how he was about privacy. He didn't want anyone but the two of us to have access.† Kohler said, â€Å"Fine. Open the door.† Vittoria stood a long moment. Then, pulling a deep breath, she walked to the mechanism on the wall. Langdon was in no way prepared for what happened next. Vittoria stepped up to the device and carefully aligned her right eye with a protruding lens that looked like a telescope. Then she pressed a button. Inside the machine, something clicked. A shaft of light oscillated back and forth, scanning her eyeball like a copy machine. â€Å"It's a retina scan,† she said. â€Å"Infallible security. Authorized for two retina patterns only. Mine and my father's.† Robert Langdon stood in horrified revelation. The image of Leonardo Vetra came back in grisly detail – the bloody face, the solitary hazel eye staring back, and the empty eye socket. He tried to reject the obvious truth, but then he saw it†¦ beneath the scanner on the white tile floor†¦ faint droplets of crimson. Dried blood. Vittoria, thankfully, did not notice. The steel door slid open and she walked through. Kohler fixed Langdon with an adamant stare. His message was clear: As I told you†¦ the missing eye serves a higher purpose. 18 The woman's hands were tied, her wrists now purple and swollen from chafing. The mahogany-skinned Hassassin lay beside her, spent, admiring his naked prize. He wondered if her current slumber was just a deception, a pathetic attempt to avoid further service to him. He did not care. He had reaped sufficient reward. Sated, he sat up in bed. In his country women were possessions. Weak. Tools of pleasure. Chattel to be traded like livestock. And they understood their place. But here, in Europe, women feigned a strength and independence that both amused and excited him. Forcing them into physical submission was a gratification he always enjoyed. Now, despite the contentment in his loins, the Hassassin sensed another appetite growing within him. He had killed last night, killed and mutilated, and for him killing was like heroin†¦ each encounter satisfying only temporarily before increasing his longing for more. The exhilaration had worn off. The craving had returned. He studied the sleeping woman beside him. Running his palm across her neck, he felt aroused with the knowledge that he could end her life in an instant. What would it matter? She was subhuman, a vehicle only of pleasure and service. His strong fingers encircled her throat, savoring her delicate pulse. Then, fighting desire, he removed his hand. There was work to do. Service to a higher cause than his own desire. As he got out of bed, he reveled in the honor of the job before him. He still could not fathom the influence of this man named Janus and the ancient brotherhood he commanded. Wondrously, the brotherhood had chosen him. Somehow they had learned of his loathing†¦ and of his skills. How, he would never know. Their roots reach wide. Now they had bestowed on him the ultimate honor. He would be their hands and their voice. Their assassin and their messenger. The one his people knew as Malak al-haq – the Angel of Truth. 19 Vetra's lab was wildly futuristic. Stark white and bounded on all sides by computers and specialized electronic equipment, it looked like some sort of operating room. Langdon wondered what secrets this place could possibly hold to justify cutting out someone's eye to gain entrance. Kohler looked uneasy as they entered, his eyes seeming to dart about for signs of an intruder. But the lab was deserted. Vittoria moved slowly too†¦ as if the lab felt unknown without her father there. Langdon's gaze landed immediately in the center of the room, where a series of short pillars rose from the floor. Like a miniature Stonehenge, a dozen or so columns of polished steel stood in a circle in the middle of the room. The pillars were about three feet tall, reminding Langdon of museum displays for valuable gems. These pillars, however, were clearly not for precious stones. Each supported a thick, transparent canister about the size of a tennis ball can. They appeared empty. Kohler eyed the canisters, looking puzzled. He apparently decided to ignore them for the time being. He turned to Vittoria. â€Å"Has anything been stolen?† â€Å"Stolen? How?† she argued. â€Å"The retina scan only allows entry to us.† â€Å"Just look around.† Vittoria sighed and surveyed the room for a few moments. She shrugged. â€Å"Everything looks as my father always leaves it. Ordered chaos.† Langdon sensed Kohler weighing his options, as if wondering how far to push Vittoria†¦ how much to tell her. Apparently he decided to leave it for the moment. Moving his wheelchair toward the center of the room, he surveyed the mysterious cluster of seemingly empty canisters. â€Å"Secrets,† Kohler finally said, â€Å"are a luxury we can no longer afford.† Vittoria nodded in acquiescence, looking suddenly emotional, as if being here brought with it a torrent of memories. Give her a minute, Langdon thought. As though preparing for what she was about to reveal, Vittoria closed her eyes and breathed. Then she breathed again. And again. And again†¦ Langdon watched her, suddenly concerned. Is she okay? He glanced at Kohler, who appeared unfazed, apparently having seen this ritual before. Ten seconds passed before Vittoria opened her eyes. Langdon could not believe the metamorphosis. Vittoria Vetra had been transformed. Her full lips were lax, her shoulders down, and her eyes soft and assenting. It was as though she had realigned every muscle in her body to accept the situation. The resentful fire and personal anguish had been quelled somehow beneath a deeper, watery cool. â€Å"Where to begin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she said, her accent unruffled. â€Å"At the beginning,† Kohler said. â€Å"Tell us about your father's experiment.† â€Å"Rectifying science with religion has been my father's life dream,† Vittoria said. â€Å"He hoped to prove that science and religion are two totally compatible fields – two different approaches to finding the same truth.† She paused as if unable to believe what she was about to say. â€Å"And recently†¦ he conceived of a way to do that.† Kohler said nothing. â€Å"He devised an experiment, one he hoped would settle one of the most bitter conflicts in the history of science and religion.† Langdon wondered which conflict she could mean. There were so many. â€Å"Creationism,† Vittoria declared. â€Å"The battle over how the universe came to be.† Oh, Langdon thought. The debate. â€Å"The Bible, of course, states that God created the universe,† she explained. â€Å"God said, ‘Let there be light,' and everything we see appeared out of a vast emptiness. Unfortunately, one of the fundamental laws of physics states that matter cannot be created out of nothing.† Langdon had read about this stalemate. The idea that God allegedly created â€Å"something from nothing† was totally contrary to accepted laws of modern physics and therefore, scientists claimed, Genesis was scientifically absurd. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† Vittoria said, turning, â€Å"I assume you are familiar with the Big Bang Theory?† Langdon shrugged. â€Å"More or less.† The Big Bang, he knew, was the scientifically accepted model for the creation of the universe. He didn't really understand it, but according to the theory, a single point of intensely focused energy erupted in a cataclysmic explosion, expanding outward to form the universe. Or something like that. Vittoria continued. â€Å"When the Catholic Church first proposed the Big Bang Theory in 1927, the – â€Å" â€Å"I'm sorry?† Langdon interrupted, before he could stop himself. â€Å"You say the Big Bang was a Catholic idea?† Vittoria looked surprised by his question â€Å"Of course. Proposed by a Catholic monk, Georges Lematre in 1927.† â€Å"But, I thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he hesitated. â€Å"Wasn't the Big Bang proposed by Harvard astronomer Edwin Hubble?† Kohler glowered. â€Å"Again, American scientific arrogance. Hubble published in 1929, two years after Lematre.† Langdon scowled. It's called the Hubble Telescope, sir – I've never heard of any Lematre Telescope! â€Å"Mr. Kohler is right,† Vittoria said, â€Å"the idea belonged to Lematre. Hubble only confirmed it by gathering the hard evidence that proved the Big Bang was scientifically probable.† â€Å"Oh,† Langdon said, wondering if the Hubble-fanatics in the Harvard Astronomy Department ever mentioned Lematre in their lectures. â€Å"When Lematre first proposed the Big Bang Theory,† Vittoria continued, â€Å"scientists claimed it was utterly ridiculous. Matter, science said, could not be created out of nothing. So, when Hubble shocked the world by scientifically proving the Big Bang was accurate, the church claimed victory, heralding this as proof that the Bible was scientifically accurate. The divine truth.† Langdon nodded, focusing intently now. â€Å"Of course scientists did not appreciate having their discoveries used by the church to promote religion, so they immediately mathematicized the Big Bang Theory, removed all religious overtones, and claimed it as their own. Unfortunately for science, however, their equations, even today, have one serious deficiency that the church likes to point out.† Kohler grunted. â€Å"The singularity.† He spoke the word as if it were the bane of his existence. â€Å"Yes, the singularity,† Vittoria said. â€Å"The exact moment of creation. Time zero.† She looked at Langdon. â€Å"Even today, science cannot grasp the initial moment of creation. Our equations explain the early universe quite effectively, but as we move back in time, approaching time zero, suddenly our mathematics disintegrates, and everything becomes meaningless.† â€Å"Correct,† Kohler said, his voice edgy, â€Å"and the church holds up this deficiency as proof of God's miraculous involvement. Come to your point.† Vittoria's expression became distant. â€Å"My point is that my father had always believed in God's involvement in the Big Bang. Even though science was unable to comprehend the divine moment of creation, he believed someday it would.† She motioned sadly to a laser-printed memo tacked over her father's work area. â€Å"My dad used to wave that in my face every time I had doubts.† Langdon read the message: Science and religion are not at odds. Science is simply too young to understand. â€Å"My dad wanted to bring science to a higher level,† Vittoria said, â€Å"where science supported the concept of God.† She ran a hand through her long hair, looking melancholy. â€Å"He set out to do something no scientist had ever thought to do. Something that no one has ever had the technology to do.† She paused, as though uncertain how to speak the next words. â€Å"He designed an experiment to prove Genesis was possible.† Prove Genesis? Langdon wondered. Let there be light? Matter from nothing? Kohler's dead gaze bore across the room. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"My father created a universe†¦ from nothing at all.† Kohler snapped his head around. â€Å"What!† â€Å"Better said, he recreated the Big Bang.† Kohler looked ready to jump to his feet. Langdon was officially lost. Creating a universe? Recreating the Big Bang? â€Å"It was done on a much smaller scale, of course,† Vittoria said, talking faster now. â€Å"The process was remarkably simple. He accelerated two ultrathin particle beams in opposite directions around the accelerator tube. The two beams collided head-on at enormous speeds, driving into one another and compressing all their energy into a single pinpoint. He achieved extreme energy densities.† She started rattling off a stream of units, and the director's eyes grew wider. Langdon tried to keep up. So Leonardo Vetra was simulating the compressed point of energy from which the universe supposedly sprang. â€Å"The result,† Vittoria said, â€Å"was nothing short of wondrous. When it is published, it will shake the very foundation of modern physics.† She spoke slowly now, as though savoring the immensity of her news. â€Å"Without warning, inside the accelerator tube, at this point of highly focused energy, particles of matter began appearing out of nowhere.† Kohler made no reaction. He simply stared. â€Å"Matter,† Vittoria repeated. â€Å"Blossoming out of nothing. An incredible display of subatomic fireworks. A miniature universe springing to life. He proved not only that matter can be created from nothing, but that the Big Bang and Genesis can be explained simply by accepting the presence of an enormous source of energy.† â€Å"You mean God?† Kohler demanded. â€Å"God, Buddha, The Force, Yahweh, the singularity, the unicity point – call it whatever you like – the result is the same. Science and religion support the same truth – pure energy is the father of creation.† When Kohler finally spoke, his voice was somber. â€Å"Vittoria, you have me at a loss. It sounds like you're telling me your father created matter†¦ out of nothing?† â€Å"Yes.† Vittoria motioned to the canisters. â€Å"And there is the proof. In those canisters are specimens of the matter he created.† Kohler coughed and moved toward the canisters like a wary animal circling something he instinctively sensed was wrong. â€Å"I've obviously missed something,† he said. â€Å"How do you expect anyone to believe these canisters contain particles of matter your father actually created? They could be particles from anywhere at all.† â€Å"Actually,† Vittoria said, sounding confident, â€Å"they couldn't. These particles are unique. They are a type of matter that does not exist anywhere on earth†¦ hence they had to be created.† Kohler's expression darkened. â€Å"Vittoria, what do you mean a certain type of matter? There is only one type of matter, and it – † Kohler stopped short. Vittoria's expression was triumphant. â€Å"You've lectured on it yourself, director. The universe contains two kinds of matter. Scientific fact.† Vittoria turned to Langdon. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, what does the Bible say about the Creation? What did God create?† Langdon felt awkward, not sure what this had to do with anything. â€Å"Um, God created†¦ light and dark, heaven and hell – â€Å" â€Å"Exactly,† Vittoria said. â€Å"He created everything in opposites. Symmetry. Perfect balance.† She turned back to Kohler. â€Å"Director, science claims the same thing as religion, that the Big Bang created everything in the universe with an opposite.† â€Å"Including matter itself,† Kohler whispered, as if to himself. Vittoria nodded. â€Å"And when my father ran his experiment, sure enough, two kinds of matter appeared.† Langdon wondered what this meant. Leonardo Vetra created matter's opposite? Kohler looked angry. â€Å"The substance you're referring to only exists elsewhere in the universe. Certainly not on earth. And possibly not even in our galaxy!† â€Å"Exactly,† Vittoria replied, â€Å"which is proof that the particles in these canisters had to be created.† Kohler's face hardened. â€Å"Vittoria, surely you can't be saying those canisters contain actual specimens?† â€Å"I am.† She gazed proudly at the canisters. â€Å"Director, you are looking at the world's first specimens of antimatter.†

Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay

The themes that are introduced and emphasised in Chapter 8 of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations are a near complete summary of the themes of the novel as a whole and of the conditions in which the English people had to live with in the 1800’s. This chapter epitomises the circumstances in which English people lived and the situations that they faced, and it looks at many different perspectives and takes into account many different factors. The Industrial Revolution was a period in time when everything in England changed rapidly, and Dickens made sure that he captured England’s huge transition in every light he could. Dickens himself lived in poverty for a number of years, and his main motive for writing books (such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby) was his desire to see change. These books are based around injustice and the divide between wealth and poverty. Chapter 8 of Great Expectations clearly defines the issues that Dickens sought to deal with through writing. The very first thing that happens in Chapter 8 Pip’s uncomfortable breakfast with Mr Pumblechook. Pip states in his narrative that ‘on politely bidding him Good morning’, Pumblechook immediately asked him a mathematics question. The breakfast then proceeds to continues in this manner (‘before I had swallowed a morsel, he began a running sum that lasted throughout breakfast. ‘) This is a prime example of control. This is one of the themes that come to the fore as the novel progresses. Pip finds that he very rarely has a choice in matters, he is either forced to do something or it would be very foolish or insulting to decline making certain choices. His life his almost completely influenced by others, and he often has no control over it at all. In Chapter 8, he is controlled by Pumblechook (as afore mentioned), Estella (‘†You are to wait here, boy. â€Å"‘) and Miss Havisham (‘†Play! â€Å"‘). In particular, Miss Havisham manipulates the lives of Estella and Pip to suit her own twisted, selfish needs to the point where she is remorseful of her actions. Dickens stresses the point that, in this era, the wealthy people dictate the actions of the poorer people. The fact that Pip is sitting back and enjoying the ride, so to speak, is a result of the people around him ordering and demanding things of him. Pip rarely has a choice to make, and is manipulated and used by many people, some with good intentions (Magwitch), some with evil intentions (Miss Havisham and Compeyson). Control and the gulf between inferiority and superiority are perpetual forces in the novel.