Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution Essay Example

Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution Paper Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) was a French, arguably quintessential, sociologist with his assertions that society sui generis is the subject matter of sociology. Treat social facts as things is a famous dictum of Durkheim by which he means social phenomena is an objective realm, external to individuals. Social facts are ways of acting, thinking or feeling that are external to individuals, having their own reality outside the perceptions and lives of individuals (Giddens, 2001, p9). These social facts exercise a coercive power over individuals. Durkheim considered sociology as a new science. By examining traditional philosophical questions empirically, sociology could be used to elucidate these questions. We will write a custom essay sample on Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marx and Durkheim agreed about the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society but disagreed about their cause and solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Durkheim was intensely concerned about the social pathology of contemporary industrial society (Anderson et al, 1987, p47). Durkheim was also particularly interested in social and moral solidarity and so studied what holds society together and what keeps society from descending into chaos. Durkheim approached modernity and the industrial revolution through the study of the division of labour (LaCapra, 1972, p82). In 1893 Durkheim wrote his first major works, The Division of Labour in Society in which he contrasted mechanical and organic solidarity and related them to the growth of distinctions between different occupations the division of labour. Durkheim argued that primitive societies were characterised by a mechanical solidarity with a limited division of labour. Social solidarity was based on shared values, all individuals performed similar tasks and were bound together by a common collective conscience. After a gradual move towards an organic society with an advanced division of labour, individuals had different occupational roles and social solidarity was based on moral individualism and cultural pluralism. Social integration was based upon the division of labour. Although Durkheim rejected ideas of both Comte and Saint-Simon, Durkheim did believe that the organic division of labour could provide the basis for individual freedom and social co-operation if the pathological features of contemporary society were eliminated (Anderson et al, 1987, p47). Durkheim introduced the concept of anomie to sociology, which literally means without norms. Anomie exists when society fails to provide a limiting framework of social norms, resulting in unhappiness and social disorders. Durkheim aimed to establish sociology as a science and to establish the requirements to maintain social order in modern societies. After witnessing the growth of industrial production and the inequalities that resulted from this growth, Karl Marx (1818-1883) sought to explain the changes that were occurring in society during the Industrial Revolution era. Marx saw the new and old societies, capitalism and feudalism, in stark contrast. Feudalism was based on the agricultural, rural society, the opposite of industrial capitalist society. Industrial capitalism is dominated by the market. In the production of goods for the market their intrinsic worth plays little part; the worth of any commodity is its exchange value. Everything in society is dominated by the cash nexus, including labour which becomes another commodity to be bought and sold (Anderson et al, 1987, p5). Marx argued that the capitalist property-owners form a ruling class, whom Marx called the bourgeoisie, employers of wage-labour, the property-less working class, whom Marx labelled the proletariat. As industrialisation developed, large numbers of peasants moved to expanding cities and so aided the formation of an urban-based industrial working class. The middle class of merchants and manufacturers (or capitalists) were bourgeois, as distinguished from the remnant of the feudal class, from the proletariat of industrial labourers, and from the peasantry (Smelser et al, 1976, p54). Marx argued that Capitalism is inherently a class system in which class relations are characterised by conflict (Giddens, 2001, p12). In Marxs view, the bourgeoisie were able to generate profit by exploiting the proletariat through oppressive devaluation of skilled labour and its experience. Ultimately, for Marx, this led to alienation the degradation of the workers to become a most miserable sort of commodity whose misery is in inverse proportion to the power and size of his production (Marx, 1848, p77). This commodity would become the social class, called the proletariat by Marx. Labour was organised solely with regard to efficiency and the pursuit of profit. These factors led to inequalities of the working class which increased dramatically the gap between the capitalists and the working class, as well as the wealth and lifestyles of property-owners. Shopkeepers, independent craftsmen and so on were undermined as capitalist production developed a competitive appetite. Marx claimed that it is not acquisitive and competitive individuals who produce capitalist society. It is capitalist society that produces competitive and acquisitive individuals (Hughes et al, 1995). Marx and Durkheim often had conflicting ideas. However, they did share similar views about some sociological ideas. Both believed that scientifically based knowledge of society could be used to improve the conditions of humanity. Both believed their task was to discover the laws that governed the organisation of the social order and draw parallels with the ways in which the natural sciences had revealed the laws of nature. When looking at the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist society, Marx and Durkheim share the argument that the individual and collective were in opposition to one another. They both believed that the individual is a naturally self-interested being which flourished only when exempt from any kind of control by society was a manifestation of modern society and, indeed, of the most pathological features of that society (Anderson et al, 1987, p132). Marx and Durkheim both viewed the individual as a being with a need for society. However, Marx suggested that Man has a nature that will eventually assert and fulfil itself and will do so at the expense of a decadent social order (Smelser et al, 1976, p123). Durkheim claimed that Mans need for society is met less by substantive principles of justice and more by social ties and normative limits (Smelser et al, 1976, p123). Marx and Durkheim argued that we live in societies, called organic by Durkheim and capitalist by Marx, in which people are increasingly, individually, able to do what they want to do but less and less part of social groups. The idea that people should be free from external constraint was opposed by neither Durkheim nor Marx but both believe that in modern societies, extreme freedom can be a bad thing for the individual. Marx and Durkheim tried to disclose the concept of freedom of the individual in western societies of the nineteenth century as an illusion. The freedom of the individual was, Marx argued, only apparent, a superficial kind of freedom (Anderson et al, 1987, p132). Although Marx and Durkheim showed agreement about the problems of industrial capitalist society they disagreed about the causes, as we have seen, and solutions, of this society. Durkheim displayed a particular avoidance of much of Marxs work. Durkheim did relatively little to build upon the integration with the work of Marx. The Marx whom Durkheim particularly abhorred was the Marx who advocated class conflict and violent revolution in modern society (LaCapra, 1972, p23). Durkheim believed that the conception of modern society proceeded through a pathological state of rapid transition, developing into normality. Durkheim was optimistic that modern society possessed the ability to resolve the severe problems produced by industrial capitalist society. Like the political and social theorist Rousseau, Marx desired a means to vanquish the inequalities and divisions of the society of his time and to constitute a true community. In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all (Marx, 1848, p31). Marx, also like Rousseau, pinpointed the obstacle to attainment in the circumstantially developed divisions among people, particularly the division of labour. Marx argued that social change is primarily prompted by economic influences. Class conflicts provide the drive for historical development and change. Marx called this idea the materialist conception of history. The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles (Marx, 1848, p222). In accordance with his view of history, Marx argued that just like the bourgeois had united to abolish the feudal society, so too would the bourgeois be ousted and a new society installed. Marx believed that the proletariat would develop the capacity and the will overtime to revolt, resulting in the downfall of the capitalist system. This would enable a new society to evolve in which there would be no classes and so no vast divisions between rich and poor. Marx believed that inequalities would no longer contain the split of the mass of the population that were exploited by the ruling class who, in their small minority, monopolised the economical and political power. The revolution that would overthrow capitalism would lead to communism. This political ideology, derived from socialism, aimed to create a society in which private productive property, social classes and the state are absent. With the revolutionary defeat of capitalism, Marx envisaged the emergence of socialist societies in which the state would still play a role but only with the transformation of all property relations. Whereas Marx saw the solution to social problems in terms of direct political actions, Durkheim took a more Clinician-cum-managerialist view by emphasising the effective treatment of the pathological conditions which can afflict society through the deliberate reorganisation of its institutions (Hughes et al, 1995). Durkheim believed modern society would naturally evolve in the direction of normality, certainly without violent revolution (LaCapra, 1973, p22). Durkheim argues that individuals need to integrate forms of behaviour. Individuals now pursue varied lines of work, are not self-sufficient and must engage in multiple exchanges with others. The mechanical society, where individuals performed similar tasks and experienced shared values, is not enough for the individual, who wants to pursue different roles and experience freedom to do what the individual wants to do. The view of human nature held by Durkheim was that there is no natural limit to the desires, ambitions or needs of the individual. This view stands in the tradition of the English philosopher and political theorist, Thomas Hobbes. Durkheim argued that the required limits must be socially produced. Durkheims concept of anomie is a condition of society.. in which there exists little consensus, a lack of certainty on values or goals, and a loss of effectiveness in the normative and moral framework which regulates collective and individual life (Jary, 2000). Durkheim sees anomie as an abnormal social form, resulting from the failure of modern societies to move fully from a mechanical society to an organic society. What Durkheim called an anomic division of labour existed because occupations were not allocated according to skills or experience and so were obliterated. Economic activity in these societies remained unregulated by a coherent value system. Not only did Durkheim criticise the anomic character of the division of labour but also its forced and excessive character. It was forced because the inheritance of private property meant that individuals were not free to find the work most suited to their skills and talents; it was excessive because workers often had insufficient work to keep them occupied in a way that produced job satisfaction (Anderson et al, 1987, p48). Durkheim argued that these factors of the modern divisions of labour led to class conflict. Durkheims solution to the problems of industrial capitalist society was to properly regulate the division of labour. This would end class struggles, achieved through economic co-operation among modern guild associations and through the overall political and moral guidance of a liberal republican state whose power could be checked as necessary through these same guilds(Anderson et al, 1987, p48). Durkheim proposed that the organisation of intermediate groups, such as professional and occupational groups, would enable the individual to bind into the community. Both conflicting and confirming each other at various stages of their writings, Marx and Durkheim, when analysed, attract similar conclusions as to the nature of the problems of industrial capitalist societies. The theorists seem to recognise that capitalism is inevitable and both agree that inequality is the foreseeable outcome. Both Marxs and Durkheims work have attracted criticism and opposition. Marxs class analysis has been opposed for not sufficiently considering the rise of new middle class groups, or affluence. This suggests that Marxs theory of social change and revolution is wrong, although Marx never set a time scale for revolution. Durkheims work has attracted criticism for overstating general normative and social structural influences at the expense of individual agency, although it was always Durkheims intention to leave scope for the latter within his sociology (Jary, 2000). Marx developed a theory that generated specific predictions about the future of capitalism (Smelser et al, 1976, p259). Marx argued that society is a human product, that mens thinking and acting shape the social world, although he also claims that man is a social product. Marxs theory helped to shape sociology even as it was changing the world; Durkheims influence on sociology is unparalleled (Smelser et al, 1976, p70). Despite criticisms and opposing theories, Marx and Durkheim have left a major impression on the sociological world that has shaped and influenced modern sociology and its theorists.

buy custom Riordan Manufacturing essay

buy custom Riordan Manufacturing essay Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. is a firm leader in the field of plastic inoculation molding. With condition-of-the art design functionalities, they generate innovative plastic designs that have gained international acclaim. The following are the network security functions required in the Riordan inventory and manufacturing systems. The first concern is that the industry has incomplete network documentation. The available network topology does not illustrate component location of the switches, routers, hubs, clients and servers. Furthermore, no computer node and port identification; in addition, there are no network security procedures and policies in place. Within Riordan Manufacturing Inc.s network security preparation is the network safety measures plan for Inventory and Manufacturing Systems (IMS). Particularly, this plans intention is ensure the integrity and quality of IMS data all through the IMS process, from inserting the order for unprocessed materials, receiving of the raw res ources, warehousing and enactment of raw materials, manufacturing and assemblage, packaging, back to store and, lastly shipping. Network security plans characteristically include the following, Firewall, VPN, Traffic shaping, Antivirus, Intrusion prevention system (IPS), Antispyware. The network security necessary functions are twofold, Internal and External transversely multiple applications and procedures as well as several locations throughout the surrounding. After a careful team review of current network security at Riordan Manufacturing Inc., deliberation was given to a complete system, refurbish, but was decided besides the enormousness of such a responsibility was beyond the extent of the Service Request. Riordan Manufacturing should spend in putting into place an automated structure for handling the inventory and manufacturing processes. Conclusion Most of these security requirements are addressed by the accessible system. However, with the accumulation t of RFID there are fresh security concerns consequential from the wireless nature or the invention such as RFID in Manufacturing, 2004. As a result, security practices such as data protection, authentication, and authorization need to be fully implemented for proper access management of the system. The above concerns need to be implemented to address the necessary network in security of the company. Buy custom Riordan Manufacturing essay buy custom Riordan Manufacturing essay It is clear that firms should improve on their systems thus improving on manufacturing and inventory processes. Some of the changes, which are vital for an enacted to achieve this, include upgrading current systems as increased utilization of computer systems for firms to be more efficient. For Riordan Manufacturing, the need of using computerized systems in data entry is a matter of urgency in all its braches such as San Jose, Michigan, Georgia and China. Currently, the firm uses different system in the branches, thus becoming hard to consolidate manufacturing and inventory information. Further, it is hard to euthanatize inventories from external facilites resulting to lack of continuity thus increased costs and time consumption. Business requirements definition for system upgrades For Riordan Manufacturing, manufacturing and inventory system upgrade is based on three major options. They include the virtualBox from Sun Microsystems, VirtualBOS: Business Operating Systems and Microsoft Office Accounting Express. In upgrading the system, Riordan Manufacturing may use the existing or acquire new equipments for the purpose .By using the existing hardware to upgrade the system; Riordan Manufacturing will be able to cut on cost hence better performance on all its branches. It is vital come up with time implementattion deadline by use of Gantt chart for managing the projects, software and hardware installations, assessments, software support and user training. By selecting one of the present actions, based on cost and time effectiveness among other notable aspects, the firm will be able to carry out the inventory and manufacturing upgrade within the stipulated duration by selected team. Conclusion From above information, it is clear that Riordan Manufacturing can adopt any of the above actions for system upgrade. By doping this, the firm will reduce on operation cost and meet the set deadlines in all its branches across the globe. Buy custom Riordan Manufacturing essay

Biography of Charles Sheeler, Precisionist Artist

Biography of Charles Sheeler, Precisionist Artist Charles Sheeler (July 16, 1883 - May 7, 1965) was an artist who received acclaim for both his photography and painting. He was a leader of the American Precisionist movement which focused on realistic depictions of strong geometric lines and forms. He also revolutionized commercial art blurring the lines between advertising and fine art. Fast Facts: Charles Sheeler Occupation: ArtistArtistic Movement: PrecisionismBorn: July 16, 1883, in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDied: May 7, 1965, in Dobbs Ferry, New YorkEducation: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine ArtsSelected Works: Crissed Crossed Conveyors (1927), American Landscape (1930), Golden Gate (1955)Notable Quote: â€Å"I favor a picture which arrives at its destination without the evidence of a trying journey rather than one which shows the marks of battle.† Early Life and Career Born and raised in a middle-class family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Charles Sheeler received encouragement from his parents to pursue art from an early age. After graduating from high school, he attended the Pennsylvania School of Industrial Art to study industrial drawing and applied arts. At the academy, he met American impressionist painter William Merritt Chase  who became his mentor and modernist painter and photographer Morton Schamberg who became his best friend. During the first decade of the 20th century, Sheeler traveled to Europe with his parents and Schamberg. He studied painters from the Middle Ages in Italy and visited Michael and Sarah Stein, patrons of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, in Paris. The Cubist style of the latter two had a significant impact on Sheelers later work. When he returned to the U.S., Sheeler knew that he could not support himself with income from his painting alone, so he turned to photography. He taught himself to take photos with a $5 Kodak Brownie camera. Sheeler opened a photography studio in Doylestown, Pennsylvania in 1910 and earned money photographing construction projects of local architects and builders. The wood stove in Sheelers house in Doylestown, Pennsylvania was the subject of many of his early photographic works. In the 1910s, Charles Sheeler supplemented his income by photographing works of art for both galleries and collectors. In 1913, he participated in the landmark Armory Show in New York City that exhibited the works of the most noted American modernists of the time. Painting After the tragic death of his best friend Morton Schamberg in the influenza pandemic of 1918, Charles Sheeler moved to New York City. There, the streets and buildings of Manhattan became the focus of his work. He worked with fellow photographer Paul Strand on the 1921 short film Manhatta. Following its exploration of the urban landscape, Sheeler created paintings of some of the scenes. He followed his usual technique of taking photographs and drawing sketches before committing the image to paint. In New York, Sheeler became friends with poet William Carlos Williams. Precision with words was a hallmark of Williams writing, and it matched Sheelers attention to structure and forms in his painting and photography. They attended speakeasies together with their wives during the Prohibition years. Another important friendship developed with the French artist Marcel Duchamp. The pair shared an appreciation of the Dada movements break from concern about traditional notions of aesthetics. Alfred Eisenstaedt / LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images Sheeler considered his 1929 painting Upper Deck a powerful representation of all that hed learned to that point about art. He based the work on a photograph of the German steamship S.S. Majestic. To Sheeler, it allowed him to use the structures of abstract painting to represent something entirely realistic. In the 1930s, Sheeler painted celebrated scenes of the Ford Motor Company River Rouge plant based on his own photographs. At first glance, his 1930 painting American Landscape appears peaceful like a traditional pastoral landscape painting. However, all of the subject matter is the result of American technological might. It is an example of what was called the industrial sublime. By the 1950s, Sheelers painting turned toward abstraction as he created works that featured parts of larger structures like his bright-colored Golden Gate showing a close-up portion of San Franciscos iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Photography Charles Sheeler worked for corporate photography clients throughout his career. He joined the staff of the Conde Nast magazine publishing firm in 1926 and worked regularly on articles in Vogue and Vanity Fair until 1931 when he was offered regular gallery representation in Manhattan. In late 1927 and early 1928, Sheeler spent six weeks photographing Ford Motor Companys River Rouge production plant. His images received strong positive acclaim. Among the most memorable was Crissed Crossed Conveyors. By the late 1930s, Sheeler was so prominent that Life magazine ran a story on him as their first featured American artist in 1938. The next year New Yorks Museum of Modern Art conducted the first Charles Sheeler museum retrospective including over one hundred paintings and drawings and seventy-three photographs. William Carlos Williams wrote the exhibition catalog. Alfred Eisenstaedt / LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images In the 1940s and 1950s, Sheeler worked with additional corporations such as General Motors, U.S. Steel, and Kodak. He also worked for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in the 1940s photographing items from their collections. Sheeler cultivated friendships with other renowned photographers including Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. Precisionism By his own definition, Charle Sheeler was part of the distinctly American movement in the arts called Precisionism. It is one of the earliest modernist styles. It is most often characterized by a precise depiction of the strong geometric lines and forms found in realistic subject matter. The works of precisionist artists celebrated the new industrial American landscape of skyscrapers, factories, and bridges. Influenced by Cubism and presaging Pop Art, Precisionism avoided social and political commentary while the artists rendered their image in an exact, almost rigid style. Among the key figures were Charles Demuth, Joseph Stella, and Charles Sheeler himself. Georgia OKeefes husband, photographer, and art dealer Alfred Stieglitz was a strong supporter of the movement. By the 1950s, many observers considered the style outdated. Later Years Sheelers style in his later years remained distinctive. He abstracted subjects into an almost flat plane of lines and angles. In 1959, Charles Sheeler suffered a debilitating stroke which ended his active career. He died in 1965. Legacy Charles Sheelers focus on industry and cityscapes as subjects for his art influenced the Beat movement of the 1950s. Author Allen Ginsberg, in particular, taught himself photography skills to emulate Sheelers groundbreaking work. Sheelers photography blurred the boundaries between commercial and fine art when he eagerly embraced industrial corporations and artistic depictions of their production plants and products. Source Brock, Charles. Charles Sheeler: Across Media. University of California Press, 2006.

MPH503 - Infertility and Public Health Module 4 - SLP Essay

MPH503 - Infertility and Public Health Module 4 - SLP - Essay Example he objective to educate them about the common emotional and physical health issues faced by infertile couples and role of a caregiver in this situation. Below explains the method of assessment of the impact of the above workshop. The participants are given a question paper with 10 questions (combination of both multiple choice and open ended questions) to answer immediately before starting the programme. The questionnaire is consisted of the questions which help to identify the pre-exposure knowledge and the typical practice of the participants related to emotional and physical health issues of infertile individuals. The same questionnaire will be given to the same participants at the end of the workshop. Questions are given marks according to a scale and mean total scores of pre and post exposure questions will be statistically compared to find out possible significant improvement. Statistical significance indicates the efficiency of the workshop. This assessment helps to find out whether the things learned at the workshop effectively practiced by the participants at the institution and whether they really help to beneficiaries to overcome their problems. A random sample of 20 infertile individuals treated at the institution are selected. They are interviewed face to face to find answers to pre prepared questions. This will be done within a week before the workshop. The questions are carefully prepared to understand the current physical and psychological support received by the infertile individuals by primary caregivers and the effectiveness. Between one to two weeks after the workshop a random sample of 20 infertile individuals (not the same individuals selected for the first sample) is selected and face to face interview is scheduled to cover the answers to same questions about practice of the primary health care

Sales Proposal NESTLE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sales Proposal NESTLE - Essay Example Nesextravaganza is the name of the cold coffee that will be offered by Nestle at all of the parlors’ outlets so that everyone around the country can try it out. It has a huge range of direct and indirect competitors as it is competing with many brands in each of its product category. As the competition is at its peak, Nestle has to work upon differentiation strategies to deal with their customers and also ensure that they maintain their customer base in the market. Associating the brand name with an ice cream parlor is a unique and creative idea as well because many organizations are not observed to take such a step. However, for the cold coffee, it is in direct competition with Starbucks, Gelato Affairs, Movenpick and all other coffee shops ice cream parlors that are offering cold coffees. In the initial phase, the company has decided to introduce three unique flavors in cold coffee; one will be simple but strong cold coffee, second option will be caramel flavored cold coffee and third will be the chocolate flavored cold coffee. Since Ben & Jerry’s has seen a robust growth in the demand of cold coffee at its coffee parlors, it has to include this product in its menu list so that it can enter into the coffee market like Gelato Affairs has done. All organizations need to move ahead in the competition with the business requirements, ignoring any competitive move would prove to be consequential for the firm. At it already has a huge range of flavors in the ice cream category, it has the potential of offering various other options in cold coffee in the long-run which can enhance the experience of its customers to a great extent. Nestle has carried out the market survey and it is concluded in the study that the customers are willing to pay premium prices for having an excellent cold coffee at the ice cream parlors. The respondents have emphasized in the survey that they would love to have a chilled glass of cold coffee at Ben & Jerry’s which is has been ranked at the top level by the customers. It was even revealed that the target market prefers to visit this parlor once a week with their friends as it is their favorite place for hangout. The product ‘Nesextravaganza’ has a huge market potential and it can achieve its objective of gaining the top market share in the cold coffee sector in the ice cream parlors. Nestle Nestle’s history dates back to 1866 when it st arted its operations in Cham, Switzerland by the name ‘Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company’. At that time, it was the foremost European company that was producing condensed milk for the customers. In 1905, the company merged with Nestle as a result of fierce competition within the industry and since then it has been dominating the confectionaries and coffee industries (â€Å"Nestle History†, 2013). The leading brands of Nestle are Nestle Pure Life, Nesquik, Nescafe, Nestle, Haagen-Dazs, Maggi, Milo, Nido, Nestle Milkpak and many more. As of 2012, the company had net profit of $ 10,611 million which is consistent with its 5% yearly growth rate despite the economic recession that is impacting the businesses globally (â€Å"Nestle Key Figures†, 2013). The primary objectives of the company are to be known worldwide as the leading corporation that fosters Nutrition, Wellness and Nutrition, gain trust of all the stakeholders and enhance the financial performance of the entire industry. It is common and well known fact

Role Of Music In Sonnys Blues

Role Of Music In Sonnys Blues The story Sonnys Blues is written by James Baldwin in 1846 and raises the problem of the misconception between two brothers. Their conflict grounded on the problem of racial discrimination in the African-American society. Influenced by the oppression, both bothers developed different views on life, which served as a problem for their common understanding. The narrator has adjusted to the white society still feeling the pressure, but not willing to change it. On the contrary to his brother, Sonny tries to find the way out and to state himself a worthy person of approval and respect. Sonny tries to avoid his pain and sufferings with the immersion into Jazz music, resided to his race. Describing Sonnys lifeline from his brothers perspective, depicting a fair representation of Sonnys relationship with music, and evaluating the authors method for creating a specific frame of mind in readers, it will be possible to create a holistic picture of Sonnys struggle on the way to salvation. The knowledge of Sonnys life comes only through the narrator. The only one evident point in Sonnys character is his hope that he can become a musician. His close minded brother, who seems to be the strict father for Sonny, rather than his supporting brother, expresses his disapproval of Sonnys wish. Suffer the consequences of his criticism Sonny agrees to live with Isabels family, only because they have a piano at home. Even though everybody admits that Sonny was at that piano playing for his life (p.101), nobody really hears and understands him. When he realizes that his efforts to create something from his music failed and he could not meet the expectations of the family, sadness devours him and he runs away. Later in the story, the brother narrates that Sonny starts to use drugs. Next, police arrests him for it and send to prison. Sonny kicks his drug habit and returns to live with his brother. After so many years and events influenced his life, he still continues to develop himse lf as a musician. As a matter of a fact, music plays a very significant role throughout the whole story written by James Baldwin. Basically, it is possible to notice how Sonny is dedicated to music and to jazz in particular. Additionally, the role of music is irreplaceable in defining and describing the major characters, as well as the culture of Harlem as a whole. Seeing Sonnys eternal eagerness to music, it is reasonable to assume that music is the only drug for Sonny, his only way of expressing his hopes and dulling his pain, incomparable even to his drug addiction. Sonnys devotion to Jazz is even able to change the upstanding mind of his brother by the end of the story. Comparing to his brother, who is afraid of the disorder and cannot face pain and uncertainty of the way Sonny lives, Sonny has a radically different perception of the world. Due to Sonnys artistic nature, tenacity and willing to struggle, his brother finally begins to understand not only the value of jazz and blues music, but also himself and his relationship with Sonny. In the club he starts to appreciate Sonny in a way he never did, as a real musician (p.107). Rather than trying to make Sonny fit into his world, he is now in Sonnys world. Or, rather: his kingdom. Here it was not even a question that his veins bore royal blood (p.107). The name of the story is Sonnys Blues, which contradicts with the genre of music, which Sonny is dedicated to. Sonny finds his strengths and motivation in jazz music. Basically, this music genre is based on informal order and format, which gives the musicians a lot of space for genuine expression of their souls. On the other hand, the actual name of the story seems to reflect Sonnys story of life. As a fact, blues is a music genre, which mostly expresses melancholic feelings, as well as it is infused with deep sadness and tragedy. Consequently, by naming the story Sonnys Blues the author defines Sonnys life with a genre, which is full of grief and sorrow, disappointments and frustration. The method which the author uses to frame the flow of the story is very representative, and leads the readers to a specific atmosphere and directs them towards a specific frame of mind. Creating a complete representation of Sonnys struggle on the way to salvation, it was essential to unfold the major aspects of Sonnys story and to describe his relationships with music and its meaning in Sonnys life. Additionally, by analyzing the name of the story it was possible to assemble the right atmosphere the author was trying to create for the readers. Thus, the author has chosen music, for it is communal function to tell the stories of a community of people. Music evokes feelings in performers and in listeners, helping them to cure from the failure in their lives or to at least feel comfortable in the company of others who are similarly afflicted.

Life on the planet Essay

Water is a vital element for the survival of life on the planet. In human beings, water comprises fifty to seventy percent of an adult’s body weight. In humans the abstinence from water results in death in a few days. Water is lost from the human body loses due to urination, sweating and respiration. The body’s water content has to be maintained by regular intake of water and people who fail to consume sufficient water become dehydrated. They develop headaches, tiredness and loss of concentration. Persistent dehydration results in serious health problems such as constipation and gall bladder stones (Hicks, 2005). The human body gets water from water in the pure form and beverages, solid foods such as fruits and vegetables and through the chemical processes in the body. According to the British Dietetic Association, an average adult must consume at least two and half liters of water per day. Of this, nearly two liters should be through beverages. During summer the intake of water has to be increased. Physical activities also require the consumption of more water. It is the major ingredient of all juices and carbonated drinks contain sixty five percent, diluted squashes eighty six percent and fruit juices ninety percent water. However, drinking plain water is the most effective means of compensating for depleted body fluids (Hicks, 2005). Water is the chief element of human body and its essential nutrient. In fact, a human being can survive without food for a considerable period of time but cannot survive for more than a week without water. Water is essential for breathing as it bedews oxygen and supplies it to every cell in the body. Water makes the skin more shiny and supple. It controls the body temperature and discards toxins and other waste material from the body. It distributes important nutrients throughout the body and helps in removing waste materials from the kidneys and the large intestine. The digestive mechanism is enhanced by water and it is essential for the development and maintenance of good muscle tone. It protects and cushions vital organs and acts like a lubricant for the joints by contributing to the special fluids which protect bones from friction and erosion. Water increases the activity of the brain and improves mental quickness in reflex responses (Dr. Susan Kleiner Ph. D. ). Water is a vital nutrient which contributes to every function of the body. It acts as a vehicle in transporting essential nutrients to the cells and waste material out of them. Water is necessary for the functions of digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion and for the absorption of water – soluble vitamins. It is essential for regulating the body temperature (Functions of Water in the Human Body). The water in saliva allows foods to slide smoothly down the esophagus and the watery fluids dissolve enzymes, hormones and coenzymes. Water acts as a solvent for waste materials like urea, carbon dioxide and other electrolytes in the body. It plays a major role in Hydrolysis in which water molecules divide into hydrogen H+ and hydroxyl OH- ions. This chemical process forms the basis for the reaction of substances in the human body. For instance, sucrose is hydrolyzed into fructose and glucose. Moreover, water serves as a catalyst in intercellular reactions and maintains the electrolyte balance in the body (Water in the Body). Insufficient water results in dehydration, formation of kidney stones and particularly in women, urinary tract infections. Its scarcity affects physical and mental performance and the function of the salivary glands. Dehydration causes kidney function disorders, harmful changes in hormonal levels, chronic illness and limited mobility (Dehydration). Electrolytes are obtained from food and are absorbed in the intestines. The kidneys maintain the required electrolyte levels in the body. These electrolyte levels are affected by diseases and dehydration. Potassium, the chief cation in the intracellular fluid, plays an important role in activating enzymes and processing and retaining carbohydrates. It acts as medium for transmitting nerve impulses to the heart and skeletal muscles. Its deficiency leads to major health problems. Its depletion is caused by the use of diuretics like thiazides that are used in the treatment of hypertension and heart ailments, excessive perspiration, repeated enemas, trauma, diabetes, diseases of the intestinal tract and disease of the kidney due to the use of tetracycline and excessive intake of licorice. The loss of potassium causes weak pulse, faint heart sounds, low blood pressure and fatigue. Loss of large amounts of potassium results in death (Hecht, 1986). Magnesium is another electrolyte that is present in the intracellular fluid. It helps in muscle contraction, nerve transmission and acts as catalyst for enzymes. Deficiency of magnesium results from an improper diet, diarrhea, steatorrhea, alcoholism, diabetes, pancreatitis, damage of kidneys and diuretics. Functional disorder of kidneys raises the magnesium levels of the body and persons with kidney ailments have to avoid laxatives and antacids, which contain magnesium. This is due to the fact that excessive levels of magnesium lead to depressed reflexes, paralysis of muscles and decreased respiration (Hecht, 1986). Sodium is another important cation in the extracellular fluids, whose main function is to maintain the body’s fluid balances. Low sodium body levels result from dehydration, sweating, the use of diuretics and diarrhea, which result in muscular weakness, anxiety and convulsions. Inadequate water intake and malfunction of the kidneys increases the sodium concentration. Depletion of sodium levels in the body result in dry mucous membranes, flushed skin, rise in body temperature, dry eyes and un – sated thirst (Hecht, 1986). Chloride is the major anion of the extracellular fluid. It is important for muscle contraction, balancing the fluid levels in the cells and maintaining the acid – base balance of extracellular fluid. In order to prevent the accumulation of bicarbonate, there should be a sufficient supply of chloride ions (Hecht, 1986). Calcium is present in the extracellular fluid and is important for nerve impulse transmission, contraction of muscles and the clotting of blood. It mainly exists in the body in the non – ionized state in the bones and the teeth. Pancreatitis, chronic kidney disorders and the surgical removal of the parathyroid tissue decrease the ionized calcium levels. Insufficient calcium levels cause abdominal and muscle cramps, tingling of the finger tips, numbness and overactive reflexes. Excessive calcium levels in the body cause a significant loss of appetite, nausea, weight loss, kidney stones and body pains (Hecht, 1986). Alcohol induces water loss by suppressing the production of the anti – diuretic hormone vasopressin, which works on kidneys to concentrate urine by increasing the reabsorption of water and electrolytes into the body. Suppression of this hormone results in the increased loss of body fluid through urination leading to dehydration. Alcohol – induced loss of water also results in the loss of magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc, which are essential for maintaining the fluid balance of the body and muscular activity. Researchers in the UK studied the effect of alcohol on hydration and electrolyte balance after exercise – induced dehydration. They found that the volume of urine produced in the consequent six hours of rehydration had increased on par with the intake of alcohol. However, the rate of increase of the blood plasma during rehydration was considerably slower (Hamilton). Coffee and tea are rich in caffeine or trimethyl xanthine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. It blocks the binding of adenosine with the nerve cells, which enhances nerve activity and leads to the release of epinephrine. It also increases the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The ergogenic properties of caffeine promote lesser muscle activity by reducing glycogen thereby allowing more calcium into muscle cells, which would enhance the power of muscle activity. Caffeine is a diuretic and in higher doses results in heavy water loss through urination. It also increases the blood flow to the kidneys and reduces the reabsorption of sodium by the body (Hamilton). Dehydration is prevented by drinking eight glasses of water per day and abstaining from caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages. The common cause of dehydration is due to the loss of fluids from body as a result of gastrointestinal ailments, diarrhea and vomiting. In order to compensate for the lost fluids large amounts of water and fruit juices have to be consumed. Wearing loose fitting clothes keeps the body cool and prevents sweating. Those who participate in sports, have to drink water and fruit juices at regular intervals. Moreover, people should avoid the consumption of coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages, because they act like diuretics (Gavin, 2006). In the absence of adequate hydration, true health remains a chimera. The minimum daily intake of water has been stated to be half as many ounces as there are pounds in one’s body weight. The reason for this is that in order to function properly and optimally, every organ in the body requires water to a major extent. A human being’s body consists mostly of water and in its absence life is not possible. References Dehydration. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 30, 2007, from http://www. betterhealth. vic. gov. au/bhcv2/bhcarticles. nsf/pages/Water_a_vital_nutrient? open Dr. Susan Kleiner Ph. D. , R. (n. d. ). Health & Hydration . Retrieved June 30, 2007, from http://www. calistogawater. com/health/ Functions of Water in the Human Body. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 30, 2007, from http://www. resultsproject. net/water_functions. html Gavin, M. L. (2006, January). Dehydration. Retrieved June 30, 2007, from http://www. kidshealth. org/teen/safety/first_aid/dehydration. html Hamilton, A. (n. d. ). Caffeine dehydration : Caffeine and alcohol – just how dehydrating are they? Retrieved June 30, 2007, from http://www. pponline. co. uk/encyc/caffeine-dehydration. htm Hecht, A. (1986, January 1). ELECTROLYTES. Retrieved June 30, 2007, from Electrolytes; the charge in the body’s power system. : http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1G1-4293240. html Hicks, R. (2005, September). Why do we need water? Retrieved June 30, 2007, from bbc. co. uk: http://www. bbc. co. uk/health/healthy_living/nutrition/drinks_water. shtml Water in the Body. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 30, 2007, from http://www. dehlgroup. com/wbody. html