War And Psychology Essays - Christian Fiction, The Screwtape Letters

War And Psychology The experience of war places stresses on the human spirit that can scarcely be imagined in peacetime. Dilemmas that can be largely avoided in time of peace must be faced in a time of war. Concern for one's own physical safety is often at odds with concern for the wellbeing of one's countrymen. The dictates of the mind often fight the dictates of the emotions. In such a tug of war situation, where practical and moral factors align themselves in strange and ironic patterns, it is hardly surprising that individuals respond in highly divergent ways. In this paper, the dangers that war poses to the human psyche will be considered and an attempt will be made to account for the some of the variability that can be seen in the way in which individuals respond to these threats. An examination of two books suggests that certain character traits help inoculate people in time of war, better enabling them to withstand the assaults of war. It also suggests that the absence of certain traits makes people vulnerable when they are placed in threatening circumstances. In examining two literary works: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje three character traits that were necessary in order to ensure spiritual survival were clearly shown. These traits were faith, courage, and loyalty. In the course of this paper, special attention will be given to the character traits described above. The significance of their presence or absence in the personalities of a number of literary characters will be considered. In The Screwtape Letters, Lewis' portrays an anonymous English protagonist struggling to maintain his spiritual integrity against the assaults of temptations of Hell during World War Two. In The English Patient, Ondaatje portrays a group of characters, brought together by their circumstances, reacting to what the author portrays as the tidal wave of war. The importance of faith, courage and loyalty enable Lewis' character to spiritually survive all the assaults of wartime. The absence of these characteristics cause Ondaatje's characters to flounder. Faith, courage and loyalty provide a necessary framework for moral thought and action, enabling the soul to survive even under the adverse conditions presented by war. C.S. Lewis deals extensively with the dangers that war poses to the human psyche. In his wartime work entitled The Screwtape Letters, he presents an essentially hopeful view concerning the ability of the soul to survive the assaults of war. He proposes that having the right perspective is the key to the soul's survival. Lewis deals with a wide variety of temptations that serve to undermine the integrity of man in his journey through life. All of these temptations assert their power to some degree in peacetime. Yet, their power is often strengthened by the pressures of war. In The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje presents an entirely different perspective concerning the effects of war on the human psyche. Although he never spells it out, Ondaatje seems to take a fairly deterministic view. The fate of his characters often seems to lie beyond their control. It is almost as if his characters have been struck by a giant tidal wave and are helpless to resist as they are carried away. The reader seldom gets the impression that Ondaatje's characters have alternatives other than to think and act the way they do. They are presented as victims of circumstances who warrant our compassion but not our judgment. Each leaves the war deeply scarred in the spiritual sense. In the work of C.S. Lewis, faithfulness to God is the factor that ensures the soul's survival. Lewis describes the danger of being overwhelmed by "the stream of immediate sense experiences" (Lewis pg.12). A man's tendency to focus on the immediate and the personal at the expense of the universal threatens his ability to survive in any spiritual sense. When focusing on his own inconvenience, hunger and pain, a man tends to lose sight of broader concerns, such as his spiritual wellbeing and the common good. Faith enables a man to focus on the spiritual and the eternal, to face each day's trials with commitment and determination and to survive war with his psyche intact. Lewis grapples with the paradox of war. Lewis argues convincingly that, while some may be destroyed by war, others may actually experience spiritual growth through adversity. Alerted to the finite nature of life and made more conscious of the needs of others, a man's faith and strength may flourish in ways that he never dreamed possible. Lewis dispels the belief that

Free Essays on Title IX

Title IX Since the conception of America, 11,698 people have served in congress. Of those 11,698, 216 have been women. Currently, women are 51% of the population, 14.3% of the Cabinet, 14% of the U.S. Senate, 14.26% of the U.S. House, 22% of the U.S. Supreme Court, 20.6% of Federal Judges, 18% of state Governors, 20.8% of State Senators, 23% of state Representatives, 9% of state Judges, and 20.8% of big city mayors (Brown Par. 1). Women are increasingly becoming a bigger part of the U.S. government, but not quite equivalent to their population dominance. Despite these relatively small numbers, women have made an impact on politics. Specifically with their contributions to Title IX which went into effect July 1, 1972 (U.S. Department of Education 5). Title IX was a landmark legislation that had a large impact on the women’s movement. Title IX has benefited women in many ways, by requiring equal opportunity for both males and females. Title IX has changed assumptions about female s, lowered the drop-out rate among females, increasing opportunities in both math and science, increasing the completion of post-secondary programs among females, opened up professions and employment opportunities for females, and increased female participation in sports. As the women's civil rights movement gained momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s, feminists began to focus attention on inequities that prevented the progress of women in education. These issues in education were first brought into the public eye when Representative Edith Green from Oregon, introduced a higher education bill with provisions regarding sex equality. In 1971 more legislation was introduced to ban sex discrimination in education. All the bills that were introduced were compiled into one to form Title IX. Title IX went into effect July 1, 1972. (U.S. Department of Education 5) Title IX stated that "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, b... Free Essays on Title IX Free Essays on Title IX Title IX Since the conception of America, 11,698 people have served in congress. Of those 11,698, 216 have been women. Currently, women are 51% of the population, 14.3% of the Cabinet, 14% of the U.S. Senate, 14.26% of the U.S. House, 22% of the U.S. Supreme Court, 20.6% of Federal Judges, 18% of state Governors, 20.8% of State Senators, 23% of state Representatives, 9% of state Judges, and 20.8% of big city mayors (Brown Par. 1). Women are increasingly becoming a bigger part of the U.S. government, but not quite equivalent to their population dominance. Despite these relatively small numbers, women have made an impact on politics. Specifically with their contributions to Title IX which went into effect July 1, 1972 (U.S. Department of Education 5). Title IX was a landmark legislation that had a large impact on the women’s movement. Title IX has benefited women in many ways, by requiring equal opportunity for both males and females. Title IX has changed assumptions about female s, lowered the drop-out rate among females, increasing opportunities in both math and science, increasing the completion of post-secondary programs among females, opened up professions and employment opportunities for females, and increased female participation in sports. As the women's civil rights movement gained momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s, feminists began to focus attention on inequities that prevented the progress of women in education. These issues in education were first brought into the public eye when Representative Edith Green from Oregon, introduced a higher education bill with provisions regarding sex equality. In 1971 more legislation was introduced to ban sex discrimination in education. All the bills that were introduced were compiled into one to form Title IX. Title IX went into effect July 1, 1972. (U.S. Department of Education 5) Title IX stated that "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, b...

Distance versus Intimacy in child raising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Distance versus Intimacy in child raising - Essay Example We thrust our intellectual prudence in to the brains of our children. To emphasize the psychological well being of children, the arguments made by two authors namely, Lisa Firestone and Steve Nelson are now taken for debate. Although both the authors want the parents to focus on the emotional aspects of their children, they differ in the execution modality. Firestone advocates an attentive caring on children in her essay How To Raise an Emotionally Healthy Child. However, Nelson encourages an autonomous style of living for children in his essay Leave Your Child Alone. To reach the focal point of robust child rearing, both the authors traverse in two opposite directions. FIRESTONE SUMMARY Lisa Firestone asserts through her essay that communication is the key to understanding the way children respond with their emotions. She claims that parents should be aware of emotional problems that can go untreated. For example, when television, video games or excessive eating to cope with emotion s such as fear, anger, or anxiety that they might be avoiding overly consumes a child. Firestone’s rational on the subject is directed to children that regress rather than progress and challenge unpleasant emotions. She also proposes parents to intervene to help children address the source of unwanted feelings and what to do with them.