Bram Stoker Essay Example for Free

Bram Stoker Essay Within Dracula, Stoker clearly presents the male characters in the book as heroes, without over emphasising this by giving them extraordinarily strong powers. They are portrayed as normal human beings with faults and weaknesses. This can be seen when Van Helsing suffers from hysteria, but despite this still plays an important role in the chase for Dracula, and brings confidence to their quest at desperate times. He describes the Band of Brothers as those , who are willing to peril even our own souls for the safety of one we love-for the good of mankind, and for the honour and glory of God. A similar comparison could be made to fictional characters/super heroes in comics such as Superman. They save the weak and bring down the villain while also leading normal lives. But despite doing this, these super heroes still posses certain vulnerabilities, in the instance of superman, he possesses a weakness to kryptonite. In the same sense, members of the brotherhood have their own weaknesses. Therefore, it is fair to say that there is some presence of a comic book nature in Stokers writings, and the characters in the book represent this. Stoker does well not to make the characteristics of his male heroes all man and butch, like our version of the male hero today. I believe Stokers view of the perfect hero, is one that is physically strong but in touch with his feminine side. I believe such a character to be Van Helsing. At the opening of Jonathan Harkers journal it says, God preserve my sanity, and later Dr. Seward says, What does this all mean? I am beginning to wonder if my long habit of life amongst the insane is beginning to tell upon my own brain. Clearly within the novel, the male characters show signs of tenderness and sensitivity, which would be an imperative trait for a women of the time. Despite this, within the Band of Brothers each individual member have their own personal weakness, and this again parallels to that of a super hero in a comic book, (an ideal present day hero), how everyone has their own weaknesses, and often all have a universal weakness, eg. Breathing, in a comic world. In this case, the universal weakness of the Band of the Brothers is the shared love and protective nature over their women/partners. I believe that the men in the novel feel threatened by Dracula, who is a perfectly attractive, who is physically powerful, and more importantly targeting their women. The men may have felt that this new species may lure their women away from them, since it can be seen that his prey needs some sort of willingness or co-operation for him to act. It is not clear in the novel if Jonathan and Mina have consummated their marriage, since Jonathan was in such a bad state at the time of the wedding, yet later in the play he again shows inadequacies in the bedroom department, and can only watch Mina sucking at the chest of Dracula having been paralysed by the more dominant figure, Dracula. In the novel, personal and universal strengths and weaknesses are present in the Band of Brothers. Since all the characters concerned are human, there is no distinct line between the two, perhaps rather they represent individuality of characters. Due to the groups enthusiasm, and their keenness to save their beloved from Dracula, they play directly into the hands of Dracula, and this can be seen in London. This shows that the eager and hunger of the man exploits their weakness of not thinking correctly, rushing into things and a little gullibility. Mina is left alone at the house a sitting duck for Dracula to attack, a thoughtless action showing human weakness. However the group show great dedication and understanding to the task in hand as Van Helsing says, Our toil must be in silence, and our efforts in secret; for in this enlightened age

Costs of Childhood Cancer Treatment and Research Essay example -- Heal

Cancer, one of the most feared words in our vocabulary of this time, especially in childhood (Druker 1). Most people when thinking of â€Å"childhood cancer† envision very young children, although a â€Å"Nation Institute of Health Policy concerning inclusion of children in clinical research defines children as being younger than twenty-one years of age while the Food and Drug Administration considers children to be fifteen years and younger† (Ries 158). That being said, most cancers incidence peak among children occurs during the first year of life (Gurney 149). Some of the most well-known nationwide childhood cancers are leukemia, brain cancer, and other central nervous system cancers (oeconline 1). In conjunction, â€Å"the side effects of treatment, which range from heart disease to brain damage, can linger for decades and cost nearly as much as therapy for the original cancer† (USATODAY 1). With the total cost of childhood cancer exceeding many peopleâ€℠¢s yearly salary, help and support are the main focus for many childhood cancer advocacies (disease.com 1). Therefore, increasing awareness is the first step to raising more advocacy and support for childhood cancer programs and research (StJude.org 2). Childhood cancer treatment is an excessively pricey dilemma. It ranges from the cost per child to the overall cost. For example, â€Å"a new leukemia medication for children who no longer benefit from chemotherapy, costs $45,000 for a three week treatment cycle† (USATODAY 1). With the average time span of cancer treatment ranging from three months to roughly three years the price can climb to multiple figures (compasscare 1). The median cost per day for one child in a pediatric hospital for cancer treatment is nearly $1,000 more than the average... ...ng diagnosed with cancer as a whole. As a refuge for many families, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital takes responsibility for all expenses dealing with immediate medical care that insurance does not cover. As well as immediate medical care coverage, St. Jude’s also distributes other attributes to the family in need, such as housing and payment for outpatient expenses. Since St. Jude’s is run by the donations of donors from around the world, although mostly from around the country, it is vital for the survival and future cure for childhood cancers that we as a nation continue to fuel St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to prosper and thrive. In conclusion, childhood cancer treatment and research is extremely important for the future survival of thousands of childhood lives. Every cent matters when it comes to saving the lives of our future generations. Costs of Childhood Cancer Treatment and Research Essay example -- Heal Cancer, one of the most feared words in our vocabulary of this time, especially in childhood (Druker 1). Most people when thinking of â€Å"childhood cancer† envision very young children, although a â€Å"Nation Institute of Health Policy concerning inclusion of children in clinical research defines children as being younger than twenty-one years of age while the Food and Drug Administration considers children to be fifteen years and younger† (Ries 158). That being said, most cancers incidence peak among children occurs during the first year of life (Gurney 149). Some of the most well-known nationwide childhood cancers are leukemia, brain cancer, and other central nervous system cancers (oeconline 1). In conjunction, â€Å"the side effects of treatment, which range from heart disease to brain damage, can linger for decades and cost nearly as much as therapy for the original cancer† (USATODAY 1). With the total cost of childhood cancer exceeding many peopleâ€℠¢s yearly salary, help and support are the main focus for many childhood cancer advocacies (disease.com 1). Therefore, increasing awareness is the first step to raising more advocacy and support for childhood cancer programs and research (StJude.org 2). Childhood cancer treatment is an excessively pricey dilemma. It ranges from the cost per child to the overall cost. For example, â€Å"a new leukemia medication for children who no longer benefit from chemotherapy, costs $45,000 for a three week treatment cycle† (USATODAY 1). With the average time span of cancer treatment ranging from three months to roughly three years the price can climb to multiple figures (compasscare 1). The median cost per day for one child in a pediatric hospital for cancer treatment is nearly $1,000 more than the average... ...ng diagnosed with cancer as a whole. As a refuge for many families, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital takes responsibility for all expenses dealing with immediate medical care that insurance does not cover. As well as immediate medical care coverage, St. Jude’s also distributes other attributes to the family in need, such as housing and payment for outpatient expenses. Since St. Jude’s is run by the donations of donors from around the world, although mostly from around the country, it is vital for the survival and future cure for childhood cancers that we as a nation continue to fuel St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to prosper and thrive. In conclusion, childhood cancer treatment and research is extremely important for the future survival of thousands of childhood lives. Every cent matters when it comes to saving the lives of our future generations.

The Effect of Part-Time Jobs on Students

Balancing a Schedule Balancing a part-time job while attending classes full-time will force a student to balance their schedule. A March 2009 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics says students with part-time work reduce the time spent on homework, sleeping, socialization and life maintenance by 84 percent. A student employee will need to learn how to not let the decrease on time spent on studying show in her academic performance. Experiencing Workplace Culture Classroom learning is important, but the culture of workplaces and offices are hard to impart within the classroom.Holding down a regular position outside the classroom will allow students to gain firsthand experience in office culture and politics, which will be helpful upon graduation and their first full-time job. Sponsored Links University of Liverpool Boost your career with Master in Business Administration. Apply Now! www. liverpool-degrees. com It's All Who You Know In today's weak economy, it is even more crucial for students to make as many valuable connections as possible.Working part time for a campus office or off-campus organization will allow students to network outside their social circles, giving them valuable recommendations and contacts for their full-time job search. Accountability and Responsibility According to â€Å"Work on the Campus: Benefits for Student and Institution† by Mary Roark, â€Å"Values, skills, emotional maturity, personal identity and integrity are fostered through (on-campus) employment experiences. † Student-employees will learn to be accountable for their actions in a non-classroom or home environment, and experience how responsibility is delegated and evaluated in an office.Basic Skills Many on-campus part-time jobs will give students the opportunity to learn administrative skills, such as phone and email etiquette, office electronics troubleshooting, and meeting manners. Gaining such skills while in school will place a student-employee ahead of t he curve when they enter the full-time workforce. Read more: The Effect of Part-Time Jobs on Students | eHow. com http://www. ehow. com/facts_5518492_effect-parttime-jobs-students. html#ixzz2CvDLxt4w

The Meditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes

The Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes is a thorough analysis about doubt. Descartes describes his method of doubt to determine whether he can truly know something. One of his major arguments is the proof of the existence of God. In this paper, I will attempt to unravel the flaws in Descartes proof that God exists. In the meditations, Descartes evaluates whether or not everything we know is a reality or a dream. Descartes claims that we can only be sure that our beliefs are true when we clearly and distinctively perceive them to be true. As the reader analyzes the third meditation, Descartes has confirmed that some of his beliefs are in fact true. The first is that Descartes himself exists. This is expressed in what has now become a popular quote known as the â€Å"Cogito† which says, â€Å"I think therefore I am. His second conclusion is that God exist and that he is not a deceiver. Descartes then presents his arguments to prove the existence of God. He argues that by nature humans are imperfect beings. Furthermore, humankind could not possibly be able to comprehend perfection or infinite things on their own. He writes, â€Å"By the name of God I understand a substance that is infinite, independent, all-knowing, all powerful, and which myself and everything else†¦have been creat ed.†(16) Descartes uses this description of God to display the distinction between God and man. Descartes believes that man contrasts many of the characteristics of God, since humans areShow MoreRelatedRene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy1234 Words   |  5 Pages In Rene Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes does and experiment with wax to try to prove that things actually exist in this world. This essay is going to prove how we can tell that things actually exist and what can perceive the wax. Rene Descartes starts off with a description of the wax so he can prove to us the changes that will happen throughout his experiment. â€Å"Let us take, for instance, this piece of wax. It has been taken quite recently from theRead MoreMeditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes Essay839 Words   |  4 PagesPrà ©ciso of Meditations on First Philosophy Through his series of books, Meditations on First Philosophy, Renà © Descartes enlightens his philosophical ideas about knowledge in which we should discard all belief we aren’t absolute certain about and establishes what we know for sure. In the introduction he clarifying the main ideas of each of the 6 books and using to them build up to his belief. Starting with the First Meditations, he discusses about doubt. He believed that there are no real foundationsRead MoreMeditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes1062 Words   |  5 PagesIn Meditations on First Philosophy, Renà © Descartes philosophies made a substantial advancement in enabling us to understand the world around us by querying many of the Aristotelian doctrines that are still being discussed in philosophy today. He attempts to answer the question; can you fully trust your senses? Descartes uses methodological doubt, which is a process of being skeptical about truths of someone’s belief to revoke from his senses. In Meditation One: Concerning Those Things That Can BeRead MoreRene Descartes Meditations On First Philosophy1758 Words   |  8 PagesPerhaps the most startling conclusion reached by Renà © Descartes in Meditations on First Philosophy is his proposed disconnection between the Mind and Body. Striving to separate the spiritual from the corpore al to enable scientific examination of the earthly without interference from the divine, Descartes conceives that the two basic human substances, Mind and Body, are distinct and therefore able to exist separate of one another in his [in]famous claim of substance dualism. His conclusions rest uponRead MoreEssay on Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes1561 Words   |  7 Pages In his work, Meditations on First Philosophy, Renà © Descartes writes to rid pre-conceptions, and disprove all belief in thoughts that are not certain, accepting only what can be known for sure. In his Meditation VI: Of the Existence of Material Things, and the Real Distinction between the Mind and Body of Man, he discusses his belief that the mind and body are two separate substances, claiming that the nonmaterial mind and the material body, while being ontologically distinct substances, causallyRead MoreRene Descartes s Meditation On First Philosophy802 Words   |  4 PagesRenà © Descartes objective in Meditation on First Philosophy is to construct philosophy as a solid methodical study and discipline alike the sciences. To do so he must first suspend belief in all things doubtful and from their go about verifying the true concepts of the world. In meditation II he verifies that he is a thinking thing and finds that the certainty of the cogito â€Å"I think therefore I am† lies in the distinct perception of what he affirms. From this he generates a general rule of evidenceRead More Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy Essay1946 Words   |  8 PagesRene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy Rene Descartes’ third meditation from his book Meditations on First Philosophy, examines Descartes’ arguments for the existence of God. The purpose of this essay will be to explore Descartes’ reasoning and proofs of God’s existence. In the third meditation, Descartes states two arguments attempting to prove God’s existence, the Trademark argument and the traditional Cosmological argument. Although his arguments are strong and relatively truthfulRead MoreEssay on Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy2121 Words   |  9 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Descartes believes that knowledge comes from within the mind. This is a single indisputable fact to build on that can be gained through individual reflection. While seeking true knowledge, Descartes writes his Six Meditations. In these meditations, Descartes tries to develop a strong foundation, which all knowledge can be built upon. In the First Meditation, Descartes begins developing this founda tion through the method of doubt. He casts doubt upon all his previous beliefs, including â€Å"mattersRead MoreAnalysis Of Rene Descartes s Meditations On First Philosophy 1399 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy Essay 1 Rene Descartes was born in in La Haye, France, in 1596 and he studied at La Fleche Jesuit College and University of Poitiers. Descartes also lived in Germany, Holland and Sweden. He then worked in the army as a private councillor and then as a court philosopher. Descartes book ‘Meditations on First Philosophy’ was first published in 1641. The edition used to write this essay was edited by John Cottingham and was published by the Cambridge University Press in 1996. Descartes wasRead MoreAnalysis Of Rene Descartes s Meditations On First Philosophy1066 Words   |  5 Pageswhat is reality? Among these writers were Renà ¨ Descartes and George Berkeley, who respectively argued that everything perceived must be real due to God being unable to deceive, and that the physical world only exists in one’s mind. In my view, it is not certain that the physical world is real, but one should act as if it is. Renà ¨ Descartes, in Meditations on First Philosophy, wrote each section after successive â€Å"meditations.† In Descartes’s first meditation, he claims it is unable to be proven whether