The novel by Bram Stoker Essay Example For Students

The novel by Bram Stoker Essay Dracula adapted by David Calcutt from the novel by Bram Stoker, is a compelling and dramatic play which conveys horror extremely well. The central characters are Jonathan Harker, his fiancee Mina and their friends, and of course Dracula. This shows an example of successful horror as they all have an encounter with the lord of all darkness and evil, Dracula.  In the opening scene, horror is conveyed when Jonathan Harker goes to Draculas castle. There is alot of mystery surrounding Dracula. When Johnathan arrives in Trasylvania, to go and see Dracula (about his new home in England) he goes to stay in an inn. He tells the Land Lady why he has come to Transyvania. She shudders and tries to put him off going there. In the morning, before Jonathan sets off on his travels, the Land Lady of the inn gives Jonathan a crucifix. Please. Take it. For safety. It will protect you. The Land Lady said to Jonathan, as if he was needing protecting from something dangerous or something evil. The description that the author gives of the mountains is appropriate for this play. He describes them as being Bathed in a deep red light and red is the colour of blood. It is also associated with evil and danger. We will write a custom essay on The novel by Bram Stoker specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In scene three after Jonathan has arrived at the castle and met Dracula, to convey horror, three hags are added. Adding the hags to the play provides a hypnotic element, like they have put Jonathan under a spell. They use figurative speech and metophorical language when they are talking. An example of this is The scratch of the spiders leg over the floor. This is used to describe the hags voice. It doesnt really sound like that, it is probably a low rough sounding voice, but describing it like this gives it a supernatural effect. When they are saying things to him, such as We suck the hot blood from your veins or We suck the last breath from your soul, they are hypnotising Jonathan so they can eat him and, as they are speaking they are slowly moving in, closer and closer, as Jonathan is lying on a bed. This is a good example of horror because he would obviously be scared at seeing three ugly hags closing in on him for a feed. They are trying to trick him into thinking he is asleep. Jonathan also discovers in this scene how Dracula sleeps. He is trying to escape from Draculas castle when he sees a chapel. He jumps down into the chapel where he finds coffins. He opens the lid of one and finds Dracula. Not dead, or asleep. The description of Dracula in his coffin turns the atmosphere from eerie and strange, to a play about evil and horror. The description of lips red with blood, shows that Dracula has been eating something, or someone. In scene four to put horror across to the reader, the dramatist adds Mr Swales into the play to help add a bit more fear and superstition. Mr Swales can see into the future: Maybe its just that I can feel my own death approaching. Mr Swales, for some reason, thought he was going to die. The description at the end of act one is a good link into act two. The end sentence in act one,  So evil came into this land, and cast its shadow upon it,  and took possesion.  ties in with the beginning of act two because there is a violent storm. The evil is Dracula and the shadow is the storm. Took possesion is where Mr Swales dies as Dracula has taken over his soul, the evil, (Dracula) that came into the land took possesion of Mr Swales. This adds more fear to the play as Mr Swales prediction comes true. .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e , .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .postImageUrl , .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e , .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:hover , .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:visited , .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:active { border:0!important; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:active , .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u697d6bc9e8d708bd1478109135c7041e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: To Kill a Mockingbird - Assignment - Theme of Prejudice EssayIn act two, the author conveys horror well by adding a storm to the play. The author also adds mystery, because during the storm a ship appears and, the ship makes it to the harbour, even though its rough seas. The coastguard went onto the ship and found a corpse tied to the steering wheel. The coastguard also finds several boxes about five or six feet in length. This made me think about who was on the ship. I think that there were only two people on the ship; Dracula and the corpse on the wheel. I think Dracula bit the other mans neck. He is now a slave of Dracula and that is why he seemed to be steering the ship. At the end of this scene a large grey dog is seen jumping of the ship. I think that Dracula turned himself into this dog to avoid being seen by the crowed that had now gathered at the harbour. He also has the power to change the weather, so, I think he changed the weather so it would be dark when he arrived in Britain. (so that he wouldnt die from being in the daylight.) It is a good way to introduce Dracula into Britain, an effective way of describing his arrival.

Dmitri Mendeleyev

Dmitri Mendeleyev Dmitri MendeleyevDmitri Mendeleyev, the youngest of fourteen children was born on February 7Th 1834, in Tobolisk Sibena. His parents were Ivan Mendeleyev, the director of a gymnasium and Marya his mother whos family introduced glass and paper making to Sibernia. When Dmitri was young his father died; so his mother had to work to make the money for the family. She managed the glass factory in Aremziansk, making it hard for her to be at home with her children.Educated at the gymnasium in Tobisk, Dmitri showed strong interest in math and physics. He also was very educated with current science topics and glass blowing from being around the family factory. By age 14 Mendeleyev showed strong scientific promise. Seeing this Mayra wanted him to have a good education.The Mendeleyev family left for Moscow, hoping Dmitri could receive a good education at a University. Nothing good came out of Moscow so they continued on to St. Petersburg in 1855.Dmitri Demiashkin 02

CIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

CIS - Essay Example C++ is an extension of the C programming language. It is a high level third-generation programming language that was originally designed for UNIX systems. The term â€Å"C++† was coined in 1983. C is another programming language that was developed by Dennis M. Ritchie in the 1970s at Bell Labs (Codingunit.com, n.d). Bjarne Stroustrup had worked with Simula, the first object-oriented programming language. The idea of creating C++ arose from a need for features that were not possible with other languages at that time. He added object oriented features borrowed from Simula into C to create a new programming language that was fast, efficient and easier to design. C++ is currently used in desktop applications, telecommunication systems, data analysis, simulation, manufacturing systems, clinical systems, irrigation control systems, web applications, graphics design, desktop and mobile operating systems amongst other uses (Stroustrup.com, 2015). iv) Lines four and six have opening and closing braces. These braces indicate the beginning and end of the int main() function definition. The content inside the braces is the actual code that will be executed when this function is called by the program. v) The fifth line is a statement. A statement is any expression that results in the occurrence of an action in the program. The first part of the statement, std::cout, identifies the standard character output device, in this case, the screen. The insertion operator (

LITERATURE REVIEW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

LITERATURE REVIEW - Essay Example † In the same context, the paper therefore seeks to establish the different ethical issues that may affect the running of a multinational company. This is important because the success of human resource management of any company is highly dependent on ethical issues put in place by the entire management board. According to Trevino and Nelson (2012, p.215), ethical issues regardless of the cultural situation are defined by primary and secondary stakeholders. The paper will therefore bring into view the different ethical issues as indicated by the Abraham’s Stakeholder model and try to figure out the strength of these ethical issues as would determine the success of human resource management and progressive development in a company operating multi-nationally. Stakeholders That Determine Company Ethics Business partners Partnership in a business can be a much polarised issue when unethical business actions are put in place by one organization. According to Pige (2002, p.4), a business will run effectively if the business partners perceive it as being beneficial to them. In this case, they are bound to support each other in their various capacities and the various business entities. For instance, if Western Airlines is a company that benefits the economy of a non-western nation like China, the business partners in China will support its operations there. However, if there is suspicion of market dominance by the Chinese partners, there is bound to be creation of unethical business acts to scare away the market from the Western Airlines. This creates a very complicated system in the management of the foreign company as unethical acts may require a lot of public relations to regain the diminishing glory (Phillips, 2011, p. 81). In this case, the issue of â€Å"who or what counts† come in and there is a high level misunderstanding. However, if these two companies have a sound business partnership, there will be a high level ethical business partners hip and ability to create good public relations to each other (Kardys, 2012, p. 2). Customers These are the modest reasons for the existence of any company. From a background perspective, Regelbrugge (1998, p.3) indicates that any business must do all it takes to create a high level market for its products. This is in line with expansion of the customers and rendering their needs to their satisfaction. Any unethical act that hurts the customers goes a long way in alienating a company from a market. Multinational companies in the same way face a very tricky situation in trying to maintain the same in the wake of the unethical issue. A recent article by Soni (2009, p.4) maintained the same idea by insisting that if company staffs mishandle a customer, it may go a long way in becoming unethical in the entire customer society. The business will therefore lose a high level customer base to its competitors who are always at standby to initiate these into their company products. Employees Ethics inside an organization has not been a recent issue. As indicated earlier, the motivation to work effectively is levelled towards the beneficial factors that can be realised at the end of the whole process. Employees always have competing goals. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there is always a need to be happy and the need for satisfaction comes in. The management levels in all organizations however are never the same. Some are horizontal while

How engineering has a negative impact on the natural environment Essay

How engineering has a negative impact on the natural environment - Essay Example Conferring to Balaban (2012), constructions are huge contributors to ecological deterioration. Moreover, it is quite clear that additional actions are required in order to make the building activities and the built environment ecological. Construction activities are among the major exploiters of both non-renewable and renewable natural resources. It depends profoundly on the natural environment to acquire raw materials that are used in these activities. These raw materials comprise of sand, timber, and aggregate for the construction process. According to Horvath (2004), the construction activities devours 40% of the globe’s sand, gravel, and raw stones and 25% of the virgin timber annually. Additionally, it devours 16% of water and 40% of the energy. The mining of these natural resources brings about permanent alterations to the natural ecology of the coastal areas and the countryside, both from a scenic and an ecological point of view. The following transformation of these zones into geographically dispersed locations not only brings about extra consumption of energy, but also upsurges the volume of particulate matter into the air. Construction activities and the extraction of raw materials also contribute to the build-up of pollutants in the air. The United States construction activities done by engineers is responsible for 20% of the waste found in water, 40% of the emissions to the atmosphere and 13% comprise of further releases. Dust and other releases comprise of particular poisonous substances such as sulp hur oxides and nitrogen. They are released in the course of transportation and production of materials along with from site activities. They have triggered serious dangers to the natural ecology. Further, dangerous materials like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are applied in fire-fighting systems, refrigeration plants, air conditioning, and insulation and have serious effects on the ozone layer. The ozone is a vapour

An Essay on Loss and Grief

An Essay on Loss and Grief Choose one event on loss and construct an academic essay supported by relevant academic sources INTRODUCTION This essay explores my experience of loss and grief after the death of my father in 1997 and how my grieving process relates to theories put forward to explain and deal with bereavement. Hall (2014) suggests that loss and grief are fundamental to human life..Harvey (1998) perceives loss as a life experience relating to something irreversible and emotions towards what is lost. Hall (2014) defines grief as the response to the loss in its totality – including its physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and spiritual manifestations – and as a natural and normal reaction to loss. It has been argued that in order to understand grief it is important to understand the role of attachment. Mallon (2008) observed that in order to have loss there must be attachment. As a result many theories of attachment play a major role in bereavement counseling. Bowlby (1980) emphasised the role of attachment in relationships. He suggests that a childs emotional growth will be compromised i f the child does not have attachment to a significant other person. The consequences can be that the individual may have difficulties connecting with others. This essay will first explore some of the salient theories on grief and bereavement. Secondly, a discussion of my experiences grieving my fathers death drawing on some key elements of bereavement theories will follow. Finally, a summary of the discussion will conclude the essay. THEORIES OF BEREAVEMENT AND LOSS Freud (1953 – 1974) was the first major contributor to the theory of grief. His theory stressed that grieving individuals search for an attachment that has been lost. His work involved the process of breaking the links that bonded the survivor to the deceased. He identified three elements namely: Freeing the bereaved from the bondage to the deceased Readjustment to life without the deceased Building new relationships. Parkes (1971, 1996) argued that Freuds concept of grief was useful in considering grief to be part of a rebuilding process which he calls psychosocial transition. Freud (1953-1974) argued that the grieving experience for the bereaved requires that they acknowledge their separation from the deceased by going through a process that includes painful emotions of guilt and anger. Furthermore, these emotions must be expressed. Key to Freuds approach was the idea that if the bereaved failed to work with or complete their grief work, then the grieving process would become complicated and compromise recovery. This model stresses the importance of moving on as quickly as possible in order to return to normal functioning. Influenced by Freud (1953-1974), several grief theorists including Kà ¼bler Ross (1969), Bowlby (1980) and Parkes Weiss (1983) conceptualised grief as a process of predictable phases and tasks. One of the most recognised was Kà ¼bler Ross (1969), who proposed the five-stage model that constituted the following stages: Shock and denial Anger Resentment and guilt Bargaining Depression and Acceptance. The model insists that failure to complete the stages would result in acute mental health complications. Hall (2014) argues that the stage theories were popular because they suggest a sense of conceptual order while offering hope of recovery and closure. Despite their popularity, most stage theories attracted criticism in the same way that Freuds proposition attracted criticism for their lack of empirical evidence and their rigidity. Furthermore, the stage theories have been challenged for their inability to capture the complex, diverse and multi-faceted nature of the grieving experience. Baxter and Diehl (1998) argue that since grief is considered to be fluid, it is unlikely that individuals are able to go through the stages in a methodical manner as advocated by the stage theorists. In short, they do not take account of factors such as the physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs that impact on the bereaved people, their families and intimate networks (Hall 201 4). Despite these criticisms, early stage theories have provided great groundwork and influence on current theories such as the Dual-Processing theory developed by Stroebe and Schut (1999) and Worden (2008). Hall (2014) argues that these theories take account of many of the risks and protective factors identified by research and provide an important context for appreciating the idiosyncratic nature of attachment to the deceased that is lacking in the earlier stage theories. Both models provide frameworks that guide intervention. Richardson and Balaswamy (2001), when evaluating the Dual Processing Model, suggested that avoiding grief can have both positive and negative outcomes. They proposed that this is where bereavement is perceived as including Loss of Orientation and Restoration Orientation. The griever in the loss-orientation is preoccupied with emotions, yearning and ruminating about the deceased, whereas, restoration orientation involves taking over the responsibilities and the ro les undertaken by the deceased and making lifestyle changes, setting up a new identity without the deceased (Richardson, 2007; Bennett, 2010a). Worden (2008) suggests that grieving should be considered as an active process that involves engagement with four tasks: Accepting the reality of the loss Processing the pain of grief Adjusting to a world without the deceased (including both internal, external and spiritual adjustments) Finding an enduring connection with the deceased whilst embarking on a new life. To understand what the client is experiencing, Worden identified seven determinants that need to be considered: Who the person who died was The nature of the attachment to the deceased How the person died Historical antecedents Personality variables Social mediators Concurrent stressors EXPERIENCES OF GRIEF In discussing my grieving process, I am going to draw on Wordens (2008) four tasks indicated above. The seven determinants indicated above will be used to guide the discussion and interpret the experience utilising relevant theoretical perspectives. i. To accept the reality of the loss I was in the UK undertaking my nursing course when my father died in Zimbabwe from a sudden heart related problem. I was informed early in the morning soon after my brother received news of his death. Since I was living alone, I had to make several phone calls home to confirm his death and to ascertain how he died and establish why more was not done. I remember crying but the tears did not correspond to my emotions. For a long time I felt detached from my feelings. My emotions appeared to be bottled up and were difficult to release. My immediate response to the news reflects Bowlby and Parkes (1970)s proposed first stage of grief where the individual experiences numbness, shock, and denial. I had always dreaded the day my father would die. I remember pacing up and down my bedroom, feeling very alone and helpless. During one of the calls from my brother, he mentioned that he needed me there. That was the time that I realised that this was real. It was at this moment that I started to call friends and informing them of the news. I cannot remember most of what happened but I remember one of my friends took over and made the necessary travel arrangements and spoke to my family in Zimbabwe. I believe that I only accepted the loss much later when I found that I could not share with him that I had bought a beautiful house. I desperately needed his comments and praises. My letter with the surprise information and pictures was in the post box when he passed away. ii. To process the pain of grief I believe I experienced the pain of losing my father when I returned to the UK after going through three weeks of the funeral and other rituals related to death in my culture. The cultural rituals are a mixed bag of tears, laughter, praying, singing and sharing memories and kinship with the deceased. This, to a large extent, eased me into the grieving process. However, the real pain of his loss took place when I returned to the UK where I could grieve in private. I found myself avoiding friends and other associates. It was as if my identity had been taken away and that made me tearful. This echoes the suggestion by Caserta and Lund (1992) that the bereaved may have to redefine their identity. Prompting questions like Who am I now that I am no longer a daughter? Hall (2011) and Caserta and Lund (1992) suggest that this can set in motion a process of re-learning ourselves and the world. On reflection, friends and associates reminded me of the me that I had lost. The pain would come and go. I often cried on my own. The crying and anxiety concurs with Bowlbys proposition that loss of the affectional attachment results in emotional disturbances such as anxiety, crying and anger (Freeman, 2005). I experienced this for over a year and felt lost. Although functioning, I was no longer myself. I started having frequent dreams of my father and would look forward to going to bed where I could be with my father. iii. To adjust to a world without the deceased It is difficult to identify exactly when it was that I adjusted to a life without my father. It took a long time. Although we lived far from each other, my father played a major role in most of my decisions and reassurances. Two events contributed to my adjustment. Firstly, my mother encouraged me to register for a Masters course that I was talking myself out of. Suddenly, I saw my fathers qualities in her. The security and trust I had in my father had transferred to my mother. Secondly, crying uncontrollably at a church in the UK the day I received news that my brother had died in a car accident. On reflection I realised that although I was crying for the loss of my brother, I was also finally crying for my father. Taking over care for my brothers children added to the adjustment of living without my father. iv. Finding an enduring connection with the deceased whilst embarking on a new life Being ancestral believers, the bond between my late father and me remains but it manifests in a different form to the bond we had when he was alive. I believe that spiritually, my father and my forefathers protect me and help me achieve my ambitions by chasing away bad spirits and creating luck and opportunities for me. My family and I participate in cultural rituals in remembrance of him and our forefathers. Psychologically, my bond with my father remains as he continues to be my role model. As a result, I dedicate most of my achievements to him. This continued connection and perceived role played by my father 18 years after his death confirm Datson and Marwits (1997) argument that continued bonds with deceased can have positive outcomes. Therefore, letting go is not necessarily the requirement for successful grieving. According to Hall (2014) this idea represents recognition that death ends a life, not necessarily a relationship. CONCLUSION The discussion above illustrates that the theoretical perspectives of loss and bereavement have developed from emotional attachment to more holistic approaches. These theories not only carry on the influences of the early work focused on emotions and attachment but take account of the social, economic, cultural and spiritual needs experienced by bereaved people. Significantly, these theories do not center letting go as a requirement of successful grieving. On the contrary, a continued bond with the deceased can be positive. My experience largely confirmed the complexity of the grieving process. Some of the experiences indicated above confirmed some of the early theorists observations such as the emotional rollercoaster and the early stage theorists suggestions of shock in the early stages. I did not however experience the full stages of grieving in chronological order, and the experience was by no means quick. Factors such as my culture and spiritual beliefs contributed significantly to my grieving process and influenced the outcome of my continued bond with father. In view of this it can be argued that there is a place for the different approaches to loss and bereavement in supporting bereaved people. However, the multi-cultural society encouraged by globalisation requires that we take account of the wider aspects of the bereavement process. REFERENCES Baxter, E. A. and Diehl, S. (1998). Emotional stages: Consumers and family members recovering from the trauma of mental illness. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 21(4) Bennett, K. M. (2010a). You cant spend years with someone and just cast them aside: Augmented identity in older British widows. Journal of Women and Aging, 22, (3), 204-217 Bennett, K. M. (2010b). How to achieve resilience as an older widower: Turning points or gradual change? Ageing and Society, 30 (03), 369-382. Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss. Volume 3, Loss, sadness and depression. New York: Basic Books Bowlby, J. and Parkes, C. M. (1970). Separation and loss within the family. In E. J. Anthony C. Koupernik (Eds.), The child in his family: International Yearbook of Child Psychiatry and Allied Professions (pp. 197-216), New York: Wiley Caserta, M. S. and Lund D. A. (1992). Bereavement stress and coping among older adults: Expectations versus the actual experience. Omega, 25, 33-45. Datson, S. L. and Marwit, S. J. (1997). Personality constructs and perceived presence of deceased loved ones. Death Studies, 21 , 131 -146 Freud, S. (1953/1974). Mourning and melancholia. In J. Strachey (Trans.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 14). London: Hogarth. (Original work published in 1917.) Freeman, S. (2005). Grief and Loss: Understanding the Journey. Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/ Cole. Hall, C. (2011). Beyond Kubler-Ross: Recent developments in our understanding of grief and bereavement.Retrieved June 19, 2015, from  http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2011/december/hall/ Hall, C, 2014. Bereavement theory: recent developments in our understanding of grief and bereavement, Bereavement Care, 33:1, 7-12, .Retrieved June 19, 2015, from:http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2011/december/hall/ Harvey J. H. (1998). Perspectives on Loss, a Sourcebook. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis Kà ¼bler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying . New York: Springer Mallon, B. (2008). Attachment and loss, death and dying. Theoretical foundations for bereavement counselling. In Praise for the Book: Dying, death and grief: Working with adult bereavement. (pp. 4-17). London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Parkes, C. M. (1971). Psycho-Social Transitions: A field for study. Social Science and Medicine, 5. 101-115 Parkes, C. M. (1996). Bereavement: Studies of Grief in Adult Life (3rd Ed.). London, London: Routledge Parkes C. M. and Weiss R. S. (1983). Recovery from bereavement. New York: Basic Books. Richardson, V. E. (2007). A dual process model of grief counseling: Findings from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) studyJournal of Gerontological Social Work, 48 (3/4), 311-329. Richardson, V. E. and Balaswamy, S. (2001). Coping with bereavement among elderly widowers. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 43 (2), 129-144. Stroebe M. S. and Schut, H. (1999). The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description. Death Studies 23(3) 197-224. Worden J. W. (2008). Grief counseling and grief therapy: a handbook for the mental health practitioner (4th ed.). New York: Springer

Argumentative Paper: Legalizing Euthanasia -- Assisted Suicide

Most people do not like to talk or even think about death; much less the topic of ending one’s own life. However, for some, death is a desired alternative to living in agony. Euthanasia has been a topic of debate since antiquity, and both sides stand firm on their beliefs. The right to choose death is illegal in most countries. I believe in people’s freedom to do what they please with their own bodies. The basic right of liberty is what America was founded on. Euthanasia should be a legal option. It’s important to start by understanding the different types of euthanasia. Allowing someone to die is, â€Å"Forgoing or withdrawing medical treatment that offers no hope of benefit to the total well-being of the patient, or that imposes burdens disproportionate to the potential benefits, allows the patient to die† (Manning 2). Traditionally called passive euthanasia, allowing someone to die was redefined by and is acceptable in the Catholic Church. Active euthanasia, also known as physician-assisted suicide, is when someone other than the patient ends the life of the patient upon explicit request. I view active and passive euthanasia to be one in the same with one very real difference; allowing someone to die delays the inevitable and the patient is left to twist and turn for awhile longer. Peter Chesterfield comments, â€Å"A terminally ill, mentally competent patient like me should not be forced to suffer. This is as morally unacceptable as murder† (qtd. In Friedman 8). On the other hand, â€Å"The phrase ‘mercy killing’ refers to someone’s taking a direct action to terminate a patient’s life without the patient’s permission† (Thiroux and Krasemann 184). Mercy killing is the form of euthanasia that must be properly monitored and consist... ...ties Toward Physician- Assisted Death: An Exploratory Assessment of the Vulnerability Argument,† Journal of Disability Policy Studies, vol. 16, no. 1, Summer 2005. Print. Manning M.D., Michael. Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: Killing or Caring? Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1998. Print. Nordqvist, Christian. "What Is Euthanasia." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 05 May 2015. . Sharma, Shweta. "Euthanasia: Debate Rekindled on Right to Die for the Terminally Ill." Health and Wellness Resource Center. Mel, 3 Aug. 2014. Web. 05 May 2015. Snyder, Carrie L. Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Farmington Hills: Bonnie Szumski, 2006. Print. Thiroux, Jacques P. and Kevin W. Krasseman. Ethics: Theory and Practice. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.