Comparing Lord Dunsany’s Two Bottles of Relish and James Thurber’s Secr

A Comparison of Lord Dunsany’s Two Bottles of Relish and James Thurber’s Secret Life of Walter Mitty â€Å"The Two Bottles of Relish,† by Lord Dunsany, written in 1932, tells the story of Smithers, a relish vendor and London resident, in his quest to sell his product, Num-numo and, along with his new roommate, Linley, solve the murder of Nancy Elth. The 1942 short story â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,† by James Thurber, documents the fantasies of ordinary man Walter Mitty as he attempts to escape his mundane life. Both Smithers and Mitty have low self-esteem and are ambitious in different ways, but they differ in imagination. Both Smithers and Mitty have low opinions of themselves and permit others to push them around. Smithers shows his feelings of inferiority when he readily admits, â€Å"I’m what you might call a small man and in a small way of business†(42). He acknowledges his low opinion of his work of selling relish when he says, â€Å" . . . it is quite easy to push . . . I wouldn’t have gotten the job if it weren’t†(42). Smithers concedes that Mr. Linley is superior when Smithers agrees to sleep in the hall to be out of Linley’s way and to do the leg work to get the clues so that Linley can solve the murder. Walter Mitty exposes his feelings of inadequacy as he remembers bungling the removal of chains from his tires and having to pay a mechanic to correct his mistake. He is totally managed by his wife which is proven when she orders him to buy overshoes, and when he protests, she continues to put him down by saying, â€Å" ‘Weâ₠¬â„¢ve been through that . . . You’re not a young man any longer’†(273). Mitty further demonstrates his inability to stand up for himself when he tolerates being given orders ... ...g†(52). Also, Smithers has all the facts that he needs to solve the murder after he goes to Unge, but his lack of mind’s eye prevents him from solving the murder. Mitty’s imagination allows him to escape into fantasy, and Smither’s lack of imagination keeps him ordinary. Smithers and Mitty feel inadequate and are ambitious in different ways; however, they differ greatly in their use of imagination. Smither’s characteristics result in an ordinary man; Mitty’s traits result in a man who arouses sympathy. Works Cited Plunkett, J. M. D. â€Å"The Two Bottles of Relish.† 1932. 21 Great Stories. Ed. Abraham H. Lass and Norma L. Tasman. New York: Mentor, 1969. 42-55. Thurber, James. â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.† 1942. 21 Great Stories. Ed. Abraham H.Lass and Norma L. Tasman. New York: Mentor, 1969. 272-277.

Euthanasia Background Essay

* What’s Euthanasia? * The Pro-Life Alliance defines it as: ‘Any action or omission intended to end the life of a patient on the grounds that his or her life is not worth living.’ * The Voluntary Euthanasia Society looks to the word’s Greek origins – ‘eu’ and ‘thanatos,’ which together mean ‘a good death’ – and say a modern definition is: ‘A good death brought about by a doctor providing drugs or an injection to bring a peaceful end to the dying process.’ * Three classes of euthanasia can be identified — passive euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide and active euthanasia — although not all groups would acknowledge them as valid terms.† * What is physician-assisted suicide/physician aid in dying? * It is descriptively accurate and carries with it no misleading connotations. * Other contributors to this volume prefer the synonymous term physician-assisted suicide because it is technically accurate, and still others prefer physician aid in dying because it is relatively neutral. * Although suicide can be considered heroic or rational depending on setting and philosophical orientation, in much American writing it is conflated with mental illness, and the term suggests the tragic self-destruction of a person who is not thinking clearly or acting rationally. Pros: * Everyone has the right to die * The right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating pain and embrace a timely and dignified death bears the sanction of history and is implicit in the concept of ordered liberty. * The exercise of this right is as central to personal autonomy and bodily integrity as rights safeguarded by this Court’s decisions relating to marriage, family relationships, procreation, contraception, child rearing and the refusal or termination of life-saving medical treatment. * In particular, this Court’s recent decisions concerning the right to refuse medical treatment and the right to abortion instruct that a mentally competent, terminally ill person has a protected liberty interest in choosing to end intolerable suffering by bringing about his or her own death. * Patient suffering should be able to end their life. * At the Hemlock Society they get calls daily from desperate people who are looking for someone like Jack Kevorkian to end their lives, which have lost all quality. * Americans should enjoy a right guaranteed in the European Declaration of Human Rights — the right not to be forced to suffer. * It should be considered as much of a crime to make someone live that with justification does not wish to continue as it is to take life without consent. * What about palliative (end-of-life) care? * The evidence for the emotional impact of assisted dying on physicians shows that euthanasia and assisted suicide are a far cry from being ‘easier options for the caregiver’ than palliative care, as some critics of Dutch practice have suggested. * We wish to take a strong stand against the separation and opposition between euthanasia and assisted suicide, on the one hand, and palliative care, on the other, that such critics have implied. There is no ‘either-or’ with respect to these options. * Every appropriate palliative option available must be discussed with the patient and, if reasonable, tried before a request for assisted death can be accepted. * What about living wills? * Living wills can be used to refuse extraordinary, life-prolonging care and are effective in providing clear and convincing evidence that may be necessary under state statutes to refuse care after one becomes terminally ill. * A recent Pennsylvania case shows the power a living will can have. In that case, a Bucks County man was not given a feeding tube, even though his wife requested he receive one, because his living will, executed seven years prior, clearly stated that he did ‘not want tube feeding or any other artificial invasive form of nutrition. * A living will provides clear and convincing evidence of one’s wishes regarding end-of-life care. * Healthcare * Even though the various elements that make up the American healthcare system are becoming more circumspect in ensuring that money is not wasted. * The cap that marks a zero-sum healthcare system is largely absent in the United States. * Considering the way we finance healthcare in the United States, it would be hard to make a case that there is a financial imperative compelling us to adopt physician-assisted suicide in an effort to save money so that others could benefit. Cons: * There will be a slippery slope to legalized murder. * In a society as obsessed with the costs of health care and the principle of utility, the dangers of the slippery slope†¦ are far from fantasy. * Assisted suicide is a half-way house, a stop on the way to other forms of direct euthanasia, for example, for incompetent patients by advance directive or suicide in the elderly. So, too, is voluntary euthanasia a half-way house to involuntary and nonvoluntary euthanasia. * If terminating life is a benefit, the reasoning goes, why should euthanasia be limited only to those who can give consent? Why need we ask for consent? * The Hippocratic Oath and Prohibition of Killing would make it impossible. * The prohibition against killing patients†¦ stands as the first promise of self-restraint sworn to in the Hippocratic Oath, as medicine’s primary taboo: ‘I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect’. * In forswearing the giving of poison when asked for it, the Hippocratic physician rejects the view that the patient’s choice for death can make killing him right. * For the physician, at least, human life in living bodies commands respect and reverence–by its very nature. As its respectability does not depend upon human agreement or patient consent, revocation of one’s consent to live does not deprive one’s living body of respectability. * The deepest ethical principle restraining the physician’s power is not the autonomy or freedom of the patient; neither is it his own compassion or good intention. Rather, it is the dignity and mysterious power of human life itself, and therefore, also what the Oath calls the purity and holiness of life and art to which he has sworn devotion.† * There is also Government involvement in end-of-life decisions. * Cases like Schiavo’s touch on basic constitutional rights, such as the right to live and the right to due process, and consequently there could very well be a legitimate role for the federal government to play. * There’s a precedent–as a result of the highly publicized deaths of infants with disabilities in the 1980s, the federal government enacted ‘Baby Doe Legislation,’ which would withhold federal funds from hospitals that withhold lifesaving treatment from newborns based on the expectation of disability. * The medical community has to have restrictions on what it may do to people with disabilities – we’ve already seen what some members of that community are willing to do when no restrictions are in place.Healthcare spending implications will shut it down. * There would be healthcare spending implications. * Savings to governments could become a consideration. * Drugs for assisted suicide cost about $35 to $45, making them far less expensive than providing medical care. * This could fill the void from cutbacks for treatment and care with the ‘treatment’ of death.† * Social groups would also be at risk. * It must be recognized that assisted suicide and euthanasia will be practiced through the prism of social inequality and prejudice that characterizes the delivery of services in all segments of society, including health care. * Those who will be most vulnerable to abuse, error, or indifference are the poor, minorities, and those who are least educated and least empowered. * This risk does not reflect a judgment that physicians are more prejudiced or influenced by race and class than the rest of society – only that they are not exempt from the prejudices manifest in other areas of our collective life.

Alzheimer s Disease, Or Senile Dementia - 1715 Words

Alzheimer s disease, or senile dementia, is a form of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Brain cells and their connections are killed, and this is what causes people s brain functions to fail. Scientist have yet to know what causes Alzheimer s, but have discovered that age, family history, and genes contribute to developing the disease. Symptoms experienced by people with Alzheimer s are poor judgement, poor decision making, inability to manage a budget, losing track of the date or season, difficulty having a conversation, misplacing things, and being unable to retrace steps to find them. According to National Geographic, symptoms experienced in animals include, â€Å"acting disoriented, walking in circles, or staring into corners or at the wall.† So far, not a lot of research has been done on animal dementia. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer s, but there are treatments to help with some brain functions such as cholinesterase inhibitors and memantin e to help treat symptoms like loss of memory, confusion, and problems with thinking and reasoning. Certain genes passed down from your parents contribute to a higher or definite chance of developing the disease. Currently, neuroscientists--scientists that study diseases in the brain and nervous system--are committed to creating clinical trials to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. There are hundreds of various clinical trials that have been created to help combat or even cure Alzheimer s disease. So far,Show MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease : The Most Common Form Of Dementia1427 Words   |  6 PagesDementia, known as one of the world s current pandemics, is estimated to be the fourth most common cause of death in the developed country, second only to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. With the aging population, dementia has gradually become a serious threat to the health of the elderly people in Australia. Alzheimer s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer s disease usually occurs in a primary degenerative encephalopathy in senile and pre senior periodRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease Is The Most Common Form Of Dementia1086 Words   |  5 PagesDo you know what alzheimer’s disease is? Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and the fifth leading cause of death in ages 65 and older. â€Å"2010 Alzheimer s Disease Facts and Figures. Rep. Vol. 6. Chicago: Alzheimer s Association, 2010. Print. Alzheimer s and Dementia.† This disease is the deterioration of the brain that can, and probably will lead to brain loss that cannot be reversed. It is a very slow decline thatRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Horrific Change1460 Words   |  6 Pages Alzheimer s disease which chronically leads to Senile Dementia, is a horrific change in homeostasis for human beings. The most obvious chang e in homeostasis from Alzheimer s is loss of memory. Memory loss can vary from short term to long term. Alzheimer s disease has been occurring in humans for a long time. This is a disease that affects different body systems, and interrupts homeostasis to a significant point. As Alzheimer s disease is further investigated, there are more discoveries withRead MoreSymptoms Of Alzheimer s Disease1006 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer s disease is a severe illness that affects the brain and leads to gradual memory loss, reduced intellectual ability and deterioration function of thinking. Alzheimer s disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, is a progressive neurological disorder that increasingly robs individuals of cognitive, behavioral, and functional skills (Demakis, 2007). The reason for the appearance this disease is a collection of disorders in the brain due to which its cells are dying partially. In theRead MoreHow Does Someone Get Alzheimer s Disease?788 Words   |  4 Page sHow Does Someone Get Alzheimer s Disease? By Dick Harkes | Submitted On August 17, 2011 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest What is Alzheimer s Disease Through Alzheimer s Disease healthy neurons are destroyedRead MoreDementia And It s Types Essay1429 Words   |  6 PagesDementia and it s types Dementia is a syndrome caused by multiple progressive illnesses that affects memory, thinking, orientation, behaviour, comprehension, calculation, judgement, learning capacity, language, and loss of motivation and emotional control. The syndrome is characterized by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with lewy bodies, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia mainly affects older people. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. Prevalence 44.4Read MoreAlzheimer s Disease : The Mysterious Tragedy Essay1565 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Alzheimer s Disease is a name that is not entirely uncommon. Alzheimer s is a disease that has only recently been classified as one, though it is not uncommon to mankind. Before Dr. Alzheimer officially diagnosed it has been present before under the premise of old age and dementia, as both disorders are a disruption of neural pathways related to memory and normal brain operation. Memory in this sense is not bound to the idea of experiences worth cherishing, but also incorporates loss ofRead MoreNew Research On Alzheimer s Disease1405 Words   |  6 Pagesin Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. To date, it is officially ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States; however, recent estimates indicate that the disorder may actually rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people. Alzheimer’s, also known as senile dementia, is predominantlyRead MoreThe Dangers Of Alzheimer s Disease946 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s disease. This disease has plagued mankind for centuries and mercilessly strips people of their independence and intelligence. What makes this disease so dangerous is the fact that humankind has only recently begun to truly understand how it functions, this means that humankind currently has no defense against said disease. Why does mankind only now understand Alzheimer’s disease if it has been around for centuries? The reason is due to the lack of knowledge of the disease, especiallyRead MoreA Study On Alzheimer s Disease1136 Words   |  5 Pagesthe brain occurs a dangerous, gradual, and deteriorative ailment, dementia, particularly named Alzheimer s disease. This disease develops as an irregular malfunction which ultimately leads to death. Alzheimer’s disease was found by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German physician. A woman of middle age passed away years after she was diagnosed with psychological decayment and confusion that was accompanied with loss of memory. Dr. Alzheimer realized there was an unusual arrangement in the nerve cells while