Reflective Practice And Risk Essay

Reflective Practice And Risk Essay The purpose of this essay is to critically evaluate the following statement with reference to my own practice experience in working with risk. As social workers it is especially critical that we apply a resilience-lens, that is, a strengths-based practice approach (Saleeby, 2006, p.198). With the focus of this piece of practice on working with a family, this essay will predominantly explore the above statement from the perspective of a Children and Families placement. The essay will start with a brief outline of the practice experience that will be referred to and will then explore the concepts of resilience and strengths-based practice as well as risk assessment and risk management. The social, cultural and political concepts that shape practice in relation to risk management will also be explored. A reflective discussion of my practice will follow and this will incorporate the concepts of resilience and strengths-based practice as well as risk assessment and risk management and how this approach was utilised to complete BBs Pre-Birth Assessment. This discussion will also be set within a theoretical framework of reflection. The practice experience that will be referred to within this essay is the assessment process I undertook in order to prepare for the completion of a Pre-Birth Assessment which had been requested by the Community Ante-Natal Midwife. The completed Pre-Birth Assessment would be sent to the Local Authoritys Child Protection Officer. This was in line with the Local Authoritys High Risk Pregnancy Protocol. BB is 18 years old and pregnant with her second child. She lives alone in local authority housing in a small village. Her oldest child, CA, was at the time of the referral 9 months old. BBs partner, BA, who is aged 21, is currently in prison serving a two year sentence for Assault to Severe Injury. BA is not expected to get released from prison until October 2010. The Midwife was concerned that BB would find it difficult to cope with the new baby as well as her daughter and described BB as appearing to lack capacity in her understanding of responsibility of CAs health and welfare and the health and well-being of both herself and her unborn baby. The midwife also raised concerns about BBs mental well-being with respect to her partners long term prison sentence and in particular raised concerns that BB was finding it difficult to contemplate the birth of her second child without the support of her partner. The Midwife was satisfied that substance/drug misuse was not an issue with BB. The concept of resilience refers to a dynamic process of overcoming the negative effects of risk exposure, coping successfully with traumatic experiences and avoiding the negative pathways associated with risks. (Rutter, 1985; Luthar et al, 2000). From a developmental perspective, a pathway can become negative when circumstances lead to lower than expected progress or regression. Positive pathways occur as individuals or families overcome adversities. Turning points represent times when a pathway alters direction, such as when professional intervention enables a family or individual to start on or return to a positive pathway. (Hill et al 2007). Gilligan (2004) also suggests that three elements are seen as essential to understanding resilience which arises from a process and results in positive adaption in the face of adversity. Further to this, Fergus and Zimmerman (2005) argue that a key requirement of resilience is the presence of both risk and protective factors that either help bring about a positive outcome or reduce and avoid a negative outcome. In order to illuminate how resilience may operate, the key relationships in the lives of children and their families should be explored. The relationships the children and their families have with the wider world as well as their relationships with professionals should also be included in this exploration. (Gilligan, 2004). According to Hill et al (2007) many of the findings concerning resilience among young people as they move into adulthood are relevant to parents. The capacities and supports that assist their resilience also help them manage stresses arising from parental roles. However, much of the work on parent and family support has been based on the concept of coping and the development or building on the strengths of families facing difficulties rather than that of resilience (Pugh et al, 1995; Quinton, 2004). Nevertheless, as Hill et al (2007) point out successful coping equates to resilience (Hill et al, 2007, p.19). In order to identify and bolster strengths, as well as reduce risk Corcoran and Nichols-Casebolt (2004) consider how a risk and resilience ecological framework (Kirby and Fraser, 1997) can fit with social works emphasis on empowerment and the strengths-based perspective. Corcoran and Nichols-Casebolt (2004) put forward the ideas that the strengths perspective underlies the concepts of protective factors and resilience in which people are not only able to survive, but also triumph over difficult life circumstances. The ecological emphasis of the framework expands the focus beyond the individual to a recognition of systemic factors that can create problems as well as ameliorate them. (Corcoran and Nichols-Casebolt, 2004, p.212) In describing elements and principles of strength-based practice, Saleeby (2000) asks us to imagine an equilateral triangle. P at the apex stands for promise and possibility whilst C on the left represents capacities, competencies and character. R on the angle to the right symbolises resources, resilience and reserves. Taking into account the character and tenor of the helping relationship using the work of Carl Rogers (1951) by utilising respect, genuineness, concern, collaboration and empathy as well having useful and appropriate interventions can provide a context for the family and/or individual to confront the difficult and consider the future. Central to the strengths approach is to begin making an assessment of the assets, resources and capacities within the service user and equally within their environment e.g. household composition, extended family, neighbourhood and local amenities as well as access to community resources. (Saleeby, 2000; Corcoran Nichols-Casebolt, 2004). Further to this, professional assessment needs to focus on strengths as well as deficits, on protective as well as risk factors. (Werner Smith, 1992; Gilligan, 2001). What also needs to be understood, in terms of professional assessment is that protective and risk factors have been found to vary according to the type of adversity, type of resilient outcome and life stage. Also risk factors in one context may by protective in another. (Rutter, 1999; Ungar, 2004). Risk assessment should be understood as collecting information on the two key risk elements; these are known as the outcomes (also known as the consequences, harm or damage) and their likelihood (also known as chance or exposure) and to assess a risk both should be taken into consideration. (Carson Bain, 2008; Titterton, 2005). Risk assessment is also described as a systematic collection of information to identify if risks are involved and identifying the likelihood of their future occurrence. It can also be used to predict the escalation of the presenting behaviour as well as the service users motivation for change. (Calder, 2002) When considering outcomes Carson Bain (2008) argue that a risk assessment only requires from a legal, ethical and professional perspective to cover reasonable outcomes. The goal should be to include as much information, and as many considerations as necessary but to keep the decision as simple as possible. Including unreasonable outcomes quickly become counterproductive and thereby show poor practice. Further to this beneficial outcomes should also be taken into consideration. Risk assessment should also take into account that risk is being considered, and can be justified because its likely benefits may be more important than the possible harms. Quality risk assessment requires us to think about the amount of harm and/or benefits which might be achieved. When assessing likelihood Carson Bain (2008) suggest that the knowledge source and the quality of knowledge are variable. They advocate the adoption of the cognitive continuum model by Hammond (1978 cited in Carson Bain, 2008). This suggests that we should be able to distinguish six levels of knowledge. The lowest level being intuitive judgement next is peer-aided judgement where two or more people will share knowledge, experience and discuss assumptions and predictions. The third is system-aided judgement e.g. supervisor/manager aided. The final three levels relate to the quality of scientific and empirical research which may or may not be available. However, as Carson Bain point out the value of the cognitive continuum is that it reminds us that When making an assessment of likelihood we ought to use knowledge from the highest level, providing it is relevant knowledge. (Carson Bain, 2008, p.142) Therefore, when conducting an assessment, it is important that the nature of the interactions between the family and environmental factors are examined carefully, including both positive and negative influences and knowledge and meaning attached to them explored and weighed up with the family. What is useful in this respect is the use of grids and visual aids such as resilience/vulnerability matrix (Daniel Wassell, 2002), My World Triangle and genograms. The usefulness of these is enhanced when completed together with the service user. At this point it is useful to mention that there are two basic assessment tools used to assess risk. These are clinical which involves professional judgement, information from research on risk factors and constructs risk management as well as allowing intervention strategies to be tailored to situation. The other is actuarial and is based upon statistical calculations of risk and uses scales to assess parental dangerousness. This method does not allow for children and their families unique cluster of circumstances and also takes no account of child development theory. (Barry, 2007; Davies, 2008). Risk management is discovering and controlling the dimensions of the proposed risk into a plan to manage the risks; it is involved with implementing, monitoring, influencing, controlling and reviewing the risk decision. Risk dimensions are features of risk that could be influenced by the practitioner, for example the available (and the availability of) resources to manage the risk and uncertainty (Carson and Bain, 2008). Gurney (2000) defines risk management as processes devised by organisations to minimise negative outcomes and suggests that risk management moves along a continuum between control, legitimate authority and empowerment. Between the empowering and controlling ends of the continuum lie models of risk minimisation which seek to reduce harms and maximise benefits. (Manthorpe, 2000). However, in order to have good risk management we must be able to make effective use of all the dimensions of the risk assessment. Risk management suggest ways in which a decision may be best implemented. Different levels of resources may be applied. For example, the child who is perceived possibly to be at risk may be visited more frequently. People are an example of a major resource for risk management. The number of people being able to visit to check on a risk decision will be important but will be of little advantage if they are not sufficiently knowledgeable or skilled in identifying problems or opportunities and to make appropriate interventions. However, the availability of resources is money orientated and the availability of risk management resources in one part of the country (or neighbouring local authorities) could lead to a different risk proposal being assessed from that in another local authority that does not have those resources available. (Carson Bain, 2008) Webb (2007) identifies social work as operating within a risk society, that is, a society which views risk as something which should be managed and can be identified and eradicated. Since the beginning of the 21st Century there have been several reports regarding child abuse deaths and, as pointed out by Ferguson (1997), there are Few more disturbing phenomena in advanced modern society than the premature deaths of socially valued children who were known to be at high risk. (Ferguson, 1997, p. 228) Examples of high profile child death inquiry cases include Victoria Climbià © (2003), Caleb Ness (2003) and Baby P (2008). These are all very good examples of how the media and public blamed practitioners. The resultant media coverage of how risk assessment and risk management have failed along with demands for minimising risks and organisational and professional accountability have, over the years, constrained the role of a social worker. With respect to this Houston and Griffiths argue that Approaches to risk assessment and management in child protection have led to an emphasis on prediction, control and culpability. (Houston and Griffiths, 2000, p.1). Furedi (1997) argues that the worship of safety and the avoidance of risk make up the new moral order, an order which is prescriptive, intrusive and deeply anti-humanistic. From this perspective, concern about identifying risk is becoming more dominant than concern about identifying need in assessment and resource allocation in risk management. Avoiding risk is a difficult business which cannot be reduced to simplistic methods and rather than try to calculate the incalculable social workers should develop mutually trusting, respectful relationships with service users. Also this approach to risk assessment and risk management may deny the social worker empowering approaches which respond to need, focus on prevention and which more centrally tackle issues of poverty and social inequality. (Stalker, 2003; Ritchie Woodward, 2009). Further to this Ritchie Woodward (2009) point out that if social workers are preoccupied with high risk situations they are less likely to find the space to work either creatively or therapeutically. Additionally, the Changing Lives Report (2006) suggested that the social work profession had become increasingly risk averse. One of the key areas identified in Changing Lives was the need to develop a new organisational culture and approach to risk management and risk assessment which promoted excellen ce. (Scottish Executive 2006). In order to complete BBs pre-birth assessment I took into account risk factors and strengths which I had to analyse and reflect on. Calder (2002) offers a framework for conducting risk assessment by assessing all areas of identified risk and ensuring that each is considered separately e.g. child, parent and surrounding environment. To counteract the risk factors present family strengths and resources were also assessed, for example good bonding, supportive networks. I undertook research regarding parental resilience and according to Hill et al (2007) a vast array of research shows that parents in poverty or facing other stressors usually cope better when they have one or more close relationships outside the household and these are activated to give practical, emotional or informational support. In the case of BB she had a practical and supportive relationship with her mother as well as the support of her extended family which included her grandmother. BB also had a good relationship with BAs family and his mother in particular was a source of support for BB as she regularly took CA overnight. Whilst completing the assessment I centred my practice on the strengths-based perspective. As Saleeby (2000) explains the work of the strengths-based approach is the work of empowerment as both a process and a goal. As a goal, those who are empowered seek a firmer sense of purpose, self-esteem, the possibility of choice and connections to resources. As a process it is the collaboration between a social worker and a family or individual, working together on a mutual plan that will move them closer to their aspirations. Utilising a strengths-based practice with BB was important as she was finding it difficult to interact with the Community Health Visitor and Midwife. BB felt that she was a bad parent as she was not conforming to the routines the Health Visitor had recommended. BB also described how she felt that the Health Visitor was judging her and finding her wanting as a parent. Taking this conversation into consideration I realised that BB had no sense of self-efficacy, self-esteem or self-concept which Payne (2005) describes as resources that people have in order to cope. However, BBs strengths lay in the care of her daughter. She had a good bond with her daughter and was quick to attend to her needs. BB also had a routine in place with regard to mealtimes, naps and a bedtime routine. CA was also reaching her developmental milestones, had age appropriate toys and had the freedom of the living area. BB had also erected a baby gate to stop CA from gaining access to the kitchen and stairs. After a thorough analysis and supervisory discussions with my practice teacher I recommended that a Post-Birth Multi-Agency Conference not be convened. BB was happy to continue to work voluntarily with the Children and Families Area Team which would allow ongoing assessment and intervention. However, I recommended that a Post-Birth Multi-Agency meeting be arranged to discuss future interventions as I was aware that the birth of the new baby could be a future pressure on BB. I also recommended a further assessment take place when BA returns to the family home in October 2010. These recommendations were accepted by the Child Protection Officer at the Local Authority. In conclusion, Kolbs Reflective Cycle (1984) was useful in the reflection of my practice concerning BB as it allowed me to take into account Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Codes of Practice, particularly Section 4.1 and 4.2. This reflective cycle also helped me look at BBs situation holistically by looking at resilience and risk, strengths-based practice and risk assessment and management. On reflection I felt confident that I had used the resources available to me well, particularly research and knowledge and I could justify my risk decision if harm was to occur and would be able to explain how I came to my risk decision. Overall, I felt that my first practice was very much influenced by the negative issues associated with risk however, I believe that this placement allowed me to put risk, risk assessment and management into perspective and accepting that risk decisions should not be influenced by the blame-culture but from a balanced approach which takes into consideration beneficial outcomes. This will in the future enable me to better support service users. 2,998 words

Examining “Don’t Eat This Book” Essay

Morgan Spurlock’s book is an outstanding indictment on people’s eating habits and a marginally effective indictment of the big food industry. The reason for this â€Å"half and half† success is that while Spurlock does properly show that people are guilty of making poor decision that lead to obesity, he falters when he tries to place a large volume of the blame of the â€Å"Big Food† industry. While Big Food is definitely not the friend to people looking to lose weight as the Big Food industry places an amoral desire to boost profits at the risks of health, the bottom line is (and always will be) Big Food loses all its power when people cease to consume and people simply refuse to cease consuming. Spurlock does point out that there is only one method designed to lose weight: reduce calorie consumption either by reducing the amount that is eaten (a decent idea), increasing exercise (better idea), reducing food consumption and replace the bad food that is consumed with high quality food while increasing one’s activity level (the best plan of action). Spurlock confronts people with their decided lack of exercise and challenges people to get up and move! He also confronts people with their food choices. Where Spurlock succeeds magnificently is he enlightens people who may be somewhat confused as to why they cannot lose weight even though they follow fad diets and cut back on their consumption. By pointing out to people that most fad diets are designed to drop water weight and fool people into thinking they lost fat as well as pointing out that eating food high in sugar and fat means higher calories, Spurlock shifts people’s focus on where it belongs when it comes to diet. Their focus belongs on the basics: proper diet and exercise is the cure. Spurlock also successfully points out the reason why fast food is a surefire path to obesity because the processed nature of such food is a â€Å"recipe† for disaster. In a very interesting sidebar, Spurlock shows the sociological reasons why Big Food became as powerful as it is and how deceptive marketing leads to consumption. However, where Spurlock falters is in the silly belief that my regulating Big Food will yield results. To support his philosophy on this, he compares big tobacco to big food. On the surface, the comparison makes sense because emotionally we wish to see Big Food punished. When we think about the situation logically, we realize that the fault lies not in big food but in ourselves. The comparisons between Big Tobacco and Big Food are compelling on an emotional level, but there are some flaws in terms of the logic. Big tobacco was far more complicit in perpetrating a deadly fraud on the population as opposed to Big Food that merely cut corners that yield a higher fat and sugar content. That is, Big Tobacco knew full well that cigarettes were addictive and the tobacco companies also knew that cigarettes caused cancer, heart disease, etc. To make a bad situation worse, Big Tobacco companies increased and manipulated the levels of addictive nicotine in cigarettes in order to â€Å"hook† smokers. Eventually, the lie was exposed and the number of cigarette smokers in the United States has dropped from 54% of the population in 1964 to less than 25% today. When the truth about cigarettes was discovered, the sales of cigarettes declined dramatically. With Big Food, the truth was never hidden and when confronted with the truth, no one cared and the consumption continued. When it comes to Big Food, the problem of obesity not only lies in the fact that refined and artificial sugars, flavors and fats, all of which were designed to lower costs and increasing profits. The ancillary result of this is that calories will dramatically increase when natural products are replaced with refined products. This DOES NOT mean that the natural products are safe! Brown sugar and saturated fat are high in calories and will lead to obesity much in the same was as refined sugar and trans fat will. Furthermore, no one is so naive to believe that McDonald’s food will not make a person fat nor is anyone naive enough to believe it is healthy. Spurlock attempts to use the case of the two overweight girls in NYC as an example of how big food should be sued in the same way that big tobacco was sued due to complicity in the health problems of smokers. The case of the overweight girls was thrown out of court and for good reason: the girls were STILL overweight when the case was filed. They had never reeled in their food consumption habits and were looking to blame someone for their problems. Spurlock attempted to portray these girls as martyrs and it simply doesn’t work. As a sociological look at the over consumption of food and as a common sense approach to diet and weight loss, Spurlock’s tome is outstanding. As an indictment of the Big Food industry, it is only partially successful. Overall, it is a classic study of human nature that only comes along one in a generation. SPEECH There is an inherent problem that is part of human nature. That problem is the concept that if something brings pleasure, then it must be consumed. There is also another item that is part of human nature. That item is logic and reasoning. By logic and reasoning, we understand that something feels good because in our own minds, we make it feel good. We also understand that within our own minds, we define certain feelings as negative. The problem is that we accept things that feel good for the moment that lead to much misery and pain in the long run. Over consumption of food will make a person feel good for the 15 minutes that it takes to consume an abominable meal at a McDonald’s. When we over consume like this three times a day, seven days a week, we derive a combined amount of pleasure that equals less than four hours. The remaining hours in the weeks, months, years are left with the pain that comes from the obesity derived limitations on our social lives, our physical well being and our mental health. When a person stops to think about it, that isn’t pleasure at all. The consumed food is a mere diversion from a life that is ultimately limited and a limited life is a miserable one. What Mr. Spurlock points out is that if we stay away from the diet pills, stay away from the fad diets, refrain from feeding the Big Food machine with out dollars and cents, we can ultimately live a life that is free from the shackles of obesity. However, what we ask here is something that only a mature adult will understand and children are not mature adults. When a child grows up ingesting food that will ultimately make them sick, the adults who allow such things must be held accountable. Whether it is parents or school officials, there needs to be an external pressure designed to be sure that they place the welfare of the children taking the easy way out. As adults, as Mr. Spurlock shows, it is our responsibility to make the younger generation understand that the pleasure they receive from sugar rushes or the effect laboratory engineered trans fat has on the tastes buds is not real pleasure as it is a transitory gateway to a very limited and miserable life. We must educate and we must pressure and we must be successful at this or the negative cycle that has enveloped young children since the early 1970’s will be an unbroken cycle. Work Cited Morgan Spurlock, Don’t Eat This Book, New York: Putnam’s Sons, 2005.

Othello Essay Topic Iago Isn’t Completely to Blame for This Tragedy as Cassio Was Wrongly Appointed by Othello and This Caused the Tragedy

Iago isn’t completely to blame for this tragedy as Cassio was wrongly appointed by Othello and this caused the tragedy. Do you agree? In William Shakespeare’s seventeenth century play Othello readers can see that Iago isn’t the only one responsible for the tragedies within this text as he didn’t actually kill the Othello or Desdemona and all people have free will and must choose to accept manipulation. Although Iago played a major role in bringing about the disaster evident in this script, other characters played a supporting although vital role. The Elizabethan play is set during a time of war and racial conflict. This social climate breeds insecurity in the minds of its people. Of course Iago plays a major role in the tragedy that is this play. He admits he ‘hate[s] the moor’ and whispers ‘pestilence’ in Othello’s ear. The metaphor is important as Iago admits he knows what he is doing is wrong and realises the power his toxic words will have and still goes ahead. He claims both that he is ‘honest iago’ and that he freely gives Othello his ‘wit, hands and heart’ to serve his Lieutenant though Iago’s actions differ from his words. He tells us he is ‘not what [he appears to be]’ and that â€Å"there are many events in the womb of time† which is a metaphor for the fate he attempts to write for himself-â€Å"hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the worlds light. † He plays on the racism of the time saying â€Å"if [Desdemona had] seem blessed, she never would have loved the moor† and uses this to build insecurity within Othello- suggesting Moor Othello could never satisfy the ‘appetites’ of a fair skinned woman, him being ‘black Othello’ and their union thus ‘unnatural’ and assumed ‘witchcraft’ by many. He shows his preference for personal gain over honour when Cassio is worried about damaging his reputation after the ‘barbarous brawl’ and Iago rebuts that physical wounds are worse than a damaged reputation which can be easily mended. While he claims to ‘speak to [Othello] with honest kindness, he lies and plans so that â€Å"how much [Desdemona] strives to do him [Cassio] good' by defending his name, the more suspicious will Othello be. This shows that Igao hopes his ‘purpose [shall] work on’ Othello and although he claims he ‘should rather have [his] tongue cut from [his] mouth should [do] do offence to Michael Cassio this is clearly untrue showing his dishonest nature. Thus we see while Iago gives ‘heavenly shows’ he says in an aside, he embodies the juxtaposing idea of ‘hell’ and by turning Othello against Cassio and Othello’s own wife and ruining the one he claims to serve. He admits his desire from the start to make a ‘net’ to catch them all. He makes the most of his ‘sir.. eaten up with passion’ and does not ‘lead directly to the door of truth’ showing his overt responsibility is the death and destruction that his plans propel. There is a time when we can hope that Othello may not believe Iago’s lies anymore- when he demands Iago ‘prove [Othello’s] love a whore’ but then Iago pretends to be hurt claims ‘honesty’s a fool.. since love brings such offence’ suggesting Othello lack of belief in his ensign emotionally wounds Iago. Othello foolishly falls for this. Othello foolishly believes the words of Iago when he claims he ‘lay with Cassio lately.. in sleep [where he claims people confess the truth, he] heard him [Cassio]say sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our love and kiss, touch, cry.. curst fate that gave thee to the moor’ and of the sacred handkerchief Othello gave wife Desdemona, ‘such a handkerchief did [Iago claim to] today see Cassio wipe his beard with. ’ He says he doesn’t ‘mock’ Othello but he clearly does and Othello lets him believing Iago ‘will do [Othello’s] command’ when he does his own. Iago is though, assisted by his deceptive wife Emilia. Emilia takes the handkerchief from Desdemona which sets up the supposed ‘proof’ of the accusations Iago makes against Desdemona. She says she ‘found that handkerchief and did give it [to her] husband’ and when Iago tells her he told Othello ‘what [he honestly] thought’ about Desdemona she cannot stand his lies anymore and says his ‘reports have set the murder and [he] has killed the sweet and innocent’ and gives her life to save the name of the woman she loved but also the one she helped to kill. Her guilt propels her to confess her and thus her role cannot be ignored despite the bravery she shows defying Iago’s demand that she ‘get .. home and ‘charm [her] tongue’. Her confession ‘moor, she was chaste’ and that she loved the ‘cruel moor’ is all too late. Emilia said to Desdemona before her lady’s death ‘yes, the world’s a huge thing’ and people in it are bad and women do deceive. She showed her awareness and such an in tune woman should have suspected her husband’s ‘purpose’ with the handkerchief and known it would not be noble and never have given the sacred ‘token’ to him. Roderigo and Cassio clearly also play a vital role in this text. Roderigo supplies the money to fund Iago’s plans and does ‘put money in thy purse’ and help ‘plume up [Iago’s] will’ by doing so. Instead of stopping Iago, Roderigo accepts Iago encouraging Roderigo’s lustful mind. Roderigo could have talked reason into Iago but instead allowed iago to talk lack of reason and deception into his mind. Roderigo payed for his too great a trust in Iago with his life. Iago pushes Roderigo to ‘be a man† in his efforts to convince Rodrigo to go to war and says Roderigo ‘shall enjoy her' if he doesn’t â€Å"drown† in his melancholy state. Even though it is quite clear to everyone else that Desdeomna does ‘love the moor’ and thus all she wants is to marry and ‘live with him’ Roderigo lets his lust push him to obey Iago and ‘take thy stand,’ doing anything possible (even attempting to commit the murder of Cassio) to assist Iago when he should have seen the futility in his pursuance of Desdemona. Roderigo ends up paying for his folly with his life when Iago feels he must be seen to revenge the attack against cassio (who survived) when Cassio lays blame of Roderigo. Roderigo admits ‘It is [his] shame to be so fond [of des] but not my virtue to amend it’ but is pushed into pursuing Desdemona even after his ‘money is spent’ and he admits to having ‘little wit’ left. When Iago attacks him saying ‘what poor are they that have no patience’ he is determined to continue his pursuing when he should give up (and outed iago to Othello instead! to help avoid the tragic end. Cassio, another more subsidiary character played a small but important role in this play. He was promoted when only ‘a bookish theoric’ and ‘arithmetic’ rather than battle smart, having ‘never led a squadron in the field. ’ He was, it is suggested, not deserving of the promotion and thus Iago’s jealousy and anger is made somewhat understandable. We all heard Iago’s words to Cassio: he said to him ‘I think you think that I love you’ and never actually said he does love and or respect him. Cassio doesn’t pick up on this subtlety. Cassio also speaks quiet disrespectfully about prostitute Bianca who has supposedly fallen for him- he laughs and says he will never wed her though she ‘weeps’ on him and hangs off him and to Iago’s assertion that Bianca ‘says [he] shall marry her’ Cassio laughs and says she hangs [off him and] she weeps upon’ him this disrespect although common at this time, is penalised when Othello is set up to overhear the story of this woman’s lust and thinks Cassio talks instead of Desdemona. Although Iago set up this scenario, it wouldn’t have been possible with Cassio showing his significant part. He does though at the end claim Othello was ‘great of heart. ’ Clearly Cassio had to be more perceptive to avoid his part in his Lieutenant’s death. Furthermore Othello and his wife Desdemona have a large role in their destruction. Othello listens to iago’s lies and doesn’t realise who the true ‘green eyed monster’ is. He listens to Iago’s ‘trifles’ he trusts Iago over his beloved. He accepts Desdemona is a ‘whore’ and ‘strumpet’ with no real proof. He previously said she was his ‘good wench’ but turns on her quickly. He also turns quickly on close friend Cassio. He calls Iago ‘friend’ and though at the start he claims ‘tis most true’ he married Desdemona, he doesn’t act like a doting husband. At the start he says he won Desdemona through his ‘whole curse of love’ and ‘not drugs, charms.. magic’ and values her opinion encouraging the court to ‘send for the lady, let her speak ’ as his is confident her word will support his claims it was his tales of ‘boyish days’ that seduced her when he spoke of being ‘taken and sold into slavery’ and came by ‘cannibals’.. she ‘devoured of [his] discourse’ and â€Å"she loved [him] for the dangers [he had] passed. Yet he kills her. It is not Iago’s hand that ‘smother’ his wife, but Othello himself; he had a choice. Additionally, Othello doesn't like fighting and labels it a ‘Christian shame’ ‘barbarous brawl’ and says a man who ‘canâ €™t calm his rage’ is worth little yet his later actions contradict this. Also he says he loves Cassio but doesn’t show this either. Even after saying he ‘found not Cassio’s kisses [Desdemona’s] lips he believes Iago and claims ‘farewell content’, so easily giving up all known happiness for the words of one man. He says ‘make me to see it†¦prove it’ with ‘no loop to hang a doubt on’ and ‘give me a living reason she is not honest’ but there is none but he refuses to see it, to him the ‘handkerchief’ is proof enough. He says of Cassio ‘how shall I murder him now’ and of Desdemona ‘damn her.. lured minx.. she shall not live†¦ my heart is turned to stone’ he says ‘all [his] found love thus [he does] blow to heaven†¦tis gone’ showing he gave up on this love, he blew it to heaven only realised his crimes at the end when he went on to kill himself as self punishment. His role is unable to be denied. Desdemona was ignorant about what people, even those one loves, are capable of and also didn’t explain herself well enough when her husband convicted her. She also knew her death was waiting when he sent her to her room and she sang he willow song about a woman who was killed by her lover. This foreshadowed her death and almost showed a forfeit by this character. She gave Othello ‘a world of sighs’ he says and as she does ‘love the moor’ and love his â€Å"mind† she will obey all he says. And this love blinds her. Such blind love makes her have no fear and thus she is too open about praising Cassio. At this time were many suspected women of affairs. She claims Cassio is ‘an honest face' but she â€Å"truly loves† Othello and that her ‘heart is subdued even to the upmost pleasure of [her] lord’ so that she defies the status of woman as quite, claims her voice and speaks in court and demands to be allowed to go to war with him; ‘let me go with him. ’ But she lies to her ‘good lord’ about the handkerchief claiming ‘it is not lost’ when to her knowledge it is. She says she is Othello’s ‘true loyal wife’ but she is not truthful with him. Though she is maybe too loyal going to bed even after he charges her as being a ‘strumpet’ and committing adultery. Before she dies she claims ‘heaven doth truly know it’, regarding her innocence but some may say she doesn’t do enough to save herself. She says ‘his unkindness may defeat [her] life but never take [her] love’ and earlier said to Emilia she asks ‘there be women who abuse their husbands’ which shows her innocence and great trust of all people and not believing in bad and deception hence a perfect victim and not equipped to defend herself against Othello’s claims. This highlights the role husband and wife both played- her too innocent and him not being her protector, in their deaths. The fact he killed her and he killed himself, regardless of obvious Iago influence shows will power and their responsibility. The denouement reveals that many characters bear some responsibility for the end of the play. The final words of Lodovico shows that Iago bears much blame, after all this is ‘[his] work’, referring to the now dead lieutenant and his ‘true and loyal’ wife. Desdemona’s last words to Emilia, asking her to ‘commend [Desdemona] to [her] lord’ Othello and Othello’s about the importance of her ‘kiss’ and that even as he killed her he stated he ‘shall kill thee now and love thee after’ showed that they loved each other until the end. However they gave into the deception manipulation of others and must accept this as a fault. Othello’s suicide is an admission of his guilt and Desdemona going to her room after Othello warned he would kill her shows an all too easy acceptance of her fate.

The Savannah A Postcolonial Society Under African...

Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of the Savannah depicts a Postcolonial society under African dictatorship. However, the dictator, known as his Excellency, has far more fear in upholding colonial rule than first meets the eye. In wanting to up to, and even conform to previous colonial rule, his power as a leader is repressed. This leads us to understand that post-colonialism is far beyond living in a society without colonial government. Instead, it can be understood as living in a society that has its own form of governing, one that is not dependant or in want of satisfying previous colonisers. Like Anthills of the Savannah, those with the most power, ironically suffer from the most repression of power, which is also a theme that will be highlighted in Doris Lessing’s The Grass is Singing. Lessing is writing in essentially a rural slave society, with masters and servants clearly knowing their place within it. It is the social discourse, the voice of Rhodesia, which guides every one in how they should, or should not behave. These behaviours had to conform to the understanding that the white colonisers are superior to the black population. However, a character that was supposed to be liberated and empowered by this social discourse is repressed by it. Mary cannot uphold the social discourse because she does not know how too. Consequently, she becomes a threat to the myth of white cultural superiority. Thus, using these two novels, the term ‘Postcolonial’ will be explored through theShow MoreRelatedRole of African Elites in Dismantling Decolonization5146 Words   |  21 Pagessensibility of most African writers. Thus, they illuminate the various types of mentalities or ideologies that inform African literature. In addition, these works help the reader determine if a novelist s portrayal of African society fully reflects its social relations, political arrangements, and economic factors. These critical writings also help in the debate on the defi nition of African literature. For they bring out the historical connections that make it possible to analyze African literature dealing