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Malacidins New Soil Antibiotic Summary

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The article describes the discovery of a new class of natural product antibiotics, a novel of calcium-dependent cyclic peptide natural antibiotic by the name malacidin. From the study, the experiments conducted indicate that the mode of action of malacidin is different from the other antibiotics that require calcium. Bacteria are constantly evolving becoming resistant to drugs making it difficult to treat people that are affected by bacterial infections necessitating the need for more research for the development of antibiotics. The new target for the researchers is the microorganisms that live in the soil.

To make their research a success, the researchers collected over 2000 soil samples and picked daptomycin as a guide antibiotic for reference. Daptomycin kills the cells through the aid of calcium to disrupt the bacterial cell walls. The research team then used the DNA information encoded for the production of the antibiotic daptomycin as their guide during the study of the genomes of antibiotics used by the microorganisms in the soil samples. It is during the research that they came across the new family of antibiotics, the malacidins that can fight off infections using the same mechanism as daptomycin to kill the cells that are through using calcium to disrupt the bacterial cell wall. Contrary to the other antibacterial agents, the calcium in the malacidin family does not cause leakage in the cell walls but instead disrupt the antibiotic behavior in different ways. The researchers tested the antibiotic sample on rats that were induced with MRSA skin infection to test the efficiency of the antibiotic. The malacidin is reported to kill the bacteria effectively. Besides, the researchers examined the bacterial resistance on malacidins to which tested negative according to the study.

The next experiment would be to test the new antibiotic with other animals such as pigs and rabbits with induced conditions before clinical trials with humans, and this will increase the efficacy of the antibiotic to humans to which would also turn positive. Besides more research should be conducted to find more members of the malacidins family.

Toni Morrison explores multiple themes in his novel ‘Song of Solomon’, and the idea of racism can be traced throughout the no

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Toni Morrison explores multiple themes in his novel ‘Song of Solomon’, and the idea of racism can be traced throughout the novel. Internal racism, however, is the central theme in the novel as Morrison does not only touch on the racism between groups but through individuals as the author focuses on the prejudice within a single race, the blacks. Throughout Song of Solomon, it is made clear that racism is not just a struggle between races but also could be evident within human races resulting in greater conflicts within the characters involved. The theme of internal racism is navigated through the novels main character who happens to be Milkman throughout his development and growing up to discover himself and tries to find his identity over the time.

Since the beginning of the novel, the main character Milkman is depicted as being different from the rest of his people in the community. The main reason is that his family and their presence stand out of the community making them unique. Morrison uses the nickname to unwrap the issue of racism in the culture to which Milkman comes from as the name itself stands out. The act of nicknaming individuals depicts the themes in the novel as the nickname implies something white, a fact that is very different from his culture as he is of black identity. Since Milkman was a young boy, he grew up with the perception that his family stood out from the rest of the community. He is brought up in a family that is notorious for having a father who doesn’t spare other people despite the intensity of their situations and is depicted as a show off in their manner to which they live. They show off in various ways such as through the car they drive, mode of dressing as well as the home to which they live. Milkman due to his characters is labeled a ‘black man with the possession of a white heart’ (p.201) by the people in his community. The label is a generalization of the Milkman’s family due to the show off they have to the general public in their black community, and therefore Milkman is also included in the generalization. The values depicted by Milkman’s family are purely similar to those of the whites and to which a large number of the black population tend to resent.

At the beginning of the novel where Milkman was a little boy, he is depicted as a person who lacks self-awareness as well as the inability to identify himself. “It was becoming a habit—this concentration on things behind him. Almost as though there was no future to be had.” (Pg. 65). The phrase foreshadows Milkman’s future throughout the novel. The inability to focus on him grows over a problem that a majority of the African Americans have been struggling to overcome for a very long period due to the role of slavery that is placed on them, that is their culture and identity making them appear lost with no self-recognition. Being diminished as ‘not human’ and made aware that their race is inferior, had the massive effects of tarnishing the African American communities beyond the people’s recognition and with the abolition of slavery, the problem did not disappear and had continued through history as the Black race is considered inferior by many. The same struggle is eminent with Milkman as he faces the same struggles as the rest of the society. Milkman is grouped with the whites by the people of his community, but physically he is bundled with the rest of the black people in his community.

When Milkman grows up and begins working on his father’s premises, he tries to be everything that his father was not. The reason is that he grew to blame his father for lacking the self-identity he was feeling. Milkman has the belief by doing it, Milkman will be able to build an identity, but Milkman is soon let down as he grows up to be the same person that his father used to be during his working years. No matter how he tries to run away from his culture, he still finds himself greatly attached, and there is no way he can escape from the destiny.

As Milkman grows more immune to being isolated, he still has to struggle with his lack of identity that according to him has been brought up by his parents past and has consequently thrust on him. “[Milkman] Has never felt he belonged to anyplace or anybody.” (Pg. 283). The phrase is a clear indication that his struggles have continued and that he still suffers and there is no regard to where he is located. Even as he tries to find the self-worth in money through finding his ancestors gold or even by displaying his worth through the clothes that he wears and the material properties that he buys, he continues to realize that nothing will be able to make him feel worthy of anything. And therefore he continues to suffer like the rest of the African Americans entitled to the same race as him.

When Milkman almost got murdered, we are already aware that he is given up with life but at the same time, he is determined to prove his self-worth. And therefore he is neither opposed or for the idea of dying, and he opts to take the issue as it unveils itself and this is an illustration of the isolation and the confusion through which Milkman passes through to feel normal. It is only after Milkman’s loss encounter to death and being in the woods that wakens him giving him the realization of some of his identity and who he wants to be, and this does not last for long. He lapses back to the previous life that he had come from even after making some progress in self-recognition as he never settles on much of anything.

Inadequate decision making and lack of conclusion by Milkman throughout the novel portrayed by Morrison is a representation of how an identity crisis can be terrific. In this particular case, it represents the lack of identity and self-worth among the African American communities, and this issue has continued to affect a large number of the community of African origin up to date. As the main character, Milkman flows from one cultural identity crisis to the other, and it is made clear that the history of a community and that of a family can have significant impacts to an individual affecting their identity and self-worth throughout their life.

Throughout the novel, the theme of internal racism between individuals and communities of the same race has been well outlined through characterization of Milkman. The main character has been used by the author to portray internal conflicts that arise due to the issues of identity. Milkman doesn’t accept his status and has grown up to be a man who hates his roots and his family. The more he tries to alienate himself from the community the more worthless he becomes.

Reference

Morrison, T. (2014). Song of solomon. Random House.

Parenting Styles

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Parenting Styles

Parenting styles refer to the combination of various strategies used by parents to raise the children. According to Diane Baumrind, there are four parenting styles to which parents are grouped, and this includes the authoritative parent, permissive or indulgent, the uninvolved or neglecting parent and the authoritarian parent (Steinberg, Laurence, and Nancy). The type of parenting affects the performance as well as the discipline of the children. It is important to adopt the best parenting style so that parents can influence a healthy growth and development of their children as they interact. Each of the parenting styles takes a different approach in raising children.

The authoritarian parent

The authoritarian parents have the perception that children should do as they are asked to and therefore should follow their parent’s rules without exception (Chao). These kind of parents are famous due to their saying the ‘Because I said so’ in the instances to which the child questions their parents the reason behind following the rule. The parents in this style aren’t open either are they interested in any negotiations as their main focus is the obedience of their children. The authoritarian parents do not allow their children to make decisions for any challenge or problem they face but instead, they make the rules and enforce the consequences with little regard to the opinion of their children. The parents in this category may use punishments to instill discipline to their children, and thus they invest in making the children feel sorry for their mistakes rather than teaching their children to make better choices.

Children who are brought up by the parents who adopt this style tend to follow the rules much on time as they are brought up by strict parents. The children brought up with this style of parenting have a higher risk of developing self-esteem problems because their opinions are not valued since they were young. They may also be aggressive or hostile as they spend much of their time focusing on anger to which they feel on their parents rather than thinking about their future. As a result of being brought up by strict parents, the children in this category end up becoming good liars to evade punishment from their parents.

Authoritative Parenting

The authoritative parents make rules for their parents, but they also consider the opinions of their children (Baumrind). The parents validate their children’s emotions while at the same time making it clear that they are in charge of everything despite providing a room for the children’s opinion. The authoritative parents invest most of their time and energy in instilling discipline to their children. The reason is to prevent behavioral problems before they arise. The parents using the authoritative style of parenting are considered to use positive discipline strategies to their children to reinforce a behavior. Among the positive discipline, plans include the praise and reward systems that act as a motivation to the children to maintain the required behavior.

According to research, the children who are brought up by parents who use the authoritative style of parenting are most likely to be responsible adults in the future and to whose the self-esteem is raised making them feel comfortable in the expression of their opinions. The children who are raised with the authoritative discipline are often happy and successful in future, they are also more likely to be better decision makers and evaluating the risks. The children are also expected to make good leaders as they possess the qualities of a good leader such as ethical decision makers, discipline, timekeepers and at the same time have a higher confidence and self-esteem level as they were encouraged by their parents to provide opinions.

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parents are lenient to their children and often avail during the cases of a serious problem (Watson). The parents are quite forgiving, and they might give privileges if the child begs for them. The permissive parents are seen to take the role of a being more of a friend than being a parent and encourage the children to inform them about their issues. Besides, the parents on this category don’t put much effort into discouraging lousy behavior or bad choices. Children brought up by parents who are permissive are more likely to struggle in academics, they also exhibit behavioral problems as they do not appreciate the presence of rules and authority. The children may suffer low esteem as well as report cases of sadness. The children are also at a higher risk of obtaining lifestyle diseases such as obesity as their parents don’t struggle to limit the kind of food being taken.

Neglecting or Uninvolved Parenting

The uninvolved parents have little knowledge about the deeds of their children as they are not concerned about the welfare of their children (Hildyard, Kathryn and David). In this type of parenting, there tend to be few rules for the children, and the children may receive less guidance from their parents, less nurturing as well as reduced parenting attention. The parents expect their children to raise themselves with little or no assistance coming from them. The parents do not devote much time or even their energy into meeting their children needs as they are always neglectful of their responsibilities although it is not always intentional as at times they lack the knowledge about child development. At times, they may be overwhelmed with other problems such as work and other responsibilities that separate them from their children only availing themselves at the times of availability of which it is rare. The children brought up by uninvolved parents are likely to have self-esteem issues, and they perform poorly in school. The kids are also prone to indiscipline as their parents have no time correcting theory behaviors.

Various parenting styles instill different personalities to the children during growth and development. Children who are given opportunities to express their opinions with their parents have higher chances of being disciplined in the sense that their parents instill correctional measures in the case of in case the child goes against the set rules. For the uninvolved parents, the children may suffer lack of discipline, and they may be exposed to lifestyle problems as their parents have no control over their lives. Therefore parenting styles play a vital role in the growth and development of children.

Work Cited

Baumrind, Diana. “Effects of authoritative parental control on child behavior.” Child development (1966): 887-907.

Chao, Ruth K. “Beyond parental control and authoritarian parenting style: Understanding Chinese parenting through the cultural notion of training.” Child development 65.4 (1994): 1111-1119.

Hildyard, Kathryn L., and David A. Wolfe. “Child neglect: developmental issues and outcomes☆.” Child abuse & neglect26.6-7 (2002): 679-695.

Steinberg, Laurence, and Nancy Darling. “Parenting style as context: An integrative model.” Interpersonal Development. Routledge, 2017. 161-170.

Watson, Goodwin. “Some personality differences in children related to strict or permissive parental discipline.” The Journal of Psychology 44.1 (1957): 227-249.

The Black Table is still There

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The Black Table is still There

In the book ‘The Black Table is still There’, Lawrence Otis Graham who is the author of the book and a graduate from the Harvard law school and Princeton University goes back to his mainly white junior high school to pay a visit. During his visit, Graham comes by something that he previously thought that he could see it again after so many years of being to the school as he had forgotten it during his adulthood days. In the cafeteria of his white primary school lay a peculiar lunch table, making Graham flashback to his olden days of childhood explaining why the black table affected him.

Graham begins the flashback by stating that most of the time that he was the only boy in most of the activities that he attended that included like in his high school tennis team, the easting club as well as the summer music camps. Despite attending all the gaming and competitions activities at his school, he was not the only black American in his school. Graham states that there was a scenario that has made him startled most during his school days. He narrates that the existed a black table during lunchtime, the black table was a group of African American teenagers that could come as a group sitting at one of the tables in the cafeteria. Graham narrates that he would never sit at that table no matter whom they walked into the cafeteria as he feared to lose his white friends by siting with the black individuals, as he claims that he could be making an anti-white racist statement.

Graham showed his resentment to the all-black lunch table and believed that the black kids were the reason as to why other children did not mix more. I tend to agree with him in this statement as people tend to view teenagers who separate themselves into individual groups as being anti-social people and that they don’t like mixing with other groups. Lawrence blames the black kids for being the barrier of integration in the school and all his little world. Graham, however, states that he was wrong as, during the same time, there were at least two tables of athletes that included an Italian table a Jewish boys table and a Jewish girls table. Where he usually sat, a table of kids who often were onto heavy metal music and a smoking pot, a table belonging to the middle-class Irish kids. Here, Grahams asks “weren’t this table just as segregationist as the black table?’ In other words, Graham realized that he was wrong, and he realized this because yes there existed an all-black table at his high school, but there was also a table where all the athletes could sit, all the Italians could sit, and the Jewish girls and boys could sit. The African American teens sitting in the all-black table were therefore not isolating themselves. They were imitating what everyone else was doing, sitting together with their kinds of friends and this concludes that Graham was wrong in his judgments and that he continues to admit that he was assuming the opposite of what was happening.

Graham would not be the only individual who could be associated with the wrong judgments as to some extents the inference is always correct. I think it is clear that we tend to separate ourselves and that it is natural that this still remains and exist in our society today even though we don’t realize it as it is done unintentionally. There are a few factors that try to explain why we tend to segregate ourselves. One of these reasons is that without our recognition, we tend to stay and associate with people to whom we own the same race, and country and this is because we feel that we tend to share the same interests and we feel that we go so much in common. The habit goes on every day without the people realizing it, happening in our schools and amongst our neighborhoods. It is not perplexing to find that some of the communities are divided into the same ethnicity.

We feel that just because we share the same culture and beliefs, we can relate with one another more easily and comfortably with people to whom we associate with than to those whom we don’t share anything in common. Just because someone else is of a different nationality and religion, we tend not to associate with them as much. This, however, does not have the implication that we can never be a diverse group of people but because of the force of the habit to not only reside with our nationality and religion but even in our daily activities and this is especially among the younger people in schools such as high school. The kids on a sports team or some other activities that tend to bring people together often is characterized by the habit of association with people from the same region and kind. The reason is therefore quite clear that all the associations tend to share some common interest proving Graham wrong as he comes to realize this issue much later.

Despite being in the association, racial segregation has been significant part of the current and the previous generations. Racial discrimination tends to have dominated in the past years where it was publicly known that being black or white meant that you could stick to your lanes. The issue of racial segregation was much evident in the American society, and this as well can give an inference of the origin of the all-black lunch table that existed in Graham’s high school. It can be evident that the blacks were exposed to some discrimination by the whites during lunchtime and that is the main reason that they decided to have a place of their own by assembling and sharing their moments together.

High schools and colleges are among the public institutions to which racism is common, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise that a certain group of people may prefer to stick together especially if they are the minority group. The reason as to why they will seclude themselves is to avoid unnecessary victimizations from the majority groups. To further clarify our doubts, we tend to see the Jewish and the Italians having separate tables as well alongside the all-black lunch table during athletics and other sporting activities. Majority of the people from other regions may not be at ease in socializing with people to whom they don’t relate especially in language and colour. Therefore it is very difficult to find a Jewish associating with a black at the first time while there are others of their kind. The trend has however been reducing, but still, the aspect of the black table amidst of the other tables has continued to be evidenced in the present generation. The main reason behind is due to the enhancement of the rich culture and traditions of the people. The individuals tend to carry it along with them; this is because for example during lunchtime a black person may not do the same practices like the whites and therefore may opt to associate with the blacks to whom they tend to share a similar culture.

Work Cited

Graham, Lawrence Otis. “The Black Table I Still There.” Coming of Age: Literature About Youth and Adolescence: 1999-43.

Literary analysis essays

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ENG 120: Current Themes: Apocalyptic Fiction

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Literary analysis essays

Station eleven is an audacious, darkly glittering novel (Mandel, 2016) that is about art, ambitions and fame that is set in the eerie days of civilization collapse, from the author of the three highly acclaimed previous novels. The novel is written by Emily St. John Mandel. On one snowy night of a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies on the stage during the production of the film king Lear. Some hours later, the world as it is known begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in the time from the actors early days of the film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theatre troupe that is known as the travelling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains this suspenseful, spellbinding, elegiac novel charts the strange twists of the fate which connects five people that is the actor, the actors first wife, the man who tried to save him, a young actress and his oldest friend with the travelling symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet. Sometimes terrifying and sometimes tender, Station Eleven tells a story about the relationships that sustains us, the ephemeral nature of fame as well as the beauty of the world as we get to know it. The novel Station Eleven is mostly dominated by six major characters to whom all are connected to one another as well as the secondary characters.

Arthur Leander, a famous actor is the first to whom we are introduced to in the novel. The character can be described as pretentious as well as self-absorbed. Throughout the novel, he was married to three women and he is always unfaithful to them and this could be caused by his self-absorption character as he tends to care more about himself rather than the women to whom he is engaged to as his wives. Arthur is connected to almost all the characters in the novel.

Arthur is an extremely successful actor who dies of a heart attack on stage the night of the Georgia Flu outbreak (Byrd, 2017). During the production, Arthur was a mentor to Kirsten who witnessed his death. The novel describes his early days struggling in Toronto with his friend Clark Thompson and his rise to fame and celebrity in the Hollywood where Arthur marries and divorces thrice. Arthur’s first wife was known as Miranda Carroll who happens to originate from the same island as Arthur. The second wife was Elizabeth Colton, she is the mother to Arthurs’ child Tyler. The third wife goes by the name Lydia Marks. Towards the end of his life, Arthur comes to regret his actions and stops valuing his possessions. During the weeks before his death, Arthur decides to move to Israel and discard his older life so that he could be closer to his son. Of course, the Georgia flu could have prevented this from happening if he hadn’t died of heart attack.

In the novella Station Eleven, Arthur Leander is depicted as a symbol of continuity. In her critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel, Station Eleven, the author Emily St. John Mandel undeniably exerts her literary prowess as if exemplified in the many parallelisms that she draws between her work and that of such contemporary pieces as those of William Shakespeare ‘King Lear’. Out of the many faculties to which Mandel uses to illustrate the similarities, the most substantial can be obtained in the characterization of Arthur Leander, to which Mandel personifies the overarching theme found in Shakespeare’s playwright which is that of the conceptualization of the great chain of being.

Popularized by the Greeks, through both Plotinus and Plato, the ideology argued that everything in the known multiverse had its own place in a divinely composited hierarchical chain that was preordained by God for the intended purpose of creating order and connectivity among all the things, with a strong emphasis placed on the continuity and correspondence linking all the things. In the case of King Lear, the notion was demonstrated in the way in which the foolish king connected all of his characters and events within the drama and ultimately in the way that his actions lead to the disorder amongst his kingdom. In a similar case, Mandel’s plot driven novel follows in the Shakespeare’s footsteps in the many relationships that manifest between the character and the events through their association with the deceased Arthur Leander. The most obvious demonstrations of this is found in the protagonist Kirsten Raymond and her fascination with collecting Arthur Leander memorabilia in the collapsed society in which she finds herself apart of as well as in in the various contact zones that are central to the main conflict of the book, all of which bond together through some affiliation with his character. With everything being kept into consideration, Arthur Leander is one of the most important characters in Station Eleven (Mandel 2016). The fact being substantiated in the way that Mandel leverages his characters as a means to interconnect the different characters, contact zones and with them, the events in the novel and thus personifying the great chain of being.

One of the most brilliant affirmations of how Mandel intertwines all the characters within the novel through the main character Arthur Leander, is found in the peculiar characteristic that is demonstrated by Kirsten Raymond. On a microscopic level, the behavior demonstrated by Kirsten serves as a means to cope with the new reality that she found herself apart. However on a larger scale, the incident acts her with the way the society use to be at a time that Arthur Leander was alive and everyone who was associated with him when he was alive. The fact is further bolstered in the Station Eleven comic strips that are her higher prized possessions. The artefacts created by Miranda, Arthur’s first wife unifies Kirsten to Arthur and it is through him that his wives as well as his child Tyler and in a domino effect like manner, the various groups within the work such as the travelling symphony, the people at St. Deborah by the water and the group found at the museum of civilization.

Even more profoundly, through employing the stagnant character, Jeevan Chaudhary, a journalist who followed Arthur Leander (Mandel 2016), there are very serious implications that he took the photographs in the magazines she clings so much passionately to, that of the stories central characters. There is unquestionably both a correspondence and a continuity between all characters in Mandel’s work of all that is depicted in the simple action of Arthur giving a small child a cartoon strip to which the novel obtains its name from. While Kirsten’s fixation on Arthur Leander memorabilia provides ample evidence as to how Leander’s character acts to personify the great chain of being, the amalgamation between contact zones and events, namely found in the museum of civilization that was previously identified as Tavern city airport and the central conflict at St. Deborah by the water, through his character, further strengthens the stipulation.

In her article, “Arts of the Contact Zone,” Mary Louis pretty defines a contact zone as a social space where cultures meet, clash and grapple with each other often in the context of highly asymmetrical relations of power. In regard to Mandel’s novel, Station Eleven, the two major contact zones within the work occur at the museum of civilization, immediately after the society’s collapse and at St. Deborah by the water. Throughout her work, Mandel beautifully encapsulated the notion as it is seen in Kirsten’s fascination with Arthur Leander memorabilia and the ways she so effortlessly interconnected the different contact zones and even inside her works. That being said upon an in-depth reading of Station Eleven one can’t help but reflect on the many ways that we all seem united with one another in the overall fabric of humanity and thus showcasing as to why it is difficult to survive alone.

The reason as to why Mandel has used so many characters is that she could achieve the continuity that evident in the whole novel. Arthur Leander, being the main actor in the novel is connected with almost all the players and thus ensuring that there is continuity within her story. The large cast of the characters in the novel Station Eleven helps the author achieve and communicate her intended message to the audience through giving each of the characters a unique but a correlated character to what is being addressed. The main issue of that Mandel brings out by introducing a character who has many wives is to indicate how people can’t be such independent on their own and need a companion to make their lives better. In order for the mankind to ensure their continuity, it is prompted that they get married to have kids an issue that is so much open in the novel of continuity. In addition however, the issue of divorce is present in the novel by Arthur Leander who divorces his first wife an indication of how life isn’t a smooth journey and that proper choices need to be made for a successful life. It’s also evident that no matter how one is successful, he or she is full of fouls that make their lives to get based on regrets.

Work Cited

Mandel, Emily St John. Station eleven. Éditions Rivages, 2016.

Byrd, Merry. “Siblings and Survivors: The Post-Apocalyptic Worlds in Edan Lepucki’s California and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven.” Femspec 17.2 (2017): 71.

Storytelling and Digital Marketing in Luxury Products

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Storytelling and Digital Marketing in Luxury Products

As the technology across the globe has been advancing over the past decades and is continuing to be sophisticated at a significant rate, the issues that revolve around product marketing as well has been proving to be more difficult, and as a result, a call for a shift in the advertisement modes has been more prompting. The article covers the details regarding storytelling and digital marketing as a way of marketing luxury products. People are no longer interested in billboards as a method of advertising as very little time is used by people walking across the roads. At this era, everyone is busy but still connected to the internet. This is the point that makes it more interesting because, despite everyone being too busy, they will always try to squeeze and make a break out of the strong shift and find a better way of relaxing. Luckily enough, everyone is signed in one or more social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or even Instagram and this makes digital marketing the most appropriate method of advertising products due to the extensive coverage as well as the potential for a large group of customers.

The article in discussion is “Storytelling and Social Networking as Tools for Digital and Mobile Marketing of Luxury Fashion Brands” by Romo et al… The main reason as to why I got interested in analyzing and discussing this article is due to its focus on a unique way of advertising that entails the use of storytelling and social networking in relation to marketing. Analyzing this article will enable and at the same time convey important knowledge to the readers concerning storytelling and digital marketing in the promotion of their products.

In “Storytelling and Social Networking as Tools for Digital and Mobile Marketing of Luxury Fashion Brands,” Romo et al. claim that digital marketing is vital to helping brands reinvent their marketing campaigns and strategies to appeal to their upcoming and younger audiences. The author’s state digital marketing is an essential tool to help luxury brand leaders communicate with their audiences. They claim that storytelling is a way that brands can interact and build engagement with consumers. To illustrate this claim, the authors further explain that these strategies are not easily carried out as luxury brands require a more detailed approach to branding. The authors have found that among others, the principle of storytelling is one of the critical strategies in digital marketing and that the principle can be found in video marketing, social media events, as well as the exhibitions that are open to the public and to which, tend to interact with the public and show its history.

In the first claim, the authors state that there is a general agreement on the lack of “substantial” definitions of luxury since the luxury can be defined based on the general intrinsic characteristics of the products, techniques used or the techno-economic characteristics of the industry. My claim is that that there exist vivid evidence that prof the authors’ claim of the general agreement on the definition of luxury. The first evidence is from a subjective point of view where the term luxury could refer to “Things you have that you do not think you should have.” In another evidence, the author states that luxury objects should be ‘recognizable, stimulate a customer’s emotional response and be incorporated into the consumers’ lifestyle.’ Besides, the author relates to the work of Bastein and Kapferer that reveal that ‘price, quality and exclusivity’ were the three main concepts that were associated with luxury, along with desire and longing. Another evidence that sums up the definitions of luxury is that by Wong and Ahuyia who chose a luxury brand with the qualities of being utilitarian, emotional and symbolic dimensions that underlie their orientation. From the above evidence, it is true that the authors have supported their claim for the lack of an evident existence of a definition of luxury and therefore a general description of luxury with the common denominators of beauty, rarity and quality is accepted.

In another claim, the authors state that there are two models of brand strategies carried out by brands that lead the luxury industry. My claim is that the authors have supported their claims with the two models. The evidence from the text include; In the first model are the brands that are based on taking the quality of their products to the extreme, making a cult and their heritage. The heritage is nourished by the history of the brand, its founders and its new creators thus transmitting the personality of the brand and its values. The second model has its origin from the United States, and since it lacks own history, there is an invention of the history of the brand. The strategy focuses more on imagination, creativity as well as experimentation and thus transmit the values and the brand is nourished by storytelling. Based on the above evidence, the authors have established concrete evidence to support their claim of the existence of the two models used in the business promotion.

In another claim, the authors argue that the traditional marketing strategies cannot be applied to luxury fashion and so they created the anti-laws to support their claim. My claim is that there is enough evidence to support the authors’ argument. In the first evidence is the law of non-positioning whereby it states that for luxury products, there is no comparison as luxury is never superlative comparative. Another evidence is that luxury does not have to respond to the increase in demand like the traditional marketing, this is because if it responds to the demand, then it will lose sales and prestige and as well create tension in customers. Instead, the luxury responds to dream and not a need as the reaction to increase in demand will lead to the loss of its uniqueness, essence and value to the prospective customers who seek to live their dreams through luxury and brand. In another evidence, the law suggests that luxury fashion has to dominate the customer, not arrogantly, but luxury brands, unlike the rest, must be those who take the role of advisors, educators as well as social guides as the customer who buys luxury fashion is buying identity, culture, art, and social status.

The other law makes it difficult to buy from customers as luxury has to be something that the customers must have earned, the more difficult the access to a luxury product, the more desirable it will be for its customer. The other law stipulates that luxury sets the price and not the other way around and at the same time, there is no unique selling position. The other law is communication to those who are not your customers or target audience. Luxury satisfies the values of personal and social uniqueness, if the brand is only communicated to its target audience, the public inaccessible to these brands cannot recognize them, then loses its social value to its customers. The other law implies states that ‘do not relocate factories’ as relocation makes the brand cease being a luxury. The last law state that sells marginally on the internet as the sales in the internet increase the after year sales. From the text, there is compelling evidence that supports the authors’ claim.

Based on the article, there is a higher chance of changing the way things are done. The reason is that one has to understand the type of product they are dealing with and especially if they are dealing with the luxury products, they will have to adopt a different strategy. At the same time, the article will affect the mode of doing this job as individuals dealing with the luxury products were not yet aware of the basics that influence the market for such commodities. The luxury products are unique and do not respond to demand, and at the same time, they set the prices and not the other way round, and this makes it clear that luxury doesn’t have to compete with demand so that they don’t lose their value.

From this article, there are many deductions that the readers can make and some of them include the general definition of luxury, laws, and anti-laws that guide the fashion luxury as well as the most effective method of marketing the luxury commodities. The digital and mobile strategies in luxury fashion marketing are significant for the innovation of communication, sales, and distribution systems. Despite the digital technology previously proving challenging to work for the luxury industry, the introduction of mobile technology has completely changed the perception with art galleries being displayed in mobiles and thousands of products have been auctioned through the internet. The principle of storytelling is among the important strategies in digital marketing as it can be traced in video marketing strategies, social media events as well as exhibitions. In the field of marketing, convincing the consumers to join a brand is key to the effective sales of a product, and this is significantly achieved through the use of storytelling principle. Besides, digital and mobile marketing strategies conducted through blogs, digital forums, and social networks create parallel communication with the consumers, interacting with them and making them part of the brand.

Work Cited

González Romo, Zahaira Fabiola, Irene García-Medina, and Noemí Plaza Romero. “Storytelling and Social Networking as Tools for Digital and Mobile Marketing of Luxury Fashion Brands.” International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies 11.6 (2017).

Use MLA Documentation Style

ENGL 210: English Literature IFall 2018

Assignment for Essay #2

Due date: Friday, November 30, 2018 (submit an electronic copy to Safe Assign)

Use MLA Documentation Style

Your second essay should be a focused, well-organized and polished piece of critical writing, of about 1000 words (about 4-5 typed, double-spaced pages including the works cited page) that addresses one of the following topics:

Tragic heroes: The title characters in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, and in Shakespeare’s Othello can both be considered as tragic heroes: men of considerable stature who fall because of a tragic flaw. Write an essay in which you explore the differences between Faustus and Othello as tragic heroes, drawing conclusions about how those differences contribute to the sense of tragedy in each play.

Diabolical characters: Both Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus and Milton’s Paradise Lost present diabolical characters who contribute to or cause the downfall of the main characters of these literary works. Write an essay in which you contrast the role of Mephastophilis in Marlowe’s play with the role of Satan in Book 9 of Milton’s epic poem, drawing conclusions about which character bears more responsibility for bringing about the main characters’ downfalls.

Women: In Book 9 of Milton’s Paradise Lost, Eve is the first to engage in the disobedience that causes Adam and her to be exiled from the paradise of the Garden of Eden. In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago convinces the title character that his wife is being unfaithful to him, even though the audience of the play knows that she is not. Write an essay in which you contrast the actions and character of Milton’s Eve and Shakespeare’s Desdemona, drawing conclusions about how much responsibility they bear for the unhappy outcomes in Paradise Lost and Othello.

Outsiders: In Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift writes of the adventures of Lemuel Gulliver as he sails the seas and finds himself stranded on several different islands where he has to survive as an outsider. In Part 2, “A Voyage to Brobdingnag,” Gulliver tells of his experiences after a shipwreck when he finds himself on an island where the inhabitants, the Brobdingnagians, are huge (but human shaped) creatures. In Shakespeare’s Othello, the title character Othello is also an outsider, a Moor, who is the military commander in the European nation-state of Venice and is sent to Cyprus to defend Venice’s interests there. Write an essay in which you contrast the treatment of Gulliver by the Brobdingnagians with the treatment of Othello by the Venetians, drawing conclusions about the significance of the differences in their treatment.

Marriages: In both Shakespeare’s play Othello and William Hogarth’s story in pictures, Marriage A-la-Mode, marriages turn out badly, with both husband and wife dead. Yet only one of the two works is tragic. Write an essay in which you draw conclusions about what makes the marriage of Othello and Desdemona tragic, while the marriage of the Squanderfields in Hogarth’s work is not.

Whichever topic you choose to write about, your essay should represent your best work. That is, its ideas should be clearly expressed, it should conform to the standards of formal written English, and it should be carefully proofread before it is turned in. Most importantly, you should show that you know the details and themes of the literary works and can explain their significance. You should use a few brief, but well-chosen quotations from the literary works to illustrate the points you make – and since you will be quoting the works you write about, you should include a works cited page as part of your essay.

Your essay should be your own work and should consist of your own words, with just a few quotations used for support and illustration. You may use outside sources in this essay; however, those sources should be authoritative and used judiciously, to develop your own thinking and to support your own claims. You SHOULD NOT quote or cite study guides, such as those from Sparknotes, Shmoop, Bookrags, enotes and so on. If you look at study guides as you are reading the literary works to help you gain a better understanding of them, be sure to close those study guides before you begin writing your essay. Keep in mind that a student will earn a grade of “zero” for a plagiarized essay (all or part).

There will not be an opportunity to revise for a higher grade after your essay has been turned in, but I will be glad to schedule a conference to help you with your draft before the essay is due. Remember also that there are other resources available for help with writing: the Writing e-Portfolio Studio in Room 113 of Harris Hall offers in-person tutoring, and Smarthinking.com offers on-line assistance.

Innovative teams to own the project and provision of incentives.

EMPOWERMENT

STUDENT NAME

AFFILIATION

DATE

Innovative teams to own the project and provision of incentives.

Creating innovative teams ensures all departments are given the task of coming up with ideas. The task to come up with ideas builds up cohesive workforce. The creative team should be given to work with the idea and foster its growth. This ensures they are the sole owners of the idea and when they succeed they are a team. Motivation is important to get the work force to process ideas. Rewarding the best ideas with a prize will ensure everyone is involved (Huq, 2010). The reward can be in form of monetary value, or recognize the winner by announcing the winner to the rest. In some organizations a portrait of the winner is usually displayed and this motivates others to work harder.

Support creativity by having a positive working environment

It is important for an organization to understand that a too serious work environment is not good for the mind. Activities such as team building sessions can help employees relax and have an open mind about ideas. Activities such as this give speech to the voiceless, less confident individuals. This is done inform of brainstorming session where everybody can share ideas.

Empowerment does not happen without ownership because an employee has to prove he can do the job. Imagine an employee who does not display proper job initiative. He does not own the job and this is a sign that the management has not empowered them. Ownership cannot also happen without empowerment because releasing control of ownership ensures people feel empowered to truly work.

According to (Mimi, 2000) in business a flexible and productive work force always focuses on the success of organization. Skilled employees should constantly be trained on new skills as technology advances. Understanding technology helps in reducing labor cost thorough skilled employees. This is done by scheduling and arranging workers to best suit organization. The ability to be globally competitive organization has had skilled workers to grow and assist in innovation of the organization technology. Technology advancement means that a good worker has to have organizational skills, this enables each trainee to gain a new skill.

Reference

Huq, R. (2010). Employee Empowerment: The Rhetoric and the Reality. Triarchy Press Limited.

Mimi, M., & Murrell, K. (2000). Empowering Employees. McGraw Hill Professional.

Stages of Embryonic Development

Embryonic Development

By

Name:

Course:

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Presented To:

Date:

Part 1

Stages of Embryonic Development

Embryonic development refers to the process of growth and development of embryo. On the other hand, stage of embryonic development is a phase within the period of embryonic development that is marked by distinct growth changes in the embryo. Also known embryogenesis, the process of embryonic development starts after fertilization of an ovum by a single spermatozoon. The spermatozoon produces enzymes which allow it to penetrate through a layer of follicle cells covering the ovum (corona radiata) and fuses with the egg’s plasma membrane to form a diploid, called zygote (Campbell & Reece, 2005). In human beings, the process of fertilization takes place in the ampulla of the uterine tube. There are four main stages of embryonic development: cleavage, patterning, differentiation, and growth.

The cleavage or cell division stage starts approximately 18-36 hours after fertilization. The zygote formed after fertilization divides into multiple cells through a process known as binary fission (Campbell & Reece, 2005). The resultant cells after fission carry equal number of chromosomes and genes. After the 8-cell stage, the cells bind to form a compact sphere. Further divisions within the sphere lead to the formation of a 32-cell mass known as morula. Each of the cells within the molula is known as blastomere. This is followed by a process known as cavitation in which the outer cells secret fluid containing proteins into the sphere, facilitating rapid division of the cells (Forgacs & Newman, 2005). Despite the increase in the number of cells in this phase, the volume of the zygote remains the same. The zygote lands into the uterus during the 6th or the 7th day, after which developmental changes lead to the formation of three membranes: placenta, chorion and amnion (Forgacs & Newman, 2005). Further development of the morula leads to formation of a ball containing about 2000 cells known as blastcyst. Also a fluid-filled cavity called blastocoele is also formed within the embryo. The developmental changes end with the formation of a structure known as blastula. The blastula is surrounded by a layer of single sells called trophoblast. However, it contains a thick inner layer of cells at one end of the inner cavity, from which the embryo will develop (Campbell & Reece, 2005)

Patterning or morphogenesis is the second stage in embryonic development, during which the outer membrane (zona pellucida) of the molula starts disintegrating and the zygote starts to increase in volume. Approximately eleven days after implantation of zygote on the uterus, some cells from inner mass migrate into the fluid-filled cavity (blastocoele) and organize to form masses and layers. The process of migration is called gastrulation. The space from which the cells migrate forms omniotic cavity (Campbell & Reece, 2005). Three major germ layers are also formed in the process: endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. The ectoderm forms the neural tube and the epidermis. The mesoderm forms vascular elements, muscles and tissues. The endoderm develops to form lining of the gut and associated organs. This stage is also characterized by the formation of belly and back sides, right and left sides and front and the rear. By the end of the patterning stage, the genes of the embryo are fully formed and expressed (Campbell & Reece, 2005).

Differentiation is the third phase in which specialized structures that perform more functions start to form. About 21 days after the implantation of the embryo onto the uterus, the endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm grow further and differentiate to form neutral tube and notocord, among other vital organs of the body. The process of formation of body organs from the germ layers is called neurulation (Campbell & Reece, 2005). Notocord develops from mesoderm and undergoes through a series of developments to form the vertebral column. However, notochord in human beings disappears before birth. The development of neural groove in this stage leads to the formation of brain, and spinal cord (Campbell & Reece, 2005). The mesoderm also undergoes through a series of developments leading to the formation of vertebrae, muscles, and connective tissues. In addition, the mesoderm grows to form gonads, adrenal glands, and kidneys. Furthermore, coelom is formed by the end of differentiation phase.

Growth is the last phase in embryo development. During this phase, the body goes through a period of growth characterized by formation of new cells, extra cellular matrix, and new organs (Campbell & Reece, 2005). The growth phase starts between the eighth and ninth months after conception and continues until birth. Foetal developments in the growth phase are described in the next section.

How an embryo transitions to foetus

In human beings, the development of foetus from conception to birth can be divided into three stages: first trimester, second trimester and third trimester. Each of the stages consists of three months. The process of transformation of embryo to foetus is a gradual process that takes place within the first trimester. Transition starts during the cleavage phase, characterized by rapid division of cells within the embryo. This is followed by the formation of germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm), chorion and amnion within three to six weeks after conception. Organogenesis follows in the next six to eight weeks (differentiation phase) characterized by the formation of vital organs such as brain and spinal cord, coelom, muscle tissues, notochord and neural tube (Ibim, 2010).

However, the transition from embryo to foetus continues after the differentiation phase. Other changes occur from the ninth week, which make the embryo to look more like a human being (Ibim, 2010). The changes include the formation of head, ears, nose, heart, hands and legs. Also, the placenta is fully formed by the end of the ninth week. By the end of the first trimester, the embryo is fully transitioned into foetus. The chorion is fully established, the embryo is in the amniotic sac and the sex of the foetus can be determined (Ibim, 2010).

The second trimester is characterized by more growth and refinement activities and less developmental activities. The placenta plays the biggest role in maintaining homeostasis through secretion of progesterone and transfer of nutrients and wastes. The foetus is approximately 6cm by the beginning of the first trimester. At 20 weeks, the foetus has grown to approximately half a kilogram. At this time, heartbeat can be heard and the legs, head, face, and hands are prominent (Ibim, 2010).

Further growth and development continues during the third trimester. A series of changes and developments take place in the circulatory and respiratory systems which facilitate air-breathing after birth. Additional changes and developments occur, which enable the foetus to maintain constant body temperature. Changes also occur such as increase in size and weight, reduction in the size of head, thickening of the muscle and hardening of bones and skin ((Ibim, 2010).

Maturation processes within developmental stages in the foetus

After birth, the foetus is required to adapt to the environmental changes by establishing and maintaining physiological homeostasis, without the assistance of the placenta. Therefore, the survival of the foetus after birth is dependent upon maturation of structures and organs that interface with the new environment. Examples of essential organs and structures are lungs, immune system, gut, liver, pancreases and kidney (Strauss & ‎Barbieri, 2013). Various studies have shown that maturation processes during foetal development are induced by glucocorticoids (Strauss & ‎Barbieri, 2013). Critical maturation processes that occur during foetal development include deposition of glycogen in the liver; activity of enzyme systems in the foetal brain, thyroid gland, pancreases, retina, and gut; and production of surfactant by foetal lungs. Maturation of the foetal lungs is particularly important since inability to breathe due pulmonary immaturity has been found to be a leading cause of mortality among preterm infants as well as neonatal morbidity (Norris & Lopez, 2010). However, the key functions of glucocorticoids in the process of maturation are not yet clear. As Norris and Lopez (2010) highlight, some studies have shown that glucocorticoids do not initiate maturation of cells; they simply accelerate the process of maturation.

Structures linking mother and foetus

The placenta is the main structure that connects the foetus to the mother. During the first four weeks of foetal development, prior to development of the placenta, the embryo relies on simple diffusion of oxygen and nutrients. Once the placenta and associated organs develop, it starts releasing hormones (progesterone, estrogen, placental lactogens, relaxin, and chorionic gonadotrophins) into the circulation system of the mother, which mobilizes nutrients and modifies maternal appetite (British Nutrition Foundation, 2013). It plays a key role in transferring nutrients (such as amino acids, glucose, lipids, minerals, water, and oxygen) from the mother to the foetus and wastes (such as uric acid, carbon dioxide and bilirubin) from the foetus to the mother. Harmful substances (such as nicotine, cocaine and alcohol) and infectious (such as cytomegalovirus and rubella) are also transferred from the mother to the foetus (British Nutrition Foundation, 2013). It also prevents the transfer of some noxious agents from maternal system to the foetus. The hormones released by the placenta also help to maintain homeostasis. The placenta maintains homeostasis through regulation of nutrients and processes within the body of the foetus, in response to changes in maternal system (British Nutrition Foundation, 2013). However, there are some challenges that are associated with process of maintaining homeostasis. For instance, higher concentration of glucose in the body of the mother is reflected by a rise in concentration of glucose in the body of the foetus. The placenta is unable to regulate the movement of glucose molecules, which may be detrimental to the foetus in cases where concentration of glucose in the body of the mother is too high or too low (Sinha, Miall & Jardine, 2012).

The placenta consists of a maternal and a foetal component. The maternal component is known as decidua and develops from a layer of endometrium. Endometrium is a layer that forms on the uterine wall after implantation. The foetal component is known as chorion and is connected to the foetus by the umbilical cord (British Nutrition Foundation, 2013). The chorion has villi which aid the process of transfer of essential nutrients between the mother and the foetus. The umbilical cord contains two arteries and one vein. The arteries transport de-oxygenated blood from the foetus to the mother while the vein carries oxygenated blood from the mother to the foetus (British Nutrition Foundation, 2013).

Part 2

Relationship between foetal development and exposure to toxins

The first three months of foetal development involve numerous changes in division of cells and development of structures and cells in the embryo. Exposure of the embryo to toxins during this period may interfere with growth and development processes and may lead to deformities, irreparable damage or miscarriage (Ibim, 2010). Examples of harmful compounds are nicotine (cigarette smoking), some recreational drugs, cocaine, heroin, mercury, lead, some pesticides, air pollutants, alcohol, high levels of radiation, and viral infection (Ibim, 2010). The compounds may not harm the mother but they may pass through the placenta and cause harm to the foetus. The compounds are most injurious during the first six to eight weeks after fertilization (a period during which organogenesis takes place).

Maternal influence on foetal development

The growth and development of the foetus depends on the conditions to which the mother is exposed to during pregnancy. As mentioned, consumption or exposure of the mother to toxic substances may cause harm to the foetus. Maternal system responds by trying to get rid of the toxic substances from the body. However, some toxic substances are quick to cause harm on the foetus before they are removed. The body of the mother may also be unable to protect the foetus where the concentration of the toxic substances is too high (DeWit & O’Neill, 2013). Severe deficiencies of nutrients such as glucose and vitamins in the maternal body system have also been shown to affect mental and physical development of the foetus (Semrud-Clikeman & Ellison, 2009). The body of the mother responds to nutrients deficiency through oxidation of fats stored in the body. In extreme cases, the little available nutrients are used in maintaining vital processes between the mother and the foetus, such as placenta development. At the same time, over-nutrition during pregnancy may be detrimental to the foetus. However, over-nutrition is usually solved through homeostasis processes in the mother’s body. Extreme maternal stress has been found to increase level of stress in foetus and to affect mental and physiological development of the foetus. Maternal corticotrophin responds by releasing hormones that help to reduce stress (DeWit & O’Neill, 2013). The health condition of the mother is also vital to the development of foetus. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and rheumatic heart disease may cause harm to the foetus. Studies have shown that the immune system of the mother may not be effective in protecting the foetus from danger caused by such diseases. It has been proposed that pregnant women diagnosed with such chronic diseases should rely on medical therapy (DeWit & O’Neill, 2013).

Examples of foetal abnormalities related to homeostatic challenges, exposure to toxins and maternal influence

Homeostatic challenges and maternal conditions leading to deficiency in nutrients may cause abnormalities such as retarded prenatal and postnatal growth, postnatal leptin surge, and hypertension. Over-nutrition may cause abnormalities such as obesity, lipid peroxidation, and postnatal hipppocampal neurogenesis (Johnson, 2003). Examples of abnormalities associated with exposure of the foetus to toxins are foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) ,and lightweight babies. FAS occurs as a result of consumption of alcohol during the critical periods of foetal development (Ibim, 2010). On the other hand, smoking of alcohol, marijuana and consumption of high concentrations of caffeine before and during pregnancy have been shown to lead to birth of lightweight babies. Homeostatic challenges and factors such as maternal under-nutrition and stress and age (below 16 and above 40 years) have also been associated with birth of lightweight infants.

References

British Nutrition Foundation (2013). Nutrition and Development: Short and Long Term

Consequences for Health. London: John Wiley & Sons

Campbell, N. A. & Reece, J. B. (2005). Biology. London: Pearson, Benjamin Cummings

DeWit, S. C. & O’Neill P. A. (2013). Fundamental Concepts and Skills for Nursing. London:

Elsevier Health Sciences

Forgacs, G. & Newman, S. A. (2005). Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo. Cambridge

University Press,

Ibim, S. (2010). Biology: Threads of Life. New York (NY): Xlibris Corporation

Johnson, L. R. (2003). Essential Medical Physiology. New York (NY): Academic Press

Norris, D. O. & Lopez, K. H. (2010). Hormones and Reproduction of Vertebrates, Volume 1.

New York (NY): Academic Press

Semrud-Clikeman, M. & Ellison, A. T. (2009). Child Neuropsychology: Assessment and

Interventions for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2nd Edition. New York (NY): Springer

Sinha, S., Miall, L. & Jardine, L. (2012). Essential Neonatal Medicine. London: John Wiley &

Sons

Strauss, J. F. & ‎Barbieri, R. L. (2013). Yen and Jaffe’s Reproductive Endocrinology: Physiology,

Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management. London: Elsevier Health Sciences

Sociological Analysis Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Elisia Davis

SOC433 Sociology of Mental Health

July 14, 2020

Sociological Analysis Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Introduction

There have been numerous biological and psychological explanations of why some people are more likely to suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) than others. There has been plenty of research highlighting the biological and psychological vulnerabilities that increase the risk of developing OCD. However, social experience is a key concept in understanding this condition. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a condition as the name suggests where a person has recurring and upsetting thoughts, imagery, and urges that they cannot control (Abramowitz & Reuman, 2020). In response to these recurring and distressful thoughts, people with OCD have compulsions; recurrent behavior and mental acts. These obsessions and compulsions consume a significant amount of time in a day and get severe to the point where it interferes with the functioning of the patient. The paper uses the film The Aviator as a source and a dramatic representation of a person suffering from OCD. The film tells the story of Howard Hughes one of the most successful figures in America; the nation’s first billionaire, accomplished film director, with everything any man would desire but unfortunately he was suffering from OCD simultaneously. However, he never received any competent psychiatric help in his life.

Summary of the source

The Aviator is a film that tells the story of Howard Hughes, who was an American Icon, first billionaire, champion aviator, film director, and investor who made a huge difference in Hollywood. He was a very successful man but simultaneously he had OCD, which was not diagnosed at the time, and the character never received help in his life. His symptoms were demonstrated in his behavior where he had concerns about determination, rechecking, repetition, redoing were those of obsessive-compulsive disorder. He was a genius man who went into detail about germs, how he wanted his lunch delivered, and how soup should be prepared. Hughes sought satisfaction or the feeling of peace by following these rituals or things he needed to play out in his mind.

The biological explanation of the reason why a person is getting these intrusive thoughts and urges is the chemical imbalance in the brain. The vulnerability of Hughes is the fact that he out a huge amount of stress in his own sensual awareness. If he wanted to do something he went ahead and did it. This was an extremely vulnerable set up for developing OCD. About one in 50 people will have OCD.

The Aviator communicates the symptoms experienced by Hughes through the verbalization of Hughes’ mothers’ fear of cholera and typhus as well as her refusing to visit certain places because of the fear of contracting a disease. Leonardo DiCaprio who plays Hughes in the film dramatizes his statements about cleanliness and his thought as to why he avoids the dirt on people’s hands and his expression when he perceives non-existent things and consequently his fear that he is going insane. His repetitive and distressing thoughts expressed by Hughes allow him to satisfy the DSM-5 first criteria of OCD.

Sociological factors

According to Albert Bandura (1977), the man who coined the idea of social learning theory, people learn how to think from how they see others act and observing how they think. Social learning theory suggests that individuals can develop certain behaviors vicariously, without having to experience the situation that warrants or led to the development of such behavior. More specifically, we learn how to respond to a situation by looking at how others respond to it (Mısır, Bora, & Akdede, 2018). The idea that learning can occur without having any direct experience, has crucial associations for the development of OCD. To illustrate, one particular thing about Hughes’ phobia about germs was that his mother was obsessed with germs. She wrote numerous letters to various people and institutions private schools, summer camp leaders, and club masters. The letters were about making sure he never got close to people that had certain diseases and these people kept soliciting about his wellbeing whenever they came across him and so from an early age he realized that germs and bugs were problematic.

Social learning theory proposes that people with OCD may have developed anxiety from contact with another person. This is somehow proven in the life of Howard Hughes whose phobia of germs and contracting diseases was instilled at an early age by watching his mother acting cautiously in the name of avoiding contracting a disease. A parent or guardian may communicate through their actions or instructions given that certain objects, organisms, or situations may cause harm and should be avoided at all costs (Jansen, Overgaauw, & De Bruijn, 2020). The idea that Hughes carries in his mind is that every surface is contaminated with germs without any knowledge that the body is fairly capable of dealing with these germs. Therefore, the way role models from when a child was developing dealt with their anxieties may indirectly or directly be passed to the child making them respond similarly.

This fairly discredits the biological notion that the altered chemical composition of the brain is the cause of OCD. The family is the social surrounding that provides the initial and most important opportunities for learning. Children observe how family members especially adults think and act and emulate them. These observations inform the children’s understanding and show the various ways of responding to life stressors (Nicolini, Salin-Pascual, Cabrera, & Lanzagorta, 2017). This means that an individual’s social environment guides their cognitive appraisals and further highlights the role of social factors in the development of OCD.

Although family plays a central role in influencing an individual’s response, the larger culture also has a significant role. These influences consequently become cultural standards such as pop culture influenced by the entertainment industry. Popular culture contributes to cultural standards about the importance of physical appearance and ensuring the faultlessness of such appearance. This results in positive and negative attention from others about how one looks, which goes on to create beliefs, attitudes, and body perception maintained by oneself. People may experience aversive treatment during childhood involving their appearance such as being teased for acne. With time, these experiences become paired with the physical attribute one experienced aversive treatment as a result and result feeling of shame in the future even in the absence of the teasing, for instance, a phenomenon called evaluative conditioning (James, Lowry, Wallace, & Warkentin, 2017). Evaluative conditioning is a powerful social factor that can influence the development of Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Conclusion

In conclusion, several sociological factors explain the development of OCD. OCD is a mental condition where one experiences repetitive and distressing thoughts which result in compulsions which are repetitive behaviors and mental acts that respond to the obsessions. The Aviator is a film that illustrates or dramatizes the symptoms of OCD by telling the story of Howard Hughes one of the wealthiest men in the history of the United States who suffers the condition without any proper diagnosis or treatment. Social learning theory explains the development of OCD from social factors. Social learning theory proposes that people with OCD may have developed anxiety from contact with another person. In The Aviator this statement is backed up by the story that Hughes’ obsession with germs and staying away from bugs began with his mother. Children observe how their role models respond to certain thoughts and imitate them. These observations guide how children respond to life stressors.

References

Abramowitz, J. S., & Reuman, L. (2020). Obsessive compulsive disorder. Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, 3304-3306.

Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-hall.

James, T. L., Lowry, P. B., Wallace, L., & Warkentin, M. (2017). The effect of belongingness on obsessive-compulsive disorder in the use of online social networks. Journal of Management Information Systems, 34(2), 560-596.

Jansen, M., Overgaauw, S., & De Bruijn, E. R. (2020). Social cognition and obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review of subdomains of social functioning. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 118.

Mısır, E., Bora, E., & Akdede, B. B. (2018). Relationship between social-cognitive and social-perceptual aspects of theory of mind and neurocognitive deficits, insight level and schizotypal traits in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Comprehensive psychiatry, 83, 1-6.

Nicolini, H., Salin-Pascual, R., Cabrera, B., & Lanzagorta, N. (2017). Influence of culture in obsessive-compulsive disorder and its treatment. Current psychiatry reviews, 13(4), 285-292.