Death

Mysterious Death of a Mystery Man

Death is an instance in which all vitals of the body have shut down, when life no longer remains in the body, and when something is declared dead. But, there is always something that causes this death whether old age, illness, tragedy, accidents, or suicide. In some cases, the cause of death is known soon after the passing or even before they have passed. In other cases, it takes quite some time to figure out exactly why life was lost. Then, there are those very few occasions that no exact cause is known and many assumptions are thrown around naming phony reasons for the death when in the end, it will always be a mystery. Many have come up with different assumptions and accusations of Poe’s death, but none have been claimed to be the absolute positive explanation of it. John S. Craig writes, “His death in Baltimore, Maryland, October 7, 1849, has been surrounded by mystery form the very moment he was found unconscious in a Baltimore tavern a few days before he died in a hospital” .

A few of the hypotheses are that Poe was an alcoholic, whose drinking led to his death, had medical problems and diseases that eventually caused his passing, and the Cooping Theory, which ended in him being severely beaten which led to his death a few days later. Poe’s death is a mystery that will never be completely solved. Poe’s death could have occurred through some sort of alcoholism. Different forms of disaster, stress, and depression drove Poe to drink. During Virginia’s, Poe’s wife, long battle with different illnesses, Poe began to drink quite a bit to help cope with the stress that evolved from this tragedy. Madhavi Ghare writes, “On October 3, 1849, was found drunk and unconscious on the streets of Baltimore, in someone else’s clothes. He was taken to the Washington College Hospital, where he died four days later on October 7, 1849” ( ? ). One theory of Poe’s alcoholism is that he had a rare medical condition where simply one or two drinks could have a devastating outcome towards his immune system making it seem like he has had way more. This was also backed by Poe telling his wife, friends, and others who asked how many drinks he had, that he had only drunk one or two.

The problem with this statement is that we do not know if Poe was telling the truth or hiding the fact that he had been excessively drinking all night. Alcohol might or might not have played a role in Poe’s death; it is a mystery we will never know the answer too. Another circumstance in which Poe could have died is from different illnesses and diseases. Back in the time, Poe was alive, medical treatment and diagnosis were still at a low level. Even if one was said to have a certain illness, a treatment to heal was most likely still unknown. Poe was thought to have many diseases and illnesses including lesions on the brain, heart disease, cholera, excessive nervous prostration, loss of nerve power, enzyme disorder, tuberculosis, epilepsy, diabetes, rabies, and hydrophobia. One of the diseases that made the most sense for him to have was rabies. R. Michael Benitez writes, “Poe was a well-known animal lover and was especially fond of cats, which can transmit the rabies virus. There was no record of an animal bite preceding Poe’s ailment, but the illness can take more than a year to surface” ( ? ).

Even though Poe might not have had a bite mark on him at the hospital, the incident in which the rabies was transferred could have been up to a year before then. Poe was thought to have many different illnesses and diseases which could have easily taken his life from him. One possible circumstance that could have resulted in Poe’s death is the Cooping Theory. The Cooping Theory is when on election day, gangs use to kidnap bystanders and hold them hostage in a room, known as the “coop,” and make them go to the poll and vote over and over again for who the gang wanted to win the election. The gangs would beat the people and get them drunk to ensure they cooperated. CW Fisher writes, “Beatings became more frequent and severe as the day wore on, partly to keep the voters awake and motivated, and partly to ensure a loss of memory” ( ? ). The gangs would make the people change clothes so the poll workers would not recognize them and let them vote again. When Poe was found on a bench, he was near poll called Ryan’s Fourth Ward Polls. This poll served as a bar and voting poll. Poe was drunk and he was not wearing his own clothes. This evidence leads to the assumption that Poe’s death evolved from the Cooping Theory.

Poe’s death has many explanations and assumptions that will never be solved. Poe’s death can range from him drinking himself to death, dying from different illnesses such as rabies, tuberculosis, diabetes, cholera, heart disease, brain disease, or him being a victim of the Cooping Theory, which forced him to drink excessively and be beaten multiple times by gangs at election polls. It is a mystery. Poe wrote many mysterious stories himself including “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Purloined Letter,” “,” and “A Descent into Maelstrom. ” It is ironic that his death is a mystery itself. Elizabeth Flock writes, “’s short stories are filled with cryptic death scenes, so it was only fitting that the master of the macabre would meet a similarly mysterious end” ( ? ). Flock makes it seem as though it was Poe’s fate for his death to remain a mystery, and remain a mystery, it has.

Reference

1. Page Craig, John S. The Mystery of Edgar Allan Poe’s Death. 7 Jan. 2009.
2. http://voices.yahoo.com/the-mystery-edgar-allan-poes-death-2463818.html? cat=38? There, Madhavi. Edgar Allan Poe Biography. 10 Oct. 2012.
3. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/edgar-allan-poe-biography.tml? Benitez, R. Michael. Did Rabies Fell Edgar Allan Poe?. 2 Nov. 1996.
4. http://www.cswnet.com/~erin/eap3.htm? Fisher, CW. The Murders of Edgar Allan Poe. 5 May 2005.
5. http://depressionalmanac.blogspot.com/2005/05/murders-of-edgar-allan-poe.html? Flock, Elizabeth. Edgar Allan Poe died 162 years ago, yet the mystery of his death has not been solved. 7 Oct. 2011.
6. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/edgar-allen-poe-died-162-years-ago-yet-the-mystery-of-his-death-has-not-been-solved/2011/10/07/gIQAFVsVTL_blog.html?

Marijuana vs. Alcohol In The United States Marijuana and alcohol are the two most threatening drugs used in America today. Marijuana is the most illicit drug while alcohol is the most abused. Both were illegal during the prohibition but when the constitution was ratified in 1933 alcohol was made legal while marijuana remained illegal. It does not mean that because alcohol is still legal it’s less dangerous than marijuana. Both drugs lead to serious risks and should be taken with caution if used.

Marijuana is a mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems and flowers from a hemp plant better know as Cannabis sativa. Uses of marijuana can be recreational or medical and the earliest recorded uses date from the 3rd millennium BC. (Rudgley, “The Lost Civilizations”) Tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC is the chemical responsible for marijuana’s psychological effects. THC stimulates cells in the brain to release dopamine and causes euphoria like feeling. While the most popular use is for recreational purposes, it is proven that it can help in the medical field also.

Even medical marijuana is illegal in most states. Supporters of medical marijuana argue that it can be safe and effective against AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma and other conditions. Nonetheless, abusing marijuana can lead to problem with learning, memory and social behavior. It can also interfere with family, work and other activities. But there are many in favor for cannabis like Bob Marley a famous musician and known for his use of marijuana describes in an interview “Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction”.

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine into the bloodstream. Alcohol affects every organ in the body. Individual reactions to alcohol vary and are influenced by many factors such as age, gender, physical condition, how quickly the alcohol was consumed, etc. Alcohol starts to affect the brain within five minutes of being consumed. Drinking alcohol leads to loss of coordination, poor judgment, memory lapses and even blackouts. Alcohol is a drug; so mixing it with any other drug can be extremely dangerous.

Drinking excessively over a period of time can cause problems with relationships, money or the law. It can also cause severe health problems and even death. From 2001 to 2005 the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports on average more than 79,000 deaths per year was caused by excessive alcohol use. (CDC, “Vital Signs”) Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking and any drinking by pregnant women or minors. On the other hand, the CDC does not have a category for deaths caused by the use of marijuana.

Statistically, death directly from marijuana overdose is extremely rare. However, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data, there were a total of 1. 5 million drug arrests nationwide in 2011 and out of those arrests around 750,000 were for marijuana alone. (FBI, “Person’s Arrested”) While both alcohol and marijuana should not be taken with any other drug and getting behind the wheel while drunk or high poses significant risk to everyone. Alcohol is still vastly greater in number when it comes to death than marijuana but then again one is legal while the other one is not.

The legalization of marijuana has been an argument for over 70 years. Even though voters helped to legalize the drug in Colorado and Washington, it’s still legal for the rest of the United States. There are many pros and cons . For example, it could increase the number of children using the drug if it was legal. Whereas if the drug were to be decriminalized there would be a large reduction of the prison population while saving government costs. Our economy could benefit through taxing marijuana.

In 2010, CNBC reported that legalization could make it a $100 billion industry in America depending on how the government would tax on the sale and the distribution of the plant. (Nelson, “How Big Is the Marijuana Market? “) The possibilities are fascinating but what if alcohol was made illegal. If alcohol were criminalized then hundreds of thousands of people who worked in the business would be out of jobs. Bootlegging and organized crimes would be on the rise. It would surely change the drinking habits of our country and would greatly decrease the number of drinking problems today.

Although marijuana is less harmful than other legal drugs, has various medical benefits and legalizing it would bring economic benefits. While alcohol causes numerous deaths a year but if outlawed could lead to more harm than good. Both are very different from each other and possess the potential for unique risks or benefits. In any case, they both should not be taken with any other drug and getting behind the wheel while drunk or high poses significant risk to everyone. Marijuana and alcohol will continue to be the most used and abused drugs in America. Nevertheless they should always be dealt with caution and never be taken for granted.

Is Hard to say goodbye Death is probably the only thing in the world that is certain in life. As humans, we are born, we grow, we reproduce and lastly we die. It is the natural order and as natural as it may sound, human beings have different reactions to such an event. Throughout our lives, we influence or are influenced by people; these influences manifest themselves in the form of raising a child; being a teacher, babysitting etc. In all of these interactions, we create lasting relationships with those whom we come across when death happens to one of the involved parties; emptiness follows the surviving person.

As a future nurse, and due to the nature of my occupation, I may be involved in a situation where I must deal with impending death. Emotions will begin to happen, on both ends. On my end I will be trying to help the patient, and the patient coming to terms with his or her destiny. In the following pages, I will discuss how my responses to the “Reflections on dying” may impact a therapeutic relationship with a mother of a three years old child who has six months to live. In such discussion, you will learn about my thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and values regarding to death and patient relationships.

Thoughts; Usually when I first hear of a death My thoughts on death begin with sorrow for the loss of a person who is significant on someone’s live. After meeting a patient who is a mother, and realizing that she does not have much time I will be deeply saddened to what is going to happen to her. I may develop feelings for the child’s well being. My second thought would be that of empathy. As a nurse I must show empathy, compassion, and strength at the same time towards patients. Showing emotions would most likely worsen an already sad situation.

This patient is a mother of a three years old child; she will not see her baby grow up. Therefore, I will have the utmost empathy. Also, I will show strength. This is necessary to persuade the patient to live fully the time she has left. If I am the person breaking the news to her, I will be frank and to the point without keeping any information from the patient; since I believe that sugar coating the fact will lead to mixed feelings on the patient. I will tell her to make every day, every hour, and every second count and to enjoy her child in order to leave a lasting legacy.

Feelings; after a while, my initial reaction to death Therapeutic relations with terminally ill patients will also involve mixed feelings. There will be a war inside of me, my thoughts will tell me to be strong, but my feelings will want me to feel extremely sad, sorrowful, and incompetent for not being able to help the patient. These feelings will linger every attempt to interact with the patient. It is natural for me to feel sad at the future loss; even when I’ve only known the patient since she started getting treated; still all life is precious. She is meaningful to many people, specially her child.

I will definitely feel impotent, which will lead to anger for knowing that there is nothing that I can do to make her feel better. At that point, I will rely on my professionalism to expose and help me act accordingly. The reason why my feelings are normally strong is because when I was twelve years old, my grandmother died; she practically raised me. I spent more time with my grandmother at that time, than I had spent with my mother. I was asleep when I was told that she had died, and feelings began to run rampant. The anger, and sadness were unbearable, and ever since that moment, I have been very sensitive when it comes to death.

Beliefs; My predominant emotion to death I believe that all life is valuable; this belief will influence my feelings but not my therapeutic relationships with my patient. Regardless of what I may believe, I know that it is my duty to provide treatment the best possible service to the patient. Being supportive to the patient, and her family members are my priority. If I was in the patient’s shoes, I would like the nurse to bring me up instead of bringing me down in a time of need. I would want the nurse to tell me my condition as is; that way, I can make the right decisions with my life.

Also I would like to have everything clear when it comes to my child, and I would like to live my couple of months as happy as possible and pain free. Values; the way I may grieve Integrity is one of the main values I hold dear. A person’s word is their bond; without integrity, our words mean nothing. From integrity, respect and dignity follow on my list of values. My thoughts will influence ethical decisions when conducting therapeutic counseling. They will also reaffirm with my feelings to ensure I manage myself with strength. In addition, treating all with respect and dignity are a priority in my values list.

Therefore, when dealing with a patient; everything else stops and I pay full attention to the patient’s needs. I will provide information and suggestions on ways to stay healthy and happy, even thought the patient won’t survive for long I feel that is best to keep the patient happy and comfortable. Conclusion In the last few pages, I’ve explained my thoughts on death. How my initial reactions to death would be and how my thoughts would influence me. Then, I explained how my feelings would manifest, and how they would play a part during routine interactions with the patient.

I shared my beliefs and the connection between my beliefs, and thoughts when dealing with loss. Finally, I discussed my values as they relate to death. No matter which situation we find ourselves in; being the ones receiving bad news or giving the bad news; we will react differently to such an unexpected event. As long as we treat others with the respect and dignity they deserve, and we show the empathy we can make a difference on a patient’s remaining lifetime. It does take courage to show strength, and humility to show empathy, but the satisfaction to know that we have done the right thing would provide comfort to keep us going.

Miranda Jennifer Professor A. Tripp English 355 1, October 2012 Loss Is Nothing Else but Change Experiencing a loss raises overwhelming feelings that are difficult to cope with. The emotions that accompany any kind of loss can be intense and varied. There are stages of grief that everyone goes through. A sense of shock or denial usually come first followed by anger. Bargaining follows anger, then depression, and finally acceptance. In “Because I Could Not Stop for Death,” by Emily Dickinson, the speaker is taken on an un expected journey that illuminates her path of mourning, which helps her come to an acceptance with her loss.

The title: “Because I Could Not Stop for Death,” states that the speaker could not begin to grieve the loss. The speaker knew it had to end but could not bear to end it on his of her own, thus “Because I could not stop for Death,/ He kindly stopped for me;”(Lines 1-2). Dickinson mentions the speaker’s outfit as a symbolism of unpreparedness. “For only gossamer my gown/ my tippet only tulle,” (15-16). Dickinson’s word choice play a vital role throughout the poem. The term “immortality”(4) signifies that the journey would never end. The speaker is well aware that the journey embarked on was not a round trip.

The speaker is taken on a journey filled with many experiences, all which he or she accepts and learns from. This journey illuminated the speaker’s perspective of grieving with the loss of something or someone. According to Oxford Dictionaries, the adjective illuminating can be defined as: “to help to clarify or explain” (Illuminate). Even though the journey was unexpected, it brought enlightenment to the speaker’s perspective of his or her loss. People feel pain when going through a loss, but in “Because I Could Not Stop for Death,” the speaker accepts it with ease, “I had put away/ My labor, and my leisure too,/ For his civility”(6-8).

The speaker is essentially relieved concerning the loss. He or she is finally able to forget about everything that worries him or her. Overall, the loss brought the speaker tranquility. In stanza three, the speaker takes a trip down memory lane. “We passed the school, where children strove At recess, in the ring; We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun. ” Remembering past times is a typical thing to do when dealing with grief. The speaker of “Because I Could Not Stop for Death,” accepted his or her loss, for it eventually led her to an immortally full of bliss.

When losing someone or something, it is important to know that it will get better. Losing someone or something can be the most devastating thing for anyone, but it is important to understand that once you come to acceptance with the loss, there is light behind the tunnel. The speaker of the poem is well aware of this and he or she agrees to the journey, not knowing where his or her destination would be. After a long journey of mourning, the speaker is taken to a new home, where he or she can finally be at ease. “We paused before a house […]/ The roof was scarcely visible,”(7,9).

A new home signifies a new beginning. Over all the loss that the speaker is going through, has brought him or her to a new commencement in his or her life. “’Tis centuries, and yet each Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses’ heads Were toward eternity. ” The best thing one can do when moving on from a loss is to take each passing moment as an opportunity to grow. The speaker was able to view his or her loss as an opportunity for emotional growth. Thus, the journey that the speaker in “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” took illuminated his or her path towards the acceptance of his or her loss.

Marcus Aurelius said, “Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature’s delight. ” Works Cited Dickinson, Emily. “Because I Could Not Stop for Death. ” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 9th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 844. Print. “Illuminate. ” Definition of Illuminate. Oxford Dictionaries, 2012. Web. 24 Sept. 2012. . Meyer, Michael. “A Study of Emily Dickinson. ” Preface. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 819-28. Print.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

This essay will look at Gabriel Garcia’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Mariama Ba’s So Long a letter in relation to the topic ‘Social and Economic Status as a bane of women Empowerment’. Gabriel Garcia and Mariama Ba in their works have depicted women’s eagerness for social and economic status to empower themselves. Women were shown to have gone as far as destroying their children’s happiness for their own desires and satisfactions. For example a number of them have used their daughters by marrying them off to men in possession of a good fortune, regardless of what their daughters felt about the men. The women in the forefront who were in the lookout for social and economic status to empower themselves were Pura Vicario from Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Binetou’s and Ramatoulaye’s mothers and Aunty Nabou, from So Long a Letter. However there are a number of women which were portrayed differently, namely, Ramatoulaye and Aissatou in So Long a Letter, and Alberta Simonds in Chronicle of a Death Foretold.

Women especially from especially lower class used their daughters as a mean of gaining social and economic status by marrying them off to wealthy men. Their views on their daughters’ marriage entailed their own self-centeredness only. Pura Vicario for example in Chronicle of a Death Foretold forced her daughter, Angela Vicario, into marriage with San Bayardo, a very wealthy man; because she believed it would pull her out of poverty towards a more respectable upper class distinction. Angela was not only forced by her mother but also her sisters and when Angela told them that she does not love Bayardo, her mother silenced her by telling her that love can be learned too.

“…her parents and her older sisters with their husbands, gathered together in the parlor, imposed on her the obligation to marry a man whom she had barely seen.” (Marquez 34)

The twins stayed out of it saying that it looked to them like woman problems. That proves that it were the women in the family who were really concerned about Angela’s marriage with Bayardo so that they could be empowered through gaining socio-economic status. However, their dreams of escaping from lower class and gaining socio-economic status came to an ultimate end when Bayardo returned her daughter after he found out that she was not a virgin. Pura saw her daughter’s marriage with Bayardo as a golden chance to see herself better off socially and economically, which Pura lamented as they had missed it, all because of Angela who had premarital sex.

Similarly, Binetou’s mother in So Long a Letter also took advantage of her daughter Binetou. She quickly withdrew her daughter from studies to marry her off to Modou. In Modou she saw his wealth and believed that her daughter’s marriage with Modou could empower her and uplift her socio-economic status. So, she also wanted to escape poverty and have socio-economic status as Daba, Ramatoulaye’s daughter, described her

“…her mother is a woman who wants so much to escape from mediocrity…” (Ba, 36)

She was satisfied by Modou’s wealth, he promised her a villa, monthly allowance, jewels and a future trip to Mecca. But she made it seem like as if she was worried for the welfare of her daughter and her happiness but her frantic thoughts and tense nerves surrounded herself. She reasoned that it was best if her daughter married a man who could guarantee her a good life. However, it was apparent that she did not really care about her daughter as she did not take into consideration how her daughter felt about Modou and she did not care about her daughter’s education either. She saw her welfare in wealth and financial stability, a man twice the age of her daughter or a man with already twelve children did not matter to Binetou’s mother. So, it was evident that Binetou’s mother’s intentions were not for her daughter’s good but rather for her own desire to empower herself by gaining socio-economic status.

Ramatoulaye’s mother also seemed to desire social and economic status. She also in a way preferred her daughter Ramatoulaye to choose wealth over love. She did not like her daughter’s choice of Modou amid knowing that they both loved each other; she wanted her to marry Dauda Dieng because of his higher socio-economic status as opposed to Modou, since he was a doctor.

Similarly, Aunty Nabou wanted her son Mawdo to marry someone from the same caste to upkeep the family’s status. She totally regretted his marriage to a goldsmith’s daughter Aissatou. Aunty Nabou saw her son, a man of higher caste marrying a blacksmith daughter, as a humiliation to her and a stain to her generation. Therefore, she decided to bring her brother, Farba Diouf’s daughter Young Nabou to marry her with her son. She educated Nabou before forcing Mawdo to marry her telling him that she will die of shame in the society if he did not accept, so Mawdo accepted. She did so because she wanted to preserve her socio-economic status which she felt was under threat when her son chose to marry outside and someone from a lower caste. So, Aunty Nabou to preserve her social class disregarded her son’s happiness which laid in Aissatou because he truly loved her and she loved him. However, Aunty Nabou did not see this, she only saw her as a goldsmith’s daughter and hence she saw her socio-economic status as of more importance than her son’s happiness.

The only people who stood out differently were Ramatoulaye and Aissatou in So Long a Letter and Albarta Simonds in Chronicle of a Death Foretold. They were the only characters who knew the importance of love in marriage and had put love prior to wealth or socio-economic status. They knew that marriage should consist of love, financial stability, and happiness, rather than just financial stability or socio-economic status.

Ramatoulaye despite being proposed to by a millionaire Dauda, she went on to marry Modou whom she loved as she said

“… I preferred the man in the eternal khaki suit.” (Ba, 16)

So she married considered love as of more importance than wealth. She refused Dauda even after Modou’s death. She too could have opted to marry Dauda and escaped mediocrity and financial burden. Also, she could have enjoyed a higher socio-economic status than before by marrying Dauda, but she did not do so because she did not love him and she knew that this act of her would destroy another woman’s life; the woman who was already married to Dauda. Ramatoulaye, herself was cheated by her husband and therefore knew how it feels, so she did not want to Dauda’s current wife to go through the same as she was.

Aissatou was also one of the few who knew the importance of love and happiness in marriage and had put love prior to wealth and socio-economic status. She divorced her husband Mawdo and went away when he took a second wife, Young Nabou, which shows that she did not want to share her husband and could not bear to see her husband with another woman in her house. That showed the importance of, love, financial stability, and happiness as a whole in marriage to Aissatou rather than financial stability or socio-economic status alone.

Alberta Simonds, Bayardo’s mother is the only woman who is seen to be completely different. Alberta did not resist her son’s marriage to Angela who was not only someone from outside their generation but also someone from a lower caste. So, unlike Aunty Nabou in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Alberta did not see her son’s marriage to Angela as a humiliation or threat to their social and economic status. Perhaps she was aware of son Bayardo’s love for Angela and therefore she saw her as the right girl for him.

In conclusion, it can be clearly seen social and economic status as a bane of women empowerment. Women sought of empowering themselves through social and economic status by marrying of their daughters to a man with good fortune. Their views on marriage of their daughters entailed their own self-centeredness as they were mainly concerned about their own selfish struggle and fears of financial stability and a secured future. Love was never a factor for the mothers in the marriage of their daughters; they did not care how their daughters’ felt about the man. Mariama Ba and Gabriel Garcia show that those women strongly believed that a person’s worthiness is not determined by personality or love but by wealth. The only importance they saw was financial stability and socio-economic status, unlike a few other characters that were aware of the importance of love, financial stability, and happiness as a whole.

The Ongoing Historical Debate Of Euthanasia The word euthanasia originates from two Greek words, meaning “good death”. In the most natural state, euthanasia defines a death positively sought after for mankind, in the act of dying and ultimately death. Unfortunately, the term historically and currently leads to debate and manipulation to insinuate a criminal act. World civilizations must remember the crimes of the past, and fear misplaced power as currently occurring in Darfur, however, the horror of genocide does not belong in the euthanasia debate.

The arguments originate from cultural, religious and social values and dictate as well as interfere with the ability to experience a “good death”. For decades, the world has been experiencing a battle between the advocates and opponents of legalizing euthanasia. While the Euthanasia Act released November 2011 by the Royal Dutch Medical Association outlined new guidelines, there are histories and past cases that need to be studied to fully understand possible implications.

The legalization of assisted suicide has increased debate regarding a slippery slope effect due to a turbulent history and the misguided dogma that it will lead to involuntary euthanasia. Historically, the ongoing controversy regarding the slippery slope effect and its pertinence to those who are curable, have surrounded euthanasia placing the experience of dying with dignity, for the terminally ill in jeopardy. An article titled, The Unleashing of the Destruction of Life Devoid of Value, categorizes people who are to be eliminated.

The book written by two Germans in 1920, Carl Binding, a doctor of jurisprudence and philosophy, and Alfred Hoche, a medical doctor, labeled burdensome people as “incurable idiots, mere caricatures of true men whose death create no vacuum. ” The book and its contentions are later exemplified, by both the defense and offense, as the origin for condoning the genocidal Holocaust of Nazi Germany in the late 1940’s. Consequently, Nazi Germany proclaimed that the origins of humane euthanasia began prior to Nazi terrorism.

Advancements in knowledge and strict guidelines have increased since the early 1900’s; therefore history will not repeat itself, and the original intent of euthanasia can be realized devoid of a slippery slope effect. Slippery Slope arguments have been on the forefront in the euthanasia decriminalization debate since the 1930’s. In the 1930’s, a prophesized slippery slope included the potential for a lack of medical advances to discover a cure for incurable diseases. The medical doctor pledges the Hippocratic Oath to protect and prolong life, but also to relieve suffering.

Slippery slope controversies are based on the supposition that despite the fact the law mandates restrictions, parameters will be blurred based upon human nature. The concerns should be navigated and acknowledged, but not dictate the fear of change. Controversies surround the act of dying. Currently, medical development in technology has been increasingly successful in the treatment to prolong life and perpetually relieve pain. The question arises concerning the patient’s rights in making life-sustaining decisions.

Public support of painless euthanasia for the terminally ill has increased dramatically. A survey conducted by Blendon and colleagues illustrated that 34 percent in 1950 were in favor, 53 percent in 1973 and 63 percent in 1991. The contemporary issue of assisted suicide exposes deep historical roots by Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras. The philosophers maintained favor of merciful death, yet condemned murder and suicide. While Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras historically acknowledged support of euthanasia in the advent of a painful terminal disease, all condemned suicide for other reasons.

A branch of Ancient Greece, the Stoics and Roman Philosophy, also accepted euthanasia when pain from a terminal illness became intolerable. However, the initial reign of Christianity in the Roman Empire dramatically altered these views and judged euthanasia intolerable, based upon the Sixth Commandment of, “Thou shalt not kill”. Saint Augustine’s religious belief dictated that the suffering of an individual as pre- ordained by God and to deny that divine power as an unpardonable sin.

The Renaissance period, following the fourteenth century, experienced a softening of belief, the Catholic saint, Sir Thomas More, advocated voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill. He published, in Utopia, during 1516 that euthanasia as defined for the terminally ill would be a reality in an ideal society. Up until the end of the 1800’s and during the early 1900’s, physicians considered the discussion of euthanasia as a viable option for painful, terminal illness. Not until the advent and repercussions of Nazi Germany, Hitler and the Holocaust did the discussions concerning pro-euthanasia cease.

The comfort of the term euthanasia and its intent became an evil crime of horror. The Holocaust claimed 6 million Jews and 3 million gypsies, under the erroneous premise of ethnic cleansing, forever altering the definition and intent of euthanasia. This act does not define euthanasia, it defines murder, yet has become a strong premise in the contemporary debate against humane euthanasia. The evil of Nazi Germany will not be forgotten and the fear of misplaced power should remain, however, it does not have a rightful position in the arguments concerning euthanasia for the terminally ill.

The current contemporary issue regarding the Darfur Genocide profoundly illustrates misplaced power and genocide, not euthanasia. Tremendous medical and technological improvements during the late 1950s made it possible to sustain life in terminally ill patients and those in vegetative states for extended periods of time. These medical advancements brought quality-of-life issues to the forefront. The Patient’s Bill of Rights written in 1973 by the American Hospital Association grants the patient the right to reject medicine with informed consent.

The United States Constitution also awards citizens the right of freedom of choice, and being in control of one’s life. Oregon became the first state to legalize assisted suicide through the Death with Dignity Act in 1998 and since then 460 people have died via this option. Washington passed the Death with Dignity Act in 2008 with 57. 91 percent approval under the voter initiative I-1000. As of March 4, 2010, 36 people have self-administered the lethal medication via physician’s prescription in Washington State. There have been 63 prescriptions filled, but some opted not to exercise this option, dying via their terminal illness.

As of 2012 the only other state to legalize euthanasia for the terminally ill is Montana. The greatest misunderstanding relating to the Death with Dignity Act comes from a common misuse of the term “assisted suicide. ” The power of language and the use of the word “suicide” exemplify a scare tactic used by those opposed to the law. Suicide identifies a desperate act and generally executed in secrecy. The connotations that are created in religion and moral values regarding suicide are not present. Suicide intentionally ends one’s own life, ending an open-ended life p.

Death with dignity enables a choice to shorten an inescapable, impending and painful death of a person who desperately wants to live, but that option does not exist. The choice allows control and dignity in the process of dying. The Act provides a sense of peace, enables communication with healthcare professionals and loved ones; though there still will be sadness it can permit a celebration of one’s life. To support and legally allow a terminally ill person the option to choose the timing for the end of their life illustrates an act of humanity.

The pain inherent in the terminally ill is meaningless, eternal and doomed to dramatically increase. A valid measurement does not exist to determine the degree of pain experienced by an individual. Medications relieve a limited amount of the pain, however, medications have proven grossly inadequate in certain cases. A man suffering from prostate cancer said, “The medication puts me to sleep. As soon as I wake up there’s pain. If I can’t live free of the pain, I’m not living at all, simply existing. ” Another patient suffering from pancreatic cancer stated, ”I would never have believed that there could be such pain.

I am a different person. It’s like having a new set of neurons implanted in my brain, each one producing as much pain as it can. And here I am enjoying the best of American medicine. I am ready to go now. ” Indisputably, there are increased advances in studies and medicine; however, there reaches a point when the excessive pain becomes unbearable for the patient. Currently, the contemporary debate continues in the United States, especially amongst religious entities strongly opposing the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon and Washington states.

Many religious traditions remain faithful to ancient teachings and beliefs concerning the physical side of life and death. Modern technology and science have discovered new insights and helped some leaders of faith to reconsider. Terminal illness and disease are no longer as large a mystery. Barbara Coombs Lee, President of Compassion ; Choices, a group for the advocacy of aid in dying, has fought against the Catholic Church and their staunch undermining of The Death With Dignity Act.

The Catholic Church instigated a movement, To Live Each Day with Dignity; this movement’s intent aggressively increases the assault on end-of-life choices. For many Catholics, the Pope’s directive mandates the final word, a word that directs a judgment without introspection and self thought. Evangelical, Mormon, Protestant and unaffiliated religions also have profiles that dictate their vote. Religious proponents of The Death with Dignity Act religious proponents believe godliness does not exist in allowing a terminally ill person to experience needless suffering.

The future of legalized euthanasia will be dependent upon the guidelines, boundaries and law in place to prevent the abuse of euthanasia and honoring it, as was originally intended, a “good death”. Euthanasia in its true form negates a criminal act as believed by certain cultural, social and religious entities. However, Scott Robinson states in, To Go Among the Saracens, “Yet the human situation is characterized, above all, by “forgetfulness,” or “heedlessness. ” Historically, the criminal acts regarded, as euthanasia during Hitler’s reign must be remembered.

The slippery slope effect concerning involuntary euthanasia exists as a misguided dogma in the historical debate of legalizing assisted suicide. Consequently, an ongoing political battle will continue throughout the world concerning the contemporary issue of euthanasia. Scientifically, thorough research and philosophical analysis will progress, thus adding to the political dimension and enhancing a deeper understanding of the issue. Bibliography Admiraal, Pieter. “Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide. ” Accessed November 12, 2012. http://biology. franklincollege. du/bioweb/Biology/course_p/bioethics/Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. doc. Barber, Melissa. “Death With Dignity Isn’t Suicide. ” Death With Dignity National Center, April 25, 2011. http://www. deathwithdignity. org/2011/04/25/death-dignity-isnt-suicide (accessed Novmeber 11, 2012). Simon, Rita J. “Euthanasia and The Right to Die: Overview. ” ABC-CLIO Understanding Controversy and Society. http://issues. abc-clio. com/Topics/Display/913372? cid=41;terms=Euthanasia and the Right to Die (accessed October 1, 2012). Lafolette, Hugh. “Living On a Slippery Slope. ” The Journal of Ethics. 9. no. /4 (2005): 475-499. http://www. jstor. org/stable/25115837? seq=1 (accessed October 1, 2012). McKhann, Charles F. Time to Die: The Place for Physician Assistance. Michigan: Yale University Press, 1999. http://washingtonstate. worldcat. org/oclc/47009260 Neumann, Ann. “The Nation: Keeping the Right to Die Alive. ” The Nation, June 16, 2011. (accessed December 6, 2012). http://www. npr. org/2011/06/16/137217016/the-nation-keeping-the-right-to-die-alive “Religion and Spirituality. ” Death With Dignity National Center. http://www. deathwithdignity. org/historyfacts/religion (accessed December 7, 2012).

Robinson, Scott. “To Go Among the Saracens: A Franciscan Composer’s Journey into the House of Islam . ” Cross Currents. ( 2007): 417, 420. https://lms. wsu. edu/section/default. asp? id=2012-fall-PULLM-HISTORY-105-28593-LEC (accessed November 11, 2012). S. Frileux, C. Lelievre, M. T. Munoz Sastre, E. Mullet and P. C. Sorum, . “When is Physician Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia Acceptable?. ” Journal Of Medical Eithics. 29. no. 6 (2003): 330-336. http://www. jstor. org/stable/27719114? seq=3 (accessed October 1, 2012). Schaab, Patrick. “Mercy killings or uncontrolled murder?. “The Timaru Herald, , sec.

National, September 18, 2012. http://www. lexisnexis. com/lnacui2api/results/docview/docview. do? docLinkInd=true;risb=21_ (accessed November 13, 2012). “Washington State Transforms the Crime of Assisted Suicide Into a “Medical Treatment”.. ” Patients Rights Council. . http://www. patientsrightscouncil. org/site/washington/ (accessed November 12, 2012). Yardley, William. “Report Finds 36 Died Under Assisted Suicide Law. ” The New York Times, March 4, 2010. http://www. nytimes. com/2010/03/05/us/05suicide. html? _r=0 (accessed November12, 2012). ——————————————– 1 ]. Schaab, Patrick. “Mercy killings or uncontrolled murder?. “The Timaru Herald, sec. National, September 18, 2012. [ 2 ]. Schaab, Patrick. “Mercy killings or uncontrolled murder?. “The Timaru Herald, sec. National, September 18, 2012. [ 3 ]. Lafolette, Hugh. “Living On a Slippery Slope. ” The Journal of Ethics. 9. no. 3/4 (2005): 475-499. [ 4 ]. S. Frileux, C. Lelievre, M. T. Munoz Sastre, E. Mullet and P. C. Sorum, . “When is Physician Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia Acceptable?. ” Journal Of Medical Ethics. 29. no. 6 (2003): 330-336. [ 5 ]. Admiraal, Pieter. “Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide. Accessed December 6, 2012. [ 6 ]. Simon, Rita J. “Euthanasia and The Right to Die: Overview. ” ABC-CLIO Understanding Controversy and Society. [ 7 ]. Yardley, William. “Report Finds 36 Died Under Assisted Suicide Law. ” The New York Times, March 4, 2010. [ 8 ]. “Washington State Transforms the Crime of Assisted Suicide Into a “Medical Treatment”. “. Patients Rights Council. [ 9 ]. Yardley, William. “Report Finds 36 Died Under Assisted Suicide Law. ” The New York Times, March 4, 2010. [ 10 ]. Barber, Melissa. “Death With Dignity Isn’t Suicide. ” Death With Dignity National Center, April 25, 2011. 11 ]. McKhann, Charles F. Time to Die: The Place for Physician Assistance. Michigan: Yale University Press, 1999. [ 12 ]. Religion and Spirituality. ” Death With Dignity National Center. [ 13 ]. Neumann, Ann. “The Nation: Keeping the Right to Die Alive. ” The Nation, June 16, 2011. (accessed December 6, 2012). [ 14 ]. Barber, Melissa. “Death With Dignity Isn’t Suicide. ” Death With Dignity National Center, April 25, 2011. [ 15 ]. Robinson, Scott. “To Go Among the Saracens: A Franciscan Composer’s Journey into the House of Islam . ” Cross Currents. ( 2007): 417, 420.

Journey of the Magi- T. S Eliot Two body paragraphs using PEEAL, including 2/3 good examples This poem, Journey of the magi by T. S Eliot explores the idea that a journey can involve obstacles and challenges. The magi are faced with difficulties, hardships and discomforts such as the hostility from the natural world and humans and sleep deprivation. In the first stanza the line “The ways deep and the weather sharp” an inverted syntax is used to put emphasis on the sufferings and difficulties of the journey.

Along with this line in the first stanza a list of complaints are written, “ Then the camel men cursing and grumbling/ and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,/ and the night-fires going out, and the lack of their shelters, and the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly/ and the villages dirty, and charging high prices. :” the use of listing in this stanza conveys to the reader the adversities faced by the animals, men and the magi. Listing creates a accumulative effect, causing the impact and feel of the complications to increase as the list goes on.

An assumption about journeys that can be made from this poem is also that physical journeys lead to personal growth or altered perspectives. The magi once they have witnessed the birth of Jesus cannot see anything in the same light anymore. The line in the last stanza “I should be glad of another death” suggests the persona almost looks forward to his eventual death now that he understands that there is life after death. It could also mean that the persona yearns for another renewal or another moment of new understanding. In the last stanza the line “but set down/This set down.

This:” is an enjambment that places emphasis on the new understanding that the magi have achieved. It is also a monosyllabic line, which arrests the pace of the poem and forces the reader to stop and pay attention to the message of the persona. A great example showing the change of perspective by the magi would be at the end of stanza 3, the word choice of “these kingdoms” and “alien” adds to the magi’s feelings of separation from the old world order and “palaces” in stanza 1 compared to the choice of words in stanza 3 “places” illustrates the idea of a new perception and outlook on life.