Impairments Of A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Impairment in communication skills is considered to be one of the most prevalent characteristics of a child with autism spectrum disorder. Even children who are verbal and high functioning are at risk of acquiring significant needs in the area of social pragmatics. Children with ASD also often have difficulty with comprehension of text, narrative or story structure and the more complicated language demands that hold importance once past the second grade (Plumb et al., 2013). Children with ASD who are in need of services, are evaluated by his or her educational team who determine the level of services needed based upon observations, assessments and interviews. The role of the educational team is also to investigate the early stages of language and communicative development in young children with ASD, and compare them to the typically developing child, as these comparisons are important implications for designing the intervention strategies for a child with ASD. This papers focus is to understand how exploring the differences in emergence of language in ASD children and typically developing children, identifying early correlates of expressive and receptive language in the ASD population, and evaluating the efficacy of interventions that target spoken language acquisition as a part of treatment, relate to the role of an SLP. Many different studies looking at the emergence of language in the ASD population compared to typically developing children show that there is aShow MoreRelatedThe Characteristics Of Autism Spectrum Disorders ( Asd )949 Words   |  4 Pages 1. What are the characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? As described in the textbook, there is a broad range of characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). One of the first characteristics noted with ASD is language deficits, or using language in â€Å"odd† ways. As stated in the textbook, â€Å"Children with classic autism may be nonverbal. Alternatively, they may have significant language difficulties, so that their language may consist primarily of echolalia or delayedRead MoreHow Does Autism Start?954 Words   |  4 Pagesdoes autism start? Parents of two children are searching for treatments to help their autistic children who can t communicate their feels or needs. They have tried many therapies conventional or unconventional and all they want is to treat their children to live an independent life. Autism is a mysterious disorder for the great doctors who have found cure for many other mysterious diseases. Researchers don t know the cause each child to behave differently from others with the same disorder or howRead More IMPAIRMENT NEURAL DEVELOPMENTS AND SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM DISORDER1171 Words   |  5 PagesAutism spectrum disorders are a common neural developmental brain condition (Cheng et al., 2010). It does not have unifying neurobiological or pathological etiology (Geschwind Levitt, 2007) .It characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills and restricted repetitive behavior (Johnson Myers, 2007). Medical condition such as mental retardation, chromosomal anomalies and seizures are often ap pear with autism (Casanova, 2007). During first 3 years of childhood, these majorRead MoreChildren With Autism Spectrum Disorder1502 Words   |  7 Pagesby a disorder that affects the very things we need to fit in to society. The ability to be able to fit in, communicate and behave in proper ways, allows us to function, work and survive in life. For many children and adults, they live with a disorder that dictates these behaviors and language skills to be very different from the average American. These skills they are challenged with, make it very difficult to live independently. The disorder these individuals live with is called Autism SpectrumRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism Essay1474 Words   |  6 Pagesof the most widely known abnormal disorders is Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism is a complicated disorder because it represents a wide range of developmental disorders categorized by criteria such as: impaired social interactions, verbal and nonverbal communi cation breakdowns, and repetitive behaviors. Since Autism Spectrum Disorder is on a spectrum, as the name suggests, there are individuals with mild to little symptoms classified by Autism Spectrum Disorder and others who classify severely inRead MoreEssay about Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Theories of Vygotsky1423 Words   |  6 Pagesdecade has acknowledged the impacts of characteristics and life-functioning for individuals on the autism spectrum. Models of support or interventions strategies have been researched but little, or limited practical or resourced models appeared as accessible for families of older youth. The intention of this research paper was to investigate a specific activity group for youth on the autism spectrum. The group runs concurrently with a parent group and is funded through a respite funding provisionRead MoreThe Autism Screening Instrument For Educational Planning1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhen diagnosing autism spectrum disorder, it is crucial for the professional evaluating the child to know about the disorder. This is why speech-language pathologists normally play a part in the diagnosis. Other members of the team may include occupational therapists, physical therapists, pediatricians, and neurologists. Since problems with communication and social skills are early symptoms of this disorder, SLPs play a main role in the diagnosis and should be consulted early in the evaluationRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Autism ) Essay1739 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1943 a child psychiatrist named Leo Kanner wrote about a group of children who were apathetic to their family mem bers and made odd and repetitive movements. A year later, Hans Asperger observed similar behavior in another group of children, also noting a lack of understanding of social conventions (Lai, 2014). These two observations would be the beginning of a disorder known as the Autism Spectrum Disorder. This developmental disorder, characterized by a range of deficits in different areas, isRead MoreThe Autism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1636 Words   |  7 Pagesm Spectrum Disorder This paper will cover many aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder, also commonly known as ASD. It will identify reginal, national and global statistics of the occurrence of ASD, predisposing factors, usual signs and symptoms of ASD, and tests used for diagnosis. It will also analyze both medical, surgical and psychosocial aspects of the care needed by patients with ASD, interdisciplinary interventions, comorbidities commonly associated with Autism, and the prognosis of these patientsRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder : Dsm 5 Changes And Controversies1694 Words   |  7 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder: DSM-5 Changes and Controversies There are constant changes being made in the DSM and with more research more information is available on the disorders. The recent revisions and changes to the DSM 5 have raised many controversies. The Autism Spectrum Disorder is an illness that affects brain development and is characterized by multiple domains. In the DSM IV the diagnostic criteria for autism and the subtypes worked well at making each disorder distinct and providing the

Essay on Good vs. Evil in Lord of the Flies by William...

Lord of the Flies: Good vs. Evil Knowing William Golding took part of World War II, we as readers can understand why Golding wrote Lord of the Flies and other survival-fiction novels. When the story was released in 1954, Golding described his book as an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. It is unmistakably obvious to anyone who reads this book that Golding is trying to exaggerate the good and evil in the boys on the island. Throughout the book, we learn that people, including children, are not pure goodness. Deep inside there is an evil constantly trying to rise to the surface of our minds. Golding proves that eventually the evil within us will destroy us. Golding saw in World War II what†¦show more content†¦Spill her blood.† Realizing the signal fire went out, Ralph and Piggy make their way up to the boys’ feast. Jack is too consumed with blood lust to care about rescue anymore. When he lashes out at Piggy is when the link between him and Ralph is destroyed Being ugly and having red hair, a traditional demonic feature, Jack is depicted as evil. He is also much like Hitler throughout the book. Jack’s inherent evil is the cause of the fall of social order. Although Golding doesn’t make any direct biblical parallels, he certainly uses them as penetrating motifs throughout the novel. Lord of the Flies opens in the Garden of Eden. On an island filled with ripe fruits, fresh, flowing water, has a luscious climate, and the boys are free to live as they want. They’re free from sexual longing and deprivation. Like Adam and Eve, the boys are innocent. Golding describes Simon as the â€Å"Jesus† figure in the story. Simon happens to be on of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Jesus later renamed Simon to Peter, which means â€Å"rock.† Simon and Jesus share the same experience of mourning and mental suffering the night before their death. Simon, with his experience talking with the pig head and Jesus in his time in the Garden of Gethsemane. Unlike Jesus, Simon’s death did not bring salvation to the island. It brought the boys deeper into savagery and guilt. After the boys were building the signal fire, it started to burn everything. That is the beginning of hell. The small boy withShow MoreRelatedGood Versus Evil in Lord of the Flies by William Golding Essay1235 Words   |  5 PagesGood vs. Evil Many years ago, Charles Darwin introduced a theory that we humans are a species which evolved from animals that have inhabited the Earth for many years, and he believed that we were civilized, intelligent, and logical life forms for these very reasons. In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding there is a prominent theme of good versus evil which reveals that maybe humans are not the civilized human beings that they were said to be. William Golding carefully netted this themeRead MoreLord of the Flies by William Golding932 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussing two particular themes from a novel called Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Lord of the Flies was written in 1954 after World War II. Ruler of the Flies is a purposeful anecdote about something that many readers can’t really describe. Individuals cant choose precisely what. Its either about the inalienable underhanded of man, or mental battle, or religion, or personal inclination, or the creators emotions on war; however William Golding was in the Navy throughout World War II, or perhapsRead MoreLord of The Flies Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesLord of the Flies was published in 1954 by William Golding. Today Lord of the Flies is a well known literary criticism. Many schools require their students to read Lord of the Flies because of the literary criticisms in the book. In this paper three themes or literary criticisms are talked about: good vs. evil, symbolism of characters, and maturity of characters. Another topic in Goldings Lord of the Flies is the battle of good vs. evil. Everything seems to start out just fine on the island; theRead MoreWilliam Goldings Lord of the Flies: A Review1479 Words   |  6 PagesLord of the flies is anything but an easy book to digest. It comes upon the reader like a heavy meal on a suffocating summers day. The main idea is fairly simple actually: a group of children stranded on an isolated island are trying to reenact the norms of the society they used to live in before their arrival on the island. Gradually, things descend more violently with the children looking to kill the beast that lives in the heart of the jungle. What they are unable to realize though is that theRead MoreTheme Of Lord Of The Flies And The Guide Essay1407 Words   |  6 PagesMD. Moazzam Hossain ID NO. 133013040 ENG 302 The Novel-1 Submitted to: Ms Arifa Rahaman Date: 09.12.2015 Theme of ‘Lord of The Flies’ and ‘The Guide’ ‘Lord of the flies’(1954) and ‘The guide’(1958) are the two novels written by famous novelists William Golding and R.K. Narayan. ‘Lord of the Flies’ portrays the story of a group of British boys trapped on an abandoned island who try to administrate themselves with catastrophic results and On the other side, R.K. Narayan quite consciouslyRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding Essay1000 Words   |  4 PagesLord of the Flies, a classic novel written by William Golding in 1954, investigates the focal theory of human nature and its capability. Golding was encouraged to write this novel after his experiences in the concentration camps during World War 2, on reflecting how poorly the prisoners were treated by the Japanese and the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki led him to thinking how well educated people can portray evilness through such devastating acts. His study and the Lord of the flies examine thatRead MoreThe Lord of the Flies by William Golding1257 Words   |  6 Pages LOTF: Good vs Evil Change is inevitable. In Lord of the Flies, three of the characters represent how the human condition can change. Each character handles situations and conditions differently. Their conflicts challenge their existence and eventually lead to their demise. In Lord of the Flies, during the wage of war between good and evil, the true face of everyone is revealed, whether it be Roger, Simon, or the children as a group. There are a lot of ways that good and evil are representedRead MoreCivilization Versus Savagery in Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay807 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel â€Å"Lord of the Flies† was written by William Golding to demonstrate the problems of society and the sinful nature of man. Golding uses symbols, characters and objects to represent his main ideas and themes. The conch was used to call meetings but is also symbolic of the government structure and power. One of the main themes in the novel â€Å"Civilization vs. Savagery† is fought between two egos, Jack the Id who represents savagery and the desire for power and Ralph the Ego and protagonistRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1468 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolboys marooned on a tropical island after their plane is shot down during a war. Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real-life violence and brutality of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. Golding’s experience in World War II had aRead MoreWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies1444 Words   |  6 PagesInterviewer Let’s talk about William Golding and his most famous book, Lord of the Flies, in which a group of British schoolboys - aged from around 6-12 - become stranded on an island, and quickly begin their descent into chaos. Today, I am joined by literarian and William Golding expert, Lara Caglar. Expert Hi, Vanessa, it’s a pleasure to be here Interviewer Together, we will be discussing the question on everyone’s minds, what happened to Golding that led him to have such an incredibly negative

Moma Visit †Compare and Contrast Paintings Free Essays

string(97) " the upper half of the painting prevents â€Å"The Empire of Light, ii† from lacking in movement\." MoMA visit – Visual analysis Art is an effective way to express beauty. Artists have different ways to express their ideas and communicate nonverbally through their work. In the Early Modern Art period, artists were free to create their pieces in diverse ways that never had been done before. We will write a custom essay sample on Moma Visit – Compare and Contrast Paintings or any similar topic only for you Order Now For this essay, I chose the works of two artists of this period to compare and contrast so that the diversity of Modern art can be demonstrated. Even though Vincent Van Gogh and Rene Magritte was born forty five years apart from each other and had different styles, I am interested in analyzing â€Å"The Starry Night† (Vincent van Gogh) and â€Å"The Empire of Light, ii† (Rene Magritte) after my trip to the Museum of Modern Art. At the first analysis, I would like to discuss the famous painting â€Å"The Starry Night† (1889) by Van Gogh. This painting is in oil on canvas and has the dimensions of 73. 7  cm ? 92. 1  cm. Van Gogh depicts the town in Rhone under gaslight and reflected in the blue river. As it is displayed at MoMA, â€Å"The Starry Night† attracts a great number of visitors to its mysterious blue spirals. The focus of the painting is quite high as the first point drawn to the viewer is at the sky. The spirals meet with each other and the yellow stars are bright throughout the dark blue sky. Van Gogh uses thick brush strokes to draw the mysterious spirals, which occupy most of the center of the painting. The enormous spirals are reproduced images of moving waves in the ocean, but also induce a whirling movement. This technique plays a significant part to create the chaotically moving effect for the picture. Most people who see this picture for the first time feel that the whole scenery somehow shifts, even though it is a still life painting. Moving my view point from the mysterious spirals, I can see the big, extremely dark green cypress tree located in the right part of the picture. Cypress appears in Van gogh’s picture often such as in the â€Å"Cypresses† and â€Å"Wheatfield with cypresses. † Unlike these two pictures above, he uses similar sinuous curves tortured from full cycles one after another in this one to reproduce the brush stroke he uses in the spirals. In the bottom one third of the painting, Rhone town at midnight is peaceful in blue. The clearest part we can see at this town is the church and its bell tower. Although the church only consists of simple sketches, it seems to be the most complicated fragment in the painting. The bell tower points up to the sky and draws attention of the viewers to the spirals once again. Secondly, the next painting I would like to mention is â€Å"The Empire of Light ii† (1950) of Rene Magritte. Its dimensions are of 78. 8 x 99. 1 cm. Magritte wants to demonstrate a nocturnal scene under a daytime sky. When I first saw the painting, the initial thought that came through my mind was to admire the peaceful scenery of an ordinary small town. Then I noticed the paradox in the painting. The upper half of the painting is the light blue sky of a peaceful day with floating white clouds. However, the bottom half is a small town at midnight. Houses and trees are all covered with dark hue as if it is late at night. The town looks as if it has already gone to sleep. The thin and precise brush strokes that Magritte adroitly use make the picture look as real as a photo. The closer and longer I look at the painting, the more confused I become. The serenity of the deep-sleeping town, which is dimly lit by the antique street light, along with the floating clouds, makes me feel so calm and peaceful that I am persuaded into its reality. However, I am still able to notice the contrast between day and night in two halves of the painting. This confusion is the result of the eyes tricked to believe in what we see. The placement of day and night remarkably reminds us about our conscious mind that we use in everyday life, and about our lit unconscious mind that waits for us to use it to brighten our senses. This painting conceals Magritte’s psyche that â€Å"The mind loves the unknown. It loves images whose meaning is unknown, since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown. † On the one hand, there are similarities between two paintings that I notice. Firstly, both painters use oil on canvas for the paintings. They also have the approximate dimensions of about 70cmx95cm. Secondly, mystery is an important fact that makes the two paintings worth seeing. People cannot resist taking a look at the spirals and following the moving effect of the whole picture when seeing â€Å"The Starry Night. The spirals themselves are mysterious since they are echoed the movement of ocean waves. Similarly, ‘The Empire of Light, ii† makes spectators wonder the reality of a nocturnal scene of a small town under a sunny day. Their minds are tricked to believe in the true-to-life scene as well as to question the paradox. In addition, luminosity is created successfully in two painting s. In â€Å"The Starry Night†, the moon and the stars illuminate the sky as stars and moon are in concentric circles and contrary to the dark blue sky surrounding. The moon is placed at the top right corner of the painting, where the sun usually appears, and produces light together with the stars. Correspondingly, in Magritte’s, light comes from the title of the painting itself. The lamppost, as well as the windows’ dim light, creates the luminosity standing alone in the dark night. Finally, even though both paintings have no sign of human and animals, motion still appears clearly. The whole â€Å"Starry Night† is a chaos, moving and moving freely, while the floating clouds in the sunny sky in the upper half of the painting prevents â€Å"The Empire of Light, ii† from lacking in movement. You read "Moma Visit – Compare and Contrast Paintings" in category "Papers" On the other hand, each picture has its own quality. The first difference between the two paintings is the brush stroke. Vincent van Gogh uses the thick brush stroke in â€Å"The Starry Night,† especially when painting the spirals and the cypress, while Magritte’s extremely thin brush stroke appears everywhere in the painting. As a result, the surfaces of two paintings are different; rough in â€Å"The Starry Night† and smooth in â€Å"The Empire of light, ii. † Also, while â€Å"The Starry Night† has an open shape, â€Å"The Empire of Light, ii† is closed-shaped. In â€Å"Starry Night,† there are no edges coming between the stars and the sky. They just merge with one another and create a beautiful â€Å"Starry Night. † However, the thin brush strokes in â€Å"The Empire of Light† identify all objects distinctively. Edges are clear between houses; clouds and sky are clearly recognized. Thirdly, although both painters use blue, the hue, value and intensity are different. Blue is the spiritual color in â€Å"The starry night,† and Van Gogh uses blue that varies from the darkest in the town to the lightest in the inside of the spirals. Blue is also diverse in the sky, together with yellow to make a sky lively. Magritte, however, uses just one value of light blue to paint his sky in a sunny day and the sky looks serene. Last but not least, even though both paintings depict the same subject of a small town at midnight, each painting represents a different style. While â€Å"the starry night† of Van Gogh follows post-impressionism – a style that combines the elements of Impressionism with those of non-Europe to create their own way – â€Å"The Empire of Light, ii† of Magritte is surrealist, whose purposes are to describe the irrational, to examine perception and to create the word and image relationship. In conclusion, â€Å"The starry night† of Vincent van Gogh and â€Å"The Empire of Light, ii† are expressions of aesthetic values. The paintings, either post-impressionist or surrealist, represent the painters’ own way of self-expression and their own way to communicate with the spectators nonverbally. Reference 1. Van Gogh’s letters http://vangoghletters. org/vg/letters/let693/letter. html http://vangoghletters. org/vg/letters/let782/letter. html 2. Magritte’s quotes http://www. rene-magritte. org/rene-magritte-quotes. jsp 3. Other http://www. moma. org/collection/object. php? object_id=78456 http://www. all-art. rg/art_20th_century/magritte1. html The starry night – Vincent van Gogh The Empire of Light, ii – Rene Magritte Claude Monet – Contextual factors influenced his style Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a French artist, who was considered a leader of the Impressionism movement as this style was named after his painting  "Impression, Sunrise† (1872). He is one of the typical artists to mention when we discuss the Early Modern art era. I would like to analyze the contextual factors that affect his style of painting. First of all, the political circumstances in France from 1870s had effects on Monet’s style. During the Franco-Prussian War (1871-1872), Monet came to England with Pissarro for shelter. He met the dealer Durand Ruel, who then became a great advocator of the Impressionists. Also in England, Monet had chance to study the works of John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner, which inspired his innovations in study of colors. After spending a summer (1971) in Amsterdam, Holland, he returned to French, which was damaged by the civil war. He stayed in Argenteuil, which was an industrially growing town near the Seine river until 1878. From 1872-1878, Argenteuil was a center for Impressionist painters to gather after Monet published his painting â€Å"Impression, Sunrise† depicted the Seine river. In addition, innovations in painting manufacture were introduced in public in 19th century. In 1841, John Rahn invented the collapsible tin paint tube, which revolutionized the color palette and technique of  plein-air oil painting  by offering a range of pre-mixed colors in a convenient medium. This is a major factor to emerge Impressionism. Monet used this plein-air painting as a elementary principle of his art in 1860s,. He sought to combine his Realist investigation with the possibilities of creating a new style of painting. In the paintings produced at La Grenouillere at 1869, Monet found a way establish a challenging tension between appearances and painterly invention that proved sufficient basis for the developed Impressionist manner of the 1870s and after. In 1870s, Monet’s brush stroke became smaller and more diverse. He also tried to conduct experiments to control value contrasts. These experiments with color were played off against and within a traditional framework, essentially perspectives in nature. Finally, 19th century marked the emergence of photography, which had a major effect on Modern Art. In the first half of the century, cameras were introduced continuously and rapidly improved. For example, in 1814, Joseph Niepce used his  camera obscura  to take picture, but the image required eight hours of light exposure and later faded. In 1851, Frederick Scott Archer invented the  Collodion process, in which images required only two or three seconds of light exposure. Thus, painters were in need of seeking new techniques to innovate their painting. They had to prove that paintings might not be replaced by photos. Thus, Monet sought a way to break the old rules of traditional painting. His brush strokes became thinner; the closed shape in traditional painting became more open as the boundaries between objects were more obscure, as we can see in his â€Å"Impression, Sunrise. † According to the contemporary critics, the painting was rather a sketch than a complete work of art. However, this painting was the first impressionist to be presented. In conclusion, the political circumstances and developing technique are two crucial factors that affect the style of Monet Claude. After his first painting in 1972, Impressionism became his style for his later life. Work cited MoMA – Monet Claud’s biography http://www. moma. org/collection/artist. php? artist_id=4058 http://www. claude-monet. com/index. jsp House, John, et al. :  Monet in the 20th century, page 2, Yale University Press, 1998 http://www. visual-arts-cork. com/artist-paints/colour-palette-nineteenth-century. htm http://library. brown. edu/cds/paris/finearts. html#impressionism http://inventors. about. com/od/pstartinventions/a/Photography. htm How to cite Moma Visit – Compare and Contrast Paintings, Papers

Segmentation in FCMG Companies-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Segmentation Strategy in FMCG Companies and how the Demographic Factors affect International Trade. Answer: Segmentation in FCMG Companies The three websites of fast moving consumer goods that are going to be discussed in this activity are Fonterra, Coca-Cola, and Parmalat. Fonterra Company deals with dairy nutrition. Australia is its largest market, but it has also expanded to Brazil, China, Indonesia, New Zealand and Malaysia. Coca-Cola Company deals in beverages. The Company has the market all over the world, and it is known by many customers as a leading beverage company in the world. The Parmalat Company deals with milk products and fruit based drinks. It has marketed its products in some countries in the world. In the two companies Fonterra and Parmalat, there is an evidence of segmented approach. The segmented approach is mostly exhibited in Fonterra as it mainly targets Australia customers. The company has focused on the geographical region and considers Australia because it is where it is based, and therefore, the organization enjoys the degree of loyalty to Australia than those of other countries. Parmalat also has evidence of both segmented approach and mass marketing in its areas of operation. Coca-Cola Company has evidence of mass marketing because it has a wide variety of Audience (Sismeiro, Mizik and Bucklin, 2008, pp. 63-92). To compare the three companies, Coca-Cola Company is the one that has best implemented the market segmentation strategy. It has divided its market basing on the needs of most customers among other factors (Pride and Ferrell, 2014). The products of this company cover all kinds of consumer demographic issues. Parmalat comes second as it has also covered a larger region compared to Fonterra. Fonterra has mostly based on the consumers' geographical area. The Fonterra Company considers that those people who can have easy access to their products give them a high degree of loyalty. Unlike Fonterra, Coca-Cola does not consider this but rather distributes the products to the whole word. The three companies could segment their companies further by considering the socio-economic class. The companies could produce products that target a broad range of socioeconomic groups. This can be done by packaging smaller quantities for everybody to be able to buy. Another aspect they should consider is a lifestyle (Kotler and Keller, 2012). Peoples lifestyles vary and therefore the companies should find a way of marketing that considers the different lifestyles. The companies should know that people are motivated to buy products for different reasons. The companies should ensure that they have different shapes and color of packaging to attract many customers, for example, most women love pink color while men despise it. Gender and age should be a basic consideration for them to be able to segment their market further. Produce different products for different gender and age of people. In conclusion, therefore, for any company to carry out marketing, they should consider how far they want to distribute their products. This can help a company to carry out mass marketing or look for the segmented approach. Even when going for mass marketing the companies should consider segmenting the population to ways that are appropriate to carry out marketing because different countries have their ways of carrying out businesses (Cameron, 2014, pp. 22-27). The cultures of different people should be considered so that they are not offended How Demographic Factors affect International Marketing Increase in diversity An increase in diversity is one of the demographic trends that are affecting opportunities for international marketing. The changing face of the world also marks the changing face of businesses industries. Currently, the world has become more diverse, and these have led to opportunities. More women have risen to ranks of leadership, and there are more cultural changes because people are adapting to new ways (Steven and Britt, 2008). For people that are coming up with new products and services, they can now market internationally as they can interact easily. The baby boomers are also stepping down leaving generation x to take their place. Therefore industries dealing with aging people like health industry gets more customers (Jansen, Moore, and Carmen, 2013, pp. 286-302). The aging population and millennial generation The changing age structure is another demographic trend. The aging population highly affects the opportunities for international marketing. It has created enormous opportunities for the products and services catering for the elderly, for example, the financial services and leisure activities get a good number of customers and therefore more products and services rendered (Chacon and Mason, 2011, pp. 271-290). This also affects international marketing negatively because business people will have to start looking for skilled and productive labor and this reduces the resources. Goods and services offered to the millennial generations rely on constant digital communications, therefore, a high market for those dealing with telecommunications (Charles, 2012). Population growth An increase in the population is another factor that positively affects international marketing. Population growth is both size and age leads to provision of more products and services for a longer period. An increased population of the elderly mostly has an impact on health care services. For example, the health care technology, therefore, gets more customers increasing international marketing. It is an opportunity for business people and innovators to develop new products that can address challenges facing the older generation and the young generation (Rugman and Collinson, 2008). Industries Set To Benefit From Ageing Baby Boomers The baby boomers need more attention to their lifestyle. The health care industries benefit the most as they have issues with their health that need to be addressed. The skin care industries are also beneficiaries as the baby boomers like to lessen their wrinkles and also improve the firmness of their skin (Teixeira, Koufteros and Peng, 2012, pp. 69-81). The travel insurance industry is also likely to benefit because older people like to travel to have leisure and they want their lives to be insured. Pilates and Yoga studio industries are also beneficiaries of the aging baby boomers. When they baby boomers retire, they dedicate more of their time to physical fitness to gain strength and flexibility. Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, marketers should observe the current demographical trends, for example, the aging population and diversity to know their target customers and the products and services they want. The baby boomers are currently the aging population, and therefore innovators should take that advantage to come up with products that satisfy their needs. The innovators should understand that baby boomers are not only the fast growing population but also the wealthiest, for this reason after retirement they want recreational services that innovators should work towards to satisfy them. References Cameron, B. (2014). Management. Strategic Leadership Review, pp. 22-27. Chacon and Mason (2011). An Analysis of the Relationship between the Passenger Loyalty and Consumer Buying Behaviour for Network and Low-Cost Carriers.Transportation Journal, pp. 271-290. Charles L. (2012). Essentials of Marketing (7th Ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Jansen, B., Moore, K. and Carmen, S. (2013). "Evaluating the Performance of Demographic Targeting Using Gender in Sponsored Search." Information Processing and Management, pp. 286-302. Kotler, P. and Keller, L. (2012). Marketing Management (14th Ed.), Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. Pride, W. and Ferrell C. (2014). Marketing (17th Ed.) Mason: Cengage Learning Rugman, A. and Collinson, S. (2008). International Business, Financial Times Prentice Hall Sismeiro, C., Mizik, N. and Bucklin, R. (2008). A New Dynamics-based Segmentation Approach for Maximizing Long-term Marketing Impact. Marketing Science Institute Reports, Issue 2, Report No. 08-109, pp. 63-92. Steven M. and Britt, W. (2008).Organizational Psychology, Scientist-Practitioner Approach, John Wiley, and Sons. Teixeira, R., Koufteros, X. and Peng, D. (2012)."Organizational Structure, Integration, and the Manufacturing Performance: a Conceptual Model and Propositions." Journal of Operations and Supply Chain Management,pp. 69-81.

Beowulf And Society Essays - Beowulf, Grendels Mother, Grendel

Beowulf And Society The earliest known manuscript of Beowulf is thought to have been written in the tenth century, however, the poem had most likely been told as an oral tradition for centuries before that. In fact, the poem's events date back to the sixth century. However, because there is only one manuscript of Beowulf still in tact very little is known about the poem or its author. The poem does, however, give us great insight into the culture of the people who composed and told this epic tale. Because the poem was performed orally mainly between the eighth and tenth centuries, but dealt with subject matter of centuries earlier, it is difficult to decipher and separate the cultural context involved in the poem from one century to the next. The poem was probably unrecognizable from its original state after two hundred years of oral tradition that would have changed its content drastically. The storyline of the poem, the battles and significant events, probably maintained most of their identity while the cultural context took on another form more suited to the current culture of the people. By the time it was written, in 1000, the poem was probably most representative of the tenth century culture yet it still managed to tell a story similar to the original version. Beowulf, then, gives us a significant insight into the cultural views of the tenth century Anglo-Saxons including their political, social and moral views. The individualistic society was just beginning to replace the tribal system in which no individual had been seen as more important to the success of the tribe than any other. The individuality that Beowulf displayed helped establish new rules in society. Beyond this, Beowulf gives us an even greater insight into middle ages society. Woven throughout almost every aspect of their culture and the poem are very strict moral codes and values. Loyalty, honesty, family ties, courage and even Christianity play a major role in this epic poem. In each of the stories told throughout the poem elements of these values are openly displayed. All three of Beowulf's battles demonstrate qualities deemed virtuous and essential to the people of the middle ages. Beowulf, a godfearing, heroic warrior, first faces a monster that represents all things evil. The monster is a descendant of Cain, a bloodthirsty avenger of man and an outcast. Beowulf confronts this evil figure without any fear and without the aid of any manmade weapons of war. The strength of the wickedness is outmatched by the goodness and purity Beowulf. Only because Beowulf displayed no fear and used no weapon was he able to destroy this wicked force of destruction. The hero, Beowulf, is glorified more for his virtue than for his strength in defeating the monster. For those who displayed no virtue, despite their valor, the consequence was quite different. Ecgtheow's son, who displayed no bravery, for example, "had been despised for a long while, for the Geats saw no spark of bravery in him" (75). The true hero of the middle ages managed to maintain a balance between his personal glory and maintaining the good of his people. As we see in later stories of this period, like the Arthur stories, this is a very delicate balance. Beowulf became a folklore hero because he maintained this balance well. He displayed personal heroism while at the same time keeping his priorities towards the safety of his people. Beowulf's first attack on the monster Grendel displayed many qualities that were significant in a hero of that time. First of all, Beowulf was not called upon to save the Danes from Grendel. Instead, he came on his own accord, out of duty and principle. He took responsibility upon himself in a situation that required none. The individualistic society did not require that an person remain part of the tribe, but rather encouraged them to seek adventure while doing good. Beowulf recognized his physical strengths and he utilized them for personal gain and glory and the good of the nation. Beowulf's second battle with Grendel's mother is quite similar to the first. However, because Beowulf brought along a sword as protection he is seemingly less pure and as he attempts to use the sword it fails him. He is nearly beaten by the monster's mother until he wields the famous old sword of the giants which had magical power to save him. While he is not as heroic in his second battle, Beowulf still displays many of the virtues essential for heroism and even survival. He was required

Wright Surname Meaning and Origin

Wright Surname Meaning and Origin WRIGHT Surname Meaning Origin: Wright is an occupational surname meaning craftsman, builder, from the Old English wryhta meaning worker. Wright is the 34th most popular surname in the United States and the 14th most common surname in England. Surname Origin: English Alternate Surname Spellings: WRIGHTE, RITE, WRITE, RIGHT, ALWRIGHT, ALLWRIGHT, OLDWRIGHT, WRYTE, WRAIGHT Famous People with the Surname WRIGHT: Wilbur and Orville Wright - flew the first airplane at Kitty Hawk, North CarolinaFrank Lloyd Wright - famous American architectMartha Coffin Wright - Quaker womens rights activist and sister of Lucretia Mott. Genealogy Resources for the Surname WRIGHT: 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? The Wright Family GenealogyA Web site dedicated to the descendants of William Wright (1707-1776) and his wife, Margaret. They were the original American patriarch and matriarch of a Scotch-Irish Wright family, who resided much of their lives in Augusta Co, Virginia. Wright DNA ProjectWright men (women dont carry Y-DNA) are invited to join this project to help match individual and families who share a common male ancestor of the Wright surname. Wright Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Wright surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Wright query. FamilySearch - WRIGHT GenealogyFind records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Wright surname and its variations. WRIGHT Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Wright surname. Cousin Connect - WRIGHT Genealogy QueriesRead or post genealogy queries for the surname Wright, and sign up for free notification when new Wright queries are added. DistantCousin.com - WRIGHT Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Wright. Looking for the meaning of a given name? Check out First Name Meanings Cant find your last name listed? Suggest a surname to be added to the Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Gilgamesh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gilgamesh - Essay Example â€Å"Gilgamesh is seeking Utnapishtim, the Babylonian Noah who survived the flood and was granted immortality, in order to gain the secret of immortality for himself.† (Maier, 112) In a careful analysis of the epic, it becomes obvious that the story of Gilgamesh is important in that it suggests how come to terms with death. This paper makes an analysis of how the characters in the epic deal with questions of life and death, how humans come to terms with death, whether immortality is possible and desirable to humans, and how these ideas compare to the notions of another culture. First of all, it is fundamental to recognize that the characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh deal with questions of life and death, and it is best suggested through the story of the hero, Gilgamesh who is dedicated to learn the secret of eternal life. All through the work, the protagonist is unable to realize the realities of death. Specifically, it is Enkidu’s death which leads Gilgamesh to seek a means to escape from death and to achieve immortality. Significantly, his struggle with grief, his clinging to death and mourning, his confused identification of death and life, his quest for immortality, etc suggest how much this character is engaged with the questions of life and death.

Code of Ethics for Psychologists Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Code of Ethics for Psychologists - Coursework Example However, the use of deception can be methodologically and psychologically justifiable which, according to Pittinger (2003), validates the revision of this code. I think that the code should be revised to excuse deceptive practices that aim to acquire accurate results or findings. The second code is 2.03 or Maintaining Competence which states that â€Å"psychologists undertake ongoing efforts to develop and maintain their competence.† The principle expressed by this code is Principle B (Fidelity and Responsibility). Declining competence over the course of therapy or in clinical assessments would harm clients severely, particularly those who are highly vulnerable, such as individuals with mental illness. For example, a mentally ill individual agreed to take part in a study but his condition worsens while the study progresses, so the relatives decided to withdraw him from the study. The right decision then depends on the competence of the psychologists.

READING GUIDE FOR EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPORTUNITY AND THE CRITERION Assignment

READING GUIDE FOR EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPORTUNITY AND THE CRITERION OF EQUAL EDUCATIONAL WORTH - Assignment Example A. The question of equal access arises when viewed from the point of view of race and gender. In the formal structure of educational institutions, no bias exists in admission/imparting education on the basis of race and gender. Such institutions provide opportunity to all students and foster racial and gender equality. Legally sanctioned racial barriers are non-existent. B. The goal of equal educational opportunity needs to transcend the legal boundaries of equality. Equal access is not a self-contained stage. According to Howe â€Å"extraneous psychological and social factors† can impact a person’s educational opportunities. The author cites an example supporting his viewpoint: â€Å"For example, the educational opportunities that a monolingual Chinese-speaking child enjoys in a school that is conducted exclusively in English are hardly equal to those that a monolingual English-speaking child enjoys.†(Howe, 330) As such the system of equal educational opportunities is more important than the features of educational institutions. C. The characteristics that an individual brings to the institution should be utilized in such a manner so that it stands to benefit the other students and the institution as a whole. It should not be considered as a problem but should be converted into an opportunity. As such interaction between individuals and educational institutions assumes importance. Equality attains new dimensions. A. Treating differentially is inclusive of the concept of treating equal. The author substantiates this statement by stating, â€Å"In terms of the preceding example, showing equal respect for the needs, interests and capabilities of monolingual Chinese-speaking children requires that they be treated differently than English-speaking children.†(Howe, 330) B. Some of the characteristics that disadvantage people and need to be

Principles of Sterilisation in Microbiology

Principles of Sterilisation in Microbiology Moist and dry heat How are microorganisms destroyed by moist heat? By dry heat? Moist: Destroys the structure and organisms by destroying with heat. The combination of steam and pressure, the temperature is usually 121 °C and 15 lbs. per inch for thirty minutes. Dry: Kills organisms using oxidation methods. Most resistant of the spores requires a temperature of 121 °C for around two hours Are some microorganisms more resistant to heat than others? Why? Endospores are extremely resistant to heat because they have a tougher coat and a low moisture content. Additionally, they have a large amount of calcium and dipicolinic acid that helps to protect them from heat. Is moist heat more effective than dry heat? Why? The National Library of Medicine states, â€Å"Moist heat penetrates faster than dry heat† (Medicine, 2015). Moist heat penetrates the molecules, additionally, the water molecules conduct heat much better than air. Why does dry heat require higher temperatures for longer time periods to sterilize than does moist heat? Because water is a better conductor than air, therefore the dry heat does not penetrate as well. What is the relationship of time to temperature in heat sterilization? Explain. Basically the higher the temperature the less time needed. The autoclave Define the principles of sterilization with an autoclave and with a dry heat oven. An autoclave sterilizes using high pressurized steam heat that is made by high temperature boiling water and pressure. The steam vibrations destroy the microorganisms. Judelson states, â€Å"Autoclaving generally involves heating in saturated steam under a pressure of approximately 15 psi, to achieve a chamber temperature of a least 121 °C (250 °F)—but industry, other combinations of time and temperature are sometimes used† (Judelson, 2015). Dry heat ovens subject the microorganisms to high temperatures and destroy the bacteria’s by drying them out and basically sterilizing them from the outside to the inside by heat and no water. Unlike an autoclave which is one piece of equipment, dry heat can include a hot air oven, incineration, radiation, microwave, Bunsen burner and flaming. What pressure, temperature, and time are used in routine autoclaving? With the combination of steam and pressure, the temperature is usually at 121 °C and 15 lbs. per inch for thirty minutes (Kenneth Todar, 2015). What factors determine the time period necessary for steam-pressure sterilization? Dry-heat oven sterilization? The combination of temperature and time are what decides the actual time. Accordint to Mazhar Hussain, â€Å"The thermal death time is the time required to kill all the bacteria in a particular culture at a specified temperature. Both TDP and TDT are useful guidelines that indicate the severity of treatment required to kill a given population of bacteria† (Hussian, 2015). With dry heat the materials play an important factor. Why is it necessary to use bacteriologic controls to monitor heat- sterilization techniques? They are necessary to ensure that the autoclave is working properly and efficiently. They are place throughout the autoclave to ensure a complete testing of the autoclave. When running an endospore control of autoclaving technique, why is one endospore preparation incubated without heating? The control is used to ensure that the spores are destroyed effectively and that there are no problems with the machine. Primary media for isolation of microorganisms Define a differential medium and discuss its purpose. Morello taught us that a differential media has one or more components that are used by some types of microorganisms and yet not others. (Morello, Granato, Morton, 2013) This a will allow an individual to tell the differences of a colony based on the colonies characteristics (i.e. shape, color or pattern). Define a selective medium and describe its uses. Selective media choses one type of microorganisms and then suppresses the others while not inhibiting their ability to actually grow. MacConkey’s agar would be a selective media as it selects gram negative bacteria and yet inhibits gram positive bacteria. Why is MacConkey agar selective as well as differential? According to Austin Community College, â€Å"MacConkey Agar (MAC) is a selective and differential medium designed to isolate and differentiate enterics based on their ability to ferment lactose, by using bile salts and crystal violet inhibit the growth of Gram positive organisms and lactose provides a source of fermentable carbohydrate, allowing for differentiation† (ACC, 2015). Why is blood agar useful as a primary isolation medium? Blood agar would be a differential media because of its ability to destroy hemoglobin and red blood cells. What is the major difference between Modified Thayer-Martin (MTM) and chocolate agar? When would you use MTM rather than chocolate agar? Modified Thayer-Martin is a selective medium that is for gram negative microorganisms that has both a medium and antibiotics, whereas chocolate agar is a non-selective medium. Modified Thayer-Martin is only used when the culture ordered is from the genital area or for sexually transmitted diseases, whereas chocolate is used for many different types of cultures. Metabolic activities of bacteria What is the color of phenol red at an acid pH? Yellow is the color below 7.0 pH. What is the function of a Durham tube? A Durham tube contains a small inverted tube that is used for trapping the gasses that are formed when the broth inside is incubated. (Morello, Granato, Morton, 2013) Why is iodine used to detect starch hydrolysis? When the iodine dissolves with a solution of potassium, it will to turn a purple or blackish color due to the interaction with starch. How is indole produced in SIM medium? How is it detected? Hardy Diagnostics states, â€Å"The ingredients in SIM Medium enable the determination of three activities by which enteric bacteria can be differentiated; sodium thiosulfate and ferrous ammonium sulfate are indicators of hydrogen sulfide production and the ferrous ammonium sulfate reacts with H2S gas to produce ferrous sulfide, a black precipitate, additionally the casein peptone is rich in tryptophan, which is attacked by certain microorganisms resulting in the production of indole† (Diagnostics, 2015). Following the incubation period, the indole is detected with the addition of the reagents. Therefore the detection of the motility is due to the semisolid nature of the medium. How is hydrogen sulfide demonstrated in this medium? The hydrogen sulfide is detected after the production of ferrous sulfide when ferrous ammonium sulfate has reacted with H2S gas. What is the advantage of viewing mold structures in a transparent tape preparation? Southern University of Illinois states, â€Å"The advantage of transparent tape preparation is it allows the fungal structures to be viewed without disrupting the characteristics of their morphology† (Illinois, 2015) What fungus can be identified reliably by using the germ tube test? Morello taught us that â€Å"Candida albicans is the most common yeast found using the germ test and is an important cause of human infection† (Morello, Granato, Morton, 2013) Name three stains or reagents that may be used to facilitate the microscopic detection of fungi in clinical samples. Potassium hydroxide Calcofluor white India Ink Wright, Giemsa, or Diff-Quikstains Gram stain What is the main advantage of using the slide culture technique for identifying molds? It is a fast way to prepare, identify and examine fungal colonies. It makes it easier to study with little disturbances. According to Amrita, â€Å"Fungi are identified mostly by close examination of its morphology and the characteristics it possess† (Amrita, 2015). What is an opportunistic pathogen? Name three fungal specimens. It is a pathogen that takes advantage of an individual that has a compromised immunity system. Candidiasis, Apergillosis and Cryptococcosis Protozoa and animal parasites Describe the basic structures of protozoa. Can these same structures be seen in bacteria using a light microscope? The structure of protozoa is a single celled organisms with a true nucleus with chromosomes and surrounded by a membranous envelope. Additionally, Professor Anderson of Columbia University states, â€Å"They also have other internal cellular structures known as organelles that perform the many physiological functions needed to maintain the life of the organism and these organelles include mitochondria that break down nutrient molecules during respiration to produce energy for the cell† (Anderson, 2015). Are any parasitic diseases directly communicable from person to person? If so, how are they transmitted? What kinds of precautions should be taken in caring for persons with directly transmissible parasitic infections? Yes, but most have to have a host to be transferred. Lice for and an example is a parasite that can jump from one individual to another. Additionally, if someone is infected and does not use proper cleaning/washing of hands they can introduce a parasite through the preparation of food. Washing of hands and using precautionary techniques is the best way to prevent the contamination or spreading of parasites. What parasitic forms can be seen in the feces of a patient with hookworm? Eggs can be seen in hookworm, Eggs and body parts can be seen in tapeworm, in cryptosporidiosis the parasite can be seen, in trichinosis, the doctor will look for the antibodies of the roundworm. (Merck, 2015) What parasitic forms can be seen in the blood of a patient with African sleeping sickness? Filariasis? Amebiasis? In the blood of an individual with African sleeping sickness, the T. b. rhodesiense parasites can be found. In Filariasis, According to The Center for Disease Control (CDC), â€Å"The adult worms only live in the human lymph system† (CDC, 2015). For Amebiasis The Center for Disease Control also states that, â€Å"Diagnosis can be difficult because other parasites can look very similar toE. histolyticawhen seen under a microscope† (CDC, 2015), but the cysts can be seen in the stools/feces of an infected person. What is meant by the â€Å"life cycle† of a parasite? What importance does it have to those who take care of patients with parasitic diseases? The life cycle depends on the parasite, there are stages, the parasite infects a host, feeds off of the host and lays eggs. Sometimes the eggs hatch and sometimes the y turn into cysts. The eggs, cysts and sometimes parts of the body are then transferred out of the body through fecal matter, or sometimes infected blood. When this happens they then go onto the next host and the cycle repeats. The main importance is protection and cleanliness. Proper use of protective wear and then washing of the hands and any surfaces that may have been contaminated are the primary rules for the containment of spreading parasites. References ACC, A. C. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from http://www.austincc.edu/microbugz/macconkey_agar.php Amrita, U. o. (2015, January 13). Amrita. Retrieved from http://amrita.vlab.co.in/?sub=3brch=76sim=693cnt=2 Anderson, P. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from protozoa.uga.edu/education/students/for_students_sop_web_ora CDC. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lymphaticfilariasis/ Diagnostics, H. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from https://catalog.hardydiagnostics.com/cp_prod/Content/hugo/SIMMedium.htm Hussian, M. (2015, January 12). Retrieved from http://microbiologyon-line.blogspot.com/2009_08_02_archive.html Illinois, S. U. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from http://www.siue.edu/~cbwilso/250myco1_032.htm Judelson, H. (2015, January 8). Retrieved from http://oomyceteworld.net/protocols/autoclave operation.pdf Kenneth Todar, P. (2015, January 8). Retrieved from http://textbookofbacteriology.net/control.html Medicine, N. L. (2015, January 12). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3808259/ Merck. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic_infections/hookworm_infection.html Morello, J., Granato, P., Morton, V. (2013). , Paul Granato, and Verna Morton. In Microbiology: Applications to Patient Care, 11th Editio (p. 111). McGraw-Hill.

Fugitive Pieces :: Essays Papers

Fugitive Pieces Report on "Fugitive Pieces" Searing the mind with stunning images while seducing with radiant prose, this brilliant first novel is a story of damaged lives and the indestructibility of the human spirit. It speaks about loss, about the urgency, pain and ultimate healing power of memory, andabout the redemptive power of love. Its characters come to understand the implacability of the natural world, the impartial perfection ofscience, the heartbreak of history. The narrative is permeated with insights about language itself, its power to distort and destroy meaning, and to restore it again to those with stalwart hearts. During WWII, when Jakob Beer is seven, his parents are murdered by Nazi soldiers who invade their Polish village, and his beloved, musically talented 15-year-old sister, Bella, is abducted. Fleeing from the blood-drenched scene, he is magically saved by Greek geologist Athos Roussos, who secretly transports the traumatized boy to his home on the island of Zakynthos, where they live through the Nazi occupation, suffering privations but escaping the atrocities that decimate Greece's Jewish community. Jakob is haunted by the moment of his parents' death the burst door, buttons spilling out of a saucer onto the floor, darkness and his spirit remains sorrowfully linked with that of his lost sister, whose fate anguishes him. But he travels in his imagination to the places that Athos describes and the books that this kindly scholar provides. At war's end, Athos accepts a university post in Toronto, and Jakob begins a new life. Yet he remains disoriented and unmoored, trapped by memory and grief, "a damaged chromosome" the more so after Athos' premature death. By then, however, Jakob has discovered his m‚tier as poet and essayist and strives to find in language the meaning of his life. The miraculous gift of a soul mate in his second wife, "voluptuous scholar" Michaela, comes late for Jakob. Their marriage is brief, and ends in stunning irony. The second part of the novel concerns a younger man, Ben, who is profoundly influenced by Jakob's poetry and goes to the Greek island of Idhra in an attempt to find the writer's notebooks after his death. Ben is another damaged soul. The son of Holocaust survivors, he carries their sorrow like a heavy stone. Emotionally maimed and fearful, Ben feels that he was "born into absence.