Technological Advances in Health Care and Human Services Essay Sample free essay sample

There are several advantages or benefits that engineering provided for the Health Care and Human Services. Let’s take for case this engineering known as â€Å"Electronic Medical Record† which is really advantageous because: First of all. there are times when electronic medical records are available online. this means entree to it anytime you need it and anyplace you want it claimed ( About. . . 2007 ) . Second. it is much more convenient to redact and update electronic medical records as compared with making it manually ( About. . . 2007 ) . Finally. it is much more easy to seek it through the computing machine than by shoping through all the booklets in all the registering cabinets of a Health Care and Human Services establishment ( About. . . 2007 ) . However. this peculiar engineering being discussed has besides created some disadvantages and troubles including the followers: First of all. a proficient job may convey about trouble of clinical forces to be able to entree patient information at any given topographic point or scene ( The. We will write a custom essay sample on Technological Advances in Health Care and Human Services Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page . . 2006 ) . Second. it is possible that inaccurate and uncomplete claims processing by insurance companies may happen because of a proficient job every bit good ( The. . . 2006 ) . Third. there may be clip when clinical notes may non be retrieved ( The. . . 2006 ) . Fourth. it is possible that edifice of machine-controlled cheques for drug and allergy interactions will be beyond range ( The. . . 2006 ) . Fifth. invasion of medical privateness may go on ( The. . . 2006 ) . Sixth. directing to and sing by research labs of electronic medical records will be stopped ( The. . . 2006 ) . Seventh. programming of assignments may go unsystematic ( The. . . 2006 ) . Last but non least. prescriptions may non be seen if double-checks and confirmations are necessitated ( The. . . 2006 ) . Mentions Approximately. Inc. ( 2007 ) .Electronic Medical Records: Coming Soon to a Computer Near You. Retrieved September 30. 2007 fromhypertext transfer protocol: //seniorliving. about. com/od/healthnutrition/a/medical_records. htmThe College of Physician and Surgeons of Ontario.( 2006 ) .Medical Records.Retrieved September 30. 2007 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. cpso. on. ca/Policies/medicalrec. htm

Free Essays on Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk

Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk Choreographed and created by tap superstar Savion Glover, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is a musical production that tells the story of the history of African Americans through music and dance. From the very beginning of the performance until the end, the audience goes on a journey from Africa to slave ships to contemporary America using tap dance to depict the highs and lows of the black man’s experiences of the past. Although the messages conveyed throughout the piece are controversial and deep, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is important in the lives of African American theatre in that in gives a picture of the highs and lows of Black history. Structured into several musical numbers, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is a dance show whose fundamental concept is the coming together of two dance styles, tap and hip hop, to tell a story. Each number has a theme and presents a way in which ‘da Beat, which is symbolic of the rhythm of the dance, is passed on from generation to generation. In the show’s first number Slave Ships, ‘da Beat, illustrates the way in which dance began in Africa and was continued on slave ships, making its way to the Unites States. Historically when the slaves were forbidden to dance or to make music, they carried ‘da Beat in their hearts and passed it on orally. Once the enslaved people arrived in America they secretly applied what they had kept to themselves in several events such as rituals and celebrations. The act Panhandlers was one of highlights of the show because of its percussive and rhythmical beats. ‘Da Beat in this scene is illustrated by two drummers wearing costumes composed of different-sized pots and pans. Using drumsticks, each drummer beats out rhythm and song on a framework of metal as well as on each other. This performance is only one representation of the artistic talents of the actors in this mus... Free Essays on Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk Free Essays on Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk Choreographed and created by tap superstar Savion Glover, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is a musical production that tells the story of the history of African Americans through music and dance. From the very beginning of the performance until the end, the audience goes on a journey from Africa to slave ships to contemporary America using tap dance to depict the highs and lows of the black man’s experiences of the past. Although the messages conveyed throughout the piece are controversial and deep, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is important in the lives of African American theatre in that in gives a picture of the highs and lows of Black history. Structured into several musical numbers, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is a dance show whose fundamental concept is the coming together of two dance styles, tap and hip hop, to tell a story. Each number has a theme and presents a way in which ‘da Beat, which is symbolic of the rhythm of the dance, is passed on from generation to generation. In the show’s first number Slave Ships, ‘da Beat, illustrates the way in which dance began in Africa and was continued on slave ships, making its way to the Unites States. Historically when the slaves were forbidden to dance or to make music, they carried ‘da Beat in their hearts and passed it on orally. Once the enslaved people arrived in America they secretly applied what they had kept to themselves in several events such as rituals and celebrations. The act Panhandlers was one of highlights of the show because of its percussive and rhythmical beats. ‘Da Beat in this scene is illustrated by two drummers wearing costumes composed of different-sized pots and pans. Using drumsticks, each drummer beats out rhythm and song on a framework of metal as well as on each other. This performance is only one representation of the artistic talents of the actors in this mus...

The financial insecurities of commercial banks Essay

The financial insecurities of commercial banks - Essay Example A different article gives solution on how to curb the federal deposit insurance corporation losses on failed commercial banks. According to him, the FDIC losses can be reduced if the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Act of 1991 would be amended to allow FDIC authorities calculate the insured and uninsured depositors amounts for each deposited with several accounts in the same bank. The process of calculation will be done on a daily basis at the end of any banking day. This would be done by banks with at least two million deposit accounts. He suggests that within a large bank, this process will help a lot to allow insured depositors right to use their deposits within one business day of failure. Uninsured depositors are advised to share in the insolvency bank losses at the end of the blanking period. He suggests that this solution will apply to almost 37 banks as at the year 2014. The FDCI has tried to make the prompt corrective action initiative more determinable to secure the F DCI losses on the failing banks. The FDIC has used the test known as â€Å"least cost resolution† to protect uninsured depositors against any loss from their deposit accounts even in the failing banks. This article suggests that the entire franchise bank deposit insurance and the uninsured deposits be sold to one or more banks if this test would be successful to protect the uninsured depositors. This test aims at reducing the FDIC loss in a failed bank, by completely protecting the uninsured depositors against any financial loss.

Designing a Team Strategy. Teaming Up for a Worthy Project Essay

Designing a Team Strategy. Teaming Up for a Worthy Project - Essay Example For instance, if the personality of A is extroverted and B is introverted, A should be able to use that engaging personality to draw B out of her shell, while keeping it tamer so that B will not be overwhelmed. On the other hand, B will just have to reach out a little more just so she gets to connect with A as a compromise. That is usually the dynamics of working to get along with others. In doing so, more productive relationships ensue and there is more likelihood of common goals being achieved. This paper will discuss how teams can work more effectively according to some theories and considering members’ personality profiles as analyzed from the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. The team project to be discussed is the organization of a proposal to be presented for bidding for a special event. The team is composed of five individuals with varying backgrounds and skills. The members are tasked to work on organizing a seminar-workshop on Work-Life Balance for middle manag ement. The designated leader of the group has worked with various companies and has developed his network of credible resource people that he can invite as speakers for the seminar. Aside from the leader, the team is composed of an accountant, a mother, an artist and a researcher. The team members all work for an events management company. Working in Groups Collaborative work can bring about group process gains as well as group process losses (Thatcher and de la Cour, 2003). Group process gains are positive outcomes derived from working with other members. One such gain is the provision of synergy or a group member being creatively stimulated by the other members. Other benefits of working in groups are the efficient exchange of ideas and information, exposure to different views, collection of objective feedback and a host of other learning effects. However, groups may not always be as effective as expected, and group process losses negate the positive outcomes of group process gain s. Dominance is one such group process’ downside (Hiltz et al, 1986). This is because in groups discussions, only one person can talk at a time and this may block out, forget, neglect or not give enough time other members’ ideas if the speaker is dominant. Diehle and Stoebe (1991) also identify evaluation apprehension, which is the fear of members to be negatively evaluated by other members when they become more active and visible in the group participation. Social loafing may then be the result. This happens when an individual member feels less inclined to participate in the expectation that his efforts may not hold water with the group. Finally, free-riding is another group process loss. This happens when a group participant feels that his contribution may be dispensable (Barry & Stewart, 1997). Hence, he reduces his participation to just going along with the majority and exert less effort in contributing his share. Thatcher & de la Cour (2003) identify more group pr ocess losses that groups should be wary of in order to be more effective. These are cognitive inertia or getting stuck in usual patterns of thought and routine; information overload or coming up with too many ideas that focus on the main objective may be lost; and excessive socializing, that little time is left for actual

The Medici’s and their Art Essay Example for Free

The Medici’s and their Art Essay The Santa Maria Basilica facade resembles something out of the Arabian Nights. It is one of the most recognisable and authentic of the great basilicas in Florence. The basilica also houses some of the most important works of art in Florentine history. It attempts above all to create a relationship between science and art and in so doing, becomes the essence of Renaissance thought. Like many Renaissance and post Renaissance works in Florence, the Santa Maria Basilica or Basilica di santa Maria Novella was not only a product of intense artistic change, but also a product of one of the most important family cartels in artistic history. The name Medici is one that is synonymous with gracious buildings and immaculate architecture, as well as large amounts of money. When considering the Medici family, it must borne in mind that not only were they great architects and patrons, but they also had great power within the church. In fact the Medici family had more influence on most aspects of Florentine life, than any other family. They were and remain in history, the Renaissance version of the Rothchilds, Rockerfellers and Getty’s. This enigmatic family is one whose legacy remains in art history, not because of what they created, but because of what they encouraged. Who were the Medici? In order to better understand how and why the Medici family became so influential, we need to understand where they came from and what their social standing allowed them to achieve. The Medici family is associated with great wealth, but also with some controversy. The Medici family can be traced back to the 12th century and were not seen to be nobility but rather belonged to a line of the patrician class (Van Helden). By the 13th century the family had acquired great wealth through commerce and banking, something that leant itself to political power. Eventually the Medici family became a strong political force in Florence (Van Helden). This political power led to Salvestro de’Medici moving into high ceremonial office (otherwise known as gonfaliere). Salvestro, in the 14th century led a revolt with the ‘common people’, ultimately culminating in the Medici downfall. It was Giovanni di Bicci de’Medici who restored the family name to its former glory as well as even increasing their political prowess (Van Helden). Despite this historical discussion, there was of course, a line Medici’s with whom we are specifically concerned. It was Giovanni’s son who bore the children with whom the Renaissance is associated (Van Helden). It was also this family line in which murder would become a central interest. Guiliano and Lorenzo, the grandsons of Cosimo the elder and sons of Piero were killed and wounded respectively during an internal battle (Van Helden). The Medici family crest is recognisable wherever the Medici influence reaches. Among the distinguished Medici’s are Popes and Grand Dukes, meaning that the family as a whole stretched beyond simply the commercial and financial world. These were the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and to name but a few consisted of Cosimo I, Giovanni and Pietro. The Medici Popes included Clement VII and Leo X (Wikipedia). Indeed, to undertake a more involved discussion will be beyond the scope of this discussion and to this end is far too complicated. However, certain Medici members were of greater influence in the art world than others. The Legacy of the Medici The legacy of the Medici family is well known and remembered particularly due to their rise from ordinary or patrician’s to nobility. Perhaps most clearly of all, we see them as the creators who planted the seeds of modernity during a Renaissance that proved irrevocable in its changes. In fact the Renaissance as such appears to be â€Å"less as the rebirth or revival of a distant and glorious antiquity than as the origin and beginning of the modern world, the prototype of modern European civilisation. †(Garraty and Gay, 488). The Renaissance was not merely about the production and emancipation of art, but also about the creation of a modernised medicine, science and finance. The Medici were at the forefront of all three, with the Medici bank cleverly avoiding the fall of the economy following the Black Death (Garraty and Gay, 489). So far, we are able to ascertain that the Medici were a family of great political and economic concern but that the types of Medici also included clergymen, tyrants and nobility. We also know that with the amount of money available to the Medici, patronage was not only acceptable but expected. The legacy left by the Medici is not only financial and noble, but also available to us for viewing at any time we want. Patronage To be a patron of a specific form of art or indeed, any art, meant that you had great social standing and great wealth. To commission works of art was costly and time consuming, meaning that you were not only able to appreciate it, but that you could also afford ongoing work. Patronage was an important part of Italian Renaissance life, based on the societal norms and values. To patronise a community or an artist meant that you were not only gracious but also wealthy enough to put money into something that essentially did not create more wealth for you. Was this merely a status symbol or was there more to the practice of patronage than we believe at this stage? First of all, patronage included the embellishment and growth of public buildings and artefacts (Annenberg Media). Art during the Renaissance required the outside and the inside to both resemble works of art in different mediums. Brunelleschi and Botticelli were two of the best known artists patronised by the Medici and who uphold the proposition of art as an interior and an exterior (Anneberg Media). The Medici remained the forerunners of artistic patronage mainly because of their love of the extravagant and larger than life lifestyles (Harness). I can thus, given their humble beginnings, understand why the Medici might want to share their wealth with the rest of the world by virtue of creating beautiful surroundings that the public could also enjoy. Although this may be difficult to assimilate given the previous feudal system, it is perhaps relevant to note that the Black Death incited what is known today as philanthropy. Philanthropists generally enjoy alleviating pain and suffering through the aid that they are able to meter out to their fellow humans. Prior to the Renaissance, this was perhaps not a common occurrence, but like AIDS today, the Black Death knew no boundaries. It affected whoever, wherever. For this reason, perhaps it became more necessary to attend to the needs of other people. It was also important to the merchant community of Florence, to spread the education of art, science and mathematics (Harness). Hence the saying that knowledge is power comes to mind. It is also notable, that a patron becomes more politically popular if they uphold the growth of knowledge for their minions as well as providing an income for those who would largely find their career difficult to pursue. The purpose of this civic duty became, although not perhaps initially intended to, a political tool to provide trust between the civil servant and the government (Trexler, 27). In a sense, it was meant to bridge the gap of inequality but was not altogether successful, creating a great deal of stress for the patron (Trexler, 28). â€Å"This sub-governmental system was the patronage network, the everyday lines of communication regulating social relations. In this network, as in formal government, men styled themselves each others true amici, and despised the love of the merchant: You help me, and Ill help you. †Ã¢â‚¬ (Trexler, 27-28). The Medici Crest Above on Figure 1 is a basic picture of the Medici family crest. It shows six balls of red placed in an oval shape upon a mustard yellow background. The Medici â€Å"balls† as they became sarcastically known as were not only a feature emblazoned on all Medici buildings, but also one that became known for its overt publicity. Rivals of the Medici were outraged at the Medici blazon being so clearly visible to the public and thought it to be in rather bad taste (Fillipo). Despite this, the blazon’s origin is surrounded by much debate although it is clearly visible on all Medici buildings. One thought on the origin is that the balls represent either coins (merchant origins) or pills (medical origins) based on the Medici practices and occupations. Some believe that rather than it being swathed in apothecary history, it is the sign of Arte del Cambio, a guild of moneychangers and exchangers (Fillipo). Nonetheless, this blazon has become well known as the essential historical beginnings of the merchant bank. Below is an example of how the Medici blazon is used on buildings that were built on Medici money. The Medici Artists Artists who were patronised by the Medici included the aforementioned Sandro Botticelli and Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Donatello, Fillipino Lippi, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Brunelleschi. These all make up some of the greatest names in Florentine art history. It pays to note that all of the above artists were great names and we need to not how much of this greatness might have been due to the presence of the Medici. Fillipo Brunelleschi Fillipo Bru nelleschi had a love-hate relationship with Cosimo de’Medici, despite completing many works with the man. Brunelleschi, along with artist Ghiberti vied for the artistic attentions of Cosimo, but did not always win the bids. He created for Cosimo, the Santa Maria Novella sculpture, the Crucifix and the Santa Maria del Fiore cupola alongside arch-rival Ghiberti. His bid for the design of the Pallazzo was overturned in favour of his pupil Michelozzo (Provincia di Firenze). Allesandro Botticelli Botticelli served as an apprentice to a goldsmith and is thought to have become the closest of all artists to the Medici (Pottinger, 118). Botticelli is famed as having painted the interior of the Santa Maria Novella with a fresco of the Adoration of the Magi, in which he painted three Medici’s as the Kings: Cosimo, Guiliano and Giovanni (Pottinger, 118). However, his relationship with the Medici was not with Cosimo, but with Lorenzo, a member of a different branch of the Medici (Pottinger, 118). Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci was supported by Lorenzo in his early career, although it is largely agreed that Medici neglected the talents of the young Da Vinci (Pottinger, 119). Michelangelo, similarly fell under the patronage of Medici, given his tutorship with another Medici artist Ghirlandaio (Pottinger, 119). Medici therefore did support the earlier careers of the two geniuses that would become the greatest artists of the later Renaissance period. Domenico Ghirlandaio Ghirlandaio is best known as the first of Michelangelo’s esteemed teachers. He also became known, like Botticelli, for his reverence towards Lorenzo. This was seen in his subjects’ likenesses to the man who patronised him (Pottinger, 117). The Refectory of the Ognissanti shows a fresco of the Last Supper with such likenesses present. The Sassetti Chapel at Santa Trinita also reveals this portraiture although his painting remains in the earlier style of Renaissance painting. Ghirlandaio did not enjoy painting women and found the male form far more intriguing. This is seen in the Santa Maria Novella choir paintings of the Tornabuani family, where the female features, though still beautiful, are considered lifeless (Pottinger, 117). Fillipino Lippi Lippi was one of Botticelli’s proteges and shows the style of Botticelli very well. Working primarily for Cosimo, Lippi landed himself in a number of problems due to his insatiable appetite for the gentler sex. In fact, working for Cosimo meant that commissions had to be done under the watchful eye of the Medici to prevent his romantic pursuits that led to melancholic intervals where he refused to leave his room (Life of an Artist). Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi (Donatello) Donatello was a close friend of Cosimo de’Medici and for this reason he was assigned the painting of the frieze in the Palazzo Medici (Pottinger, 132). He recreated the antique cameo’s to provide a divine and luscious frieze and roundels (Pottinger, 132). He apprenticed under Ghiberti, another famous and interactive artist in the Italian Renaissance. Donatello sculpted the figure of the dead pirate Baldassare Cossa in bronze, for Cosimo (Devillier Donegan). What we have in the above discussion, is a list of some of the finest artists not only of the Renaissance, but of all time. The pertinence of this is the reach that the Medici had as the proponents of fine art. The abovementioned artists are all quite different both in character and in style, but all contributed to some of the most famous and revered works in history. It is notable that the Medici are credited with finding and upholding this classicism as well as reaching for a new and modernised world. The artists also all contributed to the arts in different ways: sculptors, painters, inventors and architects. Medici Buildings Touring Florence, I became irrevocably aware of the influence of the Medici on architecture and art of that period. What is most fascinating is the length and breadth of the ability of the Medici to make them memorable and also to make art something of great value. The crest of the Medici is visible all around Florence, in churches, libraries and museums. The Medici performed the same tasks as other great personalities such as Peter the Great of Russia and the Athens of Pericles. It was this influence that I noticed beyond all, that this family had the ability and the motivation to create a Florence that would last it must be said, longer than the previously mentioned empires. Not only have they succeeded in producing the future and the past in one capsule, but they have also managed to preserve their legacy. We have a lot to be grateful for in terms of being able to make contact with our past through the works that the Medici sponsored.

Standardized Testing Essay -- Standardized Testing Essays

Standardized Testing Scholar Bill Ayers believes standardized testing in schools does not accurately measure what is necessary to be successful in life. Ayers insists that Standardized tests such as the American College Test (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) measure specific facts and function which are among the least interesting and slightest important information that children should know. In an article titled â€Å"Testing the Right Way for Talent†, written by Hugh Price, argues the fact that standardized tests fail to capture the qualities that are necessary to be successful in the business world. Another article labeled â€Å"Implementing NCLB Assessment and Accountability Requirements in an Imperfect World† composed by Stuart Kahl, is in agreement with both Price and Ayers. According to Bill Ayers, Hugh Price and Stuart Kahl, standardized tests are uncalled excuse for a traumatic and stressful time in a child’s life. Hugh Price and Stuart Kahl are among the large majority of people who do not believe one test is able to accurately measure what a child knows. Price states, â€Å"High-stakes standardized tests, like the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the SAT, fail to capture the qualities most essential for success in the corporate world, such as creativity, drive and leadership† (Price). Price claims that although these tests are able to rate children in topics such as Math, English and History, what really makes one who they are is more than book smarts, but their personality and leadership skills are also necessary. In addition to Price believing this fact, Kahl also articulates against standardized testing. In his article that analyzes The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Kahl is aware of the fact that ... ...ort and a motivation behind the tests may as well perform better than those who are not. Whatever the reason may be, many people, including Price, Kahl, and Ayers do not support standardized testing. These authors all have one opinion in common; they are all against testing for the sake of the children, because of the pressures kids already endure without the pressures of testing. They all claim that tests may be an unfair way to rank children in the world today due to: teachers not teaching children the right material in preparation for the test, family upbringing, and even worrying the children would affect the test results. As Ayers indicates, one single test could not determine where a child stands in the business world, due to the fact that the test analyzes specific topics on school and nothing about their personality or more personal traits.

How does Owen show that even Nature has turned against the soldiers Essay

Wilfred Owen was an officer who fought throughout the war and achieved admirable accomplishments. He was not a man who was unpatriotic and he believed in the war as a whole as he thought that this was necessary to overcome the pure evil demonstrated by the opposition and achieve a greater good for the rest of mankind and future generations. He was seen as a man that did not agree with the events and suffering that occurred within the war, and believes that some of this was not necessary, although it did ultimately achieve a better world in his viewpoint. He was a strong believer in God, as is evident by his early background; the fact that he starting reading the Bible at a very young age and was raised in a typical Christian family; however during the war Owen questioned his views on religion, the war and its effects in every aspect. Although his beliefs were strong at the start, they weaken throughout the war and as he familiarises himself with the terror of war, he learns the extent in which himself and the soldiers are driven to. I am going to analyse the poem ‘Exposure’, which clearly displays all of Owens’s thoughts, doubts and fears. I will particularly focus on the fact that Owen emphasises nature as an enemy to the soldiers as well as the opposition. The poem does not only use nature in one context, it varies throughout and I will how he creates this effect and why it is so effective to express his views. Firstly, the title ‘Exposure’ can be drawn to a number of metaphorical conclusions by the reader as it is a deliberately ambiguous title. For example, it could be the physical exposure to which they are revealed, the conditions that are expressed, the uncovering of the soldiers fears and doubts, all exposed within war situations. However, another conclusion that could be drawn from this title could be the fact that they are exposed to extreme weather conditions, which in those conditions, can be more of a threat than the actual scene of the fight and waiting for the next vicious attack. By the title alone, Owen reveals that the soldiers are exposed not only physically by the weather, but also mentally as it slowly crumbles them. These views become more blatant as the poem progresses. The first line immediately captivates the readers’ attention, drawing the reader into the theme of the nature against them from the beginning. Owen relates to the weather harshly and within that line, the reader has learnt the mood of the poem. ‘the merciless winds that knife us’ refer to the wind as being very icy blowing from the east; this is then also personified as an opposition who would knife them as it draws nearer as it is in close contact with them. The gust is displayed as being ‘merciless’, which means that the weather is enjoying their suffering and does not care about the consequences the soldiers are left with and this also emphasises the brutality of the attack and the way the surroundings made their world crumble. The weather does not alter because it strives on the fact that the soldiers are hurting and the fact the defences weaken as a result. The weather is personified constantly to develop its own human-like characteristics and demonstrate its sole purpose: to attack. It ‘attacks once more’; this develops the weather as another army; another enemy, who is attacking repeatedly and obviously does not need, nor is willing to, discontinue the violence, even for a while. This is significant because as the opposition begin the attack at dawn, it is suggested that the weather takes a turn for the worse then also to add to the terror that occurs daily at that particular time. The snow is demonstrated as being ‘flowing’, which means that it is happy and is fulfilling its purpose and Owen is suggesting this purpose is to bring fear to the soldiers. In contrast to what snow is normally related with; all things that bring happiness to people, typically for example, Christmas, the scene of children running around playing and snow mans, this seems a very different image for the reader to come to terms with. The line ‘flakes with fingering stealth come feeling for our faces’ is particularly significant of this observation and the snow is given a nasty human-like characteristic and this also projects a definite strong image to the reader by the alliteration that attract the reader to this phrase. Owen then says that the flakes ‘flock, pause and renew’, suggesting that it does indeed feed off the soldier’s deep sadness. They are also described as ‘wandering up and down the wind’s nonchalance’, which again displays the image of the snow and the wind working as the opposition, uniting with one another to deepen the blanket of sadness masked over the soldier’s eyes. The mad gusts of wind are also described as men ‘among its brambles.’ This demonstrates the delusion and hallucinations by each of the soldiers’ intensified by natures’ input in the battle. However, this phrase could also be seen as portraying another of the weathers’ characteristics; the fact that it mocks them. It does this by teasing the soldiers and reminding them of the terrible events that occurred here before in Owens opinion. He also describes the wind as nonchalant, meaning that this again has a selfish and evil characteristic. Another technique that Owen uses is changing a stereotypically good thing into something that would be seen as the complete opposite. One of the examples of this is the context in which he uses dawn as a ‘poignant misery’ that begins to ‘grow’. Dawn is traditionally seen as a particularly holy time of the day, along with being seen as good and happy. However, in ‘Exposure’, it is seen as an awful time of day, this is because it reminded the soldiers of the cycle of vicious attacks they lived through and experienced day in and day out. It was a constant reminder of the way of life and a reminder that they could never go home it seemed, and they are again captured by the blanket of sadness. Owen uses this effect once more in the poem in relation to the snow. As stated earlier in the essay, snow is supposed to be a happy type of weather that brings joy to most people. However, Owen says in this poem that the air ‘shudders’ black with snow’. Although on the surface, it is established that the wind is viciously cold and this is emphasised by the fact Owen uses the word ‘shudders’, it is also noticed that the air is ‘black’. The blatant meaning of this phrase is that the war has turned the snow black because of the riots there, however, looking at the phrase from a metaphorical point a view, another perception that could be perceived is that war even drains a completely pure concept; this is highlighted by the fact that the snow is white. It is noticeable that within the poem, Wilfred Owen also allows the weather to change along with the soldiers’ thoughts, feeling and deepest hope and dreams. They tend to slip in and out of reality and the weather ultimately changes to represent these thoughts in their own wandering minds. There is a particularly noticeable and interesting phrase at the point where the soldiers are slipping in and out of reality between one line and the next. It says that Owen and his men ‘stare, snow-dazed’, which represents that their minds are at their time in with the battle surrounding them. However, on the next line, it says that the men ‘drowse, sun-dozed’. These are two key lines in the poem because not only does the sibilance draw the reader’s attention to it, the consonance allows these words to be looked further into, which then creates a much harsher effect than the traditional standard rhyme pattern. This is a very remarkable way of exploring the soldier’s thoughts because firstly, they are in contrast to one another and they instantly change, which shows the men finally crumbling. Secondly, the fact that Owen uses the weather to contradict itself is because he wants to establish the fine line between what is real to them and what is scenery is waiting in their mind. It also highlights the differences between their time and another entirely, one that doesn’t exist to their conscious mind. Another example of Wilfred Owen’s contrast in weather that exists in their thoughts is when he says that they are deep into ‘grassier ditches’, with ‘blossoms trickling’. This is a beautiful image and a deliberate contrast to how the weather was related to beforehand, but now the group are imagining themselves in warmer times, and nature is a good way of explaining this. The reader will notice that nature has a very strong impact on the soldiers’ thoughts and feelings. The men’s way of how they think and feel is a reflection of the weather and the after-effects of nature are displayed clearly throughout the whole poem. The first time the soldiers crumble because of nature is when Owen states that they only know ‘war lasts, rain soaks and clouds sag stormy.’ This shows that the war and nature have shrunken their reality down to what is their life at the moment and it seems that they have forgotten what their life was like before nature turned against them and before war affected their lifestyle. Another way in which they are affected is the fact that they obviously think that nature is much more of a threat to them than the actual war. Owen thinks this because he believes that a bullet can quickly end the pain, however nature threatens to torture you to death, which is to the extreme of unbearable for him. This is evident by the way he states that bullets are being fired, but are ‘less deathly than the air’. This also allows the reader to feel involved in the poem and creates a certain atmosphere so that they feel extremely overcome with the blanket that Owen feels saddens him. He then goes on to state how nature has affected his feelings toward religion and that they should never see a clear field with trees of fruit again; this intensifies the extremes of the weather and how it could almost drive them insane. It also shows that because since the early times God has been traditionally in unity with the weather, he is certain that God somehow does not love him and if He does, how is it possible if He has no mercy either? The last significant image that Owen displays in the poem is toward the end when he states that, referring to the men that have died, ‘all their eyes are ice’. This means that not only has death occurred, it partially means metaphorically that nature was part of the death and has taken over the body in the death process and that overall; nature is but a sign of death for the soldiers and all that is the circle of life now involves nature hunting them down, and when it finally does it will still be with their body and captivate them even when they die. It also provides a strong image of the circumstances in which they die in, and the reader learns that this is truly awful, furthermore, it is known that in religious mythology, one of the circles of Hell punishes sinners by trapping them under ice and they are open and staring, which also has an effect on the men and makes them fear death more than the situation they are in at the moment. Throughout the poem, there is a repetition of ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s. This could be the length of time that the soldiers are waiting for the next event to occur, but it could also be when they are waiting for nature to attack once more. As already partly mentioned, some words and phrases are highlighted through the consonance, for example, ‘army’ and ‘stormy’, this is meant to grasp the attention of the reader and portray the key concepts and words. Alliteration and some sibilance techniques also add to discovering the key phrases, e.g. ‘streak the silence’, ‘field, or fruit’. In conclusion to this exploration of Wilfred Owens’s poem ‘Exposure’, I have looked at various aspects of the poem relating to the theme of nature, and also how and why this link is connected. In my opinion, Owen clearly states his point of view and the other soldiers’ throughout the natures input and use this as another aspect of the war to think about that wouldn’t at first come to mind when readers hear about the war initially. He also tries to show other sides of the war that wouldn’t have been revealed before, and discusses how everyone had similar thoughts and feelings to him as he relates to them almost as a unity. He always describes the events as ‘we’. I believe that altogether this poem reflects, in more than one way, how the war was harsh and the effects that this had on the groups of soldiers’ there. I think that the poem does this effectively, as described beforehand and would overall say that the war was an awful place to be, which obviously deludes the soldiers so much so that there is a fine line between the sane and the insane.