Explore John Steinbeck’s presentation in Of Mice and Men Essay

Explore John Steinbeck’s presentation in Of Mice and Men of the culture and experience of the itinerant workers in 1930’s America. Of Mice and Men is a well known novel written by John Steinbeck. It was published in a highly traumatic time, in America. When the Wall Street crash catalysed the Great Depression and the United States suffered an economic collapse. Due to the lack of money there was a high level of unemployment of men and women and many businesses closed down. Additionally America experienced terrible droughts known as the Dust Bowl in which many crops died. The lower the American economy sank the higher the numbers of migrant workers rose, it reached approximately 13 million in 1932! The only way for many Americans to earn money was to travel into the countryside, where work was hard, dangerous, and lonely. They became itinerant workers; the workers moved from place to place for work, to follow the harvest across California-USA. Itinerant workers travelled alone, Steinbeck’s character George describes them as the ‘loneliest guys in the world’. They usually travelled by cheap buses, hitch hiking rides or simply walking. The pay was not bad; they earned $2 to $3 a day and in addition received accommodation and food. As they were lonely and didn’t have much they blew their ‘jack’ at the local pubs and ‘cat houses’ every Saturday night, this meant that they essentially trapped themselves in this style of living. I personally think that Steinbeck chose to focus on the lives of itinerant workers to show the problems facing America and its people during that period. People just saw the economic problems, not the desperation of the workers, or the racial discrimination of the black community and I think that is what Steinbeck was trying to show, the personal effect to millions of men and women. Further more, as Steinbeck had worked on a ranch, he felt sympathy to the workers, and portrays their situation sensitively. George and Lennie are the two main characters in ‘Of Mice and men’. Steinbeck’s detailed description of them allows the reader to easily relate to the characters’ strong personalities and sympathises with their situation. George and Lennie get on very well; they look out for each other. One of the main things that hold them together is their dream; they are not like other ranch workers because they all travel alone, they are the ‘loneliest guys in the world.’ They travel together, they have ‘got a future†¦somebody to talk to that gives a damn’ about them. Lennie acts like a child, although he is very strong, ‘Strong as a bull.’ George on the other hand is sharp, intelligent, and quick. Their personalities deeply match their physical appearance, George is quite short, and skinny whilst Lennie is tall, muscular, and broad shouldered. The relationship, as strong as it is, is quite uneven, George has a lot of authority over Lennie, and we know this as ‘they walked in single file†¦ and even in the open one stayed behind the other.’ So even when there was room for them to walk next to each other, they didn’t, showing that even though they are together they are separate, lonely and they have no community to look after them, no one that is their equal and their friend. The setting of the novel is important for Steinbeck to convey his views on how the workers lived. Steinbeck makes many references to light though-out the whole of the novel, about how weak the lighting in the workers bunk house is as it didn’t light up the corners, and how Curley’s wife blocks off the ‘rectangle of sunshine in the doorway’ when she enters. This shows how she had ‘cut off’ everything good and pure, as light colours and the sun shows hope; it is almost like she is bringing trouble with her. In the last chapter Lennie is shot, killed by George, his death is sudden but the book was written so we would be expecting it. The description of the setting contains many references to light, how the ‘sun left’ the ‘valley’, ‘mountains seemed to blaze†¦increasing brightness.’ The sun is setting the day is ending, so is the novel and their dream; it is all inevitable, including their lives. Steinbeck was a pessimistic and the theme of trouble is very prominent throughout the novel. John Steinbeck also uses other descriptions linked to the weather to convey atmosphere, like the wind, a ‘far rush of wind sounded†¦ gust drove though†¦ tops of trees like a wave.’ Compared to chapter one in the same setting where there is no sound of wind, it is calm. In chapter six we can tell something is brewing, a disturbance is coming, and something is going to happen. In chapter two he describes the small bunk house, which is where all of the workers on the ranch live, from this detailed evocative description we can see how little the workers actually do have, and how they depend on very plain objects, like magazines and their dreams. The room itself is extremely simple and only provided the necessaries for the workers. ‘Walls were whitewashed†¦ floors unpainted.’ The dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor in the basic four walled rectangular room is cheap, and hardly luxurious, by using words like, ‘whitewashed’ makes the walls seem boring, cold and hard, almost as if the paint had just been thrown onto the walls, almost like no true care had been put into the comfort of the ranch workers living quarters. Steinbeck refers to the room looking like a dank prison, ‘in three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch.’ The ‘solid door with a wooden latch’ makes the ‘bunk house’ seem enclosed, kept in the dark, yet by having a ‘wooden latch’ it makes the room seem like it does not need protecting, the possessions are not worth keeping safe. With very small windows and a big heavy door it gives you the idea of a coffin with thick stale air, this idea seems more like reality as you read on and find out that the sunlight is choked with ‘dust’ when it shines in the bunk house, which strongly reflects the claustrophobic atmosphere, it also shows how dirty and unhygienic the living areas actually are, as ‘flies shot like rushing stars’, though the beam of sun light. In one of the bunks in the room there was a spray-can to kill bugs; one of the characters in the novel called Candy explains that the man who slept there before was just very consciously clean. The ‘bunk house’ was obviously very cramped as it contained eight bunks, meaning there was no privacy, it was a communal living, and a communal life, as they ate, slept and spent 24 hours of their day with each other, not only is there a lack of privacy, but none of the dignity that grown adult men should have. Inside the ‘bunk house’ there was a ‘nailed apple box†¦ so that it made two shelves’ above the bunks, this allowed the men to keep their limited amount of possessions in one area of the room, a small area of privacy. Also in the room there was grouped boxes, where the men sit to play cards, all the furniture is very make-shift and cheap, representing that the men don’t stay there long, they are only temporary workers. On the make-do shelves the workers had, ‘articles, soap†¦talcum powder, razors and those western magazines that men love to read†¦and their medicines†¦ little vials, combs; †¦a few neck ties.’ All simplicities, but they treat them like luxuries; they can not have anything more as they would not be able to carry it from place to place, as they worked. Near one of the walls on the bunk house was a ‘black cast-iron stove’, in those times men did not cook, it was degrading. The workers’ having to cook for themselves is not as bad as having to clean for the rest of the ranch, especially if you were a man. One character on the ranch does have this job, Candy. He has what is seen as a women’s job, yet he does it as he had a physical disability, this is an example of the levels of hierarchy on the ranch. Even though all of the men are different there is a certain category of men that can only be itinerant workers, white, young, strong men. Everyone else is below them in the hierarchy, Crooks being black and disabled, Candy being crippled, and Curly’s wife being a woman. Even Curly feels that he needs to be more physically strong to make up for his height. The start of chapter two deeply contrasts with the start of chapter one, chapter one is a hillside bank, which the Salinas River runs by. It is a beautiful setting and a lovely time of day, as it is the late evening of a hot day. The river runs ‘deep’ and it is ‘warm’, the river had ‘slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool’. To one side of the river was the ‘strong and rocky Gabilan mountains’ and on the other side the ‘water is lined with trees’. Steinbeck goes in to specific detail for this setting, even describing the ‘lead junctures’, showing just how important and picturesque this place is. Steinbeck goes on to tell us about the animals ‘skittering’ lizards and ‘rabbits†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ sitting ‘†¦on the sand in the evening’, the tracks of deer and coons. The scene changes and the marks left by man are described, the har d beaten path, the piles ‘made by fires’ and the limbs of a ‘giant’ sycamore ‘worn smooth by the men who have sat on it’. As George and Lennie enter the area the animal ‘hurried noiselessly for cover’, birds ‘laboured into the air and pounded down the river.’ The place was lifeless for a few moments before the men came into the opening. I think Steinbeck changes the peaceful atmosphere as the men enter, to show the power men have over the environment, the power and strength they posses. When they sit down Lennie starts to drink from the water, it might look nice, but George tells Lennie to stop as it looks scummy. This is not the only dark side of nature, there are water snakes, which the herons would eat then the coyotes that would eat herons. It is survival of the fittest, just like at the ranch and in America at that time. None-the-less the expansive setting – distant mountains, a free flowing river, and the natural wildlife contrasts with the enclosed bunkhouse where the men are trapped. Steinbeck does this to show the predictability of existence; the cynical lives t hat they lived and worked in. Steinbeck does not just show the different levels of power in animals and humans, but with humans together, for example the Boss not really being present in the novel, except when George and Lennie arrive, when he is questioning them, the Boss was ‘sore as hell’ when they were late, as the Boss did not get that little bit of money more that he could of earned. The character is obviously only concerned about the money, not the workers, as he says, you ‘don’t need any brains to buck barley bags’. The Boss’s name is never written in the novel, which almost gives us the idea that he has no personality, as if he is just a person making others work for him. On the way to meet the Boss, George asks Candy about him, he says that he is a ‘pretty nice fella. Gets pretty mad†¦ he’s pretty nice’. Throughout the description Candy repeats the same word pretty often, showing that he really does not know the true nature of the Boss as he is not a constant figure on the ranch, he mainly stays in his house. This could be because the Boss does not want to mix with people below his status, or because he does not want to get attached to people who he knows will leave soon, but most likely it is just because he does not care, all he wants is money, he employs strong men and lets them get on with it, Steinbeck presents him as a harsh capitalist. As the Boss is not on the ranch that often and looking out for his workers, the workers can get away with a lot, with out even concerning him, he doesn’t care what happens to them, he can always employ someone else. However the Boss is not evil, as he brought the workers a ‘whole gallon’ of beer for Christmas, and is very concerned about whether Lennie is taking George’s money at the end of the month. When Steinbeck describes the Boss himself, he tells us how he is a short man, but with quick steps, he does not dress extravagantly, but he does not wear ranch clothing that working men wear. His shoes were ‘high-heeled boots’ they had ‘spurs to prove he was not a labouring man.’ His son also wears this style of boot, the boots are described like cow-boy boots, the American Dream, and the pioneering of America’s past. Not only were the boots meant to show that the Boss had his own land but that he had authority and power, he de manded respect, and the boots were another object that could be used to show the hierarchy on the ranch. The Boss and Curly, (his son) demand authority, contrasting to Slim’s natural authority, Slim is one of the ranch workers who is respected by everyone else because he is a good man; he is emotionally intuitive, which makes it easy for him to make friends. The workers feel like they can trust him, talk to him, in one part of the novel, Lennie tells Slim about when they were kids and how he used to make Lennie ‘jump in†¦ the Sacramento River†¦ he jumps†¦ He damn near drowned’ but George had forgotten that Lennie told him to jump in, and just thanked him for pulling him out. George also told Slim why they left Weed, about how Lennie had touched a girls dress; just to feel the material, and how George and Lennie were chased out of Weed. George and Lennie are itinerant workers, on this ranch they earn approximately $2 a day, we know this as they get ‘fifty bucks’ at the end of each month. Their personal job was to ‘buck barley bags’ which meant that they had to throw large bags of grain on a truck, the barley is poured into large burlap bags, around 75 or more pounds and then is passed brigade-style to the truck. The work was dull, and repetitive, and once it was done, the workers could spend the rest of the day, doing what they want. In Of Mice and Men, the men usually play cards, in their ‘bunk house’. The men play solitaire, a one man game, which shows the continuous theme of loneliness throughout the novel. There are many references to the men playing cards, usually in awkward circumstances, for example the shooting of Candy’s dog. Carlson offered to kill the dog because he was old and smelled, however Candy does not like the idea, when the dog is being shot the room is very awkward and the other ranch workers play cards to take their minds away from the subject that obviously hurts Candy. Everyone they meet find it hard to imagine George and Lennie going around together, even Slim, who is a very friendly and kind worker on the ranch. ‘He is also very intelligent and perceptive, and he has a good sense of justice and fairness.’ (1) Slim’s comment on the fact that there ‘Ain’t many guys’ that ‘travel around together’. Men don’t usually go around with each other. Altogether I think Steinbeck does this to show the solitude and loneliness of a ranch worker, throughout their whole life. The Boss’s son is called Curly; Curly is a mean and a power craving little man. Because he is so small he tries to be very aggressive and strong, he takes boxing lessons as if to show that he might be short but he is better then everyone else, almost as if he is trying to prove his masculinity. He wears the high healed boots with spurs like his father, to portray his authority and power, but also to add to the height. Curly’s name like most of the characters represents his physical appearance, he has Curly hair, and his fists are often described as being wound up, curled. Curly ‘hates big guys’- he has little man syndrome. From what all the characters say about him he is horrible, trouble and loves to show people how he is better then them. I think Curly does all of the boxing to make up for is height, to show that he might not be a strong working man, but he is better then that, he can look after himself and no one can stop him. There are two main relationships in the novel, Curley and his wife plus George and Lennie, neither of these relationships last. It is almost as if Steinbeck is trying to say that even if you want to be with someone in this lonely life style it would be impossible. Once you start to work in this business it corrupts you, in each of those relationship one person dies. Steinbeck’s very pessimistic views probably come from when he was a ranch worker; he experienced the harsh reality of loneliness himself. Curly married a few weeks before George and Lennie arrived, the name of his wife is not written down in the novel one, she is referred to as Curly’s wife, a possession, not a true person. It was a very sexist view, and that was what Steinbeck was trying to show by not giving her a name, that some of the American’s views were still very sexist. Curly has no control over his flirtatious wife; they spend more time asking other members of the ranch where the other one is then they do with each other. They both realise that they are not suited to each other; Curly just likes the fact that he has something over the other men; he has something to do at night, every night if he wants, and what other men can’t. To show this he wears a glove on one of his hands filled with Vaseline everywhere he goes, to flaunt it to the over men he has someone to touch. He tries to keep one ‘hand soft for his wife’ (2) George thinks this is very dirty; it must be very degrading and embarrassing for his wife. The whole relationship seems awkward, Curly’s wife only married him because she was on the rebound from losing her dream, and she was confused about her mother and was upset about her missed opportunities. Curly sees a young pretty girl and likes the opportunity to have a wife to make him look better. This is the only role for women, to look pretty to stay at home, they had very little opportunities. Curly’s wife had a dream to become an actress, the ranch workers all share the American Dream, which is ‘all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.’ (3) This dream was no longer possible in America due to the great depression. Curly’s wife’s dream was created by men, men who told her how fabulous she was, how they would take her away, put her in the movies. It all sounded amazing except none of it was true, they just used her. George and Lennie build a future in their heads, a dream. To ‘live off the fatta the lan’ to have their own house their own garden and animals, to be their own Boss, to live a free life and to be able to do what they want, which is impossible for them while working on the ranch. Their shared dream helps them through tough times and it also affects others like Candy, who is willing to pay for about half of the land on his own. But this is all a pretend future, George says ‘I got to thinking maybe we would’ This could be because Lennie likes hearing it so much, he has convinced himself that it will come true, we know this as he starts telling the dream rhythmically, then monotonously. George has other dreams, like having a girl, playing cards by a pool, having an easy life and panning for gold, but ‘the only one that’s truly idyllic’ (2) is the one he shares with Lennie ‘because it’s impossible’ (2). It is almost as if the dream hides them from their lives, which could be described as beans with no ketchup, all they do is work and just about function, they have no fun, or luxuries, nothing in their lives is complete. The Dream is nothing but a trick, an illusion. I think Steinbeck was trying to say this about the real American Dream as well, that it is just a dream, something for people to cling to in times of need and despair. It is almost inevitable that George and Lennie’s dream will fail because of the cynical style of Steinbeck’s writing, and the continuous references to death and the destruction that is created by mankind, like the peaceful area by the river, that had recently been left with the marks of man, the men scare all of the animals away on top of the destruction they leave behind them. The diverse range of characters show that not all ranch worker were the same. Not just men were effected by the economic collapse, women were thrown in to a mans world, Steinbeck creates three female characters in the novel to show the problem of their surroundings and their lifestyles. The novels characters consist of black and white men, some of them disabled, but all of them have a little power in their own way, for example most people would think that the ‘nigger’ Crooks is the lowest person in the hierarchy of the ranch, but he can very easily annoy Lennie, so I think he has a little bit of power over Lennie this shows how the ranch society is self-destructive, in times of trouble they don’t help each other they make things worse for each other. The workers live on a rota of work, play cards, sleep, on Saturday they go out to Cindy’s ‘cat house’ and Sunday they get a day off. All of the characters bring something new or different to the no vel, even Whit who is very young and shows the type of an enthusiastic new ‘Brothel-crazy’ (2) man who is just starting to adapt to the ranch workers life. Carlson’s character is what the true ranch workers were like; I believe that Steinbeck included many different characters and their problems, to express the types of problems that America were facing at the time. The role between men and women is hard to understand, men looked down on women also the men stereotype the women, and the women stereotype the men, George says ‘She’s a rat-trap if I ever seen one.’ Whilst Curly’s wife says ‘I seen too many you guys.’ as if she assumes they are going to be ‘basically useless.’ (2) The great detail Steinbeck took into creating the divide between men and women show that he was trying to get us to understand all of their lives, to understand their personal problems and the problems that they faced by living in America at that time. The people living on the ranch with the least amount of authority are definitely Crooks, Candy and Lennie, the three of them get relatively along quite well, they even start to talk about George and Lennie’s dream, Crooks and Candy want to join in, they offer their money and they offer to work for nothing. ‘The optimism and hope in this briefly shared dream is shattered by Curly’s wife’ (2). Curly’s Wife does not like Crooks or Candy; she sees them as weak, they are only at the ranch to do simple, easy jobs. She treats them like dirty, calling Crooks a ‘nigger'(2), Lennie a ‘dum-dum’ (2) and Candy a ‘lousy old sheep’ (2). Curly’s Wife gets along with the men on their own, flirting with them and chatting with them, but when they are together she finds them defensive and competitive. She believes she knows everything there is to know about men, their weaknesses for drink and women; she likes to put them down and threatens them with the power she has from being Curly’s wife, ‘I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny’ (2). By acting and saying things like this it makes her feel better, like she has more power, not just some worthless girl living in her father-in-laws house with a short-bully for a husband. Steinbeck gives her so much attitude and certain characteristics to portray the emotional difficulties that faced American women at the time, to show that their lives were truly hard, they were treated differently to men and considered not as important, for example the men in Curly’s Wife history only talk to her, and give her company because they want somebody that night. They do not consider the feeling of the young beautiful woman. This is how it was in America in the 1930’s because every one was losing money and struggling with the crops the less fortunate had to ask for jobs way beneath them, to have a home and a place to bring up their family. The American Dream was dead, due to critical economic collapse and the dreaded dust ball that swept the plains; no one could believe in the dream any more, it seemed completely impossible, they felt that it was inevitably not going to happen. The rich tried to hold on to their money, so the poor ultimately stayed poor. There were no unions to protect the migrant workers, so they lived by their own laws, like all the men wanting to shoot Lennie because during the novel he murdered Curly’s wife. They made their own rules about the hierarchy, and followed it, similar to an unspoken promise; the Boss and his family were at the top, the rest followed in a big group unless there was someone with some natural authority, which was very rare. The whole society was very violent and they did not have any concern for death, they shot Candy’s dog for little reason and there was no emotion involved in the process and Lennie easily killed the mouse in chapter one, and the puppy later on. Carlson has a Lugar, which is gun; he cleans it and keeps it safe under his pillow, showing how little respect he has for death. The disrespect for death is commented on throughout the whole novel, different members of the ranch end up killing something or someone. Steinbeck clearly shows that predictably, something is going to happen at the end; we see this as the deaths increase and happen to higher people in the table of hierarchy. It shows that death was a large part of their lives, their lives were not memorable so they had nothing to fear when they died; lost memories, times or people they would sorely miss. It is as if Steinbeck is trying to say that they had nothing to look forward to, their lives came and went. Just like clock work. Some of the characters on the ranch are friendly, for example Slim, he does not have a plan or a dream, it is as if he accepts his role in society and moves on, he never gets angry or shows much emotion, he is always calm and cool. He ‘moves with majesty’ showing he knows what is to happen and does not fear it, he does not dread the future because he is intelligent enough to realise that it will happen no matter what he can do. He is very intelligent and this is probably why he out of all the men is able to understand his position. It is like Steinbeck is trying to say it does not matter if you are smart or friendly, once you start in this line of work you can’t really get out, it is like a vicious circle; it traps everyone and releases no one. Nature holds a strong power over men in Of Mice and Men, the beautiful setting at the start of chapter one is like a paradise, but it is an illusion. Lennie is often described as an animal, he himself says that he would go and live in a cave, he is almost better suited to the outside, as he would not be able to disrupt, or destroy the lives of other humans. It is almost ironic then that Steinbeck chooses Lennie’s death bed to be the floor of an almost enclosed area of woodland. The time of day he dies is one of the most picturesque, dusk, the ‘light is fading’ (2) everything is returning to its home, even the heron flies off. The pool side setting is a place of death, every time we visit the area in the novel there is death, whether it is a mouse, heron eating the water snake, or Lennie’s death. The Salinas River also has an air of destiny about it as George told Lennie to go there if there was trouble, almost as if he knew it was going to happen, which makes the novel so predictable and pessimistic. John Steinbeck makes the area feel pessimistic with all of the deaths, just like in America at the time, the people were losing hope because of the devastating economic collapse, and many crops were dieing because of the great Dust Bowl. The men play solitaire, a one man game, which shows the continuous theme of loneliness throughout the novel. The solitude that comes with being a ranch worker, Steinbeck almost tries to defy that by bringing George and Lennie together, however some would argue that the relationship is not equal at all, Lennie is the little child that always get in to trouble where as George is the quick intelligent grown up, he has all of the responsibilities. Even though the two look out for each other, they still are lonely, George looks for other people to talk to and confide in as he knows that Lennie would not understand, or be of help to him if he got into trouble. The relationship is still highly important, it highlights the fact that even those who went into the career expecting loneliness need someone, or something, and for example most of the ranch workers have their dreams to depend on. George and Lennie are completely different which is one of the reasons people struggle to come to terms with their relationship, I think George knows that he would not be friends with Lennie if they were not in this line of work as they are total different. The solitude in the novel is not only apparent in humans, but in the environment as well, the constant lack of sound, and awkward conversations in time of death make the whole atmosphere drop. The Salinas River’s description contains a very limited amount of animals, and all of the animals leave at one point or another, so the setting becomes silent and cold. This shows the men’s destructiveness and how they are feared as all of the animals run away when George and Lennie enter the clearing . It is the men who always are there and create the eerie silence, whether it means that they are scaring something away, or they are killing some thing or someone. Of Mice and Men, was published in 1937, it was the 2nd most frequently banned book in the 1900’s. It was criticised for the language, swearing, racism, morality and the violence contained in the novel, many members of the 1900’s American society disagreed with the book and the writer’s views, Steinbeck was even known to have issues with the government and the FBI. There were many problems that came with the book, but the book also brought along the realisation of the troubles facing America during that period, the problems facing the black community, and the effects of the economic depression on the less fortunate areas of society. Steinbeck was hit from both the Left-wing and the Right-wing politicians, Right-wing saying that he went too far, whilst the Left-wing saying that he should have gone further, more on the delicate issue’s. However Steinbeck did not write the novel to rouse the Right or the Left, but to show his country, what was happening. The novel shows us the terrible living conditions and basic desires that the ranch workers craved things that we would consider daily items. Steinbeck expresses clearly the attitude of the workers, and the lonely environment that they lived in. Some people would say that the way in which he writes and describes certain aspects of the workers lifestyles would make the reader biased by making them feel sympathetic for the people that live on ranches. Steinbeck had such a pessimistic feeling towards the lives of the ranch workers because he had experienced how harsh it was as a ranch worker in California-USA in the 1930’s, the style of work made him lonely and he even once said that he ‘just needs to get away from being John Steinbeck for a little while’ (2) because being a public figure was too much, he was shy and liked privacy. He knew how the job affected the workers, mentally and physically, he was very good at adding subtle hints of these throughout the novel. One of the reasons Steinbeck wrote the book was I think to educate the public about these problems in society, and to also tell the world how direr the ranch workers situation was, what they had to deal with and address. America was not the only country facing issues at that time, a civil war broke out in Spain, and the Nazis were in power in Germany, the whole of Europe was effected by Americas economic depression, ‘especially because of the rise in fascism in Germany, Italy and Spain.’ The novel is not about all of these problems throughout the world, but nearly everyone could relate to the novel. Before I read the book I knew nothing of the way the economic collapse affected the millions of less fortunate members of America’s society in such a harsh and incomprehensible way. I knew nothing of how lonely men and women could be. I knew nothing of the way the dust ball had such a vast devastation effect, not only to the crops, but also to the people and their profit. The novel is relatable, but I think that is one of the strong points about the book, because you could say that life in those days was predictable, you knew what position you were in, and if you were a ranch worker your whole life was virtually planned. Steinbeck starts and ends the novel in the same place to show the cyclical style of the life of the ranch workers, he does this in many ways, referring back to the sun rising and setting, the working time, and the weekly visits to the ‘cat house’. This is another example showing how the lives were already laid out in front of them. I personally enjoyed the novel; I found it an interesting insight to the lives of itinerant workers, and the in-depth study of America’s agricultural history showed me how the workers existed and how they adapted to the dog-eat-dog-world, and how resilient we humans can be. References- 1. http://www.newi.ac.uk/englishresources/workunits/ks4/fiction/ofmicemen/smallheath/charnote.html#Slim 2. GSCE English, Of Mice and Men, The text guild. CGP, coordination group publications. 3. http://www.americanrevwar.homestead.com/files/DECLARA.HTM

Podcasting Package Is A Viable Alternative Tool Discussion Education Essay

This chapter presents the surveies treatment. It provides an chance to explicate the significance of the findings and topographic point the research within a broader context.Major findingsAnalysis of the findings provides grounds that the podcasting bundle is a feasible alternate ‘tool ‘ to utilize when back uping kids ‘s literacy development in twelvemonth 2. However the procedure i.e. the activities designed to scaffold the kids to the point of bring forthing a podcast, was the factor that elicited betterments in the kids ‘s speech production and hearing and non the recording of the podcast itself ( the merchandise ) . However it was of import that the kids saw the concluding podcast as the merchandise ; a mark that the activities would take them towards. Findingss from, and analysis of informations confirmed that the merchandise ( the podcast ) was the incentive for the kids instead than an indispensable portion of their acquisition. It provided the kids with a intent. This concurs with DfES ( 2004 ) findings that more positive motive resulted if engineering was focused around the larning instead than used to back up learning. The kids themselves identified that as a top acting group they had fewer chances to entree engineering than less able kids in their category. Therefore another type of engineering could hold motivated this group to make their end ; it can non be generalised that it was the podcast that offered ‘pull ‘ . Nonetheless, though kids ‘s responses about ‘liking ‘ composing would look to belie it, I personally feel ‘voice ‘ and ‘audien ce ‘ would necessitate to be characteristics of the engineering chosen as a word processor type application entirely would non actuate in the same manner.Meaning and importance of the findingsThis research began two old ages ago following a successful command to the TDA for support. The TDA regularly financess e-learning undertakings for instructor preparation suppliers as they recognise the importance of ICT skilled practicians in the workplace ( TDA 2005 [ online ] ) . Two old ages is a life-time in a digital universe but particularly in relation to instruction engineerings. Though the engineering used in this survey was found to be motivational, it still played a important portion in the procedure as without it the kids would hold lost focal point. Therefore in reply to the research inquiry, â€Å" can a Podcasting procedure support Literacy in a Year 2 schoolroom? â€Å" ; yes as portion of a procedure it can. Two old ages ago, Web 2.0 engineering was a ‘twinkle in person ‘s digital oculus ‘ . Now it is the pillar of many digital applications ( Godwin Jones 2005 ) . Although MP3 participants were ab initio sole to Apple Macintosh, new coevals nomadic phones now combine MP3 and other communicating engineerings in one orderly bundle. Huge advancement in a short infinite of clip. As Bull ( 2005, p.25 ) states, â€Å" MP3 participants such as the Apple iPod have become the mechanism for distribution of music for today ‘s young person merely as the Cadmium and vinyl records filled this function for old coevalss. Educational utilizations of podcasting physique on the foundation of this cultural phenomenon † . This presents both challenge and chance. When podcasts are broadcast to the Internet, through Web 2.0 engineering, the ensuing RSS ( Truly Simple Syndication ) ‘feeds ‘ allow kids to lend to each other ‘s work, wherever in the universe they may be. For case some web sites ask kids to add lines to poems, take portion in quizzes or append chapters to partially written on-line books. As Halsey ( 2007 ) asserts kids can convey the universe into the schoolroom ; and take their larning out into the universe with Web 2.0 engineering. Clearly so the potency for podcasting as an educational tool is phenomenal, but non merely in literacy lessons. Nevertheless the study revealed that current engineerings were characteristics in the sample group ‘s places. Attitudes towards a engineering seem to alter with its age hence attitude towards the currency of the motivational tool should besides be considered. So how might kids ‘s attitudes towards podcasting and speech production and hearing as a whole affect their public presentation in this type of exercising? It seems from past tendencies that podcasting itself will hold a ‘shelf life ‘ as todays digital indigens become tomorrows digital immigrants and todays techno ‘must rich persons ‘ become tomorrows digital ‘dinosaurs ‘ . Positive attitudes and motive for podcasting engineering, as it is now, will be lost. Newer technologies appear to be communicating based as Web 2.0 capablenesss move toward an even greater interactivity. This of class will assist keep a positive ‘attitude ‘ to talking and listening, in a ‘virtual ‘ environment, through a combination of networking sites and digital hardware such as webcams. The usage of Embodiments[ 1 ]is one illustration of such a combination. Communication and storytelling have stood the trial of clip and I would expect this will go on but how we do it in the hereafter will alter every bit will the size and nature of the audience. In his proposal to ‘radically ‘ pass the primary course of study, Alexander et Al. ( Primary Cambridge Review, DCSF 2009 [ online ] ) recognises spoken linguistic communication as cardinal to larning, civilization and life, but acknowledges it is much more outstanding in the course of study of many other states ( p24 ) . Possibly this could be the footing for higher accomplishment in other states instead than the ulterior school get downing age frequently identified. Reading and composing, as with other reappraisals ( DfES 2006a ) once more predominate in this reappraisal with speech production and listening one time once more dawdling behind. The authorities ( DfES 2007, DCSF 2009a ) is proclaiming that speech production and hearing are the foundations for all other larning – so why? Why are we still turn toing reading and composing foremost? Writing is simply a method for entering ideas. Ideas can besides be spoken and/or recorded into a podcast. This would be im probably emancipating for those kids who find it hard to compose things down. Podcasting offers equal chances for all ages and abilities ; an inclusive digital tool. In the late 1980 ‘s the National Oracy Project ( National Curriculum Council ; 1992 ) recommended giving speech production and listening a higher profile and yet more than 20 old ages subsequently we are still doing the same errors. I would wish to see this research will hold significance and add force per unit area to this on-going argument nevertheless unchanging fortunes, yesteryear and nowadays, would propose otherwise.Findingss in relation to other surveiesPrensky ( 2001, 2008, 2009 ) , Buckingham ( 2004, 2007 ) and Marsh et Al. ( 2006 ) high spot ours is a digital universe and yet many schools still fail to recognize the significance or importance of ‘skilling ‘ kids to get by with an progressively digital and altering landscape. Technology is going more sophisticated and is increasingly being aimed at and designed for younger consumers. Palmer ( 2007 p.3 ) suggests that, ‘culture has evolved faster than our biological science ‘ and this is ‘ damaging kids ‘s ability to believe, learn and act ‘ . Prensky ( 2009 ) would differ saying that exposure to engineering is altering kids ‘s encephalon construction and demanding a new manner of larning which relies on wisdom. The little size of the cohort used for this research would symbolize that the findings offer no important support of either Prensky ‘s or Palmer ‘s stance. However the podcasting bundle offered kids a blended acquisition environment comprised of group treatments and engineering usage. This would shrive them from harm to their thought, larning and behaviour that Palmer infers can go on. These three subjects are besides recognized benefits of group working ( Baines et al. 2008 ) .The relevancy of the findingsVygotsky ( 1976 ) wrote that speech production and thought are closely linked. The procedure of speech production helps kids to larn through jointing their ideas and therefore developing the constructs needed to understand the u niverse. Communication and understanding improve with pattern. Therefore, the chance to speak is critical in order to develop apprehension. If nil else, promoting and valuing talk conveys the message that communicating is of import ; both hearing and speech production are the foundations for communicating so raising their profile is a good terminal in itself. However though Vygotsky ‘s theory sing communicating is still pertinent he could non hold comprehended how his theory would still use to our of all time germinating digital universe ; to current patterns and the diverse ways of pass oning that societal networking has brought approximately. If we have come this far since Vygotsky, how far will our kids travel and how will they get by with their journey if practicians do non promote them to develop their accomplishments. Participant observations were undertaken to back up the kids ‘s interactions with the hardware and package needed for this research. Clearly there was a demand to scaffold them at this point ; though as in Lewis ‘s instance the more knowing other did non necessitate to be me. The ZPD is the zone in which acquisition is made easier through support by important others ( Whitehead 2004 ) . These others may or may non be physically present but possibly shack in a digital universe. In other words traditional theory still applies to digital experiences but sometimes the important other may be anon. i.e. through hunt engines or ‘friends ‘ on ‘social ‘ networking sites. Vygotsky ‘s reading of the word societal would surely be limited in today ‘s ‘techno ‘ society.The survey ‘s restrictions( Gautreau 2006 ) notes several grounds why there are barriers to utilizing engineering in schools. Unknowingness of engineering ‘s po ssible, clip needed to larn ( larning to utilize new package or hardware and how to incorporate them into the course of study ) , deficiency of support or resources and a deficiency of engineering competency, appropriate preparation or assurance in one ‘s ability to learn with engineerings are his chief concerns. Past instruction experience has indicated that the deficiency of a concluding ‘product ‘ from a ‘lesson ‘ is frequently deemed to be a failure on the portion of the instructor and of the kid. This belief is supported by the coverage and review procedures ; frequently SATs based ( QCDA 2010 [ online ] ) used to measure a schools position through analysis of the kids ‘s consequences. This has lead to the premise that any larning achieved in such lessons should be touchable. There should be something physical to demo. However as this research has shown speech production and hearing are the foundation of other acquisition and the inquiry has to be asked, â€Å" Can we measure this accurately if we are still inquiring kids to compose responses down? † Again personal experience has shown that understanding is non cultivated entirely through authorship or the creative activity of something. These averments are farther supported by findings from this rese arch, gathered during observations of the kids. Listening to kids ‘s treatments revealed far more about their abilities and thought procedures than any piece of composing perchance could. Therefore appraisals, peculiarly those that are SATs based, bespeaking that larning should be evidenced through production of something physical would belie what current and past experience has shown. Of class in a ‘digital ‘ and ‘virtual ‘ universe, ‘physical ‘ grounds could be presented otherwise. Time became a important restriction of this research. Time with the kids was limited due to funding hence some aspects from the planning phase were non carried out. The most frustrating was stage was at the terminal as there was non adequate clip left for the kids to be able to reflect on and measure their podcasting journey. Reflection is an of import portion of the acquisition procedure. By looking back at what they have done kids can derive a deeper apprehension of both the content and the acquisition procedure itself.The hereafterDonaldson ( 1986 ) was brave plenty to oppugn Piaget ‘s experiments and his attendant appraisals of kids ‘s ages, phases and strategies. She alluded to the impression of kids necessitating a ‘familiar context ‘ to be able to execute optimally and build significance from what they were making. But what is a familiar context for kids today? As grownups, are we back uping kids in a context which is ‘comfortable ‘ for us i nstead than familiar to them? Even more significantly are assessment bureaus besides outside their comfort zone? Should they be inquiring for grounds in different formats? Could Podcasting be one of these? ‘Digital ‘ grounds of accomplishment is more suitable to a ‘hi-tech ‘ universe. Sing the distribution and impact of engineerings in the ‘business ‘ universe ( Phelps, Graham & A ; Kerr, 2004 ) ; force per unit area from authorities organic structures ( DCSF 2007a ) and the duty of schools to educate kids for the hereafter ( DCSF 2008 ) , the deficiency of use of digital grounds to inform appraisals in schools is perplexing. Ellis ( 1997, 2004 ) refers to â€Å" emotional auto-ethnography † which may hold the unintended effect of overshadowing what auto-ethnography can be and of befoging the manner in which it may suit into societal enquiry. I would oppugn the usage of 'emotional ‘ here as it implies ‘blackmail ‘ or in research footings bias. I continue to adopt Donaldson ‘s ( 1986 ) ‘familiar context ‘ , which would of class include a research worker ‘s relationship with the kids involved. For me relationship suggests ‘knowing each other ‘ ; a comfy tantrum which leaves emotions ‘outside ‘ research. Emotions would hold skewed the analysis of observation and interview informations whereas the relationship between the kids and myself strengthened it. There are more practical deductions for anyone reproducing this research, or implementing the podcasting bundle. Podium package is expensive and merely necessary if broadcast medium to the World Wide Web. The sample kids were non concerned by the impression of a ‘wider audience ‘ they merely wanted their households and ‘immediate ‘ equals to hear their narrative. The narrative could hold been shared by Cadmium Rom, brassy thrust or the schools intranet entirely. This would hold been more cost effectual ; would hold saved some of the TDA support and therefore allowed excess clip to work with the kids. Evaluations of the kids ‘s speech production and listening abilities followed observations, during the activities, and attendant written texts of the kids ‘s treatments, were assessed against a recognized model. These findings clearly indicated that the podcasting bundle is feasible in footings of raising speech production and hearing degrees. Prensky ( 2005 ) reminded us that life for today ‘s kids may be a batch of things but it ‘s surely non unengaging ; except in school. Children ‘s place experiences with engineering enable instructors to construct on what kids know and can make provided that those peculiar engineerings are besides available in schools. By making so, non merely are we alining pattern to Donaldson ( 1986 ) but besides reflecting Fisher ‘s ( 2007 ) ‘starting from the kid ‘ rule. However in some respects this is where, we as practicians, travel incorrect. Money is to a great extent invested into the latest engineering to give kids the best ‘opportunities ‘ or environments for larning. Synergistic whiteboards ( IWBs ) and visualizers are two such engineerings. The little study revealed that at place kids are utilizing computing machines, nomadic phones, DS Lites and Wii ‘s. Though clearly there are benefits to holding IWBs and visualizers to project and portion images, it seems that the ‘familiar ‘ engineerings, those used daily at place are non utilized within a school environment. Again a instance of ‘teacher comfort ‘ opposed to ‘children ‘s world ‘ . If we are trusting on kids ‘s personal lifes or digital histories as this ‘starting point ‘ for resourcing and be aftering in scenes, puting in ‘unfamiliar ‘ engineerings would look to belie what we should endeavor to make. What does the instructor have to make? Nothing more than utilize a accomplishment that hopefully they are already good at: hearing. Teachers should listen to the podcasts with the kids, and assist the kids decide on the standards for appraisal. Children may hold more sophisticated cognition of new engineerings than their instructors, coercing a pedagogical displacement in the teacher function from expert to facilitator. Therefore go oning professional development has to be an of import characteristic of instructor patterns in a invariably germinating digital environment. In decision integration and using engineerings into a course of study is a complicated issue. Making known the benefits associated with engineering usage whilst besides turn toing the barriers that exist seems cragged. Traditional signifiers of literacy instruction are frequently non adequate for kids today, they need to be adapted to both entreaty and motivate and be relevant to contemporary scholars ( Buckingham 2003 ) . Thus grownups should be fixing kids for their digital hereafter instead than protecting them against it. Leu and Kinzer ( 2000 p117 ) say â€Å" envisionments take topographic point when instructors, kids, and others imagine new possibilities for literacy and acquisition, transform bing engineerings to build this vision, and so portion their work with others. † Envisionment has resulted from the new attack taken with younger kids and the podcasting bundle ; the subsequent bringing of the bundle to ITE pupils who in bend will circulate it to instructors in sc hools. As a research worker I would happen it interesting to test the bundle with even younger kids or in a scene whose ‘digital ‘ position was low in order to see ( i ) how younger kids react ( two ) if the engineering became a job instead than a scaffold.

Dating Violence among Teenagers Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dating Violence among Teenagers - Term Paper Example I have chosen two empirical studies to help me understand this phenomenon and try to bring about changes that would beneficial to them. In a study conducted by (Champion H. 2008) on different risk and protective factors involving individual behavior related to dating violence and victimization among teenagers, many interesting facts were highlighted. To analyze the facts on the important issue of dating violence among teenagers, surveys were conducted for 2000 students belonging to the North Carolina High School. On examining the level of violence on the dating issue from a gender point of view, it was found that females were more at risk than the males. Results showed that when comparing the females to males, females experienced a higher level of perpetration (8.8%) than the males who had only 4.0% risk. (Champion H. 2008) Findings on the issue of victimization showed that while females were at a higher risk with 7.2%, male victimization was only 5.0%. (Champion H. 2008) The results from the study proved that there is a higher incidence of female perpetration and victimization and they were more at risk when compar ed to males. Some of the common causes observed in the study were drunken driving, tobacco and alcohol abuse, drug abuse. When comparing the different multivariate models associated with violence in dating, men were less likely to be victimized than women. However, there could be few exceptions. The findings also showed that the role of community should be enhanced to counter this problem by conducting various activities within the community and making the youth more responsible in the way they approach life. In a study conducted by (Miller S. 2009) the method used to gauge dating violence among teenagers was directed towards interviewing parents and peers for predictors of violence and perpetration during physical dating. The participants chosen

Parents should be financially responsible for acts of vandalism by Essay

Parents should be financially responsible for acts of vandalism by their children - Essay Example There are two views about this topic. Either the children or the parents should be held responsible. The paper revolves around the fact that the parents or legal guardians should be the one paying for e.g. the paint needed to cover the graffiti created by their uncontrolled and ill disciplined wards. From here you start off the assignment and each paragraph is indented by pressing a simple tab key when starting a new paragraph. Some concerns regarding the point of view of this paper and its effects will be discussed in the following passages. Strong Argument The major reason for supporting this claim is that the children/teenagers of the post facebook era, who have forgotten the values and morals of neighborhood living will once again, be back under the strict eyes of their parents. If parents have to pay for the damages caused by their beloved sons and daughters, they will make sure that this kind of activity does not take place again. Strict discipline will be implied on the naive minds which will make them think twice before committing such an act. Enforcing Support Another section of the effect that has to be noticed here is the party whose property has been vandalized, be it public or private. The amount which can be recovered from the parents around the world in accordance with the law is not enough for the children or their parents to think over the whole scenario of vandalism (Timothy, 2008). Especially by the parents who will have to pay for the acts of little terror which can have devastating effects on the people whose property have been vandalized, monetarily and physiologically. Therefore the only way out of this situation is hefty fines and actual damages to be paid by the parents in vandalism cases. Objections Since every coin has two sides, similar is the case with this argument. Many who are against parents being held financially responsible for their children’s vandalism have certain arguments to be presented. The strongest argument tha t they bring to the table is the fact that children if aloof from any kind of punishment, due to their parents paying for the damages, will further create chaos. As the children will go wild vandalizing neighborhoods and their parents tailing them with their checkbooks in hand. But the essence of the action suggested by this paper is that when once the check has been delivered, the next time such extreme repercussions will be set for the vandals that they will think twice before performing these non-sensible acts. Do not bold, italicize or underline the subheading. Final Claim Many advantages will come out of laws that enforce parents to pay the damages. The foremost and extremely pressing point is that the root of all neighborhood evils like gangs, groups of thieves and shoplifting is vandalism. Vandalism is considered to be the stepping stone for all these evils. Boys and girls are scouted by gangs by this very mean. Penalizing parents on vandalism will make sure that the parents have a scorching eye on their wards therefore not only curbing the disease of vandalism but also stopping further crimes to be generated out of this contagious virus known as vandalism. Conclusion The whole point of this argument is the betterment of our

Johnny Juneau Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Johnny Juneau Case - Essay Example To begin with the defense of Johnny, it is important to stress the elements of a crime. Crime should constitute actus reus and mens rea or the intention and execution of such unlawful act. The mistake of information shall also be invoked to profess that it was never an intention of Johnny to defraud the gas station that prompted the owner to file theft charges against Johnny. The actual act of the crime is actus reus. It was derived from the principle stated by Edward Coke that stated actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea,  which means: "an act does not make a person guilty unless (their) mind is also guilty". Such, the guilt of a crime requires culpability and proof of fault both in intent and act. Following the principles of actus reus, criminal act is committed by doing it, omission and possession. Acting on a crime meant a â€Å"bodily movement whether voluntary or involuntary† to consummate the crime (Robinson v. California,  370  U.S.  660, 1962). Applying this principle to Johnny, the alleged criminal charge of murder was not a product of his bodily movement. Omission pertains to the failure to act the necessary bodily movement that resulted to harm which in Johnny’s case, the electrocution of his neighbor of which he was charged for being responsible of the neighbor’s death. ... For the act to be exempted from voluntary act that would constitute the culpability of actus reus, exemption falls under the following elements; 1. A reflex or convulsion; 2. A bodily movement during unconsciousness or sleep; 3. Conduct during hypnosis or resulting from hypnotic suggestion; 4. A bodily movement that otherwise is not a product of the effort or the determination of the actor, either conscious or habitual. Mens rea as a component of crime on the other hand is the intent, process or planning to commit the crime. It is the deliberative aspect of committing a crime which in Johnny’s case must be satisfied to qualify the electrocution of his neighbor as murder. To illustrate actus reus and mens rea, we would be compelled to cite an example to differentiate these two concepts. Planning to kill or rob as a mens rea is not a crime until it acted upon (mens rea). These two concepts when linked together constitute a crime that often leads to conviction. a. Defense on murd er charge The death through electrocution of Johnny’s neighbor was never intentional. In no circumstance did Johnny demonstrate intent, deliberation or any motivation to inflict harm or death to the neighbor. In fact, Johnny was even grateful for borrowing the ladder. In fact, Johnny Juneau himself could have been killed by the unfortunate incident because he was still using the ladder on his way down when it touched an uninsulated part of the gas store’s sign that made it electrified. There was no way Johnny could have known that would happen.   Yet, he is still charged with murder on the ground that his behavior led to the electrocution of his neighbor that falls on the ground of omission of actus

Management Communication Quarterly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Communication Quarterly - Essay Example There are majorly 2 types of communication, written and oral. Both are vital and decide the fate of the organizations based on the way the individuals interact and communicate. The research paper shed light on the present day scenario of written and oral communication in organizations. The research is a representative of the French approach to information and communication in organizations. It is an anchored research of the work done during the decade of 1985 and 1995 with its focus on French network ‘language and work’ .There has been a major shift from spoken language to written communication which led to further development in the field of research. Oral communication was replaced by written documents in workplaces, which led to long term research. This research involves immense variety of working papers, which showed a professional approach and communicated the relationship of the writer with the written text. Research is being conducted on aspects such as marking, f ormulating and text writing that are the functional aspect of written communication. Writing is the final stage of putting down words in text and also the succession of ideas for a long series of operations.

Recommendation On High-End Electric Ranges Essay

Recommendation On High-End Electric Ranges - Essay Example Both the Maytag and the KitchenAid models feature Sabbath Mode while the Frigidaire does not. (Sabbath Mode is a built-in safety feature that automatically shuts off the oven after 12 hours or so.) This is a sensible feature, but it has proven to be problematic for those of the Jewish faith wishing to keep kosher on the Sabbath and on specific holidays because they're forbidden to turn ovens (or any electrical appliances) on during that time; however, it is permissible to use electrical appliances that are already on. Hence, the need is greater for a Sabbath mode that keeps an oven on at a specified temperature for as long as it's required, rather than turning the oven off after a certain lapse of time. With this type of feature, the cook could prepare a meal prior to the Sabbath or holiday and then leave it in the always-warm oven until it is ready to be eaten. Neither oven provides this type of flexibility. (McFedries, 2005). The Maytag and Frigidaire share the additional features of storage drawers, glass ceramic cooktops, oven lights and oven door windows that are not listed as options within the KitchenAid model. The three ranges reviewed are all of similar price and features. KitchenAid is the only one that is not of brushed chrome construction and is judged by owners to be easier to keep clean because of that. The KitchedAid is also taller in the back and would blend in better with most countertop backing. Appearance is the main factor separating these ranges.

Epstein-Barr Virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Epstein-Barr Virus - Research Paper Example the presence of a virus in the cultured specimen and the three published their discovery the same year with the development of antibodies and mononucleosis taking place later. Consequently, the three scientists were able to observe the development of antibodies to the virus (Robertson 18). Perhaps the most common relationship of EBV with any other virus is in relationship to the TTV. In this case, the relationship regards the association between these two viruses and their infection of B-cell lymphoma and the Hodgskin lymphoma (Figueiredo et al. 736). In line with this, an increase in the tolerance of contagion within the first 48 hours of infection with the virus called herpes simplex indicates a demonstration of the conversion of EBV. In effect, this phenomenon implies that it is feasible to have TTV and EBV viruses in the same B cell (Figueiredo 736). Medical practitioners point out that Epstein-Barr is one of the most common infections that affected human beings. In line with this, experts suggested that the infection affected approximately 95% of the adult population by the time that they reached 40 years of age. In effect, this implies that the disease can affect any individual despite their geographical location and almost the entire world’s population has once suffered the disease. Nonetheless, most incidents of Epstein-Barr do not indicate the presence of symptoms in a person. In addition, an incidence of the infection puts an individual at a risk of mononucleosis with approximately 35-40% of those infected likely to develop this condition (Schueler, Beckett, and Gettings). A series of a standardized process characterizes the progression of EBV. First, EBV attacks the B-cells at the point of CR-2 (CD 21) while using the glycoprotein (GP 350/220). However, it could also attack the epithelial cells that do not possess the CD 21. This affects the epithelial cells that infect the Blymphocyte resulting to the latency stage. The cells infected exhibit

Heart of Change with reference to Jack Welch and GE Case Study

Heart of Change with reference to Jack Welch and GE - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that with the help of the open and honest system, feedback should result in more and more people getting converted in favor of the change that is being introduced in the organization. In such case, the organization needs to help an employee to align his individual goals with the organizational ones. If we look at the result of the Best Practices Program in GE we can find out the impact it had on the thinking of the managers in the organization. It changed their fundamental approach to work. People who worked as corporate audit staff have admitted that they started looking at bigger scales and heights looking for more and more improvement areas. The effectiveness of the change can be enhanced through an individual or a group of individuals who make the change physically happen in front of others. It triggers the feeling of â€Å"I did it and you can do it too†. Canadian GE operations that observed and followed practices of a New Zealand shipping firm became an example to follow. The change was so evident that the other GE branches made it a point to visit this unit and implement the changes accordingly. The difficulties in implementing these steps would be 1. Any change that needs to be initiated at the management level has to be associated with the proper delegation of authority. Responsibility without adequate authority is of no use. It holds especially true at the managerial level. It is observed that managers or employees often generate ideas but fail to implement them as they do not have the power to implement nor the ideas are taken into consideration. In such a situation, the enthusiasm of an employee vanishes over a period of time. This becomes a point of danger and caution for an organization. Nongeneration of ideas leads to stagnation and eventual downfall. 2. Creation of a trustworthy environment takes a lot of time. Employee skepticism is usually the main ingredient which stops changes from getting imp lemented.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Movie Review

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Movie Review Example The film had mostly viewed in a subconscious mind of Joel as he is struggling to resist in erasing his memories of Clementine. This took place when he was undergoing the procedure of the Lacunar amnesia. Upon reliving in his mind the memories of him and the estranged wife, he suddenly realized that he wanted to keep the memories of her instead. As the doctors and technician of Lacuna were busy on the procedures to him through mind-mapping, he was resisting the unexplainable changes that were happening in his subconscious mind. Human Identity and Memory. The film does set a debate of the ground whether identity and memory are connected to one another. It provided open ended analysis for the viewers of the theoretical issue of identity being embedded in human memory. It appears so in distinctive results of the Lacunar amnesia to the main characters, Joel and Clementine. Clementine had her memories of Joel erased, thus her attitude changed toward her new friendship with Joel, much different from the time she still has a memory of him. It can be assumed in the given case that if a person lost his memory, his identity about the established personality within that memory will eventually lost as well. However, it will be a chance for the person who lost the memory to recreate new personality as his identity as a person. New identity in personality could alter the forgotten one if the memory got totally lost as well - a complete amnesia. However, it is different in the case of Clementine, as she only had a portion in her memory erased. Thus, her identity about herself has not totally altered or forgotten. Joel almost falls similarly with Clementine's case, but his procedure deviated as he opted to retain his memories about her. Although they went to such procedure, their identity is not completely at lost as it's only a part of their memories being erased. They retained the memories of their own self previously before they met each other, at least with Clementine's case. In recent study, it was discerned that human identity is synonymous to personality. Personality is described by neurobiologists and psychologists as "a collection of behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that are not controlled by the I-function" (Trinh 2005). Personality has relevance or significant connection with human memory. It was discovered that memory is being "controlled and regulated by the I-function of the neocortex" (Trinh 2005). In Psychological study, the collection of thoughts and behaviors that make a person distinct from others, which is called personality, is actually restored in a memory. The maturity or development of thought, and self-concept is being reinstated in the memory (Trinh 2005). A man's personality or identity was established and developed through the help of memory, or rather within the memory. In direct sense, without a memory, man has no idea of his established identity, or previous personality. The significance of the memory towards human identity is also affirmed by neuroscientists of University College London. They stated that: "The brain stores all

Health Care Utilization Essay Example for Free

Health Care Utilization Essay Health care reform is not a recently devised concept. The government and health professionals have studied and tried to establish legislation that would assist the general population with a means of accessing adequate health care for decades. The task has proven itself as a daunting one although studied the world over. Individuals struggle with disease and illness that they cannot afford medical attention and treatment. Insurance companies price gouge or drop individuals from their insurance coverage. Reform has to be implemented to protect the public and provide across the board health care for every situation. Ronald Andersen wrote in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior there is a model of behavior that determines the seeking out of health services (Anderson, 1995). Anderson collaborated with Odin Anderson and wrote The Initial Behavioral Model in 1968 to assist in the analysis of national survey data collected by the Center for Health Administration Studies and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (Andersen Anderson, 1967). The model explains that there are elements that may determine if an individual will access health services. Anderson explained, â€Å"I want to stress that the model was initially designed to explain the use of formal personal health services rather than to focus on the important interactions that take place as people receive care, or on health outcomes†(Andersen, 1968, p. 1). The Initial Behavioral Model (1960s) PREDISPOSING ENABLING USE OF CHARACTERISTICS RESOURCES NEED HEALTH SERVICES Demographic Personal/Family Perceived Social Structure Community  (Evaluated) Health Beliefs (Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter?, 1995) The president had legislation passed in 2010 to implement the Affordable Care Act. Today, more than 45 million Americans lack access to affordable health insurance. Additionally, many individuals who do have health insurance have incomplete coverage that may include exclusions for pre-existing conditions, or they may be one-step away from losing coverage because of a change in employment. Individuals with health insurance face increasingly high premiums and medical costs that drive some to bankruptcy or force choices between maintaining health insurance coverage and paying for other household essentials (HHS, 2013). These new regulations will provide consumer protections and the developing of a competitive market. Insurance companies will be required to spend a specific percentage on health care and not excessive administrative costs. There have been major changes to the accessibility of insurance coverage for individuals which have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny insurance coverage for individuals, such as children born with life-threatening illnesses. This will also address lifetime limits on medical care. There has been a health insurance exchange in an effort to pool millions of people and allow them to examine various insurance coverage policies to determine the best policy for them and their families. Health and Human Services has implemented a website for the comparison of the insurance coverage options (HHS, 2013). There have been conversations for decades about the implementation of universal health coverage. The World Health Organization defines it as a goal to ensure that people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. It goes on explaining, access to health services enables people to be more productive and active contributors to their families and communities†¦.financial risk protection prevents people from being pushed into poverty when they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets (WHO, 2012). There is a definite similarity with the concepts of universal health care and the Affordable  Care Act now in place in this country. Attempts are being made to ensure that all citizens can access health care and increase their wellbeing in the process. The expansion of Medicaid will benefit multiple low-income citizens who, through no fault of their own, are working at a minimum wage job. They are barely earning too much money to be eligible for assistance and are not making enough of a salary to afford health insurance coverage. It turns into a viscous cycle. The individual has to decide whether it is better to quit work and get assistance for medical care or to continue struggling and still not make the grade. There have been no major issues personally with the implementation of the health care expansion. The insurances that I carry are both the Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid has changed in that they are requiring that there is a primary care physician (PCP) established to oversee medical services provided. The initial visit would be to the PCP where any examination and testing would be performed for the determination of the necessity of a referral. The PCP’s office would organize all medical records and coordinate with the specialist’s staff to establish a consultation. I consider myself an extremely fortunate individual because I have been able to have multiple medical issues addressed and corrected because of the medical coverage. The Medicare coverage is not as restrictive as Medicaid. Medicare allows the individual to access any physician or facility that the patient desires for treatment as long as their insurance is accepted. There has not been any specific positive or negative effect with this coverage. Medicare has provided successfully for preventive measures in my health services such as yearly mammograms, colonoscopy testing every two years (if deemed necessary through findings during prior examination), and comprehensive yearly physical examinations. Unfortunately, there is minimal dental coverage and no eye examinations available. There has been major skepticism with the Affordable Care Act being voted on and implemented in the governmental realm. It is exhibiting a number of positive actions implemented with the creation of this act. It is time that this country gives thought to the individuals which are suffering because of no fault of their own other than being on the lower end of the income scale. Also citizens are pleased with the inclusion of the poor souls battling daily with an affliction that requires more attention and treatment than they could ever afford. It is in this new light that people are viewing the creation of the Affordable Care Act and see that this should prove to be beneficial to every citizen within the national borders. Reference Andersen, R. M. (1995). Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 1-10, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137284 Andersen, R.M., Anderson, O.W. (1967), A Decade of Health Services, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1815595 Health and Human Services (2013), Strengthen Health Care, retrieved from: http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/goal1.html World Health Organization (2012), What is Universal Health Coverage, retrieved from: http://www.who.int/features/qa/universal_health_coverage/en/index.html

Reflection on a change management and leadership

Reflection on a change management and leadership In 1947, MIT Professor Harold E. Edgerton and his several students were established EG G and which were involved in management of nuclear weapons to government and also in a wide range of similar activities. Perkin-Elmer was an older company then EG G and was established in 1930. Perkin and Elmer introduced it in a partnership and its operation was divided into two major divisions which was Analytical Instruments Applied Bio system. In 1999, there was an acquisition of Perkin-Elmer and EG G. Perkin-Elmer sold its name and Analytical Instruments division to EG G and EG G also sold its technical services business to Carlyle group investment firm .Then they would drop the EG G name and take the name of the acquired co. by disappearing the hyphen between Perkin Elmer and after the approval of its shareholders then after EG G was known as PerkinElmer. But there was one problematic element in the future of EG G its Perkin-Elmer operations was a good leadership. A good leadership was required in EG G to change a company rapidly and radically. Thats why for the fulfillment of the above requirement. In 1998, GREGORY L SUMME brought in company. He was with the experienced a lot as a partner at Mc Kinsey Co. , at General Motors he was general manager of commercial motors, at AlliedSignals Aerospace Engines and at General Aviation Avionics he was a president and recently at the Automotive products Group at AlliedSignal he was president of it. And because of his this track record at making technology companies competitive and profitable the Co. brought him to turn around the business as in recent years the company had been faltering. Now, PerkinElmer divided its business in two segments Human health and Environmental health. In Human health they are dealing with the companies of Bio-discovery, Genetic Screening Medical Imaging operating units. Environmental health segments are dealing with the laboratory services, Analytical sciences and detection Illumination units. DISCUSSION OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP THEORIES Change management: Change management  is a structured advent to developing  individuals,  teams, and  organizations  from a current status to a desired future status. It is aimed at empowering the employees to secure and changes of the grip in their current business environment within the organizational process. In Change management, project changes are formally introduced and approved. Models of Change Management McKinsey 7S Model The McKinsey 7S model involves seven interdependent factors which are categorized as either hard or soft elements as. I personally feel that 7s model can be related to this assignment as the changes were distributed in 7 elements which are as above and which are explain below as per the related company STRATEGY: after the acquisition, the leader implemented new strategies in the company. STRUCTURE: there was a structural change because of acquisition. SYSTEMS: New systems were implemented by the new leader in a company. SHARED VALUES: there were some ethics and new systems of work made by new leader which was shared as a core value of company. STYLE: the style of leadership adopted by the new leader to sort out all the complicated issues of the company. STAFF: the employees were distributed according to their capabilities and mostly new staff was recruited. SKILLS: Training programs were given to every individual from top to lower level management. Leadership  is the process of  social esteem  in which one person can influences others to attain an objective and directs the organization with a group of people to achieve a common goal through change. Leader: An individual who has granted authority, usually based on hierarchal position, in an organization. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership knowledge and skills make it more cohesive and coherent. Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen . According to this assignment I concluded that the contingency theories are applied as this theory focus on individuals related to the environment that can be determined which particular style of leadership is best satisfied with the situation. The organization was structured in a way that who reports to whom rule was adopted. All the implementations were covered by the leader Gregory L. Summe. He distributed the whole problems in his effective leadership style that he focused on identifying the situational variables to fit the particular circumstances. COMPLICATED ISSUES IN EG G They had problem like inconsistent operating performances, a week reputation with investors, a highly fragmented organization as a company was holding of 31 diverse businesses with 31 different cultures brands and many businesses with uncertain prospects, no strategic coherence while there was lot of good technology in the business, experienced executives were there in company management but some of them had a lack of the right skills, the Pace Priorities were incompatible with the direction of the co. want to go as many of them came from the govt. services business and also other managers skills were under-developed and too narrow. So, they worked in one role in one business of EG G for a long time. CHANGES ADOPTED TO OVERCOME Firstly, the company focuses on improving their ability to gain consistent earnings. So that, they had good financial record and also regain trust of financial markets. And for this they established a new culture which was with more ambitious about performing goals and with clearer accountability. Secondly, it consolidated its 31 businesses into five strategic business units. Five strategic business units Thirdly, they offset the charges involved in this restructuring from the sale of several businesses including two mechanical businesses Sealol and Rotron. Fourthly, they sold all the government services business as it operated in a low margin, consolidating, declining market. Fifthly, they changed their name to signal to their customers, investors and employee that this was a new company. Sixthly, as they started with nine different businesses and brands but then they quickly narrowed their focus on just three segments: specialty illumination, digital imaging and telecommunication as dealing in more selective and for healthier their portfolio. Seventhly, they made seven key acquisitions and this is designed to quickly provide them complementary products, technologies and geographic coverage. Seven key acquisitions are divided as follows: One in optoelectronics, One in fluid sciences, Two in instruments, and Three in life sciences. Eighthly, they shifted power away from corporate center to each of the business units. Last but not least, for all employees of PerkinElmers they place a broad range of training programs to teach leadership skills, business fundamentals and best practices and it consists of four programs aimed to develop each individual at various levels of the organization and they were Advanced Leadership Institute, Emerging Leaders Program, Driving World-class Performance Program and Skills based Training Programs. SUSTAINING CHANGE Companys operating margin which was less than 6% in 1997 exceeds to 11%. After focus on three segments, the market leaders in both specialty illumination and imaging segments, which together accounts for 80% of the divisions revenues. In telecommunications segment, they achieve an annual revenue growth rate of more than 100%.The seven acquisitions made them number one in world in explosives detection systems and one of the top three in analytical instruments. They also have good terms with their investors as they understand and support their strategy to upgrade the portfolio. They reduce their corporate staff from 140 people to 65 people after taking the decision of shifting power away from the corporate center to each of the business units. CONCLUSION It can be concluded that if you have the right person leading the charges, good thing always happen but the Important decision is to choose right person and also in this company they choose a right man at right time which no doubt benefitted the company a lot. In contrast of a company, the Gregory L Summe was taking almost all right decision to turn around the business as per the requirement of the company and it also gained a success by restricting it. As its operating margin was increased , its revenues was increased , the co. had a tag of no. one in world in explosives , detection systems and one of the top three in analytical instrument and in present in current year its revenue was gone up to 498.3 million. The major change was to change of the name of company i.e. from EG G to PerkinElmer. The change of the name was just the part of acquisition however it was also to attract the new group of investors in the company. The profit has been raised in current year and it has been concluded that 2010 may be a brighter year for the company. PerkinElmer is delivering world drive productivity, quality and accuracy. Although forward looking statements such as believes, plans, project intends are leased on managements current assumption and expectation. However, these should be assured that their expectation and assumption are proved to be accurate and profitable.

Role of Omega-3 and Vitamin B6 in Cancer Prevention

Role of Omega-3 and Vitamin B6 in Cancer Prevention A critical analysis of the role of omega-3 and vitamin B6 in cancer prevention: current evidence, proposed mechanisms and future directions Abstract: A critical analysis of the role of omega-3 and vitamin B6 in cancer prevention: current evidence, proposed mechanisms and future directions Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and according to the World Health Organization(WHO accounted for 8.2 million deaths in 2012(1). The complex and dynamic nature of cancer is evident, however 30% of cancers could be prevented by modifying factors such as diet, not smoking, physical activity and moderate use of alcohol(2). Scientific evidence suggests that nutritional supplementation of some nutrients can affect the risk of different cancers. For the purposive of this essay I will perform a critical analysis of the role of omega-3 and vitamin B6 in cancer prevention by reviewing the current evidence, proposed mechanisms and investigating the future directions of omega-3 and vitamin B6 use in cancer prevention. Omega-3(n-3) and omega-6(n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFAs) are essential fatty acids that cannot be made by the human body and therefore must be obtained from the diet. The use of n-3 PUFAs in a number of chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome and rheumatoid arteritis has been associated with health benefits. Increasing evidence from animal and in vitro studies indicate that n-3 PUFAs, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic(DHA) acid play a role in inhibiting cancer progression(3). However epidemiological data on the association between n-3 PUFA intake and cancer risk appears to be somewhat less consistent. High fat intake, typically seen in western diets is associated with an increased risk for cancer development. N-3 PUFAs are an exception as studies have found that n-3 PUFAs have protective functions in prostate, pancreatic, breast and colon cancer. Western diets typically contain a high n-6 to n-3 ratio which has been found is positively associated with prostate cancer development. A study carried out in Jamaican men who had a high ratio of dietary n-6 to n-3 ratio, found that n-6 PUFAs was positively correlated with prostate carcinogenesis while n-3 PUFAs inhibited cancer growth(4). In agreement with this study a case control study of 79 prostate cancer cases and 187 controls, found a high ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs increased the overall risk of prostate cancer in white men and possibly increase the risk of a high grade prostate cancer in all men(5). Population based studies have found that the use of n-3 PUFAs are protective against cancer development. A population based prospective cohort study of 90,296 subjects found that a diet rich in n-3 fish or n-3 PUFA appeared to protect against the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (6). In agreement with this study a population-based prospective study in Japan found an inverse relationship between n-3 PUFA intake and the risk of cancer in the proximal site of the large bowel(7). However not all studies have found beneficial effects of the use of n-3 PUFAs in cancer prevention. A French study comprising of over 56,000 women, who were followed for eight years found no associated between n-3 PUFA and breast cancer risk(8). Numerous mechanisms have been proposed for the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs in cancer prevention. PUFAs are capable of influencing the fatty acid composition of glycerophospholipids in cell membranes. N-3 PUFAs can replace n-6 PUFAs in glycerophospholipids(9) and a high n-3 to n-6 ratio has been found to affect cell membrane signalling. Lipid rafts are important signalling domains within the cell membrane which contain receptors such as epidermal growth factor receptor(10). As DHA has a poor affinity for cholesterol in lipid rafts it can supress raft associated signal transduction(10). This is important as in many cancers signalling pathways can be over activated. It has also been suggested that n-3 PUFAs may induce apoptosis and reduce proliferation in human cancer cells by decreasing signalling through AKT/NFkB and by modulating the PI3k/AKT/p38 MAPK pathway(11). N-3 PUFAs are involved in the suppression of arachadonic acid (4n-6) derived eicosanoids, which are involved in cellular growth, cell differentiation and have proinflammatory effects (12). Arachadonic derived eicosanoids such as PGE2, have been positively linked to cancer (13), unlike EPA eicosanoids which have anticancer effects(14). As mentioned above incorporation of n-3 PUFAs into the phospholipid membrane replaces n-6 arachadonic acid precursors, decreasing arachadonic derived eicosanoids and increasing EPA eicosanoids. N-3 PUFAs have also been found to supress cyclooxygenase-2 (15), which has anti-tumour affects as COX-2 down regulates apoptotic pathways(16). This is in contrast to n-6 PUFAs which have been found to upregulate COX-2(17). It is also interesting to note that in breast, colon and prostate cancer COX-2 is overexpressed (18, 19). Taking this into account it is likely that suppression of COX-2 by n-3 PUFAs may be a preventative measure in these cancers. In conclusion there is evidence for the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs in cancer prevention, however due to inconsistencies in epidemiological data it is too early to recommend the use of n-3 PUFAs for cancer prevention. Possible explanations to explain these inconsistencies may be that population-based studies rely heavily on data from self-reported dietary PUFA intake. This form of data collection may poorly correlate with accurate PUFA intake. Another possible explanation is that the amount of n-3 PUFA administered in studies, may not be of a sufficient quantity to have a protective functions in cancer prevention. Further studies are needed to be carried out to account for the current variation in published studies before recommending n-3 PUFAs for cancer prevention. According to the latest report from the National Cancer Registry: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in both men and women in Ireland (20). Environmental factors such as diet have been identified as playing a role in the risk of CRC development. Preventability estimates from the World Cancer Research Fund show that 47% of cases of CRC in the UK can be prevented by modifying factors such as eating and drinking healthily, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight(21). According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004 24% of people (who did not take supplements containing vitamin B6) have suboptimal active B6 plasma concentrations (22). Vitamin B6 is a water soluble vitamin, which in its active form: pyridoxal 5’-phostphate (PIP) is involved in more than 100 coenzyme reactions, including lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism(23). Vitamin B6 may play a role in CRC prevention through its role in one carbon related DNA synthesis and methylation(24). Vitamin B6 has also been shown to reduce the formation of nitric oxide(25), inhibit angiogenesis(26) and reduce oxidative stress(27), creating an unfavourable environment for tumour development. Despite the mechanistic evidence supporting for the role of vitamin B6 in CRC cancer prevention, epidemiological evidence has been inconsistent. A meta-analysis of 9 studies carried out between 2002-2009 on Vitamin B6 intake in relation to CRC risk, found inconsistent results with both an inverse and positive association(28). The same meta-analysis included four nestled case-control studies investigating serum PLP on CRC risk. All four studies found an inverse relationship between PLP levels and CRC risk, with an overall reduced risk of CRC for every 100-pmol/mL increase in serum PLP(28). In the 9 studies of vitamin B6 intake and CRC risk it seems that highest vs lowest category of vitamin B6 intake was most important. When the study’s results were pooled together, a 21% significant reduction in CRC risk was found when comparing high vs low vitamin B6 intake in studies with a wider range of exposure (>1.5-mg difference)(28). A different study prospectively followed up 26,440 women and 44,410 men to assess whether a higher vitamin B6 intake in the remote past(12-16years prior to diagnosis) was more strongly associated with a lower risk of developing CRC than an intake in the recent past (4 years prior to diagnosis)(23). The results of this study did not support a strong role of vitamin B6 intake in preventing CRC development. However most of the participants were relatively well nourished, with only 5-10% of people having a vitamin B6 intake below the recommended daily allowance(23). This limited the study as it is not the most accurate measures of determining the potential effects on suboptimal vitamin B6 on CRC risk. The Japan Public Health Centre-based Prospective study investigated the association of dietary folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and methionine on CRC risk(29). The study included 81,184 participants (38,107 men and 43,077 women) who were followed from 1995-98 to the end of 2002. A significantly inverse relationship between vitamin B6 intake and CRC was found in men. Men in the highest quartile of vitamin B6 intake had a 35% decreased risk of CRC compared with men in the lowest quartile. No association was found in vitamin B6 intake and CRC in women. Interestingly a higher intake of vitamin B6 appeared to be beneficial in men with higher alcohol intake. The study found that the risk of CRC associated with alcohol intake was significantly higher in those who had a low vitamin B6 intake, however this risk was found to decrease in those who had a higher vitamin B6 intake(29). In conclusion there is evidence to suggest that vitamin B6 may play a role in CRC prevention, however it appears that plasma PLP appears to be more strongly linked to a reduced risk in CRC. Studies investigating the effect of vitamin B6 intake on CRC risk appear to be inconsistent. In contrast studies on PLP have found higher plasma PLP CRC risk by 30-50%(23). It is also important to note that studies have found that individuals with higher activity levels, higher dietary intakes of folate and calcium and individuals who do not smoke have higher vitamin B6 levels and a decreased risk of CRC(23). In these individuals it is difficult to determine if it is these healthier behaviours or the increased B6 levels that decreases CRC risk. It is also difficult to assess the impact of dietary vitamin B6 on its own on CRC risk, as most foods containing vitamin B6 contain various other nutrients such as folate and vitamin D. Further studies are needed to be carried out to explain the current inconsistencies in the use of vitamin B6 and CRC risk before vitamin B6 can be recommended as a preventive measure. 1.International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO. GLOBOCAN 2012: Estimated Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence in 2012 2012. Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_cancer.aspx. 2.Organization WH. Cancer fact sheet 2014 [updated February 2014]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html. 3.Parada B, Reis F, Cerejo R, Garrido P, Sereno J, Xavier-Cunha M, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit tumor growth in a rat model of bladder cancer. BioMed research international. 2013;2013:368178. 4.Ritch CR, Wan RL, Stephens LB, Taxy JB, Huo D, Gong EM, et al. Dietary fatty acids correlate with prostate cancer biopsy grade and volume in Jamaican men. The Journal of urology. 2007;177(1):97-101; discussion 5.Williams CD, Whitley BM, Hoyo C, Grant DJ, Iraggi JD, Newman KA, et al. A high ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. Nutrition research (New York, NY). 2011;31(1):1-8. 6.Sawada N, Inoue M, Iwasaki M, Sasazuki S, Shimazu T, Yamaji T, et al. Consumption of n-3 fatty acids and fish reduces risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterology. 2012;142(7):1468-75. 7.Sasazuki S, Inoue M, Iwasaki M, Sawada N, Shimazu T, Yamaji T, et al. Intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and development of colorectal cancer by subsite: Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study. International journal of cancer Journal international du cancer. 2011;129(7):1718-29. 8.Thiebaut AC, Chajes V, Gerber M, Boutron-Ruault MC, Joulin V, Lenoir G, et al. Dietary intakes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer. International journal of cancer Journal international du cancer. 2009;124(4):924-31. 9.Gu Z, Wu J, Wang S, Suburu J, Chen H, Thomas MJ, et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids affect the localization and signaling of PIP3/AKT in prostate cancer cells. Carcinogenesis. 2013;34(9):1968-75. 10.Turk HF, Barhoumi R, Chapkin RS. Alteration of EGFR spatiotemporal dynamics suppresses signal transduction. PloS one. 2012;7(6):e39682. 11.Schley PD, Jijon HB, Robinson LE, Field CJ. Mechanisms of omega-3 fatty acid-induced growth inhibition in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Breast cancer research and treatment. 2005;92(2):187-95. 12.Larsson SC, Kumlin M, Ingelman-Sundberg M, Wolk A. Dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids for the prevention of cancer: a review of potential mechanisms. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2004;79(6):935-45. 13.Cheuk BL, Chew SB, Fiscus RR, Wong PY. Cyclooxygenase-2 regulates apoptosis in rat epididymis through prostaglandin D2. Biology of reproduction. 2002;66(2):374-80. 14.Cockbain AJ, Volpato M, Race AD, Munarini A, Fazio C, Belluzzi A, et al. Anticolorectal cancer activity of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid. Gut. 2014. 15.Hamid R, Singh J, Reddy BS, Cohen LA. Inhibition by dietary menhaden oil of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumors. International journal of oncology. 1999;14(3):523-8. 16.Rose DP, Connolly JM. Omega-3 fatty acids as cancer chemopreventive agents. Pharmacology therapeutics. 1999;83(3):217-44. 17.Badawi AF, Archer MC. Effect of hormonal status on the expression of the cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 genes and prostaglandin synthesis in rat mammary glands. Prostaglandins other lipid mediators. 1998;56(2-3):167-81. 18.Williams CS, Mann M, DuBois RN. The role of cyclooxygenases in inflammation, cancer, and development. Oncogene. 1999;18(55):7908-16. 19.Dempke W, Rie C, Grothey A, Schmoll HJ. Cyclooxygenase-2: a novel target for cancer chemotherapy? Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology. 2001;127(7):411-7. 20.Registry NC. Cancer In Ireland: Annual report of the National Registry. 2013. 21.Fund WCR. Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention. Food, Nutrition, and Physical activity: a Global Perspective. 2009 updated 2011. 22.Morris MS, Picciano MF, Jacques PF, Selhub J. Plasma pyridoxal 5-phosphate in the US population: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2004. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2008;87(5):1446-54. 23.Zhang XH, Ma J, Smith-Warner SA, Lee JE, Giovannucci E. Vitamin B6 and colorectal cancer: current evidence and future directions. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG. 2013;19(7):1005-10. 24.Selhub J. Folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 and one carbon metabolism. The journal of nutrition, health aging. 2002;6(1):39-42. 25.Komatsu S, Watanabe H, Oka T, Tsuge H, Kat N. Dietary vitamin B6 suppresses colon tumorigenesis, 8-hydroxyguanosine, 4-hydroxynonenal, and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein in azoxymethane-treated mice. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology. 2002;48(1):65-8. 26.Matsubara K, Mori M, Matsuura Y, Kato N. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate and pyridoxal inhibit angiogenesis in serum-free rat aortic ring assay. International journal of molecular medicine. 2001;8(5):505-8. 27.Jain SK, Lim G. Pyridoxine and pyridoxamine inhibits superoxide radicals and prevents lipid peroxidation, protein glycosylation, and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity reduction in high glucose-treated human erythrocytes. Free radical biology medicine. 2001;30(3):232-7. 28.Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A. Vitamin B6 and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. 2010;303(11):1077-83. 29.Ishihara J, Otani T, Inoue M, Iwasaki M, Sasazuki S, Tsugane S. Low intake of vitamin B-6 is associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer in Japanese men. The Journal of nutrition. 2007;137(7):1808-14.