Injuries in Sport Essay Example for Free

Injuries in Sport Essay Concussion can be caused by a blow to the head, which results in a short period of unconsciousness and then a full recovery. It is most common in contact sports e.g. football etc. To treat concussions you must put an ice pack on the head. Then you must ensure that the head is always higher in the heart and soon after they should have recovered but if the symptoms persist then the person must go to the doctors. The signs and symptoms are memory loss, change in breathing rate, and temporary loss of consciousness, loss of balance, disturbed vision and diluted pupils. Accidents can be less serious if headgear is warm in high contact sports like rugby and hockey. This reduces the chance of the blow being more deadly. If this injury occurs it will defend on the seriousness if the player is to go off or is able to continue playing. If it is serious than it may become life threatening and could potentially end a career in sport but if it is minor a player could return onto the field of play in minutes. Time must be given to regain consciousness. A spinal injury stress fracture is caused by twisting or direct stress to the bone. There is no treatment for this injury all that we can do is take the person with the injury to the hospital. The symptoms are pain in the back of the neck, swelling and bruising, redness and warmth , Tenderness to touch and numbness. This can be minimised by increasing calcium intake (calcium increases bone strength). It can also be minimised by doing strengthening exercises around the spine. These exercises increases the muscle capacity around the spine causing it to give more protection on impact. If this injury occurs the chance of returning to mobility is small so there is virtually no chance of returning to the field of play. This injury could possibly ruin someones life and could easily end a career. Fractures are caused by indirect or direct forces. If someone has a simple fracture we must support the injured part and take the person to the hospital. The signs for a simple fracture are pain , redness , swelling, bruising and discolouration. The compound fracture; bone breaking through skin , bleeding , pain, swelling , redness and bruising .To minimise fractures you could wear protective clothing. It is a impact injury so even if protective clothing is worn there still could be a chance of getting this injury. If the fracture is open firstly the bleeding will need to be controlled, to do this: * Apply pressure above the wound * Keep the wound elevated Try and use a splint around the fracture, when the bleeding has been controlled, if you cannot do this please inform a member of staff beforehand. It is difficult to say whether a player will return after this. It all depends on the seriousness but often a player is required to go off to receive treatment. Dislocations are caused by a blow for examples to the shoulder .They are most common in contact sports. We must call a trained person who must be there to help we must ensure that the athlete is kept warm to prevent shock occurring. We must also immobilise the neck and dislocated shoulder with padded splints or a sling. The signs for dislocation are severe pain no movement, visible bone deformity, swelling, bruising and numbness. Dislocations can be minimised by warming up, strengthening muscles so they can be used as a protective layer. Also protective clothing can be worn so the chance of dislocating a muscle will be lower. If this injury occurs than the player may have to rest. It would be very difficult and painful to carry on playing. Sprains can be caused by a sudden twist, overstretching or stress on ligaments. They are in boxing and football. The way to treat this is R.I.C.E .The symptoms for sprains are; pain or tenderness in the part of the body, which gets worse if the arm rotates or attempts to grip an object. To minimise the risk of injury perform strengthening exercises for the forearm. You could also under take a thorough warm up. Protective equipment can be worn to minimise the risk of injury. I will make sure that the athlete is kept warm to prevent shock, immobilise the injury with padded splints or a sling. Do not attempt to reposition the dislocated joint. Only our trained personnel should do this. If this occurs the chance of carrying playing is very slim. Some time must be taken off so the body can recuperate and recover. Very difficult to play through this pain. Head injuries are common in sports such as football for example when someone bangs his head with someone else. The signs for a heads injury are blurred vision, and headache. To minimise the risk of getting a head injury is to wear protective headgear but in some sport you are not allowed. The treatment for this is to call 999 and at the hospital they will treat the person involved. If this injury occurs then the player might have a serious problem and it could possibly end a career in sport. Some head injuries may just require the athlete to go off for a minute or two to regain consciousness. This depends on how serious the injury is. Joint injuries can be treated by the following ways; Advice the athlete to rest or you could send the athlete to a doctor for a injection which reduces the inflammation and relieve pain. The symptoms are pain or tenderness in the the elbow, which gets worse if the arm rotates or attempts to grip an object. A badly sprains ankle can be treated by R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Apply ice for 20 minutes. The symptoms for a sprain in the ankle are pain at the ankle joint at any time of the injury. A feeling of popping or tearing of the ankle joint in the outer region. Some symptoms are; 1). Swelling and tenderness in the area. 2). Slight loss of function with slight injuries to the ankle joint 3). More severe loss of function with more severe injury 4). Bruising, which usually appears a few hours after the injury has occurred. These depend on the seriousness as well. If it is serious than it could require time for rest and the player will not be able to return onto the field off. The time off depends on the joint. Hypothermia is when athletes train in extreme cold conditions for a long time. The signs and symptoms are shivering , muscle rigidity , cramps , low blood pressure , low pulse rate and breathing rates , confusion , disorientation , cold , pale , dry skin. To minimise risk they could be equipped for all kinds of weather. Wear extra, thin layers of clothing; wear a waterproof and windproof outer layer of clothing.

Turning Paralympians into Super-humans Article Analysis

Turning Paralympians into Super-humans Article Analysis Critical Analysis of Pepper, P. Turning Paralympians into super-humans is no help to disabled people, The Guardian, 6 September, 2016 In Penny Peppers article Turning Paralympians into superhuman is no help to disabled people, which was originally published on the guardian website on the 6th of September, Penny Pepper contends that while characterising Paralympians as superhuman detracts away from the real issues that disable people have to deal with. Penny pepper highlights how disabled people are not being helped by the government and that the system in place doesnt do enough with regards to care and support for those who are disabled. The article Turning Paralympians into super-humans is no help to the disabled as Penny Pepper has been a writer and disability rights activist for over 20 years now and has an in depth knowledge of this subject. Peppers knowledge leads to an informative and insightful article creating much for the reader to consider in their day to day lives where many may not spend adequate time looking at how difficult the daily lives of those who are disabled can be and how much of this is possi bly down to a lack of infrastructure or down to unfulfilled promises from the government (Bagenstos, 2009). I think that this article does highlight issues that maybe do not get enough consideration and deserve a lot more examination in todays society. The main points of this article are, firstly, the campaign with which the author, Penny Pepper, has been tirelessly been fighting for. This is the fight for the independent living of Disabled people, which has gone again unnoticed after multiple campaigns for the independent living movement. The article then goes onto mention the cuts in funding that has led to terrible suffering for the disabled and also that there have been regular and consistent broken promises by the government which have led to these. Penny Pepper mentions the terrible living conditions that these situations have led to she says left living in their own mess and sleeping in vomit. (Pepper, 2016) The article then goes on to talk about how the majority of people on the committee simply cannot understand the reality of disabled lives and the inequality that there is. Pepper talks about three left-wing politicians and their support for her campaign. Pepper then goes onto discuss her concerns over whether labelling P aralympians as superhuman creates an image in which the only disabled person thats acceptable is a Paralympian. Which creates incredibly deep wounds for those who are disabled without being Paralympians. But, Pepper in the article, goes onto talk about how temporary this focus on the issue is and how it shouldnt just be highlighted for four weeks while the Paralympics goes on. Another one of Peppers points in the article is that of what is the social construct of disability and what, where and who came up with this social model of disability and whether it is outdated and need to be updated to be considered properly in a modern day sense. Pepper concludes with a look at the lack of government support and interest in helping the disabled within society and refusing to input finances into infrastructure that would help those who are disabled and how sadly within society there are still barriers with which those who are disable have to encounter and overcome. For example trying to get a job despite attempts by those in power (Wilsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Kovacs et al., 2008). Pepper concludes with her hopes for the future and where she hopes progress may take the disabled in society. Pepper concludes with the quote let us be ordinary, let us be every day and let us at least have rights. Rights to independent living. (Pepper, 2016). This returns the article to what Pepper started with which was the right to independent living. It is apparent throughout the article that there is an agenda behind what Penny Pepper is writing and that becomes visible while reading her article. Pepper uses her activism in everyday life to help support her article and by doing this she creates an article that is meant to be firstly informative about the struggles of disabled people within society(Quarmby, 2012). Peppers first hand experiences of what a disabled person has to encounter every day. Pepper manages to highlight how on a day to day basis there is a need for those in society who have this label of being disabled to be considered and a need for activism (Rhodes et al., 2008). This activism is anything from peaceful marches to articles to disabled or hacking a website which Graeme Ellis. Ellis sabotaged the conservative party website after he claimed that George Osbornes budget had gone some way to completely ignoring the plight of those in society who are disabled. This led to Graeme Ellis taking down the website for T he Conservative Disability Group. In my opinion I find this article to be an attempt to persuade the reader of the plight of the disabled and an attempt to get the reader to join the attempt to follow her attempts to create a better life for the disabled. However, I feel like it could be a stronger argument and if there was a bit more decision over whether her article was supposed to be informative or persuasive. The problem with this article is that, what was supposed to shed a positive light on the Paralympics. It was supposed to be a celebration of the abilities of those who are disabled. When Channel 4 released the Were the Superhumans advert with the backing song yes I can by Sammy Davis Jr. performed by a big band composed of musicians with disabilities. All these attempts were in an attempt to celebrate what people with disabilities can do. It was not supposed to be an illustration or an attempt to shame those who have disabilities that havent become Paralympians. This article tries to suggest that this advert was an assault on daily lives of those who are disabled. I fail to see how this is advert is anything else than an attempt to celebrate the achievements of those that are disabled. When Penny Pepper wrote in the Guardian editorial that The hyping of disabled athletes into superhuman status by Channel 4 only deepens our wounds, inflicted by continual assaults on our daily lives. S he portrays this as all negative, but through this advert the public in the UK became increasingly more excited and involved in the Paralympics. I believe that this is therefore not a bad thing as it creates a society where disability is in the forefront of societies mind. However, one of the strengths of this article written by Penny Pepper, is how she considers the idea of what the social construct of disability is. Pepper says Many disabled people know that disability is a social construct. This is a kindergarten-level social model of disability It is easy to forget the role that society plays in helping those who are disabled deal with everyday life. This is summed up well by the quote It is everyday socio-spatial environments which di-able people (Sawadsri, 2012). This includes the lack of ramps into public buildings and the presence of steps throughout towns and cities across the United Kingdom. These are factors that Pepper argues creates disability, but it goes so much further which I think Pepper tries to state. It is forgotten that so much of disability comes down to the attitudes of society.   Penny Pepper has been an activist for this and has regularly talked about these social barriers that disabled people have to deal with. These c an be split into three sections environment, attitudes and organisations. Under environment pepper talks about inaccessibility to buildings and services and this ties into what Pepper says with regards to the lack of governmental investment with regards to infrastructure. As Pepper says in the article while the unending fact of inaccessible environments and savage attacks on our services continues to invalidate such proposals. (Pepper, 2016) This goes onto how the attitudes within society makes it difficult for those who are disabled. Another example of these social barriers that Pepper mentions in her example. This therefore shows one of the strengths of Peppers article in highlighting what is regularly overlooked when attempting to help those who are disabled in society. The article highlights the role of society and how there is a way of helping those in disabled situations and creating a situation where disabled people are not represented as other but as just someone fully integ rated into society. (Garland-Thomson, 2002) Another feature of this article is its political aspect, which becomes apparent in the first quarter of the article. All the politicians that are mentioned are inherently left wing, including Jeremy Corbyn who is one of the stauncher left wing politicians in the United Kingdom today. This displays an attitude from Pepper that falls in line with popular opinion today suggesting that the right wing parties in the United Kingdom, the Conservatives, do not care about those who are disabled. It also suggests that she feels that she may be able to show that in her writing the left-wing politicians are the only people in government who are willing to help those in society who are disabled. It certainly displays an aspect to her writing where Pepper is trying to convince the reader that if they care about this issue then they must, almost, vote and identify with the left wing in the United Kingdom. Another columnist from The Guardian, Amelia Gentleman wrote it is simply no longer possible to be disabled and a Tory this was a quote from Graeme Ellis a life-long conservative voter and disability activist. This does however highlight the cuts that the conservative party has made since being in power to disability benefits. This therefore suggests that this article has a political agenda and thereby suggests that this article is aimed at a specific audience. This could also be explained by the publication being The Guardian newspaper which is renowned for being a more left wing newspaper in the United Kingdom. Finally, it is important to consider whether Penny Pepper has accomplished what she set out to do with writing her article. I think that Pepper does essentially achieve what she set out to do, which was to highlight her disagreement with Paralympians being labelled as superhuman but also to disagree with how the disabled are treated and supported in todays society (Wolbring, 2016). I think that Pepper could have created a more effective essay if she had considered fewer problems within society rather than have such a broad range of topics including social construct of disability and how politics is not helping those who are disabled in society. Therefore it could be said that to some extent Penny Pepper has achieved what she set out to do when writing this article with a well-researched article with a powerful conclusion. Therefore, it can be said in conclusion that this article is useful because it brings to the fore issues that may not be given enough thought in society today. I believe that this article does a good job of highlighting these issues and educating the reader in what could be done and what every person in society could do to help eliminate the social idea of what disability is. I think that one of the particular strengths of this article is Penny Peppers real life experiences of the challenges that disabled people face every day and what the responsibility of society is in the hope for progress as the years progress. For these reasons I think it can be said that this is a strong article with both well researched information and that is directed at the right audience. Word Count 1960 References Bagenstos, S. (2009). Law and the contradictions of the disability rights movement. 1st ed. New Haven: Yale University Press, pp.146-150. Garland-Thomson, R. (2002). Integrating Disability, Transforming Feminist Theory. NWSA Journal, [online] 14(3), pp.1-32. Available at: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/37970/summary [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Pepper, P. (2016). Turning Paralympians into superhumans is no help to disabled people. The Guardian. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/06/paralympians-superhumans-disabled-people [Accessed 14 Mar. 2017]. Quarmby, K. (2012). Scapegoat. 1st ed. London: Portobello, pp.30-33. Rhodes, P., Nocon, A., Small, N. and Wright, J. (2008). Disability and identity: the challenge of epilepsy. Disability Society, 23(4), pp.385-395. Sawadsri, A. (2012). Do I Look Like an Object? A Quest of Exploring Person Place Relationship of Disabling. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, [online] 50, pp.418-428. Available at: http://research.ncl.ac.uk/forum/v10i1/4_Antika.pdf [Accessed 15 Mar. 2017]. Wilsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Kovacs, D., Ryan, M., Haslam, S. and Rabinovich, A. (2008). Just because you can get a wheelchair in the building doesnt necessarily mean that you can still participate: barriers to the career advancement of disabled professionals. Disability Society, [online] 23(7), pp.705-717. Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09687590802469198 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Wolbring, G. (2016). Employment, Disabled People and Robots: What Is the Narrative in the Academic Literature and Canadian Newspapers?. Societies, 6(2), p.15.

Rate of Reaction Investigation :: Papers

Rate of Reaction Investigation 2HCL + NA ²S ²O ³ à   + 2NaCL Hydrochloric acid + Sodium thiosulphate à   Sulphur + Sodium chloride + S0 ² + H ²0 + Sulphur dioxide + Water Collision Theory For this experiment we can use the collision theory. Collision theory explains how chemical reactions occur and why rates of reaction differ. When particles collide, they may react. A reaction occurs when particle is facing in the correct direction and the collision has enough energy. If more collisions occur, then the chance of a successful collision is higher. [IMAGE] Aim To investigate the rate of reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium thiosulphate using variables. Equipment Sodium Thiosulphates Hydrochloric Acid Title marked with a cross - Then we will know when the reaction has taken place. Measuring cylinder - Measure how much of solution you use each time, so it's a fair test. Beaker - Where the reaction will take place Bunsen burner - How the temperature can increase. Tripod - To place the beaker onto. Stopwatch - Measuring how long the reaction takes place. Thermometer - To measure how hot the mixture is. Factors/ Variables Catalyst - A catalyst is a substance which increases the speed of a reaction without being changed or used up in a reaction. The catalysis works by giving the reacting particles something to stick to where they can collide into each other; this increases the number of collisions. Concentration - If the solution is made more concentrated it means there are more particles of reactant between the important particles are more likely. Temperature - When the temperature is increased the particles all move quicker, if they are moving quicker, they are going to have more collisions. We used a thermometer to control this. Particle size/ surface area - As the particle size decreases the surface area increases. The rate of reaction will increase because the acid can attack from different places.

An Analysis of The Other in All of Us, As Evoked by E.R. Burroughs Tar

An Analysis of The Other in All of Us, As Evoked by E.R. Burroughs' Tarzan Human nature is one of self-awareness. Because of that awareness, it is necessary for us to define ourselves by looking at the world around us and deciding what groups we fall into, and what groups we do not. Those groups we feel a part of become a safe haven, and those groups we feel separated from are seen as foreign, exotic, dangerous, or even subhuman. â€Å"The Other† must exist for human beings to define themselves individually. Our recognition of our differences in relation to others gives us our humanity and our individuality. But our curiosity about The Other still remains. Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel, Tarzan, is a discourse on our fascination with otherness: our reactions to â€Å"the other,† and our desire to discover how the other sees us. Burroughs’ has structured the novel so that readers are forced out of their traditional roles, taking on those of The Other. In so doing, readers see things about themselves that were invis ible to their individual selves, but obvious to outsiders. Burroughs avoids using this technique to reveal any great truths about society, choosing rather to entertain and amuse, but through entertaining his readers, he cannot help but give them a vehicle for rediscovering themselves. In Tarzan, there are two main kinds of â€Å"other,† two worlds, juxtaposed. Tarzan and his jungle constitute one world; Jane and â€Å"civilization† constitute another. Orbiting these two main worlds, are several moons, such as the Mbonga village and the mutineers. Tarzan might even be considered a moon, since there is no one like him, and he belongs to no group but his own. Tarzan’s jungle world would likely be foreign to most rea... ...girl, but found a new sense of self and identity, as does the reader. Burroughs has taken the readers on a journey away from themselves and into a place they could never go alone. He takes them outside of themselves, away from all that is safe and predictable, and gives them a chance to be reborn as an â€Å"other.† And in remaking the reader into an â€Å"other,† the reader is naturally given the opportunity to see society, and perhaps even his own little corner of society, through new eyes. He warns the reader to remember the feelings evoked by Tarzan and to be true to his new self. It is not only the places or events described in Tarzan that make it so enduringly entertaining; it is the chance to see our own lives as something unique, unusual, and significant. Works Cited: Burroughs, Edgar Rice. Tarzan: The Adventures of Lord Greystoke. Ballantine Books, 1972.

Learning about Ancient Civilization from the Indian Mahabharata Essay

Learning about Ancient Civilization from the Indian Mahabharata I believe that the Mahabharata historically teaches us about ancient Indian civilization wonderfully. Whether the epic really happened or not, many in present day India really do believe in the mystical world of god, goddesses, and god-like warrior kings. For them to have such faith in the epic says a lot about their culture, which is rich of soul and in my opinion imagination. Is it safe to say that some of the cultural make-up exhibited in the Mahabharata such as male and female roles pass on to today India? I think so. Of course India has grown much since the telling of the Mahabharata, but through the lives of the Dhritarashtra and Pandu's families we can see how historically ancient Indians thought, which may or may not flow into how they think today, but it's an interesting concept to ponder. In this essay I will discuss the male and female roles within the ancient royal families and back-up my opinions with stories from the Mahabharata. Due to the importance of dharma males roles differed, but for most the male was a hunter and provider for his family. Besides the time when Yudhisthira embarrassed Draupadi with his gambling issue, one male role was to protect his wife. The Pandavas wife traveled with them and they cared so much for her that they would kill on her command. For example, when Kichaka pursued Draupadi even after her warnings of her five husbands Bhima, one of the Pandavas, took care of the problem by squishing Kichaka into a round ball of flesh. Through most of the epic the Pandavas tried to protect their wives from danger, but there is only so much you can do in times of war. Another male responsibility was to obtain wives, ... ... the sake of the future of the kingdom. The males were skilled in battle and fashionably wore there hair back. Males did not really dance much either. Then for the females, they did dance. The girls were expected to eventually become a wife. As a wife the females were the baby makers and support system for the family. She was caring and a friend to her husband. This of course does not really depict the ancient civilization as a whole. For example, this way of living does not include the prostitutes. These roles that I have studied from the Mahabharata are really only of the royal families, because the majority of the story was about kings, queens, princes, and princesses. Overall, the epic was a great analysis of how people in ancient India viewed the world and how through the roles of men and women everything was kept in balance within the kingdoms.

Race and Birdie

â€Å"Lost in Caucasia†: an essay on the novel Caucasia by Danzy SennaAds by GoogleAssociate Nursing Courses www. keiser-education. com Earn A Degree In Nursing From Keiser University. Register Today! Why am I posting this? This is an essay I wrote for a Women's Studies course I took in University. When writing an essay or an assignment for school the hardest part for me was figuring out where to start. I believe that getting a few ideas by seeing examples and reading other peoples essay's always helped me figure out how I would write my own essay and how to get started.That is why I decided to share my essay with all of you. Hope this helps! Caucasia: A Novel by Danzy Senna Pin It Caucasia: A novel by Danzy Senna Introduction Caucasia by Danzy Senna is a narrative of a young bi-racial girl’s journey of coming to race consciousness as she is forced to leave her home in the south end of Boston (a â€Å"racially† mixed area), and disappear into â€Å"Caucasia† (the white nation). One of the main themes in the novel is the issue of â€Å"race†. Senna explores the contradictions between a visible racial identity and a subjective identity, and as a consequence destabilizes the idea of â€Å"race†.The novel Caucasia illustrates the intersectional social constructions of whiteness through Birdie’s struggles with identity, her standpoint, and the structures of difference and race seen through her eyes. Identity Caucasia examines the relationship of identity with the self (body and mind) and how others perceive us in our bodies. Senna shows the reader how identities of gender, race and nationality are intersectionally and socially constructed. In the beginning of the novel Birdie has no name, her identity is shaped and formed by how others see her.The confusion Birdie feels with her identity is not only due to the discord she feels between her body image and her physical body which most adolescent girls deal with, but she also feels confusion regarding the mixed messages she receives from the â€Å"white† and â€Å"black† communities because of her white skin. The characters of Birdie and Cole are both bi-racial, however others (including their own parents) see Birdie as â€Å"white† and Cole as â€Å"black†. During Birdie’s childhood and her time at Nkrumah, Birdie was raised to have a strong â€Å"black† identity.This identity was problematized by her white skin and facial features. At times Birdie felt as if she was valued less then Cole for not fitting the â€Å"black† image: â€Å"Others before had made me see the differences between my sister and myself—the texture of our hair, the tints of our skin, the shapes of our features. But Carmen was the one to make me feel that those things somehow mattered. To make me feel that the differences were deeper than skin† (Senna, 1999, p. 91). Birdie begins her identity quest by attempting to disappear, to become invisible. Birdie recalls a story told to her by Cole about Elemeno.That Elemeno is not only a language, but also a people and a place of safety and inclusion. Cole explained to Birdie that people in Elemeno constantly shift shape and colour in a quest for invisibility in order to survive as a species. The power of the Elemeno people lays in their ability to disappear into any surroundings. In response to Cole’s story, Birdie asks â€Å"What was the point of surviving if you had to disappear? † (Senna, p. 7-8). Ironically the story of the Elemeno’s would foreshadow Birdie’s own disappearance into â€Å"Caucasia† for her own survival.The need for Birdie to â€Å"disappear† or become â€Å"invisible† in order to survive in â€Å"Caucasia† echoes the writings of bell hooks (1992). In speaking of the power and terror of the white gaze historically in the U. S. , hooks explains that there is safety in the  "pretense of invisibility† (hooks, p. 340) and how black people have learned to â€Å"wear the mask† (hooks, p. 341) in an effort to become and remain in that safe haven of invisibility from the terrorizing white gaze. Birdie appears to have been wearing â€Å"the mask† since her time in Nkrumah.The hostility of the other children toward Birdie in particular, at the all â€Å"black† school forces Birdie to â€Å"wear the mask† and put on a racial performance for her schoolmates in Nkrumah and she even begins to learn to speak in slang to better fit in. The character of Birdie resembles that of a chameleon, constantly taking on the colour of those around her in an attempt to become invisible. This racial performance shifts through Birdie’s journey as she attempts to fit in with the â€Å"white† teenagers in New Hampshire.Birdie begins to act, talk, and dress like the New Hampshire teens and as a consequence begins to disappear into â₠¬Å"Caucasia† (the white nation) and her falsified identity of Jesse Goldman. As hooks points out, for white people there is an assumption and fantasy of safety (hooks, p. 340). This can be seen in Sandy Lee’s assumption that she can easily disappear into whiteness, which she takes for granted. Despite Sandy’s rejection of her history of white privilege, she always has the safety in knowing that she has the option of disappearing into the safety of whiteness.For Birdie disappearing into whiteness does not denote â€Å"safety†, it signifies losing herself and her true identity. Birdie must contain and compromise her own true identity in order to have this â€Å"pretense of invisibility†. Eventually, Birdie’s loss of her true identity drives her to flee New Hampshire and remove her â€Å"mask†. â€Å"I wondered†¦ if I too would forever be fleeing in the dark, abandoning parts of myself that I no longer wanted, in search of some part that had escaped me. Killing one girl in order to let the other one free† (Senna, p. 289).Birdie’s disappearances throughout her journey were identity forming processes and important for her search for her sense of self and her identity. Birdies identity quest began by attempting to disappear and become invisible, however, her quest comes full circle as she again finds herself at the end of the novel. Throughout the novel Birdie also struggles with her sexual identity. Senna challenges the categorization of identities through the character of Birdie and suggests that identity is fluid. Birdie does not fit into the rigid categories of â€Å"white† or â€Å"black† or gay or straight, she is in-between.Standpoint Senna also examines whiteness and its social construction from the character Birdie’s standpoint in the novel. Standpoint refers to the location or place within the relationship of domination and subordination, that affects what people see or do not see. Ruth Frankenberg (1993) argues that there is a direct relationship between experience and standpoint. She argues that those who are the oppressed in the systems of domination are more likely to see the structure of domination because they experience it (Frankenberg, p. 5).In Caucasia, Birdie can see whiteness in ways others can not due to the fact that Birdie sits on the boundary of whiteness. In fact, for this same reason Birdie can see blackness in ways that others can not. To the â€Å"black† community Birdie is seen as â€Å"white†, but in comparison to the â€Å"white† community she feels like she is â€Å"black†. She looks on at each end of the spectrum to the structures of whiteness and blackness from in-between both. She becomes aware of the white gaze and the power of the white gaze in ways that others can not.Birdie becomes aware of the power of the white gaze very early on as she experiences the terror it puts in her father when he is questioned by the police and accused for kidnapping â€Å"a little white girl† (Senna, p. 60-61). Structures of Difference and Race The setting of the novel Caucasia plays an important role in its examination of the social construction of whiteness. The novel is set during the 1970’s in the racially tense city of Boston in the mix of the civil rights movement in America.Caucasia made it apparent that the nation was very fractured and built on processes of exclusion (and inclusion) and othering. The history of America as a nation has been built through the violent creation of difference, and as a consequence the violence and wedge of difference continues into the time of this novel. Sandy Lee refers to the nation as â€Å"This war they call America† (Senna, p. 331), illustrating the fractured nationalism that exists within the nation. These inequalities that structure differences are relational (relationship between privileged and oppressed).Frankenberg argue s that â€Å"whiteness† is a racialized identity that is constructed in relation to the racialized â€Å"other† (Frankenberg, p. 13). The foundation of white supremacy is based on the belief that whiteness is a pure category and a dominant â€Å"race† and as such, it must be protected and kept intact. This essentialist view of racism (seeing race as different) is seen in Caucasia in many instances through the reactions to Birdie and Cole from others and how others see them. We can see this in particular through the characters of Carmen and Grandma Logan.The differential treatment of the two sisters by both these characters shows the hidden prejudices that exist within people shaped by the structures of difference and race. In regards to Grandma Logan, Birdie recalls â€Å"she believed that the face was a mirror of the soul. She believed, deep down, that the race my face reflected made me superior. Such a simple, comforting myth to live by† (Senna, p. 366) . Grandma Logan also represents the generational history of whiteness which has placed her in a position of privilege.In hooks examination of whiteness, she explains that white people can safely imagine that they are invisible to black people (hooks, p. 340). This is in part due to the normalization of whiteness by â€Å"white† people in which they view whiteness as â€Å"non-racial† or racially neutral. In Caucasia, Senna constructs whiteness as being the object of critical scrutiny through her character of Birdie. At the beginning of the novel, Birdie describes most people she see’s as having caramel or cinnamon skin without ever identifying them by â€Å"race†.On the other hand, Birdie clearly identifies â€Å"white† people by â€Å"race† with no mention of skin tone. Thus, it becomes evident to the reader that there is a reversal from the usual format in society in which whiteness is seen as the â€Å"norm†. In Birdie’s wor ld it is â€Å"black† people who are the â€Å"norm† and â€Å"white† people who are the exception. Conclusion Through Birdie’s journey in Caucasia, the author illustrates the intersectional social constructions of whiteness and rejects the rigid categories of identity that have been socially constructed.Senna also examines the relationships of power and subordination of whiteness and blackness, through the eyes of Birdie who stands in-between the boundaries of these constructed categories. Finally, through Birdie’s journey of race cognizance we see the structures of difference and how they affect lives. Birdie’s journey illustrates that the citizens of America all live in very different â€Å"America’s† according to their racialized, gendered, and sexualized experiences and how these categories intersect to create greater â€Å"difference† and further fracture the nation.

A drama in play format Essay

Gerald is not a member of the Birling family but he is still caught in their ‘web of sin’. He found Eva in a bar where he was hoping to pick up a mistress; he found her in the clutches of Alderman Megarty. Alderman was harassing Eva. When Gerald, like her knight in shining armour, made Alderman go away, they started to talk and became friends and eventually lovers. This all happened during the time that Sheila and Gerald were lovers. This is the largest part of the immoral act committed by Gerald, which was in fact not against Eva but against Shelia. Eventually he decided that their relationship had to end so he gave her some money and they went their separate ways. It is my belief that for a time Gerald and Eva were in love, as when it sinks in that she is dead he says, page 35: ‘Sorry – I – well, I’ve suddenly realised – taken it in properly – that she’s dead. ‘ Gerald was the only member of the group to show some love and compassion to Eva. Later, Gerald appears to be indifferent to the death of Eva especially after the inspector has left and he believes it was all a hoax. Indifference is also shown to the fact that he sinned. Mrs Birling denied Eva benefits from a charity of which she was the chairman. This was for several reasons, but the main one was the fact that Eva fabricated a name when it was her turn to be interviewed by the charity’s committee. Her name of choice was Mrs Birling, this was because it was Eric who had made her pregnant, and the real Mrs Birling obviously did not know this fact, and seemed to think that Eva was personally insulting her. Eva therefore received no benefits. This was a highly immoral act, as the members of the committee are not meant to be prejudiced towards any appeal. Mrs Birling thought that what she did was acceptable because Eva had lied. However, it was in fact not a lie as it was Eric’s child, also a Mr Birling, and he did propose to marry her but she had refused, as she knew it would not work. Eric was in a bar one night and he got talking to Eva, he also got drunk. He then walked Eva home and forced himself upon her, page 52: ‘Well, I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty’. After she told him she was pregnant he began to steal money from his father’s business to help her. This was the only unintentional act of cruelty to happen to Eva, as all the others were purposeful acts of cruelty. He was not cruel to her but still he brought her suffering. He was another member of the group actually affected by the events. As he seems to have been changed for the better by the death of Eva. The Inspector’s name is Goole. Pronounced the same as the ghost, or ghoul. This makes me think that he is a ghost or a spectre of some kind, sent to the Birling family to show them the errors of their ways. A lot like the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future from Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. He appears to know about Eva’s death before it has even happened: perhaps he has some kind of sixth sense. He says towards the end of the third act, page 54: ‘And my trouble is – that I haven’t much time. ‘ Is this because he knows the real police will soon call the house to ask their questions? We know in retrospect that at this point there is no dead body at the mortuary, because Gerald Croft rings the mortuary to ascertain this soon after Goole has left. I do not believe that Inspector Goole is a real police inspector. His mannerisms are unlike those of a real police officer, although he does refuse a drink at the beginning, page 11: ‘No thank you, Mr Birling. I’m on duty. ‘ I think he says this because he is acting the role of a policeman. He becomes too emotionally involved in the situation; a real policeman would keep the questioning on an official level. For example, he says to Mr Birling, page 46: ‘Don’t stammer and yammer at me again, man. I’m losing all patience with you people. ‘ This story is told as a drama in play format. The end of each of the three acts, including the final one, is completed with a moment of suspense. The audience is left anticipating the next act, wondering what will happen. The audience also become emotionally attached to the characters and want to know whether Sheila and Gerald will remain engaged, they want to know what the Birlings will do with Eric, and will there be a public scandal? They are drawn in to the rights and wrongs of the characters’ actions, and they pass judgement upon Gerald and Eric’s behaviour, Mrs Birling’s snobbery, Mr Birling’s self righteousness. The audience listens to the moral of the story, that we are individuals in a society, who should look after each other, and not be merely out for what we can get. The final few words of the play are unexpected. We have had the feeling that the Inspector is not all he seems, but now that the real police (presumably) have telephoned, things become clearer. I wanted to see a continuation of the play, with real events, real police, and see how much the characters changed when faced with the information again. No doubt Sheila and Eric would approach the situation differently, they seem to have learned a lesson from events. On page 70, Sheila says: ‘ Everything we said had happened really had happened. If it didn’t end tragically, then that’s lucky for us. But it might have done. ‘ and on page 71: ‘You’re pretending everything’s just as it was before’. She and Eric have moved on from their original viewpoints, and this gives us hope for the future, it is to be hoped that they would not behave so badly again in their future relationships with people. Unfortunately, we are unable to know the real ending.