One significant aspect from the book Narrative of the Life of Essay

One significant aspect from the book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave - Essay Example Early on Douglass acquaints his reader with the dehumanizing aspects of slavery by making a subtle reference to horses. The reader learns that Douglass is not aware of his own age but he quickly points out that such a thing was common among slaves who â€Å"know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs.† (Douglass, 47) The underlying message here is that the connection between horses and slaves is a reflection of the attitude of slave owners who regarded slaves as mere property in much the same manner as animals are regarded. Another message conveyed by this comparison between the slave and the horse is Douglass’s way of demonstrating how the mind of the slave was shaped by the slave owner and the contained world in which he was forced to live. This world which is forged by slave owners dictates that slaves were not human and having been born in this environment the slave had nothing else to go on. In other words the slave is not permitted to attain personal growth and having been born and raised in the slave owners’ world the slave is not permitted to subscribe to independent thought. In keeping with the dependency of slavery and cultivating a passive acceptance of forced labour slaves were not educated. They were merely put to work. Education would bring in a measure of self-consciousness and with self-consciousness comes rebellion or resistance. Douglass comes to this awareness once he learns to read and write and comes to the realization that he is human. The irony is however, that once Douglass becomes self-conscious and learns about the world around him he also becomes poignantly aware of his containment and comments that he â€Å"...would at time feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing.† (Douglass, 84) Douglass comes to the realization that it is the very essence of self-consciousness and independent thought that separates man from

BOOK REVIEW Research required.Review Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Essay

BOOK REVIEW Research required.Review Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois and Jeff Schonberg - Essay Example These emotions were intensified by their situation, with addiction bringing them closer and farther away from each other. The work of Bourgois and Schonberg critically presented their findings of the conditions of the homeless community by linking image, words and theories. This is reflected clearly on their research methods and their unique style of presentation with the use of their field notes and photographs from their period of study. They did not only show the dopefiends’ struggle with life on the streets and with moral judgment but they also revealed their humanity through the same struggles. The authors aimed to present a critical presentation of the issue of addiction. They did not merely present what is happening, though, lest they be mistaken as simply intellectual voyeurs but they find the relationship between practice and theories (Bourgouis and Schonberg, p.297). They critically assessed the situation but they also looked for solutions through immediate policy options and specific local interventions, both short and long term, to reduce the suffering of their research subjects (Bourgouis and Schonberg, p.297). Their work also aimed to redress the institutional suffering of the homeless addicts and translate this to practical use for the betterment of the community and the moral economy. They delved deep into the situation, considering not their personal reasons for being doped but the structural position and ehtnographic differences within the community. With this, the researchers learned how the community treats each other and how the larger and more dominant com munity regards dopelessness and homelessness. With the use of participant observation and photo-ethnography, the researchers developed a unique way of presenting the human side of the dopefiend community of Edgewater. With the use photographs, they were able to present the emotions present in the everyday lives of the addicts. It also weaved a path for the

Barriers to Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Barriers to Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication is a process and has many aspects to it. Communication is a dynamic process by which information is shared between individuals (Sheldon 2005). This process requires three components (Linear model Appendix figure 1.1), the sender, the receiver and the message (Alder 2003). Communication would not be possible if any of these components are absent. While Peate (2006) has suggested that communication is done every day through a linear process, Spouse (2008) argues that it is not so simple and does not follow such a linear process. He explains that due to messages being sent at the same time through verbal and non- verbal avenues, it is expected the receiver is able to understand the way this is communicated. Effective communication needs knowledge of good verbal and non-verbal communication techniques and the possible barriers that may affect good communication. The Nursing and Midwifery council (2008) states that a nurse has effective communication skills before they can register as its seen as an essential part of a nurses delivery of care. (WAG 2003) Reflecting on communication in practice will also enforce the theory behind communication and allow a nurse to look at bad and good communication in different situations. This will then enforce the use of good communication techniques in a variety of situations allowing for a more interpersonal and therapeutic nurse patient relationship. This assignment discusses health care communication and why it is important in nursing by: Exploring verbal and non-verbal communication and possible barriers By exploring the fundamentals of care set out by the Welsh assembly and the nurse and midwifery councils code of conduct a better understanding of the importance of communication is gained. Reflecting in practice using a scenario from a community posting. VERBAL COMMUNICATION Verbal communication comes in the form of spoken language; it can be formal or informal in its delivery. Verbal Language is one of the main ways in which we communicate and is a good way to gather information through a question (an integral part of communication) and answer process (Berry 2007; Hawkins and Power 1999). Therefore verbal communication in nursing should be seen as a primary process and a powerful tool in the assessment of a patient. There are two main types of questioning, open-ended questions or closed questions (Stevenson 2004). Open-ended questions tend to warrant more than a one word response and generally start with what, who, where, when, why and how. It invites the patient to talk more around their condition and how they may be feeling and provoke a more detailed assessment to be obtained (Stevenson 2004). The use open-ended questions make the patient feel they have the attention of the nurse and they are being listened too (Grover 2005). It allows for a psychological focus to be given, this feeling of interest in all aspects of the patients care allows for a therapeutic relationship to develop (Dougherty 2008). Closed questions looks for very specific information about the patient (Dougherty 2008). They are very good at ascertaining factual information in a short space of time (Baillie 2005). There are two types of closed questions: the focused and the multiple choice questions. Focused questions tend to acquire information about a particular clinical situation (e.g. asking a patient who is been prescribed Ibuprofen, are you asthmatic?) whereas multiple choice questions tend to be more based on the nurses understanding of the condition being assessed. It can be used as a tool to help the patient describe for example the pain they feel e.g. is the pain dull, sharp, throbbing etc (Stevenson 2004). For verbal communication to be effective, good listening skills are essential. Sharing information, concerns and feelings becomes difficult, if the person being spoken to doesnt look interested (Andrews 2001). Good active listening can lead to a better understanding of the patients most recent health issues (Sheldon 2005). Poor listening could be as a result of message overload, physical noise, poor effort and psychological noise. Therefore being prepared to listen and putting the effort and time are essential in a nurses role (Grover 2005). NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION This type of communication does not involve spoken language and can sometimes be more effective than words that are spoken. About 60 65 per cent of communication between people is through non verbal behaviours and that these behaviours can give clues to feelings and emotions the patient may be experiencing (Foley 2010, p. 38). Non-verbal communication adds depth to speech; to re affirm verbal communication; to control the flow of communication; to convey emotions; to help define relationships and a way of giving feedback. The integration between verbal language and paralanguage (vocal), can affect communication received (Spouse 2008) Berry (2007, pg18) highlights the depth of verbal language due to the use of paralinguistic language. The way we ask a question, the tone, and pitch, volume and speed all have an integral part to play in non verbal communication. In his opinion, personality is shown in the way that paralanguage is used as well as adding depth of meaning in the presentation of the message been communicated. Foley (2010) identifies studies where language has no real prevalence in getting across emotional feelings, in the majority of cases the person understands the emotion even if they dont understand what is being said. Paralanguage therefore is an important tool in identifying the emotional state of a patient. Non-verbal actions (kinesis) can communicate messages, such as body language, touch, gestures, facial expressions and eye contact. By using the universal facial expressions of emotion, our face can show many emotions without verbally saying how we feel (Foley 2010) refer to Appendix table 2. For example, we raise our eye brows when surprised, or open our eyes wider when shocked. First impressions are vital for effective interaction; by remembering to smile with your eyes as well as your mouth can communicate an approachable person who is open. This can help to reassure a patient who is showing signs of anxiety (Mason 2010). BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION An understanding of barriers in communication is also very important. The Welsh Assemblys fundamentals of care (2003) showed that many of the problems associated with health and social care was due to failures in communication. These barriers may be the messenger portraying a judgmental or power attitude. Dickson (1999) suggested that social class can be a barrier to communication, feeling inferior to the nurse may distort the message being received, making communication difficult to maintain. Environmental barriers such as a busy ward and a stressed nurse could influence effective communication. This can greatly reduce the level of empathy and communication given as suggested by Endacott (2009). People with learning disabilities come up against barriers in communicating their needs, due to their inability to communicate verbally, or unable to understand complex new information. This leads to a breakdown in communication and their health care needs being met (Turnbull 2010). Timby (2005) stresses that when effectively communicating with patients the law as well as the NMC (2008) guidelines for consent and confidentiality must be adhered to. This also takes into account handing over to other professionals. He suggests that a patients rights to autonomy should be upheld and respected without any influence or intimidation, regardless of age, religion, gender or race. The use of communication in practice is essential and reflecting on past experience helps for a better understanding of communication, good and bad. REFLECTION Reflecting on my experience while on placement in a G.P with a practice nurse in south Wales Valleys, has helped me understand and gain practical knowledge in communicating effectively in nursing practice. The duration was for one week and includes appointments in several clinics to do with C.O.P.D (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). I will be reflecting upon one appointment using the Gibbss reflective cycle (1988). Description Due to confidentiality (NMC, 2008) the patient will be referred to as Mrs A.E. The Nurse called Mrs A.E to come to the appointment room. I could see she was anxious through her body language (palm trembling and sweaty, fidgety, calm and rapid speech). The nurse asked her to sit down. The nurse gained consent for me to sit in on her review (NMC, 2008). The review started with a basic questionnaire the nurse had pre generated on the computer. It was a fairly closed questionnaire around her breathing including how it was, when it was laboured. Questions were also asked around her medication and how she was taking her pumps. Reflecting on these questions, I feel the questions did not leave much opportunity for Mrs A.E to say anything else apart from the answer to that question. The nurse controlled the communication flow. The Nurse did not have much eye contact with the patient and was facing the computer rather than her patient. I wondered if the nurse had notice the anxious non-verbal communication signs. The patient seemed almost on the verge of tears, I wasnt sure if this was anxiety, distress from being unwell, or she was unhappy about something else. I felt quite sorry for her as all her body language communicated to me that she was not happy. She had her arms crossed across her body (an indication of comforting herself) and she did not smile. She also looked very tense and uncomfortable. The Nurse went on with the general assessment and did the lung test and I took the blood pressure and pulse, gaining consent first as required by the NMC. Once all the questions had been answered on the computer the Nurse turned to face Mrs A.E and I noticed she had eye contact with her and had her body slightly tilted toward the patient (non verbal communication). The Nurse gave her information on why her asthma may be a bit worse at the moment and gave her clear and appropriate information on how she can make manage her COPD at this time of year. The Nurse gave her lots of guidance on the use of her three different pumps, and got her to repeat back to her the instructions, to make sure she understood. I could feel the patient getting more at ease as the communication progressed and also on the confirmation that she understood the instruction. The Nurse knew this patient well and then set the rest of the time talking to the patient about any other concerns she had and how she was fe eling in herself, using a more open question technique. The nurse used her active listening skills and allowed the patient to talk about her problems and gave her empathy at her situation as well and some solutions to think about. She gave the patient information of a support group that helped build up confidence in people with chronic conditions and helped them deal with the emotional side of their condition. Feelings After the patient had gone, my mentor explained that the patient was a regular to the clinic, she had many known anxiety issues which werent helped by her chronic asthma. Through-out the beginning of the review I felt very awkward. I thought, because I was sitting in on the review, may have been the reason the lady had not said why she seemed so anxious and upset. I also felt the nurse was not reacting to the sign of anxiety from Mrs A.E and this made me feel uncomfortable. I felt like I wanted to ask her if she was ok, but felt that I couldnt interrupt the review. However by the end of the review I felt a lot better about how it had gone. I did feel that by building up a relationship with the patients allowed the nurse to understand the communication needs of the patient and also allowed her to use the time she had effectively. She used empathy in her approach to the lady and actively listened to her. I understand that the start of the review was about getting the facts of the condition using a lot of closed questions, whereas the later part of the review was a more open questions and non verbal communication approach, allowing the patient to speak a bout any concerns and feelings about those questions asked earlier. Evaluation Effectively using closed questions allow for a lot of information to be gathered in a short space of time, and can be specific to the patients review needs. These pre-generated questionnaires are good at acquiring the information needed by the G.P. and also for good record keeping which are essential in the continuity of care delivered to the patient (NMC 2008). It can also protect the nurse from any litigation issues. The use of open and closed questions also allowed for the review to explore the thoughts and feelings of the patient, thus allowing for empathy from the nurse and is considered a vital part of the counselling relationship (Chowdhry, 2010 pg. 22). However the use of the computer screen facing away from the patient, did not allow for good non-verbal communication skills to be used. The lack of eye contact from the nurse may have exacerbated the anxiety felt by the patient. Hayward (1975, p. 50) summarised in research that anxiety highlighted an uncertainty about illness or future problems. This link to anxiety was also linked to increased pain. Nazarko (2009) points out, it is imperative that a person has the full attention of the nurse when they are communicating. He states that being aware of ones own non-verbal behaviours, such as posture and eye contact can have an effect on how communication is received by the patient. As evident in the reflection, the patient at the beginning of the review was anxious, upset and worried. By the end of the review her body language had significantly changed. The patient looked and felt a lot better in herself and had a better understanding of how her condition was affecting her and understood how to manage it. However if this information was badly communicated, the patients anxiety could have been prolonged (Hayward, 1975). This also links back to the need to understand medical conditions so that communication is channelled to the patients needs at the time. The fundamentals of care set out by the Welsh Assembly Government (2003), states that communication is of upmost importance in the effectiveness of care given by nurses. By looking at all the fundamentals of communication and the effect on patient care we can understand and recognise that the communication in this reflection was good communication in practice. Analysis The closed questions were used at the beginning of the review, had their advantages. They allowed the nurse to focus the on the specific clinical facts needed. The start of the review used mainly closed questions to get all the clinical facts needed to be recorded, such as Personal information, Spirometry results, blood pressure, drug management of COPD (Robinson, 2010). The structured approach allows the nurse to evaluate using measurable outcomes and thus interventions adjusted accordingly (Dougherty, 2008). The closed question approach allows the consultation to be shortened if time is an issue. However the disadvantage of this as identified by Berry (2007) is that important information may be missed. The use of closed questions on a computer screen hindered the use of non-verbal communication. Not allowing for eye contact, which is an important aspect of effective communication. The use of open questions in the review allowed the patient to express how they were feeling about their condition or any other worries. The nurse used active listening skills, communicated in her non-verbal behaviour. It gave the opportunity to the patient to ask for advice on any worries they might have. The use of open questions can provoke a long and sometimes not totally relevant response (Baillie, 2005), using up valuable time. Eye contact is another important part of communication in the reflective scenario. The eye contact at the start of the review was limited. The nurse made slight eye contact when asking the closed questions, but made none when given the answer. This may have contributed to the patients anxious state. However, the eye contact given during the open questions section. At this stage, there were several eye contacts between the nurse and patient and information was given and understood. The value of eye contact in communication is invaluable and has great effect at reducing symptoms of anxiety (Dougherty 2008). Reflection conclusion The use of communication in this COPD review was very structured. The use of closed questions helped to structure the consultation and acquire lots of information from the patient. The open questions allowed for the patient to express any feeling or concerns. The nurse used verbal and non-verbal communication methods, to obtain information about the patient; assess any needs and communicate back to the patient, within the time period. However in my opinion, if the computer screen was moved closer to the patient during the closed question section, better interaction could have been established from the beginning. It would also allow the nurse to look at the patient when asking the questions leading to a more therapeutic relationship, whilst still obtaining and recording a large amount of information. Therefore, the use of effective communication skills as seen in this review along with a person centred approach can significantly increase better treatment and care given to the patient (Spouse, 2008) and thus signifies good communication in practice. Action Plan The goal of the plan is to increasing patient participation in the use of the computer as an interactive tool. By allowing the patient to see what is on the screen and being written, allows the patient to feel more involved in the assessment and takes away any feeling of inferiority from social class difference. In attempt to achieving these goals, the following steps would be taken: Set up a team to investigate the issue which could involve nursing staffs or other hospital staffs. Drawing up a feedback questionnaire, to investigate how patients feel about the closed questions on the computer, including a section on how they would feel if they were allowed to look at the screen. Collation, analysis and review of the results of the feedback Identify barriers to the implementation of the plan (e.g. willingness of nurses to this change). Inform the NMC on the issues and the findings from the feedback questionnaire. Implementation of the plan. Set up a monitoring and evaluation team to see if the plan is being implemented appropriately. CONCLUSION This assignment has looked at communication and its importance in nursing practice. Communication is thus an important process involving the interaction between one or more persons using verbal and non-verbal methods. Understanding the barriers to communication contributes significantly to how effective a nurse communicates in practice. The use of questioning in nursing has been a valuable tool in assessing a patient and obtaining information. However the way this is done can have an effect on the development of empathy, trust, genuineness and respect, between the nurse and the patient. It is imperative for nurses to however reflect on their communication in practice to further improve the therapeutic relationship between them and the patient as has been identified as essential in the delivery of care (WAG 2003). REFERENCES Alder, RB. Rodman, G. 2003. Understanding human communication: (8th edition). USA: Oxford university press Andrews, C. Smith, J. 2001. Medical Nursing: (11th edition) London: Harcourt Publishers limited Berry, D. 2007. Basic forms of communication. In: Payne, S. Horn, S. ed. Health communication theory and practice. England: Open university press. Chowdhry, S. 2010. Exploring the concept of empathy in nursing: can lead to abuse of patient trust. Nursing times 160(42), pp. 22-25 Dickson, D. 1999. Barriers to communication. In: Long, A. ed. Interaction for practice in community nursing. England: Macmillian press LTD, pp. 84-132 Dougherty, L. Lister, S. ed. 2008. The royal marsden hospital manual of clinical nursing procedures. Student edition. 7th ed. Italy: Wiley-Blackwell Egan, G. 1990. The skilled helper: A systematic approach to effective helping. 4th ed. California: Brooks /Cole Ekman, p. Friesen, WV. 1975. Unmasking the face. Englewood cliffs, NJ: prentice-hall INC Endacott, R. Jevon, P. Cooper, S. 2009. Clinical Nursing Skills Core and Advanced. Oxford : Oxford University Press. Foley, GN. 2010. Non-verbal communication in psychotherapy. Psychiatry (Edgemont) 7(6) pp. 38-44 Gibbs, G. 1988. Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Oxford further education unit. Grover, SM. 2005. Shaping effective communication skills and therapeutic relationship at work. Aaohn journal 53(4) pp.177-182 Hawkins, K. Power, C. 1999. Gender differences in questions asked during small decision-making group discussions, small group research.(30) pg.235-256 Hayward, J. 1975. Information A prescription against pain. London: Royal college of nursing. p. 50 Marie- Claire Mason 2010. Effective interaction: Nursing Standard 24(31) p 25. Nazarko, L. 2009. Advanced communication skills. British journal of healthcare assistants. 3 (09) pp 449-452 Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)2008. The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London. NMC Peate, I. 2006. Becoming a nurse in the 21st century. England: Wiley and Son Robinson, T. 2010. Empowering people to self-manage COPD with management plans and hand held records. Nursing times. 106(38) pp. 12-14 Sale, J. Neal, NM. 2005. The nurses approach: self-awareness and communication. In Ballie, L. ed. Developing practical nursing skills. 2nd ed. London: Oxford university press. Pg. 33-57 Sheldon, L. 2005. Communication for nurses: Talking with patients. London: Jones and Bartlett publishers. Spouse, J. Cook, M. Cox, C. 2008. Common foundation studies in nursing (4th edition). London: Churchill livingstone. Stevenson C, Grieves M, Stein Parbury J. 2004. Patient and Person: Empowering Interpersonal relationships in Nursing London. Elsevier Limited. Timby, BK. 2005. Fundemental Nursing Skills and Concepts Philadelphia. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Turnbull J, Chapman ,S. 2010. Supporting Choice in Health Care for People with Learning Disabilities. Nursing Standard 24 (22) pp 50 55 Welsh Assembly Government 2003. Fundamentals of Care Guidance for Health and Social Care Staff Cardiff: WAG

A Night at Gatsby ´s Mansion :: The Great Gatsby

A Night at Gatsby  ´s Mansion There was a clear combination of the people that went to the party, high society people with lots of money, people with much less money and new rich people. Gatsby  ´s party was the result of an intense preparation made buy Gatsbys servants. There was a huge amount of the finest food around, tons of alcohol was served and of course that was not problem at all for there was a transport system for the wasted fellows. This was the perfect place for people to show all their finest suites, it was the place where lights and colors gleamed until daylight, when the last guests left the party. It is amazing how people arrived to the party without being invited, they arrived to the mansion, drunk it all, create a huge mess and then left, these where all people who hide themselves under bright colorful dresses, identity was not an important fact at the mansion for it was impossible to determine how people really where due to the shallowness of them, but this was of no concern to the host for he was never around. As I said people got drunk a created a terrible mess for the servants to clean the day after. What happened outside the manor was really a show, people dancing inside the pool, others puking in the bushes, some others trying not to be seen when they consumed drugs, but for our controvert journalist that was impossible for he was very concerned about everything that happened in the party. What might have seemed as the dream party was just an illusion because what really happened at the party was hiding in an underworld of lies, as a matter of fact dirty business where taking place mostly with frequent guests like Meyer Wolfshier the most known gangster in New

Fine Art Essay

Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Art was originally used to refer to a skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences (â€Å"Art,† 2013, para. 1). Around the 17th century, a shift in modern art began to develop into fine arts, where aesthetic considerations are paramount, are distinguished from acquired skills in general, and the decorative or applied arts (â€Å"Art,† 2013). Sketch aesthetics, also known as esquisses, are preparatory sketches or paintings to quickly capture the idea of a painting (Myers, N. , (2000-2013). The aesthetic of the sketch in the nineteenth-century France). This process was used frequently throughout the time of fine art. The Raft of Medusa by Gericault, and Mount Sainte-Victoria broke traditional fine arts when they combined it with applied arts, which is the application of design to objects of everyday use (â€Å"Applied Arts, 2013). The Raft of the Medusa is an oil painting of 1818–1819 by the French Romantic painter and Lithographer Theodore Gericault (1791–1824) (â€Å"Raft of Medusa,† 2013). Gericault undertook extensive research and produced many preparatory sketches. He interviewed two of the survivors, and constructed a detailed scale model of the raft. His efforts took him to morgues and hospitals where he could view, first-hand, the colour and texture of the flesh of the dying and dead (â€Å"Raft of Medusa,† 2013, para.2). This portrait depicts the essence of the gruesome fight that occurred at this naval appointment which was on widely controversial topic concerning the competence of the Ministry of Navy. Although The Raft of the Medusa retains elements of the traditions of history painting, in both its choice of subject matter and its dramatic presentation, it represents a break from the calm and order of the then-prevailing neoclassical school (â€Å"Raft of Medusa,† 2013, para. 3). Mount Sainte-Victoria is a series of oil paintings by the French artist Paul Cezanne (â€Å"Mont Sainte-Victoire,† 2013). This landscape is an iconic mountain in southern France that overlooks the Aix-en Provence. Cezanne often included a sketch of a railroad that ran alongside the mountain in his paintings. Cezanne praised the Mont Sainte-Victoire, which he viewed from the train while passing through the railway bridge at Arc River Valley and soon he began the series wherein he topicalized this mountain (â€Å"Mont Sainte-Victoire,† 2013, para. 2). Cezanne was skilled at analysis. He used geometry to describe nature, and used different colors to represent the depth of objects (â€Å"Mont Sainte-Victoire,† 2013). As I can concisely conclude that the Raft of Medusa by Gericault and Mount Sainte-Victoria, in both their choice of subject matter and their presentation, they represent a break from fine arts. These major breakthroughs lead to much criticism, but ultimately led to the rapid change of development in fine arts that influence today’s ideas. These paintings and painters will remain revolutionary topics for years to come. Works Cited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_art

Mark Twain Short Stories Essay Essay

Mark Twain has composed a myriad of short stories over a long period of time. Twain writes with the passion to charm and amuse the reader. Every single sentence he writes makes one want to keep reading on to see what happens next. His stories also offer a comment on human nature and Twain often questions conventional wisdom. Just because someone’s life did not attach to with what many people see normal, Twain seems to be asking if that makes them lucky when they don’t fail. He responds to that question and challenges the reader to think twice in his short stories. Mark Twain’s stories seem to never be lacking hilariousness. In Luck, for example, he brings out the subject, Lieutenant-General Lord Arthur Scoresby, as a dignified and decorated soldier but then makes a quick turn by quoting the town Reverend saying, â€Å"Privately – he’s an absolute fool† (Twain 265). This blunt change allows Twain the chance to recount the tale told by the Reverend concerning Scoresby’s many failures in battle. Additionally, he sets up the reader in The Story of the Bad Little Boy by painting a dreary picture as to what could happen to the main character. Twain then excitedly breaks the ice with an amusing reveal of what actually happened. Twain writes, â€Å"Is it right to disobey my mother? Isn’t it sinful to do this? Where do bad little boys go who gobble up their good kind mother’s jam?† and then he didn’t kneel down all alone and promise to never to be wicked any more, no that is the way with all other bad boys in the books†¦ He ate that jam, and said it was bully; and he put in the tar, and said that was bully, also, and laughed, and observed that the old woman would get up and snort† (11). This process of creating a sullen circumstance and then flamboyantly reversing course is depicted in most of Twain’s stories and was used to have a great effect. Mark Twain used humor to thrill the reader, which he did effectively and consistently, but he also used it make a clear point. The most frequent point he was trying to make was that society is too uptight. In The Story of the Bad Little Boy, he underlines a wide range of â€Å"bad† things that the main character does but wraps it up that it had little bearing on him when he became a man. Twain writes, â€Å"And he grew up and married, and raised a large family, and brained them all with an ax one night, and got wealthy by all manner of cheating and rascality; and now he is the infernalest wickedest  scoundrel in his native village, and is universally respected, and belongs to the legislature† (13). This was Twain’s way of getting at the notion that a naughty child will always be a bad person. He does this again in Science vs. Luck in which he pokes fun at the over-the-top laws against gambling and games of chance. Twain does this through the main character, a nifty attorney, who argues that the game of seven-up is actually a game of science rather than chance so should not be considered gambling. Twain writes, â€Å"We, the jury in the case do hereby unanimously decide that the game commonly known as old sledge or seven-up is eminently a game of science and not chance†¦ In demonstration where of it is hereby and herein stated, iterated, reiterated, set forth and made manifest that, during the entire night, the â€Å"chance† men never won a game† (73). By using humor to sink in the message, Twain was able to poke fun at the conservative folks that ruled his day, and ours. Conservative thinking includes the presumption that people who succeed while acting in an unconventional manner must be lucky. Twain also poked fun at that thinking as well. The hero in Luck, Lieutenant-General Lord Arthur Scoresby, was privately thought to be a fool and the luckiest man on earth to survive in the military for decades. Twain then brings up nearly a dozen events in which Scoresby went against conventional wisdom and managed to live, leaving the reader to wonder the question, â€Å"Was it really luck or was Scoresby just good at what he did?† He also attains a familiar and similar goal in The Story of the Bad Little Boy in which the main character survives many near-fatal events to become a pillar of society. Twain seems to ask, â€Å"Was the boy really lucky to survive his childhood or was society too uptight?† Finally, in Science vs. Luck, Twain points out that games of â€Å"chance† are nothing more than complicated science or math problems. Once again, Twain intrigues the reader to consider whether the conservative view is the one and only view. Mark Twain wrote short stories with strong intent. He had a critical yet comical perspective that allowed him to see the humor in serious matters. Twain wrote about them in a way that was entertaining while also serving to share his perspective on his literature. For those readers who took themselves too seriously, they probably only saw the humor part. To those who chose to read between the lines laughed, but also probably stopped to reflect on the message. In his unique way, Mark Twain may have changed the course of human nature and society with his writings. Works Cited Twain, Mark. The Complete Short Stories. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Print.