Henrietta Lacks An Abstraction - 931 Words

Elie Wiesel has stated â€Å"We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph† (as cited in Skloot, 2010, p. 1). This paper will examine the many ways in which Henrietta Lacks, a relatively poor African woman whose cells were extracted from her without any consent, was viewed primarily as an abstraction rather than a person by the scientific community and the media; and the consequences that ensued as a result. The scientific community is culpable of viewing Henrietta Lacks as an abstraction rather than a human being in that they disregarded her right to privacy in extracting her cells†¦show more content†¦Additionally, the scientific community did not display an ounce of respect to Lacks nor her family. The media was also involved in neglecting to recognize Lacks as a person rather than a concept. The media bereaved Lacks of her identity as they called her by the name Helen Lane instead of using her real her real name. The use of the fictitious and more Caucasian name to identify Lacks in the media further dehumanized her and her family’s memory of her. They did not whatsoever consider Lacks’ family, their ordeal and whether or not the assumptions of Lacks being made were accurate. Moreover, the media did not provide any remuneration to Lacks’ family for using her story for their benefit. For example, an episode on the very popular television show Law and Order was based on the story of Henrietta Lacks however, no credit nor payment was given to the family. Apparent here is further display of the media’s view of lacks as an abstraction rather than a person. Rebecca Skloot, however, used a different perspective in her portrayal of Lacks. This is evident in the way in which she conducted her research and the way she wrote the book. Skloot’s book, The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, included both the â€Å"scientific element concerns the origin and the subsequent uses of the HeLa cell line of cultured cancer cells† (Harper, 2011, p. 463) and the social andShow MoreRelatedConsequences Of Different Perspectives On The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks1086 Words   |  5 PagesImmortal Life of Henrietta Lacks The effect the discovery and creation of the HeLa cells made on the science community and Henrietta’s family had a domino effect. Both had different opinions and beliefs on the matter; this led to some difficult questions asked of the family and of the medical community. Due to the new and advanced methods of experimentation, the HeLa cells made to to the field of science, the scientific community and the media failed to remember that Henrietta and her family wereRead MoreAn Analysis of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks1454 Words   |  6 Pagesof Henrietta Lacks As human, people are supposed to be born with certain inalienable rights that everyone is entitled. One of these is the right to human dignity, which everyone should have. Yet, there are occasions where humans have been robbed of their rights as human beings just because they have had the misfortune to die. The concept of an inalienable right is the basis for the American constitution and should include rights to the body as well as the spirit. The case of Henrietta Lacks wasRead MoreThe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks1353 Words   |  6 Pagesthe book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Henrietta, was never given her own rights, and was used to benefit others. Scientists and researchers profited millions from the HeLa cell line, leaving Henrietta unaware of the legacy she left behind. Henrietta had tough up brining, and was a woman who was more concerned about other people than herself. The media and scientific community are responsible for treating and viewing Henrietta and her family as abstractions. The author, Rebecca Skloot’s perceptionRead MoreThe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks1027 Words   |  5 PagesThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot is the author of the book on the scientist contributor, Henrietta Lacks. She first learned of the HeLa cells during her biology community college class thirty years after Henrietta’s death and became interested in the person behind the cells ever since. Skloot became determined to tell the true story of Henrietta, and did whatever she could to find information. She presented numerous years of patience interviewing the Lacks to find out all the informationRead MoreThe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks1480 Words   |  6 Pages Rebecca Skloot’s bestseller, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, begins with a quote from World War II concentration camp survivor Elie Wiesel, â€Å"We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own source of anguish† (Wiesel qtd. in Skloot n. pag.). This quote serves as a preview of the book and its underlying moral purposes, as Henrietta Lacks and her family are continually treated as objects without

Play Report On A Look Back In Anger Essay Example For Students

Play Report On A Look Back In Anger Essay The play, A Look Back in Anger, by John Osborne brings the notion of the angry man gone mad to the surface. But what does this play teach us? Or, does this play teach us anything? At the end of this paper it will be evident that this play does teach us something, and that is how some people, as individuals, have their own ways of thinking, and reacting, which are considerably different from the social norms. Of course the character we will be analyzing is Jimmy. There are 3 stimuli that correspond to radical reactions by Jimmy. The first stimulus is love; Jimmy has ways of expressing his love to the women of his life that are different than the rest of societys. The second stimulus is the natural aggression towards threats, and most of these threats are small, that Jimmy expresses with Cliff, and also in Allisons mother, in particular. The final trigger to Jimmys radical way of reacting is that of death. It seems to be an image that haunts him throughout the play and he only brings i t to the surface after the halfway point. This, last, stimuli can be regarded as an explanation to his radical ways, that give him the image of the angry man. However, there is one over-ruling thesis that covers all three stimuli that is the basis of Jimmys radical behavior, and that is of women in general; Jimmy, as will be demonstrated in each section, is very insecure with the opposite sex, whether it is will girlfriends, wives, or landlords. On the topic of love, Jimmy has demonstrated his difficulty to conform to the social norms, in terms of being a gentleman towards women, especially his own wife, Allison. The first major indication of this problem was when Allison and him were showing their first mutual signs of affection, but they were required to result to role playing to fulfill their show of love. Jimmy: Youre very beautiful. A beautiful, great-eyed squirrelHow I envy you. Allison: Well, youre a jolly super bear, too. A really soooooooooooper, marvelous bear. Jimmy: Bears and Squirrels are marvelous Jimmy and Allison have proven that they must put on disguises to show their affection. Allison as a Squirrels, and Jimmy as a bear also demonstrates the way their perceive each other. A squirrel is small, weak, and helpless, as is contrary to a bear, that has the image of a vicious and barbaric animal. In this point of view, Osborne is showing us an analogy of how he perceives their relationship. Bears and squirrels dont really get along, mainly because they compete for the same food. In the play we see how Allison and Jimmy are incompatible, and when they speak of how bears and squirrels are marvelous, it just proves to show that they are blind to the fact that they dont belong together. However, it must be made clear that this is not due to Allison that they lock horns often, but it at Jimmys fault; he is seen as the instigator to every conflict in this play. Not only in terms of love, but also in regarding women altogether, Jimmy sees women as the enemy. Jimmy has attacked every woman in this play, physically or verbally, except for one, and that was Hughs mother who has dying. (this issue will be addressed in the last portion of this essay). First, we will look at the situation with Helena; as first it is evident that they hate each other, but then they kiss and become lovers. This is not only unusual, but shows the instability and unpredictability of Jimmys actions. The issue is that he sees Helena as an enemy that is trying to convince Allison to leave him; and Jimmy seems correct, because in fact, that is what happens in the end, but its quite unpredictable. Jimmy shows his disgust towards Helena when he says to her: What are you plotting? This is implying that Helena is out to mess his life up, this then leads to a confrontation that almost gets violent. To Build a Fire - Significance of the Words Dying EssayThe second person we can look at is Cliff; this is a different type of aggression that arises. Primarily because this is the only other male character that Jimmy comes in contact with in the play, and they have never stopped arguing throughout the play. A few times they even resulted in wrestling, in once case injuring Allison. This key in this situation is the communication problem, they ask one question to each other, and it is not answered until a dozen other questions are asked. The shocking portion of this relationship between them both is that Jimmy actually trusts Cliff. In countless scenes, it seems as if Cliff is actually Allisons husband, and Jimmy only reacts in a very minor fashion; and again, this just fortifies the notion that Jimmy is insecure when women are regarded, because the only person he trusts is Cliff. The Third and final stimuli is that of the notion of death, in many of Jimmys dialogs, he speaks of death and its implications. He is obviously emotionally scarred by his fathers death, from when Jimmy was only ten years old. He testifies that nobody else cared for his father but him; his mother didnt do much but tend to his physical needs. I learnt at an early age what it was to be angry-angry and helpless. And I can never forget it. It seems as though the anger was towards his mother, and women in general this thought in his mind is a recurrent in his speech and we see that he blames everyone for not caring for the dying. Later on Jimmys friend, Hughs mother, is in a hospital dying, and again we get the same events happen again. This is special, not only because it involves death, that really triggers Jimmys emotions, but because this lady is the only one who he shows any direct affection for. He declares that hes the only one who loves Hughs mother, and hell be the only one walkin g behind the coffin on the day of the funeral. The main significance that must be surfaced from this idea is that when it comes to death, gender does not matter to Jimmy. The reaction of his fathers death, and Hughs mothers death are parallel in every single aspect. Therefore, it can be said that Jimmys only vehicle to bring him in terms with women is death, and after the death of Hughs mother, we see a different Jimmy. He returns to the home, where Helena tells him that Allison left, and tries to remain the old self by threatening Helena, but he breaks down; she kisses him and they fall for each other. At this point in the novel we have hope for Jimmy that he has seen the light, but this is not the case. We can see that the author has easily illustrated this out for us by recreating the same scene as the beginning with Helena at Allisons initial place. Jimmy and Cliff argue over the same issues, and Helena is still at the ironing board. This goes to show that people like Jimmy do not change their ways of thinking overnight, this will take a long time before Jimmy accepts the social rules. By the end of the play we dont see any difference because when he returns with Allison, they still resolve to bears and squirrels to show their affection. In conclusion, the three stimuli have shown spark anger and passion from within Jimmy. However, the overruling trigger that sparks anger in Jimmy is the idea of women in general. He is obviously threatened by womens advancement in society and this is the main problem that he must overcome in order to become an acceptable person to society as a whole. English Essays

Zen Buddhism Essays - Yogacara, Buddhism, Mahayana, Nondualism, Zen

Zen Buddhism Buddhism's trek through history, politics, and America Zen, or Zenno (as it is known by the Japanese word from which it derives), is the most common form of Buddhism practiced in the world today. All types of people from intellectuals to celebrities refer to themselves as Buddhist, but despite its popularity today in America, it has had a long history throughout the world. "Here none think of wealth or fame, All talk of right and wrong is quelled. In Autumn I rake the leaf-banked stream, In spring attend the nightingale. Who dares approach the lion's Mountain cave? Cold, robust, A Zen-person through and through, I let the spring breeze enter at the gate." -Daigu (1584-1669, Rinzai) (DailyZen) Zen Buddhism's history begins where Buddhism's history began. It originated on the continent of Asia around 500 B.C.. The founder of Buddhism; Gotama Siddhattha, a former price in what is now known as India, is known as "The Buddha," which roughly translates to " one who is awake" (Merit 102). "At the age of twenty-nine, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, he renounced his privileged life to seek understanding. After six years of struggling as an ascetic he finally achieved enlightenment at age thirty-five" (DailyZen). In 475 A.D. a Buddhist teacher, Bodhidharma, traveled to China and introduced the teachings of Buddha there. In China Buddhism mixed with Taoism, and the result was the Ch'an School of Buddhism, and from there Ch'an spread to Japan where it is called Zen Buddhism (DailyZen). The Buddhist Religion has always been passed down from teacher to student, and through the use of books and sacred works such as the Malind-panha, Pali Tipitaka, and the Pitaka series (Merit 102). These books and teachers taught students of the religion the philosophies of the practice. They taught of Satori, or enlightenment, which is the main goal of the Zen Buddhist, which is to achieve peace of mind despite external turmoil ( Archer ninety-six). One way to reach enlightenment is through meditation. Zaren is sitting in meditative absorption as the shortest yet most steep way to reaching enlightenment (Zen 233). The Buddhists stressed the fact that existence is painful. They believed that suffering was a result of false human attachments to things that were impertinent, "including the attachment to the false notion of self or 'I'(DailyZen)." They said that, " the conditions that make an individual are precisely those that also give rise to suffering. Individuality involves limitation; limitation ends in suffering (Buddhism eighty-six)." They taught that ridding themselves of these attachments they could end suffering (DailyZen). " This pure Mind, the source of everything, Shines forever and on all with the brilliance Of its own perception... If you students of the Way desire knowledge of this great mystery, Only avoid attachment to any single thing beyond Mind.-Huang Po (DailyZen)." As well with the philosophical side of the teachings were the basics of Guidance and ethics. "Buddhist philosophy is both a system of thought and a set of ethical norms (Buddhism eighty-six)." It offers practical guidance in everyday social affairs. Socially, the Buddhists have often been thrown into the political arena. Due to the nature of politics, where originally, "in Vietnam, the Buddhist Community was not politically activated until it was mistreated (Brittanica ninety-two), "the Buddhists have been divided into two groups. There is the moderate group that was led by Thich Tri Quang, that claimed political neutrality, but any of their movements for peace were seen as a weakness in the face of communism by the government of Saigon. And there are the militant Buddhists, who support upheavals. One such incident of upheaval was in 1963 when " the government (of Vietnam) forbade the flying of the Buddhist flag during the May eighth celebration of Buddha's birthday (Britanica ninety-two). "A riot erupted by Buddhists against their cruel treatment, but it was it was put down by heavily armed guards. Not only did the government serve as a political persuader for the Buddhists, but the Roman Catholic Church was excessively partisan against the Buddhists, and the Ngo Dinn Diem family had an anti-Buddhist policy. The militant Buddhists also organized a coup against the Diem regime on November first, 1962, but it too was put down. The Buddhists also protest in more passive ways, "since 1963 there have been over thirty self- immolations of monks in South Vietnam protesting the ruin of their country (Britanica ninety-two)." China Town in San Francisco, California, is where much of Buddhism started in the U.S.. By the mid 1850s many temples began to appear, "within

Classic Tale about Janie Crawford

Classic Tale about Janie Crawford This novel is about an interesting classic tale about Janie Crawford. The identity of this woman takes her through several life processes whereby she gets a good opportunity to learn more about love, to differentiate lives’ joys and sorrows, and then settle in peace with much knowledge and skills concerning life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Classic Tale About Janie Crawford specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The life expectations of Janie especially how she was treated were very high than what she received. Her life started becoming real when she met young man called Tea Cake, who offered her an opportunity to enjoy life full of love. Although Janie’s story does not have a good ending, there is a conclusion that leaves readers with satisfaction. It is a fact that Janie is a one black woman who tirelessly stood out from the bondage of sorrow, foolishness, and fear. She confesses that she had done the t wo most important things that any human being ought to do; one is to go to God, and the second one is to reveal the secret of how to live for her. Motifs are structures that happen again and again in a piece of literature, and they help a reader or the audience to understand the theme of that piece of literature. For instance in this novel community is one of the motifs used by the author to assist the readers understand his themes. When Janie returns to Eatonville, the author centers his attention to the porch-sitters who gossip openly about Janie’s situation (Hurston 86). There are two major places in the novel that the author puts significance, the Eatonville and the Everglades, the environment that Janie made interactions. In several cases, we are shown Janie’s desire to be part of this vibrant social life, which she feels safe and well connected with other people. For instance in chapter 18, whereby Janie was in the company of Tea Cake, and Motor Boat when they we re looking for a safe place to shelter from the rainstorm. The author makes us aware that the group of these three characters sheltered themselves in shanties with others. The author did not literally mean that they shared the same room with them, but he wanted to show us how they united against that natural disaster which was devastating (Hurston 103).Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the author indicates several occasions whereby Janie ridicules the gossip and rumors that exist in these communities. Most of these gossips found within these communities were to criticize Janie especially due to her independence nature and possession of a strong will power. Most of people in these communities were trying to demonstrate a negative picture of practicing unity, because they preferred the total sacrifice of individuality. On the other hand, Janie was against this type of sacrifice, a she was a strong woman who could not allow any person to control her life against her desires. Janie cared much about the outcome of her deeds, and that is why she used to take her time before making such decisions. She did not mind how people in the surrounding community would say and think of her, but she always stood on her grounds. Towards the end of the book, it is clearly indicated that Janie did not behave in such a manner because of fearing death, but she disliked misunderstanding of people (Hurston 186). In the efforts to understand herself better, Janie was very keen to understand what people in the community thought and said about her. The major reason as to why Hurston used dialect in the novel is to put his story and his characters especially the main characters into the real life. The presence of dialect in a story makes the characters to appear real in the eyes of the reader. Whatever the character is saying or demonstrating becomes believable to the reader. The efforts of the readers to familiarize themselves with the new used language make them end up feeling as part of the action or the story. This novel has made much use of the spoken version of the language, for instance, in early parts of the story Hurston acknowledges the readers that there would be use of dialect as the language of his characters. Readers are made aware that at a certain point Janie would narrate her story to Pheoby in â€Å"soft, easy phrases† (Hurston 102). The use of play in the dialect used by Hurston in the novel is to bring out the imagination aspect in the story. When every character is made to act her or his parts, it becomes easier for the reader to understand the concept of the author and get the theme correctly.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Classic Tale About Janie Crawford specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through the use of play also makes the readers to master new and hidden concepts of the story, as it is easy to point out these concepts as the characters are role playing. Another important reason of Hurston to make use of the play is to improve the imagination aspect of the reader, which would in turn improve the understanding ability. In addition to the use of dialect, Hurston as well made use of standard language as the main language to make the story flow, and to keep the reader in the right path. The story may lack its original taste incase the author decides to use dialect throughout the story. The mixture of the two languages is interesting and helps in drawing the attention of the reader. The title of the novel has a greater significance in the story as it is assisting the author in bringing out several thoughts and ideas from the story to the real world of the reader. For instance, during a big party, the severe hurricane starts disturbing people and both the Tea Cake and the Motor Boat are much disturbed to a point of not conc entrating with the party happenings (Hurston 98). Janie tries to make them calm down assuring them that it’s God doing his work, and should not worry. They thought that the noise that they were making in the party was loud, but that one of thunder was very strong compared to theirs. The implication of this strong sound of the thunder was that it was a natural occurrence from God, signifying itself as stronger than any sound from human beings. In the early stages of the story, we read about the power of nature of Janie’s gentle bee, which is the same power of nature shown by the storm. The author uses the storm as a metaphor. Throughout the story, the power of God is signified through various natural phenomenons like the strong wind, thunder, storms, and the strength of the moving water in the lake (Hurston 152). All these natural aspects are used to illustrate the presence of God in the midst of these people, it was an indication that the strong power of God was watchi ng over them in their doings. Work Cited Hurston, Neale. Their eyes were watching God. New York: Paradigm Publication, 2004.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Asthma Essays (191 words) - Respiratory Therapy, Asthma, Free Essays

What Is Asthma? sthma (AZ-ma) is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or early in the morning. sthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. In the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma. Nearly 6 million of these people are children. verviewhe airways are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. People who have asthma have inflamed airways. This makes the airways swollen and very sensitive. They tend to react strongly to certain inhaled substances. When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows the airways, causing less air to flow into the lungs. The swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways may make more mucus than normal. Mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can further narrow your airways. This chain reaction can result in asthma symptoms. Symptoms can happen each time the airways are inflamed

Hum final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hum final - Essay Example The conquest of Rome is undeniably one of the greatest if not the greatest conquest in human history. Their politics have taught humanity on first, respect for the laws and second, importance of the community as central in the development of the individual person in his private sphere as well as in his public sphere. Aside form that, they have taught humanity â€Å"that one may achieve peace of mind by avoiding burdensome responsibilities, gloomy companions, and excessive wealth. Stoicism offered a reasoned retreat from psychic pain and moral despair, as well as a practical set of solutions to the daily strife between the self and society† ( Fiero 135) But the greatness of Rome seems to be second only in comparison with the greatest man that ever walked the face of the earth – Jesus. The â€Å"search for the historical Jesus is complicated by many factors† (Fiero 163), but what is clear is that the story of Jesus have touched billions of lives all over the world. The greatness of Jesus is that he afforded us a new paradigm with which humanity may comprehend our relationship with God. Jesus has taken away the picture of the jealous warrior God that is one of the dominant images of God in the Old Testament. In fact, his entire human life is a living testimony to his claim that ‘God is Father’. Though scholars and exegetes may disagree what is clear is that â€Å"Jesus is the recognizable human face of God† (Wright 70). In the end, these readings are significant primarily because not solely because of the greatness of the topics that they have delved with but that the Roman heritage and Jesus story are contradictories yet real in the realm of human experience. Of the many things that we have discussed in class, I have come to realize and appreciate the fact that the Western Heritage is built on the sagacity of ancient men and women who have tried to understand how we can really understand the human condition. Their discourses open to us

Marketing Plan Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Marketing Plan Assignment - Essay Example Put differently, Jim’s Cleaning ensures peace of mind for its customers and that it why it stands out vis-a-vis other players in the industry. Jim’s Cleaning has its own professional cleaning equipment. It is known to be a reliable company that starts and completes the job on time. Its franchisees are fully insured. The company guarantees quality services at a fair price. About the Product According to the American Marketing Association, a product is a bundle of attributes; features, functions, and benefits that an organization offers to sell to the target customers in exchange of money. A product may be an idea, a good (physical tangible product), or a service, or any combination of the three. As of now Jim’s Cleaning offers only ‘services’ to its customers. The company offers its cleaning services to domestic as well as business customers. Its cleaning services are divided into the following divisions; Jim's Carpet Cleaning, Jim's Window Cleaning, Jim's Car Cleaning, Jim's Blind Cleaning and Jim's Pressure Cleaning. Jim’s Carpet Cleaning The company does a methodical cleaning of carpets and thereby ensures that the customer not only gets the best feel and appearance of the carpet but also protects the investment made on the carpet. The company uses the most advanced products and equipment and cleans as per the Australian National Standards. The carpet division also cleans upholstery, drapes and mattresses. Customers are offered two options; Steam Cleaning and Dry Cleaning. The former method, also known as hot water extraction uses hot water for cleaning carpets. The dry cleaning method is recommended for carpets that require regular preservation cleaning or when carpets have to be dried quickly. Jim’s Window Cleaning Jim’s Cleaning enhances the appearances of homes by cleaning windows to perfection. This cleaning exercise also cuts energy costs in winters by allowing more light inside the home. The compan y guarantees streak free, shining windows after work. Jim’s Cleaning has the expertise to clean all internal and external windows. Given its state of the art equipment, Jim’s Cleaning personnel can reach double storey and high rise buildings. Jim’s Pressure Cleaning Jim’s Pressure Cleaning offers tailored programs to suit the requirements of commercial clients. This division specifically targets real estate agents, builders and local businesses, in addition to residential customers. Services include mould and dirt removal, cleaning of driveways, fascia, paving, pathways, outdoor timber, and tiled areas. Jim’s Car Cleaning Jim’s Car Cleaning division simply loves its job and guarantees quality job, reliable service and money back guarantee. The car is cleaned at a location convenient to the client. The customer need not take the car anywhere as the personnel from Jim’s visit the customer and do the job. Depending on the quantum of work a customer requires, Jim’s car Cleaning offers Premium Wash, Mini Detail and Deluxe Detail. As part of its specialty services Jim’s Car Cleaning offers full cut, polish and wax coat for the car. The customer can also opt for shampooing the car. Jim’s Blind Cleaning Jim’s Blind Cleaning not only cleans but also repairs blinds. As an additional service, the company replaces the defective parts of the blinds as well. The division offers proficient service to take care of these precious window coverings, be it of any type or make; horizontal or vertical. The company promises to clean a large variety