Dimensions of Psychological Disabilities

Dimensions of Psychological Disabilities Free Online Research Papers Dimensions of Psychological Disabilities: Effects and Ways to Break Through AD(H)D and Workplace Depression Presenteeism a kind of absent presence can be observed in our daily life. There are kids who can’t sit tight; girls who tend to daydream anytime; students who try to sneak out of so called boring lectures; jobholders who lack positivity, patience or anger management. These people are around us or one of us. Are they sick? Or do they lack humane behavior? Answer lies deep within. Psychologists pointed out depression and neurological disabilities are the keys to the broken rings. These people can be changed to cope up with the usual flow of life just by proper treatment, care and many other ways. I am willing to present some methods we can use to help these people as well as maximize our own benefits. Lynette had been the star employee of her company until past few weeks. Out of nowhere, Lynette recently was being late, negative even short tempered. Diving through her, it’s been found that, she was depressed as her ex-husband and best friend married someone else. Lynette was hoping for the comeback of her husband and her heart was broken. She kept the things in her and continued to work lethargically. Tom’s teachers are always complaining about his grades as he is known as the most inattentive one who always pulls prank on other kids at class. Tom’s mother is so worked up with constant complaining that she has decided to put Tom in residential school but it seems that Tom somehow managed to keep his name as the inattentive prank puller. The 1st case is known as WPMHD or Work Place Mental Health Disorder. (Knippers, C, 2006) The 2nd case shows that the hyperactive boy has a neurological disorder called Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (Biggs, S., Nadeau, K. 1992, December). Experts recently have agreed that the daydreaming can be ADHD sometimes called ADD because it occurs without hyperactivity (Biggs, S., Nadeau, K. 1992, December). But what happens when the child with AD(H)D grows up? How can tutors work with college students who have AD(H)D? How can employees cope-up with workplace depression? Effects of Workplace Depression and AD(H)D Workplace Depression Workplace Depression can be hard to explain as it is an outburst of internal mental disorder of a person. At workplace depressive behavior may be found out by noticing attitudes like: Working slowly, Making mistakes more often, Unable to concentrate, Forgetful, Late for work or meetings, Getting into disputes and arguments with colleagues, Unable to delegate tasks, Working, or trying to work, much too hard (Marano, H.E. 2003). Now, everyone feels blue or sad from time to time. Its a normal life experience. But when these emotions increase in intensity, persist for more than a few weeks, and start to interfere with a persons life, it may signal depression. No amount of cheering up can make the depression go away; no amount of exercise, vitamins or vacation can make it disappear. Thats because depression is an illness, not a weakness. So, depression is the change in behavior which is caused by personal warfare or other problems that occupies someone’s mind and making his\her days numb. AD(H)D The three most important symptoms of AD(H)D are inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity ((Author)). These symptoms must be persistent and they must be more frequent and severe than they are for other people at about the same level of development (Latham, P. H., 2000).Symptoms might not show up if the person is under very strict control, is in a new place, or is doing especially interesting activities, or is working with only one other person. AD(H)D is not a single condition; instead, there are three subtypes. People with the predominantly inattentive type have trouble paying attention. Those with the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type are hyperactive and impulsive. The combined type includes all three major symptoms (Latham, P. H., 2000). Perhaps the most well known symptom of AD(H)D is hyperactivity and mostly girls and women-are quiet daydreamers. Booth, R. C. (1998) notes that children with AD(H)D are consistently inconsistent. That means the same student could do very well in school one month then very poorly the next. Booth, R. C. (1998) also point out that people with AD(H)D are sometime able to hyper focus. That means they may focus very well on one thing for a long time and will have trouble stopping when it is time to finish. What exactly does it mean to be inattentive, impulsive, or hyperactive? Some specific symptoms of inattentiveness can include overlooking details, making careless mistakes, doing messy work, having trouble paying attention, changing from one activity to another without finishing anything, and being easily distracted. Some examples of impulsivity include impatience, frequently interrupting other people, talking at the wrong time, clowning around, and doing dangerous things without thinking about what will happen. Ways to Fight Through Working up WPDMH According to Knippers, C (2006) the best things to fight depression can be: 1. Confront the situation quickly. One way to do this is for the person doing the confronting to open with an admission of their own personal struggles, past or present, and how that affected their work behavior. Then they can point out to the depressed person that some specific behaviors have been noticed. But avoid saying anything like, Everyone is noticing?. The depressed person is embarrassed already and doesnt need to think that everyone is talking about him or her. 2. Be empathic. Empathy is the mental and emotional attitude of actually entering into another persons experience, and standing beside them in their feelings, rather than standing above them in pity, judgment or of being above it all. Empathy says, Ive been where you are emotionally, and I know its rough. This supportive attitude helps the depressed person immensely because they will no longer feel alone in their pain. 3. Listen to their story. Every depressed person has a story that they are longing to tell, and it is a huge relief to know that someone cares to listen to their life experience. In fact, when depressed people hear themselves relating their story, they can often gain a new perspective on the situation, and sometimes they even realize a solution. 4. Provide a solution to the employee. A counselor needs to be made available at an affordable rate for that employee. There are some brief forms of therapy or counseling that are extremely effective. Cognitive therapy is the most highly respected form of brief therapy today. Medication alone is not the answer. 5. Offer practical assistance within the workplace. Maybe there are some ergonomic concerns that can be addressed; or maybe they need a little temporary assistance with their duties to get back on track. A day or two off work or temporarily reduced hours can help. Last but not the least point is the fact of being unaware about organizational depression can be severe. Because, depressed people live with their feelings. But its in the workplace that they will try hardest to mask their illness. Fear of being reprimanded, dismissed or stigmatized for feeling down, and feelings of shame will prevent someone from seeking help. Helping AD(H)D’s There is very little information on how to tutor students with AD(H)D. However, many authors have shared ideas on how teachers can help children in their classroom who have AD(H)D. Other authors have shared ideas on how people with AD(H)D can help themselves become more organized. Booth (1998) emphasizes that it is important for teachers (and, one presumes, tutors) to be aware that no two students with ADD are alike and that there are multiple approaches that can and will be different from student to student (para. 7 under subhead Teacher attitudes and beliefs). Accordingly, Booth encourages teachers to be flexible. For example, one student with AD(H)D might have trouble starting a task, and another student might have trouble finishing one task and starting the next (General Information, 1999, August, para. 2 under subhead Teacher Tips). Booth (1998) strongly encourages that teachers use accommodations to help students learn to become more independent. Accordingly, teachers should only give students additional interventions or accommodations when the students really need them. The goal should always be to slowly remove accommodations when possible. Teachers can provide support in planning long projects until the student gradually learns how to use better time management skills and how to plan ahead better. People who work with children or other students with AD(H)D can help them by reminding them about assignments they need to do. Also, teachers should give directions both face to face and in writing. When a person with ADD is daydreaming, it can help to make eye contact with the person. The eye contact pulls them away from their daydream so they can pay attention (Hallowell Ratey, 1994). Students with AD(H)D can usually focus better in a quiet, low distraction work area (General Information, 1999, August; Booth, 1998). People with AD(H)D can help themselves by making lists to remind themselves of things they need to do (Hallowell Ratey, 1994). They should divide large tasks into small ones and give themselves deadlines for finishing each small part (Hallowell Ratey,1994). Perhaps a regular tutor could serve in the role of an ADD coach by helping AD(H)D students divide each big project into many smaller steps and decide when they will complete each step. For example, a student who n eeds to do a term paper could choose a deadline for each of the following steps: choosing a topic, deciding what information he or she needs to gather, finishing the research, writing a rough draft of the paper and showing it to the tutor, revising the paper and showing it to the tutor again. When tutors meet with students, they should ask them where they concentrate best. Can they concentrate well if they work at the tutors usual table? Or should the tutor and student meet somewhere else? Also, tutors should be ready to repeat or write down their directions. In addition, tutors can make eye contact more often to help students with AD(H)D stop daydreaming and focus better on their tutoring session. If a tutor meets with an AD(H)D student on a regular basis, then the last five or ten minutes of each session can be used to discuss what homework the student will do before the next session and what things they will work on during the next session. Conclusion WPMDH or AD(H)D both are not sickness rather it is best to call them barriers which stops one from attaining the best. Today most of us are afraid of mentally sick people and make inaudible comments about them. But we must know that no one in this world is perfect. May be one of us is having mental trouble. It may be depression or frustration or anything. So what is better is to show a little positivity towards mental sickness and help the people get through their disabilities. It is also essential to know that AD(H)D or workplace depression can’t be just driven away. They need proper care with steps followed by people near AD(H)D or depressed persons. Most of all we need to remember that they are also normal people with a little disadvantage. References Biggs, S., Nadeau, K. (1992, December). Students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Presented at Chesapeake Psychological Services to members of Nations Capital Area Disability Support Services Coalition. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from adult-add.org/study/student/study_study_tips.htm Booth, R. C. (1998). List of appropriate school-based accommodations and interventions. Highland Park, Ill.: National Attention Deficit Disorder Association. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from add.org/content/school/list.htm General information about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder fact sheet number 19 (FS19). (1999, August). The Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs. Article retrieved April 06, 2008 from adult-add.org/study/teacher/study_teach_tips.htm Knippers, C (2006). 7 Steps to Combat Workplace Depression. Article retrieved March 12, 2008 from http://hr.blr.com/whitepapers.aspx?id=18885 Latham, P. H. (2000). Attention Deficit Disorder in college faculty and students: Partners in education. National Center for Law and Learning Disabilities. Article retrieved April 14, 2008 from adult-add.org/study/student/study_student_college.htm Marano, H.E. (2003). Depression Lowers Productivity.Article retrieved March 12, 2008 from www.psychologytoday.com/id:2877 Research Papers on Dimensions of Psychological DisabilitiesTrailblazing by Eric AndersonTwilight of the UAWCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenStandardized TestingPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHip-Hop is ArtMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Culture Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culture Comparison - Essay Example Kinship is determined in different ways within different societies but relates to two underlying principles of descent – unilineal and cognatic. Societies that are concerned with unilineal descent trace either their father’s (patrilineal) or their mother’s (matrilineal) group; those concerned with both their matrilineal and patrilineal descent are said to be concerned with cognative descent. Cognative traces can involve any of four variations including bilineal (matrilineal and patrilineal), ambilineal (both recognized, but individuals can choose which one they accept), parallel (females follow their matrilineal descent and males follow their patrilineal descent groups) and bilateral (descent is traced from all biological ancestors) (O’Neil, 2006). ... Individual people are recognized in accordance with their real family and ancestors or their membership of a particular set (Bavin, 1991, p.323). They also focus on matrilineal, patrilineal and generational moieties, semi-moieties, and subsections. The subsection system disseminates the people into eight categories that distinguish between male and female members in each (everyculture.com). The Navajo, on the other hand, function within a matrilineal system and is thus unilineal. Every Navajo belongs to one of the sixty-four clans (everyculture.com), wherein membership is passed via the mother’s family. In the same way that clan membership is inherited in the female line of kinship, property is also inherited from the female side but advantage and property however, are passed from male to male, but the mother’s brother passes both to her (his sister’s) children. Although operating within a matrilineal system the Navajo also believe they are born for the clan of t heir father (everyculture.com). Two to six matrilineal clans can form a clan group if they consider themselves to be affiliated but they are not given a clan group name (Aberle, 1961). Within Warlpiri, as in other indigenous Australian systems, the ‘collaterals and lineals are merged’ (Frey, 2008), meaning that the system is extended to all people in the society and even further to those outside and beyond the society. The following diagram provides a way of illustrating Warlpiri genealogy, wherein it shows that an aunt is only found in reference to the father’s sister – no aunt is so named on the mother’s side – and the term uncle is only found on the mother’s side in reference to the mother’s brother. The

FEDEX (1) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

FEDEX (1) - Essay Example Due to this expansion, the companies under this corporation have dominated information and the transport industry globally. However, the able leadership and management have fuelled this since its inception (Gilbert, 2012). The corporation specializes in offering transport and logistics services globally. It ensures delivery of all parcels and services all over the world. When it comes to its market segmentation, the corporation mainly majors with all businesses that require their courier services. For example, different embassies representing different countries all over the world require their services. Mostly, it mainly transports their stationery, eBay among other office supplies (FedEx, 2013). The corporation’s target market globally is the business people or companies who require their packages to arrive at the next destination within 24 hours. With its cargo fleets, the corporation has always satisfied the needs of their clients in a competitive global market. The corporation offers different services globally. Firstly, its FedEx express service ensures that the package arrives at its expected destination within 24 hours. This is an international service where the corporation uses it fleet of aircrafts or freights from other airlines, which offer delivery services all over the world. Secondly, the corporation offers FedEx ground (FedEx, 2013). This is a less expensive service that ensures same day delivery of different packages in Canada and the US. To deliver this, the corporation uses it trucks, which are owned by different operators within different states. Therefore, the company partners with them to ensure delivery of services to their high esteem clients in the country. Most of these partners are independent contractors who specialize in different routes and territories within the country. The corporation also offers home delivery services in the country. This service is normally

Lease Versus Purchase Option Essay Example for Free

Lease Versus Purchase Option Essay In this essay I will try to explain or compare and contrast lease versus purchase option. In this explanation I will talk about what is deb financing, and will provide two examples. I will also talk about what is equity financing and provide two examples and last which alternative capital structure is more advantageous and why. In order to give two examples of what is debt financing I will give a brief description of what is debt financing. Debt financing is when a company borrows money that must be repaid but with interest. This does not dilute the ownership of the company. With that being said the two examples are Issue Bonds and Line of Credit. In the line of credit, this is a bank loan where a business can draw out funds whenever money is needed. In issue bonds the business can issue bonds as for of debt financing these bonds are marketable securities. (ehow.com 2013) Now equity financing is according to ychange.com (in equity financing, money is exchanged for a share of ownership in the business). The business in returns raises funds and does not incur in debt. The two types of equity financial is employee stock ownership and private investors. The employee stock is when a company sells stock to the employee. The private investors are possible investor willing to invest their money in the company. Which alternative capital structure is more advantageous? In my opinion and according to the definitions on my e-book I would have to say energetic-middle the reason for this would be because it is more advantageous for small business. It balances the return and risk of capital. After looking at all the definitions and examples, trying to compare and contrast lease vs. buying is not that difficult. This all depends on what do you want and if it is in a companies perspective then one must take into consideration the companies cash flow. For example if a company has lots of cash flow then buying is the option now if it wants to conserve capital for the near term then leasing is the best option. It all depends on what the company need at that particular time.

Analysis of The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield Essay -- The Cele

Analysis of The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield tells the story of a man who tries to learn and understand the nine key insights into life itself in an ancient manuscript that has been discovered in Peru. It predicts a massive spiritual transformation of society in the late twentieth century. We will finally grasp the secrets of the universe, the mysteries of existence, and the meaning of life. The real meaning and purpose of life will not be found in religion or in material wealth, but rather in things like auras. He comes across the insights in numerical order since that is how one must understand them. Overcoming an initial skepticism, the narrator's understanding grows with each insight. They include the following: 1. A Critical Mass. 2. The Longer Now. 3. A Matter of Energy. 4. The Struggle for Power. 5. The Message of the Mystics. 6. Clearing the Past. 7. Engaging the Flow. 8. The Interpersonal Ethic. 9. The Emerging Culture. In the first 15 pages, while the plot is still forming, at least eight basic ideas are introduced: a spiritual awakening is occurring in the world (p.4); humanity is evolving into a higher spiritual consciousness (p.4); seek the experiential (p.5); coincidences have spiritual significance (synchronicity) (p.6); the knowledge contained in the manuscript's insights has been hidden from most of the world (esoteric, secret knowledge) (p.8); anti-Christian attitudes (p.9); discover truth through experience (p.10); and when the student is ready, the teacher appears (p.15). These ideas are not always expressed in so many words, but their principles are. For example, the basis of the story is that the spiritual insights humanity needs are hidden in an ancient document, and must be uncovered if mankind is to advance spiritually. Not everyone, according to the story, is ready for or able to comprehend these teachings. The insights are for those spiritually ripe, the spiritual elite. The book i mplies that in time others will accept these ideas but for now the more advanced must lead until a critical mass of people have grasped the insights. The first two insights are that coincidences have a deep significance and that this decision-making should guide an individual. Later insights build on this, teaching the narrator that he should be guided by daydreams, intuitions and thoughts that ma... ... over several years time. Crossroads encountered several times in one day in The Celestine Prophecy probably happen over a much longer period to someone finding one's self. I enjoyed and was intrigued by the control dramas analogy that was presented in The Celestine Prophecy. They sure seemed to enhance understanding on the issue. Also this spiritual enlightenment story portrayed to me that healing to an awareness of our inner light can move right along when we are not encumbered by blame and guilt. There was no judgment implied as to which choices that one makes, it seemed to be simply a matter of preference if one chose to liberate or not. Acceptance of whatever is flows through the entire book. Naturally we would come to choose healing, and naturally we would tolerate those not ready to do so yet. But what blew me away is how blatantly and clearly the writing conveyed how the fearful phenomenon of dysfunctional codependency plays itself out--people attempting to live on each o ther's energy in lieu of tapping their own inner power. This can be seen in the scene where they seen the energies exchange between some people. All and all I enjoyed reading this novel by James Redfield. Analysis of The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield Essay -- The Cele Analysis of The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield tells the story of a man who tries to learn and understand the nine key insights into life itself in an ancient manuscript that has been discovered in Peru. It predicts a massive spiritual transformation of society in the late twentieth century. We will finally grasp the secrets of the universe, the mysteries of existence, and the meaning of life. The real meaning and purpose of life will not be found in religion or in material wealth, but rather in things like auras. He comes across the insights in numerical order since that is how one must understand them. Overcoming an initial skepticism, the narrator's understanding grows with each insight. They include the following: 1. A Critical Mass. 2. The Longer Now. 3. A Matter of Energy. 4. The Struggle for Power. 5. The Message of the Mystics. 6. Clearing the Past. 7. Engaging the Flow. 8. The Interpersonal Ethic. 9. The Emerging Culture. In the first 15 pages, while the plot is still forming, at least eight basic ideas are introduced: a spiritual awakening is occurring in the world (p.4); humanity is evolving into a higher spiritual consciousness (p.4); seek the experiential (p.5); coincidences have spiritual significance (synchronicity) (p.6); the knowledge contained in the manuscript's insights has been hidden from most of the world (esoteric, secret knowledge) (p.8); anti-Christian attitudes (p.9); discover truth through experience (p.10); and when the student is ready, the teacher appears (p.15). These ideas are not always expressed in so many words, but their principles are. For example, the basis of the story is that the spiritual insights humanity needs are hidden in an ancient document, and must be uncovered if mankind is to advance spiritually. Not everyone, according to the story, is ready for or able to comprehend these teachings. The insights are for those spiritually ripe, the spiritual elite. The book i mplies that in time others will accept these ideas but for now the more advanced must lead until a critical mass of people have grasped the insights. The first two insights are that coincidences have a deep significance and that this decision-making should guide an individual. Later insights build on this, teaching the narrator that he should be guided by daydreams, intuitions and thoughts that ma... ... over several years time. Crossroads encountered several times in one day in The Celestine Prophecy probably happen over a much longer period to someone finding one's self. I enjoyed and was intrigued by the control dramas analogy that was presented in The Celestine Prophecy. They sure seemed to enhance understanding on the issue. Also this spiritual enlightenment story portrayed to me that healing to an awareness of our inner light can move right along when we are not encumbered by blame and guilt. There was no judgment implied as to which choices that one makes, it seemed to be simply a matter of preference if one chose to liberate or not. Acceptance of whatever is flows through the entire book. Naturally we would come to choose healing, and naturally we would tolerate those not ready to do so yet. But what blew me away is how blatantly and clearly the writing conveyed how the fearful phenomenon of dysfunctional codependency plays itself out--people attempting to live on each o ther's energy in lieu of tapping their own inner power. This can be seen in the scene where they seen the energies exchange between some people. All and all I enjoyed reading this novel by James Redfield.

Parallel Motivations in the Iliad and the Odyssey Essay

The Iliad and the Odyssey were poems written by Homer about events in Greek mythology. The Iliad detailed the final year of the Trojan war, which pitted the Greeks against the Trojans, and this poetic story described the outcome of the war. Homer’s Odyssey describes the adventures of Odysseus (Ulysses, as he was known in Roman mythology) as he tries to return home, to Ithaca, following the Trojan War. But there is one them that is present in both of these poems, and that is that when everyone is longing for home, disaster and further complications always arise. In the Iliad, the Greeks are trying to wrap up the war quickly, because many of the men miss their homes, but the bloody battle is claiming lives form both sides, and in the Odyssey, Odysseus only wants to return home, to his wife and son, but he is delayed by a series of events and catastrophes that for some time, only leads him further and further from home. The Iliad details the final year of the Trojan War, which was waged by the Greeks on the Trojans over Helen of Sparta, wife of Menelaus, who was the brother of the Greek commander, Agamemnon. Paris of Troy was told he could be granted one wish by Aphrodite, the love and beauty goddess, and he decided that he wanted Helen, who he though was the most beautiful woman in the world. The Trojans were able to get Helen, and hold her in Troy, and the Greeks attacked Troy over Helen, according to the myth. But in the final year of the War, it had been drawn out, and many Greek combatants only wanted to return home. At the beginning of the Iliad, Achilles, a Greek warrior who was extra fearsome (due to his nearly-immortal status- as the only place on his body that could be harmed was the back of his heel), was not participating in the battle, because Agamemnon had agreed to return a war prize of Achilles, who was a young girl, to Sparta, and Achilles was upset. So with Achilles out, Paris of Troy’s older brother Hector, the Trojan Prince, was the greatest warrior in the war, and he did some serious damage to the Greek forces. Achilles’ friend Patroclus goes into battle, disguised as Achilles, and Hector kills him, thinking he has killed Achilles. Achilles is angered by the slaying of his friend, and kills Hector in combat, and drags his body around the besieged city of Troy for days, but King Priam, the King of Troy, comes out to the Greek camp and negotiates with Achilles for the body, so that he could give his son proper burial. Achilles lets him have the body, and the Iliad ends with Hector’s funeral. The Odyssey is Homer’s work that details the plight of Odysseus as he tries to return home after the Trojan War. After the Iliad, Achilles was slain by Paris, who was able to strike him in the heel with a single arrow, which killed him, but the Greeks were victorious due to the wisdom and cunning of Odysseus. He came up with the plan for the Trojan horse, which was a war prize that the Greeks built for the Trojans, as they pretended defeat, but when the Trojans brought it into the city, some Greeks jumped out, and opened the gates to their comrades, and the Greeks overwhelmed the Trojans from inside the city’s walls. After the war, Odysseus and his men set off on their twelve vessels, headed for Ithaca, but disaster did not wait long to strike. The actual poem begins in the middle of the storyline of the Odyssey, which is at the point where Odysseus has been held captive by the nymph Calypso for seven years, and Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is preparing Telemachus, Odysseus’ young son, for a voyage that will act as a search for his father. At the same time, Odysseus’ wife, Penelope is fending off suitors, who wish to marry her, and take over as king of Ithaca, and Odysseus’ replacement, but she is able to delay them. At that time, Odysseus is very worn out, and wishes to return home to see his wife and son, because he has been away for decades, fighting in the Trojan War, and then encountering disasters, and spending time as Calypso’s unwilling companion on her island. But Zeus sends Hermes, the messenger god to tell Calypso that she must let Odysseus go free to his family, and she gives him food, and he builds a raft to set off. And here is another recurring theme of the story, which is of hope, as throughout the Iliad and Odyssey there are times when everything seems like it is going to be alright, but them further disasters and complications occur. But Poseidon, father of a Cyclops that he had killed, named Polyphemus, wrecks his raft, and Odysseus swims ashore to another island. Odysseus reveals his story to Demodocus, the ruler of the land where he washed ashore, after the story of the end of the Trojan War was told to him. This is where Odysseus explains what had happened to him from the end of the war until the end of his stay on Calypso’s island. It was an act of betrayal by Odysseus’ crew that most delayed his return to Ithaca following the Trojan War. He had gone to the island of Aeolus, the master of the winds, who had given him a bag of winds, which he was told to use wisely, to aid in his return home. Odysseus told his crew never to touch the bag, but thinking that it contained gold, they opened it when Odysseus slept, and the winds blew the ships back away from Ithaca as it was coming into sight, to near where their voyage had began. After that, Odysseus and his men encountered malevolent nymphs and cannibals, all of whom further delayed Odysseus as he tried to return home. He stayed with one nymph, Circe, for a year, where he and his crew feasted and drank, but then they set off again for Ithaca, and Circe helped them get started. There were countless times in the Odyssey when it seemed like everything was going alright, and that the men would be to Ithaca in just a few days if everything went on course, but it never did. Some disaster always arose that made it harder for the men to return home. After leaving Circe, Odysseus had been told that he had to visit a dead poet in the underworld for instructions to get back to Ithaca. When he went to the underworld for advice, he saw his mother there, and Agamemnon’s spirit, along with those of other Greek companions who had been slain during or after the war. When he left the underworld, Odysseus sailed back to Circe’s island again. Before left again, the Circe warned him about some of the dangers that he would still have to go through on his return, and she instructed him on how to safely survive them and continue to Ithaca. The first danger that he was to face were the Sirens, which were evil sea nymphs who lured sailors to their deaths with beautiful singing, and made the sailors jump overboard when they heard the voices of the nymphs. Odysseus ordered his men to plug their ears with wax to make it so that they would not hear the Sirens’ singing, which would lead to their deaths. But he wanted to hear their songs himself, so he had his men tie him to the ship’s mast so that he could not be led away, and he cut himself trying to break free of his restraints. Odysseus and his men then passed through the narrow cavern between Scylla, a monster with many heads, and Charybdis, a dangerous whirlpool, and they landed on the land of Thrinacia. But his men there, ignoring the warnings of Circe, killed some of the sacred cattle that belonged to the god Helios, and after they set off, he caused the ships to run aground, killing everyone but Odysseus, who washed up on Calypso’s island, taking the reader back to the point that the beginning of the story began at. This detailed all of the problems that Odysseus had encountered so far in his quest to return home, after a seemingly never-ending war. People in the Iliad were of the same mind state, which was that they could never return home, as the war was always full of complications and divine interventions that prolonged the Trojan War, and Odysseus found that his journey back after the war had many of the same characteristics. This is the biggest similarity between the two poems: as people are exhausted, and longing for home, complications always delay there return, and make life for the Greeks (and for Odysseus, in the Odyssey) more miserable. The Phaeacians, of whom Demodocus, who he was telling his story to, was the king, decided to help Odysseus, and being skilled navigators, they sailed him to a hidden harbor at Ithaca, and Odysseus then stayed at the hut of one of his former slaves, who was a swineherd. There, with the help of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who had always admired and tried to help Odysseus, he planned his entrance into Ithaca, and how he would reveal himself to his wife and son, and how he would defeat the suitors of Penelope. But as Odysseus is preparing for his fight with the suitors, who would certainly try to kill him, he maintains that he is not himself at all, and with the help of Athena, he disguises himself as an elderly beggar, and tells the herders he is staying with a fictitious tale about he came from Crete. At that time, Athena helps Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, return home from Sparta, where he had gone to ask about his father’s whereabouts, and after returning to Ithaca, he meets Odysseus, who reveals his identity, but maintains his disguise, and tells no one else of his true identity. This represents another theme that is present in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, which is that patience and wisdom are more valiant than strength and brute force, and when it comes down to it, wisdom usually prevails. As after nearly a decade of fighting, the Trojan War was still going strong, it took an act of guile and wisdom and patience, on the part of Odysseus to secure a Greek victory. And here, as Odysseus decided to maintain his new identity until every threat had been neutralized, he was again exhibiting the same kind of patience and wisdom that he had used to win the Trojan War for the Greeks. Still disguised as a beggar, Odysseus returns to his old house that he had not seen in over two decades, and sees that it is overrun by rowdy, disrespectful suitors, who aim to marry his wife so that they can take over as King of Ithaca. But Odysseus has other plans, and calculates the strategies that he will use to defeat the suitors as Eumaeus, the swineherd, and former slave of Odysseus escorts him through the house. He meets his wife Penelope, and is able to maintain his disguise, but a house keeper, who washes the beggar Odysseus’ feet notices a scar that Odysseus had received from a boar hunt many years before he left to fight in the Trojan War, but he convinces the house keeper to remain silent. The next day, Penelope has the suitors come into a room to compete for her in an archery competition that uses the bow of Odysseus. None of the suitors are strong enough to string the bow, so Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, steps forward, and as the suitors are laughing at him, he strings it. Then he, his son, and some of his former slaves turn on the suitors, and kill them all. After that, some of the supporters of the slain suitors decide that Odysseus has caused the deaths of too many men from Ithaca, blaming him for the deaths of the men he went to war with, and who were shipwrecked do to their own disobedience, in addition to the deaths of the suitors. But Athena convinces everyone to accept Odysseus again as the King of Ithaca, and the Odyssey is finished. There are many parallel themes that are present in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, but perhaps the most notable theme is the longing for home, which can only be satisfied by wisdom. During the Trojan War, Greek forces find themselves exhausted, and longing for home, but complications are only prolonging the war. Whenever they have a major accomplishment, catastrophe results in the story of the war. After Achilles was able to defeat Hector, Paris defeats Achilles. And in the end, it was the wisdom and patience of Odysseus that one the war for the Greeks. And in the Odyssey, things go much the same way. As Odysseus and his men are trying to return from Troy, and head back to Ithaca, whenever they have a significant gain, a setback seems to follow. When Odysseus got the back of winds that would allow him to control the winds and safely, and quickly navigate the vessels back to Ithaca, his disobedient men cause a problem, sending the ships back the way that they had come from. But in the end, it was Odysseus alone who returned, as he was able to ignore temptations, and find his way home to Ithaca, and to his family. And in the very end of Homer’s story, Odysseus used his wisdom to defeat his final enemies, as he was able to maintain his false identity until every threat had been nullified. This is how the Trojan War was won by Odysseus and the Greeks, and how he was able to finally find his way back to his family. Works Cited Homer. The Iliad. trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1990. Finley, M. I. The World of Odysseus. New York: Signet, 1974. Myrsiades, Kostas, ed. Approaches to Teaching Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. New York: MLA, 1987.

5 First Steps for Finding Your Roots

Youve decided to dig into your family history but arent sure where to begin? These five basic steps will get you started on the fascinating journey into your past. 1. Begin With Names First names, middle names, last names, nicknames...names often provide an important window into the past. Names in your family tree can be found by looking at old certificates and documents, by asking your relatives, and by looking at family photos and newspaper clippings (wedding announcements, obituaries, etc.). Search especially for maiden names for any female ancestors as they may help identify the parents, taking you back a generation in the family tree. Naming patterns used in the family may also hold a clue to previous generations. Family surnames were often adopted as given names, as were middle names which sometimes indicate the maiden name of a mother or grandmother. Watch also for nicknames, as they may also help you identify your ancestors. Expect to encounter plenty of spelling variations as name spellings and pronounciations generally evolve over time, and the surname your family uses now may not be the same as the one they began with. Names are also often just written down wrong, by people who spelled phonetically, or by individuals trying to transcribe messy handwriting for an index. 2. Compile Vital Statistics As you search for the names in your family tree, you should also gather the vital statistics that go with them. Most importantly you should look for dates and places of births, marriages, and deaths. Again, turn to the papers and photos in your home for clues, and ask your relatives for any details they can provide. If you run across conflicting accounts — two different birth dates for great Aunt Emma, for example — just record them both until more information comes along which helps point to one or the other. 3. Collect Family Stories As you quiz your relatives about names and dates, take time to elicit and write down their stories as well. The history in your family history begins with these memories, helping you to really get to know the people your ancestors were. Among these stories, you may learn of special family traditions or famous family legends that have been passed down from generation to generation. While they will likely contain some creative remembrances and embellishments, family stories generally have some basis in fact, providing clues for further research. 4. Select a Focus After gathering names, dates, and stories about your family, the next step is to choose a specific ancestor, couple, or family line on which to focus your search. You could choose to learn more about your dads parents, an ancestor you were named after, or all descendants of your maternal grandparents. The key here isnt what or who you choose to study, just that it is a small enough project to be manageable. This is especially important if youre just starting out on your family tree quest. People who try to do it all at once tend to get bogged down in details, often overlooking important clues to their past. 5. Chart Your Progress Genealogy is basically one big puzzle. If you dont put the pieces together in just the right way, then youll never get to see the final picture. To make sure your puzzle pieces end up in the proper positions  pedigree charts and family group sheets  can help you record your research data and keep track of your progress. Genealogy software programs are another good option for recording your information and will allow you to print out the data in a nice variety of chart formats. Blank genealogy charts can also be downloaded and printed for free from many different websites. Dont forget to take a little time out to record what youve looked at and what you found (or didnt find)!