Our Previous Samples

Improving the lives of patients is at the core of my decision to seek a career in nursing, a career in which my compassionate and caring personality, together with my thirst for knowledge, will be fulfilled. I am also confident that I can survive the physically, mentally, and emotionally intense environment of a hospital, fostering both caring leadership and professional cooperation.

I had my first experience of a hospital environment during my childhood as a patient, spending several months being treated for malaria. I witnessed many patients, especially little kids, dealing with issues like cleft palate, skin rashes, cancer, birth defects, fever, etc. Seeing those children suffering touched me deeply. I said to myself, “I think I can help by giving them the treatment they deserve.” Ever since that experience, whenever I visited a hospital, I found myself empathizing with sick people, especially children, feeling for them, putting myself in their shoes, and responding with compassion and care.

I would like to become a pediatric nurse working in a children's hospital, such as St. Jude Hospital. I’m hoping to pass the HESI and NCLEX exam, get hired at a children hospital. I want to be the kind of nurse that constantly pushes myself out of my comfort zone so that I will always learn the kind that others look to for guidance and support.

My Aunt is a nurse and seeing the satisfaction she feels every day by helping people in her job inspired my own interest in the field. In the nursing profession, nurses deal with many aspects of patient care, for example, I would welcome the challenge of the variety in the routine of the career in nursing. As a nursing college student, my interest in the nursing program, and my commitment to the field became even stronger as I found that I also had an aptitude for the work. I also believe that my ability to communicate with people and to explain things clearly to them in both a technical and in-person is one of the things that will make me a good nurse. I chose nursing as a career because I love learning new things. Every day as a nurse, I will always learn something new from my colleagues and patients, which will inspire me the more to explore a deeper knowledge of the techniques and procedures I will always use as a nurse. As a nurse, I will be able to help patients, irrespective of their condition, to fight for their lives. Besides being a good fit for me, nursing is a profession that never stops giving. It will be a very rewarding career for me as I grow as a professional and as a person while serving others. My grandmother once told me that every time I have patients whose physical condition improves; I should count that as a blessing. I thank God every day for this opportunity I have been given to become a nurse.   

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Discussion
3. Future directions

Lupus Nephritis is a kidney infection or an aggravation which is caused due to Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or commonly called Lupus in kidney. SLE is an autoimmune disease which suppress the immune system/ immune responses, due to its high prevalence it is widely explored by many researchers and scientists and many possibilities are being tried to cure it. Apart from medications and surgeries, cell based therapies are of greater interest in treating Lupus because of their potential for long term suppression of disease. Technique which is promising to be successful in clinics such as ‘Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)’, where targeting the autoreactive lymphocytes, cells which are resistant to other conventional therapies, and to replace the dysfunctional immune cells with the newly arise immune cells from Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) are used along with immunosuppressing therapies to treat Lupus. My opinion paper enlightens the advancement in Stem cell therapy combination with immunosuppression treatment and I believe it’s a good approach to follow as it provides an effective treatment for lupus.

Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is complex and heterogeneous autoimmune disease attacks different healthy body parts and organs like Skin, Joints, Lungs, Heart, Central nervous system and Kidney. When it effects kidney it is known as Lupus Nephritis (LN). SLE is characterized by production of self -reactive antibodies and immune complexes(IC) which deposit in tissues like skin (cutaneous lupus), kidney (lupus nephritis) joints and muscles (rheumatoid lupus), and type 4 III hypersensitivity reaction cause systemic/chronic inflammation that leads to tissue/organ damage. There are a numerous case reports of patients suffering from lupus or other autoimmune diseases receiving an allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplants for treatment of malignancies. Therapeutic benefit of the procedure was indicated by putting the disease into remission noted by reports. The treatment of lupus nephritis (LN) is same as that of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) because SLE is the cause of lupus nephritis. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) are used along with immunosuppressing therapies to treat Lupus. There so many other treatments used for curing lupus like Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), Cyclophosphamide (CY) drug and Immunosuppressive treatment used with HSCT.

HSCT aims to deplete self-reactive lymphocytes, immune cells resistant to conventional therapy, and to replace the malfunctioned immune system with a healthy new immune cells arise from hematopoietic stem cells. The primary step in HSCT is mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells collected from the bone marrow after treatment with a drug CyC in combination with G-CS. Leukapheresis and cryopreserved are used to collect those cells which express surface antigen CD34. Negative depletion of T-cells, or positive selection of CD34+ cells are used to manipulate the graft in order to eliminate autoreactive clones. Then followed by mobilization and harvesting step, in which the patient undergoes a conditioning protocol, in which high-dose of cytotoxic agents are given. Re-infusion of graft into the patient. Hematopoietic recovery occurs which is then followed by restoring of hematopoiesis after about 10 days of aplasia. The auto-reactive T-cell clones are eliminated in HSCT. Broad spectrum of antibacterial and antifungal prophylaxis were used. Time to neutrophil engraftment was a mean of nine days. By the HSCT the defective 5 cells are replaced by the newly formed immune cells from HSC which helps the body to perform normally.

The literature survey for my opinion paper was carried out using different databases, catalogues and records such as PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC) present at National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Google Scholar, journals and articles present at Leddy library at University of Windsor, Wikipedia and Lupus Foundation of America. Various research papers, articles, review etc. were read to retrieve and understand the complete information about introduction and current advances going on lupus and lupus nephritis along with recent stem cell therapies, immune suppression and therapeutic procedures. Different techniques for treating lupus were studied utilizing above web servers with different keywords and their results obtained from different experiments based on Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) were assessed. Finally, out of thousands of studies mentioned few recent were shortlisted having unexplored data or ongoing mechanism in curing lupus along with future directions in the field of Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Discussion

It is known in lupus after DNA damage cell undergo apoptosis and form an apoptotic body. The exposes/debris of nucleus considered to be as nuclear antigen by the immune cells of the body and start producing self-reactive antibodies against immune cells then the antigen-antibody complex move via blood to different parts or organs of body like skin, joints, kidney brain where it get deposited and an immune complex can initiate an inflammatory reaction known as Type III 6 Hypersensitivity reaction which further leads to damage of organs like kidney. Once, the organ like kidney nephrons are damaged proteins, albumin, lipids, blood easily passed into the urine and cause proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, lipiduria. hematuria respectively. The defective cells are replaced by the newly formed cells from Hematopoietic stem cell as well as by immunosuppressing. It is important to examine the benefits of Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in clinical or pre-clinical trials before implementing them on the patients. In general, HSCT has become a promising treatment for severe SLE, and SADs. It may be a salvage therapy as well as a disease-controlling procedure. Its effects are both immediate and progressive in nature. HSCT shows efficacy for SLE due to following reasons:

1. the utility of high dose immune suppressants for removal of self-reactive immune system during the process of mobilization and pretreatment;
2. the redistribution of altered cellular and humoral immune network or thymic re-education, development, and regeneration of a new and self-tolerant immune system from HSC;
3. susceptibility gene for SLE trend to negative expression.

In severe SLE with potential use, HSCT combined with immune suppressants, chemotherapeutic drugs, and monoclonal antibody is a newer therapy. Patient should also aware of the risks associated with the treatments like due to pancytopenia or during mobilization and transplantation, high risk of mortality seen immediately after post-HSCT, causes infection and bleeding in the patient. Due to consumption of very high-dose of immunosuppressant- viral or bacterial infections occurred and due to impaired function of regulatory T cells, uncontrolled autoimmune response causes secondary autoimmunity, lymphoma and malignancy. Only patients that have failed all conventional therapy are candidates due to high risk of procedure. There are so many other alternative approaches for 7 curing lupus like MSC transplantation, Cyclophosphamide (CY) drug for mobilization combined with granulocyte colony stimulating factors (GCSF) and Immunosuppressive treatment (combination of chemo and radiotherapy) used in HSCT. Therefore, I believe that this HSCT therapy holds a lot of potential in treating the lupus patients.

Future directions

It is clear that HSC transplantation has the potential for substantial therapeutic effects on patients with SLE. Further examination of HSCs must be done to discern the potency of HSCs from these different sources. The source and donor of HSCs will likely prove to be of importance as future studies regarding HSC transplantation are performed. HSCs require a particular microenvironment for maximal suppressive function and for its activation HSC requires additional clarification since the environment which is required for the activation of HSCs is also the pro-inflammatory environment that leads to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. HSCT remains a viable option for patients with severe disease refractory to standard therapy. For proper use of this therapy, careful patient selection and performance is required in experienced centers. It is considered to be a robust bridge for more and better biological therapies in the future, similarly to discovery of the tyrosine-kinase inhibitors that have cancelled most allogeneic transplants for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.

Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.

HSCT results in lower mortality rates than allogeneic transplantation mainly due to the absence of graft versus host disease. In severe SLE, HSCT combined with immunosuppressant, chemotherapeutic drugs, and monoclonal antibody has potential use. In my opinion this treatment will be successful in clinical setting because of its efficacy, susceptibility and low morality. Moreover, most of the 8 studies done on lupus shows HSCT is the viable and effective method of curing lupus as compare to other conventional treatments.

Ernest Hemingway is considered one of the most influential American authors of the 20th century, known for his sparse and direct writing style that captured the essence of human experience. One of his most renowned works, A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, is a short story that explores the themes of loneliness, isolation, and the search for meaning in life. The story is widely believed to be influenced by Hemingway's own life experiences and emotions.

Hemingway's life was marked by a series of personal and professional struggles. He was a man who had experienced the horrors of war, the trauma of lost love, and the pain of mental illness. All these experiences had a profound impact on his writing, and A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is no exception. The story is a reflection of Hemingway's own struggles and his search for meaning in life.

The story is set in a café, where two waiters are discussing an old deaf man who frequents the café every night. The older waiter is sympathetic towards the old man and understands his need for a clean, well-lighted place where he can escape the darkness and loneliness of his life. The younger waiter, on the other hand, is impatient and dismissive of the old man's needs. The older waiter reflects on the importance of a clean, well-lighted place in his own life and how it has helped him to cope with the darkness and loneliness of his own existence.

The theme of loneliness is a recurring one in Hemingway's work, and A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is no exception. The old man in the story is a symbol of the human condition, a reminder of the isolation and emptiness that is a part of life. Hemingway himself had experienced a great deal of loneliness and isolation in his life. He had lost many loved ones, including his father, who committed suicide when Hemingway was only six years old. He had also been wounded in World War I and suffered from depression, which led to feelings of isolation and emptiness.

In A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, the café is a place of refuge for the old man, a sanctuary where he can escape the darkness and loneliness of his life. The older waiter understands this, and he is sympathetic towards the old man, recognizing that he needs the café as much as he does. The younger waiter, on the other hand, is impatient and dismissive of the old man's needs, a reflection of the younger generation's lack of empathy and understanding.

The theme of the search for meaning in life is also prevalent in the story. The older waiter reflects on the importance of a clean, well-lighted place in his own life, and how it has helped him to cope with the darkness and loneliness of his own existence. He recognizes that the café is not just a physical place, but a symbol of the search for meaning in life. Hemingway himself was also on a lifelong quest for meaning and purpose in his life. He had experienced the trauma of war, the loss of loved ones, and the pain of mental illness, which had led him to question the meaning of life.

In A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, the older waiter is a representation of Hemingway's own search for meaning in life. He recognizes that the café is a sanctuary, a place where he can escape the darkness and loneliness of his life, and find meaning and purpose in his existence. The younger waiter, on the other hand, is a representation of the younger generation's lack of empathy and understanding. He is impatient and dismissive of the old man's needs, a reflection of his own lack of understanding of the human condition.

Hemingway's own experiences with war, trauma, and mental illness also influenced the way the story is written. Hemingway's writing style is known for its spare, direct, and unadorned language, which is a reflection of his belief that the most powerful emotions are the ones that are not spoken. In A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, the dialogue is minimal, and the emotions are conveyed through the actions and thoughts of the characters. This writing style reflects Hemingway's own struggles with mental illness and his desire to capture the essence of human experience.

Hemingway's life experiences also influenced the way he portrayed the characters in the story. The older waiter is a representation of Hemingway's own struggles with loneliness and isolation, and his search for meaning in life. The younger waiter, on the other hand, is a representation of the younger generation's lack of empathy and understanding, a reflection of Hemingway's own disillusionment with the younger generation. The old man in the story is a symbol of the human condition, a reminder of the isolation and emptiness that is a part of life, a reflection of Hemingway's own struggles with mental illness and his search for meaning in life.

In conclusion, A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is a story that is deeply influenced by Hemingway's own life experiences. The themes of loneliness, isolation, and the search for meaning in life are all reflections of Hemingway's own struggles with war, trauma, and mental illness. The characters in the story are also reflections of Hemingway's own emotions and beliefs. Hemingway's writing style, which is known for its spare, direct, and unadorned language, is also a reflection of his belief that the most powerful emotions are the ones that are not spoken. A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is a powerful and poignant story that captures the essence of human experience, a reflection of Hemingway's own struggles and his search for meaning in life.

The Sun Also Rises offers a snapshot into Hemingway's world and allows the reader to see first-hand the societal changes taking place around the time of World War I. In this era, a new class of woman, free from the stifling ties to men, developed, thus causing the relationship between men and women to be completely redefined. The members of this "lost generation" rewrote the values of the Victorian age and reestablished a less rigid set of morals to implement in the modern world.

Many critics associate Ernest Hemingway with the idea of anti-feminism. However, this opinion is not necessarily founded in factual evidence. The Sun Also Rises introduces a new type of woman, the independent female, who is the polar opposite of anti-feminism. In many ways, this first novel is Hemingway's goodbye kiss to the Victorian ethos under which he was raised (O'Sullivan 81). In this novel, Hemingway creates Lady Brett Ashley to portray the liberated, modernist female persona. Brett represents the new, overtly phallic women (Fantina 84). Straying away from the image of inferior, submissive homemaker, the new woman was a freethinking, outspoken peer, and moreover, a friend.

With the creation of Brett Ashley, Hemingway flirts with the notion that the line previously dividing men and women had been blurred, or in some cases, completely absent. In and around the time of the Great War, female behavior began to change. Women were perceived as beginning to "act like men." Instead of grace, many women had taken on an affectation of mannishness, as is shown in their hats, jackets, long strides, and healthful swinging of the arms while walking. More radical behavior included smoking, drinking, living alone, and sexual activity (O'Sullivan 78). Brett Ashley is the embodiment of this idea of the new female. "She's a drunk," writes Hemingway about Brett (38). "She wore a slipover jersey sweater and a tweed skirt, and her hair was brushed back like a boy's," (Hemingway 30). She drinks to get drunk. She smokes cigars. She has promiscuous, no-strings-attached sex with men other than her fiancée. She does what "proper" women should not do. However, through this debauchery of tradition, Hemingway achieves new heights for the female character. Brett is neither a wife nor a prostitute (O'Sullivan 83). She shatters the stereotypical molds that society has been conditioned to place women in. However, the genius of Brett Ashley lies not in Hemingway's ability to create the Great American Bitch, but rather in his ability to create an idea of a woman as a friend (O'Sullivan 81). Especially with regards to Jake, the idea of women as solely love or sexual interests is erased, and replaced by friendship, something previously thought to have been impossible to achieve between members of the opposite gender.

Jake's war injury prevents him from consummating his love with Brett. With the opportunity for physical love thus rendered impossible, one may question what holds this relationship together. As it appears, Brett and Jake seem to have a legitimate liking for each other; something beyond the realm of the purely physical. In this light, Brett and Jake share a relationship much like that which might exist between two men. The lines have blurred, and Jake is able to see through the sexual cloud surrounding Brett and see her as a person. Jake and Brett are equals. More than that, they are friends.

In many respects, Jake's friendship with Brett is very similar to that of his friendship with Bill Gorton. Though frequently separated, the two can immediately reestablish ties when they reunite. When Bill visits Paris, he and Jake exchange stories about the past. Bill shares tales of his time in Vienna. He admits that it was not that great of a time, and that it seemed better than it was (Hemingway 76). He attributes this fact to his four-day drinking binge. Later in the novel, the two again converse, but this time in more depth. From their conversation in the country, the connection between the two is obvious. The men freely discuss such topics as religion, literature and personal problems, and even talk about Jake's impotency (O'Sullivan 88). Bill even goes so far as to express his love for Jake. "You're a hell of a good guy, and I'm fonder of you than anybody on earth. I couldn't tell you than in New York. It'd mean I was a faggot," (Hemingway 121).

The importance of Jake's friendship with Bill is that is bares striking similarities to his friendship with Brett. The idea that Jake could have comparable - yet nonphysical - relationships with both a male and a female reinforces the blurring of gender lines in The Sun Also Rises. Both Jake and Bill and Jake and Brett are able to accept each other's downfalls and jaded pasts and see each other as they truly are. The idea that Brett and Bill can both affect Jake in similar ways reemphasizes that the new female and the new male are not different at all.

Many people viewed this new platonic relationship as disastrous and as being directly attributed to the death of romantic love. However, instead of reading The Sun Also Rises as a story about the death of love, we can read it as a story about the cautious belief in the survival of the two most basic components of any human relationship: love and friendship. It can be looked at as the unification of two separate sexual spheres of the nineteenth century and a break away from the moral imperatives of the Victorian Age, while also demonstrating the possibility of love's survival in the more realistic but nihilistic twentieth century (O'Sullivan 76).

While there is no doubt that there is substantial love between Jake and Brett, it is not what defines their entire relationship. Unlike Brett's liaisons with other men, her relationship with Jake is not based on lust and animalistic sexual desire. Brett is able to rely on Jake for love, help, and support. When Brett comes to the realization that she has fallen in love with Romero, she experiences some form of emotional shock. She repeatedly exclaims to Jake that "I'm [She's] a goner," (Hemingway 187). However, despite her over-dramatized display, Jake stays with her and listens. When Brett finally asks, "Oh darling, please stay by me and help me through this," Jake offers the unhesitant reply of "Sure" (Hemingway 188). Jake again comes to Brett's rescue after she decides that her relationship with Romero is not in either's best interest. Broke and stranded in Madrid, she turns to the only person who she can undoubtedly count on, Jake Barnes. After receiving a message from Brett, Jake drops his plans to go and be at her side. Upon his arrival, Brett opens up to him about her ordeal with the child bullfighter. Throughout everything, Jake is there, listening and being a friend. "I saw she was crying. I could feel her crying as I held her close. Shaking and crying. I put my arms around her" (Hemingway 247). There is not a hint of sexual desire between the two in any of these aforementioned scenes. Brett and Jake offer each other a glimpse into their soul. They are honest about their personal failures and shortcomings. Though imperfect, their friendship is imbued with the survival mechanisms of honesty, a shared history, and serious love (O'Sullivan 87). Jake knows that, despite his love for her, nothing will change their relationship. However, he accepts her as she is, and for this, the relationship between the two is rendered durable and lasting.

The change in the male-female relationship during this era was not simply brought about by the birth of the new woman. The role of men also began to change, furthering the demise of romantic love and the establishment of the new idea of the possibility of friendship between the sexes. Hemingway uses characters such as Jake Barnes and Robert Cohn to represent these changes, and also to show why romantic love and the chivalric man have no place in a post-World War I environment.

Jake's war wound is representative of the loss of traditional manhood. Without the use of the penis, a major portion of the male identity is gone; it represents the authority men have over women. After the war, with the onset of the injury, Jake becomes a representative of the decline in male power. He can no longer represent the traditional male, because he is impotent (O'Sullivan 87). The war divided the old world from the new; the old Jake from the new Jake. With women becoming manlier, it was hard for men to be men; the wound had cut them off from the anatomical source of their undoubted virility (Forter 26). The penis had previously differentiated hierarchically between men and women. It was a symbol of male power over the female (Forter 26). Jake's injury robs him of his manhood and the root of male social power.

Jake's interaction with society shows that his new role as a man is not necessarily negative. Due to his impotence, Jake cannot continue to define himself based upon his sexual abilities. He can not prove himself to Brett by what he can do for her sexually. Instead, he is forced to develop other facets of his personality. Though he cannot be with her in a physical, romantic sense, something still draws the two together. This furthers the concept of friendship over sexual love.

Metaphorically, Jake's injury is necessary. For the new woman to acquire power, the new man must give some up. This change is accentuated by the lack of transformation in the other men. Men like Cohn and Romero do not accept Brett and the evolving female. Because Jake accepts Brett and the idea of the new woman, he is able to maintain a relationship. Brett says, "It was rather a knock his being ashamed of me. He was ashamed of me for a while, you know...They ragged [Romero] about me in the café, I guess. He wanted me to grow out my hair. Me, with long hair, I'd look like hell" (Hemingway 246). In this situation, Romero cannot give up his outdated views as to how a woman should look. Although it is ultimately Brett's realization that her corruption of the young Romero will ruin him that causes the relationship to go sour, it is definitely plausible that his, as well as Cohn's, inability to relinquish old-fashioned ideals also play a part in the dissolution of the relationship.

Robert Cohn represents past Victorian values: "He believes in romance-the romance of faraway and exotic places, romantically described in turgidly romantic prose-as well as the romance of a mutually fulfilling loves" (Forter 27). He is the one sensitive character in a completely desensitized world. Because of this, Cohn does not fit in. He is repeatedly shown crying, and is incapable of drinking with the big boys (Forter 27). Hemingway creates these circumstances to show that just as Cohn does not fit in with his peers, Cohn's outmoded views do not fit in with the new morals of society.

After his short-lived romance with Brett, Cohn immediately falls in lust with her, and constantly pines for her love. He is incapable of understanding that Brett does not need him. He has not come to accept the new woman, who is not dependent on men, yet values their friendship (O'Sullivan 79). Cohn has not experienced a life-changing injury as Jake has, so he has been able to cling to the notion that something exists between him and Brett. He is so immersed in romantic love that he does not see that Brett has simply used him for sexual relations, and has no other use or desire for him.

Jake is the most compatible male for the new woman. Cohn is still steadfastly holding onto old-fashioned beliefs about romantic love. The two men represent completely opposite ends of the spectrum. One may say that Jake is perfect for the evolving society, while Cohn is exactly the type of man that will clash with a woman like Brett, and is not what society needs. However, there is yet another type of male persona present in The Sun Also Rises: Romero, who plays neither the friend nor the chivalrous mate. Hemingway has included him to represent an exemplary heroic-like code of masculinity. Romero is symbolic of a higher standard of existence: "He turned meaningless violence of modern life into meaningful aesthetic spectacle, and does so through a "maximum of exposure" to the dangers of violence" (Forter 28). An aficionado such as Romero is someone who is passionate about bull-fights (Hemingway 136): "The photographs of bull-fighters Montoya has really believed in were framed. Photographs of bull-fighters without aficion Montoya kept in a drawer of his desk. They often had the most flattering inscriptions. But they did not mean anything" (Hemingway 136). Along with being aficionado comes a certain prestige and degree of responsibility.

Romero serves a number of purposes in the novel. Perhaps most importantly, he is a preservation of the sense of male superiority that was lost to the gains of the new woman. He has not suffered the loss of manhood that, metaphorically, Jake has as a consequence of his injury; he is still a sexual icon for women. "My God he's a lovely boy...And how I would love to see him get in those clothes. He must use a shoe horn" (Hemingway 181). Brett hardly has any interest in the way Romero handles the bull; she is more interested in him as a lust interest. Men, like Jake, look up to Romero. They see him as exceptional. "After Romero had killed his first bull Montoya caught my [Jake] eye and nodded his head. This was a real one. There had not been a real one in a long time" (Hemingway 168). From the male perspective, Jake can marvel over Romero's technical skill. In a sense, Romero is a "guy's guy," representing brute strength in a man-versus-beast setting. Conversely, women can gawk over his appearance. Romero's allure is that he can appeal to both males and females. For females, he is an idyllic icon to lust after. For men, he is illustrative of the specific manly values that most men wish for, but have been taken away by the developing woman.

Keep in mind:
This is only a sample.

Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.

"Hemingway broke with convention by creating a brilliant example of the New Woman and dismantling nineteenth century gender lines by uniting love and friendship" (O'Sullivan 96). He also creates a tragic hero in Jake Barnes, his flaw obviously being his impotence. However, Hemingway's juxtaposition of these two complementary characters provides hope for society amidst the shadows of the lost generation. Despite the inevitable demise of such characters as Robert Cohn and Mike, Jake Barnes and Brett Ashley offer the reader at least some optimism that the sun will break through the clouds surrounding society and a new era of love and friendship will arise between males and females. If this happens, society will again flourish, and the lost generation will find its way.

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder in which the blood doesn’t clot correctly, because “a person lacks or has low levels of certain proteins called clotting factors.” (Kahn, April 1.) It is a rare disease and has “Fewer than 200,000 US cases per year.” It is usually inherited by a family member, and can last for years or can be a lifelong disease.

There is no known cure for Hemophilia but it is said that treatment can help. The typical gender that is affected by this disorder are males, but females can be too. The usual ages diagnosed with Hemophilia are from birth to the age of 40, and less commonly ages 41 through ages 60+. There are a few causes of this disorder. It can be caused by low factor levels, not having enough clotting factors, is inherited, or “caused by a genetic change (spontaneous mutation).” (Mayo Clinic Staff 2.)

The inheritance patterns of Hemophilia are: If the mother is a carrier there is a 50% chance that each of her sons will have hemophilia and a 50% chance that every one of her daughters will be carriers of Hemophilia. If the father has the Hemophilia gene all daughters will be carriers and none of his sons with have the gene. But if the father has hemophilia and the mother is a carrier then there is a 50% chance that each of their sons & daughters will have hemophilia or a 50% chance the daughters will be carriers of the gene. If it is caused by a genetic change, “the mother is not a carrier of hemophilia and the child affected is the first in the family to have hemophilia and to carry the defective factor gene.” (Hemophilia Federation of America 3.)

The life expectancy for Hemophilia can depend on whether that person is getting the proper treatment to treat the disease or if they are getting any treatment at all. It also depends on the level of severity of the disease. “Many patients still die before adulthood due to inadequate treatment. With proper treatment, life expectancy is only about 10 years less than healthy men.Overall, the death rate for people with hemophilia is about twice that of the rate for healthy men. For severe hemophilia, the rate is four to six times higher. In most cases, the hemophilia mortality rate depends on whether a person has other diseases.” (Naqvi, Erum 4)

The symptoms of Hemophilia are: excessive bleeding, bruising easily, non stop bleeding for a long period of time (before forming a proper clot, and the amount of bleeding depends on how severe the gene is), uncontrollable bleeding from a small wound or cut, nosebleeds, blood in urine or stool. Symptoms of bleeding in the brain include: major headaches, neck pain and stiffness, behavioural changes, vision problems, convulsions or seizures, fatigue, weakness in arms and legs, and repeated vomiting.

Treatment for Hemophilia include, clotting factor therapy, missing clotting factor injections, desmopressin (a hormone injection/nasal spray use to treat mild bleeds), gene therapy, and factor concentrates. There are more but these are just a few, and there are some still in the works being perfected. Each treatment varies on the severity of the disorder.

Definitive moment for the drama “A Doll’s House”

The play “A Doll’s House”, was written by Author Henrik Ibsen, in 1879, and premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen Denmark. (Lee, J. 2007, para 1). The definitive moment in the play was when the character Niles Krogstad says to Nora “If I lose everything all over again, this time you’re going down with me.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 567). This is the definitive moment, making it the most important scene in the play because it creates a cornerstone for the rest of the drama to unfold.

Krogstad was able back up what he said because Nora, in a desperate attempt to save her husband years earlier, forged her dying father’s signature on a legal business document, and Krogstad has the documentation to prove it in court if he wanted too. But Nora’s husband, Torvald Helmer, did not know anything about it.

Krogstad had a bad reputation in the business world. In act one of the play, the character Mrs. Linde was referring to Krogstad when she said “They say he’s mixed up in a lot of questionable business.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 562). Later in the play Krogstad admitted he did something foolish many years ago, which cost him his job and gave him a bad reputation around town. After that it was very hard for Krogstad to get a job, or any respect in the town. Mr. Krogstad did get a low level job at the bank though. But now his job is at risk, and its Nora’s fault because she talked her husband, Helmer, who is going to be taking over the bank that Krogstad works at, into giving his job to Nora’s friend Mrs. Linde. Krogstad really does not want to lose his job, so when Krogstad says “If I lose everything all over again, this time you’re going down with me.”(Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 567). He is saying that if Nora does not succeed in convincing her husband into letting Krogstad keep his job, then Krogstad is going to prosecute Nora in a court of law for committing fraud.

Furthermore, a lot of the play is centered around weather or not Nora’s husband, Torvald, will find out about Nora’s debt, and the fraud that went with it. If he did, surely he would pay it off for Nora, but he would also be very disappointed that Nora kept a secret from him for so many years. Also, he would have to face the fact that Nora committed fraud against Krogstad. Nora did not want this to happen.

Afterward, the drama escalates because of the definitive moment, showing that Kroonstad’s line to Nora truly was the definitive moment. For example, Nora asked her husband what it was that Krogstad did to get his bad reputation. Torvald replied “He forged someone’s name. Do you have any idea what that means?” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 568) This reveals to the audience (and Nora) that, according to the letter of the law, Nora is guilty of the exact same thing Krogstad is guilty of. Then shortly thereafter Torvald goes on to say “Just think how a guilty man like that has to lie and act like a hypocrite with everyone, how he has to wear a mask in front of the people closest to him, even with his own wife and children. And the children. That’s the most terrible part of it all, Nora.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 568) Torvald is referring to Krogstad, but what he does not know is that he might just as well referring to his wife. Nora replies “How so?” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 568)

Next, the dialog continues to add drama to the play that could only have taken place because of the definitive moment. Torvald continues “Because an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home. Every breath the children take in a house like that is full of the germs of moral corruption.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 568) Nora replies “Are you sure of that?” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 569) Then Torvald replies My dear, I’ve seen it many times in my legal career. Almost everyone who’s gone wrong at a young age had a dishonest mother.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 569) Torvald, without realizing it, has basically just told Nora that their children are going to be morally corrupt and it all Nora’s fault for signing her papa’s name in forgery then keeping it a secret. Then Nora replies “Why only the mother?” Torvald gives the answer “It usually seems to be the mother’s influence, though naturally a bad father would have the same result. Every lawyer knows this. This Krogstad, now, has been systematically poisoning his own children with lies and deceit. That’s why I say he’s lost all moral character. And that’s why my sweet little Nora must promise me not to plead his cause. Give me your hand on it. Come now, what’s this? Give me your hand. There, that’s settled. Believe me, it would be impossible for me to work with him. It literally makes me feel physically ill to be around people like that.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 567). This conversation between Torvald and Nora makes it very clear to Nora that her husband is most utterly against Krogstad for the forgery he committed, not knowing that his wife is guilty of the exact same thing. This now creates the untold meaning that if Torvald ever found out that Nora was guilty of the same thing as Krogstad, he would be torn emotionally. This also puts Nora in a very difficult place as Krogstad has vowed to tell Torvald as soon as he is fired from his job at Torvald command. This unleashes all the drama that follows until the end of the play.

Another aspect that shows Krogstad’s threat to Nora is the definitive moment is when Nora’s begins to question her humanity. According to Josephine Lee “Nora’s understanding of her humanity and freedom is intimately linked to a particularly modern notion of self, autonomy, ownership, and property. Nora’s humanity relies on a sense that she is the exclusive owner of herself, her body and her work.” (Lee, J. 2007, para 12) If Krogstad had never threatened Nora, Nora’s line of thinking of leaving Torvald and her children to go discover would never come about and she would have stayed with Torvald.

In conclusion, The “definitive moment” in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House was when the character Niles Krogstad says to Nora “If I lose everything all over again, this time you’re going down with me.” (Ibsen, 2011, Act 1, p. 567). And boy was Krogstad correct in this definitive moment. More than Krogstad would have guested. This is the definitive moment, making it the most important scene in the play that defined the rest of the play.

Introduction

Expectations and standards rise up like mental bile, contributing to the mess of stress and confusion. Reality tends to lose its appeal when charred with anxiety and peppered with self-destruction. The bittersweet battle continues as the mind fights to cease its distortion complex against reality.

In Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, Thoreau assesses human perception of reality, stating that humanity accepts “shams and delusions” as reassuring truths to avoid a “fabulous” reality often ignored and underappreciated. While Thoreau correctly asserts that humanity remains ignorant to reality because humanity consistently seeks escapism or a way to gild reality, he fails to address escapism as a method to enhance a reality far from “fabulous” to the individual.

The Escapists

Thoreau’s assertion pertaining the human necessity of escapism yields truth in individuals who have literally run from society into nature, however, Thoreau fails to assess this movement as an assumption of a new reality entirely. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer follows the journey of Chris McCandless who embarked on this particular escapism into nature in order to escape his “reality”- a life of education and societal expectations. In nature, McCandless believed that he could truly live as an individual, and assume his destined reality.

McCandless abandoned a life filled with opportunities and benefits such as academic success and financial security, a life seen by many as idealistic, and replaced it with his own radical naturalist conceptions. McCandless’ romantic delusions became his attempt at living, and in this aspect McCandless represents Thoreau’s claim that humanity will accept a fake reality as a substitute for the one given to them.

However, Jon Krakauer makes clear that McCandless in no real manner enjoyed his life prior to escaping it, and by escaping into the reaches of nature; he threw out the reality which society expects from him and replaced it with his own. This new reality can arguably represent either the delusion which Thoreau suggests, or regarded as a reality of its own, as McCandless retained that lifestyle unto his death.

Cosplaying, the act of wearing costumes and/or sporting props to impersonate a specific character, represents a unique method of escapism, in which the assumption of a fictional character is the “delusion” which Thoreau suggests overshadows the reality of an individual. One man in particular, Robert Franzese, otherwise known as the “Real Life Peter Griffin” (the protagonist from a show called Family Guy) explains his unglamorous reality, stating that “I go to work, and I’m like a nobody- I have a nobody job, making nobody pay”. However, at conventions when he cosplays, he remarks the contrasting reactions of the public, explaining, “People are pulling out their phones like I’m Brad Pitt”.

This particular cosplayer, like many in a way, seeks to escape their reality by a means of adopting an alternative persona, particularly one of a fictional character who is beyond the bounds of reality. By assuming a fictional character, a cosplayer cannot only escape their own lives, but essentially reality itself, as the characters usually merely exist in works of fiction- and from this, they create their own “delusions”. While cosplaying accurately depicts a substitution of reality, it also represents a sort of a lifestyle.

Contrary to Thoreau’s proposal of individualized delusions replacing reality, this hobby creates a facet to their life that becomes a part of their own reality. Their hobby no longer merely corrupts their existing reality, which Thoreau claims to be fabulous, but instead enhances it. The delusions make reality enjoyable and fun for these individuals.

Often I find myself in the escapist's shoes, and I seek to shadow my reality with Thoreau’s subsequent “shams and delusions in the form of daydreams, however, this means of escapism allows for me to enjoy life more. When I am stressed or bored, I resort to my imagination and rely on it to get lost in the imaginative lands of the sky-city Columbia, or the deep-seas of Rapture from the Bioshock series.

I immerse myself completely in those detached moments in the classroom, assuming a vigorous adventure which induces excitement far exceeding that currently caused by the monotonous physics lesson. My daydreams do serve purpose to gild my reality, as Thoreau has correctly assessed- I desperately rake my mind for an escape that will help me get through the eye-gouging hours of sameness. The daydreams themselves become the delusions which I have accepted as my reality, as they do not depict or even resemble reality in the slightest- a majestic floating city does not parallel a rickety wooden desk.

Thoreau’s assertion leads me to believe that the lack of reality’s glamour to me merely results from my inability of appreciation for what I have, and while this speaks miles of truth, it cannot go unnoted that these daydreams allow me to get through my life with a reassuring smile, one day at a time.

Although Thoreau’s assertion that humanity remains ignorant to reality at a fault of seeking escapism holds truth, he fails to address the ability of escapism to enhance, rather than detract from, reality. Chris McCandless, although his motivation was to flee a reality often conceived as “decent”, genuinely enjoyed his life to a fuller extent after realizing his own philosophized reality wrought by escapism.

Similar to McCandless, Robert Franzese, and myself consistently seek a means of escaping real life through impersonations and fictitious mind-dwellings, respectively. The mind quells when fed with reassuring falsities, the stress of reality evaporating temporarily only to return when the fog of false security passes. Slowly but surely, the mind achieves peace, escaping fully reality itself.

Henry Ossian Flipper was the first colored cadet in USA military, upon successfully achieving the commission as a lieutenant. He got military education at United State Military academy at West point. That time was when only white people were in the command in military companies and black were at lower military grades. Henry O Flipper was first colored man to lead the team.

While moving to his biological relationships, he was the eldest in his brothers. He was born in a slave family propertied by Rev. Reuben H. Lucky a methodologist minister of the place on March 21, 1956 in Thomasville, Thomas County, and Georgia. His father Festus Flipper was a shoemaker and carriage trimmer was firstly owned by Ephraim G Ponder.

After the retirement of Ponder and his slaves including young Flipper, who were mostly mechanics by skills and occupations, moved to Atlanta for the sake building manufacturing plants in Georgia. At the time, due to the marriage problem, Flipper was unable to move because of the reason both husband and wife, were owned by two different persons. He made a request to his owner to buy his wife for him so that he may move to the Georgia with Ponder. However, at that time ponder was unable to entertain his appeal because of the shortage of income resources. Then put same request in front of the wife owner but he also was unable to make the deal. After that with his own saving, he bought his wife, moved to the Georgia.

Henry was born there. There was a young passionate man who wanted to teach the children of slave, so in a cottage, a school was opened and Henry O Flipper started his education, while being in slavery his parents managed to get him education but the slavery was a big question of the day and his education was effected badly. He admitted to Atlanta University where he got further chance to be appointed at United States Military Academy at west point. An article that was published in Thomasville Paper in June 1874 gave more information about his early life as:

It is not generally known that Atlanta has a Negro cadet at the United States National Military Academy at West Point. This cadet is a mulatto boy named Flipper. He is about twenty years old, a stoutish fellow, weighing perhaps one hundred and fifty pounds, and a smart, bright, intelligent boy.

While coming to his professional life as a military student same journal says that he was a great soldier of the military factory for a year and a Congressman recommended him as the progressive student of the West Point. He remained in the middle of the 90 students of the batch .He was one of the two famous colored students. Other one was the smith. Later was the good guy too but he couldn’t manage to triumph like Flipper. He was not the first African-American there but was first graduate as a cadet and receives a commission. Unlike other colored people beard racism and hardships rather he e excelled in engineering and law subjects. He graduated and then he wrote the colored code at West Point.

As informed earlier, he fought racial behavior through his cadet course, remained calm and patient in that bully environment and became the only colored guy to graduate from the West Point academy and not only thrived but also excelled other students in different students. As described by the H.O. Flipper himself that it was predicted that like Smith, pathways for Flipper would not be easy and stand able. His ability and strictness will be checked and it will be sure that he does not find the way to summit. However, he did.

After his graduation, he was honored with a rank second lieutenant and became the first African American who was in leadership command for the military troops. Before this African-American, people ware commanded by the white people but time was changed and he made the historical achievement for himself and the African-American people too. He described in the book about his first day of joining as. It was May 20th, 1873. At the day of joining, he was trembling but yet he was confident. As illustrated through the edited version of the Colored Cadet by an author:

Having reached another office, I was shown in by the orderly. I walked in, hat in hand–nay, rather started in– when three cadets, who were seated in the room, simultaneously sprang to their feet, and welcomed me somewhat after this fashion:

“Well, sir, what do you mean by coming into this office in that manner, sir? Get out of here, sir.”

This was one of his first day and was full of the fun he was superior to the cadets because this was the day of his joining for him as an officer who will be leader of a regiment.

His first assignment was too lead Troop A, 10th Cavalry Regiment that was also known as the Buffalo Soldiers. At the time when he was at Fort Sill, he utilized his engineering skills constructed the drainage system to save the people from malaria. This project was a success and was a historical landmark that was named as Flipper’s Ditch. His military career was on a dispute later. He was accused of corruption of more than $ 3000. In regard of that, he was dishonorably discharged from the rank.

After his dismissal, a request was made to free his name from the court martial accusation and honor him again, but from the department it rejected by a notice that accusation couldn’t be taken back by the law.After this setback, he started as civilian person. He practiced the engineering skills for governmental and non-governmental projects.

His services included working as surveying engineer, author, translator and the special agent of the justice department and special assistant to the Secretary of the interior with the Alaskan Engineering Commission. Consequently, he was not limited to the military services he was best at his other services too.

Moreover became the author of several books. One of his most popular books is Colored Cadet at West point and that was his first autobiography. In this autobiography, he presented a clear and vast view of the cadet times – from joining the school to classes, going to barracks, being in the company of the friends, strict behavior of the officers to him due to some mistakes.

“His impression made upon me by what I saw while going from the adjutant’s office to barracks was certainly not very encouraging. The rear windows were crowded with cadets watching my unpretending passage of the area of barracks.”

Above descriptions, illustrate his conduct throughout the course and living styles in Barracks. He was always discouraged by fear of facing to officers.

First Black graduate of the West Point and more books were compiled, reprinted and introduced by Theodore D. Harris. He has other services as well in Spanish and Mexico for the department of the Justice. These publications further supported the new communities and provided them with the laws and orders. His autobiography was the first motivate for the black race. Flipper initiated courageous thread of determination against the racial discrimination.

By going through the life’s epic blame and setback of dismissal from military alliance, he managed to live, work and fight against the accusation. Because that was dark stain on his white character that build up through his entire life. He has a reason to fight because the court martial had not found him guilty but still he was discharged in dishonor.

He born as a slave then excelled to prove himself as great learner, engineer, writer, student and the military leader. He kept appealing for the honor and grace. He fought his case. Written letters to the Congressman Hill advised him that asking for the justice is the right of the every American citizen but in his lifetime, he could not get what he deserved. He died in 1940 without finding the justice. However, later in 1976 Army granted him an Honorable discharge and then Bill Clinton issued him a pardon letter. Thus, the man of bravery and diligence got justice after years of his death.

Works Cited

1. Flipper, H. O. (1878). The Colored Cadet at West Point: Autobiography of Lieut. Henry Ossian Flipper, U. S. A., First Graduate of Color from the U. S. Military Academy. H. O. Flipper.
2. Harris, T. D. (Ed.). (2001). Henry Ossian Flipper: West Point's First Black Graduate. University of Missouri Press.
3. Henderson, A. S. (2005). The Man Who Would Not Be Dismissed: The Trial of Henry O. Flipper, First Black Graduate of West Point. University Press of Kansas.
4. Smith, J. D. (1994). The Colored Cadet at West Point: Four Autobiographies. Bison Books.
5. Grant, A. (2010). The Forgotten First: Busting the Myths of the First Black Cadets at West Point. Schiffer Publishing.
6. Dickerson, A. J. (2019). Black Cadet in a White Bastion: Charles Young at West Point. Naval Institute Press.
7. McKee, D. (2019). Our Country, Our War: The Press and Diplomacy in Afghanistan. Potomac Books.
8. Perry, M. J. (2015). Lift Up Thy Voice: The Grimke Family's Journey from Slaveholders to Civil Rights Leaders. Oxford University Press.
9. Stewart, J. M. (2017). Stonewall Jackson at West Point: The Long Gray Line. Westholme Publishing.
10. Snyder, L. R. (2019). Encyclopedia of Western Lawmen & Outlaws. University of Oklahoma Press.

During the mid to late nineteenth century, the substantial influx of immigrants from all parts of the world coming to the United States of America created a large workforce and lower class. As a result, American businessmen were able to capitalize off this ‘resource’ and gain wealth and power. Many of these men became tycoons, known for either ruthlessly and inmorally attaining these gains for themselves or using their own wealth to better American society. Those that gave back to their communities became known as Captains of Industries. Henry Ford, one of the wealthiest men during this time period, became well known for his creation of the Model T, an affordable and easy to use automobile. His introduction of the assembly line greatly impacted the way factories mass produced products, consumerism in America, and created a new market in the economy. In addition to contributing to the economic side of America, Ford played a role in the social aspect of people’s lives by donating millions of dollars to his foundation and community based programs.

Henry Ford is a Captain of Industry, positively contributing to the country by reshaping the industrial workforce and providing the masses with an array of financial support. One of Henry Ford’s most epochal contributions to the world is the assembly line. The assembly line was first implemented on December 1, 1913, and allows for workers to stay stationed in a certain area of the factory and perform one task, in contrast to that of a group of workers moving around building one whole vehicle (Brinkley). This technique revolutionized mass production. Ford Motor Company was able to manufacture cars at a much faster speed reducing the time from twelve hours to an hour and a half(Stanford), allowing for the production cost and price of the product to decrease. This makes him a captain of industry because he is introducing an important technique to the world. He's Not the only one profiting.

After introducing the assembly line and selling thousands of automobiles, Ford began to reshape the relationship his company had with its employees. One way he does this is by increasing the pay of many of his workers to at least five dollars a day in hope to create a happier and more efficient work environment. The Detroit Journal states, “The present minimum wage in great motor car factor is $2.34. From next Monday to the end of the year, even the lowest of laborer and the men who merely sweeps the floor will get at least $5 a day.”

Heracles, Greece’s greatest hero, is a demigod whose mortal life is dominated by a series of successes due to his tremendous strength and failures due to his excessive passions. While, ostensibly, his passions cause him pain and bring about misfortune, he ultimately gains eternal glory through the hardships he endures. Through images of unnecessary conflict and violence, Heracles is directly and indirectly characterized as tragically flawed by a lack of self-control, indicating the necessity of proper judgment and intelligence to offset brute force.

Heracles’s just inclination to self-inflict punishments in contrition for his avoidable misdeeds ironically becomes one of his greatest sources of suffering and thus one of his greatest sources of fame. Though “without his consent he could not have been punished by anyone” (227), he shows a “greatness of soul” (227) by always going above and beyond to make up for his wrongdoings. Unfortunately, this would often result in his punishing “himself when others were inclined to exonerate him” (227), subjecting himself to extremes no other human could withstand. For example, in order to purify himself for killing his “children and Megara” (229), he completes “the Labors of [Heracles]” (232), a series of daunting tasks which include feats like killing “the lion of Nemea” (232), driving away the “Stymphalian birds” (233), and bringing “Cerberus, the three headed dog, up from Hades” (234). Furthermore, in his regret for disrespecting his friend Admetus’s house during a time of mourning, he heaps “blame upon himself” (241) and resolves to wrestle Death and “bring Alcestis back from the dead” (241). Though he is successful in all his tasks, he is never truly “tranquil and at ease” (236), meaning that the suffering he endures is futile to healing his emotional state. Heracles, the ideal Greek who is depicted as sternly devoted to repentance to the point of self-detriment, highlights the importance Greek culture places on proper reconciliation for one’s actions, no matter one’s status in life.

Heracles’s great power, giving him the guise of invincibility, overshadows his vulnerability to lapses in judgment and accidental misuses of strength, which cause not only himself but also those around him great suffering. Heracles is often “conspicuously absent” (226) and does not apply his intellect into much of what he does. Instead, his emotions are “quickly aroused and apt to get out of control” (226). For instance, when he was a child, he “disliked his music master” (229), so he “brained him with his lute (229), dealing “a fatal blow without intending it” (229). Another time, “with a careless thrust of his arm” (237), he accidentally kills an innocent boy who is serving him. Furthermore, wrongly motivated by his sexual appetite for Deianira, Heracles fights “the river-god Achelous” (236) although Achelous has “no desire to fight [Heracles]” (236). Heracles’s belligerent actions may hint at the Greek belief that the best way to resolve issues is through conflict rather than through negotiation.

Heracles’s tragedy is the irony of juxtaposing his cunningness during battle with a lack of decision-making skills and self-restraint outside of battle that reveals his apparent blessing, his great strength, as a curse that limits his success to situations involving conflict. Despite his inability “not to get roaring drunk” (242) in a house of mourning, he is smart enough to defeat Antaeus, a Giant who is invincible as long as he “[touches] the earth” (236) by “holding him in the air” (236) and strangling him. In spite of his “simplicity and blundering stupidity” (242), he is clever enough to trick Atlas into taking the sky back by pretending that he wants to put “a pad on his shoulders to ease the pressure” (234). Even after death, it is hard to imagine Heracles “contentedly enjoying rest and peace” (244), suggesting that this curse forces him into an endless cycle of violence. The fact that Heracles’s mistakes and shortcomings do not detract from his standing as the greatest Greek hero is highly indicative of the Greek culture’s greater reverence for physical strength than for intellectual ability.

In his role as both a hero and a victim, Heracles ironically distinguishes himself as both the inflictor and alleviator of suffering, emphasizing the importance of directing physical prowess using prudence. Otherwise, a person’s life will mirror the tragic life of Heracles and be subject to endless conflict, needless suffering, and uncontrollable impulses. Heracles, despite his inimitable strength, is still human, showing that although it may not be apparent at first, even the greatest of beings are capable of the simplest mistakes.