Critical Incident Analysis Essay Example for Free

Critical Incident Analysis Essay Throughout this assessment I will analyse a critical incident of an interaction between a worker and a service user or carer during my statutory observation experience. I will conclude my own assessment of the situation and demonstrate my understanding of the use of self, context in which social work takes place and the knowledge and methods of practice. I will not use any of the service users, carers or agencies names in this essay due to the data protection act 1998. I will also adhere to the GSCC codes of conduct that respect and relate to the service users confidentiality and safety. This include respecting confidential information and clearly explaining agency policies about confidentiality to service users and carers, being reliable and dependable, declaring issues that might create conflicts of interest and making sure that they do not influence your judgement or practice; and adhering to policies and procedures about accepting gifts and money from service users and carers. (GSCC, codes of practice for social care workers. ) My statutory observation placement is at a clinic for substance misuse, mainly being heroin, crack cocaine and alcohol. During one of my days there I was given the opportunity to shadow one of the clinics general practitioners for the day. The general practitioners main role is to work alongside the service user in order to help the break the cycle of drug or alcohol dependency and also to live a healthier lifestyle and offer them a better standard of living. The general practitioner meets with the service users on a monthly basis in which gives him the opportunity to gain as much information about the service user as he can in order for him to work with them as effectively and efficiently as possible. The general practitioner greeted the service user in the service room, and he also asked the service user’s permission for me to be present in the room, which then he further explained me being a student social worker. The service user agreed to this. Before actually meeting the service user I had the chance to read through their notes with the doctor so I could get a better understanding of what the meeting would entail, Furthermore to gain a better understanding of the service user’s background and their main reasons for being there. I introduced myself to the service user as a student social worker. We all sat down and the GP went through the notes with the service user and asked them about any other incidents that may have occurred since the last meeting. Prior to the meeting with the service user the GP had revived the service users latest drug test results which were indicating that the service user still had very high traces of heroin in his system even though he was on a methadone script. Furthermore the drug test did not correspond with the amount of methadone that should have been visible in the service users system. Therefore the GP explained what the test results indicated and queried the service user of why the test results have come back with these conclusions. The service user then went on to explain that these indications are showing on the results because the service user has been selling his methadone prescriptions to feed his heroin addiction as he is unemployed and was not receiving the same feeling off the methadone that he would get when he would take heroin. The GP then called one of the clinics social workers as he could only advise the service user on the effects that it will have on their health, but could not help them with the mental and social strain that comes with drug addiction which a social worker could. A social worker then come in and spoke to the service user, to find out about his social background and other emotional issues that are present in the service user’s life that may influence the taking of heroin. ‘A critical incident analysis is a solution, either positive or negative that made a particular impression on a student (Clamp 1984 cited in Reed and Procter 1993) (p. 69). Richard and Parker (1995) argue that reflecting and analysing the incident the practitioner is able to consider how the incident may have been managed differently by applying other knowledge and consequently enable the practitioner to move forward and consider a future situation differently. For the purposes of this piece of work I will be analysing an observation of a meeting between a male and a GP. When I learnt that I was going to be shadowing at a clinic for service users with drug and alcohol problems I was quite worried and intrigued as to what would take place. Then I realised I had to be holistic and also realistic, and although I am not close to anyone that has a heroin, crack cocaine or even an alcohol addiction I have been surrounded by people that have used certain drugs such as cannabis or cocaine. I also feel that I will not always know that this is the case as not everyone demonstrates through their behaviour that this is an issue for them, also some individuals feel ashamed as drug and alcohol use is frowned upon and individuals will deny using drugs. Some individuals explain that they use drugs as a way of numbing their problems or to gain confidence and self esteem. Beliefs about oneself and about the role of drugs or alcohol in ones life are sometimes called existential models (Greaves, 1980). Khantzian (1985) has proposed that addicts use drugs to offset or address specific problems they believe they have, such as a lack of confidence in social-sexual dealings, a view sometimes referred to as the adaptive model of addiction. According to Peele (1985), the individual becomes addicted to a substance because it fulfils essential intrapsychic, interpersonal, and environmental needs. I have always been swayed, and my views have always been clouded by what is written in the media. Substance misuse is always given a negative image and the people that use drugs or alcohol are looked upon in a very negative way, and seen as less important and problematic in society. When looking in on various conversations at this placement I have noticed the band wagon effect- Brown and Rutter (2009) come into play, as it seems to me that family members were scared to be disowned or frowned upon if they were to help the drug user, or even offer advice and support. Throughout my upbringing I have always been warned about the effects of drugs and alcohol misuse, however I feel that my parents didn’t really carry a lot of knowledge about the subject. The misuse of drugs act 1971 intends to prevent the use of non medical use of certain drugs for this reason it controls not just medicinal drugs (which will also be in the Medicines Act) but also drugs with no current medical uses. Offences under this Act overwhelmingly involve the general public, and even when the same drug and a similar offence are involved, penalties are far tougher. Drugs subject to this Act are known as controlled drugs. The law defines a series of offences, including unlawful supply, intent to supply, import or export (all these are collectively known as trafficking offences), and unlawful production. I was able to relate the misuse of drugs act 1971 to the conversation in which I shadowed as the service user was selling drugs that were only supposed to be taken as a controlled medicine that is prescribed. Therefore the service user is committing an offence. The medicines act 1968 clearly states that Prescription only medicines are the most restricted. They can only be sold or supplied by a pharmacist if supplied by a doctor. Pharmacy medicines can be sold without a prescription but only by a pharmacist. General Sales List medicines can be sold by any shop, not just a pharmacy. However, even here advertising, labelling and production restrictions apply. drugscope. org. uk Interviews were carried out with 68 people who were involved in selling in the four markets. Three-quarters of them were men. Their average age at the time of interview was 31, and just under a third had lived in the areas all their lives. Many had experienced unsettled early lives: over half had lived with a foster family, in a childrens home or in secure accommodation. Interviewees had typically used alcohol and illicit drugs from an early age. Many had had a disrupted education, over half being excluded from school or leaving with no educational qualifications. Nearly all had been in contact with the criminal justice system, and over two-thirds had served a prison sentence. Throughout the interaction between the GP the social worker and the service user, and also having conjured up these images of substance miss use I was worried I was going to find it extremely hard to relate to the service user, and also find it difficult to hold in my emotions. I felt as though the individual did not value his own life and other around him, this then made me reconsider my own values and belief systems. I believe that my â€Å"use of self came into context as I strived for genuineness with the service user and I truly wanted to believe that they were on the road to recovery. However I still honoured the values and ethics I strongly value in social work. I could not imagine myself, what it must be like to be addicted to a drug or alcohol, and I have had this stereotypical image of what it would be like and how a person would live their life. I imagined them to be without a lot of money, and living in very poor housing conditions. But also imagined them to hang around with the wrong crowd which may be a big influence on how they go about things. Some of these perceived ideas were backed up by research or what I have seen in the media. It is also very much a stereotypical image. Rogers (cited in Thompson 1988) says that making a judgement about people can be a barrier to effectiveness and is something I need to be aware of if I am to become a reflective and reflexive practitioner. When I first met the service user, I was surprised as to how well he looked considering the circumstances, He seemed very outgoing, friendly and generally happy. I order to gain the facts around the service user’s current situation this meeting had been arranged between the GP and the service user. The conversation began with open questions from the GP to the service user in an effort to gather information about his behaviour and addiction to heroin. He asked the service user about any events that had happened since the last meeting, he explained that he had used heroin since even though he has been assigned to a methadone script, and the way he has been fuelling his heroin addiction is by selling his methadone to other users that can not get any substances top feed their addiction. According to Lawson (cited in Davies 2008) even if their is a key worker system in place the whole team still need to be aware of the intervention and support that the service user is getting. I felt that this was not happening as their should of been a closer supervision in place for the service user to take his methadone script which would therefore prevent the service user being able to sell the drug for money and other purposes. This to me proved that there was a lack in communication; therefore I would be worried that this could potentially be dangerous and cause problems if the service user was able to get away and carry out these sorts of actions. As Seden (2005:2) states â€Å"whether a communication is good depends on how it is received in the situation and what is conveyed to the other person. GP prescribed the service user with a higher methadone dosage that he was on before. This was never noted to his key worker or discussed before hand which therefore allowed the service user to sell his extra methadone and be unnoticed for so long. As Seden (2005:2) states â€Å"whether a communication is good depends on how it is received in the situation and what is conveyed to the other person. Throughout the meeting I made sure I paid particular attention to the way in which I was positioned using the Egan (2007) theory of Soler. I also made sure that I put the focus on the ther person and on what they were offering as they spoke, rather than keep asking them for additional information or going on to talk about other things, this is called paraphrasing and summarising. Eye contact or looking at the user of services is important in this kind of situation and context as it conveys that we are attending to the other, it is a way of saying â€Å"I am interested in what you say and f eel†. The Soler theory is an effective theory to undertake whilst being in this position when listening to a service user one on one. As you need to make the service user feel that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say, then only will the service user actually open up and truly tell you what his problems are as then they are confident that I am here to honestly try to help them. Egan (2007) (p. 99) argues that attentive listening to these experiences and feelings of users of services is critical for further work: these experiences help us to understand where they are starting from and their frame of reference. Attentive listening is very effective in these sorts of situations with service users, as every service user is different and has different problems. Therefore listening intricately is very important as this will then help you navigate in which is the most effective and efficient route to take in trying to help rehabilitate each individual. As the meeting went on social worker began to question the service user’s motives for selling his methadone script and continuing to take heroin. The service user then went on to explain that it is because he does not have a strong support network as his family have disowned him and the only companions he has are the other heroin users. This is why he is struggling to break the chain of causation as the only people he is surrounded by are the other users and dealers. After hearing this I was impressed with his capacity to cope with the situation that he was in. This meeting reinforced Schulman’s (2006) resilience theory. Here was a man who had been disowned by his own family for being a heroin user for many years and is currently undergoing a methadone script and does not have much support around him at all and is experiencing a lot of disruption in his life. In reference to the Ecological model I can see that the service user is struggling to stop continuing taking heroin. This is because the environment that he is present in is surrounded my other drug takers and drug dealers which therefore triggers his new drug fuelled instinct to relapse and take heroin again. Whereas if the service user had a different environment that he could go to where it was drug exempt, this could encourage the service user to stay off heroin and act as a barrier in which would break the chain of causation for relapsing and taking drugs again. (Social service review 1998) Being able to read the case notes enabled me to be better informed. Schulman (2006) talks about how ‘tuning in’ and how it involves the workers effort to get in touch with the potential feelings and concerns that the client may bring to the encounter. The purpose is to help the worker become a more sensitive receiver of the client’s indirect communication in the first sessions. I tried to put myself in a similar where I had questioned someone that had authority over me, the only example I could think of was when I had been in detention at school as a child and I was questioned as to why I was there, and why I did the incident. I felt powerless and frightened as they had more authority over me, and seemed so much more important. I could not seem to get my point across and I did not feel that he was listening to my point of view and taking it into consideration. This has made me realise how important it is to make the service user feel at ease as you are asking them to open up and asking them to let you in and explore their troubles. They will only allow this if they feel comfortable and not undermined. However at the same time establishing clear boundaries with the service user is very important. Throughout the meeting I realised just how hard it would be discussing your problems and the use of drug addiction to two complete strangers, furthermore having to open up about your life and all the problems you have encountered on the way to lead you to this state of life. As a result I tried to keep a low profile during the meeting, by not making eye contact with the service user and trying to make myself inconspicuous. By avoiding eye contact I was merely reinforcing the awkwardness I felt. Schulman (2006) believes that it is better to tackle difficult subjects head on. Then I was worried that the service user may think that my lack of ability to maintain sufficient eye contact could lead him to think that I was merely not interested in what he had to say or that I disapproved with some of the explanations that he was presenting. When it was just to do with me being uncomfortable. Lloyd (cited in Davies 2008) talks about the need for social workers to work on there own issues. This should involve self awareness and being comfortable around others. This will help me challenge my views but also help me become more self aware and, in turn, more open to others who are struggling to express their difficulties. While my own life was not trouble free neither was it associated with the emotional turmoil and psychic disturbance which Hall Stanley G (cited in Davies 2008) research showed. I have always had the support of a loving family and friends. I have always been influenced to do well at school, go on to university and make something of my life. I have also been lucky enough to always live in nice areas that have very low crime rates, however this was not the case for the service user. He has always grew up and lived in very run down, deprived areas and has mixed with the wrong social circles. He has also not have had the family and friend support network which I think a person strongly needs in their life. The service user also left school with no GCSE’S and went straight into work, which was bar work which lead him to a wrong crowd. Giddens, A (2001) refers to gender as the psychological, social and cultural differences between makes and females. Essentially sex is determined biologically and gender is culturally learnt. The functionalist sociologist would argue that boys and girls learn sex roles through socialisation while the feminist perspective would be that women do not share the same status as men in society. It can be argued that male socialisation infers that they are the stronger sex and not able to express their emotional feelings as females are able to. The service user’s lack of permanence and consistency with his own parents and friends will, according to Rushton (2000) impact on his emotional development. It is therefore important that the professionals in his life are not seen to perpetuate these feelings. The holistic approach builds on the social model of disability which is the theory of there being blocks such as environment disabling systems and social attitudes that are getting in the way of the service users independence. Therefore in this case going by the holistic approach, the service user that I was able to shadow, his environment acts like a block to his independence as the social attitudes to the people within his environment are drug related which is leading the service user to carry on using drugs. The holistic approach builds on the social model of disability that sees blocks to independence arising from social attitudes, disabling systems and environments. (Campbell and Oliver 1996; Oliver 1993). Further more this pproach stresses the need for attention to the service users ethnicity, culture and history because together they form their identity and influence life options open to them, and the attitudes of some people towards them and their abilities. Throughout this experience I have been able to learn about the importance of drawing on theoretical frameworks to understand a person’s current behaviour and the effects of his life experiences. According to Freud behaviours driven by th e id are largely unconscious and describe impulsive behaviours that can lead to all kind of difficulties. What this critical incident analysis has highlighted to me is that social workers and other professionals have a responsibility to reach decisions about intervention, protection and safeguarding in a series of situations where evidence may be unclear or contested. Baldwin, N. and Walker, L in Adams et al (2005) say that it is important to recognise that risk can be assessed through a process, which is a collaborative and undertaken within a legislative and organisational framework. From my experience at this particular placement I can draw upon a number of different things that have made me question my own learning and development. It had made me wonder weather I see things differently to others, and also whether my views and opinions would be appreciated. From this shadowing experience I have most definitely changed my views on substance misuse and the kind of stereotypes I had around it. I feel that it has made me value my life more however value the people that are in my life even greater. This experience enabled me to see the importance of ‘critical thinking’ to find a workable solution (Brown, K, pg 12). Throughout the conversation the GP and the social Worker ‘reached for feeling’ and put feeling into words. I feel that I was very judgemental before actually meeting the service user, and I realise that this is a very bad habit as a Social Worker, however this helped me in my development and learning. This also made me think about other factors that may affect how people ‘label’ others such as; discrimination and oppression. I was also able to observe how different agencies work together in order to provide better care for the service user. In this case the GP worked alongside the job centre, the pharmacy, the social worker and the key worker. ‘They can offer service users a more flexible approach and share expertise in order to give them a better outcome’. (Tennyson,1998). When the service user had left the GP had a ‘de briefing session’. This was also a time for me to ask any questions, this is something that I have practiced through reflection time and feedback time with my peers and tutors. The importance of ‘tuning in’ was explained to me. ‘Research informs practice’.

Influence of Christianity on Literature

Influence of Christianity on Literature Introduction Christianity and Islam are daughter religions of Judaism. They were established as splinter groups from Judaism at different times in the history of the Jews. On its part, Judaism is a very old religion which traces its origin from the Old Testament times of Abraham and Moses. In fact, all of its doctrines revolve around the Mosaic Law. These are sets of rules/commandments which were given to Moses by God (Yahweh) in Mount Sinai. It happened at a time when he was called by God to go back to Egypt and deliver His people (the Israelites) from the yoke of oppression from the ruthless Pharaoh. This followed the enslavement of the Israelites that lasted for over 400 years until they were eventually delivered by Moses. Later, Judaism became the official religion amongst the Jews[1]. On the other hand, Christianity is a religion which is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels in the Holy Bible, Jesus was born of Virgin Mary and Joseph[2]. Despite growing in strict Jewish traditions, He later directly criticized the actions of the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees who had been imposing stringent laws on the people. Thus, He advocated for transition into a new order which later turned to be Christianity especially after His death. This came as a result of the efforts of the early apostles under the leadership of St. Peter. All these were done because of the teachings of Jesus Christ who had been appealing to His followers to accept to repent their sins and accept the good news[3]. The good news was about the promise of eternal life which would accrue to anyone who would accept Him as their personal savior. In other words, Christianity is a new religion which split from Judaism and is based on the teachings of Jesus Himself. This clearly demonstrates that it is a daughter religion of Judaism. After all, it also reveres the Old Testament as a holy book. To the Judaists, Old Testament is the most important holy book used in advancing their teachings and doctrines. Meanwhile, Islam is also another religion which is also believed to have split from Judaism. It was the last religion which traces its origin to Judaism. It was founded by Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be upon Him) who lived a lot of years after the death of Jesus Christ. Unlike the rest of the religions, Islam came into existence after the interactions of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). Meaning, it borrowed a lot of doctrines from Judaism and Christianity which were already established at the time it was founded. According to Islamic historians, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was the last and most important prophet amongst the Muslims. To the Muslims, Quran is the only Holy Book which should be used in the worship of Allah (the only God to be worshipped). However, the Quran is often used along side the hadith which contains the speeches about Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Why Christianity Dominates Literature As a matter of fact, Christianity, Islam and Judaism are some of the most prominent classical religions in the contemporary society[4]. According to the latest statistics, there are a total of 2.9 billion Christians in the world today. This is nearly a third of the world’s population. Meaning, it is the only religion with the highest number of followers globally. For Christianity to reach where it is today, it has actually had a very long history. This began at the time of Jesus who initially faced too much opposition from conservative Jewish sects such as the Pharisees. Because of their different world views, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law made it so hard to for Jesus to spread the gospel to His followers. Even after triumphantly defeating death, it was not easier for the early Church apostles to advance Jesus’ teachings and spread the good news to all the corners of the world as He had commanded them[5]. Thus, it means that Christianity has managed to dominate literary texts depicting its mother and sister religions due to the fact that it has had a lot of committed people who dedicated their life to serve humanity and make remarkable contributions to people’s lives. If it were not for their efforts, it might not be much easier for the authors, early church fathers, philosophers and theologians to write about. This might be attributed to the numerous extra-ordinary activities which they performed[6]. As already highlighted, amongst these people is Jesus Christ. It is a common knowledge to all Christians that Jesus is the most important figure in this religion. Had it not been for Him, Christianity would not have existed. This is because He managed to gather large multitudes and performed numerous miracles which many people, especially His critics could not believe. Therefore, because He had lots of stories to be written, several books have been published provide people with all these information. They are very important since they act as evidence for the great works that He did as He was battling the dominance of the Pharisees who had taken control of the Jewish community for a very long time. Unlike Jesus, these Pharisees were so conservative and had made life to be too challenging to the ordinary Jews who needed to be saved from such oppression. Right from His birth, Jesus Christ had a very complicated history. First, His birth had been prophesied by several prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah. God had planned that He would be born of a Virgin Mary (who still remained virgin even after His birth). Besides, His birth took place in the historical town of Bethlehem in a very unusual place[7]. Later, He made lots of contributions towards the development of Christianity. These include a series of sermons that He delivered in different laces which He traversed during His entire period of the ministry[8]. As a universal figure, He did not only concentrate in Israel, but even preached to the gentiles. This demonstrates that He had not only come for the Jews, but also for other people especially the sinners who needed to repent and accept to live according to the word of God. Therefore, these teachings are some of the most popular works which have been published by several scholars. In fact, the manner in which He exhaustively used the parables during His sermons made Him to be classified as the greatest and best teacher in the world. Everyone wanted to publish a book to record His works. A part from recoding the preaching of Jesus, many scholars have been interested in writing books about the miracles that He had performed. As already highlighted, Jesus Christ performed some of the greatest miracles in the history of man. Here, He cured the sick, fed the hungry and raised the dead. Each of these is of a great importance to His followers. They proved that He was actually concerned about the welfare of His followers especially the poor, malnourished and the less fortunate in the society. For instance, by curing the lepers and those possessed by demons, Jesus demonstrated that He could liberate individuals from their agonies. This was particularly seen when He cured those who had been sick and abandoned for several decades. Therefore, inmost of the writings, all these information is captured. This has been evidenced even in the literary works which discuss about Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A part from Jesus Christ, the other important figure amongst the Christians is Virgin Mary. Of course, Mother Mary is a revered figure amongst the Christians, Judaists and the Muslims. The stories of Mary have been extensively covered in several books[9]. This is because she is believed to be holding a very important position both in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. For the Judaists, Mary is the mother of Jesus. It is through her that the Jews got a messiah who had been promised to them since the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah. For a very long time, the Jewish society had been waiting for a messiah who was to come and save them from their oppressors. Thus, Mary plays a very integral role in Judaism. If it were not her, Jesus would not have been born. The same applies to the Muslims who also believe in Jesus. However, unlike Christians, they hold that Jesus was not God, but a prophet just like others like Mohamed, Isaiah and Obadiah. Therefore, Mary is also revered by them as she is accredited with the bearing of Jesus. On the other hand, Mary holds a central position in the church. To the Christians, it is Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ, a messiah who had been promised to them by God. Therefore, by being the mother of Jesus, Mary is undoubtedly the mother of God. Thus, she is the mother of the church. For this reason, the information about Mother Mary has been disseminated by several writers. This is what has been evidenced in the stories such as The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady which are amongst the earliest books written to give accounts of some of the most memorable miracles performed by the Virgin Mary in the history of the Christian Church. In the Miracles of Our Lady, Gonzalo de Berceo gives a clear presentation about the miracles of Virgin Mary which she had performed to her followers. However, this is given from the perspective of Christianity. As it is recorded in the collections, Virgin Mary had used her powers as the mother of God to perform different types of miracles that she used to reward her faithful and obedient followers. At the same time, she performed some miracles in order to punish those who did not follow her ways, but opted to be subversive in their actions. Therefore, they had to be punished by Mary so as to act as examples and make them conduct themselves in line with Christian teachings. However, most of these teachings are highly held by the Christians. In Miracle Three: Cleric and the Flower, Virgin Mary performed a very extra-ordinary action which amazed everyone. It was an example of how she, as a Mother of the Church, could use her divine powers to perform miracles to demonstrate that it is a worthy thing for a person to live as per the word of God. In this miracle, there was a cleric who was a very righteous man of God. He always lived according to the teachings of the Bible. As a clergy, he was doing all the good things which are accepted by God. During that time, it was a tradition to accord Christians a decent burial. A person in his stature would be buried in a Christian cemetery which was specially designed to burry staunch followers like him. However, when he died, no one bothered to burry him as per the traditions. Instead, he was jealously buried in isolation. Based on his relationships with Mother Mary, she ordered that the man be buried in the designated Christian cemetery. Therefore, when he was to be exhumed, everyo ne was amazed to find out that the dead man was not rotten, but producing attractive and pleasant flowery smell. Hence, Mother Mary performed this miracle to reward the clergy for his dedicated services during his lifetime[10]. In miracle 16: The Little Jewish Boy, Mother Mary also performed a miracle which was classified as a reward for righteousness. In Bourges, there was a great division between the Jews and Christians. The members of the two religions were hostile to one another. In fact, this is similar to the situation that existed during the time of the early church in which the early church apostles were surprised by the Jews and Roman authorities. However, in this case, the little Jewish boy whose parents were strict Judaists got an opportunity to play with Christian and join them in a church service in which he saw, admired, liked and fell in love with the Mother Mary. Later, when he went back to his family and informed his father about it, he was infuriated. Therefore, he threw the boy into a raging fire. Surprisingly, the little boy was not harmed at all. When he came out, he attributed his escape to Mother Mary whom he had seen her image on the church wall. This miracle can also be used to just ify why Mother Mary is too popular amongst the Christians. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are related in many ways. A part from sharing similar history, they have a lot of common beliefs and doctrines. These include the belief in God and prominent historical figures such as Jesus and Mary[11]. Today, they still remain as the most popular classical religions in the society. However, Christianity still stands out very strongly. This is evidenced in the manner it dominates literary work in which all of these religions are included. This might be attributed to the fact that it has lots of significant people who constitute its long, turbulent and expansive history. For instance, in The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady, a lot of stories are presented about Virgin Mary who used her powers to perform lots of miracles to the Christian believers[12]. Even if Mary is accepted by all these religions, she holds a very important position in the Christian Church. In a publication like Miracles of Our Lady, it has to prominently feature about Christianity. It has to appeal most to the Christians because they are the ones who have placed Mother Mary in the highest status as compared to the Muslims and Judaists. To the Muslims, Jesus was not a central figure in the foundation of their religion. He was just a prophet like any other. Hence, it implies that Virgin Mary could be like an ordinary human being who gave birth to a prophet of Allah. Hence, she can not be more important than other mothers who gave birth to other prophets. Although slightly different, in Judaism, Virgin Mary was the mother of Jesus who came to liberate the Jews from their (political) oppression. He did not found their religion. However, this is much different from Christians who believe in Jesus as a messiah whose teachings should strictly complied with. Hence, Mother Mary becomes the mother of messiah who readily offered His life as a ransom to save humanity from their si ns. And because Jesus was God, Mother Mary obviously becomes the mother of God. Further more, since Jesus is embodied in the Church, Mother Mary too becomes the mother of the church[13]. This explains why she is still adored as the central focus of the church through whom the believers can receive blessings and salvation. She is more important to Christians than to any other religion. Bibliography Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). Flory, Jean, ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale Unive rsity Press, 2005). Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89),  251-66. Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [1] Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. [2] Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. [3] Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). [4] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [5] Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). [6] Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [7] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [8] Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). [9] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [10] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [11] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [12] Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). [13] Flory, Jean, and ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).

The Cocoa Industrys Effects on Ivory Coasts Economy

The Cocoa Industrys Effects on Ivory Coasts Economy Chocolate is a sweet delicacy that is associated with joy, comfort and delight. However most consumers do not consider the origins of chocolate and the process it has gone through before it is purchased and eaten. Chocolate is a highly consumed treat in Canada and the United-States, and it is one of my personal favorite sweets, yet there are many worrisome issues that happen throughout chocolates production. The cocoa bean, chocolates main ingredient, must be grown in tropical climates and it is therefore grown in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. West Africa is the largest exporting region of cocoa beans, with the Ivory Coast as its principle provider, supplying 40% of the worlds cocoa reserves and it comprising one-third of the countries economic revenue (Isern, 2006). The Ivory Coasts economy is therefore extremely dependant on cocoa bean buyers who in turn rely on the consumption of chocolate in North America and Europe. This has not only led to numerous econom ic problems, including an unbalanced economy and high debts, but also several social problems, such as child labour. It is imperative to understand the conditions that have led to this social injustice, because Sub-Saharan Africa has the leading rate of child labour worldwide, and the Ivory Coast is a key contributor to this problem. (Kielland and Nkamleu, 2005). For my research, I will examine how the Ivory Coast has become dependent on cocoa exportations and the role transnational corporations have played throughout this process, resulting in them having increasing amounts of power in the cocoa industry. I will also examine the effects of these changes on the Ivory Coasts economy and on the labour force. My working thesis is as follows: Due to the liberalization of trade policies, the Ivory Coasts economy has become reliant on cocoa exportations. As a result, transnational cocoa buyers have obtained power over social conditions within the country, leading to the unethical practice of child labour. To fully expand on this thesis, I will firstly explain the conditions that led to the implementation of structural adjustment programs (SAPs) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the Ivory Coast. I will secondly examine the consequences of the SAPs on their economy and the increasing centralized power that transnational buyers have obtained. Thirdly, I will examine the effects this has had on child labour and finally the initiatives the Ivory Coasts government and the global community have taken to eradicate child labour. The Historical Context of Liberalization Ever since the Ivory Coast has become independent from France, its economy has been seriously dependant on primary commodities, particularly cocoa (Ahoua 1993). The cocoa industry was regulated by a public organization established by the Ivorian government called the Caisse de Stabilization (Caistab), that offered subsidies, controlled exports in order to protect the Ivorian cocoa market (Losch 2001). However, regardless of the Caistab, the Ivory Coast did not have the economic capacity or stability to deal with the effects of the oil crisis in the 1970s, which resulted in a global drop in cocoa prices. (ibid). The fluctuations of cocoa prices already impacted the countries inner stability and prosperity, causing the beginning of several long-lasting economic issues. Along with the Caistab, the Ivorian government was equally providing funding for infrastructures, such as transportation and energy, and the development of a nationally owned cocoa transforming industry, called SIFCA (Ah oua 1993). All this led to increased lending from banks, amounting to the formation of enormous debts. From 1987 to 1989, the Ivory Coast actively attempted to exert power on the globally dropping cocoa prices by withdrawing from the markets and stopping all exportations. (Losch 2001) However, the Ivory Coasts government was incapable of sustaining such a protest due to their economys dependence on cocoa profits, forcing them to recommence exportations after two months (ibid). This had little effect prices, since corporations had enough stored cocoa to sustain the protest, however it had disastrous effects on the Ivorian economy, pushing their already indebted economy into a crisis (ibid). All these issues created the conditions leading to the liberalization of the Ivory Coasts economy. To amend their problems, the Ivory Coast needed to receive loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). To receive these loans, countries needed to implement Structural Adjustment Programs, fulfilling the stipulations dictated to them by these international organizations. Some conditions included the dismantling of the Caistab, a further drop in the prices of Ivorian cocoa, a cutback in government subsidies given to cocoa farmers, a reduction of tariffs on imports and lesser taxation on industries (Ahoua, 1993). These reforms were suppose to allow the country receive funding from transnational corporations, allowing them to repay their debt. Pardoning the countrys debt was not a considered option by the IMF or WB (ibid). Moreover, social reforms were promised, to ameliorate education and health care, however this was to be effectuated without receiving additional funding and by promoting privatization, which rendered no real improvements (ibid). The Increasing Power of Transnational Corporations All these adjustments were meant to decrease government spending in the cocoa industry and encourage privatization resulting in the development of the country. However, the profits coming from these initiatives were used to further develop the cocoa industry, and not other sectors of the country, increasing the countries cocoa dependency (Isern 2006). Initially, cocoa farmers had control over the markets since there were several buyers competing for their beans, however the centralization of cocoa producer and manufacturers rapidly turned the industry into a buyer-driven market (Folds 2001). Three main cocoa bean buyers have subsequently emerged out of this process: Barry Callebaut, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) (Folds 2002). This oligopoly forces farmers compliance with the conditions demanded by the transnational buyers, otherwise famers are incapable of selling their cocoa beans. The Ivory Coasts cocoa bean processor SIFCA was also bought by Cargill, rendering their gov ernments attempts to influence the processing industry ineffective (Losch 2001). To make matters worse, the global demand for cocoa is far inferior to the supply provided by the Ivory Coast and competing countries, such as Ghana and Indonesia (ibid). This is detrimental because the Ivory Coast is obligate to produce the best quality cocoa for the lowest price possible to attract the investment from the limited number of corporations, resulting in a further drop of the global cocoa (Losch, 2001). Due to this, farmers are often forced to resort to child labour to overcome these constraints. Another dimension that limits the power farmers have in the market is the two-tiered nature of the cocoa industry. Folds (2002) distinguishes them into grinders, who transform cocoa beans into butter, powder or liquor, and branders, who then transform the cocoa into finished products. This division can create confusion when trying to designate whose responsibility it is to ensure the use of ethical labour practices (Isern, 2006). For example, in 2005, Nestlà ©, ADM and Cargill were sued by the International Labour Rights Fund (ILRF) for buying chocolate from farmers using child labour. Nestlà © denied its involvement by stating that it has no direct cocoa procurement in Ivory Coast, since the company directly buys transformed beans from ADM or Cargill (Orr, 2006). Additionally, ADM and Cargill buy their beans from middlemen, and not immediately from the cocoa farmers, giving them the opportunity to once again pass off the blame (Parenti, 2008). As a result, consumers are increasing ly disconnected from the process and conditions laborers are subjected to in chocolates production. However, certain initiatives have derived from trade liberalization that have helped empower farmers and strive for better labour conditions. There is a growing consumer demand for products created under ethical conditions, creating special markets that can have positive effects in countries (FLO 2005). For example, the Fair Trade movement has aimed to eliminate child labour in the cocoa industry and allows consumer to demonstrate their support for this cause by buying products under these labels. (ICCO 2006). Specifically, the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) has set standards to determine what is considered Fair Trade cocoa, and has certified compliant companies and countries, giving consumers the information needed to make responsible purchases (FLO 2005). The Max Havelaar Foundation has also contributed to this cause by providing fair wages to small-scale farmers, and supporting fair trade cocoa. (ICCO 2006). Nevertheless, Fair Trade cocoa has remained unpopular, representin g 0.1 % of the market (ICCO 2006). Furthermore, Fair Trade cocoa is not commonly produced in the Ivory Coast, rendering zero sales in 2004 (FLO 2005). Although these organizations have been created through consumer demand for them, they have been unsuccessful in producing sustainable change in the Ivory Coast. This demonstrates the need for different initiatives coming from within the countries, as well as global initiatives to reduce child labour. The Consequences on Child Labour Several initiatives have been established to eradicate child labour in the Ivory Coast and the cocoa industry. In fact, the Ivorian government has officially prohibited children under the age of 18 from working, and has signed the Harkin-Engel protocol to fully abolish child labour from cocoa farms (Parenti, 2008). The International Labour Organization and transnational corporations, such as Nestle and ADM, also voluntarily signed this protocol to abolish the worst form of child labour (Isern, 2006). Prohibited activities include wielding a machete, spraying pesticides and heavy lifting, since they are deemed as harmful forms of labour (Parenti, 2008). However, even with these attempts, little improvements have been made and issues of blame and responsibility have been created. Does the Ivorian governments failed initiatives warrant an increase in activities by international organizations and transnational corporations within their country? Or is this an infringement upon the Ivory C oasts sovereignty? The global community answer to this is that transnational corporations should be held responsible. For example, in the newspaper article Slave Chocolate, protestors in San Francisco expressed their disproval of Nestlà ©s labour practices, determining that it is undoubtedly Nestlà ©s responsibility (Orr, 2006). A solution to ensure the responsibility of transnational corporations, originally proposed by The Harkin-Engel protocol, was to implement a child labour label on chocolate products, in order to easily inform consumers about the labour conditions involved throughout their production. (Parenti, 2008) Although this seemed like a good initiative to reduce child labour, it could instead have harmful effect on the poorest farmers and likewise the Ivorian economy. Consumers would discriminate against chocolate produced with child labour, further punishing the poorest farmers who necessitate its use (Isern 2006). This would ultimately worsen the problem and increase the rates of child labour. This demonstrates that policies will essentially need to target trade laws and try to establish a more just free market. On the other hand, it can also be argued that child labour in the Ivory Coast is not entirely a product of the economic dependency on cocoa exportations. In Kiellands (2006) study, she remarks that most forms of child labour were in fact seen as a socialization method; giving families the opportunity to teach their children the proper methods of farming cocoa. She also remarks that community involvement is a more prevalent value in the Ivorian culture, and therefore child labour is often seen as the childs contribution to society. However, there are also many dangers with child labour such as trafficking, abuse and harmful labour practices. Additionally, children who worked on cocoa farms were less likely to attend school than those who did not farm cocoa (Kielland 2006). She suggested that more a more effective implementation of governmental policies would be necessary to prevent child labour by, for example, providing social services and ensuring that adult wages were sufficiently high, thus making child labour unnecessary (ibid). A stricter implementation of government policies surrounding school attendance could also help eradicate child labour. Conclusion To conclude, transnational corporations have obtained increasing amounts of power in the cocoa industry and the Ivory Coast because of trade liberalization and the centralization of the cocoa processing industry. This has had several consequences, such as an increased economic dependence on cocoa exports and higher rates of child labour within the country. Although the Ivory Coasts government and international organizations have attempted several initiatives to reduce child labour, none have been successful in creating sustainable change. Therefore, it becomes important to try new initiatives that confront the issues of the free market, because there is a direct correlation between child labour and the liberalization of cocoa trade. Furthermore, it is important to understand the surrounding complexities involving child labour, for example the different power relationships that come into play, in trying to effectively abolish it. More research is necessary to find a solution that will allow the Ivory Coasts economy to develop without negatively impacting human rights.

Good News Regarding Vouchers and School Choice :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Good News Regarding School Choice Good News v. Milford is very good news indeed for advocates of school vouchers and faith-based organizations (FBOs). The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision upholding the right of a Christian youth group to meet in public schools after class hours is a significant signal of the Court's willingness to treat religious organizations and viewpoints on an evenhanded basis. In 1992, Milford Central School in New York State enacted a community use policy outlining purposes for which its building could be used after school. Under the policy, district residents could use the school for "instruction in any branch of education, learning, or the arts." The school was also to be made available for "social, civic, and recreational meetings and entertainment events, and other uses pertaining to the welfare of the community, provided that such uses shall be nonexclusive and shall be opened to the general public." Several district residents who sponsored the local Good News Club-a private, voluntary Christian organization for children ages six to twelve-submitted a request to the interim superintendent of the district, seeking to hold the Club's weekly after-school meetings in the school cafeteria. They were excluded, however, because their proposed use-to have "a fun time of singing songs, hearing a Bible lesson, and memorizing Scripture"-was "the equivalent of r eligious worship." The school authorities claimed that such a meeting was prohibited by the rules that forbid the school from being used "by any individual or organization for religious purposes."(1) The Court, per Justice Clarence Thomas, found Milford to have created a limited public forum-in essence, a standing invitation to use public property for the designated purposes. When the state establishes a limited public forum, the state is not required to and does not allow persons to engage in every type of speech. However, said the Court, the state's power to restrict speech is not without limits. Such restriction must not discriminate against speech on the basis of viewpoint, and the restriction must be "reasonable in light of the purpose served by the forum."(2) Relying upon two earlier but more narrowly written opinions, the Court found the school district to have discriminated against the proposed religious speech in Good News. In Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches (1993), the Justices held that a school district violated the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment when it excluded a private group from presenting films at the school based solely on the films' discussions of family values from a religious perspective.

Education Budget Cuts: America’s Future Looks Bleak Essay -- Impact of

Since the 2008 economic recession, public schools have experienced drastic cuts to funding, Paw Paw High School included. With my high school being forced to make curriculum adjustments in order to accommodate its depleted budget, I suffered great shortfalls. Due to the elimination of teachers, I had increased class sizes and no longer received the one-on-one attention in the classroom. Also, the electives that I had looked so forward to taking in middle school were no longer provided once I made it to high school. I am grateful, however that unlike other schools, Paw Paw has not had to implement a four-day school week as a means to stretch budgets as far as possible. I have read that rising costs, depleted emergency federal aid, and reduced revenues are said to be the causes of sequestration’s slashes to K-12 education funding. Advocates say education budget reductions will force schools to budget their funds more effectively, however, America’s future is in jeopardy i f the United States continues to make budget cuts to K-12 education funding. As I had experienced at my high school, there have been countless reports of other students throughout the nation complaining to their parents about the lack of attention they are receiving in the classroom. Resulting from budget cuts, numerous teaching positions have been eliminated. â€Å"With fewer teachers come larger class sizes† (Roza). One case in particular, released to the Huffington Post (â€Å"Larger Class Sizes, Education Cuts Harm Children’s Chance to Learn†), involves an outgoing eight-year-old named Shania. She attends a public school in Queens, New York. She had finished her second grade year as Student of the Month and was excited to start the third grade. One week into the school... ...uts Harm Children's Chance to Learn." Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc., 17 July 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2014. Leachman, Michael, and Phil Oliff. "New School Year Brings Steep Cuts in State Funding for Schools." Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Matrix Group International, Inc., 7 Oct. 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2014. Roza, Marguerite. "Breaking Down School Budgets." Education Next Journal 9.3 (2009). Web. 27 Oct. 2014. "School Budget Cuts: How Students Say Slashes Are Affecting Them." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc., 14 Feb. 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. "Schools Expect Budget Cuts As Economy Sours." NBCNews.com. The Associated Press, 11 Feb. 2008. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. "U.S. Education Secretary Warns that Automatic Budget Cuts Would Hurt Children and Families." ED.gov. U.S. Department of Education, 25 July 2012. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.

High School and Handball Essay

There should always be something special to you that will warm your heart when you think of it. As I sit at home everyday, I think of this special thing that will brighten my day and get me off my seat. Ever since I can remember, handball was one of the few things I never got bored of in my life. Handball to me is more than a sport or something to past time. It has been a way for me to meet new people and make new friends. It all began when I was a little kid. I would always play games and never stop even if my parents took them away. But nothing could stop me from waking up at night secretly, and playing my Game Boy until I fell asleep. Then there was that one day when my mom bought me this red bouncy ball. She told me to play with it instead of my stupid games. I listened to her, and I started playing with the ball daily. At that time, I didn’t know what this ball would bring to my life, but soon I realized. After playing countless hours, I stopped staying up late, because I was so exhausted. I didn’t just bounce the ball around my house because I was bored. Sometimes, I threw it at my house walls and smacked it back with my hand so it wouldn’t get past me. This was probably when I first started doing something similar to what we know as â€Å"handball. † As I was a teenager, there was this park across the street from my junior high school. The park was quite big and was called Seth Low Park. I remember one day, during 6th grade, a friend of mine, named Nabeel asked me if I wanted to play handball with him after school at Seth Low Park. Excitedly, I told him that I would love to, but I didn’t know how to play. He didn’t mind, so after school that day, I went to play with him. He told me that all I had to do was hit the ball to the wall with my hands. I was eager to try this sport, so I practiced with him every day. He noticed that I was a quick learner and asked me if I ever played handball before. I told him I used to smack a ball around at home and he commented on how well I could return the ball to the wall. I didn’t know what to say. This was my first time playing, and it seemed like I was a better player than he was. I guess I really was born to be a handball player. As years went by, the only thing that I cared about was school and handball. Whenever I stressed from school or wanted to feel free and away from work, I would put on my shorts and run out to play. Nothing matters to me when I step on the court. I forget everything and just concentrate on my game. My love for handball was so great that when the sun had set and the sky was dark, I was still at the park swinging away my arm. Sometimes my arm began to hurt after playing for several hours but I continued to play, ignoring the pain. Even with these side effects, handball has helped me improve my reflexes and increased my stamina. Even to this day I still play handball. My present reflects my past on how I play. I keep getting better and better and every once in a while I meet new people, who are even better than me or people who play around my level. And as I get better, I helped them realize their mistakes and flaws which made me a better player as well. When I have a hard game, I feel challenged and it’s a wonderful feeling when you step on a court with another good player. When I win, it feels even better but when I lose I know I tried my best. However, as I played more and more handball, I realized I had a gift in this sport. I couldn’t wait to play in real competition in high school. Apparently, I realized I was better then a lot of people, so I tried out for the Madison handball team. I was really surprised when I got in because I had to play against the top players in the school. I was so sure that I would not make the cut, but I did and I was really excited. I couldn’t wait for the 1st practice and see how good the team was. After a few days of practice, I realized there were a lot of good players on the team. This motivated me to practice harder and get better at the sport. In the future, I hope I will have enough time to continue playing handball. It has had a huge impact on my life and I will never forget about it. It is both a great sport, and a friend to me that has helped me through rough times. When I did not know what to do, I turned to handball. It takes my mind off problems and most importantly, when I need it, its there. Meeting new people through handball and becoming friends with them is a wonderful thing. There is always something to share with them and they are always there at the handball courts with you. Handball will always have a special place in my life because without it, I would be another boring person.

Bless Me Ultima Essay

What will Antonio become when he grows up? A priest? A vaquero? A curandero? A farmer? Antonio’s future is not clear because, at the end of the novel, he has finally decided to choose his own path. Instead of listening to the beliefs of his mother or the desires of his father, he will fulfill Ultima’s encouragement to follow his heart. With this in mind, it seems likely that Antonio will probably become a man of learning according to Ultima, Whether or not this means that Antonio will become a priest as well is uncertain. Considering his questions about religion and morality and his anxieties about sin, it seems as if the life of a priest is not for him. However, no matter what he decides to do when he becomes an adult, the most important thing is that he has learned to make his own path. â€Å"I had more time to spend with Ultima, and in her company I found a great deal of solace and peace.† (Anaya 223) If Antonio found solace and peace with Ultima because of what she did (being a curandera). So why should he give up his solace and peace once she was gone? If becomes a curandero he would give himself solace and peace because of what he would do like Ultima. â€Å"I dropped to my knees; bless me, Ultima† (Anaya 260) Antonio asked to bless him right before she died. Antonio did not ask her to bless him in the name of God but a being a curandera. This seems to make Antonio not believe in God but in the powers of curandera. â€Å"I bless you in the name of all that is good and strong and beautiful, Antonio. Always have the strength to live. Love life, and if despair enters your heart, look for me in the evenings when the wind is gentle and the owls sing in the hills. I shall be with you†(Anaya 261) Ultima’s final blessing to Antonio Her statement also gives Antonio a idea with which to understand her death by offering a sequence of physical objects that he can see as symbols of her life and through which he can continue to feel her presence. Antonio will be without Ultima and will have to make his own choices without her guidance from now on, but she makes it clear in this blessing that her spirit will endure with him and that the lessons she has taught him will still serve him well even after she dies.