The Symbolic Pearl :: essays research papers

Most novels usually have a main symbol, which teaches a character, or the reader, a very important lesson or moral. This is true in Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic The Scarlet Letter, where Hester Prynne's daughter Pearl serves as the most extensive living symbol in the entire novel. She is much more of a symbol than an actual character. Pearl symbolizes Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale's concealed love affair and plays a key character in The Scarlet Letter as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Little Pearl, the so-called 'elf child,'; is the daughter and result of the minister Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne's unthinkable sin of adultery. She is an imaginative, intelligent little girl who is full of life and shows a 'rich and luxuriant beauty; a beauty that shone with deep and vivid tints.'; She is a living, breathing child who can see and talk. The only real characteristics that prove she is an actual person are shown by her emotions; she has a very unfavorable temper and usually ends up getting her way by throwing tantrums. For example, in the forest scene, she sees her mother's scarlet letter discarded on the ground, fusses and screams for her to put it back on, which eventually Hester does. Pearl is obviously a definite person, but she is also a definite symbol of many things. First, she is a distinct symbol of the relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale. She is a representative of the passion, which came with Hester's sin of adultery. Second, she is an active reminder of Hester's sin besides the letter A on her breast. And lastly, Pearl becomes mesmerized by her mother's scarlet letter. She pelts the letter with flowers, 'covering the mother's breast with hurts for which she could find no balm in this world.'; Pearl's 'inevitable tendency to hover about the enigma of the scarlet letter'; is fully developed when Pearl imitates her mother by placing a seaweed letter A on her own breast.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But the most important symbol that Pearl reflects is when they are in the forest. In one of the book's most dramatic scenes, Pearl blocks her mother's attempt to escape from her symbol of shame. After Hester has tossed her scarlet letter on the ground, Pearl shrieks in a fit and will not recognize or come to her mother until she proceeds to put her letter back on and puts her hair back up under her white cap.

Cats

I have read and understood The University of Sydney Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism in Coursework Policy 2012 . I understand that failure to comply with the Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism in Coursework Policy can lead to the University commencing proceedings against me for potential student misconduct under Chapter 8 of the University of Sydney By-Law 1999 (as amended). 4. This work is substantially my own, and to the extent that any part of this work is not my own I have indicated that it is not my own by acknowledging the source of that part or those parts of the work. . The assessment has not been submitted previously for assessment in this or any other unit, or another institution. . I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may, for the purpose of assessing this assignment may: Reproduce this assignment and provide a copy to another member of the Faculty of Health Sciences; and/or Use similarity detection software (which may then retain a copy of the assignment o n its database for the purpose of future plagiarism checking). 7. I have retained a duplicate copy of the assignment.Please type in your name here to acknowledge this declaration: Coherence Luau Now proceed to page 2 to begin your assignment. This template will become your assignment file. OFFICE USE ONLY Question 1: Positivistic Theory (Biological and Psychological Theory) The positivist approach to criminality introduced the idea of empirically researching crime to understand the causes of criminality, and thus the solutions to solving it. Positivism is based in logic, and is the philosophy that combined epistemological phenomena with science (Blackmore, 1972).The theory assumes that criminals are fundamentally different from non-criminals; either biologically (Limbos), psychologically (Freud), social (Park, Druthers) or in some combination of them all, ND thus aim to classify people according to these differences (Boom, 2010). The approach ultimately replaced the ‘rational man' with the ‘criminal type' (Killing, 1997). The period of Enlightenment in the 18th century enforced human progression, and as such, saw Positivism gain popularity.It was a move from abstract reasoning to rationalism, from superstition to science, with the emergence of intellectuals with philosophies to understand and improve the world (Porter, 2001). Since this time, the positivist approach has guided policymaking throughout the criminal Justice system. Positivism focused on specifically tailored treatment to fit the needs of offenders' (Treadwell, 2006). Positivists dismiss any form of evidence that does not have an empirical basis, such as religion, magic, philosophy and tradition (Blackmore, 1972).Those that cannot be objectively experienced are rejected, in so that positivists can explain criminal behavior through that which can only be observed or measured (Boom, 2010). Biological positivists look at observables such as anatomical abnormalities, identifiable genetic o f gene patterns, and bodily actions where as psychological positivists will look at biological observables, but will add behavioral factors, for instance, child rearing practices and brain abnormalities that causes identifiable behavior outcomes.Positivism views criminals as certain kinds of human beings who are governed by natural phenomena, which have been set in place by an external factor that is out of their control. It follows that criminals do not make decisions regarding their criminal behavior, and thus, the abstract view of humans being rational were discarded. Biological theories sought to determine a biological defect inside individuals that caused a predisposition towards criminal behavior.Limbos was one of the most influential early biological thinkers and positivist theorists, and was influenced by phrenology in his theory. Phrenology is the concept that the shape of your skull defines your character. Through his studies, Limbos identified ‘born criminals' to be dangerous ‘evolutionary throwbacks' (Limbos, 2006). He identified physical features of criminals, which supported this notion, as they echoed biological features of an ape. Among others, Limbos classified several criminal characteristics through studying cadavers of executed criminals.Features such as smaller and more deformed skulls, canine teeth, protruding ears, excessive hairiness and unusually long arms were said to be common features in criminals (Limbos, 2006). Generally, biological positivists search for biological causes generally in genetic inheritance. The chromosome pairing of an ordinary female is XX, and for a male, XX. However, there are naturally occurring variations, for example the pairing EX. of chromosomes, known as the Skillfulness's Syndrome (Taylor, Walton and Young, 1973).This theory claimed that people with an extra X chromosome were more likely to omit crimes and could be identified by their biological and physical features, such as lacking facial ai r, round bodies and were frequently infertile. However, further investigation into this theory showed that abnormal people containing an extra Y chromosome showed signs of slight mental deficiency. On this assumption, Price undertook chromosome counts on all available male patients in a special security institution in Scotland and found that X† males tended to be severe psychopaths.The extra Y chromosome, therefore, appeared to be positively linked to increased eight and psychopaths. In essence, biological positivists were attempting to be able to identify criminals by looking at them. Psychological positivism focuses on aggression, psychopathology and violence when studying crime (Storefront, 1990). It is based in the field of psychometrics that seeks to measure psychological and mental differences between criminals and non- criminals.One of the most famous theories in this field is Sigmund Freud†s theory of the structures of the mind, used to explain the influence of t he unconscious over conscious thoughts, feelings, and behavior. The theory divides itself into the unconscious id, the ego, and the superego (Martin, 2007). Further, Wilson and Hermiston's personality study and crime concluded that crime is a rational act of defective personality (Treadwell, 2006). Furthermore, psychologically based theories in criminology have focused on deficient cognitions as causes of crimes.Hostels and Sameness (2004) extended this notion by their study of male offenders from a variety of backgrounds, which were divided into an experimental group and compared to a control group of ‘normal' convicted prisoners. The two theorists legged that a common factor in shaping the thinking pattern of criminals was denial of responsibility. They concluded that these thinking errors were an aspect of criminal thinking patterns, and developed a cognitive treatment programmer to ‘cure' these errors.Druthers held the belief that societies are external to the indivi duals who compose them (Schemas, 1994), and from this, formulated his notion of a social fact. A social fact is every way of acting, fixed or not, capable of exercising on the individual an external constraint; or again, every way of acting which is general wrought a given society, while at the same time existing in its own right independent of its individual manifestations. Druthers was the pioneer of early positivist Social Research with his famous study of suicide.This was so others would be able to develop evidence for ideas on human behavior rather than unsubstantiated theories. The use of positivism in criminology aims to identify the problem and treat it, and thus control crime and criminality. In more modern times, Rained conducted a study in 1998 on the brains of murderers as compared to a control group using PET scans. In the case of those who committed impulsive murders, Rained concluded that the emotional impulsive murderers are less able to regulate and control aggressi ve impulses generated from subtropical structures due to deficient preferential regulation† (Rafter, 2008).Despite conclusions drawn from the movement in criminology, it was claimed that Very little of contemporary psychology can be described as positivistic' (McGuire, 2004) as it is not directly observable, and thus to associate it with Positivism is fallacious. Theorists such as Boom criticized Positivism for its flawed belief in roommate consensus (Boom, 2010), as well as Reid, who believed that positivism was a dualistic fallacy (Reid, 1982).As the approach advocates two distinct groups of criminals and non-criminals whom are influenced by biological, psychological and social factors, other elements such as ones culture was dismissed in the theory. In regards to the positivist approach to Skillfulness's Syndrome, it was found out through further research that criminals had normal chromosomes and that non-criminals also had abnormal chromosomes, thus disproving the black an d white division of Iranians being the only people with irregular genetic material.Nonetheless, the Positivist movement has played a vital role in shaping the criminal Justice system. Regardless of its ignorant faults in its biomedical and psychological aspects, the approach has influenced Western criminal codes and has impacted the modifications made of the classical model. Rushers, a modern day psychologist, bases his research on the Positivist theory. His book, â€Å"Race, Evolution and Behavior† (1995) attempts to show that East Asian people and their descendants average a larger brain size, greater intelligence, and slower rates of maturation than o Europeans and their descendants.The contributions of the positivist school have combined with the classical theory of criminology to shape the contemporary criminal Justice system. The punishment of a criminal must fit the crime (Siegel, 2010), as in reality, victims and perpetrators are often the same people, Just swapping r oles in different situations† (Maguire, 1996). Positivism was formulated on the intention of obtaining facts about human behavior, but as human existence is a complex and volatile phenomenon, any attempt to classify it in black and white falls short.Aiming to obtain objective fact is important in influencing criminal legislations, and can offer solutions to committed crimes. However, relying solely on objectivity is impossible, and subjectivity must be accepted as an inherent part of human nature as any claim of pure objectivity is simply fictitious (Reid, 1982).

Aquinas and Dante Perfecting Human Reason Essay - 1852 Words

Julia Caldwell Professor Albrecht Development of Western Civilization 2, February, 2013 Aquinas and Dante: Perfecting Human Reason Aquinas and Dante: Perfecting Human Reason Despite the fact that Dante’s reader doesn’t encounter St. Thomas Aquinas within the Comedia until Paradise, the beliefs and teachings of Aquinas are woven throughout the entirety of the famous poem. St. Thomas Aquinas’s cosmology and theology are used as the foundation for Dante’s Comedia, and for this reason it is no surprise that the experiences of the Pilgrim symbolically reflect many of Aquinas’s teachings. The Pilgrim’s experiences on his journey through the afterlife reflect what Aquinas called the, â€Å"two-fold truth concerning the divine being, one to†¦show more content†¦With Virgil as his guide, the Pilgrim is â€Å"guided by the light of natural reason† (Summa Contra Gentiles, Handout I, 2). Along his journey, however, Virgil comes to realize that his wise guide is not all-powerful. When the pair arrives at the gates of Dis in Canto 8, the Furies slam the gates of the city shut despite Virgil’s pleas. It is only when a holy messenger from Paradise arrives that the Furies surrender to God’s will and allow Dante and Virgil to enter. Taking this event metaphorically, reason is unable to go on further without grace. As the pair travel within the realm of Purgatory it becomes clear that Dante’s questions are becoming more of a challenge for Virgil. When Virgil is trying to explain why his shade casts no shadow, his reasoning can only goes as far as to say that his condition is, â€Å"willed by that Power which wills its secret not to be revealed† (Purgatory 207). Dante goes on to describe Virgil’s countenance as having â€Å"anguished thoughts† (Purgatory 207). Virgil’s struggle to explain the dynamics of the afterlife as the pair comes closer to Paradise reflects Aquinas’s conclusion that â€Å"[the] human intellect is not able to reach a comprehension of the divine substance through its natural power† (Summa Contra Gentiles, Hand out I, 3). Furthermore this instance exemplifies Aquinas’s conclusion that human reason is able to recognize effects but is unable to explain the Ultimate Cause of these effects without faith (Summa ContraShow MoreRelatedComparing Dante And Aquinas On Happiness1377 Words   |  6 PagesLive a Diversified Life For Dante and Aquinas, happiness does not only compose a useful life on earth but also in Heaven. Dante and Aquinas were sure that continued use of Aristotle virtues would not land any of their followers in heaven. To increase chances of one entering heaven, Dante and Aquinas developed proposed the incorporation of hope, faith, and charity into the daily virtues that people possess. According to Dante and Aquinas, possession of virtues like good temper and judgement could