Holden as the Typical Teenager of Today Essay

Holden Caulfield, portrayed in the J.D. Salinger novel Catcher in the Rye as an adolescent struggling to find his own identity, possesses many characteristics that easily link him to the typical teenager living today. The fact that the book was written many years ago clearly exemplifies the timeless nature of this work. Holden’s actions are those that any teenager can clearly relate with. The desire for independence, the sexually related encounters, and the questioning of ones religion are issues that almost all teens have had or will have to deal with in their adolescent years. The novel and its main character’s experiences can easily be related to and will forever link Holden with every member of society, because everyone in the world was or will be a teen sometime in their life. The first and most obvious characteristic found in most teens, including Holden, would be the desire for independence. Throughout the novel, Holden is not once found wishing to have his parents help in any way. He has practically lived his entire life in dorms at prestigious schools, and has learned quite well how to be on his own. This tendency of teenagers took place in even in ancient history, where the freshly developed teen opts to leave the cave and hunt for is own food. Every teenager tries, in his or her own way, to be independent. Instead of admitting to ones parents of a wrongful deed, the teen tries covering up the mistake or avoiding it in hopes that they won’t get in any trouble. They feel that they have enough intelligence to think through a problem without going to their parents for assistance. Read more: Teenagers today essay When Holden hears the news that he has been expelled from Pency, he concludes that his parents would not know of this for a few days. Therefore, he would wait from Saturday all the way to Wednesday, let his parents â€Å"get it and thoroughly digest it†, and then face the consequences, which will more than likely be less severe after his parents calmed down. He states on page fifty-one, â€Å"I didn’t want to be around when they first got it. My mother gets very hysterical. She’s not too bad after she gets something thoroughly digested, though.† In taking the independent route, Holden does not look for sympathy or help from either of his parents. He feels that he can deal with his situation by waiting until the next school year in order to apply himself a little better. Another characteristic of a teenager, usually of the male gender, would be the widespread subject of sex. As everyone knows, during and after puberty, males have a stronger desire to fantasize about and perform sexual acts. Holden is no different. In my mind, I’m the biggest sex maniac you ever saw. Sometimes I can think of very crumby stuff I wouldn’t mind doing if the opportunity came up. (Pg. 62) Although Holden honestly states to the reader that he is a virgin, he still has encounters associated with sexual activity. First and foremost, Holden actually obtains a prostitute during a brief stay at a hotel room. Holden never has sexual intercourse with this woman, but it does show that he is a teenager looking for affection and pleasure. Also, he proclaimed that he had plenty of opportunities to â€Å"give the time† to other woman, but he never quite knew how to do it while on a date. Holden is much like the average teen in this regard. The media and other primary sources in teens lives have taken an interest in sex, and have made it seem like it is the greatest thing known to mankind. Most teenagers find it slightly embarrassing to admit to being chaste, mainly due to the fact that they think everyone is doing it; which is clearly false. Teenagers want to experience and experiment with sex, and even if they choose to not have sex until marriage, they will fantasize about it. This is yet another example of the similarities in which Holden and the typical teen share. Sex and religion almost go hand in hand today amongst the teenage population. Do teens wait for marriage like the Bible insists or should teens defy the rules outlined by the Bible and have pre-marital sex? Although the novel doesn’t quite refer to sex in a religious sense it is a good example of choices teens are forced to make. Teens, along with many other members of society, don’t agree with every guideline that the Bible sets out for them. They have to decide how large of a role religion is going to play in their lives. Holden says that he, in some ways, is â€Å"an atheist.† He sometimes prays to Jesus, and yet other times he feels like he just cannot pray because of his likes, dislikes, and indifferent views of the church. This can be related to many teenagers, for religion is not always an easy subject. Teens sometimes feel that not all information of a particular religion is completely true. Some teens toy with the fact that their faith, if they have one, is actually factual. Holden feels that the information on Jesus is probably true, but the Disciples and other characters from the Bible he’s a little suspicious of. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me, if you want to know the truth. They were all right after Jesus was dead and all, but while He was alive, they were about as much use to Him as a hole in the head. (Pg. 99) He has many questions, as does all of society on some contradicting issues concerning religion. As seen in these previous examples, Holden Caulfield truly resembles the typical teen. He has gone through the same situations, encountered many of the same problems, and he also has acted in similar ways as the average teen. Teenage adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood. In this period, we all experience development both physically and emotionally, including the epitome of all teens, Holden Caulfield.

Anthrax and Smallpox

One major difference between the pathogens that cause anthrax and smallpox is that anthrax is a form of bacteria while smallpox is an example of a virus,   Anthrax is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis.B. anthracis was the first bacterium which was shown to cause disease by Robert Koch in 1877. B. anthracis has two forms – vegetative and spore state. In its spore state, the bacteria can lay dormant for years. When the spore enters a host, the bacterium reactivates into its vegetative state and then cause disease. It is the spores of the bacterium which is used as a biological weapon.Smallpox on the other hand caused by the variola virus. Unlike anthrax which is communicated via its spore state, smallpox virus is directly communicated directly from host to host via respiratory droplets or contact with bodily fluids. Smallpox is a biological weapon due to the successful efforts of the WHO to eradicate the disease. With smallpox eliminated, no one has any immunity from t he disease and the release of a smallpox sample will have disastrous effects on the population.2. Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague is spread to human hosts after being bit by fleas which carry the disease or through contact with infected animals. While causing severe deaths in Europe during the Middle Ages, modern day plague is curable with antibiotics though it can still be lethal when left untreated.To this day, plague outbreaks are still caused by flea infested rat populations. In rural areas, squirrels and other known flea vectors are known carriers of the plague bacteria.Anthrax as mentioned spreads as spores which are reactivated once inside a host. The environment rich in sugars and amino acids triggers the reversal of the spores into an active state. Anthrax can enter the body in three ways – through inahalation, digestion or through entry in small cracks in the skin.3. The role of the WHO in preparing for anthrax is that of a think tank. The WHO cannot directly move to prevent the spread of anthrax in countries but it offers valuable aid for the anti-anthrax actions of member countries in the UN. It acts as a well respected adviser on anthrax related issues.We can think of the WHO as providing a service for the anti-biological weapon efforts of the UN member countries. Some of the services the WHO provides include training activities, disseminating information and providing a number of experts to aid in the identification, diagnosis and treatment of anthrax outbreaks. These services are provided to member countries and medical laboratories worldwide.4.   The most pressing factor for the spread of plague are rats. Rats carry fleas which are the vectors for the disease. Apart from rats, some contributing factors to plague outbreaks include incidences of poverty, war, and civil disturbances. A weak public health infrastructure as well as poor facilities are also contributing factors to the spread of plague into an outbre ak.The best way to manage a plague outbreak is through rapid identification and localization. With rapid treatment and action, the mortality levels of plague can be reduced from 60% to less than 15%. To aid with the quick actions on plague, a rapid diagnostic test has been developed.The new test reduces confirmation from 15 days down to 15 minutes. With rapid confirmation, the authorities can more quickly respond to the outbreaks of plague and prevent further contamination of the population.BibliographyUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center Center for Biosecurity. (October 8, 2007) Smallpox Fact Sheet. In Center for Biosecurity. Retrieved November 10, 2008 from http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/focus/agents_diseases/fact_sheets/smallpox.htmlUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center Center for Biosecurity. (October 8, 2007) Anthrax Fact Sheet. In Center for Biosecurity. Retrieved November 10, 2008 from http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/focus/agents_diseases/fact_sheets/ant hrax.html   

Police Details in Massachusetts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Police Details in Massachusetts - Essay Example Rather, you live in Massachusetts and see a police officer directing traffic. No big deal, right In theory, police officers would be the most qualified for directing and influencing drivers. However, by analyzing accident statistics as well the cost of having police officers direct traffic, one may find that the cost is simply too high. In short, the possible benefit of police details simply does not outweigh the actual cost to businesses and consumers. For the people of Massachusetts, it seems like detail work has always been done by police officers. Whether a road is being paved, a pothole being filled, or any type of construction that may affect the roadways, police officers have been the most likely candidate to direct traffic. Many people believe that using police officers is safer than using flagmen. However, there are many different things to consider when making this argument. In 2004, extensive studies were performed in order to measure how much safer roadways are with police officers rather than flagmen. By comparing the accident rate between Massachusetts and other states that do not use police for details, one finds that it is no safer to drive in Massachusetts than any other state (BHI Policy Study.) Despite the use of police details, the accident rates in Massachusetts are some of the highest in the nation. Property damage and bodily harm due to accidents is the highest in Massachusetts than any other state. Interestingly, from the years 1994 to 2003, Massachusetts ranked third of all states in terms of lowest fatality rate in highway work zones (BHI Policy Study.) These statistics show that although police detail work is beneficial in the safety of high-speed road construction, the safety in lower speed road construction does not prove to be any better. With this data, it is not surprising that state officials and politicians are now looking into r egulating when and where police details should be used, and when and where flagmen would be suitable. As many people know, the state of Massachusetts is suffering from financial strain. Since 2001, the state has been going through a deep recession, losing about 11 percent of employment and over 200,000 jobs (Gavin.) It is projected that Massachusetts will continue to lose jobs until around 2010, and this year alone, there is a projected job loss of 4 percent (Gavin.) Due to the state's financial strain, state officials are eager to find ways to cut back expenses and improve job growth. One of the most obvious ways to cut back on expenses is limiting the use of police details. State leaders are already targeting the use of police details in order to restore economic growth. For decades, police have been used for construction projects without question. The practice that was once seen as necessary and just a fact of life is now being questioned by some of the highest-ranking state officials. On March 27th of this year, Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi met together at the Beacon Hill press conference, announcing the agreement to create new regulations that would encourage officials to use civilian flaggers during low-risk construction projects (Viser.) This plan would focus on low traffic areas such as dead-end

Dell Strategic Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dell Strategic Audit - Essay Example After twenty years in the industry, Dell Computer Corporation changed their name to Dell Inc. in 2003. To reach as many global markets as possible, Dell under the management of Michael ensured that they had manufacturing plants and customer service stations in Asia, North America and Europe. Michael endorsed a new chief executive officer, Kevin Rollins in 2004. Kevin made sure that Dell Inc. continued with the same focus linked with driving costs out of supply chain and reaching more foreign markets. Between 2005 and 2007, Dell started to face loses in the market share because the competitors had found ways to imitate its innovations. In addition, the company faced negative new coverage with so much investigation by the Exchange and Securities Commission for irregularities linked to accounting. Rollins could not stand the poor financial performances and decided to resign in 2007 and Michael was up for the task once more. It is evident that this poor performance by Dell was as a result of irregularities in the financial statements from 2003 to 2006. By the time Rollins resigned, Dell had relinquished the position of market share leadership and dropped to become a resurgent competitor. In order to recover, Michael decided to branch out into providing personal computers by retailing. At that time, Dell was operating on a cost reduction plan of three billion dollars annually. Michael announced on September that the company was going to sell most of its manufacturing facilities within one and a half years. This strategy was initiated to try and get back Dell on track and see the stock price growing again. Dell inc. lost its competitive advantage to Hewlett-Packard that became the top supplier of personal computers. Dell Inc. modified its manufacturing model to boost the retail efforts. In addition, the company’s focus became manufacturing high volume products. By 2008, Dell Inc. had sold out more than 12, 000 of its facilities. The focus was

Ramadan of Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ramadan of Islam - Essay Example This is an annual tradition and is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam (Hedayetullah 84). As such, it can be said to be considered one of the most important aspects of being a Muslim and one cannot claim to be of this religion if they do not practice this act every year. Failing to do so is considered to be a sin of immense proportions and unthinkable for a devout Muslim. The length of this month is not set in stone but lasts between 29 and 30 days based upon the visual sightings of the crescent moon which signifies its close (Hedayetullah 88). Though this practice has to be upheld by all adult Muslims, there are certain exceptions that for various individuals whereby they may be excluded from participating in the fasting. These exceptions are in relation to an individual’s physical condition at the time of Ramadan such as if one is ill or a diabetic, in cases of women they are excepted if they are pregnant or happen to be going through their menstrual cycle at that p oint in time (Esposito 61). One is also allowed to be excluded from the fast if they are traveling as the Islam religion recognizes that one should eat to maintain their energies when involved in such an activity. Apart from the cases that have been mentioned above, every other Muslim is expected to uphold the practice of Ramadan when the time comes. Fasting during the time of Ramadan involves refraining form a number of things from a particular time of day (dawn) until a certain time (sunset) that is usually decided after calculations are done (Esposito 65). The time of the opening and closing of the fast during Ramadan may differ from region to region, but the period length remains the same everywhere. This is to say that, for example, individuals in a certain area that have began fasting at an earlier time than others in a different area will stop their fast before those who started after them (Tuner 43). During this period, one is to refrain from eating foodstuffs, drinking liqu ids, smoking, sexual relations and in some interpretations of the Quran, even swearing during this time is prohibited. Once the period of fast has closed, an individual is permitted to eat and drink again until the opening of the fast the next day. According to the Islam religion, it is believed that fasting brings about a lot of rewards (known as Sawab) from Allah and that during Ramadan, these rewards are multiplied and come in even more quantity for those who uphold the practice of Ramadan. Apart from refraining from the items and activities that have been mentioned, an individual is also expected to increase the number of times that they pray (known as salat) as well as their recitation of the Quran (Esposito 67). This is to note the devout nature of this time and indicate the fact that this period has been dedicated to Allah instead of the satisfaction of human desires. According to the Quran, Ramadan is considered to be the most sacred of all months as this is the time when th e Islamic prophet Muhammad first received revelations form Allah and thus as a result the Muslim faithful are to maintain its sacredness through fasting and prayer during this period of time. The beginning of Ramadan occurs with the Hilal and is usually a day or more after the appearance of the new moon. As the new moon is a sign of the beginning of the new month, one can safely

Write four pages about month of Ramadan with references Essay

Write four pages about month of Ramadan with references - Essay Example ing to the American Dietetic Association, â€Å"exceptions to the fast are made for individuals who are sick or travelling; women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating; children younger than the age of puberty; and the elderly, if their physical condition warrants exception† (187). The dates during which the period of Ramadan takes place can vary from year to year, but it is always during the Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar. As the month of Ramadan approaches its end, the Night of Power, which is sometimes referred to as the Night of Destiny is celebrated. The night marks the â€Å"night when the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in a remote cave on Mount Mira, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia† (McMahon 262). The end of the month is marked by a holy feast known as Eid al-Fitr. The religion of Islam was created by Prophet Muhammad. Muslims do not consider him the founder of the religion, since they believe that all he did was following the teachings of Allah. Muslims also believe that Muhammad was the last prophet that Allah spoke to. The scriptures written in the Quran were revealed to Prophet Muhammad by angel Gabriel. It took angel Gabriel years to reveal the scriptures to Prophet Muhammad, but it is believed that it is during the month of Ramadan that the transmitting of text began. Cragg points out that Ramadan â€Å"celebrates the beginning of the Quran revelation to Muhammad† (22). The word Ramadan means excess heat and the reason the month was named so, is because when the ancient people â€Å"changed the names of the months from the ancient language, they named them according to the seasons in which they fell, and this month agreed with the days of excessive heat† (Ali n.p.). The beginning, night of power and end of Ramadan are important dates during Ramadan. Ramadan begins when the new moon is sighted. According to Glassà ©, â€Å"a new moon cannot be seen with the naked eye until at least twenty hours after the

Buddist Text- The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hanh Essay

Buddist Text- The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hanh - Essay Example We may be able to see a figurative â€Å"sunshine† on the paper after a poet or a writer has written something that will move us but not the literal sunshine. The definition of the word interbeing in itself is confusing and in fact can even be contradictory in terms. Especially when Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that â€Å"you cannot just be by yourself alone† (10). Dissecting the terms and their meaning of his text, he seemed to contradict himself of what he meant by being alone because by being alone is being without anyone else and how could I not be alone with myself when nobody is no longer around. Of course I am already alone by myself then. (b) Defend his argument by adding additional evidence or crafting an additional   logical proof   Thich Nhat Hanh’s  Interbeing has to be read in the greater context of the belief system of which it operates which is Buddhism. Reading it by itself without inferring to a greater context of which it has to serve a purpo se, the text will render the reader confused, with the author’s work becoming pointless because the texts cannot be understood as it is full of contradictions and stretched out connections. It will also be very difficult to understand because the allegory does not make any sense. In the text, Thich Nhat Hanh’s mentioned that it is just not possible that â€Å"you cannot just be by yourself alone† but I already am when nobody is around. And we cannot see the paper at the same time (Thich Nhat Hanh 9) because you are not here with me looking at the same text that I am reading. You may be looking at the same text but it would be another copy of the text, not the exact paper that I am reading. But in Thich Nhat Hanh’s perspective, we can actually be looking at the same paper even without your physical presence. To appreciate Thich Nhat Hanh text, we have to understand the theology of Bhavat Gita that motivated the meaning of Interbeing. While Bhagavad Gita is as common to the Buddhist as the Bible to the Christian, it is still a strange idea to a non-Buddhist especially if the reader’s perspective is oriented towards western philosophy and using it as a yardstick for understanding the text. The text is reflective Bhavat Gita’s concept of karma that everything is just a cycle and interrelated including life and death. This process of karma is ever continuing to improve one’s karma until enlightenment and vijnana is achieved. So everything in this world is in a continuum and nothing exists by itself because all is subjected to the law of karma which is cyclical and interrelated. When Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that â€Å"you just cannot be alone by yourself† it was in fact logical when viewed with the perspective of a Buddhist. â€Å"To be† is to be â€Å"inter-be† because nature’s natural order of things is for us to be in commune with everything around us that there is no such thing as â⠂¬Å"just yourself†. To be â€Å"yourself† meant â€Å"to be with† because the natural order of the â€Å"self† is to serve karma which necessitates to be â€Å"inter-be†. Under this lens, seeing the parents of the logger or the sunshine on the paper is no longer improbable or illogical. For the paper is a part of the bigger scheme of things that are interrelated and came into being not only with the inputs of production of the