Importance of Shell Shock in Pat Barkers Regeneration :: Pat Barker Regeneration Essays

Importance of Shell Shock in Pat Barker's Regeneration Pat Barker's Regeneration contains references to people, places, and cultural elements of particular significance to her themes as well as to the study of the First World War. One cultural reference, that of shell shock, is made early in the novel. On page four, Dr. William Rivers learns that Siegfried Sassoon is being sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital with a case of shell shock. To prevent shell shock from crippling the patients, Craiglockhart emphasizes the value of therapy, a theme in the novel, as a way to fight back against the mental battles. The term shell shock was first coined in 1915 by C.S. Myers in The Lancet to describe the disorder found on the battlefield in soldiers who had been exposed to an exploding shell (Spiller). During the beginning of World War One, the disorder was common only among soldiers. Victims were often mocked and labeled cowards by their peers, causing many to desert the army. Around three hundred of these men were shot, and hundreds more were imprisoned for their apparent cowardness (Storr). Soon officers began falling ill as well, and by 1917, the ratio of shell-shocked officers to shell-shocked enlisted men was an astounding 1: 6 (Bourke). With this shift, shell shock became recognized as a legitimate medical disorder. The symptoms of shell shock were numerous and varied from soldier to soldier. Physical effects ranged from trembling, sweating, insomnia, diarrhea, and minor twitches to paralysis, blindness, and muteness. Victims also experienced anguish, anxiety, and the inability to control their emotions. As a result, most were unable to separate their past from reality. During the war, psychologist Karl Bimbaum observed "great weariness and profuse weeping, even in otherwise strong men" (Spiller). Many of the soldiers exhibited what Sigmund Freud termed conversion disorders, which were subconsciously-formed problems such as the inability to walk, talk, see, or hear (Stuttaford). These symptoms were beyond the patients' control. Shell shock had devastating effects on the British Army. Over 80,000 cases of shell shock were treated during World War One (Bourke). Even after the war, symptoms continued to surface in a majority of the victims. Years later, many veterans still complained of frequent nightmares and hallucinations. In 1927, over 65,000 men remained in mental hospitals suffering from shell shock acquired during the war (Spiller). In every military conflict since World War One, shell shock has been a problem among combat forces.

Ansell Condoms Case Study Essay

Question 2: What are the pros and cons for Ansell acquiring a European competitor? In your opinion, is it a good idea? Pros Ansell will be able to get a greater share of the market in Europe. Acquiring a new company in Europe will help to build their portfolio. They should be able to increase their number of recognisable brands. Ansell will be able to acquire the new companies existing contracts and contacts. It will help to create a reduction of overcapacity in the industry. Increase sales/revenue. Cons It was mentioned that the companies that Ansell are thinking about taking over are in some financial difficulty at the moment so Ansell will have to take on that difficulty. There is an increased change of job cuts. It will be hard for Ansell so see all of the hidden liabilities the company may possess. Ansell will more than likely have to pay goodwill for the acquisition. Conclusion Overall in my opinion it would be a good idea for Ansell to try and acquire a European competitor because although there is some financial risk and it could be a difficult process I think that the pros that I mentioned above will outweigh the potential cons. Ansell will need to get a strategy in place to make sure that the takeover goes as smoothly as possible. Learning Points: * Condom market is extremely competitive This case study shows us that the condom market is extremely competitive with five main companies competing with each other and a large number of smaller companies continually trying to gain a greater market share. * Acquisition of European competitor good for Ansell It would be a good idea for Ansell to take over one of their smaller European competitors to try and increase their market share and increase their number of recognisable brands around the world.

Themes In The Cathedral By Raymond Carver - 1158 Words

â€Å"The Cathedral† by Raymond Carver is an eye opening short story which focuses on an unnamed narrator who has a hard time interacting with the world around him, specifically his new visitor. The narrator is the perfect example of an antihero as he is the central character, but does not exhibit heroic attributes. In this first-person narrative, the narrator speaks of when his wife’s old friend, Robert, comes to visit. After Robert’s wife passes on, he stops by the narrator’s house for a night while passing through to visit his family. The theme of the â€Å"The Cathedral† focuses on how although one may be looking, they may not truly be seeing. When analyzing the narrator of â€Å"The Cathedral†, one can see how he exemplifies the themes of the short†¦show more content†¦While the narrator continues this way throughout the story, his possessiveness does begin to halter as he gets to know Robert on a more personal level. Once the c limax of the short story arrives, the narrator’s possessive trait somewhat vanishes as he opens his eyes to the world around him. The narrator is a character who is ignorant. Throughout the story, the narrator demonstrates his narrow-mindedness in many instances – especially when it comes to Robert’s blindness. Notably, the narrator speaks of how his assumptions regarding blindness have been adapted from what he has seen within movies. For much of the story, the narrator continually questions Robert’s abilities due to his blindness. From his choice to wear a beard to whether he will be able to eat his dinner on his own, the narrator comments on Robert’s choices. An example of this takes place when the narrator believes Robert would not smoke due to his blindness. The narrator remembers, â€Å"having read somewhere that the blind didn’t smoke because, as speculation had it, they couldn’t see the smoke they exhaled. I thought I knew th at much and that much only about blind people.† (Carver 107). To the narrator’s surprise, Robert does in fact smoke. The narrator’s ignorance allowed for him to believe blindness would truly affect this in the first place. Furthermore, the narrator’s ignorance is also seen when he questions what Robert was wearing – explicitly his lack of dark glasses. While thinking on the topic, theShow MoreRelatedWhat Is The Theme Of Alcoholism In Cathedral By Raymond Carver1520 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"Cathedral†, a short story by Raymond Carver, an unnamed narrator awaits the arrival of a friend of his wife’s, a blind man named Robert. Robert is stopping by for a visit on the way to his recently dead wife’s relatives. The narrator is not happy about the relationship his wife has with Robert, so he drinks constantly throughout the story. He even smokes marijuana near to keep his mind off of the situation. This trait that the narrator h as can be linked back to the author Raymond Carver, whoRead MoreAn Analysis Of Cathedral By Raymond Carver1441 Words   |  6 Pages Cathedral Research Paper The short story â€Å"Cathedral†, by Raymond Carver, is a thought provoking piece that focuses on the transition a man goes through to see the world with his soul. The story gives hope that people can change if given the chance to be better people. Over the course of the story, Carver uses both diction and description to explore themes in religion and morality. â€Å"Cathedral† depicts a husband and a wife as they prepare and entertain a friend of the wife. The husband, the narratorRead MoreThe Lives and Works of Raymond Carver1692 Words   |  7 PagesWith a unique and brilliant style of writing, Raymond Carver has left a lasting and outstanding impact on the history of short stories. Even though Raymond Carver left a long impact, his life was of the opposite. 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Carver utilizes a story of a blind man who changes Bub’s outlook in life. Through the narrators changing character, theme of loneliness and jealousy, and the cathedral being a symbolRead MoreAnalysis Of Raymond Carver s Cathedral852 Words   |  4 PagesIn Raymond Carver’s short story â€Å"Cathedral,† a blind man named Robert visits a man and his wife in their home for a short period. In the beginning, the husband is very rude to Robert due to his inability to see. However, by the end of Robert’s stay, the husband realizes that he is quite far from being a blind fool. By analyzing the theme, character, and conflict of the short story, the reader will be able to b etter understand what messages lay within Carver’s writing. First, by analyzing the themeRead MoreCathedral By Raymond Carver Analysis1631 Words   |  7 Pages Cathedral is a short story written by American writer and poet Raymond Carver. (2017) The story was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981 and appeared in The Americas Best Short Stories in 1982. (2012) In the short story cathedral, the narrator’s wife’s blind friend is coming to visit. The narrator isn’t thrilled about his wife’s blind friend coming to visit nor is he happy that the man is blind. Later in the evening the narrator experiences a life changing realization of the true meaningRead MoreAlcohol and Marijuana in Catherdral by Raymond Carver Essay963 Words   |  4 Pagesand encage in behaviors out of the ordinary. Drugs and alcohol are used in the story â€Å"Cathedral† but also they are used in Raymond Carver’s personal life. Carver began drinking heavily in 1967 and was repeatedly hospitalized for alcoholism in the 1970’s. Carver’s minimum wage jobs, the demand of parenting and the need to bring money home led to his addiction to alcohol. Alcohol became a problem because carver was saddled with an old car, a rented house, and a serious debt as well as perennial wagonloadRead MoreThe Two Sides Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesTwo Sides The views we have are what shapes us, sometimes we have vast knowledge of ideas. Other times we are limited in what we can understand. We are given the choice of seeking out more of said idea or choosing to remain as is. Cathedral by Raymond Carver is a story that gives us a look into what it is like to have our views challenged through experiencing them first hand. We are introduced to the story by narration and we are given a brief summary of how his wife and the blind man had met