Category: Hope

Written in 1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s sonnet, “Work without Hope” embodies the lively aspects of nature, as he does in numerous other sonnets, and depicts the journey one takes to achieve a goal and realize their worth. Coleridge begins the sonnet by describing an unknown natural environment, utilizing picturesque imagery. Contrasting the primarily light ideas in the first stanza, Coleridge explains that he doesn’t feel as if he is growing or advancing in life like the elements of nature in the second stanza; he doesn’t see his purpose.

Regarding form, “Work without Hope” is rather unorthodox. It progresses like a conventional sonnet does, meaning the main idea is outlined in the first twelve lines and wrapped up in the last two. However, it does not include quatrains. It more closely resembles an Italian sonnet in that one stanza has eight lines while the other has six. Even so, the first stanza is a sestet while the second stanza is an octave which is the opposite of the traditional Italian form. Despite this contrast, there still seems to be a volta present at the start of the second stanza. Coleridge writes that although, “I ken the banks where amaranths blow, / Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.” (7-8) he is not blooming like the amaranths nor is he experiencing the exquisite change that they are. The rhyme scheme also deviates from traditional schemes. It seems to follow an ABABBB CCDDCCEE scheme, which doesn’t closely resemble any common schemes.

Coleridge’s utilization of this unique format assists him in getting his point across. The two stanzas differ greatly in content which divides between them a logical implementation. The first stanza of the sonnet is a lively depiction of the beauty that surrounds Coleridge. He writes that “All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair— /The bees are stirring—birds are on the wing— / And Winter slumbering in the open air, / Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring! / And I the while, the sole unbusy thing, / Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.” (1-6). In the first four lines, Coleridge is describing the characteristics, or rather the duties, of the various creatures. However, in lines 5 and 6, he designates himself as the “sole busy thing”. He doesn’t create honey like bees or sing like the birds, therefore, he sees himself as useless. Coleridge also personifies Winter by stating that it’s, “slumbering in the open air, / Wears on his smiling face a dream of spring.” (3-4). These statements imply that spring is fast approaching. Moreover, this personification of Winter outlines the time frame in which Coleridge is present in this mystifying landscape.

Coleridge also employs repetition in line 6 with the continual use of the word “nor”. This repetition emphasizes his unhappiness with himself because he feels like he isn’t going anywhere in life. The list of these elements and their achievements is almost portrayed as a metaphor. He is comparing the bees and the flowers and the bird’s achievements with everything that he has not done himself. The tone changes drastically in the second stanza. Coleridge writes, “Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow, / Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow. /Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may, / For me, ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away! / With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll: / And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul? / Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve, / And Hope without an object cannot live.” (7-14). He’s stating that although he knows where the amaranths are thriving and where the nectar is flowing, he’s still not growing nor is he achieving his goals. He feels useless, he is not working like the other forms of nature are. However, Coleridge also realizes that the actions of the plants are creatures are not being done for him, they are being done simply because it is the nature of the various elements. In line 10, he exclaims, “For me, ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!” He has finally discerned that they are not doing these actions for him and he finally encourages them to do these actions for themselves. He discovers that nothing is happening just for him. In lines 11-12, Coleridge’s writing takes a more personal turn.

Coleridge is presenting his emotions and how he feels. He feels exhausted and he implores why he feels that way. The final two lines (13-14) encapsulate Coleridge’s main point of this sonnet. He expresses that, “Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,” which means that doing anything without hope is a fruitless task. The “nectar” or rewards that one achieves from work will simply fall through the cracks. The analogy that Coleridge makes between nectar seeping through a sieve and working without hope not only simplifies his point but also solidifies it. Furthermore, in the very last line, Coleridge also claims that one cannot have an empty sense of hope. Coleridge earnestly implores the fact that if there is nothing to hope for, what’s the point of having hope at all? In closing, Coleridge experienced many hardships in his lifetime. Not only did he suffer from a myriad of mental and physical illnesses, but he also had a severe opium addiction. This feeling of uselessness that he portrays in “Work without Hope,” could potentially be attributed to his lifelong struggles with these illnesses but also the battles that he encountered with himself. These conflicts have been a central idea in many of his other pieces of work, such as “The Pains of Sleep”, “Frost at Midnight”, and “Dejection: An Ode”. In many pieces of his work, he implores why he feels the way he does and what he did to deserve such pain and suffering. His poems are a depiction of what it is like to live inside of his mind.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness” (Harker 2). Hope is seen by most as confidence in the future, and is essential for human existence. When someone thinks of hope, they have expectations, usually to accomplish their goals. Hope is usually a desire for good to happen. There are three main reasons as to why hope is essential in human life. The first is that hope shapes an individual’s conduct and inspires them, expanding their perseverance and empowering that individual to continue with life. Secondly, hope introduces new innovative opportunities and fills a person with strong emotions, for example, joy and courage. Third, hope affects how a person perceives events. People use hope in many ways, mostly for inspiration and persistence through hard times.

Inspiration is one of the most important factors as to why hope is important. There are many aspects to inspiration in one’s mind, but some of the most inspiring come from stories of hope. One of these types of stories is of Abraham, where God told Abraham “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2 ESV). God tells Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited child. He had strong hope, though, and he did not hesitate. Through strong faith, he believed that God would not take his son at all (Genesis 22:5, 8). Abraham believed God would bring Isaac back to life if the sacrifice did take place (Hebrews 11:19). Abraham took his son up to a mountain, laid him down, and prepared to kill him in obedience to God’s command. However, God intervened by stopping Abraham from killing his son and by providing a sacrifice in the form of a ram caught in the nearby brush. Abraham’s faith had been tested, and proved, by his obedience to God. His faith that God would protect his son was well warranted, and it gives the reader hope in God knowing that faith in him does not go unrewarded, inspiring Christians to follow this religion and its way of life. This method of inspiration opens new doors for creativity and innovation.

Hope can inspire in other ways, such as creativity. It can inspire better academic achievement. In a study conducted by the University of Kansas and the University of Montana, “In Study 1, male and female athletes were higher in trait hope than nonathletes; moreover, hope significantly predicted semester grade averages beyond cumulative grade point average and overall self-worth” (Curry, 1). In this study, it is evident that there is a direct correlation between higher hope rates and academic success. Similarly, it also shows a direct correlation between athletic success. In the second study through research, the same universities found that in girls’ tracks at the University of Montana, “Thus, higher dispositional and state hope, as well as weekly practice, related to quicker running times. Among the motivational and emotion-related indices, dispositional hope, and to a small degree, state hope, augmented the predictions of faster running times” (Curry 5). This provides a direct correlation between success and hope, the higher hope that a student has, the more likely they are to reach their goal, in any walk of life. Through track academics or any creative pathway, hope will lead to greater results.

Hope can affect how a person perceives events. This is also true for the inverse, or lack of hope. An article written by Tone Rustøen on cancer nursing describes the impact of hope on the patient’s perspective.

Cancer can be a threat to life itself, as well as to the individual’s perception of the quality of life. The question of what contributes to a clinically significant change or difference in perceived quality of life remains unanswered. Hope is frequently referred to as important for coping with a disease such as cancer. Hope enables people to cope with difficult and stressful situations and suffering. Nevertheless, hope is seldom stressed in definitions of the quality of life for cancer patients and discusses the relationship between hope and quality of life, and hope can be regarded as a coping strategy. (Rustøen 1)

This quote from her article on quality of life directly shows that those who have hope have different perspectives on life than those who do not. Those with hope can use it as a coping strategy, making their quality of life improve. Optimism in a terminal-looking situation can make people happier, and willing to participate in activities, while loss of hope, or pessimism, can drag down a person’s quality of life. Different perspectives, while one has hope and the other doesn’t show how two patients could have contrasting perceptions of their illness.

In conclusion, hope is important to humanity. It drives out raw emotion and is essential for people to improve the quality of their lives, through the want of something good to happen. Hope has been hailed by thinkers of every age from Aristotle to Marcel. It has been endorsed by the spiritually minded as well as the most atheistic philosophers and scientists. It is told through the stories of Abraham, has been researched through academia and athletics, and has been linked to cancer patients to improve their quality of life. Hope improves the quality of life for all through creativity, inspiration, and perspective, and therefore it is a good time to be alive, as Dr. Kelly Johnson explains.

Works Cited

1. Curry, Lewis A., et al. ‘Role of hope in academic and sport achievement.’ Journal of personality and social psychology 73.6 (1997): 1257.
2. Harker, Patrick T. The Healing Power of Hope. No. 133. 2017.
3. Rustøen, Tone. ‘Hope and quality of life, two central issues for cancer patients: a theoretical analysis.’ Cancer nursing 18.5 (1995): 355-361.

Imagine two people climbing up a steep mountain. They are both halfway to the top, struggling to hold on. One person catches sight of the summit and quickens the pace. The other person feels inspired and also begins to climb faster. Similarly, in the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, hope creates a purpose in life and encourages others.

To begin with, when individuals are facing tough times, hope produces a positive illusion that the current situation is temporary. For instance, when George is upset about his life and speaks with Lennie near the Salinas River, George states that “with us it ain’t like that. We got a future” (14). Despite his current hardships, George anticipates a change that will grant him more control and power; his goals boost his confidence and make him worry less about the present and focus more on the times ahead. By creating a bigger achievement to pursue with his friend Lennie, George’s dreams for freedom and financial independence give him a stronger motivation to continue fighting the obstacles he encounters. In addition, after Lennie is upset over Slim not letting him pet any more puppies, he asks George, “how long’s it gonna be till we get that little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’–an’ rabbits?” (56). Although Lennie knows that he is prone to making mistakes that harm those around him, his dream drives him to attempt to make the right choices by listening to George and being more sensitive of how he is perceived by others. Lennie is impatient to escape his troubled life on the ranch and works toward the moment in which he can be freed from his sorrow. By focusing more on the bigger aspirations they wish to achieve, individuals can learn to ignore hurdles along their way.

Moreover, hope is contagious and makes others reveal their ambitions. For example, when George and Lennie are discussing about the small farm they dream of having, Candy asks to join them and proposes that he “ain’t much good with on’y one hand….[he] ain’t much good, but [he] could cook and tend the chickens” (59). Candy lacks the self-confidence to continue working independently; hearing George and Lennie’s slight chance at success distracts him from the harsh reality he faces. Candy is aware that he cannot make his situation any worse, and he is willing to risk the little he has in order to have an opportunity at a better life. Furthermore, when Candy is in the harness room and tells Crooks that he, George, and Lennie almost have the money to buy a farm, Crooks suggests “if you guys would want a hand to work for nothing….why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled” (76). Since Crooks is usually doubtful of what others can do because of his similar past experiences, Candy’s proximity to success takes him by surprise. The fact that Crooks is initially willing to leave everything behind depicts how he despises being the weaker one who is picked on; his dream is to be at a place where he belongs.

In life, hope generates a motive that inspires others. Visualize the two people on the mountain again. They are still far from the top, looking back down at the distance they have covered. Even if a dream is unattainable, the presence of hope pushes individuals to continue to try and support each other.

Six million Jewish people died during the holocaust for simply having a religion. In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, the author chronicles his own story as a holocaust survivor who endured many hardships during his time in the concentration camps. One theme that Wiesel incorporates throughout the novel is dehumanization. Kapos, SS Officers, and even Jews themselves behave in ways that dehumanize the prisoners around them. They do this through acts of violence, how they speak to others, and through a general disregard toward human needs.

Throughout the novel, we see acts of violence used against the concentration camp prisoners. At the beginning of the story, Jews are segregated and moved into ghettos surrounded by barbed wire. They are soon cattled like animals into train cars to be moved to the camps. While they are being moved, conditions are very bad. Wiesel writes, “Lying down was not an option, nor could we all sit down…there was little air” (23). Although this example is not explicitly violent, it illustrates the harsh conditions that Jews had to endure. Another example is when Elie’s father is beaten by an officer because he asks for the location of the bathroom. Wiesel said, “Then, as if waking from a deep sleep, he slapped my father with such force that he fell down and then crawled back to his place on all fours” (39). Not only were prisoners dehumanized through physical violence, but they were also verbally abused.

As readers, we often see the SS soldiers speak to the prisoners in a disrespectful way that rids them of their humanity. While the prisoners run to another camp, one soldier says, “Faster, you filthy dogs” (85). Speaking to the prisoners this way is highly disrespectful and adds to the mistreatment of the persecuted prisoners at this time. We also see this earlier when a soldier says to the Jews, “If anyone goes missing, you will all be shot, like dogs” (24). Comparing these humans to dogs is one frequent occurrence throughout the novel. While they are verbally abusive by comparing them to animals, they also take away their basic human needs.

Throughout the novel, human needs are often disregarded. Conditions in the camp are horrible; prisoners are given small rations of food or not fed at all. One powerful scene that pertains to this is when a man decides an extra ration of soup is worth his life. Wiesel explains, “We never thought to admire him. Poor hero committing suicide for a ration or two or more of soup… In our minds, he was already dead” (59). Prisoners were also forced to endure severe weather conditions without proper clothing. Although prisoners were forced to endure these conditions, Wiesel notes how they persevered. Elie says, “We had transcended everything- death, fatigue, our natural needs. We were stronger than cold and hunger, stronger than the guns and the desire to die…” (87). One reason Wiesel might say this is to portray the hope these prisoners had despite the numerous trials and tribulations during the holocaust.

The ‘Night’ provides a brilliant perspective of a courageous survivor. Elie Wiesel illustrates his horrifying experience by incorporating a theme of dehumanization throughout the novel. Despite dehumanization in the form of physical violence, verbal abuse, and even a disregard toward basic human needs, Wiesel survived the holocaust and can now enlighten us all about the importance of humanity. 

“Night” by Elie Wiesel, is a memoir by a Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. The reader is taken through Elie Wiesel’s journey in Auschwitz. The theme of how a family is a source of hope in a time of need and can help one overcome obstacles is evident in the memoir.

At the beginning of the story, German officers come to Elie’s hometown to relocate all the people. Everyone sensed that something was going on but they didn’t know what it was. The leader had a secret that he couldn’t tell because he feared being killed. Everyone had to pack their stuff for the journey.

“My father was crying. It was the first time I saw him cry. I had never thought it possible. As for my mother, she was walking, her face a mask, without a word, deep in thought. I looked at my little sister, Tzipora, her blond hair neatly combed, her red coat over her arm: a little girl of seven. On her back a bag too heavy for her. She was clenching her teeth; she already knew it was useless to complain. Here and there, the police were lashing out with their clubs. ‘Faster!’ I had no strength left. The journey had just begun and I already felt so weak.” (Wiesel, 19)

As he begins his new life, on a voyage to an unknown destination, Eliezer is devoured with thoughts about his family. He is anxious about his family’s suffering and well-being. He carefully goes over each family member and expresses how they act and how they may feel. Even though they are still in the ghetto, in their own home, they don’t feel at ease because of the tension in the air.

“The ghetto was not guarded. One could enter and leave as one pleased. Maria, our former maid, came to see us. Sobbing, she begged us to come with her to her village where she had prepared a safe shelter. My father wouldn’t hear of it. He told me and my big sisters, “If you wish, go there. I shall stay here with your mother and the little one…” Naturally, we refused to be separated.” (Weisel, 20)

Elie and his sisters refuse to leave their parents as they wait to be taken from their homes. Even though they are offered a safe refuge, they turn it down. Eliezer and his sisters value family more than their safety. Elie wants to be there with them no matter what. If something were to happen to them, he may end up feeling guilty and may even blame himself for as long as he lives. Elie was a teen at the time and all he knew was living life with his parents. He wasn’t ready to be separated from them and be independent. This is also why he refused to be separated from his family. When Elie arrives at the camp, he meets his distant cousin. His cousin asks him how his family is and if Elie has heard from them.

“He told us that he had been deported in 1942. He said, “I heard people say that a transport had arrived from your region and I came to look for you. I thought you might have some news of Reizel and my two small boys who stayed in Antwerp …” I knew nothing about them … Since 1940, my mother had not received a single letter from them. But I lied: “Yes, my mother did hear from them. Reizel is fine. So are the children …” He was weeping with joy. He would have liked to stay longer, to learn more details, to soak up the good news, but an SS was heading in our direction and he had to go, telling us that he would come back the next day” (Weisel, 43-44)

When families are separated, members live for the good news of their relatives. Eliezer decides it is better to lie and give his distant cousin a reason to go on living. Also, Eliezer and his father try to convince themselves that their loved ones are alive as well. This gives each party hope and a reason to keep on living. No one wants to hear bad news about their family. At times, people cannot handle the pain and give up on life.

Elsie Wiesel develops the theme of how a family is a source of hope in a time of need and can help one overcome obstacles. The theme allows readers to visit the idea of family and what they are there for. This theme changes readers’ views on family. As the reader is taken through Elie’s experience, they discover a whole new field where a family is important.   

Art is a highly personal and subjective form of expression and is often inspired by real events or other art pieces. The various forms of art often offer another layer of depth to other forms of art when used in tandem with each other, such as with music and dancing or poetry and paintings. As with most art, any poem or painting may have multiple subjective meanings, but when interpreted together, one may be able to look at the deeper layers informing the respective art pieces. In his painting, They Were Very Poor, Jacob Lawrence uses negative space and shape to emphasize the hardships African-American’s faced during the time of the Great Migration and he uses color to symbolize their hope for life in the midst of dire circumstances. Sandra Gilbert’s poetic interpretation of the same painting, called “Jacob Lawrence’s “They Were Very Poor””, expands on this idea and gives historical context using diction, symbolism, and abnormal grammar.

Jacob Lawrence was born in 1917, grew up in Harlem, New York and was the most renowned African-American artist of his time, drawing his inspiration from African-American history (“Jacob Lawrence.”). His style of painting can be described as a mixture of Expressionism and Cubism (“Lawrence’s Style.”), and he often painted in narrative series, choosing to focus on a single subject and developing the idea through the various paintings. His most famous series is called The Migration Series completed in 1941, and it is this series that the painting They Were Very Poor is a part of. The Migration Series focuses on the collective experience of the African-American during the Great Migration that took place during World War I as African-Americans moved North in search of better employment and better living conditions (Wolkoff). The South at the time, was suffering economically as their crops were failing from a boll weevil infestation and the North was looking for workers to fill the shortage left by workers leaving to fight in the war and by slowing European immigration, encouraging African-Americans Northward (“The Great Migration.”). Jim Crow laws were also not in effect in the North which meant they were freer socially and politically, as racial attitudes toward them were slightly better (although there was still segregation) and the right to vote was not restricted from them. In many ways, the North was seen as a “promise land” for African-American people as living there had the potential to elevate their social, economic, and political standings in American society. However, life was still hard for them as the North could not keep up with the large influx of people into its cities leading to poverty and overcrowding which was intensified for African-American communities as racial segregation lead to the rise of ghettos and poor healthcare. (“The Great Migration.”)

A major element of They Were Very Poor that stands out, is the scarcity of features present in the painting in comparison to the expanse of negative space surrounding them. This not only visually conveys the extent of their poverty but also reflects the unfulfilled potential African-Americans were met with in the North. The painting depicts a pair of African-American people sitting side by side at a nearly bare dinner table, containing only two seemingly empty bowls and their respective spoons. The wall behind them is also plain, absent of anything besides a lone pot hanging from a plain, black nail and board. The surface area of both the table and wall is huge with the potential to contain bountiful dinners and many decorations or kitchen supplies, respectively, yet they only contain the most basic of necessities. Similar to having only a few bowls to fill a table with room for a feast, the North only provided a few more pieces of equality than the South did, when they had the potential to do much more, had racial discrimination not been so prevalent.

Another major element of the painting is how Lawrence uses shape and color to create an overall somber mood while still containing a small, persevering sense of hope for transformation. The subject’s eyes are very dark and placed low on their head as if their heads were bowed and their eyes either closed or downcast. Their posture also seems to be hunched over as Lawrence places their heads almost on the same horizontal axis of their shoulders and their necks are not visible as they would be if they were sitting straight. Only the man’s mouth is seen in the painting and it’s straight, further adding to the seriousness of his expression. They could perhaps be looking grimly at their empty bowls or praying solemnly, creating a very somber feeling within the viewer. Lawrence adds to this feeling with his use of dark, warm colors. The dominate colors are a warm teal and dark brown, giving the painting an overall dark mood. However, teal covers most of the canvas and as a variant of blue conveys a sense of renewal. Despite an overall dark mood, there is still a sense of having a new beginning with a chance to be renewed just as African-Americans had the chance to re-establish their position within society by migrating to the North despite their poverty and hardship.

Sandra Gilbert was born in 1936 and grew up in New York City. In contrast to Jacob Lawrence, her art medium is poetry and her work focused more on feminist topics and grief rather than racial commentary (“Sandra M. Gilbert.”). In fact, her most famous work, “The Madwoman in the Attic”, is a feminist literary critic on Victorian women writers. However, in a collection of poems called “Judgement Day”, which “Jacob Lawrence’s “They Were Very Poor”” is a part of, Gilbert considers the histories that shape human identities. Inspired by his painting and the history behind it, Gilbert wrote her poetic interpretation of the painting, faithfully reflecting on the difficulties of life as an African-American as the painting does, but through her words instead of images.

Gilbert uses diction and symbolism to create a somber tone within her poem, fitting with the dark mood of the painting, faithfully reflecting how African-Americans felt living under during the undesirable circumstances of the Great Migration. She uses words such as “bowed” (Gilbert line 1), “brooding” (Gilbert line 4) and “lost” (Gilbert line 7) throughout out the poem, creating the overall tone of despair, and communicates the jarring contrast of living in poverty when one previously had so much before by listing the many things they had and lost, “yams, melons… squirrels, & all/ the Big House stuff” (Gilbert lines 7-9). However, the end of her poem ends with a more hopeful tone by describing a “sky-bright wall” (Gilbert line 22) and a “great cauldron” (Gilbert line 23) in “danger// of a new nail” (Gilbert lines 24-25). The “sky-bright wall” (22) brings to mind the color blue, symbolizing renewal, and is put together with a “cauldron”(23), a symbol of transformation (Coughlin). These symbols connect to idea that African-Americans had hope to renew and transform their position and identity in American society through Northern migration. This hope, however, is very precarious because of this “new nail”(25), which could symbolize the racism and segregation that African-Americans lived under in replacement of the “old nail”—slavery. Under racism and segregation the hope of gaining a better social position was in danger of being squashed if African-Americans let it squash their identity and self-worth, but fortunately they didn’t. Although the poem is dominated by a somber tone, the note of hope it ends on lines up faithfully with how Lawrence portrays the Great Migration as a dark time lightened only by the hope for a better future.

Gilbert also plays with grammar in her poem to convey the mix of emotions African-Americans may have been feeling during the Great Migration. There is almost no capitalization present in the poem, not even for “god” (Gilbert line 15) , save for the words “Big House” (Gilbert line 9), referring the title given to a slave master’s house. From a religious standpoint, “God” is almost always capitalized to show respect to the true God (from the Christian point of view) and to convey his power and ultimate authority over the little ‘g’ “gods”. By capitalizing “Big House” (9) and not “god” (15), Gilbert seems to imply that the “Big House” (9), and therefore slave owners, had more power and authority over African-American lives than God did. This may be Gilbert’s personal atheism sneaking into the poem (‘Gilbert, Sandra M.’) , as religion and the church was very important the African-American community during the Great Migration (“The Great Migration.”), but it could also be implying the tension many may have felt with God for their long-standing, detestable position in society and the many injustices coming out of racial tensions as it describes God as having “forgotten them” (Gilbert line 16). However, even if some African-Americans had abandoned God and seen the “Big House” (9) as a more prevalent power in their lives, it was a power they were no longer subject to as they had lost “the Big House stuff” (Gilbert line 9), leaving them with only a “bowl of empty/ color” (Gilbert lines 21-22) . This “bowl of empty color” (21-22) not only alludes to the empty bowls in Lawrence’s painting, but can also signify the blank slate African-Americans have been given through their chance to start a new life in the North, and implies that they can color their “bowl”, or life, with their own brand of beauty born out of their struggles. Thus, Gilbert’s play on grammar seems to imply that although some may have given into the stark idea of being forgotten by God and given over to malicious slave owners, there is hope because they have escaped slavery and have power over their own destinies.

The Great Migration was a dark time for African-Americans, but it was also a time of progress, however slow it was. Lawrence, inspired by history, was moved to express artistically how humans have the impressive capacity to hope for better things even in the darkest realities. Gilbert, inspired by Lawrence’s art, faithfully interprets the same idea in her own artistic expression, translating the visual into textual while still communicating the same theme. Gilbert’s poem also contributes to the understanding of Lawrence’s They Were Very Poor as it alludes to the history of African-Americans to help those who perhaps don’t know much about the context of the painting or need a refresher. Thus, art can be used to help interpret and understand other forms of art in their commentary of life.

Works Cited

1. Coughlin, Sara. “Cauldrons, Broomsticks & Pointy Hats – A Real Witch Explains These Common Symbols.” History Of Witch Symbols: Broomsticks, Cauldrons & More, 29 Oct. 2019, 11:00am , www.refinery29.com/en-us/witch-symbols-broomstick-cauldron-history-meaning.
2. ‘Gilbert, Sandra M.’ Contemporary Poets . . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Nov. 2019 .
3. “The Great Migration.” AAME, www.inmotionaame.org/print.cfm;jsessionid=f8302598671574323359586?migration=8&bhcp=1.
4. “Jacob Lawrence.” Smithsonian American Art Museum, americanart.si.edu/artist/jacob-lawrence-2828.
5. “Lawrence’s Style.” Jacob Lawrence, 23 Feb. 2010, artappreciationat.wordpress.com/lawrences-style/.
6. “Sandra M. Gilbert.” Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, poets.org/poet/sandra-m-gilbert.
7. Schilb, John, and John Clifford. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. 7thth ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, pp. O-P.
8. Wolkoff, Julia. “A Closer Look at Jacob Lawrence’s ‘Migration Series,’ the Masterpiece He Made at 23.” Artsy, 20 Oct. 2018, www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-closer-jacob-lawrences-migration-series-masterpiece-made-23.

Introduction

The concept of hope has been studied and researched by philosophers, theologists, clinicians, and nurses. The concept has been found to have different meanings, conceptions, and interpretations in various disciplines including nursing. The human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee defines hope as an integral concept that is directly linked to good patient health outcomes. Since it is thought to be central to all healing, it triumphs over despair, hopelessness, and suffering. Therefore, nurses have an integral role in reducing hopelessness during suffering among patients in clinical settings.

The human-to-human interaction theory also explains how nurses can help families, friends, and patients cope with suffering and illness by finding meaning through hope. This paper discusses the concept of hope from a nursing perspective. It defines hope according to the human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee and explores literature, the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of hope. A model case and alternative cases will also be provided.

Uses of the Concept of Hope

Hope is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary both as a verb and a noun. As a noun, it is “expecting something desired”. The verb form is “entertaining something desired”. According to Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, hope is “having a prospect that something desired will happen”. Mosby’s Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions defines hope as a state of optimism that increases personal satisfaction and life support. This description directly links hope to the science and art of nursing.

Joyce Travelbee discovered hope as a core component of nurses’ roles. Nurses have a professional responsibility to assist patients to find meaning in their lives and find and maintain hope. She defined hope as a form of strong belief/faith that something good and safer can still happen, bringing something better that was strongly desired with it. She linked hope to six major characteristics as follows: is associated with being dependent on other people, is future-oriented, and is connected to numerous escape routes, a strong desire to experience or take part in a task, a lot of confidence in the availability of other people when needed and being courageous to acknowledge personal fears and shortcomings and work towards the attainment of goals. According to Travelbee, both the patient and the nurse must go through a series of steps for this relationship to progress. These steps are the observation phase, emerging identities, empathy, sympathy, and mutual understanding.

Literature Review

Within the scope of nursing, hope has several definitions. Generally, it is considered to be a future-oriented feeling that involves a psychological process where an individual overcomes an event. Some of the most common themes within the concept of hope include its definition, control, communication, and relational and spiritual aspects (Nweze et al., 2015). Based on most interviews with patients, hope is described either as a noun or a verb. As a noun, hope involves external forces in fighting an illness. As a verb, hope is a form of inner inspiration, responsibility, and solidarity. According to Nweze et al., (2015), hope is multidimensional and healthcare providers are essential to a patient’s experience.

The concept of hope lacks clarity according to Eustache, Jibb & Grossman (2014), and this has influenced qualitative studies on hope and how it is directed to healing. In life and during illness, hope has different levels and meanings. Hope has themes such as the desire to return to prior self-being action based on patients having individual reasons to become future-oriented and hopeful (Eustache, Jibb & Grossman, 2014). The majority start reframing their future within the context of their illness, with the hope of a prolonged life, actively maintaining treatment, self-protection from expectations that are unrealistic, and integrating routine activities. Most patients directly relate hope and well-being and compare themselves with survivors and spirituality (Eustache, Jibb & Grossman, 2014).

Since hope helps most patients to cope with suffering and illness, it is central to nursing. It also encourages some form of well-being and promotes a positive outlook and a meaning to live (Lichwala, 2014). By finding meaning in life, a patient keeps anticipating the future. The majority of those patients who report side effects that are poorly controlled or experience pain have low levels of hope and an overall sense of well-being which leads to hopelessness. When hopeless, most patients are eager and wish for a faster death which leads to a poor quality of life. Lichwala (2014) insists that, in order to have high levels of hope, and positive relations with healthcare providers, friends, and family, a strong and well-established support system and positive interaction with others is necessary.

This literature review improved the author’s understanding of how essential the human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee is in fostering hope among families and patients. If good, interpersonal relationships help to establish a rapport and long-term therapeutic relationship that promotes the ability to foster hope. The existence of a poor relationship influences despair and hopelessness.

Defining Attributes

Defining attributes are basically characteristics that are directly related to a concept and their use is in reference to a concept. From the literature review, several common themes of hope exist. According to Nweze et al., (2015), a patient has an experience to take part in the future and thus focuses on the future. The patient has to set goals and strive to achieve them and he/she should be actively involved in personal care and the healthcare team does not take the entire control. Lastly, a patient looks forward to enjoying and living a life in the future based on their new reality. Therefore, the key defining attributes include action-directed, active-involvement, future-directed, and future redefinition.

Antecedents

These are mandatory attributes that precede a concept before its actualization. Based on the literature review, common antecedents that were identified include hopelessness, despair, and suffering (Nweze et al., 2015). So that a patient envisions the future and gets something to strive for, it is important that he/she selects goals. To maintain hope, constant communication with friends, family, and healthcare providers is integral. Most patients strive to manage uncertainties through various mechanisms such as: comparing themselves with survivors, spirituality, and control, which generally shows that they want control (Nweze et al., 2015)

Consequences

Consequences are basically the series of events that follow a concept. As commonly observed among patients with cancer, the consequences of hope are overall well-being, self-esteem, good quality of life, comfort, happiness, and comfort. Similar to the findings by Smith (2014), the literature review also demonstrated that a high level of hope is directly linked to patient knowledge of his/her diagnosis and high levels of satisfaction with the shared information.

Empirical Referents

In theory development, empirical referents simply refer to the categories that demonstrate a concept and how it can be measured. Hope is considered to be a force that only exists internally and thus, it is differently experienced by people. This explains why currently, there are no valid tools or scales that can be used to measure hope among patients. However, the Herth Hope Index has proven to be the most effective and used scale in hospices and palliative care among patients who are terminally ill (Huangan, Utvaer & Moksnes, 2013). The development of the Herth Hope Index used the same subscales found in the HH scale namely: temporality and future, positive readiness and expectancy, and interconnectedness (Huangan, Utvaer & Moksnes, 2013). It is the most preferred since it is based on a universal concept of hope and was designed to be used in clinical settings. This scale is made up of twelve items which use a 4-point Likert scale where high scores are indicative of greater hope.

Cases

Model Case

A model case is that which is real, actual, and has all the defining attributes within a concept’s context. A perfect example of a model case which illustrates the concept of hope is as follows:

Mrs. Johnson, a 60-year-old female who was recently diagnosed with throat Ca came to the clinic for her scheduled routine follow-up. She had complained of shortness of breath, a persistent cough, and difficulty walking. According to her past history, she had 40-pack years of tobacco smoking, uncontrolled type 2 DM, and hypertension. She however explained that she was feeling great since she was alive and at home rather than being admitted to the hospital. Besides, she also explained how she was able to perform some of her activities of daily life with very minimal or no assistance and was thus looking forward to attending her daughter’s graduation.

In this model case, the most outstanding defining attributes are as follows. Future directed; Mrs. Johnson looked forward to attending an upcoming activity. She is action-directed and actively involved since she can perform activities of daily life such as attending scheduled visits. Mrs. Johnson also had some feelings of uncertainty since she clearly stated that despite her condition, she was not admitted. Besides, the interpersonal relationship that was created by the nurse and directed her to find out how the patient was feeling illustrates the nurse’s active participation in the patient’s care.

Borderline Case

A borderline case has some of a concept’s defining attributes but when closely analyzed, it lacks these defining attributes.

Jack is a 36-year-old Caucasian male who was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis which resulted in the replacement of the aortic valve and heart failure. Jack observed his routine visits and close follow-up for INR. When asked why he was down in spirit, Jack replied that he was generally tired and overwhelmed with life and didn’t want to live any longer. Jack confessed how every night, when he heard the constant ticking of his valve reminded him how a single visit to the dentist destroyed his life. His condition directly interfered with how he lived and interacted with friends and family. His career with the Army ended and could only perform lighter duties. When asked about his previous relationship with his wife and children, Jack had a wide smile and his face gleamed, an indication that he still loved his family. However, based on the follow-up notes, it was evident that a week prior Jack stopped taking his medications and tried to kill himself despite showing up for follow-up days later.

This case is a perfect illustration of how Jack’s relationship was used to not only overcome but also envisage a future. Although Jack was full of despair, he had some hope but urgently needed assistance to remind himself of some of the outcomes that instilled hope and a future life.

Contrary Case

A contrary case is that which illustrates how the concept has totally been defied.

John is a 30-year-old African-American male who has recently been diagnosed with decompensated heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and abnormal levels of oxygen saturation. He is obese and a well-known smoker. He was convinced that it was not necessary for him to reduce his weight, quit smoking, or take drugs. He clearly explained that his father died at 45 years of age from heart failure, was initially obese, a heavy smoker, and an alcoholic before modifying his lifestyle. Besides, he insisted that since he resembled his father as everyone told him, he was ready to die the same way his father died. This explains why John refused to get married, had a vasectomy at 26 years old, and declined to modify his lifestyle. This is clearly a case of what hope is not. John strongly believed that there was no hope of modifying his lifestyle or taking drugs to live longer past the age that his father died. He was hopeless and not future-oriented.

Conclusion

As discussed, the concept of hope provides a clear understanding of its dynamics and how it can be applied by nurses in nursing practice. The fact that it is a phenomenon that exists in all humans makes it universal. Clients who are hopeful are actively involved, action-directed, and future-oriented. The human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee explains the stages that a nurse-patient relationship can be established with the aim of helping patients find meaning in life especially during times of suffering and illness by maintaining hope. In advanced nursing practice, the major implications are directly associated with the development of interpersonal relationships and how they can be maintained in the long term.

References

1. Eustache, C., Jibb, E., & Grossman, M. (2014). Exploring hope and healing in patients living with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Oncology Nursing Forums, 41(5), 497-508.
2. Huangan, G., Utvaer, B., & Moksnes, U. (2013). The Herth Hope is a psychometric study among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 21(3), p.378-400.
3. Hope. (n.d.). In Oxford English Dictionary. (2nd. ed.).
4. Lichwala, R. (2014). Fostering hope in the patient with cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology, Nursing 18(3), p.267-269.
5. Nweze, O., Agom, D., Agom, J., & Nwankwo, A. (2015).A critical analysis of the concept of hope: The nursing perspective. International Journal of Science and Research, 4(3), 1027-1030.
6. Smith, H. (2014). Giving hope to families in palliative care and implications for practice. Nursing Children and Young People 26(5), p21-25.
7. Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. (Ed.). (2013). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

Introduction

The concept of hope has been studied and researched by philosophers, theologists, clinicians, and nurses. The concept has been found to have different meanings, conceptions, and interpretations in various disciplines including nursing. The human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee defines hope as an integral concept that is directly linked to good patient health outcomes. Since it is thought to be central to all healing, it triumphs over despair, hopelessness, and suffering. Therefore, nurses have an integral role in reducing hopelessness during suffering among patients in clinical settings.

The human-to-human interaction theory also explains how nurses can help families, friends, and patients cope with suffering and illness by finding meaning through hope. This paper discusses the concept of hope from a nursing perspective. It defines hope according to the human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee and explores literature, the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of hope. A model case and alternative cases will also be provided.

Uses of the Concept of Hope

Hope is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary both as a verb and a noun. As a noun, it is “expecting something desired”. The verb form is “entertaining something desired”. According to Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, hope is “having a prospect that something desired will happen”. Mosby’s Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions defines hope as a state of optimism that increases personal satisfaction and life support. This description directly links hope to the science and art of nursing.

Joyce Travelbee discovered hope as a core component of nurses’ roles. Nurses have a professional responsibility to assist patients to find meaning in their lives and find and maintain hope. She defined hope as a form of strong belief/faith that something good and safer can still happen, bringing something better that was strongly desired with it. She linked hope to six major characteristics as follows: is associated with being dependent on other people, is future-oriented, and is connected to numerous escape routes, a strong desire to experience or take part in a task, a lot of confidence in the availability of other people when needed and being courageous to acknowledge personal fears and shortcomings and work towards the attainment of goals. According to Travelbee, both the patient and the nurse must go through a series of steps for this relationship to progress. These steps are the observation phase, emerging identities, empathy, sympathy, and mutual understanding.

Literature Review

Within the scope of nursing, hope has several definitions. Generally, it is considered to be a future-oriented feeling that involves a psychological process where an individual overcomes an event. Some of the most common themes within the concept of hope include its definition, control, communication, and relational and spiritual aspects (Nweze et al., 2015). Based on most interviews with patients, hope is described either as a noun or a verb. As a noun, hope involves external forces in fighting an illness. As a verb, hope is a form of inner inspiration, responsibility, and solidarity. According to Nweze et al., (2015), hope is multidimensional and healthcare providers are essential to a patient’s experience.

The concept of hope lacks clarity according to Eustache, Jibb & Grossman (2014), and this has influenced qualitative studies on hope and how it is directed to healing. In life and during illness, hope has different levels and meanings. Hope has themes such as the desire to return to prior self-being action based on patients having individual reasons to become future-oriented and hopeful (Eustache, Jibb & Grossman, 2014). The majority start reframing their future within the context of their illness, with the hope of a prolonged life, actively maintaining treatment, self-protection from expectations that are unrealistic, and integrating routine activities. Most patients directly relate hope and well-being and compare themselves with survivors and spirituality (Eustache, Jibb & Grossman, 2014).

Since hope helps most patients to cope with suffering and illness, it is central to nursing. It also encourages some form of well-being and promotes a positive outlook and a meaning to live (Lichwala, 2014). By finding meaning in life, a patient keeps anticipating the future. The majority of those patients who report side effects that are poorly controlled or experience pain have low levels of hope and an overall sense of well-being which leads to hopelessness. When hopeless, most patients are eager and wish for a faster death which leads to a poor quality of life. Lichwala (2014) insists that, in order to have high levels of hope, and positive relations with healthcare providers, friends, and family, a strong and well-established support system and positive interaction with others is necessary.

This literature review improved the author’s understanding of how essential the human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee is in fostering hope among families and patients. If good, interpersonal relationships help to establish a rapport and long-term therapeutic relationship that promotes the ability to foster hope. The existence of a poor relationship influences despair and hopelessness.

Defining Attributes

Defining attributes are basically characteristics that are directly related to a concept and their use is in reference to a concept. From the literature review, several common themes of hope exist. According to Nweze et al., (2015), a patient has an experience to take part in the future and thus focuses on the future. The patient has to set goals and strive to achieve them and he/she should be actively involved in personal care and the healthcare team does not take the entire control. Lastly, a patient looks forward to enjoying and living a life in the future based on their new reality. Therefore, the key defining attributes include action-directed, active-involvement, future-directed, and future redefinition.

Antecedents

These are mandatory attributes that precede a concept before its actualization. Based on the literature review, common antecedents that were identified include hopelessness, despair, and suffering (Nweze et al., 2015). So that a patient envisions the future and gets something to strive for, it is important that he/she selects goals. To maintain hope, constant communication with friends, family, and healthcare providers is integral. Most patients strive to manage uncertainties through various mechanisms such as: comparing themselves with survivors, spirituality, and control, which generally shows that they want control (Nweze et al., 2015)

Consequences

Consequences are basically the series of events that follow a concept. As commonly observed among patients with cancer, the consequences of hope are overall well-being, self-esteem, good quality of life, comfort, happiness, and comfort. Similar to the findings by Smith (2014), the literature review also demonstrated that a high level of hope is directly linked to patient knowledge of his/her diagnosis and high levels of satisfaction with the shared information.

Empirical Referents

In theory development, empirical referents simply refer to the categories that demonstrate a concept and how it can be measured. Hope is considered to be a force that only exists internally and thus, it is differently experienced by people. This explains why currently, there are no valid tools or scales that can be used to measure hope among patients. However, the Herth Hope Index has proven to be the most effective and used scale in hospices and palliative care among patients who are terminally ill (Huangan, Utvaer & Moksnes, 2013). The development of the Herth Hope Index used the same subscales found in the HH scale namely: temporality and future, positive readiness and expectancy, and interconnectedness (Huangan, Utvaer & Moksnes, 2013). It is the most preferred since it is based on a universal concept of hope and was designed to be used in clinical settings. This scale is made up of twelve items which use a 4-point Likert scale where high scores are indicative of greater hope.

Cases

Model Case

A model case is that which is real, actual, and has all the defining attributes within a concept’s context. A perfect example of a model case which illustrates the concept of hope is as follows:

Mrs. Johnson, a 60-year-old female who was recently diagnosed with throat Ca came to the clinic for her scheduled routine follow-up. She had complained of shortness of breath, a persistent cough, and difficulty walking. According to her past history, she had 40-pack years of tobacco smoking, uncontrolled type 2 DM, and hypertension. She however explained that she was feeling great since she was alive and at home rather than being admitted to the hospital. Besides, she also explained how she was able to perform some of her activities of daily life with very minimal or no assistance and was thus looking forward to attending her daughter’s graduation.

In this model case, the most outstanding defining attributes are as follows. Future directed; Mrs. Johnson looked forward to attending an upcoming activity. She is action-directed and actively involved since she can perform activities of daily life such as attending scheduled visits. Mrs. Johnson also had some feelings of uncertainty since she clearly stated that despite her condition, she was not admitted. Besides, the interpersonal relationship that was created by the nurse and directed her to find out how the patient was feeling illustrates the nurse’s active participation in the patient’s care.

Borderline Case

A borderline case has some of a concept’s defining attributes but when closely analyzed, it lacks these defining attributes.

Jack is a 36-year-old Caucasian male who was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis which resulted in the replacement of the aortic valve and heart failure. Jack observed his routine visits and close follow-up for INR. When asked why he was down in spirit, Jack replied that he was generally tired and overwhelmed with life and didn’t want to live any longer. Jack confessed how every night, when he heard the constant ticking of his valve reminded him how a single visit to the dentist destroyed his life. His condition directly interfered with how he lived and interacted with friends and family. His career with the Army ended and could only perform lighter duties. When asked about his previous relationship with his wife and children, Jack had a wide smile and his face gleamed, an indication that he still loved his family. However, based on the follow-up notes, it was evident that a week prior Jack stopped taking his medications and tried to kill himself despite showing up for follow-up days later.

This case is a perfect illustration of how Jack’s relationship was used to not only overcome but also envisage a future. Although Jack was full of despair, he had some hope but urgently needed assistance to remind himself of some of the outcomes that instilled hope and a future life.

Contrary Case

A contrary case is that which illustrates how the concept has totally been defied.

John is a 30-year-old African-American male who has recently been diagnosed with decompensated heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and abnormal levels of oxygen saturation. He is obese and a well-known smoker. He was convinced that it was not necessary for him to reduce his weight, quit smoking, or take drugs. He clearly explained that his father died at 45 years of age from heart failure, was initially obese, a heavy smoker, and an alcoholic before modifying his lifestyle. Besides, he insisted that since he resembled his father as everyone told him, he was ready to die the same way his father died. This explains why John refused to get married, had a vasectomy at 26 years old, and declined to modify his lifestyle. This is clearly a case of what hope is not. John strongly believed that there was no hope of modifying his lifestyle or taking drugs to live longer past the age that his father died. He was hopeless and not future-oriented.

Conclusion

As discussed, the concept of hope provides a clear understanding of its dynamics and how it can be applied by nurses in nursing practice. The fact that it is a phenomenon that exists in all humans makes it universal. Clients who are hopeful are actively involved, action-directed, and future-oriented. The human-to-human interaction theory by Joyce Travelbee explains the stages that a nurse-patient relationship can be established with the aim of helping patients find meaning in life especially during times of suffering and illness by maintaining hope. In advanced nursing practice, the major implications are directly associated with the development of interpersonal relationships and how they can be maintained in the long term.

References

1. Eustache, C., Jibb, E., & Grossman, M. (2014). Exploring hope and healing in patients living with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Oncology Nursing Forums, 41(5), 497-508.
2. Huangan, G., Utvaer, B., & Moksnes, U. (2013). The Herth Hope is a psychometric study among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 21(3), p.378-400.
3. Hope. (n.d.). In Oxford English Dictionary. (2nd. ed.).
4. Lichwala, R. (2014). Fostering hope in the patient with cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology, Nursing 18(3), p.267-269.
5. Nweze, O., Agom, D., Agom, J., & Nwankwo, A. (2015).A critical analysis of the concept of hope: The nursing perspective. International Journal of Science and Research, 4(3), 1027-1030.
6. Smith, H. (2014). Giving hope to families in palliative care and implications for practice. Nursing Children and Young People 26(5), p21-25.
7. Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. (Ed.). (2013). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

According to a study conducted by students from university of Georgia, out of every 6500 families in America one family is at risk of not finding a hot meal for a day or two. However, there is a non-governmental organization (NGO) located in Savannah, Georgia where we deal with issues concerning providing meals to homeless, needy, elderly, and hungry individual within the community. Beacon of hope (BOH) is a place where needy individuals can come, have a meal, and socialize with other individuals from all occupations. Each year, Beacon of hope provides meals to over 41,000 families spread across the state. That is, street families, needy and elderly who cannot afford a meal during hard economic times. Beacon Seeks to serve people in America today who cannot afford to feed their families for a whole year.

To begin with, there are families in America today living under $15 a day. This simply means that such family can only afford two meals a day considering that these families have other bills to settle. This, suggest that there has to be a place where families can acquire meals and that is places like Beacon of Hope. Good examples of such places are the Beacon of hope and World hope where meals are offered at absolutely free of charge. Beacon of hope understands that people face financial constraints because the economy is not supportive as it used to be, people need financial assistance, without this, the American family would go hungry. Beacon of hope depends on volunteer to offer services but need financial assistance from well-wishers to keep the center moving. The center needs money to purchase foodstuff, utensils maintenance cost and thus to call for the center management to write proposals to corporations to join in donating to the center in order for the feeding program to go on. This provides Beacon of hope with a financial challenge, though it has been fought up to date. Normally, the Centre receives donations from well-wishers that are channeled towards feeding the needy in the society (Mooney, 2009).

The majority of the people who are served by the Beacon of Hope Centre are the elderly, homeless, disabled, needy women and children. Over the last two years of our operations, we have been able to observe and collect a data of the people who visit the center. Not all people who came to the center because they lack food, some of them want to live a social life. Their friends and family members often visit the elderly people who have lived more than ten years of the retirement age at the center. The center is a friendly place for such people and they can have the meal while socializing with other Americans. Other beneficiaries of the Centre are the single mothers. These are families where the breadwinner “father” neglected the family and therefore the mother is forced to take care of all other bills. The Centre caters for the needs of such families. The other bunch of beneficiary is the homeless people. People who live in the streets and have no place where they can eat or prepare a meal to eat (Ringen, 2006).

Beacon of Hope has developed a strategy that helps the center to keep moving towards its goals. Our plan involves the decision-making and steps towards the way beneficiaries get aid within and outside the center. The most obvious is identifying the needy people in the community. This goes hand in hand with organization mission, vision and core values. The main mission of the center was to ensure that every person has access to a hot meal whenever and wherever he or she is. Therefore, identify of beneficiary begins with the homeless in the streets who cannot afford a place to cook or a house to prepare a meal simply because they cannot pay the house rent. Additionally, if we identify a person to be elderly, single mother, homeless and a child he or she automatically qualifies to access any program that is undertaken by the beacon of hope (Thakur, 2004).

In addition, the program has been of benefit to many Americans who cannot afford to cook or warm their food. The program has many benefits including taking care of the homeless and needy people in the society. For example, if our volunteers identify any person under that category, the person is enrolled in our program and is rescued from succumbing to death due to hunger.

In conclusion, the center is the right place where donors and well-wishers can put their trust because our services are offered at no cost. Therefore, all the donations are well utilized in helping the intended people. The mission and vision of the organization cannot be achieved without the help of stable individual. There is the need for a stable individual to be educated on the need of taking care of the well-being of their neighbors. I believe this is the way forward and it is very important for every member of the public to understand the importance of organizations like Beacon of hope.

References

Mooney, L. A., Knox, D., & Schacht, C. (2009). Understanding social problems (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Ringen, S. (2006). Fighting poverty: caring for children, parents, the elderly and health. Aldershot: Ashgate.

Thakur, R. C., & Malcontent, P. (2004). From sovereign impunity to international accountability the search for justice in a world of states. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.

Introduction

The tremendous changes happening in the contemporary times trigger the question of what the future holds for humanity. Major world events including weather changes, natural catastrophes, and wars have been on the increase in the recent past. The changes incline towards negativity, which makes people be pessimistic about the future. In addition, the efforts of kind-hearted individuals to bring positive change, through the various aspects of human life, face many challenges and consequently fail to yield any positive results.

The inequalities in the world are high, whereby majority of the people are poor while a few have plenty of resources. Overpopulation coupled with resource inequality means that fewer individuals have access to the world’s resources while the majority remains poor. Moreover, the environmental impacts of the high rate of global industrialization are not sustainable.

However, as the world continue to change, it will become apparent that the inequalities affect all humanity and bring about a spiritual awakening that will bring a positive new era for humankind.

The Changing World

Many current world events point to an unpleasant future for all humanity irrespective of class or social status. This has elicited interest in humanity to make the world a better place for the sake of future generations (Hopkins 33). The first area of concern is the consumption of world resources, which appears to be skewed in favor of the developed nations. The high consumption rate of the world’s resources by developed nations contributes greatly to environmental destruction.

The current environmental problems such as depletion of the ozone layer and global warming, not only burdens the current generation, but also future generations too. The environmental crisis challenges the spiritual and moral beliefs of humanity. God discourages self-fulfillment and tells his people that world resources have been given for common use by all humanity. This means that the world resources belong to all humanity not only to the rich.

Another major challenge facing humanity presently is problem of high population growth rate. The high world population presents problems to social, economic, and environmental development. A growing population increases the frequency of famines and strains the available resources. Wars are now a common occurrence in most nations; for example, the ongoing Libyan war was occasioned by struggle for power and scarcity of resources, which is due to the high population growth rate.

Natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and drought are attributed to population pressure on the world’s resources. Environmental pollution caused by industrialization further affects the quality of life on earth. Population increase also contributes to social problems such as crime, unemployment, and malnutrition among others. The environmental changes that has led to world changes in social, economic, and political aspects of human life across all nations, raises concerns over the future of humanity on earth.

Principles that Provide Hope for the Future

Many people hope for a sustainable future characterized by improved quality of life for all people and spiritual renewal of all humanity. According to Monsignor, today’s world crises can be solved through spiritual fulfillment of all people (Para. 9). The spiritual leaders and the clergy strive to lift up the spiritual, ethical, and moral approaches towards solving the current crises affecting the world.

Humanity must learn to appreciate nature because nature is a reflection of God’s goodness to humanity and through spiritual fulfillment, the beauty, and richness of nature is appreciated. In addition, human reason and knowledge through scientific research and technological innovation will help humanity to reduce the current environmental challenges affecting the world.

The Christian teaching of love for one another ensures that people endeavor to help the disadvantaged and promote equitable and sustainable use of the available resources for the sake of future generations.

Another principle that provides hope for humanity in the future is environmental sustainability. Environmental conservation efforts including policy change and environmental regulation are important in ensuring a sustainable future for all humanity (McCluney 119). The hopeful signs of a better environment involve the quest for appropriate measures towards promoting environmental conservation like international conservation treaties.

Public concern over the high rate of consumption of natural resources in the industrialized world and its impacts is growing, further increasing the efforts aimed at improving the quality of life and at the same time decrease consumption. What remains now is change in individual lifestyle and public policy to reverse the environmental effects and promote equitable and sustainable use of the resources.

Social justice that ensures equitable distribution of resources among all humanity will contribute to a reduction in social problems such as wars, unemployment, diseases, and malnutrition (Hollick and Connelly 253). To attain a sustainable world economy, social justice is important.

Social justice can be achieved through a spiritual reawakening to understand the universal purpose of God’s creation, which requires equitable and sustainable use. Spreading a message of the necessity of global interdependence will also promote equitable use of resources and social justice. Additionally, efforts to eradicate poverty should involve the quest for an equitable distribution of world’s resources.

Conclusion

Based on world problems experienced currently, the future of humanity appears gloomy. The major problems are overpopulation and environmental degradation, which affect the quality of life on earth. In addition, the current level of social and economic inequalities between developing and industrialized nations is incompatible with human survival. However, renewed efforts regarding environmental conservation, spiritual fulfillment, and social justice offer hope of a better future for all humankind.

Works Cited

Hollick, Malcom, and Connelly, Christine. Hope for Humanity: How Understanding and Healing trauma could solve the Planetary Crisis. New York: Rutledge Press, 2001.

Hopkins, Gerard. God’s Grandeur and other Poems. London: Oxford University Press, 1995.

McCluney, Ross. Humanity’s Environmental Future: Making Sense in a Troubled World. Cape Canaveral: Sun Pine Press, 2004.

Monsignor, Robert. Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching, 2000. Web.