Category: Interpretation

Freud Sigmund argues that the main reason why people dream is to protect sleep. When people go to bed, the lights are put off, and curtains are drawn there is an indication that we are moving from reality to a world of fantasy (Freud, 1953). When people go to sleep, the mind shields them from any disturbance that may be caused by temperature, light, pain and the desire to urinate among others (Freud, 1953).

In addition, the mind keeps internal stimuli in check by ensuring that some desires are not aroused. These internal stimuli include the other day’s activities, frustrations, fears, and negative emotions by formulating dreams (Freud, 1953).

Freud’s work was mainly concerned with internal stimuli. For an individual to keep on sleeping the negative emotions, unconscious desires, restricted thoughts have to be concealed in some way (Freud, 1953).

This is because if an individual is faced with negative emotions and thoughts their sleep will be disturbed forcing them to wake up. Therefore, dreams play a major role in ensuring that people are able to sleep well without internal or external disturbance (Freud, 1900). Dreams help people to satisfy desires that they were not able to meet in the conscious life, which eventually leads to a relaxed mind and good sleep.

Freud speaks about the manifest and latent meaning of a dream. Manifest meaning is what actually happens in a dream while the latent meaning is the hidden meaning that we find out when we analyze dreams.

Freud Sigmund concentrates more on the latent meaning because it gives a gateway to understanding psychology of the dreamer (Freud, 1900). He adds that the latent content of a dream overshadows the manifest content. There is always more than we see in a dream. For instance, driving a car in a dream may mean that one will be travelling soon (Boothby, 2001).

Discussion

From Freud Sigmund’s dream “Irma Dream” and “Mulholland Drive”, it is clear that all dreams have some components that are not manifest, but can be understood by interpretation of the dream (Brauckhoff, 2008). Additionally, dreams give individuals the opportunity to meet desires that they are unable to meet in their conscious minds.

Irma’s dream

Irma dream is the first work of Freud where he did a self-analysis based on dreams and their latent meaning (Boothby, 2001). The dream starts with a big hall full of people where Freud sees Irma and goes to talk to her. He goes ahead to ask about how she is feeling, Irma explains that she has pains and Freud checks her to confirm (Brauckhoff, 2008). He later calls a doctor, Mr. M and his friend Otto to inspect Irma further.

However, in the dream, Mr. M looked very different from his usual self; he walked with a limp and was very pale (Brauckhoff, 2008). Freud wonders what the problem is. As he ponders about this Mr. M points, out that Irma’s conditions was because of an infection.

At this point, Freud remembers that his friend Otto had given Irma an injection earlier (Thurschwell, 2009). He feels that the injection was done carelessly probably with a not so clean needle. However, Mr. M reassures them that Irma will be fine (Brauckhoff, 2008).

The interpretation of the dream from Freud’s point of view is as follows; Freud accuses himself for being careless in handling his patients, although, in the dream he blames other people for not being careful in health matters (Thurschwell, 2009). The latent meaning is that he is not comfortable with how he handles his clients putting them in unnecessary risk (Brauckhoff, 2008).

Secondly, there is wishful thinking on Freud’s side where he tries to take away the guilt and responsibility for Irma’s sickness by blaming others. Clearly, he expels himself from the situation and uses other people’s weaknesses to take away his guilt.

Generally, Freud feels that he has not been careful enough, but he finds it difficult to take the blame (Boothby, 2001). Therefore, this dream enabled Freud to achieve his desire to avoid blame placed on him for handling his patients poorly. In addition, it allowed him to sleep peacefully forgetting his frustrations (Freud, 1953).

Mulholland Drive

The other work that has been used to emphasize on the concept of dreams based on Freud Sigmund’s interpretation of dreams is the movie “Mulholland Drive” Most critics have argued that the movie has placed much focus on the concept of dreams and not reality. Therefore, for anyone to understand the movie they need to look at it from a dream perspective (Demorest, 2005).

The movie is based on the premises that dreams have a latent meaning that connects with our day-to-day activities. From Freud’s writing Interpretations of Dreams explains that although dreams look meaningless and confusion of emotions they play a big role in explaining what people think or feel (Blencher, 2001).

Therefore, understanding dreams helps us to understand what happens in the conscious mind. In addition, Freud views dreams as a way to release mental pressure that maybe locked inside our minds.

The movie is divided, into two sections, which have a manifest and latent meaning of the dreams that characters in the movie go through (Demorest, 2005). The movie revolves around one main character Diane Selwyn who appears to have a strange dream. The movie begins with two young actresses Diane and Camilla who seek to make a name in Hollywood (Brauckhoff, 2008).

The two actresses end up in a romantic relationship which breaks when Camilla’s dream begun to take shape. Camilla was given a leading role in a movie arousing envy and jealous in Diane (Demorest, 2005).

However, Diane faces the reality at Mulholland Drive party to celebrate Camilla’s success makes her realize that Camilla has moved on. She sees her kissing another woman and Adam announces his wedding to Camilla (Demorest, 2005). This becomes hard for Diane to bear making her to contact a hit man to kill Camilla.

In reality, Diane seemed so sure of her decision to kill Camilla, however, in the dream, she seeks to undo and avoid responsibility in killing Camilla (Freud, 1953). While the second part of the movie is based on Diane’s inability to hide her failures because her parents remind her of how terrible she is. In this part, Diane meets Betty a young ambitious actress and Rita who dodges death twice on Mulholland Drive (Freud, 1953).

Firstly, Rita tried to escape from her problems by going to sleep, but she does not get sleep because nightmares would not allow her. She helps Betty rehearse for her auditions, which ends up badly when Betty is denied the lead role in the movie that she was looking forward to feature in (Freud, 1991). This leads Betty to a self-discovery journey where she seeks to find out who she is.

She ends up in Diane Selwyn’s bedroom where they find a dead body on the bed. The two women end up together as Betty tried to help Rita escape from her problems. This situation brings them closer than before and they end up making love that night (Freud, 1991).

However, their sleep is interfered with when Rita started dreaming at night. Later on Rita asks Betty to accompany her to club Silencio, which she kept mentioning in her dream (Freud, 1953). Here, Betty and Rita discover a blue box, which makes them to vanish.

This part shows how dreams are closely related to reality as explained by Freud in the Interpretations of dreams. This is because dreams can be as a result of things or people that we interact with or blocked pressure in the mind (Freud, 1991). The second, part features Diane who is disturbed by Camilla’s death who goes to sleep hoping that sleep will make her forget her problems (Freud, 1953).

However, she finds it hard to sleep because Camilla haunts her. This leads her to a state of sadness and loneliness she misses her sexual encounters with Camilla. She then goes through a moment of flashbacks recalling events that occurred before Camilla’s death (Thurschwell, 2009).

Finally, Diane finds it hard to live with her mistakes because of the hallucinations that keep recurring about Camilla and her parents (Blencher, 2001). This marks the end of her life as she seeks to run away from her dreams, which will not allow her to rest. She seems to blame her parents for her misfortunes and their faces look at her in a mocking way, which makes her to lose interest with life (Freud, 1900).

From the movie it is evident that dreams pave way for hidden emotions to be released allowing individuals to sleep well. Additionally, dreams guard sleep by granting people the wishes that they cannot have in real life. It also enables people to move away from the world of reality to that of fantasy, which is more interesting.

Conclusion

According to Freud Sigmund, dreams work as guardian of sleep and not its disturber because they take people to a world of fantasy. When the lights go off, curtains are closed and people go to bed dreams take over. This happens because the external stimuli are blocked. In addition, the internal stimuli such as negative emotions and thoughts are removed to ensure that the sleeper is not disturbed.

In dreams, people are able to do away with what they do not want and fantasize with what they would like to have. By so doing dreams ensure that, a good peaceful sleep is achieved. In addition, dreams show the hidden emotions and desires that people are not able to release in their conscious mind. Freud argues that interpretation of dreams is the key to understanding the human mind (Rodley, 2005).

Freud used sexual interpretation in explaining many dreams because he believed that most people who have sexual problems as children go through psychological issues as adults (Marcus, 1999).

From “Irma Dream” and “Mulholland Drive” we discover that dreams guard sleep by giving us the opportunity to live in fantasy for a while and be happy. In dreams, people can acquire what they have not managed to get in real life. Therefore, dreams are not disturbers but guardian of sleep (Rodley, 2005).

References

Blencher, M. (2001).The Dream Frontier. New York, NY: Routledge.

Boothby, R. (2001). Freud as Philosopher: Metapsychology after Lacan. New York, NY: Rutledge.

Brauckhoff, I. (2008). Identity Construction in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive: It’ll be Just Like in the Movies – We’ll Pretend We Were Someone Else. Munchen: GRIN Verlag.

Demorest, P. (2005). Psychology’s Grand Theorists: How Personal Experiences Shape Professional Ideas. New York, NY: Routledge.

Freud, S. (1900). The Interpretation of Dreams. London: Hogarth Press

Freud, S. (1953). The Interpretation of Dreams and On Dreams. London: Hogarth Press.

Freud, S. (1991). The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund

Freud: (1900-1901). The interpretation of dreams. London: The Hogarth Press.

Marcus, L. (1999). Sigmund Freud’s the Interpretation of Dreams: New Interdisciplinary Essays. Hampshire: Manchester University Press.

Rodley, C. (2005). Lynch on Lynch. London: Macmillan.

Thurschwell, P. (2009). Sigmund Freud. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Introduction

In the process of working with people, it is occasionally necessary to consider the behavior of some personalities and draw conclusions regarding this or that manner. This procedure is called perception checking and is characterized by the need to analyze certain human actions, gestures, and phrases. The use of this practice in law enforcement structures has psychological significance since a correct evaluation of both verbal and nonverbal behavior features can be useful as a successful mechanism for communicating with different people.

In order to follow the conditions of perception checking, it is essential to be guided by different ways of interpreting and, if necessary, to receive clarifications concerning this or that form of behavior. The correct interpretation of certain motives can serve as a valuable quality of a law enforcement personnel and be of importance for working with suspects or criminals.

Human Behavior in Stressful Situations

The peculiarity of the procedure of perception checking is that it is not based on the first impression of what is seen or heard. Otherwise, the initial interpretation of a particular gesture or phrase may be erroneous. It is especially significant to monitor it in the process of interaction with people who are in stressful situations.

Possible reactions of a person to stress can be divided into three groups – constructiveness, excitement, and rejection. It can be the conscious mastery of the situation and its transformation into constructive behavior without any distinctive features. Further, there are impulsive reactions, worsening relations with other people, and giving way to negative emotions. Also, it can be an attempt to reject the problem and protect oneself, which often happens unconsciously. When using all these evaluation criteria in the practice of law enforcement agencies, it is possible to derive substantial benefits from such knowledge.

If a criminal shows non-standard forms of behavior, it can be used as an evaluation mechanism. Thus, very often, in conversations with security guards, offenders and suspects can unconsciously express some inner feelings and considerations. Eyebrows movements, fingers tapping on the table, and nervous glances may indicate a stressful state and help to determine the degree of guilt of a particular person. Fear is manifested in anxiety, excitement, guilt, and other factors. The practical implementation of perception checking can consist in the correct interpretation of all those features of behavior that are visible during observation.

The feeling of anxiety, as a rule, is expressed visually, and it is difficult for an unprepared and especially emotionally unstable person to control some gestures that are made unconsciously. Consequently, monitoring an individual in a stressful situation can allow accurately assessing the feelings and experiences of the person. However, it is essential to interpret specific manifestations of emotions correctly and not to make mistakes in the evaluation so as not to come to false conclusions.

Interpretations of Stressful Behavior

Despite the fact that stressful situations are almost always reflected in the behavior of people, it is necessary to not only take into account the first impression but also to assess specific manners concerning a certain situation. When applying the practice of perception checking in the context of work in law enforcement agencies, it is important to be able to distinguish certain manifestations of stressful situations and correctly interpret them. Otherwise, mistakes can lead to serious negative consequences and, for example, to the unjustified accusation of a person of a crime that he or she did not commit.

Various manifestations of anxiety can be expressed both in gestures and in phrases. Unreasonable excitement may be a sign that the accused or suspect is afraid of punishment and unconsciously tries to lie and deceive the interlocutor. Rapid eye movements, the twitching of hands, the lack of direct visual contact and some other features of behavior may confirm the person’s involvement in a particular crime. However, these signs are not always unambiguous. When interpreting them with reference to the practice of interrogation, it is necessary to take into account the context of a specific problem and the situation in which the person is involved.

A scenario is possible in which the manifestation of excitement and other signs of anxiety can be explained by worrying for the fate of loved ones, the fear for personal safety, and also a typical manner of behavior. Some unconscious gestures and cues can be caused by concomitant factors, for instance, fatigue, poor health, and even mental abnormalities. Therefore, it is essential to interpret behavior correctly so as not to make hasty conclusions.

Clarification about Behavior Interpretation

In order to exclude the possibility of behavior misinterpretation, it is possible to ask the person to clarify what this or that manifestation of emotions and other indicators means. With reference to the force sphere, it is significant to try to find out from the interlocutor how his or her gestures, cues, and movements are justified to make sure that they have unconscious nature. Such a clarification can help either to convince oneself of the causes of stressful behavior or to refute conjectures and explain specific motives from a different angle.

Perception checking is a corporate approach to communicating with people, and it cannot imply unambiguous and absolutely accurate solutions. In order to have a full picture, it is important to validate the assumptions made on the basis of personal analysis. In ordinary informal communication, it is not difficult, but when professional spheres are affected, the task can become more complicated. The interlocutor may not always be ready to entirely disclose the motives of his or her behavior and explain specific reasons. In this case, it is essential to carry out an evaluation as carefully as possible and not to be guided by conjectures solely.

For example, if it is difficult to explain certain non-verbal signs of a suspect, it is possible to try to hold a conversation and receive a thorough explanation. As a rule, a confidential dialogue contributes to a more open conversation, which, in turn, can become a successful mechanism for assessing behavior. Therefore, clarifications are a necessary and important criterion for successful perception checking.

Conclusion

The correct interpretation of the motives of behavior can be a successful mechanism for perception checking, which is an important measure in law enforcement structures. The first impression should not be principal, and the analysis of conscious and unconscious forms of feelings expression in a specific context should be conducted. Sometimes, not only one interpretation of a particular form of behavior can be possible, which is essential to take into account. A request to clarify certain manifestations of emotions and specific gestures or phrases can significantly help in perception checking.

My Dream

While I cannot say I remember any particular dreams that made an impression on me, there is a certain type of dreams that keeps repeating often. In it, I am always being approached by a person that is trying to kill me. In particular, it is most often done with a knife, and I am unable to avoid it. My movements feel sluggish, and most attempts at protecting myself do not work. I can kind of feel that it is going to happen, and that a person is trying to kill me even before they attempt to do anything, but it seems inevitable. These dreams occur rather frequently, so I have become accustomed to them for the most part.

Interpretation of the Dream

I will analyze this dream according to the gestalt method and Freud’s ideas. The gestalt therapy approach supposes that people should interact their dreams via roleplay, while acting as all of the participants or places in them, in order to understand themselves better (“Becoming the dream – A gestalt approach,” n.d.). In the case of applying this approach to myself, I would need to imagine myself as the one stabbing me with a knife, and understand their thought process. While I cannot imagine much of the thought process of that person, I suppose that they think I should die. Playing as myself, then, I do not want that to happen, and am using any and all available methods to stop that. Applying the gestalt outlook on this examination, I would suppose I have a certain desire to die. I do not think this assessment is wholly true, or applicable to my dream, but I cannot tell for certain. Freud’s understanding of such dreams is that they are typical, and often signify a presence of anxiety (Freud, 2014). This interpretation, for me, seems quite believable and straightforward. Personally, I think much of my dreams is how my brain deals with stress, or tries to handle the general anxieties life presents.

References

Freud, S. (2014). The interpretation of dreams. Modern Library.

O’Mahony, H. (n.d.). Becoming the dream – A gestalt approach. IAHIP Ltd.

First and foremost it must be noted that the concept of a treaty is that it acts as a binding agreement between two or more nations towards a prescribed set of actions (On International Law, 2010). This can come in the form of trade, security arrangements, defense or any manner of different agreements that both nations can come to terms with.

Yet what one must remember is that these agreements are not enforceable by an external policing body such as what can be seen when a person violates a law within a state since in international relations there is no greater entity than the state (On International Law, 2010). In fact the creation of treaties and their exclusivity to states can be seen in the theory of Realism which specifically mentions that states are the primary actors in international relations and that there is no greater power than the state.

As such this explains why international organizations such as the U.N. do not have the right to enter into treaties with states or be called upon as an enforcing body.

On the other hand there are exceptions to this rule as seen in creation of the E.U. and ASEAN wherein the organizations itself acts on behalf of member states within a particular region and can thus enter into a treaty with a country provided that member states who are part of the organization agree to the stipulations. This can be seen in the various treaties entered into between Switzerland and the E.U. as well as the ASEAN and various European countries involving the import and export of goods between national borders.

While there are a plethora of different arrangements that can be stipulated in particular treaties (trade, commerce, security, war, defense, national boundaries etc.) there are actually only two main types of treaties, namely: bilateral and multilateral treaties (Yupsanis, 2010).

Bilateral treaties involve two countries entering into an agreement for the specific purpose of achieving a particular goal and as such these particular agreements only involve these two countries and don’t impact other countries within the global international environment (Yupsanis, 2010). Multilateral treaties on the other hand are agreements entered into by more than two countries (Yupsanis, 2010).

Such agreements can take the form of the mutual defense agreement as seen in North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the Free Trade Agreements entered into by various Latin American countries (Powell, 2010). In fact the application of multilateral treaties was the foundation for the current travel industry wherein tourists are given the right to visit other countries based on the various bilateral and multilateral treaties entered into by their government.

It must be noted that the basis of all treaties is the concept of reciprocity wherein it is assumed that by entering into a particular treaty a country will uphold its tenets as indicated, the same as the other country that similar entered into the same treaty. By doing so this establishes the basis of international law wherein due to the lack of any greater force than the state to enforce a treaty reciprocity becomes an integral binding factor in ensuring compliance.

In fact it was the accumulation of reciprocal agreements through bilateral and multilateral agreements that created the foundation of international law as it is known today.

This can be seen in various generally accepted tenets of international law such as international maritime law, abhorrence towards acts of genocide, diplomatic immunity and the inviolability attached to embassies of foreign powers located within the state. Based on this it can be seen that it was through the initial establishment of treaties and their practices that created the initial practices that are followed today by literally all nations.

Reference List

On International Law. (2010). Treaty Interpretation. Canadian Social Science, 6(7), 1-18. EBSCO host.

Powell, E. (2010). Negotiating Military Alliances: Legal Systems and Alliance Formation. International Interactions, 36(1), 28-59.

Yupsanis, A. (2010). The Concept And Categories Of Cultural Rights In International Law – Their Broad Sense And The Relevant Clauses Of The International Human Rights Treaties. Syracuse Journal of International Law & Commerce, 37(2), 207-266. EBSCO host.

Koran is the Book of Islam that was revealed to Muhammad between 610-632. The holy Book promotes belief in the oneness of Allah, encourages one to indulge in remembrance of Allah, be charitable to the poor, be clean and moral in thought and actions, be honest and fair in one’s trades, and establish harmony in society as a whole. The Koran touches upon almost every aspect of life.

Before the revelation of the Koran, Arabia was lost in ignorance, and women were traded like goats and mistreated severely. It was Koran that elevated the status of women while still emphasizing that women are of a slightly lesser status than men. The Koran says:

“And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but man has a degree (of advantage as in some cases of inheritance) over them” (2:228).

The Koran, thus, allows the men to have more than one wife at one time. The right is granted on the condition that all wives are treated equally. Interpreters of the Koran justify this as facilitation to the society where there may be more women than men and the men, by marrying more than once, will be supporting his wives. The Koran lays down the conditions:

“If you deem it best for the orphans, you may marry their mothers – you may marry two, three, or four. If you fear lest you become unfair, then you shall be content with only one or with what you already have. Additionally, you are thus more likely to avoid financial hardship.” (4:3)

However, polygamy is not encouraged by Koran. The door is just open. The Koran repeatedly discourages polygamy:

“You can never be equitable in dealing with more than one wife, no matter how hard you try. Therefore, do not be so biased as to leave one of them hanging (neither enjoying marriage nor left to marry someone else). If you correct this situation and maintain righteousness, GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” (4:129)

The marriage laws are clear. A woman must marry in order to protect her piety. All individuals are encouraged to marry in order to maintain a harmonious society. Fornication is considered a sin, and people must bond in a lawful way in order to indulge in sexual activities.

“…when you have given them their dowries, taking (them) in marriage, not fornicating nor taking them for paramours in secret; and whoever denies faith, his work indeed is of no account, and in the hereafter, he shall be one of the losers.” (5:5)

Divorce should be the last resort in case of disagreements among spouses. A woman, at most times, is irrational, and if she is given the right to annul the marriage, she might do so at the smallest issue. A man should, however, be given the right with conditions ruling his ability to exercise his right. Divorce has been strongly condemned by the Koran and has encouraged reconciliation if it is possible:

“…if they decide to reconcile, GOD will help them get together…” (4:35)

Koranic traditions note that a woman attracts attention to herself, which may lead to sexual relations. A woman is vulnerable to disgrace on such acts, while a man may just get away with a few jealous looks from his fellow men. Thus, it becomes necessary that a woman be guarded against the gazes of strange men, and thus, she should ideally not work outside the home.

Despite all of this, equality of the women was emphasized repeatedly in the Book:

“And their Lord has accepted (their prayers) and answered them (saying): ‘Never will I cause to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female; you are members, one of another… (3:195; 9:71; 33:35-36; 66:19-21).”

The Koran believes that God is the giver and taker of life, and he has the sole right to decide when a person’s life should end:

“And that He it is Who causes death and gives life” (53:44)

Therefore, suicide is absolutely forbidden for the believers of the Book. Anyone who has faith is required to believe that God has given a personal life for a specific purpose, and the person cannot end it like that just out of his own free will. The person must find his purpose in life and continue living the life. Even if one is in a lot of suffering, one must have faith that pain is from God for a reason and that the person will have rewards for patience in the life hereafter.

War is not encouraged by the Koran, but the Koran does encourage its followers to fight against the enemies of God. The Koran says in the Torah “The Cow”:

“Fighting is enjoined on you, and his an object of dislike to you; and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know.” (2: 216)

And again:

“O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you, they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve because they are a people who do not understand.” (8: 65)

The believers are advised to be prepared to fight in the name of God. A good military is required by order of the Koran in the following verse:

“And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah’s way, it will be paid back to you fully, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (8: 60)

The above verses seem to be encouraging followers of the Book to fight for no reason. However, there have been limits prescribed by the Koran. The Koran, in the following verse, asked the believers to fight only against those who initiated war:

“And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.” (2:190)

The Koran asks to make peace with those who initiate peaceful relations with an Islamic state:

“And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing. And if they intend to deceive you– then surely Allah is sufficient for you; He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers.” (8: 61-62)

The Koran requires believers to be charitable and sympathetic towards the needy. The Koran believes in setting up an economic system where there is equity through the redistribution of income. This equity is legislated through the payment of Zakat or a tax. The tax is paid out of one’s idle income or wealth and is 2.5% of that. The money should ideally be collected by the state and be utilized to provide support to the needy. Zakat has been mentioned several times in the Koran. Zakat is supposed to instill in man the love of God and humanity instead of a love for wealth. The payment of Zakat is repeatedly emphasized in the Koran as it is one of the five basic pillars of Islam on which the structure of Islam rests.

“And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own hands, and do good (to others); surely Allah loves the doers of good.” (2: 195)

The Koran says that Zakat is a form of purification. Just as the other rituals prescribed by the Koran are meant to cleanse a man’s soul, Zakat is a way of cleansing man of greed and selfishness and instill in his love for his fellow men. The Koran describes the purpose of Zakat in the following words:

“Take from their money a (sadaqah)charity to purify them and sanctify them. And salaat for them, for your salaat, reassures them. The GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.” (9:103)

The Koran even prescribes where exactly the Zakat should be applied and for what purposes it is legal to use the money:

“Charities shall go to the poor, the needy, the workers who collect them, the new converts, to free the slaves, to those burdened by sudden expenses, in the cause of The GOD, and to the traveling alien. Such is The GOD’s commandment. The GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.” (9: 60)

Dietary laws make up a huge part of the faith of Islam. The Koran talks about them in detail and defines the boundaries of ‘Halal’ (allowed) and ‘Haram’ (prohibited).

“O people, eat from the earth’s products all that is lawful and good, and do not follow the steps of Satan; he is your most ardent enemy.” 2:168

The Koran very clearly outlines the Halal and Haram in the following verse:

“O you who believe, eat from the good things we provided for you and be thankful to God if you do worship Him alone. He only prohibits for you the eating of animals that die of themselves, blood, the meat of pigs, and animals dedicated to other than God. If one is forced without being malicious or deliberate, he incurs no sin. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” (7:172-173)

Alcohol has been considered unlawful in the Koran. The reason for this has been the intoxicating effects that drinking produces. The Koran condemns any substance that makes a man lose his senses and behave immorally. The condemnation is given in the following words:

“Forbidden unto you are carrion and blood and swine-flesh….” (5: 3)

Further verses explain why drinking is forbidden:

“O you who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed.” (5: 90).

And: “They question you about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great abuse and usefulness for mankind, but the abusive side of them is greater than their usefulness.” (2:219).

The Koran as the Book of Islam is greatly criticized for its strict laws, for encouraging unfair and cruel treatment of women, for being too stringent in the laws governing marriage and divorce, and in dietary restrictions. None of the other heavenly books, such as the Bible or the Old Testament, are as strict as the Koran. Both the Bible and Torah (Old Testament) allow alcohol, any kind of meat, condemn war, and do not enforce a Zakat system. In this, it is discovered that there are fundamental differences between the laws given by the Koran and by other Holy scriptures, which means that the religion of Islam would have difficulty in finding compatibility with the other religions and convincing them that the religions have common elements as the Islamic scholars have been trying to do for years.

Bibliography

1. Faruq, M. (n.d.). Alcohol in the Quran. Free-Minds. Website.
2. Islamic Ethics. (n.d.). Farlex. Web.
3. Islamic Way of Life/The Limits. (n.d.). Wikibooks. Web.
4. Khan, Haroon. (n.d.). Dietary Prohibitions. Free-Minds. Website.
5. Kyle. (n.d.). Zakat in the Koran. Free-Minds. Website.
6. Muslim. (n.d.). The Koran and Women. Islamic World. Website.
7. Sura – 4 Women (Al-Nesaa’). (n.d.). Submission. Website.

The story by Benjamin Percy “Refresh, Refresh” is one of the most affecting and thought provoking fiction stories produced in the recent years. Indeed, it is a masculine story, as it deals with the aspects of men’s principles, life and fates. The author provides the observation of lives of two friends whose fathers were sent to Iraq and who were trying to grow up while their fathers were fighting on the front.

This is the story about the effect of war on people who were at home, boys in particular, the writer shows that connection between boys and their fathers are strong and that two young adolescent boys try to grow up and be as strong and fearless as their fathers and be adamant to face the situation that war made them to face. Briefly, it is a story about searching personal identity and way of life.

The two boys are growing in Oregon where almost all “fathers” were taken to the war. The author describes how war influenced lives and characters of the boys and how it changed their visions of life.

Josh and his friend are trying to adapt to the harsh reality, as they understand that if they are taken to war as their fathers, there will not be mercy and place for kindness, “If you stepped out of the ring, you lost. If you cried, you lost.

If you got knocked out or if you yelled stop, you lost. Afterward we drank Coca-Cola and smoked Marlboros…” (Percy 3). The boys fight on the backyard, and the rules are stick.

They are similar to the rules on the battle field: one wrong step, one missed gesture, one second of weakness and you killed. This is how they were preparing for cruel life and, possibly, to going to the war.

However, it was not the only reason for their fights. The author shows a strong connection between father and son. The e-mails from fathers to their sons were the best value and, as the author mentions, “sometimes, on the computer, I would hit refresh, refresh, refresh, hoping” (Percy 8) Hoping that everything will be fine and that if the boy is strong, it will add courage and power to his father and help him fight the enemy and survive.

In fact, hope is the only thing that supports the ones who are in the war and the ones who at home and think about their relatives who can be killed any time.

Furthermore, strong connection of fathers and sons can be seen in the way boys behaved and felt about their fathers. The two were fierce and they put themselves against nature, other men in the town and situations they faced. The boys new they should be ready to something terrible that could happen with them or with their fathers.

They wanted to be ready to overcome the ones who could hurt them, to give a response to offend. In such way, they wanted their fathers to proud them, “this is what we all wanted: to please our fathers, to make them proud, even though they had left us” (Percy 4). These strong words demonstrate the “masculinity” of the story and real male characters.

Finally, the boys are trying to grow up and find their identity while opposing themselves to the odds in their town. They do not have support from their fathers as they are far from and do their duties.

The boys are trying to establish justice when kidnapping a military recruiter and impend to kill him. This was done in the attempt to show him how their fathers were feeling in the war and what the boys felt at the moment.

This was an attempt to show that they are ready and strong and different from the ones who sent their fathers to war, and unlike them, they were courageous and ready to face the enemy:

“We got on our bikes and we drove to Bend and we drove so fast I imagined catching fire like a meteor, burning up in a flash, howling as my heat consumed me, as we made our way to the U.S. Marine Recruiting Office where we would at last answer the fierce alarm of war and put our pens to paper and make our fathers proud” (Percy 20).

And thus, they grew up. Now, they were sure that they were real men and they grew up, as they would never allowed themselves to cry in the moment of danger in front of the enemy.

The story provides the way boys grew up and established their individualities. They passed the way from boxing matches to readiness to “answer the fierce alarm of war” (Percy 20) as men.

This was the way from a child to an adulthood that was determined by the situation of war. The boys had two solutions: to be weak as kidnapped military recruiter, or to be strong and courageous as their fathers. They choose the variant that was the most appropriate for them, they choose the ways of “real men”.

Works Cited

Percy, Benjamin. Refresh, Refresh: Stories. New York: Graywolf Press, 2007.

Title: Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

• Type: Lyric
• Rhyme Scheme: aababbcbccdcdddd-last two lines are the same
• Setting: In a sleigh in the middle of a winter’s night, between the lake and the woods and not near the houses.

Metaphors

• The entire poem is a metaphor for the journey of life
• jingling harness bells: a reminder

Symbols

• winter: old age or maybe just rest
• snow: purity
• sleep: death
• the darkest evening of the year: bottom of the depression
• woods: escape

Images

• deep winter
• quiet night
• white snow
• jingling harness bells
• frozen lake
• woods filling up with snow

Tone

The tone is reflective, just as one might reflect briefly on a quick stop

Interpretation

The poet is on his way home in a horse-drawn sleigh, and he is tired and wants to rest. He knows, however, that if he stops he might never wake up, and he has promises to keep, so he goes on. This poem is about life’s journey and how we get tired and wish we could escape, even die, but the promises we made, our duty, keeps us going.

Biographical relevance

Frost often wrote about nature and winter. He was a farmer, so he had more time then. He did feel a little different, as evidenced in his poem: Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood: “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Title: The Good Hours

• Type: Lyric
• Rhyme Scheme: AABB-ccdd-Neff-gghh (4 Quatrains)
• Setting: Walking through town and then away from town and back in the middle of a winter’s night
• Figures of Speech: (metaphor, simile, personification, alliteration)

Metaphors

• The entire poem is a metaphor for seeking the company of peers, escaping and then returning, accepting not belonging
• Shining eyes: lit windows
• Creaking feet: the sound made when we walk on dry snow

Similes

Like profanation: the squeaking of his steps were like swearing

Symbols

• winter: old age or maybe loneliness
• snow: purity
• village: home
• shining eyes: lit windows, symbols of warmth and company
• dark windows: loneliness
• walking out: escape

Images

• deep winter
• quiet night
• white snow
• the sound of a fiddle
• dancing people in houses
• houses with lit windows
• houses with dark windows
• slumbering village street

Tone

The tone is reflective, just as one might think while taking a walk.

Interpretation

The poet realizes he is alone and different from the other townspeople because he is not invited to share their evening entertainment and he goes alone on his evening walk. He may go and never come back, but he changes his mind, remembering the music and lights. However, when he gets back he is still alone and everyone else has gone to bed. He is the odd one in the village, still awake at 10 PM. He feels like even the squeak of his footsteps on the snow is an intrusion.

Biographical relevance

Frost often wrote about nature and winter. He was a farmer, so he had more time then. He did feel a little different, as evidenced in his poem: Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood: “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” This poem points out that difference again as he is walking home while everyone else is asleep.

Title: On a Tree Fallen Across the Road (To hear us talk)

• Type: Sonnet
• Rhyme Scheme: ababcdcdefefgg
• Setting: In a sleigh in the middle of a stormy winter’s night

Figures of Speech

Metaphors

• The entire poem is a metaphor for the journey of life towards a goal
• circling in one place is a metaphor for not accomplishing one’s goals
• Symbols:
• winter: old age or maybe just rest
• snow: purity
• sleep: death
• storm: problems
• space: any direction
• seize earth by the pole: take control of one’s life

Images

• deep winter
• storm
• deep snow
• runner tracks
• frozen lake
• walking in a foot of snow

Personification

tempest is a “she”

Tone

The tone is philosophical and analytic: the poet is thinking about the nature of man facing difficulties.

Interpretation

The poet is moving towards a goal in a sleigh when the winter storm throws a tree across his pathway. He has no ax and feels that this only happened because she (the tempest) knows he has not axed and wants to stop him from reaching his goal. He says that man is born to succeed, even if he has to change direction or even change goals. We assume he went around somehow.

Biographical relevance

Frost is, once more, writing in his favorite element, nature. He tells us about being stopped by a tree falling across the road when he has no ax. He also says he went around it.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Good Hours

I had for my winter evening walk–

No one at all with whom to talk,

But I had the cottages in a row

Up to their shining eyes in snow.

And I thought I had the folk within:

I had the sound of a violin;

I had a glimpse through curtain laces

Of youthful forms and youthful faces.

I had such company outward bound.

I went till there were no cottages found.

I turned and repented, but coming back

I saw no window but that was black.

Over the snow my creaking feet

Disturbed the slumbering village street

Like profanation, by your leave,

At ten o’clock on a winter eve.

On a Tree Fallen Across the Road

(To hear us talk)

The tree the tempest with a crash of wood

Throws down in front of us does not bar

Our passage to our journey’s end for good,

But just to ask us who we think we are

Insisting always on our own way so.

She likes to halt us in our runner tracks,

And make us get down in a foot of snow

Debating what to do without an ax.

And yet she knows obstruction is in vain:

We will not be put off the final goal

We have it hidden in us to attain,

Not though we have to seize earth by the pole

And, tired of aimless circling in one place,

Steer straight off after something into space.

Main body

Frost often used nature for his poetry, painting us a word picture of what he saw. He was a farmer also, so he was not so busy in winter and had more time to write. All his poetry lends itself to literal reading and reading for symbolic meaning. There is debate about what the poet intended, but it raged while he lived and he never said one way or another.

The metaphor of deep winter may be a symbol of aging or loneliness in all three poems. All three of these poems are about life and how we keep going through the winter darkness, troubles, and loneliness. Light is probably warmth and enlightenment, or wisdom. And we do get to the light, the light of home, the light of the town, or even the light of the stars.

All three poems are lyric and all are close to a sonnet in form, though only one is really a sonnet. Frost knew his forms but considered the content more important. They all have a rhyme scheme, but Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening has the most complicated rhyme scheme. Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening is one of the most recognized and popular poems of Robert Frost and it has been analyzed over and over, but it touched me the first time I heard it and it still does. I have read all the various interpretations I found and I agree with some of them, but I think there is more here than the desire to rest and recover from depression (possibly SAD) and the saving grace of duty. The narrator is on his way somewhere and he is going through a dark wood in a sleigh, along with a single small horse on the darkest day of the year. He is tired and it is tempting to stop right there, which would mean he would freeze to death, quietly, comfortably except for a few moments of shivering, and peacefully. However, he decides he cannot rest because he has promises to keep and miles to go before he sleeps.

This poem can be interpreted on two levels: literal and symbolic. I believe Frost’s poetry must start with an image that strikes a chord in the poet and gives him a way to express ideas that cannot easily be put into words. The images in this poem together with the meaning of the words tell us so much about the poet that it could take a whole book to describe what he says in a single verse.

For me, I can see him plugging slowly along in the snow and hear the sleigh bells tinkling in the silence of the deep dark woods as he passes the frozen lake. It is December 21st and this night is long. He could stop to rest, but if he does, he knows he may never get started again, so he goes on, because it is his duty and he still has a long way to go. I also see the symbols of life with its troubles being the dark wood and the darkest day of the year may be a time of deep despair. The frozen lake hold life suspended, sleeping. The woods belong to God, as they are the poet’s life.

The pony is his conscience, reminding him that he has promises to keep, and the miles may be years before he can rest in death. However, beyond the literal and the symbolic interpretations is the combination that makes us put one foot in front of the other, especially when we are all alone with no one to encourage us, and use any excuse to get from today to tomorrow. When we are tired or depressed curiosity and energy ebbs to an all-time low, we have no ambition and the only reason we go on is that ever-present fallback on duty, which keeps us putting one foot in front of the other through a snowstorm in the dark, waiting just one more hour before we take action or one more day before we take our lives. I think Frost only wanted to rest, but he knew that if he did so in this spot on this darkest day of the year he might never get up, so he avoided the danger and kept going. It was not temptation to die, but temptation to rest where he might not wake.

All three poems share many of the images of winter in small town northeastern US. They also share the journey image. The journeys in the poems are not long, but they all have a beginning, a direction as choice and a decision.

One very clear element in these poems is the idea of being different. It is not so apparent in Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, because the narrator is simply alone and isolated. It shows more in the other two poems. In Good Hours, the narrator knows he is different, as finally shown very clearly by the fact that he is up long after everyone else (normal people) has gone to bed. The Good Hours, follows the evening walk from town and back. The thread of aging, loneliness and weariness pervades this poem, and it is another story of a journey. Frost mentions that he is walking alone and it is very deep winter, since the cottages have snow up to their “shining eyes’. It is interesting that he mentions that he “thought” he had the folk within the cottages. This hints that he may have found out later that he did not have them for company, as it turns out when he returns and the “eyes” are dark.

This poem is another which stems from the literal, but offers itself to symbolic interpretation. We don’t think of this poem as being about aging, loneliness and the temptation to stop on the surface, but the narrative shows the narrator’s discovery that he has no real company and he is truly alone. We assume he is older, since he describes the inhabitants of the cottages as “youthful” and we think they may be dancing to the fiddle music which he hears coming from the row of cottages.

We know there is temptation to leave it all behind, perhaps to die, or at least get lost, because he says he goes way beyond the cottages, civilization, and the repents and turns around. He talks as if he expected that he would not be alone if he returned, but he is disappointed to find that all the windows are dark and everyone has gone to sleep without even acknowledging his journey, either his leaving or his return. It has gone unnoticed. However, he hears his footsteps in the snow on this quiet night, and feels even more that he does not belong, the sound of his steps profanes the evening so late at 10 PM. It is here where he realizes he did not “have” any company on his journey out and none to come back to either. He is very aware of being different as all the villagers are asleep and he is still up and around, “profaning the street” with his noisy, squeaking footsteps.

Goals are important in all three poems, though they are much more subtle in Good Hours. In Good hours it is just the idea of finishing a walk and getting home, while in the other two the goals are mentions specifically, though they are called promises in one.

On a Tree Fallen Across the Road the meaning is very subtle in some ways, since it begs us on the surface to only pay attention to the beginning lines. There is, as in the other two poems, a literal interpretation of a trip in the deep winter (again) being stopped when a tree falls across the road. Nature is personified as in most of Frost’s poems, and tries to stop the journey from reaching the desired end. However, as in the first two, the narrator will go on. He may take a different route, or even change the goal, and “Steer straight off after something into space.”

On the surface this poem is about ambition, and fate, with troubles (the tempest)which cannot stop us even with supposedly insurmountable problems, like throwing a tree across the road when we have no axe. However if we read further we see that we will not stop, even though we may not, after all, reach our intended journey’s end, at least not the original intended end.

The sequence here is that the tempest throws a log across the road and we have no axe. So we get down in a foot of snow to see what we can do and we are reminded that we have no power to control our lives or their direction. But it does not work, because we fail to recognize that obstruction to one goal should stop us, so when we get tired of going in circles we grab another goal and follow it even into space.

All three of these poems are about the progress through life, attainment of goals, the ability to go on even when we are tired, alone and the way is blocked. The two poems which seem to be about loneliness and despair are really about stubbornness and fortitude, as is the third poem. No matter where we are or what the temptation we go on. We go on without help, company or friends, with no more tools than our hands we seek our final goals. It is just the way we are.

All of these poems are short snapshots of the poet’s life. They are ordinary things in the narrator’s life. The poet uses ordinary words to describe the world around him and within him. Yet, the message he is communicating with these images is much more profound than the words alone can say. It is in our reaction to those words, the thoughts they inspire that the meaning is communicated. Some things, like the description of the sound of the fiddle and the dancing people in Good Hours would take chapters in a psychology book, but we understand. We also understand how he means that his squeaking footsteps are profaning the silence of the sleeping village. We also understand that the tempest is not a woman throwing trees across his pathway, but this phrase communicates his frustration, just as the phrase about going in circles does.

I have not read a poem by Robert Frost I did not like. He gives us food for thought and imagery on which to meditate, sounds like music for our ears and always a piece of himself. I do not think there is a lot more to interpret about these poems. I do not really like to interpret poetry. I prefer just to enjoy it and let the meaning creep in. If I like a poem or dislike it, I probably get meaning from it. However, maybe the meaning I find is not what the poet intended. I am not sure that this is important, because I think of poetry like music. Not everyone likes the same music, even though they understand it and know how it is made. They may even be able to interpret the music, but they still may not like it. It is also true that we can like music we do not understand just for its sound, and that is true of poetry also. Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll is a case in point for me. I do not understand this poem entirely or maybe at all, but it is one of my favorites. Maybe Carroll was merely playing with sound and there is nothing to understand, but I like it.

So maybe I do not understand entirely what Frost says, or maybe I read more into his poems than he put there. I do not think this matters. It matters only that I enjoy reading the poems. I guess that is why we buy books of poetry. I could never be a poet, but I can enjoy poetry.

References

Frost, Robert, 1923, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, New Hampshire: A Poem with Notes and Grace Notes (New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1923), p. 87. D-11 0397 Fisher Library.

Frost, Robert , 1915, Good Hours, North of Boston, New York: Henry Holt and Co.

Frost, Robert ,1923 , On a Tree Fallen Across the Road, New Hampshire, New York: Henry Holt and Co.

Carroll, Lewis, 1872, Jabberwocky, in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1872).

The book by Olaudah Equiano tells about the life of a man who was born in Africa and then for ten years was a slave in Britain. He spent a lot of time wandering on the ship and, as a slave, experienced all the difficulties and troubles of a forced man. Equiano participated in the abolitionist movement, which had a significant impact on the formation of the self-consciousness of the peoples of Africa and helped in the mutual enrichment of Europeans, Africans, and Americans. Although the work is quite heavy as it tells about the complex life of black slaves, it still brings readers a deep meaning about the perception of this slavery and racism in general.

The story of a man who was in slavery contains rich factual material that reveals the life of slaves. The work comprises shocking details of the journey on a slave ship to America, which was experienced by a very young eleven-year-old boy. Equiano described details of the inhumane treatment of slaves, labor on sugar plantations, and sale at auctions¹. Reading this work, a person is imbued with all the horrors and complexities of the lives of young people who could have chosen a different way of life, but because they were enslaved, they were forced to experience various hardships.

In conclusion, the work of Olaudah Equiano is deep and difficult to perceive as it tells about the complex life of slaves. This work must be read by every person to find out how difficult the trials can be for some very young people. Also, this work demonstrates the problem of racism, which is still relevant to this day which must be eradicated and unacceptable in the modern world.

Bibliography

Olaudah, Equiano. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written by Himself. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2009.

Footnotes

1. Olaudah, Equiano. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written by Himself. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2009.

The story was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and reveals the unpleasant experiences the narrator undergoes after getting confined in her room by her physician. The story reveals the narrator’s experiences as she reveals how she was confined in her room by her physician and husband after giving birth ostensibly to allow her to recuperate. This paper will interpret the story to find out its real meaning and messages the author conveys to readers.

The author of the story portrays women as capable human beings who have feelings, ambitions and personal wishes. The woman in the story represents the real life story of the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who was confined in her room by her husband and physician for a long period of time.

The story reveals the ugly situation the narrator faces, as she does not get positive experiences outside her house to give her peace of mind. Her husband, brother and physician all think that she needs to stay indoors without working, a suggestion she does not like. She narrates how this makes her feel unwanted and mistreated. She feels she has been entrapped in a cage that does not give her freedom to explore her professional skills and talents. She intends to go out and work, yet her physician and husband are not supportive.

The narrator condemns her confinement in her own house and how this makes her more depressed. Her situation is a symbol of what women are made to endure by male dominated systems which weaken their resolve and spirit. Therefore, she dislikes the fact that she cannot do anything professional outside her home which makes her more miserable.

The narrator communicates the message that women are discouraged from fulfilling their dreams by men to make them less ambitious. The narrator explicitly shows how doctors lack professionalism empathy in the way they treat female patients. Their insensitivity makes women feel inadequate and hopeless, a factor that makes them have low self esteem. Her physician does not give her an opportunity to enjoy a different environment, which makes it difficult for her to recover.

The story focuses mostly on the ugly aspects of the confinement the narrator was forced to undergo. She is a harsh critic of predominant chauvinistic male attitudes that exist in society. However, the story manages to show feministic ideals in a different ways.

The narrator in the story argues about her alienation from the real world by being confined in her room which denies her a chance to engage in activities she loves. The author uses first person narration to make the mood more serious, which allows her to speak directly to the reader. This stylistic form makes her story more compelling to the reader. The story fails to describe the traits of other characters that would have made the story more interesting.

The narrator in the story seems not to be proud of her mother hood responsibilities because she is grumbling about not being given a chance to go outdoors. The story is a compelling narration of how women suffer emotionally and psychologically after they are denied a chance to pursue their goals by patriarchal systems.

In conclusion, the story is a real portrayal of how women were mistreated in the past. The story is a good account of how gender prejudices are used to discourage women from achieving their dreams and ambitions.

In her play “W;t”, Margaret Edson discusses the problematic questions of suffering and seeking for the sense of life and life priorities with references to the reflections of Vivian Bearing, professor of English, on her life with the ovarian cancer and on her previous life experience.

The final scenes of the play make the viewer think about the sense of life while referring to Dr. Bearing’s thoughts on the problem, but the controversial character of the play influences the viewer’s vision of the theme and idea significantly, affecting the interpretation of the ending.

Edson draws the viewers’ attention to the fact that, during the whole life, Dr. Bearing focused on the ideals of science, on the role of knowledge, on the mystic poetry of John Donne instead of concentrating on the other life values such as family and relations. Nevertheless, Vivian had rethought her vision of the life values while suffering from pain and loneliness before she died.

The conclusions of Dr. Bearing in relation to the priorities in life can make the viewer focus on the personal interpretation of these significant questions and agree with Dr. Bearing’s final considerations. Thus, the ending of “W;t” can be interpreted as the call to action in order to change the attitude to the life and to determining the life priorities; this call is hidden under the deep conclusions and detailed reflections of Dr. Bearing on her life.

The viewer knows that Dr. Bearing is suffering from the fourth stage of the metastatic ovarian cancer from the first pages of the play. In spite of the fact that it is rather difficult to accept the idea of Dr. Bearing’s death, this situation is discussed as unavoidable that is why much attention is paid to Dr. Bearing’s thoughts about her vision of the situation.

From this point, the ending of the play cannot be discussed as unpredictable for the viewer, but to make definite conclusions about the play, it is necessary to follow Dr. Bearing’s life journey with focusing on the fact that the woman intends to rethink her attitude to life and its values.

The interpretation of the play’s ending as the call to action seems to be reasonable because the main character achieves the definite type of enlightenment before dying, and this enlightenment changes Dr. Bearing’s whole vision of life and its laws.

It is the time when Dr. Bearing achieves not typical scientific enlightenment, but the spiritual enlightenment. That is why, the focus on the character’s spiritual enlightenment makes the viewer interpret the ending as a kind of a call to action when it is important to change the attitude to life today, without any delay.

The ending of “W;t” can affect the person’s life significantly because a range of thoughts attack a viewer after the curtain came down.

These thoughts include considerations about the fragility of the person’s life and feelings; about pain and sufferings experienced by millions of people round the globe every moment; about the role of good and sensitive relations in the man’s life; about the role of the support; about the correlation between primary and secondary goals; and about the correlation between the role of reason or sense and sensibility or feeling in the human life.

The variety of thoughts on the play’s ending makes a person find the right answers to the problematic questions about the values and sense of life which cannot be answered during the decades. The main conclusion made after viewing the play can become the focus on people’s relations, support, openness, and feelings as the way to the happy and productive life.

Thus, while leaving the theatre, it is possible to reflect on oneself as a different person because new horizons for the personal development become determined. During all her life, Dr. Bearing focused on knowledge instead of on her feelings. The woman displaced the role of a husband or close people in her life with John Donne’s sonnets.

However, while thinking over her previous life, Dr. Bearing often refers to the thoughts about her father because the relations with the father are the closest in her life. Furthermore, while thinking about her relations with the nurse Susie, Dr. Bearing understands that kindness is more important than wit and reason.

It is possible to become a different person after viewing “W;t”, if the principles to live according to the reason are changed with the principles to live according to the feelings. Dr. Bearing states that she learns how to suffer, but the viewer can assume that the woman finally understands how to live.

From this perspective, the play can change the vision of the similar situations in life which are associated with significant sufferings and pain through demonstrating the paths to go in order to find the relief.

Margaret Edson’s “W;t” is important to be viewed because its ending provides people with the great variety of opportunities to rethink their own life and visions of the life sense and priorities. The viewer can receive the chance to change his or her life with references to the ideas of humanity and compassion as opposed to the ideals of reason and science.