Essay Gilgamesh and John Campbells Heros Journey

When reading Gilgamesh, it is not uncommon for many to relate the tales protagonist to John Campbells theory on the twelve steps of a Heros journey, which characterizes the typical progression of most epic stories. However, I make the claim that, as per Campbells theory, it is not Gilgamesh himself who is the hero of the tale. Rather, Gilgamesh and his ally Enkindu combine to form the single hero of the story, with Enkindu actually meeting most of Campbells criteria. Together, both characters symbolize one hero who embodies mankinds yearning to â€Å"incarnate unearthly covenants† (Campbell, 1968, p. 3), consistent with Campbells views on mythology. The tale begins with an exposition describing Gilgamesh and Enkindus daily life.†¦show more content†¦The fact that the trapper requires Shamat to remove the man from his woods and â€Å"overpower† Enkidu implies that the wild man would have refused his â€Å"call to adventure† had Shamat not been there. This initial rejection to adventure satisfies Campbells third criteria that a Hero will initially refuse this call. Gilgamesh, in contrast, arguably lacked this criteria entirely; While it can be argued that Enkidus intervention in the marital chamber when Gilgamesh tried to rape the newly wedded woman – and the subsequent brawl that occurred as a result - could have served to meet Campbells second and third criteria, these events would not have happened had Enkidu not been called first. Enkidu also profoundly meets Campbells fourth and fifth criteria; meeting the mentor and crossing the threshold. At this point in the story, Gilgamesh has yet to truly fulfill any of Campbells steps. Arguably, then, Gilgamesh is not a hero during this first leg of the tale; rather, he serves as Enkindus mentor. Mentors are significant because they often provide the hero with guidance and wisdom, which requires these figures to have some sort of superiority over the hero. It is clear, then, that Gilgamesh is a guide; not only is he, being royalty and part god, higher on the social hierarchy than Enkidu, it is also established throughout the poem that Gilgamesh has â€Å"mightier [in] strength† (Anonymous , n.d.). Gilgamesh also must have more wisdom than Ekindu, as, most of

Universal Healthcare Persuasive Free Essays

The United States is the only developed nation without universal health care coverage, and the current state of affairs is bankrupting millions. the United States spends more on health care per an individual than any other nation, the World Health Organization reports that the United States only ranks 28th for life expectancy and 37th for mortality of children under the age of 5. For immunizations, the United States ranks 67th – Botswana is 66th. We will write a custom essay sample on Universal Healthcare Persuasive or any similar topic only for you Order Now More than 46 million Americans go uninsured each day, 9 million of whom are children. Some believe that universal health care would bankrupt America, but the Congressional Budget Office found that it would actually save $100 to $200 billion dollars per a year, according to the Connecticut Coalition for Universal Health Care. The cost of health care in the United States is also costing American jobs. To avoid hefty insurance premiums, American businesses have moved offices out of the States. Health Care Statistics in the United States Health Insurance. The United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system. Source: Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences In 2010, the percentage of Americans without health insurance was 16. 3%, or 49. 9 million uninsured people. Source: US Census Bureau Of the 83. 7% of people with health insurance in 2010, coverage was 55. 3% employment-based, 9. 8% direct-purchase, and 31. 0% government funded (Medicare, Medicaid, Military). (Overlap reflects coverage by more than one type of health insurance). Source: US Census Bureau The primary reason given for lack of health insurance coverage in 2005 was cost (more than 50%), lost job or a change in employment (24%), Medicaid benefits stopped (10%), ineligibility for family insurance coverage due to age or leaving school (8%). Source: National Center for Health Statistics More than 40 million adults stated that they needed but did not receive one or more of these health services (medical care, prescription medicines, mental health care, dental care, or eyeglasses) in 2005 because they could not afford it. Source: National Center for Health Statistics Medicaid, which accounted for 15. 9% of health care coverage in 2010, is a health insurance program jointly funded by the federal and state governments to provide health care for qualifying low-income individuals. Source: US Census Bureau Medicare, a federally funded health insurance program that covers the health care of most individuals 65 years of age and over and disabled persons, accounted for 14. 5% of health care coverage in 2010. Source: US Census Bureau Medicare operates with 3% overhead, non-profit insurance 16% overhead, and private (for-profit) insurance 26% overhead. Source: Journal of American Medicine 2007 Since the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created in 1997, the percentage of children ages 0-17 with health insurance has increased from 86% to 93%. Source: National Center for Health Statistics: December 2011 2. 5 million young adults have gained health insurance as a result of the provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows them to remain on their parents insurance plans until age 26. Source: National Center for Health Statistics: December 2011 Health Care Expenditures Health care expenditures in the United States were nearly $2. 6 trillion in 2010, an average of $8,402 per person. Source: Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services In 2009, national health care expenditures were paid by households 28%, private businesses 21%, state and local governments 16%, and federal government 27%. Source: Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services 75% of all health care dollars are spent on patients with one or more chronic conditions, many of which can be prevented, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. Source: Health Affairs Half of health care spending is used to treat just 5% of the population. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 Since 2001, employer-sponsored health coverage for family premiums has increased by 113%. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 The share of the economy devoted to health care has increased from 7. 2% in 1970 to 17. 9% in 2009 and 2010. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 The U. S. spends substantially more on health care than other developed countries. As of 2009, health spending in the U. S. was about 90% higher than in many other industrialized countries. The most likely causes are higher prices, more readily accessible technology, and greater obesity. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2012 Infant Mortality In 2005, the United States ranked 30th in infant mortality. Singapore has the lowest rate with 2. 1 deaths per 1000 live births, while the United States has a rate of 6. 9 deaths per 1000 live births. Infant mortality is considered an important indicator of the health of a nation. Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief, Number 23, November 2009 Approximately 30,000 infants die in the United States each year. The infant mortality rate, which is the risk of death during the first year of life, is related to the underlying health of the mother, public health practices, socioeconomic conditions, and availability and use of appropriate health care for infants and pregnant women. Sources: CDC and National Center for Health Statistics, 2008 The main cause contributing to the high infant mortality rate in the United States is the very high percentage of preterm births. One in 8 births in the United States were born preterm, an increase of 36% since 1984. Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief, Number 23, November 2009 Life Expectancy Life expectancy at birth in the United States is an estimated 78. 49 years, which ranks 50th in highest total life expectancy compared to other countries. Source: CIA Factbook (2011) Lack of health insurance is associated with as many as 44,789 deaths per year in the United States. Source: Harvard Medical School Study, American Journal of Public Health, December 2009 People without health insurance had a 40 percent higher risk of death than those with private health insurance, a result of being unable to obtain necessary medical care. Source: Harvard Medical School Study, American Journal of Public Health, December 2009 Bankruptcy Nearly two-thirds, or 62%, of all bankruptcy filings in the United States in 2007 were due to illness or medical bills. Source: American Journal of Medicine, June 2009 Among the medical bankruptcy filers in 2007, most were well-educated, owned homes, employed in middle-class occupations, and three-quarters had health insurance. Source: American Journal of Medicine, June 2009 Everyone has the right to health, including health care, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Health care is a public good, not a commodity. The U. S. health care system must fulfill these principle s†¢Universality: Everyone in the United States has the human right to health care. †¢Equity: Benefits and contributions should be shared fairly to create a system that works for everyone. †¢Accountability: The U. S. government has a responsibility to ensure that care comes first. If you are against universal health care or don’t have an opinion on it at all, I urge you to read the following. I will attempt to simply and concisely prove why the United States needs to change its current health care system. In the United States of America, 44. 8 million people are without health insurance. Either they can’t afford it or they are denied coverage because the companies do not think they will be â€Å"economical enough†. Even if one does have medical insurance, chances are they will be denied coverage at one point in their life. This is due to the privatized, profit-driven system, which encourages legalese like co-pays, thresholds, limited coverage, and more. Our private system, contrary to popular belief, is incredibly expensive for the state. We give 15% of our GDP to healthcare for a system that is supposedly run by corporations. That’s the highest GDP percentage in the world that is spent on healthcare. Here’s why a universal healthcare system would be better for many reasons. Those who agree that health care is a basic human right (78% of Americans do) would easily list this as the first reason. Universal Health Care would also be cheaper. According to the WHO, the United States spends $3371 per person, per year for health insurance. Look at what these countries pay: Australia: $1017 (#2 in the world). Yeah. We pay three times as much as Australia, the number two country on the list, for a fundamentally broken system. And where does most of that money go? Into the pockets of big insurance company management. As for the doctor pay: Yes, doctors will be paid less. Perhaps as much as 30% less. In spite of this, doctors will still be one of the highest-paid professions in the United States, even with universal health care. Furthermore, under the new system that many are proposing, med school would be partially or completely subsidized by the government. Another argument often heard: â€Å"Taxes would spike†. Not if it’s done right. US government spending is SECOND-HIGHEST in the world per person, for a private system. Countries with Universal Health Care, like Australia, Canada, UK, etc. all have less government spending per person that us, and a better system. Same or less amount of spending means the same or less amount of taxes. Enough of the status quo. It’s time for change. It’s not just about voting with your heart, it’s about voting with your brain. Universal Health Care is the logical alternative. How to cite Universal Healthcare Persuasive, Essays

A Day in Court Essay Example For Students

A Day in Court Essay I choose for my, â€Å"Day In Court assignment to venture to the Winchester County Circuit Court. It was a brisk, rainy Monday and to my own dismay the courthouse was nearly empty. The only cases in session were in, â€Å"2D† a smaller sized courtroom on the second floor. As I walked in and was met with wary eyes the judge started to call out a list of various names; Robert Delgado Pinto, Brandon Segfurd, Steve Everett, Joseph Holland, and Billy Kessner. I was very curious as to why the judge was calling out these various names. Then I figured out by scanning the courtroom that all the names listed were the civilians in the room waiting nervously to be called up to the stand. This certain Monday in the courthouse only consisted of appeals and recalls unfortunately. The first man called to the front of the room to stand before the judge along with his short Asian attorney was Brandon Segfurd. When Brandon stood before the judge, the judge made him swear an oath, raise his right hand and say, â€Å"I will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help me god. I couldnt quite understand what the judge was saying, but it sounded as if Brandon’s case was due to a drug charge or DUI I wasnt certain. The judge turned to Brandon with an unflinching stare and asked him why he missed his June 26th court date? (Still not sure what the June 26th apt. was necessarily. ) Then the judge asked Brandon why he missed his ASAP class and ASAP apt. without notifying the judicial system. The next set of questions the judge asked Brandon consisted of, â€Å"Are you employed,† â€Å"What is your current address† â€Å"have you received these letters notifying you of your June 26th apt. â€Å"Where were you living during the time of June 26th? † In response to the serious, somewhat grim judge, the attorney answered with a pathetic cycle of excuses such as â€Å"victim of unexpected attack,† â€Å"financial issues had to change apartments,† â€Å"car crash made my client unaware and bedridden. † The judge didnt care for these silly excuses and said, â€Å"120 days previous jail sentence, 90 days suspended, 30 days served, next. † For the next 2-3 hours these appeals and so called recalls went on and on. The judge didn’t budge on any of the cases where the defendant skipped his previous court appts. Every single time the defendant was sentenced to 30-120 days of jail due to their incompetence. The judge in each appeal or so called â€Å"recall† (I honestly dont know the difference) case started off by making the defendant swear an oath, then asked them what their address was, where they currently live and so forth. The judge then would let the attorney have a rebuttal. The attorney would explain why their client missed his certain apt and ask for no jail time. The judge coldly declined the defendant’s plea each time, to my own amusement. The hot shot Bailiff who was super antsy, and annoyed during these 3 hours would then escort the defendant out of the courtroom Im assuming to transfer them to the Winchester County jail. All in all my experience at the Winchester County Circuit Court was very beneficial interesting. I am a criminal justice major and my goal in life is to end up working in law enforcement so to learn all the nuances of courtroom appeals recalls, and how testimonies work, was very compelling to me. I thought this assignment was very unique and to watch a down to business merciless judge do his thing was awesome.

Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Essays -

Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad I. Historical Analysis Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E), one of the longest regional railroads in the United States, was Created in 1986 out of a railroad line others wanted to abandon, DM&E has overcome adversities and met many challenges to gain a prominent position among the nations regional railroads. The railroad's mainline extends from the Mississippi River at Winona, Minnesota across southern Minnesota and central South Dakota to Rapid City. In 1996, the DM&E acquired more than 200 miles of track from Union Pacific Railroad, extending from Colony, Wyoming through Rapid City to Crawford, Nebraska. DM&E began operations with 130 employees, 37 locomotives and no freight cars. DM&E now employs 350 people, and owns or leases approximately 70 locomotives and almost 3,200 freight cars. SALES REVENUE 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 45,726,418 56,562,557 57,481,756 56,913,098 60,921,784 NET INCOME 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 3,389,769 2,824,944 593,215 2,630,427 3,671,342 Grain currently accounts for more than 40 percent of the railroad's 60,000 annual carloadings, which have increased more than 40 percent since 1987 Other major commodities include bentonite clay, canned goods, cement, fertilizer, iron and steel, kaolin clay, lumber, paper products, scrap iron, soybean oil and meal, crushed stone, wheat flour and wood chips. Marketing and Advertising

Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay Example

Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay Example Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay Works of Nadine Gordimer and Patricia Smith Essay The conflict identified in the short story, â€Å"Country Lovers† by Nadine Gordimer (1975) and the poem, â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl† by Patricia Smith (1991) centers around ethnicity and race which represent how being black plays a role in individual versus society, showing that humans can be critical of themselves and others and also judgmental. Both stories have strong characterization meaning the author uses this to reveal character, by outright description of an individual, by what an individual says and does, and by what others say about the individual (Clugstone, 2010). The message from these two stories are racism of two strong black women who were faced with discrimination, poverty, hatred, love, and both stories end in unhappiness. Most of us have experienced racism in this lifetime it is important for us to stay focus on what is most important. According to the textbook the main character both the short story and the poem was about the black female. There are still racial and ethical problems witnessed and experienced in today’s society in places such as the general public, the workplace, and even schools. This was not a subject that was discussed enough because it was very sensitive and the outcomes of the discussions were normally filled with anger or depression. Country Lovers and What It’s Like To be A Black Girl use the same theme like ethnicity or race. Nadine Griner wrote the short story, Country Lovers, in 1975. It took place in South Africa. Country Lovers is about the love between a young white boy named Paulus and a you ng black girl named Thebedi. From the start of this short story you could tell the theme was about interracial relationships and interracial problems. Paulus and Thebedi are the main characters in the story. The black ancestors were Thebedi’s racial ethnicity and the ancestors were white on Paulus’s side. They have known each other for years because Thebedis father was a farm s

Discuss the nature of slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discuss the nature of slavery - Essay Example It should be noted that these types of slavery had been transformed and transferred to different generations one after another (Rodriguez). It will not be incorrect to state that slavery was marked less in the societies where capitalism was not practiced as the core governance phenomenon. On the other hand, capitalist societies of the world have changed the shape of slavery into a wage system. They have given the rights of slaves in such a way that they are destined to work for the interest of capitalists (Toledano). The concept of energy in terms of the labor that is provided by the workers in the pre-mechanized societies is one issue of debate. Since these people were forced to work in filthy and critical circumstances, they had a number of health issues. In the wake of energy provision, races that were not dominant in the society were forced to do the hardest work

The termination theory versus the deprivation account Essay

The termination theory versus the deprivation account - Essay Example The paper tells that all human beings must die. This is the only thing that we know for a fact. The certainty aside, death still presents many questions to the living that make them curious of what exactly it means to die. Some people believe that death is the end of everything and nothing remains except the memory of a person in the ones he leaves behind. A number of philosophers have focused at length on the philosophy of death and have offered contrasting viewpoints on what their take on death is. The question that many people ask is whether death is evil or not. This is where the contrasting viewpoints arise whether the person believes in some form of immortality or not. One school of thought claims that death is an evil simply because it puts an end to all the good things that we experience in life. The benefits that humans accrue from being alive are activities, desires, perception, thought and all aspects that generally constitute the human life. Despite the misery that fills our lives on occasion, we still have the good times that we treasure and that is the greatest thing about being alive. On a scale, there are many experiences that we go through that are positive and fill us with joy, hope, and all other good emotions we experience. On the contrary, there are experiences in our lives including the death of our loved ones that make our lives worse. For this reason therefore, one would assume that life is a neutral as the good cancel out the bad. However, the good usually outweigh the bad and the result is positive meaning that the experiences of life far outweigh its consequences. The other school of thought is regarded as the termination thesis in which philosophers like Epicurus ascribe to. This school says that as long as we are alive, death is not with us but soon as we die, then we do not exist. The philosophers of this school say that there is nothing to fear in death. PART I The termination thesis is false. This is because it purports that when a person dies, there is no change that occurs except that the person has simply ceased to exist. It also claims that the person’s psychological or moral importance is not eroded due to death. Another argument that the termination thesis makes is that when a person dies, he does not continue to exist as a corpse. The existence of a person is the cornerstone of the termination thesis and it states that if a person continues to exist as a corpse, the person continues to exist and is contrary to the thesis. To die is bad, not because of death itself, but because life as we know it is a good experience and the loss of it is a deprivation. It is not bad because of any positive elements that it might have but because it removes what we consider desirable. PART II The termination theory in my account is false. This however does not mean that the arguments by Epicurus are easy. In any case, it makes the termination theory even harder while making those of the deprivation theory look harder too. The termination theory does not purport that there is no life after death. In fact, neither does the deprivation theory. In the opinion of Epicurus and other like-minded philosophers who support the termination theory, there are a number of points that need to be considered. When a person dies, he ceases to exist. That is the consensus between the two theories. However, the termination theory goes ahead to say that that occurrence cannot be considered as being an evil and as such, people should not fear death. When a tree dies, there is a remaining stump that is still firmly rooted to the ground albeit lifeless. Therefore, when a person cuts the tree off and counts the annual rings, then one can tell the age of the tree when it died. When one looks into the field, you see what was once a tree. If this is the case for all organisms, then, we all cease to exist at some point but the signs of our existence are still visible. There is a transition that is involved in the dea th of