Straight forward novel about rape

Straight forward novel about rape Discuss the role of supernatural and mythical elements in the representation of childhood in Sylvie Germains LEnfant Mà ©duse. Sylvie Germain could have written a straight forward novel about rape, incest and neglect, but Enfant Mà ©duse is more profound .The novel intertwines magical realism, supernatural and mythical elements which help us understandthe main character Lucie and her childhood. In this novel we find multiple mythological and biblical sources ranging from the Ogre, Eurydice, the Medusa as well as the themes of Vengeance and Redemption from the Old and New Testaments respectively .We aim to discuss the role of these various elements and how it influences the depictions of childhood within this novel. The main character of the story is Lucie Daubignà ©, a little girl who lives a contented childhood in a quiet and rural village of Berry near swamps where magicals creatures lurk in the shadows. This is remisniscent of George Sands novels set during the nineteenth century in the same area where forests and swamps of Berry are linked to traditional beliefs and even sorcery. ()() However this idyllic life stops when the ogre of fairy tales appears, rapes and kills two young girls within the village. Lucie herself is the third rape victim of the Ogre, her step brother Ferdinand. He repeatedly abuses her destroying her innocence and happiness. When Lucie is raped by Ferdinand she erects a mental barrier to shield and distance herself from the brutal truth. Lucie , dont lunique lecture à ©tait celle des contes et des là ©gendes p29 immerges herself within a world of fairy tales. She transforms Ferdinand into the brutal ogre, a common childhood nightmare for all small children. Another element from fairy tales is the presence of Lucies mother, Aloise Daubignà ©. She is Lucies natural mother, but she has all the attributes of the wicked stepmother: a child from a first marriage whom she adores Ferdinand à ©legance , la mà ªme beautà © et cette blondeur rare,, ces cheveux soyeux ornà ©s de boucles dange p80 as well as an attitude and comments that are both unfeeling Voix impà ©rieuse celle qui scande les journà ©es de Lucie, du saut du lit jusquau coucher..la voix de lordre, la voix des ordres p 39 and cruel Tu tamuses à   me ridiculiser tu me fais honte avec ta maigreur de squelette p96 Fairy Tales are written about normal people the child can identify with. They have been used over the centuries to teach important lessons and give moral values. The children themselves use these stories to cope with difficult emotions and anxieties. Bruno Bettelheim explains in one of his books Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales ( ) that fairy tales help children make sense of what happens in their life. The simplicity of the situations and the duality of the characters (good / evil, hero/villain) give the child a way of expressing thoughts or feelings that were repressed in real life. They help the child to understand the adult world. The inevitable happy end gives the child the hope that his problems and pains will end and and that he will conquer all. This cannot be dissociated from myths which show that with efforts we often triumph over lifes trials. This is mentionned by Franà §ois Dolto in her book : La cause des enfants Where as fairy tales deal with emotions, myths speak of great actions, victories and supernatural events. The first myth in LEnfant Mà ©duse is a cosmic event: The Eclipse. Many mythologies have integrated eclipses as a sign of things to come. Les humains sont craintifs. Ils brulent de savoir et seffraient davantage p17 The first eclipse foreshadows the rape of Lucie by the Ogre; Lucie is abused by her brother and her childhood has ended. What should have been a happy childhood is destroyed. Her childhood is returned during the artificial eclipse created by Lou Fà ©s postcard. Sur la table il y a la carte postale, tache blonde sur le bois sombre. (.) Elle se penche vers limage. Et son enfance aussi se penche. p280 The next theme is the myth of Eurydice and the underworld symbolising evil and revenge which Sylvie Germain places opposite the sky symbolising innocence and purity. In the beginning, Lucie has a friend Lou Fà © a future astronomer and great admirer of the stars (Le petit prince des à ©toiles) p21 and later on she is alone. Elle ira seule desormais dans les matins de Septembre. Lou Fà © sera en pension. p71 Like Eurydice who descended into the Underworld, Lucie descends into the swamps. She feels closer to the creatures of the underworld, toads , salamanders and snakes than to humans. Elle avait renià © tous les astres. .. Elle ne dà ©sirait plus que senfoncer dans la terre, creuser dessous la terre A very slow process changes Lucie from a beautiful little child into an unlikable, ugly girl. This is an attempt on her part to stop the abuse, to reclaim her own body defiled by Ferdinand who is always stronger always more powerful than her. The strength of the ogre as an evil character leads Lucie to become an even worse and far more malevolent entity: The Medusa. The Ogre can inflict physical pain, however the Medusa eventually petrifies its victims killing just by looking at them. Lucie is beaten by grief and shame (son regard, il a couvà © au feu de la honte et de la peur longtemps) p 117, but she slowly becomes consumed by hatred pour fourbir en secret son regard de haine et de vengeance p145.The myth of The Medusa is used to describe Lucie who is a helpless child. She has suffered so much that she has transformed herself into a Gorgon, an ugly creature which turns to stone those who dare look at her. When Ferdinand falls over in a drunken state and knocks himself out, Lucie uses this opportunity and for once goes to him instead of him always coming to her. Once she finally reaches him, Lucie only stares at him. Cest un regard qui siffle, et grince, et saigne, et qui verse sur lui les larmes des enfants quil a jetà ©es en terre. .. Un regard de Mà ©duse. p 145. Lucie lives in a world full of magic and like every child she has the feeling that she can make her dreams come true. Her dream is linked to her hatred of Ferdinand, the Ogre. She does not need to cause the Ogre any physical harm as she is the Medusa, her stare will do the deed. Lucie knows what her brother is capable of; he is a rapist and a killer. She is judge and jury. We see the influence of her religious education. The God of the old Testament is a God of revenge and she is his disciple, an avenging angel. Et soudain illuminà ©e par sa haine pour le frà ¨re, Lucie se prà ©pare pour accomplir son oeuvre de vengeance son oeuvre de justice p110 . While she stares at her brother lying on the ground in the garden, Lucie wants him to remember his evil actions. She pins the pictures of the two girls he has raped and killed where he can see them Elle pique une à ©pingle en haut de chaque photo puis avec prà ©caution se penche vers les tomates et y plante les photos p115 and just stares at him Le regard seul est en jeu- un regard fou à ©changà © en miroirla violence de ce regard immense et fixe. 116 Many years later, Lucie receives a post card from her friend Lou Fà © Elle se penche vers limage Et son enfance aussi se penche. p280 . She can look back at her childhood and from then on starts her resurrection, an influence of the New Testament. Une seconde enfance vient de naitre en Lucie p 280. She can cry once again une enfance aux yeux non plus brulà ©s de larmes contenues, mais embuà © de douceur comme au sortir dun songe The child is no longer locked and Lucie can start living. Had it not been for the supernatural and mythical elements in the novel, Sylvie Germains LEnfant Mà ©duse would have been a simple novel about the sufferings of a young girl. However Sylvie Germain has turned the basic story line of LEnfant Mà ©duse into a very profound and meaningful literary work involving age old myths and fairy tales like Euridyce, the Medusa, and the Ogre as well as the Bible.

Myth of Courage Exposed in The Things They Carried Essay -- The Things

Ah for a young man all looks fine and noble if he goes down in war, hacked to pieces under a slashing bronze blade he lies there dead. . .but whatever death lays bare all wounds are marks of glory. (Homer 22.83-87)  Ã‚   As students we are brainwashed by ancient myths such as The Iliad, where war is extolled and the valorous warrior praised. Yet, modern novels such as Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried (THINGS) challenge those very notions. Like The Iliad, THINGS is about war. It is about battles and soldiers, victory and survival, yet the message O'Brien gives us in THINGS runs almost contradictory to the traditional war story. Whereas traditional stories of war take place on battlefields where soldier battles soldier and the mettle of man is tested, O'Brien's battle occurs in the shadowy, private place of a soldier's mind. Like the Vietnam War itself, THINGS forces Americans to question the foundations of their beliefs and values because it calls attention to the inner conscience. More than a war story, O'Brien's The Things They Carried is an expose on personal courage. Gone are the brave and glorious warriors such as those found in the battle of Troy. In THINGS, they are replaced by young men w ho experience not glory or bravery, but fear, horror, and a personal sense of shame. As mythic courage clashes with the modern's experience of it, a battle is waged in THINGS that isn't confined to the rice-patties, jungles, and shit-fields of Vietnam. Carrying more than the typical soldier's wares, O'Brien's narrator is armed with an arsenal of feelings and words that slash away at an invisible enemy that is the myth of courage, on an invisible battlefield that is the Vietnam veteran's mind. An analysis of structure in ... ...ings They Carried." Studies in Contemporary Fiction. 35.1 (1993): 43. Expanded Academic ASAP. Lopez, Ken. "Tim O'Brien: An Introduction to His Writing." Ken Lopez - Bookseller. 1997. 8 Oct 1999. http://www.lopezbooks.com/articles/obrien.html>. Works Consulted Chen, Tina. "'Unraveling the Deeper Meaning': Exile and the Embodied Poetics of Displacement in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried." Contemporary Literature. 39.1 (1998): 77. Expanded Academic ASAP. King, Rosemary. "O'Brien's 'How to Tell a True War Story.'" The Explicator. 57.3 (1999): 182. Expanded Academic ASAP. Passaro, Vince. "The Things They Carried (Review)." Harper's Magazine. 299.1791 (1999): 80. Expanded Academic ASAP. Robinson, Daniel. "Getting It Right: The Short Fiction of Tim O'Brien." Studies in Contemporary Fiction. 40.3 (1999): 257. Expanded Academic ASAP.

Portfolio Analysis and Investment Essay -- Investment Theory Brokers E

Portfolio Analysis and Investment This assignment is concerned with your understanding of the key issues relative to portfolio analysis and investment. In completing this assignment you are to limit your scope to the US stock markets only. Use the Cybrary, the Internet, and course resources to write a 2-page essay which you will use with new clients of your financial planning business which addresses the following issues and/or practices: ? How individual investors make investment decisions in practice rather than in theory; and ? How investors manage their funds/savings/ investments in light of current stock markets. In your response, build upon extant portfolio theory and make sure to talk about different types of risks that investors might face and how they go about managing such risks. This means you need to consider topics such as efficient frontier and optimal portfolios; as well their relevance to investment theory. Furthermore, given the nature of the assignment, avoid bringing the brokerage industry into your discussion. In other words, assume you can invest directly in the stock market and do not need any financial intermediaries like brokerage houses. Investment theory is based upon some simple concepts. Investors should want to maximize their return while minimizing their risk at the same time. In order to accomplish this goal investors should diversify their portfolios based upon expected returns and standard deviations of individual securities. Investment theory assumes that investors are risk averse, which means that they will choose a portfolio with a smaller standard deviation. (Alexander, Sharpe, and Bailey, 1998). It is also assumed that wealth has marginal utility, which basically means that a dollar potentially lost has more perceived value than a dollar potentially gained. An indifference curve is a term that represents a combination of risk and expected return that has an equal amount of utility to an investor. A two dimensional figure that provides us with return measurements on the vertical axis and risk measurements (std. deviation) on the horizontal axis will show indifference curves starting at a point and moving higher up the vertical axis the further along the horizontal axis it moves. Therefore a risk averse investor will choose an indifference curve that lies the furthest to the northwest because this would r... ...n efficient set that is on a straight line connecting the risk free rate to the most northwest point that we had identified previously. Now the risk averse investor has a lower risk for the same amount of return compared to the portfolios that did not include risk free lending. The combination is better because the points on the straight line are further northwest than the portfolios from the previous paragraph. Of course the lower the level of risk aversion the further toward the tangent the investor?s optimal portfolio moves. In summary, investors on the whole are rational and contribute to an efficient market through prudent investment decisions. Each investor?s optimal portfolio will be different depending on the feasible set of portfolios available for investment as well as the indifference curve for that particular investor. Lastly, risk free borrowing and lending changes the efficient set and gives the investor more opportunities to either get a higher expected return with the same amount of risk or the same amount of return with less risk. Work Cited William Sharpe, Gordon J. Alexander, Jeffrey W Bailey. Investments. Prentice Hall; 6 edition, October 20, 1998

Traditional Ideologies :: essays research papers

'Traditional Ideologies' The texts that we, the reader, tend to relate to most are the texts that reflect our values or include certain social issues of the present. Texts such as these are therefore quite commonly found beside the beds, on the coffee tables and in the bookcases of many Australians. These texts, in a way act as a barometer for values, and shifts in values in our society. This can be seen in many instances. For example, take the feature film 'The Castle'. The typical Australian family, the Kerrigans, represented in this film was not chosen by accident. No, no they were chosen because the writers of this film knew that everyday Australians could relate to the Kerrigans and in some ways see themselves in this simple family. The film endorses many Australian values and attitudes, to which the everyday Australian can not only relate to but also understand aswell. The text acts as a medium for the viewer to realise his/her own values and helps the viewer to recognise the social values that surround him/her. However, texts do not merely inform the reader of values present in the society. They can also reflect the current shift in values and attitudes away from the dominant ideologies. This can be seen heavily in the novel 'Cloudstreet' by Tim Winton. In this text many characters are seen to have somewhat different roles in the family that one would expect. Lester Lamb is an excellent example of this. The traditional role of the man in the house is to go out and work hard for his money and come home to a wife who would support him and look after the house and the kids. However, Lester is portrayed as a sensitive man who cooks and cleans regularly aswell as helps with many of the household chores. He also seems to have no quarrel with his wife having most of the control over the household or him having to pull his own weight. This is of course a step away from the traditional ideology of what a man should act like. This clever characterisation represents the shift away from the traditional gender roles that have for so long been enforced in our society. Which leaves the reader thinking, once again, about their own values and the now shifting values of the society. This point can be further seen in the short story 'Neighbours', which is also written by Tim Winton.

How is age represented in this extract of Monarch of the Glen Essay

Age is represented in this extract of Monarch of the Glen through the use of mise-en-scene, camera angles, editing and sound. Monarch of the Glen is a British drama television series and is loosely based on Compton Mackenzie’s Highland Novel; therefore, its views are quite old fashioned thus the younger generations are seen as troublemakers and immature, whereas the older generations are seen to be wise and in control. The main way in which this is shown to us is through the mise-en-scene, it’s subtle enough that it doesn’t really stand out but it has a big effect on how the audience perceives both ages. There are a lot of people much older than the 16 year old, the audience can clearly see that she is uneducated and quite immature as she does not know how to drive but she still lies and says that she can drive, consequently resulting in a crash. This shows her naivety and the fact she lied shows she is immature which is stereotypical of her age. Clothes also make people look older – Headmaster, wearing an old tweed suit, reinforcing his high status and position of authority. Additionally he drinks brandy in this clip, displaying he is a sophisticated man. On the other hand, the 16 year old wear young clothes, such as a hoodie. She also runs away emphasising her lack of knowledge. After the argument with Paul we see Amy in her room. Her room is filled with teenage magazines, photos, teddy bears which has youthful connotations depicting innocence which is true to her age. Rural setting – all wearing farming clothes apart from headmaster and girl, the headmaster is visiting the village. The costumes are juxtaposed as we can see the manual/working-class clothes as oppose to her â€Å"trendy† youthful clothes giving the audience the impression that younger people are more focused on their appearance. Older generation – grey hair/big beards. On the other hand, the girl is made up and has a flower in her hair symbolising youthfulness and blossoming. The setting is a Scottish rural Island with archaic buildings, this is out of place in this modern day, and the audience can empathise with her vulnerability as it is a place meant for older people. The people who live there believe that way of life is the â€Å"norm†. The second way in which age is represented is through sound. When the girl is shown in the clip the music becomes more exciting emphasising her youthfulness and energy but when the rest of the characters are shown, the music is country/folk reinforcing that they are manual labour workers, which is quite an old fashioned job for older men, this then emphasises the difference in age. When the young girl is packing her stuff to leave, the music is slow creating a sad atmosphere; this accentuates the fact that she is over emotional which is typical in a girl of her age because of her hormones she is then perceived as not thinking straight and foolish. Another way in which age is represented through sounds that isn’t as obvious is through the characters accents. The head teacher is posh with received pronunciation, which is a reflection on his appearance and his dominance showing his age in a positive way. However, Amy has a northern/Scottish accent creating an uneducated image making her appear young and untested. The camerawork varies from character to character and we see key editing styles that promote the age gap and their differences. Cross cutting is used to display what is happening in time sequence and shot reverse shot is used to show the opposition between the age groups. There is always a low angle shot of Paul to show dominance of not only being the male but being older than Amy and there is always a high angle shot of Amy emphasising she is a minority and the adults in the clip are superior and have authority. Over-the-shoulder Shots are used to make the audience feel empathy as the viewer can see the action from the character’s points of view and we can see that Amy is quite scared of what might happen despite the fact she has a lot of attitude which is typical in a girl of her age. Point of View Shots display what the character can see and the reactions of the character we can see depending on their age, the younger characters tend to act brashly and with attitude and tend to be quite foolish but the older characters act calmer and sort the situation out quicker. In this extract, age stereotypes are used and challenged. The older characters are generally represented as the ones who get involved in the action and are the dominant figures as they outnumber the younger characters. However they don’t conform to the typical stereotype of an older person as they are independent, active, strong and capable but still with the normal characteristics such as being calm and wise showing them very positively, on the contrary the younger characters are seen very negatively whilst conforming with most of the typical traits of a teenager such as a bad attitude, careless, naive and loud. I think this is the case because it would generally be older people watching this due to the time it’s on, the setting and the plot so they wouldn’t want to discourage their target audience from watching it.

Job Descriptions Essay

As the second assignment of the Session Long Project submit a sample job description for the position you hold with your current employer. Were there any areas in this job description that you felt were missing that were pertinent to your job? If you were working in the human resource department how would you know if the candidate applying for the position could do the job? If not currently employed, use your last position. Be sure to incorporate module concepts into your assignment. Limit your response to 4-5 pages and remember to cite any references that you used. Job descriptions are a very important aspect of the employment process. It is a tool used to describe to the employee what is expected out of them during their time at the company. I will discuss what an effective job description should contain and what it should not contain. Also, the importance of receiving positive feedback from past employers. I will describe my current position and what was explained to me. If used c orrectly, the job description has the potential to tell the applying possible employer everything, with little questions to be asked. My current employer is within the United States Air Force, I am a Aerospace Medical Technician, when I first enlisted I came in open general, which means you do not get to pick your job, they choose it for you. I was not given much detail about this job, besides it was in the medical field. I knew I wanted to be in the medical field within the Air Force due to my past job as a pharmacy technician. While I was applying for this job, I went through the interview process and felt like it was very generic and did not tell me much of what I was applying for. Since it was a small town, family owned pharmacy, the employment process was not very thorough. It was not the basic behind the counter pharmacy technician duty, it was based around assisted living homes and home medical equipment, not much retail. During my time there, I was able to learn many things about each drug, side effects, compounding drugs, home medical equipment and how assisted living homes operated. I was unaware of most opportunities that were given to me while applying. The basic knowledge I was given during the interview process and what was going to be expected out of me was to have a basic understanding of the medications I would be delivering to assisted living homes and to be able to learn the brand name and generic brand name for the drugs to be filled. When I was hired as an employee there, most of the knowledge gained was best learned by getting involved and following someone who would teach you and help speed up your progress. I was able to shadow a few other technicians and occasionally the pharmacists. What I felt was missing from this description was they did not go in much detail about room for growth, although I was not complaining about the handful of promotions I was given, it was very vague on what I would be to do next. Jumping from a full time pharmacy technician where I was able to fill the prescriptions than to traveling to private homes and assisted living homes to set up home medical equipment could be very frustrating if you were not prepared for this step. Job descriptions should be feasible, understandable and accurate for the companies essential needs. They should include information to attract the right candidate, describe the main areas of the position, job training and career advancement. Specifically, the description should include the job title, summary of the title, scope of practice, list of duties and salary range. Effectively developed, employee job descriptions are communication tools that are significant in your organization’s success. Poorly written employee job descriptions, on the other hand, add to workplace confusion, hurt communication, and make people feel as if they don’t know what is expected from them. (Susan M. Heathfield, 2012). If employers were to spend a little bit more time making a more efficient and accurate job description, it would make the Human Resource Departments job a lot easier when it comes to the hiring process. This alone, I believe would limit issues brought to the department. During the hiring process, the human resource department has an abundance of information to scroll through when making the final decision to hire the right candidate for the job. This is a very tough process to go through when trying to pick the right person, you have countless things to compare to. If I were to be within the human resource department and was involved in the hiring process, the first thing I would look at, would be the level of education needed for the applying position. Does the applying candidate have the right level of education needed? Secondly, if the candidate has any job experience within the applied field. Experience is one of the more important factors, especially within the medical field. I would prefer if my chosen candidate has a steady medical background. Use employee job descriptions to obtain employee ownership and support for the position and to trace the parameters of the skills and abilities you seek for the position. In hiring, well-written employee job descriptions can help you make good hiring decisions. And hiring the right team is critical for your future success. (Susan M. Heathfield, 2012) If at all possible, the best way to choose the right candidate would be an internship. It allows the possible employees to work alongside other employees and learn about the job, as well as the corporation. It also allows the employee themselves to make sure the opportunity is right for them. It gives them the opportunity to learn all the ins and outs of the job. This will also allow every candidate to be able to stand out, not only will the employers be looking at a piece of paper, or what college they went to, it puts a face to the name. I believe that if you have a passion for something and you are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job, this will make you stand above the rest and get chosen. Even if you are not chosen for the job, you still have more experience under your belt and gives you the chance to network out and possibly meet the right person for your next work opportunity. In summary, I have much to learn about the human resource department and the hiring process. I am taking everything I have been able to experience and apply it to my current position. To get the job you want, the best thing to have is the right education for it and to know that if you currently do not have experience in that job, do not give up, there are always alternate routes to make sure you get the knowledge needed. If you aim your sights on something you desire, your passion for it will take you there. Hopefully, this knowledge will benefit me and make me stand out. Reference Page Susan M. Heathfield, 2012. Why Effective Employee Job Descriptions Make Business Sense. 5 Tips About Employee Job Descriptions. http:// humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryj/a/jobdescriptions.htm

Genetic Testing and Counseling in Pregnancy Essay

For many women, pregnancy is met with excitement. However, for a few couples, the pregnancy can take a completely different turn when the fetus is determined to be afflicted with Tay-Sachs disease. This is a genetic condition, usually found in Caucasians, and primarily those of Jewish descent, and develops in 25% of cases when both parents carry the recessive gene (National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases [NTSAD], n. d. ). Genetic counseling is a relatively new concept in healthcare and â€Å"is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease† (National Society of Genetic Counselors [NSGC], 2005, para. 2). For the men and women facing a pregnancy involving Tay-Sachs, genetic counseling is a viable and important option to consider. However, to ensure quality care and education, genetic counseling needs to involve a team of healthcare professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Interdisciplinary Team Members and Their Roles in Genetic Counseling Appropriate members of a multi-disciplinary team for the Trosacks include a genetic counselor, a nutritionist or dietician, the high-risk OB-GYN physician, a registered nurse specializing in high-risk perinatal care, and a therapist specializing in marriage and family therapy needs. Each member of this team will add a unique perspective to the Trosack’s case. The genetic counselor has graduate-level education and experience in both medical genetics and counseling (NSGC, 2005, para. 1). Using her expertise and skills, she will review the medical history for Mr. nd Mrs. Trosack, and their families, identify other genetic risks that may exist and explain inheritance patterns. She will provide information and resources for further education on genetic disorders, so that they can continue to learn about Tay-Sachs and connect with other families facing the disease. In addition to this expert information, the Trosacks will benefit from a nutritionist or dietician. The nutritionist not only has special training in the area of nutrition, but also in educating patients about their options and making nutritious choices. In general, a nutritionist can â€Å"advise individuals†¦on the nutritional practices that will promote good health, [and] structure and recommend diet plans for whole families†¦including guides to the correct preparation of meals and shopping for the right foods (Princeton Review, n. d. ). He will perform a nutrition assessment, provide education on additional nutritional needs due to pregnancy, and even assist with meal planning to ensure a health pregnancy. He will continue to assess and make recommendations on Mrs. Trosack’s nutritional needs based on lab work throughout the pregnancy. The patient’s overall care is the responsibility of her OB-GYN, who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. A high-risk OB-GYN has a lengthy education, residency and fellowship history to gain knowledge in caring for older patients, patients with specific medical conditions and patients carrying a pregnancy that has been determined to need specialized care. The perinatologist is not only capable of making diagnoses other obstetricians may miss, but can also perform specialized procedures and administer medications across the placenta (â€Å"Perinatologists,† n. d. ). She will assess the medical needs of Mrs.  Trosack and the fetus throughout the pregnancy, monitor fetal growth and development, order diagnostic tests as needed, and provide referrals to other specialists as needed. Working with the physician will be a nurse specializing in prenatal clients. This nurse has chosen to expand on her nursing education, taking additional classes and obtaining certifications specific to perinatal care. He will assess the couple’s understanding of pregnancy and prenatal care at the first visit and make a plan to educate them on each stage of pregnancy and fetal development as well as options available during labor and delivery. Additionally, he will ensure the couple understanding for each test or referral suggested by the physician. Due to the nature of the diagnosis, the couple will also benefit from a marriage and family therapist on their team. The couple has already expressed exasperation over the diagnosis, and volley between denial and acceptance of the diagnosis. Additionally, Mrs. Trosack has already expressed guilt over her workload and its â€Å"affect† on the baby. Mr. Trosack has expressed anger, which can lead to resentment. The strong emotions felt by both parties need to be expressed in a healthy way to preserve their marriage, and a therapist specializing in family matters is an appropriate facilitator. She will meet with the couple together, as well as individually to assess their feelings about the pregnancy, the Tay-Sachs diagnosis and the feelings they have toward each other. The therapy sessions will continue after the birth of their baby, due to the nature of the disease and the stress the baby’s health will add to their lives. Teaching Plan for the Initial Visit  The teaching plan for the Trosacks’ initial visit at the high-risk pregnancy center will include the following:  ·Genetic diagnosis—The Trosacks need to understand the diagnosis of Tay-Sachs: how it is transmitted, the probability of other pregnancies testing positive, and what symptoms their child is likely to develop. This will help them to understand they have done nothing wrong and prepare for the special needs their child will have.  ·Treatment—No treatment exists for the disease itself, but the Trosacks will benefit from learning about the symptoms their child may develop and how those symptoms are treated. They will be informed of ways to keep their child safe and comfortable during the illness.  ·Prognosis as it applies to Tay-Sachs—The prognosis for infantile Tay-Sachs is poor, with most children becoming progressively worse until their death by age 4 or 5. The Trosacks need to be informed of this so that they can make preparations—for themselves and other family members. Because most children develop normally until around six months of age, the Trosacks need to know that an absence of symptoms does not mean an absence of the disease (NTSAD, n. d. ). They need to know that their time with this child will be limited and filled with doctor visits and difficult medical decisions. With this education and advanced notice, they can begin to discuss which treatments they may consider (medications) and those treatments they may not want to consider (feeding tube).  ·Support groups and appropriate referrals—With the Internet, the community of support for families with Tay-Sachs has greatly expanded. The Trosacks will be given information on local support groups as well as the internet communities available to them. They will be directed to the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Disease, March of Dimes and National Organization for Rare Disorders websites to connect with other families who are living with Tay-Sachs. This support will help the Trosacks connect with the only other people who know what they are going through, share their concerns without fear of judgment, and learn from those have gone through it all personally.  ·Pregnancy information—Information on pregnancy is necessary for any pregnant woman, especially during her first pregnancy. Over the length of the pregnancy, the Trosacks will learn about how pregnancy and fetal development progresses during each trimester, what changes Mrs. Trosack can expect—physically and emotionally, and ways in which Mr. Trosack can be of assistance to her. The first visit will specifically cover the development to date and through the end of the first trimester. They will view pictures of the developing fetus and the ways in which Mrs. Trosack’s body is changing to accommodate the pregnancy. Ethical Implications of Having Genetic Information Available While genetic testing is a wonderful addition to the vast array of diagnostics medicine now offers, it can bring about new ethical implications. In reference to autonomy, genetic testing can sometimes reveal information about one’s family that was not known. For example, a Caucasian family may be surprised to find they are carriers for Sickle Cell disease, a disease found primarily in African-Americans and can bring about questions regarding the family history. These discussions may lead to the ethical issue of perceived invasions of privacy for other family members. Another example would be the dilemmas that occur when there is a difference in societal believes and one’s personal beliefs. First, â€Å"persons with a genetic condition may prefer not to learn that their offspring is at risk for the condition, or they may prefer to have offspring with the same condition present in other family members† (Halsey Lea, Williams, & Donahue, 2005, para. 15). Secondly, some people may feel it is unjust to bring a baby with anomalies into the world. The results of genetic testing in these instances may necessitate decisions about continuing pregnancy, selective termination and adoption. A third example of ethical dilemmas in regards to genetic information being available is in relation to beneficence and nonmalificence. For example, clinicians caring for a pregnant patient find the baby she is carrying has spina bifida. The patient states her sister had spina bifida and that she wants to deliver her baby in the community hospital with a midwife. The clinician now must balance her respect for her patient’s wishes with the concern she feels in allowing a baby with special needs to be born in an environment that cannot provide services that may improve the birth’s outcome (Halsey Lea et al. 2005). A fourth ethical issue is that of justice. For, some genetic disorders can be found with testing while others still cannot. For example, â€Å"the ability to identify carrier status for a mutation in the gene for cystic fibrosis is lower among Asian American and African American persons† than it is in Caucasians (Halsey Lea et al. , 2005). Thus, the results of testing performed on an Asian American or African American patient may not be a reliable indicator of their carrier status. Personal Thoughts, Feelings and Advocacy As a woman, this writer cannot begin to imagine the feelings felt by the Trosacks. After years of trying to conceive, they learn that they are finally pregnant only to find out their baby is likely to die by age five from a horrible, progressive disease. If in Mrs. Trosack’s shoes, would this writer be brave enough to continue the pregnancy, knowing the prognosis? I do not know. I am sure, however, that the Trosacks have a difficult road ahead of them. If I were Mrs. Trosack, I would expect to feel a constant state of grief—over the diagnosis and the life my child will not have, the loss of those milestones parents look forward to (first day of school, first dance, etc), the impending months or years of illness. I would hope that I could treasure the better moments I do have with my child—from birth to death, holding her as much as possible, trying to focus on the symptom-free moments, taking as many pictures as I can to record her short life. I question how angry a woman would feel in this situation. Surely, even those women with strong religious beliefs question the â€Å"why† of the diagnosis and circumstance. â€Å"Why, after all this time allow me to conceive if you’re going to give me a child so sick? What is the point of bringing a child into life if they are to suffer throughout? Why us? † Would a woman facing this diagnosis feel as if everyone pities her? While reading the case study, I found myself feeling pity for her, knowing that she would lose her child in such a horrible way after wanting a child so badly. Despite these feelings, the Trosacks’ choice to continue their pregnancy is just that†¦their choice. Many people think that being pro-choice means advocating for abortion. However, it is my belief that being pro-choice means advocating for people to make the best choice for themselves in particular situations. For, only those going through a particular situation know best how well or poorly they can handle a decision and circumstance. Their decision to continue a pregnancy after the diagnosis was made is a brave one and speaks volumes to their character and beliefs. The Trosacks’ case manager will work with each member of the interdisciplinary team to ensure they respect the wishes of the couple. The couple needs to know that they are supported and are being treated without judgment from the team members. She will meet with the team members to ensure they are able to continue treating with couple appropriately. If any of the team members express an inability to refrain from sharing their personal feelings with the couple, she will find suitable replacements. While the team members are entitled to their feelings, they are expected to keep those feelings to themselves when caring for patients. And, when patients are facing emotional and controversial decisions, the separation is even more important. Ethical and Legal Considerations When the Trosacks made the decision to continue the pregnancy after learning their baby has Tay-Sachs, they became bound, legally and ethically, to care for the child after the birth. Ethical considerations include the decision to bring a child into a life of poor health and early death after a progressive decline. Many people in society will judge them for this, and the child will be perceived in certain ways by others. Further, they will be faced with the decision to allow researchers to follow their child in an effort to gain more information about the disease in search for a cure. The child has no autonomy as a minor, and has no right to privacy when her parents are making the decisions. Another ethical question is who owns the genetic information? The genetic information is on the child’s DNA, but the parents are the ones making all the decisions. Legally, there are several areas of concern for the couple. First, they are now bound to provide healthcare to this child, despite the poor prognosis. They must provide food, clothing and shelter, and keep the child safe and comfortable as she declines. The child will eventually develop problems with swallowing, and at that time, will require further interventions to maintain life. Secondly, they are required to provide medical care for the child; and, with the poor prognosis, this is likely to involve many appointments, testing and medications or treatments. Third, they may have problems with insurance coverage, as some insurance policies may consider the child’s diagnosis to be pre-existing, denying coverage for any treatments associated with the disease. Though this is certainly not ethical, it is legal in this country, and may lead to financial problems and difficulty in continuing to obtain quality medical care.